the fleshe whiche thyng many doeth by whom the worde of God suffreth euill and is euill spoken of emonges Heathen ye emonges christiās and many be offended iudgyng other with them And suche people iudge some to do euill when in eatyng thei doo not euill but that thei maie dooe lawfully by Gods lawe and thei that euill iudgeth offendeth God and not thei that eate with a rectified cōscience geuyng thankes to God knowyng all meates pure to the pure 3 Or in part of the holy daie or new Moone or of Sabboth dayes He forbiddeth one to iudge another for kepyng of the holy daie or not for kepyng of it Of the Sabboth daie it is written Leuiti xxiii and for what intent thei were institute thei were ordinated that the people should rest from all their bodily labors and come together in a mete and conuenient place to here the woorde of GOD to learne to knowe God and theimselfes to glorifie God to praie vnto God one for another to geue thankes to God for his benefites to them and to other to receiue the benefites of the sacramentes of God and that these daies specially men should ceasse from all seruile workes that is from all sinne and to serue GOD truly after that sort as God hath appoynted to bee serued honored and worshipped of all menne in his holy scriptures But alacke for pitie no daie God is serued worse then vpon the holy daie in many places what eatyng drynkyng riotyng and surfetyng cardyng and disyng swearyng and blasphemyng the holy name of God is vpon holy dayes it greueth euery good man to here it see it or to speake of it whiche is vsed more vpon the holy daie then vpon the woorke daie I will not speake of the drūkennes of the vnthriftie spēdyng of mennes substaunce vpon the holy daie ye more then thei can get the whole weke before ye parauenture some thyng of the weeke folowyng shal bee spente or it bee gotten and that when no nede requireth It is no merueill though God doth suffre suche vnthriftes some tyme to neede necessarie thynges in punishment of their synnes and yet parauenture suche vnthriftes and drunkers thynketh thei kepe the holy daie well if thei abstein frō handie labors I wil not speake of adulterie fornicaciō slaundryng backbityng one another of craft falshed deceipt vsurie periurie contencion and debate vsed vpon the holy daie by the whiche the holy daie is broken rather then by handie woorke necessarie to be doen vpō the holy daie and yet the holy daie not brokē but kept God graunte that the holy daie maye be spente as Gods woorde willeth and commaundeth Also he willeth that no man shall iudge another for feastes of new Mones Feastes of newe Moones was celebrated euery monethe assone as the newe Moone did appere for it doeth appere that these Colossiās worshipped the Moone as a GOD and gaue Godly honor to it whiche thyng the Apostle forbiddeth and willeth thē not to honor the Moone as a God for it is no God but the creature of God ordinated for the commoditie of man nor to kepe holy daies to honor the newe Moone nor yet to doo any sacrifice to any Idolle as the Heathen did Al suche false worshippyng of creatures for God is here forbidden as thynges vnlawfull displeasyng God or to kepe holy daie in their names or for their sakes to do sacrifice to theim to honor theim or worship theim 4 Which are shadowes of thinges to come the body verely of Christe As he should saie difference of meates in daies kepyng of holy daies as of the newe Moone of the Tabernacle of Pasche of Pentecoste and suche like are but shadowes of thynges for to come and whē the bodies do come of whiche thei wer shadowes then ceaseth the shadowes when the thing commeth it self then ceaseth the figure the thyng it self is come lette vs care no more for the figure wee haue the body fare well the shadowe These figures and shadowes in the old lawe thei figured Christ the sauiour of the worlde to come thei figured that he should sprynkle his bloud vpon the Crosse for the redempcion and saluaciō of the world Christ is come and hath shed his bloudde for our redempcion and by hym alone we be saued therefore shadowes and figures muste nowe cease and no more be coumpted as necessarie to bee kepte to our saluacion for without theim we be brought to saluacion that is by the mercie grace and goodnes of God the father for Christes sake alone and not for oure merites or deseruynges Let no man make you shote at a wrong marke after his awne chosyng walkyng in