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.

CHAP. VII.

Verse 2. They found fault]

THey mumped at it, as we say: they dispraised, accused, com∣plained.* 1.1 Vituperant homines quam collaudant promptius, saith one: Another being demanded, what was the easiest thing in the world? answered, To find fault with another. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, saith a Third: It is easier to find a fault, then to mend it.

Verse 3. Except they wash their hands oft]

Or up to the El∣bow, or with utmost diligence. The Pharisees deemed it as great* 1.2 a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to eate with unwashen 〈◊〉〈◊〉, as to commit fornication. Do not our Modern Pharisees the Papists as much? Fornication* 1.3 is a mony matter with them: but to eate an Egge in Lent, or the like, a deadly sin. You may see them sometimes in Italy go a∣long the streets with a great rope about their necks, as if they were dropped down from the gallowes. And sometimes they wear a sawsedge or a swines-pudding in place of a silver or gold chain.* 1.4 Is not this sufficient to deserve heaven by?

Verse 4. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Cups]

Gr. Baptismes. The Pharisees* 1.5 were great washers of the out-side. Whence Justin Martyr calls* 1.6 them Baptists, by a peculiar Epithite.

Verse 5, 6.]

See the Note on Matt. 15. 2, 3.

Verse 8. Yee hold the tradition of men]

Gr. With tooth and* 1.7 naile ye hold it, Mordicus retinetis, as if on that hinge hung all your happinesse.

Verse 9. Full well ye reject]

q. d. Its finely done of you, is* 1.8 it not? Ironicè; yeare wise men therewhile: This was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to other masterships. Sapientes sapienter in infernum 〈◊〉〈◊〉, saith a Father. The worlds wizards have not wit enough to escape hell.

Verse 12. Ye suffer him]

i. e. Ye license him to deny his Pa∣rents any further succour.

Verse 14. Called all the people]

For he saw there was no good to be done upon the Pharisees, and that he did but wash a tile∣stone, or a Blackmoore: he turns him therefore to the common∣sort. Pearls must not be cast to pigs.

Verse 15, 16, &c.]

See the Note on Matt. 15. 11.

Verse 19. And goeth out into the draught]

Or into the long* 1.9 and lowermost gut, as Physitians use the word: and as it is, 1 Sam. 5. 9. 12. Robert Smith Martyr made one of Bonners Doctors that examined him, say, that his God must needs enter into the belly, and so fall into the draught. To which he Answered, What de∣rogation was it to Christ, when the Jewes spit in his face? If the Jewes (said Smith) being his enemies did but spit in his face, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, we being his friends throw him into the draught, which of us de∣serveth* 1.10 the greater damnation?

Verse 20. That defileth the man]

Farre worse then any jakes. Sinne is the Devils excrement.

Verse 22. An evill eye]

Envious, and rejoycing at the mi∣series* 1.11 of others, which is the property of Edomites, abjects, witches, and devills. Those that are bewitched are said to be over-lookt, sc. with an evill and malicious eye. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 quis te∣neros, &c.

Verse 23. All these evill things]

Should God but break open that sink of sin that is within us, we should never indure the stench, but rid our selves out of the world, as Judas, Ahito∣phel, &c.

Verse 24. Would have no man know &c.]

There was there∣fore two wills in Christ: the one whereof rightly willed, that which the other justly and wisely nilled.

But he could not be hid]

He is a God that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 himself: we* 1.12

must fetch him out of his retiring roome by our 〈◊〉〈◊〉 prayers.

Verse 25. For a certain woman]

Of an heroicall faith, felt her want of Christ, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 out for him.

Verse 27. To cast it unto Dogs]

Gr. unto whelps, for more* 1.13 contempt-sake, as Beza 〈◊〉〈◊〉. The Pope made Dondalus the* 1.14 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Embassadour to come before him, tied in iron chains, and to wallow under his table with dogs, whilest his Holinesse sate at supper. Unde ei Canis cognomentum apud suos, saith Kevius. He* 1.15 was ever after called the Dog-Embassadour.

Verse 28. Yes, Lord]

See the Note on Matth. 15. 27.

Verse 33. And he took him aside, &c.]

Though these mens faith was but weak, yet he yeeldeth unto them at the first word, who held off the Syrophenisse before, to the third Petition: Hee knew the strength of her faith. The skilfull Armourer trieth not an ordinary peece of Armes with Musquet shot. The wise Lapi∣dist brings not his softer stones to the stithy. The good Husband∣man turnes not the wheele upon his cumin, nor his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 upon his fetches. For his God doth better instruct him, Esay 28. 26, 29.

Verse 34. He sighed]

As if himself had felt and fainted un∣der* 1.16 the same burden: so the word signifieth. And he was so much the more sensible, as well weighing the cause.

Verse 35. His 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 opened]

So are the eares of all that belong to Christ, and their tongues loosed to his praise, which be∣fore were bound by Satan. O pray that God would make the boare of our eares as wide as may be, and teach us that pure lan∣guage, Zeph. 3. 9. that our tongues may run as the pen of a ready* 1.17 writer.

Verse 36. So much the more]

Eò magis praefulgebat utique quia non visebatur, as Tacitus saith of Brutus: the more he sought to secret himself, the more he was noticed.

Verse 37. He 〈◊〉〈◊〉 done all things well]

Praise we him much more for his spirituall cures, of like kind, upon our selves and others.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.2

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 & ac∣curate. Syr.
• * 1.3

  Godwins An∣tiq. Heb. p. 49.
• * 1.4

  Bee-hive of Rome. p. 24.
• * 1.5

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

  〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉.
• * 1.7

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.8

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Sane benè.
• * 1.9

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

  Act. & Mon. fol. 1536.
• * 1.11

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉. q. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.12

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 8. 17.
• * 1.13

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.14

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. p. 379.
• * 1.15

  De viis pontif.
• * 1.16

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.17

  Psal. 45. 1.