yet oftymes they nother attayne vnto the mynde of the holy goost by whose inspiration the holy wryters of the scripture of god wrote 2. Peter 1. Nor yet they atrayne to the great comforte and consolation of holy scryptures Therfore some reading the letter of the holy scryptures haue lytyll swetnes therin or loue to god the authour of holy scripture getteth lytell comforte or nothyng at al yea some gather poyson for good meat error or heresy for veryte and treweth death and damnatioÌ„ for health and saluation whiche commeth of them selfes and not of holy scriptures for the scriptures of god be the necessary foode of the soule Mat. 4. Lyght to our feet Psalme 118. The worde of trewth that saueth our soules Iacob 1. That bryngeth the spirite of god and lyfe euerlastyng Iohn 5. But this frute lyeth hyd in the letter to many readers and appereth to many to be nothyng lesse theÌ„ that it is in very dede it appereth to some to be rather poyson to kyll them then holsome meate to feade them and saue their lyues rather to brynge in errors hereses theÌ„ to expelle them and to bryng verite and truth rather to hold meÌ„ styl in darkenes theÌ„ to bryng in lyght of goddes worde expellynge all darkenes ignoraunce 〈◊〉 and preposterous iudgementes idolatre â—…ê‘sticioÌ„ false trustes vayne hopes in the whiche the people was wrapped in of a loÌ„ge tyme that darkenes was thought light ignoraunce knowledge death lyfe damnacioÌ„ saluation and all for lacke of knowlege of goddes holy worde false interpretated by bysshoppes of Rome and keped from the Christiane people as a thynge not necessary nor yet profitable for them to reade or knowe thynking by that meanes to haue keped the people styll in ignorannce darkenes and blyndnes that their vsurped power and their false marchandyse shulde not haue bene knowne nor espied their honour glory not mynished or their worldly profyt not decayed For they know what time the worde of god shuld come to lyght that their vsurped power shulde be espied glory the their ê“fit of false theâ—… marchandyse shulde decaye And seynge there is nothyng that more bryngeth to light the vsurped power the crafty falsed feyned lyes pretensed holynes of the bysshoppes of Rome and condeÌ„neth it theÌ„ the worde of god trewly preached expouÌ„ded or declared and that seyng it perteyneth to euery one to expell the vsurped power of bysshoppes of Rome and their fayned holynes I meruell there is so fewe of so many great lerned men in this Realme that setteth forth the holy scryptures by some commentary or expositions to delyuer the people from ignoraunce darknes errors hereses superstitions false trustes and from many euyll opynyons fyxed and roted in the â—…tes of many for lacke of trewe knowlege â—…â—oddes holy worde and to expell the vsurpeâ—… power of the byshop of Rome and all romyshe dregges Bycause I dyd se fewe or none to go aboute this thynge but many rather to study to kepe the people in ignoraunce error and in euyll opynyons styl Therfore I as one of the lest learned of all as it hath pleased god to giue me his grace herein haue set forth rudely more regardynge to open the syncere doctryne of the holy goost to goddes glory and to the edifyinge of other then I haue studed for eloquence in wordes an exposition in the Epistle of sanyt Paule to the PhilippiaÌ„s openynge this parte of holy scripture as I trust accordyng to the mynde of the holy goost by whom it was wryten exhortynge all men to reade the holy scriptures and expositions of them with all reuerence to god and to his worde in meakenes of spirite desyrous to know god loue him and feare him and to know their dewty to god and to there nyghboure and to vse their knowlege with all sobryete and to flee vyce and take vertu yf not for loue of god yet for feare of punishment of god for vyce and synne for the ende of synne is death Ro. 6. And so I trust I haue opened this Epistle accordynge both to the mynde of the holy goost the author of holy scriptures and also to the trewe vse of holy scriptures with al sobriete not passynge the boundes of scripture And to do this thiÌ„g I haue vsed the helpe both the tonges and also of the catholyky authors that best declareth the holy scriptures and most for the glory of god and the edifiyng of the vnlearned in the latine tonge as shall appere more planly to all them that wyll reade with a good mynde desyrous to know god and loue god this rude exposition partly set forth for the