this cup passe from me Nor to vrge that of the Apostles who could pray before after their manner and yet desired to be taught a prayer by Christ himselfe who vpon their request gaue them a forme as also Iohns Disciples were taught by their master From the Text in hand it may be maintained against all aduersaries that publike prayer in a set forme is well pleasing to God if other things be answerable for heere the Priests blessed the people according to the set forme giuen vnto them No iudicious Writer maketh doubt of this and it was a prayer which they vsed when they blest them so it is called in the Text and it was as publike as any prayer and yet of this publike prayer vsed by the Priest in a set forme it is said It went vp to his holy dwelling place euen to heauen to shew the singular acceptance it had with God Wherfore let no man depraue our Church for this because we vse set praiers in the Congregation nor let any despise such prayers as God himselfe despiseth not for we finde in the Scripture vse both of conceiued prayer and of set formes and both pleasing vnto God and in our Church as ordinarily we are appointed to vse common supplications so vpon extraordinary occasions the Preacher hath liberty to inlarge and to vse the best gift he hath as God shall inable him and his holy Spirit shall guide his hart tongue Let al make vse of both vnto the glory of God for pleasing vnto him are the publike prayers of the Church whether extraordinary or ordinary So long as the prayers be good and holy for the matter whether they be conceiued in a set forme or voluntary we are to make good account of them and vse thē reuerently religiously But whilest I speake thus in cōmendation of publike prayer I am far from falling into the other extreme as some haue done who are all for common prayer and care little for preaching For as the dignity of preaching is excellent that sufficiency being required to that part of Gods seruice specially which the vulgar cannot attaine to so the necessity thereof is exceeding great both to the esse of a Christian and the bene esse Necessary it is to the begetting of soules to God to call sinners to repentance to bring home the lost sheepe of the house of Israel And this hath euer bin the ordinary meanes of conuerting soules and therefore of necessary vse at all times and so in these times wherein iniquity aboundeth though there be an external profession of the true Christian faith necessary it is for those that are already the people of God Prophecying saith the Apostle is for them that beleeue And of old the Priests office was not only to pray but to teach and it is said of the Leuiticall Priests Deut. 33. 10. They shall teach Iacob thy iudgements and Israel thy law Presupposing that the Israelites themselues would alwaies need teaching Non minor est virtus quà m quaerere partatueri Preaching is necessary to the preseruation of those which are brought to the knowledge of the Truth and to make them grow in grace Therefore saith the Apostle Peter vnto the Christians of his time As newborne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that fraudlesse milke that ye may grow thereby 1. Pet. 2. 2. The Word read I confesse is of good vse and profitable but preaching is necessary to make it so for when that noble Eunuch of Ethiopia read the Scripture though he was a man of better parts and capacity then hundreds of our people yet he confessed his owne disability and said How can I vnderstand without a guide Necessary it is also to the due performance of other parts of Gods seruice as to the more worthy receiuing of the holy Sacrament Without the helpe of a Preacher or Catechizer the common sort goe to the Lords Table without preparation not discerning the Lords body nor knowing the end and right vse of the sacred mysteries but by a good Preachers labour Communicants are better taught and come better prepared to that holy Seruice and doe it more vnderstandingly comfortably What should I say more To good praying good preaching is necessary As poore people cannot vnderstand the Scripture without a guide nor vnderstand the mysterie of the Sacrament without a guide so they are as ignorant in prayer also the Lords Prayer they say often but vnderstand not and ignorantly they vse other prayers not knowing what they say sometimes they pray for that they hate as those that pray that the rest of their life may be pure and holy when as in heart they desire no such change in themselues but hate purity and holinesse and despise all that follow it and those that are no prayers they vse for prayers thinking them to be so not onely children but olde men thinke they pray and pray well when they say the Creed and ten Commandements There being therefore such necessity of preaching I can but wonder that vpon the best Day of the weeke many Country people are afraid to do nothing but to goe forth to heare a Sermon They dare ride abroad about their worldly businesses as often as they list they dare goe to all the prophane Wakes in the Country