References and Authorities. God 5. God reserving to society itself the right of qualifying its vindictive action. This, too, is seen in reserving to Cain, for his life was really forfeited, and he felt that the right of it was. "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man society qualifying action. passion. its vindictive shall his blood be shed." But God shows society Acts of taking into consideration the force of passion in the criminal act, and the possible penitence of the criminal, and so limiting its penalty, and changing death to banishment. This right society has always reserved, and holds it to the present day; in civilized Prerogatives nations making it one of the prerogatives of the Crown. If the social order can be preserved, then mercy and consideration may be shown in the judgments and the treatment of social offenders. of the Crown. are sins Man may think society to be a thing of his own ordering; it is seeing much farther into truth to say, that it is ordered under the divine lead. All social sins are iniquities, transgressions of God's second All social sins carry Social sins great table of laws for men. their against God. necessary and inevitable penalties, which nothing can turn aside. These penalties will reach on to affect others besides him who does the wrong. And if the personal transgression be divinely forgiven, the social penalty and often even the personal penalty too— must in measure stay, to be divinely over-ruled as corrective and warning for the many. And if society Penalties. is the sphere in which we may sin, let us also see that it is the sphere in which we may find fitting expression for our love and allegiance to God, for, if we love God, we may show it by loving one another alsc. NOTES ON GENESIS iv. 6—16. Ver. 7. NOT BE ACCEPTED,-marg. "have the excellency"; i. e., retain all the rights and privileges of the firstborn. These Cain feared he would lose through the divine acceptance of Abel. Some think a sin-offering SIN LIETH AT THE DOOR. is meant, but this would involve meaning into a simple word. Cain is in danger of falling into further and deeper sin. When men are angry and wrong-tempered, actual transgression is near at hand, ready to enter. Cain's subsequent murderous act is the explanation of the figure of speech. HIS DESIRES. As a younger brother, he shall look up to you. Ver. 8. CAIN TALKED; the Hebrew reads, “And Cain said to his brother," then there is a gap, which is supplied in the Samaritan text, the Targums, Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate, and other versions, by the words,-" Let us go out into the field." ROSE UP, etc. The narrative does not enable us to decide whether Cain's act was one of premeditation or of sudden passion; yet our estimate of its guilt must depend on the decision of this question. To our minds the language favours the idea of premeditated murder. Ver. 9. I KNOW NOT. This was a deliberate lie. Compare the response of Eve when charged with her sin. She only tried to shift the blame. Ver. 10. BROTHER'S BLOOD, or plural, "bloods," drops of blood, as if every drop cried. Ver. 11. CURSED FROM THE EARTH-that is, from the cultured parts of the earth near to the Garden of Eden, and near to the manifested presence of God. It would seem that even thus early men had some visible symbol of the divine presence. Ver. 12. VAGABOND, meaning simply a wanderer. We References and Authorities. References have added to the word the idea of worthlessness. Cain and Authorities, was to go forth into the broad earth, and find rest and home as he could, away from the scenes of special divine manifestation and guidance. Inglis. BEAR, or marg. Ver. 13. PUNISHMENT "Mine iniquity is greater than that it may be forgiven." This seems to indicate a penitent frame, a feeling that judgment rightly hung over him, and a prayer to be saved from its falling on him to the destruction of his life. Some, however, think that Cain "murmurs against God that his punishment is greater than his guilt.” Ver. 14. EVERYONE THAT FINDETH ME-the plain intimation that there were others living at the time beside his parents, and we need not assume any distinct non-Adamic races. Adam and Eve may have had children after Cain and Abel, and in a hundred years or more their children and children's children may have become numerous. The idea Ver. 15. VENGEANCE, better, avengement. that life taken must be avenged by taking the life of the murderer is thus early indicated. SEVENFOLD-i. e., seven lives shall be taken in avengement of Cain's one life, if he be killed.. Ver. 16. NOD, an unknown region, lying eastward of Eden. The name really meant "the land of the wanderer." NOTE ON CAIN'S MARK. This may have been simply a sign or assurance that Cain's life should be preserved, but it is equally possible that it was a brand by which he should be immediately recognised. An extract from the "Laws of Menu," one of the oldest books extant, will show that in ancient India it was customary to set upon flagrant criminals "marks," which denoted the crime of which they had been guilty. The following marks were set upon persons who had committed the crimes to which they are annexed :— "For drinking spirits, a vintner's flag; For stealing sacred gold, a dog's foot; References and Authorities. For murdering a priest, the figure of a headless corpse. ; With none to be allied by marriage to them; Abject, and excluded from all social duties, Let them wander over the earth; Branded with indelible marks. They shall be deserted by their paternal and maternal rela tions. Treated by none with affection; Received by none with respect : "The doom of such a wretch seems even worse than that of Cain. The marks were branded by a hot iron in the forehead." "Bib. Things not CHAPTER XVIII. THE BEGINNING OF CITIES. "It has been in cities that the human race has ever made the greatest social progress."-Dr. Jamieson. and References WE cannot but regard it as a singular thing that the of Cain. remarking upon this, says,-"Until Noah was instructed to build an ark, there is not in the sacred record any invention in art or handicraft ascribed to any who were not of the family of Cain. This is remarkable. It may be that the decay of higher interests directed all force of mind in the Cainite race into the channel of invention and discovery, for the aggrandizement of this life, and led them unconsciously to furnish a fresh illustration of the truth "Dai. Bib. learnt even in Eden, that Illust.," 5 Gen. iv. 16. 'The tree of knowledge is not that of life?'" Possibly, in the expression "Cain went out from the presence of the Lord," it is intimated that he passed |