John Trapp on 2 Corinthians 7

CHAP. VII. Verſe 1. Having therefore, &c.]

FAith in the promiſes purifieth the heart, Act. 15.9. and argueth notably from mercy to duty.

From all filthineſſe] Sin defileth a man worſe then any jakes or leproſie. It is the devils excrement, it is the corruption of a dead ſoul. Seldome or never is there a birth of ſaving grace, but there follows it a flux of mortification.

Of fleſh and spirit] i. e. Both of the outward and inward man. Or of fleſh, that is, worldly luſts, and groſle evils, as uncleanneſſe, earthly-mindedneſſe, &c. And of spirit, that is, more ſpirituall luſts, as pride, preſumption, ſelf-flattery, &c. Theſe lie more up in the heart of the Countrey, as it were: thoſe other in the fron [illegible: 1 letter]iers and skirts of it.

Perfecting holines] Propounding to our ſelves, the higheſt pitch, and the beſt paterns.

In the fear of God] Which is the fountain, whence holineſſe flows, See Pro. 8.13.

Verſe 2. Receive us] Gr. Make room for us in your hearts and houſes. Set wide open the everlaſting doors, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Locum date. that the King of glory may come in, triumphantly riding upon us his white horſes, Revel. 6 2.

We have wronged no man] Miniſters muſt ſo live, that they may, if need be, glory of their innocency and integrity, as did Moſes, Samuel, Paul, Melancthon.

We have corrupted no man] viz. As the falſe Apoſtles had done with their leaven of falſe Doctrine, which eateth as a canker, 2 Tim. 2.17. or a gangrene, which preſently over-runs the parts, and takes the brain. Protagoras in Plato boaſted that of thoſe ſixty years that he had lived, he had ſpent fourty in corrupting of youth.

We have defrauded no man] We have cunningly made ſale of no man, as thoſe old impoſtours, that made prize of their priſoners, 2 Pet. 2.3. And as thoſe Popiſh Muſcipulatores or Mice-catchers, as the ſtory calleth them, that raked together their Peter-pence, and other moneys here in England by moſt deteſtable arts. Polydore Virgil was one of theſe ill officers, that left not ſo much money in the whole Kingdome ſometimes, as they either carried with them, or ſent to Rome before them.

Verſe 3. I speak not this, &c.] Though cauſe enough he had to condemn them for their ſhamefull tenacity toward him, whom they baſely ſuffered to labour for his living, and to preach gratis; againſt all right and reaſon.

To die and to live with you] Such faithfull friends are in this age all for the moſt part gone in pilgrimage, and their return is uncertain, as once the Duke of Buckingham ſaid to Biſhop Morton in Rich. the thirds time. Jonathan and David, Pylades and Oreſtes, Poliſtratus and Hippoclides are famous for their love one to another. Theſe two laſt being Philoſophers of Epicurus his ſect,V[illegible: 1 letter]l[illegible: 1 letter]r, M[illegible: 1 letter]x, l. [illegible: 1 letter]. c. 16. are ſaid to have been born the ſame day, to have lived together all their daies, and to have died in the ſame moment of time, being well ſtricken in years. But the love of Iriſh foſter-brothers, is ſaid far to ſurpaſſe all the loves of all men.C[illegible: 1 letter]md. Elizab. fol. 483. [non-Latin text not transcribed].

Verſe 4. I am exceeding joyfull] Gr. I do over-abound exceedingly with joy. Others may revell, the godly only rejoyce: they have an exuberancy of joy, ſuch as no good can match, no evil over-match: Witnes the Martyrs ancient and modern. Oh how my heart leapeth for joy (ſaid one of them) that I am ſo near the apprehenſion of eternall bliſſe I God forgive me mine unthankfulneſſe and unworthineſſe of ſo great glory. In all the daies of my life I was never ſo merry,Act. and Mon. fol 1668, 1669 1670. as now I am in this dark dungeon. Beleeve me there is no ſuch joy in the world, as the people of Chriſt have under the croſſe. Thus and much more Mr Philpot Martyr.

Verſe 5. Our fleſh had no rest] Our ſpirit had no unreſt. The outward man ſuffers much ſometimes, when the inward remains unmoleſted. Philip Lantgrave of Heſſe, being asked how he could ſo well bear his ſeven years impriſonment, anſwered, Se divines Martyrum conſolationes ſenſiſſe, that he felt the divine conſolations of the Martyrs, which as bladders bore him aloft all waters.

