Commentary on Malachi, Commentary · Chapter 3 · Verse 18
VERS. XVIII.
Then ſhall you returne, and diſcerne between the righteous and the wicked: between him that ſerveth God, and him that ſerveth him not.
THen ſhall you returne and diſcerne,] &c. The third part of the anſwer to theſe, threatning a judgement to theſe who ſpoke thus blaſphemouſly againſt the Lord. The ſum is, that ſuch a judgement ſhould come upon them, as ſhould open their eies which they winked on now, and make them ſee and acknowledge a difference as well in the things, as in Gods affection betwixt the good and bad.
Then ſhall you,] who now blaſpheme God, and ſay you have found nor reaped any profit by my ſervice: Shall returne,] that is, be ſmitten with a late and unprofitable, yea, damned repentance; no true and ſerious returning.
And diſcerne] Out of wofull experience, when you ſhall feele your owne miſery, and ſee the happy eſtate and condition of the godly; ſhall you know in how farre better eſtate the righteous;] that is he that is carefull and conſcionable in all the duties of juſtice, honeſty and equity. And the wicked] him that hath no conſcience at all; but is unjuſt, unfaithfull, uncleane, or any waies wicked: yea, you ſhall diſcerne and know how excellent his eſtate is, that ſerveth God,] that is conſcionable in all the duties of the firſt table, and is ſtudious and zealous of religion.
And him that ſerveth him not] who hath no care of any ſuch thing, but is prophane and in all things irreligious.
You ſhall diſcerne,] you ſhall be made to know that God ſleepeth not in Heaven, when men doe give themſelves to all licentiouſneſſe and iniquity even with greedineſſe upon earth, and by experience will perceive, that men ſhall not go free for all their ſinnes, but ſhall come to an account and reckoning: and ſo the meaning is, that by their owne puniſhments which God ſhall lay upon them, they ſhall diſcerne the difference; for when as God ſhall ſpare them, he ſhall riſe in judgement againſt you, and come armed upon you, and then you ſhall know that he tooke notice of all things done by men, and that he would not ſuffer ſinne unpuniſhed, though he have diſſembled as it were for a time.
You returne.] This may be taken for the ſenſe of Gods judgement, wherewith the wicked ſhall be affected, though they ſhall not repent, though their madnes againſt God, may by this be repreſſed, it breake not forth no more.
Doctrine The judgements of God, ſhall make the wicked to acknowledge the providence of God, that he governes and takes care of men, and things which are done here upon earth. So much is the ſcope and ſum of this verſe, manifeſt by that, Iſaiah 28.19. and that Pſal. 58. per totum, ſpecially verſe 11. the example of Pharoah ſhewes it, and that Dan. 4.22.32. Iſaiah 26.11.
Reaſon 1, Becauſe though all his mercies and bleſſings ſhould draw them to it, yet they doe it not, even the beſt are apt to grow ſecure and fat under them, whereas his juſtice and judgements doe more waken them, thoſe daube up theſe cleare: as ſharpe things eſpecially clear the ſight, when they make the eies ſmart.
Reaſon 2 Becauſe they ſhall ſee and feel themſelves ſmitten, when the other are ſpared, as Egipt and Goſhen, or ſmitten otherwiſe then they, Iſaiah 27.7.8.
Diſcerne between the righteous and the wicked.] &c. That is how excellent one is above the other; that whereas they thought this far more happy and honourable, they ſhould ſee their error and be made to confeſſe, that the other is far more excellent, happy and honourable.
Doctrine The righteous and he that ſerveth God, he that maketh conſcience of his waies both with men and God, in righteouſneſſe and piety, is farre more excellent, happy and glorious then the wicked, and him that ſerveth him not, then he that is given to pride and contemnes God, &c. The Lord ſaith they ſhall diſcerne it, then muſt it needs be ſo; yea, it is ſo, though not diſcerned of them: that of the Covenant ſheweth it. Gen. 12.2.3. And I will make of thee a great Nation, and will bleſſe thee, and will make thy name great, and thou ſhalt be a bleſſing: I will alſo bleſſe them that bleſſe thee, and curſe them that curſe thee, and in thee ſhall all families of the earth be bleſſed. That of Balaam Num. 23.10. Let me die the death of the righteous, let my laſt end be like his. Wiſhing the worſt part as is commonly accounted, and ſo ſhewing what he thought, whoſe teſtimony is without ſuſpition, he being an enemy. That of Iſa. 27.2. & …lias, the Church, a vineyard, they as vines, when the wicked are compared to thorns: verſe 4. hence that of Cant. 2.2. of the Church and members more excellent, as the Lilly then the thornes. Reve. 2.1. As gold is more excellent then other mettals, yea as in the goldſmiths ſhop, it ſurpaſſeth the iron tongs, and the hammer, the anvile and the coales, ſo theſe all the reſt.
Reaſon. 1 Becauſe they are in ſpeciall favour and love with God, and ſpecially beloved of him, whereas the other is in his high hatred. In a State what ſubject more happy and excellent then he that is in the Kings favour, who more miſerable then he that is in the hatred of the King, ſpecially when there ever is matter found in him, that he may ſhew his diſpleaſure in juſtice? How gracious and happy? How ignominous and unhappy was Haman ſucceſſively, the book of Eſter ſheweth?
Reaſon 2 Becauſe they are Gods ſonnes, they but his ſervants at beſt, at the worſt, and in truth the ſlaves of Satan; Sons better then the ſervants of a good King, much more then the ſlaves of ſuch a Tirant.
Reaſon 3 Becauſe they are the members of Chriſt, as the Church is his body, then ſuch an head muſt have glorious members, whereas the other are the members of Satan.
