Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
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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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blest By whom By the Priests The Priests the Leuites blest the people Not any of the Laity not any of the Princes not King Hezekiah though present but the Leuiticall Priests Church-men Ecclesiasticall persons Masters of the assembly that had the managing of diuine affaires at such times But were the people euer the better for their blessing Yes their prayer went vp to heauen this was intended in their consecration and separation The Lord separated the Tribe of Leui to minister vnto him and to blesse in his name Deut. 10. 8. and Numb 6. 22. there is the ordinance of God touching the same the Priests the sonnes of Aaron are called of God to this office and appointed to the constant execution thereof and a prescript forme is giuen vnto them for the purpose Speake vnto Aaron saith the Lord and to his sonnes saying On this wise ye shall blesse the children of Israel saying vnto them The Lord blesse thee c. Where first there is a generall benediction in these words The Lord blesse thee and then fiue great blessings are specified First of custody and protection in these words The Lord keepe thee tending to this that the Lord would euer be the Keeper of Israel and preserue his Church and people from all euill The second blessing mentioned is the sense of Gods loue in the next words The Lord make his face to shine vpon thee Alluding to the Sunne which when it shineth is sensible vnto vs. The third blessing is mercy to their sinnes in these words The Lord be mercifull or gracious vnto thee tending to this that the Lord would in mercy passe by their offences and see no iniquity in Iacob nor transgression in Israel The fourth blessing is a plentifull manifestation of the loue of God towards them The Lord lift vp his countenance vpon thee The last but not the least is peace the consequent of the rest and the very complement of all And giue thee peace Meaning not onely externall prosperity but also that happy peace with God which passeth all vnderstanding which the world cannot giue Loe thus did the Lord appoint his Priests to blesse his people and to that which they should doe according to his holy ordinance he annexed a most gracious promise saying further Ego benedicam I will blesse them Therefore it is to good purpose that Illyricus saith that sacerdotall benediction is not a bare good prayer but as it were a pledge and testimony of the fauour of God and he speaketh further of it as if it were of speciall power and efficacie to open heauen to those which are partakers thereof In this place of Numbers wee may obserue three materiall differences betweene the Priests blessing and all others making much for the dignity and authority thereof First they are expresly required to blesse the Lords people they haue such a commission and charge giuen vnto them touching the same as the like is not giuen to any other thorowout the whole Scripture Speake vnto Aaron and to his sonnes c. Secondly to them is giuen a prescript forme and onely to them and to no other We reade of Salomon and other religious Kings who haue blessed the people publikely but not conceptis verbis in any prescript forme as did the Priests Thirdly to their benediction a promise of the Lords blessing is annexed in such sort as the like is not made to any other This three-fold difference there is betweene the Priestly benediction and others The Priests the publike Ministers of the Lord had a speciall charge a speciall forme and a speciall promise First a speciall charge to doe it Secondly a speciall forme how to doe it Thirdly a speciall promise if they doe it they should not blesse in vaine but the Lord whose name they thrice inuocated in the blessing as if it were with secret reference to the three persons now better knowne the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost promised to confirme and ratifie their act to the benefit of the people The Priests pronouncing the blessing as they were appointed he ingaged himselfe to doe according to their prayer and to blesse them actually and really Now this part of the Priests office was not ceremoniall but morall and of perpetuall vse and therefore we finde that it was put in practice both before the law and since the comming of Christ the like hath beene done by the chiefe Ministers of the new Testament Before the law we read that Abraham and his company was blest Gen. 14. 18. By whom By a Priest namely by Melchizedech called the Priest of the most high God and the Patriarch paid Tithes to him that blest him And when our high Priest came who is a Priest for euer after the order of Melchizedech they brought their children to him to be blest And hee laid his hands on them and blessed them Mark 10. 16. and Luk. 24. 50. Before he departed from his Disciples Priestlike hee lifted vp his hands and blessed them And the Apostles vsually blessed the Churches of Christ which they taught and from them we haue receiued that forme of Euangelicall benediction vsed in all Churches by the publike Ministers The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God the Father and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all Amen Which differeth from the former in words more than in substance For it comprehendeth as much as that but is so much the sweeter because in this the sweete and blessed name of Iesus Christ is mentioned and all the three persons distinctly therefore wee vse this rather than the other But it may be said Is there any commandement giuen to the Ministers of the Gospell to blesse I answere when Christ sent Preachers abroad into the Cities whither he would come he appoynted them to blesse the places where they came and shewed them how to doe it Luk. 10. 5. Into whatsoeuer house saith he yee enter first say Peace be to this house Ther 's a briefe forme of blessing appoynted vnto them to vse And if saith he the sonne of peace be there that is any worthie of peace which will receiue you then your peace shall rest vpon it that is that blessing which you prayed for shall be vpon that house but if not it shall turne to you againe you shall be the better for it but it shall take no effect for their good Whereby we see that as it pertained to the Priests vnder the Law to blesse the people so it likewise belongeth to the Ministers of the Gospell and as the Priestly benediction of old was not meerely verball but effectuall so to the blessing pronounced by the Ministers of Christ a promise of like efficacie is annexed And this may serue for confirmation of the poynt propounded and for information of the iudgement I come now to the speciall inferences hence tending to the