John Trapp on Malachi 2:6

Verſe 6. The law of truth was in his mouth] Hitherto hath been ſet forth what the Prieſts of old were for their own particular, and as private perſons: they were not high-minded but feared God. Now as Pulpit-men and publike Teachers, they have here a four-fold commendation. And firſt, that Truth was their ſtudy and trade: they were expert in it, and had an excellent faculty in communicating their conceptions of it to others; ſo that if they did but open their mouthes almoſt, it was a ſermon: they had a ready and eaſie way of diſcourſe, an holy volubility and dexterity of delivering themſelves to the benefit of others: as the law of God was in their hearts, ſo their mouthes ſpake wiſdome, and their tongues talked of judgement, Pſal. 37.30, 31. Out of the good treaſure of their hearts they could throw forth at pleaſure good things, for the edification of others: yea, like full clouds, they willingly diſtilled, and like full paps they were in pain till eaſed of their milk. Neither medled they onely with toothleſſe truths, leſt themſelves ſhould be leſt toothleſſe, (as One ſaid, Truth is a good miſtreſſe, but he that followeth her too cloſe at heels, ſhall have his teeth ſtruck out) as Balac bad Bala[illegible: 1 letter]m neither curſe nor bleſſe at all: and as the Papiſts were wont to ſay, Miſſa non mordet, the Maſſe biteth no man:Ezek 13.10 But they held, that truth muſt be ſpoken however it be taken: and abhorred to be looked upon as the devils dire-dawbers, and upholſters, to dawb with untempered morter, or to ſowe pillows under their elbowes. They affected rather to be ſtiled (as Arrianus the Hiſtorian was) [non-Latin text not transcribed], Lovers of Truth, plain-dealers:Eâ libertate ſcripſit Imperatorum vitas [illegible: 1 letter]ua ipſi vixe [illegible: 2 letters]nt. Lib. ult hiſt. Exod. 28.30 and, as it is reported of Suetonius, they took the ſame liberty to cry down ſinne, that men did to commit it. Elian tells us that the High-prieſt among the Egyptians wore about his neck a Saphir-ſtone, which was called [non-Latin text not transcribed], Truth. This was but an apiſh imitation of Aarons Ʋrim and Thummim, s. e. light of truth, and integrity of life. Mercuries Prieſts were wont to feed upon figs, and then to ſay, [non-Latin text not transcribed], Truth is ſweet. It is ſo indeed to thoſe that have their ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern good and evil. Heb. 5. ult. But moſt men cannot brook down right truth: the hearing of it galls them, as they write of ſome creatures, that they have fel in aure, their gall in their ears. Hence Truth breeds hatred, and plain-dealing is generally diſguſted: it is bitter in the ſtomacks of thoſe that hear it, though ſweet in the mouth of thoſe that utter it, Rev. 10.9. Micaiah would not budge, or be baſe in his errand to Ahab, though he were ſure to kiſſe the ſtocks for his ſtoutneſſe. Azariah the high-Prieſt withſtood king Ʋzziah to his face, and put him out of the Temple. Which whiles Ʋriah did not, but wickedly complied with idolatrous Ahaz, in making and ſetting up the altar of Damaſcus, 2 King. 16.11, 16. he is branded with a black-cole for a court-paraſite, and ſhall be infamous to all poſterity. His contemporary Eſay was of another ſpirit,Implevit poſt me. Num. 14.24. and fulfilled after God. (as it is ſaid of Caleb) He kept the law of truth in his mouth, and rolled it as ſugar under his tongue, though he ſuffered for it. For (as Hierom tells us) he was ſawn aſunder by his wicked countreymen, for two cauſes. Firſt, becauſe he ſaid he had ſeen the Lord.Hier. in Iſa. 1. ex Rabbin. Secondly, becauſe he called the great Ones of Judah, Princes of Sodom, and Rulers of Gomorrah, Quintilian ſaith of Veſpaſian the Emperour, that he was patientiſſimus veri, very patient of truth, though it never ſo much touched him. But not many ſuch to be met with. Aſa though otherwiſe a good Prince, yet fell out grievouſly with Gods Prophet, for his plain-dealing, and layed him by the heels. Queen Elizabeth dealt little better with a Biſhop that had in a zealous Sermon admoniſhed her to think on her laſt end,The Newlanders cure by Sr. Wil Vaugh. by reaſon of her great age, which few Princes had attained unto, and of the Clymactericall year of her life, which happened at that time. The Biſhop had the Queens Apage, but Gods Enge. And ſo ſhall all Truths-Chaplains have, however the world entertain them. Wiſdome ſhall be juſtified of her children, Act. 20.26, 27 and God will ſee to their ſafety, modo audeant quae ſentiunt, ſo they ſhew men all the counſel of God, and keep back nothing, that they have in charge to deliver.

and iniquity was not found in his lips] Heb. Croſſeneſſe or Crookedneſſe: Chaldee, No falſeneſſe. He did not preach diſtorted doctrines that produce convulſions of conſcience, as thoſe Seducers did Act. 20.30. He did not handle the word of God deceitfully, or fraudulently, as thoſe deceitfull workers did 2 Cor. 11.13. Neither did he broach errours, and writh from the right way for ſelf-reſpects, ſetting his diall by that Sunn; 1 Theſſ. 2.3. But being of a moſt maſculine, diſingaged, and noble ſpirit, that hath received the truth in the love of it, he will not be drawn to falſity or faulter, to huckſter the word, or handle it craftily and covetouſly: but as of ſincerity, but as of God, in the ſight of God &c. 2 Cor. 2.17. Without mixture of errours, or humane inventions. Let Phariſees ſoure mens ſoules with their leaven of falſe doctrine. Let thoſe Inhabitants of the Sea (as they are called Rev. 12.12.) Popiſh Padres ſet abroach groſſe, troubled, brackiſh Tenents which rather bring barrenneſſe to their hearers, and gnaw their bowels, then either quench thirſt, or yeeld good fruit: He that feares God can pitty poor ſoules made prize of by Sectaries and Seducers;Col. 2.8. and knowing that he that breaketh the leaſt of Gods commandements and teacheth men ſo, ſhall be leaſt in the kingdome of heaven Mat. 5.19. (that is, nothing at all there Mat. 20.16.)Pſal. 19.104 he hateth every falſe way with David: and takes care that no iniquity be found in his lips.

