CHAP. IV.
THE exact times of the stories of the fourth Chapter are not to be determined, and therefore they must be left to be taken up by conjecture, in the times of the fifth as they are cast into the following table: and so conjecturally also must we measure out the parallel and collateral times of the generations of Cain and Seth, that are either named here or hereafter to the floud. Cain and Abel born twins, yet the one the seed of the Serpent, and the other of the Woman. In Cain was legible the poyson that Satan had breathed into fallen man, and in Abel the breathing of grace into the elect, and a figure of the death of Christ. God fireth Abels sacrifice from heaven, but despiseth Cains; yet readeth to him the first doctrine of repentance. That if he did well he should certainly be accepted, and though he did not well, yet 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a sin-offering lieth at the door: if he repented there was hope of pardon. Thus as God had read the first lecture of faith to Adam, in the promise of Christ, Chap. 3. 15. so doth he the first lecture of repentance to Cain under the doctrine of * 1.1 a sin-offering: But Cain despiseth his own mercy, is unmerciful to his brother, and is denied mercy from the Lord. He beggeth for death, that he might be shut out of that sad condition, to which God hath doomed him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Now therefore let it be, that any one that findeth me may kill me; but this God denieth him, and reserve th him to a longlife, that he might reserve him to long misery. Lamech a branch of this root, bringeth into the world the abomination of Polygamie, or of having more wives at once than one; for which God smiteth him with horrour of conscience, that he himself might be a witness against that sin that he had introduced: and he censureth himself for a more deplorate and desperate wretch than Cain. For that Cain had slain but one man, and had only destroyed his body, but he himself had destroyed both young and old by his cur∣sed example, which was now so currently followed and entertained in the world, that ere long it was a special forwarder of its destruction, that if Cain was to be avenged seven-fold, Lamech deserved seventy and seven-fold.
In this stock of Cain also began Idolatry, and worshipping the creature instead of the Creator, blessed for ever; and in a mournfull feeling of this dishonour done to God by it, Seth calls his Son that was born to him in those times, Enosh, or sorrowfull; because 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 then began profaness in calling upon the name of the Lord. Noah in 2 Pet. 2. 5. seemeth to be called the eighth, in reference to these times, namely the eighth in succession from Enosh, in whose times the world began to be profane.