as dogges do barke erre girne gnasshe and byte alwayes enuiynge other and tredyng vnder the foote that dogge that is ouer throune and byte him and kyll him yf they can so the pseudoposteles do hate enuy barke ageynst trew preachers of goddes holy worde do byte them both by their slanderous tonges with raylyng iestyng vpon them callyng them loulers heretykes deceyuers of the people abiectes rounagates apostates ragget newfangled knaues and many other lyke names call them trede them vnder their fete and kepe them downe in the myre or in prison bytynge them with bondes cheynes fetters bringyng in and sekyng false witnes agaynst them and all to kyll yf they can the trew preachers teachers setters forth of goddes holy worde these pseudoposteles saint Paule calleth dogges whō he wold thē to eschew flee in no wyse gyue credence to them or to their false doctryne not agreynge with holy scriptures but greatly dissentynge Seconde he mony sheth them to be ware of euyll workers these pseudoposteles he calleth euyll workers not because they denyed good workes but because they preferred their owne good workes as their traditions ceremonies lawes costomes and other decrees made of them selfes without goddes worde aboue the preceptes and commaundementes of god or at the leste made them equail with goddes lawe thynkynge no lesse offence before god to breke one of their tradicions then to breake goddes cōmaundement yea they thought it more offence and greatter puny shment was had for the breakyng of an small tradicion of man then for goddes cōmaundement brokyn examples of this was many both in religion and out of religion before comysares chauncelars and officiales but to al these Christ thretneth euerlastyng wo. Math. 15. Saynge wo be to you that maketh voyde the commaundemēt of god for your traditions Also he calleth pseudoposteles euyll workers bycause they made equall the workes of the lawe as circumcision and other workes of the law with the kepyng of goddes commaundement and thought them as necessary as the other workes of god commaunded and that without the workes of the law no man culde be saued as without circumcision no man to come to eternall saluatiō which saint Paule writeth agayne through out all his epistels and also it was decreed of the apostels Actes 15. Circūcisiō not to be necessary for saluatiō but saluatiō to come to the gentyles without circumcisiō there is no necessite of circumcision to saluation Thridly he calleth pseudoposteles euyl workers that they dyd their workes not in that name or ende they shuld be done for they did all their workes that they myght be sene of men and haue the vayne prayse and glory of the worlde and so they lost their rewarde before god Math. 6. Fynally they dyd their good workes that they shuld merite and deserue the grace of god reconciliation to the father agayne remission of synnes and satisfaction for their synnes and lyfe euerlastyng and that of the merite and wordynes of their outwarde worke so to their workes they attrybuted their iustification and saluation And therfore the apostell moueth them to be ware of such workers of iniquite and not to folowe them nor their workes nor to worke after them Fortly he wylleth them to beware of dissention which these pseudoposteles cause that preache circumcision as a thynge necessary for saluation and without it no man to be saued These preach not circumcision but concision dissention for they preachyng circumcision as necessary to saluation they preache not circumcision but concision and separation from Christ and they seperate the people of god from god and from Christ by their euyll doctrine and he calleth circumcision concision as we alludynge of a good thynge out of order saye it is deformed when other call it reformed chaūging a letter or a sylable kepyng a lyke sounde in the word not moch differyng from wordes before spokē 4. For we are the circumcision euen we that serue god in the spirite and reioyce in Christe Iesu and haue no comforte in the flesshe Here the apostle teacheth carnall circumcision whiche false apostles so much estemed and preached and of necessite inforced and required not to be necessary to saluation as false prophetes dyd saye contendyng vs to be purged from oure synnes and grafted in Christe onely by externall circumcision and not by Christe but Paule here teacheth the contrarye and boldlye pronounceth them to be made the people of god not by circumcisiō but by Christe and to be purged from their synnes onely by Christe and that they are the trewe circumcision that haue mortified and cut awaye all carnall affections and lustes of the flesshe which do worshyp Christe in the spirite serue him by a trewe fayth and