by the word of God*. Having defined what he means by faith, he next proceeds to shew its nature by its common efficacy, which still relates only to faith in the generic sense-But without faith it is impossible to please him [GOD], for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him t; which very faith he immediately illustrates by that of Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. And that no doubt might remain, he farther illustrates it by the faith of the Jewish People passing the Red Sea, and encompassing the walls of Jericho; and by the faith of Rahab the harlot. But was any of this, the faith in JESUS the Messiah? or a belief of a future state of rewards and punishments?

As here the Apostle tells us of the great rewards of faith, so in his third chapter he speaks of the punishment of unbelief; which was the shutting out a whole generation, from the land of Canaan, and suffering them to perish in the Wilderness: So we see (says he) they could not enter in because of unbelief. But was this unbelief want of faith in the Messiah, or any thing but want of faith in the promise of the God of Israel, who assured them that he would drive out the Canaanite from before them? Lastly, to evince it impossible that faith in the Messiah should be meant by the faith in this eleventh chapter, the Apostle expressly says, that all those to whom he assigns this faith, HAD NOT RECEIVED THE PROMISE §. Therefore they could not have faith in that which was never yet proposed to them for the object of faith: For how should they believe in him of whom they have not heard? says the Apostle.

Heb. xi. 3. ↑ Ver. 19.

+ Ver. 6.
§ Ver. 13 & 39.
St. Paul

St. Paul had the same argument to manage in his Epistle to the Galatians; and he argues, from the advantages of faith or belief in God, in the very same manner. But of his argument, more in the next section.

Let us observe farther, that the sacred Writers not only use the word faith in its generic sense of believing on reasonable grounds; but likewise the word GOSPEL (a more appropriated term) for good tidings in general. Thus this very Writer to the Hebrews-For unto us was the GOSPEL preached as well as unto them*, i. e. the Israelites.

Having shewn, that by the Faith, here said to be so extensive amongst the Jewish People, is mcant faith in those promises of God which related to their own Dispensation, all the weight of this objection is removed. For as to the promises seen afar off and believed and embraced, which gave the prospect of a better country, that is, an heavenly †, these are confined to the Patriarchs and Leaders of the Jewish People. And that they had this distant prospect, I am as much concerned to prove as my Adversaries themselves. And if I should undertake to do it more effectually, nobody I believe will think that I pretended to any great matter. But then let us still remember there is a vast difference between SEEING THE PROMISES AFAR OFF and RECEIVING THE PROMISE: the latter implying a gift bestowed; the former, only the obscure and distant prospect of one to come. This indeed they had: but as to the other, the sacred Writers assure us that, in general, they had it not.And these ALL having obtained a good report through faith, RECEIVED NOT THE PROMISE. For though all the good Israelites in general had faith in God, and Chap. iv. ver. 2. + Ver. 13-16. ↑ Ver. 39.

the

the Patriarchs and Leaders had the hope of a better Country, yet neither the one nor the other received the Promise.

I haye said, that the hopes of a better country, is to be confined to the Patriarchs and Leaders of the ancient Jews: Nor is this contradicted by what is said of others who were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better Resurrection*, for this refers (as our English Bibles shew us) to the history of the Maccabees; in whose time it is confessed the Doctrine of a future state was become national. How the People got it-of what materials it was composed--and from what quarters it was fetched, will be seen hereafter. It is sufficient to observe at: present, that all this, the Jews soon forgot, or hid from themselves, and made this new flattering Doctrine a part of the Law. Hence the Author of the Second book of Maccabees makes one of the Martyrs say For our brethren who now have suffered a short pain, are dead unto God's coVENANT OF EVERLASTING. LIFE T. But it may be asked, how came this Covenant of everlasting life to lie so 'perfectly concealed from the time of Moses to the great Captivity, that, as appears from their History, neither Princes nor People had the least apprehension or suspicion of such : a Covenant?

But here a proper occasion offers itself to remove a seeming contradiction between the Writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews, and St. Paul, in his speech to the synagogue at Antioch, which will give still further light to the subject. The former says, And these all having obtained a good report through faith, RECEIVED NOT THE PROMISE. And the latter, THE PROMISE WHICH WAS MADE, UNTO THE FATHERS; 12 Macc. vii. 36. Heb. xi. 39. FF

• Ver. 35* VOL. V.

God

God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again *. But the contradiction is only seeming. The two texts are, indeed, very consistent. The Writer to the Hebrews is speaking of the condition of the heads and leaders of the faithful Israelites in general; who certainly had not the promise of the Gospel revealed unto them. St. Paul, in his speech to the Synagogue, is speaking particularly of their father ABRAHAM: as appears from his introductory address, Men and Brethren, Children of the stock of Abraham†; and Abraham certainly had the promise of the Gospel revealed unto him, as appears from the words of JESUS himself. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad. He saw the resurrection of Jesus in the restoration of his son Isaac. But of this more hereafter. And to this solution, the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews himself directs us, who, though he had said that the holy men in general received not the promise, yet when he reckons up the distinct effects of each particular man's faith, he expressly says, whe through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, OBTAINED PROMISES, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, &c. That is, some like David, through faith, subdued kingdoms; others, like Samuel, wrought righteousness; others, like Abraham, OBTAINED PROMISES; others, as Daniel, stopped the mouths of lions; and others, again, as his three companions, quenched the violence of fire. From whence I would infer these two conclusions:

1. That as the promise here said to be obtained, doth not contradict what the same Writer says presently after, that the faithful Israelites in general received not the promise; and as the promise, said by St. Paul to + Ver. 26. 1 Heb. xi. 33.

Acts xiii. 32.

bo

be made to the fathers, means the same thing with the PROMISES said, by the Writer of the epistle to the Hebrews, to be OBTAINED, namely, the promises made to Abraham, who saw CHRIST'S day, and the oath sworn to David, that of the fruit of his loins he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne*; consequently, neither do the words of St. Paul contradict the Writer of the epistle to the Hebrews, where he says, these all received not the promise. 2. As these gospel Promises are said to be obtained by faith, it follows that the FAITH mentioned in this famous eleventh chapter to the Hebrews, could not be faith in the Messiah: because the promises of a Messiah are here said to be the consequence of faith; but faith in the Messiah is the consequence of the promises of a Messiah: For how could they believe in him of whom they had not heard? From whence it appears, that the FAITH SO much extolled in this chapter was faith in God's veracity, according to the interpretation given above.

III.

This is all, as far as I can learn, that hath been objected to my Proposition; and this all is such a confirmation of it, that I am in pain lest the reader should think I have prevaricated, and drawn out the strongest Texts in the New Testament to support my Opinion, under the name of a Confutation of it. But I have fairly given them as I found then urged: and to shew that I am no less severe, though a little more candid, to my own notions, than my Answerers are, I shall produce an objection, which occurred to me in reading St. Paul's epistles, of more real moment than their whole bundle of Texts weighed together. It is this: The learned Apostle, in his reasoning' against the