root that signifies to send and that signification of Messenger is by our Translators well chosen to put in this place as taking away or preventing those needless questions which from rendring it an Angell might be raised as How John was an Angel or Why called so which is reported anciently to have given occasion to some of an erroneous opinion that he was not only so by office but by nature also The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pinnah which ours and others agreeably also to what is in the Gospels render prepare is from a root Panah that hath also the signification of looking on and is therefore by the Greek in this place according to that rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall look on and so by the printed Arabick which therein follows them Which certainly cannot be so agreeable to the meaning except we extend it so far as to understand by it to look to it so as that it be as it should be which then will be the same with preparing But the word in that form that it is here is not used for to look and consider or the like but to clear and make clean to prepare by removing what is amiss or offensive so likewise used Esay XL. 3 Prepare ye the way of the Lord make straight a high way which words are likewise applied to the same John Baptist's office here spoken of Mat. III. 3 and Mar. I. 3 and Luc. III. 4 and he shewed to make good what is thereby required by calling to repentance and by preaching the Baptism of repentance for putting away those sins which might hinder them from receiving Christ and so were obstacles in his way And in that place it is rendered by the Greek also prepare and so probably they might here do Having observed these words to be cited by the Evangelists we cannot but take notice that in them they are cited something differently from what is read here for whereas here he saith my Messenger and before me or my face in the first person as speaking of himself there it is still said before thy face and thy way before thee as speaking to and of another Which hath caused some question to be made which of the persons of the Trinity here speaks whether God the Father or Christ. But though it be true what some here observe that such works of the Trinity as are external and common to all the persons and not proper to one may indifferently be attributed to either yet the plainest way of expounding these words here seems to be to look upon them as spoken here as well as in the Evangelists by God the Father concerning Christ here of him there expresly to him And then the saying here my Messenger before me and there thy way before thee making the same way to be called Gods way here and Christs there affords us an evident proof that Christ is one God with the Father and that in Christ God came and was manifest in the flesh For the proving the same viz. That Christ is one with God the Father some would take from what is here said before my face an argument thence proving that Christ is called The face of God but others observe that according to the use of the Hebrew Tongue before my face is no more then before me And therefore our Translators so rendring it shew that they thought not in the word my face to be included any argument for proving the Divinity of Christ on which any great stress ought to be laid and they that think it ought to shew how then the words as here uttered by the Prophet and as cited in the Gospels may be reconciled For if by my face be here meant that Christ is the face of God who then shall be there understood by thy face who shall be called the face of Christ It follows And the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple c. Who by this Lord is meant is agreed on on all hands by Christian Interpreters viz. that it is Christ whom God hath made both Lord and Christ Act. II. 36 and who is Lord over all ibid. X. 36 by whom all things were made by whom all things are sustained and governed who is as the root of the word imports the basis and foundation not of any private family Tribe or Kingdome but of all by whom are all things and we by him I Cor. VIII 6 and whose we are also by right of Redemption and so he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings Rev. XVII 14 and XIX 16 deservedly entituled The Lord. Among the Jews there are some who understand it more generally of God so R. Salomo The God of Judgement R. Aben Ezra The God of glory and so Abarbinel The glorious Name i. e. the glorious God whose words may be by a Christian well interpreted also of Christ though not so by them meant But others of them more plainly agreeing so far with us expresly say he is the King Messiah so Kimchi yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bela shaccin that without doubt it is meant of the Messiah and so say we though as to his person and the right of his title to that appellation of Lord they will not agree with us This Lord is described by that Epithet whom ye seek which may be referred to what is before said where is the God of Judgement as an answer to that question and is therefore by some looked on as if it were spoken in ill part as much as to say whom ye scoffingly seek saying Where is he Why doth he not shew himself Although it may be as by many learned men it is taken as spoken of a serious expectation and seeking of the promised Messiah by many if not the generality of the People whom all along from of old they longed and waited for according as that saying of Jacob I haue waited for thy Salvation O Lord Gen. XLIX 18 and what we read of Simeon Luc. II. 25 that he waited for the consolation of Israel and ver 38. that Anna spake of him being brought into the Temple to all them that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem manifestly shews that there was such a seeking a waiting and longing for the promised Shilo among them by such as seriously wished for it as well as others did in scoff ask after him or murmure at his delay Of him that was so sought it is said as to the circumstance of time that he should suddenly come i. e. suddenly after that his Messenger had come and prepared the way before as Christ did after John Baptist's preaching or suddenly i. e. unawares when men should not think on or be aware of him as Kimchi takes the word here to signify the time being not precisely in the Prophets determined according to what is said in Daniel The words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end Chap. XII 9 Whence
for explication of the sense more words which because his Book is not printed nor common it will not be amiss to give or the meaning of them which is That the meaning of these words together in connexion with the former is Ye have or shall have assurance of his love to you and providence over you when you see that you your selves are returned to your own Land and have power of building and inhabiting it but they have not power to do the like but they build and I throw down and ye therefore praise or shall praise and magnify my name for it saying The Lord shall be magnified on the border of Israel that is his greatness shall be alwaies manifest upon or over you or else it may be supplied thus The Lord shall be magnified who protecteth the border of Israel or the like Or the meaning is said to be It would have become you that you should so do and have continued so to do viz. to have taken due notice of this and to have said The Lord be magnified c. but you have done the contrary as in what follows is declared Or saith he in the opinion of some the words from the border of Israel are to be joined with and ye as if it were thus to be construed And you that reside on or dwell in the border of Israel shall say The Lord be magnified Thus he which we the rather take notice of because it will arm us against what another Jew saith that this may be interpreted And your eies shall see the destruction of Edom in the end of daies or the last daies and then ye shall say The Lord be magnified from the border of Israel that is to say In all the World shall his name be magnified according to what is said Then will I turn to the People a pure language that they may call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent Zeph. III. 9 He seems to look upon this Prophecy as not yet fulfilled but hereafter to be fulfilled by the utter destruction of Edom which certainly hath been long since destroyed and setling Israel again in their Land They willingly catch at any thing whereby to cherish themselves in their fond error of expecting a Messiah yet to come who shall restore to Israel a temporal Kingdom and subdue under them all their Enemies and cut off those whom they please to call Edom by which name we have shewed whom they mean He runs in this the same way that Abarbinol doth Yet here Abarbinel though he promise to himself a farther fulfilling of it in that way yet could not but confess it to be already fulfilled viz. under the second Temple and that restitution of Israel from their Babylonish captivity and the destruction of Edom in those times and therefore saith Perhaps this Promise was spoken concerning both times viz. that so long since past and that which they expect yet to come The Verbs being in the Text in the future Tense as of what was then to come will not advantage those who would make that use thereof as if it were yet to be expected for though their eies had already seen Edom subdued and their Mountains laid wast yet there was there that which they were farther to see and admire viz. that the Edomites should again strive to recover themselves and rebuild their wast as Israel had done theirs but through the continued indignation of the Lord upon them should never be able to do it What we read The Lord will be magnified some read Great is or be the Lord the Lord doth magnify himself over or upon the border of Israel viz. by taking especial care of it Your eies shall see from the border of Israel and you shall say The Lord doth magnify himself The Chalde expounds it And ye shall say Let the Glory of God be multiplied for he hath enlarged the border of Israel which some well like of and so it will well agree with what Drusius observes the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meal properly to signify beyond but these small differences make no great alteration in the sense and scope The inference from what hath been said is plainly this That seeing God had in thus declaring his peculiar love to them above others whom he might for the same respects they also being the seed of Abraham have made objects of his love as well as them certainly they ought to have requited him with more then ordinary love and testified it by their obedience to him which seeing they did not they are justly reproveable To shew the justness of his reproof of them and aggravate the unreasonableness of their ingratitude and perverse behaviour towards him he in the following words proceeds farther to explain his benefits and relations that he stands in to them for which tokens of his love to them they ought also to have shewed such respects to him as those relations required but did not He adds therefore 6 ¶ A son honoureth his father and a servant his master If then I be a father where is mine honour and if I be a master where is my fear saith the Lord of hosts unto you O Priests that despise my Name and ye say Wherein have we despised thy Name A son honoreth his Father and a servant his Master c. God had all along shewed such fatherly love to Israel and paternal care over them above all other Nations that they could not but acknowledge him their Father not only by a common right as he is Father of all as Creator of all but by a peculiar right as having adopted them unto a greater priviledge and nigher relation of sonship then others and so had he by his peculiar guidance and protection direction and government of them shewed himself a Lord and Master to them that they could not deny him by a particular right of title to be so to them This they could not they would not deny but rather so challenge him to themselves in these respects as if he were not so at all to other Nations either a Father or Master to them The word If therefore doth not put or suppose it as a thing which they doubted or such as in words they would deny but such as while with their mouths they confessed or could not but confess they did not in their deeds make good but rather contradicted for if they did look on him as a Father why did they not then duly honor him or if as a master why did they not then reverence and fear him and so includes a reprehension of them for not attesting to their outward profession by their respective behaviour but by that shewed their heart not to be right with him For a son honoureth his Father and a servant his Master It is their duty so to do and they transgress not only their duty but the ordinary custom they who do not so are unnatural sons
