Page:An Essay on a Registry for Titles of Lands - Asgill (1698).djvu/22

 And this is the highest Precedent for Man to form his Titles by, as far as it is imitable by him; The things on Earth are but the Patterns of things in the Heavens, where the Originals are kept, to try the Truth of all things by. God delivered out the first Forms of all things in the World, of Ships, of Regular Buildings, of Letters written with his own Hand, of Marches and Encampments, taught the first Workers in Brass and Bugle-work, Linnen and Silks, Plowing and Harrowing, Sowing and Reaping, Threshing and Winnowing; all which he owns to come originally from himself. A Jove principium.

And now to begin with the Business of Man: The first Purchase I find since the Beginning of the World, was made by Abraham of Ephron, the Hittite, in these Words, And the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was therein, and all the Trees that were in the field, that were in all the Borders round about, were made sure to Abraham for a Possession, in the presence of the Children of Heth, before all that went in at the Gate of the City.

Another was made by Boaz of Naomi in these words, And Boaz said unto the Elders, and unto all the People, ye are Witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelechs, and all