John Trapp on 2 Corinthians 7:11

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.