other or would choose any other place for his worship then Jerusalem he will certainly effect and therefore for the better assurance thereof repeats it for my Name shall be great that which by you a handfull of men is now despised shall be great among the Heathen by all acknowledged as such These words were when spoken spoken of what should after be but by Christs coming into the World were made good so appears it by what he saith in his discourse with the Samaritan Woman who thought of no other pâ—aâ—e where men ought â—o worship God but either the Mountain of the Samaritans mount Garizim or Jerusalem Joh. IV. 21 c. Woman beleive me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father And the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth The consideration of which words will give us the true import of these and compared together they illustrate one the other for his saying that God did no longer confine his worship i. e. the outward performance thereof by such rites and ceremonies as were ordained to Jerusalem or any other single place what is that but the verifying of what is here said that his Name should be great among the Nations from the rising of the Sun even to the going down of the same and what he â—aâ—th that the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth not only there but every where sheweth that as his Name should be great and magnified among them by their acknowledging him as Father so what is to be meant by that incense and pure offering which they should offer unto his Name viz. not such as are literally signified by those words and were then to be ordered according to the prescription of the Law but such worship as though expressed by the names of those carnal things under the Law then in continual use and known to all yet is indeed spiritual joining the Soul with the external performances agreeable to the nature of God who is a spirit of which those ordinances of worship under the Law were types and shadows And indeed the change of the place necessarily imports a change of the worship or things offered for expression of it for the incense and other offerings by the Law prescribed were not to be offered any where else but in the Temple at Jerusalem after that was there settled for the place of his worship Deut. XII 13 14 26. Those therefore that he will have in every place to be offered to him are manifestly of another nature though called by those names which then included generally all the external worship of God under the Old Testament while the Jews were Gods peculiar People they now figuratively understood denote the whole spiritual worship of God under the New Testament since the calling of the Gentiles and People of all Nations unto Gods Church the Kingdom of Christ. The incense therefore of the Gentiles converted to Christ and by the Gospell instructed in the true knowledge of God and taught to celebrate his great name and their pure offering are devout prayers Rev. V. 8 holy praises thanksgivings and alms-deeds and works of charity Heb. XIII 15 16. their whole selves Rom. XII 1 Divers of the ancient Christian Fathers look on the words as an express and undoubted Prophecy of the Christians solemn worship of God in the Eucharist or Sacrament of the Lords Supper called the Christian Sacrifice to which how they are appliable is shewed at large by the learned M r Mede in his discourse on these words where he gives to note that under the name of the Christian Sacrifice by the ancient Church was understood not the mere Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ but the whole sacred action or solemn Service of the Church assembled whereof this sacred mystery was a prime and principal part and therefore defines it to be An oblation of thanksgiving and praier to God the Father through Jesus Christ and his Sacrifice commemorated in the creatures of bread and wine wherewith God had been first agnized viz. by them sanctified by being offered and set before him as a present to acknowledge him the Lord and giver of all This whole Service duly performed is as at large he there shews deservedly stiled incense and a pure offering both in respect that it is purely or spiritually offered and in respect of the purity of the conscience and affection of the offerers throughly perswaded of the greatness of God and in respect of Christ whom it signifies and represents who is a Sacrifice without all spot and blemish and by this being offered to his Name in every place he saith the time should come when it should be great magnified and acknowledged as great among and by all Nations though the Jews did now profane it as he makes the connexion by rendring that though which our Translation renders but. But the sense will be much alike in reading but viz. to this purpose the time shall come when from the rising of the Sun c. my Name shall be great among the Gentiles who yet have not true knowledge of me but will when I shall see due time to reveal it to them readily embrace it Mean while it ought to have been so among you and duly magnified by you to whom I have from of old revealed it and given you ordinances and waies of worship by observing of which you should have magnified it but you on the contrary have by despising those ordinances and perverting those waies of worship profaned it When these words were spoken and thence forward as all along before since the giving of the Law till the time of this diffusing the knowledge of God and his Name and this alteration and reformation of his worship here spoken of the Jews had for their direction the Law of Moses and ought duly to have attended to it as they are warned Chap. IV. 4 but they did in all things go so contrary to it as that neither they nor any service they did were acceptable to God So notoriously so obstinately peccant were they both Priest and People that he sees it not sufficient to have once reproved them by reckoning up to them their faults but again repeats them that so they may be sensible how greatly they have offended him how displeasing it is to him that they should continue to do such things having been warned of them and that it is worse then what the Gentiles when he shall call them will do 12 ¶ But ye have profaned it in that ye say The table of the Lord is polluted and the fruit thereof even his meat is contemptible But ye have profaned it viz. my Name so verse 6. they are said to despise
wrest judgment thou shalt not respect persons This is to be partial in the Law our Margin tells us it is literally according to the Hebrew ye have accepted faces it is usually elsewhere rendred to respect persons These three expressions are in meaning all one but our margin gives us likewise another rendring viz. Ye have lifted up the face against the Law viz. presumptuously done or taught what is contrary to it which although by some Interpreters followed and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nasa doth doubtless signify as well to lift up as to accept and the meaning be good yet is by one found fault with because the common and received use of the phrase is to denote respect of persons and not elsewhere taken in that sense of lifting up the face 10 Have we not all one Father hath not one God created us why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother by profaning the Covenant of our fathers Have we not all one father hath not one God created us c. Some especially they who render the former words by lifting up the face against the Law will have this verse to be the words of the Priests or People apologizing for themselves against that which the Prophet in the following verses accuseth them for and reproves them viz. their contracting unlawful marriages with Infidels or Heathenish women as if lifting up the face against the Law which forbad them so to do they should say why do ye tax us for our unlawful marriages with Infidels was not Adam one common Father to us all hath not one God created us all why do ye therefore charge us with treacherous dealing with our brethren and profaning the Covenant of our fore-fathers in that we do promiscuously match with our heathen Neighbors as the learned Bishop Hall paraphraseth the words according to their meaning And they in their Notes take notice of the grounds that these making their excuse do go on viz. in that all being from one common Father and all by one created they are all equally lawful as for liberty of contracting marriages with them And again as it is no treacherous dealing therefore with their brethren so it cannot be a profanation of the Covenant made by God with their Fathers inasmuch as by this means they called others into partaking of the Covenant w ch was a most just thing Another going along with them as to the first part of the verse and taking for included therein all that they say makes yet the latter part viz. why do we deal treacherously c. to be the Prophets answer unto them by retorting on them their own words and putting it to their own conscience bidding them to ask themselves why do we that know Gods command for not marrying with the Gentiles deal treacherously every man against his Jew brother by casting off his sister or daughter whom we have married to take in her place a stranger so profaning the Covenant of our Fathers by which God required that they should not pollute themselves with such marriages and they did faithfully keep it But as for the first of these opinions it is excepted against by a learned man as restraining so these words to the Priests to whom the foregoing words were spoken whereas the things now taxed were common to all and the second seems not much to mend the matter both make the matter harsh and require such an abrupt change of persons in speaking as the words seem to give no ground for They more plainly and clearly flow if they be all taken as the words of the Prophet proceeding in his reproof but not of the Priests only as before but of all They that in the preceding verse understand by their being partial in the Law their partiality in determining in behalf of oppressors and exactors think that sin of exaction here especially taxed and the iniquity of it shewed in regard that they were all Children of one father Jacob and so equally free and having equal right to justice according to the Law without respect of persons and by one God created i. e. made his People why then do we deal treacherously every man against his brother in oppressing him and by unjust usury exacting of him which is a manifest profanation of the Covenant of our Fathers or that Law given to them which forbad to lay usury on any of Gods People their brethren as Exod. XXII 25 Lev. XXV â—6 Deut. XXIII 19 20. And for their ground of this exposition and confirmation of it they refer us to the History of the Jews in those times about which this Prophet lived as particularly set down in Nehemiah ch V. vers 3 4 5 6 7 c. where their oppression of the poor by usury and exactions is described and a reformation thereof sought by Nehemiah With these others agree who will have here all wrong dealing taxed But others the Jews generally and divers Christians follow another way of exposition which seems more agreeable and coherent to the following verses and that is whether with respect to the foregoing words as some will or without respect to them as some of the Jews who look on this as a beginning of a new Prophecy as one speaks or a new matter of reproof or a new Section that these words are the words of the Prophet reproving them for what they did under the second Temple after their return from the Babylonish captivity contrary to the Law in what concerned their marriages in which they were peccant in two regards 1. In taking Wives that were of another Nation and Religion 2. In oppressing and hard dealing with their Israelitish Wives either by dismissing them or using them despitefully and contumeliously and denying them what was due to them in favor of those strange Wives which they took with them and preferred before them in which kind how peccant they were both People and Priests and Levites also is shewed at large Ezra c. IX This sin the Prophet coming to reprove argues as some observe and aggravates the hainousness and unreasonableness thereof in regard that it is the violation of the tie of a double relation which should have kept them from doing it 1. In that they had all one Father were of one kindred and Family have we not all one Father and so in violating the rights of that affinity did deal treacherously every man with his brother 2. In that they were all of one Religion the People of one God all acknowledging and professing to serve him alone and to observe his Laws hath not one God created us and so in doing as they did contrary to his Law profaned the Covenant of their Fathers that Covenant by God who made them his peculiar People made with their Fathers by vertue of which as he was one God so they were to be one People separated to him and not mingle
that take heed to your spirit that it deal not treacherously c. Another sense he also mentions viz. For he made not one alone and abundance of the spirit is with him and why or to what purpose should he have made one seeking a Seed of God Take heed therefore c. the sense is God would that the woman should be a companion to the man and his confederate for he made not only man not a male alone but a woman also and that most wisely inasmuch as he hath the remainder of the spirit and to what purpose should he do it whereas he sought a Seed of God which could not be born without wedlock Therefore take heed c. But this he saith pleaseth him not so well as that before it inasmuch as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shear signifies not excellency abundance as it notes excellency but remainder only Having seen this variety of Expositions besides what we shall after see among Christian Interpreters if we shall look into the Jews we shall find yet more they almost all differing one from another The Chalde Paraphrast the ancientest among them thus paraphraseth the words Was not Abraham one alone from whom was created or procreated the World or a World It may be supposed he respects the blessings promised to Abraham that from him should be a multitude of Nations and in his Seed all the Families of the Earth should be blessed Gen. XII 3 and XVII 4 c. and XXII 17 or that by the World he understands the People of Israel God's peculiar in the World Gen. XXXII 8 9. and what did that one seek but that there might remain to him an off-spring from before God or in the sight of God Take heed therefore to your selves and deal not falsely with the wife of thy youth R Salomo Jarchi though after him many ages yet the eldest Commentator gives an Exposition to this purpose according to his own words and as by Abarbinel explained Did not God make one i. e. one pair Adam and Eve and not one man with two women and the residue of the spirit was to him or was his i. e to or in Adam the first man the rest of the spirits of men were in him from him they all proceeded And if so why doth one who is in marriage seek to find occasions against his wife which is coupled to him and which is the Seed of God why doth he prosecute her so as to despise her This is his chief or only Exposition according to what is in the printed Copies and what is reported from him by Abarbinel But in a Manuscript Copy there is before this put another Exposition different from it viz. to this sense Did not the holy God prepare a help for Adam or man and joyn to him his wife at the beginning and the remainder of the spirit was to him or his spirit remained unto him but now another spirit is come upon him to hate her and he hath chosen to him the daughter of a strange God and why one he seeketh or what doth that one seek a daughter of Israel which is the Seed of holiness This I must desire the Reader to examine by some other manuscript Copy if he meet with any and for that end I have put the Hebrew words as they are in that Copy which I had use of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Another Exposition he likewise mentions out of the ancient Rabbins in which the words are made as it were a Dialogue betwixt the People and the Prophet as if those that had married strange wives coming together to the Prophet said did not Abraham do so who took to him Hagar with his wife and he answered But the residue of the spirit or excellency of spirit was with him his meaning was not as yours he set not his eies upon her he had another meaning They said to him and what did that one seek what was his meaning he saith to them That he might have a Seed of God Another also in the manuscript Copy to this purpose as if the People did object Did not one make us did not he that created Israel create the Nations also why doth he make it unlawful for us to joyn in marriage with them are not also all the rest of the spirits his the Prophet did answer And what doth that one require a Seed of God Take heed therefore unto your spirit and let not thy spirit deal falsely with the wife of thy youth The last but one of these is plainly the same with what David Kimchi gives as his Fathers opinion without mentioning either R. Salomo or any other from whom he took it only a little more explained viz. That the first are the words of the People to the Prophet Did not Abraham our Father who was one do so as we do who let alone his wife and married Hagar his Maid although there was in him excellency of spirit and he was a Prophet then the Prophet's answer in the next words What did that one seek a Seed of God as if he should say When he married Hagar he did it not but to seek a Seed of God because he had no Seed by Sarah his wife and withall he did not deal falsely with his wife because by her good will and her command he did it But do you take heed to your spirit and let not any of you deal treacherously with the wife of his youth to leave her and marry the daughter of a strange God That which he gives as his own interpretation is Abraham who was one and the Father to all that come after him in his Faith did not so as ye do for he followed not his lust neither married any that was lawful to him no not Sarah no not of his own flesh or kindred but that he might leave a Seed of God as he commanded to leave Seed saying Increase and multiply Gen. I. 28 And by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shear he saies is understood excellency not as in other Expositions residue of the spirit To this opinion of making Abraham the One here spoken of several Christians also incline and amongst them Grotius who yet in the expounding the other words differs from them by the words which they take to signify excellency of spirit he taking to be signified that they the Israelites were the residue of his spirit i. e. all drew and derived their spirit from his and then what is rendered Take heed to your spirit understands restrain or refrain your Anger The changings of persons and numbers here in the Hebrew as Take ye heed to your spirits in the plural number and second person then the wife of thy youth in the singular then let him not deal treacherously in the third person without expressing who is meant whereas it might seem more agreeable to what precedes to say do not ye or thou which some supply by putting in any let
been dedicated to the only true God Here therefore it being called Christs Temple it shews that he is true God one with the Father This argument though pious and conclusive to Christians yet a learned man would not have to be much insisted on as to the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heicul inasmuch as it doth not only signify a Temple or House of worship but also a Palace and so he thinks the Jews may put it off by saying it signifies only the Messiah shall come to his Palace But I suppose they would not fly to that I do not find any of them that do The ordinary Expositors that we have of them as R. Salomo Jarchi Aben Ezra David Kimchi as likewise R. Tanchum do not at all meddle with interpreting this word only Abarbinel who as we said interprets the Lord not of the Messiah but of the Shecinah or glorious Presence of God or God himself explains it to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heical which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bebeith mikdasho in his Sanctuary by which he will have to be meant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Habbeith haatid that house or Temple which is to come or shall hereafter be built or as in his Commentary on Haggai he calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beith shelishi the third house By it then here I doubt not but they all understand it a Temple properly so called But however they may otherwise seek to evade the force of this argument and this I mean of them who confess by the Lord here to be meant the Messias whether by saying it may be called his because by him built according to Maimonides or because he should frequent it or otherwise certainly the other argument for proof of his being come because the Temple to which he was to come is so long since destroyed is unanswerable and their talking of a third Temple without any ground in Scripture so long and still in vain expected by them under which this Prophecy is to be made good as if it were not long since fulfilled while that second Temple was standing as we are assured that it was is a mere dream of men choosing to themselves strong delusions Which lest any of theirs by enquiring into it should discover they weary it appears or ashamed of the length of the time of their vain expectation or not knowing how they should satisfy such as should enquire into it have long since by a severe way interdicted all such enquiries by saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tippach rucham or Atsman shel Mechashebe hakketsim Let them burst or breathe out their souls that enquire after the ends or periods and terms of time viz. concerning the coming of the Messiah And that perhaps may be the cause why their Expositors in this place say so little of it viz. how or when the Lord should come to his Temple Certainly without acknowledging Christ the true Messiah and him to be come in the flesh and both God and man there cannot any thing be said that can give the true meaning or shew what was requisit for the fulfilling of this Prophecy here and that cited out of Haggai of such affinity with it And no wonder to see them who willingly and obstinately decline the one only way of manifest truth to run on in such different tracts of error It follows in the Text Even the Messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in Where our Translators rendring the copulative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which ordinarily signifies and by even give us to look on these words as a farther description of the same person who was called the Lord and that is as hath been said Christ Jesus who though he be one with his Father God eternal yet humbled himself for mens sakes to be as a Messenger from his Father to them to declare unto them his will and to be unto him obedient in all things that he gave him to do This proves not that he is not one God with the Father though as a Son he yielded obedience to him and performed his work Here is nothing in this that takes away either unity of essence or equality of power So that we need not to depart from this notion of Messenger or Angel to render it Prince as a learned man by the use of the word in another language thinks it may be proved in the Hebrew and here also to signify It will come but to one pass he is Prince of the Covenant for the same reason that he is called Messenger or Angell of it which is because in him God founded the new Covenant of Grace and by him as Mediator of it administred it he not only declaring it but ratifying it with his own Blood and receiving into it as many as lay hold on him even that new Covenant of which he is Mediator Heb. XII 24 better then the old and established on better promises Heb. VIII 6 8 c. spoken of Jer. XXXI 31 no more comprehending Jews alone but Gentiles also In which regard God saith of him I will give thee for a Covenant of the People for a light of the Gentiles c. Isa. XLII 6 in whom he was reconciling the World unto himself 2 Cor. V. 19 In this that we say that it is bâ—t the same person who is called both Lord and Messenger we have most of the Jewish Expositors consenting So R. Salomo and Aben Ezra and Kimchi and R. Tanchum and Abarbinel in a secondary Exposition but yet in this divided among themselves that some of them say by both is meant God himself i. e. God the Father by others the Messiah Against the former is hence an evident proof that of God the Father it cannot be meant because a Messenger is necessarily a distinct person from him that sends him The Lord therefore and Messenger here spoken of must as we affirm of Christ needs be so As for those who interpret both as we do of the Messiah though much differing from us as concerning the nature of his person yet there is no occasion to dispute with them concerning that here in that they agree that the person by both titles described is the Messiah As for others who take by the Lord to be meant one by the Messenger of the Covenant another so vain and absurd are their fancies that to name them will be sufficient confutation of them as not only that uncouth as well as novel opinion of Abarbinel making it to be the King of Persia who had sent them home from their Babylonish Captivity but also that of some more ancient who would have to be meant Eliah whom they would have to be called by that title because he alwaies presides at the Rite of Circumcision the sign of Gods Covenant with them which they thus make out God seeing his zeal for Circumcision when those of the ten Tribes were negligent of it gave him this priviledge as
approved of such things or persons which he had formerly declared his dislike unto This while with them we look on as the import of the word here we cannot but wonder at the impudence and folly of that railing Jew Lipman who saith that Christians go contrary to the meaning of what is here said in affirming that God who before had not flesh and blood was changed to be flesh and blood or as another Copy hath it who was before only the Father and the Holy Spirit was afterward changed to be the Son In which objection of his is only much malice and impertinency inasmuch as by nothing that the Christians say nor by any consequence that can be drawn from what they say can it be concluded that they affirm any change or alteration in God or the Godhead with whom they profess to be no variableness neither shadow of changing either in his nature or any of his attributes all things remaining in him the eternal Trinity one God in three Persons as they were from eternity nor by Christs taking the Manhood into God was there any change of God into Man nor confusion of substance or alteration of person Again inasmuch as that he might pick a cavil against Christians he takes the word which here denotes Gods immutability in his Will Word Decree and purpose which with the Jews the Christians absolutely affirm as if it imported here immutability of nature or substance though that be most true also so that it is a cavil sought not offered to him either by the word as here used nor any thing by the Christians affirmed He had no occasion to say this but he having said it it was convenient to take some notice of it lest others of his Sect might applaud him in it and think to be true what he feigneth But of the concurrence of the other Jews in rendring the latter Verb in the same notion that our Translators do who render it are not consumed we take more notice because some learned Christians take it in another signification and would have it rendred And ye sons of Jacob do not desist or leave off to do evil so in Munster and the Tigurin Translations more lately And the Septuaginâ— of old seems so to have taken the word to signify reading this word with the two first of the following verse And ye sons of Jacob have not râ—câ—ded from the unjust dealings or wickedness of your Fathers as likewise the printed Arabick Version following that and the Syriack also And from the word