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 7. But when ye 〈◊〉〈◊〉, use not vain repetitions]

Babble not: bubble not, saith the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, as water out of a narrow-〈◊〉〈◊〉 vessel. Doe not iterate or inculcate the same things-〈◊〉〈◊〉 & ad nauseam, as Solomons fool, who is full of words (saith he:) and this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in his vain 〈◊〉〈◊〉. A man 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not tell what shall be, and what shall be after him 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉? Such a one also was that Battus (to whom the 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 hath relation,) an egregious babbler. In common 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a signe of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, to lay on more words upon a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 then 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉: how much more in prayer? Take we 〈◊〉〈◊〉 we 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not the sacrifice of fools, God hath no need of 〈◊〉〈◊〉,

1 Sam. 21. 15. with Psal. 5. 5. He is in heaven, and thou upon earth, therefore let thy words be few, Eccles. 5. 2. Prayers move God, not as an Oratour moves his hearers, but as a childe his fa∣ther, (your Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things, ver. 8.) Now a childe is not to chat to his father, but to deliver his minde, humbly, earnestly, in few, direct to the point. S. Peter 〈◊〉〈◊〉 have men to be sober in prayer, that is, to pray with due respect to Gods dreadfull majesty, without trifling or vain babling. He that is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in spirit, prayes much, though he speak little, as the Publican, Luk. 18. and Elias, 1 King. 20. 36. But as a body without a soul, much wood without fire, a bullet in a gun without powder; so are words in prayer without spirit. Now long prayers can hardly maintain their vigour: as in tall bo∣dies, the spirits are diffused. The strongest hand long extended will languish, as Moses hand slacked against Amalec: Its a praise pro∣per to God, to have his hand stretcht out still. Our infirmity suf∣fers not any long intention of body or minde. Our devotion will soon lag and hang the wing: others also that join with us, may be tired out, and made to sinne by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and wandrings. In se∣cret indeed, and in extraordinary prayer with solemn fasting; or so, when the heart is extraordinarily enlarged, our prayers may and must be like wise. Solomon prayed long at the dedication of the Temple, so did those godly Levites, Neh. 9. Our Saviour prayed all night sometimes, and rising up a great while before day, he went apart and prayed, Mar. 1. 35. Of Luther it is reported, that he spent constantly three houres a day in prayer, and three of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 houres, and fittest for study. It was the saying of a grave and godly Divine, that he profited in the knowledge of the word, more by prayer in a short space, then by study in a longer. That which our Saviour condemneth, is needlesse and heartlesse repetitions, un∣necessary digressions, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 prolixities, proceeding not from heat of affection, or strength of desire (for so, the repetition of the self-same petition, is not only lawfull, but usefull. See Psal. 142. 1. and 130. 6.) but either out of ostentation of devotion, as Pharisees, or opinion of being heard the sooner, as Heathens, when mens words exceed their matter, or both words and matter exceed their attention and affection. See that these be matches, and then pray and spare not.

For they thinke they shall be heard for their much speaking]

As Orpheus, in his hymnes, and other Pagans: calling, as the Ma∣riners

in Jonah, every man upon his God: and, lest they should not hit the right, closing their petitions with that Dij{que} Deae{que} omnes. And as this was the folly and fault of Pagans, so is it also still of the Papists, whom the holy Ghost calleth Heathens, with whom they 〈◊〉〈◊〉, as in many things else, so in their Battologies or vain repetitions: which are so grosse, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the devil himself (had he any shame in him.) might well be a shamed of them. In their Jesus-〈◊〉〈◊〉 (as they call it) there are fifteen of these prayers, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Iesu, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 have mercy on me. Iesu, Iesu, Iesu help me. Iesu, Iesu give me here my purgatory. Every of which petitions are to be ten 〈◊〉〈◊〉 times at once said over for a task. So on their Church and Colledge-doors, the English fugitives have written in great golden letters, Iesu, Iesu, converte Angliam, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉. These be their weapons, they say, prayers and tears. But the truth is, the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 (the Popes bloud-hounds) trust more to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, then to their prayers: like vultures, whose nests, as Aristotle saith, cannot be found, yet they will leave all games to follow an Ar∣my, because they delight to feed upon carrion. Their faction is a most 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sharp sword, whose blade is sheathed, at pleasure, in the bowels of every Common-wealth, but the handle reacheth to Rome and Spain: They strive under pretence of long prayers, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sanctity (〈◊〉〈◊〉 is double iniquity) to subdue all to the Pope, and the Pope to themselves. Satan, they say, sent Luther, and God sent them to withstand him. But that which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 said of chariots armed with sithes and hooks, will be every day more and more applied to the Jesuits: at first they were a terrour, afterward a scorn.

Notes

• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 10 14. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sub 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊〉.
• 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉. 4. 7.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 12.
• 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 dies 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ut minimum tres horas, 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 aptissimas, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 orationem 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Vitus
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. in 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Me∣lanchthonem. Wilsons The∣ol. Rules.
• Dan. 9. 17, 18. Mar. 14. 39.
• 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉. lib. 1.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• 〈◊◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊◊〉.
• 〈◊◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊◊〉.
• 〈◊◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊◊〉.
• 〈◊◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊◊〉.
• 〈◊◊◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊◊◊〉.
• Lib. 1. cap. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.