Whole Works, Biblical prologues · Old Testament · Leviticus
A Prologue into the thirde booke of Moſes called Leuiticus.
THe ceremonies whiche are deſcribed in yt booke following, were chiefly ordeined of God, (as I ſayd in the ende of the Mās wiſedome is playn Idolatry, it ſcat tereth, diuideth, and maketh ſectes.prologue vponupon Exod.) to occupye the myndes of that people the Iſraelites, and to kepe them from ſeruing of God, after the imagination of their blynde zeale, and good entent: that their conſciences might be ſtabliſhed, and they ſure that they pleaſed God therin, which were impoſſible, if a man did of his own head that which was not commaunded of god, nor depended of any appointment made betwene hym and God. Such ceremonies Ceremonies to the Iſraelites and …ewts were as good ſchole maſters are to young ſcholers.were vntounto them as an A, B, C, to learne to ſpell and read, and as a nurſe to feede them with mylke and pappe, & to ſpeake vntounto them after their own capacitie, and to liſpe the wordes vntounto them accordyng as the babes and children of that age might ſound them agayne. For all that were before Chriſt, were in the infancy and childhoode of the world, and ſaw that ſonne whiche we ſee openly, but thorow a cloud, and had but feble, and weake imaginatiōs of Chriſt, as children hauehave of mennes deedes (a few prophets except) which All thyngs were firſt reueled in ceremonies and ſhadowes vntill it pleaſed almighty God, to reuele hys ſonne Ieſu Chriſt.yet deſcribed him vntounto other in ſacrifices and ceremonies, likeneſſes, riddles prouerbes, and darke and ſtrange ſpeaking, vntil the full age were come, that god would ſhew him openly vntounto the whole worlde, and deliuer them from their ſhadowes and cloudelight, & the hethen out of their dead ſlepe, of ſtarck blinde ignorancy. And as the ſhadowe vaniſheth away at the comming of the light, euē ſo do the ceremonies and ſacrifices at the comming of Chriſt, and are henceforth no more neceſſary, then a token left in remembraunce of a bargayn, is neceſſary whē the bargayne is fulfilled. And though they ſeme plaine childiſhe, yet they bee not altogether fruiteleſſe: as the puppets & xx. maner of trifles, which mothers permit vntounto their yong children, be not all in vaine. For albeit that ſuche fantaſies be permitted Small and litle giftes geuē by the parentes to their children, cauſeth louelove & obedience.to ſatiſfie the childerns luſtes, yet in that they are the mothers gift, & be done in place and tyme at her commaundement, they keepe the children in awe, and make them know the mother, and alſo make them more apte againſt a more ſtronger age to obey in thinges of greater earneſt.
And moreouer, though ſacrifices and Sacrifices and ceremonies ſerue for allegories to find out Chriſt.ceremonies can be no groūd, or foundation to build vponupon: that is, thoughe we can proue nought with them: yet when we hauehave once found out Chriſte and his myſteries, thē we may borow Similitudes proue nothyng, but doe more playnly lead thee to vnderſtand the text.figures, that is to ſay allegories, ſimilitudes, or examples to opē Chriſt, and the ſecretes of God hid in Chriſt, euen vntounto the quicke, and to declare them more liuely and ſēſibly with them, thē with all the wordes of the world. For ſimilitudes hauehave more vertue & power with them then bare wordes, and leade a mans wittes further into the pithe and marye, and ſpirituall vnderſtandyng of the thyng, thē all the wordes that can be imagined. And though alſo that al the ceremonies, & ſacrifices hauehave as it were a ſtarrelight of Chriſt, yet ſome there be that hauehave as it were the lyght of the broad day, a litle before the ſonne riſing, and expreſſe hym, and Some ceremonies cō teine whole ſome and profitable doctrine.the circumſtaunces and vertue of hys death ſo plainly, as if we ſhoulde play his paſſion on a ſcaffold; or in a ſtage play, openly before the eyes of the people. As the ſcape gote, the braſen Serpent, the Oxe burnt without the hoſte, the paſſeouer Lambe, &c. In ſo muche that I am fully perſuaded, and cannot Ceremonies ordeyned to confirme our fayth.but beleue that God had ſhewed Moſes the ſecretes of Chriſt, and the very maner of hys death before hande, and commaunded hym to ordaine them for the confirmation of our faythe, which are now in the cleare day light, and I beleue alſo that ye prophets, which folowed Moſes to confirme his propheſies, and to maintayn his doctrine vntil Chriſtes comming, were moued by ſuch thinges to ſearch further of Chriſtes ſecretes. And though God would Gods ſecrets were opened but to a fewe.not hauehave the ſecrets of Chriſt generally known, ſaue vntounto a fewe familiare frendes, which in that infācy he made of mans wit to helpe the other babes: yet as they had a generall promiſe that one of the ſeede of Abraham ſhoulde come and bleſſe them, euen ſo they had a generall fayth, that God woulde by the ſame man ſaue them, thoughe they wiſt not by what meanes, as the very apoſtles when it was oft tolde them, yee they could neuer comprehende it, till it was fulfilled in dede.
