A10933:1332
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.
In that these hoped there to find ease and defence by the holiness, as 1well as the strength of the place, we may see, that when men have no religion nor acquaintance with God, how wise and great soever they be, what poor shifts they have to provide for their safety: even to think, that the holiness of the place, their gods of wood or stone, or the relics of Saints, or some such rotten props shall free them from their troubles and fears: No, although they should seek to the true God, in their haste, which is much liker to work their good, yet their hearts being far from him, and they without confidence in him that he would help them: even that seeking of theirs should not be able to deliver them.
In that these hoped there to finde ease and defence by the holinesse, as 1well as the strength of the place, wee may see, that when men haue no religion nor acquaintance with God, how wise and great soeuer they be, what poore shifts they haue to prouide for their safetie: euen to thinke, that the holinesse of the place, their gods of wood or stone, or the reliques of Saints, or some such rotten props shall free them from their troubles and feares: No, although they should seek to the true God, in their haste, which is much liker to worke their good, yet their hearts being farre from him, and they without confidence in him that he would helpe them: euen that seeking of theirs should not be able to deliuer them.
- 1Doct vers. 46
But all these are bruised reeds, and spiders webs: much like the help that Baals Priests obtained by calling on him; whom for their deceiving of the people in such a manner, Elijah caused to be slain. Even such help doth 1the wilful generation of Papists and Seminaries at their death in their greatest need, obtain themselves, and their superstitious votaries whom they have deluded, and brought into the snare with them. Of whom one (a principal ring-leader) at his death, was constrained to renounce the opinion of merit, and humane satisfactions for sin, although he was loth to have that gap opened to the people, for shame, whom they had so grossly seduced. Another (yet living and of greater reckoning in the Popish Church) Better I mean, is forced to confess, that for the avoiding the peril of vainglory and carnal presumption, it is the safest of all to repose a mans whole confidence in the only mercy of God in Christ Jesus. And by this we see that howsoever (for sinister ends) they suppress the truth, and abuse their silly Proselytes: yet when they are compelled by the force of their conscience, or the terror of death, to put away lying, and equivocating, which few of them attain to, but dye in hardness of hart, wherein they lived: but when it flleth out otherwise, then they confess & renounce their conceits, as bruised reeds, to be unable to support them: which as it is commonly unprofitable to themselves, so yet it should serve to debtor others from venturing and resting so