and doo not bryng truthe with it This place reproueth all errors heresies lies falsed and all supersticious doctryne that prouoketh men alwaie from Christes doctryne and from the truthe of Gods woorde The third thyng to bee ware of that by it thei bee not deceiued is the tradicions of men by the whiche pseudoapostles went aboute to deceiue men saiyng tradicions of men are either to be preferred aboue Gods word commaundementes or at the least equall with theim Ye thei would haue mennes lawes and decrees kepte and obserued aboue Gods lawes and for the obseruacion of mānes lawes thei breake Goddes commaundementes to whō Christe threatneth woo euerlastyng Math. xv Saiyng woo be to you Hypocrytes that haue broken Gods commaundementes for your tradicions Secōdly thei taught tradicions as necessary to saluacion that without the kepyng of theim thei could not bee saued Thirdly thei thought it dedly synne to omit mannes tradicions and Ceremonies and as like offence to breake mannes tradiciōs as to breake Gods commaundementes Fourthly thei thought tradicions of men to purge menne frō sinne ye to satisfie for sinnes and to bee full satisfaccions for synnes Fiftly thei compted tradiciōs and ordinaunces of men to be holines to make men holy and good to take awaie synne to deserue the grace of GOD to bryng holines to the doers ye life and saluacion Thus deceiuers and pseudoapostles wente about to deceiue these Colossiās and other by tradicions of men which are not to be obserued as necessary for saluacion purgers of synne or satisfaccion for sinne bringers of holines or of eternal life But as thynges indifferent not to bee compared with Gods commaundemētes but to be obserued as far as thei bee helpers to the keping of Gods cōmaundementes and the fulfillyng of Gods will and pleasure and for good ordre and quietnes The fourthe thyng to bee ware of is the Elementes of the worlde by the Elementes some vnderstāde the Sūne the Mone the Sterres or the other elementes thinkyng that there was emonges the Colossiās some that did worship these Elementes as Gods and desired health and salucaiō of theim puttyng trust and confidence in them praiyng to them and desiryng of thē prosperous thynges and of the dispocicion of these Elementes Prophesied thynges to come The Apostle here biddeth them bee ware thei phantasie none suche thyng by these Elementes whiche are no Gods nor are not to be worshipped as God but as the creatures of God made and ordinated for the behaulfe and commoditie of man in this world Other some vnderstandeth by Elementa mundi the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall lawes of the old Testament thynkyng thē to be necessary for saluacion that none could be saued without the obseruyng of theim as some thought Act. xv And emonges the Galathians Gala. iiii But Peter and Iames and the residue of the Apostles of Christ thought legall Ceremonies and sacrifices not necessarie for saluacion but saluacion mighte well enough bee had without them ye without al Ceremonies For Ceremonies now vsed in the Churche bee no holy thynges of themselfes thei make no manne holy thei bee no workers nor workes of our saluacion thei be ordinated to signifie and represēt other thynges signified by theim And here the Apostle biddeth them beware of suche as did call thē to the lawe and not to Christe to the Ceremonies or woorkes of the lawe and of man decreed and not of God commaunded and here he willeth theim to beware of all theim that exhort men to Ceremonies old customes voluntarie woorkes lawes statutes decrees tradicions of men rather then Gods commaundementes 3 For in Christ dwelleth al fulnes of the Godhedde corporally Now he sheweth the cause why he moued theim too followe Christ and his doctryne alone and none other doctryne contrary to this doctrine it was because all fulnes of God as of holines vertue wisedom grace mercie peace goodnes iustice and of al perfeccion did remain in Christ abundauntly and perfitely that it should not nede to require of any other any goodnes holines iustice or righteousnes but of Christe onely and alone of whom is all goodnes by whom and in whom equall to the father in substaunce deite might and power By whō thei are fulfilled with all goodnes iustice and righteousnes that thei haue no neede to seke any good thyng of the lawe of woorkes of the lawe of Ceremonies or of tradicions of men for thei haue Christ in their hartes rooted by true faithe in the whiche is all the treasures of the wisedom of God the father laied vp for vs and in hym doth dwel all fulnes of God the father and he hath fulfilled all thynges bothe the law and the imperfeccion of the law he hath taken it awaie and made it perfite and vs by hym to performe the lawe By whom you are circumcised with circumcision not made by