shulde be trobled to gyue to hym that thyng shulde be very tedyous to the people very troblesom to the pastor Therefore seyng that gods law commaundeth / and god hath so ordynated that he that preacheth the gospell shulde lyue by the gospell 1 Cor. 9. Hye powers and reulers hath done well assignyng to euery pastor his lyuynge in a certanty to be receyued with out troble or besines But wolde to god that the hye powers / that as they haue assigned by theyr godly lawes this thing so they wold se that the people shulde trewly payâ— it / with out all grudge / or murmur to there pastors that trewly feadeth them with goddes holy worde / wolde to god that hye rulers shulde cause euery pastor to do his duety / and suerly to haue his dwety agayne / and no parte of it to be with drawne from him / for the worke man is worthy his meate Math. 10. 3. Grace and peace from god the father and from our lorde Iesu christe be vnto you Here is shewed what thynges Paule and Timotheus desyred to these PhilippiaÌ„s they wysshed not kyngdomes and impyres of this worlde / not wordely honoures / or ryches / not fat benefyces / or bysshoprykes / not hye honours / or wordely dignites / as carnall men wysshes to theâ— frendes / and louers / chyldren / or kynsfolkes / but they wysshed to them the grace / fauour â— and the loue of god / whiche thynges farre passeth all these corruptyble wordely ryches / they also wyshe them peace with god the father / whiche peace commeth not of man / nor of the meâ—yies of man / by warkes / dedes wrought by man / but of the marâ—y and goodnes of god / and this peace with god in theyr conscience hath not euyll men / for they alwaye feare god / and rekeneth him as a cruell iudge which without mercy wyl punishe synners / brekers of his lawes / and therfore sayth the prophete The euyll saye peace peace / and they haue no peace in there coÌ„scieÌ„ce with god / but these that be iustified by faith they haue peace with god / iÌ„ there coÌ„scieÌ„ce â— louely feare god And here we may learne grace / fauour / loue of god / peace with god not to be of our selfes / but to be the gyftes of god frely gyuen them to whome it pleaseth god to gyue these gyftes Here also we maye learne what thynge one christiane shulde desyre to an other / and wyshe in their letters salutatioÌ„s or other wyse most chefly / and before all wordly goodes or ryches / that is the greate fauour of god / and peace in conscience with god / for what thynge in this worlde can be pleasant to that man / that in consciens is not at quietnes with god surely nothyng / and yf thou wyll haue peace with god / se thou be in peace / concord / and vnite with thyne neyghbour / or els thou can not be in peace with god I thanke my god as ofte as I remembre you which I alwayes do in my prayers for you all and pray with gladnes bycause of your felowshyppe whiche you haue in the gospel from the fyrst day vnto now am surely certyfyed of this that he whiche hath begoÌ„ne that good worke in you shall go forth with it vntyll the daye of Iesu christe as it becommeth me to iudge of you all bycause I haue you in my harte as those that are partakers with me of grace in my bondes in defendynge and stablysshynge of the gospell for god is my recorde how I longe after you all euen from the very harte roote in Iesu Christe After the salutation the Apostle begynneth to shewe the thynges that he wolde haue knowen to these Philippians / and first of all he grueth thankes to god for these Philippians / that they had receaued the fayth of Iesu christe / and that they dyd stande sure and constante in it / not shrynkynge awaye from christ / for no affliccion or persecution / by no craft / or sutteltey vsed by false apostels to brynge them from christes fayth / and in this thynge the apostle teacheth vs to gyue thaÌ„kes to god / for benefytes of god gyuen to other / and not to be sory / as some be for goddes gyftes gyuen aboundantly to other / which they them selfe lacke / and therfore they are sory that other shulde haue that they lacke / as more knowlege / learnyng / or connyng in goddes worde then they / they are blynde and ignorauÌ„t and wolde haue all other as ignorant / and blynde as they be He prayseth them that they were coÌ„med in to the coÌ„munion of the gospel / and made pertakers of saluation by christe / shewed to theÌ„ be the gospell / and this he doth bycause he wolde haue them more desyrous of the gospell / and of the knowlege of christ / and to be more constant in the faythe of christe Virtus enim laudata crescit Vertu commeÌ„ded doth not make good men proude / but more diligent to increase vertu and to attayne vnto it Also