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
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
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