Commentary on Malachi, Essay · Section 5
V. The fifth Conteſtation.
Fiftly, hee conteſts with them for their contumelie and blaſphemy againſt God and his providence, as if God were not juſt, or tooke no notice of the affaires of men. verſe. 17. to ver. 7. of cap. 3. where obſerve,
1. Their blaſphemy. ver. 17.
2. The anſwer that is made unto it. chap. 3. verſe, 12, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Ʋerſe 17 Firſt, their blaſphemy and unworthy contumelies againſt God. verſe 17. Yee have wearied the Lord with your words, yet yee ſay, wherein have wee wearied him? When yee ſay, every one that doth evill is good in the ſight of the Lord, and hee delighteth in him, or, Where is the God of Iudgment?] you have added this ſinne to the reſt, that by your Atheiſticall conceits and blaſphemous ſpeeches ye have wearied and vexed me, ſaith the Lord; in that you call in queſtion, my being, and my juſtice, and my providence.
Yee have wearied the Lord] Lxx, provoked. Chald. Moleſted or cumbred. The Tigur: and Arias, wearied and toyled: Vatabl. Troubled. Wee have the ſame word, Eſay 43.24. foreign. Thou haſt wearied me with thine iniquities. Which is further ſet out in the words next before. Thou haſt made mee to ſerve with thy ſins. So here, yee have wearied and toyld mee that I am weary, I cannot beare your words.
Yee ſay, he that doth evill is good in the ſight of the Lord] that is, accepted and approved of him. An uſuall phraſe among the Hebrews, which is cleare by the next;
And he delighteth in him,] An high accuſation of God for injuſtice, that hee ſhould juſtifie the wicked; nay more, take pleaſure in him.
Or where, &c. Or, is either a new accuſation of God; yee ſay thus, he delights in the wicked, or yee ſay thus, where is the God, &c. Or elſe it is their proofe that they bring of their former accuſation of Gods Juſtice, he delights in the wicked, or elſe where is the God of judgement: or as the French, Otherwiſe where is the God of judgment. If hee did not delight in him, he would puniſh him.
Where is the God of judgment] foreign, of that judgment. foreign Demonſtrative, hath great Emphaſis; where is the God of that, (1) of that great, exact, free, juſt, preciſe, impartiall iudgment, which reſpects neither perſons nor gifts, but onelyonly juſtice, (as his Character is uſually given by the Prophets) where is he. Lxx, the God of righteouſneſſe. Chald. The God who doth judgment. This was their ſin, their blaſphemy againſt God. We have in the next Chapter,
Ʋerſ. 1 Secondly the anſwer that is made unto their blaſphemy. Chap. 3. ver. 1. to the 7th. Yee ſay, where is the God of judgmēt, It ſhal appeare ſayth the Lord, that I am the God of judgment, when the Meſſiah ſhall come into the World, (as he ſhall come ſhortly) who ſhall diſpenſe mercy and comfort to the godly, but judgment and evill to evill men. S. Hierom alſo and Theodoret allow of this context and reſolution. Wee have this layd downe in a prophecy of Chriſt and his Fore-runner, the comming of them both.
1. The comming of the Fore-runner, the Baptiſt.
2. The comming of the Meſſia.
I. The cōming of the Fore-runner. Part of the 1. ver: where,
1. His comming.
2. His worke.
1. His comming. Behold I will ſend my Meſſenger] Behold; to the queſtion which (it appeares by ה the demonſtrative) they would have to bee taken notice of; they receive an anſwer which carries with it a note of Pregnancy, uſed by the Prophets concerning things eminent and certaine, to make men attent.
I will ſend,] It may bee taken to bee the ſpeach of Chriſt himſelfe, according to that of, Luc. 1.76. Where Iohn Baptiſt is called his Prophet, or the ſpeech of God, as it is, Mat. 11, 10.
My meſſenger] or, Angel, for ſo it is in the He. of which ſee before, Ch. 1.1. Ch. 2.7. See alſo Dan. Heinſius his Exercit. Sacrae, lib. 5. Cap. 4 in Act. 7.53. in which place, and Gal. 3.19. and, Heb. 2.2. by Angels hee underſtands the Prophets: as hee doth alſo, 1 Tim. 3.16. exercit. lib. 14 cap. 3. To me (I confeſſe) a new expoſition of thoſe places, having ſometime heretofore, In a briefe comment on ſome part to the Galatians, given an other interpretation, which the Reader if hee pleaſe, may there ſee, though I have there alſo noted that the expoſition which is now offered by that moſt learned Heinſius, was anciently St. Ambros his. If any ſhall vouchſafe to ſee my reaſons for interpreting the word Angels properly, in that place of Gal. 3.19. Let him pleaſe alſo to correct an error in the ſame page 163. where whether it were through the miſtake of the Printer or the tranſcriber of my Copy, The ſame Epiſtler, is put for, The ſame Apoſtle. A title moſt unworthy of that great and choſen Veſſell, being that which we uſe for ſorry and worthles Letter-ſcriblers. But this onelyonly by the way, becauſe I would not leave any title of Diminution upon that great Apoſtle. To returne to the Text, This Meſſenger or Angel, is Iohn the Baptiſt, as the expoſition is put out of all controverſie by Chriſt, Mat. 11, 10. This is hee of whom it is ſpoken, behold, &c. None doubt but it is meant of John, but who Iohn ſhould bee hath been ſome doubt; Hee is called An Angel. and Origen thought he was one, and ſo thought the latter Iewes, becauſe of his Heremiticall life: but S. Hierom concludes ſounder, he was an Angell in office, not in nature. In nature he was a man, and we know whoſe ſonne he was. A man ſent from God. Ioh. 1.6. from God hee had his inſtruction; wee finde no other teaching hee had. Some take Meſſenger Syllepticè for all the Prophets, if any, betweene Malachy, and Chriſt; but that it muſt bee meant of one, ſee Iunius, his Parallel. li. 1. par. 50. Thus of the comming of Iohn.
