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
of many pseudoposteles runninge aboute busely iÌ„ euery place where as they hard the doctrine of Iesus christ to be preached sette planted or sowen And that they labored with all their mightes powers lyes falsed or crafte to plucke it vp agayne by the rootes and specially Paules doctryne to be lytyl regarded they studed callynge it heresy Paule an heretyke wordy prysoÌ„ cheynes and fetters he was cast in for his euyll doctryne he had taught Also he hearynge in pryson these pseudoposteles busely to haue gone aboute these Philippians to haue seduced them and to haue plucked them from Christes doctrine and from trew fayth in Christ and that they as yet had nothynge preuayled agynst these Philippians in the apostolycall doctryne and in the fayth of Iesus Christ very constant and sure Paule hearynge these thynges in prisoÌ„ what culd he thynke but them to be men that they myght be subuerted by these pseudoposteles and offeÌ„ded by his imprisonmeÌ„t and thynke him euyll that is cast in prison in suche greuous bondes as he was He therfore lyke a louynge father desyryng the health lyfe of these Philippians prepared this Epistle as a present remedy to delyuer them out of peryll and â—opardye and to take awaye all thynges that myght hynder theÌ„ to runne in the waye of Christ in the whiche they had runne dyd ruÌ„ne styl In this Epistle first he commendeth them that they had receyued yâ— faith of Iesus Christ and were constant in it for the which he geueth thankes to god then he teacheth them not to be offended with his bondes for the gospells sake shewing great profet to come to many by his affliccions great forderaunce to the gospell of god and to him selfe laude and prayse and therfore of his bondes he was not ashamed but rather greatly dyd reioyse in them and was contented to suffer death for the gospells sake and so to be with Christ whiche thynge was better for him although him to lyue was more for the profyt of these Philippians and of other mo Secondly he exhorteth them to vnite and coÌ„corde to thynke one thynge beynge humble meke sekynge not their owne but these thynges that be to the profyt of other after the example of chrih desyrynge them to lyue vpryght in the myddes of a froward natioÌ„ that no maÌ„ shuld iustly coÌ„playne of them teachyng them not to be sory but rather to reioyse in afflictioÌ„s for the gospels sake shewiÌ„g that he wolde sende Timotheus to them and after shortly to come him selfe he trusted after he shuld knowe what shulde be come of him selfe In the meane tyme he send Epaphroditus their apostle that they shulde be more glad seyng him haue recouered from his syckenes Thrydly he wylleth them to be ware of pseudoposteles whoÌ„ he calleth dogges euyll workers sawers of dissencion ioynyng the workes of the law to Christ whoÌ„ he reproueth sharpely teachynge onely Christe to be our iustice health lyfe and saluation with out the workes of the lawe or of merytes of other whiche he estemeth for hurte or hynderance to trew iustice before god wyllyng vs to folow him and like to him and not pseudoposteles enemyes of the crosse of Christ whose god is their belye their ende death their glory coÌ„fusion for they seke eartly thyngys he wylleth their conuersation to be in heaueÌ„ and with Christ their sauyour The last chapter coÌ„tenueth some morall lessons good examples to folow with meke and gentyll salutatioÌ„s desyrynge the grace fauour of god to be present with them alwayes ¶ The fyrst Chapter to the Philippians PAule and Timotheus the seruantes of Iesus Christ to al the sainctes which are at Philippos with the Bysshoppes Ministers Grace be with you and peace froÌ„ God the father and from the lorde Iesus christ Saynt Paule wrytyng to the PhilippiaÌ„s this Epistle fyrst salutes them with a christiane salutation and then sheweth the matter that he wolde haue them to knowe And in this salutation fyrste he sheweth the names of them that wrotte this Epistle inspired with the holye goost as was all they that wrot the holy sciptures 2. Peter 1. that this Epistle shuld the better be estemed receyued knowyng it to be sent to theÌ„ from theyr welbeloued frendes Paule and Timothe by whom they had receyued many benefytes of God and was made the wel beloued chyldren of God whiche before was the chyldren of the yre wroth and indygnatioÌ„ of God and was iustifyed and made ryghtuos whiche before was synners and wycked bounde to synne death and hell but nowe delyuered from all captiuitie of the deuyll synne and death hath opteyned grace marcy and forgeuenes of syfies by the grace of the gospell whiche Paule and Timothe preached vnto them as is wryten Actes 16. And therfore letters sende from Paule and Timothe was welcome to them and thankefull and very comfortable as be letters sente froÌ„ one harty frende to a nother Secondly in this salutatioÌ„ he sheweth to whoÌ„ this epistle was writeÌ„ that it was writeÌ„ to all the saiÌ„tes holy meÌ„ that was faythfull had receyued the true fayth of Iesus christ for such be