appellation follows, viz. "because she was the mother of all living."

21. did the Lord God make] This is an Hebraic idiom, meaning that God instigated, taught, or ordered them to make garments "of skins." As the use of animal food was not yet permitted, ch. i. 29. these were probably the skins of beasts slain for sacrifice, which was most likely instituted at the Fall, ch. iv. 4.

22. Behold, &c.] This cannot imply, as it at first sight seems to do, that, had Adam tasted of the Tree of Life, even after his rebellion, he would have lived for ever, and that he was expelled from Paradise to prevent such a consequence, because the penalty for tasting the forbidden fruit was, by an original, irreversible decree, death, and having tasted it, the first pair could not avert the punishment of their guilt. The verse then, must either be taken agreeably to a common Hebraic idiom, in a restrictive sense, thus, "Behold the man is become," i. e. has attempted to become "as one of us, to know good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand," &c., i. e. lest he attempt also to take of the Tree of Life, in the vain expectation of living for ever, he shall be expelled from Paradise; "therefore the Lord God sent him forth," &c. v. 23. Or, it must be understood in an ironical sense, as an indignant taunt at their credulity in trusting to the Tempter's promise; v. 5. The man, forsooth, is become as one of us, and lest with equal success and equal folly he take of the Tree of Life, in the vain hope of living for ever, he shall be sent forth from the garden of Eden.

24. cherubims] These, according to the most common interpretation of this very difficult verse, were heavenly angels appointed to guard the avenues to the Tree of Life. According to others, they were not blessed spirits, but images or figures, like those placed afterwards over the mercy-seat in the Holy of Holies, and which God placed (Heb., caused to dwell as in a tabernacle) at the east of the garden, as symbols of the atonement to be made, by uniting the human nature to the Second Person of the Godhead. Be the cherubims what they may, they were doubtless intended to convey some spiritual instruction, and it is most likely something relating to the promise that the Seed of the woman should bruise the Serpent's head. If so, we may well suppose that they intimated to our first parents, that the only access to the Tree of Life for sinful fallen creatures, was through the mediatorial office of a Redeemer, who has remedied the evils originating from the Fall.

By some writers the account of the Fall of Man in this chapter is considered as an allegory, or as a mythos or apologue, under which is couched some valuable truth. But the arguments for the figurative, mythological, or allegorical interpretation of this narrative admit of a satisfactory refutation; and that it is to be understood in a literal sense, as a true his

tory, is manifest from the following observations:-1st, there is no intimation, either in the narrative itself, or in any other part of the Bible, that the sacred Author intended it as a parabolical representation; but on the other hand, it bears upon the face of it all the characters of a plain and literal account of a real transaction: 2dly, the literal truth of the Mosaic history of the Fall is proved by its still existing effects; for the actual state and condition of man correspond with that history in its literal sense, and correspond in a manner the most minute and accurate 3dly, the literal sense is confirmed by the testimony of the ancient Jewish Church; Wisd. i. 13. ii. 23, 24. x. 1, 2. ; Ecclus. xi. 16. xvii. 1, 7. XXV. 24.; 2 Esdras iii. 5. 7. vii. 11. 48. viii. 52. 4thly, by the evidence of the Hebrew Scriptures; Job xii. 16. xx. 4-7. xxxi. 33.; Isa. li. 3.; lxv. 25.; Ezek. xxviii. 13.; Joel ii. 3.; Micah vii. 17.; Prov. iii. 18.; 2 Chron. vi. 36.; Eccles. vii. 29. : 5thly, by the express declarations of the Christian Scriptures; Matt. xix. 4, 5.; Rom. v. 12. et seq.; 1 Cor. xi. 8, 9. 12. ; 2 Cor. xi. 3.; 1 Tim. ii. 13, 14, 15. These reasons evince that the Mosaic account of the Fall is to be understood in its literal sense, and if so, it bears a strong attestation to the doctrines of the agency of an evil spirit, of hereditary pravity, and of atonement. The Fall carries us onward to the recovery; the fact that man is in a lapsed state shows the necessity of an expiation, and therefore leads to the stupendous scheme of mercy through the meritorious sufferings of a Redeemer.

CHAPTER IV.

1. I have gotten, &c] These words cannot be intended as an expression of Eve's thankfulness to God for enabling her to conceive, and bring forth a son, because the phrase rendered "from the Lord," never denotes through the favour and aid of God, because the words are not literally expressive of exultation, and because thanksgiving for the blessing of children is differently expressed, Gen. v. 29. They must, therefore, have reference to the promised Redeemer, ch. iii. 15. viz. if the Bible translation be admitted, "I have now gotten THE man from the Lord," the deliverer who was to be from God, him who by uniting the divine and human natures was to bruise the head of the serpent. But there can be little doubt that the true rendering is, "I have gotten the man, the Jehovah," the divine person promised as the Redeemer. Eve might not mean that, by the birth of Cain she had obtained the wished-for deliverer, but that she had then, by that event, the proof and pledge of his appearance in due time. In either case he is styled the man, Jehovah," and as Moses could only know by means of Revelation that Eve uttered these remarkable expressions, we

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cannot but conclude divinity is here plainly and distinctly ascribed to the Redeemer by the pen of inspiration.

3. in process of time] Some think the Hebrew denotes at the conclusion of a week; others, at the end of a year, and others again, indefinitely, at the end of days, or "in process of time;" which last seems the best supported. "Of the fruit of the ground," i. e. vegetable productions good for food; Numb. xiii. 26.; Deut, vii. 13. xxviii. 4.; Ps. cv. 35. We are not informed what kind they were, but Cain brought them for "an offering," i. e. a gift or oblation to the Lord.

4. of the firstlings, &c.] Abel's offering, therefore, was an animal-sacrifice, unto which "the Lord had respect," i. e. had a favourable regard to it; Ps. cxix. 117. This was manifested by some outward and visible token, for Cain knew the divine preference of his brother's oblation; but in what manner this attestation was given, we are not informed. Perhaps it was by consuming it by fire, as in other instances; ch. xv. 17.; Levit. ix. 26.; Judg. xiii. 20.; 1 Kings xviii. 38.; 2 Chron. vii. 1.; Heb. xi. 4. note.

His looks indicated his anger and

5. his countenance fell.] chagrin. 7. if thou doest well, &c.] Viz. if thou doest that which is right in the sight of God, is there not (or, shall there not be) excellency" [to thee], i. e. will not thy conduct have as much excellency in my sight as thy brother Abel's; in other words, shalt thou not be equally accepted with him by a righteous Creator?" and if thou doest not well, a sin-offering coucheth at the door," is ready at hand to make an atonement with; " and unto thee is its subjection, and thou shalt have power over it," i. e. the brute creation being now even after the Fall equally subject to man as at the first, thou shalt have the power, when so inclined, to offer an animal sacrifice, which is the appointed means of making an atonement for transgression, and of reconciling offenders to God. Such the author of these pages is convinced, from repeated and careful examinations, is the exact rendering and interpretation of this passage; and it displays the magnitude of the divine mercy even amidst severity. To encourage Cain in well doing, and to point out the danger of indulging malignant passions, the Deity declares that, if he would act in conformity to the divine will, he should be accepted as well as Abel; and even if he was betrayed into any offence, the indignation which the infinite purity and holiness of God must ever manifest against all sin, might be appeased by a sin-offering; and a victim should never be wanting when he purposed to present such an oblation to Heaven in sincerity and faith.

From this view of v. 3-7. two important questions arise; first, What was the cause or motive for the offerings of Cain and Abel? and secondly, Why was the one accepted, and the other rejected? To the first it may be answered that their offerings

