A15013:253
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.
THE SIXTH EXAMPLE.
OF NOAH.
One godly man is worth a whole million of sinners, as appeareth in that the Lord made more reckoning of one Noah then of all the world of the ungodly. Having laid before you the bad Example of that most wicked generation which lived before the flood, I will now speak of one godly man which lived in the same times with them, and saw them all swept away with the besom of destruction. His name was Noah, the word signifieth rest, and we have a reason given us of imposing that name by his Father,1 Gen. 5.29. This same shall comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed. It is somewhat doubtful how Noah was a comforter to the godly Patriarchs In respect of their troubles of all kinds, both those they took in striving against the bad men of their times, and the common labours of life in regard of the curse that was gone out against mans sin. The most probable opinion is as I think, that because he was a Preacher of righteousness, and did more largely and plainly denounce Gods wrath against sinners, and his blessing to the godly (for a Preacher of righteousness must needs do both these things) therefore ⟨p. 66⟩he gave much refreshing to the souls of the godly, and made all their labours easy. Even as now if Gods people have a painful Minister amongst them, that ceaseth not to acquaint them with Gods mercy and justice, and to revive the remembrance of Heaven and all the Promises in their hearts, they live much more comfortably, then any outward thing without this help could make them to live. So it was in those times also with those godly Patriarchs. Again, as it would be a great comfort to good men now, if any man were sent by God to assure them of the last day of judgement, for they would even lift up their heads and rejoice: so Noah in telling of the flood which to that world was a kind of judgement-day did greatly solace the spirits of the good against all their sorrows.