called saiÌ„tes of saynt Paule and often tymes in the holy scriptures that we shulde not thynke none other to be called saiÌ„tes in the holy scripture but suche as bysshoppes of Rome wel payed for there paynes hath canonyzat and sanctifyed for sayntes all though some tyme it is vncertayne vnto vs whether they were saiÌ„tes or no sanctyfyed by christes bloude or no for they be the trew sayntes before god that be santifyed be christ and by his blood whether they be ded or on lyue santifyed or canonyzat by the bysshoppe of Rome or no. Saynt Paule dedycated this epistle to the saintes at Philippos that is to say to the faythfull men that were at Philippos lyuyng to whoÌ„ he wolde haue this Epistle red and of it red haue moche profytte and spirituall foode than it is euydent he dedicated not this Epistle to the ded sayntes whiche culde not rede this Epistle nor here it red nor yet any frute take of it but to these that were lyuing sayntes that is to the faythfull in christe as Crisostomus sayth Roma 1. And therfore let it be knowen to all men that these that lyue well and in the fayth of Iesu christe here in this present worlde be called saynctes in the scriptures as these that be departed this present lyfe The ignoraunce of this thyng hath bene the cause of moche false trust vayne hope idolatrye and superstition and that some men hath made creatores of creatures and haue desyred of men that was only to be desyred of god hath prayed to saynctes departed as to god put truste confydence in theÌ„ as in god yea I wil not say in their images such was theyr ignoraunce and blyndenes and asked of them such thynges as shulde be asked only of god as helth of bodi deliueraÌ„ce from perylles and ieopardes by water
and by lande from the power of the deuyll from lyghtnynges tempestes fyre water and all soden deth and some had one patrone some another of the sayntes called yea of theyr images whom they called vpon before god and aboue god As some called vpon saynte Antonye for theyr swyne vpon saynt Mudwyne for theyr kye vpon saynt Loy for theyr horse vpon saynt Roche for the pestilence vpon saynt Iohn shorne for the ago vpoÌ„ s A polyne for the tothe ache vpon saynt Blase for a bone in a mans throte our lades gyrdle was for a full remedye for a woman that labored of chyldebyrth that she shulde be delyuered with out payne and the chylde sure to be christened suche was the truste that many had in our lades gyrdle And this was a meruell that learned prelates and bysshoppes wolde suffer so longe the people thus to be blynded and to haue suche false trustes vayne hopes and so to dyshonour god gyuyng to sayntes that honour and glory truste and confydence that shuld onely be geuen and ascribed to god the gyuer of all goodnes perteynyng to the body or soule The sayntes nor theyr images be not the geuers of good thynges that we haue nede of that we desyre in our prayers but all goodnes cometh of god the father Iacobi 1. 2. with the bysshoppes and ministers He shewyth this Epistle to be wrytten not only to the sayntes that lyue at Philippos that is to the faythfull congregation of christiaÌ„s of the people whome he wolde haue to rede this Epistle and to take comforte and profyte of it red but also it was dedicated to the bysshoppes and decanes that was there of the which it is euident that there was diuers ministers in the churche of Philippos as bysshoppes to teache and instructe them in the lawe of god to feade them with spirituall foode of the soule as necessary to feade the soule as meate and drynke to feade the body and more to be desyred of christen men then corporall foode for the bodye for asmoch as the soule is a more precious thiÌ„g then the body is but wolde to god we were as desyrous of the foode of the soule as of the body then learned men in goddes worde and syncere preachers of it shulde be more regarded and estemed bysshoppes shulde preache ofter then they do they shulde desyre â—o learned men to be aboute them and in theyr dioces and make more of them then they do then the people shulde the better esteme and regarde goddes worde whiche now in a maner be contemned and dispised of the most parte of the people and counted as a thyng of lytell pryce or valewe bycause bysshoppes do not preache them selfes or yf they preache it is very seldome and do not preferre goddes worde before ceremonies or traditions of man Negligence in settynge forth of goddes worde in them to whom it pertayneth to be setters forth of it is a great cause why that it is so lytell regarded why that there is so greate ignoraunce and blyndnes so many euyll opinyons preposterous iudgementes false truste vayne hopes idolatrie and so moche superstition as hath ben and yet is in some partes of this realme and not as yet fully plucked awaye by the verite of goddes holy worde for there is very few syncere preachers of it and fewer lyke to be yf god do not prouyde by some good persuasioÌ„ to the hye powers rulers to whome it perteyneth to prouyde that theyr subiectes perisshe not for lake of spirituall foode of theyr