John Trapp on Ephesians 2

CHAP. II. Verſe 1. Who were dead]

NAturall men are living carcaſes, walking ſepulchres of themſelves. In moſt families it is, as once it was in Aegypt, Exod. 12.30. No houſe wherein there is not one, nay many dead corpſes.

Verſe 2. Wherein ye walked] Hence Act 14.16. Sinne is called a way, but it leads to the chambers of death.

According to the courſe of this world] The mundaneity or worldlineſſe of the world (as the Syriack rendreth it) which is wholly ſet upon wickedneſſe (as Aaron ſaith of his worldings, Exod. 32.22.) and takes no care for the world to come.

According to the Prince, &c.] The devil by whom wicked men are acted and agitated. Gratian was out in ſaying, That Satan is called Prince of the world, as a King of Oneſſe, or as the Cardinall of Ravenna, only by deriſion. Evil men ſet him up for their Soveraign, and are wholly at his beck and obedience.

The ſpirit that now worketh] As a Smith worketh in his forge, an Artificer in his ſhop.

Verſe 3. Among whom alſo we all, &c.] Let the beſt look back oft on what they were before calling, that they may thankfully cry out with Iphi[illegible: 1 letter]rates, [non-Latin text not transcribed], from what miſery to what dignity are we advanced!

Fulfilling the deſires] Gr. The wiles of the fleſh. Now therefore we muſt as diligently fulfill not the will, but the wils of God, as David did, Act. 13.22.

The children of wrath] Deires. Gregory the great ſaid of the Engliſh boyes that were preſented to him, Angli quaſi Angeli. And demanding further what Province they were of in this Iſland, it was returned, that they were called Deires: which cauſed him again to repeat the word,Abbots Geog. pag. 119. and to ſay, that it were great pity but that by being taught the Goſpel, they ſhould be ſaved de ira Dei, from the wrath of God.

Verſe 4. But God who is rich in mercy] Such a mercy as rejoyceth againſt judgement, as a man againſt his adverſary which he hath ſubdued, Jam. 2.13.

Verſe 5. Hath quickned, &c.] The very firſt ſtirrings in the womb of grace are precious to God: he bleſſeth our very buds, Iſa. 44.3. according to the Geneva tranſlation.

Verſe 6. And made us ſit together] We have taken up our rooms afore-hand in heaven, whereunto we have juſt right upon earth by vertue of the union, the ground of communion, 1 Joh. 5.12. He that hath the ſon hath life: he hath poſſeſſion of it, as by turf and twig.

Verſe 7. In his kindeneſſe toward us] We come not to the knowledge of God, but by his works: And even his way of knowing him we naturally abuſe to idolatry.

Verſe 8. For by grace ye are ſaved] So ver. 5. and every where almoſt S. Paul is a moſt conſtant preacher of the grace of God, as Chryſoſtome ſtileth him. Sub laudibus naturae latent inimici gratiae, ſaith Auguſtine. The patrons of mans free-will are enemies to Gods free-grace.

Verſe 9. Leaſt any man ſhould boast] As that fool did, that ſaid, Vega. Coelum gratis non accipiam, I will not have heaven but at a rate. Non ſic Does coluimus, aut ſic vivimus, ut ille nos vinceret, ſaid the Emperour Antonius Philoſophus. Valcat. Gallic. in Avid Caſſio. We have not ſo lived and deſerved of God, that they enemy ſhould vanquiſh us.

Verſe 10. For we are his workmanſhip] His artificiall facture, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. or creature, that wherein he hath ſhewed ſingular skill, by erecting the glorious fabrike of the new man.

Created—to good works] In the year 1559. there was publiſhed a paradox, that good works are pernicious to ſalvation of mens ſouls. David George the broacher of this hereſie was digg'd up, and burnt at Baſile.

God hath before ordained] i. e. By his eternall decree. Oar Vivification then is not a work of yeſterday: but ſuch as God hath with ſingular complacency contemplated from all eternity, rejoycing in that habitable part of his earth, Prov. 8.31.

Verſe 11. Who are called uncircumciſion] In great ſcorn and reproach, as 1 Sam. 17.26. Howbeit unregenerate Iſrael was to God as Ethiopia, Amos 9.7. And Iether by nature an Iſmaelite, 1 Chron. 7.17. was for his faith and religion called an Iſraelite, 2 Sam. 17.25.

Verſe 12. Strangers from the Covenant] The Saints only are heirs to the promiſes: but the devil ſweeps all the wicked, as being out of the Covenant. They ſtuff themſelves with promiſes, till they have made them a pillow for ſin, Deut. 29.19. Sed praeſumendo ſperant, & ſperando pereunt.

Having no hope] But ſuch as will one day hop headleſſe: ſuch as will ſerve them as Abſoloms mule ſerved her Maſter, when ſhe left him hanging by the head betwixt heaven and earth, as rejected of both.

Without God in the world] Becauſe without a teaching Prieſt, and without law, 2 Chron. 15.3. As it is ſaid of the poor Braſileans at this day, that they are ſine fide, ſine rege, ſine lege. This was the caſe of our Pagan Predeceſſours.

Verſe 13. Are made nigh by the bloud] Chriſt hath paved us a new and living way to the throne of Gods grace by his own moſt precious bloud. O happy lapidi-pavium! Joh. 19.13-17 O - Golgotha become our Gabbatha!

Verſe 14. For he is our peace] That is, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. our peace-maker and peace-matter. When he was born, there was among all Nations, a generall, aut pax, aut pactio, as Florus obſerveth. When he took his name, he would not have it either entirely Hebrew, as Jeſus, or entirely Greek, as Chriſt, but both Jeſus and Chriſt, to ſhew (ſaith one) that he is our peace that hath reconciled two into one, &c.

Verſe 15. Having aboliſhed in his fleſh] That is, by his death in the fleſh, Coloſ. 1.22. At which time the veil rent, and the Ceremonies died: only they were to be honourably buried.

For to make in himſelf] Gr. To create; ſc. by regeneration, Gal. 6.15. So by conjoyning he new created them, and by new creating he conjoyned them.

Verſe 16. In one body] Ʋbi igitur ſeparatiſtae? ſaith one.

Having ſlain the enmity] Not the Ceremonies only, as ver. 15. but ſin that great make-bate, that ſets God at odds with his own creature.

Verſe 17. To them that were nigh] That is, The children of Iſrael, a people [illegible: 1 letter]ear unto him, Pſal. 148.14.

Verſe 18. We both have an acceſſe] With good aſſurance of ſucceſſe. The Perſian Kings held it a piece of their ſilly glory to hold off their beſt friends, who might not come near them, but upon ſpeciall licence, Eſth. 1. Not ſo our King. Oh come, for the Master calleth thee!

Verſe 19. Fellow citizens with the Saints] Paul, as a Citizen of Rome, Act. 22. eſcaped whipping: we, as Citizens with the Saints, eſcape hell tortures and torments.

Verſe 20. Ʋpon the foundation] Foundation is taken either for Chriſt, 1 Cor. 3.11. Mat. 16.16. or the doctrine of the Scriptures, which teach ſalvation only by Jeſus Chriſt, as here, and Rev. 21.14.

Verſe 21. Fitly framed together] Or, perfectly joyned together by the ciment of the holy Spirit working in the Saints faith in Chriſt, and love one toward another, which the Apoſtle calleth the bond of perfection.

Verſe 22. For an habitation of God, &c.] The Father makes choice of this houſe, the Son purchaſeth it, the holy Ghoſt taketh poſſeſſion of it. This happineſſe he beſt underſtandeth, that moſt feeleth. The Cock on the dunghill knows it not.