God destroyeth not nature.neither destroy the tree, nor depriue it of the vertue to prolong life, nor bereaue man of freewil, by which he might desire to returne: but conseruing nature in al creatures, preuenteth inconueniences otherwise.
Good Angels hinder diuels of their desires.S. Aug. lib. 11. de Gen. ad lit c. 40.These Angels also hinder the diuel, that he can not enter Paradise, lest he should take of the fruit of the tree, and giue it to men to prolong their liues, and therby draw them to his seruice.
CHAP. IIII.
Wicked Cain killeth holie Abel 9. whose bloud cryeth for reuenge. 11. Cain a cursed vagabond, 17. hath much issue. 25. Adam also hath Seth, and Seth Enos.
AND Adam knew Eue his wife: who conceiued and brought forth Cain, saying: I haue gotten a man through God. 2And againe she brought forth his brother Abel. And Abel was a shephard, & Cain a husbandman. 3And it befel after manie dayes that Cain ″ offred of the fruits of the earth guifts to our Lord. Heb. 11.4Abel also (a)(a) A figure of the Lambe that was slaine from the beginning of the world. Apoc.13, v.8. offred of the first-begotten of his flocke, and of their fat: and our Lord ″ had respect to Abel, & to his guifts. 5But to Cain, and to his guifts he had not respect: And Cain was exceeding angrie, and his countenance abated. 6And our Lord said to him: Why art thou angrie? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7If thou doe wel, ″ shalt thou not receiue againe: but if thou dost il, shal not thy sinne forthwith be present at the dore? but the lust therof shal be ″ vnder thee, and thou shalt haue dominion ouer it.
8And Caine said to Abel his brother: Let vs goe forth abroad. And when they were in the field, Caine rose vp against his brother Abel, and slew him. Sap. 10.9And our Lord said to Cain: Where is Abel thy brother? Who answered: I know not, am I my brothers keeper? 1. Io. 3.10And he said to him: What hast thou done? (b)(b) Wilful murther is one of the sinnes that crie to God for reuenge. the voice of thy brothers bloud crieth to me out of the earth. 11 Now therfore cursed shalt thou be vpon the earth, which hath opened her mouth, & receiued the bloud of thy brother at thy hand. 12When thou shalt til it, it shal not yeald to thee her fruite: a roag and vagabound shalt thou be vpon the earth. 13And Cain said to our Lord: Myne iniquitie is greater then that I may deserue pardon. 14Loe thou doest cast me out this day from the face of the earth, and from thy face shal I be hid, and I shal be a vagabond and fugitiue on the earth: euerie one therfore that findeth me, shal kil me. 15And our Lord said to him: No, it shal not so be: but whosoeuer shal kil Cain, shal be punished seauen-fold. And our Lord put a marke on Cain, that whosoeuer found him should not kil him.
16And ″ Cain went forth from the face of our Lord, and dwelt as a fugitiue on the earth at the east side of Eden. 17And Cain knew his
