The Marrow and Juice of 260 Scriptures, Part 16
Quinquagesima Sonday.
Coherence of the ninth and twelfth with the third and sixt chapters of Genesis, Summe of the 9 of Genes…s,THat great and fearefull God, who hauing destroyed mankind, by the floud of waters because of sinnes deluge which had ouerflowed the earth, doth now in that mercifull fauour which Noah found in his sight for the preseruatio of him and his, giuegive him also the gracious blessing of increase and multiplication, not in these outward things of his world alone: but in knowledge faith, obedience and other graces wherein he grew and increased, though not with out his sinne also and infirmities.
The nith chapter of Genesis therefore is not an vnfit Scripture to shew this and other great fauours of God. But the twelfth chapter,Summe of the twelfth chapter of Genesis. maketh plaine vntounto vsus, how God had a purpose to encrease his Church and not the world alone: and therefore made his first promise to Abram, that he would make a great nation of him, blesse him, &c. Albeit he should hauehave the performance of this promise, out of his owne country, kindred and fathers house after his iourney vntounto Canaan. How hath the Church of Christ accommodated the thirteenth chapter, 1. Corinth. hereunto, which giueth all Gods people to vnderstand,Summe of the Epistle, 1. Cor, 13 LoueLove the originall of gifts. thar whatsoeuer gifts and graces God doth increase in men, the gift of louelove must be the originall of them: as the ground to beare them, as the heueanly moisture to water them: as the salt to season them, and as the sure matter of the Churches edification and sustentation.Noah fructifieth internally
This louelove our onelyonly patterne of louelove practised,Summe of the gospell Luk. 18 13. Christs practise of louelove. both in prophecying his passion, death and resurrection vntounto his Disciples, and in offering himselfe v…to the b…ind man so louingly, What wilt thou that I do vntounto thee, as verse 41. Luke 18. which is the Gospell for the day.
In the first of these foure Scriptures, Genesis 9,Mor. Prayer. 1 Les. Gen 9. Parts of the first Lesson, 1 Letters patents of Gods blessed cōmandement for mans Multiplication, Authoritie, Meate. more may be seene and found, if thereon we looke more wishly, and search into it more diligent…y,
First, Gods blessed and bl…ssing commandement goeth forth, as
1 For mans multiplication, verse 1.
2 For mans authority ouer the beasts, soules and fishes, verse 2.
3 For mans meate and food to feed liberally on the animals, as he did before on the vegetals verse 3. But with this prouiso annexed to his letters parents, that flesh with the life thereof, that is, with the bloud thereof, they should not eate. verse 4.5.6.7.
Secondly, God draweth indentures of couenant betwixt himselfe of the one partie,2 Indentures of couenant betweene God himselfe, Noah, and the creatures. Rainbow is the seale set to these indentures and Noah and the creatures on the other partie, that from henceforth, all flesh shall not be rooted out by the waters of the floud. verse 8.9.10.11.12.
The confirmation and seale of these indentures is Gods bow in the cloud. verse 13.14.15.16.17.
Thirdly, we may with teares behold the subsequence and sequele hereof, that Noah, 3 Sequele and effect …ereof in Noah and his children,though an holy man, and a husbandman, played not the good husband, but grew intemperate in the abuse of the creatures, as verse 18.19.20 21, whose nakednesse in his drunkennesse was vncharitably propalated by Cham. verse 22. but most reuerently couered by Shem and Iapheth. verse 23. the wicked deed of the yonger sonne seene and cursed. verse 24.25. the godly and respectiue louelove of Shem and Iapheth blessed, as verse 26.27.4 Part of the chapter …oahs Chronicle.
Fourthly, the memorable time of Noahs life before and after the floud, is recorded by Moses. verse 28.29.Abraham beleeued the promise.
The first Lesson for Euening prayer Gen. 12,Eue. Prayer. 1 Les. Gen. 12. being better looked into will teach vsus how Gods fauour to Abraham in a particular promise tooke good effects of faith, louelove and obedience.
Parts.First, Abram is commanded to go out of his countrey, verse 1,1 Gods commandement for Abrams trauaile, with a good reason or motiue annexed hereunto. verse 2.3. This commandement he obeyed, in taking his iourney. verse 4, whose Itinerarium or iournall, is geographically set forth. verse 5.6.7.8.9.
2 Abrams crosses were cōpanions to him in his iourney. His troubles were,Secondly, Moses deliuers vntounto vsus the history of the crosses and troubles which were concomitants of Abrams iourney, as
1 The famine in the land, verse 10, which though twas generall,1 Generall, yet he had his part and particular share in it,
2 The speciall trouble which he had in that heathen country, as first, to saue his owne life, secondly, his wiues reputation and honesty. verse 11.12.13. The hard effect which his carefull and troubled pollicy2 Particular. Hard effects of his troubled pollicy, tooke, is expressed to be a malo in peius. For the Aegyptians marueiled at, and gaped on the womans beautie, both people, princes, and king himselfe, and vsed Abram well for his wiues sake, as verse 14.15.16.
3 Abrams deliuerance out of his troubles.Thirdly, Moses tels vsus how God deliuered his righteous seruant Abram and his wife out of aduersitie, first, by plaguing Pharaoh and his house for their lust. ver. 17. secondly, by the checke which the heathen king gaue to Abram. verse 18.19. thirdly, by the kings honourable dismissing of the Patriarch and his wife. verse 20.
