A10933:413
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.
Sermon 18 › Chapter 3 › Part 3: The second part of the Chapter.
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.
So by the contrary this is clear, that if we grow to this point, that we dare do that which is evil in Gods eyes, and to forget him, and his unspeakable kindness, though we commit not by and by the grosest and most odious things, yet it will not belong before we break out even grossly, wax bold also, and work that which is odious in the sight of men.
So by the contrary this is cleere, that if we grow to this point, that we dare doe that which is euill in Gods eyes, and to forget him, and his vnspeakeable kindnesse, though wee commit not by and by the grosest and most odius things, yet it will not belong before wee breake out euen grosly, wax bold also, and worke that which is odious in the sight of men.
Whereas we ought ever to have before us Gods bounty and kindness in such wise, that they may be bars in our ways, to keep us even from small offences, that so the grosser sins may much more be kept from us. And so David affirmeth, that if he had not been bold to sin against God in secret, he had never broke out shamefully before men. We know the devil is called 1a serpent; which word signifieth properly a creeper, because his property 2is, by little and little creep and wind into us, to withdraw our hearts 3from uprightness and constancy therein; also to cause that Gods benefits shall be more meanly accounted off of us: and then boldness in sin will creep upon us easily, and after that we shall not fear the attempting of great and grievous sins also. It is our wisdom therefore to consider Gods goodness to be so great, and the same so continued to us daily (as who shall but meanly observe and weigh the same, but he must needs confess as much) that we should be afraid and ashamed to offend and displease him, through negligence much more by forgetting ourselves in both to sin openly and wilfully. This be said of their sin. The punishment follows.