Hebrews 11

NOW The Holy Spirit proceeds in this Chapter to strengthen the Counsel he had given these Hebrews to continue stedfast in the aith of Christ, to the end that they may receive their reward, the Salvation of their Souls, chap. 10.39. and 1 Pet. 1.9. and so beginneth with a description of that Faith, and proves it to be effectual to this end, by instances out of all Ages of the World before them, wherein the Old-Testament Believers had found it to be so: The description of it is laid down v. 1. The proof of it in both parts, v. 2, 3. And the illustration of its power by Examples from v. 4. to 40. The particle shows this is inferred as a discovery of that Faith, which is saving or purchasing the Soul; which that none of these Hebrews may be mistaken in, he describeth from its effect, and not from its Form and Essence. Faith is here a Divine fruit of the Spirit, given and wrought by it in his Elect, and is justifying and purchasing the Soul to Glory, Iohn 12.38. Rom. 5.1. 2 Cor. 12.9. Ephes. 1.19, 20. and 2.8. faith is the substance in 2 Cor. 9.4. notes confidence of boasting, Heb. 1.3. Personal subsistence; and chap. 3.14. confidence of Faith. Here it is a real, present, confident assent of the Soul of a Believer to the Promise of God (which is the basis or foundation of it) by which the spiritual good things to come, and which fall not under sense, yet with a most vehement and intense desire urged for, are made to have a mental intellectual existence and subsistence in the Soul which exerciseth it. Rom. 8.18, 26. John 3.36. of things hoped for, the evidence, is a demonstrative discovery of that which falleth not under sense, such as is scientifical, and puts matters out of question to a Man; and therefore is stiled by Logicians a Demonstration: here it notes Faith to be that Spiritual space which by God's Revelation demonstrates or makes evident all things not seen by sense, or natural reason without it, as matters of Spiritual Truth, Good and Evil in their several kinds, both past, present, and to come, Iohn 17.6, 8. Ephes. 1.17, 18. of things not seen.

For This is a proof of the first part of Faith's description, that it is the substance of things hoped for: For all the Fathers were testified of to have this work of Faith in realizing their Hopes. were the Fathers and Ancestors of these Hebrews run up through their Genealogies to Adam, the special Instances of whom follow. These received a Testimony or Witness, truly and fully from God himself in some signal Acceptance of them, eminent Appearances and Providences to them, with a Scripture-Record of them, that through this Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ they walked with, worshipped and pleased God, and were saved by him even as these Christians, and all this by the same Grace of Faith, Acts 1.17. which wrought kindly in them, and made the invisible things of God to subsist with them. by it the elders obtained a good report.

By faith This proves the second part of Faith's Description, v. 1. That it is the evidence of things not seen, for by it only we understand the Creation which no eye saw. It is the same Divine Faith as described before, but as evidencing invisible Truths, it communicates a marvellous Light to the understanding, and leaves real impressions of it from the Word of God, whereby it arriveth unto a most certain knowledge of what is above the power of natural reason to convey, and gives a divine assent to it, such as is real, clear, sure, and fruitful, different from that of the Gentiles, Rom. 1.19, to 23. we understand that the worlds, the word noteth sometimes Ages, Luke 16.8. the Garb and corrupt habit of Men who live in them, Ephes. 2.2. Eternity: But there as, chap. 1.2. It is a word of aggregation, signifying all kinds of Creatures, with their several places, times and periods; things Coelestial, Terrestrial, and Subterrestrial, Angels, Men, and all sorts of Creatures, together with all the states and conditions in which they were made, Heaven, Earth, and Seas, with all their Hosts of Creatures; the visible Creation and the invisible World were put into Being and Existence; placed in their proper order, disposed and fitted to their end by the mighty Word of God; Trinity in Unity the Creator; his powerful Fiat, without any pain, or trouble, or assisting Causes, instantly effected this miraculous, glorious Work; He said, and it was done, Gen. 1.3. 6, 9, 11, 14, &c. Psal. 33.6, 9. were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen, were not made The Visible World, and all visible in it were made all of nothing; this Reason could never digest: All was produced of that formless, void, dark Chaos which was invisible, Gen. 1.2. which void, formless, dark mass it self, was made of no prae-existent stuff, matter or atoms, but of nothing, which differenceth the operative Power of God from that of all other Agents. See Gen. 1.1. Psal. 89.11, 12. and 148.5, 6, &c. Isa. 42.5. and 45.12, 18. of things which do appear.

By faith The Spirit beginneth here to illustrate his Description of Faith by induction of instances throughout the former Ages of the Church to the time of these Hebrews. And he begins with Believers in the Old World before the Flood. Faith is the same Divine Grace as described before, only here to be considered as fully receiving of God's Will in Christ as to Sacrificing-work, and remitting such affections and operations to God in it as was agreeable thereunto. Abel offered i unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained By which Sacrifices of Faith he had Testimony that he acknowledged himself a Sinner, that had need of the Blood of Christ to sprinkle him, yet he was righteous by the righteousness of Faith, Rom. 3.22, 25, 26. which is upon Abel, as all other Believers, Phil. 3.9. And this testified to his Soul by God's Spirit, that he was Justified and Sanctified, and so eminently righteous, and it was manifested to others, Christ himself God-Man witnessing of it, Matth. 23.35. witness that he was righteous, God Abel the younger Son of Adam, an eminent Believer, whose Faith orders him and his Worship, the first Martyr for Religion in the World, Luke 11.51. who sealed the Truth of God with his Blood. He in the end of days, that is, the Sabbath, Gen. 4.3, 4. brought a Bloody Sacrifice of the fattest and best of the Flock, and offered up to the Divine Majesty, the true and living God, his Creator and Redeemer, to Atone him for his Sin; having a regard to, and Faith in the great Sacrifice of the Seed of the Woman for him in fulness of Time to be offered up, and of which his was but a Type. This Sacrifice was fuller of what God required in Offerings, than Cain his elder Brothers, not, it may be, for external price, but internal worth; Cain offered the fruits of the ground, such as God afterwards required in the Ceremonial Law, but he was not sensible of the guilt and filth of Sin, and of its demerits, nor desirous to remove it in the due way and order appointed, as appears by his Murdering of his Brother after; Abel's Sacrifice was better, excellenter; because more fully agreeable to God's Will for purging and pardoning Sin, full of self-denial and abasement for Sin, and Faith in Christ's Sacrifice. God himself witnessed from Heaven to the truth of his state, by accepting of his person and Sacrifice, and giving a visible Sign of it, so as Cain could observe it, and be displeased at the difference God made between him and his Brother, Gen. 4.4, 5, 7. likely it was by sending Fire from Heaven, and consuming Abel's Sacrifice, as he did others afterwards, Levit. 9.24. Iudges 6.19, 21. 1 King. 18.38. and 2 Chron. 7.1. and by it testified him to be righteous. testifying of his gifts: and by it By his Faith, though murdered out of this World, and his place here knows him no more, and with a design that he should never speak nor be spoken of more; yet he now speaketh, i. e. liveth, Matth. 22.32. and testifieth to God that he is True, and the only True God to make Souls happy. He in his example, and his Record in Scripture, bespeaketh all that read his Story to imitate him in his Faith and Worshipping of God, and his patient Maatyrdom for God, and his Gospel-Worship through Christ: And by his Blood he crieth for Justice against his Murderer, as Gen. 4.10. see chap. 12.24. and as joined with the rest of the Martyrs of Jesus, impleads God's righteous Vengeance to be executed on their Bloody Persecutors, Luke 11.51. Revel. 6.10, 11. By reason of his Faith he is spoken of throughout all Generations, recorded among the excellent Sons of God, and renowned in the Church to this day. Such a force has Faith to eternize the persons of Believers in acceptance with God through Christ, their Wrongs, Injuries and Blood on God's remembrance; and their Names in Heaven and the Church below. he being dead, yet speaketh.

By faith Enoch By the Divine Faith before described, that which reacheth home to God by Christ; Enoch the seventh Patriarch in a descent from Adam of the Churches Line, Gen. 5.21. An eminent Prophet and Boanerges, denouncing Judgment against the ungodly ones of this time, so as to awaken them to Repentance, Iude v. 14, 15. was taken by God, Gen. 5.24. The Apostle keeps to the Septuagint Translation of the Text. He was miraculously changed in his Body from a mortal to an immortal state, and this without any separation of his Soul from it. God out of an extraordinary Grace and Favour to him, dispensed with the common Sentence past on the human Seed in Adam, as he did many Ages after this to Eliah. He died not, all the rest of the Fathers of the Church, Gen. 5.5, 8, 27. the longest liver of them, died. was translated, that he should not see death, and was not He was not, Gen. 5.24. neither among Men, nor in their Sepulchers, as others were, but had changed his habitation and Society. If any went to seek him as others did Elijah, he was far out of their finding, 2 King. 2.17. found, because God For God had taken him to himself in Heaven, the place of his residence, and in the very Act changed his Body into a Spiritual, Powerful, Glorious and Incorruptible one, as all ours, who are true Believers shall be at last, 1 Cor. 15.51. and 1 Thess. 4.15. and so made fit for the place to which he was taken, made like an Angel in person, and to be with those Spirits in Company; now did he fully see and enjoy him whom by Faith he walked with beneath. had translated him: For before his translation In the time of his Life, and walking with God in this sinful World, all the time of his Witnessing for God in it, God witnessed by his Work on his Soul o himself, by his Ministry and Life to the World, and by the Prophet Moses's Record of it to all Generations to come in the Church once and again, Gen. 5.22, 24. that in his walking with God he pleased him. He was not only justified, graciously accepted, and beloved of him, but he did that which was pleasing to God, putting out in Thought, Word and Deed all the Power of Grace to act for God; preserving constant converse and Communion with him; and had no fellowship with the unfruitful works of Darkness, but reproved them. By this he pleased God, and God testified to all the World he did so, by a miraculous translation of him from the World to himself; God cares not for, nor will take to him such who please him not. he had this testimony that he pleased God.

But without The Spirit here proveth, that Enoch pleased God by Faith, though it was not expresly written in his Text by Moses, because of the impossibility of pleasing God without Faith; but without Faith upon God in Christ, whom Enoch pleased; it is absolutely impossible to do any thing acceptable to God, so as to be justified by him; for infidelity or want of Faith makes God a Liar, 1 Iohn 5.10. Christ a Vanity, Iohn 5.40. and God's Will a Deceit, which peremptorily says, there is no pleasing of him but by Faith in Christ, Iohn 14.6. The Effect c not not exist without its Cause, as is proved in the next words. faith, it is impossible to please him, for he that For whoever he be, every particular Soul that cometh off from Sin to God, so as to be under his conduct and influence, makes out by spiritual motions of his Mind, Will, Affections and Members, in Thoughts, Desires, Resolutions and Operations to enjoy God, so as to be accepted with, justified by, and blessed of him; and at present makes his access to him with liberty and boldness in Prayer, or any other Duty through Christ. cometh to God, must He must really, fully, and supernaturally receive all that which God revealeth in his Word is pleasing to him, especially concerning himself; as, that he is the primitive perfect Being, and the Cause of all; that he is three in Relations, and one in Essence, most excellent in all his Attributes, Infinitely Wise, Powerful, Just, Good and Eternal, &c. The Supreme Creator and Governor of, and Law-giver to all. believe that he is, and that he is And that he will recompence all Men according to be the reward of his, and whatever he can be to, or do for them for their good, Gen. 15.1. But to those only, who with an intent Heart and Spirit pursue him by Faith; Love; and longing after him as their supreamest Good, Isa. 45.22. Rom. 2.6, 12. Rev. 22.12. a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

By By the same Divine Faith, Noah the last example of it in the Old World, and the Father of the New World, being warned (by an immediate revelation from God, Gen. 6.13.21. largely rehearsed by Moses;) so that God's Word is the ground or foundation of Divine Faith in all Ages of the World; of things not yet seen, but only by Faith on God's Revelation Which things were the perishing of the World by a Deluge of Waters above 100 years after; and that himself and Family, with some Creatures should be saved from that Deluge, to repeople the World, and to replenish the Air and Earth, none of which things did fall under Noah's sense then. faith Noah being warned of God of things, not seen as yet, moved imports in it a right reception of God's revelation, which made him afraid, and careful not to offend God, and to a Godly carriage to him who had revealed the imminent danger of the sinful World, and his own deliverance from it; see chap. 5.7. Hereon he obeyeth God's Precept, and prepared and perfected the Vessel, both for matter and form according to God's Word; so as to be ready against the time of the Deluge for the preservation of himself and Family for it. Gen. 6.14, 15, 16, 22. compare 1 Pet. 3.20. by virtue of this Ark, that water which drowned the World, saved them. So that Flood was a full Type of the Water of Baptism; his Ark, of Christ our Ark; his Family, of Christ's small Family in comparison of the World: Their Salvation from Water, of the Eternal Salvation of these from the Deluge of Fire, 2 Pet. 3.6, 7, 11, 14. The same Divine Faith in Noah, and in Christians, maketh them to obey God's Precept, retire to, and enter God's Ark, and so enjoy his Salvation. with fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his house, by the which he By this Faith discovered in his work about the Ark, he testified against the sinful World of Mankind for their Unbelief and Disobedience, who for 120 years together, being by Noah's Preaching and building the Ark, called to Repentance, 2 Pet. 2.5. and to prevent the Judgment God threatned on them, and so condemned them vertually by his Word and Doctrine, judicially by declaring God's Sentence on them: see Matth. 12.41, 42. and Iohn 12.48. condemned the world, and became heir By this Faith he received the promise of righteousness, which made him an Heir of it, and of that eternal Life and Salvation, for which it fitted him, as well as to which it entitled him, and by it he sent out all the fruits of righteousness that are to the Praise and Glory of God. Rom. 5.1. Iohn 1.12. of the righteousness which is by faith.

By faith Abraham Here begins instances of this Divine Faith after the Flood from Abraham to Moses time, v. 8. to 23. The first is the Father of Believers so entitled by God, eminent in the exercise of this Grace, of whose ancestry and their descent from him these Hebrews did greatly glory. He had an express Discovery of the Will of God unto him, that he ould leave the i olatrous place where lived, Gen. 11.31. and 12.1, 2, 3. compare Iosh. 24.2. and Acts 7.2, 3. and with his Family should travel to a Land, which God would show him, and which he would give him as an Inheritance for him and his, which was the Land of Canaan, as described, Gen. 13.14, to 17. and 25.18, 19, 21. This Command of God, strengthned by a Promise, he obeyed, Gen. 12.4. Acts 7.4. through Faith really, freely, and fully resigning up himself and his to God's dispose. when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an Inheritance, obeyed; and he He went forth with his Father T rah from his Country, Kindred, and Friends, in Vr of the Chaldees to Charra, and there they dwelt till Terah died, Gen. 11.31. and Acts 7.4. fter which, he pursued God's Orders in his motion from place to place, tho he knew neither the way, not the place in which, and whither he was to move, resting himself on God's Word and Guidance, and relying wholly on his Provision for him, and Protection of him in all his ways. went out, not knowing whether he went.

