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Abel's firstlings are called by the same word, minchah, a present. But, be that as it may,
Abel is said to have offered "by faith." Now faith has reference to obedience, which
implies that a previous command had been made known. Where no law has been given
there can be no transgression. Unless directions had been communicated to these two
worshippers as to the amount or proportion of their property to bring, and if either was at
liberty to offer as much or as little as he pleased, then it is not easy to see why Cain
should by implication be blamed for bringing less. The occasion was, I take it, a farmer
and a grazier each bringing the first fruits of his increase, not so much as a propitiatory
sacrifice (for we are not told they had sinned), but rather as a present or thank offering to
YEHOVAH in token of His lordship over them. We read this was done from theearliest
time in Egypt, which illustrates an almost universally accepted belief in the ancient world
-- whether pagan or otherwise -- that it was not lawful to eat of the new fruit until God's
portion had been divided off from the rest.

Thus far, it will be observed, no altar has been mentioned -- nor is it said that
Abel's firstlings were burnt. It is not until long afterwards that we find a sacrificial
distinction mentioned between clean beasts and unclean, (Genesis 7:2), and then we have
on record the building of an altar on which clean animals and clean birds were consumed
by fire.

In the case of Noah's sacrifice -- with which we learn YEHOVAH was pleased--
we have another instance of the presentation of a material offering to God, with the added
accompaniments mentioned of an altar, fire, and a distinction between clean and unclean
animals.

About three hundred years later we read that Abram built an altar on two
occasions, (Genesis 12:7-8), and he called on the name of YEHOVAH, who appeared to
him. At Mamre, Abram did the same, (Genesis 13:18), and later, when inquiring of
YEHOVAH, he was expressly commanded to sacrifice a heifer, a she-goat, and a ram,
each of them three years old, as well as a turtledove and a young pigeon, (Genesis 15:9).
We have yet another instance of Abraham building an altar when about to sacrifice his
son, for whom, however, he ultimately substituted a ram.

We read, likewise, of the patriarch Isaac, that he built an altar at Beersheba,
(Genesis 26:25), and the same may be said of Jacob, at Shalem, (Genesis 33:20). At
Bethel, we are told, Jacob at first set up a pillar, and poured oil thereon, (Genesis 28:18-
19), which act he repeated in later years, adding to the oil a drink offering, (Genesis 35:1,
6, 14).

If we now review the data thus far selected, we see the first recorded act of the
first two of Eve's sons manifesting a sense of dependence on, or obligation to, the deity,
by presenting to YEHOVAH the first fruits of their increase. We see men of succeeding
generations offering to YEHOVAH God the choicest of clean beasts, of clean birds, and
fruits of the ground, as well as a drink offering and oil; thus fully establishing, in
connection with abundant information from pagan literature, that in all ages in the ancient