John Trapp on 1 Peter 4

CHAP. IV. Verſe 1. Chriſt hath ſuffered]

AS Chap. 3.18.

In the fleſh] In humane nature, ſo muſt we ſuffer in ſinfull nature, ſubduing it to God, and ceaſing from ſin, nailing it and nailing it to the croſſe of Chriſt.

Verſe 2. That he no longer, &c.] To ſpend the ſpan of this tranſitory life after the waies of ones own heart, is to periſh for ever.

Verſe 3. In laſciviouſneſſe, luſts, &c.] The true picture of a Pagan converſation, which yet is too too common among thoſe that call themſelves Chriſtians. The world is now grown perfectly profane, and can play on the Lords-day without book; making it as Bacchus Orgies, rather then Gods holy day, with piping, dancing, drinking, drabbing, &c. We may ſay as once Alſted of his Germans, that if the Sabbath-day ſhould be named according to their obſerving of it, Demoniacus potiùs quam I) ominious diceretur, A[illegible: 1 letter]ſted. Encyl. it ſhould be called not Gods-day, but the devils.

Exceſſe of Wine] Or, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Red and rich faces, as they call them.

Revellings] Stinkes ſaith the Syriack: Drunkards are ſtinkards. [non-Latin text not transcribed].

Banquettings] Gr. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Compotations, or good-fellow-meetings: ſome render it, bibbings, ſippings, tiplings, ſitting long at it, though not to an alienation of the minde.

Verſe 4. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. They think it ſtrange] Gr. That they think it a new world, marvelling what is come to you alate. It is I, ſaid the harlot,Arego nonſu[illegible: 2 letters]. but it is not I, ſaid the convert.

Into the ſame exceſſe] Gr. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Bubbling or boiling, as the raging ſea, ſoaming out its own filth.

Verſe 5. Who ſhall give account] Of their ungodly deeds and hard ſpeeches, Jude 15. Angels did their firſt execution in the world upon luxurious Sodomites: they will be very active doubtleſſe againſt ſuch at the laſt day. See 2 Pet. 2.10. and mark that word, Chiefly.

Verſe 6. For, for this cauſe] See the Note on 1 Pet, 3.19.

That they might be judged] Either by God chaſtiſing them, 1 Cor. 11.32. or by themſelves, verſ. 31. The Goſpel melts the hearts of Gods elect with voluntary grief for ſin, it makes them condemn themſelves in the fleſh.

But live according to God] The Father of ſpirits, with whom the ſpirits of juſt men departed are made perfect, Heb. 12.23. Euſebius and Auſtin make mention of certain Arabians, who ſaid that the ſoul dies with the body, and revives not again till the reſurrection of the body.Euſeb. l. 2. c. 20. Angto[illegible: 1 letter] 6 de haereſ. This old hereſie is now, among many others, digg'd out of the grave, and held by certain Sectaries amongſt us.

Verſe 7. Be ye therefore ſober, &c.] To be ſober in praier (ſaith one) is to pray with due reſpect to Gods Majeſty, without trifling or vain babbling: To let our words be few, Eccleſ. 5.3. Alſo it is to keep Gods counſell, not to be proud or boaſt of ſucceſſe, or ſpeak of the ſecret ſweetneſſe of Gods love without calling: It is to conceal the familiarity of God in ſecret.

And watch unto praier] Againſt dulneſſe of body, drouſineſſe of ſpirit, ſatanicall ſuggeſtions, diſtractive motions, which elſe will muſter and ſwarm in the heart like the Flies of Aegypt.

Verſe 8. Charity ſhall cover] This is meant of mutuall love, whereby we forgive offences one to another, and not that which ſhould juſtifie us before God in a Popiſh ſenſe, as appears by the precedent words, and by Prov. 10.12.

Verſe 9. Without grudgings] Without ſhucking and hucking. See 2 Cor. 8 12. with the Note there.

Verſe 10. Even ſo miniſter] Clouds when full, pour down, and the ſpouts run, and the eaves ſhed, and the preſſes overflow, and the Aromaticall trees ſweat out their precious and ſoveraign oils, and every learned Scribe brings out his rich treaſure, &c.

Verſe 11. If any man speak] i. e. Preach. Every ſound is not muſick, ſo neither is every Pulpit-diſcourſe preaching.

At the Oracles of God] Thoſe lively and life-giving oracles,Act 7.38. the holy Scriptures. Theſe he muſt expound with all gravity and ſincerity, not ſeeking himſelf, nor ſetting forth his own wit and eloquence, ſo putting the ſword of the ſpirit into a velvet ſcabber'd, that it cannot prick and pierce the heart.

Which God giveth] Liberally and magnifically. [non-Latin text not transcribed].

Verſe 12. Think it not ſtrange] Ne tanquam hospites percellumini, Stand not wondering, and as if ſtruck into a maze. Fain would this fleſh make ſtrange of that which the Spirit doth embrace (ſaith Mr Saunders Martyr, in a letter to his wife.)Act. and Mon. fol. 1360. O Lord how loth is this loitering ſluggard to paſſe forth in Gods path. It fantaſieth, forſooth, much fear of fray-bugs. And were it not for the force of faith which pulleth it forward by the rain of Gods moſt ſweet promiſe, and of hope which pricks on behinde, great adventures there were of fainting by the way. But bleſſed, and everlaſtingly bleſſed be our heavenly Father, &c.

Concerning the fiery triall] John Brown of Aſhford, through the cruell handling of Archbiſhop Warrham, and Fiſher Biſhop of Rocheſter, was ſo piteouſly entreated (ſaith Mr Fox) that his bare feet were ſet upon the hot burning coals, to make him deny his faith:Act. and M[illegible: 1 letter]n. fol. 1[illegible: 1 letter]77. which not withſtanding he would not do, but patiently abiding the pain, continued in the Lords quarrel unremoveable. See the like of Roſe Allen, Act. and Mon. 1820.

As though ſome ſtrange thing] Fore-caſt afflictions, which being fore-ſeen come no whit the ſooner, but far the eaſier: It is a labour well loſt, if they come not, well ſpent if they do; whereas coming upon the ſudden, they finde weak mindes ſecure, make them miſerable, leave them deſperate. Biſhop Latimer ever affirmed, that the preaching of the Goſpel wovld coſt him his life, to the which he no leſſe chearfully prepared himſelf, then certainly was perſwaded, that Winchester was kept in the Tower for the ſame purpoſe; and the event did too truly prove the ſame. Being ſent for to London by a purſuivant, and coming thorow Smith field, he merrily ſaid,Act and Mon, fol 1579. That Smithfield had long groaned for him. To the Leiutenant of the Tower he ſaid, You look I think, that I ſhould burn; but except you let me have ſome fire I am like to deceive your expectation: for I am like here to ſtarve for cold.

Verſe 13. But rejoyce] As the Apoſtles did, Act. 5.41. See the Note there.

With exceeding joy] Gr. Dancing a galliard, Leaping Levalto's, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. lifting up your heads, becauſe your redemption draweth nigh. Vincentius laughing at his tormentours, ſaid, that death and tortures were to Chriſtians, Jocularia & ludicra, matters of ſport and paſtime;Luther. and walking upon hot-burning coals, he boaſted that he walked upon roſes: Other Martyrs ſaid, that they felt no more pain in the fire, then if they lay upon a bed of down. Conſtantine embraced Paphnutius, and kiſſed his loſt eye: So will Chriſt deal at laſt day by his ſuffering ſervants.

Verſe 14 Happy are ye] See the Note on Mat. 5.11, 12. The word ſignifies, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Ye are out of harms-way, out of the reach of danger.

Resteth upon you] With great delight and content. [non-Latin text not transcribed] How ſtrangely were the holy Martyrs ſpiritualized and elevated, carried out of themſelves, and beyond themſelves, as were eaſie to inſtance?

Verſe 15. As a buſie-body] Gr. A biſhop in another mans Dioceſſe, a pragmaticall perſon that meddleth with other mens matters, without call or commendation.

Verſe 16. Suffer as a Chriſtian] Under the Emperour Antoninus the Philoſopher, there fell out a very bitter ſtorm of perſecution in France, which ſwallowed up ſundry Martyrs,Bucholc. as Maturus, Pothenus, Attalus and Blandina: which good woman in the midſt of all her ſufferings, oft cried out, Chriſtiana ſum, I am a Chriſtian. By which word ſhe gathered new ſtrength, and became more then a Conquereſſe. So Sabina, another glorious Roman Martyr, crying out when ſhe was in priſon,Iob. Manl. and being asked by the Jailour, how ſhe would endure the fire next day, that made now ſo much ado in her travel? Very well ſaid ſhe, I doubt not: for now I ſuffer as a ſinner, but then I ſhall ſuffer as a Chriſtian.

Verſe 17. Judgement must begin] The mortality at Corinth began at the believers, 1 Cor. 11.30. infidels ſcaped ſcot-free. Gods cup is firſt ſent to Jeruſalem. There was bread in Moab, when there was none in Iſrael, Ruth 1.1. The ſtormy ſhowr lighteth firſt on the high-hils: and having waſhed them, ſettleth with all the filth in the valleys.

Verſe 18. Scarcely be ſaved] Hard and ſcarce: not at all from outward miſeries (whereof he is ſure to have his back-burden) and not without ſomewhat adoe from hell-torments. The wiſe Virgins had no oil to ſpare: the twelve Trib s ſerved God inſtantly and conſtantly day and night, and all little enough, Act. 26.7.

Where ſhall the ungodly, &c.] Surely no where: not before Saints and Angels, for holineſſe is their trade. Not before God, for he is of more pure eyes, &c. Not before Chriſt: for he ſhall come in flaming fire rendering vengeance. Not in heaven, for its an undefiled inheritance, &c.

Verſe 19. Commit the keeping] As a precious depoſitum. So did our Saviour both in his life time, Pet. 2.23. and at his death, Luk. 23 46.

As unto a faithfull] Who will rather unmake all,Pſal. 114.8. then we ſhall miſcarry.