Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion, Sermons 2 · Decade 3 · Sermon 5

Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion · Sermons 2 · Decade 3 · Sermon 5

p. 327Of the Ceremonial lawes of God, but eſpecially of the prieſthood, time, and place, appointed for the Ceremonies.

¶ The fifth Sermon.

IN the partition of gods lawes, next after y^e moral lawe we placed the Ceremoniall lawe: and therfore ſince y^e morall lawe is alreadie expounded, I hauehave now next by the help of God, to treate of y^e law of Ceremonies. And y^t I may not hide any thing from you, note this by the way, that ſome write Ceremoniae and ſome Cerimoniae, which two words are vſed for Ceremonies, conſidering y^• ſundrie men hauehave ſundrie opinions touching y^• word frō whence it ſhould come. For ſome (after the opinion of Seruius Sulpitius) do thinke that they are called Ceremoniae a Carendo. But Feſtus affirmeth that Ceremonies did firſt take their name of the towne Cęres or Cęrete. For Liuie in his fifte booke ſaith, that the reliques of the Romans were kept by the townſmen of Cęres in y^• Frēch warre at what time y^e Frenchmen inuaded Rome p. 328By which occaſion it is likely that for remembraunce of the benefite all the worſhipp due to God, and all the holy rites or cuſtomes, were according to the name of the towne vſuallie called Ceremonies. But from whence ſoeuer the woord is deriued, wée in this treatiſe vſe it for the holy déede of worſhipping God, and the eccleſiaſticall rites of ſacred religion.

Now Ceremonies are holy rites belonging to the miniſters of religion, Ceremonies gene rally what they are.and alſo to the place, time, and holy worſhip exhibited to God, all whiche, howe they ought to be kept and obſerued according as they ſhould be, the lawes called Ceremonial doe exactly teach and preciſely deſcribe. Ceremonies therfore are the actions or rites which the lawes or rules called Ceremoniall doe frame or appoint. Nowe Ceremonies are ordeyned either by God or men. As touching thoſe which God hath inſtituted they are of two ſorts. The one ſort wherof he did ordeine in the old teſtament to the auncient Iſraelites, and the other at the comming of Chriſte to vsus, that are the people of the new teſtament or couenaunt. Of the Ceremonies of the new teſtament I meane to ſpeake, when I come to treate of the Church & the Sacraments thereof. At this time I wil diſcourſe of the Ceremonies of the old teſtament, which were holy rites and actions ordeyned and deliuered by God himſelf to the people of Iſrael, vntil the time of amendement, partly to repreſent & in a ſhadowe to ſhewe the myſteries of God, and partly to worſhip God by them, and alſo with them to kéepe the people of God in a lawfull religion, and in the ſocietie of one eccleſiaſticall bodie.Humane ceremonies.

But men alſo hauehave brought in very many and ſundrie ſortes of Ceremonies: as amonge the heathen the Archflamines did, who were the prieſtes and miniſters of Idols, whiche offices and romes both their kinges and princes did ſometimes ſupplie. Among the Hebrues Ieroboam king of Iſrael, to the deſtruction of him and his, did chaung the Ceremonies, which God had ordeyned, into his owne, that is, into mens inuentions and deteſtable blaſphemies. In this latter age of the world, wherein we liue there is no ho of Ceremonies that are inſtituted daily by brainſick people. The miſerie whereof, many learned men both hauehave, and do yet at this day lament and bewaile. Anguſtine complayneth that in his time Ceremonies did increaſe too faſte in y^e Church of God: what would he ſay, (thincke you) if hee were aliue to ſée them now a dayes? But of this I wil ſpeake at an other time. Now forbecauſe the word, Ceremonies, is attributed as a name to any heatheniſhe rites whatſoeuer, I in this treatiſe would hauehave you to knowe, y^• I ſpeake not of eueryevery Ceremonie, but of thoſe onelyonly which were deliuered of God by Moſes to the people of Iſraell, not at the will of Moſes, but at the wil of God, by the meanes or miniſterie of Moſes, according as it was ſaid vntounto him: See that thou doeſt all thinges according to the patterne that was ſhewed thee in the mountaine. The originall therefore or beginning of theſe ceremonies, which we treat of, are referred to God himſelfe, y^• moſt true and aſſured author thereof, and they did therfore pleaſe God, becauſe they were godly, and might be exhibited in faith. Contrarilie, the Ceremonies in religion that are deuiſed and ordeyned of men are vtterly condemned, p. 329as is to be ſeene in the 12. of Deuteronomie. In the 17. Cap. of the 4. of kinges alſo we finde: I ſrael walked in the ordinaunces or Ceremonies which they themſelues had made to themſelues. It is knowne to all men what happened to Ieroboam and his houſhold, and all the kinges of Iſrael that walked in the wayes of Ieroboam. So then theſe Ceremonies of ours, I meane, y^e Ceremonies wherof I ſpeake, are actions and rites not in prophane, but holy matters, which god himſelfe did firſt ordeine, & which Gods people doth vſe and exerciſe. Theſe Ceremonies were not deliuered Diuine …eremonies.to al people or nations, but to the people of Iſrael only, and that too, as the Apoſtle ſaith, vntill the time of amendment, as that which ſhould lye vppon the ſhoulders of the Iewes till the coming of Meſſiah, at what time they ſhould be taken away, and after that appeare no more. And in this ſenſe verily the Apoſtle Paul calleth the lawe the ſchole miſtreſſe vntill Chriſte. We hauehave moreouer to note The ende whereto ceremonies were ordeined.the end wherunto Ceremonies were ordeyned. Ceremonies do eſpecially belōg to the doctrine of pietie & faith. For they were added to the firſt table, as a ſhoare or propp to vphold or ſtaye it. For they teach the outward worſhip of the true God, which godly men do giuegive vntounto him, and by them were the Iſraelits drawen not onelyonly from ſtrange gods, but from ſtrange worſhips alſo, wherewith they were too much and too long inured & trayned vp in the land of Aegypt: to the end they ſhould not hauehave any occaſion to receiue oradmit any ſtrange kinds of worſhips, when they were furniſhed and as it were wrapped in ſo exquiſite ſorts of curious Ceremonies. This doth Moſes in the 12. of Deut. make to be y^e cauſe why God appointed ſuch buſie Ceremonies. Therfore Ceremonies and the vſe of Ceremonies are in y^e ſcripture expreſſely called y^e worſhip of God. For with them The woſhippe o… God▪it pleaſed God to be worſhipped: and with them he did retaine his people in the true worſhipping of him, and in the true religion, & cōmunion of one eccleſiaſtical body. For the church is ſeuered and diuided by the admitting or bringing in of new or ſtrange ceremonies: as it is euident in the ſtates and dealinges of Solomon & Ieroboam. Moreouer the Apoſtle Paul ſaid, Are not they which eate of the ſacrifice, partakers of the altar, & ſo conſequently 1. Cor. 10.1 Cor 10of the whole religion? Furthermore the chiefe or eſpecial myſteries of Chriſt and his Church, were ſhadowed in Ceremonies, and were the Sacraments of y^e Iewiſh people, wherwith the Lord would bind them vntounto him, put them in mind of his benefits, and laſtly kéepe the pietie, obedience, and faith of his people in vre & exerciſe. And becauſe the Lord did eſpecially require faith and faithfull obedience at the hands of his ſeruants in the obſeruing of Ceremonies, therfore thoſe Ceremonies did not pleaſe but vtterly diſpleaſe his Maieſtie, ſo oft as the people were ignorant of the meaning of the ſecret myſteries conteyned in thoſe figuratiue ſhowes, ſo oft, I ſay, as they were without faith, and obſerued onelyonly the outward actions or Ceremonies without inward zeale and touch of conſcience. For the Lord in Ieremie crieth out and ſaith: Heape vp your burnt offerings with your ſacrifices, and eate the fleſh: For Whē God liketh and when he miſlyketh Ceremonies.when I brought your fathers out of Aegypt, I ſpoke no word vntounto them of burnt offeringes or ſacrifices, but this I cōmaunded them ſaying, Hearken p. 330vntounto and obey my voyce, and I wilbe your God and ye ſhalbe my people. And yet in an other place we read that the offering of ſacrifices, & that externall action of the people in worſhipping god was acceptable and of a ſweet ſmelling ſauour in the noſe of the Lord. Now wheruppon riſeth this diuerſitie I pray you, but vppon the difference of the mindes of them that worſhip the Lord? For ſacrifices pleaſed him, & the honour that was done vntounto him in ſimple obedience & faith alone did pleaſe him too: but that religion hée did vtterly miſlike of, wherin he was worſhipped with outward ſhewes, and not with the fayth and ſincere obedience of the inwarde hart: in which ſort we read that Cain did ſinne, for God commaunded not to ſacrifice in that maner that Cain did. Againe he commaunded to ſacrifice and to worſhip him with external ceremonies, in faith that Chriſt ſhuld come to be the Sauiour of the world: not that they ſhould hope to be iuſtified by the externall action, but by him that was prefigured in al their Ceremonies, Chriſte Ieſus y^e ſacrifice once to be offered to ſaue them all, who was the life and meaning wherunto all thoſe Ceremonies did leade, that are expreſſed in the lawe.

But it is not a miſſe here particularly The knowledge of the ceremonies is not vnprofitable.to examine and looke into, not al and eueryevery one, but the chiefeſt Ceremonies, and thoſe which are more ſignificant than the reſt. Let this labour of mine not ſéeme to any man to bee more curious than needeth, or leſſe profitable than it ſheweth for. For it is vndoubtedly very auaileable to the ſound vnderſtanding of the abrogation of the lawe. All thinges, whatſoeuer God hath layd downe in the holy ſcriptures, are altogether profitable to our edification, and doe carrie with them a diuine authoritie, wherby we may cōfirme our minds: they therfore are very fooles and godleſſe people, or to vſe a more gentle terme, they are ſhuttle witted & ignorāt of all good things, whoſe ſtomachs doe riſe at the Ceremonies that God hath taught, and whoſe eares are offended to heare a ſober & godly treatiſe vponupon the expoſition of thoſe diuine ceremonies. Some there are, & that no ſmal number, who thincke it very profitable and an excellent thing to conſtrue Homer and Virgil allegoricallie: in diuine Ceremonies only fooliſh heads are perſuaded that no profite or wiſedom lyeth ſecretly hidden: when in déede in all the world againe ther is nothing more profitable, more pleaſant, more fine, more excellent, or more full of wiſedome in allegoricall types, than the ceremonies are, that God hath ordeyned. For in them are the myſteries of Chriſte & his Catholique Church, very finely, plainely, and notably deſcribed.

Now in reckoning vp and touching theſe ſeueral ceremonies, I wilchiefly …follow the very natural order. Ceremonies doe apperteyne to the Eccleſiaſtical worſhip of God. Therfore it is neceſſarie that there ſhould bee perſons appointed in the Church, to bee the maiſters or rather publique miniſters of thoſe Ceremonies, to exerciſe and put them in practiſe, as the Lord ordeyned them. It is neceſſarie alſo that there be a certaine place and time appointed, wherein and when God ſhould be eſpecially worſhipped, rather than at an other place or ſeaſon: moreouer the holy rites, that is, the very ceremonies muſt be appointed and certainly numbered, that the worſhippers of god may know, what p. 331and how great y^• honour is that they are bound to giuegive vntounto him. And firſt The prieſthoode.of al I meane to ſay ſomewhat of the perſons, that is the prieſts or Leuits, referring ſtil the hearers to the reading of the holy Bible, wherein the whole is fully conteyned and largely deſcribed.

The beginning of prieſthood among the old people, is deriued or brought The beginning of Prieſthoodfrom the creatiō almoſt. For they ſay that in eueryevery familie the firſt begotten were alwayes the prieſtes. It is certaine that when the firſt borne of Aegypt were flaine, the Lord did by a lawe conſecrate to himſelfe the firſt begottē of the Iſraelits. And the preeminence or dignitie of the firſt begotten hath alwayes béene very great by the Ciuil lawe. The firſt begotten did alwayes rule and beare the ſway in his fathers houſe, and was as it were a king amonge his brethren: to the firſt begottē the inheritance was I thinke …is meaning was to hauehave …ide Eſau …nd Iacob …n ſteede of Caine …nd Abell.due, to the other brethren were portions giuen: the firſt begotten did excel the reſt in the dignitie of y^e prieſthood. Therefore when Cain and Abel did ſtriue about their birthright, they cō tended not about a trifle, but about a matter of very great weight. Whervpon when the mother virgin is ſaid Chriſt the firſt begot…en.in Luke to hauehave borne her firſt begotten ſonne, let no man thinke that ſhe was the mother of the ſecond begotten or many ſonnes more. For in that Luke calleth Chriſt her firſt begotten ſonne, therein is noted his dignitie and excellencie. For to Chriſt our Lord doth belong y^e kingdome, prieſthood, and inheritance. By whoſe boū tiful liberalitie wée are adopted to be his parteners both in the kingdome, prieſthood, and inheritaunce of life euerlaſting and all heauenly thinges. But to returne to oure purpoſe againe, y^e dignitie of prieſthood amonge the people of Iſrael, did of right belong to Ruben, becauſe hee was the firſt begotten. But he by committing deteſtable inceſte did looſe his righte. Next to him therfore was Leui: who alſo loſte that dignitie for the ſinne which he cōmitted in killing the men of Sichem trayterouſly, and prophaning the ſacrament of Circumciſion. But becauſe the tribe of Leui did behaue The Leuites choſen to be the prieſts.it ſelfe manfully, not onelyonly in the bringing of the children of Iſrael out of Aegypt, but alſo in puniſhing idolaters, I meane, y^e men that worſhipped the golden calfe, therefore did they receiue the office or dignitie of prieſthood in reward of their vertue, and at that time were the Leuits choſen into the place of the firſt begotten of all the ſéed of Iſrael: For thus wée read, And Moſes ſaid vntounto the Leuites: Conſecrate your handes vntounto Exod. 32.Exod 32the Lord this day eueryevery man vppon his ſonne and vponupon his brother, that there may a bleſſing bee giuen you this day. And againe, And the Lord ſpake vntounto Moſes ſaying, Behold I hauehave taken the Leuites from amonge Num. 3.Num 3the children of Iſrael for all that firſt openeth the matrice amonge the children of Iſraell, and the Leuites ſhalbe mine. Becauſe all the firſt borne are mine: For the ſame daye that I ſmoate all the firſt borne in the land of Aegypt, I hallowed to mee ſelfe all the firſt borne in Iſrael. And ſo forth.

By this it appeareth that the tribe of Leui was appointed to the prieſthood in the Church of Iſrael. Moreouer this dignitie or miniſterie was ſingularly confirmed to this Tribe immediately vppon the inſurrection of Corah, Dathan and Abiron, by the wonderfull myracle that the p. 332Lord wrought vppon Aarons rodd, which budded alone among the other eleuen twigs, for a witneſſe, that god had appointed the tribe of Leui alone to the office and function of holy prieſt …ood. And for that cauſe was the ſame rodd put into the arcke and kept in the tabernacle, to the end that none other tribes ſhould affecte the prieſthood at any time thereafter. Al which is largely declared in the 16. and 17. Cap, of the booke of Numbers.

Now there was amonge the Leuits a certaine order, there were degrées, Certaine degrees among the Prieſtes.and as it were appointmentes vntounto ſundrie offices. For the Leuites were diuided into three families, that is, into Cahatites, Gerſonites, and Merarites: and they againe were parted into foure orders. For firſt of all out of the familie of Cahat were choſen princes to beare the ſway, and rule the reſt: to them the remnaunt of the Cahatites, and the other two orders, the Gerſonites and Merarites were ſubiecte, and did obey the firſt ſorte of Cahatites that were their gouernors. For Aaron the chiefe prieſt with Ithamar and Eleazar his ſonnes, had the preeminence among the reſt. For thus we read in the 3. of Numb. And thou ſhalt giuegive the Leuites vntounto Aaron and to his ſonnes. For they are giuen vntounto him of the children of Iſrael. And thou ſhalt appoint Aaron and his ſonns to waite on their prieſtes office: and the ſtraunger that commeth nigh ſhalbe ſlaine. Therein did Aaron the chiefe prieſt beare y^e type or figure of Chriſte the true, the beſt, and greateſt king and biſhop, to whome all Chriſtians are ſubiecte as to their chiefe biſhop and head, whoſe dwelling is in heauen,

And here obſerue that all the Leuites did not ſerue in the tabernacle, Among the Leuitsnor that they al did eueryevery where thorough the land of Iſrael inſtruct and …teach. There were certaine ordinances touching the choice and refuſall of thoſe amonge the Leuits that were to be called to the miniſterie or prieſt hood. Time will not ſerue mée to reckon all the lawes appointed for that purpoſe: The chiefe whereof are to be ſeene in the 21. and 22. Cap. of Exodus: In the 8. Chapiter of the booke of Nūbers the age is appointed of them that ſhould be thought fitt for the miniſterie, that is, from the 25. to the 50. yeare of their age. The prieſtes that were called and choſen to the miniſterie were alſo conſecrated. The maner of conſecrating them, is farre more large and buſie, than that I can in fewe wordes declare it. By their conſecration was meant, that they ought to bee adourned with ſundrie giftes, and indued with holy conuerſation, that ſerue the Church in the office of prieſthoode. For to this doth …ſpecially belong the annoynting of the prieſtes, which is a type of the holy ghoſte, where withall vnleſſe an …Eccleſiaſticall miniſter bee indued, hée exerciſeth the office to his owne deſtruction. This Ceremoniall annoynting of prieſtes, is ſet downe by Moſes in the 19. of Exod. the 8. of Leuit. and the 8. Chapiter of the booke of Numbers. To this wée muſt add alſo the habite or apparel that the prieſts did vſe. The prieſtes ware, when they did not miniſter in their charge or office, ſuch kinde of garmentes as Lay men did, as wée may gather out of Ezechiel: but when they did ſerue in the miniſterie, then did they wear ceremonial raymēt according to gods cōmaundement. A very large deſcription wherof Moſes doth very wel ſet downe in the 28. and 39. cap. of Exod.

p. 333There are in number 9. ſortes of Ceremoniall garments, yet ſome doe The prieſts rayment.reckon vpp but eight: Ioſephus maketh 10. Firſt of all the prieſtes before they went about their offices did waſhe themſelues in water, and then put on their holy garments. Amonge thoſe garments ſome there were indifferently vſed both of the inferiour and chiefe prieſts. And firſt their priuities are hidden with linnen bréeches, Breeches.comming downe to their knées and hamms, the vpper part whereof was tyed aboue their hippes with a gathering band like to the vpper part of our common ſlopps, to the end that if they ſhould chaunce to fall, while they were buſie in killing their ſacrifices, or in bearing burdens to & fro, the parts ſhould not appeare, which ſhame doth bidd to couer. Vppon The cloſe frocke or …ſſocke.their linnen bréeches they had a cloſe coate made of double linnen, which, (as Ioſephus ſayth) was made of ſilke. That was plaine or cloaſe to the body, without plaight or gathering, and came downe iuſt to the calfe of the legge. Such were ſouldiours wont to weare, and called them caſſocks, ſo fitt for their limms and cloſe to their bodies, that they were light, and without let either to runne or fight. And therefore the prieſtes making themſelues readie to the miniſterie of God, put on ſuch a caſſocke, that being comely cladd, they mighte notwithſtanding with much expedition diſcharge their office, and exerciſe their miniſterie. The third kinde of rayment, that was a belt or girdle, The girdledid gird that caſſock about the prieſt. This girdle was woauen of purple, ſcarlet, and blew ſilke, like to an Adders ſkinne, hanging downe beneath the knée, but in the holy miniſterie tucked vp againe vponupon the left ſhoulder. The fourth kinde of … was a Mitre or a rounde litle Capp The … or ….which couered his head almoſt to the eares, in facion like as if a mā ſhould cut a boowle euen in the middeſt and ſett the vpper parte vppon his head. Then was the Ephod (whereof mention The Ephod.is made, not in Exodus, where the Ceremoniall garmentes are reckoned vppe as it were of purpoſe, but in other places of holy ſcripture) which garment was indifferently common to all the prieſtes. This Ephod is thought to hauehave béene a linnen cloake, ſuch an one as Dauid ware when hee daunced before the arcke. Of the prieſtes which Saule ſlue by the handes of Doeg the Edomite, thus wee read: And he killed that ſame day 85. men, that ware linnen Ephods. His meaning is not that they were ſlaine while the Ephodes were on their backes, but that they were killed when they were of that age and order that they might weare an Ephod, that is, that they mighte miniſter in the prieſthood of the Lord. Therefore in Oſee wée read, Thou ſhalt bee without Ephod and Teraphim, That is, without prieſthood & religion. For the Ephod began to be vſed for the very prieſthood, the garment or the ſigne for the thing ſignified. But if any man will take theſe words of Oſee to be ſpoken of y^e more notable Ephod, (of which I ſhal hauehave cauſe to ſpeake anon) I will not greatly gainſay him. Nowe this linnen Ephod ſéemeth not to differ much from that which the Papiſtes do call a Surplice. Theſe fiue garments the chiefe prieſt and vnderunder prieſts did vſe alike. The other foure doe properly belong to the high prieſtes alone. The firſt of the ſoure was called Megil, and was a coate downe to the ancles, p. 334The Megil.a garment all of blew ſilke, from the necke downe to the ſoale of the foote, being cloaſe on eueryevery ſide, vnleſſe it were the places to put his head and armes out at: at the hemms beneath did hange 72. bells, and as many Pomegranates, ſo placed, that ſtill betwixte two bells there hounge one Pomegranate, and betwixt two Pomegranates one bell: the cauſe thereof is made to be this, that when the highe prieſt went into the holy of holies, the ſound might be heard: becauſe he ſhould by and by die y^e death vnleſſe he did ſo.

