A15013:1347
Prototypes, or, The primary precedent presidents out of the book of Genesis showing, the…Prototypes, or, The primarie precedent presidents out of the booke of Genesis shewing, the…
Prototypes, or, The primary precedent presidents out of the book of Genesis showing, the [brace] good and bad things [brace] they did and had practically applied to our information and reformation / by that faithful and painful preacher of Gods word William Whately ... ; together with Mr. Whately's life and death ; published by Mr. Edward Leigh and Mr. Henry Scudder, who were appointed by the author to peruse his manuscripts, and printed by his own copy.Prototypes, or, The primarie precedent presidents out of the booke of Genesis shewing, the [brace] good and bad things [brace] they did and had practically applied to our information and reformation / by that faithfull and painefull preacher of Gods word William Whately ... ; together with Mr. Whatelyes life and death ; published by Mr. Edward Leigh and Mr. Henry Scudder, who were appointed by the authour to peruse his manuscripts, and printed by his owne coppy.
London: printed by G.M. for Edward Langham book-seller, 1640London: printed by G.M. for Edvvard Langham booke-seller, 1640
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Nature made Leah dear to her, the bondwoman was of no such kindred; but she forgets nature, and lets fancy over-rule, she had taken such a conceit against her sister, that she was desirous any woman should have children by their common husband, rather than she. Let us see such follies in our selves, that fancy rules us against all reason, and that we sometimes take such a stitch and spleen against those whom nature hath tied to us, that of all other we are less pleased with their prosperity, and most estranged from them. And let us beware that we do not discover such senseless and absurd impressions of mind.
Nature made Leah deare to her, the bondwoman was of no such kindred; but she forgets nature, and lets fancy over-rule, shee had taken such a conceit against her sister, that she was desirous any woman should have children by their common husband, rather than she. Let us see such follies in our selves, that fancy rules us against all reason, and that we sometimes take such a stitch and spleene against those whom nature hath tyed to us, that of all other we are lesse pleased with their prosperity, and most estranged from them. And let us beware that we doe not discover such sencelesse and absurd impressions of minde.
1And see her folly yet further, when Bilhah had Dan, then she will needs make God an approver of their folly, God hath judged: as if she had great wrong before, and now God had righted it in giving her a son: Why, she might have accounted that God had given her a son when Reuben or Judah was borne, as well as Dan? But she will needs make God partner with her fond passions. We are apt to wrong God in misinterpreting the acts of his providence, as if he showed his love unto us in that wherein his Majesty intended no ⟨p. 101⟩such matter. What is it to judge? that she should say, God had judged her. For my part I can see no sense in her words, why this should be counted an act of Gods judging. No man had wronged her before, she was never a whit better now than before, no whit less barren. But such is our foolish self-love, that we will needs threap kindness upon God sometimes beyond his liking; take heed of this fault, it is a fruit of an overmeane conceit of God, when we will cause him to be a servant to our lusts, and unreasonable fancies.