A10933:56
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 1 › Chapter 1 › Part 1: The first 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.
And when they see they receive not the things they ask, even they as well as the other who are further off, do gather, and imagine, though falsely and unjustly, that prayer doth no good, and that it is but lost labour, seeing they are not heard in theirs, when they pray amiss, and so they wax more slack and negligent therein, as the other omit it altogether. And the less marvel it is, seeing even good Christians (to come to the third sort) who go far beyond both, do so forget themselves ofttimes, and are so deluded by the devil, that even they omit zealous and fervent praying, and fall to pray coldly, deadly: so many vain delusions, and allurements stand up in their way to unsettle them, and misty clouds of trouble to discourage them. And while it is thus with them, and while the flesh justleth against all that good is (they not resisting it in time) it cometh to pass, that even they who have 1learned to pray aright, and have oft and usually done so: do yet soon decline, sometime and before they be aware, fall to pray more by custom 2and course, then heartily and aright. For we are not to be ignorant of this, that we are as well undermined and slyly deceived by the malice and subtlety of the devil and our evil hearts, about our prayers to corrupt and hinder 3them, as we are in our lives to break out and be offensive therein. And we ought to mark our declinings and decay in the one, as well as our coldness and deadness in the other: for pray well and live well, and contrary. For want of the which, it goeth so ill with us as it doth, that we walk oft times 4heavily, and cannot say that God heareth us, as it is here said of this people, that God answered them: for even after we have prayed, yet we are not satisfied, neither rest we by faith persuaded that God will hear us: which yet is one of the chiefest fruits of prayer. And thus much of Gods answer to them.
And when they see they receiue not the things they aske, euen they as well as the other who are further off, doe gather, and imagin, though falselie and vniustly, that prayer doth no good, and that it is but lost labour, seeing they are not heard in theirs, when they pray amisse, and so they waxe more slacke and negligent therein, as the other omit it altogether. And the lesse maruell it is, seeing euen good Christians (to come to the third sort) who go farre beyond both, do so forget themselues ofttimes, and are so deluded by the diuell, that euen they omit zealous and seruent praying, and fall to pray coldly, deadly: so many vaine deluzions, and alurements stand vp in their way to vnsettle them, and misty clouds of trouble to discourage them. And while it is thus with them, and while the flesh iustleth against all that good is (they not resisting it in time) it commeth to passe, that euen they who haue