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A39283 The fifth sermon preach'd before the King and Queen in Their Majesties chappel at St. James's upon the feast of S. Francis Sales, Jan. 29, 1685/6 by Ph. Ellis. Ellis, Philip, 1652-1726. 1686 (1686) Wing E594; ESTC R24954 9,315 32

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The Fifth SERMON Preach'd before the King and Queen IN Their MAJESTIES Chappel at St. James's upon the FEAST of S. Francis Sales Jan. 29. 1685 6. By the Reverend Father Dom. PH. ELLIS Monk of the Holy Order of S. Benedict and of the English Congr Chaplain in Ordinary to His MAJESTY Published by His Majesties Command LONDON Printed by Henry Hills Printer to the King 's most Excellent Majesty for his Houshold and Chappel 1686. THE FIFTH SERMON Preach'd before THEIR MAJESTIES On the Feast of S. Francis Sales Jan. 29. 1685 6. Talis decebat ut esset nobis Pontifex sanctus innocens Hebr. ch 7. v. 26. It was fitting we shou'd have such a Bishop holy and innocent THese words are part of that Divine Character which the Apostle gives of Jesus Christ the Supream Pastor and Bishop of our Souls distinguishing him from the High Priests of the Levitical Race and establishing his eternal Priesthood according to the Order of Melchisedec Sanctus Innocens For as it was fitting that a new Law-giver shou'd publish a new Law so was it necessary he shou'd create a new Priesthood more perfect then the former more excellent not only in Power and Efficacy but also in Sanctity and Innocence And since this Law was to be so confummated in all Points that it shou'd never be repeal'd or excluded by a posterior Law more perfect then it self so was it fitting we shou'd have such a Bishop so replenish'd with Holiness and Innocence as all who were to succeed him in the Pontifical Dignity and Direction of Souls might abundantly receive of his fulness and some in every Age shou'd actually enjoy a larger and more conspicuous share of his Holiness and Innocence Of this number was the eminent Prelate to the memory of whose innocent Life and holy Conversation the Church has appointed the present Solemnity A Bishop so holy and innocent that as he was the glory so is he the reproach of this corrupt Age. For if the worst of Times and the most barren Soil cou'd produce Innocence and nourish Holiness and bring Vertue to the highest Maturity how fond and frivolous are our Excuses how do's our Justification aggravate our Offence when we strive to lay our own Burthen upon our Neighbours Shoulders and charge our voluntary Depravations upon the Iniquity of the Times But I argue wrong For since we are so ready to catch at every shadow of an Excuse to palliate our Vices and to shelter our Cowardice not daring to offer at a good Life or desponding and falling back as soon as we have made the first step therefore Decebat ut talis esset it was fitting we shou'd have such a Pastor to guide us such a Conqueror to lead us on such a Bishop to encourage us such a Doctor to teach us and such an Orator to perswade us that the Land of Promise is not so inaccessible as false Spies represent it that the Inhabitants are not inhospitable that Sanctity and Innocence are not such impracticable Vertues as the World wou'd have us believe We have it from his Doctrine we have it from his Practice we cannot find a more faithful Account of it then in his Writings nor can we in reason exact a more authentick Testimony then his Life which mutually support and witness to one another his Life was holy and innocent because conformable to his Doctrine and his Doctrine is prov'd to be so because attested by his Life They who admire the sublimeness of his Instructions when they read them will find them not above their own level when they see him practise them and such as despair of rising to that height when they read his Performances will be convinc'd when they consult his Rules that every honest State of Life is capable of perfection that is of Sanctity and Innocence Facere Docere Acting and Teaching was the two-fold Innocence the two-fold Sanctity of this Holy Man and therefore shall make the two Parts of this Discourse after we have begg'd light from above by the Intercession of the Mother of Innocence Addressing to her more then Angelical Purity with the Angelical Salutation AVE MARIA It was fitting we shou'd have such a Bishop Holy and Innocent I Will not trouble you with the Scholastick Distinctions betwixt Holiness and Innocence or involve you in the Niceties of the Moral Philosopher when he marks out the Boundaries of each Vertue and declares the difference and property for tho' indeed Innocence import nothing positive as to the force of the word but only an exemption from Crime and is distinguish'd from Holiness as the Disposition from the Effect or at the most innocence being but an imperfect Holiness as Holiness is the perfection of Innocence yet because the common notion which Men have of this vertue implies a purity of body and mind I am willing to leave you in possession of that Idea which the Saint favours in his writings and proceed to shew how eminently he possess'd it in his Person And to begin with the inferiour part the Body following the Apostles method primum est quod animale the Spiritual Innocence being never so illustrious as when it is superstructed upon the Corporal But not to mention the previous Dispositions to it as the Piety and Sanctity of his holy Parents for tho' other Vertues are not transmitted yet Innocence and Chastity seem to be priviledg'd above the rest Not to draw any Argument from the Angelical meekness of his Countenance or Modesty of his behaviour before Nature began to breath or Concupiscence to exert it self we will represent him ex puero virum in the bloom of Youth in the pride of Nature in the luster of a most perfect Beauty in the midst of abundance of Health Nobility Riches and by consequence of Temptations And being thus Nobly attended you may expect to find him in the Courts of Princes the Sea whence all Greatness flows and whether naturally it returns being likewise so dangerously attended you may expect to meet him at the Comedy or at the Ball or at the ordinary haunts of Youth Youth which seems to receive the Blessings of God only to pervert them into the Occasions of sin having much Health much Time much Mony to lavish and in every action stands responsible to God for a threefold prodigality of his Favours A Truth that made so deep and so early an impression upon our young Saint that he was resolv'd to be before hand with Nature and not to quit the possession of Innocence for the hazard of a future Repentance He then possest what he afterwards left in Writing for our instruction that Chastity is that holiness of Life mention'd by the Apostle without which none shall see God as St. Jerom and St. John Chrisost expound He had learn'd from the same Apostle that we are not our own sed ejus qui pro nobis mortuus est resurrexit but have pass'd away our Title and render'd the possession of