Of the preface vp&obar; Genesis, maiste thou vnderst&abar;de how to behaue thy selfe in thys boke also, ∧ in al other boks of the scripture. Cleaue vnto the texte and plaine storye, and endeuour thy selfe to searche oute the meanynge of all that is described therein, and the true sence of all maner of speakinges of the scripture, of prouerbes, similitudes, ∧ borowed speache, wherof I entreated in the ende of the obedience, and beware of subtile alligories.
And note euerye thynge earnestlye, as thynges pertaynynge vnto thyne owne herte and soule.

For as God vsed hym selfe vnto theim of the olde testament: eu&ebar; so shal he vnto the worldes end vse him self vnto vs, whych haue receyued hys holye scripture, and the testimonie of hys sonne Iesus. As God doeth all thynges here for them that beleue hys promises, and herken vnto hys commaundementes, and wyth patience cleaue vnto him, and walke with hym: eu&ebar; so shall he do for vs, if we receyue the wytnes of Christe wyth a stronge fayeth, and endure patientely folowyng hys steppes. And on the other syde, as they that fell frome the promyse of God thorowe vnbeliefs, and from his lawe and ordinaunces, thorowe impaciencie of their owne lustes, were forsaken of God, and so peryshed: euen so shall wee as manye as do lykewyse, ∧ as manye as mocke wyth the doctrine of Christe, and make a cloke of it to lyue fleshly and to folowe our lustes.

Note thereto howe God is founde true at the laste, and how when all is past remedy and brought into desperation: he then fulfilleth his promises, and that by an abiecte and a caste awaye, a despised and a refused person, yea, and by a way impossible to beleue.

The cause of all captiuitie of Goddes people is thys. The worlde euer hateth theym for theyr fayeth ∧ truste whyche they haue in God: but in vayne, tyll they fall frome the fayeth of the promises, and loue of the lawe and ordinaunces of God, and put theyr truste in holye dedes of theyr owne fyndinge, and lyue altogither at theyr owne luste and pleasure wythoute regarde of God, or respecte of theyr neghbour. Then God forsaketh vs, and sendeth vs into captiuitie, for our dishonouryng of his name, ∧ despisynge of our neyghboure. But the world persecuteth vs for oure fayeth in Christe onelye (as the people nowe doeth) and not for our wycked lyuynge. For in hys kyngedome thou mayst quyetlye and wyth lycence, and vnder a protecti&obar;: do whatsoeuer abhomination thyne herte lusteth: but God persecuteth vs, bycause we abuse hys holy testament, and bycause wh&ebar; we knowe the trueth we folowe it not.

Note also the myghtye hande of the Lorde, howe he playeth wyth hys aduersaries, ∧ prouoketh them, and styrreth them vp a lyttle and a lyttle, ∧ deliuereth not hys people in an houre that boeth the patience of hys electe, and also the worldely wit and wyly policye of the wycked, wherewyth they do fyghte agaynste God, myght appeare.

Marke the longe sufferynge and soft patience of Moyses, and how he loueth the people and is euer betwene the wrath of God ∧ them, and is ready to lyue and dye wyth them, and to be put oute of the boke that God had wrytten for theyr sakes (as Paule for his brethren. Romayns .ix.) and howe he taketh his owne wr&obar;ges patiently, and neuer auengeth hym selfe.
And make not Moyses a fygure of Christe &wt; Rochester: but an ensample vnto all Prynces, and to all that are in authoritie, howe to rule vnto Goddes pleasure, and vnto theyr owne profite. For there is not a perfecter lyfe in this worlde, boeth to the honoure of God, and profit of hys neyghboure, nor yet a greater crosse, then to rule christianlye, And of Aaron also, see that thou make no fygure of Christe, vntyll he come vnto hys sacrifisyng: but an exemple vnto al preachers of Gods worde, that they adde nothynge vnto Goddes worde, or take oughte therefro.

Note also, howe God sendeth hys promyse to the people, and Moyses confyrmeth it with myracles, and the people beleue. But when temptation commeth, they fall into vnbeleife, and fewe byde standynge. When thou seest that all be not christen that wyll be so called, and that the crosse tryeth the true from the fayned, for if the crosse were not, Christe shoulde haue disciples inowe. Whereof also thou seest, what an excellente gyfte of God true fayth is, and impossible to be had wythoute the spirite of God. For it is aboue al naturall power that a man in tyme of temptation when God scourgeth hym, shoulde beleue then stedfastlye, how that God loueth him, and careth for him, and hathe prepared all good thynges for hym, and that, that scourging is an earnest that God hath electe and chosen hym.

