A10933:1156
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.
For in such cases when we are exhorted by Gods faithful ministers not to cast away our confidence though we have so offended, we are ready to object thus: Oh there were never any of Gods children that fell so, and offended as we have done, so that we may justly fear, there is no remission nor pardon for us to be hoped for. Therefore when we shall hear of the 1infirmities of the godly, the clear knowledge of this, much availeth to stay us from despairing. This is not therefore to embolden us by their example to sin, though we do yet stand by the grace of God, free from reproachful evils, but to uphold us, if we have already fallen dangerousl•• that we faint not altogether. I say, it serveth for prevention of deadly •eare after sin, not to cause presumption in sinning. For if any will abuse this knowledge to licentiousness, hoping for pardon as they hear that others have obtained it, when they had sinned in like manner as they themselves have done, let them know that God will meet with them, as their boldness requireth, with terrors within, and shame without, till they shall wish that they had bin better advised. And as they may justly complain that they sinned more wilfully and purposely, then the Saints of God did, (to speak of many of them) so they may fear that they shall not so easily find mercy and forgiveness, as they found. And this is one cause that concerneth us much, why the Lord hath left the faults of the godly manifested in Scripture, as well as their virtues. Another is, that we hearing how some rare people in ages past 2have fallen, we should be more suspicious of our selves, and more wary that we slip not into the common evils of the time we live in, seeing we are 3much weaker in faith and grace then they were, and therefore are like more easily to forget our selves, and to fall grievously, unless we count it our happiness (and oft tell it to our selves) to labour and endeavour by all means to persevere in uprightness unto our end: and therefore we are like to find it as hard to recover our selves again. And indeed the bitterness which they tasted in their falls, were enough to debtor us from following them, though we were sure to speed at length aswell as they. But few look at the bitter, but at the sweet only, and so are deceived.