Honourable Countesse and much admired Consort and that Noble and hopeful Off-spring wherewith God hath been gratiously pleased to multiply to bless both the most Honourable Parents I cease for-ever remaining Most Honoured and Gratious Lord Your Lordships most humble Servant BEN AGGUS MALACH Chap 1. Ver 14. Cursed be the deceiver who hath in his flock a Male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing THis sweet Angel Malachi as his Name imports was in order so in time the last of all the antient Prophets after him not another until that glorious One appeared in the Orb of his flesh who was the Prince of all those Prophets and the truth of all their Prophesies The interval was very spatious even for several Ages a large Tract of Heaven was left without a light that so the brighter Star of Jacob might appear by himself alone in greater glory But in particular he Prophesied after the Babylonish captivity and the building of the second Temple In this Chapter he treateth of Gods extraordinary love towards them and then taxeth their poor and common respect towards Him He treateth of Gods extraordinary love towards them ver 1 Mo. 2. and 3. Was not Esau Jacobs Brother saith the Lord yet I have loved Jacob and hated Esau laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the Dragons of the Wildernesse that is I have made him an utter desolation whereas I have restored you again to your own possession This latter clause is not expressed but supposed Many such places we have in scripture where things are spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without reddition espetially if there be indignation He taxeth their unworthy carriage towards so good a God 2 do and here he contesteth partly with the Priests and partly with the people with the Priests from the 6 ver unto the 13. or 14th and with the people from thence to the end of the Chapter With the Priests Mo 1. Ye offer polluted bread upon mine Altar ver 7. Panem illegitimum bread not lawful to be set upon the Table or seen in the Temple say course mouldy or half baked Then of the flock ver 8. Yee offer the blind and the lame and the sick that is ye offer and sacrifice ye care not what and this is your plea and pretext that the Table of the Lord is contemptible ver 7. that is despicable and not worthy to be regarded as in antient times Because this second Temple together with its appurtenances Ezta 3.12 was not so splendid glorious as the former house Therefore these prophane Priests did despise the day of small things and thought it now needless to be curious and exact in administring before the Lord. Wherefore God contends with them and give a cleer demonstration of the justness of his quarrel three wayes 1. By a comparison of his most transcendent Majesty with some smal petty Governor in Judea and himself a Vassall to the King of Babylon who yet would scorn such a present as they brought into the Temple ver 8. Offer it now unto thy Gevernor wil he be pleased with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of Hoasts May not I your Creator sadly complain being lesse regarded then man your fellow creature 2. By a declaration of his sul rewarding them for all their service and attendance ver 10. Which of you doth shut the doores of mine house for naught neither do ye kindle a fire on mine Altar for naught that is I have given you a just salarie for all your service and ought not therefore to be so scorned and neglected 3 By a prediction of greater respect from the poor Gentiles whom they looked upon little better than bruit Beasts who yet would have more understanding and bring unto God a better Offering ver 11. From the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place incense shall be offered unto my Name and a pure Offering May not this be grievous unto me saith the Lord that strangers should honor me but mine own children contemn me that my name should be great among the Heathens and yet I little in your eyes With the people he contesteth likewise ver 13. 2 do Yee said also behold what a wearines is it and yee have snuffed at it and yee brought that which was torn and the lame and the sick thus yee brought an Offering should I accept this at your hands saith the Lord of Hoasts that is yee do me but little service and that after a most unworthy manner yet yee grudg and complain as if the burden imposed would necessarily break your backs Should I accept this at your hands can I take any pleasure in you or your services while your hearts are no more towards me and my wayes if yee think so Toto erratis coelo yee are much mitaken Imo maledictus c. Cursed is the Deceiver who hath in his flock a Male c. In which words there are these two parts considerable viz A fearful Anathema The person anathematized 1. The anathema is in the first word of my Text Cursed what that means we shall tel afterward The person Anathematized is described unto us in General Particular In general by the name deceiver Cursed is the Deceiver Qui cum Deo dolosè agit He dealeth deceitful with God and is not plain and upright in his proceedings but casteth about in his mind not only to go beyond man but even God also