in that notion rendred would flow a very convenient sense taking the whole verse as a confirmation of what is before said and that they certainly must expect that judgement denounced to come in its appointed time inasmuch as the Lord is unchangeable in his purpose of punishing incorrigible unrepenting sinners and they would not leave off their evil courses nor repent them of their sins nor desist from them But others and they the major part viz. all that follow the vulgar Latin and diverse others also of modern Interpreters prefer with the forementioned Jewish Writers the other notion of being consumed as more usual to the Verb in the Conjugation or form here used according to which our Translators render are not consumed but then in giving the meaning and connexion of the whole verse there is among those who embrace this signification of this word some difference Some taking it as speaking of the time past or present make the coherence with what goes before and the meaning to this purpose as may be collected out of them put together that doubtless it shall be so as he said he will come in judgement to those sinners For he the Lord who hath determined and pronounced that he will not leave impenitent sinners unpunished doth not change his will and purpose But how then is it that the Sons of Jacob whose Fathers and themselves have been great and obstinate sinners have not long since been or are not yet consumed It is from the same unchangeableness in God who as he is just so is likewise merciful and long suffering not willing the death of sinners but rather that they should come to repentance and therefore determined as to execute justice so not to be hasty in executing it but to give space for repentance that so the necessity and equity of his judgements executed on such as would not lay hold on his mercy by repentance while they had time allowed for it may appear and besides that he might shew how just he was in keeping promise and his Covenant made with their Forefathers Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in so long sparing for their sakes their rebellious posterity who would make no end of sinning So that it was not through any change in him that they have not yet been consumed but shall now be severely punished but from his mercy and their obstinacy opposing and rejecting it So that they cannot but say if they will rightly consider the matter it is of the Lords mercy that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not Great is thy faithfulness Lam. III. 22 23. This however they differ in expressions seems to be the scope that the most of Expositors will have these words to aim at There are that read them by way of interrogation or admiration For I the Lord change not and are not ye O Sons of Jacob consumed how wonderful a thing is it that the Lord being immutable in his judgement against refractory sinners they should not yet be consumed how hath mercy prevailed against judgement This falls in with what hath been already said and requires the same answer There may be proposed another way thus Expect certainly the execution of the judgement spoken of and that I will in due time call to an account sinners for I the Lord change not Of which that you may not doubt you have from a contrary effect and evidence of my immutability a proof for therefore ye Sons of Jacob are not consumed though the wicked have hitherto domineer'd and wickedness reigned yet you true Sons of Jacob that fear me as Jacob did have been preserv'd by virtue of my promise and mercy they have not been able to root you out But as we saw before that by a learned Jew it is noted that this Verb is to be rendred rather in the signification of the future and with respect to what was to come not to what was past or present so it is by some of good judgement and learning among Christians also taken that the words may be rendred Therefore or and ye Sons of Jacob shall not be consumed as part of the Prophecy of what should be to the godly when the Lord should come to execute his Judgement spoken of on the wicked and for making out the meaning to this purpose they understand by the Sons of Jacob the godly amongst the Jews they who being of the Faith of Jacob
and following his steps deserved peculiarly to be called his Children or Sons according to what we learn in like kind whom properly to call Children of Abraham Galat. III. 7 and Rom. IX 7 and then the coherence will appear thus I will certainly come near to you in judgment against the sinners among you For I am the Lord and change not but am still as ever inexorable to obstinate impenitent sinners one that will in due time take vengeance on them however for a long time I have spared them but ye true Sons of Jacob ye whose heart is right with me and who lay hold on my Promise to him made and by walking in his steps approve your selves his genuine Children heirs of his Faith ye as you are not partakers of their sins so neither shall ye be of the judgements brought upon them I will make a way for your escape that ye perish not with them And that so he effected it is made evident by the history When the judgement here prophesied of had its execution and completion in the destruction of the City and Temple of Jerusalem and the wicked obstinate sinners of the Jews in it God provided for the escape and deliverance of such as had embraced the doctrine of Christ and yielded obedience to him so that they were not consumed as if God had not taken a special care for them they must necessarily have been And so taking by that day of the Lords coming to be meant the space as we have said on the first and second verses betwixt John Baptist's and Christ's beginning to preach and the destruction of the Temple and by that swift judgement the destruction of the wicked among the Jews together with their City and Temple and by the Sons of Jacob those that believed in Christ whom Jacob so long before waited for and transmitted the expectation of to his posterity and by what is said that they should not be consumed their escape and wonderful preservation from that so universal a destruction by their being from God warned to go out of the City while there was an opportunity offered which accordingly they did to a place called Pella so that there was not one Christian left in the City when it was destroyed but all escaped as Eusebius testifies in the 3 d book of his History Cap. 5. and Epiphanius de Ponderib Cap. 15. we cannot but see all that is here spoken from the beginning of the Chapter to the end of the 6 th verse to have been so fully made good by evidence of fact that there is no ground by vertue of this Prophecy to look for any thing yet to be expected which hath not been made good as the Jews that they may keep up themselves in their willing error of denying Christ yet to be come would have us do and that there is in them a full and satisfactory answer to that blasphemous murmuring and questioning in the last verse of the preceding Chapter God delighteth in them that do evil else why doth he suffer them to prosper or Where is the God of Judgment So that in respect to those who so spake and to whom these things were then spoken viz. the people of the Jews there is no need of looking farther Mean while what happened then to them is to all others for example to teach them that though God for a while in his forbearance and giving time to repent suffer the wicked to prosper yet he will doubtless in due time manifest his Justice in punishing them for their evil doings and if he do not in this life whether by personal judgements on particular persons or national on wicked Nations yet he certainly will after death and at that general terrible Judgement at the last day of which that severe judgement then on the Jewish Nation was so lively a figure and emblem as that it cannot but put all that will consider things in mind of it and warn them to expect it though it be not that which is here primarily meant And this seems the most plain and the litteral way of the expounding these words hitherto 7 ¶ Even from the daies of your Fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances and have not kept them return unto me and I will return unto you saith the Lord of hosts But ye said Wherein shall we return Even from the daies of your Fathers ye are gone away from mine Ordinances The connexion of these words with the former is by Expositors differently given according to their different Expositions of those According to those that render the foregoing Verb in the notion of desisting or ceasing from evil these words will be a farther declaration of what was by it said viz. that they continued still to do as all along from the daies of their Fathers they had done and would not be brought to repent of their evil doings and forsake them which now yet they are exhorted to do and in the following words some of those their sins particularly enumerated According to those who render it in the notion of being consumed and take it in the sense of the time past or present they will be an amplification of Gods mercy in that they have not been nor are yet consumed by aggravation of their sins from their long and obstinate continuance in them without repentance of or turning from them which by the same unchangeable mercy they are called on yet to do But according to the latter way which we prefer of rendring it ye shall not be consumed there is not any such connexion to be looked after but the former part of this Chapter containing an answer to what was whether by impatient murmurers or sâ—offers objected against Gods justice and immutability of his methods in proceeding against wicked doers being in the sixth verse concluded he passeth to a new matter a distinct part of the Chapter a new contest against the People of that time for other sins by which they had provoked him to send on them already some previous judgements for removing which and preventing those more terrible ones mentioned in the foregoing verses and which he doth again before the end of this Prophecy put them in mind of he shews them the only way to be to return unto him by repentance and therefore in compassion to them calls on them so to do So R. Tanchum saith that though these words are not distinguished from the former in the writing yet in sense they are being an address to the People of that time alone So Junius and Tremellius look on it as a new contest or expostulation added to those former against contempt and profanation of his worship c. 1. v. 6. and c. 2.10 2 ly Against illegal Marriages Polygamy and Divorce thence to vers 17. 3 ly Against their murmuring repining or scoffing at his Justice and Judgements v. 17. of that second Chap. with an answer hitherto And now 4 ly here against sacrilegious detention of
tithes and things belonging to God hence to verse 13. where and in the following verses he adds another against their slighting of his worship and of repentance So Grotius looks on it likewise as a distinct speech saying that here leaving off to speak to whom he spake in the last words he returns again to speak to the wicked And according to this supposition that here is a transition to a new matter of expostulation without mingling this verse with the preceding in construction or continuation of sentence will be the plainest way of proceeding to what follows Even from the daies of your Fathers ye are gone away from mine Ordinances and have not kept them Abarbinel notes that in these words ye are gone away from mine Ordinances God accuseth them of breach of his affirmative Precepts or those that injoyned them to do such things as he commanded in the other and have not kept them of the breach of his negative Precepts or such as forbad them to do such or such things which he saith is agreeable to an observation of their ancient Doctors that the latter word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shamar is usually applied to negative Precepts but without this nicety of distinction R. D. Kimchi gives the meaning in plain and perspicuous words thus A long time is past since that ye have not kept or observed mine Ordinances both ye and your Fathers therefore have I brought evil on them and on you But now from henceforth return c. In much like manner Grotius Ye now so live as ye formerly lived when ye deserved to be carried away into captivity and will again deserve to suffer the like That here while he mentions their doings are intimated such evils and judgements as they had already pulled down on themselves and should farther pull down if they continued in those waies is manifest by what follows as in the subsequent verses where such evils are named so in the next words of these wherein he exhorts them to repentance as the only means to remove what they already suffered or were further threatned with and to reconcile him whom they had provoked to themselves and regain his favor Return unto me and I will return unto you Return unto me by repentance and I will return unto you in mercy and favor and care over you by my good Providence Remove you the evil of your doings and I will remove the evil of my Judgements the effects of my displeasure for that evil God neither recedes nor returns but when he shews tokens of his displeasure he is said to turn away when of his favor to return But ye said wherein shall we return The import of these words is by some here given as of like expressions before in this Prophet if ye shall say wherein shall we return and R. Tanchum well notes that the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be in or with in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bammeh in what or wherein hath here the force or signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from as in some other places for that the sense is not in or with what thing shall we return unto thee but from what thing shall we return c. Whether they openly and in words said thus or inwardly and in their thoughts is all one what they thought or said in their hearts being as well known to God as what they uttered with their mouthes it argues their great impudence who being called on by God to return from their sin would not acknowledge themselves guilty of any thing that they should repent of or amend in themselves but in justification of themselves say what is there in us that needs to be reformed Kimchi thus paraphraseth it Is there any other matter besides what thou hast hitherto reproved us for of matters of illegal Sacrifices and concerning women or transgression in matter of marriage mentioned in the first and second Chapters To this he returns them answer by specifying what besides those things they were guilty in viz. in their defrauding him in tithes and offerings and he so doth it as to give them notice of the hainousness of that fault saying 8 ¶ I Will a man rob God yet ye have robbed me But ye say Wherein have we robbed thee In tithes and offerings Will a man rob God c. Of these words we find far different Translations as 1. That of the ancient Latine Si affiget homo Deum quia vos configitis me which the Authors of the Doway Translation in English render shall a man fasten God because you do fasten me with which though a harsh sense the Tigurin Version also agrees though noting in the Margin that otherwise it may be rendred do violence to and pierce and otherwise take away by force and that instead of God may be rendred Judicem the Judge 2 ly That of the Greek will a man supplant God because ye have supplanted me And 3 ly of the Chalde will a man provoke a Judge to anger because ye provoke me to anger And 4 the Interlineary Version Will a man take away God by force which must be understood of the things pertaining to God 5. Ought a man to snatch or take away by rapine those things that are Gods because ye snatch away those things that are mine as Pagnine 6. As Munster Will a man do violence to the Judges because ye do violence to me That we may judge between these and if there be any other that differs in sense from some of these and clear the sense it will be expedient to enquire into the signification of the principal Verb in this expression because on the acception of that depends the main of the matter either for preferring any of these before the other or reconciling them if it be possible That word or verb rendred by ours Rob is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kaba of which we may observe that it is found but seldom in the Scriptures viz. here in this and the following verse four times and in Prov. XXII twice in the same verse viz. the 23. verse and not elsewhere I mean in the form of a Verb for to look after some Nouns which have the same radicals which are but two neither in Scripture viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Koba a Helmet and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kubaath Dregs will not be much to our purpose And this seldom use of it makes the signification not to be so well known as that of words oftner used Diverse of the Jewish Grammarians and Interpreters tell us that it signifies to take away by violence to rob as ours well here express it or to spoile as in the forecited place Prov. XXII 23 they render it for in both places viz. here and there it seems to have the same signification Others looking on it as a Chalde or Syriack word at least of more use in that Language thence would have us take or look for
quickly remove the curse by giving all necessary causes and means of a contrary blessing And so it implies a Promise that he will do it they shall certainly find it and that the parting with that which they detained as fearing the parting therewith should diminish their store shall be a way the only way for great encrease of it To this purpose R. D. Kimchi explains the words Bring in all your tithes c. that there may be meat for those that serve me and withall repent you of the faults mentioned if ye do not I will punish you with other punishments but if you do bring in all the tithes and offerings as ye ought I will give you rain and pour out on you a blessing Pelicanus a learned and serious man in this Exposition follows him who also from what is here said with great reason urgeth on Christians under the Gospel a diligent care of due and willing paying such tithes and oblations as are for the maintainance of the Ministry c. As likewise Oecolampadius saying that Christian liberty exempteth none from tithes that were wont to be paid But to receive what either they or any other in like kind deduce and conclude from these words will not be to our present purpose which is to clear only the litteral Exposition of the words and shew what meaning they will bear If I will not open c. That which is here promised is generally agreed on to be a plenteous rain by restraint of which there was occasioned a dearth in the Land and this the Lord saith he will give Though the rain proceed from natural causes constituted by God as other things in the order of nature do yet the ordering of those causes and effects as concerning rain have alwaies been looked on as an immediate act of God himself whereby his power and mercy towards men have been as visibly declared as in any thing and as a particular act of his Providence in causing it to come or not come whether for correction or for his Land or for mercy Job XXXVII 13 It is therefore an ancient saying among the Jews that there be three keys which God hath reserved in his own hand and hath not delivered to any Minister or Substitute viz. the keys of life and of rain and of the Resurrection of the Dead in the ordering of the rain they look on his great power to appear no less then in giving life at first or afterwards raising the Dead to it agreeable to which S. Paul saith that God left himself not without witness in that he did good and gave rain from Heaven and fruitful Seasons Act. XIV 17 It was a manifest testimony alwaies to all Nations of his divine power and so acknowledged so that it will not be necessary to look into those many places of Scripture wherein he speaks of it as so either by promising to give it for a blessing or restrain it for a curse and punishment When he restrains it he is in a figurative speech said to shut up Heaven as Deut. XI 17 and Luc. IV. 25 and to stop the windows of Heaven Gen. VIII 2 equivalent to which is another expression of making the Heaven brass Deut. XXVIII 23 and staying it Hag. I. 10 When he giveth it in abundance he is said to open the windows or as others the cataracts or floud-gates of Heaven as here and likewise Gen. VII 11 but there it was for a curse as sometimes he disposeth it as we have seen out of Job XXXVII 13 here for a blessing Which way soever it be intended there is no doubt but that the expression is as Aben Ezra notes a proverbial phrase for signifying great abundance and because abundance thereof may be as we said as well for a curse at sometimes as a blessing at others and it is in the disposal of God to order for which it shall be to shew that his Promise here is for good he adds and pour you out a blessing viz. of plenty contrary to their present condition of penury Both the rain and the making it a blessing is from him and his ordering And he saith of that blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it So according to our Translation and so as we already noted from Abarbinel R. D. Kimchi reporting it as from his Father saith that the meaning is in such plenty that you shall not have vessels or storehouses sufficient to receive it The words in the original are concise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad beli dai and litterally signify only unto not enough which being an expression not so intelligible in other Languages Interpreters differently render and explain it in their own Tongues which rendrings it will be to no purpose to recite inasmuch as they all agree in this that it is an expression to denote great abundance w ch shall afford them not only enough to satisfy them but more then enough that they shall have to spare plenty without measure or such as for its abundance cannot be measured as R. Tanchum expresses it Instead of what is in the Text of our Bibles is put in the Margin empty out which either must be understood as that in the Text or else will not be so clear an expression inasmuch as it may seem to import that Gods store may be emptied which can never be L. de Dieu would have it understood as long as there is sufficiency which is perpetually for Gods sufficiency cannot be exhausted But for the completing to them a blessing contrary to the curse under which they suffered it would not be sufficient that they should have rain and fruitfull Seasons these might make the Earth yeild her encrease and bring forth in plenty all manner of grain and fruits and yet they by other means be deprived of them as by Locusts Canker-worms Catter-pillars and the like devouring creatures which God calls his great Army Joel II. 25 which in a short time oft have destroyed the hope of the whole year and occasioned great famines when there hath been expectation of greatest plenty and probably these were part of that curse now upon them For perfecting therefore the blessing here promised on their amendment of their waies he promiseth also to secure them from these and all hurt by them saying I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes or to or for you i. e. that all things may prosper to you The devourer because there were many sorts of such creatures as may devour and corrupt the corn and fruits he puts a general name that comprehends all all of them will he rebuke i. e. hinder from doing hurt They are wont to do hurt not only to the fruits of the ground the corn and herbage but to the fruit-trees also by causing them also not to be able to bring any fruit to perfection as appears by Joel I. 7 according to what some there expound the words However that
may be added to what hath been said that which Simeon said unto Mary when she presented Jesus in the Temple concerning him Behold this Child is set for the fall and rising againe of many in Israel Luke II. 34 that is as it is well and appositly to our purpose paraphrased by the learned D r Hammond is appointed by God to be a means of bringing punishment and ruine upon all obdurate impenitents and on the other side to redeem restore and recover those that will be wrought upon by him He that was a chief corner stone elect and precious precious indeed to those that believed was at once unto the disobedient a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence I Pet. II. 6 7 8. such a stone as whosoever should fall on should be broken but on whomsoever it should fall it should grind him to powder Mat. XXI 44 and whereas they urge in confirmation of their opinion that Christ at his first coming came not to judge but to be judged not to destroy but to save we may oppose what he saith Joh. IX 39 for judgement am I come into this World so as to shew that that cannot be so understood as to contradict this And that place of Joh. XII 47 where he saith he came not to judge the World may as D r Hammond observes be well understood that he came not to accuse but certain it is that the Father committed all Judgement to the Son and gave him authority to execute Judgement Joh. V. 22 27. and that as he came for Judgement into the World so he did execute it being come both by his preaching while he was among men laying the axe to the root of the tree and severely putting home the blow at the signal destruction of the unbelieving obstinate Jews in few years after his departure out of the World when they who before refused to be judged by him and to be convinced by his preaching of their evil waies and to repent of them that so judging themselves they might have prevented the farther judgement of the Lord and thought to prevent that by judging him and crucifying him did by their obstinacy pull it on themselves and felt the sad effects in so dreadful a manner in that particular Judgement on that Nation that nothing but that fearful perdition of the whole World expected at the last day can be imagined more terrible so that that destruction of theirs being comprehended under the day of his first coming in the way that we have said makes it deservedly called the great and dreadfull day of the Lord as well as the last day of his coming to the generall Judgement may be so called And whereas as they say that the day of his first coming is called an acceptable day a day of Salvation it is to be considered to whom it was so viz. to such as received him with good will as a Savior believed in him and obeyed him but to others it was far otherwise a day burning as an oven to destroy them In like manner also may that day of the future Judgement be termed and shall be to the righteous a day of Salvation a welcome day a day longed for by them and in respect to the certain expectation of which they hold up their heads against all the pressures and persecutions which from ungodly men they suffer before hand and are by the Apostle bid to comfort one another with those words I Thessal IV. 18 so that in these Epithetes here put to the day here spoken of there is nothing which maketh why it may not be attributed as well to the one as to the other to that of Christs first coming as that of his second and the other circumstances make it evident that it ought to be understood primarily here of the first however appliable to the second In the Prophet