one Sunday after another but dare not goe to a Sermon so much as halfe a Sabbath dayes iourney though they haue none at home as they would make men beleeue for feare of Apparitors and Churchwardens I doe the more wonder at it because I perswade my selfe that our religious Fore-fathers which had a hand in setting foorth the Common prayer booke now established by authority held and would haue the people taught the necessity of hearing the Word of God for they haue appointed prayers to be vsed that the Lord would giue Ministers grace to preach diligently it is giuen in charge to the sureties at Baptisme that when the baptized come to yeeres they call vpon them to heare Sermons not thinking it sufficient for them to heare Seruice onely And none haue written more effectually of the excellency of preaching then those learned and worthy Doctors and Diuines which tooke paines lately in the translation of the Bible See what they haue written of this in their Epistle to his Maiestie Amongst all our ioyes say they there was no one that more filled our hearts then the blessed continuance of the preaching of Gods sacred Word amongst vs which is that inestimable treasure which excelleth all the riches of the earth because the fruit thereof extendeth it selfe not onely to the time spent in this transitory world but directeth and disposeth men vnto that eternall happinesse which is aboue in heauen c. Thus honourably haue they written of the preaching of the Word and these I am sure were no Puritans for they haue written against Puritans and
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
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
the Church men of courage vpon weighty occasion haue been bold to excommunicate Emperours as Ambrose excommunicated Theodosius and Fabian excommunicated Philip. And it is memorable that Paulinus writeth that when Ambrose denounced excommunication against a dissolute person in the very instant whilest he vsed the words the man was suddenly taken and rent by the diuell Let these things be considered of aduisedly by such as haue hitherto been carried with the streame and haue rashly by words or deeds or both shewed contempt of the Ministrie and seeing what high and honourable offices and priuiledges the most high God hath appropriated vnto his seruants whom hee hath called to that function let them reforme their former erroneous iudgement of them and their carriage towards them and that the vulgar sort may be the better taught their dutie in this let those in authoritie put a difference betweene those whom God hath so highly honoured and others which haue no such priuiledges giuen vnto them of the Lord. It is notable that is written of Salomon 1. Kings 2. when Abiathar the Priest had committed a crime worthy of death yet hee would not put him to death but said vnto him Get thee to Anathoth vnto thine owne fields c. because thou barest the Arke of the Lord God c. He put Ioab to death a great Counsellor of State but spared the life of Abiathar in reuerence of his Priesthod A worthie example Thankes bee to God we liue now vnder a religious King who being learned in the Scriptures is like-minded to Salomon this way and like another Constantine is exceedingly well-affected to the Church Long since hee gaue instruction to his eldest sonne to cherish none more than a godly Pastor and to count it one of the fairest of his Titles to be a louing nursing Father of the Church He hath since published his pleasure to haue his Clergy well vsed and knowing the power giuen vnto them of Christ He hath aduised men to haue recourse vnto a discreete Church-man well reputed for good life and to reueale his spirituall estate to him c. and he hath taken speciall notice of this ministeriall prerogatiue of blessing which others little minde and therefore he required a religious and zealous Diuine of great note and place in our Church to preach the Tuesday after the marriage of his only Daughter and solemnely to blesse the new married couple who performed it so worthily and with his zeale so inflamed the zeale of the hearers that it was no other like but his prayer went vp to heauen and the fruitfulnes of that Princely Lady hath since euidenced as much I haue heard also an honourable person say of Ministers God blesse them by whom God blesseth vs. A worthy speech arguing his obseruation of that speciall prerogatiue giuen of God vnto his Ministers to blesse in his name The time hath been that Preachers haue been too disgracefully vsed by temporall Iudges in the face of the countrey but since his Maiesties comming to the Crowne there hath been better respect had towards them And a great Iudge of Assise professed it publikely that he would assoone bind a man to his good behauiour for contempt of a Minister as for contempt of a Magistrate Now in Ecclesiasticall Courts we haue reason to expect better regard than in the Temporall for to that end those Courts and Consistories were granted at the first by Princes as it is confessed by one that is not onely in legibus doctus peritus but legum Doctor because the Clergy were like to haue more indifferency before a Iudge of their owne learning then before a Iudge of another profession it being held that Laici oppidò semper infesti sunt Clericis Lay-men are seldome Clergy mens friends And another reason of this he saith was that Clerks suites quarrels should not bee diuulged among the Lay people to the discredit of their profession Otherwise the said Author also sheweth how much anciently the credit of the Clergy was tendred and he wisheth the like regard towards Ecclesiasticall men were still retained both because it was reuerent and worthy the dignity of the Ministery whose office he acknowledgeth to bee most honourable Thus he himselfe a Iudge in the Ecclesiasticall Courts of great place That authority therefore is not rightly vsed nor agreeable to the institution thereof if in Ecclesiasticall Courts the Clergy haue not onely no iniuries and indignities offered vnto them but if they haue not in stead thereof protection and countenance and encouragement in all good I take no delight in finding faults specially with my superiours and betters but yet I hate base adulation It is thought to bee not so well as it should bee that so many aduantages are giuen vnto ill neighbours against their Ministers It is good for the greatest to remember what Iesus Christ before whom all must appeare to giue account hath left in record concerning his Ministers He that despiseth you despiseth me I leaue the prosecuting of this further and aduise all that would haue benefit by Ecclesiasticall benediction to deserue the loue of those to whom that office belongeth iure diuino for though we are to blesse all yet wee cannot blesse all with the like effect or with the like affection Not with like effect for all are not the sonnes of peace and those that are not are vncapable of this blessing Not with the like affection for in some wee haue more in some lesse comfort Wee cannot blesse all with the like affection as wee can blesse our friends and such as are comfortable vnto vs and instruments of our good When Isaac had a desire to blesse his sonne Esau he bids him first prouide him sauoury meate that wonld giue him content and hauing such brought vnto him by Iacob when he had eate of the venison and drunk wine then he called Now come neere me and kisse me my sonne God giue thee of the dew of heauen c. A thing very remarkable that before the holy Patriarch vndertooke to blesse his sonne hee first would haue sauoury meate prouided by him whom he meant to blesse and first he ate thereof and dranke wine to cheere vp his spirits that so he might blesse him the more heartily and effectually for heauinesse and griefe and sorrow and discontentment maketh a good man vnfit for the right performance of such duties Therfore when Elisha was moued against King Iehoram before he fell to prophesie he called for a Musician to allay his anger We may obserue also that when Iacob blessed his sonnes he blessed them not all alike but blessings flowed most plentifully from him when hee came to Ioseph because hee tooke most comfort in him of all the rest So the Ministers of the Gospell are most ready to blesse them whom they haue most comfort from as they in Luk. 7. were forward to speake to Christ for
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
not a gesture reuerend enough for them to vse in publike prayer kneeling downe would haue drowned their voyce and hindred the audience therefore it concerning the people to heare what they said that they might say Amen to it the Priests stood vp that they might be conspicuous and so be the better vnderstood of the congregation Fourthly for the action it is said They blest To blesse hath diuers significations in the Scripture First man is said to blesse God then it signifieth to praise and giue thankes Secondly God is said to blesse man and then it signifieth actually to conferre some good or other Thirdly man is said to blesse man and then it signifieth to wish well vnto which is vsually done with inuocation of the name of God the fountaine of all good that commeth to man or to any creature in heauen or earth Now thus a man blesseth either himselfe or others To let passe the former the blessing of others pertaineth either to all sorts in generall or to some more specially To all sorts it belongeth partly by the law of naturall affection secondly partly by the law of curtesie thirdly partly by the law of equitie fourthly partly by the law of charitie First by the law of naturall affection it pertaineth to all sorts to blesse their friends and kinred as the friends of Rebécca did when she was to depart from them Thou art our sister grow into thousand thousands and let thy seede possesse the gates of their enemies Genes 24. 