are spoken of as if there were but one voice in regard of the harmony and accord all speaking to the same effect not that the people vsed the same words which the Priests vsed But they did that which was their part to do and said Amen to the Priests blessing and that alowd from their hearts wishing themselues so happy Deuotion amongst our people is now growne so colde that many times in great congregations when the blessing is pronounced there is nothing but a little whispering few say Amen and speake out at the end of prayers But in former times when people were more deuout they made such a blessed noise in the Church when they said Amen that Saint Ierome likened it to the thunder and Saint Basil to the roring of the sea such a roring and thundring noise there was made by the Priests and people at this benediction Their voice was heard After this manner was the blessing performed And these are the circumstances obseruable in the first part of the Text. In the second first another name is giuen to this blessing secondly local motion is ascribed vnto it thirdly the terminus ad quem or place whither it passed is set downe For the first the name now giuen vnto it is prayer which sheweth how the Priests blessed the people not vainly and superstitiously by casting of holy water vpon them or by crossing with their fingers but by prayer and inuocation of the name of God for his blessing vpon them For the second it is said tauo it went which is spoken of prayer metaphorically Alluding as it seemeth to a messenger to which praier may be aptly compared for Veluti officio internuncij fungitur oratio pro nobis apud Deum prayer doth the office of a messenger for vs vnto God For the third the place whither it went hath two names giuen vnto it First his holy dwelling place or as it is in the Hebrew the habitation of his Holinesse secondly it is called Heauen For the first it importeth not that God had or hath need of any habitation as a man hath of a house to dwell in or that any created place whatsoeuer can containe the transcendent Maiesty of the Creator It is confest by Salomon that the heauens and the heauen of heauens cannot containe him 1. King 8. 27. But it hath pleased him of his abundant grace to condescend so farre as to haue his cohabitations where he hath decreed to dwell and to conuerse more familiarly with his creatures and to communicate his goodnes vnto them Our Sauiour speaketh of his Fathers house wherein there are many mansions that is his habitation or rather cohabitation aboue where he doth cohabit and familiarly conuerse with the Angels of light and on earth he alwayes had his dwelling places before the comming of Christ he had a materiall Temple called his house where it pleased him to manifest his presence continually and in euery good heart he dwelleth by his holy Spirit Now according to the adiunct or appellation of holines the Lord his dwelling place is holy what euer habitation he hath had or hath it was and is holy The Temple erected for him by Salomon was holy and he neuer dwelleth in any heart but that which is sanctifyed But to which habitation of his holines did this prayer ascend the other name putteth this out of doubt for the place whither it went is also called heauen Now heauen is a common name to diuers places and spaces First according to the Scriptures there is coelum elementare the sublunary or elementary heauen where the winds blow and the birds fly and the clouds hang and Comets and Meteors appeare that is not the heauen heere spoken of their prayer went vp higher then so Secondly there is coelum stellatum the heauens aboue where the Sun Moone and starres run their courses continually neither is this the heauen heere meant their prayer went higher then the starres Thirdly there is coelum supremum the highest heauens sometimes called the third heauens sometimes coelum coelorum the heauen of Heauens sedes beatorum the place where the blessed Angels liue with their Creator in al happines Thither went this happy messenger the prayer of the Priests All this tendeth to set foorth the singular acceptance which this sacerdotall benediction had with God it penetrated the clouds and had speedy passage thorow all places and present accesse vnto the King of glory It had as happy successe as Esther had when she went to Assuerus And hee held out his golden Scepter vnto her Esther 5. 