procéede from the grace of Christ for this is vnto vs the beginning of well doing when we are sanctified by his spirite for it rested vpon him that of his fulnes we all might receiue And because Paule here taketh a similitude from trées we are wild oliues and vnprofitable vntill we are ingraffed into Christ who by his liuing roote doth make vs fruitfull trees according to that in Iohn 15.1 I am the vine you are the branches He sheweth also the ende that we should serue to the glorie of God for no life is so excellent in shewe which is not polluted and stinketh before God except it be directed vnto this marke Wheras Paule here nameth righteousnes of works it maketh nothing against the frée righteousnes of faith for it doth not followe by and by that there is righteousnes where there are the fruites of righteousnes because that righteousnes before God is no other thing than a full and sound obedience of the lawe which is found in none of the Saincts who notwithstanding according to their measure of grace doe bring forth good and swéete fruites of righteousnes that is to say because God beginneth in vs righteousnes by the regeneration of his spirite so that which wanteth he supplieth by the remission of sinnes that righteousnes neuertheles should altogether depend vpon faith 12 I would haue you knowe brethren that the things which haue come vnto me are turned rather to the furtherance of the Gospell 13 So that my bands in Christ are famous in all the iudgement hall and in all other places 14 And many of the brethren in the Lord boldened by my bands dare more frankely speake the word without feare 15 Some thorough enuie and contention and some also of good will preach Christ 16 Some I say of contention preach Christ not purely supposing to adde more affliction to my bands 17 But the other of loue knowing that I am set for the defence of the Gospell 12 I would haue you know We all haue experience in our selues how much the flesh is wont to be offended by the humilitie of the crosse We suffer Christ to be preached vnto vs crucified but when he appeareth with his crosse as if we were amased with some new sight either we runne away or are afraid and not onely in our owne persons but also in the persons of them which deliuer the Gospell vnto vs. It might haue happened vnto the Philippians that by the persecution of their Apostle they might somewhat haue bene cast downe and it is credible that euill laborers which gaped for euery litle occasion to hurt did not cease to reioyce at the calamitie of the good man and thereof did make his Gospell to be despised And if by this meanes they could not profit they were ready to reuile him because he was hated of the whole world and also to put a feare into the Philippians least by his vnluckie fellowship they should procure vnto them selues great enuie without cause amongest all men for these are the vsuall subtilties of satan The Apostle méeteth with this danger whilest he rehearseth that the gospell is furthered by his bands The ende therefore of this narration is to encourage the Philippians that they should not be afraid by his persecution 13 So that my bands He put In Christ for in the busines or in the cause of Christ for he doth signifie that his bands were famous to extoll the honor of Christ Whereas some doe expound it by Christ it séemeth to be strained and I had rather haue it famous than manifest because the report of them brought honor to the Gospell as if he should say Satan went about this thing and the vngodly thought it should so come to passe that the Gospell should be destroyed but God hath made frustrate as well his endeuors as their hope and that two manner of wayes for when before the Gospell was obscure and vnknowne vnto many it is come to passe that it is made manifest and not that onely but also that it is made famous as well in the iudgement hall as in the rest of the citie The iudgement hall In castrum Praetorum I take for the Court and Pallaice of Nero which Fabius and the writers of that age call Augustale For when the name of Praetor was in the beginning generall and did signifie all Magistrates that had chiefe gouernment whereof it came to passe that the Dictator was called the chiefe Praetor the custome afterwarde remained that in warre the tent either of the Consul or of him that was Generall was called Praetorium but in the citie the pallaice of Caesar of whom the Emperours tooke their Monarchie otherwise Praetorium is also called the Session of the Praetor Many of the brethren By this example we are taught that the vexations of the Sainctes which they suffer for the Gospell is vnto vs a cause of confidence It were in déede a terrible spectacle and which would rather tende to exanimate vs if we shoulde onely beholde the crueltie and rage of the persecutors but whilest the hande of the Lorde appeareth which vnder the infirmitye of the crosse doth make his seruants inuincible and to triumphe trusting hereunto we must be more bolde than we are woont hauing alreadye in the person of our brethren the pledge of