61.  How can it be right to pass by Malachi, who at one time brings bitter charges against the priests, and reproaches them with despising the name of the Lord,185    Mal. i. 6. and explains wherein they did this, by offering polluted bread upon the altar, and meat which is not firstfruits, which they would not have offered to one of their governors, or, if they had offered it, they would have been dishonoured; yet offering these in fulfilment of a vow to the King of the universe, to wit, the lame and the sick, and the deformed, which are utterly profane and loathsome.186    Ib. i. 13.  Again he reminds them of the covenant of God, a covenant of life and peace, with the sons of Levi, and that they should serve Him in fear, and stand in awe of the manifestation of His Name.  The law of truth, he says, was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips; he walked with me uprightly in peace, and turned away many from iniquity:  for the priest’s lips shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at his mouth.  And how honourable and at the same time how fearful is the cause! for he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty.187    Ib. ii. 5–7.  Although I pass over the following imprecations, as strongly worded,188    Strongly worded, βλάσφημον, perh. “ill omened.” yet I am afraid of their truth.  This however may be cited without offence, to our profit.  Is it right, he says, to regard your sacrifice, and receive it with good will at your hands,189    Ib. ii. 13. as if he were most highly incensed, and rejecting their ministrations owing to their wickedness.

ΞΑʹ. Μαλαχίαν δὲ πῶς παριδεῖν ἄξιον; νῦν μὲν ἐγκαλοῦντα πικρῶς τοῖς ἱερεῦσι, καὶ ὀνειδίζοντα ὡς τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου φαυλίζουσι: καὶ προστιθέντα ἐν τίσιν, ἐν τῷ προσάγειν πρὸς τὸ θυσιαστήριον ἄρτους ἠλισγημένους, βρώματα οὐκ ἀπάργματα, καὶ ἃ μηδ' ἂν τῶν ἡγουμένων τινὶ προσενέγκοιεν, ἢ ἀτιμασθεῖεν ἂν προσενεγκόντες, ταῦτα προσφέρειν τῷ βασιλεῖ τῶν ὅλων εὐχὴν εὐξαμένους, χωλὰ, καὶ ἄῤῥωστα, καὶ διεφθαρμένα, καὶ βέβηλα παντελῶς, καὶ ἀπόπτυστα: νῦν δὲ τῆς πρὸς τοὺς Λευΐτας τοῦ Θεοῦ διαθήκης ὑπομιμνήσκοντα, (ἡ δὲ ἦν τῆς ζωῆς καὶ τῆς εἰρήνης), καὶ φόβῳ φοβεῖσθαι τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ στέλλεσθαι. Νόμος, φησὶν, ἦν ἀληθείας ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀδικία οὐχ εὑρέθη ἐν τοῖς χείλεσιν αὐτοῦ. Ἐν εἰρήνῃ κατευθύνων ἐπορεύθη μετ' ἐμοῦ, καὶ πολλοὺς ἐπέστρεψεν ἐξ ἀδικίας, ὅτι χείλη ἱερέως φυλάξεται γνῶσιν, καὶ νόμον ἐκζητήσουσιν ἐκ στόματος αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἡ αἰτία ὡς τιμία τε ἅμα καὶ φοβερά! διότι ἄγγελος Κυρίου παντοκράτορός ἐστι. Καὶ παραιτοῦμαι μὲν τῶν ἐπὶ τούτοις ἀρῶν τὸ βλάσφημον: φοβοῦμαι δὲ τὴν ἀλήθειαν: ἀλλ' ὃ μέτριόν τε ἅμα εἰπεῖν καὶ συμφέρον: Εἰ ἔτι ἄξιον, φησὶν, ἐπιβλέψαι εἰς θυσίαν ὑμῶν, ἢ λαβεῖν δεκτὸν ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν ὑμῶν; ὡς ἂν μάλιστα δυσχεραίνων, καὶ τὴν ἱερουργίαν αὐτῶν διὰ τὴν κακίαν ἀποπεμπόμενος.