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him; whose word, if they had obeyed, they had escaped that destruction.

XI. 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

He was content to dwell awhile in those moving tents, because his heart was set upon the expectation of a fixed and during city in heaven; the foundations whereof are eternal; whose builder and maker is God.

XI. 11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed.

By faith, Sara herself, though at first she laughed distrustfully, recollecting herself, received strength to conceive.

XI. 12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars &c.

Therefore sprang there of one, even Abraham, who was, in respect of any likelihood of propagation, as good as dead, an innumerable issue.

XI. 13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off.

These all died in faith, not having received the performance of those gracious promises, concerning the coming of the Messiah in the flesh, and the accomplishment of his Spiritual Kingdom; but having seen them afar off.

XI. 14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

They, that do confess themselves to be strangers and pilgrims on earth, do therein plainly declare, that their thoughts and endeavours are bent upon their glorious home in heaven.

XI. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

It was not in respect of Mesopotamia, whence they came, that they accounted themselves strangers; for, if they had had a mind thither, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

XI. 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

But, accounting themselves strangers, both in Chaldea and in Canaan, they raised up their hearts to the desire of a better country, that is, a heavenly and God respected them accordingly ; not disdaining to entitle himself particularly by their name, as stiling himself their God; having prepared for them that blessed city and country of heavenly glory, which they looked for.

XI. 19 From whence also he received him in a figure.

From whence also, in a sort, he received him; in that the sudden and inexpected ereption of Isaac from that his imminent and intended death, was, as it were, a figure and resemblance of his raising from the dead.

XI. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things

to come.

By faith, Isaac did so bless Jacob and Esau, concerning their fu ture estate, as that he both knew and signified, that the elder should serve the younger; and gave a greater benediction to Jacob, than to his elder brother.

XI. 21 And worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

And, being now so weak with age, that he was not able to stand upright, he, leaning upon the top of his staff, worshipped God; and prayed for a blessing on Ephraim and Manasseh.

XI. 23 And they were not afraid of the king's commandment. And feared not the danger of not fulfilling the edict of Pharaoh, concerning the drowning of the males.

XI. 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt.

Esteeming that reproach (which he, together with God's people, suffered, in and for the expectation of Christ, whom he foresaw to come,) greater riches, than all the treasures of Egypt.

XI. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

By faith, he, having forsaken Egypt upon the slaughter of the Egyptian, returned to bring God's message for the deliverance of his people; not fearing the wrath of king Pharaoh, but resolved to undergo all dangers; as setting before his eyes that powerful God, which is invisible, whom he knew to be both able and willing to rescue him.

XI. 28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

Through faith, he kept that passover, which God ordained and appointed; and caused the posts and lintels of the Israelites' doors to be sprinkled with blood, that the destroying angel, which slew the firstborn of the Egyptians, might not touch them.

XI. 33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righte ousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

Who, through faith, subdued kingdoms, as Joshua and David; wrought righteousness, carrying themselves justly in their government, as Samuel and David; obtained the promises made unto them by God, as Abraham of a son, Caleb and Joshua of the promised land, Gideon and Jepthah of victories; stopped the mouths of lions, as Samson and as Daniel ;

XI. 34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

Quenched the violence of the fire, not being so much as scorched therewith, as the three children; escaped the edge of the sword, as David the sword of Saul, Elijah of Jezebel; out of weakness were made strong, as Job and Hezekiah; became valiant in battle, as Joshua, Samson, Shamgar, and David; turned to flight the armies of aliens, as Samson, Jonathan, Jehoshaphat.

XI. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection.

Women received their dead restored to life, as the Shunamite and the Sareptan; others were tortured and tormented for their religion, and would not accept of deliverance and ease, as Eleazar and the Maccabean brothers, that, dying for God's cause, they might be partakers of a happy resurrection to eternal life.

XI. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder.

They were stoned, as Zachariah, they were sawn asunder, as Isaiah.

XI. 39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

All these, having received a good testimony and a gracious acceptation through their faith, yet received not that large measure of grace, which was promised and performed under the Gospel; neither did enjoy the presence of that (now exhibited) Saviour, in whom all the promises of God are Yea and Amen:

XI. 40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

God having provided for us, in these latter times, better things, even the manifestation of Christ in the flesh, and abundance of grace and illumination; that they might not over-run us in spiritual privileges and perfection; and that their salvation and happiness might wholly depend upon that, which is exhibited and performed in our days.

XII. 1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

Wherefore, since we are compassed about with such innumerable examples of holy men, who have so fully testified the virtue and power of faith, let us, as those that run a race, cast away every thing that may clog and burden us in our passage; and particularly all our sinful corruption, which is both the heaviest and closest weight that lies upon the soul; and let us stir up ourselves to run, with patience and courageous resolution, the race that is set before us.

XII. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. Ye have, indeed, suffered many things for the Name of Christ; ye have been stripped of your goods, and afflicted in your bodies: but yet ye have not, which ye must not refuse if ye be called unto it, suffered death, for the defence of the truth, and opposition to wickedness and error.

XII. 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

If ye be utterly exempted from whatsoever chastisements, whereof all the true sons of God are partakers, this shall argue unto you, that ye are not the true and natural but the base and supposititious sons of God.

XII. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous,

but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

As it is in these human corrections, those chastisements, which were grievous unto our childhood, are afterwards allowed of us as profitable unto us; so it is in these afflictions from the hand of God: none of them are, for the time, pleasing; but grievous and irksome; yet, afterwards, we find them to be exceeding beneficial; working a happy and sweet peace in the heart, after all the unquiet broils and tumults of temptation; and a blessed increase of all grace and sanctification, in the soul of him, that is therewith exercised.

XII. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

Wherefore, comfort yourselves with these things; and rouse up your fainting courage, to the cheerful enduring of all afflictions;

XII. 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed; And go on evenly and steadily in this course of Christianity, which ye have entered into; lest coming once to halt betwixt truth and error, God and the world, ye be, at the last, utterly perverted; but be careful rather, upon the first sense of your doubts or complaints, to receive full satisfaction and due encouragement:

XII. 15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.

Looking diligently, not only to yourselves, but to each other also; carefully stirring up each other, lest any man languish in and come short of that grace of God which he either had or might have had; lest any erroneous or apostating spirit rise up among you, and trouble your peace, and draw away or at least infect many.

XII. 17 For he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

For though he did at last earnestly and with tears repent him of his bargain; yet he found no such benefit of that his late repentance, as thereby to recover that which he yielded to forego: neither could those tears of his move his father Isaac, to repent of that benediction, which he had justly given to Jacob.

XII. 18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest.

I would have you to know and seriously consider, that, under the Gospel, there is required a greater care of your holy carriage, than there was under the Law, by how much the means thereof are more gracious and effectual: This different condition may be well expressed to you, by two Mounts, the one of Sinai, the other of Sion; ye are not then come to that earthly and material mount of Sinai, which might be touched and felt; and that burned, in a delivery of the Law, and was compassed about with blackness, and darkness, and tempest.

XII. 22, 23, 24 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

But ye are come to the spiritual mount Sion; even to the Holy Church of the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem; where ye shall be in the society of innumerable angels; Where ye shall be joined to the universal company of those saints of God, that are and have been most eminent in grace here on earth, and are most conspicuous for glory above; where ye shall enjoy the presence of God, the righteous and glorious Judge, Governor of all; and of the glorified spirits of just and holy men, which are now happy in the blessed vision of God; Where ye shall enjoy the presence of our dear Saviour, Jesus Christ, who is the Mediator of the New Testament, whose blood, being shed for the redemption of mankind, calls out unto God, not for revenge as Abel's, but for a full remission of sin and reconciliation of man unto God.

XII. 25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from

heaven:

See then that ye refuse not that Christ, which speaketh unto you, in his heavenly Gospel: For if they escaped not, who refused to hearken to the Law, which God by angels delivered to man here upon earth; how much less shall we escape, if we despise the Gospel, which is delivered unto us from heaven!

XII. 26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

Whose voice then, in the delivery of the Law, was so terrible, that it caused the earth to tremble and quake; but now, speaking of the promulgation and success of his Gospel, he promiseth a further change and motion, that he will make even in the heaven also, and in the spiritual condition of his Church.

XII. 27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

And this word, Once more, signifieth, that one main alteration, that shall be made by God, in the bringing in of his Gospel; that all those things, which are subject to change and corruption, shall be removed, as those that are made and ordained to mutation, that the Everlasting Kingdom of Christ may be perpetually established.

XII. 28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be. moved, let us have grace, whereby we way serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear :

Wherefore, we, having our part in the Spiritual and Everlasting

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