Genesis 4:1-16 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bore Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.… I. THE PARITY OR EQUALITY OF CAIN AND ABEL IS FOUR FOLD. 1. In their original, as both born of the same parents. 2. In their relation, they were brothers. 3. In their secular condition: both had honest employs, and not only lawful, but laudable particular callings. 4. In their religious concerns: both were worshippers of God, both brought sacrifices to God. (1) Their particular callings (Genesis 4:2).(a) That parents ought not to bring up their children in idleness, but in some honest calling wherein they may both serve themselves and their generation, according to the will of God (Acts 13:36).(b) That every man must have his trade and calling in the world, as those two sons of Adam had. Though their father was lord of the world, yet he brought up both his sons in laborious callings.(c) It is a sin for any man to live without a calling. One that lives in idleness (without an honest calling) is but an unprofitable burden of the earth, and seems to be born for no other end save to spend the fruits of the world as a useless spendthrift. Why Moses recordeth this service done to God (by way of sacrifice) in all its circumstances by those two sons of Adam, Cain and Abel? 1. To demonstrate the antiquity of religion. That it is no new devised fable, but is as ancient as the world. Hence may be inferred — (1) The grossness of atheism. (2) The absurdity of irreligion. 2. The account why Moses records this history, is to show the mixture of religion, that among men who profess and practise religion there ever hath been a mixture thereof. 3. Moses records this history to declare the disagreements and contentions that do arise about religion in the world. (1) That quarrels about religion are the greatest quarrels in the world. The dissentions about religion are the most irreconcilable dissentions. (2) This affordeth us the clear and true character of the true religion from the false. Outrage and cruelty is the black brand wherewith God's Word stigmatizeth the false and formal religion, and here it begins, showing how Cain did most maliciously oppose Abel, but Abel offered no affront at all to Cain, for the badge and cognizance of true religion is meekness and love. The second inquiry is, concerning the service of those two sons of Adam, what Moses doth record of it. This their service and success thereof, are the two principal parts of this sacred record touching Cain and Abel. Now, concerning the SERVICE two particulars are very remarkable. 1. Of the circumstances of it, which are four. (1) The persons who they were. (2) The second circumstance is, the time when they did so. The Scripture telleth us it came to pass in process of time (Genesis 4:2). 2. What motive they had at this time to sacrifice to God; 'tis probable they did so either — (1) By an express command of God spoken, but not written; otherwise their service had been will worship; so Abel's sacrifice had been rejected of God as well as Cain's; but more of this after. Or — (2) They did it by their father's example, whom God taught so to do, and who might teach his sons to do the like; otherwise, how could they all have coats of skins to clothe them, if they had not the skins of sacrificed beasts for that end? Or — (3) They might do so by the dictates of their own natural reason. Hence the very instinct of nature might suggest to them, that it was but a rational service to offer up to their Creator something of those creatures that God had graciously given them, as a due acknowledgment of their homage to Him who is Lord of all (Acts 10:36).Hence may be inferred — 1. The mischief on mankind by the Fall, to wit, man's dulness to learn anything that is good. 2. The misery of those persons who want instruction in families and assemblies! How blind and brutish must all such be, and how unskilful at this celestial trade! 3. Oh, what a blessing is the ministry to men, which teacheth them this trading and trafficking with heaven, that cannot be learnt all at once, but by degrees!The (3) circumstance is the place where, which the Scripture of truth mentions not.The (4) circumstance is the manner how, which leads me to the second particular, to wit, the substance of their service, wherein this circumstance is spoke to, the SUCCESS OF THEIR SERVICE.The (5) circumstance is the matter what, to be spoke unto, in the substance. Now, as to the substance of it, look upon it in common, and both brothers concerned together therein. So there is still a parity and congruity as to the substance of it.For — 1. Their service was equally personal, they both made their personal address to God, and to His altar of oblation; they did not serve God by a proxy. They did not transmit this their duty to their father Adam. Hence, observe, no man stands exempted from his personal attendance on God's service, but everyone owes a homage which he must pay in his own person. This is proved both by Scripture and reason. (1) By Scripture, every man under the law (whether Israelite or proselyte) was to appear personally and offer to the Lord for himself at the door of the tabernacle, and whoever did not so, was to be cut off from his people (Leviticus 17:3, 4). And in their more public feasts, God expressly enjoined them, that three times in a year all their males shall appear before the Lord in a place which He shall choose, and none shall appear before the Lord empty, every man shall give according to the gift