Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

Moreover the Christians do celebrate their passover more spiritually then bodily: even as also they do solemnize their Pentecost or whitsuntide. For as he sent his spirit upon his disciples, so doth he daily sent it upon all the faithful. And that is the cause that in the faithful the alarm is stricken up to encourage them as soldiers to skirmish with their enemies. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the faithful are daily assaulted and provoked to battle by the world, and by the devil the prince of the world. Furthermore the feast of propitiation being once finished upon the cross endureth for ever: neither do the Saints any more send out a scape goats to bear their sins into the desert. For Christ our Lord came once and was offered up, and by his sacrifice took away the sins of all the world. Finally since the faithful do daily consider & bear in their minds, that they have no abiding place in this transitory world, but y• they look after a place to come, they need not, as the Jews did, once a year to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles. In like manner the faithful do no more acknowledge any year of Jubilee. For Christ came once and preached unto us y• acceptable year, even the Gospel, whereby it is proclaimed, that all our sins and iniquities are clearly forgiven us. For so doth Christ himself interpret it in the fourth of Saint Lukes gospel, taking occasion to speak of it out of the sixth Chapter of Isaiah's prophecy. And thus the holy time and festival days are abrogated by Christ in his holy Church: which notwithstanding is not left destitute of any holy thing or necessary matter.

Moreouer the Christians do celebrate their passeouer more spiritually then bodily: euen as also they doe solemnize their Pentecoste or whitsuntide. For as he sent his spirite vppon his disciples, so doth hee daily sent it vppon all the faithfull. And that is ye cause that in the faithfull the alarme is striken vpp to incourage them as souldiours to skirmish with their enimies. For the fleash lusteth against the spirite, and the faithfull are daily assaulted and prouoked to battaile by the world, and by the deuil the prince of the world. Furthermore the feast of propitiation being once finished vppon the crosse endureth for euer: neither do the Sainctes any more sende out a scape goats to beare their sinnes into the desarte. For Christ our Lord came once and was offered vp, and by his sacrifice tooke awaye the sinnes of all the worlde. Finally since the faithfull doe daily consider & beare in their mindes, that they haue no abydinge place in this transitorie worlde, but y they looke after a place to come, they néede not, as the Iewes did, once a yere to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles. In like manner the faithfull do no more acknowlege any yeare of Iubilie. For Christe came once and preached vnto vs y acceptable yeare, euen the Gospell, whereby it is proclaymed, that all our sinnes and iniquities are clearely forgiuen vs. For so doth Christ himselfe interprete it in the fourth of Sainct Lukes gospell, takinge occasion to speake of it out of the sixth Chapter of Esaies prophecie. And thus the holy time and festiuall dayes are abrogated by Christ in his holy Church: which notwithstanding is not leafte destitute of any holy thing or necessarie matter.