Commentary on Malachi, Essay · Section 1

Commentary on Malachi · Essay · Section 1

p. 7I. The firſt Conteſtation.

He conteſts with the Prieſts and the people, for their ingratitude and contempt of Gods worſhip; from Chap. 1. ver. 2. to Chap. 2. ver. 10. In this,

1. He expoſtulates with them, Chap. 1. ver. 2. to the 9.

2. He threatens them, ver. 9. to the end of Chap. 1.

3. He amplifies the former expoſtulations and threatnings, Chap. 2. ver. 1. to the 10.

I. He expoſtulates with them.

1. For their ingratitude. ver. 2. to the 6^th.

2. For their contempt and profaning of Gods worſhip ver. 6, 7, 8.

I. He expoſtulates with them for their ingratitude, ver. 2. unto ver. 6. They did not account of, nor ſo much as acknowledge Gods love. The Prophet therefore preſents the Lord reaſoning with them, and convincing them of it. We have,

1. The propoſition of Gods love.

2. The proofe of it.

Firſt, the propoſition of Gods love. ver. 2. I have loved you, 2.ſayth the Lord.] Tremell: reades it in the preſent, I love you. Not only as Hier: I have loved you, that is, the Iewes: while they loved me and kept my Covenant, they had teſtimonies of my love: but according to the force of the Hebrew, who by one tenſe ſignify all, I have loved you, and doe love p. 8you: elſe they might object, what is that to us that thou haſt loved our fathers, and hateſt us?

Secondly, the proofe of it. Where,

I. The occaſion of it. There queſtioning with God.

II. Gods anſwer to it.

Firſt, the occaſion is, their queſtioning, and unthankfull denyall of his love. Yet yee ſay] Genev. And yet yee ſay. Ʋul. And yee have ſayd. Trem. & Piſc. And yee ſay. Ʋatable. And yee will ſay. So he, becauſe Vau turnes the preter into the future. Chald. And if yee ſhall ſay. This variety yet alters not the ſenſe. Yet yee ſay, wherein haſt thou loved us?] or doſt thou love us? ſo Trem. What teſtimony is there of thy love? It is the objection of the people, riſing partly from their oſcitancy and forgetfulneſſe; partly from the obſervation and ſenſe of their former and preſent miſeries.

Secondly, Gods anſwer to their objection, by way of proofe of his love.

1. That he choſe them before Eſau and his poſterity. Hee choſe their family and the father of it, and preferd him before Eſau, though equall to him in other reſpects, being his brother, his twin-brother, yea his elder brother.

Ʋſe. 3 Was not Eſau Iacobs brother, ſaith the Lord, yet I loved Iacob, and I hated Eſau] The ſenſe is,The Anomaly in the word foreign ſee in Amama, Gram. l. 1 c. 10. Nu. 21. I have loved and choſen Iacob and you his poſterity before Eſau and the Idumaeans. Which was true. Firſt, When both the fathers of theſe families were in the wombe, before any deſert or actuall fault. The Hiſtory is, Gen. 25.23 I have hated, (1) leſſe loved Eſau, Iacob being before and above him. So Leah was ſayd to bee hated, Rachel being preferd before her. Gen. 29.31. And in that ſenſe Chriſt will have us hate Father and Mother; that is, he will be preferd before them. Luke 14.20. with, Math. 10.37. See alſo, Deut. 21.15. Prov. 13.24. and, 19.6, 7. Math. 6.24. And beſides, Eſau is to be taken, at leaſt in this place, not ſo much perſonally as Originally, for ſome thinke Eſau himſelfe did not fall a way to idolatry, though the Edomites afterwards did. (Vide Apparatus ad orig. Eccl. 1. Appar ſect. 24.) yet he was a prophane perſon, and if he remained impenitent, was reprobated; (ſo Par: ad Rom. 9. Dub. 4. But however it were with him, here the context ſheweth the Lord ſpeaketh of the poſterities, and their whole poſterities, the whole border or nation; but election is of certaine perſons, not, of any whole nation. Secondly, when the Iewes were preferd before the Idumeans. They had the Law of God, and his ordinances, the Temple, and Gods worſhip, the miniſtery of the Prophets, yea and the rule and dominion over Edom. 3. And cheifely at that preſent when Malachy prophecyed, p. 9when the Iewes were returned into their Country, and the Edomites left in captivity. Unto this temporall condition of theirs, the Geneva note applyes all, and ſo the meaning of the place ſeemes to be unto me, though the Apoſtle citing this place riſes higher to treate of praedeſtination, Ro. 9, 11, 12, 13. And what uſe hee makes of this place to that purpoſe, is more fit there to enquire, to the commentators on which I doe therefore refer the Reader.

Secondly, that he now ſhewed a different dealing toward them. That whereas they were now againe in their owne land (which is onelyonly intimated here) yet Edom was left waſt and un-inhabited. And they might the rather conſider this as a teſtimony of Gods love to them, that this was done to Edom for their ſake; for ſo wee finde it in Obadiah, ver. 10.11. That their unmercifulneſſe in Hieruſalems deſtruction is payd home unto them. This deſolation of Edom, is ſet out to bee,

1. Extreame. ver. 3.

2. Unrecoverable. ver. 4.

3. Notorious. ver. 4, 5.

I. Extreame. I hated Eſau, and layd his mountaines, 3and his heritage waſt, for the Dragons of the Wilderneſſe.] It is a circumlocution to expreſſe that foreign, that totall ruine of Edom.

His Mountaines] (1.) The Mountaines of Seir, ſo named, not of Eſau, but of Seir the father of the Horites, as Bonfrerius argues againſt both Euſebius and S. Hierom, in his Onomaſticon. A ſtony and hilly Country, being part of Arabia Petrea, like unto Tirolis or Helvetia among the Alpes, or as our Country of Wales. So it is deſcribed to bee by all the Prophets that mention it, and prophecyed againſt it, as Ieremy, Ezekiel, Obadiah. A large tract it is, though a barren, larger then Chriſtianus Adrichomius hath deſcribed it to bee, as Jac. Bonfrerius proves againſt him (Annot. 5. in Chorogr, Tabulam,) becauſe Elath and Ezion-gaber which are ſeated upon the red Sea, were within it, as appeares, Deut. 2.8. 1. Kin. 9.26. 2 Cro. 8.17. To which alſo agrees M. Mores map And his heritage,] The land which the poſterity of Eſau poſſeſſed haereditario jure; for as God gave the Canaanites to the Iewes, ſo hee gave the Horims the old inhabitants of that part, into the hand of the Edomites.

Waſt] Ruinous and deſolate. foreign the word here, and foreign and foreign all ſignifie the ſame thing, and when an utter deſolation is to bee expreſt, Two of them are ſometimes put together, as Ezek. 35.3. O mount Seir, I will make thee (Shemama Umeſhamma) waſtnes and deſolation. Or as our Engliſh reades it, moſt deſolate. And ver. 7. of the ſame p. 10Chapter, two more are together; I will make mount Seir, (Shimama Uſhemama) deſolation and deſolation; Or Waſtnes and Waſtnes: or as ours, moſt deſolate. And how that is wee ſee ver. 15. Thou ſhall be deſolate O mount Seir, and all Idumaea, even all of it. That is, no place fit for men to dwell in, but as it is in the next words.

For the dragons in the Wilderneſſe.] The French and Deodate, Expoſed to Dragons. Another phraſe to expreſſe an utter deſolation uſuall in the Prophets Lam. 5.18. Eſay 13.19.20. 21, 22. Which deſcription of the ruining of Babylon, will give light to this phraſe; and of which place Benjamin, In Itinerario, obſerved and relates, That that old Babylion is utterly overthrowne, in which Nebuchodonoſors ſtately ruines are yet to be ſeene, but inacceſſible for men, became of the diverſe and harmefull kinds of Serpents and Dragons lurking there. And they are here called The Dragons of the Wilderneſſe, either becauſe where they abound they will turne a place into a Wilderneſſe, by driving men from their habitations; Or, becauſe they doe uſually breed and live in ſuch uncouth and forlorne places; or, (which wee may obſerve) becauſe it was the Wilderneſſe of this Country of Edom, where the Iſraelites were ſtung with fiery Serpents, this Country a great part of it being Wilderneſſe and abounding naturally with Serpents, they ſhould ſwarme and poſſeſſe the reſt of the land; which how great a judgement it is, wee have notably and excellently ſet forth by Lucan: in his Pharſalia, lib. 9. deſcribing Cato's dangercus paſſage through the Lybian Deſart. But for this utter waſtneſſe of Edom, ſee more in the Prophets, Iere. 49.9.13. Ezek. 25.13. Obad. ver. 3, 4, 5.

Verſe 4 II. Unrecoverable. Whereas Edom ſayth, Wee are impoveriſhed, but wee will returne and build the deſolate places, Thus ſaith the Lord of hoſts, they ſhall build, but I will throw downe.] Their endeavours ſhall bee vaine and to no purpoſe to repaire their ruines, for I will croſſe their deſignes; and though they obtaine liberty of thoſe in whoſe land they are held, to returne and reſtore things, yet they ſhall not be able. A like paſſage we have, Eſay 9.9, 10, 11. ſee the place.

Whereas Edom ſaith] ſo ours and Montan. Though Edom ſay: ſo Genev. If Edom ſhall ſay: ſo Pagnin. Piſc. and the Ital. the particle foreign will beare all theſe; and the ſenſe differs not.

Edom] a name of Eſau which his father or ſome body elſe gave him upon his greedy deſire, or mocking his intemperance, which made him double the word through earneſtneſſe; Gen. 25.30. Eſau ſayd to Iacob, feed me, I pray thee (min-haadom haadom) with that red, that redpottage; therefore p. 11his name was called Edom. But it is here taken for the Country, or rather the inhabitants of the Country, Edomites.

(N.B. The Rabbins (cited by Galatinus de Arcan. lib. 4. c. 28.) uſually by Edom underſtand Rome; and ſo render diverſe places; as Lam. 4.21. O daughter of Edom (the Thargum reades it foreign Roma Impia, wicked Rome) the cup alſo ſhall paſſe thorough unto thee. They ſay alſo that Iulius Caeſar and the ſucceeding Emperors were originally of Edom. S. Hierome on Eſay 21.11. where Edom is called Duma; gives us the reaſon of the Iewiſh error, their miſtaking ד for ד, and ד for ד and ſo reade Roma for Duma. But their error hath more malice in it then meere miſtaking, as will appeare by their applying of all places mentioning Edom, againſt the Chriſtians under the name of Romans. See Ribera in Obad. ver. 1.)

We are impoveriſhed] ſo ours, the Gen. Chald. Pagn. Mont. Vatabl. We are deſtroyed: ſo Vulg. Ruſſaſnu, ad extremam inopiam reducti, brought to extreame want. foreign is, poſſeſſione deſtitutus, exterminatus fuit; put out of all, or, as wee uſe to ſay, thruſt out of houſe and home. Their Townes of trading, and fields yielding encreaſe being deſtroyed.

