Matthew Poole and continuators on Malachi 2:17

17 Ye have wearied the LORD with your words : Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say , Every one that doth evil is good in the sight of the LORD , and he delighteth in them , or Where is the God of judgment .

Ye Priests and People, slight in your Religion toward God, unfaithful in your Covenant with your Wives.

After the manner of m[illegible: 1 letter]n this is spoken of God.

Your perverse reasonings, or impious quarrellings against God, among which, one most ungodly and Atheistical, does come to be remarkt on.

When your discourse and reasoning is managed to the overthrow (if 'twere possible) of all morality and goodness.

Not one excepted by these illogical Atheists.

That is a wicked man, and doth wickedness (as you Prophets preach to us) is misrepresented by you, such are good men, and what they do is good; thus they call evil good; wo then to them!

In the account and judgment of God.

As appears (say these Atheists) by his prospering of them, did he not delight in them, would he so enrich and prosper them?

Or if they be evil, and their wayes, designs and doings be evil, and punishable; where is that God of Judgment? or why doth he delay execution of his displeasure against such men and wayes? I am apt to think that the irreligious sentiments of the Priests, their superficial managing of the solemn worship of God, their Adulteries, and multiplying of Wives hitherto unpunisht, had brought them either to think there was no such thing as Moral Goodness, or Moral Viciousness in mens Actions, or that if there were, since no punishment was laid on the vicious, nor any encouragement, or present reward bestow'd on the vertuous; that God did not, nor ever would concern himself to judge it; and so by an undue way of arguing, had concluded themselves into Atheism, the very height of wickedness. That this is likely enough, our Age confirms, in which unpunisht enormities, are Atheists Arguments against God and his Providence. And unless he damn them, they'l not believe the Being of a God; But such must remember, they shall know and believe it at last, if not too late.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] 3.24.; [illegible: 1 word] 3.15.