A10933:708
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.
This be said of the 19. verse, and in general of their ill prospering against 1Israel, in their fighting: now more particularly, Debora showeth in this verse, that even from heaven, that is, from the higher region of the air, the stars and planets raised the rain and the wind in their faces, yea the hail and tempests to fight against Sisera, so that thereby God showed himself to be against him, all his preparation and furniture of chariots, horses and men serving him to no purpose, but disappointing him. This teacheth us, that when God will both heaven and earth, and the powers of both, shall fight against 2Gods enemies, even as all the plagues written in the book of God, do at his commandment, seize upon, and torment them. So the hail from above slew Gods enemies, and the Sun stood still to that end: so frosts 3and floods, plague and tamine, with other such, have in our time fought against them from God. I have handled this point more largely before, I will only answer one objection in this place. It is objected, that the godly 4sustain the forementioned judgements and the like, as well as the wicked: therefore when shall we be able to prove and say, the Lord in lays them upon his enemies, as if he aimed at that alone? For Job had his sheep and servants burnt up and devoured by fire from heaven, as if Satan would 5thereby have persuaded him, that God himself made war with him from thence: his body was also smitten with sore boils, from the sole of his foot unto the crown of his head, and he took a potsherd to scrape him. I answer, that God sendeth these and the like to his children, as trials, or corrections 6to heal them of some dangerous disease, as pride, looseness, worldliness, &c. but to his enemies, as scourges for their wicked lives, to begin their hellish torments here; and as this ever true, so if their sins be manifest, we may so judge of the particular offenders that he meaneth no less toward them, and that without any fear of injuring them, unless they repent.