John Trapp on 2 Corinthians 9

CHAP IX. Verſe 1. The ministring to the Saints]

OR the ſervice that ye owe the Saints in miniſtring to their neceſſities. Amadeus Duke of Savoy, Stephanus King of Hungary. Hooper Biſhop of Gloceſter, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. and Dr Tailour Martyr, are famous for their labour of love in miniſtring to the Saints.

Verſe 2. Was ready] To wit, in their reſolutions: for the collection was not yet made.

And your zeal] i.e. Your liberall contribution out of deep affection, and an holy emulation to exceed others in bounty.

Verſe 4. Capel. in Spic. In this ſame confident boasting] Gr. In this confidence of glorying: A Metaphor from hunters, who confidently expect the beaſt, and valiantly ſet upon him. Sic latini dicunt, ſubſiſtere apram.

Verſe 5. Not of covetouſneſſe] Non ut extortum aliquid, ſaith Piſcator, velut illiberale aliquid. Not as wrung out of you, ſqueezed out, as verjuice is out of a crab. Covetous perſons part with their peny, as with bloud out of their hearts, Citiùs aquam ex pumice, clavam ex manu Herculis extorqueas. God will ſet off all hearts from ſuch miſers in their miſery, that are ſo unreaſonably mercileſſe.

Verſe 6. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Which ſoweth bountifully] Gr. That ſoweth in bleſſings; alluding to Ezek. 34.26. Eccleſ. 11.1. Cast thy bread upon the water, that is, upon fat and fertile places, loca irrigua. A Metaphor from ſeedſmen, who eat not all, ſell not all, but ſow ſome: ſo ſhould we ſow that we have upon the backs and bellies of the poor, ſow more of this ſeed in Gods bleſſed boſome, the fruit whereof we are ſure to reap in our greateſt need.

Verſe 7. According as he purpoſeth] God ſtraineth upon none: See Levit. 5.6, 12, and 14.10, 21, 30. Liberality implieth liberty.

God loveth a chearfull giver] Dat benè, dat mulium, qui dat cum munere vultum, One may give with his hand, and pull it back with his looks.

Verſe 8. And God is able] Fear not therefore leſt your ſelves ſhould want hereafter, if you ſhould give liberally now. Is not mercy as ſure a grain as vanity? Is God like to break?

Having all ſufficiency] He ſaith not, ſuperfluity. Enough we ſhall be ſure of, and an honeſt affluence, if fit for it,De civit Dei l. 5 c. 25. and can make us friends with it. Bonus Deus Conſtantinum magnum tantis terrenis implevit muneribus, quanta optare nullus auderet, ſaith Auſtin. God gave Conſtantine more wealth then heart could wiſh, and he was no niggard of it to poor Chriſtians.

In all things] The Apoſtle uſeth many Ali's on purpoſe to croſſe and confute our covetouſneſſe, who are apt to think we have never enough.

Verſe 9. He hath disperſed abroad] Generall Norice was like that Biſhop of Lincolne, that never thought he had that thing that he did not give. Of Mr Wiſeheart the Scottiſh Martyr it is reported, that his charity had never end, night, day, nor noon.Act. and Mon. fol. 1155. He forbare one meal in three, one day in four for the moſt part to beſtow it on the poor. He never changed his ſheets, but he gave them away, &c.

His righteouſneſſe endureth for ever] Never did a charitable act go away without the retribution of a bleſſing. See the Note on Mat. 10.42.

Verſe 10. And multiply your ſeed ſown] He that ſoweth ſeemeth to caſt away his ſeed, but he knows he ſhall receive his own with uſury. Iſaac had a hundred-fold encreaſe. In Aegypt ſo far as the river Nilus watereth, the ground is ſo fruitfull, Blunts voiage, 77. that they do but throw in the ſeed, and have four rich harveſts in leſſe then four moneths. Temporalia Dei ſervis impenſa non pereunt, ſed parturiunt. Sidediſſes tres aureos, accepiſſes trecentos, ſaid that Biſhop of Millain to his ſervant, that had not given ſo much to the poor as he had appointed him. If we never ſow,Iob Manlij. loc. com pag. 359. we ſhall never reape, ſaid that [illegible: 1 letter]ood poor Miniſter that bad his wife give three-pence (his whole ſtock) to a poor brother.

Verſe 11. Rogers of love. Which cauſeth through us] Whiles we not only relieve them, but inſtruct them, as Biſhop Hooper did his board of beggars, as Dr Tailour the Martyr did the Almſ-people of Hadley, and other poor of his Pariſh.Act. and Mon. fol. 1370. Ibid 1387. As Giles of Bruſſels did, miniſtring wholſome exhortation of ſound doctrine to them he relieved, and ſo eliciting from them many thankſgivings unto God.

Verſe 13. For your profeſſed ſubjection] Whileſt you teſtifie your faith by your works, as they produced the coats that Dorcas made, to prove her a devout woman; and as Numb. 13.13. it appeared by the fruits it was a good land. Heathens acknowledged, That no people in the world did love one another ſo as Chriſtians did.

Verſe 14. And by their praier for you] A poor Chriſtians praiers cannot be bought too dear. I will restore comfort to him, and to his mourners, Iſa. 57.18. Such can do much with God. Et cum talis fueris memento mei, ſaith Bernard to his poor, but pure friend. How heartily praieth Paul for One ſiphorus, 2 Tim. 1.18?Meditat. devetiſſ cap. 5.

Verſe 15. For his unſpeakable gift] That is, for Chriſt (ſaith Theophylact, whom Piſcator followeth) who is called the gift, by an excellency, Joh. 4.10. and the benefit, 1 Tim. 6.2.