John Trapp on 1 Peter 2

CHAP. II. Verſe 1. All malice and all guile]

OUt with this leaven utterly, 1 Cor. 5.7. Howſoever we otherwiſe fail, let us not in theſe be found faulty at all. Theſe are not the ſpots of Gods children, Deut. 32.5.

Verſe 2. Deſire the ſincere] As in children, all ſpeaks and works at once, hands, feet, mouth, See Davids deſire, Pſa 42. [non-Latin text not transcribed].1 & 119.20, 40, 131.

The ſincere] Gr. Guileleſſe, unmixed milk, not ſugred or ſophiſticated with ſtrains of wit, excellency of ſpeech, &c. 1 Cor. 2.1.

That ye may grow thereby] After generation (1 Pet. 1.23.) Augmentation. That word which breeds us feeds us: As the ſame bloud of which the babe is bred and fed in the womb, ſtrikes up into the mothers breſts, and there, by a further concoction, bebecometh white, and nouriſhethe it. And as milk from the breſts is more effectually taken, then when it ha[illegible: 1 letter]h ſtood a while, and the ſpirits are gone out of it: So the word preached rather then read, furthereth the ſouls growth.

Verſe 3. If ſo be ye have tasted] As babes taſte the milk they take down, Iſa. 66.11. We are bid to ſuck and be ſatisfied with the breſts of conſolation, to preſſe and oppreſſe the promiſes, till we have expreſſed, and even wrung the ſweetneſſe out of them. This will make us even ſick of love, our ſleep will be pleaſant unto us, and our hearts filled with gladneſſe. The Saints taſte how good the Lord is, and thence they ſo long after him. Optima demonstratio est a ſenſibus, as he that feels fire hot, and that taſtes honey ſweet, can beſt ſay it is ſo.

Verſe 4. As unto a living ſtone[Living and all quickning, as Act. 7.38. Lively, that is life-giving oracles. He that hath the Son hath life, 1 Joh. 5.12.

Diſallowed indeed of men] for the Cock on the dung-hill knoweth not the price of this jewel.

And precious] In vita Apol. l 3. c. 14. Alſted. Chronel. p. [illegible: 1 letter]09. Far beyond that moſt orient and excellent ſtone Pantarbe. celebrated by Philoſtratus; or that precious adamant of Charls Duke of Burgundy, ſold for 20000 duckets, and ſet into the Popes triple-crown.

Verſe 5. Ye alſo as lively ſtones] Gods houſe is built of growing ſtones, of green timber, Cant. 1.

To offer up spirituall ſacrifices] Such as are praiers, Pſal. 141.2. Praiſes, Heb. 13.5. Alms, Heb. 13.16. Our ſelves, Rom. 12.1. Our Saviour, whom we preſent as a propitiation for our ſins, 1 Joh. 2.1. laying our hands on his head, ſeeing him bleed to death, and conſumed in the fire of his Fathers wrath for our ſins.

Verſe 6. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Wherefore it is contained] The Jews were ſo well verſed in Scripture, that in quoting of texts, there was need to ſay no more to them then, It is Written, It is contained, &c. they could tell where to turn to the place preſently: And this was a great furtherance to the converſion of many of them, by the preaching of the Apoſtles.

Shall not be confounded] the Hebrew text hath it, Shall not make haſte, Iſa. 28.16. Haſte makes waſte, as we ſay, and oft brings confuſion. Children pull apples afore they are ripe, and have worms bred of them.

Verſe 7. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. He is precious] Gr. He is a price, or an honour. If you had not found all worth in him, you would never have ſold all for him.

Verſe 8. And a rock of offence] Like that rock, Judg. 6.21. out of which comes fire to conſume the reprobate.

Which ſtumble at the Word] An ill ſign, and yet an ordinary ſinne.

Verſe 9. But ye are a choſen generation] A pickt people, the dearly beloved of Gods ſoul: ſuch as he firſt choſe for his love, and then loves for his choice.

