salutacion Christians should vse one to another in their wrytynges and what thynges thei should desire and of whom Wee geue thankes to GOD and the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ alwaye for you when we praye for we haue heard your faith in Iesu Christ and your charitie towardes all sainctes for the hope layed vp for you in heauen Now the Apostle beginneth to shewe the cause wherefore he wrote to them and first of all he geueth thankes to god for their hope and charitie and other giftes of God geuen to these Colossiās onely of gods mere mercie and goodnes desiryng God to encrease these gyftes euery daie more and more in them By this example wee bee taught to geue thankes to god for his benefites geuen to other and to be glad with other for these diuine giftes and to desire theim to bee euery daie more more increased And in these woordes he reproueth them that thanketh not God for his holy gyftes geuen to thē and to other ye he reproueth thē that enuie Gods goodnes in other and be sory that other be riche cōnyng learned or haue more knowlege then thei such there is many now a daies whom it greueth muche to se so greate knowlege of Gods holy worde and truthe shewed to the worlde as now is for the whiche thyng thei should geue thankes to GOD for it as here the holy ghost teacheth vs and not to be sory for it or to murmure or spurne agaynste the pricke as many wisshyng all these new mē of the newe doctrine as thei call it when it is in verie deede the olde doctryne of Christe and of his Apostles in a fire or at the deuil condempnyng themselfes to the deuill and to hell fire callyng or thynkyng Christes doctrine error and heresy and condempnyng it for euill whiche is good and wholesome and true doctrine able to saue our soules Iacob .i. Let menne therefore beware and condempne not truthe for falsed and call not good euil or euill good light darkenes darkenes light least wo euerlastyng fall vpon them for so doyng and calling Take hede you ignoraunt men that you fal not into this daungier of eternall dampnacion threatened by the Prophete Esaye .v. to all theim that call good euill euil good light darkenes and darkenes light swete sower sower swete c. Learne that the holy ghoste in Paule moueth vs in our prayers to geue thankes to GOD for his benefites geuen to vs specially for the gyfte of faithe and of charitie Secōdly he sheweth what is the office of Christians to do when thei here faith and charitie geuē to men of god that thei should geue thākes to God for them Thirdly we se the office of faithe and of charitie a true faith hath charitie annexed worketh by charitie at all opportunitie geuē in tyme conueniēt charitie sheweth her self by helpyng and releuyng the poore faithfull Finally faith charitie bee the twoo chief thinges of Christes religion for the whiche we should geue thākes to God as giftes most necessary for our saluaciō without the whiche we cannot please god nor be saued 2 For wee haue heard of your faithe in Iesu Christe of your Charitie to the poore sainctes Here is declared the cause why Paule gaue thankes to God it was that he heard their faith in Christe Iesu and their charitie to the poore to be spred abrode for vertue vsed cannot bee hid long but it wil shewe it self so a true and a liuely faith cannot be hid lōg but it will burst vp into good woorkes as here Paule heard their faithe and yet faithe cannot bee heard nor sene for it is an inuisible gifte of God nor yet shewed except it shewe it self by good workes whiche declare faithe and sheweth where it is that it may be knowē and heard where it is for a true faithe in God is not idle or dedde in that he nameth firste faithe and then Charitie he sheweth that faithe muste goo before charitie or els that woorke of Charitie that spryngeth not out of faith pleaseth not God for it is vnpossible to please GOD without faith Heb. ii Faith is towardes God charitie to God to our neighbor charitie doth consist in workes and dedes in feruētnes of hart mynd to worke when power and habilitie will not serue nor is power geuen to worke 3 For the hope laied vp for you in heauen This place is of aucthors diuersly expounded some make it agre with that that goth before after this maner Wee haue heard of your faith and of your Charitie to the poore sainctes faithfull christians doen to theim for no other cause but for Christes sake not lookyng for any praise glory or profite to you of manne for these woorkes but onely for Gods sake and because of hope of immortalitie and glory with God that you trusted to bee partaker of not for the worthines of youre woorke or almose dooen to the poore by you but onely of the promise of God whose free gifte is life euerlastyng and not for the worthines or dignitie of any worke or dede doen by any mortall man And this sence saincte Peter i. Peter .i. dooth appere to allowe saiyng thus Blessed bee God and the father of our lorde Iesu Christe whiche after his greate mercie hath regenerated