The Marrow and Juice of 260 Scriptures, Part 1
The first Sonday in Aduent.Christs first coming.
FOR the two first Scriptures taken out of the old Testament, aportioned for the two first Lessons, for morning and euening prayer this day, taken out of the prophesie of Esay, do giuegive a true and certaine knowledge of our Lords coming indeed.
First, like a iust Iudge, to rate, reproue and punish the grieuous sinnes of the Iewes.
Secondly, like a mercifull God, to forgiue the sinnes of the penitent.
Thirdly, and like a general God, that is both of Iewes and Gentiles, to gather a generall and vniuersall Church of them both, to glorifie his name here, and to be partakers of heauens glory for euer hereafter.
The third Scripture, chosen for the Epistle, doth by the spirit of God, in that Choice-teacher for the Gentiles, make vse of Christs Aduent, and the former doctrines: by exhorting Gods people to awake out of sleepe; seeing he is come that hath saluation vnderunder his wings: Sith the night of the Law and Ignorance is past, and the day of cleere Knowledge, the Day-light of the Gospell is at hand, the day-spring from on high hath visited vsus.
The generall drift and purpose of the gospell.The fourth and last Scripture, taken out of Christs holy Gospell (and thereupon, fitly taketh the name of The Gospell for the day) confirmeth by effect, and by the deeds of Christ, the truth of his comming: by a true relation of time, place, manner, end, and other testimonies of his Aduent.
1 That the Iewes might be confirmed.
2 And the Gentiles comforted in their Sauiour and saluation.
Thus much hauehave I, by the assistance of Gods spirit, thought good to declare, as touching the reason and occasion, of the choice of these foure holy Scriptures for this day: as touching their generall drift, scope, and vse, and as touching the harmony, and sweet musicke of them all, concording and agreeing in one. Now of the particular methode, resolution, and distribution, of such chiefe doctrines, as do arise naturally out of the text of each and eueryevery of them.
The first of the foure,1 Lesson for morning praier Isay 1. is the first chapter of the holy booke of that Euangelicall Prophet Isay, appointed for the first Lesson, or chapter of instructions, for the Morning prayer, and seruice of God in our congregations. Wherein Iehouah the Father, by the mouth of his Prophet Isay,
First, crieth out aloud, against his people the Iewes,The parts and chiefe doctrines of the chapter, 1 An earnest reproofe of the Iewes: and why. because in their spirituall hearing, vnderstanding and perceiuing, they were worse then the heauens, and the earth, the Oxe, and the Asse, whom God appealeth vntounto: and therefore soundly reproueth both Princes and people.
1 For theit want of the sense and feeling of Gods iudgements.
2 And for their hypocriticall seruing of him with their outward and ceremoniall obseruances alone, without inward truth and sinceritie, from the 1 verse of the chapter to the end of the 15 verse.
2 The Lord calleth his people to repentance, to faith,2 A calling them to repentance. and to obedience, verse 16, to the end of the 19 verse.
In the third place, Iehouah menaceth the disobedient and rebellious, with grieuous punishments,3 A threatning of them. to light vponupon them for the sinnes of the Princes and people. verse 20. to the end of the 24.
In the fourth part of the chapter,4 An offer of mercy, & a denouncing of iudgement. the Lord offereth mercy and redemption, vntounto the remnant which are penitent: and denounceth iudgements against the obstinate and idolaters, verse 25, to the end of the 31 verse, the last verse of the chapter.
The second of our selected Scriptures,1 Lesson for euening praier. Isay 2. is the second chapter of Isaies prophecie, and is set apart for the first Lesson or chapter of instructions for the euening seruice of this day: whose order and analyse is this.
1 A promise of saluation to Iewes & Gentiles in the last dayes.First, there is a gracious prophecie of Gods fauour in Christ Iesus, vntounto his people the Iewes, and a promise of their saluation in the last dayes and times of the world, and that all the nations of the world (as well as the people of the Iewes) shall be partakers of this Aduent, light and saluation purchased by Christ Iesus, who is described also. Yea, the manner of his kingdome, and vsage of his people, is liuely set forth by the Prophet, verse 1. to the end of the 5 verse.
2 An acknowledgement of their vnworthinesse.In the second part of the chapter, the Prophet taking vponupon him the person and partie of the people of the Iewes, doth acknowledge their vnworthinesse of this fauor of God, to be restored to their former estate, to be pitied or redeemed by Christ, and sheweth that they are rather worthy of punishments, and to be forsaken by reason of their idolatry. Verse 6, to the end of the 9 verse.
3 Exhortation to preuent the iudgements of God.In the third place, the people are exhorted by the Prophet to repentance, to preuent these iudgements of God, whereof he doth seuerally make mention. Verse 10, to the end of the 18 verse.
4 A prophesie of some mens vaine and idle repentance.In the fourth and last part, the Prophet foretelleth, how some shall returne and repent for their idolatry after a sort, not with a repentance and godly sorrow: but rather in the iust iudgement of God, they shall shew the vanity, and a kind of detestation of their idols (whether they will or no) though not with a full purpose to forsake them. Verse 19, to the end of the 22, which is the end of the chapter.
Epistle.Our third text of holy Scripture, is a portion of the 13 chapter of S. Pauls epistle to the Romanes verse 8, to the end of the 14 verse, which is the end of the chapter.Rom. 13. v. 8. to the end of the chapter. Wherein the spirit of God by the pen of the holy Apostle shewes to Gods Church, what vse they are to make of the doctrines concerning the Aduent and comming of Christ.
And here by the way we may obserue, the wise and notable choice of the Scriptures for our English Leitourgie. That as they begin with Scriptures conteining forcible exhortations vntounto the performance of louelove, in doing the duties of the second Table. So do they proceed in this course, in many of their elections, and they knit vp the most of their choises of texts for the Sondayes after Trinitie, with such kind of Scriptures. For here in the Epistle for this first Sonday in A…uent we hauehave first an exhortation to brotherly and neighbourly louelove. verse 7, to the end of the 10.
Secondly, the doctrine of Christs Aduent, whereupon this exhortation is gr…unded. verse 11.
And thirdly, the vse of this d…ctrine, verse 12.
Fourthly, the triall and ex…mination of our obedience to these exhortations, by the effects vers. 13.14.
Fi…st, the exhortation conteineth a peremptorie commandement, to owe the debt of louelove to all men, whereto are annexed three strong reasons, the first in the 8: a second in the 9; and a third in the 10. verse.
Secondly the doctrine,2 Part of the Epistle, is doctrine. which toucheth the comming of Christ, and light of the Gospell is propounded in two phrases. The first is, And that considering the season. vers. 11. The second phrase is, the night is past and the day is at hand. vers. 12.
The third part of the text, is the vse of this doctrine,3 The vse of this doctrine is exhortation. by exhortation to three duties. First, to arise from sleepe, the reason whereof is, For now our saluation is neerer, then when we beleeued. ver. 11. Secondly, to cast away the workes of darknesse. Thirdly, to put on the armour of light. vers. 12.
The fourth part of the text is,4 Triall of our obedience to the exhortation, which will appeare by the effects. concerning the triall and examination of our obedience, and right hearkning to these exhortations, which will appeare by generall and speciall effects: generall by our walking honestly, as in the day. ve. 13. Speciall effects are twofold, consisting first in leauing off, and ceasing from euill, secondly, in cleauing to, and embracing the good. The euill is particularized by the specials, some euils being reckoned vp for all the rest, as first gluttony, secondly drunkennesse, thirdly chambering, fourthly wantonnesse, fifthly strife, sixthly enuying: wherein Gods people may not walke, that is delight, verse 13. The good is propounded two wayes. First, in being cloathed with Christ, Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ. Secondly, in being vnclothed with the flesh (he meanes with the worst part of the flesh) that is, the lusts of the flesh, and take no thought for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof, vers. 14.
Gospel.Our fourth portion of Scripture is Math. 21. ver. 1, to the end of the 13 v. Math. 21. v. 1 to the ende of the 13.whereof there be these three parts.
First, the commandement of our Lord Iesus Christ, to the two disciples,1 Part of the Gos. is Christs cōmandement. to fetch the asse and the colt, from the 1. v. to the end of the 5. v.
Secondly, the obedience and ioyfull seruiceablenesse of the disciples.2 Obedience to this commendement. v. 6. & 7.
Thirdly, the effects of Christs iourney, and riding to Hierusalem, 3 The effects of Christs riding and comming to Hierusalem.in the rest of the verses.
The first effect that it tooke, was in the great multitude, whereof first, some spread their garments in the way: secondly, other some cut downe branches from the trees, and strewed them in the way. 1 Effect in the great multitude.v. 8.
The second effect was in the people that went before, and which followed after, 2 Effect, in the people which praied to God, & praised God.to wit, first, their praying to God with Hosannah: secondly, their praising of God with Halleluiah for that sight and benefit. v. 9.
3 Effect, the common multitude were troubled.The third effect which Christs iourney wrought, was in the common sanctorum, viz. all the city, who were troubled and much moued; and therefore moued a question, saying, Who is this. vers. 10. The resolution and answer whereof is made by the people, the concomitants, precedents and subsequents of Iesus, who because their hearts beleeued, their mouths confessed, saying, This is Iesus the Prophet of Nazareth in Galile. v. 11.
4 Part of this Gospell is concerning the end why Christ came to Hierusalem.The fourth part of this text containes the purpose and end of Christs comming to Hierusalem: namely, to visit his Temple, to go into his Temple, and that is for these two ends.
First, to preach to them, and that vponupon this text, Mine house shall be called the house of Prayer. vers. 13.
The second end was to practise his preaching, which (as it was with authoritie, and not as the Scribes▪) so he practised as effectually,Christs second coming. & as perfectly in casting out all them that sold and bought in the Temple, in ouerthrowing and rooting vp what soeuer his heauenly Father had not planted. verse 12.