An exposition upon the thirteenth chapter of the Revelation by that reverend and eminent…

5. There is a fifth respect in which Christ is said to be slain from the beginning of the world, and that is in respect of the faith of Gods elect who lived from the beginning of the world: As soon as there was a man on the earth, the same day the Lord put emnity between the seed of the woman and the Serpent; now the seed of the woman looks for salvation in the seed of the woman, and they did even then look to the Lord Jesus the Messiah as much as we do since in John 8. 56. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, he saw it and was glad: that was the day of the coming of Christ into the world to be an atonement for the sins of his people: If Abraham saw it, then Enoch, Noah, Abel, and Adam, and Eve; and who ever lived by Jesus Christ, they all saw Christ afar off, yet they saw him notwithstanding, they saw his day, the day of his Incarnation, and Passion, and Resurrection: and it is said in Heb. 11. 1. That faith is the subsistence of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen; that is, it did give the Fathers before Christ, as clearly to see Christ already present to them, as if he had been actually come in the flesh, and so it is with all the Saints at this day; look as we do, as really believe the Resurrection of the body, that by faith gives it substance as verily as if it were present, and as we believe the salvation of our souls, as verily as if it were accomplished; and it is as clear, I mean, as certain as if it were already done, and in some measure as evident; for so he saith, It is the evidence of things not seen; he speaks in the Apostle words, The confidence and evidence of things not seen. Hence it comes, That the fathers saw the promises & embraced them, but did not receive them, Heb. 11. 39. That is, did not receive them accomplished (for they never saw Christ in his death) but they were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and did verily look for them in expectation, as if they had been present with them; that is, if Christ had been come, they would not have done nor suffered more then they did; which argues ⟨p. 193⟩that faith gives a basis and subsistence to what it lays hold on; and makes it so real, that we shall neither do more, nor suffer more, if it were present; They did believe that the time would come, when the Messiah being bruised himself, he would break the Serpents head.