god promised AbrahaÌ„ that all nations of the worlde shuld be blessed came That is the lawe was geueÌ„ to vtter synne deeth damnatioÌ„ and curse aÌ„d to dryve vnto Christ in whoÌ„ forgeuenesse life iustifyinge aÌ„d blessinges were promised that we might se so greate love of god to vs ward in christ that we heÌ„ceforth ouercome with kindnesse might love againe aÌ„d of love kepe the coÌ„mauÌ„dmeÌ„tes So now he that goeth aboute to quiette his coÌ„scieÌ„ce aÌ„d to iustifye him silf with the lawe doth but heale his wondes with freatige coresyes And he that goeth aboute to purchase grace with ceremonies doth but sucke the alepope to qweÌ„ch his thirst in as moch as the ceremonies were not geveÌ„ to iustifie the herte but to signifie the iustifiynge and forgeuenesse that is in christes bloude Of the ceremonies that they iustifie not thou readest Ebrues .x. It is impossible that synne shuld be done awaye with the bloud of oxeÌ„ aÌ„d gootes And of the lawe thou readest Gala .iij. Yf there had bene a lawe geueÌ„ that coude haue quykened or geueÌ„ liffe then had rightuousnesse or iustifyinge come by the lawe in dede Now the lawe not only quyckeneth not the harte but also woundeth it with conscience of synne and ministreth deeth aÌ„d damnacioÌ„ vnto her ij Corin .iij. so that she must neades dye aÌ„d be damned excepte she finde other remedy so farre it is of that she is iustified or holpe by the lawe The newe testament is those euerlastinge promyses which are made vs in christ the Lorde thorow out all the scripture And that testameÌ„t is bylt on faith aÌ„d not on workes For it is not sayde of that testament he that worketh shall lyue But he that beleveth shall lyue as thou readest Ioan .iij. God so loued the worlde that he gaue his only begoteÌ„ sonne that none which beleue in hi shuld perish but haue euerlastinge lyfe And when this testament is preached and beleued the sprete entreth the hart and quyckeneth it and geueth her lyfe and iustifieth her The sprete also maketh the lawe a lyuely thing in the herte so that a man bringeth forth good workes of his awne acord without compulsioÌ„ of the lawe without feare of threateninges or cursinges yee and with out all maner respecte or loue vnto any temporal pleasure But of the very power of the sprete receaved thorow faith As thou readest Ioan .i. He gaue them power to be the sonnes of God in that they beleued on his name And of that power they worke so that he which hath the sprete of christ is now no moare a childe he nether learneth or worketh now any longer for payne of the rodde or for feare of boogges or pleasure of apples But doth althinges of his awne courage As christ sayeth Ioan .vij. He that beleueth on me shall haue riuers of lyuinge water flowinge out of his belye That is All good workes aÌ„d all giftes of grace springe out of him naturallye and by their awne accorde Thou neadest not to wrest good workes out of him as a maÌ„ wold wringe veriuce out of crabbes Nay thei flow naturally out of him as springes out off hilles or rockes The newe testament was euer eueÌ„ from the beginning of the world For there were alwaye promyses of Christ to come by faith in whiche promyses the electe were then iustifyed inwardly before God as outwardly before the world by kepynge of the lawe and ceremonies And in conclusyon as thou seyst blessinges or cursynges folow the kepinge or breakynge of the lawe of Moses eueÌ„ so naturally do blessynges or cursynges folow the breakyng or kepynge of the lawe of nature out of which spriÌ„ge all oure temporall lawes So that wheÌ„ the people kepe the temporall lawes of their lond temporall prosperite and all maner of soch teÌ„porall blessynge as thou readest of in Moses doo accompanye them and fall vppon them And contraryewyse when they synne vnpunished aÌ„d wheÌ„ the rulars haue no respecte vnto naturall equyte or honestye theÌ„ God sendeth his curses amonge theÌ„ as hungre derth moren banynge pestileÌ„ce warre oppressyon with straunge aÌ„d wonderfull diseases aÌ„d newekyndes of misfortune aÌ„d evell lucke Yf any maÌ„ axe me seyng that faith iustifieth me why I worke I answere loue coÌ„pelleth me For as loÌ„ge as my