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
lefte that goddes name may not be called on but in a trwe matter when nede shal be with great honour and reuerence accordyng And for the same I praye that your loue maye encrease more more in all maner of knowlege and in all experyence that ye maye proue what is best that ye maye be pure and such as hurte no mans conscience vnto the daye of christ fylled with the frutes of ryghtusnes which come by Iesus christ vnto the glory prayse of god Consyder here good reader what Paule desyreth in his prayers to these Philippians he desireth them to be increased more and more in charyte and in all knowledge and spirituall vnderstandyng of god and of christ Iesu and in these he teacheth vs what thyng we shulde desyre to other to wisshe charyte and spirituall knowleg to be increased more and more to other / he also teacheth that it is the office of euery good christiane to desyre and get more and more knowlege of god and of christ Iesus and that we maye as longe as we lyue euer gette more and more knowelege of god that no man be he neuer so well learned shulde thynke him to haue all knowlege of god or so suffient lerned that he shulde desyre no more knowlege and as they do increase in spirituall knowleg so he wolde haue them increase in fayth anâ— in charite and in godly lyuynge And this place is agâ—ns these men that wolde the laye people that be very ignorant of god of his worde to haue no more knowlege then they haue and be sory they haue so moch knowlege in goddes worde as they haue this place reproueth all them that be ydle and wyll not learne or study to haue spirituall knowlege but be so ydle that they had rather spende the hole daye yea the hole weke and moneth at tables cardes dyse then to here a sermone to reade a chapter of the new testameÌ„t or of the olde such be many curates and blynde prestes and pastours in inglande that be ignorant in goddes worde and will not study to haue more knowlege but wyll spende the hole daye and weke at tables and cardes raylyng vpon learned meÌ„ and trew preachers of goddes worde callyng them heretykes and saynge it was a mery worlde wheÌ„ there was not so moch spoken of goddes worde nor so moch knowlege cursyng and bannynge them that broughte so moche knowlege of it to men / sayng they wolde go a huÌ„dreth myle barfot to burne such heretyke knaues â–ª well how so euer they rayle of trewe preachers that seketh only goddes glory the helth of such blynde guydes or blynde prestes and the saluation of the people commytted to their spirituall charge suche ydle curates or people be here reproued and admonished to study to gette more spirituall knowlege of christe Iesu / also this place â—ecketh all them that coÌ„tempneth and dispiseth holy scripture and the holy learnynge of it that wyll not come to sermonnes and lecâ—ours of holy scripture when they maye but wyll walke in the churche in the tyme of the sermonde or kepe them ydle at hoâ—e or euyll occupyed when they knowe there is a sermonde of goddes worde or wyll at that tyme get them to brekefaste that they absent them from the sermoÌ„de so they fâ—ee from god to the deuyll forsake their saluation and ronnes hedlynges into death and dampnation excepte they repent and amende This place also maketh agayne all them that go about to persuade the laye people that it is sufficient knowlege for them to learne and knowe their pater noster so they cal our lordes prayer and that they haue no nede to know any more of goddes holy doctrine but these that be wyse lette them leue suche doctryne and they them selfes vse all diligence to learne more and more knowlege of goddes holy worde and teache all other so to do and increase in the same and as they increase in learnynge so let them increase in godly lyuynge 2. That you maye proue what is best that you may be pure and such as hurte no mans conscience vnto the daye of christ fylled with the frutes oâ— ryghtuosnes which come by Iesus christ vnto the glory and prayse of god Here is the cause declared why he desyred them to get all spiâ—ytuall learnynge and inâ—rease in the same that they myght disceâ—ne and trewly iudge what is good what is euyll what is for their saluation what is agaynste it that they myghte knowe lyghte from darkenes and darkenes from lyghte swete from soure and soure from swete and not to iudge lyghte darkenes and darkenes lyght lyfe to be death and death lyfe and so to runne into dampnation thretned to suche â—uyll iudgers Esaye 5. And here he requireth of euery manne that they shulde haue a pure and iuste iudgement whiche can not be with out trew knowlege of gods holy worde by the whiche good is knowne from euyll and lyghte from darkenes lyfe from death and this place reproueth and condempneth all vntrewe and false iudgementes preposterous iudgementes in matters perteynynge to saluation of the soule Lacke of knowlege of holy scripture is and hath bene the cause of moche myschefe and of many peryllous and false iudgementes in the worlde as had all they that iudged christe Iesus that innocent lambe that neuer dyd synne in whose mouth was founde no disceâ—t nor falsed or crafte to be a synner a dronkerd a deuourer of meate lyke in sinne to publicanes and syfiers whose company he vsed to make them good as â—e dyd in dede that called him a blasphemer of god a deceuer of the people that caste out deuylles in the name of Beelzebub and that he had a deuyll with in him / suche was the false iudgementes here reproued of the scriâ—es and pharyseis of christ Iesus So Tertullus the orator Actes 24. Called saynt Paule an here tyke and a pestileÌ„â— man his doctrine heresy so now a dayes many call the doctryne of the gospell of god new doctryne and heresy and the teachers of it heretykes all such false iudgements the apostle here reproueth and condempneth them that so iudge to hell fyre Esaye 5. If they do not here repente and amende and learne better knowlege that they iudge better and more trewly Also here is reproued all preposterous iudgementes as was all the iudgementes of them that preferred voluntary workes as pylgrymage offerynge vp of candells to images gyltynge of images and such lyke not coÌ„maunded of god before the workes of marcy commaunded of god to the christiaÌ„s to do ignorance was the cause why voluntary workes was preferred before goddes commaundemeÌ„tes yf men had knowen workes of mercy to be more thankefull to god better to haue pleased him and more acceptable to him I thynke many good men moch gyuen to voluntary workes more then to workes of marcy for more they dyd bestowe vpon suche voluntary workes then they dyd gyue for the relefe of the poore yea they were moch
submission when we maye awance our selfe aboue other but of humblenes we do not 2. The apostle compareth him selfe with the pseudoposteles and in their glorye of the fleshe he gyueth no place to them as yf any wolde saye I come of the holy fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob and am circumcised in them wyll reioyce and bost them selfes In the same thynges sayth Paule I maye as well as they reioyce for I come of these holy fathers that is of the israelites y◅ of the trybe of Beniamyn and was circumcised the eyght daye borne of the Iewes and not of the gentyles or proselytes new commed and professed the lawe of the Iewes to kepe And yf any pseudoposteles do bost him of his holy secte or professiō of religion and saye he is of the most holy secte of the pharises the best and holyest religion of all amongest the Iewes of the same maye I reioyce sayth Paule for I am a pharisey and of that religiō a brother or yf any do thynke them selfes famous of zeale and loue they haue to the kepyng of the lawe in thē selfes and in other in that thynge I nede to gyue no place to any man sayth Paule for I kept that law blameles so that no man colde iustly reproue me for it and as tochīg other that was thought to haue transgressed the lawe I persequuted them and brought to prison and to death such was my zeale as touchynge the lawe whiche both I kepte and wolde other shulde haue kepte it This place sheweth vs that Paule was a Iewe borne both of father and mother of the trybe of Beniamyn circumcised the eyght daye of the secte of the pharises a keper of the lawe outwardly without reproche and of a blynde zeale to the obseruacion of the law to haue persequuted christen mē and women as is writen more at large Actes 9. But the thynges that were vantage vnto me haue I counted losse for christes sake yea I thinke all thynges but losse for that excellēt knowleges sake of christ Iesu my lord for whome I haue counted all thynges losse and do iudge them but donge that I myght wynne christ be founde in him not hauynge myne owne ryghtuousnes whiche commeth of the lawe but by the fayth of Christe namely the ryghtuonsnes whiche commeth of God in fayth to knowe hym and the vertue of his resurrection and the felowshyp of his passion that I maye be conformable vnto his deth yf by any meanes I might attayne to the resurrection of the dead Now the apostle do not moch bost him selfe of his kynred the Iewes of the holy fathers he come of of his circumcision of his holy religyon of his diligent kepynge of the lawe outwardely without faute or blame of his zeale of the which he hath auanced him selfe before men and before the world and haue counted these thynges as lucre to him or aauntage and moche to haue helped him to sustice before god but he now bosted not him of these thynges for he knewe they profited him no thynge to trewe iustifycation before god for that iustice before god commethe not to vs of the fleshe of holy fathers of workes of the law of out good blinde zeales wantyng goddes worde but of the mercy of god by Iesus Christ 2. Chynges that were vauntage vnto me haue I coūted losse for christes sake Marke how saint Paule altered and chaunged his iudgement that these thynges which he counted somtime before he came to the trew knowlege of Christe to be vauntage to him and to helpe to iustification before god thes same thinges he after wardes when he came to the trew knowlege of Christ he estemed thē as no helpers to trew iustification before god but rather for hurte and hinderaūce to his iustice in the sight of god So amōgest vs there hath bene many thynges whiche we haue estemed for vertu and to furder our ryghtuousnes be fore god which now we know nother for vertu nor yet to helpe to our iustification before god as was many dyuers religions of men and women their obseruances ceremonies seruyce and traditions more straytly keped amongest them then goddes worde and the breakyng of them more straytly punyshed then the breking of gods law yea how many was in religion that thought they shulde be sauyd by their religion habyte coote coull beryed in their habit with in their monasteries as they called them But let all these not be ashamed to alter and change their iudgementes with Paule and knowe that all these thynges wyll not iustifye them before god without fayth in Christ amendement of lyfe and walkyng in a new lyfe Also how manye hath thought perdons pylgrymages deckyng of Images with golden clothes of sylke veluet dammaske and offerynge vp of candells to thē not to haue bene meritorious workes and be to preferred before workes of mercy commaunded of god or els they wolde not haue bene so ready to do these workes and so loth to do other workes commaunded of god but now let them with Paule acknowlege their ignoraunce and blynd iudgementes and chaunge them as Paule dyd brought to a more trewer knowlege of god and of his treweth and not be ashamed to thynke and iudge other wayes then they haue iudged before when they were in ignoraunce and in blyndnes lackyng trew knowlege of goddes holy worde by the which they are delyuered from their ignoraunce for the whiche laude and prayse be to god euer amen 3. yea I thynke al thynges but losse for that excellent knowleges sake of Christe Iesu my lorde Now he declareth more at large wherfore he counted these thynge hurtfull to him whiche before he counted for his auauntage that was for the excellēte knowlege of Christ and of his treweth whiche he wanted before when he of ignoraunce and of a blynde and wycked zeale persequuted the church of Christ Note here what trewe knowlege of Christe doth it altereth and chaungeth men their iudgementes and maners and maketh these as they were new made agayne and to condemne these workes whiche they before estemed iudged good workes yea it maketh mē to counte all worldly ryches goodes landes and possessions as hurte dunge or duste for Christ and for the knowlege of Christe that he myght wynne to him Christe whome the good men preferreth aboue all worldly riches or treasures that he myght be made iuste onely by Christe Here we lerne of Paule to repete one matter wordy to be noted and surelye prynted in all mennes myndes ones or twyse or thryse yf nede be that it myghte be fyxed and roted more suerly in mens hartes and myndes Here he preferreth Christe and the knowlege of him aboue all ryches or treasures of this worlde shewyng that it is better for vs to lacke all worldly ryches thē to lacke Christ and his word for he that hath Christ he hath all thynges all ryches for in Christe be put all the treasure of the wysedome and knowlege of god Colo. 2. For Christe is our
before hym and in his syght Here the apostle brynketh these Philippians to his loue firste in that he dyd gyue god thankes for them that they had receyued the gospell and was made partakers of eternall health declared by the gospell to them Secondly he getteth theyr loue in that he prayed for theÌ„ alwaye in his prayers to god desyryng and wysshing them good and godly thynges as mercy peace fouour and loue with god the father and suche lyke Thirdely they culde not but loue him which not onely in wealth and prosperyte dyd remembre theÌ„ wysshe them good and prayed for them but also dyd remembre them in his affliccions and in preson for the gospell sake preached to the gentyls and wrote vnto them so coÌ„fortable and also profytable an epistle Also here he remembreth his affliccions whiche he calleth the defence confyrmatioÌ„ of the gospell and therfore rather to be loued and wysshed for then to be hated of any christiane so the apostle calleth his affliccions for the gospell the defence of the gospell 2. Timo. 4. In my firste defence no man was present with me I praye god it be not imputed to them of god but the lorde whiche was â—uer present with me and dyd strength me that by me the gospell shulde be preached and the gentyles here the gospell And I was delyuered from the mouth of the lyon so he calleth Neâ—o the Emperour a lyon for his â—ruelnes so Paule vsed him selfe in preson and defended the gospell that the gospel was stoutly defended and also greatly increased by his imprisonment as here after is shewed / so afflyccions imprysonment persequutions and death of faythfull preachers be not shamful worthy rebuke nor be hynderaunce to the gospell but be lawdable defende promote and increase it and therfore faythfull ministers of goddes worde haue no cause to be sory in theyr trybulations for the gospels sake but rather to reioyse and be glade for such be blessed of god that suffers for christ and for his worde and shal be pertakers of glorye with christe and so shall they all be that suffers with christe Roma 8. wherfore he sayth you Philippians as you be partakers of my affliccions and so with me suffer with christe / yf you contynew with me in myne affliccions you shal be partakers of the grace glory and euerlastynge lyfe with me which thyng I thynke it meate to thynke of you all for so good begynÌ„ynges makes me to haue that good hoope in you that you wyll coÌ„tynew to the ende well doing 5. For god is my recorde how I longe after you all euen from the very herte rote in Iesu christe The apostle bryngeth in god to wytnes which knoweth all thynges and the secretes of mans harte for god is onely the sercher of the harte that he spake these wordes of no carnall affection or for any lucre sake but for the pure loue he had towardes them that he loued them for no other cause but that he dyd se them louers of christe and of his holy worde and them suche as declared by theyr lyuynge that they loued god had receyued his worde and was doeâ—s of it and that they were constante in it and therfore worthy praise Here we may learne of Paule that it is lauful for christe meÌ„ soÌ„times to briÌ„g in god for wytnes as here Paule dyd confyrme the trewth spokyn which thyng was for the glory of god and for the profyt of other and to confyrme boundes of peace made the better to be keped bycause of the promyse confyrmed by an othe whiche shulde in no wyse be broken sweryng in euery tryâ—…yng matters and for lyght thynges nor yet in dayly coÌ„munication and where no nede is to confirme godes trweth nor profyt to other shulde not be amonges christen men lesse by ofttymes sweryng men runne in to periury to blasphemy of god on reuerent take goddes name and so breake goddes coÌ„maundement offende god and prouoke him to angre and to powre his vengeance vpon suche swearers for it is wrytten that the sworde of goddes vengeance shall not go from the house of him that is periured feare therfore to swere that you maye escaâ—e the punishmente of god that is threatned for suche as take the name of god in vayne and wyll swere by the blessed body of oure lorde by his armes sydes feet legges gottes and by all his members by the holy masse at euery worde they speake or in euery smal matter where no nede is to swere where no iuste cause compelleth them to swere to suche it is spoken Deut. 5. that he shall not be vnpunisshed that taketh the name of god in vayne or bryngeth in his name onreuerenly for his name is to be sanctified and halowed alwaye and god is not to be brought in wytnes of a false matter or to coÌ„firme our lyes for god wyll punysshe al such that abuse his holy name / it greueth al good men to here the great swerynge that is vsed comenly of all men and specyally of soudgers seruynge men and courchars how at euery worde goddes holy name shal be blasphemed and that they rebuked for it wyll not or can not leaue sweryng because they haue accostemed them selfes with blasphemy of god but yf they wil contynew styll in theyr euyll custome it wyll brynge them to the deuyll euerlastynge death and dampnation it were better for them to leue theyr euyll custome be tyme then to go to the deuyll Also god wyll not suffer such blasphemers to be on punyshed but he wyll other punishe them here in this worlde or elles in the worlde to come or peraduenture in both as oftymes it chanâ—…tâ— that sweares be both punished here and in the world to come here god punysheth suche with pouerty hungrye colde imprysonment spâ—knes euyll deathes and sodene deathes yea and with this punishmente they be punâ—shed here that all good men flyeth theyr company abhorreth theyr coÌ„municatioÌ„ and hateth their blasphemous wordes and this thynge are great swearers sure of that these that be great swearers be leste trusted therfore yf feare of god wyâ—l not with drawe euyâ—l men from swearynge and blasphemy let the wordly punishment plucke them froÌ„ it let hye ruelers make strait lawes for peâ—iury and sweryng let them swere not them selfes but when nede shall require let them vse fewe othes for the multitude of othes maketh othes lesse set by and periury vnpunyshed maketh it to be counted as no synne or offence to god nor to man whaâ— queste impanneled and sworne by an othe vpon a boke wyâ— not do some thyng contrary to theyr othe at the request of them that beareth the rule and swynge in that shyre they are in what thyng shall not go on their syde and at their peasure examples may be sene in to many places shyres god amend it and make hye rulers to loke vpoÌ„ the matter that periury and blasphemy of goddes holy name maye be auoyded and this euyll vse of sweryng
iustice holynes wysdome redemptiō the lyght the waye the veryte and the lyfe by whome commeth all goodnes therfore he that hath Christ he hath all thynges and he that wanteth Christe he hath nothynge and yf we lose Christ we shall lose lyght iustice the waye to the father treweth and lyfe And I am soore afrayed that we shal lose Christ shortly from amongest vs in so moche that the knowlege of Christ and of his holy word is so lytell estemed or regarded specially of bysshoppes and hye rulers who shulde most regard it and prowyde that there shuld be many to preache and teache Christ and his doctryne and for suche prouyde honest lyuynges with quietnes or els there shal be none or fewe that wyll or shal be able to preache and teache Christes gospell and so shall Christ be taken awaye from vs and the people peryshe 4. And be founde in him not hauyng myne owne ryghtuousnes whiche commeth of the lawe but by fayth of Christe He goeth forwarde shewynge wherfore he contemned all worldly gooddes that he myght wynne to him Christ that he might be iustified by christ and not by the lawe his merites or suffrages of other Here Paule maketh two iusticies the one of the lawe after the whiche he walked when he persequuted the churche of god and was without blame before men of that iustice none is made iuste before god The other iustice is of trew fayth in Christe Iesu that worketh by charite at all oportunite and occasion geuen of the which is iustification receyued and had as by the meane for god is he which iustifyeth Roma 8. And by whom we be saued onely of his mercy through faith and not of our workes leste we shulde reioyce Ephe. 2. And yet we may not cease frō doyng of good workes whiche necessaryly be required of vs to walke in as to repent of our furder lyfe in synne to amende our lyfe forsake synne haue fayth hope charite and fynally to walke in a new lyfe in all vertu and godlynes 5. To know him and the vertu of his resurrection and the felow shype of his passion yet he contyneweth shewynge wherfore he counted all his for dounge or dust that he myght haue trew iustice by fayth in Christe that is remyssion of sinnes and lyfe euerlastyng which they opteyne with Christ whiche trewly knoweth Christe his resurrection and the vertu therof before made pertakers of his passion that haue dyed with Christe and be beryed with him that haue died from their synnes returne no more agayne to them but ded from euyll lyfe by the spirite of god and walke in a new lyfe suche shall come to the knowlege of Christes refurrection be made partakers of his glory for that ende Paule contempned all worldly ryches pleasures that he myght come to the resurrection of the ded that is that he myght be partaker of immortall glory with Christe the cause of the resurrection of all them that be ded in Christ the author of all their ioye and glory And that he myght come to that glory which they now haue that died in Christe Thus Paule contempned worldly thynges for the excellēt knowlege of Christ to wynne Christ to fynde ryghtuousnes in Christ to know the vertu of Christes resurrection and the felowshyp of his passion to be made confirmable to Christes death that he myght come to the resurrection i. vnto that glory that they haue that died in Christe To teache vs to do suche lyke to him and to count all worldly thynges nothyng in comparyson to Christes gospell to these holy thynges we optayne by Christe Note that I haue attayned vnto it all ready or that I am all ready perfecte but I folowe yf I maye comprehende that wher in I am comprehended of Christe Iesu Bretherne I counte not my selfe yet that I haue goten it but one thynge I saye I forget that which is be hynde and stretche my selfe vnto that whiche is before and preese vnto the marke apoynted to optayne the rewarde of the hye callynge of god in Christe Iesu Although Paule had optayned ryghtuousnes by fayth before god yet he thought him selfe not perfecte without all synne whiche no man can be lyuyng in this synfull fleshe as sayth the Euangelyst saynt Iohn 1. Iohn 1. Therfore euery one must study to mortyfye carnall affections and put away all synne by the spirite of god that he myght attayne trewe iustice before god and to be as perfecte as is possible for him to be in this corporall body Here we maye learne of Paule that holy menne in this lyfe was not without all synne and carnall affections nor in all thynges perfecte as here Paule confesseth him self not to haue attayned all iustice before god nor yet to be perfecte but to labor and endeuour him selfe with all his myghtes powers to come to perfection so let vs study and with all dylygence inforce our selfe to come to perfection that we maye be holy and godly and so without fawte or blame that these synnes whiche be in vs be not imputed to vs of god for synnes that we maye be blessed for he is blessed not he that hath no synne but he to whome god imputeth not his synne as sayth Dauyd in the. 31. psalme 2. I forget that which is behynde and stretche my selfe vnto that which is before Here the apostle sheweth playnely that he had not attayned as yet that thynge he desyred but that he with all diligence study and laboure counted to come to it and optaine it and therfore he forget these thinges that was behinde him as all worldly thynges as holy fathers circumcision kepyng of the lawe his holy religion his zeale of the lawe and such like and dyd loke at these thynges whiche was before his eyes that was vnto the glory and lyfe to come And here he taketh a similitude of these that runne in a renke for a wager suche runners do not loke behynd them to se how moch grounde they haue runne but they loke before them and vnto the place they runne desyryng victory and the wager promysed to the wynners so let vs all not loke behynd vs that is to oure olde synfull lyfe and to the waye of perdicion in the whiche we haue runne in tymes past but loke before vs that is to amende our lyfe forsake synne and let vs walke in a newe lyfe desyrynge iustyce onely by Christe and with diligence and study let vs indeuour our selfes to come to the eternall lyfe promysed to suche as shall walke in the commaundements of god and kepte them iustly and so runne in the renke of this world tyll he come to the ende and optayne vyctory ouer all his enemyes and receyue the wager promysed to such as shall runne trewly accordynge to their vocation that is euerlastynge glory and lyfe in Christ Iesu and by Christe our onely redemer and sauyour Let vs therfore as many as be perfecte be thus mynded and yf ye