2. His worke. He ſhall prepare the way before mee] the French, accoutre or dreſſe the way. It is a metaphor from the uſe of Kings, who when they goe in progreſſe, their Meſſengers and Harbingers goe before them to fit and make all ready, and in the way, The greateſt Miniſters of ſtate goe next before the King. Many Prophets went before Chriſt, but Iohn Baptiſt went next him, before his face, hard by, neare before him, as S. Chryſoſtome ſpeakes on Math. 11. and therefore Chriſt calls him in reſpect of other Prophets, The greateſt borne of Women: hee came as the Deane of the Quire, Chorum prophetarum claudens. He was borne a little before Chriſt was borne. It was the ſixth monethmonth with Elizabet when the bleſſed Virgin conceived, and ſo hee came into the World but a little before his maſter, to prepare the way, by preaching repentance, by baptiſing, by giving teſtimony unto Chriſt, by taking up lodgings in the hearts of men for Chriſt. He ſhall ſweepe the way; ſo Pagnin. foreign is to remove all obſtacles and impediments, and all filth out of the way and out of fight. Zephan. 3.15. it is rendred, Caſt out. Hee hath caſt out thine enemy. Pſalme 80.9. To make groome. Tremell. reades it, To cleare the way. That is, to take out all ſtumbling blockes and obſtacles. See, Eſa. 57.14. and, Eſay 62.10. And what Iohn was to doe, ſee Eſay. 40.3. Luc. 1.76, 77, 78. Let mee alſo obſerve here, that becauſe of this office of his To goe before Chriſt, and to ſerve for a time or ſeaſon till the appearing of Chriſt, who roſe as the Sunne doth in the morning, (and ſo hee is called The ſunne, in the next Chapter) that for this reaſon I ſay, Iohn is called, A burning and ſhining light, in whoſe light the Iewes did rejoyce for a ſeaſon, as it is, Ioh. 5.35. Lights and Candles are of good uſe, and doe ſervice till the morning appeares or the Sunne riſes; and therefore Lampes were kept burning in the Temple till the morning, as we find, 1 Sam. 3.3. where it is ſaid, that the Lord called to Samuel, yer or before the Lamp of God went out in the Temple; that is, before it was morning. So in the darke night of things under the Law, The Prophets were lights, and eſpecially Iohn was A burning light for that ſeaſon, till that Chriſt manifeſt himſelfe, and then it was day. And thus much of the comming & office of the fore-runner.
II. The comming of Chriſt the Meſſiah. We have,
1. His perſon. ver. 1.
2. His comming. ver. 1.
3. His power. ver. 2.
4. The effects of his comming. ver. 3, 4, 5, 6.
Firſt, his Perſon. The Lord whom yee ſeeke, The Meſſenger of the Covenant, whom yee delight in] Chriſt the Meſſiah is ſet out unto them by theſe two names.
The Lord] foreign Ille Dominus. The Lord by an excellence. foreign. Dominator, as the Vulg. (Of this appellative Adon, ſee before cap. 1. ver. 14.) Some Hebrewes whom Remigius alſo follows, underſtand by the Meſſenger, Elias; and by The Lord, the Dominator; Antichriſt; but the following words declare the unſoundneſſe of this interpretation, where hee is called, the Angel of the Covenant. Theodorus Mopſveſtenus infected with the haereſie of the Ebionites who denyed the Divinity of Chriſt, (as Arrius after) underſtood by The Lord here, Ezra, or ſome ſuch perſon, who ſhould reſtore the Iewiſh worſhip. Which error was Damned by the Fathers of the Fifth generall Councell, and about the ſame time at Rome under Vigilius. Of late Eniedemus the Socinian (in explic. Loc. V. &. N. Teſt.) hath quarrelled ſuch Texts, in which the title of Lord is given unto Chriſt, as Ioh. 20.28. for the vindication of which and the like Texts, ſee that late induſtrious Divine, Gaſp. Brockman. Syſtem Tom. 1. art. 5. cap. 2. qu: 3. The Rabbins alſo pervert ſuch places. See Ioh. Alſtedi paratitla Theo. in verbo Dominus.
Whom yee ſeeke] They had a certaine notion of the Meſſiah, and were in expectation of him. But the moſt part had hope and expectation of corporall deliverance only by him, as Iohn Deodate notes.
The Angel or Meſſenger of the Covenant,] Chriſt is here ſet out by his ſacerdotall office. He that was covenanted for, or promiſed: or, He that ſhould adminiſter the Covenant.
Whom yee delight in] They delighted in his day though a farre off; according to that, Ioh. 8.56. See the Elder Tarnovius, In Dub. ad 4. partem, c. 8. Ioh. qu. 18. The Geneva, Whom yee deſire. We have that phraſe, Hagge, 2.8. He was 4000 yeares deſired, and earneſtly. See, Gen. 49.18. Eſa. 64.1.
Secondly, his comming. He ſhall ſuddenly come to his Temple, Behold he ſhall come, ſaith the Lord of hoſts]
Suddenly.] It is the ſame word that is uſed, Pſal. 64.7. and Eſa. 30.13. The Geneva, ſpeedily. Yet it was 500 yeares after Malachy before Chriſt was borne; a ſhort time in reſpect of the long expectation of the Patriarkes. But after Iohn, Chriſt came Suddenly, hee was conceived ſpeedily within a few moneths after Iohn, and borne ſpeedily after Iohn, birth, and taught publiquely ſpeedily after Iohns preaching and baptiſing.
He ſhall come to his Temple.] Pagnin. had rendred it ſo, but Montanus in his correction, To his pallace. foreign ſignifies, a Pallace or A Court, 1. King. 21.1. Naboths vineyard was hard by the Pallace of Ahab. (He cal Ahab.) And though the word bee uſed for the Temple, yet peculiarly for that part of the Temple which is called the pallace or the Court, which was the greater part, the middle part betweene the Porch and the Oracle; anſwereable to which, foreign A temple, in the reſtrained uſe of the word is now onelyonly taken, for the body of the Church. But the whole Temple is here called by that name, as Chriſtians alſo have called the Churches or houſes of God, Baſilicae. See Steph. Duranti De Ritibus Eccl. lib. 1. cap. 1. ſ. 8, 9. To the materiall Temple, and in the literall ſenſe, Chriſt was to come as to the ſolemne place of his apparance, as when the Lord came to or among the people of old, Hee came into and filled his houſe with his glory: ſo Chriſt came to his Temple, when hee was preſented there a child, Luc. 2. So the Church of Rome ſeemes to underſtand this, by appointing in her Liturgy (which we had, Miſſale ſec. uſum Sarum; In offic: propriis, pag. 12.) theſe words for the day of the Purification: but eſpecially he came thither when afterward hee preached and wrought miracles there: for wee cannot underſtand by the Temple, either the Wombe of the Virgin, as S. Cyril; or the fleſh and incarnation of Chriſt, according to that, Ioh. 2.19. as Theodoret and S. Aug. and to which the learned Heinſius (though hee alſo give that other ſenſe of the materiall Temple) ſeemes to me to encline, exercit. Sacrae. cap. 2. in Ioh. 2.19. Yet I ſhall eaſily agree with the reverend Author of the following commentary, wherein alſo I thinke hee followes S. Hierom, That the end of Chriſts comming is alſo at leaſt intimated, that Chriſt comes to make up a ſpirituall Temple or Church of Chriſtians. To which agrees the Ma…gin of the Italian Bible, he ſhal come to the Temple at Hieruſalem the figure of the Church.
Ʋerſ. 2 Thirdly, his power verſ. 2. But who may abide the day of his comming? And who ſhall ſtand when hee appeareth? For hee is like a refiners fire, and like fullers ſope.] The power and Majeſty of Chriſt is here diſcovered by variety of expreſſion.
Who may abide the day of his comming?] Vulg. Who can thinke, that is, who can thinke of all the glory, graces, benefits of that day. The Lxx and the Chald. Who can ſuſtaine? That is, Who can endure the light of it. Wee being as Owles unto the Sunne. Who will not bee aſtoniſhed and melt. Vatablus his note is, who will endure the tribulations of Chriſtians that will follow upon his comming. Winkleman, who will bee able to ſtand in the reformations that Chriſt will proceed upon. Our Comment. The wicked will not bee able to abide Chriſts preaching, but will bee deſtroyed by it. foreign in Piel, is, To comprehend, containe, ſuſtaine, beare. I ſuppoſe the word is to bee taken here in that ſenſe that it is, Pro. 18.14. The ſpirit of a man, foreign, Will ſuſtaine his infirmitie.
And who ſhall ſtand when hee appeareth?] The Geneva, Who ſhall endure. Who is ſo hard and flinty or ſo made of iron, whom that ſight will not breake, who ſo rebellious that will not bee wrought upon? ſo Sanchez in loc. But others take the place as comparing Chriſts comming to the Sunne in his riſing, at whoſe magnificence and brightneſſe all are dazeled and amazed. So the Lxx. Chald. Vulg. Vatabl. Pagnin. There are that underſtand this whole period of Chriſts comming to judgement, and among others Gerard Voſſius upon Ephraems Sermon, De ſecundo adventu Domini. But moſt underſtand it of Chriſts comming in the fleſh: The ſeverall interpretations of which place, Dan. Chamier, Panſtr. Tom. 3. lib. 26. cap. 4. hath plentifully collected, where he cleares this place, eſpecially the latter part of the verſe, from the fingers of ſuch as pervert it to eſtabliſh Purgatory.
