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I will récompense;" saith the Lord. And again, "The 31 Lord will avenge his people*." It is a fearful thing to 32 fall into the hands of the living God. But call to re

membrance the former days, in which, after ye were en33 lightened, ye endured a great contest of sufferings; part

ly, while ye were made a spectacle by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, while ye became sharers + with 34 those who were so treated. For ye had compassion for those who were in bonds, and took joyfully the spoil. ing of your goods; knowing that ye have for yourselves 35 a better and an enduring substance §. Cast not away

therefore your confidence, which will have great recom36 pence of reward. For ye have need of patience; that,

after ye have done the will of God, ye may receive his 37 promise. For yet a very little while, and "be that is to

come will come, and will not delay."

38 Now, "the just by faith shall live || but if he draw 39 back, my soul will have no pleasure in him." But we

are not of those who draw back to destruction; but of those who have faith to their own salvation **.

CH. XI. Now faith is a confidence in things hoped for, a con2 viction of things not seen. For by it those of old time 3 obtained a good witness. By faith we understand that

the ages were so ordered by the word of God, that the

* Or, will judge his people.

+ compassionate sharers, N.

on me, in my bonds, R. T. Or, for ye even suffered with those who were in bonds, § in the heavens. R. T. and N. who marks them as doubtful. They are wanting in the Alexandrian and Clermont MSS. and in the Coptic, Æthiopic, and Vulgate versions: and are omitted by Mr. Wakefield.

"the just shall live by faith: N. Hab. ii. 3, 4. See Rom. i. 17. They who by faith are brought into a justified state, i. e. who are admitted into the Christian co-venant, become entitled to the promise of life,

¶i.e. I will have, N. m,

** N. m. "to the saving of the soul," Gr, and N. t. "To the deliverance of our lives,"" Wakefield. Faith under the new covenant is the condition of salvation or of deliverance from the condemning sentence of the first covenant, and placing believers in a justified state (See ver. 38;) and giving them a title to the privileges of the new ce

venant.

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present state of things arose not from what did then ap4 pear. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent

sacrifice than Cain; by which Abel obtained witness that ན་ ནི ་ར he was righteous, God witnessing of his gifts: and by it 5 he, though dead, still speaketh +. By faith Enoch was translated, that he might not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him for before his 6 translation he had this witness, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he who cometh to God must believe that God exists, and that he 7 is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. By faith Noah, having been warned of God concerning things not then seen, moved with godly reverence, made ready an ark for preserving his household: by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the justification 8 which is by faith. By faith Abraham obeyed, when he

was called to depart into the place § which he was afterAward to receive for an inheritance; and departed, not 9 knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the

land of promise, as in a foreign land; and dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the joint-heirs of the same pro10 mise: for he was waiting for || that city which hath foun11 dations; whose framer and builder¶ is God. By faith

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Sarah herself also gained strength to conceive **, even when she was past age, because she thought him faithful

*See Wakefield and Sykes, who observes that as properly signifies ages, or periods of time, and that there is no instance in the New Testament where more than this seems to be meant by the word. Sykes's note on Heb. i. 3. In the present instance the author's meaning is, that "it was so contrived that Christ's coming into the world, which we see, was brought about by means which could not be seen." Sykes's note in loc, and Rosenmuller. The Primate takes the words in the popular His version is, "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God; so that the things which are seen were not made of things which appeared." "But some read λaλur, he is still spoken of." Newcome's note. Or, “speaketh of himself." Wakefield.

sense.

to the preservation of, N.

§ into a place, N.

|| looked for, N.

Or, builder and ruler. See Macknight.

