John Trapp on 2 Corinthians 6

CHAP. VI. Verſe 1. As workers together]

NOt as coadjutours, but as inſtruments, ſuch as God is pleaſed to make uſe of. See the Note on 1 Cor. 3.9.

The grace of God in vain] That Embaſſage of grace, Chap. 5. 20.Life of K. Ed. 6. by St [illegible: 2 letters]. Hay p. 74. Or that unſpeakable gift of Chriſt, v. 21. which many uſe as homely as Rachel did her fathers gods; ſhe hid them in the litter and ſat on them: or as that lewd boy in Kets conſpiracy, who when the Kings pardon was offered the Rebels by an herald, he turned toward him his naked poſteriours, and uſed words ſutable to that geſture. One ſtanding by diſcharged an harquebuz upon the body, &c.

Verſe 2. Now is the accepted time] He purpoſely beats upon the [non-Latin text not transcribed], becauſe opportunity is headlong, and, if once paſt, irrecoverable. Some are Semper victuri, as Seneca ſaith, they ſtand trifling out their time, and ſo fool away their ſalvation. God will not alwaies ſerve men for a ſinning-ſtock. Patientia laſa fit furor. Doe we therefore as Millers and Mariners, who take the gale when it cometh, and make uſe of it, becauſe they have not the winde in a bottle.

Now is the day of ſalvation] And God will not ſuffer men twice to neglect it. If once paſt, it will never dawn again. Catch therefore at opportunities, as the Eccho catcheth the voice, Pſal. 27. take the nick of time. God is more peremptory now then ever, Heb. 2.2, 3.

Verſe 3. Giving no offence] A Miniſter ſhould be as Abſolom was, without blemiſh from head to foot. His fruit ſhould be, as that of Paradiſe, fair to the eye, and ſweet to the taſte. A ſmall fault is ſoon ſeen in him, and eaſily either imitated or upbraided. God appointed both the weights and meaſures of the Sanctuary to be twice as large as thoſe of the Common-wealth.

Verſe 4. In much patience] Or tolerance, ſuffering hardſhip, as good ſouldiers of Jeſus Chriſt.

In afflictions] Out of which there is little or no uſe of patience: at leaſt ſhe cannot have her perfect work, Jam. 1.4.

In neceſſities] Want of neceſſaries.

In diſtreſſes] Such ſtraits, as that we are at a ſtand, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. and have not whether to turn us: we are in a little eaſe, as it were.

Verſe 5. In impriſonments] Chryſostome ſaith, he had rather be Paul caſt into priſon, then Paul wrapt up into Paradiſe.

Verſe 6. By pureneſſe] By lamb-like ſimplicity or ſincerity. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Religion loves to lie clean, ſaid one. Godlineſſe muſt run thorow our whole lives as the woof doth thorow the web. See Iſa. 33.14. No gold or precious ſtone is ſo pure as the prudent minde of a pious man, ſaid divine Plato.

Verſe 7. On the right hand, &c.] Againſt the worlds both irritamenta and terriculamenta, both allurements and affrightments. Contempt us eſt à me Romanus & favor & furor, ſaid Luther, when the Pope one while entiſed him, and another while threatned him. When he was offered to be Cardinall, if he would be quiet, he replied, No, not if I might be Pope. When he was told that he ſhould finde no favour. Quid verò facere poterunt? Epiſt ad Spal. (ſaid he) occident? Nunquid reſuſcitabunt, ut iterum occidant[illegible: 1 letter] What will they do? will they kill me? But can they raiſe me to life again, that they may kill me again? Can they kill me the ſecond time?

Verſe 8.Act. and Mon. fol. 1491. By honour and diſhonour, &c.] It is written on heaven-doors (ſaid that Martyr) Do well and hear ill. A bad report port is the ordinary reward of very-well-doing: which made Luther wax proud even of his reproach.Tom. 1. oper. Lat. p 31. [illegible: 1 letter] Superbus fio, ſaid he quod video nomen peſſimum mihi creſcere. Hierome alſo writeth to Auguſtine, Quod ſignum major is gloriae eſt, omnes haeretici me deteſtantur. This is my glory, that none of the heretikes can give me a good word or look.Qui boni viri famam perdidit ne conſcientiam perderet, Sen. It was a divine ſaying of Seneca, No man ſets a better rate upon vertue, then he that loſeth a good name to keep a good conſcience.

As deceivers] Aſperſed for ſuch, as Chriſt was, Mat. 27.63. And Lucian blaſphemouſly termeth him [non-Latin text not transcribed], the crucified cezener.

Verſe 9. As unknown] To the world, 1 Joh. 3, 1, 2. A Prince in a ſtrange Land is little ſet by, as not known. Ʋnkent unkiſt, as the Northern Proverb hath it.

Well known] To them that have ſpirituall judgement, and can prize a perſon to his worth: which the worlds wizards cannot do, Iſa. 53.2, 3.

And not killed] God will have a care of that: he corrects in meaſure, he ſmites his, not at the root, but in the branches, Iſa. 27.8. As it is a rule in phyſick ſtill to maintain nature, &c. ſo doth God ſtill keep up the ſpirits of his people by cordials, Iſa. 57.16.

Verſe 10. As ſorrowfull, yet, &c] Gods works are uſually done in oppoſitis contrarys, as Luther ſaid. Out of the eater he brings meat, &c. This riddle the world underſtands not.

Yet poſſeſſing all things] Godlineſſe hath an autarkie, a ſelf-ſufficiency, 1 Tim. 6.6. Cuicum paupertate benè convenit, pauper non eſt, faith Seneca. A contented man cannot be a poor man.

Verſe 11. Our mouth is open unto you] We ſpeak thus freely unto you, out of our deep affection towards you: we even carve you a piece of our heart, we pour forth our ſelves in this floud of ſpeech, that thereby ye may take a ſcantling of our over-abundant love to your fouls. [non-Latin text not transcribed], open-mouthed men are put for fools oftentimes in Lucian and Aristophanes. But in another ſenſe then the Apoſtle here uſeth it. A large heart maketh a man full in the mouth, as if it ſought that way to get out to the thing affected.

Verſe 12. ye are not ſtraitned in us] Non habitatis anguſtè in nobis: ſo Piſcator renders it.

But ye are ſtraitned] Ye are bankrupts in love, ye comply not, ye do not reciprocate. Plain things will joyn in every point, one with another: not ſo, round and rugged things.

Verſe 13. I ſpeak as unto my children] Here are ſoft words, hard arguments. This is the way to win: and that was a ſad complaint, 2 Cor. 12.15. Love loſt is a bitter affliction.M. Ward.

Verſe 14. Be not unequally yoked] Dare not (ſaith a Divine) to yoke thy ſelf with any untamed heifer, that bears not Chriſts yoke. Quam maſe inaequales veniuni juvenci? Ovid. epiſt. An Oxe and an Aſſe might not be coupled together in the Law. And hereunto the Apoſtle ſeems to allude. The Doctours of Doway upon Levit. 19.19. Here all participation, ſay they, with heretikes and ſchiſmatiques is forbidden. Philip King of Spain ſaid, He had rather have no Subjects, then Subjects of divers religions. And, out of a bloudy zeal, ſuffered his eldeſt ſon Charles to be murdered by the bloudy Inquiſition, becauſe he ſeemed to favour our profeſſion.Hieron. Catina.

Verſe 15. What concord hath Christ] Thoſe Moderatours that plead for a correſpondency with Popery, would make a pretty ſhew, if there were no Bible. But if theſe reconcilers (as Franciſcus de ſancta clara, and his fautors) were the wiſeſt men under heaven, and ſhould live to the worlds end, they would be brought to their wits end, before they could accompliſh this works end, to make a reconciliation betwixt Chriſt and Antichriſt, betwixt Rome and us.

Verſe 16. I will dwell in them] Gr. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. I will indwell in them: This notes Gods neareſt communion with them. He ſetteth them before his face continually, Pſal. 41.12. as loving to look upon them. The Philoſopher told his friends, when they came into his little low cottage, The gods are here with me. God and Angels are with his Saints. [non-Latin text not transcribed].

And walk in them] As they did in Solomons porch, and other walks and galleries about the Temple. And hereunto the Prophet alludes, Zach. 3.7. The Turks wonder to ſee a man walk to and fro, and uſually ask ſuch whether they be out of their way, or out of their wits.Bi[illegible: 1 letter]lulph.

Verſe 17. And be ye ſeparate] For groſſe Idolatry, and for fundamentall errours only muſt we ſeparate. Corruptions grew ſo great in the Church of Rome, that it juſtly occaſioned firſt the ſeparation of the Greek Churches from the Latine, and then of the Reformed Churches from the Roman.Di[illegible: 1 letter]p derep. l. 2. cap. 12. Machiavel obſerved, that after the thouſand year of Chriſt, there was no where leſſe piety then in thoſe that dwelt neareſt to Rome. And Bellar mine bewails it,Lib. 3. de Papa Rom, cap. 21. That ever ſince we cried up the Pope for Antichriſt, his kingdom hath not only not encreaſed, but hath greatly decreaſed.

And I will receive you] So you ſhall be no loſers, [illegible: 1 letter]e put you into my boſome. God imparteth his ſweeteſt comforts to his in the wildernes, Hoſ. 2.14.

Verſe 18. I will be a Father] The fundamentall, meritorious, impulſive and finall cauſes of this precious priviledge, ſee ſet forth, Eph. 1.5, 6.

Saith the Lord Almighty] This is added by our Apoſtle to Jer. 31.9.