handes when you put awaie the bodye of synnes of the fleshe by the circumcisiō of Christe buried together with hym by Baptisme in the whiche also with hym you haue risē by faith of the woorke of God whiche hath raised hym from the dedde The Apostle sheweth these Colossians although thei were Gentiles to be Circumcised by Christe not after the Circumcision of the fleshe but by the circumcision of the spirite of God without the handes of manne whiche he thought not necessary for theim but that without the exterior Circūcision of the fleshe the Gentiles might be saued as well as the Iewes that was circumcised in the fleshe And here he sheweth two circūcisions the one outwardes made in the flesh by mennes handes cuttyng awaie a round pece of the skynne of the secrete members and this circumcision was not necessarie to saluacion after the Gospell was opēly preached after Christes passion but was abrogated and left as indifferent not necessary to saluaciō theother circūcision was the inward circumcisiō by the spirit of God by the whiche the whole body of synne was mortified put awaie clerely by the spirit and by faith in Christ and this circumcision is necessarie to saluaciō that is by the spirite of God to dye from synne and no more to returne again to synne as Christe died once and dieth no more so wee should dye from sinne and sinne no more but walke alwaies in a newe life and put on Christ veritie truthe iustice and holines and walke alwaie in these vertues followyng Christe in all goodnes and Godlines in veritie and iustice and in cuttyng awaie from the harte all euill desires thoughtes carnall affeccions lustes and concupiscenses whiche did arise of the flesh and not of the spirite of GOD and this is the Circūcision of Christ whiche is our Baptisme by the whiche we bee wasshed from all our sinnes by the workyng of the holy Ghoste in it accordyng to the promise of God and therfore baptisme is called the wasshyng of regeneracion and renewyng of the holy ghoste to Tite .iii. In the whiche baptisme we be purged from all our synnes
fountain of liuely water of the word of God And he exhorteth thē to abide and sticke sure to that faithe thei had receiued by Gods woorde and that in no wise thei should turne from it to Iewishnes or to the lawe to the sacrifices or Ceremonies of the lawe as to thinke thei cannot be saued without theim when by Christ thei haue all thynges necessarie for saluacion nor yet it is not necessary to ioyne with Christ any other thyng as learnyng of Philosophie workes of the lawe Ceremonies Tradicions of men as without them no man can be saued For Christ is a sufficient sauior without all these thynges nor it is not nedefull to saluacion to ioyne any other thyng with Christe as necessary for saluaciō without the which saluacion cannot be had This place doth reproue theim that saith menne cannot vnderstāde holy scripture truly without humain Philosophie and therefore thei say that Philosophie is necessarie and that yong men brought vp in the Vniuersities must nedes learne Philosophie thei will not suffre theim to studie diuinitie before thei haue spente three or foure yeres in Philosophy in Aristotle or in Platoes woorkes that by Philosophie thei maie bee hable to iudge of diuinitie and so it ofte tymes commeth to passe that diuinitie is iudged by Philosophie and as the Heathen Philosophier hath thought and iudged of diuinitie so many young mennes iudgementes be and so the studious youth in Vniuersities bee poysoned by humain Philosophie in their firste studies for as it is ofte tymes sene that the vessell will kepe lōg the smell of that liquor that was firste putte in it so the studious youth first brought vp in Gentile learnyng kepe long the Gētiles iudgementes and maners of these Gentile aucthors thei haue red in their youth and it is a greate grace if euer thei bee brought from theim and that is a greate cause why so many brought vp in Gētile aucthors haue more swetenes and pleasure in Gentile learning then in the learnyng of Christe and of Goddes worde whiche thei contempne and despise for Gentile learnyng Therefore I thinke it moste expedient for Gods glory to be sprede abrode for the saluaciō of many and for true iudgement to be had that all youth should bee verteously broughte vp after the knowlege of Gods word that thei might haue their iudgementes truly formed and directed after the knowlege of holy scripture that thei should be taught by sobre discrete and learned men the true science of scripture and howe thei should take it and come to the knowlege of it with what humblenes and mekenes oft times geuyng themselfes too faithful praier desiryng the knowlege of holy scriptures of GOD to the glory of GOD to their saluacion and to the commoditie of other 2 Although I am absente in fleshe yet