vs into a liuely hope by the resurreccion of Iesu Christe from death So for hope of eternall life we must do good woorkes surely trustyng to come to that life onely of Gods mercie and goodnes and not of dignitie or worthines of workes for the fre gift of Gods life eternal Roma vi Other referreth this place to the woordes that goeth before that is to these Wee geue thankes to GOD for you that you haue not put your trust hope in worldly thynges or in corruptible riches but in heauenly thynges lokyng more for heauenly treasure then any worldly dignities or riches onely to be geuen to you of Gods mercy for Christes sake for whom you suffre muche trouble and aduersitie in the worlde that ye might be partaker of Christes glory in heauē accordyng to that whiche is promised that if wee suffre with Christ we shal reigne with hym Rom. viii Whiche you surely trust and hope for nothyng doubtyng but GOD will performe his promes and for that hope you willyngly gladly and of loue shewe Charitie to the poore and helpeth them to your power not lokyng for a reward of men but onely of god Some other by hope vnderstandeth GOD and his glory hoped for whiche glory is called hope because it is sure keped as Iob saieth .xix. This hope is put in my bosome that is the thyng loked for by hope i. res sperata Other some thinketh by hope may be vnderstād God alone whiche is the rewarder of all that hope in him and will reward al good workes dooen for his sake loue or commaundement alone without all other respect trustyng to Gods promises And here perauenture some will aske a question whether we should do good deedes for hope of eternall life or no To this question maie be made answer thus that we must do good workes appoynted vs of GOD to do principally for God and for his loue because we are his creatures made to do good woorkes and to walke in them lookyng for that rewarde that
the true preachers and setters furthe of it This place also reproueth all thē that do abuse Godly knowlege and vse it for their carnall libertie sensuall pleasure worldly honor and dignitie ease reste profite and for their belie sakes such do not serue God but their belies whose ende is deathe and their glory here shal bee in tyme to come to their confusion shame and euerlastyng death Phili. iii. if thei do not repent and amend for Godly wisedom is geuē that thei should serue and please god and not theimselfes or their belies And suche bely beastes bee the cause that the worde of God is euill spoken on because thei doo abuse their knowlege and turneth it to their carnall pleasures proffites or glory But suche let theim put awaie ignoraunce and take vnto thē Godly wisedome and knowlege and study to liue after Godly knowlege or els their knowlege shal be to their more condempnaciō as Luke sayeth the seruaunte knowyng the will of his Maister and not doyng it is worthy greate punishement and many plagues to bee laied vpon his backe 2 Fructifiyng in all good workes Godly wisedō here desired willeth vs to fructify in al good woorkes that is It would wee should bryng furth al maner of good workes not one worke alone as some there bee that thynke it sufficient for theim to haue doen one good woorke as some to haue builded a Chaūtry some an Abbay some a house of Fryers some a Nunnery some an Hermitage some a Guylde some a Candle some a Torche euer to burne in suche a churche before this Image or that Image whiche be workes not cōmaunded of God nor yet required of man to the which no promise of rewarde is promised of God but Godly knowlege takē out of scripture teacheth mē not onely to do one good worke but to do all maner of good workes appoynted in holy scripture to be doen. This place doeth seme to declare that holy scripture is able to shewe all maner of good workes that there is no worke to bee called good excepte it bee commended and also commaūded to be doen in holy scripture And this saiyng of sainct Paule reproueth those men that thynketh the holy scriptures cannot teache all necessarie truthes sufficient for our saluacion those men sainct Paule .ii. Timothe iii reproueth saiyng the holy scriptures to be able to instruct mē in righteousnes that he maie be made perfite and ready to do al maner of good workes He excepteth none If the holy ghost had thought other workes then holy scripture speaketh of to haue been necessary for our saluacion and that suche workes of necessitie ought to be doen he would not haue said I thinke the holy scripture to instructe vs and to make vs ready to doo all good workes 3 Increasyng in knowlege The Apostle would wee should bee fulfilled not onely with all wisedome and spirituall vnderstandyng but also he would we should increase in knowlege euery daie bee better and better learned and haue more more knowlege of Gods holy worde Here we maie se that euery man bee he neuer so well learned before yet he maie learne more wisedome and knowlege of Gods holy worde Ye we se it is euery mannes duetie euery daie to learne of Gods holy word more and more knowlege and to increase in the same This place sharpely reproueth all men that wil not learne knowlege of goddes holy woorde and specially priestes that will not learne but rather spend their tyme idlely at Cardes or Dise then thei will loke vpon the newe Testament or of the old Testament and wil bee no better learned then thei wer the first daie thei wer made priestes Ye this place reproueth all them that will not heare sermons Lectures of diuinitie in Englishe or in Latyn or in that tongue thei vnderstand ye this place cōdempneth all them that thynke it is enough for the rude people to saie their Pater noster and Aue Maria and the Credo and with them to bee contented and needeth to learne no more knowlege when saincte Paule would we should euery daie increase more and more in knowlege and spiritual wisedom and as thei increase in knowlege of God so he would thei should increase in Godlines in vertue that thei might be strengthened with al Godly power strength able to beare all aduersitie paciently geuyng thankes to God in their state liuyng vprightly in their vocacion whiche hath made vs able to the felowship of sainctes in light whiche hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenes and hath trāslated vs into the kyngdō of his wel beloued sonne by whom we haue redempciō and by his blood forgeuenes of synnes Now the Apostle turneth hym to the chief matter and cause for the which he wrote this Epistle that it was to shewe health and eternall life to be geuē to vs all frely by Christ without respect merite or dignitie of our woorkes or of any thyng that is in vs. And first he sheweth part of the benefites that we haue receiued by Christ Firste that when we wer vnable to thinke to will or to do any good worke or deede he made vs able and did geue vs power to thynke will and do good Of the whiche wee maie learne that all power to thynke will or do good commeth not of our selfes but of GOD the aucthor of all goodnes as saincte Iames saieth Iames .i. Second we be made partakers of the inheritaunce of sainctes in lighte that is of that heauenly inheritaunce that holy sainctes be of in light and in glory and thus wee bee made not by our selfes but by Christ when we were before farr frō it hauyng no right ne title to chalenge or clayme the heauenly glory for our inheritaunce Now by Christ we haue right title to claime it for our inheritaūce He addeth in light as he would saie our inheritaunce was before in darkenes now it is in light of the father of light by Christe Thirdly God hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenes and translated vs into the kingdō of his welbeloued sonne Iesus Christe for whose sake alone we wer deliuered frō all power of darkenes that is of the deuill the aucthor of darkenes and from al workes of darkenes as from synne death hell and from euerlastyng dampnacion also the father of heauen hath takē vs awaie frō all darkenes and blyndnes of ignoraunce of Gods holy word and brought vs into his truthe and into the lighte of the veritie of Gods holy woorde now openly preached and shewed thankes be to God We wer some tymes as saieth sainct Paule Ephe. ii The children of the Ire of God and of darkenes but wee are now made the children of God by adopciō and of light as children of light let vs walke in all iustice veritie and goodnes before wee were in darkenes and did walke in darkenes in much Idolatrie supersticion and feined holines thynkyng that wee pleased God very well when we highly
he hath bothe frely promised will frely geue accordyng to his promise to all thē that with a sure faith and constaunt hope do perseuer and continue in the wayes of the Lorde kepyng his commaundementes Secondely for the rewardes sake promsed vs of God we must do good workes so that in all oure workes we muste moste chiefly and aboue all thynges looke to the will pleasure loue and glory of GOD. Thirdely to our profite glorie or life to come wee muste so in all our workes loke for the glory of God that skarce once wee should remembre oure profit or glory to come for if we seke more our awne profite and glory then the glory of God we bee but mercemarii hirelynges vnworthy that glory immortall life in the worlde to come with Christ whiche glory cānot bee bought by woorkes of vs but we muste come to it onely of the free gifte of God and of his mercie and grace Roma vi Of the whiche before you harde by the true word of the Gospel whiche is come to you as to all the worlde and as it fructifieth throughout the whole worlde so it doeth emonges you since that daie you heard and haue knowen the grace of God by the truthe And as you haue learned of Epaphras our welbeloued seruaunt whiche is for you a faithfull minister of Christ which shewed to vs youre loue in the spirite The Apostle shewed before their mercifulnes to the poore sainctes and faithfull in Christ for hope of reward layed vp for them in heauen now he sheweth how thei gotte