we be here taught to pray for other to be glade of gyftes of god gyuen / and specially aboue all thynges for the worde of god purely and sincerely preached / of the whiche commeth faith / for fayth coÌ„meth by herynge / herynge of the worde of god Româ— 10. So these people receyued fayth by the preachyng of saynt Paule / was made pertakers of the gospel / of helth / saluatioÌ„ by christ Actes â–ª 16 2. Frome the firste daye vnto nowe / hauyng this thynge persuaded vnto me / that he whiche hath begonne this good worke in you wyll go forth with it vntyl the day of the lorde This thynge the apostle wolde haue persuaded vnto these Philippians that god which hath begone this good worke in them / that hath called them from infidelite / superstition / idolatre / fornication / auoutre / and from many other gentyll facions / and hethen maners to the fayth of Iesu christ / and to an holy conuersation of lyuynge / he that hath begonne this good worke in them that he wyll go forth and increase them more and more in fayth and trew holynes by the knowlege of goddes holy worde And here he sheweth the coÌ„mune saynge oftymes to be trewe that of good begynniÌ„g coÌ„meth good endyng / and that god contynueth in good men / and obedient persons / these good workes that he hath in them begunne / here we maye learnâ— to iuge these to fynish well / and bryng theyr matters to a good passe that begynne well / yea this place teacheth vs to know that it is god / and not we that begynneth a good worke in vs / and also that it is god that bryng to a good ende a good worke / of the which we learne the begynnyng of fayth / or of good workes and the increasment of them to be not of vs / of our
in such ioye glory as no tonge can tel nor eye hath euer seen nor heare harde nor mans hartâ— can not compasse that glorye and ioye that god hath prepared for them that loue him 1. Cor. 2. But to these ioyes and felycytes we can not attayne vnto excepte we firste dye and be delyuered from our mortall bodyes these thynges yf we wyll consyder them well and deaply in our hartes wey them there is no cause why we shulde feare death of the body but rather we shulde desyre it as Paule and other holy men dyd desyrynge to be out of this corruptible and noughty body and to be present with god 3. I desyre to be lowsed and to be wtih Christe Paule desyred to be dyssolued from his mortall body that he myghte be with Christ so shulde we do and not to feare death but desyre death yf it were so the wyll of god for death is not to be feared to good meÌ„ but rather to be desyred for the death of good men sayth the prophete is precious in the syght of the lord And therfore many good men hath desyred death and to be delyuered from this body lode with synne that they myght be with god and with Christe Iesu in glory 4. But to abyde in the flesshe is more nede full for you Paule sheweth here although it were better for him selfe to dye then lyue yet he sayth that it shulde be more profyt for these Philippians that he shulde lyue then dye and that they shulde haue more profyt by his lyfe then by his death by the which sayng he doth appere to saye that sayntes can not profyt men so moche beynge ded as yf they were lyuing and so there prayers not to profyt men here lyuing so moch as dyd their pure preachynge of the gospell when they lyued vpon hearth and in their corporall bodyes 5. And this am I sure of that I shall abyde and contynewe with you all for the furtheraunce and ioye of your fayth that ye maye abundantly reioyse in Christe Iesu through my commynge to you agayne Not howe sure Paule was that he shulde retourne agayne to thes Philippians and abyde and contynew amonges them and that to their profytes bothe to the increasemente of their fayth and also to their greatter reioyse in god by his commyng to them here we learne that god shewethe sometyme to some these thinges that do folow as here paule sheweth his delyueraunce and commynge to these Philippians and the profyt of his commyng Also this place wylleth that the commynge of the byshop or pastor to his cure shulde not be without spirituall profyt for his flocke that it shulde be to the increasment of fayth by pure and syncere preachynge of goddes worde and that they shulde more and more reioyse in god knowynge goddes benefites the better by the worde of god purely preached by the byshoppe pastor or curate And this place doth somethyng reproue these bysshoppes that be duÌ„me and wyl not preache when they come into their diocese that wyll not feade their people with the foode of the soule but suffer them to perysse without foode for them how shulde byshoppes increase