For he is like a Refiners fire] Geneva, A purging fire. The Lxx, The fire of a forge. Vulg. A forging fire. Deodates Italian, As the fire of him that founds metalls. So wee have the word where the ſame metaphor is followed, Eſa. 48.10. foreign I have refined thee, I have choſen thee in the furnace of affliction. And, Iudg. 7.4. I will try them. A boyling or melting fire; ſo Pagnin; as it is Eſay 1, 26. I will purge away thy droſſe, and take away thy tinne. So alſo, Ierem. 9.7. See in Corn: a lap. five reaſons why Chriſt is compared to fire.
And like fullers ſope] Lxx. as waſhers hearb. Vulg. As fullers hearb. and ſo the Tigurine from S. Hier. in Iere. 2.22. Though thou waſh thee with nitre, and take thee much (foreign) Sope: who ſaith there, that Borith is an hearb growing in ſpringing and moyſt places of Palaeſtine, and of the ſame uſe with Nitre. That which we call Saponaria, in Engliſh Sopeweed or Sopewoort. Deodates Italian in the text, renders it, The Hearb which ſcoureth cloth; In the margin, Cudwoort or Cottonweed, which the fullers uſe. Vatabl. Pagn. Tremell. render it, Sope. Arias leaves the Hebr. word untranſlated, like fullers Borith. The word comes of foreign to make pure, cleane, or white. Thence foreign and foreign, Any thing that hath force to cleanſe garments from ſpots or ſtaines. Therefore the Chald. Hee is like that by which cloths are made white. But our laſt tranſlation renders it Sope, here, and Ier. 2.22. Which what it is, beſides the ordinary knowledge of it now adayes, appeares by that of Pliny, lib. 28. c. 12.7. Prodeſt & ſapo; Gallorum inventum ex ſevo & cinere. Both the Arabicques reade Sulphur, not (as I ſuppoſe) according to Cornelius a lapide, his conjecture, taking foreign for foreign which indeed ſignifies Sulphur in the Chalde, but upon a much eaſier miſtake in unpointed Hebrew, where the word is foreign, and in the Arabian foreign is Sulphur. But I ſubmit this alſo as a conjecture.
3. The effects of Chriſts comming, ver. 3, 4, 5, 6.
1. In reſpect of the godly ver. 3, 4.
2. In reſpect of the wicked. ver. 5, 6.
I. In reſpect of the godly, the effect of his comming is very ſalutary and comfortable. ver. 3, 4. where conſider,
1. His worke ver. 3.
2. The end of his worke ver. 4.
Ʋerſ. 3 Firſt his worke. ver. 3. And hee ſhall ſit as a refiner and purifyer of ſilver, and hee ſhall purifie the ſonnes of Levi, and purge them as Gold and Silver] Chriſt comes to cleanſe and purifie his people.
Hee ſhall ſit] Geneva, Hee ſhall ſit downe to try. Some refer it, to expreſſe Chriſt as a Iudge, who ſits to enquire and diſcerne right from falſe. But the phraſe rather notes the accurate, ſerious and aſſiduous doing of a thing. Deodate gives both.
As a refiner] Vulg: As a melter in a Forge.
And purifier] foreign is moſt ordinarily uſed for, To bee cleane or pure from ſinne. And thence Tahor is Pure, innocent, or holy. But it is uſed alſo as here. God is compared to a refiner and purifier, as the Prieſts are in the next words to Silver and Gold.
And he ſhall purifie the ſonnes of Levi, and purge them,] Chriſt will make the Prieſts brighter. The French, He ſhall make neate, or cleane, the ſonnes of Levi. Vulg. Colabit, Hee ſhall ſtreine them, as ſome liquor or liquid matter is tranſmitted or ſtreined thorough a narrow veſſell, ſeive, or cloth, ſo that the purer part may goe through, and the dreggy may bee left. The Lxx, Hee ſhall powre forth as metall which is melted. Pagn. Hee ſhall melt them. Montan. Hee ſhall boyle them. The Chald: reades as we doe, He ſhall purge them. Theodoret underſtood this of the converſion of many Levites to the Faith of Chriſt, as Ioſes, Acts 4.36. and many Priests, Acts 6, 7. S. Hier. Remig. Rupert. Lyr. &c. underſtand it of a new order of Levites to bee inſtituted for the ſervice of the Goſpel. And we know that the Ministers of the Goſpell are prophecyed of under that name, and of Prieſts, Eſay 66.21. See the learned conference with Hart, chap. 8. diviſ. 4. pag. 470. But Ioh. Deodate interprets it of all true Chriſtians and refers to Apo. 1.6 Rom. 12.1. Him I aſſent to.
Secondly, the end of his worke, in purging them. That they may offer unto the Lord an offering,] The Geneva, that they may bring offerings. The word is Mincha here too, of which ſee before. Hee ſtill ſpeakes in the propheticall phraſe. They ſhall be purged, that they may ſerve God, purely, and acceptably, or offer an offering.