soule fealeth what loue god hath shewed me in Christe I can not but loue god agayne aÌ„d his will aÌ„d coÌ„mauÌ„dmeÌ„tes and of loue worke them nor caÌ„ they seme hard vn to me I thinke not my self better for my workynge nor seke heueÌ„ nor an hyer place in heueÌ„ because of it For a christeÌ„ worketh to make his weake brother perfecter aÌ„d not to seke an hier place in heueÌ„ I coÌ„pare not my filf vnto him that worketh not No he that worketh not to daye shall haue grace to turne aÌ„d to worke tomorow aÌ„d in the meane ceason I pytye hym aÌ„d praye for him Yf I had wrought the wil of god these thousande yeres aÌ„d another had wrought the will of the devell as long aÌ„d this daye turne aÌ„d be as well willynge to suffre wyth Christas â— he hath this daye ouertakeÌ„ me aÌ„d is as farre come as I and shall haue as moche rewarde as I. And I envye him not but reioyce most of all as of lofte tresure founde For yf I be of god I haue this thousand yere sofred to wynne him for to come aÌ„d prayse the name of God with me this M. yeres I haue prayed sorowed longed syghed aÌ„d sought for that whiche I haue this daye founde aÌ„d therfore reioyse with all my myght and prayse God for hys grace and mercy ALbe a longe garment of white lynen Arcke a cofer or cheste as oure shrynes saue it was flatte aÌ„d the sample of oure shrynes was taken thereof Boothe an housse made of bowes Brestlappe or brestflappe is soche a flappe as thou seist in the brest of a cope Consecrate to apoynte a thinge to holy vses Dedicate purific or sanctifie Ephod is a garment somwhat like an amyce saue the armes came thorow aÌ„d it was gird to Geeras in weyght as it were an englysh halff penye or somwhat more Heveoâ—â—ringe because they were hoven vp before the Lorde House he made theÌ„ houses that is he made a kynred or a multitude of people to springe out of them as we saye the house of Dauid for the kinred of Dauid PeaceoffriÌ„ge offeriÌ„ges of thaÌ„kes geuiÌ„ge of de uotioÌ„ aÌ„d not for coÌ„scieÌ„ce of sinne aÌ„d trespace Polute defyle ¶ Reconcyle to make at one and to bringe in grace or fauoure Sanctefie to eleÌ„se aÌ„d purifie to apointe a thinge vnto holie vses and to seperate froÌ„ vnclene aÌ„d vnholye vses ¶ Sanctuarie a place halowed and dedicate vnto god ¶ Tabernacle an house made tentwise or as a pauelion Tunicle moch like the vppermost garmeÌ„t of the deukeÌ„ ¶ Waueoffringe because they were waueÌ„ in the preastes haÌ„des to diuers quarters â–ª Worshuppe by worshuppinge whether it be in the old testameÌ„t or the newe vnderstoÌ„d the bowenge of a mans self vppon the grounde As wee oftymes as weknele in oure prayers â—owe oure selves aÌ„d lye on oure armes aÌ„d handes with oure face to the grounde The seconde boke of
the cleare daye light And I beleue also that the prophetes whiche folowed Moses to confirme his prophesyes and to mayntayne his doctrine vnto Christes cominge were moued by soch thinges to serche further of Christes secrettes And though God wold not haue the secrettes of Christ generallye knowne saue vnto a few familier frendes which in that infancye he made of mans witte to helpe the other babes yet as they had a generall promysse that one of the seed of AbrahaÌ„ shuld come and blesse them euen so they had a generall fayth that God wold by the same man saue them though they wist not by what meanes as the very apostles when it was oft told them yet they coude neuer comprehend it till it was fufilled in deade And beyonde all this their sacrifices aÌ„d ceremonies as farforth as the promyses annexed vnto them extende so farforth they saued theÌ„ and iustified them and stode them in the same steade as oure sacramentes doo vs not by the power of the sacrifice or deade it selfe but by the vertue of the faith in the promysse whiche the sacrifice or ceremonye preached and wherof it was a token or sygne For the ceremonies and sacrifices were lefte with them and commaunded them to kepe the promysse in remeÌ„braunce and to wake vpp their fayth As it is not ynough to sende manye on errandes and to tell them what they shall doo but they must haue a remembraunce with them and it be but a ringe of a rush aboute one of