Malachi 1 commentary

All advantages, either as to outward circumstances, or spiritual privileges, come from the free love of God, who makes one to differ from another. All the evils sinners feel and fear, are the just recompence of their crimes, while all their hopes and comforts are from the unmerited mercy of the Lord. He chose his people that they might be holy. If we love him, it is because he has first loved us; yet we all are prone to undervalue the mercies of God, and to excuse our own offences.

We may each charge upon ourselves what is here charged upon the priests. Our relation to God, as our Father and Master, strongly obliges us to fear and honour him. But they were so scornful that they derided reproof. Sinners ruin themselves by trying to baffle their convictions. Those who live in careless neglect of holy ordinances, who attend on them without reverence, and go from them under no concern, in effect say, The table of the Lord is contemptible. They despised God's name in what they did. It is evident that these understood not the meaning of the sacrifices, as shadowing forth the unblemished Lamb of God; they grudged the expense, thinking all thrown away which did not turn to their profit. If we worship God ignorantly, and without understanding, we bring the blind for sacrifice; if we do it carelessly, if we are cold, dull, and dead in it, we bring the sick; if we rest in the bodily exercise, and do not make heart-work of it, we bring the lame; and if we suffer vain thoughts and distractions to lodge within us, we bring the torn. And is not this evil? Is it not a great affront to God, and a great wrong and injury to our own souls? In order to the acceptance of our actions with God, it is not enough to do that which, for the matter of it, is good; but we must do it from a right principle, in a right manner, and for a right end. Our constant mercies from God, make worse our slothfulness and niggardliness, in our returns of duty to God. A spiritual worship shall be established. Incense shall be offered to God's name, which signifies prayer and praise. And it shall be a pure offering. When the hour came, in which the true worshippers worshipped the Father in Spirit and in truth, then this incense was offered, even this pure offering. We may rely on God's mercy for pardon as to the past, but not for indulgence to sin in future. If there be a willing mind, it will be accepted, though defective; but if any be a deceiver, devoting his best to Satan and to his lusts, he is under a curse. Men now, though in a different way, profane the name of the Lord, pollute his table, and show contempt for his worship.

CHAPTER 1

Malachi 1:1

1. The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.

1. Onus sermonis Iehovae ad Israel in manu Maleachi.

They who explain משא, mesha, burden, as signifying prophecy, without exception, are mistaken, as I have elsewhere reminded you; for prophecy is not everywhere called a burden; and whenever this word is expressed, there is ever to be understood some judgment of God; and it appears evident from Jeremiah 23:38, that this word was regarded as ominous, so that the ungodly, when they wished to brand the Prophets with some mark of reproach, used this as a common proverb, “It is a burden,” intimating thereby that nothing else was brought by the Prophets but threatenings and terrors, in order that they might have some excuse for closing their ears, and for evading all prophecies by giving them an unhappy and ominous name.

As we proceed it will become evident that the doctrine of Malachi is not without reason called a Burden; for as I have stated in part, and as it will be more fully seen hereafter, it was necessary that the people should be summoned before God’s tribunal, inasmuch as many sins had again begun to prevail among them, and such as could not be endured: and for this reason he says that God’s judgment was at hand.

But under the name of Israel he refers only to those who had returned to their own country, whether they were of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin, or of the tribe of Levi. It is nevertheless probable that there were also some mixed with them from the other tribes: but the Jews and their neighbors, the half tribe of Benjamin, had almost alone returned to their country, with the exception of the Levites, who had been their guides in their journey, and encouraged the rest of the people. They were yet called Israel indiscriminately, since among them only pure religion continued: but they who remained dispersed among foreign and heathen nations, had as it were lost their name, though they had not wholly departed from the pure worship of God and true religion. Hence, by way of excellency, they were called Israel, who had again assembled in the holy land, that they might there enjoy the inheritance promised them from above.

The word hand, as we have observed elsewhere, means ministration. The meaning then is, that this doctrine proceeded from God, but that a minister, even Malachi, was employed as an instrument; so that he brought nothing as his own, but only related faithfully what had been committed to him by God from whom it came. It then follows —

Malachi 1:2-6

2. I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? Saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,

2. Dilexi vos, dicit Jehovah; et dixistis, In quo dilexisti nos? Annon frater Esau erat ipsi Jacob? dicit Jehova; et dilexi Jacob,

3. And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.

3. Et Esau odio habui; et posui montes ejus solitudinem, et haereditatem ejus serpentibus desertum (alii vertunt, deserti.)

4. Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD has indignation for ever.

4. Si dixerit Edom, Attenuati sumus, sed revertemur, et aedificabimus deserta: sic dicit Iehova exercituum, Ipsi aedificabunt, et ego diruam; et dicetur illis, Terminus impietatis et populus cui infensus est Iehova in perpetuum.

5. And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.

5. Et oculi vestri videbunt, et vos dicetis, Magnificabitur Iehova super terminum Israel. (Addendus etiam sextus versus, saltem initium:)

6. A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

6. Filius honorat patrem, et servus dominum suum; et si pater ego, ubi honor meus? et si dominus ego, ubi timor mei? dicit Iehova exercituum ad vos, O sacerdotes, qui contemnitis nomen meum: et dixistis, In quo contempsimus nomen tuum?

INTRODUCTION

Malachi forms the transition link between the two dispensations, the Old and the New, "the skirt and boundary of Christianity" [Tertullian], to which perhaps is due the abrupt earnestness which characterizes his prophecies. His very name is somewhat uncertain. Malachi is the name of an office, rather than a person, "My messenger," and as such is found in Mal 3:1. The Septuagint favors this view in Mal 1:1; translate, not "by Malachi," but "by the hand of His messenger" (compare Hag 1:13). Malachi is the last inspired messenger of the Old Testament, announcing the advent of the Great Messenger of the New Testament. The Chaldee paraphrase identifies him with Ezra wrongly, as Ezra is never called a prophet but a scribe, and Malachi never a scribe but a prophet. Still it hence appears that Malachi was by some old authorities not regarded as a proper name. The analogy of the headings of other prophets, however, favors the common view that Malachi is a proper name. As Haggai and Zechariah, the contemporary prophets, supported Joshua and Zerubbabel in the building of the temple, so he at a subsequent period supported the priest Ezra and the governor Nehemiah. Like that ruler, he presupposes the temple to have been already built (Mal 1:10; 3:1-10). Both alike censure the abuses still unreformed (Ne 13:5, 15-22, 23-30), the profane and mercenary character of the priests, the people's marriages contracted with foreigners, the non-payment of the tithes, and want of sympathy towards the poor on the part of the rich (Ne 6:7) implies that Nehemiah was supported by prophets in his work of reformation. The date thus will be about 420 B.C., or later. Both the periods after the captivity (that of Haggai and Zechariah, and that of Malachi) were marked by royal, priestly, and prophetic men at the head of God's people. The former period was that of the building of the temple; the latter, that of the restoration of the people and rebuilding of the city. It is characteristic of the people of God that the first period after the restoration was exclusively devoted to the rebuilding of the temple; the political restoration came secondarily. Only a colony of fifty thousand settled with Joshua and Zerubbabel in Palestine (Ezr 2:64). Even these became intermingled with the heathen around during the sixty years passed over by Ezra in silence (Ezr 9:6-15; Ne 1:3). Hence a second restoration was needed which should mould the national life into a Jewish form, re-establishing the holy law and the holy city--a work effected by Ezra and Nehemiah, with the aid of Malachi, in a period of about half a century, ending with the deaths of Malachi and Nehemiah in the last ten years of the fifth century B.C.; that is, the "seven weeks" (Da 9:25) put in the beginning of the "seventy" by themselves, to mark the fundamental difference between them, the last period of Old Testament revelation, and the period which followed without any revelation (the sixty-two weeks), preceding the final week standing out in unrivalled dignity by itself as the time of Messiah's appearing. The seventy weeks thus begin with the seventh year of Artaxerxes who allowed Ezra to go to Jerusalem, 457 B.C., in accordance with the commandment which then went forth from God. Ezra the priest performed the inner work of purifying the nation from heathenish elements and reintroducing the law; while Nehemiah did the outer work of rebuilding the city and restoring the national polity [Auberlen]. Vitringa makes the date of Malachi's prophecies to be about the second return of Nehemiah from Persia, not later than 424 B.C., the date of Artaxerxes' death (Ne 13:6). About this time Socrates was teaching the only approach to a pure morality which corrupt Athens ever knew. Moore distinguishes six portions: (1) Charge against Israel for insensibility to God's love, which so distinguished Israel above Edom (Mal 1:1-5). (2) The priests are reproved for neglect and profanation (Mal 1:6-2:9). (3) Mixed marriages, and the wrongs done to Jewish wives, are reproved (Mal 2:10-16). (4) Coming of Messiah and His forerunners (Mal 2:17-3:6). (5) Reproof for tithes withheld (Mal 3:7-12). (6) Contrast between the godly and the ungodly at the present time, and in the future judgment; exhortation, therefore, to return to the law (Mal 3:13-4:6).

The style is animated, but less grand, and the rhythm less marked, than in some of the older prophets.

The canonicity of the book is established by the references to it in the New Testament (Mt 11:10; 17:12; Mr 1:2; 9:11, 12; Lu 1:17; Ro 9:13).

CHAPTER 1

Mal 1:1-14. God's Love: Israel's Ingratitude: THE Priests' Mercenary Spirit: A Gentile Spiritual Priesthood Shall Supersede Them.

1. burden--heavy sentence.

to Israel--represented now by the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, with individuals of the ten tribes who had returned with the Jews from Babylon. So "Israel" is used, Ezr 7:10. Compare 2Ch 21:2, "Jehoshaphat king of Israel," where Judah, rather than the ten tribes, is regarded as the truest representative of Israel (compare 2Ch 12:6; 28:19).

Malachi--see Introduction. God sent no prophet after him till John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, in order to enflame His people with the more ardent desire for Him, the great antitype and fulfiller of prophecy.

2. I have loved you--above other men; nay, even above the other descendants of Abraham and Isaac. Such gratuitous love on My part called for love on yours. But the return ye make is sin and dishonor to Me. This which is to be supplied is left unexpressed, sorrow as it were breaking off the sentence [Menochius], (De 7:8; Ho 11:1).

Wherein hast thou loved us?--In painful contrast to the tearful tenderness of God's love stands their insolent challenge. The root of their sin was insensibility to God's love, and to their own wickedness. Having had prosperity taken from them, they imply they have no tokens of God's love; they look at what God had taken, not at what God had left. God's love is often least acknowledged where it is most manifested. We must not infer God does not love us because He afflicts us. Men, instead of referring their sufferings to their proper cause, their own sin, impiously accuse God of indifference to their welfare [Moore]. Thus Mal 1:1-4 form a fit introduction to the whole prophecy.

Was not Esau Jacob's brother?--and so, as far as dignity went, as much entitled to God's favor as Jacob. My adoption of Jacob, therefore, was altogether by gratuitous favor (Ro 9:13). So God has passed by our elder brethren, the angels who kept not their first estate, and yet He has provided salvation for man. The perpetual rejection of the fallen angels, like the perpetual desolations of Edom, attests God's severity to the lost, and goodness to those gratuitously saved. The sovereign eternal purpose of God is the only ground on which He bestows on one favors withheld from another. There are difficulties in referring salvation to the election of God, there are greater in referring it to the election of man [Moore]. Jehovah illustrates His condescension and patience in arguing the case with them.

3. hated--not positively, but relatively; that is, did not choose him out to be the object of gratuitous favor, as I did Jacob (compare Lu 14:26, with Mt 10:37; Ge 29:30, 31; De 21:15, 16).

laid his mountains ... waste--that is, his territory which was generally mountainous. Israel was, it is true, punished by the Chaldeans, but Edom has been utterly destroyed; namely, either by Nebuchadnezzar [Rosenmuller], or by the neighboring peoples, Egypt, Ammon, and Moab [Josephus, Antiquities, 10.9,7; Maurer], (Jr 49:18).

dragons--jackals [Moore] (compare Is 34:13). Maurer translates, "Abodes of the wilderness," from an Arabic root "to stop," or "to abide." English Version is better.

4. Whereas--"But if" Edom say [Maurer]. Edom may strive as she may to recover herself, but it shall be in vain, for I doom her to perpetual desolation, whereas I restore Israel. This Jehovah states, to illustrate His gratuitous love to Israel, rather than to Edom.

border of wickedness--a region given over to the curse of reprobation [Calvin]. For a time Judea seemed as desolate as Idumea; but though the latter was once the highway of Eastern commerce, now the lonely rock-houses of Petra attest the fulfilment of the prophecy. It is still "the border of wickedness," being the resort of the marauding tribes of the desert. Judea's restoration, though delayed, is yet certain.

the Lord hath indignation--"the people of My curse" (Is 34:5).

5. from the border of Israel--Ye, restored to your own "borders" in Israel, "from" them shall raise your voices to "magnify the Lord," acknowledging that Jehovah has shown to you a gratuitous favor not shown to Edom, and so ought to be especially "magnified from the borders of Israel."

6. Turning from the people to the priests, Jehovah asks, whereas His love to the people was so great, where was their love towards Him? If the priests, as they profess, regard Him as their Father (Is 63:16) and Master, let them show the reality of their profession by love and reverential fear (Ex 20:12; Lu 6:46). He addresses the priests because they ought to be leaders in piety to the rest of the people, whereas they are foremost in "despising His name."

Wherein have we despised, &c.--The same captious spirit of self-satisfied insensibility as prompted their question (Mal 1:2), "Wherein hast Thou loved us?" They are blind alike to God's love and their own guilt.

7. ye offer, &c.--God's answer to their challenge (Mal 1:6), "Wherein have we despised?"

polluted bread--namely, blemished sacrifices (Mal 1:8, 13, 14; De 15:21). So "the bread of thy God" is used for "sacrifices to God" (Le 21:8).

polluted thee--that is, offered to thee "polluted bread."

table of the Lord--that is, the altar (Eze 41:22) (not the table of showbread). Just as the sacrificial flesh is called "bread."

contemptible--(Mal 1:12, 13). Ye sanction the niggardly and blemished offerings of the people on the altar, to gain favor with them. Darius, and probably his successors, had liberally supplied them with victims for sacrifice, yet they presented none but the worst. A cheap religion, costing little, is rejected by God, and so is worth nothing. It costs more than it is worth, for it is worth nothing, and so proves really dear. God despises not the widow's mite, but he does despise the miser's mite [Moore].

8. Your earthly ruler would feel insulted, if offered by you the offering with which ye put off God (see Le 22:22, 24).

is it not evil?--Maurer translates, "There is no evil," in your opinion, in such an offering; it is quite good enough for such a purpose.

9. now ... beseech God that he will be gracious--Ironical. Think you that God will be persuaded by such polluted gifts to be gracious to you? Far from it.

this hath been by your means--literally, "hand." These contemptible offerings are your doing, as being the priests mediating between God and the people; and think you, will God pay any regard to you (compare Mal 1:8, 10)? "Accept thy person" ("face"), Mal 1:8, answers to "regard your persons," in this verse.

10. Who ... for naught--Not one even of the least priestly functions (as shutting the doors, or kindling a fire on the altar) would ye exercise without pay, therefore ye ought to fulfil them faithfully (1Co 9:13). Drusius and Maurer translate, "Would that there were absolutely some one of you who would shut the doors of the temple (that is, of the inner court, in which was the altar of burnt offerings), and that ye would not kindle fire on My altar in vain!" Better no sacrifices than vain ones (Is 1:11-15). It was the duty of some of the priests to stand at the doors of the court of the altar of burnt offerings, and to have excluded blemished victims [Calvin].

11. For--Since ye Jewish priests and people "despise My name" (Mal 1:6), I shall find others who will magnify it (Mt 3:9). Do not think I shall have no worshippers because I have not you; for from the east to the west My name shall be great among the Gentiles (Is 66:19, 20), those very peoples whom ye look down upon as abominable.

pure offering--not "the blind, the lame, and the sick," such as ye offer (Mal 1:8). "In every place," implies the catholicity of the Christian Church (Joh 4:21, 23; 1Ti 2:8). The "incense" is figurative of prayers (Psa 141:2; Re 8:3). "Sacrifice" is used metaphorically (Psa 51:17; He 13:10, 15, 16; 1Pe 2:5, 12). In this sense the reference to the Lord's Supper, maintained by many of the fathers, may be admitted; it, like prayer, is a spiritual offering, accepted through the literal offering of the "Lamb without blemish," once for all slain.

12. Renewal of the charge in Mal 1:7.

fruit ... meat--the offerings of the people. The "fruit" is the produce of the altar, on which the priests subsisted. They did not literally say, The Lord's table is contemptible; but their acts virtually said so. They did not act so as to lead the people to reverence, and to offer their best to the Lord on it. The people were poor, and put off God with the worst offerings. The priests let them do so, for fear of offending the people, and so losing all gains from them.

13. what a weariness is it!--Ye regard God's service as irksome, and therefore try to get it over by presenting the most worthless offerings. Compare Mi 6:3, where God challenges His people to show wherein is the "weariness" or hardship of His service. Also Is 43:22-24, wherein He shows that it is they who have "wearied" Him, not He who has wearied them.

snuffed at--despised.

it--the table of the Lord, and the meat on it (Mal 1:12).

torn--namely, by beasts, which it was not lawful to eat, much less to offer (Ex 22:31).

thus ... offering--Hebrew, mincha; the unbloody offering of flour, &c. Though this may have been of ordinary ingredients, yet the sacrifices of blemished animals accompanying it rendered it unacceptable.

14. deceiver--hypocrite. Not poverty, but avarice was the cause of their mean offerings.

male--required by law (Le 1:3, 10).

great King--(Psa 48:2; Mt 5:35).

my name ... dreadful among ... heathen--Even the heathen dread Me because of My judgments; what a reproach this is to you, My people, who fear Me not (Mal 1:6)! Also it may be translated, "shall be feared among," &c. agreeing with the prophecy of the call of the Gentiles (Mal 1:11).

The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi - This prophet is undoubtedly the last of the Jewish prophets. He lived after Zechariah and Haggai; for we find that the temple, which was begun in their time, was standing complete in his. See Mal 3:10. Some have thought that he was contemporary with Nehemiah; indeed, several have supposed that Malachi, is no other than Ezra under the feigned name of angel of the Lord, or my angel. John the Baptist was the link that connected Malachi with Christ. According to Abp. Usher he flourished b.c. 416, but the authorized version, which we have followed in the margin, states this event to have happened nineteen years later. Both the Hebrew language and poetry had declined in his days.

Israel - Here means the Jewish people in general.

Was not Esau Jacob's brother? - Have I not shown a greater partiality to the Israelites than I have to the Edomites?

I loved Jacob - My love to Jacob has been proved by giving him greater privileges and a better inheritance than what I have given to Esau.

And I hated Esau - I have shown him less love; Gen 29:30, Gen 29:31. I comparatively hated him by giving him an inferior lot. And now, I have not only laid waste the dwelling-place of the Edomites, by the incursions of their enemies; but (Mal 1:4) they shall remain the perpetual monuments of my vengeance. On the subject of loving Jacob and hating Esau, see the notes on Genesis 27 (note), and Rom 9:13 (note). Let it be remembered,

1. That there is not a word spoken here concerning the eternal state of either Jacob or Esau.

2. That what is spoken concerns merely their earthly possessions. And,

3. That it does not concern the two brothers at all, but the posterity of each.

They shall build, but I will throw down - We have already seen enough of the wickedness of the Edomites to justify the utmost severity of Divine justice against them. The pulling down predicted here was by Judas Maccabeus; see 1 Maccabees 5:65; and by John Hyrcanus; see Joseph Antiq., lib. 13 c. 9. s. 1.

They shall call them, The border of wickedness - A wicked land. Among this people scarcely any trace of good could ever be noted.

Your eyes - Ye Israelites shall see, in your succeeding generations, that: -

The Lord will be magnified - By his kindness in Israel, and his judgments beyond.

A son honoreth his father - I am your Father - where, then, is my honor? Where your filial obedience?

If I be a master, where is my fear? - The respect due to me.

Ye offer polluted bread - The priests, probably to ingratiate themselves with the people, took the refuse beasts, etc., and offered them to God; and thus the sacrificial ordinances were rendered contemptible.

Offer it now unto thy governor - פחת pechath, a word signifying a lieutenant, or viceroy, among the Chaldeans, Syrians, and Persians; for neither at this time, nor ever after, was there a king in Israel.

Beseech God - There were evident marks of God's displeasure in the land, and it was occasioned by these pollutions through the priests. And now he exhorts them to pray to God that they may be pardoned: for, if this practice be persisted in, God will not accept any offering made by them.

Who is - among you - From this we learn that there was not one sincere or honest priest among them. They were selfish and worldly; and so basely so, that not one of them would even kindle a fire on the hearth of the altar unless he were paid for it.

From the rising of the sun - The total abolition of the Mosaic sacrifices, and the establishment of a spiritual worship over the whole earth, is here foretold. The incense of praise, and the pure offering of the Lamb without spot, and through him a holy, loving heart, shall be presented everywhere among the Gentiles; and the Jews and their mock offerings shall be rejected.

Ye have profaned it - Ye have desecrated God's worship; is it any wonder that God should cast you off, and follow you with his judgments?

Ye have snuffed at it - A metaphor taken from cattle which do not like their fodder. They blow strongly through their nose upon it; and after this neither they nor any other cattle will eat it.

Ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick - There had never been such abominations in the Divine worship before. What was of no worth in itself, and what could not be used by its owner, was brought to God's altar, and offered for sacrifice! Was not the punishment of these wretches less than their crimes?

Cursed be the deceiver - Those who act thus, as they cannot elude God's notice, so neither shall they escape his curse.

And voweth, and sacrificeth - a corrupt thing - The history of Ananias and Sapphira, Act 5:1, etc., is a complete comment on this. It was high time to break up this corrupt service; and after this time God does not appear to have paid any regard to it, for he sent them no other prophet.

Loved you - Both personally considered and relatively, in progenitors. Us - Who have been captives, and groaned under it all our days 'till of late. Was not Esau - Did not one father beget them, and one mother bear them? I loved Jacob - I preferred him to the birthright, and this of free love. I loved his person, and his posterity.

I hated - I loved not Esau's posterity as I loved Jacob's. His heritage - Mount Seir with the neighbouring mountains. Waste - By Nebuchadnezzar's arms five years after the sacking of Jerusalem, and whereas Jacob's captivity returned, and their cities were rebuilt, Esau's never were. The dragons - Creatures which delight in desolate places, by which the utter desolation of Esau is signified.

Throw down - So he did in the times of the Maccabees. The border of wickedness - They will be a most wicked people, and so notorious, that all their neighbours shall brand them for it. Hath indignation - They will so highly provoke God, that his indignation will be kindled against them for ever.

From the border of Israel - Let Israel from all his borders give God praise.

O priests - Had undutifulness been found among the ignorant people, it might have been a little excusable. But you, O priests, whose business is to know me, have like Eli's sons despised me yourselves, and made others do so too.

Bread - Either the meal - offerings, or rather in a more large sense, all sacrifices and oblations. Ye say - Perhaps in words; at least your deeds speak your thoughts. The table - This comprehends all that was offered to God.

Evil - Is it not against the express command of God.

I pray you - O priests. Beseech - Intercede with God for his sinful people. This - This contempt of God.

Incense - A law term for a gospel duty, and under this type are contained the prayers and praises, nay, the whole gospel - worship. A pure offering - Both sincere, in opposition to hypocrisy, and holy, in opposition to impurity, superstition and idolatry.

But ye - O priests! And the people by your examples. Ye say - By your deportment. Is polluted - Not a sacred thing. His meat - Either the meat which fell to the priest's share, or the portion which was laid upon the altar.

What a weariness - What a toil and drudgery to observe every point of the law. This - With such minds snuffing at my service, and with such sacrifices, unfit for mine altar.

The deceiver - The hypocrite that would seem to offer a sacrifice of the best, but puts God off with the worst. A male - A perfect male, such as God requireth.

1 THE burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi .

See Zech. 9.1. let. a. b. c. and Nah. 1.1. let. a. usually it imports sad threats against those concerned in it, though sometimes it may be no more then the Message of God.

The Authority was Divine on which this Prophet spake.

My Messenger (saith the Lord) so Heb. sounds. My Angel as some, though they erre, who take him to be an Angel conversing with Iewes in the form of a man, but Angel, taken in the grammatical sense i. e. Messenger he was, and Gods Messenger, the last of Prophets sent to Israel before the great Prophet Messiah came. That he was Mordecai or Ezra, as some conjecture, without good ground, or who he was, of what Tribe, or Family the Scripture gives us no account, and we make no guesse. His Prophesie is of Divine Authority, and so cited by three of the four Evangelists, Mat. 11.10. Mar. 1.2. Luk. 1.16. and by St. Paul, Rom. 9.13.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] by the [illegible: 1 letter] Malachi.

2 I have loved you , saith the LORD : yet ye say , Wherein hast thou loved us ? was not Esau Jacobs brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob .

God asserts his Antient love, that which he had in many Generations past shew'd; I have time out of mind, yea, from before the birth of your Father Iacob, and in truth before Abraham was, designed more kindness to you than to others, and from the time of Iacob I have undeniably shewed it. And this deserved, what I have not found from you, a love corresponding somewhat to mine; but instead of such love, some are ready to say they saw no such thing, or to dispute perversly in what it appeared.

Both personally considered and relatively as you were in your Fathers and Progenitours.

Their ingratitude extorts this solemn protestation, they should readily have owned, and not put God to avow the love he had shewn them.

Or, And, you do querulously and with ignorance enough object to me, and put me on it to vindicate my love, and expose your ingratitude. Wherein, or for what? is there not some cause? did not Abraham's love deserve a love for us his Posterity? most perverse pride;

Who have been Captives and groan'd under the miseries of it all our dayes till of late, is this love to us?

Since they are supposed thus to object, by cuting questions God will give them answer; Was not Esau Iacob's brother? had they not one and the same grandfather? was not Abraham as near to one as to the other? did not one Father beget them, and one Mother bear them? did they not lie together in the same Womb? was there not as much of Abraham, and Isaac in Esau as in Iacob? or what of Nature, Consanguinity, and outward priviledge was there in one more than in the other? whatever that was, Esau might claim, for he was the Eldest. In Esau's Person his Progeny is included, as appears next verse.

The younger Brother, and your Father, O unthankful Iewes!

I preferr'd him to the Birthright, and this of free love, before any merit could be dreamt of, I did love his Person, and have loved his posterity, with an unparallel'd love, and shew'd it to all.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] 9.13.

3 And I hated Esau , and laid his mountains and his heritage waste , for the dragons of the wilderness.

I loved not Esau or his Posterity, as I loved Iacob and his Posterity; this Not loving, comparatively is a hating; God shew'd not the same kindness to the Twin-brothers, the one was more enrich'd with the fruits of Gods Love, and had cause to he thankful, the other had no cause to complain, for God did him no wrong.

Containing his Posterity with him; for though the hatred or lesser love began towards Esau's Person, yet the effects of it appear'd more manifestly in Esau's Posterity.

