Commentary on Malachi, Commentary · Chapter 1 · Verse 10
VERSE X.
Who is there even among you, that would ſhut the doores, and kindle not fire on mine Altar in vaine? I have no pleaſure in you, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.
WHo is there among you,] Here is the rejecting of them and their ſacrifices threatened, which is the maine point in the verſe; but in the former part, as divers of the learned doe ſo take it, he returnes unto his former expoſtulation, reproving the prieſts for their ingratitude and corruption of his worſhip. And then it will be read, who is there among you that will ſhut the doores: or doe you kindle fire on my Altar for nothing? And ſome expound it, that the Prieſts would not ſo much as ſhut the doores till they had their wages payed; others, that they did nothing in Gods ſervice, but they were rewarded for; God arguing their unthankfulneſſe to him, by his bounty to them. But others take the words as they are here read, both more agreeable to the originall, as alſo more ſquaring to the preſent matter, to ſhew how he rejected them and their ſacrifice, when he wiſheth that ſome body would ſhut the doores of the Temple, or that they would offer none at all, and ſo keepe out the Prieſts that they could not come to ſacrifice any thing upon his Altar, which he did ſo diſtaſte and diſlike: and ſo it is; I would rather you ſhould not offer at all, then as you doe.
For the particular words. And kindle not fire upon mine Altar. q.d. that yee might not come to offer upon mine altar, kindle not my altar, ſo in the originall, a Metonymia. In vaine] id eſt, to no end, the word ſignifieth, freely, Job. 1.9. for nothing, ſo unjuſtly without cauſe; Pſal. 69.5. ſo ſcotfree, without puniſhment, Prov. 1.11. to no end or purpoſe. Job. 2.3. Pro. 1.17. ſo here.
I have no pleaſure in you] The former is a wiſh, this is the reaſon of the wiſh. All is in vaine, and to no end, becauſe I like not you, and will none your ſacrifices, he ſhews that he eſteemed not theſe offerings, not from the nature, but from the minde of him who did offer them. If he were indued with piety and holineſſe, God would accept his offerings and ſervice; If otherwiſe, God would take no delight in them for all their offerings.
Neither will I accept an offering at your hands,] Theſe offerings he ſimply refuſeth not, being things he had commanded, but becauſe they were offered by them, qd. I am ſo farre from accepting at your hands theſe corrupt and imperfect ſacrifices, that if they were never ſo perfect and agreeing to the lawes of men preſcribed, yet I would not accept; you pleaſe me not, your gifts and offerings cannot be accepted of me: here is firſt a wiſh, and the reaſon of it; he wiſhed that they would offer no ſacrifices to him at all, rather doe him no ſervice, then doe it as they did.
Doctrine. The Lord had rather have no ſervice done unto him of the ſonnes of Men, then to have it done careleſſely and negligently, corruptly, and not as he hath commanded it. So is it manifeſt from this place, as from that, Iſaiah, 1.11, 12, 13, and 58.1, 2, and 66.3. Math. 7.22. and 6.1, 5, 16.
Reaſ. 1 Becauſe this argues contempt of God, and, as we may ſpeak, of his perſon, yea often times more contempt, then not to doe the works of his ſervice at all; for where any man is duly reſpected, either for love or feare, there the duties and offices to bee performed unto him are done, neither negligently nor careleſly; as the child that honours his father, the ſervant that feares his maſter, doe with all diligence and care their dutyes: Where they are done coldly or curſarily, there is not the reſpect of the perſon that ſhould be. Againe, dutyes may be omitted without contempt, as of ignorance, not knowing what a man ought to doe, of infirmity or an erronious conſcience, becauſe hee thinks he may not doe that, which he can not doe in all perfection; But to doe them careleſly, and that wittingly with corruption, can have no ſuch excuſe, and ſo more contempt.
Reaſ. 2 Becauſe the Lord hath no need of the ſacrifice and ſervice of men; a man cannot be profitable to him, as hee may be to his neighbour. It is nothing to him that thou art righteous, that thou prayeſt, or performeſt any other ſervice unto him; Job 22.2. May a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wiſe, may be profitable to himſelfe? therefore he, as a rich King, values not the gift, but the mind of the giver; he looks more to the manner of doing, than the deed; he reſpects more the heart, than the hand; the inward affection, than the outward action. No marvell then if he had rather have nothing, than careleſly and corruptly done. And this made him eſteeme more of the Widows two farthings and mytes, than of the rich mens treaſure.*Deus puram magis conſcientiam exaudit, quàm preces. Auguſt. contr. lit. Petil. Donat. lib. 2. cap. 53. God rather heares a pure conſcience, than prayers.