soule for yf they lacke it it must nedes folow that the people shall runne hedlyng into errours heresies idolatrie many false trustes and vayne hopes and call that is good euyl and euyl good light darkenes / and darkenes lyght swete to be sower sower swete and so coÌ„dempne that is good and godly doctryne for heryse and in so doynge condempne them selfes to euerlastyng deth and dampnatioÌ„ As Esyas 5. sayth / wo be theÌ„ that call good euyll and euyll good lyghte darkenes and darkenes lyght so for lacke of knowlege of goddes holy worde of trew and syncere preachers of goddes holy gospell the people shall perishe and hate theyr owne saluatioÌ„ There fore I pray god that hye powers ordynated of almyghty god chefly to set forth his glory and to promote his worde to the saluation of Christes people derely bought by no corruptyble pryce as by golde or syluer but by the precyous blode of the vnspotted lambe Iesus christ 1. Pet. 1. that they wold diligently loke vpon the helth and saluation of the soules of theyr people subiected to them yea of theyr owne helth saluation for of them a cownte shal be required to whom they haue commytted the cure of christes flocke and whether they were diligent in seynge christes people truly feade with the breade of lyfe or no and yf any of the spirituall pastours haue bene nygligent or haue had euyll ministers vnder them as euyll chancelers or officyalles that nother knoweth goddes worde them selfes nor be preachers of it yea scarse fauorers of it but rather aduersaries enemyes to goddes holy trweth and no setters forth of it but bynderers all that they might then it pertayneth to hye rulers to reforme suche negligent bysshoppes and prelates and to commaunde them to loke better vpon there cures and se that they be such as saynt Paule 1. Timo. 3. wolde haue and to haue chauncelers officialls comysaries / suche as knoweth goddes worde be preachers of it and setters forth of it vnder them or els yf they wolde not be reformed to loke diligently vpon theyr cures as they shulde aboue all thynges to make theÌ„ bysshoppes or prelates quoÌ„dam and to set in their stedes suche as both culde and wolde teache preache godes word sincerely as dyd Titus and Timotheus bysshoppes ordynated of saynt Paule / which diligenly taught theyr people holsome doctryne and were not negligent in their offyces and had seruauÌ„tes accordyng that was bothe sobre / dyscreat / and learned in goddes worde / and also louers of it / whych thynges are greatly to be desyred in our bysshoppes and in their chancelars officials and comysaries At Philippos was not only bysshoppes abydyng and dwellynge amonges them preacheynge trulye the doctryne of god / and therfore had of the Philippians / all necessaryes abundantly / and had in great honour and estimation for the wordes sake that they preached / and for the lordes sake whose faythfull seruantes they were / but also there was decanes whole office was to prouyde for the pore / that the pore shulde not wante necessary meate / drynke / cloth / or logyn / suche was the frute of the gospell that Paule had preached amonges these Philippians / which was desyrous of it and so obedyent to do that thyng that pertayned to the office of christenmeÌ„ / that they with great gladnes kepte bysshoppes to teache theÌ„ / and decanes to prouyde for the poore
more ready to do voluntary workes then to fulfyll goddes commaundementes which was agreat token and sygne they thought and iudged voluntary workes to please god better then workes commaunded in holy scrypture for to these workes scarse they culde be brought to by any persuasion to gyue a crowne or a noble to a poore man in sicknes but to gylte an image and to spende xxâ— of the gyltyng they of them selfes were ready enoughe and yet there be suche that had leuer gyue a croune to gylte a image yf they culde be suffered with out blame then xii d. to a poore blynde same man that be in extreme necessite So you se the apostle here requireth of all trewe christians a pure and trew iudgement and excludeth all false and preposterous iudgementes from christes people and that they shulde knowe to iudge amonges good workes yf one be better then an other to chose out the best that beste pleaseth god and with all gladnes of mynde to do it Secondly he desyreth they maye be pure and clere from all vyce and synne from all crafte and falsed from euyll affections of the flesshe from carnall desyres and lustes from pompe pryde and al vanite of the worlde that they be such as nother by worde nor dede do offeÌ„de any that is do not giue iuste occasioÌ„ of euyll / sometymes occasion of euyll maye be taken where no occasion is gyuen as many was offeÌ„dyd by christ that neuer dyd offende neuer dyd synne and yet he was euyll spoken on and was slander and a stonne of offence that is occasioÌ„ of hurte to the scribes pharises and the vnfaithfull Iewes whiche offeÌ„ce come not of christ but of the wyckednes and maliciousnes of euyll meÌ„ that toke occasioÌ„ of hurte where no occasioÌ„ was gyuen and were offended where