John Trapp on Malachi 1:14

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.