A10933:204
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.
And this being so, teacheth all men to deal even with the bad kindly, and to be harmless toward them. And though they be of them who have deserved punishment (as this man of the city Bethel might by as good right have been put to the sword as the rest in the city, until he yielded himself) yet for as much as they be in misery they are to be pitied, unless their facts be horrible and beyond the course of common trespasses, in which case they must be punished by authority accordingly: for in so dealing with them, there is hope that their harts may be mollified, and they in time be brought to repentance: whereas by rigour and rough handling of them they will (questionless) be hardened. And if they fall into the Magistrates hand, and must needs for their fault be put to death; it is enough that they have that inflicted upon them which is their due, though they be not pursued with cruelty also. Joshuas dealing with Achan, who yet for his trespass must be put to death, may be a pattern for all men, to teach them to avoid cruelty, 1and to show kindness and mercy to such as be in misery. Thus he saith, when his sin was found out against him, My son give glory to the God of Israel, and make thy confession to him, and show me now what thou hast done. And as Joshuas example, for his loving dealing toward the offender: Achan, is to be highly commended: so the contrary is as odious in the Priests and Jews: for when they had gotten that which they sought at Pilats hands, to have our Saviour, against all law, to be condemned, they were not content with that, but most cruelly and despitefully handled him with mocks, and taunts, and all disgrace that might be: But it was as good as might be looked for at their hands.
And this being so, teacheth all men to deale euen with the bad kindly, and to be harmelesse toward them. And though they be of them who haue deserued punishment (as this man of the citie Bethel might by as good right haue been put to the sword as the rest in the citie, vntil he yeelded himselfe) yet for as much as they be in misery they are to bee pitied, vnlesse their facts be horrible and beyond the course of common trespasses, in which case they must be punished by authoritie accordingly: for in so dealing with them, there is hope that their harts may be mollified, and they in time be brought to repentance: whereas by rigor and rough handling of them they will (questionlesse) be hardened. And if they fall into the Magistrates hand, and must needs for their fault bee put to death; it is enough that they haue that inflicted vpon them which is their due, though they bee not pursued with crueltie also. Ioshuas dealing with Achan, who yet for his trespasse must bee put to death, may be a paterne for all men, to teach them to auoid crueltie,