Churches to provide that no unfitting names bee given in Baptisme among others wee have a good constitution of Iohn Pecham sometimes Archbishop of Canterbury Attendant Sacerdotes ne lasciva nomina quae scilicet mox prolata sonent in lasciviam imponi permittant parvulis baptizatis sexus praecipuè foeminini si contrarium fiat per confirmantes episcopos corrigatur Let the Priests see that they suffer no wanton names which sound lasciviously to bee given unto infants in their Baptism especially to the female sexe and if there bee let the Bishops change them at their confirmation Lyndw. provinc lib. 3. De Bapt. cap. Circ Sacramentum See also the glosse there But this only by the way Who the Father of Malachy was we finde not and yet that his Father was not a prophet is not to be concluded for that rule of latter Hebrewes That such Prophets whole Fathers are named were the sonnes of Prophets and otherwise not Is found to bee uncertaine by Burgensis in Hos 1. and by Franc. Riber a praelud 4. in Expos proph and condemned also by Ioh. Drusius Lect. in Hos 1.1 The place also of his birth is as uncertaine save that Epiphanius and out of him Ribera praelud 5. tell us it was Sopha a Towne of Zabulon A place not at all mentioned or observed by Eusebius or S. Hierom in Bonfrerius his Onomasticon nor by M. Iohn More in his exact map of the Land For the time of his prophecying see the following commentary with which I sit downe in this point unwilling to endeavour to reconcile Chronologers about the precise yeare Ioh. Alsted in Thesauro Chronol Titulo 13. places him An. M. 3537. Our Isaackson in that diligent and industrious worke of his places him an hundred yeares sooner not farre from which time the Hebrewes in their Seder Olam Zuta or briefer Chronicle translated by Genebrard doe pitch setting his death An. M. 3404. But the Sepher hakkabala writ by R. Abraham Davidis as Genebrard calls him who also translated some part of it or R. Abraham bar dior as Buxtorfius names him in Bibliotheca Rabbinica litera P. yet nearer to the yeare of Isaackson and our commentary about A. M. 3450. Let such as have leasure and thinke it worth the time satisfy themselves farther to me it is plaine by the matter that he handles that he prophecyed after the Temple was built for he reproves their profaning of the Altar and a little before the comming of Ezra for he inveighed against their marrying with strangers which Ezra by his authority did remedy Epiphanius tells us hee was borne after the captivity and dyed young As if he had beene an Angel onely came and told his errand and presently returned But thus much for the inscription by way of preface wee are next to consider the prophecie it selfe from Vers 2. to the end of the Booke II. The prophecy it selfe which containes diverse contestations with them all both priests and people for many things that were amisse among them But being concise and patheticall as most of the Prophets are and abounding in affection hee intermingleth with his contestations and reproofes sometimes persuasions sometimes threatnings sometimes promises Yet saving the judgment of others who have handled this booke I resolve the whole prophecy into eight contestations First for their ingratitude and contempt of Gods worship from cap. 1. vers 2. to Chap. 2. v. 10. Secondly for their unequall and unrighteous dealing with each other Cap. 2. ver 10. Thirdly for their marrying with strangers and infidells Cap. 2. ver 11.12 Fourthly for their polygamy Chap. 2. ver 13.14 15 16. Fifthly for their blasphemy against God and his providence from Chap. 2. ver 17. to Chap. 3. ver 7. Sixthly for their impenitence Chap. 3. ver 7. Seventhly for their Sacriledge Chap. 3. ver 8 9 10 11.12 Eightly againe for their Blasphemy and Atheisme from Chap. 3. ver 13. to the end of the Booke I. The first Contestation He contests with the Priests and the people for their ingratitude and contempt of Gods worship from Chap. 1. ver 2. to Chap. 2. ver 10. In this 1. He expostulates with them Chap. 1. ver 2. to the 9. 2. He threatens them ver 9. to the end of Chap. 1. 3. He amplifies the former expostulations and threatnings Chap. 2. ver 1. to the 10. I. He expostulates with them 1. For their ingratitude ver 2. to the 6th 2. For their contempt and profaning of Gods worship ver 6 7 8. I. He expostulates with them for their ingratitude ver 2. unto ver 6. They did not account of nor so much as acknowledge Gods love The Prophet therefore presents the Lord reasoning with them and convincing them of it We have 1. The proposition of Gods love 2. The proofe of it First the proposition of Gods love ver 2. I have loved you 2. sayth the Lord. Tremell reades it in the present I love you Not only as Hier I have loved you that is the Iewes while they loved me and kept my Covenant they had testimonies of my love but according to the force of the Hebrew who by one tense signify all I have loved you and doe love you else they might object what is that to us that thou hast loved our fathers and hatest us Secondly the proofe of it Where I. The occasion of it There questioning with God II. Gods answer to it First the occasion is their questioning and unthankfull denyall of his love Yet yee say Genev. And yet yee say Vul