Commentary on Malachi, Chapter 3 · Exposition of verse 6, 7
VER. 6, 7.
For, I am the Lord, I change not; therefore, yee ſons of Jacob are not conſumed: Even form the days of your fathers, yee are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them: Return unto me, and I will return unto you, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts: but yee ſaid, wherein ſhall we return?
HEre, the true cauſe aſſigned, why they were not conſumed; becauſe the Lord is unchangeable: And, that it might not ſeem ſtrange, the Lord ſhould, in mercy, ſo long forbeare them; he makes it probable, by promiſing a greater bleſſing; the ſumme whereof is this; that though they had gone aſtray ſo long, and were not amended; yet, if now at length they would return, the Lord promiſeth, to return to them.
Parts three. 1. An aggravation of the peoples ſins. 2. An invitation to repentance, 3. A promiſe of a bleſſing; with a confirmation of it; ſaith the Lord of Hoſts.
From days of your Fathers.] That is, ever ſince your fathers gave you that ungracious example, and became patterns of diſobedience, ye have gone aſtray.
How prevalent with poſterity the example of parents is, eſpecially in evill: I might inſtance this, Obſerv. in the State of Ieroboam; how many hundreds of years did idolatry continue in his lineage? And ſucceeding Kings of his Stock, went a whoring after the calves, in Dan, and Bethel: as the leproſie of Gehazi clave to him, and his poſterity; ſo the ſins of Parents, oft-times, to their children: Heare ſome reaſons of it. The 1. Is, that proneſs in nature, to imitate examples, either in good, or evill; eſpecially, in children towards Parents; as we ſee, in common appearance in the leaſt of our infants, but newly crept out of their cradle: ſpeeches, geſtures, &c. how apiſhly imitate they them? 2. But ſpecially, this comes to paſs, by a judgment of God upon the children, for the fathers tranſgreſſion, threatned in the ſecond commandement, where he ſaith, he will viſit the ſins of the fathers upon the children.
If a man demande, how?
Anſw. By withholding his grace from them, and giving them over to imitate their fathers ſins; and this, how ſee we it verified in daily experience? Popery, how long continues it in families popiſh!
This ſhould admoniſh all thoſe, of us, whom the Lord hath made parents, to take heed how we forſake the wayes of our God, and walk after the ſtubbornneſs of our own hearts.
Sundry reaſons I might give for this. 1. Examples in evill are always prevalent; like leaven, 1 Cor. 5.7. how ſoon it leavens the whole lumpe, we ſee; ſo ſpreads the infection of an evill example. 2. Me-thinks, the very miſery of our children ſhould move us; God hath made us fathers of their bodies, Heb. 12.9. And very birth is, in its own nature, a bleſſing; but yet if we ſhall bane them by our evill example, better had it been for them, never to be born; how diſcomfortable is it to parents, to ſee the ſhamefull ends of their children, as ſometimes on the gibbet? Can we grieve at this? Me-thinks, that other miſery of them, their eternall damnation, ſhould move us; murther of bodies odious, much more of ſoules.
And therefore, beloved, let us all be exhorted, to take heed, how, by a poyſonful example we corrupt the ſouls of our children: be diligent to bring up in the diſcipline, and information of the Lord; but be as careful to go before them, in an holy example of practice. Wouldeſt thou have children reverently uſe the name of God? beware how thou prophaneſt it, by ungodly ſwearing. Longeſt thou to wean them from wantonneſs, and love of pleaſure; and wouldeſt thou have them, even in youth, to renounce the vanities of life? Redeem thou the time: me-thinks, it's unreaſonable, that parents ſhould ſpend weeks and moneths in pleaſures, and yet expect reſtraint from paſtime, at the hands of their children: What is this, but to binde heavy burthens, and not to move them with the leaſt of our fingers?
Secondly, this ſhould teach us to repent of our ſins, leſt we bequeath unto them, with our goods, our ſins alſo. Riches and poſſeſſions, they deſcend by inheritance, ſins alſo are ſometimes hereditary.
