¶ Beholde I Paule saye vnto you, that yf ye be circumcised, Christe shall profite you nothing at all.
But this wyse peraduenture ye deceyue your selfe saying, we renounce not Christ, but because we would be of euerlasting saluacion in more assu∣raunce, we ioyne Christe and the lawe together. But I tell you, that as Christe would haue this his whole benefite comen to all, so woulde he on∣lye be thanked for all, nor in this bounteouse gyfte of his, wyll he haue a∣ny copartener. But because ye shall the better vnderstande, how great a ieopardy it is to turne backe to Iewishnes: beholde, I Paule the A∣postell of the Gentiles, whome ye well knowe, yea and an apostle appoin∣ted by Christe hymselfe tell you playnly, that yf ye be circumcised, Christe shall nothyng at all profite you. Yf ye perfitelye beleue, that he is able to gyue all men healthe euerlastyng, why seeke ye for circumcision? I•• ye mistruste and feare, leste he be not able, then know ye not yet the benefite of Christe, wherof suche as mistrust, cannot be partakers: synce that gyfte is giuen to suche as beleue and truste, and not so muche for any desearte of oure workes. Either muste ye whollye become Iewes, & forsake Christ, or els christians wholly, and forsake Iewyshnes▪ As for suche as playe with both handes, he cannot awaye with, nor wyl haue newe wyne poured into olde bottels, nor yet olde wyne into newe bottels. Nor can he beare with to haue newe clothe sowed or patched to an olde garmente, nor olde clothe to be patchedlye sowed into a newe.
If the bondage of Iewyshenes were easye, it neded not peraduenture to be passed vpon: yf the rewarde for it were great, then should the payne therof in some parte be therby recompensed. But nowe, besydes that the burden is exceadyng paynful, ye shal not only by takyng of it not haue auauntage, but also great hurte.