of the prophet Malaky The text This is the burthen wayghty embassage Commentary from the euerliuynge Lord and almightye God thys is the terryble threatning of God hys greate wrathe against al the wicked of the world both chosen Iewes and holi priesthode proud Pammie and wicked Miscreant thunderynge fourthe the fearce wrath of the terryble comyng of the Lorde of hostes vnto iudgement written by the hand of the Prophet Malachy The whych Malachy as the word soundeth and signifyeth an aungell so the deuyne Sentenses and misteryes in theese fewe lyues conteined hathe caused some writers to suppose that the author hereof was an aungel and nommortal and so is Malaky named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongs the other Prophetes and aâ—â—owarde an aungell in the firste chaâ—â—â—â— the fourthe booke entiteled to Ezra the scribe but we knowyng by the worde of god that the very aungelles are mynystrynge spyrites set to minister for theyr sakes which shal be the heirers of saluation And that all Prophecye is enspyred from god poured downe by the sprite of god into the hartes of his elect and chosen sede of Abraham do value the aucthoryty of euerye one of God hys holye Prophetes embassaders and messengers so hyghlye as an aungel coming downe frome heauen yea thereis suche aboundaunce and sufficiency of heauenly doctryne in the holye Prophetes such concorde and agreemente betwyxe Moyses and the Prophetes and betwixe the prophets and the Apostles that if an angell should come from heauen to teache anye newe doctryne straunge from theyres taught heretofore we ought to abhorre hym as accursed Wherefore we do take this oure Malaky to be suche an aungel as is named in the seconde chapter The lippes of the priest shal kepe knowledge â—nd they shall requyre my lawe of hys â—outhe for he is Malaky the aungell of 〈◊〉 Lorde of hostes Thoughe there bee 〈◊〉 an hyghe Maiestye in thys lyttle â—â—â—â—hete speakyng euery word of thys Prophecy in the parsone of the myghtye good lyke an aungell callyng and crying sâ—â—â—e heauen to brynge the chyldrene appeare wyth powre lyke the gouldesmythes fyre trying pourginge and fynynge the golde and siluer froÌ„ the drosse of your earthye mettayle whyche is the chief matter of the two last Chapters Thys is the somme then and hoâ—le purpose of oure Prophet first to warne hys owne people of theyr wyckednes Than to rebuke the Priestes which caused the people to sinne in that they traunsgressed the lawe and caused other to do the lyke by thys meanes to brynge al fleshe vnto the feare of the Lorde and to call them to repentaunce before the tyme of the terrible indingnacion of the myghty God shal brenne lyke a fyry fornace coÌ„sumyng and deuouryng the provide and disobedient lyke straw and stubble both roote and braunche together as is sayde in the last chapter Wherein we muste marke diligentlye .ii. tymes described openlye and euidentlye by oure Prophet The first is a time of grace wherin God chewseth Iaacob cherysheth hym teacheth hym by hys woorde admonysheth hym calleth hym to repentaunce the other a tyme of seuere iustyce and straight iudgment the whyche tyme who is able to abyde Or to beare the daye of hys wrath The fyrst tyme therfore wherein we are louonglye called by the worde of God may not be negletted nor despysed least thys sharpe sentence be denounced against vs. Here here o ye dispisers pearish For a nother time ther is wherof we be here warned whaÌ„ fatherly mercie is departed and fearce wrath against synne by the iust iudgment of God must be powred vpon the heades and laid as a burthen moste heauye and a yoke moste greuous vpon the neckes and shoulders of the chyldren of wrathe and disobedyence This felte Caine in his desperate wanderinge This felte Esau after hee had solde his heritage for he colde finde no grace after that tyme thoughe wyth teares he dyd seeke it Gene. xxvii Hebr. xi Iudas hadde an acceptable tyme of grace offered vnto him whan he accompanied with Christ when he dyd eate of Christes owne dyshe at hys owne table but despysynge thys tyme he betrayeth hys master and therefore deserueth to feale of the terryble tyme euen in thys lyfe for an example to others The wycked world lykewyse which wold not receyue the warnyng of Noah promising mercye to the repentaunte synners was worthely ouer whelmed and destroyed in the terrible tyme of God hys sore vengaunce raynynge downe frome heauen vntyll that all fleshe of man and beaste was destroyed saue only Noah and his family which embraced the word of saluation sent vnto them and regarded the tyme of mercy This hathe bene the decaye fall and destruccion of all and synguler natyons and countryes Fyrste alwayes warned by the spirite of God of theyr wyckednes and for their rebellyoÌ„ against this spirite speakyng in hys seruauntes Prophets haue they brought vppon them