John Trapp on Malachi 4:1

CHAP. IIII.

Verſe 1. FOR behold the day cometh] This Chapter ſhould not be divided from the former: for here Gods different dealing with the righteous and the wicked, propoſed in the former verſe, is further amplified by diverſe effects of Chriſts coming in the fleſh. And if any ask, ſaith an Interpreter, how this was veriſied of that his firſt coming? we anſwer, It was inchoative, and by way of preparation then: and ſhall be conſummate in the day of the laſt judgement, This day comprehendeth all that time that is called by the Apoſtle, the ends of the world, 1 Cor. 10.11. and the world to come, Heb. 2.5. all the adminiſtrations of Chriſts kingdome, from his Incarnation to the end of all things, which alſo is at hand, and, as it were, under view already, Behold, The day, that notable day, ſo long-looked for by the Jews, who boaſted of a Redeemer, and promiſed themſelves all poſſible comforts then: Tune [illegible: 1 letter]n[illegible: 1 letter]m Deus nos dignabitur clariſſima viſione, (ſaith Jachiades on Dan. 12.4.) tunc intelligemus res ipſas prout ſunt. Then ſhall we have a moſt clear viſion of things as they are, &c. Lo that day cometh: not ſuch a day as you imagined, but like that in Amos, A day of darkneſſe, and not light: even very dark, Am. 5.20. Dan. 3. Ezek 7.6. and no brightneſſe in it. A day that ſhall burn like an oven: Nebuchadnezzars oven, ſeven times more heated then it was wont. This day is come, the end is come, it watcheth for thee, behold it is come. It was fulfilled in part upon this people at the deſtruction of Jeruſalem by the Romans, and their miſerable exile ever ſince for their unbelief. Howbeit, all theſe are but the beginning of ſorrows: their preſent ſorrows but a typicall hell, the pile whereof is ſire and much wood, the breath of the Lord, like a ſtream of fire, doth kindle it. Iſa. 30 33. It is ſaid to be prepared for the devil and his angels, Mat. 25.41. as if the All-powerfull wiſdome did deliberate, and, as it were, ſit down and deviſe moſt tormenting temper, for that moſt formidable fire. The fire of the laſt day ſhall ſurely be very terrible, when all the world ſhall be on a light fire, and wicked men ſhall give account with flames about their ears, with the elements melting and falling like ſcalding lead, or burning bell-mettall on their heads. But all this will be but a ſhadow, or ſpark of that fire of hell, the ſmoke whereof aſcendeth for ever and ever, Rev. 19.3. Some have held the fie of hell to be no true materiall, and corporeall fire, but metaphoricall, qualem novit Deus. The moſt conſpire in the contrary Tenent: becauſe bodyes are to be puniſht by it.De civ. Dei lib. 21. c. 10. How ſpu its are alſo thus tormented as the rich gluttons Luk. 16. Auſtin ſits down and admires he myſtery: He tells us that for vehemency of heat, it exceeds our ſire, as far as ours doth fire that's painted on a wall. I would we had not cauſe to complain that preaching of hell is but as the painting of fire: which men can look on and handle without hurt or affrightment.Eſſe aliquos Manes Nec pueri credunt, niſi qui nondum are lavantur. Juven. Surely he that obſerves the impiety of this age, may ſay to us as Cato did to Caeſar, Credo, quae de info is dicuntur, falſa exiſtimas, I beleeve you think hell to be a very fable.

and all the proud, yea and all that do wickedly &c.] Thoſe proud whom you pronounced happy chap. 3.15. becauſe jolly, and full of worldly proſperity, rich and renowned: thoſe workers of wickedneſſe whom you looked upon as ſet up, built upon a firm baſis: God ſhall abaſe every one that is lifted up, he ſhall repay the wicked-doer to his face Deut. 7.10. and into his boſom Eſay 65.6. What ever arrowes are in the bow-ſtring, will one day ſly and hit, and ſtrike deep. They ſhall be as ſtubble, ſaith the text, as ſtubble that is fully dryed Nah. 1.18. even when they be folden together as thorns. Who would ſet theſe briers and thorns againſt me in battle? ſaith the Lord: I would go thorough them, I would burn them together Eſay 27.4. Did he not deal ſo by Pharaoh, Senacherib, Herod, the Primitive perſecutours, &c? Thoſe mighty Magnifico's that here ſeemed fortes, ferrei, & aenei, ſtrong, and made up, as it were of braſſe and iron, ſhall appear to be but as ſtubble that cannot ſtand before Gods fire.

the day that cometh ſhall burn them up] Heb. ſhall ſo burn them ut flamma ex ipſis excitetur, as to ſet them aflame. Here Ghriſt burneth up his enemies with inviſible judgements, inward terrours and torments, pangs and plunges, a very hell in their conſciences, a fore-taſt of eternall torment, (as was to be ſeen in Belſhazzar, and our Rich. 3.) But what willthey do at the laſt day, when the law they ſhall be judged by is a fiery law Deut. 33.2. the tribunall of fire. Ezak. 1.27 the Judge a conſuming fire. Heb. 12.29. his attendants flaming Seraphims, his pleaing with ſinners in flames of fire 2 Theſſ. 1.7. the place of puniſhment, a lake of fire fed with a river of brimſtone Iſa. 30.33? what can be the fruit of ſuch a fiery proceeding but utter exciſion? Surely this fi[illegible: 1 letter]e will leave them neither root, nor branch.