that hope that it was by the true preachyng of the Gospell whiche Epaphras preached vnto thē Learne here how hope of heauenly rewarde and life commeth that it commeth by preachyng of the Gospell of Christe whiche is called here the true woorde of the Gospell and the truthe it self If hope of heauenly rewarde commeth by the preaching of the Gospell as it dooeth in deede then what hope of heauenly rewarde can thei haue where as the word of the Gospel is not peached or what hope of heauenly life haue thei that will not here the worde of God preached That contempneth and despiseth it and estemeth it no better then a foolishe tale of Robyn Hoode Guye of Warwicke or Beuis of Hampton surely no hope at al. Learne here also how necessary a thyng for our saluaciō is the preachig of Gods worde that without it seldom be geuen faithe hope or charitie For faithe commeth by hearyng hearyng by the word of God Roma x. And hope commeth by the true woorde of the Gospell as here is shewed and Charitie spryngeth out of true faithe and sure hope The Apostle garnisheth the Gospell with his due laude and cōmendacion callyng it the true woorde that deceiueth no man the truthe it self that none should doubt of it but that euery man that loueth the truth should be glad to here the Gospell preached or taught because it is the truth and putteth away all falsed lies errors and heresies 2 And as it fructifieth throughout the whole worlde so it doeth emōges you He saith the Gospell to fructyfye and encrease throughout all the whole world as emōges thē that thei should more reioyse and be glad as all good menne reioyseth when the Gospell gooeth forwardes and fructifieth and euill men be sory that the Gospell is purely and sincerely preached receiued and beleued but thei geue thankes to God for it Here we learne to be our office to bee glad to here the Gospell of God to bee preached sincerely and to geue God thankes for it 3 Sence that daie you harde and haue knowen the grace of God by the truthe He sheweth how long the Gospell hath fructefied emōges them euen sence that daie thei heard the grace of God and knewe it by the true preachyng of the Gospell And here we maie lerne diuerse good lessons First that faithe is sure and firme that commeth by the worde of truthe Secondly that the sincere preachyng of the gospell not to bee vain or frustrate although it is not knowen how it dooth fructifie and in whō at the first to hym that preacheth yet it goeth not away in vain as the Prophet Esaie saieth Thirdely the benefites or the grace of God bee knowen by the pure preachyng of the Gospell of truth and not of mē or of a multitude of men that call theimselfes the church when it maie be doubted of whether thei bee any membre of the churche or no seyng their workes be so contrary to Christes true Churche Fourthely learne that the grace of GOD and his benefites is surely knowen by the truth of gods word And here it semeth that saincte Paule would haue vs to learne and know Christ and the grace of God by no other thyng but by the truth and to iudge euery thyng by the truthe of Goddes holy worde for the holy ghost is the moste surest declarer of hymself Learne also that Christ and the grace of GOD and Gods benefites is there vnknowen where as the woorde of God is not preached and how can God be loued feared or dread where as he is not knowen Or howe can there be any health or eternall saluacion where as is no loue feare ne dread of God And if it bee life eternall as it is in deede witnes sainct Ihon. xvii to knowe GOD the father and his sonne Iesus Christe then it muste nedes followe that it is death not to knowe God the father and his sonne Iesus Christ and Gods benefites to vs for Christes sake these benefites be vnknowen where as the worde of God is not taught therfore se how necessarie it is for oure saluaciō to haue the worde of God plenteously preached and truly taught that God might be knowē loued feared and dread and his wil and pleasure fulfilled of al men Finally learne here how farr be thei from health life and saluacion that will not here the worde of God but contempneth to here it ye dispiseth it and the true preachers of it slaunders backebites persecutes and as muche as in them lieth goeth aboute to let hinder and vtterly to stoppe and quenche the word of God and to bryng to deathe the faithfull ministers of Gods holy worde the necessarie foode of our soule and yet of the ignoraunt it is thought poyson and death of the soule God turne the hartes of suche and make theim his seruauntes 4 And as you haue learned of Epaphras our welbeloued seruaunt whiche is for you a faithful seruaunt of Christ Now he sheweth who it was that firste preached the gospel to these Colossians not Paule hymself but