Mount Seir with the neighbouring mountains gives to Esau, Deut. 2.5. Iosh. 24.4. for inheritance as here 'tis said, and which he and his Posterity did enjoy about 1200 years.

By Nebuchadnezzar's Arms five years after the sacking of Ierusalem, as foretold by Ezek. 35. The people were slain or captivated, or forced to fly from the sword of the Enemy, their Cities taken, plundered, and burnt. It is possible that they might meet with worse usage than the Iewes met with herein, however their state seems equal, and here is no token of unequal hatred, but what follows doth manifestly discover it, for whereas Iacob's Captivity returned, and their Cities were rebuilt, Esau's never were.

Or Iachales or Owles, for the word is so used and explain'd by some, or all these with Dragons, doleful Creatures, which delight in desolate places, by which the utter desolation and the perpetuity of the desolation of Esau is signified.

Marginal references: Jer. 49.17, 18. Ezek. 35.7, 9. Obad. 10, &c.

4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished , but we will return and build the desolate places : thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build but I will throw down , and they shall call them, The border of wickedness , and The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever .

Here the Prophet introduceth Edom reflecting on it's present low condition, and taking up resolutions of bettering their condition, we are now, as the Iewes were five years before, exceedingly spoiled by Neb[illegible: 1 letter]chadnezzar ▪ who hath rifled our houses, burnt our Cities, and captivated our Citizens.

This speaks their Insolence, or shall, this speaks their hopes of such a return as Iacob's Posterity had after 70 years.

Repair their Cities as Ierusalem was repaired by the returned Captivity.

They may do so for a while, but saith God, I will throw it down, as he did in the times of the Maccabees.

They will be by their flagitious lives, after they a little recover themselves, a most wicked people and so notorious that all their neighbours shall brand them for it, and presage a Curse will follow them.

They will so highly provoke God, that his Indignation will be kindled against them, and will burn for ever.

5 And your eyes shall see , and ye shall say , The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel .

You Iewes who are now return'd from Captivity, and are blest with a Rebuilt Temple and City, who are setled in Civil and Sacred concerns, your eyes shall see, some of you must needs, more will, and all might observe what I have said, that my love is toward you whom I plant, build up, and prosper, while I root up, pull down and destroy your neighbouring Kindred Edom.

Ye should in point of duty, and some of you will take notice of it, and confess it.

Or let the Lord be magnified, let his name be great and his Praise great for his free love to Israel, for his great displeasure against the border of wickedness, for his truth in both.

Let Israel from all his borders give God this Praise.

Marginal references: Or, upon.; Heb. from upon.

6 ¶ A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master . If then I be a father , where is mine honour ? and if I be a master, where is my fear ? saith the LORD of hosts, unto you, O priests▪ that despise my name ? And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

This is a practical principle engraven on the hearts of mankind, a Law which all own, a Truth written with a Sunbeam, and which is violated by none, but unnatural brutish men.

This if, no way doubts; but 'tis made a supposition grounded on a confest, antient, and peculiar Adoption and Redemption, by vertue whereof the seed of Iacob had God to their Father and Master; and this undisputed Relation if I be, &c. doth more piercingly affect the mind when 'tis demanded, where is your performance of duty, where the honour you give me?

The internal in high apprehensions and esteem with answerable affections, the external in dutiful behaviour and carriage, where the ready, ingenuous, and delightful obedience. &c.

Servants do fear their Masters, and this fear, though servile, yet is due to a Master, it is a quality suitting the Relation, and now where is either of them?

Had undutifulness, and irreverence been found among the ignorant people who knew not the Law, nor were in capacity of knowing me as you, it might have been a little excusable, yet a great sin: But you, O Priests, nearest of any to me, whose business is to know me, who live upon my Sacrifices, have me in a most peculiar manner your Portion, you have like Eli's Sons despised me your selves, and made others do so too.

Thought and spoke contemptibly of what is most venerable.

God, his Sacrifices, and Oblations, his Law, and Worship.

Proud and hardned, they dispute it with God and his Prophets.

Marginal references: Luk. 6.46.

7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar ; And ye say , Wherin have we polluted thee? In that ye say , The table of the LORD is contemptible.

You through covetousness take any the people bring, whether such as the Law requires or no. If it answer not the perfection of the Law, yet you first make it serve me, through your contempt of me, and then to serve your turn to feed you and yours.

Either by ill-managing it, and misordering what is good and allowable, or accepting what is disallowed and forbidden, because of its blemishes.

Either the shew-bread, of which Exod. 25.30. or meat-Offerings, Exod. 29.41. Lev. 2. Numb. 28.5. or in a more large Sense, all that was to be offered unto God, Sacrifices, and Oblations.

By this it appears bread is to be expounded here of Sacrifices, and not to be confined to the narrow bounds of this one kind.

They stand upon their own Justification, and proudly contend with God, either implying they did not offer such polluted things, or if they were defective, and in law sence polluted, yet that this did redound to God, or affect him no more than the perfection of them could add to him.

Perhaps in words, however by your deeds you speak your thoughts and judgment; you think so, and then act so.

Before 'twas Altar, now it is Table, not to be opposed each to other, but comprehending both, and all that was offered unto God on both.

As if they measur'd Sacrifice and Oblation by the splendor, and Riches of the Temple and Altar, the first were more pompous than the second, and these Priests probably thought they mig[illegible: 2 letters] abate in the qualities of the offerings, as this Temple abated i[illegible: 1 letter] its splendour, they contemned this, and then contemn those offerings.

Marginal references: Or, bring unto, &c.

8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil ? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governour : will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.

This if, it implies they had done so, it chargeth them with somewhat in matter of practice among them, the lame and sick also they had offered.

Is it not against the express Command of God, Lev. 22.22, 23, 24. and Deut. 15.21. the living God should have living Sacrifices, and God who is perfect, should have perfect Sacrifices. But the people bringing such, the Priests accepting such, do in effect tell the World, they thought such Sacrifices good enough for that God they were offered to; so great prophaneness runs through this whole carriage.

Not their King, for they had none; but Governours they had, and these the Iews reverenced, and would not dare do that to them, they do boldly with God dayly.

Your Governour would not thank you, he would be angry with you, and account it an affront, and shall not the Lord of Hosts much more account it an indignity offered unto him? People in bringing Priests, in accepting these blemished Oblations which were not good enough; for a man did sin greatly, and spake their apprehensions of God to be contemptible and slight.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 paragraph]; [illegible: 1 paragraph]

9 And now I pray you , beseech God that he will be gracious unto us : this hath been by your means : will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts?

Malachi.

O Priests.

Intercede with God for this sinful people, among which (with the modesty that is usual among God's Saints) he rangeth himself, intreat they may find Grace with God, and be pardoned.

Detestable contempt of God, his Altar, and Worship.

You O Priests have been great occasions of this, 'tis more your sin, though too much theirs, beg then, that it may be forgiven, repent and pray, or you will not be regarded: Some think the whole verse to be a[illegible: 1 letter] Ironie against those Priests and their Sacrifices.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 paragraph]; [illegible: 1 paragraph]

10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought; I have no pleasure in you , saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand .

I cannot be pleased with such Servants and Services; or 'tis a Meiosis, I am very greatly displeased with you

whilest you are thus prophane and contemptuous, I will never accept your gifts, but reject you and them.

Some make this verse to be a kind of wish, that there were some among them that would shut up the doors of the Temple, and keep out such Sacrifices, and Sacrificers, it would be less displeasing to God, 'twere better not done at all, then so ill done, and so long as it is so ill done, God can have [illegible: 1 letter]o pleasure in it or them. Others make it a reproof of the Priests upbraided for their prophane contempt of God, and for their inexcusable negligence while they are so well paid for all their service, be it ever so little, and inconsiderable as the lig[illegible: 2 letters]ing a fire on the Altar, or shutting the doors of the Temple, inexcusable dishonesty to receive large Wages, and neglect your work!

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 paragraph]

11 For from the rising of the sun, even to the going down of the same, my Name shall be great among the Gentiles, and in every place incense shall be offered unto my Name, and a pure offering : for my Name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.

A Law term for a Gospel Duty, and under this Type is contained the prayers and praises, nay, the whole Gospel Worship is that Incense which shall be offered unto God, which is in the verse called a pure Offering.

Both sincere in opposition to Hypocrisie, and holy in opposition to impurity, and purged from Superstition and Idolatry. The sum of this verse is contained in that Ioh. 4.21, 22, 23, 24.

This verse is a very full and plain prediction or promise made on behalf of the Gentiles, that they should be a people to the Lord, and should exalt his Name, and Worship him in a pure way, and well-pleasing to the Lord. That when he casteth off Ceremonial Services, and Carnal Ordinances, he will set up Spiritual and Heavenly, and all Nations, from East to West shall submit to them, and sanctifie the Holy and Reverend Name of God in them.

Marginal references: 1 [illegible: 1 span]

12 ¶ But ye have profaned it, in that ye say , The table of the LORD is polluted , and the fruit thereof, even his meat is contemptible .

O Priests! principally and first, the people next by their Examples

used it as a common thing, and valued it at a strange undervalue, as if neither excellent or useful.

By your deportment you say so perhaps, you do not say so in words, this were too impudent indeed.

Not a sacred thing, or to be rever'd,

Either the Meat which fell to the Priests share, and was for them to live upon, this they despised, or else the portion which did belong to God himself, and was laid upon the Altar; they were neither pleased with that the Lord did reserve to himself, nor with that he gave to them, but they found fault with both.

A poor, sordid allowance, scarce fit for meaner persons, and less service.

13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it? and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts, and ye brought that which was torn , and the lame, and the sick: thus ye brought an offering : should I accept this of your hands? saith the LORD .

To those sins before mentioned, the Priest chiefly, and the people with them added this also, that they openly complained of Gods service.

What a toil and drudgery is it to observe every point of the Law about ordering our selves, and the Sacrifices!

In token of discontent, and that you thought it was all needless labour would not examin your Sacrifices as you should.

For want of value for the Ordinance and Patience in examining whether the Sacrifice were perfect and according to Law, you Priests accepted and offered the torn, and blind, &c. which are expresly forbidden to be made Sacrifices, vid. ver. 8. let. u.

With such minds snuffing at my service, and with such Sacrifices, unfit for mine Altar, have they wearied themselves somewhat, but their God more; should he receive this at their hands?

i. e. 'tis not at all fit to be accepted, nor will our God receive it.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 paragraph]; [illegible: 1 paragraph].

14 But cursed be the deceiver , which hath in his flock a male , and voweth , and sacrificeth unto the LORD a corrupt thing : for I am a great king , saith the LORD of hosts, and my Name is dreadful among the heathen .

Now comes a thunder clap from Heaven against sinners, who were before reproved, cursed, &c.

The Hypocrite that doth deceive man, and would deceive God; the false heart that intends one thing, and pretends another, would seem to offer a Sacrifice of the best, but puts God off with the worst.

A perfect Male, such as God requireth, and accepteth.

In Vows God required very perfect and unblemisht Offerings, Lev. 22.18, 19. but here are Juglers that vow corrupt things, when they have what is perfect, and should vow that

solemnly sacrificeth the worst, wholly unfit for acceptance.

Any thing, but the best we have, is this corrupt thing, for the best we have is justly commanded, and that only is acceptable to the Lord.

Very full of Majesty, and therefore will by no means be slighted.

Heathens Reverence this Name, and will do so when Converted, and you Jews ought not to undervalue it.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. 8.; [illegible: 1 paragraph]; [illegible: 1 word]. 47.2.

Malachi

Introduction

Person of the Prophet. - The circumstances of Malachi's life are so entirely unknown, that it is a disputed point whether מכלאכי in the heading (Mal 1:1) is the name of a person, or merely an ideal name given to the prophet who foretels the sending of the messenger of Jehovah (מלאכי, Mal 3:1), and whose real name has not been handed down. The lxx rendered the בּיד מלאכי of the heading by ἐν χειρὶ ἀγγέλου αὐτοῦ, and therefore either had or conjectured as their reading  מלאכו : and the Targumist Jonathan, who adds to בּיד מלאכי cujus nomen appellatur Esrascriba, has also taken מלאכי in an ideal sense, and given the statement that Ezra the scribe is the prophetic author of our book, as a conjecture founded upon the spirit and contents of the prophecy. The notion that Malachi is only an official name is therefore met with in many of the fathers, and has been vigorously defended in the most recent times by Hengstenberg, who follows the lead of Vitringa, whilst Ewald lays it down as an established truth. But the arguments adduced in support of this, especially by Hengstenberg in his Christology, are not conclusive. The circumstance “that the heading does not contain any further personal description, whether the name of his father or the place of his birth,” is not more striking in our book than in the writings of Obadiah and Habakkuk, which also contain only the name of the prophet in the heading, without any further personal descriptions. It is a striking fact, no doubt, that the lxx and the Targumist have taken the name as an appellative; at the same time, it by no means follows from this “that nothing was known in tradition of any historical person of the name of Malachi,” but simply that nothing certain had been handed down concerning the circumstances of the prophet’s life. The recollection, however, of the circumstances connected with the personal history of the prophet might easily have become extinct during the period of at least 150 or 200 years which intervened between the lifetime of the prophet and the Alexandrian version of the Old Testament, if his life was not distinguished by any other facts than the prophecies contained in his book. And Jonathan lived, at the earliest, 400 years after Malachi. That all recollection of the person of Malachi was not lost, however, is evident both from the notice in the Talmud to the effect that Malachi was one of the men of the great synagogue, as Haggai and Zechariah had been, and also from the statements made by Ps. Doroth., Epiph., and other fathers, to the effect that he was a Levite of the tribe of Zebulun, and was born in Supha, or Σοφά, or Σοφιρά (see the passages in Koehler, Mal. pp. 10, 11), although all these statements show that nothing certain was known as to the circumstances of his life.

But the principal reason for taking the name not as a nomen proprium, but simply as a name adopted by the prophet for this particular prophecy, is to be found, according to Hengstenberg, in the character of the name itself, viz., in the fact that it is not formed from מלאך and יהּ = יהוה, and cannot be explained by angelicus. But neither the one nor the other can be regarded as established. The formation of proper names by adding the termination ־י to appellative nouns is by no means unusual, as the long list of examples of words formed in this manner, given by Olshausen (Heb. Gramm. 218, b), clearly shows; and the remark that “this formation only serves to denote descent or occupation” (Hengstenberg) is beside the mark, since it does not apply to such names as גּרמי, זכרי, and others. The interpretation of the name as a contraction of מלאכיּה, messenger of Jehovah, is quite as possible as this derivation. We have an unquestionably example of a contraction of this kind in אבי in 2Ki 18:2, as compared with אביּה in 2Ch 29:1. And just as the יהּ is there omitted altogether in אבי, so is the other name of God, אל, omitted in פלטי in 1Sa 25:44, which is written פּלטיאל in 2Sa 3:15. This omission of the name of God is by no means rare. “The Hebrews very often drop the names of God at the end of proper names” (Simonis, p. 11). The formation of such a name as מלאכי would be perfectly analogous to these cases; and no objection whatever can be brought against such a name, since the ־י need not be taken as a suffix of the first person (my messenger is Jehovah), but is rather to be taken as Yod compaginis, like יחזקיּה formed from יחזקי (for יחזק) and יה, “messenger of Jehovah.” This name might very well have been given by parents to a son whom God had given them, or sent to them in fulfilment of their wishes. Which of these two derivations deserves the preference, cannot be determined with certainty; at the same time, there is more probability in the latter than in the former, partly because of the obvious play upon His name in the words הנני שׁלח מלאכי (Mal 3:1), and partly because of the Greek form of the name Μαλαχίας in the heading of the book. Since, then, there is no valid argument that can be brought against the formation of such a name, there is all the more reason for regarding the name in the heading (Mal 1:1) as the real name of the prophet, from the fact that the idea explanation would be without any distinct analogy. “All the prophets whose writings have come down to us in the canon, have given their own names in the headings to their books, that is to say, the names which they received at their birth; and the names of the rest of the prophets of the Old Testament are also their real names” (Caspari, Micha, p. 28). Even in the case of the names Agur (Pro 30:1) and Lemuel (Pro 31:1), which Hengstenberg cites as analogies, it is still doubtful whether the first, Agur the son of Jakeh, is not a historical name; and even if the ideal use of the two were established beyond all doubt, no conclusion could be drawn from a collection of proverbs bearing upon a prophetic writing. A collection of proverbs is a poetical work, whose ethical or religious truth is not dependent upon the person of the poet. The prophet, on the contrary, has to guarantee the divinity of his mission and the truth of his prophecy by his own name or his own personality.

The period of Malachi is also a disputed point, although all are agreed that he lived and prophesied after the captivity. We may gather from his prophecy, not only that he commenced his prophetic labours after Haggai and Zechariah, since, according to Mal 1:6. and Mal 3:10, the temple had been rebuilt and the temple-worship had been restored for a considerable time, but also, as Vitringa has shown in his Observ. ss. ii. lib. 6, that he did not prophesy till after the first arrival of Nehemiah in Jerusalem, i.e., after the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes Longimanus. The chief reason for this is to be found in the agreement between Malachi and Nehemiah (ch. 13), in the reproof administered for the abuses current among the people, and even in the priesthood, - namely, the marriage of heathen wives (compare Mal 2:11. with Neh 13:23.), and the negligent payment of the tithes (compare Mal 3:8-10 with Neh 13:10-14). The first of these abuses - namely, that many even of the priests and Levites had taken heathen wives - found its way among the people even on Ezra’s first arrival in Jerusalem; and he succeeded in abolishing it by vigorous measures, so that all Israel put away the heathen wives within three months (Ezr 9:1-15 and 10). But it is evidently impossible to refer the condemnation of the same abuse in Malachi to this particular case, because on the one hand the exhortation to be mindful of the law of Moses (Malachi 3:22), as well as the whole of the contents of our book which are founded upon the authority of the law, apply rather to the time when Ezra had already put forth his efforts to restore the authority of the law (Ezr 7:14, Ezr 7:25-26), than to the previous time; whilst, on the other hand, the offering of unsuitable animals in sacrifice (Mal 1:7.), and unfaithfulness in the payment of the tithes and heave-offerings (Mal 3:8), can evidently be only explained on the supposition that Israel had to provide for the necessities of the temple and the support of the persons engaged in the worship; whereas in Ezra’s time, or at any rate immediately after his arrival, as well as in the time of Darius (Ezr 6:9-10), the costs of worship were defrayed out of the royal revenues (Ezr 7:15-17, Ezr 7:20-24). But after the abolition of the heathen marriages by Ezra, and after his reformatory labours as a whole, such breaches of the law could not have spread once more among the people in the short interval between the time of Ezra and the first arrival of Nehemiah, even if Ezra had not continued his labours up to that time, as is evident from Nehemiah 8-10. Moreover, Nehemiah would no doubt have attacked these abuses at that time, as he did at a later period, if he had detected them. Consequently the falling back into the old sin that had been abolished by Ezra cannot have taken place before the period of Nehemiah’s return to the king’s court, in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes (Neh 13:6). If, therefore, Malachi condemns and threatens with the punishment of God the very same abuses which Nehemiah found in Jerusalem on his second arrival there, and strove most energetically to exterminate, Malachi must have prophesied at that time; but whether immediately before Nehemiah’s second arrival in Jerusalem, or during his presence there, so as to support the reformatory labours of Nehemiah by his prophetic testimony, cannot be decided with certainty. What Malachi says in Mal 1:8 concerning the attitude of the people towards the Persian governor does not necessarily presuppose a non-Israelitish vicegerent, but might also apply to Nehemiah, since the prophet’s words may be understood as relating to free-will gifts or presents, whereas Nehemiah (Neh 5:14-15) simply says that he has not required from the people the governor’s supplies, and has not burdened them with taxes. The circumstance, however, that Nehemiah finds the abuses still existing in undiminished force, renders the assumption that Malachi had already prophesied improbable, and favours rather the contemporaneous labours of the two; in which case the work of Malachi bore the same relation to that of Nehemiah as the work of Haggai and Zechariah to that of Zerubbabel and Joshua; and the reformatory labours of Nehemiah, which were chiefly of an outward character, were accompanied by the more inward labours of Malachi, as was very frequently the case in the history of Israel; for example, in the case of Isaiah and Hezekiah, or of Jeremiah and Josiah (see Hengstenberg, Christology, iv. p. 157). 2. The Book of Malachi contains one single prophecy, the character of which is condemnatory throughout. Starting with the love which the Lord has shown to His people (Mal 1:2-5), the prophet proves that not only do the priests profane the name of the Lord by an unholy performance of the service at the altar (Mal 1:6; Mal 2:9), but the people also repudiate their divine calling both by heathen marriages and frivolous divorces (Mal 2:10-16), and by their murmuring at the delay of the judgment; whereas the Lord will soon reveal Himself as a just judge, and before His coming will send His messenger, the prophet Elijah, to warn the ungodly and lead them to repentance, and then suddenly come to His temple as the expected angel of the covenant, to refine the sons of Levi, punish the sinners who have broken the covenant, and by exterminating the wicked, as well as by blessing the godly with salvation and righteousness, make the children of Israel the people of His possession (2:17-4:6). The contents of the book, therefore, arrange themselves in three sections: Malachi 1:6-2:9, Mal 2:10-16; 2:17-4:6. These three sections probably contain only the leading thoughts of the oral addresses of the prophet, which are so combined as to form one single prophetic address. Throughout the whole book we meet with the spirit which developed itself among the Jews after the captivity, and assumed the concrete forms of Phariseeism and Saduceeism. The outward or grosser kind of idolatry had been rendered thoroughly distasteful to the people by the sufferings of exile; and its place was taken by the more refined idolatry of dead-work righteousness, and trust in the outward fulfilment of the letter of the divine commands, without any deeper confession of sin, or penitential humiliation under the word and will of God. Because the fulness of salvation, which the earlier prophets had set before the people when restored to favour and redeemed from captivity, had not immediately come to pass, they began to murmur against God, to cherish doubts as to the righteousness of the divine administration, and to long for the judgment to fall upon the Gentiles, without reflecting that the judgment would begin at the house of God (Amo 3:2; 1Pe 4:17). Malachi fights against this spirit, and the influence of the time in which he lived is apparent in the manner in which he attacks it. This style is distinguished from the oratorical mode of address adopted by the earlier prophets, and not unfrequently rises into a lyrico-dramatical diction, by the predominance of the conversational form of instruction, in which the thought to be discussed is laid down in the form of a generally acknowledged truth, and developed by the alternation of address and reply. In this mode of developing the thought, we can hardly fail to perceive the influence of the scholastic discourses concerning the law which were introduced by Ezra; only we must not look upon this conversational mode of instruction as a sign of the defunct spirit of prophecy, since it corresponded exactly to the practical wants of the time, and prophecy did not die of spiritual exhaustion, but was extinguished in accordance with the will and counsel of God, as soon as its mission had been fulfilled. Malachi’s language, considering the later period in which he lived and laboured, is still vigorous, pure, and beautiful. “Malachi,” as Nägelsbach says in Herzog’s Cyclopaedia, “is like a late evening, which brings a long day to a close; but he is also the morning dawn, which bears a glorious day in its womb.”

For the exegetical literature, see my Lehrbuch der Einleitung, p. 318; also Aug. Koehler’s Wiessagungen Maleachi’s erklärt, Erl. 1865.

God’s Love, and the Contempt of His Name

Malachi 1:1-2:9

The Lord has shown love to Israel (Mal 1:2-5), but Israel refuses Him the gratitude which is due, since the priests despise His name by offering bad sacrifices, and thereby cherish the delusion that God cannot do without the sacrifices (Mal 1:6-14). The people are therefore punished with adversity, and the priesthood with desecration (Mal 2:1-9).

Mal 1:1-5

The first verse contains the heading (see the introduction), “The burden of the word of the Lord,” as in Zec 9:1 and Zec 12:1. On massa' (burden), see Nah 1:1. The prophet commences his address in Mal 1:2, by showing the love for which Israel has to thank its God, in order that on the ground of this fact he may bring to the light the ingratitude of the people towards their God. Mal 1:2. “I have loved you, saith Jehovah; and ye say, Wherein hast Thou loved us? Is not Esau a brother of Jacob? is the saying of Jehovah: and I loved Jacob, Mal 1:3. And I hated Esau, and made his mountains a waste, and his inheritance for jackals of the desert. Mal 1:4. If Edom says, We are dashed to pieces, but will build up the ruins again, thus saith Jehovah of hosts: They will build, but I will pull down: and men will call them territory of wickedness, and the people with whom Jehovah is angry for ever. Mal 1:5. And your eyes will see it; and ye will say, Great is Jehovah over the border of Israel.” These four verses form neither an independent address, nor merely the first member of the following address, but the introduction and foundation of the whole book. The love which God has shown to Israel ought to form the motive and model for the conduct of Israel towards its God. אהב denotes love in its expression or practical manifestation. The question asked by the people, “Wherein hast Thou shown us love?” may be explained from the peculiarities of Malachi’s style, and is the turn he regularly gives to his address, by way of introducing the discussion of the matter in hand, so that we are not to see in it any intention to disclose the hypocrisy of the people. The prophet proves the love of Jehovah towards Israel, from the attitude of God towards Israel and towards Edom. Jacob and Esau, the tribe-fathers of both nations, were twin brothers. It would therefore have been supposed that the posterity of both the Israelites and the Edomites would be treated alike by God. But this is not the case. Even before their birth Jacob was the chosen one; and Esau or Edom was the inferior, who was to serve his brother (Gen 25:23, cf. Rom 9:10-13). Accordingly Jacob became the heir of the promise, and Esau lost this blessing. This attitude on the part of God towards Jacob and Esau, and towards the nations springing from them, is described by Malachi in these words: I (Jehovah) have loved Jacob, and hated Esau. The verbs אהב, to love, and שׂנא, to hate, must not be weakened down into loving more and loving less, to avoid the danger of falling into the doctrine of predestination. שׂנא, to hate, is the opposite of love. And this meaning must be retained here; only we must bear in mind, that with God anything arbitrary is inconceivable, and that no explanation is given here of the reasons which determined the actions of God. Malachi does not expressly state in what the love of God to Jacob (i.e., Israel) showed itself; but this is indirectly indicated in what is stated concerning the hatred towards Edom. The complete desolation of the Edomitish territory is quoted as a proof of this hatred. Mal 1:3 does not refer to the assignment of a barren land, as Rashi, Ewald, and Umbreit suppose, but to the devastation of the land, which was only utterly waste on the western mountains; whereas it was by no means barren on the eastern slopes and valleys (see at Gen 27:39). Tannōth is a feminine plural form of tan = tannı̄m (Mic 1:8; Isa 13:22, etc.), by which, according to the Syrio-Aramaean version, we are to understand the jackal. The meaning dwelling-places, which Gesenius and others have given to tannōth, after the lxx and Peshito, rests upon a very uncertain derivation (see Roediger at Ges. Thes. p. 1511). “For jackals of the desert:” i.e., as a dwelling-place for these beasts of the desert (see Isa 34:13). It is a disputed point when this devastation took place, and from what people it proceeded. Jahn, Hitzig, and Koehler are of opinion that it is only of the most recent date, because otherwise the Edomites would long ago have repaired the injury, which, according to Mal 1:4, does not appear to have been done. Mal 1:4, however, simply implies that the Edomites would not succeed in the attempt to repair the injury. On the other hand, Mal 1:2, Mal 1:3 evidently contain the thought, that whereas Jacob had recovered, in consequence of the love of Jehovah, from the blow which had fallen upon it (through the Chaldaeans), Esau’s territory was still lying in ruins from the same blow, in consequence of Jehovah’s hatred (Caspari, Obad. p. 143). It follows from this, that the devastation of Idumaea emanated from the Chaldaeans. On the other hand, the objection that the Edomites appear to have submitted voluntarily to the Babylonians, and to have formed an alliance with them, does not say much, since neither the one nor the other can be raised even into a position of probability; but, on the contrary, we may infer with the greatest probability from Jer 49:7., as compared with Jer 25:9, Jer 25:21, that the Edomites were also subjugated by Nebuchadnezzar. Maurer’s assumption, that Idumaea was devastated by the Egyptians, Ammonites, and Moabites, against whom Nebuchadnezzar marched in the fifth year after the destruction of Jerusalem, is perfectly visionary. The threat in Mal 1:4, that if Edom attempts to rebuild its ruins, the Lord will again destroy that which is built, is equivalent to a declaration that Edom will never recover its former prosperity and power. This was soon fulfilled, the independence of the Edomites being destroyed, and their land made an eternal desert, especially from the times of the Maccabees onwards. The construction of אדום as a feminine with תּאמר may be explained on the ground that the land is regarded as the mother of its inhabitants, and stands synecdochically for the population. Men will call them (להן, the Edomites) גּבוּל רשׁעה, territory, land of wickedness, - namely, inasmuch as they will look upon the permanent devastation, and the failure of every attempt on the part of the nation to rise up again, as a practical proof that the wrath of God is resting for ever upon both people and land on account of Edom’s sins.

