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A01700
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A sermon of ecclesiastical benediction preached at Oundle at a visitation, Apr. 14. 1619. by Master Samuel Gibson, minister at Burleigh in Rutland.
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Gibson, Samuel.
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1620
(1620)
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STC 11838; ESTC S102994
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23,459
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44
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therefore there can be no such exception taken Certainely the doctrine of our Church is and euer hath beene for the necessity and vtility of preaching and hearing of the Word of God and herein it is consonant vnto the Scriptures and to the doctrine of all Orthodoxe Churches and the contrary tendeth to the dishonour of the most famous Diuines Pastors and Prelates of our owne Church and of other Churches of Christ which now rest from their labours nay to the doctrine and practice of the best of the Fathers Greeke and Latine who in their times were instant this way in season and out of season nay of the holy Apostles nay of Christ Iesus the great Shepheard of our soules who tooke incessant paines in preaching and teaching both in the Temple and elsewhere accounting the Temple not onely a house of prayer but a house of preaching also for hee saith I sate daily teaching in the Temple Therefore let comparisons betweene praying and preaching be forborne they are both the holy ordinances of God of necessary vse for all the Lords people Pray continually as the Apostle saith meaning it of secret eiaculations of the heart not of publike prayer Pray also in your families It is a pious and religious practice well beseeming Christians Pray also with the Congregation despise not the publike prayers of the Church nor neglect them but diligently attend them and make vse of them reuerently lest while ye come to worship God ye take his name in vaine but withall remember the other admonition of the Apostle Despise not prophecying Let not a pretended zeale for more praying iustle out preaching for this is also the ordinance of God as well as prayer of as great necessity for the people without which prayer and all parts of Gods seruice and worship will be the worse performed I say no more but to magnifie preaching with contempt of prayer is intolerable and to extoll praying with contempt of preaching is abominable And thus much concerning publike prayer and of the account that wee are to make of it being performed by a Minister More particularly there is speciall regard to be yeelded to the blessing prayer or benediction vsed by the Pastor or Preacher in the Congregation It is a disorderly custome in many Churches that a number will be gone before the Euangelicall blessing be pronounced Ignorant people they vnderstand not the way of the Lord and what the Lord hath ordained for their good Almighty God promised to blesse the children of Israel But how In that order which himselfe appointed they being first blest by the Priests So now through the blessing of his Ministers he will conuay a blessing to his people As therefore the Minister of Christ is reuerently to lift vp his hand ouer the heads of the people and with all religious and holy affection to blesse them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost so the people are to wait for this blessing and when it is pronounced attentiuely to marke it and reioyce in it and in the end deuoutly to say Amen vnto it that so they may depart home comfortably with the blessing of the Church and of the Lord. And hitherto of the account to be made of Ministers prayers and specially of the publike prayers and blessings performed by them All sorts are also hence taught to haue due regard vnto their persons and Calling for this respect for their office is honourable and reuerend to them it belongeth to blesse and by them God will blesse those whom hee will blesse And what saith the Apostle The lesse is blessed of the greater Heb. 7. 7. And what other office is appointed vnto them that is base They are called to be Teachers in Israel to be Guides vnto the people and to shew vnto them the way of life to them it pertaineth to administer the holy Sacraments that of Baptisme and the other of the Lords Supper which the Fathers of the Nicene Councell call Necessarium vitae viaticum The necessary prouision for the soule in her iourney to another world To them it pertaineth to pray for the people and to make atonement for them that they may be reconciled vnto God To them is giuen the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen and power to binde and loose and to remit sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declaratiuè Which of all these is base and vnseemely for men of worth to doe Which of them is not high and holy Why then is the Calling so contemptible as it is with many aboue all others Why is the name of Priest vsed in contempt Of all contempt this is the most vnreasonable for God hath highly honoured those of this function and they are separated to great and noble seruices Behold God hath made them Fathers vnto the people So Micah called the young Leuite Iudg. 17. 10. Dwell with me and be a Father and a Priest vnto me And so the Danites call him after And worthily is the name giuen to them and with the name the honour should be giuen also for they are instruments of Regeneration as parents be of Generation and as Chrysostome reasoneth Parents beget their children vnto this life but the Ministers of Christ beget them to life eternall and parents cannot doe that for them which Ministers may doe Parents may wash their bodily parts but Ministers are instruments to wash their soules when they baptize them Parents feed them with meate that perisheth but Ministers their spirituall Fathers feed them with that meat which endureth to euerlasting life namely with the Word of the Lord with the Body of the Lord. Baptisme which they administer of old was called and accounted Ianua salutis The gate of heauen in the old Saxon doctrine The Well-spring of life in the best times The Lauer of Regeneration And it is written Except a man be borne againe of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Ioh. 3. 5. And elsewhere Whosoeuer eateth not the flesh of the Lord and doth not drinke his blood hee shall dye eternally Ioh. 6. 53. And these things saith an ancient Father cannot be receiued of the people but per sacrosanctas manus sacerdotum By the sacred hands of the Priests of the new Testament to others it pertaineth not to meddle with the dispensation of these holy and venerable mysteries it were presumption in a Prince to administer either Sacrament to the Minister it pertaineth to blesse the bread and cup of blessing and from their hands the Lords people are to receiue the bread of life and cup of saluation But to which of the Angels saith that holy Father said hee at any time as hee hath said vnto his Ministers Whatsoeuer ye bind on earth shall be bound in heauen Whosoeuers sinnes yee remit they shall be remitted These things surpasse all the rest Hence worthy Pastors of