Doctrinal Treatises and Introductions to the Holy Scriptures

low the keeping or breaking of the law of Moses; even so, naturally, do the blessings or cursings follow the keeping or breaking of the law of nature, out of which spring all our our temporal temporal laws. So that, when the people keep the temporal out of the law laws of their land, temporal prosperity, and all manner ot such temporal blessings as thou readest of m Moses, do accompany them, and fall upon them. And, contrariwise, when they sin unpunished, and when the rulers have no re spect unto natural1 equity or honesty; then God sendeth his curses among them, as hunger, dearth, murrain, baning2, pes tilence, war, oppression, with strange and wonderful diseases, and new kinds of misfortune and evil luck.

If any man ask me, seeing that faith justifieth me, ' Why Loveeoun- I work? ' I answer, 'Love compelleth me.' For as long as faithful to my soul feeleth what love God hath shewed me in Christ, I cannot but love God again, and his will and commandments, we must not and of love work them, nor can they seem hard unto me. I ouerswdi-m think not myself better for my working, nor seek heaven, nor

SXemhat an higher place m heaven, because of it. For a Christian S?£jay; worketh to make his weak brother perfecter, and not to seek an higher place in heaven. I compare not myself unto him that worketh not. No, he that worketh not to-day, shall have grace to turn and to work to-morrow; and in the mean season I pity him, and pray for him. If I had wrought the will of God these thousand years, and another had wrought the will of the devil as long, and this day turn and be as well willing to suffer with Christ as I, he hath this day overtaken me, and is as far come as I, and shall have as much reward as I: and I envy him not, but rejoice most of all, as of lost treasure found. For if I be of God, I have these thousand years suffered to win him, for to come and praise the name of God with me. These thousand years I have prayed, sorrowed, longed, sighed, and sought for that which I have this day, found; and therefore rejoice with all my might, and praise God for his grace and mercy.

ALBE. A long garment of white linen. 1 ARK. A coffer, or chest, as our shrines, save it was flat; and the sample of our shrines was taken thereof.

BOOTH. An house made of boughs.

BRESTLAP, or brestflap, is such a flap as thou seest in tho breast of a cope.

CONSECRATE. To appoint a thing to holy uses.

DEDICATE. Purify or sanctify.

EPHOD, is a garment somewhat like an amice; save the arms came through and it was girded to. (Chap, xxv.)

GEERASS. In weight as it were an English halfpenny, or somewhat more.

HEAVE- OFFERINGS. Because they were hoven up before the Lord.

HOUSE. He made them houses; that is, he made a kindred, or a multitude of people to spring out of them; as we say the house of David, for the kindred of David.

PEACE-OFFERING. Offering of thanksgiving of devotion, and not for conscience of sin and trespass.

RECONCILE. To make at one, and to bring in grace or favour.

SANCTIFY. To cleanse and purify; to appoint a thing unto holy uses, and to separate from unclean and unholy uses.

SANCTUARY. A place hallowed and dedicate unto God.

SHEWBREAD. Because it was always in the sight and presence of the Lord. (chap, xxv.) Exod. XXv.

TUNICLE. Much like the uppermost garment of the deacon.

WAIVE-OFFERING. Because they were waiven in the priest's hands to divers quarters.

WORSHIP. By worshipping, whether it be in the old Testament or new, understand the bowing of a man's self upon the ground: as we ofttimes, as we kneel in our prayers, bow ourselves, and lie on our arms and hands, with our face to the ground.

*JOf this word, I WILL BE, cometh the name of God, Jehovah, which we interpret Lord; and is as much to say as, I am that I am. (chap, hi.)

That I here call a sheep, in Hebrew is a word indifferent to a sheep and a goat both2, (chap, xii.)

The Lamb was called passover, that the very name itself should put them in remembrance what it signified; for the signs that God ordained either signified the benefits done, or promises to come, and were not dumb, as the signs of our dumb god the pope.

