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…

Another mercy of God is,¹ that he revealed himself unto him in a dream by night, and declared his will by a commandment, promise and threat. I do not read of such a kindness afforded to any wicked man, except it were to Balaam the false Prophet, which was done not in favour to him, but unto Israel, that he might not dare to curse his people, therefore am I conceited, that Abimelech was a godly man, especially because the Lord doth please to talk as it were in so friendly and familiar a manner with him, as if he had nor been a stranger to God, but rather of inward knowledge. You shall find if you read the dream, a kind of lovingness expressed on Gods part, and a kind of dutiful boldness on Abimelechs: so that for my part, I have a very good opinion of the man, and think that the fear of God was in the King of that people, which were themselves so wicked, that good Abraham said, there was no fear of God in them. But the favour afforded him is this, he was taught of God his duty by a dream; Dreams were one of the ordinances whereby God did reveal his will unto men in those times: Pharaoh was showed a thing in a dream, and so was Nebuchadnezzar, but God did not appear unto them and speak to them in dreams, this was an ordinance of his I say, in which most times he used to teach good men. Now this was a note of Gods kindness to Abimelech, that he so taught him and not by heavy plagues, as he did Pharaoh King of Egypt forementioned. How much more mercy shows the Lord to us, to whom he shows himself in the word, and in the preaching of it, whereby we are taught our damnable estate, and showed the means of escaping it, and called upon with continual threats and promises to use those means, let us pray to God to work upon us by these his ordinances, that they may win us to obedience in a thorough reformation of life, as Abimelech was won to reform e this one fault, and then happy shall we be. But if we imitate the naughtiness of Israel, and harden our hearts that we may not hearken, then shall this mercy aggravate our sins, and we shall only have this fruit of it, we shall know there was a Prophet amongst us, when those greater fearful punishments befall us which were formerly ⟨p. 206⟩threatened against us in the word.

Another mercy of God is,¹ that hee revealed himselfe unto him in a dreame by night, and declared his will by a commandement, promise and threat. I doe not reade of such a kindnesse afforded to any wicked man, except it were to Balaam the false Prophet, which was done not in favour to him, but unto Israel, that hee might not dare to curse his people, therefore am I conceited, that Abimelech was a godly man, especially because the Lord doth please to talke as it were in so friendly and familiar a manner with him, as if hee had nor beene a stranger to God, but rather of inward knowledge. You shall finde if you reade the dreame, a kind of lovingnesse expressed on Gods part, and a kinde of dutifull boldnesse on Abimelechs: so that for my part, I have a very good opinion of the man, and thinke that the feare of God was in the King of that people, which were themselves so wicked, that good Abraham said, there was no feare of God in them. But the favour affoorded him is this, he was taught of God his duty by a dreame; Dreames were one of the ordinances whereby God did reveale his will unto men in those times: Pharaoh was shewed a thing in a dreame, and so was Nebuchadnezar, but God did not appeare unto them and speake to them in dreames, this was an ordinance of his I say, in which most times hee used to teach good men. Now this was a note of Gods kindnesse to Abimelech, that hee so taught him and not by heavy plagues, as hee did Pharaoh King of Egypt forementioned. How much more mercy shewes the Lord to us, to whom hee shewes himselfe in the word, and in the preaching of it, whereby wee are taught our damnable estate, and shewed the meanes of escaping it, and called upon with continuall threats and promises to use those meanes, let us pray to God to worke upon us by these his ordinances, that they may winne us to obedience in a thorough reformation of life, as Abimelech was wonne to reform e this one fault, and then happy shall wee bee. But if wee imitate the naughtinesse of Israel, and harden our hearts that wee may not hearken, then shall this mercy aggravate our sinnes, and wee shall onely have this fruite of it, wee shall know there was a Prophet amongst us, when those greater fearefull punishments befall us which were formerly