By faith he By the same Divine Faith he passed from Tent to Tent, moving it from Place to Place, as God ordered; so as he rather sojourned than dwelt in any. His Journal is legible in Moses's History, moving from Charran to Shechem, from thence to Beth-el, and then more Southward, and thence to Egypt; See Gen. ch. 12. so that he sojourned in Canaan, and the adjoyning Countrys, which God had covenanted to give for an Inheritance to him and his Seed, Gen. 15.18, to 21. yet by Faith he would stay God's time for it, but lived in it as a Stranger, not having in Possession one Foot of Ground, but what he bought for a Burying-place, Gen. 25.9, 10, Acts 7.5. sojourned in the land of promise, a in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Here he with his Son Isaac, and Grandson, and their Seed, Coheirs with him of Canaan, built no Houses, but lived in Tents, which they might pitch or remove at God's Pleasure, and as he called them, as who were Strangers to this Country, and to the Inhabitants of it, and with whom they were to have no spiritual Society, as travelling to a better, being in this World, but neither Citizens nor inhabitants of it, but as Denizons of a more excellent one, Gen. 26.3. and 28.13, 14. Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.

For he looked for The reason of this contented Pilgrimage was the excellent end of it, the Place and State to which it brought him; he did really discern by the Spirit's work in him, and promise to him his Title to it, and vehemently did desire and long for, and yet patiently waited for a better place and State than this earthly; and was daily making his Approaches to it, Rom. 8.19. 2 Cor. 5.1, 2, 8, 9 notes both a Place made up and constituted of Building and Houses, such was the earthly Ierusalem; and a State, Poli y, or Community. Here it must be understood spiritually for such a Place and State as is not to be shadowed out by any in this World; it being for Nature, Mansions, Society, Condition, such as no earthly can decipher, or set out. This City is Heaven it self, often so stiled in this Epistle, as v. 16. ch. 12.22. and 13, 14. Rev. 3.12. It is not moveable, as a Tent fastned by Stakes and Cords, nor as Creature-buildings, perishable. Histories tell us of the rise and fall of the best earthly Cities; this City is built on the Rock of Ages, as well as by him, whose Immutability, Almightiness, and Eternity, has laid and setled its Foundations, the Basis and ground-Work firm and incorruptible, 1 Pet. 1.4. The happy Fabrick with Persons and State endures for ever, a city which has foundations, whose builder Because of its Raiser and Founder. The great Architect, that cast the Plot and Model of it in his own Mind, and the publickly-declared Operator and Raiser of it, who laid the Foundations, reared the Mansions, and finished the whole, is no less Person than the Infinitely wise, Almighty and Eternal God. It all became him alone, and does as far exceed other Cities, as God does Men. No human Art or Power was fit or capable of such a Work, but only God. and maker is God.

Through faith also By the same Divine Faith in Abraham and Sarah, was brought forth the Child of Promise. For tho the Instance be expressly in Sarah, yet it is inclusive of Abraham also, who was eminent for his Faith in this thing, acquiring an eminent Title by it, even of the Father of Believers, as the Apostle declareth, Rom. 4.17, to 22. and therefore jointly to be considered with Sarah; she, who first through Unbelief, laught at the Promise, yet being reproved by Christ, the Angel of the Covenant, for it, believed on the Repetition of it, Gen. 18.9, to 16. and gave Testimony of it by her waiting for the promised Mercy. As barren as she was, yet Faith made her fruitful, when it was impossible of her self to expect it for Nature or Years, yet received she Power and Strength from God by believing, to conceive Seed, that is, laying the Found tion of it, conceiving in her dead Womb, and bearing a Son. Sarah her self received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered She was not only naturally barren, but of ninety Years of age at this time, when the most fruitful were past such work; yet was she delivered of a Son, and became the Mother of Isaac by Faith, as he was the Son of Promise, Gen. 15.4. and 18.11. comp. Rom. 4.17, 18, 19. of a child when she was past age, because she judged She gave Glory to God by a firm and hearty Closure with his Promise, accounting God faithful to his Word, and able to perform it, and so rested on it, and waited for him, as Abraham did, Rom. 4.18, 20, 21. The Promise which he made, was, That they in their Old Age should have a Son, Gen. 12.2. made in general, ch. 13.15, 16. in particular, ch. 15.4, 5. to both, ch. 17.15, 16, 17. ch. 18.10, 14. and 21.1, 2, 3, 12. him faithful who had promised.

Therefore Because of this Faith of Abraham and Sarah, and the Fruit of it in conceiving and bringing forth Isaac, was laid the Foundation of a numerous Seed by God's Promise, from Abraham, an hundred, and Sarah ninety Years old, and barren, and both dead as to Procreation, Rom. 4.19. there were begotten a vast and unbounded Seed, as the Stars in the Firmament, or the Sand on the Sea-shore; and amongst them the eeming Blessing, the one eminent Seed of Abraham, the Messiah, in whom all Nations were to be blessed. Within 400 years from the Birth of Isaac, this Seed increased to above 600000 fighting Men, besides Women and Children, and after increased to a stupendous greatness, according to the Promise, Gen. 13.16. and 15.5. Exod. 12.37. 1 Chron. 21.5, 6. sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the skie in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea-shore, innumerable.

These all All these, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Iacob, &c. who were Heirs of the same Promises, and who had opportunity to return to the same Country from which they came forth, as v. 15. They did not only live according to Faith, walking with, worshipping of, and waiting on God, testifying against Sin, and finishing their Course by dying according to Faith; by Faith, as the instrumental Efficient of it; in Faith, as the regulating Cause of it; according to Faith, as in the state of believing Faith was immortal in them as their Souls, making their Death a Covenant-Dissolution, Luke 2.29. a voluntary hopeful blessed Death, as 2 Cor. 5.8. 1 Thess. 4.13. died in faith, not having received Not receiving actually, and in sense, the things promised, which were a numerous Off-spring, the literal Canaan, the Messiah in the Flesh, and a glorious Resurrection, but departed triumphing, and in the Faith of all, and that they would be made good to theirs; and this they discovered by the Blessings they lest on each other, as Isaac on Iacob, and Iacob on the Patriarchs. the promises, but having But Faith brought all these Promises into their view, tho so far off; so did Abraham see by it the Messiah, John 8.56. They all had a real, clear, and strong Prospect of them, the Inheritance temporal in its time to come, and the heavenly Rest beyond the Grave, seeing the Resurrection, Heaven, and Glory by Faith when they died, Gen. 49.18. seen them afar off, and were By a powerful impression of Faith on their Souls, of the Truth, Goodness, and certainty of the things promised, on their Minds, with a mighty Apprehension of, and Assent to them on their Wills, to the choosing of, and closing with them on their Affections, cleaving to them in Love, Desire and Delight, as surely to be accomplished, having their Souls thankfully receiving them, graciously returning to God for them, with the greatest Satisfaction imbracing them, as are welcome Friends or Relations long absent from us, hugging Christ, saluting Heaven, and imbracing Glory in the Promises by Faith, when dying. persuaded of them, and imbraced them, and confessed In Word and Deed; while they lived they published it to the World, as Abraham, Gen. 23.4. and Iacob, Gen. 47.9. keeping themselves free from all Intanglements of this Earth, as became those who are Strangers, having no possession of, nor intimacy with this Earth; incorporating with no other People, but as Pilgrims wandred from place to place, took up and pitched their Tents when and where God would have them unpeopled as to this World, and desiring to be peopled with the Lord, Psalm 39.12. and 105.12, 13. com. 2 Cor. 5.6, 8. They were all of the same Mind, loose from, and above this World, and longing to remove to their own Country, and be with God. that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

For The Reason of Faiths Effect in their dying, is the bringing in view a better Life, State, and Place than any earthly one. For these Believers by Word and Life professing themselves to be Strangers and Pilgrims on this Earth, and seeing God's Promises, and imbracing them, declare and show plainly to all who see them, or converse with them, that they sought a Country, and a place of Rest, which they were not possest of. For no Person is a Stranger or Pilgrim in his own Country; but these inquired the way and walked in it, which led them to a better than any this Earth afforded them; and so the Apostle brings us back to that which he had declared before, v. 10. and immediately prevents the suggestion, that this Country should be their former Country, and clears it to be a better. they that say such things, declare plainly that they seek a country.

