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
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
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