John Trapp on 2 Corinthians 1

CHAP. I. Verſe 1. Our brother]

IN the faith, not in the fleſh, Sanctior eſt copula cordis, quam corporis, Prov. 18.24.

Verſe 2. From God the Father] The Father is the Fountain, the Son the conduit, whereby all good things are derived to us.

Verſe 3. The Father of mercies] Only it muſt be remembred, that as he is Pater miſerationum, ſo he is Deus ultionum, Pſal 94.1. As he hath ubera, ſo he hath verbera. Chriſt is girt about the paps with a golden girdle, to ſhew his love; but yet he hath eyes like flaming fire, and feet like burning braſſe, Rev. 1. to look thorow and keep under his enemies.

The God of all comfort] It is he that ſhines thorow the creature, which elſe is but as the air without light. It is he that comforteth by the means. It is not the Word alone; for that is but as the veins and arteries that convey the bloud and ſpirits: So the Spirit being convey'd by the promiſes, helpeth the ſoul to lay it ſelf upon Chriſt by faith, and ſo it is comforted. Sometimes comfort comes not by the uſe of the means till afterwards, that he may have the whole glory, Cant. 3. The Church found not him, whom her ſoul loved, till ſhe was a little paſt the watchmen. The ſoul is apt to hang her comforts on every hedge, to ſhift and ſhark in every by-corner for comfort. But as air lights not without the Sun, and as fuell heats not without fire, ſo neither can any thing ſoundly comfort us without God.

Ʋna est in trepida mihi re medicina JehovaeNath. Chytraus. Cor patrium, os verax, omnipotenſ que manus.

Verſe 4. By the comfort wherewith] How forcible are right words? eſpecially when uttered more from the bowels then the brain, and from our own experience: which made even Chriſt himſelf a more compaſſionate high-prieſt, and Luther ſuch an heart-affecting preacher, becauſe from his tender years he was much beaten and exerciſed with ſpirituall conflicts, as Melancthon teſtifieth.In vita. He was alſo wont to ſay that three things make a Preacher, Reading, Praier, and Temptation. Reading maketh a full man, Praier an holy man, Temptation an experienced man.

Wherewith we our ſelves are comforted] Goodneſſe is communicative. Mr Knox, a little afore his death, role out of his bed; and being asked wherefore, being ſo ſick, he would offer to riſe? He anſwered, that he had had ſweet meditations of the reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt that night, and now he would go into the Pulpit,Mel[illegible: 1 letter]b Adam. and impart to others the comforts that he felt in his ſoul.

Verſe 5. As the ſufferings of Christ] So called either becauſe the Saints ſuffer for Chriſt, or becauſe they have him ſuffering with them, Act. 9.4. God is more provoked then Nehemiah, Nehem. 4.3, 5.

So our conſolation] As the lower the ebbe, the higher the tide. [non-Latin text not transcribed], ſaith Ignatius. The more pain, the more gain. It is to my loſſe, if you bate me any thing in my ſufferings.

Verſe 6. And whether we be afflicted] Let the winde ſit in what corner ſoever it will, it blows good to the Saints, Cant. [illegible: 1 letter].16. Though North and South be of contrary qualities, yet they make the Churches ſpices to flow and give forth their ſent.

Verſe 7. So ſhall ye be alſo, &c.] Our troubles therefore are compared to the throws of a travelling woman that tend to a birth, and end in comfort Joh. 16.21.

Verſe 8. For we would not, &c.] It is of great uſe to know the ſufferings that others have ſuſtained before us. The Primitive Chriſtians kept Catalogues of their Martyrs. Dr Tailor the Martyr at his death gave his ſon Thomas a latine book, containing the ſayings and ſufferings of the old Martyrs, collected by himſelf. In the Engliſh Seminaries beyond ſeas, they have at dinner time their Martyrology read, that is, the legend of our Engliſh Traitours.

We deſpaired even of life] God is oft better to us then our hopes: he reſerves uſually his holy hand for a dead lift. He comes in the nick of time: and our extremity is his opportunity. See the Note on Luk. 18.8.