And Tho they were Strangers in Canaan, yet they might seek an earthly Country, even Vr of the Chaldees, from whence they came forth, and which was their native Country, and so might be dearer to them than any other; but it was not that, but a better Country they were mindful of, which they viewed by Faith; whereas the other they might have seen with their Eyes; if that had been all they desired, they wanted neither means nor opportunity of returning to it, but they remained fixed in Obedience to the heavenly Call: and when Iacob returned to it for a Wife, yet he left it again when God summoned him, as appears, Gen. ch. 29, and 30, and 31. They did willingly leave it, and kept from it, and never lookt back there, but lookt for a better. truly if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned:

But Having deserted this World, as Strangers in it, they sought, desired and hoped for with the greatest earnestness and fervency, a City in the Country of Heaven, v. 10. in comparison with which they contemned and despised all others; a Country where there is perfection of Life, and fulness of Glory: It excelleth all others as far as Heaven does Earth, 2 Tim. 4.18. 1 Pet. 1.4. The State, Society, Enjoyments and Place, they longed for, were all heavenly, Phil. 3.20, 21. nothing lower than this World would satisfie them. now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: Wherefore God Faith having carried them thus estranged from this World to the Grave, indearing to them the Promises, and engaging of them for Heaven only, therefore God did not disdain them, he did not think it any disrepute to him to own them his, but esteemed it an Honour and Reputation to him, took up his joy and Delight in them; see him owning them when dead, Exod. 3.6, 15. Matth. 22.31, 32. sirnaming himself by them, and adopting them as his own, as Iacob did Ioseph's Sons, Gen. 48.56. so that tho they are dead, as to their Bodies, yet they are alive as to their Souls, and are owned by God in his Name and Title, and are assured, as to their Dust, of a Resurrection; for he will do it, giving them that rest that they never had in their Pilgrimage. is not ashamed to be called their God: For he has That heavenly State and Place which they sought for, v. 10. which infinitely transcended Canaan, and the Ierusalem in it, of which they were Denizens while here, Ephes. 2.19. Phil. 3.20. the pleasant, peaceful, rich, and glorious Metropolis of the living God, ch. 12.22. and 13, 14. which shall make abundant amends for all their Sorrows, Sufferings, and restless Wandrings on Earth, where they shall enjoy Pleasures, Riches, Honours, and Rest for ever more, 1 Pet. 1.4. prepared for them a city.

By faith Abraham when he By the same excellent Faith Abraham alone, and by himself considered, being tryed by God, in a rare way, to give proof of the Truth of his Faith in, and love to him above all, was to take his only Son, his Darling, and to offer him for a whole burnt-Offering on Mount Moriab, to himself, Gen. 22.2. Which Command of God was not unjust, he having absolute Soveraignty and Dominion over all Persons and their Lives, having Power to kill, and to make alive, Deut. 32.39. This Son of his was tried, offered up Isaac: And he that had he offered up as God commanded; for in his Heart he had fully parted with him to God, and proceeded so far in Execution, as if God had not dispensed with it, it had been actually done, he would have killed him and burnt him to Ashes on the Altar, Gen. 22.3, 6, 7, to 13. This mighty Faith inabled him to do this, tho he was his only begotten Son by promise, and in the Churches Line, concerning whom he had received so many Promises, and in whom only they were to be fulfilled; as that a numerous Seed should descend from him, who should inherit Canaan, and through whom Christ was to descend into the World, in whom himself and all Nations were to be blessed. Yet Faith silenceth Reason, and natural Affection, assureth him, could fulfil his Promises by him, tho he should offer him: as he raised him from a dead Body and Womb at first, and gave him to him: So he obeyeth God's Word, and offereth him. received the promises, offered up his only begotten son,

Of whom it was said This did greaten Abraham's Tryal, that unto him it was promised by God himself, That in this only begotten Son Isaac, the eminently blessed, and blessing Seed, with all his mystical Body should be called; that is, put in being, propagated and made known as by Name in Isaac, Gal. 4.28. This God revealed to Abraham, Gen. 17.19, 21. and hereby was his Faith put to it to reconcile Contradictions, as to believe this special Promise, and yet execute this special Command to sacrifice Isaac, yet to believe in him his Seed should be called., That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

Accounting Faith put this into Abraham's Thoughts in his Reasonings about this Tryal between the Temptation and God's Power, and influenced him to conclude and determine under it, That since God could raise him from the dead to perform his Promises, he would sacrifice him to obey God's Command. This Faith grew from what God had done, in giving him Isaac from his own dead Body, and Sarah's dead Womb, Rom. 4.17, to 22. that God was able to God's Almighty Power to raise from the dead, answered all the Difficulties in the Tryal If God command it, who can raise from the dead, this can be no Murder: for he can either prevent or recover. Promises should not fail, tho Isaac was sacrificed; for God would raise them up and accomplish them. As to Arguments from natural Affection; shall a Child be dearer to me than a God, who quickens me, and can raise him from the dead? Since God can do this, what Difficulties can he not overcome? Hence is this Principle so often revealed and repeated to be a sure Prop to a Christian's Faith throughout the Gospel. raise him up, and even from the dead: From whence also His Generation was a kind of Resurrection from the dead, and so was his Restitution to Abraham, for in Abraham's account he was dead, his Hand being lifted up to kill him, when the Angel stops the Execution, Gen. 22.11, 12. From the Altar he carrieth him back as a Trophy and Reward of the Victory of his Faith, in such a manner, as one risen from the dead, and an eminent Signal of his Victory over this Temptation. Abraham had a Figure of the Resurrection in his Son, and an Earnest of a far more glorious Resurrection in Christ. he received him in a figure.

