Commentary on Malachi 2, Chapter 1 · Exposition on verse 1
VERSE I.
The burden of the Word of the Lord to Iſrael by the miniſtery of Malachy.
THE Burden] Here is the matter or ſubject of this Booke, or Prophecy: He calleth it a burden, uſuall with Prophets in their writings, all almoſt in ſome place or other. But Nahum, Habakkuk, and Malachy thus begin their prophecies. It ſignifies, as Hierome, a woefull and ſorrowfull prophecy, full of threats and judgments; called therefore a Burden, becauſe it preſſeth thoſe againſt whom it is ſpoken, the hearts and ſpirits of them, as a burden the body, and ſuffers them not to lift up their heads, and themſelves, as in former times. Some thinke it ſignifies not onelyonly this, but alſo the Commandement of the Lord, by which the Prophet was burdened as from the Lord, that he ſhould declare it in ſo many words unto Iſrael: which they thinke follows thence, becauſe it is to Iſrael, not againſt; but I feare, this is ſomewhat nice, for it was ſo to them, as it was againſt them for their ſinnes, and that which is againſt, is as much as a burden to the Prophet: but this muſt be underſtood Tropicè, here being a Synecdoche; for the whole Prophecy is not a burden, or threatning of puniſhment, but part onelyonly of it, and ſo the whole is denominated of the part.
The puniſhment of ſinne, Doctrine. the affliction God inflicts upon men for their ſinnes and tranſgreſſions, is a burden, not a light one, not ſuch as are the feathers of a bird, onus ſine onere; but as a talent of Lead, ſpoken of, Zach. 5.7. heavy and grievous; ſo is it here, and in many places of the Prophets, as Nah. 1.1. Hab. 1.1. Jerem. 23.33. fine, he ſhewes what is the burden, I will cast you off, and ſend you into Babel captives, verſ. 36. that is, whoſoever ſhall ſay, The burden, he ſhall for that word beare his burden, that is, be puniſhed of the Lord; it is proved further by Matth. 7.9. Galat. 6.8. Hence is the complaint of David, Pſal. 32.4. Thy hand was heavy upon me.
Becauſe ſinne, the deſerving and procuring cauſe, Reaſ. 1 is a very grievous burden, Pſal. 38.4. Matth. 27.38. that is, to living men, and ſuch as have the uſe of their ſences; not to dead and benummed men: then the puniſhment is grievous.
Becauſe the wrath and diſpleaſure of God, Reaſ. 2 which is the efficient cauſe of it, is very heavy and grievous. The diſpleaſure of a Prince is heavy, the Kings wrath is as the roaring of a Lion, Prov. 19.12. Now hence are afflictions heavy and burdenſome.
Becauſe none can give eaſe in it, or deliver from it, Reaſ. 3 ſave God onelyonly, Hoſ. 1.6 1 Sam. 2.25. 2 King. 6.26, 27. The wound that is had by the biting of a Scorpion is grievous, when nothing can cure it but the aſhes of that Scorpion; much more this.
This may teach us what to judge of thoſe men who are in ſome affliction, under a judgment, and yet finde no burden, Ʋſe 1 but goe as light under them, as a bird doth under her feathers, and ſometimes make advantage of them, as beggers doe make gaine of their ſores; they are ſenſeleſſe, they are benummed, they are dead men. In common ſence, if any have halfe an hundreth weight laid upon his hand, or foot, and preſſing him ſore, and he feele it not, what judgment is to be given of it, but to be a mortified and a dead member? ſo alas, how many dead men are in our times and daies? The burden not of the Word onelyonly, but of the rod of the Lord, not threatned, but executed, hath beene upon our Land and Church by the fearefull Plague; now well towards three yeares wee have walked in the land of the dead, we have beene in the houſe of mourning. Indeed the living hath laid it to his heart, but ſo few have done it, that the dead are more than the living; not onelyonly our wanton women, and voluptuous men, to whom that 1 Tim. 5.6. They are dead while they live: but our worldly men, our ambitious and others all dead, for this they have not felt. We ſorrowed for fifty & odde thouſands that dyed in the former yeare; we have as much need to ſorrow for ſo many thouſands yet living, and dead amongſt us; they never indeed felt, nor yet doe feele this burden: Their irreligious carriage when it was here amongſt us, both at home & abroad, in the City and abroad, their ſmall conformity ſince to the Law of God, little reforming of their corruptions, nay, their monſtrous deformity in themſelves, wives, and children, perſwades my heart, as 'tis Pſal. 36.1. The tranſgreſſion of the wicked ſaith within my heart, there is no feare of God before my eyes: ſo that they had no feeling of this at all; for they who truely felt it, would grow ſomewhat better, if not altogether reformed. If an heatheniſh people, who knew not God, at the burden of the Word of the Lord did ſo humble themſelves, that the Lord ſaid, Jonah 8.10. He repented of the evill he ſaid he would doe to you, and did it not; what ſhall be thought of Chriſtian men by profeſſion, living in the Church of God, if at the burden of his Word they repent not, nor depart from their evill wayes? but Iſaiah 8.8. Though they be ſtricken, revolt more and more: it is becauſe they are dead men, and cannot feele it. Oh then weepe not for me, but for your ſelves, and children, as thoſe not for the departed, but for the living dead: for if it be true, The beginning of the remedy is the ſence and acknowledgment of the malady; how farre are they from cure that have not yet the feeling of it? I feared the Plague by a naturall infirmity, though God enabled me to abide upon my calling in the hotteſt brunt of it, and mercifully preſerved me hitherto to his Church, and to ſpeake this to you this day. But if it ſhould now come by the providence of God upon me, that he beginnes to threaten it to the City, I ſhould willingly embrace it, as thinking God to be marvellous mercifull unto me, and whoſoever he ſhould ſmite by it, to take it thus into his owne hand, and not to leave us to more fearefull judgments, which I cannot ſay, but I marvellouſly feare, is even at the doore to the wakening of dead men and women, or the ſweeping of them away. I am no Prophet, I pray God my words be no prophecy; but what peace, &c.
This ought to teach men in affliction, if a judgment come, and impoſed by the hand of God, to beare it patiently and meekely, as David, 2 Sam. 15.25, 26. for it is a burden. The way to be eaſed, is not ſtrugling with it, but meekely to beare it; for a priſoner to be free from his fetters, is not in the Jaylors ſight to ſeeke to breake them, or to file them off; that is the way to procure more, or the longer lying in them: So, to be eaſed of a burden, is not to wreſtle with it when one is under it, but to goe ſoftly; there is more eaſe while it is on his back, and ſooner comes he to be releaſed of it. A man may with impatiency wreſtle and uſe unlawfull meanes to eaſe himſelfe, and God happly will let them proſper for a while; but after he will bring a more heavy and inevitable burden on him, that with his former ſhifts ſhall make more heavy to him. There is a fable, but it hath his Morall for this purpoſe; A certaine Aſſe laded with Salt, fell into a river, and after he had riſen, found his burthen lighter, for the moiſture made it melt away; whereupon he would ever after lye him downe in the water as he travailed with his burthen, and ſo eaſe himſelfe: His owner perceiving his craft, after laded him as heavy with Wooll; the Aſſe purpoſing to eaſe himſelfe, as before, laid himſelfe downe in the next water, and thinking to have eaſe, riſing againe to feele his weight, found it heavier, as it continued with him all the day. The Morall is, that they who impatiently ſeeke meanes contrary to the will of God, to eaſe themſelves of their burden, ſhall have it more and more encreaſe upon them.
That men ſhould make a ſpeciall reſtraint to themſelves to keepe from ſinning, Ʋſe 3 becauſe an heavy and grievous burden elſe is ready to be laid upon their ſhoulders. Sinne it ſelfe is an heavy burden, but few feele it, and fewer feare it; but to this burden ſhall the burden of puniſhment be added; and who is ſufficient for theſe things? if the firſt burden feare them not, becauſe there is ſome pleaſure in ſinne to the fleſh, yet let the ſecond, which hath no pleaſure at all. When thou art tempted to ſinne, by which thou muſt needs tempt and provoke God, learne to caſt thy accompts well, conſult if thou bee able to meete him that comes againſt thee, Luke 14. ſo, if thou bee'ſt able to meete him, and beare his burden, goe on, and ſpare not; delight in all thy wayes, reſtraine thy ſelfe from no ſinne: but if not, if we may invert and reſolve, Doe we provoke the Lord to jealouſie? are we ſtronger than he? 1 Cor. 20.22. then let this reſtraine us, if nothing elſe will; let us imitate Porters, who called, and offered money to beare a burden, will poiſe and weigh the burden in their hands firſt, which when they ſee they are not able to beare, no gaine will entice them; ſo in this caſe let us doe.
