A10933:192
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.
for so we are rocked a sleep ere we be aware, in which case it shall be no easy ⟨p. 58⟩1matter to awake, or bring our selves back again into our former good course. And so shall we live unprofitable, fit only to consume and wast the good benefits of God. Oh! what a death it is to a slothful person to be urged to the duty that he hath cast off, and hath now no pleasure in, nor ability unto? (as to a Minister to preach in his old age, who looked not after it in his youth?) to the which estate he hath brought himself; even as a ruinous house falleth down altogether; when it is let go to decay for want of repairing in time. For the remedying of the which mischief, in all that are annoyed with it, I see no better direction, then that which our Saviour hath given us in these words, when he saith; occupy till I come. Whereby he meaneth not only the 2work of our calling, but also that every one that will prosper, should use his talent, even such gifts as God hath bestowed upon him; as knowledge, wealth, time, grace, and such like, to the doing of good with them, and not to bury them unprofitably in the earth. For beside that the fruit of idleness is poverty, theft, beggary, &c. God also loveth and blesseth the painful and diligent; and thus if we be careful, after Gods direction, to be well occupied, we shall be free as from other evils, so from this danger of sloth. The like counsel to that which our Saviour giveth, is that of Saint Paul to the Ephesians, that they redeem the time: that is, buy it out of the hands of 3idleness, unprofitableness and evil: and then employ it faithfully to necessary uses and ends. And the rather, because so much precious time is already spent in vain, let that which remaineth be better passed to recover our loss. The life of a Christian can least of all other stand with idleness. It is without respect of the particular calling, as husbandry, merchandise, or other trading, full of diligent heed taking, that the conscience may be kept pure and good: but much more (all may see) when labour in these is adjoined to the other: therefore the punishment of the sloth is not small, but as the Wise man teacheth. The idle mans back shall be clothed with rags, and his belly pinched and starved for want of food, and by this we may guess what