I am present with you in the spirite Note what affeccion Paule had to these Colossians he was present with them in spirite although he was absent in his body from theim he exhorted thē to continue in faith hope and in Charitie and not to shrynke from thē one here brede so he studied to profite them and to teache them the way to saluacion and that is to bee present with them in spirite 3 Ioiyng and seyng your ordre and surenes of your faithe in Christe He commendeth theim for twoo thinges and was glad to se in them stedfastnes the one was that he reioysed to see the good semely ordre vsed emonges theim a good ordre in dooyng of thynges emonges Christians is to be commended and where is no ordre there is confusion sainct Paule i. Cori. xiiii Would all thynges should bee dooen after a semely ordre and after a decent fassiō and here he commendeth a good ordre and reproueth those that kepe no ordre nor comelines He commendeth theim also for their surenes of their faithe in Christ that by no craft or intisyng perswasion thei shrynked from Christ or frō true beleue in Christe He reproueth here inconstaunt men and suche as will bee moued with euery blast or doctryne He commēdeth thē not that thei should bee proude but that thei should more and more go forwardes in vertue for vertue commended increaseth muche more As you haue receiued Christ Iesus our Lorde so walke in him that you maie bee rooted in hym and buylded in hym and made strōg by faith and as you haue learned aboundyng in hym with geuyng of thankes The Apostle exhorteth theim to go forwardes and increase euery daie more more in knowlege in faithe in hope in charitie as thei haue receiued Christ and faithe in hym and all treasures of perfeccion and saluaciō to be had in Christ by the preaching of the Gospel so he would haue them increase in knowlege and in all vertue euery daye more and more and not to ceasse from wel doyng good workes appoynted of God to be doen. 2 So that you might be rooted in hym and buylded and made strōg by faith The Apostle requireth constancie and surenes in them that thei should not bee moueable with euery wynde of doctryne but that thei should haue sure faithe constaunt hope and bee perfite in charitie in the knowlege of God and of Christ and as a tre surely rooted in the ground cannot well be plucked vp so sure he would haue theim rooted in faithe and that thei should buylde vpon Christe the sure foundacion and not vpon menne mennes phantasies and dreames tradicions religions of menne or vpon mennes good intentes without Gods worde Christe is the true foundacion that will not bee moued by no winde nor wether i. Cor. iii. Vpō Christe we should buylde suche workes as bee mete for Christe the foundacion and thei bee the woorkes commaunded in holy scripture by gold siluer and precious stones signified i. Cor. iii. And not voluntary woorkes signified by woode haye stobble whiche tried by the fire will not stande but either smodder as haye or els burne as woode and stobble but yet thei that hath doen these workes shal be saued if thei repent and amēde and cal to GOD for mercie and grace and do the workes of the spirit 3 As you haue been taught abundyng in knowlege with geuyng of thankes He moueth men to increase in knowlege of Christe and in true faithe and Charitie and in these to excell but alwaie with geuyng thankes to God whiche hath geuen thē power to do good that none should ascribe the good workes he dooeth to hym to his mighte and power but to God the aucthor of all goodnes Iames .i. Learne that it is not enough to haue knowlege of Christ and of his benefites but all men muste increase in the knowlege of god whiche knowlege commeth by Gods worde This place reproueth thē that loueth not to rede the holy scriptures that wil not suffre theim to bee red ye scarse will suffre the Bible to bee in their Parishe Churches muche lesse in their houses Take hede that no mā deceiue
thei neuer were Circumcised Ye also he declareth plainly the lawe and the woorkes of the lawe as Ceremonies and Iudicialles not to bee kept vnder the pain of dampnacion and as necessarie to saluacion as without theim no man could bee saued whiche saincte Paule here improueth and willeth that no man should iudge another good or bad for meate or drinke forbidden in the Lawe of Moses or for kepyng of holy daies or not for kepyng holy daies as Sabboth daies feastes of newe Moones or other holy daies cōmaunded by the lawe whiche if thei bee kepte as indifferent thynges thei make no manne good iust or holy for kepyng of them nor yet thei condempne no man if thei bee necglected or omitted and lefte vndoen therefore no man should iudge another good or euill for dooyng or omittyng these workes abrogated by Christe and left to vs as workes indifferent 2 Lette no manne