John Trapp on Ephesians 3

CHAP. III. Verſe 1. For this cauſe]

TO wit, That you may be an habitation of God, through the Spirit.

I Paul the priſoner]. I hold not S. Paul ſo happy for his rapture into Paradiſe (ſaith Chryſostome upon this Text) as for his impriſonment for Chriſt.

Verſe 2. Of the dispenſation] Gr. Oeconomy. The Church is Gods houſe, 1 Tim. 3.15. Paul was faithfull therein as a ſteward, Mat. 24.45.

Verſe 3. As I wrote afore in few] Sc. Chap 1.9. & 2.13, &c. Fulneſſe of matter in fewneſſe of words. This is the Scriptures pre-cellency above all humane writings.

Verſe 4. My knowledge in the mystery] The higheſt point of heavenly learning: and hereby he proveth his calling to the Miniſtery.

Verſe 5. Was not made known] ſc. So clearly and particularly. Peter himſelf could hardly be perſwaded to it, Act. 10.14 34, 35.

Verſe 6. Gentiles ſhould be fellow-heirs] Co-heirs, concorporate, and conſorts: three ſweet ſocieties, the former founded upon the two latter.

Verſe 7. By the effectuall working, &c.] Enabling me to accept and improve that gift of Gods grace: whereunto I ſhould otherwiſe turn not the palme, but the back-ſide of the hand.

Verſe 8. Leſſe then the least] Great Paul is leaſt of Saints,O[illegible: 1 letter]ulentiſſima me a[illegible: 1 letter]la, qu[illegible: 1 letter]rum in [illegible: 1 letter] to latent [illegible: 1 letter]e[illegible: 1 letter]ae. Sen. ep. [illegible: 1 letter]3. laſt of Apoſtles, greateſt of ſinners. The beſt b[illegible: 1 letter]lſomes ſinke to the bottome: the goodlieſt buildings have loweſt foundations: the heavieſt ears of corn hang downward, ſo do the [illegible: 2 letters]ughes or trees that are beſt laden.

The unſearchable riche[illegible: 1 letter] ] Gr. Not to be traced out. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Should not Miniſters be made welcome that come to men on ſuch golden meſſages?

Verſe 9. And to make all men ſee] Gr. To illighten them, far more then the preaching of the Prophets could, 2 Pet. 1.19. To us now is a great light ſprung up. Mat. 4 10.

The fellowſhip] Or, as ſome copies have it) the diſpenſation. [non-Latin text not transcribed].

Who created all things] i. e. Reſtored, repaired: hence Goſpel-daies are called the world to come, Heb. 2.5.

Verſe 10. Might be known by the Church] As by a glaſſe or theatre.

The manifold wiſdome, &c.] Gr. That hath abundance of [illegible: 2 letters] rious variety in it, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. ſuch as is ſeen in the beſt pictures or textures. This the very Angels look intently into (as the Cherubims in the Tabernacle did into the Mercy-ſeat) and are much amuſed and amazed thereat. They ſee that mans ſalvation by Chriſt is a plot of Gods own deviſing.

Verſe 11. According to the eternall purpoſe] Of calling and ſaving the Gentiles by Chriſt: a ſecret that the Angels themſelves could not underſtand, till the time fore-appointed came.

Verſe 12. Boldneſſe and acceſſe] True peace draws men to God, falſe drives them from God. Uprightneſſe hath boldnes, ſerenity hath ſecurity.

Verſe 13. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Wherefore I deſire] Or, I beg of God, as one would doe an alms,Menaico. Act. 3.2. humbly, heartily. And here the Apoſtle returns to his former diſcourſe, after a long digreſſion, ver. 2. to ver. 13.

At my tribulations for you] For for your ſakes am I maliced and moleſted by the Jews; by whoſe means alſo I am now a priſoner.

Verſe 14 For this cauſe] ſc. That ye faint not, but gather ſtrength.

I bow my knees] A moſt ſeemly and ſutable geſture, uſuall among all Nations, but Turks, who kneel not, nor uncover the head at praier, as holding thoſe poſtures unam[illegible: 1 letter]ly.

Verſe 15. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Paren [illegible: 1 letter]e[illegible: 1 letter]a. Of whom the whole family] Or, Paternity: God is the only Father, to ſpeak properly, Mat. 23 9. The Father of all the father-hood in heaven and earth.

Verſe 16. According to the riches of his glory] That is, of his grace: ſo 2 Cor 3.18. See the Note there.

Verſe 17. That Chriſt may dwell] As the Sun dwels in the houſe by his beams. Faith fetcheth Chriſt into the heart, as into his habitation: And if he dwell there, he is bound to all reparations.

Verſe 18. The breadth and length, &c.] Gods mercy hath all the dimenſions.Pſal. 36, 5. Thy mercy, ô God, reacheth to the heavens: There is the height of it, Great is thy mercy toward me, and thou hast delivered my ſoul from the lowest hell: There is the depth of his mercy. The earth is full of thy goodneſſe: There is the breadth of it. All the ends of the earth have ſeen thy ſalvation: There is the length of it.Pſ[illegible: 1 letter]l. 86.13.

Verſe 19. With all the fulneſſe of God] That is, of Chriſts diffuſive fulneſſe, in whom the Godhead dwelt bodily, and in whom we are complete, Col. 2.9, 10.

Verſe 20. Exceeding abundantly] Gr. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. More then exceedingly or exceſſively. God hath not only a fulneſſe of abundance but of redundancy, of plenty, but of bounty. He is oft better to, us then our praiers.

According to the power] The Apoſtle begins his praier with mention of Gods fatherly mercy: he ſhuts it up with a deſcription of his power. Theſe two, Gods might and Gods mercy are the Jachin and Boaz, the two main pillars of a Chriſtians faith, whereon it reſts in praier.

Verſe 21. Glory in the Church by Chriſt] Who is the refulgency of his Fathers glory, Heb. 1.3.