The Marrow and Juice of 260 Scriptures, Part 28
The fifth Sonday after Easter.Gods fauours past and present are sufficient motiues to obedience
Reasons for the choise of these Scriptures following.THe Church of Christ continuing their purpose in the chosing of those Scriptures which may best perswade Christians vntounto a daily resurrection & newnesse of life, that they may be the better fitted not onelyonly to beleeue Christs Ascension, but that they themselues also shall reape a benefite thereby in ascending also where he is, hauehave therefore set apart these foure that follow.
Sūme generall of the two first Lessons.Whereof the two former of the old Testament do let vsus see most cleerely what God hath done for the Israelites in the midst of their distresses, 1. to teach them to depēd vponupon him alone and neuer to forget his benefits, 2. as also that he did not any of these good turnes vntounto thē for their owne righteousnesse, or any thing that was in them, but for his owne names sake.
Sūme generall of the Epistle and Gospell.The two latter of the new Testament, are most pitthy exhortations, whereof the one is made by S. Iames, for the doing and practising of Gods holy word, the point that Moses doth so often inculcate: The other is Christs owne exhortation vntounto his Disciples, to pray for the coming of that comforting spirit which the Father hath promised for the Sonnes sake, to send downe to them in aboundant measure, whereby they shall be the better enabled to speake and do the will and pleasure of God.
Mor. prayer. 1 Less. Deut. 8,The faithfull seruant of God Moses, in the 8. chap of Deuteronomy, being the mouth of God to the Israelites, vrgeth and concludeth:Parts. first, in a generall manner, a necessity of their obedience to all the commandements of God,1 Exhortation to obedience by motiues of fauours past & fauours to come by reason of the benefits which they looke for; which he sets down in these words: first, That ye may liue: secondly, and be multiplyed: thirdly, and go in and possesse the land which the Lord sware vntounto your fathers. ver. 1. Or else those whereof they hauehave bene already partakers,Particular fauours doe vrge particular obedience. as
1 Gods leading them 40. yeares in the wildernesse to humble and proue them, to know what was in their hearts, whether they would keepe Gods commandements, or no. ve. 2.
2 Gods feeding them with Manna.
3 His preseruing their rayment miraculously.
4 Giuing them such health all that forty yeares space that their feete sweld not in all their trauell. ver. 3.4.5.
Secondly,2 Insinuation of more particular obedience by a more particular descriptiō of the goodnesse of that land. God by Moses intimateth and requireth the former obedience in a particular manner, by telling them of that great fauour, his bringing them into that good land of promise, and (that they may more carefully and effectually obey him) by his describing the goodnesse and excellent commodities of the land vntounto them. verse 6.7.8.9.
Thirdly,3 A caueat against forgetfulnesse. least in the aboundance of Gods fauours and ouerflowings of these plentifull cups, they should grow wanton, like feed horses, and idle headed like drunken men; he therefore annexeth an old caueat, a dehortation from obliuion and forgetfulnesse of God (who hath done thus well by them) implying on the contrary, an exhortation to that former and accustomed obedience, so often exhorted vntounto, from the tenth verse to the end of the eighteenth.
Fourthly,4 Threatnings against the disobedient and idolatrous. there is a denunation of threatnings of their vtter ruine, when they shall forget the Lord their God, and walke ydolatrously: yea, that the Lord will destroy them with as feareful a destruction,Eue. Prayer. 1 Less. Deut. 9. as wherewith he had or would destroy the heathen and nations that had neuer knowne his name. ver. 19.20.Parts.1 The certainty of the Israelites enioying the land & the Prouisoes annexed to their grant and pattent.
In the ninth chapter of Deuteronomy, which is the first Lesson for euening prayer, Moses
First, acquaints the people with the certainty of their passing ouer Iordaine, to go in aed possesse nations greater and mightier then themselues: but with all, that they vnderstand,
1 Not for their righteousnesse, but for Gods mercies sake.First, that it is not for their righteousnesse,Mans righteousnesse no cause of Gods bountifulnesse. they being a stiffenecked people, but because God had promised it to their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob.
2 For the wickednesse of the nations that were to be expelled.Secondly, for the wickednesse of those nations, verse 3.4.5.6.
In the second part of the chapter, that the Lord by Moses, his Minister and instrument, might preuent this pride of heart in the Israelites,2 Moses preuēts the pride of the stiffenecked Iewes: proouing that their righteousnesse cannot be the cause of Gods fauour. in trusting to their owne righteousnesse, as making it a motiue, or a cause of this or any other fauour of God; he proueth that it cannot be so, alleaging.
First, the continuance of their rebellion, from the time of their departure out of Aegypt vntill now. ver. 7.
Secondly, how they prouoked the Lord to anger in Horeb with Reason. 1 the molten calfe. ver. 8. to the end of the 21.
Reason. 2 3 How they grieued the Lord in Taberah.