by parfyte charyte and reioyce in Christe and haue no confidenre in the flesshe trustynge helth and saluation to come none other way but onely by Christe and by his death to vs all And here he wylleth vs not to reioyce in mē in the lawe ceremonies outward sacrifyces in connynge lernynge in ryches honours worldly wysedom or policye but he that wyl reioyce let him reioyce in the lorde Hieremi 9 Gala. 6. He wolde also we shulde not trust in the fleshe in carnall sacrifices and in outwarde workes to truste to be saued by them by the wordynes of the outwarde worke but that we shulde trust to be saued onely by the marcy of god and by Iesus Christ onely Thoughe I haue wherof I myght reioyce in the flesh yf any other man thynke that he hath wherof he myhht reioyce in the fleshe moch more I whiche was circumcised on the eyght daye one of the people of Israell of the trybe of Beniamyn an hebreue of the hebrues as concernyng the law a pharisey as concernyng feruentnes I persequuted the congregacion and as tochyng the ryghtuousnes whiche is in y◠law I was vnrebukeable Here is more at large expressed what it is to trust in the fleshe by the fleshe he vnderstandeth circumcision workes of the law the stocke of Iewes he came of his fathers as Abraham Isaac and Iacob the holy secte of the pharises and their holy institution of lyuyng his good zeale he had to kepe the lawe of Moyses for the which he persequuted thē that openly professed Christe or Christes religion defēded in the which thynges outwardly yf anye man myght reioyce or trust in them moche more sayth Paule he him selfe myght reioyce and trust in them and gyue no place to no man in these thynges but other to be equall without the pseudoposteles or els to excede them all Marke that it helpeth moche to affirme any thyng when he that affirmeth maye declare him selfe equall to them that wolde extolle them selfe aboue other as here the apostle shewed him selfe to be equall with the pseudoposteles bostynge thē selfes as farre aboue Paule when they were inferiours to him as tochynge the fleshe we lerne here that it is good to take example of our selfe yf we wyll teach humilyte and
more ready to do voluntary workes then to fulfyll goddes commaundementes which was agreat token and sygne they thought and iudged voluntary workes to please god better then workes commaunded in holy scrypture for to these workes scarse they culde be brought to by any persuasion to gyue a crowne or a noble to a poore man in sicknes but to gylte an image and to spende xxâ— of the gyltyng they of them selfes were ready enoughe and yet there be suche that had leuer gyue a croune to gylte a image yf they culde be suffered with out blame then xii d. to a poore blynde same man that be in extreme necessite So you se the apostle here requireth of all trewe christians a pure and trew iudgement and excludeth all false and preposterous iudgementes from christes people and that they shulde knowe to iudge amonges good workes yf one be better then an other to chose out the best that beste pleaseth god and with all gladnes of mynde to do it Secondly he desyreth they maye be pure and clere from all vyce and synne from all crafte and falsed from euyll affections of the flesshe from carnall desyres and lustes from pompe pryde and al vanite of the worlde that they be such as nother by worde nor dede do offeÌ„de any that is do not giue iuste occasioÌ„ of euyll / sometymes occasion of euyll maye be taken where no occasion is gyuen as many was offeÌ„dyd by christ that neuer dyd offende neuer dyd synne and yet he was euyll spoken on and was slander and a stonne of offence that is occasioÌ„ of hurte to the scribes pharises and the vnfaithfull Iewes whiche offeÌ„ce come not of christ but of the wyckednes and maliciousnes of euyll meÌ„ that toke occasioÌ„ of hurte where no occasioÌ„ was gyuen and were offended where they shulde not haue ben offended but rather they shulde haue bene offended with them selfes and theyr noughty maners euyll lyuynge peruerse and preposterous iudgemeÌ„tes haue mendyd them then that they shulde haue bene offendyd by christe in whom was no offence nor by hym offence gyuen in worde or in dede Here the apostle forbyddes to gyue iuste occasion of offence to any man and that not for a daye or two but vnto the daye of the lord that is all your lyftyme holy lyuyng is required of euery good christen maÌ„ and woman Thyrdly lerne that it becommeth all christians to be fulfylled with the frutes of iustice that is verite iustice fayth hope charite all workes of marcy wrought by the spirite of god and not by our merytes deseruynges or suffrages of other but onlye of goddes grace by Iesus Christe our lorde and that