expostulate with him on the unreasonableness of his beha- viour6. "The spirit that dwelt in him lusted to envyf:" this malignant passion " was as rottenness in his bones g," so thoroughly had it corroded his very inmost soul. The excel- lence of Abel's character served only to add fuel to the name. His virtues were his faults ; so " impossible is it to stand before envy V Cain hated in him the divine image, as much as he envied him the divine favour. The light of his brother's example was offensive to his eyes ; and on this account he sought to extinguish it. St. John, having told us that Cain slew his brother, asks, " And wherefore slew he him?" he then answers, " Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous i."
Such were the motives by which Cain was instigated to this infernal deed. The murder was first committed in his heart ; and then completed with his hand ; according to that saying of the Apostle, " He that hateth his brother is a murderer V Indeed there is such a connexion between " envy, debate, de- ceit, and murder l" that wherever the first is harboured, the rest would follow of course, if God in his infinite mercy did not interpose to limit the operation of our sinful propensities.]
God, who " maketh inquisition for blood," would not suffer the murder to be concealed : he therefore sought out the offender, and commenced,
II. The Inquest —
It is said, that " Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation"1:" and where that hatred has proceeded to murder, God in his providence has generally fulfilled this saying. On this occasion, the Governor of the Universe proceeded exactly as he had done upon the first transgression : He sum- moned the criminal, and made inquiry at his hands. In the trial we notice,
1. Cain's denial of the fact —
[Being interrogated, " Where his brother Abel was," he answered with consummate effrontery, " I know not : Am I my brother's keeper ?" Alas ! how inseparable the connexion between guilt and falsehood ! But what blindness had sin induced upon his mind, and what obduracy upon his heart !
e ver. 6, 7. f Jam. iv. 5. e Prov. xiv. 30.
h Prov. xxvii. 4. i 1 John iii. 12. k 1 John iii. 15.
1 Rom. i. 29. ni Prov. xxvi. 26.