Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion — Henrich Bullinger

Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion · Henrich Bullinger

¶ Of the Sacraments of the Iewes, of their ſundrie ſortes of ſacrifices, and certeine other thinges perteining to their ceremoniall lawe.

The ſixte Sermon.

IN my laſte Sermon I ſpake of y^e holy perſones, I meane, the miniſters of Gods religion the Leuitical prieſtes, and the place and time aſſigned to Gods ſeruice: there remaineth nowe for vsus to conſider the holie thinge which thoſe holie perſons did exerciſe in the holy time & place, I meane the verie worſhip & holie rites ſo ordeined, taught, & preſcribed by God him ſelfe, that all men might eaſily vnderſtande how to do ſeruice, and what honour to giuegive vntounto the Lorde. In this treatiſe wee hauehave firſt to conſider the Iewiſh Sacraments, and then their ſacrifices.

The auncient church of the ſaints Two Sacraments of the Synagogue.had two eſpecial ſacraments, circumciſion and the Paſcall lambe. Of both which I will ſpeake ſeuerally, and agreably to the worde of God according to the grace which the Lord ſhal vouchſafe to giuegive vntounto mee.

Nowe circumciſion was the holie Circumciſion what it is.action, whereby the fleſh of the foreſkinne was cutt awaye for a ſigne of the couenaunt that God made with men. Or to deſcribe it more largely, circumciſion was a marke in the priuie members of men betokening the eternal couenant of God, and was or deined by God him ſelfe, to teſtifie his goodwill toward them that were circumciſed, to warne them of regeneration and cleanneſſe, and to make a difference betwixt the confederates of God & other people or nations.

The author therefore of circumciſion is God him ſelfe: the beginning of it is of great antiquitie. For y^e Lord him ſelfe in the Goſpel ſaith: Circumciſion The originall or beginning of Circumciſion.began not at Moſes, but at the Patriarches. Moſes verilye did renue or repaire the lawe or cuſtome of circumciſion, but Abraham the renowmed friende of God was the firſt that was circumciſed in the ninetieth yere of his age, and in the verie ſame daye that God making a couenaunt with him did firſt ordeine the vſe of circumciſion. For he added circumciſion as a ſeale to the league which hee made with Abraham and with his ſéede for euer. The place is extant in the 17. Chap. of Geneſis. It was firſt ordeined in the 2046. yeare after the creation of the worlde, 390. yeres after the deluge, when Sem the ſonne of Noah was 487 yeares olde. So that Moſes is founde to hauehave béene borne 320. yeares after the firſte inſtitution of circumciſion: whereby it appeareth that circumciſion was in vſe amonge the Patriarches 400. yeares before the law was giuen to the Iſraelites by the hand of Moſes.

Now for becauſe circumciſion is Of the league of God and man.added as a ſigne or ſeale to the league that was made betwixt God & Abraham, I muſt briefely & by a ſhort digreſſion touch the manner or order of that couenaunt. God in making of leagues, as he doth in all things elſe, applieth him ſelfe to our capacities, & imitateth the order which men vſe in making confederacies.

Men do by leagues as by moſt ſure and ſtedfaſt bonds bynde themſelues to the ſocietie and fellowſhip of one bodie or people, in which ſocietie, to the end they may be the ſafer and liue more quietly from the wronges and iniuries of all other nations, they do mutually hazard both liues & liuings the one in defence of y^• others libertie. In theſe leagues they do preciſely expreſſe what they be that make y^e confederacie, vponupon what conditions, and howe farre the couenant ſhall extend. And therefore when Gods mind was to declare the fauour & good will that he bare to mankind, and to make vsus men partakers wholie of him ſelf and his goodnes by powring him ſelfe out vponupon vsus, to our great good & profite, it pleaſed him to make a league or couenant w^t mankinde. Now hee did not firſte beginne the league with Abraham, but did renue to him the couenant y^t he had made a great while before. For be did firſte of all make it with Adam the firſt father of vsus all, immediately vponupon his tranſgreſſion, when hee receiued him ſillie wretche into his fauour againe, and promiſed his onelyonly begotten ſonne, in whome he would be reconciled to the world, and through whome he would whoaly beſtowe him ſelfe vponupon vsus, by making vsus partakers of all his good and heauenly bleſſinges: and by binding vsus vntounto him ſelf in faith and due obedience. This auncient league made firſte with Adam hee did afterwarde renue to Noah, and after that againe with the bleſſed Patriarche Abraham. And againe after y^e ſpace of 400. yeres it was renued vnderunder Moſes at the mount Sinai, where the conditions of the leagu were at large written in the two tables, and many ceremonies added thereunto. But moſt excellently of all, moſt clearely and euidently did our Lorde and ſauiour Ieſus Chriſt him ſelfe ſhewe forth that league, who wiping away all the ceremonies, types, figures & ſhadowes brought in in ſtéed of them the verie trueth, and did moſte abſolutely fulfill and finiſh the old league, bringing all the principles of our ſaluation and true godlyneſſe into a briefe ſummarie, which, for the reuewing and fulfilling of all thinges, & for the abrogation of the olde ceremonies, hee called the newe league or newe teſtament. In that teſtament Chriſte alone is preached the perfectneſſe and fullneſſe of all thinges: in it there is nothing more deſired then faith and charitie, and in it is graunted holy and wonderfull libertie vntounto the Godly. Of which I will ſpeake at another time. But now I returne to y^• league which was renued with Abraham.

We are expreſſely taught in … ….who they were that made the league, that is, the liuing, eternall & omnipotent God, who is the chiefe maker preſeruer and gouernour of al thinges: and Abraham w^t al his ſéede, that is, with all the faithfull of what nation or countrie ſoeuer they bée. For ſo doth the Apoſtle expounde the ſéede of Abraham, eſpecially in his Epiſtle to the Galathians, where hee ſaith: If ye be Chriſtes, then are ye the ſeede of Abraham, and heires by promiſe.

The time howe long this league The … how … this … ſhuld …ſhould indure is eternall, and without ende or terme of time. For although in the renuinges or declarations of the league many things were added, which afterwarde did vaniſh away, eſpecially when Chriſt was come in the fleſhe, yet notwithſtanding in the ſubſtantiall and chiefeſt poyntes ye can finde nothing altered or chaunged. For God is alwayes y^e God of his people: he doth alwayes demaunde and require of them faithfull obedience: as may moſte euidently bee perceiued in the newe teſtament.

For there are two poyntes or eſpeciall The … of … league …conditions, conteined in this league. The firſt whereof declareth what God doth promiſe, and what hee will doe for his confederates, I meane, what wee maye looke for at his handes. The ſeconde comprehendeth y^e duetie of man, which he doth owe to God his confederate and ſouereigne Prince. Therefore God for his parte ſayeth, I will bee thy God and Saddai, that is, thy fulneſſe and ſufficiencie: I will, I ſay, be thy God, and the God of thy ſéede after thée. God of him ſelfe is wholly ſufficient to moſte abſolute perfectneſſe and bleſſedneſſe, neither néedeth hee the helpe of any other, ſince whatſoeuer is in any place whereſoeuer, it is both of him, & hath abyding by him. God alone ſufficeth man, and bee alone God is all an al to his cōfederats.is the giuer of all that men deſire, or doth belong to perfect felicitie. And therefore Saturnus (peraduenture by occaſion of the worde Saddai) tooke his name among the heathen, and ſignifieth to ſuffice or ſatiſfie. For he alone is able to ſatiſfie or ſuffice all, who is him ſelfe verye fulneſſe and ſufficiencie it ſelfe. But nowe God ſheweth by two argumēts that he will bee the ſufficiencie or all in all to the ſéede of Abraham. For firſt he ſaith, To thy ſeede wil I giuegive the lande of Chanaan. In which promiſe he comprehendeth all earthly & bodily benefites, to wite, greate wealth, felicitie, tranquillitie, abundaunce of all thinges, health, glorie, notable victories, and whatſoeuer elſe perteineth to the preſeruation & temporall happineſſe of mankinde.

Nowe howe he did perfourme this promiſe to the ſéede of Abraham the holie ſcripture doth declare, by that meanes teaching that the verie true God was the God of Abrahams ſeed, as he had promiſed to their father Abraham. Secondarily he promiſeth y^e ſéede, wherein all the nations of the earth were to bee bleſſed: to witt, Chriſt the Sauiour, whome he had promiſed to Adam many yeares before. To bleſſe is to enriche with al ſpirituall benediction, wherein hee comprehendeth all y^e ſpirituall giftes of God, the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, the reuiuing of life, and glorie euerlaſting. To bleſſe alſo is to take away a curſſe, ſo that this promiſe of Gods to Abraham is all one w^t that, which he made to Adam: ſaying, The ſeede of the woman ſhal treade downe the Serpents head. For the head of y^e olde Dragon is nothing elſe, but the power and kingdome of Satan. His power is the curſſe, ſinne, and death. Therefore, when his head is cruſhed or troaden downe, the curſſe is takē away, and in ſted of the curſſe ſuccéedeth a bleſſing. By this I ſaye hee doth declare that he will bee the God of Abraham and of his ſéede.

The ſecond condition of the league betwixt God and man, preſcribeth to What is r… quired of men in the league.man what he muſt do, and howe hee muſt behaue him ſelfe towarde God his confederate & ſouereigne Prince. Walke before mee, ſaith God to man, and be vpright. Now, they walke before God, which do direct all their life, woordes, and woorkes according to the wil of God. His will is that we ſhould bee vpright. That vprightneſſe is gotten by faith, hope, and charitie: in which thrée are conteined all the offices of the Sainctes which are the friendes and confederates of the Lorde. Therefore this latter condition of the league doth teach the confederates what to doe, and howe to behaue themſelues before the Lord: to wite, to take him for their God, to ſticke to him alone, who is their onelyonly all in all, to call vppon him alone, to worſhippe him alone, and through his Meſſiah to looke for ſanctification & life euerlaſting. Theſe were the cōditions of the couenant: to whiche the number of ceremonies were not added in Abrahams time, which afterwarde were giuen to the Iſraelites vnderunder the leading of their Capteine Moſes.

To this confederacie the Lord did adde circumciſion as a ſigne or ſeale Circumciſiō was the ſigne or zeale annexed …o the league.to confirme it withall. Seales are put to writings for an effectual force and confirmations ſake. The tables or writinges do conteine and giuegive euidence of all the points of the whole league. Circumciſion therefore is added to the league in ſtéede of the writing and alſo of the ſeale, and for that cauſe circumciſion is called the league it ſelfe: euen as the writinges or letters of couenants among vsus are commonly called the verie couenant, whē as in déede they are nothing elſe but the euidences of the league, which conteine in writing al the order of the confederacie, and confirme it with a ſeale. It is verie vſuall that the ſignes do take the names of the thinges which they do ſignifie, ſo that it is no meruayle though circumciſion be called the league, when as in déede the league is not the cutting of the ſkin, but the communion of fellowſhippe which wee hauehave with God.

In the ſeuentéenth of Geneſis thus ſaith the Lorde, touching this ſigne of outwarde circumciſion: This is my couenaunt, which ye ſhall keepe betwixt mee and you, and thy ſeede after thee. EueryEvery male ſhalbe circū ciſed among you. Ye ſhal circumciſe the fleſhe of your foreſkinne: and it ſhalbe for a ſigne of the couenant betwixt mee and you &c. Lo here circumciſion in theſe woordes of the Lordes is firſt named the couenaunt, and afterwarde for expoſitions ſake, it is called the ſigne of the couenaunt. In the ſame ſenſe doth Sainct Stephan call it a teſtament in the ſeuēth Chapter of the Acts, when he meant that it was the ſigne or ſeale of the Teſtament.

Moreouer the manner of circumciſion is declared: Ye ſhal, ſaith God … and … …f Cir…ciſion.circumciſe the fleſh of your foreſkin. For there is a ſkinne which doth incompaſſe, couer, and hang ſomewhat ouer the nut or forepart of a mannes yarde, and that ſkinne is called the fleſhe of the foreſkinne, becauſe it doth appeare or hang before the reſt. This ſkinne did they cutt away with a knife made of ſtone, and did make bare the topp or nutt of the manchildes priuie member. The cutting or taking away of the fleſhe was called circumciſion. But nowe whoſe office it was to cut that ſkinne away, we finde not expreſſed. It appeareth that the moſte honourable in eueryevery houſe or familie, I meane the firſte begotten or auncient of eueryevery houſholde did circumciſe before the lawe, which office was turned to the prieſtes, when once the lawe was giuen. It is a ſingular example and no more to be found like vntounto it, that Zippora the wife of Moſes did circumciſe her ſonne. Exod. 4. Chap.

Nowe alſo the time of circumciſion is ſet downe, to wite, the eighth day, when the newe borne childe beganne to be of a little more ſtrength. And we gather out of the fifte Chapter of the booke of Ioſue that they did circumciſe them, not with kniues of yron, but of ſtone: for in that Chapter the Lorde doth in expreſſe wordes commaund to circumciſe the ſonnes of Iſrael with kniues of ſtone. But it is manifeſt by the rites, of the ſacraments that God doth alter nothinge in the ceremonies of the ſacraments: and therefore we coniecture and gather that Abraham vſed none other, but kniues of ſtone, eſpecially ſince we read that Zippora Moſes his wife did circumciſe her ſonne with a ſtone. The reſt of the Iewiſhe trifles which they ſowe abrode touching the ceremonies of cicumciſion, I do of purpoſe here let paſſe. For they are vtterly vnworthie to be heard, and hauehave no myſteries conteined in them. But the knife of ſtone is of force in the expoſition of the myſterie of circūciſion.

For circumciſion had a myſterie The myſterie and …ening of Circumciſion.and a moſte certeine meaning hidden within it.

For firſte circumciſion did ſignifie that the whole nature of man is vncleane and corrupt, and therfore that all men hauehave neede of cutting and regeneration. And for that cauſe that cuttinge was made in the member wherewith man is begotten. For we are all begotten and borne the ſonnes of wrath in originall ſinne. Neither doth any man deliuer vsus from that damnation, but he alone that is without ſinne, to wite, the bleſſed ſéede Ieſus Chriſt our Lord, who was conceiued by the holy Ghoſt and borne of the virgin Marie: who with the ſhedding of his bloud (which was prefigured in the bloud ſhed in circumciſion) doth cleanſe vsus from ſinne, and make vsus heires of life euerlaſting. And now this circumciſion maketh ſorely againſt them that denye original ſinne: and putteth them to their ſhiftes that attribute iuſtification and ſaluation to our owne ſtrength and vertue. For if we were cleane, if we by our owne power could get ſaluation, what néeded our fathers to bee cutt in that ſorte. The things that are cutt off, are either vnpure, or elſe ſuperfluous. But God made nothing vnpure or ſuperfluous. Nowe hee made the fleſh of the foreſkinne. If the fleſhe of the foreſkinne had béene euill, God had not made man with the fleſhe of the foreſkinne. The ſkinne therefore is not euill of it ſelfe, nor yet ſuperfluous: but the cuttinge of the foreſkinne doth rather ſerue to teache vsus to vnderſtande, that by our birth and nature wée are corrupt, and that wée cannot be cleanſed of that corruption but by the knife of ſtone.

And for that cauſe verily was circumciſion giuen in that member and in none other. I will anon adde another cauſe out of Lactantius why it was giuen in the priuities, and in none other parte of all the bodye. Moreouer circumciſion did ſignifie & teſtifie that God almightie, of his méere grace and goodneſſe, is ioyned with an indiſſoluble bond of couenant vntounto vsus men, whome his will is firſt to ſanctifie, then to iuſtifie, and laſtly to inriche with all heauenly treaſures through Chriſte our Lorde and reconciler. For that was the meaninge of the ſtoanie knife. Becauſe Chriſt the bleſſed ſéede is the rocke of ſtone, out of which doe flowe moſte pure and cleanſing waters, and he by his ſpirite doth cutt from vsus, whatſoeuer thinges doe hinder the mutuall league and amitie betwixt God and vsus: he alſo doth giuegive and increaſe in vsus both hope and charitie in faith, ſo that wee may be knitt and ioyned to God in life euerlaſting, which is the bleſſed and happie life in déede. Nowe here it is expedient to heare the teſtimonies of the lawe and the Apoſtles. In the 30. of Deuteron. Moſes ſaith: The Lord thy God ſhall circumciſe thy harte, and the harte of thy ſeede, that thou maiſt louelove the Lorde thy God. Now the outward & viſible cutting was a ſigne of this inwarde circumciſion. And Paule alſo ſpeakinge of Abraham ſaith: And he receiued the ſigne of circumciſion, as the ſeale of the righteouſneſſe of faith, which he had being yet vncircūciſed, that he ſhould be the father of all them that beleeue, though they were not circū ciſed, that righteouſneſſe might bee imputed to them alſo &c. Lo here Abrahams circumciſion was a ſigne y^• God by his grace had iuſtified Abraham: which iuſtificatiō he receiued by faith before his circumciſion, which is an argument that they which beléeue, though they be not circumciſed, are neuertheleſſe iuſtified with faithfull Abraham: and againe that the Iewes, which are circumciſed, are iuſtified of God by faith. And for that cauſe was circumciſion giuen in The grace …f God is not tied to …rcumci…i…n.the verie bodie of man, that he might beare in his bodie the league of God, and be thereby admoniſhed that hee is iuſtified by grace through faith. Whereby wee gather alſo that the grace of God, and the iuſtification of the godly is not tyed to the ſigne. For if it had, then had not Abraham béene iuſtified before his circumciſion, but euen in his circumciſion. Furthermore if it had béene ſo, then y^e Lord, whoſe wil is to hauehave mankind ſaued, would not hauehave giuen commaundement to hauehave them circumciſed vponupon the eighth day. For many children died before the eighth daye, and neuer came to circumciſion, and yet they were not damned. To which wee may adde that Sara, Rebecca, Rahel, Iochabeth, and Marie Moſes ſiſter with innumerable mo matrones and holie virgines could not be circumciſed, and yet they were ſaued by the grace of God through faith in the Meſſiah that was to come. The grace of God therefore was not tyed to the ſacrament of circumciſion: but yet it was not deſpiſed and neglected of the holy ſainctes of the olde church, but vſed to the end, for which it was ordeined, that is, to be a teſtimonie and a ſeale of frée iuſtification in Chriſt, who circumciſeth vsus ſpiritually Coloſ. ….without handes by the working of the holie Ghoſte.

Furthermore, God by the outwarde By circum…iſ…on the circumci…ed are gathered … to one ….and viſible ſigne did gather into one church them which were circumciſed, in which number thoſe, which he had choſen before, hee did ioyne to him ſelfe with the bonde of his ſpirite. For ſainct Paule for the verie ſame cauſe did call the people of one religiō the circumciſion, as is euident by the 15. Chapter to the Romanes, and the third to the Philippians.

Therefore by circumciſion God did ſeparate his people from the vnbeléeuing nations. Whereupon it came that to be called vncircumciſed was as great reproache among them, as to be called dogge is nowe adayes among vsus. For an vncircumciſed perſon was reputed for an vncleane & prophane man, and for ſuch an one 1 Sam. … Actes. ….as had no parte in God nor his couenaunts.

Finally, circumciſion did put the Circum… ſiō … a man … mynde… his …circumciſed in mind of their duetie al their life long, to wite, that eueryevery man ſhould thinke that he had taken vponupon him to profeſſe God, & to beare in his bodie the Sacramēt of y^e Lorde. For that is the cauſe why the Iſraelites were named, or had their names giuen them in their circumciſion. For it is euident in Luke that Iohn Baptiſt and Ieſus our ſauiour had their names giuen them at their circumciſion, euen as alſo the firſt circumciſed at his circumciſion was called Abraham, whoſe name before was ſaid to be Abram.

It did admoniſh the circumciſed of his duetie, for ſo much as he had giuen his name vntounto the Lord his confederate, to bee inrolled in the regiſter of God amōg the names of them that giuegive them ſelues vntounto the Lord: wherefore he ought by couenaunt & duetie to frame his life not after his owne luſt and pleaſure, but according to the will of God, to whome he did betake him ſelfe. For the condition of the couenaunt was, that the circumciſed ſhoulde not defile them ſelues with idolatrie and ſtraunge religions, that they ſhould not pollute with vncleane lyuing the bodies and mindes that were hallowed to the Lord, but that they perſeuearing in true faith, ſhould enſue godlyneſſe, ſhewe the workes of repentance, and be obedient to God in all things. For thus ſaith Moſes in the tenth of Deuterono. Circumciſe the foreſkinne of your hearts, and harden not your neckes any longer. To which words the Prophet Ieremie alludeth in his fourth Chapter: ſaying, Bee ye circumciſed to the Lord, and cut away the foreſkinne of your hearte. And the Martyr S. Stephan rebuking the vnbeléeuing Iewes ſayeth: Ye ſtiffenecked, and of vncircumciſed hearte and eares, ye alwayes reſiſt the holie ghoſt: Verie rightly therefore doth the holy Apoſtle Paule in his Epiſtle to the Romanes declare, that there are two ſortes of circumciſion: the Two Circūciſions, one of the ſpirite, the other of the letter.one of the letter, in the fleſhe, the outwarde circumciſion, that is made w^t handes: the other in the heart, of the Spirite, the inwarde circumciſion, which is made by the meanes of the holy Ghoſt. The circumciſion of the heart God doth like well of in thoſe y^• be his, but that in the fleaſh he doeth vtterly miſlike of, if as the fleaſhe is, the heart be not circumciſed. The liking and miſliking of theſe two circumciſions is in that, which went before, ſo plainly alreadie declared, that I néede not to ſtick any longer vponupon it.

And here I think it not amiſſe, before Lactantius touching Circumciſion.I make an ende of circumciſion, to reherſe vntounto you (déerely beloued) the woordes of the auncient writer Lactantius, lib. Inſtit. 4. Chap. 17. where he ſpeaketh of circumciſion in this manner. The meaning of circumciſion was, that we ſhould make bare our breaſtes, to wite, that wee ſhould liue with a ſimple and plaine dealing heart: becauſe that parte of the bodie which is circumciſed, is partely like to a heart, and is the fore parte of the priuitie: and the cauſe why God commaunded to make it bare, was, that by that ſigne he might admoniſhe vsus not to hauehave a couered heart, that is, that we ſhould not couer within the ſecretes of our conſcience any crime, whereof wee ought to be aſhamed. And this is the circumciſion of the heart, whereof the Prophets ſpeake, which God hath tranſlated from the mortall fleſhe to the immortall ſoule. For the Lorde being whole ſet and fully minded according to his eternall goodneſſe, to hauehave a care for our life and ſafegard, did ſet repentance before our eyes for vsus to followe, as a waye to bring vsus thereunto: ſo that if wee make bare our heartes, that is, if by confeſsion of our ſinnes we ſatiſfie the Lord, we ſhould obteine pardone, whiche is denied to the proude and thoſe that conceale their faultes, by God, who beholdeth not the face as man doeth, but ſearcheth the ſecrets of the breſt. Thus much hitherto hath that auncient writer of the churche Lactantiꝰ Firmianus declared vntounto vsus touching the myſterie of circumciſion.

Nowe all this whiche hitherto I hauehave ſaide touching the meaning and The ſumme of Circumciſion.myſterie of circumciſiō was ſet forth as in a picture to be ſéene of all mens eyes, ſo often as circumciſion was ſolemnized in the church. There was the league, as it were, renued, which God did make with men. There was the grace of God, his ſanctification, and our corruption declared: therein did Chriſt the rocke of ſtone appeare, who with his ſpirite doth cutt & waſh away all ſpottes of the Churche.

Moreouer the worſhippers of God did learne by that ſigne, and ſo by all the holie ceremonie, that they beeing in one eccleſiaſticall bodie, ought to do their indeuour by pureneſſe of liuing to winne the fauour of God their confederate. Becauſe by the viſible circumciſion there was after a ſorte an open confeſſion made of the true religion, of frée conſent to the true religion, and of a bynding by promiſe vntounto the ſame. He therefore that did deſpiſe or vnaduiſedly neglect that holie ceremonie, was ſharply puniſhed, as may be gathered by the 17. of Geneſis and the fourth Chapter of Exodus. And ſo muche hetherto touching circumciſion.

There followeth nowe the ſeconde Sacrament of the auncient churche, I Of the Paſchal lamb.meane, the Paſchal Lamb. It is an Hebrewe word, not ſignifying a paſſion, as it ſhould ſéeme, if it were deriued according to the Gréeke etymologie, but it ſignifieth a ſkipping, a leaping, or a paſſing ouer. For the Hebrewe * * * ſignifieth to leape or paſſe ouer. The cauſe of this worde Moſes him ſelfe ſheweth in the lawe, where he ſaith: The Lord ſhall go ouer to ſtrike the Aegyptians, & when he ſhall ſee the bloud vppon the vpper poſte and the two ſide poſtes of the doore, * * * the Lord wil paſſe ouer that doore, and will not ſuffer the deſtroyer to come within your houſes. This ſacrament is knowen alſo and called by other names. For it is called a ſigne, a remembraunce, a ſolemnitie, an holie aſſemblie, the feaſt of the Lorde, a worſhip, an obſeruation, an oblation, and a Sacrifice. But whereas that ceremonie is called a paſſing ouer, that is not done without a trope. For the paſſing ouer was the verie benefite, wherein the Angel of the Lorde did paſſe ouer the Iewes, leaue their houſes vntouched, and ſaue their liues: but for becauſe the Paſchall Lambe was a memoriall & a renuing of that benefite, therefore it tooke the name of the benefite. Euen as I admoniſhed you before, that it is vſuall in Sacramentes, for the ſignes to bee called by the names of the thinges that they ſignifie, béecauſe of the likeneſſe and mutual proportion that is betwixt them.

Let vsus ſée nowe what the paſſeouer was, and what kinde of ceremonie W…at … Paſſe… was.did belong vntounto it. The Paſſeouer was an holy action ordeined by God, in the killing and eating of a Lambe, partely to the ende that the Churche might kéepe in memorie the benefite, which God did for them in the land of Aegypt, to be a teſtimonie of Gods good will towarde the faithful, to be a type of Chriſt, and partely alſo to gather all the partakers thereof into the fellowſhip of one bodie, and to put them in minde to be thankfull and innocent.

This Sacrament was firſt ordeined The … autho… … the … time ….by God him ſelf, and not by man. For Moſes deliuered to the children of Iſrael whatſoeuer he receiued at the Lordes hande: as is to bee ſéene at large in the 12 Chapter of Exodus. And he inſtituted that ceremonie euē at that verie time, when he brought y^• Iſraelites from out of Aegypt. Now ſince this ceremonie came firſte from God, it followeth conſequently that all the paſſeouers, which followed, euen vntil that paſſeouer, whiche the Lorde did holde with his diſciples a little before his death, were holie and diuine actions. To fleſhe and worldly wiſedome many pointes, I may ſaye, all the partes of this ſacrament do ſéeme to be méerely abſurde and altogether néedeleſſe, but faith, whiche looketh vp to God the author of this ſacrament, hath a great reſpect vntounto, & reuerenceth greately all the myſteries conteined therein. For euen as God is the chiefe and moſte abſolute wiſedome, ſo are all his ordinances moſte abſolute and paſſing profitable.

Here now is noted the time, when this Sacrament was firſt deliuered to the church of Iſrael, to wite, in the foure hundreth and thirtéeth yeare, (counting from the promiſe made to Abraham, or from the time that hée departed frō his countrie firſte) which was the 2447 yeare from the beginning of the worlde, 791 yeares after the generall floud. The time is alſo appointed when the paſſeouer ſhoulde be holden, to wite, eueryevery yere, in the monethmonth Niſan, which taketh parte of our March and parte of April. Moreouer the verie day is named, that is, the fourtéenth of the monethmonth, beginning their accompt at y^e ſpring times Equinoctiall. For on the tenth daye The Equi…octiall is, when the day and …ight is both of on …ength, & commeth twice in a …eare, to …it, the 8. …f April, & … 8. of October. The lewes …egan to …ckon frō … to 12. … we be…in to reckon from 7. in the morning till 6. at night, & ſo it was, that our three a clocke was nine a clocke to thē, & ou… fiue, eleuen to them.they choſe the Lambe that ſhould bee eaten, and on the fourtéenth day they killed it. There is alſo ſet downe the houre of the daye, when it ſhould bée ſlaughtered: that was, about euen tyde, to wite, betwixt thrée and fiue of the clocke in the after noone, according to the courſe of our dialles, and as the Iewes were wont to reckon y^e houres of the daye, it was to bee killed betwixt nine and eleuen a clocke. And in that killing of the Lambe at euen tyde did this meaning lye hidde, that Chriſt ſhould be ſlaine in the latter dayes of the worlde, yea the verie houre and moment wherein Chriſte ſhould dye was therein foretolde.

For he gaue vp the ghoſte about the ninth houre. Whereupon Sainct Peter ſaith that the Prophets did ſearch at what moment or minute of time the ſpirite of Chriſt, which was in them, did ſignifie that Chriſt ſhould come and ſuffer.

Furthermore there was a certein appointed place aſſigned to this Sacrament. In Aegypt verily they did The ninth houre of the Iewes is three a clocke in the afternoone to vsus.eate it by companies here and there in ſeuerall houſes. But, when they were once come into the land of promiſe, it was not lawful to hold paſſeouer in any place, but at the Tabernacle of appointment, and after that at the temple in Hieruſalem. Being The place appointed for the eating of the Paſſeouer.diuided therefore into ſeuerall houſes at Hieruſalem they did eate it by companies, as is to be ſéene in the 22. Chapter of S. Lukes goſpel. And that was a type that Chriſte, which was to be offered but once vppon the mount of Caluerie, ſhould bee effectuall for euer to cleanſe the ſinnes of all his people.

There was alſo appointed who they ſhould be, that ſhoulde holde the Who were the gueſts at the eating of the lambe.paſſeouer, to wite, the whole circumciſed congregation of Iſrael, béeinge aſſembled by houſes and families in ſo greate companies, as were ſufficient to eate a Lambe. For as Chriſte is the Sauiour of vsus all, ſo all ſinners (for wée all are ſinners) are the cauſe whie Chriſt our Lord was offered vppon the altar of the Croſſe.

Moreouer there is great diligence The manner or …it… of eating the Paſſeouer.vſed in deſcribing the manner of killing & eating the Lambe. Firſt they choſe to them ſelues this Lambe frō among other Lambes and Kiddes: the fifte daye after they cut the throate therof, and ſaued the bloud in a platter, which with a buſhe of Hyſope made like a holie water ſticke they ſprinckled vponupon the two ſides and vpper poſtes of the doore. The Lambe it ſelf they did eate publiquely, not boyled with water, but roſted with fire, and that whole alſo, I meane, bothe head and féete, and purtenaunce too: and with it they did eate letuce or ſower hearbes, and vnleauened bread. And while they were at it, they ſtoode about it, with their loynes girded, with ſhooes on their féete, and ſtaues in their handes. They did eate it in haſte, they neither brake nor caſt a bone of it vntounto the dogges, but burnt the bones with fire. From euening vntil morning no man did ſet one foot out of dores.

All theſe ceremonies had their endes whereunto they tended, conteined The ende whereto this ceremonie tended.greate myſteries, and bare a verie euident ſignification of thinges paſt, things preſent, and thinges to come. They did alſo ioyne the whole congregation or Iewiſh churche into one bodie, and profeſſion of one religion: and did alſo warne all thoſe that did eate of the Lamb to be thankfull to God, and zelous in religion: as I will by partes touch, and teach you as briefely as I can.

For firſt of all the Lordes wil was The Lords benefite was kept in memorie by the eating of the Paſſeouer.to kéepe in memorie, and as it were for euer to prolong the remembrance of that great benefite, which hee did once for his people of Iſrael, in preſeruing merueilouſly his choſen flock, when he ſlewe in one night all the firſt borne of the Aegyptians, and the next day after led his elect from out of Aegypt, where they had a long time ſuſteined greate miſerie in bondage.

This benefite he woulde not hauehave onelyonly to bee preached by woorde of mouth (for it is certeinly ſure that in that feaſt were made moſte effectuall Sermons touching Gods benefites & grace ſhewed to their fathers) but woulde hauehave them alſo layde before their eyes by an holie action and ceremonie, as it were by a looking glaſſe & liuely picture, euen as though their déede were newely in dooing againe before their faces. For the viſible action did after a ſorte make a Sermon to their eyes and other ſenſes. Wherfore Moſes, when he did interprete y^• ceremonie and holie action, did ſaye: When your children ſhall ſaye vntounto you, what meaneth this worſhip of yours? ye ſhall ſaye vntounto them, this ſacrifice is the paſsinge ouer of the Lorde, who paſſed ouer the houſes of the children of Iſrael in Aegypt, whē he ſlewe the Aegyptians and deliuered our houſes.

But this ceremonie was the ſignification The … GOD… good… … his …of a thinge alreadie paſt and therefore it ſhould hauehave little auailed that age of man which followed, to celebrate a benefite which did nothing at all belong vntounto them, vnleſſe the Lorde had applyed it to eueryevery age and ſeaſon. God therefore woulde hauehave this to be as a teſtimonie to the poſteritie, of his fauour, goodneſſe, and perpetual aſſiſtance, to put them in mind that he was not only the God of their fathers and aunceſtours, but that hée would be the God of all the poſterities of the Iſraelites, that hee would beare with and ſpare them for the bloud of Chriſt, and finally that hee both would and could defend them frō all euill, and beſtowe vponupon them all good and fatherly bleſſinges. For in the 136 Pſalme we reade: O Praiſe the Lorde for he is good, becauſe his merciemercy endureth for euer: which ſtrucke the firſt borne of the Aegyptians, for his merciemercy endureth for euer. With a ſtrong hand and a ſtretched out arme, For his merciemercy endureth for euer. Beſides the remembraunce therfore of the benefit, which God did for their fathers, the poſteritie did by the vſe of that ceremonie ſtirre vp their faith to beléeue that god would hauehave merciemercy on, and do good for them according to his naturall goodneſſe, euen as hee did to their fathers before them. And by that meanes this ceremonie was no ſmall exerciſe of faith in the children of Iſrael.

Furthermore, thoſe ceremonies The Lamb was the type of Chriſt, of his paſſion & redemption.did conteine the myſteries that were to come of Chriſt the Sauiour of vsus al. For in them was prefigured what Chriſte ſhould be, what hee ſhould do for the worlde, by what meanes the faithfull ſhould bee partakers with him, and howe they ſhoulde beehaue them ſelues before him. For amonge many other beaſtes, there was none thought to be more fitt for this ſacrament then a lambe, not ſo muche for the ſignification of ſimplicite and patience that was in Chriſte, like to the quietneſſe of a Lambe, as for becauſe a Lambe was the dayly ſacrifice that was offered to the Lorde. For Paule ſaith: Chriſte our paſchall Lambe is offered vp. And a Lamb by the lawe was eueryevery morning and euening offered vp in ſacrifice. For Chriſte is the lambe that was killed ſince the beginning of the worlde. Of whome Iohn Baptiſt teſtifyed ſaying: Beeholde the lambe of God that taketh awaye the ſinnes of the worlde. And for becauſe wée all did goe aſtray like ſhéepe eueryevery one after his owne way, the ſonne of God came downe vntounto vsus, and became a ſhéepe of oure verie ſubſtaunce and nature. But yet hee was ſound and without ſpott, without ſinne and wickedneſſe: conceiued by the holy ghoſte and borne of the virgin Marie. He was a male, and of a yeare old: that is to ſay, ſtrong and all one, the ſame to day that he was yeſterday, and the ſame for euer, to witte, the ſauiour of al the world. The ceremoniall lambe was choſen and taken from amonge other lambs and goates. For Chriſt deſcended lineally of righteous men and ſinners: as is to be ſeene in the firſt Chapter of Mathewes goſpell. Likewiſe for the ſhedding of y^• lambs bloud, God did beare with the whole church of the Iſraelits: for the bloud of Chriſt (whereof the lambes bloud was a type) was to be ſhedde, that by it al the faithful might be cleanſed, and that by the ſheadinge of that, the anger of God the father mighte be appeaſed, and he reconciled againe vntounto the church. The bloud was ſprinckled vppon the vpper and two ſide poſtes of the houſe with a bunch of Hyſope. Hyſope verilie is a baſe hearb and of ſmall accompte: and the preachinge of the goſpell ſeemeth to be fooliſh, vile, and of no valure: & yet by the preachinge of the goſpell …he bloud of Chriſt, vntounto the remiſſion of ſinnes, muſte be ſprinckled on vsus which are the houſe of God. Now we receiue the lambe to life, when we do eate, that is, whē we beleue that Chriſt did ſuffer for vsus. For Chriſt is eaten by faith, as is at large declared in the 6. Chap. of Sainct Iohn. The lambe is dreſſed with fire, and not with water: it is not eaten rawe but roſted. For Chriſte was not man alone, but verie God alſo, the true burnt offering. He is able fully to abſolue vsus, ſo that there néedes no additiō of ours. All our additions are méere water & altogether colde. Moreouer the whole Lambe was to be eaten, the head, the féete, and purtenance. For vnleſſe we beléeue that Chriſt is very God & verie man, and that he is our wiſedom, and righteouſneſſe, wee doe not eate him wholy. They eate not the head, which deny that Chriſt is God. They eate not the feete, which do deny that Chriſt is man. They eate not the purtenance, which do not acknowledge the giftes that are in Chriſt, which he doth communicate vntounto the faithfull, to wite, righteouſneſſe, wiſedome, ſanctification, redemption, and life. The bones of the Lambe were neither broken nor thrown to the dogges, but burnt with fire. For in Chriſte there was not one bone broken: as the Apoſtle Iohn beareth witneſſe in the nineteenth Chapter of his Goſpell. Herein alſo lyeth hidd another myſterie. For although the ſonne of God did ſuſ…er in his humanitie, yet in his diuinitie he remained ſtill without any paſſion. Nowe the thinges in Chriſte which we cannot attaine vntounto by reaſon of the excellencie of his Godhead, we do earneſtly wiſhe for & greately deſire. Moreouer, Chriſt is the meate of the reaſonable and faithfull ſoule, and is not to be caſt to dogges and vnbeléeuing miſcreants. The Lambe was to be eaten in haſte, without delaye. For Chriſt muſt bée eaten by faith out of hande without foading off, and that too with a ſharpe deſire and eager appetite. With the Lambe they were commaunded to eate ſower hearbes and vnleauened bread. For the faithfull muſt repent them of their life yll ſpent, and wholie betake thē ſelues to a purer trade of liuing. For here followeth the maner howe they ought to behaue them ſelues toward their redéemer. They ſtoode to eate the Lambe, hauing their loynes girded, with ſhooes on their féete, and ſtaues in their hands. Such was the habite of waifaring men or pilgrimes. We therefore muſt ſo behaue our ſelues in this preſent world, as doth become pilgrims & ſtraūgers which do contemne this world & looke for another countrie. In their iorney, therfore let them giuegive them ſelues to temperate modeſtie: let their féete be ſhodde w^t the preaching of the Goſpell of peace, let them wholie leane vponupon y^• ſtaffe of Gods aide & ſuccour, & let thē departe, w^t as much haſte as may be, from the bondage & corruption of this naughtie world. This verie ſame ceremonie was, as it were, a confeſſion of y^• true religion, and as a cognizance, The … and … of …wherby y^• people of God were known frō other people & natiōs. Therefore al y^e Iſraelites were gathered together into one church & ſocietie: wherein by celebratinge of the paſſeouer they did profeſſe that they were the redéemed, the Libertines, & the people of the liuing God. For thereunto belongeth the commaundement, which charged them that no ſtraunger ſhould eate of the Lambe: but that the circumciſed alone ſhould be partakers of it: that it ſhould not be diuided into many partes, that it ſhould bee eaten no where but in one place alone, and that too by At the … firſt, & … the …companies of al the Iſraelites: & laſtly that no man ſhould once ſet a foote out of doores vntil the next morning. By which thing it is giuen vsus to vnderſtand, that neither Chriſt nor our ſaluation is to bee found without the church, in the ſects or ſchiſmes of wicked heretikes. Chriſte the Lambe of God doth gather al y^e faithful into one church, wherin he kéepeth them, & laſtly doth ſaue them. Laſt of al this ceremonie did put gods people in mind of their duetie of thākfulnes, eſpecially, The … did … the cōm…icants of their duty.of y^• ſtudie of godlineſſe, & harmeleſſe innocencie. They therefore did giuegive thanks to God for theſe & all other his benefites: they praiſed his name, and did vtterly abſteine from all leauened bread. For ye ſhal finde nothing ſo ſeuerely forbidden in this ceremonie, as the eating of leauened bread. Who ſoeuer eateth leauened bread, ſaith the Lord, his ſoule ſhall periſhe from amonge the congregation of Iſrael, whether he be a ſtraunger, or an Iſraelite borne. The ſame ſaying is afterward often times repeated & thoroughly beaten into their braines. Nowe the Apoſtle Paule, whoſe cunning and learning was much in the law of Moſes: expounding what was meant by the leauened bread, doth ſay. Therefore let vsus keepe the feaſt, not in the olde leauen, nor in the leauen of malice and vnrighteouſneſſe: but in vnleauened bread, that is, in ſinceritie & trueth. Thus muche hitherto touching y^• eating of y^• Paſchal lamb. To theſe ſacraments were alſo Of Sacrifices, and their firſt begīnings.added ſacrifices of ſundrie ſorts & many kindes: which were not firſt inuē ted and taught by Moſes, but were taken vp and vſed immediately after the world was created. For Caine & Abel offered burnte ſacrifices to God the maker of the world, the one of the fruites of the earth, and the other of the cattaile that was in his flock. Like wiſe Seth, Noah, Sem, Abraham, Iſaac and Iacob, with al the other patriarches are knowne to hauehave ſacrificed vntounto the Lorde. Nowe ſince the heatheniſh ſacrifices of the Gentiles, as the verie heathen writers them ſelues did teſtifie, were partely like vntounto, and in many pointes all one with the Iewiſh ſacrifices, it is not vnlikely but that the graunde partriarchs of the Gentiles did teach, euerie one his owne nation the manner of ſacrificing, which they had learned of their forefathers, Sem, Cham, Iaphet, and of the holie Patriarche Noah him ſelfe. But it is vndoubtedly certein that the holy fathers did bring in nothing of their owne inuention, nor adde any thinge to the ſacrifices more, then they had receiued & learned of God, who is the author of all goodneſſe: although Moſes did more preciſely diſtinguiſh & certeinly order the ſortes, the kindes & differences betwixt ſacrifice and ſacrifice. And yet whatſoeuer he did, that did hee at the Lords appointment. God inſtructed Moſes in all that he did. For the booke of Leuiticus, wherein are eſpecially deſcribed all the kindes of ſacrifices, doth immediatly after the verie beginning teſtifie that Moſes was called by God, and that he learned of the Lord all the ceremonies of the ſacrifices which he commaunded the Iſraelites to kéepe. And in the 7 Chap. of y^• booke of Numb. we read. And when Moſes came into the Tabernacle of appointment, hee heard the voice of God ſpeakinge vntounto him out of the merciemercy ſeate. Now as I was about to ſay, there were diuers ſacrifices ſundrily Sacrifices hauehave ſome things cō mon, and ſomthings peculiar.differing in many pointes amōg thēſelues, & yet hauing many thinges cōmon & general one w^t another. It was general to al ſacrifices, not to be offered in any other but one apointed place alone. It was general to all ſacrifices, y^t they ought of duetie to be offered by faith, according as they were taught by y^• word of God. It was general to al ſacrifices to be made according to y^e Lords cōmandement, w^t holy fire, & not w^t ſtrange fire, or fire prophanely kindled. Nadab & Abihu the ſonnes of Aaron were ſlaine for nothing elſe, but for becauſe they vſed prophane or ſtrange fire in ſacrificing to y^e Lord. For when the Iſraelites or Leuites did firſt of all ſacrifice, as the Lord had commaunded them in the tabernacle of appointmēt, then did God by ſending fire from heauen giuegive a token that he did like of that manner of ſacrifice. Whereupon in the ſixte of Leuiticus the prieſtes are charged The …eſtal virgins were Nunnes conſecrated to the Goddeſſe Veſta.to mainteine or kéepe the holie fire alwayes burning, firſt in the tabernacle, and then in the temple: whiche thinge it is manifeſt that the heathen did imitate in commaunding the veſtall virgins at Rome alwayes to kéep the holie fire burning. By this perpetual fire is meant the perpetual working of the holie Ghoſt in the church of Chriſte: which muſt be kept quicke & ſtirred vp in the heartes of the faithful, with feruent prayers, with the ſincere doctrine of the Lorde, & with the right vſe of his holie Sacraments. It was alſo generall to all ſacrifices, that in them neither wilde nor vncleane beaſts were offered to y^• Lord. Moreouer, this generall rule of ſacrifices is giuen by Moſes in y^e 22. Chapter of Leuiticus, ſaying, Let no deformitie bee in the thinge that thou ſhalt offer: If it be blinde, or lame, or maymed, if it hauehave pusſhes or ſcabbes, or tettar, ye ſhall not offer it vntounto the Lorde, neither ſhall ye put ought of it vpō his altar. Verily if any man had brought a deformed oblation vntounto the Lorde, hee ſhewed him ſelfe plainly to be a contemner, & vtterly vnthankfull toward his maker. And therefore the Lorde in Malachie cryeth out and ſaith:

When ye bring the blinde for ſacrifice, do ye not ſinne? and when ye bring the lame and ſicke, do ye not ſinne? Offer it nowe I praye thee to thy prince or capteine, wil he be content with it? or wil he accept thy perſon, ſaith the Lorde of hoſtes? And ſo, I ſaye, my name is in contempt & of no eſtimation among you. The iuſt and true God therefore doth at all times require trueth, liberalitie, ſinceritie, and integritie in them that worſhip him, and on the other ſide he abhorreth and vtterly deteſteth vncleaneneſſe, lying, and hypocriſie. There are certeine other thinges alſo which be generally cōmon to all ſorts of ſacrifices: but I will not at this time make particular reherſal of eueryevery ſeuerall iott or minute. But what peculiarities eueryevery ſundrie ſacrifice hath, it wil euidently appeare in the expoſition of their ſundrie ſorts: which I wil nowe ſpeake of in order as they lye. Firſt of all I will expound to you that kinde of ſacrifice, which in the Holo… tum the bur… ….ſcripture is called Holocauſtum. That ſacrifice was wholly conſumed with fire, ſo that nothing but the ſkin or hyde of the beaſt was leafte for the prieſt. The woorde is deriued of the Gréeke. For it is called Holocauſtū, as one ſhould ſaye foreign, that is, wholie burnt or conſumed with fire. This ſacrifice was of thrée kindes, I meane it was made after thrée ſortes, to wite, with greater, with little, and with leſſe liuing creatures: namely with an Oxe, a bullocke, or a calfe, or if any mannes abilitie were not ſufficient to ſtretche to that expence, then did he offer a Lambe or a Kidde: and yet againe if he could not offer that by reaſon of his pouertie, it was lawful for him to ſacrifice birdes, not Géeſe, or Cockes, or other vncleane foules, but Turtels, and Doues, and ſuche kinde of cleane birdes.

Nowe the manner of making this burnt ſacrifice was in this order. The beaſt that was to be offered was placed at the one ſide of the altar, vppon which the prieſt did preſently lay his handes, and cut the throte of it.

The bloud was ſaued to be ſprincled round about the altar: the ſkinne was flayed from the ſlaughtered beaſt and that alone was all the fées, that fel to the portion or ſhare of the prieſt. The legges were chopped off and waſhed together with the purtenance. Immediately after a fire was made vppon the altar, whereuppon was layde the whole ſacrifice, to wite, the head, the bodie, y^• legges and the purtenance, and were altogether burnte vppon the altar before the Lorde. But if ſo be it happened that a Turtle or a Doue were offered for a ſacrifice, then did the prieſte with his finger wreathe about and breake the necke thereof, and the bloud was let droppe about the ſides of the altar. The fethers alſo were caſt at the one ſide of the altar into a place where aſhes laye, the winges were ioynted, and laſt of all the whole bodie was burnt vppon the altar. This was the manner of the ſacrifice or oblation, which they did commonly call a burnte offeringe: the ſignification whereof was moſte chéerefull & pleaſant to them, which were perſuaded that by the burnt offering was prefigured the verie ſonne of God to be incarnate of the vnſpotted virgine, and to be ſacrificed once for the cleanſinge of all the ſinnes of the whole worlde. For they in the glaſſe of that ſacrifice did beholde the croſſe and paſſion of the Lorde, which tooke our ſinnes vppon him ſelfe, and beeing ſlaine did ſhead his bloud for the remiſſon of ſinnes, offeringe him ſelfe wholye to God the father in the fire of charitie & heauenly zeale. The verye ſame Chriſte is the Turtle or Pigeon.

Moreouer beſide theſe ceremonies in the burnt ſacrifice, it was required that no burnte ſacrifice of beaſtes ſhould at any time bee made without that kinde of offering, which they called Minha: that oblation was an handfull of corne, or of meale, or elſe of cruſtie bread ſodde in a caldron, or a bowed piece of bread (which we call a Cracknell) baked in an ouen, or in a frying panne, which was burnte with oyle and frankincenſe vppon the altar of burnt ſacrifices. And Chriſt verily is the bread of life, who by the eternall ſpirite, as ſaith the Apoſtle, did offer him ſelfe to God the father for vsus, to be the meate and preſeruation of our life.

In the number of burnt ſacrifices are reckoned, the dayly ſacrifices The daily ſacrifice.that were offered eueryevery morning and eueryevery euening, and the ſacrifices of the annoynting or conſecrating of prieſtes. Of the daily ſacrifice a large expoſition is made in the 29 of Exodus: and the ſixte Chapter of Leuiticus. It was called the daily offering: beecauſe eueryevery morning and euening two Lambes were offered, to wite, one in the morning, and another at the euening.

In theſe Lambes was Chriſt moſt manifeſtly prefigured, who is that lambe of God, that taketh awaye the ſinnes of the worlde, whoſe vertue is alwayes effectuall and of power to take awaye the ſinnes of the faithfull. For that Lambe was killed frō the beginning of the worlde: he was once ſlaine vppon the croſſe, but yet his merite and effectuall power endureth ſtill, and doth abſolue all them, that are deliuered from their ſinnes.

Nowe the ſacrifices of conſecrating, I meane of the prieſtes of the tabernacle, and of all the veſſels or inſtrumentes belonginge to the holie miniſterie, are in many pointes all one with the burnt offeringes, and in ſome things differing from them: as is fully to be ſéene in the 29 of Exodus and the eighth of Leuitic. And Chriſte our Lord did firſt beginne the prieſthood by his paſſion, and after that hallowed all the faithful to be prieſts vntounto him ſelfe.

The ſecond kinde of ſacrifices was the oblation which they called Minha, The meate offering.a gift, reward, or ſacrifice of a wheaten cake, and by another name was called a meate offering. This ſacrifice was of the fruite of the earth, & was not offered alwayes after one ſorte: for there are reckoned thrée kindes of this ſacrifice. For there was offered either parched wheate, ſticking in the eares, or wheate out of the eares, or elſe cleane meale vnbaked, or at leaſt wiſe meale made vppe into bread, which breade againe was made thrée ſundrie wayes and in thrée ſundrye facions. For either it was baked in an ouen or fornace: or elſe ſodde in a pott or a caldron, or elſe fryed in a frying panne like vntounto cakes. To theſe there was added, as ſauce to the ſacrifice, ſalte, oyle & frankincenſe. Honie and leauen were by a generall rule vtterly barred from all ſortes of ſacrifices. For cakes made with honie were neuer allowed of, nor admitted in their offerings. Yet in the feaſt of thankes giuing they did eate leauened bread.

Therefore when any man did offer wheate, it was firſt annoynted by the prieſte with oyle, then ſeaſoned with ſalte, and laſt of all had frankincenſe put vponupon it: after that the prieſt tooke one handfull from out of all (but in the ſacrifice for the prieſte all was burnt) and burnt it vppon the altar, the reſt hee did reſerue as a ſhare to him ſelfe.

And in al meate offerings frankincenſe was alwayes vſed, except in the ſacrifice for ſinne, and in the ſacrifice of ielouſie: as is to bee ſéene in the fifth of Leuiticus: and the fifth of the booke of Numbers. The reſt that belongeth to the full rites and ceremonies of the meate offerings, whoſoeuer is deſirous to knowe, hee ſhall finde them in the ſeconde Chapter of Leuiticus. For I meane not here particularly to repeate eueryevery iott and title of their accuſtomed ceremonies.

Nowe euen as Chriſt was before prefigured in beaſtes and birdes, ſo alſo is he repreſented in this bread or cakes. For he is the bread of life: and hath ſundry facions of infirmitie and glorie.

In Chriſt thou ſhalt not finde any leauen, that is, ſinne, vncharitableneſſe, hypocriſie, or pride. There is in Chriſte no ſwéeteneſſe nor honnylike taſte of worldly or wicked pleaſures. But ſalte thou mayſt finde in him, a well ſeaſoned temperature altogether heauenly, and moſte abſolute wiſedome: becauſe of Chriſte & for his ſake, all things of ours are acceptable vntounto God: for Chriſte his ſake our prayers are heard of God the father: vppon Chriſt therefore there is a ſwéete ſmelling frankincenſe in the noſe of God the father. And in theſe ceremonies are alſo ſhadowed the maner and matter of our ſacrifices, to wite, that they ſhould be without hypocriſie, bitterneſſe, hatred, enuie, & fleſhly pleaſure, and ſhould be ſeaſoned with godly & continual prayers.

With the meate offerings we may The …place the drinke offeringes alſo. For in thoſe ſacrifices wine was powred out vntounto the Lord, as is euident in y^• 29 of Erodus: the 6 of Leuiticus: and the 28 Chapter of the booke of Numbers.

Nowe Chriſte is oure wine, oure drinke & ioye vntounto eternall life. He powreth himſelfe into the mindes of the godly, that he maye fill them with ioye, and liue in them and they in him. And therfore did he conſecrate in wine the memorie of his bloud, that was ſhead for vsus to the remiſſion of oure ſinnes. With theſe meat offeringes may be ioyned the ſacrifices of y^e firſt fruites, of the firſte begotten, & of the tenths. Touching all which, there is much to be read in diuerſe places of y^e lawe: as in the. 13. and. 23. of Exodus: in the. 18. of Leuiticus: and the. 18. of the booke of Numbers. Nowe Chriſt is the firſte begotten & the firſt fruites of al the faithfull, for whoſe worthines and merite we are all ſpared, and by whom we being ſanctified are made y^e ſonnes and heirs of God. To him as to our maker and redéemer we owe, as tenthes, our very ſoules, and whatſoeuer elſe is deare vntounto (and good in) vsus.

Moreouer it is a poynt of thanckfulnes, franckly to beſtowe vponupon God parte of our earthly riches, which we hauehave at his hands, to y^e mainteinance of his true worſhip, and the reliefe of all that be in pouertie.

The third kinde of ſacrifice is that which is offered for ſinne, and is therfore The ſinne offering.called Hattah, a cleanſing or Aſcham, a ſacrifice for ſinne. We in one woorde may call it a cleanſing ſacrifice. For it was offered for ſinne cō mitted vnwittingly or by ignorance: which by the degrées of the ſinners were diuided into foure ſortes, as, if the chiefe prieſt did ſinne, if y^e whole churche did ſinne, if the Prince did ſinne, or if ſome man of the meaner ſor…e did ſinne. Or elſe they did offer it for ſinne committed willingly or of a ſett purpoſe, beeing yet a meane or excuſable ſinne: or elſe for a great and heynous crime, which ignorance could by no meanes excuſe.

The ceremonie vſed in this ſacrifice is verie ample and large, ſo that I meane not preſently once to touche it.

It is moſt exquiſitely ſet downe in the fourth, fifte, ſixte, and ſeuenth Chapter of Leuiticus. Neither is it to be doubted, but that Chriſte was layde before their eyes as well in that ſacrifice, as in all their other oblations. For Chriſte is the ende of the lawe, (and the marke whereto thē ceremoniall lawes did tende.) And Eſaie in the 53 Chapter of his prophecie ſayeth: Whereas he neuer did vnrighteouſneſſe, nor any deceiptfulneſſe was founde in his mouth, yet hath it pleaſed the Lorde to ſmite him with infirmitie, that when hee had made his ſoule an offering for ſinne (for here is put **** Aſcham) he might ſee ſeede, and might prolong his dayes, and that the aduice of the Lorde might proſper in his hand. To this belongeth y^• whole diſputation of the apoſtle Paul in his Epiſtle to the Hebrues, wherein hée ſheweth that Chriſte is the true ſacrifice for ſinne, that cleanſeth all the church and the ſinnes thereof. In this ceremonie were ſhadowed the diſpoſition of ſinnes, the paſſions of Chriſt, and the power and ſtrength of death.

Nowe theſe many and ſundrie ſacrifices appoynted for ſinnes were The verly ſacrifice.kepte vncerteinly, becauſe they were wonte to be offered of them that ſinned at that verie time when they did commit the ſinne: but the certaine, …he yearely and vniuerſall ſacrifice was that, which is at large deſcribed in the … of Louiti…us: and may be referred in this place to the number of cleanſing ſacrifices. For in the feaſt of attonement vppon the tenth day of the ſeuenth monethmonth eueryevery yeare was ſolemnized the ſacrifice of cleanſing or attonement for all the ſinnes vniuerſally of all the people. The manner of this generall ſacrifice I will not ouer buſily at this time deſcribe, ſince it is as clearely as the light ſett downe in that place of Leuiticus which euen nowe I cited, and ſince I in expounding the myſterie thereof do meane to ſhewe and make plaine ſo many ſhadowes in it, as are néedefull to bee marked. For I will ſaye ſomewhat touchinge the meaning and myſterie thereof.

In that moſte pleaſant glaſſe was figured the whole paſſion and effect of the paſſion of Ieſus Chriſt our Lorde and Sauiour: which by that ſacrifice was eueryevery yere layde before the eyes and renued to the mindes of all the faithfull church of God. For this maner of repreſenting our redemption & ſaluation did pleaſe God by ſacramentes rather then by pictures, colours, or by ſtage playes: which are at this daye greatly ſet by, althoughe ſcarce godly, by no ſmall number of trifeling and fantaſticall heads. Now marke that the high prieſt onelyonly did all that was to be don in this ſolemne ſacrifice, ſaue onelyonly that two miniſters were ioyned vntounto him, the one to leade away the ſcape goate, and the other to carrie out of the hoſte the bullocke and hée goate that was to be offered. Yea, charge is verie preciſely giuen, that no man ſhould ioyne him ſelfe to the high prieſt, when hee entreth into the tabernacle, and maketh an attonement for the ſinnes of the people.

Let no man, ſaith the Lorde, be in the tabernacle of appointment when he goeth in to make ſacrifice in the Sanctuarie, vntil he do come out againe. For no man muſt be ioyned to Chriſt in finiſhing the woorke of our ſaluation and redemption. For he alone is the Sauiour, hee alone hath trode the preſſe, and he alone was crucified for vsus. The Patriarches, prophets, apoſtles, martyrs, and all other creatures are vtterly excluded, from hauing any thankes for our redemption and ſaluation. Chriſte alone remaineth the ſauiour and redéemer of the worlde. To attribute our ſaluation to creatures, to oure owne workes, and our owne merites, is to admitt creatures with the high prieſte into the tabernacle, and to incurre the indignation, that is, the terrible curſe of the almightie, true, and euerliuing God. For by the Iewiſhe high prieſte is prefigured to vsus Chriſte our Sauiour, who, as the Apoſtle Paule ſaith, hath a prieſthood, which by ſucceſſion cannot goe from him to any other. Nowe Aaron did take a bullocke for a ſinne offeringe, and a ramme for a burnt offering of his owne, and of the people he tooke two he goates. Therefore Chriſt our Lorde the true and only prieſt of his church, did offer for vsus the thing that he tooke of vsus, to wite, the ſubſtance of our fleſhe. There is added alſo that Aaron (by which name wée vnderſtande eueryevery one that was the high prieſte amonge the people of God) when hee went about to ſacrifice, did cloath him ſelfe with the vſuall and common garmentes of the other prieſtes (I meane ſuch as the other prieſtes were wont to weare) ſauing onelyonly that they were holye and without ſpot.

For although Chriſte the ſonne of GOD did take our nature vppon him, and did become like vntounto vsus, being cladde as it were in the vſuall garment of vsus men: yet notwithſtanding his fleſhely garment (I meane his bodie that was like to ours) was altogether frée from corruption and cleane without all ſpottes of ſinne. Aaron did firſt of all kill a ſtéere for him ſelfe and his familie: whereby he declared that hee was not the verie & true high Prieſt, but the type of him that was the true Prieſt. For Paule ſaith: Our high prieſt had no neede, as thoſe high prieſtes had, firſt to offer ſacrifices for their owne ſinnes, & then for the ſinnes of the people. For he did that once when he offered vpp him ſelfe. Afterwardes Aaron drewe lottes at the doore of the tabernacle to trye betwixt the two goates, whiche ſhould be ſlaine for the ſacrifice, and which ſhoulde bee ſent awaye as the ſcape goate into the deſart, The two Goates do ſignifie Chriſt our Lorde, verie God, and verie man in two natures vnſeparated. He is ſlaine and dyeth in his humanitie: but is not ſlaine nor dyeth in his diuinitie. Yet he being one and the ſame Chriſt vnſeperated is the ſauiour of the world, and doth worke the redemption of vsus …mortall men. So in the two Goates was a myſterie hidden. And for becauſe as Solomon ſaith, the lotts are guided by the Lordes will, it was not without the eſpeciall will of the father that the ſonne was ſacrificed and killed on the croſſe. Moreouer the high Prieſt did take the bloud firſte of the bullocke, then of the ſlaine goate, and a Cenſer in his hande, and went w^t in the vaile, where, with the incenſe he did make a cloude of ſmoke before the merciemercy ſeate, and with his finger did ſprincle the bloud ſeuen times toward the merciemercy ſeate. All which the Apoſtle Paule expoundinge in the 9 to the Hebrewes ſaith, that Chriſt entred not into the Tabernacle made with handes, but into the verie heauens, not with the bloud of a bullocke, or a goate, but with his owne bloud, and found for vsus a perpetuall cleanſing & remiſsion of our ſinnes. For he is our propitiation, not for our ſinnes onelyonly, but alſo for the ſinnes of all the worlde. And herevnto did the Apoſtles allude as oftē as they called Chriſt our propitiation: as S. Paule did in y^• third to the Romans, and Sainct Iohn in the ſeconde and fourth Chapter of his firſt Epiſtle. Nowe the ſeuen times ſprinckling of the bloud betokened the ful perfection or perfect fulneſſe of the cleanſinge. We hauehave néede alſo to be ſprinckled with the finger, not of man, but of Chriſt Ieſus our Lorde and Sauiour, whoſe finger is the holie Ghoſte, by whome our cleanſing doth come vponupon vsus.

To the ſprinckling of the bloud is alſo added ſwéete ſmellinge incenſe. For as the Apoſtle teſtifieth, Chriſte Heb. 9.our high prieſt did offer prayers for vsus with teares, and was heard in that which he feared. Whereupon by the cloude of ſmoke, that is, by the greate quantitie of ſmoke, was noted the greate efficacie of earneſt prayers.

When that was don the high prieſt went againe into the Sanctum & ſett the bloud vponupon the golden altar of incenſe. For in the worke of our redēption both innocent bloud and earneſt prayer for vsus muſt bee ioyned togeather. Out of the Sanctū again he came to the altar of burnt offerings whiche ſtoode in the court (which was called Atriū) & there he gaue the other goate to a conuenient man to be carried away into the wilderneſſe: but in the deliuering of y^e goate he vſed a preciſe manner and ſingular ceremonie. For the high prieſt layed both his handes vppon the Goate, and ouer his head did confeſſe the ſinnes of the people, who alſo did them ſelues confeſſe their ſinnes, following the prieſt clauſe by clauſe in all the confeſſion, which hée rehearſed: and then ſo ſoone as all the ſinnes were layde vppon the head of y^e Goate, hee was ſent awaye, that by that meanes he might carie the ſinnes of all the people into the deſart. From this ceremonie did the Gentiles vndoubtedly borrow their kind of cleanſinges or purgings of the people called in Gréeke foreign, and in Latine P…amina. For their manner was in extreme periles, y^t one ſhould giuegive him ſelfe for all the reſt, whome they tooke and did either kill & burne vppon the altar, or caſt into the water, praying therewithall that al their euil lucke might go with him, and y^t the Gods being pacified w^c the death of him, might againe be fauourable to all the reſt. But the wretches erred as farre as heauen is wide. For Chriſte the ſonne of God was made ſinne for vsus, that is, hee was made a ſacrifice for ſinne, yea, hee became a curſſe for vsus that we by him might receiue a bleſſing. For to this had the Prophet Eſaie an eye when he ſaide: wee all went aſtray like ſheepe, eueryevery one turned after his owne waye: But the Lorde hath throwne vponupon him al our ſinnes. Againe, He was wounded for our offences and ſmitten for our wickedneſſe. And againe, The paines of our puniſhment were laide vponupon him, and he bare our griefes. Nowe the Goate did carrie the ſinnes into the deſart, not that the ſinnes ſhould not be, but that they ſhould not be any more imputed vntounto them. For in the church verily there is ſinne in the Saincts, but it is not imputed vntounto them. Sinne is imputed to all them that are without the church in y^• deſolate wilderneſſe. The conuenient man that ſhould carrie away the ſcape Goate can be none other, than Chriſt him ſelfe, who in the dayes of his fleſhe did obſerue the conuenient time and fitt occaſion, repeating often times that his houre was not yet come, but at the laſt when time conuenient was come for him to dye, he ſaide that then his houre was come. And by dying he carried away conueniently the ſcape Goate, I meane, the ſinne of all the world.

When this alſo was thus accompliſhed, y^e high prieſt did againe waſh him ſelfe, and putting off the common garments of the inferiour prieſtes, did againe put on his high prieſtes attire. Nowe this often and manifolde waſhing in the holie ceremonie is a ſhadowe or type of the moſte abſolute remiſſion of ſinnes: euen as alſo the chaunging of the garment is a ſigne or figure of glorification: as is at the full to be ſéene in the third Chapter of Zacharies prophecie. And Chriſte being glorified did enter into heauen, there to appeare in the ſight of God, the onelyonly and effectuall ſacrifice for vsus mortall men. Therefore did Aaron ſacrifice a Ramme for a burnt offering: for Chriſt is y^e ſacrifice which endureth alwayes and purgeth all the faithfull. Moreouer Aaron ſent the Bullocke & the other Goate vntounto the holie place without the hoſt, that there they might be burned. Which thing Paule expoundeth thus & ſaith: The bodies of thoſe beaſtes, whoſe bloud is brought into the holie place by the high prieſt for ſinne, was burnt without the tents: therefore Ieſus alſo, that hee might ſanctifie the people with his bloud, did ſuffer without the gate. Hebr. 13.

And although in this which I hauehave hetherto alledged, I hauehave by fittes declared the ende and fruite of this ceremonie, yet will I not thinke it muche here againe particularly to repeate the ſame againe: ſince I ſée that the holie Ghoſte in the Scripture doth, as it were, take paines verie buſily to beate the ſame into our heades. The end of all this ſtirre and ſolemnitie is, that all the ſinnes, I ſay all the ſinnes of Gods vniuerſall church, are by the one and onelyonly ſacrifice, once onelyonly offered, moſte perfectly blotted out and abſolutely purged. Let vsus therefore heare the verie woordes of the holie Ghoſte which ſpeaketh in the Scripture moſte plainely and euidently, ſaying: 1. And the high Prieſt ſhall confeſſe ouer the Goate all the iniquities of the children of Iſrael, and all their treſpaſſes & all their ſinnes. 2. And the Goate ſhall beare vppon him all their miſdeedes into the deſart. 3. The ſame daye ſhal the prieſt make an attonement for you, to cleanſe you that you may bee cleane from all your ſinnes before the Lord. 4. And let this be an euerlaſting ordinance vntounto you, to cleanſe the children of Iſrael from all their ſinnes once eueryevery yere. But who is ſo verie a ſott or dull head as to thinke that all the ſinnes of the people are waſhed awaye with the bloud of beaſtes? If, ſaith the Apoſtle, they had once fully cleanſed ſinnes, then would they hauehave ceaſſed to offer any more. By this ceremonie therefore the myſterie of Chriſte to come was beaten into all mennes braines, and once eueryevery yere layed foorth to the eyes of all men to beholde. For of this ceremonie did Zacharie borrowe his prophecie of Chriſt in his thirde Chapter, where he ſaith: Beholde I bring foorth the braunch my ſeruant. For lo the ſtone that I laye before Ioſua, vppon one ſtone ſhalbe ſeuen eyes: behold I wil cut the grauing therof, ſaith the Lord of hoſtes, and I will take away the ſinne of this lande in one daye. The Lord doth promiſe the Meſſiah, which was prefigured by the prieſtes, and eſpecially by the high prieſt Ioſua. Chriſte is the ſtone vppon which the eyes of all men are ſtedfaſtly fixed, as vppon their onelyonly ſauiour. He is digged in and cut in his paſſion, and by ſuffering and dying once, he purgeth the ſinnes of all the earth. Of this ceremonie and of this place of Scripture did Paule the holie Apoſtle of Chriſte borrowe his whole diſcourſe almoſt in his Epiſtle to y^e Hebrewes, touching the ſacrifice of Chriſte once offered for all the ſinnes of the whole worlde: in which diſcourſe he doeth verie often repeate out of the lawe the word Once, and that with a certeine emphaticall vehemencie.

Now to appoint other Prieſtes, to inſtitute another time, and to ordeine The onelyonly ſacrifice of Chriſt is ſufficient for all the world.another manner of ſacrifice, is vtterly to kicke at and treade vnderunder foote this heauenly and moſte euident trueth. But this doctrine of the onelyonly ſacrifice of Chriſt, is the true, auncient, ſound, vnreproueable and euerlaſting doctrine: by which all they are ſaued, that are ſaued, and by which all they hauehave béene ſaued that hauehave béene ſaued ſince the beginning of the worlde. The enimies or aduerſaries of this doctrine, Paule the Apoſtle of Chriſt and the Gentiles (whoſe ſkill in y^e lawe was inferiour to no mans) doth call fooles, madde, vnconſtant, light headed, carried with eueryevery puſſe of winde, wicked, apoſtataes, which hauehave reuolted from Chriſte, lyars, falſe Prophets, falſe Apoſtles, deceiuers, ſchiſmatiques, dogges, inchaū ters, witches, deteſtable, and curſed. Therefore if an Angel from heauen teache vsus any other wiſe, let him bee to vsus accurſed.

Yet by the way this muſt not bee concealed, that in that yerely ſacrifice it was required and looked for at mennes handes, firſt that they ſhould confeſſe their ſinnes: then that they ſhoulde bee ſorrie in their mindes in good earneſt and in déede for theire ſinnes committed, & laſtly that they ſhould kéepe Sabboth, I do not meane an ydle reſting from honeſt buſineſſe, but a quietneſſe in the faith of Chriſt, and a ceaſſing from yll déedes. Who ſoeuer doth ſo prepare him ſelfe in the feaſt of attonement, that is, in the time of the preachinge of the grace of God through Chriſte, hee is without doubt throughly cleanſed, by that only ſacrifice of Chriſte Ieſus: of whiche I hauehave hitherto not w^tout good cauſe ſpoken ſo largely as you perceiue that I hauehave. For this one place doeth giuegive a wonderfull light both to the vnderſtanding of many places in the Scriptures, and alſo of the myſterie of our redemption and of Chriſte our redéemer, ſo plainly, that no other place doth ſo clearely expound, ſet forth, & lay them open before our eyes to bée ſeene and looked on: it doth alſo teache vsus to vnderſtand the wordes of Chriſt our Lord in the goſpel of ſainct Iohn, where he ſaith: There is one which accuſeth you, euen Moſes in whome ye hope: for had ye beleeued Moſes, ye would then hauehave beleeued mee: for he wrote of mee.

Nowe with the ſacrifice of attonement This wa…er was al …o called …he water of … they … was … from … reſt of … by … were ….and the other cleanſinge ſacrifices we do aduiſedly number the ſacrifice of the redde cowe, I meane, of the cleanſinge, or of the cleanſing or holie water, that was ordeined againſt all ſortes of defilings and vncleanneſſes: for there were ſundrie kindes of vncleanneſſes. Of which there is a large diſcourſe to be ſeen in Moſes his law, and by them is layde before vsus y^• type of our corrupt nature and continuall ſinnes. There is fully deſcribed in the 19 Chapter of the booke of Numbers, firſt the verie ceremonie and ſacred rite, then is declared the manner howe to make the holie cleanſing water againſt all defylings: laſtly is added the vſe and effect of that holie water.The …

There was brought to Eleazer the prieſte a redde cowe, without ſpot which neuer felte the yoake, and that was out of hande carried out & ſlayne without the hoaſt. Parte of the bloud was ſaued by the prieſte, and with his ſinger he ſprinckled it ſeuen times towardes the tabernacle of appointment. But the whole Cowe he burnt with fire, ſo that no parte of it was lefte, and into the fire hee caſt Cedar wood, hyſope, and a ſcarlet lace. This being once done, the prieſt did waſhe him ſelfe in water, and in his ſteede came another that was cleane, who gathering the aſhes did lay them vpp in a cleane place. Therefore ſo often as néede required, they did put off thoſe aſhes into an earthen veſſel, into which they powred running water, & in that ſorte was the holie cleanſinge water alwayes prepared, which they did ſprinckle with a ſprinckler made of hyſope vppon all ſuch as were defiled. This was the manner and ceremonie of the cleanſinge, the vſe and ende whereof doeth immediately followe.

The Apoſtle Paule doeth teſtifie that the circumſtances of this Ceremonie did lay before vsus a moſt euidēt type of Ieſus Chriſt: for in the ninthe to the Hebrues he ſayth, If the aſhes of a younge Cowe ſprinckled doeth ſanctifie them, that are partakers of it, to the purifying of the fleſhe, howe much more the bloud of Chriſte? Therfore both the prieſt and the cowe did beare the type of Chriſt. The female kinde in the cowe doth note the infirmitie of mans nature: the redd colour doth admoniſhe vsus of the Lord his bloud, by whiche wee are waſhed from our vncleanneſſe. There was no ſpot to be found in Chriſt: for hee was the holy of holies, and altogether frée from, and without all ſinne. Hée was not brought to death by the yoke of neceſſitie. For hee offered himſelfe vntounto it of his owne free will. Yea hee offered himſelfe willingly to go to his death, and that too without the hoaſt or walls of the citie in the mount of Caluarie: which thing the Apoſtle Paule doth touch in the 13. to the Hebrues. Chriſt both God and man was whoalie offered in body and ſoule: whoſe bloud is hoaleſome for vsus, if by the holyghoſt it be ſprinkled in our harts. The faithfull alſo muſt die w^t Chriſt, they muſt be humbled, and burne in louelove to Godward as redd as Scarlet: and that was the meaning of the Cedar wood, the Hyſope, and the Scarlet lace, which were caſt into the fire. Moreouer the aſhes which came of the ſacrifice were gathered vp and preſerued to purifie and cleanſe withall. Thoſe aſhes were nothing elſe but the type or figure of the effect of Chriſt his death or ſacrifice, I meane, the verie cleanſing and remiſſion of our ſinnes. For therefore did bloud and water guſhe aboundantly out of the pierced ſide of Chriſt, that wee might learne that out of the death of Chriſte doeth flowe our cleanſing and our life. For in bloud life doeth conſiſt, and water purgeth, and is a ſigne of clēſing. The aſhes were gathered by a man that was cleane, who neuertheleſſe was made, and did remaine, vncleane vntill the euening. Finally the water was ſprinkled with a ſprinklar made of Hyſope vppon the defiled, to the end that thereby hee might bee ſanctified or purged. The water was kept in an holy place. For Margarites and that which is holy ought not to be caſte to dogges, and filthie ſwine. The Lord alſo doth require preachers to teache the effecte of Chriſt his paſſion, and in the cōtemptible and lowly preaching of the Goſpell to lay before the world our redemption and ſanctification in the death and bloud of Chriſt: he doth require, I ſay, ſuch holy teachers as are themſelues faithfull, and cleanſed in the bloud of Chriſt. And yet thoſe teachers, with the whole Church beſide, do euen til the euening, I meane, the ending of their liues pray ſtil, Forgiue vsus our treſpaſſes. For the Lord himſelfe ſaid, Hee that is waſhed is cleane & hath no neede but to waſhe his feete onelyonly. To this do appertaine the often waſhings vſed in this Ceremonie, which ſignifie that by the grace of God all ſinnes are purged, that the Sainctes hauehave alwayes an holy care to watch againſt the aſſaults of ſinne, and that thoſe ſinnes are clenſed none other wayes but by y^e water of Chriſt his grace. Laſtly it is moſt often & earneſtly repeated in the law that they al remaine vncleane, how many ſoeuer, being once defiled, & are not again clē ſed with the holy water of ſeparation. For the Lord ſaid to Peter, Vnleſſe I waſhe thee thou ſhalt hauehave no pa…te with mee. My meaning is not to runne through eueryevery particular point of this Ceremonie, but to touch the eſpecial matters onelyonly. Therefore now I procéede to that which remayneth.

To theſe cleanſing ſacrifices may alſo be added the ſacrifices, whereby y^e Sacrifices …or the defilings of the body.bodily defilings, which were figures of the defilinges of ſinne, were purified & cleanſed: of which ſort were the defilinges of the ſéede, the eating and touching of vncleane creatures, the Leproſie, and of the woman in childbedd. All which Moſes doth largely handle, from the 12. of Leuiticus vntounto the 16. of the ſame. And in al this there is nothing elſe prefigured to the Church of God, but our naturall corruption and originall wickedneſſe, with the frée cleanſing of the ſame by the grace of God in the bloud of Chriſt our Sauiour. With theſe we may alſo number the ſacrifice of iealouſie: which is thoroughly treated of in the 5. Chapter of The Sacrifice of …alouſie.Numeri: although the maner and order thereof ſeemeth rather to belonge vntounto the Iudiciall lawes of God.

The fourth kinde of ſacrifices was The Sacrifice of thankes giuingthe ſacrifice of thanckeſgiuing, whiche they called Schelamim, or Schlomim, the ſacrifice of health, or the peace offering. For it was offered to giuegive thankes withall, to witt, either for the recouerie of health, or for felicitie and proſperitie, I meane, when they had receiued ſome good turne at the handes of God, or elſe by his ayde had eſcaped the brunt of ſome miſhapp or euil fort…ne. In this ſacrifice they vſed a b…aſte either of the heard, or of y^e fould: It was not lawfull to o…fer birds: for it was done either …th a vnllocke or an h…ffar, with a male or a female lam…e, or with an hée or a ſhee goate. It was … before the Atrium. The …ide or ſkinne therof was the prieſtes fee. The bloud was ſprinckled about the altar. The kidneys, the call of the lyuer, the rumpe of the lambe, and all the fatt was burnt vppon the altar of burnt offerings. The right ſhoulder was heaued, the breaſt was waued, toward the endes of the world. (For Thruma and Thnupha, that is, the Thruma and Thnupha.heauing and wauing were not kinds of ſacrifices, but ceremonies onelyonly, which the prieſtes did vſe in making their ſacrifices and oblations. By the heauing was ſignified that Chriſte ſhould be heaued or lifted vp, and that he being once lifted vp ſhould drawe all men vntounto him. The wauing of the breaſt toward eueryevery part of the world was a token, that the preaching of Chriſt ſhould be ſpread in eueryevery corner of the world.) The breaſt and the ſhoulder were both the prieſtes portion, together with the iawe done, and the paunch or bellie. The reſt of the fleſhe returned to him that made the oblation, and was eaten by him in an holie banquet. The remnaunt of Ceremonies belonging to this ſacrifice, are to be found in the third Chapter of Leuiticus. For if it were Thoda, a confeſſion, a praiſe, or a proteſtation, then was added to the ſacrifice a cake of pure wheat floure and ſalt ſteeped in oyle, or ſodden cracknells, or bread baked in pannes: part whereof was heaued, and fell to the prieſtes ſhare: the reſt returned to the offerer, euen as alſo leauened bread was allowed to be eaten in the banquet.

Nowe in this kinde of ſacrifice alſo Chriſt was preached with the effect … power of his death and paſſion: and in it was ſhewed the whole maner and order of giuing thankes to God for his good benefits. There are ſondry ſorts of benefits. If a man receyued a good turne: if an ill … had not be f…lne him: if he had receuered his health: or had eſcaped ſome miſfortune, he offered a ſacrifice to the Lord. There are alſo other auncient benefits common to all men, as, that God hath made the world and all that is therein: and that thorough Chriſt he hath redeemed all the faithfull: there are daily benefits: yea ūnally all things are full of Gods good benefits. For all which benefits we muſt offer our ſacrifice to God alone and not to any creatures, whiche he hath made: yea wee muſt offer to him with all our hearts: al our affections muſt be halowed to the Lord. For out of the beaſtes, which were ſacrificed to y^e Lord for thankeſgiuing, thoſe partes were choſen and giuen to the Lord, in which the eſpeciall power of life conſiſteth. For in the kidneys is y^e power of generation, in the bloud the vital ſpirite, in the liuer the ſpringe of all the bloud. &c.

Nowe we muſt giuegive thankes by a ſacrifice, that is by Chriſt. For we are ſaued for Chriſt his ſake: and all good thinges are beſtowed on vsus by God, not for oure owne ſakes, nor for any creatures ſakes, but for Chriſte his ſake our only Sauiour and redéemer. To them, which offered, was allowed a ſober and merrie banquet: becauſe the felicitie of thoſe that are not vnthanckfull is for the moſt parte augmēted twofold double. And the knowledge of Chriſt is a delicate banquet & a continuall feaſt.

With the ſacrifices of thanckeſgiuing The free will offe…ng.thoſe offeringes doe much agrée, whiche are called vowes and fréewill offerings. The fréewill offering was that, which procéeded of méere good wil and deuotion of the mind without neceſſitie or compulſion of any lawe or ordinance. As when a ſeruant giueth to his maiſter the thing that he oweth him not, for a declaration onelyonly of the goodwill that hée beareth vntounto him. But herein the frée will offeringes do differ from the ſacrifice of thankeſgiuing: becauſe in the ſacrifice of thankeſgiuing charge was giuen, that whatſoeuer was left, which was not ſpent the firſt day, ſhould not be eaten on the morrowe, but be burnte wyth fire: on the other ſide in the free will offeringes it was lawfull for them to eate the remnaunt vppon the ſecond day, and to burne their leauings vponupon the third day.

Nowe the vowed ſacrifices were thoſe which were offered by couenant to the Lord: as for example, a man being in perill, doth vowe to make a ſacrifice to God, if hee be deliuered out of that imminent daunger: it falleth out that hee is deliuered, and hee for his deliuerie doeth offer vpp the ſacrifice: the thing that is ſo offered is called a vowed ſacrifice. The Ceremonies of theſe twaine did wholie agree with the Sacrifice of thanckeſgiuing. More of them is to be ſeene in the ſeuenth Chapiter of Leuiticus.

The meaning of theſe Sacrifices were that all good benefites are beſtowed vppon vsus for Chriſte his ſake, and with thoſe benefites wee receiue the very good will whiche wee hauehave to ſerue the Lord.

Thus much hauehave I hetherto ſaide touching the Sacrifices of the people of God: not that I hauehave touched eueryevery point, but ſo many onelyonly as are of moſt importaunce. In theſe Sacrifices as in a liuely action were ſet foorthe CHRIST oure Lord, his Paſſion, and the effectuall merite of his death: ſo that wee may call, the holy actions of the Sacrifices, Sermons vponupon the Paſſion of Chriſt, and inſtructions of our redemption by our Lord and Sauiour.

Now forbecauſe we hauehave already Of vowes.ſpoken hetherto of vowed ſacrifices, we muſt heere conſequently borrowe leaue for a digreſſion to ſay ſomewhat of their vſuall vowes. For vowes belonge to the Iewiſhe Ceremonies. Of the making, performing, and redéeming of vowes there is a large diſcourſe in the lawe of God, but eſpecially in the 27. of Leuiticus. To vowe, is to promiſe any thing with an othe ſolemnly, either for our owne or an others welfare. And therefore a vowe was an action referred to God alone, and that too in an holy and a lawfull thing. But in vowes there was a difference: becauſe vowed thinges were diuided into foure kindes. For ſome times they vowed men, ſometimes they vowed other liuing things, ſometunes houſes, and ſomtimes lands or other immoueable ſubſtance. Againe there was a difference in men according to their ages, and after their ages they mighte bee redéemed. for cleane liuing creatures there was no redemption permitted at all. It was frée either to leaue their houſes to the vſe of the miniſterie, or elſe to redéeme them with ſuch a ſumme as the prieſt ſhould value them at. In landes redemption was ſometimes admitted & ſometimes not admitted. And in the 30. Chapiter of the booke of Numbers there is a preciſe commandement giuen touching the votories, when their vowes are of force, and when of ſmal effecte. Where it is diligently beaten into their heads, that vowes lawfully made to God are not to be called back againe, but ſtreightly kept & throughle performed. Raſhe or vnlawfull vowes the Lord did neuer like off, nor receiue.

Of the lawfull vowes and ſuch as are made to the true and onelyonly God the Prophete ſpeaketh where he ſaith, Make vowes & pay them. Wée read not that any of y^• Godly ſort did make any vowes to any Saincts or any other creatures, neither that they vowed any thing that was not in their power to vow, nor that which was cō trary to the will of God, to whom they vowed it, nor that which was to their neighbours hinderance, nor the thing that had not in it ſome euidēt cōmoditie. And verilie theſe kinde of vowes were for none other cauſe permitted to the Iſraelits till the time of amendment, but that they ſhould remaine in the worſhip of one true God, and not make their vowes to any other ſtraūg God.

To the treatiſe of vowes belongeth ….the diſcipline and order of the Nazarites. Of whiche there is alarge diſcourſe in the 6. Chapiter of the booke of Numbers The Nazarits were thoſe, who, becauſe they would the more freely without let attend vponupon Gods ſeruice, or elſe becauſe they had heretofore liued …oo licentiouſly, did of their owne accord and wil take vponupon them a more ſtricte and ſeuere trade of life, than the common people vſed, & kept it for a diſcipline to make other men to follow their example of vertue and honeſt liuing. Whereuppon it commeth that ſome do take the Nazarits to hauehave their name of ſeparation, becauſe Nazir amonge the Hobrues ſignifieth a ſeparation, & that the Nazarites ſeparating themſelues from the common trade of life, that other men did lead, did giuegive themſelues to a certaine peculiar forme of liuing for God and Godlyneſſes ſake. That ſeuere and ſtrict diſcipline did continue in ſome by the lengthe of all their life time, as in Samſon, and Samuel.

Moreouer, ſuch as did wholie giuegive themſelues to the ſtudie of the Scriptures, were by the Prophets Amos & Ieremie, becauſe of their moſt temperate life (which is required of ſtudēts) and becauſe they were wholie dedicated to the miniſterie of God, called Nazarites. Sometimes alſo it did endure but for y^e ſpace of certaine dayes or monethes. Theſe Nazarits did abſteine according to the commaundement of the law from certaine things, from which they were not barred by any other lawe, and which were not vnlawfull for other men to vſe, whiche were without the neceſſitie of that vowe. Firſt of all they abſteyned from wine, from all thinges that the vine brought forth, and whatſoeuer elſe did make men drunken. But it is manifeſt, that as wine is the good creature of God, ſo no drincke is forbidden by the law. Yet forbecauſe the Nazarits were conſecrated to y^e Lord and ſanctified by a certaine peculiar kinde of lyuing: and for becauſe wine is the meanes that leadeth to drunken nes, which is the gulfe of al ſinne and filthineſſe, therefore did the Nazarits not without a cauſe abſteine from wine. They did alſo take héede of idleneſſe the mother of miſchiefe, and vtterly deſpiſed all worldly pleaſures. Furthermore ſo longe as the time of their vowe endured they did not clipp their haire, but let their lockes growe out a length. And thereuppon, as ſome doe thincke, they toke their names and were called Nazarits. For in ſo much as Nazer ſignifieth haire, they ſuppoſe that they were called Nazarites, as who ſhould ſay, longe locked or ſhagge haired people. But the Apoſtle Paule biddeth the woman to pray, or to come into the Cōgregation to heare a Sermon with her head couered, for none other cauſe, but for that ſhée is not in her owne power, but ſubiecte to an other, that is, to her huſband. And therfore the Nazarits did let their haire growe, becauſe by the vow which they had made to God, they were no longer in their owne power, but were wholie yéelded into the power of God. And the head, which is the tower of the bodie and the moſt excellent parte thereof, being couered with a buſh of haire, was a token that the whole man was by vowe giuen to the Lord, to whome alone he ought to hauehave an eye, & vponupon whome alone hee ought wholie to depend. Moreouer it was required at y^e hands of the Nazarite, that he ſhould not defile himſelf with the contagious companie of wicked & naughtie perſons. Whereunto alſo belongeth the commaundement, which charged the Nazarite not to be preſēt at the death or buriall of his parentes, or children, or wife, or brethrene or ſiſters. For he ought to ſettle the eyes of his minde vppon God alone, and in compariſon of him to ſet lighte by, and loathe the things which were moſt déere & precious vntounto him.

But if it ſo fell out that at vnawares hee were defiled by ſéeing of a dead body, hee was not therefore acquited of his vowe, as one whoſe former life had béene ſufficient for the performaunce of the ſame. For hee was commaunded to ſanctifie himſelf the ſeuenth day, & then to vndertake the kéeping of his vowe againe. By Samſon a Nazarite to the lord how greatly he ſinned.all this wee maye plainely perceiue what and howe great the ſinne of Samſon was, who was a Nazarite to the Lord. For becauſe hee did not onelyonly lurke in the brothell houſe with the harlot, but did alſo bewray the ſecrete of GOD vntounto her, and caſt behinde him the couenaunt made with God whereof his haire was a ſure teſtimonie, therfore did the Lord forſake him, and that wonderfull ſtrengthe, which he had from heauen was cleane taken from him. For the ſtrength of Samſon lay not in his haire, ſo that by the cutting of his haire his ſtrengthe was cutt away alſo, but it laye in the ſpirite of the Lord which was giuen him from God aboue. And therfore do wée finde this ſentence ſo often in the ſcripture, And the ſpirite of the Lord came vppon Samſon. Therfore when the ſpirite of God departed, his ſtrēgth departed alſo: but it departed from him, when he being wholie ioyned vntounto the harlot was made one ſoule with her, and did preferre her before God & his commaundement, ſo that he ſuffered his haire to be polled, and vtterly reuolted from the ordinaunce of the Lord. For by that meanes did the ſpirite of God forſake him. Whereupon immediately after he was brought into the hands of his enimies the Philiſtines: where when he was miſerably vexed, and when he heard the name of God euill ſpoken of and blaſphemed becauſe of his captiuitie, hée repented hartilie, and called vppon the name of the Lord, wherby it came to paſſe that when his haire grew forth againe, his ſtrength returned, y^t is, the ſpirite of y^e Lord came vppon him againe, being brought vntounto him, not by the growing of his haires, but by his repentance & earneſt calling vppon the Lord. Neither did Samſon deſire to reuenge his owne priuate iniurie ſo much, as to ſuppreſſe the blaſphemous mouthes, and to deliuer the people of God from feare and ſlauerie.

The ſtrength of God therefore returned againe, wherwith hée bending the pillers of the Theater, was himſelfe ſlaine with the fall of the palace, and at his death ſlue many mo than hée had killed in all his life time before. But nowe wée returne againe to the purpoſe, to add the other Ceremonies, that do belonge to the full expoſition of the vowe of the Nazarites.

When the time was expired therefore, whiche the Nazarite had taken vppon him for to obſerue, hée came to the tabernacle of the Lord, and offered the ſacrifices that are preſcribed in the Lawe: whereby hée teſtified that hée was a ſinner, and plainely confeſſed that al goodneſſe and vertue, that was to be found in him, was giuen and beſtowed from God aboue. And therefore hée polled his head, and caſte his haire into the fire, wherein the peace offering was a burning. At laſt when all this was in this maner accompliſhed, it was lawfull for the Nazarite, as one looſed of his bonds, to returne vntounto his old life againe. Thus much hetherto touching the diſcipline of the Nazarites.

Nowe touching the cleane and vncleane ….there is a longe diſcourſe in the lawe of Moſes: I in my former treatiſe did lightly touche and paſſe ouer ſome certaine thinges: but now at the laſt (for héere I meane to make an ende to ſpeake of Ceremonial lawes) I will adde ſomewhat touching the choice of meates, I meane, of cleane and vncleane meates.

God verily in the beginning created all things, and he ſo created them, that as the Creator is good, euen ſo all his creatures euen at this day are good alſo: neither doth hee gaineſay himſelfe now, whē he forbiddeth certaine mears, as though ſomewhat of it ſelfe were vncleane. There are other ….myſteries that lye hidden vnderunder this doctrine of the choice of meates. The lawes, whiche are giuen touchinge meates and victuals, ſéeme to be ſmal and of little valure, but it pleaſed the Lord in a ſmall thing to admoniſhe vsus what wée hauehave to doe in a greater, and that euen in the ſmalleſt thinges the authoritie of his Godhead ought to be regarded. For the authoritie of the lawe dependeth vppon God: God is the lawegiuer, and the lawe is his inuention.

This ſuppreſſeth the malapertneſſe of mortall men, which maketh, vndoeth, and eueryevery day deuiſeth new lawes and ordinaunces. Therefore GOD in theſe kinde of lawes doeth commende to his people faithfull obedience to bée ſhewed vntounto him: euen as in the beginning hee commaunded Adam not to taſte of the trée of knowledge of good and euill, requiring thereby faithfull obedience to be ſhewed vntounto him. Verily the obedience and faith, which was in the Machabées, in old Eleazar, and in certaine other Godly men that ſtoode againſt The conſtant obedience of certain holiemen who abſtai…ed from things vncleane.kinge Antiochus, euen to the ſhedding of their bloud, and ſuffering of moſt bitter death, did pleaſe y^e Lord excéedingly.

Other more abſteyned from ſwines fleſh, whereby they obteyned neither praiſe nor glorie amonge wicked men. When the woord of GOD ſaith that a thing is holy, it is holy in déede, and that becauſe hée is holy that commaundeth it. When God ſaith that any thing is vncleane, it is vncleane in déede, ſo that to eate any thinge againſt the word of God is to defile the eater: Ye nowe, ſayth the Lord in the Goſpell, are cleane beecauſe of the woord which I ſaid vntounto you. It is needefull therefore that wee beleeue the woord of God, and that obedience goe before faith, and then it cannot be but that the deede or woorke that is of faith, as Eleazars was, who would not taſte the ſwines fleſhe, muſt needs be acceptable vntounto God, with whom whatſoeuer is not of faith is ſinne and wickedneſſe.

Moreouer, the Lord in theſe lawes of his touching the abſteyning from the fleſh of certaine liuing creatures, had a great reſpect vntounto the health and ſoundneſſe of mortall mens bodies. For ſome of thoſe which he forbiddeth to be eaten, are by Phyſicians ſcarcely thought to be hoaleſome for our bodies. And thereuppon the Sainctes do gather this ſyllogiſme, If God hath care for the health of oure bodies, hee is farre more carefull verily for the preſeruation of our ſoules. What may be thought of this, that many nations hauehave tempered themſelues from the eating and touching of ſome liuing creatures? Therefore that the people of Iſrael, who of themſelues were ſufficiently ſuperſtitious and curious enoughe, ſhould not be their owne caruers and inuent ſuch toyes as they thought beſte, God gaue them ſuch lawes for choice of their meate, as did conteine hidden myſteries in them, thereby to drawe them from their owne deuiſes, and to ſeuer them from al other nations: as Moſes teſtifieth in the foureteenth Chapiter of Deuteronomium, ſaying: Thou art an holy people vntounto the Lord thy God, and the Lord thy GOD hath choſen thee from amonge all the nations vppon the face of the whole earth, to bee a peculiar people vntounto himſelfe.

To Sainct Peter in the Actes of the Apoſties a viſion is ſhewed, wherein by the vncleane beaſtes are ment the Gentiles. Laſtly God would hauehave the nature and diſpoſition of the beaſtes, that hee for…ad to be eaten, to be thoroughly ſcanned. For in their diet at the table hee did by figures lay before their eyes the heauenly Philoſophie, giueing them occaſion euen in their meate to thincke and ſpeake of the true holineſſe of the minde, to the ende that men ſhould not bee filthie, impudent, foule, and vncleane. And therefore is this clauſe ſo many times repeated, I the Lord your God am holie. As if hee ſhould ſay: All theſe Ceremonies tende to this ende, that yee may giuegive your ſelues to holineſſe. Wherefore in thoſe figures hee taught the godly what to follow, and what to flie from.

Nowe in the lawe of the cleane and vncleane, hee doth firſt of all put certaine generalities, then he deſcendeth by ſpecialities, and doeth in a beadrowe reckon vpp certaine particular things in a very natural courſe and order. The place is at the full ſet out in the eleuenth Chapiter of Leuiticus & the fourtéenth of Deuteronomium. Thoſe beaſtes were allowed to be eaten, which cleaue the hoofe, and chawe the cudd. Here are two thinges ſet downe, in whiche the duetie of a good man is notablie conteyned. For if wée will be cleane wee muſt diuide the hoofe, and alſo chawe the cudd. Our affection is the foote of oure mindes, which affection muſt not be followed. We muſt hauehave diſcretion in al things to iudge betwixt affections. And as in a cleaft there be two partes or ſides, the right & the left, ſo a good man chooſeth the good, and flyeth from the euill. Chawing of the cudd is our iudgment. For wee muſt not admit eueryevery thing whiche wée heare and ſée, but thoſe thinges only which we hauehave examined exactly & found to be contrary neither to God nor to his lawe.

There are then repeated many liuing things particularly, which were not lawefull to be eaten amonge the people of the Lord. Thoſe were either fourefooted beaſtes vppon the earth, or fiſhes, or birds, or ſuch as créepe vppon the ground. Of fourefooted beaſts foure by name wee are eſpecially forbidden. The Camel, whoſe longe and loftie necke doeth teach vsus, that pride and arrogancie muſt bee eſchewed. The Connie or the mountaine mouſe: for God doeth vtterly miſlike the men that are altogether ouerwhelmed like Connies in the earth, and neuer lifte vpp their mindes vntounto heauen. The Hare a fearefull beaſt: whiche doeth warne vsus to ſhake off all cowardly fearefulneſſe: euen as alſo the Hogge doth put vsus in minde to auoyde al vncleanneſſe. For a Hogge is the very type and picture of naſtie filthineſſe, and of it doeth the byword riſe to call an vncleanly perſon a beaſtly ſwine. And of Circe the fable goeth that ſhee with her inchantments did turne Vlyſſes his men into a ſort of loathly Hogges.

Furthermore of fiſhes, ſo much was allowed for meate, as was found to hauehave finnes and ſcales vponupon them: if they lacked either of them, they were forbidden, as the Eele, which thoughe it hath finnes yet lacketh it ſcales, and therefore was not to be eaten. For as the bodies of fiſhes are ruled with the finnes: ſo muſt the whole man be gouerned by hope. The ſcales are hard and couer the body: and wée, vnleſſe we be conſtant & patient in the Lords woorke, are worthie to bee abhorred of the Lorde our maker. Of birdes thoſe are forbidden which are the greteſt raueners, deuourers, which louelove and liue by vncleane meates, whiche flye abroad at owlelight, at midnight, and in the darke, and ſuch as are craftie, vnſtable, and nothing chéerefull. Herein therefore is commended vntounto vsus, well dooing, abſtinence, temperance, ſimplicitie, light, conſtancie, chéerefulneſſe, ſoundneſſe and pureneſſe of liueing.

Laſtly, of ſuche as créepe by the grounde no ſmall number are noted. For menne altogether wrapped in worldly mucke doe vtterly diſpleaſe the Lorde. I hauehave of purpoſe not reckoned vp, all the names of the forbidden creatures, partly becauſe it wold hauehave béene too tedious vntounto you, and partly becauſe the interpreters of the Bible do wonderfully ſticke in the interpretation of their names: ſo that I can neuer meruaile ynough at the extréeme blinde ſtubberneneſſe of the Iewiſh people in kéepinge ſo ſtrictly the choice of their meates, when their owne Rabbines do ſticke and cannot tell certeinly what creatures they bée that the Lorde did forbid them.

To this belongeth, that euen before the lawe, in the time of Noah, The eating of bloude and ſtrang…ed is forbidden.God did forbidd to eate the bloud, and the fleaſhe with the bloud of any thing torne by wilde beaſtes, or ſtrangled. Before the deluge the fathers did eate the hearbes and fruites of the earth. After the floud they had leaue giuen to eate the fleaſh of lyuinge creatures, but ſo yet that they ſhould cut y^e throat off, and drayn the bloud out of the bodie. The place is extant in the ninth Chapter of Geneſis. Moreouer in the lawe the Lord with greate ſeueritie ſaith: Whatſoeuer man it be of the houſe of Iſrael, or of the ſtraungers that ſoiourne among you, that eateth any manner of bloud, I will ſet my face againſt that ſoule, and wil cut him off from amonge his people. Leuiticus 17. And the ſame lawe is repeated in the ninetéenth Chapter of the ſame booke, and in the 12 and 15 Chapter of Deuteronomie. It is againe rehearſed in the thirde and ſeuenth Chapter of Leuiticus. Neither is it without verie iuſt and great cauſes that he did ſo ſeuerely forbidde the eating of bloud. For firſt of all, after the wordes aboue rehearſed he addeth immediately: For the life of the fleſh is in the bloud: & I hauehave giuen it vntounto you vponupon the altar to make an attonement for your ſoules. For bloud ſhall make an attonement for the ſoule. Therfore I ſaide vntounto the children of Iſrael: Let no ſoule among you eate bloud &c. Lo in theſe wordes a moſte euident reaſon is giuen, why it was not lawfull to eate bloud, becauſe bloud was the moſt excellent and precious thinge, as that which was ordeined for the ſanctification of mankinde. For God gaue bloud to be as the price, wherewith ſinnes ſhould be cleanſed, to bee I ſaye, the price of redemption, whereby men ſhould be abſolued of their ſinnes. Bloud alſo is the life, that is, the nouriſhment of life.

The bloud therefore was a ſigne of the bloud of Chriſt, that was to bée ſhedd vppon the croſſe: by which as by a moſte full and abſolute attonement y^e faithful are cleanſed and thoroughly ſanctified: and in which is the nouriſhment of the ſoule to life euerlaſting: and as it was not lawfull to eate of the fleſh of the ſacrifices, whoſe bloud was carried into the Sanctum for ſinne, but to burne it without the hoaſte: ſo it was vnlawful to eate the bloud, which was y^e cleanſing for their ſinnes. He therefore did eate bloud, which attributed to his owne ſtrength or workes the attonement which was made by the bloud of Chriſt, eſtéeming his bloud to be prophane, and not attributing vntounto it the full ſatiſfaction for all ſinnes. Againe, he did not eate, but powre the bloud downe at the altar, who did aſcribe the benefite of our redemption to the onelyonly merite of Chriſte, & did eſtéeme it of ſo greate valure as it ought by right to be eſtéemed. Laſtly, God would hauehave it déeply printed in the mindes of men, that no man ſhould ſhead anothers bloud, nor liue of the bloud and bowels of other men: as mercenarie ſouldiours, couetous perſons, vſurers and couſeners do in ſucking out and ſheadinge the bloud of ſillie people with ſubtile fleightes and open iniurie. And God talking with Noah did with terrible threates beate into all murtherers an horrible feare, ſaying: If men bee ſlacke I will take vengeance vppon the ſheading of bloud. For mā was made to the image & likeneſſe of God: howe can God chooſe then but take the reproche as done to him ſelfe, whiche is done vntounto his image? For whoſoeuer caſteth downe the image of the king, he offendeth againſt the king, & is accuſed of treaſon. But nowe touching ſtrangled this lawe was giuen: Eate not with bloud. And againe: Eate not of that which dyeth of it ſelfe, nor of that which is torne with wilde beaſtes &c. But by ſtrangled & carrion, that dyeth of it ſelfe, are ſignified the dead woorkes, from which he is bidden to purge him ſelfe whoſoeuer deſireth to get Gods fauour. Hee therefore did eate ſtrangled, whoſoeuer did liue in wickedneſſe without repentance, not regarding the bloud of Chriſt his Sauiour.

Now alſo the touching of vncleane thinges is ſett downe in the lawe by T…e touc…ing of …n cleane things.theſe thrée notes, as if thou foucheſt an vncleane thing, or if thou beare it, or if it fall by chaunce into ſome veſſell or garment of thine. He verily is defiled by the falling of a thing, whoſoeuer ſinneth vnwittingly. But hée ſinneth more heynouſly, whoſoeuer ſinneth willingly and of a ſet and pretended purpoſe. But he ſinneth moſt grieuouſly of all, that vpholdeth wickedneſſe and compelleth other to committ the ſame.

But whereas in touchinge, and in other places it is ſaide, that the vncleaneneſſe ſhall abide till eueninge, that is an euident prophecie of Chriſt, to wite, that the Meſſiah ſhould come at euening, that is, in the ende of the worlde to purge the ſinnes of all the earth.

I hauehave ynough and long ynough thus farre by two whole ſermons (I praye God it may bee to your profite dearely beloued) ſtayed in and ſtucke vppon the ceremoniall lawes, therefore that I may nowe come to an end, I will bring the chiefe pointes, wherof I hauehave ſpoken, into a brief ſumme. I did diuide the whole treatiſe of the ceremoniall lawes into thrée eſpeciall braunches. For I ſpake of the holie perſons, of the holie time and place, and of the holie thinge which the holie perſons did exerciſe in y^e ſacred place, I meane, the ſacraments, the ſacrifices, and other holie ceremonies. The holie perſons are the prieſtes. I ſhewed you their firſte beginning, their ordering, their myſticall apparaile, & their ſundrie offices. When I ſpake of the holy time and place, I did deſcribe vntounto you the Tabernacle, and noted vntounto you what was within the Tabernacle, to wite, the Arke of the couenant, the golden table, the golden candleſticke, the altar of incenſe, the altar of burnte ſacrifices, and the braſen lauer: the myſteries of all which I declared vntounto you. In the treatiſe of the holy time I touched all the kindes of holy dayes and ſolemne feaſtes dayes, with all their certeine and vncerteine holy dayes. Laſt of all in our diſcourſe vponupon the holy things, I tolde you of the two Sacramentes of the olde church, Circumciſion and the Paſſeouer: and alſo of the ſacrifices, whereof ſome were burnte offeringes, ſome meate offeringes, ſome peculiar, and ſome of thankesgiuing: wherein we ſpake ſomewhat alſo touching frée will offeringes and vowed ſacrifices: finally of vowes, of the diſcipline of y^e Nazarites, of cleane and vncleane creatures, of the choice of meates, of bloud and ſtrangled, & of the touching of vncleane thinges.

The Lorde Ieſus enlighten your heartes, that all this may tende to the glorie of his name, and the health of yours ſoules. Amen.

Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion, Sermons 2 · Decade 3 · Sermon 6

p. 354¶ Of the Sacraments of the Iewes, of their ſundrie ſortes of ſacrifices, and certeine other thinges perteining to their ceremoniall lawe.

The ſixte Sermon.

¶ Of the Sacraments of the Iewes, of their ſundrie ſortes of ſacrifices, and certeine other thinges perteining to their ceremoniall lawe.