And yee have sayd Trem. Pisc And yee say Vatable And yee will say So he because Vau turnes the preter into the future Chald. And if yee shall say This variety yet alters not the sense Yet yee say wherein hast thou loved us or dost thou love us so Trem. What testimony is there of thy love It is the objection of the people rising partly from their oscitancy and forgetfulnesse partly from the observation and sense of their former and present miseries Secondly Gods answer to their objection by way of proofe of his love 1. That he chose them before Esau and his posterity Hee chose their family and the father of it and preferd him before Esau though equall to him in other respects being his brother his twin-brother yea his elder brother Vse 3 Was not Esau Iacobs brother saith the Lord yet I loved Iacob and I hated Esau The sense is The Anomaly in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see in Amama Gram. l. 1 c. 10. Nu. 21. I have loved and chosen Iacob and you his posterity before Esau and the Idumaeans Which was true First When both the fathers of these families were in the wombe before any desert or actuall fault The History is Gen. 25.23 I have hated 1 lesse loved Esau Iacob being before and above him So Leah was sayd to bee hated Rachel being preferd before her Gen. 29.31 And in that sense Christ will have us
infancy seeing her infirmities so have they dealt cunningly with his people he to hold them to himself they to draw them from the Gospell Because saith Chrys the people of Israel who were brought up in Aegypt had polluted themselves with Idolatry would have sacrifices ceremonies so that if they were not permitted unto them they were ready again to fall to Idolatry though God desired a people to worship him in spirit truth yet he granted them unto them dealing as a wise Physitian who having a patient sick of a feaver by reason of heat desiring earnestly cold water and unlesse it be given him he is ready to seek a halter to strangle himself or some waies to destroy himself there the Physitian compelled by necessity gives him a cup of water prepared by himselfe and commands him to drinke but forbids him to drinke of any other but that so God gave the Jewes goodly ceremonies but so as it was not lawfull for them to use any other And then were they grieved saith he when he shewed his wrath upon them for making a calfe of their ear-rings c. So in cunning and mischievous policy hath the Church of Rome when they saw how the nature of man was affected with holy things because of the outward meanes when simple and base because the Gospell is such they little regarded them but glorious things were those that affected them therefore have they fallen from the simplicity of the Gospell to that whorish Babylonish pride they are now in when it was with her as Boniface the Bishop and Martyr said to one that asked whether it was lawfull to administer the Sacrament in woodden cups he answered In times past they had golden Priests and woodden Chalices then would they bragge of nothing such a multitude as now when they have woodden Priests and golden Chalices since Pope Vrban hath made all the ministring attire golden and gay and so because they are led by their sences therefore they are violently carried after this superstition Vse 2 This teacheth us why in the Church the meanes of Gods worship his word and table are so little esteemed or regarded because men are so led by their sences and when the meanes are base and simple they thinke so of the worship it selfe as Hierome said putabant altari deesse religionis sanctimoniam quia deerat aedificationis ambitio they thought the Altar was not to be so religiously regarded because it was not richly bedecked and adorned such are they as give no respect to the word because the Minister is of no great respect but a meane plaine man who have not learned more to esteem the earthen vessels for the treasure but lesse to account of the treasure for the earthen vessels Hence many set light by the holy Table because they see nothing here but bare bread and wine very base and meane elements such as they use ordinarily to feed on else where and so as a foole or a naturall if he light on an obligation or a deed he maketh no more reckoning of it then of a piece of parchment a little wax because he understandeth not the contents and end of it So in these things not considering the end and use of them by whom they were appointed As there are some who overvalue these mysteries specially the Sacraments that tye the grace of God inseparably to them and make the opus operatum a matter of sufficient vertue that ascribe some divine power to the very outward elements and so bring a divine adoration of them that of holy mysteries make magicall miracles as the Church of Rome doth so againe are there many in the Church of England that undervalue them that make no other reckoning of them then as of ordinary elements and repaire unto them as to the bodily food because they are in nature and substance the same the Doctrine here being the ground of it they being so dull sighted they can look no further then that which is object to the sence of them they can see no end nor use of them more no secret grace nor vertue in them and that which is worse will not submit themselves to be taught or if taught not believe when oportet discentem credere Vse 3 To teach every one in these actions sursum corda habere and to lift the eyes of his minde upwards as with his bodily eyes he seeth the outward elements here so with the eye of faith to apprehend the matter of it that which these outward things represent to the minde The word of God for letters and syllables is but the same with other humane writings but it hath another manner of worke with it in regard of the spirit and grace of God accompanying it unto those that heare it with a sanctified eare As we see that ordinary water and aqua vitae in a viall or glasse look both alike but they differ much in work and effect because there is a kind of Spirit in the one which is not in the other so the Word and the Sacrament though the same in substance with ordinary Bread and Wine yet they have a farre divers worke and effect with them unto those who receive them with a holy heart and a faithfull in regard of Gods covenant whose seales they are in regard of the mercy of God of which they more assure us in regard of Christs Death that they represent unto us and put us in minde of and in regard of the grace of Gods Spirit that accompaineth them in those that so receive them for the effecting of these former matters VERSE VIII And if yee offer the blind for sacrifice it is not evill and if yee offer the lame and sicke it is not evill offer it now unto thy Prince will he be content with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of Hostes ANd if you offer the blinde for sacrifice The Lord proceedeth to prove that they despise him and his table shewing how they have erred both against his law and the rule of honesty and comelinesse Levit. 22.21 22. And if you offer the blinde for sacrifice it is not evill These words are read of some by way of interrogation When yee offer the blinde is it not evill Now a negative interrogation ever affirmeth strongly q.d. it is very evill and yet yee doe it Hierom Junius others read these words by way of affirmation God continuing to tax their thoughts you think it not evill you think it is good enough for God you make it no fault and this is the common reading which is more agreable to the context but the matter is not great how we take it both tend to one end and one effect both a disliking disallowing of such sacrifice For the sacrifice here spoken of some understand it only of the sacrifice the Priests offered for themselves Levit. 4.3 Heb. 5.3 Others for the sacrifice the people brought which when they were burnt offerings which were
quidam quo caeteri corrigantur exempla sunt omnium tormenta paucorum These few should be warning to others lest they also perish Againe are there but few who can remember the many thousands that God hath taken away and cut off by the plague of inferiours and servants and such like whose superiors had beene remisse towards them and yet say this befalleth but to few Or lastly who can think of many thousands who are lying broyling in hell and so cut off from the tents of Iakob by the Lord though man winked at them who happily if they had felt the severity of magistracy might have beene saved and yet say there is but a few And though many yet have escaped and doe or may escape though the plague renew upon us with their adulteries c. because this is but the poore mans plague or the servants yet who sees not that even for the rich and the masters the Lord hath a plague for them as Micha 2.3 and happily will it be for them if 1 Cor. 11. they judge not themselves That doth this or that shall doe this God will not presently smite them though they have committed this offence but he will waite for their returne if they continue to do it then will he cut them off Hence the patience of God to sinners waiting for their conversion vide Revel 3. and Isaiah 30. or rather I observe that though the Lord a long time spare the wicked yet he will visite them and pay them home in the end Isa 26.14 Both the master and the servant Both him that wakeneth and exciteth and him that is wakened and answereth the call meaning the whole house and family should be cut off Doctrine Gods judgements against the wicked rest not in them onely but also are extended to their families seed and posterity Isa 26.14 and destroyed all their memory Out of the Tabernacle of Iaakob That is take them out of the land of the living bringeth death upon them and putteth an end to their daies and letteth them be no longer among the living Though it may reach to their cutting off from heaven yea it containeth this whence Doctrine It is a judgement to the wicked to be cut off eyther naturally or violently untimely or in his ripe age Isaiah 26.14 and scattered them And him that offereth an offering Or him also that offered Though he offer noting the nature of men that when they are convinced of their sinnes they thinke to please God by outward things as sacrifices or fastings or outward hearing and multitude of prayers though they continue in their sinnes Doctrine It is the nature and practice of carnall and naturall men when the judgements of God are denounced against their sinnes and the wrath of God declared against them To take any course