A15013:425
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.
Now this benefit must be marked as a singular and excellent blessing,1 to have a loving, chaste, dutiful and respective wife, is a great blessing. All those to whom God hath vouchsafed the same mercy, must see and acknowledge it with all thankfulness. And if we consider that a bad wife is like continual droppings, and as rottenness in ones bones, and like oil in his right hand, which will quickly discover it self, we shall learn the better to prize and esteem this favour. He that obtaineth a wife saith Solomon,2 obtaineth mercy of the ⟨p. 120⟩Lord. 3For house and goods be the inheritance of the Fathers, but a good wife is of the Lord. 4And Solomon saith, Who shall find a virtuous woman? her price is above the pearls. The heart of her husband shall trust in her, she will do him good and not evil all the days of his life. This great benefit the Lord gave unto his servant Abraham. All therefore that have obtained the like mercy in some measure, must observe and value aright so principal a blessing. Though a man have an yoke-fellows in some things imperfect and weak, yet if she be generally good, will join with him in piety as Sarah did with Abraham, and bear him company in all good things, and will leave house and all to journey with him, if God call them forth to any service, it is a special goodness, and a chief instrument of his comfort and welfare. Sarah honoured Abraham, Sarah obeyed Abraham, she was ready to provide a feast for the Angels at his appointment, she was a good housewife and helpful unto him in the overseeing of his great family, she was every way contentfull and pleasing unto him, and a little too obsequious, in being content for his sake, to say she was his sister. Wherefore let this first benefit be noted, and let those that have it confess it with praise and thanks to God, and let those that have it not as yet, learn to seek it at Gods hands, knowing his readiness to exercise his goodness upon all men in all ages, if they fear and obey him, as well as upon Abraham in his time.