they shulde not haue ben offended but rather they shulde haue bene offended with them selfes and theyr noughty maners euyll lyuynge peruerse and preposterous iudgemeÌ„tes haue mendyd them then that they shulde haue bene offendyd by christe in whom was no offence nor by hym offence gyuen in worde or in dede Here the apostle forbyddes to gyue iuste occasion of offence to any man and that not for a daye or two but vnto the daye of the lord that is all your lyftyme holy lyuyng is required of euery good christen maÌ„ and woman Thyrdly lerne that it becommeth all christians to be fulfylled with the frutes of iustice that is verite iustice fayth hope charite all workes of marcy wrought by the spirite of god and not by our merytes deseruynges or suffrages of other but onlye of goddes grace by Iesus Christe our lorde and that to the glory and prayse of god and not for our owne prayse or coÌ„mendation nor that by our workes we shulde merite or deserue goddes grace or fauour reconcyle vs to god satisfy for synne and optayne lyfe euer lastyng of the meryte and wordynes of our workes but good workes we must do to the glory of god to shewe vs thankefull to god of whom we haue receyued so many benefytes to declare our fayth not to be ded to agre to our creation and vocation that we be not created and made to be ydle but to labor profytable labors ordynated not of vs but of god that we shulde walke in and serue god after our vocation as we be called and as god haue commaunded vs shewynge our selfes alwayes obedient to goddes wyll and pleasure I wolde you vnderstode brethreÌ„ that my busynes so happened vn to the greater forderaunce of the gospell so that my bondes in christ are manyfest through out all the iudgemente hall and in all other places In somoch that many brethren in the lorde boldened through my bondes dare more largely speake the worde of god without feare The apostle here declareth more playnely how his imprisonmeÌ„t boÌ„des was no hurte ne dammage to the gospell but rather dyd promote it and set it forwardes that these PhilippiaÌ„s shulde not be offended by Paules bondes in pryson nor yet thynke him to be euyl or an heretyke or sower of euyll seed or false doctryne and for false doctryne to be cast in pryson in featers to his great slander and infamy and to the rebuke of the gospell preached by Paule And here he sheweth two commodites to come to the gospell by his imprisonment and bondes The firste is that by this occasioÌ„ the worde of god come to manye not onely to the commen people that come to him in preson to whom he preached goddes worde and wanne dyuers to christ as Omesymus and dyuers other but also it come to the iudgement hall and into the palles of the hall of Nero the Emperour yea the worde of god was scatered and spred through out al the worlde for at Rome was at that tyme people of all nations that wrote home to theyr countres what thynges was done at Rome they beynge at Rome they wrote of Paule and of his pure and sincere doctryne and how he was caste in preson and in cheynes for the gospell of christe and not for his fautes or iniquites yea Paules constancye in preachyng and settynge forth the worde of god in presonne and in iudgement before Nero a euâ—ll Emperour an enemye and adâ—ersary to goddes gospell and the pacience that Paule hadde in presone and in bondes with all humilite and â—eakenes dyd declare to all good men both in Neroes curte and with out that Paule suffered bondes for Christes gospell and for Chrisâ—e and not for any faute in him The seconde commodyte that come by Paules imprisonment was that some that had receyued Christes gospell and had professed the treweth fauored and loued it yet they were fearfull and for feare of â—erseâ—…tion afflicâ—ions losse of wordly goodes and lyfe durste not boldle and openly professe the trewth and Christes gospell such be manye now a dayes that shrynke a waye from god and from the verite of his trewth other for â—ucre sake worldly for feare of afflictions losse of mennes fauours or of worldly gooddes or for feare of imprisonment or of lyfe but these that were feaâ—rfull and durst not boldly professe Christe and his gospell were made bolde by myne afflyctions and â—ondes and by pacyence they saw in me and set all feare asyde boldly frely and frankely professed Christ and his worde and publyshed it with great boldnes and was of god preserued from the mouth of the lyon as I was and the gospell was promoted by myne imprisonment magred to the hed of the aduersares of goddes worde which though to hynder and let goddes worde and clere to abolysh it and dystroy it by myne afflictions but god frustrated and made vayne all theyr euyll purposes and made them to serue his glory and to promote his worde and set it forth by that meanes that aduersares had compased to destroy goddes worde and his glory so we se that euyll mens purposes commes not alwaye to affecte they atteyne not that
