Prototypes, Example 3
THE THIRD EXAMPLE.
OF ABEL.
I Have done with Caine the elder Brother, I come to Abel the younger Brother, and as it is likely the next after him.Abel what it ſignifieth. His name ſignifieth vanity, which is all one with unprofitableneſſe, or inability to make happy. It is the ſame that Salomons long experience made him to impoſe on all earthly things, which he calls vanity of vanities, as well he might, becauſe in ſeeking to finde felicity in them, hee was utterly diſappointed and after a long inquiſition met with nothing but vexation of ſpirit. By this time like enough Eve had learned the vanity of all earthly things, and by name of a ſonne which before ſhee called a poſſeſſion, but now calls vanity, for that children alſo be but a poſſeſſion of vanity as well as other things.
Of Abel let us conſider his birth, life and death.
His Birth is plainely ſet downe by the authors of it,His Birth. Eve and Adam, for ſhee conceived againe and bare a ſonne and called his name, &c. but the time of it as alſo of the elder Brothers is uncertaine. We know not how long they lived without children, whether ſhee began to be fruitfull inſtantly upon the fall, or that God held them a little under barrenneſſe, to make them beget a child by their prayers to God for that bleſſing, as well as by the faculty of generation planted in nature, I cannot affirme: but ſuch a ſonne ſhee had. Concerning whoſe life obſerve wee, 1. His virtues and good deeds. 2. His faults. 3. His benefits and afflictions.
His vertues. 1. Was painefull in his calling.His good deeds are here ſet downe, he was painefull in the calling of a Shepheard, for ſo it is ſaid, Hee was feeding a flocke, meaning not alone that hee had undertaken this vocation, but that he did alſo painefully diſcharge it. The Shepheards calling is now a neceſſary calling as well as the Husbandmans, though not equally neceſſary: but wee finde in experience, that it is a calling ſubordinate to Husbandrie, for that the profitable ſheepe is not alone beneficiall for her fleſh and skinne, but alſo for her ſoyle, and that in ſuch degree profitable, as in many places they could ſcarce have any corne growing by their art and paines in Husbandry, if the ſheepes dung did not fat the ground. And this is I conceive one of the beſt uſes of the ſheep when ſhe becomes attendant to the place. O that this ſimple and harmeleſſe creature might not be changed into a moſt ravenous and devouring creature, thorough the rapine and avarice of thoſe men which thinke all too little for themſelves, and had rather dwell alone or amongſt beaſts then amongſt a number of Tenants, and as the members of a Towne-ſhip or a Church. Now the world is turned quite upſide downe, in this time Caine killed Abel, ſpake to him, and having him in the field roſe up againſt him and ſlew him; but now Abel killeth Caine, ſpeaks to him roughly or fairely, I cannot tell, but drives him quite out of the places where he did once inhabit. I meane the Shepheard doth eate out the Husbandman. But you ſee that as well Abel as Caine was painefull in his calling, and was brought up in ſome externall and worldly buſineſſe, wherein he might ſerve God, advantage the world, and exerciſe and profit himſelfe.
Surely true piety and godlineſſe will very well accord with diligence in a calling, and it is but mens miſtake if they thinke that their vocations hinder them from the true Worſhipping of God; Abel as well as Caine had his trade of life. The miſerable corruption of our nature will turne all things into occaſions of hurt and miſchiefe, and make them meanes of interrupting us in good waies, but elſe a calling duely followed by exerciſing the graces of Gods Spirit, and humbling and taming the fleſh, and well imploying the thoughts, and preventing many temptations and opportunities of ſinning, doth greatly further our growth in piety, and is farre from being any juſt hinderance unto it: we muſt therefore marke this in Abel as well as Caine, and be carefull to imitate it.
