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

¶The fourteenth Lecture, vpon the residue of the sixte verse.

6 But Christe is at the Sonne, ouer his owne house, whose house we are, if we holde fast that confidence and that reioycing of that hope vnto the end.

AS the Apostle hath generally before ex∣horted them, to hearken vnto Christe: the high Prieste and Apostle of our pro∣fession, shewing the necessitie of our

so doing, because of the excellencie of Christ aboue all other, who were sent of God vnto vs: yea, aboue Moses himselfe: so now more particularly, he ap∣plieth this vnto them, and sheweth that by necessity of their condition and calling, they are bound espe∣cially to this duetie: because they, euen they them∣selues are this house of God, whereof he speaketh, of which, Christ is the builder, and in whiche hee ruleth aboue all: so that they may be sure, it was all one to denie Christe to be their onely Prophete, and to denie themselues to be the house of God. To this our purpose are these first wordes: Whose house we bee.

Another purpose of this speach, is, for their bet∣ter instruction in the trueth of the gospel of Christ: that they should not, as their fathers did, holde their faith toward God with respect of the Temple, then commonly called the house of God: nor with any religion of all the ceremonies vsed in it: for all these things had an ende. God was nowe gone out of the sanctuarie, & dwelt no more betweene the Cheru∣bims, but had made him a newe tabernacle to dwell in, which was the bodie of man: which tabernacle onely we must haue care of, to keepe it pure from y^e concupiscence of the fleshe, and to keepe it holie frō the vaine inuentions of our heart, & then the Lorde should be always with vs, as with the people whom he had chosen, to make them an habitation for him selfe, and a tabernacle of his glorie.

To this end also the Apostle saith, Whose house we are: this wee must learne in all like places of

scripture, where we are called by like name. Sainct Paule saith: Do you not know that you are the temple of God, & that the spirit of God dwelleth in you? And againe: Do you not know, that your bodie is the temple of the holie * 1.1 ghost which is in you, and which you haue of God? And a∣gaine, * 1.2 You are the temple of the liuing God, as God hathe said: I wil dwel in them, and I will walke in them, and they * 1.3 shalbe my people, & I wilbe their God. And againe: We be no more straungers and forreiners, but fellow citizens with * 1.4 the Saints, & of the familie of God. In these and all such places, we be taught, that y^e temple which was once the house of God, is nowe taken away: and all the religiō of the temple, which was once the seruice of god, is now finished & hath his end: frō henceforth, there is neither circumcision nor vncircūcision, ne∣ther Iewe nor Gentile, but Christ is al in all: y^e pure & chaste bodie is his holie tabernacle, & spirit and truth is his heauenly worship: thus much directlie y^e apostle teacheth them in these words: whose house be we: & therfore called the house of God, because his holie spirite dwelleth in vs, as appeareth in all the places before alledged out of Paule.

It followeth now: If we holde fast the confidence & reioycing of our hope vnto the ende: these wordes he ad∣deth, to teach them manifestly to know themselues, whether they be this house or no: for if they be, they do hold and shall holde the reioycing of their hope, constantly and faithfully vnto the ende. These wordes (dearely beloued) let vs marke them well, and learne them euerie iott and title, with a wise hart: for they conteine a blessed instruction, & most

necessarie for our time. There is not this day any o∣ther thing, that holdeth backe a great number from the gospel of Christ, but only the ignorance of this one sentence: for what say al our aduersaries against vs, but onely this? Shal we leaue the Catholique Church, to beleeue a few new sproung vp? Shal we leaue the Church, & followe Luther or Zuinglius! The Church hath beleeued as we beleeue, y^e Church hath taught as we teach, & in the Church we abide: thus, vnder the name of the church, the churche, the world is mocked, & as Paule saith, the hearts of ma∣nie men whiche are nor enill are seduced, so that though they haue no thing to blame in vs, yet they dare not come vnto vs, least they should forsake the brotherhod in the Church of Christ. This generall plague is easily cured, and al the euil of it is soone re∣medied, if we can but holde our peace, and heare the Apostle speake for vs all. This same verie question is here handled: the Iewes were now affeard to re∣ceiue Christ, they thought him a new doctour, they had Moses, the temple, the ceremonies, things ful of excellent glorie: and they were sure the church was heere, and these things were in the Church, to leaue them all soudenly, and cleaue to Christ alone, were to leaue the Church, and follow new doctrine. The Apostle to stop this offence, he setteth downe first this plaine doctrine without question, or cōtrouer∣sie, that the church of God, or (to vse his own word) the house of God, is not any building of woode or stones, not any citie, or any material Temple, but man is y^e house of God. Here first we learne one ne∣cessarie