Mal 1:6-9

The condemnation of that contempt of the Lord which the priests displayed by offering bad or blemished animals in sacrifices, commences with the following verse. Mal 1:6. “A son honoureth the father, and a servant his master. And if I am a father, where is my honour? and if I am a master, where is my fear? saith Jehovah of hosts to you, ye priests who despise my name, and yet say, Wherein have we despised Thy name? Mal 1:7. Ye who offer polluted bread upon my altar, and yet say, Wherewith have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of Jehovah, it is despised. V.8. And if ye offer what is blind for sacrifice, it is no wickedness; and if ye offer what is lame and diseased, it is no wickedness. Offer it, now, to thy governor: will he be gracious to thee, or accept thy person? saith Jehovah of hosts. Mal 1:9. And now, supplicate the face of God, that He may have compassion upon us: of your hand has this occurred: will He look upon a person on your account? saith Jehovah of hosts.” This reproof is simply directed against the priests, but it applies to the whole nation; for in the times after the captivity the priests formed the soul of the national life. In order to make an impression with his reproof, the prophet commences with a generally acknowledged truth, by which both priests and people could and ought to measure their attitude towards the Lord. The statement, that the son honours the father and the servant his master, is not to be taken as a moral demand. יכבּד is not jussive (Targ., Luth., etc.); for this would only weaken the prophet’s argument. The imperfect expresses what generally occurs, individual exceptions which are sometimes met with being overlooked. Malachi does not even appeal to the law in Exo 20:12, which enjoins upon children reverence towards their parents, and in which reverence on the part of a servant towards his master is also implied, but simply lays it down as a truth which no one will call in question. To this he appends the further truth, which will also be admitted without contradiction, that Jehovah is the Father and Lord of Israel. Jehovah is called the Father of Israel in the song of Moses (Deu 32:6), inasmuch as He created and trained Israel to be His covenant nation; compare Isa 63:16, where Jehovah is called the Father of Israel as being its Redeemer (also Jer 31:9 and Psa 100:3). As Father, God is also Lord ('ădōnı̄m: plur. majest.) of the nation, which He has made His possession. But if He is a Father, the honour which a son owes to his father is due to Him; and if a Lord, the fear which a servant owes to his lord is also due to Him. The suffixes attached to כּבודי and מוראי are used in an objective sense, as in Gen 9:2; Exo 20:17, etc. In order now to say to the priests in the most striking manner that they do the opposite of this, the prophet calls them in his address despisers of the name of Jehovah, and fortifies this against their reply by proving that they exhibit this contempt in their performance of the altar service. With regard to the construction of the clauses in the last members of Mal 1:6, and also in Mal 1:7, the participle מגּישׁים is parallel to בּוזי שׁמי, and the reply of the priests to the charge brought against them is attached to these two participial clauses by “and ye say;” and the antithesis is exhibited more clearly by the choice of the finite tense, than it would have been by the continuation of the participle.Mal 1:7 is not an answer to the question of the priests, “Wherein have we despised Thy name?” for the answer could not be given in the participle; but though the clause commencing with maggı̄shı̄m does explain the previous rebuke, viz., that they despise the name of Jehovah, and will not even admit that this is true, it is not in the form of an answer to the reply of the opponents, but by a simple reference to the conduct of the priests. The answer is appended by בּאמרכם in Mal 1:7 to the reply made to this charge also; and this answer is explained in Mal 1:8 by an allusion to the nature of the sacrificial animals, without being followed by a fresh reply on the part of the priests, because this fact cannot be denied. The contempt on the part of the priests of the name of Jehovah, i.e., of the glory in which God manifested Himself in Israel, was seen in the fact that they offered polluted bread upon the altar of Jehovah. Lechem, bread or food, does not refer to the shew-bread, for that was not offered upon the altar, but is the sacrificial flesh, which is called in Lev 21:6, Lev 21:8, Lev 21:17, the food (lechem) of God (on the application of this epithet to the sacrifices, see the remarks in our comm. on Lev 3:11, Lev 3:16). The prophet calls this food מגאל, polluted, blemished, not so much with reference to the fact, that the priests offered the sacrifices in a hypocritical or impure state of mind (Ewald), as because, according to Mal 1:8, the sacrificial animals were affected with blemishes (mūm), or had something corrupt (moshchâth) about them (Lev 22:20-25). The reply, “Wherewith have we defiled Thee?” is to be explained from the idea that either touching or eating anything unclean would defile a person. In this sense they regard the offering of defiled food to God as defiling God Himself. The prophet answers: In that ye represent the table of Jehovah as something contemptible. The table of Jehovah is the altar, upon which the sacrifices (i.e., the food of God) were laid. נבזה has the force of an adjective here: contemptible. They represent the altar as contemptible not so much in words or speeches, as in their practice, viz., by offering up bad, despicable sacrificial animals, which had blemishes, being either blind, lame, or diseased, and which were unfit for sacrifices on account of these blemishes, according to the law in Lev 22:20. Thus they violated both reverence for the altar and also reverence for Jehovah. The words אין רע are not to be taken as a question, but are used by the prophet in the sense of the priests, and thus assume the form of bitter irony. רע, bad, evil, as a calumniation of Jehovah. In order to disclose to them their wrong in the most striking manner, the prophet asks them whether the governor (פּחה: see at Hag 1:1) would accept such presents; and then in Mal 1:9 draws this conclusion, that God also would not hear the prayers of the priests for the people. He clothes this conclusion in the form of a challenge to supplicate the face of Jehovah (חלּה פני: see at Zec 7:2), that God would have compassion upon the nation; but at the same time he intimates by the question, whether God would take any notice of this, that under the existing circumstances such intercession would be fruitless. פּני אל is selected in the place of פּני יהוה, to lay the greater emphasis upon the antithesis between God and man (the governor). If the governor would not accept worthless gifts graciously, how could they expect a gracious answer to their prayers from God when they offered such gifts to Him? The suffix in יחנּנוּ refers to the people, in which the prophet includes himself. The clause “from your hand has זאת (this: viz., the offering of such reprehensible sacrifices) proceeded” (cf. Isa 50:11), is inserted between the summons to pray to God and the intimation of the certain failure of such intercession, to give still further prominence to the unlawfulness of such an act. The question הישּׂא וגו is appended to the principal clause  חלּוּ־נא , and  מכּם פּנים  does not stand for  פּניכם: will He lift up your face, i.e., show you favour? but מכּם is causal, “on your account” (Koehler): “will He regard a person, that is to say, will He show favour to any one, on your account, viz., because ye pray to Him for compassion, when these are the actions ye perform?” The view of Jerome, Grotius, and Hitzig, that the challenge to seek the face of God is an earnest call to repentance or to penitential prayer, is at variance with the context. What follows, for example, is opposed to this, where the prophet says it would be better if the temple were closed, since God does not need sacrifices.

Mal 1:10-13

Mal 1:10. “O that there were one among you, who would shut the doors, that ye might not light mine altar to no purpose! I have no pleasure in you, saith Jehovah of hosts, and sacrificial offering does not please me from your hand. Mal 1:11. For from the rising of the sun to the setting thereof my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is burned and sacrifice offered, and indeed a pure sacrifice to my name; for my name is great among the nations, saith Jehovah of hosts. Mal 1:12. And ye desecrate it with your saying: the table of Jehovah, it is defiled, and its fruit - contemptible is its food. Mal 1:13. And ye say: behold what a plague! and ye blow upon it, saith Jehovah of hosts, and ye bring hither what is robbed and the lame and the sick, and thus ye bring the sacrificial gift; shall I take pleasure in this from your hand? saith Jehovah.” The construction מי בכם ויסגּר is to be explained in accordance with Job 19:23 : “Who is among you and he would shut,” for “who is there who would shut?” and the question is to be taken as the expression of a wish, as in 2Sa 15:4; Psa 4:7, etc.: “would that some one among you would shut!” The thought is sharpened by gam, which not only belongs to בּכם, but to the whole of the clause: “O that some one would shut,” etc. The doors, the shutting of which is to be desired, are the folding doors of the inner court, in which the altar of burnt-offering stood; and the object of the wish is that the altar might no more be lighted up, not “by lights which burned by the side of the altar” (Ewald), but by the shining of the sacrificial fire which burned upon the altar. חנּם, in vain, i.e., without any object or use, for Jehovah had no pleasure in such priests or such worthless sacrifices. Minchâh here is not the meat-offering as distinguished from the slain-offering, but sacrifice generally, as in 1Sa 2:17; Isa 1:13; Zep 3:10, etc. Such sacrifices God does not desire, for His name proves itself to be great among all the nations of the earth, so that pure sacrifices are offered to Him in every place. This is the simple connection between Mal 1:10, Mal 1:11, and one in perfect harmony with the words. Koehler’s objection, that such a line of argument apparently presupposes that God needs sacrifices on the part of man for His own sake, and is only in a condition to despise the sacrifices of His nation when another nation offers Him better ones, has no force, because the expression “for His own sake,” in the sense of “for His sustenance or to render the perpetuation of His being possible,” with the conclusion drawn from it, is neither to be found in the words of the text, nor in the explanation referred to. God does indeed need no sacrifices for the maintenance of His existence, and He does not demand them for this purpose, but He demands them as signs of the dependence of men upon Him, or of the recognition on the part of men that they are indebted to God for life and every other blessing, and owe Him honour, praise, and thanksgiving in return. In this sense God needs sacrifices, because otherwise He would not be God to men on earth; and from this point of view the argument that God did not want to receive the reprehensible sacrifices of the Israelitish priests, because sacrifices were offered to Him by the nations of the earth in all places, and therefore His name was and remained great notwithstanding the desecration of it on the part of Israel, was a very proper one for attacking the delusion, that God needs sacrifices for His own sustenance; a delusion which the Israelitish priests, against whom Malachi was contending, really cherished, if not in thesi, at all events in praxi, when they thought any sacrificial animal good enough for God. Koehler’s assumption, that Mal 1:11 contains a subordinate parenthetical thought, and that the reason for the assertion in Mal 1:10 is not given till Mal 1:12, Mal 1:13, is opposed to the structure of the sentences, since it necessitates the insertion of “although” after כּי in Mal 1:11.

It is must more difficult to decide the question whether Mal 1:11 treats of what was already occurring at the time of the prophet himself, as Hitzig, Maurer, and Koehler suppose (after the lxx, Ephr., Theod. Mops., etc.), or of that which would take place in the future through the reception of the heathen into the kingdom of God in the place of Israel, which would be rejected for a time (Cyr., Theod., Jerome, Luther, Calvin, and others, down to Hengstenberg and Schmieder). Both of these explanations are admissible on grammatical grounds; for such passages as Gen 15:14 and Joe 3:4 show very clearly that the participle is also used for the future. If we take the words as referring to the present, they can only mean that the heathen, with the worship and sacrifices which they offer to the gods, do worship, though ignorantly yet in the deepest sense, the true and living God (Koehler). But this thought is not even expressed by the Apostle Paul in so definite or general a form, either in Rom 1:19-20, where he teaches that the heathen can discern the invisible being of God from His works, or in Act 17:23. in his address at Athens, where he infers from the inscription upon an altar, “to the unknown God,” that the unknown God, whom the Athenians worshipped, is the true God who made heaven and earth. Still less is this thought contained in our verse. Malachi does not speak of an “unknown God,” whom all nations from the rising to the setting of the sun, i.e., over all the earth, worshipped, but says that Jehovah’s name is great among the nations of the whole earth. And the name of God is only great among the Gentiles, when Jehovah has proved Himself to them to be a great God, so that they have discerned the greatness of the living God from His marvellous works and thus have learned to fear Him (cf. Zep 2:11; Psa 46:9-11; Exo 15:11, Exo 15:14-16). This experience of the greatness of God forms the substratum for the offering of sacrifices in every place, since this offering is not mentioned merely as the consequence of the fact that the name of Jehovah is great among the nations; but in the clause before the last, “the latter is also expressly placed towards the former in the relation of cause to effect” (Koehler). The idea, therefore, that the statement, that incense is burned and sacrifice offered to the name of Jehovah in every place, refers to the sacrifices which the heathen offered to their gods, is quite inadmissible. At the time of Malachi the name of Jehovah was not great from the rising to the setting of the sun, nor were incense and sacrifice offered to Him in every place, and therefore even Hitzig looks upon the expression בּכל־מקום as “saying too much.” Consequently we must understand the words prophetically as relating to that spread of the kingdom of God among all nations, with which the worship of the true God would commence “in every place.” בּכל־מקום forms an antithesis to the one place, in the temple at Jerusalem, to which the worship of God was limited during the time of the old covenant (Deu 12:5-6). מקטר is not a partic. nominasc., incense, suffimentum, for this could not signify the burnt-offering or slain-offering as distinguished from the meat-offering (minchâh), but it is a partic. verbale, and denotes not the kindling of the sacrificial flesh upon the altar, but the kindling of the incense (suffitur); for otherwise מגּשׁ would necessarily stand before מקטר, since the presentation preceded the burning upon the altar. The two participles are connected together asyndetos and without any definite subject (see Ewald, §295, a). It is true that minchâh tehōrâh does actually belong to muggâsh as the subject, but it is attached by Vav explic. in the form of an explanatory apposition: offering is presented to my name, and indeed a sacrificial gift (minchâh covering every sacrifice, as in Mal 1:10). The emphasis rests upon tehōrâh, pure, i.e., according to the requirements of the law, in contrast to sacrifices polluted by faulty animals, such as the priests of that day were accustomed to offer.In Mal 1:11 the Romish Church finds a biblical foundation for its doctrine of the bloodless sacrifice of the New Testament, i.e., the holy sacrifice of the mass (see Canones et decreta concil. Trident. sess. 22), understanding by minchâh the meat-offering as distinguished from the bloody sacrifices. But even if there were any ground for this explanation of the word, which there is not, it would furnish no support to the sacrifice of the mass, since apart from the fact that the sacrifice of the mass has a totally different meaning from the meat-offering of the Old Testament, the literal interpretation of the word is precluded by the parallel “burning incense” or “frankincense.” If burning incense was a symbol of prayer, as even Reincke admits, the “sacrificial offering” can only have denoted the spiritual surrender of a man to God (Rom 12:1).

In the allusion to the worship, which would be paid by all nations to the name of the Lord, there is an intimation that the kingdom of God will be taken from the Jews who despise the Lord, and given to the heathen who seek God. This intimation forms the basis for the curse pronounced in Mal 1:14 upon the despisers of God, and shows “that the kingdom of God will not perish, when the Lord comes and smites the land with the curse (Mal 4:6), but that this apparent death is the way to true life” (Hengstenberg).

To this allusion to the attitude which the heathen will assume towards Jehovah when He reveals His name to them, the prophet appends as an antithesis in Mal 1:12, Mal 1:13 a repetition of the reproof, that the priests of Israel desecrate the name of the Lord by that contempt of His name, which they display by offering faulty animals in sacrifice. Mal 1:12 is only a repetition of the rebuke in v.7. חלּל is really equivalent to בּזה שׁם and גּאל in Mal 1:6 and Mal 1:7, and מגאל to נבזה in Mal 1:7, which occurs in the last clause of Mal 1:12 as synonymous with it. The additional words וניבו וגו serve to strengthen the opinion expressed by the priests concerning the table of the Lord. ניבו is placed at the head absolutely, and is substantially resumed in אכלו. ניב, proventus, produce, income; the suffix refers to shulchan Yehōvâh (the table of the Lord). The revenue of the table of the Lord, i.e., of the altar, consisted of the sacrifices offered upon it, which are also called its food. The assumption is an erroneous one, that the sentence contains any such thought as the following: “The revenue drawn by the priests from the altar, i.e., the sacrificial flesh which fell to their share, was contemptible;” according to which the priests would be represented as declaring, that they themselves could not eat the flesh of the sacrifices offered without disgust; for they could not possibly speak in this way, since it was they themselves who admitted the faulty animals. If the flesh of blind, lame, or diseased animals had been too bad for food in their estimation, they would not have admitted such animals or offered them in sacrifice (Koehler). Even in Mal 1:13 this thought is not implied. מתּלאה is a contraction of מה־תּלאה (cf. Ges. §20, 2, a): What a weariness it is! The object, which the priests declare to be a burdensome and troublesome affair, can only be inferred from the following expression, vehippachtem 'ōthō.Hippēăch signifies here to blow away, like הפיח ב in Psa 10:5, which is radically connected with it, i.e., to treat contemptuously. The suffix אותו does not refer to אכלו, but to שׁלחן יי. The table of Jehovah (i.e., the altar) they treat contemptuously. Consequently the service at the altar is a burden or a trouble to them, whereas this service ought to be regarded as an honour and a privilege. Jerome thinks that instead of אותו, we might read אותי, which is found in a good number of codices; and according to the Masora, אותו has found its way into the text as Tikkune Sopherim (compare the remarks at Hab 1:12 on the Tikkune Sopherim). But in this case also the reading in the text is evidently original and correct. They manifest their contempt of the altar by offering in sacrifice that which has been stolen, etc. (cf. Mal 1:8). The first הבאתם is to be understood as referring to the bringing of the animals upon the altar; and והבאתם את־המּנחה is to be interpreted thus: “And having brought such worthless animals to the slaughter, ye then offer the sacrificial gift.” There is indeed no express prohibition in the law against offering gâzūl, or that which has been stolen; but it was shut out from the class of admissible sacrifices by the simple fact, that robbery was to be visited with punishment as a crime. The reproof closes with the question, which is repeated from Mal 1:8 (cf. Mal 1:10), whether God can accept such sacrifices with pleasure. The prophet then utters the curse in the name of God upon all who offer bad and unsuitable sacrifices.

Mal 1:14 “And cursed is he who deceives whilst there is in his flock a male animal, and he who vows and sacrifices to the Lord that which is corrupt; for I am a great King, saith Jehovah of hosts, and my name is feared among the nations.” This verse is not attached adversatively to Mal 1:13, but Vav is the simple copula, for the question in Mal 1:13 has a negative sense, or is to be answered by “No.” To this answer there is attached the curse upon all the Israelites who offer such sacrifices to God as have not the characteristics required by the law. Two cases are mentioned. In the first place, that when according to the law a male animal ought to have been sacrificed, the person offering the sacrifice offered a female, i.e., one of less value, under the pretence that he did not possess or could not procure a male. The prophet calls this nâkhal, cheating. The second case refers to votive sacrifices; for which as zebhach shelâmı̄m (Lev 22:21) both male and female animals could be used, though only such as were free from faults, inasmuch as animals having any moshchâth are declared in Lev 22:25 to be not acceptable. Moshchâth, according to the Masoretic pointing, is the feminine of the hophal participle for משׁחתתּ, like משׁרת for משׁרתת in 1Ki 1:15 (cf. Ewald, §188, b, and Olshausen, p. 393), according to which we should have to think of a female animal in bad condition. This pointing, however, is probably connected with the view still defended by Ewald, Maurer, and Hitzig, that the words ונדר וזבח are a continuation of the circumstantial clause וישׁ וגו, and that Mal 1:14 only refers to votive sacrifices: Cursed is the deceiver who has in his flock a male, but vows and sacrifices a corrupt female. This view, however, is evidently opposed to the meaning of the words. If לונדר were a circumstantial clause, we should expect והוּא נדר. Moreover, since even female animals were admissible for votive sacrifices, the vowing and offering of a female animal could not be blamed in itself, and therefore what was reprehensible was not that a female animal was vowed and offered in sacrifice by any one, but that, instead of offering a faultless animal (tâmı̄m), he presented a blemished one. We must therefore follow the ancient translators and many commentators, who read moshchâth (masc.), according to which the curse is pronounced upon any one who vowed a sacrifice and afterwards redeemed his vow with a faulty and unsuitable animal. An animal was moshchâth, corrupt, when it had any fault, which rendered it unsuitable for sacrifice. The reason for the curse is explained by reminding them of the greatness of God. Because Jehovah is a great King and His name is feared among the nations, to offer a corrupt animal in sacrifice is an offence against His majesty.

Malachi

God's prophets were his witnesses to his church, each in his day, for several ages, witnesses for him and his authority, witnesses against sin and sinners, attesting the true intents of God's providences in his dealings with his people then and the kind intentions of his grace concerning his church in the days of the Messiah, to whom all the prophets bore witness, for they all agreed in their testimony; and now we have only one witness more to call, and we have done with our evidence; and though he be the last, and in him prophecy ceased, yet the Spirit of prophecy shines as clearly, as strongly, as brightly in him as in any that went before, and his testimony challenges an equal regard. The Jews say, Prophecy continued forty years under the second temple, and this prophet they call the seal of prophecy, because in him the series or succession of prophets broke off and came to a period. God wisely ordered it so that divine inspiration should cease for some ages before the coming of the Messiah, that that great prophet might appear the more conspicuous and distinguishable and be the more welcome. Let us consider, I. The person of the prophet. We have only his name, Malachi, and no account of his country or parentage. Malachi signifies my angel, which has given occasion for a conjecture that this prophet was indeed an angel from heaven and not a man, as that Judges ii. 1. But there is no just ground for the conjecture. Prophets were messengers, God's messengers; this prophet was so; his name is the very same with that which we find in the original (ch. iii. 1) for my messenger; and perhaps from that word he might (though, probably, he had another name) be called Malachi. The Chaldee paraphrase, and some of the Jews, suggest that Malachi was the same with Ezra; but that also is groundless. Ezra was a scribe, but we never read that he was a prophet. Others, yet further from probability, make him to be Mordecai. But we have reason to conclude he was a person whose proper name was that by which he is here called; the tradition of some of the ancients is that he was of the tribe of Zebulun, and that he died young. II. The scope of the prophecy. Haggai and Zechariah were sent to reprove the people for delaying to build the temple; Malachi was sent to reprove them for the neglect of it when it was built, and for their profanation of the temple-service (for from idolatry and superstition they ran into the other extreme of impiety and irreligion), and the sins he witnesses against are the same that we find complained of in Nehemiah's time, with whom, it is probable, he was contemporary. And now that prophecy was to cease he speaks more clearly of the Messiah, as nigh at hand, than any other of the prophets had done, and concludes with a direction to the people of God to keep in remembrance the law of Moses, while they were in expectation of the gospel of Christ.

Thus prophet is sent first to convince and then to comfort, first to discover sin and to reprove for that and then to promise the coming of him who shall take away sin. And this method the blessed Spirit takes in dealing with souls, John xvi. 8. He first opens the wound and then applies the healing balm. God had provided (and one would think effectually) for the engaging of Israel to himself by providences and ordinances; but it seems, by the complaints here made of them, that they received the grace of God in both these in vain. I. They were very ungrateful to God for his favours to them, and rendered not again according to the benefit they received, ver. 1-5. II. They were very careless and remiss in the observance of his institutions; the priests especially were so, who were in a particular manner charged with them, ver. 6-14. And what shall we say of those whom neither providences nor ordinances work upon, and who affront God in those very things wherein they should honour him?

Ingratitude of Israel; Judgments and Mercies. (b. c. 400.)

1 The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.   2 I have loved you, saith the Lord . Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the Lord : yet I loved Jacob, 3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. 4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the Lord of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever. 5 And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The Lord will be magnified from the border of Israel.

The prophecy of this book is entitled, The burden of the word of the Lord (v. 1), which intimates, 1. That it was of great weight and importance; what the false prophets said was light as the chaff, what the true prophets said was ponderous as the wheat, Jer. xxiii. 28. 2. That it ought to be often repeated to them and by them, as the burden of a song. 3. That there were those to whom it was a burden and a reproach; they were weary of it, and found themselves so aggrieved by it that they were not able to bear it. 4. That to them it would prove a burden indeed, to sink them to the lowest hell, unless they repented. 5. That to those who loved it and embraced it, and bade it welcome, though it was a light burden, as our Saviour calls it (Matt. xi. 30), yet it was a burden.

This burden of the word of the Lord was sent, 1. To Israel, for to them pertained the lively oracles of prophecy as well as those of the written word. Many prophets God had sent to Israel, and now he will try them with one more. 2. By Malachi, by the hand of Malachi, as if it were not a message by word of mouth, but a letter put into his hand, for the greater certainty.

In these verses, they are charged with ingratitude, in that they were not duly sensible of God's distinguishing goodness to them; and such a charge as this may well be called a burden, for it is a heavy one.

I. God asserts the great kindness he had, and had often expressed, for them (v. 2): I have loved you, saith the Lord. Thus abruptly does the sermon begin, as if God intended, whatever reproofs should be given them, to reconcile them to his love, and to take care that they should still have good thoughts of him. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten. Thus kindly does the sermon begin. God will have his people satisfied that he loves them and is ever mindful of his love. This is the same with what he said of old to the virgin of Israel, that he might engage her affections to himself (Jer. xxxi. 3, 4): Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love. In this one word God sums up all his gracious dealings with them; love was the spring of all; he loved them because he would love them (Deut. vii. 7, 8), loved them in their childhood, Hos. xi. 1. His delight was in them, Isa. lxii. 4. "I have loved you, but you have not loved me, nor made any suitable returns for my love." Note, God's people need to be often reminded of his love to them.

