V. 4.— By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. The next instance of faith adduced by the Apostle is that of Abel. By faith he offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. We learn from the history of Cain and Abel, that in connexion with the promise that the seed of the woman should bruise the head of the serpent, bloody sacrifices were instituted; Abel offered the firstlings of his flock, Cain the fruit of the ground. The letter thereby acknowledged his dependence on God, the former acknowledged his guilt as a sinner and his hope of acceptance through the promised Savior, whose heel was to be bruised in bruising the head of the serpent. The way of salvation was revealed after the fall; in the emblematical language the seed of the woman bruising the head of the serpent. This may be viewed as the first parable, and its interpretation is given Hebrews 2:14. The bruising of the heel of Christ describes his death, by which he destroyed the power of Satan. The sting of death is sin. It could not injure an innocent person, but Christ took part in flesh and blood with his people, and by His death removed the sting of death, transforming it into a state of transition from pain and hurt and suffering and vanity, to an exceeding, even an eternal weight of glory. Through death, Christ, the head of the family, entered into this glory, and it behoves all his people to follow his steps, to have fellowship with him, the glorious head, in the troubles and trials of life and at last to be conformed to his death, that they may have fellowship with him in the victory which they all share. In connexion with the obscure revelation of the plan of salvation, in the curse pronounced upon the serpent, bloody sacrifices were appointed, and thus, as in other ordinances, the truth of the great atonement was embodied. But Cain didn't regarded the Divine appointment, confessing indeed his obligations to the Divine bounty but making no account of his sinfulness, and disregarding the intimation that without shedding of blood there was no remission and no satisfaction to justice. The history of Cain and Abel exactly corresponds with the parable of the Pharisee and Publican. The former was exemplary in many respects. He acknowledged his obligations to God, but forgot that he was a sinner and needed mercy. This occupied all the thoughts of the publican, and he looked for it through the propitiation. There is but one name given under heaven whereby a sinner can be saved, and previously to his appearing, sacrifices, which can never take away sin, were offered on God’ s altar. Abel’ s offering was by faith in the Savior, who was described as the seed of the woman, and his faith was manifested by offering the appointed sacrifices. He thus obtained witness that he was righteous. — God is angry with the wicked every day; but he testified his acceptance of Abel’ s gifts. We are not told in what manner, not improbably by fire coming down and consuming his offering. Our Lord speaks of righteous Abel. He was, like all God’ s people, righteous by faith, and, although dead, he yet speaketh, teaching us that there is but one way in which sinful man can come to God, and that the blood of Jesus cleanseth from all sin all who believe in Him as their substitute who has satisfied Divine Justice,