THese words have reference to the foregoing : Enoch was translated from this earthly vale of misery into a full possession of heavenly happines before he was translated he had communion and fellowship with God ; and now he enjoyeth eternal fellowship with his God , without interruption for a moment , because he had this Testimony , that he pleased God ; hence I observe ,

That there is no heavenly happiness to be expected after death , without pleasing God on earth . Heaven is an holy place , and will not admit rebells . Abraham's bosome is no lodging-place for unbelieving miscreants . How came Enoch to please God ? the Apostle sheweth in this verse ; it was by faith : Without faith it is impossible to please him . By faith , I understand a Justifying faith , a fiduciall recumbency upon God in Christ .

By pleasing God , two things are understood .

1. Approbation : By faith , Enoch was approved of God ; or , Enoch did approve himself before God .

2 That he was justified , accepted of as a righteous person ; his faith made his person acceptable , and his obedience well-pleasing : the gift sanctifieth not the altar , but the Altar the gift ; the gold is therefore pretious , because it is the gold of the Temple : the same may be spoken of our persons and of our works : our good works make not our person good , but our person makes our works good ; 't is by faith our works are denominated good : A thousand duties and glorious works will no more benefit an unbelieving person , then crowns of gold and diamonds and Garlands of roses a filthy putrifying Carcass : all moral perfections , how glorious and gratious soever to outward appearance , yet are ( as St. Augustine calls them ) Splendida peccata , glittering sins , speaking of moral vertues in the unbelieving Heathens : you may learn hence these three things .

1. Whatsoever graces are in men , yet faith is the grace which makes them the delight of Gods eyes ; the Apostle nameth not one grace in Enoch , but his faith : Faith is the rich diamond in the ring of grace , 't is the rose of Sharon in a garland of Lillies .

2. All unbelieving men , what glorious vertues soever are in them , yet cannot , nor shall obtain salvation : the knowledg of God from the creature was too dark a lant-horn , to guid the Philosophers feet in the way of etern●l peace and salvation : 'T is no better then an ignis fatuus , which leads men into the p●t of destruction : it is only the light of the Gospel , which ( like the star that guided the wise men to Christ ) must bring us to Christ , and so to salvation .

3. The best works and duties of unregenerate men please not God : for want of faith , God throws them away as execrable things ; he will not touch them , because they are unclean .

Now in the next words the Apostle sheweth ▪ what Faith is ; here are two things .

1. Here is Credere Deum : a man must first be perswaded , that there is a God , or , that God is .

2. Credere in Deum ; a believing in Credere Deum . God , or a reposing of confidence in God , as a bountifull rewarder of all them that seek him : Or thus ; there are two things Credere in Deum . required in all that look to be made partakers of eternal and glorious communion with God in heaven :

1. There must be certa notitia veri Dei , a true and right knowledg of the true God .

2. There must be fiducia , a trust and Fiducia Ass●ns●s in int●llectu , ●t co●sensus in volu●tate confidence in God : There must be assensus in intellectu , & consensus in voluntate ; the Mind must apprehend God , and the Will must embrace God ; this is true faith which makes a man to please God : for what is faith ; but a fiduciall knowledg of God , or a knowledg of God in Christ with application ? But I will further open these three Phrases , and shall enquire .

1. What is this coming to God . 1. By coming to God , some understand believing in God : faith is called a comming to God in Christ . No man can come unto me , ( i. e. ) no man can believe in me , unlesse the Father draw him , or raise him up to believe .

2. By Coming is rather meant a fruition of God ; as the chief goodnesse and happines for in the following words he speaks of believing , A man must first believe that God is , and that he is a bountiful rewarder of such , before he will come unto him .

2. We are to enquire the meaning of that phrase ; Must believe that he is . I answer : He must believe either that Bez. annot in loc. there is a God , or els , as Beza hath it , that God is true and faithful in his free and gracious promises .

3. What is meant by the other phrase : And a rewarder of them that diligently seek him ? I answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . It is Beza's observation , that there is mutuall relation betvveen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , praemium & ultroneam promissionem , a free reward or gift , and a free gracious promise ; and not inter mercedem & merita , between a reward and merits .

These words do much set out the nature of faith , as in these particulars .

1. Faith makes a man to see his wants and misery ; otherwise it would not send him a begging ; it makes a man to see that he is without God , without Christ , and so without all hopes and promises of eternal salvation ; therefore it sets men on work to seek God in Christ diligently , to be unsatiable and restless after Christ ; God must be my God in Christ , or else I am in a reprobate condition .

2. Faith emptieth a man of all confidence in himself , and in the creatures , all are miserable comforters , broken reeds and cisterns , not a drop of Spiritual comfort and heavenly hope is found in any thing . A man will never go out of himself to God in Christ , till he is knockt off from carnal confidences ; the winds and waves must first beat him down , before he will lay his foundation upon the Rock .

