A10933:2068
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.
So should Samson have thought, that when he had emboldened a wicked woman to tamper and meddle with him about that which touched his life, and concerned his soul, to bereave it of the furniture of the graces of God, he should have thought (I say) that it was time to cease speaking to her, or to admit her to speak of any such matter to him: yea to turn utterly away from her rather, and utterly to give her over. Joseph, when his whorish Mistress lay at him day by day to yield to her wicked request, the Scripture 1testifieth, that yet he hearkened not unto her, neither would be in her company.
So should Samson haue thought, that when he had imboldned a wicked woman to tamper and meddle with him about that which touched his life, and concerned his soule, to bereaue it of the furniture of the graces of God, he should haue thought (I say) that it was time to cease speaking to her, or to admit her to speake of any such matter to him: yea to turne vtterly away from her rather, and vtterly to giue her ouer. Ioseph, when his whorish Mistresse lay at him day by day to yeeld to her wicked request, the Scripture 1testifieth, that yet he hearkened not vnto her, neither would be in her companie.
So if any of us have made vagaries and outstrayings, yea though not so grossly as Samson did, neither in fellowship with lewd women, (which were horrible) but if it be but in fond and filthy lingering after them, and their whorish company, when our consciences shall accuse us for so doing, 1and warn us to desist and break off betimes, from such longing and lingering after them, as they who have nothing to do with them, and when withal we set before our eyes the shame and sorrow that will fall on us by that which we long for, and hast after: then (I say) let us think, it is high time for us (if we have unhappily gone so far) to break the brood, and scatter the mists of such idle and filthy thoughts and wicked lusts, and with astonishment ask of our selves, what have we done? and by the help of our faithful and fervent prayers to throw them all in the dust, and not with Samson to dally with them, as he did with his Delilah, but mark and think seriously upon the end thereof. And so doing, we shall to some purpose make our benefit of this example of Samson: otherwise we may with the common sort wonder at, and condemn his folly, and our selves play the fools in the like or a worse kind. It is not strange, that he who purposely had prostituted himself to the will of an harlot, and was now in the pursuit