One was the outer Court, and the other the inner Court, 2 Chron. iv. 9. and I Kings vi. 36. Nor were the People excluded from the inner Court. See 2 Chron. xxii. 1o. In the fecond Temple, which was built by Zerubbabel, after the Captivity, we do not read of any Court of the Gentiles at the Building of it. But in following Years, when there were more frequent Communications and Tranfactions with Gentiles, there was a Partition made, called Chel, to divide them from the Jews, and the other Part of the outer Court was left for the Gentiles. In the Temple which Herod built, and which was in our Saviour's Time, there was a Court made on purpose for the Gentiles, and thofe Jews which were unclean. But this Divifion does not fufficiently appear to be of divine Appointment, tho' it must be confeffed, the Partition-Wall in Eph. ii. 14. feems to refer to it. 6 Q. In what Form did he build it? A. In Imitation of the Tabernacle of Moses and the Court thereof, but with vaft and univerfal Improvement in the Grandeur, Riches, and Magnifi. cence of it, by the Pattern that David his Father received from God, and gave to him, I Chron. xxii. 5. and chap. xxviii. 11, 19. 7Q. On what Spot of Ground did he build it? A. On Mount Moriah, not very far from Mount Zion in Jerufalem: It was the Place where Abraham was called to offer his Son Ifaac ; and where God appeared to David when he ftopped the Peftilence, 2 Chron. iii. 1. and Gen. xxii. 2. and gave him a miraculous Token of his Acceptance, by Fire from Heaven confuming his Sacrifice, i Chron. 'xxi. 20. Note, Tho' the Temple was built on Mount Moriah, yet the Name of Zion is still preserved by the following holy Writers, as the Place of the San&tuary; partly because David had written fo much in his Pfalms concerning Zion where the Ark and Tabernacle stood in his Days, and made the Name familiar to the People; and partly because Zion was literally the City of David; and, in a typical Senfe, the City of Refidence of CHRIST. And indeed Zion and Moriah may be accounted but two distinct Heads of the fame Mountain; and though there was a Valley between them, Solomon joined them by a Bridge, that he might easily pass from his Palace in Zion to the Temple. Jofephus makes mention of it more than once. 8 Q. How did Solomon dedicate this Temple to God? A. By affembling all the Men of Ifrael, by bringing thither the Ark and the holy Things from Zion, by a devout Prayer to God, by Mufic and Praises, by a Feaft of feven Days, and a vaft Number of Sacrifices, Kings viii. and 2 Chron. chap. vi, and vii. 9 Q. In what Manner did God fhew his Approbation of it? A. He filled the Houfe with a Cloud of Glory, to reprefent' his taking Poffeffion of it; he fent Fire down from Heaven to confume the Sacrifices; and he appeared in the Night to Solomon, and affured him he had heard his Prayer, and chofen that Place for a Houfe of Sacrifice to himfelf, 2 Chron. vii. 1-3, 12. 10 Q. Wherein did God bless the Reign of Solomon? A. By giving him prodigious Treasures and magnificent State, and fpreading theFame of his Greatnefs and Wisdom over all Nations, 1 Kings x. 11 Q. What peculiar Honours were done to him on this Account? A. The Princes round about him coveted his Friendship, and gave him their Affiftance and many Prefents, and the Queen of Sheba came to vifit him, 1 Kings, chap. ix, and x. 12 Q. WhatSatisfaction did fhe find in this Vific? A. She was aftonished at the Sight of his Grandeur and Wisdom, and confeffed that the one half of it was not told her, 1 Kings X. ¡-10. 13 Q. Wherein did Solomon displease God afterwards? A. In Procefs of Time he forgot his great Obligations to God; he took Wives and Concubines in Multitudes, and that out of the Idolatrous Nations; and by them his Heart was fo far led away after other Gods, that he built Places of Worship for them very near Jerufalem, and offered Sacrifices to them. See 1 Kings xi. 1–9. 