The Marrow and Juice of 260 Scriptures, Part 41
The ninth Sonday after Trinity.Example of the good Prophet Eliah, badly handled by a wicked King and his wife.
Summe of the two first LessōsTHe foure Scriptures culled out for our Leitourgie and seruice of God for this day, doe affoord vsus, first most pregnant examples on the right hand, of a godly Prophet, and good magistrate: without any deceit or tyranny, most truely and faithfully discharging their duties, secondly, the other on the left hand, of an vngodly King and Queene against their consciences persecuting Gods Prophet, both which appeare in the chapters out of the old Testament: againe the other two portions doe make vse of examples,Drift and purpose of the Epistle and Gospell. both of these, and of other vnlike these, that men should take heed of sinning against their consciences, with a doctrine and eaueat giuen by our Sauiour, how to make good vse of all Gods gifts: yea, of a bad example, to wit, of the vniust steward, which abused the gifts of God.
In the first of the chapters appointed for morning prayer, 1. Kings 18.Mor. prayer. 1. Les. 1. Kin. 18 these things are chiefly to be considered of.
Parts.First, how in the third yeare of the famine, Eliah at Gods commandement shewed himselfe to persecuting Ahab, 1 Eliah exhibiteth himselfe to Ahab the persecutor.although that good noble Lord Obadiah aduised him to the contrary, ver. 1. to the end of the 15.
2 Ahab deales but churlishly with him for his newes.Secondly, the text relateth that vnkind conference that passed betweene King Ahab and the Prophet Eliah at their first meeting; and yet Ahab was aduised by Eliah to assemble all Israel together, and the 450 Prophets of Baal, ver. 16. to the end of the 20.
3 Eliah made demonstration of a difference between true & false Prophets.In the third part of the chapter the holy Ghost sheweth that God, by his answering by fire, did put a difference betweene the 450. false Prophets & their idolatrous seruice, & that one true Prophet Eliah, who performed true seruice to God, ver. 29. to the end of the 39.
God comforteth Eliah. though hee fled from Iesabell.Lastly, how Eliah gaue commandement, first,4 What course Eliah took with the false Prophets. concerning the slaying and execution of all Baals Prophets, secondly, that Ahab would prepare himselfe to go to Izreel before the raine, which the Prophet obtained by his prayer at the hands of God, ver. 40. to the end of the 46. which is the end of the chapter.
In the second of the Scriptures 1. Kin. 19.Eue. Prayer. 1 Les, 1. King. 19 it may appeare.
First, how Ahab and Iesabell did breath out threatnings against the Prophet Eliah, Parts.for which cause he fled from them into the wildernesse, where being at a low ebbe,1 Ahab and Iesabels threatnings caused Eliah to flee. he was sodainely comforted, out of the riuer of Gods mercies, by an Angell which brought him sustenance: In the miraculous strength whereof he trauelled 40. daies euen vntounto Horeb. ver. 1. to the end of the 8.
Secondly,2 Gods fitting and preparing of Eliah to proceed in his duty the text makes mention of Gods preparing of Eliah,
1 By conferring with him,
2 By the strange and fearefull sights confirming the presence of God. For he prepareth Eliah,
1 For other businesses, as for the annointing of two Kings & a Prophet, Hazael, Iehu, and Elisha, so
2 To receiue an answere from God concerning his opinion about the fewnesse of the true worshippers of God in Israel, ver. 9. to the end of the 21. the end of the chapter.
The Epistle for this day, which is the third of the holy Scriptures, being a part of 1. Cor. 10. v. 1. to the end of the 13.Epistle 1. Cor. 10.1, ad 13. Scope of the Epistle.calleth to our remembrance very many things which God did to his people the Israelites, both in hi… mercy and louelove,Parts. in his Iustice and heauie displeasure. Therefore Saint Paul
First, makes relation of the fauours which God vouchsafed to the fathers.1 A relation of Gods fauour to some of the fathers. ver. 1. to the 4.
Secondly,2 A relation of his displeasure to others. he speaks of Gods anger kindled against some of these, whom he so fauoured. ver. 5.
3 The vse that Gods Church is to make of both. The old Iewes not to be imitated in these or other sinnes.Thirdly,Examples of Gods iustice, &c he shewes what vse the Corinthians and all other the members of Gods Church are to make of these and the like examples, to wit, not to follow or imitate them, or any of them in any sinne whatsoeuer, ver. 6. Of which sinnes and their punishments hee recapitulates and nameth some, as
1 Concupisence or lusting after euill things. ver. 6.
2 Idolatry, ver. 7.
3 Fornication, ver. 8.
4 Tempting of Christ, ver. 9.
5 Murmuring ver. 10
4 A second vse of the former examples.Fourthly, Saint Paul repeates the former vse of examples, and addeth a second thereunto, to wit, our admonition. They were written to admonish vsus, that liue in these daies,5 His conclusion & infernce w…h is tw…-fold, vponupon whom the ends of the world are eome, verse …1.
Fiftly, he concludeth hereupon, and inferreth
1 Exhortation1 An exhortation to perseuerance and constancy ve. 12.
2 Consolation2 And affordeth vsus a most singular chaine of consolation in tentation, in affliction, in punishments, and whatsoeuer aduersities.
There hath no tentation taken you, but such as appertaineth to man, and God is faithfull which will not suffer, &c. but will euen giuegive the issue with the tentation, that yee may bee able to beare it. ver. 13.
The last of the foure Scriptures for this day, is written Luke 16.1. to the end of the 9.Gospell. Luke. 16.1 ad 9. Drift & chiefe purpose of this text. the summe whereof is this. Because Gods people ought to hauehave a godly and honest care, as in obtaining and prouiding, so in like manner for the dispensing, disposing of, and employing of such graces, gifts, and worldly blessings as God hath betrusted them withall: Therefore our Lord Iesus, by whom and from whom, wee hauehave all gifts graces and benefits of the soule, minde, body, and of the goods (which some call bona fortunae) will in this portion of Scripture teach his schollers,Christ teaches men how to vse graces, gifts, & benefits, how to be good husbands, how to bestow that which he hath giuen or rather lent them, with wisedome and discretion, with liberality and chearefulnesse which the vniust steward mentioned in Christs parable doth here, and which the ill husbands mentioned in the other examples did not in their times and places obserue else where.Coheren…e of this Gospell with the former.
Our former Gospell taught vsus to know a true Prophet from a false, of whom we must beware and take heed. This teacheth vsus to try our selues,Parts of the text, Parable Application, Parts of the parable. whether we be good stewards or bad, iust, or vniust. This our Lord doth in a parable in the eight first verses of the chapter, and in the application of this parable, in the 9. In the parable we may respect
First, the persons doing and suffering,
Secondly, the things done and suffered,
Thirdly, the issue and end of both,
The persons are either agent, or patient, the giuer and the receiuer, the creditor and the debtor,Persons two-fold. the Lord and his steward.
The which because they do both of them reciprocally concurre together (the one for his small profit) in the first seuen verses, must therefore coniunctim & not diuisim be handled and spoken of together,
The end of both, and the conclusion of the similitude is this: The Lord the giuer, and the most free lender,The end and issue of the things and persons. is now become the patient, and yet commends the bad and vniust agent (who was to be cassiered) He is commended for his prouidence and wisedome, for frustra sapuisset si sibi non saperet. He sets downe this as a maxime amongst his children (to the shame of vsus all, whether we be great or little) wherefore the children of this world, are wiser in their generation, &c. verse 8.
An application of the persons,Application of all three. the things and the issue of both is made with an exhortation, accommodated and fitted vntounto the parable. And I say vntounto you, make you friends with the riches of iniquity, that when you shall want, they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations. ver. 9.