3. Faith sheweth that God is a gratious and bountifull Rewarder of all them that put their trust in him , and assureth the trembling broken-hearted Sinner , that God will be his God , if he come unto him .

NOw having thus laid open the words , I will address my self to my intended subject ; and the words that I will insist upon shall be these — Must believe that God is ; or , that there is a God .

This is the first fundamental point of religion : A man knows and believes nothing , unless he first knows that there is a God : Can you believe the pardon of Sins , your salvation , your immortal glory , unless first you are perswaded there is a God ? now because evermore there have been Atheists , and there is abundance of Atheism in our hearts , I will prove that there is a God , and this shall be the point ,

For this name or title of God ; we must first know , it is nomen potestatis , & commune , non proprietatis , a name of power and jurisdiction , and 't is common , not of propriety .

1. It is common to the three Persons because it denoteth the divine Essence , which is one and the same in all the three persons ,

2. It is common in this respect , because extensivè , or abusivè , it is given to the creatures .

3. 'T is given to Angels who are called Elohim , Dij , Gods . Psal. 8. 6.

4. 'T is given to men Psal. 82. I have said , Ye are Gods , but ye shall die like men . And the reason is , because Angels and Magistrates are partakers of some divine excellencies .

There is a two-fold kind of Arguments to prove there is a God : 1. Scriptural , from the word of God , which is his own divine testimony of himself , that he is , and the solum objectum fidei , the onely object of faith .

2. There are Rational Arguments drawn from the creatures ▪ and other things , which demonstrate there is a God ; now because the Atheist that either thinketh there is no God or doubteth whether there be a God , will as well deny the Scripture to be the Word of God , as deny God himself ; I will deal onely in the latter kind of Arguments ; and in these I will not meddle ▪ with the sublime Philosophical and Scholastical reasons , by which they demonstrate there is a God , but bring the most familiar arguments , easy to be understood , and sufficient to convince ; and it best beseems catecheticall discourse to instruct the ignorant .

The first argument I bring is from Arg. 1 the Creation of the world , which plainly testifieth , that there is a God : none but a God can make such a curious fabrick as the world . The Scripture much insisteth upon it , to convince men there is a God : Moses wrote the book of Genesis for this end to prove that there is a God , that did in the beginning create heaven and earth , and all the creatures in both . So Paul , Rom. 1. 20. tells us , that the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen , being understood by the things that are made , even his eternal power and Godhead . These Visible creatures do manifest the invisible things of God , his wisdome , omnipotency , eternity , goodnesse , is seen in the creatures ; so that an Ath●ist , or any man cannot open his eyes , and look either upward or downward , or any way , but he may see a thousand preachers that there is a God : yea , the most despicable creatures are Doctores Theologiae : The very buzzing of a little fly , did make Pliny to confess the power of God .

In this one argument I shall use divers arguments ; as

1. The creatures did not make themselves ; Plin. naturhist . therefore there was a Creatour of them , and that is God : they did not make themselves for these two reasons : for , 1. Then there would be no vile , base , despicable creatures in the world : if a worm had the making of it self , it would not have made it self a worm , but a more noble and more glorious creature : no ; it is God , the omnipotent potter , that took out an handfull of clay , out of the confused chaos , and made vessels , some creatures of honour , some of dishonour , according to the pleasure of his good will .

2. Had the creatures made themselves , there had not been such an orderly subordination , and subjection of creatures to each other , and of all Creatures unto man . That the earth should bring forth grass and herbs , grass should serve the beasts , and beasts serve men , none but a God must work this subordination of creatures .

3. If the creature should make it self , then it should be before it self , and after it self ; for the cause of a thing is before it's effect .

4. In the generation of man ; the Father that beggetteth , doth not know what he begetteth ; and the mother that conceiveth , doth not knovv what she contriveth ; therefore it is God that frameth us , and the sexe , in our mother's womb .

2. This world and the creatures were not made by chance , therefore by a God : shouldst thou go into a Wildernesse , where is neither man nor beast , and behold there a stately House , thou wou●dest say ; surely some man made it : should you find a Triangle made in the sands , as Aristippus did , you would say , some body made it : but here is the argument .

The comely and most beautifull order and harmony that is among the creatures , sheweth that chance did not make them , which is a mother of confusion ; but the wisdome of God made all things in weight and measure . Pythagoras beholding a curious picture in a frame , said , Video Apellis manum hanc fecisse , I see the hand of Apelles hath done this : we cannot look upon the beautiful frame of the world , but we must acknowledg it the admirable work of the most wise God . Interroga pulchritudinem Coeli , & erit confessio Dei ; Interroga pulchritudinem Terrae , & erit confessio Dei ; Interroga pulchritudinem Aeris & Maris , & erit confessio Dei .

Neither were the creatures made by nature : but by Nature two things are understood , either Natura naturans , and that is God : or Natura naturata , which is nothing else but the course of things : This could not create .

