The Marrow and Juice of 260 Scriptures, Part 4
The fourth Sonday in Aduent.
THe neerer that we come to the parcels of Scripture which do manifest and make plaine to vsus the vncontrou…eable truth of the incarnation and birth of our Lord Iesus Christ,Coherence of these with the the former Scriptures. the more euident and perspicuous are the passages of holy Scripture, which the Fathers of the Church hauehave chosen, to verifie the truth of his Aduent. Of his first and of his second, his generall and sufficient coming for the good of all, in offering himselfe vntounto all, both bad and good Iewes and gentiles. Of his particular and effectuall coming for the saluation of all the elect onelyonly, for each of them, and eueryevery of them.
For we may heare how God by Isay, 1. cryeth out against the rebellious house of the Iewes, & that is one kind of coming to them, as bad as they were. And in the other Scripture, for the euening,Summe of the 2 first Lessons, Summe of the Epistle & Gos. God by his Prophet most plainely dothSpeciall demonstrations of Christs coming to all people. speake of Christ his Sonne, who shall raigne in, iustice and the Princes shall rule in iudgement.
What better vse and application can be made of these doctrines then that which Saint Paul deliuers in our text for the Epistle?
Doth not S. Iohn the Euangelist take the same course, in prouing the coming of Christ, which Christ himselfe did, in the former Gospell. Math. 11.
The first Lesson for morning prayer is, Isay 30.Mar. prayer. 1 Les. Isay 30. comprehending these doctrines.
Parts.First the Prophet preaches wo and iudgements against the rebellious children, & people of the Iewes,1 Iudgements are denounced against the distrusting Iewes. for their manifold wickednesse: and namely for consulting with, and trusting in the Aegyptians, when they were in distresse & not trusting in the liuing God ver. 1. to the end of the 7.
2 Against t…e contemning Iewes.Secondly, the Iewes are taxed for their contempt of Gods word in the mouth of the Seers and Prophets: for the which they are sure to be plagued, as for their distrust in God and relying vponupon the strength of man, ve. 8. to the end of the 17.
Thirdly, the Prophet preacheth of the Lords Longanimity and expectation of the conuersion of these refractary Iewes,3 God expects the Iewes conuersion, & the Gentils calling and of the calling of the Gentiles by the preaching of Christs Gospell, by the preaching of the plentifulnes of Gods mercy in Christ (resembled vntounto riuers and streames of water) the plentifulnesse of his spirit like a riuer that ouerfloweth to the necke, and by the preaching of his iudgements to light vponupon his enimies ver. 18.33. which is the end of the chapter.
Eue. Prayer. 1 Les. Isay 32.The 32. chapter of this Prophecy is the first Lesson for euening prayer, affoarding and teaching these doctrines.
Parts.First, there is a Prophecy of the kingdome of Christ,1 A prophecie of Christs kingdome. shewing what manner of gouernment it shall be, and what shal be the effects thereof, as in the conuersion of the blind, the foolish and niggard &c. to see their ignorance, folly & wickednesse, ver. 1. to the end of the 8. ver.
Secondly, the Prophet foretelleth the desolations of Hierusalem, 2 Of Hierusalēs desolation.and forewarnes the dainty women to consider thereof, whom it also concerned. v. 9. to the end of the 14.
Thirdly,3 He tels when these things shall be effected. the Lord by his Prophet telleth the people when these things shall come to passe, and how long their miseries shall continue among them: to wit, till the Lord Iesus do come, till he send the plenteousnesse of his spirit from aboue, by his Sonne Christ, by the ministery of his Apostles, and prophets in the latter daies, ver. 15. to the end of the 20. which is the end of the chapter.
A part of the fourth chapter of S. Pauls …pistle to the Philippians ver. 4.Epistle. Phi. 4.4. to the end of the 8. is the Epistle for this day: wherein
The Apostle makes the Aduent and second coming of Christ the ground of his exhortation,The ground of the Apostles exhortation. and of the Philippians reioycing. The parts of this text are,
First, exhortation: secondly, dehortation: thirdly,Parts of the Epistle. 1 Exhortation. 2 Benefite of obedience to it. 3 Dehortation from distractiō. the good and benefite redounding to them, through their obedience and hearkning to these exhortations and dehortations.
The exhortations is, 1 To reioycing, v. 4. 2 To patience in distresses, and expectation of the Lords coming: vntounto both which is annexed the reason and certainty of Christs coming. ver. 5.
He dehorts from distraction and immoderate care and trouble of minde, in these dangerous daies, exhorting them, 1. to prayer, 2 to supplication, 3 to thanksgiuing. v. 6.
The benefite they shall reape by hearkning to this good exhortation and counsell of the Apostle,The benefite of obedience to the exhortaton is the custodie of their hearts in peace. is propounded to be a preseruation of their hearts and minds in Christ Iesus, by the best and safest keeper and custodie of all: which is, the peace of God, which p…sseth all vnderstanding. ver. 7.
The fourth chosen Scripture, which is our Gospell for this day, is a part of the first chapter of Saint Iohns Gospell. verse 1.9. to the end of the 28 verse, differing from the former precedent Gospell in the speciall. For Christ, the way and the truth,Speciall demonstration of Christs incarnation. doth in the sore-going Gospell giuegive testimony vntounto Iohns ministery.The difference betweene this and the former Gospell. But here Iohn testifieth of himselfe, being thereunto vrged: as also of the vertue, power, and diuine efficacy of Christ his Lord and maisters ministery.
Parts A twofold rest…fi ation by a dialogue. Speakers are twofold.This text comprehends a twofold testification of Saint Iohn the Baptist deliuered vntounto vsus by way of a dialogue: (for he
Testifieth either of himselfe or of Christ his maister) The inter…ocutors are, the Pharisaicall Priests and Leuites, Secondly, or Iohn the Baptist.
They are the cauesling questionists, he is the defendant and answerer, cuīus partes tutiores & saniores sunt quàm opponentium.
These Sophisters do propound vntounto S. Iohn foure sorts of questions.Sophisters propound foure questions▪
The first is, Quis es? 1 Quis es?in the 19 verse, answered in the 20. verse.
The second is, Quid tum? or vtrum? 2 Quid tum? or virum.ver. 21. answered negatiuely, in the same verse,
The third is Qualis es? 3 Qualis es?vnderunder the word quis es? as if they had said, what kind of place hast thou? what office bearest thou? of what calling art thou? that we may giuegive a direct answere concerning thine office, to them that sent vsus, &c. verse 22. answered in these words, I am the voyce of him that cryeth in the wildernesse. ver. 23.
The fourth and last question is, Quamobrem, 4 Quamobrem?Why baptisest thou then? if thou bee not Christ, nor Elias, &c. verse 25. The answere to this expostulating Quare, or Quamobrem, is, I baptise with water, but there is one among you, whom you know not ver. 26. he it is that commeth after me &c. ver. 27.