First. The Person famous for Faith, was, The Harlot Rahab. The word that first signified an Hostess, did come also to signify an Harlot. In those Debauched Countries, and those Brutish Ages, Women that kept public Houses of Entertainment made them to be Bawdy Houses as well as Drinking Houses. 'Tis true, in our better Times of Christianity, we often see more Virtuous and Modest women, Employed about public Houses. But the Old Scandal should admonish them, to keep the stricter Guard upon their Virtue. Rahab it seems, comes under an unhappy Character, both for Idolatry and Unchastity: No doubt the One subordinate unto the Other. The Rites of Idolatry were nourished, and maintained ⟨p. 6⟩by the Snares of Unchastity. The women that served the Temples, where men did Sacrifice to Idols, were provided also for their Fornication. Rahab seems to have been of that quality. And it was not on any Ill Design, that the Honest men of Israel, went into the House of a woman of that quality; But God had prepared the Heart of the poor woman for their coming to her House, Even a Faith of Gods fulfilling to His Israel, the Great Promise of His Messiah to come. She had heard What Great Things had been done by God, for His Chosen people, and That these Great Things were in Order to the Appearing of the Redeemer of the world, one Day among them. And God set Home what she Heard; By this Hearing, there came Faith unto her.
First. The Person famous for Faith, was, The Harlot Rahab. The word that first signified an Hostess, did come also to signify an Harlot. In those Debauch'd Countreys, and those Brutish Ages, Women that kept publick Houses of Entertainment made them to be Bawdy Houses as well as Drinking Houses. 'Tis true, in our better Times of Christianity, we often see more Vertuous and Modest women, Employ'd about publick Houses. But the Old Scandal should admonish them, to keep the stricter Guard upon their Vertue. Rahab it seems, comes under an unhappy Character, both for Idolatry and Ʋnchastity: No doubt the One subordinate unto the Other. The Rites of Idolatry were nourished, and maintained ⟨p. 6⟩by the Snares of Unchastity. The women that served the Temples, where men did Sacrifice to Idols, were provided also for their Fornication. Rahab seems to have been of that quality. And it was not on any Ill Design, that the Honest men of Israel, went into the House of a woman of that quality; But God had prepared the Heart of the poor woman for their coming to her House, Even a Faith of Gods fulfilling to His Israel, the Great Promise of His Messiah to come. She had heard What Great Things had been done by God, for His Chosen people, and That these Great Things were in Order to the Appearing of the Redeemer of the world, one Day among them. And God set Home what she Heard; By this Hearing, there came Faith unto her.
