on, but his hereditary
right of primogeniture, the prerogative of the kingdom and of the
priesthood, and the communion of the Church.

Hence it is that we have the expression in the text, that Cain "went
out from the presence of Jehovah." We have above shown what the
Scriptures term "the face of Jehovah," namely, all those things and
means by which Jehovah makes himself known to us. Thus the face of
Jehovah, under the Old Testament, was the pillar of fire, the cloud,
the mercy-seat, etc. Under the New Testament, the face of Jehovah is
baptism, the Lord's Supper, the ministry of the Word, etc. For by
these things, as by visible signs, the Lord makes himself known to us,
and shows that he is with us, that he cares for us and favors us.

239. It was from this place, therefore, in which God declared that he
was always present, and in which Adam resided as high priest, and as
lord of the earth, that Cain "went out;" and he came into another
place, where there was no "face of God," where there was no visible
sign of his presence by which he could derive the consolation that God
was present with his favor. He had no sign whatever, save those signs
which are common to all creatures, even to the beasts, namely, the
uses of sun and moon, of day and night, of water, air, etc. But these
are not signs of that immutable grace of God contained in the promise
of the blessed seed. They are only the signs of God's temporal
blessings and of his good will to all his creatures.

240. Miserable, therefore, was that going out of Cain indeed. It was a
departure full of tears. He was compelled to leave forever his home
and his parents, who now gave to him, a solitary man and a "vagabond,"
their daughter as his wife, to live with him as his companion; but
they knew not what would become either of their son or of their
daughter. In consequence of losing three children at one time their
grief is so much greater. No other explanation suggests itself for the
subsequent statement "Cain knew his wife."

241. Where, then, did Cain live with his wife? Moses answers, "in the
land of Nod," a name derived from its vagabond and unsettled
inhabitant. And where was this land situated? Beyond paradise, toward
the east, a place indeed most remarkable. Cain came into a certain
place toward the east, but when he came there, he was insecure and
unprotected, for it was the land of Nod, where he could not set foot
with certainty, because "the face of God" was no