John Trapp on 2 Thessalonians 1

CHAP. I. Verſe 1. In God our Father, and the Lord &c.]

AS God is in his people of a truth, 1 Cor. 14.25. So are they in God: and as Chriſt is at Gods right-hand, ſo is the Church at Chriſts right-hand, Pſalme 45.9. Yea they are in him, and part of him, &c.

Verſe 2. Grace be to you, &c.] See the Note on 1 Cor. 1.2.

And the Lord Ieſus Chriſt] Who is both the fountain, Ioh. 1.16, and the conduit, Ioh. 1.17. For of his fulneſſe we have all received grace for grace. Grace, that is, Gods favour and reconciliation: For grace, that is, for the favour and love, that God the Father bare unto his ſon, Eph. 1.6.

Verſe 3. We are bound to thank God] Duty is a debt, and a good heart is not well till it have diſcharged it. As he that hath ſomewhat lying on his ſtomack cannot be at eaſe till he hath got it up: ſo neither muſt we, till disburdened in ſounding forth Gods praiſes for the good he hath beſtowed on us, or on others for our uſe. This ſaith Luther, is ſancta crapula: And it can be no hurt to have our harts thus overcharged.

Verſe 4 For your patience and faith] Faith patienteth the heart, by putting the head into heaven afore-hand, and giving a man a glimpſe of future glory. Faith drinks to a ſuffering Saint in a cup of Nepenthes, and ſaith, Be of good courage, and of good carriage under the Croſſe. Flebile principium melior fortuna ſequetur. The right-hand of the Lord can mend all.

Verſe 5. Which is a manifest token] The saints ſufferings hero are an ocular demonſtration of a future judgement, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Indig[illegible: 2 letters]atio. wherein all their wrongs ſhall be righted, all their labour of love recompenſed. This held Jobs head above water, when elſe he had been overwhelmed with the flouds of affliction. Job 19.25. So Dan. 12.1, 2. Though things be otherwiſe darkly delivered, yet when the Jews were to loſe land and life, then plainly the generall judgement is mentioned. So Heb. 11.35.

Verſe. 6. To recompenſe tribulation] To trouble theſe troublers of Iſrael, and that thorowou[illegible: 1 letter] all eternity, becauſe they would be alwaies troubling Gods people if they might [illegible: 1 letter] as it is ſaid of the Scorpion, that there is not one minute, wherein it doth not put forth the ſting.Plin.

Verſe 7. Rest with us] As Noahs Ark, after much toſſing, reſted upon the mountains of Ararat: as the Ark of the Covenant formerly tranſportative, was at length ſerled in Solomons Temple. The word here uſed properly ſignifieth remiſſion and relaxation from hard labour, Apoc. 14.13. they reſt from their labours.Av[illegible: 1 letter]ow. And as the ſleep of a labouring man is ſweet: ſo here.

With his mighty angels] O what a glorious day muſt that needs be, when to many glorious S[illegible: 1 letter]ns ſhall ſhine at once: The Lord Chriſ out-ſhining them all, Velut inter ſtellas luna minores!

Verſe 8. In ſlaming fire] Naturall fire, 2 Pet. 36, 7. whereby the elements ſhall melt like ſcalding lead upon the wicked, whiles they give account with all the world on a ſlaming fire about their ears. Of this laſt dreadfull fire the very Heathen had ſome blinde notions. Eſſe quo que , in fatis meminit, &c. Ovid Metam lib. 1. Denat deer. Luncretius and Tully ſay ſomewhat to it, but little to the purpoſe.

And that obey not the Gospel] This is the grand ſin of this age, Joh. 3.19. No ſin will gripe ſo in hell as this. This will be a bodkin at the heart one day, I might have been delivered, but I have wilfully cut the throat of my poor ſoul by refuſing thoſe rich offers of mercy made me in the Goſpel.

Verſe 9. Who ſhall be puniſhed] Here's the pain of ſenſe, eternity of extremity.

From the preſence] Here's the pain of loſſe, which is, of the two, the greater.

And from the glory of his power] God will ſet himſelf to inflict upon the damned ſuch a meaſure of miſery, as his power can extend unto.

Verſe 10. To be glorified] This is the chi[illegible: 1 letter]f end of his coming: like as he reprobateth ſome, that his mercy in electing others may the more appear.

To be admired] When they ſhall be ſeen to ſhine as the firmament, nay▪ as the ſtars, Dan. 12.3. nay as the Sun, Mat. 13.43. nay as Chriſt himſelf, that Sun of righteouſnes, to the great admiration of all men.

Verſe 11. The work of faith with power] Without which power neither the goodneſſe of God, nor the good pleaſure of his goodneſſe, that is his decree of glorifying us, nor the work of ſaith could be effected.

Verſe 12 That the name of our Lord] It is much for the honour of the Saints that Chriſt ſhall account himſelf glorified in their glory. Neither is it for their honour only, but for their advantage: for this glory of Chriſt ſhall redound unto them: therefore it is a added by the Apoſtle, And ye in him.