their fingers And as it is not ynough to make a bargayne with wordes onlye but we must put thereto an oth and geue ernest to confirme the faithe off the person with whom it is made And in like maner yf a man promysse what soeuer trifull it be it is not beleued excepte he hold vppe his finger also soch is the wekenesse of the world And therfore christ him silf vsed oftymes diuerse ceremonyes in curynge the sâ—ke to sturre vpp their faith with all As for an â—nsample it was not the bloud of the lambe that saued theÌ„ in Egipte when the angell smote the Egiptians but the mercye of God and his truth wherof that bloude was a token and remembraunce to sturre vppe their faythes wyth all For though God make a promysse yet it saueth none finallye but them that longe for it and praye God with a stronge fayth to fulfill it for his mercye and truthe onlye and knowlege theyr vnworthynesse And euen so oure sacramentes yf they be truelye ministred preach Christ vnto vs and leade oure faythes vnto Christ by which faithe oure synnes are done awaye and not by the deade or worke of the sacrament For as it was impossible that the bloude off calues shuld put awaye synne euen so is it impossible that the water of the ryuer shuld wash oure hartes Neuerthelesse the sacramentes cleÌ„se vs and absolue vs of oure synnes as the preastes doo in preachinge of repentaunce and faith for which cause ether other of them were ordened but yf they preach not whether it be the preast or the sacrament so profitte they not And yf a man allege Christ Iohan in the. iij â–ª chapter sayeng Excepte a man be borne agayne of water and the holye goste he can not se the kingdome of God and will therfore that the holy gost is present in the water and therfore the verye deade or worke doth put awaye synne then I will send him vnto Paule whiche axeth his Galathians whether they receaued the holy goste by the deade of the lawe or by preachinge of faith and there concludeth that the holy gost accoÌ„panyeth the preaching of faith aÌ„d with the worde of faith entreth the harte aÌ„d purgeth it which thou mayst also vnderstonde by saynt Paule sayenge ye are borne a new out of the water thorowe the worde So now if baptim preach me the wasshing in christes bloude so doth the holy gost accompaâ—y it and that deade of preachinge thorow fayth doth put awaye my synnes For the holy gost is no dome god nor no god that goeth a mummige Yf a man saye of the sacrament of Christes bodye aÌ„d bloud that it is a sacrifice as well for the dead as for the quycke and therfore the very deed it self iustifieth and putteth awaye synne I answere that a sacrifice is the sleynge off the body of a beest or a man wherfore yf it be a sacrifice then is christes body there slayne aÌ„d his bloude there shed but that is not so And therfore it is properly no sacrifice but a sacrament and a memoriall of that euerlastinge sacrifice once for all which he offered apon the crosse now apon a .xv. hundred yeres a go and preacheth only vnto them that are alyue And as for them that be dead it is as profitable vnto them as is a candell in a lantrene without light vnto them that walke by the waye in a darke night and as the gospell song in laten is vnto them that vnderstond none at all and as a sermon preached to him that is dead and hereth it not It preacheth vnto them that are a lyue only for they that be dead yf they dyed in the faith which that sacrament preacheth they be faffe and are past all iâ—opardye For when they were alyue their hartes loued the lawe off God and therfore synned not and were sory that their membres synned and euer moued to synne and therfore thorow faith it was forgeuen them And now their synnefull membres be dead so that they can now synne no more wherfore it is vnto them that be dead nether sacrament nor sacrifice But vnder the pretence of their soule health it is a servaunt vnto oure spiritualtyes holy coueâ—nousnesse and an extorcyonar and a bylder of Abayes Colleges Chauntryes and cathedrall chirches with false goteÌ„ good a pick purse a pollar aÌ„d a bottomlesse bagge Some man wold happely saye that the prayers of the masse helpe moch not the lyuinge