our victorie The acknowledging hereof ought to ouercome our feare that in the middes of dangers we should speake without trembling 15 Some truly An other fruite of the bands of Paule because not onely the brethren were encouraged to stand stedfast in their faith by his example and others to stande in their estate others were made more chearefull to teach but also they that wished him ill by an other counsell were prouoked to publish the Gospell 16 Some I say of contention An explanation whereby he declareth more fully the former sentence for he repeateth two kindes of men who by his bands were prouoked to preache Christ Some were stirred vp by contention that is by en euill affection some other by a godly desire because they together would take vpon them the defence of the Gospell They he sayth did not preach Christ purely because their zeale was not aright Neither doe this pertaine vnto doctrine because it may be that he that teacheth moste sincerely is not of a sincere minde but that this was a corruption of the minde and did not appeare in doctrine we maye gather out of the text Paule truelye woulde not willingly haue séene the Gospell dissembled with yet he testifieth that he reioyceth in the preaching of these men the which was neyther simple nor sincere But a question may be asked how such preaching coulde hurt him I aunswere that there are many occasions vnknowne vnto vs who doe not consider the circumstances of tymes Another question is asked that since the Gospell can not be preached but of them that vnderstande it what cause moued them to persecute that doctrine which they allowed I aunswere that ambition is
A Commentarie of M. Iohn Caluine vppon the Epistle to the Philippians wherein is set out the necessitie and profite of affliction vnto the faithfull the benefite of God his word the fruits of vnitie and humilitie free iustification by faith in Iesus Christ without our owne merites the assurance ioy and contented mindes of the godlie and their perseueraunce in godlinesse vnto the end With many other comfortable and profitable pointes of Religion Translated out of Latine by W. B. Imprinted at London for Nicolas Lyng and are to be sold at the West dore of S. Paules Church Anno. 1584. To the Right honourable Sir Frances VValsingham Knight chiefe secretary vnto hir Maiesty chancelor of the order and one of hir Maiesties moste honorable priuie counsell William Becket wisheth encrease of honor and all heauenly happines DIomedes a prince of the Grecians Right honorable as Homer in his Iliades recordeth emboldened by Pallas feared no whit at all the force of the Troianes nor the strength multitude of their confederates but valiantly for his Countries safety hazarded his life amids his enimies And my selfe hoping of your honors fauourable protection not regarding the curious carping of a great sort in these daies for the benefite of many haue yeelded my selfe to be censured of all For as to encourage animate a Captaine there can be none fitter thā Pallas to whom the ancient writers haue ascribed both wisdome in giuing counsel couragiousnes in fight so for your great loue of godlines singular zeale in furthering of religiō there is none more fit than your honor to whom this godly commentary of maister Caluine discoursing of many excellent points of our religion might be presented For here is set out the condition of the godly how the Lord in this life hūbleth them by afflictions and after receiueth them to eternall glory Here is set out their assurance of Gods fauour their ioy in greatest dangers and their contented minds in all estates Here is set out the benefite that commeth by preaching of the gospell and the malice practises and confusion of false teachers Here is set out the fruite of humility the necessity of vnity and agrement among the faithfull free iustification by Iesus Christ the heauenly conuersation of Christians and how they must continue stedfast in godlines vnto the ende And although I offer these being another mans laboures vnder my owne name yet neither enuiously to derogate any thing from the due cōmendation of so worthy a person as Homeromastix did nor presumptuously by another mans trauels to seeke my own praise as that vaine-glorious Poet who presented Virgils verses as if they had beene his owne vnto Augustus the Emperor But considering that a good thing the more common it is the more commēdable better it is especially being requested therevnto for the comfort and profit of all true English christians I haue made that common to all which afore was priuate but to a fewe We say in our common prouerbe that good wine neede no Iuie bush a naked truth barely vttered without any filed phrases of fine eloquēce is of it self sufficiently cōmendable And this worke how simplie soeuer I haue translated it yet notwithstanding faithfully being written by the holy Apostle inspired with Gods spirit expounded by so notable a father of the Church cannot but carry with it amongst all good men sufficient credite I haue therefore presumed not only to present it