Nowe ſolloweth the Ephod of the high prieſt, which differeth much frō The breſtlappe or highe prieſtes Ephod.that whereof I ſpake before. For it was not of lynnen, but woauen with weauers worke of diuers colours of gold, purple, and ſilke, being vnlike to the other in ſhape and making. For it belonged to the highe prieſtes alone, and was a breſtlap comming ouer y^e bulke from the necke to the hippes: for like a curet it couered the breſte, it came ouer the hinder parte of the ſhoulders, and about both the ſides vnderunder the armehooles: bearing the ſame facion that at this day womens ſtomachers doe, which wée Switeers call Libli. This Ephod hée ware vppon the topp of his Megil that came downe to his ancles. Vppon eche ſhoulder hée bare on Onyx ſtone called Schoham, wherein were grauen the names of the children of Iſraell: againſt the breaſt there was nothing woauen in it, but a place was lefte voyd for the breaſtlap of Iudgment. For the breaſtlap of Iudgemēt whiche The breſtlappe of …udgemēt.is called Hoſen was the eighth ornament of their attyre, and it was a woauen cloath made of gold, purple and ſilke, about an handbreadth quare, and double, and hemmed about on eueryevery ſide, becauſe it ſhould not rauell out. In that there was woauen precious ſtoanes of a wonderfull greatneſſe (for the kinde) and of a meruaylous price, which were placed ſo in foure ſundry rowes, that eueryevery rancke conteyned thrée ſtones: in which, as in the Onyx ſtones, were grauen the names of the children of Iſrael. They gliſtered wyth a wonderfull brightneſſe: for no ſtones were ſet in the breſtlap, but ſuch as ſhoane excéedingly. Whereby it ſeemeth that Vrim and Thummim, Vrim … Thummim.was nothing elſe but theſe rowes of precious ſtones. For Vrim & Thummim ſignifie lighte and perfectneſſe, For as theſe ſtones did giuegive great light, ſo were they pure without all manner of ſpotts. And they thought that the highe prieſt did neuer ſaye right in a matter of weight, nor when hée was aſked, did vtter truely the aunſwears and Oracles of God, but when the breaſtlapp of Iudgemente did hange on his breaſt. Nowe this breaſtlap of Iudgement was tyed to the Ephod or the other breaſtlap by golden rings beneath, and aboue it hounge downe the ſhoulders by golden chaynes, that were faſtened vnderunder the Onyx ſtones. This was the moſt precious and excellent parte of the high prieſtes apparel. For it was the coffer of wiſedome, and treaſure of all lawe and knowledge, of equitie and iuſtice from whence y^e Iſraelites did fetch, as it were, the determinate aunſweares to ſuch doubtes, as at any time they ſtucke vppon: which is the cauſe (as it ſéemeth) that ſome hauehave tranſlated Vrim and Thummim into the Greke foreign, that is (ſay they) doctrine & truth is in the prieſtes breaſt.…

The laſt of all is the golden Plate. p. 335For vponupon the high prieſts head, there was a blew ſilke lace, where vppon this plate was put, which was broad beneath and ſharpe aboue, in facion ſomewhat like to the labell of a biſhops Miter, wherein was written, Holie to the Lord, or, The holines of the Lord. For Chriſt our Lord alone is holieſt of all, and he that ſanctifieth vsus all. Hée is an Antichriſt that doth vſurpe y^e name or title. Some thinke that in that plate was written that That name was Iehouah, whiche whereſoeuer the Iſraelites did …inde it written, they did not cal Iehouah, but expreſſed it by the worde Adonai, which ſignifieth Lorde: ſo greatly did they reuerence the maieſtical name of God.name of GOD, that was not lawfull for any man to vtter. This plate was tyed to the capp full vppon the forehead with a blew ſilke lace, and was, as it were, a crowne vppon his head. Thus I ſay were y^e high prieſt and vnderprieſts arayed at the firſt.

Theſe ſundrie Ceremonies hauehave ſundrie and goodly ſignifications. The vſe and end of theſe ordinaunces, the Lord declared by Moſes to be for glorie and comelineſſe ſake: for they were inuented partly for the winning of credite and authoritie to the miniſters of religion, and partly for the commendation or aduancement of religion it ſelfe: becauſe the things are moſt regarded, that are ſet forthe with ſo great ſolemnitie. Moreouer it was profitable and eſpeciallie neceſſarie with theſe buſie Ceremonies to ſet a woorke the people, which, if they had béene without ſuch Ceremonies of their owne, was very proane and ready to hauehave embraced the idolatrous rites of heathen nations. Furthermore thoſe Ceremoniall clothes The meaning of the Prieſts apparell.vſed by the Prieſtes Aarons ſucceſſors, do offer to vsus the beholding of Chriſt the true and higheſt prieſt. He was apparelled with the garment of righteouſnes, temperance & vertue, which garmēt is cōmon vntounto vsus alſo. For al Chriſtians muſt put on and be cladd with Chriſte. And yet Chriſte hath the preeminence as the high and chiefeſt prieſt among vsus all, not onelyonly becauſe he doth ſanctifie vsus, and indue vsus with vertue: but alſo becauſe hée hath certaine properties peculiar to himſelfe, as hée that is both very God, and the Sauiour of the world. Hée beareth vsus vppon his breaſt and ſhoulders, as Aaron did the precious ſtones: for wée are not vile, but very déere in the ſight of God. Out of the breaſt of oure high prieſt Chriſt doth gliſter and ſhine the light of eternall wiſedome. For in him, as it were in the treaſurie of gods eternal wiſedome, are all the riches of knowledge and wiſedome layed vpp and locked. Hée is the light of the world, hée is both trueth and perfectneſſe, ſo that all the world ſhould of right, require and ſéeke at Chriſte alone for lawes, ordinances, aunſweares, and whatſoeuer elſe is néedeful to perfectneſſe and true happineſſe. Hée is the holy of holies, the verie maieſtie & holines of God: vponupon his head is the crowne of glorie very rightly placed, as hée that ſanctifieth onelyonly, reigneth in glorie, and liueth for euermore. Beſides al this, the prieſtes were by theſe Ceremonies taught to vnderſtand by their very apparell, what was required at their hands, and what kinde of men they ought to be. Let the prieſts be alwayes readie to the executing of their office, let them walke honeſtly before God and men: let them be temperate and farre from luſte and ſenſualitie: let their loynes bée girded with the belt of iuſtice and veritie: let their breaſt, their ſides and backe bée furniſhed with the woord of God: let their head bée couered with the helmett of Saluation: vppon that let Chriſte Ieſus the Sauiour bee p. 336placed: and let him be the chiefe of the miniſters and of the miniſterie: but chiefly let the prieſt bee heard in the Church. For if he be dumb he ſhal die the death: but if hee ring out the name of the Lord and preach his law, then doth hee ſtirr vp in the Church a ſauour farre paſſing y^e ſmell of ſwéet Pomgranates in the noſe of God. Therfore vnderunder theſe cloathes is hidden the ſignification of the prieſtes manners, of their vertues and vices. Next after a mans talke, there is nothing that doth commend him ſooner than his apparel. For as the man is, ſuch is his talk, ſuch is his cloathing: therefore the rayment doeth note of what conuerſation the prieſts ought to be. Whereuppon it commeth that in the Scriptures wee are bidden to put on other cloathing, whē the meaning of the holy Ghoſte is, that wee ſhould chaunge our wicked conuerſation: ſo that the very garmentes doe partly inſtruct the prieſts what they hauehave to doe, and what is ſeemely for them.

But nowe the time and courſe of this treatiſe, inuiteth mée to ſpeake The Prieſtes office.ſomewhat of the prieſts office. Their office did conſiſt in many thinges, but eſpecially in teaching & inſtructing. Let Prieſts teache.For the chiefe cauſe whie y^e prieſtes were ordeyned of God, was to inſtruct the Church in true pietie, and to teach the people the lawe of God. For thus wée read that the Lord did ſay vntounto Aaron, Thou & thy ſonnes that are with thee, ſhall drincke neither wine nor ſtronge drinke, when ye enter into the tabernacle of wittneſſe, leaſt happily ye die. Let it be an euerlaſting ordinaunce among your poſterities, that ye may put diſferēce both betwixt holie & vnholie, & betwixt cleane and vncleane, & that ye may teach the ſonnes of Iſrael, all the ſtatutes which the Lord hath ſpoken vntounto them by the miniſterie of Moſes. Leuit. 10. The ſame lawe doth Ezechiel in as many wordes almoſt, rehearſe in the 44. Chapiter of his Prophecie. And Malachie declareth it alſo, as it is to be ſeeae in the ſecond of his Prophecie. They therefore are vtterly deceyued, which thincke that the Leuiticall prieſtes were appointed onelyonly for to kill the ſacrifices. Moreouer the lord doth eueryevery where in his lawes miniſter matter for the Leuitical prieſies to inſtruct his people in: and that matter was not the heatheniſh Philoſophie, the edicts of kinges or decrees of Senatours, but the very woord of God, deliuered to them by God himſelfe. And that this doctrine might be the more conunodiouſly vttered to the people, the prieſtes appointed certaine holy dayes, wherein the people ſhould aſſemble together, to heare them preach the word of God.

The next point of their duetie after teaching, was to bleſſe the people. Let … bleſſe.That bleſſing was not free for euerie prieſt to vſe as hee liſted, but was bounde to a certaine forme of words very ſolemnly vttered, which is thus expreſſed in the 6. of Numbers: Num. …And the Lord ſpake vntounto Moſes ſaying, Speake vntounto Aaron & his ſonnes, ſaying, On this wiſe ye ſhall bleſſe the children of Iſrael, and ſay vntounto them, The Lord bleſſe thee, & keepe thee: The Lord ſhewe his face vntounto thee, and be merciful vntounto thee: the Lord lift vp his countenance vppon thee, and giuegive thee peace. This manner of bleſſing did they vſe vndoubtedly in their holy aſſemblies, eſſpecially at the breaking vpp of the congregation when the people did depart. p. 337In an other place it is ſaid, that God did bleſſe, but here that Aaron and his ſonnes did bleſie the people: whereuppon wée hauehave to note, that God doth woorke inwardly and performe in the faithful, what ſoeuer the prieſtes in that forme of bleſſing did wiſhe vntounto the people, ſo that ſtill to bleſſe, is the onelyonly and proper worke of God alone. And therfore verie ſignificantly after that ſolemne bleſſing vttered by the mouth of the prieſt, God doth add, And they ſhall call or put my name ouer or vponupon the children of Iſrael, and I will bleſſe them. The prieſtes therefore do lay before the people the name of the Lord: they commend vntounto them the mightie power of his Godhead: and ſhew them that all goodneſſe doeth flowe from God, teaching them how they may obteyne it through faith in Chriſt, who is the bleſſed ſéed that bleſſeth al that call vppon his name. Nowe in this ſolemne bleſſing ſixe principal points are chiefly conteyned. Firſt the prieſt ſayth, The Lord bleſſe thee. That is, The Lord beſtowe vponupon thée, whatſoeuer belongeth to the ſafetie of thy bodie and ſoule. Secondarily he ſaith, The Lord keepe thee. For it is not ſufficient to receiue good thinges at the hand of the Lord, vnleſſe they bée preſerued by his power, and not taken from vsus by his wrathfull indignation, nor loſt againe by oure owne negligence. Thirdly hee ſayth, The Lord ſhew thee his face, or The Lord make his face ſhine vppon thee, The Lord doth thē ſhew vsus his louing face when after his anger hee ſheweth vsus his fauour, and doth become good and gratious to vsus. And therefore in the fourth clauſe doeth followe a more plaine expoſition, where the prieſt ſayth, The Lord bee mercifull vntounto thee: as if hee ſhould hauehave ſaid, The Lord be alwayes gentle and fauourable vntounto thée in all that thou goeſt about. either in words or déeds. The fift bleſſing is, The Lord liftvpp his countenaunce vppon thee. Now the Lord lifteth vpp his countenaunce, when he looketh vppon vsus, when hée watcheth ouer vsus, and doth direct and guide our wayes. The laſt deſire is Peace, which is taken for the ſaluation and chiefe goodneſſe that happeneth to mankinde, although in an other ſenſe it is put for the contrarie to warre or battel: and the peace of the conſcience is no ſmal felicitie to mortall men. Theſe were the good things that the prieſtes did wiſh to light vppon the people, teaching them withal to beſéech the Lord for thoſe bleſſings with ardent prayers, & carneſt ſupplications. Euen till this day there doe remaine the Pſalmes that the prieſtes did make for the peoples ſake to ſinge. For after that Dauid had brought muſick into the temple, then did the playing vppon muſical inſtrumentes with ſwéete melodie and ſinging of Pſalmes beginne to be taken for an office among the prieſts. Touching this muſicke vſed in the temple the firſt booke of Chronicles ſpeaketh very much, where it treateth of Dauid and his dealinges, how he diſtributed the ſingers into 24. orders and that by courſe.

