196. These things are often a stumbling-block, not to the world only, but even to the saints, as the Psalms in many places testify. And the prophets, also, are frequently found to grow indignant, as does Jeremiah, when they see the wicked possess freedom as it were from the evils of life, while they are oppressed and afflicted in various ways. Men may therefore inquire, Where is the curse of the wicked? Where is the blessing of the godly? Is not the converse the truth? Cain is a vagabond and settled nowhere; and yet Cain is the first man that builds a city and has a certain place to dwell in. But we will answer this argument more fully hereafter. We will now proceed with the text of Moses. VI. CAIN'S CONDUCT WHEN PUNISHED. 1. How he despaired. "My punishment is greater" etc. a. These words have greatly perplexed interpreters 197. b. The way Augustine explains them 197. c. The explanation of the rabbins 198. * How the rabbins pervert the Scriptures and whence their false comments 198-199. d. Why the rabbins' interpretation cannot be accepted 200. e. The true understanding of these words 201. * The punishment troubles Cain more than his sin 201. f. What makes these words difficult 202. * The right understanding of the words "Minso" and "Avon" 202-203. * Grammarians cannot get at the right meaning of the Scriptures 204. * How we should proceed in interpreting Scripture 204. 2. How Cain viewed his political punishment 205. 3. How he viewed his ecclesiastical punishment 206. * Why Cain was excommunicated by Adam 206-207. * In what sense Cain was a fugitive and a wanderer 208-209. * Adam received his punishment in a better way 210. * The meaning of being a fugitive and a wanderer. How the same is found among the papists 211-212. * The grace of God was guaranteed to Seth and his posterity 212. * Why no temptation can harm believers 212. 4. Cain's fear that in turn he would be slain 213. * God shows Cain a double favor in his punishment. Why he does this 213. * Whether any of Cain's posterity, under the Old Testament, were saved 214-215. 5. Whether Cain prayed that he might die, as Augustine, Lyra and others relate 216-217. * The fables of the rabbins cause Luther double work and why he occasionally cites them 218. * Whether God changed his judgment upon Cain 219. * Why God still showed Cain incidental grace 219. * The fables of the Jews concerning Cain's death and Lamech's punishment 220-221. * It is foolish to dispute concerning the sevenfold vengeance to be visited upon the one who slew Cain 222. * The divine promises. a. They are twofold, of the law and of grace 223. b. The promise Adam received 224. c. Whether God gave Cain one of these promises 224-225.