2. And so it was both oratio benedicens and oratio benedicta a blessing prayer and a blessed prayer for it drew a blessing from the Lord vpon his people But why is heauen called his holy habitation and not rather his glorious habitation it being so glorious a place as it is I answere it may as well and aptly and vpon as good reason be called his holy habitation as his glorious habitation First because of all other his habitations it is the most holy the true Sanctum sanctorum as holy as glorious There is the holy Trinity resident there are the holy Angels and Saints there is no impure person nor impure action but all perfect purity and sanctity Secondly how euer carnall men loue impurity and hate holinesse Almighty God would haue vs to know that he is holy and that it is his glory that he is so and maketh all places so where hee dwelleth and all persons whom he admitteth to dwell with him And thirdly he would teach vs all not to please our selues as the most doe with speaking or thinking of the glory of heauen onely which they that are vnholy in heart and life shall neuer be the better for but specially to take notice of the absolute and perfect sanctity of that happy place Knowing that as many Mansions as there are prepared there yet there is no place for any that is a despiser of holinesse or of a defiled heart and conscience So ye see the Text being thorowly searched into and opened there is a world of matter and of good matter too not impertinent to the present audience if a man had time to discourse of all points arising from the words but breuitas semper grata aliquando necessaria as it is now when I should much forget my selfe if I should not remember those which had neede to be dismist not onely with benediction but with expedition I must therefore passe ouer many things worthy the handling and insist onely vpon the principall as the time will giue leaue The maine Theologicall position grounded from the Text is this that it belongeth to the publique Ministers of the Word by a peculiar prerogatiue to blesse the people in the name of the Lord and there is speciall power and vertue in the prayers and benedictions which proceede out of their mouthes Here the people were
A SERMON OF ECCLESIASTICAL BENEDICTION Preached at Oundle at a Visitation Apr. 14. 1619. by Master SAMVEL GIBSON Minister at Burleigh in Rutland DEVT. 10. 8. The Lord separated the Tribe of Leui to beare the Arke of the Couenant of the Lord to stand before the Lord to minister vnto him and to blesse in his name BY WISDOME PEACE BY PEACE PLENTY AT LONDON Imprinted by F. K. for William Barringer at the great North-doore of Pauls 1620. To the Reader CHristian Reader This Sermon ensuing being by command of publike Authority preached at a Visitation or publique meeting of Ministers gaue such content and comfort generally to all the Auditory both for the soundnesse of the matter and fitnesse of the argument and specially because it is a point so seldome so fully handled that many of vs fellow-labourers in the Ministerie haue beene earnest suiters to the Author and haue preuailed to commit it to Presse both to renew the memory of many good things then we heard and through our weakenesse lost them againe but chiefely that others might be made partakers of the same spirituall good things with our selues Wherein wee haue done much like those good natur'd Lepers 2. Kings 7. 9. who hauing once tasted and plentiously refreshed themselues with good things in the Aramites Tents were presently desirous to communicate the same with others also We do not well said they this day is a day of good tydings and we hold our peace if we tarry til day-light some mischiefe will meet vs. Now therfore come let vs go and tel it to others Knewest thou but the sufficiencie of the man of God that penned and spake it his sound knowledge in the Truth his good order of teaching his honest life cōuersation his good report with all men his wise peaceable discreet cariage of himself amidst our infinite distracting controuersies surely all these could not but sweetly allure thee or rather violently draw thee on to the perusing of this short Treatise The Author of it stands vp as a worthy Minister of God in the midst of foure other Brethren all the Sonnes of one Father all learned religious godly Preachers a happie Off-spring of Blessed Parents a liuely mirrour of Gods blessing vpon such as consecrate their posterity to the holy Ministery They are