Moreouer the prieſtes were commaunded Sacrifices and miniſtring of the ſacramentes was commaunded the prieſtsto miniſter y^e Sacraments and to ſacrifice. For they did circumciſe the infants, their office was to ſee the Paſſeouer eaten, and to offer ſacrifices of ſundrie ſorts vntounto y^e Lord: of which, I will ſpeake hereafter in place cōuenient. And that they might more commodiouſly offer their ſacrifices, Dauid by the inſpiration of the p. 338holy ghoſt diuided the two families of Eleazar and Ithamar into 24. orders. For they did miniſter by courſe, as is to be ſéen in the 24. Chapiter of the firſt of Chronicles. All the while that their turne to miniſter did laſte, the prieſtes remayned ſtill within, and neuer did ſet a foote out of y^e temple. For there were houſes builded within the temple for the prieſts to dwell in, when their lot did come to ſerue the Lord: they neuer went vntounto their owne houſes vntill their courſe were expired, and their time to miniſter were fully finiſhed. The prieſtes alſo did kéepe the holy veſſells and make them cleane: they kept the candels burning, & the holy fire that it ſhould not goe out: to be ſhort, they had the charge of all thinges which ſéemed to belong to the ſeruice of God, as oyle, franckincenſe and ſuch like things.

Now before the temple was erected, and that the Iſraelits had obteyned The prieſts carried the tabernacle & veſſels of the Lord.a place where to ſettle themſelues in the land of promiſe, the prieſts office was to ſée the tabernacle pitched downe, taken vp againe, and caried to and froo. For in the third of Numbers thus wée read: The Leuites ſhal keepe all the inſtruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and hauehave the charge of the children of Iſrael, to doe the ſeruice of the tabernacle. For the tabernacle was ſo appointed, that when they iourneyed it might bée taken into many péeces. Therefore when the Iſraelites were readie to remoue their campe, Aaron and his ſonnes came with the coueringes appointed for the purpoſe, to wrapp vp and carrie the holy veſſells in. The Cahatites bare the Arke, the table, the altar and inſtrumentes belonging thereunto. The Gerſonites had charge ouer the cordes, the couerings, the hangings, the curtaynes, the vayles and roapes belonging to y^• tabernacle. The Merarites did beare the harder ſtuffe that was made of wood & braſſe, as the pillers, barres, ſtakes and planks. Al which whoſoeuer deſireth to vnderſtand more néerly, let him read the third and fourth Cap. of the booke of Numbers. When the temple was builded, there were porters and warders of the temple appointed amonge the Leuites. The …trumpetts alſo, wherewith the congregation was called together, were in the Leuites hands: as wée read in Tru…pete…s.the 10. of Numbers. The prieſtes alſo were appointed to be readie & ſerue … ſerues warrein the warres, as is to be ſéene in the 20. of Deut. For the Lord would not hauehave the lawes to be huiſht where armour did clatter, for victories do auaile greatly to godlines and the ſtudie of religion.

Beſide this alſo the prieſts had yet …an other office, that was, to iudge betwixt cauſe & cauſe, betwéene cleane and vncleane. Both which are more largly declared in the 17. of Deut. and in the 13. and 14. cha. of Leuiticus. For as often as any difficult matter happened to riſe amonge them, the hearing of it was brought to the mother citie Hieruſalem: & if any man were ſuſpected to be a Leper, the Leuiticall prieſtes did iudge of his diſeaſe according to the lawes that were preſcribed them. So hitherto I hauehave ſummarily layed downe y^e offices of prieſt hood among the old people, reckoning vp only the eſpeciall parts belonging to their ſeruice. Now as thoſe prieſts did ſerue the Iſraelitiſh church, ſo …id …they liue of the reuenues of y^e church. For the Lord appointed them certain ſtipends, and dwelling places in the land of promiſe. For hée aſſigned 48. p. 339cities for them to inhabite in the land of Iſrael, ſire whereof were cities of refuge for men to ſlye vntounto, as vntounto Sanctuaries. Moreouer he comaunded to lay out and appoint, for the ſuſtenance of the prieſtes cattel and families, the ſuburbs and fermes without the walls of the cities, within a A thouſād cubites geometrical make one myle, thre quarters of a mile, and …00. pace…, reckoning fiue feete to eueryevery pace.thouſand cubites compaſſe on eueryevery ſide. In thoſe cities were ſcholes ſo conueniently placed throughout all y^• land, that all men mighte eaſilie goe with very ſmal paine from y^• places there about, vntounto the ſynagogues, to heare y^e word of God. In thoſe cities there was no ſacrifices made: for they were commaunded to ſacrifice in one place alone: and thrice a yeare they went vp to the temple to ſacrifice vntounto the Lord: but eueryevery ſabboth day y^e A Synagogue was a place for people to aſſemble themſelues togeather in to heare the woord or lawe of the Lorde.law was taught in eueryevery town wher the ſynagogues were. Moreouer the rents belonging to the prieſtes were great & ample, as is to be ſeen in y^e 18. of the booke of Numb. & in the laſt of Leuit. The wealth of the prieſts was enough & ſufficient to maintein their families, and to liue themſelues honeſtly. And they with that ſtipend did not giuegive themſelues to riot and idlenes, but liuing moderately did apply themſelues to learning & teaching of the people. Thus much hetherto touching y^e perſons belonging to the miniſterie of holy religion.

And for becauſe by lawe they could not ſacrifice but in one place alone, The holy place.there was a certaine place appointed to y^e people, wherin as in an holy ſhop the prieſtes ſhould exerciſe their holy miniſterie in ſacrificing to the Lord, and therfore now the very order and courſe of this argument doth require, that I ſay ſomewhat touching that holy place. That place in the beginning was the tabernacle builte by Moſes, & afterward the temple which Solomon did make. The law, which forbadd them to ſacrifice any where, but in that one place alone, vnleſſe it were by diſpenſation, is extant in the 12. of Deut. and in the 17. Cap. of Leuit. and deeth conteyne the myſterie of Chriſte who was offered vpp but once, and in one place, to cicanſe the ſinnes of all the world. Of whome I wil ſpeake ſomwhat more hereafter.

Now that tabernacle or tent (being called the tabernacle of appointment, becauſe the Lord appointed it both to giuegive aunſweares in, and to hauehave his lawfull worſhip duelie accompliſhed in) was to the people in ſtéed of a temple, ſo long as they wandered & dwelt in the wilderneſſe. For in ſo much as they ſtrayed 40. yeres in the deſart, it was not conuenient for them to hauehave a ſettled temple, but ſuch an one as in their iourneys they might carrie to and fro, ſo oft as they remoued. That tabernacle was erected in this order, and was in a maner of this forme and facion. Firſt of all The faſhion of the tabernacle.there were …uck into the earth cloſe by the ground, ſiluer ſockets to faſten in, and ſet boords vponupon to make a wal withall: vnderunder euerie planke or boord were two ſockets. For euerie boord had two t…nons like pikes, whereby they were ſtucke into the ſocketts. The boordes on either ſide of the tabernacle North and Southe were twentie in number, at the vpper end, which was toward the Weſte, were tenne boordes or planckes, all layed ouer with gold, and ten cubites high a péece. Theſe, whē they were ſet vp, were ſtucke or faſtened into the ſockets: vponupon the backe ſites, thoſe bordes had golden ringes, throughe whiche were barres of … wood (whiche i… thought to be white Thoarne) p. 340thruſte, partly to ioyne the boordes cloaſe together, that they might bee like a wall without chincke or creauiſe, and partly to make them ſtand ſtedfaſt without wagging to and fro. The Sanctum on the Eaſt ſide, was ſhut vp with a vaile. Moreouer there were made tenne curtaynes or hauginges of brodered woorke, which were coupled together with loupes or taches. Theſe curtaynes were layed vppon the toppes of the boords, that were ſet vpright, as it had béene the rafter or rouffe of an houſe: ouer which curtaynes were thrée coueringes more, the vppermoſt whereof was of Taxus leather, well able in rayne to kéepe water out. Nowe the tabernacle was in length 30. cubites, and in breadth 10. cubites: as may be gathered by the meaſure of y^e boords. It was diuided alſo into three parts, The firſt was called Sanctum ſanctorum, Holie of holies, and Adytum aedis (y^e houſe into which no man came but the high prieſt alone) or y^• Chauncel of the temple. The ſecond was the Sanctū, whoſe length was twentie cubites, as the length of the firſt was tenn. The third part was called Atrium, the Court, which had in length an hundred cubits, and in bredth fiftie. This Atrium was compaſſed about with 53. pillers that were faſtened down into braſen ſockets, and were in height fiue cubits, vponupon whiche there hoūge hangings of network through which a man might eaſily ſee: at the verie entrie was hāged a vaile twentie cubites long vponupon foure pillers. The Sanctum ſanctorum was diuided from the Sanctum by y^e moſt precious vaile hanged vppon foure pillers of ſiluer: and the Sāctum was ſeuered from the Atrium with the ſecond vaile, that was very precious, and hoūge vppon fiue pillers layed ouer with gold. In the middeſt of the Atrium did ſtand the inner houſe, I meane the tabernacle that is diuided (as I ſaid euen now) into the Sanctū, and the Sanctum ſanctorum. Into the Sanctum ſanctorum no man did enter, but the highe prieſt onelyonly once in a yeare. Therein was layed the arke of the couenant of our Lord betwixt the Cherubin: wherunto ſome Wh… thinge… were … in the …(vppon the Apoſtles woords) doe add the golden Cenſar. But other there be which thinke that by foreign is ment the incenſe altar, and not the Cenſar. It ſhould ſeeme thereby (if theſe fellowes be not deceiued) that at the time when the Apoſtle writt, the golden altar did ſtand within the vayle in the Sanctum Sanctorum. But it is manifeſt by the 40. Cap. of Exodus (as I meane to ſhewe you anon) that the golden altar from the beginning was placed in the Sanctum before the vayle. And thereunto agreeth that which may bee gathered out of the firſt Chapiter after S. Luk. But howſoeuer it was, this is ſure, that the arcke of the couenaunt was not ſéene of any mortall man, but of the high prieſt alone, when hée offered incenſe in the Sanctum ſanctorum, once in a yeare. For it was hidd with the firſt vayle, the ſtaues, wherewith it was borne, appearing a litle within the Sanctum, by the bearing vpp of the vayle, which was ſomewhat thruſt out with the endes of the ſtaues, ſo that he which ſtoode any thing nigh in the Sanctum might eaſily diſcerne it, but of him, that ſtoode farther off, it could hardly bée perceiued. For in the 8. Chapiter of the third booke of Kinges thou readeſt, And they drue out the ſtaues that the endes of them might appeare out of the Sanctum p. 341Sanctorū into the Sanctum, but they were not ſeene without. The Sanctū was open daily for the prieſtes, that did by courſe ſupplie the place of miniſterie before the Lord. In the Sanctum The Latin copie here doth ſquare from the words of the 26. of Erodus where wee finde (as I hauehave turned it) that the table ſtoode on the North ſide, wheras the Latine copie ſaith, on the Southſide, and calleth it pars Auſtralis.before the vaile was placed the golden table furniſhed with Shewbread vppon the North ſide: right ouer againſt it vppon the Southſide was ſet the golden candleſtick. Now in the middeſt betwixte thoſe twaine before the vaile & the arcke, did ſtand the golden altar, called the altar of incenſe, which was conſecrated to the burning of ſwéete perfumes. And in the Atrium, not very farre from the ſecond vaile of the Sanctum did appeare the altar of burnt offeringes, and betwixte the altar and the vaile, was put the lauer out of which the prieſtes did waſh themſelues, when they began to goe about their miniſterie. All the people which came to the ſacrifice might eaſilie on euerie ſide ſée to the altar. And of this ſorte was the holy tabernacle, which was to the Iſraelits in ſtéede of a temple. Touching which hee ſhall read more largely and fully, whoſoeuer will look in the 26. 27. 36. 38. and 40. Chap. of Exodus.