Of the Word of the Lord] The circumſtance of the perſon ſending, the efficient, and authour, as of other prophecies, ſo, of this; he comes not unſent, he ſpoke not of himſelfe, hee came not without the Lord, but from him; ſo he affirmeth, and truely, to get more reverence, credit, and authority with them: and that it was thus from the Lord, and ſo Canonicall, the teſtimonies of Chriſt and his Apoſtles, alledging him divers times for confirmation of Doctrine, and reformation of manners; proveth it: but he addeth, the Word of the Lord] not onelyonly to ſhew that he had but the word, the rod, and execution would come after, God making his word good: but as ſome thinke, to ſhew that he had not a free Embaſſage, but that he was to deliver it in certaine and ſet preſcribed words. Sometime when Prophets were more frequent and perpetuall in the Church, and God ſpoke to them by dreames, or by viſions, and apparitions, they had divers kinds of words, and had liberty for divers manners of ſpeaking and delivery: But our Prophet was ſuch a meſſenger, that the Commandement hee had received, and was credited with, he muſt deliver in ſo many words, and the ſame he received them in, and ſo he doth; for in the whole he never uſeth his owne perſon, but the Lord onelyonly, as Chap. 1.2. and 2.1. and 3.1. and 4.1.
Here we might obſerve, that the Writers of the Scriptures are not the Authors, but God himſelfe, of which Rev. 2.7. But one particular may we herein obſerve, this following:
This Propheſie is the very word of the Lord, Doctrine. it is of divine, not humane authority; which is not onelyonly here affirmed, but, leſt it ſhould be doubtfull, it hath the teſtimony of the new Teſtament: the 3. Chap. ver. 1. hath teſtimony Mark 1.2. and Chap. 4.2. hath teſtimony Luke 1.78. and Chap. 1, 2, 3. Rom. 9.23.
Becauſe this was written by a Prophet: Reaſ. 1 for as all the Old Teſtament was written by the Prophets; ſo whatſoever was written by them, was and is Canonicall Scripture: therefore 2 Pet. 1.19. Luke 16.39. Heb. 1.1. Epheſ. 2.20. now all men hold Malachy for a Prophet, the laſt among the Jewes till the comming of John Baptiſt.
Becauſe the Church of the Jewes, Reaſ. 2 the onelyonly Church of God did receive this, and ſo acknowledged it as the word of God: That they did ſo, appeares Matth. 17.10. and the Apoſtles, and the Evangeliſts alleadging of it; for it is a farre more impious and heinous thing to take away Scripture, than corruptly to interpret them, or to adde Scripture, if it were not of it.
I take inſtructions from hence, Ʋſe 1 entering the opening and expounding of this propheſie, how I ought to labour with my owne heart, and to ſeeke from the Lord aſſiſtance and grace to handle this as his word, not careleſſely, handling the word and worke of God negligently, taking his name in vaine, comming to ſpeake out of it without due preparation and conſtant ſtudy, and ſpeaking; ſo talke as of the word of God, 1 Pet. 4.11. not handling it with vanity, and affectation, not making merchandize, and playing the huckſter with it; delivering it with a ſincere affection, dealing faithfully with it as a faithfull diſpenſer, giving to every one his portion, where and to whom the Spirit of God hath ſet them downe, to Prieſt and people, to old and to young, to married and unmarried, to the good and prophane, without feare and flattery, or any other ſiniſter affections, remembring that this in the firſt is in the whole, and to every verſe, it is the word of the Lord, fearing to corrupt, as well as to adde, leſt that I heare as 'tis Prov. 30.6. Adde not to his words leſt he reprove thee, and thou be found a lyer; remembring that of Luke 12.42. that I may be a faithfull and wiſe Steward, that I may obtaine that, Verſ. 43, 44. which how ſoone it may be generall, or to me in particular, whether before I have gone through the whole, or this Chapter, or this verſe, I know not.
This teacheth all to whom I am to ſpeake: Ʋſe 2 firſt they muſt heare, for it is the word of the Lord, and never withdraw themſelves negligently, or careleſly preferring vaine pleaſure and profit of no value before it: If any withdraw himſelfe, the ſoule of God ſhall have no pleaſure in him, (to uſe the words rather than the full ſence) as Iſrael ſaid to Sihon King of the Amorites, Judg. 7.24. ſo wouldſt not thou heare that thy Prince, Father, or Maſter ſaith unto thee; nay, will not Idolaters heare that which their gods ſay unto them, how much more you that the Lord ſhall ſpeake to? This is the word; that we ſhall ſpeake is but the delivering of it in moe words, which is here ſet downe in fewer; preſſing it at large, which is here ſet downe more briefly; this as a clew of thread wound up, by us it is but drawn out at length; yea, and it muſt be heard as the word of God with all reverence, received with humility, believed by faith, obeyed with care; for the Lord having ſpoken it, it was not for the time and perſons preſent onelyonly, but for all ſucceſſive ages and people. As the Lawes of Princes, and Decrees of Parliaments are not onelyonly for them that live then, but for whoſoever ſhall afterwards be borne ſubjects to the ſame Soveraignes; therefore not any ſinne is here reproved, but it is reproved in whomſoever it is found; nor is there any judgment threatened, but menaced againſt the men of our time that heare it; not any duty commanded, but it is appertaining to us as to them, becauſe it is the word of the Lord, who is our Lord as well as theirs, of the Gentiles, as of the Jewes. I cannot ſay as Daniel 4.19. fine, ſo the Prophecy is for others, and the interpretation of it is for others, and judgments to your enemies; but as Peter, Act. 2.39. It is to you, and to your children: ſo theſe things here commanded and reproved are for you and your children. But why ſhould I ſpeake thus ſharpely unto you? Verily becauſe God will nevertheleſſe bring theſe, if I ſhould hold my peace, and by ſpeaking I may prevent he ſhould not, if ſo be my exhortations this day may finde place in your hearts, and hereafter in your lives: But ſhall I come unto you, not with a rod, but in love, and the ſpirit of meekneſſe? 1 Cor. 4.21. then as Chryſoſtome ad pop. Antioch. Hom. 27. by our mutuall love, yours and mine, by all the travell I have felt for you, till Chriſt be formed in you fully, Gal. 4.19. give me that wherein I may glory before men and devils, and in the preſence of God. And what is my glory? but your progreſſe and increaſe in piety here, and your ſalvation in the life to come: Believe me, beloved, Si fieri poteſt me pro vobis certamen bene gerere, vos autem bene geſtae rei praemia ferre, nunquam profectò vobis tantum turbationis ingererem; ſed non licet boc nobis, non licet inquam. Chryſoſtom. de virtut. & vitiis ſermo. If it were poſſible for me to undergoe the Combate, and you to beare the Trophies of the victory, I would not put you to ſo much trouble. But this may not be, this may not be, for every one muſt live by his owne faith, and paſſe to heaven by his owne piety and obedience: It is neither bought nor borrowed oyle in our Lamps will ſerve to enter in with the Bridegroome.
To Iſrael,] The ſecond perſon to whom, as the Subject, to Iſrael; that is, to the whole people who were lately delivered out of Captivity, and now enjoyed their Land, and the liberty of Religion: and as men not ſufficiently inſtructed under the rod and croſſe, or forgetting their former calamities, returned to their former corruptions and ſinnes, whoſe ſinnes were the worſe by that they had received, and made the more inexcuſable; when they ſhould have beene bettered by his mercies, they grew worſe. By Iſrael he underſtands the whole company, both Prieſt and people, calling it Iſrael, which for diſtinction was before called Judah, after the rent happened betwixt the ten and two Tribes, Judah and Benjamin, and ſome of Levi to the houſe of David, and the reſt to Jeroboam; for the ten tribes by Salmanaſſor were ſo led into Captivity, that they never returned; he now called theſe two Tribes by the old and wonted name: To Iſrael then his owne people, choſen out of the world, yea, reſerved to himſelfe from thoſe ten Tribes, thus ſpecially beloved, he ſends, though with griefe thus threatning.