vnto your honorable view but also vnder your name as a sufficient shielde against al iniuries to publish it vnto al. Most humbly beseeching your honor with your accustomed fauour to accept these first fruites of my trauels not to measure the simplenes of the gift with the worthines of your owne person but rather to respect the good will and willing desire I had in most humble maner by al dutie possible to gratifie your honor So shall I not only be encouraged to the vttermost of my simple skill to employ my selfe to the profit of others but also as afore by generall dutie so now by particular benefite I shall be bound to pray for the preseruation of your honor in health and increase of dignitie godlines vertue and all heauenly happines The Almighty mulply his graces vpon you and grant you as many prosperous yeares as vertuous godly properties and both infinite that here you may liue long to his glory hereafter liue for euer to your owne euerlasting comfort Your Honors in all humble dutie WILLLIAM BECKET THE ARGVMENT OF the epistle of S Paule written vnto the Philippians IT is manifest that Philippos is a citie of Macedonia situate in the borders of Thracia in whose fieldes Pompeius was vanquished by Caesar afterward Brutus and Cassius ouercome by Antonius and Octauius Thus the dissention of the Romanes by two notable battells made the place famous When Paule by a vision was come into Macedonia he layd the foundation of the Church first in that citie as Luke recordeth in the 16. of the Acts and 12. verse the which how it did not onely continue constantly in the faith but also by continuance of time numbers of men and going forward in vertue it was encreased this epistle doth testifie Furthermore this was the cause why Paule did write vnto the Philippians when they by Epaphroditus their Pastor had sent vnto him those thinges that were needefull for him in bonds to preserue life and for other extraordinary charges it is no doubt but Epaphroditus as well opened vnto him the estate of the Church as was a perswader to supply those things whereof they were to be admonished For it appeareth that they were tempted of false prophets which at that time wandered all abroad to corrupt sound doctrine but because they persisted in the truth Paule commendeth their constancie yet being mindfull of the frailtie that is in men and admonished perhaps by Epaphroditus that they were speedily to be confirmed lest they should againe fall he ioyneth such admonitions as he knew were conuenient for them And first of all hauing testified the kinde affection of his mind toward them whereby he might procure credite he speaketh of him selfe and of his owne bondes that they should not faint because they sawe him taken prisoner and in daunger of his life Therefore he sheweth that it is so far of that thereby the glorie of the Gospell should be diminished that it was rather an argument to confirme it and together with his owne example he exhorteth them to be readye to endure all things at length with an exhortation vnto vnitie and patience he concludeth the first chapter But because ambition is for the most part a continuall mother of dissention whereof it commeth to passe that there is a doore open to newe and strange doctrines in the beginning of the second chapter he earnestly beseecheth them that they would preferre nothing before humilitie and modestie and vnto that he vseth many arguments And that he might
continue signifie for a longe time 26 That your reioycing Wheras he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue tran◠〈…〉 twise in a â—â—erie â—ence No body will deny but the faithfully I haue expressed the mind of Paule But wheras some do say By Christ I like it not for In Christ is put for after Christ or Christianlike that he might shew the kind of reioycing to be holy for otherwise we are commaunded to reioyce onely in God therfore might it be obiected to Paule by the malicious how is it lawfull for the Philippians to reioyce for thée he preuenteth this slander when he sayeth that they shall doe it thorough Christ that is to say reioycing for the seruant of Christ vnto the glorie of the Lorde and that rather in respect of the doctrine than of the man and against the false Apostles as Dauid in comparing himselfe with hypocrites boasteth of his owne righteousnes 27 Onely walke you worthy of the Gospell of Christ that whether I come and see you or els be absent I maye heare of you that ye abide in one spirite in one minde fighting together thorough the faith of the Gospell 28 And in nothing feare your aduersaries which is to them a declaration of their destructioÌ„ but to you of saluation and that from God 29 Because it is giuen you for Christ that not onely ye should beleeue in him but also suffer for his sake 30 Hauing the same strife which ye saw to be in me and now heare of me 27 Onely walke worthy We vse this phrase when we would passe ouer vnto a newe speach and it is as much as if he would haue sayd for my selfe the Lord will prouide but you c. whatsoeuer become of me yet