Now, ſo much as I hauehave hetherto ſpoken touching the building of the The meaning of the Tabernacle.tabernacle, hath a very good end to be applied vntounto, and conteyneth and cō prehendeth no obſcure ſignification. For firſt of all it was profitable to nouriſh and mainteyne the vnitie of the Catholique faith. For with that one tabernacle, as with a ſure bonde, they were tyed firſt to God and his religion, and then amonge themſelues one to another, as it were, ſundrie members compact and knit into one bodie. For to that tabernacle the whole people was gathered, as to one pariſh Church, to worſhipp and pray vntounto one God and Lord. And for becauſe the children of Iſrael did dwell in tabernacles, it pleaſed the Lord alſo to hauehave a tabernacle builded for himſelfe, and placed in the middeſt of them, that thereby hee might teſtifie that he himſelfe doth dwell in y^e middeſt of his people. The tabernacle therefore being as it were the palace of God, the moſt high & mightie king, did ſtand in the middeſt of the people, as a teſtimonie of his diuine preſence to ſtrike the feare and reuerence of God into the harts of al his ſubiects. Wée men lay vp in our tabernacles or houſes the thinges that wee hauehave, and wilbe ſought for and aſked after at our houſes. And therfore the Lord did place in the tabernacle the holy thinges, as it were his treaſure, and would be inquired after in the tabernacle, promiſing that there he would heare the prayers and requeſtes of al the faithfull, y^• called vponupon his name. Moreouer in thoſe Ceremonies are conteyned the ſecrete myſteries of Chriſte and his Church. For Paule calleth vsus the temple of God and our bodies y^e tabernacle of the Lord. For in vsus the Lord wil dwell. The boords of the tabernacle are, as it were, the rafters, beames, and pillers of the Church. And the Church hath her pillers, which are doctours and other excellent men inſpired with the holy ghoſt: and eueryevery ſeuerall faithfull man is a boord layed ouer with gold, if hee kéepe ſinceritie and remaine in the vnitie of the faith. The boords of the tabernacle were ioyned together with barres: and ſo muſt ſound doctrine kéepe all the faithfull (which are the boords of the myſtical tabernacle) in their duetie and quiet concord without cracke or …reauiſe. The p. 342curtaynes, though they were many, yet were they knit together with golden loupes, as if they had beene but al one péece: and therefore the ſundrie members of the Church muſt be gathered together and by charitie bee knit together in one, that they may be one amonge themſelues, and as it were a rouffe of righteouſneſſe in the Church of God. The coueringes of the Church to kéepe out ſtormes are faith, repentance, & deſire to do good. Chriſt himſelfe is the ſocket thereof. For none other foundation can bee layed than that that is alreadie layed, euen Chriſt Ieſus. Moreouer the vaile that was ſpread before the Sanctum ſanctorum, did ſignifie as the holy Apoſtle Heb. 9.Heb 9ſaith, that the way of y^• ſaincts, which they had to go in, was not as then made manifeſt, ſo long as y^• firſt tabernacle did ſtand. Therfore when Chriſt was come, and with his death had finiſhed al, then y^e vaile that hoūg in the temple was rent from the top to the very ground, whereby all men might vnderſtand, that the way was opened into the Sanctum fanctorum, that is, into the very heauens, & that ſatiſfaction was made for all men in reſpect of the law. In the tabernacle alſo did hange other vayles, which were as ſhadowes of y^• fleſh of Chriſt. Thoſe vayles did hange at the very entrie into the Sanctum and the Atrium. Now Chriſte our Lord is the way and the doore, by whoſe incarnation and death, wée hauehave an entrie made into the kingdome of God. Yea Chriſt himſelfe is oure tabernacle in whom wée dwel & liue, and in whome we worſhip and pleaſe our God: he is the curtaine and ſeeling, the rafter & ornament of his Church: hée is the truſtie & moſt aſſured couering that doth … vsus from the iniuries of man and the diuel: hée is the barre of the Church, which ioyneth the members thereof together, & kéepeth them in the vnitie of faith, he is the piller and ſockett of his Church, hée is the head, and onelyonly all-in-all both of our life and true ſaluation. In thoſe figures therfore they of old had the chiefe myſteries hidden of Chriſte and the Church, in which Chriſt is now no etherwiſe to be behold, than he was in the beginning of the world beheld of the auncient Patriarchs, to wit, very God and very man, the onelyonly and higheſt king and prieſt, the true Sauiour of the world, in whome and by whome alone the faithfull hauehave their whole ſaluation.

To procéed now, this Tabernacle by the Lords appointment was erected in Silo, as ſoone as they came into the land of promiſe, and did continue there vntill the time of Heli, as is euident in the 18. of Ioſue, and 1. Samuel. … God1. and 3. Chap. VnderUnder Heli the Arcke was taken by the Philiſtines, and caried into Paleſtine, frō whence it was reſtoared againe, and placed in Bethſemes, from thence againe it was carried to Kiriathiearim into the houſe of Abinadab in Gibea, that is, on the hill. For his houſe was ſet vppon an high place. For in the 6. of the ſecond booke of Samuel wée read, Dauid wente with all the people to Baala Iuda (which is in the 15. of Ioſue called Kiriathiearim) to fetch from thence the arke of God. And preſently after: And they fetched it out of the houſe of Abinadab that was in Gibea, that is on the hill. For there was an highe place in Kiriathiearim, wherein Abinadab dwelte. Some other, which take Gabaa for the proper name of the towne, doe ſay that the Arcke was tranſlated from Paleſtine p. 343into Gabaa. But, this is ſure, the Arcke was conueyed from the houſe of Abinadab, into the houſe of Obededom, and from thence into the citie of Dauid, that is, into Sion. For ſo is the citie Dauid expounded in the eighth Chap. of the 3. booke of kinges. In Sion did Dauid pitche a newe tabernacle for the Arcke of God, wherin hée did place it, and appointed prieſtes to miniſter there before the Lord: as it is at large deſcribed in the 16. Chapiter of the firſt booke of Chronicles. The hiſtorie of the Lords Tabernacle.And yet (by building that new tabernacle) Dauid neglected not the old tabernacle of appointment. For after the time of Heli, & the taking of the Arcke by the Philiſtines, it ſéemeth that it was tranſlated diuerſly from place to place. Silo verilie, wherein it was firſt placed, was deſolate, as is to bee ſéene in the 78. Pſalme, and the ſeuenth Chapiter of Ieremie. Therefore when Saule did reigne, it appeareth to hauehave beene pitched in Gilgal, where hée offered peace offeringes in ſigne of thanckeſgiuing vntounto the Lord, for victorie againſt the Ammonites, as is to bée ſeene in the 11. Cap. of the firſt booke of Samuel. In the 21. cap. of y^• ſame booke it is apparant that y^e tabernacle was for a time in Nob (a towne not very farre from Hieruſalē, Eſaie 10) where Abimelech the prieſt gaue to Dauid, the freſh Shew bread, that was takē from the golden table. In the time when Dauid reigned, it was erected in Gabaon a citie of the Beniamites. For in the 21. of the firſt of Chro. thus we read: The tabernacle of the Lord which Moſes made in the wildernes, & the altar of burnt offerings was at that time (when y^e Angel appeared to Dauid wyth a ſword ready drawen) in the hill of Gabaon. In that place was it alſo in the reigne of Solomon, and to that hill did Solomon goe to praye to the Lord before the temple was builded. For in the firſt Chapiter of the ſecond booke of Chrenicles wée finde. And Solomon wyth all the Congregation, went to the highe place that was at Gabaon, For there was the tabernacle of Gods appointment, which Moſes the ſeruaunt of the Lord made in the wilderneſſe: But the Arcke of GOD had Dauid brought from Kiriathiearim into the place which Dauid had prepared for it: For hee had pitched a tent for it at Hieruſalem. Moreouer the braſen altar, that Bezaleel the ſonne of Vri had made, was there before the tabernacle of the Lord: and Solomon and the Congregation wente to viſite it. Therfore, where as wée read in the 3. Chapiter of the third booke of Kinges, Solomon loued the Lord, and walked in the wayes of his father Dauid, onelyonly hee ſacrificed and burnte incenſe in the highe places: that is not ſpoken in the diſpraiſe but in the praiſe of Solomon, as hée that did not at aduentures ſacrifice in eueryevery place but in the highe places, to witt vppon that conſecrated altar, whiche was appointed of the Lord, whereof I ſpoake euen now before. Other there are which think y^t Solomon was not ſimplie blamed in theſe words for offering vppon the altar of burnt offerings (for that was altogether lawful) but becauſe he had til thē deferred the building of the temple. But that which goeth before & followeth after, doe make greatly y^t thoſe words were ſpeken in that ſenſe and ſignification, which I did firſt alledge. The ſame Solomon when the temple was builded, did cōmaund & ſee that the old Arck with al the inſtrument… p. 344longing thereunto ſhould be brought by the prieſts as a precious treaſure from Gabaon, and placed in the temple, which hee had cauſed to be builte for that purpoſe: the holy Scripture bearing witneſſe thereunto and ſaying: And they brought the Arcke of the Lord and the tabernacle of appointment, and all the holy veſſells that were in the tabernacle: the prieſtes and Leuites, I ſay, brought them into the temple. The 3. of kinges 8. Cap. and the 2. of Chronicles 5. Cap. And ſo was the tabernacle of the Lord, which ſtoode 478. yeares, abrogated at the laſt, and in ſtéede thereof the temple was erected.

Touching the temple of the Lord which was prepared by Dauid, but Of Solomons temple.builded and made an end of by Solomon, I néed not make many woords in the deſcription thereof, becauſe it is in the 3. of Kings, and 2. of the Chronicles very buſilie ſet downe, & painted out at the full. The place where the temple was afterward builded, is 1. Chro. 211 Chr 21reported to hauehave béen ſhewed to Dauid by the Angle of the Lord, and that Dauid did firſt of all make ſacrifice there vntounto the Lord, and addeth theſe words: This is the houſe of the Lord God, and this altar is for the ſacrifice of Iſrael. As if hée ſhould hauehave ſaid, This plat of ground is appointed for t…e temple, in this péece ſhalbe builte the houſe of the Lord, yea, here ſhall be offered that onelyonly and effectual ſacrifice for all men, the very ſonne of God Chriſt Ieſus incarnate. For all the interpreters of the holy ſcriptures agrée, that the place was at Ieruſalem vppon the mountaine Moria, where Abraham once would hauehave offered his ſonne Iſaac: & that in that appointed or fatall pl…ce the temple …as erected: and th…t the hill Golgotha or Caluarie was not farre of, but in the very topp of y^e mountaine Moria, which was the place and holy hill, wherein the holy Goſpell doth teſtifie that Chriſt was offered for the ſinns of al y^e world, which was prefigured in a type of the auncient ſacrifices, & other Ceremonies belonging to the temple. The vſe and end of the temple was none other, than the vſe and end of the tabernacle was before.