selues worthye desolatyon For the wycked alwaies do accompt the Prophets seditious parsons and disturbers of the common wealth and the word of god sent vnto them a burthen mooste heauy and intollerable And euen so repynynge agaynst God hys iustyce vttered in thys worlde they begynne an infernall and helly torment to their owne conscyences whiche shall in the worlde to come gnawe and grate boyle broyle and blasphemoustly 〈◊〉 forthe agaynst the iust iudgmente of the almightye God Thys is the heauy burthen which shal be felte in that terryble tyme whan the wrathe of the Lorde shall brenne lyke a brennynge chymnay or an hote flaming fornace When for the wayghte of thys greuous burthen nothynge shal be harde emonges the wycked but wepyng wailynge and gnashinge of teethe Thys is the porcyon of the wycked saith the lord of hoostes The text I haue loued you sayeth the Lord and you haue asked wherin I haue loued you Was not Esau brother to Iacob saith the Lord And I do loue Iacob and I doo hate Esau I haue made wast his hylles and his heritage a wylde wildernes fordragons If Edom shall saye we are wasted but we wyll retourne and buyld oure desolate places thus sayeth the Lord of hostes They shall buylde and I wyll destroy and they shall be called the wicked border and the people agaynst whome God is angrye for euer And your eyes shal see it you shall saye God bee magnifyed extolled and praysed vppon the borders of Israell We do reade Gene. xxv That Isaac dyd praye vnto the Lorde for his wife Rebecca because she was longe barren and god gaue vnto her two chyldreÌ„ whoÌ„ she felt to striue and wrastle in her woÌ„ be wherfore she asked councell of the Lord what this thinge might meane And the Lorde answered two nations are in thy wombe and two diuers people shal be seperate from thy bellye and th one people shal ouercome the other and the greater shall serue the lesse And when the tyme of her trauayle dyd come Loo she broughte for the two chyldren The one was redde
coloured and all heyrye and roughe and hys name was Esau the other dyd come forth holding hys brother by the foote and therefore was he called Iaacob Esau was an hunter and a tylman but Iaacob was an heardman and vpon a tyme when Iacob had made him potage Esau cometh from the fyelde all wearye and fortyered and sayeth to hys brother Iaacob giue me some of this red potage where vpon he hadde hys second name Edom. But Iaacob knowyng by the appoynted wyll and pleasure of the Lorde of all thys necessitie to be laid vpon Esau that he shuld thus become subiect vnto hym taketh thys occasyon of extremyty to serue god hys worckynge and demaundeth hys byrthe ryght who geueth it hym wythout delaye So that Iaacob nowe by righte hathe recouered the enheritaunce wherfore he did wrastle in the wombe And the Lorde God is hielye to be magnified renoumed and praysed who hathe exaulted hys chosen Iaacob and reiected thys rough Esau thys redde blouddy Edome whiche dyd no more passe vppon hys byrthe ryght then of a messe of pottage thoughe afterward whan it was to late he did seke for it wyth teares and could not haue it by the iust iudgmente of the almyghtye Thus muche for the declaration of these two parsons and theyr names Now must we behold the two kindes of people which did spring of these two brethren and had theyr names of theym euer after Of the Edomites and theyr encrease from Esau their father and howe manye Dukes and captaynes dyd come of hym we may reade Gen. xxxvi Their begynnyng was from the mount â—eiâ— Iosue xxiiii A roughe and cruell people They dyd lyue by the swearde as Isaac theyr father dyd forse and prophecye Gen. xxvii Cruell against theyr brethren Numeri xx xxiiii Agaynst whoÌ„ Esaiah xxxi Ieremi xlix Ezechiel xxv xxxv And the hoole Prophecy of Abdiah is wrytten onlye to vtter the wrathe of God agaynst such crueltye as dyd appeare in the father and chyldren bothe Esau and hys of sprynge wherefore the Lorde sayeth I haue sworne by my self that Bozra the cheife cytye of Idumea shall be a wyldernesse a shame and reproche a desert and cursse and all the other cities shal be for euer desolate and destroyed and so shall Idumea bee destroyed as Sodome and Gomorra wer Iere. xlix Agayn Shame shal come vpon the for the malyce that thou vtterest to thy brother Iaacob yea for euermore shall thou pearyshe and that because of the tyme when thou dyddest sette thy self agaynst hym and the lyke threatenynges Through the whole Prophecye of Abdiah Of Iacob and hys posteritye it is writteÌ„ and of his .xii. sonnes wherof came the .xii. trybes or kynreds Gen. xxxv And thorow oute the whole Byble we may learne howe god cheuseth calleth leadeth and tryeth this Iacob and his posteritie to make them an example of a spirituall Iaacob and a peculyer people whiche he then had determyned to chewse vnto hym selfe to worshyppe and serue