II. They question his love, and diminish the instances of it, and seem to quarrel with him for telling them of it: Yet you say, Wherein hast thou loved us? As God traces up all his favours to them to the fountain, which was his love, so he traces up all their sins against him to the fountain, which was their contempt of his love. Instead of acknowledging his kindness, and studying what they shall render, they scorn to own that they have been beholden to him, challenge him to produce proofs of his love that are material, and think and speak very slightly of the instances they have had of his kindness, as if they were so few, so small, as not to be worth taking notice of, and no more than what they had sufficiently made returns for, or at least than he had sufficiently balanced with instances of his wrath. "Have we not been wasted, impoverished, and carried captive; and wherein then hast thou loved us?" Note, God justly takes it very ill to have his favours slighted, as not worth speaking of; and it is very absurd for us to ask wherein he has loved us, when, which way soever we look, we meet with the proofs and instances of his love to us.

III. He makes it out, beyond contradiction, that he has loved them, loved them in a distinguishing way, which was in a special manner obliging. For proof of this he shows the difference he had made, and would still make, between Jacob and Esau, between Israelites and Edomites. Some read their question, Wherefore hast thou loved us? as if they did indeed own that he had loved them, but withal insinuate that there was a reason for it—that he loved them because their father Abraham had loved him, so that it was not a free love, but a love of debt, to which he replies, "Was not Esau as near akin to Abraham as you are? Was he not Jacob's own brother, his elder brother? And therefore, if there were any right to a recompence for Abraham's love, Esau had it, and yet I hated Esau and loved Jacob."

1. Let them see what a difference God had made between Jacob and Esau. Esau was Jacob's brother, his twin-brother: "Yet I loved Jacob and I hated Esau, that is, took Jacob into covenant, and entailed the blessing on him and his, but refused and rejected Esau." Note, Those that are taken into covenant with God, that have the lively oracles and the means of grace committed to them, have reason to look upon these as tokens of his love. Jacob is loved, for he has these, Esau hated, for he has not. The apostle quotes this (Rom. ix. 13), and compares it with what the oracle said to Rebecca concerning her twins (Gen. xxv. 23), The elder shall serve the younger, to illustrate the doctrine of God's sovereignty in dispensing his favours; for may he not do what he will with his own? Esau was justly hated, but Jacob freely loved; even so, Father, because it seemed good in thy eyes, and it is not for us to ask why or wherefore.

2. Let them see what he was now doing and would do with them, pursuant to this original difference.

(1.) The Edomites shall be made the monuments of God's justice, and he will be glorified in their utter destruction: For Esau have I hated; I laid his mountains waste, the mountains of Seir, which were his heritage. When all that part of the world was ravaged by the Chaldean army the country of Edom was, among the rest, laid in ruins, and became a habitation for the dragons of the wilderness, so perfectly desolate was it; as was foretold, Isa. xxxiv. 6, 11. The Edomites had triumphed in Jerusalem's overthrow (Ps. cxxxvii. 7), and therefore it was just with God to put the same cup of trembling into their hands. And, though Edom's ruins were last, yet they were lasting, and the desolation perpetual; and in this the difference was made between Jacob and Esau, and is made between the righteous and the wicked, to whom otherwise all things come alike, and there seems to be one event. Jacob's cities are laid waste, but they are rebuilt; Edom's are laid waste, and never rebuilt. The sufferings of the righteous will have an end and will end well; all their grievances will be redressed, and their sorrow turned into joy; but the sufferings of the wicked will be endless and remediless, as Edom's desolations, v. 4. Observe here, [1.] The vain hopes of the Edomites, that they shall have their ruins repaired as well as Israel, though they had no promise to build their hope upon. They say, "It is true, we are impoverished; it is the common chance, and there is no remedy; but we will return and build the desolate places; we are resolved we will" (not so much as asking God leave); "we will whether he will or no; nay, we will do it in defiance of God's curse, and that sentence pronounced upon Edom (Isa. xxxiv. 10), From generation to generation it shall lie waste." They build presumptuously, as Hiel built Jericho in direct contradiction to the word of God (1 Kings xvi. 34), and it shall speed accordingly. Note, It is common for those whose hearts are unhumbled under humbling providences to think to make their part good against God himself, and to build, and plant, and flourish again as much as ever, though God has said that they shall be impoverished. But see, [2.] The dashing of these hopes and the disappointment of them: They say, We will build; but what says the Lord of hosts? For we are sure his word shall stand, and not theirs; and he says, First, Their attempts shall be baffled: They shall build, but I will throw down. Note, Those that walk contrary to God will find that he will walk contrary to them; for who ever hardened his heart against God and prospered? When the Jews had rejected Christ and his gospel they became Edomites, and this word was fulfilled in them; for when, in the time of the emperor Adrian, they attempted to rebuild Jerusalem, God by earthquakes and eruptions of fire threw down what they built, so that they were forced to quit the enterprise. Secondly, They shall be looked upon by all as abandoned to utter ruin. All that see them shall call them the border of wickedness, a sinful nation, incurably so, and therefore the people against whom the Lord has indignation for ever. Since their wickedness is such as will never be reformed, their desolations shall be such as are never to be repaired. Against Israel God was a little displeased (Zech. i. 15), but against Edom he has indignation, and will have for ever, for they are the people of his curse, Isa. xxxiv. 5.

(2.) The Israelites shall be made the monuments of his mercy, and he will be glorified in their salvation, v. 5. "The Edomites shall be stigmatized as a people hated of God, but your eyes shall see your doubts concerning his love to you for ever silenced; for you shall say, and have cause to say, The Lord is and will be magnified from the border of Israel, from every part and border of the land of Israel." The border of Edom is a border of wickedness, and therefore the Lord will have indignation against it for ever; but the border of Israel is a border of holiness, the border of the sanctuary (Ps. lxxviii. 54), and therefore God will make it to appear (though it may for a time lie desolate) that he has mercy in store for it, and thence he will be magnified; he will give his people Israel both cause, and hearts, to praise him. When the border of Edom still remains desolate, and the border of Israel is repaired and replenished, then it will appear that God has loved Jacob. Note, [1.] Those who doubt of God's love to his people shall, sooner or later, have convincing and undeniable proofs given them of it: "your own eyes shall see what you will not believe." [2.] Deliverances out of trouble are to be reckoned proofs of God's good-will to his people, though they may be suffered to fall into trouble, Ps. xxxiv. 19. [3.] Distinguishing favours are very obliging. If God rear up again the border of Israel, but leave the border of Edom in ruins, let no Israelite ask, for shame, Wherein hast thou loved us? [4.] The dignifying of Israel is the magnifying of the God of Israel, and, one way or other, God will have honour from his professing people. [5.] God's goodness being his glory, when he does us good we must proclaim him great, for that is magnifying him. It is an instance of his goodness that he has pleasure in the prosperity of his servants, and for this those that love his salvation say, The Lord be magnified, Ps. xxxv. 27.

God's Remonstrance with the Priests; Judgment of Wicked Priests. (b. c. 400.)

6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? 7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible. 8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts. 9 And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the Lord of hosts. 10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. 11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts. 12 But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. 13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the Lord . 14 But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

The prophet is here, by a special commission, calling the priests to account, though they were themselves appointed judges, to call the people to an account. Let the rulers in the house of God know that there is one above them, who will reckon with them for their mal-administrations. Thus saith the Lord of hosts to you, O priests! v. 6. God will have a saying to unfaithful ministers; and it concerns those who speak from God to his people to hear and heed what he says to them, that they may save themselves in the first place, otherwise how should they help to save those that hear them? It is a severe, and no doubt a just reproof, that is here given to the priests, for the profanation of the holy things of God, with which they were entrusted; and, if this was the crime of the priests, we have reason to fear the people also were guilty of it: so that what is said to the priests is said to all, nay, it is said to us, who, as Christians, profess ourselves, not only the people of God, but priests to him. Observe here,

I. What it was that God expected from them, and with what good reason he expected it (v. 6): A son honours his father, because he is his father; nature has written this law in the hearts of children, before God wrote it at Mount Sinai; nay, a servant, though his obligation to his master is not natural, but by voluntary compact, yet thinks it his duty to honour him, to be observant of his orders, and true to his interests. Children and servants pay respect to their parents and masters; every one cries out shame on them if they do not, and their own hearts cannot but reproach them too; the order of families is thus kept up, and it is their beauty and advantage. But the priests, who are God's children and his servants, do not fear and honour him. They were fathers and masters to the people, and expected to be called so (Judges xviii. 19, Matt. xxii. 7, 10) and to be reverenced and obeyed as such; but they forgot their Father and Master in heaven, and the duty they owed to him. We may each of us charge upon ourselves what is here charged upon the priests. Note, 1. We are every one of us to look upon God as our Father and Master, and upon ourselves as his children and servants. 2. Our relation to God as our Father and Master strongly obliges us to fear and honour him. If we honour and fear the fathers of our flesh, much more the Father and Master of our spirits, Heb. xii. 9. 3. It is a thing to be justly complained of, and lamented, that God is so little feared and honoured even by those that own him for their Father and Master. Where is his honour? Where is his fear?

II. What the contempt was which the priests put upon God.

1. This is that, in general, which is charged upon them:—(1.) They despised God's name; their familiarity with it, as priests, bred contempt of it, and served them only to gain a veneration by it for themselves and their own name, while God's name was of small account with them. God's name is all that whereby he has made himself known—his word and ordinances; these they had low thoughts of, and vilified that which it was their business to magnify; and no wonder that when they despised it themselves they did that which made it despicable to others, causing even the sacrifices of the Lord to be abhorred, as Eli's sons did. (2.) They profaned God's name, v. 12. They polluted it, v. 7. They not only made no account of sacred things, but they made an ill use of them, and perverted them to the service of the worst and vilest purposes—their own pride, covetousness, and luxury. There cannot be a greater provocation to God than the profanation of his name; for it is holy and reverend. His purity cannot be polluted by us, for he is unspotted, but his name may be profaned; and nothing profanes it more than the misconduct of priests, whose business it is to do honour to it. This is the general charge exhibited against them. To this they plead Not guilty, and challenge God to prove it upon them, and to make good the charge, which added daring impudence to their daring impiety: You say, Wherein have we despised thy name? (v. 6), and wherein have we polluted thee? v. 7. It is common with proud sinners, when they are reproved, to stand thus upon their own justification. These priests had most horridly profaned sacred things, and yet, like the adulterous woman, they said that they had done no wickedness; they were so inobservant of themselves that they remembered not or reflected not upon their own acts, or they were so ignorant of the divine law that they thought there was no harm in them, and that what they did could not be construed into despising God's name, or they were so atheistical as to imagine that though they knew their own guilt yet God did not, or they were so scornful in their conduct towards God and his prophets that they took a pride in bantering a serious and just reproof, and turning it off with a jest. They either laugh at the reproof, as those that despise it, and harden their hearts against it, or they laugh it off, as those that resolve they will not be touched by it, or will not seem to be so. Which way soever we take it, their defence was their offence, and, in justifying themselves, their own tongues condemned them, and their saying, Wherein have we despised thy name? proved them proud and perverse. Had they asked this question with a humble desire to be told more particularly where in they had offended, it would have been an evidence of their repentance, and would have given hopes of their reformation; but to ask it thus in disdain and defiance of the word of God argues their hearts fully set in them to do evil. Note, Sinners ruin themselves by studying to baffle their own convictions; but they will find it hard to kick against the pricks.

2. Justly might they have been convicted and condemned upon the general charge, and their plea thrown out as frivolous; but God will not only overcome, but will be clear, will be justified when he judges, and therefore he shows them very particularly wherein they had despised his name, and what the contempt was that they cast upon him. As formerly, when he charged them with idolatry, so now, when he charges them with profaneness, he bids them see their way in the valley and know what they have done, Jer. ii. 23.

(1.) They despised God's name in what they said, in the low opinion they had of his institutions: "You say in your hearts, and perhaps speak it out when you priests get together over your cups. out of the hearing of the people, The table of the Lord is contemptible" (v. 7), and again (v. 12), "You say, The table of the Lord is polluted; it is to be no more regarded than any other table." Either the table in the temple, on which the show-bread was placed, is that which they reflect upon (not understanding the mystery of it, they despised it as an insignificant thing), or rather the altar of burnt-offerings is here called the table, for there God, and his priests, and his people, did, as it were, feast together upon the sacrifices, in token of friendship. This they thought was contemptible. Formerly, in the days of superstition, it was thought contemptible in comparison with the idolatrous alters that the heathen had, and was set aside to make room for a new-fashioned one (2 Kings xvi. 14, 15); now it is thought contemptible in comparison with their own tables, and those of their great men: The fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. Those who served at the altar were to live upon the altar; but they complained that they lived poorly and meanly, and that it was not worth while to attend the service of the altar for the fruit and meat of it, for it was very ordinary and always the same again; they had no dainties, no varieties, no nice dishes. Nay, that part of the sacrifices which was given to God, the blood and the fat, they looked upon with contempt, as not worthy the multitude of laws God had made about it; they asked, "What need is there of so much ado about burning the fat and pouring out the blood?" Note, Those greatly profane and pollute God's name who despise the business of religion, though it is very honourable, as not worth taking pains in, and the advantages of religion, though highly valuable, as not worth taking pains for. Those who live in a careless neglect of holy ordinances, who come to them and attend on them irreverently, and go away from them never the better and under no concern, do in effect say, "The table of the Lord is contemptible; there is neither virtue nor value in it, neither credit nor comfort from it."

(2.) They despised God's name in what they did, which was of a piece with what they said, and flowed from it; corrupt principles and notions are roots of bitterness, which bear the gall and wormwood of corrupt practices. They looked upon the table and altar of the Lord as contemptible, and then, [1.] They thought any thing would serve for a sacrifice, though ever so coarse and mean, and were so far from bringing the best, as they ought to have done, that they picked out the worst they had, which was fit neither for the market nor for their own tables, and offered that at God's altar. With every sacrifice they were to bring a meat-offering of fine flour mingled with oil; but they brought polluted bread (v. 7), coarse bread, servants' bread, perhaps it was dry and mouldy, or made of the refuse of the wheat, which they thought good enough to be burnt upon the altar; for had it been better they would have said, To what purpose is this waste? And as to the beasts they offered, though the law was express that what was offered in sacrifice should not have a blemish, yet they brought the blind, and the lame, and the sick (v. 8), and again (v. 13), the torn, and the lame, and the sick, that was ready to die of itself. They looked no further than the burning of the sacrifice, and they pleaded that it was a pity to burn it if it was good for any thing else. The people were so far convinced of their duty that they would bring sacrifices; they durst not wholly omit the duty, but they brought vain oblations, mocked God, and deceived themselves, by bringing the worst they had; and the priests, who should have taught them better, accepted the gifts brought to the altar and offered them up there, because, if they should refuse them, the people would bring none at all, and then they would lose their perquisites; and therefore, having more regard to their own profit than to God's honour, they accepted that which they knew he would not accept. Some make v. 8 to be a continuation of what the priests profanely said v. 7, You say to the people, If you offer the blind for sacrifice, it is not evil; or the lame and the sick, it is not evil. Note, It is a very evil thing, whether men think so or no, to offer the blind and the lame, the torn and the sick, in sacrifice to God. If we worship God ignorantly, and without understanding, we bring the blind for sacrifice; if we do it carelessly, and without consideration, if we are cold, and dull, and dead, in it, we bring the sick; if we rest in the bodily exercise, and do not make heart-work of it, we bring the lame; and, if we suffer vain thoughts and distractions to lodge within us, we bring the torn. And is not this evil? Is it not a great affront to God and a great wrong and injury to our own souls? Do not our books tell us, nay, do not our own hearts tell us, that this is evil? for God, who is the best, ought to be served with the best we have. [2.] They would do no more of their work than what they were paid for. The priests would offer the sacrifices that were brought to the altar, because they had their share of them; but as for any other service of the temple, that had not a particular fee belonging to it, they would not stir a step, nor lend a hand, to it; and this was the general temper of them, v. 10. There is not a man among the priests that would shut the doors, or kindle a fire, for nought. If he were required to do the smallest piece of service, he would ask, how shall I be paid for it? They would do nothing gratis, but were all for what they could get, every one for his gain, from his quarter, Isa. lvi. 11. Note, Though God has given order that his servants be well paid in this world, yet those are no acceptable servants to him who are mercenary, and would never do the work but for the wages. [3.] Their work was a perfect drudgery to them (v. 13): You said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! Both priests and people were of this mind, that they thought God imposed too hard a task upon them; the people grudged the charge of providing the sacrifice and the priests grudged the pains of offering it; they thought the feasts of the Lord came too thick, and they were forced to attend too often, and too long, in the courts of the Lord; the priests thought it a severe penance imposed upon them to purify themselves as was required when they attended the altar and ate of the holy things; they thought the duty of their office toilsome and troublesome, and snuffed at it as unreasonable, and bearing hard upon them; they did it, but it was grudgingly and with reluctance. God speaks of it, in justification of his law, that he had not made them to serve with an offering, nor wearied them with incense, Isa. xliii. 23. Wherein have I wearied thee? Mic. vi. 3. But their own wicked hearts made it a weariness; and they were, as Doeg, detained before the Lord; they would rather have been any where else. Note, Those are highly injurious, both to God and themselves, who are weary of his service and worship, and snuff at it.

III. Observe how God expostulates and reasons the case with them, for their conviction and humiliation. 1. Would they, durst they, affront an earthly prince thus? "You offer to God the lame and the sick; offer it now unto thy governor (v. 8), either as tribute or as a present, when thou art entreating his favour, or in gratitude for some favour received; will he be pleased with thee? Or, rather, will he not take himself to be affronted by it?" Note, Those who are careless and irreverent in the duties of religious worship should consider what a shame it is to offer that to their God which they would scorn to offer to their governor, to be more observant of the laws of breeding and good manners than of the laws of religion, and more afraid of being rude than of being profane. 2. Could they imagine that such sacrifices as these would be pleasing to God, or answer the end of sacrifices? "Should I accept this at your hand, saith the Lord? v. 13. Have you any reason to think I should either not discern or not resent the affront, that I should connive at the violation of my own laws? No (v. 10); I have no pleasure in you, and therefore, I will not accept an offering, such an offering, at your hand." If God has no pleasure in the person, if the person be not in a justified state, if he be not sanctified, God will not accept the offering. God had respect to Abel first and then to his sacrifice. Note, In order to our acceptance with God it is not enough to do that which, for the matter of it, is good, but we must do it from a right principle, in a right manner, and for a right end. It was the ancient rule laid down (Gen. iv. 7), If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? Now, if we be not accepted of God, in vain do we worship him; it is all lost labour; nay, we are all undone, for ever undone, if we come short of God's acceptance. Those therefore make a bad bargain for themselves who, to save charges in their religion, miss all the ends of it, and, by thinking to go the nearest way to work, bring nothing to pass. Those who make it the top of their ambition, as we all ought to do, whether present or absent, to be accepted of the Lord, will not dare to bring the torn, and the lame, and the sick, for sacrifice. 3. How could they expect to prevail with God in their intercessions for the people when they thus affronted God in their sacrifices? So some understand v. 9, as spoken ironically, "And now if you will do the duty of priests, and stand in the gap to turn away the judgments of God that you see ready to pour in upon us, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious to us, and to our land which is almost eaten up with locusts and caterpillars," as appears ch. iii. 11. "Try now what interest you have at the throne of grace; improve it for the removing of this plague, for it has been by your means; you have provoked God to send it. But as you go on thus to profane his sacred things will he regard your persons or your prayers? No, you cannot prevail with him to command it away." For, if we regard iniquity in our hearts, God will not hear us, either for ourselves or for others. 4. Had God deserved this at their hands? No, he had provided comfortably for them, and had given them such encouragement in their work as might have engaged them to do it cheerfully and well; so some understand v. 10, "Who is there among you that shall shut a door, or kindle a fire, for nought? No, God does not expect you should serve him for nothing; you are well paid for it, and shall be so; not a cup of cold water, given for the honour of God, shall lose its reward." Note, The consideration of our constant receivings from God, and the present rewards of obedience in obedience, very much aggravates our slothfulness and niggardliness in our returns of duty to God.

IV. He calls them to repentance for their profanations of his holy name. So we may understand v. 9, "Now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious to us. Humble yourselves for your sin, cry mightily to God for pardon, and make up in the faith and fervency of your prayers what has been wanting in the worth and value of your sacrifices; for all the rebukes of Providence we are under are by your means." Note, Those who have by their sins helped to kindle a fire are highly concerned by their repentance, prayers, and the personal reformation, to help to quench it. We must see how much God's judgments are by our means, and be awakened thereby to be earnest with him to return in mercy; and, if we take not this course, how can we think he should regard our persons?

V. He declares his resolution both to secure the glory of his own name and to reckon with those who profane it. Those who put contempt upon God and religion, and think to run down sacred things, let them know,

1. That they shall not gain their point. God will magnify his law and make it honourable, though they vilify it and make it contemptible; for (v. 11) from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles. It might be said, "If these are not the worshippers whom God will accept, then he has no worshippers." As if he must make the best of their service, or else he would have no service done him; and then what will he do for his great name? But let him alone for that; though Israel be not faithful, be not gathered, yet God will be glorious. Though these priests provoke him to take down the ceremonial economy, and to abolish that law of commandments, which could not make the comers thereunto perfect, yet he will be no loser by that, at the long run; for, (1.) Instead of those carnal ordinances, which they profaned, a spiritual way of worship shall be introduced and established: Incense shall be offered to God's name (which signifies prayer and praise, Ps. cxli. 2; Rev. viii. 3), instead of the blood and fat of bulls and goats. And it shall be a pure offering, refined, not only from the corruptions that were in the priests' practice, but from the mere bodily exercise that was in the institutions themselves, which are called carnal ordinances, imposed till the time of reformation, Heb. ix. 10. When the hour came in which the true worshippers worshipped the Father in spirit and in truth, then this incense was offered, even this pure offering. (2.) Instead of his being worshipped and served among the Jews only, a small people in a corner of the world, he will be served and worshipped in all places, from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same; in every place, in every part of the world, incense shall be offered to his name; nations shall be discipled, and shall speak of the wonderful works of God, and have them spoken to them in their own language. This is a plain prediction of that great revolution in the kingdom of grace by which the Gentiles, who had been strangers and foreigners, came to be fellow-citizens with the saints and of the household of God, and as welcome to the throne of grace as ever the Jews had been. It is twice said (for the thing was certain), My name shall be great among the Gentiles, whereas hitherto in Judah only he was known, and his name was great, Ps. lxxvi. 1. God's name shall be declared to them, the declaration of it shall be received and believed, and there shall be those among the Gentiles who shall magnify and glorify the name of God better than ever the Jews had done, even the priests themselves.

2. That they shall not go unpunished, v. 14. Here is the doom of those who do like these priests, for the sentence on them is a sentence on all such. Observe, (1.) The description of profane and careless worshippers. They are such as vow and sacrifice to the Lord a corrupt thing when they have in their flock a male. They have of the best, wherewith to serve and honour him, so bountiful has be been in his gifts to them, but they put him off with the worst, and think that good enough for him, so ungrateful are they in their returns to him. This was the fault of the people, but the priests connived at it, and indulged them in it. We find a distinction in the law which allowed that to be offered for a free-will offering which would not be accepted for a vow, Lev. xxii. 23. But the priests would accept it, though God would not, pretending to be more indulgent than he was, for which he will give them no thanks another day. (2.) The character given of such worshippers. They are deceivers; they deal falsely and fraudulently with God; they play the hypocrite with him; they pretend to honour him, in making the vow, but, when it comes to be performed, they put an affront upon him, to such a degree that it would have been better not to have vowed than to vow and thus to pay; but let not such be themselves deceived, for God is not mocked. Those who think to put a cheat upon God will prove, in the end, to have put a damning cheat upon their own souls. Hypocrites are deceivers, and they will prove self-deceivers, and so self-destroyers. (3.) The doom passed upon them: They are cursed; they expect a blessing, but will meet with a curse, the tokens of God's wrath, according to the judgment written. (4.) The reason of this doom: "For I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and therefore will reckon with those who deal with me but as a man like themselves; my name is dreadful among the heathen, and therefore I will not bear that it should be contemptible among my own people." The heathen paid more respect to their gods, though idols, than the Jews did to theirs, though the only true and living God. Note, The consideration of God's universal dominion, and the universal acknowledgment of it, should restrain us from all irreverence in his service.

CHAP. I.

