A10933:651
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 yet where is he, that by such checks of the word, and his conscience, and the fear of many arrestings of him from God, doth once complain and cry out of his estate, and so seeks strength and recovery out of it, by faith, peace, and confidence, with the true detestation of his sin, which like a Witch so enchanteth and disableth him of all courage and boldness, and turns him into a very coward and weakling? Now in that men do not perceive this, as they might easily do, their blindfolding of themselves, and hardening of their hearts, is the cause thereof.
And yet where is he, that by such checkes of the word, and his conscience, and the feare of many arrestings of him from God, doth once complaine and crie out of his estate, and so seekes strength and recouerie out of it, by faith, peace, and confidence, with the true detestation of his sin, which like a Witch so inchaunteth and disableth him of all courage and boldnesse, and turnes him into a very coward and weakling? Now in that men doe not perceiue this, as they might easily do, their blindfolding of themselues, and hardning of their hearts, is the cause thereof.
Now Debora turneth her self to divers kinds of men, and distinguisheth 1them one from another, exhorting them all, as she her self did, to praise and magnify God. This I will lay open more plainly, it being somewhat hard otherwise for some readers to understand, and discern the same. And first in this verse she beginneth with the chief of the armies, and those that offered themselves willingly to the battle. In the next verse, she speaketh to the rich Merchants that rode on costly beasts, that were, as he calleth them, white Asses, and such as sat in judgement. And thirdly in this same verse also, she speaketh to all meaner persons that travailed on foot, seeing there was now liberty for them to pass to and fro in the high ways, she moveth these (I say) to magnify God: Even all sorts of people who went out and in by the gates of the city for their business, profit, pleasure, or any other necessary use. In the second verse, she nameth the very boys and girls, who could not safely go out to draw water, without danger of the archers, who lay in wait secretly to shoot at them, and so put them in peril and jeopardy of their lives, or to be sore wounded; these might now (she saith) fetch their water without fear of hurt. Then she calleth to them who dwelt in villages and unwalled towns (their danger having been very great, so as they were driven away from their houses) telling them that they might now return home again, and dwell in them quietly as in times past: and last of all, she speaks to those who were wont to meet in the gates of