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 33. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his 〈◊〉〈◊〉.]

That, as the end, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, as the means: for grace is the way to glory, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to happinesse. If men be not 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 no heaven to be had; as if they be, they shall have heaven and earth too: for 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 the promise of both lives; and godly men, in Scripture, (Abraham, Job, David, others) were 〈◊〉〈◊〉 then any: and so men might be now, if they would be as* 1.1 godly. The good God had furnished Constantine the great with so many outward blessings, as scarce any man durst ever have de∣sired, saith S. Austin. He sought Gods Kingdom first, and there∣fore other things sought him: and so they would do us, did we 〈◊〉〈◊〉 run the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 method. Riches and honours, delights and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and length of daies, seed and posterity are all entail∣ed upon 〈◊〉〈◊〉. The wicked, In the fulnesse of his sufficiency is 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, Job 20. 22. when the godly in the fulnesse of their* 1.2 straights are in all-sufficiency. Oh who would not then turn spi∣rituall* 1.3 * 1.4 purchaser, and with all his gettings, get godlinesse? Seek* 1.5 ye first the Kingdom of God, saith Divinity; Seek ye first the

good things of the minde, saith Philosophy, Caetera aut aderunt,* 1.6 〈◊〉〈◊〉 certè non oberunt. But our 〈◊〉〈◊〉 over-valuing of earthly things, and underprizing of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, is that that maketh us so 〈◊〉〈◊〉 carefull in the one, and so wretchlesly affected in the other. The lean kine eat up the fat, and it is nothing seen by them. The strength of the ground is so spent in nourishing weeds, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or corn of little worth, that the good 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is pulled down; choaked or 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Earthly 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sucketh the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of grace from the heart, as the Ivy doth from the Oak, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Correct therefore this ill humour, this choak∣weed: cast away this clog, this thick clay, that makes us like 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 woman in the Gospel, that 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 of a spirit 〈◊〉〈◊〉 years could not look up to heaven. And learn to covet* 1.7 〈◊〉〈◊〉 things, labour for the meat that perisheth not. Lay hold 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 life, what 〈◊〉〈◊〉 you let go. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 things are, Nec vera, nec vestra, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and momentary, mixt and infected with care in getting, fear in keeping, grief in losing: 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 are insufficient and unsatisfactory, and many times prove 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of vice, and hinderances from heaven. Spirituall things* 1.8 on the other side, are solid and substantiall, serving to a life that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 supernaturall and supernall. They are also certain and durable, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 prodi, nec perdi, nec eripi, nec surripi possunt. They are sound* 1.9 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, a continuall feast, 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, or the least 〈◊〉〈◊〉; they serve to and satisfie the soul; as being the gain* 1.10 of earth and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and of him that filleth both. Seek ye therefore first, &c. Our Saviour, in his praier, gives us but one petition for temporals, five for spirituals, to teach us this 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Scipio went first to the Capitoll, and then to the Se∣nate,* 1.11 &c.* 1.12

And all these things shall be addod unto you.]

They shall be cast in as an over-plus, or as those smal advantages to the main bargain, as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and pack-threed is given, where we buy spice & fruit, 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 bargain. These follow Gods Kingdom, as the black guard do the Court, or as all the revenue and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 doth some great Lady, that one 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wedded. The night of Popery shall shame such as think much of the time that is spent with and for God: for in their 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 they were wont to say, Masse and meat hinders no mans 〈◊〉〈◊〉. It would be a great 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of minde, if the King should say to us for our selves, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 same that David did to Mephibosheth, Fear not, for I will surely shew thee kindenesse, and thou shalt surely eat bread at* 1.13

my table continually: Or if he should say to us for our children, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 David did to Barzillas the Gileadite concerning 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 shall goe over with me, and I will doe to him that which 〈◊〉〈◊〉* 1.14 seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou shalt require of me, 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 I doe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thee; Hath not God said as much here as all this, and shall we not trust and serve him, cleave to him, and rest on him without fear or distraction?

Notes

• * 1.1

  Bonus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Constant. mag. 〈◊◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊◊〉.
• * 1.2

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 3. 16, 17.
• * 1.3

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 28.
• * 1.4

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 2, 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.5

  〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 animi.
• * 1.6

  〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.7

  Luk. 13. 11.
• * 1.8

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 facit 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉.
• * 1.9

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

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.11

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 26.
• * 1.12

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. l. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. c. 1.
• * 1.13

  1 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 9 7.
• * 1.14

  〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉.