The Marrow and Juice of 260 Scriptures, Part 57
The 25. Sonday after Trinity.
Sequele of the miracle,BEcause it is but sildome whē there fals out 26. Lords daies or Sondaies after Trinity,Reason and occasion of the choise of these Scriptures▪ therfore the Leitou…gie of our Church sets not out any more, for any further Sonday, but foure for this last, being the fiue and twentieth in number & alwaies the last immediatly going before Aduent Sonday.
Suumme of the 2. first Lessons. An excellent choyce made of the foure Scriptures for this last Sonday after Trinity.And albeit they hauehave continued to appoint two Scriptures for the first two Lessons out of Salomons Prouerbes, as they did before. Yet with those doctrines concerning godlinesse and holinesse of life, they will also ioyne a confirmation of the Aduent and Incarnation, Life, Death, Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension, of our Lord Iesus Christ. And as Ianus is said to hauehave two faces, one looking backewards and the other forwards: So hauehave they chosen such Scriptures for this last Sonday after Trinity,The doctrines of Mortification & viuification and of Chrsts Aduent connexed & vnited, which partly looke b…ckewards, and are agreeable to the doctrines going before contained in the last halfe of the yeare, and partly forwards, which are sutable to those comprehended in the first halfe, For which cause they hauehave selected a most accomodated portion of Scripture out of the prophecy of Ieremy, Suumme of the Epistle and Gospell.in the third place, in stead of the Epistle, being a most Diuine, true plaine and remarkeable prophecy of the Incarnation and coming of Christ in the …le…h And in the last of the foure which they hauehave ca…led out for this day, it may appeare, that the prophesies are fulfilled concerning Christs coming: because he hath performed & effected (by Diuine & powerfull teaching, by extraordinary and miraculous working, by a glorious and victorious conquest in suffering) the offices of a Sauior, and Redeemer, a King and a Prophet, and shewed himselfe thereby to be of two natures, perfect God, & perfect man, of a reasonable soule, and humane flesh subsisting, and combined in one person.
The first of these foure Scriptures is Prouerbes 15.Mor. Prayer. 1 Les. Prouer. 15 wherin the spirit of God giueth many gracious lessons by Salomons pen, vntounto the children of the Church,Parts. as
First, concerning the well guiding and ordering of a mans tongue1 Of the well guiding of the tongue, and words. ve. 1. to the end of the 7. & in other parts of the chapter.
Second…y, touching the difference that is put between the godly and the wicked,2 The difference between the godly and the wicked. whom hee cals the wise and the foolish (as he did before, and as hee doth oftentimes afterward) ver. 8. to the end of the 15.
Thirdly, hee discourseth of that Autarchy, 3 Of the content…dn…sse & peace…l…nesse the righteou… & the co…trar… vices in wicked men,contentednesse, painefulnesse, peaceablenesse, with other sorts of graces and gifts of God, which are to be found in the righteous and godly, with the effects of those graces, and the contrary vices of the rebellious, wicked, and obstinate: which are not only abhomination to the Lord, but also dangerous & most hurtfull, yea pernicious to the bodies and soules of such as doe delight therein. ve. 16. to the end of the 33.Difference betweene godly and vngodly men, the end of the chapter.
Euen. prayer. 1 Less. Prouer. 16The sixteenth chapter of the Prouerbes of Salomon is the second of the foure, and the first Lesson for euening prayer, making mention
Parts.1 Of Gods praescience and particular prouidence in the disposing of all things.First, of Gods praescience and particular prouidence in the disposing and gouerning of all things, euen in ech & eueryevery mans priuate and particular affaires, ver. 1. to the end of the 7.
Secondly, the text makes mention (as in the former chapter) of the happy estate of that man,2 Of his happy estate which is content with a little, which is content with a small portion righteously gotten, and rightously vsed: also it intreateth of Diuine eloquence, of iustice, righteousnesse, wisedome, discretion▪ affablenesse, mercy, and grauity, both in Kings and others, & of the vices on the contrary side ver. 8. to the end of the 28.
Thirdly, Salomon speaketh of reuerence which is due to the aged,3 Of reuerence due to the aged of the necessary vse and effect of correction and discipline. ver. 29.30,
EpistleThe third portion of Scripture is a part of the 23. chapter of Ieremies prophecie. ver. 5.Ier. 23.5. to the end of the 8, to the end of the 8. wherein Almighty God by his Prophet Ieremy, out of that louelove which he beareth to his people and sheepe,Parts of the text. maketh promises to them.3 Particular promises,
First, to deliuer them out of the hands of spoyling and destroying sheepeheards: secondly, so to be sheepeheard himselfe in gathering them: thirdly, to prouide in time a righteous branch whom he will raise vp vntounto Dauid, which (as he speakes by the mouth of the Prophet Micah) shall feede that my people Israel.Parts of the text more speciall,
These foure verses containe in them.
