John Trapp on Malachi 3:7

Verſe 7. Even from the dayes of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances] The more to magnifie his own mercy (by a miracle, whereof they had hitherto ſubſiſted, by an extraordinary prop of his love, and long-ſuffering) God ſets forth here their utter unworthineſſe of any ſuch free favour, by a double aggravation of their ſinnes. Firſt, their long continuance therein, ſo that their ſinnes were grown inveterate, and ingrained, and themſelves aged and even crooked therein, ſo that they could hardly ever be ſet ſtrait again.

from the dayes of your fathers, &c.] q d. Non hoc nuper facitis: nee ſomel ut erroris mereamini veniam: ſed haereditariam habetis impiet[illegible: 1 letter]tem, &c as Hi[illegible: 1 letter]rom paraphraſeth this Text. You are no young ſinners: it is not yeſterday, or a few dayes ſince you tranſgreſſed againſt me: you are a ſeed of ſerpenis, a ra[illegible: 1 letter]e of rebels: you are as good atreſiſting the Holy Ghoſt, as ever your fathers were. Act. 7.51. Secondly, their pervicacy and ſtiffeneſſe: they would not yeeld or be evicted. But ye ſay wherein ſhall we return? as if they were righteous and needed no repentance. Still they put God to his proofs, as Jer. 2.35. and ſhew themſelves an unperſwadeable, and gainſaying people, Eſay 65.2, and this had been their mu[illegible: 1 letter]n[illegible: 1 letter]r from their youth, Jer. 22.21. when they were in Egypt they ſerved idols there, Ezek. 16. and 23. In the wilderneſſe they tempted God ten times, and hearkened not to his voice. Num. 14.22. Under their Judges, and then their Kings, they vexed him, and he bore with them, till there was no remedy, 2 Chron 6.16. After the captivity, they do antiquum obtinere, and are found guilty here of ſundry both omiſſions, and commiſſions, calling for a juſt recompenſe of reward, Heb. 2.2. All which notwithſtanding, Deus redire eos ſibi non perire deſiderat. God ſoliciteth their return unto him here by a precept and a promiſe,Chryſolog. two effectuall arguments, if any thing will work: and ratifieth all with his own authority, which is moſt authentick, in theſe words, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts. A ſtile oft given to God, as elſewhere in Scripture, ſo eſpecially in theſe three laſt Prophecies to the people returned from Babylon, becauſe they had many enemies, and therefore had need of all encouragement: For God is called the Lord of Hoſts, quòd ille numine ſuo & nomine terreat terras,Alſted. temperet tempora, exercituſque tam ſuperiores quam inferiores gubernet, to ſhew that he hath all power in his hand, and doth whatſoever he pleaſeth in heaven and earth. See the Notes on verſe 17. of this chap. doctr. 1 And for the Doctrine of returning to God (from whom we have deeply revolted) by repentance, ſee the Note on Zach. 1.3.

But ye ſaid, Wherein ſhall we return?] This was their pride, proceeding from ignorance: they were rich and righteous, as thoſe Laodiceans, Rev. 3.17. not in truth, but in conceit, vainly puft up by their carnall minds, drunk with ſelf-dotage, as Luke 16.15.Elementum in ſuo loco non ponderat. Hence they ſtand upon their pantofles, and none muſt ſay, Black is their eye. Sin is in them as in is proper element, and therefore weighes not: till by long trading in wickedneſſe, they grow to that dead and dedolent diſpoſition, Epheſ. 4.14. their heart fat as greaſe, their conſcience cauterized, 1 Tim. 4.2. that is, ſo benummed, blotted, lenſeleſſe, filthy, and gangrenate, that it muſt be ſeared with an hot iron: whereupon it growes ſo cruſty and brawny, that though cut or pierced with the ſword of the ſpirit, it doth neither bleed nor feel: and though handfulls of hell-fire be flung in the face of it, yet it ſtarts not, ſtirres not: but is deprived of all even paſlive power, and ſo Satanized, that there's no help for them.