Thirdy, this ſhould be admonition unto children, to fortifie themſelves againſt the means ſo powerful, uſed by Satan to pervert them: As much as for thine own, grieve for thy fathers ſins. I never knew an ungracious father, but he hath left behinde him ſome pledg of Gods diſpleaſure, amongſt his children; yea though they have ſeen their fathers ſins, and fled from them. I ſpeak now of temporal plagues, by which it pleaſeth God to viſit the ſins of fathers, even in Godly children: And therefore this doe, when God gives thee eyes to ſee the ſins of thy parents, and to fly from them, Ezek. 18. Humble thy ſelf, even for thy fathers ſins; See Dan. 9. Neh. 13.18. But, ſpecially, learn to fly from them; and, for this cauſe, inform thy ſelf by the word of God, touching thy duty; and ever ſet thy ſelf theſe bounds, to follow thy father, no farther then he follows the Lords commandment; great is the benefit of ſuch wiſdom.
Preſcription in errour is no feaſible plea, in the Court of the Lord. What if thou couldeſt ſay, Popery, whordom, covetouſneſs, &c. had continued, in thy lineage, to a thouſand deſcents? This may aggravate thy ſin, but ſhall not excuſe it: And therefore obſerve, every where, how the Lord adds this, as the aggravating circumſtance, Pſal. 95.10, Fourty years long was I grieved with this generation, and, Act. 7.51. Alwayes, ye have reſiſted the Holy Ghoſt; as your fathers did, ſo do ye.
And therefore, Ʋſe. vain and helliſh is that ſpeech of prophane ones amongſt us; that becauſe they are able to preſcribe in ſinning, therefore procure themſelves immunity, from the wrath of the Lord. How often hear we thoſe ſpeeches from our people? Thus have I alwayes uſed, and my father before me. Now, brethren, put it in ſome other caſe, in ſins againſt the ſecond table, and ſee how odious a defence this would be; if a man ſhould plead thus, in his whordom: thus my father hath uſed before me; if in theft, &c. How ſhould we abhorr him? And yet in ſins, as vain as the excuſe is, muſt go for currant, Pſal. 78.8. Be not as your fathers, a diſobedient, and rebellious generation; and, Pſal. 95.9. in tempting God, and hardneſs of heart, Ezek. 20.18. Walk not in the ordinances of your fathers, to defile your ſelves with Idols, and, for th…s cauſe, ſee Zech. 1.5. Your fathers, where are they; and remember what Peter ſpeaks, 1 Pet. 4.3. Its enough, if any thing were enough, that we have ſpent the former part of our life in vanity, ignorance, &c. To the diſhonour of our God.
Sins never ſo long continued ſhut not out from mercy, if repentance unfeignedly be performed,Obſerv. 3. Luk. 19.42. If thou hadſt known, in this thy day, &c. that is, if after all this contempt of my word, all this innocent blood of my Prophets ſhed amongſt you; if, in this day, thou kneweſt, and wouldeſt embrace the things that concern thy peace, happy wert thou. Act. 17.30. The times of this ignorance God regarded not, but now he admoniſheth every man to repent. The reaſon is, nothing but the endleſs mercy of the Lord, that knows no limits of time, ſo be it repentance can be performed. If a man turn, whenſoever he turn, he ſhall live, Ezek. 18. &c.
Now, mark the forward uſe, prophane men make of this doctrine; Ʋſe. ſith there is place for pardon, after ſo long continuance in diſobedience, vain therefore to take thought too ſoon; a little in old age, or on the death-bed, will ſerve the turn; for Gods mercy never rejects repentance from pardon, if, at any time, heartily performed.
Well, beloved, this is true; But, ſhall we continue in ſin, that grace may abound? God forbid! Rom. 6.1. Know we, therefore, that that God who hath promiſed to give pardon, whenſoever repentance is performed, hath not all-wayes given repentance, when it's ſought for; nay, hath threatened to deny repentance to them, that contemning it offered in the means, reſpit the day of their converſion unto God: How howls Eſau for the bleſſing? How fain would he come to heaven? How bewailes he the loſs of Gods favour with tears? Heb. 12.17. and yet obtains it not; and▪ what ſaith wiſdom, Prov. 1, 24, 26. I called, you heard not; you ſhall call, but ſhall not be heard, you ſhall ſeek mee early, but not finde mee: And therefore, mark, what Eſay ſaith, Iſa. 55.6. Seek the Lord, while he may be found.
