A10933:378
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.
That it should be thus with this people as in this verse it is said, it is no 1less lamentable then wonderful. For when God had pitied them, (they groaning to him) and sent them Judges, who should deliver them out of their oppressions, and they likewise did deliver them indeed: after that blessing, who would not have said that they would have proved a rare people in thanks and obedience unto God? Now therefore, in that they turned another way when the Judge was dead, who was sent to deliver them, and kept not their covenant which they had made with God, but rebelled against him, what treachery was this? And to that end is their sin aggravated in this verse, to wit, that they did worse then their fathers, but following their own inventions and evil ways. By all which it is to be gathered, 2what light-headednesse and inconstancy is in men, who have sometime made earnest profession of amendment; also what lewdness accompanieth the same, to set it on work. Hereupon it is, that all good exercises of ⟨p. 133⟩prayer, and purposes of good life are soon forgotten, and worn out of memory with many. A simple minded man would think, that where there hath been so much knowledge in people, and show of good conscience going with it, as that they both do cause confession of sin, and accusation of themselves, with breaking forth into solemn protestation and covenan•• of turning to God with all their heart; he would think (I say) that if after ten or twelve years absence from them, he should return again; that he should find rare profiting in the Christian trade; at least much forwardness in knowledge and in all good duties, and they so settled therein, that they could not be removed any more from them.
That it should bee thus with this people as in this verse it is said, it is no 1lesse lamentable then wonderfull. For when God had pitied them, (they groning to him) and sent them Iudges, who should deliuer them out of their oppressions, and they likewise did deliuer them indeed: after that blessing, who would not haue said that they would haue proued a rare people in thankes and obedience vnto God? Now therefore, in that they turned another way when the Iudge was dead, who was sent to deliuer them, and kept not their couenant which they had made with God, but rebelled against him, what trercherie was this? And to that end is their sinne aggrauated in this verse, to wit, that they did worse then their fathers, but following their owne inuentions and euill waies. By all which it is to be gathered,