discharge of my conscience and small talent gyuen me of god not to be ydle but to exercise it to goddes glory and to the edifycatioÌ„ of other and partly to excite better learned men then I am to set forth in prynte some commentares or expositions in latine or in englyshe that goddes word might the better be knowne and god more gloryfied of all meÌ„ vyce destroyed and vertu and godly lyuyng brought in the stede of vyce vsed and euyll lyuynge And so I wolde wyshe that hye Ruelers and bysshoppes wolde set lerned men on worke and cause them to set forth some godly expositions vpon the holy scriptures that the vnlearned people shulde not erre nor take amysse the holy scriptures or otherwyse gather ony sence of them then the holy goost wylleth And for that cause and other I haue here in this lytell epistle shewed my mynde after the talent gyuen me of god yf this my rude labors paynes do agre with holy scriptures as I thynke they do agre I beseche the gentle Reader accepte them in goodworth and gyue laude and prayse to god the author of all goodnes and not to the wryter of this exposition whose mynd is and euer haue bene to profyt all men and to hurte no man And yf this my rude labors shalbe-thought profytable to the christiane congregation of Englande as I iudge it shal be couÌ„ted god wyllynge I intende to set forth lyke thynges in other places of holy scripture in englyshe or in latine yf it shal be thought good or elles I wyll absteyne from wrytynge But yf any thyng by ignorance or otherwyse hath escaped me in this rude exposition that I haue here wryten other wyse then goddes worde teacheth refuse it gentyll Reader and knowe that I am a man and maye erre and that to one man be not all knowlege gyuen lesse he shulde be to proude in him selfe and contemne al other Therfore as holy wryters of scriptures saith of their doctrine so I say of my sainges or wrytinges that I wold they shulde be iudged trwly by the holy scriptures and no furder to be beleued then they maye be prouede and confyrmed by holy scriptures as knoweth god to whome be all honour and glory euer AMEN The argument of the epistle to the Philippians PAule the apostle of Iesus christ beynge at Rome in prison hearynge
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
thynge they go about they labor agaynst god but in vaiÌ„e for there is no labor no couÌ„sel no wisdoÌ„ no prudeÌ„ce no power no myght that wyl serâ—e agaynst god yea god is so good prudente and myghty that he turneth the purposes of euyll men â–ª and maketh them serue to promote his wyll and pleasure as here Nero the Emperour thought to haue oppressed destroyed goddes worde clearely settyng Paule in preson and in fetters but god made his doynge to forther the gospel so moch as nothing â—uâ—d furder it more suche is goddes goodnes that at the lenght they laâ—or in vayne that labors agaynst god or against his worde the trewth maye be hyd and obscured for a tyme but at the length â—t wyll bruste out and be openlye knowne in spyte of all his enemyes Learne here that Paule was in prisone at Rome when he wrote this epistle and had no cause to be ashamed of his impresonmeÌ„t or bondes but rather myght reioyse in them for they were for the glory of god and the promotion of his worde so maye all other reioyse afflicted and imprysonned for Christ and his gospell for by such the gospell is defended confyrmed encreased and promoted Some preach christ of enuy and stryfe and some of a good wyll The one parte preacheth Christ of stryfe not purely supposyng to adde more aduersyte vnto my bondes the other parte of loue for they know that I lye here for the defence of the gospell what then So that Chist be preached al maner of wayes whether it be done by occasioÌ„ or trew meaniÌ„g I reioyse therein wyll reioyce The apostle sayde before that the gospell was prâ—ached more lyberally and more with out feare occasioÌ„ takâ—n by his imprisonmeÌ„t now he in a maner correcteth him â—elfe and saith this thynge not to be done of all men that had receyued the fayth of christ and his gospell nor yet all that preached Christes gospell dyd lyke wyse preach it for some preache the gospell of enuy maâ—yce and contentioÌ„ some preched it of a good wyll so we maye se not all men of lyke goodnes nor of lyke fayth or of godly lyuynge for some be good and bryngeth forth good frutes and some be euyll and bryngeth forth euyll frutes 2. The one parte preacheth Christ of stryfe