A10933:560
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.
And when we have experience of this, it causeth us to bewail tenderly 1the weaknesses that we see in our brethren, and with the spirit of meekness help to hold them up, rather then by and by to censure them over sharply for the same. And it is to be deeply bewailed, to see how far off many are from duty in this behalf, (though otherwise religious, and such as love the truth from their hearts) are overcome with deadly conceits against their brethren when they see they have fallen by infirmity, & are strongly incensed against 2them, & leave them to themselves, never telling them of it kindly, as if they see them overcome of impatience, testiness, anger, or if their zeal & fervency in serving God be slaked, & abated, or that they be offensively taken up of, and carried away with the world. These and the like (I confess) are rust causes to raise grief in us, and are much to be disliked of us, when we espy them in such as be well thought of by us, and they are blemishes in them not to be borne with or allowed: but yet for all that, when we shall see such things in them, we must beware that we censure them not too hardly, (for who hath given us authority to judge them?) crying out uncharitably, that there is no religion in them. For though it cannot be denied, but that the devil ⟨p. 205⟩hath, by watching his opportunity, got advantage over them; yet they being not untractable, but only deceived in their so offending, and yet in other parts of their lives they holding their care to please God, and labouring to keep a good conscience; we must not for some one such weakness, fall by and by to such hard judging of them, and to depart from them (which is utterly against charity and duty) but to think, that there being so many snares to entangle men, it may easily enough be so with them, as we may see it to be with our selves (if we be not blinded with self-love) in the like trials, for that we do not, without special grace, and heed taking, avoid the like falls. And therefore we must hope that they may, yea and shall (no doubt) through Gods help, arise, and grow in good sort out of them again.
And when wee haue experience of this, it causeth vs to bewaile tenderly 1