Commentary on Malachi 2, Chapter 3 · Exposition on verse 17
VERS. XVII.
And they ſhall be to me, ſaith the Lord of hoſts, in that day that I ſhall do this, for a flocke, and I will ſpare them as a man ſpareth his own ſon that ſerveth him.
AND they ſhall be to me ſaith the Lord] Here is the Prophets ſecond anſwer, from a gracious and ſweet promiſe of God, of his goodneſſe and favour towards them who feare him; even as an effect of his remembrance, and a proofe he did not forget them. And the ſum of this promiſe is, that in the time of the Goſpell, he would make his choice and refuſall of the good and bad, when it ſhould appeare who was more excellent then others; ſo that thoſe who did believe, ſhould be taken into his family, and ſhould enjoy great commodities and great dignity, both be his and ſo reſpected, and enjoy the benefits belonging to his.
And they ſhall be to me.] And, Here, hath the force of an illation, or reference to the former ſentence, ending that, and beginning this. i. To ſhew that I remember them, I will make them mine: ſo much the phraſe in the originall ſignifies.
In that day when I ſhall make them my treaſure, my peculiar.] The Lord to ſhew how dear they ſhould be unto him, how he would defend them, how he would honour and adorne them, uſed this word which is uſed, Ex. 19.5. tranſlated chiefe treaſure: It ſignifies a portion of wealth got by a mans owne labour and induſtry, which men uſed to love more earneſtly and keep more diligently, when they have it: and ſo by this, he tels them how dear and pretious they ſhould be unto him, who did receive the Goſpell and truly profeſſe him.
Some underſtand this of the laſt judgement only, and that day which is not probable: Some both of the day the Goſpell, and the judgement which hath great probability with it.
I will ſpare them, or I will uſe mercy and compaſsion towards them.] I will receive them and ſpecially love them, and will ſhew my love in this, in ſparing them when they offend, or as ſome in winking at their infirmities and corruptions, and not rejecting their ſervice for them, which the ſimilitude doth ſhew.
As a man ſpareth &c.] A ſimilitude illuſtrating the promiſe of compaſſion and mercy, ſhewing how great and how tender his compaſſions ſhould be toward them, when it ſhould be as of a father to his ſonne, whom he loves both as his ſonne, and alſo becauſe of that reverence, honour, and obedience he hath done unto him. Now this that is firſt promiſed is that they ſhall be his, for ſo is the phraſe, they ſhall be mine, like that which we have, Gen. 48.5. And now thy two ſonnes Manaſſeh and Ephraim which are borne unto thee in the land of Egypt, before I came unto thee into Egypt, ſhall be mine, as Ruben and Simeon are mine. i. They ſhall not be as my Grand children, but as my owne ſonnes, and in the diviſion of the Land, ſhall have their portions, as any one of my ſonnes: ſo here they ſhall be mine. i. I will adopt them, and make them mine, who are not ſo by nature, nor of themſelves.
No man is of himſelfe and by nature, not of his parents the child of God, but adopted ſo of God to it, Reve. 2.17. Doctrine and in thee a new name written.
In that day that I ſhall do this for a flocke,] Or rather in that day when I ſhall make them my chiefe treaſure: as it is tranſlated: Exod. 19.5. But all comes to one end, to note how deare the Church and people of God are unto him.
They who feare God and thinke of his name, Doctrine. delight in his waies; are more excellent then others, and more pretious, deare, and beloved of God. Rev. 2.9. with 1. Pet. 2.9.
And I will ſpare them, &c.] Another matter promiſed unto them, & in it two things. Firſt, That he would wink at, and paſſe by their infirmities, when they ſerved him and did the duties of his worſhip, and paſſe by many infirmities in them, which he will not do in another. Secondly, That when he did viſite them, yet he would do it in love and compaſſion, and uſe them as a father his ſon, that ſerveth him.
This is a ſpeciall thing, Doctrine promiſed to Gods children proper to them: that in their obedience when they endeavour to ſerve and performe duties commanded, he will accept it though it be mixed with many infirmities, and will winke at them, and paſſe by them, as though he never ſaw them. Mich. 7.18.
I will ſpare them or have compaſsion of them.] When he ſhould come to afflict and correct them, it ſhould be in compaſſion and love.
The Lord when he afflicts and corrects his, he doth it in compaſſion and love, Doctrine grieving to do it, retaining ever his fatherly affection towards them. Iſaiah 27.4. Rev. 3.19.