The Marrow and Juice of 260 Scriptures, Part 34
The second Sonday after Trinity.
Reasons for the choise of these 4 Scriptures,BEcause obedience to God and mutuall louelove one towards another, are the ends of the two great commandements as Christ Iesus saith, Math. 22. therefore do the Authors of our Leitourgie, in this their choise. proceed in selecting of Scriptures accordingly.
Scope of the two first LessōsFor the two Scriptures of the old Testament do giuegive vsus to vnderstand:Gods louelove to the Israelites, first, that though Gods people Israel were sold into the hands of Iabin the King of Canaan for their sinnes wherein they continued; yet vponupon their repentance and obedience to God, the Lord was mercifull to them in raysing vp Deborah a Prophetesse, to iudge and rule them, and to be a meanes of their deliuerance out of the hands of Sisera, the generall of Iabins army. For which cause, secondly, Deborah and Barak the two instruments of this deliuerance do make a memorable Halleluiah and thanksgiuing to Iehouah after the victory which he gaue them.
The first of the Scriptures of the new Testament is an exhortation to constancy,Scope of the Epistle & Gospell and perseuerance in our contemning the world, and continuing in mutuall louelove one towards an other: The second which is the Gospell, tels vsus in a parable, how Christ the great feast maker shewes his vnspeakble louelove to all men: and therefore makes seuerall kinds of inuitations of diuers sorts of guests, vntounto the great and gracious supper of faith, obedience to God, and mutuall louelove to the brethren & beloued of God. Howbeit most of them, if not all, proue vnthankfull recusants, and vnmannerly, and therefore vnworthy.
The first of these foure Scriptures, Iudges 4.Mor. Prayer. 1 Less. Iudges 4, doth in the
First part let vsus see that Gods iudgement followed the wickednesse of his owne people,Parts. in that the Lord stirred vp that mighty King of Canaan (which had 900 Chariots of iron,1 God punisheth his people for their sinnes. to vexe the Israelites very sore for twentie yeares together. ver. 1. to the end of the third.
In the second part of the chapter is related,2 God is mercifull in his punishments. how the Lord was mercifull vntounto his people and therefore deliuered them out of the hands of this their strong enemy, as
1 By the destruction of the host & army of Iabin by the aduise of Deborah & aide of Barak. v 4. to the end of the 16.
2 By the dishonorable death of Sisera (that fled away on foote) who died by the hands of a woman, Iael, Hebers wife v. 17. to the end of the 24. the end of the chapter.
Eue. Prayer. 1 Less Iudges 5.The second of the foure Scriptures is, Iudges 5. chapter,Gods louelove in afflicting his people, containing
First,Parts. a congratulation of Deborah and Barak vntounto the Lord their God for his auenging of Israel.1 Deborah… and Barakes thanksgiuing to God. ver. 1.2.
Secondly, an inuiting or incitatiue exhortation vntounto Kings and Princes to heare this song.2 Their exhortation to Kings and Princes to heare this song. verse 3, to the end of the 11.
Thirdly, Deborahs speciall and couragious prouoking of her selfe and Barak her asistant,3 A speciall incitation of her selfe and her assistant to thanksgiuing vntounto thanksgiuing in her rehearsing vp those Tribes which helped; and those which ioyned not with them are by her reproued. ver. 22. to the 28.
Fourthly, she doth in her song describe
4 A description of the enimies force and of Gods power in ouercoming it.1 The multitude and strength of her enemies. ver. 19.
2 Gods power and heauenly strength, with the meanes which he vsed to accomplish his purpose. ver. 20. to the end of the 23.
Fiftly, the text sets downe the manner and meanes of Siseras death,5 Siseraes death by the wife of Heber the Kenite. v. 24, to the 30.
6 Deborahs conclusion of her song with a prayer.Sixtly, she concludes her song with a couragious propheticall and constant prayer.
1 Against al Gods enemies for their destruction: So let all thine enemies perish ô Lord,
2 For all Gods friends and louers, but they that louelove him shall be as the sunne that riseth in his might. ver. 31. to the end of the chapter.
