The Doctor has another proof, which he says, puts the matter out of all doubt. In this chapter it is said, By faith _Rahab_ the harlot escaped, by faith the _Israelites_ passed through the red sea, by faith the walls of _Jericho_ fell down. “But was any of this, a faith in Jesus the Messiah?” Now not to rob this argumentation of any of its strength, it must be allowed to proceed thus. _Joshua_’s faith could not be in the Messiah, or the promises of God made to his forefathers. But why so? Because by his faith the walls of _Jericho_ fell down. Just as theologically argued, as if it had been said, _Abel_’s faith could not be a faith in the seed of the woman, promised to his parents; because by his faith “he offered unto God a more acceptable sacrifice than _Cain_.” _Enoch_’s faith could not be in a Messiah to come, because by his faith he was taken up to God. _Abraham_’s faith could not be in the Messiah, because by his faith, “He sojourned in a strange country, chose to dwell in tents, and looked for a city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” His faith could not be in a Messiah to come, because by his _faith he offered up_ Isaac, _his only begotten son_. Having set the Doctor’s argument in its best light, no more need be said about the worth of it. At last comes his invincible argument, which if it was as strong, as he gives out, all that went before might have been spared. “To evince it impossible, says the Doctor, that faith in the Messiah, should be meant by the faith in this chapter, the apostle expressly saith, that all those, to whom he assigns this faith, had not received the promises; therefore they could not have faith in that, which was never proposed to their faith. For how should they believe on him, of whom they had not heard?” Now if this argument has any good logic in it, it must follow, that no one, whether patriarch or prophet, before, or after the law, ever had, or could have faith in the Messiah, for all who died before the birth of Christ, must have died without receiving the promises, which were then first received, when good old _Simeon_ could sing, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.” But St. _Paul_, speaking to the _Jews_, saith, “Behold, we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise, which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same to us their children.” Here, by the Spirit of God himself, is made known to us, the true difference between receiving, and not receiving the promises. The fathers, who could only see them afar off, are those who died without receiving the promises, that is, without receiving the things promised. And their children who lived to see the promises fulfilled, are they that received the promises, that is, the things promised. Farther, the Spirit of God saith, “all these died in the faith, not having received the promises.”