the trew faith of the people that wyll not preache to the people goddes worde for as fayth commeth by hearynge of goddes worde so it is increased by the same worde And as Paule more regarded these thynges that shulde be profytable to other then to him selfe so shulde all other do both byshoppes pastores curates and all the laye people but alas for petye few or none seketh others profyt but their owne and so they be well lyue in ease rest pleasure they care not what become of other what paynes or tormentes other suffer but let euery one amende this faute and study to be profytable as well to other as to him selfe for we be not borne for our selfes alone but to gloryfye god and to profyt other by wordes consell workes and dedes as god hath gyuen his gyftes and talentes for that purpose not all gyftes be gyuen to one but to dyuers that euery one shulde be an helper to an other and euery one nedes healpe of another Onely let your conuersacion be as it becommeth the gospell of Christ that whether I come and se you or els be absent I maye yet here of you that ye contynew in one spirite and one soule laborynge as we do to mayntayne the fayth of the gospell and in nothyng fearynge your aduersares whiche is to them a token of perdicion but vnto you a tokeÌ„ of saluation and that of god Now the apostle exhorteth them that they wolde lyue as it becommeth the profession of the gospell and as it becommeth christians that haue professed Christe in baptyme and him to serue their liftyme and to frame them selfe after Christes doctrine that whether he come vnto them or be absent from them preachynge Christe to other people nations and countres accordyng to his vocation and callynge of god And heare the apostle teacheth all men to lyue as it becommeth christians to lyue whether their bysshop pastor curate be present with them or absent from them that they maye optayne eternall lyfe prepared by Christ in heauen 2. That ye contynewe in one spirite and one soule laborynge to mayntayne the fayth of the gospell as we do To what thynge he exhorted theÌ„ to specially here is shewed that they shulde contynew in one spirite that is in spirite of vnite and concorde with all dilygente studyeng to maintayne defende and increase the fayth of the gospell that is fayth in Christ gotteÌ„ by the gospell preached Ro. 10 And to helpe them that labor for to set forth or preache Christes gospell and to helpe soâ—our and comforte them yf it shall happen these that preache Christes gospell or other wayes sette it furth to be caste in preson in fetters and chaynes as oftymes chaunces to them and here he calleth them that putteth theÌ„ selfes in iopardy of losse gooddes fauour of men and daunger of imprisonment and death of body to maintayne the fayth of the gospell to fyght for the fayth of it and to feare no aduersares nor yet their tormentes or punyshmentes for the gospell sake knowyng that they are blyssed before god that suffer for Christe and for his gospell Iohn 12. And shall fynde lyfe with Christ how so euer they be here in this world estemed or counted or waht cruell death soeuer they shall suffer here for the gospell 3. And in nothynge feare your aduersares whiche is to them a token of perdition but vnto you a token of saluation and that of god That none shulde thynke they suffered hurte or dammage of their aduersaries whiche cast in preson or put to death the faythfull preachers or setters forth of the gospell he saith that persequution imprysonmeÌ„t or other cruelnes of enymes vsed to good mynisters of goddes worde to be to them no hurt but profyt no perditioÌ„ but saluation to them that pacyenly for the
lefte that goddes name may not be called on but in a trwe matter when nede shal be with great honour and reuerence accordyng And for the same I praye that your loue maye encrease more more in all maner of knowlege and in all experyence that ye maye proue what is best that ye maye be pure and such as hurte no mans conscience vnto the daye of christ fylled with the frutes of ryghtusnes which come by Iesus christ vnto the glory prayse of god Consyder here good reader what Paule desyreth in his prayers to these Philippians he desireth them to be increased more and more in charyte and in all knowledge and spirituall vnderstandyng of god and of christ Iesu and in these he teacheth vs what thyng we shulde desyre to other to wisshe charyte and spirituall knowleg to be increased more and more to other / he also teacheth that it is the office of euery good christiane to desyre and get more and more knowlege of god and of christ Iesus and that we maye as longe as we lyue euer gette more and more