only but also the dead Of the hote fire of their farvent prayer which consumeth faster then all the world is able to bringe sacrifice I haue sayde sufficiently in other places Howe be it it is not possible to bringe me in beleffe that the prayer which helpeth hâ—â— awne master vnto no vertue shuld purchesse me the forgeuesse of my synnes If I sawe that their prayers had obtayned theÌ„ grace to lyue soch a liffe as goddes worde did not rebuke then coud I sone be borne in hande that what soeuer they axed off God their prayers shuld not be in vayne But now what good can he wysh me in his prayers that envieth me Christ the fode and the liffe of my soule What good can he wish me whose herte cleaveth a sundre for payne when I am taught to repent of my euell Forthermore because that fewe knowe the vse of the olde testament and the moste parte thinke it nothinge necessarye but to make alle goryes which they fayne euery maÌ„ after hys awne brayne at all wyle adveÌ„ture without any certayne rule therfore though I haue spoken off them in another place yet lest the boke come not to all mennes handes that shall reade this I will speake off them here also a worde or twayne We had nede to take hede euery where that we be not begyled with false allegories whether they be drawne out of the new testament or
what is within hypocrites sawe that I was begyled aÌ„d that that councell was not the nexte way vnto my purpose And therfore he gate me no favoure in my lordes sight ¶ WherevppoÌ„ my lorde answered me his house was full he had mo theÌ„ he coude well finde and advised me to seke in london wher he sayd I coude not lacke a service And so in london I abode almoste an yere and marked the course of the worlde and herde oure pratars I wold say oure preachers how they bosted them selves and their hye authorite and beheld the pompe of oure prelates and how besyed they were as they yet are to set peace and vnite in the worlde though it be not possible for them that walke in darkenesse to coÌ„tinue longe in peace for they can not but ether stoÌ„ble or dash them selves at one thinge or another that shall clene vnquyer all togedder sawe thinges wherof I deferre to speake at this tyme and vnderstode at the laste not only that there was no rowme in my lorde of londons palace to translate the new testament but also that there was no place to do it in all englonde as experience doth now openly declare ¶ Vnder what maner therfore shuld I now submitte this boke to be corrected and amended of them which can suffer nothinge to be well â–ª Or what â—rotestacyon shuld I make in soch a matter vnto oure prelates those stubbutne Nâ—mrothes which so mightely fight agenste god and resiste his holy spirite enforceynge with all crafte and sotelte to qwench the light of the everlastinge testament promyses and as poyntemente made betwene god vs and heapinge the sirce wrath of god vppon all princes and rulars mockinge theÌ„ with falfe fayned names of hypocrysye and servinge their lustes at all poyntes dispensinge with theÌ„ even of the very lawes of god os which Christe him silf testifieth Mathew .v. that not so moch as one tittle therof maye perish or be brokeÌ„ And of which the prophete fayth Psalme .cxvii. Thou haste coÌ„maunded thy lawes to be kepte meod that is in hebrew excedingly with all diligeÌ„ce might power and haue made theÌ„ so mad with their iugglinge charmes and crafty persuasioÌ„s that they thinke it full satisfaction for all their weked lyvinge to tormeÌ„â— soch as tell theÌ„ trouth to borne the worde of their soules helth sle whosoever beleve theron ¶ NotwithstoÌ„dinge yet I submytte this boke and all other that I haue other made or traÌ„slated or shall in tyme to come if it be goddes will that I shall further laboure in his hervest vnto all them that submytte theÌ„ selves vn to the worde of god to be corrected of theÌ„ yee and moreover to be disalewed also burnte if it seme worthy when they have examyned it wyth the hebrue so that they first put forth of their awne translatinge a nother that is more correcte ¶ A prologe shewinge the vse of the scripture THough a man had a precious iuell and a rich yet if he wiste