John Trapp on Mark 9

CHAP. IX.

Verse 1. Shall not taste of death] SAints only taste of death, sinners are swallowed up of it, they are killed with death, Revelation 2. 23. Whereas the righteous do mori vitaliter; death is to them neither totall, nor perpetuall, Rom. 8. 10, 11. [non-Latin text not transcribed].

Verse 3. Became shining] Gr. Glistring and sparkling as stars which twinckle and beckon to us as it were to remember their and our Creatour.

Verse 10. And they kept that saying] With much adoe they [non-Latin text not transcribed]. kept it (as the word imports) for the rest of the Disciples were very inquisitive, likely, what was said and done in the Mount. A friend that can both keep counsell, and give counsell, is worth his weight in gold.

Verse 12. Set at nought] Vilified and nullified as an [illegible: 1 word], [non-Latin text not transcribed]. or one that had nothing in him. Vermis sum et non [illegible: 1 word]. I am a worm and no man, saith the Psalmist in the person of Christ.

Verse 15. Were greatly amazed] To see him come in so opportunly, in the very nick, which is his usuall time. See the Note on Matt. 17. 14.

Verse 20. The spirit tare him] Thus things oft goe backward ere they come forward; as the corn grows downward before it comes upward. Duplicantur lateres, venit Moses. This child had never such a sore fit, as now that he was to be cured. See verse 26.

Verse 22. It hath cast him into the fire, &c.] So doth blind zeal deal by them in whom it is. But if thou canst doe any thing] This wofull father had no further patience to parley; but through weaknesse of faith, and strength of affection to his distressed child breaks off his tale, and begs present help. Hee that beleeveth, maketh no haste, Esay 28. 16.

Verse 24. I beleeve] This act of his in putting forth his faith to beleeve as hee could, was the way to beleeve as hee would. Help thou mine unbeleefe] That is, my weak faith, which hee counteth no better then unbeleef: howbeit, God counts the preparation of the heart to beleeve, faith: as in those Samaritanes Joh. 4. Doctor Cruuger cryed out on his death-bed, Credo languidà Selnever. [illegible: 1 word]. fide, sed tamen fide. Much faith will yeeld unto us here our heaven: and any faith, if true, will yeeld us heaven hereafter.

Verse 29. But by prayer and fasting] The cause why they could not cure the child, was unbeleef: the cure of unbeleef is sought and wrought by fasting and prayer.

Verse 34. Who should be the greatest] viz. In Christs earthly Kingdom, in the which they vainly dreamt of a distribution of honours and offices, as once in the dayes of David and Solomon.

Verse 37. Receiveth not me] Non removet, sed corrigit, saith Erasmus. He receiveth not me only, but him that sent me.

Verse 38. And John answered him] John was soon sated with that sad discourse of our Saviour, and begins a relation of another businesse, little to the purpose.

Verse 39. Forbid him not] It is probable that this man would not forbear, unlesse Christ himself should forbid him: which here he refuseth to do, and shewes reason for it.

Verse 41. [illegible: 1 word] whosoever shall give, &c.] Much more he that shall cast out devils in my name, and out of love to me. He shall not lose his reward] For his cup of cold water he shall have a torrent of pleasure. If therefore ye will be wise Merchants, happy Usurers, part with that which ye cannot keep, that ye may gain that which ye cannot lose.

Verse 43. It is better for thee to enter] The Trojanes, after long debate, concluded it better to part with Helen, though a Lady of incomparable beauty, then, by retaining her longer, to venture their utter wreck and ruine. 'A[non-Latin text not transcribed], say they. Did we but forethinkHom. Iliad. what sinne will cost us, we durst not but be innocent.

Verse 44. Where their worme] As out of the corruption of our bodies wormes breed, which consume the flesh, so out of the corruption of our soules this never-dying worme. This worme (say Divines) is only a continuall remorse and furious reflection of the soule upon its own wilfull folly, and now wofull misery. Oh consider this before thy friends be scrambling for thy goods, worms for thy body, devils for thy soule. Goe not dancing to hell in thy bolts, rejoyce not in thy bondage, as many doe; to whom the preaching of hell is but as the painting of a toad, which men can look on and handle, without affrightment. Never dyeth, and the fire is not quenched] O quam diuturna & Manlii loc. com pag. 33. immensa est [illegible: 1 word] as! said the devill once. A child with a spoon may sooner empty the sea, then the damned accomplish their misery. A [illegible: 1 word] of brimstone is not consumed by burning.

Verse 49. For every one shall be salted with fire] The Spirit, as salt, must dry up those bad humours in us that breed the neverdying worm; and, as fire, must waste our corruptions, which else will carry us on to the unquenchable fire.

Verse 50. Salt is good] Nature [illegible: 1 word] prudently mingled salt with all things, that they may not easily putrifie. Greges enim Joh. Bodin. pecorum urinam salsissimam effundere videmus, & in omnes stirpes [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word]. salem infusum. Have salt in your selves] Habete in vobis sal. A [illegible: 1 word] admonemur tribus literis (ut curiosè observat quidam) Sapere, Agere, Loqui. The conjuring of salt among the Papists is intolerably blasphemous: It is thus: I conjure thee, O salt, by the living God, &c. that thou maist be made a conjured salt to the salvation of them that beleeve. And that unto all such as receive thee,Act. & Mon. thou mayest be health of soul and body: and [illegible: 1 word] from out of the place, wherein thou shalt be sprinkled, may fly away and depart all phantasie, wickednesse or craftinesse of the devils subtilty, and every foule Spirit, &c. And [illegible: 1 word] peace one with another] By mortification season, tame, and purge your own hearts of those lusts that warre in your members, Jam. 4. 1. and prove offensive to others, Mar. 9. 43. so shall you be at peace one with another. Stomack-worms are killed with salt.