expostulate with him on the unreasonableness of his behaviour e. "The spirit that dwelt in him lusted to envy:" this malignant passion "was as rottenness in his bones," so thoroughly had it corroded his very inmost soul. The excellence of Abel's character served only to add fuel to the flame. His virtues were his faults; so "impossible is it to stand before envy h." Cain hated in him the divine image, as much as he envied him the divine favour. The light of his brother's example was offensive to his eyes; and on this account he sought to extinguish it. St. John, having told us that Cain slew his brother, asks, " And wherefore slew he him?" he then answers, "Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous." Such were the motives by which Cain was instigated to this infernal deed. The murder was first committed in his heart; and then completed with his hand; according to that saying of the Apostle, "He that hateth his brother is a murderer." Indeed there is such a connexion between "envy, debate, deceit, and murder," that wherever the first is harboured, the rest would follow of course, if God in his infinite mercy did not interpose to limit the operation of our sinful propensities.] God, who "maketh inquisition for blood," would not suffer the murder to be concealed: he therefore sought out the offender, and commenced, II. The Inquest It is said, that "Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation":" and where that hatred has proceeded to murder, God in his providence has generally fulfilled this saying. On this occasion, the Governor of the Universe proceeded exactly as he had done upon the first transgression: He summoned the criminal, and made inquiry at his hands. In the trial we notice, 1. Cain's denial of the fact [Being interrogated, "Where his brother Abel was," he answered with consummate effrontery, "I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?" Alas! how inseparable the connexion between guilt and falsehood! But what blindness had sin induced upon his mind, and what obduracy upon his heart! e ver. 6, 7. f Jam. iv. 5. g Prov. xiv. 30. k 1 John iii. 15. What could he imagine, when he thus flatly denied any knowledge of his brother? Did he suppose that he could deceive his God? Had he forgotten, that omniscience was an attribute essential to the Deity? Yes: such is the atheism which sin produces: he said in his heart, "Tush, God hath not seen: Can he see through the thick clouds"?" Not contented with uttering this impious falsehood, he added an insult, which we should scarcely have thought he would have dared to offer to his earthly parent, much less to his Maker and his God. Behold this murderous wretch presuming to criminate his Judge, and to reprove him as unreasonable and unjust! "Am I my brother's keeper?" that is, What right hast thou to interrogate me respecting him?' We stand amazed at this effort of impiety: but, in truth, it is no other than what is daily exemplified before our eyes. If we question men respecting the performance of any of their duties, they will not hesitate to condemn our expectations as unreasonable, and the laws on which they are founded, as absurd: and when the authority of God is urged in support of his law, they will not scruple to arraign the wisdom and equity of the Lawgiver himself. The very manner in which Cain attempted to conceal his crime was of itself a strong presumption against his innocence. What need had he to be offended with an inquiry after his brother, if he really knew not where he was? What occasion was there for all this petulance and profaneness? But it was in vain to deny a fact which the all-seeing God was ready to attest.] 2. His conviction before God [He had effectually silenced his brother's voice; so that no testimony could be borne by him. But the blood which he had shed, had a voice, which cried aloud; a voice which reached the throne of Almighty God, and brought him down to plead the cause of injured innocence. Indeed, every sin has a voice, which speaks powerfully in the ears of God, and calls for vengeance on the head of him who has committed it. It was in vain to dispute the testimony of Jehovah. The criminal stands confounded, and waits the sentence awarded by his Judge. Surely now then at least we shall behold him softened his obdurate heart must now relent; and he will accept with resignation the punishment of his iniquity. Not so indeed he expresses no contrition: he asks not once for mercy: he complains indeed, but not of himself, not of the guilt he has contracted, not of the deed he has perpetrated, but of the punishment he has incurred; "My punishment is greater than I can bear." But let not this be wondered at: o Ps. xciv. 7-10. n Job xxii. 14. It is the effect of sin to sear the conscience, and to harden the heart and the more heinous our transgressions are, the more shall we be disposed to criminate the authority that calls us into judgment for them. Even in hell itself this disposition is exercised, yea, it rages with uncontrolled and incessant fury : the damned spirits "gnaw their tongues for pain, and blaspheme the God of heaven because of their pains, and repent not of their deeds P."] Hence then we may OBSERVE, 1. How soon did "the enmity which God has put between the Serpent's and the Woman's seed" begin to shew itself! [It is an undeniable fact, that "all who live godly in Christ Jesus do suffer persecution':" and the world, yea sometimes Christians themselves also, are ready to think that the opposition made to them is discreditable to their cause. But our Lord and his Apostles taught us to expect precisely the same treatment which they themselves received. They