John Trapp on Haggai 2:12

Verſe 12. If one bear holy fleſh in the skirt &c.] problemes and parables are notable helps to the bolting out of the truth, and conviction of the gainſayers. For problemes, ſee Mat. 21.25. Mat 22.42. &c. For parables, ſee Judg. 9. that of Jotham, Mat. 21. Mat. 22. Mat. 13. of Nathan, 2 Sam. 12. of the woman of Tekoah, 2 Sam. 14. of our Saviour, concerning the two brethren ſent into the Vincyard, the wedding of the Kings ſon, the ſower &c. See the Note on verſe 10.

and the Prieſts anſwered and ſaid no] Roundly and readily: without hacking and hewing, without doubling and diſſembling; as thoſe perverſe prieſts, thoſe ſelfecondemned Hierophants, Mat. 21.27. that againſt their conſciences anſwered Ieſus and ſaid, We cannot tell. The wit of graceleſſe perſons will better ſerve them to faulter and fumble, deny, or deviſe a thouſand ſhifts to evade and elude the truth, then their malice will ſuffer them to yeeld to it, or profeſſe it. This is to detain the truth in unrighteouſneſſe, Rom. 1.18. as Plato, who had the knowledge of One God, yet he dared not to communicate it to the vulgar: and as ſome of the chief champions of Popery, who held juſtification by faith alone, but refuſed to ſay ſo, leſt their Dagon ſhould down, their Diana be deſpiſed. Let every ſpiritual man (but eſpecially Miniſters) be ready as to every good work, ſo to this of comparing ſpiritual things with ſpirituall, that he may judge or diſcerne of all things, 1 Cor. 2.13.15. according to the analogy of faith, Rom. 12.6. the tenour of the Scriptures, his ſure Cynoſura: and laying up all in his heart, Luke 2.18. he may have a treaſure there of new and old, a word of wiſdom and a word of knowledge [illegible: 1 letter]00, 1 Cor. 12.8. both as a Teacher, and as a Paſtour, to bring forth for common benefit.