Semi. CLXV. Faith ingeneral. 425 the things which we have heard, left at any time we fhould let them flip, ,pg PPPc;i4J, le/1 we fheluld fall away, fo the Word may be render'd. And Ch. 3. i2. Take heed, brethren, Tell there be in any ofyard an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. And Ch. d.. t. Let as there- fire fear, left a prómife being left us of entring into his relt, any of you fhould from to come port of it. And Ch. to. 23. Let is holdfait the Pro- feffion of our Faith without wavering. After which hedeclares the danger of Apoftacy, or falling offfrom the Belief and Profeffion of the Gofpel which they had entertained ; ver. 26. For if we fin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth; there remained) no more facrifice for fin. He tells them they would be threwdly tempted to Apoftacy by the Reproaches, Aflli&ions and Perfecu- tions that they would meet withal : but the Promifes of the Gofpel were fufficient to fupport and bear up good Men under thefe, if they were but firmly perfuaded of the truth of them ; and though they did not for the prefent receive the things prornifed, yet a firm belief of themwould carry them through all Sufferings, and make them hold out under them. The jolt fhall live by faith, v. 38. And having mention'd the power of Faith, that is, of a confident per- fwafion of the truth and reality of the Promifes of the Gofpel to fupport Men under Sufferings, he gives an account how Faith ufes to have this influence, ver. L. Faith is the fubflance of things hoped for, fo we render the word ,iwç-ass : but it might be much better render'd, both according to the frequent ufe of it in the Septuagint, and in the New Teftament, d confidence of things hoped for, that is, a confident expeltation of things ho- ped for, or a firm perfwafion that our Hopes will not be fruftrated. And as this is more agreeable to the fcope and defign of the Apoftle, fo like- wife to the common acceptation of this word in the New Teftament, for which I will appeal to two places, 2 Cor. 9. 4'. That we be not put to fhame in this confidence of boafling, ¿r air çrio -Ei ?GOWN The other Text is inthis Epift. Ch. 3. tç. That we hold faß the beginning ofour confidence, r ápxúíi' : ,ç- rQews, which is of the very fame fenfe with'muppno-la, at the fixth ver. Ifwe holdfall the confidence Tncipnvíav, and rejoicing óf the hope firmunto the end. And the evidence of things notfeen, ixeyx(G}., the conviélion, a being convinced, or perfuaded of the truth of thofe things, for which we have no ocular for fenfible demonftration. Now if Faith in the.promifes of the Gofpel do perfüade us and give us fatisfadion that we thall receive a Re- ward, which will outweigh and countervail our prefent Sufferings, then Faith is likely to fupport us under Sufferings. And that this is no ftrange thing which the Apoftle fpeaks of Faith, he thews that in all Ages Faith hath been.the Principle of all holy and heroick A&ions. By it the Elders obtained a good report; it is that which made the holy Menofthe Old Teftament fo famous ; and this he proves through- ought this Chaper, by a large indu&ion of particular Inftances, in which we fee the power of Faith, the wonderful effects of it, and the mighty works it hath done in the World. But becaufe he faid before that Faith is the evidence, or conviftion of things not feen, as well as a confident expetlation of things hoped for, before he comes to inftance in the-effe&s of Faith upon particular Perfons in the Old Teftament, he proves it to be The evidence of Things not feen, that is, being convinc'd and perfuaded of things of which we have no fenfible and ocular demonftsation, ver. 3. Through Faith we underfland that the Worlds were framed by the word of God, fo that the things which are feen, were not made of things which do appear ; that is, though we were not prefent at the making of the.World, nor did fee it framed; yet we are fatisfied, and do believe that it was made by the powerful word of God, and that all Iii thofe
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