Chapter commentary
Hebrews Chapter 11
서론
Untitled
繁體中文
English original
The apostle having, in the close of the foregoing chapter, recommended the grace of faith and a life of faith as the best preservative against apostasy, he how enlarges upon the nature and fruits of this excellent grace. I. The nature of it, and the honour it reflects upon all who live in the exercise of it, Heb 11:1-3. II. The great examples we have in the Old Testament of those who lived by faith, and died and suffered extraordinary things by the strength of his grace, Heb 11:4-38. And, III. The advantages that we have in the gospel for the exercise of this grace above what those had who lived in the times of the Old Testament, Heb 11:39,40.
1-3
The Nature of Faith (62 AD)
繁體中文
信心的本質（公元62年）
¹ 信就是所望之事的實底，是未見之事的確據。
² 古人在這信上得了美好的證據。
³ 我們因着信，就知道諸世界是藉神的話造成的；這樣，所看見的，並不是從顯然之物造出來的。
我們在此有：
I. 對信心之恩的定義或描述，分兩部分。1. 信心「就是所望之事的實底」。信心和盼望同行；我們盼望的對象同樣也是我們信心的對象。它是堅定的信念和期望——相信神必成就祂在基督裏應許我們的一切；這信念如此強烈，以至於使靈魂對那些事有一種擁有和現今享受的感覺，藉着初熟之果和預嘗使它們在靈魂中有了實存：因此信徒在運用信心時「滿有說不出來、滿有榮光的大喜樂」。基督藉信心住在心中，靈魂便被神的豐盛所充滿——照祂現今的量度所能容納的；他在信心的對象中經歷到實質的真實。2. 信心是「未見之事的確據」。信心向心靈的眼證明那些不能憑肉眼辨識之物的真實。信心是靈魂對神的啟示及其每一部分的堅定同意，並印上印記證明神是真實的。它是對神所啟示之為聖潔、公義、美好的一切的完全贊同；它幫助靈魂將這一切以相稱的情感和努力應用於自己；因此它的設計是代替視覺服事信徒，對靈魂而言猶如感官對身體。那不能使未見之物對靈魂成為真實、不能激發靈魂照其本性和重要性而行的信心，不過是意見或幻想。
II. 信心對一切運用它而活之人的尊榮的記載（Heb 11:2）：「古人在這信上得了美好的證據」——即古代的信徒，他們生活在世界的初期。請注意：1. 真信心是古老的恩典，最有權訴諸古遠：它不是新的發明、現代的幻想；它是自從恩典之約在世上頒佈以來就種在人靈魂中的恩典；它從啟示之初就被實踐；世上曾有過的最年長和最好的人都是信徒。2. 他們的信心是自己的尊榮；它使他們得尊榮。他們是他們信心的尊榮，他們的信心也是他們的尊榮。信心使他們行「那美名之事」，而神看顧了——要存留記錄、傳揚他們在這恩典的力量中所行的美好之事。信心的真實行動經得起報道，值得報道，而且報道之後必使真信徒得尊榮。
III. 我們在此有信心的首要行動和信條之一，它對其餘一切有很大的影響，且是每一個時代、世界各地的信徒所共有的——即「諸世界是藉神的話造成的」，不是從已存的物質中造出，而是從無中造出，Heb 11:3。信心之恩既回顧也前瞻；它不僅向前看到世界的末了，也回頭看到世界的起頭。我們因信對世界的形成所明白的，遠超過自然理性赤裸的眼光所能明白的。信心不是強加於理解力，而是它的朋友和幫助。如今信心使我們明白關於「諸世界」——即宇宙的上、中、下三層——的甚麼？1. 這些世界不是永恆的，也不是自己產生的，而是被另一位造的。2. 諸世界的造物主是神；祂是萬物的創造者；能如此的必是神。3. 神極其精確地創造了世界；它是「造成」的工，各方面都適切地配合安排，以達到其目的，彰顯造物主的完全。4. 神藉着祂的話——即祂本體的道和永恆的兒子——並藉着祂積極的旨意造了世界，說「要有，就有了」（詩33:9）。5. 世界如此從無中——不是從已存的物質中——造成的，與所接受的最大前提「從無中不能造出任何東西」相悖；這話雖對受造的能力而言是真實的，對神卻不適用——祂能「使無變為有」，並命令它們成為存在。這些是我們因信而明白的。聖經給了我們關於萬物起源最真實、最精確的記述，我們當信它，不可因為它不符合我們自己的一些荒謬假設而強解或貶低聖經對創造的記述——這在某些有學問卻自負的人身上是走向不信的第一個顯著步驟，並引導他們陷入更多的不信。
English original
The Nature of Faith (62 AD)
¹ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
² For by it the elders obtained a good report.
³ Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Here we have, I. A definition or description of the grace of faith in two parts. 1. It is the substance of things hoped for. Faith and hope go together; and the same things that are the object of our hope are the object of our faith. It is a firm persuasion and expectation that God will perform all that he has promised to us in Christ; and this persuasion is so strong that it gives the soul a kind of possession and present fruition of those things, gives them a subsistence in the soul, by the first-fruits and foretastes of them: so that believers in the exercise of faith are filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Christ dwells in the soul by faith, and the soul is filled with the fullness of God, as far as his present measure will admit; he experiences a substantial reality in the objects of faith. 2. It is the evidence of things not seen. Faith demonstrates to the eye of the mind the reality of those things that cannot be discerned by the eye of the body. Faith is the firm assent of the soul to the divine revelation and every part of it, and sets to its seal that God is true. It is a full approbation of all that God has revealed as holy, just, and good; it helps the soul to make application of all to itself with suitable affections and endeavours; and so it is designed to serve the believer instead of sight, and to be to the soul all that the senses are to the body. That faith is but opinion or fancy which does not realize invisible things to the soul, and excite the soul to act agreeably to the nature and importance of them.
II. An account of the honour it reflects upon all those who have lived in the exercise of it (Heb 11:2): By it the elders obtained a good report—the ancient believers, who lived in the first ages of the world. Observe, 1. True faith is an old grace, and has the best plea to antiquity: it is not a new invention, a modern fancy; it is a grace that has been planted in the soul of man ever since the covenant of grace was published in the world; and it has been practiced from the beginning of the revelation; the eldest and best men that ever were in the world were believers. 2. Their faith was their honour; it reflected honour upon them. They were an honour to their faith, and their faith was an honour to them. It put them upon doing the things that were of good report, and God has taken care that a record shall be kept and report made of the excellent things they did in the strength of this grace. The genuine actings of faith will bear to be reported, deserve to be reported, and will, when reported, redound to the honour of true believers.
III. We have here one of the first acts and articles of faith, which has a great influence on all the rest, and which is common to all believers in every age and part of the world, namely, the creation of the worlds by the word of God, not out of pre-existent matter, but out of nothing, Heb 11:3. The grace of faith has a retrospect as well as prospect; it looks not only forward to the end of the world, but back to the beginning of the world. By faith we understand much more of the formation of the world than ever could be understood by the naked eye of natural reason. Faith is not a force upon the understanding, but a friend and a help to it. Now what does faith give us to understand concerning the worlds, that is, the upper, middle, and lower regions of the universe? 1. That these worlds were not eternal, nor did they produce themselves, but they were made by another. 2. That the maker of the worlds is god; he is the maker of all things; and whoever is so must be God. 3. That he made the world with great exactness; it was a framed work, in every thing duly adapted and disposed to answer its end, and to express the perfections of the Creator. 4. That God made the world by his word, that is, by his essential wisdom and eternal Son, and by his active will, saying, Let it be done, and it was done, Ps 33:9. 5. That the world was thus framed out of nothing, out of no pre-existent matter, contrary to the received maxim, that "out of nothing nothing can be made," which, though true of created power, can have no place with God, who can call things that are not as if they were, and command them into being. These things we understand by faith. The Bible gives us the truest and most exact account of the origin of all things, and we are to believe it, and not to wrest or run down the scripture-account of the creation, because it does not suit with some fantastic hypotheses of our own, which has been in some learned but conceited men the first remarkable step towards infidelity, and has led them into many more.
4-31
Exemplars of Faith (62 AD)
繁體中文
信心的榜樣（公元62年）
⁴ 亞伯因着信，獻祭與神，比該隱所獻的更美，因此便得了稱義的見證，就是神指他禮物作的見證。他雖然死了，卻因這信，仍舊說話。
⁵ 以諾因着信被接去，不至於見死，人也找不着他，因為神已經把他接去了；只是他被接去以先，已經得了神喜悅他的明證。
⁶ 人非有信，就不能得神的喜悅；因為到神面前來的人必須信有神，且信祂賞賜那尋求祂的人。
⁷ 挪亞因着信，既蒙神指示他未見的事，動了敬畏的心，預備了一隻方舟，使他全家得救。因此就定了那世代的罪，自己也承受了那從信而來的義。
⁸ 亞伯拉罕因着信，蒙召的時候就遵命出去，往將來要得為業的地方去；出去的時候，還不知往哪裏去。
⁹ 他因着信，就在所應許之地作客，好像在異地居住帳棚，與那同蒙一個應許的以撒、雅各一樣。
¹⁰ 因為他等候那座有根基的城，就是神所經營所建造的。
¹¹ 因着信，連撒拉自己，雖然過了生育的歲數，還能懷孕，因她以為那應許她的是可信的。
¹² 所以從一個彷彿已死的人就生出子孫，如同天上的星那樣眾多，海邊的沙那樣無數。
¹³ 這些人都是存着信心死的，並沒有得着所應許的；卻從遠處望見，且歡喜迎接，又承認自己在世上是客旅，是寄居的。
¹⁴ 說這樣話的人是表明自己要找一個家鄉。
¹⁵ 他們若想念所離開的家鄉，還有可以回去的機會。
¹⁶ 他們卻羨慕一個更美的家鄉，就是在天上的。所以神被稱為他們的神，並不以為恥，因為祂已經給他們預備了一座城。
¹⁷ 亞伯拉罕因着信，被試驗的時候，就把以撒獻上；這便是那歡喜領受應許的，將自己獨生的兒子獻上。
¹⁸ 論到這兒子，曾有話說：「從以撒生的才要稱為你的後裔。」
¹⁹ 他以為神還能叫人從死裏復活；他也彷彿從死中得回他的兒子來。
²⁰ 以撒因着信，就指着將來的事給雅各、以掃祝福。
²¹ 雅各因着信，臨死的時候，給約瑟的兩個兒子各自祝福，扶着杖頭敬拜神。
²² 約瑟因着信，臨終的時候，提到以色列族將來要出埃及，並為自己的骸骨留下遺命。
²³ 摩西生下來，他的父母因着信，把他藏了三個月，並不怕王命。
²⁴ 摩西因着信，長大了就不肯稱為法老女兒之子。
²⁵ 他寧可和神的百姓同受苦害，也不願暫時享受罪中之樂。
²⁶ 他看為基督受的凌辱比埃及的財物更寶貴，因他想望所要得的賞賜。
²⁷ 他因着信，就離開埃及，不怕王怒；因為他恆心忍耐，如同看見那不能看見的主。
²⁸ 他因着信，就守逾越節，行灑血的禮，免得那滅長子的臨近以色列人。
²⁹ 他們因着信，過紅海如行乾地；埃及人試着要過去，就被吞滅了。
³⁰ 以色列人因着信，圍繞耶利哥城七日，城牆就倒塌了。
³¹ 妓女喇合因着信，曾和和平平地接待探子，就不與那些不順從的人一同滅亡。
使徒既已給了我們關於信心之恩的較一般的記載，如今繼續向我們擺上舊約時代它的一些顯著榜樣。這些可分為兩類：1. 那些提到名字的，並具體說明了他們信心的特殊運用和行動的。2. 那些只提到名字的，並一般性地記載了他們信心的作為——留給讀者根據他從神聖歷史中所收集的去適配和應用於具體的人物。我們在此有那些不僅提到名字、更附加了他們信心之特殊試驗和行動的人。
I. 此處所記信心之首屈一指的榜樣是亞伯。值得注意的，神的靈認為不適合在此說到我們始祖的信心；然而神的教會普遍以敬虔的善意假定，神賜了他們悔改和相信所應許之後裔的信心，教導了他們獻祭的奧祕，他們也以此教導兒女，且他們在毁壞了自己和一切後裔之後，蒙了神的憐憫。但神仍將這事留在某種疑惑之下，作為對一切蒙賜大才幹、蒙託大信任之人的警告，叫他們不可不忠心——因為神不願將我們的始祖列入這有福的冊上。它從亞伯開始——一切亞當兒子中最早的聖徒之一、為宗教最早殉道的人——一個憑信而活、為信而死的人，因此是希伯來人當效法的合適榜樣。請注意：
1. 亞伯憑信所做的：「他獻上比該隻更美的祭」——更完全而完美的祭。由此學到：（1）墮落之後，神為人類的兒女開了一條新的道路，使他們可以在宗教敬拜中歸回祂。這是墮落之人進去敬拜神最早的記錄實例之一；這是奇妙的憐憫——神與人之間的一切交通並未因墮落而斷絕。（2）墮落之後，神必須以獻祭來敬拜——這是一種帶着認罪、承認罪之罪債、以及宣認相信一位要作人靈魂贖價之救贖主的敬拜方式。（3）從起初，敬拜者之間就有顯著的分別。這裏有兩個人——弟兄——都進去敬拜神，卻有天壤之別。該隱是哥哥，亞伯卻得了優先。使人真正尊貴的不是出生的長幼，而是恩典。在他們的位格上的分別是可注意的：亞伯是正直的人、義人、真信徒；該隱是形式主義者，沒有特殊恩典的原則。在他們的原則上是可注意的：亞伯在信心的能力下行事；該隱不過出於教育的力量或天然的良心。在他們的供物上也有非常可注意的分別：亞伯帶了贖罪祭——「帶了羊群中頭生的」——承認自己是該死的罪人，只盼望藉着「那偉大的祭物」得憐憫；該隱只帶了感恩祭——單單的素祭——「地裏的出產」，這在無辜狀態中也可能、或許也必須獻上；其中沒有認罪，沒有顧念贖價——這是該隱供物上本質的缺陷。敬拜真神的人之間將永遠有分別；有的人如法利賽人倚靠自己的義，有的人如稅吏認罪並投靠基督裏神的憐憫。
2. 亞伯憑信所得的：原始記載在創4:4，「耶和華看中了亞伯和他的供物」；先看中他蒙恩的位格，然後看中那出於恩典——尤其是出於信心之恩——的供物。在此我們被告知他憑信得了特殊的益處：（1）「得了稱義的見證」——他被稱義、成聖、蒙悅納的人；這很可能是以從天降下的火點燃並燒盡他的祭物為證。（2）神為他位格的義作見證——藉着見證祂悅納他的禮物。當火——神公義的象徵——燒盡供物時，這是神因那偉大的祭物悅納獻祭者的記號。（3）「他雖然死了，卻因這信，仍舊說話。」他有榮幸留下一個有教導性的、說話的先例；它向我們說甚麼？我們當從中學到甚麼？[1] 墮落的人蒙許進去敬拜神，有蒙悅納的盼望。[2] 我們的位格和供物若蒙悅納，必是藉着信彌賽亞。[3] 蒙神悅納是特殊而分別的恩惠。[4] 從神得這恩惠的人必受世界的嫉妒和惡意。[5] 神不容祂百姓所受的傷害不被刑罰、所受的苦不得賞賜。這些是極好極有用的教訓，然而「這血所說的比亞伯的血所說的更美」。[6] 神不容亞伯的信心與他同死，而要興起別人來——他們要得着同樣寶貴的信心；如此祂不久就做了；因為在下一節我們讀到：
II. 以諾的信心（Heb 11:5）。他是那些藉信得好名聲的古人中的第二位。請注意：
1. 關於他所記載的。在此（以及創5:22等）我們讀到：（1）「他與神同行」——即他在效法神、與神相交、以神為樂上真正地、卓越地、積極地、漸進地、持久地敬虔。（2）「他被接去，不至於見死」，他身體的任何部分在地上也找不着；因為神將他——靈魂和身體——接進天堂，正如祂將對那些在祂第二次降臨時活着被找着的聖徒所做的。（3）「他被接去以先，已經得了神喜悅他的明證。」他在自己的良心中有證據，神的靈與他的靈同作見證。那些憑信在罪惡世界中與神同行的人蒙祂喜悅，祂必賜他們恩惠的記號，並賜他們尊榮。
2. 關於他的信心在此所說的（Heb 11:6）。經上說「人非有信，就不能得神的喜悅」——沒有那幫助我們與神同行的活潑信心——而且我們若不「信有神，且信祂賞賜那尋求祂的人」，就不能到神面前。（1）他必須信神存在，且信祂是祂所是——祂在聖經中所啟示的——一位存於三位一體——父、子、聖靈——中、具有無限完全的存有。請注意：對神的存在的實踐性相信——如話語中所啟示的——將成為我們靈魂上強大的約束力、約束我們不犯罪的嚼環、推動我們盡各樣福音本分的馬刺。（2）「祂賞賜那尋求祂的人」。此處請注意：[1] 因墮落我們失去了神；我們失去了神聖的光、生命、愛、形象和相交。[2] 神可以藉着基督——第二亞當——再次被我們尋見。[3] 神已規定了可以尋見祂的方法和道路；即嚴格注意祂的言語、參與祂的典章、傳道人正當地履行職分、與祂的百姓交往、觀察祂護理的引導，在一切事上謙卑等候祂恩典的同在。[4] 那些要在祂的這些道路上尋見神的人必須「殷勤尋求祂」；他們必須早尋、懇切地尋、恆久地尋。「那時你們必尋求我，也必尋見，只要你們全心尋求我」；一旦尋見了祂——作為他們和好的神——他們便永不後悔為尋求祂所花的工夫。
III. 挪亞的信心（Heb 11:7）。請注意：
1. 挪亞信心的根基——他從神所得關於尚未看見之事的警告。他得了神聖的啟示——是藉聲音還是異象並未說明；但這啟示本身就帶着證據；他「得了未見之事的警告」——即一場極大而嚴厲的審判——這是世界從未見過的，而且在次因的過程中還沒有絲毫跡象。這隱秘的警告他要向世人傳達——世人必輕看他和他信息的。神通常在擊打之前警告罪人；而祂的警告在哪裏被輕看，打擊必更重。
2. 挪亞信心的行動及其對心思和行為的影響。（1）對心思；它以對神審判的敬畏感動他的靈魂：他「動了敬畏的心」。信心先影響我們的情感，然後影響我們的行動；信心按着所啟示之內容的性質對那些情感起作用。若是美好之事，信心激發愛和渴慕；若是邪惡之事，信心激發敬畏。（2）他的信心影響了他的行為。他的敬畏——如此由相信神的威脅而激發的——推動他預備方舟，在其中無疑他遭遇了邪惡世代的譏誚和辱罵。他沒有與神爭辯為何要造方舟，也沒有問方舟怎能容納所要存放的一切，或這樣的船怎能經得起如此大的風暴。他的信心平息了一切異議，使他認真着手工作。
3. 挪亞信心的蒙福果子和賞賜。（1）藉此他自己和他的全家得了拯救——當整個世界的罪人在他們周圍滅亡之時。神為他的緣故救了他的全家；他們作為挪亞的兒女是有福的；那些女子嫁入挪亞的家是有福的；她們或許本可嫁給別家的大產業，但那樣她們必被淹死。我們常說「與產業有親是有福的」；但與約有親豈不更有福嗎？（2）藉此他審判並定了世界的罪；他的聖潔敬畏定了他們的安全和虛妄自信的罪；他的信心定了他們不信的罪；他的順從定了他們藐視和悖逆的罪。好榜樣要麼使罪人歸正，要麼定他們的罪。嚴格聖潔、敬畏神的生活中很有說服力；它在神眼中向每個人的良心推薦自己，他們就由此被審判。這是神的百姓能用以定惡人為罪的最佳方法——不是以嚴厲吹毛求疵的言語，而是以聖潔、可作榜樣的為人。（3）藉此「他承受了那從信而來的義」。[1] 他有了真正的稱義之義；他是「它的後嗣」。[2] 他這繼承權是藉着信基督——作為「基督的肢體、神的兒女」，若是兒女便是後嗣。他的義是相對的——出於他的收養，藉着信所應許的後裔。我們若要在「主大而可畏的日子」得稱義、得拯救，就讓我們現在預備方舟，確保在基督裏、在約的方舟裏有分，並且速速如此行——在門關上之前——因為除祂以外別無拯救。
IV. 亞伯拉罕——神的朋友、信心之父——的信心；希伯來人以他為誇口，並從他得着家世和特權。因此使徒為既要使他們喜悅又要使他們得益，比論到任何其他族長更多發揮亞伯拉罕信心的英雄成就；在記述亞伯拉罕信心中他插入了撒拉信心的故事——凡恆心行善的女人的母親。請注意：
1. 亞伯拉罕信心的根基——神的呼召和應許（Heb 11:8）。（1）這呼召雖然是極試驗人的，卻是神的呼召，因此是信心充分的根基和順從的準則。司提反在徒7:2,3論到他如何被召：「我們的祖宗亞伯拉罕在美索不達米亞……榮耀的神向他顯現，對他說：『你要離開本地和親族，往我所要指示你的地去。』」這是有效的呼召——藉此他從父家的偶像崇拜中歸正（創12:1）。這呼召在他父親死後在哈叉重新發出。請注意：[1] 神的恩典是完全白白的——取了一些最壞的人，使他們成為最好的。[2] 神必須先到我們這裏，我們才能到祂那裏。[3] 在呼召和使罪人歸正中，神顯為榮耀的神，在靈魂中做榮耀的工作。[4] 這呼召不僅召我們離開罪，更離開有罪的同伴，以及一切與我們對祂的奉獻不一致的。[5] 我們不僅需要被召開始得好，更要被召繼續得好。[6] 祂不要祂的百姓在未到天上迦南之前在任何地方安息。（2）神的應許。神應許亞伯拉罕他所蒙召去的地方他後來要得為業——不久他要有天上迦南為業，並且他的後裔在過程中要承受地上迦南。請注意：[1] 神呼召祂的百姓去得產業：藉着有效的呼召祂使他們成為兒女，因此為後嗣。[2] 這產業不是他們立即擁有的；他們必須等候一段時間：但應許是確定的，必在適當的時候應驗。[3] 父母的信心常常為後代求得福分。
2. 亞伯拉罕信心的運用：他對神的呼召予以了絕對的順服。（1）「他出去，還不知往哪裏去。」他將自己交在神的手中，任憑祂喜悅差他往何處。他贊同神的智慧——認為最適合引導；他順服祂的旨意——認為最適合決定關乎他的一切。絕對的信心和順從是當歸給神的，也惟獨歸給祂。一切有效蒙召的人都將自己的意志和智慧交出給神的意志和智慧，如此行也是他們的智慧；雖然他們不總是知道自己的路，卻知道他們的嚮導，這就滿足了他們。（2）「他在應許之地作客，好像在異地。」這是他信心的運用。請注意：[1] 迦南如何被稱為應許之地，因為還只應許、未得擁有。[2] 亞伯拉罕如何在迦南生活——不作為後嗣和擁有者，而只作為客旅。他沒有發出驅逐令，也沒有向原住民發動戰爭以奪取，而只情願以客旅的身分生活，忍耐他們的惡待，感謝地接受他們的恩惠，並將心固定在他的家鄉——天上迦南。[3] 他與以撒、雅各——與他同蒙應許的後嗣——住在帳棚裏。他在那裏過着遷移流動的生活，每日預備好搬遷：我們一切人在這世上也當如此生活。他有好同伴，他們在他寄居的狀態中對他是極大的安慰。亞伯拉罕活到以撒七十五歲、雅各十五歲。以撒和雅各是同一應許的後嗣；因為應許向以撒（創26:3）和雅各（創28:13）更新。一切的聖徒都是同一應許的後嗣。應許是賜給信徒和他們的兒女的，也賜給一切主我們神所召的人。看見父母和兒女一同在這世上寄居、作為天上產業的後嗣，是令人愉快的。
3. 亞伯拉罕信心的支持（Heb 11:10）：「他等候那座有根基的城，就是神所經營所建造的。」請注意：（1）對天堂的描述：它是一座城——規律的社會，建立穩妥，防衛嚴密，供應充足：它是有根基的城——神的不可更改的旨意和全能、主耶穌基督無限的功勞和中保、永約的應許、它自己的純潔、和其居民的完全；它是神所經營所建造的城。祂設計了樣式；祂照此建造，祂開了一條又新又活的路進入其中，為祂的百姓預備了它；祂使他們擁有它、在其中高升他們，祂自己更是它的實體和福樂。（2）請注意亞伯拉罕對這天上之城的應有關注：他等候它；他相信有這樣的狀態；他等候它，同時憑信在其中交往；他有崇高而喜樂的盼望——在神的時候和方式中他必安全到達。（3）這對他現今為人的影響：這在他寄居狀態的一切試煉下支持他，幫助他忍耐其中的一切不便，並積極地盡其中的一切本分，在其中堅持到底。
V. 在亞伯拉罕的故事中間，使徒插入了撒拉信心的記載。請注意：
1. 撒拉信心的困難——非常大。如：（1）一時不信的盛行：她笑那應許，以為不可能應驗。（2）她因不信偏離了本分之路——推動亞伯拉罕娶夏甲為妾，為要得後裔。她這罪使她以後更難憑信行事。（3）所應許之事的極大不可能性——她本來天然不能生育，如今已過了生育的年齡，卻要作一個孩子的母親。
2. 她信心的行動。她的不信蒙了赦免和遺忘，但她的信心得勝並被記錄：「她以為那應許她的是可信的」（Heb 11:11）。她接受應許為神的應許；既確信了這一點，她便真正判斷祂既能也會成就它，無論對理性看來多不可能；因為神的信實不容祂欺騙祂的百姓。
3. 她信心的果子和賞賜。（1）「她得了懷孕的力量。」自然的力量和恩典一樣都是出於神：祂能使不能生育的靈魂結果，也能使不能生育的子宮結果。（2）「她生了一個孩子」——男孩子，應許之子，他父母晚年的安慰，未來世代的盼望。（3）從他們藉着這兒子生出了許多傑出人物的後代，「如同天上的星」（Heb 11:12）——一個強大而著名的國家，超過世上一切的國；一個聖徒的國家、神特選的教會和百姓；而其中最大的尊榮和賞賜是，「按肉體說，基督也是從他們出來的，祂是在萬有之上，永遠可稱頌的神。」
VI. 使徒繼續提到其他族長——以撒和雅各，以及這蒙福家庭中的其他人——的信心（Heb 11:13）。請注意：
1. 他們信心在現今狀態之不完全中的試驗。他們沒有得着所應許的，即他們沒有得着所應許的事物——他們還沒有進入迦南的擁有，他們還沒有看見他們眾多的後裔，他們沒有看見基督在肉身中。請注意：（1）許多有分於應許的人並不立刻得着所應許的事物。（2）地上聖徒現今狀態的一個不完全是：他們的幸福更多在於應許和期望，而非實際的享受和擁有。福音狀態比族長狀態更完全，因為更多的應許如今已應驗。天上的狀態最為完全；因為在那裏一切的應許都要完全應驗。
2. 他們在這不完全狀態中信心的行動。他們雖沒有得着所應許的，卻：
（1）他們從遠處望見。信心有清晰而有力的眼，能在遠處看見應許的憐憫。亞伯拉罕從遠處看見了基督的日子，就歡喜（約8:56）。
（2）他們被說服——相信它們是真實的，必會應驗。信心印上印記證明神是真實的，藉此使靈魂安定滿足。
（3）他們歡喜迎接。他們的信心是同意的信心。信心有長臂，能在遠處抓住祝福，使之成為現在的，愛它們、在其中喜樂；如此預支了對它們的享受。
（4）他們「承認自己在世上是客旅，是寄居的」。請注意：[1] 他們的狀態：「客旅和寄居的」。他們作為聖徒是客旅——他們的家是天堂；他們作為走向家鄉的行路者是寄居的——雖然常是卑微而遲緩的。[2] 他們對自己這狀態的承認：他們不以承認為恥；他們的嘴唇和生活都宣認他們現今的狀態。他們對世界期望甚少。他們不願在其中深陷。他們努力放下各樣的重擔，束上心中的腰帶以留心自己的道路，與同行者保持同伴關係和步伐，預料困難並忍受它們，渴望回家。
（5）他們如此「表明自己要找一個家鄉」（Heb 11:14）——天堂，他們自己的家鄉。因為他們屬靈的出生是從那裏，他們最好的親屬在那裏，他們的產業在那裏。他們尋求的這家鄉：他們的計劃是為它；他們的渴望是向它；他們的談論是關於它；他們殷勤努力澄清自己對它的權利，使自己的性情適合它，在其中為人，並享受它。
（6）他們作了如此宣認之真誠的充分證明。因為：[1] 他們不念所離開的家鄉（Heb 11:15）。他們不貪戀其中的豐富和快樂，不後悔也不懊悔離開了它；他們沒有回去的渴望。請注意：那些一旦有效而拯救地蒙召離開罪狀態的人，無意再回到其中；他們如今知道更好的事。[2] 他們不利用那為他們回去所提供的機會。他們本可以有這樣的機會。他們有足夠的時間回去。他們有天然的力量回去。他們知道路。他們所寄居的人情願他們離開。他們的老朋友樂意接待他們。他們有足夠的資財承擔旅費；而肉體和血——敗壞的參謀——有時會向他們暗示回去。但他們在一切阻礙和一切反叛的試探之下堅定地持守神和本分。我們一切人也當如此。我們不缺反叛神的機會；但我們必須以堅定地持守祂直到末了來表明我們信心和宣認的真實。他們的真誠不僅顯在不回到先前家鄉上，更顯在「羨慕一個更美的家鄉，就是在天上的」。請注意：第一，天上的家鄉比地上任何的都好；它的位置更好，存備的一切好東西更豐富，更安全地防備一切邪惡；其中的職業、享受、社交和一切，都勝過這世上最好的。第二，一切真信徒羨慕這更美的家鄉。真信心引出真誠而熱切的渴望；信心越強，那些渴望就越熱切。
（7）他們在那些應許的信心中死去；不僅憑信而活，更在完全確信一切應許必應驗給他們和他們後代的信念中死去（Heb 11:13）。那信心堅持到末了。憑信，他們在臨終時接受了挽回；他們安息於神的旨意；他們熄滅了魔鬼一切的火箭；他們勝過了死亡的恐怖，解除了它的毒鉤，歡喜地向這世界和其中的一切安慰和十字架告別。這些是他們信心的行動。如今請注意：
3. 他們信心的恩典而大的賞賜：「神被稱為他們的神，並不以為恥，因為祂已經給他們預備了一座城」（Heb 11:16）。請注意：（1）神是一切真信徒的神；信心給了他們在神和祂一切豐盛中的分。（2）祂被稱為他們的神。祂如此自稱：「我是亞伯拉罕的神、以撒的神、雅各的神」；祂容許他們如此稱呼祂；祂賜他們兒子名分的靈，使他們能呼叫「阿爸，父」。（3）儘管他們因本性卑微、因罪敗壞、外在狀態貧窮，神不以被稱為「他們的神」為恥：如此是祂的屈尊，如此是祂對他們的愛；因此讓他們永不以被稱為祂的百姓為恥，也不以一切真正如此的人為恥——無論他們在世上多被藐視。最重要的是，讓他們小心不要成為祂神的羞恥和辱罵，如此惹祂以他們為恥；而當如此行事，成為祂的得名、得讚、得榮耀。（4）作為這的證明，神已為他們預備了一座城——與祂帶他們進入的關係相稱的幸福。因為在這世界中沒有什麼與神作祂百姓之神的愛相稱；若神既不能也不願賜給祂百姓比這世界所提供的更好的，祂便以被稱為他們的神為恥了。若祂將他們帶入如此與祂的關係中，祂必照此為他們預備。若祂取了他們神的稱號，祂必完全答覆它、活出它；祂已在天上為他們預備了那完全答覆這特性和關係的——以至永不能說——成為神的羞辱和恥辱——祂收養了一百姓作自己的兒女，卻不照顧為他們作相稱的預備。想到這一點當激發神百姓對這城——祂為他們所預備的——的情感、擴大他們的渴望、激發他們殷勤的努力。
VII. 使徒在記述了別人的信心之後，又回到亞伯拉罕，給我們一個記載中最大的信心試驗和行動的例子——無論在信心之父的故事中還是在他屬靈後裔的任何一位的故事中；那就是他獻以撒：「亞伯拉罕因着信，被試驗的時候，就把以撒獻上；這便是那歡喜領受應許的，將自己獨生的兒子獻上」（Heb 11:17）。在這大榜樣中請注意：
1. 亞伯拉罕信心的試驗和運用；他確實受了試驗。經上說（創22:1）：「神……試驗亞伯拉罕」；不是試探他犯罪——因為神不試探人——而只是切實試驗他的信心和順從。神在此以前曾試驗亞伯拉罕的信心——當祂召他離開本國和父家時，當饑荒迫使他從迦南到埃及時，當他被迫與五王爭戰以救羅得時，當撒拉被亞比米勒帶走時，以及在許多別的實例中。但這試驗大過一切；他奉命獻上他的兒子以撒。讀創22:2的記載。在那裏你會發現每一個字都是試驗：「你帶着你的兒子，就是你獨生的兒子，你所愛的以撒，往摩利亞地去，在我所要指示你的山上，把他獻為燔祭。」帶着你的兒子——不是你的一隻牲畜或僕人，你從撒拉所生的獨生子以撒，你的喜笑，你喜樂和歡喜的孩子，你所愛如自己靈魂的；帶他到遠方——三天路程的摩利亞地去；不要只把他留在那裏，而要把他獻為燔祭。從未有一個受造物受過如此大的試驗。使徒在此提到幾件大大增加這試驗之大之事。（1）他是在領受了應許之後被要求如此行的——這以撒要建立他的家，在他裏面他的後裔要被稱為（Heb 11:18），他要作彌賽亞的先祖之一，萬國要在祂裏面得福；所以在被召獻以撒時，他似乎被召毁滅和斷絕自己的家、取消神的應許、阻止基督的來到、毁滅全世界、犧牲自己的靈魂和得救的盼望，一擊之下斷絕神的教會：最可怕的試驗！（2）這以撒是他從妻子撒拉所生的獨生子——他從她所要有的惟一的兒子，惟一要作應許之子和後嗣的。以實瑪利要以地上的偉大被打發走。後裔和彌賽亞的應許必須或藉着這兒子成就，或根本不能成就；因此除了他對這兒子極大的慈愛之外，他一切的期望都繫在他身上，若他滅亡，必與他一同滅亡。亞伯拉罕即使有許多兒子，這是惟一能向萬國傳遞所應許之福分的兒子。他等了那麼久的兒子，以如此非凡方式領受的兒子，他心所寄的兒子——要有這兒子被獻為祭，而且要由他自己的手；這是足以推翻曾賦有人體之最堅定最堅強之心的試驗。
2. 亞伯拉罕在如此大試驗中信心的行動：他順從了；他獻上了以撒；他以順服的靈在心意中將他交給神，並預備照神的命令實際去行；他進行到了那關鍵的時刻，若非神阻止他，他便要完成它。沒有比以撒的話更溫柔動人的了：「父親，這裏有柴，這裏有火；但燔祭的羊羔在哪裏呢？」他一點不知自己就是要作的羊羔；但亞伯拉罕知道，而他仍繼續這大計劃。
3. 他信心的支持。它們必非常大，與試驗之大相稱：「他以為神還能叫人從死裏復活」（Heb 11:19）。他的信心由他對神大能的認識所支持——神能叫死人復活；他如此與自己推理，如此解決了一切疑慮。他似乎並沒有期望被取消、被阻止獻子；這樣的期望會破壞他信心的試驗，因而也破壞他信心的勝利；但他知道神能叫人從死裏復活，他相信神會如此行，因為如此大的事依靠着他兒子的生命——若以撒沒有進一步的生命，這些事必落空。請注意：（1）神能叫死人復活——叫死的身體復活，叫死的靈魂復活。（2）相信這一點將帶我們渡過所能遇見的最大困難和試驗。（3）藉着思考神的全能來駁倒我們的疑惑和恐懼，是我們的本分。
4. 他在這大試驗中信心的賞賜（Heb 11:19）：他「彷彿從死中得回他的兒子來」。（1）他得回了他的兒子。他已將他交給神，神又將他還給他。以舒適享受我們的安慰的最佳方法是將它們交託給神；祂那時必將它們歸還——若非原樣，也是以恩慈的方式。（2）他從死中得回了他，因為他把他當作已死的交出；他對他如同一個已死的孩子，這歸回對他無異於復活。（3）這是更進一步之事的預表或比方。它是基督犧牲和復活的預表——以撒是基督的預表。它也是一切真信徒榮耀復活的預表和憑據——他們的生命沒有失落，而是與基督一同藏在神裏面。我們如今來到別的舊約聖徒的信心——提到名字、並附以他們信心之特殊試驗和行動的——上。
VIII. 以撒的信心（Heb 11:20）。先前與亞伯拉罕的故事交織了一些關於他的記載；此處我們有一些不同性質的——他憑信給他兩個兒子雅各和以掃「祝福，論到將來的事」。此處請注意：
1. 他信心的行動：他「給雅各和以掃祝福，論到將來的事」。他為他們祝福；即他在約中將他們交託給神；他向神推薦他們、向他們推薦神和宗教；他為他們祈禱，並論到他們和他們後代的境遇預言：我們有這記載於創27:1-46。請注意：（1）雅各和以掃都作為以撒的兒女得了祝福——至少論到屬世的好處。作為好父母的後裔是大特權，好父母的惡兒女在世上常因父母的緣故而得好處，因為現今的事在約中；但它們不是最好的事，也無人因有無這些事而知愛或恨。（2）雅各得了優先和主要的祝福，這表明恩典和重生使人在同伴之上被高升，使他們有資格得最好的祝福；而在同一家中一個被取、一個被留、一個被愛、一個被恨，都出於神主權白白的恩典——因為亞當的後裔因本性都是神所恨惡的——若一個在今世有他的份，另一個在更美的世界有他的份，是神造成了分別；因為連今世的安慰也比任何人所配得的更多更好。
2. 以撒信心所爭戰的困難。（1）他似乎忘了神在這些兒子出生時如何決定了這事（創25:23）。這本該是他一直以來的準則，但他更受天然情感的左右，也受一般習俗——將雙倍的尊榮、情感和利益歸給長子——的影響。（2）他在這事上行事有些勉強。他來到宣佈祝福時，「他極其戰兢」（創27:33）；他指控雅各巧妙地奪了以掃的福分（創27:33,35）。但儘管如此，以撒的信心恢復了自己，他認可了祝福：「我已經為他祝福，他將來也必蒙福。」利百加和雅各所用以獲得這祝福的間接手段不可被稱義，但神在使人的罪也服事祂榮耀的目的上將被稱義為義。如今以撒的信心如此勝過了他的不信，以撒的神喜悅不看他的信心軟弱，稱讚它的真誠，並將他記在「藉信得好名聲」的古人之列。我們如今繼續：
IX. 雅各的信心（Heb 11:21），他「臨死的時候，給約瑟的兩個兒子各自祝福，扶着杖頭敬拜神」。雅各信心的實例很多；他的一生是信心的一生，他的信心受了極大的試驗。但神喜悅從這位族長許多的信心實例中選出兩個——除了在亞伯拉罕的記述中已提的以外。此處請注意：
1. 此處所提他信心的行動，有兩個：
（1）「他給約瑟的兩個兒子」——以法蓮和瑪拿西——「各自祝福」；他收納他們進入他自己兒子的數目，如此進入以色列的會中，雖然他們生在埃及。在宣認和特權上加入神可見的教會無疑是大福，但在靈和真理上如此更是。他使他們兩人都成為不同支派的首領，如同他自己的親兒子一般。他為他們祈禱，使他們都蒙神賜福。他預言他們必蒙福；但正如以撒先前所做的，雅各如今偏愛幼子以法蓮；雖然約瑟安排他們，使父親的右手該按在長子瑪拿西頭上，雅各卻故意按在以法蓮頭上，這是出於神的指示——因為他不能看見——表明外邦教會（幼者）要比猶太教會（長者）得着更豐富的祝福。
（2）「他扶着杖頭敬拜神」；即他因神為他所做的、以及他所望見的將要臨到的福分而讚美神；他也為他所留下的人祈禱——願宗教在他離去後仍在他家中存活。他如此行「扶着杖頭」；不是如羅馬天主教所夢想的——他敬拜刻在他杖頭上的神的形像，而是向我們表明他極大的天然軟弱——他甚至不能不用杖支撐自己坐直在床上——然而他不以此為忽略敬拜神的藉口；他情願以他的身體盡力、也以他的靈如此行，雖然不能如他所願。他藉此表明了他對神的倚靠，並見證了他在此作為帶杖客旅的狀態、他對世界的厭倦、以及他情願安息的心。
2. 雅各如此行使信心的時間和季節：當他臨死時。他憑信而活，也憑信而死、在信心中死。請注意：雖然信心之恩在我們一生中有普遍的用處，但當我們來到死時尤為如此。信心在末了有它最大的工作要做——幫助信徒好好地終結、向主而死——以忍耐、盼望和喜樂榮耀祂——如此在他們身後留下神話語的真實和祂道路之卓越的見證，為一切在他們臨終時刻陪伴他們的人的說服和堅立。父母能完成他們賽程的最好方式是祝福他們的家人、敬拜他們的神。我們如今來到：
X. 約瑟的信心（Heb 11:22）。此處我們也考慮：
1. 他憑信所做的：「他提到以色列族將來要出埃及，並為自己的骸骨留下遺命。」這段經文出於創50:24,25。約瑟的信心卓越，雖然他沒有享受別的弟兄所享受的幫助。他被賣到埃及。他受了試探——因罪、因逼迫——卻保持了正直。他也受了法老宮廷中的晉升和權力的試探，然而他的信心堅持到底，帶他直達終點。（1）他憑信提到以色列族的出埃及——時候將到，他們必從埃及被拯救出來；他如此行既是為提醒他們防備定居埃及的念頭——那裏如今對他們是富足安逸之地；也是為防止他們在他預見將臨到的災禍和困苦中沉淪；他如此行也是為安慰自己——雖然他不能活着看見他們的拯救，卻能在對它的信心中死去。（2）他為自己的骸骨留下遺命——他們當在埃及保全不葬，直到神將他們從那為奴之家拯救出來，那時他們當將他的骸骨帶入迦南葬在那裏。信徒雖然主要關心的是靈魂，卻不能全然忽略身體——因為身體是基督的肢體、他們自己的一部分，至終必復活，作他們得榮耀之靈魂到永遠的快樂同伴。約瑟如此吩咐，不是因為他認為葬在埃及會損害他的靈魂或妨礙他身體的復活（如一些拉比所幻想的——一切葬在迦南以外的猶太人必在復活前被帶到迦南），而是為了見證：[1] 雖然他在埃及活着並死去，他卻不是以埃及人的身分活着並死去，而是以以色列人的身分。[2] 他寧願在迦南有一個有意義的葬禮，也不願在埃及有一個宏大的葬禮。[3] 他要盡可能與他的百姓同行，雖然不能如他所願的那麼遠。[4] 他相信身體的復活，以及他的靈魂與已故聖徒即將有的交通，正如他的身體與他們的屍體同在一樣。[5] 為向他們保證神必在埃及與他們同在，並在祂自己的時候和方式中救他們出來。
2. 約瑟的信心何時如此行動；即如雅各的情形一樣——當他臨死時。神常在臨終時刻賜給祂百姓活潑的安慰；當祂如此行時，他們的本分是盡力將這些傳達給周圍的人——為神的榮耀、為宗教的尊榮、為弟兄朋友的益處。我們如今繼續：
XI. 摩西父母的信心，引自出2:3等。請注意：1. 他們信心的行動：他們將這兒子藏了三個月。雖然歷史中只提到摩西的母親，但從此處所說看來，他父親不僅同意了，更是參與商議。同負一軛的人在信心的軛中一同拉扯——作神恩典的後嗣——是有福的事；當他們如此行是出於對兒女益處的宗教關心——不僅保護他們免受那些要毁滅他們生命的人，更保護他們免受那些要敗壞他們心思的人。請注意：摩西早早就受逼迫、被迫隱藏；在此他是基督的預表——基督幾乎一出生就受逼迫，祂的父母不得不帶祂逃到埃及以保全祂。免受邪惡法律和法令之害是極大的憐憫；但當我們不能如此時，必須使用一切合法的手段來保全自己。在摩西父母的這信心中有不信的攙雜，但神喜悅不看它。2. 他們如此行的理由。無疑天然的情感不能不感動他們；但有更進一步的。他們「見他是一個好孩子」（出2:2），「極其俊美」（徒7:20），「asteios to Theo——對神而言是俊美的」。他身上有某種不平常之處；主的美貌在他身上——預示他生來要作大事，藉着與神交通他的臉要發光（出34:29），他要為以色列的拯救行何等光明輝煌的作為，他的名要何等閃耀在神聖的記錄上。有時——不是總是——容貌是心靈的指標。3. 他們信心勝過恐懼。他們「不怕王命」（出1:22）。那是一條邪惡殘忍的法令——一切以色列人的男嬰當在嬰孩時被殺，如此以色列的名必從地上被除滅。但他們沒有如此害怕以致立刻交出孩子；他們考慮到，若沒有一個男嬰存留，神的教會和真宗教便完了；雖然在他們現今為奴受壓的狀態中，人寧可讚美死者而非生者，他們卻相信神必保全祂的百姓，而且時候將到——那時作一個以色列人是值得活下去的。必須有人冒自己的生命危險保全兒女，他們決意如此行；他們知道王的命令本身是邪惡的，違背神和自然的律法，因此沒有權柄、沒有約束力。信心是抵擋對人有罪奴性恐懼的極大保障，因為它將神擺在靈魂面前，顯明受造之物的虛空和它對神的旨意和權柄的從屬。使徒接下來進到：
XII. 摩西自己的信心（Heb 11:24,25等），此處請注意：
1. 他在勝過世界上的信心實例。
（1）他「不肯稱為法老女兒之子」——他作為她的養子，也是她的嬌兒；她收養他為兒子，他卻拒絕了。請注意：[1] 摩西所受的試探何等大。法老的女兒據說是她惟一的孩子，自己沒有兒女；她既找了摩西、如她所行的那樣救了他，便決定收養他、把他帶大如自己的兒子；如此他將來有希望作埃及的王，他或許可藉此為以色列效力。他的命是這公主救的；拒絕她如此恩情看來不僅像對她的忘恩負義，也像對護理的忽視——護理似乎有意要高舉他和他的弟兄。他欠這公主的命；從她拒絕如此恩情看來不僅像忘恩，也像對護理的忽視。[2] 在如此大試驗中他信心的得勝何等榮耀。他「不肯稱為法老女兒之子」——免得他貶低了作亞伯拉罕——信心之父——兒子的更真正尊榮；他「不肯」——免得看來像放棄了他的宗教和他與以色列的關係；無疑這兩樣他若接受了這尊榮便必須放棄；因此他高尚地拒絕了。
（2）他「寧可和神的百姓同受苦害，也不願暫時享受罪中之樂」（Heb 11:25）。他情願在此與神的百姓同受命運——雖然是受苦的命運——好使他可以在將來與他們同得基業，而不願享受法老宮廷一切屬肉體罪中之樂——那不過是暫時的，至終必受永遠痛苦的刑罰。他在此既理性又敬虔地行事，如先前勝過世上高位一樣勝過了屬世快樂的試探。請注意：[1] 罪中之樂是、也將只是短暫的；它們必以迅速的悔改或迅速的毁滅告終。[2] 這世界的快樂，尤其是宮廷的快樂，往往是罪中之樂；當我們不能在不離棄神和祂百姓的情況下享受它們時，它們總是如此。真信徒當這些快樂以如此條件提供時輕看它們。[3] 受苦當被選擇而非犯罪，因為最小的罪中的邪惡比最大的受苦中的邪惡更大。[4] 當我們與神的百姓一同受苦——投入同一利益、被同一聖靈激勵——受苦之苦便大大減輕。
（3）他「看為基督受的凌辱比埃及的財物更寶貴」（Heb 11:26）。看摩西如何衡量：他在一個天平上放宗教最壞的——「為基督受的凌辱」，在另一個天平上放世界最好的——「埃及的財物」；在他信心所引導的判斷中，宗教最壞的比世界最好的更重。神教會的凌辱是「為基督受的凌辱」——基督是、也一直是教會的元首。如今摩西在此勝過了世界的財富，如先前勝過了它的尊榮和快樂一樣。神的百姓是、也一直是受凌辱的百姓。基督看他們的凌辱為自己受的凌辱；當祂如此在他們的凌辱中有分時，凌辱便成了財富——比世上最富帝國的財寶更寶貴的財富；因為基督必以不能朽壞的榮耀冠冕賞賜他們。信心看明瞭這一點，並相應地決定和行事。
2. 摩西憑信勝過世界——在其一切尊榮、快樂和財富上——的時間情境被注意到：「當他到了年齡」（Heb 11:24）；不僅到了分辨的年齡，更是到了經歷的年齡，四十歲——當他長大或到了成熟之時。有人或許以此為貶低他的得勝——說他如此晚才得到它、沒有更早做這選擇；但這更是提升他捨己和勝過世界的尊榮——他在已長大成熟、能享受的時候做了這選擇，能知道他所做的和為何如此做。這不是孩童的行為——偏好銅錢而棄黃金，而是出於成熟的深思熟慮。人在世俗事務和享受中間認真敬虔，在最有力享受世界的時候輕看世界，是極美的事。
3. 是甚麼支持並堅固摩西的信心到如此程度，使他能勝過世界：「他想望所要得的賞賜」——有人說是出埃及的拯救；但無疑它意味着更多——在另一個世界信心和忠心的榮耀賞賜。請注意：（1）天堂是極大的賞賜，不僅超越我們一切的功績，更超越我們一切的概念。它是與為它所付的代價——基督的血——相稱的賞賜，與神的完全相稱，完全答覆祂一切的應許。它是「賞賜」——因為是由公義的審判官照着恩典之約的公義準則、因基督的義、賜給義人的。（2）信徒可以、也當指望這賞賜；他們當認識它、贊同它、在每日喜樂的期望中活着。如此它將成為指引他們方向的地標、吸引他們心的磁石、勝過仇敵的劍、激發他們盡本分的馬刺、以及在一切做和受的一切困難下使他們舒解的甘露。
4. 我們還有摩西信心的另一個實例——離棄埃及：「他因着信，就離開埃及，不怕王怒」（Heb 11:27）。請注意：（1）他信心的產物：「他離開埃及」——離開其一切的權力和快樂，承擔帶領以色列出埃及的責任。摩西兩次離開埃及：[1] 作為嫌疑犯——當王因他殺埃及人而向他發怒時（出2:14,15），經上說他懼怕——不是絕望的恐懼，而是為保全性命的謹慎之懼。[2] 作為耶書崙的統帥和領袖——在神用他使法老謙卑、使他情願放以色列去之後。（2）他信心的得勝。它使他勝過了對王怒的恐懼。雖然他知道它很大、特別針對他、率領眾多大軍追趕他，他卻不驚惶，對以色列說：「不要懼怕」（出14:13）。離開埃及的人必受人的怒氣；卻不必怕它，因為他們在那能使人怒讚美祂、並約束其餘的的神的率領之下。（3）他信心在這些行動上的原則：「他恆心忍耐，如同看見那不能看見的主。」他以不可征服的勇氣在一切危險下堅持，忍受了祂職分的一切疲乏——那是極大的；這藉着看見那看不見的神。請注意：[1] 我們所面對的神是看不見的神：對我們的感官、身體的眼是如此；這顯明了那些妄稱要為神造像——那沒有人看見過、也不能看見的——之人的愚昧。[2] 藉着信心我們可以看見這看不見的神。我們可以完全確信祂的存在、祂的護理、以及祂與我們恩典而大能的同在。[3] 如此看見神將使信徒能忍耐到底——無論他們在路上遇見甚麼。
5. 我們還有摩西信心的另一個實例——守「逾越節和灑血的禮」（Heb 11:28）。這的記載在出12:13-23。雖然全以色列都守了這逾越節，卻是藉着摩西神交付了設立；雖然它是一個極大的奧祕，摩西憑信既將它交付百姓，又在那一夜在他所住之處守了。逾越節是舊約最莊嚴的典章之一，也是基督非常有意義的預表。它首次遵守的場合是特殊的：就在神擊殺埃及人長子的那一夜；雖然以色列人住在他們中間，灭命的天使卻越過他們的家，放過了他們和他們的。如今為使他們有資格得這分別的恩惠，並標出他們來，必須宰一隻羊羔；必須用牛膝草蘸血灑在門楣上和兩邊的門框上；羊羔的肉必須用火烤；當夜必須全部吃完，配苦菜吃，以旅行的姿態——腰間束帶、腳上穿鞋、手中拿杖。這一切按着行了，灭命的天使越過了他們，擊殺了埃及人的長子。這為亞伯拉罕的後裔回到應許之地開了路。這預表的應用不難。（1）基督就是那羊羔，祂是我們的逾越節，為我們被殺獻祭了。（2）祂的血必須被灑上；必須應用於那些要得其拯救益處的人。（3）它只有效地應用於以色列人——神所揀選的百姓。（4）我們蒙拯救脫離神的忿怒，不是出於我們固有的義或最好的行為，而是出於基督的血和祂歸算的義。以色列的任何家族若忽略了在他們門上灑這血，即使他們整夜祈禱，灭命的天使也必闖入他們家中，擊殺他們的長子。（5）無論這血應用於何處，靈魂就藉着信接受了一位完全的基督，並以祂為糧。（6）這真實的信心使罪對靈魂成為苦的，即使在它接受赦免和挽回之時。（7）我們在地上一切屬靈的特權當激發我們早早動身、在通往天堂的路上前進。（8）那些被標出的人當永遠記念並承認白白而分別的恩典。
XIII. 下一個信心的實例是以色列人在領袖摩西率領下過紅海（Heb 11:29）。故事我們有在出埃及記，出14:1-31。請注意：
1. 以色列人在別無他路逃脫緊追的法老和他全軍時，安全過紅海。我們在此可注意：（1）以色列的危險極大；後有帶戰車馬兵的憤怒仇敵，兩側有陡峭的岩石山嶺，前有紅海。（2）他們的拯救極榮耀。他們憑信過紅海如行乾地；信心的恩典將幫助我們渡過在通往天堂的路上所遇見的一切危險。
2. 埃及人的毁滅。他們妄圖跟着以色列過紅海——如此被蒙蔽剛硬以至毁滅——全都淹死了。他們的魯莽很大，他們的毁滅可悲。當神審判時，祂必得勝；顯然罪人的毁滅是出於他們自己。
XIV. 下一個信心的實例是以色列人在領袖約書亞率領下在耶利哥城前（Heb 11:30）。故事我們有在書6:5等。請注意：1. 神所規定用以使耶利哥城牆倒塌的方法。祂命定他們連續七日每日繞城一次，最後一日七次，祭司當在繞城時抬約櫃，吹羊角做的號，吹比以前更長的號聲，然後全百姓當呼喊，耶利哥的城牆就要在他們面前倒塌。這是他們信心的極大試驗。所規定的方法看來極不可能達到如此目的，無疑會使他們每日暴露於仇敵的藐視之下；神的約櫃似乎處於危險中。但這是神命令他們當行的路，祂喜悅以微小而被藐視的手段做大事，使祂自己的膀臂得以顯露。2. 所規定方法的強大成功。耶利哥的城牆在他們面前倒塌了。這是迦南地的邊鎮——頭一個抵抗以色列人的。神喜悅以這非凡的方式輕視和拆卸它，為要高舉自己、使迦南人恐懼、堅固以色列人的信心、並排除一切誇口。神能也必在祂自己的時候和方式中使一切對祂利益和榮耀的強烈反對倒塌，而信心的恩典藉着神在拆毁堅固營壘上是大有能力的；祂必使巴比倫在祂百姓的信心面前倒塌；當祂要為他們做某件大事時，就在他們裏面興起大而強的信心。
XV. 下一個實例是喇合的信心（Heb 11:31）。在使徒勇敢編排的信心中勇士的貴族軍隊中，喇合在後面，「表明神是不偏待人的」。此處考慮：
1. 這喇合是誰。（1）她是迦南人，「在以色列國民以外」的客旅，幾乎沒有信心的幫助，卻是信徒；神聖恩典的大能在沒有尋常恩典途徑時運行，大大彰顯出來。（2）她是妓女，生活在罪中；她不僅是客棧老闆，更是城中的妓女，然而她相信——罪的嚴重若真正悔改，並非神赦免之憐憫的障礙。基督已救了罪魁。「罪在哪裏顯多，恩典就更顯多了。」
2. 她憑信所做的：「她接待探子」（書2:6,7）——約書亞所差去窺探耶利哥的人。她不僅歡迎他們，更將他們藏起來脫離尋索他們性命的仇敵，而且她作了信心的崇高宣認（書2:9-11）。她與他們立約——當神向他們施恩時，他們要恩待她和她的家人，並給她一個記號——他們如此行了——一條朱紅線繩，她要從窗戶垂出來；她以謹慎而友好的建議打發他們走。在此學到：（1）真信心必以善行顯出來，尤其是對神的百姓。（2）信心在神和祂百姓的事業中不惜冒一切危險；真信徒情願暴露自己的身體，也不願神的利益和百姓受損。（3）真信徒不僅渴望與神立約，更渴望與神的百姓相交，情願與他們同舟共濟、與他們同甘共苦。
English original
Exemplars of Faith (62 AD)
⁴ By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
⁵ By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
⁷ By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
⁸ By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
⁹ By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
¹⁰ For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
¹¹ Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
¹² Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
¹³ These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
¹⁴ For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
¹⁵ And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
¹⁶ But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
¹⁸ Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
¹⁹ Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
²⁰ By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
²¹ By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
²² By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
²³ By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
²⁴ By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
²⁵ Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
²⁶ Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
²⁷ By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
²⁸ Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
²⁹ By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
³⁰ By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
³¹ By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
The apostle, having given us a more general account of the grace of faith, now proceeds to set before us some illustrious examples of it in the Old-Testament times, and these may be divided into two classes:—1. Those whose names are mentioned, and the particular exercise and actings of whose faith are specified. 2. Those whose names are barely mentioned, and an account given in general of the exploits of their faith, which it is left to the reader to accommodate, and apply to the particular persons from what he gathers up in the sacred story. We have here those whose names are not only mentioned, but the particular trials and actings of their faith are subjoined.
I. The leading instance and example of faith here recorded is that of Abel. It is observable that the Spirit of God has not thought fit to say any thing here of the faith of our first parents; and yet the church of God has generally, by a pious charity, taken it for granted that God gave them repentance and faith in the promised seed, that he instructed them in the mystery of sacrificing, that they instructed their children in it, and that they found mercy with God, after they had ruined themselves and all their posterity. But God has left the matter still under some doubt, as a warning to all who have great talents given to them, and a great trust reposed in them, that they do not prove unfaithful, since God would not enroll our first parents among the number of believers in this blessed calendar. It begins with Abel, one of the first saints, and the first martyr for religion, of all the sons of Adam, one who lived by faith, and died for it, and therefore a fit pattern for the Hebrews to imitate. Observe,
1. What Abel did by faith: He offered up a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, a more full and perfect sacrifice, pleiona thysian. Hence learn, (1.) That, after the fall, God opened a new way for the children of men to return to him in religious worship. This is one of the first instances that is upon record of fallen men going in to worship God; and it was a wonder of mercy that all intercourse between God and man was not cut off by the fall. (2.) After the fall, God must be worshipped by sacrifices, a way of worship which carries in it a confession of sin, and of the desert of sin, and a profession of faith in a Redeemer, who was to be a ransom for the souls of men. (3.) That, from the beginning, there has been a remarkable difference between the worshippers. Here were two persons, brethren, both of whom went in to worship God, and yet there was a vast difference. Cain was the elder brother, but Abel has the preference. It is not seniority of birth, but grace, that makes men truly honourable. The difference is observable in their persons: Abel was an upright person, a righteous man, a true believer; Cain was a formalist, had not a principle of special grace. It is observable in their principles: Abel acted under the power of faith; Cain only from the force of education, or natural conscience. There was also a very observable difference in their offerings: Abel brought a sacrifice of atonement, brought of the firstlings of the flock, acknowledging himself to be a sinner who deserved to die, and only hoping for mercy through the great sacrifice; Cain brought only a sacrifice of acknowledgment, a mere thank-offering, the fruit of the ground, which might, and perhaps must, have been offered in innocency; here was no confession of sin, no regard to the ransom; this was an essential defect in Cain's offering. There will always be a difference between those who worship the true God; some will compass him about with lies, others will be faithful with the saints; some, like the Pharisee, will lean to their own righteousness; others, like the publican, will confess their sin, and cast themselves upon the mercy of God in Christ.
2. What Abel gained by his faith: the original record is in Ge 4:4, God had respect to Abel, and to his offering; first to his person as gracious, then to his offering as proceeding from grace, especially from the grace of faith. In this place we are told that he obtained by his faith some special advantages; as, (1.) Witness that he was righteous, a justified, sanctified, and accepted person; this, very probably, was attested by fire from heaven, kindling and consuming his sacrifice. (2.) God gave witness to the righteousness of his person, by testifying his acceptance of his gifts. When the fire, an emblem of God's justice, consumed the offering, it was a sign that the mercy of God accepted the offerer for the sake of the great sacrifice. (3.) By it he, being dead, yet speaketh. He had the honour to leave behind him an instructive speaking case; and what does it speak to us? What should we learn from it? [1.] That fallen man has leave to go in to worship God, with hope of acceptance. [2.] That, if our persons and offerings be accepted, it must be through faith in the Messiah. [3.] That acceptance with God is a peculiar and distinguishing favour. [4.] That those who obtain this favour from God must expect the envy and malice of the world. [5.] That God will not suffer the injuries done to his people to remain unpunished, nor their sufferings unrewarded. These are very good and useful instructions, and yet the blood of sprinkling speaketh better things than that of Abel. [6.] That God would not suffer Abel's faith to die with him, but would raise up others, who should obtain like precious faith; and so he did in a little time; for in the next verse we read,
II. Of the faith of Enoch, Heb 11:5. He is the second of those elders that through faith have a good report. Observe,
1. What is here reported of him. In this place (and in Ge 5:22, etc.) we read, (1.) That he walked with God, that is, that he was really, eminently, actively, progressively, and perseveringly religious in his conformity to God, communion with God, and complacency in God. (2.) That he was translated, that he should not see death, nor any part of him be found upon earth; for God took him, soul and body, into heaven, as he will do those of the saints who shall be found alive at his second coming. (3.) That before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. He had the evidence of it in his own conscience, and the Spirit of God witnessed with his spirit. Those who by faith walk with God in a sinful world are pleasing to him, and he will give them marks of his favour, and put honour upon them.
2. What is here said of his faith, Heb 11:6. It is said that without this faith it is impossible to please God, without such a faith as helps us to walk with God, an active faith, and that we cannot come to God unless we believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him. (1.) He must believe that God is, and that he is what he is, what he has revealed himself to be in the scripture, a Being of infinite perfections, subsisting in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Observe, The practical belief of the existence of God, as revealed in the word, would be a powerful awe-band upon our souls, a bridle of restraint to keep us from sin, and a spur of constraint to put us upon all manner of gospel obedience. (2.) That he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him. Here observe, [1.] By the fall we have lost God; we have lost the divine light, life, love, likeness, and communion. [2.] God is again to be found of us through Christ, the second Adam. [3.] God has prescribed means and ways wherein he may be found; to with, a strict attention to his oracles, attendance on his ordinances, and ministers duly discharging their office and associating with his people, observing his providential guidance, and in all things humbly waiting his gracious presence. [4.] Those who would find God in these ways of his must seek him diligently; they must seek early, earnestly, and perseveringly. Then shall they seek him, and find him, if they seek him with all their heart; and when once they have found him, as their reconciled God, they will never repent the pains they have spent in seeking after him.
III. The faith of Noah, Heb 11:7. Observe,
1. The ground of Noah's faith—a warning he had received from God of things as yet not seen. He had a divine revelation, whether by voice or vision does not appear; but it was such as carried in it its own evidence; he was forewarned of things not seen as yet, that is, of a great and severe judgment, such as the world had never yet seen, and of which, in the course of second causes, there was not yet the least sign. This secret warning he was to communicate to the world, who would be sure to despise both him and his message. God usually warns sinners before he strikes; and, where his warnings are slighted, the blow will fall the heavier.
2. The actings of Noah's faith, and the influence it had both upon his mind and practice. (1.) Upon his mind; it impressed his soul with a fear of God's judgment: he was moved with fear. Faith first influences our affections, then our actions; and faith works upon those affections that are suitable to the matter revealed. If it be some good thing, faith stirs up love and desire; if some evil thing, faith stirs up fear. (2.) His faith influenced his practice. His fear, thus excited by believing God's threatening, moved him to prepare an ark, in which, no doubt, he met with the scorns and reproaches of a wicked generation. He did not dispute with God why he should make an ark, nor how it could be capable of containing what was to be lodged in it, nor how such a vessel could possibly weather out so great a storm. His faith silenced all objections, and set him to work in earnest.