Is there any time, when the Lord will not be found?
Anſw. Yes, no doubt; not, but that his mercy is everlaſting, but, for that men cannot ſeek it, when the time is over-ſlipt, Ezek. 24 13.
Hence then, let us learn, beloved, that perhaps have lived long in our ſins, now at the length to ſeek God, if he may be found of us: And mark, how lovingly the Lord invites us, who have gone aſtray, &c. a long time; yet return unto mee, and I will turn unto you; as if he had ſaid, yet at the length return, there is hope of mercy, and forgiveneſs. Beloved, the Lord is the ſame to us, as he was to Iſrael; and ſtill ſaith to us, as to them; though ye have long gone aſtray, yet, if now at length, we could return, there were hope of mercy, and forgiveneſs.
Let me thus apply it to every of us; and let us all think this ſpoken to our ſelves: Thou that art ignorant, and lived thus, all thy life long; if now, at length, thou couldeſt be admoniſhed to repent, God regards not thy paſt ſins, upon performance of preſent repentance; ſo to all other ſinners; and mark how the Lord proteſts, he delights not in our death, why will ye dye, ſaith the Lord? See Hoſ. 13.9.
And, let not Sathan prevail with thee, ſo far, as to think, as the ſaying is, too late now; for, the promiſe of remiſſion is made to repentance, without all limitation of time, perſon, or number of offences: and this be aſſured, out of the word of God; that howſoever there is no ſin ſo light, but deſerves a thouſand hells; yet, none deadly, in the event, but impenitency; yea, the very ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt were capable of pardon, if capable of repentance.
And,Obſerv. 4. if theſe things move us not, what ſhall we ſay, but as the Lord, by his Prophet; thy deſtruction is from thy ſelf, ſalvation of me; this only be ſure of, that thou bring repentance: What that is, we ſhall ſee anon, if we ſhall firſt obſerve, the ſtate of man, during impenitency; which is the next thing, to be conſidered in the text.
The State, and condition of impenitency: its nothing elſe, but a continuall ſtraying from God, as Ier. 2.27. They have turned unto me the back; therefore, 1 Pet. 2. ult. We are ſaid, to go aſtray like ſheep; and the Scripture every where calleth it, a wandring from God.
And, beloved, let this be holden of all men, whoſe hearts are not turned, and renewed by the Holy Ghoſt: Let their civill honeſty be never ſo great; their zeal and devotion never ſo fervent, till the heart be changed, all is but, celer curſus extra viam.
What learn we hence? Surely, to take notice of our own miſery, whoſe hearts the Lord hath not yet turned unto him; we are as men, in a wilderneſs; fain, perhaps, we would finde the way to heaven but cannot; nay, the more we ſtrive, the further, out of the way; and this is the miſery of every impenitent ſinner. Then, hence learn all ſuch, to pray, with Ieremy, Chap. 31.18, 19, Convert thou us, O Lord, and we ſhall be converted, Lam. 5.21.
Secondly, refuſe not the Lords corrections, but embrace them, as the Lords love-tokens; think they all cry unto thee, ſaying, as Eliſha to the Aſſyrians, 2 King. 6.19. This is not the way: and look, how thou wouldeſt rejoyce, if in a dangerous journey thou ſhouldeſt have one but to tell thee, thou wert wrong, &c. 2. Becauſe theſe are, indeed, but dumbe guides; learn to depend on the Miniſtery of the word: God hath given us all, in our places, to be guides, and directors unto you; as Paul, Act. 26.18. God ſends us to open the eyes, that ye may turn from darkneſs to light, and from the power of Sathan unto God; See Act. 3. ult.
This ſhould admoniſh every one of us, to be diligent in admonition; as, Iam. 5.19, 20. Look, what we would do, if we met with a travellour out of the way; ſo, &c. eſpecially, ſtrive we to be guides unto them, by our example Heb. 12.13. Make ſtrait ſteps to our feet, leſt that which is halting be turned out of the way.
