A10933:1110
A commentary upon the whole book of Judges Preached first and delivered in sundry…A commentary vpon the vvhole booke of Iudges Preached first and deliuered in sundrie…
A commentary upon the whole book of Judges Preached first and delivered in sundry lectures; since collected, and diligently perused, and now published. For the benefit generally of all such as desire to grow in faith and repentance, and especially of them, who would more clearly understand and make use of the worthy examples of the saints, recorded in divine history. Penned by Richard Rogers preacher of Gods word at Wethersfield in Essex.A commentary vpon the vvhole booke of Iudges Preached first and deliuered in sundrie lectures; since collected, and diligently perused, and now published. For the benefit generally of all such as desire to grow in faith and repentance, and especially of them, who would more cleerely vnderstand and make vse of the worthie examples of the saints, recorded in diuine history. Penned by Richard Rogers preacher of Gods word at Wethersfield in Essex.
London: printed by Felix Kyngston for Thomas Man, 1615
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Again, in that Gideon saith, and sweareth to it, that he would not have ⟨p. 412⟩killed them, if they had saved his brethren alive, who ought to have done it, for pursuing the people of God, (neither had he authority to save them, though he had to destroy them:) and the Holy-ghost commendeth the act: it teacheth, that it is a very hard matter to do good actions aright, but that they will one way or other be blemished and obscured: even as Jephthah's courage & constancy in warring against the Ammonites was much dashed 1by his unseasonable & rash vow. And so particularly through our hastiness, boldness, blindness, or the like corrupt humours, many good actions do lose their beauty. Which thing as it is with great regard to be looked to of us, so it teacheth, that we must not cleave to all the examples of Gods servants, without respect and difference, nor follow them, because they did them, but examine their grounds, and how they did them, following them only so far 2as they have obeyed the Lord: for therein only they are presidents for us to follow, where their doings are examples agreeable to the rule that should guide us: for that is to be looked unto which is Gods, not mens. And further it should teach us more specially, to examine our actions, the manner, end, affections and mind wherewith they be done; which is the thing that I do here aim at to lay forth: for those things which we do in ignorance and darkness, we have not only no comfort in them, neither learn any experience by them to be better directed afterward; but contrariwise we have much to grieve our hearts and to accuse us thereby. And this I add the rather, because we see that Gideon over-shot himself in this, who yet most worthily tempered wisdom and equity with severity in the punishing of the men of Succoth and Penuel. Now because few of Gods children will believe this, therefore they see not, that the most offences that they commit, are abuses of good duties. They dare not sin grossly, and so long they think all is well: but when they are about good actions, they are soon over-shot: and why? They are there where they should be (being so occupied) 3they presume and suspect no danger: even as the traveller riding in a most straight path or rode, hedged in on both sides, so that he cannot go amiss.