reformation of practice not answerable hereunto Now the vse concerneth either all hearers in generall or Ministers themselues in speciall First al hearers of what ranke or sort soeuer are taught hence to make more account of the prayers of Ministers and the better to respect their persons First their prayers are to be preferred before the prayers of others especially publike prayer performed by them and of publike prayers their blessing prayer particularly for it is said in the Text their prayer came vp to heauen that is the prayer of the Priests and the prayer spoken of was publike prayer and it is meant of the prayer wherewith the Priests blessed the people For the first it is true that the prayer of the righteous is acceptable as it is Prou. 15. 8. euen of any righteous man but if a righteous Prophet or publike Minister may be had it is so much the better When Abimelech was punisht for taking Sarah it was Abrahams prayer that must doe him good because he was a Prophet Gen. 20. 7. And S. Iames for this cause would not haue the sicke man to content himselfe with his owne prayers only but to desire the Ministers helpe Iam. 5. 14. He saith indeed Is any man afflicted Let him pray Euery one is to pray for himselfe but that is not all that he is to doe Is any sicke among you Let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him Is any sicke be he what he will be if he be neuer so good let him not trust to his owne prayers if he may haue further helpe Why but will it not serue the turne as well if hee send for some good Christian in the towne to pray for him No let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him and it is promised that there shall be speciall fruite of their prayers The sicke shal be raised vp and if he haue committed sinnes they shall be forgiuen him But it may be obiected We doe not alwaies see this fruite of Ministers prayers many times the sicke that haue their prayers are little the better for them I answere it may well be so because there is a great difference of Churchmen and a great difference of those which haue their prayers First all Churchmen are not alike some are righteous and some vnrighteous some pray in faith others haue not that grace And the Apostle there speaketh of the prayers of the righteous and instanceth in a righteous Prophet Elias And it is the prayer of faith which he commendeth for efficacie Secondly all afflicted and sicke persons are not alike First against some almightie God is growne to such displeasure that he will heare no man for them As he said Though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my minde could not be towards this people cast them out of my sight and let them go foorth Iere. 15. 1. And elsewhere Though these three men were in it Noah Daniel and Iob as I liue saith the Lord God they should deliuer but their owne soules by their righteousnes Ezech. 14. 14 16 18 20. Secondly that place before named Luk. 10. 5. may giue satisfaction touching this matter where promise of blessing to the Ministers prayer for others is but conditionall If they be the sonnes of peace it shall doe them good not else if they be contemners of our office and ministerie as many be they are not qualified and prepared for grace they shall haue no benefit by our prayers But for the sonnes of peace which humble themselues and vnfainedly loue the Lords messengers and reuerence their doctrine and desire their prayers God will heare his faithfull seruants Such shall be the better for the prayers of Gods Ministers which they make for them vnto the Lord in their sicknesse Therefore let them doe as S. Iames appoynteth them call for the Elders of the Church for this purpose preferring the prayers of righteous Ministers before the prayers of any other whatsoeuer But as their priuate prayers are specially to be desired so publike prayer performed by them is to be preferd before priuate Such was the prayer spoken of in the Text and it went vp to heauen The distance of heauen and earth the cloudes and celestiall bodies betweene them the infirmities of them that prayed could not hinder but it pierced thorow all and had speedie accesse vnto God and gracious acceptance with him When many ioyne together with one accord it is pleasing to God and most auailable with him when there is a consort of hearts and voyces and a harmony of affections and many haue one and the same suite and supplication vnto the God of heauen it preuaileth mightily with him prouided that the Minister be the speaker So it is appoynted Ioel. 2. 16. Gather the people It is not enough for euery family apart to pray but all families must assemble together and pray and the prayer must proceed from the Priests lips Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord say Spare thy people O Lord then will the Lord heare and shew mercie Is there any man then in loue with his owne priuate deuotion and thinketh that sufficient and therefore absenteth himselfe from the publike assemblies when he might be present if he would Let him know he erreth not knowing the Scriptures and the pleasure of God and hee certainly wrongeth his owne soule neglecting that which would be most profitable for him Non aequè exoras saith Chrysostome dum solus Dominum obsecras atque cum fratribus tuis Thou doest not so soone obtaine thy desire when thou prayest alone as when thou prayest with thy brethren And againe That which thou canst not obtaine when thou prayest alone by thy selfe thou shalt receiue when thou prayest with a multitude Thus antiquitie conceiued of the power and efficacie of publike prayer aboue priuate Yea will the Separatist say Publike prayers no doubt are of great power if they be conceiued prayers I answere Indeed to conceiue prayer is an excellent gift and by no meanes to be despised if it be not rashly vndertaken by those which haue no grace to performe it in due sort but I make no question but that a man may pray also as acceptably vnto God in a set forme and so may publike praiers as well as priuate be made also as the Church hath euer practised and it is a vaine thing to think that God is so delighted with varying of words and phrases that when we haue the same suits and requests to make vnto him daily yet wee must alter the words and manner of asking Not to presse the example of our Sauiour Christ himselfe who had a better gift in prayer then all the Separatists in the world and could haue varyed better then them all yet when hee had the same suit vnto God vsed the same words diuers times Father if it be possible let
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
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