Verſe 6. God that comforteth] This is a moſt ſweet attribute of God, ſuch as we may profitably plead and produce in praier. He loves to comfort thoſe that are forſaken of their hopes.

By the coming of Titus] Who came very opportunely,2 Cor. 2.12, 13. even whiles Paul was writing this Epiſtle. Gods comforts are therefore ſweet, becauſe ſeaſonable. He never comes too ſoon, nor ſtaies too long. He waits to be gracious, as being a God of judgement. Were we but ripe, he is ready, and will lift us up in due time, Iſa. 30 18. 1 Pet. 5.6.

Verſe 7. Your earnest deſire] Of ſeeing me, or rather of ſatiſfying me.

Your fervent minde] Gr. Your zeal, both againſt the inceſtuous perſon, and the falſe Apoſtles, Saint Pauls adverſaries.

Verſe 8. Though it were but for a ſeaſon] Gr. For an hour. In ſin, the pleaſure paſſeth, the ſorrow remaineth: but in repentance, the ſorrow paſſeth, the pleaſure abideth for ever. God ſoon poureth the oil of gladneſſe into broken hearts.

Verſe 9. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. That ye ſorrowed to repentance] Gr. To a tranſmentation, to a thorow change both of the minde and manners. Optima & aptiſſima poenitentia est nova vita. ſaith Luther. Which ſaying (though condemned by Pope Leo 10.) is certainly an excellent ſaying. Repentance for ſin is nothing worth without repentance from ſin. If thou repent with a contradiction (ſaith Tertullian) God will pardon thee with a contradiction. Thou repenteſt, and yet continueſt in thy ſin. God will pardon thee, and yet ſend thee to hell. There's a pardon with a contradiction.

Sorry after a godly manner] Gr. According to God. This is a ſorrowing for ſin, as it is Offenſivum Dei, averfivum à Deo. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. This both comes from God, and drives a man to God, as it did the Church in the Canticles, and the Prodigall.

Verſe 10. Godly ſorrow worketh] Sin bred ſorrow, and ſorrow, being right, deſtroieth ſin: as the worm that breeds in the wood, eats into it, and devours it.Chryſoſt. So that of this ſorrow according to God we may ſay as the Romans did of Pompey the great, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Plutarch. That it is the fair and happy daughter of an ugly and odious mother.

Repentance never to be repented of] That is, ſaith one, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. M[illegible: 1 letter]rb[illegible: 2 letters]y of Repent. Never to fall back again: for a man in falling back, ſeemeth to repent him of his repentance. Others interpret it, ſuch a repentance, as a man ſhall never have cauſe to repent of. Job curſed the day of his birth; but no man was ever heard to curſe the day of his new birth. For it is repentance to ſalvation, it hath heaven: it is that rain-bow, which if God ſee ſhining in our hearts, he will never drown our ſouls.

But the ſorrow of the world] That which carnall men conceive either for the want or loſſe of good, or for the ſenſe or fear of evil.

Worketh death] As it did in Queen Mary, Act. and Mon. fol. 1901. who died (as ſome ſuppoſed by her much ſighing before her death) of thought and ſorrow either for the departure of K. Philip, or the loſſe of Callice, Duke of the he[illegible: 1 letter]rt. or both. There are that interpret death in this place, of ſpirituall death, becauſe it is oppoſed here to life and ſalvation.

Verſe 11. What carefulneſſe] Gr. What ſtudy, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Ve[illegible: 1 letter]emens ad aliquam rem magna cum vola[illegible: 3 letters]e applicatio. which (ſaith Tully) is an earneſt and ſerious bending and applying of the minde to ſome thing with a great deal of delight. It is rendered here carefulneſſe, not that of diffidence, but that of diligence putting a man upon thoſe wholſome thoughts, What have I done? What ſhall I do, &c.?

Yea what clearing] Gr. Apology or defence. M Bradford. S[illegible: 1 letter]r. of Repent. p. 14. The old interpreter renders it ſatisfaction. It may be (ſaith Mr Bradford) he meant a new life, to make amends thereby to the Congregation offended. As the devil is called the Accuſer, ſo the Spirit is called, The Comforter or pleader for us: becauſe as he maketh interceſſion in our hearts to God: ſo upon true repentance he helpeth us to make apologies for our ſelves; not by denying our ſins or defending them, but by confeſſing and diſclaiming them, as a childe to his father.

