which inward desire of revenge must likewise be overcome as the Apostle willeth Romans the twelfth chapter Avenge not your selves sed vince malum bono we must overcome the evil of our fleshly lusts and desires of revenge with the grace of mortification and patience 2. Extra Secondly The seed of the Serpent is without us for there are filii Belial of whom were those to whom Christ said John the eight chapter You are of your Father the Devil Such as will doe mischief for doing well such enemies are men of corrupt mindes and understandings that are destitute of the truth and are bold to say that gain is godlinesse from which we must separate our selves the first epistle to Timothy the sixt chapter and the fift verse And if we overcome in this warre then we shall be partakers of this promise But who overcommeth in this warre and who can say he is a conqueror in this battall The Apostle saith That he that sinneth is overcome of sinne and brought into bondage of the sinne the second epistle of Peter the second chapter and the nineteenth verse Therefore where the promise is here made only to him that overcommeth we must see if the Scripture offereth more graces James the fourth chapter and the sixt verse And if we look into Apocalyps the second chapter and the fift verse we shall finde there he that makes this promise offers more graces that is Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent and doe thy first works Dâ—… victoria So there are two victories the first is continere a peccato the other is paenitere de peccato If we cannot get this victory over the Serpent that he doe not cause us to sinne at all yet if we so farre overcome him that sinne reign not in our mortal bodies Romans the sixt chapter and the twelfth verse if we wound his head which was promised Genesis the third chapter and the fifteenth verse so as though he cause us to sinne yet he get not the head or set up his throne in our hearts then we are to hope that we shall be 〈◊〉 of this promise if we return from whence we are fallen and repent us of the sinnes we have committed and doe the first works then no doubt we shall be restored to our first estate and Christ shall give us a new right in the tree of life But he that either fighteth not at all but is at a league with Hell and hath made a Covenant with death Isaiah the twenty eighth chapter he that will deny sinne nothing but will fulfill the lusts of the flesh or if he fight yet he fight not lawfully nor strive to overcome but is content to follow every temptation as an oxe led to the slaughter Proverbs the seventh chapter and not only so but put stumbling blocks before himself which may make him fall Ezekiel the fourteenth chapter and use all means that he may be overcome And if having fallen they labour not to get the victory after by repenting of his former sinnes and doing the first works then they have no part in this first promise Men may draw neer to the holy mysterie of Christs body and blood and snatch at the tree of life but Christ gives it not except they be such as overcome either by the grace of abstinencie from sinne or of repentance and sorrow for sinne They may be partakers of the tree of life de 〈◊〉 but not de jure The bread of life is to them as the bread of wrong Proverbs the fourth chapter and the seventeenth verse and the bread of deceit which shall in the end fill their mouths with gravell Proverbs the twentieth chapter So both the promise and condition are touched But the question is How we shall overcome that we learn Apocalyps the twelfth chapter where the Saints are said to overcome the great dragon the old Serpent with the blood of the Lambe Which blood hath two uses First that which the Apostle calls the sprinkling of the blood of 〈◊〉 Christ the first epistle of Peter the first chapter and the second verse Secondly That by receiving the cup of blessing we are partakers of the blood of Christ the first epistle to the Corinthians the tenth chapter and the sixteenth verse So that in these words is a reciprocation vincenti ut comedat comedenti ut vincat dabo edere the body and blood of Christ is the fruit of that tree of life which the Apostle speaks of the first epistle of Peter the second chapter and the twenty fourth verse That he bare our sinnes in his body upon the tree Of which fruit whosoever are partakers in the Sacrament when it is ministred to them doe receive power to overcome that so they may eate of the tree of eternal life For in this Sacrament we have both a means of victory and a pledge of our reward that is the life of grace begun in us here to assure us of a glorious life in the world to come Every tree must have a root and the root of that tree which Christ speaks of is here in this Sacrament for in it is sown in the hearts of the receivers as it were a kernel which in time shoots forth and becomes a tree for as there was a death of the soul by sinne before God inflicted a death of the body so answerable to that first death of sinne there must be in us a life of grace which is the root of that tree from whence we shall in due time receive the life of glory In this sacrament the tree of the life of Grace is town in us that is a measure of grace wrought in our hearts by the power of Gods spirit by which we shall at length attain to eate of that tree which shall convey unto us the life of glory As there are two trees of life so we must have a double Paradise We must have liberty to be of the Paradise on earth that is the Church Militant which is called hortus conclusus Canticles the second chapter before we can be received into the heavenly Paradise that is the Church Triumphant So there is a plain analogie between those As when we are dead in sinnes and in the uncircumcision of the flesh Colossians the second chapter and the thirteenth verse we receive the life of grace by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ in baptism so when we are fallen from the life of grace and are restrained from the life of God Ephesians the fourth chapter and eighteenth verse and dead in trespasses and sinnes Ephesians the second chapter then we obtain victory against sinne and death by the blood of the Lamb being drunk in the Sacrament Apocalyps the twelfth chapter and the eleventh verse For if the material tree of life in Paradise received such influence from God Genesis the third chapter that being dead in it felse it had power to convey the natural life of our Parents while they eat of
separation from the Temple which was but a type of that place was so grievous to Davids soul as he had no rest in his spirit and thought himself in worse state than the Sparrow till he had accesse to the Citie of God Psalm the eighty fourth Much more grievous is it to be separated from heaven If of the Church on earth it is said there are gloriosa dict a de te Psalm the eighty seventh Much more glorious things are spoken of Heaven whereof to be deprived will be a great grief for this place hath all things which may commend any place Of light it is said Lumen dilexit oculus but this place hath no night but continual light from the Lord himself Apocalyps the twenty first chapter If society doe commend a place then this place is commendable quia janua ibi aperta If immunity from pain there is neither hunger nor thirst nor cold If joy then there the elders sing continually the praises of God Apocalyps the twenty first chapter Therefore to be excluded from this place which is so to be desired is a great punishment Again To be separated not only from so good a place but from such company not only of holy Angels where if it were a great blessing to lodge while they were clothed with mortality Hebrews the thirteenth chapter then it is a greater blessing to dwell with them in this perfect 〈◊〉 None of the saints who albeit on earth they be despised and called fools Wisdome the fift chapter yet shall be glorious in heaven and not only their souls but their bodies made like the glorious body of Christ Philippians the third chapter and the twenty first verse of whose company to be deprived will be a grief but to be cast out of the company of Jesus Christ who when he did give but a taste of his glory it was so glorious 〈◊〉 his Disciples Matthew the seventeenth chapter so as they said 〈◊〉 est nobis hic offici will be a great grief for there he shall be in perfect glory at the right hand of God where he now 〈◊〉 which shall much more rejoyce us than these drops Lastly If the comfort of Gods 〈◊〉 in earth where the light of it is greatly eclipsed and darkned doe afford more comfort than 〈◊〉 of corne and oyle Psalm the fourth then what a discomfort will it be to be separated from the light of it when God shall shew the brightnesse of 〈◊〉 but even then shall the unprofitable servant be cast out from beholding the same Secondly That which doth aggravate his punishment is that this separation shall be done with violence cast him out not bid him goe out or lead him out The separations that are made from the Church militant are not done without great difficulty no man would willingly be 〈◊〉 But it will be a farre greater grief to be separated from the Church triumphant but howsoever they be unwilling yet they shall be separated violently no man will willingly come to judgment at the last day but God will bring every thing to judgment Ecclesiastes the twelfth chapter He that doth evil hates the light John the third chapter but we shall be brought to light whether we will or no and death which is a preparation to the last judgment is fearfull So as no man willingly dyeth nay we make many pleas becaule we would not be separated we say Lord have not we prophecied and yet Christ tells all will not serve the turne Matthew the seventh chapter Not every one that saith Lord Matthew the twenty fift chapter When did we see the hungry or naked c. But Christ for all that we are so unwilling to be cast out tells us In as much as you did it not c. So that albeit man will not goe out of himself yet he shall be cast out with violence which makes his punishment more grievous Thirdly This separation shall be with contumely and disgrace to be thrown out of the company of the Angels is a disgracefull separation Many times Malefactors though they suffer for their offences yet have no disgrace offered them But the unprofitable servant shall not only be punished with the losse of this heavenly place but shall be cast out to his shame for he that dishonoureth God by burying his talent bestowed upon him God will punish him with dishonour and disgrace Them that hate me I will hate the first book of Samuel the second chapter Secondly The place into which he shall be cast is utter darknesse The Apostle when he saith Ad quem ibimus 〈◊〉 habes verba aternae vitae John the sixt chapter and the sixty eighth verse tells us It is an excellent thing to be in presence of them that have the words of eternall life but it is farre