knowelege of god that no man be he neuer so well learned shulde thynke him to haue all knowlege of god or so suffient lerned that he shulde desyre no more knowlege and as they do increase in spirituall knowleg so he wolde haue them increase in fayth anâ— in charite and in godly lyuynge And this place is agâ—ns these men that wolde the laye people that be very ignorant of god of his worde to haue no more knowlege then they haue and be sory they haue so moch knowlege in goddes worde as they haue this place reproueth all them that be ydle and wyll not learne or study to haue spirituall knowlege but be so ydle that they had rather spende the hole daye yea the hole weke and moneth at tables cardes dyse then to here a sermone to reade a chapter of the new testameÌ„t or of the olde such be many curates and blynde prestes and pastours in inglande that be ignorant in goddes worde and will not study to haue more knowlege but wyll spende the hole daye and weke at tables and cardes raylyng vpon learned meÌ„ and trew preachers of goddes worde callyng them heretykes and saynge it was a mery worlde wheÌ„ there was not so moch spoken of goddes worde nor so moch knowlege cursyng and bannynge them that broughte so moche knowlege of it to men / sayng they wolde go a huÌ„dreth myle barfot to burne such heretyke knaues â–ª well how so euer they rayle of trewe preachers that seketh only goddes glory the helth of such blynde guydes or blynde prestes and the saluation of the people commytted to their spirituall charge suche ydle curates or people be here reproued and admonished to study to gette more spirituall knowlege of christe Iesu / also this place â—ecketh all them that coÌ„tempneth and dispiseth holy scripture and the holy learnynge of it that wyll not come to sermonnes and lecâ—ours of holy scripture when they maye but wyll walke in the churche in the tyme of the sermonde or kepe them ydle at hoâ—e or euyll occupyed when they knowe there is a sermonde of goddes worde or wyll at that tyme get them to brekefaste that they absent them from the sermoÌ„de so they fâ—ee from god to the deuyll forsake their saluation and ronnes hedlynges into death and dampnation excepte they repent and amende This place also maketh agayne all them that go about to persuade the laye people that it is sufficient knowlege for them to learne and knowe their pater noster so they cal our lordes prayer and that they haue no nede to know any more of goddes holy doctrine but these that be wyse lette them leue suche doctryne and they them selfes vse all diligence to learne more and more knowlege of goddes holy worde and teache all other so to do and increase in the same and as they increase in learnynge so let them increase in godly lyuynge 2. That you maye proue what is best that you may be pure and such as hurte no mans conscience vnto the daye of christ fylled with the frutes oâ— ryghtuosnes which come by Iesus christ vnto the glory and prayse of god Here is the cause declared why he desyred them to get all spiâ—ytuall learnynge and inâ—rease in the same that they myght disceâ—ne and trewly iudge what is good what is euyll what is for their saluation what is agaynste it that they myghte knowe lyghte from darkenes and darkenes from lyghte swete from soure and soure from swete and not to iudge lyghte darkenes and darkenes lyght lyfe to be death and death lyfe and so to runne into dampnation thretned to suche â—uyll iudgers Esaye 5. And here he requireth of euery manne that they shulde haue a pure and iuste iudgement whiche can not be with out trew knowlege of gods holy worde by the whiche good is knowne from euyll and lyghte from darkenes lyfe from death and this place reproueth and condempneth all vntrewe and false iudgementes preposterous iudgementes in matters perteynynge to saluation of the soule Lacke of knowlege of holy scripture is and hath bene the cause of moche myschefe and of many peryllous and false iudgementes in the worlde as had all they that iudged christe Iesus that innocent lambe that neuer dyd synne in whose mouth was founde no disceâ—t nor falsed or crafte to be a synner a dronkerd a deuourer of meate lyke in sinne to publicanes and syfiers whose company he vsed to make them good as â—e dyd in dede that called him a blasphemer of god a deceuer of the people that caste out deuylles in the name of Beelzebub and that he had a deuyll with in him / suche was the false iudgementes here reproued of the scriâ—es and pharyseis of christ Iesus So Tertullus the orator Actes 24. Called saynt Paule an here tyke and a pestileÌ„â— man his doctrine heresy so now a dayes many call the doctryne of the gospell