sicknes or other aduersite And this place reproueth euil pastors that be nother loued of their parysh bycause of necgligence of their office and also for their vnprofitablenes amoÌ„ges their flocke Behold the apostell was very carefull for these Philippians he wolde rather lacke the necessaryâ— seruice of Epaphroditus theÌ„ they shuld lacke their comforte and ioye by the absence of him from them for Paule was not sory for the ioye of these Philippians but rather was without sorow and all heuines that he myght do the office of charite the better that is to reioyce with them that reioyceth and wepe with them that wepes 2. Receyue him in the lorde therfore with all gladnes He that byddeth them receyue Epaphroditus sende to them with all gladnes and in the lord and to set moch not onely be him but also be all them that be suche lyke as he is that is faythfull preachers and teachers of goddes worde which be wordy double honour 1. Timo. 5. And reuerence not for their owne sakes but for the worde they preache and for their maysters sakes whose worde and wyll they teache And this place iecketh all them that rayle vpon preachers teachers or setters forth of goddes holy worde and that coÌ„temneth or despyseth such preachers or maketh of them a laughynge mockynge stocke bycause they do not approue the maners and facions of this worlde 3. Make moche of suche for because of the worke of Christ He wylleth them to make moch of Epaphroditus and of such faythfull mynisters of goddes worde that careth not for them selfes but for other and careth not what paine or labours they take so they may profit other yea that careth not for their life 's for the gospels sake as this Epaphroditus refused no laboures to serue Paule in prisone and hadde none or lytell respecte to his owne body and by reason of his great paines he cast him selfe into sicknes that he was nye death he chused rather to serue Paule in prison with the infyrmyte of his body then to be in health to folowe the worldly honours and pleasures of the fleshe 4. To fulfyll the seruyce whiche was lackynge on your parte towardes me Here is the cause shewed why Epaphroditus was so diligent to serue Paule and put him selfe in suche iopardy of syckenes it was to fulfyll their offyce and deuty they ought to haue done to Paule therfore he sayth that deuty you ought to haue done to me this Epaphroditus hath fulfylled it in your presence to me by his seruyce done to me for you therfore you shuld receyue him with gladnes and loue him And here you se what seruyce the people owe to their pastor besydes the gyuynge to him sufficieÌ„t lyuing for him and his necessary mynisters and that one maye supply sometyme the offyce or dewty of another And let euery man be diligent in his office or vocatioÌ„ that he is called to of god and not tender him selfe his flesshe to moch or make to moch of him selfe for we shulde not study to lyue longe but to lyue well for to lyue longe it is not in vs but in god who knoweth the tyme and houre of death whiche be vnknowne to vs nor yet the maner of our death nor the place where we shall dye nothynge is more certayne then that we shall dye but nothynge more vncertayne then the houre place and maner of death Therfore let vs be ready at altymes to dye and loke euery day for death and prepare for it hauynge a sure fayth adorned with hope and charyte and then we shall not care howe sone death come to vs. ¶ The thyrde Chapter to the Philippians MOreouer my bretherne reioyce in the lorde where as I wryte euer one thing vnto you it greueth me not and maketh you the surer Beware of dogges beware of euyll workes beware of dyssention For we are the circumcisioÌ„ euen we that serue god in the spyrite and reioyce in Christe Iesu and haue no confydence in the flesshe The apostle speaketh after this sorte hetherto I haue taught you that Christes passion was sufficient for your saluation without the workes of the lawe and that nother circumcision nor sacrifice coÌ„maunded in the law be necessary for your saluation but that you maye be saued by Christe without the workes of the law Now from hence forth se you reioyce in nothyng but in the lorde for as without the sonne there is no lyght so without Christ there is no ioye no peace no iustice no reconciliacion to the father no remission of synne no waye to heauen no truth no lyfe but Christ is all these thynges to the beleuer in god alone therfore reioyce as I haue written before so I wryte styll and I am not asshamed to wryte to you the same thynges of Christe and it is sure for you to truste these thynges And here we lerne of Paule to reherse one thynge ones or twyse specially yf they be thynges necessary to be knowne and shulde be sure fyxed in the hartes and stomakes of the people and therfore it is no rebuke to reherse suche thynges diuers tymes that they may be knowne and iÌ„ mindes fyxed more surely although some saye ouer much of one thynge is nought yet I saye with the apostle that a good tale maye be twyce tolde as this That in Christ be all thynges perteynynge to our saluation without the worke of the law 2. It is sure to you As he wolde saye althought I wryte so ofte one thynge and am not