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Since, then, Adam was the father of both lines, the father, that
is to say, both of the line which belonged to the earthly, and of that
which belonged to the heavenly city, when Abel was slain, and by his
death exhibited a marvellous mystery, there were henceforth two lines
proceeding from two fathers, Cain and Seth, and in those sons of
theirs, whom it behoved to register, the tokens of these two cities
began to appear more distinctly. For Cain begat Enoch, in whose
name he built a city, an earthly one, which was not from home in this
world, but rested satisfied with its temporal peace and happiness.
Cain, too, means "possession;" wherefore at his birth either his
father or mother said," I have gotten a man through God." Then
Enoch means "dedication;" for the earthly city is dedicated in this
world in which it is built, for in this world it finds the end towards
which it aims and aspires. Further, Seth signifies"
resurrection," and Enos his son signifies "man," not as Adam,
which also signifies man, but is used in Hebrew indifferently for man
and woman, as it is written, "Male and female created He them, and
blessed them, and called their name Adam," leaving no room to doubt
that though the woman was distinctively called Eve, yet the name
Adam, meaning man, was common to both. But Enos means man in so
restricted a sense, that Hebrew linguists tell us it cannot be applied
to woman: it is the equivalent of the "child of the resurrection,"
when they, neither marry nor are given in marriage. For there shall
be no generation in that place to which regeneration shall have brought
us. Wherefore I think it not immaterial to observe that in those
generations which are propagated from him who is called Seth, although
daughters as well as sons are said to have been begotten, no woman is
expressly registered by name; but in those which sprang from Cain at
the very termination to which the line runs, the last person named as
begotten is a woman.
For we read, "Methusael begat Lamech. And Lamech took unto him
two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other
Zillah. And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of the shepherds
that dwell in tents. And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the
father of all such as handle the harp and organ. And Zillah, she
also bare Tubal-cain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and
iron: and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah." Here terminate
all the generations of Cain, being eight in number, including Adam,
to wit, seven from Adam to Lamech, who married two wives, and whose
children, among whom a woman also is named, form the eighth
generation. Whereby it is elegantly signified that the earthly city
shall to its termination have carnal generations proceeding from the
intercourse of males and females. And therefore the wives themselves
of the man who is the last named father of Cain's line, are
registered in their own names, a practice nowhere followed before the
deluge save in Eve's case. Now as Cain, signifying possession,
the founder of the earthly city, and his son Enoch, meaning
dedication, in whose name it was founded, indicate that this city is
earthly both in its beginning and in its end, a city in which nothing
more is hoped for than can be seen in this world, so Seth, meaning
resurrection, and being the father of generations registered apart from
the others, we must consider what this sacred history says of his son.
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