A10933:359
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.
OF Gods anger and the fear thereof, being the first punishment, we have heard. Now followeth the next, which is the effect of it. For they who are angry, consult and devise, how they may revenge themselves upon such as have offended them: the […] out •ffect: the effect of whose anger is set down, first to be the spoiling […] good, and then the bondage ⟨p. 126⟩they came in to their enemies, which was far greater. And these are the sorer because God dealt not with them himself, but gave them over to men, yea cruel men, such as David desired he might not fall into their hands, because there was no mercy with them. But to say some what of the former of these two; to such as be in prosperity, we know that the loss of wealth is found by experience, and taken of men to be one of the hardest judgements that do befall them; the reason is, for that they love their money and goods almost if not altogether as well as their lives. And yet a great punishment is this which they sustain by them, that when the Lord hath given them as blessings, they lose the right use of the, for and through their foolishness and sin, and cause that for the most part they become curses to them. And God in his wisdom doth send such penalties oft times among many other unto them, as it is said here, he gave them into the hands of spoilers. But this was yet far worse, when they must go under it, and yet never consider by whom, and why they were thus punished. Behold in this people, the extreme folly of sinners at this day; who though their hearts are set upon their wealth and commodities, yet never bethink themselves to be freed from the danger of Gods wrath, which often wasteth them to nothing. Know we therefore, that if we decay in our goods, by barrenness 1of the ground, or unseasonableness of the weather, by debt, suretyship, 2or by any other such like, and especially by misspending them; know we (I say) we have a warning thereby, sent us of God, for some ill parts of life, as it is said in Deuteronomy, If thou wilt not obey the voice of the 3Lord thy God, then the fruit of thy land, and all thy labour shall a people that thou knowest not, eat: and the heaven that is over thee shall be brass, and the earth under thee, iron.