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 22. The light of the body is the eye, &c.]

Here our 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Saviour illustrateth what he had said before, of laying up, not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 earth, but in heaven, by a fit similitude. Like as the eye is the light of the whole body: so is the minde of the whole man. If* 1.1 therefore thine eye be single, that is, if thy minde be sincere: If 〈◊〉〈◊〉* 1.2 have that one eye of the Spouse in the Canticles, that one heart pro∣mised in the new Covenant, set upon God alone, and not divi∣ded, and as it were cloven asunder (which is to have a heart 〈◊〉〈◊〉* 1.3 a heart) but minding the one thing necessary, as the main; and be not double-minded, or corrupted from the simplicity of Christ; then shall thy whole body, that is, thy whole, both constitution and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be lightsom, diaphanous, transparent, as a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that hath a candle in it, or as a crystall glasse with a light in the midst, which appeareth through every part thereof. There will be an uniformity, aequability, ubiquity and constancy of holinesse run∣ning thorow thy whole course, as the warp doth thorow the* 1.4 woof; when a double-minded man (that hath not cleansed his* 1.5 heart, nor washt his hands of worldly lusts) is unstable and 〈◊〉〈◊〉* 1.6 in all his waies. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy minde, Luk. 10. 27. And with my minde I serve the Law of God, saith Paul, which he acknowledged to be spirituall, though he were carnall in part, sold under sin. The old man is still corrupt* 1.7 according to the deceitfull lusts (which sometimes so 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and beguile the judgement, that a man shall think there is some sense in sinning, and that he hath reason to be mad) but be ye renewed* 1.8 in the spirit of your mindes, in the bosom and bottom of the soul, in the most inward and subtile parts of the soul, and as it were the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of it. Reserve these upper rooms for Christ,

and be not ye conformed to the world (who minde earthly* 1.9 things, and have damnation for their end) but be ye transform∣ed* 1.10 by the renewing of your mindes, that ye may see and prove by good experience (not by a Nationall knowledge only) what that good, and holy, and acceptable will of God is. Concerning the East-gate of that Temple in Ezekiel, Thus saith the Lord;* 1.11 This gate shall be shut, and shall not be opened, and no man shall enter by it, because the Lord God of Israel hath 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by it. Here through signifying, saith a Divine, that although the heart of a Christian, which is the temple of the holy Ghost, may let many things enter into it at other gates, yet must it keep the East-gate, the most il∣luminate and highest power and part of it, continually shut against all men, yea against all the world; and opened only to one thing, I mean to God, who hath already entered into it, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it with his Spirit. That as at the windows of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Ark, there entred in no mist nor water, nothing else but one thing only which is light: so at this East-gate, no mist of humane errours, no water of worldly cares may enter in, but only the light of heaven, and a sanctified desire to be fast knit, and perfectly united by faith and love to God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 4. 9.
• * 1.2

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 19.
• * 1.3

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 Cor. 11. 3.
• * 1.4

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

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 8.
• * 1.6

  Jam. 1 8.
• * 1.7

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 4. 22.
• * 1.8

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 23.
• * 1.9

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 3. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.10

  Rom. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.11

  Ezek. 44. 2.