One that is hallow-harted in Gods service He may be called a Deceiver because he would deceive God and others and doth deceive himself Tam a consequenti quam a precedenti he is bold and subtil to face it out in Religion when indeed irreligious and he is blockish and foolish to expect a blessing viz. the love and favour of God but behold a Curse In particular and so this deceiver is set forth three wayes By his 1. Possession 2. Seeming piety 3. Real impurity In all which his deceit and baseness is made the more manifest 1. By his possession He hath in his flock a Male. He is one having flocks and Heards and among them goodly and choice Cattel for he hath a Male by which I understand one of the prime and the best of his flock a lovely Lamb without spot or blemish fair and fat and every way fit for sacrifice indeed so good that this deceiver thinks it too good for God and to be cast away at the Altar a worse shall serve the turn That this word Male must here thus be taken besides the consent of several expositors I lay down these grounds Because first It stands not in opposition to a Female for the Law in some cases permitted Females even as Males Levitt chap 3. ver 1. 2ly It is here opposed to a corrupt thing in the end of my Text now I shall presently shew that by a corrupt thing is
understood one of the worst of the flock and consequently by a Male one of the best of the flock otheewise the opposition would be neither ful nor just 3ly The very corrupt thing here offered in all probability was a Male for this Deceiver as he had stronger so he had feebler Cattle sick and lame c. and questionless among these he had many Males one of which in all likelyhood he offered unto God which Offering of his though a Male was nevertheless a corrupt thing All which being put together do fully satisfie me that it it is an ecliptick expression a Male for the best Male in the Flock even as in Isa 1.18 Wool for the whitest wool 2. By his seeming piety and that in two things A Votary Sacrificer 1. A Votary He voweth either voluntarily by an act arising from the freedom of his own will or else occasionally moved thereunto either to obtain some good as Jeptah to subdue the Amonites Judg 11.30 And Jacob to return home in peace Gen 28.20 Or to remove some evill as Jonah in the belly of the Whale to be delivered from that living grave Jonah 2.9 2ly A sacrificer and sacrificeth not immediatly by himself but by the hands of the Priest But what this makes way for the third part of the description where we shall find this deceiver set forth 3ly By his real impurity for after all this ado he sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing We may see all along the Chapter what the Prophet means by this corrupt thing even ◠vile and a base oblation some of his worser and rascal Cattle blind or lame or sick or diseased A corrupt thing possibly corrupted with worms putrified with sores ready to rot as it went on the ground with such a carren Carkasse instead of a lovely Lamb would this deceiver put off God Wherefore what is his Reward my Text tels you he is accursed that is He incurs Gods bitter Odium and renders himself most hateful and abominable God casts upon him an evil eye and will ere long plague him unto the very pit of Hell except he repent For cursed is the deceiver who hath in his Flock a Male c. The words being thus briefly resolved and explained me thinks I see a spations plain of matter lying before me and in it various and several paths for the Passenger to travel in but I am afraid to loose my self as to tire your patience wherefore I have determined to keep only the great Road and to insist upon the main truth of the words Take it in this following conclusion It is a thing most detestable in the eyes of God Doct not to sacrifice unto him the very choice and best of the Flock That we may carry on the Doctrine more smoothly a scruple or two is to be removed out of the way As Why do I so tacitely passe over this deceivers vow 1. Because I have work enough besides Ans and more than sufficient for my glasse 2. Because I see no great inconvenience if we look upon this deceivers vow by way of parenthesis For 1. The sence is undisturbed though that sentence be removed as thus Cursed be the deceiver who hath in his flock a Male and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing 2ly Not the lest of any such thing is hinted at as vowing in the preceding part of the Chapter upon which I conceive my Text hath a great dependency 3ly Whether they vowed or not they were bound to sacrifice and without a vow that person would be accursed who offered not the Male of his flock though this deceiver much more because of a double obligation not from the Law only but from his own vow also this in answer to the first 2. At quid nostrâ interest What have we to do with sacrifice and Offerings were they not everlastingly abolished by the coming of Him who was the body and substance of all these shadows and resemblances In some sence I confesse it Ans Yet cum bono Deo vestrâ patitientiâ with the help of God and your good patience who before-hand I humbly bespeak I hope to make it manifest that this