will be presenred me in the next words of the Text actings by the Spirit Else when thou shalt bless with the Spirit with the sprit that 's the manner of this Office or Service The context speaks it to be a miraculous gift of the Spirit 1. By speaking by a suddain elocution 2. in a strange language and antiquity stamps that image upon it too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of old there were many that prayed in the Persian Roman and other languages nay they could tell the secrets of the heart all this is not an ordinary work of the Spirit From whence I shall but ventilate this onely probleme Whether this do not justifie extemporary prayer to be the praying by the Spirit and thence condemn all fet forms I answer no For first Praying in a tongue miraculously given is here the chief note of praying by the Spirit not a volubility and affluence of expresson let those that would bind us to this bind themselves to that 2. If any man now pray by the immediate Inspiration of the Holy Ghost than that written is Scripture and then we may have new Bibles but if men pretend not to such actions why are the people deluded with the quoting these examples 3. The mediate acts of the Spirit are no less the Spirits acts than his miraculous as Christs going in a Ship was as truly his passing on the water though not so wonderfull as his walking on the Sea Now thus he may pray by the Spirit that prayes by a Form if he pray for such things as the Spirit hath told us in the Scripture are pleasing to God and for such ends and with such conditions and such words many patterns of which we have dictated difusedly up and down in the Word either as prayers for us or model to us And all this is praying by the Spirit objectively But besides when he does enlighten us and enliven us not extatically but rationally and in the way of men not Spirits then we pray by the Spirit enabling us subjectively 4. This way is better for us For first afflations were not by way of habit to be used when the person but when the Spirit pleased which must be sometimes prepared for not excited as I suppose by Musick in Elisha and sometimes waited for as by Jeremy 10. dayes cap. 42.7 Who would be content to abstain ftom a voyage to Heaven so long waiting till this Miraculous wind should blow T is 2. more honourable for the people for such gifts pretended supposes them Infidels 1 Cor. 14.22 And so indeed they have been made for else what needs the making new Churches By a just judgment God has suffered those to debase the people whom he honoured because they honoured whom he would have debased T is 3. more sure for us than even an inspiration or voyce from Heaven to another 2 Pet. 1.19 That which is Inspiration to him is but Tradition to me and if it were true I am not bound to believe it unless it were delivered to him to be communicated to me and it may be the suggestion of a black Angel who is ship-wrackt already and therefore is kept a while from sinking with the joy of seeing others swimming But man teaching has the venture of his soul in our Boat and he cannot wilfully ruine us without damning himself by compartnership 4. T is more orderly as appears by the confusion in using those truly miraculous gifts in strange tongues and those again had like to have rebuilt old Babel The first ages after the true gifts vanishe were so pestred with the putative ones that they were feign to reduce things to a common standard rather than let every man measure according to his private bushel from whence proceeded these cause of new prayers and Psalms that every day flyes from the furnace of private brains therefore the Church appoints that the same Prayers be made at Morning and Evening And in arother Councel Placuit ut preces qua probatae fuerint a concilio celebrentur such prayers were onely to be used publickly by the Church which were ratified by the Councel So in a 3. Quicunqite sibi preces alicunde describ t eis non utatur nisi prius cum instructioribus fratribus contulerit let no other prayers be used unless upon collation first had with our more learned brethren But there is a better subject awaits me than this altercation and that 's communion God send us a good and more of it I shall fly toward it as fast as I may that 's the fouth particular I observed in the Text the Service the Priest the manner of Celebration and fourthly the Communion to that I come now and desire you to bear with my ordering this for that you will be sure to be invited to a better anon The Communion I found that on the word giving of thanks not singly but with the aspects that the other parts of the Text have onit we give thanks t is true or ought to do for all benefits for our Refections particularly the jewes had then a large one though many in late dayes have neglected it on the pretence of wanting Scripture warrant but their Cos Hillol Cup of Praise after the Pasch our Saviour endenizond into the tribe of Christian Ceremonies making the cup