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THou shalt keepe the moneth of new fruites, that thou maiest keepe Passeouer to the Lorde thy God. For in the moneth of new fruites the Lorde thy God brought thee out of the Lande of Egypt.
2 And thou shalt sacrifice the Passeouer to the Lorde thy GOD, euen
Sheepe and Oxen, in the place which the Lorde thy GOD will choose to put his name therein.
3 Thou shalt eate no leauen breade in that feast: Seuen dayes shalt thou eate vnleauened bread, euen the bread, of sorowe. For thou camest in haste out of the Lande of Egypt: to the ende thou be mindefull of the day of thy departing out of the Lande of Egypt all the dayes of thy life.
4 And there shal no leauen be seene in thy house, during the seuen daies in all thy coastes. Also ye shall not leaue of the fleshe that is sacrificed from the euening of the former day till the next morning.
THis present chapter trea¦teth of the three feasts which God ordeined a∣mong the Iewes: that [ 20] is to wit, the feast of Ea∣ster or pass∣ouer, ye feast of Pente∣cost or Whitsontide, & the feast of Tabernacles or Tentes. First hee treateth of the Passeouer, & God ordeineth that it should be diligently obser∣ued: for it was a memorial of great importance, whereby the people were put in mind, how they [ 30] had beene redeemed, & put in possession of the inheritance that had bin promised vnto them. It was behoouefull that ye same should be knowen: for it was the fundation of all the benefits which the Iewes had receiued at Gods hande, & which they looked for afterwarde. Without that, they had bin no people separated & dedicated to god, neither had they had any hope of saluation: for the couenāt made with their fathers had bin dis∣feated. Therefore is it not without cause, that [ 40] God would haue that day kept holy, & with such ceremonie. In like case was it with the feast of Tabernacles, as wee shall see heereafter. For it serued to put the Iewes in minde of their going out of Egypt, and that whereas they had dwelt long time in the wildernesse, without house or home, and yet God had euer preserued them: it behooued them likewise to acknowledge ye same benefite. But we will treate of euery feast in his dewe order.
Presently we haue to speake of the passeouer. [ 50] But before I go any further, we must marke also that God respected not only what he had done already; but also ment therewithall there should be a figure of thinges to come, whereof we haue now the trueth & substance, since the time yt our lord Iesus Christ hath bin discouered to ye world. That is the cause why S. Paul telleth ye Colossi∣ans, yt these thinges were but shadowes, ye body wherof is in Christ Iesus. True it is yt he speaketh [ 60] not there expresly of Easter day by name: but yet vnder the name of Sabbat, he comprehendeth all the feastes, & likewise al the Ceremonies that depended vpon thē. To be short, God had a dou∣ble respect in ordeining the day of the Passeouer. The one was to do the people of Israel to vnder∣stand, yt they came not into possession of ye Land of Chanaan by their own power: but yt they had bin led in thither by the hande of God. And be∣cause they had bin deliuered by miracle out of ye land of Egypt; Gods wil was yt the same should be declared. Againe, forasmuch as the same de∣liuerance was a figure of the deliueraunce yt was to be hoped for by our Lorde Iesus Christ: this feast of Passeouer extēded yet further, yt is to wit, yt whē the people ate of the pascal Lamb (as they called it) they should thinke thus with thēselues: This is a shadow & figure of the Sacrifice which shalbe once offered vp, wherby the world shalbe reconciled & set free. And although the thing were not yet apparant to the eye. Yet behoueth it the faithfull to inure thēselues to the hope of the redeemer whō God had promised them. And in that respect sayth S. Paul in the first to ye Corin∣thians, yt Iesus Christ is our Passeouer or Pascall Lambe, and yt he is sacrificed for vs, and that we must now eate of that sacrifice: howbeit not with the leauen of malice and deceitefulnes, but with righteousnesse and soundnesse. That is the one point which we haue to remember.
