Peripateticall institutions. In the way of that eminent person and excellent philosopher Sr. Kenelm Digby. The theoricall part. Also a theologicall appendix of the beginning of the world. / By Thomas White Gent.

CHAP. XV.

Of the Propagation of Mankind: out of the same.

1. AFter the Death of his Brother, Cain departed into the barrener parts (as appears, from his Curse): And, this was the first occasion of filling the severall quarters of the Earth. And, he is said to have sojourn'd towards the East from Eden; or rather, towards the West, for the originall letter has it, he sat down in a strange Country before Eden, that is, he dwelt in a far Country before Eden, that is, to which the face of Eden is turn'd, (Adam and his Family being suppos'd to look af∣ter him when he went from them), that is, to the West, or, having Eden Eastward. Now Eden seems to be call'd that Country in which Adam dwelt, in memory of the Pleasure he had there.

2. And the sacred Authour prosecutes the Generations of Cain to the seventh de∣scent; and tels us the Cities that were built, and the Arts both for use and pleasure in∣vented in them. But, how many years each

generation contain'd, he mentions not: but, 'tis likely, they were shorter then the generations assign'd to Seth; whence, in the time of Enos (which extends to about a thousand years after the nativity of He∣noch, the first-born of Cain) the children of Adam, on Cain's side, may have been exceedingly multiply'd, and that hap'ned which is written, that, in his time, The invo∣cation of the name of the Lord was polluted, viz. in most of the posterity of Seth and Adam, through their Marriages with the daughters of Cain.

3. For, since the Sons of Seth, and the rest that liv'd with Adam, may seem to have follow'd a Pastorall life, and to have liv'd temperately; but the Daughters of Cain to have been delicate and luxurious: there appears on the Male's side strength and virility; and, on the Female's, abun∣dance of Moisture, figurable by heat; whence, 'tis consonant, that a vast and ro∣bust issue was born out of their conjuncti∣on. And, out of confidence of their great forces, men are prone to fall to injuring and oppressing the weak: whence, Lamech call'd it a consolation, to kill all man-kind; according to the by-word that saies, 'Tis better to be alone then ill accompanied.

4. But, whether they were of a huge stature of body, such as we call Giants, ap∣pears not out of the sacred History; where nothing else is said, but that they were Op∣pressours, Strong, and such as got themselves a Name, or fame.