A10933:1545
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.
And where Jephthah saith, that Balak King of Moab stood against Israel stiffly to hold him from going through his land, yet he strove not with them for the recovering this land of the Amorites, which he might as justly have done, as he the King of Ammon did, he proveth thereby, that he had nothing to do with it, nor any right unto it. Teaching this thereby, that when men are deadly set against their adversaries for any matter, seeking thereby to vex them in the sorest manner they can, they would show their rancour, in bringing forth greater crimes and accusations against them then they do, (whereby they might much more easily bring them down) if they were provided with any. And whereas they seek to blemish their names, or to impoverish their estate, or to afflict their persons by restraint of liberty, imprisonment or banishment: they do as the old Serpent, bite at their heel, because they cannot break their head, but they would be gladdest of all to shed their blood. God indeed plucks them back, and so they vomit not their poison out, to so great mischief as they conceive it, but fall short: but their poison is nothing less deadly for all that, they want but matter to work upon. And this is manifest by these two signs: the one, that they are content to take the slightest occasions, and rather choose to be ridiculous in their malice, then not malicious: the other, that both they aggravate their slender accusations, with slanderous additions of their own inventing, and comb both the warp and the woof, both the crime and the amplification thereof in the devils forge, their lying hearts and brains, because the innocency of their adversary yields them no just exception. Thus those enemies of our Saviour (for want of matter) suborned false witnesses: ⟨p. 566⟩which perjury argued, they would not have spared to produce true and greater crimes if they could have found them. It is noted of Daniels adversaries, 1chap. 6. that wanting matter of treason, they were fain to bring out his religion against him: which (as they contrived the matter, by the law they made for the purpose) touched his life also: but if they had found ought to lay to his charge in the other, they would rather have used it.
And where Iphtah saith, that Balak King of Moab stood against Israel stiffely to hold him from going through his land, yet hee stroue not with them for the recouering this land of the Amorites, which he might as iustly haue done, as he the King of Ammon did, hee prooueth thereby, that he had nothing to doe with it, nor any right vnto it. Teaching this thereby, that when men are deadly set against their aduersaries for any matter, seeking thereby to vexe them in the sorest manner they can, they would shew their rancor, in bringing foorth greater crimes and accusations against them then they doe, (whereby they might much more easily bring them downe) if they were prouided with any. And whereas they seeke to blemish their names, or to impouerish their estate, or to afflict their persons by restraint of libertie, imprisonment or banishment: they doe as the old Serpent, bite at their heele, because they cannot breake their head, but they would be gladdest of all to shed their blood. God indeed plucks them back, and so they vomit not their poison out, to so great mischiefe as they conceiue it, but fall short: but their poison is nothing lesse deadly for all that, they want but matter to worke vpon. And this is manifest by these two signes: the one, that they are content to take the slightest occasions, and rather choose to be ridiculous in their malice, then not malicious: the other, that both they aggrauate their slender accusations, with slanderous additions of their owne inuenting, and combe both the warpe and the woof, both the crime and the amplification thereof in the diuels forge, their lying hearts and braines, because the innocency of their aduersarie yeelds them no iust exception. Thus those enemies of our Sauiour (for want of matter) suborned false witnesses: