A10933:1357
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.
Furthermore, we see here, in that Abimelech had his deaths wound, and 1after was slain; that he had not his will on the people of Thebez, as he had on the other: but as he suffered him to destroy the men of Shechem, which fled to the Hold of their God Baal-Berith, so yet he saved the men of Thebez and their wives, who betook themselves to the Tower that was therein for shelter. Wherein we may note, that God doth oft times plague them ⟨p. 503⟩whose iniquity is manifest, as the sin of these men of Shechem was, when other who have not sinned in the like manner, though they be not (yet) religious, are spared and borne with, as these men of Thebez were. The reason is: the sin of the one sort is manifest and grievous, and cannot be hid and crieth for vengeance: the other, either through ignorance, or for that they have not so wittingly or grossly offended, are borne with, that they may come to repentance. And yet this is no excuse to them, who live in the light of the Gospel, and have knowledge, if they live and abide unrepentant, though they be not gross offenders. Neither on the other side have they any cause to flatter themselves, whose sins are notorious, though they be not by and by cut off. The use of this doctrine is in this respect to encourage them, who do but walk in the way of the ungodly, but stand not stiffly to maintain their evil doings, that seeing God giveth them time to repent, and beareth with them, they should not harden their hearts, but take all occasions to turn unto him. And for such as are not fit to hear this doctrine, but go forward in evil, they may ever fear, that Gods vengeance is coming. Now he being brought to be past all hope of life by the blow the woman gave him, we see, that he who sought such glory as to be made King, yea and obtained it also, though most unjustly; even he did yet come 2to such shame and reproach, (as he counted it) as to be slain by a woman, and not so much as by the meanest man of war. Neither did it serve Abimelechs turn any whit at all, that the last stroke was given him by a Page, having had his deadly wound by the woman before: only it bewrayed his pride, which increased the shamefulness of his foil.
Furthermore, we see here, in that Abimelech had his deaths wound, and