And beyond all this, their ſacrifices, and ceremonies as far forth as the promiſes The ceremonies of themſelues ſaued not, but fayth in Gods promiſe.annexed vntounto them extend, ſo far forth they ſaued thē, and iuſtified thē, and ſtoode them in the ſame ſteade as our Sacramentes doe vsus: not by the power of the ſacrifice or deede it ſelfe, but by the vertue of the fayth in ye promiſe, which the ſacrifice or Ceremonye preached, and whereof it was a token or ſigne. For the ceremonies and ſacrifices were left with them, & commaū ded them to keepe the promiſe in remembraunce, and to wake vp theyr fayth. As it is not enough to ſend many on errandes, and to tell them what they ſhall do: but they muſt hauehave a remembraunce with them, and it be but a ringe of a ruſhe aboute one of their fingers. And as it is not inoughe to make a bargayne with wordes onelyonly, but we muſt put therto an othe, & geue earneſt to confirme the fayth of ye perſon with whom it is made. And in like Our nature is ſo weake that we muſt be holpen by outwarde ſignes and tokens.manner if a man promiſe, whatſoeuer trifle it be, it is not beleued excepte he hold vp hys finger alſo, ſuche is the weakeneſſe of the world. And therfore Chriſte himſelfe vſed ofttymes diuers ceremonies in curyng ye ſicke to ſtirre vp their fayth with al. As for example: it was not ye bloud of ye Lambe that ſaued thē in Egipt, when ye angell ſmote the Egiptians: but the mercy of God and hys truth, wherof that bloud was a token and remembrance, to ſtirre vp their faythes withall. For though god No man is holpen by … promiſes, but ſinners that feele their ſinne.make a promiſe, yet it ſaueth none finally but them, that long for it, & pray God with a ſtrong fayth to fulfil it, for hys mercy and truth only, and knowledge their vnworthineſſe. And euen ſo our ſacramentes (if they be truly miniſtred) preach Chriſt vntounto vsus, & lead Sacraments truly miniſtred are profitable.our faithe vntounto Chriſte, by which faith our ſinnes are done away, and not by the deede or worke of the Sacrament. For as it was impoſſible that yt bloud of calues ſhould put away ſinne: euen ſo is it impoſſible that the water of the riuer ſhould waſh our hartes. Neuertheleſſe, Sacraments truly mini…res preach vntounto vsus repē taunce of our ſinnes.the ſacramentes clenſe vsus and abſolue vsus of our ſinnes as the prieſts do, in preaching of repentance & fayth, for whiche cauſe either other of them were ordayned, but if they preach not, whether it be the prieſt, or the Sacrament, ſo profite they not.
