Commentary on Malachi 2, Chapter 3 · Exposition on verse 14
VERS. XIV.
Ye have ſaid, it is in vaine to ſerve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his commandement, and that we walked humbly before the Lord of hoſts?
YEE have ſaid, it is in vaine to ſerve God.] The Prophets replication in the perſon of God, ſhewing them wherein they had prophanely and impiouſly ſpoken againſt God; and this their impiety conſiſted herein, that they ſaid it was a needleſſe and fruitleſſe thing to ſerve the Lord, & that a mans labour ſhould be in vaine that ſhould buſie himſelfe about it, and reſtraine himſelfe of other things, of his pleaſure and profit; and they affirme it to be a needleſſe worke, both in reſpect of God, who was to be worſhipped, and in reſpect of thoſe who ſhould worſhip him; for the firſt, ſome underſtand theſe words. i. God is farre above man neither hath commerce with him; if he have, yet God hath no need of theſe things which men poſſeſſe, neither doth he deſire, he is not affected nor bettered by the worſhip of men. Then is it in vaine and fooliſh, for men to beſtow their paines and labours in thoſe things which never helpe nor profit him they doe them for. Now theſe things profit not God, therefore they are vaine in reſpect of him.
And what profit is it, that we have kept his commandements?] Their ſecond proofe they have in ſpeaking thus againſt God, becauſe it is not profitable to men who worſhip and ſerve him; and firſt, they deny it any waies profitable to do the good God hath cō manded, and that there is not with him any reward for well doing. And ſecondly, that it is as little profitable to abſtaine from evill, and that we have walked humbly before him, which is (as I take it) not to be underſtood of that humiliation which is in repentance, as ſome thinke; but as ſome others, it deſcribeth one who having piety, and the feare of God before his eies, neither hurteth any man, and being hurt of others, doth not violently revenge himſelfe, but rather ſuffereth all things, then proudly doth any thing, and commit their cauſe to God as the juſt revenger, knowing that vengeance is his; to which purpoſe they underſtand thoſe words before the Lord of hoaſts; that is, before God the revenger: and ſo they account the obſervation of piety and religion not profitable to men, as that which did not make the worſhippers proſperous, nor keepe them from injuries, nor defend them grieved: And of both theſe they give themſelves for inſtance, and ſpeake out of experience; that they had found none, and ſo chalenging themſelves to be juſt, religious, and godly, and ſo endeavoured their owne honour, and to detract from the providence of God and his worſhip; and it is worth the noting, that they produce not others of the godly, but themſelves: for the firſt might eaſily have been refuted, either by producing the examples of thoſe who have had teſtimony of their piety from God, and where they enjoyed his bleſſings; or elſe by anſwering them, that neither they, nor any other, were able certainely to judge whether thoſe they named, did truely and ſincerely worſhip God or no, and imbrace piety: for no man can be a certaine witneſſe of anothers conſcience, his owne he may well know; therefore theſe brought not forth others againſt God, but themſelves.
The miſery, poverty, affliction, Doctrine and adverſity of the children and Church of God, and the proſperity of the wicked, makes men out of their ignorance or corruption, out of their infirmity or malice, to deny or doubt of the providence of God, videca. 2. ver. ult Doct. ult. proofes.
Reaſon and Uſe 1.
