Prototypes, Example 2
THE SECOND EXAMPLE.
OF Caine.
NExt after Adam and Evah, the Scriptures propound unto us the Examples of Caine and Abel, two ſonnes of thoſe Parents. Firſt, wee muſt ſpeake of Caine, who being the elder Brother was yet the worſer man, for the Lord hath never accuſtomed to give his graces according to the priviledges of age, that the gift may appeare to be free and gratuitous, not at all deſerved by any thing that the man may finde in himſelfe.
Now ſpeaking of Caine, we muſt handle his Birth and Life, for it hath not ſeemed good to God to tell us any thing of his death. His Birth wee have, Gen. 4.1.Caines Birth. Adam knew Evah his wife and ſhee conceived and bare a ſonne, and called his name Caine, or a poſſeſſion: ſaying, I have obtained a man of the Lord, or, as it may be tranſlated, a man the Lord, perhaps expreſſing her conceit to be, that this ſonne of hers muſt be that man who was alſo to be God, that ſhould redeeme her ſelfe and all men from the miſchiefe which the Serpent had brought upon them, but if ſhee had any ſuch hopes ſhee had much deceived her ſelfe, for God doth ſeldome make ſuch haſt in granting ſo great things immediately after the promiſe, he chooſeth rather to exerciſe the faith and patience of his people in waiting ſome good and large ſpace of time for the performance of the promiſe.
Caines carriage 1. Good. 1. Hee had a calling. The commendation of husbandry.Now concerning this man we will note firſt his carriage and behaviour, then the things that befell him. In his carriage ſome things are for mattrer good, ſome things altogether evill. That which is good is, that at his Fathers appointment and education he betook himſelfe to a needfull trade of life, for ſo it is ſaid, Caine was a tiller of the ground, that is, he gave himſelfe to Husbandry. This calling as it is very uſefull, for even the King is ſerved by the land that is tilled, ſo it is you ſee a very ancient calling, it is full of paines and full of profit, much increaſe (ſaith Salomon) doth come by the labour of the Oxe, but where no Oxe is the crib is empty. You ſee it hath the precedencie of the Shepheard, for the elder ſonne was aſſigned to this trade as the moſt neceſſary. Wherefore mee thinkes they doe not ſhew themſelves to be of the ſame minde with Adam, that are ſtill ready to pull downe tillage and ſet up paſtorage, as I may call it. Indeed paſtorage gives moſt private gaine to one or two men, and therefore they that are led more by ſelfe love then by charity or the love of mankind, are more affected to it; but ſurely Gods pleaſure was in making the World to make proviſion for a multitude to live in convenient abundance, rather then for a few to live in exceſſive riches. Howſoever you ſee this is good in Caine, he imbraced a calling and lived painefully therein, for hee was tilling the ground, he did not alone take upon him the name of a Husbandman, but did exerciſe himſelfe in the workes of that calling.
2. Was outwardly religious.Secondly, Caine was religious too, at leaſt in reſpect of the outward acts, for in proceſſe of time hee brought a gift to the Lord of the fruit of the ground, hee worſhipped God by offering ſomething to him of that which by his goodneſſe and bleſſing the earth did bring forth unto him. The Lord will be ſerved even with our coſts, with gifts, with rendring him backe againe ſomething of that which himſelfe hath given us. He commanded Iſrael not to appeare before him emptie, but to bring free-will-offerings and heave offerings of their hands. God loves not an empty worſhipper, he is liberall to us, he would have us alſo liberall to him, wee receive much from him, he lookes to receive ſomething of us, that ſo we may actually acknowledge him to be the giver of all. He is not contented that the mouth worſhip him in prayers and praiſes, nor the eare in hearing and attending to him, nor the body in bowing it ſelfe to him, nor the hands in lifting up themſelves, but he will be honoured with our goods, as Salomon ſaith, Prov. 3.9. even with our ſubſtance. For though he hath not now commanded any thing to be burnt upon the Altar, having aboliſhed all Sacrifices by ſending his Sonne, to offer up himſelfe in Sacrifice for our ſinnes, that he might take away our ſinnes by that one offering once for all; yet now he hath appointed ſuch a worſhip as cannot be maintained without coſt, in regard of the perſons attending it and the inſtruments of it, and hee hath now appointed them to reape our earthly things in his ſteed, which in his ſteed doe ſowe unto us ſpirituall things. Marke this then as a thing in it ſelfe good, to worſhip God and to worſhip him with giving a gift unto him, as alſo in the Pſalme hee ſaith, bring preſents to him that ought to be feared.
