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…

Now for taking this book in hand, to set out my Sermons upon it, which I have before preached, though I have gone over, in the course of my Ministry, many other besides this: I take this book in hand, not as making comparison betwixt it and other books of Scripture: but partly seeing no Lectures or Sermons are set out upon it, that I know, to give light and help to such as need it: and partly at the earnest desire of those that heard my Sermons on it: and if I may know and perceive my labours in this to be thought worth the setting forth, I would be willing, as much as in me lieth, to do the like in some other book. In this work, beside the people, who are not brought up in learning, who may see that their whole life may be directed hereby and may much profit by it, so I intended also in it to benefit Students and Preachers, who are not yet experienced: nor best furnished with matter for the edifying of the hearers: so that beside the fruit they may reap hereby in common with the people; so they may learn how to make use of the historical part of the Bible, and learn to draw doctrine and instruction out of the examples thereof, fit for the people (and that out of the bad as well as the good) even as well as out of other Scripture: which all have not learned to do, neither have attained unto: and therefore do oft times offer violence to the Scriptures, by making allegories of them, and so wresting them to another sense then the holy Ghost hath made of them; without which manner of handling them, they can draw none or little matter out of the most examples in the ⟨image 7⟩stories of them: and so beside that their doctrine is not soundly gathered, so they give too fearful suspicion to the ignorant, that such parts of the Scripture are barren and dry, while they do by such shifts, and yet indirect, so hardly draw matter and doctrine out of them, when yet it is certain and clear, that they are full of sound instruction.

Now for taking this booke in hand, to set out my Sermons vpon it, which I haue before preached, though I haue gone ouer, in the course of my Ministerie, many other besides this: I take this booke in hand, not as making comparison betwixt it and other bookes of Scripture: but partly seeing no Lectures or Sermons are set out vpon it, that I know, to giue light and helpe to such as need it: and partly at the earnest desire of those that heard my Sermons on it: and if I may know and perceiue my labours in this to be thought worth the setting foorth, I would be willing, as much as in me lieth, to doe the like in some other booke. In this worke, beside the people, who are not brought vp in learning, who may see that their whole life may be directed hereby and may much profit by it, so I intended also in it to benefit Students and Preachers, who are not yet experienced: nor best furnished with matter for the edifying of the hearers: so that beside the fruite they may reape hereby in common with the people; so they may learne how to make vse of the historicall part of the Bible, and learne to draw doctrine and instruction out of the examples thereof, fit for the people (and that out of the bad as well as the good) euen as well as out of other Scripture: which all haue not learned to doe, neither haue attained vnto: and therefore doe oft times offer violence to the Scriptures, by making allegories of them, and so wresting them to another sense then the holy Ghost hath made of them; without which manner of handling them, they can draw none or little matter out of the most examples in the