originated in the divine appointment of sacrifice; for 1st, To suppose that, without a previous institution, they should both come to the same conclusion as to the acceptability of such services, and should both offer oblations, and both at the same time, and the same place; and that Abel could suppose that the slaughter of an animal could recommend him to the favour of the Deity, exceeds all the bounds of credibility. Their oblations, then, could proceed from no other source than instruction. 2dly. The rejection of Cain's offering implies a previous institution, for the Almighty can only be offended by the violation of some law, and if there had been no law promulgated in regard to sacrificial rites, Cain would not have been guilty of any offence by offering of the fruit of the ground. зdly. The divine institution of sacrifice may be inferred from v. 7, which means, whenever thou art guilty of an offence against God, thou knowest that the means of reconciliation is a sin-offering, which shall always be in thy power to offer, if thou art so inclined. In these remarks we have an answer to the second question. God after the promise of a great deliverer in the Seed of the woman, instituted the ordinance of animal sacrifices to prefigure the atonement and sacrifice of Christ; and Abel, by offering the firstlings of his flock, complied with the divine ordinance, and testified his belief in the appointed propitiation for sin; while Cain, by a different offering, showed his unbelief of that propitiation; the former, consequently, was accepted, and the latter rejected. This conclusion is fully confirmed by Heb. xi. 4. where the apostle says, Abel offered by faith;" and as a deliverer in the seed of the woman had been revealed, his faith must have comprehended a belief in that Redeemer, which Cain's faith did not. Abel's faith, also, was the means, the Apostle says, "by which he obtained witness that he was righteous;" but no human being ever was, or ever can be, justified except through the merits of Christ; and therefore the faith of Abel, by which he was declared "righteous," or was justified, must have rested on the promise of a Redeemer. Now such a faith as comprehended a belief in the Redeemer could not be testified by an animal oblation, except by the appointment of the Deity, for there is no natural connexion between the one and the other. Hence we may infer that sacrificial rites were originally by divine command, and that Abel's offering was accepted as being in obedience to that command.

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8. talked] Several ancient versions read, "Cain said to Abel, let us go into the fields, and it came to pass when," &c. but this is an unwarranted addition, and unnecessary, as the meaning may be, that Cain talked with, or spoke to Abel as usual, in order the better to disguise his purpose.

9. keeper?] Was the duty committed to me, to keep and to guard him? It may seem strange that Cain should make such an excuse, and add a lie to his crime, when he must have known

who addressed him; but such is the inconsistency into which vice betrays its slaves: comp. ch. iii. 9. note.

10. crieth] Calls for vengeance; Heb. xii. 24. note; James v. 4.; Rev. vi. 10.

11. cursed] This is to be taken in connexion with the preceding verse; "And now thou art cursed" in consequence of this call for vengeance "from the earth (Heb. is the same as "from the ground,” v. 10.) which hath opened her mouth," &c. i. e. which hath imbibed, and as it were drunk in thy brother's blood. The particulars of the curse follow, viz. “ When thou tillest the ground it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength," her fruit or increase; Joel ii. 22. i. e. it shall be unproductive; "a fugitive," &c.; i. e. thou shalt wander about without a fixed habitation.

13. My punishment, &c.] The reason is stated in the next verse. But it may be rendered as in the margin. "My iniquity is greater (or interrogatively, Is my iniquity greater) than that it may be forgiven."

14. from the face of the earth;] From this region where I live, as many explain it; it may more probably mean, by this curse thou has condemned me to have no fixed abode on the earth. "From thy face shall I be hid," meaning, perhaps, I shall be secluded from the place where the sacrifices were offered, or, from that place where thou hast more peculiarly manifested thyself in the cherubic emblems, ch. iii. 24. note. Or, I shall be separated from thy regard; Ps. li. 11. cxliii. 7.; 2 Kings xiii. 23.; Jer. xxiii. 39. lii. 3.; so that I dare not come before thy Majesty with sacrifice. "Every one that findeth me will slay me;" i. e. as some interpret it, every wild beast; but the next verse shows that it includes men, of whose vengeance Cain will thus express apprehension. The verb "will slay," implies restrictedly, will have the power, will be inclined to slay me.

15. Therefore] In order to prevent this, or in order to allay thy fears, it is declared that "whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him seven-fold ;" i. e. he shall be most severely punished; Ps. xii. 6. cxix. 164.; Prov. xxiv. 16. "And the Lord set a mark upon Cain;" rather, "the Lord gave a sign or token to Cain that no one who found him should kill him."

16. from the presence] Viz. was banished from the place where the Lord addressed him; or, from the place where the Lord peculiarly manifested himself; v. 14.

17. his wife;] Married probably before the death of Abel; as it is unlikely that any woman would unite herself to him afterwards. As the world was now about 130 years old, there was no doubt a numerous posterity descended from the first pair; ch. v. 1. et seq. "He builded a city;" this must have been after he had a numerous progeny to inhabit it, and consequently in his old age. Neither does it appear that he himself had a fixed abode in it.