Ver. 1. I have gotten a man from the Lord.] Or, that famous man, the Lord; as if she had brought forth the man Christ Jesus. These were words of hope not of substance [verba spei, non rei]; for “Cain was of that wicked one,” the devil, (1 John 3:12) as all reprobates are. (1 John 3:10) Cain the author of the city of the world, saith Augustine, is born first, and called Cain, that is, a “possession,” because he buildeth a city, is given to the cares and pomp of the world, and persecutes his brother that was chosen out of the world. But Abel, the author of the city of God, is born second, called “vanity,” because he saw the world’s vanity, and is therefore driven out of the world by an untimely death. So early came martyrdom into the world; the first man that died, died for religion. In a witty sense, saith Hugh Broughton, Cain and Abel contain in their names advertisements for matter of true continuance and corruption. Cain betokeneth possession in this world; and Abel betokeneth one humbled in mind, and holding such possession vain. Such was his offering—sheep kind, the gentlest of all living beasts; and therefore the favour of God followed him. And the offering of Cain was of the fruit of the earth; as he loved the possession of this world, and the service of the body, which yet can have no continuance, and followed after bodily lusts; therefore the blessed God favoured him not. Thus far he cited from the Rabbins. Another English divine hath this note upon these words, I have gotten a man from the Lord, Jehovah. Adam and Eve were all about the composition of Cain. His soul was inspired pure and holy; yet as soon as the vital spirits laid hold of it, it was in the compound, a son of Adam. A skilful artificer makes a clock of all its essential parts most accurately; only he leaves the putting of all parts together to his unskilful apprentice, who so jumbles together the several joints, that all falls to jarring, and can keep no time at all, every wheel running backward-way. So God most artificially still perfects both body and soul; but our accursed parents put all out of frame, and set every part in a contrary course to God’s will. Sin is propagated, and proceeds from the union of body and soul into one man, That phrase, “warmed in sin,” (Psalms 51:5) is meant of the preparation of the body as an instrument of evil, which is not so actually, till the soul come. Aug. De Civit. Dei, lib. xv., cap. 1. H. Broughton of the 10. part. ex Rab. Bochai. Yates’s Model.
Ver. 3. In process of time.] That distance of time between the creation and the general flood, Varro, the most learned of the Romans, calleth ‘Ασηλον, obscure or unknown, because the heathen had no records of that which we now clearly understand to have been then done, out of the Holy Scriptures. Cain brought of the fruit.] They brought their sacrifices to Adam, the high priest of the family, who offered them to God in their name. So in the Levitical law, though a man’s offering were never so good, he might not offer it himself, upon pain of death; but the priest must offer it. And the priest was to offer as well the poor man’s turtle, as the rich man’s ox. To teach that none may present his service to God, how good soever he may conceit it, but in the hand of the high priest of the New Testament Jesus Christ, the Just One, who will not only present, but perfume the poorest performances of an upright heart, with his odours. (Revelation 8:3) Godw. Hebr. Antiq., p. 27.
Ver. 4. Of the firstlings of his flock.] He brought the best of the best; not anything that came next to hand, as Cain seems to have done, holding anything good enough, as did those rich wretches that cast brass-money into the treasury. “But cursed be that cheat who has a male in his flock, and offers to God a corrupt thing.” “Offer it now to thy Prince,” will he be content with thy refuse stuff? Behold, “I am a great King,” saith God. (Malachi 1:8,14) He stands upon his seniority, and looks to be honoured with the best of our substance. Mary that loved much, thought nothing too much for her sweet Saviour. She brought an alabaster box of ointment of great price, and poured it upon him, and he defends her in it against those that held it waste. (John 12:7) Among the Papists, their Lady of Loretto hath her churches so stuffed with vowed presents of the best, as they are fain to hang their cloisters and churchyards with them. Shall not their superstition rise up and condemn our irreligion, our slubbering service, and doughbaked duties? The Turks build their private houses low and homely, but their mosques or temples stately and magnificent. Had respect to Abel and his offering.] “The eyes of the Lord are still upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers”: (1 Peter 3:11) he “looks” (Isaiah 66:2) upon such with singular delight, with special intimation of his love; he is “ravished with one of their eyes,” lifted up in prayer, “with one chain of their graces”; (Song of Solomon 4:9) whenas he was no whit affected with the offer of all the world’s glory. (Matthew 4:8-10) He saith of such to the wicked, as the prophet said of Jehoshaphat to the king of Israel, “Surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee,” -Cain (2 Kings 3:14) here, for instance. See Numbers 18:12,29. “Fat” taken for the best of all things. χαλκον. (Mark 12:41) Sir Edward Sandy’s Relation of West. Relig. Turk. Hist., fol. 342.