not in merites of sainctes departed not in masses of Scala caeli but in Christ alone our sauior 3 That wee should make euery manne perfite in Christe Iesu Loke to what ende sainct Paules doctrine doth extende that it was to make euery manne as muche as in hym lied perfite in Christe Iesu that thei should lacke nothyng that perteined to eternall life and felicitie that thyng to be doen by the woorde of GOD that he preached and taughte This place maketh against all them that would kepe men still in their infirmitie and weakenes and would haue thē alwaies weakelynges and not perfite men ye not to increase to perfite men but to bee children waueryng with euery blaste of doctryne nowe ready to receiue this doctryne now that and not able to iudge themselfes in manifest truthes cōtrary to the doctryne of saincte Ihon biddyng vs to proue the spirites whether thei be of God or no 4 For the whiche I labor with al might The Apostle labored with all his power and diligēce to bryng al men to perfeccion in Christ to a full perfite knowlege of Christe and of his benefites that al men should knowe perfitely their health life saluacion to come to theim onely by Christ and that there was no health without Christ And this he did by the mightie power of God workyng in hym or by the ministracion of that woorkyng Godly woorde whiche he preached for God by his worde purely and sincerely preached doth worke therefore it is called a liuely woorde for it geueth life And here wee maie learne that the doctryne of saincte Paule and of other that wrote the holy scriptures not to bee of man although thei that wrote or preached them wer men but of God and of his holy spirite by whose inspiracion thei wrote as Peter saieth ii Peter .i. Learne to attribute to God all thynges that be dooen well of vs and not to our selfes as Paule did here to God workyng in hym and by hym ¶ The .ii. Chapiter FOR I woulde you knew what care I had for you and for thē that are of Laodice and as many as hath not sen my persone in the fleshe that their hartes mighte take cōfort seyng thei be ioyned in charitie in al riches of certain perswasion of vnderstanding in to the knowlege of the misterie of God and the father and of Christe in whō are hid all the treasures of the wisedō and knowlege of God The Apostle here getteth the fauor of these Colossians and of the Laodicenses shewyng his hartes desire was to confort the hartes of them that had not sene hym corporally by the spirite of God and that thei should agre and cleaue together as mēbres in the body surely by a true faith knowyng that all treasures of wisedom and knowlege of God are laied vp in Christe whom if thei should haue thei should lacke nothyng whō if thei lacked thei should haue nothyng whatsoeuer they had wythout Christ This place teacheth one of vs to be carefull for another that we might haue cōforte by the holy ghost and by Gods worde as Paule was for these Colossians and Laodicenses and it reproueth all theim that care not for other whether thei flete or sinke whether thei haue knowlege of Gods worde or no whether thei bee saued or dampned Ye this place reproueth al them that bee haters of Gods worde that care not for it but contēpne and despise it that bee contencious and vncharitable caryng not what chaūce to other so thei be well theimselfes liue in welth and pleasure Learne it is the office of a true pastor to edifie not to destroye to feede not to bryng to deathe to conforte mennes hartes in Christe not to discomfort and discorage theim from Christe or from his holy worde and Gospell 2 When thei shal bee ioyned in Charitie In these woordes is shewed how their hartes shal be cōforted that is when thei shall be compacted and knit together so in charitie that one of theim cannot bee seperated from another that thei be as sure one coupled to another as membres in the body bee ioyned together that thei all thynke and saie one thyng and that also when thei bee ioyned together with a true faithe whiche he calleth here riches of the sure perswasion in the knowlege of the misterye of GOD. And here me thynketh saincte Paule declareth what faithe is that it is riches of sure perswasiō in knowlege of Goddes woorde and that knowlege to bee so sure that it cannot bee false or brought in doubte for faith knoweth the truth of goddes woorde and promises to the whiche it staieth surely and will not be moued from it And here he sheweth that those men that bee doubtfull in their doctryne inconstaunt or waueryng haue not faythe For true faythe commeth of sure knowlege of Gods worde and hath annexed to hym hope and charitie and obedience to do Gods cōmaundementes al respectes of worldly riches fauor or pleasure well or wo set a parte example in Abrahā Isaac Iacob and other holy fathers 3 In Christ bee all treasures of wisedome and knowlege laied vp in score As he would say he that hath Christ he hath al thynges necessary for his saluacion as all wisedome