66.17 or in quality only that is when it comes by some accident of which Deut. 17.1 of this is meant in this place as the 8. verse sheweth And so here seemes to be a double fault taxed by the Spirit of God one in the people and the other in the Priests and so a double duty exacted of them the peoples fault was in bringing of polluted offerings and presenting them unto the Priests their duty was to have brought such as were sound entire and perfect the Priests fault was in receiving them at their hands and not reproving and prohibiting them his duty was to have instructed them what sacrifice they were to bring and to reject that which was uncleane and not according to the Law Now these sacrifices were to be cleane and pure and perfect ad typum capitis to shew the perfect purity of Christs humane nature 2 Cor. 5.21 1 Pet. 1.17 Secondly ad typum corporis to shew what they should be who are members of him and that offer these sacrifices unto God that they should be perfect to every good worke 2 Tim. 5. and Rom. 12.1 3. So that then besides that which hath been spoken for the sacrifice we may gather out of the peoples fault comparing outward things with inward the type with the truth that seeing God reasons on this sort if they who bring polluted offerings unto me contemne me then such as come polluted in themselves much more Doctrine They who come to the publique service of God and come to offer him any sacrifice must not be uncleane and polluted in their hearts and lives but must come with holinesse and purity for if their sacrifice must be such then themselves and the sacrifices were commanded to be such because they themselves ought to be such When God reproved Israel for it Isaiah 1. and 66.3 and Jerm 7.9 10. he sheweth what he required of them and of others to this purpose is Psal 4.4 5. Gen. 35.2 Joshua 24.16 19 23. Reas 1 Because God else will not accept their service for he first looks to their person and then their service Gen. 4.4 for the sacrifice doth not sanctifie the person but the person it as Haggai 2.13 14. Proverb 15.8 Reas 2 Because else that which God offers and gives to them is made hurtfull unto them not that God gives any evill but because they are evill that receive it As the Sacrament to Judas Christ gave not that which was evill nor did he being the Physitian give the poyson but Judas being wicked it became evill unto him for as the spyder and the adder turn good meat into poyson and as a corrupt stomacke abounding with choler and such like turneth the meat they eate into choler and the finer the meat is it is the sooner turned to corruption so is it in this thing Titus 1.15 Vnto the pure are all things pure but unto them that are defiled and unbeleeving is nothing pure but even their mindes and consciences are defiled Vse 1 To reprove all such as have no care to purge and purifie themselves before they come unto the house of God to his service that come without repentance without preparation full of their drunkennes whoredomes usuries adulteries and such like sinnes They are more guilty of contempt against the Lord then if they withdrew themselves altogether from his obedience and house A man having committed some offence against his Prince being summoned to appeare personally in his presence if he refuse to come at him and shun his sight may well be condemned of contumacy but not of contempt for he may do it out of fear and contempt and fear cannot stand together in one subject but if he shall confidently come appeare before him as if he had done no such thing or not offended him shew no sorrow for his offence make no promise of amendement nay shall rather stand in it with an impudent face avow it professe to persist in it this must needs be judged a grosse outragious contempt Now the place of Gods worship is his presence and he that commeth thither commeth to look God full in the face as Cain was cast out from the face of the Lord. Gen. 4.16 If he come not he shall suffer as contumax as rebellious and disobedient but he that commeth polluted with the filth of his sin unrepented of with a purpose to persist he shall be punished as a contemner They who refused to come were shut out but he that came in his old cloathes was bound hand and foot cast into utter darknes Math. 22. he that is willfully absent excluding himselfe from the society of the Saints in the time of grace shal be barred their company in the time of glory for ever but he that presumeth to appeare there with the guilt of his sinne on him shall have a farre greater portion in Hell fire he shall suffer as in case of contempt like an insolent rebell that bourdeth his Prince to his face in his owne Palace and in the mean time all their prayers are unaccepted yea they are turned into sinne to them they obtaine nothing of God more then he would give them though they never prayed with which he feeds them but for the slaughter yea and hence we profit nor them by preaching but make them worse wee are not the savour of life unto them but of death by the word they are hardned in their sins by this two