as our redempcion reconciliacion remission of sinnes iustice righteousnes before GOD eternall life and felicitie all other giftes of God we receiue by Christ onely of Gods mere mercie and grace and not of our merites or deseruynges or of our workes merites or peticions of sainctes Al fulnes of the father is called to dwel in Christ not the Christ now hath receiued that thyng that he had not before for all goodnes of the father he had before as Ihon .v. saieth As the father hath life in hymself so he hath geuen to the sonne to haue life in hymself as the father raised ded men to life so doth the sonne And. Iho. xviii Christ said to his father glorify me with thy selfe with the same glory that I had before the world was created but all fulnes of the father is called to dwell in Christ that all men should knowe all the goodnes thei haue to come of God by Christe to thē that all that beleueth in Christ shuld not perishe but bee saued and should haue life euerlastyng by Christ with the father 4 And by hym to reconsile all thynges He goeth forwardes describyng what benefites wee haue receiued by Christ he saith that al thynges whiche wer out of Gods fauor to bee reconciled again to Gods fauor and loue as all mē whiche either for their originall sinne or for their actuall synne were out of Gods fauor and had offended GOD should by Christe onely bee reconciled to Gods fauour and haue remission of their synnes and be made partakers of euerlastyng life and that onely by Christe So by Christ alone all thinges in yearth or in heauē be brought again to Gods fauor And you whiche was farre of and enemies in mynde and in euill workes now he hath reconciled you again in the body of his fleshe by death that he should make you without fault without all spottes in his sight Before the Apostle shewed in parte what Christe was now he turneth his sermon to these Colossiās and sheweth what benefite thei haue receiued by Christ and that thei should loue Christ the better bee more thankefull and geue more thankes to God for their health life and saluacion he sheweth what thei wer before thei receiued Christes benefite then thei were farre from life and saluacion from God alienated by many vices and sinnes bothe originall and actuall in harte mynde will iudgement and in many euill workes as in Idolatrie supersticion fornicacion adultery errors and heresies for lacke of knowlege and of Goddes grace and by their naughtie liuyng in the whiche thei wer brought vp in and accustomed from their young age that thei committyng great and abhominable sinnes in the sight of God thei thought themselfes not to synne for thei knewe not what was synne nor the daungier of synne nor yet God their creator and maker Suche ther be many in the worlde brought vp in ignoraunce and blindnes supersticiō and Idolatrie thynketh supersticion and Idolatrie to please GOD well the cause whereof is euill bringyng vp of their parentes without knowelege of God and of his will and not taught to knowe God and his pleasure to bee dooen of vs his creatures and seruauntes as we haue promised in our baptisme by our Godfathers promisyng for vs. And here he sheweth some parte of their states Firste that thei were farre from God from life healthe and saluacion by reason of their ignoraūce and euill bryngyng vp in vice and synne from their yong age vnto that daie thei harde the worde of God preached vnto thē And here wee maie learne not to sticke much to those thinges wherein wee haue been brought vp from our yong age whiche parauenture haue been coumpted vertue and worshippyng of God yet the truth knowen thei haue been supersticion and Idolatrie as was Pilgrimage deckyng giltyng of Images settyng vp of candelles before images also again thei wer farre from GOD and from the house of Israel hauyng no title to claime or chalenge any parte of life or saluacion ye nothyng knowyng or myndyng life and health to perteine to theim that wer Gentiles as is more declared at large Ephe. ii But these that were farre of Christe hath made theim partakers of life and of heauenly ioye blisse and eternall felicitie with God Secondly thei wer enemies to God to their awne saluacion bothe in mynde and in euill woorkes thei had their myndes infected and poysoned with euill opinions errors and heresies euill and wicked iudgementes and full of euill woorkes Seruyng not the liuyng GOD true and iuste but many false Idolles ded Images stockes and blockes and ofte tymes thynkyng themselfes to serue the true and liuyng GOD when thei liued in al supersticion and Idolatry but these enemies Christe hath reconciled again to the fauor of GOD the father in the body of his flesh by death that by death of the Crosse whiche he suffered in his humain body for the redempcion of al bothe Iewe and Gentile that will beleue in him And thus Christes death was a full and sufficient satisfacciō for the synnes of the whole world for all theim that shal be sanctified and saued Hebre. x. 2 That he should make vs holy and blameles and without spottes in his sight Here is shewed for what ende and purpose Christe reconciled vs to the fauor of the father that we should returne again to vice synne and to our old naughtie liuing No