of god new doctryne and heresy and the teachers of it heretykes all such false iudgements the apostle here reproueth and condempneth them that so iudge to hell fyre Esaye 5. If they do not here repente and amende and learne better knowlege that they iudge better and more trewly Also here is reproued all preposterous iudgementes as was all the iudgementes of them that preferred voluntary workes as pylgrymage offerynge vp of candells to images gyltynge of images and such lyke not coÌ„maunded of god before the workes of marcy commaunded of god to the christiaÌ„s to do ignorance was the cause why voluntary workes was preferred before goddes commaundemeÌ„tes yf men had knowen workes of mercy to be more thankefull to god better to haue pleased him and more acceptable to him I thynke many good men moch gyuen to voluntary workes more then to workes of marcy for more they dyd bestowe vpon suche voluntary workes then they dyd gyue for the relefe of the poore yea they were moch
it sheweth the strayth way to heauen and byddes be ware of that waye that bryngeth to death hell and damnation it sheweth what thynges men shulde take and what thynge they shulde refuse and forsake This place sheweth how profytable the worde of god is to vs that it is so profitable and so necessary that without it we can not lyue a lyfe acceptable or pleasant to god for it is the foode wherby the soule lyueth Math. 4. And the lyght to gyue lyght to our feate for wantyng it we walke in darkenes knowyng not whether we go to lyfe or death heauen or hell to god or to the deuyll they that take goddes worde thynkes oftyme to please god when they displease him runne into damnacion thynkyng them to do workes of saluation as in tymes past we wantynge the lyght of holy scriptures hath wandred in straunge hylles valles mountaynes wooddes and pastores sekyng sauyours other then Christe takenge death for lyfe thynkynge darkenes to be light lyes for the treweth but thankes be to god for his goodnes the lyght is spronge vp to suche as satt in darkenes and in the region of shadow of death the nyght is gone the daye is come as the apostle sayth Roma 13. Therfore let vs put away workes of darkenes and put on the armour of lyght that in the daye we maye walke honestly without faute And these thynges he desyreth that he myght reioyce in them and with them vnto the daye of Christe Iesus them to walke in fayth hope charyte humblenes pacience vnite of spirite seking the profyt of other shynynge with all good workes in the myddes of an euyll nation of people was great reioyce and glorye to the apostle that nothynge culde be more Ioye to hī thē that was as nothynge is more reioyce to mayster then is to here his scolers go forwardes in good learnyng godly vertu and to persiste in it and euer more and more increase in learnyng and vertu 5. That I haue not runne nor labored in vayne The apostle he had runne in vayne and losed his labour amonge these Philippians yf they shulde haue shrynked from Christ from his worde from fayth hope charite and from good workes which thyng shulde haue bene a great greefe to him as it is a greefe to the mayster when his scolers do not profyt nor go forwardes in learnynge and vertu or shall at any tyme go bakewardes forsakyng lernyng and vertu This place wylleth vs to reioyce in all them that increase in lernynge vertu and goodnes to be sory for the contrary for decaye of lernynge vertu and godly conuersation of lyuyng and it reproueth all them that reioyce in euyll and be glade of others aduersite Yea and thoughe I be offered vp vpon the offeryng and sacryfice of your faith I am glad and reioyce ye with me Now the apostle turneth him to his afflictions of the whiche he speaketh of in the friste chapter before and he speaketh after this sorte I am not sory for myne afflyctions whiche I suffer in prison for you and for the gospelles sake but am furder euen for the gospell of god I am contented to be offered vp and to dye and yf it shall chaunce me to dye for the gospells sake and for your profyt I haue wherein I may reioyce not onely for my owne cause but also for you for my selfe I may reioyce that our lorde Iesus hath withsafe me to suffer for his name and gospel and so by sufferynge to be made pertaker of his death and of his glory in you I may reioyce that by me you instructed in the fayth of Christ Iesus are made a thankfull sacryfyce vnto god and contente to suffer with Christ and so by sufferynge to be made partakers of his passion and glory If for many causes sayth the apostle myne afflictions bondes and death is pleasant to me as they be in dede then they shulde not be to you bytter