** and brought forth, even, &c. R. T..

12 that had promised. Wherefore even from one*, and him too become as dead, sprang as many as the stars of hea ven in multitude, and as the innumerable sand which is 13 by the sea-shore. All these died in faith, not having re

ceived the promises, but having seen them afar off, and having hailed them †, and having confessed that they were 14 strangers and foreigners on the earth. For those who

speak such things plainly declare that they are seeking 15 their country. And indeed if they had borne in mind that country whence they came out, they might have had op16 portunity of returning to it but now they desire a

Wherefore God is because he hath pre

better country, that is, a heavenly. not ashamed to be called their God: 17 pared for them a city. By faith Abraham, when he was 18 tried, offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises offered up his only son ¶; with reference ** to whom it was said, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called:" 19 having concluded that God was able to raise up Isaac

even from the dead; whence he had also in a manner t† 20 received him. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob, and Esau, 21 concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and wor22 shipped, leaning on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he was ending his life, mentioned the departure of the sons of Israel from Egypt; and gave commandment 23 concerning his bones. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw that he was a goodly child: and they feared not the king's 24 commandment. By faith Moses, when he grew up, 25 refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choos

* of one, N.

+ and having been persuaded of them, and having hailed them, R. T,
Or, strangers and pilgrims in the land. Wakefield,

to return, N.

§ sought, N.

¶ only-begotten son, Gr. and N.

++ " By Isaac's miraculous birth Abraham had, as it were,

dead." Newcome.

‡‡ worshipped God, N.

** even he, N. received him from the

45 Or, after he was grown up

ing rather to suffer cruel treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time; 26 and esteeming † such reproach as the anointed of God endured greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for 27 he had respect to the recompense of the reward. By faith he left Egypt, and feared not the wrath of the king: for 28 he remained firm, as seeing Him that is invisible. By faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood; that he who destroyed the first-born might not 29 touch them. By faith the Israelites passed through the

Red sea as on dry land: which the Egyptians attempted 30 to do, and were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho

fell down, after they had been compassed about for seven 31 days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

32

And why do I still go on? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Sampson, and of Jephthah; of David also, and of Samuel, and of the 33 prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought

righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of 34 lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in war, turned to flight the armies of other 35 nations. Women received their dead by a resurrection to this life: but others were tortured, and did not accept deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 And others had trial of scoffs and scourgings; and of 37 bonds also and imprisonment: they were stoned, they

and chose, N.

testeemed, N.

Gr. the reproach of Christ, or, of the anointed. The Israelites are called Christs, "The or anointed, i. e. a chosen and favoured people, Psalm cv. 15. Hab. iii. 13. meaning is," says Dr. Sykes in loc., "that Moses looked upon the contempt and indignity which he underwent on account of his professing himself a Jew, as much preferable to all the riches and honours of Egypt." See also Whitby in loc. Dr. New come's version is, "such reproach as Christ endured," which is also the interpretation of Photius, Crellius, and Mr. Lindsey, Sequel, p. 278.

were sawn asunder, they were pierced with stakes, they were slain with the sword: they went about in sheepskins and in goat-skins, destitute, afflicted, cruelly treat38 ed, (of whom the world was not worthy,) wandering in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the 39 earth. And all these, though they obtained a good wit40 ness through faith, yet received not the promise: God having provided a better thing for us, that they might not be made perfect without us *.

.

CH. XII. Wherefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and

the sin which easily entangleth us, and let us run with 2 patience the race which is set before us, looking to Jesus

the leader on to faith and its perfecter; who, for the joy which was set before him, endured the cross, and despised its shame, and is seated at the right hand of the 3 throne of God. For consider him that endured such opposition of sinners to himself, lest ye be wearied, and faint in your minds.

4

Ye have not yet resisted to blood, contending against 5 sin and ye have forgotten the exhortation which speak

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eth to you as to sons, My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked by him: 6 for whom the Lord loveth he correcteth, and scourgeth 7 every son whom he receiveth." If ye endure chastise ment, God dealeth with you as with sons for what son 8 is he whom his father chasteneth not? But if

be without chastisement, of which all others are partakers, then 9 ye are spurious, and not lawful sonst. Have we then had fathers of our flesh, who corrected us, and we gave them reverence: and shall not we much rather be in sub10 jection to the Father of spirits, and live? For they indeed chastened us during a few days, as it seemed fit to them?

* that these promises might not be performed before our days. Wakefield:
+ See Wakefield. bastards and not sons. N.

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