more excellent to be present with eternal life it self but not only to be deprived of his presence but to be cast into utter darkness is extreme misery If we might be choosers for our selves as the Devils choesed to goe into the hoggs 〈◊〉 the eighth chapter and the thirty first verse So if we might choose some place if it were but to return to the world again it were some mitigation but when we have not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is greater cause of misery we are not only deprived of light but cast into a place of darknesse And this punishment is very just that the unprofitable servant should be cast into darknesse which did darken his talent and hid it as the Prophet speaks of cursing Psalm the hundred and ninth He loved not blessing then let it be farre from him So quia non dilexit lucem non veniat ei lux extinguit scintilla gratiae ne videat lumen gloriae Which punishment how grievous it is appears for that the beholding of light as the Preacher saith Ecclesiastes the eleventh chapter is so comfortable to the eyes As Paul was out of hope of recovery when he and the rest could see nothing but darknesse Acts the twenty seventh chapter And God plagued the Egyptians with darknesse as the greatest plague he could lay upon them And the Apostle to shew the grievous punishment of the evil Angels saith They are reserved under darknesse the second epistle of Peter the second chapter for tenebrae formidolosae Again He is punished not only with darknesse but also with weeping and gnashing of teeth A man may have some comfort in darknesse it is the best time to sleep and meditate but the unprofitable servants being cast into darknesse shall have neither of these comforts to mitigate his punishment For there he shall feel the worm of conscience gnawing him which shall never dye and be tormented with the fire that never goeth out Mark the ninth chapter He shall have all things that may continue and increase his weeping But in these words the Holy-Ghost pointeth out two things The certainty and the measure of weeping in
when Parties are convicted upon witnesses which is the more usuall way but when by manifest arguments and proofs they are proved guilty For so in Cain The falling down of his countenance His going into the fields with his Brother And he being found slain thereupon are manifest tokens that he slew Abel for there was none else to doe it Upon those grounds God proceeds to give sentence against Cain In which sentence we have an Ecce of Gods Severity in his Justice and of his Bounty in Mercy For first This is a great mercy to Cain that where God did not take this judiciall course with Korah for resisting the Magistrate of Gods people but caused the earth presently to swallow him up in the sixteenth chapter of Numbers and punished Ananias with sudden death for that he lyed not to men but to God Acts the fifth chapter and never stayed either to see whether he would confesse or to convince him yet he will not proceed against Cain till he have proved him guilty and condemned him accordingly Of Gods proceeding in justice against Cain there are three parts First the spirituall part against his soul. Secondly the Oeconomicall part against his labour bestowed in tilling the earth Thirdly his Politicall punishment which standeth herein That he shall be an exile and Vagabond on earth The first part of his punishment is in these words Cursed art thou from the earth for Gods meaning herein as Cain himself doth apprehend it verse the fourteenth is that Cain is cast out from the earth and from the presence of God that is God doth inflict upon him an Ecclesiasticall severing from Gods presence not from the presence of his Providence for of that Psalm the one hundred thirty ninth Whither shall I goe from thy presence Presence of Gods favour but from the presence of Gods favour and grace of which the Prophet prayeth Cast me not from thy presence Psalm the fifty first from the fellowship of the Saints as in saying Cursed art thou from the earth he pronounceth upon him the sentence of Banishment out of the society of men As God doth separate Cain out of the family of Adam which was an Image of the Church wherein he heard Gods word so also he doth baniish him out of the company of men Touching the first point we know that it is the highest punishment that can be inflicted to be cursed of God for in the third of Genesis and the fourteenth verse the sentence pronounced upon the Serpent was Cursed art thou if there had been any punishment more grievous doubtlesse God would have laid it upon him And in the end of the world the last and most fearfull punishment or sentence upon the Devill and his Angels is Ite maledicti Matthew the twenty fift chapter Especially when the curse is directed to the person maledictus tu as if it were shot out of purpose against him so he directed the curse to the Serpents person Genesis the third chapter and the fourteenth verse Cursed art Thou above all cattel But when God came to Adam he spared his person and laid the curse upon the earth Maledicta terrapropter te Genesis the third chapter and the seventeenth verse But here we see the sentence is pronounced against Cain's person as it was against the Serpent Cursed art Thou from the earth Wherein we may see that Cain's sinne is another manner of sin than Adam's and therefore is more grievously punished as it standeth with justice 〈◊〉 ad rationem peccati 〈◊〉 plagarum modus