All you that have children to educate, bring them up to ſome calling. Let them be as members not excrements in the body of humane ſocieties.It is good to have a calling and be faithfull in it. All you that are already come to ſuch a ſtate as you can diſcerne betweene good and evill, apply your ſelves to ſome calling, ſome worke of body or minde, ſome conſtant and ſetled imployment in ſome lawfull actions, tending to the common good and your own, that you may be ſure as S. Paul ſaith, to labour if not with your hands, yet with your heads the thing that is good, that you may have to give, and that you may not be counted inordinate and unruly walkers, not working at all but being buſie bodies, workers round about as the word ſignifieth, do nothing but fetch friskes and vagaries through the world. O expoſe not your ſelves and yours to ſo much miſery as to have nothing to do. An empty veſſel is fit to receive any liquor that is powred into it; the Divell will put you on evill imployments, if you do not beſtow your ſelves on good: A bird that ſitteth ſtill on a tree is eaſily hit with a piece or croſſe-bow, but it is hard to take the flying bird. It is eaſie for Satan to intangle with his temptations the Idlesbee, but hard to faſten on the man of imployments. The Lord commends and rewards diligence in a calling, and bids know the ſtate of thy flocke, and bids men goe and learne of the Piſmire, and diſcommends idleneſſe and ſluggiſhneſſe, and threatens him that followes the idle. Let good Abel teach you faithfullneſſe in your calling. Caſt away ſluggiſhneſſe and unthriftineſſe, wearing out your bodies in vanities and worſe then vanities, and ſet your ſelves to ſome ſuch worke as may make you able to anſwer the queſtion of God and your Maſter when hee ſhall call you to account for the laying out of ſo pretious a thing as time.
But ſecondly, hee was religious and devout,2. Was religious. hee brought of the fruit of his flocks, yea of the firſtlings and of the fat thereof. He did bring to God one of the beſt and fatteſt of his Rammes, or Ewes, for Weathers were not for Sacrifice, and no maimed thing was to be offered on Gods Altar. It is not obſerved of Caine, that hee brought of the firſt fruites and beſt of his corne or other graine: It is likely that the Holy Ghoſt would have done this office of a faithfull Hiſtorian, and have given Caine his due by telling the quality as well as the matter of his offering, if it had beene as well qualified in this reſpect as his Brothers. Wherefore when he commends Abels offering, becauſe it was of the choice and fatteſt of his flock, it may be well thought in forbearing to ſay any thing in like commendation of Caines, that hee tooke no great care, whether it were of the beſt or not, and therefore wee may well conceive that one cauſe of Gods rejecting Caines Sacrifice was, becauſe hee did not bring of the beſt of his fruites, as one cauſe of his accepting Abels was becauſe hee did bring of the choiceſt of his flock, not that God looketh to theſe outward things, but to the minde of the doer, which for the moſt part (if neceſſity hinder not) doth ſhew it ſelfe in the valew and worth of the gift. He that loves God will bring him as full a Sacrifice as hee can, hee that loves him not will give him as leane a Sacrifice as it may ſtand with his credit to give. A man whoſe heart is not upright with God will be at as little coſt with him as is poſſible. A man that is upright with him will inlarge his bounty towards him, you ſhall ſee in Mal. 1.13. that God refuſeth the Sacrifices, becauſe they were halt and blinde, the worſt and refuge of all, and he curſeth the deceiver that hath in his flock a male, and voweth and ſacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing, and verſe 8. he ſaith, Offer it now to thy governour will hee be pleaſed with thee and accept thy perſon ſaith the Lord? The Lord knowes that niggardlineſſe towards him ſhewes want of love and faith, but freeneſſe and bounty ſhewes truth of love and of faith, and becauſe he looketh to the heart, therefore hee liketh that gift which comes from a loving and faithfull heart, and hates that which comes from a contrary heart.
Learne therein to imitate Abel, bring to God the beſt things you have, he muſt have the fat, the fat I ſay of your heards or flocks. The chiefeſt of your affections muſt be his, and your affections muſt ſhew themſelves in action. You muſt be willing to ſerve him with a coſtly ſervice, and be ever of Davids mind that ſaid, I will not ſerve God without charge.
Now theſe two things you have in the Text of Abel, two other things you have in another place, Heb. 11. He offered a better Sacrifice then Caine by faith.3. He offered in faith. Hee offered in faith, and that cauſed him to bring a better, that is, I ſuppoſe he meanes there, a more coſtly Sacrifice of better worth and valew, of more price and coſt, not the coſt but the faith that made him willing to be at the coſt, and the coſt alone as it was a fruit and ſigne of the faith did content God, and made the Sacrifice acceptable.