First, a prophecy concerning Christ to come,1 A prophecy of Christ to come. verse fifth and sixt.
Promises of redemption by Christ alone.Secondly the vse that Gods people are to make concerning this holy prophesie.2 The vse of the prophesie,
The prophesie is2 Parts of the prophesie,
1. Concerning the humanity and incarnation of Christ the sonne of God,1 Humanity of Christ, and true incarnation, of his kingdome and the administration thereof, vers. 5.
2. Of his priesthood in sauing his people,2 His priesthood in sauing his people, and of his prophesie in preaching and dooing righteousnesse both before God and man, ve. 6.
The vse of the prophesie,Vse of this prophesie what it is in the peoples acknowledging of Gods goodnesse towardes them by a later experience then they had in times past, being a more speciall accessory & appendix of his fauour. And this acknowledging, though in phrase and speech diuers, is diuersly set downe.
1. foreign, negatiuely: They s…all no more say, The prophesy is set downe both n…gatiuely and affirmatiuely,the Lord liueth which brought vp the children of Israel out of the land of Aegipt, vers. 7.
2. foreign positiuely and affirmatiuely: But the Lord liueth which brought vsus vp, and led the seed of the house of Israel out of the North countrey, and from all countries where I had scattered them, and they shall dwell in their owne land, vers. 8. A most manifest prophesie of the peoples returne out of captiuity, and of the saluation of Iews and Gentiles which belong to Gods fold and pasture.
Though such a portion of scripture as this fourth,Coherence & agreement of this scripture with another appointed for the 7. Sonday after Trinity-Reason of this choyce, Iohn. 6.5. to the end of the 14 vers. was chosen to be read and taught in the Church for the 7. Sonday after Trinity, concerning our Sauiour Christs miracle of the 7. loaues, as this is of the 5. loaues. And though by the Germane Churches another is chosen farre different from both: yet our Church of England hath in very Christian policy done this, to put the people in minde (which they cannot doe too often) as concerning their duties of beleeuing, trusting,Scope of this text, and putting all their confidence in God, and relying only vponupon his fatherly prouidence, who as he raiseth from death to life, & restoreth to health the inueterate diseased, yea the desperate & incurable.
Christ a most careful householder to prouide for the bodies as well as for the soules of his people.So heere hee sheweth himselfe a most carefull housholder in prouiding food for the peoples bodies, that are in health,Christ is the carefull housholder, whereby to preserue their bodies, and maintaine this health.
In this text S. Iohn sets downe,
First, the introduction or occasion of this miracle,1 Introduction, or occasion of the miracle. in the first 10. verses, and in a part of the 11.
Parts of the text,Secondly, he makes relation of the miracle it selfe,2 The miracle it selfe, and the subsequent or effect thereof, in the rest of the 11. verse, and the other three verses following.
In the entrance or introduction & preparation which our Lord makes to the miracle, S. Iohn obserueth
Parts of the introduction.First, the occasion1 Occasion. which Christ tooke by reason of the distressed estate of the multitude which followed him, ve. 1. vntounto a part of the 5. vers.
2 Deliberation.Secondly, he obserues Christs deliberating & conference with Philip & Andrew about the matter: (notwithstanding his resolution in himselfe) in the rest of the 5. vers, to the end of the 9.
Thirdly, hee notes the preparation3 Preparation. which our Lord maketh, consisting 1. In his placing the guests.
2. In preparing the bread & the fishes by blessing & distributing them to the people, ve. 10 and a part of the 11.
3 Considerations of the miracle.The miracle hath these considerations,
First, concerning the number of them which were fed, (which as S. Luke also saith) was 5000.
Secondly, their eating till they were satisfied.
Thirdly, concerning the remainder of the fragments in the rest of the 11. vers. the 12. and 13.
Effect of the miracle, what it was, & what vse the people made of it.The effect of the miracle is a testimony testifying and acknowledging of the power & efficacy of Christ by this diuine miracle, confirming this heauenly doctrine concerning Gods particular prouidence: and therby also strengthening the weake faith of his chosen people: Then the men, when they had seene the miracle that Iesus did, said: This is of a truth the Prophet that should come into the world. vers. 14,