Doctrine equally concerneth the piety of Christians in our dayes as the policie of the Jews in antient times To this purpose I must intreat you to go a little more out of the Flesh into the Spirit and then yee shall see that even by the coming of Christ We are made an holy and a Royal Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 1 Pet 2.5 And we read of several sacrifices thus to be offered as of praise and thanksgiving By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name Heb 13.15 Again of Almes deeds and good works To do good and communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is well-pleased ver 16. But I may not delay in particulars but come to one general sacrifice comprehensive of the rest with all the spiritual seed of Aaron even all appertaining to Christ are everlastingly to offer unto God and this we find called and christened by Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your reasonable service Rom 12.1 The whole Verse runs thus I beseech you therefore by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service In which words Paul gives the Romans a compendious and yet a most compleat use of the fore-going Epistle As if he had said since yee have heard of the great priviledges of the Ghospell how God hath given you Christ and all things Gratitudinis ergò give up your selves again unto God and be devoted unto his fear and this by way of sacrifice I beseech you to present 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to set before as the sacrifices of the old men exhibited in the Temple presented or set before the Lord at the Altar Your bodies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an usuall grecisme for the whole man or person the Hebrews expressed it by souls Act 7.14 There went down into Egypt threescore and fifteen souls that is persons but the Greeks many times by bodies as we in our mother-tongue are wont to say such an one is a very good body that is a very good Man o◠Woman thus Bodies must be taken viz by a synecdoche for the whole man yea I am bold to say chiefly for the soul with all its nobler faculties and powers otherwise how could they be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a living sacrifice for the body without the spirit is dead Yet I conceive he rather maketh use of the word body for the greater concinnity of the 〈◊〉 because he bespeaks a sacrifice now it is evident that the bodies only of the beasts could be sacrificed and not their souls which did then immediatly Tenues vanescere in auras vanish away into nothing So that the summe of
eager appetite as a Longing-Woman her much desired Morsel Again we should find as much sweetness in the Word and divine revelation as an elegant Palate in marrow and fatnes How sweet are thy words unto my tast yea sweeter then honey to my mouth Ps 119.103 So likewise in privat and secret to read pray and pour forth our souls to peform all Christian duties of meditation and self-examination c all these are to be done with strength of desires and fulness of delectation Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth himself greatly in Gods Commandements he doth what is his duty and delights yea greatly delights in what he doth so that in comparison he Loves and delights in nothing ease As for Wife and Children and the injoyments of this world he Loves them as if he loved them not yee know where I have the phrase 1 Cor 7.30 The rule is to rejoyce as if we rejoyced not to buy as if we possessed not to use the world as if we used it not Now this holy man of God observeth this rule having the maine stream of his affectious flowing forth to God and only some little out-lots to the things of this world God hath his heart and then he loveth in good earnest as it is said of Elias he prayed earnestly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he prayed in praying so they delight in delighting and love in loving and this love of God is like the rod of Aaron among the rods of the Magicians consuming and devouring whatsoever standeth in competition What we have spoken here more largely in the Explication we may find as shortly in the words of our Saviour John 4.24 They who worship God must worship him in spirit and in truth Let this suffice for the first part of the Doctrine we now come unto the second viz why it must needs be detestable unto God if we do not sacrifice unto him the Male of our flock The first reason may be this Because it is so contrary to the way and method of God Confirmation so contrary to the rule and prescript of God provided in the case Let us see the Platform of Gods Ecclesiastes or Church-discipline chalked out to Israel in the Wildernesse and because we are to sacrifice wee 'l bring you to the Tabernacle where yee can see nothing base or common nothing refuse or vile but choice costly and pretious as could be had these dayes upon the earth Read over at your leisure the 25 26 27 28 Chapters of Exodus Let them bring gold and silver and brasse and blue and purple and scarlet and fine linnen and Goats-hair and Ram-skins died red and badgers-skins and Shittim-wood c. and let them make a sanctuary that I may dwel amongst