of his hand (Deuteronomy 16:16, 17).The (1) reason is, everyone is personally God's creature, so the bond of creation obligeth all to pay their personal respects to their Creator. No man is his own, but God's; therefore every man must glorify God with their own bodies and spirits (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20).The (2) reason is, everyone is a sinner, and sins against God in their own persons; therefore everyone must serve God in their own persons, and sue to Him for pardon and reconciliation. No man can redeem his brother (Psalm 49:7).The (3) reason, everyone hath personal dependency on God for a supply both of their temporal and spiritual wants. Now, 'tis but reasonable service (Romans 12:1), that all persons should carry their own pitchers to this fountain of life, and should turn the cock both of grace and mercy for their own supply.The (4) reason is, every man is already a great debtor to God (his Benefactor); God is behindhand with none, but much beforehand with all, and therefore as we all have received mercy from God in our own proper persons, so we should return duty to God in our own proper persons also. 2. As the service of those two brothers was equally personal, so it was equally warrantable and lawful service. The second inference is, to look for Divine warrant for every part of Divine worship. That primitive simplicity which is in Christ and in His gospel worship, ought not to be corrupted (2 Corinthians 11:3). All modes and rites of worship which have not Christ's stamp upon them, are no better than will worship. How exact was God in tabernacle worship (Exodus 39:43), and will He not be so in gospel worship? The third propriety, in the substance of this service is, it was also costly worship; there was cost in both their sacrifices, they put not God off with empty compliments, and verbal acknowledgments of superficial and perfunctory shows. All men can willingly give God the cap and the knee, yea and the lip too, but when it comes to cost, then they shuffle off His service: men naturally love a cheap religion. The fourth property of their service is, there was unity in their worship. Cain did not build one altar, and Abel another, but one served both; they both offered in one place, and at one time. Hence, observe, it makes much for the honour of religious worship, when it is performed in the spirit of unity. The first inference is — oh, let it not be told in Gath, nor published in Askelon — that there is altar against altar, and prayer against prayer, amongst professors in our day. The apostle presseth to unity with many arguments (Ephesians 4:3, 4, etc.). The second inference is, Yet unity without verity is not unity, but conspiracy. There is no true concord but in truth. The third inference is, that narrow principles undo unity. The fifth property, 'twas equally a solemn service by way of sacrifice; both these sons paid their homage to their Maker, the one in a sheaf, and the other in a sheep.Hence observe, holy sacrifices and services have been tendered and rendered up to the great God in all ages of the world by the Church of God. 1. As the sacrifice was a real acknowledgment of God's sovereignty over the sacrificer (Isaiah 16:1). 2. As it was a sad remembrancer of the sacrificer's sin, to wit, that he deserved to be burnt (as his burnt offering was) even in everlasting burnings. 3. As it was a solemn protestation of their faith in Christ, whom all their sacrifices did prefigure, as He was the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world (Revelation 13:18). 4. As it was also an offering of thankfulness; those sacrifices were eucharistical as well as propitiatory, thank offerings as well as sin offerings. What shall I render? saith David (Psalm 116:12). (1) The gospel sacrifice of repentance, wherein the penitent soul offers itself up on God's altar.The (2) gospel sacrifice is praying for what we want, and praising for what we have.The (3) gospel sacrifice (in a word) is all the good works both of piety and charity. Now, the success of it shows a foul disparity; the one is accepted, the other is rejected. God had respect to Abel, and to his offering, but, etc. (Genesis 4:4, 5). This disparity is demonstrated by three remarkable passages or particulars. 1. Of the order inverted; until now, it was Cain and Abel, the eldest is named first, the order of nature is observed. Hence observe — (1) Though amongst many worshippers of God in public worship man can discern no difference, but one is as good as another in both attendance and attention, yet God can, both in intention and retention. All fit as God's people (Ezekiel 33:31). And no mortal eye can distinguish which is a Cain and which is an Abel, yea, a Cain may be the fore-horse in the team, and be most forward as to personal attendance and attention of body. The fifth inference is, this shows us whom we ought to please in all our works or worship. It must not be man, but God, who knoweth the heart (John 2:25; Acts 1:24). The second particular is the ground of that inversion, or the reasons of this disparity; the causes why the one was accepted, and the other rejected. There is a two-fold difference here very remarkable. 