cum volumus, ad bona pietatis opera nihil valemus." Beda hæc colligit verba ex Augustino in hunc locum Pauli. (i. e. " By working with us, God perfects in us, that which he began by his own operation : for he who perfecteth the work by working with us when we are willing, himself beginneth the work, that we do will; according to what the Apostle saith in this place, that he which hath begun that good work in you, shall perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Therefore, God without us worketh, that we may have a good will; but when we have that good will, and so will that we perform it, he worketh with us: yet without him, either working in us that we may have a good will, or working with us, when we have that good will, we can avail nothing towards good works of piety." Bede gathereth these words out of Austin on this place of Paul.)

As it becometh me to judge of you all. In these words the Apostle sheweth his hearty and loving mind towards those Philippians, that he did not flatter nor deceive them with feigned and deceitful words; but simply, as he thought of them, so he spake and judged of them. For he could think none other, but that a good beginning should have a good ending. And here he teacheth all in their youth to use and exercise virtuousness; for the common saying is,

"He, that in his youth no virtue will use,

In age all honour will him refuse."

A saying not more common, than true. Use therefore in youth true virtue, and get godly learning, that thou mayst have honour amongst men, and glory with God everlasting.

The cause, why he thought just and convenient thus to think of them, was, because the grace of

God leaveth or forsaketh no man, who before does not leave and forsake God and well doing. And therefore, he thought that God would not forsake them, who were doing well, and ever going forwards in the knowledge of God's word, and in holy works commanded by it to be done of Christians, and to walk in them. (Eph. ii.) And therefore, he thought that God would work in them more and more good works, and that he would not leave them until the hour of death, and until the day of the Lord; when he shall come to judge the quick and dead, and to reward all good works; that is to say, all those works, that God hath wrought in us.

God is so good and loving, that those works, which he works in us, he calleth our works, and will reward them, as if they were only our works, and not by his grace. Isaiah saith, "Lord, thou hast wrought in us all our works." Also Lyra here saith, "As the beginning of a meritorious work is of God, so is the continuance and the end of it, of God."

The Apostle speaketh these words, not that he would make them proud, or to be negligent to do well but rather that he should provoke them the more to go forward in well doing, and to increase the good hope he had conceived, and not to lose by negligence the grace of God, the assistant help and aid. of the Lord.

Because I have you in my heart, as those, that are partakers with me of grace in my bonds, in defending and establishing of the Gospel. Here be tokens of love towards them shewed, that he remembereth them in heart, and in his bonds, and imprisonments, which were not for his faults, but for the Gospel of God. Which bonds were not to him any shame or rebuke, or hindrance to the Gospel of God: but to his great laud and praise, and to the furtherance and

increasement of the Gospel, and that by his bonds the Gospel was not slandered, but promoted, defended, and surely confirmed.

Flesh

From the which we may learn, afflictions, persecutions, imprisonment, bonds, chains, and fetters, to the true preachers and teachers of God's word, to be no new thing, to be no shame nor rebuke to such faithful preachers, although flesh and carnal wisdom otherwise do think and judge. judgeth afflictions, persecutions, and imprisonments, to be shameful to hinder the word of God. But God doth make these afflictions to promote the Gospel, and increase it; and makes the wisdom of the flesh, and of the worldly wise men to be foolishness before him, and in his sight.

Here the Apostle bringeth these Philippians to his love; first, in that he did give God thanks for them, that they had received the Gospel, and were made partakers of eternal health, declared by the Gospel to them.

Secondly, he getteth their love, in that he prayed for them always in his prayers to God; desiring and wishing them good and godly things, as mercy, peace, favour, and love with God the Father and such like.

Thirdly, they could not but love him, which not only in wealth and prosperity did remember them, wish them good, and prayed for them; but also did remember them in his afflictions, and in prison for the Gospel's sake he preached to the Gentiles, and wrote unto them so comfortable, and also profitable an Epistle.

Also here he remembereth his afflictions, which he calleth the defence and confirmation of the Gospel, and therefore are rather to be loved and wished for, than to be hated of any Christian. So, the Apostle calleth his afflictions for the Gospel, the

"In

defence of the Gospel (2 Tim. iv.): " In my first defence, no man was present with me (I pray God it be not imputed to them of God), but the Lord, which was ever present with me, and did strengthen me, that by me the Gospel should be preached, and the Gentiles hear the Gospel. And I was delivered from the mouth of the lion" (so he calleth Nero, the emperor, a lion for his cruelties).

So Paul used himself in prison, and defended the Gospel, that the Gospel was stoutly defended, and also greatly increased by his imprisonment, as hereafter is shewed. So afflictions, imprisonment, persecutions, and death of faithful preachers, be not shameful, and worthy of rebuke, nor a hindrance to the Gospel; but be laudable, defend, promote, and increase it. And therefore, faithful ministers of God's word have no cause to be sorry in their tribulations for the Gospel's sake; but rather to rejoice and be glad, for such be blessed of God, that suffer for Christ, and for his word, and shall be partakers of glory with Christ, and so shall they all be that suffer with Christ (Rom. viii.).

Wherefore he saith, You Philippians, as you be partakers of my afflictions, and so with me suffer with Christ, if you continue with me in my afflictions, you shall be partakers of the grace, glory, and everlasting life with me. Which thing I think. it meet to think of you all, for so good beginnings make me to have that good hope in you, that you will continue to the end, well doing.

For God is my record, how I long after you all, even from the very heart root, in Jesu Christ. The Apostle bringeth in God to witness, which knoweth all things and the secrets of man's heart (for God is only the searcher of the heart), that he spake these words of no carnal affection, or for any lucre sake, but for the pure love he had towards them,

VOL. II.

and that he loved them for no other cause, but that he did see them lovers of Christ and of his holy word, and them to be such as declared by their living that they loved God, had received his word, and were doers of it, and that they were constant in it, and therefore worthy of praise.

Here we may learn of Paul, that it is lawful for Christian men sometimes to bring in God for witness, as here Paul did confirm the truth spoken. Which thing was for the glory of God, and for the profit of others, and to confirm bonds of peace, which were made the better to be kept, because of the promise confirmed by an oath, which should in no wise be broken. Swearing in every trifling matter, and for light things, and in daily communication, and where no need is to confirm God's truth, nor profit to others, should not be amongst Christian men. Lest by ofttimes swearing, men run into perjury, to blasphemy of God, irreverently taking God's name, and so break God's commandment, offend God, and provoke him to anger, and to pour his vengeance upon such swearers. For it is written, that the sword of God's vengeance shall not go from the house of him that is perjured.

Fear therefore to swear, that you may escape the punishment of God, that is threatened for such, as take the name of God in vain, and will swear by the blessed body of our Lord, by his arms, sides, feet, legs, and by all his members, by the holy mass, at every word they speak, or in every small matter, where no need is to swear, and where no just cause compelleth them to swear. To such it is spoken (Deut. v.), that he shall not be unpunished, that taketh the name of God in vain, or bringeth in his name irreverently. For his name is to be sanctified and hallowed alway; and God is not to be brought in witness of a false matter, or to confirm our lies,