A10933:868
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.
so by the way, it teacheth, that God allows not for service, duties done by halves, but that they should be soundly and in one part and point as another endeavoured after: neither doth he allow us to be our own carvers to take what pleaseth us, and turn the other back again, which we may see more clearly by the example of one that was guilty of this fault. Of Jehu it is reported, that when he had slain all the cursed posterity of Ahab, and destroyed the Priests of Baal (which was the purging out of false worship in great part) yet whereas the other part of setting up true worship should have followed it, the text makes a stop, and sets down a manifest separation betwixt them thus: But from the sins of Jeroboam the son 1of Nebat Jehu departed not; nay more, nor from their golden Calves in Bethel and Dan. Why then did he destroy Baal? Surely he was carried to it, by a common gift of the holy Ghost, even fervency in that work: which made him an instrument for that purpose; but that he did it not with a true detestation of the sin, it is manifest, for then he would have abandoned the other also, and have restored pure worship in stead of it. This should teach us, that holy instruction, which is so oft in general commended to us, when we have hated to the pit of hell (for so the word signifieth in that place) that which is evil, then neglect not to do that which is good. Rom. 13. nay to cleave to 2it as a thing which is cemented as glass windows are, the words are pithy. So saith the Apostle, Let him that stole steal no more: yet it is not sufficient; 3that a man be not a thief; therefore he addeth, But work with his hands, and do the thing that is good, for that is a good token he is reformed. And commonly in Scripture we shall see this order observed: that unto prohibitions ⟨p. 326⟩first set down, there are added commandments of duty: for though of the two it is the first and hardest, to purge out a corrupt habit and a lewd quality: yet it is not all, God will have it appear to be so by a new and contrary practise to the former, that the work may be sound and perfect. Neither doth he command men to cleanse out their evil, and so keep themselves void, empty and barren of grace: (which were to set up a neutrality rather then Christianity) but he will have men seasoned with grace, and stablished