Object. Phil. 1.15, 16, 18. better Chriſt be preached any wayes than not at all.
Sol. It is better in regard of others, who have the benefit of it, and to whom by ſuch leaden and ſtony conduits God conveyeth the water of life, as a Gardener doth water to his plants: but it is not better in regard of them who doe it, for it maketh their condemnation more grievous. Judas preached condemnation to himſelfe, and yet no doubt converted ſome, as the reſt did. Noah was glad he could get ſome to build his Arke, himſelfe and his ſonnes being no workmen fit for it, but it profited them not a whit that built it; as good never have done it.
Ʋſe 1 This may teach us what to judge of our Church-Papiſts, who for feare of law, avoiding of loſſe, for eſcaping of impriſonment, doe reſort to our congregations, without conſcience and care, they are worſe than thoſe who doe refuſe to come, than open recuſants: for if to come to Church for a ſhew, to prophane Gods worſhip, and to doe it raſhly for ſiniſter reſpects, and in hypocriſie, be worſe than not doing, then they are greater offenders in comming, than others in abſtaining. The Shechemites were greater ſinners with Hamor and Shechem his ſonne, in taking the Sacrament of Circumciſion for profit, and ſatisfying their pleaſure, and to make a prey as they thought of Iſrael, Gen. 34. than the other Gentiles who refuſed it. So in this; they come to Church for advantage or profit, or ſaving of that they have; then is it better they ſhould not come at all. Nay not ſo, but it is leſſe evill, not more good. The goodneſſe is, that they labour to be inſtructed in that they ought, and to know how they ought, and to endeavour to come with care and conſcience, as is required. In the meane time hee that abſtaines, and comes not, is leſſe evill than he that doth come careleſly, &c.
Object. Why then ſhould Magiſtrates compell men to the ſervice of God, when he ſhall make them ſinne, and ſinne more than if they abſtaine?
Anſw. The Magiſtrate may not compell any man to doe evill, that is a thing ſimply forbidden of God; but hee may compell a man to doe that which he may ſinne in doing of it. Things that men doe are of three ſorts: good, and commanded; evill, and forbidden; indifferent, and neither commanded, nor forbidden of God. In this laſt the Magiſtrate ought to have a ſpeciall and tender reſpect to the conſcience of his ſubject, though it be erronious, ſpecially when they are things of no moment, the doing of them little profits the Church, or Common-wealth; and the omitting of them doth prejudice it nothing at all. For the other,Ad fidem nullus eſt cogendus invitus, ſed per ſeveritatem, inio & per miſericordiam Dei, tribulationum flagellis perfidia caſtigari. Auguſt. contr. lit. Peril. lib. 2. cap. 38. And againe, Si quae igitur adverſus vos leges conſtitutae ſunt, non bene facere cogimini, ſed malè facere prohibemini. Ibid. he is not to reſpect the erronious conſciences of men, as not to ſuffer them unpuniſhed for evill doing, though they ſhould pretend conſcience in it; ſo is hee not to abſtaine from compelling them to that which is good: for, that evill is adjoyned to it, it is not his fact that commandeth, but comes from their infidelity and corruption who are commanded, of which he cannot be accuſed, when he hath carefully endeavoured, that they be duely and rightly inſtructed and informed: for when he may ſay, the things I require are commanded in the Scriptures, I have done my beſt endeavour, that you may know the truth, and not periſh; and I will not ceaſe for hereafter to perſwade, and exhort, and command you; doe you need the Scriptures? conferre with the Miniſters, pray God to open your eyes; he hath then done his part.
Ʋſe 2 This teacheth the fearefull condition of ſuch as onelyonly doe and performe the ſervice of God, but marvellous careleſly and corruptly; they heare the Word, they make prayers, they receive the Sacrament, but they are no more acceptable unto God, than if they did them not at all. God ſaith unto them, as a Father to his Child, and a Maſter to his ſervant, ſeeing them ſcambling over their duties and buſineſſe without care and reſpect, I had as leefe you did them not at all. Now what would we think of him that ſhould never pray, never heare the Word, never receive the Sacrament; would not every one thinke hee is an odious man to God? verily ſuch, and more odious, if it may be, is every one that doth theſe, but without care of courſe, without conſcience; they heare the Word, but without profit: God had rather have them away, than come to Church to deride his Word, to ſleepe or talke, there to prophane his worſhip. So they pray, but not with their hearts, but with their lips; their hearts are taken away with their pleaſures, profits, and delights. As Hoſea 4.11. he eſteemes of them as well when they pray not; they receive the Sacrament, but without preparation, without underſtanding what they doe, moſt unworthily they intrude themſelves to the Table of the Lord; God had as liefe have them away, their roome were as acceptable to him as their thronging, as his without the wedding-garment at the feaſt of the King. Matth. 22.