Deuteronomie the twenty fourth chapter But Cain's sinne is greater than Adam's five wayes First Adam's sinne proceeded out of concupiscence but Cain's came of malice which deserveth no mercy as the Prophet sheweth Psalm the fifty ninth Be not mercifull to them that sinne of malicious wickednesse Secondly Adam's sinne was committed upon a sudden and did not take root as Cain's did for his sinne was a long time hatching and breeding for all Gods preaching to him yet he went forward in sinne albeit he had long admonition from God to keep him from it Thirdly Adam having committed his sinne was taken with fear and fled to hide himself if he could but Cain was not a whit afraid but faced it out and never shewed any sorrow for it Fourthly when Adam was examined he confessed his sinne willingly but Cain obstinatly denyed it and would not be brought to confesse it though God had three times laboured to make him confesse He denieth his fault non tam audacter quam procaciter Wherefore Adams sinne and Cains are not both of one regard or nature and therefore must not be punished alike but the one more grievously than the other So yet we see here is a great correspondencie between the Serpents sinne and Cain's for as the Serpent of envy murthered our first Parents so Cain is here the instrument of the Serpent to kill Abel for that he envyed him And therefore the Wise-man said Invidiâ Diaboli intravit mors Fiftly As the Devils sinne is pride Ero similis altissimo Isaiah the fourteenth chapter the fourteenth verse so Cain shewed his pride by his contempt of Gods word command who forewarned him not to kill his Brother as also by his saucy answer to God Am I my Brothers keeper Wherefore as Cain's sinne is equall to the Serpents sinne so he hath the same punishment that the Serpent had Maledictus tu In regard of which likenesse of their sinne the Apostle saith Cain is ex maligno illo in the first of John the third chapter and the twelfth verse that is rather the Son of the Devill than of Adam and therefore the Son is punished with the like punishment that was laid upon the Father For the contents of the word Maledictus The nature of a curse is That the party upon whom it is pronounced must be evill as the Prophet saith Isaiah the third chapter and the eleventh verse Dicite justo quia bene vae autem malo quia male especially that party is cursed that hath no good in him for wee see in the eighteenth chapter of Genesis if there had been any good in Sodom but five persons the Lord would have spared it but because there was no good in it it was plagued with fire and brimstone which doth most of all resemble hell But on the other side because there was wine found in one cluster the Lord said destroy it not Isaiah the sixty fifth chapter and the eighth verse In the new Testament God promiseth mercy to the Church of Philadelphia quia modicam habes virtutem in the third of the Revelations and the eighth verse The goodness of a sinner But Cain had no goodnesse left in him for whereas the goodness of a sinner is fear shame compassion and repentance Cain had none of these Adam was afraid when he had sinned but Cain was 〈◊〉 little afraid that he faced out his sin and as for shame it was
with him as the Prophet speaks Jeremiah the eighth chapter and the twelfth verse Were they ashamed when they had commitied sinne Nay they were not ashamed and for confession he would make none of whom that is verified periit confessio Jeremiah the seventh chapter and the twenty eighth verse Whereas the patience long suffering should have lead them to repentance Cain found nothing in himself but had an heart that could not repent Romans the second chapter in regard whereof the sentence of God pronounced upon him is just Secondly it is just in that it is a severing of Cain from Gods favour for as Cyprian saith 〈◊〉 cum Serpente inimicitia cum Deo sequitur for it is just that he should be delivered to the party with whom he was entred into league Thus God dealt with his people Judges the tenth chapter and the thirteenth verse They have forsaken me and served other Gods Goe and crie to them let them deliver you and as the incestuous Corinthian had made a league with Satan so the Apostles will is ut tradatur Satanae in the first epistle to the Corinthians the fift chapter and this separation from Gods favour is from his presence which he sheweth to his people that meet together to praise and pray to him and to hear his Word and be partaker of his Sacraments of which presence he giveth this command Seek ye my face to which the Prophet saith Thy face Lord will I seek Psalm the twenty seventh and the eighth verse wherewith agree the Apostles words in the second to the Corinthians the second chapter and the tenth verse To whomsoever I forgive any thing I forgive it for your sakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est in the face fight or presence of Christ and as he was cursed from the presence of God so we see he went out presently from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the Land of Nod Genesis the fourth chapter and the sixteenth verse This is the effect and summe of that part of the Sentence which is ecclesiasticall or spirituall touching his soul for all that remains contains that part of the Sentence which is terrestrial where we see it was Gods will that he which had shewed himself savage towards mankinde in killing his Brother should be banished from the company of men So that when it is said Cursed art thou from the earth which hath received thy Brothers blood from thy hand The meaning is he shall be cast out of his own Country whereby God doth plainly expresse thus much That wilfull murther is to be punished by casting out both from Church and Common-wealth both from the Communion of Saints and the Society of men For envy is a sinne of such nature that God thinking hell not to be a sufficient punishment for it causeth Cain to consume himself on earth with vexation of minde for as the Wise-man saith The effect of envy is the rotting of the bones Proverbs the fourteenth chapter and the thirtieth verse Secondly God sets down a reason why the earth should detest and abhor such persons as Cain was and the reason is double First For that there is a wrong done to the earth when a man is wilfully murthered that is she is bereaved of one of those that should till and dresse it and of one of her Inhabitants It is the reason why the Crowners sit upon those that wilfully make a way themselves for they are no lesse injurious to the earth than they that kill others Secondly Because the earth must needs abhorre that which is contrary to nature and doth violate the course of nature for nature doth will all men to seek the safety and preservation of others but Cain wickedly and unnaturall sheddeth the blood of his Brother which God doth 〈◊〉 and pathetically expresse thus That blood which Cain doth unnaturally shed the earth doth kindely and lovingly receive that it should not lie open in the sight of the Sunne which act is like to that of Rizpah which David commended so highly that she took sackcloth and covered the dead bodies of them that were hanged and suffered neither the birds of the air to light upon them by day nor the beasts of the field by night in the second of Samuel the twenty first chapter and the tenth verse wherein the earth it self void of sense appeared more kinde to Abel than Cain for as the Wise-man saith God will arm his creatures to be revenged of his enemies in the fift chapter of the Wisedome of Solomon and the tenth verse omnis creatura ingemescit Romans the eighth chapter they shall all grieve and abhorre that act which is unnaturall As before the blood it self cried to God for vengeance so here the earth it self receives the blood into her bosom which was so unnaturally shed and these are two witnesses by whose testimony Cain is sufficiently convicted of his sinne and howsoever they be dumb in themselves yet they have a voice which God heareth so that no man can keep his sinne so secret but it will be revealed as Job confesseth Job the thirty first chapter and the thirty eighth verse My land will crie against me and the furrowes thereof will complain together if I have eaten the fruits thereof without silver Which detestation conceived by the earth against the fact of Cain is further set forth in the next verse two waies First negando cibum Secondly negando sedem for the first it is said when thou tillest the earth it shal not yeeld her strength unto thee to feed thee Secondly thou shalt be in contiuall feare and it shall deny it self to thee not affording thee any certain mansion for thou shalt be an Exile and Vagabond upon earth All that the earth affords us is pabulum latibulum that is as the Apostle speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first to Timothy the sixt chapter it doth both alere sustinere Two things we desire on earth sufficiencie of living and maintenance and peace and rest against trouble Against these two are set for Cains punishment First want in that the earth shall deny its strength and unquietness or restlesness in that he shal be an Exile and Vagabond For sufficiencie of feeding albeit God before had cursed the earth yet not so but that by labour it should yeeld to man bread but now God saith if Cain labour and take never so great pains in tilling the earth his labour shall be in vain though he sweat and labour never so much yet it shall withdraw that humor and fatness whereby it is wont to send forth corn for food that is her fruit shall not make bread and maintain the life of him that is a shedder of blood So whatsoever Cain enjoyeth upon earth is not of right for except the earth be willing both to feed him and to sustain him he hath no just possession or interest in it quodjure non possidetur furto latrocinio usurpatur every peece
hear so they cried and he would not hear them Yet not withstanding we see God is content to hear Cain's petition and by his example to set down a pattern unto others that the sentence being pronounced and the party condemned yet he is to be allowed to speak Secondly That God having heard Cain wonder at his punishment as if it were not proportionable to his sinne hearing him odiously recounting and remembring his punishment where he should have thought upon his sinne and transposing Gods order in that he complaineth for that he is cast out of the earth before he speaks of his casting out of Gods favour hearing him shew plainly that he was more grieved at the penalty inflicted upon him than the fault committed by him and at the earthly part of his punishment more than the spirituall whereas upon his own confession God might justly have said Luke the fourteenth chapter ex ore tuo judico as thou confessest thy self unworthy to live so whosoever shall finde 〈◊〉 shall kill thee yet he is not only content to hear but also to consider the voyce of