Preacher, fince his Mother was a Jewess, A&tsxvi. 1,3. this being a lawful Thing to him, though not neceffary. At the fame time he would not have Titus circumcifed, because he was a Gentile, and had nothing to do with the Jewish Law, Gal. ii 3. And the fame Apostle being a Jew, for the fame Reafon might comply with the Jewish Rites of shaving his Head, and facrificing, as Things left indifferent to the Jews for a Seafon, by the Will of God, in Compliance with the Weakness of Man.

67 Q. Did this Piece of Compliance fecure Paul from the Perfecution of the Jews?

A. The unbelieving Jews had fuch a rooted Hatred against him for his Zeal and Success in preaching up Christianity, that they feized him. under pretence of his having brought Greeks into the Temple, though it was not true; and they were ready to tear him to Pieces, till the chief Captain refcued him, and gave him leave to give an Account of himself to the Multitude, ver. 27.. -40.

68 Q. What Defence did Paul then make?

A. He gave them the Hiftory of his being a Jew by Birth, and brought up at the Feet of Gamaliel, in Jerufalem; of his former Zeal against Chrift, his being ftruck down to the Ground on the Road, and called to from Heaven by Jefus Chrift; and alfo of his Vifion of Chrift in the Temple, fending him to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, As xxii. 1-21.

69 Q. How did the Jews bear this Speech? A. When he spake of being fent to the Gentiles, they lifted up their Voices, and faid, Away with Such a Fellow from the Earth, for it is not fit he fhould live, ver. 22.

70 Q. How was he fecured from their Rage? A. The chief Captain again feized him, and

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brought

brought him into the Castle, and the next Day he ordered the chief Priefts and the Council to appear, that Paul might give an Account of himself to them, ver. 24-30.

71 Q. How did Paul plead his own Cause here before the Council?

A. He found one Part was Sadducees, who denied the Resurrection, and the other Part Pharifees, who believed it; and therefore he artfully, and yet truly declared, It is for the Hope of the Refurrection of the Dead I am called in question: for indeed the Refurrection of Chrift from the Dead, and our Refurrection by him, were fome of the greatest Articles of the Chriftian Faith, and that which Paul preached, Acts xxiii. 6, 7.

72Q. What Effect had this upon the Council? A. They fell into Contention among themselves, and the Pharifees faid, they found no Evil in him : and again the chief Captain fecured him in the Caffle, ver. 9, 10.

73 Q. What particular Encouragement had Paul from Heaven under thefe Suffering?

A. It was this Night that the Lord Jefus appeared to him, and faid, Be of good Chear, Paul, for as thou haft teftifid of me in Jerufalem, so muft shou bear Witnefs alfo at Rome, Acts xxi. 11.

74 Q. What was the next Danger he was expofed to?

A. More than forty Jews had bound themselves under a great Curfe, not to eat till they had killed Paul; and therefore they perfuaded the chief Priefts and Elders to defire that he might once again be brought before them, ver. 12-15.

75 Q. By what Means did the Providence of God fecure Paul from this Confpiracy?

A. Claudius Lyfias, the chief Captain, having

private

private Notice of this Confpiracy from Paul's Nephew, fent him to Cefarea, to Felix the Governor of Judea, by Night, with a Guard of almoft five hundred Men, ver. 16-35.

76 Q. What was the next Step taken by the High Priefts and Elders to condemn Paul, and how did Paul defend himself?

A. They went down to Cefarea, and laid their Accufation before Felix: But Paul defended himfelf by declaring, he believed the Law and the. Prophets; nor was he guilty of profaning the Temple, or raifing a Tumult, nor of any Thing of which they accused him, Aðsxxiv. 1—21.

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770 What did Felix determine concerning him? 4. Felix only kept him as a Prisoner; for he faw no Reason to condemn him; and often dif courfed with him, hoping that Paul or his Friends would give him a good Bribe for a Release, ver. 22-28%

78 Q. Had Paul's Difcourfes any good Effect : upon Felix?

A. Once, as he fpoke concerning Faith in Chrift, and reafoned of Righteousness, Temperance and fudgment to come, Felix trembled, and bid Paul retire. till he had a more convenient Season to hear him further, ver. 24, 25. But he kept him Prifoneer ftill to please the Jews; var 273

79 Did the High Priefts and Elders entirely drop their Accufations againft Paul?:

A. Two Years after this, Feftus was made Go vernor in the room of Felix, and the Jews went to Cefarea, and laid grievous Complaints against him, Acts xxiv. 27. and chap. xxv. 2

80 Q. How did Paul come off before Feftus?

"

A He utterly denied the Charge of the Jews:: and when Feftus would have had him go up to Je

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rufalem

rufalem to be judged of these Matters, as the Jews defired, in hopes to kill him by the Way; Paul told Feftus, that he knew very well he had done the Jews no Wrong, that no Man ought to deliver him up to the Hands of the Jews, and therefore he appealed to Cæfar, ver. 9-12.

81 Q What Occafion had Paul then to plead his Cause again beforeAgrippa, who was theKing of Galilee?

A. Agrippa, with his Sifter Bernice, came to make a Vifit to Feftus; upon which Feftus, among other Converfation, informed him that he was going to send Paul the Prifoner to Cæfar upon his Appeal, and he would fain fend to Cæfar a more particular Account of the Cafe; upon which Agrippa defired to hear Paul himself, ver. 13-27.

82 Q. What was the Subftance of Paul's Speech to Agrippa?

A. Paul knew that Agrippa was acquainted with the Laws and Cuftoms of the Jews, and therefore he related before him in brief the Hiftory of his younger Life, as a Pharifee; his Hatred of the Chriftians; his being called by JESUS CHRIST from Heaven, when he was on the Road to Damascus ; and his preaching the Resurrection of Chrift and his Gospel ever fince; which he maintained to be all agreeable to Mofes and the Prophets, As xxvi. 1-23.

83 Q. What Influence had this Speech upon Agrippa?

A. Paul addreffed King Agrippa in so agreeable a Manner, that Agrippa declared that he was almost perfuaded to be a Chriftian; and that Paul had done nothing worthy of Death, or of Bonds; and that he might have been fet at Liberty, if he had ot appealed to Cælar, ver. 26-32.

84 Q. How

84 Q. How was Paul fent to Cæfarat Rome ? A. He was fent thither by Sea, with several other Prifoners, and Soldiers to guard them: Theyhad a Voyage of the utmoft Danger, through Storms and dark Weather, which Paul forefaw,and warned the Sailors of it. They were at laft fhipwrecked, but all escaped fafe to Land, as Paul had affured them by a Vifion of an Angel. The Name of the Inland 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 kindlea Fire, and there came a Viper from among the Sticks, and faftened on Paul's Hand; but he hook. it off, and felt no Harm, Acts xxviii. 1—5.

86 Q. What did the barbarous People of the Island think of this when they faw it?

A. They thought at firft this Man was a Murderer, and Vengeance pursued him at Land, tho' he had escaped the Sea: But when they faw him. fhake off the Viper, and no Harm come to him, they changed their Minds, and faid he was a God, ver. 4-6.

87 Q. What Entertainment did they meet with upon the Ifland?

A. Publius, the chief Man there, lodged him three Days: Paul prayed, and healed his Father of a Bloody-flux, by laying on his Hands; upon which many other diseased Perfons 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 failed again, and landed in Italy, and travelled towards Rome, ver. 11—13.

89 Q. How was Paul difpofed of when he came into the City?

A. He