The righteous and him that ſerveth God.] Theſe two the Prophet joineth together, as the other two oppoſites, by theſe he teacheth this.
Doctrine There is no juſtice, where there is not the worſhip and ſervice of God; no righteouſneſſe, where there is not religion; for theſe two go ſtill together, and hand in hand: ſo much this conjunction of the Apoſtle ſheweth, as that Acts 10.35. He that feareth God and worketh righteouſneſſe. Hence Micha 6.8. To doe juſtly and walke humbly with God, are joined together. Therefore as Saint Paul makes faith the eſtabliſhment of the law:A juſtifying faith containeth this faith of profeſſion in it. Rom. 3.21. So St. Iames makes workes and righteouſneſſe the perfection of faith: James 2.22. That is, that which ſhewes it to be ſincere and lively or living. Both, that there is no faith without righteouſneſſe, ſo no true righteouſneſſe without faith.
Reaſon 1 Becauſe Rom. 14.23. whatſoever is not faith, is ſin.
Reaſon 2 Becauſe it is not righteouſneſſe, as it is not a good worke, though it be the worke that is good otherwiſe, which hath not a good end, and a good ground, which hath not the warrant of the word, not done in conſcience to it, becauſe it commands it, Jam. 2.8. Then è contra, having another end then Gods glory, a mans gain, or praiſe, or ſuch like: hence Chriſt reproveth the works of hypocrites, though they did the works of juſtice, it was not righteouſneſſe in them, Matth. 6.2.5. Now where religion is not, it muſt be that they ſhall want their ground and have their end corrupt.
Vſe 1 Then not without ground, have the Fathers before us, and we we now, affirme, that the works of the Infidels and Heathen are not righteouſneſſe, whatſoever of chaſtity, equity, juſtice, virginity or the like; but rather ſplend da peccata, for they being void of religion cannot have righteouſneſſe Jam, 2.22.
Vſe 2 To teach us, what to judge of the workes of ignorant and irreligious men, ſuch as have no knowledge of religion, make no conſcience of the ſervice and worſhip of God, certainly we account them not, neither can we account them righteouſneſſe. But we ſay, As Jam. 1.26. his religion is vaine, no religion though he do the workes of religion, which hath not juſtice and mercy and love joined with it: ſo we ſay his righteouſneſſe is vaine, which hath not the workes of religion with it: we ſee a man hear the word, receive the ſacrament, be diligent in the works of Gods worſhip, but he is unjuſt, covetous, unchaſt, &c. we ſay his religion is in vain: and this will every one ſubſcribe to; we ſee men juſt, and chaſt, and liberall in almes, &c. but he is irreligious, he regards not Gods day, he neglects the word, the ſacrament, prayer, and ſuch like: we ſay his righteouſneſſe is vaine. But this will not all ſubſcribe to; but they ſhall know it at one time or other, that it is in vaine; not onelyonly ſo farre as Chryſoſt. ſpeakes of workes without faith, comparing them with the reliques of the dead*Cadavera enim etſi &c. Chryſoſt. carcaſes, though they be covered with pretious and rich cloaths, yet have no heate for them: ſo ſuch as want faith, though they ſhine with glorious workes, yet they do them no good: now where there is not knowledge nor conſcience of religion, there cannot be faith. But further Orig. in Job goes.*Omnia quae faciant homines, &c. Orig. All things which men doe, whether in keeping their virginity, or in abſtinence, or in the chaſtnes of their bodies, or in the mortifying of the fleſh, or in the diſtributing of their goods, they are all to no purpoſe, and to their loſſe, if they do them not of faith. And I infer they cannot be of faith, where there is not care and conſcience of religion: In vaine then ſhall it be unto them, for it ſhall bring them no fruit, no profit. For of whom ſhould they have their reward? Shall they receive from him whom they have not ſought? Whom they have not knowne? Whom they have not believed? Verily they ſhall not receive from him any reward, but judgement, and anger, and condemnation.
Ʋſe 3 This may admoniſh every one, to adde to their righteouſneſſe, religion, to lay hold of that, and not to withdraw their hand from this, or rather to make their works of righteouſneſſe, to be righteouſneſſe, by labouring to be religious, to have knowledge and faith; to have the fear of God and to ſerve him: without which, the other is nothing, nothing profitable to the doer; for as preaching being ſo excellent a worke, as the power of God to ſalvation to the hearers, profits not the preacher, if he be unjuſt, unchaſt, impious, but it ſhall be with him, as with thoſe who built Noahs Arke; ſo as he that gives almes, if he be without knowledge, religion, and faith, he may profit the receiver, not himſelfe. For if the Apoſtles rule be good, Jam. 2.26. faith without works is dead: then why not much more, ſaith Chryſoſt. are works without faith? which works muſt needs be where there is not religion: and ſo he ſhall not have his reward that doth them, but they will be unprofitable to him; for as he that builds without a foundation loſeth his worke, and hath only his labour, travaile, and griefe; ſo is he that would build up works of righteouſneſſe, without faith and religion. Orig. And as he ſaith, all the whole year that Noah was preſerved in the Arke, and the Sun ſhewed not her ſelfe, nor ſent her beames upon the earth, the earth gave no fruit, for without the Sun it can bring forth no fruit; So unleſſe the truth of God ſhine in the hearts of men, they can bring forth no fruit of good works or righteouſneſſe. Then muſt every one endeavour that is juſt, upright, chaſt, &c. not to reſt there, but labour to be religious, and have knowledge and faith which muſt ſanctifie and make acceptable, and ſo profitable to the other, as the Temple the gold, and the Altar the offering: leſt they be to us as Ciprian ſer. de zelo & livore, or rather as the ſpirit of God ſaith, Rom. 14.23. Sin, becauſe not of faith.