Institutions of Christian religion framed out of Gods word, and the writings of the best diuines, methodically handled by questions and answers, fit for all such as desire to know, or practise the will of God. Written in Latin by William Bucanus Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Lausanna. And published in English by Robert Hill, Bachelor in Diuinitie, and Fellow of Saint Iohns Colledge in Cambridge, for the benefit of our English nation, to which is added in the end the practise of papists against Protestant princes.

To what purpose and vse are all these things which haue beene spoken of the Paschall Lambe?

1 That they might be a remembrance of the thing past, namely the blessing of God, whereby the Israelites were saued that night in Aegypt, when the Angell of God slew all the first borne of Aegypt, passing ouer the houses of the

Isra∣elites, which were besprinkled with the bloud of the Lambe that was slaine.

2 That they might be patternes and types of a thing to come, namely, that Christ should be sent in the time appointed (which Paule cals the fulnesse of time) God required a perfect Lambe, without spot, seuered from the rest of the flocke, that they might vnderstand that to appease the anger of God, there was requi∣red a more excellent prise, then could possibly be founde in all mankinde. And that he might single out the innocent Lambe, separate from sinners, obedient to the father, perfectly fulfilling the law, and indued with heauenly puritie, and therefore con∣ceiued by the holy Ghost in the wombe of the Virgin, that he might take away the sinnes of other men.

2 A Male, to shew that that Lambe should bee mightie, and indued with great power, in regard of his person, to take away the sinnes of the world, and to destroy the kingdome of sinne, and to deliuer vs from the bondage of sinne and Sathan, &c. As it is said, Esay. 53.10, He shall deuide the spoyles of the mightie. And Psal. 63.13. He shall ascend vp on high, and leade captiuitiue captiue, and shall receiue gifts for men. Yet but a yeare old, that is tender, weake and knowing infirmitiea 1.1, In regard of his humane nature, because it was meete hee should bee taken from the companie of his brethren, and be like vnto vs in all things excepting sinne. Heb. 4.15.

3 He would haue it kept in their custodie foure daies, to wit, from the tenth day of the first moneth vntill the Euening of the fourteenth day: to shew that Christ should not be deliuered vnto death presently assoone as he was borne, but that he should dis∣charge the publicke ministerie of the Gospell for a certaine time time appointed by the father.

4 He would haue it slaine betweene the Euenings, to declare that this Lambe should be slaine at length in the Euening of daies, that is, in the fulnesse of timesb 1.2, or in the last time, for all the mul-titude, of mankinde, that is, for the whole bodie of them which are written in the booke of life.

5 Hee would haue postes besprinkeled with the bloud ther∣of, to signify that the hearts of the beleeuers are sprinkeled, wa∣shed, marked, purged, and sanctifyed by the bloud of this

Lambe alone, thorow faith relying vpon his merit. This sprink∣ling, being made with a bunch of Hyssope, that is, by the purging power of the Spirit, whereof that is spoken, Psal. 51.9. thou shalt sprinckle me with Hyssope, & I shal be cleane. And 1. Pet. 1, 2. tho∣row sanctification of the spirit vnto obedience, and spinckling of the bloud of Iesus: and vers. 18. ye are redeemed with the precious bloud of Christ, as of a Lambe without spot. Moreouer, by the bloud of Christ sprinckled vpon the doores of our heart is signified, that the destroyer is turned away, we are defended from the an∣ger of God, and by the bloud of his Crosse, all things whether in the earth, or in the heauens are reconciled. Col. 1.20.

6 By the rest of the Ceremonies he shewed that this Lambe must be eaten by faith, and conceaued in the minde whole with the head, feet and intrals, (and not rent in sunder, or deuided into gobbets, and peeces): As he saith, My flesh is meat indeed, he that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my bloud, hath eternall life, Iohn. 6.55.56.

7 That it must be eaten in common with their neighbours, that is, the Gentiles, that is to say, the Gentiles must bee cal∣led, by the voyce of the Gospell, vnto the communion of Christ.

8 That it must be eaten not rawe, neither sodd in water, but as it were rosted in the fire of Gods iudgement, and tried in the heat of the Crosse, & afflictions: both to the casting of of hy∣pocrisie, the scandall of the Crosse, carnall securitie; as also the o∣pinions of men, concerning the matters of God, and that which cannot be knowne, must by the fyre of fayth be consumed.

9 That it must be eat. 1. With the vnleauened bread of sin∣ceritie, and truth as it is said. 1. Cor. 5.8. Purge out the old leauen, that ye may be a new lump, for Christ our Passeouer is sacrificed for vs. Therefore let vs keepe the feast with vnleauened bread of synceritie, and truth, namely without leauen, not of the kingdome of hea∣uen (of which it is spoken. Mat. 13.33. the kingdome of hea∣uen is like leauen) but of the olde leauen of malitiousnesse and naughtinesse, the subtiltie of Herod, of an euill conscience, of the opinions of the Pharisees, of false doctrine, whereof the Lord speaketh: Take heede of the leauen of the Pharisees and of Herode, Mat. 16.6.11.12. Lastly, without the leauen of wicked life, wher∣of the Apostle, mingle not your selues with fornicatours &c. For a

little leauen, leaueneth the whole lumpe. 1. Cor. 5.6. Gal. 5.9. 2. With bitter hearts, that is, with the renouncing of the bitter slauery of sinne, and the rest of our enemies, wherewith we haue been op∣pressed, and with bitternesse and compunction of heart, or with earnest repentance and sorrow, mourning for our sinnes, with mortifying of the reliques of the old Adam, and with a feruent appetite, and desire of the grace of Christ.

10 Hee would teach them that did eate the Lambe, that they must be atttried after the habit and manner of trauellers, who ha∣uing their loynes girded with the belt or girdle of veritie, as the Apostle cals it. Ephe. 6.14. may be readie to enter into the way of Gods commaundements, and who may with the girdle of faith and righteousnesse restraine and suppresse the wisedome of the flesh, lust & wicked concupiscences striuing against the spirit: also they must be shod or booted with the preparatiō of the gos∣pell, and prepared to make great increasings in the Gospell, or prepared by the knowledge of the Gospell of peace to vnder∣take the combats, to sustaine the dangers, and to auoid the occa∣sions of falling, and offences, wherewith as it were with brambles, thornes, or serpents, the feete of the godly are often wounded. Further leaning vpon the spirituall staffe of the pro∣mises of Gods word, they may guide their steppes in their iour∣ney, and rayse themselues being fallen, whereof. Psal. 23.4. Thy rod, and thy staffe haue comforted me.

11 Also they must eate the Lambe 1. standing, 2 In haste, that is, such as doe not tyre in the course of this mortall life, doe not linger still in spirituall Aegypt, or Babylon, but doe with all speede renounce the kingdome of Sathan, and as it becom∣meth holy trauellers, doe with all earnestnesse desire to be gonne out of the prison of this life, vnto that pompe and manner of life which shall be in the heauenly countrey.

12 It must be eaten in one house, that is, he would haue the spi∣rituall communion of the fulnesse in one bodie and head Christ, to be ratified, and preserued by this meanes.

13 God would haue no bone of that Lamb to be broken, mysti∣cally to shew what he wold perform in his son, & he hauing none of his bones broken. Ioh. 19.33. might be made famous as it were by a visible mark, that might proue him to be the true Passeouer.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Esa. 53.3
• b 1.2

  Gal. 4.8