JEHOVAH Nissi3. The Lord is he that exalt eth me. Exo<i. xvii.; (chap, xvii.) *

THE ceremonies which are described in the book follow- Man's wis ing were chiefly ordained of God (as I said in the end of idy! ""

the prologue upon Exodus,) to occupy the minds of that peo ple the Israelites, and to keep them from serving of God after the imagination of their own blind zeal and good intent; that their consciences might be stablished, and they sure that they pleased God therein; which were impossible, if a man did of his own head that which was not commanded of God, nor depended of any appointment made between him and God. Such ceremonies were unto them as an ABC, to ceremonies learn to spell and read; and as a nurse, to feed them with ftaand™6 milk and pap, and to speak unto them after their own capa- good Tchooi city, and to lisp the words unto them, according as the babes JJ^JJ5 and children of that age might sound them again. For all that were before Christ were in the infancy and childhood of the world, and saw that sun, which we see openly, but through a cloud, and had but feeble and weak imaginations of Christ, as children have of men's deeds, a few prophets AH things except, which yet described him unto others in sacrifices revealed" in and ceremonies, likenesses, riddles, proverbs, and dark and * strange speaking, until the full age were come, that God would shew him openly unto the whole world, and deliver them from their shadows and cloud-light, and the heathen ctl out of their dead sleep of stark blind ignorance. And as the shadow vanisheth away at the coming of the light, even so do the ceremonies and sacrifices at the coming of Christ; and are henceforth no more necessary than a token left in remembrance of a bargain is necessary when the bargain is fulfilled. And though they seem plain childish, yet they be not altogether fruitless; as the puppets and twenty manner of trifles, which mothers permit unto their young children, be not all in vain. For albeit that such fantasies be permitted small and to satisfy the children's lusts, yet in that they are the gfvenSfu m°ther's gift, and be done in place and time at her commandment, they keep the children in awe, and make them know the mother, and also make them more apt against a more stronger age to obey in things of greater earnest.

And moreover. though sacrifices and ceremonies can be no groun(^ or foundation to build upon; that is, though we can prove nought with them, yet when we have once found out Christ and his mysteries, then we may borrow figures, ^^ *s *° say allegories, similitudes, or examples, to open Christ, and the secrets of God hid in Christ, even unto the quick, and to declare them more lively and sensibly with them than with all the words in the world. For similitudes have more virtue and power with them than bare words, and lead a man's wits farther into the pith and marrow and spi ritual understanding of the thing, than all the words that can be imagined. And though also that all the ceremonies and sacrifices have, as it were, a star-light of Christ, yet some there be that have, as it were, the light of the broad day, a

^l^Q before the sun-rising; and express him, and the circumstances and virtue of his death so plainly, as if we should play his passion on a scaffold, or in a stage-play, openly be fore the eyes of the people; as the scape-goat, the brasen serpent, the ox burnt without the host, the passover lamb, &c.: insomuch that I am fully persuaded, and cannot but believe, tnafc God had shewed Moses the secrets of Christ, and the very manner of his death beforehand, and commanded him to ordain them for the confirmation of our faith, which are now in the clear day-light. And I believe also that the pro phets, which followed Moses to confirm his prophecies, and to maintain his doctrine unto Christ's coming, were moved by such things to search farther of Christ's secrets. And though Q.O(J i^ouid not have the secrets of Christ generally known, save unto a few familiar friends, which in that infancy he made of man's wit to help the other babes; yet as they had a general promise that one of the seed of Abraham should come and bless them, even so they had a general faith that God would by the same man save them, though they wist not by what means: as the very apostles, when it was oft told them, yet they could never comprehend it, till it was fulfilled in deed.

kevond all this, their sacrifices and ceremonies, as

far forth as the promises annexed unto them extend, so far selves saved forth they saved them and justified them, and stood them in inood'i ai the same stead as our sacraments do us; not by the power of the sacrifice or deed itself, but by the virtue of the faith in the promise, which the sacrifice or ceremony preached, and whereof it was a token or sign. For the ceremonies and sacrifices were left with them, and commanded them, to keep the promise in remembrance, and to wake up their faith: as it is not enough to send many on errands, and to tell them what they shall do; but they must have a remembrance with them, and it be but a ring of a rush about one of their fingers; and as it is not enough to make a bargain with words only, but we must put thereto an oath, and give earnest to confirm the faith of the person with whom it is made; and in like manner if a man promise, whatsoever trifle our natu it be, it is not believed except he hold up his finger also; such is the weakness of the world: and therefore Christ him- outward self used oftentimes divers ceremonies in curing the sick, to t°kensstir up their faith withal. As for example: it was not the blood of the lamb that saved them in Egypt, when the angel smote the Egyptians, but the mercy of God and his truth, whereof that blood was a token and remembrance, to stir up their faiths withal. For though God make a promise, yet it JJ saveth none finally but them that long for it, and pray God JJ with a strong faith to fulfil it, for his mercy and truth only, and knowledge their unworthiness. And even so our sacra- sacraments ments (if they be truly ministered) preach Christ unto us, Jietre,Jarepro* and lead our faiths unto Christ; by which faith our sins are done away, and not by the deed or work of the sacrament. For as it was impossible that the blood of calves should put away sin; even so is it impossible that the water of the river should wash our hearts. Nevertheless the sacraments cleanse sacraments us, and absolve us of our sins, as the priests do in preaching of repentance and faith, for which cause either other1 of gS them were ordained; but if they preach not, whether it be the priest or the sacrament, so profit they not.