knowlege vertue holines health and life he wanteth nothyng he hath a well of all goodnes euer spryngyng and flowyng ouer he hath treasures that cānot be spent or wasted Here the Apostle reproueth arrogant men and proude Philosophiers that thynketh humain learnyng and knowlege of mannes learnyng to bee preferred aboue the learnyng of Christe Ye here he checketh all theim that bee more studious of humain sciences then thei bee of Gods holy diuinitie Ye all thei be reproued that will spend dayes nightes yeres in the studie of humain Philosophie and will not geue more studie to the knowlege of Gods holy worde by the whiche Christe is gotten by faithe and keped by faithe and he that hath Christ hath all thinges he that lacketh Christ hath nothyng haue he neuer so muche humaine learnyng Philosophie or Poetrie as Tully and Demostenes was found in th ende as thei had had no learnyng because thei lacked Christ and Godly doctryne for al learnyng muste geue place to Christes doctryne as moste chief far excellyng all other learnynges This I saie that none should deceiue you with entisyng woordes although I am absent frō you in the flesh yet in the spirit I am present with you ioyyng seyng your ordre and stedfastnes of your faithe in Christe Now he sheweth for what end he said all treasures of wisedom and knowlege of God to be hid in Christe that it was that thei should not suffre theimselfes to be deceiued by no intisyng wordes of Rethorique or of mannes lernyng or by no other doctrine had it neuer so greate pretense of holines or apparaunce of wisedome and by it to be brought to the degrees of humain Philosophy from the pure clere spring and
Ephe. v By God inwardly workyng by his spirite that cutteth from the harte all euil thoughtes carnal lustes and affeccions and this is called the circumcision of the harte signified in the olde lawe by the outward Circumcision of the flesh And this our baptisme is come to vs in the stede of circumcision to the Iewes and is as necessarie and more profitable to vs then was Circumcisiō to the Iewes in the tyme of the old law And as it was necessary by Gods cōmaundement Gene. xvii That all young men children should be Circumcised the eighte daie So it is no lesse necessarie that all young children should be Baptised for without Baptisme none can bee saued Ihon .iii. Math .xxviii. Marke .xvi. Therfore the Anabaptistes are greatly to bee blamed that would not haue young children Christened or Baptised in the water and in the holy Ghost Of Baptisme of young children I haue spoken Ephe. iiii Therfore I do not speake of it in this place any more And you whē you wer ded by synne and by the vncircūcisiō of your flesh together with hym he hath quickened you again forgeuyng to you all youre synnes and put awaie that hand writyng that was against vs conteined in the lawe writtē with the decre that was contrary to vs and that toke he clere awaye and fastened it to the crosse hath spoyled Rule and power and hath made a shewe of theim openly and hath triūphed ouer thē in his awne persone The Apostle here sheweth the thyng that he shewed more at large Ephe. ii That is what we are of our selfes mightes and powers what we be by Christ By our awne nature receiued of Adam we wer ded by synne originall and of our selfes by actuall synne but by Christe alone we be restored again to life and God hath forgeuen vs our synnes frely without our merites or deseruinges for Christes sake onely and where we wer Gentiles vncircumcised now bee Circumcised in oure hartes haue cutte awaie from our hartes all carnall affeccions lustes appetites contrary to the spirite of GOD. And where as the hande writyng was against vs that is where as the law written called hand written did conuince vs of synne that wee could not deny but we wer synners and for our synne had deserued death and we wer worthie death yet it pleased God onely of his mere mercie and grace to forgeue vs our synnes and to make vs heires of the heauenly inheritaūce and partakers of his glory by Iesus Christe Also where as the lawe did condempne vs for our syn to death it pleased God of his mercie not onely to forgeue vs our synnes but also to take awaie that hande writyng that condēpneth vs for synne to deth and that writyng was the lawe of God written that shewed all men to be synners in the sight of GOD and no man to bee iuste Christe onely excepted in the sight of God and for sinne worthie death The Apostle here vseth a Metaphor of a writyng or of an obligacion made where men be bound to fulfill the writyng or obligacion made This writing is the lawe of God it requireth that all men should fulfill the lawe no manne fulfilled the lawe Christ onely excepted wherefore al men was found by the lawe gyltie worthie death because thei fulfilled not the law that thei were bounde to kepe This lawe Christ not onely for himself but for all them that beleue in hym or shall beleue in hym to the worldes ende did fulfill