The pots] "The meanest utensil in the house of God, Neh. x. 29, shall be as the vessels of silver and gold used in solemn sacrifice; they shall be like the bowls before the altar."-See Newcome. Verse 21. Yea, every pot in Jerusalem] "The utensils of the Jews shall be treated as holy, and the worshippers shall use them reverently. The idea of preparing food in them (they that—seethe therein) is taken from the custom of feasting after sacrifice. And no trafficker (see Ezek. xviii. 4), shall pollute the take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts. b Eph. ii. 19, 20, 21, 22. this prophecy. A. M. cir. 3417. B. C. cir. 587. Ol. XLVIII 2. Tarquinii Prisci, R. Roman., cir. annum 30. house of God, as was the custom when our blessed Lord cleansed the temple.”—See Newcome. This is what is called the Canaanite in the house of God. The Canaanite is the merchant; and where such are tolerated in a place dedicated to divine worship, that is not the house of the Lord of hosts. In churches and chapels, collections may be made for the simple purpose of supporting and extending the worship of Jehovah ; but for no other purpose, especially on the Lord's day. Amen. THE BOOK PROPHET OF THE MALACHI. Chronological notes relative to this book. Year from the Creation, according to Archbishop Usher, 3607.-Year from the vocation of Abram, 132 Year since the destruction of Troy, 787.-Year since the commencement of the kingdom of Israe by the divine appointment of Saul to the regal dignity, 698.-Year from the division of Solomon's monarchy into the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, 578.-Fourth year of the ninety-fifth Olympiad Year from the building of Rome, according to the Varronian computation, 356.-Year before the vulgar era of Christ's nativity, 397.-Cycle of the Sun, 5.-Cycle of the Moon, 4. CHAPTER I. This chapter begins with showing the great and free favour which God had manifested to the Israelites, above what he had done to the Edomites, who are threatened with further marks of the divine displeasure; alluding, perhaps, to the calamities which they suffered from Judas Maccabeus and John Hyrcanus (see 1 Macc. v. 65, and Joseph. Antiq. xi. 9), 1-5. God then reproaches his people, and especially their priests, for their ungrateful returns to his distinguished goodness, 6. They are particularly charged with sacrificing the refuse of beasts, 7-9, for which God threatens to reject them, 10, and choose other nations who will show more reverence to his name and worship, 11-14. A. M. cir. 3607. a THE burden of the word of 2 I have loved you, saith 3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. A. M. cir. 3607. the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou 4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverloved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? | ished, but we will return and build the deso saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, a Heb. by the hand of Malachi.. -b Deut. vii. 8. x. 15. c Rom. ix. 13. NOTES ON CHAP. I. Verse 1. The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.] This prophet is undoubtedly the last of the Jewish prophets. He lived after Zechariah and Haggai; for we find that the temple, which was begun in their time, was standing complete in his. See chap. iii. 10. Some have thought that he was contemporary with Nehemiah; indeed, several have supposed that Malachi is no other than Ezra under the feigned name of angel of the Lord, or my angel. John the Baptist was the link that connected Malachi with Christ. According to Abp. Usher he flourished B. C. 416; but the authorized Version, which we have followed in the margin, states this event to have happened nineteen years later. Both the Hebrew language and poetry had declined in his days. late places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, d Jer. xlix. 18. Ezek. xxxv. 3, 4, 7, 9, 14, 15. Obad. 10, &c. Israel.-Here means the Jewish people in general. Verse 2. Was not Esau Jacob's brother?] Have I not shown a greater partiality to the Israelites than I have to the Edomites? I loved Jacob] My love to Jacob has been proved by giving him greater privileges and a better inheritance than what I have given to Esau. Verse 3. And I hated Esau] I have shown Lis less love; Gen. xxix. 30, 31. I comparatively hated him by giving him an inferior lot. And now, I bave not only laid waste the dwelling-place of the Edomites, by the incursions of their enemies; but (ver. 4) they shall remain the perpetual monuments of my vengeance. On the subject of loving Jacob and hating Esau, see the notes on Gen. xxvii., and Rom. ix. 13. Let it be remembered, 1. That there is not a word spoken here concerning the eternal state of either 10 Who is there even among you that would Ps. xxxv 27. ûr, upon. Heb. from upon. Exod. xx. 12. Le Luke vi. 46. f Ch. ii, 14, 17. iii. 7, 8, 13. Or, Bring unto, &c. h Deut. xv. 21. i Ezek. xli. 22. Ver. 12.- k Lev. xxii. 22. Deut. xv. 21. Ver. 14. Heb. to sacrifice. m Job xlii. 8.- - Heb. the face of God. - Hos. xiii. 9.