iudge you in meat or drynke Now he taketh away all holines from meate or drynke willyng that no manne should coumpt holines to be in meate and drynke or in absteynyng from the same for the kyngdom of GOD is not meate or drinke but iustice peace and ioy in the holy ghost Rom. xiii And here he would no manne should iudge another good for absteynyng from meate or drynke or euill for eatyng of meate and drinkyng of drynke This place doth shewe that by Gods lawe meate and drynke are not forbidden to bee eaten of any man nor GOD careth not what maner of meate a man eate so he eate it with sobrietie with geuyng of thākes to God for it as to the onely aucthor and geuer of all meate to all creatures for the necessities of manne to fede the body that it maie be able to serue God and to do the workes of the spirite Learne that it is not the meate that entereth into a manne that defileth hym but that goeth out frō man defileth man as euill thoughtes wordes and deedes adultery fornicaciō murther c. Mat. xv Also learne here that there is no maner of meate forbidden Christians to eate by Gods lawe so thei eate with sobrietie and with thankes geuyng to God yet Christians may not vse alwaie this their libertie for three or foure causes Firste the ordinaunce of hye powers whiche hath decreed some daies of absteinēce from this or that kynde of meate to this ordinaunce of hye powers it becōmeth euery one to bee obedient and to kepe their ordinaunces as long as thei would haue thē kepte as thynges expedient for the commō wealth peace iustice and good ordre or for good pollitique endes As the absteinēce from fleshe the tyme of Lente whiche is an ordinaunce admitted of manne and of hie powers and rulers for many good causes and consideracions when it shall pleace the hie powers to abrogate and take awaie that ordinaunce of the faste of Lent the hye powers maie lawfully take it away as thei shal thinke mete and expedient for the common wealth and yet no parte of Gods lawe taken awaie Many causes I thynke did moue the rulers of the common wealth to institute abstinence from fleshe in Lent tyme. First because that that time of the yere fleshe is for the more parte out of season and not wholesome for mannes bodie and for the more health of mē in their bodies after Easter when thei shal eate fleshe again Secōdly that men should more chastice their bodies that thei beyng fastyng or kepyng abstinence should with more earnest and inwarde affeccion praie to God for thēselfes and for other for ful belies seldō geue feruent praier to God or thākes hartie frō his harte to God for his benefites Thirdly that by abstinēce men should the better mortifie ouercome al carnal affeccions Fourthly because this time of Lēt is a time for beastes to brede in thei should be spared that tyme that more store of cattell should be al the yere after so of more store plentie cattell should bee better chepe Fifthly that by abstinence of Lent men should mortifie their carnall affecciōs and be made more pure and cleane in conscience against Easter that thei mighte at Easter receiue worthely the body and bloud of Christe For these and many other causes expedient for commō wealthes I thynke this time of Lent was instituted of the old fathers of the churche not that the fast of Lēt should iustifie any mā make them holy and good take away sinnes or satisfie for synnes or that the eatyng of fishe should make a mā better before god then the eating of flesh by the outward worke in it self as some hath taughte condēpnyng them for heretiques and lollars that eate but white meate in Lēt season neuer generally forbiddyn by any lawe to bee eaten in this Realme for in the Northe partes alwaie the people did eate white meate in Lent season without any prohibiciō to them by the lawe But this false iudgement of Lente that it should be by Gods lawe commaunded or that it was a Tradicion of Christe or of his Apostles that it was necessarily to bee obserued vnder the pain of dampnacion that it iustified menne toke awaie sinnes made men holy or better then other was a false opinion of Lent not grounded vpon holy scripture But this is come to ignoraūt men by ignoraūce of holy scripture mete and worthie to be improued and spoken again of all true preachers pastors and Curates and of all men And although God hath not appoynted to vs any differēce of meate in daies but saith that all maner of meate is pure to theim that bee pure and that doth eate with genyng of thankes to the lorde for their meate i. Timo. iii. And that it is not the meate that entereth into a man that defileth a mā but it is that goeth out of the mouth that defileth a man Math. xv Yet there is three or foure thynges that prohibeth men to vse their libertie in meate and drinke First is the ordinaunce of the high powers to