But] vau is ſometimes adverſative, though uſually copulative, as Montan. & Piſc. doe render it here, And.

Wee will returne and build] Piſcat. puts it into one word Reaedificabimus, wee will rebuild, as if foreign here in conſtruction with another verb were uſed adverbially for Rurſus, againe. The Lxx, foreign. We will turne againe and build againe.

The deſolate places] Vulg. Thoſe things which were deſtroyed. Hharabot, Solitudes, Waſts, ſo the word is uſed, Eſay 61 4. A metonymie of the forme. Waſts, that is waſt places. Solitudes, Solitary or deſolate places.

Thus ſaith the Lord of hoſts] The Lord God of hoſts. So Piſcat. But Elohe, God, is not in the Text. About the name Jehova there hath beene much adoe, about the writing, pronouncing, and uſe of it. It would too much enlarge theſe notes here to undertake the examination. I referre the reader, to,

Menaſſeh ben Iſrael, his Conciliator, Quaeſt. 3. in. Exod. Druſius, Hebr. Quaeſt. lib. 1. qu. 56. lib. 2. qu. 68.69. lib. 3. qu. 6. a. b. but eſpecially lib. de Tetragr. M^r. Broughton, conſent of Script. p. 1. and, ad An: mundi, 274 1.

Beza, Annotat. Majores, in Apoc. 1.4.

Sixtin. Amama, his Diſſertatio de Keri, p. 26. and, De recta lectione L. 5. p. 57. but eſpecially his Diſſertatio de Nom. Tetragram. in his Antibarb: Biblicus, at pag. 473. &c.

p. 12M^r. Selden, De dis Syris 1. Syntagm. 2. Cap. 1. p. 110, 111. 117.

The Lexicons of Buxtorfius, and Schindler in the word, foreign.

L' Eternel.The French bibles conſtantly render Iehova, Eternall, ſomewhat anſwering the ſignification of the word Iehova; but M^r. Deodate in his Italian doth ſtill expreſſe it according to their uſuall ſpeaking, Signore, which is the ſame with the Spaniſh Senor, and Don, and the Engliſh, Lord.

The Lord of hoſts] many interpreters retaine the Hebrew word in their tranſlation, Dominus Zebaoth: ſo doth the Lxx moſt uſually, foreign, (and the new Teſt. from them, as Rom. 9.29.) But in this place, and ſo throughout this Prophecy, (which may be noted here once for all, See Conrad. Kircheri Concord. Gr.) they render it, foreign, The Lord omnipotent. OnelyOnly the fragment of Aquila, foreign, and ſo ours, Lord of hoſts. Zaba is an Army or an hoſt ſet in order; the plurall Zebaoth, Gen. 2.1 And the Lord is thus called, having the command, Firſt, of the Angels. Secondly, of the Starres. Thirdly, of all Creatures on the earth. This is his name, as it is, Amos 5.27. Saith the Lord, whoſe name is the God of hoſts.

They ſhall build, but I will deſtroy] you are repaired, but not they; Their labour is vaine. Here the Lxx againe uſe foreign, they ſhall rebuild.

I will deſtroy] the Lxx, foreign, ſubvert. I will throw downe what they build. 1. King. 19.10. They have throwne downe thine Altars. The ſame word that is here. Wee have an Engliſh word from the French Haraſſer, of the ſame ſound with the Hebrew, and much of the ſame ſence, To haraſe. Thus their deſolation is ſet out to bee extreame and unrecoverable, and in the laſt place, notorious.

III. Notorious. It is now and ſhall bee taken notice of to after times, that Edom your enemy is under my indignation. Notorious, 1. To the world, to all .2. to you the Iewes.

Firſt, To the world. And they ſhall call them, or, They ſhall bee called] An imperſonall locution as wee ſay. That is, all that paſſe ſhall hiſſe and point at them and ſhall call them;

The Border of wickedneſſe, & the people againſt whom the Lord hath indignation for ever] The calamity of Edom ſhall goe for a proverbe. It ſhall loſe its old name among men, and carry a name of infamie, and a marke of Divine vengeance.

The Border of wickedneſſe] A poore curſed land layd waſt for ſinne.

The Border] That is, the land of wickedneſſe, or, the p. 13wicked land. French, the Country of wickedneſſe, and ſo the Ital. Contradad empietà, the ſtreet, precinct, or Country of wickedneſſe. The border, or terme, or limit, being put for the land it ſelfe. Or it is ſo expreſt, becauſe men ſhall onelyonly come to the border or marches, and ſtanding there and entring no farther on, ſhall as it were point and ſay, Ah wicked, Ah wicked place.

And the people againſt whom the Lord hath indignation for ever] Lxx. foreign, The people againſt whom the Lord fights. The people whom he abhorreth and deſpiſeth. For the Orig. ſignifies to abhorre and contemne, as well as to have indignation againſt.

For ever] foreign which uſually is tranſlated, Ever, ſignifies a long time, or, a time whoſe duration is hid from us: for the roote of it is Alam, to hide. Yet according to our uſe and ſenſe of the word, It is true, that Edom though it were a people againe after this time (as appeare by Joſephus, Antiq. lib. 13. cap. 16, 17. and, Belli Judaici, lib. 6. cap. 7.) yet the Lord had indgnation againſt it for, ever; for, Firſt, Their captivity was never revoked by any decree. Some reliques only ſtayd in ſome few un-obſerveable places of Idumaea, and thoſe few and other colonies that came in (becauſe the land was open) encreaſed ſomewhat, and were called Idumaeans, though they were Miſtanatio. Secondly, And theſe alſo ſuch as they were were ſubdued ſhortly by Hircanus the Jewiſh high Prieſt, & received (or as Ludov. Capell. Hiſt. Apoſt. p. 93. were forced to receive) circumciſion, and were made Iewes. So their eſtate was changed for ever. Thirdly, after the Iewiſh warre, their very name by degrees periſht, no memory of them being left in poſterity.

Ʋerſe 5 2. Notorious alſo in ſpeciall to the Iewes, the Church, the people of God. And your eyes ſhall ſee (the Italian ſupplies (Lo, It,) in a ſmaller character, ſhall ſee it,) and yee ſhall ſay, The Lord, will bee magnified from the border of Iſrael.] French, above all that are upon the frontiers of Iſrael. This Tremell. reades otherwiſe; which your eyes ſhall ſee from the border of Iſrael, and yee ſhall ſay, &c. The Hebr. From the border, or upon, or, from upon. The border, that is, the region of Iſrael, is oppoſed to the border, or region of wickedneſſe. God had indignation at that, but here they ſhall ſee that God will make his name great. Through his goodneſſe towards them; or as Ioh. Tarnovius, Hee will manifeſt his goodneſſe from above from heaven upon their border. See Pſal. 126.2, 3. Ioel. 2.21. The Chald: thus, Let the glory of the Lord bee multiplyed, for hee hath enlarged the borders of Iſrael. To wit, the Idumaeans being ſubdued, and made Iewes by Hircanus. Or p. 14as ſome, the Lord will be magnified by enlarging the Iewes borders over other nations. Piſcat. ſeemes to encline to this. (How much God enlarged their borders, ſee in Ribera comment. in Obad. ver. 19. fully) Or as Oſiander, let the Lord be prayſed who hath againe reſtored and made our land to flouriſh. Or, as others, in a yet different ſenſe, the Lord will be magnified from beyond the borders of Iſrael, through the World. Thus much of their Ingratitude. In the next place,

II. He expoſtulates with them for their Contempt and Profaning of Gods worſhip; ver. 6, 7, 8. In which wee have,

Firſt, Gods accuſation of them. ver. 6.

Secondly, the debating of the accuſation. ver. 6, 7, 8.

Thirdly, Gods accuſation of them. 1. more tacite and implyed. 2 more open and expreſſed.

Ʋerſe. 6 Firſt, Gods accuſation of them is more tacite and implyed inlaying a ground of diſcovery of their contempt; which ground is an Axiome in nature. A Sonne honors his father, and a ſervant his Maſter.] A ſonne honors, (1) loves, reverences, obeyes, and if need bee, ſuſtaines and relieves his Father. Hee will honour, ſo Montan. and Pifc. that is, Honorare ſolet. Not onelyonly the divine law, but humane reaſon and nature teaches him it; and hee doth it. And the ſervant his maſter;] Here is an Ellipſis of the verb, ſupplyed by Piſcator, Reveretur, Hee feares or reverences, His Maſter] the Hebr. His Maſters or Lords. So Ioſeph is called, Geneſ. 42.33. The Lords. And the man (Adone haanets, Domini terrae, The Lords) the Lord of the Country ſpake unto us. A verb ſingular is in conſtruction with a noune plurall. And it is obſerved to bee ordinary in this word, honoris gratiâ, to carry with it the dignity of the perſon.

Secondly, his accuſation of them is more open and expreſſe;

I. In the applicatiō of that naturall law. If then I be a Father, where is my honour? that is, which is due to mee, you confeſſing mee to bee, and calling me father. And if I bee a Maſter (Adonim plurall, as before; If (as Tarnovius) it have not a farther meāing to ſet out the myſtery of the Trinity.) Where is my feare? my reverence, ſo Treniel. foreign Morai, of foreign to feare and to reverence, and to venerate and worſhip. But of … …e there are two nounes, Ijra which is that Timor by which wee religiouſly worſhip God; and Mora, that feare whereby we are in awe of one that is terrible, and that is the word here.

II. The accuſation is expreſt in the direct accuſation, where,

p. 15Firſt, who accuſeth. Tis God. Where is my feare, ſaith the Lord of hoſts. See ver. 4.

Secondly, who are accuſed. The Prieſts. Ʋnto you oh Priſts] the Italian ſupplies, unto you O Prieſts I ſpeake. S. Hier. Theodor. Remig. Hugo. &c. thinke all the people are reproved for neglect of God and his ſervice. And they are ſo afterwards; but here 'tis more ſpecially directed to the Prieſts, Gods primo-geniti, his ſonnes, peculiar to him, which heigthens the accuſation. Chohen is a Miniſter in politicis, as well as, in Sacris. 2 Sam. 20.26. Ira the Iairite was (chohen) a prince or chiefe ruler about David. See Menaſ. ben Iſrael Conciliator, Qu. 29. in Exod. But here the whole context is cleare for interpreting it, Prieſts.

Thirdly, the crime they are directly charged with, you that deſpiſe my name] this is the generall head under which the particulars, after mentioned are comprehended. The Lxx, foreign: Yee that eſteeme my Name at a low rate. The French, yee miſpriſed my Name, My Name] that is, Me, My glory or fame and Dignity. Renowned men, are called, men of name, Geneſ. 6.4. In oppoſition to which, Baſe men are called, (Beli ſhem) men of no name. Iob. 30.8. Thus God accuſeth them, we have next,

2. The debating of that accuſation.

Firſt they traverſe it. They put him to the proofe. And yee ſay, (or, a… the Vulg. And yee have ſayd) wherein have we deſpiſed thy name? Doe wee contemne thy Name? ſo Tremel. The Tigurine here is rather a paraphraſe then a tranſlation; In what thing have we counted thy Name vile, and is it diſregarded by us?

Verſe. 7 Secondly, Gods reply to convince them. ver. 7. Yee offer polluted bread upon my Altar] The Ital. Supplies it, In aſmuch as yee offer, &c. Such as offer polluted bread upon my Altar, deſpiſe my Name. But you doe ſo. Therefore you deſpiſe my name.

Yee offer] So Pagnin: alſo turn'd it, and 'tis agreeable to the mind of the place; though that of Montanus correction bee more to the letter, yee cauſe to come, or that of Tremel. yee bring; for ſo the word ſignifies. Maggiſhim of Nagaſh to come neare, or, To bring.

Bread] S. Hierom, Remig. Lyr. Hugo, underſtand The Shewbread, being not wheaten and unleavened, but contrary to the law, of barly, branny, and leavened; and therefore called Polluted, which was brought and ſet on the Table of Shewbread, for that they alſo meane by the Altar. But Bread here ſeemes to bee the ſame with the ſacrifices mentioned ver. 8. ſo that here is a Synechdoche, Bread, that is, the meate of the p. 16ſacrifices, or polluted ſacrifices. For foreign ſignifies as well as Bread, all ſorts of food. Therefore afterwards ver. 12. it is called, meate. So alſo in the other originall doth foreign ſignify, Mat. 6.11. Luc. 14.1. This is alſo obſerved by Steph. Menochius in his ſhort notes. Deodate here renders it food, in his Italian, and his Margin refers to Levit. 3.11. where he ſaith, the ſacrifices were called, the food of the Lord.

Polluted Bread, or uncleane,] the ſacrifices are ſo called, either being not according to the law. Levit. cap. 1. &, 2. &, 3. & cap. 22.20, &c. Deut. 15.21. Or being polluted through the impiety of the offerers; Or that they brought Idolothytes for ſacrifices, which in the new Teſtament, Acts 15.20. are called foreign, Pollutions of Idols, and that is the word of the Lxx here, foreign. And it ſeemes Daniel was afraid leſt if he had eaten of the Kings portion, he might eate of the meate prepared in the feaſts of the Idols whom the King worſhipped and ſacrificed unto, and ſo be polluted Dan. 1.8.

Ʋpon my Altar,] the Altar of burnt offerings.

Thirdly, the peoples anſwer againe. Wherein have wee polluted thee?]

The Lxx, foreign; But whatſoever it is that wee bring or offer, yet wherein have we polluted thee?

Fourthly, Gods arther reply, for the proving of the aſſumption of the laſt Syllogiſm which they denyed, and to ſhew them how neare they touched himſelfe in their profanenes. In that yee ſay, The table of the Lord is contemptible.] or as the Geneva, Not to bee regarded. As if it were no matter what brought and layd upon it.

The table of the Lord] So hee calls The Altar, becauſe the ſacrifice is as it were a feaſt, to the Lord, and for the Prieſts. And ſo the Altar is expreſſely called, Ezek. 41.22. The Altar was three Cubits, and hee ſaid unto mee, This is (foreign) the Table that is before the Lord And no doubt, The Lords Table may alſo bee called an Altar in that harmeleſſe ſenſe in which the fathers uſed it, before Tranſubſtantiation was hatched or thought of Ioh. Alſted Paratitla Theol. in verbo, Propoſitionis menſa, obſerves that the Greekes uſe both names, but not or the ſame table; They have two tables, one upon, which the Bread and Wine ſtands before the conſecration which they call foreign, and the Table: and another to, which the elements are carried from thence, where they are alſo conſecrated, and that they call foreign, The holy Seate, and foreign, The Altar. But the fruitleſſe Logomachy in this point which hath beene already, hath beene but too much. The table is put for the Altar, (a metaphor) being like a Table, the Lord p. 27being feaſted at his Altar. The Metaphor is cleare, Eſay 6 5.11, Yee are they that prepare a table for that troope. (1) That make an Altar and ſacrifice to good fortune, as M^r. Selden interprets it in his learned booke, De dis Syris. Syntag. 1. cap. 1. pag. 4. Such is that of the Apoſtle when hee calleth the foreign the Ara (which wee have not a fit engliſh word for, but wee uſually though unfitly call) the Altar of Divells, The Table of Devills. 1 Cor. 10.21.

Ye ſay, The Table is contemptible] The Lxx. here have the ſame word againe, foreign. But tis in the Hebr: as ours have rendred it, Contemptible. Either, 1. They ſaw the Sacrificing to be deſpiſed; ſleighted through ſuch long diſ-uſe; by reaſon of the 70 yeares Captivity they had not recovered the fervour of former time to be ſo frequently before the Lord: or, 2. They look't ſcornefully on the meane building and ornaments of the Temple, for it did not anſwer the glory of the former houſe; So Tarnovius: or, 3. Becauſe the Iewes were newly returned and were yet but poore, and could not bring ſuch rich oblations, therefore the Prieſts grew cold and careleſſe in attending on the altar: or, 4. Becauſe they ſaw what was brought conſumed with fire, they thought any thing good enough for the fire, good enough to be burnt. The truth is, The low and cheape opinion of Gods worſhip, hath ever made a greater waſte upon religion, than an over-high; and there is leſſe danger (though there be danger) in ſuperſtition then in profaneneſſe. Hence it was that the piety of ancient Chriſtian times was ſo much in their reverent demeanour in Gods houſe, though otherwiſe their devotion had much faeculentie and droſſe ad mixt Among the many Canons to this purpoſe of other Churches, and our owne, every where obvious, I cannot but here inſert that every devout one which fell into my obſervation at the time of the collecting of theſe notes, which Sir Hen. Spelman hath imparted to the world out of Bennet Colledge manuſcript. Non de bere ad eccleſiam, &c. We ordaine; That men come not to the Church for any other cauſe, then to praiſe God, and to doe him ſervice. But Contendings, aaPleadings and matters of arbitrement.Tumults, and Vaine talkings, and all other like actions, let them by no meanes be ſuffered in that holy place. For there where Gods Name is called upon and Sacrifice offered unto God, and where no doubt the Angels are frequent, it is dangerous to doe or ſay any ſuch thing as agrees not to that holy place. For if the Lord caſt thoſe out of the Temple which bought or ſold ſuch victimes as were to be offered to himſelfe. … how much more offended will he caſt out them who pollute that place ſet apart, for divine worſhip, with vaine leaſings, mirthes, and ſuch like to…. The place is, Inter Capitula incertae editionis. Cap. 10. In Concil. p. 18Pam. brit. pag. 591. Where you ſhall finde it both after the Latine and the Saxon Copy. A devout Canon of that ancient, but well nigh moſt corrupt age ſince Chriſt, if it were made as S^r. H. Spelm. ſeemes to gueſſe by his placing it about An. Dom. 1050. And indeed all ages of the Church have beene tender in this point, but ours. But what a diſeaſed mind is it to finde fault with the ſerving of God with comlineſſe and honor, and that it will not bee indured that wee ſhould bee ſplendid at our owne tables, and ſordid at Gods, as Bellarmin alſo complained even in that overdoting and ſuperſtitious Church,Bellarm. in Gemitu Columbae. of ſome prelats, that they would provide rich wines for their owne tables, and cared not what Tap-laſh was ſerved at Gods. An inſtance that wee may eaſilyer complaine of, then have remedied, at leaſt in our Country pariſh Churches.

This profaneneſſe is argued to be, 1. againſt Gods Law. 2. againſt the rule of common honeſty and comelineſſe, verſ. 8.

Verſe 8 Firſt, againſt Gods law. And if yee offer the blind for ſacrifice (or, to ſacrifice,) Is it not evill? And if yee offer the lame and ſicke, is it not evill?] thus alſo the Lxx. and the Chald: and Tremell: reade it by an interrogation. But Vatablus with the Tigurine on which hee noted (as Cornel. a lap. proem. in min. proph. pag. 6. affirmes, which I have not ſeene, but onelyonly thoſe notes of his which being taken from his mouth by Bertinus who ſucceeded him in his profeſſor-ſhip at Paris, were ſet out together with the Ʋulgar and Pagnin's verſion by Rob. Stephens, An 1556. which I note here onelyonly by the way, and once for all) and Pagn. and Montan: the French, the Engliſh of Geneva, and Iohn Tarnov. (who here and uſually followes Luther) they reade it affirmatively, When ye offer the blind, &c. It is not evill. The autoriſed Engl. before our laſt, and Piſcat. ſupply it, when yee offer the blind, (yee ſay) it is not evill. That is, It is well enough, though it be blind or lame. It is not evill in your opinion, who rather then you would loſe any gaine, ſay, Melius eſt Il quam nil (It is Lucas Oſianders rime, upon this place, not mine) better that which is ill and bad then nothing at all. But the ſenſe is much clearer in the interrogative, Is it not evill? That is, It is evill. And ſo it is the firſt argument againſt their profaneneſſe. See the particulars explicated in the commentary. The ſecond is, that it is.

Secondly, Againſt the rule of cōmon honeſty and comlines. Offer it now unto thy governor, (or as the Geneva, to thy Prince,) will hee bee pleaſed with it, (or as the Genev. will he be content with thee) or accept thy perſon, ſaith the Lord of hoſts? that p. 19is, he will be diſpleaſed with thee, he will not accept it at thy hand; much leſſe will I, ſaith the Lord.

Thy Governor] the Lxx. and the vul. Thy Captaine. The Genev. thy Prince. Thoſe that ruled in the time of the ſecond Temple, were not called foreign Kings. But foreign Captaines or Governours, becauſe they were then under the power of other nations, and were not Kings or ſupreame Princes, but had praefecture granted unto them. Such an one Nehemiah was, Neh. 5.14. and Zerobabel and others, who as Deodate obſerves, had their proviſion of beaſts and other food brought in for their uſe, and the maintenance of their houſe by the people. To which this preſent Text ſeemes to allude. Yet ſuch an one, (much leſſe a King) will not bee well pleaſed with a ſorry worthleſſe preſent, or a neglective ſervice.

Accept thy Perſon] Ʋulg. and Pagn. Accept thy Countenance or face. Hebr. Thy faces, but it is to bee tranſlated in the ſingular, for Pane the ſingular is out of uſe; and it is here taken for the perſon, and ſo it is other where, as, 2 Sam. 17.11. Goe to battle in thine own perſon. Or, I counſell thee that thy face or preſence goe.

Accept thy Face] or, will hee lift up thy face? for foreign here, is of foreign as was ſaid upon the firſt verſe; but when Naſa is uſed De facie alterius, it ſignifies to honor one, or, to doe ſomewhat for his ſake. Will he honor thee, as great ones uſe to doe ſuch as bring them preſents that they like, will he gratify thee with his favour? will he be benevolous towards thee? He will not.

Luc. Oſiander here takes occaſion gravely to apply this paſſage againſt their ſinne, who deſtinate unto Gods miniſtry, ſuch as are of dull wit, and of defective or blemiſhed bodies, as if any were good enough and fit enough for God. The Papacy which (as Card. Allen Apolog. cap. 6. ſayth) is diſcreetly menaged, is wiſe in this point, doing as the maſter of the Eunuches under the King of Babylon, who choſe out of the Iſraelites ſuch children as were without blemiſh, well-favored, wiſe and skilfull, and had ability in them, that they might be taught in the art and tongue of the Chaldeans. Dan. 1.3, 4, 5. Wee have this place notably applyed and enlarged by D. Reynolds in his preface to the Conference. It were to be wiſhed that that order which the ingenious Spaniard Huarte in his Examen de ingeniis, in the dedication to King Philip ſpeaketh of, were taken, that ſome men of great wiſedome were deputed to diſcover each ones propenſion in his youth, and ſo accordingly to diſpoſe of them. That they be not ſet to the ſtudy of divinity that are fit onelyonly for Carpenters or p. 20Taylors. For as hee well obſerves, They are ſuch as have not a wit for Divinity that deſtroy Chriſtian Religion. See his 10^th. Chapter. But of this by the way. And ſo much of Gods expoſtulating with them, in the next,

II. Hee threatnes judgements againſt them. ver. 9. to the end of the firſt Chapter, Judgements, 1. privative ver. 9. to the 14^th. 2 poſitive, ver. 14.

I. Privative Judgements. 1. The rejecting of their prayers. ver. 9.2. the rejecting of their ſacrifices. ver. 10.3. The removall of his worſhip. ver. 11, 12, 13.

Verſe 9 Firſt, he threatens, the rejecting of their prayers. ver. 9. And now I pray, beſeech God, (or, the Face of God) that hee will bee gracious unto us: this hath beene by your meanes; (or, from your Hand) will he regard your perſon, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts? Many doe take this as an wholeſome counſell to the Prieſts, or a ſerious adviſe, that they would repent, and fly to Gods Grace to avert his wrath, and to pray unto him that hee would bee reconciled. So S. Hierom. and they that uſually follow him, Theodor. Rupert. Lyr. Haymo, Menochius, as alſo Jo. Piſcat. and the Geneva note. But I encline to Montan. Junius, Deodate, and the authour of this following commentary, That it is an Ironie; try now I pray, beſeech God, ſee if you can prevaile; you have reaſon to try what you can doe, for you are they that have provoked God, but you ſhall not be accepted.

Beſeech] foreign Weary God with your prayers. It comes of foreign To bee grieved, To bee ſicke, To bee weake, and when it is joyned with Panim, as it is here, Hhalluná Pené-el, It is to weary one with prayer, to deprecate. The Geneva is, Pray before God,] which our commentary followes, and gives this ſenſe, Pray before him in the place of his worſhip. But the Hebr. is as our Margin, beſeech the face of God: the Face of your God, ſo the Lxx.

That hee will bee gracious unto us.] That he may have mercy upon us; ſo the Gen. and Italian. It is the ſame phraſe, which is uſed in that forme of prayer or bleſſing which was ordered for the Prieſts, Num. 6.25. and haply this place alludes to that. (See Maimon: alleadged by Ainſw. ad loc.)

This hath beene by your meanes] or, From your hand, ſo Hebr. Chald Lxx. The Tigur. and Tremell. This evill hath beene done by you meanes. So our old authoriſed Engliſh doth expreſſe it, and it ſeemes to anſwer to the interpretation of S. Hierom and his followers, This hath not beene ſo much your Fathers ſinne as yours; not ſo much the peoples as your the Prieſts, Therefore you that have angred the Lord, doe you Pray.

p. 21Will hee regard your perſons] Wee had the ſame phraſe in the former Verſe; ſee it there. OnelyOnly, the Vulg. taking this whole Verſe for a councell, not an Ironie, reades, If by any meanes he may receive you. Others, If by any meanes hee may take his face, (1) his anger from you. And the word will beare that too, for Naſa, is Auferre as well as ſuſcipere. Theodoret yet otherwiſe, Doe you thinke God will receive you to favour without repentance and Prayer? Others; will he regard you more then the reſt, will he be partiall? no, you ſhall ſmart alſo.

Verſe 10 Secondly, hee threatens the rejecting of their ſacrifices. ver. 10. Who is there even among you that would ſhut the dores (for naught?) neither doe you kindle (fire) on my Altar for naught. I have no pleaſure in you ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.] Winkleman thinkes hee paſſes here to a new reproofe, to condemne their foreign, ſeeking diſhoneſt gaine even in Minutiſſimis. And ſo it ſeemes the compoſer of the ſhort notes in our old large Eng. bibles thought, whoſe margine hath onelyonly this, Againſt all thoſe that follow Religion for lucres ſake. S^t. Cyrill, and S^t. Hierom ſeeme to take it as a provocation of them to ſerve God better; you doe nothing in my ſervice but you get by it, why then doe you neglect it? If nothing elſe, the reward might make you diligent. But moſt take it as a rejecting of their ſacrifices; though they goe not the ſame way, becauſe they differ in the reading of the Text. Who is there among you that would ſhut the dores, that yee might not kindle mine Altar in vaine. So the Chald. Lxx. Theod. Vatabl. I would ſome body would ſhut the doores, that they might not offer theſe polluted ſacrifices to no purpoſe. Who is there that would ſhut the dores? And kindle not fire on my Altar in vaine.] So the Geneva, and their note is, God deſires they would rather ſhut the dores then receive and burne ſuch offrings. The author of the following commentary followes that; In which I muſt depart from him, becauſe wee in our laſt (and the beſt Engliſh) tranſlation, reade the words otherwiſe, as above. Wee ſupply the word foreign (For naught) out of the following ſentence, as Piſcator alſo doth. Who is there that would ſhut the dores for naught? Unto which I will offer a double ſenſe. 1. There are none of you that would or did ſerve mee without recompenſe, and therefore being ſo ingaged to ſerve mee, and yet withall ſo unthankfull, I have no pleaſure in you or your ſacrifices. Or, 2. Who is there even among you, any of you, (for I will even make your ſelves the Judges) that would ſo farre gratifie the people, as to open the dores of the Temple, to pray for them; or to kindle the Altar, p. 22to ſacrifice to make atonement for them; and yet not be reſpected by them, but doe all this for naught, they bringing you the refuſe tythes, poore meane and corrupt offerings, as good as if they brought none at all? But ſo yee deale with mee, and deſpiſe my name, Therefore I have no pleaſure in you, nor will accept your offering.

Who would ſhut the dores] (1) of the Temple. The word is foreign The double dores. The difference betweene foreign Ianua and foreign oſtium ſee in Geneſ. 19.6. Lot went out at the doore (ad oſtium id eſt, aperturam. The dore place) and ſhut the dore (Ianuam, The opening dore) after him. The Greeke expreſſeth the difference more clearely, Lot went out foreign, to the porch, (or outward dore,) And ſhut foreign, the dore, (the inner dore) after him. But to returne to the Text in hand, theſe two-leaved dores of the Temple were da…ly to bee opened by the Prieſts of the familie of Korah, where they wayted as it were to watch their watches there. See, … Cron. 16.38.26.1. 2 Cron. 35.15. & Henr: Mollerus in Pſalmū 84 ver. 11.

Neithe… doe yee kindle fire on my Altar] Illuſtrate my Altar; ſo Tremell or as Montan. hath it, Cauſe my altar to ſhine: which is alſo to the ſenſe of our tranſlation, becauſe things kindled or ſet on fire, doe ſhin…. According to that of Virgil. Collucent ignes — and Maenia reſpiciens, quae jam infelicis Eliſae Collucent flammis— The Lxx render it as we doe, foreign, yee kin…le. The Chald paraphraſe expreſſeth the meaning too, yee offer upon my Altar.

I have no pleaſure in you] The Italian, I doe not eſteene you a jot.

I will not accept an offering, &c.] The word here is, Minhha, of which ſee the next verſe, in which,

Thirdly, he threatens the remoovall of his worſhip. ver. 11, 12, 13. where we conſider,

Verſe 11 I. The tranſlation, in the word of illation, For] Tremell. reades it, But, and Piſcator therefore would have it to be foreign for foreign But we need not ſo ſupply the originall, in which wee have a cleare context, in which God paſſeth from the former threatning to this, as alleadging this as a reaſon of the former; I will not accept their offering, for I have other people that more reverence me.

II. The threatning it ſelfe, ſet downe by a compariſon of diſſimilitude betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles, where,

1. The propoſition, ſhewing the Gentiles care of his worſhip. ver. 11.

2. The reddition, ſhewing the Iewes neglect and profaning of it ver. 12.13.

p. 23Firſt, the propoſition ſhewing the Gentiles care of Gods Worſhip, and reſpect unto it. ver. 11. From the riſing of the Sunne to the gowing downe of the ſame, my name (ſhall be) great among the Gentiles, and in every place incenſe (ſhall bee) offred unto mine name, and a pure offering; for my name (ſhall bee) great among the heathen, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts.] I will aboliſh your ſacrifices, impure, and bounded in one narrow land, my name and my worſhip ſhall not bee confined in Iudaea, but the whole World ſhall bee my Temple, and all Nations ſhall worſhip with pure offerings, for my name ſhall and will be magnified among them every where.

From the riſing of the Sunne, to the going downe] that is, every where, from Eaſt to Weſt. And what if theſe Weſterne parts of the World be particularly propheſyed of, to enjoy the worſhip of God after the Iewes which were in the Eaſt. Or, what if theſe Iſlands of ours that lie in the Sea, into which the Sunne is ſaid To goe downe, which is an expreſſion of the old Greeke Poets, (ſee Ioh. Scapula in Thom. foreign, and the Prophet here uſeth ſuch a word in the other originall, when the Weſt is called according to the vulgar conceit The Sunſet, or, The ſunnes going downe, or, Going in, introitus ſolis. foreign of foreign To lie downe or, Goe in.

My name great] the Gen. ſupplies, IS; we ſupply it, ſhall be great. Gods Name what it is, we ſaw, ver. 6.

Shall bee great] Lxx, foreign. Glorified.

Among the Gentiles (in the end of the verſe they are cal'd, The heathen, but the ſame word foreign. The Iewes thēſelves are alſo ordinarily called, Gojim. Eſa. 9.3. Thou haſt multiplied the nation, (Hagoi). The Thargum there, the people of the houſe of Iſrael. Ezek. 2.3. I ſend thee to the children of Iſrael, to a rebellious Nation. (Gojim, Nations) called ſo in the plurall, becauſe though they were but one people, they were many tribes, or, divided into many factions. But when the word is oppoſed to the Jewes, (as here) it denotes other people that are not of the ſeed of Abraham, who in the new teſtament are called foreign. as Math. 10.5. Goe not into the way of the Gentiles, foreign. Rom. 15.11. Praiſe the Lord all ye Gentiles. foreign. This word the Lxx uſe here, foreign. Though this word alſo be uſed for the Iewes, even in the new Teſtament Luc. 7.5. foreign. Hee loved our Nation. That is, the Iewes. But the Iewes uſed the word ordinarily to ſignifie another people, and a people of another worſhip, and to this day they uſe to call a Chriſtian, Goi, A gentile. As wee now alſo doe uſe the words, Heathen, Gentiles, Pagans, for ſuch people as are without Chriſt, or, are without the covenant. As in the Apoſtles time they ordinarily called all ſuch as were not p. 24of the Church (or which uſed, to bee called Gentiles) foreign, Greekes; becauſe the greateſt part of the Eaſt Country ſpake Greeke, and that people were the principall among the Gentiles which were knowne unto the Iewes. But the Syriacke of the new Teſtament inſtead of Grecians uſually turnes it, Aramaeans. (ſee Tremell. Marg. ad Act. 20.21.21.28. Rom. 29.) And the difference of the Graecian and Graeciſt in the language of the new Teſtament ſee in Goodwyn, Moſ. & Ar. lib. 1. cap. 3.

And in every place incenſe offered] So alſo the Lxx. Arab. Syr. Pagn. The Tigur. Arias Mont. For Kitter and Ktora. & Ktoreth, and the word that is here Muktar doe all ſignifie Incenſe or Perſume. It is ſpoken in the language of the Leviticall Law (which is ordinary with the Prophets) to ſet out the ſpirituall worſhip of God under the time of the Goſpell. Yea under the Law it ſelfe, Prayer was reſembled by the Pſalmiſt unto Incenſe, Pſal. 141.2. And the ſame reſemblance is uſed in the new Teſtament, Apoc. cap. 5.8.

Offered] and ſo the Lxx, Pagn. Tigur. Put] ſo the Syr. the Arab. of Antioch, Made] but the other Arab. reades it, Brought.] All agreeable both to the ſignification of the word Muggaſh of Nagaſh, To drawe neare, Or, To come neare; (that which is offred it Drawes neare unto God,) and to the uſe of Incenſing. OnelyOnly the Ʋulg. Lat. tranſlates it Sacrificed, but improperly: Yet the popiſh interpreters make uſe of that tranſlation for their purpoſe in the interpreting of the next words, of the Sacrifice of the Maſſe, though without reaſon, as wee ſhall ſee.

And a pure Offering] This I ſay, the Pontificians interpret of the Maſſe, for ſay they, the word here foreign Minhha, ſignifies ſpecially that offering of fine flower, Levit. 2.1. which was (ſay they) a type of the Euchariſt. But, 1 Mincha doth not alwayes ſignify a ſacrifice, as wee ſhall ſee afterwards; And 2. The words of the Prophet cannot foreign, literally bee underſtood of the Maſſe, for the popiſh Prieſts doe not offer Fine flower, and oyle, and frankincenſe, which goe all to the making of this Mincha; of which ſee the place. Levit. 2.1.2. and Maimon. Tr. de Sacrif. cap. 13. ſ. 5. And for farther anſwer to this interpretation, ſee the following commentary, fully: together with Chemnit. Examen. parte, 2^a, lib. 6. de Miſſa, arg. 8.

There are diverſe other interpretations. The roote of this Hebr. word, is Manahh an Arabique verbe ſignifying, To give; and Minhha is any ſolemne gift or preſent. To man; as Geneſ. 32.13. Iacob tooke (Mincha) a preſent for Eſau. So, Geneſ. 43.11. 1. Sam. 10.27. and, 2 Sam: 8.6. The Syrians became p. 25ſervants to David, & brought gifts. He. Mincha. gr. foreign. But eſpecially it is a preſent or gift to God, w^ch when it is of cattel it is called Korban; and when of things inanimate, as flower, cakes, wafers, &c. it is called Mincha. So, Gen. 4:3. Cain brought of the fruite of the ground (Mincha) an offring to the Lord. But moſt ſtrictly it ſignified thoſe particular kindes of meate offerings, mentioned, Lev. 2. There were five kinds of thē in that Chapter; and among them that of fine flower which was to be offred every morning and evening. Exod. 29.38.39.40.41. This Mincha was primarily a figure of Chriſts Oblation, who gave himſelfe for an offering to God for us. Eph. 5.2. So Heb. 10.5. &c. The Apoſtle openeth the 40^th Pſalme. A type of Chriſt, but not of the Euchariſt. Secondly, it figured the perſons of Chriſtians, who through Chriſt are ſanctifyed to bee pure Oblations to God. Prophecyed of, Eſa. 66.20. The Gentiles ſhall bee brought for an offring, (Mincha) to the Lord. To which place, or rather to this of the Prophet Malachy, the Apoſtle ſeemes to allude, Rom. 15.16. where hee calls the convrtſion of the Gentiles through the Goſpell, An oblation, or offering, or Sacrificing of the Gentiles unto God: in which reſpect alſo hee calls his preaching a Sacrifice: as Eraſmus reades it alſo, Sacrificans Evangelium. Though the phraſe be obſcure. Hugo's interpretation here was of the Proſelytes, who ſhould be an offring to the Lord to the Temple Ex omni loco, from every place. But it is not ſo in the Text, but, In every place. And this ſenſe agrees better with the converſion of us the Gentiles. Thirdly, it figured the fruites of grace and good works, particularly, Prayer. The Iewiſh interpeters ſay, this pure offering is meant of the prayers of the holy Iewes every were diſperſt. So the Chalde paraphraſe, I will receive your prayers, and it ſhall bee like a pure offering before mee. But the place ſpeakes of the Gentiles. Therefore it is that Tertullian occaſionally, and Vatabl. and Calvin ad Loc. underſtand it of Chriſtians their performing of worſhip to God in the dueties of holineſſe and love. Hence, dueties of love are called Sacrifices, Hebr. 13.16. Philip. 4.18. but chiefely the duties of Holineſſe, prayſes of, and prayers unto God; when Every where there is a lifting up of pure hands to the Lord. 1 Tim. 2.8. And it is obſervable that the time of the Mincha which was dayly, morning and evening, was the time of Set prayer among the Jewes. Dan. 9.21. While I was ſpeaking in prayer, Gabriel touched me, about the time of the evening oblation. (Mincha). This is that which the Rabbins call, Tephilla Mincha, The prayer of the evening Sacrifice. Which was about Three of the Clock in the afternoone; called in Scripture according to the Iewes reckoning of the time, The ninth p. 26houre, which is ſayd to bee, Acts 3.1. foreign. The houre of Prayer.

Secondly, the other part of the compariſon, or reddition, ſhewes on the Contrary the Jewes neglect, and profaning of that worſhip, which the Gentiles would ſo reverently entertaine. ver. 12.13. This is ſet downe,

Verſe 12 I. Generally. ver. 12. But yee have profaned it) But yee Prieſts and others, that have reaſon to entertaine and reverence my name and worſhip, yee have polluted it. Lxx, foreign. Yee have diſhonored it. And ſo Pagn. The Geneva, and Deodates margin.

II. Particularly. 1. In their thoughts. 2. in their words, and 3. In their deeds.

Firſt, in their thoughts, or baſe conceit: for it is not ſo likely that they uttered it in words. In that yee ſay, The Table of the Lord is polluted, and the fruite thereof, even his meate is contemptible.] They had a baſe conceit and prophane, of Gods Altar, and the Sacrifices.

The Table] that is, the Altar. See before, ver. 7.

And the fruite thereof, even his meate] our old autoriſed Eng. hath it, The fruite, and in the margin, Or, the word, It is true that foreign fructus, fruit, is by a metaphor transferred to ſpeech which is the fruite of the tongue, as Eſay. 57.19. I create (foreign) the fruite of the lippe. Where the Targum is Mamlal, and the Lxx foreign, and the ſenſe ſeemes to bee ſo, I create ſpeech, or the word of the lippes. But here it is in its proper ſignification, the fruite. The Septuagint. foreign. Which the Ʋulg. followes, That which is put upon it, with the fire that doth conſume it. So the Ʋulg. miſtaking the originall word, as if it were foreign Comedens illum, but the word is foreign Cibus ejus, His meate. The Chald. The Table of the Lord is deſpiſed, and the gifts thereof. The Tigur. The proviſion thereof is vile, becauſe as Vatabl. notes, the fat and entrailes that were offered were vile. S. Hier. otherwiſe, The fruite, that is, the fire, and the meate of the fire, that is, the victime or ſacrifice. I rather take it as our tranſlation hath expreſt it, for two nounes put abſolutely, or as wee ſay, per appoſitionem, Both the Altar and the fruite, even the meate upon it, were deſpiſed by them. The revenue, The Income of it, ſo the Italian in the Text; Or, the fruite, ſo in the margin.

Ʋerſ. 13 Secondly in their words. ver. 13. Yee ſaid alſo, Behold what a wearineſſe is it] Beſides what conceit yee have cheriſhed, yee have alſo uttered enough to diſcover your hypocriſie and profaneneſſe.

Behold what a wearines is it] or, as the Geneva, It is a wearineſſe. The Ʋulg. Behold, this out of our labour. Somewhat like p. 27to that of the Lxx, Behold, theſe out of our affliction. We are returned poore, & this is as much as our labour or poverty can allow. But it is not foreign De labore, of labour; but as Pagn. and Vatabl. obſerve, and as it is in our beſt copies foreign Matlaa, either there is a double Heemanticke (as they call it) or, it is two words, as Rab. Abr. would have it read, foreign, and ſo alſo Sixt. Amama ad loc. in his Anomal. Special. Quis Labor. Oh, how I am weary! How I pant in bringing it, it is ſo fat and heavy! or, how are we tyred and ſpent in Gods ſervice! This I take to bee the ſenſe. There are other interpretations, as that of Winkleman, the beaſt is not faulty, but onelyonly it is weary. The Prieſts ſo hypocritically excuſing themſelves, in taking any offering that came to hand. Or, as ſome others, who alſo make theſe the words of the Prieſt, ſome one of them taking up the ſhoulder or the breaſt of ſome carrion ſheepe, ſaying, See what we have for our labour, what a wearineſſe is it to ſerve ſo fruiteleſly. But I reſt in the ſenſe before.

Thirdly, in their deeds, expreſſed,

1. More darkely.

II. More clearely.

Firſt, more darkly. And yee have ſnuffed at it. Or, Whereas yee might have blowen it away] your very cariage hath expreſt your hypocriſie, and pride, and contempt.

foreign. Huntly the Scottiſh Ieſuite contends from Gal…anus that for foreign was formerly reade foreign. For the vindication of the uncorrupted reading of which place, See Solom, Glaſſius, Philol. ſacr. lib. 1. Tr. 1 pag. 50.

Yee have ſnuffed at it] Behold what a labour, and yee throwe it down. So, Pagnin, As if they would take breath, pretending to be weary in the carying of it, being ſo fat and weighty. Yee ſay, Oh how weary! becauſe the beaſt is fat and heavy, whereas ye might have blown it away being ſo thin & light. So Tremell. expreſſeth it, and Iohn Tarnovius. Or, It is worthy to be blowen away; ſo Hier. Remig. Lyr. you paht as if it were weighty, but I blow it away with ſcorne. So alſo Hier: and Theodoret. The Septuag. in editione Romana reade it, foreign, I have blowen it away. But Cornel. A lap. tells us that in the edition of the Lxx in Bibliis Regiis (which I had not,) yee have puffed or blowne. Ioh. Winkleman gives a ſingular ſenſe, That the Prieſts by a kinde of writhing of their mouthes, and drawing in their breath, would though in a ſcornefull way, extenuate & leſſen their fault, in receiving corrupt offerings, Why? The beaſt is not faulty, but only weary, Is this ſuch a matter? As if forſooth, &c. I rather will propound this ſenſe; you blow and pant as if tyred, and thinke all too weariſome, and p. 28ſnuffe and ſhew diſlike at it. Snuffing or Puffing with the breath being a ſigne of diſlike and contempt, and pride. So the ſouldier in Plautus.—Quojus tu legiones difflaviſti. Quaſi ventus ſolia aut peniculum tectorium So God ſhewes his contempt of his enemies, Pſal. 10.5. As for all his enemies he puffeth at them. So Prov. 29.8. Scornefull men bring a City into a ſnare. or, Set a City on fire. That is, with their breath. Or, Difflant ciuitatem. As Druſius renders it, Hebraic. Quaeſt. lib. 3. qu. 22.

Secondly, more expreſſely. And yee brought that which was torne, and the lame, and the ſicke, Thus yee brought an offering: ſhould I accept this at your hand, ſaith the Lord? yee cared not what you brought or offered. Thus yee brought (Mincha, obſerve that that word is uſed here too, as well as verſe, 11. where the Papiſts ſo much contend for it) an offering indeed, ſuch as it is, but ſuch as I cannot, nor will accept.

That which was torne] That which you got by rapine and oppreſſion; ſo the Vulg. Yee ſay, yee afford it out of your labour, but yee lie, It is what you ſteale, and of that too, not of the beſt. So that here are three ſinnes diſcovered together, Rapine, Irreligion, and lying. And thus S. Hier. Remigius, and Lyran. underſtand it. That which was rent and torne: ſo Tremel. and therefore Calvin underſtood it, that they brought ſheepe that were worried. But they brought the beaſts alwaies alive, therefore the former expoſition is received by moſt, That which you ſnatcht away by oppreſſion. But how doth this agree with the deſcription of the offering in the next words, lame and ſick? I therefore encline to Calvins, and it might be woorried and torne, and yet alive. Deodate in his Italian gives both ſenſes, and leaves it to the readers choyce. Thus much of the threatning of judgements privative: we have in the next,

II. A poſitive judgement threatned. ver. 14. where,

V;erſe 14 Firſt, the judgement threatned. A curſe. But curſed be the deceiver] Curſed with curſes temporall, ſpirituall, and eternall. Lxx foreign, Foreſpoken or execrated. The ordinary word of the Lxx, Deut. 27.15, &c. And of the new Teſtament as Gal. 3.13.

Secondly, the ſinne. 1. generally 2. in particular.

Firſt, Generally ſet downe. The deceiver] deceitfull againſt the faith of Religion, and againſt ordinary juſtice. Tremel. calls him Machinator. Hee that can deviſe wayes of deceite covertly. The crafty deceiver. The Lxx, foreign, Who was able. Taking the word in the Text, Nochel to come of Iachal potuit, whereas it is of Nachal, To deale perfidiouſly.

Secondly, in particular. Which hath in his flock a male and p. 29voweth and ſucrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing] That hath better (for if hee had not ability, God would not require at his hands, but hee ſhould bee more blameles) and yet thinks the worſt good enough for God. Hee muſt have a flocke, and a male in it, (that is, a ſacrifice fit perfect and without blemiſh according to the law,) or elſe God doth not require or ſo ſtrictly expect from him.

And voweth and ſacrificeth to the Lord, A corrupt thing] that is, that voweth a perfect or ſound thing (for they were by the law to vow, Levit. 22.23. Males and perfect,) but comes ſhort of his vow and ſacrificeth a corrupt, not anſwerable either to the purpoſe of his vow, or to the law. There was no man that would vow a corrupt thing, though through fraud hee ſacrificed or offer'd ſuch a one. Therefore the Greekes have expreſt this ſenſe, curſed bee the deceiver that hath a male, and his vow being upon him, ſacrificeth a corrupt thing. And accordingly the Ʋulg. Lat. That making a vow; ſacrificeth a weake thing.

A corrupt thing.] Vulg. a weake. Pagn. a ſpotted or blemiſhed. The Tigur. a faulty. The Hebr. word, Maſchat is weakened, guelded, maimed, corrupt.

To the Lord] Hebr. Adonai. This is the firſt time in this Prophet, that God is directly named by any other name then Iehovah. Adon is a Lord who as a foundation or a columne ſuſtaines his people; and it is applyed to God who is the Lord of the whole earth, who is called Adam, Exod, 23.17. All thy males ſhall appeare before (Haadon) The Lord God. But of this appellative there is formed a proper name or epithere of God, Adonai with Cametz having the ſame points with Iehovah.

Thirdly, the reaſon both why the deceiver is curſed, and to aſſure him he ſhall be ſo. For I am a great King, ſaith the Lord of hoſts, and my name is dreadfull among the heathen] The Italian, For aſmuch as I am a great King. The ſenſe is, It will not ſtand with my glory, to ſuffer my people to profane and deſpiſe that name which the Heathen magnifie, and feare.

Dreadfull] Arias and the Genev. Terrible. The Ʋulg. horrible. Tremell. Reverend. The Chald. Potent. OnelyOnly the Lxx render it foreign, Illuſtrious, as if the word here foreign were of foreign To ſee. but it comes of foreign To bee afraid. And this verſe ſeemes to refer to the ſixth, If I bee a maſter, where is my feare? The very Heathen acknowledge mee to bee ſo, by their dread and feare of my Name. Thus having expoſtulated with them and threatned them for their ingratitude and contempt, in the next place, in the former part of the next Chapter;

p. 30Ʋerſe 1 III. He amplifies the former expoſtulation and threatnings. Chap. 2. ver. 1. to the 10^th. where,

Firſt, to whom he chiefely applies his ſpeech. verſe. 1. And now O yee Prieſts, this Commandement is for you] The French, Is addreſſed unto you. And ſo Deodates Ital. alſo ſupplies it. Hee here returnes his ſpeech to the Prieſts whoſe avarice and profaneneſſe had beene the fountaine of much other evill and profanenes among the people. Curſed be the deceaver who ever he be, But to you O Prieſts it is principally to bee applyed. My name is dreadfull even among the heathen; If it be profaned by you that are neare me in attendance and ſervice, the curſe is chiefely againſt you.

And now] or as Tremell. Now therefore. Their objection is prevented; all that hath been ſaid, touches the people, not us. Yes,

This Commandement is for you] or, as Montan. To you. This Commandement, this increpation, this intimation of my mind is for you. Or, this Commandement is for you; that is, of you I principally required and expected to be honored at my Altar, in my ſacrifices.

Secondly, the matter of the ſpeech, mixt of conteſtations and threatnings, or, a conditionall threatning of many judgments unles they repented. We will conſider,

Ʋerſe. 2 1. The conditions of exemption from his judgements. If you will not heare, and if you will not lay it to heart, To give glory to my name, ſaith the Lord of hoſts.] Here are three conditions of exemption. To heare God. To lay his Commandement or their duety to heart. To give glory to Gods name. The Summe of them is repentance.

Lay to heart] The phraſe is uſuall and frequent. The Geneva, Conſider it in your heart Chald. paraphraſe; unles yee put my feare upon your heart.

Lay it] what? my precepts; ſo Vatabl. your duety, ſo Tremell. my glory, ſo others.

2. The things that are threatned,

I. Set down more largely, ver. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

II. Repeated againe with more brevity. ver. 9.

1. Set down more largely.

1. In generall. verſe 2.

2. In particular, verſ. 3.4.5.6.7.8.

1 In generall. I will even ſend a curſe upō you,] The vulg. I will even ſend want upon you. And they tranſlate it ſo, becauſe that curſe was uſuall to the Iewes, & now being ſo lately returned and as yet not very warme in their neſts, would be the greater curſe, and becauſe it would ſuit with their covetouſneſſe. To ſay a little more for the Vulgar Lat. in the rendring of this p. 31place, It is a ſaying of the ancient Hebrews, That, All benedictions, are Amplifications and all Curſes are Diminutions. Which Dan. Heinſius, hath obſerved upon foreign, in the text of Ioh. 6.…2. in his Ariſtarchus Sacer parte ſecund. cap. 8. where the reader ſhall finde more to this purpoſe, to whom I referre him. But foreign (of Arar or Ar, To ſpeake againſt, or, Execrate) the Lxx. Chald. Ʋatabl. Pagn. and both our Engliſh doe render, a curſe, leaving the explicite meaning to the expoſitor. I will execrate you, or pron…unce a curſe againſt you. This is amplifyed further three wayes.

1. By an explication. And will curſe your bleſſing] It is the ſame word againe, foreign Vearothi, I will Execrate, or Imprecate, as the Targum expreſſeth it by another word, Ʋealut, And I will lay an oath upon you, as if it were a curſe laid on with an oath. So it is Zach. 5.3. This is (haala The oath, where it is in our laſt Engliſh) the Curſe which is gone forth. I will lay an oath upon your bleſſings. You ſhall not proſper. It may be expounded, either firſt: I will deprive you of what you have and injoy, or, are like to injoy, ſo that you ſhall reape ſparingly, 2 Cor. 9.6. ſo Cyril, Remig. Ʋatabl. or ſecondly, I will curſe and bl…ſt what you bleſſe, as your beaſts, houſes, fields ſo the Chald. I will curſe your benediction and will execrate it. And this Saint Hierome alſo follows.

2. By the certainety of it, being even begun already. Yea I have curſed them already) Tremel. I have curſed them every one. The Chald. and Ʋulg. make it but a repetition of the ſame thing, I will curſe your bleſſings, and I will curſe or execrate them. But Vatablus and Pagnine read it as we doe.

