The Marrow and Juice of 260 Scriptures, Part 6
The Sonday after Christmas.
SEeing that for the most part, eueryevery yeare there falleth out one Sonday betweene Christmas day & the Circumcision of Christ, called New-yeares day: and namely,Why scriptures are chosen also for this day: when they fall not both vponupon the Sonday, or Sonnes day; therefore hauehave the Fathers of the Church thought good to set apart some such holy scriptures as may serue also for this day.
And because, betweene the great feast of Christmas, and the feast of Christs Circumcision, the 8 day after,The doctrine of Christs birth more necessary then any other. and his Epiphany, or appearing to the Gentiles celebrated twelue dayes after Christs day: there can be no Christian doctrine more fitting the Sonday after the Natiuity, then the doctrine of the Natiuity, of Christs genealogie according to the flesh, and his humane nature,
For this purpose therefore,Generall sūme of the two first Lessons, hauehave they out of Isaies Prophecie, taken two Chapters, recording a famous historie of King Hezekiah (of whom came Iesus, which is called Christ, Hezekiah zealous for Christ.who as he was (with Dauid and other good kings) a figure of Christ, the eternall annointed king and Christ of God: so first, in this God, through Christ he trusted and beleeued when blasphemous Senaheribs Rabshakeh laboured him to the contrary. For vntounto this Lord and Christ, he prayed for victorie, and obtained that against that monster, whose nose-thrils God had hooked. And secondly, vntounto this Lord and Sauiour he had his recourse in his particular and distressed estate of a desperate sicknesse, who was heard in that also, and out of the danger of death deliuered.
Generall sūme of the epistle & gospell.VntoUnto these holy Scriptures of the old, they do adioyne two out of the new Testament, most fitly accommodated vntounto this businesse. In the first whereof S. Paul shewes to all our comforts, that when God saw his time (which was the fulnesse of time) he sent his naturall and onelyonly Sonne to become the sonne of a woman, and made vnderunder the law, that he might redeeme them that were vnderunder the law, That we might receiue the adoption of sonnes.
In the second, that neither few nor Gentile might herein be mistaken. S. Mathew the Euange…ist, who hath the face of a man, first, lookes Iesus Chri… …n the face, whom he calleth the sonne of Dauid, the sonne of Abraham, and so proceeds in hi… petigree: secondly, he describes the true manner of Christs birth, by declaring all such circumstances as in eueryevery hystorie diuine and prophane do denominate the truth of a deed done indeed, and not fa…nedly.
Mor. Prayer. 1 Less. Isay 37.The 37 of Isaies prophecie is the first of the chapters for Morning prayer, wherein Gods holy Prophet makes relation.
Parts. 1 King Hezekiahs griefe at the hearing of the blasphemy, and his recourse to God therein.First, how the good king Hezekiah was affected with griefe, at the report and hearing of Saneheribs blasphemy, which was belched out against this true God and Sauiour of the world (the God of victorie, the God of health and life) and what course Hezekiah tooke after he heard that. Verse 1. to the end of the 20 verse.
Secondly,2 The effect of his griefe, & of his prayer to God: what effeect this wrought for the good of Hezekiah, 1. in that his prayer was heard of God, and 2. the blasphemies iudged of the great Lord and higest Iudge, according to his demerite, ver 21. to the end of the 29.
Thirdly, God assureth Hezekiah hereof,3 Hezekiahs cōfirmation hereof by God. and confirmeth him herein ver. 30. to the end of the 35.
Fourthly, God executeth and performeth this iudgement, which he before denounced,4 Gods exe…uting hereof. 1. against the army of this proud Potentate, and 2. against the raging beast himselfe, that Assyrian Leuiathan, ver. 36. to the end of the 38. the end of the chapter.
The thirtie eighth chapter of this Prophecie is our first Lesson for the euening, wherein the Peophet teacheth vsus,Eue. Prayer. 1 Los. Isay 38, by the example of Hezekiah, in our owne and particular, and personall distresses, as well as in the general, publicke & rationall calamities of our country & people, to turne our faces vntounto the Lord, to pray vntounto him, & to confesse ourselues vntounto his all-knowing Maiesty. ver, 1. to the end of the 3.
In the second place the Prophets tels vsus,2 God is heard of Hezekiah. how God inclined his eare to Hezekiahs faithfull & feruent prayer; confirming by a signe against nature, taken from the retiring shaddow in the diall of Ahaz, that his yeares and life, should be prolonged. ver. 4. to the end of the 8.