- -P Heb. from your hand. -91 Jacob or Esau. 2. That what is spoken concerns merely their earthly possessions. And, 3. That it does not concern the two brothers at all, but the posterity of each. Verse 4. They shall build, but I will throw down] We have already seen enough of the wickedness of the Edomites to justify the utmost severity of divine justice against them. The pulling down predicted here was by Judas Maccabeus; see 1 Mac. v. 65; and by John Hyrcanus; see Joseph. Antiq. lib. xiii. c. 9. s. 1. They shall call them, The border of wickedness] A wicked land. Among this people scarcely any trace of good could ever be noted. Verse 5. Your eyes] Ye Israelites shall see, in your succeeding generations, that— for hypocrisy. A. M. cir. 3607. shut the doors for nought? t 11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; " and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure-offering; " for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts. W 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. 13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD. 14 But cursed be aa the deceiver, bb which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the LORD a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen. 1 Tim. vi. 15. - Amos v. 21. Cor. ix. 13.-- Isai i. 11. Jer. vi. 20. u John iv. Ps. cxiii. 3. Isai. lix. 19.-t Isai. lx. 3, 5.w Isai, Ixvi. 19, 21, 23. 1 Tim. ii. 8. Rev. viii. 3. 20.- Ver. 7.—y Or, whereas ye might have blown it a Ver. 8. bb Or, in away. Lev. xxii. 20, &c. whose flock is.---cc Ps. xlvii. 2. bably to ingratiate themselves with the people, took the refuse beasts, &c., and offered them to God; and thus the sacrificial ordinances were rendered contemptible. Verse 8. Offer it now unto thy governor] pechath, a word signifying a lieutenant, or viceroy, among the Chaldeans, Syrians, and Persians; for neither at this time, nor ever after, was there a king in Israel. Verse 9. Beseech God] There were evident marks of God's displeasure in the land, and it was occasioned by these pollutions through the priests. And now he exhorts them to pray to God that they may be pardoned: for, if this practice be persisted in, God will not accept any offering made by them. Verse 10. Who is among you] From this we The Lord will be magnified] By his kindness in learn that there was not one sincere or honest priest Israel, and his judgments beyond. Verse 6. A son honoureth his father] I am your Father—where, then, is my honour? Where your filial obedience? If I be a master, where is my fear?] The respect among them. They were selfish and worldly; and so basely so, that not one of them would even kindle a fire on the hearth of the altar unless he were paid for it. Verse 11. From the rising of the sun] The total abolition of the Mosaic sacrifices, and the establishment of a spiritual worship over the whole earth, is The priests MALACHI. reproved. here foretold. The incense of praise, and the pure | in the divine worship before. What was of no worth offering of the Lamb without spot, and through him in itself, and what could not be used by its owner, a holy, loving heart, shall be presented everywhere was brought to God's altar, and offered for sacrifice? among the Gentiles; and the Jews and their mock Was not the punishment of these wretches less than offerings shall be rejected. their crimes? Verse 12. Ye have profaned it] Ye have desecrated God's worship; is it any wonder that God should cast you off, and follow you with his judgments? Verse 13. Ye have snuffed at it] A metaphor taken from cattle which do not like their fodder. They blow strongly through their nose upon it; and after this neither they nor any other cattle will eat it. Ye brought that which was torn, and the lume, and the sick] There had never been such abominations Verse 14. Cursed be the deceiver] Those who act thus, as they cannot elude God's notice, so neither shall they escape his curse. And voweth, and sacrificeth-a corrupt thing] The history of Ananias and Sapphira, Acts v. 1, &c., is a complete comment on this. It was high time to break up this corrupt service; and after this time God does not appear to have paid any regard to it, for he sent them no other prophet. CHAPTER II. The priests reproved for their unfaithfulness in their office, for which they are threatened to be deprived of their share of the sacrifice (the shoulder), and rewarded only with ignominy and ordure, 1-3. The degeneracy of the order is then complained of, and they are again threatened, 4-9. The rest of the chapter reproves the people for marrying strange and idolatrous women; and multiplying divorces, with all their consequent distress, in order to make way for such illicit alliances, 10-17. See Neh. x. 30, and xiii. 33, &c. A. M. cir. 3607. AND now, O ye priests, this 3 Behold, I will corrupt a commandment is for you. 2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. a Lev. xxvi. 14, &c. Dent. xxviii. 15, &c. 14.c Or, reprove.Heb. scatter. e b2 Pet. ii. Or, it shall NOTES ON CHAP. II. Verse 2. If ye will not hear] What I have spoken, lay it to heart, and let it sink down into your souls. Give glory unto my name] That honour that is due to me as a Father, and that fear that belongs to me as a Master. Chap. i. 6. d your seed, and spread dung f A. M. cir. 3607, Ol, cir. XCV. 4. Urbis Condita cir. annum 35c. to render it unfruitful. Newcome translates,-"I will take away from you the shoulder." This was the part that belonged to the priest, Lev. vii. 32, Deut. xviii. 