to the glory and prayse of god and not for our owne prayse or coÌ„mendation nor that by our workes we shulde merite or deserue goddes grace or fauour reconcyle vs to god satisfy for synne and optayne lyfe euer lastyng of the meryte and wordynes of our workes but good workes we must do to the glory of god to shewe vs thankefull to god of whom we haue receyued so many benefytes to declare our fayth not to be ded to agre to our creation and vocation that we be not created and made to be ydle but to labor profytable labors ordynated not of vs but of god that we shulde walke in and serue god after our vocation as we be called and as god haue commaunded vs shewynge our selfes alwayes obedient to goddes wyll and pleasure I wolde you vnderstode brethreÌ„ that my busynes so happened vn to the greater forderaunce of the gospell so that my bondes in christ are manyfest through out all the iudgemente hall and in all other places In somoch that many brethren in the lorde boldened through my bondes dare more largely speake the worde of god without feare The apostle here declareth more playnely how his imprisonmeÌ„t boÌ„des was no hurte ne dammage to the gospell but rather dyd promote it and set it forwardes that these PhilippiaÌ„s shulde not be offended by Paules bondes in pryson nor yet thynke him to be euyl or an heretyke or sower of euyll seed or false doctryne and for false doctryne to be cast in pryson in featers to his great slander and infamy and to the rebuke of the gospell preached by Paule And here he sheweth two commodites to come to the gospell by his imprisonment and bondes The firste is that by this occasioÌ„ the worde of god come to manye not onely to the commen people that come to him in preson to whom he preached goddes worde and wanne dyuers to christ as Omesymus and dyuers other but also it come to the iudgement hall and into the palles of the hall of Nero the Emperour yea the worde of god was scatered and spred through out al the worlde for at Rome was at that tyme people of all nations that wrote home to theyr countres what thynges was done at Rome they beynge at Rome they wrote of Paule and of his pure and sincere doctryne and how he was caste in preson and in cheynes for the gospell of christe and not for his fautes or iniquites yea Paules constancye in preachyng and settynge forth the worde of god in presonne and in iudgement before Nero a euâ—ll Emperour an enemye and adâ—ersary to goddes gospell and the pacience that Paule hadde in presone and in bondes with all humilite and â—eakenes dyd declare to all good men both in Neroes curte and with out that Paule suffered bondes for Christes gospell and for Chrisâ—e and not for any faute in him The seconde commodyte that come by Paules imprisonment was that some that had receyued Christes gospell and had professed the treweth fauored and loued it yet they were fearfull and for feare of â—erseâ—…tion afflicâ—ions losse of wordly goodes and lyfe durste not boldle and openly professe the trewth and Christes gospell such be manye now a dayes that shrynke a waye from god and from the verite of his trewth other for â—ucre sake worldly for feare of afflictions losse of mennes fauours or of worldly gooddes or for feare of imprisonment or of lyfe but these that were feaâ—rfull and durst not boldly professe Christe and his gospell were made bolde by myne afflyctions and â—ondes and by pacyence they saw in me and set all feare asyde boldly frely and frankely professed Christ and his worde and publyshed it with great boldnes and was of god preserued from the mouth of the lyon as I was and the gospell was promoted by myne imprisonment magred to the hed of the aduersares of goddes worde which though to hynder and let goddes worde and clere to abolysh it and dystroy it by myne afflictions but god frustrated and made vayne all theyr euyll purposes and made them to serue his glory and to promote his worde and set it forth by that meanes that aduersares had compased to destroy goddes worde and his glory so we se that euyll mens purposes commes not alwaye to affecte they atteyne not that