1. Pure.
2. Acceptable.
I. A pure offering. That they may offer an offering in righteouſneſſe,] that is, holily and purely performed, according as is required. See the phraſe, Pſ. 51.19.
Ʋerſ. 4 II. An acceptable offering. ver. 4. Then ſhall the offerings of Judah and Jeruſalem be pleaſant to the Lord.] And ſo the Vulg. Acceptable, ſo the Geneva. Chald. ſhall bee entertained freely Vatabl. and Pagn. ſhall bee ſweete. So wee have rendred it, Ierem. 6.20. Nor your ſacrifices, foreign, Sweet unto me. That the place is meant of the Service of the Church as it is Now, I doubt not; but that Judah is the Latine Church, and Ieruſalem Rome, as Ribera would have it, I paſſe as a partiall fancy of a Romiſh interpreter.
As in the dayes of old, and in the former (or ancient) times.] As acceptable as were the Sacrifices, which Abel, Noah, Melchiſedec, Abraham, Moſes, Aaron, &c. Offered.
2. The effects of his comming in reſpect of the wicked, exitiall and terrible. ver. 5.6. where wee may conſider,
1. The judgement. ver. 5.
2. The certainty of the judgement. ver. 6.
Ʋerſ. 5 I. The judgement, ver. 5. where,
1. What it is.
2. Againſt whom.
Firſt, what the judgment is, And I will come neare to you in judgment, and I will bee a ſwift witneſſe againſt, &c.] you ſaid, where is the God of judgment? I will make it appeare unto you, that I am hee. The Tigurine, I will come and I will draw neare. A phraſe like that, Geneſ. 18.21. I will goe downe and ſee, that I may puniſh. A metaphor from the cuſtome of Itinerarie Iuſtices, or Iudges that hold Aſſiſes in their Circuits. I know this moſt interpreters, ancient and others, who underſtand the former of Chriſts firſt Comming, doe thinke this is meant of his Second; for which I cannot ſee reaſon, but rather thinke this to bee the ſenſe, Though the comming of the Meſſiah bring ſo much comfort along with it, and bring ſalvation to the World; yet againſt ſuch as continue in their ſinnes, and thereby encreaſe the guilt of them the more, by how much, more grace is offered unto them; againſt ſuch I will come to judgment, and will bee a ſwift witneſſe againſt them. And thus I make it to bee the ſpeech of God taken Subſtantialiter (who is in the end of the Verſe againe called, The Lord of hoſts, as all along the prophecie) and not Perſonaliter, for Chriſt. Which interpretation notwithſtanding I doe ſubmit, as I doe all the reſt.
And I will bee a ſwift witneſſe againſt,] An haſty witneſſe, ſo the Tigur. Vatablus, Ready. Tremel. moſt ſpeedy. The Lxx as we, foreign, A ſwift witneſſe. The Trope here alſo is a Metaphor, and the affection of the Metaphor ſeemes to be a Catachreſis, witneſſe being put for Iudge. I will ſoone upon the evidence of your fact give judgement againſt you. Among men, the witnes and the judge muſt be diſtinct. That of Ioh. Bodin De republ. lib. 6. pag. 1185, is generally received; If the fact be onelyonly knowne to the judge, he may bee a witnes of it, but a judge hee cannot bee. And to the queſtion, whether a judge be bound to give ſentence Secundum allegata & probata? The Canons ſpeake affirmatively. Gratian. Cauſ. 2. qu. 1. et 7. plerunque, &c. and ſo alſo (to omit others) it is determined by the learned Henr. Bocerus de Iuriſdict. cap. 6. ſect. 34. and by Ioh. Weemſ. Exercit. vol. 2. lib. 2. cap. 17. And there is reaſon it ſhould be ſo among men. But God, being infinitely preſent, an eye-witneſſe of every fact; and infinitely wiſe, free from all poſſibility of error; and infinitely holy, out of all ſuſpicion of being corrupted; may be, and is, both witneſſe and judge. See for further light, Gene. 31.50. Iud. 11.10.1. Sam. 12.5, Iob 16.19, Ierem. 29.23. Ioh. 8.16, 17, 18. See alſo Ioh. Buxtorf. in Comment. Maſoret. cap. 14. in Litera ד. We have ſeen thus what the judgment is;