Joel c. II. 31 we read of a day of the Lord described in the very same terms and concerning the day designed thereby is much the like difference of opinions as here But S. Peter in Acts II. 20 manifestly interprets that also of the day of Christs first coming and so from all which hath been said we conclude that by the great and dreadfull day before the coming of which the Lord bids them here take notice that he will send Elijah the Prophet is to be understood the day of Christs first coming which includes his coming in Judgement particularly against the Nation of the Jews and ended in the destruction of the unbelievers amongst them and of their City before which John the Baptist designed here by the name and title of Elijah the Prophet was according to this Prophecy sent and not of his coming to execute the general Judgement on the whole World at the day of doom which shall end in the destruction of the whole farther then as this was a type of that before which that he will send an harbinger as he did before this is but the conjecture of those that affirm it and that for which there is not from these words any evident proof That which hath made me so long to insist on the clearing of this Exposition even to tediousness is because the expounding the words otherwise and as of a thing yet to come would be to give up to the Jews an argument which ought not to be given up to them For if it be granted to them that Elijah in person be to be expected before the coming of Christ here spoken of and that the day here spoken of be not yet come they will think they have reason to say as they obstinately do that the true Messiah is not yet come and yet to expect another Christ as well as another Messenger whereas if it be made evident as we suppose it is that that Elijah here foretold of is already come and the day here meant also come they can have nothing more but mere obstinacy to pretend why they should not believe in Christ and forsake that error received from their Fathers Farther arguments for confirming what we have said the following words also afford as we shall see in taking them in their order before we pass to which we may take notice of the Greek rendring the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hannora which other Translations render terrible dreadfull or awfull by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as likewise in Joel II. 11 38 illustrious or notable as ours translate Act. II. 20 where that second place of Joel is cited which hath made some to think that they read in the Copy that they followed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hannirâ—ah from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to see whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yare to fear but another learned man is so far from their opinion as that he thinks that the Greek word mentioned is not there to be taken in its ordinary signification of illustrious or notable but rather for terrible
and so likewise to have that notion in the title of Antiochus Epiphanes who he thinks was not called so much illustrious as terrible But this neither makes much for or against our purpose in giving the meaning To the day spoken of may well agree either of those Epithetes it was terrible and dreadfull and therefore notable and perhaps there was anciently that communication of significations between those roots in the Hebrew as to justify both 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers lest I come and smite the earth with a curse And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers c. As in the former verse we had him whom God in mercy would send to them for preventing their utter destruction described by his title of Eliah the Prophet and by the time of his coming before the coming of the great and dreadfull day of the Lord so in this we have him described by his office viz. that he should turn the hearts of the father◠to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers to which are added the good effects which should be produced by his performance of that office viz. the preventing of Gods coming and smiting the Earth with a curse These words are referred to by the Angel Luke I. 16 17. with a farther explication of them and applyed to John the Baptist thus and many of the children of Israel shall he turn unto the Lord their God and he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready a People prepared for the Lord. That these words are there referred to is manifest and the person spoken of so expresly declared to be John the Baptist called therefore Eliah because he should come in the spirit and power of Elias that there can be no reason why that should be doubted or disputed of among Christians or Elias in person or any other by that name called should be expected by vertue of them as before we have said As concerning the meaning of the words by which his office is expressed whatever they think concerning the person it will be indifferent to all to enquire They must have the same meaning whosoever they are applyed to whether by Jews or Christians For the meaning of them therefore we may look what they do or ought to agree in comparing them one with another To which enquiry it will be convenient to premise an observation concerning that word or preposition which in our Translation is rendred to and is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Al viz. that it is as Grammarians observe and examples convince of divers uses and significations It signifies most usually above over on but not only so but withall to with for by near against in and other like of which examples accurre in the Hebrew Text. And according to the words with which it is joyned and the thing spoken of is the signification thereof to be discerned and distinguished Again concerning the appellations and titles of fathers and children that they are not only attributed to those that are so by nature but to others also who for other respects or relation one to another have those names given them as older people that of fathers younger that of children and so learned men or teachers are looked on as common fathers in respect to their disciples or such as learn of them or are instructed by them and the like This concerning the nature of those words being observed will help us to judge of such Expositions as are given of the whole sentence The signification of the forementioned preposition which our Translators choose to give it in this place is to or unto which it often manifestly hath elsewhere as Joshua II. 8 she came up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alehem to them and I Sam. II. 11 went 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his house with many other places And it is likewise embraced by most of Interpreters but then accordingly as they apply it to fathers and children and their different understanding of what is meant by them do they differ in giving the meaning They that understand them of such as should be them together in present being whether natural fathers and children or others who might be called by that title as ours seem to do take his office so as here described to consist in taking away such discords and differences as should be betwixt them and settling peace and love and charity among them so as that their hearts should be propense and kindly affectioned one to another and they should be of one heart and one soul among themselves as it is said of the believers Act. IV. 32 and with one consent hearken to God and receive the truth preached to them So that this disposition and behaviour which it is here said it should be the work of the promised Elijah to work in their hearts may seem as a learned Jew observes contrary to that which in the Prophet Micah is described as being found among them in his time Chap. VII 6 the son dishonoureth the Father or that which on their not hearkning to him our Saviour saith should be in after times the father shall be divided against the son and the son against the father Luke XII 53 Such dissensions among them in those times here spoken of are observed to have been caused and fomented by the several Sects that were among them as of Sadduces and Pharisees and the like which had such ill influence as to banish those due respects which ought to have been betwixt parents and children superiors and inferiors or whosoever under the title of father and son may be comprehended and that love and charity which should have been betwixt all orders and degrees of men whose hearts Eliah i. e. John Baptist coming in the spirit and power of Eliah should be sent to reduce if possible to better order to mutual agreement among themselves and joynt obedience to God This seems to have been the ancientest understanding of the words among the Jewish Doctors who summe up the meaning of them in other words saying That he should be sent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lehashvoth hammachloketh to compose dissention or reconcile differences 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leasoth shalom binehem to make peace between them that they might all agree in the profession of one Religion and thus seem the Greek Interpreters to have understood them who instead of the second member of the sentence and the heart of the children to their fathers put for the meaning of it and the heart of a man or every one to his neighbour Against this Exposition I know not what may be excepted yet do others taking the forementioned preposition
in the same sense of to give others some he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children c. i. e. of the Jews to the Gentiles and of the Gentiles to the Jews which though it may be true and that John did so and it was as well an effect of his preaching and baptizing as of the Gospell yet I suppose is not the literall meaning of these words which were spoken to the Jews and more particularly concern them between themselves Others he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children c. i. e. of God to Israel and Israel to God who is called their father and calleth them sons That this is comprehended within the latitude of these words we doubt not inasmuch as we hear the Angel where he refers to these words putting as part of Johns office many of the children of Israel shall be turn to the Lord their God and indeed for that end was he to turn their hearts one to another that they might all with joynt hearts or one heart turn to the Lord. Yet can we not think that to be the literal meaning of the present words God is called their Father elsewhere but I suppose fathers here put in the plural number cannot be properly used of him Another Exposition of Camerarius who makes the meaning to be that he should reduce the hearts of the fathers to the children and of the children to the fathers i. e. Should turn or bring back the hearts of the fathers so as that they should take care of the pious education of their children whereas they had been negligent in the right instructing and disciplining of them and the hearts of the children who had been disobedient to their fathers so as to yeild due reverence and obedience to them may be well reduced to the first But as to that which others give viz. that by the fathers should be meant the old Patriarks Abraham Isaac and Jacob c. and by the children those of that generation when this Elias should come I do not understand how it can be made good To say that the hearts of the children should be turned by their conversion to the same faith that was in those ancient holy men is intelligible but how the hearts of those so long since dead should be said to be turned to those of that generation is not so easily conceived these hitherto mentioned all take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Al here in the signification of to There are of the Jews who would have it here to signify by or by the hand or means of So R Salomon out of an ancienter Doctor shall turn the hearts of the fathers by the hand of the children i. e. Shall speak to the children to perswade their fathers to embrace the way of the Lord and on the other hand to the fathers to perswade their children The same signification of it takes Abarbinel also and gives this strange interpretation making the time spoken of to be according to his fancy after the Resurrection which he will have to be before the end of the World If any be then at that time living who hath children dead he shall by them being raised from the dead at the coming of Eliah be converted to the truth and on the contrary such children as are living by their fathers being raised that so before the end of the World all may be turned to the truth that all be not destroyed But this is so uncouth an Exposition and so little agreeing to the words as that it will be much from the purpose to speak more of it nor doth that by R Salomo mentioned agree with them there being shewed in them what God would do by the hands of his Elias not what Elias should do by the hands of others But there is yet another acception of the word which is by others both Jews and Christians preferred as giving the plainest meaning and that is by taking it here to signify not to but with as manifestly in several other places it doth As for example 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Al merorim with bitter herbs Exod. XII 8 and vers 9. his head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with his legs and Chap. XXXV 22 and they came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Al nasim with women i. e. as ours translate it both men and women with several like instances Thus R. D. Kimchi here will have it taken giving thus his Exposition He shall warn or call