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.

Which built his house upon the sand.]

Wherefore it soon sinks and shatters, as having not the loose earth thrown up first, by the

practice of mortification and self- deniall. Men should first sit down, and cast what it would cost them to build the tower of godlinesse, or ere they leap into profession. They should put their hearts often to those grand questions of abnegation. Can I (as all must, that will be Christs Disciples) deny my self in all my selves (for a man hath many selves within himself, and must ut∣terly and absolutely deny them all) take up my daily crosse (〈◊〉〈◊〉* 1.1 every Christian is a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or crosse-bearer, saith Luther: the rain will fall, the flouds flow, the windes blow, and beat upon his building, he shall have many trials and temptations, that looks toward heaven, troubles without, terrours within, his back-burden of both) and follow Christ thorow thick and thin, by doing and suffering his whole will? Many will follow Christ in such duties as sute with their humours, and no further, as the rusty hand of a diall; they will break the hedge of his Law, to shun a piece of foul way: They follow Christ, as the dog follows his 〈◊〉〈◊〉, till he come by a carrion, and then he turns him up. Or∣pha made a fair proffer of going along with Naomi, but when she had better considered it, she turned again. Lots wife set fair out of Sodom, but looked back. So do many forward hearers set their hands to Gods plough, but (loth to plough up the fallow 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of their hearts, and to lay a good foundation in humiliation.) they start aside like broken bowes, and steal away, like cowardly soul∣diers,* 1.2 and so judge themselves unworthy of eternal life, and unfit* 1.3 for Gods Kingdom. For the foolish shall not stand in his sight,* 1.4 he hateth all the workers of iniquity. Caleb was not discouraged* 1.5 by the Giants, therefore he had Hebron given him, the place of the Giants, when the spies and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 were never suffered to enter: No more shall they that hold not out to the death, obtain the crown of life.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 Christia∣nus 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,
• * 1.3

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 10.
• * 1.4

  Luke 9. 62.
• * 1.5

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 5. 5.