John Trapp on Malachi 2:8

Verſe 8. But ye are departed out of the way] Heb. from that way, viz. that good old way of your progenitours: you are nothing like Levi, but are wofully degenerated from the practiſe of your Predeceſſours, and have ſwerved from your fathers foot-ſteeps: though ye have the ſame place, and enjoy the ſame priviledges. This is a foul fault and condemned even by the Heathen Sages. Seneca tells us with indignation, that Socrates his ſons were more like their mother, a froward woman, then their father the wiſeſt of men: according to that, ſaying, Partus ſequitur ventrem, the birth follows the belly. Young Cicero was for his intemperancy,Heroum filij nox[illegible: 1 letter]. and exceſſe in drinking ſir named Tricongius. Caligula, that monſter, was the ſon of Noble Germanicus. But we have ſcripture inſtances not a few. Not to ſpeak of Eli his ſons, and of Samuels, Solomon degenerates from his father David who had carefully taught him better Prov. 4.4. and ſo had his mother Prov. 31. (which one calls Bathſheba's Catechiſme, another Lemuels leſſon) Iehoran[illegible: 1 letter] is taxed for his not walking in the wayes of his father Iehoſhaphat, and his Grandfather Aſa, as if there had been no intervention of an Hezekiah. Ionathan the ſon of Gerſhom the ſon of Manaſſeh that Idolatrous Prieſt mentioned Iud. 18.30. is thought to have been the grandſon of Moſes: ſo the Hebrews tell us: and that therefore the Nun in Manaſſeh is ſuſpended above the reſt of the letters.Euxtorf. Certain it is that Nabal the fool was of the line of faithful Caleb 1 Sam. 25.3. to teach us, that vertue is not, as lands inheritable. All that is traduced with the ſeed is either evil, or not good. Grace is by gift, and not by deſcent. Hence that prayer of Davids courtiers 1 King 1.47. God make the name of Solomom better then [illegible: 1 letter]thy name. Agreeable whereunto is Hectors prayer in, Homer for his ſon —[non-Latin text not transcribed] I wiſh he may be a better man then his father. And that of Juvenal, Malo pater tibi ſit Therſites, dummodò tu ſis Aeacidae ſimilis, Vulcania que arma capeſſas, Quam te Therſitae ſimilem producat Achilles.

ye have cauſed many to ſtumble at the law] Which is a very dangerous thing: like as it is to ſtumble on a bridge: A bridge is made to give us a ſafe paſſage over a dangerous river: but he who ſtumbles on the bridge is in no ſmall danger to fall into the river. The word is given as a means to cary us over hell unto heaven: But he who ſtumbles at this means (as by ſnuffing at it Mal. 1.13. chatting againſt it and conteſting with it, as oft in this prophecy, caſting reproaches upon it, Jer. 20.8, 9. gathering odious conſequences from it, Rom. 3.8. &c.) ſhall fall in thither, from whence otherwiſe he had been delivered by it. This miſchief many fell into, in Malachi his dayes, by the means of thoſe ungodly Prieſts who either taught them not better, or otherwiſe drew them into ſinful courſes by their corrupt gloſſes, or leud practiſes. Evil examples of miniſters have a ſtrong influence upon their people: and the ſins of Teachers are the teachers of ſins: The leaders of this people have made them to erre Eſay 9. Corruption commonly (as in a fiſh) begins at the head;Cicero. ne que ſolùm obſunt Principes, quòd illi ipſi corrumpuntur, ſed etiam quòd corrumpunt: pluſquam exemplo quam peccato nocent, ſaith the Oratour: they that are in office do a great deal of miſchief by incouraging others in evil, through their evil example. Jupiters adulteries drew the people to like wantonneſſe. Magis intuentur quid facerit Jupiter quam quid docuit Plato, ſaith Auſtin; They look more what Jupiter did, then what Plato taught. I have read of a woman, who living in profeſſed doubt of the God-head, after better illumination and repentance, did often proteſt, that the vicious life of a great ſchollar in that town did conjure up thoſe damnable doubts in her ſoul.Mr Wards Serm. In the time of Pope Clemen[illegible: 1 letter] the fifth, the Church was ſo ill governed, and things ſo corruptly carried at the court of Rome, that Frederick King of Sicily duobted much of the truth of the Chriſtian religion: but was confirmed, and his minde better ſetled by Arnoldus de villa nova who ſhewed him, that Offences muſt come, but wo be to them by whom they come. Jacob. Reu. de vit Ponti. p. 198. A ſcandalous prieſt is a ſingular miſchief: for he falls not alone, but (as when a main ſtone in a building, or a tall cedar falls) he draws many with him into fellowſhip of errours, and enormities: as did Hymenaeus and Philetus, 2 Tim. 2.18. and as the dragon with his long and ſtrong tail, drew the third part of the ſtars of heaven, and threw them to the earth, Rev. 12.4. When the Paſtours become bruitiſh, all the flocks are ſcattered, Ier. 10.21.

ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi] The covenant on Gods part with Levi was a covenant of ſalt, and could not be corrupted, Num. 18.19. non comutreſ[illegible: 2 letters]t vetuſtate, ſaith Flaccius, it putrifieth not with age, or long ſtanding: as that pillar of ſalt into which Loss wife was turned, and of which Joſephus ſaith, that ſomething of it was to be ſeen till his time. But theſe degenerate prieſts had abandoned Gods holy fear, they did not humble and tremble before his Name, as Lovi their father had done, verſe 5. they had falſified with God, and ſo forfeited his favour. It was with them as Cajetan complains, and confeſſes of the Popiſh prieſts; that whereas by their places they ſhould have been the ſalt of the earth, they had loſt their ſavour, and were good for little elſe, but looking after the rites and revenues of the Church: therefore God held himſelf diſobliged,Comment. Matth. and was reſolved that they ſhould bear the iniquity of their prieſthood, Lev. 18.1. that is, the puniſhment of their iniquity notwithſtanding the prieſthood. That ſhould be no protection to them, but an aggravation: becauſe they fell as if they had not been anointed: Ideo deteriores ſumus quia meliores e[illegible: 1 letter]e debemus Salvian: and were therefore the worſe, becauſe they ſhould have been better. God holds himſelf not bound to perform covenant with them that break with him: for why ſhould he give the childrens bread to dogs? why ſhould he caſt away his favours upon thoſe that value them not? We have the Covenant, the Seals, the Miniſtery, &c. (and this is a ſingular happineſſe, Eſay 19.25. Aſſyria is the work of Gods hands, but Iſrael his inheritance.) But alaſſe, are not theſe bleſſings amongſt us as the Ark was among the Philiſtines, rather as priſoners, then as priviledges? rather in teſtimonium & rninam quam in ſalutem, for a teſtimony againſt us, and for our further ruine, then for our ſafety here, and ſalvation hereafter? O conſider how God hath caſt off the Iſraelites, notwithſtanding his covenant with their fathers: and when in their neceſſity, they would have forced acquaintance with him, he would not look upon them, Judg. 10.14. The ſword hath broken in pieces thoſe ſeven golden candleſticks in Aſia, merely for their covenant-breaking. See the Note on verſe 5.