Commentary Upon Genesis 1-3, Title page – Letter
A COMMENTARY Upon the Three Firſt CHAPTERS OF The Firſt Book of Moſes Called GENESIS.
By that Reverend Divine JOHN WHITE. Late Preacher of Gods Word at Dorcheſter in the County of Dorſet.
Search the Scriptures, For in them ye think ye have Eternal Life, and they are they which teſtifie of me, John 5.39.
For had ye believed Moſes, ye would have believed me: For he wrote of me.
But if ye believe not his Writings, how ſhall ye believe my words, John 5.46, 47.
LONDON, Printed by John Streater, and are to be ſold by George Calvert, at the Sign of the Half-Moon, and Joſeph Nevill, at the Plough, in the New Buildings in Paul's Church-Yard, 1656.
TO The HONOURABLE DENZEL HOLLIS, Eſq;
Honourable Sir,
IT being the purpoſe of the deceaſed Authour my Father (having ſome thoughts in his Lifetime, upon the Earneſt ſollicitation of ſome friends of expoſing this Treatiſe unto publick view: had not the continuance and increaſe of our then general diſtractions altered his reſolution at that time, and induced him to defer it for a more ſeaſonable opportunity) to dedicate it unto your ſelf being one of his Hearers, as an acknowledgment of your great friendſhip, and the ſeverall Courteſies he had received from you. I thought my ſelf bound by duty, as not any longer to deprive the Church of God of ſo profitable a Work; ſo to preſent it, being now at laſt (after ſome conſiderable delay, by the death of a faithfull friend into whoſe hands it was intruſted for that purpoſe) made publick to recommend it unto no other hand but yours: not doubting of your favourable acceptance in what duty binds me unto. If it may be any way profitable unto your Self, and the Church of Chriſt, as the Authour ſhall receive the fruit of his Labour; ſo it may be an Encouragement unto the Publiſher, to commit ſome other Treatiſe of the Authours unto the Preſſe, which may be of general uſe. That God would give you more and more to diſcern, his Wiſdome, Power, and Goodneſſe in his Works both of Creation and Providence, and lay open before you the Wiles and Depths of Satan; ſo as you may ſhun and avoid them, (unto both which this Small Treatiſe may through the bleſſing of God afford You with others ſome Light) is and ſhall be the Prayer of Him who is devoted
To Honour and Serve You, John White.
Mr. Stephen Marſhals Letter to Mr. John White, in Commendation of theſe Labours of the Deceaſed Authour his Father.
My Dear Friend,
SAlutations in Chriſt premiſed, I have according to the Authours and your Deſire read over this Treatiſe. Briefly I ſhall tell you my Thoughts of it, it's a moſt Excellent, Learned, Judicious and Holy Piece, worthy of Mr. White his Heart and Pen; the farther I proceeded in it, the more I was delighted: the Expoſition ſolid, the Obſervations moſt of them clearly raiſed, ſtrongly proved, excellently applyed. I think I ſhould have been at the Coſt of tranſcribing it, but that I doubt not you will get it Printed, which I deſire you would haſten, it's pity the Church ſhould want it: One onelyonly Obſervation I ſtick at, not the matter of it, but the raiſing of it, it's upon Chap. 3. Obſervation 13. I made a mark at it, I cannot conſent to have Satans practice propounded as a Direction. I onelyonly deſire you to conſider of it, it may be my ſticking at it is but needleſſe. Once again I deſire you to get it Printed ſpeedily. The Great Biſhop of our Soules guide you and proſper your great Work, which he hath done, and I hope will do.
Your Loving Brother, Stephen Marſhall. Ipſwich. December 12. 1653.