A10933:1617
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 69 › Chapter 12 › 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.
To make some use hereof, first we see, that such as bear the face of honest 1men, and live in countenance among their neighbours, as these Ephraimites did, may yet possibly become and prove seditious. Pride of it self is able to set men forward to it, as it did Absalom, and these here. Much more, ease and idleness, ill counsel and envy, with such like. And though the sprigs of it bud forth full fast, and are ready too easily to yield fruit in all, yet we must have an especial care, that they grow not: but let them be pruned-off, yea and a digging at the root betimes had need to be, that the branches may wither. See what I have noted of this point out of the face of the Shechemites, chap. 9. 2. 3.
To make some vse hereof, first we see, that such as beare the face of honest 1men, and liue in countenance among their neighbours, as these Ephramites did, may yet possibly become and proue seditious. Pride of it selfe is able to set men forward to it, as it did Absolon, and these here. Much more, ease and idlenesse, ill counsell and enuy, with such like. And though the sprigges of it bud forth full fast, and are readie too easily to yeeld fruit in all, yet we must haue an especiall care, that they grow not: but let them be pruned-off, yea and a digging at the roote betimes had need to be, that the branches may wither. See what I haue noted of this point out of the face of the Shechemites, chap. 9. 2. 3.
- 1Doct.
Now for the remedy hereof, seeing pride and discontentment are the causes hereof, let the heart be kept with all diligence, from nourishing of such affections and thoughts, and to crack pride, and pull it down, think 1we of our selves as we are: even such as if we could see our faces in the clear glass of Gods law, should appear more loathsome, then the most deformed Lazar: such is the filthiness of our inborn corruption, and foul litter of most monstrous sins that proceed from thence, so far off should we be from swelling and thinking our selves to be great, yea, petty Angels as we are ready to do, whereby we imagine we be too good to be in subjection to our betters in the Lord, yea, or to the Lord himself, in obeying his word. There are many who accuse the sincere preachers and professors of the Gospel, as seditious and tumultuous, yea, enemies of good order, &c. A man would not think, that the accuser were like to be stained with the crime, which he chargeth upon another. But when for want of the fear of God, some of the civillest, and such as stand for law and government in towns shall be pulled out for notorious malefactors, either in this crime of sedition, as Demetrius and his fellows, or in any other riot and disorder; while they whom they charged shall be found innocent, then they wish they had been a little preciser in that kind, and confess that only conscience can resist these temptations to sin. They make a shift for a while to conceal their lewdness, but if forcible occasions and provocations assault them, they have no power to withstand them. Thus much of this. Look upon the quarrelling of the Ephraimites with Gideon, Chap. 8.