XXVII. lectures, or readings, vpon part of the Epistle written to the Hebrues. Made by Maister Edward Deering, Bachelour of Diuinitie

¶ To the Christian Reader in∣crease of faith and knowledge, with an earnest Zeale of Christ Ie∣sus the Lord.

THE Epistle to the Hebrues contey∣neth such doctrine as the holy apostle knew moste necessarie for the Iewe, who (a fewe excepted) in the blindnes of their heartes, acknowledged not Christe Iesus for the Messias: albeit all thinges long before pro∣phecied of the Messias, by the holy Patri∣arches and Prophetes, were in him clearely and fully accom∣plished, and that in the eyes and eares of all Israel. This their great blindnes, caused the excellent light of this Epistle to be set foorth to the whole world: for as their other wantes and falling off from the faith, and naturall Oliue tree, caused the full∣nesse and grassing in of the Gentiles: so their doubtfulnes, as the doubtfulnesse of Thomas, occasioned such cleare doctrine, that we which come afterwarde, cannot now without singular impi∣etie, make any doubt in the doctrine and gospel of our Lord Iesus Christe, the which long agoe hath not beene both made, and ful∣ly aunsweared.

Whereuppon, all men ought to bee armed with this persuasi∣on, that whosoeuer againe doubteth, where the doubt is alrea∣dy taken away: and whosoeuer sinneth the sinne that hath beene heeretofore punished, is a double offender: for hee is not guiltie of the infidelitie alone, or of the sinne, but also of the despising the example set downe for vs, that we trembling at the iuste iudge∣ments of God against others, should auoyde the the sinne in our

selues: knowing that if wee cōmunicate with the wicked in their blindnes, wee must also communicate with them in the daunger: is in the prouocation, then in the punishment. Wherefore, concer∣ning my first woordes, the Iewes acknowledged not Iesus Christ for the Messias and redeemer of the world: but we must ac∣knowledg it, and the rather hauing amongst the vnspeakable treasures of the word of God this pretious epistle, wherin the do∣ctrine of the person, and offices of Christe are most substantially prooued, and witnessed by the holy Ghost.

For therein the Apostle chiefely proueth Christ to be the an∣noynted of God, annointed not with common Oyle, but with the Oyle of gladnes, that is, with all fulnesse of the spirite, into a pro∣phet that teacheth vs the wisedome and loue of the father: hee alone the priest that washeth away sinne, & maketh peace with his sacrifice, euen a high Priest after the order of Melchise∣dech, al other priests, after the order of Leuie being for the time, but shadowes and figures of the light and life in Christe: hee a∣lone the King of Salem, whose kingdom is without vnrighteous∣nes, and euerlasting: not as other kingdomes, which are outward and bodily, but his kingdome frameth and ruleth the hart, by the spirit of God and the scepter of his lippes: the throne thereof be∣ing established in trueth and maiestie for euer and euer. Besides these chiefe partes, being the bodie of the Epistle, there be other braūches, conteining both vehemēt exhortations to the worthy receiuing of the word, & this present doctrine in faith, and also to the bringing forth of the plentifull fruite therof in patience.

This excellent epistle, about foure yeres past, was expoūded in the citie of London by two learned & godly men, who made, I suppose, their choice of that Epistle, as conteining very necessary doctrine for our times, wherin the enimies of the Gospel are to to many, & preuaile too too much against the peace of the Church: for they seke righteousnes in their own works & sacrifices, whi∣che is not foūd otherwise in heauē or earth, thē in the righteous∣nes & alone sacrifice of our lord Iesus Christ: who not by the sa∣crifice

of staūge bloud, but by the offering vp of his owne bloud, being himselfe the sacrifice, and sacrificer, made an end of all sa∣crifices and oblations going before, and lefte no place for any new sacrifice or oblation to be vsed afterwarde. Neither was this all, that the Apostle ouerthroweth all other sacrifices, establishing that as all sufficient which was at the fullnes of them, according to the eternall decree of God the father made vpon the altar of the crosse once for euer, and so consequently confuteth the Pa∣pistes, mainteyning, euen with bloudie sacrifices of men, their vnbloudy sacrifice of the Masse: but moreouer, the doctrine is ve ry profitable, and necessarie to stirre vp the minds, and furnish the harts of professours of the Gospel, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 knowledge concerning the person and offices of Christ Iesus the Lord.

For to leaue the Catholiques (as they vntruly call themselues) either to the grace of God to be conuerted (which God graunt vs hartily to pray for) or to the blindnes of their hart, to worship they know not what, concerning the professours of the truth, I beseech thē in the mercies of Iesus Christ to knowe the height, the depth, the length & bredth, & al the mesures of Christ preached in the Gospel, that as the foundation is moste certeine, so it may bee also certeinely knowne, and bring forth certeine fruites to the glory of God & their own assured saluatiō in him. Otherwise, if the know ledge of our lord Iesus Christ be weake, our faith cānot be strong: if the faith be not strong, thē our hope is small, & the afflictions of the spirit many. But on the other side, daily and effectuall exerci∣ses of the worde bringe increase of knowledge, increase of know∣ledge bringeth increase of faith, increase of faith bringeth in∣crease of hope, hope bringeth patience, and in patience wee holde the possession of our soules til the day of our ful redemption.

