Of the grace of Christ.

Blessing promusca.

15 And did not he make one? m Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That ne might seek a 9godly seed. n 9 seed of God. Therefore take heed to your spirit, n 1Co.7.14. and let none deal 10 treacherously 10 or, unagainst the wife of his youth. faithfully.

o De. 24. 1.

16 For o the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that 11 he hateth 12 putting away for one covereth vio-11 or, if he lence with his garment, saith the hate her, LORD of hosts: therefore take heed put her away, to your spirit, that ye deal not Mat. 19.8. treacherously.

17 Ye have wearied p the LORD with your words: yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment? CHAPTER III.

1 Of the messenger, majesty, and grace of Christ. 7 Of the rebellion, sacrilege, and infidelity of the people.

BEHOLD, Ia will send my mes

12 to put

away. p Is.43.24. Am.2. 13.

(CHAP. 3.) a Lu. 1.76. 7.27. b Lu.2.27.

c Mat.25.10. Re.6.17.

d 1Co.3.13.

senger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, e 1Pe.2.5. whom ye seek, shall suddenly 1 or, ancient. come b to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye f He.13.4. delight in behold, he shall come, 2 or, de saith the LORD of hosts.

2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who c shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's d fire, and like fullers'

soap:

3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they 1 may offer e unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. 4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in 1 former years.

fraud.

g Ja.5.4. Ps.78.38,57.

La.3.22.

i Zec. 1.3.

k Mat.23.27. Ne. 13. 10-12. 3 empty out. m 2Ch.31.10.

4 corrupt.

n Ps.73.11,12. Zep. 1. 12. 5 And I will come near to you to observation. judgment; and I will be a swift 6 in black. witness against the sorcerers, and built. against the adulterers, f and against o Ps.95.9. false swearers, and against those that 2 oppress the hireling g in his P Ep.5.19. wages, the widow, and the father- q Re.20.12. less, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.

6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore h ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Tit.2. 14.

1 Pe.2.9. 8 or, special treasure.

s Is.62.3.

t Ps.58.11.

7 Even from the days of your (CHAP. 4.) fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances and have not kept a 2Pe.3.10. them Returu i unto me, and I will b Mat.3.12. return unto yo, saith the LORD of

8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee! In tithes / and offerings.

9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and 3 pour you out a blessing, that m there shall not be room enough to receive it.

11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not 4 destroy the fruits of your ground: neither shall your vine cast bet fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.

12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a de lightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.

13 ¶ Your words n have been stout against me, saith the LORD; yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?

14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his 5 ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?

15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are 7 set up; yea, they that tempt o God are even delivered.

16 Then they that feared the LORD spake p often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book g of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

I

17 And they shall be mine, r saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when make up my 8 jewels;s and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

18 Then shall ye return, and t discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God, and him that ser reth him not.

CHAPTER IV. 1 God's judgment on the wicked, 2 and his blessing on the good. 5 Of Elijah's coming and office.

OR, behold, the day a cometh,

that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that the day that cometh shall burnb do wickedly, shall be stubble: and them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.