4 By faith Abel offered 4 Πιζει πλειονα θυσιαν unto God a more excellent Αβελ παρα Καιν προσηνεγκε sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and by it he, being dead, yet speaketh. 5 By faith Enoch was translated, that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. ειναι τῳ Θεῳ, δι' ἧς εμαρτυρηθη δικαιος, μαρτυρουντος επι τοις δωροις αυτου του Θεου και δι' αυτης αποθανων ετι λαλειται. 5 Πιζει Ενωχ μετετέθη του μη ιδειν θανατον· και ουχ εὑρισκετο, διοτι μετέθηκεν αυτον ὁ Θεος· προ γαρ της μεταθεσεως αυτου μεμαρτυρηται ευηρεςηκεναι τῷ Θεῷ. from eternity, but of matter which God created and formed into the things which we see; and having formed them, he placed them in the beautiful order which they now hold, and impressed on them the motions proper to each, which they have retained ever since. This account of the origin of things given by revelation, is very different from the cosmo. gony of the heathen philosophers, who generally held that the matter of which the worlds are composed is uncreated and eternal: consequently being independent of God and not obedient to his will, they supposed it to be the occasion of all the evil that is in the world. But revelation, which teaches us that the things which are seen were not made of matter which did appear before they were made, but of matter which God then brought into existence, by thus establishing the sovereignty of God over matter hath enlarged our ideas of his power, and strengthened our faith in his promises concerning the felicity of good men in the life to come. For the creation of the new heavens and the new earth, and the glories of the city of the living God, do not to their formation require more power, than the creation of the present universe; and therefore, if we believe that the worlds were formed by the word of God from nothing, every other exercise of faith will be easy to us. Ver. 4.-1. By faith Abel offered. The apostle's affirmation that Abel offered his sacrifice by faith, implies that he offered it by divine appointment and being a sacrifice of the firstlings of his flock, it was not, like Cain's, a eucharistical sacrifice, but a sacrifice for sin; the sacrifices of beasts being commonly offered as sin-offerings. 2. Offered to God ωλειονα θυσιαν, more sacrifice. In this translation I have followed the critics, who tell us that wλειονα in the comparative degree signifies more in number, rather than more in value. Accordingly they observe, that notwithstanding Cain ought to have offered a sin 4 By faith 1 Abel offered to God more sacrifice than Cain, on account of which he was testified to be righteous. 3 God testifying This upon his gifts; 4 (και, 212.) and so by it, (αποθανων, 16.) though dead, he still speaketh. ' 5 By faith, Enoch was translated, that he might not see death, and was not found, 2 because God had translated him; for before his translation it was testified that he pleased God. 3 4 By faith, by rightly understanding and believing what was said concerning the seed of the woman's bruising the head of the serpent, Abel offered to God more sacrifice than Cain: For with an humble penitent heart he offered a sin-offering, on account of which he was declared to be righteous; God testifying this upon his gifts, and so by that sacrifice, though dead, Abel still speaketh, recommending to us repentance, humility, and faith. 5 By faith Enoch having lived in a continued course of piety, was translated in the body, from this earth the habitation of sinners, to heaven, that he might not see death, and was not found because God had translated him on account of his singular virtue. For before his translation it was testified by Moses that he walked with God. offering, he brought only of the fruit of the ground an offering to the Lord, which was no proper sacrifice. But Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of bis flock, and of the fat thereof; that is, besides the fruit of the ground which was one of his gifts mentioned in the following verse, he also brought the fattest of the firstlings of his flock: So that he offered a sin-offering as well as a meat-offering: and thereby shewed both his sense of the divine goodness and of his own sinfulness. Whereas, Cain having no sense of sin, thought himself obliged to offer nothing but a meat-offering; and made it perhaps not of the first fruits, or of the best of the fruits. 3. Testified to be righteous. In this character of Abel, Paul had our Lord's expression in his eye, Matth. xxiii. 35. the blood of righteous Abel. 4. God testifying this upon his gifts. We are told, Gen. iv. 4. That the Lord had respect to Abel, and to bis offering. 5. But to Cain, and to his offering be had not respect. And Cain was very wroth. Moses does not say, in what manner God testified his respect to Abel and to his offering; but from Cain's being very wroth, we may believe it was by some outward visible sign. Wherefore, as in after times God testified his acceptance of particular sacrifices, by sending down fire upon them, Gen. xv. 17. Levit. ix. 24. Judg. vi. 21. we may suppose it was in that manner, he testified Abel's 6 But without faith it is 6 Χωρις δε πιςεως αδυναimpossible to please him: τον ευαρεςησαι· πιςεύσαι γαρ for he that cometh to God δει τον προσερχομενον τῳ must believe that he is, Θεω, ότι εςι, και τοις εκζητουσιν αυτον μισθαποδοτης γίνεται. and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. righteousness upon his offering.-God's acceptance of Abel's sin-offering, is a proof that propitiatory sacrifice was of divine appointment, otherwise his offering being will-worship, must have been offensive to God, and rejected. Besides, as nallet observes, flesh not being permitted to men till after the flood, Abel must have thought it unlawful to kill any animal, unless God had ordered it to be killed as a sacrifice. 5. He still speaketh. Hallet thinks the apostle alludes to Gen. iv. 10. where God saitato Can, The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And that the meaning is, Abel's blood still crieth for vengeance against all murderers, and especially against those who persecute good inen to death for righteousness sake: which was Cain's sin. But δι' αυτης cannot stand for αιματ, which is a neuter word, but for θυσιας; by that sacrifice Abel though dead still speaketh. Ver. 5.-1. By faith Enoch. Moses, by telling us that Enoch walked with God, shews us that his faith consisted in an habitual recollection of the being and perfections of God, and in a constant sense of the divine presence. See ver. 27. 2. And was not found. This implies, that Enoch was privately translated, as Elijah afterwards was, 2 Kings ii. 17. and that his relations and friends searched for him, but did not find him. The place to which these good men were translated, is not told. But their translation in the body is recorded for an example, to assure believers that in due time they also shall live in the heavenly country, in the body. -Enoch's translation by faith is mentioned by the apostle, not to raise in believers an expectation of being translated into heaven, as he was, without dying, but to excite them to imitate his faith, in the assurance of being admitted into heaven in the body after the resurrection. 3. For before his translation it was testified that be pleased God. The apostle's account of Enoch is formed on Gen. v. 24. Enoch walked with God and he was not, for God took him, which the LXX. have thus rendered, Και ευηρέτησεν Εναχ τῷ θεῳ και κκ ευρισκετο, διοτι μετέθηκεν αυτον ὁ θεα: And Enoch pleased Gol and was not found, because God had translated bim. This rendering the apostle hath adopted, because although it be not literal it is sufficiently exact. For 1. The Hebrews expressed that virtuous conduct in men which is pleasing to God by the phrase of their walking with God; as we learn from the account which Moses hath given of Noah's walking with God, Gen. vi. 9. Noah was a just man and perfect in his generation, 6 But without faith1 IT Is impossible to please GOD. For he who worshippeth God, must believe that he is, and THAT he is a rewarder of them who diligently seek him." 6 But without faith it is impossible, in any dispensation of religion, to please God. For he who worshippeth God acceptably, must believe that he exists, and that he will reward all them who sincerely worship and obey him, and who persevere in piety and obedience to the end of their life. and Noah walked with God. Wherefore, when the apostle tells us it was testified of Enoch before his translation that he pleased God, he in effect repeated Moses's testimony, that before his translation Enoch walked with God.-2. The LXX. by saying, Enoch was not found because God had translated him, have only completed the elliptical expression, he was not, which Moses hath used: he was not found on earth -3. Moses by saying God took him, plainly means that God took Enoch away from the earth in the body. This the LXX. and the apostle have very properly expressed by the phrase, translated him. To fit Enoch for his new state, his body, no doubt, was changed in the manner the bodies of the righteous will be, who at the second coming of Christ are alive on the earth. Ver. 6.-1. But without faith, &c. The apostle, after his account of Enoch's pleasing God, adds, But without faith it is impossible to please God, to shew, that though no particular revelation is mentioned, which Enoch is said to have believed, yet from Moses telling us that he walked with, or pleased God, it is certain that his faith in the doctrines of religion discoverable by the light of nature, and which are mentioned in this verse, must have been very strong, since it led him habitually to walk with God so as to please him. 2. Must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them who diligently seek him. By representing the existence of God, and his government of the world as objects of faith, the apostle hath taught us, that the truths of natural religion, are equally the objects of faith, with the truths of revelation. And his doctrine is just. For the evidence by which the truths of natural religion are supported, being of the same kind with the evidence which supports the truths of revelation, namely, not demonstrative but probable evidence, the persuasion produced by that kind of evidence in matters of natural religion, is as really faith as the persuasion which the same evidence produces in matters of revelation.-Farther, the faith or persuasion of the truths of natural religion, which men attain, being as much the effect of attention, impartial search, and prayer, as the faith which they attain of the truths of revelation, it is as much a matter of duty and as pleasing to God, as the faith of the truths of revelation. See the View prefixed 40 Rom. ii. paragr. 10. and Essay vi. sect. 3. 7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles, with 7 Πιζει χρηματισθεις Νωε περι των μηδεπω βλεπομενων, ευλαβηθεις κατεσκευασε κιβωτον εις σωτηριαν του οικου αυτου, δι' ἧς κατεκρινε τον κοσμον, και της κατα πιςιν δικαιοσυνης εγενετο κληρονο μος. 8 Πιζει καλουμενος Αβρααμ ὑπηκουσεν εξελθειν εις τον τοπον, ὁν ημελλε λαμβανειν εις κληρονομίαν, και εξηλθε, μη επιςαμενος που ερχεται. 9 Πιζει παρῳκησεν εις την γην της επαγγελιας ὡς αλλοτριαν, εν σκηναις κατοικη Ver. 7.-1. Prepared an ark. Hallet thinks the ark, whose bottom was flat and which had no helm, was conducted by the same extraordinary providence which sent the deluge; and perhaps by the ministry of angels. 2. For the salvation of bis family, εις σωτηριαν. Here salvation, denotes a temporal deliverance. 3. By which, Δι' ής. The gender of the relative, permits it to stand either for Noah's faith, or for the ark which he prepared. Estius, following Erasmus and the Greek commentators, understands it of the ark: By which ark, be not only saved his family, but condemned the world. But 1 rather suppose is, refers to ευλάβειαs, the noun included in the verb ευλαβηθεις. 4. He condemned the world. Persons are said to condemn those against whom they furnish matter of accusation, and condemnation. See Tit. iii. 11. It seems the antediluvians, to whom Noah preached the revelation which had been made to him concerning the destruction of the world by a deluge, 2 Pet. ii. 5. instead of being moved with fear, turned the whole into ridicule. 5. And became an heir of the righteousness which is by faith This I think shews that is, in the former clause, does not mean, by which ark: For the apostle would hardly say that Noah by the ark, hecame an heir of the righteousness which is by faith. He became an heir of that righteousness by his religious fear, which led him to build the ark.-Heir here, signifies possessor of the righteousness by faith. -The faith of Noah is proposed for |