that it shall not bee imputed to theim that beleue in Christe any trasgression of the lawe for Christ is the fulfiller of the law and we by hym in hym Christ is the perfeccion of the lawe to al thē that beleue in hym Ro. x. 2 He hath fastened it to the crosse Now he sheweth when he deliuered vs from synne and brake in peces the Obligacion that condempneth vs to death for synne it was whē he suffered death vpon the crosse for vs and toke our synnes vpon his backe Esay liii And in that suffryng he ouercame the deuill and all our enemies synne death and hell and the deuill and all wicked spirites whom he calleth here rule and power and in token of victorie he sprede abrode banners of victorie and the spoyles of enemies diuided and did triumph noblely ouer his enemies and that by no other power or mighte but by his awne power and might and strength that al honor and glory should be geuē to God alone and to none other for all victories had ouer our enemies to declare vnto vs by whom and in whose name and power wee shall ouercome oure enemies the deuill the worlde and the fleshe that is in the name of Christe and by Christe alone and not by holy water sprynkelyng or by the sound of an holy bell by a palme crosse holy candle or other sorcery or witcherie as some folishly and supersticiously hath thought for these cānot driue awaie the deuill but rather the deuill is kepte and mainteined by suche false trustes vain hope lies for Christ droue not away the deuill when he was tēpted of the deuill Mat. iiii With holy water holy candle palmes or crosses but by the woorde of GOD resistyng all temptacions of the deuil and so by the woorde of God muste we resist and ouercome the deuill Ephesi vi Therefore let no man iudge you in meate or drynke or in parte of the holy daie as the newe Moone or Sabboth dayes which are shadowes of thynges to come the body verely is of Christ The Apostle semeth here to gather a conclusion of the wordes and sentences goyng before after this maner forasmuche as Christ hath restored you ded to life again and hath circumcised your hartes and forgeuen you all your synnes and takē awaie that hande writyng that condēpned you to death for sin in you ye and also hath ouercomed all your aduersaries that was against you or would haue accused yon and hath had victorie ouer thē And also you in Christ haue all iustice holines wisedome forgeuenes of synne redempcion saluacion life and all perfeccion fredom from al captiuitie of the deuill synne death or hell fire from all seruitude and bondage of the lawe and that by Christe onely that you hauyng and possessyng Christe by true faithe haue no nede of the lawe or workes of it that you should not thynke the lawe necessary to saluacion that is that you should not thynke that without you kepe the lawe and all the Ceremonies of it you could not bee saued as some thought no man could be saued without he were Circumcised in the fleshe accordyng to the old lawe Gene. xvii Commaunded to Abraham and his posteritie duryng the tyme of the law but against that opinion saincte Paule throughout all his Epistles laboreth and sheweth plainly that Circumcision is not necessary to saluaciō but that without Circumcision and workes of the lawe such as beleue in Christe shal bee saued although
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
syn to be vnpunished 3 Emonges whom you walked when you liued emonges them He sheweth that these Colossiās was poluted with those greate vices some time when thei liued as Heathen Gentiles knowyng nothyng of God but nowe thei are wasshed and purged from their synnes by Christe alone and not by their workes deedes or merites Here we maie learne those that was some tyme euill and filthy synners nowe to bee good and iust men to condēpne the olde saiyng once euill euer euil for if that saying should be alwaies true none of vs al should be good for we wer al once euil by nature we are the children of the Ire and wrathe of God and the children of darknes now by Christe we are made the welbeued children of God through his mercie and grace for Christes sake alone Now truly put awaie all ire indignaciō malice euil speakyng filthy spekyng from your mouth lie not one to another after that you haue put of the old man with his dedes and haue putte on a newe man whiche is renewed to knowlege and his Image whiche hath made hym where as is no Gentile or Iewe Circumcision or vncircumcisiō Barbarous or Sithian bonde or free man but all in all is Christ Here the Apostle moueth men to put awaie al sinnes that vertue may be sette in their places And first he willeth all ire indignacion malice rancor enuie slaunderyng of other filthy spekyng to clerely to bee banished from mēnes mouthes that no communicacion should be had emonges men but suche as becommeth sainctes Eph. v. That GOD might bee glorified and other edified 2 Lie not one to another Here is forbidden all liyng craft falshed or deceipte in byyng