notwithstanding go you forward in a right course Where he calleth a pure and honest conuersation worthy the Gospell he argueth that contrariwise they doe iniurie to the Gospel that liue otherwise That whether I come Because this sentence of Paule in the Gréeke is hard by the participle seeing I haue made it by the verbe And see If this like you not vnderstand the principall verbe That I may vnderstand in this sense whether I come and sée you or being absent shall heare of your estate I may vnderstand both waies as wel by sight as by message that you continue in one spirite but we must litle care for words where the meaning is euident That ye abide in one spirite This truely is one of the chiefe vertues of the Church and therefore this is the onely reason to chearish soundnes because it falleth to ruine by dissention Although Paule by this as it were by a receit against poison would méete with new and strange doctrines yet he requireth a double vnitie of the spirite and of the minde for this is the chiefest thing we should agrée among our selues than that we should be at concord For where these two words are ioyned together the spirit signifie vnderstanding and the minde do signifie wil. Consent goeth before in order then coniunction of wils procéedeth from that Fighting together thorough faith This is the strong bond of concorde whilest we must fight together vnder one banner for this occasion many tymes haue reconciled greatest enimies Therfore that he might the more confirme the vnitie among the Philippians he warneth them that they are fellow souldies that their enimie and their warre is common to them all and that they must ioyne their mindes in an holie vnitie The speache that Paule vseth in the Gréeke is doubtfull wherefore an olde Interpreter hath turned it Labouring together thorough faith Erasmus hath Helping forward your faith As if they should helpe faith so much as they might But since the datiue case among the Grecians is put for the ablatiue case of the instrument because that tongue wanteth an ablatiue case I doubt not but this is the meaning of the Apostle Let the faith of the Gospell ioyne you together in vnitie especially since that is your common armour against that same enimie By this meanes I referre the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto the Philippians which other referre vnto faith and better except I be deceiued first of all no man is ignorant how forcible the prouocation vnto concord is when as like fellowes we must fight together besides we know in the spirituall warre that we are armed with the shield of faith to beate backe our enimie yea faith is our complete armour our victorie therefore he addeth also this part that he might shewe the ende of godly vnitie the wicked also conspire together vnto mischiefe but their consent is accursed let vs therefore with one minde warre together vnder the banner of faith And in nothing feare The second thing that he commendeth to the Philippians is courage of minde that they should not be troubled for the rage of their aduersaries At that time cruel persecutions were hot almost in euery place because Satan was carried forth with all violence to hinder the beginnings of the Gospell but he did rage so much the more weakely by how much the more strongly Christ did shew forth the grace of his spirite Therefore he biddeth the Philippians to stand without feare and not to be troubled Which vnto them is a declaration This is the proper signification of the Gréeke word and no reason compelled others to translate it a Cause for the vngodly whilest they warre against the Lord they declare as it were by a preamble the argument of their owne destruction and the more fiercely they insult vpon the godly so much the more they prepare them selues to their owne fall The Scripture in no place doth teach that the afflictions which the Saincts doe suffer of the wicked is a cause of their saluation but a Declaration or an argument Paule also calleth it in an other place 2. Thes 1.5 and in stead of the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we haue here he vseth there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This therefore is a singular consolation that whilest we are iniuried or vexed by our aduersaries we haue a document of our owne saluation for persecutions are vnto the sonnes of God certaine seales of their adoption if they beare them valiantly with equal minds the vngodly nowe shewe forth a token of their damnation because they stumble against that stone which shall grinde them to powder And that from God This is restrained vnto the latter part that the taste of God his grace might mittigate the bitternes of the crosse Naturally no man will take a signe or declaration of his saluation to be in the crosse for they are things in a manner contrary Therefore Paule calleth backe the Philippians vnto an other consideration namely that God by his blessing turneth those things into an occasion of saluation which otherwise séeme to make vs miserable He proueth this because suffering of the crosse is the gift of God but it is certaine that all the gifts of God turne
