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.

For it is Gods throne.]

We must not conceive that God is* 1.1 * 1.2 commensurable by a place, as if he were partly here and partly* 1.3 there, but he is every where all-present. The heavens have a large place, yet 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they one part here, and another there, but the Lord is totally present wheresoever present. Heaven therefore is said to be his throne, and he said to inhabit it, Isa. 66 1. not as if* 1.4 he were confined to it, as Aristotle and those Atheists in Iob con∣ceited* 1.5 it, but because there he is pleased to manifest the most glo∣rious and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 signs of his presence; and there in a speciall man∣ner he is enjoyed and worshipped by the crowned 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and glo∣rious Angels, &c. Here we see but as in a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 obscurely, his toe, traine, back-parts, foot-stool. No man can 〈◊〉〈◊〉 more and live: 〈◊〉〈◊〉* 1.6 man need see more here, that he may live for ever. But there we* 1.7 shall see as we are seen, know as we are known, see him face to* 1.8 face. Oh how should this fire up our dull hearts, with all earnest∣nesse* 1.9 * 1.10 and intention of indeared affection, to long, lust, pant, faint after the beatificall vision! How should we daily lift up our hearts and hands to God in the heavens, that he would 〈◊〉〈◊〉 from heaven and save us: send his 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 deliverance 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Sion: yea, that himself would 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the heavens and come down, and fetch us home upon the clouds of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, as himself ascended; that when we awake we may be full of his image; and as we have born the image of the earthly, so we may bear the i∣mage of the heavenly? S^t Paul, after he had once seen God in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 throne, being rapt up into the third heaven; (like the bird of paradise) he never left groaning out, Cupio dissolvi, I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, which is farre farre the bet∣ter. And Pareus a little afore his death uttered this Swan-like* 1.11 Song,

Discupio solvi, tecum{que}, ô Christe, manere:* 1.12 Portio fac regni sim quotacun{que} 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Oh that I Were in heaven! Oh that I might Be ever With the Lord! ô blisse full plight!

Thus must our broken spirits even spend, and exhale themselves in* 1.13 continuall sallies, as it were, and egressions of thoughts, wishings and longings after God, affecting not only a union, but a unity with him. S^t Austin wished that he might have seen three things, Ro∣mam in flore, Paulum in ore, & Christum in corpore: Rome* 1.14 flourishing, Paul discoursing, and Christ living upon the earth. But I had rather wish, with venerable Bede, My soul desirēth to see* 1.15 Christ my King upon his throne, and in his majesty.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 &c.
• * 1.2

  〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.3

  D 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Gods 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.4

  b 22 14.
• * 1.5

  〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 Dei ad 〈◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊〉, 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉.
• * 1.6

  〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉. 13.
• * 1.7

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 6. 1.
• * 1.8

  Exod. 33. 13.
• * 1.9

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 60 1.
• * 1.10

  1 Cor. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.11

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 de Ani∣malth
• * 1.12

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 A 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that, 3 Cor. 4. 17
• * 1.13

  Mî fine 〈◊〉〈◊〉 diem, vitam fi∣ne morte qui etam
• * 1.14

  Det 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fine 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Deus.
• * 1.15

  〈◊◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊◊〉