A10933:641
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 here by these calamities of the people of Israel, and the desolation 1that they had been in, when all good liberties and pleasant things were taken from them, it is right worthy our consideration, to think what a favour of God it is, that together with the true preaching of the Gospel, all the forementioned commodities are enjoyed of us; namely, outward peace in the land, and that we may dwell safely under our vine and fig tree, and may 2eat of the fat, and drink of the sweet, that we may safely travel and pass throughout all places and countries of this dominion, by the protection of good laws, and that we have exchange of our commodities with the benefit of good neighbourhood, and husbandry, to the preservation of our lives, and the maintaining of our families, &c. All these this people had been deprived of; whereas the want of any of them would soon drive us to complain heavily, and cry out. Oh we do little consider how deeply, yea how 3infinitely we are bound to to the Lord for these liberties, and for the great good we may reap and enjoy thereby. And yet these many good things which the Lord hath usually bestowed upon us, and daily doth, (blessed be his holy name therefore) we think because all the land enjoyeth them as well as our selves, we owe no special duty of acknowledging them, more then we see the most do, which is not worth the speaking of; nay we look for them by due and good right; and which is worst of all) many do spend them wastefully, and to the maintaining and increasing of divers sins among them, which we durst not do if wealth and quietness were wanting: so truly the Wise man speaketh of one of them; [the rich mans riches are his 4strong city, and as an high wall in his imagination. And in a word, we have so little leisure to think of God his goodness, that by abusing his benefits we hast to bring upon our selves the same misery which these were in, under, and especially after this Shamgar, and before God stirred up this Debora among them.
And heere by these calamities of the people of Israel, and the desolation 1