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.

But by every word &c.]

That is, by any thing else besides bread, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 soever God 〈◊〉〈◊〉 think good, whatsoever he shall appoint and give power unto, to be nourishment. Therefore if bread 〈◊〉〈◊〉, feed on faith, Psal. 37. 3. So Junius reads that text. Jehosa∣phat* 1.1 found it soveraign, when all other help failed him. And the* 1.2 captive Jews lived by faith, when they had little else to live upon, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a good living of it, Habak. 2. 4. To this Text the Jews seem to allude in that fiction of theirs, that Habakkuk was carried by the hair of rhe head, by an Angel into Babylon, to carry a din∣ner* 1.3 to Daniel in the den. It was by faith that he stopped the mouths of Lions, and obtained promises, Heb. 11. 33. And by faith that she answered the pers cutours, If you take away my meat, I trust God 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 away my stomack. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 made the ravens feed Elias that were more likely (in that famine) to have fed upon his dead car case: and, another time caused him to go fourty daies in the strength of one meal. Merlyn was nourished a fortnight toge∣ther

with one egg a day, laid by a hen that came constantly to* 1.4 that hay-mow, where he lay hid, during the massacre of Paris. And who hath not read or heard, how by a miracle of his mercy, God relieved Rochel in a strait siege, by an innumerable company of fishes cast in upon them? Faith fears no famine: and although it be but small in substance and in shew (as the Manna was) yet is it great in vertue and operation. The Rabbins say, that Man∣na had all manner of good tastes in it: So hath faith. It drinke to a man in a cup of Nepenthes, and bids him be of good chear, God will provide for him. The Bishop of Norwich kept Robert Samuel, Martyr, without meat and drink; whereby he was un∣mercifully vext, saving that he had every day allowed him two or three morsels of bread, and three spoonfuls of water, to the end he might be reserved to further torment. How oft would he have drunk his own water? But his body was so dried up with long 〈◊〉〈◊〉, that he was not able to make 〈◊〉〈◊〉 drop of water. After he had been famished with hunger two or three 〈◊〉〈◊〉 toge∣ther, he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 into a sleep, as it were one half in a 〈◊〉〈◊〉. At which time one cloathed in white, seemed to stand before him, which ministred comfort unto him by these words, Samuel, Samuel, be of good chear, and take a good heart unto thee: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 after* 1.5 this day, thou shalt never be either hungry or thirsty: For speedily 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this, he was burned: and from that time, till he should suf∣fer, he felt neither hunger nor thirst. And this declared he, to the end, as he said, that all men might behold the wonderfull work of God. He likes not to be tied to the second ordinary cau∣ses, nor that (in defect of the means) we should doubt of his providence. It's true, he commonly worketh by them, when he could doe without: that we may not neglect the means, as being ordained of him. (David shall have victory, but by an am∣bush, 2 Sam. 5. 19 - 24. Men shall be nourished, but by their la∣bour, Psal. 128. 2,) But yet so, as that he doth all in all by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 means (he made grasse, corn and trees, before he made the Sunne, Moon and starres, by the influence whereof they are and grow.) Yea to shew himself chief, he can and doth work (other whiles) without means, 2 Chron. 14. 11. and against means, suspending the power and operation of the naturall causes; as when the fire burnt not, the water drowned not, the Sunne went back ten de∣grees, the rock gave water, the iron swam, &c. And then when he works by means, he can make them produce an effect diverse

from their nature and disposition, or can hinder, change or miti∣gate* 1.6 their proper effect; as when at the prayer of Elias it rained not for three years and a half: And he praied again, and the hea∣ven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruits. A man would have thought that after so long drought, the roots of trees and herbs should have been utterly dried up, and the land past re∣covery,* 1.7 But God heard the heavens (petitioning to him, that they might exercise their influence for the fructifying of the earth) and the Heavens heard the earth, and the earth heard the corn, the wine and the oil, and they heard Jezreel. Let all this keep us, as it did our Saviour here, from diffidence in Gods providence; and make us possesse our souls in patience, Luk. 21. Hang upon the pro∣mise, and account it as good as present pay, though we see not how it can be effected. God loves to goe away by himself, He knows how to deliver his, saith S. Peter, 2 Epist. 2. 9. and he might speak it by experience, Act. 12. 9. if ever any man might. The King shall rejoyce in God, saith David of himself, when he was a poor 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the wildernesse of Judah, Psal. 63. 11. But he had Gods word for the Kingdome, and therefore he was confident, seemed the thing never so improbable or impossible. We trust a skilfull work-man to go his own way to work: shall we not God? In 〈◊〉〈◊〉 6. year of the reign of Darius Nothus was the temple fully finished. That sacred work which the husband and sonne of an Esther 〈◊〉〈◊〉, shall be happily accomplished by a bastard. The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thought that Moses should presently have delivered them, and he himself thought as much, and therefore began 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his time, to doe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 upon the AEgyptian, whom he slew and hid in the sand. But we see, God went another way to work: He sent Moses into a farre countrey, and the bondage was for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 years 〈◊〉〈◊〉 exceedingly encreased upon them; yet all* 1.8 this to humble and try them, and to doe them good in their later end. He crosseth many times our likeliest projects, and gives a bles∣sing 〈◊〉〈◊〉 those times and means, whereof we despair. He breaks in pieces the ship that we think should bring us to shore, but casts us upon such boards as we did not expect. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 we then any particular means (saith one) it is but the scattering of a 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the breaking of a bucket, when the Sunne and the fountain is the 〈◊〉〈◊〉. But we 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the most part 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as Hagar did: when the bottle was spent, she fals a crying, she was undone, she and her childe should die: till the Lord opened her eyes to see the fount∣ain.

It was neer her, but she saw it not: when she saw it, she* 1.9 was well enough. If thou hadst been here (said Martha) my bro∣ther Lazarus had not died. As if Christ could not have kept him alive, unlesse he had been present. So if Christ will come and lay his hands on Iairus his daughter, and Elisha stroke his hand over* 1.10 Naamans leprosie, they shall be cured. So the Disciples believed* 1.11 that Christ could feed so many thousands in the wildernesse, but* 1.12 then he must have two hundred peny worth of bread. But our Saviour gave them, soon 〈◊〉〈◊〉, an ocular demonstration of this truth, That man liveth not by bread alone, &c. Dan. 11. 34 They shall be holpen with a little help. Why a little? that through weaker means we may see Gods greater strength.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉
• * 1.2

  1 Chron. 10. 6.
• * 1.3

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Jer. 33. Eliz 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 1 King. 19. 8. 〈◊〉〈◊〉-Chro nicle.
• * 1.4

  Charissima 〈◊〉〈◊〉 per 〈◊〉〈◊〉 saut author quae preciosa 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 non, 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.5

  Acts and Mon∣sol 15 17.
• * 1.6

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 5. 17. 18.
• * 1.7

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 2. 21.
• * 1.8

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 8. 2.
• * 1.9

  D Preston
• * 1.10

  Mar. 5 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.11

  〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 11.
• * 1.12

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 37.