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
gospelles sake suche great paynes and torment doth suffer and the same afflictions persequutions whiche be to the good men cause of saluation be to the persequutors enemyes and aduersaryes to goddes worde the cause of their damnacioÌ„ And this place shulde greatly feare all aduersares of the gospell that they shuld no more persequute the gospell or the faythfull preachers of it lesse they persequuiyng the gospell get vnto them selfes eternall damnacion in hell And also this place maye comforte suche as suffer afflictions for Christe and for his word that their afflictioÌ„s be not to their hurt but to their profit health and saluation of this place also we maye learne that it is euyll and damnable to persequute tormentâ— or otherwyse to punyshe the trew preachers or setters forth of the gospel or these that liue after the gospell for to them this place of Paule threteneth perdition and daÌ„pnation and to them that be afflicted for the gospell and pacienly suffer it promyseth saluation So one worke maye be the cause of saluatioÌ„ and dampnation the cause of saluation to the good and the cause of dampnation to the euyll and that thynge is not of man but of god that so ordereth the matter that maketh the persequution of the gospell to serue to his glory to the saluation of his people such is goddes goodnes whiche turneth the malice of euyll men to his glory and to the profyt of other For vnto you it is gyuen not onely that you shulde beleue on christ but also suffer for his sake and to haue euen the same syght whiche you haue sene in me and now here of me The cause is here shewed why it was said afflictions to be the cause of helth to these Philippians and that not of maÌ„ but of god for to them it was gyuen not onely that they shuld beleue in christ but also that they shuld suffer for Christ and so they be pacyente sufferynge to haue health lyfe and eternall saluation and that this saluation shulde not be ascrybed to corporall afflictions as thoughe afflictions and persequutions worldly deserued that thinge but to god is saluation onely iustely attrybuted This place shewethe that fayth and pacience inaduersite be gyftes of god and commeth of god and not of our myghtes or powers without goddes grace for fayth and pacience be gyftes of god 2. And to haue the same syght in you which you haue sene iÌ„ me It appereth of this place the Philippians to haue stonde styfly in defence of the gospell and in it to haue bene constante and pacyente inaduersite for it after the example of Paule as is written Actes 16. The examples of good men healpe moch to vertu and to pacyence in aduersite as these Philippians folowed Paule in faith and in pacience of afflictions The seconde Chapter to the Philippians IF there be amonges you any consolation in Christe yf there be any comforte of loue yf there be any feloshype of the spirite yf there be any compassioÌ„ mercy fulfyll my ioye that you drawe one waye hauynge one loue beyng of one accorde and of one mynde that there be nothynge done through stryfe and vayne glory but that through mekenes of mynde euery man esteme another better then him selfe let euery man loke not for his owne profyt but for the profyt of other The apostle exhorteth all men to the study of concorde and to the vnite of the spirite of god shewyng great mischefe to come of discorde and moch good of concorde peace and vnite in Christ that by that meanes he might clerely expelle discorde and bringe in concorde and agremente in all goodnes and godlynes And first of all note in Paule the apostle of god great humilyte and gentylnes that when he myght by his authorite haue commaunded them and charged them vnder the payne of suspension or excommunication to concorde yet he vsed not his authorite as bysshoppes of Rome and their ministers doth and hath done as we charge you we commauÌ„de you vnder the payne of suspensioÌ„ excomunication interdiction or suche lyke to do this or that but he vsed a more gentyll facioÌ„ to wynne them and to bryng them to fulfyll his request that was by humble peticion and desire by the which meke humble heartes be soner woÌ„ne and ouercommed then by roughe and sharpe wordes stubburne and frowarde And by gentylnes he thought he shulde winne them and brynge them to accomplysshe his purpose rather then by lordely commaundementes and euyll thretenynges teachynge all bysshoppes and pastores to vse all gentylnes rather then great threttes and cruell punishemente and so by gentylnes