Further,3. Built a City it was a lawfull and good thing in Caine even after his great ſinne committed, that he built a City, for ſurely to take order for the repleniſhing of men with people, and the commodious habitation of men borne into the world, is a good and commendable thing in it ſelfe, though men may eaſily and often doe tranſgreſſe much in the manner of doing it. Therefore the Lord ſaith, Eſay 58. 12. in commendation of his people and in way of promiſing a great benefit and honour. There ſhall be of thee that ſhall build the old waſte places. Thou ſhalt raiſe up the foundations of many generations, and thou ſhalt be called the Repairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to dwell in. Surely, if to build old waſts and repaire decaied places that they may ſtand to many generations be a praiſe, as you heare from the Prophet, then to build new that were not built before, that alſo is a good thing and laudable. This therefore muſt be noted as a good thing in Caine, that hee gave himſelfe to build a City.
Laſtly,4. Had but one wife. that is good in him, that he was the husband of one wife and did content himſelfe with the firſt inſtitution of marriage, not corrupting it with taking variety of women to one and the ſame man at the ſame time, as God had made but one Eve for Adam, and ſaid, a man ſhall cleave to his wife, not to his wives, and they ſhall be one fleſh, meaning, the… two, not three or foure. Some are of opinion that in the beginning Evah at every burden bare twinnes,Some thinke Eve ſtill bare twinnes. and ſo there came into the world together a man and a woman, whether this was ſo or not I cannot affirme, but it may ſeeme probable, becauſe the Holy Ghoſt makes not much mention of the bringing forth of any woman before the flood, therefore it may be thought that their birth is comprehended in the narration of the birth of the more worthy Sexe, and that together with man they were conceived and and borne; but whatſoever became of this conceit, it is evident Caine had but one wife, and that is commendable in him. And this is all that I can picke out of the Story that is good in this bad man, for even in a bad man alſo may be found many things that for the matter of them are very good.
I proceed now to ſet forth the evill of Caine, 2. Caines bad carriage. 1. In generall, He was a wicked man.who was an unſanctified man, as witneſſeth S. Iohn, 1 Epiſt. 1.3. He was of that evill one, that is the Divell, a child of Satan hee was notwithſtanding all that good that he did. A man unſanctified therefore may be painefull in his calling; a man unſanctified may worſhip God and bring him gifts; a man unſanctified may build Cities; a man unſanctified may live honeſtly with his wife. Neither muſt any man conceit himſelfe a childe of God becauſe hee can truly affirme of himſelfe that he doth theſe and many other good and commendable things. This is no more then may be found in a Caine who was of that evill one.
Caines faults in particular: 1. He was an Hypocrite.But let us looke into his vices and faults. The firſt and worſt fault is, he was an Hypocrite, one in whom hypocriſie ruled, for had he not beene ſuch a one, the Lord would not have forborne to ſhew the ſame reſpect to him and to his gift that hee ſhewed to his Brother Abel and his gift. God is not an accepter of perſons, he doth not regard one ſincere man and neglect another that hath the ſame ſincerity, but hee heares all that call upon him in truth, as ſaith the Pſalmiſt: and in every nation thoſe that feare him and worke righteouſneſſe are acceptable to him, ſeeing then God did not teſtifie of his gifts,What an Hypocrite is. they were but the gifts of an hypocrite. For an hypocrite is hee which contenteth himſelfe with a forme of religion, in performing the externall acts of it and is not ſanctified by it, hath not the dominion of ſinne broken, hath not the image of God renewed in him, hath not the divine nature beſtowed upon him, nor cares nor ſeekes to have it, but contents and ſatisfieth himſelfe in theſe externall devotions. Whoſoever is carefull to come to Gods Ordinances, to pray, heare, reade, receive the Sacraments, and the like acts of religion, and doth ſo careleſly, overly, and