Note howe oft Moyses styrred them vp to beleue and truste in God, puttynge them in remembraunce alwaye in tyme of temptation, of the myracles and wonders that God hathe wrought before tyme in theyr eyesyght. Howe diligently also forbiddeth he al that myght &wt;drawe theyr hertes from God? to put ought to Gods word, to take ought from it, commaundyng to do, that onely that is ryght in the sight of the Lord, that they should make no maner image, to knele downe before it: yea, that they shoulde make none aultare of hewed stone, for feare of Images, to fle the heathen Idolatries vtterly, and to destroye theyr Idolles, and cut downe theyr groues where they worshypped, and that they shoulde not take the Daughters of them vnto theyr sonnes, nor grue theyr daughters to the sonnes of th&ebar;, and that whosoeuer moued any of theim to worshyppe false Goddes, howesoeuer nyghe of kynne he were, they muste accuse hym, ∧ brynge hym to death, yea, and wheresoeuer they hearde of man, woman, or citye, that worshypped false Goddes, they shoulde slea theym, and destroye the citye for euer, and not buylde it agayne, and all bycause they shoulde worshyp nothyng but God, nor putte confidence in any thynge, saue in hys worde.

Yea, and howe warneth he to beware of wytcrafte, sorcerye, euchauntement, nicromancye, and all craftes of the Deuyll, and of dreamers, sothsayers, and of miracle doers to destroye the worde, and that they shoulde suffer none suche to lyue.

Thou wylte hapely saye, they tell a man the trueth. What then? God wyl that we care not to knowe what shall come. He wyll haue vs to care onely to kepe his commaundementes, and to commit all chaunces vnto him. He hath promised to care for vs, and to kepe vs frome all yll. Al thynges are in his hand, he can remedys all thynges, and wyll for his trueth sake, if we praye hym. In hys promises onely wyl he haue

vs trust, and ther rest and to seke no farther.

Nowe also doeth he prouoke them to loue, euer rehersyng the benifites of god done to th&ebar; alredy, and the godly promises þt; were to come? And howe goodly lawes of loue geueth he, to helpe one another, and that a man shoulde not hate hys neyghbour in hys herte, but loue hym as hym selfe. Leuiticus .xix. And what a charge geueth he in euery place, ouer þe; pore and nedie? ouer the stranger, fr&ebar;dlesse and wydowes? And when he desyreth to shewe mercy, he reherseth wyth all, the benyfytes of god done to them at there nede, that they myght se a cause at the leaste waye in god to shewe mercye of verye loue vnto theyr neyghbours at theyr nede.

Also there is no lawe so symple in apparaunce thorow out the fyue bokes of Moyses, but that there is a greate reason of the making therof, if a man searche diligently. As that a manne is forbydde to sethe a Kydde in hys mothers mylke, moueth vs vnto compassion, and to be pitifull. As doeth also that a manne shoulde not offer the syre or d&abar;me and the yong boeth in one daye. Leuiticus .xxii. For it myght seme a cruell thynge, in as muche as hys mothers mylke is as it were his bloude, wherfore God wyll not haue hym sodde therein: but wil haue a man shewe curtesye, vpon the very beastes. As in an other place he comma&ubar;deth that we mosell not the oxe that treadeth out þe; corne (whyche maner of threshynge is vsed in hotte countreys) and that bycause we shoulde muche rather to be liberall and kynde vnto men that do vs seruice. Or happlye God woulde haue none such wanton meate vsed among hys people. For the kydd of it selfe is nourishyng, and the gootes mylke is restauratiue, and boeth togither myght be to rancke, and therfore forbidden, or some other lyke cause there was.

Of the ceremonies, sacrifices, and tabernacle, wyth all hys glory and pompe, vnderstand that they were not permitted onelye, but also commaunded of God, to lead the people in the shadowe of Moyses and nyghte of the olde testament, vntyll the lyght of Christe and day of the newe testament were come. As chyldren are ledde in the phantasyes of youth vntyl the descretion of mans age be come vpon them. And all was done to kepe them from Idolatry.