him and authors of rebellion vnto others as though it were not written that they doe tremble at the only mention of god Iames 2.19 What therfore when they shal come in presence before the tribunal seat of Christ his iudgemēt truly I confes that they wil neuer willingly or with a ready obediēce be subiect neyther doth Paule speake here of voluntary obedience but rather we returne such a conuersion againste themselues the fire of Purgatorie according to theyr owne saying is temporall and shal be abolished at the day of iudgement therefore this place cannot be vnderstoode of Purgatorie because Paule in another place denieth that this prophecy shall be accomplished vntill Christ shall appeare vnto iudgement Who doth not sée that in these filthy quiddities they are twise children 11. Vnto the glory of God the father It might also be read in the glory because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is oft times vsed in the place of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet I had rather retaine the proper significatiō in the sense that the maiesty of god as it was by Christ made manifest vnto men so it should shine againe in Christ the father shoulde be glorified in the son Looke Iohn 5 and 17. and you shal haue the exposition of this place 12 Wherefore my beloued as ye haue alwaies obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence worke out your owne saluation with feare and trembling 13 For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure 14. Doe al things without murmurings and reasonings 15 That ye may be such of whome no man can complaine and the sincere sōs of god without rebuke in the mids of a naughty crooked generation among whome shine ye as lyghtes in the world 16 Holding forth the word of life vnto my glory vntill the day of christ that I haue not run in vaine neither labored in vain 12. Wherefore He shutteth vp all that last exhortation with a generall sentence that they should humble themselues vnder the hand of the Lord for that will easily bring to passe the laying away al fiercenes they shal be gētle curteous amōg thēselues This only is a fit reason whereby the wit of man may learne to waxe gentle when by comparing with god he searcheth into hymselfe who pleased hymselfe seuerallye in hys owne deuises As yee haue alwaies obeyed He prayseth their former obedience that he might the more encourage them to goe forwarde But because it is the property of hipocrites to approue themselues to the eie but when they are out of sight to fauour them selues with more liberty as it were the cause of their reuerence and feare béeyng remooued He admonisheth them that they would not only shewe themselues obedient to the eye but also that they obey him being absent and that so much the more for if he were presente he might prick them forward and enforce them with daily admonitions Now therfore it is néedefull that while their coūsailour is away they woulde be carefull for them selues with feare and trembling In this he would haue the Philippians to testifie and approue their obedience that they might be lowly and humble This moreouer is the fountaine of humilitie to acknowledge how miserable we are and néedy of al goodnes vnto the which he calleth them in this sentence for whence commeth pride but from securitie which blinde confidence bringeth forth whiles we please our selues and are rather puffed vp with a confidence of our owne vertue than stay vp on the grace of God The contrary vnto vice is feare to the which he exhorteth them but although in the text exhortatiō be before doctrine yet in order it is after because from thence it is drawne I will therefore begin with doctrine It is God that worketh in vs. This is the true engine to destroy all loftines this is the sworde to kill all pride when we heare that we are nothing at all and can doe nothing but by the alone grace of God I vnderstand supernaturall grace which procéedeth from the spirit of regeneration For in as muche as we are men in God we are we liue and are moued but here Paule rather disputeth of another kinde of mouing than of that vniuersall Let vs sée now what he attributeth vnto god what he leaueth vnto vs. There be two principally to be considered in doing any thing The will and the power of the effect both of them he affirmeth for certainety to be in God what more doth remaine for vs wherein we may boast It is no doubt but this diuision is as much as if Paule had sayde the whole in one word for the will is the foundation the effect is the outward shew of the building And he hath expressed a great deale more than if he had saide God were the author of the beginning and ending For then the Sophisters might cauill that there were some middle thing left vnto mē but now what shall they finde at all proper vnto vs They sweate much in their schooles that they might reconcile frée will with the grace of god I say such a frée wil as they faine which is both flexible by his proper motion and hath a