And if a man alledge Chriſt, Iohn in the, iij. Chapter ſaying: Except a man be borne agayne of water, and the holy Ghoſt hee can not ſee the kyngdome of GOD, and will therfore that the holy ghoſt be preſent in the water, and therfore the very deede, or worke doth put No… naked or dome ceremonies, but the holy ghoſt throughe fayth waſheth away ſinnes.away ſinne: then I will ſend hym vntounto Paul which aſketh his Galathiās, whether they receaued the holy ghoſt by the dede of the law, or by preachyng of fayth, and there concludeth that the holy ghoſt accōpanyeth the preachyng of faith, and with the word of faith, entreth the hart and purgeth it, whiche thou mayeſt alſo vnderſtand by Saint Pauls ſaying: Ye are borne a new out of the water through the worde. So now if Baptiſme preach me the waſhyng in Chriſtes bloud, ſo doth the holy ghoſt accompany it, and that deede of preachyng throughe fayth doth put away my ſinnes. For the holy Ghoſt is no dome God, nor no God that goeth a mummynge. If a man ſay of the Sacrament of Chriſtes body and bloud, that it is a ſacrifice as well for the dead as for the quicke, and therfore the very dede it ſelf iuſtifieth and putteth away ſinne: I aunſwere that a ſacrifice is the ſleyng of the body of a beaſt, or a The difference betwene a ſacrifice, and a Sacrament.man: wherefore if it be a ſacrifice, then is Chriſtes body there ſlayne and his bloud there ſhed: but that is not ſo. And therfore it is properly no ſacrifice but a Sacrament, and a memoriall of that euerlaſtyng ſacrifice once for all, which he offered vponupon croſſe now vppon a xv. hundred yeares ago, & preacheth onelyonly vntounto them that are aly…e. And as for them that be dead, it is as profitable vntounto them as is a cādle in a Lāterne without light vntounto them that What ſlate we dye in the ſame wee ſhall riſe agayn, either of ſaluation or damnation.walke by the way in darke night, and as the Goſpell ſong in Latine is vntounto them that vnderſtand none at all, and as a Sermon preached to him that is dead, and heareth it not. It preacheth vntounto them that are a lyue onelyonly, for they that bee dead, if they dyed in the fayth whiche that Sacrament preacheth, they bee ſafe, and are paſt all ieopardy. For when they were alyue their hartes loued the law of GOD, and therfore ſinned not, and were ſory that their members ſynned, and euer The Sacramentes are vntounto ye dead, no Sacramentes at all.moued to ſinne, and therfore thorough fayth it was forgeuen them. And now their ſynnefull members be dead, ſo that they can now ſinne no more, wherfore it is vntounto them that bee dead neither Sacrament nor ſacrifice: But vnderunder the pretence of their ſoule health it is a ſeruaūt vntounto our ſpiritualties holy Sacramentes abuſed vp y• Clergy.coueteouſneſſe, and an extorcioner, and a builder of Abbayes, Colledges, Chauntryes and Cathedral Churches with falſe gotten good, a pickepurſe, a polar, and a bottomleſſe bagge.The Papiſtes hauehave had no ſmal frend and good helper of the maſſe
Some man would happely ſay, that the prayers of the Maſſe helpe much: not the liuing onelyonly, but alſo the dead. Of the hoate fire of their feruent prayer whiche conſumeth faſter then all the world is able to bring ſacrifice, I hauehave Hipocrites prayers cā neither profite them ſelkes, nor any mā …lsſayd ſufficiently in other places. How beit it is not poſſible to bryng me in belief, that the prayer whiche helpeth her own maſter vntounto no vertue, ſhuld purchaſe me the forgeuenes of ſinnes. If I ſaw that their prayers had obtained them grace to lyue ſuche a lyfe, as Gods word dyd not rebuke, the could I ſoone be borne in hand that what ſo euer they aſked GOD, their prayers ſhuld not be in vayne. But now what good cā he wiſh me in his prayers that Thoſe that are enemies to the worde of God, louelove neither god nor his people.enuieth Chriſte the fode, and the lyfe of my ſoule? What good can hee wiſhe me, whoſe hart cleaueth a ſonder for payne, when I am taught to repent of my euill?
Furthermore, becauſe that fewe know the vſe of the old Teſtamēt, and the moſt part thinke it nothyng neceſſarie but to make allegories, whiche they fayne eueryevery man after hys owne brayne at all wyld aduenture without any certaine rule: therefore (though I hauehave ſpoken of them in an other place) yet leſt the boke come not to all mens handes that ſhall read this, I will ſpeake of them here alſo a woorde or twayne.
We had neede to take hede eueryevery Allegories are to bee wel weyed and conſidered.where that wee bee not begyled with falſe allegories, whether they be drawē out of the new Teſtament, or the old, either out of any other ſtory, or of the creatures of the world, but namely in The greateſt cauſe of the decay of faith and blindnes that wee were in▪ was thorough Allegories.this booke. Here a man had neede to put on all his ſpectacles, and to arme him ſelfe agaynſt inuiſibles ſpirites.
Firſt allegories proue nothyng (and by allegories vnderſtand examples or ſimilitudes borowed of ſtraunge matters, and of an other thyng then that thou entreateſt of.) And though circū ſion be a figure of Baptiſme, yet thou canſt not proue Baptiſme by Circumciſion. For this argument were very How allegories are to bee vnderſtand.feble, the Iſraelites were Circumciſed therfore, we muſt be Baptiſed. And in like maner though ye offering of Iſaac were a figure or example of the reſurr…ction, yet is this argument nought, Abraham would hauehave offered Iſaac, but GOD deliuered him from death, therefore we ſhall riſe agayne, and ſo forth in all other.
But the very vſe of allegories is to declare and open a text that it may bee The ryght vſed of allegories.the better perceaued and vnderſtand. As when I hauehave a cleare text of Chriſt and of the Apoſtles, that I muſt be baptiſed, then I may borow an example of Circumciſiō, to expreſſe the nature, power, and frute or effect of baptiſme. For as Circumciſion was vntounto them a common badge ſignifiyng that they were all ſouldiers of god, to warre his warre, and ſeparating them from al other nations, diſobedient vntounto God: Baptiſme is ye commō badge of all true profeſſours of Chriſt.euen ſo baptiſme is our cōmon badge, and ſure earneſt and perpetual memoriall that we pertaine vntounto Chriſt, and are ſeparated frome all that are not Chriſtes. And as Circumciſion was a token certifyeng them, that they were receaued vntounto the fauour of God, and their ſinnes forgeuē them: euen ſo Baptiſme certifieth vsus that we are waſhed in the bloud of Chriſt, and receaued to fauour for his ſake, and as Circumciſiō ſignified vntounto them, the cuttyng awaye of their owne luſtes, and Baptiſme teacheth vsus repentaunce of ſinne.ſleayng of their free will, (as they call it) to folow the will of GOD, euen ſo Baptiſme ſignifieth vntounto vsus repentaunce, and the mortifying of our vnruly members, and bodyes of ſinne, to walke in a new life, and ſo forth.
And likewiſe, thoughe that the ſauing of Noe, & of them that were with him in the ſhyp, thorough water, is a figure, that is to ſay an example and likeneſſe of Baptiſme, as Peter maketh it. 1. Peter. 3. yet I can not proue The bare waſhyng helpeth not but throrough the worde of fayth it purifieth vsus.Baptiſme therewith, ſaue deſcribe it onelyonly: for as the ſhyp ſaued them in the water thorough fayth, in that they beleued God, and as y• other that would not beleue Noe periſhed: euen ſo Baptiſme ſaueth vsus through the worde of fayth whiche it preacheth, when all the world of the vnbeleuyng periſh. And Paule. 1. Corin. 10. maketh the ſea and the cloude a figure of Baptiſme, by which, and a thouſād mo I might declare, it but not proue it. Paule alſo in the ſayd place maketh the rock, out of which Moſes brought water vntounto the children of Iſraell, a figure or example of Chriſt, not to proue Chriſte (for that were impoſſible) but to deſcribe Chriſt onelyonly: euen as Chriſt him ſelfe Iohn. 3 boroweth a ſimilitude or figure of the braien ſerpēt to lead Nichodemus frō How chriſt boroweth figures of the old Teſtament, to make plain the textes of the new teſtament.his earthy imagination, into the ſpiritual vnderſtādyng of Chriſtes ſaying: As Moſes lifted vp a Serpent in the wilderneſſe, ſo muſt the ſonne of man be lifted vp, that none that beleue in hym periſh, but hauehave euerlaſting lyfe. By which ſimilitude the vertue of Chriſtes death is better deſcribed then thou couldeſt declare it with a thouſād wordes. For as thoſe murmurers agaynſt God, as ſoone as they repented were healed of their deadly woundes, thorough lookynge on the braſen Serpent onelyonly, without medicine or any other helpe, yea and without any other reaſon, but that God hath ſayd it ſhould be ſo, and not to murmure agayne, but to leaue their murmuryng: euen ſo all that repent and beleue in Chriſt, are ſaued frō euerlaſtyng death, of pure grace without, and before their good works, and not to ſynne agayne, but to fight agaynſt ſinne, and henceforth to ſynne no more.