be sure to be exalted with Christ to glory in heauen 3. with feare and tremblynge worke your owne saluation Here is shewed what thing he wolde haue them to do now in his absence that they shulde do and worke not these thynges that shulde tende to profyt or commodite to him but to their owne helth and saluation and that they shuld worke their owne saluation with feare and tremblynge as they do whiche worketh with feare and drede they take good hede that nothynge be done amysse or otherwyse then it shulde be done And he byddeth them worke their owne saluation not that he meaned they coulde do that thing without Christ or without the grace of god for that they can not do as it foloweth after wardes here but he thought to haue concorde vnite of the spirite of god humblenes of mīde to seke the profyt of other that these be thynges perteynyng to saluation and these that do these thynges he calleth to worke their owne saluation for these workes they do that shall be saued by Christe and these that shall not be saued do not these workes but contrary workes 4. For it is god that worketh in you both the wyll and the dede / euen of his owne good wyll These wordes he addeth leste any man shulde attribute or ascrybe his owne helth iustice or saluation to his myghtes powers merites or workes done by him or them with out goddes grace or without Christe therfore he sayth that it is god that worketh in vs that we do wyll good thynges and that we do good workes and that of his owne good wyl and mynde and not for our good wylles sake for we without goddes grace can not wyll any good thynge of our selfe as of our selfe but we helped with the grace of god do wyll and do good thynges by goddes grace by the which our euyll wyll of it selfe is made comformable to goddes wyl so wyllyngly ▪ and gladly we do good thynges Marke also here what maner of speakynge the scrypture vseth whiche when it doth seme to ascribe to vs or to our workes our iustifycatiō helth or saluation by and by after it doth as it wolde correcte him selfe other by some wordes goynge before or commyng after lesse to man it shulde be attributed or gyuen that is dewe to god or to Christ Iesus whiche is the pryncypall auctor of all good workes and dedes and suerly no good thoughtes wylles dedes or workes can be in vs without goddes wyll preuentynge all our thoughtes and wylles and workynge with our wylles made comfortable to goddes good wyll as is sayde before Do all thynges without murmurrīges and disputynges that ye maye be blamelesse and pure and the chyldren of god without rebuke in the myddes of the croked peruerse nation amonges whō se that you shyne as lyghtnes in the worlde holdyng faste the worde of lyfe vnto my reioysynge in the daye of Christe that I haue not runne in vayne nother labored in vayne Here the apostle moueth them to ioyne to concorde and humilyte good lyuynge and puernes of lyfe and that they shulde do all thynges without murmurynge or contēcious disputynge or troublesome reasonīge in matters aboue their lernyng or capacite he wold not haue them to murmur other against god or agaynst potestates or powers as the people of Israell in the wyldernes dyd against Moyses Aron Hur lese they be not smytten of the fyrey serpentes as they were for their murmurynge for god wolde haue men to do good and to worke good workes of a good harte and of a cherefull mynde and not of a lothsomnes as some do euer murmurynge agaynst god and agaynst man neuer content with their chaunce or sorte of lyuynge but euer murmurynge other agaynst god that gyueth no better lyuynge or agaynst some man whome they thynke haue better lyuyng thē they haue or better lyuynge thē they haue deserued He excludeth here also all contentious reasonynge in matters perteynynge to saluation and wylleth that all communycation in suche matters shulde be done with hūblenes and mekenes and of a good mynde with all sobryete only for that intēt to konw the trewe honour and worship of god from the false and for the amendment of their lyfe that they maye know to lyue better 2. That ye maye be blameles and pure and the chyldren of god without rebuke in the middes of the croked and peruerse natiō The apostle requireth of them an holy conuersation of lyuynge pure and cleare from all vyce and sinne that no man may iustly reproue them for any faute yea he wolde haue them lyue so holyly that they shulde be without all offence geuen by worde or by dede to any mā yea that they shuld be fautles that no hethen nor peruerse men shuld haue any iust occasiō to be offended with them or to reporte euyll of them although no man can lyue so holyly in this worlde but there wyll be some peraduenture that wyll speake euyll of him yet the apostle wolde haue vs to lyue so godly that no man culde reproue other vs for our lyfe or for our doctryne or for our relygion kepynge There is some men so euyl of them selfes that they wyll speake euyll of the best lyuers and from their euyll tonges and slaunders no man can flee or be sure to be fee from their euyll reportes or malicious wordes as Christ him selfe although he neuer offended neuer dyd faute or trespace yet he was not clere from mysreporte and slaunderous rebukes of euyl men how moch more can we not be clere from euyll tonges for who is he that canne stope all euyl tonges 