edged sword they are daily wounded because their sinnes are not wounded their persons are and the more fearefully because their wounds are not sensible yea by the Sacraments the Devill as upon Judas so upon them taketh more sure possession and raignes in them Vse 2 To teach every one to labour to be holy when he commeth to Gods house holines becomes it to put away iniquity and sin farre from him when God cals him cast of his patched cloak as did blinde Bartimaeus Mark 9. we deal so when we go before Princes as Joseph did Gen. 41.14 much more we ought to doe so with God Moses and Joshua were commanded to put off their shoes when they approached to God and were to stand upon holy ground we are hereby taught saith Ambrose Ep. 16. to shake off the dust and scoure off the soyle that our soules and lives gathered by fleshly occasions and worldly courses ere wee come to tread the Courts of Gods house There was a Laver of brasse Exod. 30.18 19. for Aaron and his sonnes to wash in before they offered any thing at the Altar to shew what we should doe being made the Lords Preists to this David alluded Psal 26.6 I will wash mine hands in innocency O Lord and compasse thine Altar And this ought we to doe that our prayers may be heard and be acceptable that our hearing and receiving of the Sacraments may be fruitfull unto us else Psal 66.18 If I regard wickednesse in mine heart the Lord will not heare me and we being
conditions at all or as it should be performed were he not a foole Sure in all your judgements he were very unwise And yet alas how many fools and unwise men have we who deale thus lay all upon Gods fidelitie and performe nothing themselves at all As if God must needs performe because he had promised and could not be faithfull unlesse he did perform when they keep no condition Many a man deluded by Satan and his owne secure heart perswades himselfe God hath been mercifull unto him and forgiven him his sins though he never came truly to see sinne nor to sorrow for sinne nor forsake and reforme his corruptions wherein true repentance consisteth and which is the condition on mans part if ever he would have God take away his sinne and put them out of his remembrance Many one thinkes God had performed his covenant of temporall things because he is in the middest of abundance and hath his barnes full and his bagges full and every where findes he increaseth though he never made any conscience of his wayes and the workes of God but at best lived but civilly and kept his credit with men and sees not that he is deceived sees that these are but things that are common things wherewith he is but fatted for the shambles and such as are reserved for his evill And for time to come many doubt not but they shall obtaine great things in this life and that God will give them honour and favour and riches and abundance though they never keepe condition with him Fools and blinde who know they cannot live except they eate not reap except they sow not recover health except they use physicke and the means appointed And yet thinke without performing the grand meanes and condition with God they shall have what he hath promised and so happily they may But as Israel had a King in Gods wrath and quails in his displeasure And as the Physitian gives his patient liberty to eate what he list when he is out of all hope and despaires of ever recovering him Many a man perswades himselfe that God will save him though he never was able to performe the condition of the Law neither ever endevoured to performe the condition of the Gospell Truly this is not to beleeve but deceive himselfe with an opinion of faith he neither having the knowledge of the promises the ground of it nor workes the answerable fruits of it And so hath but a vaine foolish and dead faith But he shall know his folly when God shall manifest unto him that he is not bound to perform promise because he never kept condition Vse 3 To teach every man that hath any desire that God should performe covenant with him to endevour to performe conditions with God * Cum dominus promittit ne dubites sed illa fac per quae tales attrahere poteris promissiones Chry. hom 25. ad popul Anti. He must first seek to know what they are God requires of him and then do them for without that he cannot do And his searching for knowledge must not onely be for the generall but for the particulars of his place what command is sent to him and then faithfully do it that Gods covenant may stand We must repent beleeve and obey the Gospell and Commandments of God For it is godlinesse that hath the promises and shall have the performance Let such a one remember 1 Tim. 4.8 and Prov. 21.21 Yea he may assure himselfe that if he apply himself to that which God requireth of him and he hath covenanted for he shall be sure to finde him that hath been a willing promiser a most faithfull performer For parum erat promissio etiam scripto se teneri voluit Aug. in Psal 119. And so no good thing that he hath promised shall faile but shall all be made good Joshua 22.15 My covenant with Levi Here is the honour