3. By the cauſe briefely and anticipately inſerted. Becauſe yee doe not lay it to heart.] of which ſee before in the condition.

2. The things that are threatned, are ſet downe in particular, verſ. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9.

1. Famine, verſ. 3.

2. Shame, verſ. 3.

3. Gods breaking covenant with them, verſ. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

Ʋerſe 3 1. Famine, verſ. 3. Behold I will corrupt (or reprove) your ſeed] Goer Lachem eth hazzerah. The uncertaine interpretation of foreign and foreign have cauſed variety of expoſition. foreign is To Reprove or Reprehend with ſharpe words and much noyſe, eſpecially when it is in conſtruction with foreign as Gen. 37.10. foreign. His father rebuked him. But when it is in conſtruction with an accuſative, it is To curſe or Corrupt or Deſtroy, as Pſal. 9.5. gaarta gojim. Thou haſt rebuked the heathen, or, as the meaning there is, Thou haſt deſtroyed them, as the next words doe plainely ſhew. And ſo that word is taken here. p. 32The other word foreign if it bee written foreign, It is Seed, if it bee written foreign it is, An arme of a man. So it is ſeemes the Lxx reade it. And hence the ancient fragment of Aquila, I will reprove you with mine arme. As a Souldier, or in reſemblance to whom, an orator caſts on ſtretches forth his arme when hee is vehement, (as Cicero ſpeakes, Brachium pro…erius projectum eſt quaſi quoddam …alum orationis.) S. Hier. and Lyran. and Menochius much …herwiſe, I will throw away the right arme or ſhoulder of the offering, which was the Prieſts, due Levit. 7.32. That is, I will deprive you of your maintenance and ſtrength, Montanas and De Caſtno take it as a threatning of rejection both of Prieſt and ſacrifice; I will caſt away both the arme by which yee offer, and the ſeed (the Mineha) the offering alſo. Moſt of theſe and the Ʋulg. follow the Lxx. who miſtaking Noer for Goer by reaſon of the likeneſſe of 2, and, foreign reade it foreign. And for ſuch as reade the other word zera, Seed, ſome underſtand it of their Seed, that is, Their poſterity. That God threatens to deſtroy them and their iſſue. Some underſtand it of the ſeed caſt into the ground. And that ſenſe I have given. That they ſhould ſow but not reape plentifully, which is a threatning of Famine. The next is,

Secondly, ſhame and ignominie. And I will ſpread (or ſcatter) dung upon your faces, even the dung of your ſolemne feaſts, and one ſhall take you away with it. Or, (It ſhall take you away to it.] So our laſt together with the marginall reading. The French, and yee ſhall heare it. Ofiander; And it ſhall ſtick unto you. The Ʋulg. Lat. and the Geneva Engliſh and the Commentary following which uſed it, are here darke. The Chalde firſt offers us light to this place, I will reveale the confuſion or ſhame of your ſinnes to your owne faces. The Lxx, (though miſtaking foreign for foreign, and reading it foreign, The belly in which the excrement or dung lies, which belly was part of the Prieſts due,) have given us alſo another hint of interpreting. Becauſe yee deſpiſe me, and offer yee care not what, yee ſhall alſo bee deſpiſed, The people ſhall throw you the belly which is your due in the time of your ſolemne feaſts, but with the dung or excrement in it, ſo that in the throwing of it, the dung ſhall fly in your faces, that being ſo ſprinkled yee ſhall bee laught at by all, and you ſhall bee ſo like dung, your faces being fouled with it, that he that comes to cleave to cleanſe the place, ſhall offer as if he would throw you out with it, or take you alſo upon his dung forke, or as Deodate, you ſhall bee vile as dung, which is removed away into a place remote from the temple. So this is the threatning of ſhame and confuſion to them, even p. 33in their ſollemne, their rejoycing feaſts. Hhaggechen of Hhagag. Or elſe, Hhag is taken here Synechdochically for the ſacrifice it ſelfe offered in the feaſt, as it is ſometimes taken, Exod. 23.18. Amos. 5.21. Eſay. 29.1. The dung of the ſacrifices. See Ioh. Tarnovius Exercit. Biblic. pag. 127. parag. 4. edit. 2^•. Howſoever the ſame ſenſe ſtands good. The next is,

Ʋerſe 4 Thirdly, Gods breaking covenant with them, which is implyed, verſ. 4. And yee ſhall know that I have ſent this Commandement unto you, that my Covenant might bee with Levi, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts.] Wherein wee have three points, 1. I intended it ſhould have ſtood. 2. But it doth not or ſhall not ſtand. 3. And that becauſe yee are unanſwerable to it. Upon this hee takes occaſion to remember them of the Covenant with Aaron or Phinehas and the tribe of Levi, and now their falling from it, and therefore Gods juſtice in forſaking them. So we have here,

1. The parts of the Covenant. ver. 5.

2. The anſwering the conditions of the Covenant by the former Prieſts. ver. 6, 7.

3. The degenerating of theſe Prieſts. ver. 8.

I. Ʋerſe 5 The parts of the Covenant, betweene God and Levi. verſe 5.

Firſt, On Gods part. A gracious promiſe and performance of life and peace. My Covenant was with him of life and peace, and I gave them to him.] God promiſed proſperity, and performed a long proſperous and happy life to ſome of them; as to Aaron who lived 103 yeares, and to Phinehas (mentioned by Vatablus in his notes) who lived 300 yeares as it is thought, and as ſome Chronologers doe obſerve, (yea it is the conceit of Pet. Damian. From ſome Iewiſh triflers, that hee lives ſtill, taking him for Elias:) And to Ioſue or Ieſus the ſonne of Ioſedech who (according to Helvicus) lived 110 yeares in the office of the high-prieſt-hood. To theſe and others was expreſſely fulfilled a covenant (foreign Vitarum as it is in the originall) of lives, that is, of long life, and of peace, and would have beene ready to have performed it to theſe to whom Malachy prophecies, had they kept Covenant with him.

Secondly, on Levies part… for feare & humility. For the feare wherewith hee feared me, and was afraid before my Name.] Feare and humility, were the two conditions for which God did this for them. Their feare of God, which was to bee ſeene in Aaron, Phinehas, Onias, and other good Prieſts. And their being troubled and affrighted and grieved when they ſaw Gods name to be contemned and abuſed. See Exod. 32.26. & Num. 25.7, 8.

p. 34The Ʋulg. Lat. and the Geneva, reade it in another ſenſe, And I gave him feare, and hee feared me] But not ſo agreeable to the originall. Tremell. renders the laſt words, Becauſe of my Name, It (that is, the Tribe of Levi) was broken.] And Junius his note is, that Levi was deprived of life and peace, becauſe hee ſanctified not Gods Name. But the whole context is againſt that reading and interpretation foreign (which is an Anomalie; and according to the rule ſhould be foreign) is the praeter tenſe in Niphal of foreign, which is, To bee dejected, broken, caſt downe, &c. and ſo metaphorically it is uſed to ſignifie, To be amazed, afrighted, trembling, humbled. Wherefore wee decline that of Iunius, and reſt in the ſenſe offered by our laſt tranſlation. See further in Ioh. Tarnov. ad Locum. Thus of the parts or the Conditions of the Covenim: next ſee we,

2. The anſwering of the conditions of the Covenant by the former Prieſts, ver. 6.7. which is,

1. Particularly ſet down. ver. 6.

2. Amplified by a Theoreme. ver. 7.

Ʋerſe 6 I. Particularly ſet down, Verſ. 6. as it had been more generally in the former verſe.

Firſt, that they were ſtudious in the law and skilfull in it. The law of truth was in his mouth;] Aaron and others taught truely.

The law of truth] foreign (vide plura de hoc nomine apud Valent. Schindlerum in Pentagl. in verbo foreign) or, The law of righteouſneſſe, for this is oppoſed to unrighteouſneſſe or iniquity in the next member, Iniquitie not found in his lips. The law, the miſtris of righteouſneſſe is called, The truth, Dan. 8.12.

Secondly, that they ſeduced none to error. And iniquitie was not found in his lippes.] Chald. No falſeneſſe. No lie, error, fraud, hypocriſy, or flattery.

Thirdly, that they lived conſcionably in peace and equity. Hee walked with mee in peace and equity.] Aaron kept Gods precepts, l…ved honeſtly and peaceably and juſtly; and ſo did others of them.

He walked with me] To walke, is a knowne phraſe in Scripture, uſed to ſignifie a mans manner of living, as Pſa. 1.1. and Pſa. 119.1. But to walke with God, or before God, ſignifies, to leade a life unblameable, as Geneſ. 5.24. and 17.1. only 1. Sam. 2.30. it ſignifies barely to miniſter, and ſo the Thargum in that place renders it, uſing foreign, Should miniſter, for foreign. Should walke. The Lord ſaid, that the houſe of thy father ſhould walke before mee for ever. That is, miniſter unto me, or before me, But uſually, and here, it notes the holineſſe and integrity of the ſervice, as well as the ſervice it ſelfe.

p. 35Fourthly, that they brought others to God by their example and teaching. And did turne away many from iniquitie that is, they did cauſe many to returne. To which agrees the Septuagint, foreign, Hee converted many. From iniquity] foreign from their crookedneſſe or crooked wayes into which they had turned aſide. It comes of foreign to be crooked or contort, which by a metaphor is uſed to ſignifie ſinne. So wee call evill manners Curvos Mores, crooked manners. We tranſlate it iniquity, the Lxx, unrighteouſneſſe. foreign. Thus the former Prieſts did, and this is,

Ʋerſe 7 II. Amplified by a theoreme, that ſo it ſhould bee with all other Prieſt ver. 7. For the Prieſts lippes ſhould preſerve knowledge, and they ſhould ſeeke the law at his mouth; for hee is the meſſenger of the Lord of Hoſts.] The Prieſts lippes ſhould preſerve kn…wledge] the Ʋulgar Latine, and our old autoriſed Engliſh Bible, reade, Shall preſerve. And the Pontificians omit not the advantage of the tranſlation, in the queſtion of the Churches (but in the finall reſolution of the point) of the Popes infallibility in interpreting of the Scripture. To this queſtion beſides others that have dealt in it, ſee Hiſt. of Councel of Trent, Engl. lib: 2. pag. 158. Epiſcop. Dunelm. Antidotum de merito, &c. Epiſt. dedic. pag. 9.10, 11. and fully to the point and to this place, Relig. of Proteſt. in the Preface, pag: 7, 8. and pt. 1. Chap. 2. ſect. 1.84, &c. 93, &c. 110, &c. See alſo D. Iackson, The triplicity of Romiſh blaſphemy, ſect. 3. Chap. 1. paragr. 6, &c. And the preſent moſt learned Biſhop, of Salisb. Determin. quaeſt. 5. which references I make, that I may not enlarge theſe ſhorter notes with the controverſie. OnelyOnly obſerve for the clearing of the preſent text, what Amama and Caſaubon, and before them Druſius and others acquainted with the Hebrew ſpeaking, have obſerved, that among the Hebrewes, the future is often put to denote, not ſo much what ſhall be, as what ought to be, as, 2 Sam. 13.12. No ſuch thing (ſhall be, that is) ought to be done in Iſrael. Like that, There ſhall bee no poore among you; that is, there ought to be none, but yee ſhould provide for them. So it is here, the Prieſts lippes ſhall, that is, ought to preſerve knowledge. Which alſo is obſerved by Franc. Ribera the Jeſuite.

