By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
Ver. 4. A more excellent sacrifice] Good actions and good aims make a man good in the sight of God. Cain may offer as well as Abel. Doeg may set his foot as far within the sanctuary as David, the Pharisee as the publican, but with different success.
God testifying of his gifts] By fire from heaven, or some other visible expression of his gracious acceptation, whereby Abel's faith was confirmed touching life and salvation in Christ. Paulus Phagius tells us out of the Rabbins, that a face of a lion was seen in the heavenly fire inflaming the sacrifice. (Armor. in Chal. Paraphr.) Which (if it be true) did probably shadow out the "Lion of the tribe of Judah," of whom all the sacrifices were types.
Being dead yet speaketh] λαλειται, or, is yet spoken of, being registered for the first martyr in the Old Testament, as Stephen was in the New, and as Mr Rogers was here in the Marian persecution.