Commentary on Malachi, Commentary · Chapter 2 · Verse 2
VERS. II.
If ye will not heare it, nor conſider it in your heart, to give glory unto my Name, ſaith the Lord of hoſts, I will even ſend a curſe upon you, and will curſe your bleſsings: yea, I have curſed them already, becauſe ye do not conſider it in your heart.
IF ye will not heare it.] In the matter of this curſe we conſider, firſt, the exception, which is treble, to heare, and apply, and give glory to God. The ſumme is, repentance; unleſſe they will conſider things well, and enter into their hearts, and returne to do things worthy their place, and fitting their calling, theſe things muſt come upon them: ſo that without this, theſe muſt come, nothing can hinder it.
Doctrine 1 There is no means to keep away or turn away Gods judgements, but repentance. Revel. 2.5. Except thou repent.
In the particulars, the firſt is, to hear; they were the Miniſters of the Aſſemblies, ſuch as were able to teach others, why ſhould they heare? or what need of hearing? Yet they muſt heare.
Doctrine 2 They who have knowledge and underſtanding of the word of God, and the myſteries of ſalvation, ought ſtill to heare it from others; hence it is required of theſe. And hereto belongs the often rehearſing of that ſentence: He that hath ears to hear, let him hear, as often in the Goſpel, and Matth. 13.9.43. 1 Pet. 2.2. Heb. 6.1. Acts 13.42.43. & 17.32.
Reaſon 1 Becauſe, by this meanes; there may be added to their knowledge, faith and the perſwaſion of their heart of thoſe things they know and conceive in the braine; and ſo they may have a ſanctified knowledge, and a conſcience of the practice of things they know, Rom. 10.17.
Reaſon 2 To bring to minde thoſe things which they know and beleeve: for they often forget, or think not of them, even then when they have moſt occaſion either to practiſe, or to receive benefit and comfort by them, 2 Pet. 1.12. either naturall forgetfulneſſe, or paſſion hinders. As in a great diſeaſe, a Phyſitian himſelf may have oblivion of his Art, and the things good for him.
Reaſon, 3 To ſtir up their affections, and to work upon them to the greater love of good things, and hatred of evill, even of particular ſins, 2 Pet. 1.13. 2 Tim. 1.6.
Vſe. To teach men to examine themſelves hereby after hearing, and as often as they heare, whether they are good hearers or no, which is not onelyonly if they have got more knowledge then they had, and gone away more wiſe, as a Scholar from his Maſter; but if they have their hearts more fully perſwaded of the promiſes of the Goſpel, & ſay with the Samaritans, Joh. 4.44. We now more beleeve, having heard Chriſt himſelf. As they who having a promiſe of a Prince of ſome great matters, or the relation of ſome great good done for them, at the ſecond or third hearing of it, are made more joyfull, and more ſtedfaſt to beleeve it: ſo with them, if they find themſelves put in mind of many duties they knew before, but affection blinded them, and paſſion overcame them; and now make more conſcience of the practice of them. As they who knew ſome dangerous meat to their health, yet affection would not let them abſtaine, after they have heard a Phyſitian ſpeak, go away with reſolution to be more carefull of their diet: yea, their hearts are inflamed with a greater love of good things, with more zeale for the glory of God, with more hatred of ſin, who go away as Naaman the Syrian did from the Prophet, with a reſolution to ſerve no God but the God of heaven; not his old Gods, his belly, or his purſe, or his luſt, the world, ſin, or any other.
Nor conſider it in your heart.] The ſecond thing in the exception, the conſidering of that they have heard. The word is, put, or lay it upon your heart, an Hebraiſme ſignifying to attend diligently, and to ſet a mans heart upon that which is ſpoken, or to lay it ſurely up.
Doctrine. It is required that men do not onelyonly heare the word, but that they ponder and conſider it, lay it up in their hearts, and ſet their hearts upon it, by marking, applying, and diligently meditating, or recalling. To this purpoſe is Deut. 6.6. & 11.18. Pſal. 119.11. Col. 3.16.
Reaſon 1 Becauſe it is a right treaſure, and gold, Pſal. 19.10. Rev. 2. And therefore not onelyonly to be ſought for, as treaſure, but to be laid up in the beſt, and chiefeſt cheſt and treaſurie.
Reaſon 2 Becauſe it is a Sword, whereby a man may defend himſelfe, and offend Satan, Epheſ. 6.17. No man having his enemy alwayes, and in every corner lying in ambuſh for him, ſeeking to ſpoile him, will be without his ſword, but carry it ever about with him.
Reaſon 3 Becauſe it elſe will never be profitable unto them for ſalvation, nor fruitfull in them to glorification: for if it be not ingrafted in them, it will not ſave them, Jam. 1.27. And if it take not root, it cannot do it, no more then the ſeed that lieth upon the bad, ſtony, or thorny ground.
Vſe 1 This is to reprove all careleſſe hearers, who heare and retaine nothing, never lay it up, their memories are as ſives, whereout the water runs as faſt as it comes in. Luk. 2.18.19. And all that heard it, wondred at the things that were told them of the Shepheards; but Mary kept all thoſe ſayings, and pondred them in her heart.
Ʋſe 2 To ſhew the reaſon why ſo little profit comes by the Word; becauſe it is heard, but not kept, not laid up, often not received; either becauſe it is a ſtrange thing, Hoſea 8.12. or elſe becauſe they are ſo full, that it is water powred upon a full veſſell, and paſſeth all by: they are ſo full of their worldly pleaſures and delights, profits and deſires; or it ſtaieth not with them, as Phyſicke doth no good that is not kept. And to uſe Chriſts compariſon, Matth. 13.33. leaven put in, not hid, not remaining, makes no change.
Ʋſe 3 To perſwade to heare with all diligence, and lay it up with all carefulneſſe, and ſeek it, may, as it were, take root in us, Heb. 2.1. wherefore we ought diligently to give heed to the things which we have heard, leſt at any time we ſhould let them ſlip, Jam. 1.21. Wherefore lay apart all filthineſſe and ſuperfluity of maliciouſneſſe, and receive with meekneſſe the word that is grafted in you, which is able to ſave your ſoules: the word that is grafted in you.
To give glory unto my Name.] Here is the third thing in this exception, to do things worthy or fitting their miniſtery or calling, they may thereby glorifie his Name; that is (this being made oppoſite to that which was in the former Chapter of polluting his Name) they may make his worſhip to be regarded and honoured. Theſe Prieſts muſt not onelyonly heare and lay up the Word and Commandment, but alſo obey and do it, if they will eſcape the curſe, and enjoy the bleſſing. And if they be carefull in their place, to reprove, teach, direct, to reject their corrupt ſacrifices, then ſhould his worſhip be uncorrupted, and kept pure.
Doctrine 1 Men muſt not onelyonly heare and beleeve, and lay up the word of God, but they muſt draw it forth into obedience and practice, if they would eſcape the curſe, or enjoy the bleſſings, either in this life, or the life to come. So much here, and Jam. 1.25. Rev. 2.26. And keep my workes.
Doctrine 2 The Miniſters of God, if they be carefull in their places, to inſtruct what men ought to do, to reprove when they offend, to direct them, and reject them and their ſacrifices, when they are not as they ſhould be; Gods worſhip will not be corrupt, but keep very holy and pure: So here. This is manifeſt by the dedication of the ſeaven Epiſtles to the Churches, to the Angels of them; becauſe they being faithfull, there would be no ſuch careleſneſſe and coldneſſe. Hence are the charges given to Timothy and Titus by Saint Paul, 1 Tim. 5.21. & 2.4.1. and that 2 Tim. 2.2. All the time Eli was young, and able to looke to the worſhip of God, being faithful, it was pure, and the offerings of God regarded, 1 Sam. 1.2. So of Iehoradu, 2 Chron. 24.2. Hence that, Acts 20.28. Take heed therefore unto your ſelves, and to all the flock whereof the holy Ghoſt hath made you everſeers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchaſed with his own bloud. Hence is that of Hegeſippus in Euſebius, while the Apoſtles lived, and they who heard Chriſt teaching, the Church remained a pure and incorrupt virgine; but when that age was paſt, errour and corruption was ſpread abroad.
Reaſon 1 Becauſe while they are faithfull and watchfull, the envious man will not ſow his tares: They who have deſire to corrupt the puritie of doctrine and worſhip of God, will not ſhew themſelves or obſcurely or fearfully; and if they do, yet they will be ſoone pulled up, and the growth of them prevented.
Reaſon 2 Becauſe the people ſhall by their diligence be armed by inſtruction to diſcern and withſtand corruption from without, and be excited againſt their owne coldneſſe and careleſneſſe, which naturally would come upon them; as naturally men thinke any thing too much, and every thing good enough for Gods ſervice, unleſſe they have remembrances to the contrary.
Vſe 1 Then moſt commonly, if not alwayes, by the corruption and contempt of Gods ſervice and worſhip, we may gather the negligence, careleſneſſe and unfaithfulneſſe of the Miniſtery in every Church; and, è contra, for ſuch people, ſuch Prieſts, ſuch followers, ſuch guides. Travellers will hardly go before their guide, but follow after him. It may ſometime fall out otherwiſe; but that happeneth, as many a careful maſter hath corrupt ſervants, though he have never ſuch care over them, becauſe his neighbours do not carefully and ſtraitly bring up theirs: ſo from the neighbour pariſhes: But where the Miniſters are joyntly faithfull, they have not that corruption which otherwiſe would be.
Ʋſe 2 To teach as many as deſire and love the pure worſhip of God, that it may continue and not be corrupted, to do what is in them for their places and condition, that there may be continued a faithfull and painfull Miniſtery. Private men uſe private meanes to pray that the Lord of the harveſt will thruſt out ſtill more and more labourers. Others in their place to ſpeake and advance Lawes and Ordinances for that purpoſe: for if old and faithfull Eli be any way diſenabled, and his ſucceſſors be Hophni and Phineas, given to their bellies, to idleneſſe, to prophaneneſſe, and yet they may carry it out, as they, with little or no check, and not be compelled to other carriage; how ſhall not the offerings of God and his worſhip be contemned? If Wolves be among the Flocks, & the Shepheards be aſleep, and watch them not by night, in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, how ſhould they not be ſpoyled? The nature of man of it ſelfe will be careleſſe enough of the ſervice of God, how much more if they have corruptions; nay, if it want encouragers, but finde bad and corrupt examples.
Vſe 3 To admoniſh the Miniſters, ſeeing that upon them depends the purity or corruption, the honour or contempt of the ſervice of God, as they have a deſire that he whoſe they are, whom they ſerve, and who hath taken them ſo nigh unto himſelfe, may be honoured of his people, and have pure and holy worſhip performed unto him: ſo to be faithfull & diligent in their places, to teach and inſtruct, to exhort and perſwade men unto them: As they ought to give the Lord no reſt for his people, being his remembrancers; ſo not them for him, being meſſenger: for if they be careleſſe and negligent, as the people will grow corrupt, ſo they will like themſelves in their corruption. For men who carry their ſinnes away unrepented, will take themſelves not to ſin, and ſo no glory ſhould be given to his Name. How unfaithfull ſhould that ſervant be, who for ſparing himſelfe a little, will let his maſters honour fall to the ground: ſo that Miniſter. Be they as watchfull as they can, they ſhall finde that this corruption will ſeaſe upon men, and ſettle upon them, if they wake them not; how much more if they ſleep, will the enemy ſow tares?
I will even ſend a curſe upon you.] The curſe in generall, which is not for their ſinne ſo much, as for their impenitencie: for ſo the coherence ſheweth, and this his long patience towards them.
I will even ſend a curſe.] For the contempt of his worſhip comes many plagues and curſes upon men. vide cap. 1.14.
VponUpon you] Though his Prieſts, and deare to him, yet that would not ſave them.
Doctrine. No perſon can be free from the judgements of God, if they ſinne, be they never ſo neere unto him, either in place, or particular profeſſion, or in generall profeſſion of his Word, as it is manifeſt here. So Numb. 20.12. Levit. 10.1.2. Eli and his ſons, 1 Sam. 4.2 Sam. 6. Vzzah. Luke 1.18.20. Acts 5.
Reaſon 1 Becauſe when he cannot be ſanctified in them, he will be glorified, Levit. 10.3. that is, he will juſtifie himſelfe and his juſtice, when he ſpares not ſuch as are nigh to him. For as it was the greater manifeſtation of Salomons juſtice, that he put a murtherer to death, and a great on, Ioab: ſo the more that he put him to death at the hornes of the Altar, 1 Kings 2.31.
Reaſon 2 Becauſe he might either purge their preſent condition, or prevent their future ſinnes, and keep both them and others from preſuming: What better meanes then ſharp medicines, and ſeverity in puniſhing? Deut. 13.11.
Vſe 1 Then from the judgements of God upon men, of a ſpeciall or generall profeſſion, may not a man condemne the profeſſion, becauſe this proves the profeſſors not to be ſuch as they ſhould be: as many are ready to condemne the Miniſtery, and the profeſſion of pietie, from ſome judgments that happen unto them that are in the profeſſion. Admit that the judgement argue the corruption, yet muſt it not condemne the profeſſion, or the place.*Si videris ſacerdotem indignum, non ob id calumniari ſacerdotium debes, ne que enim calumnianda res eſt, ſed ille ſolum meretur onerari convitiis, quitanto bono abutatur. Non enim ſi Judas proditor fuit, hoc Apoſtolicae profeſſionis crimen, ſed unius tantum viri mens improba fuit: & medici quidem multi carnifices ſunt, qui pro medelis venenum propinant, nec tamen artē vitupero, ſed qui arte ſua iniquus abutitur: & nautae quamplures navigia amiſerunt, nec ars navigandi tamen corum perverſa voluntas jure damnanda. Chryſoſtom. If you ſee an unworthy Prieſt, you may not preſently ſlander the Prieſthood; but him who abuſes it. If Iudas were a traytor it was his owne fault, and not to be laid to the Apoſtolicall profeſſion. Many Phyſitians are murtherers, who poyſon in ſtead of curing; yet I condemne not the Art, but ſuch as abuſe it. Many Mariners make ſhipwracke; yet we condemne not the Art of Navigation, but their badneſſe. And mens mindes, who in ſuch things muſt needs be occupied, ſhould rather exerciſe themſelves to meditate of the juſtice of God, and to juſtifie him that ſpares not ſinne, no not in thoſe who are moſt nigh unto him, giving a purgation, as it were, to his owne houſe, as David ſaid he would do to his, Pſal. 101. And laying the fault where it is, not upon the profeſſion, but the perſon. In this Iobs friends were better then many, who of the two, when they could not found the depth of Gods dealing, they accuſed him rather then his profeſſion, that he had been but an hypocrite in it. And as not anothers profeſſion, ſo never his own, where he findes Gods judgements in it. As many men draw neere to God, and take ſome holy profeſſion upon them, and thinke then all ſhould be ſafe with them, and then feare nothing; which when it befalleth unto them, begin to contemne their profeſſion, as the Jewes, Jer. 44.15.16.17.18. ſo they. But as the Jewes never conſidered their preſent corrupt ſervice of God, nor their by-paſt corruption and Idolatry unrepented of, verſ. 21. whereby they might have ſeen that it came upon them for that, not for their profeſſion. So with theſe.
Vſe 2 To teach all, who draw neere to the Lord, either by ſome ſpeciall office in the Church, or profeſſion of his Word, not for that to preſume to live in any ſin, as if that ſhould be his ſanctuary: for if others have been ſmiten, as it were, at the hornes of the Altar, why ſhould he thinke to eſcape? nay, he ſhall the leſſe eſcape then an other further from God, becauſe he hath theſe examples, and hath not feared;1 Pet. 4.17. And for profeſſion, as Salvian, of a particular ſin; yea, of all: Licet gravè in omnibus praecipuè in iis tamen quae in conſimili crimine etiam prof…ſſio ſanctitatis accuſat. nay, he ought the rather to labour for more holineſſe, the neerer he comes to God, and to avoyd even the leſſe, corruptions; for the Lord will leſſe bear it in them: for he will be ſanctified in them that draw neer unto him; if not by their holineſſe, yet by his own juſtice in puniſhing them more ſharply; to the end that as the wax, the more neerer it approcheth to the fire, ſo much more the heat of the fire approacheth in melting of it: ſo the holineſſe of God may better be known in uncaſing of ſuch hypocrites, or hypocriſie approaching to him; and ſo he may be the more glorified of the people in ſuch judgements.
And will curſe your bleſsings.] The firſt particular curſes in curſing their bleſſings already beſtowed on them; which is either by taking from them the power they have to nouriſh, and he hath by his ordinance given unto them; or elſe ſo that they ſhall not be comfortable unto them; or elſe in making them turn to their hurt.
Doctrine 1 Then doth God curſe men when they have abundance of outward things, and have not the comfort by them; which happens either by his taking away the ſtaffe from the creature, or the ſtrength from the eater, Micha 6.14. Thou ſhalt eate and not be ſatisfied.
Doctrine 2 All creatures have the power to help, nouriſh and comfort man, and to preſerve his life, not of themſelves, but from God and his bleſſing. Meat without him are fitter to choke then feed, as clay to put out eyes, Joh. 9. rather then to give ſight.
Vſe 1 This teacheth why the rich as well as the poore muſt pray, Give us the day, &c. and thoſe who have abundance, as well as thoſe who want.
Vſe 2 Not to truſt and rely upon them, when we have them, and uſe them: for Luke 12.15. A mans life conſiſts not in the abundance of things which he poſſeſſeth.
Vſe 3 Not to feare or diſtruſt when our means are never ſo ſmall, nay, wanting; becauſe he that can by the means, can alſo help without them, where he hath himſelfe denied them, and man not by his fault deprived himſelfe of them: ſo much is that of Matth. 4.4.7. There is another remedy in the hand of God, who though he give not food, can prolong the life of man with his beck and will, and word onelyonly; he that could make the garments of the Iſraelites laſt longer then by reaſon or in their nature they could, can make the life of man, which is more excellent, to laſt.
Yea, I have curſed them already] An amplification, or confirmation by way of correction; ſhewing how they had not profited by his judgements, though they were upon them, and had been long.
Doctrine. The judgements of God profit not the wicked, but rather of themſelves make them worſe: They benefit not by them, but grow worſe and worſe. They diminiſh not their ſins, but adde to them. The experience of all times in the Church ſheweth it, Iſaiah 1.6. Jer. 5.3. Pharaoh and his ſervants, Saul and his court.
Reaſon 1 Becauſe they are ignorant and blinde, not knowing who ſmit them, nor why, neither the authour, nor the end, nor the cauſe. Like the pur-blinde Philiſtims, 1 Sam. 6.9. who would rather impute it to chance then the hand of God, and ſo think ſome other cauſe then their ſin, and ſome other end then their forſaking their ſin.
Reaſon 2 Becauſe they are like to the ſervant in the Law, Exod. 21.5.6. that when he ſhould have gone out free, yet ſo loved his wife and children, that he would remaine a ſervant for ever, and with a publicke diſgrace: So theſe love their ſins, that they had rather be ſervants ſtill, and under affliction and judgements, then part with their ſins, which makes them impute that they ſuffer to any thing rather then their ſins, finde out ſome other cauſes, and ſo blinde themſelves. Like men when they have ſurfeited of ſome meat, when the Phyſitian comes to them, had rather hazard their health, then tel him what is the cauſe, left he ſhould forbid it them.
Vſe 1 To put a difference betwixt the good and bad, Gods children and the wicked, who often happen into the ſame judgement and affliction together, as chaffe and wheat into the ſame ſive, gold and droſſe into the ſame fornace; yet are they diverſly affected in it and by it. Gods children are made the better, more neere heaven, more holy. As trees when they are pruned and lopped from their water boughes, do grow higher, and bring forth fruit more plentifully: So he increaſeth the more, and is more excellent. As the Arke of Noah, the more the waters of the flood increaſed, the higher it was carried, and came neerer to heaven: So they. But the wicked are more hardened, as the Smiths Anvill, or Stithie.
Vſe 2 This may teach us, that nothing but the Word is able to win men unto God, and to bring them out of their ſins and corruption; the benefites and the bleſſings God beſtoweth upon men, and the judgements and curſes he layeth upon them, may prevaile with a man already converted, as he that knows the uſe and end of all, but not before, Deut. 32.15. 2 Chron. 28.22. They may prepare men for the Word, they may open the eare that a man ſhall attend to the Word, Job. 33.16. They may, as fire, make a man pliable for the hammer of the Word, that it may work upon them, 2 Chron. 33.12.13.18.
Vſe 3 To teach men not by their affliction, but by the fruit of their affliction to diſcern themſelves, whether Gods people or no. Iſaiah 27.9. And this is all the fruit, the taking away of his ſin.
Doctrine 1 Gods judgements not regarded, men not profiting by them, they are fore-runners of greater warning-pieces of more fearfull plagues, Hoſea 5.12.13.14. Amos 4.2.11. Iſaiah 9.12.13.14. Levit. 26.18.21.
Becauſe ye do not conſider it in your heart.] The reaſon of this curſe, becauſe they had not applied themſelves to the Word, and it to them, but had rejected it, and made light by it.
Doctrine 2 When the Word, and admonitions by the Word, are rejected, then followeth the rod of God upon their backes, Micha 6.9. Heare the rod.