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

The xxj. Lecture, vpon the residue of the chapter, the 14. 15. & 16. verses.

14 Seeing then that we haue a geat high priest, which is en∣tred into Heauen, euen Iesus the sonne of God, let vs holdefast our profession.

15 For we haue not an hye Priest, which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all thinges temped in like sorte, yet without sinne.

16 Let vs therfore go boldely vnto the throne of grace, that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to help in time of neede.

WE haue heard (dearely beloued) howe the Apostle hath taught, that Christe is nowe our onely Prophet, & what care we should haue, diligently and faithfully to harken vnto him, if we will not be guiltie before God, of great condemnation and iudgement. The reasons are of the Apostle to proue him our onely Prophet: first, because God sending his onely begotten sonne into the worlde, made man like vnto vs and reuealing the will of his fa∣ther vnto vs, the excellencie of his person inforceth vs to confesse, that God ordeyneth him alone to be our Prophet.

Againe, he was faithful in the house of God, and then what nedeth any other prophet vnto vs? third∣ly, he was more honourable then Moses in this of∣fice, & many wayes to be preferred afore him: ther∣fore no other Prophet is to bee ioyned with him. Fourthly the Prophet Dauid said: To day if you hear

his voice, &c. which we must needes vnderstand, to be a perpetuall prophesie, and therefore accompli∣shed in Christ, whome we must heare, if we wil be∣leeue, and be saued. Last of all, the force & strength of the word of God, is such, as it must needes war∣rant the maiestie of God in Christ the author of it: and as n one other hath that glory, so none to be our prophet but he alone; vnto all those reasons he hath added, as you haue heard, ernest exhortatiōs, to giue more weight vnto them, for the better persuasion of his brethren, to whome he writeth,

Nowe, he beginneth the other principall point of this first part of the Epistle, that is, to proue that Christ is our only priest, which disputation he con∣tinueth to the eleuenth chapter, as we shal (god wil∣ling) heare. He beginneth it firste with an exhorta∣tion, as he vsed the like often before, and, as I saide: to make vs more carefully regarde his woordes. Sith thē, we haue a great high priest, who hath entred into heauen, Iesus the sonne of God: let vs hold this professiō: the force of this exhortation, is in the excellencie of the priesthood of Christe, secretely compared with the priesthood of Aaron, who was in nature their bro∣ther, in person weake as other men, in office, earthly, entring into a tabernacle made with hangs, in vertue, a figure of a better sacrificer, himselfe not profiting at all: but Christ is another highe priest in nature the sonne of GOD: in qualitie, great and full of glorie: in office heauenly, entering before God to be our mediatour: in vertue, holie and perfect himselfe, to purge our sinnes. This

the Apostle noteth, calling him, high priest, greate, entring into heauen, and the sonne of God: and so much the more we are guiltie before him, if we shal not holde fast, and professe all his instruction and doctrine. Now, least we should thinke the Apostles exhortation is weake, and that he taketh it for graū∣ted, which is in controuersie (for he calleth our saui∣our Christ high priest, which yet it seemeth he hath not proued) we must consider what hath beene spo∣ken before, and so we shall see good argumentes in this exhortation for the proof of his cause. He hath taught him to be the sonne of God, made man, re∣uealinge vnto vs the counsell of his father, purcha∣sing a most glorious inheritance for vs, and setting vs free from the bondage of the diuel, in which wee were holden vnder the feare of death, which things before witnessed of our Sauiour Christ, and neces∣sarily prouing him, for the same cause, to be our priest, according to that trueth, in the beginning of this disputation: he calleth him, our great highe priest. So he beganne before the thirde chapter: Con∣sider holie brethren, the Apostle and high priest of our pro∣fession: not yet hauing particularly spoken of those offices, but calling him by those names: because, ac∣cording to y^e description of his person before made, it must needes followe, that he was both our priest and Prophet.

Another argument of his priesthood, is, that hee was here in earth, afflicted as we be, submitting him selfe to death, from which he is risen, and nowe as∣cended into heauen: therefore he is our priest, cru∣cified

for our sinnes, risen for our iustification, and making now Intercession for vs before God his fa∣ther. Thus we see vpon howe good warrant the A∣postle in the beginning exhorteth them to acknow∣ledge Christ their priest: and thus muche touching this entraunce of the Apostle, into this disputation, and why he vseth such wordes.

