426 Of the Nature, of Vo1.II. thofe things which we fee were not produced out of things which do now appear, but either immediately out of nothing, or a dark confufed Chaos. And having thus prov'd that we may beperfuaded of things we do not fee, of things part or future, he comes to the particular in-dances of the holy Men of the Old Teftament, in whom the power of Faith did" appear. He begins with Abel, who being perfuaded of the Being of God, and the Perfe- Clion and Excellency of the Divine Nature, and confequently that he was worthy to be ferved with the belt, byvirtue ofthis Faith offer'd up to God a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain.. The fecond inflance is in Enocb, who being perfuaded of the Being of God, and of his goodnefs to reward them that ferve him, was a righteous Man, and ftudious to pleafe God; and as a reward of. this Faith and Obedience, God tranflated him that be fbould not fee death; upon which the Apoftle affumes, ver. 6. But without Faith, it is impoffìble to pleafe God. As if he had faid, unlefs a Man do believe, and be perfuadedof fome Principles, it is impofbleanyMan fhould be religious, or endeavour to do any thing that is pleafing or acceptable to God : for Religion, and the Service of God, and an endeavour to pleafe him, do fup- pofe at leaft that I believe and am perfuaded of thefe two things, of the Being, Wand ofthe goodnefs ofGod, that there is fuch a Being as I ferve and feek to pleafe, and that his goodnefs is fuch, that it will not be in vain to ferve him, he will not let me be a lofer by it. And that here by pleafing, we are to underftand in general the performing any a&ion of Religion, is evident from the equivalent terms which are ufed in the next words, For be that cometh to God, muff believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that feek him; where coming to God, and feek- ing of him, are of the fame importance withpie/ding him. Now to come to God, and feek him, in Scripture Phrafe lignifie the fum ofReligion, it being ufual in the Languageof Scripture, to exprefs the whole ofReligion byany eminent Principle, or part, or effe&ofit; as by the knowledge, remembrance, or fear of God in the Old Teftament ; by the love of him, and faith in, him, in the New, by coming to him, feeking him, calling upon his Name, and pleafing ofhim. Now that coming to God, and feeking him, are of the fame importance here with pleafrng of him, will be clear to any that confider the Apo- file's reafoning here in the Text, which fuppofeth thefe to be the fame, otherwife there would be no force in his Argument. For the Propo- fition which he proves is, That without faith it is impoffible to pleafe God. The Argument he ufeth is this , If every one that comes to God mull be- lieve that he is, &c. then ,without faith it is impoji'ble to pleafe him ; but every one that comes to God, muß believe that he is. Now unlefs coming to God, and feeking him, be the fame thing with pleafing him, this would be no good Argument ; for there would be four terms in it ; but if thefe Phrafes be made equivalent, then the Argument is good. Thus, If every one that comes to God, that is, that will pleafe him, muff believe that he is, &c. then without faith it is impof,Jible to pleafe him : but every one that .comes to God, that is, that will pleafe bim , mull believe that be is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently feek him, or that en- deavour to pleafe him : therefore without faith it is impoffible to pleafe him. Which Propofition doth not only lignifie that Faith is neceffary to Re- ligion, and a Condition without which it cannot be ; but implies like- wife , that it is: a caufe or principle of it, í not only "the foundation upon which all Religion muff be built ; but the Fountain from whence it fprings. For this. I take to be imply'd in the words , not only that there can be no Religion unlefs we believe a God ; but fuppofing this Truth firmly believ'd that there is a God, it will have a great influence upon g
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