1

be counted va

Word.

All things to fo he counted himfelt and all the world nothing but vanity, and nity, in refpe&t gave not himself to vanity, Proverbs the thirtieth chapter and the of God and his eighth verle: As David laith Pfalm the seventy third and the twenfifth verfe, Whom have I in heaven in comparison of thee, and there is nothing on earth which I defire befides thee? fo Abel had this account of God, that he defired nothing on earth in refpect of God and his word.

Abel's faith

ble by works.

ty

Touching his Oblation, if there be an unfained faith, the first to Timothy the first chapter and the fifth verfe, then there is a fained and counterfeit faith; but that we may know that Abels faith was a true faith and not fained, we fee it had opus fidei, the first to the Theffalonians the firft chapter and the third verfe, It was a visible faith, true, and vifi- for he fhewed his faith by his works, Fames the second and the eighteenth, that is, by the effects of faith proceeding from it; for as there is piritus fidel, the fecond to the Corinthians and the fourth chapter, fo it hath a body, and in that regard, the faith of our Father Abraham is faid to have steps wherein we must walk, Romans the fourth and the twefth verfe, but a spirit hath no steps. That which proved Abrahams faith to be true and nufained, was the work of faith which he performed; of which it is said obtulit Abrahamus filium, Hebrews the eleventh chapter and the feventeenth verse; and the fame thing proves Abels faith to be atrue faith, Hebrews the cleventh and the fourth verse, fide obtulit Abel, and the offering faith, For Imitation. is that faith which is commended to our imitation.

Steps of Abel's
faith.
1. Gratitude.

2: The a& of
Obedience.

3. The act of
Humilitic.

4. The act of

fwafion.

The steps of faith which were in Abraham and Abell are, First, Gratitude, whereby we offer a little of that we have,in thankfulneffe to God, from whom we acknowledge all to be recieved.

Secondly, the act of Obedience, when by yeelding fomething of that we have, we acknowledge our felves ready to lofe all we have for his fake, that gave us all.

Thirdly, the act of Humility, when, by offering a lambe to God, We confeffe thereby that we our felves deserved to suffer, that which the poor beast suffereth; and fuch an act of faith God refpe&teth, ad quem refpicio? ad humilem, in the fixty fixe of Ifaiah.

Fourthly,the act of Hope and perfwafion,when being perfwaded Hope and per- that the death of a corruptible beaft, is no juft recompence for the life of man, we hope to be faved and clean fed from our finnes, in the blood of Chrift the lambe of God, which was fignified by Abel's lambe. These a&s are the steps of the faith of Abel and Abraham, and God there looketh upon fuch as teftifie their faith, by these effc&s.

The faith of the
Ele& ever
fhewed these
affc&i.

.

And, that we should bring this faith and these oblations, we are to confider, that fuch hath been the faith of Gods fervants, from the beginning: Before the flood, Abel's offering was in faith, after the flood, Noah in faith offered, Genefis the eighth chapter, and the twentieth verfe. In the time of the law God gave charge, that both poor and rich should offer, Exods the thirtieth chapter, and the fifteenth verse. During the Tabernacle, which was carryed hither

an

and thither, Exodus the thirty fift chapter God commanded, whosoever was of a willing heart, let him bring an offering. When the Temple was up, David prayeth to God, o Lord, the people bave offered to thee willingly with joy, accept it therefore, and keepe this for ever in the purpose and thought of their hearts, that they may still offer, the first booke of Chronicles, and the twenty ninth chapter. After the Gospell, they brought all that they had, and laid it at the feet of the Apofiles, in the fourth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Not only the rich were to offer, as it is in the one and thirtieth chapter of Exodus; but the poor that could not bring jewels, were to offer Camels hair, to the building of the Tabernacle, as it is in the thirty fift chap ter of Exodus; and therefore the poor widow was commended no lefs, for that little which she put in of her penury, than the rich men, in the one and twentieth chapter of Luke. The Churches of Macedonia were fo carefull hereof, that in their extream penury, their liberalitie abounded,in the fecond Epifle to the Corinthians, the eighth chapter and the second verfe, they were willing to their pow er, and beyond their power, to fhew their liberality.

There is a difference between almes and offerings, as Paul fhew- The difference eth, in the twenty fourth of the Acts, and the seventeenth verfe, I between almes came and brought almes and offerings. That diftribution which they of and offerings Macedonia made, to the poor faints at Ferufalem in the fifteenth chapter to the Romans, and the twenty fixt verfe, is not that oblation which the Apostle fpeaketh of, in the fourth to the Philippians, and eighteenth verfe, where the Apostle faith, I received from you an odor that smelleth sweet, a facrifice that is acceptable and pleasant to God. That which is offered to Chrift, and givento holy uses, is one thing, and that which is given to the poor is another.

