A10933:172
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 by this we must learn, that though we be forbidden to hate the 1persons of our enemies, yet when we be set by the Lord to execute judgement upon them, our eye must not spare them, under the colour of charity or compassion, for their properness, manhood, or any other foolish respect; Neither may we do the work of the Lord negligently. Thus Joshua, though he pitied the state of Achan, yet plainly tells him, In as much as thou hast troubled 2us, the Lord shall trouble thee this, &c. Thus the Lord punished Saul severely ⟨p. 51⟩for sparing Agag, and Ahab for so dealing with Benhadad, saying Thy life 3shall go for his. And therefore we must be well assured of Gods commandment, when we go about any such thing, against such persons as be lewd, stubborn and wilful. This commandment of God is to be extended not only against all traitorous enemies of the Church, but also against that ravening and roguish progeny of spoilers of the peace and government, and havoc makers of the commonwealth, as murderers, &c. And therefore confuteth the cursed practise of Jesuits, who, if they be not as yet practisers in that kind themselves, do yet by all means labour to extenuate the odious facts and treacheries of their complices by false reports: and traducing the just proceedings of Christian Princes, and the execution of their laws for the restraining of such monsters, by infamous libels, and the like. But we must here take great heed also, that we colour not our cruel and uncharitable actions with a pretence of zeal to God, and yet give place to our affections, under a colour of seeking the glory of God: which may easily be done, as the Apostles did, calling for fire from heaven upon the Samaritans, when 4they would not receive Christ into their cive: but we must know, that all men being our neighbours, we must be enemies to none. For the which cause David prayed for his own enemies as namely for Saul, when yet he 5prayed against Gods enemies, having also good warrant to do so. And Moses being the meekest of other in his own case; yet against Corah and his