Hebrews 11

Be sure to please God, whoever else you displease. This was Enoch's wisdom (Hebrews 11:5). he had this testimony before he died, that he pleased God. Quest. What does this pleasing God imply?

Christ gives the soul a sight of glory, a prospect of eternity (2 Corinthians 4:18): We look not at things which are seen, but [illegible], things which are not seen. Moses saw him who is invisible (Hebrews 11:27). And the patriarchs saw a better country, namely an heavenly (Heb…

The ceremonies of the law which God himself ordained are now abrogated and out of date; Christ the substance being come, the shadows fly away; and therefore the Apostle calls the legal ceremonies carnal rites (Hebrews 9:10), and if not use those Jewish ceremonies which God did o…

In heaven the saints rest with him, on earth they walk with him. To walk with God is to walk by faith; we are said to draw near to God (Hebrews 10:22), and to see him (Hebrews 11:27), as seeing him who is invisible, and to have fellowship with him (Hosea 1:3). Or [⟨ in non-Latin…

The unregenerate man leaves out the chief spice in his duties, and that is faith. And (Hebrews 11:6): without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith lays hold on Christ, and so is accepted.

A moral person may give God outward obedience, and to the eyes of others it seems glorious, but his obedience is sour because it comes not from that sweet and pleasant root of faith. A child of God gives him the obedience of faith, and that meliorates and sweetens his services,…

Do we count all earthly enjoyments but as ([〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]) dung in comparison of Christ? (Philippians 3:8). do we prefer the worst things of Christ, before the best things of the world; the reproaches of Christ, before the world's embraces, (Hebrews 11:26). Quer. 2.…

It is not knowledge though angelic, not repentance though we could shed rivers of tears could justify us, only faith whereby we look on Christ. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), and if we do not please him by believing, he will not please us in saving…

This God is our God, Gnolam Vagned, forever and ever. Whatever worldly comforts we have, are but [in non-Latin alphabet], for a season (Hebrews 11:25). We must part with all, as Paul's friends did accompany him to the ship and there left him (Acts 20:28).

True love is not mercenary; a soul that is deeply in love with God, needs not be hired with rewards; he cannot but love God for the beauty of his holiness; not but that it is lawful to look at God's benefits. Moses had an eye to the recompense of reward (Hebrews 11:26). But we m…

Our obedience to God's commands must Profluere à Fide, spring from faith, therefore it is called the obedience of faith (Romans 16:26). Abel by faith offered up [illegible], a better sacrifice than Cain (Hebrews 11:4). Faith is a vital principle, without it all our services are…

Among the Romans the names of their senators were written down in a book, Patres conscripti; God enrolls the names of his children, and will not blot their names out of the register: (Revelation 3:5) I will not blot his name out of the book of life. God will not be ashamed of hi…

If God commands duty, (though cross to flesh and blood) faith obeys. Hebrews 11:8. By faith [reconstructed: Abraham] obeyed. Faith does not only believe the promise, but obey the command.

1. Implied, that there is a God: the question, What is God? takes it for granted that there is a God. The belief of God's essence is the foundation of all religious worship (Hebrews 11:6). He that comes to God must believe that he is [illegible: Greek text]; there must be a firs…

It bottles their tears (Psalm 56:8). It strengthens the saints in their weaknesses (Hebrews 11:34). It supplies all their wants out of its alms-basket (Psalm 23:5).

Recommended by several Ministers to Masters of Families and others. Hebrews 11:4 He being dead yet speaks. London: Printed for Thomas Parkhurst, at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside, near Mercers-Chapel. 1692.

They choose Christ with his cross, but this cross leads to a crown. Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God (Hebrews 11:25). It was a wise rational choice, he knew if he suffered he should reign.

The world is the place of a saint's abode, not of his delight; is it thus with us? Do we like the patriarchs of old desire a better country (Hebrews 11:16)? This is the temper of a true saint, his affections are set on the kingdom of God; his anchor is cast in Heaven, and he is…

Let us not hesitate through unbelief; doubting of principles is the next way to denying them: unbelief, as Samson, would pull down the pillars of religion; be confirmed in this, there is a kingdom of glory to come; whoever denies this cuts asunder the main article of the Creed,…

It has been ever the lot of the saints to encounter with sore trials; both of the prophets (James 5:10): Take my brethren the prophets for an example of suffering affliction: And of the apostles, Peter was crucified with his head downward, James beheaded by Herod, John banished…

Could we look through the perspective glass of faith, and take a view of heaven's glory, how small and minute would all other things appear. Moses slighted the honors of Pharaoh's Court, having an eye to the recompense of reward (Hebrews 11:26). Saint Paul who had a vision of gl…

While we live in this world, men who know no afflictions beyond what they see with their eyes and feel in the outward man — nothing beyond loss of friends and credit — often fear God less, and when they come to part with any of these for God are less willing. But when they shall…

HEBREWS 11:7. By Faith, Noah being warned of God of the things which were as yet not seen, moved with reverence, prepared the Ark to the saving of his household: through the which Ark he condemned the world, and was made heir of the righteousness, which is by faith.

