The Face of the Soul and God's Call to Cain

He himself—and what kind of things he brought, the saying indicates, implying their character and value: 'from the firstlings of his sheep and from the fatlings' (Gen 4:4). While regarding Cain as having performed the approach negligently, and Abel with sincerity, 'God looked upon Abel and his gifts, but upon Cain and his sacrifices He did not pay attention' (Gen 4:5). For the sincerity is evident in Abel; for he brought firstlings, judging them to be the most honorable to give to God, which are also the fatlings, as he ought to have done, providing from the firstborn. For it is fitting to offer firstfruits to God beforehand, which the blessed David does spiritually, saying: 'From the night my spirit cries out to You, O God' (Ps 63:8), for none of the others is a response for me but refuge toward You; even so to You, God, the duties are offered before all things.

And a gift differs from a sacrifice in that the gift is offered from animals, but the sacrifice is not; and in so far as the animals of the soulless are by nature more precious. And what is this 'God did not pay attention' (Gen 4:5), from which Cain was also disgraced and his face fell, if anyone should ask, or how did Cain know that God was not paying attention, so that he might be grieved? Regarding what someone says about heaven received the sacrifices properly offered, from which it is likely he knew Cain, because the fire did not come upon his offerings, unlike those of Abel which were consumed by him. This also happened in the Leviticus; for those bringing strange fire upon the altar suffered no small punishment (Lev 10:1), and Elijah the great prophet, contending against the priests of Baal, demonstrated how fire from heaven burns upon his sacrifice, being holy (1 Kings 18:38).

These things, then, the discourse provides; and the mind of upward leading would be such: those who feign virtue, displaying outward appearance not from a sincere intention but for another reason, are some who are hesitant and unapproved, not offering firstfruits to God; but the firstfruit of virtue is that which comes from the will; from there a movement grows upon it. David teaches this, asserting: 'But his will was in the law of the Lord' (Ps 40:8); those...

Fourthly, hypocrites, not having a desire for virtue, or for the sake of shameful gain, or for glory, pretend to possess virtue. Since this was the portion of Cain, he brought offerings with him during the day, but Abel immediately brings firstborn animals and livestock; for the unrighteous man, in offering his firstfruits, does not think that his action is not pleasing to God, just as the blessed Paul says: 'Not that I, but the grace of God is with me' (2 Cor 12:9), and the Psalmist: 'Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it' (Ps 127:1).

Abel therefore, having reasoned about the living and irrational possessions and having made them stable, offered to God those belonging to him and not those belonging to his passions. Sorrow comes to those who use things in a way that is not required, like the fire of the conscience rebuking and demonstrating, even if evil is still held, the impropriety of the actions being performed, from which the countenance of the soul falls, from which also the bodily features receive their decline. Because it is the countenance of the soul, the saying says: 'The wisdom of man brightens his countenance' (Prov 15:13), and 'We reflect the glory of the Lord with a face unveiled' (2 Cor 3:18), the sign of the sensible face being indicated in 'a heart rejoicing, a cheerful countenance, but in sorrows, a gloomy face' (Prov 15:13), which happened to Cain under the rebuke of the conscience (Gen 4:6-7).

And the Lord God said to Cain: 'Why have you become dejected, and why has your countenance fallen? If you had offered rightly, would you not have passed by rightly? You have sinned. Be quiet. The turning is toward you, and you shall rule him.' The philanthropy of God toward all is shown, that He also converses with those who err, not allowing them to be submerged by sins, but awakening them to turn toward virtue through feeling, which even now happens to Cain, God saying to him according to what was echoing in his mind: 'Why have you become dejected?' You have become an excuse for this, and you were not a different thing from the sin itself. And He even suggests the manner of the slip, saying: 'If you had offered rightly, would you not have passed by rightly? You have sinned.' For those who consider providence to be over all things and...