proper and seuerall power whereby it worketh with the grace of god I doo not contend about the word but the thing itselfe That therefore frée will maye agrée with grace thus they diuide that god truly doth repaire in vs his frée election wherby we are able to will that is good so they acknowledge the abilitie to will that is good to come from God but the good will it selfe they attribute vnto men but Paule doth pronoūce this without exception to be the worke of God for he doth not say that our hartes only are bowed or stirred vp by God or that the weakenes of our good will is helped but that our good will is altogither made by God Whereas they sclander vs that we make men like vnto stones when we teache that they haue no goodnes but of méere grace they doo impudently for we confesse that we haue a will by nature but because it is euill by the corruption of sin then it beginneth to to be good when it is reformed by God Neyther doo we saye that a man doo any good willinglye but then when the will is ruled by the spirit of God Therefore touchyng thys part we sée that the whole praise is giuen to God and that it is friuolous which the Sophisters teache that grace is offered vnto vs and placed as it were in the middes that wée may embrace it if we liste For except God shoulde worke effectually in vs he coulde not be saide to worke a good wyll Concernyng the second part we must thinke the same thing god he sayth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the worker whereby wée worke therefore he bringeth vnto an end those godly affections whiche he hath inspired into vs
man thinketh he hath whereof he might trust in the fleshe more I. 5 Circumcised the eight day of the kindred of Israell of the tribe of Beniamin an Hebrew of the Hebrewes according to the lawe a Pharisee 6 Concerning zeale I persecuted the Church touching righteousnes which is in the lawe I was vnrebukeable REioyce in the Lord. This is a conclusion of the things that went before for because Satan did not cease to buffet them with dayly reports he biddeth them be secure and of a good courage By this reason he exhorteth them vnto constancie least they should fall away from the doctrine which they had once receiued And the word Moreouer doth note a continuall tenor least thorough many hinderances they should cease to extend their holy ioy It is a rare vertue when Satan goeth about to prouoke vs thorough the bitternes of the crosse that the name of God might be vnpleasant vnto vs to rest in the only taste of God his grace that all our troubles gréeues cares and sorrowes might be made swéete To write the same things vnto you Héere he beginneth to speake of the false Apostles with whome notwithstanding he fighteth not hand to hand as in the Epistle to the Galathians but in a few words he bitterly refuteth them as much as was sufficient for because they had only tempted the Philippians and had not vanquished them a iust disputation was not so necessary to refute their errors wherevnto they had neuer yéelded their eares Simply therfore he admonisheth them that they should be diligent and attentiue in discerning auoiding of deceiuers First he calleth them dogs by a metaphore taken from hence because for filling their bellies sake they assaulted true doctrine by theyr impure barking It is as much as if he should say they were vncleane and prophane Neither doo I agrée vnto them who thinke they were so called because they did enuy others or did bite them Secondly he calleth them Euill laborers signifying that vnder the colour of edifying the Church they did nothing but ouerthrowe and destroy all For many labour much whome it were better to be idle as that common crier being asked of Gracchus iestingly because he sate idle what he did had his aunswere in a readinesse yea what doest thou for he was captaine of a pernicious tumult Paule therfore would haue a difference among laborers that the faithfull might beware of those that are euill In the third name there is an elegant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They did boast that they were circumcision he derideth this boasting by calling it concision because they did rent asunder the vnitie of the Church wherein we haue an example that the holy Ghost in his instruments did not alwaies shun pleasantnesse and iesting from whom notwithstanding scoffing must be far off which beséemeth not his maiestie There are infinite examples in the Prophetes and especially in Esay so that there is no prophane Author who aboundeth more with pleasant allusions of words and with figures But we must more marke the vehemencie whereby Paule inueigheth agaynste the false Apostles whiche truely wyll burst foorth wheresoeuer there is the heate of a godly zeale But wée must take héede that no intemperance or immoderate bitternesse procéede vnder the colour of zeale Further where he sayth that it is not troublesome to him to write the same things vnto them he seemeth to inferre that he hath otherwise written vnto the Philippians but it shall not be absurd so to take it that