Matthew Poole and continuators on Malachi 1:2

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.