THE Day and the Text are (I hope) perti­nently, though (I am sure) unhappi­ly met together; They making a sad and lamentable Report of a double Murder. The one committed upon the Person of Innocent Abel, the other upon the Sacred Majesty of King Charles the First of ever happy Memory. And you have the Authors of both deservedly Marked and Branded for the same: The one by the Hand of Justice, as in the Day: The other by God himself, as in the Text. The Lord set a Mark upon Cain, &c.

For Methods sake we shall begin First with the Text, and then Conclude with the Occasion and Matter of the Day. As for the Text, The Lord set a Mark upon Cain, &c.

It is necessary we Inquire,

• First, Into the Occasion of these Words.
• Secondly, What was this Mark.
• Thirdly, What should be the End and purpose of it.
• Lastly, The Improvement of the whole.

1. As to the Occasion of these Words. Vid. St. Aug. civ. Del. l. 15. c. 7, 8. It was Cain's Barbarous and Malicious Murthering of his Dearest and only Brother Abel: And his just fear of Gods Vengeance attending that his [Page 2]Crime: He was in a Panick Fear and Dread, least his Fellow Creatures should become his Executioners, and Re­venge his Brothers Death; especially, seeing the chiefest (if not the only) provocation he had for this his unheard of Fratricide, was nothing else but his own inveterate emulation, and Serpentine Hatred, arising only from Gods Approbation of his Brothers Offering, rather than of his. For God was infinitely better pleased with Abels Oblation being accompanyed with honest simplicity, and sincere Heartedness, than with Cain's, notwithstanding all his pompous shows, and specious pretences of deep Devotion. And here by the way, we cannot but take notice, how much Eva was deceived and disappointed in her Expecta­tions, (a sufficient Argument of Humane Frailty:) For after her Fall, God having blessed the Conception of her Womb, and having Enriched her with a Son, She present­ly (Jonas-like) sondly sets her heart and affections upon him, and Names this her First-born ( [...]) Cain, that is, Possession and Fullness. But her Second Son She calls ( [...] or [...]) Abel, that is, Vanity and Unprofitableness. By which diversity of Names evidently appears a diversity of af­fection in the Mother, and it shews us the preposterous Love of lapsed Mankind, as also the shallowness of our Judgments, in that we oftimes highly esteem, and eagerly value that most, which in truth is worst, and make that the object of our choice, which God refuseth; and commonly place our joy and Contentment in that which proves our greatest Cross, and occasion of Sorrow. Further, this minds us of another Truth, to wit, that innocent good Men in this World, many times (even like Christ and Abel from their Minority) are had in less regard, Reputation, and esteem, then the Wicked and Debauched Bravado's of the Age. Thus we find im­partial [Page 3] Aristides Banished for his Virtues,Aemil. Prob. vid. Pious Socrates Aelian. Hist. l. 2. c. 13. p. 33.35. Martyred for his Religion, whilest Atheistical and Scoffing Aristophanes has the Eugè and Applause of the People. Thus an Esau is preferred before a Jacob by his Indulgent Father Isaac, and here, a Cain before an Abel by his fond Mother Eva. Whereas God Almighty looks not at the outward Fea­tures and Beauty of the Body, but at the inward accomplish­ments and Rectitude of Mind, at the Sincerity, Uprightness, and Integrity of Heart. And upon this account it was (as Justin Martyr well expresseth it) that God rather accepted of Abel's than Cain's Offering, Scil; Because Abel gave God of the Best, but Cain Offered the very worst of his Flock and Fruits. Justin Martyr, ( [...], &c.) And thought to put God off with any small present, whereas Devout Abel thought nothing too Good, too Rich, or too Costly for that God who had been the bountiful Doner and Bestower of all that he enjoyed. Cain was willing to live up­on, and (pardon the expression) to Farme Gods Earth, but very unwilling to pay him the least Moyety, Duty or Tyth justly due for the same. And therefore God (the searcher of Hearts) does most righteously reject Cain's Person and Obla­tion, the which unexpected accident Cain enviously observ­ing, does immediately boyl with anger, and swell with in­dignation, for the Context, v. 5. assures us, that Cain was exceeding wrath, and his Countenance fell: Where (by the way) we may again take notice, that Hypocrites (such as was this Cain) cannot endure to be called, reputed, or ad­judged such; no, though they are truly conscious to them­selves that they are no other; nor are they willing to be serv­ed in their own kind, nay, they will not give God himself leave to deal with them according to their own Rule, nor as [Page 4]they deserve, for Cain will fret and fume, if his false heart, and Hypocritical Sacrisice be detected, and rejected by God. Nor does his Rage stop here, but presently in despite and Re­venge to God (the Discoverer of his Hypocrisie) he Plots the Felonious Murther and Slaughter of one of his Innocent and chiefest Creatures: Nor is he ever satisfied, untill he has im­brued his Hands in his Brothers Vermilion Blood. And this should caution us all not to Retain the least Envy and Malice in our Breasts against any Person whatever, but especially not against our Brethren, Friends, and Relations, least that, these Embers and Sparks break forth at last into an unquench­able Flame. It is an Ancient but true saying, that Old An­ger proves Cursed and irreconcileable Malice. For Malice sel­dom gives over until it has effected the ruin and destruction of the party it Opposes. Wherefore, as the Apostle adviseth, Let not the Sun go down upon our Wrath, Ephes. 4.26. But stop we evil beginnings in a Pious Zeal, and prevent we such Malicious Designs and purposes by a Godly Care. Thus much for the occasion of these Words, The Lord set a Mark upon Cain.

