A10933:667
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 next sort spoken to in this verse, are they, who dwelling in villages 1and unwalled towns, were left desolate, and driven from their habitations, and they laid waste, rifled, robbed, and left ruinous by the enemies: this to be the meaning of the second point in this verse, appeareth clearly by the best translation; these she saith, might now safely return to their habitations and towns, and make up their ruins and breaches, and dwell in them again as before. They were therefore to acknowledge the goodness of God with the rest, who yet beside the driving them from their own home, were also much impoverished, and sustained great loss, beside fear and trouble thereby. And this (besides the duty of thanks for our safe and convenient dwelling and harbour) should teach us all to be highly contented, 2and patiently to bear our impaired and decayed estate, when by Gods providence, without our fault and negligence, it falleth out to be so, seeing we cannot be ignorant, that Gods people have had their part in such adversities before us: also losses by fire, water, or any other spoiling or wasting of our goods, when small likelihood could be seen thereof before. For these things fall out, and the like changes, where and when God will, for the sin of men, as cozenage, deceit, security, hypocrisy, wilful ignorance, worldliness, idleness, delicacy, excess, &c. (which God curseth sometimes with beggary) rash trustings, suretyship, &c. and they should bear their punishments, because they have sinned: and after their repentance, when God 3hath stayed the plague, they should thankfully, and without murmuring, receive the remnants of their commodities, if any remain to them: as we read the men of Benjamin did; and not desperately and impatiently to leave 4all at six and seven, because they see themselves disabled from ever recovering their former estate: which is a sign of a proud heart, refusing and scorning to stoop to the Lords hand and visitation, as Job himself did, whose loss yet (we know) was exceeding great. But oh the madness of men, who 5when they being occupied about their commodities, are crossed in them, contrary to their expectation, they are at their wits end, when the Lord hath taken but that which he lent them.