God will puniſh his, Doctrine. even his owne for their ſinnes and offences, how deare ſoever they be unto him; it is indeed his love unto them that he will paſſe by many infirmities and weakneſſe in them, as Matth. 7.18. but yet ſinnes of greater nature, habit, and cuſtome he will not paſſe by unpuniſhed, 2 Sam. 7.14.18. not onelyonly the threatnings, but the execution of many afflictions and plagues recorded in the Word, upon the whole Church of Iſrael, upon particular perſons, on Moſes, Numb. 20. on Miriam, Numb. 1. David often, and other the good Kings who were puniſhed, proves this manifeſtly.
Becauſe hee loves his owne, Reaſ. 1 therefore will hee correct and puniſh them; for the ſparing of the rod is hatred, not love;Nulla ira, magna ira. the fondneſſe of affection, not the favour of judgment, Prov. 13.24. It is love becauſe of that 1 Cor. 11.32. when we are judged, we are chaſtened of the Lord, that we ſhould not be condemned with the world.
Becauſe he would be juſtified, Reaſ. 2 not as wiſdome of her children onelyonly, but even of wicked and enemies; for if he ſhould ſpare his owne, then would they ſay, God were wicked like them; as the wicked when he ſpares themſelves, ſay Pſal. 50.21. hence was the death of Davids child denounced, and performed to prevent or to ſtay the blaſphemy of the wicked, 2 Sam. 12.14. as he inſinuates in his Pſalme of Repentance, Pſalme 51.4.
Becauſe he may manifeſt his hatred of ſinne, Reaſ. 3 when he puniſheth it not in thoſe that are wicked onelyonly, whoſe perſons he may ſeeme to hate, but in thoſe that are deare to him.
If God will, and muſt deale thus with his owne, Ʋſe 1 generall and particular, let the whole Church and every member thinke of it, that they be not deceived, as if to them there were no feare of judgments and puniſhments, though they feare not ſinne, becauſe they are his: It is ſuch a corruption and deceit, that may ſeize upon thoſe who are his, even truely his, though uſually they are deceived by the ſleight of Sathan, whom he hath before deceived with another, perſwading them they are gods when they are not; for commonly none ſo confident as thoſe, none ſo bold as theſe blind byards; but whoſoever he is that is tainted with this, let him know, that as the Huſbandman preſerveth the ſheepe of his paſture in a moiſt yeare from rotting in the heart and liver, when they are a little tainted, by the ſalt waters of the Sea: ſo may he be recovered and preſerved by thoſe waters of the Sanctuary, even by thoſe ſalt waters; when the ſtreame runnes thus, that he will not, nor he hath not ſpared thoſe who are as deare to him as the apple of his eye, (untoothſome happily may they be, but without doubt wholeſome they are) let no Church then truſt in lying words, Jer. 7.4. if they continue in their wickedneſſe, verſ. 9. and make his houſe a den of theeves, verſ. 11. but let them know he ſees it, and goe to Shiloh, verſ. 12. and other Churches, and ſee what he hath done to them, and the like will he doe to it, verſ. 14. Let no particular man thinke he may ſinne, as preſuming he is Gods; for if he ſpared not Moſes, Miriam, David, and others, how him? could they not have challenged more than he? or is it not likely that God would have ſpared them as well as he? Let him thinke of that to Solomon: I will be his Father, and he ſhall be my ſonne; if he commit iniquity, I will chaſten him with the rod of Iron, but my mercy ſhall not depart from him, 2 Sam. 7.14, 15. if God make it true in him, it is the beſt he can looke for. If any aſke, what benefit it is to be Gods? I anſwer, much every way; as that God will paſſe by many infirmities of thine when thou ſerveſt him, many ſinnes of paſſion when they are not continued in: Have you not heard of the patience of Job? Againe, is it no benefit to be his Fathers Heire, unleſſe he may be ſuffered to doe what he liſt without controlement or correction? Beſides, even this is a benefit; for if that be true, Let the righteous ſmite me, and it ſhall be a kindneſſe, Pſalm. 141.8. much more this, when that we are chaſtned, that we may not be condemned, 1. Cor. 2.32.
This may ſerve for comfort when affliction and puniſhment is befallen one who is his. Ʋſe 2 In ſuch a condition a man is ready to faint, and his heart to faile him for feare, as if God had utterly caſt him off; but it riſeth from the ignorance of this, that God hath and will afflict his children, and becauſe they have not beene experienced under the hand of God. A child when he is young and tender, not acquainted with his Fathers threats and corrections, no ſooner ſees his father lay hand upon rods, but feares he hates him, but a little uſe under this teacheth him there is indeed love where hatred is in ſhow; And ſo with them, but they muſt learne this, that their hearts may reſt upon it, as the Arke did ſtay upon the mountaine of Ararat, after it had floted a long time upon the waters, ſeeing he afflicts his owne, yea more than the wicked in this life, and yet ſtill his people.
Iſrael having forgotten their late miſeries and calamities, the ſence and feeling of them being worne cleane out of memory, they returne againe to their former corruptions and ſinnes, and are newly threatned with other, and more heavy judgments.
If men, Doctr. many or few, a County or City, one or a company, after they have beene delivered or freed from ſome calamity and judgment, doe forget it, paſſing it over without profit, and returning to their ſinnes and corruptions againe, they are in danger of new, and more fearefull judgments; for he did this to the greene tree, what will he doe to the dry? if to the naturall Olive-tree, what can the wild Olive looke for? This is manifeſt by Eſay, who reproveth the people becauſe they profited not by former judgments, but remained obſtinate, and in their ſinnes, Chap. 1. ver. 5. ſpecially verſ. 21, 22, 23. How is the faithfull City become an Harlot, it was full of judgment, and juſtice lodged therein, but now they are murtherers; thy ſilver is become droſſe, thy wine is mixt with water, thy Princes are rebellious, and companions of theeves; every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards; they judge not the fatherleſſe, neither doth the Widows cauſe come before them: whereunto he addeth, therefore ſaith the Lord God of Hoſtes, the mighty one of Iſrael, Ah I will eaſe me of my adverſaries, and avenge me of mine enemies, verſ. 24. To this I adde Eſay 12.9.17.21. inferred upon verſ. 13. manifeſt by Deut. 28.45. Jerem. 5.3. John 5.14. An example of this alſo the Ninevites may be, comparing together the Prophecies of Jonah and Nahum.
Becauſe it cannot be equall and right, Reaſ. 1 that God ſhould goe away and give over, as overcome by the obſtinacy and ſtubbornneſſe of men; that were as if a Prince ſhould give over a Rebell, becauſe he were not able to ſubdue him with a ſmall company, and not gather more forces, it were too much indignity and diſhonour: So in this; for God ſtriking for ſinne, muſt not lay downe his Armes, till the Rebells come in, as Joab gave not over the ſiege of Abel till Shebaes head was given him, 2 Sam. 20.22.
Becauſe it is dangerous for a people to harden them in their ſinnes, Reaſ. 2 for if becauſe ſentence againſt an evill worke is not exeted ſpeedily, therefore the heart is fully ſet to doe evill, Eccleſ. 8.11. if the deferring be thus dangerous, what is the removing, and not renewing, or doubling the judgment? it hardens men.
Becauſe he muſt doe it whether his owne or not; Reaſ. 3 if his owne that he may cure them, as Phyſitians or Chirurgians double the doſe of their medicines, and uſe more violent meanes when they finde the body hard to worke upon, the diſeaſe more ſetled: ſo the Lord when he findes his owne more obſtinate, if not his, that he may conſume them, and ſhew his power upon them, that he is able to abaſe and deſtroy every one that is obſtinate againſt him.
Learne then to feare before God, Ʋſe. and to profit under his hand, to turne unto him that ſmites us, and to ſeeke the Lord of Hoſtes, leſt otherwiſe God be provoked to cut off from us head and tayle, branch and roote in one day, Eſay 9.13, 14.
