contemned all worldly goodness, that he might win to him Christ, that he might be justified by Christ, and not by the law, his own merits, or the suffrages of others.

men.

Here, Paul maketh two justices; the one of the law, after the which he walked, when he persecuted the church of God, and was without blame before Of that justice none is made just before God. The other justice is of true faith in Christ Jesu, that worketh by charity at all opportunities and occasions given; of the which is justification received and had, as by the mean: for "God is he, which justifieth" (Rom. viii.). And, " by whom we be saved only of his mercy, through faith, and not of our works, lest we should rejoice" (Eph. ii.). And yet we may not cease from doing of good works, which necessarily be required of us to walk in; such as, to repent of our former life in sin, to amend our life, forsake sin, have faith, hope, and charity, and finally, to walk in a new life in all virtue and godliness.

To know him, and the virtue of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his passion. Yet he continueth, shewing wherefore he counted all his own justice for dung or dust, that he might have true justice by faith in Christ; that is, remission of sins and life everlasting, which all they obtain with Christ, who truly know Christ, his resurrection, and the virtue thereof, being before made partakers of his passion; who have died with Christ, and be buried with him; who have died from their sins, returning no more again to them, but being dead to their evil life by the Spirit of God, and walking in a new life: all such shall come to the knowledge of Christ's resurrection, and be made partakers of his glory. And for that end Paul contemned all worldly riches and pleasures, that he might come to the resurrection of the dead; that is, that he might be partaker of immortal glory with

Christ, who is the cause of the resurrection of all them that be dead in Christ, and the author of all their joy and glory; and that so he might come to that glory, which they now have, that died in Christ.

Thus Paul contemned worldly things for the excellent knowledge of Christ, to win Christ, to find righteousness in Christ, to know the virtue of Christ's resurrection and the fellowship of his passion, to be made conformable to Christ's death, that he might come to the resurrection; that is, unto that glory, that they have, that died in Christ. This is to teach us to do like unto him, and to count all worldly things nothing in comparison to Christ's Gospel, and to those holy things which we obtain by Christ.

Ver. 12-14. Not that I have attained unto it already, or that I am already perfect; but I follow, if I may comprehend that, wherein I am comprehended of Christ Jesu. Brethren, I count not myself yet that I have gotten it, but one thing I say, I forget that, which is behind, and stretch myself unto that which is before, and press unto the mark appointed, to obtain the reward of the high calling of God in Christ Jesu.

Although Paul had obtained righteousness by faith before God, yet he thought himself not perfect and without all sin, which no man can be, living in this sinful flesh, as saith the Evangelist St. John (1 John,i.). Therefore, every one must study to mortify carnal affections, and put away all sin by the Spirit of God, that he may attain true justice before God, and be as perfect, as is possible for him to be in this corporeal body.

Here, we may learn of Paul, that holy men in this life were not without all sin and carnal affections, nor in all things perfect. As here Paul confesseth himself not to have attained to all justice before God,

nor yet to be perfect, but to labour and endeavour himself with all his might and power to come to perfection. So let us study and with all diligence enforce ourselves to come to perfection, that we may be holy and godly, and so without fault or blame; that those sins, which be in us, be not imputed to us of God for sins; that we may be blessed, for he is blessed, not he that hath no sin, but he to whom God imputeth not his sin, as saith David in the 32d Psalm.

I forget that which is behind, and stretch myself unto that, which is before. Here, the Apostle sheweth plainly, that he had not attained as yet to that thing, which he desired, but that he, with all diligence, study, and labour, counted to come to it and obtain it. And therefore he forgot those things, that were behind him, as all worldly things, holy fathers, circumcision, keeping of the law, his holy res ligion, his zeal for the law and such like; and did look at those things, which were before his eyes, that were unto the glory and life to come.

And, here, he taketh a similitude from those, that run in a rank for a wager. Such runners do not look behind them to see how much ground they have run, but they look before them and unto the place they run unto, desiring victory, and the wager promised to the winners. So, let us all not look behind us, that is, to our old sinful life and to the way of perdition, in the which we have run in times past, but look before us, that is, to amend our life, forsake sin, and let us walk in a new life, desiring justice only by Christ. With diligence and study let us endeavour ourselves to come to the eternal life, promised to such, as shall walk in the commandments of God and keep them justly. And, so, let every one run in the rank of this world, till he come to the end, and obtain victory over all his ene

mies, and receive the wager promised to such, as shall run truly according to their vocation, that is, everlasting glory and life in Christ Jesu, and by Christ, our only redeemer and saviour.

Ver. 15, 16. Let us therefore (as many as be perfect) be thus minded, and if ye be otherwise minded, I pray God even to open this unto you. Nevertheless, in that, whereunto we are come, let us proceed by one rule, that we may be of one accord.

Now, the Apostle exhorteth them to continue and go forwards in the doctrine of truth he taught them, in the which he said Christ to be our only Saviour, and that Christ's sacrifice was a sufficient sacrifice to justification, and to take away the sins of the world, and to bring us to life without the works of the law. And here he admonisheth all them, that think themselves perfect, to know that there is none other name under heaven in whom we shall be saved, but in the name of Christ. And that Christ's justice is sufficient for us, and that we by Christ have remission of sins without our merits or deservings of that grace, coming only of God's mercy and good

ness.

Here, peradventure, some will ask, how the Apostle calleth himself perfect, which (as before is written) calleth himself imperfect? To this it may be answered, that a man may be called perfect and imperfect, having respect to divers things. If you look to the grace of God and to faith in Christ Jesu, so a man may be called perfect. If you look to the flesh and to the infirmities of the flesh, so he is imperfect. So, Paul, looking to the grace of God and to faith in Jesu Christ, calleth himself, and others like to him, perfect.

And if you be otherwise minded, I pray God to open even unto you this. He willeth us to suffer the weakness of them, that be weak, and to pray for

them, that they may be strong, as if he should say ; "Suffer those that be weak amongst you, until the time that God shall shew to them, that Christ is only our justice and our life: and pray to God that they may perfectly know that thing, which they cannot do, but by Christ, or by the Holy Ghost, certifying them in their hearts, that Christ is our righteousness."

This place willeth us to pray for them that err from the truth, that God might bring them to his truth, and not to call such, pharisees, adversaries to God, blind guides, dumb dogs, and belly beasts, &c.

Let us proceed by one rule, that we may be of one accord. He willeth us to consent and agree to the truth of God's holy word, and with one consent and mind go forwards in the truth, and to defend the known truth with all our might and power; and to set it forth, and not to shrink from it for fear of per secution, cruelty of men, for loss of favour, worldly goods, riches, lands or possessions, promotions, or dignities. Nor yet let us shrink from the truth for fear of offending such, as be weak, before whom we must forbear, and not use alway our liberty, or that which we may do: but not forbear to shew them the truth, that they may be, not alway weak children, having need of milk. Such must be taught the truth in all gentleness and meekness, and the truth may not give place to them, but they to the truth; and they must receive the truth, that they may be strong men and no weak children.

And although some will say, the truth may not be spoken for breaking of concord and unity, saying; "By concord small things do increase and grow to great things, and by discord great things do come to nought:" to this is answered, that is concord, by the which the truth is not obscured, oppressed, hid, or put to silence, and by which, those that be weak,