Verſe 9. But we had the ſentence] Gr. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. The anſwer or denunciation of death. Here we muſt diſtinguiſh between anſwers of triall, and direct anſwers. This was of the former ſort: for Paul died not at that time. When Leyden was ſo long, and ſo ſtrictly beſieged by the Duke of Alva, that they were forced for their ſuſtenance to ſearch and ſcrape dung-hils, &c. and the Duke, in the language of blaſphemy, threatned the defendants with cruell death, that very night the windes turned, the tide ſwelled, and the waters came in, and forced him to raiſe the ſiege.

That we ſhould not truſt] Hope is never higher-elevated then when our ſtate in all mens eyes is at loweſt.

Verſe 10. In whom we truſt] Experience breeds confidence. Thou haſt, thou ſhalt, is an ordinary medium made uſe of by the Pſalmiſt.

Verſe 11. You alſo helping together] The beſt may have benefit by the praiers of the meaneſt. Melancthon was much cheared and confirmed by the praiers of certain women and children, whom he found tugging with God in a corner for the ſetling of the Reformation in Germany. S[illegible: 1 letter]lneccer. paedagog. Chriſtian. pag. 196.

Verſe 12. For this is our rejoycing, &c.] He was merry under his load, becauſe his heart was upright. The ſincere will well ſtand under great preſſures, becauſe they are ſound. Whereas if a bone be broke, or but the skin rub'd up and raw, the lighteſt load will be grievous.

And godly ſincerity] A fine word he here uſeth: [non-Latin text not transcribed]. and it is a Metaphor either from the Eagle that trieth her young by holding them forth againſt the full ſight of the Sun;Ariſtot. Plin. (ſo ſhould we the motions of our mindes to the Word of God) or elſe from a wiſe and wary chapman, that holds up the cloth he buyes, betwixt his eye and the Sun.

Verſe 13. Then what ye read, &c.] Or, then what you can both recognize and approve of: for you have known me thorow and thorow.

Verſe 14. You have acknowledged in part] q. d. You ought to have done it more fully: but you have been carried away, as ye were led by the falſe Apoſtles.

Verſe 15. A ſecond benefit] Gr. Grace not converting only, but confirming alſo. All is but enough.

Verſe 16. And to paſſe by you] So indefatigable and unſatisfiable was he in doing God ſervice. Calvin ſaid, Ne decem quidem maria, &c. That it would not grieve him to ſail over ten ſeas, about a uniform draught for religion.

Verſe 17. Did I uſe lightneſſe] So the falſe Apoſtles ſuggeſted againſt him. Miniſters muſt carefully clear themſelves of ſuſpitions and aſperſions caſt upon them, either by a verball or reall Apology.

Verſe 18. Our word toward you, &c.] Gods children are all ſuch as will not lie, ſay and unſay, blow hot and cold with a blaſt, Iſa. 63.8.

Verſe 19. For the Sonne of God] What is that to the purpoſe? Thus: if the Goſpel that Paul preached be not yea and nay, then neither are Pauls promiſes yea and nay. This is his intendment: elſe his inference is nothing. And by that which follows, it reacheth all Chriſtians,M. Cotton on the ſeven vi[illegible: 1 letter]als 25. q. d. Look what a Chriſtian doth promiſe, he is bound by the earneſt-peny of Gods Spirit to perform. He dares no more alter his words to the diſcredit of his profeſſion, then the Spirit of God can lie.

Verſe 20. In him are yea and amen] That is, truth and aſſurance. They will eat their way over all alpes of oppoſition, as one ſpeaketh.

Verſe 21. Hath anointed us] i. e. Conſecrated and qualified us.

Verſe 22. Sealed us] As the Merchant ſets his ſeal upon his goods.

The earnest of the Spirit] Whereof God ſhould undergoe the loſſe, if he ſhould not give the inheritance, as Chryſoſtome noteth.

Verſe 23. I call God to record] He purgeth himſelf by oath. So thoſe Ioſh. 22.22.

Verſe 24. Dominion over your faith] As Maſters of your conſciences: ſuch as the Bridge-maker of Rome will needs be.Pontiſex Romanus.