2. In the next place, we are to enquire into the nature of this Mark, which God affixed upon Cain, and truly here we are at a loss, not having any certain Rule to guide us, the Holy Scriptures (for Reasons best known to the Omni­scient Spirit) being wholly silent in this particular: So that, what we have concerning it, we must borrow from Tradition, which at the best is but fallible (in as much as 'tis humane:) But yet not to be despised, but rather owned and reverenced, as long as such Traditions deliver nothing contrary to the revealed Word of God, but are consistent with the same, as also with the Rule of Faith [Page 5]and good manners. This being premised, I shall give you a brief Account of this Mark, as we have it in the best and most Authentick Writers, for to name the fancies of all Authors as to this matter, would be endless, and some of them fruitless, being little else but the extravagant fan­cy, and incredible product of a wild Brain, such as that which the great Antiquary Selden mentions in his Syne­dria veterum Hebraeorum, when speaking of Adams punish­ment for eating the forbidden fruit, he tells us, that it was a Tradition, that Adam sat many years (some say an 130) before he begat Seth, in Water up to his Nostrils (in aquâ sederit us (que) ad nares, ob peccatum illud, quod de Ar­bare vitae comedendo commisisset &c.) And from hence rose many Superstitious Customs and Ceremonies used by the Jewish PENITENTIARIES, as Buxtorf. has noted to our hand. And 'tis believed by some, that Cain, being accur­sed, Banished, or rather excommunicated from the Society of the Church of God, for so [...]: which we tran­slate Vagabond and Wanderer, do signifie, (as hereafter more at large.) Did in the like manner do Pennance in Water for his notorious Fratricid.

But to let pass this fabulous Story, and to come near­er to the business in hand, some affix this Mark unto Cain's whole Body. Others confine it only to some particular part and Member thereof.

Of the first sort are those who make this Mark to con­sist in a Paralytical fearful trembling of all his joynts, Head, Hands and whole Body, especially at the sight and occur­rency of any living Creature, whether Man or Beast, such being his dreadful reflections upon his horrid Guilt, as that he feared every Creature he met with would prove the Harbinger of Death unto him, notwithstanding God had [Page 6](to the contrary) passed his word and promise for his pre­servation: Fagius confirms this opinion with the follow­ing Reason, Scil. Because God said to Cain. v. 12. Thou shalt be a Fugitive and Vagabond in the Earth, that is, as the Septuagint render it, [...] &c. Thou shalt go sobbing and sighing, trembling and quaking on the Earth. Which is the just reward of Murther.