Now, touching the matter. To teach that our sa∣uiour Christ is our onely priest, he first sheweth by the workes of Christ, what is the office of the true priest, and that is: that hee be greate and stronge to beare all our infirmities: then, that hee make an en∣trance for vs vnto God induing vs now with saith & boldenesse of his spirit: and finally, giuing vs his grace and saluation: which things, as they were ne∣uer in Aaron, nor in all the sonnes of Leuie, so they haue clearely appeared in Christe, and therfore with boldnesse let vs cleaue vnto him: to this effecte is this exhortation. Now, where he saith: Sith therfore we haue a great high priest, who hath entred into the hea∣uens, Iesus the sonne of God, let vs holde this profession: I would we could heere learne of the Apostle, to bee wise. The excellencie of our sauiour Christ, both of his person, and of his doings, was a strong persua∣sion vnto him to giue glorie vnto Christ alone. Se∣ing Christe was the sonne of God, full of power to doe all he would, who had entred into the presence of his liuing father: what man is he shall ioyne him selfe vnto him, to claime a parte and fellowshipp in that worke, which Christe hath taken vppon him selfe? or, who that may haue his hope and reioycing

in Christ, wil cast it off, to glorie in a mortall man•…•… this madnesse was so greate in the Apostles eyes, that as a thing which it grieued him to remember, so he besecheth his brethren neuer to let it sink into them: but rather, seeing Christ was vnto them such a one, let them abide in him, & hold fast his profes∣sion. Thus we at this day, let vs strengthē our faith, and aunswer all our aduersaries: if the question be, whether iustification bee in our owne woorkes, let vs say: seing Christ the sonne of the liuing God, hath beene conceiued of the holie Ghost, and borne of a virgine, and sanctified himselfe for vs, fulfilling all righteousnesse in his flesh, and offering vs freely of his fulnesse to be made holie before God, we will holde this profession: and wee that are but dust, and full of euill, wee will not ioyne our selues with so excellent a sauiour: we renounce our righteousnesse and the righteousnesse of our fathers, the righteous∣nesse of Abraham, of Paule, of Peter, of the virgin Marie: and the righteousnesse of Christe shalbe our righteousnesse alone. If wee be asked, whether the Masse be a sacrifice for our sinne, let vs aunswer: see∣ing Christ the immaculate lambe of God, by his e∣ternall spirit, hath offered vp once his owne bodie vppon the crosse, and giuen eternall redemption to those that doe beleeue: if an impure priest of pollu∣ted members, will presume to bee one in this busi∣nesse: let his sinnes be imputed vnto him, who with vnchaste handes, will needes crucifie againe the sonne of God: we will none of his cursed workes, but will holde our profession. Christ is our sacrifice

and sacrificer alone: & he is the pro pitiation for our sinnes. So in all other poinctes: if Christ who came downe from heauen, and is in the bosome of his fa∣ther, hathe taken vpon him to be our prophet, let vs holde this profession, and not care what fleshe and bloud can say vnto vs. If Christ, to whom all pow∣er is giuen in Heauen and in Earth, who is King of glorie, and sitteth on the right hand of maiestie in the highest places, if he haue taken vpon him to lose the workes of the diuel, and set vs free from his bondage, why holde we not this profession? or why runne we to holie water, belles, candels, cros∣ses, and such vanities: as though they holped Christ in his worke? Or if all our enimies thinke they can connute this, that here we say, let them aun∣swer vs: howe is the reason of the Apostle good a∣gainst the priesthod of Aaron, that it is abolished, & no other sacrifices are, but Christ? because he is so excellent a priest, the sonne of God, the greate high priest, and hath entred the heauens. If this digni∣tie of his person, proue the priesthod onely to bee his, why doth not the same proue all these thinges we speake of, to be done & wrought by him alone? or how is it possible, that his priesthood, for the ex∣cellencie of it, cannot stand with the priesthood of Aaron, which yet was glorious: and that it shoulde stande with the filthy stinking priesthood of a grea∣sie handed pope, which is loathsome to see & heare▪ or how can his glorie beare no fellowe in his priest∣hod, & yet beare the fellowship or any partenership with other, in the office of a Kinge and pro∣phet? Seeing then it is thus withvs, that wee be

glorified to haue such a priest, so high, so greate, let vs holde (as the Apostle saith) his profession, and ac∣knowledge no helpers vnto him. Thus the Apostle hauing shewed the dignitie and glorie of Christ our priest in the 15. verse following, he sheweth also his mercie and compassion, that we may knowe him a perfect priest: and for this cause he addeth this, least the weake Iewes should otherwise be offended, and fall at the knowledge of his glorie: for hearing our Sauiour Christe exalted as God, they would easily thinke: and shall the Lord againe speake vnto vs? do we not remember the dayes of mount Sinai, when he spake vnto them, and they were all afraide? yea, Moses himselfe, did he not tremble, and the people pray, that they might heare him no more? shal it be so agiane with vs? or, hath the Lord spoken, and we haue not seene his maiestie? to stop this, or like of∣fence, the Apostle addeth this, of his compassion & loue: for we haue not a high priest: which cānot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all things tem∣pted in like sorte▪ yet without sinne: the summe of which words are, that as we acknowledge Christe to bee the sonne of God: so we also beleeue that he was made man like vnto vs: and in this participation of nature, hath taken also vpon him, al our infirmities, accounting them as his owne: so that we may be bolde to come vnto him, who is no more fearfull in the glorie of his maiestie, but louing, in y^• similitude of our nature. And that it is said here, he suffereth with vs, is tempted as we, made like vs in all things: we must vnderstand it, by reason of that spirituall

and vnspeakable coniunction which we haue with him, in that he is our head, and we are his members, a vnitie not knowen of fleshe and bloud: for it is not made of ioynts and sinewes, but seene onely with the eyes of faith, according as it standeth by parti∣cipation of the same spirite: and when we shal know what the spirite is, we shall see the band in whiche we are knitt together, and be able to speake it, howe Christ now suffereth with vs, and howe the afflic∣tions of his sainctes are suche vnto him, as if they were in his own bodie, euen as he saith: Saule, Saule, why persecutest thou me? by which experience, the apo∣stle Paule also, calleth his afflictions the afflicti∣ons of Christ: in which we are to learne: if God haue so loued vs, we ought also to loue our brethrē, to remember them that are oppressed, as if we also were oppressed in bodie: and to reioyce with those that do reioyce, as if our owne hearts were filled with gladnesse: & a iust iudgement is vnto them all, who hauing Christ such an example of loue, cā yet notwithstanding hate their brethren.

And here we also learne, whatsoeuer afflictions are, yet are they lesse then the strength giuen vnto * 1.1 vs: neither shall they euer turne the loue of God from vs: for all afflictions, without exception, Christ suffereth with vs. We see by Paule: howe many, howe greate, howe aboue measure were his troubles by sea, by lande, of friendes, of enimies, in bodie, in spirite: yet calleth he them al the afflic∣tions of Christe, and his suffering. Lazarus, in all his pouertie, sicknesse, sores, suffered nothing, wher∣in

Christ was not partaker of his griefe: if y^e paines and miseries of patient Iob, were nowe vppon any man, euen Iob fealt nothing which Christ fealt not with him: for while this mysterie is, which is for e∣uer, y^t Christ is the head & we the body, how shuld the bodie be hurt, and the head not touched with the paine of it? Let vs not then care what crosses we beare, for as there is none more shamefull then the crosse of Christe, so all ours are accounted as his. If we be poore, sicke, contemned, imprisoned, or whatsoeuer is the fruite of sinne, God is not as man, to turne his face from such children, but we are the dearer in his sight, & cucric crosle sealeth the loue of * 1.2 Christ, that he suffereth this with vs, to the ende hee might neuer caste vs away: euen as he was made sinne for vs, who knewe no sinne, that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him. Who nowe can be discouraged with the afflictions of his life? or be enuious against the wicked man, if wee see his dayes full of peace and prosperitie? No, no, these be but broken weapons, and can not enter to the hurt of our soule: only let vs take heede of sinne, that it reigne not, nor haue any kingdome in vs: for therein, Christ hath taken no part, and by it onely we are separate from him, as by that with which he will haue no felowshippe.