right Samuels first by their Parents giuen to God againe giuen of God to the seruice of the Tabernacle Let vs reioyce in the good of Sion and blesse God for the abundant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his Spirit in our dayes if euer plenteously powred forth vpon our olde men and vpon our young men the Prophets and sonnes of the Prophets for the worke of the Ministery for the gathering together of the Saints for the building vp of the body of Christ Thus assured of much comfort and profit vnto thee if thou wilt vouchsafe the paines to reade it ouer heartily crauing thy prayers and praises to the Lord of all Spirits both for the Author himselfe and also for vs all his louing Brethren we doe humbly commend thee to God and to the Word of his grace which is able to build thee further and to giue thee an inheritance among all them that are sanctified Farewell in the Lord. Thine in the Lord Iesus The Ministers of Okeham Lecture in Rutland WILLIAM PEACHYE H. HARGRAVE Z. I. ECCLESIASTICALL BENEDICTION A Sermon of the power and prerogatiue belonging to the publike Ministers to blesse the people Preached by S. G. at a Visitation at Oundle Ap. 14. 1619. 2. CHRON. 30. 27. Then the Priests the Leuites arose and blessed the people and their voyce was heard and their prayer came vp to his holy dwelling place euen vnto heauen HEre is the happie ending of a good meeting The meeting was to celebrate the Passeouer the Sacrament of the Law the motion hereunto was made by good Hezechiah vpon the motion a very great congregation of well-disposed people came together to Ierusalem to keepe the feast and as that vertuous and religious King ordered the matter in his great zeale for the glory of God it was performed with that solemnitie as the like was neuer done before since Salomons dayes A diuiso regno non fuit celebrata tanta festiuitas iunctis cum Iehuda Israelitis Neuer since the diuision of the Tribes was there such a festiuall time so solemnely kept by Iudah and Israel together Now to see the zeale and forwardnesse of the Princes and people in so good an action it was no small comfort to the Priests and Leuites they therefore when they saw all things done to their owne hearts desire and to the glory of God according to their office in the end they gaue the assembly their Priestly benediction and obtained a blessing from the Lord vpon them and so dismist the Congregation The words may be diuided into two parts The first is concerning the Priests blessing vpon earth the second touching the blessing of this blessing from heauen The first in these words Then the Priests the Leuites arose and blessed the people and their voyce was heard The second in the words following and their prayer came vp to his holy dwelling place euen to heauen In the first part euery word hath his weight and there are sixe particulars obseruable therein First the time when this was done Secondly the agents by whom it was done Thirdly the preparation thereunto Fourthly the action it selfe Fifthly the obiect of the action Sixthly and lastly the manner of it First for the time Then that is Finito sacro All the solemnitie of the sacrifice being finished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seasonably and opportunely In conclusion of that diuine seruice when the people were to depart they were dismist with a blessing Secondly for the agents or persons blessing they were consecrate persons which had a calling to doe it The Priests the Leuites blest The Priests were men immediatly called out of Aarons posteritie and anointed in the sight of the people among whom some that were Heads of their families were called chiefe Priests and the Princes of the Sanctuary amongst whom there was one super-eminent person aboue all the rest called the High Priest who had most glorious attire and might alone enter into the Sanctum Sanctorum once a yeere and was in his function a figure of Christ The Leuites were inferiour Ministers and had offices appointed vnto them vnder the Priests as assistants vnto them in the seruice of the Tabernacle Numb 8. 7. And this is the difference betweene the Priests and the Leuites but here it is not said the Priests and Leuites but Haccohanim haleuiijm as it is in the Hebrew text Sacerdotes Leuitici as Iunius translateth the Leuiticall Priests For Aaron and all the Priests were of the Tribe of Leui and to them it pertained by the Law to blesse in the name of God Numb 6. 22. Thirdly for the preparation They arose Sitting still was
