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yielding, and pious. Adam was careful to instil into their minds sentiments of religion, and to teach them, by his example, the exercises of piety and devotion; but the mind of Cain was rude and unthankful; while the soul of Abel glowed with religious ardour.

He who sees the inmost movements of the heart, was pleased with the sentimental religion of Abel, and gave a visible sign of his approbation by accepting his sacrifice. But the offering of Cain being a mere formal service, unaccompanied by the heart, was rejected. This inflamed his passions into a deadly hatred; and, instigated by the evil-one, he imbrued his hands in his brother's blood. Thus death obtained, by murder, the first conquest over

man.

A more distressing spectacle cannot well be conceived, than that of Adam and Eve contemplating, with agonized hearts, the mangled remains of their pious and affectionate son; and their affliction aggravated by the knowledge that he fell by the hands of one who ought to have been his dearest friend and protector. So little were our first parents acquainted with mortality, that this horrible sight, probably, appalled their souls with the apprehension that death would one day happen in like manner to themselves. This idea, which was natural in that early stage of the world, could not fail to give an exquisite keenness to their grief, and open new sources of remorse and contrition for their disobedience.

But time moderated their sorrow, and Eve brought forth another son, whom she called Seth; "for God," said she," hath appointed me another seed in the room of Abel whom Cain slew." Genesis iv. 25. This language shews that her faith in the promise which had sweetened the sentence of heaven against her, was revived, and that she regarded Seth as the deliverer appointed by the Almighty to regain Para

dise.

The human race now multiplied to a great degree,

and to effect this, the age of man was extended to a very long period. But the largest portion of time is comparatively short; and though it may in prospect be filled with scenes of importance and delight, it is yet momentary, and soon comes to a close.

When we read of the long lives of the patriarchs before the flood, extended to a number of years little short of a thousand, we view the round number with astonishment, but the conclusion is-They died. Thus the same event happened unto them which must happen unto us.

The sentence pronounced against Adam for his transgression was at length accomplished; after seeing the earth filled with his offspring, he bends downwards to the earth whence he was taken, and at the extraordinary age of nine hundred and thirty years, he yields up his spirit into the hands of God who gave it, and his body returns unto its primitive dust.

This is the end of man. The sin of Adam brought death into the world, and who can expect to be exempted from the fatal stroke? Being partakers of his corruption, we are also sharers of his punish

ment.

But this death extends much farther than to the extinction of animal life. It comprehends also the loss of the Divine favour, and an absolute separation from that Being who is the fountain of life and happiness. In this deplorable state, both Adam and all his posterity must have continued for ever, had not the Almighty, out of the fulness of his mercy, provided a remedy.

It is, therefore, delightful for us to turn from the affecting history we have been reviewing, to contemplate the second Adam, and the work of redemption which has been wrought out by him.

The "first Adam was of the earth, earthy; but the second Adam is the Lord from heaven." 1 Corinthians xv. 47. This is no other than Jesus Christ, the promised deliverer, who was born of a

woman, that he might in our nature pay a full obedience to the divine commandments, and endure the punishment inflicted by Divine justice for man's transgression.

He lived a holy and an unspotted life, that he might fulfil all righteousness for those who should believe in him; and he suffered an ignominious death, that he might open unto them the gates of everlasting life. He was the lamb slain from the foundation of the world, being typified in the sacrifices of old, believed in by the ancient patriarchs, and described by the inspired prophets. He hath not indeed regained for us the terrestrial Eden and the tree of life, which constituted the principal glory of that happy spot; but he hath procured for us a right "to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God." Revelations ii. 7.

As by Adam came death, so by Christ came life and immortality. The curse of a violated law is removed from those who seek the favour of God by genuine repentance, and by a lively faith in the merits of that gracious Mediator, who descended from his throne of glory that he might "redeem unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

So great was the divine goodness, that before the offence was committed, this wonderful means of salvation was devised and established. The promise. of the Saviour was in consequence delivered to the offenders before their expulsion from Paradise, and it continued to be enforced and explained in clearer and stronger terms, " at sundry times, and in divers manners, by the prophets," till the Messiah himself appeared, who, after putting away sin by the sacrifice of himself, ascended up into glory, where he ever liveth" to make intercession for us."

CAIN AND ABEL.

ABEL was murdered about the year of the World 130: er in the year before Christ 3874: but the death of CAIN is uncertain.

DISAPPOINTMENT and domestic trouble soon clouded the first family of the world. Sin produced calamity in abundance, and one rash act embittered the remaining years of our first parents. Intervals of delight, and seasons of hope did, indeed, cheer their hearts; and the divine promise which had been made to them of a deliverer, was their great consolation under the heavy loss they had sustained, and the evils they endured.

The first-born of Eve was beheld with rapture as the promised seed, and the fondest expectations were entertained of blessings to be derived from his virtues and his exertions. But, as he grew upwards, his temper discovered a stubbornness and ferocity which convinced his parents that their hopes were delusive.

In the course of time Eve was delivered of another son, to whom she gave the name of ABEL, that is, a breath of air, the emblem of vanity. Was she become indifferent to the Divine promise, or by a kind of prophetic intuition, was she led to give him this appellation? Parents in general are fond of bestowing names which are pleasing and flattering to their hopes. But, in the present instance, there is an evident appearance of disappointment or apprehension. Thus in "sorrow did Eve bring forth children."

From what St. John observes concerning the eldest of these brothers, that "Cain was of the wickedone," John iii. 12, and from the whole conduct of this first-born of man, it is evident that he was from childhood under the influence of those wicked passions which are the principal instruments of the tempter.

His occupation was that of husbandry, at once laborious and unsocial. The earth being now cursed for man's sake, no longer yielded him food spontaneously, but required much digging and dressing. This could not be done without suitable implements, and those in a rude age must have been of a very simple construction. The contrivance and formation of these lay probably upon Cain; and as the use of iron and other metals was unknown, we may well suppose that with tools made of wood, agriculture could not be an easy employment.

What must have deeply affected the gloomy mind of Cain still more, was the reflection that this weight of labour, which he endured, was the consequence of his parents' transgression. He had often learnt from their own lips what they had lost, and he had heard them contrast the ease and delight of their former state with the hardship and trouble of their present condition.

He might probably, therefore, think it unjust for him to bear so large a portion of the curse, and without having had any share in the offence, to undergo a principal part of his father's sentence, " to eat his bread by the sweat of his brow."

The disposition of Abel was the reverse of Cain's. He was of a meek and religious turn, to which his pastoral occupation greatly contributed. Beloved of GOD, it is no wonder that he should also be the delight of his parents. But this could not be pleasing to the selfish heart of his brother, who bore his own lot with dissatisfaction, as a punishment, and viewed that of Abel as the effect of partiality.

Discontent is always allied to envy and hatred; and when a man repines at his own lot in life, he regards with a jealous eye that of others.

Adam was careful to instil into the minds of his children sentiments of religious duty, and to teach. them by his example to adore their Creator. Now Cain was not so lost to decency as to neglect entirely the worship of God. When the earth which he had

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