Let us learne therefore to doe all wee doe in faith. The faith that good Abel had was the ſame that after is commended in Henoch, hee was perſwaded that God was and was a rewarder of them that diligently ſeeke him, it was ſuch as that which the Apoſtle there deſcribeth, it was the evidence of things not ſeene and the ſubſtance of things hoped for. It was ſuch an apprehenſion of Gods being and goodneſſe to true Converts, and ſuch a perſwaſion of his will to give him the future inviſible things hoped for, as made Abel ſerve God in the courſe of his life in righteouſneſſe, and not alone for a time to come to the Altar and offer Sacrifice.
Sacrificing was a profeſſion of their owne guiltineſſe, ſubmitting themſelves to the Juſtice of God, as men worthy to die and be burnt, as that beaſt or other thing to be burnt, but withall of their hope that God would pardon them for his goodneſſe ſake through that true Sacrifice which was to come. And hee that offered Sacrifice without this faith of Gods accepting him for his mercy ſake, and without acknowledgement of his worthineſſe to periſh, did not pleaſe God, and all our Sacrifices muſt be done in faith, now more diſtinct, becauſe we have a fuller revelation, wee muſt doe all wee doe in faith, not alone a perſwaſion of the lawfullneſſe of what we doe, but alſo an indeavour to truſt particularly for our acceptation both of perſons and Sacrifices in Chriſt, not in the worthineſſe of our ſelves or of our workes. He that hath this faith, he and his ſervices ſhall pleaſe God, hee that hath it not cannot pleaſe God whatſoever he doth. Let mee therefore commend unto you the care of ſearching into your hearts, whether you have this faith or no, viz. that you beleeve your ſelves in your ſelves to be miſerable ſinners, but confeſſe that Chriſt Jeſus is a perfect Saviour, and therefore even truſt upon Gods merciemercy in him for grace and ſalvation.
But the Scripture ſaith, that Abel was righteous, and ſaith,4. Was righteous. that he obtained witneſſe that hee was righteous. Where hath hee that witneſſe? Partly in that God teſtified of his gifts by accepting them (for he accepts nothing but that which comes from a righteous man, he heareth no ſinners,) or more fully from the mouth of our bleſſed Saviour, who calleth him righteous Abel. Note therefore that Abel was a righteous man. The Scriptures give infinite comfort and commendation to the righteous man.
Now there is a righteouſneſſe of the Law and of the Goſpell.A twofold righteouſneſſe of the Law and Goſpell. Gal. 2.16. Rom. 3 10. Job 9 31. A righteous man by the Law we ſhall finde none in all the world, for S. Paul telleth us, that by the workes of the Law no fleſh ſhall be juſtified before God, and that there is none righteous, no not one, and Iob ſaith of himſelfe in this ſence, that if hee went to juſtifie himſelfe, his owne cloathes would defile him. This righteouſneſſe ſtandeth in an exact conformity to the Law of God in that a man hath not committed, neither is prone and inclined to commit any of the things which the Law doth forbid, nor hath not omitted nor is not prone to omit any of the things which the Law doth command, but is utterly free from all ſinne of omiſſion and commiſſion, and hath perfectly fulfilled the Law in all points and degrees. Such a righteouſneſſe ſince Adams fall was never found, but in our bleſſed Lord Jeſus Chriſt.Gal. 2.21. Therfore the Apoſtle ſaith, If righteouſneſſe were by the Law Chriſt were dead in vaine, he meaneth, that if God appointed us now to come to Heaven for Chriſts ſake, upon condition of our perfect fulfilling the Law, it would be to no purpoſe, for we ſhould not be ſaved by his death; and after he ſaith, that the Law concludeth all under ſinne, Gal. 3.22.that the promiſe through the faith of Ieſus Chriſt may be given to them that beleeve; and before he had ſaid,Gal. 3.21. If there had beene a Law given which could have given life, righteouſneſſe had beene by the Law, ſo that there was not a Law given that could give life, and therefore the Pſalmiſt confeſſeth, that in Gods ſight there is no fleſh righteous, Pſal. 143.2.and S. Paul durſt not ſtand to this righteouſneſſe which was his owne by the Law. This Legall righteouſneſſe it would juſtifie if we had it, but wee have it not, for wee loſt it in our firſt Parents, in whom all ſinned and all died, all were made ſinfull and mortall creatures, and a ſinfull mortall creature cannot poſſibly performe ſuch a Law, as was given to a ſinneleſſe and immortall creature. Therefore wee muſt finde out another righteouſneſſe by which ſome men may be called righteous, and by which Abel was righteous, ſeeing that by this righteouſneſſe the Scripture teſtifieth, that neither hee nor any other can be made righteous. This is the righteouſneſſe of faith, the righteouſneſſe of the Goſpell, the righteouſneſſe of God, the righteouſneſſe which is by the faith of Jeſus Chriſt, even the righteouſneſſe of God without the Law, and the righteouſneſſe which is by the faith of Jeſus Chriſt.