Ieroboam therfore and the kings The … of th… that ſ… fice … high p… ces.of Iſrael, did ſinne moſt gréeuouſly, when they forſooke y^e temple to make ſacrifices in the high places, in their Cathedrall Churches at Bethel and at Dan, and in other high & pleaſaunt places. The people of Iuda with their kinges did ſinne moſt gréeuouſly either for ſacrificing to God in the high places, or elſe becauſe they did not vtterly cutt downe thoſe highe places. For the Lord would, and his wil was to be worſhipped in one place which hée had choſen vntounto himſelfe. The plaine lawe touching that matter is extante in the 12. of Deuteronomie, & is very expreſſely ſet downe in the 17 of Leuit. in theſe woords following: Whoſoeuer of the houſe of Iſraell ſhall kill an Oxe, or a ſheepe, or a goate, within the hoſt or without the hoſt, (to witt for a ſacrifice vntounto the Lord. For otherwiſe they mighte lawefully kill a beaſt for their ſuſtenance in any place whereſoeuer) and ſhall not bring it to the doore of the tabernacle of the cōgregation, to offer his Sacrifice before the dwelling place of the Lord, bloud ſhalbe imputed to that man, as if he had ſhedd bloud. Wherefore when the children of Iſraell bring their offeringes, let them bring them to the Lord before the dore of the tabernacle of appointment vntounto the prieſt, that hee may p. 345offer them. And let them no more offer their offerings to diuels, after whō they hauehave gone a whoring. This ſhal be an ordinaunce to them for euer in their generations. And he that doth not this ſhalbe rooted out from amōg his people. There are in theſe words thrée thinges to be noted. Firſt that it was not lawfull to ſacrifice, but in y^t one place onelyonly, that was before the altar of burnt offeringes. Secondarilie wée hauehave to marke that that commaundement was giuen, to the end, y^t al men ſhould vnderſtand, that the ſacrifice was made to God, to whom the tabernacle did belong. Thirdly, that to offer ſacrifice out of y^• place againſt Gods comaundement, was to make ſacrifice vntounto the diuel: that the offerer was to be iudged as a murderer: and that hee was excommunicated by the lord God, as he that was excluded frō the companie of God & his holy ſaints. But wheras Samuel, Helias, and certaine other Patriarches did by Gods ſufferance make ſacrifices vponupon ſome eſpeciall cauſes in other places & not before the altar in y^e tabernacle, they did it by diſpenſation. They therefore that ſacrificed in highe places not to ſtraunge Gods onelyonly, but euen to the very true God did ſinne firſt of all by diſobedience. For God doth miſlike, yea he curſeth al the worſhip done vntounto him, which we our ſelues do firſt inuent without the warrantiſe of his word: it is faithfull obedience y^• pleaſeth him beſt. Secōdarilie they ſinned by making a ſchiſme in the vnitie of y^e Eccleſiaſtical body. Thirdly for deſpiſing y^e myſterie of Chriſt that was to be offered in the mount of Golgotha, & for not referring the meaning of their ſacrifices to Chriſt the onelyonly truth of all their typicall Ceremoines. Laſtly they ſinned by truſting in their ſacrifices, as in well wrought woorkes to iuſtification, and by neglecting y^e worſhip of God, & chaunging it into trifles of their owne inuentions. The tēple ſtood from the time that Solomon did firſt build it, vntil y^e firſt deſtruction of it, vnderunder king Zedechias 440. yeares. And from the reparatiō of it, vntounto the vtter ouerthrowe vnderunder Veſpaſian it ſtood 582. yeares. Other there be that do accompt it otherwiſe. Thus hauehave I hetherto ſpoken a litle of a great deale concerning the temple.

Now it remayneth for me to touch and lightly to paſſe ouer the holy inſtruments belonging to the tabernacle and temple of the Lord: amonge which the arcke of the couenant was The ſignification & miſterie of the Arke.the chiefe, which arcke was ſo called, becauſe of the tables of the couenant, that were put within it. It was alſo called the arke of the Lord God of hoſtes, which dwelleth vppon it, betwixt the Cherubim, & by that meanes the Lord himſelf was called by the name of Him that ſitteth betwixt the Cherubim, becauſe he did from thēce giuegive aunſweares vntounto his ſeruauntes, and had placed it in the middeſt of his people, to be a ſigne that his preſence was alwayes amonge them. Touching the ſtuffe whereof, and the for me how the arcke was made, I will ſay nothing here. For the matter & faſhion are in their colours very liuely painted out in the 25. Chap. of Exod. Of the meaning, myſterie, & vſe of y^e arcke I will ſpeake ſomewhat now. We men lay vp in our coffers and cheaſts the treaſures y^• we moſt ſett by. And therfore we vnderſtand that in the arcke was Area is an arke or a coffer, and what was layed therein.layed the treaſure of the Church, and all the ſubſtance of which the faithfull made moſt accompt. We muſt not therfore ſeek for them in mē, in Noah, Abraham, Iſaac, Iacob, Moſes, Dauid, p. 346S. Marie, Iohn, Peter, or Paule, much leſſe in the Romiſh indulgētiarie, but in him in whom all fulneſſe dwelleth, and in whom all the treaſures of gods wiſedome and knowledge are heaped vp in ſtore, who is not ſéen here on the earth, but in the Sanctum Sanctorum, in heauen, I ſay, aboue: and is called Ieſus Chriſt: whoſe diuinitie is figured by the moſt pure gold, and his humanitie by the Sittim wood, that is, of Cedar, or rather white thorne. For he tooke vponupon him fleſh, like to our ſinnefull fleſh, euen the very fleſh, that wée hauehave in al pointes, ſauing that it was not ſinnefull: Out of this arke do the faithfull fetche all good and neceſſarie things for the vſe of their life and eternall ſaluation. For in the arcke wée read that there was layd the tables of the couenaunt, the pot of Manna, and Aarons rodd y^• budded. For we heard that in Chriſt were hidden the iewels of the Church. Chriſt is our wiſedom, the word of the father, the fulfilling of the Lawe, he is iuſt himſelfe and oure righteouſnes alſo. In Chriſt is the heauenly foode. For he is the bread of life that came downe from heauen, to the ende that eueryevery one that eateth of it may liue eternallie. In Chriſt did the prieſthood bud againe: it ſéemed verily at the death of Chriſt vppon the croſſe Chriſte his prieſthood compared to Aarons rod.to hauehave béene cut downe for growing any more, but at his reſurrection it b…dded againe, and he tooke the euerlaſting prieſthoode that neuer ſhalbe ended. For euen now as he ſtandeth at the right hand of his father in heauen, he maketh interceſſion to him for vsus. Moreouer the arke was compaſſed with a crowne, becauſe Chriſt our lord is a king which deliuereth vsus his faithfull ſeruaunts from all euill, and maketh vsus the ſonnes of God. Vppon the arke we read that there was placed the merciemercy ſeate, which was either The … cy …the couer of the arke, or elſe a ſeate ſet vppon the arke. By it was figured, as the Apoſtles Iohn & Paule interprete it, Chriſt our Lord, who is the throne of grace and the propitiation for oure ſinnes, not onelyonly for ours, but alſo for the ſinnes of all the world. Out of the propitiatorie or MercieMercy ſeat alſo were vttered the Oracles and aunſweares of God. For the vſe of the merciemercy ſeate is read in the holy Scripture to hauehave béene this, that Moſes entering into y^e tabernacle did at the merciemercy ſeate receiue the anſweres and commaundements of God, which he declared vntounto the people. And Chriſt is he, by whom our heauenly father declareth his wil to vsus, and whom alone he hath giuen vsus to heare, ſaying, This is my beloued ſonne in whom I am wel pleaſed, heare him. Two Cherubim hauehave their faces turned toward the merciemercy ſeate, and do as it were looke one to an other. Whereuppon S. Peter ſaith that The Angels do deſire to behold the ſauiour of the world, which is declared in the Goſpell. The ſame Angels doe alwayes ſerue our Lord and maiſter, and are readie at his becke, as to him that is Lord ouer all. Now none did carrie the arke of the Lord, but the prieſts alone. For they onelyonly, which are annoincted by y^e holy ghoſt, and indued with true faith do receiue Chriſt, and are made partakers of his heauenly giftes. Neither muſt wée winck at and let paſſe the note that is Th… abuſe… the … ▪giuen in the 4. and 5. Chap. of the firſt booke of Samuel, where it is ſaid y^t the Iſraelites for abuſing the arke, and turning it to another vſe than that for which it was giuen, and for attributing vntounto it more than the Scripture willed, were ſlaine by the Philiſtines, and that the arke was carried into p. 347captiuitie: to the ende that all men might learne therby not to attribute more to the Sacramentes and myſteries of God than is conuenient, and not to applie them to any other vſe than that for which the Lord hath ordeyned them. For the arke was not ordeined to the ende that it ſhould be taken for God, althoughe it bare the name of God, neither was it made to the end that they ſhould loke for grace and helpe to procéede from it, as wée read that they did, but it was giuen them as a token that God their confederate was in the middeſt of his people, ſo long as they did kepe the tables of the couenaunt, that were cloaſed within the arke, & did cleaue to God alone, at whoſe hands they ſhould looke for all good things through Chriſt his ſonne, whiche was prefigured by the arke.

Nexte to the Adytum or Sanctum Sanctorū in y^e Sanctum, did ſtand the The goldē table.golden table, the matter and faſhion wherof is declared in y^e 25. ca. of Exod. Vppon the table we men doe ſet oure meate and ſuſtenance, by the table we are refreſhed, and at the table we forget our cares and are merrie and iocunde. Therfore the table can be none other but Chriſte our Lord and Chriſtian doctrine. For Chriſt is the ſuſtenance of our life, he is the ioy & mirthe of the faithfull. The table was of gold without, and all wood within, becauſe Chriſt our table is both God and mā. The table (which is the type of Chriſtian doctrine) is ſet forth in y^e Church: it is not therefore to be ſought at Athens amonge the Sophiſters, nor amonge the Gymnoſophiſtes of India, nor in the Iewiſh Synagogues. Vppon the table are ſet 12. new loanes diuided into two parts. For the bread of life which is new and ſwéete, doth féed and fill both the Iewes and the Gentiles. Moreouer that bread was holy and not prophane, & none might eate it but y^e prieſtes alone. In like maner the faithful only are worthie of Chriſt the bread of life, and they that beléeue receiue it only. The loa…es were called by the name of Shewe bread, or y^• The ſhewe breade.bread of ſight, wherby is ment that y^e bread of life (which is Chriſtian doctrine) ſhould alwayes be in ſighte before oure eyes. And as thoſe leaues were to be ſet alwayes before y^e Lord in the ſight of all men: ſo muſt not the doctrine of Chriſte be priuily hidden, but openly ſhewed vntounto all people. A veſſel with franckincenſe was ſet vppon the Shewe bread. Becauſe they that eate the heauenly bread doe offer to God prayers and thankeſgiuinges without intermiſſion, which is to God as ſwéete a… franckincenſe. In the 24. of Leuiticus it is at large declared in what ſort the Shewe bread is prepared.

