B or, excellency. j 9 seedofGod. Therefore take heed to your spirit, n lCo.7.14. and let none deal "> treacherously 110 or un, against the wife of his youth.

36 Foro the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that n he hateth l2 putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

17 % Ye have wearied p the Lord with your words: yet ye say.

When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delight eth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment ?

CHAPTER III. 1 Of the messenger,majesty, and grace

of Christ. 7 Of Die rebellion, sarri

/;'/''. tun/ ■iiititlrlitt/ at ttv pa>i>'r.

BEHOLD, Ifl will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, e lPe.2.5. whom ye seek, shall suddenly J ( or ancient. come A to his temple, even the mes-1 * seneer of the covenant, whom ye J *»■'**• delight in : behold, he shall come,! aor, desaith the Lord of hosts. fraud.

2 But who may abide the day Op » ja-5 ^ his coming ! and who c shall stand ' ' * when he appeareth? for he is like,A ^-"^V'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

A Mat.23.27. INe, 13.10-12. a empty out.

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 J former years.

5 And 1 will come near to you to judgment; and 1 will be a swifi. witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers,/ and against false swearers, and against those that 2 oppress the hireling;; in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, suit IL the Lord of hosts.

6 For I am the LoRDj 1 change not; therefore h ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

7 IT Even from the days of your fathers yo are gone away from mine , . ordinances and have not kept a 2Pe.3.io. them. Return i unto me, and I will 11> Mat.3.12. return uuto you, saith the Lord of I .

Blessing promised. hosts. Butt ye said, Wherein shall we re'urn T

8 If Will a man rob God 1 Yet re have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes I and offerings.

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

10 Bring1 ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may he men in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith ttie Lord of n/wts. if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and 3 pour you oat i blessing, that m there shall uot be room enough to recive it.

11 And I will rebuke ihedevonrer for your sakes, and he shall Do* 4 destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosrs.

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

13 IT Your words n have been st-mt against me. saith the Lord; yet ft say. What have we spoken wmart against thee ?

11 Ye have said, It wvnin to serve God : and what profit is it thai we have kept his * ordinance, and that we have walked e R»urnfolly before the Lord of hosts <

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

16 IT Then they that feared the Lord spake p often one to another and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a hooka of remembrance was written Wfore him lor them that feared the L-ORD, and that thought upou his name.

17 And they shall be mine.r saith the Lord of hosts, in thai day when I make up my 8 jewels; s and I wiQ spare them, as a man spareth an own son that servelh him.

18 Then shall ye return, ami t discern between the righteous and the wicked, l>etween him that servelh God, and him ttiat servrih him not.

CHAPTER IV. 1 God's judgment on the wtcJetd, 2 ami his blessing on the good. 5 Of 12*jahs camitiQ and offife,

FOR, behold, the day a cometh, that shall bum as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall he stubble : and the day that cometh shall burn* them up, saith the Lord of host*. that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.