A double righteouſneſſe in the Goſpell. 1. Imputed.Now there is a double righteouſneſſe taught in the Goſpell. The one is made ours by imputation and is not ours by inherencie; wee never performed it our ſelves, but another performed it for us and we have it imputed to us: It is by S. Paul deſcribed thus. A righteouſneſſe without workes imputed to the happy man, not ſimply without workes, for that is impoſſible, becauſe the Law cannot be fulfilled but by working according to its direction, and unleſſe the law be fulfilled there is no perfect righteouſneſſe, but a righteouſneſſe without any workes of ours, and therefore without the Law too, for the Law accepteth of no righteouſneſſe but that which is wrought by our ſelves,Rom. 4.3. as it is ſaid of Abraham, that hee wrought not but did truſt in him that juſtifies the ungodly. Abraham wrought diligently and plentifully, how then can it be ſaid that he wrought not? hee meaneth that he did not worke that by his owne workes hee might attaine this righteouſneſſe. By this righteouſneſſe alone we are juſtified. It is the perfect and exact righteouſneſſe of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt accepted for us and put to our reckoning. For he was our ſurety, he tooke our nature, hee bare our ſinnes, hee fulfilled our duty and bare our puniſhment, and ſo ſatisfied Gods juſtice in our roome, and is become The Lord our righteouſneſſe. This is the one righteouſneſſe commended to us by the Goſpell. To this and this alone we muſt cleave for the obtaining of remiſſion of ſinnes and life eternall at the hands of God. By merit of this are we pronounced juſt by God at his heavenly Tribunall, and in the judgement of our owne conſciences, and hereafter ſhall be ſo pronounced openly at the laſt day, to this S. Paul cleaved. This the Goſpell taught, for therein is declared the righteouſneſſe of God from faith to faith.
2. Inherent.But the Goſpell telleth of another righteouſneſſe that is a companion of this, alwaies at the ſame time and by the ſame meanes given that this is given, and it is a quality inherent in us and wrought in us by the Spirit of God, and floweth immediately from our faith. The Apoſtle S. Paul doth deſcribe it plainely, ſaying, that Wee muſt count our ſelves dead unto ſinne but alive unto God, Rom. 6.11.and then ſaith. Wee muſt not yeeld our members as weapons of unrighteouſneſſe unto ſinne, but as weapons of righteouſneſſe to God, Verſe 13.and ſaith, Wee are become ſervants to righteouſneſſe, Verſe 19.and that wee muſt yeeld our members ſervants unto righteouſneſſe, and againe, muſt raigne by righteouſneſſe unto life eternall. It is not the cauſe of our life but the way to it.Via ad regnum, non cauſa regnandi. Bernard. It is a vertue wrought in us, by which we are made able to ſtrive and indeavour, and deſire to keepe the Law. A man till he be juſtified by faith and reconciled to God, is eſtranged from the Lord and from the life of God and is an enemy in his minde, and is dead in ſinnes, and loves ſinne and will not leave it, and out of a ſtiffe and ſtrong bent of will to ſinne cannot but ſerve ſinne, and will and reſolve to continue ſerving it in one kinde or other.
Now this is alſo a righteouſneſſe of the Goſpell, and it differs from that of the Law in two things, 1. In regard of the degree, it is imperfect and defective, failing in many things, but it is upright and ſincere, allowes not its failings, but with an upright deſire ſtriveth to perfection, and is ſtill labouring againſt its imperfections.