and dignity he had bestowed upon them having made a speciall agreement and covenant with them Doctrine The Lord hath specially honoured his messengers and servants the Priests in the old and the Ministers in the new Testament for he hath not onely made the generall covenant with them I will be their God they my people but hath made a particular and speciall agreement and covenant with them So here and Numb 8.13.14 Thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron and before his sons and offer them as a shake offering to the Lord. Thus thou shalt separate the Levites from among the children of Israel and the Levites shall be mine 1 Sam. 2.28 And I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my Priest to offer upon mine Altar and to burn Incense and to weare an Ephod before me and I gave unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel Joh. 15.15 2 Cor. 3.6 Reason 1 Because they are of his privy counsell and know his secret Amos 3.7 Surely the Lord God will doe nothing but he revealeth his secrets unto his servants the Prophets Privy counsellours are specially honoured and have a particular covenant made with them Reason 2 Because they are his messengers his embassadours 2 Cor. 5.20 they are specially honoured and new sworne a new covenant Vse 1 No reason why the great and rich men of the world should contemne the ministry for their children as too base a thing and not fit for their sonnes when as God hath thus honoured it and taken them so neere unto himselfe In respect of which Amos who was beleeved to be the brother of Azariah the King of Judah thought it no base thing his sonne should be a Prophet neither Christ himselfe to be a preacher Vse 2 This may be a caveat for men to take heede how they abuse or injure the ministers who are so neere unto him and whom he hath thus honoured certainly they ought to honour him though it goe against the haire and stomacke with them as with Haman because he would have them honoured but if not but they abuse and disgrace them and use them as the Ammonites did Davids servants Let them take heede they stinke not in his nostrils for if Princes be tender hearted and stone affected with the injuries of their common subjects and will revenge them what will they doe for their counsellours their embassadours And yet meane men will now abuse them in words and contemne as farre as they can for the law of man if they sing not placentia if they teach crosse to their humours but their portion is with the Lord and so is theirs who so abuse them And one day they shall both know whether is better to reprove and lift up his voyce and spare not or to spare and reforme nothing Vse 3 It may comfort the minister against contempt when he is faithfull yet to be still so and bold remembring his honour God hath given him which is better then all the honour man can affoord
cause of mens flying and avoyding of sinne The later is manifest Prov. 8.13 The feare of the Lord is to hate evill Deu. 5.29 Deut. 42.18 39.9 Then the contrary where it is not for take away the cause take away the effect And so the latter is proved and by that Gen. 20.10.11 Then Abimelech said unto Abraham what sawest thou that thou hast done this thing Then Abraham answered because I thought thus surely the feare of God is not in this place and they will slay me for my wives sake Exod. 1.17 Psal 36.1 Amos 6.3 Rom. 3.18 Reason Because as August in Psal 79. * Omnia peccata duae res faciunt cupiditas timor proponitur praemium ut pecces facis propter quod cupis terreris minis facis propter quod times August in Psalm 79. Two things cause all sinnes desire and feare there is a reward proposed that thou maiest sinne thou dost it because thou desirest the reward thou art terrified with threatnings thou dost it for feare of smart Now where the feare of Gods power is it will expell all such desire of pleasure or profit for feare is the strongest affection and stoppeth the passage of desires as in a coward and one condemned And the lesse feare will be overcome of a greater as a strong and great naile drives out a small one Luke 12.4.5 And I say unto you my friends be not affrayd of them that kill the body and after that are not able to doe any more but I will forewarne you whom you sha l feare feare him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell yea I say unto you him fear Now where this feare is wanting no marvaile if they fall either for desire or pleasure into many and strange sinnes Vse 1 This may teach us what to expect from men who want the feare of the Lord They will sinne for a peece of bread a small matter of pleasure or profit a little feare if they have the occasion and opportunity will draw them to any thing for take away the bankes from the sea and the bridle from the horse whither will not that flow and whereinto will not he breake such and so unruly is the corruption of man if it have not this banke and this bridle to keepe it from outrage murther adultery perjury oppression and injustice or any sinne will be nothing in their hands What will they not dare