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 16. Let your light so shine before men.]

We use to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the picture of a dear friend in a conspicuous place, that it may ap∣pear we rejoyce in it, as an ornament to us: so should we the image of Christ and his graces. And as pearls (though formed and found in the water,) are like the heavens in clearnesse: so should all, but especially Ministers: Their faces should shine, as Moses when he came from the mount: their feet should be beautifull, Rom. 10. 15. their mouths (as heaven in the Revelation) should never open but some great matter should follow: their lives should be (as one speaketh of Iosephs life) caelum quoddam lucidissimis vir∣tutum* 1.1 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, a very heaven sparkling with variety of vertues, as with so many bright starres. The High-Priest of the Law came forth to the people, in habit, more like a God then a man: And Alexander the great took him for no lesse, but fell at* 1.2 his feet, meeting him upon his way to Ierusalem. There are that* 1.3 hold, that by his linens, he was taught purity; by his girdle, dis∣cretion;* 1.4 by his embroidered coat, heavenly conversation; by his golden bells, sound doctrine; by his pomegranates, fruitfullnesse in good works; by his shoulder-peeces, patience in bearing other mens infirmities; by his brest-plate, continuall care of the* 1.5

Church; by his mitre, a right intention; and by the golden plate upon it, a bold and wise profession of Holinesse to the Lord. The Apostle also is exact, in forming a minister of the Gospel: For he* 1.6 must be 1. Blamelesse, such as against whom no just exception can* 1.7 be laid. 2. Vigilant, pale and wan again with watching aud work∣ing. 3. Sober, or temperate, one that can contain his passions,* 1.8 master his own heart, and keep a mean. 4. Modest, neat and* 1.9 comely in his bodily attire, neither curious nor carelesse thereof, but venerable in all his behaviour; and one that keepeth a fit de∣corum in all things. 5. Hospitall and harberous. Quicquid ha∣bent* 1.10 Clerici, pauperum est, saith Hierome. 6. Able and apt to* 1.11 teach, as Bishop 〈◊〉〈◊〉, D^r Taylour, and M^r Bradford; who* 1.12 preached every sunday and holyday ordinarily: and as 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Origen and some others, who preached every day in the week. 7. Not given to wine, no Ale-stake, as those drunken* 1.13 Priests the two sonnes of Aaron, who died by the fire of God, for* 1.14 coming before him with strange fire. 8. No striker: neither* 1.15 with hand nor tongue, to the just grief or disgrace of any. 9. Not greedy of filthy lucre, so as to get gain by evil arts; but honest, plain-dealing, and (as it follows in the text) patient, or aequani∣mous: easily parting 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his right, for peace sake, and ever pre∣ferring* 1.16 equity before extremity of Law. 10. Not a brawler, or* 1.17 common barretter, a wrangler, as Ismael. 11. Not covetous: not* 1.18 doating on his wealth, or trusting to his wedge. Not without mo∣ney, but without the love of money. The Apostle here distingui∣sheth, greedy of filthy lucre, which is in getting, from 〈◊〉〈◊〉 which consists in pinching, and saving. 12. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that ruleth well* 1.19 in his own house, &c. For the childrens faults 〈◊〉〈◊〉 upon the pa∣rents, and the servants sinne is the masters shame. Besides, every man is that in religion, that he is relatively; and so much true goodnesse he hath, as he sheweth at home. 13. Not a novice, a young scholar, rude and ungrounded: or a tender-young plant in* 1.20 Christianity (as the word signifieth) that may be bent any way: but a well-grown oak, stable and steddy. 14. Lastly, he must have* 1.21 a good report of them which are without; which he cannot but have, if qualified, as above-said. The same God which did at first put an awe of man in the fiercest creatures, hath stampt in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hearts an awfull respect to his faithfull Ministers: so as even they that hate them, cannot 〈◊〉〈◊〉 but honour them, as Saul did Samuel; Darius Daniel; Nebuchadnezzar the three Worthies.

Naturall conscience cannot but stoop and do homage to Gods image fairly stampt upon the natures and works of his people. So that when men see in such that which is above the ordinary strain, and their own expectation, their hearts ake within them, many times; and they stand much amazed at the height of their spirits, and the majesty that shines in their faces. Either they are convin∣ced, as Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, and Diocletian (who laid down the Empire, out of a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 discontent and dispair of ever conquer∣ing the constancy of Christians by any bloudy persecution:) or (which is better) they are converted, and seeing such good works, they glorifie God our heavenly father, as Justine Martyr, who* 1.22 confesseth of himself, that by beholding the Christians piety in life, and patience in death, he gathered their doctrine to be the truth, and glorified God in the day of his visitation. For there is no Chri∣stian (saith Athanagoras in his Apology to the Heathens,) that is* 1.23 not good, unlesse 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be an hypocrite, and a pretender only to reli∣gion. Verè magnus est Deus Christianorum, said one Caloce∣rius a Heathen, beholding the sufferings of the Primitive Martyrs. And it is reported of one Cecilia a Virgin, that by her constancy and exhorations, before, and at her martyrdom, four hundred were converted. Chrysostom calls good works unanswerable syllo∣gisines, invincible demonstrations to confute and convert Pagans. Julian the Apostate could not but confesse, quòd Christiana reli∣gio propter Christianorum erga omnes beneficentiam 〈◊〉〈◊〉 est: Christian religion spread by the holinesse of those that profes∣sed it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.2

  Os 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Deo 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.3

  Virg.
• * 1.4

  〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.5

  D. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.6

  1 Tim. 3. 2, 3, 4. expounded.
• * 1.7

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

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.9

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.10

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.11

  Hier. ad 〈◊〉〈◊〉 PP.
• * 1.12

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.13

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.14

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 10. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.15

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.16

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.17

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.18

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 5 cap. 10. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.19

  So 1 Cor. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 10.
• * 1.20

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,
• * 1.21

  ver. 7.
• * 1.22

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 133.
• * 1.23

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Apolog.