Verſe 1. THE burden] that is, the burdenous Prophecy (as Tremellius renders it) A burden; as 1. enjoyned and impoſed upon the Prophet to utter,Lyra. Figuicr. to cry aloud, and not ſpare, to life up his voice as a trumpet &c. ſtraining every vein in his heart to do it; declayming luſtily againſt ſin and ſinners, and proclayming hell-fire for them in caſe they amend not. This is a buſineſſe of ſome burthen,Chryſoſt. onus ipſis etiam Angelis tremendum. This was typified in the ſtaff-rings that were made to continue upon the Ark: the Kohathites ſhoulders felt wherefore. If God had not helped thoſe Levites, they could never have borne the Ark 1 Chron. 15.26. St. Paul was very ſenſible of the miniſteriall burthen, rowling upon him daily 2 Cor. 11.28. And Latimer leaped, when lighted of his Biſhoprick. 2. As burdening the people with their ſins, and breathing out threatnings for the ſame; for ſin (how lightly ſoever accounted of) hales hell at the heels of it, and procures divine vengeance, which is a burthen unſupportable. It brake the Angels backs, and made the ſon of God groan piteouſly,1 Pet. 2.24. then when he bare our ſins in his body on the tree. His ſoul was heavy therewith even to the death: and had he not had the better ſhoulders, had not God laid help on One that was mighty (even the mighty ſtrong God, as he is ſtiled Eſay 6.6.) he had fainted and failed under his burthen. David complaines, that his ſins were gone over his head, and like a ſore burthen, were too heavy for him to bear Pſal. 38.4. That which comforted him was, that no ſooner he had ſaid Peccavi I have ſinned,2 Sam. 12. but the Prophet Nathan ſaid, Tranſtulit Deus peccatum tuum, God hath tranſlated thy ſin upon Chriſt, hath cauſed thy ſin to paſſe over to him, and (as it were) by a writt of Remove, hath caſt thy burthen upon his ſhoulders. And this incomparable merey David afterwards celebrateth Pſa. 32 4, 5. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: the guilt of finne, and ſenſe of wrath quelled him and killed him almoſt; for his naturall moiſture was turned into the drought of ſummer: he was turned into a very skeleton, or a bag of bones, a bottle in the ſmoke, wofully wanzed he was, and waſted. But for remedy, I acknowledge my ſin unto thee (ſaith he) I fled by faith to the true Scape-goat Chriſt Jeſus on whom was laid (as a burthen) the iniquitie of us all, Iſai. 53.6. Rom. 5.8. And thou preſently forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſinne, that is, the guilt of it, that till then lay like a load of lead upon my conſcience, and, as an obligation, bound me over to condigne puniſhment. Cam for want of this comfort, ran roaring up and down, my ſinne, Gen. 4.13. that is, my puniſhment is greater then I can heave. And a farre better man then Cain (even holy Job, with whom God was but in jeſt, as it were) cries out that his calamitie was havier then the ſand of the ſea, Job 6.3. and that yet his ſtroake was heavier then his groaning, Chap. 23.2. Thoſe that have ever felt the miſery of a laden conſcience, can tell what an evill and bitter thing ſinne is. Jer. [illegible: 1 letter] Thoſe that now run away with it, and make as light of it as Sampſon did of the gate of Gaza, ſhall one day groan out Woe and alas, when God ſhall ſet himſelf to load them with tortures in hell, who do now load him with their ſinnes, and weary him out with their imquities, Eſay 43.24. For prevention, oh that they would be perſwaded to believe the Prophets, that their ſouls might proſper, to be ſenſible of ſins burden, that Chriſt might eaſe them: to take upon them his burthen which is onus ſine onere, and would be no more burthen to them then the wings are to the bird, whereby he is born aloft, that they would imitate porters, who being called and offered money to beare a burden, will poiſe it and weigh it in their hands firſt, which when they ſee they are not able to ſtand under, no gain will entice them to undertake it. Do we provoke the Lord to anger? are we ſtronger then he? Heb. 10. Is it not a fearfull thing to fall into the puniſhing hands of the living God? Is the the wrath of a King as the roaring of a lyon, as the meſſengers of death? ſurely they that tremble not in hearing, Bradſord. [non-Latin text not transcribed] 2 Pet. 3.3. Job. 41.27. ſhall be cruſht in pieces in feeling, as that Martyr ſaid, and let all thoſe ſcoffers that make childrens play of Gods dreadfull menaces (as St. Peters word importeth) that (Leviathan-like) eſteem Gods iron as ſtraw, that read his Propheticke burdens, as they do the old ſtories of forraine warres, or as they behold the wounds and bloud in a picture or piece of Arras, which never makes them ſmart or feare; Let all theſe, I ſay, read and ruminate that flaming place, Jer. 23.33, 37. and let them know, that if they belong to God,Am. 5.12. he will cripple their iron ſinews by the ſenſe of their many and maſſy or bony ſinnes. As if otherwiſe, he will fall upon them with his full weight, and grind them to powder, Mat. 21.44. Cavete: cavebitis autem ſi pavebitis.

to [illegible: 1 word] ] The two Tribes of Judah and Benjamin, with thoſe few of the ten Tribes that returned amongſt them from the Babyloniſh captivity. Theſe, though we never find them again going a whoring after Idols (the ſinne that they had paid ſo dear for, and had now bought their wit) yet forgetfull of former both beatings and benefits; (as children) are, they ſoon returned to their old flagitions practiſes of Polygamy, blaſphemy, ſacriledge, defilement of Divine Worſhip, unlawfull marriages, &c. and ſo had loſt in a manner, the fruit of their ſufferings: putting God to his old complaint, why ſhould ye be ſmitten any more, &c. and cauſing him to ſigh out, as even ſick of them, Ah ſinfull nation, &c. Reprobate ſilver ſhall men call them, &c.

by Malachi] Heb. by the hand of Malachi, i. e. by his mouth and Miniſtery.Iſai. [illegible: 2 letters] Jer. 6. Hand is put for Mouth by a Catachreſis: becauſe the hand is the Inſtrument of Inſtruments, as ſaith the Philoſopher. See the like, Exod. 9.35. Numb. 4.37, 45. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Iſai. 8.11. One Expoſitor noteth here, that this expreſſion by the hand is uſed to teach us, that Prophets and Miniſters muſt preach not with their Tongues only, but with their hands too: leſt they be found in number of thoſe Phariſees that ſay but doe not, that bind heavy burdens, and hard to be born, upon other m[illegible: 1 letter]ns ſhoulders, but they themſelves touch them not with one of their fingers, Mat. 23.3, 4. Let our hands alſo preach as well as our tongues, nè dicta factis deficientibus erubeſcant, as Tertullian ſpeaketh, leſt talking by the Talent, and working by the the Ounce, our hands give our tongues the lye.

by Malachi] i. e. Mine Angel, or an Angelicall man. Not an heavenly Angel, as Origen held:Litera Jod in fine format nomen adjectivum, ut in Nochri alienus Chopſhi liber. nor as told and taught by an Angel how to deliver and deport himſelf in his office; like as when that Bath[illegible: 1 letter]gol or voice from heaven came to Chriſt, Joh. 12.28. the people that ſtood by and heard it, ſaid, that it thundered, others ſaid, an Angel ſpake to him, ver. 29. But either he was ſo called by his parents at his birth and circumciſion (as Angelus Politianus and others) or elſe ſo ſirnamed by the good people of thoſe times; as whoſe diſpoſition, communication, converſation, countenance and whole carriage were Angelicall. Chryſoſtom, for like cauſe, calleth Paul, Angelum terreſtrem an earthly Angel. And the Authour to the Hebrewes ſpeaking of thoſe faithfull Martyrs that lived and ſuffered ſoon after Malachi's time, he ſaith, Of whom the world was not worthy, Heb. 11.38. Meaning, that they were fitter to be ſet as Angels in heaven, to be fixed in the region of happineſſe, to ſhine ſull fair upon the Coeleſtial ſhelf (as that Martyr ſaid) then to abide here among ſinners.Act. and Mon. Chryſoſtom in his 55. Homily upon Matthew calleth certain religious men of his time Angels, for their ſanctimony and celeſtiall converſation. And Dr. Tailor Martyr bleſſed God, that ever he came in company with that Angell of God John Bradford.

Verſe 2. I have loved you ſaith the Lord] Thou haſt loved us (might they reply) whileſt we were willing and obedient. Thou loveſt them that love thee, Prov. 8.17. and ſheweſt mercy to thouſands of them that love thee and keep thy commandements,Lam. 5.22. Exod. 20. But now thou haſt utterly re ecled us, thou art very wroth againſt us. Nay ſaith God, I do love you, ſo Tremelline renders this Text: I am Jehovahs, I change not, Chap. 3.6. I do reſt in my love, and will ſeek no further, Zeph. 3.17. Surely Iſrael hath not been forſaken nor Judah of his God, of the Lord of Hoſts, though their land was filled with ſin againſt the Holy One of Iſrael, Jer. 51.5. Thus it was before the captivitie. But how after? See Zach. 1.17. The Lord had profeſſed before, that he had been ſore diſpleaſed with their Fathers, verſe 2. and it appears ver. 3, 4. they were no better then their Fathers: all which notwithſtanding, ſee a ſweet promiſe, ver. 17. Cry yet ſaying, Thus ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, My cities through proſperity ſhall yet be ſpread abroad, and the Lord ſhall yet comfort Zion, and ſhall yet chuſe Jeruſalem. There are four Yets in the Text, and all very gracious ones: to ſhew, that the fulneſſe ſinne in us doth not abate the fulneſſe of love in God toward his people. And the ſame in effect is thankfully acknowledged by thoſe holy Levites at their ſolemn faſt, held much about the time of our Prophet Malachy, Nehem. 9. where they make a catalogue of the many fruits and expreſſions of Gods love to themſelves and their fathers. Beſides extraordinary favours not a few, he gave them good Lawes, verſe 13. good Sabbaths, verſe 14. his good ſpirit to inſtruct them. 20. He forſook them not when they dealt proudly againſt him, 16, 17. but crowned them with outward comforts, 21, 25. afflicted them when they provoked him, 26, 27. ſent them Saviours when they cryed to him, 27. after often revolts, was often intreated, 28. with held his worſt and conſuming judgements for a long time, 30, 31. And was there not love in all this? Might not God well ſay, I have loved you? Ribera thinks there is an Apoſiopeſis in the words, as if God would have ſaid more: but very grief breaks off his ſpeech, out of a deep ſenſe of their deteſtable ingratitude. David hath ſuch an abrupt expreſſion, Pſal. 116.1. I love: becauſe the Lord hath heard my voice. Such a pang, ſuch a paſſion he felt, that he was not able to ſay, I love the Lord, but I love, and ſo[illegible: 1 letter]breakes off abruptly. The like whereunto may here be conceived of God; who cannot endure to have his love loſt, his grace undervalued, as it was by theſe obſtreperous Queſtioniſts, who put him to his proof, as thoſe did, Jer. 2.25.

yet ye ſay, wherein haſt thou loved us] Their late captivity and calamity ſo ſtuck ſtill in their ſtomacks, that they could not ſee wherein he had ſhewed them any love. But had they conſidered Daniels weekes, they might have known that (beſides their free election, all bleſſings flowing therefrom, as verſe 3.4.5.) for their ſeventy years captivity, they had ſeven ſeventies of years granted them afterwards for the comfortable enjoyment of their own countrey. Sed ingrato quod donatur, deperditur, ſaith Seneca. And Amare non redamantem eſt amoris impendia perdere, ſaith Hierome. All's loſt that is laid out upon an unthankfull people, who devoure Gods beſt bleſſings as bruit beaſts their prey: haunch them up and ſwallow them, as ſwine do ſwil: bury them as the barren earth doth the ſeed: uſe them as homely, as R[illegible: 1 letter]chel did her fathers gods, which ſhe laid among the litter, and ſat upon; yea, ſighting againſt God with his own weapons (mercies, I meane) as John. did againſt Ichoram with his own meſſengers, as David did againſt Goliath with his own ſword, as Benhadad againſt Ahab with that life that he had given him: as i[illegible: 1 letter] God had hired them to be wicked &c.

was not Eſau Jacobs brother] Did they not both tumble in a belly?Iſay 51.1. were they not both digged out of the ſame pit, hewen out of the ſame rock? and yet (as the great Turk, and his brethren born of the ſame parents, the eldeſt is deſtined to a diadem, the reſt to an halter, ſo here) Eſau, though the elder, and heire, was rejected, at leaſt he was leſſe loved (for ſo the word hated is to be taken, Gen. 29.31. Luke 14.20. M[illegible: 2 letters]. 10.37.) Jacob though the younger and weaker (for Eſau was born a manly childe, born with a beard, as ſome think, and was therefore called Eſau, that is, Factus & perſ[illegible: 3 letters]us pilis, a man already, rather then a babe) yet was Gods beloved one. And ſo were his poſterity too, the people of Gods choyce, above the Edomites; who were now left in captivity at Babylo[illegible: 1 letter], when as the Jews were returned into their own countrey: yea, for the Jews ſakes, and as a teſtimony of Godslove to them, were theſe Edomites ſtill held captives, and their land irreparably ruinated becauſe they ſhewed themſelves mercileſſe, and bloody in the day of Jeruſalems calamity, Obad. 10.11. Pſal. 137.7. God had charged the [illegible: 1 letter]raelites, ſaying, Thou ſhalt not abhor an Edo[illegible: 3 letters]te: for he is thy brother Deut. 23.7. But as E[illegible: 1 letter]au began betime to perſecute Jacob, briſtling at him, and bruiſing him in their mothers womb Gen. 25.22. ſo his poſterity were bitter enemies to the Church, joying in her miſery, and joyning with her enemies. wherefore thus ſaith the Lord God, I will alſo ſtretch our mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beaſt from [illegible: 1 letter]t &c. Ezck. 25.13, 14.

yet I loved Jacob] And preordained him to a crown that never fadeth, as Paul expoundeth this text Rom. 9.13. of election to eternal life, which is the ſweet[illegible: 1 letter]ſt and ſureſt ſeal of Gods love. Let us ſecure our election (and ſo Gods ſpecial love to our ſouls) by thoſe two infallible marks 2 Theſ. 2.13. Firſt, belief of the truth, that particularity and propriety of aſſurance. Secondly [illegible: 6 letters]ſication of the Spirit, [illegible: 3 letters]o the obedience of the truth. And as God loved Iacobs perſon, ſo he loved his poſterity the Iſraelites above all other people: not becauſe they were more in number, or better in diſpoſition, ex meliore luto &c. But becauſe the Lord loved you, therefore be ſet his love upon you, and choſe you, ſaith Moſes D[illegible: 1 letter]ut. 7.7, 8. the ground of his love was wholly in himſelf; there being nothing in man, nothing our of Gods ſelf, that can primarily move, and incline the eternal immutable, and omnipotent will of God. The true original and firſt motive of his love to his creature is, the good pleaſure of his will. See. Eph. 1.5. where all the four cauſes of Election are ſhewed to be without us.

Verſe 3. And I hated Eſau] i. e. I loved him not as I did I[illegible: 2 letters]ob: I paſſed him by, and let him alone to periſh in his corruption, and for his ſin. And for his poſterity; whereas they were carried captives by Nebuchadnez[illegible: 1 letter]zar (as Iſreal alſo was) I have not turned again their captivity, but laid their land deſolate; raſed and haraſed their cities and caſtles made them an habitation of dragons and devil[illegible: 2 letters] and all this as an argument of my deep hatred and utter deteſtation of them. True it is, that Judea lay utterly waſte, during the ſeventy yeers of their captivity; the land kept her ſabbaths reſting from tillage. Upon the ſlaughter of Gedal[illegible: 1 letter]ah all the Jews that were left in the land fled into Egypt: and God kept the room empty, and free from invaſion of forreiners, untill the return of the Natives out of Babylon. Now it was far otherwiſe with Idumea: the deſolation whereof is here deſcribed to be both total and perpetual, (according to that foretold by Ezechiel Chap. 35. O mount Seir, I will make thee to be moſt deſolate, Ezech. 35 3, 7, 15. or (as the Hebrew hath it emphatically and eloquently) waſtneſſe, and waſtneſſe, extreme and and irrecoverable. A [non-Latin text not transcribed], or utter ruine befel that countrey, being part of Arabia Petrea (hence mention of their mountains) and abounding naturally with with ſerpents, or dragons; it being in the wilderneſſe of this country of Edom where the Iſraelites were ſo ſtung with fiery ſerpents:Num. 21.6. hence it became afterwards a very den of dragons lurking there.

Verſe 4. Whereas Edom ſaith we are impoveriſhed] Or, thruſt out of houſe and home, and reduced to extreme indigency: yet we will return, and build the deſolate places. We will do it all, deſpito di Deo (as that prophane Pope ſaid:) if it be but to croſſe Gods prediction, and to withſtand his power and providence. Thus theſe earthen pots will be daſhing themſelves againſt the rocks, againſt thoſe mountains of braſſe (ſo Gods immutable decrees are called Zech. 6.1. Thus Lamech will have the oddes of God ſeventy to ſeven (ſo Iunius interprets it) Gen. 4.24. Thus, when God had threatened to root out Ahab and his poſterity, he would try that: and to prevent it, took more wives, and ſo followed the work of generation, that he left ſeventy ſons behinds him, 2 Kin. 10.1. Thus Pharaoh (that ſturdy rebel) holds out againſt God to the utmoſt, and ſends away his ſervant Moſes, threatning death to him, even then when he was compaſſed on all hands with that palpable darkneſſe. Thus the Philiſtin Princes (while ſome plagued) gather themſelves together again againſt the humbling Iſraelites at Mizpch:1 Sam. 7. and ſo rum to meet their bane. Thus the proud Ephraimites Iſai. 9.10. The bricks indeed, ſay they, are fallen down, but we will build it again with hewen ſtones. The The wilde ſigtrees are cut down, but we will change them into Cedars. Thus the Phariſees and Lawyers rejected the counſel of God againſt themſelves Luk. 7.30. yea would needs be found fighters againſt God, Act. 5.39. as Gamaliel truly told them. Thus thoſe primitive perſecutours would needs attempt to root our Chriſtian religion; the Jews by the leave and help of Iulian, to deſpite the Chriſtians, would reedifie their city and Temple,Job. de Columna in Marihiſtor. but were hindred from heaven. Otho the Emperour would make the city of Rome his Imperial ſeat (which was long before pointed and painted out for the Neſt of Antichriſt) but could not effect it. The [illegible: 1 letter]eſuits would fain heal the Beaſts wounded head, and reeſtabliſh their kingdom of Idolatry, But this they muſt never look for. Chriſt ſhall raign, and all his foes ſhall be his footſtool; The Romiſh Edomites ſhall come to rume.

thus ſaith the Lord, They ſhall build, but I will throw down] Ruit alto à culmine Roma, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen: her downfal is ſure, ſore, and ſudden, Verſa eris in cineres quaſi nunquam Rema ſuiſſes, ſaid Sibylla of old. And there was ſomething ſurely in that which we have read, that when the wars began in Germany Anno 1619. a great braſſe image of the Apoſtle Peter (that had Tu es Pet rus &c. fairely imboſſed upon it) ſtanding in Saint Peters Church at Rome, there was a great and maſſie ſtone fell down upon it, and ſo ſhattered it to pieces, that not a letter of all that ſentence (whereon Rome founds her claime) was left whole ſo as to be read; ſaving that one piece of that ſentence Aedificabo Eccleſiam meam, I will build my Church, which was left fair and entire. Surely when popiſh mountains and Monaſteries ſhall be deſolated and demoliſhed, when the Pope (who was wont to ſay that he could never want mony as long as he was able to hold a pen in his hand) ſhall be miſerably impoveriſhed, Rev. 16.12. and his Euphrates of revenues dryed up, the mountain of the Lords houſe ſhall be ſet above all the mountains,Ezek. 21.29. and the Lord Chriſt alone ſhall reign in glory: he ſhall overturn, overturn, overturn all Antichriſtian power and policy: he will utterly deſtroy thoſe crows-neſts (as Henry the eighth called the religious houſes that he pulled down) ne iterum ad cohabitandum convolent, Sanderus. leſt thoſe unclean birds ſhould build again.

they ſhall build but I will deſtroy] It is the Lord then that both plants and puls up kingdoms, nations and peoples: that makes and deſtroyes States publike or private at his pleaſure: they are all in his hand and done by him, and fall not out by any fortune, or fatal revolution, and viciſſitude. Dan. 2.21. Luk. 1.52.

And they ſhal call them the border of wickedneſſe.] Chiefly for their inſulting over the people of God in their affliction, Obad. 10. That wicked one, the Pope, is groſſy guilty of this Edomitiſh inhumanity. What feaſting and ſending of gifts was there, when the two witneſſes were ſlain? What joy and jollity when the Waldenſes (thoſe ancient Proteſtants) were worſted in battel? What proceſſions and bone-fires at Rome upon the news of the Pariſian maſſacre? Thuanus tels us, that the Pope cauſed it to be painted in his Palace: and that the Cardinal of Lorrain gave him that brought the firſt tidings of it to Rome, thirty thouſand crowns for a reward. I do the rather parallel the Edomites and Romiſts, becauſe the Rabbins uſually by Edom, underſtand Rome: and the Thargum renders O daughter of Edom, Lam. 4.21. thus; Romi Reſhignah, O wicked Rome, which is anſwerable to this in the Text, The border of wickedneſſe, that is, the land of wickedneſſe, haply called the border, or limit, as the Non ultra of impiety, Philip of Macedony aſſembled all the infamous and wicked perſons into a certain city of Thracia and then called it Poneropolis The Preachers travels, 106. of imparallel impiety: Or elſe becauſe men ſhall onely come to the bounds and borders; and ſtanding there aloof off, as abhorring to go further, ſhall as it were point and ſay, Ah, wicked, Ah, wicked place, Terra de diables, as the Spaniards call one countrey in America, or the Mouth of hel, as another place is named. Italy is at this day little better; a ſecond Sodom. M. Aſcham, Queen Elizabeths Tutor, was but ſeven dayes in Venice, but he ſaw more wickedneſſe there, then he had ſeen in ſeven years in London. As for Rome (that Radix omnium malorum) that once faithful city is now become an harlot; yea the great harlot, Rev. 17. yea the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth, verſe 5. tota eſt jam Roma lupanar, it is turned into a great brothelhouſe, the habitation of divels,Petrarch. and the hold of every foul ſpirit, Rev. 18.2. Bethel is become Bethaven; the houſe of God, the border of wickedneſſe: Har hamiſhcah, is become Har-hamaſchith, the Mount of Unction, the mount of Corruption, 2 King. 23.13. What is the tranſgreſsion of Iacob? Is it not Samaria? And what are the high places of Iudah? Are they not Ieruſalem? Micah 1.5.

And the people amongſt whom the Lord hath indignation.] The people of Gods wrath, Iſay 10.6. and of his curſe (ſo Idumea is called) Iſa. 34.5. And ſuch a people was Amalck, with whom God (laid his hand upon his throne, and) ſwore that he would have perpetual war for their ill uſage of his Iſrael Exod. 17.16. He charged alſo his people never to forget them, Deut. 25.19. Neither did they: Saul was ſent to make an utter end of them, 1 Sam. 15. And wherein he failed of doing it, God ſtirred up the Simeonites in Hezekiah's dayes to ſmite the reſt of the Amalakites that were eſcaped, 1 Chron. 4.42, 43. The like judgement whereunto is befallen the Edomites long ſince: their very name is extinct, no memory of them being left in poſterity. The deſtiny of Doeg their countreyman is come upon them, Pſal. 52.5. God hath beaten them down for ever: he hath taken them away, and pluckt them out of their dwelling place, and rooted them out of the land of the living. Selah. It is ill angring the Ancient of dayes. His wrath laſts longer then the coals of Juniper, Pſal. 120.4. his judgements are ſevere and durable; as we uſe to ſay of winter, they never rot in the skie, but ſhall fall; if late, yet ſurely, yet ſeaſonably. He that ſaith, Vengeance is mine, I wil repay, repayeth oft times when we have forgiven, when we have forgotten; and calls to reckoning after our diſcharges, as he did Nabal. It is dangerous offending any favorite of him who can have (as here) indignation for ever: whoſe wrath and revenge is (as that of the Athenians is ſaid to be) [non-Latin text not transcribed], Everlaſting, whoſe deſtructions are perpetual.

Verſe 5. And your eyes ſhal ſee.] The righteous ſhal ſee and fear, and ſhall laugh at him, and ſay, Lo, this is the man, &c. ſaid David of Doeg the Edomite: Pſal. 52. And the ſame is here promiſed by God to his people as a pledge of his love, and a ſpecial priviledge: Others ſhould hiſſe at Edom, and ſay by way of by-word, This is the border of wickedneſs, &c. but the ſaints ſhould make more of it (a Bee can ſuck honey out of a flower, ſo cannot a flye) they ſhould buſie their eyes, and regard the work of the Lord;Iſai 5.12. Pſal. 35.27. Ezek. 3.12. yea they ſhould ſo conſider the operation of his hand, as to ſay ſenſibly, Let the Lord be magnified: Bleſſed be the glory of the Lord from his place. God hath delivered me out of all trouble, ſaith David, and mine eye hath ſeen his deſire upon mine enemies. The Edomites ſtood looking on, and laughing at the Iſraelites deſtruction, Obad. 12.13. God ſaw this and it diſpleaſed him, (as he is wondrous ſenſible of the leaſt indignity done to his people) He therefore payes them home in their own coyn, and promiſeth his Iſrael that they ſhall rejoyce when they ſee the vengeance;Pſal. 58.10. they ſhall waſh their feet in the blood of theſe wicked ones; become more cantelous by their juſt deſtruction. Learn we hence,

Firſt, To have our eyes open upon the judgements of God, whether general, or perſonal: that nothing of this nature paſſe our obſervation, leſt we incur the curſe denounced, Iſa. 5.12. and be made examples to others, becauſe we would not be warned by the example of others.Lege hiſtoriam ne fias, hiſtoriae. Sodom and Domorrah are thrown forth (as Saint Iude hath it) for an example; [non-Latin text not transcribed]. June 7. Ingentia, beneficia, flagitia, ſupplicia. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Lib. 2. ſuffering the vengeance of eternal fire. And Herodotus ſaith, That the ruines and rubbiſh of Troy are ſet forth for an example of this rule, That National ſins bring national plagues, and that God greatly puniſheth great offences. Let him that looketh upon me, learn to fear God. Theſe words were engraven upon the ſtanding picture of Sennacherib (after that God had by an Angel ſlain his Army, and ſent him back with ſhame to his own countrey) as the ſame Herodotus teſtifieth.

Secondly, Learn we how far forth we may look upon the overthrow of the wicked with delight: viz. Not as our own private, but as Gods profeſſed enemies. Not ſimply for their ruine, but as it is a clearing of Gods glory, and of our integrity. Pſal. 9.16. 1 Sam. 25.39. Not out of private revenge, but pure zeal for God and his cauſe. I ſay pure zeal: for it is difficult to kindle and keep quick the fire of Zeal, without all ſmoke of ſiniſter and ſelfe-reſpects.

And ye ſhal ſay, The Lord will be magnified, &c.] Or, The Lord hath magnified himſelf, i. e. hath declared himſelf mightily to be a great King above all Gods, by executing judgement upon theſe Grandees of the earth;Exod. 18.11 and making out, that In the thing wherein they dealt proudly, he was above them. H[illegible: 1 letter]nce it is that praiſe waiteth for God in Zion, 1 Sam. 12.28 his Name is great in Iſrael. He is ſent unto (as ſometime Ioab ſent to David, to come and take the city of Rabbah) to take the glory of all their deliverances and victories. Not unto us, Lord, not unto us, ſay they, but to thy Name be the praiſe. Hunniades would not own or accept the peoples applanſes and acclamations,Turk. hiſt. but aſcribed all to God. So did our Henry the fift at the battel of Agincourt, Speed 799. where he won the day. He would not admit his broken Crown, or bruiſed Armour to be born before him in ſhew (which are the uſual enſigns of war-like triumphs.) He alſo gave ſtrait order that no ballad or ſong ſhould be made or ſung, more then of thankſgiving to the Lord for his happy victory and ſafe return, &c. Dan. 101 Polyd. Virg. lib. 19. So our Edward the third after his victory at Poictiers (where he took the French King priſoner, Anno 1356.) took ſpeedy order by Simon, Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury, that eight dayes together ſhould be ſpent in magnifying the Lord from the border of England.

From the borders of Iſrael.] Or, from beyond the borders of Iſrael; viz. thronghout the wide world. The Saints have large hearts, and could beteem the Lord much more praiſe and ſervice then they have for him.Pſal. 1.45.2. Pſal. 48.10. Pſal. 103. They would praiſe him infinitely, and according to his excellent greatneſs, filling up the diſtance as it were, and calling in all the help they can get, of Angels, men, unreaſonable and inſenſible creatures, as David did, &c.

Verſe 6. A ſon honoureth his father.] Heb. Will honour his father. Nature teacheth him this leſſon, to reverence his father. Pater eſt, ſi pater non eſſet, ſaid the young man in Terence; [non-Latin text not transcribed] Hierocl. It is my father, I muſt not croſſe him. Our parents are our houſhold Gods, ſaid another heathen, and to have all poſſible reſpect from us. To God and our parents, ſaith Ariſtotle, we can never make recompence. There is no nation ſo barbarous that acknowledgeth not this natural axiom, A ſon muſt honour his father, and a ſervant his maſter; as Eleazar did Abraham; the Centurions ſervants him, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. by being at his beck and check in all things. Servus eſt nomen officii; A ſervant is not one that moveth abſolutely of himſelf: but he is the maſters inſtrument, and wholly his, ſaith Ariſto[illegible: 1 letter]le: and therefore oweth him all love, reverence and obedience, as if he were many Maſters in one: the word here uſed for Maſter, is plural. Now from this Principle in nature thus laid down, the Lord tacitly accuſeth them

Firſt, Of Ingratitude for his great love to them, evinced and evidenced in the former verſes.

Secondly, Of contempt caſt upon him and his ſervice: as appeareth, firſt, by the application of that natural law confirmed by the cuſtom of all countries.

If then I be a father, &c.] As you commonly call me, and claim me, Ier. 3.4. Iohn 8.41. We have one Father, even God. And you have been long ſince taught Io to do by Moſes, and told by what right I come to be your Father, though with an exprobration of your deteſtable undutifulneſſe Deut. 32.6. Do ye thus requite the Lord—? Is not he thy Father (and is not he by the ſame right and reaſon thy maſter too?) that hath bought thee? Hath he not made thee, and eſtabliſhed, or preſerved thee? Hath he not (more then all that) adopted and accepted thee for his childe;1 Pet. 1.3 begetting thee again unto a lively hope by the reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt from the dead, unleſſe thou be ſtill in thy ſinnes, then the which thou canſt not chuſe unto thy ſelf a worſe condition? All which conſidered, what more equal then that I ſhould have both love from thee as a father, and fear as a maſter? A mixture of both is required of all Gods children and ſervants, that they yield unto him an amicable fear, and a reverent love, that they look at once upon his bounty and ſeverity, Rom. 11.12. and ſo call God Father, that they ſpend the whole time of their ſojourning here in fear: that they fear God and his goodneſs, and Iacob-like,1 Pet. 1.17 when they ſee nothing but viſions of love and mercy, as he did at Bethel, yet then to cry out, How dreadful is this place? Pſal. 130.4 There is mercy with thee that thou mayſt be feared.

unto you, O Prieſts] Whom I look upon as the chief of my children, given me in lieu of Iſraels firſt-born, the lot of mine own inheritance, that ſtand ever before me, and ſhould by ſoundneſſe of doctrine, and holineſſe of life, vindicate my name from contempt, and get me honour before the people. Singular holineſſe is required of miniſters above others: a double ſpirit they had need to wiſh for, as Eliſha. Things in the ſanctuary were double to thoſe that were common; as the ſhekel, cubit, &c. Miniſters are called Angels, and they muſt walk as angels, ne ſit nomen inane crimen immane, leſt God renew his old complaint, The leaders of his people have cauſed them to erre, Iſa. 9.16. It was the complaint of Pope Pius the ſecond,In hiſt. Auſtriaca. that there was no notorious wickedneſſe committed in the Catholick Church cujus prima origo à ſacerdotibus non dependeat, the firſt beginning whereof aroſe not from Church-men. John Hus cryes out of the prieſts of his time, Multa quae illi ordinem dicunt, &c.Bel. Huſſit. p. 9 Many of thoſe things that they call by the name of order, have brought all things in Chriſtendom out of order. Cornelius à Lapide upon this text, in his popiſh way bewaileth it, that the ignorance and profaneneſſe of many of their prieſts, had given occaſion to Luthers hereſie to ſpread the further. We alſo have no leſſe cauſe to complain, that the inſufficiency and impiety of ſome of our miniſtry hath opened the black mouth of Campian, and his popiſh complices to bark out, Miniſtris eorum nihil vilius, Their Miniſters are very baſe. For prevention, let the ſouls of miniſters be purer then the Sun-beams, as Chryſoſtom ſaith they ſhould be; and let their lives be ſo unblameable, that no man may ſpeak the leaſt evil of them without a manifeſt lie, &c.

that deſpiſe my name] This is the crime they are directly and expreſly charged with. They had not honoured God as a Father, feared him as a Maſter; therefore they had deſpiſed and ſlighted him. Not to do God right, is to do him wrong: not to reverence him, is to rob him: not to bleſſe him, is to blaſpheme him, Job. 1.5. That's an excellent ſaying of Fulgentius, Deum ſi quis parum metuit, valde contemnit: hujus qui non memorat beneficentiam, anget injuriam. i. e. whoſo feareth God but a little, ſlights him overmuch: and he that maketh not honourable mention of his bounty, doth him a great deal of injury. The very not ſerving of God, the not ſacrificing to him, is a crime, Mal. 3.18. Eccleſ. 9.2. How much more then a ſlubbered ſervice, a corrupt ſacrifice? There is a contempt in this latter, which is worſe then a bare neglect; and diſpleaſing ſervice is double diſhonour. Hence the preſent conteſt with thoſe greaſie prieſts that deſpiſed Gods name: the Septuagint hath it, Ye that eſteem my name at a low rate, that miſpriſe it, (as the French tranſlateth it) that have baſe and bald conceits of me and of my nomen Majeſtativum, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Majeſtick Name (as Tertullian termeth it) that take me not into your hearts under the name and notion of an infinite Highneſſe, the great and mighty Maker and Monarch of the whole world. Our ſafeſt eloquence concerning God, is our ſilence, ſaith Hooker: But if we take in hand to ſay any thing of him, Nullis vocibus tam plenè Deum ſignificamus (ſaith learned Scaliger) quam its quae ignorantiam noſtram praetendunt, We can ſet forth God ſo fully by no words, as by thoſe that ſet forth our ignorance of his excellency. The very heathens when they would ſwear by their Jupiter, out of the meer dread and reverence of his name, forbare to mention him. The Jews would not pronounce the name Jehovah, Suidas. here uſed in the text. The firſt among the Chriſtians that pronounced Jehovah, was Petrus Galatinus, Pſal. 111. following the pronuntiation of the Syriacks and Greeks. If at any time we take Gods holy and reverend Name into our thoughts, and (truly we ſhould think of him almoſt at every breath we draw, according to that Let every breath praiſe the Lord) Remember to think of God as of One at all to be thought of;Pſal. 150. as one whoſe Wiſdom is his Juſtice, whoſe Juſtice is his Power, whoſe Power is his Mercy, and all himſelf, Good without quality, great without quantity, Everlaſting without time, Omnipreſent without place, containing all things without extent, &c. This is to magnifie God, to make roomth for him in our hearts, and the contrary is, to deſpiſe his name.

And ye ſay wherein have we despiſed thy Name? Loe, the impudencie of theſe frontleſſe Hypocrites. They traverſe their aceuſation, ſtand upon their juſtification, and put God to his proofs. How ordinary is it with people ſtill, to palliate their ſinnes and plead their innocencie? Hoſ. 12.8. In all my labours, they ſhall find none imquity in me: that were ſin, that were a foul buſineſs. But men have learned to draw a fair gloſſe upon a foule hand, to caſt a colour, as the Calf-fiſh doth, to deceive the fiſher-man: to hide their ſinnes as Adam, Job 31.33. by down right denyall as did Cain, Gehezi, Ananias and Sapphira, or elſe by excuſing and extenuating,Gen. 4.9. 2 Kin. 5.25. Acts 5.8. as Saul, 1 Sam. 16.20, 21. Or at leaſt by a ſenſeleſſe ſilence, not acknowleging their ſinnes, or being affected with them; but rather out facing, as Judas, John 13.21. with Mat. 2.24. Sinne and ſhifting came into the world together, and ſo they continue. Satan knowes there's no way to purge the ſick ſoul but upwards: therefore he holds the lips cloſe, that the heart may not diſburden itſelf, and have eaſe, Prov. 28.13.

Verſe 7. Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar] Bread, that is, Sacrifices and Oblations (ſo Rabbi David expounds it out of Levit. 21.6. and Levit. 3.3. and Num. 28.2.) For the Hebrews call all kind of meat by the name of bread, though it be fleſh of Oxe, Lamb, or Goat, offered in ſacrifice to God, whom they made account that they feaſted in their ſacrifices.Pſal. 50.13. Hence that of the Pſalmiſt in the perſon of God, will I eat the fleſh of Bulls, or drink the bloud of Goates? Now the bread was reckoned polluted when it was neither lawfull, nor acceptable, but prohibited, and therefore abhorred; as much every whit, as Ezekiels bread prepared with mans dung, Cap. 4.13. of which he ſaith, verſe 14. Ah Lord God, behold my ſoul hath not been polluted: neither ever came there abominable fleſh into my mouth. What ſacrifices God had flatly forbidden, ſee Levit. 22.20, 21, 22, &c. Take we heed that we deſpite not the Lord with ſeeming honours: we pollute him with our ſacrifices, whiles either for the matter of them, we preſent him with will-worſhip; as thoſe of old that ſacrificed their children (in a fooliſh imitation of Abrahams offering his ſonne Iſaac) and the Papiſts at this day in their unbloody ſacrifice for the living and the dead, and many other unwarranted fopperies. Or elſe, when for the manner, devotion is placed more in the maſſy materiality of the outward works, then purity of the heart, from which they proceed. This made God complain, Iſai. 1. that all his five ſenſes, nay his very ſoul was offended and vexed at their hypocriticall performances, verſes 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. their very incenſe (that pretious perfume) that was made up of ſo many ſweet ſpices, and pure frankincenſe ſtank in his noſtrils. Gods ſharp noſe eaſily diſcerns, and is offended with the ſtinking breath of the hypocrites rotten lungs, though his words be never ſo ſented and perfumed with ſhews of holineſſe. Never did the five cities of the plaine ſend up ſuch poiſonous vapours to God, as the prayers and other performances of a corrupt and carnall perſon. And God, not able to abide theſe ill ſents, ſends down upon ſuch, a counterpoyſon of fire and brimſtone. Good actions from bad men diſpleaſe: as a man may ſpeak good words, but we cannot hear them, becauſe of his ſtinking breath: and as we abhorre to taſt of a dainty diſh, if brought to table by a foul naſty ſloven that hath been tumbling in a jakes or wallowing in a quagmire. The very Heathens, as they were very curious in the choice of their ſacrifices, that they were every way ſound and of the beſt,Procul hine eſte profani. ſo they carefully ſhut out all profane perſons: the Prieſt cryed out [non-Latin text not transcribed] who is here? thoſe that were preſent at the ſacrifice anſwered, [non-Latin text not transcribed] here are many,Eraſm. Adag[illegible: 1 letter] praefat: & thoſe all good men. And hence it was that Jehu ſees and ſearches that no ſervant of Jehovah be crept into the throng of Baals worſhippers. Well might this ſearch have bred ſuſpition, were it not that in all thoſe idolatrous ſacrifices the firſt care was to avoid the prophane. Even Baal will admit no mixture: how ſhould the true God abide it? Let all Cainiſts take heed how they draw nigh to him: ſo Luther calleth offerentes non perſonam, ſed opus perſonae, all thoſe that offer to God the work done, but do not offer themſelves withall.Luth. in decal. We may fitly call thoſe alſo Caimſts that offer polluted bread: as if Gods table were contemptible; that think any thing good enough for God, that comes next hand,Gen. 4.4. Heb. 11.14. as Cain did: when Abcl brought of the ſirſtlings of his flock, and ſo offered a more excellent ſacrifice then Cain, God teſtifying of his gifts: as likewiſe Chriſt did of Maries ſpicknard of great price, defending her againſt Judas the thief, that held it waſt; whereas he ſecretly taxeth thoſe rich wretches of baſeneſſe, who caſt their braſſe-money into the Treaſury, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Mar. 12.41 as holding the worſt piece they had good enough for God and his poore. Surely Papiſts with their vowed preſents of the very beſt they have to their He-ſaints and She-ſaints: and Turkes with their Moſchees or Temples ſtately built, when their private houſes are low and homely, ſhall riſe up in judgement and condemn ſuch ſordid Chriſtians, as cannot beteem God the beſt of the beſt. Solon the Athenian Lawgiver appointed, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Rous Archae. pag. 57. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. P[illegible: 1 letter]u[illegible: 1 letter]arch. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Plu[illegible: 1 letter]: Cypr, de oratione Chryſoſt. that their ſacrifices ſhould be choſen and ſelected: that the ſacrificers ſhould purifie themſelves ſome dayes before, and that none ſhould ſerve God obiter, ſlightly and ſlenderly, but in all beſt manner, and with the beſt preparation they could make aforehand. Numa Fompilius King of Romans would not have them worſhip their Gods [non-Latin text not transcribed] for faſhion and diſſolutely: but freed from all other cares and cumbers: in the time of Divine Service, the Prieſts, to prevent diſtraction, cryed out oft to the people, Hoc agite, mind the buſineſſe you are about. So in the Primitive times of the Church, the Deacons called oft upon the people ſurſùm corda, lift up your hearts. And again, Oremus, attendamus, Let us pray, let us attend. For why? Prayer without intention, and hearing without attention, is as a body without a ſoule. This ſentence is written in Hebrew upon the walls of the Jewiſh Synagogues, et ſi nullibi minus intentionis ſit quam in ipſorum precibus, &c. ſaith mine Authour,Buxtorf. Abbreviat. Spec. Europ. though there is as little true devotion to be ſeen amongſt them in their ſervices, as among any people, unleſſe it be among the Papiſts (of whom perhaps they learned it) whoſe devotions are prized more by tale then by weight of zeale, whoſe holyneſſe is the very outward work it ſelf, being a brain-leſſe head, and ſoule-leſſe body. In the Iſle of Sardinia, as they give way, in the very time of their Maſſe, to vain talking, and toying, and tumults, ſo after Maſſe done, they fall to dancing in the middeſt of the Church:Heyl. Geog. ſinging in the mean time ſongs too immodeſt for an Ale-houſe. Henry 3. King of France Proceſſiones religioſas non intermittit, at tepidius celebrat, ſaith the Chronicler would not neglect their religious proceſſions, but ſhewed little devotion at them. For betwixt him and his Cardinall, there went at ſame time a Jeſter, whoſe work was to make ſport then, when the buſineſſe required greater ſeriouſneſſe. How much better the great Turke, who when he comes into his Temple laies aſide all his ſtate, and hath none to attend him, but a Profeſſour of their law, whoſe Office is to proclaim before they begin, that nothing be done againſt religion?

yet ye ſay wherein have we polluted thee?] They well underſtood that by offering polluted ſacrifices they polluted God hinſelf (as much as in them lay) and that the diſhonour done to Gods ſervice reflected upon himſelf, and was a deſpiſing of his name verſe 6. whereof his true worſhip is a part Mic. 4.5. and 1 King. 5.3, 5. Hence they ſay not, wherein have we polluted thine Altar? but Wherein have we polluted thee? This is much more done under the New Teſtament by all unworthy Communicants, and Unhallowed Worſhippers, that preſent the great God with dough-baked duties, ſlubbered ſervices, careleſſe and cuſtomary performances; which they turn over as a task, holding a certaine daily ſtint of them, as malt-horſes do their pace, or mill-horſes their round, merely out of form and for faſhion ſake. Theſe do enough to pollute the God of purity, and to caſt contempt upon him from the ſons of men; who will be apt to conclude, that he is a contemptible God, ſith he will be content to take up with ſuch contemptible ſacrifices and ſervices. But more eſpecially thoſe that come hand over head, and without due preparation to the Lords ſupper, are guilty of polluting Gods holy things, and of crucifying afreſh the Lord of glory, putting him to an open ſhame. Dum enim ſacramenta violantur, ipſe cujus ſunt Sacramenta, violatur, ſaith Hierome. When the Sacraments are violated, he alſo, whoſe the Sacraments are, is no leſſe violated. And as theſe in the text are ſaid to pollute God, in that they offered polluted ſacrifices, though they never touched God himſelf: ſo unworthy Receivers are guilty of the Lords body and blood, 1 Cor. 11.27. although they never touched either his body or blood with their impure mouthes. They are as very Kill-Chriſts as Judas was in a proportion: And look whatſoever blaſphemies, irriſions, ſcorns, contumelies, reproaches, the miſcreant Jews belched forth, and practiſed corporally againſt Chriſt, the ſame are ſpiritually repeated and iterated by the unworthy Receiver: who polluteth the very outward elements that he toucheth, and ſo offereth indignity to Chriſt whom they repreſent: like as he that doth rent, deface, trample under foot, and villanouſly abuſe the image, ſcal, or Letters Patents of a Prince or State, is guilty of high treaſon: ſo is it here: The Donatiſts that caſt the holy Elements to dogs, did it to the diſgrace of Chriſt: and by a juſt judgment from him, were themſelves afterward devoured of dogs. Dr. Monton reports a ſtory of his own knowledge, of one Sr. Booth a Batchelor of Arts in St. Iohns Colledge in Cambridge, who being Popiſhly affected, at the time of the Communion took the conſecrated bread, and forbearing to eate it, convei'd and kept it cloſely for a time, and afterwards threw it over the Colledge wall. But a ſhort time after,Inſtit. of the Sacr. lib. 5. cap. 3. Sect. 5. not enduring the torment of his guilty conſcience, he threw himſelf headlong over the battlements of the chappel: and ſome ſew hours after, ended his life. God ſeemeth to ſay of every one that commeth to the ſupper of his ſon, as ſometime Solomon ſaid of Adoniah, If he will ſhew himſelf a worthy man, there ſhall not an bair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedneſſe ſhall be found in him, he ſhall die 1 King. 1.52.

in that ye ſay, The table of the Lord is contemptible] Gods infinite patience in vouchſafing not only to reply to theſe malapert Prieſts, but thus to rejoyne, and to approve the Aſſumption of the laſt Syllogiſme, which they ſo ſhameleſly denyed, is much to be admired. How juſtly might he have anſwered them with blowes inſtead of arguments: and have dealt with them as he did with Pharaoh, that ſturdy rebel, that proudly asked, who is the Lord? Hereunto God made a large reply by a great many plagues, one after another, till Pharaoh was forced to anſwer himſelf, The Lord is righteous, but I and my people am wicked. And as Gods patience appeareth in his proceeding with theſe Prieſts in the text, ſo hiswiſdome too, in his thus inſtancing in particulars of their ſins, that he might the ſooner evict them, and bring them to a ſaving ſenſe and ſight thereof. Thus he dealt by our firſt parents in paradiſe: and afterwards by Cain. Whereas, without any more adoe, the Lord God ſaid unto the ſerpent, Becauſe thou haſt done this. curſed art thou &c. Gen. 3. He was not ſo much as queſtioned, or convinced, becauſe God meant him no mercy: but preſently doomed, becauſe of meer malice he had offended.

ye have ſaid] i. e. ye have thought, as Pſa. 32.5. and 30.7. and as good ye might have ſpoken out: for I hear the language of your hearts: I underſtand your thoughts long before, Pſal. 139.2: or at a great diſtance.

the table of the Lord] that is, the Altar of burnt offerings See Ezek. 41.22. which is therefore called a table, becauſe by their ſacrifices God did as it were feaſt the Lord, as is above noted. And as God prepared the Iſraelites a table in the wilderneſſe, ſo they alſo (in a ſenſe) prepared him a table: Hence Moſes tells Pharaoh, Exod. 5.1. that they muſt go to keep a feaſt to the Lord. And how God accepted of their kindneſſe, See Hoſ. 9.10. I found Iſrael, ſaith He, like grapes in the wilderneſſe: which, to a wearied parehed traveller, how welcome are they? And how the good ſoule ſtill entertaineth her Chriſt, as Eſther once did Ahaſhueroſh at the banquet of wine, is ſweetly ſet forth in many paſſages of Solomons ſong. See cap. 1.12. with the Note.

is contemptible] Or, lightly ſet by. Some are poor and cannot: others are prophane and care not to cover Gods Altar with their ſacrifices. Hence the whole miniſtery is ſlighted, becauſe impoveriſhed. For ad tenuitatem beneficiorum, neceſſario ſequitur contemptus Sacerdotum, Panormit. Horat. R. David. Lean benefices make contemptible Incumbents: And Nil habet infelix paupertas &c. Poverty rendreth men ridiculous. Or thus, The table of the Lord is contemptible, ſo they eſteemed it, becauſe the fat and blood powred upon the Altar were things but baſe and deſpicable in themſelves: and they conſidered not for what end God had appointed theſe ſacrifices, and how they were to be led to Chriſt by them. For the ceremoniall law was or ought to have been their Goſpel, it was Chriſt in figure. And this, if theſe Bu[illegible: 1 letter] zards had ſeen, they would never have counted the Table of the Lord contemptible; as holding forth the Lord Chriſt unto them, that Pearl of Price, who is better then Rubies; and the Altar or Table, that typified him, or preſented him to his people, was not an oyſter-board as the Papiſts in K. Edw. 6.Act. and Men Joſeth Antiq. lib. 12. cap. 2. Cedron. comp. hiſt. pag. 817. time ſcornfully termed our communion-table; but far more precious then either that rich table ſent by Ptolemy Philadelph to Eleazar the Jews high-Prieſt, or that coſtly communiontable that had in it all the riches of land and ſea, offered up by Juſtinian in the temyle of Sophia in Conſtantinople.

Ver. 8. And if ye offer the blind for ſacrifice &c.] Their prophaneſſe in polluting Gods Altar is here further evinced and evidenced. 1. By the Illegallity of their practiſe, whiles they offered the blind and lame as good enough for ſuch a contemptible Altar. 2. By the incivility and indecency thereof; whileſt they preſented that to the Emperour of the world, that they would have been aſhamed or afraid to preſent to ſome petty Prince, that had any power to puniſh ſuch an affcont. The Law for ſacrifices ſee Levit. 22.20. Deut. 15.21. A blind ſacrifice he offereth, who worſhippeth he knoweth not what Ioh. 4.22. that is, to ſeek, and grope in the dark Act. 17. when they yeeld not the obedience of faith, bring not to God an intelligible reaſonable ſervice, Rom. 12.1. ſuch as whereof they can render a ſound reaſon out of the word of God; who binds us not to any blind obedience, as the Popiſh Padres do their Novices. And yet the moſt people are to this day wofully to ſeek for the warrant of their worſhips; reſting on that old Popiſh rule, to follow the drove, and beleeve as the Church beleeves.Act. 19.32. As at Epheſus (ſo in our Church-aſſemblies) the more part knew not wherefore they were come together. They will ſay in generall, to ſerve God. But who he is, how to be ſerved, wherein and in whom to be ſerved, they know not. There is in a printed ſermon a memorable ſtory of an old man, above threeſcore, who lived and died in a pariſh, Mr. Pemble Serm. miſch. of l[illegible: 3 letters]r. where there had been preaching almoſt all his time. This man was a conſtant hearer as any might be, and ſeemed forward in the love of the word. On his death-bed being queſtioned by a miniſter touching his faith and hope in God, he made theſe ſtrange anſwers. Being demanded what he thought of God? he anſwered that he was a good old man. And what of Chriſt? that he was a towardly yong youth. And of his ſoule, that it was a great bone in his body. And what ſhould become of his ſoule after he was dead? That if he had done well, he ſhould be put into a pleaſant green meddow. Theſe anſwers aſtoniſhed thoſe that were preſent to think how it were poſſible for a man of good underſtanding, and one that in his dayes had heard at the leaſt two or three thouſand ſermons: yet upon his deathbed in ſerious manner thus to deliver his opinion, in ſuch main points of Religion, which infants and ſucklings ſhould not be ignorant of. But we may be ſure this man is not alone: there be many hundreds whoſe gray haires ſhew they have had time enough to learn more wit, who yet are in caſe to be ſet to their A. B. C. againe for their admirable ſimplicity in matters of religion. Blind they are, and blind ſacrifices they offer: never once opening their eyes till death (if then) as Pliny reporteth of the Mole; but alwayes rooting and digging in the earth, as if thorough the bowels of it they would dig themſelves a new way to hell.

is it not evill?] Or, as ſome read it, It is not evill. q. d. 'tis good enough, and may ſerve turn well enough. Or thus, It is not evill in your opinion, who rather then you would loſe any gaine, ſay, Melius eſt ill quàm Nil ('tis Oſianders rime) better that which is ill and bad, then nothing at all. But they which count all good fiſh that comes to net, will in the end catch the devill and all. The ſenſe is much clearer in the interrogative, Is it not evill? It is, It is: and therefore ſtudiouſly to be declined and avoided, as poyſon in your meat, or a ſerpent in your way,1 Theſſ. 5.22. Abſtain from all appearance of evill, ſaith that great Apoſtle: how much more from all apparant evils, ſuch as ſtare you in the face, and are ſo directly contrary to the plain word of God? Such are ſins with an accent, wickedneſſe with a witneſſe, great tranſgreſſions Pſal. 19.13.

and if ye offer the lame and languiſhing] He offers the lame that brings his ſacrifice with a wicked mind, Pro. 21.27. as Balac and Balaam did Num. 21.1, 2. that walks not evenly before the Lord, and with an upright foot Gen. 17.1. that halts between two opinions, as the people did 1 King. 18.21. inter coelum, terramque penduli hanging betwixt heaven and earth, as Meteors; uncertain whether to hang or fall. Such were Ecebolus, Baldwin, Spalatenſis, Eraſmus [non-Latin text not transcribed], Cyprian calleth ſuch ancipites, palpatores temporum, in levitate tantum conſtantes, doubtfull-minded men. St. James calleth them double-minded men, unſtable in all their wayes, Jam. 1.8. Bradſords letters. Rev. 3.14. as he is that ſtands on one leg, or as a howle upon a ſmooth table. But what ſaid that Martyr? If God be God, follow him: if the Maſſe be God, let him that will, ſee it, heare it, and be preſent at it, and go to the devill with it. But let him do what he doth, with all his heart. God cannot abide theſe Neuterpaſſives (I would thou wert either hot or cold.) He requires to be ſerved truly that there be no halting, and totally, that there be no halving. To halt between two opinions, to hang in fuſpence, to be in religion as idle beggars are in their way, ready to go which way ſoever the ſtaff falleth, how hatefull is it? When ſome took Chriſt for Iohn Baptiſt, ſome for Elias, ſome for Jeremias, But whom ſay you that I am? ſaid our Saviour: to teach us that Chriſt hates to have men ſtand doubtful and adhere to nothing certainly: to have them as mills fit to be driven about by the devil with every wind of doctrine: or as hunting dogs betwixt two hares, running aſſoon after this, aſſoon after that; and ſo loſing both. This for point of judgement: And for matter of practiſe, the ſoule is well carried, when neither ſo becalmed that it moves not when it ſhould, not yet toſſed with tempeſts to move diſorderly. A wiſe mans courſe is of one colour, like it ſelf: he is homo quadratus, a ſquare ſtone fet into the ſpirituall building 1 Pet. 2.7. he is Semper idem as Joſeph was; no changling, but one and the ſame in all places and eſtates of life: his fcet ſtand in an even place (as Davids did Pſa. 26.12.) that is, in an equall tenour. Uniformity and ubiquity of obedience are ſure ſignes of his ſincerity: when godlineſſe runs thorough his whole life, as the woof runs thorough the warp. But the legs of the lame are not equall ſaith Solomon Pro. 26.7. The hypocrites life is a crooked life, he turneth aſide to his crooked wayes, Pſal. 125.5. ſaith David, as the crabfiſh goes backwards: or as the Planets though hurried from Eaſt to Weſt, yet by a retrograde motion of their own, ſteal their paſſage from Weſt to Eaſt. It's a crooked life when all the parts of the line of a mans life be not ſtraight before God; when he lifteth not up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees, and maketh ſtraight paths for his feet, leſt that which is lame be turned out of the way, Heb. 12.12, 13 [non-Latin text not transcribed] and not rather healed and rectified, or ſet to rights, as the Apoſtles word ſignifieth. That's a ſick ſoule that is not right ſet for heaven: and that's a gaſping devotion, a languiſhing ſacrifice that leaneth not upon Chriſt, and that is not quickened by his ſpirit, fitly called by the Apoſtle, a ſpirit of power, and of love, and of a ſound mind 2 Tim. 1.7. Surely as a rotten rag hath no ſtrength, ſo an unſound mind hath no power to do ought that may pleaſe God. Fruſtra nititur qui Chriſto non innititur, ſaith a Father. He loſeth his labour that leaneth not upon Chriſt (who is the power of God and the wiſdome of God) that leaneth not wholy upon him, but will needs have one leg upon the earth, and the other upon the water, as that Angel in the Revelation: one foot upon the ſolid ground, and the other upon a quagmire: that reſt upon Chriſt, but as a part-Saviour, as Papiſts: or truſt to him, as the Apricock tree that leaneth againſt the wall, but it's faſt rooted in the earth: ſo ſome ſeem to lean upon Chriſt in their performances, but are rooted (mean-while) in the world, in pride, filthineſſe &c. Or, laſtly as the Ivy, which though it claſp about the oak and draweth much from it, yet brings forth all its berries by vertue of its own root. Thus hypocrites alſo offer ſacrifice, but its a ſick facrifice, becauſe it is ſrom themſelves and in themſelves: they do all in their own ſtrength, that is, in their own weakneſſe. For our ſtrength is to ſit ſtill, Iſa. 30.7. Iſa. 26.4. and to work our ſelves into the Rock of ages. Truſt ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlaſting ſtrength. The blind and the lame Jebuſites when they had ſecured themſelves in the ſtrong hold of Zion, inſulted over David, as if he could not come in thither,2 Sam. 5, 6, 7 though he did his utmoſt to get in to them: the very blind and lame there incloſed ſhould be able to withſtand him. But both their hold and their hope deceived them. Nevertheleſſe, ſaith the Text, David took the ſtrong-hold of Zion, the ſame is the city of David. But they that get into the Rock Chriſt Jeſus, ſhall neve be viſited of evil,Deo confiſt nunquam confuſt. nor diſappointed of their hopes: but of weak they ſhall be made ſtrong, Heb. 11.34. able to preſent their bodies a lively (not a languiſhing) ſacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, Rom. 12.16. they ſhall do all things thorough Chriſt which ſtrengtheneth them, Philip. 4.13.

