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 33 Ye Serpents]

Serpentum tot sunt venena, quot genera,* 1.1 saith Isidore, tot pernicies, quot species, tot 〈◊〉〈◊〉, qnot colores. See how our Saviour sharps up these 〈◊〉〈◊〉, that, if possi∣ble, they might be made sound in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉. So deals Peter by Si∣mon Magus, Paul by Elymas, many of our Champions by their Popish Antagonists. Before God you are deceivers of the people (said M. Philpot Martyr, to his persecutours) afore God there is no truth in you. And to mocking Morgan, he said, I must tell* 1.2 thee, thou painted wall and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, in the name of the living Lord, that God shall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fire and brimstone upon 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 of his word, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of his people, as thou art. And after∣ward, Thou art but an Asse in the things of God, in that thou kickest against the truth, and art void of all godly understanding.

Thou hast seduced others (said Bonner to Philpot) and madest them rejayce and sing with thee. Yea, my Lord, quoth he, we shall sing when you shall cry, Woe, woe, except ye repent. What an arrogant fool is this (said the Bishop) I will handle* 1.3 thee like an heretike, and that shortly. I fear nothing, I thank God (said the other) that you can do unto me. But God shall destroy such as thou art, and that shortly, as I trust. Likewise* 1.4 to the Bishop of Chichester he spake thus. I perceive you are* 1.5 blinde guides and leaders of the blinde, and therefore, as I am bound to tell you, very hypocrites tvrannously persecuting the truth, which you are not able to disprove. Thus Hilary called Constantius Antichrist, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 devil, because they were Arrians.

Ye generation of vipers]

Quarum morsus insanabilis. Sic 〈◊〉〈◊〉* 1.6 sycophantarum morsum non est remedium. See my Notes on Mat. 3. 7. Vipers teeth are buried in their gums, that one would think they could not bite: so hypocrites.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Lib. 12. cap. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.2

  Act. and Mon. fol. 1653.
• * 1.3

  Ibid. 1654.
• * 1.4

  Ibid 1567.
• * 1.5

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 certè 〈◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊〉 quàm diabolus, quia Arrianus.
• * 1.6

  Plin. l. 11. c. 37.