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to have a weapon ready to defend himself, ver. 13— 23.

25 Q. What reformation did Nehemiah work among them?

A. He reproved those that took usury, and oppressed their brethren; and he set himself for an example, who, though he was governer twelve years, took no salary, but maintained himself and one hundred and fifty Jews at his own charge, Neh. v. 7-19. 26 Q. In what manner did they worship God when the city was built?

A. On the first day of the seventh month all the people were gathered together in one street, and Ezra the priest and scribe read in the book of the law, and gave the sense of the words that they might see their past sins and errors, and might be instructed to yeild a more regular and exact obedience for the time to come; and this being done, he blessed the great God, and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, Neh, viii. 1-8.

Note, It is a remark of Dr. Prideaux, that though Ezra's authority and government expired before this time, yet he went on as a skilful scribe of the law of God, to preach righteousness, to perfect the reformation, to gather several parts of Scripture together, to set forth correct copies of them, and to bring all things in Church and State to the rules thereof: and this he did by the assistance of the governer, Nehemiah, doing the same things by his authority, which before he did by

his own.

27 Q. How did they keep the feast of tabernacles?

A. By dwelling in booths made of branches of trees seven days together, as God had commanded by Moses, and they read and explained the book of the law every day of the seven, ver. 13—18.

28 Q. How did they keep a fast on the twentyfourth day of the seventh month?

A. One fourth part of the day they confessed their

sins, and another fourth part they read in the book of the law, and then they entered into a covenant with an oath to be the Lord's people, and the princes, and the priests, and the Levites, sealed it, Neh. ix. and x. 1, 2.

29 Q. How were the people disposed of in their habitations?

A. The rulers dwelt at Jerusalem, the rest of the priests and people cast lots to bring one in ten to dwell at Jerusalem, and nine parts in the other cities, that the land might be peopled, Neh. xi.

30 Q. How was the wall of Jerusalem the holy city dedicated?

A. The Levites came from all places to Jerusalem, and joined with the priests and the rulers in two large companies, and gave thanks, and offered sacrifices, and sung the praises of God, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off, Neh. xii. 27-43.

31 Q. What further reformation did Nehemiah bring in among the people?

A. He turned Tobiah the Ammonite out of his lodging in the temple which Eliashib the high-priest had prepared for him; he established the portion of the fruits of the earth which belonged to the Levites; he forbade the profanation of the sabbath, by buying and selling and bearing burdens; and punished the Jews who married strange wives, Neh. xiii. 4-29.

32 Q. What remarkable instance did Nehemiah give of his zeal in punishing those who married strangers?

A. He drove away one of the sons of Joiada the son of Eliashib the high-priest, for marrying the daughter of Sanballat the Horonite, who had hindered the Jews so much in their building severa years before, ver. 28.

Note, This young man's name was Manasseh, as Josephus informs us.

33 Q. Had Nehemiah no prophet to assist him in this difficult work?

A. It is supposed that Malachi, the last of the prophets, prophesied about this time, for he doth not reprove them for neglect of building as Haggai did, Hag. i. 4, 9. nor does he speak of the finishing of the temple as Zachariah did, iv. 7, 9. But supposing that already done, he reproved them about their marriage of strangers, and of several wives, or of taking concubines, Mal. ii. 11, 14, 16; their robbing God of their tithes, chap. iii. &c.; their polluting the altar and neglect of offering God the best, chap. 1.; which were the very things which Nehemiah corrected in his last reformation.

Thus far the holy Scripture has delivered down to us the history of the transactions of God with men, and particularly with his own people, the nation of Israel, in a long and continual succession of events, from the creation of the world, to the return of the Jews from the captivity of Babylon, and the settling of the church and state under Nehemiah, whom the king of Persia made governor over the land.

There are several historical matters related in Scripture which belong to particular persons; the most considerable of them are the histories of Job and Jonah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and Esther.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE HISTORY OF JOB.

1 Q. Who was Job?

A. A most religious man in the land of Uz, who had ten children and very great riches, Job i. 1-3. 2 Q. In what age of the world is Job supposed to have lived?

A. In or before the day of Moses because there is

not the least intimation of any transactions of God with Israel in the whole book of Job.

3 Q. What particular act of piety is related concerning him in his prosperous state?

A. When his children had been feasting each other in their turns, Job offered sacrifices for them, lest they should have sinned and provoked God in the seasons of their mirth, ver. 4, 5.

4 Q. What were the afflictions that fell upon Job? A. God permitted the devil, by kindling of lightning, and by stirring up robbers and plunderers among his heathen neighbours, to bereave him of all his cattle and his wealth in one day, aud to destroy all his children, even seven sons and three daughters, by a tempest which blew down the house in which they were feasting, ver. 6-19.

5 Q. Was the devil suffered to vent his malice upon the person of Job?

A. Yes; God permitted him to smite Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head, Job ii. 6, 7.

6 Q. What was the design of God in these providences toward Job?

A. To try the strength of his piety, and to set him up as an example of patience, both in the exercise of it, and in the rewards of it, Job xxiii. 10. James v. 11.

7 Q. What was the behaviour of Job under this trial?

A. He blessed the name of the Lord, and did not murmur at his providence, Job i. 20-22. and ii. 10. 8 Q. What was a further aggravation of Job's distress?

A. That his wife tempted him to abandon all religion, because God suffered him to be thus afflicted, Job ii. 9, 10.

9 Q. Had Job any comforter?

A. Three friends came from the neighbouring places to mourn with him and comfort him, ver. 11

10 Q. How long did his patience continue in this perfect exercise of it?

A. Seven days he sat down in ashes, and was silent under the hand of God, ver. 13.

11 Q. Wherein did any impatience of Job first appear?

A. In cursing the day on which he was born, Job iii. 1-16.

12 Q. What were the sentiments of Job's three friends on this mournful occasion, and how did they behave towards him?

A. When they saw him to be so dreadfully afflicted, they rashly concluded he had been guilty of very great sins, notwithstanding his outward profession of piety, and therefore they severely reproved him for his grievous complaints, chap. iv. &c.

13 Q. How did Job answer to their charges?

A. He maintained against them all this great truth, that God did sometimes afflict those who were innocent, for wise and unsearchable reasons; and he vindicated his own innocence, placing his trust in God, chap. ix. &c.

14 Q. Wherein did Job fail in his duty towards God in this matter?

A. Under the violence of his distress, and the most unjust accusations of his friends, he sometimes spoke words of unreasonable despair, and sometimes he used rash and unbecoming language against the great God, and vindicated himself too much, as though he had been perfectly innocent before God as well as before men, chap vi. &c.

15 Q. How was the controversy between Job and his friends compromised at last?

A. Elihu, a fourth friend, who was younger than the rest, and had come to visit him, took a middle way to end this controversy, and spoke more agreeably to the truth: and though he reproved the three friends for asserting that God would never afflict any innocent man so much as Job was afflicted, yet he

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