they shall be conquerours 2. If there be any coÌ„solatioÌ„ in christ yf there be any comfort of loue His humble maner geÌ„tyl facioÌ„ is now expressed saing yf there be any coÌ„solatioÌ„ in Christe in you yf any christiane exhortation hauy place amonges you or yf you wyl do any thyng for Christes sake fufyll my request accomplyshe it yf there be any comforte of loue in you other towardes god your nyghtbore or your selfe or your owne saluacion do that I requyre of you If there be any communion of the spirite of god in you yf the holy goost be amonges you and you partakers of him and of his gyftes by whose myght and powre you are all knyt togyther in one body and made one with Christ Iesu If there be any tender marcy in you as shulde be no other wyse then the mother hath to the chylde borne of her owne body one man shulde haue towardes another and not in you vayntyng or dryed vp for all these and for the loue that you haue not only to me but â—o your owne soules helth and saluation fuâ—fyll this my requeste and ioye for there is nothynâ— that can be to me more ioye then the fulfyllynge of this my requeste Beholde the gentylnes of Paule by the which he humbly and instantly desyreth them when â—e myght iuâ—…eâ—y haue commaunded them and charged them by great thretes to Paule be vnlyke these that do not desyre but charge and commaunde vnder great paynes to the breakers when so holsome thynges be nother charged ne desyred to the people And two thynges there was that myght haue mouyd them to accomplyshe his desyre the place from whence Paule wrote these wordes that was froÌ„ the pryson for their sakes and for the gospell preached to them and to other gentyles And the other that he speaketh to them after this sorte yf you wyll comforte me nowe in pryson and in bondes for your sakes as I know you wolde comforte and helpe me all that you can yf you petye my paynes and be sory I am in pryson and in bondes and wold do pleasure to me and comforte me do that thyng that is most to my comforte and ioye which is the accomplyshment of my requeste the other thynge that myght moue them was the requeste and the maner of desyre of it in all humblenes and gentelnes
as dogges do barke erre girne gnasshe and byte alwayes enuiynge other and tredyng vnder the foote that dogge that is ouer throune and byte him and kyll him yf they can so the pseudoposteles do hate enuy barke ageynst trew preachers of goddes holy worde do byte them both by their slanderous tonges with raylyng iestyng vpon them callyng them loulers heretykes deceyuers of the people abiectes rounagates apostates ragget newfangled knaues and many other lyke names call them trede them vnder their fete and kepe them downe in the myre or in prison bytynge them with bondes cheynes fetters bringyng in and sekyng false witnes agaynst them and all to kyll yf they can the trew preachers teachers setters forth of goddes holy worde these pseudoposteles saint Paule calleth dogges whō he wold thē to eschew flee in no wyse gyue credence to them or to their false doctryne not agreynge with holy scriptures but greatly dissentynge Seconde he mony sheth them to be ware of euyll workers these pseudoposteles he calleth euyll workers not because they denyed good workes but because they preferred their owne good workes as their traditions ceremonies lawes costomes and other decrees made of them selfes without goddes worde aboue the preceptes and commaundementes of god or at the leste made them equail with goddes lawe thynkynge no lesse offence before god to breke one of their tradicions then to breake goddes cōmaundement yea they thought it more offence and greatter puny shment was had for the breakyng of an small tradicion of man then for goddes cōmaundement brokyn examples of this was many both in religion and out of religion before comysares chauncelars and officiales but to al these Christ thretneth euerlastyng wo. Math. 15. Saynge wo be to you that maketh voyde the commaundemēt of god for your traditions Also he calleth pseudoposteles euyll workers bycause they made equall the workes of the lawe as circumcision and other workes of the law with the kepyng of goddes commaundement and thought them as necessary as the other workes of god commaunded and that without the workes of the law no man culde be saued as without circumcision no man to come to eternall saluatiō which saint Paule writeth agayne through out all his epistels and also it was decreed of the apostels Actes 15. Circūcisiō not to be necessary for saluatiō