2. Againſt whom it is; againſt.
1. Sorcerers.
2. Adulterers.
3. Falſe ſwearers.
4. Oppreſſors of hirelings.
5. Oppreſſors of Widdowes and fatherleſſe.
6. Oppreſſors of ſtrangers.
7. Such as feare not God.
Firſt, Againſt the Sorcerers.] The Lxx, foreign. Sorcerers, or Poyſoners. But of Pharmaci, and foreign, ſee Rhodigin. Antiqu. Lect. lib. 6. cap 12. lib. 9. c. 23. The Hebr. is foreign, and that is, He that exerciſes deluſions and jugling ſleights, ſo that a thing is made to appeare otherwiſe unto ones eyes, then indeed it is. Exodus 7.11, 12. Upon which two verſes, the Reader may ſatiſfie himſelfe in the ſecond diſputation, and the nine following, of Ben. Pererius in cap. 7. Exod. to whom, and to Delrio and Wierus, I refer him for curioſities of this argument. The word is here tranſlated, A Sorcerer, but uſually a Witch, as, Exodus 22.18.2. Chron. 33.6. Deut. 18.10. in which one text are reckoned up the ſeverall ſorts of Divination that are forbidden, all which are fully explicated by M. Gataker. in his Tr. of Lots; and all which are to bee underſtood here under this one head. Concerning which, and the ſeverall caſes about them, beſides the Popiſh Caſuiſts, Cajetan. Peccat. Summ. in verbo, Divinatio. Silveſter in eod. Tit. Tollet, inſtructio Sacerd. lib. 4. cap. 14, 15. Guil. Cantarell. Var. Quaeſt. lib 2. Num 474. Bizozerus, Sum. Caſ. pt. 2. cap. 4. Memb. 5. 6. Fumi, Armil. Aurea, Verbo Divinatio. Reginald. praxis fori poenit. lib 17. cap. 16, 17. Martin. Breſſer. de Conſc. lib. 6. cap. 21. And ours, M Perkins, of Witchcraft; Ioh. Alſted. Theol. Caſ. cap. 13. ſect. 11. Andr. Rivet. Praelect. in Exodus 20. pag. 30. Gaſper Brockmond. Syſtem. Theol. Tom. 2. arti. 18. cap. 18. Caſ. 11, 12, 13. ad 20. See alſo many things to the purpoſe of this place, in Gabr. Pennot. Propugnac. hum. libert lib. 10. Ioh Wolphius in Addit. ad Pet. Mart. 2. in Reg. 21. pag. 404. and in Weemſ. Degen. ſonnes, The Magitian.
Secondly, and againſt the Adulterer] The Lxx, tranſlate it into the feminine, foreign, Adultereſſes. 'Tis the Maſcul. in the Hebr. Under this head alſo may bee referred all the ſinnes uſually treated of by Divines and Caſuiſts under the 7th Commandement. A ſinne ſentenced and ſeverely puniſhed by the Lawes of Nations, even the very heathen; for the Athenians, Lacedemonians, Romans, See Plutarch, in Parall. paſſim. For other Nations, Alex. ab. Alex. Genial. Dier. lib. 4. cap. 1. and Rhodigin. lect. Antiqu. lib. 21. c. 45.47. For the old French, it is a notable ſtory which is related by Ioh. Tritenhemius de Orig. Francorum, pag. 304 (in the firſt Tome of the Opus Historicum at Baſil, collected by Simon Schardius as is thought and conjectured by the Printer) of Baſan the King and high prieſt of the Sicambri, who were anceſtors to the French, that as his Lawes were ſevere againſt adultery and other like crimes, ſo hee alſo was ſo ſtrict in the execution of them, that hee cauſed a ſword and an halter to bee caried before him whitherſoever he went, and finding an accuſation to bee true againſt his owne ſonne Sedanus, that hee had committed adultery, he judged him to death, and when his Nobles entreated him to reverſe his ſentence, he ſaid; Strive not againſt juſtice, you may ſooner reſtraine the wind from blowing in the ayre, then turne Baſanus mind aſide from the law. And turning to his ſonne, hee ſaid; I kill thee not my ſonne, but the law which thou haſt broken. And therewithall in zeale to juſtice, hee ſlew him with his owne hand. This was about 280 yeares before Chriſt. But eſpecially for our owne anceſtors, the old Saxons, it is an obſervable teſtimony which Corn. Tacitus, Deſcr. Germ. gives of their ſeverity againſt this ſinne, upon which place, Andr. Althamer. and Jodocus Vuillichius in their commentaries upon Tacitus, doe take occaſion (and juſtly too in my opinion) to condemne the Remiſſenes of this age in puniſhing more ſharpely, what thoſe times of ignorance did abhorre. But I would rather in this point commend unto the Reader, that zealous and effectuall Epiſtle of our country man, Boniface Arch Biſhop of Mentz unto Aethelbald King of the Mercians here in England. where he relates that ſeverity of the Saxons, and urgeth much againſt this ſinne. The Epiſtle is in the Magdenburg. Centur. Cent. 8. cap. 9. and from them in Mr. Fox Martyrol. And it ſeemes there was much need of ſharpe writing at that time, when the people generally by the Kings example were given unto this ſinne, and like fed Horſes neighing after their neighbours wives, as appeares by another Epiſtle from the ſaid Boniface, to Heresfrid, a godly Prieſt, who as it ſeemes was ſometimes called to preach in the Court of Aethelbald, and might worke upon him.
