John Trapp on 2 Timothy 3

CHAP. III. Verſe 1. Perillous times]

GR. Hard times. Hard hearts make hard times. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Ejuſixodi tempora d[illegible: 1 letter]ſcripſit (ſaith Caſaubon of Tacitus, and the ſame may we ſay of St Paul) quibus nulla unquam aut vir[illegible: 2 letters]tum ſteriliora, aut virtutibus inimiciora: He deſcribeth theſe last and looſest times of the world, barren of vertues, but abounding with vices. There was never any but Noah, that with two faces, ſaw both before and behinde. But that ancient of daies, to whom all things are preſent, hath here told us, that the laſt ſhall be the worſt.

Verſe 2. Lovers of their own ſelves] This ſinfull ſelf-love is the root of all the reſt, that follow in this black bed-[illegible: 1 letter]oll.

Boaſters] Or, Arrogant, as that Pyrgopolynices, Iſa. 10.8,9, 10, 11.Vide Jun in loc. Thraſ[illegible: 1 letter]nicall Lamech, Gen. 4 23. where he brags and goes on to out-dare God himſelf. Spaniards are ſaid to be impudent braggers, and extremely proud in the loweſt [illegible: 1 letter]bbe of fortune.

Verſe 3. Without naturall affection, &c.] True Chriſtians live ſoberly, as touching themſelves, righteouſly toward men,Tit 2 12. and godly towards their God. But theſe Antipodes are as touching themſelves, ſelf-lovers, ſilver-lovers, pleaſure-mongers, incontinent, boaſters, proud, heady, high-minded. As for their carriage towards others, they are blaſphemers, diſobedient to parents, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. without naturall affection, truce-breakers, or irreconcileable, falſe accuſers, or devils, fierce or ſavage, deſpiſers of thoſe that are good, traitours, &c. And as to God, they are not lovers of God, but unthankfull, unholy. And ſuch duſt-heaps as theſe, a man may finde in every corner of the Chu[illegible: 1 letter]ch.

Verſe 4. Heady] Head long and head-ſtrong, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. raſh and inconſiderate, Qui non vident [non-Latin text not transcribed], that look not well about them, but make deſperate adventures.

Lovers of pleaſure] Not conſidering that the pleaſure paſſeth, [non-Latin text not transcribed] Chryſoſt. but the pain that attends it is perpetuall. Momentaneum est quod d[illegible: 1 letter]lectat, aternum quod cruciat. Let not men take pleaſure in pleaſure. It was not ſimply a ſin in Eſau to go a hunting [illegible: 1 letter] But yet the more he uſed it, the more profane he waxed, and came at length to contemn his birth-right. Who are void of the ſpirit, but ſenſuall ones, Jude 18, 19? Who ſay to God, Depart from us, but thoſe that dance? Job 21.10, 11. Better be preſerved in brine, then rot in honey. Theſe pleaſure-mongers are ſet laſt, as the worſt of all.

Verſe 5. Having a form of godlineſſe] Hollow profeſſours are as hollow trees in an old wood; tall, but pithleſſe, ſapleſſe, unſound. Their formality is fitly compared to a bulruſh, whereof the colour is freſh, [illegible: 1 word] 58.3. the skin ſmooth, he is very exact that can finde a knot in a bulruſh: But pill it, and what ſhall you finde within but a kinde of ſpongeous unſubſtantiall ſubſtance, &c. Theſe as if religion were a Comedy, do in voice and geſture act divine duties, in heart renounce them.

Verſe 6. Creep into houſes] [non-Latin text not transcribed] [illegible: 1 span] [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Gr. Shoot themſelves into the inner rooms of houſes, Quiſeſe immergunt. by their p[illegible: 1 letter]thanology and counterfeit humility, as the Jeſuites and many of our modern Sectaries.

Lead captive ſilly women] Gr. Take them priſoners, and then make prize of them, 2 Pet. 2.3. Egregiam verò landem, & spolia amplareſertis, &c. But omnes ha[illegible: 1 letter]eſes ex Gynae[illegible: 1 letter]ijs. It is the guiſe of heretikes to abuſe the help of women, to ſpread their poiſonfull opinions. They get an Eudoxia, Juſtina, Conſtantia on their ſide: and ſo work upon Adam by Eve. Of women they have ever made their profit, that have attempted any innovation in religion.

Verſe 7. Ever learning, and never able] Becauſe reſolved not to loſe their luſts. Intùs existens prohibebat alienum: There was that within that kept out holy learning. It was therefore an excellent praier of holy Zuinglius before his publ[illegible: 1 letter]ke Lectures, Father of lights,Scu'tet. A[illegible: 2 letters]a. illighten our mindes, and open our hearts, ſo as that we may both underſtand thine oracles, and be transformed into them, &c.

Verſe 8. Now as Iannes and Iambres] Numenius the Pythagorean calleth him Mambres. Theſe were thoſe Aegyptian ſorcerers: their names S. Paul had either by tradition, or out of ſome Jewiſh records.Tract Menachoth, cap 9. Apuleius in his ſecond Apology, mentioneth one Ioa[illegible: 1 letter]nes among the chief Magicians. The Babylonian Thalmud alſo maketh mention of theſe two by name, as chief of the Sorcerers of Aegypt.

Verſe 9. As theirs alſo was] Exod. 8.19. When they were ſet, and could not with all their skill make a louſe: but by further reſiſtance manif[illegible: 1 letter]ſted their folly unto all men. So did that jugler of Antwerp, all whoſe enchantments were made void by Mr Tindall the Martyr preſent at that ſupper, where and when he ſhould,Act and Mon. fol. 985. but could not play his feats, and ſhew his cunning.

Verſe 10. But thou haſt fully known] Or, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Thou haſt exactly trod in my track, followed my foot-ſteps: as Irenaeus did Polycarps, as Pareus did Ʋ [illegible: 1 letter]ſins: whence that Poet,

—ſacra docente Parco

Vividus Ʋrſini spiritus or a movet. Paulus Meliſſus

Verſe 11. What perſecutions I endured] Gr. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. What manner of perſecutions. A Chriſtian may without ſin be ſenſible of injuries and indignities. Only it muſt be the mourning of Doves, and not the roaring of Bears. A ſheep may be as ſenſible of the biting of a dog, as a ſwine is, though he raiſe not ſuch a duſt, make not ſuch a dinne.

Verſe 12. Yea, and all that will live] Carry they the matter never ſo diſcreetly, they muſt ſuffer. Many dream of a delicacy, they conceit a godly life without perſecution. Theſe would pull a roſe without pricks. Armat spinaroſas, mella tegunt apes. Thucydides complains of his countrey-men,Boetius. that none of them would [non-Latin text not transcribed], ſuffer ought for goodnes ſake. Too few there are, that now-adaies will do ſo.

Verſe 13. Shall wax worſe and worſe] In deteriùs proficient, a ſorry kinde of profiting, Quandò And batarum more res procedat. Thus the Illuminates (as they called themſelves) a peſtilent ſect in Arragon, profeſſing and affecting in themſelves a kinde of Angelicall purity,Spec. Europ. fell ſuddenly to the very counterpoint of juſtifying beſtiality. And though theſe men and their light are quenched ſome while ſince, yet under pretence of new lights have not our C[illegible: 1 letter]urch-forſakers wheeled, and wheeled about ſo long to th[illegible: 1 letter]ng[illegible: 1 letter]t-h[illegible: 1 letter]nd, that they are perfectly come round to the left?

Verſe 14. But continue thou, &c.] Gr. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Abide, Keep thy ſtation: Thou ſhalt ſurely be put to't, as that propheticall man in the eccleſiaſticall hiſtory went to the pillars a little afore an earthquake, and bad them ſtand faſt, for they ſhould ſhortly be ſhaken.

Verſe 15. And that from a childe] Gr. From a ſuckling. as all children, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. ſo thoſe eſpecially that are dedicated to the work of the Miniſtery, ſhould be betimes inured to Scripture-learning.

To make thee wiſe] [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Gr. To wiſe thee, that thou maiſt wiſe others, as Dan. 12.3. The ſame Hebrew word ſignifies, 1. To underſtand. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. 2. To inſtruct others. 3. To proſper.

To ſalvation] He is the wiſe man that provides for eternity. And when all the worlds wiſards ſhall very wiſely cry out in hell, Nos inſenſati, Sapientes ſapien[illegible: 1 letter]èr deſcendunt in infernil. [non-Latin text not transcribed] We ſools counted their lives madneſſe, &c. They ſhall ſhine as the brightnes of the fi[illegible: 1 letter]mament, Dan. 12.3.

Verſe 16. All Scripture is given] Gr. Breathed by God, both for matter and words. What frontleſſe heretikes then are our upſtart Anti-ſcripturists, M Edwards his Gangrene, p. 18, 19. that dare affirm, That the Scriptures are not divine, but humane invention: and that the pen-men wrote as themſelves conceived; they were the actions of their own ſpirit, &c? Alſo that the Scriptures are unſufficient and uncertain, &c.

And is profitable for inſtruction] See my True Treaſure, pag 40 And hereunto adde for Conſolation according to Rom. 15.4. though this alſo is here comprehended in Doctrine and Inſtruction for righteouſneſſe. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. The ſame Greek word ſignifieth to exhort and to comfort.

Verſe 17. That the man of God] The Miniſter, and ſo conſequently the people too, [non-Latin text not transcribed] omnibus [illegible: 1 letter]umeris abſolutus. for whoſe uſe the Miniſter hath all.

May be perfect] With a perfection of parts, able and apt to make uſe of the holy Scriptures to all the former purpoſes, for the behoof or benefit of his hearers. The authority of the Fathers (ſaith a grave and learned Div[illegible: 1 letter]ne)M. Bol[illegible: 2 letters]on [illegible: 1 letter] is four laſt things pag. 147. I never urge for neceſſity of proof (the Scripture is thereto all-ſufficient and ſuperabundant) but only either in ſome ſingular poin[illegible: 1 letter]s to ſhew conſent: Or, 2. In our controverſies againſt Antichriſtians, Antinomiſts, Neopelagians, &c. Or, 3. When ſome honeſt paſſage of ſanct[illegible: 1 letter]fication or ſeaſonable oppoſition to the corruption of the times, is falſly charged with novelty, ſingularity, and too much preciſenes.