and therfore their glory shal be turned in to rebuke shame and confusiō that seke rather earthly thynges them heauenly thynges And it is greatly to be feared that the glory of manye pastores bysshoppes prelates hye ruelers maiestrates lawers iudges gentyll men and of other that be in authoryte in great honour and glory hauyng greate ryches landes and possessions it is to be feared that their hye glory be turned into rebuke shame confusion yea into damnacion because they seke earthly thynges and worldly pleasure more then the glory of god and preferreth worldly thynges before godly thynges yea preferreth men and mens commaundement before god and his commaundement I praye god it be not spokē to them at their death as Christ spake to the scribes and pharyses Math. 15. saynge wo be to you scrybes and pharyses for you haue made voyde or broken goddes cōmaundemēt for your traditions I praye god it be not spoken lyke to other wo be to you that haue neglected or broken goddes commaundement to fulfyll your carnall pleasures to get you worldly ryches honours dignites landes and possessiōs and to get them and to mayntayne thē haue not cared what sorow payne or troble haue comed to other haue not cared for god and for his word no furder then it serued for their carnall pleasures or worldly ryches 5. But our conuersation is in heuen from whence we loke for the sauiour Iesu Christe the lorde The apostle settyth him selfe as one contrarye to these pseudoposteles and sheweth his conuersatiō of lyuyng to be contrary to thē as he wold saye they al together sauour earthly thīges their harte and mynde is all vpon the earth and vpon earthly thynges carnall pleasures wordly commodites fyxed my mynde harte wyll study intent and affection is in heauen and vpon heuenly thynges and therfore I loke not for worldly ryches or pleasures but for our lorde Iesus Christe whiche shall alter and chaunge our vyle and corruptyble bodies subiected to corruption and carnall affections and shall make it an immortal body cōformable to his glorious body make it a gracious body in the daye of iudgement when he shall exalte this corruptible body with the soule to īmortall glory ioye and blysse The soules of them that be ded in Christe nowe are in glory the body lyeth in the earth and rotteth vnto the daye of iudgement and then shall aryse with the soule be ioyned agayne and shall then receyue glory This place reproueth all them that set their hartes to moch vpō this world of worldly honours ryches and carnall pleaces and not hath their hartes lokynge vp to heauen desyryng heauenly ioyes and blysse ye this place iecketh them that denyeth the resuerection of the body and the immortalyte of the soule and the last daye of iudgement in the which the mortall body shall be made immortall and a gloryous body conformable and lyke to Christes body as towchynge the immortalyte glory ioye euerlastynge felicite and blisse 6. Accordyng to the workyng wherby he is able to subdewe all thynges vnto him selfe Lest any shulde ascrybe the resurrection of the body to any myght or power of the body or of the soule be sayth that god worketh this thyng of his omnipotent power by the whiche he worketh all thynges good and hath al thynges subiected to him and as he created and made all thynges of nothynge so easely he maye gather together the bodyes lyenge in the dust of the earth and ioyne them agayne with their soules and make them to aryse immortall bodies and receyue lyfe ioye and saluation And this hope haue good men and loke for that daye of the generall resurrection that they maye be made lyke to Christe oure sauyour in immortalite in glory by Christe ¶ The fourth Chapter to the Philippians THerfore my bretherne dearly belouyd and longed for my ioye and my crowne contynew so in the lord ye beloued I praye Euodias and beseke Syntiches that they be of one mynde in the lord yea and I beseche that my faithfull yock felowe helpe the wemen which haue labored with me in the gospell with Clemente and with my other helpers whose names are in the booke of lyfe Because before he had taught them that Christ was our onely iustice resurrection and lyfe whiche thynge they knewe by fayth in Christ where in they were very constant and sure now he exhorteth them to constancy in trew fayth by certayne knowlege of Christes doctryne and desyreth them to stande in the lorde and be constaunt in him and as they haue begone in the lorde so he wolde haue them contynew in the lorde and not to turne from the lorde to the lawe or to workes of the law or to nedy ceremones or to tradicions of men that culde not iustifye them nor purge them from their synnes and these thynges now he thought he myght desyre of them for as moch as they were deare beloued to him his ioye comforte and his delectation and therfore be ryght he thought he myght desyre more of them then of his enymes 2. I praye Euodias and beseke Sentiches