By Isaac is the next Example instanced in of the same Divine Faith, described, v. 1. only here exercised on the special Revelation of God to him concerning his Seed. By this Faith he did not only wish and pray Blessings, but prophetically applied them to his two Sons, to Iacob and Israel his Seed; the Covenant-Blessings; and to Esau and the Edomites his Seed, the Temporary Blessings, God d signed them, Gen. 27.27, 39. Both these were things to come, and to be communicated to their Seeds hundreds of years after. As the things that concerned Iacob, to come, which were not seen, but hoped for from God's Revelation of them were, Plenty, Dominion over Brethren, Blessings above the Power of a Curse, even the spiritual and covenanted ones of Abraham and Isaac with him, Gen. 27.28, 29. The things to come concerning Esau and his Seed, were only earthy, temporal Blessings, escape out of Servitude in time, common good things at the highest, Gen. 27.39, 40. By Faith Isaac foresaw all these future Events, fore-told them, and applied their several Portions to them from the Mouth of God, and they were to a tittle fulfilled, 2 Sam. 8.14. and 2 Kings 8.20. as to the Edomites, as in the whole Old Testament unto Iacob, and to his Seed literal and spiritual. faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

By faith Iacob did not degenerate from his Progenitors, but by the same excellent Faith (being Heir to the Birth-right and Blessing, by God's Appointment, and his Father's Confirmation, as Gen. 28.1, 3, 4.) does, as a Grand-father and a Prophet near expiring, weak in Body, but strong in Faith, bless Ioseph, and each of his Sons, Gen. 48.15, to 21. preferring Ephraim the younger before Manass h the elder, by laying his Right-hand on his head, and his left on the others, and so adopts them to be his Children, gives them the Blessing of the Covenant, as to their Persons, and the Inheritance of two Tribes amongst his Sons, as belonging to Ioseph, as his Birth-right, Gen. 49.22, to 27. These by Faith he foretold, and applied particularly to each of them from God himself through Prayer. Jacob when he was a dying, blessed both of the sons of Joseph, and Another Effect of his Faith, is his worshipping God, having bequeathed his Body to the Burial in a firm Expectation of the promised Inheritance, as the History clears, Gen. 47.29, 30, 31. and 48.21, 22. For having sent for Ioseph, he raiseth up himself on the Pillow at the Bed's head, and for his support used his Staff, leaning on the head of it, when in Faith he declares his Will to his Son Ioseph, and binds him by an Oath to bury him in Machpelah in Canaan, with Abraham and Isaac, Heirs of the same Promise, as an Earnest and Handsel of the Twelve Tribes possessing it; which Ioseph having solemnly sworn to him, Iacob bowed himself and worshipped, lifting up his Heart to God in Thankfulness for his continual Providence in the gradual Accomplishment of his Promise to the Seed of Abraham, Isaac and Iacob. This he did by Faith, adoring his Soveraign Lord and Saviour by his humbly bowing before him. There was no need of Faith to bow to Ioseph, who was inferior to Iacob, and blessed by him. worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

By says Ioseph the first Son of Iacob by Rachel, whom God preferred before his Brethren, envied and sold by them, but advanced by him to be Lord of Egypt, and a Saviour to them, Heir of the Birth-right, and of his Father's Grace, a Patriarch and Prophet like him, drawing near to the end of his Pilgrimage on Earth; and dying, he made mention, and brought to the mind of the Israelites his Children, Brethren, and Nephews; and, likely, with a charge to convey it down to their Posterity, as it might be remembred by them, that tho he did with willingness and choice, looking for a better Place and State than any in Egypt, and that his Death should not obstruct the Issues of Providence to them for good; for God lived, and would surely visit them in their Posterity, Israel living where he sent Moses to them, and would make them go up gloriously out of Egypt, and bring them into the Land of Promise, and give it to them for their Inheritance. This Testimony he gives them of it by Faith, Gen. 50.24. And God fulfilled it 160 years after his Death, as he had sworn to Abraham, Isaac and Iacob. Joseph when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel: And By Faith likewise he charged them about carrying his imbalmed Body with them, and burying it in Canaan, and obliged the Israelites to it by an Oath, Gen. 50.25. making it an Earnest and Signal to them of the Promise and Oath of God for their Deliverance, that as he desired his Bones might be buried in Canaan, being Heir together with Iacob of the same promised Inheritance, it might be a visible token of, and Incouragement, in the appointed time, to their Return. And this Israel fulfilled, Exod. 13.19. carrying them away with them, and afterwards burying of them in Shechem, the Lot of Ephraim, Iosh. 24.32. gave commandment concerning his bones.

By faith The Parents of Moses were as eminent in this Faith as their Progenitors; for by it Amram and Iochebed both of them of the Tribe of Levi, Exod. 6.20. here put by a Metaphrase for, and tho in the History ascribed to the Mother only, yet it was by the Father's direction, as Exod. 2.2. comp. Acts 7.20. They hid Moses born, under the bloody Edict of a Tyrant for drowning all the Hebrew-males in Nile: he was born three years after Aaron, and 65 after Ioseph's Death, they kept three Months from the Destroyers, and they adventured the Penalties threatned by the Edict, Exod. 2.2, 3. Faith overcoming their Fears and Difficulties about it, and in all Probability, ordered their fitting the Ark, and dispose of it for his Preservation with the other Acts attending it. Moses when he was born was hid three months of his parents, because they The Reason of Faith's Work, was their seeing of him to be, fair, beautiful, proper; and this not in himself only, but as Stephen interpre s it,, Acts 7.20. Fair to God. Some glorious Aspect was by God put upon him as a Signal of some great Person, and of great use in God's Design to his Church; some extraordinary Stamp of God on his Countenance, which Faith could discern there, and so influence them to conceal and preserve him. saw he was a proper child, and they were Faith made them fearless; for they were not afraid that the King's Edict should frustrate Gods Purpose concerning the Child, or keep him from its Service to the Church, wherein God would imploy him, and of which he had given them a Signal in that lustre cast on his Person, and therefore they used means to preserve him, even when they exposed him, and which had a suitable success, Exod. 2.3, to 10. not afraid of the kings commandment.

By faith Moses himself was as eminent a Believer as his Parents, and a mighty Instance of Divine Faith. He who was so named and saved by the Enemies of the Church, and adopted as a Son to a notorious one of them, yet being great in Age and Stature full forty, Exod. 3.11. Acts 7.23. past the folly of Childhood and rashness of Youth, upon manly Deliberation and a rational Exercise of Faith, notwithstanding he was by Birth a poor Israelite, and saved from perishing by a Princess, the Daughter of a Potent King: nourished through her Indulgence by his own Mother, adopted as her own Son, educated by her in all the Wisdom of the Egyptians, preferred, owned, and honoured as her Son; and might have been in a fair way to have succeeded to the Kingdom; yet not out of any Disingenuity, or base Ingratitude to his eminent Preserver, but out of a Divine Faith he layeth down all his Titles and Honours, and renounceth his Relation, for the Enjoyment of a better Title with, and a greater Good in God; and this he manifested by Word and Deed in his after Transactions, v. 25. Moses when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter,

Choosing The same Faith influenced his Will, the Cause of his ormer Renunciation, for being in the present Fruition of all Court-favours, and under the Offers of all worldly Delights by Egypt, and of all worldly Discontents by God: Faith determined his Choice, made him a Fellow-Sufferer in all the Oppressions, Afflictions, Persecutions of his natural Brethren the People of God, the most priviledged Society in the World for hope, as the most exercised by Tryals for God's sake; he knew there would be eternal Rest and Glory into which they would issue him, beside glorious Effects they would have on his Soul while he was enduring them; and that they were but passing, and would quickly have an end, Rom. 8.18. 2 Cor. 4.17, 18. rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God, than The same Faith made him to reject the enticing Pleasures of Sin, which could not be avoided by his continuance in Pharaoh's Court, either in dissembling himself to be no Israelite, professing himself to be an Egyptian, taking part with them in their cruel Carriage to his Brethren, living after their vicious Course in all manner of Voluptuousness, and the Pleasures which he was to enjoy were sinful, transitory and momentaneous, neither satisfying, nor enduring, and must be attended with a Sting in the end of them, even eternal Anguish and Torment, whereas his Afflictions would end in eternal Joys and Pleasures. Mark 9.43, 44, 47. Luke 16.25. to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season:

Esteeming Faith influenced and determined his former Choice from the most excellent Ground of it, the Representation of these by the divine inspired Truth to him: It made him weigh and deliberate about the matters proposed, and then to judge, and positively determine about them, That the reproachful Suffering of all sorts of Afflictions, Poverty, Distresses, Tortures most ignominiously inflicted on them by their Enemies for their Faith in Christ, and Expectation of him according to God's Promise, and who was now the Angel of the Covenant that protected them, as well as their Ancestor Iacob, Gen. 48.15, 16. These Moses chose, to suffer patiently out of Faith in, and Love to Christ: these, with what excellent things were to follow by virtue of God's Promise, he preferred as a better and richer Estate, and infinitely more desireable than all the Treasures of Honours and Riches, which either Egypt or its King could oblige him with, the whole of them founded in the Dust, disposed by Flesh, fading in Enjoyment, and ending in Vanity. What, are these Treasures, compared to those laid up in store by Christ for his in Heaven? the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures in Egypt: For he These were the things Moses had in his Eye, the end of Christ's Reproach, and Egypt's Glory; this made him turn his Eye and Heart away from Egypt, and intently to look on the excellent Issue of his reproachful Sufferings for Christ, even Christ rendring to him his unexpressibly glorious and eternal Reward for it, 2 Cor. 4.17, 18. This God had promised to, Christ had purchased for such, who were by Faith bearing his Reproach, and qualified for the enjoying of it. Rom. 8.17, 18. 2 Tim. 2.12. 1 Pet. 4.13, 14. had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

By faith he By the same excellent Faith, after his demand from Pharaoh of Liberty for Israel to leave Egypt, and had brought on him and his People the Ten Plagues God threatned them with, then he brake the Bands of Captivity, and took up Israel, and le t Egypt subdued, wasted by Plagues, and a place to be abhorred, triumphing over it, he forsakes it as a Conqueror, and carrieth away the Spoils of it. The Wrath and Rage of Pharaoh at him and his Work for Israel, did not apale him; he was not afraid of his threatning to kill him, Exod. 10.28, 29. yet he defied him, even when his Rage made him to pursue him and Israel with his host, to destroy them. forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: For he, he was of a bold undaunted Spirit, so as nothing was too hard for him, either to suffer or do: Magnanimity expelled his Fear, so as he would stand or march according to God's order, Faith presenting to his View at all times the great Angel of the Covenant, God the Son, the Redeemer of him and Israel, the only Potentate, the invisible King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, 1 Tim. 6.14, 15, 16. with him, and for him against Pharaoh, leading, covering, and guarding him and Israel in all the way, and fulfilling his Promise of delivering of his Church from Egppt; this makes him to march undauntedly with God's Host. endured as seeing him who is invisible.

Through faith This Divine Faith influenced him in all his Work about God's Ordinances, receiving the Law about him, from God's Mouth, and obeying it: By it he made the Passover, i. e. as God's Instrument, he instituted it, and put it into being, Exod. 12.21. he celebrated & solemnly managed in each particular, and finished it, reaching the end of it according to God's Law in that behalf, 1 Cor. 5.7. Here he saw Christ, and testified of him, the true Paschal Lamb of God; by whom God's Wrath passed over the Children of Israel, when it rested upon the Egyptians, Exod. 12.21. &c. By Faith he took a bunch of Hysop and dipt it in the Blood of the Paschal Lamb, and striked the Lintel and two Side-posts of the Doors with the Blood, Exod. 12.22. He used it as a Signal of God's sparing Israel, and passing over their Houses by his Angel, v. 23. and he saw in it the true Blood of sprinkling, of Christ our Passover, which saveth Souls from the Destroyer, Iohn 5.46. and brings them out of the Egypt of this World into the heavenly Canaan. he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he The end of both these, was, That the destroying Angel, who slew all the First-born of the Egyptians, might not touch an Israelite, Exod. 12.29, 30. Under all this Faith evidenced to Moses God's Faithfulness in his Promise, it ordered all his Duty, and it realized to their hope in that time of Danger, that God would save them, who were under hat Blood, working their Assurance of it. that destroyed the first-born, should touch them.

By faith The same Faith enabled Moses eminently, and those other Believers, as Aaron, Caleb, Ioshua, &c. for all Israel believed not, 1 Cor. 10.5. yet for the Faithful's sake were they kept from drowning, after Moses had, at God's command, (when the Israelites were ready to be fallen on by the Egyptians) lifted up his Rod, and stretched his Hand over the Red-Sea, when God immediately, by an East-wind, divided it, made the Waters to stand up on each side like Walls of Chrystal, and the bottom of it to be dry; then entred Moses and Israel into the empty and dry space, and walked through it on dry Ground, and not a Soul of Israel miscarryed, but might see astonishing Power and Mercy in it; Exod. ch. 14.22. they passed through the red-sea, as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying In the mean time the Egyptians, with their King, pursuing Israel for their Ruine, find their own, for presumptuously adventuring to pursue them through this miraculous space, guided by Sense, and not by Faith, and thinking to pass as safe as Israel, when they had no Word for it, God troubles them by his Angels in their mot on, makes them drive heavily; and having brought them into his Pit in the midst of the Channel, the Chrystal-Walls dissolve, and the Waters returning to their fluid Nature, quickly overwhelm'd and swallowed up all that Host, so as not one of these unbelieving, presumptuous, persecuting Wretches escaped. God's great Work in this, as to Israel, had a double meaning; literal, their Salvation from the Egyptians; mystical, their baptismal Initiation into the Covenant of God by Moses; tho all of them had not Faith unfeigned, yet professed Faith in God; and the Doctrine Moses brought from him, was accounted sufficient to attain both, 1 Cor. 10.2. to do, were drowned.

By faith This Divine Faith exercised by Ioshua and Israel, after their entrance into the Land of Promise (who did, on God's Word and Command, compass the impregnable Walls of Iericho once every day for six days together, and on the seventh day seven times, sounding with Trumpets of Rams-Horns, and at last giving a shout) brought down these Walls flat to the Ground by the Almighty Power of God, to whom they were as nothing, Iosh. ch. 6.20. Faith in all this realized God's Promise to them, reached forth their love to him, and Obedience in all Particulars required by him, glorifying God, as the great Captain of their Hosts, as he revealed himself, Iosh. 5.13, 14, 15. committing the Work and Event to him, who, by the Breath of Faith, does crumble down these Walls before them. the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

By faith the harlot By the same Gospel-Faith Rahab, who, as the Iews read the word, Iosh. 2.1. was an Hostess, and kept an House of Entertainment, and so came to lodge the Spies: Or, as the Septuagint read it, and the Holy Ghost confirms it here, and Iames 2.25. was a publick Harlot, who gat her Livelihood by the Prostitution of her Body, as well as the Sale of Meat and Drink; so notorious a Sinner as she, and a Canaanite too, was preserved from the Destruction that was inflicted by the Israelites on the unbelieving and disobedient Inhabitants of Iericho, being, after her Exclusion out of the Camp, in order to a legal Purifying, admitted into God's Church, and honoured by him to be a Mother in Israel, from whom the Messiah should descend, Iosh. 6.23, 25. Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when The full Proof of her being a Believer, was her entertaining of the Spies sent from Ioshua to Iericho, preserving them when sought for, and dismissing them, advising them what they were to do in order to their safety, Iosh. 2.3, 10, to the end. The ground of all this, was her Faith in God's Promise of giving Canaan to Israel, confirmed by the great Works she heard God had done for them, and her own Expectation of Good only in the Portion of God's People, to whom she desired to be united, which was afterwards accomplished. Neither does Paul and Iames contradict each other concerning her Faith and Works, Iames 2.25. For she was exempted from Destruction by the same Faith by which she was justified; and her Faith was justified to be sound and true, by her carriage to the Spies, for it was a full Demonstration of her Faith in God. she had received the spies with peace.

