The CATECHISM. DID GOD punish the Sins of the Iraelites immediately? A. No, he waited with Patience a confiderable Time for their Repentance. Q. What became of the Kingdom of Samaria? A. It was deftroyed, and the ten Tribes were obliged to fly for Refuge into diftant Countries. Q. Who deftroyed Ferufalem? A. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon. Q. How did he behave towards the Jews? A. He made them all Slaves. Q. What became of the true Religion? A. The Jews ftill preferved the Practice of it during their Captivity. Q. What was the established Religion of Babylon? A. Idolatry and Superftition. Q. Who was Daniel? A. A great Saint, and a great Prophet. felves? A. In their Refufal, with undaunted Courage and Refolution, to worship the Image which Nebuchadnezzar had fet up. Q. What Q. What was the Confequence of their Difobedience ? A. He caufed them to be caft into a fiery Furnace. Q. Were they not inftantly destroy'd? A. No, God by a Miracle preferved them, infomuch that the raging Flames bad no Manner of Influence over them. LESSON XIII. Of the State of the Jews after their Captivity. Abylon was taken by Cyrus, King of Perfia, who fet the Fetes at Liberty, and gave them free Leave not only to re turn to their native Country, but to rebuild the Temple, and City of Ferufalem. Alexander the Great foon after rofe up againft them, and made the greatest Part of the World fubfervient to the Grecian Monarchy. Though the Jews were interfpers'd amongst the Gentiles, yet they ftrictly preferved the Practice of their own Religion, and funk no more into Idol Worship aftertheir Captivity. The Knowledge of the True God began by Degrees to be efta blish'd amongst the Heathen Nations. However, there were ftill fome Kings, who perfecuted the Jews, in Order to make them. E 3 renounce renounce their Holy Law, and adhere to Idols. The celebrated Antiochus, King of Syria, took Ferufalem, prophaned the Temple, and put a Stop to all their Sacrifices and Oblations. At that Time there were feveral brave Men amongst the Jews, who fuffer'd the most exquifite Torments, and Death itself, with undaunted Courage and Refolution: However, Judas Maccabeus and his Brethren took up Arms in Defence of their Law and Liberties, and by GoD's fpecial Affiftance, deliver'd his People from their State of Bondage. The Government continued a while in the Family of the Maccabees, and fome of them were Kings. However, in Procefs of Time, they were deftroy'd by the Romans, who made themselves Mafters of the Univerfe: All which feveral Revolutions were foretold by the Prophets. WHO The CATECHISM. WHO deliver'd the Jews from the A. Cyrus King of Perfia. Q. Why were the Jews interfperfed among the Gentiles? A. That the True Gon might be known amongst the Pagan Nations. Q. Did the fees fink any more into Idolatry after their Captivity? A. No, never after. Q. Who Q. Who was the firit that perfecuted them for their Religion? A. Antiochus, King of Syria, a Native of Greece. Q. Who was the first Grecian Monarch? A. Alexander the Great.. Q. Who were the Men that bravely op pos'd Antiochus? A. Judas Maccabeus, and his Brethren. Q. What extraordinary Exploits did they perform? A. They took up Arms, and, by GOD'S Alftance, fet his People at Liberty. Q. Who were Rulers over the Jews after that Deliverance? A. The Family of the Maccabees for fome confiderable Time. Q. Who destroy'd them at last ? LESSON XIV. Of the Spiritual and Carnal Jews. H Erod, one of the most abandon'd Wretches that ever lived, through the Favour and Protection of the Roman Emperors, ufurped the Kingdom of Judea. About his Time the Jews were apprehenfive that Chrift was to make his perfonal Appearance, according to the Prediction of all all the Prophets. However, there were carnal, as well as fpiritual fets amongst them; the former thought of nothing but fenfual Enjoyments. Their fole View in the Service of GoD, was to procure temporal Bleffings, Corn, Wine, and Oyl in Abundance; large Herds of Cattle; numerous Flocks of Sheep; and immenfe Stores of Silver and Gold; and to live in Luxury and Eafe with their Wives and Children. . Their Fear of Gov proceeded from no other Principle than their fecret Dread of Poverty, Difeafes, and Death. On the other Hand, the fpiritual Jews and Ifraelites indeed, ferved GoD out of a Principle of Love: They honour'd and rever'd him, on Account of his Omnipotence, Omnifcience, and all his other Divine Perfections. They look'd upon themfelves only as Sojourners here below, and lived in Expectation of a future State of Blids. Both the one and the other waited with Impatience for the coming of the Meffab, though their Notion of the Manner in which he fhould appear, was widely different. The carnal fews conftrued all that the Prophets had fpoken of him by Way of Allegory, in a literal Senfe: So that they imagined, he would reign triumphant upon Earth; that he would be a more illuftrious Hero than David, and a richer Monarch than Solomon, and that under his Government, the Jews fhould live |