they are now admonished of the same things by writing which they had oft times heard when he was present And it is no doubt but oft times he disputed by wordes how muche such plagues were to be taken héede of yet it gréeueth hym not to repeate the same thing because thorough silence there was daunger imminent vnto the Philippians And truly it is the dutie of a good pastor not onely to minister foode vnto his flocke and to gouerne them by his direction but also to driue away the wolues that come néere the foldes and that not once but continually to stand vpon his watch and neuer to be wearie for séeing that théeues and robbers doo alwaies watch to the destruction of the Church what excuse shall it be for the pastor if after he hath sometimes valiantly repelled them at the ninth or tenth assault he then fainteth hée sheweth that such a repetition is profitable to the Philippians least as sometimes it commeth to passe they should be too proude and contemne it as a thing superfluous For the most part of men are so wayward that they can not abide the same thing to be twise spoken neither in the meane while doo they thinke that that which is daily beaten into them doo scarse at length after ten yeares sticke in their memorie And if it were profitable for the Philippians to heare this exhortation of Paule that they may discerne wolues what meane the Papists that they can abide no iudgement to be giuen of their doctrine for whome I pray did Paule speake vnto when he said Beware did he not speake vnto them to whome they permit no right to discerne and of them also Christ speaketh in like manner My shéepe heare my voice and follow me a straunger they flie from and they doo not heare his voice Iohn 10.5.27 3. For we are the Circumcision That is we are the true séede of Abraham and heires of the couenant which was confirmed by the signe of circumcision for the true circumcision is of the spirit not of the letter placed within in the head not visible concerning the flesh Rom. 2 29. By spirituall worship he vnderstandeth that worship which is commended vnto vs in the Gospell and consisteth of faith and calling vpon God of the denying of our selues and of a pure conscience We must vnderstand an antithesis or contrarietie because by the contrarie he toucheth the worship prescribed in the lawe whiche the false Apostles only vrged as if he should say they teach that God is worshipped by outward obseruations and because they obserue the ceremonies of the lawe they falsely boast that they are the people of God We are truly circumcised who worship God in spirit and truth But héere some man will aske whether the truth excludeth Sacraments for the same thing may be said of Baptisme and of the Lord hys supper I aunswere that that principle is alwaies to bée marked that figures are abrogated by the comming of Christ and circumcision is changed into Baptisme From this principle it followeth that pure and lawfull worshipping of God is now frée from the ceremonies of the lawe and true circumcision vnto the faithfull consist without a figure And we reioyce in Christ The antithesis must be continued we cleaue to the matter it selfe whilest they sticke in signes we abide in the bodie whilest they haue respect vnto shadowes Neither doo the contrarie member of the sentence which he set opposite agrée ill with this we haue
wherewith God vouchsafeth vs when we suffer persecution for his truth neither in vaine was it sayd Blessed shall you be when men shall all maner of wayes reuile and trouble you for my names sake Matth. 5.11 Let vs therfore remember that the fellowship of the crosse of Christ as a singular grace of God is with a cherefull and thankefull mind to be embraced of vs. To his bands he addeth The defence and confirmation of the Gospell that he might the better expresse how honorable a dutie the Lord enioineth vs when he opposeth vs against his enimies to giue testimonie vnto his Gospell For it is as if he should commaund vnto vs the patronage of his Gospell With this cogitation Martyrs being armed haue bene able to contemne all the rage of the wicked and to ouercome all their torments And I would to God this were in the mindes of all them that are called to confesse the faith that they are Patrons chosen by Christ to pleade his cause For being stayed vpon such a comfort they would be more couragious than easily to be turned vnfaithfully to fall from God But some man will aske here whether the confirmation of the Gospell depend vpon the constancie of men I answer that the truth of God is stronger of it selfe than that it néedeth any other way to be vpholden For we all are liers yet God remaineth true yet it is not absurd that weake consciences by such helpes should be confirmed Therfore this kind of confirmation which Paule remembreth hath relation vnto men as we learne by our owne experience this at the least is come to passe by the slaughters of so many Martyrs that the Gospell is sealed in our harts as it were by so many seales Whereof commeth that of Tertullian that their bloud is the séede