whom it becommeth euery subiect to be obedient in al lawfull ordinaūces and causes not contrary to Goddes lawe The seconde is the infirmitie or weakenes of our brethrē whom we may not offēde by our meate and drinke Ro. xiiii The third is a conscience erronious thynkyng not lawfull to eate meate and yet against his conscience doth eate that man that so doth offendeth God Nam qui contra conscientiam edit peccat Ro. xiiii i. Corin. viii His conscience erronious should bee rectified and then let hym eate with a streight conscience rectified after true knowlege of Gods worde The fourth maie be for health of mānes body to preserue it from sickenes Fifthly to mortifie carnall affeccions lustes and desires and to make the bodie obedient to the spirite of God and to doo the workes of the spirite This is alwaie to be noted and obserued that no man vse his libertie in meate drynke and in other indifferent thinges to fulfill the desires of
the fleshe whiche thyng many doeth by whom the worde of God suffreth euill and is euill spoken of emonges Heathen ye emonges christiās and many be offended iudgyng other with them And suche people iudge some to do euill when in eatyng thei doo not euill but that thei maie dooe lawfully by Gods lawe and thei that euill iudgeth offendeth God and not thei that eate with a rectified cōscience geuyng thankes to God knowyng all meates pure to the pure 3 Or in part of the holy daie or new Moone or of Sabboth dayes He forbiddeth one to iudge another for kepyng of the holy daie or not for kepyng of it Of the Sabboth daie it is written Leuiti xxiii and for what intent thei were institute thei were ordinated that the people should rest from all their bodily labors and come together in a mete and conuenient place to here the woorde of GOD to learne to knowe God and theimselfes to glorifie God to praie vnto God one for another to geue thankes to God for his benefites to them and to other to receiue the benefites of the sacramentes of God and that these daies specially men should ceasse from all seruile workes that is from all sinne and to serue GOD truly after that sort as God hath appoynted to bee serued honored and worshipped of all menne in his holy scriptures But alacke for pitie no daie God is serued worse then vpon the holy daie in many places what eatyng drynkyng riotyng and surfetyng cardyng and disyng swearyng and blasphemyng the holy name of God is vpon holy dayes it greueth euery good man to here it see it or to speake of it whiche is vsed more vpon the holy daie then vpon the woorke daie I will not speake of the drūkennes of the vnthriftie spēdyng of mennes substaunce vpon the holy daie ye more then thei can get the whole weke before ye parauenture some thyng of the weeke folowyng shal bee spente or it bee gotten and that when no nede requireth It is no merueill though God doth suffre suche vnthriftes some tyme to neede necessarie thynges in punishment of their synnes and yet parauenture suche vnthriftes and drunkers thynketh thei kepe the holy daie well if thei abstein frō handie labors I wil not speake of adulterie fornicaciō slaundryng backbityng one another of craft falshed deceipt vsurie periurie contencion and debate vsed vpon the holy daie by the whiche the holy daie is broken rather then by handie woorke necessarie to be doen vpō the holy daie and yet the holy daie not brokē but kept God graunte that the holy daie maye be spente as Gods woorde willeth and commaundeth Also he willeth that no man shall iudge another for feastes of new Mones Feastes of newe Moones was celebrated euery monethe assone as the newe Moone did appere for it doeth appere that these Colossiās worshipped the Moone as a GOD and gaue Godly honor to it whiche thyng the Apostle forbiddeth and willeth thē not to honor the Moone as a God for it is no God but the creature of God ordinated for the commoditie of man nor to kepe holy daies to honor the newe Moone nor yet to doo any sacrifice to any Idolle as the Heathen did Al suche false worshippyng of creatures for God is here forbidden as thynges vnlawfull displeasyng God or to kepe holy daie in their names or for their sakes to do sacrifice to theim to honor theim or worship theim 4 Which are shadowes of thinges to come the body verely of Christe As he should saie difference of meates in daies kepyng of holy daies as of the newe Moone of the Tabernacle of Pasche of Pentecoste and suche like are but shadowes of thynges for to come and whē the bodies do come of whiche thei wer shadowes then ceaseth the shadowes when the thing commeth it self then ceaseth the figure the thyng it self is come lette vs care no more for the figure wee haue the body fare well the shadowe These figures and shadowes in the old lawe thei figured Christ the sauiour of the worlde to come thei