tells us so, 1 John iii. 15. The beginning of sin is a dangerous thing, even as when one lets out water; Pr. xvii. 14: therefore leave it off before it be meddled with. When once the dam is broken, how wide the water will soon make it, who can tell? Let but the old serpent get in his head, and he'll soon wind in his whole body. 'Tis wisdom to withstand the first motions of sin, particularly of anger; because who knows whither it tends, and where 'twill end? The cockatrice is best crushed in the egg.

Quar

'Tis said, Cain talked with Abel his brother; either, 1. Crossly and passionately, thereby seeking occasion of executing his malicious design. relling words do oftentimes make way for blows. Many a murder hath taken its rise from ill language. Or, 2. Lovingly and familiarly, as brethren are wont to do, that so Abel might be secure, expecting no danger. This made it so much the worse, like Judas' betraying his Master with a kiss. But 'tis no new thing for foul sins to have fair pretensions. Thus Joab killed Abner, and Absalom killed Amnon. The Septuagint tells us that Cain said to Abel, Let us go into the field. I suppose Abel did not understand it (as the Hectors of these times would, have. understood it) as a challenge. If he hadt doubtless he would not have been so ready to accep it. It seems by this that Cain was the first dueller;

a sorry copy to write after. The Chaldee paraphrase gives us another account of their discourse; namely, that it was upon some points of religion. Cain thought, because his sacrifice not accepted, that there was no judge of the world,—no time of retribution,-no reward for the good,— -no punishment for the bad. Abel affirmed the contrary, stood up

for the truth, despatch him.

and that gave occasion to Cain to

Death met with Abel when he was

in the field about his calling. There's no place on this side heaven exempt from the stroke of death.

-a sin of the first

Cain's sin was a very great sin,magnitude. He did not learn it by imitation. Who ever set such a copy before him? No: there's no sin which we have not the seed and principle of in our very nature. This sin of Cain's was aggravated, 1. From the relationship of the murdered,—that it was his own brother, pehaps his twin-brother. If this aggravates slander, (Ps. 1. 20,) much more does it aggravate murder. 2. From the reason-because, says the apostle, his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. 1 John iii. 12. He hated him because God loved him; slew him because God accepted him. The blood he shed was not only innocent blood, but righteous blood; nay, and shed (as a great deal of blood since hath been) for righteousness' sake. This is the first-recorded instance of the

old enmity that there is between the wicked and the godly; 'twas put, chap. iii. 15; and now it began to work; now the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent began to quarrel; and this quarrel hath been kept up ever since, and is likely to continue as long as there is an Abel,—a saint,-out of heaven, and a Cain,—a wicked man,-out of hell. What little reason have we then to think sufferings for righteousness' sake strange things. As to Abel, I hesitate not to say that it was his honour; for hereby he became the first that wore the martyr's crown. 'Tis Abel's privilege to lead the van in the noble army of martyrs. He is supposed to be the first that died. The first that went to the grave went to heaven. God would not let the devil have the firstfruits. Death, that was the wages of sin, first lights upon a saint; for saintship, though it quits from the sting, yet it doth not free from the stroke, of death. Nay, he that died first, died for his religion; so early did martyrdom come into the world.

9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

This question is put to Cain to bring him to a

sight and sense of his sin, and (if it might be) to sorrow for it. Perhaps it was at church the next sabbath after, when Adam's family came together to worship God; and Abel, (who doubtless was wont to give his constant attendance upon those ordinances) being missing, God comes to Cain, to examine him where his brother was. The God of heaven observes who is present at, and who is absent from, public ordinances.

Abel thy brother. God reminds Cain of this relationship, to aggravate his sin: thy brother, whom thou wast obliged, by the bond of nature itself, to love and take care of; but thou (unnatural wretch!) hast broken that bond asunder.

And he said, I know not. That was a downright lie, for he did know. This is another instance of that truth that the way of sin is downhill, and one iniquity the cause of another. When a fault is committed, how often is a lie thought needful to conceal it! "That fault that needs it most, grows two thereby." -HERBERT. Observe the folly of Cain in thinking to hide his sin from the all-seeing eye of the heartsearching God, by a lie. He covered his sin; but did it prosper? No: he that covereth his sins shall not prosper. Prov. xxviii. 14.

Am I my brother's keeper? Have not I business of my own to look after,-ground to tend,-and

a plough to follow? what am I concerned in him? This manner of speaking was unbecoming for a creature to use to the Creator,-the potsherd to the Potter. Confessing his fault, justifying God, judging himself, would have become him better. See whose language they speak that excuse themselves from the great duty of watching over one another; that say they have enough to do to look to their own matters, and are not concerned with their neighbours'. The apostle teaches us another lesson: look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Philip. ii. 4. Some think that Cain doth herein tacitly charge his sin upon the providence of that God with whose nature it is inconsistent to be the author of sin. Am I my brother's keeper? No, Lord; thou art his keeper; thou didst in effect take him into thy protection when thou hadst respect unto him and his offering. Why then dost thou examine me concerning him?

10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

What hast thou done? What a wicked thing in itself; how provoking to God! What a great deal of guilt hast thou contracted by this sin! Dost thou know, hast thou considered seriously, what thou hast