1. In regard to their persons; and that is also two fold. (1) God put or set the difference. And — (2) He saw the difference betwixt those two persons; unto Abel God had respect, but unto Cain He had not (Genesis 4:4, 5). It is the free grace of God that is the main fundamental cause of difference, preferring Abel before Cain. 2. As God putteth the difference, so He beholdeth the difference betwixt good and bad, and here between Cain and Abel. 3. It is the piety or impiety of men's persons that do commend or discommend their actions and services to God. It is not the work that so much commends or discommends the man, but the man the work. As is the cause so is the effect, and the better that the cause is, the better must the effect be. These are maxims in philosophy, which hold true in divinity also. A good man worketh good actions, and the better the man is, the better are his actions. As the temple is said to sanctify the gold, and not the gold the temple (Matthew 23:17), so the person gives acceptance to, and sanctifies the action, not the action the person. "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight" (Proverbs 15:8).Both do offer, the one a sheaf, and the other a sheep; yet the one is accepted, the other rejected from a threefold difference in the action. I. In regard of the matter of their sacrifice, Abel made choice of the best he had to present unto God. Hence observe, it cannot consist with a gracious heart to shuffle off the great God with slight services. Alas! men do but trifle with God, when they think anything will be sufficient to satisfy Him. 1. Such as spend many hours in vanity, yet cannot spare one hour for God and the good of their souls. 2. Such as are profuse in villainy upon their lusts, yet can find nothing to bestow in pious and charitable uses upon the Lord. 3. Such as swatter away all their youth time (while the bones are full of marrow and veins full of blood, both as ponderous sheaves) in ways of both vanity and villainy, and think to put off God with the poor pined sheaf of their old age, as if the great God would be put off with the devil's leavings. The second difference in their action was in respect of their devotion and affections; Abel offered in sincerity, but Cain in hypocrisy. The third and principal difference that distinguished Cain and Abel's action was faith, which is indeed the prime cause of all the other differences. Abel offered in faith, but Cain did not so (Hebrews 11:4). It was faith that dominated Abel a righteous man, and Cain was a wicked man, because he wanted faith.How comes faith to put this difference? There is a two-fold faith. 1. The faith upon God's precept. Abel offered sacrifice, not so much because Adam, but because God commanded. This is called the obedience of faith (Romans 16:26). 2. There is the faith upon God's promise. Thus Abel did not only lay a slain sacrifice upon the altar, but he put faith under it. He considered Christ to be the Lamb slain front the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). The inference hence flowing is, it is Christ, and Christ alone, that gives to all our services acceptance with God. It is faith in Christ that pleaseth God (Hebrews 11:16).Now, the third and last particular is the success (which is the second general, as service was the first), or acceptance, which, as to Abel, is evident in three things. 1. The Divine allowance or approbation of Abel. He being a righteous man (Matthew 23:35). Both his person and oblation (through Divine grace) was — (1) Approvable; hence the first observation is, it is a special vouchsafement and condescension in God to look on, and allow of the poor services of man. (2) As God gave allowance and approbation of Abel's sacrifice, so He had delight and complacency in it. This also is signified by the word "respect." But 2. Unto Cain and his offering God had not respect. To demonstrate the equity of God in His dealing with wicked men. His ways are always equal with us (Ezekiel 18:25, and Ezekiel 33:17). As Cain respected not God in his sacrifice, so God respected not him nor his sacrifice.Inferences hence are — 1. If the sweet success of our services be God's acceptance, then, oh, what an holy carefulness should we all have about our services and duties. 2. Oh, what holy cheerfulness should we have to work all our works in God (John 3:21), that they may be accepted of Him, and respected by Him. 3. Oh, what an holy inquisitiveness should we all have, whether God accept or reject our duties? Our acceptance may be known by these characters. Hath God inflamed our sacrifice as He did Abel's, some warm impressions of God's Spirit upon our hearts, some Divine touch of a live coal from God's altar? (Isaiah 6:6). The second sign or character of acceptance is the joy of duty; injections of joy, as well as inspirations of heat, are sweet demonstrations of acceptance; blessed are they that hear the joyful sound of God, they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of Thy countenance (Psalm 89:15). A third sign is, when God gives in any supply of that grace which is sued for, either strengthening it, or weakening sin that wars against it. II. As there is no life in a wicked man's duty, so there is no warmth in it; he puts off God with cold dishes, such as God loves not. As there is no heart, so there is no heat in any of his services; it is not a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord, so no sweet savour to Him (Leviticus 1:13, 17, and Leviticus 2:2,9,10, etc.). III. A wicked man (as Cain here) regardeth iniquity in his heart, therefore God regardeth not his prayer (Psalm 66:18). This is the dead fly that spoils never so sweet ointment (Ecclesiastes 9:1). (C. Ness.) Parallel Verses KJV: And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. |
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