no. But that wee should be holy and liue Godly and verteously knowe Gods will kepe it And that we should bee fautles that no notable faute crime or synne might be iustely imputed to vs of menne and that we should so beare behaue our selfes in all oure affaires that wee might be without reprofe that our faith should be so pure and stedfast garnished with all maner of good workes that we ded frō synne should liue to iustice as sainct Peter saieth i. Peter .ii. Here wee maie learne how pure holy a life all men should liue not onely the Bishoppe Pastor and prieste but also all laie men that desireth to bee felowes of saluacion and glory by Christ If you remain in faith groūded and stable and will not bee remoued frō the hope of the Gospell whiche you haue harde that was preached to all creatures vnder heauen of the whiche I Paule am made a minister Nowe he sheweth howe thei shal bee blameles without faute and spott in the sight God that is if thei shal abide in true faith and by no affliccion persecucion prosperitie or aduersitie decline or shrynke from true faith but bee constaunt and stable in it founded vpon Christ the true foundaciō and corner stone cleuyng vnto Christe and to his doctryne And here the Apostle reproueth al vnfaithfull that be doubtfull inconstaunt and waueryng in faith moued and tossed hether and thether with euery wynde and blast and tempest of wether of threatenynges of men or hope of fauor or pleasures of men And specially here is
reproued all suche as will be fauorers of Gods worde as long as hope of fauor pleasure profite or commoditie doo come by the word of God and when that hope is gone thei shrynke from the Gospell are ashamed of it leaue it and forsake it followyng men the world and their belies ye and al the knowlege thei haue by the Gospell thei turne it to a carnall libertie and to a worldly commoditie makyng the Gospell to bee as a cloke to their coueteousnes pompe pleasure insaceable myndes to gette riches landes and possessions and to make themselfes riche in worldly possessions and suche there is many nowe adaies as Christ saieth Math. xiii Multi ad tempus credunt in tempore tentationis recedūt Many for a time doth beleue but in tyme of temptacion thei shrynke from faith from God but these be not thei that bee blameles and without faute in Gods sight but thei bee worthy blame and bee spotted with many vices and synnes shall not escape punishemente excepte thei repent and amende and be constaunt in faithe Here is two thynges required of vs that wee should be without blame or spotte in Gods sight the one is that we should bee constaunt in faithe the second not to shrinke from the hope of these heauenly treasures promised by the Gospell preached to all creatures vnder heauen See the mightie power of GOD that made his worde to bee preached throughout all the worlde in the spite of all enemies to the Gospell and magre to their tethe and therefore the Apostle was not ashamed to call hymself not a lorde but a Minister of the Gospell called of God And here he reproueth those bishoppes or hye prelates that will be called lordes and yet thei be no ministers of the Gospell of Christe seldom or neuer preached Christes Gospell Now I ioy in my sufferynges for you and fulfill that whiche are behynde of the affliccions of Christ in my fleshe for his body sake whiche is the Churche of the whiche Churche I am made a Minister accordyng to the ordinaunce of GOD whiche is geuen to me emonges you to fulfil the worde of God A mistery hid from the worlde and from generacions but now shewed opēly to his sainctes to whom God would make it knowen The Apostle because he shewed before that the Gospel was preached throughout al the world and that he was a minister of it by the ordinaunce of God now he sheweth that he suffered many affliccions for it and for the health of them to whom he preached it and that he was not sory for his afflicciōs but rather did reioyse in theim for the Gospelles sake and for the health of other saiyng now I reioyse in my sufferyng and suffre mine affliccions gladly for the Gospelles sake and for you Colossiās and other of the Gentiles knowyng by that meanes God woorketh your saluaciō And in these wordes Paule maketh answere to carnall men that would obiecte to hym after this maner If this doctryne that thou preachest be true and come of God frō heauen of the whiche commeth life and eternall felicitie as thou saiest how can it bee that these that be preachers setters furth of it bee moste miserable of all men leaste estemed or regarded cast in fetters and in prison bee called heretiques lollers deceiuers of the people sedicious mē and suffre some times shameful death for his doctryne sake To these carnall men saincte Paule maketh here answere saiyng that he suffereth slaunder checkes and rebukes imprisonment and fetters not for his sinnes or euill dooynges but for the Gospelles sake and for their sakes to whom it was preached which came to healthe by the