Others are of opinion, that God did not set on Cain a­ny other visible [...], Mark or Sign (for so the word [...], Oth, signifies) but what did appear unto the view of every one, in his Physiognomy, frightful gashly look, and dejected countenance. For that his Countenance did thus look strange and gashly is evident from the question God put to him, when he was a Murtherer only in intention as v. 6. God said to Cain, why art thou wroth? and why is thy Countenance fillen? if thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lyeth at the door: I know by thy knitted Browe and frowning Countenance, that thou hast not done well, [...]; thy mad hel­lish look discovers the naughtiness of thy heart; thy very Fore-head speaks thy guilt, therefore tell me the truth, hast thou not plotted some mischief, such as the Murther­ing of thy dear Brother? Surely, if Cain looked thus ruful­ly discontented before he had Slain his innocent Brother, we may be consident, that after the perpetration of so ex­ecrable a Fact, nothing but Horror and Amazement seized upon him; well then might his Fore head wrinckle it self into a Thousand Furrows, and his whole Face become the Scene; On which you might at the first view behold the Prologue and Epilogue, the first and last part of so direful a Tragedy. It is observable that the Hebrew Word [...] does not only signifie Anger, but also, and that very fre­quently, [Page 7]a Countenance and Face, and sometimes an Angry Countenance, and next because the Countenance is, irae in­dex, as Buxtorf. notes, the Discoverer of a Mans inward wrath and Anger. And 'tis believed by some that Cain looked thus, i. e. furiously, angrily, and discontentedly; so that who ever saw him might easily conjecture him to be the Murtherer, none ever looking with such an unkind Aspect and frightful hugh as did Cain, in so much as that his Murther might be read in his Eye, and by the wretch­ed forlorn cast thereof, Men might soon perceive the late Murtherous Act, bad habit and intent of his Mind: For you know who says it, Animus habitat in oculis, the Mind dwelleth in the Eye, and by the several Aspects and Casts of the Eye, many intrinsecal Vices (as well as Virtues) are commonly discerned. In Holy Scripture we read of an Evil, as well as of a good, Eye; Prov. 23.6. Eat not the Bread of him that hath an evil Eye. ( [...]) that is, eat not the Bread of him who hath a Covetous Eye, and in 2. Pet. 2.14. We read of an Adulterous Eye, as also in Deut. 15.9. of an Envious Eye. Take heed that thine Eye be not evil against thy Brother. And in 1. Sam. 18.9. we read of a Murthering Eye, for 'tis said, that Saul eyed David from that day forward. Montanus Arias renders the words (malignè aspiciens) Saul looked upon David with an Evil, Malicious, Murthering Eye: So that, who ever had then beheld Sauls Eye, might easily have perceived the Murtherous intent of his Mind against in­nocent David; and from hence (I mean, from the Evil, Cruel, Envious, and Malicious Cast of the Eye,) Murther­ers of old were usually called [...], i. e. Men Scur, Grimm, Fierce, and Savage in Countenance. Much of this opinion was Nehemanides, only he was grosly mista­ken [Page 8]in making Cain's Countenance to look so dreadful and so frightful, as that none of Mankind durst ever after as­sociate with him; for the contrary appears, in that Cain had Society with, and a plentiful issue by, a Wife, whom (if he did not Marry) he knew after he was thus stig­matized by God. v. 17.

But to wave this, the generality of writers conclude,Vid. Critic. that God did set some peculiar and visible Mark on Cain, and that from hence after Ages (in imitation of the Di­vinity) did fix Marks on persons, as Characteristical notes and signs, sometimes of their Honor and Renown, other while, of their Shame and Naughtiness. And these Marks were either Divine, Ecclesiastick, or Civil; Divine was that Mark which we read of in Ezek. 9.4. When God Com­manded the Angel to Mark the Fore-heads of all the Men that sighed and Mourned for the Abominatious that were done in the midst of the City.

As for Marks Ecclesiastick, Justin Martyr makes mention of them in his 118 Question, where he tells us, it was the Custom of the Church, that the Minister ( [...] &c. with his right hand did set a Mark on those that were bapti­zed, but what was this Mark, he is not in that place pleased to tell us, though 'tis more than probable, that it was the Sign of the Cross, which is now in use.

