by no craftie meanes of pseudapostles that craftely went aboute to deceiue them by false doctrine by supersticion of Angelles by Philosophy by tradicions of men by elementes of the worlde mixtyng the lawe with the Gospell affirmyng Christ not to be onely the aucthor of healthe nor the waie to the father to be made by Christ but by Angelles supersticiously obseruyng the Sonne the Mone and the Sterres Therefore the Apostle monisheth theim to beware of these pseudapostles and of their deceiuable doctrine and to sticke to Christe and to his true doctryne as a sufficient doctryne to bryng to health and saluacion by Christ alone with out helpe of the Angelles of the lawe or of any other thyng He exhorteth them to remēbre Christes death and his resurreccion and to dye from synne and euill maners and to walke in a newe life shewyng to diuerse states and degrees of men their offices and dueties exhortyng them instantly to feruent praiers endyng his Epistle which he would should bee red aswell to the Laodicians as to the Colossians with christian salutacions wishyng the grace of of God euer to be with thē AMEN ¶ The first Chapiter to the Colossians PAVLE the apostle of Iesu Chryste by the wil of God and Timothe his brother to the Sanctes that are at Colossa and to the faithfull brethren in Christe Grace bee with you and peace from God the father and our lorde Iesus Christe Sainct Paule the true Apostle of Christe Iesu kepeth the maner vsed in Epistles written First he saluteth thē with a christian salutacion then he sheweth his matter And firste he setteth his awne name that the writter of this Epistle might be knowē the Epistle more estemed and loued and had in more aucthoritie of al them to whō it should come and be red emonges them and that thei should knowe it to be written of no false Apostle sekyng his awne glory profite but of a true Apostle of Christe Iesu that aboue all thynges soughte Christes glory and the health and saluacion of other 2 Apostle of Iesu Christe Paule here sheweth his office that he was called to that he was Apostle sent not of man but of God Gala. i. not to please mā but God sent to preach not mennes pleasures phantasies or dreames inuencions tradicions or decrees of men but he was the Apostle of Iesu Christe that he should preache Christe and his doctryne puerly and syncerely onely sekyng the glory of God and to please GOD and to declare Gods wil vnto the people by the pure preachyng of Gods worde by it to bryng to Christ and to eternall life by true faith in Iesu Christ And in this that Paule saied he was the Apostle of Iesu Christe he reproueth all false Apostles and al them that studie to please men more then God that be more earnest to setfurthe mannes lawe then Gods lawe more sorer will punishe the transgression of mānes lawe then the transgression of Gods lawe ye this place reproueth al thē that seketh more their awne glory pleasure and profite then the glory of Christe Iesu or the profit of their neighbor ye this place cōdempneth all them that preacheth or speaketh onely for their bely sakes lookyng onely to themselfes and caryng for no man els caring neither for God ne man so thei bee well themselfes liuyng in al carnall pleasures and deliciousnes 3 By the will of God These wordes he addeth to shewe that he was an Apostle of Christ not by his awne will merite or deseruyng but by the will of God and not of man that he should geue all glory to GOD for his vocacion and conuersion from his naughtines and not to hym self And in these wordes he teacheth vs twoo thynges to come of God and not of man the one is that true Apostles come vnto vs not by will of man or whē man thinketh it good but by the will of God that all laude and praise with thankes might bee geuen to God for true Apostles sent vnto vs to deliuer vs from all fables lies errors heresies supersticiōs and Idolatrie and to bryng vs into the waye of truthe in the whiche wee maye walke to life eternall The other thyng is to knowe the goodnes of God that will not suffre his electe people to lacke faithfull preachers or ministers of Gods holy will and pleasure for the whiche thynges greate thankes are to be geuen to God 4 Timothe his brother The Apostle in this salutacion ioyneth with hym Timothe whom he calleth brother both by creacion and adopcion and also in settyng furthe of Gods worde that these thynges he writeth to these faithfull Collossiās might bee regarded more and had in more aucthoritie better beleued and better loued of them all for the true record of many faithful maketh muche with the simple Christian and maketh men beleue better if many beare like recorde or witnes of the thyng spokē so sainct Paule although his worde should haue been beleued to bee true without other witnes because