And if a man allege Christ, John in the iiird chapter, say ing, " Except a man be born again of water and of the Holy

Ghost, he cannot see the kingdom of God," and will there fore that the Holy Ghost be present in the water, and there- fore the very deed or work doth put away sin; then I will send him unto Paul, which asketh his Galatians, whether they received the Holy Ghost by the deed of the law, or by

Not naked or preaching of faith; and there concludeth that the Holy Ghost thTiSi but accomPanietn tne preaching of faith, and with the word of faith throughfaith, cntereth the heart and purgeth it: which thou mayest also

SSyaiiM. understand by St Paul saying, " Ye are born anew out of the water through the word." So now if baptism preach me the washing in Christ's blood, so doth the Holy Ghost accompany it; and that deed of preaching through faith doth put away my sins. For the Holy Ghost is no dumb God, nor no God that goeth a mumming. If a man say of the sacrament of

Christ's body and blood, that it is a sacrifice as well for the dead as for the quick, and therefore the very deed itself jus-

The differ- tifieth and putteth away sin; I answer, that a sacrifice is the anTa US*. slaying °f the body of a beast, or a man: wherefore, if it be ment- a sacrifice, then is Christ's body there slain, and his blood there shed; but that is not so. And therefore it is properly no sacrifice, but a sacrament, and a memorial of that ever lasting sacrifice once for all, which he offered upon the cross now upon a fifteen hundred years ago; and preacheth only in what state unto them that are alive. And as for them that be dead, risTaoafn*811 lfc 1S as profitable unto them as is a candle in a lanthern with- vaSonor"31" out %ht unto them that walk by the way in dark night; and damnation. ag tke gOSpei song m Latin is unto them that understand none at all, and as a sermon preached to him that is dead, and heareth it not. It preacheth unto them that are alive only: for they that be dead, if they died in the faith which that sacrament preacheth, they be safe, and are past all jeopardy. For when they were alive, their hearts loved the law of God, and therefore sinned not, and were sorry that their members sinned, and ever moved to sin; and therefore

The sacra- through faith it was forgiven them. And now their sinful nots°acr1a3-dead members be dead, so that they can now sin no more; wherements at an. fore ft '1S un£0 them that be dead neither sacrament nor sacraments sacrifice. But under the pretence of their soul-health, it is

Some man would haply say, that the prayers of the The papists mass help much, not the living only, but also the dead. s™n wend

Of the hot fire of their fervent prayer, which consumeth J^"**1116 faster than all the world is able to bring sacrifice, I have said sufficiently in other places. Howbeit it is not possible Hypocrites- to bring me in belief that the prayer, which helpeth her "hee{j}^1P™fit own master unto no virtue, should purchase me the forgive- ™eany man ness of sins. If I saw that their prayers had obtained them grace to live such a life as God's word did not rebuke, then could I soon be borne in hand that, whatsoever they asked of God, their prayers should not be in vain. But now Those that what good can he wish me in his prayers, that envieth me Christ, the food and the life of my soul? What good he wish me, whose heart cleaveth asunder for pain, when People- I am taught to repent of my evil?

Furthermore, because that few know the use of the old Testament, and the most part think it nothing necessary but to make allegories, which they feign every man after his own brain at all wild adventure, without any certain rule; there fore (though I have spoken of them in another place2,) yet, lest the book come not to all men's hands that shall read this, I will speak of them here also a word or twain.

Wre had need to take heed every where that we be not Allegories are beguiled with false allegories, whether they be drawn out of ^Oenf/d<erednd the new Testament or the old, either out of any other story, or of the creatures of the world, but namely in this book. Here a man had need to put on all his spectacles, and to arm The greatest himself against invisible spirits.

First, allegories prove nothing; and by allegories understand examples or similitudes borrowed of strange matters, and of another thing than that thou entreatest of. As though circumcision be a figure of baptism, yet thou canst not prove baptism by circumcision. For this argument were very feeble: the Israelites were circumcised, therefore we must be baptized, understood. And in like manner, though the offering of Isaac were a figure or ensample of the resurrection, yet is this argument naught: Abraham would have offered Isaac, but God de livered him from death; therefore we shall rise again; and so forth in all other.

But the very use of allegories is to declare and open a The rightuse text, that it may be the better perceived and understood. As when I have a clear text of Christ and the apostles, that I must be baptized, then I may borrow an example of circumcision to express the nature, power, and fruit, or effect of baptism. For as circumcision was unto them a common badge, signifying that they were all soldiers of God, to war his war, and separating them from all other nations, disobedient unto God: even so baptism is our common badge, and the common x ° t>adgeoffau sure earnest and perpetual memorial, that we pertain unto sors of Christ. Christ, and are separated from all that are not Christ's. And as circumcision was a token certifying them that they were received unto the favour of God, and their sins forgiven them; even so baptism certifieth us that.we are washed in the blood of Christ, and received to favour for his sake: and as circum cision signified unto them the cutting away of their own lusts, and slaying of their free-will, as they call it, to follow the will Baptism of God; even so baptism signifieth unto us repentance, and the mortifying of our unruly members and body of sin, to walk in a new life, and so forth.

^^ likewise, though that the saving of Noe, and of the them that were with him in the ship, through water, is a it°prurifiethth figure, that is to say an example and likeness, of baptism, as Peter maketh it, (1 Pet. iii.) yet I cannot prove baptism therewith, save describe it only. For as the ship saved them in the water through faith, in that they believed God, and as the other that would not believe Noe perished; even so baptism saveth us through the word of faith which it preacheth, when all the world of the unbelieving perish. And Paul (1 Cor. x.) maketh the sea and the cloud a figure of baptism; by which, and a thousand more, I might declare it, but not prove it. Paul also in the said place maketh the rock, out of which Moses brought water unto the children of Israel, a figure or ensample of Christ; not to prove Christ (for that were impossible,) but to describe Christ only; even oHUTeSst°afthe as Christ himself (John iii.) borroweth a similitude or figure °f *ne brasen serpent, to lead Nicodemus from his earthly imagination into the spiritual understanding of Christ, say ing: "As Moses lifted up a serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that none that believe in him perish, but have everlasting life." By which similitude the virtue of Christ's death is better described than thou couldest declare it with a thousand words. For as those murmurers against God, as soon as they repented, were healed of their deadly wounds, through looking on the brasen serpent only, without medicine or any other help, yea, and without any other reason but that God hath said it should be so; and not to murmur again, but to leave their murmuring: even so all that repent, and believe in Christ, are saved from everlasting death, of pure grace, without, and before, their good works; and not to sin again, but to fight against sin, and henceforth to sin no more.

Even so with the ceremonies of this book thou canst prove nothing, save describe and declare only the putting away of our sins through the death of Christ. For Christ is Aaron and Aaron's sons, and all that offer the sacrifice to purge sin. And Christ is all manner offering that is offered: he is the ox, the sheep, the goat, the kid, and lamb; he is the ox that is burnt without the host, and the scape-goat that carried all the sin of the people away into the wilderness: for as they purged the people from their worldly uncleannesses through blood of the sacrifices, even so doth Christ purge us from the uncleannesses of everlasting death with his own blood; and as their worldly sins could no otherwise be purged, than by blood of sacrifices, even so can our sins be no otherwise forgiven than through the blood of Christ. All the deeds in our duty w the world, save the blood of Christ, can purchase no forgive- deeds, but ness of sins; for our deeds do but help our neighbour, and *&$££* mortify the flesh, and help that we sin no more: but and if therebywe have sinned, it must be freely forgiven through the blood of Christ, or remain for ever.

And in like manner of the lepers thou canst prove nothing: A good ex- thou canst never conjure out confession thence, howbeit thou of the lepers, hast an handsome example there to open the binding and loosing of our priests with the key of God's word; for as they made no man a leper, even so ours have no power to command any man to be in sin, or to go to purgatory or hell. And therefore (inasmuch as binding and loosing is one power) as those priests healed no man; even so ours cannot of their invisible and dumb power drive any man's sins away, or de liver him from hell or feigned purgatory. Howbeit if they The true preached God's word purely, which is the authority that Christ § gave them, then they should bind and loose, kill and make