This is their fearefull condition; he that heares, is as though he heard not; he that prayes, as though he prayed not; he that receiveth the Sacrament, as though he did not; and ſo of all the ſervice of God, he is as acceptable to God in not doing them, as he is in doing, and è contra, as odious.
Object. Then a man had as good not doe at all? and ſo while you reprove one thing, you open the gap to another, from careleſſeneſſe to prophaneneſſe?
Anſw. If any man doe gather ſo, it is his collection, not my aſſertion; he, like a Spider or Toad, gathered venome and poyſon from ſweet flowers and wholeſome herbs. If a Maſter ſhould tell his ſervant doing his buſineſſe negligently, that he had as lieve he did it not, will he reply then, he will not; if he doe, ſhall he not for ſuch contempt be beaten with more ſtripes? Nay, a ſervant that would avoid that, and receive any wages and reward, will ſeeke to correct his errour, and reforme his corruption: ſo in this.
Ʋſe 3 This ought to inſtruct us that have any deſire to be accepted in our ſervice of God, and not to be rejected, as if we did neglect it altogether; to doe it with all care and diligence, and in the beſt manner that may be: doe we muſt. And then not to loſe our labour, and have no reſpect nor reward, we muſt endeavour to doe them as they ought to be done: heare with an honeſt heart, to profit; pray with a fervent ſpirit, to prevaile; uſe the Sacraments in knowledge and due preparation for them; theſe and all other parts of his ſervice as he requireth; elſe we are in a ſtrait, as the Lepers were. 2 King. 7.3, 4. without the walls of Samaria, if they enter the City there is death, if they ſit ſtill, there is death alſo: So we, if we doe not, we diſpleaſe; if we doe, and not as we ought, we diſpleaſe alſo. They had a third way to goe out to the enemies, wherein their difficulty was the greateſt; but we have a third, wherein our comfort is the moſt, to doe them as he requireth of us.
Object. But ſome will object, who is ſufficient for theſe things? And this is but a cold comfort in a thing, that no body can doe, and therefore we were as good to doe nothing at all; for who can doe things as he requireth?
Anſw. I anſwer, we have a mercifull God to deale with, who in Jeſus Chriſt accepteth our affections for actions, our beginnings for perfections. 2 Cor. 8.12. And upon this ground we muſt doe our endeavours, to doe it in the perfecteſt manner that we may, that we may be accepted, and not abſtaine. It is a rule indeed in matters indifferent which are left to our choiſe, to refraine from them, becauſe our weakneſſe will bring forth ſome ſinne in the doing of them; As in exerciſes and recreations, when they cauſe us to ſweare, curſe, fret, and loſe our time: But in other things for which there is a commandement, and our own experience teacheth that we cannot doe them, without defects and infirmities, (As we cannot heare the word with that faith we ought, but wandring thoughts, and ſometime envious, covetous, ambitious deſires creep into our hearts,) yet muſt we doe, and not abſtaine, our imperfections hinder them from being perfectly good, but not from being accepted, while we condemne our imperfections, and deſire to doe better. And as the high Prieſt, Exod. 28.38. did beare the iniquity of the holy things; ſo though our holieſt offerings and works of righteouſneſſe have defects & wants, blemiſhes and ſtains of our corruptions, our high Prieſt Chriſt Jeſus will acquit us of them, and procure us favour and acceptation in the ſight of God.
I have no pleaſure in you,] The reaſon of his wiſh why he could deſire they rather ſhould not doe him ſervice, then doe it: and this carrieth the contrary, I diſlike you, I am angry and diſpleaſed with you, remaining in your ſinnes and corruptions.
Doctr. The Lord hath no pleaſure in ungodly men, ſuch as commit and continue in ſinne, and tranſgreſſion of his law, but he is angry and diſpleaſed with them; ſo is it here, Pſal. 5.4. for thou art a God that loveſt not wickedneſſe, neither ſhall evill dwell with thee, and Hebr. 10.38. 2 Sam. 15.26. hence it is that he is compared to a conſuming fire, even to his owne. Deut. 4.24. Therefore to ſhew his anger, towards thoſe who ſhould tranſgreſſe, how great it is, when he gave the law he deſcended with fire, and the whole mountaine burned about him.