or greuous bycause I haue you all as felowes partakers of my ioye and comforte for it is a laudable thynge to suffer for the gospells sake and all afflictions for it as gladnes and comforte to be counted And here peraduenture the apostle doth allude to the offerynges and sacrifices thankfull to god in the olde lawe offered vp to god as he shulde saye If it shall chaunce me to be offered vp or to be kylled bycause I haue preached the onely sacryfyce of Christe ones offered vp for the synnes of the worlde to be purged to be a sufficient sacrifice for euer to take awaye al the synnes of the worlde and by this preachynge I haue preached made you a lyuely sacryfyce acceptable and pleasyng god and therfore I reiose and you shall reioyce with me also yf this thyng shall come to passe I trust in our lord Iesus to send Timotheus shortly vnto you that I also maye be of good comforte when I knowe what case you stāde in for I haue no man that is so lyke mynded to me whiche with so pure affection careth for you for all other seke theyr owne not that whiche is Iesus Christ / But ye know the profe of him for as a chylde vnto the father so hath he minystred vnto me in the gospell him I hope to sende as soone as I know howe it wyll go with me But I truste in the lorde that I also my selfe shall come shortely The apostle sheweth his great loue and care he had for these Philippiās and for their comforte he trusted in the lorde that he shulde sende to them Timotheus whome he hyghly cōmēdeth vnto them which both wolde teache them by the worde of god and also be as diligent to profyt them as I Paule yf I were present amongest you for he is none otherwyse offected towardes you then I my selfe and is as carefull for you as I am and wolde as gladly profyt you ye he wyl confirme you in the trewe fayth of Christe Iesus This Timotheus I send vnto you that he myght knowe your state and that you be of one mynde humble and meke very constante in trewe fayth and loue of god and of his worde and that from it you do not shrinke for no afflictions nor yet for feare of no man and that he myght certifye me of your state that I myght be glad and reioyce with you Paule here commendeth Timotheus both for his good mynde he had to god and his worde and also for the zeale he had to profyt them his lernyng his sobryete and other vertues he nedeth not to commende to them for they shulde be declared in him selfe when he commeth amongest them Timotheus is here commended of Paule for his vertu and godly lernyng of the which we maye learne what becommeth a faythfull mynister of Christe and of what thynges he shulde be estemed Also this place sheweth to whom byshoppes shulde commyt weyghty matters as the cure of their flocke and of soule suerly to none other but to proued men of good
be other wyse mynded I praye god euen open this vn to you Neuertheles in that where vnto we are commed let vs procede by one ruele that we maye be of one accorde Now the apostle exhorteth thē to cōtynew and go forwardes in the doctryne of trewth he taught them in the which he sayde Christe to be our onely sauyour and that Christes sacryfyce was a suffyciēt sacrifyce to iustyfication and to take awaye the synnes of the worlde and to brynge vs to lyfe without the the workes of the lawe and here he monyssheth all them that thynke them selfe perfecte to know that their is none other name vnder heauen in whome we shall be saued but in the name of Christ and that Christes iustice is sufficiēt for vs and that we by Christ haue remyssion of synnes without our merytes or deseruynges of that grace commyng onely of goddes mercy and goodnes Here peraduenture some wyll aske howe the apostell calleth him selfe perfecte which as before is wrytten calleth him selfe vnperfecte to this it maye be answered that a man maye be called perfecte and vnperfecte hauynge respecte to dyuers thynges yf you loke to the grace of god and to fayth in Christ Iesu so a mā may be called perfecte yf you loke to the fleshe and to the infirmytes of the fleshe so he is vnperfecte so Paule lokynge to the grace of god and to fayth in Iesu Christe calleth him selfe and other lyke to him perfecte 2. And yf you be other wyse mynded I prae god open euen vnto you this He wylleth vs to suffer the weyknes of them that be weyke and to pray for them that they may be strōg as he shulde saye Suffer these that be weyke amongest you vnto the tyme that god shewe to them that Christe is onely our iustice and our lyfe and praye to god that they may perfitely know that thynge whiche they can not do but by Christ or by the holy goost certyfyynge them in their hartes that Christe is our