not the value therof nor wherfore it served he were nother the better nor ryeher of a straw Eyen so though we read the scripture bable of it never so moch yet if we know not the vse of it and wherfore it was geven and what is theim to be sought it profiteth vs nothinge at all It is not ynough therfore to read and talke of it only but wo must also desyre god daye and night instantly to open oure eyes aÌ„d to make vs vnderstond and feale wherfore the scripture was geuen that we maye applye the medicyne of the scripture every maÌ„ to his awne sores inlesse then we entend to beydle disputers and braulers aboute vayne wordes ever gnaw enge vppon the bitter barcke with out and newer attayninge vnto the swetepith with in and persequutinge one and other for defendinge of lewde imaginacions and phantasyes of oure arene invencyon ¶ Paule in the thyrde of the secoÌ„de epistle to Tymo the sayth that the scripture is good to teache for that ought meÌ„ to teach not dreames of their awne makige as the pope doth also to improvt for the scripture is yâ— twichstone that tryeth all doctrynes by that we know the false from the true And in the .vi. to the ephesians he calleth it the swerd of the spirite by cause it killeth hyppocrites and vttereth aÌ„o improveth their false inventyons And in the. â—â— to the Romayns he sayth all that are wryten are wryten for oure learninge that we thorow pacyence and coÌ„sorte of the scripture myght have hope That is the ensamples that are in the scripture comforte vs in all oure tribulacyons and make vs to put oure truste in god and pacyently to abyde his leysure And in the .x. of the firste to the Corinthyans he bringeth in examples of the scripture of feare vs and to bridle the fleshe that we caste not the yoke of the lawe of god from of oure neckes and fall to lustynge and doinge of evill ¶ So now the scripture is a light and sheweth vs the true waye both what to do and what to hope And a defence from all erroure and a comforte in adversyte that we despayre not and feareth vs in prosperyte that we synne not SecÌ„e therfore in the scripture as thou readest it first the law what god coÌ„maundeth vs to doo And secundarylye the promyses which god promyseth vs ageyne namely in Christe Iesu oure lorde Then seke ensamples firste of comsorte how god purgeth all them that submitte them selves to walke in his wayes in the purgatorye of tribulatyon delyveringe them yet at tye latter ende and never soferinge any of them to perysh that cleave faste to his promyses And fynallye note the ensamples which are writen to feare the flesh that we synne not That is how god suffereth the vngodlye and weked synners that resiste god and refuse to folow him to contynue in their wekednesse ever waxinge worse and worse vntyll their synne be so sore encreased and so abhomynable that if they shuld longer endure they wold corrupte the very electe But for the electes sake god sendeth theÌ„ preachers Neverthelesse they harden their hartes agenste the truth and god destroyeth theÌ„ vtterlye and begynneth the world a new ¶ This comforte shalt thou evermore finde in the playne texte and luerall sense Nether is there any storye so homely so rude yee or so vyle as it semeth outwarde wherin is not exceadinge greate comforte And when some which seme to them selves great clarkes saye they wott not what moare profite is in many gestes of the scripture if they be read with out an allegotye then in a tale of robenhode saye thou that they were wryten for oure consolacyon and comforte that we despayre not if soch likehappen vnto vs. We be not holyer then Noe though he were once dronke Nether beâ—â—ter beloved then Iacob though his awne sonne defyled his bedde We be not holyer then lot though his doughters thorow ignorance