half the dividend of our Sacrament the Apostle without doubt aimes at this 1 Cor. 10.16 The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion c. But besides this Eucharistia not onely in Scripture but Church language is put for this Sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let that be counted sayes a Father a sound Sacrament which is under the Bishop or to whom he gives leave And another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having done their Prayer and Thanksgiving i. e the Sacrament 3. Eulogia which is in the front of the Text when thou that Bless signifie in antiquity those parcels which were sent by the Deacon or Acoluthor of this Communion to the absent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Justin and the reason of it is given Ut se a nostra communione non judicent separatos that they might not suspect themselves aliend from our Communion And therefore because this was a thansgiving neither did they use to celebrate on fasting dayes or in lent except Sundayes because mournings and thanks givings were opposite but in some places the contrary custome did obtain Use 1. The true use of the Sacrament first breaks out from the very word that it is to be a blessing and lauding God because he blesles us with it therefore we do him in it and that not onely for that great and inestimable benefit of the redemption of the world by his Son whereof this is not onely the scene but seal But there was another sort of blessing God commemorated in this Ordinance by antiquity which Pancirotius might have recorded among his deperdita And that was the blessing of God for
A SERMON PREACHED Before the CONVOCATION OF THE Clergy in Ireland At the Cathedral Church of S. PATRICKS in DUBLIN May 9. Anno 1661. At the time of their General Receiving the H. COMMUNION By THO. HACKET D. D. and Vicar of Chesthunt in Hartfordshire LONDON Printed by D. Maxwell for Tho. Davies and Th. Sadler at the Bible in S. Paul's Church-yard 1662. TO THE Right Reverend Father in GOD MICHAEL LORD BISHOP of CORK CLOYNE ROSSE And One of the Lords of His Majesties most honourable Privy Council in the Kingdom of IRELAND May it please your Lordship THis ensuing trifle was not a voluntary but a piece of obedience to the collected body of the Clergy of Ireland their Commands gave it first life since publication Some Schoolmen say Angels to the enervating Christs Divinity may Create surely were the sentiment true it might be usefull to me at this time I might hope those Analogical Angels might work something out of this nothing However I desire that nothing of Divinity may be injur'd by it of which it contains many remnants such as Pedlers use to broak in and those but narrowly handled because being many they shoulder one another for elbow room yet I must assert something of Election in them too Your Lordship knows the Meridian of Ireland and they were in some measure fitted for the Longitude and Latitude of many of the Clergy there That is the state thâ—y have been not are in through the wise conduct and great sedulity of the Reverend Fathers of the Church and your Lordships in a most eminent manner in your own Province where you have wrought great changes with little not made ruine and power the Instruments of your Reformation but solid convictions and amicable insinuations So that now though all the Diocess be right no man complains of wrong and the once seduced are not affraid of their Bishop but ashamed of themselves a vertue so much the greater in you because acted on the scene and to many of the persons by whom in bad times your self suffered when Loyalty and Orthodones were your Lordships greatest Crimes and Schisme and Persecution their Virtues yet their Repsntance has kept them safer than your Innocence could you and your mercy has changed them when their cruelty could not you My Lord finding your influence so generally benign I could not fear a soure aspect if my understanding could not my memory might relieve me from your favours to my self which are fresh and recent my hopes must be the same with the Moons now who by sheltring her self under the Suns beams has all her spots hid Your Lordship has goodness enough to communicate these truths that these papers were the scrapps of an ill memory divested of all helps from Books the products of almost an inch of time but two poor dayes the subject insolite to preach on a Sacrament before a Convocation and the Authour having the Sea so newly floating in his brains that it might well drownd all things which it found there And who will not believe such an Authority especially when the work it self conspires to give in so clear an evidence to it Had those obstacles been removed possibly another air might have animated these papers However in the unhappiness of having done ill I have the happiness that charity may construe I might have done better If any think this discourse bends not enough on practise they must remember that it was