In the third part of the chapter, the Prophet lets vsus see the thankfulnesse of Hezekiah, after his recouery,3 The gratfulnesse of Hezekiah. set downe by writing in a record to Gods glory, & the Kings eternall memory and commendations, ver. 9. to the end of the 20.
In the fourth place,Hezekiah is cured by the Prophet. we may see how God vsed the person of the Prophet, to be a counsellour of aduise for the Kings bodily health (as before for his soules) in prescribing a captaplasme, to be applyed with good successe to the Kings apostume: besides the former assurance by that extraordinary signe of the dyal. ve. 21.22. being the last verses of the chapter.
A part of the fourth chapter of S. Pauls Epistle to the Galathians, is our Epistle for this day, whose distributiō is thus:Epistle. Gal. 4.1. to the 7. ver.
PartsFirst, his proposition deliuered in a similitude,Christs incarnation in the fu…nes of time. whose protasis appeareth ver. 1. & 2 of an heire in his nonage differing nothing from a seruant, 1 The protasis of the similitude.&c. but is vnderunder tutors and gouernors vntill the time appointed of the father.
2 The application of the similitude.Se…ondly, the application and apodosis of the similitude ver. 3.4.5.6. which may stand in stead of the Minor and Assumption.
3 The cordiall conclusion and vse extracted out of both.Thirdly, the conclusion, which is most cordiall and in a diuine manner extracted out of both the former. Wherefore thou art no more a seruant, but a sonne: now if thou be a son, thou art also the heire of God through Christ. ver. 7.
The first chapter of Christs Gospell written by S. Matthew, Gospell. Math. 1. Parts generallis our holy God-spell for this day, wherein like a true antiquary and most faithfull Hystorian he deliuers
First, the genealogie of Christ,1 Christs genealogie, ve. 1. to the end of the 17.
Secondly, the truth of the birth of our Sauiour, with the incidents,2 Christs birth. occurrents, and subsequents thereof, both in the virgin Mary and in Ioseph her husband, ver. 18. to the end of the 25. the last ver. of the chapter.
Particulars. 1 S. Mathewes description of Christs genealogie.In these obserue more particularly, 1. Mathews description of the generation & genealogie of Christ, which is twofold: The first is generall, as that he is, 1. the sonne of Dauid, 2. the sonne of Abraham, ver. 2. to the end of the 16.
Secondly, obserue the calculation and collection2 His calculation & collection. which S. Matthew makes of the three times 14. generations amounting vntounto 42. discents (before drawne out in speciall) as first, from Abraham to Dauid: secondly, from Dauid to their captiuty into Babylon: thirdly, from their captiuity, vntill Christ. ver. 17.
Confirmation of Christs birthThe truth of the birth S. Matthew proues,
First, out of the truth of the Virgins conception1 By the Virgins conceptiō. (after her betrothing to her husband, and before they came together) she was found with child of the holy Ghost. ver. 18.
2 By Iosephs intention of separation.Secondly, by Iosephs intention of separating her from him because she was with child. ver. 19.
3 By Gods preuention of Iosephs purpose, whereof there be 4 reasons.Thirdly, by the diuine preuention of Iosephs politicke (but honest) separation,Christs pedigree. wherefore the Angel alleageth these reasons, 1. that which is conceiued in her is of the holy Ghost, ver. 20, the 2. from the true effects of conception, her parturiation, she shall bring forth a Soone, the 3. from his Circumcision, and the name that should be giuen him at his circumcision, with the etymologie and reason of his name, ve. 21. the fourth reason is taken from the end of all: to wit, why all this was done, viz. the fulfilling of the holy Scriptures, prophecying so of him, and namely the Scripture of Isay. Behold a Virgine shall be with child, &c. ver. 22.23.
The fourth proofe that S. Mathew brings (to proue the birth of Christ,4 Iosephs obedience to Gods cōmandement, is Iosephs obedience vntounto God in taking of his wife Mary, but not knowing her carnally, till she had brought forth her first borne Sonne: therefore tis true that she did bring him forth: vntounto which fourth confirmation is repeated one of the former proofes, to wit, our Lords circumcision: which action could not hauehave bene done to him, if he had not bene borne, truely borne; and not fantastically as fanatikes imagine. verse 24.25, the two last verses of the chapter.