are fubftituted for them in the Hebrew. Tongue; and many other Things, which I fhall not in this Tract mention.

Let us enquire what Opportunities the Arabians had to come by this Knowledge: Suppose they were of the Race of the Originals, who came up with the Ifraelites out of Egypt into the Wilderness; the then Ifraelites, whom they converfed with, had, in a great Measure, loft the Knowledge of the first Revelations, and Mad not acquir'd the Knowledge of the written Manifeftation. 'Tis true, tney might fee all the Miracles and Appearances, nay, hear the Covenant made, &c. and know fomething of the Manner of Writing it. What they did about Writing, will be enquired into in Courfe. 'Tis plain, they did not accept of that Covenant, but deferted; and it does not appear that, after this, there was any Correfpondence be tween them and the Jews, except that they were forced to make Prefents, or deal with Solomon. 1 Kings x. 15, and 2 Chron. ix. 14. Now the Weight of the Gold Befides that, be, bad and of all the Kings

Arabia, and that they dealt with Jehofkaphat. 2 Par. xvii. 11, NIITYTI, the Arabians brought him Flocks, feven thcufand, and feven hundred Rams, and

thoufand, and feven hundred He-Goats. As they did with Tirus, Ezek. xxvii. 21, for the fame Sort of Cattle; but that they. remained Heathens and Enemies to the

Jews. It appears, Galat. iv. 25, that Sina was a Mountain in Arabia, and 'tis likely they pitched there; and tho', as I have fhewed above, that there were other Families fettled in thofe Parts, and gave them several Names; whether they drove those out, of mixed with them, they gave that Country its Name. Jer. xxv. 20, 24. Ezek. xxx. 5, Enumerating those who were to be published, and all the Kings of Arabia, and all the Kings any of the mingled People that dwell in the Defarts: Whether this became only a Name for that mixed People which came up from Egypt, fettled in, and gave the Name to Arabia, or to all Banditti, wherever they pitched their Tents; and that there were fuch in every Wilderness, at vast Distances, is not material. We find not that they gave Name to any Place but this, as Ifa. xxi. 13, The Burthen upon Arabia. In the Foreft of Arabia fhall ye lodge, O ye travelling Companies of Dedanim. Jer. iii. 2. In the Ways baft thou fat for them, as the Arabian in the Wilderness. Ifa. xiii. 20, Neither fhall the Arabian pitch Tent

there.

there. That they were Heathens of the worst Sort, and Enemies to God and Ifrael, 2 Chron. xxi. 16, Moreover the Lord flirred up against Jehoram the Spirit of the Philiftines, and of the Arabians that were near the wɔ Æthiopians (Cushites, of whom Jethro's Daughter was one) and they came up into Judah, and broke into it, and carry'd away all the Subftance that was found in the King's House, and his Sons alfo, and his Wives, fo that there was never a Son left him, fave Jehoahaz, the youngest of his Sons. Ibid. xx. 1, And the Inhabitants of Jerufalem made Ahaziah, bis youngest Son, King, in his Stead; for the Band of Men (Troop of Thieves) that came with the Arabians to the Camp, had flain all the eldest. Ibid. xxvi. 7, And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-Baal. Nehe. ii. 19, But when- and Gefham the Arabian keard it, they laughed us to Scorn. Ibid. iv. 7, And it came to pass, that when -And the Arabians heard that the Walls of Jerufalem were made up, and that the Breaches began to be stopped; then they were very wroth. Ibid. vi. 1, Now it came to pass, when and Gefham the Arabian, and the rest of the Enemies beard that

I had builded the Wall, &c. 2Efdras, xv. 28, Behold an horrible Vifion! and the Appearance thereof from the Eaft, where the Nations of the Dragons of Arabia fhall come out. i Mach. v. 38, All the Heathens that be round about us, are affembled unto them. He hath alfo hired the Arabians. Ibid. xi. 16, So Alexander fled into Arabia, there to be defended. But For Zabdiel the Arabian took off Alexander's Head, and fent it to Ptolemy. V. 39, Tryphon― went to Simalcuae the Arabian, that brought up Antiochus, the young Son of Alexander, &c. lbid. xii, 31. WhereJore Jonathan turned to the Arabians, who were called Zabadeans; which fhews their Religion, which came from the Word П The Powers, the Denomination of a chief Sect of the Worshippers of the Heavens. And their King's Name above, Zabdiel, compounded of the fame Root, as all the Tranflations found it, and

God, joined. 2 Mac. v. 8. In the End thereof he had an unhappy Return, being accufed before Aretus, the King of the Arabians, &c. Ibid. xii. 10. And five Thoufand Men on Foot, and five Hundred Horfemen of the Arabians fet upon him— Judas got the Victory; fo that the Nomades (Herdimen) of Arabia being overcome, be

fought

Jought Judas for Peace- fo they departed to their Tents. They are named as People of a strange Language, Acts. ii. 11. And it appears, Gal. i. 17, that St. Paul was once in fome Part of Arabia.

We have traced thefe Arabians through the Scriptures and Apocrypha; it appears they were the Scum of Egypt, &c. And there is not the leaft Appearance that they retained any Knowledge of the true Religion; 'tis plain that they all were Heathens, and at least fome of them Zabeans, which feems to be the Sect the furtheft removed from the Truth, and against which many of the ceremonial Precepts were levelled, as appears in Walton's Prologomena in Biblia Polyglotta, p. 94. § 8. Nay, though fome Tribes of People who were fettled in those Countries before thefe came there, had Cities, &c. And though they were inclosed on three Sides by civilized Nations, it does not fo much as appear, that ever thefe were, that one can term them civilized, that ever they had any fixed Settlements; but that they lived in Tents, fhifted from Place to Place; that they were inhuman, barbarous People, and I think no better than conftant Robbers to this Day. Nor does it appear that

they