negligently performe them, as not in them to ſeeke and attaine true ſanctity and recovering out of the ſnare of the Divell and power of ſinne, (for theſe effects of true religion are not denied to any in and by thoſe ordinances but to thoſe which neglect to ſerve for them in and by theſe Ordinances) he is a very Caine that is, an Hypocrite. Hypocriſie is a fearefull ſin, and this was Cain… firſt and worſt ſin, that he was an Hypocrite, he performed indeed …e outward work of religion, but performed it not out of faith and with a deſire therby to do true honour to God, and to give himſelfe unto God, and …o get grace from God to make him his, but barely out of cuſtome o… reſpect to his Fathers authority who had ſo trained him up, or out of a kinde of imperfect naturall devotion, that he might ſeeme to himſelfe good, and nouriſh in himſelfe good hopes of eſcaping Hell and getting Heaven: Notwithſtanding his taking leave to himſelfe to commit other ſins which liked him, or ſuch other like corrupt and meere ſelfe reſpecting ends, as credit with his Father and Mother and the reſt of his Brethren and Siſters; the Lord that ſaw deepely into Caines heart and found it fild with guile, that it did not draw neere to him when his body did, would at firſt make it appeare, that it was not poſſible to deceive him by diſguiſes, and therefore by not ſhewing any note of reſpect, did plainely diſcover his utter diſlike of ſuch meere outſide ſervice as hee hath alſo done at other times, ſaying, that thoſe which draw neere to him with their lips and have their hearts farre from him, doe worſhip him in vaine, and that if any man ſeeme to be religious alone, his religion is in vaine, and that hee is not a Iew which is one outwardly.
The ſecond ſinne of Caine followes,2. Was vexed at his puniſhment. that when he perceived that God had not reſpect to him and his ſacrifice, hee was wrath and his countenance fell, he had a furious inſide and a dogged outſide, whereas hee ſhould have looked into the cauſe, he onelyonly chaſed at the thing. This is a fearefull ſinne, when a man is puniſhed, to be vexed at the puniſhment, and not take care to ſee and reforme the ſinne which cauſeth the puniſhment. This is to accuſe God as the Author of the evill, and not himſelfe, and ſo to juſtifie himſelfe above God; this is to ſhew a predominancy of pride and blindneſſe, that out of an high opinion of himſelfe hath his minde mufled as it were from ſeeing his owne faults, it is to ſhew that he ſerveth that ſinne which puniſhments cannot make him humbly to confeſſe; and this wrath and falne countenance was procured through envie againſt his Brother; for he did not onelyonly vexe himſelfe becauſe his one Sacrifice found no approbation, but alſo hated his Brother, becauſe his was accepted, as appeares, becauſe God in reprooving his ſullen and dogged lookes, doth tell him inſtantly, that unto thee ſhall be his deſire, that is, I know Caine what aileth thee, thou art wrath againſt thy Brother, and hateſt him, becauſe he is more regarded by mee then thy ſelfe, but know that I intend not to take away the ſuperiority which thine age gives thee, he ſhall be thine inferiour in reſpect of governement, though he be better then thy ſelfe in vertues. Thou ſhalt be the ruler of the Family after Adam and not hee.The governement of the World domeſticall. For at that time the governement of the world was onelyonly domeſticall, and the elder Brother was the chiefe Magiſtrate under and after the Father. So envie ruled in Caine, diſcontent feſtred to an hatred of his Brother, becauſe he thought his Brother had more reſpect then himſelfe, and ſo that his Brother hindred him from being accepted.Envie a great evill. This envie is much condemned. It is ſaid, Envie not ſinners, much leſſe the righteous, and S. Paul ſaith,Gal. 5 26. Let us not be covetous of vaine-glory, provoking one another, envying one another, noting vaine-glory to be the roote on the which envie growes; and Salomon ſaith, Who can ſtand againſt envie, noting it to be one of the moſt unreaſonable faults that is, as hating a man becauſe hee is not as miſerable as himſelfe, or at leaſt becauſe he is more happie than himſelfe. This is a ſecond fault of Caine.
