The Marrow and Juice of 260 Scriptures, Part 52
The 20. Sonday after Trinity.
Reason of the choyce of these 4 Scriptures,TRue and vnfained repentance is a chiefe grace of God, and gift of the spirit, as well as faith. And because they are twins and sisters, either borne both together, or the one but a short while after the other, Therefore such as hauehave made the choyce of the fittest scriptures for our Leitourgy hauehave set apart one out of Ioels prophesie,Faith & repentance are twins and another out of the prophesie of Micah, seruing most fitly for this purpose. As also 1. Out of the holy Epistle to the Ephesians, a pithy exhortatiō to this purpose. And 2. out of the Gospel, our Lords feruent, frequent, and seuerall calling of men to repentance, to be wedded to their Bride-groome Christ in truth and in righteousnesse.
The first of the chapters Ioel. 2. being the first lesson for morning prayer,Mor. prayer. 1 Less. Ioel. 2. containeth,
1 An alarme of the day of iudgement sounded,First, an alarme of the dreadfull day of the Lords comming, strooke vp and sounded: the fearefull maner of whose presence and comming is by the Prophet described, vers. 1. to the end of the 11.
2 The vse and end of this alarme.In the secon… place the Lord by his Prophet sheweth to what end and purpose this alarme is sounded, and the Lords terrible, and instant kinde of comming presaged, to wit, that his people should also instantly, without delay, euen now (as he saith) turne vntounto him: Turne vntounto me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning. The maner and reasons of which repentance are propounded, vers. 12. to the end of the 17.
God goes to law with his people to bring them to repentance.In the third part of the chapter, the effects and benefits of this repentance3 Of the effects and benefits of repentance, are expressed by Ioel, consisting
1. Either in Gods withholding & keeping backe his fore-denounced iudgements from them, ve. 18.19.20.
2. Or in his vouchsafing, bestowing, & leauing sundry blessings behinde him, ve. 21. to the end of the 27.
3. In assuring them of the mercy of mercies, to wit, the aboundant graces of his holy spirit, in the latter dayes, (the time of the Gospell) to bee powred out vponupon all flesh, by the prophecying of their sonnes and daughters, their old mens dreaming of dreames, and their young mens seeing of visions, &c. verse. 28. to the end of the 32. verse, the end of the chapter.
The 6. chapter of Micahs prophesie, is the first lesson for Euening prayer,Euen. prayer. 1 Less, Micah, 6. wherein the Prophet
First,Parts. brings in the Lord commencing suit against his people1 The Lord cōmenceth suit against his people, for the sins they had committed, and the duties they they had omitted, ve. 1. to the end of the 5,
In the second part of the chapter, the Prophet taking vponupon him the person of the people, confesseth the action,2 The Prophet confesseth the action and pleades guilty, appealing to the plaintises mercy, verse 6.7 8.
In the third the Prophet sheweth in particular,3 What Gods declaration is, what it is which God declareth against them, in the seuerall parts and branches of hi… declaration: whereupon hee brings his suite, and meanes to hauehave damages against them.Particulars of the declaration The particulars are,
1. The deceit robbery, and oppression of the poore,1 No charity their lying, stealing, and hoording vp of riches wickedly gotten, ve. 9. to the end of the 15.
2. Their idolatry and irreligiousnesse,,2 No Religion, for which (as for the former iniquities which do grow from these roots) they shall be brought to an exigent and execution: yea they shall pay eueryevery penny of the debt and penalty of Gods iudgements, as vers. 13.14.15.16.
In the third Scripture for this day Ephes. 5.15. to the end of the 20. vers. Epistle Ephes. 5, 15. to the end of the 20.the teacher of vsus Gentiles,Paul exhorts to repentance in an Euangellicall phrase, as well as of others, prosecuteth this doctrine of repentance in effect & substance,Scope of the text, with the two Prophets, Ioel and Micah, though in another kinde of phrase, as: HaueHave no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse: Take heede that yee walke circumspectly.Parts of this Scripture,
These fiue verses affoorde vsus the best and most holesome counsell for vsus to follow in the practise of our whole life, wherein wee must practise repentance.
Parts of this text,The counsell is propounded and giuen by Sai…t Paul.
First, in exhortations,
Secondly, in dehortations,
Thirdly, in his grounds and motiues to both.
Exhortation is two fold,The first exhortation is: Take heed therefore that ye walke circumspectly.
The second is: Walke as wise men. Both which are opposed to the
Dehortation three-fold,1. Dehortation, walke not as fooles, vers. 15.
The reason of both these is, how by good consideration wee may well performe them both, to wit, by redeeming the time: for the time and dayes bee euill, vers. 16.
The second dehortation is: Wherefore bee yee not vnwise, opposed to a third exhortation, or rather to the second againe repeated: But vnderstand what the will of the Lord is, vers. 17.