them Every thing in this Sanctuary was very rich and costly either massy-â—old or at lest select wood ovâ—r-layed with gold As the Ark the taâ—le of Sâ—â—w-bread were shittim-wood yet over-layed with gold but the Cherubims and Mercy-seat were pure gold v â—7 18. c 25. So likewise the dishes spoons and covers ver 29. the candlestick tongs and snuffdishes ver 3â— and 38. The oyl for the Lamp was to be pure olive chap 27 20. Now for Aron and his Sons the Priests who were to administer before the Lord Moses was commanded to array them most gorgeously Thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy Brother for glory and for beauty and thou shalt speak unto all who are wise hearted whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom that they make Aarons garments to consecrate him that he may minister unto me in the Priests Office and these are the garments which they shal make a brest-plate and an Ephod and a Robe and a broidered coat a mitre and a girdle c and they shal take gold and blue and purple and fine linnen c. chap 28.2 3 4 and 5 verses These for the Offering God required the first ripe fruits which we all know are stil the choice and the fairest the top ears of corn and the principal wheat If they brought an Offering of the increase of their flock it was to be a lovely Lamb without blemish Levit 1.3 if of the fruit of the field It was to be the finest of the flour and the kidnies of the wheat In one word yee may see what God saith unto Aaron Chap 2 I have given thee the best of the Oyl and the best of the Wine and of the Wheat and the first fruits which they shall offer unto the Lord Numb 18.12 Afterward in the dayes of Solomon when this Tabernacle grew into a Temple it lost nothing of its pompeous ceremoniousness but rather increased in glorie and became much more magnificent for David that great Warriour and most victorious Captain consecrated the spoils of many Crowns and Kingdoms to the House of God and much more super-added by Solomon his Son Certainly it was the goodliest pile and most stately structure that ere the sun beheld and all other things were in a just equippage The Priests the Levites the Sacrifices the Offerings the Altars Tables Vessels Vtensils and all the appurtenances all rich and costly and nothing common and forbid among them Now God in all these things did shew clearly as in an emblem that his service and worship was a thing most sacred and solemn that he did expect the best of man in all their approachings unto his Majesty and that nothing lesse should ever be accepted at his hands This likewise is his Law in the Third Commandement Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vain The first Commandement sheweth who is to be worshipped viz. the only true God the Second after what rule viz divine revelation and not hnmane imagination the Third after what manner Thou shalt not take his Name in vain that is thou shalt not presume to intermeddle with God or his Worship after a slight and empty way bvt holily reverently most devoutly as is beseeming his sacred Majesty for the Lord will not hold them guiltless that is according to my Doctrine he will curse them The fourth sheweth the time of publick Worship and I rather mention it because of that appendent to it making cleer to our purpose Levit 19.30 Yee shall keep my Sabbath but that 's not all it follows and reverence my Sanctuary I will be sanctified in them that come near me and before all the people will I be glorified saith the Lord Levit 10.3 Let them make their addresses to me after such a worthy manner that glory and not dishonor may redound unto my Majesty by their service and homage and this makes way for the second ground of the point viz. The blind and the lame are a reproach unto God and do much derogate from the greatnes of his Majesty of this God seems to convince them in the words immediatly following my
with duty Isa 13.14 If thou wilt make my Sabbath a delight c. that is if you cheer fully and lively wil wait upon me and mine Ordinances then thou shalt delight thy self in the Lord and I wil cause to ride upon the high places of the earth that is I will free thee from the earthly and lumpish disposition wherewith thou wert wont to be cumbered and retarded I wil carry thee out with an high hand and thou shalt mount with a strong Eagles wing into Heaven A weak and an heavy performance of spiritual exercise is like swimming in a low water where our bellies are apt to grate upon the gravel and our feet hit against the stones we meet with many offensive rubs besides the shallowness of the streame makes it a most laborious toilsome work go into the deep the waters wil bear thee and the swifter streame most pleasantly drive thee forward Jejune scanty services are as these shollow Fords here we meet with stones and sticks many remoras here we scrabble tire our selves yet scarce get forward but there is a spirit of might dwelling in the deep to help our infirmities and to carry us on more pleasantly in the wayes of Heaven I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me Phil 4.13 and what follows by a just rule of contraryes without Christ and the assistance