A third is,3. Did not mend his fault though he was gently admoniſhed by God himſelfe. that when God himſelfe did gently and duely admoniſh him of his fault, and ſought to aſſwage his hatred and his wrath, yet he did nothing at all reforme it, but rather grew worſe, ſhewing that envie carried him away ſtill, and hee did nouriſh and foſter, not oppoſe and reſiſt it. For God came and ſhewed him good reaſon, both that hee ſhould not be angry at his not being accepted, and alſo that he ſhould not have a grudge againſt his Brother becauſe he was accepted, for if thou doe well, ſaith the Lord, ſhalt thou not be accepted, that is, not thy Brother is an impediment to any reſpecting of thy ſelfe and thy Sacrifice, but thine ill doing. Thou ſerveſt mee with outward ſervice, but thou art a bad man and liveſt not well, therefore muſt not I regard thy ſervice, for I tell thee, my pure nature is ſuch, that if men be of ſinfull lives and wicked, their prayers and oblations are ſo farre from pleaſing me, that they be abomination to me: therefore doe I not care for thee nor thy religion, ſo long as thou continueſt impenitent, and a wicked liver, but if thou frame thy ſelfe to doe well, to repent and amend thy life, and live holily, then alſo ſhalt thou be accepted, as if hee had told him, that hee ought to amend his life, and might ſo ſet himſelf about it, as to obtaine help and power to do it. For even to any reprobate may any man ſay as much as God to Caine here, there is no neceſſity of thy being caſt off by God, ſet to amend thy life, and he will take thee into favour, and then ſhould he alſo be taken into favour, and his gifts regarded. For though the Sacrifice of ſinners be odious to God, yet the prayer of the upright is his delight. So no cauſe of Caines wrath and envie, ſeeing the cauſe of his Brothers being preferred before him is his owne naughtineſſe, not any partiality in God nor trickes that his Brother had uſed. Againe, there is no cauſe he ſhould hate his Brother, who ſhould ſtill continue an inferiour in ſubjection to him. All this notwithſtanding uttered by God himſelfe, yet Caine continued his ſower lookes and bitter thoughts againſt his Brother, onelyonly becauſe his Brother was better than himſelfe, and had received more approbation and acceptation from God then himſelfe. Note this fault, he would not be amended by words, he hardned himſelfe againſt an admonition.
4. Murthered his Brother.A fourth and a worſe fault was, he ſpake to his Brother and gat him into the field out of company (for no doubt there were more men and women in the world though wee doe not reade of any more) and there he knocks him on the head (with what weapon it is folly for us to enquire) but ſure his tooles of husbandry yeelded him fitter helpe to doe it then the jaw-bone of an Aſſe,But with what weapon is uncertaine. which ſome will needs thinke to have beene uſed. So his envie and hatred boyled ſo long, and prevailed ſo much in him, that it makes him dip his finger in blood and in the blood of his own Brother; notwithſtanding the greatneſſe of the ſinne in it ſelfe and great torment that would enſue thence unto his Parents. Moreover, Murder that is Caines ſinne, and with this ſinne of murder is joyned fraud and guile, and fearing man more then God: for he ſpake to him and gat him out, and then roſe up againſt him, when they were together alone in the field, ſo it was a pretended and premeditated murder, he uſed words of kindneſſe, at leaſt which did not ſhew forth any ill intention, for then would not Abel have gone with him, and having him in a ſolitary place where no man could ſee him to diſcover or hinder him, there not regarding Gods preſence, hee tooke away his life and ſpilt his blood on the ground. You ſee Caines fourth ſinne.5. Did not repent of his murder.
The fifth was he did not repent of the ſinne when hee had done it, nor of himſelfe ranne to God with humble confeſſion, nay when God came to bring him to repentance, then hee ſtood in deniall of his fault, and was angry with God for going about to charge him with his Brother; for when the Lord came and asked him where his Brother was, he made anſwer that he could not tell, lying to God himſelfe you ſee, and ſhewing himſelfe to be altogether ignorant, or at leaſt heedleſſe of his All-ſeeing eye, and in a kind of diſcontent asking the Lord, why he ſhould aske of him, where Abel was, ſeeing no man had ever appointed him to be Abels keeper.
Here is a fearefull ſinne not to confeſſe a ſinne committed, but to lie and ſeeke if he could to hide it from God by deniall. So that Caine was growne worſe then Adam, he onelyonly excuſed the fault, he denies, ſaying, he could not tell what was become of him whom himſelfe had murdered, ſo denying in his heart that God was preſent in all places and ſaw all things. So his heart was hardned in wickedneſſe, and he was growne a deſpiſer of God, a denier of his Omniſcience, and he had made himſelfe quite impenitent.
Impenitencie in his ſinnes, that was another of Caines faults. Inſtead of falling downe and ſaying, I have ſinned, he ſaith, I have not done it, thou doſt unjuſtly in asking me ſuch a queſtion, like the Phariſees, that after they had killed Chriſt, were ſo farre from repenting, that they ſeemed to take it in high diſdaine, that the Apoſtles would ſeeme to bring that mans bloud upon them. Marke this ſinne, I ſay marke it, he hides his ſinne, denies it, will not goe to God with humble confeſſions and ſupplications. This is to be a Caine, to commit great ſinnes, and continue remorſeleſſe and unrepentant, not regarding to confeſſe no not to God himſelfe, though God uſe meanes to make him ſee and confeſſe.
Now another fault is,6. He muttered and deſpaired that after God had cenſured him for his offence, he grumbled and deſpaired, for his ſpeeches carry an impreſſion of both theſe vices, and are uttered, ſo that they will beare both renderings, My ſinne is greater then can be pardonad, or, My puniſhment is greater then I can beare. So Caine was poſſeſſed with a mixture of deſperateneſſe and murmuring, he denies God the honour of his mercy in not conceiving him able to forgive that ſin, therfore he thought it in vaine to confeſſe and aske pardon and ſo forbare to doe it, and he thought the puniſhment unjuſt and too ſevere, as being more then hee could beare, as if God in puniſhing an unpenitent ſinner ſhould looke not what the ſinne did deſerve, but what the ſinner could undergoe. Whereas puniſhment muſt be proportioned to the greatneſſe of the fault, not the ſtrength of the offendor. He ſhould have cryed out of the greatneſſe of the ſinne, not of the puniſhment, hee ſhould have confeſſed the greatneſſe of Gods mercy, but he mutters againſt him as both unjuſt and unmercifull, and ſo repents not but repines, complaining that God had laide him open to all mens injuries now, ſo that every one might kill him. This is a Caine, a man ſo hardned with ſinne that he can neither ſubmit to Gods juſtice nor implore his mercy, but denies the one, and calumniates the other, and ſo perſiſts impenitently.
7. Perſiſts impenitently in his ſinnes.For that is the laſt of all his ſinnes, he goes away quite from God and his Father, ceaſeth to continue a member of that family, and of that Church, gives over all outward ſhewes of religion, turnes meere worldly and earthly, and ſeekes to eaſe the ſmart of his conſcience by building and buſling in the world, declaring a piece of vaine glory too, by calling his City after the name of his firſt-borne, as it were boaſting of it, that hee ſhould have his ſonne the Lord of a City of his owne name, Henoch of Henoch. A fearefull offence to perſiſt ſtill in impenitencie, to caſt of all ſhew of religion, to excommunicate himſelfe out of the Church, and burie himſelfe in vanity and worldlineſſe, ſo to ſtifle his owne conſcience and deaden his owne heart more and more.
3. His proſperity and adverſity.Now I have done with Caines carriage good and bad. I come to the things that befell him, good and bad.
1. His benefits, had poſterity and lived a long life, and was preſerved from the violence of all men.Firſt good, you ſee God gave him a ſonne and ſonnes ſonne, and continued his life along time to give him ſpace of repentance, and ſet a mark upon him to ſave him from the violence of all men, threatening to puniſh him ſeven-fold, that is, ſeven times as much as he had hurt Caine if any ſhould kill him. Seeing it pleaſed not God to tell us what this marke was with which hee noted this prime murtherer; it is fondneſſe in us to weary our ſelves with conjectures; ſome think it was viſible to all men, but what I know not, nor I am ſure can any man elſe tell, but it was the goodneſſe of God to ſecure him of life who had deſerved death, for the Law of putting the murderer to death was not yet, and God would not put Adam to ſo hard a taske as killing his owne ſonne, but would ſhew himſelfe to be above Law, in forbearing to doe that which he will not ſuffer a Magiſtrate to forbeare, even putting to death of a wilfull murderer; yea, it was the great goodneſſe of God to give him health and many children, and childrens children, and to grant him riches and proſperity in the world abundantly if it had beene poſſible to have drawne him to repentance,2. God vouchſafed him meanes to keepe him from ſin and to draw him out of ſinne. yea it was a great benefit that God came gently to admoniſh him of his inward malice, if it might have beene to have hindred the breaking of it out into murder, and after it was done to come againe with this gentle ſecond admonition, if it had beene poſſible to have melted him and have drawne him to ſubmiſſive humiliation. So God vouchſafed him meanes to keepe him from ſinne and to draw him out of ſinne, and time long enough to make uſe of thoſe meanes, and many benefits to allure him to make uſe of them, thus good is God even to ſinners, and impenitent ſinners, to offer them meanes of repentance and acceptation upon their repentance, and vouchſafe them ſtore of good things for a long time, notwithſtanding their obſtinateneſſe in refuſing to repent.