it was the word of the holy ghoste whiche spake by the mouthe of Paule i. Cori. xiii Seke you saieth he a profe of him that speaketh in me whiche is Christ yet he ioyneth with hym Timothe that these Collossians should the better beleue his wordes esteme them and regarde theim better so oft tymes dooth the preacher or teacher of Gods worde vse the testimonie of other that his wordes should better be beleued and estemed 5 To the sainctes to the faithfull in Christ that are at Colossa Nowe he sheweth to whom he wrote this Epistle he wrote it to the sāctes that is to the faithfull in Christ Iesu suche the holy scripture calleth sainctes although thei bee a liue liuyng in this world and not canonized of the Bishoppes of Rome whiche wil none other to be called sainctes but suche as thei haue allowed for sainctes well payed for their labors and paines and yet some of theim allowed for sainctes do not appere to be sainctes before God sanctified by Christes blood and by true faithe in Christe and good woorkes approued of God So wee see that holy scripture calleth good men liuyng in this worlde sainctes and these sainctes he would wee should desire to praye for vs here and we for them 6 Grace bee to you and peace from GOD our father and our Lorde Iesu Christ Here is declared what thyng the Apostle desired and wisshed to theim he wisshed to them no euil thynges but good thynges not worldely honours or riches pleasures or volupteousnes of the fleshe not kyngdōs or high Empires dignities high honors or promocions in the worlde as carnall men desire to their carnall frendes but he desireth spirituall gooddes as grace and fauor of God peace with God in their conscience whiche thinges commeth of God our father not of our selfes merites or of dignities of our woorkes but of God the father alone and of our lord Iesu Christ In this salutacion the apostle sheweth what maner of
you by Philosophy and vain deceipt after the tradicions of men after the elemētes of the world not after Christ For in hym doth dwel al fulnes of the godhed corporally and you are in hym fulfilled whiche is the hed of rule power Now Paule sheweth thē what thei should escheue and flee that thei should escheue all psudoapostles false deceiuers which by subtile crafte went aboute to deceiue theim and to plucke thē from Christ and from true faith in Christ to errors heresies euil and pernicious doctryne that by probable reasons and perswasions taken of mannes doctrynes of the wisedome of the fleshe of tradicions of menne of Ceremonies and of other vain thynges so wee knowe it is the office of a good pastor not onely to teache good thynges and to exhorte to the same with all perswasions but also to monish men to be ware of euill thynges as of euill doctors and euill doctrine As first he willeth to take hede that no man catche theim as their praye and steale vpon them as vnwarned of false deceiptfull iugglers that by craftie and subtile meanes go about to deceiue theim and by carnall wisedome bryngeth theim from the truth to falshed form veritie to fables and lies errors heresies euill opinions and corrupte iudgementes and so plucke you from Christe to the deuill from light to darknes from life to death And here the Apostle alludeth to suche as lye priuely in watche to take and snare other vnwares and so thei take theim and cary them awaie and make theim their praye and bonde men or prisoners euen so do these false teachers seducers of other deceiue the symple by faire flatteryng wordes pretendyng greate holines but the truth knowen they teach no holines at all but muche Idolatry and supersticion false trust and vain hope lies for truthe and death for life sekyng health and saluacion where none is to bee founde suche were thei that did not ascribe to Christe fully our whole iustificacion sanctificacion redēpcion remission of synnes and life euerlastyng that made men to runne hether and thether to seke sauiours redemers and helpers not to God alone and suche be all thei that seke to come to the father of heauen by another waie then by Christe alone 2 Lette no man deceiue you by Philosophie vain deceiuyng after constitucions of men after the elementes of the worlde and not after Christe Now he sheweth foure thynges specially by the whiche pseudoapostles false preachers deceiued theim The firste he saieth it was by Philosophie of the Heathen Philosophiers inuented and excogitated by manne contrary to Gods Lawe and will measuryng all thynges by naturall reason and worldy witte and that to bee of no truthe that naturall reason could not attein vnto And here he dooth not reiecte all Gentile Philosophie for there is many thynges in Gentile philosophie that bee not repugnaunt to holy scriptures but agre very well to it and those doctrines are not to be cōtempned but that doctryne is to be refused and contempned that is contrary to holy scriptures that plucketh mē frō Christ and from the studie of holy scriptures and from the true iudgement of holy scriptures The Apostle would wee should forme our iudgemētes after holy scriptures and our maners to folowe holy scripture and not that we should iudge after the Heathen Philosophiers haue maners like to the Heathen but he would haue vs rectifie our iudgementes after Christe and his doctryne to gather good maners in al veritie and truthe iustice and righteousnes of the veritie it self and not of that doctryne where as falsed is And therefore I thynke thei do euill and not after the counsaill of sainct Paule whiche thei theim selfes do and willeth other to do so specially studious youthe first to rede and studie humain Philosophie by statutes byndeth all youth to studie three or foure yeres Philosophie then after to geue their study to diuinitie but this is a preposterous order in study and doeth muche hurte to many young men studious and peruerteth their iudgementes and maners and maketh Heathen and Gentile maners to bee so graffed in youth that scarse thei can bee plucked our again and some will neuer forget their Gētile maners thei haue learned of the Gentile philosophy in their youth and some be so geuē to the loue of Philosophie that for it thei contēpne diuinitie and thynke the knowlege of Gods holy woorde but a rude knowlege and nothyng so greate learnyng as is the learnyng of Philosophie for the whiche thei forsake all other learnyng sticketh still to Philosophie and in it cōsumeth all their life as some be drouned in Tully some in Plato some in Seneca some in one Philosophiers doctryne some in another that no learnyng sauoreth in his mouth but that smelleth of this or that philosophier in whose learnyng he hath been brought vp in studie of it and will scarse by plucked from the sauor of his wyne put first in newe and young bottelles and this is the cause of muche inpietie error and heresie corrupt iudgement ignoraunce and blyndnes in the knowlege of Gods worde For if the studious youthe of the Vniuersities were as diligently vnder sober sad discrete and learned menne brought vp in the earnest studie of Gods holy woorde as thei be in Aristotiles Plato and Ciceros woorkes there should bee muche more Godly learnyng better iudgementes and better maners and muche more better liuyng then there is What is the cause of errors but ignoraunce of scripture as Christ said to the Sadduces Math. xxii Ye erre not knowyng the scriptures so do many erre because thei know not the holy scriptures and the truthe of Goddes will and the cause is thei bee brought vp frō their youth not in the true knowlege of Gods woorde will and pleasure Therefore me thynke that hye Maiestrates and Rulers to whō perteineth as wel to procure the health of the soule as of the body of their obedient subiectes not onely that they should bee learned in holy scriptures to beare good affeccion and mynde to holy scriptures and to see these thynges to bee doen bothe in themselfes and in their subiectes that holy scripture willeth euery man to doo in his vocacion but also that their subictes should haue sufficient knowlege in holy scriptures that thei might iudge rightely and liue Godly and that at no tyme thei should declyne from Goddes woorde and commaundement whiche euery man muste kepe that shal bee saued and come to saluacion and life by Christ The secōd to beware thei be not deceiued and that is vain decepcion what learnyng so euer it be that deceiueth men and bryngeth them frō the truth of Christe and from the veritie of Gods worde that doctrine is called vain deceipt for it bringeth into errors heresies false doctryne whether it be Logique Philosophie Rethorique or any other wisedom of the fleshe or of the world that hath appearaunce of truthe or of holines
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
of fish so he that eateth do not contempne any ordinanunces of hye powers and without offence of the weake in knowlege and for to serue God with all goodnes so thynges that bee indifferent of theimselfes if thei bee taught as necessary to bee kept for saluacion or that it is dedly synne to omitte them then thei are called to perishe For then thei doo hurte then thei are not taken as thei should bee taken and therefore the Apostle saieth here that thei doo perishe because thei are not taken as thinges indifferēt 4 Whiche hath a pretence of wisedom by supersticiō and hūblenes of mynde and by hurt of the body He saieth that the doctryne of Pseudoapostles had a similitude or likenes or apparaunce of holines but not holines in deede that apparaunce it had by three thynges specially That was of supersticion of humblenes of mynd of greate punishement of the body Supersticion was when thei feined to theimself a waie of holines whiche thei followed makyng theim holy followyng that voluntary Religion or Godlines inuented by theimselfes by men or by mannes Tradicions Doctrynes or Ceremonies thynkyng that to bee a more truer worshipping of god then to worship God as was appointed to worshippe God in holy scriptures And of this sort there was verie many that were coumpted holy and more holy then other was onely for kepyng of mānes tradicions and ordinaunces as of this sorte was many Religious men called holy rather then for kepyng of Goddes commaundementes whiche thei skarcely knewe and yet thei were coumpted holy men before the world but this holines was no holines before God but plain supersticion to this holines I would saie supersticion men was more ready to then to bee holy before God in kepyng Goddes commaūdemētes The second cause why the doctryne of pseudoapostles appered holy was because thei that preached appered hūble and meke before the worlde and contempners of the worlde and of worldely honors and riches dispisers of carnall pleasures and lustes was thoughte to care for no worldly thing but for God and for heauenly thynges and yet thei were inwardly vain glorious and would bee coumpted holy and good iuste and righteous that had deserued heauen and heauen to bee their awne for their merites and deseruynges and onely for kepyng of mannes tradicions ceremonies and other inuencions of man of the whiche commeth no holines before God but supersticiō The third thyng wherby Pseudoapostles appered holy was by their greate pain labors and abstinence thei tooke in their bodies as by greate fastyng long praiyng and greate watchyng risyng at Midnight or Cocke crowe long Matyns and Euensonges and other many Ceremonies by the whiche their bodies wer castigate tormented many waies with harde beddes and litle time restyng in them wearyng heire clothe next their skynnes yron aboute their middle beatyng themselfes oftetymes with whippes scorges and suffre other to scorge theim with whippes that thei might suffre pein in their bodies that by that meanes thei might deserue heauen and be worthie the glory eternall but by that meanes thei could not come to eternall glory with God the father whiche requireth none suche thynges at their handes to come to heauen But GOD requireth that thei should bee followers of Christe and suffre paciently affliccions that God sendeth to them or chaunce to them in the worlde and to haue a sure faith and trust in Gods mercie grace and fauor and onely by the mercie of GOD to come to saluacion for Christes sake onely and not for their awne woorkes deedes or merites or other their punishmentes had in their bodies by the which thei obtein no iustice holines nor perfecciō before God the faither although parauenture before the worlde thei were coūpted holy for those thynges But what haue these pseudoapostles obteined before God Any iustice holines Godlines by their supersticion feyned humblenes and by muche maceraciō of their bodies Surely no holines nor iustice with God nor yet no honor in Gods sight but rather dishonor sinne and wickednes for thei haue soughte holines where no holines was to be gotten as of meates drynkes holy daies Ceremonies of mennes Tradicions phantasies and inuencions of chastyng the body out of measure contrary to Gods lawe for thei do not geue the body suche moderate sustenaunce as was necessary for it to preserue it in health to serue the spirit of God and to bryng furthe the workes of the spirite ¶ The .iii. Chapiter THerefore if you haue rysē with Chryste seke those thynges that are aboue where Christe is sittyng on the right hande of GOD. Care for those thynges that are aboue and not vpon yearthly thynges For you be ded and your life hid with Christe in God when Christe shall be shewed your life then you with hym shal be shewed in glorie The Apostle exhorteth these Colossians and in them al christians to all holines and Godly conuersacion of life and that of the resurrecciō of Christ willing all men to dye with Christe to arise with Christ As Christ died once he dieth no more so should al men die frō all syn no more to returne again to sinne To arise with Christ is to arise from syn by true penance to walke in a new life a new life knoweth no old sinnes no carnall affeccions no woorkes of darkenes it abhorreth hypocrysy and supersticion and all Idolatrie all filthie lustes desires or pleasures it doth seke iustice not of the lawe nor of the workes of the law nor of ceremonies or Tradicions of menne of mannes Religion nor yet in these thynges putteth any holines or iustice nor thynketh not Goddes honor or worship to stande in outwarde thynges but GOD to bee a spirite and would be worshipped in spirite and in truthe by true faithe in Christ and not only with a worshippe appoynted to worshippe God of man not of god alone 2 Seke those thynges whiche are aboue where Christe is sittyng at the right hand of the father If you be risē with Christ it is youre duetie not to seeke yearthly thynges as worldely honors and promocions dignities or worldly riches but aboue all these thynges to seeke those thynges that are aboue that is the heauenly ioye and blisse life and eternall felicitie and the waies to come to theim that is by true faithe in God by sure hope and perfite Charitie and by other Godly workes appoynted of God to be doen of al thē that shall come to that place where as Christe is sittyng on the right hande of God the father to certifie vs that all thei whiche shall arise with him shal come to that place where as Christ is and that by Christe onely 3 Seke heauenly thynges and not yerthly thynges That thei should more earnestly sette their mindes vpon heauenly thinges more then vpon those thynges that are vpon the yearth or partein to this presēt life by yearthly thynges he vnderstandeth all the lawe workes of the lawe as Circumcision
salutacion Christians should vse one to another in their wrytynges and what thynges thei should desire and of whom Wee geue thankes to GOD and the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ alwaye for you when we praye for we haue heard your faith in Iesu Christ and your charitie towardes all sainctes for the hope layed vp for you in heauen Now the Apostle beginneth to shewe the cause wherefore he wrote to them and first of all he geueth thankes to god for their hope and charitie and other giftes of God geuen to these Colossiās onely of gods mere mercie and goodnes desiryng God to encrease these gyftes euery daie more and more in them By this example wee bee taught to geue thankes to god for his benefites geuen to other and to be glad with other for these diuine giftes and to desire theim to bee euery daie more more increased And in these woordes he reproueth them that thanketh not God for his holy gyftes geuen to thē and to other ye he reproueth thē that enuie Gods goodnes in other and be sory that other be riche cōnyng learned or haue more knowlege then thei such there is many now a daies whom it greueth muche to se so greate knowlege of Gods holy worde and truthe shewed to the worlde as now is for the whiche thyng thei should geue thankes to GOD for it as here the holy ghost teacheth vs and not to be sory for it or to murmure or spurne agaynste the pricke as many wisshyng all these new mē of the newe doctrine as thei call it when it is in verie deede the olde doctryne of Christe and of his Apostles in a fire or at the deuil condempnyng themselfes to the deuill and to hell fire callyng or thynkyng Christes doctrine error and heresy and condempnyng it for euill whiche is good and wholesome and true doctrine able to saue our soules Iacob .i. Let menne therefore beware and condempne not truthe for falsed and call not good euil or euill good light darkenes darkenes light least wo euerlastyng fall vpon them for so doyng and calling Take hede you ignoraunt men that you fal not into this daungier of eternall dampnacion threatened by the Prophete Esaye .v. to all theim that call good euill euil good light darkenes and darkenes light swete sower sower swete c. Learne that the holy ghoste in Paule moueth vs in our prayers to geue thankes to GOD for his benefites geuen to vs specially for the gyfte of faithe and of charitie Secōdly he sheweth what is the office of Christians to do when thei here faith and charitie geuē to men of god that thei should geue thākes to God for them Thirdly we se the office of faithe and of charitie a true faith hath charitie annexed worketh by charitie at all opportunitie geuē in tyme conueniēt charitie sheweth her self by helpyng and releuyng the poore faithfull Finally faith charitie bee the twoo chief thinges of Christes religion for the whiche we should geue thākes to God as giftes most necessary for our saluaciō without the whiche we cannot please god nor be saued 2 For wee haue heard of your faithe in Iesu Christe of your Charitie to the poore sainctes Here is declared the cause why Paule gaue thankes to God it was that he heard their faith in Christe Iesu and their charitie to the poore to be spred abrode for vertue vsed cannot bee hid long but it wil shewe it self so a true and a liuely faith cannot be hid lōg but it will burst vp into good woorkes as here Paule heard their faithe and yet faithe cannot bee heard nor sene for it is an inuisible gifte of God nor yet shewed except it shewe it self by good workes whiche declare faithe and sheweth where it is that it may be knowē and heard where it is for a true faithe in God is not idle or dedde in that he nameth firste faithe and then Charitie he sheweth that faithe muste goo before charitie or els that woorke of Charitie that spryngeth not out of faith pleaseth not God for it is vnpossible to please GOD without faith Heb. ii Faith is towardes God charitie to God to our neighbor charitie doth consist in workes and dedes in feruētnes of hart mynd to worke when power and habilitie will not serue nor is power geuen to worke 3 For the hope laied vp for you in heauen This place is of aucthors diuersly expounded some make it agre with that that goth before after this maner Wee haue heard of your faith and of your Charitie to the poore sainctes faithfull christians doen to theim for no other cause but for Christes sake not lookyng for any praise glory or profite to you of manne for these woorkes but onely for Gods sake and because of hope of immortalitie and glory with God that you trusted to bee partaker of not for the worthines of youre woorke or almose dooen to the poore by you but onely of the promise of God whose free gifte is life euerlastyng and not for the worthines or dignitie of any worke or dede doen by any mortall man And this sence saincte Peter i. Peter .i. dooth appere to allowe saiyng thus Blessed bee God and the father of our lorde Iesu Christe whiche after his greate mercie hath regenerated vs into a liuely hope by the resurreccion of Iesu Christe from death So for hope of eternall life we must do good woorkes surely trustyng to come to that life onely of Gods mercie and goodnes and not of dignitie or worthines of workes for the fre gift of Gods life eternal Roma vi Other referreth this place to the woordes that goeth before that is to these Wee geue thankes to GOD for you that you haue not put your trust hope in worldly thynges or in corruptible riches but in heauenly thynges lokyng more for heauenly treasure then any worldly dignities or riches onely to be geuen to you of Gods mercy for Christes sake for whom you suffre muche trouble and aduersitie in the worlde that ye might be partaker of Christes glory in heauē accordyng to that whiche is promised that if wee suffre with Christ we shal reigne with hym Rom. viii Whiche you surely trust and hope for nothyng doubtyng but GOD will performe his promes and for that hope you willyngly gladly and of loue shewe Charitie to the poore and helpeth them to your power not lokyng for a reward of men but onely of god Some other by hope vnderstandeth GOD and his glory hoped for whiche glory is called hope because it is sure keped as Iob saieth .xix. This hope is put in my bosome that is the thyng loked for by hope i. res sperata Other some thinketh by hope may be vnderstād God alone whiche is the rewarder of all that hope in him and will reward al good workes dooen for his sake loue or commaundement alone without all other respect trustyng to Gods promises And here perauenture
displeased God committyng Idolatrie and muche supersticion goyng wanderyng about from one Image to another puttyng truste and confidēce in them sekyng health of body or of soule of ded stockes stones wherein was no health nor holines but from this Idolatrie and darkenes God hath deliuered vs and translated vs into his Kyngdome and made vs iunct heires with Christe to bee partakers of his glory and that not for our merites or deseruynges but onely for the merites of Christe Iesu that suffered for vs By whom wee are redemed from all captiuitie and thraldom of the deuill frō death or hell thus Christe Iesus oure onely sauior and redemer payed that raūsom for vs that we wer neuer able to paie .i. Timothe ii And by Christes bloud shed for vs wee haue remission and forgeuenes of our synnes and not by the Bishop at Romes Pardons bulles or indulgence pilgrimages to Peter of Rome or to Iames at Cōpostella Thomas Becket at Cantorbury or to Etheldrede at Ely the Images of our Lady at Walsynghā or at Ipswyche or to any suche like pilgrimage erected and keped for filthy lucre sake to the dishonor of God to the greate hurt of them that trusted health saluacion or life in suche pilgrimage I will not speake of the greate Idolatrie there committed Note that remission of synnes is onely by Christes bloud and by nothyng els sāguis Christi nos mundauit ab omni iniquitate .i. Iōis .i. The bloud of Christ hath washed vs frō our synnes and saincte Ihon. Apocalipsis .i. saieth that Christ hath wasshed vs frō our synnes in his bloud so redempcion and remission of synne is onely by Christe whiche is the Image of the inuisible God first begotten before all creatures for by hym wer all thynges created whiche are in heauen in yearth able to bee sene or not able to bee sene whether thei be thrones or Lordshippes or pollicies or Potestates all thynges by hym and in hym are created and he is aboue al thynges and all thynges are by hym Nowe the Apostle describeth very plainly what Christ is by whom we haue redempcion and by whose bloud we are purged from our synnes He saieth that Christe is the liuely Image of God the father that cannot bee sene of corporall iyes and that he is the brightnes of the glory of the father and the true image of the substaunce of the father Hebre .i. That is he is equall to the father in deitie power and substaūce and in all thynges as he is God Phili. i. To the which Christ the father hath geuen all thynges and in hym are layed vp all the treasure of the wisedō of the father This Christ is the first begotten of all creatures that is he was before all creatures for the sonne was in the beginnyng the sonne was with God and God was the sonne and all thynges was made by hym and wtout hym was nothyng made Ihon. i. And this sonne was in glory with the father before the world was made as sainct Ihō saieth .xvii. speakyng of Christ Whiche speaketh to his father after this sorte Father glorifie me with the same glory that I had before the worlde was created Christ is called the first begottē sonne of the father not because he was the first borne and other borne after hym but because he was before all other creatures and by whō all other was created and hath their beeyng whether thei bee in heauen as Angelles Archāgelles thrones and other Potestates and powers or thei be in the yearth in the water or vpon the yearth able to be sene or not able to bee sene al thei haue their creacion and beyng by Christe the onely natural sonne of God the father therefore of duetie all thynges created are bound to be obediēt to our sauiour Iesu Christe by whom we haue our creaciō our beyng redempcion iustificaciō sanctificacion iustice and righteousnes and all other mightes and powers that be good in vs for his sake onely and not of our merites or deseruynges And he is the hed of the body of the Churche whiche is the beginning first begotten of the ded that he should bee in all thynges the chief For in hym it hath pleased the father all fulnes to dwel and by hym to reconsile all thynges towardes hym and by the bloude of his Crosse to pacifie al thynges whether thei were in yearth or in heauē that he should make peace through hymself The Apostle goeth furth shewing vs what Christ is he saith he is the hed of the body of the Churche from whence do come all goodnes to the body that is to the whole congregacion and flocke of Christe and that he is the sauer keper and defendor of the whole body of the Churche and the prouider for all necessaries to the body and that by hym is distributed to euery parte of the body necessary foode that without hym all membres doo perishe that bee not fed by hym and in hym that doo not receiue health and life of hym that bee not preserued keped by Christ and defended by Christ the true hed of the churche So Christ is the hed of the Churche and not the bishoppe of Rome as he nameth hymself would be so called whiche thyng is high blasphemy to god not to be suffered emōg Christians that any mortall man should make hymself equall with Christe and would be called by that name that is equall to God God saieth I wil geue my glorie to none other What other thyng doth the bishop of Rome go about callyng hymself the hed of the Churche but to take awaie from Christe his honor and glory and would haue it geuen to himself whiche thyng god wil not suffre Therfore let Bishops of Rome cease from that name and call theimselfes no more hed of the Churche for that is Christe onely as here Paule teacheth and all other let them beware to call Bishoppes of Rome hed of the vniuersall Churche of God least thei offende God and displease God prouokyng God to poure vpon theim his Ire and vengeaunce smite them with eternal death due to suche trāgressors 2 He is the beginnyng first begotten of the ded The Greke saieth he is the beginnyng and the firste begotten of the ded as you would say he is beginnyng firste fountain and aucthor of our life health resurreccion and saluaciō hauyng al goodnes in hymself and distributyng it to other and therefore not without a cause he is chiefest in al thynges to him is due the chief place in all thynges for he is equal to the father in deitie substaunce and effecte in power and might and in all thynges 3 For it hath pleased the father that all fulnes in hym should dwel Now he sheweth by what meanes Christ is called the hed of the body of the Churche that in Christ doth inhabite dwell al fulnes of the goodnes of god the father and by Christe we receiue of Gods goodnes
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