First. What was the special occasion of this sacrifice ? That may be gathered out of the phrase used : Gen. iv. 3, ' And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord." In process of time, or as it is in the margin, at the end of days ; in the original it is, D'DT I'pD — at the end 'of the year, or revolution of days. The Hebrews are wont to reckon their time by days, as being the more natural distinction. Years are more artificial, and depend upon the institution of man ; and therefore is the term day so often used for time in scripture. Now God hath taught Adam by revelation, and he his son by instruction, that men should at the year's end, in a solemn manner, sacrifice with thanks to God, when they had gathered in the fruits of the earth. This tradition was afterwards made a written law : Exod. xxii. 29, ' Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors ; the first-born of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.' It was an order then newly inforced, though it had been observed from the beginning of the world ; so Exod. xxiii. 16, ' And the feast of harvest, the first-fruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field : and the feast of in- gathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.' The very heathens themselves did by tradition derive and propagate this custom one to another, for among other things they retained it, even in their darkest ignorance. I re- member, Aristotle in his 'Ethnics' (lib. viii., chap. 8.) hath such a passage as this, Al 'yap ap-^alai dvaiai kuI avvoSat (^aivovrai 'ykveadai
438 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [ISeR. XII.
fiera Ta<; tmv Kapirtov av<yico[xiha^ — That all the ancient meetings and sacrifices were wont to be after the gathering in of the first- fruits, that they might distribute the due portion of the increase of their fields to the gods; so that at the end of days, when the year "Was run round, and the vintage and harvest-time was past, they were to come in token of thankfulness, and present the first-fruits unto the Lord. In short, these solemn sacrifices at the end of days had a double end and use.
1. To be a figure of the expiation promised to Adam in Christ.
2. To be a solemn acknowledgment of their homage and thankful- ness to God.
[1.] The general use of these sacrifices was to remember the seed of the woman, or Messiah to come, as the solemn propitiatory sacrifice of the church. And indeed there was a notable resemblance between those ofterings and Jesus Christ : Abel offered a lamb ; and Christ is ' the Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world,' John i. 29. And because of these early sacrifices, therefore is that expression used, Kev. xiii. 8, ' The Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world;' that is, slain in types, sacrifices, and presignifications. And he also is the first-fruits : Ps. Ixxxix. 27, ' I will make him to be my first-born, higher than the kings of the earth,' saith God, speaking of Christ. Col. i. 15, ' He is the first-born of every creature ; ' and the first-begotten : Heb. i. 6, ' Again, when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world.' Christ is called the first-born and the first-begotten, partly in regard of the eternity of his person — it was without begin- ning, before the world was — and partly because of the excellency of his person, he being more glorious than angels or men. Though God had other children by creation besides Christ, yet he is the first-born. What shall we gather from hence ?
Doct. That in all our addresses to God we must solemnly remember and honour Christ.
In the feast of the first-fruits they were to have an eye to the Messiah that was to come, though he were but darkly revealed. God will have men to ' honour the Son as they honour the Father,' John v. 23. We must do duties to God, so as we may honour Christ in them. It may be you will ask, How do we honour Christ in doing of duties ?
(1.) When yon look for your acceptance in Christ, as Abel comes with a lamb in faith. Adam hid himself, and durst not come into the presence of God till he had received the first promise and intimation of Christ. And truly guilt cannot approach majesty armed with wrath and power without a mediator. The patriarchs were to profess homage, but by sacrifices typing Christ : Ephes. iii. 12, ' In him we have bold- ness and access with confidence, by the faith of him.' Oh, you cannot come with confidence unless you come with a mediator in the arms of faith ! Thus must all do that would be accepted of God. When shall we honour Christ in our addresses to God, and lift up a confidence proportionable to his merit ? at least come not in your own names.