John Trapp on 1 Timothy 2

CHAP. II. Verſe 1. Supplications]

OR, D[illegible: 1 letter]precations endited by that Spirit of ſupplication, or of deprecation, as ſome render it, Zech. 11.10.

Praiers] [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Strictly taken for petitions or requeſts of good at Gods hands, which go commonly accompanied with vows of better obedience, as Gen. 28.21, 22. Pſal. 51.14. Hence they have their name.

Interceſſions] [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Interparlings with God, either for our ſelves, (whileſt we ſtand upon Interrogatories with him, 1 Pet. 3.21. as Paul doth, Rom. 8.33, 34 35. and expoſtulate as David often, but eſpecially when Satan, ſin, and conſcience accuſe us) or for others, whileſt we complain to God againſt ſuch as wrong them, and withall ſet our ſelves ſeriouſly to implore his aid for their relief and reſcue.

For all men] i.e. For all ſorts of men, as the word (all) is uſed, Luk. 11.42.

Verſe 2. For Kings, &c.] Though perſecutours, if they have not yet ſinned againſt the holy Ghoſt, as Julian had. Voluit ſcilicet Christus etiam aliquandò Reginam in coelum vehere, Luth in ep ad Ioh. Agris. ſaith Luther of Elizabeth Queen of Denmark, who lived and died in the truth of the Goſpel. God hath his, even among great ones too.

A quiet and peaceable life] Quiet, from inbred tumults and commotions: and peaceable, from forraign invaſions, and incurſions of the enemy. See Jer. 29.7.

In all godlineſſe and honeſty] And not come to eat the bread of our ſouls with the perill of our lives, as they doe in divers places of this land at this day, Det meliora Deus. He will doe it.

Verſe 3. For this is good, &c.] viz. This praying for all men. And ſhould we not frame to that, that God accepts, without queſtioning or quarrelling? Let us not diſpute, but diſpatch our maſters will.

Verſe 4. Who will have all men, &c.] God willeth, to wit, with a will whereby he inviteth, and putteth no bar, not with a will whereby he effecteth it, taking away all impediments.

That all men] Not diſtributively taken, but collectively, as thrice in one verſe, Col 1.28.

Should be ſaved] viz. If they do what he commandeth: God doth not tie himſelf to cauſe them to do what he commandeth, that they may be ſaved.

And to come to the knowledge] The only way to ſalvation. Pray therefore that their eyes may be opened, Act. 26.18.

Verſe 5. For there is one God] ſc. Both of Kings and Subjects, both of Heathens and Chriſtians. Go boldly to him therefore, for your ſelves and others. Have we not all one Father? Mal. 2.10. Art not thou our Father? Iſa. 63.16.

One Mediatour] Not of redemption only (as the Papiſts grant) but of interceſſion too. We need no other maſter of requeſts in heaven, but the man Chriſt Jeſus, who being ſo near us in the matter of his incarnation, will never be ſtrange to us in the buſineſſe of interceſſion. But what horrible blaſphemy is that of the Papiſts, who in their devotions ſay thus,Act and Mon. fol. 1453. By the bloud of Thomas B[illegible: 1 letter]cket, which he did ſpend, Make us, Chriſt, to climb where Thomas did aſcend!

Verſe 6. A ranſome] Gr. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. A counterprice: ſuch as we could never have paid, but muſt have remained, and even [illegible: 1 letter]otted in priſon, but for our All-ſufficient ſurety and Saviour.

Verſe 7. A teacher of the Gentiles] His Epiſtles therefore ſhould be highly prized by us Gentiles, and diligently ſtudied. S. Peter admires them, 2 Pet. 3 15. and commends them to the Churches reading. And becauſe there are ſome things in them hard to be underſtood, and eaſie to be wreſted from their right meaning, verſ. 16. it was therefore grave advice that one gives young Chriſtians, that they ſhould begin at the later end of Saint Pauls Epiſtles, which treateth of points of practice: Sith a corrupt life can never have a ſound judgement.

Verſe 8. Pray every where] Any place now (be it but a chimney) may make a goodly Oratory, Joh. 4 21.

Lifting up holy hands] Better waſhed then Pilates were, rinſed in that bleſſed fountain of Chriſts bloud, Zech. 13.1. Elſe, God utterly abhors them, Iſa. 1.15, 16. The Prieſts had their laver to waſh in, before they ſacrified. The Turks at this day before praier waſh both face and hands, ſometimes their head, and other parts of the body. But what ſaith S. James, chap. 4.8. and the Prophet Ieremy, chap 4.14. The fountain of goodnes will not be laden at, with foul hearts and hands.

Without Wrath] Or, Rancour, Mat. 5.24. God will not be ſerved, till men be reconciled. When Abram and Lot were agreed, then God appeared.

Or doubting] Heb. 11.6. Jam. 1.6. without diſceptation of reaſoning with carnall reaſon.

Verſe 9. In like manner alſo] Men have had their leſſons. Now for women they are taught modeſty in their attire (ſuch as may neither argue wantonnes nor waſtfulnes) ſilence in the Church, ſubjection in the family.

Or coſtly aray] Which yet great ones may wear; but they may not buy it with extortion, and line it with pride: ſith clothes are the enſigns of our ſhame, our fineneſſe is our filthineſſe, and our neatneſſe our naſtineſſe. See Iſaiah 3. where the Prophet inveighes, as if he had viewed the Ladies wardrobes in Jeruſalem[illegible: 1 letter].

Verſe 10. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Phil. 1.27. But which becometh] Our common converſation ſhould be as becometh the Goſpel of Chriſt: And it is a ſure ſign of a baſe minde, to think that one can make himſelf great with any thing that is leſſe then himſelf; or that he can win more credit by his garments, then by his graces. The worſt apparrel, faith one, is natures garment, the beſt, but follies garniſh.

Verſe 11. Let the woman learn] Not teach, to wit, in the publike aſſemblies, be ſhe never ſo learned or godly. See the Note on Rom. 16.1.

Verſe 12. Nor to uſurp authority] As they will eaſily do, [non-Latin text not transcribed], To have wh[illegible: 2 letters] ſhe will. if ſuffered to preach. Preachers are Rulers, Guides, Captains, Heb. 13.7▪17. If the hen be ſuffered to crow once, &c. Camdens Eliz. A prudent wife commands her husband by obeying him, as Sarah, Livia.

But to be in ſilence] Video, taceo, I ſee and ſay nothing, was Queen Elizabeths Motto. Where ſhould the tongue be but in the head?

Verſe 13. For Adam was firſt formed] [non-Latin text not transcribed]. As the veſſel is formed by the Potter cut of the clay. See Gen. 2.7.

Then Eve] For Adams uſe and help: therefore ſhe muſt not take upon her.

Verſe 14. And Adam was not deceived] i. e. He was not deceived ſo much by his judgement (though alſo by that too) as by his affection to his wife; which at length blinded his judgement.

Being deceived was in the tranſgreſſion] Vxor mea to[illegible: 2 letters] in fermento est, ſaid he in Plautus. See my Notes on Gen. 3.6.

Verſe 15. Saved in childe-bearing] Not by it, as by a cauſe: [non-Latin text not transcribed], at Rom. 11.28. but not withſtanding the croſſe laid upon all childe-bearing women, Gen. 3.16. they ſhall have free entrance into heaven, if they continue in faith and charity, &c.