EN 3In Gen. 3 we see what man, as a creature, was. How powerless, foolish, without purpose! Man, the good,-yet but a creature, left to himself, where every blessing was his, did not stand,—would not hold his blessing. And now he is out of Eden and is there where sorrow and trial make his corrupted self to feel the fall.
EN 4In Gen. 4 we see the course of man on the earth.—Out of Eden, God would still have to do with man, fallen though he was: but Cain had a way of his own, would not bow to God, and became the seed of the world, driven out from the presence of the Lord upon earth. Corruption marks the whole.
EN 5In Gen. 5 we see the people, among whom God set light, in the family of Seth.- But how suddenly does the bright flame which flickers in Enoch expire! What a light was this Enoch! He names his son, too, who died just before the deluge, Methuselah: (At) his death, He sends (it).
In the family of Cain there was a Lamech (Gen. 4:18,1918And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech. 19And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. (Genesis 4:18‑19)), and in the family of Seth there was a Lamech (Gen. 5:2525And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech: (Genesis 5:25), and 1 Chron. 1.3, and Luke in. 26). Both held the place of last but one in the pedigree. And both evinced the same folly; that of allowing their own minds to make deductions from the truth of God. The first argued, and gave it out as a testimony, that as God was pledged to vindicate the willful murderer, Cain, sevenfold; He would vindicate him (an unwilling man slayer) seventy times seven. The second cheered his friends by a testimony that Noah, his son, whose name was well called (Rest or) NOAH, "Shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed." BUT they were all sweet away in the flood,-not when Noah comforted those to whom (sod had given sorrow, but-when God gave rest to Noah in the ark. In the infidel world there was a Lamech to reason upon Revelation; and in the Seth channel of light, there was a Lamech to do likewise: for man is ever a corrupter, and the corruption of religious man differs little from the corruption of irreligious man. Compare also Rom. 1:29-3129Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: (Romans 1:29‑31), and 2 Tim. 3:2-62For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, (2 Timothy 3:2‑6).
May we take heed to the warning!