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 6. And he saith unto him.]

The devil usually tempteth by speech, inward or outward. Senarclaeus telleth of a plain Countrey-man at Friburg in Germany, that lying on his death∣bed, the devil came to him in the shape of a tall, terrible man, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his soul, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Thou hast been a notorious sinner, and I am come to set down all thy sins: And therewith he drew out 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and sate down at a Table that stood by, and began

to write. The sick man answered, My soul is Gods, and all my sins are nailed to the crosse of Christ. But if thou desire to set down my sins, write thus, All our righteousnesses are as a filthy rag, &c. The devil set down that, and bad him say on: He did: But thou, Lord, hast promised, for thine own sake to blot out our iniquities, and to make our searlet sins white as snow. The devil passed by those words, and was earnest with him to goe on in his former argument. The sick man said with great 〈◊〉〈◊〉, The sonne of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil. With that the devil vanished, and the sick man de∣parted.

If thou be the Son of God, cast thy self, &c.]

This is the devils Lo∣gick,* 1.1 to argue from 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to liberty, to doe wickedly with both hands earnestly. Wheras the Heathen could say; In maxima libertate* 1.2 minima licentia. And the Father, Ideò deteriores sumus, quia meliores esse debemus: Therefore are we worse, because we ought to be bet∣ter. Remember but this, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 art sonne to a King (said one to Antigonus) and that will 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thee from base courses.* 1.3 Take thou those spoils to thy self (said Themistocles to his friend* 1.4 that followed him) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, for thou art not Themi∣stocles, as I am: they are poor things, farre below me. Shall* 1.5 such a man as I flee? Shall I doe any thing to the dishonour of my* 1.6 heavenly father? and therefore sin, because grace hath abounded? That is not the guise of any of Gods children. They walk honest∣ly,* 1.7 bravely, gallantly, worthy of God, who hath done so great things for them. The more 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the more engagements. Scipio, when a harlot was offered unto him, said, Vellem, si non essem Imperator. It was an aggravation of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fall of Solomon, that* 1.8 God had appeared unto him twice; and of Saul, That he fell, as if he* 1.9 had not been anointed: So it is of any of Gods Saints, to sin, as if they had not been adopted.

Cast thy self down.]

Here our Saviour is tempted to self-mur∣der, by an old man-slater. And when Moses, Elias, Jonas, and others of the best sort of Saints were in a fit of discontent, and grew weary of their lives, wishing for death, Divines doubt not but Satan gave a push at them with his ten horns, to dispatch, and ease 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the present trouble, by cutting off their own daies. A dangerous and hideous temptation; yet such as may be all the best, and few scape it that live out their time. But in all the book of God, we read not of

any of the generation of the just, that ever did it. That God who kept them, will (if we look up to him) doe as much* 1.10 for us. Only we must set against this bloudy temptation with Gods 〈◊〉〈◊〉 me, and with Gods armour. The word and prayer are the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and power of God, and (by his might) doe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all the fiery darts of the devil. Op∣pose the commination to the temptation. Herein Eve faultred (in her, lest ye die, though she held the precept) and so fell.

For it is written.]

A vile abuse of sacred Scripture, to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thereby to 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for it: yet what more or∣dinary* 1.11 with men of corrupt mindes and reprobate concerning the* 1.12 saith, Quicaedem 〈◊〉〈◊〉 saciunt ad materiam suam, as Ter∣tullian speaketh: who 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Scriptures to serve their own purposes? But of this more elsewhere.

He shall give his Angels charge over thee.]

Hitherto the old liar speaketh truth. But, Satan etsi semel videatur ve∣rax, millies est mendax, & semper fallax, saith one. Satan* 1.13 though he may sometimes seem a true-speaker, yet he is a thousand times for it a liar, and alwaies a deceiver. Because our Saviour had alledged Scripture, he also would doe the like, in a perverse, apish imitation, but marres the masculine* 1.14 〈◊〉〈◊〉, by clipping off that clause, They shall keep thee in all thy 〈◊〉〈◊〉; that is, in those courses that are appointed thee by God. But as the Israelites in the wildernesse, when they went out of Gods precincts, were out of his protection: So are all others. As a bird that wandereth from the nest; so* 1.15 is a man that wandereth from his own place, saith Solomon.* 1.16 God made a Law that none should molest a bird upon her nest. Doth God take eare of birds? A King undertaketh the safety of his Subjects, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they travell within due hours, and keep the Kings high-way, else not: so doth God. He hath given his Angels charge over us, whiles we hold his way, which is like Jacobs ladder, where the Angels were ascending and descending. Oh the dignity and safety of a Saint, in a guard so full of state and strength! Well might David (after he had said, The angel of the Lord pitcheth his tent* 1.17 〈◊〉〈◊〉 about them that fear him) presently subjoyn. Taste and see how gracious the Lord is, in allowing his children so glorious an 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

And with their hands they shall lift thee up, lest, &c.]

As Pa∣rents* 1.18 use to lift their little ones over rough and foul waies: Or, as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in an house love to get up into their arms their young master. In Christ and for Christ, they count it their greatest glory, to doe us any good office for soul or body: they save us from the foul fiends, that else would worry us. These walk a∣bout as Lions to 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 us, whiles alive, and to hinder our pas∣sage to heaven, when we die: the other, as guardians, to keep us here, and to convey and conduct us thorow the devils ter∣ritories (who is Prince of the air) when we goe hence to hea∣ven,* 1.19 in despite of the 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 that would intercept us, Dan. 10. 21.

Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone]

Oh the tender care of our heavenly 〈◊〉〈◊〉! He is so kinde, and (in the best sense) fond o∣ver his little ones, that he cannot abide the cold winde should How upon them (as we 〈◊〉〈◊〉) and hath therefore commanded, That the Sun shall not smite them by day, nor the Moon by night, yea,* 1.20 which way soever the winde sit, it must blow good to his. Arise,* 1.21 O North, and blow, O South, upon my Beloved, that her spices may flow forth. What so contrary as North and South-winde, cold and hot, moist and dry, &c? Yet both must blow good to Gods beloved. Well might God 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his love above that of naturall Parents, which yet is wonderous great, saith the Psalm∣ist, Psal. 103. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mica. 7. 3.
• * 1.2

  Salvian.
• * 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.4

  Plat.
• * 1.5

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 6 11.
• * 1.6

  Rom. 6. 1.
• * 1.7

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c.
• * 1.8

  1 King. 11. 9.
• * 1.9

  2 Sam. 1. 21.
• * 1.10

  Psal 73.
• * 1.11

  2 Tim. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 8.
• * 1.12

  〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉. 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 my 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the divinity of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, The true 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉
• * 1.13

  〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.14

  In 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, non in 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.15

  Prov. 27. 8.
• * 1.16

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 6.
• * 1.17

  Psal. 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 8.
• * 1.18

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, In 〈◊〉〈◊〉: duct a ab iu, significa∣tionis origine, qui 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ali∣quod 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 in hu∣meros. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.19

  Luk. 16. 22.
• * 1.20

  Psal. 121 6.
• * 1.21

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 4. 16.