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.

Verse 17. But beware of men]

Absurd and wicked men, saith Paul, bruitish men, skilfull to destroy, saith the Prophet, Men∣eaters,* 1.1 saith the Psalmist, Cannibals, that make no more conscience* 1.2 to mischief Gods people, then to eat a meals meat when they are* 1.3 hungry. These be those Lycanthropi, those wolves mentioned in the former verse. These are those mankinde men, that S^t Paul met with at Ephesus, 1 Cor. 15. 32. He fought wiih beasts after the manner of men, that is (as some interpret it) men fought with him, after the manner of beasts. Such a man was that monster of Millain in Bodin: de Repub. Such were the Primitive Perse∣cutours, and such are the Pseudo-Catholicks of these times. A* 1.4 Dutch-woman they buried alive for religion, with thorns un∣der her. Another they shamefully defiled in the sight of her hus∣band, and then forced her to draw a sword, and give her husband a deadly wound, her hands being ordered by them. The Town of Barre in France being taken by the Papists, all kinde of cruelty* 1.5 was there used. Children were cut up, the guts and hearts of some of them pulled out, which in rage they gnawed with their teeth. The Italians which served the King, did for hatred of religion* 1.6 break 〈◊〉〈◊〉 into such fury, that they did rip up a living childe, and took his liver, being as yet red hot, and eat it as meat. John Bur∣geolus President of Turon, an old man, being suspected to be a Protestant, and having bought his life with a great summe of mo∣ney, was not withstanding taken and beaten cruelly with clubs and staves. And being stript of his clothes, was brought to the bank of

the river Liger, and hanged, his feet upward, and head downward in the water, up to his breast. Then, he being yet alive, they opened* 1.7 his belly, pull'd out his guts, and threw them into the river. And taking his heart, they put it upon a spear, carrying it with contu∣melious words, about the City. Were these men? or rather devils in the shape of men? What should I instance further in those late Irish unheard of cruelties, so well known, and so much written of? such as whereof the devil himself might be ashamed, had he any shame in him. Lithgow a Scot, after he had with K. James his letters travelled thorow the greatest part of the known world, was, as he returned through Spain, in the City of Maligo suprized by nine Sergeants, and carried before the Governour. By whose appointment, they stripped him of his clothes, robbed him of his money, put him into a dark dungeon, shackled him, starved him,* 1.8 wounded him, &c. In ten hours, he received seventy severall tor∣ments: At last, all the Lords Inquisitours commanded him to re∣ceive eleven strangling torments at midnight, and to be burnt bo∣dy and bones to ashes, though they had nothing against him but suspition of religion. And yet after this, God wonderfully deli∣vered him: He was brought on his bed to our King, wounded and broken, and made this relation to the face of Gundamor, the Spa∣nish Ambassadour.

They will scourge you]

John Fortune, a Martyr in Q. Maries dayes, was thus threatned by one M^r Foster: You shall be whipt* 1.9 and burned for this year, I trow: His answer was, I should be full glad of that. For it is written, They will scourge you in their sy∣nagogues. And since the time that the sword of tyranny came into your hand, I heard of none that were whipt. Happy were I, if I had the maidenhead of that persecution.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1 Thes 3. 2.
• * 1.2

  Ezek. 21. 31.
• * 1.3

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 14. 4.
• * 1.4

  Act. and Mon 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 8 18.
• * 1.5

  Ibid. 1951.
• * 1.6

  Ibid..
• * 1.7

  Thuanus.
• * 1.8

  Lithgo••s Trav.
• * 1.9

  Act. and Mon.