Reaſ. 1 Becauſe the Lord hates iniquity, Pſal. 45.7. now then as Men who hate any liquor, doe diſlike the veſſell that it is in, for it; yea ſometimes grow to hates and abhorre it: ſo the Lord hating ſinne, diſlikes the ſinner, ye… ſometimes growes to hate him, Pſal. 5.5. not the nature he m…de, not the man, but the wicked man: becauſe ſinne cleaves ſo faſt to him, as they cannot be parted: As when the ſent will not out of the veſſell, he hates both,Deus odit iniquitatem, itaque in aliis eam perimit per du…inationem, ut in reprobis; in aliis adimit per juſtificationem, ut in electis. Auguſt. ad Simplicianum lib. 7. quaeſt. 2. Col. 630. Tum. 4. as Saint Auguſtine ſaith, God hates iniquity therefore in ſome he deſtroyes it by damnation, as in reprobates; in others he takes it away by juſtification, as in the elect.
Reaſ. 2 Becauſe as every one delights, and takes pleaſure in his like, which makes the Angels rejoyce at the converſion of a ſinner; And men rejoyce, and account it a glorious thing to have children like themſelves, and take the more pleaſure in them, when the ſucceſſion is like to prove like: ſo God in thoſe that are moſt like him, becauſe, ſaith Cyprian, then the divine gentry by their actions and practices may become more famous. Then muſt he be diſpleaſed with theſe, becauſe they grow more unlike him, and like to Satan his Enemy.
Ʋſe 1 Anger then ſimply in it ſelfe is not a ſinne, but as it is mixed with other perturbations and vices, ſeeing God is angry. As Chriſt was often and very vehemently, John, 2.13, 14, 17. and whenſoever he corrected and reproved ſinne, he ſhewed himſelf in his words very angry, Mat. 23.13. ſo hath Moſes, the Prophets, Apoſtles, and all the Saints: Therefore Lactan. ſaith, ſine irâ peccata corrigi non poſſe, ſinne cannot be corrected without anger; for the ſight of ſinne is ſo horrible in it ſelfe, that he that is a good man cannot but be offended, moved and angry with the ſight of it. And he that is not moved at it, either allowes it, or doth not much deteſt it, or is willing to avoid trouble in correcting of it; hence the repreſſing of anger is a ſinne, being a great ſinne not to repreſſe, and that irefully, the ſinnes which are under our charge;Quaſi gladio aciem, ſic menti noſtrae irae acumen impoſuit, ut eo cū oportet utamur. Chry. ho. 6. de laudab. Paul. as old Ely: for God hath given anger to the ſpirit of man, as an edge to a weapon, that when 'tis needfull we may uſe it, ſaith Saint Chryſoſtome. This then we ought to doe, imitate theſe examples, and be angry with ſinnes, and correct them to our power: but Ephe. 4.26. this place doth not ſimply forbid anger, but corrupt anger, by which we offend God: Now anger is vicious and corrupt; Firſt, if a man be angry raſhly, for no cauſe, or for ſmall cauſe, Math. 5.22. Secondly, if a man be angry for private injuries, not for them as they are ſins offenſive to God, but injuries to himſelfe: Thirdly, when the anger that ſhould be againſt the ſinne, is againſt the perſon, and turned to his brother; and this is that there forbidden: and it is thus underſtood; be angry, but not without juſt cauſe; be angry, not for private injuries, but vices, as they are againſt the law of God: Finally be angry, not with your brethren, but with their corruptions, and this is hence warrantable.
Ʋſe 2 Seeing God will be angry with all, both elect and reprobate for their ſinnes, and moſt diſpeaſed with them; This ſhould perſwade us not to be ſecure, but to paſſe our lives in the feare of the anger of God: To this one thing bend wee all our endeavours and powers, that we ſinne not, and ſo provoke the anger and diſpleaſure of God; for of this wee may be ſure that Gods word ſhall be fulfilled. Pſal. 89.31, 32. If they break my ſtatutes, and keep not my commandements, then will I viſit their tranſgreſſion with a rod, and their iniquity with ſtroakes: wrath and diſpleaſure followes the ſinner, as the ſhaddow the body. But if God ſpare, and be not angry, that is, ſhew it not, Magna eſt ira non iraſci; 'tis a ſigne of greater diſpleaſure: The maſter that reſpects his ſervant corrects him for a ſmall fault; if he let him alone,Chryſoſt. in Mat. ho. 17. it may be thought he doth it till great faults bee joyned to it, and he may either puniſh more, or caſt him out of his houſe: ſo in this.