To teach us to ſuſpect our conceit or judgement when it carries us that way, to queſtion and reaſon about Gods providence, Vſe as if he did not diſpoſe of the things here upon earth, becauſe things goe thus among men; and to checke our ſelves, ſuſpecting our wiſedome that cannot ſee the cauſes of things, and Gods courſe in diſpoſing of them, when he deales diverſly and not as we would thinke reaſon he ſhould, yea and ceaſing from our wiſedome to ſearch into things more then we can comprehend.*An tu cum medieum ſepius, &c. Chryſoſt. de vig. When thou ſeeſt a Phyſitian ſometimes cutting, ſometimes burning the ſame ulcer, yea and oft times miſſing his art; yet thou doſt not unmannerly object. But in God, who never erres, but diſpoſed all things rightly and orderly according to his wiſedome, thou a poore mortall art buſie to know the reaſon of his counſells and doings, and doſt not aſcribe all to his infinite wiſedome. Is not this extreame madneſſe? but admit it lawfull and fit to enquire, he certainely is purblinde that cannot ſee even the ſpeciall providence of God, when the hands of God goe thus croſſe, like old Iaakobs hand upon the heads of Ioſephs children, and thinke with Ioſeph that they ſhould be otherwiſe; for is it not a ſpeciall wiſedome in a Phyſitian to keepe ſome whom he loves in a ſtrict and ſpare diet, and others of whom he hath not, neither hath cauſe to have the like care, to give them liberty to eate and drinke what they liſt? Is it not ſpeciall providence in a father if he keepe his ſonnes bare, and have a ſtrait hand over them all the while they are at none-age, and ſuffer ſervants to have more liberty? Not of a husbandman to keep the ſheep he would have live longer, and have wooll and lambe of them, when thoſe he means ſhall ſoone come to the ſhambles he feedes, and in a large and fat paſture. And is it then want of wiſedome and providence in God if things thus goe with his and the wicked? Nay, is it not the wiſe providence of God to put his children in ſuch a condition as they may moſt ſhew the graces they have, and grow towards that they want, and ought to have, and the wicked in ſuch a ſtate as may moſt manifeſt their corruption, and by which they may beſt fulfill the meaſure of their iniquity? Now for the firſt, is affliction of any kinde, Pſal. 119. Before I was afflicted I went wrong, &c.*Adverſitas magis auget &c. Greg. Epiſt. 26. Narſae. Adverſity enlarges our deſire to God, as the ſeedes covered with ice, are more fruitfull. And, as in trees, if one plucke off the fruit and the leaves, and loppe of the boughes too, ſo the ſtocke remaine, the tree will grow fairer: ſo if the roote of godlineſſe remaine though riches be taken away, and the body be afflicted, all will tende unto greater glory.
Ye have ſaid, it is in vaine to ſerve the Lord.] In a more particular examination of theſe words, other things are to be obſerved: as firſt, that they are ſaid to have ſpoken againſt God and blaſphemed him, becauſe they account the ſervice of God of no profit nor fruit. Doctrine
For men to thinke or ſpeake that it is a fruitleſſe and unprofitable thing to ſerve God and to obey and worſhip him, to ſtudy piety and godlineſſe, is a wicked ſpeech and blaſphemous thought againſt God: For that, are theſe here chalenged. It is that Ieremy accuſeth the men and their wives, the women, and all the women in Pathres of, Jer. 44.15.17.18. David confeſſeth this had ceaſed ſomewhat, and for the time, upon him, Pſalm. 73.13. This was that by which the Divell provoked Iobs wife to tempt him, and ſo was her blaſphemy, Job 2.9. And Micha 7.10. Job 21.15.
Becauſe it is flat contrary to his word, Reaſon 1 which witneſſeth the contrary every where, that they ſhall be happy and have all things neceſſary that feare him, Pſa. 1. and 34.9.10. with infinite other places, and many examples in the Scriptures.
Becauſe by this they make God unfaithfull, and ſo no God, Reaſon 2 who hath promiſed ſuch fruit to them who ſow in righteouſneſſe.
Becauſe by this they deny the bounty and liberality of God, and is a great prejudice to his honour, and glory, Reaſon 3 that hee ſhould dimiſſe ſuch as ſerve him and belong to him, empty handed.
Then have we many who muſt anſwer at Gods judgement ſeate, for blaſphemy and proud ſpeaking againſt him; Vſe 1 with whom nothing is ſo common as upon any, even the ſlighteſt occaſion to condemne piety and the feare of God, for the moſt fruitleſſe and the unprofitableſt profeſſion in the world. If they ſee any man who profeſſeth Gods feare, and ſeemes carefull of his wayes, if he any way miſcarry in his ſtate, and decay in that, the world deemed him to have had, or if he increaſe not as other men doe, by a lawfull and honeſt profeſſion, as they, by all their by=waies and indirect courſes: What doe they? will they enquire the juſt cauſe of it, and ſearch what may be a let he proſpers no better? of which, many juſt cauſes may be given of ſeverall men and well found out; yet they never ſearch further then this, their piety and profeſſion and the ſervice of God, & though they will not directly ſpeake as theſe, becauſe that were palpable, yet they ſpare not theſe ſpeeches, you may ſee what comes of this profeſſing, of all their piety and godlineſſe. And this they whiſper every where like the ten ſpies of the holy and promiſed Land, and bring up an evill report of it, Num. 13.33. and a ſlander upon it, Num. 14.37. But let them know that upon thoſe ten ſpies, & upon all who beleeved them, the judgements of God befell, and they fell in the wilderneſſe, and never came to ſet foote in the Land of Canaan. Such recompence let theſe expect from the Lord, not to come into the promiſed Land, when as thoſe they ſaid ſhould bee a prey; If we may allude to Numb. 17.31. they ſhall not loſe their recompence.
To teach men when they ſee thoſe who profeſſe the feate of God and piety, Vſe 2 not to grow in the world, or to decay, not to be in ſo proſperous eſtate as others are, not to accuſe their profeſſion and piety, leſt they be found upon the returne of their triall, guilty of blaſphemy againſt God, denying his faithfulneſſe, diſhonouring him, as ſuffering his followers to be without reward and recompence for their ſervice. And of two evills it is leſſe, and the better to accuſe man of hypocriſe in his ſervice, and of ſome ſecret ſinne, which lying hid hinders his encreaſing, as Iron in a wound hinders the curing of it. Or ſafer it is to apprehend here the wiſedome of God, who dealing like a wiſe Phyſitian, and ſeeing a full dyet hinders the health of his Patient, he for the time forbids him many things; as poſſeſſed with a fever, forbids him ſtrong wines and drinkes; and hard meates of digeſtion, and ſuch like: So God. Or were it not ſafer and the beſt courſe to impute it to his particular profeſſion, that it is not ſo gainefull, or his want of skill, he cannot make it, or his want of providence in diſpoſing of buſineſſe; or to imagine the truth that the proſperous eſtate of Gods, ſtands not ſo much in riches, as in graces; not ſo much in that they muſt leave behinde them, as that they muſt carry with them: as the wealth of pilgrimes and ſtrangers ſtandeth more in their Jewells and gold things, light of carriage and well portable, then in houſe and land.
To inſtruct men who do profeſſe the feare and ſervice of God, to walke carefully and prudently in their callings, Ʋſe 3 that they may increaſe in an outward eſtate, to prevent the blaſphemies and ſlanders of the wicked, who will ſooner blaſpheme God for their poverty, then glorifie him for their piety: which exhortation is neceſſary for ſome who thinke it enough to profeſſe, and excuſe their poverty by the condition of Gods Saints, when the neglected lawfull meanes, by which they might have encreaſed, and beene able to give, rather then receive, which is a more bleſſed thing, and whereby they might have more honoured God; and therein the more culpable, that they make this a cover of their idleneſſe, and happily injuſtice, for which God curſeth them; adding this ſinne to the other, that they diſhonour God. But if any man ſhall upon this, or the like pretence, neglect the beſt things, the onelyonly thing neceſſary, and growing in ſpirituall graces, when God and his owne heart can tell him, it is but upon a covetous and amibitious humour, that man ſhall beare his iniquity. But if for conſcience, as to be able to diſcharge the neceſſity of nature, perſon or place; ſo the rather to glorifie God, and to ſtop the mouthes of ſuch as would reproach their profeſſion; he firſt ſeeking Gods Kingdome, ſhall have theſe things caſt to him here; and ſo in all things he ſeeking the glory of God in the kingdome of grace, ſhall find glory and happineſſe in the kingdome of glory.
What profit is it that we have kept his commandments?] Doctr. 1 Theſe wicked men doe chalenge unto themſelves righteouſneſſe and obedience, and upon that, accuſe God of injuſtice for their want and affliction: whence we may obſerve:
That hypocrites and wicked men, chalenge to themſelves, righteouſneſſe and obedience in the pride of their heart, when they have no ſuch thing, verſe 7. Wherein ſhall we returne?
It is the property of Hypocrites and wicked men, Doctr. 2 when they are in Gods judgements, in miſery and affliction to juſtifie themſelves, as not having deſerved any ſuch thing, & to accuſe God of injuſtice, as an angry God, that hath cauſleſly afflicted them. So did theſe, and thoſe, Iſaiah 58.2.3. And Iehoram. 2. Kings 3.13. And Eliſha ſaid unto the King of Iſrael, What have I to do with thee? Get thee to the Prophets of thy father, and to the Prophets of thy mother. And the King of Iſrael ſaid unto him, nay: for the Lord hath called theſe three Kings, to give them into the hand of Moab, i. it is but your ſpleene againſt me, to upbraide me with any ſuch things; becauſe I favour them more then you, but if it were a finne, yet is not that the cauſe; ſeeing theſe two Kings are in the like miſery with me. So far were they, Jer. 44.17.18. from acknowledging their ſinnes, the cauſe of any miſery, either preſent or falling upon them, that they thought it came becauſe they had not gone forwards in them. This is the cauſe, why the Prophets when the people were in any judgement, did ſtill put them in minde of their ſins, and cleared the Lord, and put the people often to accuſe God if they could. Mich. 6.3. And when they threatned any to come, they ever produced and alleadged their ſins.