hym in spirite and truthe to haue their heartes circumcysed frome all fleshelye lustes too make theym Israelites that is to say ouer commers of God by faythe constancy pacience and hope in God hys owne promyses Wyll you know then wherin God hath loued Iaacob In manye things doubtlesse First when he made hym in his mothers wombe he dyd chewse hym before hys brother Esau Gene. xxv Roma ix God broughte hys brother by necessytye into subieccyon vnto hym God caused hys father to blesse hym God ledde hym into his iornay when he fled from his brother God dyd encrease hym and blesse hym euer more whan Laban thoughte to bee gyle hym God dyd delyuer hym from Laban when he dyd pursue after hym God dyd gyue hym the victorye when the angell dyd wrestle wyth hym geuyng hym the name of Israell pronouncyng that he had preuailed against God God defended hym from the malyce of hys brother and caused hym to fynde fauor in hys syghte God encreased Iaacob wyth xii soÌ„nes which replenished the whole land of Canaan wheÌ„ce he dyd dryue forth the enhabitauntes gaue it to theyr chyldren in possessyon Namely the land of the Cananites Hethites Amorites Pheresits Gebusits and Gyrgosites God did plage Egipt for Iaacob sake He drowned Pharao and hys armye in the red see god caused the seas to stande lyke walles and made pathes for hys Iaacob God caused the floudes of Iordan to stoppe and stay their course and to ryse vp lyke mouÌ„taynes to make passage for hys people the children of Iaacob To passeouer howe god fed them .xl. yeares in wyldernesse that they neyther wanted garment to their body neyther shoe to their foote how he sent them Manna from heauen and spredde the ayre wyth quayles when they desyred chaunge of meate how he did gyue them and drinke forth of the hard stone God dyd gyue hym a law to leade his lyfe and to teache hym parfyte wisdome aboue all nations Yea the Lorde hys God neuer lefte hym neyther dyd forsake hym but alwayes went before him in a fyry pyller by the nyght season and in a cloude by the daye tyme. As for the battayles which the Lorde hath foughten frome heauen for Iaacob and hys chyldren they are wythout nombre And the wonderfull actes whych froÌ„ tyme to tyme God hath wrought for his chosen Iaacob they can be contemed in no bookes nor wrightinges God dyd speake face to face vnto hym he sent for hym his Prophets and messengers and at the length God sent downe hys own sonne to take fleshe for hys sake of hys seede and linage What coulde he do more for Iaacob that he hath not done Reade the whole boke of Exodus Deutero Iosue Iudges and kinges and a brief rehersall of God his greate worckes .ii. Ezra ix And especially note the loue of God toward Iaacob Exod. xix where the Lorde appearing with thondre fyre and smoke saieth vnto the house of Iacob you shal be myne before al people you shal be vnto me a priestly kingdome and an holye people The whiche sentence is alledged in the newe Testamente .i. Peter .ii. Of the spirituall Iaacob sayinge You are the chosen kinred the kingly priesthode the holye people a people wonne for thys purpose that you shuld shew forth hys power whyche hathe called you into thys maruelous lyght Whych sometyme wer not hys people but now are the people of God Whiche once were withoute hys mercye but nowe haue you attayned mercye Wherefore as it was then said to the carnall Iaacob and outewarde Israel I haue loued Iaacob he asketh wherin I haue loued him forgetful of my benefites euen so nowe vnder thys complaynt of the carnall Iaacob the spirite of God doothe charge vs and condempne our ingratitude whiche wyl be accompted the spiritual Israell and the true Iacob not after the letter and flesh but in spirite and truthe Where we doe knowe that the almyghtye maker of heauen and earthe so loueth vs that hee is contente we should
be called his children the sonnes of the hyest And is so carefull ouer vs that he that toucheth vs toucheth the Aple of hys eye And that he so hateth oure ennemyes the bloudy Edomites that he wyll destroye theym wyth euerlastynge destruccyon Yea hee maketh the heauens aboue the holy angels in the heauens to minister vnto vs. He causeth the earthe beneathe the ayre the seas to serue vs. And ouer all creatures he gaue vs the lordshippe and dominion to beare hys image and to be as it were earthlye Goddes And whyche surmounteth and farre passeth all the woorckes that euer were wroughte in heauen or in earthe Thys mercyefull Lorde oure God when we were not hys people but hys ennemyes not seekynge after his mercy but goynge a straye frome hym in oure fleshly vanities hath so loued vs that he hath not spared hys only begottē sonne but most louingly hath geuen hym vnto deathe for vs to delyuer vs from the Egypte of synne and the helly Pharao to blesse vs to sanctifyt vs to make vs hys children To deliuer vs from cruel Esaw and