not conposed for the body of the Church but Quire it was practical for them it must be more by them the dress of it I leave to your Lordships favour but the truth of it to the greatest severity for as I cannot offend that so I would not this being a Father of the Church submits all truths to your cognizance but having a particular charge of the sphere whereto I have the honour of a Designation my motions in it more especially wherein as I would at no hand prove erratick so my judgment shall take its measures of access or retreat alwayes from your Ecliptick whilest your charge Thus my Lord design and duty have stept in to dishonour you with this patronage but had both failed friendship and love would not that before this late more August dependance and subordination had the power of making and if they should expire will alwayes have of keeping me Your Lordships Most Faithfull And Most Humble Servant THO. HACKET ERRATA PAge 3. marg r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 5. marg for pral r. prat p. 7. marg r. Eutich l. 29. r. Jehudah p. 8. l. 8. r. though l. penult r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 9. l. 32. r. large l. 35. r. comes l. ult whence p. 10. l. 2. r. is l. 23. r. were l. 24. r was p. 14. l. 1. r. reports p. 15. l. 6. r. extatically p. 10. l. 20. r. or l. 27. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 33. r. Acoluthoi p. 18. l. 17. before sound add will p. 19. l. 23. r. Mumbaz p. 23. l. 31. r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 24. l. 31. r. began TEXT 1 Cor. 14.16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of Thanks THe Jews had among their Classes of Science one who particularly devoted it self to the opening mysterious places in Scripture the Master of which house was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and seems to be one of those alluded to 1 Cor. 1. 20. Where is the wise where is the Scribe where is the disputer of this world So had the Primitive Christians but theirs was by Inspiration as appears not onely that it is numbred amongst the gifts 1 Cor. 12. 1 Cor. 14. but by some fragments that are left of this way still in the mystical expositions of many places of the Old Testament that go under St. Barnabas name and by the pretensions of the Gnosticks who as if their Sect had monopolize'd the Spirit set out a Pandect upon the whole Scripture in this way Would to God had it so pleased him for the sake of this present Chapter that some of those Guides had remain'd with us till this day we should not then have laboured under those great Obscurities that have confounded all our Criticks in their sagacious Conjectures upon the Nature Number and Distinction of Primitive Gifts These are now such Stellae nebulosae clouded Stars that the most Nasuted indagators of sublime things know not within what Numbers or Figures to comprise them T was St. Chrysostome's complaint That we have not onely lost the Gifts themselves but the very Memoir's of what they were are ravish'd from us Therefore I shall wave the guidance of such Erratick Lights as might make me stray up and down this Chapter and fasten my self immediately to rhe words of the Text Else when thou shalt bless c In which apposite to the great Solemnity of this day you have the Scheme of
punisht with a Cherith Exod. 12.15 which the best Criticks stretch to its utmost capacity of civil spritual and eternal excision without Repentance and when in their dispersions they could not have a formal Passeover their writers tell us they upheld the memorial in a commemorative one that hindred from doing what they would they might shew their affections to it by doing what they could This Practice has kept for us the Annals of Christs Ministry St. John reckoning them by Pasches and our blessed Saviour himself traveld once that we read of 56. miles to observe one John 2.12 The Suspiria Epoptarum or breathings towards the Communion was a Proverb among the Primitives so flagrant was their zeal for it Nay the Heathens had and communicated frequently in a Sacrament much of the same species with ours with great purifications for it rejoycing in it The great wickedness and especially uncharitableness of our people calls loud for this Catholicon that feast of love to combine us together of which sin it may go for no light suspition that those breaches have been the judgment Some person it may be now might fear that from this whetting them to the Sacrament I should pass to some more minute considerations by way of preparing you for it but I am not so vain to think that you either do need that any more than I am fit to perform this Such a project might well suit the occonomy of a Country charge not a Convocation of Clergy whose duty it is habitually and whose care it was actually to possess themselves of time on purpose to secure the interest of so great a design I am like the Apostle discoursing before Prophets men of great gifts and therefore waving this