The Marrow and Juice of 260 Scriptures, Part 38
God punished sinne in Dauid his beloued.The sixth Sonday after Trinity.
GOd is not a God that loueth wickednesse of the vngodly, godly, neither shall any euill dwell with him.Summe of the two first Lessōs Psal. 5.4. Hee will punish sin and vnrighteousnesse in Dauid (though he were his deere child:) much more the iniquity of Saul, an hypocrite & reprobate, going on still in his malicious wickednesse. These truthes are confirmed by examples out of the two first Lessons taken out of the old Testament.Summe of the Epistle and Gospell, And forasmuch as sinne may not be continued in, that grace may abound: therefore are wee exhorted to the death and detestation of sin, and to the life of righteousnesse, by S. Paul in the Epistle: and we are told what this holinesse and righteousnesse is wherein wee must walke in our way to the kingdome of God, by our Sauiour in the Gospell.
In the first of the 4. scriptures chosen for this day, written 2. …am. 12. the holy Ghost doth,Mor. Prayer. 1 Less, 1 Sam, 12
First shew vntounto vsus how the Prophet Nathan is sent to king Dauid 1 Nathan is sent to awakē Dauidto reproue him for his sinnes,Parts. to vrge him to the true acknowledging of them, and repentance for them, and to pronounce Gods intended punishments for those sinnes which he had committed, ve. 1. ad 14.
In the second part of the chapter the text tels vsus how God humbled Dauid by punishing that child with sicknesse2 Dauid is humbled by the childs sicknesse which was conceiued in adultery, ve. 15. ad 23.
In the third, that God shewed his fauourable countenance vntounto Dauid.3 God is fauorable vntounto Dauid.
1. In giuing him Salomon of her that was the wife of Vriah.
2. In his victory against Rabbah a chiefe cittie of the Ammonites in his vtter conquest and subduing of them ve. 24. ad 31. the end of the chapter.Eue. Prayer. 1 Les, 2, Sam, 21 Scope of the chapter.
The second scripture for this day, which is the first lesson for Euening prayer,Sauls sinne is auenged after his death, 2. Sam. 21. chap. makes relation of Gods executing his fore-denounced iudgements vponupon malicious wicked men,Parts. and of his louing mercy and fauour to Dauid, and his seruants.
In the first part of the chapter may appeare how God punished Sauls sinne of killing the Gibeonites, by three yeares famine in Dauids daies:1 God punisheth Sauls sin in Dauids daies and what course Dauid tooke that the Gibeonites might bee auenged of Sauls bloudy house: which being effected, God was then appeased with the land, vers. 1. ad 14.
2 Dauids manifold victories.In the second parr of the chapter is recorded what victories God gaue vntounto Dauid against the wicked Philistines by the hands of Dauids worthy Captaines, ver. 15. to the end of the 22. the end of the chapter.
The third selected portion of Scripture, Rom. 6.3. to the end of the 12.Epistle. Rom. 6.3. ad 12. verse, doth,
1. Doctrine.First propounds a general doctrine concerning the mortification and viuification of all the children of God, ver. 3.
Secondly, the seuerall vses of this doctrine2 Seuerall vses of this doctrine are made and applyed to Gods people, veese 14. to the end of the 11.
Thirdly, a dehortation from delighting in sinne,3 Dehortation from delighting in sinne. and vnrighteousnesse, and obeying it, is deriued from the former doctrine and application thereof: Let not sinne therefore reigne in your mortall bodies, that yee should obey it in the lusts thereof, vers. 12.
In the fourth Scripture chosen out for the Gospell of this day, Matthew. 5.20, to the end of the 26.Gospell. Math. 5.20. ad 26. verse, we may learn thus much principally:Principal scope of the text, and coherēce hereof with the former Gospel, That after our Lord had called his people by the preaching of the word, & of the Gospell, and more specially called his Apostles by a singular, and more excellent kinde of calling, to the office of preaching that holy word of righteousnesse: Hee now therefore doth exhort both teachers and scholers vntounto a principal dutie, which they ought to performe.Righteousnes commended and commanded to Gods people. Being one of the first of the fundamentall and cardinall vertues which comprehends all others, which he commends vntounto all, and from whence many other singular and worthy effects do spring and arise: yea, and wherein all other vertues and graces whatsoeuer, must bee accomplished and performed. It is the vertuous grace and gift of Righteousnesse whereof our Sauiour makes mention in that most heauenly Sermon, preached vponupon an earthly mountaine.
In this portion of Scripture wee may beholdParts of the text,
1. The dostrine1 Doctrine. of our Sauiour: or
2. The dehortation2 Dehortation, which hee vrgeth and draweth from that peremptory doctrine.
3. The vse and application3 Vse and application. of both.
In the doctrine respect, 1. either the proposition propounding it, 2. or the reason confirming it.Parts of the doctrine,
The proposition1 Proposition, is: Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes & Pharisies, 2 Reason,or (as one paraphrasically reades it) Except you do in righteousnes exceed the Scribes & Pharisies, ye shal not enter into the kingdome of heauen, ve. 20.
This proposition of righteousnesse,Scribes & Pharisies knew not true righteousnesse, Christ gaue the true definition of it, our righteous Sauiour proueth, 1. by shewing their mistaking of righteousnesse by the vnrighteous and false interpretation of the 6. & 7. commandements, by the Scrtbes and Pharisies, 2. by yeelding his owne most righteous, true, internal, and spiritual exposition of them.
Wherein our Lord makes a difference betweene Pharisaicall righteousnesse, consisting in outward act, as vers. 21.The difference is shewed by examples and rules, and that most true, and vnfained righteousnesse of the 6. commandement: for the performance whereof he requireth those that bee his, to auoid
1. Anger, the cause of murther in heart,
2. Contempt of our brother in deeds.
3. Railing, and reproaching in words by euill speeches, which two last are the effects of anger, the grounds of murther, if not murther it selfe, ve. 22.
Hypocrites and …harisies do alwaies mistake true righteousnes.The vse and application of this doctrine thus plainely proued, is deliuered,Application deliuered
1. In an exhortation1 In an exhortation. to vnity, brotherly louelove, and reconciling of our selues to our offended brother, vers. 23.24. If then thou bring thy gift to the Altar, &c. as if he had said: Thou canst not offer thy gift, that is, performe any sacrifice, or seruice to God, till thou be reconciled to thine offended brother.
Secondly, the vse hereof is deliuered by a doubling of this exhortation2 In the doub ing of this exhortation, of agreeing with our aduersary quickely, (making no delayes:) which friendly exhortation, and good counsell for friendly concord and agreement, is drawne from that good and benefite which the offender shall get and reape in auoyding the danger of further contention:4 Dangers auoided by hearkening vntounto the exhortation to wit,
1. Censuring by the Iudge,
2. To be committed to the Officer,
3. To be imprisoned,
4. Neuer to go out of the said danger, ve. 25.26.