Thirdly, And againſt falſe Swearers] Lxx, that ſweare by my Name upon a lye. Pagn…n that ſweare lyingly. Vulg. perjurers. What the ſinne is, and how great; ſee the Caſuiſts, and others on the third Commandement. And how God hath puniſhed it, if there were no other example, the lamentable iſſue of the battell at Varna, where Ʋladiſlaus the King of Hungary, and Iulian the Cardinall were miſerably defeated by the Turke, will bee a ſufficient monument to all ſucceeding times. We have alſo two pregnant inſtances in Eadmerus his Hiſtoria Novorum (publiſhed by the learned Selden,) lib. 1. pag. 5, 6, & lib. 5. page. 124, 125. But the ſinne here, is not onelyonly Perjury, when an oath taken is not kept; but the very taking of a falſe oath. So Piſcator according to the Hebr. That ſweare unto a falſe thing. It may bee rendred ad verbially, That ſweare falſely: and to that ſenſe our tranſlation. A ſinne it is of an high nature, for firſt there is a lie, and then an oth made upon a lye.
Fourthly, And againſt thoſe that oppreſſe (or, defraud) the hireling in his wages.] The Geneva. That wrongfully keepe back the heirelings wages. The Ʋulg. Who make cavills to detaine wages. The Chald. and Lxx, Who take away wages by violence: and ſo Pagn. The word, foreign, will beare, all theſe, It is, to defraud by calumny (foreign) or by guile, or by force. This was Labans ſinne. Iacob complaines of him, that he dealt hardly with him, and deceived him, and changed his wages ten times. Geneſ. 31.7.41. He changed his wages ten times, that is, often, as the phraſe is taken Numb. 14.22. Iob. 19.3. Or it may bee he did indeed ten times in Iacobs ſixe yeares ſervice change his wages which by agreement was to ariſe from the Lambes that were yeaned, which in Meſopotamia (which was the Country where Iacob kept Labans flock) yeaned twice a yeere; but Laban partly thorough covetouſneſſe, and partly through envy at Iacobs thriving, might haply every half yeare be altering the agreement; which was S. Auguſtines conjecture, and is followed by Iunius and Pareus, though they followed not his miſtake occaſioned by the Septuagint in reading the place, Thou haſt deceived me of my wages in ten lambs. Of which ſee Sixt. Amama in his Antibarb. Biblic. pag. 427, 428, who cenſures both the reading and the interpretation. But to mee what ever becomes of the Reading, yet it ſeemes the interpretation may ſtand good. This ſinne cryes in the eares of God, Iam. 5.4. and hath a woe againſt it, Ierem. 22.13. and was ſpecially provided againſt in the law under Moſes. Deut. 24.14, 15. The wages of the labourer muſt be payed as ſoon as hee hath done his worke, becauſe hee ſetteth his heart upon, or lifteth his ſoule unto it, that is, he hath no other liveliehood, nothing elſe whereby to maintaine his life, or to truſt unto.
Fifthly, And againſt thoſe that oppreſſe the widow & the fatherles] So I reade it with this ſupply, though the verb bee not againe repeated, but is to be repeated from the former member to make the ſenſe cleare. The Lxx, Againſt them who oppreſſe widdowes by their power, and ſtrike or beate the fatherleſſe.
The Widow] foreign. The ſolitary, or ſilent, or forſaken, as Ierem. 51.5. Iſrael hath not been (Hebr. widdowed) forſaken, and Eſa. 13.22. Deſolate houſes, are called in Heb. Widowes. See the metaphor, Lament. 1.1. which is like unto that of Virgil, Aeneid. 8.
—tam multis viduaſſet civibus urbem.
See Geneſ. 38.11.14.2. Sam. 20.3. Eſay. 47.8. or, the Widow in the Hebr. is called Silent, becauſe her husband being dead, ſhee cannot ſo well ſpeake in her owne cauſe, or for her owne defence. Therefore Gods care of Widowes was alwayes great, Exod. 22.22. Deut. 10.18. and, 24, 17. Pſal. 49.9. and, 68.5. Ierom. 49.11. And in the Chriſtian Church the Apoſtles tooke care of them, and ſpecially for their ſakes ordained Deacons who might ſee that they ſhould not bee neglected, Acts. 6.1. A place pertinently obſerved and uſed by the Widow of Iohn Knobbarus the Printer, in her Epiſtle Dedicatory to the Biſhop of Antwerp, before the late Ieſuite Breſſerus his booke De Concſcientia. This care was continued by S. Paul 1. Tim. 5.3. and after by many Biſhops aTis a Teſtimony of great honour, and a character fit for a Biſhop, which Mathew of Weſtminſter, gives to Gilbert Biſhop of Chicheſter in K. Edward the firſts time, that he was the Father of Orphans and the comforter of Widowes.. Yet at the laſt the Pontifician law grew ſtreight and hard towards them, wherein as Greg. Tholoſan. hath it, Syntag. Iuris. lib. 9. cap. 26. ſ. 14. It was provided that the mony bequeathed for pious uſes to the endowing and marrying of poore Women, might in no caſe be beſtowed upon Widowes marrying again, though they were poore.
