John Trapp on 2 Thessalonians 2

CHAP. II. Verſe 1. Now we beſeech you, brethren]

CHriſts ſpokeſmen muſt be fair ſpoken, ſo wooing for him, that they may win upon mens hearts; leading by the hand thoſe that are willing, and drawing after a ſort thoſe that are leſſe willing, that they may preſent them as a chaſte virgin to Chriſt, 2 Cor. 11.2.

By the coming of our Lord] He draweth an argument from the matter under hand, wherewith their hearts were now heated afore hand. It muſt be an elaborate ſpeech that ſhall work up-on the heart.

And by our gathering together unto him] In that laſt and great day, when all the Eagles ſhall be gathered to that once dead,Mat 24.28. Epheſ. 1.10. but now all-quickning carcaſe: when the ſign of the ſon of man ſhall be lifted up as an Enſign, and all the Saints ſhall repair to it, as the ſouldiers do to their colours.

Verſe 2. That ye be not ſoon ſhaken] As ſea-men are toſſed by a tempeſt, and even brought to their wits ends, Pſal. 107.27. [non-Latin text not transcribed], a nomine [non-Latin text not transcribed], ſa[illegible: 1 letter]um. That ye be not ſhaken out of your wits, and put beſi[illegible: 1 letter]e your ſelves; [illegible: 1 letter]o the words may be rendered. And indeed errours and hereſies, ſanam tollunt de cardine mentom.

Or be troubled] Or, terrified, as with a ſudden hubbub, alarm, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. tumult.

Neither by spirit] Pretended revelations, ſuch as was that whereby the old impoſtour conſened that young Prophet into a lions mouth.

Nor by Word] Traditions, unwritten verities, &c.

Nor by letter] Counterfeited, ſuppoſititious, ſpurious, ſuch as were thoſe Goſpels that went under the names of S. Thomas, S. Bartholomew, &c. Or by wreſting and writhing that paſſage of his former letter, 1 Theſſ. 4.17. to another meaning then ever the Apoſtle int[illegible: 1 letter]nded it. So S. Austin was ſerved, Aug lib 1 de Trin c. 3. and the foreſaw it: I believe, ſaith he, that ſome of my readers will imagine me ſenſiſſe quod non ſenſi, [illegible: 1 letter]ut non ſenſiſſe quod ſenſi, that I was in many things of another minde, then ever I was indeed. And it ſell out accordingly. For as Baronius witneſſeth, Baron. Annal Tom. 6. after S. Auſtins death there aroſe up divers, Qui ex ejus ſcriptis malè perceptis complures invexerunt errores, who by miſtaking of what he had written, brought in many pernicious errours and vouched him for their authour.

As that the day of Chriſt] Peters ſeoffers asked, Where is the promiſe of his coming? As if Chriſt would never come. theſe were afraid he would come too [illegible: 1 letter]oon, and take them with their task undone. The devil uſually tempteth by extreams, as he did our Saviour, Mat. 4. and as he did Mr Knox upon his death bed, firſt to deſpair, by ſetting his ſins before him, and then to preſumption, by reminding him of his reformations.

Verſe 3. Except there come a falling] Gr. An apostaſie, viz. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. of people from the truth, when the whole world went a wondering, and a wandering after the beaſt, Revel. 13.3. To the fathers theſe prophecies of Antichriſt were riddles. The prophecy is ſealed to the end, Dan. 12. till unſealed by event. Austin ſaith ingenuouſly he underſtood not this text. And herein he did better then thoſe other of the Latine Fathers that interpreted it of the falling away of ſundry Nations from the Roman Empire.

And that man of ſin] That breathing devil, ſo portentouſly, ſo pee[illegible: 1 letter]l[illegible: 1 letter]ſly vicious, Lipſ. Ant. left. Ʋt ejus nomen non hominis, ſed vitij eſſe videatur (as Li[illegible: 1 letter]ſius ſaith of one Tubuſus a Roman Praetor) that ſin it ſelf can hardly be more ſinfull.

