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 28. But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a wo∣man* 1.1 to lust after her.]

Lusting is oft the fruit of looking; as in Josephs mistresse, who set her eyes upon Joseph, and David, who* 1.2 law Bathsheba bathing: lust is quicksighted. How much better Job, who would not look, lest he should thinke upon a maid? And* 1.3 Nazianzen, who had learned (and he glories in it) to keep in his eyes from roving to wonton prospects. And the like is reported of that heavenly spark, the young L. Harrington: whereas those that have eyes full of adultery, cannot cease to sin, saith S^t Peter.* 1.4 And facti crimina lumen habet, saith another. Sampsons eyes were the first offenders that betrayed him to lust, therefore are they* 1.5 first pulled out, and he led a blinde captive to Gaza, where before* 1.6 he had lustfully gazed on his Dalilah. It is true, the blindenesse of* 1.7 his body opened the eyes of his minde. But how many thousands are there that die of the wound in the eye: Physicians reckon 200 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that belong to it: but none like this. for by these loop∣holes of lust and windows of wickednesse, the devil windeth him∣self* 1.8 into the soul. Death entreth in by these windows, as the Fa∣thers* 1.9 * 1.10 apply that text in leremie. The eye is the light of the body, saith our Saviour, and yet by our abuse, this most lightsome part of the body draweth many times the whole soul into utter darknesse. Nothing, I dare say, so much enricheth hell, as beautifull faces: whiles a mans eye-beams, beating upon that beauty, reflect with a new heat upon himself. Ut uidi, ut perij? Looking and lusting dif∣fer (in Greek) but in one letter. When one seemed to pity a one∣eyed

man, he told him he had lost one of his enemies, a very thief* 1.11 that would have stolen away his heart: Democritus (but in that no wise man) pulled out his eyes. And the Pharisee (little wiser.)* 1.12 would shut his eyes when he walked abroad, to avoid the sight of women: insomuch that he often dashed his head against the* 1.13 walls, that the bloud gushed out, and was therefore called 〈◊〉〈◊〉 impingens. How much better, and with greater commenda∣tion hid these men taken our Saviours counsel in the following verses?

Notes

• * 1.1

  I Cor. 7 2.
• * 1.2

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 in cum oculos, Gen. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.3

  〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 Mo ses, vidit, 〈◊〉〈◊〉: sed 〈◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊〉 Pa∣reus.
• * 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.5

  Niz a z.
• * 1.6

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 Pet 2. 1 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.7

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the whore, as if she sate in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 eye.
• * 1.8

  〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.9

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

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 fibi eruit, quod 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sine 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 non possit. Sed nihil 〈◊〉〈◊〉 se∣cir quam quod
• * 1.11

  satuitatem su∣am urbi mani∣sestam 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.12

  Tertullian in 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.13

  Volupt atem vi∣cisse 〈◊〉〈◊〉 olupt as est maxima, nec ulla major est victoria, quam ea que à cupi∣ditatibus re er∣tur. Cypr. de bon. pud.