to doe If Kings command they will murther innocents not as the Midwives If Queenes enjoine they will accuse judge condemne and execute the guiltlesse as those wicked Judges 1 Kings 21. did innocent Naboath upon Iezebels letters Vse 2 We learne what to judge of men whom we see living either in these sinnes or any other the like they are men destitute of the feare of God even a servile feare for this will prove it vide Cap. 1.6 first effect of feare Vse 3 That we may be free from these sins let us labour for this feare vide ibid. Saith the Lord of hoasts This is added for confirmation that none should promise to themselves safety for any outward respects as if he could not punish them vide Cap. 1.4 VERS VI. For J am the Lord I change not and ye sons of Iaakob are not consumed FOR I am the Lord I change not This some take as a reason to confirme the former judgement threatned that as he was the Lord of hoasts able to doe all what he would so is he in himselfe and in his decrees immutable as he cannot change no more can they be changed Quod est 9. Be ye well assured of this that as I am Lord and Jehovah eternall and without change so are all my judgements and whatsoever I have spoken that know you they shal come to passe in their time and not one thing shal come to the ground howsoever they are not so speedily as you thinke executed yet they shall for they cannot but be accomplished And ye sonnes of Iaakob And that you are not consumed and destroyed already for these sinnes doe not thinke me mutable or your selves without merit that you should be spared but this is meerely from my mercy and love and long suffering I have not dealt with you according to your sinnes Doctrine 1 God is immutable and without change both in himselfe and his nature Jam. 1.17 Doctrine 2 He is immutable in his will and his decrees And ye sonnes of Iaakob are not consumed I change not therefore are you not consumed for being in my selfe mercifull and long suffering yea mercy and patience it selfe I have spared you when you deserved long since to have beene confounded and destroyed by my judgements and this by resemblance may we interpret out of Lam. 3.22 It is the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions faile not Doctrine That men escape destruction and are not consumed with Gods judgements for their sinnes it is onely the mercy and goodnesse of God So much is here And that Lam. 3.22 Gen. 19.19 2 Sam. 24.14 2 Chron. 30.9 Therefore is that Isaiah 30.19 and 54.7.8 and Matth. 15.22 and 20.30 God hath two feet whereby he walketh towards men so hath he two hands whereby he handleth or dealeth with men mercy and justice and these are both infinite What City upheld when an infinite hand will cast downe nothing but an infinite hand and power Reason 1 Because sinne deserving Gods anger which anger is as God himselfe infinite cannot be satisfied nor appeased by any that is no more then a finite creature or a finite thing for this cannot ballance with that but onely his infinite mercy with his infinite wrath And this Lam. 3.22 his great mercies are infinite for measure and continuance i. Such are our sinnes that if he should deale righteously with us we miserable wretches had beene ten thousand times utterly undone but we are preserved in the middest of our distresses Ergo Not from us but his infinite mercy Isaiah 1.9 Except the Lord of hoastes had restored unto us a small remnant we should have beene as Sodom and should have beene like unto Gomorrah Reason 2 Because without the pardon of those sinnes the wrath cannot be avoided nor destruction escaped seeing God will not justifie the wicked Now pardon of sinne is onely from the mercy of God Luk. 1.77.78 Ps 32.1 Al sin is against God Ps 51.4 Tibi soli cui soli reddenda est ratio de peccato qui solus es sine peccato Ruff. He onely can pardon sinne against whom onely it is Now he pardoneth sinnes in mercy and so David prayeth there for mercy Gratiae tuae deputo misericordiae quod peccata mea tanquaem glaciem solvisti gratiae tuae deputo quaecunque non feci mala August confess 7.2 cap. 7. Vse 1 This will confute the doctrine of Popery who hold by their workes and satisfactions to have if not remission of great sinnes yet of veniall or if not
〈◊〉 Who was able Taking the word in the Text Nochel to come of Iachal potuit whereas it is of Nachal To deale perfidiously Secondly in particular Which hath in his flock a male and voweth and sucrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing That hath better for if hee had not ability God would not require at his hands but hee should bee more blameles and yet thinks the worst good enough for God Hee must have a flocke and a male in it that is a sacrifice fit perfect and without blemish according to the law or else God doth not require or so strictly expect from him And voweth and sacrificeth to the Lord A corrupt thing that is that voweth a perfect or sound thing for they were by the law to vow Levit. 