John Trapp on Malachi 1:8

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.