For the first: Abel spake and cried when he was dead: but how? not with a vocal speech: but the phrase is figurative, and imports thus much, as if the Lord had said to Cain: thou hast killed thy brother closely, and it may be hast hid him in the sand, or buried him, and thinkest no man knoweth of it: ⟨p. 56⟩but thou must know, Cain, this thy fact is as evident to me, as if Abel had told me: I know thou killed him: and if thou wonder how I know, I tell thee his blood told me; for it cried in my ears, & yet it crieth out against thee: for though Abel be dead, his blood yet speaketh. As this is true of Abel's, so of all mens blood: and as of blood, so of all other oppressions, though done by never so great men. Murders, oppressions, and all wrongs done to Gods children, they cry to God against the oppressors, though the poor oppressed men dare scarce name them: they need not, for their blood doth, yea even their very tears cannot be shed, but God takes them up, 1and puts them in his bottle, and will know who shed them. Thus blood crieth against them that shed it, yea tears cry against them that cause them. This affordeth us a double instruction. First here it is apparent that God seeth and knoweth the sins of men, though the men be never so mighty, or their sins never so secret. For though men convey them never so closely, and labour to hide them with all the means that wit of man can devise: yet the very dead creatures cry out, and do proclaim the sins and sinners in the ears of God, as fully as the voices of living men, can discover any thing unto men. Privy oppressions, and goods gotten by deep deceit, lie hid to the world: But the stone out of the wall shall cry, 2and the beam out of the timber shall answer it; Woe be to him that buildeth his house with blood, and erects a City by iniquity: as though he had said, God knoweth every stone and every piece of timber in their stately houses, which they have gotten by deceit or oppressing of the poor. Privy conspiracies, and plots of treason are laid against Princes and Magistrates; and often in so secret manner, as in mans reason is not possible to be discovered. But God hath many ways to find them out, and they never scape his privy search: and therefore the holy Ghost adviseth;3 Curse not the King, no not in thy thought, nor the great ones in thy bedchamber:
For the first: Abell spake and cried when he was dead: but how? not with a vocall speech: but the phrase is figuratiue, and imports thus much, as if the Lord had said to Cain: thou hast kill'd thy brother closely, and it may be hast hid him in the sand, or buried him, and thinkest no man knoweth of it: ⟨p. 56⟩but thou must know, Cain, this thy fact is as euident to me, as if Abell had told me: I know thou kill'd him: and if thou wonder how I knowe, I tell thee his bloud told me; for it cried in my eares, & yet it crieth out against thee: for though Abell be dead, his bloud yet speaketh. As this is true of Abels, so of all mens bloud: and as of bloud, so of all other oppressions, though done by neuer so great men. Murders, oppressions, and all wrongs done to Gods children, they cry to God against the oppressors, though the poore oppressed men dare scarce name them: they neede not, for their bloud doth, yea euen their very teares cannot be shed, but God takes them vp, 1and puts them in his bottle, and will know who shed them. Thus bloud crieth against them that shed it, yea teares crie against them that cause them. This affordeth vs a double instruction. First here it is apparant that God seeth and knoweth the sinnes of men, though the men be neuer so mighty, or their sinnes neuer so secret. For though men conuay them neuer so closely, and labour to hide them with all the meanes that wit of man can deuise: yet the very dead creatures cry out, and do proclaime the sinnes and sinners in the eares of God, as fully as the voices of liuing men, can discouer any thing vnto men. Priuy oppressions, and goods gotten by deepe deceipt, lie hid to the world: But the stone out of the wall shall crie, 2and the beame out of the timber shall answer it; Woe be to him that buildeth his house with bloud, and erects a Citie by iniquitie: as though hee had said, God knoweth euery stone and euery piece of timber in their stately houses, which they haue gotten by deceite or oppressing of the poore. Priuy conspiracies, and plots of treason are laid against Princes and Magistrates; and often in so secret manner, as in mans reason is not possible to be discouered. But God hath many wayes to finde them out, and they neuer scape his priuie search: and therefore the holy Ghost aduiseth;3 Curse not the King, no not in thy thought, nor the great ones in thy bedchamber:
- 1Psal. 56.8.
- 2Habak. 2.11.Habbak. 2.11.
- 3Eccles. 10.20.