the childern of Israel aÌ„d sayde God will not fayle but vysett you se thâ—â—fore that ye carye my boones hence And so Joseph dyed when he was an hundred and .x. yere olde And they enba â–ª wâ—â—ed him and put him in a chest in Egipte The end of the first booke of Moses ¶ A table expoundinge certeyne wordes Abrech tender father or as some will bowe the knee Arâ—fâ— a shippe made flatte as it were a chest or a cofer Bisse fyne whyte whether it be sâ—lfe or linen Blesse godes blessinges are his giftes as in the firste chaptre he blessed them sayng growe multiplye haue dominion c. And in the .ix. chaptre he blessed â—oâ— his sonnes gaue theÌ„ dominioÌ„ over all beestes authoryte to â—aâ—e theÌ„ And god blessed AbrahaÌ„ with catell aÌ„d other ryches And Jacob desyred Esau to receaue yâ— blessinge which he brought him yâ— is the preasent gifte God blessed the .vij. daye that is gaâ—e it a prehemynence that men shuld rest therein from bodely laboure lerne to know the will of god his lawes how to worke their workes godly all the wâ—ke after God also blesseth all nations in Abrahams seed that is he turneth his loue favoure vnto theÌ„ and geveth theÌ„ his spirite and knowledge of the true waye aÌ„d lust and power to walke therin and all for christes sake Abrahams sonne Cain so is it writen in Hebrue NotwitstoÌ„dinge whether we call him Cain or caim it maketh no matter so we vnderstond the meaninge Euery lande hath his maner that we call JhonÌ„ the welchemen call Evan the douch haÌ„â—â— Soch differeÌ„ce is betwene the Ebrue greke and laten and that maketh them that translate out of the ebrue varye in names from them that translate out of laten or greke Curse Godes curse is the takynge awaye of his benefytes As god cursed the erth and made it baren So now hunger derth warre pestilence and soch like are yet ryght curses and signes of the wrath of God vnto the vnbeleuers but vnto them that knowe Christ they are very blessinges and that wholsome crosse true purgatorye of oure flesh thorow which all must go that will lyue godly aÌ„d be saued as thou readest Maâ— .v. Blessed are they that suffre persecution for rightewesnes sake c. And hebrewes .xi. The lorde chastyseth whom he loveth and sâ—orgeth all the children that he receaveth Eden pleasure Firmament the skyeâ— Fayth is the belevinge of goddes promesses a sure trust in the goodnesse and truth of god Which faith iustifyeth AbrahaÌ„ gene .xv. and was the mother of all his good workes which he afterward did For faith is the goodnesse of all workes in the sight of God Good workes are thinges of godes comaundemeÌ„t wrought in faith And to sow a showe at the commaundement of god to do thy neyghboure service withall with faith to be saved by Christ as god promyseth vs. is moch better theÌ„ to bild an abbay of thyne awne imagination trustinge to be saved by the fayned workes of hypocrites Jacob robbed Laban his vncle Moses robbed the Egiptians And AbrahaÌ„ is aboute to slee and burne his awne sonne And all are holye workes because they were wrought in fayth at goddes commaundement To stele robbe and murther are no holye workes before worldly people but vnto them that haue their truste in god they are holye when god commaundeth them What god commaundeth not getteth no reward with god Holy workes of mens imagination receave their rewarde here as Christ testyfyeth Math .vj. How be it of fayth workes I haue spoken abundantly in mammon Let him that desyreth more seke there Grace fauoure As â—oe founde grace that is to saye favoure and love Ham and Cam all one Iehovah is goddes name nether is any creature so called And it is as moch to saye as one that is of him self and dependeth of nothinge Moreouer as oft as thou seist LORde in gre â–ª at letters excepte there be any erroure in the preÌ„tinge it is in hebrewe Iehovah thou that arte or he that is Marshall in hebrue he is called Sar tabaim as thou woldest saye lorde of the slaughtermen And though that Tabaim be takeÌ„ for cokes in many places for the cokes did â—le the beastes theÌ„ selues in those dayes yet it may be taken for them that put men to execution also And that me thought it shuld here best signifye in as moch as he had the oversight of the kinges preson and the kinges presoners were they neuer so great meÌ„ were vnder his custodye And therfore I call him cheffe marshall an officer as is the lefetenaunte of the toure or master of the marshalsye Slyme was their morter .xi. Chapter And slyme pittes xâ—ij chapter that slyme was a fattenesse that osâ—dout of the erth lyke vnto tarre And thou