but saluatiō to come to the gentyles without circumcisiō there is no necessite of circumcision to saluation Thridly he calleth pseudoposteles euyl workers that they dyd their workes not in that name or ende they shuld be done for they did all their workes that they myght be sene of men and haue the vayne prayse and glory of the worlde and so they lost their rewarde before god Math. 6. Fynally they dyd their good workes that they shuld merite and deserue the grace of god reconciliation to the father agayne remission of synnes and satisfaction for their synnes and lyfe euerlastyng and that of the merite and wordynes of their outwarde worke so to their workes they attrybuted their iustification and saluation And therfore the apostell moueth them to be ware of such workers of iniquite and not to folowe them nor their workes nor to worke after them Fortly he wylleth them to beware of dissention which these pseudoposteles cause that preache circumcision as a thynge necessary for saluation and without it no man to be saued These preach not circumcision but concision dissention for they preachyng circumcision as necessary to saluation they preache not circumcision but concision and separation from Christ and they seperate the people of god from god and from Christ by their euyll doctrine and he calleth circumcision concision as we alludynge of a good thynge out of order saye it is deformed when other call it reformed chaūging a letter or a sylable kepyng a lyke sounde in the word not moch differyng from wordes before spokē 4. For we are the circumcision euen we that serue god in the spirite and reioyce in Christe Iesu and haue no comforte in the flesshe Here the apostle teacheth carnall circumcision whiche false apostles so much estemed and preached and of necessite inforced and required not to be necessary to saluation as false prophetes dyd saye contendyng vs to be purged from oure synnes and grafted in Christe onely by externall circumcision and not by Christe but Paule here teacheth the contrarye and boldlye pronounceth them to be made the people of god not by circumcisiō but by Christe and to be purged from their synnes onely by Christe and that they are the trewe circumcision that haue mortified and cut awaye all carnall affections and lustes of the flesshe which do worshyp Christe in the spirite serue him by a trewe fayth and by parfyte charyte and reioyce in Christe and haue no confidenre in the flesshe trustynge helth and saluation to come none other way but onely by Christe and by his death to vs all And here he wylleth vs not to reioyce in mē in the lawe ceremonies outward sacrifyces in connynge lernynge in ryches honours worldly wysedom or policye but he that wyl reioyce let him reioyce in the lorde Hieremi 9 Gala. 6. He wolde also we shulde not trust in the fleshe in carnall sacrifices and in outwarde workes to truste to be saued by them by the wordynes of the outwarde worke but that we shulde trust to be saued onely by the marcy of god and by Iesus Christ onely Thoughe I haue wherof I myght reioyce in the flesh yf any other man thynke that he hath wherof he myhht reioyce in the fleshe moch more I whiche was circumcised on the eyght daye one of the people of Israell of the trybe of Beniamyn an hebreue of the hebrues as concernyng the law a pharisey as concernyng feruentnes I persequuted the congregacion and as tochyng the ryghtuousnes whiche is in y◠law I was vnrebukeable Here is more at large expressed what it is to trust in the fleshe by the fleshe he vnderstandeth circumcision workes of the law the stocke of Iewes he came of his fathers as Abraham Isaac and Iacob the holy secte of the pharises and their holy institution of lyuyng his good zeale he had to kepe the lawe of Moyses for the which he persequuted thē that openly professed Christe or Christes religion defēded in the which thynges outwardly yf anye man myght reioyce or trust in them moche more sayth Paule he him selfe myght reioyce and trust in them and gyue no place to no man in these thynges but other to be equall without the pseudoposteles or els to excede them all Marke that it helpeth moche to affirme any thyng when he that affirmeth maye declare him selfe equall to them that wolde extolle them selfe aboue other as here the apostle shewed him selfe to be equall with the pseudoposteles bostynge thē selfes as farre aboue Paule when they were inferiours to him as tochynge the fleshe we lerne here that it is good to take example of our selfe yf we wyll teach humilyte and