The tabernacle was ordeyned to the entent they myght haue a place appoynted them to do theyr sacrifices openly in the syght of the people, and namelye the priestes whyche wayted thereon: that is myght be sene that they did all thynges accordinge to Goddes word, and not after the Idolatrye of theyr owne Imagination. And the costelynesse of the Tabarnacle, and the beautye also, pertayninge thereunto, that they shoulde see nothynge amonge the Heathen, but that they should se thynges more beautyfull at home, bycause they should not be moued to folowe them.

And in lyke maner, the dyuerse fashyons of sacrifices and ceremonies was to occupy theyr myndes, that they shoulde haue no luste to folowe the Heathen: and the multude of theym was, that they shoulde haue so muche to do in kepynge them, that they should haue no leasure to Imagyn other of theyr owne: yea, and that gods word might be by in al that they did, that they myghte haue theyr fayeth ∧ truste in God, whyche he can not haue that foloweth eyther hys owne inuenti&obar;s, or traditions of mennes makynge wythout Goddes worde.

Finally, God hath .ii. Testamentes: the olde and the newe, The olde testament is those temporall promises whyche God made the chyldren of Israell of a good Lande, and that he woulde defende them, and of wealth and prosperitie, and of temporall blessynges, of which thou readest ouer all the lawe of Moyses, but namely, Leuitius .xxvi. and Deuter .xxviii. and the auoydynge of all threatenynges and curses of whyche thou readest lykwyse euery where, but speciallye in the two bokes aboue rehearsed, and the auoydynge of all punyshment ordeyned for the traungressours of the law.

And the olde testament was builte altogyther vpon the kepyng of the lawe and ceremonies, and was the rewarde of kepynge them in thys lyfe onelye, and reached no farther then thys lyfe and thys worlde. As thou readest. Leuiticus .xviii, A man that doeth them shal lyue there in, whyche texte Paule rehearseth. Ro.x. and Galathyans.iii. That is, he that kepeth them, shall haue hys lyfe gloriouse, accordynge to all the promises and blessynges of the lawe, and shall auoyde boeth all temporall punyshementes of the lawe, and all the threatenynges and cursynges also. For neyther the law euen of the ten commaundementes, nor yet the ceremonies, iustified in the hert before God, or purified vnto the lyfe to come. In so muche that Moyses at hys death, euen fourtye yeres after the lawe and ceremonies were geuen complayneth sayinge. God hath not geuen you an herte to vnderstande, nor eyes to see, nor eares to heare vnto thys daye. As who shoulde haue sayed. God hath geuen you ceremonies, but ye knowe not the vse of theim, and hath geu&ebar; you a lawe, but God hathe not wrytten it in youre hertes.

Wherefore serueth the lawe then, if it gyue vs no power to do the lawe? Paul answereth the, that it was geuen to vtter synne onely, and to make it appeare. As a corosie is layed vnto an olde sore, not to heale it, but to styrre it vp, and make the disease alyue, that a man myghte feele in what iopardye he is, and howe nyghe death and not aware, and to make awaye vnto the healynge plaster.

Euen so, sayeth Paule. Gala.iii The lawe was geuen bycause of traunsgression (that is to make the synne aliue, that it myght be felt ∧ sene) vntyll the seede came vnto whome it was promised, that is to saye, vntyll the chyldren of fayeth came, or vntyll Christe that seede in whom God promised Abraham, that all nations of the worlde shoulde be blessed, came.

That is, the lawe was geuen to vtter synne, death, damnation, and cursse, and to dryue vnto Christe, in whom forgeuenes, lyfe, iustifiyng and blessynges were promised, that we myght se so greate loue of God to vs warde in Christ that we hence forth ouer come wyth kyndnes, myght loue agayne, and of loue kepe the commaundementes.

Nowe that goeth aboute to quiet hys conscience, ond to iustify hym selfe wyth the lawe: doeth but heale hys wo&ubar;des with freating coroseis. And he that goeth aboute to purchase grace wyth ceremonies: doeth but sucke the ale pole to quenche his thyrste, in as muche as the ceremonies were not geuen to iustifie the hert, but to signifie the iustifiynge, and forgyuenes that is in Christes bloude.