lesson. Wilt thou know the house of God, that is, his Church? Looke not at Ierusalem, nor at Mount Sion: for neither the Citie, nor the Temple in it, are nowe the house in whiche God dwelleth.

It thou doubtest know it for a truth, that Ierusalō long since is troaden downe of the Gentiles: the Turke and Infidels haue defiled all the stones of i•…•… & for y^e temple, there are manie hundred yeres since the vncircumcised haue entred into it, and the abho∣mination of desolation hathe stoode in the holie place, that it might be fulfilled that was spoken by the Prophet Daniel.

This therefore learne for a trueth: The Church of God is not in any materiall Temple, not it is not knowen by any Citie or Countrie, Ierusa∣lem, that for this cause, once was the glorie of the worlde, and the beautie of the whole earth, hathe no more this dignitie: neither shall it be giuen to any place for euer: but to finde the Church of God, seeke in the heart of man: for the Apostles haue all spoken plainely: We are his house. Now, let Rome goe and boast her selfe, and pronounce her proude decrees, that in her palaces the Churche of Christe doeth dwell: let all her louers striue for her, prayses, that shee is our mother: her we must serue, vppon her we must wayte, she cannot erre: against all these children of pride, we dare set out selues.

The house of God is neither in Rome, nor in the Capitol of Rome, no more then it is in Ae∣gypt,

or the high pinacled Churches in Aegypt: but in euery nation and in euerie countrie, the men that feare God, and woorke righteousnesse, they are the church, and the house in which God doth dwel.

And as the Lord hath done to Ierusalem, and to the ruines thereof, that the place should not boast of the Oracles of God: so God hath done to Rome, to the idols thereof, that their boasting should bee in vaine of the church of God: for what was Rome, e∣uen from her birth, but a Citie builte in parricide, then strengthened with robberie, and made a sanc∣tuarie for murderers of all nations? What was it after, but a slaughter-house of the martyrs of God? And what is it in oures and our fathers dayes, but the Queene of pride, the nurse of idolatries, the mo∣ther of whoredomes, the sincke of iniquitie, out of which sorceries, witchcrafts, poysonings, adulteries, rebellions, and bloudie warres, haue ouerflowed the whole earth.

I lye not on them (dearely beloued,) neither they them selues can accuse mee, if any of them heare what I say.

A thousand testimonies I haue of this, out of their owne stories, and ten thousand ryming verses * 1.5 haue beene made against them, for their greate ini∣quitie: by example of one, learne the residue.

A hundred and fourtie yeeres past, one sayth of Rome, and of the Pope thus:

Imatenet Iupiter, c•…•…lum habet Pluto: Et accedit dignitas animali bruto: Tanquam gemma stercort aut pictura Iuto.

We haue brought GOD into Hell, and the diuel into heauen, dignitie is now added to a brute beast, as a pearle to a dounghil, or a faire picture to a peece of dyrt. Euen such as these are, and no better, a thousande testimonies are of the Church of Rome, all which, if we coulde not beleeue, yet let vs beleeue our owne eyes: we haue seene his wicked dispensations, the brother to marrie his brothers wife, & the sister to marrie her sisters husbande, the vncle to marrie his neece, and the nephue to marrie his aunt. Wee haue seene his bulles to make the subiects rebell against their prin∣ces: we haue seene his stues in open & knowen pla∣ces. The Turke hath no more defiled Ierusalem, then the Pope hath defiled Rome: and all the altars of Mahomet are not so vncleane, as the Popes reue∣rend altars, whiche serue for Sodomites: and as the Popes honourable churches, in which they nourish vp amorous boyes. Nulla hie arcana ro•…•…elo, Mantuan saith: I speak no secrets, the world knoweth this wel enough. And yet, if they will boaste, The Church of Rome, the Church of Rome, shall wee still beleeue them? or shall we rather beleeue the Apostle: that y^e church of God is not neither Rome, nor not Rome: but in Rome and out of Rome, the men that feare God are the Church of Christ.

And let this be our first lesson, heere taught vs by the apostle, The church of God is not found by pla∣ces and countries: it is but a foolish thing to say, Here is Christ, or there is Christ: he is in the desert, or he is in the towne: but as where the carcase is, there are the Eagles: so where are men that beleeue

in Christ, there is his Church. This is the Apostles meaning, when he saith: Whose house are we.

Now as we haue learned to seeke the church, not in places, but in the harts of men, so in the words fo∣lowing, the men are also described, that by their marks we may know them from other men of the world, which are not of the house of God, but an as∣semblie of y^e wicked. It followeth: If we hold stedfast the confidence and reioycing of our hope, vntill the end.

Here the Apostle setteth downe three especiall marks and properties, by which the Churche and children of God are knowne: the first is the ioy of their hope, the seconde the assurance of it, the third the constancie and perseuerance vnto the end. The ioy of our hope is, a present feelinge of immorta∣litie and the glorie of God, which the holie Ghost kindleth in our hearts, & filleth vs with all heauenly gladnes, according to the promises preached in the worde of trueth, which is his Gospel.

And let vs not thinke, but that God hathe done thus with vs, whom he hath chosen to eternall life. He hath prepared our hearts to know and feele his vnspeakable gifte, which he hath giuen vs: for if we should bestow any gifte vpon men, we are not so vnwise to giue a precious thing vnto him y^t knows not what it is: we would not giue him a Diamond that would thinke it to be a piece of glasse: nor wee would not giue him a pearle, that would thinke it to be a graine of salt: for so we should leese both our labour and our thankes. And shal we thinke the Lord wil so bestow his heauenly blessings? will he

giue his gifts to those that know them not, who can not giue him againe the praise of his goodnes? no, he will neuer do it, but as Peter sayth, he hath taken vs for his owne people, to the ende we should shewe * 1.6 forth his vertues, that hath called vs out of darknes into his maruelous light: & therefore, if we bee in the couenant of his grace, appointed to the inheri∣tance of his glorie, it is impossible wee should not feele the comfort of it, and know the height & brea∣dthe of his great mercie and grace. If there be a bar∣ren and fruitlesse man, that knoweth nothing of all this, in whose eares the sound of the name of God hath neither feare nor reuerence, and in whose heart his knowledge hath neither ioy nor gladnes, he is yet a straunger from the church of God, and cannot challenge anie part or fellowship of the Gospell of Christe: for while he can feele no greater pleasure then of bodily delite, his eye to see, his eare to heare, his mouth to taste, his skin to touch, why is not the oxe as good as he? for these thinges are vnto the oxe as well as vnto him: or if honour, riches, authoritie credite, fauour, be the things he loue moste, and in which he hath greatest comfort: what is he better then the Paganes & infidels that were before him, in whome this desire was as much, and this delight muche more abounding then vnto vs? for we, in re∣specte of them are beggerly tenants: and they in re∣specte of vs were monarches of the whole worlde. If these things coulde make the house of God: the house of God were among the beastes of the field, or among sauage people worse then beastes, whose

desires, if they be our desires, and their delightes, if they be our delights, we shalbe of them, and they of vs: but the house of God shalbe of neither of both: for in the house of God is this hope y^t we speak of: a feeling (I say) of Gods glorie, in whiche we haue pleasure more then in all the worlde. Let vs take an example of Paule in steede of manie, he protesteth thus: I accompt all the world to be losse vnto mee: * 1.7 yea, I accompt it but as doung, to the ende I may winne Christe: haue thou this heart, and thou hast peace, and thou hast sealed it, that thou art of the house of God: and this is it that the Apostle tea∣cheth vs heere in these wordes: if we holde this re∣ioycing of our hope stedfast vnto the end.