on both fathers and children together with all their heart to turn unto God and they that turn shall be delivered from the day of Judgement so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be looked on as signifying the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 im with fathers with the children and of children with their fathers all of them together So likewise R. Tanchum the meaning saith he is That he shall seek to rectify or reduce into order the Sect or People that they may be all of them of one heart in the obedience or worship of God and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with i. e. saith he he shall seek to rectify the hearts of the fathers among them with the hearts of the children and the repeating or doubling of the words viz. and the heart of the children with their fathers is for greater confirmation sake Thus say those Jews with whom do concurre as we said divers Christians also and are urgent for it so as that the words may denote that he should convert or call to repentance all of them together both old and young young and old that so they might all be a People prepared for the Lord as Luke I. 17 he speaks and readily receive him and with joynt hearts obey him This Exposition gives a clear and plain meaning and is easily reconcileable with the first mentioned both even necessarily go together viz. the converting all together one with another and one to another in obedience to God and love one to another and therefore we may well look on the words as comprehending both and that for giving a full meaning of them both ought joyntly to be taken in and so are they taken in likewise in that one word in which our Saviour elsewhere summs up that office of this Eliah here in more expressed viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall restore all things reduce all things to right order which could not otherwise be done then by turning them all one to another and one with another to the faith of Christ. In much like manner to that of our Saviours do some of the Jews likewise summe up the import of these words concerning his office whoever it be that is meant saying that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leyasher Israel velehacin libbam to rectify Israel and to prepare or put in good order their hearts In the forecited place Luke I. 17 where these
words of Malachi are plainly referred to the words and the heart of their children to their fathers are not put as they are here read but instead of them and the disobedient to the wisdome of the just which the learned D r Hammond in his Notes on that place shews to be as a Gloss or Paraphrase on the Prophets words to explain his expression both importing that a general reformation should be endeavoured to be wrought by the person sent for that end among the Jews for fitting them to receive the Lord Christ. From the same spirit did both expressions proceed and it will not concern us to be inquisitive why he should change his language or expressions By what he saith by his Angell there in Luke it is evident that what he here spake by his Prophet was spoken of John the Baptist and not of Eliah in his person And with what Elias-like zeal John did set himself to perform the office here designed for him appears by what we read in the Gospell of his Mission and his preaching and the time thereof and the contents and effects of it as Matt. III. Mar. I. Luke III. and Joh. I. He that shall duly consider what is in those places said of John and what he did and compare them with what is said here of the Eliah promised that he should do will easily perceive all that is here prophecied to have been already made good that there will be no ground left to him for expecting a farther completion of it by Eliah in person or any other under that name to be expected before the coming of the great and dreadfull day of the Lord here spoken of Here God saith Behold I will send Elijah the Prophet in the Gospell it is said there was a man sent from God whose name was John Joh. I. 6 and that that John was Elias which was for to come Matt. XI 14 Here that he was to be sent before the coming of the great and dreadfull day of the Lord. There the time of Johns coming is described that it was when the Kingdome of God was at hand Matt. III. 2 when the day of wrath was coming v. 7. when the axe was laid to the root of the trees and every tree that brought not forth good fruit should be hewen down and cast into the fire vers 10. when He was now coming whose fan was in his hand and he would throughly purge his floor and gather his wheat into his barn but would burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire ver 12. which expressions as we have before shewed are an evident description of the great and dreadfull day of the Lord here spoken of Here that this Eliah should turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to the fathers preach to all sorts young and old conversion and repentance there in the Gospel that John should turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God and the hearts of the fathers to the children c. Luke I. 16 17. and that he did preach to all the Baptism of repentance Marc. I. 4 Luke III. 3 and that with such power and good effect that Jerusalem and all Judea and all the Region round about Jordan went out to him and were baptized of him confessing their sins Matt. III. 5 6. and Marc. I. 5 i. e. multitudes of all sorts and conditions of People out of those places Luke III. 7 of the common sort of People ver 10. of those that might seem to have least of the fear of God before their eies least regard of or charity for other men Publicans ver 12. Souldiers ver 14. and were at greatest difference in opinion one from another Pharisees and Sadduces To all these did he instill Precepts of Charity Luke III 11. the hearts of all these it is manifest that he did turn one to another in that they agreed and were united in one common Baptism by him What can more punctually agree then the Prophecy here and the matter of fact set down in the Gospels thus paralleled do to shew that the person who is here so characterized in respect to what was to be and there to what was made good in him is one and the same and that no other ought to be expected by vertue of this Prophecy Certainly when we consider how exactly all things do concurre of what is foretold of in the Prophet and reported as done in the Gospell in the one person of John the Baptist and how all things here designed to be done by this person named Eliah were by him in a signal manner performed we shall perceive that there is little grounds for that argument which is by some here taken to prove that Eliah in person is to be expected before the day of the last Judgement because as they say John did not fulfill all that is here required in the conversion of the hearts of the fathers and children one to another or as it is summed up by our Saviour in restoring all things Matt. XVII Not to enquire what other answers may be or are given to that objection abundantly sufficient for confirmation of that Exposition which we have follow'd as to the scope and meaning of them and to shew that they do not afford any good grounds for any such argument will be the consideration of two things which would by those who draw that argument here from them be otherwise I suppose easily granted 1. That words which are put to import that such or such a thing should be effected by any do often signify rather his endeavour and the doing of what would or might be sufficient for the effecting of them then a full accomplishment as to the effect or consequents on his endeavour So that what is said that the person here spoken of should turn the hearts of the fathers to the children c. and Matt. XVII 10 that he should restore all things may well be said to be fulfilled if he did diligently that which tended to the producing and was sufficient to have produced such effects though through default in the subjects on which he was to work the hearts of all were not turned nor all things or men as some think it may though put in the neuter gender be particularly applied to them fully rectified and reduced into right order 2. That the word all is not alwaies to be taken in that extent as to comprehend every particular whether it be applied to persons things times or places but only a great number and to shew the diffusive nature of that which is said should have respect to all to be such as might be extended to more even to all that should come in its way or be offered to it or were rightly qualified to receive its operation or required to make good the truth of what is spoken of To omitt other examples which are frequent one already mentioned and
which is to our present purpose will make it evident It is said Matt. III. 5 that Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region round about Jordan went out to John and were baptized of him It will not by any be thought that every person in those places did thus but a great multitude or store of them and if more had come or his preaching had prevailed on more John was ready to perform his office to them This is thought enough to justify the expression that all the Countrey came unto him and were baptized of him Here is not in our Prophet the word all expressed but indefinitely without any number mentioned said shall turn the heart of the fathers and the heart of the children but because where Christ summs up what is here said or gives the meaning of it he adds it viz. and shall restore all things it is by them looked on as here understood and the exceptions therefore taken that by Elias is not here meant John the Baptist because to restore all things is to convert to the true Faith all Jews and Hereticks c. which John did not effect and therefore Elias in person is yet to come and do it But if we suppose that all is to be here understood surely that by all were to be meant no more then we have said i. e. many of all sorts all that should hearken to his preaching and receive his Doctrine we may learn from the Angels describing of the same office of his that is here described by this that many of the children of Israel he should turn unto the Lord their God going before him in the spirit and power of Elias to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children The all and the many do then signify the same thing in this matter And these things being observed surely by what we read of John's performance it is evident that the words here spoken of this Eliah to be sent were in and by him so far even to wonder made good that to expect another to fulfill them in greater measure is not warranted by vertue of this Prophecy He was zealous in the highest degree in performing what he was sent to do and on very many did his endeavours take effect That they did not on more on all among them without exceptions prevail was not through any defect or default in him but because as the Scripture expressly declares concerning many of the Pharisees and Lawyers many of which yet came in unto him they rejected the counsel of God against themselves Luke VII 30 the like effects w ch our Saviour who came to convert them all and to save all complains his own preaching to have had among that same People through their obstinacy saying O Jerusalem Jerusalem that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together even as an Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings und ye would not Matt. XXIII 37 Some are so far from thinking that on these words can be grounded any argument to prove that the Elias here meant was not John Baptist and that it is one yet to come at the end of the World before Christs last coming as that they look on them as an argument to prove the clean contrary because this Elias is to come before the great day of the Lord and to call to conversion and repentance for which was a fit season at Christs first coming but at the last day of his coming the day of Judgement is no farther time for repentance but for reward or execution of Judgement and punishment therefore that day not this must here be meant and this Elias one already come not one then to be expected What we have said will farther be confirmed by consideration of the next words in which is declared why he should be sent to convert them viz. lest saith the Lord I come and smite the Earth with a curse As the former words concerning the Mission the time and the office of the person here named Elijah the Prophet do as we have seen exactly agree to John the Baptist and so as that they cannot so be applied to any other so do these also which declare the end for which he should be sent at that time to perform that office no less agree with those in which in the Gospell we are shewed for what end John did perform his by preaching conversion and repentance viz. That being converted they might flee from the wrath to come Matt. III. 7 and the axe being now laid to the root of the trees they bringing forth good fruit might escape from being cut down and cast into the fire ver 10. that they might be as Wheat and gathered into the Lords Garner and not as Chaffe which he should burn with unquenchable fire ver 12. Add how the Angell explains it Luke I. 17 that he should and as appears c. III. accordingly did endeavour to do turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just For what end to make ready a People prepared for the Lord a People fit to receive him and to find mercy and Salvation from him at his coming Who will not at first hearing or reading perceive that those things said concerning the end of his preaching are the very same with what is said here of this person 's performing the office he is sent for viz. that he should do it to prevent lest the Lord should come and smite the Earth with a curse or utter destruction The same words which are given even by some of the Jews for explication of this expression of the Prophet will as appositely be used for summing up the meaning of those in the Gospell Such is that Exposition of R. Tanchâ—m ` The meaning saith he is He shall fairly perswade them that he may reduce any of them who may possibly be reduced to wit such who have not evil habits so firmly rooted in their minds that they cannot return from them till the punishment which shall seize on all the rebellious transgressors overtake them Surely this which he gives for the meaning of what is here said of this person here denoted by the title of Eliah for shewing for what end he should perform his office is manifestly the meaning of what is in the Gospell said concerning the end for which John was sent to preach repentance and did preach it and baptize unto it Not much different as to the purpose is that meaning which another among them gives of these words viz. Therefore he shall warn them that they may be brought to repentance against that day come that he may not smite the whole Land or the Land with a consumption and it be a curse Thus far well and so as to shew the end which this Eliah was to aim at to be altogether the same that John did aim at and labour to effect