By the miniſtery of Malachy, or by the hand of Malachy] The third perſon is the Inſtrument, and by his hand, that is by his worke and miniſtery: ſome thinke it is ſaid rather by the hand than the mouth, to ſhew how uncorruptly hee delivered this; and not by the mouth, becauſe the mind and mouth are more apt to corrupt a meſſage than the hand which carrieth ſealed letters. But without oppoſition, I take it to be the phraſe of the Scripture, to note the Miniſtery of him and others, as 1 Sam. 11.7. and 28.17. The Lord hath done as he hath ſpoke by my hand; Malachy ſignifies my Meſſenger, or my Angell, whence riſeth the errour of Origen, as Hieronimus in hunc locum, that an Angell came, and tooke the ſhape of man, and delivered this. But Hierome ſhews that the nature of a perſon is not to be taken notice of from the notation or Etymologie of his name, for then, whereas Hoſeah ſignifies a Saviour, and Joel the Lord God: theſe ſhould not be men, but Angels, or the Lord, or the Saviour of the world; which if it follows not, then not this: But whether he was Mordecai, as ſome thinke, or Ezra, as moſt, it is not certaine: the conjectures of men for the latter are probable, but eaſily anſwered: It is ſafer to content our ſelves with that which is revealed, than raſhly or ſlenderly to affirme any thing in ſo weighty matters, eſpecially when it is not ſo needfull that we ſhould enquire into it; whether hee had his name from his birth, or circumciſion, or it is a name of office, it is not knowne. It hath ever beene thought a vaine curioſity to make enquiry for the Meſſengers name and title, when the meſſage is moſt certaine, Judg. 13.18. as here it is by the teſtimony of the New Teſtament. There were in the Church three ſorts of Prophets, ſome that were to be perpetually in it, and to exerciſe a perpetuall office to anſwer men when they enquir'd of them after the cuſtome of time, and manner, as Samuel, Hoſea, Eliſha: Some for a time, both for this, and alſo to ſtand up in Gods perſon, for ſome particular thing to fore-tell it, which being done, they ended their office; as Amos, who propheſied for two yeares before the Earthquake. Thirdly, ſome, who were onelyonly once to propheſie and fore-tell things, which done, their office ceaſed; as Jonah to the Ninevites, Abdias to the Edomites, and of this ſort is our Prophet.
God in revealing his will, and publiſhing of his heavenly riches, Doctrine. the myſteries of Chriſt and his Salvation, hath and doth ordinarily uſe the miniſtery of Man; ordinarily I ſay, becauſe at ſome time he hath uſed Angels to ſome particular and upon extraordinary occaſions, yet never ordinarily and generally in an ordinary eſtabliſhed Church, but alwayes the miniſtery of men, which thing is witneſſed by the teſtimony of all times, and all Churches, as well in the Stories of the Scriptures, as other Prophets, Prieſts, Apoſtles, Miniſters: How often that in the Old Teſtament, I roſe up earely, and ſent my Prophets: In the New, as they were men imployed under Chriſt, Epheſ. 4.8. We have this treaſure in earthen veſſels, 2 Cor. 4.7. and we are Embaſſadors for Chriſt, 2 Cor. 5.20.
Becauſe Angels preſence would have beene fearefull, Reaſ. 1 as Luke 1.12. and ſo unprofitable their Miniſtery, for things would have paſſed away as they heard it; for feare breeds ſuch a laſſitude in the joynts, that man lets that goe he ſeemed to hold; ſo of the mind.
To honour the nature of man; for if to be mans, Reaſ. 2 much more Gods Embaſſadour: He could have done all by an Angell,Poterat uti que per Angelum omnia fieri; ſed abjecta eſſet humana conditio, ſi per homines hominibus Verbum ſuum adminiſtrare nolle videretur. Aug. De doctr. Chriſtiana, lib. 1. praefat. but the humane condition had beene vilified, if he had ſeem'd not to adminiſter his Word by men unto men.
Becauſe the meſſage rather than the meſſengers ſhould be regarded, Reaſ. 3 and if any thing be effected, it might be given to the power of God, and not the meanes. If hee had not ſent it in earthen veſſels, but by ſome glorious Angell, they would have left the thing, and have worſhipped the perſon, Revel. 22.8. or if any thing had beene wrought, they would have attributed it to the power of the meanes, not to God: but that they ſhould not, he thus diſpoſed, 2 Cor. 4.7.
This ought to be matter of encouragement to the Miniſters of God, that their labour in preaching, Ʋſe 1 and performing the worke of their Miniſtery be not tedious unto them, when it is ſo thankleſſe an office unto man, and the more they labour in it, the leſſe they partake of their double honour, 1 Tim. 5.17. nay, full of contempt, and as Jeremy 20.7, 8. yet they ſerving the Lord in their Miniſtery, he vouchſafing them that honour, ought to ſwallow up all theſe, knowing that we are not to be aſhamed of the Goſpell of Chriſt, becauſe it is the power of God to ſalvation, Rom. 1.16. and whoſoever ſhall finde it, and receive it by them to beleeve, beautifull ſhall their feet be unto them, though others charge them as Pharaoh did Moſes, that they ſee their face no more. But if none will, yet he will not ſuffer them to goe unregarded, becauſe he hath ſet them on worke, they are his Miniſters, as Eſay 49.4, 5. I ſaid I have laboured in vaine, I have ſpent my ſtrength for nought, yet ſurely my worke (or my reward) is with my God: And though Iſrael be not gathered, yet ſhall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord.