For the offerings themselves, both Cain and Abel offered, but Note. not alike: Abel had refpect what he offered, and made great choice of his oblation; he offered not in fine dierum, as Cain; but primitias gregis, and not the meaneft, but the fatteft of his sheep, and therefore God hath fpeciall regard of Abel: But as for Cain, as he had no regard what he offered; fo God had no repfect to his oblation. As here Mofes fheweth the quality of Abel's offering, that it was the fat The quality teft he could finde; fo the Apoftle fheweth the quantity of it, obtu- and quantity lit plurimam hostiam, in the eleventh to the Hebrews, and the fourth of Abel's factie verfe; for he had a regard to the Majesty of that great God, from whom he received all that he had, and therefore ferveth him with

the best.

fice,

fice

But to Cain and his oblation he had no regard; Gods eye upon Cain How Gods eye was not as the eye of a Cockatrice, that is hurtfull, only he dealeth was upon Cain with Cain privatively, and not pofitively, withdrawing from Cain and his facrithat favour and good liking which he fhewed to Abell. The question is there fore, why Cain was not regarded? If the fame faith had been in him, which was found in Abel, he had been refpe&ted. He had obtulit as well as Abel, but not fides; but because he wanted faith, his oblation and his perfon was not refpected, quia fine fide imposibile eft

Ccc

placere

1

What an oblation is

fered.

Note.

placere Deo, Hebrewes the eleventh chapter, and the fixth verse. Oblation is an outward teftimony of that inward reverence we have of How to be of God, whom we acknowledge to be our fuperior, from whom we receive all help and fuccour, and to whom therefore we submit our felves. This perfwafion of Gods goodacffe,must first be føtled in our hearts, and then we outwardly teftifie our faith; that when we offer to God a little, we teftifie that all cometh from him: But this faith and inward perfwalion Cain wanted, and confequently,in making an outward teftimony of that which was not in him, he played the hypocrite,and was therefore rejected. Men doe firft require the heart, and inward affection,and then the outward reftification, much more will God require it at our hands, and we cannot deceive him with outward shewes, who trieth the reins and heart.

Second quefti

on.

Refpe&ts why

Cain offered.

1. fearing more to offend his

God.

Men pleafers bypocrites.

Third question

What the

light of nature taught Cain in offering.

Secondly, but why did Cain offer? If he had offered by faith, it would have brought forth as good effects as Abel's faith did: But therefore he offered not by faith; yet he muft of neceffity offer for these respects; First as Efau forbore to kill his brother,till the dayes of mourning, for his Father came, Genefis the twenty feventh and the fourty firft verfe, because he durft not offend his Father; fo Cain offered, because he durft not offend his Father. Adam being a religious man, would have been offended if he had not offered, fo the reason why his offering was not refpected, was because his fear toward God, was taught by mens precepts, Matthew the fifteenth chapter, this was the way of Cain, of which the Apostle faith, woe be to them that follow the way of Cain, Fude the eleventh verfe Secondly, he thought he muft of neceffity offer to please other men, for he was in the number of those that have afhew of godlinefs, but deny the power thereof,the first to Timothy and the fecond chapter; and this makes the facrifices of the wicked abominable before God, because they come as though they had respect to serve God only, but it is but to please men.

Thirdly, fesing faith is the gift of God, why was he not endued with faith, which might make his perfon and his oblation acceptable to God as well as Abels? The answer is out of Fob, He was one of those that are abhorrers of the light, rebelles lumini, the twenty fourth chapter of Fob and the thirteenth verse : what ground had Cain to offer, but only the light of nature? which taught him, that God only is able to help in time of need, & that it is he that gives all things: But it tels us not only thus much, but fhews us what kinde of oblations must be offered to God, that is, prima primo, and the best things to him that is best and of greatest majesty. The Lord is a great King, and his name is terrible, the first chapter of Malachi and the fourteenth verfe, therefore we muft beware what we offer to him. But Cain was rebellious to this light, and because he used this talent evill, he is deprived of this light of faith, the twenty fifth light of nature, chapter of Matthew and the twenty eighth verfe; for the light of nadeprived of the ture is as the light of a candle shining in a dark place, till the day ftar, and why? that is, the light of faith, arise in our hearts, the second Epiftle of

Question an.

Iwered

Rebels to the

light of faith;

Peter

Peter the first chapter and the nineteenth verte; And he that is not faithfull in little, how fhall much be committed to him? the fixteenth chapter of Luke and the tenth verfe; he had refpe&t to nothing but to please men that are but flesh and blood, and therefore the meaneft things he had served his turn.

And to imitate.

