A10933:1315
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.
let them strive each against other never so eagerly both must yield to one motion, their sin will bring them both to hell. The prodigal man walks with quite adverse steppes to the covetous, but both steps tend to hell. One great man seeks to overthrow another: he that is subtle takes the vantage of him that is ambitious, and lays such a train for him, as by following his ambitious plot, he incurreth the danger of the law, and so supplants him; but both the wisdom of the one, and the folly of the other is hellish. So that the closer and deeper the one is above the other, the sooner he may subvert him: but a subtler then both, goeth beyond them, and will (at length) overreach them both. One man underhand worketh mischief against another: and he again unsheathes his tongue against him: the former is like to put down the latter, but his own sin will as fast undo him. So the buyer would match the seller by his dissembling: the seller would cozen the buyer by his boasting and praising of the wares: but indeed both deceive themselves aswell as each other. The use is, to teach men not to think themselves safe and warrantable, because they resist evil, except they dislike and hate it also; for they may sin as fast in resisting it, as in allowing it. Again, let it teach men to abhor this estate which admitteth no peace, no sound consent and unity: but is a fountain of confusion: and to embrace that profession and practise, which cometh from the God of order, and is as uniform in the means as the end, and uniteth them that embrace it, in the league of love and peace. As for those that are better minded, let them beware of this error of the wicked: let them not think their liberty hereby restrained, because they may not match the ungodly in their kind to play the Cretans with Cretans, the Foxes with Foxes: this is not their profession, they are bought with a price to serve the Lord in their bodies and spirits. The other indeed being dissuaded from this practise, answer for themselves: That if they did not swear, cozen, lie and temporise with the world, they could not live, every one would over-reach them, they should greatly disadvantage themselves in forgoing that liberty. But let the godly oppose their innocency, with the wisdom of the spirit, to the subtlety, and all other lewd qualities of the wicked:
let them striue each against other neuer so eagerly both must yeeld to one motion, their sinne wil bring them both to hell. The prodigall man walkes with quite aduerse steppes to the couetous, but both steps tend to hell. One great man seekes to ouerthrow another: hee that is subtill takes the vantage of him that is ambicious, and laies such a traine for him, as by following his ambicious plot, he incurreth the danger of the law, and so supplants him; but both the wisdome of the one, and the folly of the other is hellish. So that the closer and deeper the one is aboue the other, the sooner he may subuert him: but a subtiller then both, goeth beyond them, and will (at length) ouerreach them both. One man vnderhand worketh mischiefe against another: and he againe vnsheaths his tongue against him: the former is like to put downe the latter, but his owne sinne will as fast vndoe him. So the buyer would match the seller by his dissembling: the seller would cosen the buyer by his boasting and praising of the wares: but indeed both deceiue themselues aswell as each other. The vse is, to teach men not to thinke themselues safe and warrantable, because they resist euill, except they dislike and hate it also; for they may sinne as fast in resisting it, as in allowing it. Againe, let it teach men to abhorre this estate which admitteth no peace, no sound consent and vnitie: but is a fountaine of confusion: and to embrace that profession and practise, which commeth from the God of order, and is as vniforme in the meanes as the end, and vniteth them that embrace it, in the league of loue and peace. As for those that are better minded, let them beware of this errour of the wicked: let them not thinke their libertie hereby restrained, because they may not match the vngodly in their kind to play the Cretians with Cretians, the Foxes with Foxes: this is not their profession, they are bought with a price to serue the Lord in their bodies and spirits. The other indeed being disswaded from this practise, answere for themselues: That if they did not sweare, cosen, lie and temporise with the world, they could not liue, euery one would ouer-reach them, they should greatly disaduantage themselues in forgoing that liberty. But let the godly oppose their innocencie, with the wisdome of the spirit, to the subtiltie, and all other leaud qualities of the wicked: