Commentary on Malachi, To the reader 2 – Table 1
To the Reader.
IT was not choyce, but occaſion that caſt me upon this Subject. Having the originall notes of the Sermons of that reverend, learned and godly Divine, M. Richard Stock upon this prophet Malachy, entruſted into my hands, and upon perufall of them finding many neceſſary points moſt wholeſomely treated of; I thought it too great an injury both to his Name, and to the publicque, to make them onelyonly mine, and to keepe them to mine owne uſe; and therefore I reſolved, (not without the judgement and approbation of other men) to communicate them unto the uſe of others. But withall obſerving, that his aime being only the edification of a popular audience, he had onelyonly indeavored to apply the Text to the condition of his preſent hearers; and had left ſomewhat to be done to make it a Compleat Commentary; I ſet my ſelfe to examine the original, to conferre tranſlations, to inquire into the ſeverall gloſſes and expoſitions of the Antients and Modern's; and have thereupon made up what you ſee, by way of Exercitation. Not out of any opinion of mine owne ability, or an ambition to be upon the ſtall, or out of any more peculiar delight that I take in this kind of study, which yet is a study moſt worthy of a Divine, and which may exerciſe the moſt able; eſpecially theſe more difficile pieces, I meane, the prophecies, which according to the Hieroglyphique of prophecy wch (they ſay) doth hang among other pictures in the Vaticā library at Rome, are like Matrones with their eyes covered. In regard of which difficulty it was, that Paulinus Biſhop of Nola, (a man much commended by S. Aug. and S. Hier: and one that had not any reſolution againſt writing, for he wrote other tractes, as Verſes and Epiſtles,) would not bee drawne to write commentaries, though he were intreated by many of his friends, as deeming himſelfe unworthy, though hee were indeed very able. I commend his ſpirit, though I follow not his example, and I have given you the excuſe above.
I have every where followed the Grammaticall, which is the lawfull and genuine ſenſeaIac. Armin Diſp. priv. Theſ. 9 of Scripture. Men have been too wanton with Allegories. Origen, S. Ambroſe, S. Hierom himſelfe, and others of the Ancients, have been blamed for it by learned men. It were eaſy to multiply inſtances, but it were needleſſe. I have alſo ſought the moſt proper grāmaticall ſenſe, not alwayes the firſt but the moſt agreeable to the nature of the context; which while it hath not beene obſerved, many abſurd interpretations have been made Corn. a lapide *Corn. a lap. proleg. in proph. min.ſaith, hee heard one preach, that Moſes dyed kisſing of God. Becauſe of that place Deut. 34.5, He dyed upon the mouth of the Lord. Not obſerving the uſe of that phraſe among the Hebrewes, which alſo the Septuagint, the Chalde, the Vulgar Latin, our Engliſh, and (for ought I know) all interpreters doe expreſſe, He dyed according to the word of the Lord. But I will not enlarge my ſelfe here, becauſe I ſpeake unto the ſame point in the Epiſtle before M. Stocks commentary. I wil only requeſt this of the learned reader, (if any ſuch ſhall vouchſafe to beſtow his eye ſo meanly,) that hee make a favourable judgement of what defect or other blemiſh hee may diſcerne in a worke of this nature, wch could not bee ſmoothly wrought, nor wrought in all things to mine own ſatisfaction, having the uſe of no books but mine owne, and living almoſt an 100 mile from any publicque library. Yet ſuch as I have, J have not neglected to conſult: willing to caſt off that untrue and ſlanderous aſperſion which Francis Ribera *Riber. Com. in Hoſ. 13. Num. 12.hath throwne upon Protestants Jnterpretaters; that they reade not the Commentaries of the holy fathers, but being furniſhed with ſome poore meaſure of knowledge in the tongues,Sed vide Guil. Perkinſi propheticam. cap. 3. they reade the Scripture as if they were to reade Livie or Cicero.
Whatſoever it is that I have done in this, I ſubmit it to the cenſure of this Church of England, of which I am a part & member, and in which I make my dayly prayers unto Almighty God, that truth and peace may ſtill be maintained, and that ſhe may ſtill flouriſh with proſperity & reputation, notwithſtanding the ill will and ill-opinion of al ſorts round about her.
S. T.
A Table of the Digresſions.
OF Malachy; who he was, His Country, and parentage. Malachy. Ch. 1. Ver. 1
A Diſcourſe about the names of Angels. Malachy. Ch. 1. Ver. 1.
A diſcourſe about the giving of names to children. Malachy. Ch. 1. Ver. 1.
A diſcourſe concerning the name of Altar. Malachy. Ch. 1. Ver. 7.2, 13.
Concerning the honor due to Gods houſe and ſervice. Malachy. Ch. 1. Ver. 7.
Concerning the admitting of ſuch only into ſacred orders, as are fit and worthy. Malachy. Ch. 1. Ver. 8.
A diſcourſe about Preaching and Catechiſing. Malachy. Ch. 2. Ver. 7.
Concerning the queſtion; whether diſparitas cultus, be an impediment of Matrimony. Malachy. Ch. 2. Ver. 11.
Concerning Polygamy, & the diſtinction of Bigamy. Malachy. Ch. 2. Ver. 15
Of the queſtion, whether a judge be bound to give ſentence ſecundum allegata & probata. Malachy. Ch. 3. Ver. 5.
A diſcourſe of the ancient ſeverity againſt adulterers. Malachy. Ch. 3. Ver. 5.
A diſcourſe of the care of Widowes and Orphans. Malachy. Ch. 3. Ver. 5.
A diſcourſe of the diſcovery of Atheiſme. Malachy. Ch. 3. Ver. 5.
Of the ill conſequence of keeping the Clergy poore. Malachy. Ch. 3 Ver. 8.
Of Tythes. Their kinds, uſe, and how due. Malachy. Ch. 3. Ver. 8.
A diſcourſe of the Diviſion of the Bible into Chapters and verſes. Malachy. Ch. 4. Ver. 1.
A diſcourſe of the Phaenix, and the aenigmatical uſe of it. Malachy. Ch. 4. Ver. 2.
A diſcourſe of Samſon, how in his name, a type of Chriſt. Malachy. Ch. 4. Ver. 2.
A diſcourſe of the necesſity and benefit of acquaintance with Gods Law. Malachy. Ch. 4. Ver. 4.