2. It differs from the righteouſneſſe of the Law in uſe; for the Law doth require this righteouſneſſe as an accompliſhment of the Covenant of workes, to juſtifie us before God by the merit and worth of it; but the Goſpell requireth this as an act of obedience alone to ſhew our thankfullneſſe, and to proove us truly juſtified before God, becauſe as it is ſaid,Gal. 3.21. There is not a Law given which could give life, ſeeing that all have ſinned and come ſhort of the glory of God, Rom. 3.23.and whoſoever goes about to put this righteouſneſſe into the uſe of juſtifying him before God, I meane of attaining eternall life and remiſſion of ſinnes from God by vertue and worth of it, that man cannot but be damned, becauſe he cannot have the imputed righteouſneſſe and the inherent both for that purpoſe. If he truſt to Chriſts righteouſneſſe he cannot truſt to his owne, if to his owne he cannot truſt to Chriſts, ſeeing S. Paul oppoſeth them as things contrary, ſaying, not having mine owne but Chriſts, Phil. 3.9.which were weakely ſpoken, if a man could have both to the uſe of juſtifying: yea he ſaith, He that will be juſtified by the Law is fallen from grace, Gal. 5.4.and Chriſt is become of none effect unto him; and by the Law he ſeekes to be juſtified that ſeeketh to be juſtified before God by doing this and by his owne working.
Now of a man that is thus righteous,Three ſignes of a righteous man. Pſal. 119.48. Pſal. 119 5, 6. there are three ſure plaine and evident ſignes. 1. Hee deſireth to know and doe all that God revealeth to him out of his Word. I have lifted up mine hands unto thy teſtimonies which I have loved, and O that my heart were directed to keepe thy righteous judgements, then ſhall I not be confounded when I have reſpect to all thy Commandements. 2. Hee confeſſeth and bewaileth before God his failings and errours, that breake forth in him quite contrary to his purpoſe and deſire.Pſal. 51.4. Prov. 28.13. Zach. 1 3. Againſt thee have I ſinned, and He that confeſſeth his ſinnes, &c. And if you turne to mee I will turne to you, for If wee ſay we have no ſinne wee deceive our ſelves,1 Joh. 1.8, 9. But if wee confeſſe our ſinnes hee is faithfull, &c. 3. He reſteth wholy upon the mercy of God in Chriſt for pardon of his failings and acceptation of his indeavours: So ſaith Iohn, If any man ſinne, 1 Iohn 2.1.wee have an Advocate with God Ieſus Chriſt the righteous, and hee is the Propitiation for ſinne, and Abraham beleeved in God that juſtifieth the ungodly. S. Paul would have the righteouſneſſe which is by the faith of Jeſus Chriſt, I beſeech you looke that you be ſo righteous men as Abel was, elſe you ſhall never be ſaved. For even Balaam ſaw, that only the righteous ſhould be ſaved, and therefore he wiſheth,Numb. 23.10. Let mee die the death of the righteous and let my laſt end be like his.No ſinnes of Abel mentioned in Scripture, and why?
Now we have the good of Abel, we ſhould ſpeake of his evill, but wee have none to ſpeake of. For the Holy Ghoſt hath not told us of any evill that hee committed, not becauſe he had none, but becauſe his life was ſo ſhort, and withall ſo good, that the Lord ſaw it not fit to make mention of any, and ſurely though the Scripture doe report the faults of other godly men, yet it ſeemes here to ſet forth Caine and Abel as the two ſeeds, the one of the Woman, the other of the Serpent, and therefore of the good ſeed mentions no faults, becauſe in him God ſaw none, that is, would not impute any.
Now let us conſider the things that befell him, 1. Good, 2. Bad.
3. His proſperity. 1. God had reſpect unto his gifts.The good are two, firſt God had reſpect unto his gifts. Secondly, God gave witneſſe and teſtimony of his gifts.
He had reſpect unto them for the preſent, he gave teſtimony to them both at that time and alſo after by the pen of Moſes and by the tongue of our Lord Jeſus, calling him righteous Abel.
2. Gave witnes and teſtimony of his gifts.We cannot affirme any thing concerning the meanes by which the Lord did expreſſe the liking of Abel and his Sacrifice, but that it was by ſome ſenſible and evident ſigne diſcoverable by Caine as well as by himſelfe, Caines doggedneſſe ſtirred up by it doth clearely evince. The Lord hath reſpect unto his true hearted ſervants, that worſhip him in truth and in faith, and are truely righteous, he hath reſpect unto them and to their Services; he likes their perſons, loves their workes.Pro. 15.8. Pſal. 11.7. The prayer of the upright is his delight, ſaith Salomon, The righteous Lord loveth righteouſneſſe. God doth to his faithfull children ſooner or later evidently diſcover his approbation and liking of them and their workes, as David prayeth, Accept the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart, Pſal. 19.14.yea he doth make knowne this his favourable acceptation, by which as it is in the Pſalme, he accepts their burnt Sacrifices, that is, all their holy ſervices, he makes it knowne by the comfortable teſtimony of the Holy Ghoſt,2 Cor. 1.12. as Paul ſaith, This is my glorying, the teſtimony of my conſcience that in ſimplicity, &c. When Gods people walke in Gods waies, he cauſeth his Spirit to witneſſe with their ſpirits, and their ſpirits to witneſſe to them, that themſelves and their waies pleaſe God, by which their ſpirits are refreſhed and comforted againſt all the taunts and opprobries of ſinners and ſcoffers. And this is a ſufficient recompence to all our labours and for all our ſufferings that God accepteth us. If hee accept us, what need wee care though the world deride and ſcorne and hate us. O let thoſe that have ſeene God thus vouchſafing to reſpect them, comfort themſelves in that, yea I ſhall not need to give them ſuch advice, this apprehenſion of Gods gratious accepting us is a thing ſo ſweete and delightfull, that the people of God which have enjoyed it, will preferre it before the approbation of all men. For whom he thus reſpecteth, them will hee likewiſe approve in the face of all the world, and therefore beare teſtimonie to their workes, even at the laſt day; yea the light to which he that doth well delighteth to come, that will make it knowne that his workes be wrought of God, Iohn 3.11. If Gods Spirit within, if Gods Word without doe teſtifie of your deeds, that they bee wrought in God, how eaſie a thing is it to ſleight and deſpiſe the falſe and fooliſh cenſures of the world?
But now come we to the evills that he ſuffered;4. His adverſity, was hated and killed by his Brother. for Gods people muſt ſuffer evill for well-doing, his Brother hated him, laied a traine for him, ſlew him. Abel was the firſt Martyr, the firſt man that died for goodneſſe; hee was Gods firſt; Witneſſe, as Steven was Chriſts. Thoſe that will live godly in Chriſt muſt ſuffer perſecution, 2 Tim. 3.12.and of whom, even of the deareſt friends they have in the fleſh, and how farre even to the lying in waite for their lives and taking the ſame away. The Lord would have the firſt bloud that was ſpilt, ſpilt in his quarrell, in his holy quarrell, in ſtanding for righteouſneſſe ſake, that we which follow after might learne to ſtick cloſe to this cauſe, and not to feare to lay downe our lives for it. S. Iohn tells us, no wonder if the world hate us. The world is the number of unſanctified men in the world, theſe will hate ſuch as Abel the righteous, yea if Father be unrighteous and Sonne righteous. Brother righteous and Brother unrighteous, Husband righteous and Wife unrighteous, the Father, Brother, Wife, will hate and maligne the childe, the Brother and the Husband. God hath put enmity betwixt the ſeed of the Woman and of the Serpent; good and bad are of two contrary natures, what the one loveth the other hateth, and contrarily, this contrariety in diſpoſition will breed contrariety in affection. Hee that is Caine, a formall Hypocrite and ſatisfieth himſelfe with a bare outſide ſervice, will hate him that worſhippeth in ſpirit and in truth,Gal. 4.29. They that are after the fleſh will perſecute them that are after the ſpirit, and all that will live godly muſt ſuffer for it. Prepare your ſelves to meete with the ſame meaſure that Abel met withall; you had need of patience ſaith our Saviour. Be not diſcouraged at the hatred and ill uſage of wicked men, but have reſpect to the recompence of reward, looke to the end of your faith, ſet the joy before your eyes and feare not any of theſe things that you may ſuffer. An over-tender ſpirit is not fit to be Chriſts Souldier, if you will raigne with him you muſt be crucified with him. Arme, arme my Brethren, arme, you are in the battell, you muſt expect knocks, but be not diſmaied, the victory ſhall be yours. God will ſo ſtabliſh you that you ſhall not be driven out of the way of righteouſneſſe, by any thing that Satan can do by the world: and hee conquers that keepes cloſe to the waies of righteouſneſſe what ever he ſuffer.