Neither will I accept an offering at your hand.] Becauſe he is diſpleaſed with them, therefore he will not accept their offerings, nor their ſervice and prayers.
Doctrine. The perſon of a man muſt firſt pleaſe God, before his prayers, his offerings, or any worke that he doth can be pleaſing or acceptable to him. That is, before reconciliation & juſtification they are unaccepted. It is hence manifeſt, becauſe he rejecteth their offerings, being diſpleaſed with their perſons hereto belongs that, Ge. 4.4. & that Prov. 15.8. The ſacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the righteous is acceptable unto him. Hence Iſaiah, 1.13, 19. 1 Pet. 2.5. And yee as lively ſtones hee made a ſpirituall houſe, an holy prieſthood, to offer up ſpirituall ſacrifices acceptable to God by Chriſt Jeſus. Hebr. 13.16.
Reaſ. 1 Becauſe all workes are made acceptable to God by faith, as all things are made pleaſing to men by the light; ſo Chryſoſt. and without it nothing is; Hebr. 11.16. Now faith is that which makes the perſon accepted; for by it we are juſtified, Rom. 5.1. and made the ſonnes of God. Rom. 3.26.
Reaſ. 2 Becauſe before they are ſtrangers, Ephe. 2.19. yea and enemyes, Rom. 5.10. now things done by ſtrangers are not greatly gratefull, but by enemies they altogether diſtaſte us.
Ʋſe 1 This confuteth the Papiſts, who make good workes the cauſe of our juſtification and reconciliation to God; when, as they can not be good, ſo they can not be acceptable before we be reconciled and acceptable in his ſight. How doe they then juſtifie us and reconcile us? for that which muſt juſtifie and reconcile another, muſt needs it ſelfe be in favor; for as that is true of S. Auguſtine, Opera non praecedunt juſtificandum, ſed ſequuntur juſtificatum, So that is as true, whenſoever they come they are not acceptable in themſelves, becauſe they are imperfect, our evill works are perfectly evill, and ſo deſerve to be caſt out of favour; but our good works are not perfectly good, and ſo cannot procure favor of themſelves. Object. If any object, as ſome of our Papiſts ſticke not to doe, that we are juſtified by works, becauſe by faith, for faith is a worke; Anſw. I anſwer, faith is not our worke, but Gods in us. John 6.29. Againe, though having received faith we doe beleeve; yet it is not faith, or the worke of it, that doth juſtifie us, but the righteouſnes of Jeſus Chriſt apprehended by faith: for as a hand that hath taken a treaſure doth not inrich us, but the treaſure; and it is not the mouth receiving the mean, but the meat that doth nouriſh us; ſo in this. And being thus juſtified then we work, and our works are acceptable, becauſe we are firſt accepted in Chriſt.
Ʋſe 2 To ſtirre up every man to the tryall of his eſtate and himſelfe, whether he be indeed reconciled to God or no, whether juſtified or no, that if he be not he may labor and endevor to be; becauſe while he is in that condition, whatſoever things he doe, as they are but ſplendida peccata, Auguſt. ſo they are altogether unacceptable to God, whether he heare, or give, or receive, or pay; a heavy condition of a ſervant, that doe what he can, yet he can not pleaſe.
Queſt. But happily thou art deſirous to know whether thou art reconciled or no; and if not, how to come by it.
Anſw. I anſwer thee, if thou haſt true faith, then ſhall this be like the ſalt, 2 Kings 2.21. which healed the ſpring of waters; and of it may be ſaid as there.
Ʋſe 3 This comforts God children, who are juſtified in Jeſus Chriſt, and ſo accepted in his ſight, their works, their ſacrifice and worſhip liketh him, howſoever they are done in imperfections, and in many great weakneſſes and are not ſo fully with their whole ſoule, minde and heart, as they ſhould be; but carry the touch of mans corruption, and are not able to abide the ſtrict and ſtreight judgment of God; yet becauſe they proceed from them who are accepted in Chriſt, they pleaſe him, and the imperfections are pardoned in Chriſt, and they taken for pure and holy. Prov. 15.8. 1 Pet. 2.5. As a little thing done of a child is more acceptable, then much done by a ſervant.