The Apostle S. Paul in the Epistle for this day, 1. Cor. 13.Epistle. 1. Cor. 13. chapter, teacheth vsus the vse of the former doctrine, the end why God bestowes benefits and blessings, gifts and graces vponupon the Church of Christ.Summe of the Epistle. The end why God bestowes his graces and blessings vponupon his Church. He sheweth also the end of prosperity and aduersity, that they might shew their louelove vntounto God, in the setting forth of his glory in the Church, Edification in louelove is the end, &c.whereof he is a member,Parts of the Epistle, and in a zealous and sincere affection of louelove for the edification of himselfe and Christs Church, in the imployment and dispensation of Gods gifts in the Church.
First, the Apostle sheweth that the gifts and graces of God, are to small or no purpose of edifying or profiting,1 Doctrine, Graces & gifts hauehave slender & fruitlesse vse without louelove. Paul is a supposed exampl… of the truth of this doctrine, to such as hauehave them or vse them to others, except the grace of louelove and intent of edifying be mixed and present with them, yea to make it more plaine, he proueth it to be true in himselfe, whom he propoundeth for a suppositiue example of demonstration of the former true proposition, If I had the gifts of tongues, of men, and Angels, without louelove, I am (saith he) as sounding brasse, &c. verse 1.
Secondly, that the gifts of prophecie, knowledge, and all faith, without louelove would make him become as nothing, verse 2.
Thirdly, to giuegive all his goods to the poore, and his body to the fire, without louelove would profit him nothing, verse 3, Nec est in caeteris contrarium videre; therefore the proposition aforesaid is most true.
In the second part of the chapter, that men may the better know louelove,2 A description of louelove, that men may louelove it the better, and so be in louelove with such an excellent grace of God the Apostle describes louelove by the seuerall effects and properties, either foreign, as in the rest of the chapter, to the end of the 13 verse.
The qualities and effects which he doth affirmatiuely,Qualities of louelove set downe, by 1 Position, 2 Contraposition. and by way of position propound, are in number 8, whereof two are in the 4 verse, one in the 6 verse, 4 in the 7 verse, and the 8 in the 13 or last verse of the chapter. Those which he deliuers negatiuely, per contrarium, or contrapositionem, are in number 9, three in the 4 verse, 4 in the, ver. one in the 6 verse, and one in the 8 verse. VponUpon the last propertie he dilateth longest, because it is loues permanencie, lasting, and continuing longest,Loues lasting & permanency is her best propertie. which he compareth with, and preferreth aboue prophecying, tongues, knowledge faith and hope, and that in the other sixe verses, from a part of the 8 verse, to the end of the chapter:Of Gods graces and benefit…. so concluding that louelove is the chiefest gift, because it lasteth longest.
In the former Scripture S. Paul deliuers to our view a notable picture, and yet but a theorie or theorical Idea of LoueLove. Summe, A comparison betwixt the picture o… louelove & Christ himselfe the body and substance of louelove.But in the Gospell Luke 18.31.Gospell. Luke …8.31. to the end of the chapter: we may behold the viue-idea, and substantiall body (not an image) of the greatest louelove that euer was shewed vntounto mankind. Who willingly intending to shew his louelove vntounto man in suffering, dying, and rising againe: first called his twelue Schollers, and foretold all vntounto them, though they vnderstood it not. Secondly, as he was going in his iourney to Hierusalem about that businesse, he shewed himselfe the sweetest and most louing Physition of soule and body that euer was, not tarrying till the blind man sent for him, but first in coming to the blind man, and offering his louing seruice vntounto him:Parts of the gospell, but second…y, also in performing of that which was needfull for the blind mans good.
First,1 Christs theory in foretelling his death, therfore Christ is as a theorick vntounto his Disciples, to prophecie and presage vntounto his schollers (that they might be ar…ed with patience and humility before it cam…) what should betide him at his iourneys end (which was the end of his going to Hierusalem) that is, when he was once come to Hierusalem, and that in the first 4 verses.
Secondly, S. Luke tels vsus what effect this prophecying Sermon and worthy contemp…atiue most louing and familiar speech tooke in the Disciples,2 S. Luke tels what effect Christs theory and sermon tooke, they vnderstood none of these sayings &c. verse 34.
Thirdly, S. Luke shewes how our God of louelove fals a practizing of louelove in a most speedy, most kind and free healing of the blind man,3 Christs practise of louelove in the cure of the blind man. wherein we may see
1 The occasion of this miraculous cure,
2 The cure it selfe or forme of the cure,
3 The consequent or effects thereof.
Christ gaue the first occasion or on-set hereof, by his coming neere to Hierico, Christ is the substance of louelove, &c.where the blind man was. ver. 35.Christ himselfe gaue the first occasion of this cure.
The blind man gaue the second,The blind man giues another. who being in necessity, because he was a beggar, & blind too, begd mercy at the hands of the God of mercy. ver. 36.37.38. And being interrupted by rebuke, yet was more earnest, and his mouth more open with ô sonne of Dauid. ver. 39.
Christ himselfe giues further occasion of doing this miracle to this beggar.Christ giues more occasions
1 In making a stand,
2 In giuing out a command, as ver. 40.
3 In parleying with the blind man, 1. for the better approbation of his faith: 2. for the confirmation of Christs vnspeakable louelove towards him: 3. for the certainty of the miracle in the sight of them all, as in the end of the 40. & in the 41. verse.
The forme of this miraculous cure is,The forme of this cure, Receiue thy sight, not Recipe florum, foliorum, radicum, &e. ver. 42.
The effects are two-fold.The effects of the cure.
1 In himselfe, which was cured, immediatly he followed Christ and praised God.
2 In all the people, who when they saw it, gaue praise to God. ve. 43.