Epistle. 1 Ioh. 3.13. ad 14The third of the 4 Scriptures written 1. Ioh. 3.13. containeth,
Parts.1 A dehortation, 2. an exhortation, 3. an inference, conclusion or corrolary vponupon both.
The dehortation1 Dehortation is, Maruaile not my brethren though this world hate you. ver. 13.
The reasons of this dehortation whereby explicite he perswades to mutuall louelove, are in the 14.15.16.17. verses.
The exhortation2 Exhortation is framed not for an intent of an outward louelove in word and tongue onelyonly, but a louelove in the right manner,Exhortations to faith, obedience, and louelove. & of the best fashion, to wit, in deed and in truth. v. 18. The grounds and reasons of this exhortation, are in the 19.20.21. and 22. verses.
The conclusion or inference vponupon the premisedConcusions or inference vponupon the premises. dehortation and exhortation is in these words. This is then his commandement, that we beleeue in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ and louelove one another, as he gaue commandement. ver. 23.
The perswading reasons wherof do follow, ve. 24. which is the last verse of the chapter,
In the fourth Scripture chosen for this daies Gospell, written Luke 14. ver. 16. to the end of the 24. ver. Gospell Luk. 14.16. ad 24.Christ Iesus doth in a parable set downe the course which God taketh in calling men to his kingdome. Shewing that no excuses wil serue the turne here, much lesse at the day of iudgement,Scope & chiefe drift of this Gospell. for such as refuse (though with excuses) being called to come, shall be counted vnworthy to tast of the heauenly and spirituall danties at the Lords board in the kingdome of grace, or in the kingdome of glory.
For as in the former Gospell we might heare that the wicked rich mans intreaty for himselfe or his fiue brethrē while he was in hell,Coherence of this with the former. was to no purpose to answere for his incredulity & disobedience to God, or his sauage vnmercifulnesse to poore Lazarus: So in this portion of Scripture it will appeare that notwithstanding the excuses,
1 Of the farme-buier, which ambitiously desired to bee hastily rich,
2 Or of the oxe-buyer, that carelesse worldling which was not at leisure,
3 Or of the voluptuous and fleshly liuer, the new married man, who said, I cannot come: yet was the sentence definitiue pronounced against these inuited guests.Considerations in the parable are two-fold. Two generals
In the parable we may consider
generals
and
specials
The first generall is concerning him that made this feast, who it was, a certaine man,
The second is, what he did. He made a great supper, Christs louelove in calling, &c.therefore the certaine man is a great man: which is also proued by his generall inuitation, he bade many, ver. 16:
Two specials,The specials are
1 The inuitation of guests, ver. 17.
2 The commination or threatning of the vnthankfull, though inuited guests. ver. 24.
The inuitation is two-foldInuitation twofold,
the first,
the second,
summons
At the first summons, or former call, three sorts of guests are inuited.At the first summons three kinds of guests are inuited.
1 The worldly Farmer. ver. 18.
2 The Marchant grasier, or the carking and caring carle, the husbandman. ver, 19.
3 The fleshly and voluptuous new maried man. ver. 20.
The second summons occasioned through the contumacy, vnwillingnesse,Second summons is two-fold. and vnthankfullnesse of the three (which were first called) is also two-fold. For
First, the seruant returnes and brings answere to the goodman of the house, and feast-maker, who in his anger causeth to be inuited foure other sorts of guests: first, the poore: secondly, the maimed: thirdly, the halt: fourthly, the blind. ver. 21.22.
The second call of the the latter inuitation (occasioned hereupon, that there was roome for more guests, though foure sorts were called already) is, Go out into the high waies and compell them to come in, that mine house may be filled, verse 23.
The great Maister of al, threaneth all the vnworthy.The ground of which call and commandement, is a resolute sentence, or commination in the anger and indignation of the great maister of the feast. For I say vntounto you, that none of those men which were bidden, shall tast of my supper. verse 24.