The ſonne of perdition] Deſtined to deſtruction, even to be caſt alive into the lake of fire burning with brimſtone, Revel. 19.20. Onuph, in vita Well might Pope Marcellus the ſecond ſtrike his hand upon the table, and ſay, Non video qu[illegible: 1 letter]modò qui locum hunc altiſſimum te[illegible: 1 letter]ent, ſalvari poſſunt. Cor[illegible: 2 letters] a Lapide to Nam 11.14 I ſee not how any Pope can be ſaved. When I was firſt in orders (ſaid Pope Pius Quintus] I had ſome good hopes of ſalvation: When I was made a Cardinal, I doubted: but now that I am Pope, I do almoſt deſpair.

Verſe 4, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Ipho oppoſith himſelf] Who ſtandeth in full oppoſition to Chriſt, as a counter-Chriſt. The enemy and adverſary is this wicked Haman, Eſth. 7.6. ſo this man of ſinne, that Antichriſt of Rome. When the Pope ſets forth any buls, commonly he thus concludes, Non obſtantibus conſtitutionibus Apoſtolicis, caeteriſ que , contrarys quibuſcu que , The conſtitutions and ordinances of the Apoſtles, and all things elſe to the contrary not withſtanding.Tamen eſt ipſiſ ſimun Dei[illegible: 1 letter]ver bam. The Popes interpretation of Scripture, though it never ſo much croſſe the text, yet it is to be eſteemed the very Word of God, ſaith Hoſius.

And exalteth himſelf] Perfrica frontem (ſaid Calvus to Vatinius) & digniorem te dic qui Praetor ſieres quam Catonem. Q[illegible: 1 letter]inoul. 1962 Pope Boniface 3. ſet a good face upon it, and arrogated the title of Univerſall Biſhop. The ancient Romans painted pride with three crowns on her head. On the firſt was in[illegible: 1 letter]eri[illegible: 1 letter]ed Tranſcende, on the ſecond, Non ob dio, on the third, Perturbo. The modern Romans ſee all this daily [illegible: 1 letter]cted by their Biſhop.

Above all that is called god] In the year 1540. Pope Paul the third ſuffered himſelf to be thus blaſphemouſly ſlattered. Paulo tertis optim[illegible: 1 letter] maximo in terris Deo. In the year 1610. books were printed at Bononi an [illegible: 1 letter]at Naples, with this inſcription, Paulo V. vice-deo, Chriſtianae reipublicae Monarchae invictiſſmo, Ponìificiae omnipotentiae conſ[illegible: 1 letter]rvatori acerrimo. To Paul the fift vice-god, moſt invincible Monarch of Chriſtendome, moſt ſtout Defender of the papall omnipotency. The Pope can do all that Chriſt can do, and is more then God, ſaith Hostienſis the Canoniſt, and after him Zabarell: Of wrong he can make right,Cap. 4. of vice vertue, of nothing ſomething, ſaith Bellarmine. Lib [illegible: 2 letters]de Pan [illegible: 1 letter]i[illegible: 1 letter] Rom. He is liſted above the angels, ſo that he can excommunicate them: he can diſpenſe againſt not only the law of nature, but againſt all the Evangeliſts, Prophets, and Apoſtles, ſaith Pope Iohn 23, in extravs one of his paraſites clawed him thus, Oraclis vocis mundi moderaris habenas: Et meritò in terris diceris eſſe Deus.

Or that is worſhipped] Or, That is Auguſt, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. above Princes and potentates. He is cried up for Lord of Lords and King of Kings, one that hath both the ſwords throughout the world, and an[illegible: 1 letter]llimited Empire over all reaſonable creatures, Dulià adorandiu, &c. How he trod upon the Emperour of Germany, and how he lathed Henry 2. of England, and Henry 4. of France till the bloud followed, is better known, then that I need here to relate. Sed exorto Evangelij jubare ſagaciores (ut spero) principes ad nutum Romani Orbily non ſolvent ſubligacula, ſaith one.