Another thinge heere to be learned, if wee will knowe our selues to be this house and Churche of God, is that as we holde this hope, so we must hold it stedfast, and without wauering, vnto the end: for so the Apostle sayth: We must haue stedfast assu∣raunce of our hope: he calleth it in the sixt chapter, A full persuasion of hope. Sainct Paule calleth it, His in∣tentiue hope, a hope, in which he shall neuer bee frus∣trate. * 1.8 So that this assurance, and ful persuasion, is in a true and liuing hope, and it casteth out mistruste and wauering, euen as fayth doth: for fayth & hope cannot be separate, neither in nature nor propertie: but if you haue fayth, you haue hope: and as your faith is, so is your hope: a sure faith, a liuely hope: a wauering faith, a blinde hope: for our faith is a per∣suasion of y^e loue of God in Christ, & our hope is an apprehēsiō of y^e glory which by y^t loue is giuē to vs.

It can not be that we should knowe the loue and grace of God, which is our faith, but we must know the fruit of his loue, that is, his glorie, & eternal life, which is our hope: if therfore we be sure, God doth loue vs in Iesu Christe, wee are also sure that God will glorifie vs through Iesu Christe: and as our fayth reioyceth in Gods fauour, so our hope reioy∣ceth in Gods glorie: and as our faith is sure that no∣thing shall separate the loue of God from vs, so our hope: longeth after the incorruptible inheritaunce which we feele and knowe is laide vpp in heauen. So this constancie and boldenes of our hope, with∣out wauering, laid vp in our breastes, and crying stil within vs, Come Lorde Iesu, this hope is our warrant we be the house of God. And all this I speake more plainely & in mo words, because there are so many which either cannot or will not vnderstande it: for they conceiue no other thinge when wee speake of hope, but a desire to haue a thing wherof we doubt, & if we aske of thē, whether they be sure to be sa∣ued through Christ, they will answer they can haue no assurance, for thē how could they hope? thus they make them a hope of their owne, a new hope which the Church of God knoweth not, a doubtfull desire of a thing they wishe, in steade of a present feelinge of the thing they long for. But let vs be wise hear∣ted, and knowe before the Lord (as the Apostle here plainely teacheth vs) that we be the house of God, if wee holde the reioycing of our hope stedfast, and sure vnto the ende: and if there bee an other people which haue cast their hope from them, and taken in

stead of it a new fancie, worldly minded mē, which bring our worldly speeche to measure the trueth of God, because in worldly things, we say we hope of that which we can not surely tell whether we shall haue or no: therefore to make also the hope of sal∣uation, a desire in vs, whereof we are vncerteine: if (I say) there be any such people, let them boast they are the church, yet we know they are not y^e church, but an absurde people: for let them aunswere mee but this one question. I aske of them whether they be sure they are the church of God or no? if they be not, sure they be blinde leaders of the blind: & shall we follow them who knowe not whether they go? If they be sure, doe they thinke the Church of God can perish? if it cannot, the hope of it is sure, and no man can come into it, but he must haue his portion in this assurance of hope. And al this I speake not as though Gods children are euerie one, and alwayes in this assurance, for sometime their faith is weake, and their hope is shadowed, that they might hum∣ble them selues vnder the hand of God, till they doe acknowledge their owne vnworthines: and hunger and thirst after the righteousnes of Christ: but in all their weakenesse, they wil confesse their sinne, and say, they ought more assuredly to holde their hope: onlie this I say, and this the Apostle sayth, this is the doctrine of the house of God, that they ought to holde the reioycing of their hope stedfast, and sure vnto the ende: and this doctrine, that our hope is doubtfull, and can not haue anie assuraunce of the thing we hope for, this (I say) is not the doctrine of

Christ, nor of the house y^t he hath built, but of some other, an Idols house, & house of idolaters, y^• either knowe not whether their God be faithful & iust, or but a deceiuer: or whether thēselues should beleeue his promises, or rather mistrust them. And thus farr of the church as here the Apostle hath described it.

