The Marrow and Juice of 260 Scriptures, Part 20
God forsakes not his people in distresses,The fourth Sonday in Lent.
IT must needes be a great occasion of humiliation vntounto all the true members of Christs Church,How Christs Church is hūbled by the former, and these consideeations following, when they consider what sins and iniquities they do either commit, or are subiect vntounto, whereby they are so vnprepared, either to fast with Christ, or to suffer with him, or to feast and eate the Passeouer with him, to weepe with the woman at his death, or to reioyce with them and the Disciples at his resurrection.
As then they which hauehave chosen the former Scriptures hauehave bene very carefull in the fore-named respect:Coherence of these 4 scriptures with the former. Sūme of these in two generall points, Gods prouidence and care ouer our bodies Gods consolation of our soules. so now in these foure that follow for this day, they will teach vntounto vsus, that notwithstanding the sinnes and transgression of Gods people and others, and the punishments inflicted vponupon the committers thereof: yet hath our God a fatherly care ouer them, not to leaue them in distresses, but in his mercifull prouidence, and with his compassionate eies to behold them. For he respecteth them in their bodies, goods and good name, comforting them alwaies and eueryevery way both in soule & body: wherefore in the first two Scriptures, being the two first Lessons for this day, we may see the one. In the two of the new Testament, being the Epistle and the Gospell, we shall perceiue the other.
Moses in the 43. of Genesis declares the distresses that Iacob and his posterity endured in the land of Canaan, Mor. Prayer. 1 Les, Gen. 43. Parts. 1 The distresses of Iacob and his children in Canaan,by reason of the increase of the famine, who was thereby occasioned to send the second time into Aegypt to buy more food. But withall he was very vnwilling to performe Iosephs condition of sending Beniamin into Aegypt: about which there is great expostulation betweene Iudah the son, & Israel the father, from the beginning of the chapter to the end of the 10. ver.
2 Iacob consēts to send Beniamin into Egypt with a present to Ioseph,Secondly, the text sheweth,Ioseph brethren comforted, &c. how that in the end Israel yeelded hereunto, in sending his darling away, and performing of complements to the Lord of the land, for his childrens better intertainment there, from the 11. ver. to the end of the 15.
3 Iosephs ioyfull welcoming of his brethren,Thirdly, how Ioseph intertained and welcomed them all for his brother Beniamins sake. vors. 16.17.
4 His brethren suspect their intertainment to be but in policyFourthly, how the sonnes of Iacob were stricken with a feare, and a suspition by reason of their heartie welcoming, deeming, and casting in their minds, as if that had bene but a pollicie to take them in a snare, by reason of the money that came in their sackes mouthes at the first. VponUpon which point they communed with Iosephs Steward, who led them into his maisters house, intertaining them and their beasts accordingly, vers. 18.24.
Fifthly, the text mentioneth their preparation and deliuery of their fathers present vntounto Ioseph. 5 Their deliuery of the present to Ioseph,verse 25.26.
Sixthly, of Iosephs conference with them concerning their fathers health,6 Iosephs publike conferēce with them about their fathers health, and their brother Beniamin, Ʋerse 27.28.29.
Seuenthly, of Iosephs tender heartednesse and naturall affection towards his brother Beniamin, 7 Iosephs tender hartednesse to Beniamin,his ioyfull feasting of them, his inuiting the Aegyptians (though they are by themselues) but chiefly of his speciall care that he had of Beniamin his fathers darling, which also was Iosephs iewell. ver. 30. to the 34. the end of the chapter.
Eue. Prayer. 1 Les. Gen. 45.In the 45. chapter of Genesis Moses doth,
Parts.First discouer the concealed louelove of Ioseph so long kept and contained within him,1 Discouery of Iosephs long concealed louelove, and the making of himselfe knowen to his brethren, verse 1.8.
Secondly, hee makes mention of Iosephs sending of his brethren for his father,2 Iosephs sending for his father, and that most louing farewell which he tooke of his brother Beniamin, & the rest of his brethren, (a good example of brotherly louelove foreign extended and stretched out) with the conference he had with them, which is not expressed,God makes his people, &c. ver. 9. to the end of the 15.
Thirdly, Moses will let vsus see the effect of this louelove euen in the heathen King and his seruants,3 Effect of this louelove in the heathen king and his seruants. who not onelyonly reioiced at the tidings and newes hereof, but the King gaue also comman…ement to Ioseph to send for his father, and to prouide all thinges necessary for the iourney out and in, for their better intertainment, verse, 16. to the end of the 24.
In the fourth part of the chapter, Moses declareth what effects this tidings wrought, when it was related vntounto old Israel 4 Effect that this tidinges wrought in old Israel.in the land of Canaan. First in his swoning for ioy: secondly, in the reuiuing of his spirit when he was confirmed, and soundly perswaded of the truth of all things related vntounto him. Ver. 25. to the end of the 28. the end of the chapter.
The Apostle Paul. Galat. 4.21Epistle. Galath. 4.21. to the end of the chapter: as in the former part of the chapter,Summe. he mentioneth that deare and true hearted louelove mutually exercised betwixt the Galathians and him: so will hee shew a greater louelove of God toward his Church of what nation soeuer, in making them true and naturall childrenGods fatherly louelove to his Church, in making them true and naturall children. after the manner of Ishak children of the promise of the new Testament, the new couenant, not of the letter and law, but of the spirit and grace. Parts.And therefore intimates, that God being our father, and vouchsafing vsus this prerogatiue in giuing vsus Christ, how shall hee not with him giuegive vsus all other things?
First therefore the Apostle will propound the matter in controuersie betwixt him and them,1 Pauls propoūding of the matter in controuersie betweene him & them in an allegorie. which before had bene so bewitched with the false or Iudaicall Apostles. And this he doth by reasoning ex concessis eorum, after this manner: Tell me ye that will be vnderunder the law, vers. 21. alleaging the Scripture and text for that which they also knew. ver. 22.23.
Secondly, he expoundeth this mysticall allegory2 Exposition of this allegorie. of Abrahams two sonnes, ver. 24.25.26.27.
Thirdly, he concludes hereupon,3 His conclusion thereupon, that we are all children after the manner of Isaac. that we are after the maner of Ishak children of the promise, not of Hagar the bondwoman, bondslaues to sinne or Sathan,Christ prouides for the bodies & soules of his children & people. vers. 28. though fl…shly and bondchildren do persecute and gibe at spirituall children: which mockers, with their mother, are sure to bee expelled for their labour. v…rse 29.30.
4 Application of all that he sayd before in exhortation to Gods church to constancy,Fourthly, he will apply all that he had sayd before, and conclude the matter in controuersie betweene them in these words, Then brethren we are not children of the seruant, but of the free woman. verse 31. And hereupon he exhorts the Galathians to stand fast in the lib…rtie wherewith Christ hath made them free, and not to be intangled againe with the yoke of bondage, as Gala. 5.1. &c.
Gospell. Ioh. 6.1. to the 14.S. Iohn chapter 6.1. to the end of the 14 verse, declareth plainely vntounto vsus that our Lord and Sauiour, that great Prophet which should come into the world, takes care …ike a good shepheard of his flocke and sheepe,Summe like a good housholder of his family,Christ the good housholder prouides for his familie. Christ answers the peoples patien…e in hearing, with his most louing care in prouiding for them. in feeding their soules, and in feeding their b…dies. The people tarried with Christ in the desert vntill the euening: and the Disciples would hauehave had them dismissed, …o prouide food for themselues in the villages adioyning. This Lord, that is owner of the earth, and the plenitude thereof, meanes to giuegive them content also that waies, to teach them still whom he had taught before, as to depend vponupon his prouidence, so also to instruct them herein, That man liueth not by bread onelyonly, &c. therefore not by the great quantitie of cramming his maw and belly with meate, but by eueryevery word, &c. with Gods blessing vponupon that bread and food which he sendeth, making the qualitie,Gods blessing makes the quaity of food to exceed the quātitie. through his blessing and miraculous power to exceed the quantitie, not taking the course of earthly feast-makers, in his kind of entertainement. This Scripture offereth vntounto our view
Parts.First, the occasions giuen and taken by our Lord God,1 Occasion offered and taken by Christ. the most prouident housholder in the doing of this miracle, to wit, first, his departure from the Iewes, who continued their malicious persecution against him: and taking his course ouer the sea of Galile of Tiberias. Secondly, the concomitance and insequence of the multitude to heare him teach, and to see his miracles. verse 1.2.3.
Secondly, this Scripture denotes the time,2 Circumstanee of the time, to argue the truth of the miracle, being neere the Iewes Passeouer. verse 4.
Thirdly,3 Conference about this feeding of the people, S. Iohn publisheth the conference which our Lord had with Phillip and Andrew, about this businesse. verse 5.6.7.8.9.
Fourthly, Saint Iohn sets downe the manner how Christ prepared the people and himselfe4 Christs preparing the peopie and himselfe, vntounto the performing and sight of this miracle. verse 10. and a part of the 11.
Fiftly, the miracle5 Miracle, it selfe, as fi…st, in the fiue thousand mens eating so much as they would of the bread and the fishe. verse 11. secondly, in the Disciples taking away the fragments remaining, which was more miraculous. verse 12.13.
Sixtly, the Euangelist sheweth the effect that this miracle wrought in the beholders.6 Effect that this miracle wrought in the people. They sayd, this is of a truth the Prophet, &c. a sound profession and confession of their faith, an acknowledging of the mightie power of God, and a praising of him for the same.