rightuousnes This place wylleth vs to pray for them that erre from the treweth that god myght brynge them to his treweth and not to cal such phariseys aduersares to god blide gydes dumme dogges and bely beastes c. 3. Let vs procede by one ruele that we may be of one accorde He wylleth vs to consente and agre to the treweth of goddes holy word and with one consent and mynde go forwarddes in the treweth and the treweth knowne with all our myghtes poweres defēde set it forth and not to shrenke from it for feare of persequution cruelnes of men for losse of fauour worldly gooddes ryches landes or possessions promocyons or degnites nor yet let vs not shrenke from the treweth for feare of offendyng suche as be weyke before whome we must forbeare and not vse alwaye our lyberty or that we maye do but not forbeare to shew thē the trwth that they be not alwayes weyke chyldren hauyng nede of mylke suche must be taught the treweth in all gentylnes and mekenes and the treweth may not gyue place to them but they to the treweth and receyue the treweth that they may be strong mē and no weyke chyldren And although some wyll saye the treweth maye not be spoken for breakyng of cōcorde vnite sayeng by cōcorde small thynges do increasse growe to great thynges and by discorde greate thynges to come to nought to this is answered that concorde is by the whiche the treweth is not obscured oppressed hyd or put to sylence nor these that be weyke do not contynewe weyke but by it brought to strength that they maye eate stronge meate the apostle wolde not haue vs alwayes chyldren hauyng nede of mylke but that we shulde growe from chyldren to men that we myght be feade with stronge meate of men Thus let vs all agree in one waye of the treweth and let vs folowe that way and walke no more in the wayes of perdition in the wayes of errour and heresey In the wayes of lyes fables euyll customes longe vsed contrary to the wyl and pleasure of god and contrary to the helthe and saluation of our soules And as the apostle prayeth Roma 15. God graunt vs all to be of one mynde that we maye all thynke one thynge not after men the worlde or the fleshe but after Iesus Christ and his doctryne Bretherne be ye the folowers of me and loke on them which walke euen so as you haue vs for an example For many walke of whome I haue tolde you often but now I tell you wepynge euē enemyes of the crosse of Christe whose ende is damnation whose god is the bely and whose glory shall be to their shame which are earthly mynded But our conuersation is in hauen from whence we loke for the sauyour Iesu Christe the lorde whiche shall chaunge our vyle body that it maye be lyke fashyoned vnto his gloryous body accordyng to the workynge wherby he is able to subdewe all thynges vnto him selfe Note that the apostle setteth him selfe an exampler to vs to folowe that after his example we shulde walke in the waye of treweth and not shrynke from it for no persequution for no cruelnes of mē for no crafte of pseudoposteles for no losse of worldly gooddes fauour of men punyshmente of body or for losse of this present lyfe Here we lerne howe we shulde worshyp saintes that is to folowe their footsteppes in all holynes and in trew vertu in fayth in hope in charyte and in paciēce and to folowe the doctryne of treweth as they dyd and to contynew in it to the ende after their example Another waye we be taught in scripture to honour saintes that is to gloryfy god in his saintes to gyue glory and thankes to god whiche hath made and doth dayly make good men of euyll men As the churche of the Iewes gloryfyed god in Paule that he had made him a preacher of his worde which he before dyd impugne and persequuted Thirdly we maye honour saintes in confyrmynge our fayth certifyenge vs that we shal come to that glory where in they are yf we lyue here as they dyd learnyng goddes worde and lyuyng accordyng to it yea it helpeth very moche to persuade when a man brynge him selfe an exampler to be folowed as here the apostle dyd wolde to god that all bysshoppes lyues where so holy so good that their trewe preachynges and holy lyuynge were exāplers to other to folowe and wordy to be tolowed as Paule was in his trewe preachynge in the contynwance of the same with holynes of lyfe 2. And loke on them whiche walke as you haue vs for an example Lest any mā shulde thynke that Paule had set him selfe onely for an exampler to folowe he wylleth them to obserue other which walked after his example and to take them for an examplar to folowe that we shulde folowe holy mens footsteppes and to folow them in fayth pacyence mekenes contēnyng the worlde as they dyd and alway haue an