[The Pentateuch]

But the very use of allegories is to declare and open a text that it may be the better perceived and understand. As when I have a clear text of Christ and of the apostles, that I must be baptised, then I may borrow an ensample of circumcision to express the nature power and fruit or effect of baptism. For as circumcision was unto them a common bag signifying that they were all soldiers off God to war his war and separating them from all other nations disobedient unto God: even so baptism is our common bag and sure earnest and perpetual memorial that we pertain unto Christ and are separated from all that are not christs. And as circumcision was a token certifying them that they were received unto the favour off God and their ⟨image 182⟩sinner 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 circumcision signified unto them the cutting away of their own lusts and slaying of their free will, as they call it, to follow the will 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.

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 ⟨image 182⟩sinner forgeven them: even so baptim certefyeth vs that we are wasshed in the bloude of christ ād receaued to fauoure for his sake. and as circumcysion signifyed vnto thē 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 mēbres and body of synne, to walke in a new lyffe and so forth.