to free and deliver themselves from them and to appease his wrath rather then humble themselves and forsake their sinnes And sometimes by flying to humane helpes sometimes by religiousenesse as by offerings or fastings afflicting the body outward hearing and multitude of praying and such like It is manifest in these so in Saul 1 Sam. 15.14.15 And Hezekiah when he was led by nature and the common course of men 2 Kings 18.14 So in them Mich 6.6.7 and Isai 58.2.3 c. Reason Because it is naturall unto them they have it with other corruptions propagated from their first parents for thus Adam and Eve dealt with the Lord Gen. 3. Vse To see the policy of Antichrist and the Church of Rome who knowes not from how many things the Antichristian Church of Rome promiseth to her followers remission of sinne and so freedome from the judgements of God never once making mention of true repentance or forsaking of their sinne As the Sacrament of pennance almes-deeds forgiving of injuries and offences abundance of charity holy water sprinkled devout beating of the breast whipping of themselves pilgrimages all sorts of good workes And as the Rhemist in Math. 10. ver 12. Episcopall blessing for Christs death with them doth not take away daily sinnes but originall the sacrifice of the Masse doth that Sicut corpus Domini semel oblatum est in cruce pro debita originali sic offertur jugiter pro nostris quotidiaenis delictis in altari Thomas de sacra Altaris So as the body of our Lord was once offered upon the crosse for our originall debt so it is continually offered upon the altar for our daily sinnes And Catharinus in libro impresso Romae writeth * Christi passionem pro originali tantū peccato satisfecisse actualibus baptis antecedentibus missam vero satisfacere pro peccatis baptismum primam justificationem sequentibus Catharinus in libro impresso Romae That Christs passion made satisfaction onely for originall and such sinnes as went before baptisme but the Masse satisfies for sinnes committed after baptisme and our first justification Finally to say nothing of their Jubile and their Ladies Psalter and her Pantofle and an hundred such things And him that offereth an offering Though he offer an offering and thinke thereby to escape and appease Gods wrath yet shall he not prevaile nor escape Doctrine In vaine do men thinke to appease the wrath of God and to escape his judgements when he is angry and threatneth by any outward means as offerings fastings prayers and such performance of parts of his worship they remaining impenitent in their sinnes and keeping them still So is it here and manifest in that Micha 6.6.7.8 and Isaiah 58. à 2. ad finem Psal 51.16.17 Reason 1 Because God is a Spirit and he will be worshipped in spirit and truth outward things onely cannot please him being different from his nature yea they that onely bring them worship him neither in Spirit nor truth but in body and outward things in hypocrisie and dissembling c. Reason 2 Because all offerings a man brings to God all outward service he performes to him is accepted not for it selfe but if it be it is for him or else rejected for him and not he for it for though men which are corrupt doe accept men for their gifts and disliking their persons yet feeling from their purses they will soone change their mindes and like of them whatsoever they disliked before shall be excused and lessened It is not so with God he accepts men not for their gifts but their gifts for them or else rejects them and their gifts Reason 3 Because they shew more contempt against the Lord then if they never sought him with any such meanes or came before him which is manifest thus A man hath offended his Prince for which he threatneth and menaceth him to execute or destroy him If he seek not to him at all by any outward means or come not to him when he is summoned it is but contumacy not contempt for he may doe it out of feare Now contempt and feare cannot stand together in one subject but if
Rom. 7.18 In me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing And if no good then much evil for there is no medium twixt these which are more opposite then health and sickenesse Vse 1 To let every man see what he is by nature as blinde and darkenesse so unholy and sickenesse full of corruption and uncleanenesse Vse 2 This may teach us why men can so hardly endure the Ministry of the word specially that which reproves and threatens why they account the Ministers grievous and offensive to them and their enemies rather then friends which labour to reforme them t is because sinne and corruption is naturall to them and men can hardly endure to have a naturall sore defect or infirmity pointed at or noted much lesse to be dealt withall when it is not to be cured or removed without force without sharpe medicines cutting or searing or the like Is it any wonder it should be so here when to deale with sinne is like pulling out a right eye or cutting of an arme specially when custome is added to nature and pleasure and profit to both This makes them when they heare of sinne not to entertaine it as an admonition but to shunne it as a reproach and receive such not as Physitians that would cure them but as enemies that would kill them Vse 3 The reason why