Now, the third thing which we must here marke for our instruction, is perseuerance: for so he sayth: We m•…•…st holde our reioycing continuall vnto the ende. A most necessarie thing, and such as without which all our labour is lost: but a thing hard to atteine vnto, & ful of difficultie: know it by the experience of it: for scarce one of a great many doth grow vp into seruēcie of zeale, & so cōtinueth vnto the end. And ther∣fore the more daunger is vnto vs in this behalfe, the more watchful we must be to auoyd the perill. Let vs first know it, & persuade our selues in it, there is no pleasing of God, but in this perseuerāce vnto the end: for euen as the prophet sayth, so we shal find it true: If y^e righteous man of an hundred yere old shal forsake his righteousnes, y^e Lord wil also forget al y^• righteousnes y^• he hath done: and a most iust cause why our sinnes should be imputed, if at any time we should faint & fall away: for he y^• can measure his o∣bedience to God by dayes & yeeres, & accompteth times how long he wil walke before the Lord, he is not worthie to be reckoned amonge his seruantes, nor to be one of Gods children: for God is not as men are, nor his rewardes are as the rewardes of princes: hee measureth not his giftes, by such skant accomptes of yeeres, and moneths, and times past, as though at last he could be enuious at our prospe∣ritie,

but he filleth his hande with blessing, and his loue with immortalitie, neither is there any ende of his mercie: and if we shall come to such cold rec∣koning, to score vp our yeares and number our do∣ings, like prentices or hired mē, let vs go serue some God that againe scoreth vp his benefites, and with an euil eye loketh vppon his louers: let vs worshippe with the papists al their abhominations: Saint Cor∣nellis, who can only keepe vs from the falling sick∣nes: S. Apolline, who wil helpe vs of the toothache: or some other Gods of the mounteines, or Gods of the vallies: if thou haue suche a God, that can do so litle good, make thy bargeine therafter, and serue him, by times & moments. But if thou serue y^• Lord God of hostes, whose mercie is ouer all his workes, and whose infinite goodnesse doth endure for euer, thou seruest a bountifull Lord, who giueth thee all things, & vpbraideth none: & thou maiest not be a nigardly seruant, to giue vnto him either thy hand or thy foot, but all is of him, & withal y^• must serue him. Thou seruest a louing lord, who wil not cha•…•…g his fauour towards thee for euermore: & thou maist not serue him by account of days, but to y^e last houre thou must euer be faithfull. A perfect God, a perfect seruant: an euerlasting God, a perpetuall seruant: if thou fall at the last, thou art fallen from him, and not he from thee: & thy condēnation is of thy self. Therfore our sauiour Christ hath giuen vs a cleare warning: that He that setteth his hand•…•… to the plowe * 1.9 and looketh backward, he is not meete for the kingdome of heauē: but thus his promise is vnto vs: He that perse∣nereth * 1.10 vnto the ende, he shalbe safe: and in this assurance

Sainct Paule helde the reioycing of his hope: I haue * 1.11 strouen a good strise. I haue finished my course. I haue kept my faith. Now the crowne of righteousnes onely is behinde, which he will giue mee, who is the righ∣teous iudge. Euen •…•…o (dearely beloued) let vs be constant, let vs cast away the burthen that presseth vs downe, and this sinne which so easily compas∣seth vs about, and let vs runne with patience all out the race which is set before vs: so we shalbe like vn∣to our sauiour Christ, who for the ioye that was set before him, did despise the crosse, and is nowe the authour and finisher of our faith.