3. Amonges whom se you shyne as lyghtes in the worlde vnto my reioycynge in the daye of Christe He wolde they shulde shyne as lyghtes in the myddes of a peruerse natiō he wolde haue them lyue so holy so without faute amonges euyll men that euyll men culde haue no iuste cause to speake euyll of them But to reporte all goodnes of them and to gloryfye god by their vertu and holy lyuynge as is taught Math. 5. Let your lyght so shyne before men that they maye se your good workes and gloryfye god the father which is in heauen This place reproweth all them that lyue euyll that gyue iuste occasion of offence to other ether by worde dede or other conuersation of lyuynge This place checketh frowarde men chyders brawlers fyghters raylers of other and all that hurte other by their corrupte maners or fylthy wordes draweth other to euyll or prouoketh other to that thynge that is euyll and contrary to goddes wyll 4. Holdynge faste the worde of lyfe to his reioycynge He wolde they shulde in no wyse let go the worde of lyfe which is goddes worde and called the worde of lyfe bycause is bryngeth lyfe with it to all beleuers and doers of it And as the lyght sheweth the strayth way from the wronge way and a sure waye from perylls and iopardes so the worde of god
Israell to haue entred their countre or lande to possesse it as their owne and that they were sent to kyll them downe lyke beastes without mercy as is wrytten in the booke of Iosue And this peace of conscience is not gotten by our mightes or powers sacryfices or ceremones but by Iesus Christ that all laude and prayse myght be gyuen to god for it as of whome all goodnes do come to vs for Christes sake Furthermore bretherne what so euer thynges are trewe what so euer thynges are honest what so euer thynges are iuste what so euer thynges are pure what so euer thynges partayne to loue what soeuer thiÌ„ges are of honest reporte Yf there be any â—ertuous thynge yf there be any laudable thynge haue those same in your mynde which ye haue both lerned and receyued and herd and sene in me those thynges do and the god of peace shal be with you Nowe the apostle makynge an ende of his Epistle exhorteth them to thynke and do not onely these thynges whiche be wordy prayse but also that they folowing his example may haue god of peace with them and be fulfylled with faith and all good workes And first he moueth them to do and folowe trew thynges wherby he putteth away all deceyt craft hypochrysy and simulation as Christe is the treweth and loueth the treweth so he hateth all craft and falsed and it is a meruell that any maÌ„ wyll loue that thing that god hateth so moch as falsed craft deceyt and simulatioÌ„ it is a tokeÌ„ they loue the deuyl a false lyer better theÌ„ god which is alway trew and hateth lyes and falsed it is a woÌ„der to se how some men wyll geue credence to the deuyll lyenge rather then to god saynge treweth and promysynge necessares to all them that seke him in treweth that seke first the kyngdome of god and his iustice it is a token that such be rather the seruauÌ„tes of the deuyl then of god And thefore they mystrustynge god runnes hedlynges to the deuyll and vse his craft and falsed with moche deceyte many lyes gettes their lyuyng to the great hurte of other to their owne iudgement and damnation therfore leue the craftes of the deuyll and folowe Christ and his treweth yf you wyll be saued and come to euerlastynge saluation Secondly folowe honest thynges semynge and becommyng for christians wordy prayse and mete for these that abhorreth vnhonesty fylthy vayne folyshe and tryflyng thynges in the which sayng the apostle wolde that our behauyour of our body in habyte vesture worde dede lacke countenaunce goynge and all thynges about vs shulde be honest and comely for our state and degre and in this thynge he reproueth all them that kepe not semely maners or facioÌ„s in habyte gesture wordes dedes as becommeth their degre or vocation The apostle wolde all thynges to be done semely after a comely order And here he reproueth suche as their vocation requireth them to be sober sadde and discrete men and men of grauite and wysedome that be lyght in maners ful of wordes that do not become their vocation mockers and scorners of other iesters and raylers of all others maners and suche as cause men to laugh when it becommeth their state vocacioÌ„ to be men of grauyte sobriete and to geue to other example of sobernes And here he reproueth all vncleane communication fylthy or baudy wordes vncleÌ„ly maners or iestynges all scoffynge raylynge that do not become christians sober wyse and discret men Thirdly he exhorteth them to do all iust thynges for iustice is that thyng wherby is gyuen to euery one that is dew for him wherby no man shulde desyre but that is his and equall and iust to be gyuen to him by the whiche saynge he condempneth all iniuries wronges rapynes thefte murder crafte falsed in byeng sellyng in chaungynge one thyng for an other and by iustice we be taught to render to god that perteyneth to god and to geue to man that pertayne to man and in this he reproueth those that ascribe to them selfes to their myghtes merites powers the grace of god preseruacioÌ„ of them from euyll remyssion of sinnes and lyfe eternal and that of the merites and wordynes of their workes These thynges muste be of iustice ascrybed onely to Christ our sauyour that is to reconcile vs to the father of heauen to iustifye vs to take awaye our synnes and to gyue lyfe euerlastynge these be workes of god pertaynyng to god and to him onely to be ascribed to none other nether men worde ne dede Fortly he exhorteth men to pure and clene lyuyng for it becommeth christians to be pure and chast in hart mynde soule and body and to flee all adultry fornycation fylthy and vncleane communication and not one fylthy worde to come ones out of their mouthes as the apostle sayth Ephe. 4. Let no fylthy word go ones out of your mouth yea he byddeth these Ephesians Ephe. 5. That no vncleane communication be harde amongest them for the vengeaunce of god commeth vpon suche Fyftly he willeth them to do all thynges that pertayne to loue to do good to all men both to frendes and foes and to please all men in all goodnes humblenes to hurte no maÌ„ but profyte euery man to offende no man and so do good alwaye and in al places after their habilite Syxtly he wylleth them to do these thynges that may get them a good fame and name and to do these thynges that be wordy laude and prayse before god and man that is to do the wyll of god and to pleace god and to kepe goddes commaundementes and in all good workes to walke and that not for to get them a fame or name but that the name of god myght in all thynges be magnifyed and gloryfyed alwaye of all meÌ„ in the world 2. If there be any vertuous thyng yf there be any laudable thynge He moueth them to folow all vertuous thynges and all thynges that be wordy laude or prayse before god or maÌ„ and not in these thynges seke their owne prayse or commendations but the prayse of god that god myght be gloryfyed and his name sanctifyed by the vertuous lyuynge of good men amongest the hethen nacion amongest whom goddes holy name here moch euyll and is euyll spoken on for the wyckednes and synnes of euyl christians that lyueth not accordyng to their profession at the fonte stone He wold they shulde haue in mynde all vertuous and laudable thynges whiche they had learned of him harde and sene in him practised wolde to god that all byshoppes pastors prelates Kynges Prynces Emperours Dukes Earles Lordes Laweers wolde lyue so vertuously so holyly so godly that their lyues myght be a myrrour or glasse to loke in and to spye in them all vertu all humblenes and mekenes loue of god and of his worde vnfaynedly and that they sought the glorye of god the helth of their people more theÌ„ their owne glory pleasure or commodite then the name of
myghtes strength / power or merytes / but to be of god onely / and of his fre grace / and goodnes This place sheweth that we of our owne fre wyll / with out the grace of god / are not able to begynne any good worke / nor to go forth with it / nor to fynysh it / for we of our selfes are not able to thynke any good thought as of our selfe / but all our abylyte is of god 2. Cor. 3. Of our selfe we are not able to wyl any good worke / for god worketh in vs / wylling of good thynges for his good wylles sake Philip. 2. And christe sayth in Iohn 6. with out me you can do no thyng / then what shall we ascribe / to our fre wyll with out christ / and without the grace of god / surely nothynge that is good / euyll commeth of our selfe / and all goodnes of god the father of lyght Iames. 1. And yf these be trew as they be in very dede / then me thynkes that they erre and are to be blamed that saye that we of our fre wyll may do good / maye assent and receyue the grace of god / offered to all men / or not to assent to it / and forsake it yf we lyste / at our pleasure / and fre wyll / oâ— els our wyl they saye con not be fre or called a fre wyll of these men I wolde aske one question whether to assent to the grace of god offered and to receyue it is good or no and yf it be good / as I truste none wyl denye / then it is of god the father / not of vs. Iames. 