figured that he should sprynkle his bloud vpon the Crosse for the redempcion and saluaciō of the world Christ is come and hath shed his bloudde for our redempcion and by hym alone we be saued therefore shadowes and figures muste nowe cease and no more be coumpted as necessarie to bee kepte to our saluacion for without theim we be brought to saluacion that is by the mercie grace and goodnes of God the father for Christes sake alone and not for oure merites or deseruynges Let no man make you shote at a wrong marke after his awne chosyng walkyng in humblenes and supersticion of Angelles in those thynges which thei haue not sene goyng vainly puft vp of the mynde of their fleshe not obeiyng their hed of whiche the whole bodie by ioyntes and couples fixed and ioyned receiueth nourishement and doeth increase by the increasement of God Now more at large he monisheth theim to bee ware of pseudoapostles craftie deceiuers whom he setteth furthe in their colours mouyng theim to bee ware of thē that study to plucke awaie from theim their rewarde thei looke for and to geue theim pain for ioye shadowes for the thynges figures for the veritie darkenes for lighte shadowes for the bodies yearthly thynges for heauenly thynges carnall thynges for spirituall thynges Note here how false Apostles deceiptfull iugglers go aboute to deceiue theim and turneth awaie from men their heauenly reward suche be thei that teache Moses for Christ workes of the lawe for the Gospell and woorkes of the spirite for true faithe in Christ Ceremonies and mānes ordinaunces and tradiciōs of like necessitie to Gods commaundementes to be obserued or els of more necessitie And in this these false Apostles are more to be blamed that thei doo it of a set purpose and mynd aduisedly intendyng to deceiue other and in this their malice is more to bee noted and reproued that thei studie to deceiue other and to plucke other from the veritie of the Gospell into heresies suche bee thei that stifly defende workes of the lawe to be kept of necessitie of saluacion as Circumcision Ceremonies and other mennes tradicions to be obserued of like necessitie as the commaundementes of GOD more esteme mannes tradicions then Gods commaundementes those bee thei whiche Paule in this place biddeth vs beware of for thei goo aboute to plucke away from vs our heauenly rewarde 2 By humilitie and supersticiō of Angels Here he sheweth by what meanes thei went aboute to deceiue them that was by humilitie pretendyng great humilitie and mekenes contempte of the worlde of worldely honors and promocions contēpt of carnall pleasures and riches in habite countenaunce and goyng sad and deuoutely pretendyng great holines and perfecciō and nothyng els but holines they would be sene to menne to haue and yet thei were inwardly Hypocrytes dissemblers full of hatered malice and enuie full of pompe and pride coueteous and vainglorious ye verie
greedy Wolfes clothed in shepes skynnes that thei might by that meanes the soner deceiue the simple as the deuill trāsfigureth hymself into an Angell of lighte that he should deceiue the soner the simple so the Wolfe commeth clothed in a shepe skinne and so soner deceiue the shepe then if he came openly as a Wolfe in a Wolfe skynne So fained holines and pretensed sanctite deceiueth many Also pseudoapostles went about to deceiue these Colossians by religion of Angels as the olde translacion hath Erasmus by supersticion of Angels What saincte Paule meaneth here I cannot well tell excepte he meane that false Apostles phantasied some hye honor and worship to be geuen to holy Angelles if thei kepte the lawe geuen by the ministracion of holy Angels and those to displease the Angelles that kepte not the lawe geuen by Angels and holy Angels to honor thē that obserued the Lawe so thei taught the Angelles of God to venge their iniuries and displeasures in thē that did not kepe the lawe of Moses So these pseudoapostles taught it to bee a worshippyng of Angelles to obserue the lawe and the workes of the law as necessarie to saluaciō whiche thyng sainct Paule coumpteth here no honor nor worshippe of Angels but supersticion of Angels a pretense to honor Angels and do dishonor them and most rebuke to Angels that can bee doen. Or els this place maye be otherwise expounded after this maner that some pseudoapostles emong these Colossians studied to deceiue them saiyng thei were the Angelles of God sente from God aboue and that thei had receiued certain visiōs of angels and of holy spirites in some oracles wherein thei were shewed the will and pleasure of God and what god would haue doen of menne in the yearth and that was that thei muste nedes kepe the lawe of Moses and the woorkes of it or els thei saied thei could not bee saued whiche thyng sainct Paule improueth in all his