Because here he is but a pilgrim, and lives in a cottage of clay, and in a tent wherein he must abide but a while, as a pilgrim does, oftentimes carrying his house about with him; and we shall in better sort accept the afflictions which God sends us in this life; if we remember…

2. He is of a noble spirit; he has the spirit of an heir, he scorns anything that is disingenuous and sordid; he can deny himself, but not disparage himself; he can be humble, but not base; he knows not how to palliate the sins of any, which were to wash the Devil's face: He can…

And in the same passage, verse 51, the ruler with his family is said to believe, who did no more than generally acknowledge that Christ was the Messiah and yielded himself to believe and obey his holy doctrine, being moved thereto by a miracle wrought upon his young son. And Rah…

(Romans 4:20-22) Paul says of Abraham, that he did not doubt of the promise of God through unbelief: but was strengthened in faith, and gave glory to God, being fully assured, that he who had promised was able to do it: where I observe first, that doubting is made a fruit of unb…

For then the second table gives place to the duties of the first (Mark 10:29). Second, for the time of persecution, men may withdraw themselves (just occasion offered) and go apart to wildernesses or like places (Hebrews 11:37). Yet for the time of peace I see no cause of solita…

When sufferings for religion grow hot, then blessed is he that is not offended in Christ. Troubles are then at a height: first, when a man's nearest friends and relations forsake and leave him — Micah 7:5-6; 2 Timothy 4:16; second, when it comes to resisting unto blood — Hebrews…

And it is ordinary among men, when you would commend the known worth of the artist, to say, He that wrought this, is such a man, so to commend the workmanship. And thus both when the holy Ghost speaks of this glory itself, (which is the end for which here) his style is, Whose Ma…

Death is a failing ('tis your city phrase also when a man proves bankrupt) — a statute of bankrupt comes forth then upon your old house (Statutum est omnibus semel mori) and upon all you have; and then it is that there is a receiving or entertaining that otherwise-desolate soul…

To give light to this, Paul had represented the story and case of Abraham, and the rest of the Patriarchs, in the verses before, to have been this; that God had indeed promised the Land of Canaan to him and them (verse 8-9), upon which, verse 13, it is said, that these all died…

If you improve well your hearing, you will get yet more, but so long as you take no heed how you hear, you cannot profit. A second ground or cause is this, that the most part of hearers never come to look on this word as the Word of God, they come never almost to have a historic…

2. We call for and commend this to you, that you would study to be thorough and clear as to the usefulness and excellency of Jesus Christ, as to the efficacy of His death, as to the terms of the covenant of grace, whereby a sinner comes to obtain right to Him; to be sensible of…

Before a soul can make use of His offering, it must know, its due was utter consumption. 2. We presuppose, that the soul is desirous to be at God, and to have peace with Him, to which end Christ is the [reconstructed: Means]; and there will be no respect had to the [reconstructe…

1. Look to all the promises, whether of pardon of sin, or of peace with God, of joy in the Holy Ghost, of holiness and conformity to God; there is no access to these, or to any of them but by faith; this is the very proper condition of the Covenant of Grace, and the door whereby…

2. There is need to take in this, held forth in God's promise in the Gospel; because, though Christ be the object of justifying faith, and His Righteousness be the ground of the soul's defense before God; yet God's promise must be looked on by faith, for the use making of Christ…

3. Consider that as sometimes knowledge is put for faith, so this assent may be put for faith, where yet more is implied in it, especially considering that, (Romans 10), faith is called, faith of the heart, with the heart man believes; now believing with the heart being an act o…

The first is, that so few of you tremble at the word of God; the historical faith that the devils have makes them tremble, but you have not that much; this is given as a property of a suitable hearer of the gospel, to whom the Lord will look (Isaiah 66:1-2), that he is one who t…

As to the second, to wit, the characters, or evidences of a person's making use of Christ's intercession, the first may be this: a constant use-making of Christ's satisfaction; when the soul is never quiet, but when it has a respect to that, and this use-making of Christ's satis…

When people believe not, it is as if they had never heard. 2. When you have attained to the knowledge of the common truths of the Gospel, as of your sin and misery, the nature of the covenant, the Mediator and his fullness, etc. labor to fix well the historical faith of them, we…

Tenthly, If it be considered, that it now neither grieves nor troubles any of all the glorified, triumphing, and palm-bearing company before the throne of God and of the Lamb, that they were exercised with so many, and so great trials and tribulations while they were here below;…

Third, in urging this doctrine more hardly upon the people, to cause them not to rest on the letter of the law, but seek to the promised Messiah, in whom only was their righteousness — as young heirs and minors are kept under tutors while their minority expires. But, first, who…

3. Men might prevene grace, and forestall Christ and his merits, which overturns the foundation of the Gospel, and cries down Christ and free grace. Asser. 4. All these foregoing endeavors and sweatings being void of faith, cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6). Those who act in the…

2. We receive Christ by faith (John 1:12). (3.) We receive and embrace the promise by faith (Hebrews 11:11), and were persuaded of them. 4. We are to believe without staggering (Romans 4:19).

5. All within the visible Church, have means sufficient in their kind, in genere mediorum externorum, to save them. 6. As none can be saved by the light of nature, nor ever any used, or could use it so far forth, as to improve it for their sufficient preparation, to receive the…

The blood of sprinkling (says he) [speaks] better things than the blood of Abel. He makes Christ's very blood an Advocate to speak for us, though Christ himself were silent; as he says in another case, Abel, though dead, yet speaks, Hebrews 11:4 Many other things are said to cry…

For further opening this worship of Christ in our minds, because it is of singular importance, and may help and stay a poor Christian, when his heart may be most dead, and all other things fail him, yet this high esteem of Christ in his mind is never wanting to an honest hearted…

The obedience is little worth, which is carried on in an even tenor, when we have no temptation to the contrary, but is cast off as soon as we are tempted to disobey (James 1:12): Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of lif…

(1.) We get a sight of God, for in it (if it be seriously performed) we turn our back upon all other things, that we may look to God as sitting upon the throne, governing all things by his power for his glory. By faith we see the invisible one (Hebrews 11:27). Surely if we do no…