But, to returne to the two Interpreters of this Epistle, the one lyueth, and may doe wel (if the Lord so dispose of his hearte) to publishe in Printe his Readinges made to his greate prayse vpon the whole: the other is layd vp in peace with the righteous: but before his death he painfully gathered together the greatest part of his lectures, leauing thē in writing, that therby he might

againe profite the Church after his death: and now they are pub∣lished to the benefite of the Church, the zeale wherof greatly exercised his godly minde, and many times brought his watch∣full head and weake body neere to the graue. Of whome I might truly speake much to his great prayse, & yet nothing vnknowne: but let God haue the praise: neuerthelesse, as I will say no more▪ in persuading men, so I can say no lesse in duetie then this: his goodnesse was, by the grace of God, very much, and his harme∣lessnes more: his giftes notable, and his spirite more notable: ac∣companying him for the measure of his bodily strength, with dai∣ly increase, til the last day and hower, wherin, for our punishment the Lord translated him from mortalitie to immortalitie.

Touching these his Praelections, a goodly paterne of his swete spirite, thou hast them (gentle Reader) in thy hands, and I leaue them to thy iudgement, they neede not my commendation. But be not thou deceiued in iudgeing good thinges by the first taste: for they delight more the second time, then at the first: and more at the third time, then at the second. Try my commendation, and giue thy sentence.

But of all other readers of these M. Ed. Deerings expositions, I haue namely to exhort and beseech the Citizens of London, & others, sometime his diligent auditours, that they would now re∣paire their vnderstanding, and re•…•…site their consolations reaped at the first f•…•…utes of this present doctrine: that they would also examine, and take an accompt of their memorie, to see what is now set downe in writing here, that they haue vtterly forgotten long agoe. So they shall beholde how easily good thinges, and com∣fortable things, euen thinges of eternall life, how soone they pe∣rishe, and for want of true reuerence to the worde, or diligent re∣gard to our sáluation, are by Satan made fruitelesse: whereas in small matters olde men haue freshe memories, as to remember where their gold lyeth, and how many obligations they haue, and of what conditions. And what is it (I pray you) that in them causeth so good momorie? euen the hart set theron with diligent care: which heart more set vpon that that is more precious in∣finitely,

what iudgement, what comfort, what stedfastnes would it cause in the word of life? But how commeth so small heede in so mightie matters? Certeinly herevpon, that the worldly man is of a worldly minde: and a man without the spirit (as the Apostle Iude speaketh) hath no tast of the spirit no delight in spritual ri∣ches, they are to him foolishnes. But of memorie thus much may suffice: I would haue thought it too muche, were it not that to learning and knowledge in man, I know nothing better. For thy memorie, though the voice be taken away and the spirite with the Lord, yet the doctrine remaineth to thee in letters: remaine thou mindfull now to make that hereafter fruitfull to thee by di∣ligence, which hetherto hath by negligence lyen barren.

Let vs account it a blessing from God, that we haue thus ma∣ny of M. Deerings readings, the rest, whiche w•…•…re to the x. Chapter or there about 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the other three Chapter's waite for, and desire some other 〈◊〉〈◊〉 faithfull labour. If any man hauing small hope to make the remainder like to that which w•…•…e haue, refuse therefore to attempt the matter, let him, otherwise aboū∣ding with gif•…•… and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and hauing exercises in the Church, humble himselfe to be in the second or third place, to finishe the worke, and benefite the Church, whereunto al men are ins•…•…tely •…•…ndebted, and almost no man carefull to come out of debt.

But most of all, let vs continually pray, that our good God would, in these perillous ends of the world put on vs al his whole complet armour to stand against the power and malice of Satan: that he would also illuminate our heartes, with the bright bea∣mes of his wisedome and holy word, that we may be freed from the darknes of ignoraunce and errour: that the mouthes of the wicked may be stopped, and the lippes of the children of God ope∣ned, and fulfilled with the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of God.

Moreouer, seeing the Lord hath layed sharpe roddes, and long time executed great iudgements vpon our neighbours round a∣bout: giuing vs now, all these 18. yeares of our gratious Soue∣reigne, the Gospel in great peace: it is our duetie, to consider our duetie in this behalfe: first, that we in brotherly compassion, and

in an inward fellowfeeling lament, & to our power redresse their calamities: secondarily, that wee be thankefull to God, for our peace, and carefull to yeeld our selues in all singlenes and trueth, euery way obedient to the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ, the king of peace, in as large & the same maner, that is to vs offered in the word of life: in the third place, that all diligence bee vsed that the word may haue his free passage, and main course to the ouerthrow of all aduersarie power, especially, of the open enimies, Papists and Atheistes, & to the discouerie of other sectes sprin∣ging vpp of their owne accord, where the word is not planted: fi∣nally, to the cutting off of prophane and loose life, which nowe ad∣uaunceth it selfe against heauen, and prouoketh the Almightie, except by discipline it be broken downe, that the kingdome of Ie∣sus Christe may be moste glorious on earth, and that the sonnes of men may be safe, and reioyce vnder the shadow of his winges. For a further vnderstanding hereof, and of many other like exer∣cises in the knowledge & practise of Christianitie, I referre thee (gentle Reader) to these Lectures, beseeching God to make thy labours fruitful with his cōtinual blessings, especially in thy pray∣ers: wherein as carefull for the whole Church also, pray that the Lord in mercie would make the Churches beyonde the seas, rather partakers of our peace, with fulnesse therof, then in iustice to make vs companions of their punish∣ment in the laste place, and greatest measure.

Amen.

The xxiiii. of Nouem∣ber. 1576