Yea, what indignation] Or ſtomach, as Ephraim, Jer. 31.19. The publican who ſmote himſelf upon the breſt; he would have knockt his corruptions, if he could have come at them: as thoſe Iſa. 30.22. that polluted the Idols that they had perfumed, and ſaid unto them, Get you hence, be packing, What have I to do any more with Idolds? Hoſ. 14.8. Out of doors with this Tamar, here's no room for her. So fooliſh was I, and ſo very a beaſt, ſaith David, Pſal. 73. How angry and hot was he againſt himſelf, 2 Sam. 24.10.

Yea, what fear] Of Gods heavy diſpleaſure, and of doing any more ſo; the burnt childe dreads the fire. He that hath been ſtung, hates a ſnake.

Yea, what vehement deſire] As that of Rachel after children, as that of David after the water of the well of Bethlehem, as that of the hunted Hinde after the water-brooks. David panted and fainted after God.Pſal. 119. That Martyr cried out, None but Christ, none but Christ.

Yea, what zeal] Which is an extreme heat of all the affections for and toward God. Davids zeal ate him up. Paul was judg'd as mad for Chriſt, as ever he had been againſt him, 2 Cor. 5.13. with Act. 26.11.

Yea, what revenge] Out of deepeſt ſelf-abhorrency, buffeting the fleſh, and giving it the blew eye, as S. Paul (that crucifix of mortification) once did. Thus the women parted with their looking-glaſſes, Exod. 35. Mary Magdalen wiped Chriſts feet with her hair, wherewith ſhe had formerly made nets to catch fools in. Cranmer burnt his right hand firſt, wherewith he had ſubſcribed,Act. and Mon. fol. 1714. and oftentimes repeated in the flames. This unworthy right hand, ſo long as his voice would ſuffer him. The true penitentiary amerceth himſelf, and abridgeth his fleſh of ſome lawfull comforts, as having forfeited all. Theſe ſeven ſigns of godly ſorrow are to be ſeen in the repenting Church, Cant. 5. as in a worthy example or emblem. I ſleep, there's indignation, but my heart waketh, there's Apology. I aroſe to open &c. there's ſtudy or care and diligence. My ſoul failed, there's her zeal. I ſought him, I called on him, there's her vehement deſire. The watchmen found me, they ſmote me, &c. There's her revenge, whiles ſhe ſhrank not for any danger, but followed Chriſt thorow thick and thin in the night among the watch. And all this ſhews her fear of being again overtaken with drouſineſſe.

To be clear in this matter] Becauſe they had heartily repented of it. Quem poenitet peccaſſe, poenè eſt innocens. Senec. in Agam. Repentance is almoſt equivalent to innocence. Imò plus eſt propemodùm à vitijs ſe revocaſſe, quam vitia ipſa neſciviſſe, Amb. in Pſal. ſaith Ambroſe.

Verſe 12. Not for his cauſe] That is, Not ſo much for his cauſe.

That ſuffered the wrong] viz. The father of the inceſtuous perſon. Compare Gen. 49.4.

But that our care for you] That the Church might not ſuffer, as allowing ſuch foul facts. How the Primitive Chriſtians were ſlandered by the Heathens in this kinde, who knows not?Act. and Mon[illegible: 1 letter] 838. Cenalis Biſhop of Auranches wrote againſt the Church at Paris, defending impudently that their aſſemblies were to maintain whoredom. Such reports alſo they caſt abroad a little before the maſſacre, They tell the people in Italy, that Geneva is a profeſſed Sanctuary of all roguery, that in England the people is grown barbarous, and eat young children, &c.

Verſe 13. His spirit was refreſhed] After his long and tedious toil and travell to come to you, he never thought much of his labour. Calvin ſaid, That it would not grieve him to ſail over ten ſeas about an uniform draught for religion.Ne decem quidem maria, &c.

Verſe 14. I am not aſhamed] As I ſhould have been, had it proved otherwiſe. Lying is a bluſhfull ſin: and therefore the lier denies his own lie, becauſe he is a ſhamed to be taken with it: and our ruffians revenge it with a ſtab.

Verſe 15. Whiles he remembreth] Deep affections make deep impreſſions.