384 A SHORT VIEW OP SCRIPTURE nISTORY. given Adam express leave to eat flesh Gen. i. 29. and ii. 26. and ix. 23. and then there could be tie no skins to be had from beasts killed for food. But the sin of man deserved death ; and it was probably at this time that God appointed beasts to be sacrificed, or put to death, to spew that sin deserved death ; and to make a sort of typical atonement, or answer for the sin of man, since cutting and burning God's living creatures does not seem to be a contrivance of man himself to appease God for his Own sin. Then it is natural to suppose, that God clothed Adam and Eve with the skins of those beasts which were sacrificed, to shew them in a typical or figurative way, that as clothes covered the naked body from shame and harm, so sacrifices . offered according to God's appointment should in some sense protect them from the punishment whichsin had deserved. And it is very possible God might inform Adam that all these appointments were only a figure of Christ the great sacrifice,,the seed of the woman, who should make a real and effectual atone- ment for sin hereafter by his own death. I confess all this does not so evidently appear in-the writings of Moses, nor could it be expected, where the account of things in these early times is so exceeding short ; though it is very agreeable to the discoveries made in the following parts of scripture. I add yet further, that sacrifices might be instituted at this time with this view and design, even though Adam himself might not be informed of it ; for the great God does not always imme- diately reveal to his creatures the reason and design of all his precepts or his providences ; Job xxxiii. 14. 30. Q. What was the religion of man after the fall or sin ,of Adam ? A. All the duties of the light of nature, which were required before : And besides these, he was now called to repen- tance for sin, faith or trust in the mercy of God, expectation of the promised Saviour, and offering of sacrifices. 'Phis is called the Adamical dispensation of the covenant of grace, and it reach- to Noah's flood. 31. Q. Who were Adam's first children ? A. Cain and Abel ; Gen. iv. 1, 2. 32. Q. What was Cain ? A. Adam's eldest son, . and he was a tiller 'of the ground ; Gen. iv. 1, 2. 33. Q. But what mischief did Cain do ? A. He killed his brother Abel, who was a keeper of sheep; Gen. iv. 2, 8. 34. Q. Why did Cain kill hire? A. Because his own works Were evil, and God did not accept his sacrifice.; but his brother's works were righteous, aid God gave sometoken that he accepted him; Gen. iv. 4, 5. 1 John iii. 18. 35. Q. Whither went Cain when God reproved him for his murder' ? A. He went out and departed from the presence.-
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