The third dehortation is: And bee not drunke with wine, wherein is excesse, opposed to a third exhortation: But bee filled with the spirit, vers. 18. Which drinke of the spirituall liquor will worke these effects in you.
1. Speaking to your selues in Psalmes, &c.
2. Making melody to the Lord in your hearts, vers. 19.
3. Giuing thankes alwaies to God, euen the Father, in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ, vers. 20.
Christ summons his people to repentance,The fourth Scripture Matthew. 22.1. to the end of the 14. vers. Math. 22.1, to the end of the 14,is a second summoning of sinners,Gospell. which our Lord that great Iudge maketh, and is in many things like to the first summons,Coherence of this with the Gospell for the second Sonday after Trinity, Differences betweene them. which the Church did set forth for the Gospell, to bee read and taught vponupon the second Sonday after Trinity. Luke. 14.16. to the end of the 24. Herein is the difference betweene them.
First, the processe, or Quorum nomina heereof is larger.
Secondly, the inferior Apparitors and Summoners of the great Lord his substitutes and officers are mo in number.
Thirdly, the punishment of the contumacious & recusants (being either the world, the wicked,Reason for the choyce hereof in this place, or the vnworthy) more intollerable & grieuous. It doth most fitly, & in good order follow the former Gospel, because it sheweth the largesse of Gods bountifulnesse in Christ vntounto all, who would that all should bee saued and therefore causeth all to be called and summoned,Parts of the text, or the most part of all. S. Matthew in this text deliuereth
1. His owne prologue, entrance,1 S, Matthewes prologue. or preface into Christs Sermon: Then Iesus answered, and spake vntounto them in parables, verse. 1.
2 Christs Sermon2 Christs Ser—mon, it selfe, in all the rest of the verses.
The argument,The subiect & argument of the Sermon, or summe of Christs Sermon is in these wordes: The kingdome of heauen is like to a certaine King which made a marriage for his sonne. For heerein both Protasis and Apodosis are briefly deliuered, ve. 2.
The particular discussing of the partsThe discussing of the parts thereof, of the parable are in the rest of the verses.
The first thing that the King doth, is his inuitation or bidding of guests, which is two-fold.The Kings inuitatiō twofold
1. Vneffectuall. 2. Effectuall.
The vneffectuall is two-fold.The vneffectuall is two-fold,The answer of the first that were called, was negatiue,
The former inuitation,
The latter inuitation,
But both in vaine. For
First, the former, which were called by the first seruants, answered negatiuely by their refusall, Negando, vers. 3.The summoned persecuting Recusants are paid home with iudgements.
The answer of the latter that were called, was three-fold,The latter which were warned by other Appartors (and yet made light of it) aliud agendo, 1 Aliud agendo,vers. 3. to wit,
One busied about his farme,
Another about his marchandise, vers. 5.
The third part of these latter guests Male agendo, 2 Male agendo,shewing an absolute and an obstinate, yea, a malicious refusall.
1. Seruos regis probris afficiendo.
How the king tooke the answer.2. Seruos regis necando. vers. 6.
The effect that the third denyall, (wich is Necando, a point next the worst) tooke in the King himselfe, is twofold.
1 Inward, in his inward affection of anger.
2 Outward, the effect of his anger and displeasure, to wit, his auengement, Retaliatio necando for necando, for his warriers destroyed those murtherers, and burnt vp their citty,The second & effectuall inuitation of guests caused by the ill successe of the first, vers. 7.
The second inuitation of Guests is effectuall, though the first preuayled not, as appeareth in these wordes following: Then said hee to his seruants, truly the wedding is prepared: but they which were bidden, were not worthy, verse. 8. as of Christ had said, the first inuiting and summons is ineffectuall, and tooke not any good effect, as the second is like to doe. Therefore
1. Another sort of seruants are sent: Go ye therefore out into the high waies, vers. 9.
2. The seruants doe accordingly execute the Kings command.Among the second guests there was one very bad guest, & was as badly vsed, ve. 10.
3. The King himselfe comes to the celebration of the marriage, to grace it with his presence, to see the Guests, to approue, or reprooue them: He findes there in his viewing of them, an vnfit and an vnworthy guest, (though inuited, and no recusant) vers. 11. whom hee reproueth thus: foreign Friend, bow camest thou in hither, and hast not on a wedding garment?
Faith, repentance, and charity, commended and commanded together.The manner and effect of the Kings reprouing and punishing his Guest, is either 1. Present, or. 2. Future.The vnmanerly, and vnprepared Guest hath a two-fold punishment.
Present, he is speechlesse, vers. 12.
Future punishment is three-fold.
1. Is, take him away.
2. Is, binde him hand and foote.
3. Is, cast him into vtter darknesse, His future punishment is three-fold.where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth. vers. 13.
A reason of the kings doome and sentence is rendred:The Kings reason for all. For many are called, but few are chosen, vers. 14.