And that the Pascall Lamb was not a bare ce∣remonie without doctrine, it appeareth by that which is written in ye twelfth of Exodus; where it is said, yt when the Lamb is sacrificed as it is a ea∣ting, if their childrē aske what it meaneth: their fathers shall answere, The Lorde brought vs out of the land of Egypt where we were in bondage, & therfore he wil haue this thing done yerely in remēbrance thereof: not yt the doing thereof one only day may discharge vs: but yt the same should continue printed in our hearts, so as in inioying the land of Chanaan, we may vnderstand yt wee cōquered it not by our own strēgth, but through his good pleasure, because it was his will to har∣bour vs here, according to ye promise which hee had made to our forefathers. We see then howe the feast of Passeouer, was not a ceremony with∣out instruction: but yt it conteined doctrine in it. And it is an article of great importance. For the world would alwaies haue a great number of ce∣remonies to no purpose: & in the meane while it seemes ynough to haue store of gay showes. But on ye the cōtrary part, God telleth vs, yt ceremo∣nies are but toyes & trifles, vnlesse they leade vs further, & behight vs things cōcerning our salua∣tiō, so as we be taught & cōfirmed in the faith by meanes of them. If yt be not in thē, they be starke baggage, & nothing worth. Nay, they be nothing els than a corrupting of ye seruice of God, and the high way to lead vs to superstition and ydolatry.
As for example, wee see howe they make a great number of disguisinges in the Popedome: but in the meane while they wote not what any of those things meane. If ye come to their Masse, there they play an enterlude, where there are as many fonde toyes as can be. In deede the wret∣ched worlde is rauished at them: but that is be∣cause they knowe nothing, but are vtterly sotted, and yet they beare themselues in hande that they haue done a dowtie deede, and yt God [ 10] ought to like very well of it, when they haue so bestirred themselues. But (as I tolde you afore) they be but vaine & fonde Apish toyes. And why so? For God neuer ment to ordeine any ceremo∣nie among his people, which conteined not some good instruction, and serued not to some good ende. And therefore lette vs marke well, that whereas the Iewes had ye feast of Passeouer, they had Gods worde also, whereby they were war∣ranted yt it was not inuented at the pleasure of [ 20] men. For God not onely gaue a prefixed com∣mandement as saying: You shall obserue such a day: but also a doctrine with it, & willed yt the fa∣thers should teach it their children, & put thē in remēbrance of the deliuerance yt had bin made, as in deede it was as excellent a deede as might be. That then was of his appointment.
And so let vs beare in minde, that if we now∣adayes haue ceremonies without instruction, they shalbe all condemned of God, who vtterly [ 30] misliketh them, and we can not alleadge them to be his seruice. For he declareth and auoweth it to be but foolish superstition, when men turne a∣way from that marke, and that it is the next way to put vs quite besides our saluation. And heere∣in we may defie all the houge heape of pompes wherewith the Papistes will needes serue GOD: for there is nothing in them that God auoweth. Also wee be warned to mingle nothing with the pure simplicitie of the Sacramentes and Cere∣monies [ 40] which GOD woulde haue to bee ob∣serued noweadayes. Let vs holde vs contented with that which is shewed vs: for if wee adde neuer so little to it, surely wee shall make such a minglemangle as will bee nothing worth, after the manner of the Papistes, who (as wee see) haue inuented many thinges of their own head. Wee must haue this and that, say they, Why so? To what purpose? O (say they) it will serue for such a thing: but in the meane whyle there [ 50] is no instruction to Godwarde. Is it their part to cause a doctrine to bee brought in? It were meete that God should speake. And when men heare him, then euery one shall be edified. But when men thrust themselues in, and fall to for∣ging of fonde deuotions without authoritie from GOD: all must needes be cast downe. The worlde sees how the Papists haue corrupted the true Sacramentes. In Baptisme, the water hath beene esteemed as nothing in the Pope∣dome: [ 60] for it is no matter if the infantes pisse in it. But as for the holy creame that is in it, O, it is not for any man to touch that: for that is too heauenly a thing. And yet notwithstand∣ing the water is the substance of that Sacramēt, and the whole perfection thereof. But as for the ceame, who deuised it? It is a stinking greace that men haue charmed, and blowed vpon, like sorcerers. And should that be had in such reue∣rence, that the Sacrament which proceedeth from the sonne of God, shoulde be had in no e∣stimation for it? Moreouer, the water (by their reckening) is not good, vnlesse it haue beene coniured, and that a number of charmes haue beene made ouer it, to amaze the ignorant. And therefore so much the better ought we to beare this lesson in minde, that wee may be fenced a∣gainst all Satans inuentions; which is, that sith wee see our mindes so tickelish, that wee woulde faine still inuent some newe thing, and we beare ourselues in hande that wee haue spunne a faire threede, when some newe Ceremonie is come foorth by our meanes: it standeth vs in hande to thinke thus, yea but GOD dispiseth all this geere, yea and he sheweth vs that we do but per∣uert his seruice, when wee adde any thing after that fashion, of our owne. Then is it an infalli∣ble doctrine that no Ceremonies are behoofeful or to be made account of among the faithful, vn∣lesse they carry instruction with them. And that instruction must come of GOD: for it is his office to teach vs, hee reserueth that authoritie to himselfe. And therfore it is to be concluded, that the ceremonies which are set forth by men, are but trifles & geugawes, howe great a show of wisedome soeuer there seeme to be in them.
And hereby we see also that it was superstiti∣ously done of such as beare the name of Christi∣ans, to bring in a feast of Passeouer vnder pre∣tence that the Iewes had it: for the respectes are farre diuers. I meane not that we may not haue one day in the yeere, whereon to celebrate the remembraunce of the resurrection of our Lorde Iesus Christ: for we must not runne so rigorously into extremities, as that our infirmitie might not haue some helpe, to quicken it vppe withall, that we might the better bethink vs all the time of our life, what benefit the rysing againe of our Lord Iesus Christ hath brought vnto vs. Well then may we haue a day appointed to that pur∣pose for orders sake: but to make a seruice of God thereof, or to thinke that we ought to fashi∣on ourselues after the example of the Iewes; that as they had their passeouers, so ought we too: it were an abuse that tendeth to the turning of all thinges vpside downe, and a putting of a veyle before the face of Iesus Christ, yt men might not know the light of the Gospell. These things (as I saide) were but shadowes, whereof we haue as now the body and substance: and therefore it is a hiding of Iesus Christ, whē men bring in feasts after the maner of the Iewes.
But nowe let vs come to that which is cōman∣ded here concerning the Easterday of the Iewes Ye shall eate vnleauened breade or cakes (sayth he) by the space of six dayes, and there shall no leauened bread be founde in your houses. This was done because the Iewes departed in hast out of the Land of E∣gypt. And it ought to haue made them to think that they went not out with banners displayed, as though their enemies had stoode so in feare of thē yt they durst not quetch against thē: for they
went a way like a sort of poore fugitiues. The wo∣men caried their children vpon their shoulders, the men tooke vp their stuffe in their neckes, and fled away priuily, and their enemies would faine haue pursewed them, & they were of strength & power ynough to haue done it. The Iewes on the other side were a people yt could no skill to han∣dle a sworde: for they had bin helde in such sla∣uerie, yt they durst not once looke vpon a sworde or any weapon of warre. They had bin vsed like [ 10] Asses and Oxen. Their state had bin as slauishe as could bee. Well then, when the time came that they should depart, it was sayde vnto them, Get ye hence. And what bread shal we haue to eat? What prouision shal there be by the way? Grinde your corne, and trusse it vp quickely in meale vpon your shoulders, and as the time will serue ye shal bake it by the way and eate it. Now when the people had this solemnitie yeerely, wherein they ate cakes whithout leauen: it ser∣ued [ 20] to put thē in minde, that when their fathers departed out of Egypt, they were a poore fugi∣tiue people, that ranne away like a Lambe that is pursued by wolues. Ye see in what plight they were. Needes therefore must it bee concluded, that God had preserued them after a wonderfull fashion. For what were the Egyptians? A nati∣on full of pride and crueltie. A mightie nation, a nation yt trusted to their owne force & power; & moreouer a nation yt bare deadly hatred to the [ 30] poore Iewes, an vtter enemy to thē, & such a one as desired nothing so much as to roote out ye re∣membrance of them, as the tyranny of Pharao had well shewed. Now then the Iewes were put in minde yt God had made them to scape out of their enemies handes, so as they coulde not but knowe yt they had bin helped by him, & that the prayse of their life was to bee yeelded vnto him. As if they should say, Thou Lord hast deliuered vs, not only from ye state of bondage but also as it were by fetching vs out of our graues. For wee [ 40] were as it were starke dead, and had bin past all hope of recouery, if thou haddest not reached vs thy mightie arme. That was the thing wher∣of the Iewes were put in minde, when God com∣manded them to eate vnleauened bread. And it was his wil yt this should be done, not only ye same night yt they ate the pascall Lambe: but also that the same Ceremony should be continued by the space of six dayes together. And why? God shew∣ed [ 50] therein, yt men be not throughly framed at ye first brunt to the doctrine yt he setteth downe vn∣to them, though ye same be cleere ynough. Doth God speake? There is no darknesse in his speech. But yet howsoeuer the case stande, wee can not fasten vpon it. For we be so slowe minded, yt wee can neuer attaine to his meaning, vntill he haue repeated our lesson to vs diuerse times. That is the cause why hee commaunded expresly that they should eate vnleauened bread by the space [ 60] of sixe dayes together. As if hee shoulde say, truely