Civil Marks were such as the Supream Authority did affix unto Men, either as Demonstrations of their Worth and Renown, or else of their Guilt and Punishment, and these latter had commonly a mixture of justice and Mercy, they being inflicted not only as Signs of punishment, but also as Marks of favor, and of Reprieve from that Death which [Page 9]those Malefactors by their Capital Crimes had justly de­served, but were for certain wise politick Reasons Repriev­ed, however Branded for Peccants. Of this nature was both the Graecian and Roman Mark with which they were wont to Stigmatize Capital Malefactors, and usually they set either Theta or the first Letter of the Malefactors name: In like manner 'tis thought by some that Cain was Mark­ed in the Fore-head with ( [...]) Coph, the first Letter of his Name. And it is probable from hence the Romans borrowed their Custom of setting the Letter C: (which is equivalent with the Hebrew Letter Coph) on the Fore-heads of Notorious Transgressors: For with them (I mean the Romans), was frequently tearmed Litera Condemna­tionis, as, A, was Litera Salutaris. R. sin. Antiqu. What ever Cain's Mark was, we may be assured, it poin­ed out Gods Mercy and Cain's guilt, and con­sequently did declare his disgrace and ignominy, like those Stigmatici or Malefactors (for the tearms are Synonimous) among the Romans, whose lives indeed were spared but yet they were Branded with some infamous Letter in the Hand or Fore-head, whence Pliny call'd them Inscriptos: and others call'd them Literatos, from the Letters set upon them, thus the Athenians Branded their Enemies (the Sa­mii) when they took them Captive, from whence arose the Proverb.

Rabbi Salomon (as quoted by P. Fagius and other Cri­ticks) is of opinion that Cains Mark was either the first Letter of Jehova or of his own Name, though others (and they of no small fame) Conclude, that Cain's Mark was indeed in his Fore-head, and that it resembled the fi­gure and aspect of one of the Seven Planets, and that in [Page 10]after ages the Sons of Men (which were the Posterity of Cain) soon became Idolatrous and Worshipped the Hoast of Heaven, to wit, the Sun, Moon and Stars: And they so for prevailed as that afterward they tempted the Sons of God, that is, the Seed of Seth unto the like Idolatry, For Acts 7.43. Ye, that is, ye Jews the Seed of Seth, A­braham and of Isaac, ye have taken up the Tabernacle of Moloch, and the Star of your God Remphan, Figures which ye made to worship them &c. On which place Occumenius writes, that this Remphan was a Star painted in the Fore-head of Moloch, and that it was usual for the Heathens of old thus to paint their Gods. And our English Histories assure us, that here in Great Britain (whose Radix signi­fies to paint,) about the time of the Trojan War, Men were wont to paint and Mark not only their Idol-Gods but them­selves also with a Star in their Fore-heads. The like we read of the Phaenicians and other Nations nearer the place where Cain and his Progeny lived, and 'tis probable after Ages did this in honor and in imitation of Old Cain, whom Tradition makes to be thus Stigmatized and Mark­ed, in the Fore-head, with a Star: And thus Cain's poste­rity made and accounted that Mark a Badge and Emblem of honor, which God instituted to be not only a Token of future security and preservation, but also a signal Mark of present Guilt, and of Divine displeasure.

There is one opinion more (the most probable of all) and it is that which the Learned Gregory of Oxford men­tions, to wit, that God did set some certain Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet on Cain: And this his conjecture is bor­rowed from that incomparable Critick Gerundensis, who tells us, that the Hebrew word ( [...]) Oth, signifies an Alphabetical Letter, as well as signum, a Mark, and that the [Page 11]Hebrew Text ( [...]) which we tran­slate, the Lord set a Mark upon Cain, may as well be read thus, the Lord set a Letter upon Cain &c. Which Letter he and others think probably to be the Hebrew Letter ( [...]) Tau, which is the first Letter of the word ( [...]) Teshu­vah, that is, Repentance, for God did primarily design by this Mark, Cain's Repentance and conversion: And it is not to be forgot, that the very same Letter ( [...]) Tau, God Commanded the destroying Angel to set on the Fore-heads of all those good Men who repented, and mourned for the Abominations and Sins committed in the City. For because the above mentioned devout Persons, did seriously and after a godly manner, sorrow and grieve for the Sins of the Land: God Almighty when he commissioned his Angel to Kill and Destroy all the ungodly and wicked in the Land, gave to the said Angel a special Charge first to Mark with the Letter Tau, all those that truly Repented, and that were to be preserved from that common Destru­ction; for Ezek. 9.4. what we translate, set a Mark upon the Fore-heads of the Men that sigh, &c. May thus be read, as Junius observes, &c. [...] that is,And Tertulll. ad­versus judaeos c. 11. p. 104.10. says the same, super quos est Tau signum ne ac­cessetitis. set a Tau upon the Fore-heads of the Men that sigh, &c. And Vatablus quo­ting the Hebrew Rabbies, says, they thus read the place, and so does Drusius Tertul­lian and Grotius, but they do not make this Letter Tau to be the first Letter of Teshuvah Repen­tance, but rather of ( [...]) Torah, which signifies the Law, and then the meaning of the place is this, go set a Tau on all them who have conscientiously kept (the Torah) the Law of God, and have mourned and sighed for others transgressing the same. After this manner they conceive [Page 12] Cain was Marked in the Fore-head with the Letter Letter Tau, which was to put him in mind of Two things. First, of Torah the Law of God which he had willfully broke, in Murthering his Brother. Secondly, of Teshuvah, His in­dispensable Duty of Repenting, and bewailing that his so dia­bolical Act.

And thus at large we have indeavored to give you the best account (we can) of the Nature of this Mark which God set upon Cain.

Thirdly, It follows that we enquire out the end and final Cause for which God was pleased to set a Mark on Cain, and in all likely hood, Gods end was Two fold, either in respect to Cain himself, or else in regard to Posterity.

If in respect to Cain, then it was either a Mark of Punish­ment, or (Secondly) a Token of great Favor and Mercy to­wards him.

First, It was a Mark of Punishment, In as much as it sig­nified Cain's Banishment and Excommunication out of the Glorious presence of God himself, and from the Commu­nion of his Holy Church. For as it is a great Solace to a Pious and Devout Soul to enjoy God in the Society and Communion of his Church, so is it on the other hand a great Judgment to be deprived of the same: Ignatius in his Epistle to the Ephesians, excellently describes the Priviledges of Church-Fellowship, when he says, that if the Prayers of One Holy Man (such as Moses, David, or Jacob) have been so prevalent and powerful with God Almighty as to divert immanent Judgments, and to bring in Personal and National Blessings, if so, [...], &c. How much more perswasive [Page 13]then are the Prayers of the Bishops and whole Church una­nimously met togerher as in one Chorus to Laud and Praise God. And what can these Universal Prayers be, but as a thick cloud of Incense Ascending up from the Altar to the highest Heavens, and as the sweet Harmony and Melodious Consort of Celestial Musick, sounding in the Ears of the Di­vine Goodness? And as it is Heaven upon Earth thus to en­joy the Rayes and Beams of the Glorious Sun of Righteous­ness, shining full bright within the pale and Bounds of his Church; so on the other hand, it is the greatest punishment imaginable; yea, verily Hell upon Earth (though Errone­ous and Debauched Men do not think so) to be deprived of the same, and swallowed up in worse than Cimmerian Dark­ness, to be delivered up to Satan, and cut short of the fruiti­on of God and his Holy Ordinances: This (says that Ancient Father of the Primitive Church) is one of the greatest pu­nishments any Man on this side Hell is capable of: And such was the punishment of Wicked Cain, implyed and signified in his being Stigmatized. Now that Cain was thus Excommu­nicated and Banished from the Church of God, Paulus Fagius, Bonfrenus (as quoted in the Synops. Crit.) and the Learned Bochartus proves.

First, from Gain's being a Vagabond and Wanderer upon the Earth: For the word ( [...]) which we Translate Va­gabond, Buxtorf enterprets to signifie Extorrem, that is, an Exile, a man Out-Lawd, one that is deprived of all Law Ec­clesiastick and Civil, for so the Extorres were Sentenced, and therefore seeing Cain was such a one, he must necessarily be Excommunicated, and abridged of all Church Priviledges and Fellowship.

Secondly, In that Cain is said (in the Verse immediately following the Text) to go out from the presence of the Lord, &c.Paulus Fagius. Discessit ab co loco ubi Dominus illum convenerat, ubi tum erat Ecclesia & Caetus piorum ad Cultum Dei Confluentium, &c. The summ whereof is this, that Cain departed from the place where God met him, and where the Church of God at that time was fixed, and went his way into Nod, that is, into a strange Country, or rather (in terram Va­gationis) into a Land of Banishment and Exile, far remote from all Divine Worship, Ordinances, and true Religion; And there, in that Land of his Banishment, his Sons and Posterity became Idolatrous and extreamly wicked; and welf they might, being given up to vileness of affection, Reprobateness of Mind, and being shut up in Darkness and Spiritual Ignorance, they might soon be alienated from the true Church, and pure Worship of the ever living God: So then, as soon as Cain is become a Willful Murtherer, God Banishes him out of his Glorious presence, as also de­bars him from all Communion with the Church of God: From which passage of Divine Providence, we may (with the above mentioned Author) learn two special Truths.

