CHAPTER XV. 485 be supposed that the mercy of God would spare Nineveh after he had pronounced destruction upon it, and then he should he counted a false prophet. 4. Q. What befel him in this voyage ? A. There arose a terrible tempest, which endangered the ship ; and Jonah being conscious of his own guilt, advised the sailors to cast him into the sea, and then the stormed ceased. 5. Q. What became of Jonah ? A. A great fishswallowed him up, and he continued in the bowels of the fish three days and three nights. 6. Q. Did he ever come to the shore again ? A. At his re- pentance and earnest prayer, God commanded the fish to vomit out Jonah upon the dry land ; Jonah ii. 7. Q. What service did God assign to Jonah after this great deliverance? A. He sent him the second time to Nineveh to preachdestruction against it within forty days ; Jonah iii. 8. Q. What effect had his preachingUpon the people ? A. The king and the people put on sackcloth, mourned for their sins, turned from their evil ways, and cried mightily to God ter mercy, whereupon God withheld the punishment which he threa- tened. 9. Q. How did Jonah resent this merciful dealing of God with Nineveh ? A. He feared he should be counted a false pro- phet, and in an angry temper desired God to take away his life ; Jonah iv. 10. Q. What did God do to convince him of the unrea- sonableness of his anger? A. Ile made a gourd grow up in a night, which sheltered him from the heat of the sun, and he caused it to wither the next day ; upon which Jonah murmured against God. 11. Q. How did God argue withJonah on this occurrence? A. God reproved the prophet, that he should be so much con- cerned about a gourd, a senseless plant which grew up in one night, and only afforded him some conveniency of life ; and that he should be no more concerned about the lives of so great and populous a city, which besides men and women, had above six score thousand children in it. CHAP. XVI.The History of .Ieremials. t. QUESTION. WHO was Jeremiah? Answer. One of the priests in the land of Benjamin, whomGod called to he a prophet when he was very young, in the days of Josiah king of Judah; Jer. I. 1 -7. 2. Q. What encouragement had he when he was so young
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