his prayer Psalm the sixty sixt and the seventeenth verse Thirdly We set that God granteth his suit for whereas Cains request is that the sentence may not presently be executed so that whosoever meeteth him shall kill him God saith I will take order that thy life shall not presently be taken from thee but I will reprieve thee to further repentance Wherein we see as Augustine noteth quod nunquam deo sine spe supplicatur in as much as Cain a man condemned hath obtained to be heard of God It is verified which David saith Psalm the ninth and the tenth verse Thou Lord never failest them that seek thee and that which our Siviour Christ saith John the sixt chapter eum qui ad me venit non ejiciam for as not only here we see a reprobate hath his request granted but wicked Abab that sold himself to work wickedness for that he humbled himself escaped the evill which the Lord purposed to bring upon him in the first of Kings the twenty first chapter and whereas Cains life is spared it is an argument that if Cain had asked more God would have granted it It was but Angustia mentis his minde and understanding could not conceive what to ask besides the benefit of this present life It was not the narrowness of Gods mercy for had he asked more more should have been granted him for God affirmeth of his liberality Psalm the eighty first Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Therefore by that term of expecting Isaiah the third chapter and hearkning Jeremiah the eighth chapter The meaning of the prophet is that God is willing and ready to give more if men will sue to him In the mean time we see in these words a mitigation of Cains fear whereby we are taught that God mitigateth the punishment of those that are dejected though he taketh it not away for that which the Prophet affirmeth Psalm the sixty fift That God is the hope of all the ends of the world is no otherwise verified of those that are out of the covenant but in respect only of the mitigation of their punishment For albeit those that pertain not to the covenant have not their punishment taken away yet it may be mitigated So Christ saith of Tyre and Sidon that their estate shall be easier and their punishment more remisse in the day of Judgment Matthew the eleventh chapter and the Servant that of ignorance committeth things worthy of stripes albeit he be not beaten with many stripes as he that knew his Masters will and sinneth yet he shall not escape unbeaten Luke the twelfth chapter and the fourty eighth verse The grant consists of two parts The word or command of God touching him that shall kill Cain and the mark which he sets upon Cain that he may be known from all other men For by these two God sets down an order for the preservation of mans life For the first Where God saith not whosoever killeth any man but whosoever killeth Cain that hath the form of a pardon Secondly That no man should kill him wittingly he saith he shall be punished seven fold Thirdly For that no man should ignorantly kill him God setteth a mark upon Cain whereby he may be known from all other men In the Command which God giveth we have to consider his Pardon and the Penalty threatned to him 〈◊〉 wittingly kills Cain In the pardon or mitigation of the sentence the Councell of God doth first respect Cain himself for if God had presently swept away Cain upon the sentence pronounced he could not have repented but in giving Cain a long life upon earth that he should not presently be taken away but live gemens tremens it might at length come into Cains minde wrastling with sorrow and fear to say with the Church in the second chapter of Hosea I will return to my first husband for as it is usuall with the people of God after many afflictions to conclude upon repentance It was the case of the lost childe in the fifteenth chapter of Luke for a time he bare out the miserie which he had brought upon himself but at the last he is faint and saith redibo ad patrem so Gods purpose in delaying the execution of his sentence upon Cain was that by a long and tedious life he might be brought to repentance For that is it which Ambrose saith that when long life is granted to a man as it was to Hezekiab Isaiah the thirty eighth chapter the reason is ut vita sit mors peccati but if insteed of funus peccati it be foenus peccati if instead of burying sinne we put it out to increase then life is nothing else but thesaurisatio irae dei in diem irae Romans the second chapter This is the first part to be considered in Gods councell that himself may be the better Secondly in sparing Cain God hath a respect of others for there is not simplex contritio Serpentis but aliquando conteritur Serpens ad pernitiem aliquando at theriacam that is to make treakle Though the Serpents head be not so bruised that he dye of it yet so as of it wholesome medicines may be made for the healing of others though themselves be not healed for the Apostle saith there is in us a spirit that lusteth to envy as well as in Cain James the fourth chapter and the fift verse and therefore we have need to have his example before our eyes to keep us from his sinne for his shedding of blood is to us insteed of a bath to wash our footsteps in Psalm the fifty eighth that is in this sparing there is not only a use to Cain himself to amend but though he doe not yet his example may cause others to amend seeing how God doth punish Cains sinne with a miserable life that contains nothing but fear and grief