When Adam fell, he quickly lost
God’s image, which he once possessed
See all our nature since could boast
In Cain, his first-born son, expressed
The sacrifice the Lord ordained
In type of the redeemer’s blood
Self-righteous reasoning Cain disdained
And thought his own first-fruits as good
Yet rage and envy filled his mind
When, with a sullen, downcast look
He saw his brother favor find
Who God’s appointed method took
By Cain’s own hand, good Abel died
Because the Lord approved his faith
And, when his blood for vengeance cried
He vainly thought to hide his death
Such was the wicked murderer Cain
And such by nature still are we
Until by grace we’re born again
Malicious, blind and proud, as he
Like him the way of grace we slight
And in our own devices trust
Call evil good, and darkness light
And hate and persecute the just
The saints, in every age and place
Have found this history fulfilled
The numbers all our thoughts surpass
Of Abels, whom the Cains have killed
Thus Jesus fell–but O! his blood
Far better things than Abel’s cries
Obtains his murderers peace with God
And gains them mansions in the skies
Thus Jesus fell–but O! his blood
Far better things than Abel’s cries
Obtains his murderers peace with God
And gains them mansions in the skies