The golden Candleſticke is in the The goldē cādleſtick.Sanctum, & ſtandeth before the vaile on the one ſide, or ouer againſt the table. Wée hauehave the deſcription of it in the 25. Chap. of Exodus. Candles are ſet vp in oure common houſes to giuegive light to all them that are in the houſe. And Chriſt our Lord is come a lighte into the world, that whoſoeuer followeth him ſhould get the light of life. Out of Chriſte doe procéede, and vppon Chriſte doe ſticke other noſes of Candleſtickes, which hauehave their light from Chriſt the chiefe Candleſticke. For the Lord did ſaye vntounto the Apoſtles, Ye are the lighte of the world. So then Chriſt is the ſhancke or ſhalt of the Cādleſticke, vponupon which ſhanke many ſnuffes or noſes doe ſticke, whiche hold the light vp to y^e Church. For what light ſoeuer is in the miniſters p. 348of y^• Church, they hauehave it all of Chriſt who is the head of light, & very lighte it ſelfe. The candleſticke is wholie all of gold. And Chriſt is very God in déed the lighte and wiſedome of the father: and the miniſters of Chriſte muſt bée ſincere and throughly ſnuffed from al affections of the fleſh: and to that end belongeth the vſe of the ſnuffers that did pertaine vntounto the candleſticke.

In the middeſt betwixt the table & the candleſtick before the vaile in the The incenſe altar.Sanctum did ſtand the golden altar of incenſe, whiche is exactly painted out in the 30. chap. of Exodus. That altar was ordeined for two vſes. For firſt there was offered vppon it eueryevery day incenſe or perfume, which it was not lawfull to offer or prepare to any other God or creature. That was done twice eueryevery day at morning and at euening. Zacharias the father of Iohn Baptiſt was in that miniſterie, when he ſawe the Angel, and for his vnbeliefes ſake was made dumbe for a ſeaſon. Secondarilie incenſe was offered vppon that altar, after a certaine ſolemne manner once in a yeare, that was, at the feaſt of Clenſing, as is declared in the 16. Chap. of Leuiti…us. Nowe by incenſe or perfume is to bée vnderſtood the prayers of the faithful, as Dauid witneſſeth where hee ſaith: Let my prayer bee ſet foorth in thy ſight as the incenſe, and let the lifting vp of my handes be an euening ſacrifice. Nowe there was but one incenſe altar alone. Whoſoeuer builded any more hee was condemned of blaſphemous wickedneſſe. By that onelyonly altar is figured Chriſte oure Lord both God and man, the mediatour and interceſſour betwixte God and man, by whome all the Sainctes doe offer all their prayers to God their Lord and heauenly father. They therfore build many altars, which chooſe to themſelues creatures to bee their interceſſours, by whoſe mediation they deſire to obteine that, which they lacke, at y^• hāds of God. In the end of the 30. cap. it is expreſſely ſaid, Who ſoeuer ſhall make like incēſe to that to ſmell therto, ſhal periſh frō amonge his people. Therfore through Chriſt alone y^e faith full Church of Chriſte doeth offer her prayers to God the father. This altar whereof we ſpeake, was bound about with a crowne of gold. For Chriſt our Lord and altar, is a verie king and prieſt & weareth the crowne of glorie. Nowe wée muſt pray at morning and at euening, that is, continually & very earneſtly. And we muſt alwayes pray in & through the name of Chriſt. And Chriſt is he alone through whō God hath béen pleaſed with the prayers of them that hauehave prayed in y^e morning, that is, at the beginning of the world, and is at this day pleaſed with them y^t pray to him at euening, that is, in the end and theſe laſt dayes of the world. They therfore ſinned moſte greuouſly againſt y^e Lord, that offered incenſe in the high places eueryevery where. For as they were rebellious and diſobedient to God, preferring their owne inuentions before the lawes of GOD, whiche they neglected: ſo did they deſpiſe the myſterie of Chriſte the onelyonly mediatour, in departing from that onlie altar.

In y^e Court or Atrium did ſtand an Th… … of …other altar which was called the braſen altar of y^e altar of burnt offerings, which is finely deſcribed in the 27. of Exodus. Of this ſort alſo there was but this one. For it was not lawfull for any religious man to ſacrifice in any other place, ſauing in y^e holy place, where this altar was, vnleſſe it were by ſome ſingular diſpenſation. p. 349Therefore whom the Rubenites with their confederates had builte an altar by the bankes of Iordan, and that the fame therof was brought to the eares of the other tribes of Iſrael, they did all agrée with one conſent, that the crime was to be puniſhed with open warre. Whereby wée may againe gather the greatneſſe of their fault, whiche neglecting that altar did offer ſacrifice in the high places. Of whiche I alſo ſpake before. Nowe that onelyonly and Catholique altar of ours is Ieſus Chriſte: who offered himſelfe a liuing ſacrifice for vsus to God. Neither is there any ſacrifice in all the world that can clenſe ſinne but that alone. Neither do any ſacrifices of the faithfull pleaſe the father, but thoſe that are by faith offered vppon the altar Ieſus Chriſte. For Chriſt doth ſanctifie vsus, and being ſanctified, we doe by him offer the ſacrifice, that hee doth well accept off. This hauehave I taken out of the Apoſtles doctrine in the 13. to the Hebrues, and the twelfth to the Romanes.

The laſt of the holy veſſells was the braſen lauer, which was placed in The braſē lauer.the Atrium betwixte the vaile of the Sanctum, and the altar of burnt offerings. It is deſcribed in the 30. chap. of Exodus. In it was conteyned the water wherewith the prieſtes, that miniſtred before the Lord, did waſh themſelues. By that lauer was Chriſt ſignified, whiche is the waſhinge of the faithfull. And by it was mente, that holy thinges were not to be handled with vnwaſhed hands and féete. They waſhe themſelues that by the holy ghoſt are purified, and by the grace of God are made fitt to the miniſterie of religion. But hée is in daunger of death, that is not a partaker of y^e grace of life. Beſide theſe there are alſo reckoned other inſtrumentes belonging to the tabernacle: but theſe in a manner are the chiefe. I thought not good by beating out buſilie eueryevery particularitie, to reherſe vntounto you eueryevery ſmal thing, leaſt peraduenture by too long a treatiſe, I ſhould be too tedious vntounto your patience. Now the ſame holy veſſells that were in the tabernacle were in the temple alſo, ſauing that in Solomons temple there was a farre more goodly ſhewe and pompe, than in the tabernacle: for none other cauſe vndoubtedly, but that the myſteries of Chriſte and of the Church, ſhould increaſe eueryevery day more and more to the ſighte of the world. Chriſte the true Solomon and king of peace and tranquillitie, the very eternall felicitie it ſelfe hath rayſed vpp in this world to himſelfe a Church, which ſtretcheth to the endes of the world. Of which the Prophetes hauehave ſpoken very largely, Zacharie eſpecially, and the famous Prophete Nathan, 2. Samuel. chap. 7. Thus muche hetherto of the holye place.

After the holy place in the ſacred Ceremonies the next to be handled is The holie time.the holy time. For as to the outward religion a certaine place was giuen, ſo to the ſame alſo an appointed time was aſſigned. And holy dayes are to be imployed vppon holy actions. For actions are either thoſe, which we cal handie works inuented for to get victuals, clothing, and other thinges neceſſarie for the vſe of oure bodies: or elſe they are holy or religious, whiche are done for y^e exerciſe of outward religiō. Wée muſt not conſume all oure time in handie woorkes and prophane buſineſſe: neither can wée beſtowe al times vppon outward religion. But thoſe actions are not without time. p. 350For eueryevery action is cōteyned in time. Therefore God hath diuided the time into ſundrie parts for ſundrie actions, ſo that hee will hauehave ſome woorking dayes to ſerue for handie actions, and other holy dayes for y^e exerciſe of outward religion. Not that the working dayes are not holy & dedicated to the Lord: (for he doth chalenge all dayes and times to himſelfe, and will at all ſeaſons be worſhipped in hart) but for becauſe the holy dayes are ſingularly, and as it were, more preciſely conſecrated to the outward worſhippe of God, than the working dayes are.

Therfore the feſtiuall or holy day, which by Gods appointment is holy What an holiday isto the Lord, was kept for the deuoute exerciſing of Gods outward worſhip. Therefore thoſe dayes are not holie, nor thoſe feaſts lawful, which are not held to the one & onelyonly God IEHOVAH: neither are thoſe holy dayes lawfull, in which the lawfull ſeruice of God is not lawfully exerciſed. And for thoſe cauſes the Sabbothes & feſtiuall dayes of the Iſraelites, are in the Prophetes many times reiected, becauſe they were vnlawfully ſolemnized without pure faith and ſincere affections.

Nowe all holy dayes had one common To what end the holy dayes were ordeined.name & were called Sabbothes, feaſtes, holy dayes, méetinges and aſſemblies. All holy dayes, what name ſoeuer they were called by, were ordeined to God alone, not to creatures, not for ſurfetting and wanton chambering. All holy dayes were inuented for the health, profite, and recreation of mankinde. For holy dayes are no burden, but the eaſing of our burdens. Prophane workes I confeſſe are profitable, but eaſe is alſo neceſſarie: ſor without reſt labour cannot continue. The Lords will therefore is to giuegive man a time of recreation, and biddeth his ſeruaunts to be merrie on the holy dayes in holineſſe and modeſtie, ſo that their eaſe maye be an honeſt recreation, and not reprochfull ſenſualitie. Againe eaſe of it ſelfe is not good, but in reſpecte of an other thing it is good. God biddeth to ceaſe frō worke, but yet hée ſetteth vsus on woorke another way, hée willeth vsus to ceaſe from bodily labour, and begin to woorke in hart and mind, and wholie applie our ſelues to his holie ſeruice. And therefore it is néedefull to hauehave holy aſſemblies, the reading of the holy Scriptures, publique prayers, ſacrifices (for it is preſcribed in the 28. and 29. Chap. of the booke of Numbers, what they ought to offer at eueryevery feaſt and holy day) the celebration of the Sacraments, and whatſoeuer elſe the Lord hath commaunded to be done at feſtiuall dayes and ſolemne ſeaſons. For that one thing is here required eſpecially, which Marie found, as ſhée ſate at the féete of Ieſus and heard his word.

Moreouer all feaſtes generally doe conteine the memorie and put vsus in the remembraunce of notable things, eueryevery feaſt according to y^e name. The Sabboth did put them in minde of …Gods good benefite in creating the world for the behoofe and profite of vsus men. It was alſo, as Moſes witneſſeth Exod. 31. a ſigne of the true ſanctification which God alone beſtoweth vppon the people that call vppon his name. The other holy dayes did beate into them the memorie of the other benefites that God had ſhewed them, and had (as I will anon declare) their ſeuerall ſignifications.

Nowe there was a meaſure and certaine number of holy dayes, which A … holy …were diſtinguiſhed and very wiſely ordered: firſt into ſeuen nights, wherof p. 351euerie one had in it one Sabboth, that was the ſeuenth day: then into monethes. For the firſt day of eueryevery monethmonth was holy to the Lord, & was called the feaſt of the New moone: and laſtly they were diuided into yearely feaſtes, which returned once eueryevery yeare at an appointed ſeaſon: of y^t ſort of feaſts there were thrée in number, The Paſſeouer, Pentecoſte, and the feaſt of Tabernacles. Beſides theſe there were alſo other made holie dayes, which God had not commaunded, but were receiued by the Church to the glorie of God, & the remembrance of his great benefites. For the feaſt of Lotts which they called Purim, & was brought in by Mardocheus, was receiued of all y^e Church, as is to be ſéene in the 9. of Eſther. The feaſt of dedication was ordeined by Iudas Machabeus with y^• conſent of all the Church, in memorie that the temple was reſtoared, and the people deliuered from the tyrannie of king Antiochus, as is to be read in the 4. Chapter of the firſt booke of Machabees. And Chriſt our Lord did honour that feaſt of dedication with an holy Sermon. Moreouer Solemne faſtings.there were ſolemne faſtinges appointed to be kept amonge the people of God, as in the fift monethmonth, wherin the citie was ſet on fire: in the ſeuenth monethmonth, wherin Godolias was ſlaine: and in the tenth monethmonth wherin Hieruſalem was beſieged: Of which faſtinges the Prophete Zacharie ſpeaketh in his 7. and 8. Chapiters: and in the time of Eſther a faſt was ordeined in the monethmonth Adar, for a remembraunce of the calamitie whiche was wrought, or rather purpoſed againſt the Iewes by the wicked Aman.

