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10 Q. What Honours did Nebuchadnezzar be flow on Daniel on this Occafion? A. He acknowledged the Supremacy of the God of Daniel, he made Daniel Ruler over Babylon, and at his Requeft made Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego Officers under him, ver. 46–49.

IIQ. What became of Shadrach, Mefhach and Abednego? A. Notwithstanding the Honour the King had given them, yet they were caft into a fiery Furnace, because they would not worship a huge Gold Image which King Nebuchadnezzar had. fet up, Dan. iii. I-21.

12 Q. What remarkable Providence attended. their being caft into the Furnace? A. The King. being enraged at them for refufing boldly to worfhip this Image, commanded the Furnace to be made feven times hotter, even to fuch a Degree, that the Flame flew the Men that caft them into it,

ver. 22.

13 Q. How were they faved in the fiery Furnace? A. Though thefe three Men were caft into the Furnace bound, and fell down in the Fire, yet prefently afterward the King faw four Men loose walking in the Fire, and they had no hurt; and the Form of the fourth was like the Son of God, ver. 23, 24, 25. i. e. fome glorious Perfon whom Nebuchadnezzar could not better defcribe than as a heavenly Being, a Son of God.

14 Q. What Influence had this upon the King? A. He called them to come out of the Furnace, and bleffed their God who had fent his Angel to deliver them, and made a Decree, that no Man hould fpeak against the God of the Jews, ver. 26-28.

15 Q. What other Dream of Nebuchadnezzar's did Daniel interpret? A. The Dream of a tall and spreading

fpreading Tree that was cut down, and the Stump of it was left in the Earth, and that should have a Beaft's Heart given it instead of a Man's for feven Years, Dan. iv. 1-16.

16Q. What Interpretation did Daniel give to it? A. That Nebuchadnezzar the King should be driven from his Kingdom, fhould run mad, and dwell feven Years with the Beafts of the Earth, and then be restored to his Reason and his Kingdɔm again, ver. 19—27.

17 Q. How foon was this fulfilled? A. At the End of twelve Months he was walking in the Palace of Babylon, and boasting of his Grandeur and Majefty, and there fell a Voice from Heaven, that his Kingdom was departed, and he should be driven from Men: And immediately he was feized with Madness, and the Sentence was executed upon him, and he fled from the Society of Men, and herded with the Beasts in the open Field, ver. 28-33.

18 Q. What did Nebuchadnezzar do at feven Years End, when his Understanding and his Kingdom were reftored to him? A. He did further Honours to the God of Heaven, and published this Hiftory of himself, and thefe Signs and Wonders of the great God, throughout all his Dominions, 34,ke.

ver.

19 Q. What Notice was taken of Daniel in the Time of Belshazzar the Grandfon of Nebuchadnez zar? A. He was fent for to Court to read and interpret three or four Words, which were written upon the Wall by the Apparition of a Hand while Belshazzar was feafting, Dan. v.

20 Q. What was there in Belshazzar's Feast that eminently provoked God against him? A. He and his Nobles drank in the holy Vessels that

were

were taken out of the Temple of God at Jerufa lem, and at the fame time they praifed their Gods of Gold and Silver, of Wood and Stone, Dan. v. I-4.

21 Q. What was the Meaning of this Writing against the Wall? A. That God had finished Belfhazzar's Kingdom, and given it to the Medes and Perfians, ver. 25-28.

22 Q. What Honour was done to Daniel? A. He was immediately clothed in Scarlet, with a Chain of Gold, and made the third Ruler in the Kingdom, ver, 29.

23 Q. When was this Sentence executed on Belfhazzar? A. He was flain that very Night, by the Army under the Command of Cyrus the General, who after a long Siege took the City Babylon, and the Kingdom was tranflated to Darius the Mede, the Emperor of the Medes and Perfians, ver. 30, 31.

24 Q. Did Daniel lofe his Preferment by the Change of the Kingdom? A. No; for Darius fet Daniel over all the hundred and twenty Princes, and made him firft of the three Prefidents, Dan. vi. 1, 2, 3,

25Q. How did the Envy of the Prefidents and the Princes perfecute him on this Occafion? A. They knew that Daniel would pray to his God, and they perfuaded King Darius to fign a Decree, that if any Man fhould afk a Petition of any God or Man for thirty Days, befides of the King himself, he fhould be caft into the Lion's Den, ver. 4-9.

26 Q. What did Daniel do when he heard of this Decree? A. He went to his House, and the Windows being open toward Jerufalem, he prayed to his God three Times à Day, according to his Cuftom, ver. 10.

27 Q. What was the Confequence of this? A. Though the King himself was forry for his Decree, and tried all means to fave Daniel, yet his Enemies prevailed to have him caft into the Den of Lions, because the Laws of the Medes and Perfans were not to be altered, ver. 11—17.

28 Q. Wherein did the King further fhew his Concern for Daniel? A. He paffed the Night without Mufick or Sleep, he went early to the Lions Den in the Morning, and found Daniel fafe, to his great Joy; for God had fhut the Mouths of the Lions, that they did him no Hurt, ver. 18--23.

29 Q. Wherein did King Darius manifeft his Refentment against the Enemies of Daniel? A. He caft them, with their Wives and Children, into the Den of Lions, who broke all their Bones immediately, ver. 24.

30 Q. What Special Regard did Darius fhew to the true God on this Occafion? A. He fent a Decree through all Nations, that Men fhould fear the God of Daniel, ver. 25.

31 Q. What are the other most remarkable Things in the Hiftory of Daniel? A. The Vifions which he faw, the excellent Prayer which he made for the Restoration of the Jews from Captivity, and the other Prophecies which were given him by Angels.

32 Q. What were fome of his Vifions and Prophecies? A. Emblems and Reprefentations of the four Monarchies of the World, and of the Kingdom of Chrift; and Predictions concerning future Events among the Jews, and other Nations of the Earth; fome of which are expreffed fo plainly, that the Enemies of the Bible fuppofe them to be written after thofe Events came to pass, Chap. vii. and viii, and xi.

33 Q. What remarkable Anfwer did Daniel receive to this excellent Prayer of his, for the Reftoration of the Jews? A. The Angel Gabriel was ordered to fly fwiftly, and to inform him of his own Acceptance with God, of the Commandment of the Kings of Perfia to rebuild the Holy City, of the Time of the Coming, and the Death of the Meffiah to take away the Sins of Men, and of the second Destruction of Jerufalem, Dan. ix.

20--27.

34 Q. What other eminent Prophecies did Daniel receive by his Converse with Angels? A. Befides the various Events relating to this World, he had fome Predictions concerning the Chriftian Church, and its Troubles, and the Period of them; concerning the Refurrection of the Dead, Everlafting Life, and Everlafting Punishment, Chap. xii.

CHAP. XVIII.

The Hiftory of ESTHER.

IQ. WHO was Efther? 4. A beautiful young Jewish Virgin, whofe Ancestors were carried captive by the King of Babylon, in the Days of Feconiah, King of Judah, Esther ii. 5, 6.

2 Q. Where was fhe educated? A. She was brought up in Shushan, the Palace of the King of Perfia, by Mordecai her Firft-coufin, for her Father and Mother were dead, ver. 7.

3Q. To what Honour was fhe advanced? A. King Ahasuerus took her into his Royal Houfe,

and

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