Offer it now unto thy Governour] Be it but ſome petty Provinciall Preſident, ſome Duke of Venice, or Deſpot of Servia. Jacob can tell, that the Lord of Egypt will look for a preſent: and therefore biddeth his ſonnes take of the beſt fruits in the land in their veſſels, and carry down the man a preſent, a little balme, Gen. 42.11. and a little honey; ſpices and myrrhe, nuts and almonds, of every good thing ſomewhat, though it were the leſſe: for to do much, it was not in the power of their hands; but ſee that it be of the beſt, ſaith He. The poor Perſian that met Artaxerxes with a handfull of water, out of the river Cyrus, went away well rewarded. So did the gardiner that preſented the Duke of Burgundy with a rape-root, becauſe it was the beſt they were able to do. Semblably, the Almighty takes any thing well aworth from thoſe that are willing indeed, but alaſſe, not able to bring a better preſent. Vow and performe (ſaith He) unto the Lord your God: bring preſents unto him, that ought to be feared, Pſal. 76.11. Say not, I fear to preſent, becauſe I have nothing worthy of him. Send a lamb to the Ruler of the earth, Eſay 16.1. Or, if thou haſt not a lamb, offer a pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons: but ſee they be young, and that thy lamb be the beſt in thy fold, and it ſhall be accepted. Every man cannot do as Solomon did at the dedication of the Temple:1 King. 8.63 when he offered two and twenty thouſand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thouſand ſheep: Or, as great Alexander, of whom Pliny reporteth, that in his childhood when he threw incenſe upon the Altar in great plenty, his Schoolmaſter checkt him for ſo doing; and bade him ſacrifice on that ſort when he had conquered the incenſe-bearing countreys, and not till then. Alexander when he had ſubdued Arabia remembred his School-maſter, and preſented him with a ſhip laden with frankincenſe: largely exhorting him to ſpare for no coſt, when he ſacrificed to the gods. But no man muſt come before the Lord empty-handed: if it be but an handfull or two of flour, or a corn or two of ſalt. Lev. 5.6, 11, 12. & 14.30, 31. Caſaub. in Theoph. Scholioſt. Ariſtop. So the Athenians thought the gods would be well-pleaſed with a poor man, if he offered but meal; eſpecially if he could mingle it with oyl and wine: for they held that every man was bound to bring his beſt, and not to be baſe in ſaving charges in this caſe. Hence it was, that when the famous Artificer Phidias adviſed them to make the ſtatue of Minerva rather of marble then of ivory. 1. Becauſe it was more durable: this paſſed with allowance. 2. Becauſe leſſe chargeable: at the mention hereof with inſinite indignation they commanded him ſilence. Their meat-offerings were to be ſound and without blemiſh, whether it were an ox, ſheep, goat, ſwine, calf. The more wealthy did caſt frankincenſe on the altars: and in their blind devotion,Vide Pollucem. lib. 1. thought they could hardly over-do in honour of their dunghill-deities. What then ſhall become of thoſe baſe wretches amongſt us, that think every thing too good for God, too much for his Miniſters? that ſtudy to beat down the price of heaven, and will not deal except they may have it under foot?

Will he be pleaſed with thee?] I trow not. The Vulgar renders it, Si placuerit, &c. If it pleaſe him, or if he accept thy perſon: q. d. then let me never be beleeved. But the other reading is better, and more agreeable to the Original.

Or accept thy perſon?] Heb. Accept thy face, that whores forehead of thine, hatcht with ſo much impudence, that thou dareſt bring him a worſe preſent, when thou haſt a better at hand, but holdeſt it too good for him. Araunab, 2 Sam. 24.23 though a ſubject, yet as a king, he gave unto the king, oxen for ſacrifice, and threſhing inſtruments for wood. And although David accepted of his courteſie, but not of his coſt, yet God hath crowned him and chronicled him for his munificence, Zach. 9.7. Ekron, that is, the barbarous people of Paleſtina, ſhall be as the Jebuſite, that is, as this famous Jebuſite Araunah, a Proſelyte, a true Convert, as appeared by his ready parting with his free-hold to God, and the beſt that he had to his Prince. Let all thoſe that look for acceptance in heaven, honour the Lord with the prime of their age, with the choice of their dayes, (as the Hebrew hath it, Eccleſ. 12.1.) with the primroſe of their childhood, with the beſt of their time, and of their talents: and not unworthily, and wofully waſt and caſt away the fat and marrow, the flower of their age, the ſtrength of their bodies, the vigour of their ſpirits in ſinfull pleaſures and ſenſuall delights, in purſuing their fleſhy luſts that hale hell at the heels of them. Will they give the devil the beſt, and then think to ſerve God with the dregs, the bottom, the ſnuffe, the very laſt ſands, their extreme dotage, that themſelves and their friends are weary of? Surely, God takes no pleaſure to pledge the devil, or drink the ſnuffes that he hath left. If men reſerve the dregs of their dayes for him, He will likewiſe reſerve the dregs of his wrath for them. He will put them over to the gods whom they had choſen. as Judg. 10. and make them to know the worth of his good acceptance, by the want of it. He that ſhould ſet before his Prince, a diſh of meat that had been half-eaten before by hogs, or dogs, would he not be puniſhed with all ſeverity? What then ſhall become of thoſe that ſerve God with the devils leavings? that ſacrifice to themſelves, as Sejanus did,Dio in Tiberio. that ſerve not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt but their own bellies, as thoſe Seducers, Rom. 16. that ſay to God, Depart from us, and to the devil, Reigne thou over us, that are ſerious at his work, ſleighty in Gods, &c.

Verſe 9. And now I pray you, beſecch God] Heb. Weary God with your prayers, preſſe him till he be even ſick of you: improve your uttermoſt intereſt in him, if at leaſt you have any. Pray hard, if ye can at leaſt: for all men cannot pray, wicked men are gagg'd by the devil: and their character is, They call not upon God. They may cant or chatter out a charm when Gods chaſtening is upon them, yea, be with childe, as it were, of a prayer, and yet bring forth nothing better then winde Iſai. 26.16, 17, 18. In proſperity, they may have ſome few ſhort-winded wiſhes as Balaam (ſatans ſpelman) had; yea, they may by ſtrength of wit or memory deviſe an handſom prayer, and ſeem to ſet it forth with much life, that they may paſſe for men of parts and gifts: But will the hypocrite pray alwayes? Iob 27.10. will he perſevere in prayer when God ſeems to caſt out his prayers, and to multiply his croſſes? will he not rather curſe in that caſe: as Iob's wife, and Micah's mother? will he not how lagainſt heaven as the wolf, when hungerbit? and as the Parrot when beaten, leave imitating man, and turn to his own natural harſh voice? But ſay that wicked men do (Ioab like) run to the horns of Gods altar, when in diſtreſſe or danger: ſay they roar out a conſeſſion, when they are upon the rack,Hoſ. 6. Pſal. 78.34 (as Pharaoh) and call for good prayers: ſay they ſeek him with their ſacrifices as Iſrael did, when he ſlew them, then they ſought unto him &c. and made their voices to be heard on high, as the priſoner at the bar, as the hog under the knife, as a bull in a net; Say they weary out God with their many words, as thoſe ſacrificing Sodomites Iſai. 11. & thoſe hypocrites in the Gofpel, that hoped to be heard for their much babling:Mat. 6. yet all this is but the prayer of the fleſh for eaſe, and not of the ſpirit for grace: it is but the fruit of ſinful ſelf-love, to rid themſelves of Gods rod, or to ſtill the noiſe of their conſciences, or out of a vain hope to ſtop Gods judgements, &c. And hence it is that they miſcarry, that they pray to ſo little purpoſe (as here is hinted) and that they are not a button the better for all their long prayers. For either God anſwers them not at all, he hath no reſpect to their ſacrifices (which was Cains and Sauls unhappineſſe. The Philiſtims were upon him, and God was departed from him) Or elſe he anſwers them according to the idols of their hearts, bitter anſwers; Or if better, its but as he anſwered the Iſraelites importunity for a king, for a ſcourge to them, and for quails to choak them: Deus ſaepe dat iratus quod uegat proprtius, God often gives that in anger which he denies in mercy. If it were otherwiſe, the devil ſhould have received mercy from God, when, upon his ſuit, he was ſuffered to enter into the ſwine. Let our chief and conſtant Petition therefore be in all our our addreſſes to God, that he would be gracious unto us:] that he would caſt a loving aſpect upon us, that what ever elſe he denie us, corn, wine &c. yet that he would lift up the light of his countenance upon us. This David preferred before his crown and ſcepter. He had a crown of gold, but he valued not that, in compariſon of that other crown, Pſal. 103.4. he crowneth thee with loving kindneſſe and tender mercies. Hence Saint Paul having himſelf obtained mercy, beginneth and concludeth all his Epiſtles with wiſhes of Grace, mercy, and peace: as not knowing what better to wiſh thoſe whom he wiſhed beſt unto. This was Abrahams prayer for Iſmael, O that he might live in thy ſight, that is, be joynt-heire of the promiſe of grace with Iſaac. God anſwers, Divers Dukes ſhall come of Iſmael, but with Iſaac (as a token of ſpecial grace) will I make my covenant. This was alſo Ioſephs prayer for Benjamin Gen. 43.29. God be gracious unto thee my ſon. This the prieſts were appointed to pray for, as a bleſſing upon the people, Num. 6.24, 25. The Lord make his face to ſhine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. And hereunto the Prophet ſeems to allude in this text, q. d. you are the Lords Prieſts, and your office is to preach and pray Deut. 33.10. They ſhall teach Iacob, they ſhall put incenſe before thee. Shew now what ye can do in a time of neceſſity: Beſeech the Lord that he would be gracious unto us. This is the main, the mother-bleſſing that comprehends all the reſt. Every man ſeekes the face of the Ruler, Prov. 29.26. I humbly beſeech thee that I may ſinde grace in thy ſight, my Lord O king: q. d. that's better to me then all the land thou haſt given me, ſaid that crafty Sycophant Ziba 2 Sam. 16.4. How much more is the grace of God to be preferred before all outward bleſſings whatſoever? The Lord that made heaven and earth, bleſſe thee out of Zion, Pſal. 134.3. ſaith the Pſalmiſt, intimating that bleſſings out of Zion are above all the bleſſings beſides, that heaven and earth can yeeld us; What is the ayre without light? what was Haman the better for all his honours, when the king frowned upon him? How can a wicked man be happy though wealthy, ſo long as God is his enemy? As that father ſpeaks of Ahab: he deſcribes him ſitting in his ivory palace in the time of the three yeers famine in Samaria: he had gold, ſilver, and jewels in every place: but what good did all that when the heaven was braſſe above, and the earth iron beneath? Cry therefore as thoſe in Zachary, Grace, Grace unto us, pray for our ſelves and others, as David did for Ittai the Gittite, mercy and truth be with thee, 2 Sam. 15.20. Stir we up our ſelves to take hold of God, and to get of him Gaius-his-proſperity, dona throni, ſoul-bleſſings, and ſuch as accompany ſalvation. Jeſus Chriſt when he came into the world, brought grace and truth with John 1.17. And God was in Chriſt reconciling the world to himſelf, Not imputing our ſins, but ſtretching out to us the golden ſcepter of his grace. Get in to him therefore till this be done; though thou ſhouldeſt ſpend thy time in gathering up pearls and jewels, thou art an undone creature.

this hath been by your means] Heb. From your hand q. d. You Prieſts have effected it, and are in fault about it. It is long of you that I and my ſervice are ſo ſlighted, as hath been before demonſtrated, you have eauſed the people to abhor the offering, 1 Sam. 2.17. you ſhould have better inſtructed the people in their duties, and not have ſuffered them ſo to pollute mine altar with their carrion-ſacrifices, and if God reject your prayers, as here, and even curſe your bleſſings as Chap. 2.2. and curſe your ſeed, ver. 3. you have to thank your ſelves. All this is by your means. Accept therefore of the chaſtiſment of your iniquity, leave quarrelling, and lay the blame of all where it ſhould be, waſh you, make it clean &c. For till then will he regard your perſons? will he receive you to favour, and hear your prayer? Or will he think the better of you, for your office and dignity of Prieſt-hood? No ſure, but the worſe; For, ſcdes prima & vita ima, the higheſt place, and the baſeſt life agree not. Dignit as in indigno eſt ornamentum in luto, even royalty without righteouſneſſe is but eminent diſhonour: and men of mark are therefore the worſe, becauſe they ſhould have been better. Height of place ever addes two wings to fin, Example, and Scandal, whereby it ſoars higher, and flies much further. If the Sun be eclipſed and obſcured, a thouſand eyes gaze upon it: a leſſer ſtar may be darkned, and none take notice. A ſmall flaw is noticed and noted in a jewel; a ſmall ſpot in a ſwan, not ſo in a ſwine. One fly may corrupt a box of precious ointment: when a hundred flies in a tar-barrel, do no hurt to it.

Verſe 10. Who is there amongst you that would ſhut the doors] To be a door-keeper in Gods houſe, to have any the meaneſt employment about him, David (though deſtined to a Diadem) looked upon, as an high preferment. Thoſe Nethinims, mentioned in Ezra and Nehemiah, were none other but the Gibeonites, who were made drawers of water to the Temple, as a kind of puniſhment. God (who is a liberall paymaſter) made this croſſe a mercy. Their employment ſo neer the Houſe of God, gave them fit occaſion to be partakers of the things of God. The Lord did wonderfully both reward and honour them. So he did all others, though but porters, that had any office about his houſe. Know ye not, ſaith Paul, that they which miniſter about holy things, live of the things of the Temple? and they which wait at the Altar (though but to kindle a fire upon it) are partakers with the altar? 1 Cor. 9.13. Even ſo hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Goſpel ſhould live of the Goſpel. Should have, if not tythes as they had, yet honorary ſtipends, double honour, Calvin. 1 Tim. 5.17. daplex, id eſt, multiplex, as Eſay 40.1, 2. Jer. 17, 18. Or, double, comparatively to that of widows indeed, verſe 2. which yet was honourable maintenance, Et ex publico alebantur. The Prieſts of the old Teſtament were plentifully provided for by tythes and other revenews appointed them by God. True it is, that in the captivity little commodity was made of the prieſthood: whereupon ſome prieſts who had married themſelves into the noble family of Barzillai, took ſcorn to be in the prieſts regiſter, but called themſelves after the family of then wives. Now after the return from Babylon, the prieſtood grew into ſome gain and grace again: and then theſe degenerate prieſts, would fain have thruſt in among the prieſts of the Lord: but the Tirſhatha would not ſuffer them, Ezra 2.61. Howbeit thoſe prieſts that had ſtuck to their offices, and been faithfull in them, did not ſerve God on free-coſt: neither was he behinde hand, or in arrere with any of them, as appears by this text: but as they did their work, ſo they had their wages. God put into the heart of good Nehemiah to take order, that theſe tythes were duely payed in to the treaſurers for that purpoſe appointed, Neh. 13.10, 11. What reaſon had theſe prieſts therefore to be ſo gripple and greedy of filthy lucre? as to take ſuch lame and lean ſacrifices of the people, or if fat and good, to change them for worſer of their own, as holding any thing good enough for God? which becauſe they did,

I have no pleaſnre in you, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, neither will I accept an offering at your hands] I care not for your perſons, I reſpect not your performances. The Lord had reſpect, firſt to Abel, and then to his offering, Gen. 4.4. and Pſal. 4.3. But know (ſaith David, to thoſe that vilipended him) that the Lord hath ſet apart him that is godly for himſelf: and this he makes the ground why his prayer ſhould be heard. The blood of a ſwine may look better, and brighter then the blood of a ſheep; yet might it not be offered unto the Lord, becauſe it was of a ſwine. Sordet in conſpectu judicis, quod fulget in conſpectu operantis. A piece of wood may ſhine in the night from its rottenneſſe: and that be fair in the ſight of men that is abomination before God, Luke 16. The ſwan was rejected for ſacrifice, becauſe of his black skin, notwithſtanding his fair feather, Lev. 11.18. The wicked mans incenſe ſtinks of the hand that offereth it: and all his devotion is but a beautifull abomination. There is in Lombard this ſentence quoted out of Auguſtin, Omnis vita infidelium peccatum eſt: & nihil bonum ſine ſummo bono, The whole life of unbeleevers is ſinne, neither is there any good without the chiefeſt good. Ambroſ Spiera the Poſtiller ſaith, Crudelis eſt illa ſententia, This is a cruel ſentence. But ſaith not the holy Scripture the very ſame in effect, Prov. 15.8. Heb. 11.6. Joh. 15.5? What though Papiſts talk much of Opus operatum? and teach that good works by whomſoever performed are accepted of the Lord, as juſtice in an Atheiſt is a good and acceptable work to him?Jam. 5.16 Saint James aſſures us, that it is the effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man onely, and of one reconciled to God, that availeth much. Pſal. 32.6 Pſal. 50 And, for this ſhall every one that is godly pray unto thee, ſaith David. The lepers lips ſhould be covered according to the law. And to the wicked God ſaith, What haſt thou to do, &c? It is ſaid of witches and their good prayers, (as they call them) Si magicae, Deus non vult tales: ſi piae, non per tales. If thoſe prayers be abuſed to witchcraft, God will have none of them: and if they be never ſo good, God will not have them from ſuch kind of people. Before they pray, men ſhould ſee whether they are perſons fit to pray: for God accepts not of a good motion from an ill mouth, Jer. 11.10, 11. Joh. 9.31. 1 Joh. 3.22. Pſal. 66.16. A wicked man wants contrition, humility, faith, hope, feeling, fervency: he hath not a ſpirit of grace and ſupplication, to endite his prayers; he hath not an Interceſſour in heaven to preſent and perfume his prayers. The breath wherein our prayers aſcend ſhould be like pillars of ſmoke perfumed with Chriſts myrrhe and incenſe. Otherwiſe our words will be like the Egyptian pots, recking out the ſtrong ſmelling onions and garlick of our own corruption, ſuch as God can take no pleaſure in, neither will he accept ſuch an offering at our hands.

Verſe 11. For from the riſing of the ſun &c.] where as they might object, If you will not have ſervice from us, you can have none at all: for other people walk every one in the name of his God Mic. 4.5. and the Gentiles have their vanities, and doctrines of vanities Ier. 14.22. and 10.8. wherewith they are wholy taken up. Take you no care for that, ſaith God here.

for from the riſing of the ſun, to the going down of the ſame, my name ſhall be great among the Gentiles] I will provide for mine own great Name, that is, for my glory (for ſo Gods Name is uſed in that ſenſe Exod. 9.16. Pſal. 8.1.) I will be no loſer by your rejection: for I have other people that will more reverence me, and do me better ſervice; ſo that I need not be beholding to you. I have from Eaſt to Weſt thoſe that will make hard ſhift but I ſhall have ſervice done me. I can ſet a ſigne, and ſend to Tarſhiſh, Pul, and Lud &c. that have not heard my fame, neither have ſeen my glory,Iſa. 66.19, 20. and they ſhall declare my glory among the Gentiles. And they ſhall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations upon horſes, and in charrets, and in litters &c. that though ſick, weakly, and unfft for travell, yet they ſhall come on end; and rather in litters then not at all: they ſhall be content to ſuffer any hardſhip for heaven, as the ſtone will fall down to come to it's own center, though it break it ſelf in an hundred peeces. The Gentiles once converted ſhall fly as a cloud Iſa. 60.8. that is, with greateſt pernicity and ſwiſtneſſe: yea they ſhall in ſuch flocks come to the Church, as if a whole flight of doves, driven by ſome hawk or tempeſt, ſhould ſcour into the columbary, and ruſh into the windowes. There are that have obſerved, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Deus, Dieu Gott &c. that the name of God in all the maternall languages confiſteth of foure letters, to intimate that he hath his people in all the foure quarters of the earth, out of all countries, nations, and languages, Deut. 6.4. Heare, O Iſraeh The Lord our God is one Lord. In the Original, the laſt letter of the word. Heare, is greater then the reſt, as calling for all poſſible heed and attention. So likewiſe is the laſt letter in the word One, which being Daleth, and ſtanding uſually for Four (as a numerall letter) ſignifieth, ſay the Hebrew-Doctours, that this One God ſhall be worſhipped in all the four corners of the earth. This, Cyprian hath alſo gathered from the Greek letters of the name Adam: A [non-Latin text not transcribed]. A [non-Latin text not transcribed]. M [non-Latin text not transcribed]. which do ſeverally ſignifie the four quarters of the world, Eaſt, Weſt, North and South: to teach, that Chriſt, the ſecond Adam, will fetch his people from all parts: and hath therefore built his Church, his new Ieruſalem four-ſquar Rev. 21.16. and placed on the Eaſt three gates, on the North three gates, on the South three gates, and on the Weſt three gates, ver. 13. that all from all parts may have free and open acceſſe unto him. Babylon was in like manner built four ſquare, as Heredotus teſtifieth:Lib. 1. and Conſtantinople is ſo ſcituate betwixt Europe and Aſia, as if it were fatally founded to command both. This is much more true of Ʋranople, the city of the great King,Turk hist. 1153. open to all commers, as the Aedilis or Chamberlains houſe in Rome was. O thou that heareſt prayers, to thee ſhall all fleſh come (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) come with a courage,Pſal. 65.2. ſith they are ſure as of acceſſe, ſo of ſucceſſe in all their ſuites thorough Chriſt the Mediatour, who hath made both one, Eph. 2.14. and hath broken down the middle-wall of partition between Iews and Gentiles. This the perverſe Jews could never abide to heare of: nor can they to this day. And therehence is it that they have in their expoſitions baſely depraved this text, and corrupted the true ſenſe of it, as is to be ſeen in the Chaldee Paraphraſt, and David Kimchi: calling us ſtill Goi Mamzer baſtard Gentiles, and curſing us in their daily prayers, which are not (ſure) that pure offering mentioned in this verſe, and interpreted by them of the prayers of the holy Jews every where diſperſt. The rejection of the Jews and acception of the Gentiles into grace and favour is a hidden myſtery: ſuch as maketh the Apoſtle of the Gentiles cry out, O the depth 1 Rom. 11.23. yea it is a part of that great myſtery of Godlineſſe 1 Tim. 3.16. that God manifeſted in the fleſh ſhould be preached unto the Gentiles, and beleeved on in the world. Let us pitty the poor hardened Jews: and pray the rending of the vail that is yet ſpread over them: that the rebuke of Gods people may be taken away from off all the earth Iſa. 25.7, 8. Let us alſo praiſe God who hath made us Gentiles meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12. And take heed that we ſin not away our light, and cauſe God to take his kingdome from us, giving it to a nation that will bring him better fruit Mat. 21.43. we have a fair warning given us by the example of the Jews Rom. 11. Seeſt thou another ſhipwrack? look to thy tackling.

from the riſing of the ſun] from the Eaſt of Judaea the ſun of Chriſts Goſpel paſſed by the ſouth of Greece to the Weſt of the Latine Church, and theſe Iſlands of ours that lye in the Sea, Ʋide Scapul. in Them [non-Latin text not transcribed]. into which the Sun is ſaid to go down, or to lye down, as in its tabernacle of reſt (which is an expreſſion of the old Greek Poets, and the Originall word here uſed agreeth to it.) All the danger is, leſt the Goſpell in this it's Solar motion, be travelling for the Weſt of that other world, the American parts; and quitting it's preſent places of reſidence and unworthy poſſeſſours; And then ſarewell England. Oh let us pray that that diſmall day may never ariſe, wherein it ſhall be ſaid, that the glory is departed from our Engliſh Iſrael.

my name ſhall be great] Name for fame as Exod. 34.5, 6. Philip. 2.9. Gen. 11.4. Renouned men are called men of name Gen. 6.4. and baſe men are called men of no name Iob 30.8.