And Here the Spirit puts a Period to the Induction, by an Expostulation, as if he had said, Why do I speak of so many Examples of Faith? the Old Testament is full of them; but here's Proof enough, Il'e say no more. what shall I more say? for For time of Li e and Writing would be sooner gone, than a full Account can be given of all the notable Effects of Faith by all these Worthies who might be named; yet he would give some general hints of Persons, and of the Works of Faith, which he judgeth sufficient, and so nameth promiscuously, and not in order of time wherein they existed. He ameth four Judges, one King, and one Prophet, and extraordinary Prophets in a bulk, whose Histories you have, of Gideon, Judg. ch. 6.11. &c. Barak, Judg, 4.5. &c. Samson, Judg. 13.14.15.16. Iephtha, Judg. 11.12. David's History and Samuel's in the first and second Books of Samuel, and the first of Chronicles. The excellent Exploits of whose Faith, are, as their Names, enumerated promiscuously; some of them agreeing to particular Persons, others to them all. the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephtha, and of David also, and Samuel, and of the Prophets.

Who through faith These, by the same Gospel-Faith, subdued Kingdoms, defeating the mighty Enemies of the Church; and eminently amongst them, David, who conquered Edom, Moab, Ammon, and the Syrian Kingdoms, and extended his Conques s to Euphrates. This he and they did in obedience to God's Call, in dependance on God's Promise both of Conduct and Victory. All was done by God's Arm at the Instance of Faith and Prayer, Psalm 18.29, to 42. and 20.5, 9. subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness They were all of them eminently righteous in their Persons, and in their Administration of Iustice to others; the utmost of their Abilities were laid out in it, as became righteous Judges as to all matters of God and Men, Iudg. ch. 6. 1 Sam. 7.15, 17. and 12.2, 6., obtained A real and actual Possession of all those good Things, which God secured to them by Promise, especially as to Gideon and Barack, Victory and Success over the Canaanites and Midianites, Iudg. ch. 4, and 6. Samson Victory over the Philistines; David Victory over the Churches Enemies. All which they first obtained in the Promise, and then in the Execution. Faith secured all, giving a real Enjoyment of all the Good made theirs in the Promise, and then in the Event; and will give the fulness of all Good in general Promises made to the Church and them in the end. promises, stopped Daniel an eminent Prophet of God believed in him, and for his Testimony to him, was cast into the Den of Lions to be devoured, where God stops the Mouths of them on his Faith and Prayer, and opens them to destroy their Adversaries, Dan. ch. 6.22. By the Power and Strength of God, both Samson and David slew those Lyons which would have preyed both on them and others, Iudg. 14.6. and 1 Sam. 17.34, 35, 36. Faith obtained this Success for them. the mouths of lyons,

Quenched By the same Faith others of the Prophets, v. 32. eminently acquainted with God, and Partakers of his Secret, who defying Idolatry, and the Threatnings of a Tyrant, became Confessors of the true God and his Worship, and were adjudged to the fiery Furnace, Dan. 3.19, 23. and by Faith were secured from being consumed by those Flames, and which in an Instant destroyed those which threw them in, v. 22, to 28. How did this fetch down the Son of God himself to accompany them, and to suspend the consuming Power of the Fire, so as it did not inge either their Persons or Garments, or to leave any Scent of it upon them? And how did Moses and Aaron's Prayers extinguish the Fire at Kibroth-hattaavah, and at Tabberah, Num. 11.1, 3. and 16.22, to 46. the violence of fire, escaped By Faith these Worthies fore-mentioned, v. 32. were delivered, when others fell by the devouring Sword, and all those Instruments of War which were destructive to others. Their Enemies fell by their Swords in those many Battels wherein they were engaged, fulfilling at that time God's Will, and trusting on his Promise. And how many of the Prophets has God delivered from the Swords of those who would have killed them? the edge of the sword, out of weakness By Faith many of those who had many natural Infirmities, both of Body and Mind, had their Tremblings and Faintings of Spirit, and were, in respect of their Enemies, weak, few in number, short of them, as to Force, Power and Policy, yet by Faith in God, were made bold as Lions, and had wonderful Success against numerous and potent Enemies, Iudg. 4.8. and 6.15, 16. and 7.5, 7, 10, and 11.29. and 15.15, 11, 19. 1 Sam. 7.9, 10. &c. were made strong, waxed valiant in fight Faith made those who were called to the War by God, mighty for that Service, 2 Sam. 22.30, to 38. so as no Perils could daunt them, no Service was too hard for them. How victorious in the most desperate Attempts, as to sense, did Faith make them? Psalm 27.1, 3., turned to flight the armies of the aliens. They overthrew the Camps of Adversaries. notes a single Castle or Tower, Acts 21.34. or a whole Camp or Place where an Army is pitched, chap. 13.11, 13. in the plural, many such Tents where Soldiers lie; and is metonymically read Armies. actively taken, is to make to lie down, or to throw down, as applied to Tents and Camps, to put to flight, as applied to Armies; all which were those of the idolatrous Enemies of the Church, Strangers to their Country, and more to their God, as the Army and Camp of Midian, Judg. 7.13, to 23. which were overturned, routed, and destroyed by them.

Women Through this Divine Faith, both the Prophets Elijah and Elisha, did raise and restore, the one to the Widow of Serepta, 1 King. 17.22, 23. the other to the Shunamite, 2 King. 4.35, 36, their Sons from the dead; and these Women and Mothers did by Faith receive them from the Prophets alive again, who by Faith and Prayer procured this Mercy from the quickning Lord, for them. In the general Resurrection all shall be raised by the Power of God, and the effect of Faith therein is only receptive; we shall enjoy Life again, and receive others from the dead also. received their dead raised to life again: and others Others also, besides the Prophets fore-mentioned, v. 32., were tympanised; what manner of torturing Death this was, is not so certain, whether by Excoriation, and making Drum-heads of their Skins, or extending them on the Rack, as the Skin or Parchment is on the Drum-head, and then with Clubs, or other Instruments, beating them to Death; of which sort of Sufferers seems Eleazer to be under Antiochus Epiphanes, 2 Mac. 6.19, 30. for his not turning Heathen, when urged to it by that Torture; and tho his Deliverance from Torture and Death were offered to him by his Tormentors on his Compliance with them, and renouncing his Religion, yet he refu ed it as others did, 2 Mac. 7.24. resolving to endure the utmost Extremity cather than turn Idolater, and disobey God. were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that That which influenced them to suffer, was their Faith in God's Promise of obtaining thereby a Resurrection to an incomparable better Life than they could have enjoyed on Earth; for tho they might have been spared from Death now threatned them, which was a kind of Resurrection, yet was it not to be compared with the Resurrection to eternal Life, Glory, Bliss, and Pleasure, to be injoyed by them with God in Heaven; see what influenced them, 2 Cor. 4 17, 18. they might obtain a better resurrection.

