John Trapp on Malachi 2:10

Verſe 10. Have we not all one Father?] Here begins a ſecond conteſtation, viz. with the people (as the former was with the Prieſts) for their unrighteous dealing; where we have ſo many words, ſo many arguments. In brevitate verborum eſt luxuries verum. How many Ones are here, and all to perſwade to unity. See the like Eph. 4.3, 4, 5. Let thoſe that take upon them to perſwade others to equity and unanimity, learn to marſhall their matter handſomely, and to fill their mouths with arguments, ſuch as may fall thick, and prevail,Iob 21.4. being ſeconded and ſet on with intimation of heartieſt affection. Oh that I could ſomewhere meet with you both together ſaid Auſtin to Hierome and Ruffinus (hearing of their differences) I would fall down at your feet with much love, and many teares, I would beſeech you for Gods ſake, for your own ſakes,Hei mihi qui vos alicubi invenire non poſſum &c. for weak Chriſtians ſake &c. not to ſuffer theſe diſſentions to ſpread further. So Mr. Bradford in a letter to a diſtreſſed Gentlewoman that was in a deſpairing condition, I beſeech you, ſaith He, I pray you, I deſire you, I crave at your hands with all my very heart, I ask of you with hand, pen, tongue and mind in Chriſt, through Chriſt, for Chriſt, for his name, blood, mercy, power and truths ſake,Act. and Mon. that you admit no doubting of Gods finall mercyes toward you, howſoever you feel your ſelf. Oh that I could get words (ſaid Another holy man to his hearers) to gore your very hearts with ſmarting pain, that this doctrine might be written in your fleſh? By this One Father in the Text is meant Adam, ſay the moſt Interpreters, who was the common Parent of us all, and the very ſtock and root, from whence all mankind did ſpring. It is therefore a ſin againſt Nature it ſelf and common humanity, to deal treacherouſly againſt another, or to hide thy ſelf from thine own fleſh Iſa. 58.7. This is to be more unreaſonable then beaſts, birds, and fiſhes, which love their own kind; and thoſe that ſeed on fleſh will not eat the fleſh of their own kind. But our Age over-aboundeth with unnaturall Maneaters, that (not only fike a pickrell in a pond, or ſhark in the ſea, devour the leſſer fiſhes of another alloy, but alſo) eat up Gods people, as they eat bread, make no more conſcience,Pſal. 14.5. nay take as much content in undoing a poor brother, as in eating a meals-meat, when they are hungry: they make but a breakfaſt of a whole repreſentative Nation; as thoſe gun-powder-papiſts deſigned to do. How oft are wicked Oppreſſours compared to hunters, for their cruelty, and fowlers for their craft? to ſhew that they ſpare none that fall into their nets: young, old, male, female, all go together into the bag. This raiſed a great cry of the people, and of their wives againſt their brethren, thoſe uſurious Jews, that had both robb'd and raviſhed them,Pſal. 10.9 Nehem. 5.1. And what could they ſay for themſelves, but the ſame in effect with this in the text. Yet now our fleſh is as the fleſh of our brethren, our children as their children, &c?

have we not all one father? hath not One God created us?] Here the Prophet riſeth higher, viz. from Adam to God, out of whoſe mint when Man came firſt, he ſhone moſt glorious, for he was Gods own workmanſhip created unto love and good works: Epheſ. 2.10 yea, as iron put into fire, ſeems to be nothing but fire: ſo Adam, come freſh out of Gods hands, who is perfect love and goodneſſe it ſelf, was no other then a very lump of love to God, and kindneſſe to his fellow-creatures. But now alaſſe, we may ſit and ſing, O quantum haec Niobe, &c. how ſtrangely are we altered, and fallen from our firſt love! and what great cauſe have we, with thoſe in Ezra, to think of this Temple that was burnt, and lament? yea, write Lamentations with Jeremy, and ſay, as He; They raviſhed the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah. Princes are hanged up by the hand, the faces of the Elders were not honoured, &c. Lam. 5. The wonder was the leſſe, becauſe theſe that did all this were of a different re[illegible: 2 letters]ion. [illegible: 3 letters] for thoſe that ſerve the ſame true God, the Creatour of all, to jarre and warre (as we, alaſſe, do at this day) this is lamentabile bellum, and ſpeaks a great decay and defect of the power of godlineſſe: true religion being of an uniting nature: and the ſtrongeſt tye. Sanatior ſane eſt copula cordis quam corporis. This Ioſephs brethren knew, and therefore held it their beſt plea, Gen. 50.17. And now we pray thee forgive the treſpaſſe of the ſervants of thy fathers God. They had one common father: but, as a better ſtring to their bowe, they had one common God. The very Turks are found to be much braver ſouldiers upon the Chriſtian,Voyage into Leuant. p. 89. then upon the Perſian, becauſe they begin alate to be infected with Perſianiſme, whom they acknowledge better Mahometans then themſelves.

