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
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
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