Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

And although in this which I have hitherto alleged, I have by fits declared the end and fruit of this ceremony, yet will I not think it much here again particularly to repeat the same again: since I see that the holy Ghost in the Scripture doth, as it were, take pains very busily to beat the same into our heads. The end of all this stir and solemnity is, that all the sins, I say all the sins of Gods universal church, are by the one and only sacrifice, once only offered, most perfectly blotted out and absolutely purged. Let us therefore hear the very words of the holy Ghost which speaketh in the Scripture most plainly and evidently, saying: 1. And the high Priest shall confess over the Goat all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their trespasses & all their sins. 2. And the Goat shall bear upon him all their misdeeds into the desert. 3. The same day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. 4. And let this be an everlasting ordinance unto you, to cleanse the children of Israel from all their sins once every year. But who is so very a sot or dull head as to think that all the sins of the people are washed away with the blood of beasts? If, saith the Apostle, they had once fully cleansed sins, then would they have ceased to offer any more. By this ceremony therefore the mystery of Christ to come was beaten into all mens brains, and once every year laid forth to the eyes of all men to behold. For of this ceremony did Zechariah borrow his prophecy of Christ in his third Chapter, where he saith: Behold I bring forth the branch my servant. For lo the stone that I lay before Joshua, upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold I will cut the graving thereof, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will take away the sin of this land in one day. The Lord doth promise the Messiah, which was prefigured by the priests, and especially by the high priest Joshua. Christ is the stone upon which the eyes of all men are steadfastly fixed, as upon their only saviour. He is digged in and cut in his passion, and by suffering and dying once, he purgeth the sins of all the earth.

And although in this which I haue hetherto alledged, I haue 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 onely sacrifice, once onely offered, moste perfectly blotted out and absolutely purged. Let vs 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 vnto you, to cleanse the children of Israel from all their sinnes once euery 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 haue ceassed to offer any more. By this ceremonie therefore the mysterie of Christe to come was beaten into all mennes braines, and once euery 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 onely sauiour. He is digged in and cut in his passion, and by suffering and dying once, he purgeth the sinnes of all the earth.