Becauſe being ignorant and blind men, Reaſon 1 without the Law and knowledge of it, their ſin is dead, as Paul Rom. 7.8. they ſeem to be living. Peccatum mortuum quod non agnoſceretur. Chryſoſt. And ſo it doth not accuſe them, which makes them not accuſe themſelves, but God rather.
Becauſe if by the preaching of the Miniſter, Reaſon 2 when he ſhall Iſaiah 58.1. lift up his voice like a trumpet, and tell the people of their ſins, and by the comming of the Law, Rom. 7.9. They find themſelves to be dead, yet they love their ſinnes ſo dearly that they are very loth to part with them: now if they ſhould once confeſſe it and accuſe themſelves, either they muſt part with it, or elſe looke that Gods hand ſhould be more ſharply upon them.
Vſe 1 This may direct men in their judgement, both themſelves and others, when the hand and judgement is upon them, to diſcerne ſo far as ſuch a thing can manifeſt a mans condition, whether Gods or no, or but hypocrites and wicked carnall men; they are preſſed with Gods hand & his rod is upon their back, do they ingeniouſly and freely confeſſe their ſinnes, and accuſe themſelves, and give glory unto God; as bringing that juſtly upon them; and not only ſo, but confeſſing that it is his mercy, that they are not conſumed: As Lame n. 3.22. their ſinnes deſerve ſo much more then they feele or beare: It is a good probable note that they are Gods; not certaine, becauſe men may doe it in hypocriſie, being wrung from them by their extremities, and do it in ſome ſiniſter reſpect, as did Indas and Pharaoh. But on the contrary, do men juſtifie themſelves, or extenuate their ſinnes? I ſay not only to men or to an enemy, when it may be lawfull for a man to ſtand on his integrity, and ever to cover his infirmities, but to God & to his Miniſters, as theſe here: And as many men lie ſicke, and for ought they know upon their death beds, and the Miniſter ſhall preſſe them with their former lives, and their ſinfulneſſe, and not their friends only ſeek to leſſen them, and ſpeake of their orderly and good cariage, and ſhew themſelves to be diſcontented, they ſhould be diſquieted with any ſuch thing, it is a very fearfull thing; being a ſigne that in themſelves they juſtifie themſelves, and thinke God deals but hardly with them, and they have deſerved no ſuch thing; but to theſe we may ſay as Chriſt to the Phariſees, Luke 16.15. Ye are they which juſtifie your ſelves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly eſteemed among men, is abomination in the ſight of God.
This may let us ſee the neceſſity of the word of God; as at all times, Vſe 2 ſo eſpecially in time of affliction and judgements, when men in their hypocriſie are naturally prone to juſtifie themſelves, becauſe their ſinne is dead, and their conſcience laid aſleep. But when the Law commeth, it is quickned, Rom. 7.9. Yea and not onelyonly made living, but ſtrengthened, 1. Cor. 15.56. So that it not only accuſeth him in his conſcience, but preſſeth him amaine to accuſe himſelf before Gods judgement ſeat; whereas without it, they will be ſo far from humbling themſelves, that they ſtill will juſtifie themſelves, till they be conſumed as droſſe in the fire; and with their droſſe, their ſinne. Therefore was it not for nothing that it was ſaid, Pſal. 94.12. Bleſſed is the man whom thou chaſtiſeſt, O Lord! and teacheſt him in thy Law. Becauſe, of verſe 13. They ſhall eſcape, when the other who want it, ſhall periſh. And ſo the beſt time for Miniſters to worke, and the beſt opportunity is, when the affliction is upon them. Job 33.16. Then he openeth the cares of men, even by their corrections, which he hath ſealed: and they being as mettall, heated and ſoftened, the hammer will beſt worke upon them, and then may they be beſt bended, and applied to good.