ashamed of it for it is sure for you to know the same thynge and to confyrme you to that doctrine that is alwayes one and lyke it selfe teachyng the treweth and shewynge the waye that bryngeth to lyfe and not apply your selfes to that doctrine that now teacheth one thyng and then another new thynge and is contrary to it selfe and teacheth dyuersites of whiche incertayne doctrine speaketh saint Paule 2. Tino 4. Sayng the tyme shal come when they shall not here hole and holsome doctrine but after their owne lustes shall hepe vnto them doctors whose eares do yche and they plucke their eares from the trweth and they shall turne them to fables and lyes Here we maye lerne the propertye of trew doctrine it is alwaye constant and one thynge teache it do not teache nowe one and now another or the contrary it taught before it is alwayes constant to it selfe it sheweth trueth no fables nor lyes as the false doctrine doth teache lyes errours heresy pleasure and lustes of men now one new thynge now another to please men with al and that doctrine trâ—uly is to be suspected that sheweth moche diuersites of religion fayth iustice remyssion of synne dyuers wayes to come to eternall lyfe with Christ Iesu 3. Beware of dogges beware of euyll workers beware of dissencion Thre thynges he monissheth them to beware of and to flee them The first is he wylleth them to beware af dogges he meaneth pseudoposteles whom he calleth dogges for
submission when we maye awance our selfe aboue other but of humblenes we do not 2. The apostle compareth him selfe with the pseudoposteles and in their glorye of the fleshe he gyueth no place to them as yf any wolde saye I come of the holy fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob and am circumcised in them wyll reioyce and bost them selfes In the same thynges sayth Paule I maye as well as they reioyce for I come of these holy fathers that is of the israelites y◅ of the trybe of Beniamyn and was circumcised the eyght daye borne of the Iewes and not of the gentyles or proselytes new commed and professed the lawe of the Iewes to kepe And yf any pseudoposteles do bost him of his holy secte or professiō of religion and saye he is of the most holy secte of the pharises the best and holyest religion of all amongest the Iewes of the same maye I reioyce sayth Paule for I am a pharisey and of that religiō a brother or yf any do thynke them selfes famous of zeale and loue they haue to the kepyng of the lawe in thē selfes and in other in that thynge I nede to gyue no place to any man sayth Paule for I kept that law blameles so that no man colde iustly reproue me for it and as tochīg other that was thought to haue transgressed the lawe I persequuted them and brought to prison and to death such was my zeale as touchynge the lawe whiche both I kepte and wolde other shulde haue kepte it This place sheweth vs that Paule was a Iewe borne both of father and mother of the trybe of Beniamyn circumcised the eyght daye of the secte of the pharises a keper of the lawe outwardly without reproche and of a blynde zeale to the obseruacion of the law to haue persequuted christen mē and women as is writen more at large Actes 9. But the thynges that were vantage vnto me haue I counted losse for christes sake yea I thinke all thynges but losse for that excellēt knowleges sake of christ Iesu my lord for whome I haue counted all thynges losse and do iudge them but donge that I myght wynne christ be founde in him not hauynge myne owne ryghtuousnes whiche commeth of the lawe but by the fayth of Christe namely the ryghtuonsnes whiche commeth of God in fayth to knowe hym and the vertue of his resurrection and the felowshyp of his passion that I maye be conformable vnto his deth yf by any meanes I might attayne to the resurrection of the dead Now the apostle do not moch bost him selfe of his kynred the Iewes of the holy fathers he come of of his circumcision of his holy religyon of his diligent kepynge of the lawe outwardely without faute or blame of his zeale of the which he hath auanced him selfe before men and before the world and haue counted these thynges as lucre to him or aauntage and moche to haue helped him to sustice before god but he now bosted not him of these thynges for he knewe they profited him no thynge to trewe iustifycation before god for that iustice before god commethe not to vs of the fleshe of holy fathers of workes of the law of out good blinde zeales wantyng goddes worde but of the mercy of god by Iesus Christ 2. Chynges that were vauntage vnto me haue I coūted losse for christes sake Marke how saint Paule altered and chaunged his iudgement that these thynges which he counted somtime before he came to the trew knowlege of Christe to be vauntage to him and to helpe to iustification before god thes same thinges he after wardes when he came to the trew knowlege of Christ he estemed thē as no helpers to trew iustification before god but rather for hurte and hinderaūce to his iustice in the sight of god So amōgest vs there hath bene many thynges whiche we haue