and sellyng in the whiche is vsed muche craft and deceipt and vsed of so many and so ofte as it wer a lawfull thyng and not against Gods law one to deceiue another in byyng and sellyng It is no small vice that bryngeth men to hell and to death liyng crafte and deceipte bryngeth to death Therfore thei are to bee eschewed and fledde of all christians how so euer proffitable thei bee or appere to bee to men And this thyng is greatly to bee lamented emonges Christians that after such knowlege of Goddes truthe had emonges vs that so many haue delight in liyng in crafte and falshed for lucre sake ye this is more to bee lamented that suche euil men be not ashamed to confirme their lye craft or falshed with an oth callyng God to witnes of their lyes crafte or falshed 3 After that you haue putte of the olde man with his deedes Now he sheweth the cause why thei should eschewe synne vice because thei haue put of the old man withal his concupiscences lustes and desires by true faith in Christ that thei should walke no more after the old man his affeccions but that thei should put one a newe man that is the spirite of God and walke after hym and bryng furthe the workes of the spirite euery daie by all their life tyme hauyng their hartes and myndes ruled by the same spirite 4 Whiche is renewed to knowlege and to the Image of God that hath made hym Here is shewed how we shall put on the newe manne and be renewed in hym it muste be by knowlege of GOD the father whiche hath made vs like to his Image Gene. ii Whiche regardeth not persons nor careth not whether he be a Iewe or a Gentile Scot or an Englisheman seruaunt or Master a man or a woman but Christ is all in all thynges that is he that hath Christe hath all thynges as all holines iustice and righteousnes If the newe man bee put on by knowlege of God whom put thei on whiche knowe not God nor his worde If men be renewed in the spirite of God by knowlege of God in whō are thei renewed that knoweth not God But in the spirit of the deuil how can thei folowe Christ and do his commaundementes that know not God nor yet his will by his worde Gods will and pleasure is knowen by his worde therefore learne how necessary a thyng it is to knowe God by his worde for the saluacion of manne consisteth in this true knowlege of God Iho. xvii Put you on as elect of God holy and welbeloued the bowels of mercy gētlenes modestnes mekenes softnes sufferyng one another and mutual forgeuing one another if you haue any cōplaint agaīst any as christ hath forgeuen you so doo you The Apostle moueth these Colossians and in them all Christians to haue the same vertues that the electe of God to eternall saluacion hath and in theim to walke and increase euery daie more and more these vertues sheweth to vs who be elected of God and who not as farre as manne can iudge by outwarde thynges The elected of God to euerlastyng ioye and blisse thei fle and hate all vice and synne thei loue vertue and Godly liuyng and in it do walke al their life tyme by true faith and workes of the spirite 2 Bowelles of mercie gentlenes He sheweth what vertues the elected of God should putte on he willeth them to put on the bowelles of mercie that is that thei should haue like pitie and compassion as hath mothers towardes their children The inward partes of mothers be moued to helpe when thei here or se their children wante necessaries and thei wil helpe their children to their powers so should euery one of vs be affected one to another as the mother to her childe This place reproueth all cruell menne that be vnmercifull that care not for other so thei be well themselfes and liue in all welth and pleasure Also he willeth that thei shouldbe gentle meke modest sober descrete soft humble and lowly to all menne and here is rebuked stubburne sturdy froward ouerthwarte cruell and all froward maners 3 Sufferyng one another He moueth theim to suffre all iniuries and wronges paciently and one to beare with another and readie to forgeue displeasures and iniuries dooen one to another and not to geue checke for checke or taunt for taunt nor to auenge hymself of iniuries but to forgeue and to prate for them that do vs iniury or wrong after the example of Christ but of these thynges more largely is spoken Ephe. iiii Aboue al thinges haue Charitie whiche is the bonde of perfeccion and the peace of God maie triumph in your hartes in the which you are called in one body and bee you thankefull Emonges all vertues Charitie excelleth for it is the bond of all perfeccion and knitteth all vertues together by the which Christians bee knit together by suche a bonde of charitie as can neuer bee losed for as membres bee knit in the body by ioyntes so Christians by Charitie and one cannot be separated from another for it byndeth members of Christe together and it maketh perfite the whole body Again of the contrary ire hatered enuie debate strief and contencion plucketh the body in peces where as by