A10933:1150
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.
Now that which followeth concerning Gideon, in this verse is this: that 1it is said, after this victory, Gideon lived (after a sort) a private life, to prove and make it manifest that he desired not, as he had told them before, the empire, contrary to Gods ordinance. So it is with some offices among us annual, or temporary. If he had in this privacy lived idly, or wickedly, as one that had done enough before, and now waxed weary, it would have been set down as other faults be. That which we have to learn by this, is; that we so use authority, countenance, preferment, or any such liberty which is 2more then common, that we remember it must be laid down again, and have an end, and that also (perhaps) in this life: and therefore, that we swell not, neither be puffed up thereby, neither forget what we have been: for that, and such like promotion or advancement is but borrowed. And nothing is more common then to see age abased and in little regard: so that, The mind (as the saying is) is all in all: yea such as the mind is, such is the man. For else, what should be the privilege of a godly man in respect of other, both in life and at death? Some may better have thousands (and use them more soberly) then some can hundreds. He that makes his prosperity his heaven, cannot but think the contrary to be his misery and undoing. But he that never joyed too much in that he had, never laid it too near his heart, when he lost or for-went it. It is the speech of a fool to say, It is most miserable to have bin happy. A wise man is neither so lifted up with enjoying that which he knoweth is vanishing and mutable, as if it were happiness: nor so dejected in the forgoing it, as if he had lost it, and as if his hope were past. The immoderate desire of the mind is like to him who having used his body to a plenteous and delicate fare, being afterward compelled to straighter allowance, pineth: and by the alteration of a full, fat, comely and strong body, into a thin, meagre, pale, and decayed; showeth that the change of his diet hath made him unlike himself. Whereas the sober minded resembleth him, who tieth himself to an ordinary, as most agreeable to health and soundness: and although he come to an extraordinary diet, yet he is a law to himself, he eateth no more of many, then he did before of a few dishes:
Now that which followeth concerning Gedeon, in this verse is this: that