John Trapp on Matthew 23:24

Verse 24. Which strain at a gnat, &c.] A proverbiall speech warranting the lawfull use of such expressions, for illustration of a truth. The Greeks have a like proverb; to gargle down an image, statue or colosse; that is, to make no bones of a foul fault, [non-Latin text not transcribed] when matters of lesse moment are much scrupled. Saul kept a great stir about eating the flesh with the bloud, when he made nothing of shedding innocent bloud. Doeg was deteined before 1 Sam. 14. 33. the Lord, by some voluntary vow belike. But better he had been1 Sam. [illegible: 1 word] 7. further off, for any good he did there. The Priests made [illegible: 1 word] of putting the price of bloud into the treasury, Matth. 27 6. Fernicaripecca [illegible: 2 words] esse [illegible: 1 word]: At mu ieri osculum sigere mortale acinus arbitrab. Funcc. who yet made no conscience of imbruing their hands in the innocent bloud of the Lamb of God. The Begardi and Beginnae, a certain kinde of heretikes, Anno 1322. held this mad opinion, that a man might here attain to perfection, and that having attained to it, he might do whatsoever his nature led him to: That [illegible: 1 word] Chronol ex Massei, l. 18. was no sin, but to [illegible: 1 word] a woman was a mortall wickednesse, &c.