2. His croſſes.Now laſtly, let us conſider Gods puniſhments, viz. the evill things he met withall.
The firſt is ſentencing him for his fault,1. God aggravates his fault and ſentenceth him for it. and laying open the greatneſſe of it in ſaying, What hast thou done, thy Brothers blood cryeth to mee from the earth which hath drunk it in at thine hand.
Secondly, hee curſeth him from the earth, that is,2. Curſeth the earth to him. in reſpect of the earth which ſhall not be halfe ſo fruitfull to him as before, nor yeeld its increaſe as it had done, for he doth not meane ſimply it ſhall yeeld no fruit, but nothing ſo much nor ſo eaſily.
Laſtly, thou ſhalt be a fugitive, a runnagate, that is,3. He was full of terrour. a man full of unquietneſſe and terrours, that canſt have no reſt nor peace in thine heart, nor any content any where; yea, it ſignifieth a giving him over to caſt off all goodneſſe, and leave him to himſelfe to forſake his Fathers houſe, and ſo a ſelling him over to profaneneſſe and utter impenitency.
Thus we have done with Caines life,Caines death not mentioned and for his death the Scripture vouchſafes not to mention it, nor how long he lived, but he lived a long time even to ſee the ſonnes of Lamech, who was the ſixt generation from him, and vaunted that if God would ſo avenge Caine, he would be avenged more, by which ſpeech it is very probable that Caine was then alive.
So we have ſpoken all we have to ſpeake of Caine. Now I will make ſome uſe of all.
Firſt, from that that was good in Caine, The uſe of all.I pray you learne at leaſt to be as good as ſo bad a man was, and therefore may ſure be attained by naturall indeavours. You ſee Caine did not give himſelfe to runne idling about the world, but ſubmitted to his Fathers government, ſo farre as to give himſelfe to Husbandry. O let no man turne himſelfe into a cipher, nay into an excrement that lives in the world to no purpoſe, yea to bad purpoſe; for hee ſhall not but doe naughtily that will doe nothing, ſet your ſelves therefore to have and to follow ſome calling and employment. Live not like thoſe playfull creatures, imperfect pictures of men, but of ſuch men the fitreſt emblemes, like apes and monkeys onelyonly to skip up and downe and to make ſport, but live to beſtow your ſelves in ſome profitable vocation for your owne and the common good.
If any ſay Caine was neceſſitated to it, becauſe there were no other to till the ground for them he being Adams firſt-borne.
I anſwer, firſt, I deſire you ſhould live ſomewhat better then Caine and doe good out of choice, which perhaps he might doe out of neceſſity.
Secondly, I anſwer, that though you be not neceſſitated to any calling by want, yet wiſdome and a good conſcience binde you, for muſt you not ſubmit to that of God, In the ſweate of thy browes ſhalt thou eate, and to that of the Pſalmiſt, he ſhall eate the labour of his hands, and to that of Paul, which condemnes the inordinate walkers which wrought not at all, and is it not wiſdome to forbeare walking on a thorne hedge, which Salomon ſaith the idle man doth? and to prevent many occaſions, as the having no calling, and being careleſſe of it will ſurely bring. I ſay againe then, be as good as Caine, have and follow ſome calling.
Againe, looke that there be ſome at leaſt outſide of religion in you, worſhip God and be not ſo much lovers of money as not to give him ſomething, even to be at coſt for his worſhip in ſuch kind as coſt is now needfull, as they were to performe a worſhip then required the coſt notwithſtanding. Be not profane to neglect Gods Worſhip out of ſleighting it, be not niggards to put of God with as little as you can, but give him of the fruits of your ground; and now know that that is given to God which is given to the maintenance of his Miniſters which performe his Worſhip, and other inſtruments neceſſary to the performance of it, as a fit place and the like: O be as good as a Caine, nay willing to be at coſt in Gods Worſhip and for it.