Laftly, If this be the fumme of all our defires, which David pray. Note well the eth, Pfalm the one hundred and ninteenth and the one hundred and fumme of defires to be play thirty fecond verfe, Look upon me, and be mercifull unto me, as thou u-ed for feft to doe unto thofe that love thy name: We muft imitate them, that by faith have pleafed God; we must have both the faith and offerings of Abel and Abraham; and unro thefe we must add, that our offerings come not from us agre, in fine dierum, but that they be primitia, they may not be the leanest of our sheep, but the fatreft; out. if we examine the faith and offerings of the world, we shall finds the The offerings greatest part goethe way of Cain; they offer in fine dierum, and with- of Wordlings. out any choice, the vileft things they have; and many are worfe than Cain, for whereas he offered, many defire fuch a Religion wherein they may come before God with empty hands, they would offer a facrifice that coft them nothing, the second of Samuel, the twenty fourth chapter and the twenty fourth verfe, the first to the Corinthians the ninth chapter; and there is another degree of men, that content themselves with ipirituall fcrifices: fome will be content to add,vitulos labiorum, that is not only conceive fom good meditations for a time,but hear a Sermon & praise God with a Pfalm; but as for a real oblation they bring none. But this was not Abels faith,his was an offering faith; & if we will be faved as he was, we must bring his faith to God, and fhew the effects of it: Fides and obtulit must not be fevered, for that is abomination. If our offerings be in fine dierum, Examination if they be the meaneft things we have, then they are facrificia fera, of offerings. & rejectionis oblationes: We muft confider and ballance that which we offer to God, with that which we offer to our bellie, whom wee make our God, as it is in the third chapter to the Philippians; and that we offer to our backs, in the first Epistle to Timothie, the second chapter, and the ninth verfe, in coftly apparel. It therefore we have been flack and unwilling to offer to God; we muft henceforth offer more Note: franckly, and pray that God would continue this purpose in our hearts, to offer to him, in the first book of Chronicles, the twenty ninth chapter, and the eighteenth verfe; because this is a favour and fmelleth well, and is acceptable to God, Philippians the fourth chapter and the feventeenth verfe. If we will have the true faith, it must be that faith that doth worke by love, in the fift chapter to the Galatians, and the fixt verfe; that it be like Abrahams faith, which did cooperare operibus, in the fecond of James and the twenty fecond verfe and such a faith, as bati jogned to it love, and all other virtues, in the second of Peter the first chapter and the second and third verfes: For where there is great faith,there will be great facrifices and oblations, in the eighth chapter, of the second Epistle to the Corinthians.

Ccc 2

:

Quapropter

Gen

4 5.

May 6. 1.5.99.

Quapropter accenfa est ira Kajini valde, cecidit vultus ejus.

N which words, as we fee the originall taint and corruption, that came into our nature by the difobedience of man, breaketh forth; for here originall finne fheweth it felf firft in Cain, in whom we see that verified, which the Apostle affirmeth of all men, that there is a spirit in us that lufteth after envy, in the fourth chapter of Fames, and the fift verse: For here the envy of Cain is manifeft, in that he is angry, be caufe God did approve Abel's facrifice, and refpected nor his. This envie and malice of his proceeded from the Devill, who is called the envious man, Matthew the thirteenth chapter, and the nineteenth verfe, for that he loweth envy and all other vices in the hearts of men. There went another finne before envy: For where Abels facrifice was done in faith, and therefore respected; we have fhewed that Cain offered only to pleale men, and confequently whatfoever he did was hypocrific; which, albeit it goe before his envy, yet it is only in the heart. But the first finne that fhewed it felf outwardly was his malice and envy against his brother, where we are Envy begin to note the proceeding of finne. First, He began with hypocrifie neth with Hy- within, and then follows hatred and cavy without; for if shipwrack pocrific; Hatred follow be made of faith towards God, charity towards men will not long beunbroken, Ifthe end of the promife, which is faith in the bleffed feed of the Woman, be not regarded, the end of the commandemens, which is love, in the first epistle to Timothie the first chapter and the Breach of faith fift verfe, will little be refpected; For, as Saint John faith, This comto God, cauf mand we have from him, That he which loveth God, fhould love his brother alfo: But he which loveth not his brother, which he feeth, how shall he love God which he hath not seen? the first epistle of John and the fouth chapter. In the words themselves there are two things expreffed, First, a heavineffe or anger conceived: Secondly, the abating of his countenance,that is,Cains finne in an inward impofthume, and an outward jaundise.

eth,

eth breach of charity to men.

Note.

The heart hea

But in the first we are to marke, It is not faid, he was displeased or angrie, but wrath, and exceeding wrath, the inward infection was come to a fuppuration: It was not envy only, but also hatred, which made him proceed to the murthering of his brother, the first epistle of Fohn the third chapter. If we inquire, why he was vie, it is dif- heavy? We shall finde that to be, for that his heart was diftempered, either against God, or his brother; either against him that did refpe&, or against him that was refpected. The first paffiHeavineffe the on or affection of our nature mentioned in Scripture, as we lee is heavineffe, which is the first fruit of fione, and of it felf is nei ther to be condemned nor commended; for, ex peccato nafcitur

tempered.

firft fruit of

finne.

triftitia: