John Trapp on Matthew 2:6

Verse 6. And thou Bethlehem, in the Land of Iudah, art not the least.] Thou art the least, saith Micah, viz. in comparison ofMic. 5. 2. greater Cities, yet not the least, saith Matthew; because out of thee shall come a Governeur, &c. In Scripture, the place of holy mens birth is remembred and registred: God loves the very ground his servants tread on. The Lord shall count, when he numbreth up Psal. 87. 6, 7. the people, that this man was born there: how much more the man Christ Jesus? Any interest or relation to him, ennobleth whatsoever place or person; and may justly comfort us against whatsoever troubles. The Prophet Micah, whose words are here cited, opposeth the birth of this babe of [illegible: 1 word], to all the troops and troublesMic 5. 1, 2. of Assyria. For out of thee shall come a Governour] No sooner is this childeIsa. 9. 6. born, this Son given to us, but the government is laid upon his shoulders; as the key of the [illegible: 1 word] of David was upon Eliakims, Isa. 22. 22. send ye therefore a Lamb to this Ruler of the Land, Isa. 16. 1. do him all hearty homage and fealty. That shall rule my people] Or feed them; for the art of feeding [non-Latin text not transcribed]. and ruling are sisters. David was taken from following the [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word]. ews, to feed Gods people; so was Moses, in whose absence, how [non-Latin text not transcribed] Hom. soon was Israel, as silly sheep, gone out of the way? Christ is the Arch [illegible: 1 word], that feeds his people daily, daintily, plentifully,1 Pet. 5. 4. pleasantly, among the lilies, [illegible: 1 word]. 2 16. yea, in his garden of spices, Cant. 8. 14. in green pastures of his word, and by the still waters of his Sacraments,Psal. 23. 8, 3. where we go in and out, and [illegible: 1 word] pasture, Joh. 10. 8. such as breeds [illegible: 1 word], and life in more abundance, ver. 10. We lie down in peace, Ier. 23. 4. and need not fear the spirituall Assyrian, Micah 5. 5. Whiles we keep us within the hedge, and run to the foddering places; submitting to the Ministers, those under-shepherds, Cant. 1. 7, 8. who are charged to feed Christs sheep, his sheep with golden fleeces; yea to do it ([illegible: 1 word] as the Syriack hath it)Joh. 21 16. for me, for my sake (saith our Saviour) to whom Peter cannotexp unded. better seal up his love, then by taking care of his Cure. I know how Bellarmine glosseth that text, Feed my sheep, that is, Regio more impera, Rule like an Emperour: Supremum in Ecclesia [illegible: 1 word] tibi assere, saith Baronius; Domineer over the Church: because the word here used (and so in John) signifieth as well to govern [non-Latin text not transcribed] as to feed. But what will they say to [non-Latin text not transcribed], the other word there twice used by our Saviour; which alwaies signifieth to feed, and not at all to govern? But these men catch at government, let go seeding: although the Fathers took the text only of feeding by doctrine, and that they beat upon, and urged altogether.