23 By faith Moses
when he was born,
was hid three months
of his parents, be-
cause they faw he was

a proper child. and
they were not afraid
of the king's com-
mandment.

24 By faith Mofes
when he was come to

years, refused to be

called the fon of Pha-
raoh's daughter :

25 (hoofing rather
to fuffer affliction with
the people of God,
than to enjoy the
pleasures of fin for a
feafon :

26 Efteeming the reproach * of Chrift

greater

22. So did Jofeph, just before his Death, foretel the Deliverance of the Ifraelites out of Egypt, and ordered his own Bones to be carry'd with them into Canaan, as a Testimony how fully he assured himself of their Arrival there, according to the Divine Promise.

23. Thus Moses's Parents, in Defiance of that barbarous Edict of Pharaoh, refolved not to deliver up so lovely and beautiful a Child, but hid him Three Months by the Side of the River Nile, in hopes, that God would providentially provide for his Escape.

24, 25 & 26. Thus Moses, when he came at Age, refused the great Privilege of being adopted into the Royal Family of the Egyptian Monarchs, owned himself to be a Hebrew born, and not Pharaoh's Grandchild; chusing rather to share in all the Difficulties the Ifraelites, * whom he knew to be God's true Church and People, were to undergo; than to enjoy the Vicious and Temporary Pleasures of the Egyptian Court. And,

With

a Staff, the LXX read it in the latter Sense: And it was that
Verfion the Writers of the New Testament generally made use of.
Of their Method of quotirg the Old Te Teftament Passages, though
not absolutely Verbatim, yet ever so as to make no Alteration in
the Sense and Purpose they are quoted for. The Learned Reader
may confult Glaffius Philog. Sac. pag. 1472, &c. Edit. Francof.
1653. Lut indeed the more true Rendering should be Worshipping
upon the Top of bis Staff. See Mr. Hallet's Spplement to Mr. Pierce
on the Hebrews, in loc.

* The Reproach of Christ : τῷ Χρι58; Of the Anointed (People)
i. e. the Ifraelites, Pfal. cv. Or rather thus, of Christ, i. e. fuch
Reproaches as Christians now fuffer for the Sake of Christ and his
Religion: or fuch Reproaches as Christ himself suffered while he
was upon Earth; or, lastly, the Reproach Mofes was likely to fuffer
for thus acting from a Principle of Faith in the Meffiah to come.

1

greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the reward.

With what View was this? Not of A. D. 63. any Worldly Advantage or present Happiness: For Mofes refused the highest of These, by flighting the Glories of Egypt. And as for the Land of Canaan, he saw it at a Distance, but never enjoyed it. His Aim therefore was at Heaven, Then, as that of all good Christians is Now.

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

28 Through faith he kept the paffover, and the sprinkling of blood, left he that deftroyed the firsthorn, should touch

them.

27, 28 & 29. With this Religious Faith in the Revelations of the invisible || God, He led the Ifraelites || See Ver. 1. out of Egypt; dreaded not the powerful Army that pursued him; kept the Paffover, ordered the Blood to be sprinkled on the Door-Posts of each House, as a fure Token of their Exemption from the Plague that raged around them; had the RedSea miraculously divided for his Pafsage; and the Return of the Waters to destroy his Purfuers.

29 By faith they passed through the red-lea, as by dry land, which the Egyptians affayirg to do,

were drowned,

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were

compassed about feven

days.

30 & 31. God, in Reward of the Ifraelites Faith in the Divine PromiJes, made the Walls of Jericho fall (Josh. vi. 5.) And by owning the true God, upon sufficient Testimonies given her, the very Harlot Rahab faved her Life.

31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Sampson, and of Jephthah, of David alfo and Samuel, and of the Prophets.

32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 & 38. In fine, it would be endless for me to go through the numberless Instances of the like Kind, recorded in the Old Testament. The Miraculous Victories obtained by fome, the Marvelous Deliverances of others, and the Wonderful and Divine CouT2

A. D. 63.

Ver. 11.

33 Who through faith fubdued kingdoms, wrought righ teousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.

34 Quenched the

rage express'd by the rest, under the
most terrible Afflictions, and most
exquifite Sufferings for the Sake of
God and Religion; being all the
Result of this very fame Principle
of a reasonable Faith in the Divine
Revelation and Promises; the very
Thing now required to make you
Christians*.

violence of fire, esca
ped the edge of the
sword, out of weak-
ness were made strong,
waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

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

36 And others had trials of cruel mockings, and scourgings, yea, moreover, of bonds and imprisonment.

37 They were ftoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were flain with the sword: they wandred about in sheep-skins, and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented :

38 Of whom the world was not worthy: they wandred in deferts, in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And these all

having obtaineda good
report through faith,
received not the pro-

mise:

39. Thus all your Pious Ancestors stand upon Record, as truly such, by the firm and rational Belief of Future || and Invisible Bleffings. Things they actually saw not, while they lived; and though they have all been, long fince, in a State of Rest and Happiness, it is but a State of blessed Expectation. They have not, as yet, the full and compleat Enjoyment of that Celestial Glory.