the Prophecy on what occasion or for what reason I know not One saith it was done in imitation of the superstition of the Jews and to conclude the whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that all might end in good words or words of a good sound The superstition of the Jews w ch he mentions is this that whereas the last words here and smite the Earth with a curse sound harsh in their ears and seem to bode evil that they might conclude with something more pleasing they repeat the words going before again after them viz. Behold I will send you Eliah the Prophet before the coming of the great and dreadfull day of the Lord and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to the fathers or at least some of them so as still to leave out the last harsh words which conclude with a curse The like do they do in some other Books for the same reason as at the end of Isaiah and of Ecclesiastes and the Lamentations in which after the last verse they repeat again the verse going before it And for warning thereof casting the initial letters of the names of these Books viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I T K K into an artificial word so as to be a signal or memorial of them I standing for Isaiah T for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tereasher i. e. the twelve minor Prophets of which Malachi is the last and the first K for Kinoth i. e. Lamentations the second for Koheleth i. e. Ecclesiastes they usually write or print that signal together with the words w ch they would have to be repeated all or some of them How ancient this custom was among them I know not it savors of the humor of those of ancient times among them who said to Gods Prophets prophecy not unto us right things speak unto us smooth things Isaiah XXX 10 They seem to think that the putting away from them the mention of the evil day that they might go on in their sins in security should secure them from it so inverting and frustrating to themselves Gods gracious method who that they might not perish in their security caused those words in the last place to be inculcated to them that so they might sink deep into them and work in them repentance whereby alone the evil mentioned might be prevented whereas their refusing to give that attention to them would pull it on them to their unavoidable destruction as in the example of these here spoken to it manifestly came to pass so as to be for caution to all in like kind As for the present place some are of opinion that the Jews do here repeat those words Behold I send you Eliah e. to strengthen themselves in their opinion and hope that the Messiah is not yet come but is to come If so or out of what respect soever they do it we have from the Messiah himself what to oppose to them and adde to what they would conclude with viz. But I say unto you Elias is come already and they knew him not but did unto him whatsoever they listed The Messiah also is already come and they would not know him neither but rejected him and despitefully used him for which their obstinacy that great and terrible day of the Lord is also come upon them and he hath smitten the Earth i. e. them and their Land with such a curse so terrible a destruction as makes good all that is here spoken and shews that not one word of this Prophecy is fallen to the ground but hath had its full accomplishment on them so that now they remain an ensample to all others that shall despise or neglect the means of grace offered to them as they did and putting far away the evil day will not whiles God gives them space know the things which belong unto their peace nor think of the time of their visitation For how shall any that reject the counsel of God against themselves as they did any People or Nation but expect to be smitten with the like curse as they were even in this World how shall the just God which spared not that his chosen Nation his once peculiar People the Seed of Abraham his friend spare others guilty in the like kind So that though these words were fulfilled in that destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish Nation the People then peculiarly spoken to and intended yet may all others see in them what may concern them also even in this World But if it should so please God that any obstinately wicked and impenitent People should escape the like judgement in this World yet besides that prime and literal meaning of the words already as we said fulfilled on them we cannot but by them be put in mind of that more great and terrible day of the Lord and look on it as by this typified the judgement of which none either whole Nations or particular persons that ever lived shall escape and which shall unawares seize not on any one Land only but on the whole Earth and all therein yea and the Heavens too with greater terror then that by which this concerning the Jews is here v. 1. or elsewhere described or can by any words be expressed Wherefore seeing what God hath done and being thereby warned and by his word certainly assured what he will do what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness as S. Peter will teach us to infer looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God All those admonitions to the Jews and all Gods methods toward them for preparing them for that day of his coming here mentioned equally concern us in respect of that other day of his coming by it typified and it will be necessary for us to apply them to our own concerns and to make use of them to our selves without expecting of another Elias to be sent to forewarn and convert us We have not promise of any and it would be to no purpose to have any We have Moses and the Prophets we have the admonitions of John Baptist and Christ himself and the example of the miscarriage of the Jews for not hearkning to them and if we will not hear and be warned by these neither will we be perswaded if Elias or John Baptist should rise from the dead or Christ should come again in the flesh among us to convert us Sufficient to us to make us to prepare our selves for what we are certainly to expect or leave us without excuse are those admonitions of his extending to all Generations Watch therefore for you know not what hour your Lord doth come Matt. XXIV 42 and again v. 44. Therefore be ye also ready for in such an hour as you think not the Son of Man cometh There is no generation which can assure themselves but that in it may be made good as to that other day
olim disceptatum videtur ex eorum verbis qui ad Johan Baptistam à synedrio missi percunctatum quis esset interrogarunt essetne Christus essetne Elias essetne Propheta ille Messiam ergo expectabant illi unum Davidis filium expectabant etiam vel Eliam vel prophetam aliquem inâ—ignem Nihil de Ephraimi aut Josephi filio quaerunt Facessant igitur commenta hominum indubitatae Dei veritati mendacia à se conficta praeferentium Facessat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iste Messias Hosanna filio David Quisquis animo non praesumpta opinione corrupto prophetarum verba inspexerit quicquid ab Angelo ante Domini faciem seu Apparitoris vice mittendo expectandum erat in Johanne Baptista quicquid ab Angelo illo foederis seu ipso Messia in Jesu Christo exitum habuisse adeo ut extra dubium sit illum fuisse qui venturus erat nec alium expectandum facile perspiciet FINIS a See the Prologue to Mal. in Biâ— Mag. b Hierom. Praesat in Mal. c Chr. à Castro d See Abarbinel in Mal. è Talmud Mâ—gillah c. 1. p. 15. e Idem and Kimchi R. Solom in cap. II. 10 Ch. à Castro f Ribera g R. Ab. Ezra Kimchi R. Tanch Abarbinel h R. Tanchum i Zaâ—h IX 1 and XII 1 k Drusius on Nah. I. 1 l R. D. Kimchi R. Tanchum Abarbinel m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n Genes XlIII 34 o See R. Sol. and the rest p The Vision of the Word of the Lord. Syr. Arab. The Prophecy of the Word of the Lord. Another Arab. q Chald. Paraph. and Arab. Vers. MS. R. D. Kimchi R. Tanchum r Abarb. s Drus. t Kimchi v R. Sol. Ab. Ezra Kimchi in Rad. x R. Tanchum y MS. Aâ—ab z Buxtorf Vindic. p. 64. a Capell Crit. Sac. p. 255. b Grot. on Ezech. 25.14 and Josephus and the Books of the Maccabees c Grot. when Nabuchadnezzar overcame also the Moâ—bâ—tâ—s and Ammonites Josephus l. 10. c. XI d R. D. Kimchi e R. Sol. Jarchi f Abarb. g See I Sam. VI. 9 h R. Tanch i R. D. Kimchi k R. Tanchum l Marginal additions in Miclal Yophi m Drusius n Tarnov o Jun. Trem. p Grot. q See how some of them explain Deut. IV. 19 r See Chris. à Castro s See Abarbinel t Drusius u R. D. Kimchi x Drusius y Hierom. and others z Drus. a Grotius Riber b And see Num. XXVIII 2 Levit. XXII 25 d See Abarbinel and Tarnov e Ribera f R. Tanchum g See Abarbinel h R. Tanchum i Hierom. k Chr à Castro Grot. Pelicanus l Kimchi and Abarb. m Chald. n Syriac Jun. Trem. o D. Kimchi R. Tanchum and see Drus. p R. Tanchum q See Leviticus V. 7 11. r Maimonides in Moâ—eh l. 3. c. 46. s See R. David Kimchi and Abarbinel t R. Tanchum u Joel II. x Kimchi y R. D. Kimchi Ribera Chr. à Castro Menoch Grot z Grot. a R. Salomo Jarchi Abarb. Drus. Tarnov c. Dutch Notes b R. D. Kimchi Vat. Drus. c Hierom. Cyril Riber Menoch Tyrin Grot. Castalio Dutch Notes Tarnov * The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chinnam signifies both for nought and in vain c. The Chalde paraprasâ—th it That you might not offer on mine Altar an abominable offering d R. Sal. Jarchi R. D. Kâ—mchi Abarb. R. Tanch e R. Sal. Jarchi Abarbinel Yalkut We chiefly follow R. Salomo's reading as being plainest out of Toraâ—h Coh nim f Josh. VII 9 as some of the Jews expound those words R. Tanchum g See Matth. III. 9 h Aben Ezra R. D. Kimchi i R. Tanchum k Se Yalkut and R. Salomo â—arcâ—â—i l Maimon Moreh l. 1 c. 36 and see R. D. Kimchi and R. Tanchum m R. D. Kimchi in rad and Micâ—al Yophi n See R. Tanchum Aben Ezra R. D. Kimchi in rad and see Akidah o Aben Dana in Miklal Yophi out of Meor einâ—im p Calv. q D r Hammond on Joâ— IV. 24 r Calv. Vatab. in 8 o. s So R. D. Kimchi makes that word and this here the same in sense t Cyril Ribera Sa Calvin t Aben Ezra u R. D. Kimchi Abarbinel x R. Tanchum y Pisc. z Abarb. a R. Salomo Jarchi R. D. Kimchi and see Abarb. who differently cites R. Salomo's words from what is read in him b Pelic. Oecol c See Calv. d Abu Walid Aben Ezra R. Tanchum e Aben Ezra f R. Tanchum g Chr. à Castro in his Paraphrase h Oecolamp Ch. à Castro i R. D. Kimchi Abarb. k Calv. l Levit. XXII 20 c. m Abarb. n R. D. Kimchi o Kimchi's Father Jun. Trem. Vatab. Duâ—ch Notes and Tarnov p R. Kimchi q See Lud. de Dieu r Abarb. s R. D. Kimchi Miclal Yophi t Abu Walid confirming it by the use of the same word Job XXXI 39 caused to go away or expire u Deut. XII 11 * And of this reading S. Jerome takes notice x Aben Dana in Miclal Yophi y Aben Ezra see Buxt Lex in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 z In radic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Capel Crit. pag. 222. d Grot. e Out of Aben Dana in Miclal Yophi f Calvin g See Isa. lXI 8 h Drus. b Doway Bibl. Jerom. Ribera Tirin Menoch c. i Abarb. k R. Tanch m R. Tanch n R. D. Kimchi o Tarnov and Chr. à Castro p Calv. Vatab. Edit 4 o 8 o Sa. l R. D. Kimchi q Riber Menoch r Tarn s Vatab. t R. D. Kimchi Abâ—rb v R. Salomo Jarchi x Jam. I. 25 y R. Tanch R D. Kimch Rad. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 z R. D. Kimch Drus. Calv. a Abarb. b Tarn c Grot. Jerom. d Calv. See Drus. and Luâ— de Dieu e Abu Walid f Hagg. II. 18 19. g R. Tanch h Aben Ezra Kimch and Abarb. i Cal. Tarn k Chald. Greek Arab. Vulg. Lat. Arab. MS. l R. Tanch Ribera m Calv. n Abu Walid R. D. Kimchi in rad o Abarb. p Calv. q Drus. r See Chr. à Castro Dutch Notes Stokes s Doway Transl. t Riber u Deut. XVIII 3 x Rib. Menoch Grot. y Lyra Chr. à Castro Tirin z Aquila See Nobil a See Joel I. 13 and II. 14 b Abarb. c Arias Mont. d Christ. à Castro e R. Tanch g Hierom. Riber Grot. c. h Capell and see Schindler in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i Menoch l R. Tanch m Jun. Trem. Pisc. n Aben Ezra R. Tanch o Grot. Tirin p Stokes q Pareus R. Salomo MS. r Lyra. s Calv. t Lud. de Dieu f See Abu Walid in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 k Drus. u Jun. Trem. x Abarb. Grot. y Glass Gâ—am pag. 655. z R. D. Kimchi Vat. Munst. Rib. Tirin Menoch Dutch Notes Stokes Bishop Hall's Paraph. a Calv. b Jun. Trem. Tarn c Abarb. d Grot.