A15013:680
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.
1I come to the last good deed of Abimelech. He takes notice of Gods goodness to Abraham, saying, Chap. 21. ver. 22. God is with the in all that thou dost, and therefore accompanied with his principal Officer, one Phicol, goes and entreats Abraham to make a league of amity with him, as you may read in the Story, and when Abraham told him of a well of water which was taken from him by his servants, he excuseth himself, that he never knew of it before, and so willingly restoreth the well and confesseth Abraham's right to it, by taking the Ewe-lambs, and consenting to name the well Beer sheba, that is, the well of an oath, because they swore there each to other.
1I come to the last good deed of Abimelech. He takes notice of Gods goodnesse to Abraham, saying, Chap. 21. ver. 22. God is with the in all that thou dost, and therefore accompanied with his principall Officer, one Phicol, goes and intreates Abraham to make a league of amity with him, as you may reade in the Story, and when Abraham told him of a well of water which was taken from him by his servants, hee excuseth himselfe, that he never knew of it before, and so willingly restoreth the well and confesseth Abrahams right to it, by taking the Ewe-lambs, and consenting to name the well Beer sheba, that is, the well of an oath, because they swore there each to other.
- 16. He takes notice of Gods goodness to Abraham.6. He takes notice of Gods goodnesse to Abraham.
It is a good thing to observe the goodness of God so his people, thereupon to think well of them and to desire to live in amity and peace ⟨p. 203⟩with them. Why should not we have our eyes open to see Gods blessing going along with men? and when we see it, why should we not rather love them and wish their friendship, then bear an evil eye towards them and malign them. It is a sign of some goodness to acknowledge, that God is the Author of all good success to mens affairs, herein we give him the honour of being the ruler of the world. And it is a sign of some good will to men, when their prosperous estate makes us rather like them and join friendship with them, then stirreth up grudging and repining at them. Surely Abimelechs carriage giveth us some probable grounds to conceive, that himself was a holy man, in that he shows some knowledge of God, and good affection to so good a servant of God. Let us go a little further, and strive to interest our selves into Gods blessing on the godly, by following them in godliness. But let his willing restitution of the Well which his servants had taken away by violence, teach us also not to bear out the servants or people that are under our government in any unjust carriage of theirs; yea rather, so soon as we come to the knowledge of their naughty carriage, let us cause them to amend and to repair the wrongs that they have done. A mans servants faults must not be imputed to him, till it be known whether he be privy to them or not, but if when he is informed of them, he be careless to see them amended, now is himself as guilty of the sin as his servants were before. Thus you have the faults and virtues of Abimelech so far as I could note them out of holy Writ.