And where it is heere saide, that our Sauiour Christ was like vnto vs in all things, except sinne, it is a cleare place to teache vs, what to beleeue of the * 1.3 true humanitie of our sauiour Christ: leaue off foo∣lish and vaine questions, in which there is no edifi∣cation:

dispute not of particular things, this or that, wherin thy foolishe minde may fall into heresie, * 1.4 and thy foolish heart may take offence, but beleeue it stedfastly that thou haste learned truely, that in all things Christ was like vnto thee (sinne only excep∣ted:) if any thing bee spoken of his humanitie, not agreeing with this, it is false, and to bee refu∣sed.

It foloweth now in the last verse: Let vs therfore go with boldnesse vnto the throne of grace, that we may ob∣teine mercie, & finde grace to help in time of nede: In these wordes the Apostle concludeth, wherefore hee hath thus magnified the priesthood of Christe, and what benefite we haue by it, that is: to go with boldnesse vnto the throne of God, and knowe our selues assu∣redlie reconciled vnto him: in consideration of which excellent & vnspeakable benefite, he maketh his conclusion by way of exhortation, that wee might neuer bee slacke and slouthfull to receiue so great a blessing, nor by any vnthankfulnesse shewe our vnworthnesse of it. Now, in these wordes are manie especiall good lessons for vs to learne: firste, were hee saith: Let vs goe: which exhortation hee groundeth vpon the former wordes, that Christ (as hee said) is entred into the Heauens: we must here learne to applie it to our selues, all that Christe hath done, as in deede he did it not for his owne cause, but for ours: and we learne how it belongeth vnto vs, euen as it is wrought by Christe in our nature, whose members we are.

And thus, what so euer we can see in Christ that

he hath done, and what soeuer glorious promises are made vnto him: let vs knowe our vnitie that we haue with him, & all blessings, that they are ours. If he haue ouercome sinne, we haue also ouercome it. If he haue vanquished death, we haue vanquished it also. If he haue risen from the dead, wee shall rise al∣so. If hee haue ascended into Heauen, we shall as∣cende. If he sitt on the right hand of maiestie, wee shall also be glorified, and see God as he is: for wee be ioyned all vnseparably vnto him, as the head is ioyned vnto the bodie, by the wonderfull mysterie of Gods wisdome, who hath made him of our na∣ture and giuen vnto vs of his spirite: and in this fe∣lowship with him which he hath giuen vs, there is nothing so greate, but hee hath giuen vs with him: the righteousnesse of all his woorkes, and glorie of all his inheritaunce, with him is ours, and wee are also Lordes ouer all: whether it be Paule, or whe∣ther Appollo, or whether it bee Cephas: whether the world, whether it be life, or whether it be death: whether things present, or whether things to come: all things are ours, and we are Christes, and Christe is Gods.

Thus we must apple it, and make it ours, whiche Christ hath giuen vs: euen as the Apostle saith of this, that Christ is our high preist & mediatour: let vs therefore go vnto the throne of grace.

An other thinge wee must heere note, that the Apostle exhorteth vs, to goe with boldenesse, tea∣ching vs, that a constant persuasion, and good as∣suraunce of Gods fauour, doe highly commende

