First Abel, Adam's son, was so pleasing to God,
through innocence and righteousness, that Christ Himself
called Abel Justus, that is, the righteous Abel.
Again Enoch, the seventh man from Adam,
was so devout in his mind and so well -pleasing to God,
that God took him, sound in soul and body,
without death, up to heaven, when he was three hundred
and sixty-five years of age; and he so continueth, sound,
without death, and without toil, until Antichrist's coming.
Noah also, for his righteousness, overcame the great flood,
which went over the whole earth, so that through him
all mankind was again restored.
Abraham, for his great faith in God,
and for his obedience, received such a blessing from God,
that all mankind which believeth in God is blessed in his seed,
and his son Isaac after him lived with blessing,
and God loved him. Again Jacob, Isaac's son,
for his labour was verily blessed,
first by his father, and afterward by God's angel,
and God gave him that second name, of Israel,
that is, 'Vir videns deum,' (that is in English speech) 'The man who seeth God,'
and by that name those were signified,
who now in Christendom see God by faith.
Job the blessed, and God's constant servant,
was so perfected in all goodness, that God Himself said of him,
that his like was not then living upon earth;
Then the devil asked of God that he might prove him,
whether he would continue in his goodness
