A commentary or exposition upon the four Evangelists, and the Acts of the Apostles: wherein the text is explained, some controversies are discussed, divers common places are handled, and many remarkable matters hinted, that had by former interpreters been pretermitted. Besides, divers other texts of Scripture which occasionally occur are fully opened, and the whole so intermixed with pertinent histories, as will yeeld both pleasure and profit to the judicious reader. / By John Trapp M. A. Pastour of Weston upon Avon in Gloucestershire.

As sheep in the midst of wolves]

Who would make it their work to worry the flock, and suck their bloud, as did Saul that wolfe of the Tribe of Benjamin, and the Primitive Persecutours.* 1.1 Under Dioclesian, seventeen thousand Christians are said to have been slain in one moneth, amongst whom also was Serena the Em∣presse. Those ten Persecutions were so cruel, that S^t Hierom writes in one of his Epistles, that for every day in the year were murdered 5000. excepting only the first day of January. S^t Paul fell into the hands of that Lion Nero, qui orientem fidem primus Romae cruentavit, as Tertullian hath it, who therefore also cal∣leth him, Dedicatorem damnationis Christianorum. All the rest of the Apostles are reported to have died by the hands of tyrants, save only S^t Iohn: who, in contempt of Christianity, and of Christ (that is, by interpretation, Gods Anointed) was cast by Domi∣tian

into a vessel of scalding oyl, but came forth fresh and unhurt,* 1.2 by a miracle. After this, the Arrian hereticks raged extreamly, and made great havock of the innocent Lambs of Christ. Gie∣zerichus an Arrian King of Vandals, is said to have exceeded all that went afore him in cruelty towards the Orthodox side, of both sexes. In that Laniena Parifiensis 30000. Protestants were basely butchered in one moneth, 300000. in one year. Stokesly Bishop of London, boasted upon his death-bed, that he had been the death of fifty hereticks in his time. His successour Bonner, was called the common cut-throat, and flaughter-slave generall to all the Bi∣shops of England. And therefore (said a good woman that told him so in a Letter) it is wisdome for me, and all other simple sheep of the Lord, to keep us out of your butcherly stall, as long as we can. Especially, seeing you have such store already, that you are not able to drink all their bloud, lest you should break your belly; and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 let them lye still, and die for hunger. Thus she. But that a∣bove all is most horrid and hatefull, that is related of the Christians in Calabria, Anno 1560. For, being all thrust up in oue house to∣gether* 1.3 (saith M. Fox) as in a sheepfold, the Executioner comes in, and among them takes one and blindfolds him with a muffler about his eyes, and so leadeth him forth to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 larger place, where he commandeth him to kneel down. Which being so done, he cutteth his throat, and so 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him half dead. Then, taking his butchers* 1.4 knife, and muffler all of gore bloud, he cometh again to the rest: and so leadeth them one after another, and dispatcheth them all, to the number of 88. All the aged went to death more chearfully: the younger were more timerous. I tremble and shake (saith a Romanist, out of whose Letter to his Lord all this is 〈◊〉〈◊〉) 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to remember how the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 held his bloudy knife be∣tween his teeth, with the bloudy mufler in his hand, and his arms all in gore bloud up to the elbows, going to the fold, and taking every one of them, one after another, by the hand, and so dispatch∣ing them all, no otherwise, then doth a butcher kill his calves and sheep.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. Chro. nol. pag. 333.
• * 1.2

  In dolum olei immissum fe∣runt ludibrij causa, quia Christiani à Christo, & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉. in Apoc. 1. 9. Funo. Chronol. In lesse then four years they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the lives of 800. inno∣cents here, to their Idols in Q. Maries 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.3

  Act. and Mon. sol. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.4

  Act. and Mon. sol. 859.