60. Thus children and all those that are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without naturall affection will vpon occasion often pray God blesse their parents and their brethren and sisters and those which are neere vnto them in nature Secondly by the law of curtesie it pertaineth to all sorts to blesse those which they meete or passe by Which courtesie we finde to haue been reciprocall betweene Boaz and the Reapers Ruth 2. 4. The Lord be with you said Boaz The Lord blesse thee said the Reapers And Psal 129. 8. the words of the Prophet shew this was the ordinary practice of the people Whereupon S. Augustine on that place saith Nostis fratres c. Ye know brethren when men passe by those which are at work it is the custome to say to them Benedictio Domini super vos The blessing of the Lord be vpon you And this was more in vse amongst the Iewes Nemo transibat saith he None passed by and saw any at worke in the field or vineyard or the like but they did so Nay Non licebat transire sine benedictione It was not lawfull for any to passe by without this blessing salutation It was against the law of courtesie to omit it Thirdly by the law of equitie it pertaineth to all sorts in thankfulnes to their benefactors and such as haue been instruments of their good to blesse them as Boaz for the kindnes shewed to Ruth is blessed in these words Blessed be he of the Lord Ruth 2. 20. Thus euery good subiect will pray God blesse the King vnder whom we liue in peace euery good hearer will pray God blesse that Preacher by whom his soule is comforted and euery thankfull poore man will pray God blesse his good master and saue his life by whom he is relieued This is the recompence which the rich haue returned vnto them from the poore for their good workes and almes namely their blessing and prayers to God for them the forerunner of a greater and better recompence from the Lord for with such sacrifices God is pleased Heb. 13. 16. Fourthly by the law of charity it pertaineth to al sorts to blesse euen their enemies I meane their priuate enemies For to conuicted enemies of the Truth it is forbid Ioh. 2. Epist 10. Bid not an Antichristian heretike and conuicted false teacher God speede but if they be onely our personal enemies Blesse them which curse you saith our Sauiour Mat. 5. 44. Blesse and curse not saith Saint Paul Rom. 12. 14. And this is not consilium but praeceptum not an Euangelicall counsell but a morall precept binding all Christians Thus by a foure-fold law it belongeth to all sorts to blesse by the law of naturall affection by the law of courtesie by the law of equity and by the law of Christian charity More specially it pertaineth to superiours to blesse those vnder their charge These superiours are either the chiefe in euery family or more publike persons The blessing that pertaineth to the chiefe in priuate families is either domesticall or paternall Domesticall is that which is done in the behalfe of the whole household as it is said that Dauid returned to blesse his house 1. Chronicles 16. 43. Paternall benediction is that which is done by the father to his children or childrens children This the Patriarks did after a singular manner hauing the spirit of prophecy whereby they spake of things to come as they were moued by the holy Ghost But other godly parents haue a speciall prerogatiue also in blessing their children according to that of Siracides Benedictio patris firmat domos filiorum The blessing of the father establisheth the houses of children but the curse of the mother rooteth out foundations There are fearefull stories recorded by good writers of the woful consequence of the parents curse vpon the children Therefore it is said by the aforesaid Author Honour thy father and mother both in word and deede that a blessing may come vpon thee from them Now the blessing which belongeth to publike persons is either Politicall or Ecclesiastical Politicall when it is done by the ciuill Magistrate as it was by Ioshuah when he called the Reubenits and the Gadites and the halfe Tribe of Manasses and commended them for their obedience and sent them home with his blessing as it is written So Ioshua blessed them and sent them away Iosh 22. 6. The Ecclesiasticall blessing is that which appertaineth to the publike Minister and is of all other the most effectual and auaileable with God this is the blessing spoken of in the text when it is said The Priests the Leuites arose and blessed Now the obiect of this benediction is either personall or reall The reall obiect is not mentioned heere but omitted as a thing well knowne for what they were to pray for in the behalfe of the people is set downe Num. 6. 23. c. The personall obiect is the people that is all the people of Iudah and Israel assembled to keepe the Holy Feast the Priests blessed them all Lastly for the maner it was with a lowd voice they spake out when they blest them praying feruently for them and earnestly desiring the blessing of God vpon them all This is signifyed by that that it is said Their voice was heard Yet not the voice of the Priests only but the voices of the people also all which
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
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.