s was Abel, of both God's regard, and ne servants who follow Abel's faith. ing dead yet speaketh' by his works of Jas. 2. 18. necessary and best evidences of a lively

1 stands canonized by God's own appro- Heb. 11. 4. ace. First, of his person, that he was of his performance, his sacrifice. Therewith Enoch, (verse 5,) for his communion nd happiness; by which both Enoch and The Jewish Rabbinsi and sundry Chrisfer as a tradition this sign of God's acrifice of Abel, to wit, by sending fire pon Aaron's, and upon Solomon's, and Lev. 9. 24. ce,) which kindled the sacrifice of Abel 2 Chron.

, and not that of Cain who was the elder 1 Kings erpreters think that this acceptation of 18. 38.

a designation of Abel, the younger sthood before Cain, the elder brother; e the occasion of Cain's envy, and his bel's murder. By the way it is worthy all that come to worship God are either at is, they come with faith, or without l accordingly.

ly, Abel 'being dead yet speaketh;' as ons, so at his death by his patience and tephen was the proto-martyr of the New bel the proto-martyr of the Old Testafor righteousness' sake. Hence some his name from as, which in the holy mourn;' because he was the first man th, for which and for whom his (and our and Eve, did begin to mourn.

at sin (though but a beast) hath a voice, trange in a beast) sin hath an articulate ter-passion, which is lex talionis, sin doth

sinner, but also indorseth upon the llel punishment for time or place, person any times the punishment becomes the

10.

20.

Jas. 5. 4.

1

THE DEAD MAN'S REAL SPEECH.

Judg. 1.7. witness Adonibezeck, As I have done, so God i 2 Sam. 12. me.' Which was also king David's case, bloc such was the voice of sin and of their own cons hath a voice indeed, and that a loud voice, for i high as heaven to God's ear, and from thence r Gen. 18. an echo upon a man's own conscience. We re of Sodom, and of the cry of the hireling's wage him; and here Abel's blood hath a voice that cr justice in God's ears; and as it were, prefers a l ment. Upon which God, the just judge, arraigneth Cain, passeth judgment, and doth exe Cain the fratricide; stamping a curse both upo Gen. 4. 10. and estate, saying What hast thou done? the brother's blood cries unto Me from the ground, thou cursed from the earth which hath opened h receive thy brother's blood from thine hand. tillest the ground it shall not henceforth yield u strength. A fugitive and a vagabond shalt tho earth.'

13.

Now as sin hath a voice, so grace hath a voice upon us, as for our imitation of the virtues of departed, so calling upon God for a gracious com Rev. 14. their works which follow them after death, not at of merit, but of God's free mercy; for what pro twixt man's works, which are but temporary an finite, (all our best works are no more, and beside Rom.8.18. all,) and God's high reward, which is infinite both and for duration to all eternity?

Some interpreters add a fifth way, by which dead yet speaketh;' to wit, as a type; by his blo Cain his brother prefiguring the blood of Christ brethren the Jews.

And thus many ways Abel being dead yet spea so all good men, though dead, speak by their go faith and patience. In which blessed number, this before our eyes was through God's grace list speaketh by his good deeds to his generation, an his example to preach unto us all St. Paul's aposto Gal. 6. 9. nition, not to be weary of well-doing, for in due shall reap (a reward) if we faint not as our Chr

ald I make an end here, and so come that I must now pass and descend from s our real text lying before us. But it n practice, that when God hath been will by the event, our humble resignafriends and all, with submission of our our duty, and the best remedy to allay to say in the words and with the spirit rd hath given and the Lord hath taken Job 1. 21. name of the Lord,' which is part of our all this Job sinned not, no more should followers of Job's faith and patience; all, through Jesus Christ our Lord; to ther and the Holy Ghost, be ascribed us, and from all men, praise, power, n, now and for ever. Amen.