A10933:31
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 although under the Judges, the people were sometimes oppressed grievously by strangers, and especially under Samson by the Philistines (for why? we must know, their horrible sins deserved it, and provoked God to deal with them in that manner:) yet they were never led into captivity while they lived with them. Again, there were few of the Kings good men, in Israel, not one: the Judges (for the most part) were all such. A good testimony whereof, we have in the Epistle to the Hebrews: where we thus read of the commendation of them: The time would be too short for me to speak of Gideon, Barak, Jephthah, and Samson: these the holy Ghost commendeth. And though some of them (as men) did sometime fall, yet we are to think they returned and rose up again: seeing the Scripture (as I remember) doth never condemn them. So that in respect of them, and by their help, (if the people could have seen it and made benefit of it) we may say, they lived in a golden age.
And although vnder the Iudges, the people were somtimes oppressed grieuously by strangers, and especially vnder Samson by the Philistims (for why? we must know, their horrible sinnes deserued it, and prouoked God to deale with them in that manner:) yet they were neuer led into captiuitie while they liued with them. Againe, there were few of the Kings good men, in Israel, not one: the Iudges (for the most part) were all such. A good testimonie whereof, we haue in the Epistle to the Hebrewes: where we thus reade of the commendation of them: The time would be too short for me to speake of Gedeon, Barak, Iphtah, and Samson: these the holy Ghost commendeth. And though some of them (as men) did sometime fall, yet we are to thinke they returned and rose vp againe: seeing the Scripture (as I remember) doth neuer condemne them. So that in respect of them, and by their helpe, (if the people could haue seene it and made benefit of it) we may say, they liued in a golden age.
Now whereas it is not so apparently to be seen, that this book doth set forth Christ unto us, in all the commendations of these Judges: (who yet is the end of all books of Scripture) to such as demand about it, I answer: that Christ is not clearly set forth in any of those books of the old Testament first written: but darkly, and by types and figures, as God saw it meet for those ages: and so we are to think of this book, where the deliverances from so great enemies, as are mentioned herein, are types of that great deliverance and redemption of men wrought by Christ, out of the jaws of the devil. And let the commending of sundry of those Judges by the holy Ghost satisfy us, that they could not have been good men, nor have lived by faith, as they were said to have done, if they had not believed in Christ, and been sanctified thereby. Besides, what authority shall we give to the old Testament, if they who