John Trapp on Malachi 2:4

Verſe. 4. And ye ſhall know that I have ſent &c.] That is, ye ſhall know by wofull experience: your puniſhment ſhall advertiſe you: the curſe appendent to the commandement ſhall teach you as Gideon taught the men of Succoth ſo. with thorns and and briers of the wilderneſſe, Jud. 8.16. and as David taught the children of Ammon better behaviour, by making them paſſe thorough the brick-kilne, 2 Sam. 12.31 and as the Phrygians wax not wiſe, unleſſe they be beaten to it, when Gods judgments are in the earth, Judg. 3.20. the inhabitants of the world will learn righteouſneſſe Iſai. 26.9. Smart makes wit, and vexation giveth underſtanding. Ehuds ponyard was a meſſage from God; who as he is ſaid to hold his peace when he puniſheth not Pſal. 50.21. Eſay 42.14. ſo to preach and teach when he doth Eſay 28.19. his ſcourges are mens ſchool-maſters [non-Latin text not transcribed], One calls them, Gods free-ſchool-maſters,) curſtand crabbed enough, but ſuch as whereby he openeth mens ears to diſcipline, and commandeth them to return from iniquity: Iob 36.8, 9, 10. Then he ſheweth them their work, and their tranſgreſſions that they have exceeded, that they have ſlighted the commandement which he had ſent them, and that now he would plead with them another way, ſo. with patience, and with blood, Ezek. 38.22. and ſo would cauſe them to paſſe under the rod, that thereby he might bring them into the bond of the covenant, purging out the rebels, and them that tranſgreſs, Ezek. 20.37, 38. God ſhould have no tribute from men (as thoſe Malignants ſuggeſted againſt the returned captives, Ezra 4.13: if he did not make them know his breach of promiſe Num. 14.34. if he did not break covenant with them that firſt play falſe with him, and keep no condition on their part required. See 2 Chron. 15.2. and when thou art making a covenant with ſin, ſay to thy ſoul, as Boaz ſaid to his kinſman Ruth 4.4. At what time thou buyeſt it, thom muſt have Ruth with it. If thou wilt have the pleaſure of ſin, the wages of wickedneſſe, thou muſt alſo have the curſe &c. and let thy ſoul anſwer as he there doth, No, I may not do it, I ſhall mar and ſpoil a better inheritance. Polanus and others diſlike the reading of this text in the future tenſe ye ſhall know that I haue ſent this commandment, and tell us that the ſcope of the Prophecy requires, that it be read in the preſent tenſe thus, Nam citis, For ye do know that I have ſent &c. You know your dignity and duty as Prieſts:Vos probe cognitum habetis &c. Polan. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. and yet ye wilfully croſſe your own knowledge and conſcience. Knowledge is a divine gift: it is the great talent of all other: there is a (much) ſet upon it, Lak. 12.48. there is a ſpecial d[illegible: 1 letter]p[illegible: 1 letter]ſuum in it, as the word there uſed importeth. To know heavenly things is to ſcend into heaven ſaith Agur Prov. 30.4. But as the devil (that knowing creature, that hath his name in Greek from the largneſſe of his objective knowledge) was once an Angel of light till he fell from his dignity, Jud. 6. [non-Latin text not transcribed] quaſi [non-Latin text not transcribed] ſo thoſe that corrupt themſelves in that they know Jude 10.Rom. 1.18. that impriſon the light they have (as a prophet from God) in unrighteouſneſſe: that know the commandment ſent from God, as here, and yet after that they have known the way of righteouſneſſe, do turn from the holy commundement delivered unto them, the latter end will be worſe with thoſe men then the beginning 2 Pet. 2.20, 21. they have but aſpired to an higher pitch that their fall might be the more deſperate. Neronis illud, Quantus artifex perco quadrabi t[illegible: 1 letter]in te peritum & periturum ſaith One. Thou doeſt but carry Uri h's letters about thee to thine own utter deſtruction. Thou maiſt go to hell with much knowledge in thy head: as a bull with a coronet and garland goes to the ſlaughter. Thou mayeſt alſo, for this one fault meet with an hell aforehand in thine own conſcience, as Spira did; crying out to thoſe about him, to learn of him to take heed of ſevering knowledge and practiſe. What elſe was it that brought ſuch [illegible: 1 letter]o [illegible: 1 letter]ring and troubles both inward and outward on thoſe Eſay 59.11, 12. and that when ſalvation was looked for? Our iniquities, ſay they, teſtifie to our faces, and we know them. All ſins offend conſcience: but ſins againſt knowledge waſte and deſtroy it. A dangerous degree, drawing neer that ſin to which ſacrifice is denyed. For ſins againſt the law, though againſt knowledge, there was an attonement, Levit. 6.1. to the 8. and he inſtanceth in perjury. But to perſecute the known truth with malice,Heb. 19 26. for this ther's no ſacrifice.

that my covenant might be with Levi] Levi did not thruſt himſelf into the Prieſthood: but was taken by God into ſpecial covenant. See Num. 8.13, 14. 1 Sam. 2.28. Heb. 5.4. No man taketh this honour unto himſelf, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. Or if he do he ſhall ſmoke and ſmart for it, as Saul, Vzziah and others: no man might come uncalled to the king of Perſia, upon pain of death: much leſſe to the King of heaven, as Kore and his complices, whom God hath hanged up in gibbets, as it were, for example to all bold intruders upon that tremend function of the Miniſtery. Men out of office are not ſent of God, therefore they may not preach though gifted men Rom. 10.15. with Eſay 52.8. All that are in office to preach are Apoſtles, Evangeliſts, Prophets, Paſtours or Teachers Eph. 4.11. Elders onely my preach Tit. 1.5. And the contrary would prevent, the Apoſtle willeth that in the Church all things be done decent'y and in order, 1 Cor. 14.4. which could not be if all were teachers: for then there would be no diſtinction of Miniſters and people. But Are all teachers? ſaith the Apoſtle 1 Cor. 12.29. And he anſwers himſelf, No, but onely thoſe whom God did ſet, verſe 13. like as he ſet apart the tribe of Levi, to execute the Prieſts office: which whiles Corah, Dathan and Abiram ſought to impugne, and level, they went quick into the pit Num. 16.30. Meddle not therfore without a calling; that in the day of Gods diſpleaſure you may appeal unto him with Jeremy, and ſay, As for me I have not haſtened or thruſt in my ſelf for a Paſtour after thee: neither have I deſired the woful day, thou knoweſt: that which came out of my lipps was right before thee. Jer. 17.16. And being able ſafely to ſay this, thou mayeſt binde upon it, that God who is in covenant with all his Levi's, his faithful Miniſters, will be their ſhield and their exceeding great reward, how ever the world deal with them.