The nature of repentance: And that is here briefly deſcribed, to be a returning unto God; ſo every where, Hoſ. 14.1. Ioel. 2.13, Act. 26.18.; therefore, commonly, the working of it, is called converſion; and men repenting, are called converts; as Nicholas the convert, or proſelyte of Antioch; Act. 6.5.
Let us all try our repentance, by this; that we may ſee, Ʋſe. whether we have, indeed, repented; we ſhall know it by this, our hearty turning unto God.
Sundry notes there are of it.
Firſt, as preparatives, there are theſe things. 1. Knowledg of our ſins, and of our errours, Ier. 3.12, 13. The Lord thus exhorts the people of Iſrael; thou diſobedient Iſrael, return, ſaith the Lord, and I will not let my wrath fall upon thee; how may this be performed? Know thin… iniquity, that thou haſt rebelled againſt the Lord thy God 2. A ſecond preparative, is ſhame, Ier. 31.18. I was aſhamed; Rom. 6.21. Whereof ye are now aſhamed. 3. A third, is, indignation, 2 Cor. 7.11. I ſmote upon my thigh, Ier. 31.18. 4. Enquiry after God; See Act. 2.37. What ſhall we do? And, Act. 16.30. What muſt I do? 5. Deprecation, Hoſ. 4.2. Take unto you words, and ſay, receive us graciouſly. 6. Thankfulneſs, ibid. 7. As a ſign of all this, holy obedience in all things.
The laſt obſervation, is, the benefit of repentance; I will return unto you. Obſerv.
Sence: The Lord is ſaid to be with us, when he favours us, giving us teſtimonies, and pledges of his love; Iſa. 54.7. To go from us, when he removes the ſigns of his favour; and, to return unto us, when he reſtores us the comfortable pledges of his loving-kindneſs: So that, the meaning is this; return to me by repentance, I will return unto you; that is, whereas I have now, a long time, withholden the pledges of my love, and by judgments inflicted, have teſtified my diſpleaſure againſt you; return to me, I will reſtore my bleſſings inward, and outward.
This then the benefit of repentance; it draws down from the Lord his bleſſings in abundance; it turns away his wrath, brings us the pledges of his love, and favour.
And, Ʋſe. let this teach us that have loſt any of the pledges of Gods favour, how we may recover them, namely, by unfeigned repentance. Beloved in Chriſt, we have long had the Lord averſe from us; as is apparent by ſundry judgments, which he hath inflicted upon us: he hath withholden the former, and the latter rain; ſent us cleaneſs of teeth, and ſcarcity of bread; and yet, the Lords wrath is not ceaſed, but his hand is ſtretched out ſtill, Iſai. 9.12. Wonder we at this? Surely, the cauſe is this, our not returning unto the Lord by repentance; would we recover the Lords favour? return we then unto him; let the wicked forſake his own unrighteouſneſs, Iſai. 55.7. Prove the Lord with this, if he will not open us the windows of Heaven, and pour down his bleſſings, in a bundance; Iſai. 1.26.
The like ſay I of all other pledges of Gods favour, whereof he hath deprived us; health a bleſſing▪ peace of conſcience, comfort in Gods ſervice; would we recover theſe? We have here the mean. And, ſee the experiment of it, in ſundry examples of the Lords dealing with his people, Pſal. 32.5. I ſaid, I will confefs my ſin, and thou forgaveſt the puniſhment of my ſin.
But, ye ſaid, wherein ſhall we return?] Their juſtification of themſelves. Whence we note;Oſerv. that men deeplyeſt engaged in the guilt of ſin, are hardlyeſt brought to acknowledg their ſin: See Luke 16.15. You are they, that juſtifie your ſelves, but God knows the heart; and what is highly eſteemed amongſt men, is abominable in the ſight of God. Reaſons hereof many; but, principally, that very cuſtom of ſin, wherein they have long lived, brings blindneſs upon the Underſtanding, inſomuch, that the groſſeſt ſins ſeem as no ſins, after cuſtom in them; See Eccleſ. 4.12. They know not, that they do evil. 2. This falls by Gods juſt judgment, giving them up to blindneſs, as Rom. 1.28. foreign, a minde voide of all judgment; ſo that, they ſpeak evil of good, and good of evil, Iſa. 5.20. And therefore, be we exhorted, to take heed of that, which brings this judgment upon us.