that they be of one mynde in the lorde He desyreth two wemē Euodias and Sentiches to be of one mynde and no longer at discorde for it appereth that these two wemen dyd not agre but were at debate and that the one enuied the other and therfore the apostle studeth to take from them their debate and to reconcile them to gether againe and to ioyne them to gether in mutuall beneuolence and loue one to another Here we lerne that discorde or debate maye aryse amongest good frendes and fauorers of the gospell but that displeasure or discorde is to be teased or quenced by other frendes as shortly as can be possible that these that were at discorde maye be a◠concorde and agre in the lorde Iesu 3. I beseche the my faythfull yockfelowe helpe the wemen whiche haue labored with me in the gospell Here the apostle desyreth a trew kynde and faythfull woman in the lord whiche hath labowred with him and take payne with him in the gospell when he preached with great payne and labor this womā dyd take payne and labour with him whether she was his wyfe as somme authors do thynke or it was some other good woman it maketh no great matter nor of it I wyll not dispute but leue it to other to iudge I thynke rather it was a woman then a man all though some translate this worde in the masculyne gender and not in the femynyne gēder and that the apostle desyreth one woman to helpe another and these that labowred with him That dyd mynistre to him meate drynke cloth fyre and other necessares he calleth thē here cooperatores euangelii cum illo that is felowes or workers with him in the gospell that they mynistred to him preaching the gospell or in prisō these thynges he had nede of Amonges whome he nameth on Clemens of his gentylnes and trewe harte and mynde
humylle prayer and adminystration of the spirite of god gyuen to him whiche can and wyll make all the labors of the aduersares vayne and make them to serue goddes truth and to be profytable to goddes mynisters rather then hurte to them Nowe howe Paule surely trusted the euyll purposes of his aduersares to be profytable to him and to the gospell of god by two thynges the one is by their prayer for he knewe the prayer of a iuste man to be moche worth before god Iame. 5. And therfore he vsed moche prayer and desired oftymes the prayers of other to teache vs to do suche lyke Secondly he hoped the euyll doynges of his aduersares not to hurte but rather to forder the gospell by the admynystration of the holy ghost to whom nothyng is impossible or dyfficulte but he wyll do what thyng that shall be most to goddes glory to the forderaunce of his worde and the health of the people 2. As I loke for and hope that in nothynge I shall be ashamed The apostle sheweth that his hope shuld neuer deceyue him for he was sure that these that put their ful trust hoope in god shulde not be confunded shulde neuer haue cause to mystrust god shuld at the lenght opteyne that thynge they hopeth for of god as it is wrytten oftymes in Dauids psalter our fathers haue hoped in the good lorde and they are not confounded they haue opteyned the thynge they hoped yea also he suerly trusteth that as god hath ben present with him other tymes and in places in his afflictions so he trusted that god wolde not leue him now destitute his ayde and healpe but wolde be with him and healpe him and delyuer him to the preferrement of the gospel Here we maye learne of Paule to desyre other to praye for vs and knowe the prayers of other to be profytable and to haue a sure trust in god and hope that god wyll not leue his seruauntes without helpe and comforte although for a tyme he suffer them to be in affliccions 3 As Christ alwayes in tymes past euen so now shall be magnifyed in my body whether it be through lyfe or thorugh death Here the apostle showeth what thynge he hoped of god that Christ shuld be alwayes magnified by him both in lyfe and in death that yf so be it he shulde lyue he wolde preache and teache alwhere Christes glorye and make it famous to al the worlde that al mē aboue all worldly thynges shulde desyre and study to set forthe honour and glory to god and to our sauiour Iesu Christe and to thynke them borne for this ende and purpose and moste speeyally byshoppes prelates pastours and curates whose hole study shulde be to promote goddes worde by pure and syncere preachynge of it and so by it puerly preached Christe shulde be magnifyed in their bodyes that is by them lyuyng in this lyfe in their bodyes sayeth he and yf it shulde chaunce me to dye as to suffer death for the gospells sake I do nothynge dowte but there by my death Christe Iesus shulde be magnifyed and that he is the onely sauyour and that there is no saluation with out him that there is none other in whome we shall be saued but onely in Iesu Christe and yf I shall suffer death for the gospelles sake I shulde haue no hurt by that but moch profyt whiche thynge I desyre that I myght be delyuered from moch sory payne and many euylles in this worlde to come to the heuēly ioyes that last alwaye vnto the which I cannot come without I be firste delyuered from this mortall body by bodely death after the example of Christ which first did suffer death and so entred into his glory so must they do that shal be partakers of his glorye Here we learne of Paule that death is more profytable to good men then lyfe But in as moch as to lyue in the fleshe is frutful to me for the worke I wote not what I shall chose for both these thynges lye harde vnto me I desyre to be loused to be with Christ which thynge were moch better for me but to a byde in the fleshe is more nedefull for you And this am I sure of that I shall abyde and contynew with you all for the furtheraunce and ioye of your fayth that ye maye abundanly reioyce in Christe Iesu through me by my commyng to you agayne The apostle openeth now more plainlye why he sayde his death shulde be to him auaūtage for by it he shulde be delyuered from the myseries wrechednes paynes tormentes and afflicciōs of this worlde and that he shuld be with Christ in heauen in glory and ioye and to lyue in this lyfe he knew it was but payne and labor for him 2. what I shall chose I wote not Two thynges came to the apostles mynde the one what was good for him only the other what was more profyt to the people of christ Iesu as for him selfe he knew it was moche better for him to dye then lyue for by that meanes he shulde be delyuered from trobles of the worlde from imprysonmēts and chaynes frō rebukes tauntes of the worlde but for the people he knewe his lyfe shulde be moch more profyt then is death for he knewe he shulde more profyt the people bryng thē to saluation by faythfull preachynge of goddes holy worde and for the peoples sake lokynge to their profyt he dyd not desyre death but rather to lyue in his fleshe that he myght bryng them to Christ and so to eternall saluation with Christ But of these two consydered all thynges he chosed rather to dye then to lyue not that he refused labors or to suffer paynes of imprysonment or of fetters or of death for these thynges he was contented to suffer but that he myght be delyuered out of the myseres and wretchednes of this lyfe and that he myght come to the eternall fylycite and ioye with Christe Iesu in heuen alwayes to be in blisse Here we learne of Paule death rather to be desyred then lyfe and deathe of good mē to be moche better to them then this presente lyfe that they shulde be no longer pylgrymars or far frō god but alwayes to be presēt with hī in glory filycite And therfore holy mē desyred of god to be dissolued frō this body this noughty world full of noughtynes vnhappynes that they shulde displese god no more that they shuld be wrapped no lēger ī the euyls myseres of this world ful of al euylnes that they myghte be with god in ioye in heuenly glory so after the example of good men shulde we al desyre rather death thē lyfe as they dyd The apostle here reproueth them that feare death and shrynketh in theyr bodyes when they here of death as doth carnall and worldly men whose harte mynde is all vpō carnall pleasures worldly desyres honours and dignytes for the fleshe feareth death and shrynketh at
saith that the soules of good men be with Christ and yf they be with Christ they lacke no ioye ne comforte glory or felicite Saynte Paule sayth here I desyre to be dissolued froÌ„ this mortall body and to be with Christ he thought to be with Christe yf he were dissolued from this corruptible body and lyke it is spoken 2. Cor. 5. As longe as we be in this body we be farre from god therfore we wolde be farre from this body and to be present with god suche as be present with god be in ioye and felicite And. Math. 26. Christe sayde to the thefe crucifyed with him vpon the crosse this daye not to morowe or at the last iudgement thou shal be with me in paradise Sapience 3. Confyrmeth this thynge sayng If the iuste man be preuented by death he shal be in refreshmeÌ„t and agayne the same sayth that the soules of good men be in the handes of god and no tormentes of malice touche them they appere to the eyes of the wicked to dye but they be iÌ„ peace Also Lu. 16 sheweth playnly that Lazarus was in ioye and comforte and the ryche man in paynes and tormentes These places of holy scriptures and many mo that myght be brought for the same purpose doth sufficiently proue that the soules of good men departed this lyfe are with god and with Christe in ioye blysse peace refresshynge comforte and in rest without all payne of malyce as the holy scriptures afore alleged doth sufficienly proue As touchyng the secode thynge that bryngeth men in feare to dye I thynke we nede not to feare that bugge for that place is vncertaine to vs and the name of it the state and condition of soules departed as the kynges booke sayth spekyng of the thirde place