of his Grace I can do nothing now Christ wil never own such base unworthy services neither wil he ever assist such persons but leaves them to a meer and a pure work no wonder therefore if their hands wax weak and their knees grow feeble if they are sick and weary of duty and in fine give over The work of a Christian is too great for man were it not for the incessant concurrency and help of God the wheels would quickly stand stil were not the spirit of Grace both as Oyl and an hand too upon them to keep all in motion 5. For thy better service thou shalt have a better reward both here and hereafter Thou hast already Premium ante premium a present delectable sweetness upon the performance of every good duty a joy in spirit which a stranger knoweth not neither can he know for it is only to be known by tasting and not by telling I may tel you honey is sweet but I can make it as sweet unto your ears as it was unto my palate no taste it your selves and then you 'l know how sweet it is I tel you therfore that God is wont to give in wonderful incomes of Joy and even ravish the souls of his Saints with celestial comforts when they have been exact and ful in his service Christ now will smile and be very delectable He will kisse them with the kisses of his mouth and his love shall be better then wine they shal find lillies and roses about their pillows and Christ wil lye all night betwixt their breasts he wil satisfie them there with marrow and fatnes and even in dreams and night visions acquaint them with celestial glory This upon the way But then in their Journies end these are the persons which in all probability shal have a fuller injoyment of God for Quales in via talis in patria every mans time is set against his eternity by our duties we may guesse at our dignities by our present performances at our future priviledges As in general they who have done wel shal go into life everlasting so in special the most zealously affected shal be the more abundantly possessed of the heavenly glory Some wil be door-keepers in the house of God and at a greater distance and some near unto the Throne The worst place in Heaven if I may say so is very good Oh happy is that man who is the door-keeper yet if not ambitiouâ— to come near the throne he may perhaps be thought unworthy of the threshold 6. This is the only thing wherein we answer for all the loving kindnesses of the Lord as I may say our little All for his great All. Deut 10.12 Moses in the nine fore-going Chapters makes a narrative of the great and singular mercies which God had bestowed upon that people but then closeth with these words And now Israel what doth the Lord require of thee but that thou love him and fear him and serve him with all thy heart and with all thy soul so might I say God hath arrayed you in scarlet and cloathed you in purple yee fare delitiously every day yee eat of the fat and drink of the sweet and thus hath God done unto you and this populous City and now O Senators O people what doth the Lord require at your hands but to serve him with all your heart c. ought yee not therefore to do it in the best manner yee can should a Prince or a Potentate give unto his servant several Lordships and Mannors but withal require now and then a nosegay in token of homage would be refuse him and when he did present his gift should it be of weeds or common high-way flowers were not this ingratitude to be punished with a Lacedemonian Law God hath given us far greater things then I have mentioned our being life reason understanding protection provision c. and as if these things were too little he hath spoken concerning afterward that he wil give us glory and blisse and immortality we have much in hand and present possession but much more in hope and future reversion now for all these unspeakable mercies we are only to present a Nosegay to our great Benefactor that is our service if we be wise therefore and ingenious we wil make it up of the chosest rarest flowers for this is our All. Again t is that we were made for Children wil tel you as much and it is that wherein only it can be wel wel known that what ever we were made Absalom had neither Son nor Daughter but he sets up a pillar to sternize his memory we may wel think therefore it was not mud or common durt but curious and costly as hands and art could make it This is our Absaloms pillar without which our Name and our memory wil rot especially in Heaven we have neither Son nor Daughter to keep us alive Riches and honour greatness wil not do it these often-times like Absoloms Children dye before their Father only our zeal our service our Love wil everlastingly recorded Let us therefore make the pillar of our memorial as rich and as costly as we can 7. Wicked men offer the Male of their flock unto their God and shal not we much more the Male of our Flock unto our God they sacrifice their Sons and their Daughters unto Devils they do evil with both hands earnestly Mich 7.3 They do there is their hoc agere with both hands there is their dexterity for they are ambo dexteri in wickednes earnestly there is their sedulity indeed every word shews their diligence and unweariablenes