83Q. What Influence had this Speech upon Agrippa? A. Paul addressed King Agrippa in so agreeable a manner, that Agrippa declared that he was almost perfuaded to be a Christian; and that Paul had done, nothing worthy of Death, or of Bonds; and that he might have been fet at liberty, it he had not appealed to Cafar, ver. 26-32. 84 Q. How was Paul fent to Cæfar at Rome? A. He was sent thither by Sea, with several other Prifoners, and Soldiers to guard them: They had a Voyage of utmost Danger, through Storms and dark Weather, which Panl foresaw, and warned the Sailors of it. They were at last shipwrecked, but all escaped safe to Land, as Paul bad afssured them by a Vision of an Angel. The Name of the Island was called Melita, now Malta, Acts xxvii. 85 Q. Was there any remarkable Occurrence fell out there? A. The Rain and the Cold made them kindle a Fire, and there came a Viper from among the Sticks, and fastened on Paul's Hand; but he shook it off, and felt no Harm, Acts xxviii. 1-5. 86 Q. What did the barbarous People of the Ifland think of this when they saw it? A. They thought at first this Man was a Murderer, and Vengeance pursued him at Land, though he had escaped the Sea: But when they faw him shake off the Viper, and no harm come to him, they changed their Minds, and said he was a God, ver. 4, 5, 6. 87 Q. What Entertainment did they meet with upon the Island? A. Publius, the chief Man there, lodged them three Days: Paul prayed, and healed his Father of a Bloody Flux, by laying on his Hands; upon which many other diseased Persons came and were healed, ver. 7-9. 88 Q. How long did they tarry there? A. They tarried three Months, because it was Winter; and then : then failed again, and landed in Italy, and travelled towards Rome, ver. 11-13. 89 Q. How was Paul disposed of when he came into the City? A. He was fuffered to dwell by himfelf with a Soldier that kept him, ver. 16. 90 Q. What was Paul's first Work when he came to Rome? A. In three Days time he sent for the chief of the Jews that were in the City, and excused himself to them that he was conftrained to appeal unto Cæfar; and afterwards on a Day appointed, he preached the Gospel of Christ το them out of the Law of Mofes and the Prophets, ver. 17-23. 91Q What Effect had this Sermon of Paul on the Jews at Rome? A. They were much divided; fome believed the Gospel, and others opposed it: upon which Paul answered, that the Salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it, ver. 24, 28. 92 Q. How long did Paul continue there? A. He dwelt two whole Years in his own hired House, and preached the things concerning Christ to all that would come to hear him, ver. 29-31. Note, Here ends the History of the Book of Scripture, called the Acts of the Apostles. What remains is collected from the Epiftles of Paul. 93 Q. Since feveral of the Episiles of Paul are Jaid to be written from Rome, which are those which he is supposed to write at this time? A. That to the Philippians, Ephesians, Coloffians, and to Philemon; and he tells them he shall foon come to them: and about this Time his Bonds were manifeft in all the Place, having continued there fo long, Phil. i. 13, 26. Eph. vi. 30. Col. iv. 18. Philem. 9, 22. 94 Q. When he was released from Prison at Rome, whither did he go? A. Into several Countries both of Europe and Afia, preaching the Gofpel, and confirming the Christian Converts. 95 Q. Who attended and affisted him in his Ministry and his Travels? A. Sometimes Tychicus, or Timothy; fometimes Titus, Demas, or Luke, Silas, or Trophimus, whom he left fick at Miletum, when he went again to Rome. See 2 Tim. iv. 10, 11, 12. 96 Q. What became of him when he came the Second Time to Rome? A. He was caft into close Prison, and when he made his first Defence all Men forsook him; and Alexander the Copper-smith did him much hurt, 1 Tim. iv. 14, 15, 16. 97 Q. Did he finish bis Life and Labours here? A. He now tells Timothy, that the Time of his Departure is at hand, and he was just ready to be offered up, when he wrote the second Epiftle to bim from Rome, 2 Tim. iv. 6. And when he had both laboured and fuffered more than any of the Apostles, as he himself had told us, I Cor. xv. 10. 2 Cor. xi. 23, &c. he was beheaded, as a Martyr for Chrift, under the Reign of Nero, Emperor of Rome, as the ancient Historians inform us. Note, My Design in writing this Summary of the Scripture-History, by way of Question and Answer, was chiefly for the easier Instruction of the younger part of Mankind, and not so much for the Improvement of the learned; for which Reason I have not been follicitous to trace out, with a critical and chronological Accuracy, every Step of the Travels of Paul; nor relate how often he went to Jerufalem, and to other Cities, in repeated Voyages and Journeys; but only to point out his most remarkable Travels, Labours and Sufferings. A more exact Account is drawn up, with great Labour and Skill, by a learned Writer, in his Book intitled Mifcellanea lanea Sacra, Vol. I. to which I would refer those who defire a fuller Information of this Matter. The principal Thing I had in view from the Beginning to the End of this Work, was to fet down some of the most necessary and the most important Matters of Fact recorded in Scripture; amongst which I have chosen out those which would be most entertaining to younger Minds, and would make the deepest and most lafting Impression upon them, and such as would lead them into a Survey of the various and wonderful Tranfactions of the Providence and Grace of God among Men, the successive and gradual Discoveries of the Will of God to Men, the different Forms of Religion in different Ages of Mankind, the Rules of Duty toward God and toward one another; together with an Account of their Obedience or Disobedience to him, with their Blessings and their Punishments, their Afflictions, Trials and Deliverances, and that from the Beginning of the World to the Promulgation of the Gospel by the Apostles in the first Age of the Chriftian Church: and this is as far as the History of the Scripture reaches. THE END. Chap. I. The History of Mankind before the Flood, (viz.) of Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, Enoch, &c. ibid. Chap. II. Of Noah, Abraham, and their Families after the Flood. II Sect. 1. Of Noah and his Sons. ibid. Sect 2. Of Abraham and Lot, Ishmael and Ifaac. 14 Sect. 3. Of Efau and Jacob, and their Posterity. 20 Chap. III. The Deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt by Mofes and Aaron. 24 Chap. IV. Of the Moral Law. 30 Chap. V. Of the Ceremonial Law of the Jews. 34 vites, Nazarites. 38 Sect. 3. Of the holy Places, particularly the Ta- bernacle. 41 Sect. |