our prayers vnto God: and without it, we are like vnto the flouds and waues of the sea, which are rou∣led * 1.5 vp and downe with the winde: and our hope with God is frustrate. Now, this boldnesse which is thus necessarie for vs, we must learne likewise, both how we haue it, and what it bringeth vnto vs: how we haue it, we canne no way better learne, then by the Apostle him selfe, who making a∣gaine this selfe same exhortation, in the tenth chap∣ter following, saith thus. Seeing we haue this great high priest, the ruler ouer the house of God, let vs go vnto him, with a true hart & ful persuasion of faith, hauing our harts sprinkled frō an euil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water: this is then the boldnesse with which we approche vnto God, stedfastly to beleeue, that with the bloud of Christ, our mindes are washed frō im∣pure thoughtes, and our bodies from sinne. This S. Paule also teacheth in plaine and manifest wordes: in Christ (saith he) we haue this freedome and entrance * 1.6 with boldnesse, through faith in him: and in another place he saith, this must needes be thus, that by faith one∣ly we should haue this accesse vnto God, else (saith hee) the promise of God, coulde not be sure and good vnto all the seede of Abraham: for he was a father of manie nations, euen of such as were vn∣circumcised, & to whom the lawe was not written, * 1.7 therefore to the ende that Iewe and Gentile might both inherit this blessing, it must needes be by faith & not by workes. So then, thus farre we are taught by the Apostle, that if we receiue Iesus Christ to be our high priest, our only way to enter with him in∣to

the heauens, is by faith: & our faith hath boldnes and full persuasion, in which it is accepted accor∣ding to that which is written: God hath not giuen * 1.8 vs the spirite of feare againe vnto bondage: but God hath giuen vs the spirite of adoption, by which * 1.9 we crie, Abba, Father. Here (dearly beloued) let vs learne to discerne spirits, & to trie whether they be of God, or no: Euerie spirit that confesseth Christ to be our only mediatour, is of God: for by him wee haue libertie through faith, to go with boldnes vn∣to the throne of grace. And euerie spirite that de∣nieth Christ to be our onely mediatour, is not of God, but it is the spirit of Antichrist, of whome we haue heard, that he is entred into the world: for god * 1.10 dwelleth in light which no creature can approch vn to, neither hath any man seene him, nor cā see him, * 1.11 but only by Christ, through one spirite we haue all entrance vnto him. These (dearly beloued) they are y^• words of the scripture, they are not the wordes of man: & whē you are in place, obiect them vnto the papists, see what one word they are able to answer, who in times past, haue told you yet of a great num¦ber of mediatours, confessours, martyrs, Saints, An∣gels, Archangels, euerie one in his degree, they haue made them mediatours, and besought them to leade vs vnto God. I beelie them not, tenne thousand of their bookes are yet to see, & tenne thousand pray∣ers in them, in which they haue done this wicked∣nesse. Aske them, & bid them speake plaine, what one woord haue they of defence for this dooinge? surely (dearly beloued) I tel you the trueth, not one

worde they can speake, which is a word of trueth, a word of righteousnesse, a worde of life, a worde (I meane) of God, to which you may trust: a fonde fansie they haue found of their owne, as hee that dreameth doth tell a dreame: and they say there are two mediatours, one of intercession, an other of re∣demption: beside the foolishnesse of this speache, a mediatour of intercession, which you may as wel call an intercessour of mediation: for intercessour and mediatour, are both one: beside this (I say) ma∣nifest follie, let them name any Apostle, prophet, or Euangelist, vpon whome we must build and stand, that euer mentioned any such thinge: let them tell of whome they learned it: sure they wil not, they are starke dumbe: they knowe they haue no Scripture, no not a word, & of their schoolemaisters, in deede, they are ashamed: but I wil tel you who they be, and they shall not denie it, except they bee as shamelesse as they of whome they are learned. The Gods of the Gentiles, which are diuels, they had this woor∣shipp amongst them: these diuels amonge them selues, they which were reputed of the lower sorte were made, as meanes to come vnto the higher, whereof also they were called Dij medioximi, that is Gods only for intercession: and Gentiles bookes are ful of examples, how these thinges were practised: as if Neptune would speake to Iupiter, hee made Mercurie his meanes and intercessour, and such like toyes, which shall bee abolished, and tholo∣uers of them. And wee may see, howe GOD hath recompenced this their euill vnto them:

for, where this is the comforte of a Christian man, to haue peace towarde God, and which is giuen vs, by hauing Christe our only mediatour, they who haue made so manie coulde neuer finde it, but still they are in suspense and doubt, wauering & vncon∣stant in all their wayes, and this doubtfulnesse they begett and nourishe vnto them selues, while they seeke so many mediatours: and what else doe they but teach all their posteritie in choosing many me∣diatours, to haue confidence in none? Euen as the rebellious people of Israel, wearied them selues, running (as the prophet saith) like Dromedaries, to euery high hill, and euery greene tree, till they were weake and wearie, and their soules fainted in them, seeking peace and could finde none: and in deede, howe should they finde it? for though they follow∣ed a thousand Gods, yet was there but one, the God of peace, whome they had forsaken: so, though the Papists seeke a thousand mediatours, yet haue they no boldenesse to goe vnto God: for there is but one mediatour betwene God and vs, euen Iesus Christ, whome they for their Sainctes haue forsaken: for Christ wil be ioyned with no fellowes. And what a miserable brotherhood must they then needes be, which haue no peace, but feare and trembling is in their wayes?

Againe, wee haue heere to marke, that the pre∣sence of God, to which Christe leadeth vs, is called heere the Throne of grace: noting heereby, that by the merites of Christ we be brought vnto God, as before a iudge, who from his iudgement seate doth

acquite vs for euer, from al guiltinesse of our sinnes, and therefore called the throne of grace, because we be quit onely by grace and Gods free mercie: a monument of which loue he setteth before vs, in the name of the seate on which hee sitteth, and cal∣leth it the throne of grace: neither shall euer man be iustified before it, who bringeth with him bolde∣nesse of his owne woorkes, nature, kinred, or any thing, and looketh not only for his pardon by grace and mercie: neither can the Lord any more shewe mercie vnto him, that is proude of his owne selfe, then he can chaunge the propertie of his iudgement seate, to make it no more the throne of grace.

Now, it foloweth: That we may obteine mercie and finde grace to help: these wordes teache vs, what the throne of grace is, & what it offereth vnto vs: euen as we saide before, boldenesse and constancie, that we should not feare to goe vnto it. For, if it bee a throne of grace, that is, of fauour, of mercie, of loue, of forgiuenesse, of life: then can there not be in it, anger, guiltinesse, affliction of spirit, bondage, and feare of death: but as the Apostle saith here: it giueth vnto vs mercie, grace, and helpe, in the time of neede. Let vs not then say, as the Papistes say, that we ought to feare and doubt of Gods fauour, and fil our mouthes with blasphemie, as they haue done: to say, It is presumption, to come with boldenesse vnto the throne of grace: but let vs rather acknow∣ledge all the goodnesse of God, and confesse, that he hath set vp vnto vs a throne of grace, before whiche wee shall finde nothing but mercie, but pardon, but

forgiuenesse, but helpe: neither wil we euer despise his grace, to bring doutfulnesse or mistrust vnto it. If the Pope, who is a seruaunt of seruants, will sett vp an other throne of miserable bondage, of igno∣minie, of anger, of cruel death: let them feare before it, who list to go vnto it: for our parte, we haue once accurssed both the Pope & his throne, and we will neuer more endanger our selues vnto the censure of it. That which the Apostle here addeth last: In time of neede: he applieth to that which he spake so much of before, To day, noting (as I tolde you thē) that euen now while yet the Gospell is preached, the oppor∣tunitie of time is, in which we must be faithfull, and inherit, as it were, the firste fruites of eternall life, which time neglected cannot be called back againe, though we should wish it with teares: and therefore let vs regarde it, now while it is offered, knowinge this, that God hath not ordeyned a throne of grace, but for those which finde their helpe and comforte in due time. And let vs pray, that God would lightē our mindes, that wee may be wise, to knowe the time of our calling, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Our a•…•…c∣tions lesse then the stren•…•…h th•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.2

  2. Coi. 5. 21.
• * 1.3

  What wee must bee leeue of
• * 1.4

  the true humanity of Christ.
• * 1.5

  Iac. 1. 6.
• * 1.6

  Ephe. 3. 12.
• * 1.7

  Rom. 1. 16.
• * 1.8

  Rom. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 15.
• * 1.9

  2. Tim. 1. 7.
• * 1.10

  1. Tim. 6. 19.
• * 1.11

  Ephe. 2. 18.