1. To this question sancte Augustyne make answere / and sayth that in outwarde workes indifferent nother good nor euyll of them selfes / that we haue a certayne fre lyberty to do them / or not to do theÌ„ / as to lyfte vp a straw or to laye it downe agayne but to do any thynge that is acceptable to god / or merytorius as they were wonte to calle workes pertaynyng to our iustification / or to the saluatioÌ„ of a christen man / we can not without the grace of god / nor yet to wyll it / nor to assent to it / it holy hanges of god / and of his grace / and not of vs or of our merytes or good wyll without goddes workyng in vs / and makynge our wyll yll of it selfe good and conformable to his wyll / for the grace of god healeth our euyll wyll / maketh it agreyng to his godly wyll / and so conformable to it / that we wyllyngly and frely and with gladnes do these thynges that god wylleth and coÌ„maundeth / so we holped with the present grace of god of a good wyll and gladly do the workes of god not we do goddes workes but rather the grace of god in vs. Augustin in his boke of grace fre wyll thus sayth Cooperando deus in nobis perficit quod operando incepit quoniam ipse vt velimus operatur incipiens qui volentibus cooperatur perficiens propter quod ait hic apostolus quoniaÌ„ qui operatur in vobis opus bonuÌ„ perficiet vsque in diem Iesu christi vt ergo velimus sine nobis operatur cum auteÌ„ volumus sic volumus vt faciamê° nobiscuÌ„ cooperatur tameÌ„ sine illo vel operante vt velimus vel cooperante cum volumus ad bona pietatis opera nihil valemus Beda hec colligit verba ex augustino in hunc locuÌ„ Pauli 3. As it becometh me to iuge of you all In these wordes the apostle sheweth his harty and louyng mynde towardes these Philippians that he dyd not flatter nor deceyue them with feyned and deceytfull wordes but symply as he thought of them so he spake and iudged of them for he culde thinke none other but that good begynnyng shulde haue a good endynge / and here he teacheth all in theyr yougth to vse and exercyse vertuosnes for as the common sayng is he that in his yougth no vertu wyl vse in age all honour wyll him refuse a sayenge not more coÌ„mon then trew / and also they saye that tymely crowketh the tre that good cammoke will be vse therfore in yougth trew vertu and gette godly learnyng that thou maye haue honour amonges men and glory with god euerlastynge The cause why he thought iuste and conuenient thus to thynke of them because the grace of god leueth or forsaketh no man which before do not leue and forsake god and well doynge and therfore he thought that god wolde not forsake them doyng well and euer goyng for wardes in the knowlege of goddes worde / and in holy workes commaunded by it to be done of the christians and to walke in theÌ„ Ephe. 2 And therfore he thoughte that god wolde worke in them mo and mo good workes and that he wolde not leue them vntyll the hower of death and vntyll the daye of the lorde wheÌ„ he shall come to iudge the quycke and dead and to rewarde all good workes that is to saye all these workes that god hath wroght in vs God is so good and lovynge that these workes whiche he workes in vs he calleth our workes and wyll rewarde them as yf they were onely our workes and not by his grace Esay 36. sayeth / Lorde thou hatst wrought in vs al our workes Also Lyra here sayth as the begynnynge of a meretorius worke is of god so is the contynuance and the ende of it of god The apostle speaketh these wordes not that he wolde make them proude or to be negligeÌ„t to do well but rather that he shulde prouoke them the more to go forwarde in wel doyng to encrease the good hoope he had conceyued and not to lose by negligence the grace of god the assystent helpe and ayde of the lorde 4. Bycause I haue you in my herte as those that are partakers with me of grace in my bondes in defendynge and stablysshyng of the gospel Here be tokeÌ„s of loue towardes them shewed that he remembreth them in herte and in his bondes and presonmeÌ„t which was not for his fautes but for the gospell of god whiche bondes was not to him any shame or rebuke or hinderance to the gospell of god but to his great laude and prayse and to the forderaunce and increasement of the gospell and that by his bondes the gospell was not slaundered but promoted defended and surely confirmed of the whiche we maye learne afflictions persequutions inprysonment bondes chaynes and fetters to the trewe preachers and reachers of goddes worde to be no new thyng to be no shame nor rebuke to suche faythful prechers although fleshe and carnall wosdome other wayes do thynke and iudge flesshe iudgeth affliccions persequucions impresonments to be shamefull to hynder the worde of god but god do make these affliccions to promote his gospell and encrease it and makes the wysedome of the flesshe and of the wordly wysemen to be folyshnes