He exhorteth them most instantly to keep the vnitie of the Church, and to humble themselues
for that purpose one to another, 5. by the example of the maruelous humilitie of Christ, 9.
specially seeing how maruelously he is now exalted for it. 12. Item to obedience, feare, and
perseruerance. 17. Insinuating (lest it should afterwards trouble them) that he may be martyred at
this time. 19. Timothee he hopeth to send, whom he highly commendeth: 25. as also Epaphroditus, whom
he presently sendeth.
1. IF therfore there be any consolation in Christ, if any solace of charitie, if any
societie of spirit, if any bowels of commiseration;
2. fulfil my ioy, that you be of one meaning, hauing the same charitie, of one
mind, agreeing in one.
3. Nothing by contention, neither by vaine glorie: but in humilitie,
*
Ro. 12,10.
each
counting other better then themselues:
4.
⋮
The Epistle vpon Psalme Sunday. And vpon Holy Rood day, May. 3.
*
1. Cor. 10,24.
euery one not considering the things that are their owne, but those that are
other mens.
5. For this thinke in your selues, which also in Christ Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ;
6. who when he was in the forme of God, thought it no robberie, himself to be equal
to God:
7. but he exinanited himself, taking the forme of a seruant, made into the similitude
of men, and in shape found as a man.
8.
⋮
The Epistle vpon Holy Rood day Septemb. 14. And in a Votiue Masse of the Holy
Crosse.
He
*
Heb. 2,9.
humbled himself, made obedient vnto death: euen the death of the crosse.
9. For the which thing God also hath exalted him, and hath giuen him a name which is
aboue al names:
10. that
*
Es. 45,14.
Ro. 14,11.
in the name of Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ euery knee bow of the celestials, terrestrials,
and infernals:
11. and euery tongue confesse that our Lord Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ Christ is in the glorie
of God the Father.
12. Therfore, my Dearest, (as you haue alwaies obeied) not as in the presence of me
only, but much more now in my absence, with feare and trembling worke your saluation.
13. For it is God that worketh in you both to wil and to accomplish, according to
his good wil.
14. And doe ye al things without murmurings and staggerings:
15. that you may be without blame, and the simple children of God, without
reprehension in the middes of a crooked and peruerse Generation. Among whom you shine as lights
in the world:
16. conteining the word of life
✟
Such as haue by their preaching gained any to Christ, shal ioy and glorie therin
exceedingly at the day of our Lord.
to my glorie in the daie of Christ, because I haue
not runne in vaine, nor in vaine laboured.
17. But and if I be
✟
Pastours ought to be so zelous of the saluation of their flock, that with S.
Paul they should offer themselues to death for the same.
immolated, vpon the Sacrifice and seruice of your faith, I
reioyce and congratulate with you al.
18. And the self-same things doe you also reioyce, and congratulate with me.
19. And I hope in our Lord Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ, to send Timothee vnto you quickly, that I
also may be of good comfort, when I know the things pertaining to you.
20. For I haue no man so of one mind that with sincere affection is careful for you.
21. For
✟
Many forsake their Teachers when they see them in bands and prison for their faith,
because most men preferre the world before Christ's glorie
al seeke the things that are their owne; not the things that are Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ
Christs.
22. And know ye an experiment of him, that as a sonne the Father, so hath he serued
with me in the Ghospel.
23. This man therfore I hope to send vnto you, immediately as I shal see the things
that concerne me.
24. And I trust in our Lord that my self also shal come to you quickly.
25. But I haue thought it necessarie to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and
coadiutour and fellow-souldiar, but your Apostle, and minister of my necessitie.
26. Because indeed he had a desire toward you al: and was pensiue, for that you had
heard that he was sicke.
27. For indeed he was sicke euen to death: but God had mercie on him: and not only
on him, but on me also, lest I should haue sorrow vpon sorrow.
28. Therfore I sent him the more speedily: that seeing him, you may reioyce againe,
and I may be without sorrow.
29. Receiue him therfore with al ioy in our Lord: and such intreat with honour.
30. because for the worke of Christ, he came to the point of death: yealding his life,
that he might fulfil that which on your part wanted toward my seruice.
ANNOTATIONS.
Cʜᴀᴘ. II.
9. For the which.)
Caluin's blasphemie against Christ's owne merits.
Caluin doth so abhorre the name of merit in Christian men toward their owne saluation, that
he wickedly and vnlearnedly denieth Christ himself to haue deserued or merited any thing for
himself: though these wordes (which he shamefully writheth from the proper and plaine sense,
to signifie a sequele and not a cause of his exaltation) and diuers other in holy writ, proue
that he merited for himself according to al learned mens iudgement. As Apoc. 5. The Lamb
that was slaine, is worthie to receiue power and Diuinitie. And Heb. 2. We see IESVS for
the passion of death, crowned with glorie and honour. See S. Augustin vpon these
words of the Psalme 109. propterea exaltabit caput.
10. Name of IESVS.)
The Protestants wil haue no reuerence done at the name of IESVS.
By the like wickednes they charge the faithful people for capping or kneeling when they
heare the name of IESVS. As though they worshipped not our Lord God therin, but the
syllables or letters or other material elememts wherof the word written or
spoken consisteth; and al this, by sophistication to draw the people from due honour
and deuotion toward CHRIST IESVS, which is Satans drift by putting scruples into poore
simple mens minds about his Sacraments, his Saints, his Crosse, his name, his image, &
such like, to abolish al true religion out of the world, and to make them plaine
Atheists.
How Catholikes honour the name of IESVS, and other things pertaining to him.
But the Church knoweth Satans cogitations, and therfore by the Scriptures and
reason, warranteth and teacheth al her children to doe reuerence when so-euer IESVS is
named. Because Catholikes doe not honour these things nor count them holy, for their matter,
colour, sound, and syllables, but for the respect and relation they haue to our Sauiour,
bringing vs to the remembrance and apprehension of Christ, by sight, hearing, or vse of the
same signes: els why make we not reuerence at the name of Iesus the sonne of Sirach, as
wel as of IESVS CHRIST? And it is a pitieful case to see these prophane subtelties of
Heretikes to take place in religion, which were ridiculous in al other trade of life.
When we heare our Prince or Soueraigne named, we may without these scruples doe obeisance,
but towards Christ it must be superstitious.
12. With feare and trembling.)
Veine securitie of saluation.
Against the vaine presumption of Heretikes that make men secure of their predestination
and saluation, he willeth the Philippians to worke their saluation with feare and
trembling, according to that other Scripture, Blessed is the man that alwaies is
fearful. Prouerb. 28, v. 14.
13. Worketh in you.)
S. Augstin answereth the obiection against free-wil.
Of this thus saith S. Augustin: Not because the Apostle saith, it is God that worketh
in you both to wil and worke, must we thinke he taketh away our free-wil. For if it were
so, then would be not a litle before haue willed them to worke their owne saluation with
feare and trembling. For when they be commanded to worke, their free-wil is called vpon:
but, with trembling and feare, is added, lest by attributing their wel-working to themselues,
they might be proud of their good deeds as though they were of themselues. August. de
gratia & lib. arbit. c. 9.
17. The Sacrifice.)
Martyrdom.
The obedience of faith and Martyrdom be so acceptable actes to God, when they be
voluntarily referred to his honour, that by a metaphore they be called sacrifice &
pleasant Hosts to God.