all Edomites To bring vs into the country promised salf from seas flouds and waues of thys worlde To feede vs wyth heauēly Manna of hys own flesh to gyue vs drynke forth of hys own side for Christ the sonne of our god is the stony rocke of whome all the faythfull Israell doth drynke and are satisfied Yet we not wythstandinge thys greate loue and manyfolde mercyes do lyue careles of God hys commaundementes as thoughe there were no cause whye wee shoulde loue God or obey his pleasure whiche is thonlye tryall whether wee do loue him or no as Christ our sauiour his dearly beloued sonne teacheth Iho. xiiii xv Not much vnlyke to our first father Adam who thoughte that God had not loued him when he did forbidde him the tree in paradyse but deluded by the subtyll serpente supposed that God hadde enuyed his furtheraunce in knowledge and therefore beleued the deuyll to loue hym better and to counsayle more for hys profytte then hys creator maker Lorde and God Lykewise are we all mooste readye to runne whether oure lustes leadeth and thys olde Serpent dothe hisse and whystle vs. But the word and wyll of God is vnto vs an heauye burthen so that wee heare and take it not as a louinge lesson taughte by a father or a frende but as a greuous yocke and burthen layd vppon our backes by some tyraunt or rather a frende So that in oure deedes we clearely deny that we do loue God or that hee hath deserued any loue or seruice at oure handes Thus did the Iewes and carnal Iaacob our spectable and glasse to looke vppon thoughe their father was chosen in hys mothers wombe and hys posteritye with maruelous miracles fostered cheryshed and set vppon highe aboue al natyons dispyse theyr louynge Lord who of hys onlye free mercy had chosen them in Iaacob and refused Esau wyth all his posteritye before that eyther of theese two children were borne into this world And because they dyspysed theyr God and woulde not confesse vnto hys glorye wherein he loued theym Therefore are they worthelye reiecte caste awaye and scattered a brode from the face of God and dryuen from hys holye temple vnto this daye The whych obstynate ingratitude wycked vnthankfulnesse of thys carnal Iaacob together with their worthy desolacyon ought to stirre our harde hearts and to moue our carelesse mindes to remember wherin our moste mercyfull father vttereth hys loue so many wayes vnto vs. Especiallye seyng by the fall of the same Iaacob saluacion is come vnto vs which ones were vnder the shaddowe of death before their bowes were brokē that we beyng wilde olyues might be grafted in thē and be come partakers of the roote and the fatnesse of the olyue kyndlye and natural This report of the great loue of God towarde vs whyche are the chosē Iaacob and spiritual Israell how he hath refused hys own chyldren naturallye borne of Iaacob as concernynge the flesh and taken vs to him self which were hys open enemyes and straungers from that people as it is greatelye comfortable so it is also verie terryble For therin also muste we considre howe they dyd fall for their vnthanckefulnesse and mysbelief that we be not proude but trēble and feare and alwayes knoweledge the louynge kyndenesse of oure Lorde towarde vs. For if God haue not spared the naturall braunches beware leaste it happen by any meanes that he do not spare thee whyche art of nature a wylde Olyue Loo therefore the loue of God and hys goodnes towarde the if thou abyde in goodnes myndful of the louinge kyndnesse of the Lorde God Or els contrarywyse shal thou be cutte of and they grafted in agayne whyche are the natural braunches yf they do turne from their mysbeleue and confesse howe greatelye god loueth theym For we gentyles are thys same Esaw and Edom here mencioned yf we be vnthankfull vnfaythfull and forgetfull of god hys benefytes where as we huylde the Lord wyl destroy and we shal be called the wicked borders and the people agaynst whom god is angrye for euer as oure Prophet Malachy speaketh But if we only can be thākful for al hys louing kyndenesse and confesse and knoweledge the benefytes receyued than shall wee be the true Israell circumsised in harte the chosen Iaacob the holye people whyche were wonne and purchased to preache foorthe hys prayse whyche hathe called vs foorthe of darckenes into hys maruaylous lyghte And oure eyes shall see the Edomites that is to saye all the vnfaythfull of what manner of Nacyon Countrye or kyndred so euer they be vtterlye destroyed Then shall we renowme praise laud and magnifie the Lorde oure God in all our borders because he hathe so wonder fully shewed hys powre hys myght his iustice and iust iudgement vpon the wicked Edomites the vessels of his wrathe and in contrary sort hath he shewed the ry hes of hys glory towardes vs the vessayles of hys mercye whom he hath prepared and appoynted vnto glory whom he hath chosen before the worlde