3. The blessed fruits and rewards of Noah's faith. (1.) Hereby himself and his house were saved, when a whole world of sinners were perishing about them. God saved his family for his sake; it was well for them that they were Noah's sons and daughters; it was well for those women that they married into Noah's family; perhaps they might have married to great estates in other families, but then they would have been drowned. We often say, "It is good to be akin to an estate;" but surely it is good to be akin to the covenant. (2.) Hereby he judged and condemned the world; his holy fear condemned their security and vain confidence; his faith condemned their unbelief; his obedience condemned their contempt and rebellion. Good examples will either convert sinners or condemn them. There is something very convincing in a life of strict holiness and regard to God; it commends itself to every man's conscience in the sight of God, and they are judged by it. This is the best way the people of God can take to condemn the wicked; not by harsh and censorious language, but by a holy exemplary conversation. (3.) Hereby he became an heir of the righteousness which is by faith. [1.] He was possessed of a true justifying righteousness; he was heir to it: and, [2.] This his right of inheritance was through faith in Christ, as a member of Christ, a child of God, and, if a child, then an heir. His righteousness was relative, resulting from his adoption, through faith in the promised seed. As ever we expect to be justified and saved in the great and terrible day of the Lord, let us now prepare an ark, secure an interest in Christ, and in the ark of the covenant, and do it speedily, before the door be shut, for there is not salvation in any other.
IV. The faith of Abraham, the friend of God, and father of the faithful, in whom the Hebrews boasted, and from whom they derived their pedigree and privileges; and therefore the apostle, that he might both please and profit them, enlarges more upon the heroic achievements of Abraham's faith than of that of any other of the patriarchs; and in the midst of his account of the faith of Abraham he inserts the story of Sarah's faith, whose daughters those women are that continue to do well. Observe,
1. The ground of Abraham's faith, the call and promise of God, Heb 11:8. (1.) This call, though it was a very trying call, was the call of God, and therefore a sufficient ground for faith and rule of obedience. The manner in which he was called Stephen relates in Ac 7:2,3, The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia—And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I will show thee. This was an effectual call, by which he was converted from the idolatry of his father's house, Ge 12:1. This call was renewed after his father's death in Charran. Observe, [1.] The grace of God is absolutely free, in taking some of the worst of men, and making them the best. [2.] God must come to us before we come to him. [3.] In calling and converting sinners, God appears as a God of glory, and works a glorious work in the soul. [4.] This calls us not only to leave sin, but sinful company, and whatever is inconsistent with our devotedness to him. [5.] We need to be called, not only to set out well, but to go on well. [6.] He will not have his people take up that rest any where short of the heavenly Canaan. (2.) The promise of God. God promised Abraham that the place he was called to he should afterwards receive for an inheritance, after awhile he should have the heavenly Canaan for his inheritance, and in process of time his posterity should inherit the earthly Canaan. Observe here, [1.] God calls his people to an inheritance: by his effectual call he makes them children, and so heirs. [2.] This inheritance is not immediately possessed by them; they must wait some time for it: but the promise is sure, and shall have its seasonable accomplishment. [3.] The faith of parents often procures blessings for their posterity.
2. The exercise of Abraham's faith: he yielded an implicit regard to the call of God. (1.) He went out, not knowing whither he went. He put himself into the hand of God, to send him whithersoever he pleased. He subscribed to God's wisdom, as fittest to direct; and submitted to his will, as fittest to determine every thing that concerned him. Implicit faith and obedience are due to God, and to him only. All that are effectually called resign up their own will and wisdom to the will and wisdom of God, and it is their wisdom to do so; though they know not always their way, yet they know their guide, and this satisfies them. (2.) He sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country. This was an exercise of his faith. Observe, [1.] How Canaan is called the land of promise, because yet only promised, not possessed. [2.] How Abraham lived in Canaan, not as heir and proprietor, but as a sojourner only. He did not serve an ejectment, or raise a war against the old inhabitants, to dispossess them, but contented himself to live as a stranger, to bear their unkindnesses patiently, to receive any favours from them thankfully, and to keep his heart fixed upon his home, the heavenly Canaan. [3.] He dwelt in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. He lived there in an ambulatory moving condition, living in a daily readiness for his removal: and thus should we all live in this world. He had good company with him, and they were a great comfort to him in his sojourning state. Abraham lived till Isaac was seventy-five years old, and Jacob fifteen. Isaac and Jacob were heirs of the same promise; for the promise was renewed to Isaac (Ge 26:3), and to Jacob, Ge 28:13. All the saints are heirs of the same promise. The promise is made to believers and their children, and to as many as the Lord our God shall call. And it is pleasant to see parents and children sojourning together in this world as heirs of the heavenly inheritance.
3. The supports of Abraham's faith (Heb 11:10): He looked for a city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Observe here, (1.) The description given of heaven: it is a city, a regular society, well established, well defended, and well supplied: it is a city that hath foundations, even the immutable purposes and almighty power of God, the infinite merits and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ, the promises of an everlasting covenant, its own purity, and the perfection of its inhabitants: and it is a city whose builder and maker is God. He contrived the model; he accordingly made it, and he has laid open a new and living way into it, and prepared it for his people; he puts them into possession of it, prefers them in it, and is himself the substance and felicity of it. (2.) Observe the due regard that Abraham had to this heavenly city: he looked for it; he believed there was such a state; he waited for it, and in the mean time he conversed in it by faith; he had exalted and rejoicing hopes, that in God's time and way he should be brought safely to it. (3.) The influence this had upon his present conversation: it was a support to him under all the trials of his sojourning state, helped him patiently to bear all the inconveniences of it, and actively to discharge all the duties of it, persevering therein unto the end.
V. In the midst of the story of Abraham, the apostle inserts an account of the faith of Sarah. Here observe,
1. The difficulties of Sarah's faith, which were very great. As, (1.) The prevalency of unbelief for a time: she laughed at the promise, as impossible to be made good. (2.) She had gone out of the way of her duty through unbelief, in putting Abraham upon taking Hagar to his bed, that he might have a posterity. Now this sin of hers would make it more difficult for her to act by faith afterwards. (3.) The great improbability of the thing promised, that she should be the mother of a child, when she was of sterile constitution naturally, and now past the prolific age.
2. The actings of her faith. Her unbelief is pardoned and forgotten, but her faith prevailed and is recorded: She judged him faithful, who had promised, Heb 11:11. She received the promise as the promise of God; and, being convinced of that, she truly judged he both could and would perform it, how impossible soever it might seem to reason; for the faithfulness of God will not suffer him to deceive his people.
3. The fruits and rewards of her faith. (1.) She received strength to conceive seed. The strength of nature, as well as grace, is from God: he can make the barren soul fruitful, as well as the barren womb. (2.) She was delivered of a child, a man-child, a child of the promise, and comfort of his parents' advanced years, and the hope of future ages. (3.) From them, by this son, sprang a numerous progeny of illustrious persons, as the stars of the sky (Heb 11:12)—a great, powerful, and renowned nation, above all the rest in the world; and a nation of saints, the peculiar church and people of God; and, which was the highest honour and reward of all, of these, according to the flesh, the Messiah came, who is over all, God blessed for evermore.
VI. The apostle proceeds to make mention of the faith of the other patriarchs, Isaac and Jacob, and the rest of this happy family, Heb 11:13. Here observe,
1. The trial of their faith in the imperfection of their present state. They had not received the promises, that is, they had not received the things promised, they had not yet been put into possession of Canaan, they had not yet seen their numerous issue, they had not seen Christ in the flesh. Observe, (1.) Many that are interested in the promises do not presently receive the things promised. (2.) One imperfection of the present state of the saints on earth is that their happiness lies more in promise and reversion than in actual enjoyment and possession. The gospel state is more perfect than the patriarchal, because more of the promises are now fulfilled. The heavenly state will be most perfect of all; for there all the promises will have their full accomplishment.
2. The actings of their faith during this imperfect state of things. Though they had not received the promises, yet,
(1.) They saw them afar off. Faith has a clear and a strong eye, and can see promised mercies at a great distance. Abraham saw Christ's day, when it was afar off, and rejoiced, Joh 8:56.
(2.) They were persuaded of them, that they were true and should be fulfilled. Faith sets to its seal that God is true, and thereby settles and satisfies the soul.
(3.) They embraced them. Their faith was a faith of consent. Faith has a long arm, and can lay hold of blessings at a great distance, can make them present, can love them, and rejoice in them; and thus antedate the enjoyment of them.
(4.) They confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on earth. Observe, [1.] Their condition: Strangers and pilgrims. They are strangers as saints, whose home is heaven; they are pilgrims as they are travelling towards their home, though often meanly and slowly. [2.] Their acknowledgment of this their condition: they were not ashamed to own it; both their lips and their lives confessed their present condition. They expected little from the world. They cared not to engage much in it. They endeavoured to lay aside every weight, to gird up the loins of their minds to mind their way, to keep company and pace with their fellow-travellers, looking for difficulties, and bearing them, and longing to get home.
(5.) Hereby they declared plainly that they sought another country (Heb 11:14), heaven, their own country. For their spiritual birth is thence, there are their best relations, and there is their inheritance. This country they seek: their designs are for it; their desires are after it; their discourse is about it; they diligently endeavour to clear up their title to it, to have their temper suited to it, to have their conversation in it, and to come to the enjoyment of it.
(6.) They gave full proof of their sincerity in making such a confession. For, [1.] They were not mindful of that country whence they came, Heb 11:15. They did not hanker after the plenty and pleasures of it, nor regret and repent that they had left it; they had no desire to return to it. Note, Those that are once effectually and savingly called out of a sinful state have no mind to return into it again; they now know better things. [2.] They did not take the opportunity that offered itself for their return. They might have had such an opportunity. They had time enough to return. They had natural strength to return. They knew the way. Those with whom they sojourned would have been willing enough to part with them. Their old friends would have been glad to receive them. They had sufficient to bear the charges of their journey; and flesh and blood, a corrupt counsellor, would be sometimes suggesting to them a return. But they stedfastly adhered to God and duty under all discouragements and against all temptations to revolt from him. So should we all do. We shall not want opportunities to revolt from God; but we must show the truth of our faith and profession by a steady adherence to him to the end of our days. Their sincerity appeared not only in not returning to their former country, but in desiring a better country, that is, a heavenly. Observe, First, The heavenly country is better than any upon earth; it is better situated, better stored with every thing that is good, better secured from every thing that is evil; the employments, the enjoyments, the society, and every thing in it, are better than the best in this world. Secondly, All true believers desire this better country. True faith draws forth sincere and fervent desires; and the stronger faith is the more fervent those desires will be.
(7.) They died in the faith of those promises; not only lived by the faith of them, but died in the full persuasion that all the promises would be fulfilled to them and theirs, Heb 11:13. That faith held out to the last. By faith, when they were dying, they received the atonement; they acquiesced in the will of God; they quenched all the fiery darts of the devil; they overcame the terrors of death, disarmed it of its sting, and bade a cheerful farewell to this world and to all the comforts and crosses of it. These were the actings of their faith. Now observe,
3. The gracious and great reward of their faith: God is not ashamed to be their God, for he hath prepared for them a city, Heb 11:16. Note, (1.) God is the God of all true believers; faith gives them an interest in God, and in all his fullness. (2.) He is called their God. He calls himself so: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; he gives them leave to call him so; and he gives them the spirit of adoption, to enable them to cry, Abba, Father. (3.) Notwithstanding their meanness by nature, their vileness by sin, and the poverty of their outward condition, God is not ashamed to be called their God: such is his condescension, such is his love to them; therefore let them never be ashamed of being called his people, nor of any of those that are truly so, how much soever despised in the world. Above all, let them take care that they be not a shame and reproach to their God, and so provoke him to be ashamed of them; but let them act so as to be to him for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory. (4.) As the proof of this, God has prepared for them a city, a happiness suitable to the relation into which he has taken them. For there is nothing in this world commensurate to the love of God in being the God of his people; and, if God neither could nor would give his people anything better than this world affords, he would be ashamed to be called their God. If he takes them into such a relation to himself, he will provide for them accordingly. If he takes them into such a relation to himself, he will provide for them accordingly. If he takes to himself the title of their God, he will fully answer it, and act up to it; and he has prepared that for them in heaven which will fully answer this character and relation, so that it shall never be said, to the reproach and dishonour of God, that he has adopted a people to be his own children and then taken no care to make a suitable provision for them. The consideration of this should inflame the affections, enlarge the desires, and excite the diligent endeavours, of the people of God after this city that he has prepared for them.
VII. Now after the apostle has given this account of the faith of others, with Abraham, he returns to him again, and gives us an instance of the greatest trial and act of faith that stands upon record, either in the story of the father of the faithful or of any of his spiritual seed; and this was his offering up Isaac: By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises offered up his only-begotten son, Heb 11:17. In this great example observe,
1. The trial and exercise of Abraham's faith; he was tried indeed. It is said (Ge 22:1), God in this tempted Abraham; not to sin, for so God tempteth no man, but only tried his faith and obedience to purpose. God had before this tempted or tried the faith of Abraham, when he called him away from his country and father's house,—when by a famine he was forced out of Canaan into Egypt,—when he was obliged to fight with five kings to rescue Lot,—when Sarah was taken from him by Abimelech, and in many other instances. But this trial was greater than all; he was commanded to offer up his son Isaac. Read the account of it, Ge 22:2. There you will find every word was a trial: "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. Take thy son, not one of thy beasts or slaves, thy only son by Sarah, Isaac thy laughter, the child of thy joy and delight, whom thou lovest as thine own soul; take him away to a distant place, three days' journey, the land of Moriah; do not only leave him there, but offer him for a burnt offering." A greater trial was never put upon any creature. The apostle here mentions some things that very much added to the greatness of this trial. (1.) He was put upon it after he had received the promises, that this Isaac should build up his family, that in him his seed should be called (Heb 11:18), and that he should be one of the progenitors of the Messiah, and all nations blessed in him; so that, in being called to offer up his Isaac, he seemed to be called to destroy and cut off his own family, to cancel the promises of God, to prevent the coming of Christ, to destroy the whole world, to sacrifice his own soul and his hopes of salvation, and to cut off the church of God at one blow: a most terrible trial! (2.) That this Isaac was his only-begotten son by his wife Sarah, the only one he was to have by her, and the only one that was to be the child and heir of the promise. Ishmael was to be put off with earthly greatness. The promise of a posterity, and of the Messiah, must either be fulfilled by means of this son or not at all; so that, besides his most tender affection to this his son, all his expectations were bound up in him, and, if he perished, must perish with him. If Abraham had ever so many sons, this was the only son who could convey to all nations the promised blessing. A son for whom he waited so long, whom he received in so extraordinary a manner, upon whom his heart was set—to have this son offered up as a sacrifice, and that by his own hand; it was a trial that would have overset the firmest and the strongest mind that ever informed a human body.
2. The actings of Abraham's faith in so great a trial: he obeyed; he offered up Isaac; he intentionally gave him up by his submissive soul to God, and was ready to have done it actually, according to the command of God; he went as far in it as to the very critical moment, and would have gone through with it if God had not prevented him. Nothing could be more tender and moving than those words of Isaac: My father, here is the wood, here is the fire; but where is the lamb for the burnt-offering? little thinking that he was to be the lamb; but Abraham knew it, and yet he went on with the great design.
3. The supports of his faith. They must be very great, suitable to the greatness of the trial: He accounted that God was able to raise him from the dead, Heb 11:19. His faith was supported by the sense he had of the mighty power of God, who was able to raise the dead; he reasoned thus with himself, and so he resolved all his doubts. It does not appear that he had any expectation of being countermanded, and prevented from offering up his son; such an expectation would have spoiled the trial, and consequently the triumph, of his faith; but he knew that God was able to raise him from the dead, and he believed that God would do so, since such great things depended upon his son, which must have failed if Isaac had not a further life. Observe, (1.) God is able to raise the dead, to raise dead bodies, and to raise dead souls. (2.) The belief of this will carry us through the greatest difficulties and trials that we can meet with. (3.) It is our duty to be reasoning down our doubts and fears, by the consideration of the almighty power of God.
4. The reward of his faith in this great trial (Heb 11:19): he received his son from the dead in a figure, in a parable. (1.) He received his son. He had parted with him to God, and God gave him back again. The best way to enjoy our comforts with comfort is to resign them up to God; he will then return them, if not in kind, yet in kindness. (2.) He received him from the dead, for he gave him up for dead; he was as a dead child to him, and the return was to him no less than a resurrection. (3.) This was a figure or parable of something further. It was a figure of the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ, of whom Isaac was a type. It was a figure and earnest of the glorious resurrection of all true believers, whose life is not lost, but hid with Christ in God. We come now to the faith of other Old-Testament saints, mentioned by name, and by the particular trials and actings of their faith.