Of the ceremonies that they iustifye not, thou readest. Hebrues,x. It is impossible that synne shoulde be done awaye wyth the bloude of oxen, and gootes. And of the lawe thou readest Gala iii. If there had bene a lawe geuen that coulde haue quickened or geuen lyfe: then had ryghtuousenes or iustifiynge come by the lawe in dede. Now the lawe not onely quickneth not the herte, but also woundeth it wyth c&obar;science of synne, ∧ ministereth death and d&abar;naion vnto hyr .ii.Cor.iii. so that she must neades dye and be dampned, excepte shee fynde other remedye. So farre it is of that she is iustified or holpen by the lawe.

The newe testamente is those euerlastynge promises whyche are made vs in Christe the

Lorde thorowe oute all the scripture. And that Testamente is buylte on fayeth, and not on worckes.

For it is not sayed of that Testamente. He that worcketh shall lyue: but he that beleueth shall lyue. As thou readest. Iohn.iii. God so loued the worlde, that he gaue hys onely begotten sonne, that none that beleue in hym should peryshe, but haue lyfe euer lastynge.

And when thys testament is preached and beleued, the spirite entereth the herte, ∧ quickeneth it, and geueth it lyfe, ∧ iustifieth hyr. The spirite also maketh the lawe a lyuelye thynge in the herte, so that a manne bryngeth forthe good worckes of hys owne accorde wyth oute compulsion of the law, without fear of threatenynges, or cursynges: yea, and wythout all maner respecte or loue vnto anye temporall pleasure, but of the verye power of the spirite, receyued thorowe fayeth, as thou readest. Iohn i. He gaue th&ebar; power to be the sonnes of God, in that they beleued on hys name.

And of that power they worcke, so that he whyche hathe the spirite of Christ, is nowe no more a chyld: he neyther learneth nor worcketh any longer for paine of the rodde, or for fear of bugges or pleasure of apples, but doeth al thinges of hys owne courage. As Christe sayeth Iohn.vii. He that beleueth on me, shal haue riuers of lyuynge waters flowynge oute of hys bealy. That is al good worckes, and al gyftes of grace sprynge out of hym naturallye, and by theyr owne accorde. Thou neadest not to wrest good worckes out of hym, as a manne woulde wrynge veriuce oute of crabbes. Naye they flowe naturally oute of hym, as sprynges oute of rockes.

The newe Testament was euer euen frome the begynnynge of the worlde. For there were alwayes promises of Christe to come, by fayth in whyche promises, the electe were then iustified inwardelye before God, as outewardelye before the worlde, by kepynge of the lawe and ceremonies.

And in conclusion, as thou seest blessynges or cursynges folowe the breakynge or kepyng of the lawe of Moyses: euen so naturallye do the blessynges or cursynges folowe the breakynge or kepynge of the lawe of nature, oute of whyche sprynge all our temporall lawes. So that when the people keepe the temporall lawes of theyr Lande, temporall prosperitie, and all maner of suche temporall blessynges as thou readest of in Moyses, do accompany them and fal vpon theim. And contrarywyse, when they synne vnpunished, and when the rulers haue no respecte vnto equitie or honestie, then God sendeth hys cursse amonge theym, as hunger, dearth, moreen, banninge, pestilence, warre oppression, wyth straunge and wonderfull diseases, and newe kyndes of misfortune and enyll lucke.

If anye manne aske me, seynge that fayeth iustifieth me why I worcke? I answere. Loue compelleth me. For as longe as my soule feleth what loue God hath shewed me in Christe: I can not but loue God againe, and hys wil and commaundementes, and of loue worcke them, nor can they seme harde vnto me. I thynke not my selfe better for my workynge, nor seke heauen nor an higher place in heauen bicause of it. For a christian worcketh to make hys weake brother perfecter, and not to seeke an hygher place in heauen. I compare not my selfe vnto him that worketh not. No, he that worcketh not to daye, shall haue grace to turne and to worcke to morrowe, and in the meane tyme, I pytye hym and praye for hym, If I had wrought the wyll of God these thousand yeres, and an other had wrought the wyl of the deuyl as longe, ∧ thys day turne and be as well wyllyng to suffer wyth Christe as I: he hath thys daye ouer taken me, and is as farre come as I, and shall haue as muche reward as I, and I enuye hym not but reioyce moste of al, as of lost treasure founde.

For if I be of God, I haue these thousande yeares suffered to wynne hym for to come and prayse the name of God wyth me. These thousand yeres, I haue prayed, sorowed, longed, syghed, and sought for that whyche I haue thys daye founde, and therfore reioice with al my myghte, and prayse God for hys Grace and mercye.

¶ The seconde boke of Moises called Exodus.

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