D. But if you offered them, Sir, how are you sure they were not accepted?
Cain. Yes, yes, I am sure; did not my Brother Abel offer at the same Time a Lamb of his Flock, for he, you know, delights in Cattle, and covers the Mountains with his Herds? over him, all the while he was sacrificing, a bright Emanation shone chearing and enlivening; a Pledge of Favour, and light ambient Flames play’d hovering in the lower Air, as if attending his Sacrifice; and when ready prepar’d, immediately descended and burnt up the Flesh, a Sweet odoriferous Savour ascending to him, who thus testified his Acceptance; whereas, over my Head a black Cloud, misty, and distilling Vapour, hung dripping upon the humble Altar I had raised, and wetting the finest and choicest Things I had prepar’d, spoil’d and defac’d them; the Wood unapt to burn by the Moisture which fell, scarce receiv’d the Fire I brought to kindle it, and even then, rather smother’d and choaked, than kindled into a Flame; in a Word, it went quite out, without consuming what was brought to be offer’d up.
D. Let not our truly reverenc’d Lord and Father be disquieted at all this; if he accepts not what you bring, you are discharg’d of the Debt, and need bring no more; nor have the Trouble of such labour’d Collections of Rarities any more; when he thinks fit to require it again, you will have Notice, no Question, and then it being call’d for, will be accepted or else why should it be requir’d?
Cain. That may indeed be the Case, nor do I think of attempting any more to bring an Offering, for I rather take it, that I am forbidden for the present; but then, what is it that my younger Brother Triumphs in? and how am I insulted, in that he and his House are all Joy and Triumph, as if they had some great Advantage over me, in that their Offering was accepted when mine was not?
D. Does he Triumph over your Majesty, our Lord and Sovereign? give us but your Order, and we will go and pull him and all his Generation in pieces; for to triumph over you who are his elder Brother, is a horrid Rebellion and Treason, and he ought to be expell’d the Society of Mankind.
Cain. I think so too, indeed; however, my dear Children and faithful Subjects, tho’ I accept your Offer of Duty and Service, yet I will consider very well, before I take up Arms against my Brother; besides, our Sovereign Father and patriarchal Lord, Adam, being yet alive, it is not in my Right to act offensively without his Command.
D. We are ready therefore to carry your Petition to him, and doubt not to obtain his Licence and Commission too, to empower you to do your self Justice upon your younger Brother; who being your Vassal, or at least inferior, as he is junior in Birth, insults you upon the fancied Opinion of having a larger Share in the Divine Favour, and receiving a Blessing on his Sacrifices, on Pretence of the same Favour being denied you.
Cain. I am content, go then, and give a just Account of the State of our Affairs.
D. We shall soon return with the agreeable answer; let not our Lord and Father continue sad and dejected, but depend upon a speedy Relief, by the Assistance of thy numerous Issue, all devoted to thy Interest and Felicity.
Cain. My Blessing be with you in your Way, and give you a favourable Reception at the venerable Tent of our universal Lord and Father.
Note, Here the cursed Race being fully given up to the Direction of the Evil-Spirit, which so early possess’d them, and swelling with Rage at the innocent Abel and his whole Family, they resolved upon forming a most wicked and detestable lie, to bring about the Advice which they had already given their Father Cain a touch of; and to pretend that Adam being justly provok’d at the undutiful Behaviour of Abel, had given Cain a Commission to chastise him, and by Force to cut him off and all his Family, as guilty of Rebellion and Pride.
Fill’d with this mischievous and bloody Resolution, they came back to their Father Cain, after staying a few Days, such as were Sufficient to make Cain believe they had been at the spacious Plains, where Adam dwelt; the same which are now call’d the blessed Valleys, or the Plains of Mecca in Arabia Fælix, near the Banks of the Red-Sea.
Note here also, that Cain having received a wicked Hint from these Men, his Children and Subjects, as before, intimating that Abel had broken the Laws of Primogeniture in his Behaviour towards him, (Cain) and that he might be justly punish’d for it; Satan, that cunning Manager of all our wayward Passions, fan’d the Fire of Envy and Jealousy with his utmost Skill all the while his other Agents were absent; and by the Time they came back had blown it up into such a Heat of Fury and Rage, that it wanted nothing but Air to make it burn out, as it soon afterwards did in a furious Flame of Wrath and Revenge, even to Blood and Destruction.
Just in the very critical Moment, while Things stood thus with Cain, Satan brings in his wicked Instruments, as if just arriv’d with the Return of his Message from Adam, at whose Court they had been for Orders; and thus they, that is the Devil assuming to speak by them, approach their Father with an Air of solemn but chearful Satisfaction at the Success of their Embassy.
D. Hail Sovereign, Reverend, Patriarchal Lord! we come with Joy to render thee an Account of the Success of our Message.
Cain. Have you then seen the venerable Tents where dwell the Heaven-born, the Angelic Pair, to whom all human Reverence highly due, is and ought always to be humbly paid?
D. We have.
Cain. Did you, together with my grand Request, a just, a humble Homage for me pay, to the great Sire and Mother of Mankind?
D. We did.
Cain. Did you in humble Language represent the Griefs and Anguish which oppress my Soul?
D. We did, and back their Blessing to thee bring.
Cain. I hope with humblest Signs of filial Duty you took it for me on your bending Knees?
D. We did, and had our Share; the Patriarch lifting his Hands to Heaven express’d his Joy to see his spreading Race, and bless’d us all.
Cain. Did you my solemn Message too deliver, my Injuries impartially lay down, and due Assistance and Direction crave?
D. We did.
Cain. What spoke the Oracle? he’s God to me; what just Command d’ye bring, what’s to be done? am I to bear the insulting Junior’s Rage? and meekly suffer what unjustly he, affronting Primogeniture and Laws of God and Man, imposes by his Pride unsufferable! Am I to be crush’d, and be no more the firstborn Son on Earth, but bow and kneel to him?
D. Forbid it Heaven! as Adam too forbids, who with a justice God-like and peculiar to injur’d Parents, Abel’s Pride resents, and gives his high Command to thee to punish.
Cain. To punish? say you, did he use the Word, the very Word? am I commission’d then to punish Abel?
D. Not Abel only, but his rebel Race, as they alike in Crime alike are join’d in Punishment.
Cain. The Race indeed have shar’d the Merit with him; how did they all insult, and with a Shout of Triumph mock my Sorrow, when they saw me from my Sacrifice dejected come, as if my Disappointment was their Joy?
D. This too the venerable Prince resents, and to preserve the Race in Bounds of Laws subordinate and limited to Duty, Commands that this first Breach be not pass’d by, lest the Precedent upon Record stand to future Times to encourage like Rebellion.
Cain. And is it then my Sovereign Parent’s Will?
D. It is his Will, that thou his eldest Son, his Image, his belov’d, should be maintain’d in all the Rights of Sovereignty deriv’d to thee from him; and not be left expos’d to injury and Power usurped, but should do thy self Justice on the rebel Race.
Cain.