things which hee hath not seene whose authoritie I haue followed but I haue chosen out a more proper and fit worde For in very deede such fellowes breake through and thrust themselues into secretes and hidden thinges whereof God as yet will haue no reuelation or knowledge to come vnto vs. A place to be marked to reproue the rashnesse of such as enquire and search after more than they ought In vayne pufâ—ed vp by the mind of the flesh He calleth the mynde of the fleshe the thorow sight of mans wit how great soeuer it be For he setteth it opposite vnto spirituall wisedome which is reuealed vnto vs from heauen according to that saying Fleshe and blood hath not reuealed that vnto thee Math. chapt 16. ver 17. Whosoeuer he is therefore that leaueth to his owne reason because the force of carnall witte doth wholye and throughly flourish in him Paule sheweth that hee is puffed vp in vayne And surely it is but puffing and wynde whatsoeuer wit it be that men haue of themselues nothing than is firme but in the worde of GOD and by the illumination of the Spirite And note that they are called pufte vp who thrust in themselues into fauour vnder the shewe of humilitie For it falleth out as Augustine doth elegantly write to Paulinus by wonderous meanes in the soule of man that it is more puffed vp and swelleth for false and dissembled humilitie than if openly or manifestly it were proude 19 Not holding the head In one word he condemneth whatsoeuer is not referred to Christ And hee confirmeth his opinyon for that all thinges flowe and depende thereof Therefore if any call vs any whether else than vnto Christ although otherwise he were great with heauen and earth yet is he a vayn and light person and therefore lette vs bee bolde to bidde him farewell But marke of whome he speaketh namelye of those who didde not openlye refuse and denye Christ but suche as not well vnderstanding his office and power soughte out other helpes of saluation and meanes as commonly they call them and were not firmely rooted in him Whereof the whole body This hee simply meaneth that the Church abideth and standeth no otherwise than while all thinges are ministred vnto it by Christ the hedde and therefore that all the safetie thereof is contayned in him The body in deede hath his sinewes his beames ioynts or knittings but yet al these haue no strength or force but from the head so that the whole knitting and binding of them together commeth of it What is than to bee done forsooth the constitution or whole order of the body shall be right if the head alone which ministreth vnto all and singular members all that they haue may without any lette haue the highest place Paule nameth that the Encrease of God whereby he declareth that not euery increase is allowed of God but that which is directed vnto the heade For wee see that the kingdome of the Pope is not alone tall and bigge but that it swelleth with a monsterous greatnesse But seeing it is not there to bee seene that Paule in this place requireth in the Church what shall we say of it but that it is a knobbye and crookebacked body and a disordred and il framed heape or pile which will fall downe vpon it selfe 20 If therefore ye be dead with Christe from the Elementes of this Wolde why are decrees prescribed vnto you as though ye liued in the world 21 Eate not taste not handle not 22 Which all are into corruption by the abuse it selfe after the preceptes and doctrines of men 23 Which in deede haue a shewe of wisedome in superstition and in lowlinesse of the minde and in not regarding of the body not in any honour to the fulfilling of the flesh 20 If ye be dead He sayed afore that the decrees or ordinances were fastned to the Crosse of Christ now he vseth another figure or fashion of speaking viz. that we are dead to them as Galathins cap. 2.19 he teacheth that we are dead to the Lawe and the law in like maner is dead to vs. The word Dead signifieth abrogating or doing away but when he sayth Dead it is more liuely and effectually spoken He sayth than that the Colossians haue nothing to doe with decrees Why so for that they are dead with Christ vnto decrees that is to say after they are dead with Christ by regeneration by his benefite they are deliuered from decrees so that the same belong not any more at all vnto them Hereof he concludeth that they are not bounde by decrees whiche the false Apostles assayed to laye vppon them 21 Eate not taste not Vntill this tyme they haue translated it touche not but whereas by and by followeth another word that signifieth the same thing there is none but he seeth how colde and straunge a repetition it would be Furthermore the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among other thinges signifieth with the Greekes esitare to pickle or eate as I haue translated it Plutarche in the life of Cesar vseth it when he sheweth that his souldyers in extreme scarcitie of all things did eate such things as were not before meete to be eaten And this order once is naturall and also very fit for the circumstaunce of the place For Paule doth in vsing and immitating their own wordes paynte forth how farre their waywardnesse is accustomed to proceede who by their lawes do intangle the consciences Euen from the beginning they are more rough than needes Therefore they begin with forbidding not onely to eate but also to eate lightly or a little After they haue got that which they woulde than goe they beyonde that commaundemente so that afterwarde they pronounce it to bee a great euill to taste that whiche they will not haue eaten At least for a manne but to touche it they make it a Purgatorie matter to deserue the paynes of Purgatorie To bee briefe there is no ende when menne haue taken vpon them like tyrants ouer other mens soules but there are euery day newe lawes put to the olde and many times there start vp newe decrees What a playne and euident view may a man haue hereof in the Papacie Therfore excellently well doth Paule who warneth that mens traditions are a Labyrinth or mase whereby the consciences are more and more enwrapped nay rather snares which doe so bind in the beginning that in processe of time they will at length strangle 22 Which all are into corruption With a double argument he confuteth the decrees wherof he spake first for that they put religion in outwarde and frayle thinges which belong nothing to the spirituall kingdome of God secondly because they are of men and not of God He contendeth with the first argumente also Ro. 14.17 The kingdome of God is not in meate drinke Also 1 Cor. 6.13 Meate for the belly and the belly for meates God will destroy both of them And Christ in himselfe sayth Whatsoeuer entreth
Creator it is to weake yea rather he is confuted of Paule whose words are the man is the Image glory of God 1. Cor. 11.17 Lest therfore we should hold any thing but that which is firme we must note that the word Image is not meant of the essence but hath relation vnto vs. For therefore is Christ the Image of God because he causeth God after a sort to be seene vnto vs although thereof also is gathered the coessence consubstanciallitie For Christ should not truly and in deede represent God except he were the essentiall Word of God seing that in this place he treateth not of those thinges which by coÌ„municating or participating accord also to the creatures but he treateth of the perfect wisedome goodnesse righteousnesse and powers of God which to represent no creature were of sufficiencie Ther shal be than in this word a forcible weapon for vs against the Arrians but yet we muste beginne at the relation which I haue spoken of viz we must not stand in the only essence The sum is that God in himselfe that is to say in his naked maiestie is inuisible that not only vnto bodily eyes but euen to the minds of men also but that he is reuealed vnto vs in Christe alone so that wee maye beholde him as it were in a glasse For he doeth shew forth vnto vs in Christ his righteousnesse goodnesse wisedome strength and power to be shorte himselfe wholy totally we must take heede then that we seeke it not else where for whatsoeuer it is that shall without â—hrist vaunt it self by the name of God it shal be an idoll The first begotten of al creatures The reasoÌ„ why he is thus called followeth by by Because in him all things are created as in the third verse following he is tearmed the first begotten of the dead because we all rise agayne by him Than he is not therefore only the firste begotten because he went before all creatures in time but because he was begotten of the Father for this that by him they should be made and he should be as it were the substance or fouÌ„dation of all The Arrians delt foolishlye who reasoned out of that that he was therefore a creature For it is not here touched what he is in himselfe but what hee worketh or bringeth to passe in other 16 Visible and inuisible The former deuision of heauenlye and earthly thinges comprehended both these kindes But because he meant to auouche this principally of Angels he nowe maketh mention of inuisible thinges That not onely the heauenly creatures which are manifest vnto the eyes but also such as are spirites are made by the Sonne of God And whereas followeth straightwaye Whether Thrones c. it is as muche as if he shoulde saye By what name soeuer they be called By thrones some vnderstande Aungels but I think that rather the heauenly palace of the maiestie of GOD is thereby meant which we must not dreame to be such an one as our mynd or vnderstanding may comprehende but suche an one as is meete for God himselfe We see the sunne moone the whole ornameÌ„t of the heauen but the glory of the kingdome of God is hidden from our sence and vnderstanding because it is spirituall and higher than the Heauens To bee shorte lette vs vnderstande by Thrones that Seate of blessed immortalitie which is exempte from all change and alteration By the other names out of doubte hee meaneth the Angels He calleth them Powers Principallities Dominations or Lordships not because they excersise any regimente which is their owne or else he indewed with force and strength whiche properly belongeth to themselues but because they are ministers or seruauntes to execute Gods power and Domination And it is often vsed that as far as God doth extende put forth his force strength in his creatures so farre forth also doeth hee sette ouer his names vnto them And so hee alone is Lorde and Father but they also are Fathers and lordes whom he vouchsaueth this honoure And thereof it commeth that both Angels and Iudges are called Gods Wherefore in this place also are Aungels set forth with great titles which declare not of what force they are by themselues or apart from God but what God doth by them and what functions and charge hee hath committed to them Whiche thinges must so be taken that nothing bee abated of the glorye of the only GOD. for hee doeth not so communicate and impart his force and strength vnto the Aungels that hee should diminishe himselfe hee doeth not so worke by them that he resigneth or setteth ouer his power vnto them hee will not haue his glory so shine in them that it may be blemished or darkened in himselfe Paule dothe purposedly so honourably extoll the dignitie of the Aungels least any body shoulde thinke that that were a let whereby Christ himselfe should be exalted aboue them Therefore as by way of concession or graunting he vsurpeth these names as if he should say al their excellencie derogateth taketh awaye nothing from Christ although they bee set out with notable titles They that subtillie after a Philosophicall maner doe descant in these wordes to the ende they may pick out of them orders of Aungels maye haue the fruition and vse of their liking but certainlye they straye farre from the mynd of Paule 17 All things are created by him and into him By foure reasons he maketh the Aungels subiecte to Christ 1 That they should not darken his glorye because they were created by him Secondlye because their creation ought to be referred vnto him as vnto a legitimate ende Thirdly that hee was alwayes before they were created Fourthly for that hee sustayneth them with his strength and preserueth them in their estate Although he affirmeth this not of them alone but of the whole world also So doth he place the sonne of God in the highest seate of honour that he may beare rule ouer both Aungels and men and may bring vnder or into frame all the Creatures in heauen and in earth 18 And he is the seede of the body of the Churche hee is the beginning the firste begotten from the dead that he maye bee in all thinges holding the principalitie 19 Because it pleased the Father that al fulnesse should dwell in him 20 And by him to reconcile all thinges vnto himselfe by pacifiing the row the blood of his Crosse thorow him as well those thinges that are vppon the earth as those thinges which are in heauen 18 The hedde of the bodye After that hee hath generallye discoursed touchinge the excellencie of Christe and of his high principallitie ouer al creatures he returneth agayn vnto those things which peculiarly belong to the Church In the word Hed some do consider many things And truly a litle after he wil vse the fame Metaphor I meane Hedde in this sence or meaning that as head in the body of man is in steede of
because this is a true and necessary experiment and triall of our hope whiles we as compassed aboute with death doe seeke life else where than in the worlde 4 But when Christ shall appeare A pleasaunte and godlye comforte that the comming of Christ shal be the manifestation and appearaunce of our life And withall he admonisheth howe preposterous the desire of the life to come is if a man refuse to suffer patiently euen vntill that daye For if our life be shut vp in Christe vntill hee shall appeare it muste needes bee hidden 5 Mortifie therefore your members which are vppon the earth fornication vncleannesse inordinate affectiō euill concupiscence and couetousnesse whiche is Idolatrie 6 For which the wrath of God commeth vpon the childrē of disobedience 7 In which you also walked in time past when you liued in them 8 But now put you away also al wrath fuming maliciousnesse cursed speaking filthie communication oute of your mouth 5 Mortifie therefore Hitherto he hath spokē of the contempt of the world now he goeth farther and intreateth to an higher kinde of Philosophie concearning the mortification of the fleshe That this may be done the more playnly let vs note that mortification is twofolde or double the first respecteth those thinges that are about vs of which he hath entreated hetherto the other is inward namelye of the disposition and will and of our whole nature corrupted and infected And he reckeneth vp certayne vices which he vnproperly calleth members but yet elegantly For he imagineth our nature to be as a masse or sowe cast out of many vices They are then our members which sticke vnto vs as close as it were as burres He also calleth them earthly alluding to that which he spake in the second verse viZ. Not which are vpon the earth but yet in another sence This kinde of speaking is as