Of the Sabboth and the ſignification therof I ſpake a little aboue, and The Sabboth.in an other place alſo where I expoū ded the tenne commaundements. The Sabboth was obſerued by a naturall and diuine lawe euer from the firſt creation of the world: and is the chiefe of all other holy dayes. For it was not then firſt ordeined by Moſes, when the tenne commaundementes were giuen by God from heauen. For the kéeping of the Sabboth was receiued of the ſainctes immediatly from the beginning of the world. And therfore we read that the Lord in the commaundementes did ſay, Remember that thou kepe holy the Sabboth day. And before the lawe was giuen there is euident mention made of the Sabboth in the 16. of Exod. & the 2. of Gen.

The ſecond kind of holy dayes was The newe Moone.the New moones, which were ſolemnized in y^e beginning of eueryevery monethmonth. Mention is made of them in the 10. & 28. Chap. of the booke of Numbers. Samuel. 20. Pſal. 81. Ezech. 46. and 2. of Chro. 2. That ſolemnization is reported to hauehave béene ordeined in remembraunce of the light created, to admoniſh the people not to aſcribe the monethes to Ianus, or Mars, or any other planet, but to the one & onelyonly God the maker, gouernour, & ruler of al things and ſeaſons. Moreouer it was a ſigne of the reparation or renuing of faithful minds by the heauenly illumination: that we Chriſtians may truly and in déed ſolemnize the new moone, whē being brought forth of darckneſſe into light by the ſonne of God, we walk as becōmeth the children of light, & reiect the works of the diuel and darkneſſe.

The third kinde of holy dayes doth conteine the feaſtes y^• returne once eueryevery The three yeares metings or aſſēblies of the Iewes.yere, of which I find to be thrée: The Paſſeouer, the Pentecoſte, & the feaſt of tabernacles. Now the Lords will was, y^t in theſe thrée feaſts there ſhould be generall aſſemblies and p. 352ſolemne meetinges in the holy place, to wit, at the tabernacle, and after the tabernacle, at Solomons temple. For thus ſaith Moſes in Deut. Thrice in the yeare ſhal eueryevery male appeare before the Lord thy God in the place, whiche hee hath choſen, that is, in the feaſt of ſweete bread, in the feaſte of weekes, and in the feaſt of tabernacles. Neither ſhall hee appeare emptie in the ſight of the Lord. EueryEvery one according to the gift of his hand, and according to the bleſſing of the Lord thy God which hee hath giuen thee: that is to ſay. EueryEvery man ſhall of…r to the Lord according as he can, and according to y^e meaſure of riches which the Lord hath giuen him. Now thoſe three ſolemne feaſtes were diuided into three ſeuerall monethes moſt apt to iourney and to trauel in. In the ſpring time was the Paſſeouer holdē, when firſt the corne began to ſpindle or turne into eares. About barueſt when the firſt worke belōging to huſbandrie was done and finiſhed, they kept the feaſt of Pentecoſt. And laſtly, when all their fruits were in, they went vpp to the feaſt of tabernacles. And ſo many went to it as poſſiblie could goe. Some are of opinion that they, which had once in the yeare appeared before the Lorde, were diſpenſed withall, and might lawfully tarrie at home, at the other two feaſt times. But I thinke verily that religious men, did ſéeldome times vſe ſuch diſpenſations. The Lord in one place promiſeth that hée will defend & kéepe the boundes and ſubſtance of them, that trauell to ſéeke his name. Howſoeuer thoſe diſpenſations were admitted, yet this is moſt ſure, as appeareth by all hiſtories, that at thoſe feaſtes were very great aſſemblies.

Nowe the feaſt of Paſſeouer was Paſſeouer.called by many names, but eſpecially it was termed the feaſt of ſwéete, or vnleauened bread. For by the ſpace of ſeuen whole dayes they fedd vponupon vnleauened bread. The Ceremonies of that feaſt, with y^e ſacrifices that were to be offered thereat, are at large deſcribed in the 12. of Exodus, and 23. of Leuiticus. In that feaſt was eaten the Paſcall Lambe, in no other place but at the tabernacle, or afterward at the temple, Deut. 16. for a remēbrance of that notable deliuerance of Iſrael, and al the faithfull out of the Aegyptian ſeruitude and ſlauerie. In that feaſt God would hauehave the firſt fruits of their land offered vntounto him in token of the Manna, wherwith he fedd their fathers. Moreouer that feaſt did ſignifie the paſſing ouer and deliuering of the faithfull, which in the ſ…eading of bloud was accompliſhed by Chriſt. Whereuppon the Apoſtle ſaid, Chriſt our Paſſeouer is offered vp. 1. Cor. 4. But of the Paſſeouer I will ſpeake more in my next Sermon.

The Pentecoſt was alſo called the …feaſt of wéekes, and newe corne. For at that feaſt was ſet foorth Shewe bread made of the new yeares corne. They reckoned from the next day after the Paſſeouer ſeuen wéekes, that is, fiftie dayes, and vppon the fiftéeth day they did celebrate the memorie of the lawe of God, reuealed and giuen by God himſelfe from heauen vntounto his people Iſraell. For the fiftéeth day of their departure out of Aegypt, wée read that the Lord himſelfe ſpake to them at the mount Sinai, and gaue to them the lawe of the ten commaundements: ſo that the Pentecoſt was a memoriall, that as then the Church was illuminated with the very word of God. And …hat old Pentecoſt was a figure of the day wherein Chriſte p. 353the Lorde beeinge the ende of the lawe, did ſende the holie Ghoſte vponupon his diſciples, and did illuminate his ſpouſe the churche. The ceremonies belonging to this feaſte are expreſſed by Moſes in the 23. Chapter of Leuiticus.

They kept the feaſt of Tabernacles The feaſte of the ſeuenth monethmonth, or of the tabernacles.in the ſeuenth monethmonth, as Moſes commanded in Deuteronomium: ſaying, When thou haſt gathered in the croppe of thy lande and vineyardes, then ſhalt thou keepe the feaſt of Tabernacles, by the ſpace of ſeuen dayes: and thou ſhalt be merrie in thy holie daye, thou and thy ſonne and thy daughter, thy man ſeruaunt and thy maide ſeruaunt, the Leuite, the ſtraunger, the father leſſe, and the widdowe that are within thy gates. Seuen dayes ſhalt thou keepe holie vntounto the Lorde thy God, in the place which the Lord hath choſen to him ſelfe: becauſe the Lord thy God hath giuen thee happie ſucceſſe in all thy fruites, and in all the woorke of thy handes. See therefore that thou reioyce. Moreouer the manner of this feaſt ſolemnely celebrated is to be reade in the 8. Chapter of Nehemias, where, whoſoeuer looketh, hee ſhall finde it deſcribed at the full. Nowe this feaſt of Tabernacles of y^e ſeuenth monethmonth, was diuided into foure ſolemnities. For the firſt daye of the monethmonth was y^• feaſt of Trumpets, or ſounding of Trūpets, which was a memoriall of thoſe troubleſom The feaſte of trumpets.warres which the people did happely atchiue by the helpe and ayde of God, againſt the Amalechites, and all other their heathen enimies. And by that feaſt was ſignified that the whole life of man vppon the earth is a continuall The feaſte of clean…ing.warrefare. VponUpon the tenth daye of the ſame monethmonth was helde the feaſt of cleanſing. In that feaſt the Prieſte in a ſolemne fourme of wordes beganne to confeſſe aloud the peoples ſinnes, and eueryevery man quietly following in the ſame words did recite them priuately to him ſelfe, & in his minde did quietly ſpeake vntounto the Lorde. To thoſe confeſſions was added the ceremonie vſed with the ſcape goate, and the ſacrifice whiche is at large ſet downe in the 16. Chapter of Leuiticus. And ſo were the ſinnes of the people cleanſed: which was a type of the cleanſing, y^t ſhould be through Chriſt, who beeing once offered, did with the onelyonly ſacrifice of his bodie, take away the ſinnes of all the worlde. It did alſo conteine the doctrine of true repentance. VponUpon the fiftéenth daye beganne the feaſt of Tabernacles. For by the ſpace of The feaſte of tabernacles.ſeuen whole dayes, that is, from the fiftéenth to the 22. the people dwelte in Tabernacles. The ende of this ceremonie the Scripture doth declare to be, that the poſteritie ſhould know that the Lorde did place their forefathers in Tabernacles: whereby they were put in minde of the good, that he did to them, while they were in the wilderneſſe. For they were kepte fourtie yeres in the wilderneſſe, ſo y^t they lacked neither victuals nor cloathing. And by that feaſt wee are warned that the life of this worlde is but as a ſtage, and that wee hauehave no abyding place to ſtaye for euer, but are ſtill looking for the worlde to come: as the Apoſtle taught vsus 2. Cor. 5. Heb. 13. The fourth feaſt of this monethmonth was held vponupon the 22. The congregation.daye, and was called the Congregation or aſſemblie. Vppon that daye was gathered the offering and ſtipēd giuen to the miniſterie, for reparations of the temple, for the coſt of Sacrifices, p. 354and maintenaunce of the miniſterie. It is thought that in y^e feaſt was ſong the Pſalme: How pleaſant are thy Tabernacles &c. and certeine other Pſalmes called Torculares Pſalmi, which they did vſe. Thus much hitherto concerning the feaſtes that fall out once in eueryevery yere.

Here alſo I thinke it neceſſarie to make mention of the yeare of Iubilie. The yeare of Iubilie.Nowe this yeare of Iubilie was eueryevery fiftéeth as it fell by courſe, which is at large deſcribed with all the ceremonies belonging thereunto in the 25. of Leuiticus. It was declared to all the people in the lande of promiſe by the ſound of a trumpet made of a Rammes horne, with a proclamation of fréedome to all them that were wrapped in ſeruitude or bondage.

In that Iubilie was cōteined verie euidently the myſterie of Chriſte our Lorde, who declared to vsus the meaning of that ceremonie out of the 61. Chapter of the prophecie of Eſaie, in Sainct Lukes Goſpell where hee ſaith that hee is hee that doth in déede proclaime the Iubilie, the true fréedome and acceptable yeare of the Lorde. Nowe he hath pronounced remiſſion & fréedome to all the faithfull, not with a trumpet made of a Rammes horne, but with the Goſpell. For by the merciemercy of God in the merite of Ieſus Chriſte the ſonne of God all debtes or ſinnes are forgiuen to all the faithfull that liue vponupon the face of all the earth vppon condition, that we whoſe ſinnes are forgiuen ſhould likewiſe forgiue the treſpaſſes of them that offend vsus. And in Chriſte verily wee hauehave the true and euerlaſting reſt that ſhall neuer faile vsus. By Chriſte wee hauehave returne graunted vsus to our poſſeſſion or countrie, from whence wee were fallen, that is to heauen the place of y^e faithfull.

Thus much hauehave I ſaide of the holie time or holie dayes as briefely as poſſibly I could. The reſt is at the full to be ſéene in the 23. of Exodus: Leuiticus 23. Num. 28. & 29: Deut. 6. That which is behinde touchinge this argument, I meane, touching the Iewiſhe ceremonies, I will by Gods leaue make an ende of in my nexte Sermon. Nowe let vsus make our humble prayers and ſupplications vntounto God &c.