and not purely supposynge to adde more aduersite vnto my bondes He sheweth for what ende and purpose some preache Christ not purely but of stryfe and of coÌ„tention not seaking gods glory nor yet the saluation of Christes people but they chyde and brawell sow discorde and debayte and with greate hatred of me preache the gospell thynkynge by that meanes to adde more and more aduersite and afflyctione vnto me to make me more hated of Nero the Emperour knowing that it was persuaded to Nero that the preachyng of the gospell shulde be destruction to him and to his empyre and therfor Nero wolde haue no preachyng of the gospell but hated the gospel worse theÌ„ a serpeÌ„t or a dogge and therefore he caste Paule in prison and thought to haue kylled him and the more the gospell was preached the more Nero hated Paule as they knewe well a nough which preached the pospell not purely but knew all the blame shuld be layed vpoÌ„ Paules backe and that he shuld ruÌ„ne the more more in the yre and indignation of Nero the emperour and so Paule shulde suffer for al and so more punyshment to come to him Se howe some tymes what deuelly she persuasions is brought into the heades of hye prynces and rueiers yea persuaded vnto them as here was to Nero the emperour that the preachiÌ„g of the gospell of Christ shulde be the destructioÌ„ of his realme and the cause of rebellion of the subiectes agaynst theyr heades and ruelers when there is nothynge that is more for the saluation of the people then is the preachynge of goddes worde for that is the meane by the whiche god hath ordeyned to saue his people 1. Cor. 1. Nor nothynge more kepeth the people in a good order and in dew obedyence with all humylyte and subiection to theyr heades and rulers then the worde of god truly and sincerely preached It is a gret meruell that the deuyll shulde persuade this to any man that lyfe is death and lyght is darkenes the worde of god it is lyfe and bryngeth with it lyfe and the spirite of god as sayth Christ Ihon. 6. The wordes which I spake vnto you they be lyfe and the spirite that is they bryng lyfe and the spirite of god what is a greater offeÌ„ce then to cal lyfe death and death lyfe to whom the prophete Esay 5 Thretneth euerlastynge woo what is more blaâ—phemy to god theÌ„ this yea it is synne agaynst the holy ghost to call the gospell of god to be the destruction and death of the people when it is the onely health and saluation of the people whiche is not forgyuen in this worlde nor in the worlde to come This is an olde craft of the deuyll to persuade to hye prynces and ruelers worldly the preachiÌ„g of the gospell to be the destructioÌ„ of the people and decay of theyr worldly realmes honours and dygnytes when the gospel mayntayneth kiÌ„gdomes preserueth honours and dignites and saueth the people from the deuyll and hell fyre and euerlastyng dampnatioÌ„ â–ª what other cause was that christen prynces and ruelers wolde not suffer the holy scriptures to be in theyr mothers tonge as they call it that not only presâ—es but also laye men myght rede the holy scryptures to theyr comforte edyfyeng in god and in Christ but that it was persuaded to them that the holy scriptures was not profytable nor to the health and saluation of theyr people but that they were hurtefull brought errours and heresy contempte of maiestrates ruelers and so was the death and destructioÌ„ of theyr subiectes and therfore the holy scryptures was shytte vp from the laye people vnlearned in the latynge tonge lesse they shulde take hurte of them when the holy scryptures be the spyrytuall foode of the soule and the soule lackynge this spirituall foode must nedes dye as the body wantynge corporall foode the holy scriptures bryngeth lyfe health and saluation as is saide before excepte some euyll men do abuse them and by cause some haue or do abuse the holy scryptures to theyr destruction is it mete to take them from all laye men for what thynge is so good so holy that can not be abused that some haue not abused or do abuse fyre water meate drynke apparell be thynges necessary for maÌ„ and yet some hath abused them to theyr great hurte losse shame and rebuke and death but bycause some euyll abuse good thynges is it meate or conuenient to forbyd al meÌ„ the good vse of these thynges I thynke you wyll saye no for then we shulde haue nother fyre ne water bred nor drynke cote nor gowne but this thynge I thynke it meate that these that do abuse