To teach men not to be offended, Ʋſe 2 or baſely to accompt of the miniſtery of the Word, and the myſteries of Salvation, becauſe they are brought unto them in ſuch earthen veſſels by ſo weake meanes; for it is the worke and word of the Lord, howſoever by the miniſtery of man, weake and baſe. Was it that he wanted glorious Angels that he uſed not them? he had thouſand thouſands of them, but for mans infirmity: Was it that he had no power over the Kings and Nobles of the Earth, that hee imployed not them? if he had ſpoken the word, they could not have reſiſted: He that had David a Prophet, and Solomon a Preacher, though not ordinary, could have made them and other Princes ordinary Preachers and Miniſters, but their greatneſſe would have obſcured his power. Why then hath he choſen meane men? That the baſeneſſe and meane condition of the perſon might give place to his glory, that men might not dote on the perſon, but delight in the miniſtery and meſſage; therefore as Princes ſhut up their treaſures not in goodly and ſumptuous cheſts, but in caſkets of no price, and of baſe matter, to deceive the theefe, and to convay it whither they would have it: ſo God theſe, to lay a ſtumbling blocke to the reprobate; but as many as are called and choſen, to make it the power of God and the wiſdome of God to them.*Nihil adeò eſt quod obduret mentes hominum, quàm ſimplicitas divinorum operum, quae in actu videntur, & magnificentia quae in effectu repromittitur. Tertul. De bapt. lib. cap. 2. Ipſi miramur quia credimus; caeterùm incredulit as miratur, non credit; miratur ſimplicia quaſi vana, magnifica quaſi impoſſibilia. Idem. There's nothing that ſo much hardens mens minds as the ſimplicity of Gods workes that are ſeene, and the greatneſſe of the efficacy which is promiſed, when as to the godly it is farre otherwiſe. They are marvellouſly wrought upon by them, becauſe they look to him who workes by them; here is the difference of faith and infidelity, beleevers and infidels. We wonder becauſe we beleeve; incredulity wonders, but beleeves not; it wonders at ſimple things as if they were vaine, at great things as if impoſſible.
Wee are the Miniſters of God, Ʋſe 3 and your ſervants for Jeſus ſake; that we bring to you, is the meſſage and commandement of God. Looke that ye receive not us, if ye can dis-joyne us and our meſſage; but that we bring, heare it, beleeve it, obey it. That we have delivered, that we doe and ſhall deliver as his commandement, his will: Looke therefore to it, that you receive it, for it both you and I muſt give an account; I, for the faithfull delivery of it, you for the fruitfull receiving of it, both of us for the carefull obeying of it. Let no man thinke much I call ſo much for hearing and obeying, when there is in the moſt ſtill performance with the leaſt, and ſcarce with the leaſt. Tell me, when you lend your money, doe you not put your Debtor in minde of it when you meet him? ſo doe we, and ſo muſt I doe; for I feare leſt in that day I heare that, Matth. 25.26. Thou wicked and ſlothfull ſervant, thou oughteſt to have put my money to the exchangers, that at my comming I might have received mine owne with uſury. I have often put forth Gods ſtock unto you, you muſt pay uſury. Ʋſura vero eſt auditae monitionis per opera exhibitio: Your uſury is to witneſſe your profitable hearing by your workes. See then that you obey and doe, that as Nathan ſaid to David, 2 Sam. 24.13. ſo I may to you, Now adviſe and ſee what anſwer I ſhall returne to him that ſent me.
The burden by the miniſtery of Malachy,] Malachy muſt carry to this people a burden, not onelyonly things acceptable, but diſpleaſing and grievous.
The Miniſters of God muſt not onelyonly ſerve him in preaching the Goſpell and comforts, but alſo threatnings and judgments.