the very one nightes eating of the pascall Lambe with vnleauened breade, ought to bee a sufficient instruction to you what is ment by the same. But what? I see well yee be shortwitted, insomuch that if yee haue hearde any thing at Gods mouth, yee forget it out of hande. And therefore when I intende to teach you, I must deale wt you as it were by measure and compasse. And therefore if ye haue a good long time afore hande to bethinke ye of the eating of the pascall Lambe, yee will be the better prepared vnto it. Therefore shall yee haue a whole weeke, where∣in ye shall eate no leauened breade; by meanes whereof yee shalbe quickened vp to thinke vpon the great and inestimable benefit which God be∣stowed vpon your fathers in deliuering them out of the Lande of Egypt, so as you may beare well in minde that his deliuering of them was after a straunge manner, and that hee was faine to worke after a heauenly fashion, because ye were in so wretched plight, that yee might seeme to haue beene already swallowed vp of death, and to haue beene already buried in your graues. Nowe we see why the Iewes were expresly com∣manded to absteine from the eating of leauened bread.
There were other Ceremonies also; that is to wit, the girding vp of their garmentes, the put∣ting on of their shooes, and the taking of their walking staues in their handes. For in those East countryes they ware long garmentes after the same manner that the Turkes doe at this day. And when they traueiled by the way, they trussed vp their garments aboue their loynes, as the gray Fryers & Iacobines or white Fryers do, and such other that are so greatly combered with clothes. Nowe God did the Iewes to vnder∣stande that they shoulde bee as wayfarers when they ate the pascall Lambe, and that they should eate it in haste, to put them in remembraunce of the sayde departure out of Egypt. And our Lord did set downe this figure as a lookingglasse for the Iewes to beholde howe their forefathers ate the pascall Lambe, euen when they were ha∣sted to go their wayes, that they might acknow∣ledge so great a benefit. And herein we see how God had a respect to the rudenesse of his people as in deede all the Ceremonies which wee haue serue but for our infirmitie. What doth Baptism or the Lordes Supper bring vs? Doe they make the death & passion of our Lord Iesus Christ of more value than it is of it selfe? What helpe find we in the bread, or in the wine, or in the water, to that purpose? Gods meaning then was not to ad any thing to yt which we haue receiued in our Lord Iesus Christ: but to beare with our rudenes because he sees vs to be vnable to comprehende the thinges that are gotten for vs by our Lorde Iesus Christ. For inasmuch as they bee too high for vs, God helpeth vs vp to thē by the outwarde & visible signes which we haue in ye Sacraments. But it behoued the Iewes to haue mo such helps than we. For they had not so plaine a doctrine as is now conteined in ye Gospel. Again, Iesus Christ was not yet come, in whom we see all yt euer can be wished for our saluation. The heauens were then opened vnto vs, when his side was opened to washe vs cleane, and his body offered vp for a sufficient sacrifice to reconcile vs vnto God his father, and to doe away all our offences and transgressions. When these thinges were done,
then had we a full warrant of our saluatiō. Ther∣fore wee in these dayes neede not to be helped with so houge a heape of Ceremonies as the an∣cient fathers vnder the Lawe were. It is ynough that we be ledde to our Lord Iesus Christ, wher∣unto fewe signes suffi••e, that is to wit Baptisme and the Lorde his Supper. For seeing that the sonne of God is contented with those two: we al∣so ought to rest there. Neuerthelesse, wee see heere howe God vouchsafed to stoope to the in∣firmitie [ 10] of his people, by giuing them a liuely representation of their departing out of the Land of Egypt, and by setting them downe as it were in a lookingglasse or painted table, for them to beholde howe he had deliuered them: that is to wit, like a sort of poore people, that were taking their iourney to flee away priuily, and were so distressed as it was not for them to turne heade against so mightie enemies, who were able to haue swallowed thē vp at the first chop without [ 20] any resistance. Seeing then that the Iewes had such instruction; they shoulde haue considered thus with themselues: How commeth it to passe that we be aliue at this day, but because our God hath preserued vs? And how shold our state stand but onely by his meere mercy? For we had peri∣shed if he had not reached out his arme to bring vs out of the Land of Egypt. Thus much concer∣ning this point.