First, That, Malos non esse ferendos in Ecclesia, &c. As soon as men are upon sufficient Grounds discovered and proved to be notoriously wicked, and enormous in their Actions and Conversations, they then ought to undergo the Churches Censure in order to their Amendment! And there­fore as soon as Cain's Murther is Revealed and proved, God out of Hatred and Indignation to that his Sin, turns him out of his Favor, and Churches Communion, and all because, Virtue and Vice, Light and Darkness, God and Belial, may not cohabit, and dwell together. All care then, is to be [Page 15]used for the preserving Gods Church pure and spotless, without Wrinckle or Blemish: For as God Almighty at the Judgment Day will make a Separation between the Sheep and the Goats: So does he Authorize his Bishops, Pastors, and Governors of the Church Militant here upon Earth, to Separate the Notoriously Bad from the Eminently Good. As for Hypocrites and such Wicked Men, whose Naughtiness can­not be discovered nor proved, they being Masked over with an outward Profession and Form of Religion, and so lying undiscovered, must be tolerated in the Church, for they are the Tares which will grow up with the wheat: But as for all Cain's who are openly wicked, whose Villanies may be read in their Fore-heads, they are not to be permitted to enjoy so transcendent a Priviledge as Church Fellowship, but ought to be presented in due Course of Law.

Secondly, From hence we may be informed of the many Dangers Ghostly and Bodily all Excommunicated Persons are exposed unto: (Quantis in periculis versentur illi, & quàm expositi sint Satanae & omnibus Malis, Qui extra Ecclesiam sunt constituti? &c.

A Wicked Man Excommunicated, like Cain, is from un­der the Protection and guard of Divine Providence, he is exposed to Mens Malice, to the Beasts cruelty, and lies o­pen to all the fiery Darts of Satans Temptations. His Sin and Guilt subjects him to the vengeance and viols of Gods wrath, and he may well fear that every Creature will take up Arms against him, and become the Executioner of Gods Anger, and so pay unto him the Wages of his sin, which is Death; and that which is worst of all, he being Excom­municated Gods Church and Favor, is given up unto a Re­probate Mind, and unto all manner of Profaness, as was [Page 16] Cain and his whole Generation. But Secondly, this Mark set on Cain, was not only for a punishment to him as it denoted his rejectment and Excommunication out of Gods Church and Favor, but also in that it was a perpetual Brand and Mark of Infamy and Ignominy set upon him on purpose to discover unto all Persons his foul fact, his horrid Murther and Guilt: Yea, briefly, it was as the Hand-writing on the wall, or as the Fin­ger of God Pointing out and declaring to the whole world, This, [...] S. Cbrys. Ho, 19. in Gen 3. This is the Murtherer, This is that cursed Cain who so maliciously slew his pious and innocent Brother Abel.

As this Mark of Cain's was for his punishment, so like­wise, was it for a special Token and Sign of Gods clemen­cy and Mercy towards him, and that first, in as much as it was a Mark of Preservation, St. Chryl Tom. 3. in Psal. 144. p. 5.20 c. and the assurance of a Long Life. God might in his rigor and Justice have cut him off, in the very Act of Sin, but ( [...]!) unfa­thomable is the depth of Gods love, unconceivable is the immensity of his Clemency, unsearchable are the Riches of his Mercies towards the Sons of Apostolized Man; he saves a live when he might justly have kill'd, and suffers them to tread upon his Earth, whose heavy load of guilt and sin might well have pressed and sunked them down to the centre of it. Such is the Superlativeness of Gods Benignity, such are the yearnings of his Bowels of Compassion towards Guilty-Cain, as that he does not only here in the Text, Reprieve him from the sudden Execution of the Sentence of a speedy Death, according to the Tenor of the Law made against Murther, but bestow­ed also Long life upon him, which was a Mercy so great, [Page 17]as that 'tis beyond conception and expression.

And that Cain lived long (as the premises speak) is an universal Tradition, and the Sacred Scriptures (those infal­lible Oracles of Truth) assure us that he lived to see his Childrens Children, it was a general opinion among the Jews that Cain lived unto the Seventh Generation: to this purpose, they read the words immediatly before our Text.

