The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

A SERMON PREACHED upon

GENESIS IV. 15.

And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, Lest any finding him should kill him

WE have seen Cain's sin: here we see his strange reward. Cain slew his Brother; God will not have Cain slain. How is this agreeable to that, Chap. IX. 6. Whoso sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed? How strange this Providence! Abel might have done good, if he had lived, Cain not; yet behold! this contrary Providence, Abel dyes, and Cain lives. What would Cain wish more than this, to live and be secure? What would some give for such a Patent? If he live, What Murthers more may he commit? What a discouragement may he be to Righteous∣ness? How may the eye of humane reason stand amazed at this providence? We may take up that of Jeremiah, Chap. XII. 1. Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee, yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? And the words of Habbakkuk, Chap. I. 3, 4. Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? For spoiling and violence are before me; and there are that raise up strife and contention. Therefore the Law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteousness: therefore wrong judgment pro∣ceedeth. And, Shall not the Judg of all the world do right? Yet what Righteousness seems in this? We may satisfie our selves concerning this, by these considerations:

• I. Abel was happier dying, than Cain living. Balaam was a parallel of Cain, justfying this, Numb. XXIII. 10. Let me dye the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his.
• II. The Righteousness of Gods providences is not to be judged of only according to outward appearance. Gods judgments are a great deep: and the footsteps of them are not known.
• III. The greatest seeming earthly prosperity may be the greatest punishment. In the words we observe this:

That God reserved Cain to long life. But how he managed it, is scrupulous. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he set a mark upon him. Rab. Solomon saith it was a letter in his forehead: Some say it was a Horn: some, a trembling, that all might know him for a fratricide, for a wretch that murthered his Brother. But this one would think, rather was the way to get him killed. For how could all that met him know Gods mind by this mark, (what∣ever it was) namely, That God would not have him killed? Therefore Aben Ezra un∣derstands it that God gave him a sign, till he believed it, viz. That God would preserve his life. And so it may best be construed. That God set him a sign, lest, &c.

In the fourteenth Verse Cain says, Behold thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth, and from thy face shall I be hid, and I shall be a fugitive and a Vagabond in the earth: and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. It is questioned here, whether Cain begs death, or declines it. If he begs it, God denies him; if he declines it, he hath his desire with a Curse. Hence we gather this Doctrine.

That Gods letting men go on uninterrupted in their sins, is the greatest punishment they can have here.

Doubtless Cain was loaden with punishment. Suppose a Council were called what to do with Cain. You would say, Cut him off: Gods wisdom and justice saith, Let

him live. Long life and prosperity in it self a blessing, but here a prison, a curse; a poison that kills with delight. Consider Cain's temper, and then consider him banished from the Church, and from the memorials of his duty that Gods constant service would give him, turned loose to his lusts, and the councils of his own heart: the longer he lives in this condition, tis not the better, but the worse for him. See vers. 24. Cain was avenged sevenfold. It was a sore judgment, when God said, My Spirit shall not always strive with Man, Gen. VI. 3. I will trouble them no more, Hos. IV. 14. I will not punish your Daughters when they commit Whoredom. It is a great question, Whether is worse, to be cut off in sin, or to be not interrupted in it. A hard choise, as David's was, when he said, I am in a great strait. For the clearing of this observe these two things.

• I. That sometimes the long-suffering of God to the wicked, is not the goodness of God to them. See 1 Pet. III. 20. Which sometime were disobedient, when once the long∣suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the Ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water: Compared with Gen. VI. 3. My spirit shall not always strive with Man. God spared the Canaanites, that their measure might be full. Fulfil ye the measure of your Fathers, saith Christ to the Jews, Matth. XXIII. 32. And Psal LXXIII. 4. There are no bands in their death, but their strength is firm. But vers. 19. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment? they are utterly consumed with ter∣rors. So God tells Pharaoh, I have preserved thee alive, that I might make my power known in thee.
• II. Sometimes Gods forbearance to cut off the wicked, is for their punishment: not on∣ly when he strikes them with horror, as he did Lamech, but when they prosper. Let Ephraim alone, was Ephraim's punishment.

The Uses of this Discourse might be these: 1. To Examine, while we live and pro∣sper; whether it be for our punishment. 2. To be jealous of an untroubled condition. 3. This may teach with more patience and chearfulness to bear the Cross. For as Gods suffering men to succeed and prosper is sometimes a judgment, a token of his displeasure; so afflictions and troubles may be signs of his care and good will. 4. Not to envy the prosperity of the wicked. 5. To labour so to live as to be able to give a comfortable account of long life and age.