John Trapp on 1 Peter 5

CHAP. V. Verſe 1. Who am alſo an Elder]

GR.Leo 1. Petrum in conſortium individu[illegible: 2 letters] Trinitatis aſſumptu[illegible: 1 letter] j[illegible: 2 letters]lavir. [non-Latin text not transcribed] A fellow Elder, not a Commander, a Lord paramount, a Compeer and Conſort to the bleſſed Trinity, as Pope Leo the firſt, and Nicolas the third blaſphemouſly ſaid he was.

Verſe 2. Feed the flock] Being both learned and loving. The Greek word for a ſhepherd, ſignifieth one that earneſtly deſireth after his ſheep.

Not by conſtraint, but willingly] It is with the Paſtours of Germany for moſt part, ſaith Melancthon, as with him in Plautus, that ſaid, Ego non ſervio libentèr herus meus me non habet li[illegible: 1 letter]e[illegible: 2 letters]èr, tumen utitur me, ut lippis oculis.

Verſe 3. Neither as being Lords] About the year 1260. the Clergy and Laity of England, ſet themſelves againſt the Popes exactions: and when the Legat alledged that all Churches were the Popes, J[illegible: 3 letters] vius in vit. Po[illegible: 3 letters] Magiſter Leonardus made anſwer, Tuitione non fruitione, deſen ſione, non diſſipatione.

Verſe 4. Ye ſhall receive a crown] A crown imports perpetuity, plenty, dignity, the height of humane ambition. Quarta perennis erit was Sr Thomas Bodly his poſie.

Verſe 5. Yea all of you be ſubject] In regard of love and modeſty, not of change and confuſion of offices.

Be cloathed with humility] The Greek word imports, [non-Latin text not transcribed] that humility is the riband or ſtring, that ties together all thoſe precious pearls the reſt of the graces: if this ſtring break, they are all ſcattered. Humility, as charity, is the band of perfection: yea the word here uſed ſignifies no[illegible: 1 letter] only alligare, but innodare, ſay ſome; to tie knots, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. as delicate and curious women uſe to do of ribands to adorn their heads or bodies:M. Cawdrey as if humility were the knot of every vertue, and the grace of every grace. Contrariwiſe, how ugly and unſeemly is pride on the back of honour, head of learning, face of beauty, &c? Chryſoſtome calleth humility the root, mother, nurſe, foundation and band of all vertues. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Baſil the ſtore-houſe, treaſury of all good.

God reſiſteth] See the Note on Jam. 4.6.

And giveth grace] i.e. Honour and reſpect: as appears by the oppoſition, and by Pro. 3.34, 35.

Verſe 6. Ʋnder the mighty hand of God] If God can blow us to deſtruction, Job 4.9. nod us to deſtruction, Pſal. 80.16. what is the weight of that mighty hand of his, that ſpans the heavens, and holds the earth in the hollow of them?

That he may exalt you] The lower the ebbe, the higher is the tide, A deluge of ſorrows may aſſault us, but they ſhall exalt us. And the lower the foundation of vertue is laid, the higher ſhall the roof of glory be over laid.

In due time] In the opportunity of time, in a fit ſeaſon. The very Turks, though remorſleſſe to thoſe that bear up, yet receive humiliation with much ſweetnes.

Verſe 7. Caſting all your care] Your carking care,Act. and Mon. fol. 1743. your care of diffidence. I will now with you ſing away care (ſaid John Careleſſe Martyr in a letter to Mr. Philpot) for now my ſoul is turned to her old reſt again, and hath taken a ſweet nap in Chriſts lap. I have caſt my care upon the Lord which careth for me, and will be Careleſſe, according to my name.

Verſe 8. Your adverſary the devil] Satan envies our condition, that we ſhould enjoy that Paradiſe that he left, the comforts he once had. Hence he diſturbs us, and is reſtleſſe, out of his infinite hatred of God and goodneſſe: as the Scorpion ſtill pu[illegible: 1 letter]s forth his ſting, and as the Leopard beareth ſuch a naturall hatred againſt men, that if he ſee but a mans picture, he ſlies upon it, and tares it, Annibal, whether he conquered, or was conquered, never reſted. Satan is over-overcome, and yet he walks up and down ſeeking to devour: he commits the ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt every day, and ſhall lie loweſt in hell: every ſoul that he drew thither by his temptation ſhall lie upon him, and preſſe him down as a milſtone under the unſupportable wrath of God. The word here rendered an adverſary, properly ſignifies an adverſary at law. Againſt whom we have an Advocate Jeſus Chriſt the juſt one, 1 Ioh. 2.2. who appears for us, Heb. 9.24. to non-ſuit all accuſations, and to plead our cauſe.

Whom he may devour] Gr. Whom he may drink up at one draught.

Verſe 9. Stedfaſt in the faith] Gr. Stiff, ſolid, ſettled. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Plutarch.

That the ſame afflictions] Art not thou glad to fare as Phocion, ſaid he to one that was to die with him? Ignatius going to ſuffer, triumphed in this, that his bloud ſhould be found among the mighty Worthies, and that when the Lord maketh inquiſition for bloud, he will recount from the bloud of righteous Abel[illegible: 1 letter] not only to the bloud of Zacharias ſon of Barachias, but alſo to the bloud of mean Ignatius.

Verſe 10 But the God of all grace] Thus the Apoſtle divides his time betwixt preaching and praier, according to his own advice, Act. 6.4. and the practice of thoſe ancient Miniſters, Deut. 33.10.

Verſe 11. To him be glory, &c.] Non loquendum de Deo ſine lumine, ſaid the Heathen, we may not mention God, but with praiſe to his name, ſay we.

Verſe 12. I have written briefly] Gr. In few. The holy Scripture hath fulneſſe of matter in fewneſſe of words, the whole counſel of God ſhut up in a narrow compaſſe. The Lord knows that much reading is a wearineſſe of the fleſh, Eccleſ. 12.12. and hath therefore provided for our infirmity.

Verſe 13. The Church that is at Babylon] At Rome ſay the Papiſts, that they may prove Peter to have been Biſhop of Rome. But though this be far ſet, yet here they grant us, that Rome is that myſticall Babylon mentioned in the Revelation. It is probable that S. Peter meant no other Babylon then the Metropolis of Chaldaea, where he, being the Apoſtle of the circumciſion, preached to thoſe diſperſed Jews, and other Gentiles that he had converted.

Verſe 14. With a kiſſe of charity] So called, becauſe their love to one another was by this ſymbol or ceremony both evidenced and encreaſed.