The Marrow and Juice of 260 Scriptures, Part 25
The second Sonday after Easter.
MOst truly & wisely said the wisest king: That he which is vpright in his way, Coherēce of the 4. former scriptures with these foure. Summe of the two out of the old Testament,is abhomination to the wicked: and a wicked man is abhomination to the iust, Pro. 29, 27. Which may appeare in the two Scriptures chosen out of the old Testament for Gods seruice vponupon this day, in Balaks following his further suite vntounto Balaam to curse Gods people, the flocke of God, whom the malicious King called his enemies, though they neuerthelesse were blessed of God by the mouth of the slye Prophet Balaam.
Summe of the two out of the new,The other two portions taken out of the newe Testament, do
First exhort vsus for Christs sake, with meekenes, as Christs sheepe to suffer afflictions with patience.
Secondly, and make knowen to vsus the singular louelove, and most vigilant care that our Lord the great good Sheepheard had, and hath ouer his flocke and sheepe.
Mor. prayer. 1 Less. Num. 23The first of the foure for this day, written Numbers 23. doth in the.
PartsFirst part thereof declare vntounto vsus, that notwithstanding King Balaks outward religious obedience,1 Balaams blessing of the people whether he would or no, in building of seuen Altars, and being at more cost in offering seuen Bullockes, and seuen Rammes, being still in hope to atchieue his purpose: yet was Balaam vrged volente nolente, to blesse the people of God. All which is shewed from the first verse to the end of the tenth.
2 Balaam wil not curse so much as the vtmost part of Gods people, no more then God can recall his blessing.In the second part of this chapter, the holy Ghost relates vntounto vsus how the king cometh vponupon the prophet with a fresh charge, & a new supply of tempting Balaam, playing small game (as the diuell doth vsually) before he will sit out, desiring him to curse but the vtmost part of the people for his sake, whose expectation is deceiued: for God repents him not of his blessing to recall it:Whom God loueth, he finally loueth. Whom he loues, hee loues to the end, vers. 11. to the end of the 24.
In the third part of rhe chapter,3 God will not suffer Balaam to be a Neuter, who before was an Ambldexter, this instrument of the diuell continueth still in his calumniation, and professed enmity vntounto Gods Church, and therfore vrgeth Balaam (who in the sight of God was an Ambidexter before) to shew himselfe now to be on no side, & to become a Newter: neither to curse them, nor blesse them at all. Of whom the King receiued an answer much like the former, verse 25. to the 30. the end of the chapter: For a most gracious blessing came vppon Balaam himselfe, and the people of the Lord had multitudes of blessings pronounced to come vppon them, as appeareth in the next Chapter, being the 24.
The second of the Scriptures for this day, being Numbers 25.Eue. Prayer. 1 Less. Num. 25. sheweth the truth of the old Prophets wordes, a true Prouerbe:Summe and scope of it, That the Leopard cannot change his spottes: no more can they doe well which hauehave an euill habite, or are accustomed to doe euill, Ieremy 13. verse 23. For the Israelites whom God deliuered, as before,Israelites forgetful of Gods late blessings, and whom hee so louingly blessed (as wee hauehave seene) forget this deliuerance, Gods fauour and blessings: and they fall to filthinesse in committing of whooredome with Moabitish women, as also of spirituall whooredome with Baal-Peor the Moabites idoll.Parts.
First therefore their wickednesse is by Moses related,1 A reproofe of their vnthankfull wickednes. ve. 1. to the end of the 3.
Secondly, God visites their sins, by commanding Moses to hang vp the chiefe rulers of the people,2 God punisheth their horrible iniquities, which either drew them to the wickednesse, or hindred them not from it, vers. 4.5.
In the third part of the Chapter,3 Phinehas executeth iudgmēt vpō the malefactors & turneth away Gods indignation, Moses makes mention of the Israelites bringing out the Madianitish woman Cosby before rhe congregation, who had committed whooredome with Zimri, for which wickednesse God tooke away 24000 Israelites:Israelites vnthankfulnesse and forgetfulnesse punished. but the plague was stayed by zealous Phinehas his executing of iudgement vponupon the malefactors, ve. 6 to the end of the 15.
4 Gods commandement vntounto them to fight with the Madianites, and why.In the fourth part of the chapter, a commandement is giuen by God vntounto Moses, to fight with the Midianites: who troubled Gods people with their wiles, in drawing them to commit idolatry with Peor, and fornication with Cosby, ver. 16. ad 18. the end of the chapter.
The third of the Scriptures written, 1. Pet. 2.19. to the end of the chapter,Epistle 1 Pet. 2.19. to the end of the chapter. exhorts the sheep of Christ,
First, to behaue themselues like sheepe, in bearing afflictions with patience,Scope and summe. Exhortation to patience in affliction, and innocency of life whether they come with our desert, & through our demerite, or not.
Secondly, to walke innocently, and to bee harmelesse, as the Lambes and Doues of Christ, because wee are vnderunder the conduct and gouernment of so meeke a sheepheard, our Lord Iesus Christ, the sheepheard and Bishop of our soules.
Parts.S. Peter in these seuen verses,
Reasons and perswasions to vrge the doctrine of patience.First, propounds the doctrine of patience, and enduring of wrong for a righteous cause, to bee a most necessary lesson for eueryevery Christian to learne and practise, being a thing so commendable, and thanke-worthy, or praise-worthy. This is his
Reason. 1 First reason. For this is thanke-worthy, if a man for conscience toward God, endure griefe, suffering wrongfully, verse 19.
Reason. 2 The second reason is drawen à disparatis: for
1 Patience in abiding punishment for a mans fault, is no commendation at all.
2 Patience in suffering for wel doing is accepted of God, verse 20.
Reason. 3 The third reason is drawne à fine: For hereunto yee are called.
Reason. 4 The fourth ab exemple, wee must imitate Christ, who suffered for vsus beleeuers, leauing vsus an example that we should follow his steps, Patience in affliction necessary,vers. 21.A more speciall propounding and application of the example,
This example is in more particular propounded and applyed, verse 22.23.24.25.
The fourth of the Scriptures written, Iohn 10. vers. 11. to the end of the 16.Gospell. Ioh. 10.11, ad 16 doth plainly set before our eyes, that infinite louelove, and that vnspeakable care which Christ,Summe that great Sheepheard, had of the sheepe, his people and flocke: So that as the precedent Gospell confirmed vntounto vsus the certainty of his resurrection, to make vsus righteous:Agreement hereof with the former Gospel, euen so doth this assure vsus of his vnmeasurable louelove, and most vigilant carefulnesse of our continuance in this righteousnesse, our safe keeping and preseruation in the Church militant, and our euerlasting happinesse with him in the triumphant.Parts.
This louelove and care is first propounded in a generall Thesis: 1 A Thesis generall.I am the good Sheepheard. For from the goodnesse of the Sheepheard, proceedes the care and louelove that he hath of,2 An application of this Thesis by Antithesis, Foure notes of difference to discerne a good Sheepheard frō an hireling, and to the sheepe.
Secondly, Saint Iohn explaneth this Thesis by an Antithesis of a badde sheepheard and a good, an hireling and a true sheepheard: for one opposite and disparate appeareth best by another.
The good sheepheard is discerned from the hireling,
1 By his full resolution, vnfained affection,1 his vnfained louelove, and inward kindnesse to the sheepe: The good sheepheard giueth his life for the sheepe, vers. 11.
2 By a mutuall knowledge betwixt him and his sheepe:2 The mutuall knowledge betwixt him and his sheepe, I know mine, and I am knowne of mine, vers. 14.
3 By a rare effect of this knowledge and louelove3 The effect of this knowledge and louelove, in the performance of this his intended and purposed resolution, the spending of the best iewell he hath vponupon them: to wit, his life:The spending of his life for his sheepe, I lay downe my life for my sheepe, &c. verse 15.
4 By another effect of his louelove, to wit, the care he hath of the absent, as well as of the present sheepe:4 The care of the absent sheepe, or the future sheepe, as well as of the present, Other sheepe also I hauehave, which are not of this fold, vers. 16.
A shadowing, A liuely description of the hireling, The hireling is shadowed two waies. The hireling is liuely set forth three waies,The hireling is 1. either shadowed,Christ perseuers in his carefulnesse towards vsus, or 2. liuely set forth.
He is shadowed two manner of waies,
1 He is an hireling, and not the Sheepheard.
2 The sheep are not his.
He is liuely set forth in his colours, that is to say, described by his bad effects: for
1 He leaues the sheepe, 2. he flees, 3. he suffers the wolfe, first to catch some, secondly to scatter the rest, verse 12.
Two reasons of the hirelings carelesnesse of the sheepe.The reasons why the hireling deales thus, are rendred by our Lord Iesus Christ, prouing also excellently the first Thesis, and concluding it by Antithesis.
The first reason is taken from the vsurpation of his place, he is an hireling: Ergo, he flyeth.
The second reason is drawne from an effect of this vsurpation: He hath no care of his sheepe.