ainites gave themselves up to pleasures
and to other worldly pursuits. And hence it is, also, that Christ
expressly shows that much blood was shed even before the flood, by
testifying "that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on the
earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous unto the blood of
Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom ye slew between the sanctuary and the
altar," Mt 23, 35. Moses testifies subsequently (Gen 6, 1-13), that
the earth before the flood was filled with iniquities; and he is not
speaking of the iniquities and violent deeds of thieves and
adulterers, but describes particularly the tyranny of the Cainite
church, which pursued with all the violence of the sword the holy
posterity of Adam. And it is for this same reason that the sacred
historian describes the descendants of Cain by the name "giants."
These are the reasons which lead me to conclude that Lamech followed
in the footsteps of his father Cain and slew some distinguished man of
the holy patriarchs and his son.

281. It was certainly an evidence of the greatest tyranny in Lamech,
that, when he had been discovered by his wives, he did not grieve for
what he had done, but held in contempt the punishment which he had
just cause to dread. As if he had said: I have killed a man 'tis true,
but what is that to you? The wound of that belongs to me; I shall be
wounded for it, not you. I have indeed killed a young man, but it is
to my own hurt. I shall be punished for it, not you. What utterances
could evince more contempt than these in the face of open sins?

These are my thoughts on the passage now before us. The text shows
that the Cainites were tyrannical men, proud of their success, and
given to pleasure; and the very words of Lamech prove him to be a
proud man, not grieving at all for the murder he had committed, but
glorying in it as in a righteous cause. The Cainite church always
excuses that tyranny which it exercises over the godly, as Christ
says: "Whosoever killeth you shall think that he offereth service unto
God," Jn 16, 2. This is expressed in the additional words of Lamech:

V. 24. _If Cain shall he avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and
sevenfold._

282. Here Lamech sets himself above his father Cain, making it appear
that he had a more righteous cause for the murder he had committed,
and fortifying himself against those inclined to avenge the murders
perpetrated by him. For the words of the text are not the words of th