The fatherleſſe] foreign is an Orphan, a Pupill, deſtitute of father or helpe. See it clearely, Lament. 5.3. Wee are (Iethomim) Orphans and without father. The Lxx, here, and conſtantly, tranſlate it foreign, but in one place, namely, Pſal. 82.3. they render it, foreign, poore. The fatherleſſe and the widow's are frequently joyned together in the ſame Texts, and ſo they are in Gods care. The ancient Church was tender of them, thence it was that Brephotrophi (as they were called) were appointed for the charge of expoſed infants, whoſe fathers were not knowne; and Orphanotrophi to ſee to the bringing up of other infants. A practiſe worthily followed and imitated by the rare zeale and charity of our bleſſed King Edward the Sixth, who upon occaſion of the Biſhop of Londons Sermon, beſides Bridewell and S. Thomas Hoſpitall diſpoſed to other charitable uſes, was the glorious founder of Chriſts Hoſpitall for the reliefe of fatherleſſe children. It were eaſy to outvie the popiſh and to parallell the ancient times, with examples of charity in this kind ſince the Reformation. Among others that Honorable & reverend Prelate, D. Andrew's Lord Biſhop of Wincheſter, ſhines not more in his learned writings (which yet make him famous in the gates) then in his Legacies to the poore, among which this was not the leaſt commendable that he gave 501 per Annum to the binding of poore Orphans to be apprentices. A man deſerving all the honor and right which thoſe honorable and learned perſonages have done him, who have gratified the Engliſh Church with the Hiſtory of his life. But I muſt take my ſelfe off from this argument, remembring that theſe Excurſions will haply be judged by ſome to bee too frequent and not proper for theſe ſhort notes. I confeſſe it, yet who would not be large (upon the leaſt occaſion given) in the juſt commendations of thoſe rare examples, eſpecially when ſo many on the contrary doe build up their eſtates and houſes upon the ruines and diſtreſſes of Orphans and Pupills committed to their truſt; The ſinne that is here threatned in the text, and queſtionles a great ſinne, and provided againſt fully in the ancient law; ſo that in the Inſtitutions of Iuſtinian we have fourteen titles, foreign, lib. 1. Tit. 13, &c. And Greg. Tholoſan. hath found enough to collect to make two bookes in his Syntagma, lib. 12. and, 13. with whom I leave the Reader.
Sixthly, And againſt thoſe that turne aſide the ſtranger] that is, from his right, as our laſt tranſlation ſupplyes it even in the text. The Geneva and Vulg. Againſt thoſe that oppreſſe the ſtranger. The Lxx. and the Chalde, That pervert the judgement of the ſtranger. See how it is expreſt, Exod. 23.6. Thou ſhalt wreſt the judgement.
The ſtranger] foreign Is he that dwells where he was not borne; or one that hath dwelt but a while where hee doth, and ſo through want of friends and of acquaintance with the Law, is more eaſy to bee wronged; for whoſe defence therefore God provided by many Lawes. See Exod. 22.21. and, 23.9. Deut. 10.18.19. Levit. 19.33.34. Ierem 22.3. Ezek. 16.18. Zach. 7.10.
Seventhly, And againſt thoſe that feare not me, ſaith the Lord] The particulars before mentioned are ſummed up in this, which is the fountaine alſo and head of other ſinnes, and that againſt which the Lord will come neare in judgement. As, Primus in orbe deos fecit Timor, and where the feare of God is, it will command the heart and reſtraine from ſinne; ſo the little or no feare of God, argues that men cheriſh little or no beliefe of God; when (according to the ingenious conceit of Nic. Cauſſin the Ieſuite, in his Table or picture of worldly policy (Holy Court, pt. 2. The Stateſman. ſect. 2.) In a Chamber hideouſly blacke, the ſtudy of Lucifer, the brave ſpirits of the time, under the regency of Herod and Tiberius, doe ſtudy to finde out the way, How to believe in God no longer. The truth is, while moſt men, inſtead of contending for the faith, have but wrangled about the differences of Religious, they are growne Irreligious, and into a diſpoſition unto Atheiſme; which how it may be diſcovered & cured, will bee worthy the labour of all ſuch who are ſet over men for the cure of their ſoules. Thus wee have ſeene the judgment threatned, and againſt whom.
Ʋerſ. 6 II. The certainty of the judgment. verſe 6. For I am the Lord, I change not, therefore yee ſonnes of Iacob are not conſumed.] Or, as the Vulg. and Montan. and the Geneva read it, I change not, And yee ſonnes of Iacob are not conſumed. It is the reaſon of what was before ſaid and threatned; you ſay I regard not to puniſh or reward: but though I deferre a while, yet I will come neare to judgement, for I conſtantly love good, and hate evill, I change not. So, Cyril, Theodor. Remig. Rupert. Hugo, Lyr. Vatabl: &c. For the latter clauſe of this 6th verſe, I ſhall with ſubmiſſion take leave to depart from our learned tranſlators, and reade not as they, Therefore], but as Montanus and as it is in the Hebrew, And,] I change not, And yee ſonnes of Iacob are not conſumed. And, that is, And yet. Though I threatned you, and change not, yet my patience is ſuch, that yee are ſpared, and not yet conſumed. But I leave this place to ſuch as can better ſearch the Prophets mind, for here I confeſſe I doe take off my owne unskilfull pen without cleare ſatiſfaction in my ſelfe, about the coherence of this verſe, eſpecially this latter clauſe, with the verſes precedent. The Reader may finde it ſomewhat otherwiſe expreſt in Tarnovius. And thus much of the 5th. Conteſtation.