3. Spread dung upon your faces] Instead of receiving a sacrifice at your hands, I will throw your offerings I will even send a curse upon you] I will dispense back into your faces. Here God shows his contempt no more good. I will curse your blessings] Even that which ye have already shall not profit you. When temporal blessings are not the means of leading us to God and heaven, they will infallibly lead us to hell. In speak ing of the abuse of temporal blessings, one of our old poets, in his homely phrase, expresses himself thus, Thus God's best gifts, usurped by wicked ones, Yea, I have cursed them already] This may refer, generally, to unfruitful seasons; or, particularly, to a dearth that appears to have happened about this time. See Haggai i. 6—11. Verse 3. Behold, I will corrupt your sced] So as for them and their offerings. Verse 4. This commandment] That in the first verse; to drive such priests from his presence and his service. That my covenant might be with Levi] I gave the priesthood and the service of my altar to that tribe. Verse 5. My covenant was with him of life and peace] These are the two grand blessings given to men by the NEW Covenant, which was shadowed by the OLD. To man, excluded from the favour of God, and sentenced to death because of sin, God gave m berith, a covenant sacrifice, and this secured life—exemption from the death deserved by transgresses; communication of that inward spiritual life given by Christ, and issuing in that eternal life promised to all his faithful disciples. And, as it secured life, so it The Lord's covenant A. M. cir. 3607. B. C. cir. 397. Urbis Conditæ CHAP. II. peace; and I gave them to him one God created us? why do a Ol. cir. XCV. 4. for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name. cir. annum 356. 6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. 7 For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. 8 But ye are departed out of the way; ye 'have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. h 10 Have we not all one Father?" hath not a Deut. xxxiii. 8, 9.- b Deut. xxxiii, 10. Jer. xxiii. 22. James v. 20.- d Deut. xvii. 9, 10. xxiv. 8. Lev. x. 11. Ezra vii. 10. Jer. xviii. 18. Hag. ii. 11, 12.- Le Gal. iv. 14.-1 Sam. ii. 17. Jer. xviii. 15.- - Or, fall in the law. Neh. xiii. 29.- 1 Sam. ii. 30.- k Or, lifted up gave peace, prosperity, and happiness; peace between God and man, between man and man, and between man and his own conscience. Verse 6. The law of truth was in his mouth] See the qualifications of Levi: 1. "He feared me;" he was my sincere worshipper. 2. "He was afraid ;" he acted as in the presence of a just and holy God, and acted conscientiously in all that he did. 3. "My law of truth was ever in his mouth;" by this he directed his own conduct and that of others. 4. "No iniquity;" nothing contrary to justice and equity ever proceeded "from his lips." 5. "He walked with me in peace;" he lived in such a way as to keep up union with me. 6. "He did turn many away from iniquity;" by his upright administration, faithful exhortations, and pious walk, he became the instrument of converting many sinners. This character suits every genuine minister of God. And as the priest's lips should preserve knowledge, so the people should seek "the law at his mouth;" for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts, ver. 7. Verse 8. But ye are departed out of the way] Ye are become impure yourselves, and ye have led others into iniquity. Verse 9. Therefore have I also made you contemptible] The people despised you because they saw that you acted contrary to your functions. This has happened repeatedly since, to several classes of priests. Not maintaining, by purity of life and soundness of doctrine, the dignity of the ministerial function, they became contemptible before the people; their maigre preaching was disregarded, and their we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers? with Levi. A. M. cir. 3607. B. C. cir. 397. Ol. cir. XCV. 4. Urbis Conditæ cir. annum 356. persons at last cast out as a general loathing to the universe! See what happened to the truly abominable priesthood of France and Rome, 1796-8. They were the sole cause of that infidelity that brought about the revolution. They are now partially restored; and are endeavouring to supply by grimace, paltry superstition, and jesuitical cunning, what they want in purity of morals, soundness of doctrine, and unction from God. They must mend, or look for another revolution. Mankind will no longer put up with the chaff of puerile and fanatical ceremonies in place of the wheat of God's word and worship. Verse 10. Have we not all one Father?] From this to ver. 16, the prophet censures the marriages of Israelites with strange women, which the law had forbidden, Deut. vii. 3. And also divorces, which seem to have been multiplied for the purpose of contracting these prohibited marriages.-Newcome. Why do we deal treacherously] Gain the affections of the daughter of a brother Jew, and then profane the covenant of marriage, held sacred among our fathers, by putting away this same wife and daughter! How wicked, cruel, and inhuman! Verse 11. Daughter of a strange god.] Of a man who worships an idol. Verse 12. The master and the scholar] He who teaches such doctrine, and he who follows this teaching, the Lord will cut off both the one and the other. Verse 13. Covering the altar of the Lord with tears] Of the poor women who, being divorced by cruel husbands, come to the priests, and make an appeal |