VIII. Of the faith of Isaac, Heb 11:20. Something of him we had before interwoven with the story of Abraham; here we have something of a distinct nature—that by faith he blessed his two sons, Jacob and Esau, concerning things to come. Here observe,
1. The actings of his faith: He blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. He blessed them; that is, he resigned them up to God in covenant; he recommended God and religion to them; he prayed for them, and prophesied concerning them, what would be the condition, and the condition of their descendants: we have the account of this in Ge 27:1-46. Observe, (1.) Both Jacob and Esau were blessed as Isaac's children, at least as to temporal good things. It is a great privilege to be the offspring of good parents, and often the wicked children of good parents fare the better in this world for their parents' sake, for things present are in the covenant; but they are not the best things, and no man knoweth love or hatred by having or wanting such things. (2.) Jacob had the precedency and the principal blessing, which shows that it is grace and the new birth that exalt persons above their fellows and qualify them for the best blessings, and that it is owing to the sovereign free grace of God that in the same family one is taken and another left, one loved and the other hated, since all the race of Adam are by nature hateful to God—that if one has his portion in this world, and the other in the better world, it is God who makes the difference; for even the comforts of this life are more and better than any of the children of men deserve.
2. The difficulties Isaac's faith struggled with. (1.) He seemed to have forgotten how God had determined the matter at the birth of these his sons, Ge 25:23. This should have been a rule to him all along, but he was rather swayed by natural affection, and by general custom, which gives the double portion of honour, affection, and advantage, to the first-born. (2.) He acted in this matter with some reluctance. When he came to pronounce the blessing, he trembled very exceedingly (Ge 27:33); and he charged Jacob that he had subtly taken away Esau's blessing, Ge 27:33,35. But, notwithstanding all this, Isaac's faith recovered itself, and he ratified the blessing: I have blessed him yea, and he shall be blessed. Rebecca and Jacob are not to be justified in the indirect means they used to obtain this blessing, but God will be justified in overruling even the sins of men to serve the purposes of his glory. Now, the faith of Isaac thus prevailing over his unbelief, it has pleased the God of Isaac to pass by the weakness of his faith, to commend the sincerity of it, and record him among the elders, who through faith have obtained a good report. We now go on to,
IX. The faith of Jacob (Heb 11:21), who, when he was dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph, and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. There were a great many instances of the faith of Jacob; his life was a life of faith, and his faith met with great exercise. But it has pleased God to single two instances out of many of the faith of this patriarch, besides what has been already mentioned in the account of Abraham. Here observe,
1. The actings of his faith here mentioned, and they are two:—
(1.) He blessed both the sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh; he adopted them into the number of his own sons, and so into the congregation of Israel, though they were born in Egypt. It is doubtless a great blessing to be joined to the visible church of God in profession and privilege, but more to be so in spirit and truth. [1.] He made them both heads of different tribes, as if they had been his own immediate sons. [2.] He prayed for them, that they might both be blessed of God. [3.] He prophesied that they should be blessed; but, as Isaac did before, so now Jacob prefers the younger, Ephraim; and though Joseph had placed them so, that the right hand of his father should be laid on Manasseh, the elder, Jacob wittingly laid it on Ephraim, and this by divine direction, for he could not see, to show that the Gentile church, the younger, should have a more abundant blessing than the Jewish church, the elder.
(2.) He worshipped, leaning on his staff; that is, he praised God for what he had done for him, and for the prospect he had of approaching blessedness; and he prayed for those he was leaving behind him, that religion might live in his family when he was gone. He did this leaning on the top of his staff; not as the papists dream, that he worshipped some image of God engraven on the head of his staff, but intimating to us his great natural weakness, that he was not able to support himself so far as to sit up in his bed without a staff, and yet that he would not make this an excuse for neglecting the worshipping of God; he would do it as well as he could with his body, as well as with his spirit, though he could not do it as well as he would. He showed thereby his dependence upon God, and testified his condition here as a pilgrim with his staff, and his weariness of the world, and willingness to be at rest.
2. The time and season when Jacob thus acted his faith: when he was dying. He lived by faith, and he died by faith and in faith. Observe, Though the grace of faith is of universal use throughout our whole lives, yet it is especially so when we come to die. Faith has its greatest work to do at last, to help believers to finish well, to die to the Lord, so as to honour him, by patience, hope, and joy—so as to leave a witness behind them of the truth of God's word and the excellency of his ways, for the conviction and establishment of all who attend them in their dying moments. The best way in which parents can finish their course is blessing their families and worshipping their God. We have now come to,
X. The faith of Joseph, Heb 11:22. And here also we consider,
1. What he did by his faith: He made mention of the departing of the children of Israel, and gave commandment concerning his bones. The passage is out of Ge 50:24,25. Joseph was eminent for his faith, though he had not enjoyed the helps for it which the rest of his brethren had. He was sold into Egypt. He was tried by temptations, by sin, by persecution, for retaining his integrity. He was tried by preferment and power in the court of Pharaoh, and yet his faith held out and carried him through to the last. (1.) He made mention by faith of the departing of the children of Israel, that the time should come when they should be delivered out of Egypt; and he did this both that he might caution them against the thoughts of settling in Egypt, which was now a place of plenty and ease to them; and also that he might keep them from sinking under the calamities and distresses which he foresaw were coming upon them there; and he does it to comfort himself, that though he should not live to see their deliverance, yet he could die in the faith of it. (2.) He gave commandment concerning his bones, that they should preserve them unburied in Egypt, till God should deliver them out of that house of bondage, and that then they should carry his bones along with them into Canaan and deposit them there. Though believers are chiefly concerned for their souls, yet they cannot wholly neglect their bodies, as being members of Christ and parts of themselves, which shall at length be raised up, and be the happy companions of their glorified souls to all eternity. Now Joseph gave this order, not that he thought his being buried in Egypt would either prejudice his soul or prevent the resurrection of his body (as some of the rabbis fancied that all the Jews who were buried out of Canaan must be conveyed underground to Canaan before they could rise again), but to testify, [1.] That though he had lived and died in Egypt, yet he did not live and die an Egyptian, but an Israelite. [2.] That he preferred a significant burial in Canaan before a magnificent one in Egypt. [3.] That he would go as far with his people as he could, though he could not go as far as he would. [4.] That he believed the resurrection of the body, and the communion that his soul should presently have with departed saints, as his body had with their dead bodies. [5.] To assure them that God would be with them in Egypt, and deliver them out of it in his own time and way.
2. When it was that the faith of Joseph acted after this manner; namely, as in the case of Jacob, when he was dying. God often gives his people living comforts in dying moments; and when he does it is their duty, as they can, to communicate them to those about them, for the glory of God, for the honour of religion, and for the good of their brethren and friends. We go on now to,
XI. The faith of the parents of Moses, which is cited from Ex 2:3, etc. Here observe, 1. The acting of their faith: they hid this their son three months. Though only the mother of Moses is mentioned in the history, yet, by what is here said, it seems his father not only consented to it, but consulted about it. It is a happy thing where yoke-fellows draw together in the yoke of faith, as heirs of the grace of God; and when they do this in a religious concern for the good of their children, to preserve them not only from those who would destroy their lives, but from those who would corrupt their minds. Observe, Moses was persecuted betimes, and forced to be concealed; in this he was a type of Christ, who was persecuted almost as soon as he was born, and his parents were obliged to flee with him into Egypt for his preservation. It is a great mercy to be free from wicked laws and edicts; but, when we are not, we must use all lawful means for our security. In this faith of Moses's parents there was a mixture of unbelief, but God was pleased to overlook it. 2. The reasons of their thus acting. No doubt, natural affection could not but move them; but there was something further. They saw he was a proper child, a goodly child (Ex 2:2), exceedingly fair, as in Ac 7:20, asteios to Theo—venustus Deo—fair to God. There appeared in him something uncommon; the beauty of the Lord sat upon him, as a presage that he was born to great things, and that by conversing with God his face should shine (Ex 34:29), what bright and illustrious actions he should do for the deliverance of Israel, and how his name should shine in the sacred records. Sometimes, not always, the countenance is the index of the mind. 3. The prevalency of their faith over their fear. They were not afraid of the king's commandment, Ex 1:22. That was a wicked and a cruel edict, that all the males of the Israelites should be destroyed in their infancy, and so the name of Israel must be destroyed out of the earth. But they did not so fear as presently to give up their child; they considered that, if none of the males were preserved, there would be an end and utter ruin of the church of God and the true religion, and that though in their present state of servitude and oppression one would praise the dead rather than the living, yet they believed that God would preserve his people, and that the time was coming when it would be worth while for an Israelite to live. Some must hazard their own lives to preserve their children, and they were resolved to do it; they knew the king's commandment was evil in itself, contrary to the laws of God and nature, and therefore of no authority nor obligation. Faith is a great preservative against the sinful slavish fear of men, as it sets God before the soul, and shows the vanity of the creature and its subordination to the will and power of God. The apostle next proceeds to,
XII. The faith of Moses himself (Heb 11:24,25, etc.), here observe,
1. An instance of his faith in conquering the world.
(1.) He refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, whose foundling he was, and her fondling too; she had adopted him for his son, and he refused it. Observe, [1.] How great a temptation Moses was under. Pharaoh's daughter is said to have been his only child, and was herself childless; and having found Moses, and saved him as she did, she resolved to take him and bring him up as her son; and so he stood fair to be in time king of Egypt, and he might thereby have been serviceable to Israel. He owed his life to this princess; and to refuse such kindness from her would look not only like ingratitude to her, but a neglect of Providence, that seemed to intend his advancement and his brethren's advantage. [2.] How glorious was the triumph of his faith in so great a trial. He refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter lest he should undervalue the truer honour of being a son of Abraham, the father of the faithful; he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter lest it should look like renouncing his religion as well as his relation to Israel; and no doubt both these he must have done if he had accepted this honour; he therefore nobly refused it.
(2.) He chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, Heb 11:25. He was willing to take his lot with the people of God here, though it was a suffering lot, that he might have his portion with them hereafter, rather than to enjoy all the sensual sinful pleasures of Pharaoh's court, which would be but for a season, and would then be punished with everlasting misery. Herein he acted rationally as well as religiously, and conquered the temptation to worldly pleasure as he had done before to worldly preferment. Here observe, [1.] The pleasures of sin are and will be but short; they must end in speedy repentance or in speedy ruin. [2.] The pleasures of this world, and especially those of a court, are too often the pleasures of sin; and they are always so when we cannot enjoy them without deserting God and his people. A true believer will despise them when they are offered upon such terms. [3.] Suffering is to be chosen rather than sin, there being more evil in the least sin than there can be in the greatest suffering. [4.] It greatly alleviates the evil of suffering when we suffer with the people of God, embarked in the same interest and animated by the same Spirit.
(3.) He accounted the reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, Heb 11:26. See how Moses weighed matters: in one scale he put the worst of religion—the reproaches of Christ, in the other scale the best of the world—the treasures of Egypt; and in his judgment, directed by faith, the worst of religion weighed down the best of the world. The reproaches of the church of God are the reproaches of Christ, who is, and has ever been, the head of the church. Now here Moses conquered the riches of the world, as before he had conquered its honours and pleasures. God's people are, and always have been, a reproached people. Christ accounts himself reproached in their reproaches; and, while he thus interests himself in their reproaches, they become riches, and greater riches than the treasures of the richest empire in the world; for Christ will reward them with a crown of glory that fades not away. Faith discerns this, and determines and acts accordingly.
2. The circumstance of time is taken notice of, when Moses by his faith gained this victory over the world, in all its honours, pleasures, and treasures: When he had come to years (Heb 11:24); not only to years of discretion, but of experience, to the age of forty years—when he was great, or had come to maturity. Some would take this as detracting from his victory, that he gained it so late, that he did not make this choice sooner; but it is rather an enhancement of the honour of his self-denial and victory over the world that he made this choice when he had grown ripe for judgment and enjoyment, able to know what he did and why he did it. It was not the act of a child, that prefers counters to gold, but it proceeded from mature deliberation. It is an excellent thing for persons to be seriously religious when in the midst of worldly business and enjoyments, to despise the world when they are most capable of relishing and enjoying it.
3. What it was that supported and strengthened the faith of Moses to such a degree as to enable him to gain such a victory over the world: He had respect unto the recompense of reward, that is, say some, the deliverance out of Egypt; but doubtless it means much more—the glorious reward of faith and fidelity in the other world. Observe here, (1.) Heaven is a great reward, surpassing not only all our deservings, but all our conceptions. It is a reward suitable to the price paid for it—the blood of Christ; suitable to the perfections of God, and fully answering to all his promises. It is a recompense of reward, because given by a righteous Judge for the righteousness of Christ to righteous persons, according to the righteous rule of the covenant of grace. (2.) Believers may and ought to have respect to this recompense of reward; they should acquaint themselves with it, approve of it, and live in the daily and delightful expectation of it. Thus it will prove a land-mark to direct their course, a load-stone to draw their hearts, a sword to conquer their enemies, a spur to quicken them to duty, and a cordial to refresh them under all the difficulties of doing and suffering work.
4. We have another instance of the faith of Moses, namely, in forsaking Egypt: By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, Heb 11:27. Observe here, (1.) The product of his faith: He forsook Egypt, and all its power and pleasures, and undertook the conduct of Israel out of it. Twice Moses forsook Egypt: [1.] As a supposed criminal, when the king's wrath was incensed against him for killing the Egyptian (Ex 2:14,15), where it is said he feared, not with a fear of despondency, but of discretion, to save his life. [2.] As a commander and ruler in Jeshurun, after God had employed him to humble Pharaoh and make him willing to let Israel go. (2.) The prevalency of his faith. It raised him above the fear of the king's wrath. Though he knew that it was great, and levelled at him in particular, and that it marched at the head of a numerous host to pursue him, yet he was not dismayed, and he said to Israel, Fear not, Ex 14:13. Those who forsook Egypt must expect the wrath of men; but they need not fear it, for they are under the conduct of that God who is able to make the wrath of man to praise him, and restrain the remainder of it. (3.) The principle upon which his faith acted in these his motions: He endured, as seeing him that was invisible. He bore up with invincible courage under all danger, and endured all the fatigue of his employment, which was very great; and this by seeing the invisible God. Observe, [1.] The God with whom we have to do is an invisible God: he is so to our senses, to the eye of the body; and this shows the folly of those who pretend to make images of God, whom no man hath seen, nor can see. [2.] By faith we may see this invisible God. We may be fully assured of his existence, of his providence, and of his gracious and powerful presence with us. [3.] Such a sight of God will enable believers to endure to the end whatever they may meet with in the way.
5. We have yet another instance of the faith of Moses, in keeping the passover and sprinkling of blood, Heb 11:28. The account of this we have in Ex 12:13-23. Though all Israel kept this passover, yet it was by Moses that God delivered the institution of it; and, though it was a great mystery, Moses by faith both delivered it to the people and kept it that night in the house where he lodged. The passover was one of the most solemn institutions of the Old Testament, and a very significant type of Christ. The occasion of its first observance was extraordinary: it was in the same night that God slew the first-born of the Egyptians; but, though the Israelites lived among them, the destroying angel passed over their houses, and spared them and theirs. Now, to entitle them to this distinguishing favour, and to mark them out for it, a lamb must be slain; the blood of it must be sprinkled with a bunch of hyssop upon the lintel of the door, and on the two side-posts; the flesh of the lamb must be roasted with fire; and it must be all of it eaten that very night with bitter herbs, in a travelling posture, their loins girt, their shoes on their feet, and their staff in their hand. This was accordingly done, and the destroying angel passed over them, and slew the first-born of the Egyptians. This opened a way for the return of Abraham's posterity into the land of promise. The accommodation of this type is not difficult. (1.) Christ is that Lamb, he is our Passover, he was sacrificed for us. (2.) His blood must be sprinkled; it must be applied to those who have the saving benefit of it. (3.) It is applied effectually only to the Israelites, the chosen people of God. (4.) It is not owing to our inherent righteousness or best performances that we are saved from the wrath of God, but to the blood of Christ and his imputed righteousness. If any of the families of Israel had neglected the sprinkling of this blood upon their doors, though they should have spent all the night in prayer, the destroying angel would have broken in upon them, and slain their first-born. (5.) Wherever this blood is applied, the soul receives a whole Christ by faith, and lives upon him. (6.) This true faith makes sin bitter to the soul, even while it receives the pardon and atonement. (7.) All our spiritual privileges on earth should quicken us to set out early, and get forward, in our way to heaven. (8.) Those who have been marked out must ever remember and acknowledge free and distinguishing grace.
