And the man knew Eve, his wife,
and she conceived
and she bore Cain
and she said
‘I have gained a man along with the LORD.’
And she did it again, she bore his brother Abel,
and Abel was a keeper of sheep,
and Cain was a worker of the l and.
And at the end of the days
Cain brought some of the fruit of the ground
as an offering to the LORD.
And Abel brought from the first born of the flock
even from the fattest (part) of them
and the LORD ‘looked’ to Abel
and his offering.
To Cain and his offering
he looked not.
So Cain was very angry
and his face fell.
Keep us, O Lord, while we tarry on this earth,
in a serious seeking after thee,
and in an affectionate walking with thee,
every day of our lives;
that when thou comest,
we may be found not hiding our talent,
nor yet asleep with our lamp unfurnished,
but waiting and longing for our Lord,
our glorious King, for ever and ever.
Richard Baxter (1615-1691)