The ceremonies which are described in yt book following, were chiefly ordained of God, (as I said in the end of the 1prologue upon Exod.) to occupy the minds of that people the Israelites, and to keep them from serving of God, after the imagination of their blind zeal, and good intent: that their consciences might be stablished, ⟨p. 12⟩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 2were unto them as an A, B, C, to learn to spell and read, and as a nurse to feed them with milk and pap, & to speak unto them after their own capacity, and to lisp the words unto them according as the babes 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 mens deeds (a few prophets except) which 3yet described him unto other in sacrifices and ceremonies, likenesses, riddles proverbs, and dark and strange speaking, until the full age were come, that god would show him openly unto the whole world, and deliver them from their shadows and cloudelight, & the heathen 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, then 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 & xx. manner of trifles, which mothers permit unto their young children, be not all in vain. For albeit that such fantasies be permitted 4to satisfy the children's lusts, yet in that they are the mothers gift, & 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.
THe ceremonies whiche are described in yt booke following, were chiefly ordeined of God, (as I sayd in the ende of the 1prologue vpon 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, ⟨p. 12⟩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 2were vnto 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 vnto them after their own capacitie, and to lispe the wordes vnto 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 haue of mennes deedes (a few prophets except) which 3yet described him vnto 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 vnto 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 vnto their yong children, be not all in vaine. For albeit that suche fantasies be permitted 4to 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.
- 1Mans wisdom is plain Idolatry, it scat tereth, divideth, and maketh sects.Mās wisedome is playn Idolatry, it scat tereth, diuideth, and maketh sectes.
- 2Ceremonies to the Israelites and newts were as good school masters are to young scholars.Ceremonies to the Israelites and •ewts were as good schole masters are to young scholers.
- 3All things were first revealed in ceremonies and shadows until it pleased almighty God, to reveal his sonne Jesus Christ.All thyngs were first reueled in ceremonies and shadowes vntill it pleased almighty God, to reuele hys sonne Iesu Christ.
- 4Small and little gifts given by the parents to their children, causeth love & obedience.Small and litle giftes geuē by the parentes to their children, causeth loue & obedience.
