A10933:867
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.
Now further, out of both these verses together note, that as it was not enough for Gideon to overthrow the Altar of Baal, unless he builded another 1to the Lord; nor to build one to the Lord, unless he cast down the Idolatrous Altar: Even so, it is not enough to shun evil, except we do good. And therefore it is not sufficient to be no covetous person, except a man be merciful: it is not enough to be innocent, except a man be also ⟨p. 325⟩fruitful in doing good; for one God is the commander of both. It is a true speech, Negatives conclude nothing: and here it is especially true. Therefore let all such, as whose goodness and outward actions witness not for them, suspect that they deceive themselves in the reforming of the hart. For surely an heart purged, will be fruitful. Again, it is not enough to forsake Popery, &c. unless the pure Gospel be embraced. Let the one abandon the other, as Dagon and the Ark could not stand together. They that make an hotch-potch of both, are an abomination to the Lord. And here we may further learn, that two religions in a land, though the one tolerated only, two contrary or divers ways I mean, of worshipping God, can no more stand together then Christ and Belial. For then the Lord would have spared Gideon a labour, and only enjoined him to go about the war and settle sound religion, letting idolatry alone. The false religion is the canker of 2the true, and as the execrable thing took hold upon the whole substance of Achan: so doth this bring a curse upon the other. Now to return, whereas the Lord bad the bullock, dedicated to Baal, to be offered as a burnt sacrifice to himself: I answer, he is Lord of all, he might turn it to what use he pleased. But it followeth not, that we, without his commandment, may take upon us to jumble together Gods worship, and superstition. For the which cause, as sometime he commanded that the gold and other things used in idolatry, should pass through the fire, and so it might be used, so sometime, he commanded, that they should utterly be destroyed. To return therefore in a word, to the point: As we see what a blemish it had been in Gideon, if he had done the one part of the charge, and not another, like Saul in the 3business of the Amalekites;