Epistles but moste plainly it is improued and condēpned of the Apostles of Christ Act .xv. Suche pseudoapostles was emōges vs some tyme that said holy Angels holy spirites and soules of men departed to haue appered vnto thē that thei should goo this pilgrimage or that pilgrimage to this Image or that image in suche a place that thei should cause to bee saied or song so many Diriges so many Masses found suche a foūdaciō for Masses for prescript praiers purchase suche pardons suche indulgences and many like Reuelacions hath been shewed to men as pseudoapostles saied by the whiche meanes thei deceiued many of a long tyme but thankes be to God their deceipte is knowen in a maner to all men how vain and foolishe it was how vngodly and how perilous and cōtrary to mannes saluaciō and how it came not of God but of the deuill was inuented of men mainteined for lucre sake 3 In those thynges whiche thei haue not sene As he would say this deceiuer feineth hymself to haue sene in vision many thynges whiche he hath not sene and to haue heard many thynges whiche he hath not heard and to haue larned many thynges whiche he hath not learned as some haue feined them to bee in a traunce and in it to haue sene the ioyes of heauen the peines of purgatorie as thei liyng called it and of hell and by what meanes men should haue been deliuered out of purgatory whē thei did see or heard none suche thynges And for this ende thei feined suche sightes for lucre sake and that thei should bee coumpted of men not as mortal men but rather as Goddes and men worthie that holy Angelles should come to theim and speke to theim Goddes will and pleasure and that thei were worthie to be canonized for sainctes and of all menne estemed holy men and yet sainct Paule calleth thē here deceiuers and to go proudly as those that plaie in stage plaies Princes or Kynges or Goddes beyng no suche thyng as thei pretende to bee In this place the Apostle semeth to me to make an answere to the saiyng of pseudoapostles seeyng that thei bee the Angelles and messengers of god and that thei do exhorte men to those thynges that God commaundeth by his holy Angelles that is to the kepyng of the lawe and of workes of the Lawe and that thei that kept the law did honor Angels and the breakers of the lawe did not honor but dispised Angels and God also whose messengers the Angelles was and that thei were sure their doctryne to bee true because thei had it of the Angelles of GOD To this sainct Paule answereth saiyng that thei exhorte men vnto that thyng thei knowe not whiche thei nether haue seen nor harde for thei knowe not saieth he the law and the workes of the law to be shadowes and figures geuen for a tyme till the body and veritie did come then to cease and to bee no more as necessarie to saluacion now the body and veritie is come whiche is Christ our sauior whiche these shadowes and figures did represente Therefore the lawe is not now to be kept of necessitie to saluaciō and that is the chief matter that sainct Paule here laboreth so diligently to teache to haue it perswaded to al men Se how earnestly euill men went aboute in Paules tyme to teache false doctrine and how thei saied thei had it of Angelles and the true worship of God and of Angels to be in it and God and his holy Angelles to bee dishonored if their doctryne were not kepte Paule saith thei knew not what thei spake and that thei walked vainly and to no profit and yet thei were proude men proude of their doctryne auauncyng them selfes of it Like to theim hath been in oure daies teachers of pilgrimages of Masses of scala caeli patrons of purgatorie mainteiners of worshippyng of Images defenders of them thei wer thei of whō Paule speaketh i. Timo. i. Thei knewe not what thei spake and affirmeth to bee true which thei knewe not to be true nor of what foundacion it hath his truthe all suche deceiuers sainct Paule here sharpely reproueth He saieth thei goo proudly bearyng an hye countenaunce as all the worlde were theirs as all learnyng should hang at their sleues thei onely and none els to be defenders of faith and of al godly learnyng and yet sainct Paule saieth thei go in vain thei profite neither thēselfes nor other thei be pufte vp with the wisedō of the fleshe and thynke thēselfes to haue all learnyng when thei do not vnderstande those thynges they speke of and affirme with great audacitie boldnes as thei wer in Goddes bosome thei seke not the glory of God but their awne glory and profite and thei fein them to haue had visions of angels of holy sainctes reuelacions for pilgrimages Pardons paintyng of stockes and blockes suche was the holy maide of Kent whose craft and deceipt is knowen almoste to all menne how she deceiued many 4 Thei doo not obtein the hed
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