properly denotes the camps, the fortified tents of an army; but it is used for an army itself, 1 Sam. iv, 16; an host encamped like that of the Midianites when Gideon went down unto it, Judg. vii, 10; which overthrow of that host is here principally intended; for so it was signified in the dream, that the tents should be smitten and overturned, ver. 13. But because the apostle useth the word in the plural number, it compriseth other enterprises of the like nature, as that of Barak and Jonathan against the Philistines, with the victories of Asa and Jehoshaphat, in all which there was an eminent exercise of faith, as the stories of them declare. And these "aliens," were those whom the scripture calls (7) strangers from and enemies to the church of God.

§11. It is added, "Women received their dead raised to life again." These women were, the widow of Zarephath, whose son Elijah raised from death, 1 Kings, xvii, 17-24; and the Shunamitess, whose son was raised by Elisha, 2 Kings, iv, 33-36. And it is said of them, that they received their children from the dead; for in both places the prophets having raised them from the dead, gave them into their mother's arms, who received them with joy and thankfulness. Their faith is not expressed; but respect is rather had to the faith of the prophets, who obtained this miraculous operation by faith. However, at least one of them, the Shunamitess, seems to have exercised much faith in the whole matter. And it is said, they received their dead, (εž uvuclusews) out of, or, by a resurrection. These ten instances did the apostle choose to give, out of the great things that had been done through faith, to assure the Hebrews, and us with them, that there is nothing too hard or difficult for faith to effect, when it is set on work and applied according to the mind of God.

$12. We may now observe:

1. There is nothing that can lie in the way of the accomplishment of any of God's promises, but it is conquerable by faith. Or, whatever difficulties any one may have to conflict with in the discharge of his >duty, if he abide in faith, he shall in the end obtain the things promised.

2. Faith, that hath thus "stopped the mouths of lions,” can restrain, disappoint, and stop the rage of the most savage oppressors and persecutors of the church.

3. We ought to exercise faith about temporal mercies, as they are oftentimes received by it, and given on account of it.

VERSES $5.--$7.

And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. And others had trial of cruel mockings, and scourgings, yea, moreover, of bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword; they wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented.

§1. Instances of another nature. The power of faith under various sufferings. 2. Some were tortured to death, $3. Yet accepted not deliverance. §4. The ground of their steadfastness. 5. Others had trials of mockings, scourgings, bonds, imprisonments. $6. Stoned. $7. Some were sawu asunder. 98. Tempted. 9. Slain. $10. Some wandered about, $11. Meanly clothed, $12. and destitute of friends. 13. Observations,

E

§1. He proceeds in the next place to instances quite of another nature, and which were more immediately suited to the condition of the Hebrews: for hearing of these great and glorious things, they might be apt to think that they were not so immediately concerned in them. For their condition was poor, persecuted, exposed to all evils, and death itself, for the profession of the gospel. Their interest therefore was to inquire what help from faith they might expect in that condition? What will faith do, where men are to be oppressed,

persecuted, and slain? To this he replies, that its power was great in preserving the souls of believers under the greatest sufferings. There is as much glory to a spiritual eye in the catalogue of the effects of faith which follow, as in that which went before. The church is no less beautiful and glorious when encom passed and seemingly overwhelmed with all the evils and dreadful miseries here recounted, than when it is in the greatest peace and prosperity. To look indeed only on the outside of them, gives a terrible prospect; but to see faith and love to God working effectually under them all; to see comforts retained, yea, consolations abound, holiness promoted, God glorified, the world condemned, the souls of men profited, and at length triumphant over all; this is beautiful and glorious. To do the greatest things, and to suffer the hardest, is all one to faith. It is equally ready for both as God shall call, and equally effectual. These things, as to the flesh, differ nearly as heaven and hell, they are both alike to faith when duty calls. The apostle takes most of these instances, if not all, from the time of the persecution of the church under Anticchus, the king of Syria, in the days of the Maccabees.

$2. "Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection;" (ElupravicAnoav) they were tortured; critics have remarked, that (TUμTAVOV) tympanum, whence the word is formed, signifies either an engine whereon those who were tortured were stretched out, as a skin is stretched on the head of a drum; or the instruments used in beating them. So some render the word, fustibus multati, contusi, cæsi; but the word is frequently used to take away the lives of men by any kind of torture or tormenting pain, therefore the precise notation of it from the original is not here so much to be regarded:

we have, therefore, rendered it properly, "were tortured;" that is, to death. There is no doubt but the apostle hath respect herein to the story recorded in the sixth and seventh chapters of the second book of Maccabees. For the words are a summary of the things there ascribed to Eleazer, who was beaten to death when he had been persuaded and allured to accept deliverance by transgressing the law. And the like respect may be had to the mother and her seven sons, whose torments are there also recorded. There never was any greater instance of the degeneracy of human nature to the image and likeness of the devil than this, that so many men have been found, even in high places of power emperors, kings, judges, and priests who were not satisfied to take away the lives of the true worshippers of God by the sword, or such other ways as they slew the worst of malefactors, but invented all kinds of hellish tortures whereby to destroy them. But this also hath God seen good to permit, in that patience whereby he endures, with much longsuffering, the vessels of wrath that are thus fitted for destruction."They were tortured;" that is, the utmost that the devil and the world can reach unto, all the hell he hath to threaten his enemies with. But when he hath done his utmost, it falls only on the body, it cannot reach the soul; it is but of a short continuance, and gives assurance of entering into a blessed eternity. It can shut out no divine consolation from the minds of them that suffer; a little precious faith will carry be lievers victoriously through the worst of all.

§3. The way whereby those who were tortured evidenced their faith, was, that they "accepted not deliverance;" that is, freedom from their tortures, which -was offered them in case they would forego their profession. This is expressly affirmed of Eleazer, and

the seven brethren. Yea, they were not only offered to be freed from tortures and death, but to have great rewards and promotions, which they magnanimously refused. And it was not thus with them only, but also with all that have been tortured for religion. For the principal design of the devil, in bringing them unto tortures, is not to slay their bodies thereby, though that he aims at in the next place, in case his first design fails, but to destroy their souls. Unto Eleazer it was offered, that he should bring flesh of his own providing to the place where he was to eat, and only make an appearance that he had eaten swine's flesh, which he resolutely and gloriously refused. It may be, this would by some be esteemed a small matter, and such as, for the refusal whereof, wise men ought not to have undergone martyrdom by tortures. But the things which are commanded or forbidden of God, are not to be esteemed by the matter of them, or what they are in themselves, but by the authority of him that commands or forbids them. The authority of God may be despised in small things as well as in great; and therefore God doth ordinarily choose out arbitrary institutions for the trial of the church's faith, So the martyrs have in England died on account of the sacrament of the Lord's supper. And if we begin at any time to suppose that, to save our lives, we may comply with some lesser things (as it were bowing in the house of Rimmon) forbidden by Jehovah, both faith and profession are lost. We know not what command, what ordinance, what institution, what prohibition, God will single out to be the means and subject of our trial as to sufferings. If we are not equally ready to suffer for every one, we shall suffer for none at all, see Jam. ii, 10.

$4. The ground of their steadfastness in their pro