Ephe. v By God inwardly workyng by his spirite that cutteth from the harte all euil thoughtes carnal lustes and affeccions and this is called the circumcision of the harte signified in the olde lawe by the outward Circumcision of the flesh And this our baptisme is come to vs in the stede of circumcision to the Iewes and is as necessarie and more profitable to vs then was Circumcisiō to the Iewes in the tyme of the old law And as it was necessary by Gods cōmaundement Gene. xvii That all young men children should be Circumcised the eighte daie So it is no lesse necessarie that all young children should be Baptised for without Baptisme none can bee saued Ihon .iii. Math .xxviii. Marke .xvi. Therfore the Anabaptistes are greatly to bee blamed that would not haue young children Christened or Baptised in the water and in the holy Ghost Of Baptisme of young children I haue spoken Ephe. iiii Therfore I do not speake of it in this place any more And you whē you wer ded by synne and by the vncircūcisiō of your flesh together with hym he hath quickened you again forgeuyng to you all youre synnes and put awaie that hand writyng that was against vs conteined in the lawe writtē with the decre that was contrary to vs and that toke he clere awaye and fastened it to the crosse hath spoyled Rule and power and hath made a shewe of theim openly and hath triūphed ouer thē in his awne persone The Apostle here sheweth the thyng that he shewed more at large Ephe. ii That is what we are of our selfes mightes and powers what we be by Christ By our awne nature receiued of Adam we wer ded by synne originall and of our selfes by actuall synne but by Christe alone we be restored again to life and God hath forgeuen vs our synnes frely without our merites or deseruinges for Christes sake onely and where we wer Gentiles vncircumcised now bee Circumcised in oure hartes haue cutte awaie from our hartes all carnall affeccions lustes appetites contrary to the spirite of GOD. And where as the hande writyng was against vs that is where as the law written called hand written did conuince vs of synne that wee could not deny but we wer synners and for our synne had deserued death and we wer worthie death yet it pleased God onely of his mere mercie and grace to forgeue vs our synnes and to make vs heires of the heauenly inheritaūce and partakers of his glory by Iesus Christe Also where as the lawe did condempne vs for our syn to death it pleased God of his mercie not onely to forgeue vs our synnes but also to take awaie that hande writyng that condēpneth vs for synne to deth and that writyng was the lawe of God written that shewed all men to be synners in the sight of GOD and no man to bee iuste Christe onely excepted in the sight of God and for sinne worthie death The Apostle here vseth a Metaphor of a writyng or of an obligacion made where men be bound to fulfill the writyng or obligacion made This writing is the lawe of God it requireth that all men should fulfill the lawe no manne fulfilled the lawe Christ onely excepted wherefore al men was found by the lawe gyltie worthie death because thei fulfilled not the law that thei were bounde to kepe This lawe Christ not onely for himself but for all them that beleue in hym or shall beleue in hym to the worldes ende did fulfill that it shall not bee imputed to theim that beleue in Christe any trasgression of the lawe for Christ is the fulfiller of the law and we by hym in hym Christ is the perfeccion of the lawe to al thē that beleue in hym Ro. x. 2 He hath fastened it to the crosse Now he sheweth when he deliuered vs from synne and brake in peces the Obligacion that condempneth vs to death for synne it was whē he suffered death vpon the crosse for vs and toke our synnes vpon his backe Esay liii And in that suffryng he ouercame the deuill and all our enemies synne death and hell and the deuill and all wicked spirites whom he calleth here rule and power and in token of victorie he sprede abrode banners of victorie and the spoyles of enemies diuided and did triumph noblely ouer his enemies and that by no other power or mighte but by his awne power and might and strength that al honor and glory should be geuē to God alone and to none other for all victories had ouer our enemies to declare vnto vs by whom and in whose name and power wee shall ouercome oure enemies the deuill the worlde and the fleshe that is in the name of Christe and by Christe alone and not by holy water sprynkelyng or by the sound of an holy bell by a palme crosse holy candle or other sorcery or witcherie as some folishly and supersticiously hath thought for these cānot driue awaie the deuill but rather the deuill is kepte and mainteined by suche false trustes vain hope lies for Christ droue not away the deuill when he was tēpted of the deuill Mat. iiii With holy water holy candle palmes or crosses but by the woorde of GOD resistyng all temptacions of the deuil and so by the woorde of God muste we resist and ouercome the deuill Ephesi vi Therefore let no man iudge you in meate or drynke or in parte of the holy daie as the newe Moone or Sabboth dayes which are shadowes of thynges to come the body verely is of Christ The Apostle semeth here to gather a conclusion of the wordes and sentences goyng before after this maner forasmuche as Christ hath restored you ded to life again and hath circumcised your hartes and forgeuen you all your synnes and takē awaie that hande writyng that condēpned you to death for sin in you ye and also hath ouercomed all your aduersaries that was against you or would haue accused yon and hath had victorie ouer thē And also you in Christ haue all iustice holines wisedome forgeuenes of synne redempcion saluacion life and all perfeccion fredom from al captiuitie of the deuill synne death or hell fire from all seruitude and bondage of the lawe and that by Christe onely that you hauyng and possessyng Christe by true faithe haue no nede of the lawe or workes of it that you should not thynke the lawe necessary to saluacion that is that you should not thynke that without you kepe the lawe and all the Ceremonies of it you could not bee saued as some thought no man could be saued without he were Circumcised in the fleshe accordyng to the old lawe Gene. xvii Commaunded to Abraham and his posteritie duryng the tyme of the law but against that opinion saincte Paule throughout all his Epistles laboreth and sheweth plainly that Circumcision is not necessary to saluaciō but that without Circumcision and workes of the lawe such as beleue in Christe shal bee saued although
in whō the whole body by ioyntes and couples ioyned increaseth by the increasemēt of God Here is the cause shewed of their deceipte the cause is that they haue not Christe thei seeke not Christe the hed of the Churche thei haue not Christ alwaies before their iyes thei seke not his glory but their awne glory thei referre not all thynges thei haue receiued to Christ but to other as to angelles to spirites to thē selfes their merites or to the merites of other and not to Christ whiche is our whole health life perfeccion and saluaciō in whō is all goodnes laied vp for vs and without whom there is no goodnes commyng to vs and in Christ all good thynges increaseth to a ful perfecciō and without Christe no good thyng increaseth or cōmeth to perfecciō wherfore if you be ded with Christ from the Elementes of this worlde why as liuyng in the worlde are you holden with such tradicions as though you liued in the worlde Thou shalt not touche thou shalte not taste nor handle whiche all thynges doo hurte to mā because of the abuse of the cōmaundementes and doctrines of menne hauyng a pretense of wisedom by supersticiō and humilitie of mynde and dāmage of the body and not by honor to the satisfiyng of the fleshe Paule moueth these Colossiās to returne no more to thinke the lawe or woorkes of it necessarie to saluacion or dampnable to omit it after this maner If you be ded with Christe from the Elementes of the worlde that is from the lawe and from the Ceremonies sacrifices and Iudiciall commaundemētes why as you were vnder the lawe do you so muche regarde the lawe and thynke you shal bee dampned if you kepe not the Lawe Hath not Christe redemed you And broughte you to healthe to life and to saluacion and to all perfeccion that you nede no help of the lawe to obtein any holines goodnes or any perfecciō The lawe brought you to no holines nor could geue you no holines why wil you then forsake Christ the aucthor of whō all goodnes commeth runne vnto the law and require of it iustice righteousnes that cānot geue to you those thynges Therefore for as muche as the lawe is abrogated by Christe why will ye turne to it again and thynke it necessary for saluacion For by Christe is life and saluacion without all helpe of the lawe As Paule here reproued the Pseudoapostles saiyng no manne could bee saued without the lawe and the woorkes of the lawe and those thynges that were commaunded in the lawe so he reproueth those men that saie men cannot be saued excepte thei kepe mannes tradicions as necessarie for saluacion as Gods commaundementes whiche thyng Christ reproueth in the Phariseis Math. xv Callyng theim Hypocrytes breaking Goddes commaundementes for their tradiciōs whiche thei preferred aboue Gods commaundementes or els made thē equall with Gods commaūdementes Paule here dooth not condempne Ciuill ordinaunces and statutes that proueth Gods woorde and glorie that causeth peace and concorde equitie and iustice and a good ordre emonges the people of God and that moueth men to vertue and godlines all suche lawes or Tradicions he approueth but he will that no Ordinaunce of manne should be preferred aboue Goddes Lawe or made equall with Gods commaundementes nor iustice holines righteousnes to be required of mannes Lawes Tradicions or of Ceremonies inuented and made by man 2 Thou shalte not touche thou shalte not taste thou shalte not handle Paule speaketh here in the persone of Pseudoapostles whiche studie to bryng Christians from Christe to Ieweshnes again saiyng thou shalte not touche vncleane thinges as ded bodies or leprose by the whiche is signified in the lawe synnes or vncleane vices that thei should not be committed thou shalt not tast this meate for it is vnclene and forbidden to be eaten Meates of themselfes was neuer vncleane But thei were called vncleane for twoo causes the one was that the lawe did forbid to eate them and so thei wer called vncleane the other was for significaciō of an vncleane thyng that was signified by it But nowe no maner of meates is vncleane to them that be cleane Tite i. omnia munda mundis All thynges are pure and cleane to theim that bee cleane and are to be receiued with geuyng of thākes to God except Maiestrates do commaunde the contrary or the infirmitie or weakenes of oure brother or oure erronious conscience do will the contrary for these causes a man must abstein from his libertie in meates and not vse it at all tymes Men should not put holines in abstinence from meate or sinne in eating soberly with geuyng of thākes to God for the kyngdome of God is not meate and drynke but iustice peace and ioye in the holy Ghost Rom. xiiiii Euen so it was with vs in tymes paste Was it not forbidden to touche this holy vessell vnder pain of suspension or dedly synne And to eate meate permitted of God was it not coumpted worse then to breake Goddes commaundementes As vpon the Fridaie to eate white meate as egges butter and Chese was estemed as greate an offence as Thefte murder adulterie these was not coumpted so greate an offence before God as to eate fleshe vpon the Fridaie or in Lēt tyme although he that did eate flesh was sicke or by Maiestrates licēsed that was coūpted such a great abhominable offēce before God that GOD could not or rather would not forgeue that offence and suche was more abhorred of menne then he that had committed thefte murder and adulterie but thankes be to God for right knowlege now geuen and let euery one vse their knowlege and Christian libertie to Gods glory to the profite of their neighbors not to satisfie the carnall appetites lustes and desires of the fleshe for if we liue after the fleshe we shal dye Ro. viii But if we shall mortifie the affeccions of the fleshe by the spirite of God we shal liue Ro. viii And optein life eternall Gala. vi 3 All these do perishe in the vse after the preceptes and doctrine of men He speaketh of meates whiche after thei be eaten do perishe that is thei go into the bely and some parte fedeth the body and other part goeth into the excrementes and those meates bryng in synne and death if thei be eaten or absteined fro as necessary for saluacion or coūpted dedly synne to eate theim nowe after the Gospell shewed for it is not the preceptes or doctryne of man that maketh a man holy or vnholy but it is the kepyng of Goddes commaundementes that maketh a man acceptable to God whiche no man can doo without Gods fauor and grace Meate is abused if men do put holines iustice vertue righteousnes life saluacion in meates or in absteinyng frō thē or think synne in eatyng theim soberly with thankes to God as some hath put greate holines in fishe and synne in eatyng of flesh whē as holines before GOD is no more in eatyng of fleshe then
the true preachers and setters furthe of it This place also reproueth all thē that do abuse Godly knowlege and vse it for their carnall libertie sensuall pleasure worldly honor and dignitie ease reste profite and for their belie sakes such do not serue God but their belies whose ende is deathe and their glory here shal bee in tyme to come to their confusion shame and euerlastyng death Phili. iii. if thei do not repent and amend for Godly wisedom is geuē that thei should serue and please god and not theimselfes or their belies And suche bely beastes bee the cause that the worde of God is euill spoken on because thei doo abuse their knowlege and turneth it to their carnall pleasures proffites or glory But suche let theim put awaie ignoraunce and take vnto thē Godly wisedome and knowlege and study to liue after Godly knowlege or els their knowlege shal be to their more condempnaciō as Luke sayeth the seruaunte knowyng the will of his Maister and not doyng it is worthy greate punishement and many plagues to bee laied vpon his backe 2 Fructifiyng in all good workes Godly wisedō here desired willeth vs to fructify in al good woorkes that is It would wee should bryng furth al maner of good workes not one worke alone as some there bee that thynke it sufficient for theim to haue doen one good woorke as some to haue builded a Chaūtry some an Abbay some a house of Fryers some a Nunnery some an Hermitage some a Guylde some a Candle some a Torche euer to burne in suche a churche before this Image or that Image whiche be workes not cōmaunded of God nor yet required of man to the which no promise of rewarde is promised of God but Godly knowlege takē out of scripture teacheth mē not onely to do one good worke but to do all maner of good workes appoynted in holy scripture to be doen. This place doeth seme to declare that holy scripture is able to shewe all maner of good workes that there is no worke to bee called good excepte it bee commended and also commaūded to be doen in holy scripture And this saiyng of sainct Paule reproueth those men that thynketh the holy scriptures cannot teache all necessarie truthes sufficient for our saluacion those men sainct Paule .ii. Timothe iii reproueth saiyng the holy scriptures to be able to instruct mē in righteousnes that he maie be made perfite and ready to do al maner of good workes He excepteth none If the holy ghost had thought other workes then holy scripture speaketh of to haue been necessary for our saluacion and that suche workes of necessitie ought to be doen he would not haue said I thinke the holy scripture to instructe vs and to make vs ready to doo all good workes 3 Increasyng in knowlege The Apostle would wee should bee fulfilled not onely with all wisedome and spirituall vnderstandyng but also he would we should increase in knowlege euery daie bee better and better learned and haue more more knowlege of Gods holy worde Here we maie se that euery man bee he neuer so well learned before yet he maie learne more wisedome and knowlege of Gods holy worde Ye we se it is euery mannes duetie euery daie to learne of Gods holy word more and more knowlege and to increase in the same This place sharpely reproueth all men that wil not learne knowlege of goddes holy woorde and specially priestes that will not learne but rather spend their tyme idlely at Cardes or Dise then thei will loke vpon the newe Testament or of the old Testament and wil bee no better learned then thei wer the first daie thei wer made priestes Ye this place reproueth all them that will not heare sermons Lectures of diuinitie in Englishe or in Latyn or in that tongue thei vnderstand ye this place cōdempneth all them that thynke it is enough for the rude people to saie their Pater noster and Aue Maria and the Credo and with them to bee contented and needeth to learne no more knowlege when saincte Paule would we should euery daie increase more and more in knowlege and spiritual wisedom and as thei increase in knowlege of God so he would thei should increase in Godlines in vertue that thei might be strengthened with al Godly power strength able to beare all aduersitie paciently geuyng thankes to God in their state liuyng vprightly in their vocacion whiche hath made vs able to the felowship of sainctes in light whiche hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenes and hath trāslated vs into the kyngdō of his wel beloued sonne by whom we haue redempciō and by his blood forgeuenes of synnes Now the Apostle turneth hym to the chief matter and cause for the which he wrote this Epistle that it was to shewe health and eternall life to be geuē to vs all frely by Christ without respect merite or dignitie of our woorkes or of any thyng that is in vs. And first he sheweth part of the benefites that we haue receiued by Christ Firste that when we wer vnable to thinke to will or to do any good worke or deede he made vs able and did geue vs power to thynke will and do good Of the whiche wee maie learne that all power to thynke will or do good commeth not of our selfes but of GOD the aucthor of all goodnes as saincte Iames saieth Iames .i. Second we be made partakers of the inheritaunce of sainctes in lighte that is of that heauenly inheritaunce that holy sainctes be of in light and in glory and thus wee bee made not by our selfes but by Christ when we were before farr frō it hauyng no right ne title to chalenge or clayme the heauenly glory for our inheritaunce Now by Christ we haue right title to claime it for our inheritaūce He addeth in light as he would saie our inheritaunce was before in darkenes now it is in light of the father of light by Christe Thirdly God hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenes and translated vs into the kingdō of his welbeloued sonne Iesus Christe for whose sake alone we wer deliuered frō all power of darkenes that is of the deuill the aucthor of darkenes and from al workes of darkenes as from synne death hell and from euerlastyng dampnacion also the father of heauen hath takē vs awaie frō all darkenes and blyndnes of ignoraunce of Gods holy word and brought vs into his truthe and into the lighte of the veritie of Gods holy woorde now openly preached and shewed thankes be to God We wer some tymes as saieth sainct Paule Ephe. ii The children of the Ire of God and of darkenes but wee are now made the children of God by adopciō and of light as children of light let vs walke in all iustice veritie and goodnes before wee were in darkenes and did walke in darkenes in much Idolatrie supersticion and feined holines thynkyng that wee pleased God very well when we highly
as our redempcion reconciliacion remission of sinnes iustice righteousnes before GOD eternall life and felicitie all other giftes of God we receiue by Christ onely of Gods mere mercie and grace and not of our merites or deseruynges or of our workes merites or peticions of sainctes Al fulnes of the father is called to dwel in Christ not the Christ now hath receiued that thyng that he had not before for all goodnes of the father he had before as Ihon .v. saieth As the father hath life in hymself so he hath geuen to the sonne to haue life in hymself as the father raised ded men to life so doth the sonne And. Iho. xviii Christ said to his father glorify me with thy selfe with the same glory that I had before the world was created but all fulnes of the father is called to dwell in Christ that all men should knowe all the goodnes thei haue to come of God by Christe to thē that all that beleueth in Christ shuld not perishe but bee saued and should haue life euerlastyng by Christ with the father 4 And by hym to reconsile all thynges He goeth forwardes describyng what benefites wee haue receiued by Christ he saith that al thynges whiche wer out of Gods fauor to bee reconciled again to Gods fauor and loue as all mē whiche either for their originall sinne or for their actuall synne were out of Gods fauor and had offended GOD should by Christe onely bee reconciled to Gods fauour and haue remission of their synnes and be made partakers of euerlastyng life and that onely by Christe So by Christ alone all thinges in yearth or in heauē be brought again to Gods fauor And you whiche was farre of and enemies in mynde and in euill workes now he hath reconciled you again in the body of his fleshe by death that he should make you without fault without all spottes in his sight Before the Apostle shewed in parte what Christe was now he turneth his sermon to these Colossiās and sheweth what benefite thei haue receiued by Christ and that thei should loue Christ the better bee more thankefull and geue more thankes to God for their health life and saluacion he sheweth what thei wer before thei receiued Christes benefite then thei were farre from life and saluacion from God alienated by many vices and sinnes bothe originall and actuall in harte mynde will iudgement and in many euill workes as in Idolatrie supersticion fornicacion adultery errors and heresies for lacke of knowlege and of Goddes grace and by their naughtie liuyng in the whiche thei wer brought vp in and accustomed from their young age that thei committyng great and abhominable sinnes in the sight of God thei thought themselfes not to synne for thei knewe not what was synne nor the daungier of synne nor yet God their creator and maker Suche ther be many in the worlde brought vp in ignoraunce and blindnes supersticiō and Idolatrie thynketh supersticion and Idolatrie to please GOD well the cause whereof is euill bringyng vp of their parentes without knowelege of God and of his will and not taught to knowe God and his pleasure to bee dooen of vs his creatures and seruauntes as we haue promised in our baptisme by our Godfathers promisyng for vs. And here he sheweth some parte of their states Firste that thei were farre from God from life healthe and saluacion by reason of their ignoraūce and euill bryngyng vp in vice and synne from their yong age vnto that daie thei harde the worde of God preached vnto thē And here wee maie learne not to sticke much to those thinges wherein wee haue been brought vp from our yong age whiche parauenture haue been coumpted vertue and worshippyng of God yet the truth knowen thei haue been supersticion and Idolatrie as was Pilgrimage deckyng giltyng of Images settyng vp of candelles before images also again thei wer farre from GOD and from the house of Israel hauyng no title to claime or chalenge any parte of life or saluacion ye nothyng knowyng or myndyng life and health to perteine to theim that wer Gentiles as is more declared at large Ephe. ii But these that were farre of Christe hath made theim partakers of life and of heauenly ioye blisse and eternall felicitie with God Secondly thei wer enemies to God to their awne saluacion bothe in mynde and in euill woorkes thei had their myndes infected and poysoned with euill opinions errors and heresies euill and wicked iudgementes and full of euill woorkes Seruyng not the liuyng GOD true and iuste but many false Idolles ded Images stockes and blockes and ofte tymes thynkyng themselfes to serue the true and liuyng GOD when thei liued in al supersticion and Idolatry but these enemies Christe hath reconciled again to the fauor of GOD the father in the body of his flesh by death that by death of the Crosse whiche he suffered in his humain body for the redempcion of al bothe Iewe and Gentile that will beleue in him And thus Christes death was a full and sufficient satisfacciō for the synnes of the whole world for all theim that shal be sanctified and saued Hebre. x. 2 That he should make vs holy and blameles and without spottes in his sight Here is shewed for what ende and purpose Christe reconciled vs to the fauor of the father that we should returne again to vice synne and to our old naughtie liuing No no. But that wee should be holy and liue Godly and verteously knowe Gods will kepe it And that we should bee fautles that no notable faute crime or synne might be iustely imputed to vs of menne and that we should so beare behaue our selfes in all oure affaires that wee might be without reprofe that our faith should be so pure and stedfast garnished with all maner of good workes that we ded frō synne should liue to iustice as sainct Peter saieth i. Peter .ii. Here wee maie learne how pure holy a life all men should liue not onely the Bishoppe Pastor and prieste but also all laie men that desireth to bee felowes of saluacion and glory by Christ If you remain in faith groūded and stable and will not bee remoued frō the hope of the Gospell whiche you haue harde that was preached to all creatures vnder heauen of the whiche I Paule am made a minister Nowe he sheweth howe thei shal bee blameles without faute and spott in the sight God that is if thei shal abide in true faith and by no affliccion persecucion prosperitie or aduersitie decline or shrynke from true faith but bee constaunt and stable in it founded vpon Christ the true foundaciō and corner stone cleuyng vnto Christe and to his doctryne And here the Apostle reproueth al vnfaithfull that be doubtfull inconstaunt and waueryng in faith moued and tossed hether and thether with euery wynde and blast and tempest of wether of threatenynges of men or hope of fauor or pleasures of men And specially here is
reproued all suche as will be fauorers of Gods worde as long as hope of fauor pleasure profite or commoditie doo come by the word of God and when that hope is gone thei shrynke from the Gospell are ashamed of it leaue it and forsake it followyng men the world and their belies ye and al the knowlege thei haue by the Gospell thei turne it to a carnall libertie and to a worldly commoditie makyng the Gospell to bee as a cloke to their coueteousnes pompe pleasure insaceable myndes to gette riches landes and possessions and to make themselfes riche in worldly possessions and suche there is many nowe adaies as Christ saieth Math. xiii Multi ad tempus credunt in tempore tentationis recedūt Many for a time doth beleue but in tyme of temptacion thei shrynke from faith from God but these be not thei that bee blameles and without faute in Gods sight but thei bee worthy blame and bee spotted with many vices and synnes shall not escape punishemente excepte thei repent and amende and be constaunt in faithe Here is two thynges required of vs that wee should be without blame or spotte in Gods sight the one is that we should bee constaunt in faithe the second not to shrinke from the hope of these heauenly treasures promised by the Gospell preached to all creatures vnder heauen See the mightie power of GOD that made his worde to bee preached throughout all the worlde in the spite of all enemies to the Gospell and magre to their tethe and therefore the Apostle was not ashamed to call hymself not a lorde but a Minister of the Gospell called of God And here he reproueth those bishoppes or hye prelates that will be called lordes and yet thei be no ministers of the Gospell of Christe seldom or neuer preached Christes Gospell Now I ioy in my sufferynges for you and fulfill that whiche are behynde of the affliccions of Christ in my fleshe for his body sake whiche is the Churche of the whiche Churche I am made a Minister accordyng to the ordinaunce of GOD whiche is geuen to me emonges you to fulfil the worde of God A mistery hid from the worlde and from generacions but now shewed opēly to his sainctes to whom God would make it knowen The Apostle because he shewed before that the Gospel was preached throughout al the world and that he was a minister of it by the ordinaunce of God now he sheweth that he suffered many affliccions for it and for the health of them to whom he preached it and that he was not sory for his afflicciōs but rather did reioyse in theim for the Gospelles sake and for the health of other saiyng now I reioyse in my sufferyng and suffre mine affliccions gladly for the Gospelles sake and for you Colossiās and other of the Gentiles knowyng by that meanes God woorketh your saluaciō And in these wordes Paule maketh answere to carnall men that would obiecte to hym after this maner If this doctryne that thou preachest be true and come of God frō heauen of the whiche commeth life and eternall felicitie as thou saiest how can it bee that these that be preachers setters furth of it bee moste miserable of all men leaste estemed or regarded cast in fetters and in prison bee called heretiques lollers deceiuers of the people sedicious mē and suffre some times shameful death for his doctryne sake To these carnall men saincte Paule maketh here answere saiyng that he suffereth slaunder checkes and rebukes imprisonment and fetters not for his sinnes or euill dooynges but for the Gospelles sake and for their sakes to whom it was preached which came to healthe by the Gospell preached and therefore it was no shame to suffre for the Gospell but rather commendable that these affliccions was not hurtefull to thē that suffered vniustely but to thē that afflicted other thei were dampnable and that God suffered euill men so to afflict the good that the iudgemēt to the euill should bee the more greater and that the good should by muche tribulacions enter into ioy blisse after the example of Christ that the euill should be confounded seyng thei could by no affliccions hynder or lette the word of God to be preached or to hynder it or lette it that it should sprede abrode increase for the more the euil goth about by affliccions persecucion or death to stop the worde of God the more it goeth forwardes by that meanes God will not haue his woorde altogether stopped and hid and oft tymes it chaunceth that by euil men the worde of God is promoted and setforwardes by that meanes by the whiche euill men went about to hynder it example in Christes death and in the death of many other for Christes Gospel sake 2 I fulfill that whiche are behind of the affliccions of Christ in my fleshe for his body sake This place hath of some euill men been wrested oute of tune and from his true sence to the greate contumely of Christes bloud as thei would saie that Christes bloud was not a full satisfaccion for our redēpciō forgeuenes of our synnes but that to it some thyng lacked whiche by our woorke deede merite or affliccions should bee fulfilled and satisfied as thei should saie that Christes passion was not sufficient to take awaie the synnes of the whole worlde and as Christe had not fully satisfied for the sinnes of all men whiche thyng to thinke or saie is greate blasphemie to Christ and to his holy bloud God forbid that any any man should thinke so or say it For Christ by his death once for all hath fully and perfitely satisfied for the synnes of al mē and by one oblacion made them perfite that shal be holy Hebr. x. He entred once into the holy place called sancta sanctorum found eternall redempcion Hebre. iiii Wherfore this is an vndoubted truthe euer to bee beleued of all christiās that Christe by his passiō and death hath taken awaie all the synnes of the worlde without our workes deedes or merites for he nedeth not our woorkes merites or affliccions to purge man frō synne as saincte Ihon saith i. Ihon .i. The bloud of Christe hath purged vs from all our synnes and Ihon in the Reuelacion he hath wasshed vs from oure synnes in his bloud Of these scriptures it is certain that thei bee iniurious to the bloude of Christe and blasphemers of Christ that thynke our workes or affliccions to purge vs from our synnes or to satisfy for synnes for these bee offices onely perteinyng to Christe alone And for our afflicciōs thei bee not worthie the glory that shall bee shewed to the electe of God Roma viii What blasphemie canne bee more to Christes bloude then to thinke that oure litle nothyng can make perfite that Christ left vnperfite or can satisfy or fulfil that Christ hath not fulfilled and fully satisfied without our woorkes merites dedes or satisfacciō What can we doo that could pacifie Gods Ire
and displeasure or deserue life euerlastyng surely nothing And where as Paule saith here I fulfil that are behynd or that dooth remain of the affliccions of Christe is nothyng els but that sainct Peter saith i. Peter .ii. where he saith that Christ hath suffered for vs leauyng to vs example that we should followe his footsteppes that is that we should suffre afflicciōs after the example of Christ and the affliccions that we suffre Christ saith that he suffereth theim because we be membres of his body and Christ suffereth when his members suffereth Actes .ix. GOD spake to Paule Saule Saule quid me persequeris Why doest thou persecute me And so Christe is called to suffre twoo waies one way in his awne naturall body as when he suffered vpon the crosse another way when he suffereth in his misticall membres in the bodies of his elect people After the firste waie nothyng was left vnperfite as touchyng the mēbres that remaineth that Christe in theim should suffre vnto the worldes ende and that thei by pacient suffryng should entre into the kyngdom of glory and so sainct Paule here meaned saiyng I fulfill that which is behind of the passiō of Christ that is Christe did suffre bothe to take awaie oure synnes and also for our example to suffre so I do nowe suffre affliccions for the Gospels sake to geue other example to suffre paciently such affliccions as shal chaunce vnto theim here in this worlde for the truthe sake and for the comforte of other as he testifieth of hymself i. Corin. i. Saiyng whether we are punished or that we suffre it is for your comfort and health So Paule suffered affliccions for the example of the whole Churche of God that all should learne of Paule to suffre paciently for Christes sake for his worde and for his Gospell And so this is behynde of the Passion of Christe not that any thyng remayned vnperfite in Christes passion whiche by our suffrynges should be made perfite But that as Christe in his awne body here suffered hunger cold thurst many afflicciōs and death so he doth dow suffre in his members and that thyng the Passion of Christe sheweth that we should so do suffre with Christ and arise with hym So as parteinyng to our redempciō iustificacion and saluacion nothyng remaineth that was not fulfilled in the passiō of Christ but as touchyng the sufferyng of Christe in his membres this remaineth to be fulfilled in euery one of theim as sainct Paule saieth Omnes qui uolunt pie uiuere in Christo Iesu persecutionem patientur All that will liue godly in Christ must suffre persecucion and affliccions here in this worlde 3 A misterie hid from the world and from generacions but now shewed opēly to his sainctes to whom God would haue it knowen Paul saied he was made not of man but of God and by the ordinaunce of God a minister of the Gospell whiche Gospell was hid from the Gentiles and from a greate parte of the world of a long tyme From the beginnyng of the worlde vnto Christes tyme a fewe of the Gētiles excepted to whom it pleased God of his especial grace to shewe his Gospell his will and pleasure and so did geue to thē faith also by the whiche thei wer saued For what causes GOD would not haue had his worde openly preached to the Gentiles vnto Christes tyme it is not of vs to bee curiously searched nor inquired it is enough for vs to knowe that that was his will for his glory as holy scripture telleth vs whether it was that thei had by their synnes deserued their blyndnes and dāpnacion as thei had in very deede or it was that God knewe the hardnes of their hartes their stiffeneckes and that thei would not haue receiued it before Christes comming if the Gospel had been preached vnto them or that God reserued that misterie vnto the commyng of our sauioure Christ that by hym all goodnes should be knowē to come to vs by Christ and in Christ and all misteries by Christe to bee opened and shewed to oure profite and commoditie and that onely of the goodnes of GOD of his mere mercie and grace and not of our workes merites or deseruynges And here we maie lerne two thynges the one is that the misterie of the Gospell to bee openly shewed emonges the Gentiles was hid from the beginnyng and was not openly preached to theim in Paules tyme Therfore thākes is to be geuen to GOD of whose grace it was shewed so now in our daies that the veritie of Gods holy worde is plainly opened to vs more then it was in our fathers daies the cause is not of manne but of Gods goodnes to vs not of our wisedom pollicy connyng learnyng goodnes but onely of Gods grace and because it hath so pleased hym to shewe to vs that truthe that was hid from ourfathers that we should more thanke and glorifie God for the same and vse the light of Gods truthe shewed to vs better and liue accordyng to the Gospell opened to vs now in our daies Another thyng wee maye here learne that GOD sheweth his truthe and openeth the light of his Gospell of misteries long hid when it pleaseth him and to whom it pleaseth hym and not at the will or pleasure of manne that none should thynke he may vnderstand the holy scriptures whē yt pleaseth himself or of his awne might or power Learne that the knowleg of holy scriptures and of misteries hid cōmeth of God onely not of man God vsynge our diligēce labors as meanes by that which God vseth to geue his giftes of sciences knowlege of holy scriptures whiche as the riches of the glorie of this misterie emonges the Gentiles whiche is Christ in you the hope of glorye whom wee shewe monishyng euery manne and teachyng all men in all wisedom that we should make euery man perfite in Christe Iesu for the whiche thyng I labour with all force after the might of hym workyng in me by strength Now the Apostle sheweth what was that misterie that was hid from the worlde that it was the riches of the glory of Christe emong the Gētiles that is Christ in you that is that the Gentiles receiued Christe by faithe and saluacion by Christe was vnto the Gentiles suche riches glory as passed all other riches and glory that no toungue could tel it nor harte thynke it that was Christ to bee with theim and all benefites of Christe to come to the Gentiles by true faithe in Christe whiche is the hope of eternall glory 2 The hope of glory He sheweth that Christe is our hope of glory and none els neither his mother Ihon ne Iames here is declared the effecte of sainct Paules doctryne that it was that all menne should put their hope and trust of glory to come in no other but in Christe Iesu not in circūcision in no sacrifice ceremony or worke of the lawe in no deedes of men
Sacrifices Ceremonies diuersties of meates daies apparell and all the workes of the lawe cōmaunded vnder pein of death to bee kepte whiche thing sainct Paule doth not admit Finally by yearthly thynges he vnderstandeth all thynges in this present life that plucketh mennes hartes myndes from God and maketh thē to set more by them then by God or by his worde or by heauenly ioye and the waie to come to the heauenly ioye 4 For you bee dedde and your life hid with Christe Nowe he sheweth the cause why they should seke thynges aboue and not beneth or yearthly thynges for thei are ded from yearthly thynges that thei should liue to Christ by true faithe and Godly conuersacion of liuyng for their lifes are hid in Christ and with Christe shall appere when he shall come in greate glorie companied with all the holy angelles of heauen to iudge the quicke and the ded Therfore in Christe let all our truste be put and desire of hym onely healthe life and saluacion And if any should moue you to despaire of the life to come with Christe for affliccions or aduersitie that should chaunce to you in this life remembre that your life is hid in Christe and doth not appere to bee called a life but rather a misery bothe for the shortenes of it and also for the transitorie pleasure of it but then it shal bee shewed in the glorious cōming of Christ as a rightous iudge both of quick ded Now ye se that the life of the faithfull is hid here in Christ and is kept by humblenes of the Crosse as the faithfull had no life but in the last daie it shal be shewed to be a ioyfull and blessed life whiche nowe appereth not blessed This place maketh men sure of the life to come in another world whiche carnall and worldly mē thynketh not of nor yet beleueth to come and it moueth men to haue sure faithe and constaunt hope in Christe and of the glory to come in Christ and by Christ Also it teacheth the life of faithfull men to appere here in this worlde to be nothyng lesse then a life ye good menne dooth here appere as thei were vtterly forsaken of God and abiectes of al menne and yet God hath reserued for theim a glorious life in the worlde to come for hope of that life here all aduersities are to be borne paciently Therfore mortify your members whiche are vpō the yerth as whordō vnclēnes vnnatural lust euill concupiscence and coueteousnes whiche is the worshippe of Idols for the whiche the ire of God is wont to come vpō al vntractable childrē emonges whō you walked some tyme when you liued emonges them Now he moueth theim to kill and mortifie all vice and synne that vertues might bee sette in their places and first he willeth theim to mortifie their yearthly members that is all the workes of the fleshe whiche be rehersed Gala. v. Worthy to bee eschewed for thei exclude menne from life and bryngeth death to the doers excepte thei repent and call to God for mercie and grace And first he willeth men to put away whoredome aduoutrye fornicacion and all vnclennes of the body for these vices displease God prouoketh God to powre his Ire and Vengeaunce vpon men and vpon the world Gene. vi Ephe. v. Thei kill the body bryng to it many incurable sickenes and diseases thei bryng shame to men in the world losse of goodes riches inheritaunce ofte tymes death of the body by whores and finally thei shutte out men from heauen These vices are mortified or killed when we forsake theim and flee theim and al occasions of them be put awaie from vs and wee geue no place to them nor yet to no occasion of theim but that we mortifie theim by litle and litle by the workyng of the spirite of God whiche maketh that synnes although thei be in vs and we can not be without theim .i. Iho. i. Yet thei reigne not in vs nor we bee not obedient to the desires of synne and that not of our selfes but by the spirite of God But what thyng shall moue men to forsake synne and mortifie the desires of syn Surely nothyng more moueth to abhorre synne then the remembraunce how filthy a thyng synne is how it displeaseth almightie God what shame confusion pein sorowe and woo euerlastyng it bryngeth with it howe it destroyeth both body and soule what vengeaunce of God it prouoketh to be powred vpon the whole world for God is the God that willeth no synne to be doen nor will suffre no synners to dwel with him in his tabernacle Again to remember what ioy what blisse what eternall felicitie commeth to them that killeth all synne in them and abhorreth it and studieth to liue Godly in all goodnes Synnes are to be mortified firste by true penitence and repentaunce for synne forsakyng synne and abhorryng it and neuer intendyng to returne again to syn Secondly by true faithe in God the father trustyng surely in his mercie and grace that he will forgeue hym his synnes not for his deedes woorkes or merites but onely for Christ Iesus sake Thirdly by walkyng vnfeinedly in a newe life Whoredome is here rekened firste to be mortified because it is moste daungerous that vice hihgest prouoketh God to powre his vengeaunce vpon men because men oft tymes estemeth it as least of all synnes and yet moste of all synnes it sonest killeth both body and soule shutteth out men from heauen i. Corin. vi Gala. v. And God will punishe fornicators and adulterers Hebre. xii So he will that al maner of aduoutery and fornicacion should be clerely put awaie and all occasions of them He willeth also that men should mortifie all coueteousnes and all vnsaciable desire of money of worldly riches and goodes would not that any should loue money more then GOD nor make his God of his money as the coueteous man doth settyng all his mind and harte vpon the gooddes of the worlde louyng theim better then God takyng more pein to gette the gooddes of the worlde then the true knowlege of God and of his holy woorde rather forsakyng God then his riches and more sory for losse of worldly riches then for losse of God Suche coueteous men vnmerciful shal not possesse the kyngdō of heauen for thei loue darkenes better then light and therfore thei shall goo to darkenes and to euerlastyng pein 2 For the whiche commeth the vengeaunce of God vpon al intractable children Marke here for what thynges commeth the vengeaunce of God vpon men not for white meate eatē in Lent season or for egges eaten vpon the Fridaie but for fornicacion aduoutery vnclennes euill lustes and concupiscences coueteousnes and such like forbidden by Goddes lawe whiche prouoketh the Ire God and his vengeaunce Learne that pein followeth synne that none thynke that thei may lawfully synne or that thei shall escape vnpunished for synnes for God loueth no synne Psalme .v. And he will not suffre