It is evident then that Abel's offering excelled that of Cain in two most important respects, namely, in the matter of it, and in the disposition loith which it was offered : his being " a first- ling of his flock," whilst Cain's was only " of the fruits of the ground ;" and being offered with an express view to the sacrifice which was in due time to be offered, whilst Cain had no re- spect whatever to himself as needing salvation, or to the Saviour by whom alone he could find acceptance with God.]
2. That God had respect to Abel's offering, and not to Cain's —
[In what way God testified his acceptance of Abel's offer- ing we are not informed : we are sure however that it was in some way clearly understood by Abel, and as clearly by Cain also ; since it was the means of filling him with envy and wrathful indignation. It is probable, that God sent fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice of Abel. This in after ages was frequently done by God ; as at the first offering of sacri- fices by Aaron in the tabernacle^, and at the first offering of sacrifices also in the temple of Solomon ^ Whatever the tes- timony was, God shewed, by it, that he accepted both the person and the offering of Abel, whilst neither the person nor the offering of Cain were at all acceptable in his sight ^]
Such being the acknowledged superiority of Abel's sacrifice, let us consider,
^ Gen. iii. 21. fi Lev. ix. 24.
e 2 Chron. vii. 1. <" Gen. iv. -1,5.