Alſo ſatisfie your ſelves with one wife, for Caine did ſo, he knew his wife, wives he had not.
Yea, be builders up of your families by thrift and husbandry, for ſo could Caine, not pullers of them downe by riot and unthriftineſſe: ſay to thyſelfe, How ſhall this firſt of all bad men riſe up in judgement againſt mee, if I cannot frame my ſelfe at leaſt to be as good as he was? A man ſhould even bluſh to thinke what is the eldeſt ſonne of the Divell more vertuous then I am, O how bad a man am I then.
Secondly, we muſt make ſome good uſe of that was bad in Caine, which is double. Firſt, to take great heed to our ſelves to mortifie thoſe vices, and ſhun thoſe ſinnes which we finde related of him. Caine was a very Hypocrite, a man that contented himſelfe with the outward acts of Gods Worſhip, but was not Sanctified, did not frame his heart to pleaſe God and ſet himſelfe to doe well. O take heed to your ſelves that you be not ſuch, but labour to preſent your hearts to God, and in all his ſervices to offer your ſoules and bodies to him, and not alone the externall ſervice, ſeeke in and by the duties of religion to be made new creatures. Joyne care of a good life in your whole converſation with your outward devotion, then you ſhall not be Hypocrites, but uprright. Beware of Hypocriſie, find out it ſelfe and its ill effects, lament them, confeſſe them, pray againſt them. Be afraid leaſt you ſhould prove Hypocrites, cry to God to keepe you from being ſuch, and to make you ſincere. An Hypocrite is apt to runne into all ſinne, nothing is accepted from him, he is apt to fall away into open profaneneſſe, and to be quite caſt of by God for his ſins.
The ſignes of an Hypocrite.And you may ſee in Caine what be the ſignes of an Hypocrite. 1. Envie at thoſe that be better then himſelfe, and even hating them becauſe they have better eſteeme then himſelfe. 2. Not ſtriving to reforme his ſinnes when hee is admoniſhed, nor confeſſe them to God, and craving helpe againſt them, but rather perſiſting in them and denying them. 3. Chaſing at admonitions. 4. Caſting of at laſt all care of religion. 5. Murmuring againſt God for the greatneſſe of his puniſhment and ſo deſpairing of his mercy as to run away from him. O beware of all theſe ſignes of prevailing Hypocriſie, and do as Caine ſhould have don. Strive againſt guile, ſet againſt envie, labour to profit by Gods admonitions in his Word, though hee come not now in perſon to admoniſh you. If you have ſinned confeſſe it to God, ſtoope to his Juſtice, confeſſe him righteous if he deſtroy you. Hold faſt a perſwaſion of the poſſibility of having your ſins pardoned how great ſoever, and a hope of finding pardon at leaſt in ſuch a degree as may make you runne penitently to God and boldly to crave pardon. And moſt of all, take heed of growing utterly impenitent out of deſpaire, and goe not about to burie your ſelves in the world and ſo to eaſe the torments of your conſciences, but by humble falling downe before God, ſeeke for mercy which will indeed refreſh you. Profit your ſelves by the lamentable and tragicall ſtory of Caine. And above all, take heed of letting envie proceed to that height as to carrie you into actuall murder, but reſiſt and oppoſe it, and caſt it out of your hearts, that it may not bring you to be ſpillers of innocent blood, that is a crying ſinne, and you ſee what torment and hardneſſe it is apt to bring upon the committer, chiefely if the cauſe of hatred and envie be goodneſſe.
Againe, bleſſe God heartily for preſerving you from envie, from murder, from hypocriſie, from muttering, from deſpaire, from open profaneneſſe, from meere and prevailing worldlineſſe. For wee have the ſame nature that Caine, the ſame corruptions, full of pride, full of hypocriſie, full of ignorance of God, and apt to be bold to any evill if wee may conceale it from men. Wee who have the ſelfe-ſame bad nature, if God have preſerved us from ſo mighty prevailing and breaking forth of corruption, let us not lift up our ſelves above others, but give the glory to God, and be ſatisfied with the comfort, not daring to take the praiſe unto our ſelves, each one of us in his kinde would be as bad as Caine, if God had in like manner left us unto our corruptions and the temptations. O that wee could be humbly thankefull for our preſervation from ſuch ſoule ſinnes and crimes.