22.23 Males and perfect but comes short of his vow and sacrificeth a corrupt not answerable either to the purpose of his vow or to the law There was no man that would vow a corrupt thing though through fraud hee sacrificed or offer'd such a one Therefore the Greekes have exprest this sense cursed bee the deceiver that hath a male and his vow being upon him sacrificeth a corrupt thing And accordingly the Vulg. Lat. That making a vow sacrificeth a weake thing A corrupt thing Vulg. a weake Pagn a spotted or blemished The Tigur a faulty The Hebr. word Maschat is weakened guelded maimed corrupt To the Lord Hebr. Adonai This is the first time in this Prophet that God is directly named by any other name then Iehovah Adon is a Lord who as a foundation or a columne sustaines his people and it is applyed to God who is the Lord of the whole earth who is called Adam Exod 23.17 All thy males shall appeare before Haadon The Lord God But of this appellative there is formed a proper name or epithere of God Adonai with Cametz having the same points with Iehovah Thirdly the reason both why the deceiver is cursed and to assure him he shall be so For I am a great King saith the Lord of hosts and my name is dreadfull among the heathen The Italian For asmuch as I am a great King The sense is It will not stand with my glory to suffer my people to profane and despise that name which the Heathen magnifie and feare Dreadfull Arias and the Genev. Terrible The Vulg. horrible Tremell Reverend The Chald. Potent Onely the Lxx render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Illustrious as if the word here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To see but it comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To bee afraid And this verse seemes to refer to the sixth If I bee a master where is my feare The very Heathen acknowledge mee to bee so by their dread and feare of my Name Thus having expostulated with them and threatned them for their ingratitude and contempt in the next place in the former part of the next Chapter Verse 1 III. He amplifies the former expostulation and threatnings Chap. 2. ver 1. to the 10th where First to whom he chiefely applies his speech verse 1. And now O yee Priests this Commandement is for you The French Is addressed unto you And so Deodates Ital. also supplies it Hee here returnes his speech to the Priests whose avarice and profanenesse had beene the fountaine of much other evill and profanenes among the people Cursed be the deceaver who ever he be But to you O Priests it is principally to bee applyed My name is dreadfull even among the heathen If it be profaned by you that are neare me in attendance and service the curse is chiefely against you And now or as Tremell Now therefore Their objection is prevented all that hath been said touches the people not us Yes This Commandement is for you or as Montan. To you This Commandement this increpation this intimation of my mind is for you Or this Commandement is for you that is of you I principally required and expected to be honored at my Altar in my sacrifices Secondly the matter of the speech mixt of contestations and threatnings or a conditionall threatning of many judgments unles they repented We will consider Verse 2 1. The conditions of exemption from his judgements If you will not heare and if you will not lay it to heart To give glory to my name saith the Lord of hosts Here are three conditions of exemption To heare God To lay his Commandement or their duety to heart To give glory to Gods name The Summe of them is repentance Lay to heart The phrase is usuall and frequent The Geneva Consider it in your heart Chald. paraphrase unles yee put my feare upon your heart Lay it what my precepts so Vatabl. your duety so Tremell my glory so others 2. The things that are threatned I. Set down more largely ver 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. II. Repeated againe with more brevity ver 9. 1. Set down more largely 1. In generall verse 2. 2. In particular vers 3.4.5.6.7.8 1 In generall I will even send a curse upoÌ„ you The vulg I will even send want upon you And they translate it so because that curse was usuall to the Iewes now being so lately returned and as yet not very warme in their nests would be the greater curse and because it would suit with their covetousnesse To say a little more for the Vulgar Lat. in the rendring of this place It is a saying of the ancient Hebrews That All benedictions are Amplifications and all Curses are Diminutions Which Dan. Heinsius hath observed upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the text of Ioh. 6. â—2 in his Aristarchus Sacer parte secund cap. 8. where the reader shall finde more to this purpose to whom I referre him But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Arar or Ar To speake against or Execrate the Lxx. Chald. Vatabl Pagn and both our English doe render a curse leaving the explicite meaning to the expositor I will execrate you or pronâ—unce a curse against you This is amplifyed further three wayes 1. By an explication And will curse your blessing It is the same word againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vearothi