called sumtyme purgatory yf they be not with god or in hell The holy scriptures doth appere to make no mention of it and then be the same authoryte it is affirmed by the same it may be confuted as sayth Ierome Mat. 23. And yf it be suche a thynge as byshoppes of Rome maye robbe and spoyle at their pleasure and wyll not yf there be any suche paynes as they haue sayd or feyned to be then they be very vncharytable and vnmarcyfull charyte requireth to do to thy neyghbour as thou wold be done to Marcy persuadeth delyueraunce from paynes and tormentes and yf money which bought popes pardones indulgence in pylgrymages and in masses sayde ad scala celi myght ryd men out of the great paynes of that place then it appereth that ryche meÌ„ was alwaye happy for they be their monye byenge perdons was sone delyueryd out of paynes and poore men euer vohappy that had not money to bye pardons for they must lye styll in tormentes but how that doth agre with Christes saynge Luke 6. I can not tell he sayth woo be to you ryche that laught for you shall wepe not all ryche men shall wepe but suche as abuse their ryches but of this third place I wyl not speke but this the scriptures doth saye that he that dyeth in the fayth of Iesus Christ he resteth in peace with Christe yf he dye out of faithe he is iudged he that beleuyth hath lyfe and he that do not beleue is now iudged Iohn 3. He speaketh of a trew and lyuely faith workynge by charite at all oportunite and occasion gyuen and after his habilite And as for the thirde bugge that bryngeth men in feare of death that is the thynge that shulde feare men and plucke them from synne and synfull lyuynge lesse they come to the paynes of hell and there be in tormentes euer more without ende to the which paynes they shall come that here lyue wyckedly contrary to the wyll and coÌ„maundement of god yf they before death do not repente and amend and call to god for grace and mercy and opteyne pardon and remyssioÌ„ of synnes and walke in a new lyfe hauynge sure fayth in Christ hope and charite contynew and increase in them 2. Here we may learne of Paule rather to desyre death then lyfe and death is rather to be desyred of trewe christians then to be dred and that for many causes moch ê“fyt to vs Fyrst where is a trew fayth it maketh them certayne of eternall lyfe as sayth saiÌ„t Iohn 3 He that beleueth hath eternall lyfe vnto the which we can not come without the death of the body therfore death is to be wysshed of vs that we maye come to lyfe Seconde If we beleue god to be our father and yf we loue him aboue all creatures in this worlde we wyll desyre aboue all thynges to come vnto our father so louynge so kynde so meryfull full al goodnes ryches and glory to our father we can not come excepte before by death we be seperated from our mortall bodyes therfore let vs desyre death that we maye come to our heauenly father whome we loue aboue all thynges Thirdly As longe as we are in this mortall bodye we be farre from god 2. Cor. 5 To be preseÌ„t with god we alway desyre to be preseÌ„t with god we can not without we be ded froÌ„ this corporall body death therfore is not to be feared but desired that we maye be presente in glory with god Fourthly Pylgrames and strangers farre from home desyreth euer homewardes and is not mery nor quiet tyll they come home where their treasure ryches frendes landes and possessyons be we christians as longe as we be in this lyfe we be as strangers and geastes farre from home wandrynge with moche care and heuy hartes hauynge heare no dwellynge place Hebre. 12. But sekynge the habitation to come whiche is in heauen where is our home our ryches our treasure layd vp surely keped for vs our landes and possessions yea a kyngdome an empyre our frendes and kynsfolkes thether we can not come excepte before by deeath we forsake this corruptyble body death therfore is of vs all greatly to be desyred and not to be dred for by it we enter to take possession of our heauenly inheritage ioye and blysse Fiftely As longe as we are in this noughty body we are subiected to many euylles and moch mysery many sicknes diseases as to feuers agues palsey dropsye gout pockes pestylence and to many other sorowes paynes and trobles from the whiche all death delyuereth vs and without death we can not bedelyuered from them therfore death is to be wysshed that we maye be delyuered from all myserys and wretchednes of this presen lyfe Syxtly No hurte or dammage we suffer by the death of the body but get moche profyt and commodite by death we be delyuered froÌ„ mortalyte and made immortall we are ryd from paynes and brought to ioye receyue life and heauenly saluation and then we shal be lyke to god in glory in eternall felycite and in heauenly inheritaunce to the which Christ hath called vs and redemyd vs with his preceous bloode and in heauen we shal be
in such ioye glory as no tonge can tel nor eye hath euer seen nor heare harde nor mans hartâ— can not compasse that glorye and ioye that god hath prepared for them that loue him 1. Cor. 2. But to these ioyes and felycytes we can not attayne vnto excepte we firste dye and be delyuered from our mortall bodyes these thynges yf we wyll consyder them well and deaply in our hartes wey them there is no cause why we shulde feare death of the body but rather we shulde desyre it as Paule and other holy men dyd desyrynge to be out of this corruptible and noughty body and to be present with god 3. I desyre to be lowsed and to be wtih Christe Paule desyred to be dyssolued from his mortall body that he myghte be with Christ so shulde we do and not to feare death but desyre death yf it were so the wyll of god for death is not to be feared to good meÌ„ but rather to be desyred for the death of good men sayth the prophete is precious in the syght of the lord And therfore many good men hath desyred death and to be delyuered from this body lode with synne that they myght be with god and with Christe Iesu in glory 4. But to abyde in the flesshe is more nede full for you Paule sheweth here although it were better for him selfe to dye then lyue yet he sayth that it shulde be more profyt for these Philippians that he shulde lyue then dye and that they shulde haue more profyt by his lyfe then by his death by the which sayng he doth appere to saye that sayntes can not profyt men so moche beynge ded as yf they were lyuing and so there prayers not to profyt men here lyuing so moch as dyd their pure preachynge of the gospell when they lyued vpon hearth and in their corporall bodyes 5. And this am I sure of that I shall abyde and contynewe with you all for the furtheraunce and ioye of your fayth that ye maye abundantly reioyse in Christe Iesu through my commynge to you agayne Not howe sure Paule was that he shulde retourne agayne to thes Philippians and abyde and contynew amonges them and that to their profytes bothe to the increasemente of their fayth and also to their greatter reioyse in god by his commyng to them here we learne that god shewethe sometyme to some these thinges that do folow as here paule sheweth his delyueraunce and commynge to these Philippians and the profyt of his commyng Also this place wylleth that the commynge of the byshop or pastor to his cure shulde not be without spirituall profyt for his flocke that it shulde be to the increasment of fayth by pure and syncere preachynge of goddes worde and that they shulde more and more reioyse in god knowynge goddes benefites the better by the worde of god purely preached by the byshoppe pastor or curate And this place doth somethyng reproue these bysshoppes that be duÌ„me and wyl not preache when they come into their diocese that wyll not feade their people with the foode of the soule but suffer them to perysse without foode for them how shulde byshoppes increase the trew faith of the people that wyll not preache to the people goddes worde for as fayth commeth by hearynge of goddes worde so it is increased by the same worde And as Paule more regarded these thynges that shulde be profytable to other then to him selfe so shulde all other do both byshoppes pastores curates and all the laye people but alas for petye few or none seketh others profyt but their owne and so they be well lyue in ease rest pleasure they care not what become of other what paynes or tormentes other suffer but let euery one amende this faute and study to be profytable as well to other as to him selfe for we be not borne for our selfes alone but to gloryfye god and to profyt other by wordes consell workes and dedes as god hath gyuen his gyftes and talentes for that purpose not all gyftes be gyuen to one but to dyuers that euery one shulde be an helper to an other and euery one nedes healpe of another Onely let your conuersacion be as it becommeth the gospell of Christ that whether I come and se you or els be absent I maye yet here of you that ye contynew in one spirite and one soule laborynge as we do to mayntayne the fayth of the gospell and in nothyng fearynge your aduersares whiche is to them a token of perdicion but vnto you a tokeÌ„ of saluation and that of god Now the apostle exhorteth them that they wolde lyue as it becommeth the profession of the gospell and as it becommeth christians that haue professed Christe in baptyme and him to serue their liftyme and to frame them selfe after Christes doctrine that whether he come vnto them or be absent from them preachynge Christe to other people nations and countres accordyng to his vocation and callynge of god And heare the apostle teacheth all men to lyue as it becommeth christians to lyue whether their bysshop pastor curate be present with them or absent from them that they maye optayne eternall lyfe prepared by Christ in heauen 2. That ye contynewe in one spirite and one soule laborynge to mayntayne the fayth of the gospell as we do To what thynge he exhorted theÌ„ to specially here is shewed that they shulde contynew in one spirite that is in spirite of vnite and concorde with all dilygente studyeng to maintayne defende and increase the fayth of the gospell that is fayth in Christ gotteÌ„ by the gospell preached Ro. 10 And to helpe them that labor for to set forth or preache Christes gospell and to helpe soâ—our and comforte them yf it shall happen these that preache Christes gospell or other wayes sette it furth to be caste in preson in fetters and chaynes as oftymes chaunces to them and here he calleth them that putteth theÌ„ selfes in iopardy of losse gooddes fauour of men and daunger of imprisonment and death of body to maintayne the fayth of the gospell to fyght for the fayth of it and to feare no aduersares nor yet their tormentes or punyshmentes for the gospell sake knowyng that they are blyssed before god that suffer for Christe and for his gospell Iohn 12. And shall fynde lyfe with Christ how so euer they be here in this world estemed or counted or waht cruell death soeuer they shall suffer here for the gospell 3. And in nothynge feare your aduersares whiche is to them a token of perdition but vnto you a token of saluation and that of god That none shulde thynke they suffered hurte or dammage of their aduersaries whiche cast in preson or put to death the faythfull preachers or setters forth of the gospell he saith that persequution imprysonmeÌ„t or other cruelnes of enymes vsed to good mynisters of goddes worde to be to them no hurt but profyt no perditioÌ„ but saluation to them that pacyenly for the
and rest but be occupied in preachynge and teachynge goddes holy worde to other as Paule was This Epaphroditus mynistred to Paule in prison all thynges necessary for him bryngynge to Paule a subsydy from the Philippians and serued Paule in prisone as an hyred seruaunte shulde serue his mayster diligently and faythfully Here we maye se that amongest the gentylles prisonners was not so strately kepte in prisone but that there was passage to any manne to come and go at their pleasure without any euyll suspicion and without all blame As you maye se here to Paule in prison resorted dyuers whiche dyd mynister to him necessari thynges and which was to him as seruauntes whome he myght haue sent to men absēt to do his busines as here he had Timotheus and Epaphroditus wherfore this place doth also shewe that it pertayneth to the lyuynge of the mynisters of goddes worde to haue seruauntes to serue them to mynister to them necessares whom they maye send of their busines so shulde pastors of goddes worde haue a lyuynge not onely suffycient to fynde him selfe necessares as meate drynke cloth aparel howse fire bookes but also to fynde him seruauntes and mynisters necessary that he in his study of diuinite haue no trouble ne care for any necessary thynge to him 3. Paule desyred to sende to these Philippians rather Epaphroditus then Timotheus to comforte them and to delyuer them frō their heuines they were in bycause they harde that Epaphroditus was wery sycke and at the poynte of death therfore to se him recouered from his syckenes shulde comforte them more then he shulde haue send Timotheus to them And here is a great argumente of loue of the pastor when he desyreth to take awaye all heuynes from his flocke and agayne an argument of loue of the people to their pastor or curate when they are sory their pastor to be sycke or any aduersite to chaunce to him and that they can not be mery or glade tyll they here he be made hole or delyuered from his trouble as these Philippians was in great heuynes for the syckenes of Epaphroditus and was merye when they dyd se him recouered from his syckenes and therfore Paule sent rather Epaphroditus to them then Timotheus And as you harde that Epaphroditus was sycke so he was without doute and nye death of the whiche we maye here lerne that good men not alwayes to haue bene without sycknes of the body for such sycknes is commē both to the good and the euyll yea oftymes the worse sorte of men haue more health and wealth and pleasure ryches and glory of this worlde then good men for by trybulation afflictions god proweth and tryeth his elected people whether they wyll be constante in him in fayth hope charyte pacyence and c. or no But paraduenture some wyll aske here why Paule dyd suffer Epaphroditus to be sicke and at the poynt of death seynge that Paule healed so manye from sycknes and restored them to health agayne why dyd he not this to Epaphroditus To this Ambrosious maketh answere sayenge myracles done by the apostles to be made for the infydels sakes and not for the faythfull furdermore he syath that god proweth his elected people with manye and dyuers afflictions to proue their constancy and pacyence fynally he saith that signes gyftes of healynge was not in the apostels at their wyll and pleasure but when the wyll of god was they shulde heale or do myracles and when the glory of god dyd require them to the confyrmation of his worde and for the profyt of the people where they were done 4. But god had mercy on him and not of him onely but on me also leste I shulde haue had sorowe vpon sorowe Here is shewed who taketh awaye sicknes of the body and who delyuereth men from their bodyly syckenes suerly no other but god the creator and gouernour of all thynges therfore god is to be called vpon in all aduersites sycknes and tribulations by Iesus Christ our mediatour and aduocate to the father of heauē 1. Ioh. 2 Know of this place that the apostle sayth that god not onely to haue had mercy of Epaphroditus whose sicknes he toke awaye but also of him beyng in prisō that he shulde haue a faythfull seruante to minister to him necessares in prison And here we learne that it is of the mercy of god that sicknes be put away and that those that be sicke be made hole not of any vertu or holynes of ony hewen stone carued or paynted poste or pyller or of any image made carued or paynted wherfore they haue erred from the treweth and haue robbed god of his glory that hath ascrybed health of body to this or to that image made of stone or of woodde and not to god alone and to him alone hath not geuen dewe thākes as to the onely aucthor of their health onely of his mercy and grace The apostle sheweth another cause of the marcy of god to him in the recouery of helth to Epaphroditus that he shuld not haue sorow vpon sorow here you maye se Paule not to be clere from all afflictions of the fleshe as from all ioye and sorowe but to suche carnall affections subiected and to haue sometymes bene troubled with all as other men be lyuyng in this worlde wherfore they that thynkes the apostels to haue bene without all ioye gladnes or heuynes in this body they do not thynke as they shulde of the apostels but to thynke them as deed stones logges without lyfe or sense for so they were not but rather as Paule was which was sory of Epaphroditus sickenes glade of his amendemente Beholde the lyfe of a goodman is very profytable to the lyuynge people and therfore they reioyce of his corporal health and be sory of his sicknes or of his death but not as the hethen do as there were no lyfe ioye ne blysse in a nother worlde after this present lyfe in the worlde to come where as good men shal be made immortall and in such ioye blysse and glory as no tonge can tell nor harte thynke that glory that god hath prepared for them that shall loue him in the ende of their lyues 1. Cor. 2. I haue sent him therfore y◠more hastely that ye myght se him reioyce agayne and that I also myght haue the lesse sorowe Receyue him therfore in the lorde with all gladnes make moche of suche for bycause of the worke of Christ he wente so farre that he came nye to death and regarded not his lyfe to fulfyll the seruyce whiche was lackynge on your parte towardes me Paule now sent to the Philippiās Epaphroditus that in the syght of hī they shulde greatlye reioyce and in his amendement from his sicknes their reioyce was a sufficient profe they loued him and so it becommeth the pastor to be loued of his flocke that they both reioyce of his commyng to them and also of his delyueraunce from
iustice holynes wysdome redemptiō the lyght the waye the veryte and the lyfe by whome commeth all goodnes therfore he that hath Christ he hath all thynges and he that wanteth Christe he hath nothynge and yf we lose Christ we shall lose lyght iustice the waye to the father treweth and lyfe And I am soore afrayed that we shal lose Christ shortly from amongest vs in so moche that the knowlege of Christ and of his holy word is so lytell estemed or regarded specially of bysshoppes and hye rulers who shulde most regard it and prowyde that there shuld be many to preache and teache Christ and his doctryne and for suche prouyde honest lyuynges with quietnes or els there shal be none or fewe that wyll or shal be able to preache and teache Christes gospell and so shall Christ be taken awaye from vs and the people peryshe 4. And be founde in him not hauyng myne owne ryghtuousnes whiche commeth of the lawe but by fayth of Christe He goeth forwarde shewynge wherfore he contemned all worldly gooddes that he myght wynne to him Christ that he might be iustified by christ and not by the lawe his merites or suffrages of other Here Paule maketh two iusticies the one of the lawe after the whiche he walked when he persequuted the churche of god and was without blame before men of that iustice none is made iuste before god The other iustice is of trew fayth in Christe Iesu that worketh by charite at all oportunite and occasion geuen of the which is iustification receyued and had as by the meane for god is he which iustifyeth Roma 8. And by whom we be saued onely of his mercy through faith and not of our workes leste we shulde reioyce Ephe. 2. And yet we may not cease frō doyng of good workes whiche necessaryly be required of vs to walke in as to repent of our furder lyfe in synne to amende our lyfe forsake synne haue fayth hope charite and fynally to walke in a new lyfe in all vertu and godlynes 5. To know him and the vertu of his resurrection and the felow shype of his passion yet he contyneweth shewynge wherfore he counted all his for dounge or dust that he myght haue trew iustice by fayth in Christe that is remyssion of sinnes and lyfe euerlastyng which they opteyne with Christ whiche trewly knoweth Christe his resurrection and the vertu therof before made pertakers of his passion that haue dyed with Christe and be beryed with him that haue died from their synnes returne no more agayne to them but ded from euyll lyfe by the spirite of god and walke in a new lyfe suche shall come to the knowlege of Christes refurrection be made partakers of his glory for that ende Paule contempned all worldly ryches pleasures that he myght come to the resurrection of the ded that is that he myght be partaker of immortall glory with Christe the cause of the resurrection of all them that be ded in Christ the author of all their ioye and glory And that he myght come to that glory which they now haue that died in Christe Thus Paule contempned worldly thynges for the excellēt knowlege of Christ to wynne Christ to fynde ryghtuousnes in Christ to know the vertu of Christes resurrection and the felowshyp of his passion to be made confirmable to Christes death that he myght come to the resurrection i. vnto that glory that they haue that died in Christe To teache vs to do suche lyke to him and to count all worldly thynges nothyng in comparyson to Christes gospell to these holy thynges we optayne by Christe Note that I haue attayned vnto it all ready or that I am all ready perfecte but I folowe yf I maye comprehende that wher in I am comprehended of Christe Iesu Bretherne I counte not my selfe yet that I haue goten it but one thynge I saye I forget that which is be hynde and stretche my selfe vnto that whiche is before and preese vnto the marke apoynted to optayne the rewarde of the hye callynge of god in Christe Iesu Although Paule had optayned ryghtuousnes by fayth before god yet he thought him selfe not perfecte without all synne whiche no man can be lyuyng in this synfull fleshe as sayth the Euangelyst saynt Iohn 1. Iohn 1. Therfore euery one must study to mortyfye carnall affections and put away all synne by the spirite of god that he myght attayne trewe iustice before god and to be as perfecte as is possible for him to be in this corporall body Here we maye learne of Paule that holy menne in this lyfe was not without all synne and carnall affections nor in all thynges perfecte as here Paule confesseth him self not to haue attayned all iustice before god nor yet to be perfecte but to labor and endeuour him selfe with all his myghtes powers to come to perfection so let vs study and with all dylygence inforce our selfe to come to perfection that we maye be holy and godly and so without fawte or blame that these synnes whiche be in vs be not imputed to vs of god for synnes that we maye be blessed for he is blessed not he that hath no synne but he to whome god imputeth not his synne as sayth Dauyd in the. 31. psalme 2. I forget that which is behynde and stretche my selfe vnto that which is before Here the apostle sheweth playnely that he had not attayned as yet that thynge he desyred but that he with all diligence study and laboure counted to come to it and optaine it and therfore he forget these thinges that was behinde him as all worldly thynges as holy fathers circumcision kepyng of the lawe his holy religion his zeale of the lawe and such like and dyd loke at these thynges whiche was before his eyes that was vnto the glory and lyfe to come And here he taketh a similitude of these that runne in a renke for a wager suche runners do not loke behynd them to se how moch grounde they haue runne but they loke before them and vnto the place they runne desyryng victory and the wager promysed to the wynners so let vs all not loke behynd vs that is to oure olde synfull lyfe and to the waye of perdicion in the whiche we haue runne in tymes past but loke before vs that is to amende our lyfe forsake synne and let vs walke in a newe lyfe desyrynge iustyce onely by Christe and with diligence and study let vs indeuour our selfes to come to the eternall lyfe promysed to suche as shall walke in the commaundements of god and kepte them iustly and so runne in the renke of this world tyll he come to the ende and optayne vyctory ouer all his enemyes and receyue the wager promysed to such as shall runne trewly accordynge to their vocation that is euerlastynge glory and lyfe in Christ Iesu and by Christe our onely redemer and sauyour Let vs therfore as many as be perfecte be thus mynded and yf ye