A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…

Abel did by faith what he did in sacrificing unto God. Heb. 11.4.¹ But faith must be bottomed upon some signification of the Will of God, and must be done by virtue of some command, if done in faith; else there is no ground nor reason to believe that what is done will be pleasing unto God.

1. 12. Fide oblata fuerunt sacrificiis ab initio, sunt autem [Greek or Hebrew] in religione fides & [Greek or Hebrew]. Haec enim habet [Greek or Hebrew], illa autem nititur divinae revelatione voluntatis, ut qui cultus Deo ex fide praestatur sit obedientia. Cloppenburgh. Sacrific. Schol.2. Fide oblata fuerunt sacrificiis ab initio, sunt autem 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 in religione fides & 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Haec enim habet 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, illa autem nititur divinae revelatione voluntatis, ut qui cultus Deo ex fide praestatur sit obedientia. Cloppenburgh. Sacrific. Schol.

That there was religious worship in Adam's Family,¹ and so handed down from his to others, appears in that Adam did yield obedience to the command of God given to him concerning Sacrifices and other duties belonging to it, and did educate his children in the same. Though we do not read that Adam did sacrifice and pray to God, yet it doth not follow that he did not. The great wickedness of Cain, and the martyrdom of Abel gave occasion to this first mention of their offering; but it is not likely that this was the first offering made to God; for do you think that Adam and Eve had so many Sabbaths before Cain and Abel were born and brought up, that they kept none of them? No, not one? Or that they spent their time and days in the matters of the World, in the total neglecting of God and their own Souls? If any be so uncharitable, let them consider these three things.