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 8. Moses, because of the hardnesse of your hearts]

Ob duricordiam 〈◊〉〈◊〉, saith 〈◊〉〈◊〉. For the reliefe of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, questionlesse, was this permitted by Moses, not as a Prophet, but as a Law-giver; so he suffered them to exercise usury upon strangers. And, at this day, they are by the States where they live* 1.1 permitted, to strain up their usury to 18. in the hundred upon the Christians: And so they are used, as the Friers, to suck from the meanest, and to be sucked by the greatest. But what saith our* 1.2 Statute? 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as all usury, being forbidden by the Law of God, is a sin and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, &c. And what 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 Homily∣book? Verily so many as increase themselves by usury— they have* 1.3 their goods of the devils gift, &c. And what saith blinde Nature?* 1.4 Aristotle in one page 〈◊〉〈◊〉 both 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the* 1.5 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and the Dicer. And Agis the Athenian Generall, set fire upon all the usurers books and bonds in the market-place: then which fire Agesilaus was wont to say, he never saw a fairer. But to return to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉: Moses noteth the hatred of a mans wife to be the cause of much mischief, 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 22. 13, 14. Hence a divorce 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 in that case, Chapt. 24. 3. lest the husbands hatred, should work the wives ruth or ruin, in case he should be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 her. He might put her away therefore, but not without a double 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to himself. 1. By his writing of divorce, he should give 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to her honesty, and that she was put away meetly 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his hard-heartednesse toward her. 2. If she were again 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 by a second husband, the first might not take her to wife 〈◊〉〈◊〉, as having once sor ever judg'd himself 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of her sur∣ther

fellowship. Husbands should be gentle to their wives, be∣cause of their weaknesse: glasses are not hardly handled; a small knock soon breaks them. But here are a number of Nabals, a brood of Caldeans, a bitter and furious nation that have little 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in their 〈◊〉〈◊〉 but wormwood; they have a true gall of bitternesse in them, Col. 3. 20. whereas the very heathens at their weddings, pulled the gall out of all their good chear, and cast* 1.6 it away; teaching thereby the married couples what to doe. And God Almighty professeth that he hates putting away: threatning 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cut off such unkinde husbands, as by their harshnesse caused 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wives when they should have been chearfull in Gods services,* 1.7 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cover the Altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and with crying out, so that he regarded not the offering any more. Picus 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 mariti, saith Melancthon. The Pyanit is an emblem of an unkinde husband: for in autumn he casts off his 〈◊〉〈◊〉, lest he should be forced to keep her in winter: afterwards, in the spring, he allures her to him again, and makes much of her.

Notes

• * 1.1

  S. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Spec. Eur
• * 1.2

  Statut 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 8.
• * 1.3

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. l. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.4

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 17. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 2.
• * 1.5

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. in 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.6

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.7

  Malach. 2. 13.