14 Q. How did God punifh him for i:? A. He stirred up fevera! Enemies against him, and particularly Jeroboam, his own Servant. See 2 Kings xi. 14, 23, 26.. 15. What was Jeroboam's own Pretence for disturbing the Government? A. The Building of fome expenfive Palaces for Pharaoh's Daughter, who was his Queen, and the raifing heavy Taxes for that and other Buildings, 1 Kings ix. 24, and chap. xi. 27 and xii. 4. Note, Jeroboam doth not appear to charge Solomon with promoting Idolatry, or with breaking the Laws of God in divine Worship; for he himself did fo afterwards, when he was King of Ifrael; which was a high Provocation in the Eyes of God, both in Solomon and Jeroboam. 16 Q. And how far did God encourage Jeroboam in this Oppofition to Solomon? A. Ahijah the Prophet, being fent of God, caught hold of Jeroboam's Garment when he met him in the Field, and rent it into twelve Pieces, and gave ten of them to Jeroboam, 1 Kings xi. 29, &c. 17 Q What was the Meaning of this? 1 A. The Prophet told him, that God had given him ten of the Tribes of Ifrael, and had left the Pofterity of Solomon one Tribe, that is, Judah and Benjamin, which were afterwards united into one under the Name of Jews, 1 Kings xi. 31. and chap. xii 20, 21. and 2 Chron. xi, 12. 1 18Q. Was this fulfilled in Solomon's Days? 19 Q. Did Solomon ever repent of his Sins that provoked the Anger of God against him? A. It is generally fuppofed that the Book of Ecclefiaftes is a Sort of Proof that Solomon repented, because he there defcribes the Vanity of every Labour and every Enjoyment under the Sun, and fums up all in the Fear of God, and keeping bs Commandments, as the whole Duty and chief Intereft of Man, Eccles. chap i, and ii. and chap. xii. 13, 14. 20 Q. How long did Solomon reign? A. Forty Years; and though he had such a fhameful Number of Wives and Concubines, yet be left but one Son behind him, whofe Name was Rehoboam, to fucceed him in the Kingdom of Ifrael. Kings xi. 3, 43. 21 Q. What was the Character of Rehoboam? A. Though Solomon had written fo many excellent Leffons of Morality and Piety for his Son in the Book of Proverbs, and given him fo many Warnings, yet he followed evil Courses; and Solomon himself feems to intimate it in the Book of Ecclefiaftes, chap. ii. 19. Who knoweth whether his 22 Q. What further Occafion did Rehoboam A. Upon the Death of his Father, and his Acceffion to the Throne, he defpifed the Counsel of the old Men and hearkened to the Advice of rafh young Men; he threatened the Nation of Ifrael to make their Yoke heavier than his Father had done; that is, to lay heavier Taxes upon them, ́1 Kings xii. 8, &c. 23 Q. What followed upon this Threatening of King Rehoboam? A. All the Tribes of Ifrael, except Judah and Benjamin, made Jeroboam their King: and thus the Nation was divided into two Kingdoms, which 'were afterwards called the Kingdom of Judah, and the Kingdom of Ifrael, 1 Kings xii. 15, 20. 12 Chron. xi. 11, 12. ***** CHAP. XI. Of the KINGS of ISRAEL. OW many Kings reigned over Ifrael after they were separated from Judah? A. These nineteen, and not one of them were good; Jeroboam the firft, Nadab, Baafhah, Elah, Zimri, Omri, Ahab, Abaziah, Jehoram, Jehu, Jehoaház, Joash, Jeroboam the second, Zachariah, Shallum, Manabem, Pekabiah, Pekah, and Hofhea. 2 Q. Who were the most remarkable among thefe Kings of Ifrael?· A. Jeroboam the firft, Omri, Ahab, Ahaziab,Jehu, Joah, Pekah, and Hofhea. 3Q. What was the chief Character and Crime of Jeroboam? A. Instead of Worfhipping God who dwelt be-tween the Cherubs in the Temple at Jerufalem, he |