Gospell preached and therefore it was no shame to suffre for the Gospell but rather commendable that these affliccions was not hurtefull to thē that suffered vniustely but to thē that afflicted other thei were dampnable and that God suffered euill men so to afflict the good that the iudgemēt to the euill should bee the more greater and that the good should by muche tribulacions enter into ioy blisse after the example of Christ that the euill should be confounded seyng thei could by no affliccions hynder or lette the word of God to be preached or to hynder it or lette it that it should sprede abrode increase for the more the euil goth about by affliccions persecucion or death to stop the worde of God the more it goeth forwardes by that meanes God will not haue his woorde altogether stopped and hid and oft tymes it chaunceth that by euil men the worde of God is promoted and setforwardes by that meanes by the whiche euill men went about to hynder it example in Christes death and in the death of many other for Christes Gospel sake 2 I fulfill that whiche are behind of the affliccions of Christ in my fleshe for his body sake This place hath of some euill men been wrested oute of tune and from his true sence to the greate contumely of Christes bloud as thei would saie that Christes bloud was not a full satisfaccion for our redēpciō forgeuenes of our synnes but that to it some thyng lacked whiche by our woorke deede merite or affliccions should bee fulfilled and satisfied as thei should saie that Christes passion was not sufficient to take awaie the synnes of the whole worlde and as Christe had not fully satisfied for the sinnes of all men whiche thyng to thinke or saie is greate blasphemie to Christ and to his holy bloud God forbid that any any man should thinke so or say it For Christ by his death once for all hath fully and perfitely satisfied for the synnes of al mē and by one oblacion made them perfite that shal be holy Hebr. x. He entred once into the holy place called sancta sanctorum found eternall redempcion Hebre. iiii Wherfore this is an vndoubted truthe euer to bee beleued of all christiās that Christe by his passiō and death hath taken awaie all the synnes of the worlde without our workes deedes or merites for he nedeth not our woorkes merites or affliccions to purge man frō synne as saincte Ihon saith i. Ihon .i. The bloud of Christe hath purged vs from all our synnes and Ihon in the Reuelacion he hath wasshed vs from oure synnes in his bloud Of these scriptures it is certain that thei bee iniurious to the bloude of Christe and blasphemers of Christ that thynke our workes or affliccions to purge vs from our synnes or to satisfy for synnes for these bee offices onely perteinyng to Christe alone And for our afflicciōs thei bee not worthie the glory that shall bee shewed to the electe of God Roma viii What blasphemie canne bee more to Christes bloude then to thinke that oure litle nothyng can make perfite that Christ left vnperfite or can satisfy or fulfil that Christ hath not fulfilled and fully satisfied without our woorkes merites dedes or satisfacciō What can we doo that could pacifie Gods Ire
of fish so he that eateth do not contempne any ordinanunces of hye powers and without offence of the weake in knowlege and for to serue God with all goodnes so thynges that bee indifferent of theimselfes if thei bee taught as necessary to bee kept for saluacion or that it is dedly synne to omitte them then thei are called to perishe For then thei doo hurte then thei are not taken as thei should bee taken and therefore the Apostle saieth here that thei doo perishe because thei are not taken as thinges indifferēt 4 Whiche hath a pretence of wisedom by supersticiō and hūblenes of mynde and by hurt of the body He saieth that the doctryne of Pseudoapostles had a similitude or likenes or apparaunce of holines but not holines in deede that apparaunce it had by three thynges specially That was of supersticion of humblenes of mynd of greate punishement of the body Supersticion was when thei feined to theimself a waie of holines whiche thei followed makyng theim holy followyng that voluntary Religion or Godlines inuented by theimselfes by men or by mannes Tradicions Doctrynes or Ceremonies thynkyng that to bee a more truer worshipping of god then to worship God as was appointed to worshippe God in holy scriptures And of this sort there was verie many that were coumpted holy and more holy then other was onely for kepyng of mānes tradicions and ordinaunces as of this sorte was many Religious men called holy rather then for kepyng of Goddes commaundementes whiche thei skarcely knewe and yet thei were coumpted holy men before the world but this holines was no holines before God but plain supersticion to this holines I would saie supersticion men was more ready to then to bee holy before God in kepyng Goddes commaūdemētes The second cause why the doctryne of pseudoapostles appered holy was because thei