Nowe it was commaunded further, that the [ 30] pascall Lamb should be eaten with bitter herbes. And our Lorde himselfe speaketh here expresly of the bread of sorrow: as if he had said, although ye eateth: pascall Lambe in rest, and when yee be come to the inioying of the inheritance which I haue promised you: yet must you haue a me∣moriall of the anguish wherein your forefathers were, and you must thinke yt without my fauour you should haue had n••ither pascall Lambe nor bit of bread to eat at this day: for ye should haue [ 40] beene vtterly rooted out of the worlde. Consi∣der it therefore, and that yee may be the better moued thereunto, take bitter herbes, that is to say, absteine from all deintinesse in your eating of the pascall Lambe. For the Iewes were not re∣streined from taking their repast after their ea∣ting of the pascall Lambe, as wee see that our Lorde Iesus Christ in eating of the Pascall Lamb with his disciples, insomuch as they did not only sit downe at a table, but also lye downe after the [ 50] manner of olde time, which was to eate their meales lying halfe a tone side. Certaine it is that he kept the Lawe to the vttermost: for hee sub∣mitted himselfe to it to set vs free from it. Then must we note that our Lord ate the pascall Lamb after the same maner that was ordeined by Mo∣ses, that is to wit, standing vpon his feete, with his staffe in his hande, and his shoes on his feete, and hauing his loynes girded vp like a wayfarer. And after this was done hee tooke his accusto∣med [ 60] repast, for this was a solemne sacrifice, and therefore wee must not wonder that it was sepa∣rated from the common meates: for it behoued all the folke of one house to eate thereof, so as if there were thirtie or fortie persons in a house, e∣uery man hadde his portion of it. And if the housholde were not great ynough, two or three housholdes were called together and they mette in one place, that the sacrifice might be eaten vp hastily. A Lambe was roasted in hast and eaten vp with a morsell of a sweete cake: yea and they were forbidden to seeth it, to shewe that they could haue no leasure to tarrie till it were halfe boyled, but they were faine to deuour it hastily, life folke that were to go their waies out of hand. But howsoeuer the case stoode, it behoued them to eat it with bitter herbs. Whereby we be done to vnderstande, that deinties doe keepe vs from the dewe consideration of Gods benefites, to be rauished by them. For although it bee sayde, Thou shalt be merrie before thy God: yet are we continually helde backe in this worlde, when we haue some allurement to withdrawe vs frō God. For if our fleshe haue her likinges, then are wee ouertaken in such sorte, that we stye not vp aloft to beholde well the spiritual grace of God. Thus yee see that the cause why the bitter herbes were put to the sacrifice, was to make men to consider the better after what manner the people hadde beene deliuered, beeing erst in so extreeme an∣guish as they were not able to endure any more.
Besides this, they were also forebidden to ad∣mit any heathen man to it, vnlesse hee were cir∣cumcised. True it is that God commanded that the bondmen being straungers borne should eate thereof. Yea, but that was not before they were first incorporated into his Church by receiuing the signe of circumcision. Hereby it is done vs to vnderstande, that it was a peculiar token gi∣uen of God to his owne people. For Sacraments are peculiar to the Church. They be no things for men to put to vnholy vses, nor to leaue at aladuenture. For our Lorde will haue vs to bee gathered together vnder his name. When we vse the Sacramentes, let vs thinke thus with our selues, Beholde here is a treasure that God hath kept and layde vp for vs as for his children. And in d••eede, if a man should noweadayes admitte as many to the Lordes Supper as woulde offer to come to it: were it not a defiling of the Sacra∣ment? And yet there are a number to be seene, which would haue al men indifferently both tag and ragge to be admitted to it: but such folkes neuer wist yet howe to vse the Sacramentes a∣right. For (as shall be declared hereafter) the Supper of our Lorde Iesus Christ is to vs at this day the same that the Pascall Lambe was, to the people of the Iewes. Wherefore let vs marke in fewe wordes, howe our Lorde hath shewed that this Sacrament was a warrant giuen of him to his people, that he took thē to be his Church, and therefore that it ought not to bee set foorth at aduenture to all commers. True it is that Circumcision likewise was a Sacrament: but there was diuersitie of respectes betweene the one and the other. For by circumcision, folke were receiued into the number of Gods people, so as it was an enterāce into the Church as Bap∣tisme is at this day: by meanes whereof such as by nature are not nōbered in ye cōpany of Gods children, are receiued and incorporated into thē by Baptisme. And so stoode the case with ye Iewes for circumcision: But as for the Pascall Lambe, that was to be kept to the Iewes themselues.
Now it is also sayde, that it was not to bee eaten throughout the whole Countrey; but that it was to bee doone in the place which the Lorde had chosen to put his name in. And truely this was not shew∣ed them at the first day, insomuch that they had beene a long time in the land of Chanaan, eare the Arke had any certaine resting place, there was no such place assigned to it. But yet it behoued them alwaies to be obedient to the ce∣remonie of resorting to ye place where the Arke [ 10] was, vntil mount Sion was marked out. And then were al men bound to repaire thither, euen from the vttermost borders of the Countrey: all men were to come to Ierusalem, except they were let∣ted by sicknesse or old age. And why? It was not to giue a president for the Pilgrimages which ye Papists inuented afterward: For in so doing they shewed themselues to differ nothing at all from the Iewes. Againe, it is not for them to excuse themselues by the example of the Iewes: for ye [ 20] Iewes had a commaundement of God, but the Papistes made their vagaries for their own plea∣sure: wherin they vtterly renounced Iesus Christ & ouerthrew that which is sayd in the fourth of S. Iohn, namely that ye time was come yt god wold no more be worshipped in any place certain, but would haue his name called vpon euery where throughout ye whole world. Besides this, we must marke that there was a speciall reason why God would haue the Iewes to resorte to Ierusalem to [ 30] sacrifice the pascall Lambe there: namely to the end yt no man should attempt to alter any thing in yt order which he had set by the Law. And (as I haue said) this ancient ceremonie was a thing of great importance, as wherby the people were informed of their Redeemer, euen that he had brought them out of the land of Egypt, & that he would send thē yet another redeemer, by whom the whole world should be redeemed. Loe heere a ceremonie that imported a wonderfull secret, [ 40] & therfore it was meete yt it should be kept pure∣ly. For the doing wherof, god called al the Iewes into one body, yt hauing ye Sāctuary & the temple there before their eyes, they might be the better put in mind yt it was not lawfull for them to adde any thing at their owne pleasure, but that it be∣houed them to follow ye commō doctrine, to vn∣derstand yt God represented himselfe there, and dwelt among thē by meanes of the Arke. Seeing then that the people were so gathered together, [ 50] they could not but be restrained frō starting out into foolish inuentions: and needes must the doctrine be retained therwithal, as I haue said a∣fore: for ye ceremonie was nothing of it selfe, it had bin but as a Maygame or a mockerie. That was ye cause why ye people were drawē to Ierusa∣lē, as to ye place which God had appointed. And so we see now why it was said yt they shoulde not do sacrifice in any of their cities or townes, but assemble al together in the Citie of Ierusalem. [ 60]
It is inioyned further, that they shoulde not breake a bone of the Pascal Lamb. And why so? As if it were said yt it was a meate to bee eaten in hast, (as I haue shewed afore,) so as they were forbiddē to boile any part of it. And hereby God ment to shew yet better ye hast which the people made in departing out of ye land of Egypt, forso∣much as it was not for them to set the pot vpon ye fire to boile it: for they could neuer haue had time to do it. Therfore were they faine to make hast, & to eate this Lamb halfe rosted as people preassed vpon by their enemies, & as folke yt loo∣ked to haue bin ouertaken euery minute of an houre: by reason whereof they had no leasure to stand gnawing of ye bones, or to breake them to get out ye marow, as folk do when they haue time at wil. None of this could they do: but were faine to eate ye sacrifice in hast, & to cast away ye rest. We see then as nowe, yt as concerning ye deliue∣rance yt had bin wrought alreadie, things were as it were pointed out with ye finger in the Pascall Lamb: & for this cause ye very terme it self is ex∣pressed here, for ye Hebrew worde Passah is the same yt we call Passing in Inglish. And by ye word our Lord confirmed ye thing which we haue spo∣ken of before, namely yt this Ceremonie was not a fond deuise to busie mens heades withall as though they were little babes: but yt it importeth instruction to edifie folk withall, to the end they should think thus: This day must we do homage to our God for our life, bicause he preserued vs of his owne mere infinite goodnes, by bringing vs out of ye land of Egypt. So then God spake not simply of ye thing•• yt were to be obserued: but his meaning was to shew the end in such wise which he intended, as ye people might cōsider, we haue made a Passage: & what maner of Passage? Euen such a one as we had no legs to go it withall, but God did list vs vp by his power, and made vs to passe ouer it as a gulf of death, not onely in pas∣sing ye red sea, but also whē we were yet in Egypt. For before we came at the red sea, there was an∣other straite to passe, which wee shoulde neuer haue scaped out at, if God had not opened vs ye way with his owne hand. Yea & his will was that that day should be obserued, to the intent that the remembrance therof should be ye certainer.
And for the same cause he poynted out the moneth yt answereth to March or April. How∣beit not to eyther of them, but bicause wee can∣not make a certaine report of ye monethes of the Iewes to cōpare them wt ours. The reason wher∣of is, for yt they had their moneths intermingled one with another, bicause they tooke them ac∣cording to ye Moone, so as they were interlaced together. This moneth therefore was sometime sooner and sometime later, & was named in he∣brew Abib, which signifieth an eare of corne, when it beginneth to shoote foorth at the first. Not when the eares of Corne are full ripe: but when the corne beginneth newly to spindle. In deede the time of it selfe importeth nothing: but yet did it serue greatly to the instructing of the people, bicause the setting of it down made them to behold the matter the more presently. Gods putting of thē in remembrance of it was such as they could not but know ye meane wherby their fathers were brought out of the land of Egypt. And the very night it selfe was marked, to ye end they shold cōsider how god had deliuered them from the thraldom of Pharao. On the other side, had the moneth been marked at the pleasure of
men: they wold haue thought it might wel haue beene chaunged for the commoditie of the peo∣ple. But God commaunded it to be kept, to the end they should know he would haue no part of his ordinance chaunged, nor any man attempt to alter it in any wise.
And nowe we haue to marke in effect, that by the ordeining of ye Passeouer day, God ment to set downe a memorial of his doinges among his people, that they might acknowledge his grace, [ 10] in deliuering them out of the Land of Egypt af∣ter that fashion, and that their children myght know that that was the meanes whereby they were come into the inheritance that had beene promised them. Neuerthelesse, it was not Gods intent to be honoured and serued with a trifling Ceremonie: but his mind was that there should be teaching, that men might be edified by it, and that the Iewes might know that Gods calling of them to him, was to bee serued by them as their [ 20] redeemer and father. And therefore he would not haue the Pascall Lamb eaten by vnholy and vnbeleeuing folke: but that it should bee giuen alonly to such as were circumcised, and were al∣ready of the body of the Church. And seeing it is so, Let vs remember that in all signes which God giueth vs, we must haue instructiō annexed to lead vs vnto him. And for as much as we haue the true passeouer in our Lord Iesus Christ, as shall bee declared to morrow: wee must nowa∣dayes step further. And although we haue not the old Ceremonie; yet let vs hold fast the truth therof, which is brought vs by the sonne of God, as it is declared vnto vs in these dayes by his Gospell.
Now let vs fall downe before the maiestie of our good God with acknowledgmēt of our sins, praying him to make vs to perceiue in what state we were, when he vouchsafed to call vs to him, so as he hath plucked vs out of the gulfe of death, in such sort as we haue now cause to glorifie him, and to giue our selues ouer to his seruice all the time of our life. And for as much as he not only sheweth himselfe to be our father and sauiour in this transitory life, but also calleth vs to the euer∣lasting inheritance of heauen; according as hee had chosen vs thereto before the creation of the world: let vs tend alwayes thitherward, and bee the more prouoked to labour to that end, seeing we haue the helpes and Remedies which he gi∣ueth vs, and that the badge is kept among vs as he hath commaunded vs by his word. That it may please him to graunt this grace not only to vs, but also to all people & nations of ye earth, &c.
Col. 2 17.
1. Cor. 5.7.
Exod. 12.26
Exod. 12.39
Exod. 12.11
Col. 1.22.
Exod. 12.8.
Gal. 4.4.5.
De••.
Exod. 44.••••
De••••. 12.11.
〈◊〉〈◊〉 4.21.
••••••d. 25.8.
〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••.46