Verſe 5. Remember ye not] Satan uſually hides from us that which ſhould help us. But as the ſoul ſhould be as it were an holy Ark: ſo ſhould the memory be as the pot of Manna, preſerving holy truths for conſtant uſe.

Verſe 6. What with holdeth, &c.] viz. The Roman Empire, which had its riſe, raign and ruine, whereupon the Popedome was founded, and grew to that exceſſive greatneſſe, that it laboured with nothing more then with the weightineſſe of it leſt.

Verſe 7. Doth already work] In thoſe ancient Apoſtates and Antichriſts S. [illegible: 1 letter]ohn complaineth of. Tertullian condemneth the Biſhops ſprouting ambition in theſe words, I hear that there is a peremptory edict ſet forth alate. Pontiſex ſcilicet maximus, Epiſcopus Epiſcoporum dicit, This he called, [non-Latin text not transcribed] &c. Thus ſaith the chief-Prieſt, the Biſhop of Biſhops, &c. Odi faſtum illius Eccleſiae, ſaith Baſil, Vehicalis inſidentes circumſpecte veſsiti, epulas curantes proſu at, &c. I hate the pride of that Weſtern Church. Ammia[illegible: 1 letter]us Marcellinus (a Heathen Hiſtorian) ſharply taxeth the roman Biſhops of his time for their pride and prodigality. How ſtifly did Gregory the great oppoſe Iohn of Conſtantinople for affecting the title of Univerſall Biſhop? And yet how baſely did the ſame Gregory collogue with Phocas the Emperour, that himſelf might be ſo ſtiled.Zonaras. This Phocas, a wilde, drunken, blo[illegible: 2 letters]y, adulterous tyrant, advanced the Biſhop of Rome (Gregories ſucceſſour) to the primacy, and was therefore ſlaughtered by Heracliut, who cut oft his wicked hands and feet, and then his genitals by piece-meal.

Vntill he be taken out of the Way] That is, The Roman Emperour have removed his ſeat to Constantinople, that Rom[illegible: 1 letter] may become the neſt of Antichriſt.In mari, biſtor. Ioannes de Columna writeth, That Otho Emperour of Germany thought to have [illegible: 1 letter]uated himſelf at Rome (as former Emperours had done) and began to build him there a ſtately palace. But at the earneſt importunity of the Romans he gave over that deſign. the like had been attempted 300 years before by Conſtans nephew to Heraclius, Theophanes. Zonaras. [illegible: 1 letter]i[illegible: 2 letters]enu[illegible: 1 letter]. Genebr. Chron. but could never be effected. This was by a ſingular providence of God (ſaith Genebrard, a Popiſh Chronologer) that the kingdome of the Church prophecied of by Daniel might have it's ſeat at Rome. If he had ſaid, that the kingdom of Antichriſt, prophecied of by S. Paul and S. Iohn might have it's ſeat in that City ſeated upon ſeven hils, he had ſaid the very truth, he had hit the nail one the head.

Verſe 8. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. And then ſhall that wicked] Gr. That lawleſſe, yokeleſſe, masterleſſe monſter, to whom in the Councel of Lateran 1516. (one year only before Luther ſtood up to reform) there was granted plenary power over the whole Church; which was never ſetled upon him in any former Councel. Pope Nicolas the firſt ſaid, Diſt. 96. That he was above law, becauſe Conſtantine had ſtiled the Pope God. But the very gloſſe derides him for this inference.

With the ſpirit of his mouth] i.e. With the evidence of his word in the mouths of his faithfull Miniſters. Vide catalogum Teſtium veritatis. Bellarmine confeſſeth to his great grief,Lib 3 de Papa Rom cap. 11. that ever ſince the Lutherans have declared the Pope to be Antichriſt, his kingdom hath not only not increaſed, but every day more and more decreaſed and decaied.

With the brightneſſe of his coming] At the laſt day. The holy City ſhall they tread under foot fourty and two moneths, Rev. 11.2. that is (as ſome compute it) till the year of grace, 1866. But that's but a conjecture.

Verſe 9. After the working of Satan] Who (as Gods ape) works effectually in his, and by his agents upon others. By corrupt teachers Satan catcheth men, as a cunning fiſher by one fiſh catcheth another, that he may feed upon both.

And lying wonders] The devil is aſhamed (ſaith the Jeſuite Gretſer) to confirm Luthers doctrine by miracles, But he that now requireth miracles to make him to believe, is himſelf a great miracle, ſaith Auſtin.

Verſe 10. And with all deceivableneſſe] Popery is nothing elſe but a great lie, a grand impoſture, a farrago of falſities and hereſies. It is not without cauſe, that the Centuriſts ſay,Cent. 10. cap. 11 That all the old heretikes ſled, and hid themſelves in the Popiſh Clergy.

Becauſe they received not the love] This is the great Goſpel-ſin, puniſhed by God with ſtrong deluſions, vile affections, juſt damnation.

Verſe 11. Strong deluſion] Gr. The efficacy of orrour. Wolph. mem[illegible: 1 letter]lect. As in thoſe at Genoa that ſhew the Aſſes tail, whereupon our Saviour rode, for an holy relique, and perform divine worſhip to it. And in thoſe that wear out the marble croſſes graven in the pavements of their Churches, with their often kiſſing them.Spec. Europ. The crucifix which is in the city of Burgus, the Prieſts ſhew to great perſonages, as if it were Chriſt himſelf: telling them that his hair and nails do grow miraculouſly, which they cut and pare monethly, and give to Noble-men, and holy reliques. The Jeſuites confeſſe, that the legend of miracles of their Saints is, for moſt part falſe; but it was made for good intention: and herein, that it is lawfull and meritorious to lie, and write ſuch things,Spaniſh pilg[illegible: 1 letter]. to the end the common people might with greater zeal ſerve God and his Saints: and eſpecially to draw the women to good order, being by nature facile and credulous, addicted to novelties and miracles.

Verſe 12. That they all might be damned]Levit. 13.291 Hereſie is the leproſie in the head, which is utterly uncurable, and deſtroies the ſoul. See Rev. 19.21.

Had pleaſure is unrighteouſneſſe] Theſe are delivered up to that dead and dedolent diſpoſition, Epheſ 4 19. looſing at length all paſſive power alſo of awakening cut of the ſnare of the devil, who taketh them alive at his pleaſure, 2 Timothy 2. ult.

Verſe 13. But we are bound, &c.] Leſt they ſhould be diſcouraged with the former diſcourſe, the Apoſtle tels them that being elect they cannot be finally deceived. So the Authour to the Hebrews, Chap. 6.9. Zuinglius, after that he had terrified the wicked, was wont to come in which Bone vir, hoc nihil ad te. This is nothing to thee, thou faithfull Chriſtian. We cannot beat the dogs, but the children will cry, and muſt therefore be ſtilled and cheared up.

And belief of the truth] That is, of Chriſt the object, in the glaſſe of the Goſpel.

Verſe 14 To the obtaining of the glory] This is the end of faith, as faith is of effectuall calling.

Verſe 15. Stand faſt] Though never ſo many fall from the faith. Falling ſtars were never but Meteors.

Hold the traditions] Hold faſt by theſe, that ye may ſtand the faſter.

Verſe 16. And good hope] The fruit of everlaſting conſolation, Rom. 15.4. And well called good, becauſe it hath for it's object the greateſt good, and that which is of greateſt certainty, Heb. 11.1.

Verſe 17. Stabliſh you] Taking you by the hand, and laying hold on you, like as ye lay hold upon his Word, verſe 15.