that preached appered hūble and meke before the worlde and contempners of the worlde and of worldely honors and riches dispisers of carnall pleasures and lustes was thoughte to care for no worldly thing but for God and for heauenly thynges and yet thei were inwardly vain glorious and would bee coumpted holy and good iuste and righteous that had deserued heauen and heauen to bee their awne for their merites and deseruynges and onely for kepyng of mannes tradicions ceremonies and other inuencions of man of the whiche commeth no holines before God but supersticiō The third thyng wherby Pseudoapostles appered holy was by their greate pain labors and abstinence thei tooke in their bodies as by greate fastyng long praiyng and greate watchyng risyng at Midnight or Cocke crowe long Matyns and Euensonges and other many Ceremonies by the whiche their bodies wer castigate tormented many waies with harde beddes and litle time restyng in them wearyng heire clothe next their skynnes yron aboute their middle beatyng themselfes oftetymes with whippes scorges and suffre other to scorge theim with whippes that thei might suffre pein in their bodies that by that meanes thei might deserue heauen and be worthie the glory eternall but by that meanes thei could not come to eternall glory with God the father whiche requireth none suche thynges at their handes to come to heauen But GOD requireth that thei should bee followers of Christe and suffre paciently affliccions that God sendeth to them or chaunce to them in the worlde and to haue a sure faith and trust in Gods mercie grace and fauor and onely by the mercie of GOD to come to saluacion for Christes sake onely and not for their awne woorkes deedes or merites or other their punishmentes had in their bodies by the which thei obtein no iustice holines nor perfecciō before God the faither although parauenture before the worlde thei were coūpted holy for those thynges But what haue these pseudoapostles obteined before God Any iustice holines Godlines by their supersticion feyned humblenes and by muche maceraciō of their bodies Surely no holines nor iustice with God nor yet no honor in Gods sight but rather dishonor sinne and wickednes for thei haue soughte holines where no holines was to be gotten as of meates drynkes holy daies Ceremonies of mennes Tradicions phantasies and inuencions of chastyng the body out of measure contrary to Gods lawe for thei do not geue the body suche moderate sustenaunce as was necessary for it to preserue it in health to serue the spirit of God and to bryng furthe the workes of the spirite ¶ The .iii. Chapiter THerefore if you haue rysē with Chryste seke those thynges that are aboue where Christe is sittyng on the right hande of GOD. Care for those thynges that are aboue and not vpon yearthly thynges For you be ded and your life hid with Christe in God when Christe shall be shewed your life then you with hym shal be shewed in glorie The Apostle exhorteth these Colossians and in them al christians to all holines and Godly conuersacion of life and that of the resurrecciō of Christ willing all men to dye with Christe to arise with Christ As Christ died once he dieth no more so should al men die frō all syn no more to returne again to sinne To arise with Christ is to arise from syn by true penance to walke in a new life a new life knoweth no old sinnes no carnall affeccions no woorkes of darkenes it abhorreth hypocrysy and supersticion and all Idolatrie all filthie lustes desires or pleasures it doth seke iustice not of the lawe nor of the workes of the law nor of ceremonies or Tradicions of menne of mannes Religion nor yet in these thynges putteth any holines or iustice nor thynketh not Goddes honor or worship to stande in outwarde thynges but GOD to bee a spirite and would be worshipped in spirite and in truthe by true faithe in Christ and not only with a worshippe appoynted to worshippe God of man not of god alone 2 Seke those thynges whiche are aboue where Christe is sittyng at the right hand of the father If you be risē with Christ it is youre duetie not to seeke yearthly thynges as worldely honors and promocions dignities or worldly riches but aboue all these thynges to seeke those thynges that are aboue that is the heauenly ioye and blisse life and eternall felicitie and the waies to come to theim that is by true faithe in God by sure hope and perfite Charitie and by other Godly workes appoynted of God to be doen of al thē that shall come to that place where as Christe is sittyng on the right hande of God the father to certifie vs that all thei whiche shall arise with him shal come to that place where as Christ is and that by Christe onely 3 Seke heauenly thynges and not yerthly thynges That thei should more earnestly sette their mindes vpon heauenly thinges more then vpon those thynges that are vpon the yearth or partein to this presēt life by yearthly thynges he vnderstandeth all the lawe workes of the lawe as Circumcision