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. XXIV.

Verse 1. Very early in the morning]

ABout which time (probably) our Saviour rose.

Verse 9. And told all these things]

Per os mulieris mors ante processerat, per os mulieris vita reparatur, saith Ambrose. So Chap. 1. an Angel of light communeth with a woman about mans salvation, as an Angel of darknesse had done, Gen. 3. about his fall and destruction.

Verse 11. As idle tales]

Set on with great earnest∣nesse.

Verse 12. And stooping down]

Obstipo capite & propenso collo. We need not doubt therefore of the certainty of this history of Christs resurrection.

Verse 13. About Threescore furlongs]

About sixe miles.

Verse 14. And they talked together]

So did Elias and E∣lisha, when the heavenly chariot came to sunder them.

Christ is still with two or three met for such an holy pur∣pose.

Verse 16. But their eyes were held]

Ut ulcus suum dis∣cipuli detegerent, 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 susciperent, saith Theo∣phylact. That they may tell their own disease, and receive healing.

Verse 17. That ye have one to another]

Gr. That ye tosse one to another, as a ball is tossed betwixt two or more.

And are sad]

Christ loves not to see his Saints sad: hee questions them as Joseph did his prisoners, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day, Gen. 40. 7? and as the king did Nehemiah, Chap. 3. 2.

Verse 18. And one of them, whose name was Cleophas]

They that hold the other of these two to have been Saint Luke, are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by the preface he hath set before the Acts, saith Beza.

Art thou only a stranger, &c.]

Tragedies have no prologues, as comedies have: because it is supposed, that all men take know∣ledge of publike calamities.

Verse 19. Which was a Prophet]

Yea and more then a Pro∣phet. But the disciples were wondrous ignorant, till the spirit came down upon them, Act. 2.

Verse 21. But we trusted]

q. d. Indeed nowwe cannot tell what to say to it. Here their hope hangs the wing extreamly, their buckler is much battered, and needs beating out again. Ferendum & sperandum, said the Philosopher. And good men find it more easie to bear evill, then to wait for good, Hebrews 10. 36.

Verse 25. O fooles, &c.]

Those in a Lethargy must have double the quantity of physick that others have. Some slow-bellies must be sharply rebuked, that they may be sound in the faith.

Verse 26. Ought not Christ]

Ne Jesum quidem audias glorio∣sum, nisi videris crucifixum, saith Luther in an Epistle to Melan∣cthon. Agentem fortiter 〈◊〉〈◊〉 aliquid pati, said a Theban soul∣dier, out of Pindarus, to Alexander, when he had received a wound in battle: For the which sentence, he liberally rewar∣ded him.

Verse 27. The things concerning himself]

Christ is authour, object, matter, and mark of Old and New Testament: the Babe

of Bethlehem is bound up, (as I may so say) in these swathing∣bands: Turn we the eyes of our minds to him, as the Cherubins did their faces toward the Mercy-seat. The Angels do, 1 Pet. 1. 12.

Verse 28. And he made as though he would, &c.]

So did the Angel to Lot, Gen. 19. 2. See the like, Josh. 8. 5, 6. 1 King. 3. 24. If Salomon might make as though he would do an act that was un∣lawfull, we may surely do the like in things indifferent. Yet this was never done (as is well observed) but 1 by those that had au∣thority over others. 2 For some singular good to them, with whom they thus dealt.

Verse 29. But they constrained him]

Though they had been sharply rebuked by him, whom they know to be no other then a meer stranger to them.

For it is toward evening]

Cry we, now if ever, ere it be too late;

Vespera jam venit, nobiscum Christe maneto. Extingui 〈◊〉〈◊〉 nec patiare 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

Verse 30. And blessed it.]

Its thought they knew him by his ordinary form of giving thanks before meat.

Versy 32. Did not our hearts burn]

By that spirit of burning Esay 4. 4. that kindleth the fire of God, Cant. 8. 6. on the harth of his Peoples hearts, whiles the mystery of Christ is laid open un∣to them. Ego verò illius oratione sic incendebar, (saith Senarclaeus, concerning Diarius the Martyr) ut cùm eum disserentem audirem, Spiritus sancti verba me audire existimarem. Me thoughts when I heard him, I heard the Holy Ghost himself speaking to me.

While he opened]

Preaching then is the key of the Scri∣pture.

Verse 33. The same houre]

Late though it were, and they weary, yet they return the same night, not sparing themselves to do good to others.

Verse 39. Behold my hands, &c.]

With those stamps of dis∣honour that the Jewes did me with wicked hands. These he re∣tained even after his Resurrection, as for the confirmation of his Apostles, so for our instruction, not to think much to suffer losse of honour for our brethrens good and comfort.

Verse 44. And in the Psalmes]

When a book is set forth, verses of commendation, are oft set afore it. Christ by this one

sentence hath more honoured and authorized the book of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, then all men could have done by their Prefaces and Elogies pre∣fixed thereunto. The Turks disclaime both Testaments, yet swear as solemnly by the Psalms of David, as by the Alchoran of Ma∣homet.

Verse 47. And that repentance, &c.]

Blessed be God (saith one) that after our ship-wrack by Adam, there is such a plank as Repentance for a poor sinner to swim to heaven upon. It is a mourning for sin, as it is offensivum Dei, & aversivum a Deo. It is commissa plangere, & plangenda non committere, as Ambrose hath it: to bewaile what is done amisse, and to do so no more.

Verse 49. Untill ye be endued]

Gr. Cloathed. Carnall men are naked men: when the Saints are arrayed with that fine 〈◊〉〈◊〉 linnen and shining, Rev. 19. 8.

Verse 50. As farre as to Bethany]

Where his three dear friends dwelt, Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. From hence he went to his crosse, and from hence he would go to his crown.

He lift up his hands]

As a good houshoulder, or rather as the high-Preist of the New Testament: benedixit, id est, valedixit, he blessed them, and so bade them Farewell.

Verse 52. With great joy]

Yet could they not hear of his as∣cending to the Father, without great sorrow, John 14. and 16. We greive for that sometimes that we have great cause to take com∣fort in; such is our weaknesse and waywardnesse.

Verse 53, Praysing and blessing God]

Inter laudum 〈◊〉〈◊〉, promissum Spiritus sancti adventum, promptis per omnia paratisque cordibus exspectant. So putting themselves into a fit posture to re∣ceive the Comforter that Christ had promised them.

Notes

• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 particula 〈◊〉〈◊〉 & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 valde dico.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ut cum 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉.
• Natat. Comes.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Epicter.
• Tit. 1. 12. 13.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• Senarc. in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pist. ad Bucer.
• D. Hakew in his Davids Vow.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• Beda.