I must consider that for it is the next and third circumstance that was propounded in unfolding the text The Minister or the Priest performing the mysterious celebration and he is expressed in the word thou Else when thou shalt bless Thou Now the sence of the Text like the rising morning begins to open its eyes wider on uâ— this is the word as in Italian locks that will help us possess the treasure for as the person is here found to be so will the whole action be denominated he will prove that to be an Eucharist and that will lend us something too to assert him a Priest But for the present so I assert him to be from 3. apparent arguments lodged fairly in the bosome of the words first of all he is opposed to the sayer of Amen here which being the duty of the people the opposite to it must be the Priest 2. The learned must confront the Idiot or unlearned in the Text and 3. His place proves him so for if the Unlearned Idiot the sayer of Amen take up all the people and possess but one place or Room in the Assembly then the vacant chair must be left for the Minister to omit the force of the context that the Apostle is speking of spiritual exercises of Prophets and of Blessing the Priests Act Supposing then this assertion redeemed from some obscurity I shall pass but this one observation upon it That in the time of dispensing extraordinary and Miraculous Gifts yet God was pleased ordinarily to make the Ministry the seat of these For of such gifts the whole chapter speaks and in such persons the text incircles those gifts the wind of the spirit is free but here it was pleased to become a trade wind and to blow commonly I say from one corner for besides what the text seems to favour this in there are two circumstances more to help conclude it First the Scripture is clear that these gifts were ordinarily distributed by imposition of hands Gods hands never coming empty And it will be as easily yielded that though laying of hands was sometime on other persons for their significations yet on no whole tribe of men else and upon all those hands were laid Secondly But the Prophets Disciples had a particular cultivation into which fallow the seed of the Spirit did ordinarily inject it self their breeding in Universities Schools was an ambush as it were laid to catch this spiritual wind Instructions and Tutorage and Prayer and a sedate Spirit lead to it which are the effects of those fraternities Thus when Saul came within the air of Caâ—mel he was inspired 1 Sam. 10 1â— But the wonder was who was his Father that is his Master or how he came to be so without one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Disciple is the Spiritual son of his Master and therefore I suppose Acts 3.34 The Prophets are numbred form Samuel not because he was the first Prophet but the first Provost of a prophetical Colledg under whose tutorage they became such and so might well be said the Prophets from Samuel Nay the Prophets Jeremy Haggai Zachary Malachy c. that go onely for immediate Prophets among us are by the Jewish writers enrold as members of their great Assembly and made such by Imposition of hands Vse From whence that common Argument will be much invalidated that men preach now by vertue of their gifts who are no Ministers because we do not read all were Ministers whom we find in the first age to have preacht from their gifts For if God was pleased to Center his Gifts ordinarily in the Ministry then the supposing them to have such gifts will bid somewhat fairly though not demonstrate that they were of the Ministry Besides the people are said to do many things representatively in Scripture as they do in Parliament by such Members as among them are capacitated and not that every one is fit for every thing So I conceive they try Spirits prove all things which are other popular arguments in the former plea that is by their guides whom God has enabled so to do for them The common voice of late ran that the People were the Church let that be made good when it can I am sure the Governours of the Church and Ministers do pass for the whole Church in Scripture and primitive language What God commanded Moses to tell the congregation of Israel Exod. 12.3 he report onely to the Elders vers 21. And it is to be supposed that Mases understood and disobeyed not Gods command So St. Chrys expounding that Speech of Christs Tell the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is saith he those that are the Presidents of it A number of those trivial reasonings might find their answer here but that the Topick is large and right Logick would first state the question before it determine all which I have not time for All I assert is the unconclusiveness of their Argument especially when persons shalter themselves under extraordinary gifts who have not been guilty of so much as ordinary whom as a mean Subject I shall take my leave of and think my time better spent in conversing with those of a higher illumination which