XIII. The next instance of faith is that of the Israelites passing through the Red Sea under the conduct of Moses their leader, Heb 11:29. The story we have in Exodus, Ex 14:1-31. Observe,
1. The preservation and safe passage of the Israelites through the Red Sea, when there was no other way to escape from Pharaoh and his host, who were closely pursuing them. Here we may observe, (1.) Israel's danger was very great; an enraged enemy with chariots and horsemen behind them; steep rocks and mountains on either hand, and the Red Sea before them. (2.) Their deliverance was very glorious. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; the grace of faith will help us through all the dangers we meet with in our way to heaven.
2. The destruction of the Egyptians. They, presumptuously attempting to follow Israel through the Red Sea, being thus blinded and hardened to their ruin, were all drowned. Their rashness was great, and their ruin was grievous. When God judges, he will overcome; and it is plain that the destruction of sinners is of themselves.
XIV. The next instance of faith is that of the Israelites, under Joshua their leader, before the walls of Jericho. The story we have Jos 6:5, etc. Here observe, 1. The means prescribed to God to bring down the walls of Jericho. It was ordered that they should compass the walls about once a day for seven days together and seven times the last day, that the priests should carry the ark when they compassed the walls about, and should blow with trumpets made of rams' horns, and sound a longer blast than before, and then all the people should shout, and the walls of Jericho should fall before them. Here was a great trial of their faith. The method prescribed seemed very improbable to answer such an end, and would doubtless expose them to the daily contempt of their enemies; the ark of God would seem to be in danger. But this was the way God commanded them to take, and he loves to do great things by small and contemptible means, that his own arm may be made bare. 2. The powerful success of the prescribed means. The walls of Jericho fell before them. This was a frontier town in the land of Canaan, the first that stood out against the Israelites. God was pleased in this extraordinary manner to slight and dismantle it, in order to magnify himself, to terrify the Canaanites, to strengthen the faith of the Israelites, and to exclude all boasting. God can and will in his own time and way cause all the powerful opposition that is made to his interest and glory to fall down, and the grace of faith is mighty through God for the pulling down of strong-holds; he will make Babylon fall before the faith of his people, and, when he has some great thing to do for them, he raises up great and strong faith in them.
XV. The next instance is the faith of Rahab, Heb 11:31. Among the noble army of believing worthies, bravely marshalled by the apostle, Rahab comes in the rear, to show that God is no respecter of persons. Here consider,
1. Who this Rahab was. (1.) She was a Canaanite, a stranger to the commonwealth of Israel, and had but little help for faith, and yet she was a believer; the power of divine grace greatly appears when it works without the usual means of grace. (2.) She was a harlot, and lived in a way of sin; she was not only a keeper of a public house, but a common woman of the town, and yet she believed that the greatness of sin, if truly repented of, shall be no bar to the pardoning mercy of God. Christ has saved the chief of sinners. Where sin has abounded, grace has superabounded.
2. What she did by her faith: She received the spies in peace, the men that Joshua had sent to spy out Jericho, Jos 2:6,7. She not only bade them welcome, but she concealed them from their enemies who sought to cut them off, and she made a noble confession of her faith, Jos 2:9-11. She engaged them to covenant with her to show favour to her and hers, when God should show kindness to them, and that they would give her a sign, which they did, a line of scarlet, which she was to hang forth out of the window; she sent them away with prudent and friendly advice. Learn here, (1.) True faith will show itself in good works, especially towards the people of God. (2.) Faith will venture all hazards in the cause of God and his people; a true believer will sooner expose his own person than God's interest and people. (3.) A true believer is desirous, not only to be in covenant with God, but in communion with the people of God, and is willing to cast in his lot with them, and to fare as they fare.
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Exemplars of Faith (62 AD)
繁體中文
信心的榜樣（公元62年）
³² 我又何必再說呢？若要一一細說基甸、巴拉、參孫、耶弗他、大衛、撒母耳，和眾先知的事，時候就不夠了。
³³ 他們因着信，制伏了列國，行了公義，得了應許，堵了獅子的口，
³⁴ 滅了烈火的猛勢，脫了刀劍的鋒刃；軟弱變為剛強，爭戰顯出勇敢，打退外邦的全軍。
³⁵ 有婦人得自己的死人復活。又有人忍受嚴刑，不肯苟且得釋放，為要得着更美的復活。
³⁶ 又有人忍受戲弄、鞭打、捆鎖、監禁、各等的磨煉，
³⁷ 被石頭打死，被鋸鋸死，受試探，被刀殺；披着綿羊山羊的皮各處奔跑，受窮乏、患難、苦害，
³⁸ 在曠野、山嶺、山洞、地穴，飄流無定，本是世界不配有的人。
³⁹ 這些人都是因信得了美好的證據，卻仍未得着所應許的；
⁴⁰ 因為神給我們預備了更美的事，叫他們若不與我們同得，就不能完全。
使徒既已給了我們許多著名信徒的目錄——他們的名字被提及，他們信心的特殊試驗和行動被記錄——如今以另一類信徒更概括的記述結束他的敘述。在這裏，具體的行動沒有按名字歸於具體的人，而是留給那些熟悉神聖歷史的人去適配和應用；並且如一位屬天的演說家，他以一個優美的反問作為敘述這部分的序言：「我又何必再說呢？時候就不夠了」；似乎他在說：「試圖窮盡這主題是徒然的；我若不約束我的筆，它很快就會超出書信的範圍；因此我只再提幾位，讓你們自己去發揮。」請注意：1. 在我們對聖經一切的研究之後，其中仍有更多可學的。2. 在屬靈的事上我們必須好好考慮當說甚麼，並盡可能使之適合時間。3. 我們應當樂意想到舊約時代信徒的數目何等大、他們的信心何等堅強——雖然信心的對象那時不如如今完全彰顯。4. 我們應當 lament 如今在福音時代——信心的準則更清楚更完全時——信徒的數目如此少、他們的信心如此軟弱。
I. 在這概括的記述中，使徒提到：
1. 基甸，他的故事我們有在士6:11等。他是神所興起拯救百姓脫離米甸人壓迫的傑出器皿；他出身卑微的支派和家庭，從卑微的職業（打麥子）中被召，卻被神的天使以如此驚人的方式問安：「大能的勇士啊，耶和華與你同在！」基甸起初不能接受這樣的尊榮，而是謙卑地就他們低落困苦的狀態與天使理論。主的使者向他傳達使命，確保他成功，以從磐石中出來的火印證這確據。基甸被指示獻祭，在受了本分的教導後出去迎擊米甸人——那時他的軍隊從三萬二千人減少到三百人；然而藉着這些人——帶着他們的火把和瓦瓶——神使米甸全軍陷入混亂和毁滅：而那賜基甸如此大勇氣和尊榮的信心，也使他在事後向弟兄們表現出極大的溫柔和謙虛。信心之恩的卓越在於：它幫助人做大事的同時，保守他們不對自己有高傲大的想法。
2. 巴拉，另一位被興起拯救以色列脫離迦南王耶賓之手的器皿。我們在士4讀到：（1）他雖是戰士，卻從女先知底波拉領受了使命和指示；他堅持要這位屬神的先知在他出征時與他同在。（2）他憑信在基尼烈的全軍上得了大勝利。（3）他的信心教導他將一切讚美和榮耀歸給神：這是信心的本性；它在一切危險和困難中投靠神，然後為一切憐憫和拯救向神作感恩的回報。
3. 參孫，另一位神所興起拯救以色列脫離非利士人的器皿。他的故事我們有在士13:1-16:31，從中我們學到信心之恩是靈魂為大服侍的力量。參孫若沒有強大的信心如同強大的臂膀，就永不能成就如此壯舉。請注意：（1）憑信神的僕人必勝過甚至吼叫的獅子。（2）真正的信心即使攙雜了許多失敗，仍被承認和悅納。（3）信徒的信心堅持到底，在死時給他勝過死亡和一切死敵的勝利；他最大的征服是藉着死而得的。
4. 耶弗他，他的故事我們有在士11:1-40——在參孫之前。他被興起拯救以色列脫離亞捫人。隨着各樣新的仇敵興起攻擊神的百姓，各樣新的拯救者也為他們被興起。在耶弗他的故事中請注意：（1）神的恩典常尋得並抓住最不配、最不配得的人，為他們並藉他們做大事。耶弗他是妓女的兒子。（2）信心之恩無論在哪裏，必使人「在一切所行的事上承認神」（士11:11）：「耶弗他在米斯巴將他一切話陳明在耶和華面前。」（3）信心之恩必使人在善事上勇敢無畏。（4）信心不僅使人向神許願，更在得憐憫後還願；是的，即使他們所許的對自己帶來極大的憂傷、傷害和損失——如耶弗他和他的女兒那樣。
5. 大衛——那位合神心意的大人物。少有人遇見過更大的試驗，也少有人顯出過更活潑的信心。他初次在世界舞台上出現就是他信心的大證據。他年輕時既殺了「獅子和熊」，他對神的信心鼓勵他迎戰巨人歌利亞，並幫助他勝過了他。同樣的信心使他能忍耐掃羅和他寵臣忘恩的惡意，並等候神將他帶入所應許的權柄和尊嚴中。同樣的信心使他成為一位非常成功和得勝的君王，在漫長的德行和尊榮的一生後（雖然不無一些嚴重的罪污），他在信心中死去，倚靠神與他和他的後裔所立的永約——「這約凡事堅穩」；他在詩篇這卷書中留下了如此卓越的信心試驗和作為的回憶錄，永遠在神的百姓中大受推崇和使用。
6. 撒母耳，被興起作以色列極傑出的先知，也是他們的統治者。神在撒母耳還是孩子時就向他啟示自己，並持續如此直到他死。在他的故事中請注意：（1）那些早早在信心的操練中開始的人，可能長大到信心的某種卓越。（2）那些以向別人啟示神的心意和旨意為業的人，需要自己先在對它的信上堅立。
7. 在撒母耳之外他加上「和眾先知」——他們是舊約教會非凡的執事，被神使用——有時宣告審判，有時應許憐憫，總是責備罪惡；有時預告只有神知道的非凡事件；主要是宣告彌賽亞——祂的來臨、位格和職分；因為在祂裏面先知和律法都匯聚。如今真實而堅強的信心對於正當履行這樣的職分是非常必需的。
II. 既已說完具體的人物，他繼續告訴我們他們憑信做了甚麼事。他提到一些容易適配於此處所列某一人物的事；但也提到其他不容易適配於此處任何具體人物、而必須留給一般推測或適配的事。
1. 「他們因着信，制伏了列國」（Heb 11:33）。大衛、約書亞和許多士師如此行了。由此學到：（1）君王和國家的利益和權力常設立起來反對神和祂的百姓。（2）神能輕易制伏一切起來反對祂的君王和國家。（3）信心是那些在主的道路上爭戰之人合宜而卓越的資格；它使他們公正、勇敢、有智慧。
2. 他們「行了公義」——無論在他們公開還是個人的身份上；他們使許多人從偶像崇拜轉向義路；他們信神，這就算為他們的義；他們向神向人行動公義。行公義比行奇蹟是更大的尊榮和福樂；信心是普遍公義的積極原則。
3. 他們「得了應許」——無論是普遍的還是特殊的。是信心給我們在應許中的分；是藉着信心我們享受應許的安慰；也是藉着信心我們預備好等候應許，並在適當時候接受它們。
4. 他們「堵了獅子的口」；參孫如此行了（士14:5,6），大衛如此行了（撒上17:34,35），但以理也如此行了（但6:22）。此處學到：（1）神的能力在受造之物的能力之上。（2）信心在為祂的榮耀時為祂的百姓調動神的能力——勝過野獸和如同野獸的人。
5. 他們「滅了烈火的猛勢」（Heb 11:34）。摩西藉着信心的祈禱滅了神向以色列百姓所發烈火的忿怒（民11:1,2）。三個少年人——或更好說三位大能的勇士——也如此行了（但3:17-27）。他們對神的信心——拒絕敬拜金像——使他們暴露於尼布甲尼撒為他們預備的烈火窯中；他們的信心為他們調動了在窯中那滅了烈火猛勢的神的能力和同在，以致連火的氣味都沒有沾在他們身上。信心之恩從未受過更嚴厲的試驗，從未更崇高地表現出來，也從未得過更榮耀的賞賜。
6. 他們「脫了刀劍的鋒刃」。大衛如此脫了歌利亞和掃羅的刀；末底改和猶太人如此脫了哈曼的刀。人的刀握在神的手中，祂能鈍了刀的鋒刃，在祂喜悅時將它從祂的百姓轉向他們的仇敵。信心抓住那握着人之刀的神的手；神常容讓自己被祂百姓的信心所勝過。
7. 「軟弱變為剛強」。從國家的軟弱——猶太人因不信常陷入的——中；在他們信心復興時，他們一切的利益和事務都復興並興盛。從身體的軟弱中；如此希西家信神的話從致命的疾病中恢復，並將他的恢復歸於神的應許和能力（賽38:15,16）：「我可說甚麼呢？祂應許我的，也給我成就了。主啊，人活着乃在乎此；我靈存活也全在此。」而從屬靈的軟弱中幫助人恢復和更新力量的也是同一信心之恩。
8. 他們「爭戰顯出勇敢」。約書亞、士師們和大衛如此行了。真正的信心賜下最真實的勇氣和忍耐，因為它辨明神的能力，並因此辨明祂一切仇敵的軟弱。他們不僅勇敢，而且成功。神作為他們信心的賞賜和鼓勵，「打退了外邦的全軍」——那些在他們的聯邦之外、在他們宗教上為仇敵的全軍；神使他們在祂忠信的僕人面前逃跑並倒下。信靠和祈禱的統帥率領着信靠和祈禱的軍隊，如此蒙神的使用和尊榮，以至沒有甚麼能在他們面前站立。
9. 「有婦人得自己的死人復活」（Heb 11:35）。撒勒法的寡婦如此（王上17:23），書念的婦人也如此（王下4:36）。（1）「在基督裏並不分男女」；許多軟弱性別的人曾在信心中剛強。（2）恩典之約雖然收納信徒的兒女，卻讓他們仍受制於自然的死亡。（3）可憐的母親不情願放棄她們對兒女的權利——即使死亡已將他們取去。（4）神有時如此遷就憂傷婦人溫柔的情感，甚至將她們死去的孩子復活。如此基督憐憫了拿因的寡婦（路7:12等）。（5）這當堅固我們對普遍復活的信心。
III. 使徒告訴我們這些信徒憑信忍受了甚麼。1. 他們「忍受嚴刑，不肯苟且得釋放」（Heb 11:35）。他們被放在刑架上，要他們放棄他們的神、他們的救主和他們的宗教。他們忍受了酷刑，不肯在如此卑鄙的條件下接受釋放；而激勵他們如此受苦的，是他們對「得着更美的復活」——在更尊榮的條件下得釋放——的盼望。這被認為是指那著名的故事等。2. 他們忍受了「戲弄、鞭打、捆鎖、監禁各等的磨煉」（Heb 11:36）。他們在名聲上受逼迫——被「戲弄」，這對高尚的心是殘酷的；在位格上——被「鞭打」，那是奴隸的刑罰；在自由上——被「捆鎖和監禁」。請注意惡人對義人的惡意何等根深蒂固，它能走到何等地步，能發明並施行何等繁多的殘酷——在那些他們除了在神的事上外毫無爭端理由的人身上。3. 他們以最殘酷的方式被處死；有的「被石頭打死」，如撒迦利亞（代下24:21）；「被鋸鋸死」，如以賽亞被瑪拿西所鋸；「受試探」——有人讀作「被燒」（瑪加比二書7:5）；「被刀殺」。各樣的死都為他們預備了；他們的仇敵以各樣的殘酷和恐怖裝扮了死亡，然而他們勇敢地迎上去並忍受了它。4. 那些逃脫死亡的人被如此惡待，以至死亡似乎比這樣的生命更可羨慕。他們的仇敵放過他們，只是為延長他們的痛苦，耗盡他們一切的忍耐；因為他們被迫「披着綿羊山羊的皮各處奔跑，受窮乏、患難、苦害；在曠野、山嶺、山洞、地穴，飄流無定」（Heb 11:37,38）。他們被剝奪了生活的便利，被趕出家門和避難所。他們沒有衣服可穿，只能用被殺之獸的皮遮蓋自己。他們被趕出一切人類的社會，被迫與野獸為伍，藏在洞窟和山洞中，向岩石和河流——不比他們的仇敵更剛硬——訴苦。他們當時為信仰受了這樣的苦；他們是藉着信心之恩的能力忍受了這些：我們最當驚嘆的是甚麼呢——人性能對同胞犯下如此殘酷之事的邪惡，還是神聖恩典能支持忠信者度過如此殘酷、並帶他們安全經過一切的卓越？
IV. 他們憑信得着了甚麼。1. 從神——真正的審判官和尊榮之源——得着最尊榮的特徵和稱讚：「本是世界不配有的人」；世界不配得這樣的福分；他們不知道如何估價他們、如何使用他們。惡人啊！義人不配活在世上，而神宣告世界不配有他們；雖然他們在判斷上大不相同，卻在此事上同意——善人不宜在這世上安息；因此神將他們從這世界接去那適合他們、卻遠超他們一切功績和受苦的世界。2. 他們「得了美好的證據」（Heb 11:39）——從一切好人並從真理本身，並有尊榮被列入這舊約聖徒——神的見證人——的神聖冊上；是的，他們在仇敵的良心中也有見證——仇敵雖如此虐待他們，卻被自己的良心定罪，因他們逼迫了比自己更義的人。3. 他們在應許中得了分——雖然沒有完全擁有它們。他們對應許有權利，雖然他們沒有得着所應許的大事。這不是指天堂狀態的福樂，因為這他們在死時確實領受了——按一部分的度量——在他們位格的一個組成部分——更好得多的一部分中；而是指福音狀態的福樂：他們有預表，卻沒有本體；他們有影子，卻沒有看見實體；然而在這不完全的安排下，他們彰顯了這寶貴的信心。使徒堅持這一點，為使信心更顯輝煌，並激發基督徒聖潔的嫉妒和效法——他們不該容讓自己在信心的操練上被那些在一切信的幫助和優勢上遠不及他們的人所勝過。他告訴希伯來人神已為他們「預備了更美的事」（Heb 11:40），因此他們可以確保祂至少期望從他們也得着同樣好的事；而既然福音是舊約——除在關乎基督和福音外別無卓越——的終結和完全，那就可以期望他們的信心要比舊約聖徒的信心更加完全；因為他們的狀態和安排比先前的更完全，並且確實是前者的完全和成就——因為沒有福音教會，猶太教會必仍在不完全和不完美的狀態中。這推理很有力，當對我們眾人有效地有效。
English original
Exemplars of Faith (62 AD)
³² And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
³³ Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
³⁴ Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness 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 resurrection:
³⁶ And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
³⁷ They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
³⁸ (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
³⁹ And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
⁴⁰ God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
The apostle having given us a classis of many eminent believers, whose names are mentioned and the particular trials and actings of their faith recorded, now concludes his narrative with a more summary account of another set of believers, where the particular acts are not ascribed to particular persons by name, but left to be applied by those who are well acquainted with the sacred story; and, like a divine orator, he prefaces his part of the narrative with an elegant expostulation: What shall I say more? Time would fail me; as if he had said, "It is in vain to attempt to exhaust this subject; should I not restrain my pen, it would soon run beyond the bounds of an epistle; and therefore I shall but just mention a few more, and leave you to enlarge upon them." Observe, 1. After all our researches into the scripture, there is still more to be learned from them. 2. We must well consider in divine matters what we should say, and suit it as well as we can to the time. 3. We should be pleased to think how great the number of believers was under the Old Testament, and how strong their faith, though the objects thereof were not then so fully revealed. And, 4. We should lament it, that now, in gospel times, when the rule of faith is more clear and perfect, the number of believers should be so small and their faith so weak.
