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¶ Brethren, be folowers together of me, and loke on them whiche walke euen so, as ye haue vs for an ensample. For many walke (of whome I haue tolde you often, and nowe tell you wepynge) that they are the enemyes of the crosse of Christe, whose ende is dam∣nacion, whose bellye is their God and glory to their shame, which are worldly minded. But our conuersacion is in heauen, from whence we lake for the sauiour, euen the Lorde Iesus Christ, whiche shall chaunge our vyle body, y• he maye make it lyke vnto his glo∣rious body: accordyng to the workyng, wherby he is able also to subdue all thinges vnto him selfe.
Now whyle we are in this worlde, let vs goo on styll in the race, that we haue taken in hande, accordynge to the rule prescribed vnto vs: and let vs truely a∣gree in it, that we suffre not oure selues, to be drawne backe from that purpose: but let vs make spedye haste, euery man to his power, to atteine the game of immortalitie. Ther be some, y• kepe not the race a right, them it is not good to folowe. But rather folowe me: for I runne streyght to the gospelles game. And marke them, that you see treade forwarde after the example of vs. Christ hath set vs the best facion of example, after the whiche you see me preace to the same place, that he went vnto. All they that runne in this race, wyune not the game: and therfore it is not good folowing of euery one, that runneth be∣fore. For there be very many, whome I haue oftentymes tolde you of before, and now I tell you againe with wepyng teares, that preache Christ after such sorte, that they are the enemyes of Christes crosse for all that. For they wyll in no wyse folowe the example of his lyfe and deathe, to the intent they may euer∣lastinglye lyue with him: but for their owne lucre and vayne gloryes sake, in stede of true godlynesse they teache Iewyshe obseruations, circumcision of the foreskynne, choyse of meates, dyfference of dayes, to the intent, that other men beyng burthened with these wares, they them selues maye reigne and lyue at ease for all that, as though after this lyfe they loked after none other. But let the ende of them fraye vs awaye from their condicions. For lyke as through slaunderous reproche of man, we drawe to eternall glorye, and by afflictions of this world, preace vnto immortall felicitie: euen so they by transitorye plea∣sures of the worlde, procure to them selues euerlastyng destruction, bycause in stede of God they honour their belye that can not helpe them: and by countre∣faicte vayne glorye among men, whiche they repose not in Christe, but in thin∣ges that they ought to be ashamed of, they make spede to euerlastynge shame. For what soeuer is earthly, is but temporall and countrefayte? and what so euer is heauenly, is true and euerlastynge. But they studye for nothynge elles but those thinges that are of the earthe. In them they repose their glorye, in them they set their pleasure, in them they put theyr hope of helpe, and so runne astraye ferre from the marke of the gospell. But we, that folowe Christ aright, though our bodyes be deteyned vpon earthe, yet in soule our conuersacion is in heauē, sighing continuallye thither, as our head is gonne afore, from whence also through faythe we loke for our lorde Iesus Christ, whiche shall rayse vs from death, and delyuer vs possession of those thinges, that he promyseth vs: and shall transforme this vyle naughtye bodye of ours, and make it lyke vnto his owne glorious bodye, for this consyderacion, that the membres, which wer felowes of his afflictions in this worlde, shoulde be called there into the felow∣shyp of hys felicitye. This matter shall not seme vncredible to any man, that wyll dyligentlye pondre the great power of him, that shall doo this dede. For there is nothinge, but he can brynge it to passe, in whose hande it is also, to sub∣due