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intimation of sacrifice, in the way of killing an animal, and presenting it upon an altar. But, if any weight were attached to this notion, we should still have to inquire, how they knew that burning of the victim was a sign of the divine approbation? Had they learnt it by experience, or were they taught it by revelation? There is no written information by which these questions can, satisfactorily, be replied to; nor need they be urged, when it is known that their offerings are not mentioned to be understood in a physical sense: the whole difficulty arises from that view of the case, and it can only be removed by other considerations.

It is plain, that both Cain and Abel must have known, by some means, the divine estimate of their respective offerings; as there is no information of any external token being given of the circumstance, it seems certain that it must have been afforded them, by means of some internal evidence. And is not that the only real evidence which a man can have of his position in the church of God? The divine acceptance or rejection of human worship, is made to the internal sensations of the worshiper, rather than by any external signs. Those people must have known, from the satisfactions and delights which attended their worship, whether it was acceptable or otherwise. So far as it was genuine, it must have been admissive of a holy influence from the Lord, and so, of an indication of his respect: but when it was not genuine, that influence could not enter into it, and surely that would evidence its rejection. The worshiper is still gifted with some tokens of this description, which testify the sincerity or imperfection of his love; and his experiences, in these respects, will serve to show how Cain and Abel must have known the estimation, in which their offerings were held. If a man's heart be not set right towards God, he is made to know, by his consciousness of that fact, that his offerings cannot be regarded. He feels his affections tending outwards rather than upwards: he knows that his thoughts wander in the world, while his words may be expressing the sentiments of holiness: he is fully aware that he dwells in nature only, and offers nothing but the fruit of the ground.

And the experience of this consciousness, on the part of Cain, is thus described: “He was very wroth, and his countenance fell.” This circumstance unfolds his character: it shows that charity was gone, anger could not otherwise have possessed him. It proves that a gloomy state was induced upon his mind, or his countenance could not have fallen. The feeling of wrath is

opposed to the sentiment of charity, and a falling of the countenance only takes place, when some unfavorable change affects the interiors of its subject. Anger is aroused when self-love is opposed, and that love is contrary to the love of God. The existence of the former proves the absence of the latter: so also, the countenance, which is bright and pleasing, when enlightened and influenced by a benignity within, becomes sad and falls, when the consciousness of impurity is felt. Such was the character of Cain; and by his history we are informed of the internal state and spiritual danger, of all those people among whom the heresy of his religion prevails. That his state was of such a quality is further confirmed, by its being said to him, "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door:" he did not do well, therefore, he was not accepted; his offering was the form of worship without the essence: and similar disappointment and rejection await all those, who, like him, know their master's will but do it not; who know the way, but walk not in it; who think they shall be heard well, because they speak much; who have enlarged minds, but guilty hearts; who have the faith of knowledge, but not the charity of love.

CHAPTER XV.

THE DEATH OF ABEL-THE CURSE ON CAIN; HIS FUGITIVE AND VAGABOND CONDITION.

"During the first eight centuries the Greek and Roman churches were in communion with each other; but, in the ninth century, their disputes became so violent, that a final separation took place between them. A Patriarch was elected for Constantinople, as the head of the Greek church; he was soon excommunicated by the Pope, as the head of the Romish church; the Pope in return was excommunicated by the Patriarch."-JONES' Dictionary of Religious Opinions, p. 76.

THE circumstances recorded to have constituted the successive decline of the Adamic, or most ancient church, are, as to kind, very similar to those which have produced the corruptions of other religious dispensations mentioned in the Scriptures. They are, also, illustrated by facts, which history assures us, have brought about the extinction of various institutions of a religious character, and which, at the time of their origination, were intended to promote some general good. For a period, they have satisfactorily flourished in the accomplishment of the purposes for which they were established; but, by and by, their quietude has been

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disturbed: some persons, influenced by the love of pre-eminence, have sought to rule, and they have rudely broken in upon the order and the happiness which previously existed with such institutions. Having partaken more largely of knowledge than humility, they sought to be as gods, and in the prosecution of their designs, they have originated dissensions and divisions: one party has obtained ascendency over another: temporary success has stimulated the arrogance of selfishness, until it has wickedly attempted to crush the modesty of right and justice, in which it has too frequently been successful,

In such historical facts, we have the general counterpart of those events, which brought about the catastrophe of Abel's death; and, viewed under this aspect, we perceive, in the antediluvian narrative, a history of the development of human passions, when once evil had introduced its unhallowed presence among them. The narrative, in having responses in after-history, not only treats of the lawless activity of man's fallen nature among an ancient people, but it may also be regarded as describing circumstances, which have been enacted over and over again, in the wide domain of religious society: it is not only the written picture of events which have frequently distinguished society, but it is, also, a caligraphic portrait of the states of individual men. Do we not find them abusing the privileges they are permitted to enjoy, and so preferring personal gratification to religious obedience? Do not our experiences assure us, that we have produced a separation between our knowledge and our duty? and have we not acted, as though we considered them to be distinct things, instead of regarding them as one? Religious knowledge exists for the purpose of conducting men to spiritual obedience: but every one knows that he has permitted the love of information to acquire an ascendency over the love of duty; and it is no uncommon case to find, that the desire of duty has been extinguished in the pursuit of knowledge: and thus, that Cain has slain his brother

*Abel.