they account the Law and Commandements of God such a burden and the obedience of them so tedious is because they are sicke men and want health and we know small things are burdensome to the sicke S. Paul complaines though he was in health and had an inward man Rom. 7.22.23 much more such as have nothing but the outward and the carnall man And ye shall goe forth If Christ bring liberty it intimates a bondage before Doctrine Every man naturally is a slave in captivity and bondage to Satan sinne and death Rom. 7.14 Carnall and sold under sinne Rom. 6.16 To whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey John 12.31 The Divell is the Prince of this world 2 Cor. 4.4 The God of this world 2 Tim. 2.26 Who takes men captive at his will Reason 1 Because they serve and obey sinne then they must needs be in subjection to it especially when the service they doe is willing John 8.34 Whosoever committeth sinne is the servant of sinne So Rom. 6.16 and 2 Pet. 2.19 They are the servants of corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought in bondage Reason 2 Because if they be slaves to sinne then to Satan also for sinne is the worke of Satan and also to death for by sinne death entred into the world Rom. 5.12 Sinne the only cause saith one which enlargeth deaths dominions and made all the world to become his tributaries Adam had not died had he not sinned Vse 1 This will teach us and warrant us what to judge of those men whom we shall heare if any man speake of liberty and freedome to chalenge it as much as any like those John 8.33 We be Abrahams seed and were never in bondage And yet they live very profanely and wickedly no iniquity subdued but sinne raigning and they subjects to their corruption yea captives to their lusts uncleanenesse ambition pride anger c. When they are Masters of families Magistrates of Cities Captaines of bands Coronels of fields Generalls of Armies Commanders of countries yea Princes yet one base ambitious or covetous or voluptuous lust doth rule over them miserable slaves and if they feel not this their bondage is the greater sinne and Satan have the surer possession when things all are at peace The captivity is the more dangerous the more willing as the malignity of poyson is neere the lesse though it be sweet if yet it be poyson Vse 2 This will confute the Doctrine of Popery who teach that man hath free will to good or to use Bellarmines words that a man may doe things morally good and keep or fulfill the law according to the substance of the things prescribed without the help and assistance of speciall grace But how should this be if he be the slave of sinne We deny not to any man free will for else we should make him no man But we must understand that free will is either good or evill and so according to the distinction of Bernard All that have free wil but to evill are their owne and Satans all that have free will and to good are Gods Gregorius Ariminensis is expresse that to affirme that man by his naturall strength without the speciall helpe of God can doe any vertuous action or morally good is one of the damnable heresies of Pelagius or if in any thing it differ from his heresie it is further from truth And grow up as young calves A further benefit promised of growing up and encreasing in grace and sanctification daily by degrees Doctrine They who are Gods elect and called shall grow up and encrease in graces as in faith hope love and such like As the waters of the Sanctuary they shall rise higher Ezech. 47. They are branches in Christ that beare fruit and are purged that they may beare more fruit Joh. 15.2 Phil. 1.6 Jam. 2.5 1 Cor. 1.4.5 Reason 1 Because he will restore in them by Christ that which was lost in Adam and by him his image of righteousnesse and holinesse therefore shall they encrease and grow up towards it which must be got againe in long time and divers progresse though it were lost in a moment Reason 2 Because some doubt else may be whether their graces they have be true sanctified graces which generally ever encrease though some let there may be as a temptation or some sinne but they doe recover themselves and encrease after the more as fire kept down Mat. 25.25.21.26 Vse 1 This may put many a man to a quaere with himselfe and his owne soule if he encrease not but rather goe backeward and thrive not under good meanes but shame their master as if they had no good food like the blasted eares and leane kine that Pharoah dreamed of These may feare themselves that if they approve themselves in this condition and thinke all is well with them they are not right but if they dislike their dulnesse and backwardnesse in profiting and growing on in sanctification if they bewaile their wants and earnestly use the meanes they may be perswaded that what God hath begun he will performe in them to the end and that he will fulfill the desire of them that feare him Vse 2 To perswade every one to endeavour to goe forward and to grow in grace and piety as the wicked grow worse and worse 2. Tim. 3.13 Phil. 3.13.14 To presse forward like runners in a race who looke not how much they have runne but how much remaineth Upon which place Saint August He had said I am not already perfect and yet afterward he saith as many as be