Wee have done with Abels life, wee bring him to his death,His death. at what age we cannot ſhew you, but in what manner and by whoſe hand we can tell you. Here is a tragicall narration, the murderer a bad man and a Brother, the murdered a good man and a Brother, and the quarrell goodneſſe, and the manner ſodaine and unexpected and violent. Fleſh and bloud perhaps would finde fault with God, why did not God protect Abel when the world had ſo few Inhabitants? was it not pittie that one ſhould be taken out of it ſo untimely and in ſuch a manner? and much more was it not pittie that the more godly and the more uſefull ſhould be ſo ſoone bereft of life? It is a thing that a ſhallow wit is ready to impleade God for. But God is ſuch a ruler that will order things according to his owne perfect wiſedome. It ſhall be worſe in outward reſpects with the good then with the bad, the ſinner ſhall out-live the Saint, and flouriſh in the world when the other is rotting in the grave, and why ſo? that God may teach them hereby to looke for happineſſe in another world that is to come, that they may expect a better and induring ſubſtance in Heaven.1 Cor. 15.19. If in this life onelyonly wee had hope, wee were of all men the moſt miſerable: but, We are dead with Chriſt and our life is hid with God in Chriſt. Col. 3.3, 4.When Chriſt ſhall appeare then ſhall wee alſo appeare with him in glory. We muſt not therefore be offended at the miſeries which befall the godly in this life, but cauſe our mindes to look beyond the world unto the future recompence. God were not juſt towards his people, if there were not another world where they ſhall have their portion, as the worldly minded have their portion in this life.
Abels death was violent and ſodaine.Now concerning Abels death, conſider we that it was violent and ſuddaine, whereby we muſt be taught to walke alwaies ready for death, and to looke for it in every place by ſuch violent meanes as our ſelves cannot foreſee in particular. Who knowes when or where he ſhall die, how ſoone, and by what meanes he muſt leave this world afore he be aware. Labour therfore to prepare for death every day, get faith, get repentance, get new obedience, get your ſinnes pardoned, and your ſelves ſanctified, that if death come ſodainely, yet it may not be ſodaine to you, becauſe you have made your ſelves ready for it, if we be thus fitted for death happie are we though it come without giving warning, but if we have not ſo fitted our ſelves, we ſhall be moſt miſerable though our death be long and lingring, and come not with any violence.
Yea we muſt learne to be thankefull to God for his goodneſſe in protecting us againſt the rage of evill men, that they be not able to cut us off in the midſt of our daies, as they would do if God did permit us to fall into their hands. No good man that liveth but ſome Caine or other would ſoone diſpatch them out of the world, and doe the ſame thing for them that Caine here did for Abel, for the ſinner hateth the righteous and gnaſheth againſt him with his teeth, but the Lord will not give him into his hands. It is a divine providence that maketh the godly dwell in ſafety in the midſt of their enemies, and walke in a fiery furnace and yet not be burned, and lie in the den of Lions and yet not be touched by them. Now therefore let Abels example put you in minde to be ready alwaies for death, and to obſerve the goodneſſe of God in ſaving you from the hands of ſinfull men and ſpirits, that they cannot deſtroy and devoure as their malice and might would cauſe them to doe, if God did not incompaſſe you with his favour as with a ſhield.
We have done with Abel, Caines poſterity.the next to be ſpoken of are Caines poſterity, of whom little is ſpoken, becauſe the Lord intended a very ſhort ſtory, Caine begat a Sonne and called his name Henoch, at the ſame time he was building a City and called it Henoch. The word ſignifieth to initiate, dedicate or teach, perhaps becauſe hee left the City to his Sonne to finiſh and to dedicate, himſelfe not being able to doe it, becauſe of his diſtempered conſcience which made him wander as a fugitive.
This Sonne begat a Sonne alſo and called him Irad, Irad what it ſignifieth.the word ſignifieth (I thinke) a City of one that ruleth, of the Hebrew words Gnir that ſignifieth a City, and Rad that ſignifieth to beare rule, becauſe belike he had finiſhed that City, and hoped to leave it to his Sonne to rule in it.
And this Irad begat a Sonne and called him Mehuiael which ſignifieth one that is deſtroyed or blotted out by the Lord God, perhaps becauſe God had laid ſore puniſhments upon them at that time, their ſin increaſing againſt him.
This Mehuiael begat Methuſael, which ſignifieth, one that asketh after, or requeſted his death: it may be, becauſe then men were ſo afflicted that they grew weary of life. (*⁎*.)