A10933:437
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.
The punishment which God inflicted upon the people for their renewed 1sins, which is the second thing in this example, followeth in this and the next two verses: and it was this; that the King of Moab, and other who assisted him, held them in bondage eighteen years; and took Jericho, which was called the city of Palm trees, and set aide there, the more to oppress Israel, seeing it was by the passage over Jordan toward Moab. Where we see again, that if we shall wax bold to sin against the Lord, he will smite, as we have heard, come it sooner, or come it later. But in that he is said here to strengthen Moab, and as it were to furnish him against his own people (the wicked Idolaters against his true worshippers) only for breaking forth now at this time here mentioned, to offend the Lord more then commonly; it may seem somewhat strange. For these Ammonites and Amalekites were most vile enemies of God, and gross Idolaters. But he will 2have us to know this, that he doth often punish his own people, by them that are worse then they. And as we see he sendeth these cursed nations upon them, so we need not doubt but that he can and will send the very Papists, (as little as many loose Protestants fear it) to vex us, if we provoke him, even as he hath done heretofore, when the sin of men, and their knowledge was lesser then now it is. And so the Lord speaketh in Deuteronomy, Because ye have provoked me by that which is no God, I will provoke you by 3them, whom ye have despised as no people. It is as harsh a thing to suffer by the means of such as be worse then our selves, as it is for the child to be beaten by the servant. But God will suffer them, partly because he knows that to be the way to abase men, partly because their enemies will set it on to the purpose when they are let loose to hurt them, through the malice that is in them; even as their father the devil doth when he can. But God would have his own learn by the smart which they sustain by their trouble, that their sin is far more odious then they account it, yea then theirs, who whip them, because they have been taught to know the Lord, and covenanted to serve him, but the other are strangers, who are unacquainted with his ways.
The punishment which God inflicted vpon the people for their renued