The second argument shall be this : Arg. 2. All nations in the world did and do acknowledg a deity : it makes nothing for the Atheist that they worshipped many Gods , as the Host of heaven , Beasts , Herbs ; yea some a red clout hanging upon a pole . Yet in that they had always something which they worshipped in a religious manner , and called in their own language , God ; i● is argument sufficient , that all nation did acknowledg there is a God .

Yea , every man doth acknowledg there is a God : for those that are reckoned and esteemed of for most professed Atheists , yet 't is more then probable , that they do not altogether deny a God , but onely deny that God Aquinas . takes any care in governing the lower and inferiour matters in the world : So Aquinas thinketh .

Others again say , that , professed Atheists did not , nor ever could , deny there was a God , but did endeavour to extinguish the knowledg of God in them .

Or , as others optativè : they did wish in their hearts that there were no God at all ; and therefore gave themselves over to act all wickedness against the knowledg of God , that so they might extinguish that shining knowledg of God in their hearts , but could never .

S. Augustine saith of Atheists ; that albeit there be some , who think or would perswade themselvs that there is no God , yet the most vile and desperate wretch that ever lived , would not say , There was no God : They that made it their work to study Atheism , could never extinguish the knowledg , that there is a God .

Because I had rather deal with wicked Atheists themselves , I will argue from Atheists themselves that there is a God ,

1 From that discerning judgment of Arg. 1. good and evil in every man : all men do , and can discern evil from good , and say , Such an act is evil and unreasonable , such an act is good : which would not be , if there were not a God which is the supream Law-giver , who writes his laws upon the hearts of men , by which they judg of good and evil .

If this distinction of good from evil were from men ; then what man did appoint to be good ( though evil in it self ) should be good , and what man did determine to be evil ( though good in it sel● ) should be evil : then the adulte●er would have his uncleanness to be no sin ▪ the drunkard would have● is drunkenness to be no sin ; the murderer wou●d have murther to be no sin : men would not have any vices that they themselves are addicted unto , to be sin : But we pl●inly see , that men who are addicted to base lusts , ever condemn them for vices , both in themselves and others .

So again ; other common notions of the law , engraven upon the consciences of all men , prove there is a God , as , that God is to be worshipped , that parents are to be honoured , and such like ; these sh●w that there is an universal cause stamping these upon mens hearts , which cause is God .

A second argument is taken from A●g . 2 their own conscience : by this Ath●ists may be convinced there is a God : O Atheist ! why doth t●y conscience terrifie thee , when thou dost ev●l , gripe thee with fearfull accusations , condemn thee , bring old sins to thy remembrance , and witnesse them against thee , if it be not because 't is Gods Vice-gerent in thy soul ? The wicked flees when no man pursues him . Prov. 28. 1 , Why dost thou fle● ? there is no avenger of blood behind thee ; there is no man nigh , yea it may be there is no man that knoweth the evil thou hast committed , and of which thy conscience accuseth thee , and for which it terrifieth thee with damna●le horrours . If there be no God , what need have you then to tr●mble and fear ? if there be no judg , who will one day bring thee before his tribunal to give an account , and to doom thee to the lowest hell , why dost thou tremble and quake ? the reason is , conscience even in Atheists doth pursue them , and tells them , that the just , sin ▪ revenging God will one day bring them to judgment for those things which no man knoweth , but their own false and accusing hearts ; and then no marvell , if such who are professed Atheists do tremble and are horribly afraid : if there were no God , 't is no matter for all the accusations of thine own conscience .

3 Bec●use the wicked and the Atheists Arg. 3. themselves will make some striving and reluctancy against gross notorious secret Sins ; They have sometimes suitable objects that serve their turn ; a very fit opportunity to act their Sin , strong temptations ; and ( which is not the least motive ) secrecy , no mortal eye behold's them ; yet even then their hearts will smite them in the very temptation , and reason the case with them before they commit the sin . Now from whence com●th that opposition and reasoning ? why should you fear the shame of the world ? no eye beholds you in secret , in the dark ; if you can keep your own counsel , why should you fear punishment ? Sins that are unknown go unpunished : therefore it must needs come from God , who stirreth up Conscience within them in the temptation , like the Angel to withstand Balaam in his designes , and from an apprehension that there is a God , that doth see in secret their abominable acts , and will punish them for their sins . Ar● 4.

4. The fear of shame and of punishment is a demonstrative argument , to prove the notion of a God in our hearts : Shame was the first punishment God inflicted upon Adam for his Rebellion , and it is inflicted upon his posterity ; that suppose a man were in a wilderness , far remote from every creature ; let him act sin , he would presently be ashamed there , as if many men did know it . That doom of Pashur ( whom the Lord called Magor-missabib , Jer. 20. 4 , 5. and threatned to make a terrour to himself ) is the judgment of many Atheists ; they are terrours to themselves , even Magor-missabib , fear round about : every object they see , is an object of fear to them , so they are very Shames to themselves . What more plainly demonstrates to wicked men there is a God , then this secret shame , terrour , and reluctancy ?