Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

Furthermore, those ceremonies ¹did contain the mysteries that were to come of Christ the Saviour of us all. For in them was prefigured what Christ should be, what he should do for the world, by what means the faithful should be partakers with him, and how they should behave them selves before him. For among many other beasts, there was none thought to be more fit for this sacrament then a lamb, not so much for the signification of simplicity and patience that was in Christ, like to the quietness of a Lamb, as for because a Lamb was the daily sacrifice that was offered to the Lord. For Paul saith: Christ our paschal Lamb is offered up. And a Lamb by the law was every morning and evening offered up in sacrifice. For Christ is the lamb that was killed since the beginning of the world. Of whom John Baptist testified saying: Behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. And for because we all did go astray like sheep every one after his own way, the son of God came down unto us, and became a sheep of our very substance and nature. But yet he was sound and without spot, without sin and wickedness: conceived by the holy ghost and borne of the virgin Mary. He was a male, and of a year old: that is to say, strong and all one, the same to day that he was yesterday, and the same for ever, to wit, the saviour of all the world. The ceremonial lamb was chosen and taken from among other lambs and goats. For Christ descended lineally of righteous men and sinners: as is to be seen in the first Chapter of Mathews gospel. Likewise for the shedding of y• lambs blood, God did bear with the whole church of the Israelites: for the blood of Christ (whereof the lambs blood was a type) was to be shed, that by it all the faithful might be cleansed, and that by the shedding of that, the anger of God the father might be appeased, and he reconciled again unto the church. The blood was sprinkled upon the upper and two side posts of the house with a bunch of Hyssop. Hyssop verily is a base herb and of small account: and the preaching of the gospel seemeth to be foolish, vile, and of no valour: & yet by the preaching of the gospel •he blood of Christ, unto the remission of sins, must be sprinkled on us which are the house of God.

Furthermore, those ceremonies ¹did conteine the mysteries that were to come of Christ the Sauiour of vs 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 euery 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 euery one after his owne way, the sonne of God came downe vnto vs, 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 vnto 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, vnto the remission of sinnes, muste be sprinckled on vs which are the house of God.