A10933:1280
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.
Sermon 58 › Chapter 9 › Part 3: The third part of the Chapter.
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.
Indeed of two evils temporal, the lesser may be chosen to avoid the greater, but not of two evils moral and mortal which are sins, much less when the one is a temporal evil, the other moral. For by this means an adulterer may say, I have no way ⟨p. 475⟩to shift but one, to buy off my shame, except I would be shamed for ever. But O thou woeful man; if thou have deserved it, bear it; if God have laid it upon thee, as the Church did in Micah, saying: I will bear my punishment, 1because I have sinned: and think not by such a shift to escape shame being guilty, unless thou fall into a greater without recovery.
Indeed of two euils temporall, the lesser may be chosen to auoid the greater, but not of two euils morall and mortall which are sinnes, much lesse when the one is a temporall euill, the other morall. For by this meanes an adulterer may say, I haue no way ⟨p. 475⟩to shift but one, to buy off my shame, except I would bee shamed for euer. But O thou wofull man; if thou haue deserued it, beare it; if God haue laid it vpon thee, as the Church did in Micha, saying: I will beare my punishment, 1because I haue sinned: and thinke not by such a shift to escape shame being guiltie, vnlesse thou fall into a greater without recouerie.
The Shechemites were so afraid of Abimelech, that they durst not gather 1their grapes, which were as their harvest: therefore they hired this Gaal to help them, who was (we see) seditious, a boaster and a deceiver. Now by his conduct they go forth into the field, and in great lasciviousness, rejoiced, and in their Temple cursed Abimelech.