It is only when we can see the Word of God to have a universal, continual, and particular application to the moral experiences of men, both in their collective and individual conditions, that we possess the genuine evidence necessary to convince us that it is what it professes to be a revelation from God. It must have been the Divine Mind which caused the construction of the narrative we are considering, because it describes, in a consecutive

series, facts, which, when viewed in their internal sense, have their counterparts in the experiences of religious men. None but God knoweth what is in man: none but He could have looked into futurity, so as to have beheld the workings and displays of disordered humanity, and thereupon, have caused the production of a work, which should describe them with the minutia and accuracy which His book can be proved to do. His Word is for all time and for all men. To suppose that it was merely the history of a particular period and of a peculiar people, is to take away from it the majesty and eternity of its purpose, as well as to overlook the infinity and spirituality of its origin. It is written of God, that without a parable spake he not; (Matt. xiii. 34;) the most marvellous and accomplished parable of revelation, is that which is called the Antediluvian History: and we now come to that point of it, which informs us of the death of Abel, by the hand of Cain. The catastrophe is thus related: -- "And Cain talked with Abel his brother, and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.” (Gen. iv. 8.) This result sufficiently indicates, that their talking together is to be understood as expressing the idea of angry disputation. This was the natural consequence of two different sects, which had branched off from the most ancient church, one of whom was seeking an ascendency over the other.

It is no uncommon circumstance for rival parties in religion to be found in the bitterness of controversy. Although they may be in the same field together; or, what is thereby signified, — although they may profess to belong to the same general religious dispensation, yet the particular views, which each has taken of some of its doctrines and discipline, have brought them into collision, and they have not unfrequently conducted their controversies, more in the spirit of conquest and the world, than under the influence of truth and heaven. The history of the Lutheran, Calvinistic, and Arminian parties in the Christian church, displays these facts with sufficient clearness. They have talked together, but they have talked vehemently. Luther denounced Erasmus as a vain, inglorious animal, because he exposed some of the religious crudities which "the reformer” had published:* Calvin caused Servetus to be put to death, because he dared to differ from him in religious * His words are, "That exasperated viper, Erasmus, has again attacked me; what eloquence will the vain inglorious animal display in the over throw of Luther."

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opinion.* The controversies founded on the doctrines of Arminius, involved Switzerland in years of discord: and other branches of the professing Christian church, which have had greater power and more audacity, have not scrupled at any means, by which they could subdue their antagonists in religious things. Sometimes they have had recourse to violence and blood, rather than not attain the supremacy to which they aspired. This has been the case, not merely with individuals, of which the martyrdoms are a sufficient evidence, but it is true of whole parties. History most distinctly informs us of several instances, in which one sect has wickedly attempted to exterminate another, not by the persuasions of truth and reason, but by the weapons of cruelty and murder. The Albigenses were a people, who, in the eleventh century, attempted to effect some reform in the church, as it then existed; their views, however, were condemned in council by the ecclesiastics of the time, and an effort was thereupon made to exterminate them by the most violent persecutions. Another instance of a similar kind is presented to us in the history of the Waldenses; ‡

"When Servetus had escaped from his prison, at Vienna, and was passing through Switzerland, in order to seek refuge in Italy, Calvin caused him to be apprehended at Geneva, in the year 1553, and had an accusation of blasphemy brought against him before the council. The issue of this accusation was fatal to Servetus, who, adhering resolutely to the opinions he had embraced, was, by a public sentence of the Court, declared an obstinate heretic, and in consequence thereof, condemned to the flames." Mosheim, Eccl. Hist. cent. xvi., par. iv. Dr. A. Maclaine, the translator, observes, that "It is impossible to justify the conduct of Calvin in the case of Servetus, whose death will be an indelible reproach upon the character of that great and eminent reformer. The only thing that can be alleged, not to efface, but to diminish his crime, is, that it was no easy matter for him to divest himself at once of that persecuting spirit, which had been so long nourished and strengthened by the popish religion, in which he had been educated. It was a remaining portion of the spirit of Popery in the breast of Calvin, that kindled his unchristian zeal against the wretched Servetus."

+ Limborch's History of the Inquisition, translated by Chandler, vol. i. p. 42-70.

"The injuries and insults they suffered at the hands of many orders of men, and more especially of the Jesuits, are not to be numbered. In Poland, all those who ventured to differ from the Pope, found, by bitter experience, during the whole of this (17th) century, that no treaty or convention that tended to set bounds to the authority or rapacity of the church, was held sacred, or even regarded, at Rome. For many of these were ejected out of their schools, deprived of their churches, robbed of