John Trapp on Malachi 2:7

Verſe 7. For the Prieſts lips ſhould keep knowledge] How elſe ſhould he be inſtant in lip-feeding?Dan. 12.3. how ſhould his lips preſent it, unleſſe they preſerve it? How ſhould he wiſe others, unleſſe he be wiſe himſelf? The Pope brags of an infalibillity, and pleads this Text for it: avouching, that he knowes all things knowable, and hath all wiſdome and skill lockt up in ſcrinio pectoris, in the cabinet of his breaſt. But what will they ſay of ſundry of their Popes that have been manifeſt hereticks? Iohn the 23. was accuſed in the Councell of Conſtance, for denying the Reſurrection of the body, and everlaſting life. And of all their Popes we may ſafely ſay as the Venetian Embaſſadors did: when the Pope laid his hand upon his breaſt and ſaid, Hic eſt Arca Noae, Lo here is Noahs Ark (meaning that he was the Church virtuall, and was enriched in all knowledge and in all utterance) One of them preſently replyed, that in Noahs Ark there were unclean beaſts, as well as clean: and ſo leſt him further to apply. The Prieſts lips indeed ſhould keep knowledge. But thoſe of Malachi his times, had forſaken the way, and cauſed many to ſtumble ver. 8. How this was we ſhall ſee when we come to it. Meane-while, we may take notice, that non libro ſacerdotis, ſed labro, non codice; ſed corde, conſervatur ſcientia: knowledge ſhould be kept, not in the Prieſts book, but in his boſom, as a ſtorehouſe: neither ſhould it lye low or long there, but ſit upon his lips, that all may have benefit by it. For the manifeſtation of the ſpirit is given to profit withall. 1 Cor. 12.7. And it was death for the Prieſt to enter into the ſanctuary without his golden bells about him, that he might be heard by all. [non-Latin text not transcribed] Greg. Pa[illegible: 1 letter]tor. A miniſter muſt be both able and apt to teach. Praedicationis officium ſuſcipit quiſquis ad ſacerdotium accedit, ſaith Gregory. Hee's no miniſter, that's no preacher. Nor can he be a Preacher, that is not ſtored with knowledge of Gods will, and peoples duty. See Mat. 13.32. with the Note. Walter ſurnamed Malclerk was ſurely no fit man to be Biſhop of Carlile; as he was by evill and corrupt meanes Anno. Dom. 1223. If the blind lead the blind both will fall into the ditch Mat. 15.14. but the blind guides will lye lowermoſt,Vives in Aug. de civ. Dei lib. 4. cap. 1. Pompon. Laet. de Rom. Sacerdot. and have the worſt of it. Varro complained of the Roman prieſts, that they were ignorant of many things about their own rites and Religions. Mucius Scaevola (being their High-Prieſt) derived Pontifex of Poſſe & facere. This derivation pleaſed not Varro: but it intimated that ſuch ſhould both be able and active to teach the people knowledge.B. Andr. It was a witty obſervation of a Biſhop who (was called in his time the gulfe of learning) that Doceo to teach governs two accuſative caſes: according to that Eſay 28.9. Whom ſhall I teach knowledge? Miniſters, ſaith He, muſt have whom to teach, & what to teach, viz. knowledge; and muſt therefore give attendance to reading, that they may the better to exhortation and doctrine. 1 Tim. Ier. 3.15. 4.13. that they may feed the people with knowledge and underſtanding.