Knowledge] that is, knowledge of the law; as appeares by the next member. The Prieſts duty is to be both furniſhed, and to bring out of his treaſure things new and old, To be much in preaching to the people. Accordingly 'tis thought that ſome of the Chriſtian Fathers, preached every day. However, it was provided for by Canons, that they ſhould preach frequently. Such a Canon wee have in the Excerptions of Egbert Archbiſhop of Yorke, Anno 750. Ʋt omnibus p. 36feſtis et diebus Dominicis, Ʋnuſquiſque Sacerdos Evangelium Chriſti praedicet populo. That every Prieſt preach the Goſpell of Chriſt unto the people upon all holy dayes and the Lords dayes. And eſpecially for the Lords day, in the Canons under King Edgar, Anno. 967. Docemus etiam, ut Sacerdotes in qualibet die ſolis populo praedicent. Wee require alſo, that the Prieſts preach unto the people every ſunday. Since the reformation, men have beene frequent in this duty, many Biſhops being alſo exemplary to their Clergy. The publiſhers of the lives of D. Iewell ſometimes Lord Biſhop of Sarum, and of the late reverend and godly Biſhop of Bath and Wells, have made it one of the heades of their Commendation, their affiduity in preaching. But eſpecially the care of the ancients was much for Catechizing. Of Saint Markes Catechizing at Alexandria, and then Clements, and after him Origens, the hiſtories are knowne. We have Cyrill of Hieruſalem's Catechiſms, and the Catecheſes Myſtagogicae, which are printed with them, which if they were not his, are yet of ſome ancient author. We have a Tract of Saint Auguſtin's de Catechizandis rudibus; and another De Symbolo ad Catechumenos. And beſide the practiſe of the fathers, many Councells ordaining it. But the care of no Church hath beene greater then that of ours, even in ancient times. In a councell held at Clyffe, Anno. 747. It was provided that every Prieſt ſhould inſtruct his people in the Lords Prayer, the Creed, and the Sacraments in the Engliſh tongue. Can. 10. (ſee S. H. Spelmans margin ad locum) this Canon is inſerted afterward by Egbert into his. Excerp. 6. See alſo the Eccleſiaſticall lawes of Canutus, cap. 22. apud Spelman: page. 549. an excellent and ſerious exhortation to this purpoſe, but too long here to tranſcribe. And the Canon 23. of Aelfric pag. 578. Yea it ſeemes by the Capitula incertae editionis (which by S^r. H. Spelmans placeing of them ſhould bee about Anno. 1050) cap. 28. to have beene the cuſtome of our Biſhops here when they met in their Synods with their Clergy, to examine them in the manner of their teaching, and how they profited their people. After theſe times Catechiſing was not much heard of till after Luthers preaching, when perceiving that the Proteſtant Churches wanne much ground by this kinde of diligence, the practiſe was renued by a decree of the Councell of Trent in the Romiſh Church. For our part, what ground we got by Catechiſing, wee are moſt likely to keepe and hold it by the ſame courſe; and to loſe it all againe by the neglect, which was the obſervation of our judicious King Iames, That the cauſe why ſo many fell to popery and other errors was their ungroundedneſſe in points of Catechiſme. Upon ſuch a reaſon as p. 37this it was that an elder Article of a former Synod was renewed in the Synod at Dort, That all paſtors ſhould Catechiſe in the afternoone on the Lords day. (Acta Synodi, ſeſſ. 14 & 15.) The very ſame with his Majeſties Injunctions to the Clergy of England, and which is provided for by Canon, and enquired into by the Articles of Viſitations, but on all hands too too much neglected: which hath given mee occaſion to tranſgreſſe my purpoſe in theſe ſhorter notes, and to enlarge this diſcourſe, which yet I cannot leave till I have noted that obſerveable paſſage of the preſent Reverend Biſhop of Exeter in his Preface to his Old Religion, That there is nothing whereof hee repents ſo much, as that hee had not beſtowed more houres in publique Catechiſing. And, That in regard hereof hee could quarrell his very ſermons; And his ſermons are excellent ones, as all know that know them, to two of them, namely his Columba Noae preached to the Engliſh Clergy in their Convocation here in England; and to another upon Eccleſ. 7.16. preached to the Divines at Dort at their 16^th Seſſion, I refer the Reader, where hee ſhall finde an eloquent and zealous exhortation in this matter.) But of this point enough, I returne to the Text.

And they ſhould ſeeke the law at his mouth] Here the Ʋulg. reades as before, as if it were a promiſe of their infallibility. But it is onelyonly an intimation of the peoples duty: and the reaſon followes.

For hee is the meſſenger of the Lord of hoſts] foreign the Lxx, and the Ʋulg. reade, The Angell. The Prieſt is called ſo, 1. Becauſe hee miniſters to God, as the Angels doe before him, who ſtand before him, and prayſe him; but, 2. ſpecially and here, bccauſe hee is Gods meſſenger to men from God, and from men to God. Accordingly the Tigurine here, Hee is Gods Legat or Embaſſadour. And that learned Knight in his Gloſſary or Archaeolog. hath obſerved to us out of Ekkehard, that the name hath been given even to the Embaſſadors of Kings, Cedamus Angelo Imperii. We have ſeen how the former Prieſts caried themſelves, The next is,

Ʋerſe 8 III. The degenerating of theſe Prieſts from the practiſe of their fathers, in regard of their covenant. verſe 8. In three particulars,

Firſt, that they were gone from their piety. But yee are departed out of the way,] or, out of that way, as the Article is in the Hebr. that is, either out of my way, or, out of that way in which your fathers walked. You have diverted or turned out, or as the Lxx, foreign, Declined. Your courſe is oppoſite to that of your fathers, They cauſed many to returne to me, you are returned and gon from me. But this oppoſition is more direct in the next member.

p. 38Secondly, that they cauſed many to fall, by their example partly, and partly by their corrupt gloſſes. Yee have cauſed many to ſtumble at the law. Or, To fall in the law] The Geneva reades it, By the law. The Vulg. Yee have ſcandalized many. Montanus, Yee were a ſtumbling block, or an offence. Others, yee have cauſed that men ſhould ſtumble at the law; or, goe againſt the law, and ſo fall into ſinne and conſequently into calamities. So Piſcator. Lxx. foreign. Yee have weakned many in the law, yee have offended, ſnared, cauſed to ſtrike, or daſh, or ſtumble: for all theſe foreign will beare.

Thirdly, that they had in ſumme broken the covenant. Yee have corrupted the covenant of Levi, ſaith the Lord of hoſts] Geneva, yee have broken: Ʋulg. yee have made void. The Lxx, reade as we doe, foreign, corrupted.

The Covenant of Levi] that is, the covenant made with Levi. A metonymy of the efficient. Thus we have ſeene the threatnings more largely.

Ʋerſe 9 II. Thoſe threatnings are repeated more briefely again, together with the juſtneſſe of them, ſhewed alſo in the repetition of the cauſes, verſe. 9. where we have,

1. The judgements. Therefore have I alſo made you contemptible, and baſe before all the people.] the Geneva, to bee deſpiſed, and vile. To be abject and humble, not in affection, but condition.

2. The cauſes. According as yee have not kept my wayes, but have been partiall in the law.]

According] foreign for foreign. For in this place foreign is not OS, the mouth, as Pagnin: and Tremell: &c. render it, Secundum Os, &c. but an expletive particle, which uſeth to be added to the ſervile letters ﬥ and ב, to make them diſtinct words, as foreign is here, and elſewhere, as Num. 6.21. Iob. 33.6.30.18. and foreign, Exod. 16.18. Geneſ. 47.12. and then they ſignifie, as not onelyonly our tranſlators in all thoſe places and here, but the Lxx alſo have expreſt it by foreign, Propterea quod, Becauſe that, or according as.

Yee have not kept my wayes] or watched my wayes, or beene (as it is in the text, foreign) watchfull or watching, to keepe my way. For ſo the word is, Eſa. 62.6.

But have been partiall in the law. Or, lifted up the face againſt the law. Or, Accepted faces in the law.) The firſt of theſe is the text reading of our Engliſh Bibles; the two later are in the margin. To the laſt of theſe agree the Lxx, Vulg: and Pagnin and Deodates Italian, yee have regard to the qualitie of the perſon in the law. To the ſecond, Montanus. Moſt agree in the ſenſe, you Prieſts that ſhould judge according to the law, you accept perſons, you reſpect the rich, you deale p. 39partially in the law in expounding of it, making it pinch the poore, and favour the rich. You flatter the rich, ſo Vatabl. You accept the ri…h mans lame ſacrifice, and have an evaſion for it in ſome gloſſe; but yee reject the poores, and are preciſe in the letter: To this purpoſe, Theodoret, the Syr: and both the Arabiques, (which I finde in Corn. a lap. ad loc. who alſo in prooem. ad proph. min. pag. 5. tells us, that the double Arab. verſion, one of Alexandria, the other of Antioch, are at Rome, both in the Vatican, and in the library of Cardinal Medices, tranſlated into Latine, by Sergius Riſius Arch-Biſhop of Damaſcus.) Yee accepted, or tooke the law in the face of it: yee looke but to the ſhell and ſkinne of the law, and are hypocriticall in it, wreſting the law to ſerve men. So the Phariſe's dealt with Chriſt. The law allowed circumciſion on the Sabbath, that they approved; Chriſt did but heale a poore diſeaſed man on the Sabbath, and that in him they condemned, as if it were againſt the law. Therefore Chriſt bids them, not to judge, foreign, (our tranſlation is, According to appearance, I underſtand it thus) according to the face, with reſpect of perſons, but to judge righteous judgement. Ioh. 7.24. And I am confirmed, by the learned Heinſius, whom I conſulted after the collecting of theſe notes, in his Ariſtarchus Sacer. pt. 2. ca. 8. where he parallelleth this very place of our Prophet, with that of Iohn.

Thus we have ſeene the firſt conteſtation largely, for that ſupply which Tremellius makes unto the Text, by adding the word, Saying] ſo to joyne this to the following verſe, is both needleſſe, and obſcures the ſenſe. In the next verſe we proceed to a new head.