the Centurion when he stood in need of helpe Why He loueth our nation and hath built vs a Synagogue And Saint Paul prayed for all Christians but not so as hee did for Onesiphorus his speciall good friend When he remembred him 2. Tim. 1. 16. hee blessed him and his house and doubled his blessing vpon him The Lord giue mercy to the house of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chaine And againe The Lordgrant vnto him that he may finde mercy of the Lord in that day He prayed not so Iwis for Alexander the Copper-smith These Priests did not could not at all times blesse the people so cheerfully and effectually as they did now Now it is said that Hezekiah spake comfortably vnto them and encouraged them greatly Now they found the Congregation tractable to good and they had extraordinary comfort by them therefore now their zeale was vp and they lifted vp their voices and their hearty prayer for them ascended vp to heauen Excellent therefore is the counsell of the Apostle Heb. 13. 17. Obey them that haue the ouersight of you which watch for your soules that they may doe it with ioy and not with griefe for that is vnprofitable for you It maketh their blessing the more vnprofitable Therefore let those which would bee blest by them effectually looke they deserue their loue and be farre from contempt of their persons or calling or doctrine I should also vse a word of Exhortation to my brethren of the Ministery the more holy and reuerent our Calling is the more it concerneth vs to looke that wee walke worthy thereof and to beware lest wee dishonour it by our words or deeds My brethren it is not for vs to bee despisers of those which follow holinesse for our doctrine teacheth vs and all others to bee holy it is not for vs to be childish for God hath called euen the youngest of vs to bee Fathers in his Church and made vs as it were Patriarchs to blesse the Israel of God it is not for vs to be youthfull with the children of this world for we are called Elders and therefore grauitie becommeth vs. That which is vanity in others is double iniquitie in vs. The excellencie of our Ministeriall function aggrauateth our sinnes before God and men according to that of S. Ierome Malus sacerdos de sacerdotio suo crimeÌ„ acquirit non dignitateÌ„ If a Minister be bad this aggrauateth his offence because hee is a Minister and his Ministry is no such grace to him as he is a disgrace to his Ministrie And obserue what commeth of it Those that are scrupulous care not for the iudgement of such as be scandalous about any poynt in controuersie Brownists thinke they haue iust cause to separate from our Church where such guides are in place of better men The Iesuite and Seminarie Priest taketh aduantage thereby to depraue our Religion and to breed in the simpler sort an ill opinion thereof they name Such are knowne to be of euill conuersation and bid Marke their liues An vnhappy meaning Hee had though he spake it pleasantly who said of a vicious Priest that he would not for any thing heare him say the Creed lest it should make him call the Articles of his faith into question Certainly those of this sacred function which are of vngodly conuersation are an occasion of much mischiefe Many haue no minde to haue their children baptized by such and it goeth against their stomakes to receiue the venerable Sacrament of Christ his Body Blood from their foule hands and their blessings and prayers they regard little because they see they regard wickednesse in their hearts and therefore they thinke the Lord will not heare them Many also care not for their doctrine because they say and doe not I iustifie not all this in them but rather thinke they are transported too farre in a preposterous zeale For good food being brought vnto Elias he receiued it not only from an Angell but also from a Rauen. And Christ bid the people not only to heare him and his Apostles but the Pharises also when they taught them that which was good though they followed it not themselues Good water which passeth into a Garden thorow a channell of stone doth the Garden good though it doe the channell none and so may the Word and Water of Life coÌ„ueied by a bad instrument of a stony hart it may doe good to the Church of God though it worke not vpon himselfe And good seed sowne in good ground with foule hands will