John Trapp on 2 Timothy 1

CHAP. I. Verſe 1. Paul an Apoſtle, &c]

THe Preface of this Epiſtle ſeems to be an abbridgement of that of the Epiſtle to the Romans. See the Notes there.

Which is in Chriſt Jeſus] All out of Chriſt are living carcaſes, walking ſepulchres of themſelves.

Verſe 2. Grace, mercy, and peace] See the Note on 1 Tim. 1.2.

Verſe 3. Whom I ſerve from my fore-fathers-] Thoſe twelve Tribes, that ſerved God inſtantly day and night. Act. 26.7. That was a deſperate reſolution of the Heathen Oratour, T[illegible: 1 letter]l. de nat. deo. l. 3. Me ex ea opinione, quam à majoribus accepi de cultu Deorum immortalium nullius unquam oratio, aut docti, aut indocti movebit. I will never ſtir an inch from the religion of my fore-fathers, for any mans perſwaſion. Paul forſook his Phariſaiſme to ſerve God, as Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob had done with a pure conſcience.

Verſe 4. Being mindeſull of thy tears] Timothy was a man of many tears,Act and Mon. ſol 1457. ſo was David, Paul, Luther, Bradford, of whom it is ſaid, that he did ſeldome eat, but he bedewed his trencher with tears, and that few daies paſſed him without plenty of tears ſhed, before he went to bed: —[non-Latin text not transcribed] Ibid.

Verſe 5. In thy Grandmother Lois, and mother] A ſweet happine[illegible: 2 letters]e to any childe to have a good mother and grandmother. For theſe have great opportunity of dropping good things into their little Lemuels, as being much about them. The mothers of the Kings of Judah are conſtantly mentioned: and as they were good or evil, ſo were their children Partus ſequitur ventrem. The birth follows the belly.

Verſe 6. Stirre up the gift] Blow up thy ſmaller ſpark into a flame. Grace in us is like a dull ſea-cole fire (ſaith one) which if not now and then blown and ſtirred up, though there be no want of fuell, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. yet will of it ſelf at length die and go out. The word here uſed by the Apoſtle is Plato's word. The Apoſtle ſeems to have bin well read in Plato's writings.

Verſe 7. The ſpirit of fear] [non-Latin text not transcribed], called elſwhere the ſpirit of bondage, [non-Latin text not transcribed], Rom. 8.15. The law will convince the judg[illegible: 1 letter]ment: but 'tis the Goſpel that convinceth the luſt and he affection.

Of power, and of a ſound minde] Theſe two fitly ſtand together. Sin unrepented of, lies rotting at the heart, and by rotting weakneth it: as a rotten rag hath no ſtrength.

Verſe 8. Afflictions of the Goſpel] Affliction is Evangelij genius, ſaith Calvin. Hence it is called the word of Christs patience, Revel. 2.

According to the power of God] For unleſſe he ſupport us by his power, we ſhall never bear up in affliction.

Verſe 9. With an holy calling] All that follows (to thoſe words in the end of verſ. 10. Through the Gospel) comes in by a Parentheſis, and is ſo to be read.

Verſe 10. By the appearing] By his coming in the fleſh: of which alſo the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh, Pſ. 96.13.

Brought life and immortality to light] As he drew light out of darkneſſe at the creation. And as he then made light on the firſt day of the week, ſo on the ſame day he aboliſhed death, &c. by his reſurrection from the dead.

Ver. 11. A teacher of the Gentiles] His writings therefore ſhould be the more highly prized and ſtudied by us Gentiles, as being properly ours: like as Pſ. 127. was a Song made (ſpecially) for Solomon.

Verſe 12. I know whom I have [illegible: 1 letter]rusted] Here was not a faint hope, or a conjecturall confidence, but a plerophory of ſaith.Bernard. The reaſon where of is thus rendered by a Father, Quia in charitate nimia adoptavit me, quia verax in promiſſione, & potons in exhibitione, becauſe God who of his free grace hath adopted me, is both able and faithfull to fulfill his promiſes.Luth. apud Jo. Manliam. That was a notable ſpeech of Luther, Ipſe viderit ubi anima mea man ſura fit, qui pro caſic ſollicitus [illegible: 2 letters]it, ut vitam pro ea poſuerit. Let him that died for my ſoul, ſee to the ſalvation of it.

That which I have committed] A childe that hath any precious thing given him, cannot better ſecure it, then by putting it into his fathers hands to keep: ſo neither can we better provide for our ſouls ſafety, then by committing them to God. Aug de bo[illegible: 1 letter]o perſ[illegible: 1 letter]u [illegible: 1 letter]hap 6. Tutiores aurem vivimus, ſi totum D[illegible: 1 letter]o damus, non autem nos illi [illegible: 1 letter]x parte & nobis ex parte committimus. We ſhall be ſure to be ſafeſt, if we commit our ſelves wholly to God: and ſeek not to part ſtakes with him therein. The ſhip that is part in the water, and part an the mud, is ſoon beaten in pieces.

Verſe 13. Hold faſt the ſorm] The catechiſticall principles, that method, ſyſtem, ſhort ſumms of Divinity that St Paul had compiled for Timothies uſe; called here not only a form, as Rom. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. 6.17. but a ſhort form, or brief method; ſuch as hath both perſpicuity and brevity.

Verſe 14. That good thing that was &c.] Thy crown of recompence, Revel. 3.11. Or thy Converts, thy crown of rejoycing,Theophyl. I Theſſ. 2.19. Or the purity of thy doctrine, 1 Tim. 6.20.

Verſe 15. All they which are in Aſia] All the Miniſters there.Revel 6.13. [illegible: 1 word] 16.[illegible: 1 letter].[illegible: 1 letter]6. Theſe ſtats fell from heaven, as faſt as me fig-tree makes abort, with any never ſo light and gentle a winde.

Phygellus and Hermogenes] Famous only for their recidivation and apoſtaſie. Hermogenes took after Hormogene[illegible: 1 letter] the retrograde Rhetorician; who at 22 years of age was an excellent Oratour, but by 24. Mente [illegible: 1 letter]apſus eſt, forgat all his skil, [illegible: 1 letter]nd became a very dunce,G. Rhodigin l. 11. c. 40. Null à evidente causâ, ſaith mine authour.

Verſe 16. He oft reſreſh[illegible: 1 letter]d me] Gr. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Poured cold water upon me, as that Angel did upon the wracked limbs of Theodorus the Martyr, mentioned by Socrates and Ruſſinus in the daies of Julian the Apoſtate.

Verſe 17. He ſought me out very diligently] Whit vehement deſire and intention of affection: not as a coward ſeeks after his enemy, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. whom he hopes he ſhall never finde; but as Saul ſought David, or as the wiſe men the babe of Bethlehem, &c.

Verſe 18. The lord] That is, God the Father grant he may finde mercy of the Lord, that is, of God the Son, as Jehovah from Jehovah, Gen. 19.24.

That he may ſinde] For his care in finding out me, v. 17.