humblenes and supersticion of Angelles in those thynges which thei haue not sene goyng vainly puft vp of the mynde of their fleshe not obeiyng their hed of whiche the whole bodie by ioyntes and couples fixed and ioyned receiueth nourishement and doeth increase by the increasement of God Now more at large he monisheth theim to bee ware of pseudoapostles craftie deceiuers whom he setteth furthe in their colours mouyng theim to bee ware of thē that study to plucke awaie from theim their rewarde thei looke for and to geue theim pain for ioye shadowes for the thynges figures for the veritie darkenes for lighte shadowes for the bodies yearthly thynges for heauenly thynges carnall thynges for spirituall thynges Note here how false Apostles deceiptfull iugglers go aboute to deceiue theim and turneth awaie from men their heauenly reward suche be thei that teache Moses for Christ workes of the lawe for the Gospell and woorkes of the spirite for true faithe in Christ Ceremonies and mānes ordinaunces and tradiciōs of like necessitie to Gods commaundementes to be obserued or els of more necessitie And in this these false Apostles are more to be blamed that thei doo it of a set purpose and mynd aduisedly intendyng to deceiue other and in this their malice is more to bee noted and reproued that thei studie to deceiue other and to plucke other from the veritie of the Gospell into heresies suche bee thei that stifly defende workes of the lawe to be kept of necessitie of saluacion as Circumcision Ceremonies and other mennes tradicions to be obserued of like necessitie as the commaundementes of GOD more esteme mannes tradicions then Gods commaundementes those bee thei whiche Paule in this place biddeth vs beware of for thei goo aboute to plucke away from vs our heauenly rewarde 2 By humilitie and supersticiō of Angels Here he sheweth by what meanes thei went aboute to deceiue them that was by humilitie pretendyng great humilitie and mekenes contempte of the worlde of worldely honors and promocions contēpt of carnall pleasures and riches in habite countenaunce and goyng sad and deuoutely pretendyng great holines and perfecciō and nothyng els but holines they would be sene to menne to haue and yet thei were inwardly Hypocrytes dissemblers full of hatered malice and enuie full of pompe and pride coueteous and vainglorious ye verie
displeased God committyng Idolatrie and muche supersticion goyng wanderyng about from one Image to another puttyng truste and confidēce in them sekyng health of body or of soule of ded stockes stones wherein was no health nor holines but from this Idolatrie and darkenes God hath deliuered vs and translated vs into his Kyngdome and made vs iunct heires with Christe to bee partakers of his glory and that not for our merites or deseruynges but onely for the merites of Christe Iesu that suffered for vs By whom wee are redemed from all captiuitie and thraldom of the deuill frō death or hell thus Christe Iesus oure onely sauior and redemer payed that raūsom for vs that we wer neuer able to paie .i. Timothe ii And by Christes bloud shed for vs wee haue remission and forgeuenes of our synnes and not by the Bishop at Romes Pardons bulles or indulgence pilgrimages to Peter of Rome or to Iames at Cōpostella Thomas Becket at Cantorbury or to Etheldrede at Ely the Images of our Lady at Walsynghā or at Ipswyche or to any suche like pilgrimage erected and keped for filthy lucre sake to the dishonor of God to the greate hurt of them that trusted health saluacion or life in suche pilgrimage I will not speake of the greate Idolatrie there committed Note that remission of synnes is onely by Christes bloud and by nothyng els sāguis Christi nos mundauit ab omni iniquitate .i. Iōis .i. The bloud of Christ hath washed vs frō our synnes and saincte Ihon. Apocalipsis .i. saieth that Christ hath wasshed vs frō our synnes in his bloud so redempcion and remission of synne is onely by Christe whiche is the Image of the inuisible God first begotten before all creatures for by hym wer all thynges created whiche are in heauen in yearth able to bee sene or not able to bee sene whether thei be thrones or Lordshippes or pollicies or Potestates all thynges by hym and in hym are created and he is aboue al thynges and all thynges are by hym Nowe the Apostle describeth very plainly what Christ is by whom we haue redempcion and by whose bloud we are purged from our synnes He saieth that Christe is the liuely Image of God the father that cannot bee sene of corporall iyes and that he is the brightnes of the glory of the father and the true image of the substaunce of the father Hebre .i. That is he is equall to the father in deitie power and substaūce and in all thynges as he is God Phili. i. To the which Christ the father hath geuen all thynges and in hym are layed vp all the treasure of the wisedō of the father This Christ is the first begotten of all creatures that is he was before all creatures for the sonne was in the beginnyng the sonne was with God and God was the sonne and all thynges was made by hym and wtout hym was nothyng made Ihon. i. And this sonne was in glory with the father before the world was made as sainct Ihō saieth .xvii. speakyng of Christ Whiche speaketh to his father after this sorte Father glorifie me with the same glory that I had before the worlde was created Christ is called the first begottē sonne of the father not because he was the first borne and other borne after hym but because he was before all other creatures and by whō all other was created and hath their beeyng whether thei bee in heauen as Angelles Archāgelles thrones and other Potestates and powers or thei be in the yearth in the water or vpon the yearth able to be sene or not able to bee sene al thei haue their creacion and beyng by Christe the onely natural sonne of God the father therefore of duetie all thynges created are bound to be obediēt to our sauiour Iesu Christe by whom we haue our creaciō our beyng redempcion iustificaciō sanctificacion iustice and righteousnes and all other mightes and powers that be good in vs for his sake onely and not of our merites or deseruynges And he is the hed of the body of the Churche whiche is the beginning first begotten of the ded that he should bee in all thynges the chief For in hym it hath pleased the father all fulnes to dwel and by hym to reconsile all thynges towardes hym and by the bloude of his Crosse to pacifie al thynges whether thei were in yearth or in heauē that he should make peace through hymself The Apostle goeth furth shewing vs what Christ is he saith he is the hed of the body of the Churche from whence do come all goodnes to the body that is to the whole congregacion and flocke of Christe and that he is the sauer keper and defendor of the whole body of the Churche and the prouider for all necessaries to the body and that by hym is distributed to euery parte of the body necessary foode that without hym all membres doo perishe that bee not fed by hym and in hym that doo not receiue health and life of hym that bee not preserued keped by Christ and defended by Christ the true hed of the churche So Christ is the hed of the Churche and not the bishoppe of Rome as he nameth hymself would be so called whiche thyng is high blasphemy to god not to be suffered emōg Christians that any mortall man should make hymself equall with Christe and would be called by that name that is equall to God God saieth I wil geue my glorie to none other What other thyng doth the bishop of Rome go about callyng hymself the hed of the Churche but to take awaie from Christe his honor and glory and would haue it geuen to himself whiche thyng god wil not suffre Therfore let Bishops of Rome cease from that name and call theimselfes no more hed of the Churche for that is Christe onely as here Paule teacheth and all other let them beware to call Bishoppes of Rome hed of the vniuersall Churche of God least thei offende God and displease God prouokyng God to poure vpon theim his Ire and vengeaunce smite them with eternal death due to suche trāgressors 2 He is the beginnyng first begotten of the ded The Greke saieth he is the beginnyng and the firste begotten of the ded as you would say he is beginnyng firste fountain and aucthor of our life health resurreccion and saluaciō hauyng al goodnes in hymself and distributyng it to other and therefore not without a cause he is chiefest in al thynges to him is due the chief place in all thynges for he is equal to the father in deitie substaunce and effecte in power and might and in all thynges 3 For it hath pleased the father that all fulnes in hym should dwel Now he sheweth by what meanes Christ is called the hed of the body of the Churche that in Christ doth inhabite dwell al fulnes of the goodnes of god the father and by Christe we receiue of Gods goodnes
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
thei neuer were Circumcised Ye also he declareth plainly the lawe and the woorkes of the lawe as Ceremonies and Iudicialles not to bee kept vnder the pain of dampnacion and as necessarie to saluacion as without theim no man could bee saued whiche saincte Paule here improueth and willeth that no man should iudge another good or bad for meate or drinke forbidden in the Lawe of Moses or for kepyng of holy daies or not for kepyng holy daies as Sabboth daies feastes of newe Moones or other holy daies cōmaunded by the lawe whiche if thei bee kepte as indifferent thynges thei make no manne good iust or holy for kepyng of them nor yet thei condempne no man if thei bee necglected or omitted and lefte vndoen therefore no man should iudge another good or euill for dooyng or omittyng these workes abrogated by Christe and left to vs as workes indifferent 2 Lette no manne iudge you in meat or drynke Now he taketh away all holines from meate or drynke willyng that no manne should coumpt holines to be in meate and drynke or in absteynyng from the same for the kyngdom of GOD is not meate or drinke but iustice peace and ioy in the holy ghost Rom. xiii And here he would no manne should iudge another good for absteynyng from meate or drynke or euill for eatyng of meate and drinkyng of drynke This place doth shewe that by Gods lawe meate and drynke are not forbidden to bee eaten of any man nor GOD careth not what maner of meate a man eate so he eate it with sobrietie with geuyng of thākes to God for it as to the onely aucthor and geuer of all meate to all creatures for the necessities of manne to fede the body that it maie be able to serue God and to do the workes of the spirite Learne that it is not the meate that entereth into a manne that defileth hym but that goeth out frō man defileth man as euill thoughtes wordes and deedes adultery fornicaciō murther c. Mat. xv Also learne here that there is no maner of meate forbidden Christians to eate by Gods lawe so thei eate with sobrietie and with thankes geuyng to God yet Christians may not vse alwaie this their libertie for three or foure causes Firste the ordinaunce of hye powers whiche hath decreed some daies of absteinēce from this or that kynde of meate to this ordinaunce of hye powers it becōmeth euery one to bee obedient and to kepe their ordinaunces as long as thei would haue thē kepte as thynges expedient for the commō wealth peace iustice and good ordre or for good pollitique endes As the absteinēce from fleshe the tyme of Lente whiche is an ordinaunce admitted of manne and of hie powers and rulers for many good causes and consideracions when it shall pleace the hie powers to abrogate and take awaie that ordinaunce of the faste of Lent the hye powers maie lawfully take it away as thei shal thinke mete and expedient for the common wealth and yet no parte of Gods lawe taken awaie Many causes I thynke did moue the rulers of the common wealth to institute abstinence from fleshe in Lent tyme. First because that that time of the yere fleshe is for the more parte out of season and not wholesome for mannes bodie and for the more health of mē in their bodies after Easter when thei shal eate fleshe again Secōdly that men should more chastice their bodies that thei beyng fastyng or kepyng abstinence should with more earnest and inwarde affeccion praie to God for thēselfes and for other for ful belies seldō geue feruent praier to God or thākes hartie frō his harte to God for his benefites Thirdly that by abstinēce men should the better mortifie ouercome al carnal affeccions Fourthly because this time of Lēt is a time for beastes to brede in thei should be spared that tyme that more store of cattell should be al the yere after so of more store plentie cattell should bee better chepe Fifthly that by abstinence of Lent men should mortifie their carnall affecciōs and be made more pure and cleane in conscience against Easter that thei mighte at Easter receiue worthely the body and bloud of Christe For these and many other causes expedient for commō wealthes I thynke this time of Lent was instituted of the old fathers of the churche not that the fast of Lēt should iustifie any mā make them holy and good take away sinnes or satisfie for synnes or that the eatyng of fishe should make a mā better before god then the eating of flesh by the outward