The Marrow and Juice of 260 Scriptures, Part 44
The twelfth Sonday after Trinity.
RIght precious in the sight of the Lord is the d…ath of his Saints, and whosoeuer sheddeth m…ns bloud, Coherence of these 2. first lessons with the former going before.by man shal his bloud be shedde, and that there shall fall to the earth nothing of the word of the Lord, which he spake of the house of Ahab, by the hand, that is the ministery, of his seruant Eliah, the first lesson for Morning prayer this day, doth proue most manifestly.
Now although God appointed Iehu to be the instrument of his wrath, to see e…ecution done vponupon Ahab, Sūme & scope of these two for this day,vponupon his sonnes, his kinred, and familiars: yet because he regarded not to walke in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart (for he departed not from the sins of Ieroboam: therefore the Lord sought for himselfe Hezekiah a faithfull king, who put down the brazen serpent, destroyed idols, and set vp the true maner of Gods worship againe, as may be seene in the first lesson for euening prayer.
Of these and such like examples the Apostle Paul will shew the vse and sufficiency, not of the law onelyonly,Scope of the Epistle, which was glorious, and what Moses and the Prophets spake was effected: but of the ministration of the Gospel also, of the spirit and saluation, as in our Epistle is to bee seene.
Therefore hauehave the fathers of the Church chosen out a portion of Scripture, answerable to the three former,Scope of the text chosen for the Gospel, and to the precedent Gospel concerning a charitable worke of our Sauiour, a fruitfull worke of the spirit, performed vponupon a man that was diseased in his tongue and eares. That the man might heare Gods word better then he did before: and with his tongue speake more plainly to the praise of God. That the ministery of the Gospell might appeare to be very perspicuous, no parabalical, vnperfect or stammering ministery, as the law was.
Mor. prayer. 1 Less. 2. Kin. 10The first of the scriptures, 2. Kings. 10.Iehu is the executioner of Ahabs children, and Baals Priests. is a Chronicle and Register of these principall and remarkable things.
Parts.1 Iehues politike letter to the protectorus of Kings sonnes,First concerning Iehues policy intreating by letters with the protectors of Ahabs 70. sonnes to set vp the best and fittest of them vponupon his fathers throne, a thing which they refused, rather yeelding homage to Iehu altogether, ve. 1. ad 5.
2 Iehues letter and mandate for the heads of the 70, sonnes of Ahab,The second is of another letter framed & sent to the great men of the citty to this purpose: That they would send the heads of Ahabs 70. sonnes vntounto him with all expedition: which was performed by them accordingly, that Gods iudgement might be fully accomplished vponupon Ahabs house, 3 Iehues putting to death the 42 brethren of Ahaziah,ve. 6. to the end of the 11.
The third is concerning Iehues putting to death the 42. brethren of Ahaziah. 4 Iehu slew and destroyed all which remained to Ahab in Samaria, according to the Lords commādement,ve. 12.13.14.
The fourth is Iehues slaying all in Samaria, that remained vntounto Ahab, till he had vtterly destroyed Ahab, and that in the presence of Iehonadab, the son of Rechab whom he tooke with him to witnesse▪ and beheld his zeale that hee had for the Lord, ve. 15.16.17.
5 Iehu destroies all Baals Priests and all the instruments of idolatry,The fifth is of Iehues politicke dissembling of a seruice for Baal, to the end hee might destroy all Baals seruants, idols, and vtensiles of that filthy house, ver. 18. to the end of the 28.
6 Gods acceptance of Iehues seruice in all this businesse,The sixth is as touching the reckoning that God made of Iehu for performing of this seruice, althoagh otherwise he was not found in the true worship and seruice of God, verse. 29, 30.31.
7 Gods anger against Israel, and his punishment vponupon thē.The seuenth is of Gods wrath kindled against Israel, and giuing them ouer into the hands of Hazael, ve. 32.33.
The last is a record as touching the time of Iehues reigne, and of his successor and heire Iehoahaz, 8 A chronelogy of Iehues reigne,ve. 34.35.36.
Euen. prayer. 1, Les, 2, Kin, 18The second of the scriptures which is the first lesson for Euening prayer, 2. Kings. 18. recordeth these things following.Parts.
1 The time and maner of Hezekiahs reigne.First the time of Hezekiahs reigne, the holy and vpright manner of his seruing God,Hezekiah is Gods instrument to glorifie him more then did Iehu and gouernement of his kingdome, not hauing his like among all the Kings of Iudah, before or after him. ver. 1. ad 8.
In the second place the time of Shalmanezers taking of Samaria, and Israels captiuity, with the cause thereof,2 The time of Shalmanazers taking Samaria is recorded. ve. 9. ad 12.
In the third,Senacheribs besieging the strong citties of Iudah. a relation is made of Senacheribs besieging all the strong citties of Iudah, & of the composition, or ransome that Hezekiah gaue to Senacherib, vers. 13, to the end of the 16.
In the fourth,4 Senacheribs blasphemous Ambassage to Hezekiah. the text makes mention of Senacheribs blasphemous embassage sent to Hezekiah by the mouth of Rabshakeh, & of the conference between Eliakim & this wicked rayler: with the answerlesse answer of the people vntounto him, and the gouernours report of that blasphemous legacy and embassage vntounto their king Hezekiah, ve. 17. to the end of the 37. the end of the chapter.
S. Paul in the Epistle for this day, written, 2. Cor. 3.4. to end of the 9.Epistle 2. Cor. 3.4. ad 9. Scope of the text. verse, teacheth to trust in God, and that through Christ, contrary to the blasphemous counsel and message of the king of Assyria, S. Paul teacheth both Ministers of the Gospell, and people, to relye vponupon God,Parts. who giueth ability and sufficiency to performe an effectuall, and spirituall ministery. The text containeth
First, a proposition1 A proposition or Thesis concerning the dignity and excellency of the new Testament, and ministery of the Gospell, ve. 4.5, and a part of the 6.
Secondly, a confirmation of this proposition,2 Confirmation of this proposion by three arguments. which is three-fold.
The first is taken from the different subiect or substance of the law & Gospell, the old and new Testament,1 A diff…rente subiecto legis & euangelij. the one being of the letter, the other of the spirit. ver. 6.
The next reason is drawne à comparatis, 2 A comparatis.a comparison being made betwixt the ministration of death, and the ministration of life of the spirit.
The third reason is also à comparatis, 3 A comparatisExhortation to trust in God.the comparison being made betveene the glory of the Lawes ministery, which is the ministration of condemnation, and the glory of the Gospels ministery, which is the ministery of righteousnesse, vers. 9.
The fourth Scripture for this dayes seruice, which is Marke. 7.31. to the end of the 37.Gospell Mark. 7.31. ad 37. Scope of the text. vers. yeelds vsus an example of the effect of the glorious ministery of the Gospell, this spirituall ministration: For eueryevery worke of charity being a fruite of the spirit; much more must the healing of a man diseased in his tongue and eares be a great worke, especially being acted in such a miraculous manner, by the greatest, and most charitable Physition of our soules and bodyes, who because he would hauehave men to exercise the former duty of depending vponupon him onelyonly, as the author of all goodnesse, and of praying vntounto him for a supply of all our wants, will in this miracle shew his power and his louelove, that as hee can heale all diseases, so hee will heale all such as come to him in faith: hee will respect such as resort to him in sincerity, without hypocrisie, as the Publicane did in the former Gospell, and this deafe man mentioned in this text,Parts of the Gospel. wherein Saint Marke offers to our consideration, either
1 Occasion.First the occasion of the miracle, verse. 31.32.
2 The miracle,Secondly, the miracle it selfe,
3 The consequence,Thirdly, the dependance or consequence thereof, ver. 34: ad 37. the end of the chapter.
Occasion two-fold.The occasion is two-fold.
1. Christs trauelling by sea in the sea of Galile, &c. because he departed againe from the coasts of Tyre and Sydon, vers. 31.
2. Occasion was in them that brought the deafe man to him. vers. 32.
2 Effect of the miracle.In the miracle regard,
1. The forme1 Forme. and maner of doing thereof, vers. 33.34.
Christ power and his louelove must cause vsus to trust in him.2. The effect of it: His eares were opened, 2 Considerations in the sequele of the miracle.the band or string of his tongue was loosed: Ita vt recte loqueretur, verse. 35.
The consequence or sequele of the miracle,
1. In our Sauiour Christ, who (after his wonted maner) inhibited the publishing thereof.
2. In the people, who were trumpets of Christs fame vers. 36. This arose from their astonishment at the miracle, which caused them to report thus: He hath done all things well, he maketh both the deafe to heare, and the dumbe to speake, verse 37.