estemed for vertu and to furder our ryghtuousnes be fore god which now we know nother for vertu nor yet to helpe to our iustification before god as was many dyuers religions of men and women their obseruances ceremonies seruyce and traditions more straytly keped amongest them then goddes worde and the breakyng of them more straytly punyshed then the breking of gods law yea how many was in religion that thought they shulde be sauyd by their religion habyte coote coull beryed in their habit with in their monasteries as they called them But let all these not be ashamed to alter and change their iudgementes with Paule and knowe that all these thynges wyll not iustifye them before god without fayth in Christ amendement of lyfe and walkyng in a new lyfe Also how manye hath thought perdons pylgrymages deckyng of Images with golden clothes of sylke veluet dammaske and offerynge vp of candells to thē not to haue bene meritorious workes and be to preferred before workes of mercy commaunded of god or els they wolde not haue bene so ready to do these workes and so loth to do other workes commaunded of god but now let them with Paule acknowlege their ignoraunce and blynd iudgementes and chaunge them as Paule dyd brought to a more trewer knowlege of god and of his treweth and not be ashamed to thynke and iudge other wayes then they haue iudged before when they were in ignoraunce and in blyndnes lackyng trew knowlege of goddes holy worde by the which they are delyuered from their ignoraunce for the whiche laude and prayse be to god euer amen 3. yea I thynke al thynges but losse for that excellent knowleges sake of Christe Iesu my lorde Now he declareth more at large wherfore he counted these thynge hurtfull to him whiche before he counted for his auauntage that was for the excellēte knowlege of Christ and of his treweth whiche he wanted before when he of ignoraunce and of a blynde and wycked zeale persequuted the church of Christ Note here what trewe knowlege of Christe doth it altereth and chaungeth men their iudgementes and maners and maketh these as they were new made agayne and to condemne these workes whiche they before estemed iudged good workes yea it maketh mē to counte all worldly ryches goodes landes and possessions as hurte dunge or duste for Christ and for the knowlege of Christe that he myght wynne to him Christe whome the good men preferreth aboue all worldly riches or treasures that he myght be made iuste onely by Christe Here we lerne of Paule to repete one matter wordy to be noted and surelye prynted in all mennes myndes ones or twyse or thryse yf nede be that it myghte be fyxed and roted more suerly in mens hartes and myndes Here he preferreth Christe and the knowlege of him aboue all ryches or treasures of this worlde shewyng that it is better for vs to lacke all worldly ryches thē to lacke Christ and his word for he that hath Christ he hath all thynges all ryches for in Christe be put all the treasure of the wysedome and knowlege of god Colo. 2. For Christe is our
for all his gyftes 5. Notwithstandynge ye haue done well that ye beare parte with me in my trybulatioÌ„ These wordes he addeth lesse he shuld be thought to haue contemned their kyndnes or rewarde sent to him in prison by Epaphroditus therfore he sayth you dyd well and as you shulde haue done that you send your charite to me by the whiche ye are made partakers of my afflictions and shal be with me partakers of my ioye and as you send your kindnes and reward of a good mynde to me to recompence your dewty omytted for a tyme so I of a good mynde except it with thankes geuen to you for it Note that these that communicate to the workes of good meÌ„ shal be ê‘takers of the glorye with good men for a good worke shall not lacke his rewarde of god But ye of Philippos know that in the begynynge of the gospell wheÌ„ I departed fro Macedonia no congregacon bare parte with me concernynge geuyng and receyuyng but ye onely For vnto Tessalonica ye sent once And afterwarde agayne vnto my necessite Not that I seke gyftes but I seke the frute that it be abundante in your rekenynge For I haue all and haue pleÌ„tye I was euen fylled when I receyued of Epaphroditus that which came from you on odour of swetnes a sacryfice accepted and pleasaunt vnto god Paule here sheweth the benefytes of these Philippians towardes him with gyuen of thankes and these Philippians he commendeth aboue other that they sent him helpe when he was in prisoÌ„ and wheÌ„ he first preached the gospell goyng from Macedonia and callyng to the fayth of Christe and that these Philippians dyd send to him when no other congregation helped him nor communicated to him so was partakers nether of geuyng nor receyuyng As he wold saye there is no cause why you shuld thiÌ„ke me dettor vnto you bycause you sente to me necessares and no congregacion but you alone for in so doynge you dyd but that thynge you were bounde to do to me for it is mete that he that geueth shulde receyue If we preache vnto you and sowe spirituall sede amongest you do you count it a great