Whosoever Slayeth Cain, Vengeance shall be taken on him Seven-fold &c.

The Hebrews read them thus,

Whosoever Slayeth Cain, at the Seventh Generation Ven­geance shall take hold on him.

And thus they make the words prophetical of Cain's liv­ing unto the Seventh Generation, and of his being Kill'd in that Generation, and who ever should then Kill him should be severely punished. The same Tradition makes Lamech to be Author of Cain's Death. For whilest he was lying solitary in the Woods upon the Ground, Lamech (an Hunter) mistaking him for a wild Beast Shot, and killed him; for which Fact, Lamech's two Wives Adah and Zil­lah (v. 23. of this Chapter) would no longer live with him, but endeavored a Divorcement from him, he being a Murtherer: Wherefore Lamech makes his just defence, and vindicates himself, and takes off their Accusation of Wilful Murther, alledging that he slew the Man Cain a­gainst his will, unawares; otherwise he had not done it; and therefore, if God did permit Cain (a willful and ma­licious Murtherer) to live so long as to the Seventh Ge­neration, he did not question, but God would suffer Lamech (who had at the worst committed only Man-slaughter un­awares by mere casualty) to live not only unto seven, [Page 18]but also unto Seven times seven Generations, that is, unto a far greater number of years, then did Cain. St. Chry­sostome is of opinion that Lamech was a very good and just man,St. Chrysost. in Gen. 4. Hem. 10. and that because, [...] &c. a good man is always the first ac­cuser of himself; For such an one was Lamech, who as soon as ever he had accidentally Kill'd a man, does not conceal it (as did Cain) but ingenuously Confesseth it, and therefore if Cain sound mercy, much more Lamech.

But to conclude this particular, we will no longer tra­verse the above mentioned Tradition, nor dispute its ve­rity or falsity, only this we are assured of, scil. That Cain lived long after the Commission of his detestable Fact, and the Signature on his Fore-head was a confirmation and seal­ing of the lease of a Long Life to him, all which was an undenyable Argument of Gods Goodness and Mercy towards him.

2. This Mark was a Token of great Mercy, in that God thereby did declare he would not only give Cain a longer time to live in, but also a longer time to repent in. For by thus delaying his Execution, God primarily aimed at Teshuvah his sincere Repentance and conversion, expecting that now he should redeem time, expiate and wash out (as much as in him lay) the stain of his Blood-guiltiness in the Tears of Godly sorrow, of unfeigned Contrition and hear­ty Repentance: It being an unexpressible Mercy to have a Moment of time to repent in, and to sue for a pardon; but God be praised, this was Cain's good hap; whereas many (like Zimri and Cozbi) are cut off by the Hand of Justice in the very Instant, and Act, of sin.

Thus far we have heard how this Mark concerned Cain's own person.

It follows, that we enquire wherein it concerns us, and All men. The which it does, In as much as it is a Mark of Caution and Warning unto all men, that they do not pre­sume to commit the same, or any other, sin;St. Chrysos. Hom. 19. in Gen 3. least God visit the sins of the Fathers upon the Third and Fourth Generation of them that hate him, and that will not keep his Commandments. And although Cain found Mercy, yet it is a great questi­on whether any who shall dare presumptuously to commit the like Transgression shall find the least Mercy, and that because, posteriorum peccata semper sunt graviora, second sins are always the worst, not only in their Nature, but also in their dreadful consequences and effects.

2. This was a Mark of Instruction unto others, that they should not without special Commission from God and law­ful Authority Kill any Man, no though he, were a Cain, a Murtherer, and this is St. Chrysostomes note on the place, [...], &c. Seeing all Vengeance belongs unto God and unto his Vice-Gerents, i. e. the Higher Powers upon Earth, it is not lawful for any private Man what ever to take upon him the Executing of the Law, nor to Kill any Man though never so criminal without a particular Warrant from lawful Authority. (Non licere privato cui (que) vel pa­ricidam occidere, &c.) It beingGrot de ju­re belli & pacis. contrary to the very Law of Nature for one person-to Kill another though he be never so Peccant: And although we read of pri­vate persons Killing of others, as of Ehuds stabbing of Egglon, and of Phine as his running thorow Zimri and Cozbi, yet they either had a special command from God, or were commissioned by Lawful Authority, to do the same.