I will Execrate or Imprecate as the Targum expresseth it by another word Vealut And I will lay an oath upon you as if it were a curse laid on with an oath So it is Zach. 5.3 This is haala The oath where it is in our last English the Curse which is gone forth I will lay an oath upon your blessings You shall not prosper It may be expounded either first I will deprive you of what you have and injoy or are like to injoy so that you shall reape sparingly 2 Cor. 9.6 so Cyril Remig. Vatabl or secondly I will curse and blâ—st what you blesse as your beasts houses fields so the Chald. I will curse your benediction and will execrate it And this Saint Hierome also follows 2. By the certainety of it being even begun already Yea I have cursed them already Tremel
same place Math. 11.14 of Iohn saith If yee will receive it This is Elias that is Elias is indeed for to come yet if you will have one now also in this my first comming this Iohn is he But to shew that this is a mystery he addes He that hath eares to heare let him heare Answ Iohn was Elias literally that is in the Prophet Malachies literall sense but because the Scribes had another conceit not of another time as the Papists but of another person that it must be the Thisbite he tells them they mistake it in that for the Prophet in his very literall sense meant Iohn as the Prophet Ieremiah Ier. 30.9 ment the Mesiah literally as it confessed not David the sonne of Iesse when he sayth They shall serve David their King And therefore he sayth If yee will receive him and addes Hee that hath eares let him heare Object 5. Elias is prophecyed of againe Rev. 11.3 One of the two witnesses Answ Besides the fuller meaning of that place for which let the Reader consult expositors and especially Mr. Ios Meades learned Commentaries upon his Clavis Apoc. There is there no mention at all of Elias It is but a begging to urge that text Object 6. Why else were Enoch and Elias rapt up before death and doe still live in their mortall flesh to dye againe but that they are for that service before the last comming of Christ Answ That they live in their bodies in Heaven is not doubted see Sixt Amama Antibarb Bibl. l. 3. Syrach c. 44. pag. 947 c. but that they live in their mortall bodies and that they shall dye there is no Scripture for it neither is it likely seeing the Scripture sayth of Enoch Hebr. 11.5 He was translated that hee should not see death see Ios Scaliger's note upon Math. 17.11 among those few short notes of his which Iohn Bill the Kings Printer hath carefully collected at the end of his Impression of the New Testament Greeke at London 1622. But why they were wrapt up we must bee content to bee ignorant and it beseemes us most to bee so More of this point you have well treated of in the following Commentary Being thus rid of this interpretation wee have another which interprets the place of Christs first comming and we have S. Markes autority for it who makes the last words of Malachy to bee the first words of his Gospell and therefore leades us to understand by Elias in the Prophet Iohn Baptist in his Gospell And that we may bee further out of doubt we have the text clearely so expounded Luc. 1.16 17. See Laurent Valla his Castigation of the Vulg. Lat. according to the corrected edition of Iacobus Rivius Math. 11.14 15. Math. 17.10 11.12.13 Which places let the Reader peruse The name of Elias is given to Iohn not propter identitatem personae as if Elias were Redivivus or by a Metempsychosis were entred into Iohns body but propter identitatem spiritus virtutis because of the like gifts calling and Ministery See Iunius parall lib. 1. par 31. Pet. Martyr Loc. Clas 3. cap. 16. sect 21.22 But especially our late blessed King of famous memory in his Monitory preface before his learned Apology for the Oath of allegiance pa. 77. 78. whose arguments are examined by Leonard Lessius Disp de Antichr Demonstr 15. but stand good And besides ours some learned and ingenuous Papists as Paul Burgensis Isid Clarius Bened. Arias Montan. in Locum who doe all admit our interpretation and Bishop Iansenius too in cap. 48. Ecclus. as Bened. Pererius affirmes of him lib. 15. in Daniel pag. 223. D. Let me here note by the way the conceit of Lucas Osiander who as he yields the place to bee meant of Iohn Baptist the second Elias before Christs first comming so hee also interprets it of a third Elias before Christs second comming and that is Martin Luther and accordingly interprets the following words and exhorts to the receiving of Luthers doctrine lest God come and punish our ingratitude Luther indeed was a man of notable zeale like Elias fit for the businesse hee was employed in by God and we have great reason to thinke honorably of him but none to thinke that Malachy thought of him or that the Holy Ghost meant him here Thus much of the comming of Iohn Verse 6 2. His worke or office is declared in the last verse And hee shall turne the hearts of the Fathers to the Children and the heart of the children to the Fathers Least I come and smite the Earth with a curse For their