thynge yf we shall repe your carnall thynges As sayth Paule 1. Cor. 9. I haue sowne amongest you spirituall sede goddes worde therfore you ought to haue gyuen to me necessary foode And he calleth their subsydy sent to him by Epaphroditus a couÌ„t of gyuen and receyuynge they receauyd of Paule spirituall foode therfore they ought to haue geuen to him carnall foode In that he sayth no congregation to haue mynistred to him helpe but onely these Philippians we lerne that Paule dyd not receyue of many congregations temporall foode or subsydy as he myght haue done for the workemaÌ„ is wordy his meate but he abstened and wolde not receyue temporall foode of all congregatioÌ„s of people for dyuers causes First that he shulde not be an offendicle to the gospell and that they shulde not saye that he preached for a lyuyng or for lucre sake or for his belye chere and that he wolde gyue other example to labour for their lyuynge he with his handes got lyuynge for him selfe and for these that was with him Actes 20. 2. Thess 3. And that other shulde not be ashamed to labour with their handes and to shewe no dishonesty for prestes to labour handy labours 2. That was necessary for me you sent me He prayseth them not for that they sent to him at Tessalonicam that was necessary or that he desyred of them such a stypend or some of money or that he shuld by prayse or by gyuing of thankes prouoke other congregacioÌ„s to do suche lyke but rather that he required and wysshed to them a rewarde of god for their beneuoleÌ„ce to hiÌ„ And here we lerne more to consyder and wyshe for a rewarde of god to be geuen for almose done then to wysshe to vs helpe of our pouerty or relesse of our necessite And so we shulde loke more at the profyt of other then for the taken awaye of our nede after the example of Paule here 3. For I haue all and haue plentye Now he sheweth the cause that he desyred not money of any congregacions for he had no nede of money at that tyme for he had money plentye and therfore he desyred not money of other but other to be rewarded of god for their beneficialnes and he calleth their beneuoleÌ„ce or almos a sauour of swetenes a sacrifice acceptable and pleasante to god alludynge to the acceptable sacryfices in the olde lawe of Moyses coÌ„maunded to be offered vp to god which smelled well and thankefull sacrifices was called yf they were done as god coÌ„mauÌ„ded them to be done This place sheweth temporall sustentatioÌ„ giuen to them that preache the gospell to be pleasant and thaÌ„kfull sacryfyces to god although these that do gyue theÌ„ be bouÌ„de to gyue an honest lyuyng to the preacher of goddes worde as Christ saith Mat. 10 The workmaÌ„ is wordy his meate Note that they please god that doth their dewty payth their dettes and gyues their temporall dewty by lawes apoynted to their pastors and they that do not displease god My god fulfyl all your nede accordyng to his riches in glory in Christ Iesu Vnto god our father be prayse for euer euer amÌ„ As these PhilippiaÌ„s sent to Paule al thynges that was necessary for him so agayne he wysshed to them all necessares they had nede of he wysshed not to them great aboundaÌ„ce of all ryches or any great excesse but necessares to the vse of their lyfe to teache vs to wysshe so both to our selfe and also to other Excesse and abundance of ryches oftymes bryngeth infamy slaunder offence of god and of our nyghbour moderate ryches hath lesse iopardy and more trew glorye Therfore he wysshed to them no excesse but sufficyent lyuyng and that to be geuen them of god the author geuer of al goodnes whose riches caÌ„not be coÌ„sumed by gyuiÌ„g to other for he hath all ryches his barnes is ful of riches cannot be wasted or speÌ„t but the more he gyueth the more he may geue giueth to him be al honour glori euer more world without ende A. Salute al the saiÌ„tes in christ Iesu The brethreÌ„ the are with me salute you All yâ— saints salute you but specially they the are of the Emperours house The grace of our lord Iesu christ be with you all amÌ„ Now he fynisheth his Epistle with salutations after his humble maner and first he saluteth all the saintes that is all the faythfull beleuers in Christ Iesu santified not by bysshoppes of Rome but by the bloode of our sauyour Iesu Christ in whoÌ„ they beleue serue him by perfecte charite kepyng the commauÌ„demeÌ„tes of god lyuyng in this worlde such he calleth here saintes Secondly he saluteth theÌ„ in the name of all the faythful bretherne that was with him that ether came to him or dyd mynister to him in prison necessares or dyd other busynes for him specially he saluteth them in the name of the bretherne that was abyding in the courte of Nero where as was many that boldly and without feare openly professed Christ his worde fynally he wyshe the grace of our lorde Iesu Christ to them all To god the father with his soÌ„ne Iesu Christ and the holy goost be glory euer AMEN ¶ Prynted at Cantorbury in Saynt Paules paryshe by Iohn Mychyll for Ewarde whitchurche Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum