A10933:191
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 7 › Chapter 1 › Part 2: The second 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.
By this then we see the evil that slothfulness and ease seeking bringeth, to wit this: that itself holdeth a man from obeying God, though there should be nothing else to do it. And that is when, for the ease and pleasure which is taken therein, men dull the edge of courage and forwardness to good duties, which was in them before: such an one is the slothful, whose words are these; A lion is in the way, meaning thereby, that he cannot labour, 1even as a man in a sweet slumber is most unwilling to be awaked. This sloth is a sweet poison: keep from it he that can, but he that doth not, it will slay him, as Solomon saith; As the common sluggard doth loath and shun 2labour, and therefore loveth to be doing any trifling thing, rather then to work, and be well occupied, so doth he that is slow in the duties of Gods service; he lets them pass and omits the opportunity of doing them, which ought much to be regarded. For as a word spoken in season, is much worth, even like apples of gold and pictures of silver, even so is an act or deed done in due 3time, as namely among other, that wise and godly courage of Ester showed in due season in going to the King, for the preserving and saving her own life and her peoples from the train that Hamon had laid for them in season. Oh, even so is forwardness and readiness to go about the work and business that God enjoineth us in every condition of life. But there are extremities on both sides: There are some that fall to their work, but look after nothing else, whereas all should be first sanctified to God themselves first, that then their works may be accepted of him. Others would seem, and be taken for godly; but they are careless and slack in following the works of their callings, nay they condemn the provident and diligent, as worldly and miserable muckworms. Both these are extremes to be avoided of Christians, by joining both callings together, I mean religion and labour. But for this sloth (to say a little more of it) if we take not great heed, the best of Gods servants may soon be drawn to it, and no way sooner, then if we begin to wax weary of well doing in our general or particular calling, 4and suffer our selves to be plucked from our steadfastness therein, by the error of the wicked, and to be caught and snared with the deceitfulness of sin: