John Trapp on Malachi 3:5

Verſe 5. And I will come neer to you to judgement] q. d. You conceit mea great way off, and put far from you the thoughts of my comming, having been ſo bold as to ask, Where is the God of judgement &c. Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me. Not, as you deſired, to avenge you of your enemies, but as juſtice requireth, to be avenged of you for your impieties which I have here billed up againſt you. And that ye may not think to eſcape, know that as I am a Judge at hand, ſo a preſent witneſſe, teſt is feſtinantiſſimus a moſt ſwift witneſſe, to evict and puniſh you, for your moſt ſecret ſins. So then, howſoever the Lord ſpare long, yet he will be at length, both a haſty witneſſe and a ſevere Judge againſt thoſe that abuſe his patience: he will not alwayes ſtand them for a ſinning-ſtock, but pay them home for the new and the old. Ier. 6.6. Mic. 1.3 God owed a revenge to the houſe of Eli: and yet at length, by the delation of Doeg, takes occaſion to pay it. It is a vain hope that is raiſed from the delay of judgement: No time can be any prejudice to the Ancient of dayes. If his word ſleep, it ſhall not dye: but after long intermiſſions breaks forth into thoſe effects which men had forgotten to look for, and ceaſed to fear. The ſleeping of vengeance cauſeth the overſlow of ſin Eccleſ. 8.11. and the overſlow of ſin cauſeth the a wakening of vengeance Pſal. 50.21. ſo that ſometimes he ſtrikes ere he gives any ſinther warning: as Abſalom intending to kill Amnon, ſpake neither good nor evill to him. Subito tollitur qui diu toleratur. Till the fiery ſerpents, God had ever conſolted with Moſes, and threatened ere he puniſhed. Now he ſtrikes and ſayes nothing. The anger is ſo much more, by how much leſſe notified. Still revenges are ever moſt daugerous and deadly, when God is not heard before he is felt (as in hewing of wood, the blow is not heard, till the axe be ſeen to have ſtruck) or if he be heard to ſay as Neh. 1.9. what do ye imagine againſt the Lord? he will make an utter end: affliction ſhall not ariſe up the ſecond time: its a ſigne he is implacably hent, and meanes to have but one blow. The wickeds happineſſe will take its end ſurely and ſwiftly. The end is come, is come, is come, ſaith Ezechiel chap. 7. The Lord is come near to you to judgement, and he will be a ſpeedy witneſſe, Judge and witneſſe both: which in mens courts cannot be: but God being infinitely both wiſe and holy, may be and will be both witneſſe and Judge againſt the workers of iniquity: and when they are (as Adonijah's gueſts were 1 King. 1.) at the height of their joyes and hopes, he confounds all their devices, and layes them open to the ſcorn of the world, to the anguiſh of their own guilty hearts, and the dint of his own unſupportable diſpleaſure, which is ſuch as none can avert or avoid.

Ad poenam tardus Deus eſt, ad praemia velox, Sed penſare ſolet vi graviore moram. Poena venit grovior, quò magè ſera venit.

againſt the ſorcerers] Or Juglers, Wizzards, Negromancers &c. See the ſeveral ſorts forbidden, and to be puniſhed Deut. 18.10. By Gods law ſuch might not be ſuffered to live, Exod 22.8. yet did this evil prevail in Iſrael 2 Chron. 33.6. Jer. 27.9. and here, It was done by unlawful means, as Saul ſaid to the witch, Divine unto me by the familiar ſpirit, 1 Sam. 28.8. and it was a thing hateful to God, even as high rebellion, 1 Sam. 15.23. ſith the ground of this familiarity is a diobolical contract ovort, or covert, explicit or implicit. It is fitly called the black Art, for theres no true light in them that uſe it Iſai. 8.19. they depart from God and his teſtimony, ib. and ſo tempt the devil to tempt them. This was Sauls ſin, for which the Lord killed him 1 Chron. 10.13. and hath threatened to cut off all from among his people, that do enquire of ſuch, Levit. 20.6. Thou haſt been partaker with the adulterer, Pſal. 50.18. ſo are ſuch with ſorcerers. Surely the wounds of God are better then the ſalves of Satan; as Ahaziah found it. And they which in caſe of loſſe or ſickneſſe &c. make hell their refuge, ſhall ſmoke and ſmart for it in the end. Satan ſeeks to them in his temptations, they in their conſultations ſeek to him: and now that they have mutually found each other, if ever they part, it is a miracle: He is an unſpeakable proud ſpirit, and yet will ſtoop to the meaneſt man or woman to be at their command (the witch of Endor is twice in one verſe 1 Sam. 28.7. called the Miſtriſſe of the Spirit, becauſe in covenant with him) whereby he may cheat them, and their clients of Salvation. Every one that conſults with him, worſhips him, though he bow not, as Saul did: neither doth that old man-ſlayer deſire any other reverence, then to be ſought unto.

and againſt the adulterers] Sept. the adultereſſes. Adultrinum, qu [illegible: 1 letter]ſi ad alterum, out alterius torum, a going up to another mans bed, as Reuben did, and was ſeverely ſentenced for it, Gen. 49.4 It was to be puniſhed with death, even by the law of Nature: becauſe the ſociety and purity of poſterity could not otherwiſe continue amongſt men. Nebuchad. nazzar roaſted in the fire Zedekiah and Ahab two falſe prophets of Judah, becauſe they committed adultery with their neighbours wives, Jer. 29.22, 23. The Egyptians uſed to cut off the noſe of the adultereſſe: the Prophet alludes to this Ezek. 23.25. The Athenians, Lacedemomans, and Romans were very ſevere againſt this ſin; as Plutarch recordeth in his parallels. The old French and Saxons alſo, as Tacitus tells us. By Gods law they were to be ſtoned to death; and the High-prieſts daughter was to be burned for this fault, Lev. [illegible: 1 letter]1.9. a peculiar puniſhment, and not to be paralleld in the whole law. If men fail to fall upon ſuch (it is an hainous crime ſaith holy Job, and an iniquity to be puniſhed by the Judges,Venus ab antiquis [non-Latin text not transcribed] dicla See Pro. 5.8. Chap. 31.10.) God himſelf will do it, Heb. 13.4. and did it effectually, 1 Cor. 10.8. and on the filthy Sodomites, Gen. 19. and on Charles 2. King of Navar who was much addicted to this ſin, which ſo waſted his ſpirits, that in his old age he fell into a Lethargy. To comfort his benumbed joynts he was bound and ſewed up in a ſheet ſteeped in boyling Aquavitae. The Surgeon having made an end of ſewing him, and wanting a knife to cut off his threed, took a wax candle that ſtood lighted by him. But the flame running down by the threed, caught hold on the ſheet, which according to the nature of the Aquavitae burned with that vehemency, that the miſerable king ended his dayes in the fire. But ſay the adulterer be neither ſtoned, nor burned: yet God uſually ſtoneth ſuch with a ſtony heart, Hoſ. 4.11. which is a moſt fearful judgment: and when they die burneth them with the hotteſt fire in hell. Prov. 2.18. the whores gueſts go down to the dead. Heb. el Rephaim, to the Giants: to that part of hell where thoſe damned monſters are. See 2 Peter 2.10. and mark the word Chiefly.

and againſt falſe ſwearers] A ſin of an high nature, condemned by the height of nature, and puniſhed by the Heathens. Perjurij poena divina exitium; humana, dedecus; This was one of the laws of the twelve tables in Rome. God puniſheth perjury with deſtruction: men with diſgrace. Tiſſaphernes the Perſian General, being ovecrome by Ageſilaus King of Spartans, craved three-moneths truce, and had it: They both ſware to be quiet on both ſides. Tiſſaphernes ſoon brake his oath:Cornel Nepos in vit. Ageſ. but Ageſilaus religiouſly kept it, ſaying, that Gods and men would favour him for his fidelity, but curſe and execrate the other for his perjury. God ſhewed Zachary a flying role long and large, ten yards long, and five broad, full of curſes againſt the falſe ſwearer, with commiſſion to reſt upon his houſe, Zac. 5.3.4. which he he holds his caſtle, and where he thinks himſelf moſt ſecure. Michael Paleologus Emperour of Conſtantinople made the Greek Church acknowledge the Popes ſupremacie, and did many other things contrary to his oath: and therefore lieth obſcurely buried, ſhrouded in the ſheet of defame, ſaith the Hiſtorian.Turk. hiſt. So doth Rodulphus Duke of Sueveland, who by the Popes inſtigation broke his oath of allegiance to Henry the Emperour, and by the cutting off his faithleſſe right hand loſt his life. So doth Sigiſmund the Emperour, for his falſe dealing with John Huſſe. Ladiſlaus king of Hungary, for his perjurious ſetting upon Amurath the great Turk at the battle of Varna, where he was deſervedly defeated. What a blur was that to the old Romans, if true, that Mirchanes the Perſian General ſhould ſay of them, Roman is promitcere promptum eſt &c. Procop. 1. de. bello Perſic. The Romans will promiſe any thing, and ſwear to it, but perform nothing that makes againſt their profit? There were at Rome ſuch as could lend an oath at need: and would not ſtick to ſwear that their friend or foe was at Rome and at Interamna both at once. How ſlippery the Papiſts are, and how bloody, both in their Poſtions and diſpoſitions, is well known to all. But God is the avenger of all ſuch: becauſe they call him to witneſſe a falſhood: and dare him to his face to execute his vengeance. See Zach. 8.17.