40 God having 40. It being the good Pleasure, provided some better and wife Appointment of God, to

thing

defer

* Ver. 32, &c. Of Gideon, and Barak, and Sampson, &c. For the particular Instances of the Faith, and Exploits of the several Perfons named or not named in these Verses, to the 39th Verse, let the Reader confult Mr. Hallet's Supplement to Mr. Pierce, in Loc.

† Ver. 35. A better Resurrection, i. e. a future Resurrection to Eternal Life, far better than the Refurrection of the Women's Children, before-mention'd, or than that of the Persons Tortured, would have been. The one being a Restoration to the present thort Life, the other to an Eternal one.

thing for us : that defer That, till the perfect and com- A. D. 63. they without us should pleat || Revelation of the Gospel were not be made perfect. made to us Christians, and the last || Κρεϊτλεντί. and great Dispensation of the Messiah be past: That fo, both they, Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, and all fincere Christians, whether Jewish or Gentile ones, may, for the courageous Exercise of the fame Excellent and Virtuous Principle, be all Rewarded and Crowned together, with the Happiness both of Body and Soul, at the final Day of Judgment.

(

CHAP. XII.

The CONTENTS.

The Inference from the foregoing Argument; viz. That as the Behaviour of the Patriarchs, and Holy Men of Old, do vindicate the Reasonableness of the Christian Faith; so ought it to be the most Exemplary Encouragement, to Spirit up all Christians under their Sufferings for it. The fame Encouragement further inforced, from the Example of Christ himself. The great Reasonableness and Advantage of suffering for true Religion. The Danger of relapsing from Christianity: Especially to the Jewish Converts, from the apparent Excellency and Greatness of the Christian Religion, when compared with the Jewish

..

Law.

I.

H

*

Aving therefore fuch *abun- Chap. xi.
dant Testimonies, that your

Christian Faith is the Exercise of the
fame virtuous Principle for which all
your pious Ancestors stand so famously
Recorded; let such numerous and
excellent Examples ‡ raise you above 1 νέρθ
all Fears and Perplexities, spirit you
on in your Christian Course, and

keep you from that Cowardly Apo

μαρτύρων.

stacy, † to which your present Sufferings are so apt to † υπερίtempt and draw you.

T3

μαρτίαν.

2. And

A.D. 63.
~ Jesus the author and
finisher of our faith;

2 looking unto

who for the joy that

vas fet before him,
endured the cro's, de-

2. And, for your still higher Encouragement, confider the most perfect Example of Jesus Christ, himfelf, the Author of your Religion, and the great Rewarder of its true Profeffors; who for the joyful Prospect of being exalted as the Redeemer and Saviour of Mankind, with abfolute Patience endured the Pains, and with inexpressible Height of Mind despised the Scandal of Dying like a Malefactor upon the Crofs: And is now accordingly rewarded for it with the utmoit Degree of Heavenly Glory and Majesty.

fpifing the shame, and
is fet down at the
right hand of the
throne of God.

3 For confider him
that endured fuch con-

tradiction of finners
against himself, lest ye

be wearied and faint
in your minds.

der all the Conflicts

4

* Ye have not

ye: refifted unto blood,
uriving against fin.

3. Weigh || and compare His Sufferings with your own; and fee, if the Blafphemies against His Doctrine, the Reproaches upon his Person, and the malicious Attempts upon his Life, be not fufficient to buoy you up unyou endure for His Sake.

4. Remember, you have not yet fuffered the worst, * from those malicious Adverfaries; and, to give out before you have done as much as those great Worthies, and Chrift himself has done before you, would be to come short, and lose the Power of their Examples.

5 And ye have forgotten the † exhortation, which speaketh unto you, as unto children, My fon, despise not thou the chaften. ing of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.

6 For

5 & 6. Those Converts among you, that shrink and faint, already, under their Perfecutions, seem to have forgotten the wise Purposes, and great Advantages the Scriptures mention of God's permitting AffliCtions to befal his true Servants: Particularly that of Prov. iii. 11 & 12. My

* Not yet refifted unto Blood. Perhaps it may be an Agonistical Term: It being the most scandalous Thing for any Combatant to give out before any Blood was drawn: As Jacobus Lydius obferves, Agonist. Sat.

It may

+ Ver. 5. And ye have forgotten the Exhortation perhaps be beft to take these Words interrogatively; Καὶ ἐκλέληότε τὴν παρακλήσεως, Have ye forgotten the Exhortation ?