The greatest enimie we haue to make vs slum∣ble and fall, that we should not holde this constan∣cie, and perseuerance vnto the ende, is, our owne fleshe. And if it may haue any rule in this worke, or if we consult with it in these heauenlie thinges, wee are vndone, and all our labour is lost: for our fleshe will like of nothing long. All delightes must haue their change, and the greater the pleasure is, the nee∣rer is safetie, in any thing what so euer apperteineth vnto the bodie. Wouldest thou neuer so faine sell thy selfe to serue any thing, thou shalt finde no∣thing that will giue thee a perpetual pleasure, to buy thy seruice: hunger & thirst are soone satisfied, the heauie cyclid is easily filled with sleepe, labour hath wearinesse, and rest is soone tedious: all play and pastim•…•…, whiche so many make the crowne and garland of their life, this also is dullnesse in a lit∣tle while, and this garlande is as withered hay: an other thinge must come to take this vp, or

rather then this should be still, we would neuer play while we liued.

Thus, as the night doeth ouertake the day, and the day doth driue away the night; so our worldly pleasures runne one after an other, and the best of them all do not endure long. Euen as Solomō sayth, The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor y^e eare with * 1.12 hearing: but be the tune neuer so sweete, at last wee desire another. This flesh and fleshly minde, if wee shall bring to our religion, can we (think you) per∣seuere in the profession of it? We cannot: no more then the Cat of the mounteine can change her spots, or the black Moore can change his colour. If there∣fore we will holde this excellent vertue of perseue∣rance vnto the ende, let vs make a good beginning: euen that God (who chaungeth not) with his holie spirite which neuer forsaketh vs, may kindle our heartes with the loue of his trueth, which shall nor be quenched for euermore.

This it is I say: let this be our comming vnto the Gospel, in this preparation of our heart, that our heauenlie Father, the God of all grace, may giue vs his spirite, that we may loue his trueth vnto eter∣nall life, This beginning shall haue stil increase, and haue at the last a perfect worke: but if this bee not it, if the loue of God be not all wee looke for, if am∣bition, authoritie, riches, prayse of men: if any fleshly affection be with vs, when we haue our pur∣pose, our woorke is at an ende. Or, if by occasion the Gospel shall hinder this purpose, our religion is at an ende, fare well the Gospel, Booke and all: wee

beginne to sing, a new maister, a newe. But ô man blind and folish! What is thy glorie but in shame? and what is thy song but lamentations and mour∣ning and woe? Thou hast gotten, in deede, a newe maister: for thou haste forsaken God, who is from the beginning: and seruest the croked serpent, who was an Apostata afore thee: and yet thou haste no newe maister, but whome before tho•…•… seruedst in hypocrisie, him now thou seruest in vanitie, and he holdeth thee bound, euen as he will him selfe.

Let vs take heede (dearely beloued) and neuer be ouertaken of such a shame. Let vs feele our hope, reioyce in it, loue the glorie that is set before vs, in∣large our heartes to comprehend immortalitie, and with all our soule serue the God of glorie. Let vs de∣light in his statutes, & iudgementes, and make them our songes in the night season: so we shall knowe we be the house of God: we shall haue this perseue∣raunce, whereof I haue spoken, and we shall not be confounded for euer. Now, let vs pray &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Cor. 3. 16.
• * 1.2

  1. Cor. 6. 16.
• * 1.3

  2. Cor. 6. 16.
• * 1.4

  Ephe. 2. 19.
• * 1.5

  Citatur. Ca al test. ve•…•…. to 535.
• * 1.6

  1. Pet. 2. 9
• * 1.7

  Phil. 3. 8.
• * 1.8

  Ca. 6. 12. Phil. 1. 20.
• * 1.9

  Luke.
• * 1.10

  Matth. 24.
• * 1.11

  1. Tim.
• * 1.12

  Eccle. 1. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.