I. In this summary account the apostle mentions,
1. Gideon, whose story we have in Jdg 6:11, etc. He was an eminent instrument raised up of God to deliver his people from the oppression of the Midianites; he was a person of mean tribe and family, called from a mean employment (threshing wheat), and saluted by an angel of God in this surprising manner, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of war. Gideon could not at first receive such honours, but humbly expostulates with the angel about their low and distressed state. The angel of the Lord delivers him his commission, and assures him of success, confirming the assurance by fire out of the rock. Gideon is directed to offer sacrifice, and, instructed in his duty, goes forth against the Midianites, when his army is reduced from thirty-two thousand to three hundred; yet by these, with their lamps and pitchers, God put the whole army of the Midianites to confusion and ruin: and the same faith that gave Gideon so much courage and honour enabled him to act with great meekness and modesty towards his brethren afterwards. It is the excellency of the grace of faith that, while it helps men to do great things, it keeps them from having high and great thoughts of themselves.
2. Barak, another instrument raised up to deliver Israel out of the hand of Jabin, king of Canaan, Judges 4, where we read, (1.) Though he was a soldier, yet he received his commission and instructions from Deborah, a prophetess of the Lord; and he insisted upon having this divine oracle with him in his expedition. (2.) He obtained a great victory by his faith over all the host of Sisera. (3.) His faith taught him to return all the praise and glory to God: this is the nature of faith; it has recourse unto God in all dangers and difficulties, and then makes grateful returns to God for all mercies and deliverances.
3. Samson, another instrument that God raised up to deliver Israel from the Philistines: his story we have in Jdg 13:1-16:31, and from it we learn that the grace of faith is the strength of the soul for great service. If Samson had not had a strong faith as well as a strong arm, he had never performed such exploits. Observe, (1.) By faith the servants of God shall overcome even the roaring lion. (2.) True faith is acknowledged and accepted, even when mingled with many failings. (3.) The believer's faith endures to the end, and, in dying, gives him victory over death and all his deadly enemies; his greatest conquest he gains by dying.
4. Jephthah, whose story we have, Jdg 11:1-40, before that of Samson. He was raised up to deliver Israel from the Ammonites. As various and new enemies rise up against the people of God, various and new deliverers are raised up for them. In the story of Jephthah observe, (1.) The grace of God often finds out, and fastens upon, the most undeserving and ill-deserving persons, to do great things for them and by them. Jephthah was the son of a harlot. (2.) The grace of faith, wherever it is, will put men upon acknowledging God in all their ways (Jdg 11:11): Jephthah rehearsed all his words before the Lord in Mizpeh. (3.) The grace of faith will make men bold and venturous in a good cause. (4.) Faith will not only put men upon making their vows to God, but paying their vows after the mercy received; yea, though they have vowed to their own great grief, hurt, and loss, as in the case of Jephthah and his daughter.
5. David, that great man after God's own heart. Few ever met with greater trials, and few ever discovered a more lively faith. His first appearance on the stage of the world was a great evidence of his faith. Having, when young, slain the lion and the bear, his faith in God encouraged him to encounter the great Goliath, and helped him to triumph over him. The same faith enabled him to bear patiently the ungrateful malice of Saul and his favourites, and to wait till God should put him into possession of the promised power and dignity. The same faith made him a very successful and victorious prince, and, after a long life of virtue and honour (though not without some foul stains of sin), he died in faith, relying upon the everlasting covenant that God had made with him and his, ordered in all things and sure; and he has left behind him such excellent memoirs of the trials and acts of faith in the book of Psalms as will ever be of great esteem and use, among the people of God.
6. Samuel, raised up to be a most eminent prophet of the Lord to Israel, as well as a ruler over them. God revealed himself to Samuel when he was but a child, and continued to do so till his death. In his story observe, (1.) Those are likely to grow up to some eminency in faith who begin betimes in the exercise of it. (2.) Those whose business it is to reveal the mind and will of God to others had need to be well established in the belief of it themselves.
7. To Samuel he adds, and of the prophets, who were extraordinary ministers of the Old-Testament church, employed of God sometimes to denounce judgment, sometimes to promise mercy, always to reprove sin; sometimes to foretell remarkable events, known only to God; and chiefly to give notice of the Messiah, his coming, person, and offices; for in him the prophets as well as the law center. Now a true and strong faith was very requisite for the right discharge of such an office as this.
II. Having done naming particular persons, he proceeds to tell us what things were done by their faith. He mentions some things that easily apply themselves to one or other of the persons named; but he mentions other things that are not so easy to be accommodated to any here named, but must be left to general conjecture or accommodation.
1. By faith they subdued kingdoms, Heb 11:33. Thus did David, Joshua, and many of the judges. Learn hence, (1.) The interests and powers of kings and kingdoms are often set up in opposition to God and his people. (2.) God can easily subdue all those kings and kingdoms that set themselves to oppose him. (3.) Faith is a suitable and excellent qualification of those who fight in the ways of the Lord; it makes them just, bold, and wise.
2. They wrought righteousness, both in their public and personal capacities; they turned many from idolatry to the ways of righteousness; they believed God, and it was imputed to them for righteousness; they walked and acted righteously towards God and man. It is a greater honour and happiness to work righteousness than to work miracles; faith is an active principle of universal righteousness.
3. They obtained promises, both general and special. It is faith that gives us an interest in the promises; it is by faith that we have the comfort of the promises; and it is by faith that we are prepared to wait for the promises, and in due time to receive them.
4. They stopped the mouths of lions; so did Samson, Jdg 14:5,6, and David, 1Sa 17:34,35, and Daniel, Da 6:22. Here learn, (1.) The power of God is above the power of the creature. (2.) Faith engages the power of God for his people, whenever it shall be for his glory, to overcome brute beasts and brutish men.
5. They quenched the violence of the fire, Heb 11:34. So Moses, by the prayer of faith, quenched the fire of God's wrath that was kindled against the people of Israel, Nu 11:1,2. So did the three children, or rather mighty champions, Da 3:17-27. Their faith in God, refusing to worship the golden image, exposed them to the fiery furnace which Nebuchadnezzar had prepared for them, and their faith engaged for them that power and presence of God in the furnace which quenched the violence of the fire, so that not so much as the smell thereof passed on them. Never was the grace of faith more severely tried, never more nobly exerted, nor ever more gloriously rewarded, than theirs was.
6. They escaped the edge of the sword. Thus David escaped the sword of Goliath and of Saul; and Mordecai and the Jews escaped the sword of Haman. The swords of men are held in the hand of God, and he can blunt the edge of the sword, and turn it away from his people against their enemies when he pleases. Faith takes hold of that hand of God which has hold of the swords of men; and God has often suffered himself to be prevailed upon by the faith of his people.
7. Out of weakness they were made strong. From national weakness, into which the Jews often fell by their unbelief; upon the revival of their faith, all their interest and affairs revived and flourished. From bodily weakness; thus Hezekiah, believing the word of God, recovered out of a mortal distemper, and he ascribed his recovery to the promise and power of God (Isa 38:15,16), What shall I say? He hath spoken it, and he hath also done it. Lord by these things men live, and in these is the life of my spirit. And it is the same grace of faith that from spiritual weakness helps men to recover and renew their strength.
8. They grew valiant in fight. So did Joshua, the judges, and David. True faith gives truest courage and patience, as it discerns the strength of God, and thereby the weakness of all his enemies. And they were not only valiant, but successful. God, as a reward and encouragement of their faith, put to flight the armies of the aliens, of those who were aliens to their commonwealth, and enemies to their religion; God made them flee and fall before his faithful servants. Believing and praying commanders, at the head of believing and praying armies, have been so owned and honoured of God that nothing could stand before them.
9. Women received their dead raised to life again, Heb 11:35. So did the widow of Zarepath (1Ki 17:23), and the Shunamite, 2Ki 4:36. (1.) In Christ there is neither male nor female; many of the weaker sex have been strong in faith. (2.) Though the covenant of grace takes in the children of believers, yet it leaves them subject to natural death. (3.) Poor mothers are loth to resign up their interest in their children, though death has taken them away. (4.) God has sometimes yielded so far to the tender affections of sorrowful women as to restore their dead children to life again. Thus Christ had compassion on the widow of Nain, Lu 7:12, etc. (5.) This should confirm our faith in the general resurrection.
III. The apostle tells us what these believers endured by faith. 1. They were tortured, not accepting deliverance, Heb 11:35. They were put upon the rack, to make them renounce their God, their Saviour, and their religion. They bore the torture, and would not accept of deliverance upon such vile terms; and that which animated them thus to suffer was the hope they had of obtaining a better resurrection, and deliverance upon more honourable terms. This is thought to refer to that memorable story, etc. 2. They endured trials of cruel mockings and scourgings, and bonds and imprisonment, Heb 11:36. They were persecuted in their reputation by mockings, which are cruel to an ingenuous mind; in their persons by scourging, the punishment of slaves; in their liberty by bonds and imprisonment. Observe how inveterate is the malice that wicked men have towards the righteous, how far it will go, and what a variety of cruelties it will invent and exercise upon those against whom they have no cause of quarrel, except in the matters of their God. 3. They were put to death in the most cruel manner; some were stoned, as Zechariah (2Ch 24:21), sawn asunder, as Isaiah by Manasseh. They were tempted; some read it, burnt, 2 Macc. vii. 5. They were slain with the sword. All sorts of deaths were prepared for them; their enemies clothed death in all the array of cruelty and terror, and yet they boldly met it and endured it. 4. Those who escaped death were used so ill that death might seem more eligible than such a life. Their enemies spared them, only to prolong their misery, and wear out all their patience; for they were forced to wander about in sheep-skins and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, and tormented; they wandered about in deserts, and on mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth, Heb 11:37,38. They were stripped of the conveniences of life, and turned out of house and harbour. They had not raiment to put on, but were forced to cover themselves with the skins of slain beasts. They were driven out of all human society, and forced to converse with the beasts of the field, to hide themselves in dens and caves, and make their complaint to rocks and rivers, not more obdurate than their enemies. Such sufferings as these they endured then for their faith; and such they endured through the power of the grace of faith: and which shall we most admire, the wickedness of human nature, that is capable of perpetrating such cruelties on fellow creatures, or the excellency of divine grace, that is able to bear up the faithful under such cruelties, and to carry them safely through all?
IV. What they obtained by their faith. 1. A most honourable character and commendation from God, the true Judge and fountain of honour—that the world was not worthy of such men; the world did not deserve such blessings; they did not know how to value them, nor how to use them. Wicked men! The righteous are not worthy to live in the world, and God declares the world is not worthy of them; and, though they widely differ in their judgment, they agree in this, that it is not fit that good men should have their rest in this world; and therefore God receives them out of it, to that world that is suitable to them, and yet far beyond the merit of all their services and sufferings. 2. They obtained a good report (Heb 11:39) of all good men, and of the truth itself, and have the honour to be enrolled in this sacred calendar of the Old-Testament worthies, God's witnesses; yea, they had a witness for them in the consciences of their enemies, who, while they thus abused them, were condemned by their own consciences, as persecuting those who were more righteous than themselves. 3. They obtained an interest in the promises, though not the full possession of them. They had a title to the promises, though they received not the great things promised. This is not meant of the felicity of the heavenly state, for this they did receive, when they died, in the measure of a part, in one constituent part of their persons, and the much better part; but it is meant of the felicity of the gospel-state: they had types, but not the antitype; they had shadows, but had not seen the substance; and yet, under this imperfect dispensation, they discovered this precious faith. This the apostle insists upon to render the faith more illustrious, and to provoke Christians to a holy jealousy and emulation; that they should not suffer themselves to be outdone in the exercise of faith by those who came so short of them in all the helps and advantages for believing. He tells the Hebrews that God had provided some better things for them (Heb 11:40), and therefore they might be assured that he expected at least as good things from them; and that since the gospel is the end and perfection of the Old Testament, which had no excellency but in its reference to Christ and the gospel, it was expected that their faith should be as much more perfect than the faith of the Old-Testament saints; for their state and dispensation were more perfect than the former, and were indeed the perfection and completion of the former, for without the gospel-church the Jewish church must have remained in an incomplete and imperfect state. This reasoning is strong, and should be effectually prevalent with us all.
使徒在前一章結尾推薦了信心的恩典和信心的生活，作為防止背道的最好保障，如今他闡述這卓越恩典的性質和果子。I. 它的性質，以及它對一切在操練中生活之人的尊榮（Heb 11:1-3）。II. 我們在舊約中所有的偉大榜樣——那些憑信心活着、並靠這恩典的力量死去和忍受了非凡之事的人（Heb 11:4-38）。III. 我們在福音中操練這恩典的優勢，超過那些活在舊約時代的人所有的（Heb 11:39,40）。