liftines befet the City Gates, he carried away the Gates and Gate-pofts of the City with him, when he made his Way out and efcaped, Judg. xiv. 5, 6. and xv. 13, 14. and xvi. 3, 11, 13.

63 Q. What befel him afterward?

A. He fell in love with Delilah, another of the Philiftine Women, who cut off his Hair, and then the betrayed him to the Philistines, who put out his Eyes, and made him grind ina Mill, Judg.xvi. 4-21. 64 Q. What was Samfon's End ?

A. Thousands of the Philistines were gathered together to make Sport with Samfon; and in order to revenge himfelf of the Philiftines, and to destroy the Enemies of Ifrael, he pulled the Houfe down upon their Heads and his own, Judg. xvi, 30.

65 Q. Who judged Ifrael after Samson ?

A. Eli the High-Prieft is faid to judge Ifrael forty Years; but he is not fuppofed to be one of the extraordinary Judges who delivered them, but rather that he was made an ordinary Magiftrate, perhaps, over fome Part of the Land, 1 Sam. iv. 18.

66 Q. Who was the last of these extraordinary Judges?

A. Samuel the Prophet, the Son of Hannah, a pious Woman, who had no Child before, and requefted of God to give her one, 1 Sam. i. 20.

67 Q. What is written in Honour of Hannah ? A. When she was greatly provoked and grieved in Spirit, the prayed to God at the Tabernacle, and The went away chearful, 1 Sam. i. 15—18.

68 Q. Where was Samuel brought up?

A. As he was requested of the Lord, fo he was given to the Lord, and was brought up at the Tabernacle in Shiloh under the Care of Eli the HighPrieft, 1 Sam. i. 22, 28.

69 Q. What was Samuel's Office?

A. He

A. He waited on the Service of the Tabernacle as a Levite, being the Firft-born, and being given to God, 1 Sam. ii. 18.

70 Q. Was he not alfo a Prophet?

A. Yes, God called him three Times in one Night when he was a Child, and made a Prophet of him, and told him what Calamities fhould befal the Houfe of Eli the High-Prieft, 1 Sam. iii. 4-14.

71 Q. What was the great Crime of Eli?

A. Though he loved and honoured God himself, yet he did not reftrain his Sons from Wickedness, 1 Sam. iii. 13.

72 Q. In what Manner did God fhew his Displeafure against the House of Eli?

A. His two Sons were flain by the Philifines in Battle, and the High-Priesthood went into another Branch of Aaron's Family, 1 Sam. ii, 27—36, 1 Kings ii. 27.

73 Q. What became of Eli himself?

A. When he heard that the Ark of God was taken by the Philiftines he fainted for Grief, and falling down backward he brake his Neck, 1 Sam. iv. 17, 18.

74 Q. What did the Philiftinės do with the Ark of God?

A. They brought it into the Houfe of their Idol Dagon, and the Idol fell down and broke off his Head and his Hands upon the Threshold, 1 Sam. v. 2-5.

75 Q. What Punishment did the Philifines fuffer for keepyng the Ark?

A. In feveral Cities where they placed it, God deftroyed many of the Inhabitants, and fmote the rest with fore Diseases, 1 Sam. v. 6—12.

76 Q. What became of the Ark then?

A, The Philiftings put it into a new Cart drawn

by

by two Milch-Kine, whofe Calves were shut up at home, and yet they carried it directly into the Land of Ifrael to Bethfhemesh, 1 Sam. vi, 12.

77 Q. What did the Men of Bethfhemesh do?

A. They looked into the Ark which was utterly forbidden, and God fmote many of them with a great Slaughter, and they fent the Ark away to Kirjath jearim, 1 Sam. vi, 19-21.

78 Q. How did Samuel deliver Ifrael from the Philiftines when they made a new War upon them?

A. He offered a Burnt-offering, and prayed to the Lord, and God fought againft the Philifines with Thunder from Heaven, and scattered and destroyed them, 1 Sam. vii. 9, 10, 13.

• 79 Q. How did Samuel govern the People?