ſhall be great] Not that God is great, or leſſe. Magnum & parvum ſunt ex ijs, quae ſunt ad aliquid, ſaith Ariſtotle. But Gods name is ſaid to be great, when he is declared or acknowledged to be great, as the word (ſanctified) is uſed Mat. 6.9. and the word (juſtified) Mat. 11.19. Iam. 2.21. Gods fame and glory is (as himſelf) eternall and infinite; and ſo abides in it ſelf, not capable of our addition or detraction. As the Sun which would ſhine in its own brightneſſe and glory, though all the world were blind, and did wilfully wink. Howbeit, to try how we prize his Name, and how induſtrious we will be to magnifie and exalt it, he hath declared that he eſteemes himſelf made glorious; and accounts that he hath received, as it were, a new being by thoſe inward conceptions we have of his glory, and thoſe outward honours we do to his name.

and in every place incenſe ſhall be offered] Not at Ie[illegible: 1 letter]uſalem only, as the Jews held; nor in mount Gerizim, as the Samaritans Iob. 4.20, 21. but any place (without difference) be it but a chimney might make a goodly Oratory 1 Tim. 2.8. All religious difference of places was taken away by Chriſts death. Therefore ſo ſoon as he had ſaid Ioh. 19.30. It is finiſhed, he gave up the Ghoſt, and preſently the vail of the Temple was rent from the top to the bottom Mat. 27.51. And from that hour there was no more holineſſe in the Temple, then in any other place. Though till then, the Temple was ſo holy a place, and ſuch religious reverence did Gods people beare to it, that after the Caldeans had burnt it, they honoured the very place where it had ſtood, and eſteemed it holier then any other. This appears by thoſe eighty perſons whom Iſhmael murthered Ier. 41.5. and by Daniels opening his windowes toward Ieruſalem, when he prayed Dan. 6.10.

Incenſe ſhall be offered, and a pure offering] Inſigne teſtimonium pro ſacrificio Miſſae. ſaith Bellarmine. This text is a notable teſtimony for the ſacriſicing of the Maſſe, which Papiſts will needſly have to be the ſacrifice here meant and mentioned. Much like that Sorboniſt that finding it written at the end of S. Pauls epiſtles, Miſſa eſt, Bee-hive of Rome fol. 93. &c. bragg'd he had found the Maſſe in his Bible: So another reading John 1.4. Invenimus Meſſiam, made the ſame concluſion. We ſhall wave their arguments as ſufficiently anſwered by others: and take the meaning of the holy Ghoſt here to be of ſuch ſpiritual ſacrifices of the new Teſtament, as all Chriſtians, even the whole royal prieſthood,1 Pet. 2.5. are bound to offer up to God. Theſe are called Incenſe and Offering by Analogy, the type for the thing thereby ſhadowed, as Ireneus, Tertullian, Rev. 5.8. Rev. 8.3, 4. and Auguſtine interpret the Text. This incenſe is prayer, and praiſe, Pſal. 141.2. Heb. 13.15. Hoſ. 14.4. Pſal. 51.21. This pure offering is every ſaithful Chriſtian together with all the good things that he hath or can do. It is ſimplex oratio de oonſcientia pura, Cont. Marcion. lib. 4. ſaith Tertullian. Thus thoſe good Macedouians gave themſelves to the Lord, ſaith S. Paul, and vnto us by the will of God. 2 Cor. 8.5. I hus the Romans had delivered themſelves up to the form of Doctrine, Rom. 12.1. that had been delivered unto them, Rom. 6.17. and are yet further exhorted to exhibit, preſent, make tender, yield up and offer as ſpiritual prieſts, their bodies (and much more their ſouls) to God, as a living ſacrifice, by a willingneſſe to do what he requireth, Pſal. 40.6 Rom. 15.16. and to die for his fake if called thereunto. Phil. 2.17. 2 Tim. 4.6. Swenk feldians took away all external ſervice, ſaith Zanchy. Libertines ſay, it is ſufficient that we ſacrifice to God the hidden man of the heart. The Pope ſaith to his vaſſals, My Son, give me thy heart: be a papiſt in heart, and then go to Church, diſſemble, do what ye will. But God requires to be Glorified with our ſpirits and bodies both, becauſe both are his.1 Cor. 6.20 The very Manichees that denied God to he the Author of the body, faſted on ſundayes, and in faſting exerciſed an humiliation of the body. But (2) as the true chriſtian ſacrificeth himſelf to God, ſo all that he hath, or can; and is ready to ſay as that Grecian did to the Emperor, If I had more, more I would bring thee. It comforts him to conſider, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. 2 Cor. 8. 1 Tim. 1.5 That if there be a willing minde, God accepts according to that a man hath, and not acaccording to that he hath not. Noahs ſacrifice could not be great, yet was it greatly accepted, becauſe of clean beaſts, and offered in faith. It is the godly mans care, that his offering though it be poor, yet may be a pure offering, proceeding from a pure heart, a good conſcience, and faith unfained; and then he is ſure it is pure by divine acceptation through Chriſt. 1 Pet. 2.5. In confidence whereof he lifts up holy hands, 1 Tim. 2.8. And although ſenſible of his impurities & imperfections, his heart miſgives him ſometimes as Jacobs did, leſt his father ſhould diſcern him; yet when heremembreth that he is clothed as Jacob was, with the garment of his elder brother, the robe of Chriſts righteouſneſſe (which is not a ſcant garment, as Bernard ſaith, but reaching to the heels and covering all the parts of the ſoul) he goeth boldly to the throne of grace, and covers Gods altar with his evangelical ſacrifices. Such as are contrition and ſelf-denial, Pſ. 51.17. Confidence in God, Pſ. 4.6. Obedience to the preaching of the goſpel, Rom. 15.16. Beneficence to the poor, Phil. 4.8. &c. In all which his aim and endeavour is to worſhip God in ſpirit, and to do all, more out of thankfulneſſe, and leſſe out of conſtraint of conſcience. For he knows that as the greateſt growth of ſinners is in ſpiritual wickedneſſe (as in thoſe that ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt) ſo the greateſt growth of grace is in ſpiritual holineſſe; in worſhipping God more in ſpirit and truth.

Verſe 12. But ye have prophaned it.] Ye Jews in general, though my peculiar people, and called by my name. You that quarter armes with me as it were, and ſhould therefore lift up my Name as an enſign: that you ſhould uſe me thus courſely, and caſt dirt upon my name by your irreligion: this moves me not a little: ſo that I cannot but once and again complain of it. Had it been an enemy, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. I ſhould better have born it. But it was thou my familiar, &c. What, thou my ſon Brutus? Friend, betrayeſt thou the Son of man, and that with a kiſſe? Scipio had rather Hanibal ſhould eat his heart with ſalt, then Laelius his friend do him the leaſt diſcurteſie. God wil take that of a profane perſon, that he will not of a profeſſor. Philiſtins may cart the ark, & ſcape ſcotfree. But if David do it, God will puniſh him in the death of Ʋzzah. Auguſtus Caeſar may ſend forth a decree that all the (Roman) world ſhould be taxed or numbred, Luk. 1.2. but if David number his people, God wil make bloody wailes upon his back: & if he make Gods name to ſtinck among the heathen, God wil ſcour out that blemiſh caſt upon his name with Davids tears and blood, See Ezek. 36.21. & 39.7. Amos 2.7. Levit. 10.3, I will be ſanctified in all th[illegible: 2 letters] that draw near unto me. Sanctified he will be either actively or paſſively: either in the ſincerity of their converſation, or elſe in the ſeverity of their condemmnation. If Solomon forſake the Lord that appeared unto him twice, God wil chaſtiſe him with the rods of men at leaſt. If Iſrael profeſſe Gods name, and yet profane it, God wil caſt them off, and turn to the Gentiles. And indeed what could he do leſſe to a nation ſo incorrigibly flagitious, a nation ſo unthankful for mercies, ſo impatient of remedies, ſo uncapable of repentance, ſo obliged, ſo warned, ſo ſhameleſly, ſo lawleſly wicked?

The table of the Lord] that is the Altar: ſee verſe 7.

And the fruit thereof.] Or the revenue, the income of it: It is a baſe allowance that the Prieſts have; priſoners pittance: they live that's all. Or thus, The table of the Lord is polluted, &c. That is, it is no better worth then to be polluted; neither do his Prieſts deſerve either countenance or maintenance. So many wretched people in theſe dayes think there is more ado made then needs in the worſhip and ſervice of God, Colo Deum, ut par eſt. Whereas indeed we that have received ſo many mercies, and have lived in ſuch an age of miracles, ſhould not onely ſervire Deo, ſed & adulari as Tertullian phraſeth it, ſerve God, but be unſatiſfiable in ſerving him. And as Gods ſervice is ſlighted, ſo his miniſters are well night ſtarved in many places: the vulgar holding the miniſtry no better then a idle uſeleſſe trade, taken up to make a living of. How Shamefully are Gods ableſt ſervants defrauded, mocked, miſuſed. A ſad prognoſtick of a dying State, 2 Chron. 36.16.

Verſe 13. And ye have ſaid alſo, Behold what a wearineſſe is it, and ye have ſnuffed at i: &c.] At what? At the chiding you have had for your lame and lean ſacrifices. A little offenſive breath hath blown you up into rage: This is a kinde of blaſphemy, Ezek. 20.27. when graceleſſe men fall into a fuſtian-ſume, as they ſay, by hearing of their faults: and briſtle againſt a reproof, though never ſo juſt. Or thus, Ye have puffed and blown, as almoſt breathleſſe, by carrying ſome carrion ſheep for a ſacrifice: as if it were ſo fat and full of fleſh, that you could hardly bring it without breaking your winde; whereas ye might have blown it away, it is ſo thin and light.Bern. Hateful Hypocriſie! And it ſped accordingly. For ſhould I accept this at your hand? No, no; Sapiens nummularius eſt Deus: nummum fictum non reciptet. God is a wiſe mint-man: he will take no counterfeit coyn. He not onely detects the cozener, and deteſts him as here, but curſeth him bitterly in the next verſe. He rejects the hypocrites ſacrifice and plagueth ſuch Prometheuſſes; when as he wipes not out any of the good ſervices of his ſincere people, Neh. 13.4. but abundantly bleſſeth them.

Labour therefore for that truth in the inward parts, that we may be with Appelles approved in Chriſt, Pſal. 51 5 John 1 Rom. 16. and with Nathancel, an Iſraelite indeed. Be we the ſame that we would ſeem to be: and, if not as the windows of the Temple were, wider within the a without; yet to be no more in ſhew then we are in truth. It ſtands us in hand when to deal with God, to have the greater part of our ware in the inner part of the ſhop, and not all on the foreſide, on the board or ſtall: and to ſee, that though our work be but mean, yet it may be clean; though not fine, yet not foul; ſoyled and ſlubberd with the ſlur of a rotten heart. Sweet powders can make even leather an ornament, when the Sanies of a plague-ſore wil render a rich robe lothſom, and infections.

Verſe 14. But curſed be that deceiver] Curſed with a curſe both verbal and penal; temporal and ſpiritual. Theſe laſt light heavy (ſuch as are hardneſſe of heart,Mal. 3 9 Rom. 1 28 Mat. 27 5 Pſal. 109 18 and horrour of conſcience) though leſſe obſerved; becauſe they come into the deceivers bowels like water, and like oyle into his bones: They ſoak and ſink into his ſoul inſenſibly. He hath his death about him (as we ſay of one that hath drunk poyſon, or eatenah Italian fig) though he fall not down dead immediately. He is accurſed, and he ſhall be ſo, as (in a contrary ſenſe) Iſaac ſaid of his ſon Jacob, He is bleſſed, and he ſhall be bleſſed. But uſually the viſible vengeance of God, doggs the deceiver at the heels: his ſin findes him out, and layes him open to others, as an accurſed perſon. This was Cains caſe and curſe, Gen. 4.15. God ſets a mark upon him; probably it was the perpetual trembling of his hands and whole body through the horrour of his conſcience. So, not long before, when Adam had played the deceiver, and hearkened to that old Impoſtor the ſubtile Serpent, God ſpared him, but curſed the ground (as the Perſians, when their Noble-mens ſons had made a fault, hangd up their coats and whipt them in their preſence) Curſed is the ground for thy ſake: Gen. 3 17 Thorns alſo and thiſtles ſhall it bring forth. And the truth is, it was never beautifull nor cheerfull ſince that curſe inflicted: but lyes bed-rid, waiting for the comming of the ſecond Adam to free it from that heavy curſe. Rom. 8.20. The barren figtree felt the power of Chriſts curſe even to admication Mat. 21.20. For when the diſciples ſaw it, they marvelled ſaying, How ſoon is the ſigtree withered away? They might marvel well enough: for the figtree is the moſt juycefull of any tree: and beares the brunt of winter-blaſts, without withering. But the blaſts of Chriſts mouth are more powerfull. Hecan blow men to deſtruction Job. 4.9. as ſo many duſt-heaps; yea frown, not ſome ſingle fig-tree onely, but the whole vineyeard to deſolation. It is burnt with fire, it is conſumed: they periſh at the rebuke of thy countenance, Pſal. 80.16. Men may curſe, and no hurt follow; the curſe cauſleſſe ſhall not come, Prov. 26.2. Michah's mother curſed when ſhe loſt her mony, Jud. 17.2.Act. & Mon. But who cared or fared the worſe for that? And the like may be ſaid of Julius Palmer the Martyrs mother, when he craved her bleſſing upon his knees, ſhe drove him out of doores for an heretike, and ſaid, Gods curſe and mine go with thee.

What was David the worſe for Shemei's curſing of him, or Jeremy for the peoples,Jer. 15.10. or the reformed Churches for the Popes? the ſilly people in Italy are made to beleeve, that ever ſince the Pope excommunicated Queen Elizabeth, the people of England are all as black as devils. The Pope is like a waſp, no ſooner angred, but out comes a ſting: which being out is like a fools dagger ratling and ſnaping without an edge. We may ſay of his curſes (with bell, book, and candle) as Vegetius ſaith of chariots armed with ſithes and hooks, that at firſt they were a terrour, and after a ſcorn. But Gods curſes are terrible, and light heavy.lib: 1. cap. 24. Together with word there goes forth a power (as it is ſaid in another caſe) and what he ſpeaketh with his mouth, he maketh good with his hand. And it is a fearful thing to fall into the puniſhing hands of the living God: thoſe that have felt his fingers will ſay ſo. This the deceiver is ſure to do if timely courſe be not taken. Currat ergo poenit entia, ne praecurr at ſententia.

that deceiver] That fraudulent fellow, that crafty companion, that coz'ner, Quadruplator, Machinator, that dealeth ſubtilely with the Lord, as the Egyptians did with his people, and thinks to out-wit him, as the Medianites did the Iſraelites. (See Num. 25.18. Pſal. 10.25. in both which places the ſame word is uſed, as here) that caſteth and fetcheth about (verſutulus & verſatilis) how to deceive both God and man with ſhewes of devotion; not afraid to be damned, ſo he may ſeem to be ſaved, and ſeeking ſo long to deceive others, that in fine he deceiveth his own ſoul, (which is the worſt kinde of deceit, as ſelf-murther is the worſt ſort of murther) winding himſelf into the fools paradiſe of a ſublime dotage, and that in matters of greateſt conſequence and concernment. Impoſturam faciunt & patiuntur, as that Emperour ſaid of them that ſold glaſſe for pearl; they mock and are mocked, deceiving or being deceived, as Paul ſaith, like ſome drunken ſtageplayer, they have acted a kings part ſo long, that now they begin to think themſelves kings indeed: and like ſleeping Siſera they dream of a kingdom, when as Jaels nail is neerer his temples then a crown. A curſe he is ſure of, ſet on by God (who then ſhall take it off?) and ſeconded by men, yea by men that were without God in the world. Witneſſe that law of the twelve tables in Rome, Sacrum, ſacrove commendatum qui clepſerit rapſeritve, parricida eſto. Let him be puniſhed for a parricide, that ſhall commit ſacriledge of any ſort. Now an hypocrite is by Baſil rightly called [non-Latin text not transcribed] a ſacrilegious Church-robber: becauſe he ſteals from God [non-Latin text not transcribed] himſelf dedicated to God by profeſſion of Chriſtianity: and ſo becomes [non-Latin text not transcribed] accurſed, yea, Anathema Maranatha double accurſt, and put over to God to puniſh: who hath prepared the hotteſt fire in hell for ſuch, becauſe their ſin is increaſed by their knowledge: as the ſin of Solomon in honouring idols which he knew to be no gods, was far greater then that of his wives, which beleeved them them to be gods, as Toſtatus truly obſerveth.

which hath in his ſlock a male] A flock he hath then, and is a ſheep-maſter: able perhaps to ſay as he in the Poet —mille meis errant in montibus agni. Were he a poor man, he might be the better excuſed: of a little God accepts a little. Again, he hath a male in his flock, a ſound, tidy, fat lamb, or ram: and reſerving that for his own uſe, though he had voluntarily vowed it to God, he brings a corrupt carrion, or a lean ſtarv'ling for a ſacrifice. This deceitful dealing is his ſin, that ſubjects him to the curſe. This was the ſin, (and became the calamity) of thoſe in Jeremy Chap. 4.22. that ſerved not God with the beſt of their underſtanding: of thoſe in Haggee. that dwelt in their ceiled houſes, and let the Lords houſe lie waſte:Hag. 4.4. of Solomon (ſome think) that beſtowed twice as much time in building his own houſe as Gods houſe: of all thoſe that ſeek not Gods kingdom in the firſt place, that give not God the beſt of the beſt, the primroſe of their age, the firſt thoughts in the morning, the fitteſt and freeſt times of the day for prayer &c. Scipio went firſt to the Capitol every day, and then to the Senate-houſe. David prevented the night watches to pray. Chriſt was at it a great while before day Mar. 1.35. Of Charls the Great it is reported, that he ſpoke and converſed more with God then with man.Dan. hiſt. ſol. 13. Our King Alfred caſt the natural day into three parts; Eight hours he ſpent in prayer, ſtudy and writing: eight in the ſervice of his body, and eight in the affaires of his State. The Jews divided the buſineſſe of the day into three parts. The firſt, ad Tephilla, that is for prayer: the ſecond ad Terah, for the ſtudy of the Law: the third ad Malchah, for work: this they did on working-dayes; beſides their weekly ſabbath and other holy-dayes ſtricktly obſerved, which made Seneca (that profane Heathen) ſay of them, that they loſt more then a ſeventh part of their time. How much better might he have bewailed his own loſſe of time, and neglect of the one thing neceſſary in the words of Bernard, Totum vitae meae tempus perdidi, quia perdite vixi, I have loſt my whole life, becauſe I have lived without God in the world? what a happineſſe had it been to him, if he had obſerved Ariſtotles rule (and Thales his examples, viz. that a Philoſopher may get riches, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Ariſt. Pelit. lib. 1. cap. vlt. but that's not their main buſineſſe. Many are ſo buſied in the world, that they think not of Gods kingdom (which yet they vowed to do when they were baptized) as the Duke of Alva told the king of France, who asked him, whether he had obſerved the late great Eclipſe? No, ſaid he, I have ſo much to do upon earth, that I have no leaſure to behold the heaven. How much better Anaxagoras the Philoſopher, who being asked wherefore he came into the world? anſwered, Ut coelum contempler, that I may contemplat heaven? men ſhould certainly minde heaven moſt and firſt; and not ſuffer the leane kine to eat up the fat, the thin ears of corn the good: but honour God with the beſt of their ſubſtance and with the beſt of their abilities (if they ſtand bound by vow eſpecially, if they have vowed a male to God.) Let it not be according to the Italian Proverb with us, Sciapat il morbo fraudato il Santo, when the danger is eſcaped, the vow is neglected) leſt elſe God curſe them, as here, for a company of cozeners: and make them know and rue his breach of promiſe. Num. 14.34. Surely if Jacob was afraid when he went about to ſeek a bleſſing, leſt his blinde father ſhould diſcern him, and his deceit in dealing with him,Gen. 27.12. and ſo he might get a curſe inſtead of a bleſſing; How ought men to take heed and fear to diſſemble or deal deceitfully with the All-ſeeing God? eſpecially ſince he is ſo great a God (ſee him ſet forth in his greatneſſe Deut. 10.17) and therefore leſſe patient of affronts and indignities: he lookes to be ſerved like himſelf, and according to his excellent greatneſſe.

for I am a great king ſaith the Lord of Hoſts] Yea a great King, becauſe Lord of Hoſts. See the Note on Chap. 3.17) [non-Latin text not transcribed]. He is abſolute Monarch of the whole world: and by him it is that all other kings reign, and Princes rule Prov. 8.15. All other Soveraignes are but his ſubſtitutes, his Viceroyes; he makes them, and unmakes them at his pleaſure, as proud Nebuchadnezzar was forced to acknowledge. Hence he is rightly ſtiled a great King (a title anciently given to the kings of Perſia,Dan. 4: and now to the Grand Signior) yea,Joh. Manl. loc. com. he is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, in another ſenſe then Maximilian the Emperour of Germany ſaid that he was, becauſe the Princes and cities of the Empire were free ſtates, and yeelded him little obedience. God hath all the Kings of the earth at his beck and check: Conſtantine the great, Valentinian, and Theodoſius, three Emperours, called themſelves Vaſallos Chriſts, the vaſſals of Chriſt, as Socrates reporteth. And well they might; inaſmuch as all nations (taken together) are in compariſon of him, but as a drop of a bucket, and as the duſt of the ballance: behold he taketh up the Iſles as a very little thing, as one would take up a feather at his foot. And if a ſacrifice fitting for him ſhould be prepared, Lebanon would not be ſufficient to burn, nor all the beaſts thereof for a burnt-offering. All nations to him are as nothing &c. Act. 1 [non-Latin text not transcribed] Eſau. 40.15, 16. Simon Magus gave out, that he was ſome great matter: and the world hath been troubled with Alexander the Great, and Pompey the Great &c. But what's now become of all theſe Grandees, with their ſwelling titles, and loud bragg's. Hath not God long ſince cut off the ſpirits of theſe petty-Princes, and become terrible to the kings of the earth? Pſal. 76.12. where the word rendered cut off, ſignifieth that he ſlips them off, as one would ſlip a flower betwixt ones fingers, or a bunch of grapes off the vine. The kings of Perſia were wont to give laws to their people, ſitting in a chaire of State, under a vine tree of gold, that had as it were bunches of grapes made up of ſinaragds, or em'ralds, and other ſtones of greateſt price.Athen[illegible: 1 letter]us lib. 12. The King of heaven ſits upon a throne far more coſtly and ſtately: as may be ſeen Ezek. 1. Eſai. 6. Dan. 7. Omnino igit ur [illegible: 1 letter]portet nos, orationis tempore, curiam intrare coeleſtem, in qua Rex Regum ſtellato ſedet ſolio &c. as Bernard excellently inferreth, it behoveth us therefore at prayer-time, to enter into the Court of heaven,Bern de diverſ 25. where the King of Kings ſits in his ſtarrie and ſtately throne, environed with an innumerable number of glorious Angels, and crowned Saints; with how great reverence therefore, with how great fears, with how great humility ought a poore baſe toad creeping and crawling out of his ditch to approach ſo dreadfull a preſence?

and my Name is dreadful among the Heathen] It was ever ſo from the very diſtinction of men into Hebrews, and Heathens. At the firſt, before the covenant made with Abraham, all Nations were alike before the Lord. But as ſoon as it was ſaid, I will be thy God, and the God of thy ſeed after thee, the Church was evidently divided from the world, as light was from darkneſſe at the firſt creation. The Heathens God ſuffered to walk in their own wayes. Nevertheleſſe, he left not himſelf without witneſſe: but his Name was ever terrible and tremend amongſt them.Act. 24.16, 17. The Hittites honoured Abraham as a Prince of God, Pharaoh was raiſed up on purpoſe, that on him God might get him a name throughout all the earth, Exod. 9.16. Jethro heard of his doings in Egypt, and became a Proſelyte. The hearts of the Canaanits melted, and they were made to ſay, The Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath, Joſh. 2.11. The Philiſtins were woe-begon when they beheld the Ark of the God of Iſrael brought into the field: and were ready, as worms, to wriggle into their holes. The king of Babylon ſent Embaſſadours and a preſent to Hezechiah, becauſe he had heard that for his ſake God had cauſed the Sun to go back. Daniel records what a Name God had gotten him in his dayes all the world over. And after the captivity neer Malachi's time, the famous victories gotten by the Maccabees were far and neer diſcourſed of. Judis M ccabaeus had his name from the capital letters of this motto written in his Enſigne Mi camocha Elohim Jehovah, who is like unto thee O Lord among the Gods? But beſides, and above all this, Gods name is dreadfull among the Heathen in a ſpecial manner now; ſince the calling of the Gentiles, and the converſion of ſo many nations to the faith of Jeſus Chriſt, Maugre the malice of earth and of hell. This made Calocerius an Heathen ſay, Verè magnus eſ[illegible: 1 letter] Deus Chriſt anorum the God of the Chriſtians is a great God indeed. And another [non-Latin text not transcribed] your God is a moſt Majeſtick God. What a mouth of blaſphemy then opened that deſparate Papiſt John Hunt in his humble appeal to King James? The God of the Proteſtants, ſaith he, (whom he knowes to be the Father, Son, Chap. 6. of that Pamphlet. and holy Ghoſt) is the moſt uncivil, & evil-manner'd God of all thoſe who have born the name of gods upon the earth: yea, worſe then Pan God of the clowns, which can endure no ceremonies, nor good manners at all; True it is, that humane inventions in his ſervice, and Popiſh will-worſhips, our God will not away with. Such ſtrange fire if any preſume to bring before him, they may look to ſpeed as N[illegible: 1 letter]dab and Abihu, Core and his complices did: but he expects and requires that all his worſhippers ſhould come before him with reverence and godly fear: For even our God (no leſſe then the Jews God) is a conſuming fire. He is terrible out of his holy places Pſal. 68.35.Heb. 12.28. And albeit he loves to be acquainted with his people in the walkes of their obedience: yet (as a great King) he takes ſtate upon him in his ordinances, and wilbe trembled at in his word and Sacraments. Hence Chryſoſtome calles the Lords table, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. that dreadful table: and other Ancients cal Sacraments [non-Latin text not transcribed] terrible myſteries. He that comes to this table without his wedding garment may look to be taken from the table to the tormentor. That's a remarkable Text Exod. 34.10, 11. upon the nobles of the children of Iſrael he laid not his hand: alſo they ſaw God, and did eat and drink. So dreadful is God, and ſo infinite is the diſtance betwixt him and the greateſt Noble that comes to his table, that it is an honour they may be ſuffered to live in his ſight: how much more then to partake of his ordinances. Kings and judges are inſtructed to ſerve the Lord with fear, and to rejoyce before him with trembling, Pſal. 2.10, 11. This is horror ſaccr, ſaith à Lapide upon this text deſcanting upon their vulgar interpreter, who rendereth the word dreadful horrible, Et nomen meum horribile. But what an odde conceit was that of a certain Sophiſter at Paris,L. Vives de cauſ. corr. art. l. 3 who would needs be called the horrible Sophiſter, non minerem eam appellationem ratus q[illegible: 3 letters] Africani aut Aſiatici, ſaith Vives. Perhaps he had read this Text in the vulgar Tranſlation. Unleſſe they had the ſame law at Paris that they had in Italy,Eſpenc. in Tit. 1 that none ſhould read the Bible, leſt they ſhould thereby be made heretikes: but rather ſtudy Ariſtotle (whom Peter Lombard had brought into more requeſt then Saint Paul, as the Sorbon at Paris complained (or the Canon-Law, whereof Caroloſtadius had been eight yeers Doctour, ere he began to read the Scripture: and yet at the taking of his degree had been pronounced, Suſſicientiſſimus.