Cain was without excuse, inasmuch as faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, Abel must have

`heard'. Cain also would have heard likewise, and even if he had misunderstood, the Lord graciously pointed out

his error, and gave him full opportunity for repentance and acceptance. Cain, Korah, and Balaam make up a terrible

trio that fitly prefigure the state of things at the time of the end (Jude 11). The hymnology of Cain's successors

harps upon the string:

`Something in my hand I bring',

while the language of faith is expressed by:

`Nothing in my hand I bring,

Simply to Thy cross I cling'.

We must not lose sight of the theme of the epistle to the Hebrews, nor the fact that Abel is mentioned as one of a

series that sets forth the need that the just shall live by faith. Abel's example is given here as an encouragement to

the Hebrews who were losing heart, were in danger of drawing back, and to whom it is written in the sequel of

Hebrews 11:

`For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your

minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin' (Heb. 12:3,4).

The rock upon which faith rests is the Offering of Christ and that is the rock upon which unbelief is broken to

pieces. A principle of interpretation is supplied by Hebrews 12:24. Whatever is good in Abel is better in Christ.

Whatever will be found good in Enoch, or Noah, or Abraham, or the rest, will likewise be found better in the

Saviour. He is the perfecter of faith. In Him the whole spectrum meets; all others are so many broken facets

reflecting something only of His ineffable perfection:

`By faith Abel offered unto God more sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God

bearing witness of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh' (Heb. 1:4 not AV JP).

`The blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than Abel' (Heb. 12:24).

While it is misleading as a rule to speak in generalities, it seems clear from Scripture that, so far as the human

side of the purpose of the ages is concerned, all doctrine may be reduced under two heads, (1) Adam, (2) Christ. As

practice flows from doctrine, practical teaching will also have reference to these two heads of mankind. With this

thought in mind it will not be difficult to see that each successive witness to faith in Hebrews 11 in some way

reverses the action and attitude of Adam.

For example, Adam's refuge in the covering of figleaves is reversed in Abel's refuge in the atonement by blood.

That fellowship which Adam enjoyed was spoiled by sin when it could be written, `I heard Thy voice ... and I was

afraid'. This is reversed in Enoch's walk with God. Adam's sin involved his house in death, and his heritage in a

curse, whereas Noah's faith prepared an ark to the saving of his house, and he became the heir of the righteousness

of faith. The reader may continue the parallel. Enoch was the seventh from Adam; he lived 365 years, which

evidently suggests a complete typical cycle of time. In Enoch we have full restoration typified.

We see moreover that Enoch and Abel make one dual witness, showing that man's restoration can come only

along the lines of the great Sacrifice for sin.

ADAM walked with God.

ADAM covered himself with leaves.

ABEL covered by the atonement.

ENOCH walked with God.

Not only do the numbers `the seventh' from Adam, and the 365 years point out Enoch as the end of a cycle, but

his name means `Initiated', and his translation appears to have left its mark upon the old world, for it is highly

probable that the Phoenix, is simply Pa-phenoch, `The house of Enoch'.