Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 1.djvu/85

Rh or a cross; a blessing or a curse. If the earth yield not her strength to us, we must therein acknowledge God's righteousness; for we have not yielded our strength to him. The ground was cursed before, to Adam, but it was now doubly cursed to Cain. That part of it which fell to his share, and which he had the occupation of, was made unfruitful and uncomfortable to him by the blood of Abel. Note, The wickedness of the wicked brings a curse upon all they do, and all they have, Deut. 28. 15, &c. and that curse imbitters all they have, and disappoints them in all they do. (2.) Settlement on the earth is here denied him. A fugitive and a vagabond shall thou be in the earth. By this he was condemned. [1] To perpetual disgrace and reproach among men. It should be ever looked upon as a scandalous thing to harbour him, converse with him, or show him any countenance. And justly was a man that had divested himself of all humanity, abhorred and abandoned by all mankind, and made infamous. [2.] To perpetual disquietude and horror in his own mind. His own guilty conscience should haunt him wherever he went, and make him Magor-missabib, a terror round about. What rest can those find, what settlement, that carry their own disturbance with them in their bosoms wherever they go? they must needs be fugitives, that are thus tossed. There is not a more restless fugitive upon earth, than he that is continually pursued by his own guilt, nor a viler vagabond than he that is at the beck of his own lusts.

This was the sentence passed upon Cain; and even in this there was mercy mixed, inasmuch, as he was not immediately cut off, but had space given him to repent; for God is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish.

13. And Cain said unto the, My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14. 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. 15. And the said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him seven-fold. And the set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

We have here a further account of the proceedings against Cain.

I. Here is Cain's complaint of the sentence passed upon him, as hard and severe. Some make him to speak the language of despair; and read it, Mine iniquity is greater than that it may be forgiven; and so what he says, is a reproach and affront to the mercy of God, which those only shall have the benefit of, that hope in it. There is forgiveness with the God of pardons for the greatest sins and sinners; but they forfeit it, who despair of it. Just before, Cain made nothing of his sin; but now, he is in the other extreme: Satan drives his vassals from presumption to despair. We cannot think too ill of sin, provided we do not think it unpardonable. But Cain seems rather to speak the language of indignation; My punishment is greater than I can bear; and so, what he says, is a reproach and affront to the justice of God, and a complaint, not of the greatness of his sin, but of the extremity of his punishment, as if that were disproportionable to his merits. Instead of justifying God in the sentence, he condemns him; not accepting the punishment of his iniquity, but quarrelling with it. Note, Impenitent unhumble hearts are therefore not reclaimed by God's rebukes, because they think themselves wronged by them; and it is an evidence of great hardness to be more concerned about our sufferings than about our sins. Pharaoh's care was concerning this death only, not this sin, Exod. 10. 17; so was Cain's here. He is a living man, and yet complains of the punishment of his sin, Lam. 3. 39. He thinks himself rigorously dealt with, when really he is favourably treated; and he cries out of wrong, when he has more reason to wonder that he is out of hell. Woe unto him that thus strives with his Maker, and enters into judgment with his judge!

Now, to justify this complaint, observe his descants upon the sentence. 1. He sees himself excluded by it from the favour of God; and concludes that, being cursed, he was hid from God's face; which is indeed the true nature of God's curse; damned sinners find it so, to whom it is said. Depart from me, ye cursed. Those are cursed indeed, that are for ever shut out from God's love and care, and from all hopes of his grace. 2. He sees himself expelled from all the comforts of this life; and concludes that, being a fugitive, he was, in effect, driven out this day from the face of the earth. As good have no place on earth, as not have a settled place. Better rest in the grave, than not rest at all. 3. He sees himself excommunicated by it, and cut off from the church, and forbidden to attend on public ordinances. His hands being full of blood, he must bring no more vain oblations, Isa. 1. 13, 15. Perhaps this he means, when he complains that he was driven out from the face of the earth, for, being shut out of the church, which none had yet deserted, he was hid from God's face, being not admitted to come with the sons of God to present himself before the Lord. 4. He sees himself exposed by it to the hatred and ill-will of all mankind. It shall come to pass, that every one that finds me, shall slay me. Wherever he wanders, he goes in peril of his life, at least he thinks so; and like a man in debt, thinks every one he meets, a bailiff. There were none alive but his near relations; yet even of them he is justly afraid, who had himself been so barbarous to his brother. Some rend it, Whatsoever finds me, shall slay me; not only, Whosoever among men, but Whatsoever among all the creatures: seeing himself thrown out of God's protection, he sees the whole creation armed against him. Note, Unpardoned guilt fills men with continual terrors, Prov. 28. 1. Job 15. 20, 21. Ps. 53. 5. It is better to fear and not sin, than to sin and then fear. Dr. Lightfoot thinks this word of Cain should be read as a wish: Now, therefore, let it be that any that finds me, may kill me. Being bitter in his soul, he longs for death, but it comes not, Job 3. 20...22. as those under spiritual torments do. Rev. 9. 5, 6.

II. Here is God's confirmation of the sentence; for when he judges, he will overcome, v. 15. Observe, 1. How Cain is protected in wrath by this declaration, notified, we may suppose, to all that little world which was then in being, Whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him seven-fold; because thereby the sentence he was under (that he should be a fugitive and a vagabond) would be defeated. Condemned prisoners are under the special protection of the law; they that are appointed sacrifices to public justice, must not be sacrificed to private revenge. God having said, in Cain's case, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, it had been a daring usurpation for any man to take the sword out of God's hand, a contempt put upon an express declaration of God's mind, and therefore, avenged seven-fold. Note, God has wise and holy ends in protecting and prolonging the lives even of very wicked men. God deals with some, according to that prayer, Ps. 59. 11, Slay them not, lest my