fructisie and so may the good Seed of Gods Word sowne by a Minister of impure conuersation One may be a bad man and yet a good Seedesman both in the field and in the Church yet woe be to them by whom the offence commeth woe to them which make the people to abhorre the offering of the Lord through their misdemeanour Eli his sonnes smoked for this And to many which haue prophecied in his name Christ will say in his iust displeasure Away from me ye workers of iniquitie Therefore to conclude the Lord giue vs all grace so to demeane our selues in our places that his Name may be glorified by vs his Church edified and our reuerend Calling adorned that our prayers may be accepted of the Lord and our blessing of the people may with this Priestly benediction goe vp vnto his holy dwelling Place euen vnto heauen which he grant for his infinite mercies sake in Christ to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be ascribed all praise and glorie now and for euer Amen FINIS The Text The Context The diuision The subdiuision The sense What the Priests were What the Leuites Numb 8. 7. 19. Psal 103. 1. Gen. 12. 2. What it is to blesse Gen. 24. 12. Blessing ordinary by all sorts 1. By the law of naturall affection Gen. 24. 60. 2. By the law of curtesie Ruth 2. 4. Psal 129. 8. Aug. in Psal 3. By the lavv of equitie 1. Sam. 25. 33. Ruth 2. 20. 4 By the law of charity Mat. 5. 44. Superiors to blesse Blessing Oeconomicall 1. Chron. 16. 43. Paternall Gen. 27. 27. Politicall Iosh 22. 6. Sacerdotall Numb 6. 23. Hier. in praefa lib. 2. in Gal. God his habitations cohabitations 1. Kings 8. 27. Iohn 14. 2. Three heauens Esther 5. 2. Heauen why called holy Leuit. 19. 2. 1. Pet. 1. 16. Heb. 12. 14. It belongeth to Ministers to blesse the people The end of their consecration and separation Deut. 10. 8. The ordinance of God for it Numb 6. 22. Fiue blessings to be desired for the people First custody or protection Secondly the sense of Gods loue Thirdly mercie to their sinnes Fourthly a plentifull manifestation of Gods loue Fiftly peace The Priests blessing more then a prayer Clau. Scrip. A three-fold difference betweene the Priests blessing others First they had a speciall charge Secondly a speciall forme 1. Kings 8. 55. Pet. Mart. in locum Thirdly a speciall promise Gen. 14. 18. Mark 10. 16. Luk 24. 50. The Euangelicall blessing 2. Cor. 13. 14. Luk. 10. 5. Ministers prayers to be preferd before others Prou. 15. 8. Gen. 20. 7. The sicke to send for Ministers to pray for them Iames 5. 14. A difference of Ministers and of their praying A difference amongst those that are prayed for Jere. 15. 1. Ezech. 14. 14. Luk. 10 5. Publike prayer to be preferd before priuate Ioel. 2. 16. Chrysost de Dei natura Hom. 3. Chrysost on Thess 2. Hom. 4. Prayer in a set forme defended Mat. 26. 44. Luk. 11. 1. Proued from the Text. Our Church alloweth Ministers to vse conceiued prayer Preaching not to be despised Preaching necessary for the conuerted 1. Cor. 14. 4 5 6 22. For Israel Deut. 33. 10. 1. Pet. 2. 2. Preaching necessary to profitable reading Acts 8. 31. To worthy receiuing 1. Cor. 11. To good praying Those of yeeres to bee called vpon to heare sermons by the ordinance of the Church Esay 2. 3. 2. Tim. 4. 2. 1. Pet. 2. 2. The Temple a house of preaching as well as of prayer Matth. 26. 55. 1. Thess 5. 17. Great regard to be had to the blessing pronounced by the Minister Leuit. 9. â—2 Pendebat ex benedictionibus magna ex parte Saserdotij dignitas c. Gualt in Mal. 2 Heb 7. 7. All offices appointed of God to his Ministers honorable Can. 12. Iudg. 17. 10. and 18. 19. Chrysost de Sacerd Saluian diesque auaritiam lib. 1. pag. 61. Chrysost in Mat. Hom. 13. Titus 3. 5. Ioh. 3. 5. Ioh. 6. 53. 1. Cor. 10. 16. Matth. 18. 1â— Ioh. 20. 23. Theod. lib. 5. cap. 24. Euseb lib. 6. cap. 34. Emperours excommunicated by Ministers Paulinus in vita Ambrosij 1. Kings 2. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The King vpon the Lords Prayer Doctor King Bishop of London Vitis Palatina Courts Ecclesiasticall why ordained A view of the Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall Law p. 105. Luk. 10. 16. All not blest with the like affection Gen. 27. 3. 4. Vers 27. 1. King 3. 15. Gen. 44. 22 Luk. 7. 4 5. 2. Tim. 1. 16. 2. Tim. 4. 14. Heb. 13. 17. Nugae nugae sunt in ore sacerdotio blasphemiae Bâ—r. * Sir Thomas More Psal 66. 18. 1. Kings 17. 6. Matth. 2â— 3. 1. Sam. 4. 11. Matth. 7. 23.