A. He was fuffered to dwell by himself with a Soldier that kept him, ver. 16.

90 Q. What was Paul's firft Work when he came to Rome?

A. In three Days time he fent for the Chief of the Jews that were in the City, and excused himfelf to them that he was conftrained to appeal unto Cæfar; and afterwards, on a Day appointed, be preached the Gospel of Chrift to them out of the Law of Mofes and the Prophets, ver. 17-23.

91 Q. What Effect had this Sermon of Paul on the Jews at Rome

A. They were much divided; fome believed the Gofpel, and others oppofed it; upon which Paul anfwered, that the Salvation of God is fent 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 Houfe, and preached the Things concerning Chrift to all that would come to hear him, ver. 29-31.. Note, Here ends the Hiftory of the Book of Scripture, called the Acts of the Apoftles. What remains is collected from the Epiftles of Paul.

93 Q. Since feveral of the Epistles of Paul are faid to be written from Rome, which are those which he is fuppofed to write at this Time?

A. Thofe to the Philippians, Ephefians, 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. 39. Col. iv. 18. Philem 9, 22.

94 Q. When he was released from Prifon at Rome, whither did he go?

A. Into feveral Countries both of Europe and Afia, preaching the Gospel, and confirming the Chriftian Converts.

95 Q. Who attended and affifted him in his Miniftry 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—12.

96 Q. What became of him when he came the fecond Time to Rome?

A. He was caft into close Prifon, and when he made his first Defence all Men forfook him; and Alexander the Copper-fmith did him much Hurt, 1 Tim. iv. 14—16.

97 Q. Did he finish his 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 Epifle to him from Rome, 2 Tim. iv. 6. And when he had both laboured and fuffered more than any of the Apoltles, as he himself had told us, 1 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 Hiftorians inform us.

My Defign in writing this Summary of SCRIPTURE HISTORY, by way of Question and Anfwer, was chiefly for the eafter Inftruction of the younger Part of Mankind, and not fo much for the Improvement of the Learned; for which Reafon I have not been folicitous 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 Fournies; but only to point cut 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, Miícellanea Sacra, Vol. I.

to which I would refer thofe 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 fome of the most neceffary and the most important Matters of Fact recorded in Scripture; amongst which I' have chofen out those which would be most entertaining to younger Minds, and would make the deepest and most lafting Impreffion upon them, and fuch as would lead them into a Survey of the various and wonderful Tranfactions of the Providence and Grace of God among Men; the fucceffive and gradual Difcoveries 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 Difobedience to him, with their Bleffings and their Punishments, their Afflictions, Trials and Deliverances, and : that from the Beginning of the World to the Promulgation of the Gofpel by the Apostles in the first Age of the Chriftian Church: And this is as far as the Hiftory of the Scripture reaches.

ΤΗ

Relating to the

FIGURE S.

HE Hiftory of Perfons and Nations, the Defcription of Places and Things, the Customs of particular Countries and Ages, together with the Rites and Ceremonies of Worfhip, may be repre fented to the Reader with much greater Exactness and Perfpicuity, by Affiftance borrowed from Maps and Figures, which fet them plainly before the Eyes. But there were two Things which hindered me from making fo great Ufe of thefe Affiftances as I could. have defired.

The firft is this: It would have increased the Expence, and rendered the Book perhaps too chargeable to common private Families, and their Children, whofe Inftruction in the Knowledge of Things relating to the Church ofGodinall Ages, I havechieflydefigned.

The other Thing that difcouraged me, was the great Difficulty to adjust the exact Form of feveral Places and Things mentioned in this Book; particularly that of the City of Jerufalem, and the various remarkable Parts of it; and the Temple built by Solomon, and rebuilt, firft by Zerubbabel, and afterward by Herod; together with the feveral Courts and Edifices that belonged to it. There is fo very wide a Dif ference among the feveral Opinions of learned Men, who have laboured in defcribing the Temple, fuch as Villalpandus, Arias Montanus, Witfius, Lightfoot, Father L'Army, &c. that it is hard to determine with any Certainty which was the true Form, and I was not willing to lead my Readers into a Miftake.

However, that this Book might not be utterly deftitute of some of these Advantages, I have endeavoured to represent the Tabernacle raised by Mofes in the Wilderness, in the Midft of the Camp of Ifrael, together with the Altars and Veffels that relate to it, the feveral Coverings of it, the Court round about it, and the

Garments of the High Prieft, that the Readers may obtain fome clearer Ideas of thefe Things, because fome of these Things are fo often mentioned in the Old Teftament, and to these the Apostle Paul, in his Epiftle to the Hebrews, has fo frequent Reference while he explains the Gospel of Christ: And I hope these will in fome Measure attain the End which I propofed to myself.

In the first PLATE.

In the Court of the Tabernacle the Reader may ob ferve the Pillars of Wood standing onSockets of Brass, with the Hangings of fine Linen five Cubits deep, which is fuppofed to be Gaufe or Network, that the whole Nation might fee what was done there: These Hangings went all round, and inclofed the Court, which was a long Square, a hundredCubits in Length from Eaft to Weft, and fifty Cubits in Breadth from North to South, Exod. xxxviii. 9. and chap. xxvii.18.

He may obferve alfo the Pins of Brafs fixed in the Ground, to which the Top of every Pillar was faltened by a Cord, to keep the Pillars firm and fteady against the Wind, Numb. iii. 37 and iv. 32.

The upper Part of the Laver is fuppofed to have feveral Fipes or Holes for letting Water out in a fmall Stream into the large hollow Bottom or Foot of it, whereby the Priests might wash themselves with great Conveniency.

The Altar of Burnt Offering hath its Afcent made floping, and not with Steps, which were forbidden, Exod. xx. 26.

The feveral Tribes, which form the Camp of Ifrael, are pitched round about the Court of the Tabernacle, according to the best Account of learned Men, which they derive from Numb. i. 52, 53. and Numb. ii. Gerfom, Kohath, and Merari, which are the three

Fami

e fribe of Levi, are nearest the Court: juft before the Gate of the Court.

Prices you fee their Arms firft, the General's

the midft, and the Tents of the Tribe bebind.