Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BS2096.A1 1701 .P3

Ch. ix. The Fruits of Faith. Hebr 24, 25, 26. It was by muffing God's Inti- mations of unfeen future things, that Mofes, being grown up, refufed the wealthand honour of an adopted Son of Pharaoh's Daughter, pre- ferringAffliótion among the Peopleof God be- fore the Mort enjoyment of finful pleafùres s yea, efteeming fach Reproach as we Chriftians undergo for Chrift, and as the Believers of the future Kingdom ofChrift then fuffeted, to be not only tolerable, but greater Riches than all the Treafures of Egypt, becaufe he had a belie- ving refpeóh to the recompence of Reward, to which fach fafferings did conduce. 27. By faith he forfook Egypt, not fearing the wrath ofthe king; for he endured as feeing him who is invi- fible. 27. Why left he Egypt to on into a foreign Land and Wildernefs, and afterfearlefly faced a wrathful King, when he fpake fromGod ? but becaufe, as his Eyes law the flaming tokens of the prefence ofGod; fo his Faith was in- Readof a light of him that is invifible : He believed in an unfeen God for unfeen future things. 28. Through faith he kept the paff- over, and the fprinkling of blood, left he that deflroyed the firft-born fhould touch them. 28. Why kept he the Paffover, and fprin- kled thedoor.pofts with blood, but becaufe he believed God for unfeen future things, even that the deftroying Angel should fpare filch houles ? 29. By faith they paired through the red fea, asby dry land : which the Egyptiansallaying todo, were drow- ned. 29. nowdurft they have ventur'd into and through the Red Sea, hut that they believed God, that he would there deliver them by that Miracle? when the Egyptians were drow- ned, who went not in by Faith, but by Pre- fumption. Note ; It is a great Controverte among Ex- pofitors, whether the Ifraelites palled quite through the Sea to the other fide, or ratter wentin, and came out, as in a femicirculár eourfe on the fame fide, becaufe their Journeys are after Paid to be on the fame fide wherethey enter'd, and fo they think it was but to draw in theEgyptians. 3o. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after theywere compaffcd about feven days. 3:o. How came the People to go about yeri- clos féyelt days,. and. çhe Walls to fall but ba- ews. The Fruits'of Faith. Ch. r I, caufe they believed and crafted the Promifes ofAlmightyGod ? , 31. By faith the harlot Rahab pe- rifhed not with them that believed not, when The had received the fpies , with peace. 3 r. How came Rahab (who was formerly a Heathen Harlot, and then kept an Inn, orHoofs of Entertainment) to 'fcape when yericho was deftroy'd, but becaufe fire believ'd that the God ofIfrael was the true God,ancl would de- liver them thatmill in him ? 32. And what fhall I more fay ? for the time will fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, andof Sampfon, and of Jephtha, of David allo and Samuel, and ofthe prophets. 33. Who through faithfitbdued kingdoms,wroughtrigh- teoufnefs, obtained promifès, flopped the mouths of lions. 32, 33. By believing and [rutting God for unfeen future things, Come conquer'd the Na- tions of their Enemies, (as yofbua, the Judges, David,dre.) the trulyfaithful lived riohteoully in a finful World, obtained what God had con- ditionally promifed, and promifes of yet fur- ther Mercies for their fidelity (as ..tbraham, Phineac, &c.) and God ftoppedy the mouths of Lions to deliver them, (as he did by Daniel.) 34. Quenched the violence of fire, efcaped the edge of the fword, out of weaknefs were made ftrong, waved valiant in fight, turned to night the armies of the aliens. 35. Womenre- ceived their dead raifed to life again: and others were tortured, not accept- ing deliverance, that they might ob- tain a better refurredtion. 34. B 5. God made the fire harmlefs to them ( as Dan. 3.) Divers 'leaped the Sword of bloody Perfecutors, (as David, &c.) recover'd from Sicknefs, (as yob, Hezeliah, &c) fought valiantly, craftingon God for Viftory, and overcame : Had their Dead railed, (as i Kin, 17. z r. 2 Kin, 4.) Othersendured Torment, and would not fin to he deliver'd, belicvirg and hoping for Refurreótion to a better Life, (as, a Mattab. i9. 3o. & 7.9.) 36. And others had tryal of cruel mockings and fcourgings, yea more-. over, of bonds and imprifonment. 37. They were floned, they were4nvn' afunder, were tempted ,were flain with the fword: they wandred about in fheep-skins, and goatskinss being de- flitsate

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