¶ To the faythfull brethren whych by worde and woorke are prompt and ready to declare them selues vnfayned folowers of the truth reuealed Anthonye Gylbye wysheth peace and strength from the Lorde I Did write of late a rude Comentarye vppon the godlye Prophet Micha dearely beloued wherwyth many worldlings as I am enfourmed are very mutche greued sore offended because that Prophet dothe freate and chayffe the old sores of their cankered cōsciences and holow harts Especyally certeyne Charmers Enchaūters whych would be named wisemen and Astronomers haue so farre vttered theyr malice and spyt foorth theyr poyson that they are not content to rayle agaynste me whych were a right smal matter in mine owne cause and busines but they dare lyfte vp theymselues blinde bussardes not able to see theyr owne snares against God his sacrate maiesty agaynst hys gloryous truthe reuealed to hys sayntes against hys holy spirite foreseing al thynges gouernyng all thynges yea reuealyng all thynges longe before they doe come to passe alwayes to some of hys chosen bothe the saluacion of the good and the perdicion and destruccion of the wycked reprobate the Charmers Chyldren as Esay calleth them Emōges thys nomber euen of the learned sort such as the Diuel hath styrred by the name of Gospellers and the vayne tytle of learning to shame the Gospell and good learnynge for there is no good learnyng against thy Lord god be thou sure suche I say as haue the shewe of knowledge and relygion but fele not the power therof hath bene so shame lesse that they durst compare the false heade of deuylyshe lyes to the infallible truth of god hys holy prophetes the writyngs of theyr wiserds to the holy scriptures of the euerlyuyng and euer seynge God Comparynge vyle chaffe vnto pure wheate as Hieremi speaketh Hiere xxiii Theyr marlynes theyr nolhardes theyr walsh Dauids and Daruel Gadders whome they wyth lyke foreheades dare pronounce to be bygotten borne brought foorth instructed and taughte by the wycked spirit the dyuel in playn englyshe dare they conferre and prefer to the chyldren of God begotten and borne a newe neyther of fleshe nor bloude nor any carnall or internall operation But by a celestial heauenly diuyne byrth regenerate and newe begottē by the good spirite of God Whome we must needes confesse moste able to search and teache not only the secretes of mans harte but the depth of God his great iudgementes Of these beware deare brethren the dayes are euyl And no maruaile though the wicked deuil do roare rage and raill now especially in this time when his artes maskes and subtile deuyses begynne by God hys holye woord to be vttered discouered defaced For he alway striueth for hys kingdom of darknes against the chyldren of lyght the true prophetes of God euer synce the begynnynge and hath euermore in his members chalenged a knowledge wysdome aboue the wysdome of God as appeared in the Sorcerers of Egipte resystynge Moses in zedechia and such lyke chyldren of the deuyll resystynge Michea and the true prophetes especially when thys olde serpēt in hys owne parson tēpted our master Christ caryeng him frō place to place byddyng hym fal downe and worshyp and he would gyue hym al the kingdōs of the worlde and al theyr glorye How be it the deuil in al these doth bestirre him in vayne and fayleth of hys purpose Yea our Lorde and myghty God dothe alwayes at hys appointed tyme and good pleasure stoppe and stay this raging deuil and causeth hys artes to faile his craftes to be vncouered the wysdome of hys wyserdes to appeare foolyshenesse and maketh hys oracles false hys aunsweres he vttereth to be most vayne and deceyuable as we reade in the fall of Cresus and other heathen Idolaters demēted with lyke madnes And to our singuler comfort whych be Christians in the byrth of our sauiour Christe he compelled al the idoles whych afore time by the deuils subtiltie dyd delude symple people to be dombe and vnable to giue any answer to their worshyppers and at the sendyng forthe of Christes Apostles al the Charmers Sorcerers and Enchaūters were made dombe and speechlesse So strongly dyd our lord by thys hys myghty captayn bynde in chaynes and keepe captyue this armed Giant and spoill hys house and temple Now therfore howsoeuer the deuyll or the wycked world shall take it after the burthen of the prophet Micha I do brynge another burthen greeuous and heauye agaynst al wytches Charmers and Enchaunters and against al wedlock breakers fornicators and adulterers against al periured vaine swearers agaynst all extorcioners oppressours and brybers finallye agaynst al that feare not the Lord all and synguler wycked worldelynges I do brynge a burthen I say from whēce neyther learned nor vnlearned neyther priest nor people shall plucke foorthe theyr neckes The burthē I do meane of the waighty word of the great God brought down vnto men by no blynde nolhardes or wycked Marlines but by the angel of god by the messenger of the hye king and Lorde of the whole earthe whych vttereth the terryble tyme of Iustice vengeaunce agaynst all the proude people and wycked doers How be it vnto you deare brethren that do feare the Lord I do brynge thys glad tydynges that the sunne of ryghteousnesse vnto you shal aryse and saluaciō shal be vnder hys beames Walk in hys lyght therfore whyles you haue lyghte for for youre sakes these euil daies shal be shortened And though the proude do rage and raill against my former treatise because my rude simplicitie voyde of eloquence my playne kynd of wrytyng tastyng of my plough gadde lame in learnyng long banyshed from the scholes farre from the Logician subtyltye Rethorycall assentacion or courtelye flatterye hath skraped tendre and daynetye eares wyth sharpe bytynge treuthe and caused them to kycke yet because the poore symple soules whych cannot attayne to the hyghe wrytynges of learned clarckes hath confessed theym selues some thynge to haue learned thereby bothe to fear God his sacrate maiesty and to walke more warely in their vocations and callynges It hathe encouraged me agayne to offer my selfe a laughynge stocke to the wycked worldelynges a spittynge stocke to the spytefull Papystes and to a rable of suche as shal be pynched wyth the wayghtye burthen and heauye yoke of God hys greate vengeaunce The whyche moste woorthelye shal be layed vppon theyr neckes in the declaratyon of thys Prophecye Wherefore I beseeche thee O heauenlye Father the father of Spyrytes so to lyghten my hart with thy holye spirit that I maye haue the true vnderstandynge of the secrete mysteryes of the spirit hydde in thys Prophet Graunte also suche larges of thy spirite that I maye to the profite of my poore brethren dyspose thys thy heauenlye treasure and boldly and constātly set forthe thy truthe to the glory of thy most holy name So be it The words of the mighty God by his holy Prophet THe burthen of the woorde of God by the hād
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
the iust iudgement of the almyghty god accurssyng and condempnynge in Satan and Cain al synne and wyckednes To vtter that he abhorreth synne and hateth it beyng so farre contrary from hys nature whych is Iustice it selfe contrary from hys wyll whyche is equitie and hys lawe which is iudgement In Pharao a chyld of the same father reprobate indurate and accurssed whom god styrred vp for the declaracion of hys greate power and myghty arme as well in the manifold myracles wrought for his people whych nothyng had needed neither had bene occasyoned if ther had not ben suche a tyraunt so indurate and so obstinate to wythstande God and hys Seruauntes as also by the submercion and drownyng of hym and hys people in the read sea a sygne and token fyrste of the eternal and ineuitable destruccion and damnacion whereunto the wycked are appoynted then of the saluacion assygned and sealed vp for the elect and chosen we do learne here by also the power of god whych the very Sorcerers the enemyes of god were compelled to confesse before Pharao Exod. viii Wee do learne more ouer the iustice of god whych iustice Pharao hym selfe was compelled agaynst hym selfe to denounce and affyrme Exo. ix And fynally we may se expressed most manifestly the fatherly mercy of the god of Iaacob whych dyd gyue the kynge and the whole people of Egypte a pryce for hys chosen Iaacob Loo the loue towardes Iaacob and the hatred towardes Esaw What shall we speake of Iudas and other manyfestlye reprobate whych are compelled by the testymony of theyr owne consciences to pronounce them selues wycked and therefore to feare god hys seueare iustice and iust iudgemente And to flye there frome by the terrour of theyr euyl consciences whych is more sore then a thousand witnesses agaynst suche as god doth leaue to theyr owne selues The which terrible examples the electe of god hauyng before theyr eyes hathe greate cause to praise theyr heauenlye father throughe hys sonne Christe who hath sent theym hys hollye spirite of comforte whyche wyl neuer suffer theym to be tempted aboue that they are able to suffer to beare But where we haue two kynde of mē that be aduersaryes to thys doctryne of reprobacion The one sorte vtteryng thē selues most manyfestly reprobate obstinate and wylfully wycked cryinge and blasphemyng we wyl follow our lustes what neede we to care howe we lyue or what we do yf we be elected with Iaacob we shal be saued yf we be reiect curssed wyth Esaw we shal be dampned These Lucifers not submyttynge them selues to the gouernaūce of god careles what becometh of them must be bette downe wyth the consyderacion of the maiestye and myghty power of God whych suffereth not one sparowe to fal vppon the earth wythout hys wyl and prouidence neyther one heare to fal from the heade of hys electe and chosen howe fearcelye so euer they shal rage against them Wherefore O you Serpentes seede howe so euer you shall be offended wyth thys that I shall speake knowe thys that as the myghtye God hath made the skattered sonnes able inoughe to stay the ragyng seas so shal your proude waues of your boylyng stomakes and ouer busye heades be broken and brought full low wher and whan it shal lyke the Lorde of al flesh by these hys weake vessels And lycence must you aske as dyd youre father the Deuyl executynge hys tyrranny vpon the good man Iob as we reade in the fyrst chapter of that history before you can lay handes eyther of bodye or goodes of any of hys chosē therin shal you be lymitted and appoynted as ther appeareth how farre you shal be able to extend your violence For God holdeth youre hartes in hys hande be you neuer so great tyrauntes and can soone cause you to faynt and fayle from your fury turnyng your hartes rounde aboute as hym lyketh best And because thus you blaspheme God bothe in woordes and deedes followyng your father Lucifer abusynge Gods creatures and despysyng hys benefytes hys tollerance and hys longe sufferaunce whyche myghte moue you to repentance as holy Paule warneth you treasure vp for yourselfe euen wrathe vengeāce agaynst the day of vengeāce I do feare nothing at al to offend you with my wryting neither do you pas any thyng at al what is written or spokē though you vse to swere stāpe stare for a litle space in a furious rage when you heare feele thynges contrarye to your poysō But the scriptures of God al good wrytinges al truthe vnto such dogges hogges ar vttered to this purpose that they may be a testimony of cōdēpnatiō of the light of God his truthe reiected dispised Therfore for the elect of god that they may vnderstād the course of God hys woorckinge in al his creatures reuerence his maiesty magnify renoume his holy name is this writtē Yet doutles do I know amōgest the chiefe vessayles and chosen chyldren of God ther be many whych haue not attayned to this poynt of doctrine of eleccion reprobaciō whō I am very lothe to offend and therefore I desyre thē for the loue of god to suffer me quietly with out theyr greefe to vtter vnto other the cōfort of mi cōsciēce which I haue here by vndoutedly receyued like as I haue many times harkened vnto them in the contrary Fyrst praying thus both of vs together vnto our heauēli father knowledging our own infirmitie weakenes O father in the heauēs what so euer we are what so euer we haue what so euer we know it is only by thy fre grace for we wer by nature the children of wrath we are not borne a newe of flesh blud either of the seede of man or of the wyll of mā flesh bloud cānot reueale the mysteries of thy heauēly kyngdom vnto vs. But by thy blessed wyl are we that we are by the same knowe we that we know Therefore O father doe we commytte into thy handes onelye oure saluacyon If oure knoweledge bee small yet wee doubte nothynge but that wee are the chyldren of thy euerlastyng kingdome and therfore by thy myghtye power we shal growe whan it shal be thy pleasure to a more full and ryper knowledge of a more perfyte age wherin our fayth shal be fullye able to comprehende and perceiue the bredth depth light and largenesse of thy great mercies and gracious promyses But seyng thys power of ful knowledge and parfite reuelacion passeth al powers naturall and remayneth onely in thy power and the lyght of thy spirite O Lorde Doe thou what shall please the to open to vs thy seruauntes and chyldren depending of thy handes so much of the light of thy countenaūce and at such tymes as shall seme good to thy wysedome and fatherlye mercye In the meane tyme thus restyng hollye vpon the neyther can we despayre neyther wil we be to much careful although we can not attayne to the knowledge of many of thy woorkes
whiche thinges semeth not to be nedefull say they seing the elect shal be saued and the reprobate condempned by decree and sentence geuen vppon them before they be borne To this we do answer that these exhortacions and comninations are very necessarye to bothe twain because God leadeth vs men alwayes lyke reasonable creatures not lyke in sensible stockes or stones And to the electe they are mooste necessarye Pryckes and spurres to styrre the dull flesh toward his deuty as all good men fealeth and can beare wytnesse To the reprobate they are testymonies of the good wyl of the almighty God to them opened and vttered but openly resisted refused and reiected accordinge to the saying of our sauioure Christ If I had not come and spoken to them they had had no sinne but now they haue no pretense or excuse for their sinne Peraduenture you wyl aunswer me they can not obey vnto it What is the cause thereof I pray you because they lacke the spirite of Christe to leade them you wyll saye I dare easely grant you but wyl they graunt thys wyl they thinke you submytte theym selfe vnder poore Christe and the folyshenes of the crosse and not rather boaste and bragge their wisdom theyr knowledge and theyr vp ryght dealyng and rightousnes Ar not these the men that dare thus boste We knowe aswell as the Preacher can tell vs. Is the sprite of God departed from vs to speake wyth hym as was said to Micha .ii. of the kynges .xxii. chap. Or as the Phariseis dyd aunsweare vnto Christe are we blinde to whome our sauioure saythe agayne If you wer blind you had no sinne but now you say you see therefore your synne remayneth Io. ix Thus doubtles they are so farre from the submission and subieccyon to poore Christ that contrarye wyse they dooe willinglye and naturallye followe theyr father Lucifer Who dyd lyft him self arrogantly aboue Christ the sonne of ryghteousnesse and euermore fyghteth agaynste Christe though the mightye power and hyghe wysdome of God turneth hys euell wyll and al theyres to hys glory and good purposes None other wayes then bodilye and naturall darknes whiche by the wonderful wysdome of God clearelye setteth forthe the bright sonne shine and yet laboreth by continual course to shadow the sōne to couer the whole earthe Wherfore the Lord God to dryue a waye this natural darcknes from manne exhorteth to iustice equitye which is his nature and the image which man ought to coūterfait And alwaies cōmaundeth thinges therunto agreable And forbiddeth that he is not that is to sai iniquiti and behorteth there from by his Prophetes and preachers publishing his wil pleasure which is the light and law most perfit to man his noble creature whome he hathe made for his honoure and glorye whome he hath appoynted to beare hys Image vpon earth of iustice rightousnes and innocency But because this image colde by no creature parfytlye be expressed onles the same were fully replenished with the selfe same godhead because that all things besydes forth had some inperfection bewraying their originall the darcknes as Iohn calleth it the Tohu and Bohu as Moises dothe it name The vayne vanitie and wylde deformite whence they were by creacyon altered recouered and brought into lyght and lyfe as apeared in Adam falling from truthe to lyes streyght at the beginning now of necessity the sōne of God who only is good of nature becōmeth mā and taketh this office to beare the image of god inuisible Col. i. And to be the head of that spiritual perfection which was to be wrought in mankynd by his a fore appointed purpose and becometh the first begotē of al creatures for bi him wer al things created both in heauen and earth visible and inuisible maiestye Lordship rule and powre by whom and in whom al things are created and he is before all creatures and in him al thinges haue their being And he is the head of the bodye he is the beginning and first begotten of the dead that in al things he might haue preeminence For it pleased the father that in him shuld dwel al fulnes and by him to reconcyle al things to him self And to set at peace by him through the bloud of his cros both things in heauen and thynges in earth for euē you sayth Paule which in times past were straungers because your mindes were set in euel works hath he now recōsiled in the bodi of his flesh through deathe to make you holy and vnblameles without faulte in his sight Seing then that thys cannot be denyed to bee the course of god hys holy woorking to dryue awaye thys darknesse to bryng mā to hys light to take away synne to brynge man to a lyfe blameles the state of innocēcy his own liknes shal it not be most nessessarye to haue preachers teachers to tel vs this same and admonyshe vs wherunto we be called seynge of our selues and our owne reasons no suche thyng can be perceiued Therfore haue we preachinges and exhortacions as Paule sayeth for when the worlde through wisdome knew not God in the the wysedome of God it pleased God through the foolyshnes of preachynge to saue them that beleue .i. Corin. i. And as he also sayth of hym selfe in another place We doe preache thys rytches in Christ the hope of your glory warnyng al men teachyng al men in al wisdom to make al men parfyt in Christ Iesu Thus serueth then exhortacions dehortacions cōminations and publicacions of the lawes and wyl of our Lorde God that he may be knowen the Lord and gouernour ouer all the thynges he hath created and the only law maker amonges hys creatures publyshyng vnto al that parfyt equitie iustice whiche ought in no case to be resisted Wherevnto yf they cannot attayne they must confesse and knowledge theyr owne infyrmytye and weakenesse and submyt theym selues vnder the myghtye hande of God and so doynge they shall be receyued as chyldren of the most louynge and most mercyfull Father in such degrees of parfection as he hath appointed to the beawtefying of the bodye of hys sonne our heade So that the Lorde God dothe teache all and lyghten all men that come into the world both chosen and reprobate wyth such a knowledge as doth the good Prynce whyche vnto all hys subiectes proclaymeth hys statutes and publysheth his lawes but lyke a good tender father he leadeth hys chyldren regenerate and borne a newe neyther of fleshe nor bloude nor the wyl of man and guydeth them with hys fatherly spirite in the pathes of the same lawes wrytynge in theyr hartes what is hys good wyll and pleasure In the whych course of God hys wōderfull woorke the wycked hathe no cause to complayne for as theyr father whom they do follow is named the prince of thys worlde so they haue the worlde at wyll and are rytche roysters and wealthye worldelynges tramplynge vnder theyr feete poore Abell and the despysed Christians neyther wyll