and againſt thoſe that oppreſſe &c. Either by denying, diminiſhing, or delaying their wages. The vulgar rendereth it, Who calamniate, or make cavils to detain wages, which is the poor hirelings lively-hood, whereupon he ſetteth his heart Deut. 24.15. and maintaineth his life; which is therefore called the life of his hands,Iſai. 57.10. becauſe upheld by the labour of his Hands. He gets it, and eats it: and is in his houſe like a ſnail in his ſhell; cruſh that, and you kill him. This is a crying cruelty Jam. 5.4. and hath a woe againſt it Jer. 22.13. Jam. 2.13. Laban is taxed for it Gen. 31.7. and for thoſe that are guilty, if they mend not, and make reſtitution, Maſter Latimer tells them they ſhall cough in hell.

the widow] A calamitous name: ſhe is called in Hebrew from her dumbneſſe Almanan: becauſe, death having cut off her head, ſhe hath loſt her tongue, and hath none to ſpeak for her. A vine, whoſe root is uncovered, thrives not: ſo a widow, the covering of whoſe eyes is taken away, joyes not. God therefore pleads for ſuch as his clients, and takes ſpecial care for them: the Deacons were anciently ordained ſpecially for their ſakes Act. 6.1. 1 Tim 5.3. and Phariſees doomed to a deeper damnation for devouring widows houſes, Mat. 23.14. and Magiſtrates charged to plead for the widow, Iſai. 1.17. as judge Job did Chap. 31.16. and all ſorts to make much of her, and communicate to her, Deut. 24.19, 20, [illegible: 2 letters].

and the fatherleſſe] We are Orphans, and fatherleſſe, ſaith the Church Lam. 5.3. And we are all Orphans, ſaid Queen Elizabeth (in her ſpeech to the children of Chriſts Hoſpital) let me have your prayers, and you ſhall have my protection. That Hoſpital was founded by her brother King Edward the ſixth for the relief of father leſſe children, after the example of the ancient Church, which had her Orphanotroph Orphan-breeders. With God the fatherleſſe findeth mercy Hoſ. 14.3. and all his vice-gods are commanded the like, Pſal. 82.1, 2, 3, 4. unleſſe they will conſult ſhame and miſery to their own houſes, and Joab-like, leave the leproſy to their little ones for a legacy. Better leave them a wallet to beg from door to door, then a curſed hoard of Orphans goods.

and that turn aſide the ſtranger] The right of ſtrangers is ſo holy (ſaith Maſter Fox) that there was never nation ſo barbarous that would violate the ſame. When Steven Gardiner had in his power the renowned Peter Martyr then teaching at Oxford,Act. and Mon. fol. 1783. he would not keep him to puniſh him: but when he ſhould go his way, gave him wherewith to bear his charges.

and fear not me] This is ſet laſt as the ſource of all the former evils. See the like Rom. 3.18. and Pſal. 14.1. where Atheiſme and irreligion is made the root of all the ſin in the world. Gods holy fear is to the ſoul, as the banks are to the ſea, or the bridle to the horſe, it was ſo to Iſaac, who reigned in the reverend fear of God, when he ſaw that he had done unwilling juſtice, durſt not reverſe Jacobs bleſſing, though prompted to it by natural affection and Eſaus howlings, Gen. 27.33. It was ſo to Job, Joſeph, Nehemiah, Daniel &c. who could eaſily have born out their oppreſſions by their greatneſſe. And indeed whereas other men have other bits and reſtraints, great men, if they fear not God, have nothing elſe to fear: but dare obtrude and juſtifie to the world the moſt malepart miſdemenours, becauſe it is facinus major is abollae, Juvenal. the fact of a great one, who do many times as eaſily break through the lattice of the laws, as the bigger flies do through a ſpider-web, as Anacharſis was wont to ſay of his Scythians.Exod. 18. Hence Jethro would have his Juſtice of peace to be a man fearing God: And this qualification he fitly placeth in the midſt of the other graces requiſit to him, as the heart in the body, for conveying life to all the parts, or as a dram of musk perfuming the whole box of oyntment Exod. 18.21. Nothing makes a man ſo good a patriot as the true fear of Gods bleſſed name, and a zealous forwardneſſe for his glory, goodneſſe, and good cauſes. This, this alone is it that can truly beautifie and adorn all other perſonal ſufficiencies, and indeed ſanctifie and bleſſe all publick imployments, and ſervices of ſtate. Whereas on the contrary, ſublat à pietate, ſides tollitur, take away piety, and fidelity is gone; as we ſee in the unjuſt judge Luk. 18.2. in Abrahams judgement of the Philiſtines Gen. 20.11. and in Conſtantinus Chlorus his experiment of his Councellours and Courtiers: whence that famous Maxime of his recorded by Euſebius, He cannot be faithful to me, that is unfaithful to God: religion being the ground of all true fidelity and loyaltie to king and Countrey. Hence that cloſe connexion Fear God, honour the king: And that again of Solomon, My ſon, fear thou the Lord, and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change Prov. 24.21.