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 26. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doth them not, &c.]

Which is the greater number of hearers. For most men hear to hear, and not to practise. Some hear meerly of form, or for fashion sake, or to save the penalty of the Statute, or to finde some Recipe to procure a sleep, or to still the clamours of

their consciences, or to make amends and purchase dispensation for some beloved lust, as Herod. Or expecting from the preacher some choice novelty, as 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 3. 8. some deep point, 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 12. 37. or dainty expressions, as Ezek. 33. 32. Or they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Act. 17. 32. Hear and carp, as Doeg; hear and resist the ho∣ly Ghost, Act. 7. Or at least are no whit wrought upon, whe∣ther we pipe or lament to them. Or if they hear and admire, as* 1.1 those. Matth. 22. 22. yet they amend nothing, or but for a sea∣son, as the stony-ground: they are hearers of forgetfulnesse, Jam.* 1.2 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 25. like hour-glasses, they are no sooner full, but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 out a∣gain: like nets or sives, they retain only the chaff or weeds, let go the pure water and good corn. The Word runs 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 water thorow a riven 〈◊〉〈◊〉 (that's the Apostles metaphor, Heb. 2. 1.) or as that which is written upon moist paper, as others* 1.3 will have it. A generall cause of our not practising what we hear, is, that we put this spirituall treasure into broken bags, this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 liquour into leaking 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Whereas our souls should be as the Ark, and our memories, as the pot of Mannah, to retain what we have received, that we may have it ready for 〈◊〉〈◊〉, as Saul had his cruse and spear at his head, and David his scrip and stones ready by his side. A heavy ear is a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 judgement, Isa. 6. 10. but a slow heart, and a heavy hand, to conceive and do what we hear, paves a way to remedilesse misery; besides the fool to boot, which the Judge here putteth upon him.

Shall be likened unto a foolish man.]

And he is a fool indeed whom Christ calleth fool. Conscionable hearers are counted good men (God wot) but simple, silly, and of no parts. But wisdome is justified of her children. To walk precisely, is to walk wisely, 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 5. 15. And he that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and guideth his feet in the way, is wife, Prov, 23. 19. And, Who is a wise man amongst you, and endued with knowledge? Let him shew out of a good conversation his works, &c. Ja. 3. 13. All others are fools, because they fail in the main point of their salvation: they are troubled about many things〈◊〉〈◊〉 but neg∣lect the one thing necessary: they trifle out their precious 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and in hearing or other services, they do worse then lose their labour, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they commit sin, and heap up 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Their house will down, as the spiders house doth, and all their building, plowing, planting sailing, come to nothing.

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 (〈◊〉〈◊〉* 1.4 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,* 1.5 and so judge themselves unworthy of eternal life, and unfit* 1.6 for Gods Kingdom. For the foolish shall not stand in his sight,* 1.7 he hateth all the workers of iniquity. Caleb was not discouraged* 1.8 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

  Mat. 11. 17.
• * 1.2

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

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.4

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 Christia∣nus 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.5

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,
• * 1.6

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 10.
• * 1.7

  Luke 9. 62.
• * 1.8

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 5. 5.