inform us also how all the Prophets were used by those among whom they sojourned: they declare that, in all ages, even from the beginning of the world, they who have been born after the flesh have persecuted those who were born after the Spirit";" and that all "the blood shed from the time of righteous Abel" to the time that Christ himself was nailed upon the cross, served to illustrate "the enmity of the carnal mind against God," and the path in which all must walk who would finally attain to glory. Hence persecutors are emphatically said to go in the way of Cainy." "Let none then think it strange that they are called to endure a fiery trial, as though some strange thing happened unto them";" but "let them rejoice and glorify God on this behalf";" knowing that myriads who are now in heaven" came thither out of great tribulation ";" and that, "if they also suffer with Christ, they shall in due time be glorified together with him."] 66 2. How vain is it to cultivate the friendship of the world! [If, in any situation, fellowship could have been maintained between a carnal and a spiritual man, we may well suppose that it should subsist between the two first men who were born into the world, educated as they must have been with the strictest care, and necessitated as they were to cultivate a P Rev. xvi. 10, 11. 4 Gen. iii. 15. r 2 Tim. iii. 12. friendly intercourse on account of the contracted state of society in the world: yet not even these could enjoy spiritual communion with each other. It is true, that all natural men do not give themselves up, like Cain, to the dominion of their lusts: but it is equally true, that all men have in their hearts the same envious and malignant passions, and that, till they are renewed by divine grace, they are enemies to true religion. Hence we are told to come out from the world and be separate, because there can be no more true communion between believers and unbelievers, than between light and darkness, or Christ and Belial. And they who, in opposition to this direction, choose the unregenerate for their associates, or form still more intimate connexions with them, are sure to "suffer loss" in their souls; and, if saved at all, they are "saved only so as by fire."] 3. How certainly "will sin find us out" at last! [We may conceal our iniquities from man; but we can never hide them from God: "There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves." God does not often interfere to make known our guilt, as in the case before us; (though the interpositions of His providence in the discovery of murder are sometimes extremely marked and visible;) but in the day of judgment "he will make manifest the very counsels of our hearts." It will be in vain then to deny our guilt, or to raise those captious, not to say impious, objections, which now appear to us of so much weight: Every thing will be substantiated by the fullest evidence, and be recompensed according to its desert. O that "in that day we may be found without spot, and blameless!" This may be the state of all, not excepting even murderers themselves, provided they wash in the fountain of Christ's blood, and be renewed by his Holy Spirit. Let us then seek his pardoning and renewing grace. Then shall we be enabled to "stand before our God with boldness," and "give up our account to him with joy, and not with grief."] d Jam. iv. 5. e Rom. viii. 7. f 2 Cor. vi. 14, 15, 17. g 1 Cor. iii. 15. X. INSTITUTION OF PUBLIC WORSHIP. Gen. iv. 26. Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord. OF the various institutions of religion, some were clearly founded on an express appointment from God himself; others appear to have arisen, in the first instance, from the suggestions of holy men, and to have been afterwards authorized and established by divine authority. It is manifest that baptism was practised by the Jews long before it was appointed by Christ as the rite whereby his followers were to be consecrated to his service: but when it was first introduced, or whether by any express command of God, we know not. The change of the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first was sanctioned by the practice of the Apostles: but whether they received any particular direction respecting it, we are not informed. The presumption indeed is, that all the observances which God has sanctioned, originated from him; and that men began to practise them in consequence of some intimations from him: but as this is not declared in Scripture, we must be contented to leave the matter undecided. We are not any where told that God commanded men to meet together for the purposes of public worship. If we take the text in the precise sense that it bears in our translation, it should seem that public assemblies of worship were rather the offspring of necessity; and that they arose out of an increase of population, and a growing neglect of personal and family religion. The text indeed is, in the margin of our Bibles, rendered differently: "Then began men to call themselves by the name of the Lord:" Nor are commentators agreed to which of the versions we should give the preference. We shall therefore include both; and take occasion from the words to shew, I. In what manner we should confess God The descendants of Cain, who had become " a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth," soon cast off all regard for God, and addicted themselves to open and shameless impiety. Lamech broke through the restraints which the Creator had imposed in relation to marriage, and "took unto him two wives;" leaving thereby an example, which in process of time effaced the very remembrance of God's original institution. |