A10933:30
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.
And briefly to lay out the state and condition that these people, the Hebrews, then lived in: whereby the office of the Judges may the better be understood: they having not yet conquered the land, were occupied (as at their first entrance into it, and after Joshuas death a while) in subduing it, and their enemies: but afterward they suffered them to remain, and become tributaries to them, and were thereby (as God saw it meet, and as need required) in great peril and misery by them, and then, because they were his people, lest they should have been utterly destroyed, these Judges were raised up by him, without the election of men, to rescue and deliver them. But afterward when they were at rest, and peace, God governed them not by those Judges: (therefore Jephthah, when he was desired, would not reign over them) neither had they authority over them: but he used the help of some other excellent persons, fit by their virtues and gifts for that purpose, and they ruled the people: but the Judges (as I said) were stirred up by the Lord, in great dangers, brought upon them by their enemies, to be helpers and deliverers unto them, and to keep them in peace afterward, while they lined. So that these Judges were not chosen by succession, as Kings: neither by the voices of the people. but were raised up by God (as we have heard) indifferently, as well out of one tribe as another: and how mean and unfit soever they were before, for that purpose: God did furnish them by and by after he had stirred them up, with most excellent gifts for that end, to the which he appointed them. And it went far better with the people while they were under them, then it did afterward, when they would needs have a King to reign over them. For they did always deliver the people of Israel out of the calamity with which they were oppressed: whereas their Kings did sometimes waste them, and bring them into captivity, and were (the most part of them) Idolaters.
And briefly to lay out the state and condition that these people, the Hebrewes, then liued in: whereby the office of the Iudges may the better be vnderstood: they hauing not yet conquered the land, were occupied (as at their first entrance into it, and after Ioshuas death a while) in subduing it, and their enemies: but afterward they suffered them to remaine, and become tributaries to them, and were thereby (as God saw it meete, and as need required) in great perill and miserie by them, and then, because they were his people, lest they should haue been vtterly destroyed, these Iudges were raised vp by him, without the election of men, to rescue and deliuer them. But afterward when they were at rest, and peace, God gouerned them not by those Iudges: (therefore Iphtah, when he was desired, would not raigne ouer them) neither had they authoritie ouer them: but he vsed the help of someother excellent persons, fit by their vertues and gifts for that purpose, and they ruled the people: but the Iudges (as I said) were stirred vp by the Lord, in great dangers, brought vpon them by their enemies, to be helpers and deliuerers vnto them, and to keepe them in peace afterward, while they lined. So that these Iudges were not chosen by succession, as Kings: neither by the voyces of the people. but were raised vp by God (as wee haue heard) indifferently, as well out of one tribe as another: and how meane and vnfit soeuer they were before, for that purpose: God did furnish them by and by after he had stirred them vp, with most excellent gifts for that end, to the which he appointed them. And it went farre better with the people while they were vnder them, then it did afterward, when they would needs haue a King to raigne ouer them. For they did alwaies deliuer the people of Israel out of the calamitie with which they were oppressed: whereas their Kings did sometimes waste them, and bring them into captiuitie, and were (the most part of them) Idolaters.