The Marrow and Juice of 260 Scriptures, Part 30
The Sonday after Ascension day.
AS the Authors of our Leitourgy, and Fathers of the Church, hauehave out of the old TestamentPrincipal scope of the two first Lessons out of the old Testament. chosen for this day two remarkeable Scriptures, wherein the old people of God, the Iewes, are strictly tyed to the obseruation not onelyonly of the substance, but of the precise manner and forme of Gods seruice: not to serue God after their own fansies, nor to be parciall to others herein, be they neuer so neere, or deere vntounto them:Chiefe drift & scope of the Epistle & Gospel So out of the new Testament they bring in our Sauiour Christ comforting his Disciples, and new people of the new Church, and S. Peter heartning on Gods people against all troubles and persecutions which may betide any of them in their constant profession, practise and discharge of their duties in this new seruice of the Gospell, and suffering for righteousnesse sake as Christians.
The first of the foure Scriptures written Deuteronomy 12.Mor. prayer. 1 Less. Deut. 12 Summe of the chapter. teacheth the old Iewes, and in them all Gods' people, that reformation must begin at the taking away of deformities, or deformations, which doe hinder all good and perfect reformation. After which they may begin to take order for the establishing of good lawes both for the right manner of the worship of God, and the performance of their duties of of louelove one towards another.Parts of the chapter, Moses therefore in this chapter,
First telleth the Israelites, that if they will obserue the ordinances and lawes of God, it must herein appeare in the vtter ruinating and destroying all the places of Idols, 1 A commandement to destroy and ouerthrow all idolatrous places,&c. which the Nations (where they shal come) hauehave set vp, verse 1.2.3.
Secondly, he teacheth them that there is a quite contrary course to be taken, as concerning the worship of God, and about the place which God hath chosen to bee worshipped in, whereunto they shall resort,2 A commandement to resort to the place of Gods true worship. and to none other, and thither to bring their burnt offerings, tithes,No dreaming idolatrous worshippers must be beleeued. &c. ver. 4. to the end of the 14.
Thirdly, God by Moses giues all the people liberty to eate any kind of flesh which they desire: but with this Prouiso, that they eate not the bloud thereof,3 A commandement, or tolleration to eate flesh, but not with the bloud thereof, vers. 15.16.
Fourthly, there is a commandement giuen concerning the place where they are to eate4 A commandement touching the place where they are to eate. their tithe, and in the enioying of these blessings, and reioycing in the vse of them, the Leuite must not be forgotten, vers. 17.18.19.
Fifthly, there is a more particular licence giuen them for the eating of flesh in their priuate houses,5 A commandement for the eating of flesh in their priuate houses. when they are far from the place where God is worshipped: but the former interim and prouiso must be kept therein, to wit, not to eate the bloud thereof, vers. 20. to the end of the 28.
Sixthly, a caueat is giuen to the Israelites concerning their behauiour when they shall bee in quyet possession of the heathen lands, which is, that they bee not caught nor snared with the heathenish and idolatrous worship, 6 A commandement & caueat to take heed of idolatrous worship,but rather to detest all such abhominatiō, to do as God hath commanded, to put nothing to his precepts, nor to take ought therefrom.
Eue. Prayer. a Less. Deut. 13.In the second Scripture out of the old Testament, Deuteronomy. 13.
PartsFirst, there is an inhibition against such as shal hearken to that Prophet, or dreamer1 A dehortation from hearkening to dreamers. of dreames, who by the successe & euent of his dreames shall thereby seeke to draw them from Gods true seruice, & a penalty of death vponupon the dreamers head, vers. 1. to the end of the 5.
Secondly, there is a law made against the brother, daughter, wife, or friend, that shall entise secretly to the seruice of other Gods, 2 A law made against such as shall entise to the worshipping of a strāge God.with a caueat to Gods people not to hearken to them, vers. 6. to the end of the 11.
Thirdly, there is a law made against Apostataes, 3 A law & punishment against Apostataes and their followers.wicked men, which endeuour to seduce the people to serue orher Gods: also what punishment shall be inflicted vponupon them and vponupon the citties where they dwell, verse 12. to the end of the 18.Exhortation to Christian sobriety, &c. which is the end of the chapter.
In the third Scripture appointed for this day, written 1. Pet. 4.7. to the end of the 13. verse, Epistle 1 Pet. 4, 7. ad 13. Summe & scope of the text.the Apostle exhorts the faithfull to a sobriety, and holinesse of conuersation, to continuance in praier without fainting, or wearines, to feruency in louelove, & the fruits thereof in the dispensing of outward blessings, and inward graces, and to the patient bearing of Christs crosse, wherein men must not thinke strange, but rather reioice.Parts. In this portion of Scripture may bee obserued,
First, the ground of doctrine whereupon S. Peter buildeth his exhortations:1 The foundation of the exhortations. Now the end of all things is at hand, in the moity of the 7. verse.
Secondly, the exhortations2 The exhortations. from this foundation of doctrine, which are
First generall,1 Generall to 3. vertues, as
1 To sobriety.
2 To watching in praier, that is, continuance in prayer.
3 To the embracing of Feruency in louelove, (that is, true louelove without dissimulation: for dissembled louelove is colde louelove) in the rest of the seuenth verse, and in the eighth verse.
Secondly, speciall exhortations,2 Speciall vntounto 2. vertues. as
1 VntoUnto hospitality, vers. 9.
2 To the true and faithfull dispensing of the seuerall gifts and graces of God, whether it be
1 The gift and grace of teaching.
2 Or any other ministration, that all bee done in the right manner, and to the right end, vers. 10.11.
3 Speciall exhortation from the first doctrine is to patience vnderunder the crosse,3 Speciall exhortation vntounto patience vnderunder the Crosse. that men would not thinke it strange when God puts them into his fining pots of afflictions, which Saint Peter calleth a fiery tryall, but rather that they would reioyce, inasmuch as they are partakers of Christs sufferings, &c.
In the fourth portiō of Scripture,A precious double Antidote against sorrowes. written Iohn 15. verse. 26 to the end of the 27. and in the 16. chapter vers. 1. to the end of the 4.Gospell. Iohn 15.26.27. & vers. 1. of the 16. chapter to the end of the 4 Summe of the text. is conteined an amulete of comfort for Christs Disciples, and all the faithfull to weare next their hearts, and as an amulete internall and most cordiall to receiue into their …earts against troubles and persecutions which were coming vponupon them,An amulete internall and externall for all beleeuers. and likely to accompany them, and the whole ministery and true Church of God to the end of the world. So that albeit, when our Lord ascended, hee told them that they should hauehave signes and miracles to confirme the doctrine of the Gospell, and faith of the beleeuers: yet he also prophesied, and foretold them, that there would bee meanes vsed to interrupt their proceedings, and faithful discharge of their duties.
Barracadoes of spirituall comfort against all enemies.Therefore he prepares them against those times with such barracadoes of consolation, as against which all the cannon shot of their enemies being bent, should neuer batter, much lesse ouerthrow the fort of their faith.
Parts of the text.In the end of the 15. chapter he promiseth this effectuall comfort.1 Promise of Comfort.
In the beginning of the 16 hee presageth and foretelleth their troubles,2 Presage of their troubles.
The promise that hee makes is concerning the comforter, the efficient of their comfort, the holy spirit whomPromise of comfort by the holy Spirit, whom, Christ describeth,1 Christ describeth 4. waies.
First, by his diuine nature, to wit, his essence with the Father and the Sonne, his Omoousie.
Secondly, by his person distinguished in the deity: Whom I will send from the Father.
Thirdly, by his proceeding: Who proceedeth from the Father, and the Sonne,
Fourthly, by his office, and faithfull execution thereof, the Spirit of truth.
Secondly, our Lord describes the holy spirit by the effects,2 Description of the comforer by the eftects. as
1. His owne testifying of Christ, he shall testifie of me, v. 26.
The cause why persecutors breath out threatnings against Christs Church.2. The testimony of the spirit, by, and in the Apostles: And yee shall witnesse also, because ye hauehave beene with mee from the beginning, ve. 27.
In the first verse of the 16. chapter Christ wraps vp this his cordiall amuleteThe wrapping vp of this Amulete. in a peece of the best silke of his holy sanctuary, in shewing them the vse of this comfortable amulete, and why he made it: These things hauehave I spoken to you that you should not be offended.
In the second part of this Gospell he presageth their two sorts of troubles.Presage of two sorts of troubles.
1. Their excommunication,
2. The losse of their liues. Both which shall bee done to them by their enemies, by reason hereof (which is no reason, or at least a tyrannicall reason) they are conceited in themselues,The bad and mad conceit of the enemies in persecuting the true seruants of God. Christ shews a right cause of the enemies rage against the Church. Christ renders a reason of his presage, & why hee made it no sooner. That they serue God in persecuting and killing the Apostles, ve. 2.
But Christ proues that is not so, and that it rather ariseth and groweth of ignorance, because they hauehave not knowne the Father, nor me, ve. 3.
Secondly, Christ tels the Disciples,
1. Why he made this presage vntounto thē of these troubles, that when the houre shall come, yee might remember that I tolde you them.
2. In this his discourse hee answereth an obiection or question which they might hauehave propounded, to wit, Why hee did not make this presage any sooner. His answer is: And these things said I not vntounto you from the beginning, because I was with you, ver. 4.