Euen ſo with the ceremonies of this booke thou canſt proue nothyng, ſaue deſcribe, and declare onelye the putting away of oure ſinnes thorowe the deathe of Chriſte. For Chriſte is Aaron, and Aarons ſonnes, and all that offer the ſacrifice to purge ſinne. And Chriſt is all maner 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 yt ſcapegote that caried all the ſinne of the people away into the wilderneſſe: for as they purged the people from their worldly vncleaneſſes thorow bloud of ye ſacrifices, euen ſo doth Chriſt purge vsus frō the vncleanneſſes of euerlaſting death with hys owne bloude, and as their worldly ſinnes coulde no otherwiſe be purged, then by bloud of ſacrifice: euen ſo can our ſinnes bee no otherwiſe Our duety is to do good dedes but ſaluation we cannot chalēge therby.forgeuen, then thorowe the bloud of Chriſt. All the deedes in the worlde, ſaue the bloude of Chriſt, can purchaſe no forgeueneſſe of ſinnes: for our dedes do but help our neighbour, and mortify the fleſh, and help that we ſinne no more, but and if we hauehave ſinned, it muſt be freely forgeuen thorow the bloud of Chriſt, or remayne euer.
And in lyke manner of the Leapers A good example taken of the Lepers.thou canſt proue nothing: thou canſt neuer coniure out confeſſion thence, howbeit thou haſt an handſome example there, to open the binding & loſyng of our prieſts, with the key of Gods worde, for as they made no man a Leper, euen ſo oures hauehave no power to commaund any man to be in ſinne, or to go to purgatory or hell. And therefore (in as much as binding and looſing is one power) as thoſe Prieſtes healed no man, euen ſo oures can not of their inniſible, and domme power, driue any mans ſinnes away, or deliuer The true preachyng of Gods word, doth bynde and loſe conſciences.hym from hel, or fayned purgatory, how be it, if they preached Gods worde purely, which is the authoritie that Chriſt gaue them, then they ſhold binde and loſe, kill and make alyue agayne, make vncleane and cleane agayne, and ſend to hel and fetch thence agayne, ſo mighty is gods worde. For if they preached the lawe of God, they ſhold bynd the conſciences of ſinners, with the bondes of the paynes of hell, and bring them vntounto repentance. And then if they preached vntounto thē ye mercy that is in Chriſt, they ſhold looſe them and quiete their ragyng conſciences, & certifie them of the fauour of God, and In allegories is both hony & gall, that is to ſay, both good & euilthat their ſinnes be forgeuen.
Finally, beware of allegories, for there is not a more handſome or apte thyng to beguile withall, then an allegory, nor a more ſubtle and peſtilente thyng in the world to perſwade a falſe matter then an allegory. And contrariwiſe, there is not a better, vehementer or mightier thyng to make a man vnderſtand with all, thē an allegory. For allegories make a man quicke witted, and printe wiſdome in hym, and maketh it to abide, where bare wordes go but in at the one eare, and out at the other. As this with ſuch lyke ſayings: put ſalt to all your ſacrifices, in ſteade of this ſentēce, do all your dedes wyth diſcretion, greeteth and biteth (if it bee vnderſtand) more then plain wordes. And when I ſay in ſtede of theſe wordes, boaſt not your ſelfe of your good dedes, eate not the bloud, nor the fat of your ſacrifice, there is as greate difference betwene them, as there is diſtance betwene heauen and earth. For All good dedes are gods work manſhip, & wee hys inſtrumēts wherby he doth them.the lyfe and beauty of all good dedes is of God, and we are but the caren lean, we are onelyonly the inſtrument whereby God worketh onelyonly, but the power is his. As God created Paul a new, poured hys wiſdome into hym, gaue hym might, & promiſed hym that his grace ſhould neuer fayle him, &c. and al with out deſeruinges, except that nurtering the ſayntes, and making them curſe & rayle on Chriſt bee meritorious. Now as it is death to eate the bloud or fatte of any ſacrifice, is it not (thinke ye) dā nable to robbe God of hys honour, & to glorify my ſelfe with hys honour?