Aroiall Priesthood] Or (as Moſes hath it, Exod. 20.6.) kingdome of Prieſts. Prieſts Gods people are in reſpect of God Kings in reſpect of men. The righteous are Kings, M[illegible: 2 letters]ny righteous men have d fired, &c. ſaith Matthew, chap. 13.17. Many Kings, ſaith Luke, chap 10 24. Indeed they are ſomewhat obſcure Kings here, as was Melchiſedech in the Land of Canaan: but Princes they are in all lands, Pſal. 45.16. and more excellent then their neighbours, let them dwell where they will, Prov. 12.26.

A peculiar people] Gr. A people of purchaſe: ſuch as comprehend, as it were, all Gods gettings, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. his whole ſtock that he makes any great reckoning of.

Shew forth the praiſes] Gr. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Preach forth the vertues by our ſuitable practice. the picture of a dear friend ſhould be hung up in a conſpicuous place of the houſe: ſo ſhould Gods holy image and grace in our hearts.

Verſe 10. Which in time paſt Were not] If Plato thought it ſuch a mercy to him that he was a man, and not a woman, a Grecian, and not a Barbarian, a ſcholar to Socrates, and not to any other Philoſopher, what exceeding great cauſe have we to praiſe God, that we are born Chriſtians, not Pagans, Proteſtants not Papiſts, in theſe bleſſed daies of Reformation, &c?

Verſe 11. As pilgrims and ſtrangers] Excellently doth Juſtin Martyr] deſcribe the Chriſtians of his time; [illegible: 1 letter]piſt [illegible: 2 letters] Ding. they inhabit their own countries, ſaith he, but as ſtrangers; they partake of all as Citizens, and yet ſuffer all, as forraigners; every ſtrange land is a Countrey to them, and every countrey a ſtrange land.

And ſtrangers abſtain] Thoughts of death will be a death to our luſts, Lam. 1.9. Her filthineſſe is in her skirts, and all becauſe ſhe remembreth not her laſt end. As the ſtroaking of a dead hand on the belly cureth a tympany, and as the aſhes of a viper applied to the part that is ſtung draws the venome out of it: ſo the thought of death is a death to ſin.

From fleſhly luſts] Thoſe parts in our bodies that are the chiefeſt and neareſt both ſubjects and objects of luſt and concupiſcence, are like unto the dung-gate, 1 Chron. 26 16. whereby all the fil[illegible: 1 letter]h was caſt out of the Temple. God hath placed them in our bodies like ſnakes creeping out of the bottome of a dung-hill, and abaſed them in our eyes, that we might make a baſe account and eſtimation of the deſires thereof, as one well obſerveth.

Which warre againſt the ſoul] Only man is in love with his own bane (beaſts are not ſo) and ſights for thoſe luſts, Ca[illegible: 1 letter]ell of temptation. that fight againſt the ſoul. And whereas ſome might ſay that other luſts fight againſt the ſoul, as well as fl[illegible: 1 letter]ſhly lusts, it is anſwered that other luſts fight againſt the graces, but theſe more againſt the peace of the ſoul.

Verſe 12. Having your converſation honest] Leading convincing lives, the beſt arguments againſt an Atheiſt adverſary. [non-Latin text not transcribed].

They speak evil of you See the Note on Mat. 5.11.

Which they ſhall behold] Whiles they pry and ſpie into your courſes (as the Greek word imports) to ſee what evil they can finde out and faſten on.

In the day of viſitation] When God ſhall effectally call and convert them. See the Note on Ma,. 5 16.

Verſe 13. Full. anſw. to D Fern. Submit to every ordinance] That is, Although the Ordinance or Government, in the manner of its conſtitution be from man, yet becauſe of the neceſſity of its inſtitution it is from God; ſubmit to it, though of man, for the Lords ſake.

Verſe 14. Or unto Governours] In the kingdome of Chriſt this is wonderfull,Miſeel [illegible: 1 letter]p ded ſaith Zanchy, that he wils and commands all Princes and Potentates to be ſubject to his Kingdome, and yet he wils and commands likewiſe that his Kingdome be ſubject to the Kingdoms of the world.

Verſe 15. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Ye may put to ſilence] Gr. Muzzle, or halter up, button up their mouths, as we ſay. See the Note on Mat. 22.34.

Verſe 16, As free] See the Note on Gal. 5.13.

Verſe 17. Honour all men] As made in the image of God, as capable of heaven, and as having ſome ſpeciall talent to trade with.

Honour the King] i.e. The Roman Emperour, who diſclaimed the name of a King, to avoid the hatred of the people, and yet ſought the full right of Kings, and ſo to deſtroy the liberty of the people. But Kings that will be honoured muſt be juſt, Ruling in the fear of God. 2 Sam [illegible: 1 letter]3 3. Tortuoſis, curvis [non-Latin text not transcribed]

Verſe 18. To the froward] Croſſe, crooked, frample, fooliſh. The Greek word comes of an Hebrew word, that ſignifies, a fool.

Verſe 19. This is thank-worthy] God accounts himſelf hereby gratified, as it were, and even beholding to ſuch ſufferers: this being the loweſt ſubjection, and the higheſt honour men can yeeld unto their maker.

Verſe 20. For What glory is it] In peace-offerings there might be oil mixt, not ſo in ſin-offerings. In our ſufferings for Chriſt there is joy; not ſo when we ſuffer for our faults.

Verſe 21. Leaving us an example] Gr. A copy or patern. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Chriſts actions were either morall, or mediatory. In both we muſt imitate him. In the former, by doing as he did. In the later, by ſimilitude, tranſlating that to our ſpirituall life, which he did as Mediatour; as to die to ſin, to riſe to righteouſneſſe, &c. and this not only by example (as Petrus Abeſardus held of old, and the Socinians at this day) but by vertue of Chriſts death and reſurrection working effectually in all his people;Anton. Tract. 17 cap 1 paragr 5. not as an exemplary cauſe only, or as a moral cauſe by way of meditation, but as having force obtained by it, and iſſuing out of it, even the Spirit that kils ſin, and quickens the ſoul to all holy practice.In vita ejus a [illegible: 1 letter]u[illegible: 1 letter] Su[illegible: 2 letters]um There is a ſtory of an Earl called Eleazar, a paſſionate Prince, that was cured of that diſordered affection by ſtudying of Chriſt and his patience. Crux pendentis, cathedra docentis, Chriſt upon the croſſe is a Doctour in his Chair, where he reads unto us all a lecture of patience. The Eunuch, Act 8.32. was converted by this praiſe in Chriſt. It is ſaid of Hierome, that having read the godly life and Chriſtian death of Hilarion, he folded up the book, and ſaid, Well, Hilarion ſhall be the Champion whom I will follow. Should we not much more ſay ſo of Chriſt?

Verſe 22. Who did no ſinne] S. Paul ſaith, He knew no ſinne, 2 Cor. 5.21. to wit, with a practicall knowledge (we know no more then we practiſe) with an intellectuall he did: for elſe he could not have reproved it.

Neither was guile found in his mouth] Which imports, that they ſought it. The wicked ſeek occaſion againſt that godly.

Verſe 23. But committed himſelf] Or, The Whole matter. We alſo ſhall do our ſelves no diſſervice, by making God our Chancellour, when no law elſe will relieve us. And indeed the leſſe a man ſtrives for himſelf, the more is God his Champion. He that ſaid, I ſeek not mine own glory, adds, but there is one that ſeeketh it, and judgeth. God takes his part ever; that fights not for himſelf.

Verſe 24. Who his own ſelf] Without any to help or uphold him, Iſa. 63.5. he had not ſo much as the benefit of the Sun-light, when in that three hours darkneſſe he was ſet upon by all the powers of darkneſſe.

Bar our ſins] Gr. Bare them aloft, viz. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. When he climbed up his Croſſe, and nailed them thereunto. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our ſorrows, Iſa. 53 4 He taketh away the ſins of the world, Joh. 1.29.

That We being dead to ſinne] Or, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Separated from ſinne, or unmade to it, cut off from it, the old frame being utterly diſſolved.

By Whoſe ſtripes] Or, Wales. This he mentioneth to comfort poor ſervants, whipt and abuſed by their froward Maſters. Sanguis medici fàctus eſt medicina phrenctici, The Phyſicians bloud became the ſick mans ſalve. We can hardly believe the power of ſword ſalve. But here is a myſtery that only Chriſtian religion can aſſure us of, that the wounding of one ſhould be the cure of another.

Verſe 25. As ſheep] Then the which no creature is more apt to ſtray, leſſe apt and able to return. The Oxe knoweth his owner, &c.