of the Church whome I also haue imitated in a verse The holy bloud of martyrd Saincts which God his honor defend Is like the seede cast into earth which great encrease forth send 8 For God is my witnes Nowe he declareth more plainly his loue toward them for proofe whereof he addeth an othe and that iustly because we knowe how deare the building vp of the Church is vnto God It was very necessary that the loue of Paule should sufficiently be testified vnto the Philippians neither is this of small force to procure credite vnto the doctrine when the people is perswaded that they are beloued of their teacher He calleth God to be a witnes of the truth who alone is truth and to be a witnes of his affection who alone is the searcher of the hartes In this worde Desire the speciall worde is put for the generall it is a signe of loue because we desire the thinges we loue In our bowells He opposeth the bowells of Christ vnto carnall affection that he might signifie his loue to be holye and godlye for he that loueth according to the flesh hath respect of his owne profite and may thereafter according to the alteration of things and time change his minde in the meane season he admonisheth by what rule the affections of the faithful should be examined namely that forsaking their owne will they should suffer Christ to gouerne them And certainly true loue can not procéede from any other thing than from the bowels of Christ and this pricke should not lightly touch vs that Christ doth after a sort open his bowells whereby he might chearish mutuall loue amongest vs. 9 This I pray that your loue c. He commeth agayne vnto his prayer which by the waye he had in one worde touched afore He sheweth them therefore the summe of those thinges which he beséeched of God for them that they them selues also by his example might learne to praye and aspire to the increase of these giftes Whereas some doe take the loue of the Philippians for the Philippians them selues as commonly barbarous men are woont to speake sauing your reuerence your worship it is absurd for neither is there anye such example extant in Paule neyther had such foolishnes as yet come into custome beside the sentence shoulde not be full and otherwise the simple and naturall meaning of the wordes doth very well agrée for the true encrease of Christians is when they goe forward in knowledge and vnderstanding and afterward in loue therefore this worde In according to the phrase of the Hebrewe tongue is taken here for with as I haue also translated it except some had rather expound it By that it should signifie the instrument or the formall cause for the greater increase we make in knowledge the more should loue encrease in vs. Then the sense were that your loue shoulde encrease according to the measure of your vnderstanding All vnderstanding is taken for full and sounde vnderstanding not for the vnderstanding of all things 10 That ye may allowe The definition of Christian wisedome is to knowe that that is to the purpose or profitable not to disquiet the witte in vayne subtilties and speculations for the Lorde will not employe his seruantes vnprofitably least they shoulde learne that which shoulde nothing auayle them Hereof you may gather in what estimation the diuinitie of the Sorbonicall Sophisters is to be had wherein if thou spendest thy whole life thou shalt no more be edified touching the hope of euerlasting life nor reape anye more spirituall profite than out of the demonstrations of Euclides Truely although it did teache no false thing yet for this cause it shoulde worthily be accursed because the profaning of spirituall doctrine is verye daungerous for the Scripture as Paule sayth is profitable 2. Tim. 3.16 There we can finde nothing but colde disputations about trifles That ye may be pure This is the profit which we reape by knowledge not that euery man should craftilye prouide for his owne estate but that we should liue with a pure conscience before God It followeth And without offence The Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of doubtfull signification Ghrysostome doth expounde it actiuely that like as before God he would haue vs pure and innocent so nowe before men he would haue vs leade an honest life lest by any euill examples they should hurt their neighbours This I reiect not yet in my iudgement the passiue signification agréeth better with the text for to this ende did he wish them wisedome that with blameles steppes they should goe forward in their vocation vntil the day of Christ as contrariwise by ignorance it commeth to passe that oftentimes we fall stumble and goe astray And how many offences Satan obiecteth vnto vs which might either breake of our course or hinder it euery one of vs for him selfe haue experience 11 Filled with the fruites of righteousnes This nowe pertaineth vnto the outward life for a good conscience bringeth forth her fruite by her workes therefore he desireth that they should be fruitefull in good workes vnto the glorie of God Such fruites he sayth are thorough Christ because they