SCHOLIUM
I.
(GEN.
iv. 7)
From the fifth Scholium, in which
he shows of the history concerning Cain, that because he was condemned for
seven offences, he was accounted deserving of seven punishments.
Behold, if thou doest well,
thou art accepted. And again, I accept thee if thou doest well. These are a
manifest announcement that God willeth the welfare of man. He also expecteth
him to repent. HE waiteth for him, and also giveth occasions, which invite him
to this; He wishing his salvation.
But if thou doest not well,
sin lieth at the door. Thou turnest to it, and it hath dominion over thee.
These are indications that the dominion
of the body and freedom of the will belong to man. If he who willeth call to
sin, to come to him, then it will have dominion over his soul; but if he do not
will, sin is not able to come near him. Behold, it lieth at the door of thy
mind, like a rapacious animal outside the door of a house. If thou turnest this
way by thy will, and openest to it, it entereth and hath dominion over
thee; but if thou dost not will, it is not able to enter thee. By these thou
mayest clearly know that Satan is not the sower of sin, though able to
oppress and act with violence for the sovereignty of the body. Neither is sin
itself the seed of evil doing. Wherefore Cain was condemned, because he was not
truly penitent for these things; but he actually opened by his will a door for
sin, and it entered and had dominion over him; as God said concerning him, and
he slew his brother, without offence (committed), from envy only. (Scholia
on Passages of the Old Testament, by Mar Jacob, Bishop of Edessa [trans.
George Phillips; London: Williams and Norgate, 1864], 1-3, italics in original)
