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…

And secondly, we must even pity them, that have been superstitiously educated. They may have some good thing in them, though they cannot shake off those misconceits, but hanker too much after their Images. I would be loath to say, and I think so would any of you that Rachel had no true piety in her, because she stood so affected to the Idols of her Father. But let us rather think that Jacob had brought her to some knowledge of the true God, though the old smell of that falsehood wherewith she was first seasoned, would not forsake the vessel: and let us strive to bring our children rather into a detestation of such graven Images, for sure the Lord can speak of nothing more contemptibly. And Images made now to represent the true God, must needs be as loathsome as Aaron's and Jeroboam's Calves, which were intended to represent the true God, and not a false. But she used dissembling, and cozenage to cover her fact, as the Story tells, hiding them in the Camels litter, and then sitting upon them, and craving pardon of her Father for not rising up to him, pretending, that the custom of women was upon her; whether this were true or not, yet she dissembled, for that was not the cause of her not rising, but alone the care she had to keep the Idols secret, else she would have risen well enough. You see that committing of evil draws men on to more sin, to hide and conceal that which they have already committed, as it did Jacob, and David, and others, because fear of shame or danger disturbeth the mind, and turneth away the thoughts from considering the mischief of sinning. Therefore let us all take heed of entering into the path of evil, for if we be once in, no man can tell what lying, dissembling, and other evils the devil will draw us into by means of that sin. He entangles himself as a sheep in the briers, that run into any gross or shameful ⟨p. 103⟩sin, and he can hardly come off with one wound alone. And if you have thus covered sin with sin, bewail it as a great fault, but yet take heart to repent, and turn to God for favour, for it is no new thing with God to forgive such trespasses, only do not embolden your selves of purpose to sin, because you know how to conceal it, and hope to keep it close, for then shall the same become a presumptuous sin, and so much more hardly pardoned.

And secondly, we must even pitty them, that have been superstitiously educated. They may have some good thing in them, though they cannot shake off those misconceits, but hanker too much after their Images. I would be loath to say, and I thinke so would any of you that Rachel had no true piety in her, because she stood so affected to the Idols of her Father. But let us rather thinke that Iacob had brought her to some knowledge of the true God, though the old smell of that falshood wherewith she was first seasoned, would not forsake the vessell: and let us strive to bring our children rather into a detestation of such graven Images, for sure the Lord can speake of nothing more contemptibly. And Images made now to represent the true God, must needs be as loathsome as Aarons and Ieroboams Calves, which were intended to represent the true God, and not a false. But she used dissembling, and cosenage to cover her fact, as the Story tells, hiding them in the Camels litter, and then sitting upon them, and craving pardon of her Father for not rising up to him, pretending, that the custome of women was upon her; whether this were true or not, yet she dissembled, for that was not the cause of her not rising, but alone the care she had to keepe the Idols secret, else she would have risen well enough. You see that committing of evill drawes men on to more sin, to hide and conceale that which they have already committed, as it did Iacob, and David, and others, because feare of shame or danger disturbeth the minde, and turneth away the thoughts from considering the mischief of sinning. Therefore let us all take heed of entring into the path of evill, for if we be once in, no man can tell what lying, dissembling, and other evils the devill will draw us into by meanes of that sin. He intangles himselfe as a sheepe in the bryers, that run into any grosse or shamefull