And they ſhould ſeck the law at his mouth] as at an oracle; they ſhould depend upon the miniſtery, as the people hung upon our Saviours lips, Luk. 19. vlt. as David went into the Sanctuary to be reſolved of his doubt Pſal. 73. though himſelf were a prophet: and as Cornelius was appointed by the Angel, to ſend for Peter, for further information. But what muſt men ſeek at the Miniſters mouth? The law, 1 Pet. 2.2. 1 Cor. 2. 2 Cor. 1. Lib. 1 de Conſider. the ſincere milk of Gods word, the minde of Chriſt, the teſtimony of Jeſus, non nugas & fabulas, ſaith Bernard, not trifles and fables, not ſtrong lines, and ſtrains of wit, but the ſimple and plain words of God. Non Oratorum fili[illegible: 1 letter] ſumus ſed Piſcatorum, ſaid Nazianzen. Miniſters are not to ſtudy ſo much to pleaſe as to profit, to tickle mens ears, as to work upon their hearts. They muſt not ſo paint the window as to keep out the light: nor ſo put the ſword of the ſpirit into a velvet ſcabberd, that it cannot prick and pierce the heart. Let them handle, and ſet out the Law as skilfully, and adornedly as they can: but ſtill remember, that it muſt he diſpenſed, ſanctè magis quàm ſcitè, ſolidè potius quàm floridè, with fear and reverence, rather then with wit and dalliance. If in King Edward the fourths dayes a citizen in Cheap-ſide was executed as a traitour for ſaying he would make his ſon heire to the crown, Speed(though he onely meant his own houſe having a crown for the ſigne) more dangerous it muſt needs be to witwanton it with the Maieſty of God, Loquamur verba ſcripturae, utamur ſermone ſpiritus ſancti &c. Let us ſpeak ſcripture-language,Pet. Ramus let us uſe the ſpeech of the holy ſpirit, and not go about to correct the divine wiſdom and eloquence with our ſophiſtry and vain-babling. To the ears of that which Saint Peter calls the hid man of the heart, the plain-ſong alwayes makes the beſt muſick.1 Pet. 3. [illegible: 1 word] If heaven door may be opened to it by a key of iron, it cares not for a key of goid. A ſermon works not upon the heart as it is thus elegant or admirable, but as well fraught with teſtimonies of holy ſcripture (that moſt powerful Rhetoricke) it is an inſtrument of God appointed to ſuch an end. Let the people hear often, This is the law, this is ipſiſſimum Dei verbum, the very word of God; Shew ſcripture for what you deliver, and that will carry it. But ut drachmam auri ſine imagine principis, ſic verba hortantis ſine authoritate Dei contemnunt homines. Lipſius. The Law carrieth a Majeſty in it: and if Tully durſt ſay that the law of the twelve tables did exceed all the Libraries of Philoſophers, both in weight of authority, and worth of matter, how much rather is this true of the Law of God? Wherefore as Aeſchines ſaid of an Oratours, ſo let a miniſters diſcourſe, and the Law be uniſons: and let the people ask the Prieſts concerning the law, as they did Haggee 2.11. [non-Latin text not transcribed]. and not be like tidlings, that will not eat their milk unleſſe it be in a ſilver-diſh: but account it a ſingular happineſſe to live under thoſe lips (how thick ſoever, a thin lip is a ſigne of eloquence Job. 12.20.) which both keep knowledge, and utter it.

for he is the meſſenger of the Lord of Hoſts] Heb. the Angel (See the Note on Chap. 1.1.) and ſo the Septuagint and Vulgar render it. His office is as to ſtand before God and praiſe Him, ſo to carry meſſages from him to his people, and to be in his ſtead, 2 Cor. 5.20. Knoweſt thou not, (ſaith Chryſoſtom) who the Miniſter is? He is Gods Angel: he ſpeaketh not of himſelf, if thou deſpiſeſt, thou deſpiſeſt not him, but God that ſent him. And to the ſame purpoſe Ambroſe: The miniſter is Gods Angel to ſet forth the kingdom of Chriſt and eternal life: non ſpecie tibi aeſtimandus ſed munere; he is not therefore to be judg'd of by his outſide,Hom. 2. in ep. 2. ad Tim. Lib: de initiand cap. 2. [non-Latin text not transcribed] but by his office. Thoſe Sodomites that ſought to abuſe the Angels, are thrown forth for an example, ſuffering the vengeance of eternal fire, Iude 7. Behold, Chriſt himſelf hath aſſured us that Sodomy it ſelf is not an heavier ſin, nor more ſeverely puniſhed in hell, then the diſpiſing or abuſing of a Miniſter in the faithfull diſcharge of his duty. We ſhould therefore welcome ſuch with trembling, as the men of Bethlehem did Samuel, and as Cornelius did Peter; Commeſt thou peaceably? ſaid the Bethlemites, as ſuſpecting the purpoſe of ſome judgement. Now therefore are we all here preſent before God (not onely before thee,Act. 10.33. ſaid Cornelius) to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. If Ahab had been like-well-affected as theſe good ſouls, he would never have asked Eliah that abſurd queſtion, Art thou he that troubleth Iſrael? Alas what had the righteous Prophet done more than what by his office (as Gods Ambaſſadour or Meſſenger) he was bound to do? he taxed their ſin, he foretold the judgment: he deſerved it not, he inflicted it not: yet he ſmarts, and they are guilty. As if ſome fond people ſhould accuſe the Herald, or the trumpet, as the cauſe of their war: Or as ſome ignorant peſant, when he ſees his foules bathing in his pond, ſhould cry out of them, as the cauſes of foule weather. Saith a Divine It is a good thing to ſtand in awe of Gods Angels, and with reverence to receive their meſſage howſoever diſtaſtful unto us; conſidering they are but meſſengers.