Now let us remember Caines miſeries and croſſes, and let us affright our ſelves from ſinnes by them. Thinke, would I have God make mee a fugitive and a runnagate, fill mine eares with the voice of terrour, and make a dreadfull ſound poſſeſſe mine heart alwaies, curſe the things I take in hand for my ſake, as hee did the earth for Caines ſake, deliver mee up to groſſe ſinnes, to hardneſſe and utter prophaneneſſe, to impenitencie and deſpaire, and a meere forſaking of God and Apoſtacie; then let mee not be an Hypocrite, let mee not mocke God with ſhewes, let mee not ſleight reproofes not caring to amend. Let me not hide my ſinnes and allow my ſelfe to doe evill in ſecret, fearing mans eyes more then Gods. Let mee not mutter againſt his Juſtice, let mee not denie his Mercy. Let mee not runne into the ſinnes of Caine, which by degrees procured to him this miſchiefe. Hypocriſie brought forth rejecting his ſervice, not profiting by that chaſtiſement brought forth diſcontent and envie againſt his Brother, not hearkening to reproofe to reſiſt envie, brought forth murder, not confeſſing and lamenting that, but hiding it, brought forth Gods judgement to make him a fugitive, not ſtooping to that, but murmuring, brought forth deſpaire, and that utter Apoſtacie and profaneneſſe. Beware of theſe ſinnes which you ſee ſo fearefully puniſhed, and affright your ſelves from theſe faults by the miſerable effects of them in Caine. Take great care that ſinne make not ſuch a progreſſe in your ſoules, till it utterly ſeparate you from God, as it did Caine. Wee have more and clearer meanes then Caine, beſides his evill to be our warning; if wee proove as bad as he, wee ſhall fare much worſe, becauſe of that aggravation of ſinne which it will receive from this conſideration. Tremble to thinke of yeelding to Hypocriſie, envie, murder, muttering, deſpaire, &c. flie from thoſe waies which brought Caine to ruine. Yea learne thankefullneſſe to God, that hee hath not laid ſuch miſeries upon you as upon Caine, viz. a terrified conſcience and a curſe upon your eſtates that can affoord you no comfort, and an heart poſſeſſed with deſperate fancies and impatient riſings againſt God. Theſe be fearefull evills, wee alſo have deſerved them, but God hath not inflicted them upon many of us. O let our hearts rejoyce in his goodneſſe that hath delivered us, and let us make uſe of his patience to draw us to repentance, that wee doe not pull the ſame upon our ſelves hereafter.
Laſtly, from Caines benefits, I pray you learne to ſee the bounty of God which gives great outward benefits to the worſt men, thereby aſſuring your ſelves that hee will provide well enough for you that are his owne people. Will he preſerve Caine from being ſlaine and not mee that deſire to feare him? Did he offer mercy to Caine if hee would doe well, will hee not accept mee that deſire to doe well and to turne to him? Did hee give Caine a City and children, will hee not give to mee things needfull for mee and mine? Gods mercy to the worſt muſt make his people certaine, that no good thing ſhall be wanting to them.
Againe, you muſt learne not highly to eſteeme theſe earthly things. Did not Caine even after his curſing and caſting off yet flouriſh in worldly things, beget children, build a City, ſee his childrens children gallantly maintained in the world, growing in arts and riches? Surely there is no cauſe of being good in our owne eyes, becauſe wee have gotten that which a Caine may get. Wee muſt not be ſo fooliſh as to flatter our ſelves in a conceit that God is our God, becauſe wee meete with ſuch droſſie benefits and meane favours as a very reprobate, and a fugitive may have in abundance. Indeed if God give theſe things with an heart to make uſe of them, to doe good to others, to be thankefull to God, to be mooved to repentance, and to grow better, and be drawne neerer to God, and more carefull of obeying and worſhipping him, this is a ſigne of his ſpeciall favour, otherwiſe to have ſuch things as theſe and ſtill continue in impenitencie and to grow worſe by them rather then better, is a proofe that a man is fatted to deſtruction, rather then God the giver of theſe things doth favour him. *⁎*