worke in it self as some hath taughte condēpnyng them for heretiques and lollars that eate but white meate in Lēt season neuer generally forbiddyn by any lawe to bee eaten in this Realme for in the Northe partes alwaie the people did eate white meate in Lent season without any prohibiciō to them by the lawe But this false iudgement of Lente that it should be by Gods lawe commaunded or that it was a Tradicion of Christe or of his Apostles that it was necessarily to bee obserued vnder the pain of dampnacion that it iustified menne toke awaie sinnes made men holy or better then other was a false opinion of Lent not grounded vpon holy scripture But this is come to ignoraūt men by ignoraūce of holy scripture mete and worthie to be improued and spoken again of all true preachers pastors and Curates and of all men And although God hath not appoynted to vs any differēce of meate in daies but saith that all maner of meate is pure to theim that bee pure and that doth eate with genyng of thankes to the lorde for their meate i. Timo. iii. And that it is not the meate that entereth into a man that defileth a mā but it is that goeth out of the mouth that defileth a man Math. xv Yet there is three or foure thynges that prohibeth men to vse their libertie in meate and drinke First is the ordinaunce of the high powers to whom it becommeth euery subiect to be obedient in al lawfull ordinaūces and causes not contrary to Goddes lawe The seconde is the infirmitie or weakenes of our brethrē whom we may not offēde by our meate and drinke Ro. xiiii The third is a conscience erronious thynkyng not lawfull to eate meate and yet against his conscience doth eate that man that so doth offendeth God Nam qui contra conscientiam edit peccat Ro. xiiii i. Corin. viii His conscience erronious should bee rectified and then let hym eate with a streight conscience rectified after true knowlege of Gods worde The fourth maie be for health of mānes body to preserue it from sickenes Fifthly to mortifie carnall affeccions lustes and desires and to make the bodie obedient to the spirite of God and to doo the workes of the spirite This is alwaie to be noted and obserued that no man vse his libertie in meate drynke and in other indifferent thinges to fulfill the desires of
seruice of God called Goddes seruice diuised by manne let other iudge whether it be Goddes seruice or no this I am sure that the seruaunte occupied faithfully and iustely is occupied in Gods seruice And again thei that do not their Masters lawful commaūdemēt shall be punished of God whiche both rewardeth and punisheth without respecte of persone Let euery seruaunt do his duetie to his Master and so is God pleased 3 Masters do you equitie and al equalnes to your seruaūtes You Masters doo your dueties to your seruaūtes let them haue sufficient meate and drynke and other necessaries let them not be idle but set theim to some honest woorkes laye not to muche lode vpon their backes more then thei are able to beare remember that thei with you shal bee felowes in the heauenly inheritaūce Se more if you please Ephe. vi ¶ The .iiij. Chapiter BE instaunt in prayer watche in it with geuing of thākes pray also for vs that GOD might open to vs the doore of his woorde that wee mighte speake the misterie of Christ for the whiche I am bound that I might shewe it as it becōmeth me to speke Of praier he hath spoken of before in the first Chapiter how thei should praie to whom thei should praie what thei should desire in their praiers of whō and for whose sake thei should be heard Now he moueth theim to be constaunt in praier and in theim vs all and to watche in praier with geuyng of thankes to God for his benefites of whō commeth al goodnes and finally he desireth theim to praie for hym This place moueth vs to praier and to be instaūt in prayer and to praie oft tymes with feruent mynde and hartie desire and that wee should desire other to praie for vs beyng a liue as Paule here was and it reproueth our slothfulnes in praier and suche as loue to pray litle will not other to praie for them the praier of a iust man is much worthe with God for it is harde if no impediment be in hym for whom praier is made or if it bee desired of GOD accordyng to his will 2 That God might open to vs the doore of his word For what thyng he desired theim to praye for hym it is shewed that God should open his mouthe that he might speake the woorde not of manne but of God as it did become hym to speake Here wee learne twoo thynges the one is that to speake the worde of God as a manne should doo it is the gifte of God and not mannes will and pleasure the other that it muste be desired of GOD by faithful praier both of the preacher and also of the auditors and that no manne of his awne might and powers can speake the worde of God as he should do excepte that God shall firste open his mouthe and geue hym grace to speake as he should do to the glory of God and to the profite of other 3 For the whiche I am bound Paule was in prison when he wrote this Epistle to these Colossians and he was not ashamed to name his fetters bondes he was in whē he wrote this Epistle for it was not for his awne sake but for the Gospels sake These bee the swete delicates that true preachers and setters furthe of Gods holy worde should looke for in this worlde but in the world to come is eternall delicates prepared for them if thei stād sure to the holy Gospell of GOD and shrinke not from it by no affliccion or persecucion walke wisely toward straūgers redemyng the tyme youre communicacion let it bee alwaie fauourable seasoned with salt that you maie know howe it behoueth you to answere to euery man The Apostle geueth them monicion to walke as it becōmeth towardes straungiers that is wisely as it becommeth wisemē in God in all truthe iustice and righteousnes not as vnwisemen but as wisemē Ephe. v. So that straūgers or foreiners can haue no iuste cause to speake euill of you nor of your maners redemyng the tyme diligētly sekyng oportunitie to doo good to all mē or if in tymes past you haue been euill now be no more euill from hencefurthe studiyng alwaie to profite other 2 Let your communicacion be alway with fauor seasoned with salt What their wordes should bee here is shewed First he willeth that their wordes should be alwaie with fauor that be pleasaunt gentle meke and with sobrietie that thei maie be thankfull to the hearers that setteth furth Goddes glory promoteth his woorde that bryng the loue and feare of GOD and that be profitable and confortable in God and in all goodnes to the hearers This place reproueth all idle speakynges and talkynges of the whiche commeth no profite to man nor glory to God it checketh vain speakynges euill speakynges and all speakynges that tendeth to the hurt or damage to other 3 Let your wordes be seasoned with salte Salt was cōmaūded to be had in all sacrifice Leui. ii By the which was signified heauenly wisedom Salt seasoneth all meates it draweth out corrupt bloud humors it perceth to the bone it is a sharpe eager thyng gnawyng sore So must oure woordes bee seasoned with salte that is spirituall wisedom that seasoneth all thynges and maketh euery man sauery and good willyng glad to please God and to seke those thynges that bryngeth to heauen so it be commeth our wordes to bee seasoned that thei maie sounde nothyng els but Godlines Godly wisedō Godly honor and glory the loue of GOD the feare of God with geuyng thankes to God for his benefites to vs so our woordes should alwaie declare that we be Christians desirous to knowe Christ and his doctryne and to folowe it in our liuyng to moue other by oure good example bothe in woorde and deede to bee followers of Christe This place reproueth foolishe and vain wordes rashe talkyng withour wisedome by the whiche ofte tymes commeth muche hurte 4 That you maie knowe howe it becommeth you to answere to euery manne Now is declared what he meaneth by salte surely nothyng els but that he would haue men to haue that wisedome that thei might knowe how thei should answere to euery manne that their wordes might be thākefull and profitable otherwise menne must answere to princes then to subiectes that not one answere is mete at all tymes to the weake and to the strong in faithe the weake muste be fedde with milke the strōg with strōg meate but alwaie lette your answere be to the glory of GOD and to the profit of other Lerne that of holy scripture whiche is signified by salte you maie lerne all wisedome how you shall answere euery man in al Godlines and goodnes Of all thynges perteinyng to me Lychycus shall certifie you of them our welbeloued brother and faithfull Minister seruaunte in the Lorde whom I haue sent vnto you for this purpose that he might know how you do and comfort you hartes and with hym Onesimus a faithfull brother which