he walked with me in peace and equity] i. e. He kept conſtant correſpondency and communion with me, ſo that we never diſagreed or differed. For can two walk together, and they not agreed? He was like-minded to me in all things, and obſerved my law in every point and part thereof. An high commendation and a neceſſary qualification in a miniſter, that he not only talk of God, but walk with him: and that not looſely and at all adventures, but ſtricktly and exactly, as a pattern of the rule, as a tranſcript of his own ſermon, ne verba factis deficientibus erubeſcant, leſt his words bluſh for want of deeds accordingy:Tertull. ne virtutis ſtragulum pudefaciat, leſt he put honeſty to an open ſhame, as Antipater did, when being vitious he wore a white cloke, the enſigne of innocency: leſt his life gives his lips the lye, as it fared with thoſe Phariſees that ſaid and did not Mat. 23.3. The fooliſh Virgins were found with their Sic dicentes ſo ſaying, but the faithfull ſervants ſhall be found with their Sic facientes ſo doing. And when men come to give account, it ſhall be enquired non quid legerint, ſed quid egerint non quid dixerint, ſed quomodo vixerint, not what they have taught others, but what they have practiſed themſelves. Origens preaching and living were ſaid to be both one. Quod juſſit & geſſit. So did Mr. Bucer, whom his friends could never ſufficiently praiſe: nor his foes in any point find fault with his ſingular life and ſincere doctrine.Bern. Act. and Mon.

and did turn away many from iniquity] The effect of his unſpeakable labours and unblameable life was converſion of ſoules, and thoſe not a few. God ſometimes gives a Paſtour after his own heart to ſuch places, where he takes but one of a city, or two of a family. Ier. 3.14, 15. Quod ſi decimus quiſque, ſi unus perſuaſus fuerit &c. ſaith Chryſoſtom. If one in ten be gained, nay if one of ten thouſand be turned from iniquity, it is a great mercy. Nay (ſaith He) ſay that none be converted, the faithful Miniſter that indeavours their converſion, though he effect it not, non minus praemii, ſhall have no leſſe reward, then if he had prevailed for their converſion. Some good Divines think he ſhall have more then thoſe that do convert; becauſe they have praemium ante praemium, that which may encourage them in Gods work: but he does his utmoſt amidſt all diſcouragement. Well may Ephraim love to tread out the corn, becauſe while he treads,Hoſ. 10.11. he ſeeds on the corn: but to beare and draw, to plow and work, where no refreſhing was to be had till the work was done, this that delicate heifer cared not to doe. But he is an happy man that hath any hand in turning men from iniquity, though fruit, for preſent, appear not. The new birth of ſome is like the birth of the Elephant, foureteen years after the ſeed injected into the womb. And that divine Proverb is not ſeldome verified, One ſeweth, and Another reapeth. Ioh. 4.37. The Miniſtry is Gods arme to gather people into his boſom: and the weapons of our warfare are mighty thorough God 2 Cor. 10.4. Surely as the rain commeth down and the ſnow from heaven &c. Eſay 55.10, 11. And as the rain from heaven hath a fatneſſe with it, and a ſpeciall influence more then ſtanding water: ſo hath preaching more then reading. Howbeit there may be fruit and yet inviſible, as in Elias his time.Act. 18.10. And that which doth not yet appear, may hereafter, when the day of viſitation comes. See Iob 33.14. &c. God may have much people in the city, and Paul, for the preſent, not know ſo much. A maſter doth not uſe to ſetup a light, but there is ſome work to be done by it: and ſeldome doth he ſend his ſervants afield with their ſiths, to mow thiſtles only. Let Gods faithfull witneſſes propheſie out their 1260.Rev. 11.3. dayes: bending themſelves to that office unceſſantly, being inſtant in ſeaſon, and out of ſeaſon, and turning themſelves, as it were, into all ſhapes and faſhions, both of ſpeech, and of ſpirit, to turn people from iniquity:2 Chron. 19. and then God will be with the good, as that Prophet ſpeaks in another caſe. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life: and he that winneth ſouls, is wiſe Prov. 11.30. Say he cannot win as he would, but labour all night and take nothing, yet he ſhall be paid for his paines: as the Phyſitian is, though the patient dye. Curam exigeris, non curationem, ſaith Bern. It is the care, not the cure of your charge that is charged upon you. You may ſpeak perſwaſively, but it is God only that can perſwade Japhet to dwell in the tents of Sem: Paul may plant &c. but God only giveth the increaſe. You ſhall be held wiſe, and ſhine as ſtarrs in heaven, whether you win ſoules or not. As there are diverſity of gifts, ſo of operations 1 Cor. 12.6. and the Holy Ghoſt may and doth work when and how he pleaſeth: but uſually he delights to honour thoſe of moſt ſincerity, with moſt ſucceſſe as 1 Cor. 15.10.