A15013:669
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.
One fault alone of his we read of, viz. 1that he took Sarah to him, minding to make her his wife: we see him offending in the same kind that Pharaoh King of Egypt was noted before to have offended in. He was too too libidinous, and over-taken with an inordinate affection to beauty. He had wives enough before, yet when one stranger singularly fair did come into his country, he would needs take her to himself, and that not so much by persuasion and entreaty, as by violence and strong hand, for so much seemeth to be signified by the word he took her, he sent and took her, hearing of a beautiful person, and having spoken with Abraham, and finding her to ⟨p. 198⟩be his sister alone and not his wife, for the former both of them affirmed, the latter he did not inquire of so diligently as to learn the truth from them, he resolved to have her to himself. God himself after doth seem to acquit Abimelech of any adulterous intention, for when he alleged that he had done this in the integrity of his heart, God himself beareth witness to his uprightness in that respect saying,2 I know thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart, meaning, that he thought verily that she was only sister, not yoke-fellow to Abraham, and that if he had known her to have been a wife he would not have taken her; so that he was free from intending to commit adultery, but from an excessive desire of beauty he is not free, for why should a man be so carried after women, that if he see any beautiful Virgin, he must needs enjoy her, and not satisfy himself with such wives as he had taken before? This verily must needs be a sin, for God did not appoint the society of man and man for pleasures sake, that a man might seek to satisfy himself in the delight of embracing so many fair women as he could get, but for the increase of, and storing of the world with people. Let us learn virtue out of other mens vices. This is the sole fault which the Holy Ghost noteth in this man, not because he had not more, but because this alone was that wherein he wronged Abraham and Sarah, of whom the Holy Ghost intended principally to make his history.
One fault alone of his wee reade of, viz. 1