Commentary on Malachi 2, Chapter 3 · Exposition on verse 2
VERS. II.
But who may abide the day of his comming? and who ſhall endure, when be appeareth? for he is like purging fire, and like fullers ſope.
IN this verſe, the Prophet goes forward to deſcribe Chriſt, and firſt from his power, which is ſet downe to us two wayes; one by way of interrogation, which carries with it a kinde of admiration; the other by two ſimilitudes. In ſome part is his power reſpecting the wicked, in ſome other reſpecting the godly; the firſt poſition reſpects the wicked. Who may abide the day of his comming?] That is, which of the wicked. i. the day of Chriſts firſt comming how tolerable, acceptable, and delightfull ſoever it be to the godly, how weake and baſe ſoever in the outward ſhew, with what outward weakeneſſe and infirmity ſoever he come, yet will it be to the wicked full of trouble, terror and diſquietneſſe. Thus the Prophets and oracles of old did fortell it ſhould be, and this the Evangeliſts, and writers of the new Teſtament have ſhewed it to be, and that at his comming the wicked were marveilouſly troubled and diſquieted.
Who ſhall ſtand when he appeareth?] Or who ſhall ſtand to behold him?] This toucheth the godly: who can with his eyes behold ſuch a light and ſuch Majeſty? A metaphor borrowed from the ſunne, whoſe brightneſſe the eyes of men are not able to behold. i. the glory of the Sonne of God ſhall ſurpaſſe all underſtanding, and that goodneſſe which he ſheweth in becomming man, and converſing with them, for their converſion and ſalvation.
Who ſhall ſtand?] That is, ſaith one, who thinking of theſe things, doth not faint as overcome with the admiration of it; ſo that as a man whoſe legges are not able to beare, he falls downe.
For he is like a purging fire.] The firſt ſimilitude expreſſing the power of Chriſt drawne from fire; noting out unto his, how he worketh both with the godly and wicked; for as it is the nature of fire, not onelyonly to ſeparate droſſe from the mettall, and joyne things which are of one nature together, ſo things that are good, it makes more pure and perfect, but things that are impure, it conſumes and turnes to nought: So Chriſt by his word deſtroyes the wicked and unbeleevers, and ſuch as reſiſt his will; but ſaves ſuch as are choſen, making them more and more pure and perfect.
And like fullers ſope.] Or like the fullers hearbe; an hearbe that fullers uſe, by which they purge and take out of garments, blots and ſpots of long continuance in them, and makes them bright and pure; as it is noted, Mark. 9.3. S. Hierom, in Jer. 2.22. The fullers hearbe, as it is commonly ſeene in the Province of Paleſtine, growes in greene and moiſt places, and to waſh away ſpots, hath the ſame force that Nitre hath. Signifying, that God makes the ſoules of his by his grace, moſt pure and moſt holy, that their workes ſhine forth.
But who may abide the day of his comming?] By this ſome think is meant the trouble and deſtruction that fell upon the wicked at his nativity. Becauſe of that, Mat. 2.3. & 21.10. But taking his comming to ſignifie here his office, and the execution of it, and ſo the preaching of his word, as in the former verſe. The meaning I will take to be this; None of the wicked ſhall be able to abide his preaching and miniſtery; but the preaching and the miniſtery of it is that, which will caſt them down and deſtroy them, wound them and kill them.
The preaching of the word by Chriſt and his Miniſters, Doctrine. none of the wicked are able to abide it and ſtand before it; but it will deſtroy them and caſt them downe, wound them to the heart, and bring them to eternall deſtruction; ſo the interrogation affirmes ſtrongly. Hence, Rev. 2.12. a two edged ſword given unto him.
Who ſhall endure when he appeareth?] This ſentence divers of the Interpreters take to be but one with the former, & the ſame double for the admiration of the power of Chriſt, in ſuch weakneſſe able to confound and overturne whatſoever, or whoſoever ſtands againſt him. But others underſtand it, as a diſtinct ſentence, and read it ſomewhat otherwiſe: Hierom according to the Hebr. Quis ſtabit ad videndum cum? The Septuagints, Quis ferre poterit ut aſpiciat cum? Simile à ſole & oculis. Who that hath but his naturall and blinde eyes, is able to behold him, & underſtand the great myſteries of ſalvation he brings, and is hid under the vaile of his humanity? As if he ſaid, no naturall man by his owne underſtanding is able to ſee and conceive theſe things, they are hid from him, or too deepe for him. That which is gathered hence is this.
No naturall man of himſelfe is able to behold Chriſt, Doctrine and to know him and the myſteries of ſalvation brought by him, Revelat. 2.17.
For he is like a purging fire.] The firſt ſimilitude by which he ſetteth forth the power of Chriſt, comparing him to fire; and this is to ſhew his dealing with the wicked, to whom he is a conſuming fire, and ſo are they rather to be read; for neither doth the word ſignifie purging, neither yet ſeemes he to ſpeake of his purging power touching the godly, for that followeth in the third verſe. Therefore it is to be underſtood of his conſuming power, by which he confounds the wicked, and deſtroyes them. Now generally hence I obſerve.
For that it is uſuall with the Scripture ſpeaking of God and his power, his juſtice, mercy, tender regard of his, and ſuch like, to ſet them downe by ſuch things as are common and familiar and every day or uſually occurrent to the eyes and eares of men.
And like the fullers ſope.] The ſecond ſimilitude to ſhew his dealing with the godly, his owne, that he is like the fullers ſope, or the fullers hearbe, which as it hath a nature to purge and take ſpots out of garments, ſo it maketh them to have a luſter and glorious ſhew or colour, making them freſh and white, Marke 9.3. noting the effect of Chriſt in his, that he maketh them white and pure; for though it is true that this hearbe doth purge away blots, and ſo might note the purging away of corruptions from his, yet becauſe that is the next ſimilitude: I obſerve this here.
Chriſt is to his, as the fullers ſope, or the hearbe of the fuller, Doctrine making them pure and holy, giving them a luſter in their lives, in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe: And this is either perfectly, which is either in this life, by imputation of his holineſſe, putting on his garments upon them, as Ionathan did to David after their league; or elſe in the life to come by full perfection inherent, when they ſhall be like him in holineſſe and glory: Or it is partially and begunne in this life, whereas they are inlightned, as the Moone by the Sunne, yet have their ſpots their errors, ſo are they ſanctified, and put in a new hew, as the fuller doth a cloth, or garment, yet the old threeds appeare in them. Of this is it here ſpoken, and for this is he thus called, and to this tends that, 1 Corinthians 1.30. But ye are of him in Chriſt Ieſus, who of God is made unto us wiſedome, and righteouſneſſe, and ſanctification, and redemption: And Cap. 6.11. and ſuch were ſome of you; but ye are waſhed, but ye are ſanctified, but ye are juſtified in the name of the Lord Ieſus, and by the ſpirit of our God, Heb. 2.11. Epheſ. 5.26.