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 26. For what is a man profited]

If there could (saith a reverend Divine) be such a bargain made, that he might have the* 1.1 whole world for the sale of his soul, he should (for all that) be a looser by it. For he might (notwithstanding) be a bankrupt, a beggar, begging in vain, though but for a drop of cold water to cool his tongue. Is it nothing then to loose an immortall soul? to purchase an everliving death? The losse of the soul is in this verse set forth to be: 1. Incomparable. 2. Irreparable. If therefore to loose the life for money be a 〈◊〉〈◊〉, what then the soul? What wise man would fetch gold out of a fiery crucible? hazard himself to 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 for a few waterish pleasures? give his soul to the devil, as some Popes did for the short enjoyment of the Papall dignity? What was this but to win Venice, and then to* 1.2 be hanged at the gates thereof, as the Proverb is. In great fires men look first to their jewels, then to their lumber: fo should these, see first to their 〈◊〉〈◊〉, to secure them: and then take care of the outward man. The souldier cares not how his buckler speeds, so his body be kept thereby from deadly thrusts. The Pope perswading Maximilian (King of Bohemia, afterwards Emperour) to be a good Catholike, with many promises of pro∣fits and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, was answered by the King that he thanked his Holinesse: but that his souls health was more dear to him then all the things in the world. Which answer they said in Rome was a Lutheran form of speech, and signified an alienation from the obe∣dience* 1.3 of that Sea: and they began to discourse what would hap∣pen after the old Emperours death.

Or what shall a man give in exchange]

He would give any thing in the world, yea 10000 worlds if he had them, to be delivered. But out of hell there's no redemption. Hath the extortioner pil∣led, or the robber spoiled thy goods? By labour and leisure thou

maist recover thy self again. But the soul once lost is irrecoverable. Which when the guilty soul at death thinks of, oh what a dread∣full shreek gives it, to see it self lanching into an infinite Ocean of scalding lead, and must swim naked in it for ever! How doth it trembling warble out that dolefull ditty of dying Adrian the Emperour.

〈◊〉〈◊〉, vagula, blandula, Hospes comes{que} corporis, Qua nunc abibis in loca Horridula, sordida, tristia, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, ut soles, 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉?

Notes

• * 1.1

  M Ley his Mo∣nitour 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉.
• * 1.2

  Non magis 〈◊〉〈◊〉, quam qui 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, ipse vero 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ad Portam, ut est in prover bio. Par in 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.3

  Hist. of the Coun 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Tren. fol. 419.