Commentary on Philippians, Title page – Dedication
A Commentarie of M. Iohn Caluine vppon the Epiſtle to the Philippians, wherein is ſet out the neceſſitie and profite of affliction vntounto the faithfull, the benefite of God his word, the fruits, of vnitie and humilitie, free iuſtification by faith in Ieſus Chriſt without our owne merites, the aſſurance, ioy, and contented mindes of the godlie, and their perſeueraunce in godlineſſe vntounto the end. With many other comfortable and profitable pointes of Religion.
Tranſlated out of Latine by W. B.
Imprinted at London for Nicolas Lyng, and are to be ſold at the Weſt dore of S. Paules Church. Anno. 1584.
To the Right honourable, Sir Frances VValſingham, Knight, chiefe ſecretary vntounto hir Maieſty, chancelor of the order, and one of hir Maieſties moſte honorable priuie counſell, William Becket wiſheth encreaſe of honor, and all heauenly happines.
DIomedes a prince of the Grecians (Right honorable) as Homer in his Iliades recordeth, emboldened by Pallas, feared no whit at all the force of the Troianes, nor the ſtrength & multitude of their confederates: but valiantly for his Countries ſafety, hazarded his life amids his enimies. And my ſelfe hoping of your honors fauourable protection, not regarding the curious carping of a great ſort in theſe daies: for the benefite of many hauehave yeelded my ſelfe to be cenſured of all. For as to encourage & animate a Captaine there can be none fitter thā Pallas, to whom the ancient writers hauehave aſcribed both wiſdome in giuing counſel, & couragiouſnes in fight: ſo for your great louelove of godlines, & ſingular zeale in furthering of religiō, there is none more fit than your honor to whom this godly commentary of maiſter Caluine, diſcourſing of many excellent points of our religion, might be preſented. For here is ſet out the condition of the godly, how the Lord in this life hū bleth them by afflictions, and after receiueth them to eternall glory. Here is ſet out their aſſurance of Gods fauour, their ioy in greateſt dangers, and their contented minds in all estates. Here is ſet out the benefite that commeth by preaching of the goſpell, and the malice, practiſes, and confuſion of falſe teachers. Here is ſet out the fruite of humility, the neceſſity of vnity and agrement among the faithfull, free iustification by Ieſus Chriſt, the heauenly conuerſation of Chriſtians, and how they muſt continue ſtedfaſt in godlines vntounto the ende. And although I offer theſe being another mans laboures, vnderunder my owne name: yet neither enuiouſly to derogate any thing from the due cōmendation of ſo worthy a perſon (as Homeromaſtix did) nor preſumptuouſly by another mans trauels to ſeeke my own praiſe as that vaine-glorious Poet, who preſented Virgils verſes, as if they had beene his owne, vntounto Auguſtus the Emperor. But conſidering that a good thing the more common it is, the more commēdable & better it is (eſpecially being requested therevnto) for the comfort and profit of all true Engliſh christians, I hauehave made that common to all, which afore was priuate, but to a fewe. We ſay in our common prouerbe that good wine neede no Iuie buſh, & a naked truth barely vttered without any filed phraſes of fine eloquēce, is of it ſelf ſufficiently cōmendable. And this worke (how ſimplie ſoeuer I hauehave tranſlated it, yet notwithſtanding faithfully) being written by the holy Apostle inſpired with Gods ſpirit, & expounded by ſo notable a father of the Church, cannot but carry with it amongſt all good men ſufficient credite. I hauehave therefore preſumed, not only to preſent it vntounto your honorable view, but alſo vnderunder your name, as a ſufficient ſhielde againſt al iniuries to publiſh it vntounto al. Moſt humbly beſeeching your honor with your accustomed fauour to accept theſe first fruites of my trauels▪ & not to meaſure the ſimplenes of the gift with the worthines of your owne perſon: but rather to reſpect the good will and willing deſire I had in moſt humble maner by al dutie poſſible to gratifie your honor. So ſhall I not only be encouraged, to the vttermoſt of my ſimple ſkill to employ my ſelfe to the profit of others: but alſo as afore by generall dutie, ſo now by particular benefite I ſhall be bound to pray for the preſeruation of your honor in health, and increaſe of dignitie, godlines, vertue, and all heauenly happines. The Almighty mulply his graces vponupon you, and grant you as many proſperous yeares, as vertuous & godly properties (and both infinite) that here you may liue long to his glory, & hereafter liue for euer, to your owne euerlaſting comfort.
Your Honors in all humble dutie, WILLLIAM BECKET.