why do we deal treacherouſly] Or, fraudulently. The Prophet puts himſelf into the number though innocent, that his reproof might the better take with them. That which he taxeth them for, is their wrong-dealing (in generall) one with another; whether it were by force or by fraud, by violence or cunning contrivance, which what is it elſe, [non-Latin text not transcribed] but crimen ſtellionatus, the very ſinne of couſenage, and hath God for an avenger? 1 Theſſ. 4.6. Now it is dangerous offending him whoſe diſpleaſure and revenge is everlaſting, and who oft calls to reckoning after our diſcharges. Take heed therefore of all ſorts of injuſtice. Curſe not the deaf, lay not a ſtumbling-block before the blind: but fear the Lord Jehovah, Lev. 19.14. And conſidering that to deal treacherouſly with another (a brother eſpecially) is a ſinne (as hath been above-ſaid) both againſt nature and religion: both againſt Race and Grace (which teacheth righteouſneſſe as well as holineſſe, Tit. 2.12. and turning the leopard into the lamb, &c. cauſeth that none do hurt to, or deſtroy another in all Gods holy mountain, Eſay 11.6.) let us ſo carry our ſelves, as that, with bleſſed Paul, we may glory and ſay, We have wronged no man, we have conſumed no man, we have defrauded no man, &c. 2 Cor. 7.2.

by profaning the covenant of our fathers] i. e. by degenerating from the promiſes, and practiſes of our pious progenitours. Of this ſee verſe 8. A certain popiſh Prince ſaid, It is not amiſſe to make covenants: but wo be to him that is neceſſitated to keep them. He had learned, (belike of Machiavel) fidem tamdiù ſervandam eſſe quamdiù expediat, that covenants are to be kept ſo long as a man ſhall ſee cauſe.Eos foedera neſcire. That which was anciently ſaid of the Thracians is now verified of the papiſts, that they keep no covenants, with heretikes eſpecially. The Turks (taught by them) ſay, There is no faith to be kept with dogs, that is with Chriſtians. Their leagnes grounded upon the law of Nations, and ſolemnly confirmed by oath, have with them no longer force then ſtandeth with their own pleaſure and profit. And if Turks and Papiſts onely were truce-breakers, and fedifragies, it were the better to be born with. But what ſhall we ſay to thoſe Chriſtianecategori (as Bellarmine ſaith a certain ſort of heretikes were called of old) thoſe blots and botches of Chriſtian religion, and holy ſociety, that can ſay and unſay at pleaſure, De. eccleſ. triumph. l. 2. c. 11. make vows to God in their diſtreſſe, and break them as faſt when delivered? Juſt like thoſe Jews in Ieremy, chap. 34. that ſet free their ſervants when the enemy lay before the walls: but reduced them into bondage, when the ſiege was raiſed, though they had cut the calf in twain, and paſſed between the parts thereof; a moſt ſolemne way of ſealing up covenants. So dealt their fathers before them, Pſal. 78.34, 35, 36, 37. And ſo dealt here their Nephews after them. They profaned the covenant of obedience to Gods commandements, that their fathers, for themſelves and their ſucceſſours, entred into. But ſhould men thus play with covenants as children do with nuts? ſhould they ſlip them at pleaſure, as Monkeys do their collars? ſhould they ſnap them in ſunder, as Sampſon did his cords? Had Shimei peace that brake his oath to Solomon? or Zedekiah that kept not touch with Nebuchadnezzar? &c.