interpretation of this who respect only the second comming of Christ let the Reader see Corn. a lapid I content my selfe with that of our following author That whereas all was at that time out of order full of corruptions and errors and different sects see Tremell ad marg Zach. 11.8 Iohn was sent to preach repentance Math. 3.2 and to convert of all sorts from the error of their way and to reduce them to the faith of the old Patriarks But for the manner of the phrase Iunius parall lib. 1. par 55. makes it parallel to Luc. 1.76.77.79 and so it will bring in further light Adde also Luk. 1.17 where observe that the word of the Lxx is not used theirs is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but S. Lukes is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Evangelists Apostles though usually they follow yet sometimes take liberty to depart froÌ„ the Lxx concerning the vulgar Latine translation Ioh. Gagneius a Sorbonist professeth hee cannot tell the meaning of it but falls very foule upon Cardinall Cajetan Yet his owne conjecture of the misplacing of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there in the originall text is bold See him ad loc together with Beza his larger Annotations on the same place Lest I come and smite the Earth with a curse The coherence of this and the meaning see before Objection 2. and the Answer Lest I come The comming of Christ is not uncertaine but the smiting I reade it lest I smite when I come And smite the Earth S. Hier. earthly men not Iudaea onely though sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bee taken for a particular region as Genes 41.57 Esay 13.5 yet probably the calamity of the Iewes may be principally respected With a curse Geneva cursing Chald. extermination Pagnin slaughter The Lxx 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly suddenly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lest I smite the earth with utter destruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is An utter curse or Devoting to ruine which Cherem the Rabbins say doth enter into the members of the body the number of which they observe to bee according to the numerall letters of this word The Iewes had three sorts of Anathema's 1. Niddui Rejection or Removing Hee that was Menualdeth was removed out of the Synagogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iob. 9.22 Thus they hold Caine was excommunicate Genes 4.14 Esay 66.5 This was of the nature of profligation or proscription among the Romans 2. Cherem which is more properly that which is Anathema among the Greeks which is the curse that they layd upon him whom they put out of the Synagogue if he mended not A giving over to Satan 1 Cor. 5.5 1. Tim. 1.20 At this they lighted Candles and put them out againe to note that such an one was deprived of the light of Heaven This is the word used here And this among us is the highest Ecclesiasticall censure according to the Tables of D. Richard Cosin who Polit. Eccl. Anglic. Tab. V. A. makes these degrees 1. Interdictio divinorum 2. monitio 3. Suspensio vel ab ingressu Ecclesiae vel a perceptione sacramentorum 4. excommunicatio 5. Anathematismus Contra haereticum pertinacem 3. There is a third degree among the Iewes cal'd Sham-atha The extreame and highest degree of excommunication The Etymology of which word is either 1 of Sam Desolate and attha Thou Thou art desolate or Be thou desolate 2. of Sham There and Mitha death There is death Or an Excommunication to death As 1 Ioh. 5.16 There is a sinne unto death Or 3. of Shem or Sama in the Chalde The Lord or The Name that is the Tetragrammaton Iehovah and Atha he comes The Lord comes A forme of speech used by them in sudden accidents as the most learned Hâ—insius observes exercit lib. 7. c. 15. and especially by such as suffered any oppressions whereby they still comforted theÌ„selves This is the same with that which S. Paul useth after the Syriack where Maran is The Lord. Maran-atha The Lord comes 1. Cor. 16.22 He that loves not the Lord Iesus let him be Anathema Maran-atha Which curse they fetch from the first words of Henochs prophecy Iude verse 14. And thus much for the last contestation and for the whole Text. For the close wee may take notice of a double observation 1. That in many copies though not here in Montanus his Interlin nor in two others that I have the last verse but one in Esaiah Ecclesiastes Lamentations and this prophecy of Malachy is repeated againe after the Text but without points because all these bookes have sad closes and therefore the Scribes thought fit to leave the verse before to be last for the recreating the spirits of the Reader as containing more comfortable matter See Ioh. Buxt of de Abbrev. Hebraic more in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. That all the Prophets execept Jonah and Nahum expressely and in some prophecy concerning Christ Hee being the marke at which all of them chiefely aimed And let him bee our Aime likewise Blessed is he who carefully expects his second appearance Come Lord Iesus come quickly FINIS