mayst call it cement if thou wilt Siloh after some is as moch to saye as sent after some happie and after some it signifieth Mesias that is to saye annoynted and that we call Christe after the greke worde And it is a prophesie of Christ For after that all yâ— other tribes were in captiuite their kyngdom destroyed yet the tribe of Iuda had a ruler of the samebloud even vnto the comynge of Christ And aboute the comâ—ge of Christ the Romaynâ— conquered them and the Emperoure gaue the kyngdom of tribe Iuda vnto Herode which was a straunger even an Edomite of the generacyon of Esau TestameÌ„t here is an appoyntemeÌ„t made betwene god and maÌ„ and goddes promyses And sacrameÌ„t is a signe representinge soch an appoynâ—â—ment and promeses As the raynebowe representeth the promyse made to â—oe that god will no more drowne the worlde And circumcision representeth the promyses of god to Abraham on the one syde and that AbrahaÌ„ and his sâ—ed shuld circumcyse and cut off the lustes of their freshe on the other syde to walke in the wayes of the lorde As baptyme which is come in the roume therof â–ª now signifieth on the one syde how that all that repent and beleue are washed in Christes bloud And on the other syde how that the same must quench aÌ„d droune the lustes of the flesh to folow the steppes of Christ There were tyrantes in the erth in those dayes for the sonnes of god sawe the doughters of men c. The sonnes of god were the prophetes childerne which though they succeded there fathers fell yet from the right waye and thorow falsehod of hypocrysye subdued the world vnder them and became tyrantes As the successours of the apostles haue played with vs. Vapor a dewymiste as the smoke of a sethyâ—â— gâ— pott To walke with god is to lyve godly and to walke in his commaundementes Enos walked with god and was no moare sene that is he lyved godly and dyed God toke him awaye that is god hyd his bodye as he did Moses aÌ„d Aarons lest haplye they shuld haue made an Idoll of him for he was a great preacher and
the olde ether out of any other storye or off the creatures of the worlde but namely in this boke Here a man had nede to put on all his spectacles and to arme him selfe agenst invisible spretes First allegories proue nothinge and by allegories vnderstonde examples or similitudes borowed of straunge matters and of another thinge than that thou entreatest oft As though circumcysyon be a figure of baptim yet thou canst not proue baptim by circumcysion For this argumeÌ„t were verye feble the Israelites were circuÌ„cysed therfore we must be baptised And in like maner though the offering of Isaac were a figure or ensample oft the resurrection yet is this argument nought Abraham wold haue offered Isaac but God delyuered him from deth therfore we shall ryse agayne and so forth in all other But the very vse of allegories is to declare and open a texte that it maye be the better perceaved and vnderstonde As when I haue a cleare texte of Christ and of the apostles that I must be baptysed then I maye borowe an ensample of circumcysion to expresse the nature power and frute or effecte of baptim For as circumcysion was vnto them a comon bagge sygnifienge that they were all sodiars off God to warre his warre and separatinge them from all other nacyons disobedient vnto God euen so baptim is oure comen bagge and sure ernest and perpetuall memoriall that we pertayne vnto Christ and are separated from all that are not christes And as circumcision was a token certifyenge them that they were receaved vnto the fauoure off God and theyr sinner forgeven them even so baptim certefyeth vs that we are wasshed in the bloude of christ aÌ„d receaued to fauoure for his sake and as circumcysion signifyed vnto theÌ„ the cuttynge away of theyr awne lustes and sleynge of their fre will as they call it to folowe the will of god even so baptim signyfgeth vnto vs repentaunce and the mortefyinge of oure vnruly meÌ„bres and body of synne to walke in a new lyffe and so forth And likewyse though that the savinge of Noe and of them that were with him in the shyppe thorow water is a figure that is to saye an ensample and likenesse of baptim as Peter maketh it 1. Petri 3. yet I can not proue baptim therwith saue describe it only for as the sheyppe saved theÌ„ in the water thorow faith in that they beleved god and as the other that wold not beleve Noe peryshed even so baptim saveth vs thorow the worde of faith which it preacheth when all the world of the vnbelevinge perysh And Paule 1. Corin. 