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 14. Ye devoure widdows houses]

Though they preten∣ded to be great fasters, Luk. 18. 12. yet. their 〈◊〉〈◊〉 prepared de∣ceit, as Eliphaz hath it, Job 15. 35. and their throats (those o∣pen sepulchres swallowed up whole houses (such was their cove∣tousnesse) and that of widows (such was their cruelty) and that under a pretence of long prayers, which was their hypocrisie: for while their lips seemed to pray, they were but chewing that morsell, that murthering 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that made them receive the grea∣ter damnation. Multi in terris 〈◊〉〈◊〉, quod apud inferos digerunt, saith Augustin. Many 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that on earth, that they must digest in hell, where the never-dying worm will feed greedily

upon all such covetous caitiffs, as have the greedy worm under* 1.1 their tongues, and their ill-gotten goods gotten already into their* 1.2 bowels, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 these Pharisees had: which therefore God shall fetch* 1.3 thence again with a 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

Make long 〈◊〉〈◊〉]

God takes not mens praiers by tale, but by weight. He respecteth not the Arithmetike of our praiers, how many they are, nor the Rhetorike of our praiers, how elo∣quent they are, nor the Geometry of our praiers, how long they are, nor the Musick of our praiers, the sweetnesse of our voice, nor the Logick of our praiers, or the method of them, but the divini∣ty of our praiers, is that which he so much esteemeth. He 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not for any James with horny knees through 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in prai∣er: nor for any 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with a century of praiers for the morning, and as many for the evening: but S. Paul his frequency of praying with fervency of spirit, without all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 prolixities and vain bablings; this is it that God maketh most account of. It is not a servants going to and fro, but the dispatch of his busi∣nesse that pleaseth his master. It is not the loudnesse of a preach∣ers voice, but the holinesse of the matter, and the spirit of the preacher, that moveth a wise and intelligent hearer. So here∣not gifts, but graces in praier move the Lord. But these long 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Pharisees were so much the worse, because thereby they sought to entitle God to their sin, yea, they meerly mocked him, fleering in his face.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.2

  Luk. 11. 41.
• * 1.3

  Iob 20. 15.