A. He travelled through the Land every Year, he judged Ifrael with great Honour and Juftice for many Years, but in his old Age he made his Sons Judges, and they oppreffed and abufed the People, 1 Sam, vi. 15, 16, 17. and viii. 1-4. and xii. 1-5.

80 Q. What was the Requeft of the People on this Occafion?

A. That they might have a King like the reft of the Nations, 1 Sam. viii. 5.

81 Q. What did Samuel do in this Cafe?

A. He would have advifed them against it, because God was their King, but they ftill perfifted in defiring a Man for a King, 1 Sam, viii. 6, 7, 19, 20.

82 Q. Did Samuel gratify them in this Defire? A. Being admonished of God, he complied with their Defire, and appointed a King over them, 1 Sam. viii. 22.

СНАР.

CHA P. IX.

Of the Government of ISRAEL under their Kings, and first of SAUL and DAVID.

'HO was the firft King of Ifrael?

10. WE

A. Saul, a very tall young Man, the Son of Kifh a Benjamite, 1 Sam. ix. 1, 2.

2. Q. How did Samuel first meet with him?

A. Saul was fent by his Father to feek fome Affes that he had loft, and afking Samuel about them, Samuel took him afide privately, and anointed him King of Ifrael, 1 Sam. ix. 15-27. and x. 1-8.

3Q. But how was he made King publickly

A. God chofe and determined Saul to be King by cafting Lots among the Tribes and Families of Ifrael, 1 Sam. x. 19-25.

4 Q. How did Saul behave himself in his Kingdom? A. He governed well at firft for a little Time, but afterward he difobeyed the Word of God in feveral Inftances, and God rejected him, 1 Sam. xiii. 13. and xv. 23.

5 Q. Whom did God chufe in his Room?

A. David of the Tribe of Judah, who is called the Man after God's own Heart, 1 Sam. xvi. 1. and xiii. 14. Acts xiii. 22.

6Q. Who were the Forefathers of David?

A. He was the youngest Son of Jeffe, who was the Son of Obed, who was the Son of Boaz by Ruth his Wife, Ruth iv. 17—22.

7 Q: What was this Ruth?

A. She was a Woman of Moab, and the married Mahlon a few, the Son of Naomi, when they came to fojourn in Moab, because of a Famine in Ifrael, Ruth i. 1-4.

8 Q. Did Ruth leave the Country of Moab?

A. Yes, after her Husband died in the Land of Moab, the followed her Mother-in-law Naomi into the Land of Ifrael, and took the God of Ifrael for her God, Ruth i, 16, 17.

9 Q. What kind Providence attended her in the Land of Ifrael?

A. Boaz, a rich Man, who was near of Kin to her former Husband, married her, and (o fhe became the Great-grandmother of David, Ruth iv. 16, 17. 10 Q. What was David's Employment?

A. Being the youngest Son of a large Family, he was bred up to keep his Father's Sheep, 1 Sam, xvi. 11. 11 Q. What confiderable Actions did he do while he was a Shepherd?

A. He killed a Lion and a Bear who came to rob his Father's Flock, 1 Sam. xvii. 34.

12 Q. How did God anoint him to be King?

A. He fent Samuel fecretly to anoint him with Oil at Bethlehem in the Midft of his Brethren, 1 Sam. xvi. 13.

13 Q. How did David make his first Appearance at Court?

A. David underflood Mufick, and when the evil Spirit of Melancholy came upon Saul, hearing of David's Skill in Mufick, he fent for him to play on the Harp to refresh him, 1 Sam. xvi. 16-23.

14 Q: What remarkable Action made him more publickly known?

...A. When Goliah the Giant challenged the Men of Ifrael, David undertook the Combat, and flew him with a Sling and a Stone, 1 Sam. xvii. 4 49-51. 15 Q. How did Saul employ him afterwards?

A. He fent him out againft the Philistines, and he dew many Thousands of them, 1 Sam. xix. 8. 16Q. How came Saul then to bear him an Ill-wil!?

A. From