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For in hym dwelleth all the fulnes of the Godhead bodely, and ye are complete in him: whiche is the head of all rule and power▪ by whome also ye are circumcised with circumcision whiche is done with out handes, forasmuche as ye haue put of the synfull bodye of the fleshe through the circumcision that is in Christ, in that ye are buried with hym through baptisme in whome ye are also rysen agayne through fayth, y• is wrought by the operacion of God, whiche raysed hym from death.
For into hym are not some certayne giftes deriued, as oute of the ry∣uer* 1.1 a litle water runneth into the dyche, but in hym resteth and dwelleth corporally the hole fulnes of the godhead, so that yf ye haue hym, ye nede not to seke either for the shadowes of Moses lawe or the subtile conuey∣aunce of worldly wisdome. The trouth is playnly delyuered vs, as al our sences beare recorde, no nede haue we to seke for figures or doubtfull pro∣mises. Synce ye are once graffed in Christe, and framed into one bodye with hym, why shoulde you elswher loke to haue any thyng? For since he lacketh nothyng, & would haue all his treasure cōmen to al men, through hym & in hym needes must ye be made complet, whither ye lacke wysdome or power. For as he is the welspring of wysedome, which can neuer be dry∣ed vp, so is he the heade of all power & rule. Nor is ther any power, no not of the hyghest order of Aungels (I say,) but that the same to hym boweth his knees. Iewes paraduēture endeuoure to bring you in minde, that it is a weightye matier, to haue you circumcised, as they be, as though the state of mannes body and suche externe thinges brought vs into goddes fauour. But rather be in this persuaded, that whosoeuer haue Christ, en∣ioye with hym all the glorie and commendacion of circumcision. And who so haue not Christe to them is all theyr circumcision vayne and vnprofi∣table. They haue but the shadow of circumcision, ye therof in your soules haue the verye truthe. For sythe the Iewes circumcision meaneth, that groce and carnall desyers, should be cut out of al theyr soules, which now loke for nothyng but heauenly thinges, vncircumcised needes must they be, whiche with couetous myndes styll labour to haue more, which please their bealyes, whiche wt enuy & malice pyne away, which vayngloriously seke for worldly prayse, & despayre of heauenly rewardes. But ye contrarie are through Christ veryly circumcised, not with that circumcisiō, which is done with mannes handes, but after a spirituall kynde of circumcision. Nor haue ye a litle piece onlye of the carnall man pared awaye, but from you is cut the whole bodye defyled with syn, and all corrupted with car∣nal lustes, & that through the spirituall circumcision of Christ Iesus. For as he dying forsoke his bodye, that was subiect to death, & rysyng againe receyued a body, whiche coulde not dye: so are ye in baptisme throughe the spirite of god with hym spiritually dead, castyng of all the synnes of your olde lyfe, and not only deade with hym, but also buried with hym. For whē synfull desyers are kylled, perfite quyetnes of mynde foloweth. And after suche forgoyng of your bodyes, which were thral to sinne (whiche sinne is* 1.2 the very death of the soule) ye are through Christe with hym risen agayne free from synne, nor for your desertes, but only because ye stedfastly beleue in god, who by his mightie power restored Christe agayne from death to lyfe, and that he also in you by his power worketh, that vpon free remissiō of all your sinnes through the death of his sōne, ye shoulde hencefurthe liue with him subiect to no sin, but through innocent & vprighte life make haste forwarde to the life, that shall neuer haue ende. Thākes then should god the father haue for all suche thinges, whiche he through his sōne gy∣ueth you. Nothing auauntaged it the Iewes, because they were circum∣cised, and vncircumcision to you which are Gentiles, was no hinderaūce.
But to be vncircumcised was therfore a deadly lacke, because ye wer who¦ly gyuen to groce and wycked desyres and therby subiecte to death, or ra∣ther because ye were without the grace of god, who is the lyfe of mannes soule, ye were spiritually deade.
In him dwel¦leth all y• ful∣nes of y• god∣head bodelye. &c.
In whom ye ate also risē a¦gain through fayth. &c.