A10933:971
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.
By this we see, that he bestoweth excellent gifts and graces upon the bad, aswell as upon the good, which gifts either are merely natural and ordinary, or supernatural and extraordinary. Natural and ordinary, as industriousness, wit, policy, strength, for the attaining of learning, skill, wealth, credit, and the well governing and defending of families, subjects and commonwealths. Supernatural, as enlightening and knowledge by the word, and specially of the law terrifying, and the Gospel generally working a confused joy and vanishing faith in them. Extraordinary, as the gift of miracles, tongues, and the like in the infancy of the Church were. These he giveth to many more then he giveth faith unto or regeneration, even as the visible means leading thereto, as Baptism and the Ministry, are common to both. And why? because the subordinate ends for which these gifts serve, are more general, then those which the special gifts serve for. Therefore we see, that many are well fitted for natural, civill, moral, and (ministerially) spiritual and divine ends, who yet are no more fit for the main end of all, I mean for godliness and salvation, then if they wanted the other: because the special end is not so large and universal, as the common end is. Yea doubtless, the wicked are oft times endowed with common gifts in a far ampler and more glorious manner and measure, then the godly: the Lord heaping hot coals upon their heads, and clearing himself from the blame of their condemnation: seeing that he who bestowed upon them so liberally in the one kind, would not have denied them the other which accompany salvation, if they had humbled themselves to the seeking after them, and not rested in the outward privileges, as they who boasted of the Temple, the Temple, whereas in the mean while. There came from the 1North, East, and all quarters, and sat down with Abraham in the kingdom of heaven, and themselves, who boasted of the Temple, and were the children of the kingdom, Christ saith plainly, were cast out, and excluded. But of all such gifts, we may say, that seeing they are not the peculiar gifts which are proper to Gods own children, but those that are common to one and other: it may be said to them, as Christ said to the disciples, when they rejoiced so greatly that the devils were subject to them, and cast out of men by them:
By this we see, that he bestoweth excellent gifts and graces vpon the bad, aswell as vpon the good, which gifts either are meerely naturall and ordinarie, or supernaturall and extraordinarie. Naturall and ordinarie, as industriousnesse, wit, policie, strength, for the attaining of learning, skill, wealth, credit, and the wel gouerning and defending of families, subiects and commonwealths. Supernaturall, as enlightning and knowledge by the word, and specially of the law terrifying, and the Gospell generally working a confused ioy and vanishing faith in them. Extraordinarie, as the gift of miracles, tongues, and the like in the infancie of the Church were. These he giueth to many more then hee giueth faith vnto or regeneration, euen as the visible meanes leading thereto, as Baptisme and the Ministerie, are common to both. And why? because the subordinate ends for which these gifts serue, are more generall, then those which the speciall gifts serue for. Therefore we see, that many are well fitted for naturall, ciuill, morall, and (ministerially) spirituall and diuine ends, who yet are no more fit for the maine end of all, I meane for godlinesse and saluation, then if they wanted the other: because the speciall end is not so large and vniuersall, as the common end is. Yea doubtlesse, the wicked are oft times endowed with common gifts in a farre ampler and more glorious manner and measure, then the godlie: the Lord heaping hot coales vpon their heads, and clearing himselfe from the blame of their condemnation: seeing that he who bestowed vpon them so liberally in the one kind, would not haue denied them the other which accompanie saluation, if they had humbled themselues to the seeking after them, and not rested in the outward priuiledges, as they who boasted of the Temple, the Temple, whereas in the meane while. There came from the