And others The same Gospel-Faith inabled others, than those mentioned before, Prophets and Saints, as Micaiah, 1 King. 22.24. Elishah, 2 King. 2.23. Isa. 8.18. Amos ch. 7.10. readily, chearfully, and patiently to accept and receive the Experience and Trials of mocking, from the insulting, cruel Enemies of God and his Church, both national and Aliens, being exposed and made a Laughing-stock by Reproaches, Sarcasms, and Nick-names, to aggravate their Afflictions, and these inflicted on them by Words and external Signs, Trials, which to an ingenuous Spirit bears harder than external Torments, and which they more deeply sense and resent; yet Faith makes them to receive all humbly, and carrieth them above them, as Psalm 31.20. and 52.1, to 5. and 120.3, 4. and 140.3. had trial of cruel mockings and They felt the Scourges and Whips of their Enemies Smart on them, such as were excessively shameful and painful, being inflicted on the vilest Persons, as Slaves; such as was the matter of these Scourges, such their Smartings, whether of Thongs, Cords, or Wires, Ier. 20.2. and 37.15. This Torment was commonly inflicted on them, not in Antiochus's time only, and those before, but commonly in Christ's and the Apostles days, 2 Cor. 6.5. and 11.23. scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds They chearfully and patiently submitted to the cruel treating of their Persecutors, who put them in the Stocks, places of little Ease, Dungeons, loading them with Iron Shackels and Fetters, which the Wickeness of Man had invented to torment them with; stern and cruel usage by their Goalers, restraining Society from them, and of comfortable Relief, feeding them with the Bread and Water of Affliction, 2 Chron. 18.26. Acts 16.24., and imprisonment.

They By the same Faith were several of the Prophets and believing Worthies of old carried through cruel Deaths, the just Punishment of Malefactors, but the wicked Tortures of these innocent Saints, some being stoned to Death, as Zacharias the Son of Iehoiada, 2 Chron. 24.21. And others, Matth. 21.35. and 23.37. Luke 13.34. were stoned, they were As Isaiah was, is a known Tradition among the Hebrews, a Punishment common among the bordering Nations of them, 2 Sam. 12.31. Amos 1.3. and exercised on these Innocents, to which Christ himself alludeth Matth. 24.51. sawn asunder, were Whether should not be, is much doubted, Temptation being no manner of Death; and the Spirit had instanced in it before, v. 35. It may therefore be a slip of the Transcriber, and that Burning was the cruel Death that should fill this place among the rest, a common Punishment with them, Ier. 29.22. 2 Maccab. 7.5. Or, it may note a Death with several Trials of Racks and Torments gradually inflicted, with a Design to tempt them by their Pains to renounce their Religion. tempted, were slain Others were killed by the Sword, either by beheading, or cutting in pieces, Mark 6.16, 17. A kind of Death foretold to be attending the Martyrs of Jesus Christ, Rev. 20.4. All these sorts of Death were most unjustly and cruelly inflicted on them by their Persecutors, and as patiently received, and chearfully undergone by them. with the sword, they As Faith carried these Believers through variety of Deaths, so it managed others comfortably under their Banishments and lingring Sufferings, which were in proportion as cruel as Death it self; they circuited up and down to preserve themselves from their Destroyers, either voluntarily returning themselves into desolate places to keep a good Conscience, or were unjustly and violently banished and forced away from their own Habitations, to live as Vagabonds, cloathed only with Goat-skins and Sheep-skins, the common Apparel of the Prophets, as of Elijah, 2 King. 1.8. Zech. 13.4. which they wore as they came from the Beasts back, without dressing, wandred about in sheep-skins, and goat-skins, being destitute Wandring in this forlorn state, stript of Money, and Necessaries of Life, and not supplied by others in their Poverty, 1 King. 17.4. grievously pressed within, pained without, and afflicted beyond what can be sensed by any, but in the like States, and evilly intreated by all; many Miseries attending them by their Pursuers, Hardship in Travels, and all sorts of Evils, which multiplied their Griess: Through all this Faith carried them comfortably, and kept God with them., afflicted, tormented:

Of whom The Spirit intermixeth an Account of what these Persons were, who were so treated, lest the Reader or Hearer of these things might be mistaken of them, judging them to be some heinous Malefactors, who were thus hurried in, and destroyed by the World. VVould you know what manner of Persons they were; be it known to you in the Judgment of God, the best Judge of their Persons and States; they were such as the World did not deserve they should live among them, but were unworthy of their Society, and the Blessings which did attend it; and were it not for their sakes, God would quickly put an End to the sinful World, and burn it up. Such were these as did more for the Preservation of the VVorld, when thus brutishly treated by it, than it would or could do for it self. the world was not worthy they wandred in Yet were they wandring over the desolate Parts of this Earth, being forced from all Society with Men, to the retirements of wild Beasts in Deserts, and climbing up Mountains and Rocks from their Persecutors, lodging themselves in the natural or artificial Dens and Caves of the Earth, the only Receptacles for these VVorthies, Faith giving them the best Company, God and his Comforts there; See 1 Sam. 22.23, 24. 1 King. 17.3. and 18.13. 1 Mac. 1.53. and 2.28.29, 30. deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

And The Apostle returns in this Verse to the Proposition laid down in the second Verse, which he had been proving by all these Examples, and with it shuts up the History of them; all these Elders mentioned from v. 2, to this Verse. these all having obtained strictly is having been martyred, or made Martyrs, specially witnessing to the Death for Christ, have a Testimony given to them, by way of Eminency, by God himself in his Scripture-Record, that through Faith they pleased him in their glorious Atchievements and Sufferings, and were God's faithful VVitnesses to the VVorld, glorifying him in it, tho reproached and ruined by the VVorld, yet they were too good to live in it, and were fit to live with him in Heaven, as v. 2, 5, 16, 35. a good report through faith, received not the promise Yet these VVorthies, as Abraham and his believing Seed, did not possess the Land of Canaan, tho they had the Promise of it in their time, v. 13. others did obtain the Grace and good things promised for their time, v. 33. but none of these had fulfilled to them in their day the Manifestation of the Messiah in the Flesh; tho they saw his Day and Coming by Faith, and did rejoice in it, yet none saw him so come as Simeon did, Luke 2.26, 29. tho as to the eternal Benefits by Christ they did as actually receive them, as those since his perfecting the Work of Redemption have received them, even eternal Blessedness and Glory by him, Acts 15.11..

God The causes of their not receiving the Promise, are summed up in this Verse; the efficient of it is God's Providence unto Believers before and after the incarnation of the Messiah; God having from Eternity foreknowledg of those who would believe in God the Son incarnate, Rom. 8.29. predestinated them to be called to the Faith in Him, and provided better for New-Testament-Believers than for the Old ones, that what they had of Christ in Types and Vails, these should have in Truth; what these had in Promise, they should have in Sight and Possession; what these had in Hope, as to his first coming, they should have it past, and it as an earnest of his second Coming; what they had by measure of his Spirit and Grace, these should have in fulness. Luke 10.23, 24. Iohn 1.14, 16. and 7.39. 2 Cor. 3.8. Ephes. 3.8, 9, 10, 11. Titus 2.13. 1 Pet. 1.12. having provided some better thing for us, that they The final cause of this Gracious Providence was, that the former and later Believers might be compleated together, they shall not reach that perfect state of Grace and Glory by a reunion of their Bodies and Souls until the general Resurrection, when they shall not prevent us, nor we them; but as soon as the Trumpet alarms the Dead to rise, in the same moment, and twinkling of an Eye shall the Living be changed, and all be caught up together in the Clouds, to meet the Lord in the Air, and so shall be ever with the Lord, 1 Thess. 4.15, to 18. The ground of which Perfection of all Believers in all Ages being in the last time, is from his choosing them all to be but one body of Christ, and him their Head; so as one Member cannot be perfected but in the perfection of the whole, Matth. 8.11. Ephes. 4.4. In which perfection of it, God is resolved to be all in all; not in one, or in some, but when Christ has subdued all his Enemies, and gathered all his Members, then shall his Body and Kingdom be perfected, and God be all in all, 1 Cor. 15.28. without us should not be made perfect g.