began called in the ende of the world loued with loue vnspeakeable that hee woulde bee conuersaunte and set hys tabernacle amonges vs. And bee oure god and make vs hys people To hym must we crye holye holye holy iust are thy iudgementes O Lorde To recompence the wycked theyr euyll wayes and to kepe thy promesse with thy chosen To iudge the mighty Edomits after theyr own merits and defende the simple Iaacob from all violence and to shew mercy aboūdantlye to thy people whome thou hast chosē to be the spituall Israel cyrcumcysed in hartes by thy spirite to do seruyce honor to thy holy name Amen ¶ Of Eleccion and Reprobacyon HEre is a iuste occasion offered to entreate of reprobacion and Election in that the Lord sayeth by hys prophet I haue loued Iaacob and I do hate Esau And thoughe the matter seameth to manye learned men mooste daungerous of
couetousnes of the priests hys name was polluted by theyr Lasciuious lyfe the priests sayd the meate of the Lords table is not to be regarded it is no lyuing but beggary to serue the Lorde we wyl not labour therfore in the Lords house we wyll not shutte the dore for nought neyther lyght a candle vpon hys table wythout some rewarde Euen as our priestes at this day vnworthely concernyng theyr offyce but worthely concerning the wycked spoils of their liuings do lament that the layitie wyll bryng them to extreme penury and beggarye And some not worthy of v.li. lyuinge from the churche can saye what is xl pound what is an hundreth pounde and some Lordlye Byshoppes can saye what is D. marke Now wher the laye men do wyckedly in takyng any thynge from you Doubtlesse you do muche the worsse in causinge the worde of God to be despysed through your couetouse desyres Whereby you dooe make the Table of the Lorde despysed and make all men vnwillynge to ministre meate to youre sacryfices that is to saye to ayde and to releaue you to the encrease of your lyuynges I do passe ouer because I wold haue it buryed in silence how the table of the Lord was polluted of late in our popish time both with the blindnes of the thinges offered there vppon and the dombe Popishe ceremonyes heaped as it were wode heapes the worde wyll and ordenaunce of God vtterly despised and so many as God hathe opened theyr eyes doth behold it and lamēt Yet you pope holye Papistes saye Loo oure greate payne and wearynes do we brynge As the Pharisey saye in the Gospell magnifying hym selfe and his workes loo I do fast twyse in the weake and I geue the tythes of all that I haue our Pharises and poope holye prelates selling theyr lyppe labours theyr prayers and fastings and such other holines to other mē beleuing their lyes following the preceptes and doctrine of men whiche hath an outward shew of wysdome by supersticion and humblinge of theyr selues do bring laborious and paynful workes as they thincke But the Lorde of hostes sayeth you myght blowe it away Suche are the workes you do boaste so weake and vnweyldye that they are not of so muche force and strengthe as one blaste of wynde no not youre God your Idol your popish wafer cake was able in all hys powre to wythstande one blast of winde and how much lesse then was all your wyl holines and other popish chaffer Yea the whole kingdome of Antechriste shall be blowne a waye and theyr kyng destroyed with the breath of God hys mouthe And the blaste of hys spirite And you haue brought the rauine the sicke the lame bryngynge suche an offerynge shal I receiue it of your hand fauorably sayth the Lorde No cursed is the deceitful which hath the male in his flocke and doth vowe and offre corrupcion vnto the Lorde for I am a greate kyng sayth the Lord of hostes and my name is terrible amōges the heythen The Lorde wyll haue nothynge gotten by rauyne by robberye by spoyl and by bryberye no he alloweth no suche sacrifyce no suche offerynge as is gotten of the spoile of our brethrē This is not his honour no it were much his dishonoure to admitte such seruauntes This were as pleasaunt a thynge to hym as it is to a naturall father to robbe or to sleye the naturall chyld in the eies of hys father and to brynge to hys father parte of the spoyl for a presēt Thinkest thou the carnall father wyl receiue this thākfully nay doubtlesse No more wyl the heauenly father receyue any offerynge sacrifice praiers or almes fauourably which such Priestes and Byshops bringeth as takinge greate lyuinges forth of poore mens laboures doth no part of there dutye whiche is playne theft and robbery But as the Iuste Lord hateth all disceite in all menne and that which commeth vnder the cloke of holynes especially as the blynde lame and maimed beast is an vnseamelye sacryfyce to be broughte to the myghtye God as all suche sacryfycers wyth theyr presentes sacrifices and offerynges are to be dyspised amonges the people So muche more the priest who shoulde appeare