10. maketh the see aÌ„d the cloude a figure of baptim by which and a thousand mo I might declare it but not proue it Paule also in the sayde place maketh the rocke out of which Moses brought water vnto the childerne of Israel a figure or ensample of christ not to proue christ for that were impossible but to describe christ only even as christ hisilf IohaÌ„nis 3. boroweth a similitude or figure of the brasen serpent to lead Nichodemus froÌ„ his erthy imaginacyon in to the spirituall vnderstondinge of christ sayenge As Moses lyftedvpp a serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lifted vpp that none that beleue in him perysh but haue everlastinge liffe by which similitude the vertue of christes deth is better described then thou coudest declare it with a thousande wordes for as those murmurars agenst god as sone as they repented were healed of their deadly woundes thorow lokynge on the brasen serpent only without medicyne or any other helpe yee aÌ„d without any other reason but that god hath sayed it shuld be so and not to murmoure agayne but to leue their murmuringe even so all that repent aÌ„d beleue in christ are saved from euerlastinge deth of pure grace without and before their good workes and not to synne agayne but to fight agaynst synne aÌ„d henceforth to synne no moare Even so with the ceremonyes of this boke thou canst prove nothinge saue describe and declare only the puttyng awaye of oure synnes thorow the deth of christ for christ is Aaron and Aarons sonnes and all that offer the sacrifyce to purge synne And christ is all maneâ— offering that is offered he is the oxe the shepe the gote the kyd and lambe he is the oxe that is burnt without the host and the scape gote that caryed all the synne of the people awaye in to the wildernesse for as they purged the people froÌ„ their wordly vnclennesses thorow bloud of the sacrifices even so doth christ purge vs from the vnclennesses of everlastinge deth with his awne bloude and as their wordly synnes coude no otherwyse be purged then by bloude of sacrifyce even so can oure synnes be no otherwyse forgeven then thorow the bloude of christ All the deades in the world saue the bloude of christ can purchase no forgevenesse of synnes for oure deades do but helpe oure neyghboure and mortefye the flesh aÌ„d helpe that we synne no moare but and if we haue synned it must be frely forgeven thorow the bloude of christ or remayne ever And in lyke maner of the lepers thou canst prove nothinge thou canst never coniure ouâ— confessioÌ„ thense how be it thou hast an handsome example there to open the bindinge and lowsinge of oure preastes with the kaye of goddes word â–ª for as they made no man a lepre even so oures haue no power to commaunde any man to be in synne or to go to purgatory or hell And therefore in as moch as bindinge and lowsinge is one power As those preastes healed no man even so oures can not of their inviseble and domme power dryve any mannes synnes awaye or delyver hym from hell or fayned purgatorye how be it if they preached gods word purely which is the authorite that christ gaue them then they shuld binde aÌ„d lowse kylle and make alyve agayne make vncle â—ne and cleane agayne and send to hell aÌ„d fett thence agayne so mighty is gods word for if they preached the lawe of god they shuld bind the consciences of synners with the bondes of the paynes of hell and bringe them vnto repeÌ„taunce And then if they preached them the mercye that is in christ they shuld lowse them and quiet their raginge consciences and certefie them of the fauoure of god and that their synnes be forgeven Fynallye beware of allegoryes for there is not a moare handsome or apte a thinge to be gile withall then an allegorye nor a more sotle and pestilent thinge in the world to persuade a false