Reason. 3 4 How they vexed him in Massah,
Reason. 4 5 In Kibroth-hatta-auah. ver. 22.
Reason. 5 6 Likewise, when the Lord sent them from Kadesh-barnea, Reason. 6 saying: goe vp and possesse the land, how they rebelled against God, beleeued him not, nor hearkened to his voyce &c. At which time Moses fell downe 40. daies, & 40. nights, as before, because the Lord had said that he would destroy them, &c. ve, 23. to the end of the 29. which is the end of the chapter.
Epistle. Iam. 1.22. ad 27. Scope of the text.Saint Iames chapter 1.22. to the end of the 27. the end of the chapter, writing to some of the refractary Iewes, who were willing to heare and talke of Gods word, but would not walke therein; propounds vntounto them a most peremptory and exhortatiue doctrine of doing the word in worke (and so of being blessed in their deedes) and not of hearing onelyonly.
Parts:The Scripture containeth
1 DoctrineFirst, a doctrine exhortatiue. And be ye doers of the word, and not heares onelyonly, Gods word must be performed & obeyed, not spoken of onelyonly.deceiuing your owne selues.
Secondly, a confirmation2 Confirmation. of this doctrine by a simile whose, 1. Protasis is, ve. 23.24. 2 the Application or Apodosis of the simile is, ve. 25.
Thirdly, that blessed and holy vse,3 Vse and application by exhotation to 3 duties. which S. Iames maketh of the doctrine, and the simile, applying them to some speciall & principall points of practise.
1 The refraining of the tongue,
2 To visite the fatherlesse and widdowes in their aduersities.
3 To keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world. ver. 26.27.
Thus much of the two first Lessons and of the Epistle for this day, now of the Gospell.
Though the consolation concerning the Paraclete and consolator the spirit, was, or might hauehave bene vntounto the Disciples very great and vnspeakeable: yet these weake Disciples not knowing the certaine time when this promise should be performed are here in this Gospell. Iohn 16. verse 23. to the end of the 30. verse Gospell. Ioh. 16.23, ad 30 Summe of the Gospell.allured and tolled on, stayed & supported in their weake faith, to waite yet a little while longer for the comfortable coming of that blessed comforter.
For this cause: first,Parts general our Lord Iesus perswades them to pray1 Perswasion to prayer, vntounto the Father for this spirit: and this he doth by a most familiar and plaine speech, which he vseth vntounto them. This oration and speech of his reacheth to the end of the 28. ver.
Secondly, the Disciples do make answere to this oration.2 Disciples answere to Christs oration consists of three parts.
1 In yeelding to his plaine speech which he vseth vntounto them.
2 In acknowledging that they were ignorant before, but now they know what he meaneth, as also, 3. In confessing their faith.
All which they performe in the twentieth nine and thirtieth verses, being the two last of the chapter.Parts of Christs oration
The speech that our Lord maketh to them consisteth
1 Of an exhortation to prayer,Men must expect till God performe, &c.
2 Of a promise thereto annexed
Parts & groūds of Christ exhortation.The exhortation is drawne,
1 From the subiect, ground and forme of prayer which the Disciples had not kept, whereof Christ tels them, hitherto hauehave ye asked nothing in my name.
2 From his absolute commandement.
The ground of prayer and forme which was vnobserued of them is expressed. verse 23. as in part of the 24. Hitherto hauehave you asked, &c.
The absolute commandement,Parts of Christs absolute commandement. Aske, and ye shall receiue, that your ioy may be full. This commandement containes,
1 An effect: Ye shall receiue
2 A notable end of prayer, that your ioy may be full.
Partts of Christ promiseThe promise sutable to this exhorration Christ makes,
First, either by preuenting that which they might hauehave alleaged concerning the oportunity of prayer,
Secondly, or by assuring them of being heard in their requests and prayers.Parts of Christs Anticipation▪
To preuent their obiection he first tels them, that there was a time wherein he had spoken vntounto them in a tropicall & borowed speech.
Secondly, that he will not speake to them any more in parables.
Thirdly, but he will now speake plainely to them of the Father, ver. 25. At which day, vponupon which time, they shall aske and pray to the Father in his name. ver. 26.
Proofes of the effect of their prayers.The assurance, that they shall be heard, he
First, groundeth vponupon Assumpsit, of the Fathers louelove towards them. ver. 27.
Secondly, he thereupon inferreth these words. And I say not vntounto you, Proofes that they hauehave receiued this Assumption by effects in the receiuers.that I will pray to the Father for you.
That they hauehave receiued this Assumpsit, he prooues by by the effects which it worketh in them. For hee saith.
1 You louelove me,God will heare the prayers of his elect,
2 You beleeue that I am come out from God, ver. 27.
The second of these effects he confirmes by his owne two-fold testimony.Proofes of the second effect by Chricts own testimony.
1 I am come out from the Father, and came into the world.
2 Againe, I leaue the world and go to the Father. ver. 28.
The Disciples answere is analysed before.