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?