much as if he had sayde I haue warned you that earthly thinges are not to be regarded yet must you trauayle about this that you mortifie the vices whiche detayne you in the earth And he meaneth that we as long as the vices of the fleshe doe florishe in vs are earthly but we are made heauenlye by the renuing of the Spirite After whoredome hee putteth Vncleannesse by which worde he putteth all kinde of wantonnesse wherewith lecherous men defile themselues Vnto these is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in latine Mollities whiche is englished inordinate affection which comprehendeth all the allurementes of Lecherie Although this word doeth otherwise signifie perturbations or trouble of the mynde and vntemperate motions contrarie to reason yet to this place doth well agree mollities Why couetousnesse is called the worshipping of Images seeke out of the Epistle to the Ephesians lest I should doe one thing twice 6 For which commeth I reproue not Erasmus for translating it is wont to come Yet because the present tence is in the Scripture often taken in place of the future tence according to the manner of the Hebrew tongue I chose rather to leaue you the reading that was the meane whiche might bee fitted to eyther sence Therefore he warneth the Collossians eyther of the vsitate iudgementes of God which are dayly seene or else of the vengeaunce which once he hath denounced to the vngodlye and which hangeth ouer their heades and yet shall not bee manifested before the last day Although I willingly allow that former sence and exposition that God who is the perpetuall iudge of the world is accustomed to punish the wickednesse wherof he speaketh And by name he sayth the wrath of God shall come or is wont to come vpon vnbeleeuers disobedient persons rather then threatneth to them such a matter For God had rather wee shoulde see his wrath in the reprobate that feele it in our selues When the promises of grace are openly pronounced euerye one of the godlye ought no otherwise to embrace them than as properlye appoynted for themselues And so lette vs feare the threatninges of wrath and destruction that that which is allotted which is alotted to the reprobate may bee vnto vs a document or lesson In deede God is often sayde to be also angry with his Children and sometime hee doth sharpely chasten their sinnes But in this place Paule is in hande about eternall destruction the viewe or Spectacle whereof appeareth in the onelye reprobates In summe as often as GOD threatneth hee doeth as it were trauerslye set out vnto vs the payne that wee beholding the same in the reprobate maye be feared awaye from sinning 7 In which ye did walke Erasmus did ill for that hee referred it to men translating it thus amongest whome for Paule without doubt meant it of vices in which he sayth the Colossians were conuersant at what time they liued in them For Liuing and Walking differ one from another as abilitie to doe and doing Liuing goeth afore and Walking followeth Galathians the 5. chapter and 25. verse If you liue in the spirite walke also in the Spirite By these wordes he declareth that it is an heynous thing if they being any longer addicted to vices to which they are dead by Christ are giuen ouer vnto thē Loke the 6. chapter to the Romaynes It is an argument taken from the priuation or taking away the cause to the priuation or taking awaye the effect 8 But now c. That is seeing you haue ceased to liue in the fleshe For this is the force and nature of mortification that all corrupt affections are quenched in vs so that hereafter sinne engendereth not in vs his accustomed fruites Whereas I haue translated it fuming in greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word signifieth a more hastie or heady kinde of heate than is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And here he reckoneth vp kindes of vices that are contrary to the former as you may readily see 9 Lye not one to another seing you haue put off the olde man with his deedes 10 And you haue put on the new man whiche is renewed into knowledge after the image of him which created him 11 Where there is no Greeke nor Iewe Circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bondman nor freeman but Christ all thinges and in all thinges 12 Put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloued the bowels of compassion courtesie humility kindnesse long suffering 13 Forbearing one another and forgiuing if any haue a controuersie against another as Christ hath forgiuē you so doe you also 9 Lye not When he forbiddeth lying he condemneth all maner of subteltie and all euill practises of deceite and falshoode for I doe not take it as meant of slaunders onely but generally I make it contrarye to sinceritie and true dealing therefore I might more briefely thus translate it and I cannot saye whether also better Lye not one to another And hee prosecuteth that his argument of the societie or fellowshippe whiche the faythfull haue with the death and resurrection of Christe but he vseth other manners of