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THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
Many things which they hoped for and did no t see, subsequently came to pass and were conspicuously seen, th e event confirming faith ,— Bengel. This is the W estm inster Abbey of th e New Testa ment. The only th ing th a t made these men g reat was th e ir faith. O ther men w ith g rea ter talen ts and ability are not mentioned h ere b u t faith gives those an honorable mention by God.— Pike. v. 3. Through fa ith we und erstand th e w orlds w ere fram ed. The worlds did no t produce themselves. They were “ fram ed,” w ith exactness everything adapted and disposed to its end and expressing th e C reato r’s perfections.— Echoes. Man is unable by searching to solve th e mystery of creation. It would be a good th ing if th e men of science today would give heed to such a tex t as this.— Gaebelein. Things seen n o t m ade of th ing s which appear. This clause denies th e pre-existence of m atter. The world was made out of nothing, no t out of a primeval chaos.— Cam. Bible. v. 4. By fa ith Abel. The first recorded instance of personal faith .— Sel. I t is observable th a t God h as not though t fit to say any th ing here of the faith of our first p aren ts and yet by a pious ch arity we have tak en it for gran ted th a t God gave them repentance and faith . But God has le ft th e m atter still under some doubt as a w arning to all who have a g reat tru s t reposed upon them . This blessed calendar begins w ith Abel, th e first m a rty r for religion, one who lived by faith and died for its testimony, a fit p attern to im itate.— Henry. Adam is passed over in silence as to his faith , perhaps as being the first who fell and brough t sin on us all, though it does n o t follow th a t he did no t rep en t and believe the prom ise.— J. F. & B. By faith . F a ith m u st have some previous revelation of God as its foundation. God m ust therefo re have made clear H is will to Cain and Abel as to how He was to be approached.— Crahill. Offered m ore excellent sacri-
h er arm into th e w ater, then th e hot m etal was applied. The m in t officer tu rn ed to th e gentlem an and said, “ you sir, may have believed, b u t she tru ste d .” F aith is letting go of self. F a ith is tak ing hold of God. F aith is acting upon th e revealed will of God. v. 1. F a ith is th e substance of th ing s hoped for. W h at is faith ? I t is no t defined h ere fo r th e w riter ra th e r describes it in its effects th a n in its essence. It is de- COMMENT FROM scribed by w hat it MANY SOURCES does. The chapter K eith U. B rooks w h i c h illu strates f a i t h is fu ll of works and th is alone shows how idle is any con trast between th e two.— F a rra r. F a ith makes us as su re of unseen or fu tu re things which we know about only th rough th e Divine Word as we are of things which we can see and touch.— Meyer. F a ith is an assent unto tru th s credible upon th e testim ony of God, de livered to us in th e w ritings of th e apostles and prophets.— Bishop P ear son. Evidence of th ing s n o t seen. F aith is seeing w ith God’s eye.— Troy. F a ith is experimentation, no t speculation.— Tucker. F a ith sub stan tiates th e un seen. By an experiment faith gives an experience.— Jow ett. It has recently been discovered th a t th e word here tran slate d “ evidence” is tran slated “ title-deed.” F a ith is th e title-deed of th ing s hoped for.— Troy. v. 2. The elders obtained a good repo rt. T rue faith is an ancient grace and has th e best plea to an tiqu ity . It is no t a new invention or a modern fancy b u t a grace plan ted in th e soul of man ever since th e convenant of grace was published in th e world.— Henry. The earlier elders h ad th eir patience exercised for a long period of life; those la te r in sh arp er afflictions.
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