A10933:1371
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 61 › Chapter 10 › Part 1: The first 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.
The first part of the Chapter.
God raised up these two Judges, to wit, Tola and Jair, after the former, to keep the people in the true worship of God, and in outward peace. Here to speak somewhat in this first part, of both these two Judges of Israel jointly together, and afterward, somewhat severally; this is to be noted of the former, that after the overthrow of that cursed Abimelech, the people of Israel had a long time of peace in both their days, that is, 45. years. Where note, that though God justly punisheth the sins of men, as he did theirs here, 1yet he doth still remember his people, and regard them, sending them peace again afterwards, even as after a storm and tempest cometh fair weather: and he hath said, that the rod of the wicked he will not suffer to lie always ⟨p. 508⟩on the lot of the righteous; God will not keep his anger for ever toward 2them. It is his great favour to his, that they who are exceeding bad, 3live not very long, and that he upholdeth his own people many ways. Indeed when God is provoked, some must & shall suffer, as here by the plague many thousands in city and country have been swept away of late, who if they have been ready for their departure, and have repented, it is well; they have gone under Gods hand in their sufferings the better. And so let such as are preserved alive, when others are taken away, turn to the Lord with all fervency and speed, that so they may testify that they may make their profit of Gods sparing their lives, and that they may so procure the continuance of peace and the Gospel to their posterity. Let Gods people (I say) do this, though other have no ears to hear good instruction: and be well assured, that though carnal reason see no such thing, God will do much at the earnest suite of his; yea though they be but few. As we see he would not have destroyed Sodom, if there had been but ten righteous persons found there. But (alas) through the abundance of iniquity the love of many decayeth,