those who haue not learned it herefra as it was to the Athenians Mockerie Act. 17.32 And yet it is the onlie ground of our comfort For if in this lyfe onlie wee had hope in CHRIST wee were of all men most miserable 1. COR. 15.19 It is that which giveth vs confidence and hope For Resurrectio mortuorum est fiducia christianorum sayeth carnis· It is an speciall article of our Fayth which wee must holde vndenyable against all such wicked Hereticks who would denye the same wickedlie thinking that the bodies being resolved into their first principles shall lye without hope of restoreing to lyfe Or if there bee any bodies at all glorified they shal not be the same which were layde in the graue but some other made of the ayre or such lyke thing An impious Heresie most manifestlie against infinite testimonies of Scripture whereof this is one most evident Wherefore Augustine Lib. 20. de Civit. Dei cap. 23. showeth it to bee the same with that of our Saviour Iohn 5.28.29 For those whom the Angell sayeth that they sleepe in the dust are sayd by our Saviour to bee in the graues And what is to the Angell They shal awake It is to Christ They shal heare the voyce of the Sonne of man and come foorth The Angel sayeth Some to everlasting lyfe some to shame and eontempt Our Saviour sayeth Who haue done good vnto the resurrection of lyfe and who haue done evill vnto the resurrection of damnation So clearlie consonant that our Saviours wordes are a plaine exposition of the Angels Tertullian most learnedlie in his booke De resurrectione carnis refuteth this Heresie and the learned after him haue done it most fullie As for that they object That the bodie being a base vyle contemptible and corrupted thing how can it bee awakened to glorie they should haue considered That albeit in matter it be base yet it is made wonderfullie honourable By GOD Himselfe was man created to bee immortall and Hee made him an Image of His owne aeternitie And CHRIST IESUS now incarnate hath honored vs with this That wee are members of His bodie of His flesh and of His bones Ephes. 5.30 And by the glorification of His bodie our bodies His members are alreadie begun to be glorified And that Hee might present vs vnto Himselfe glorious hath cleansed our bodies by the washing of regeneration and made them temples of the holie Ghost and wee are fed by the bodie and blood of IESUS CHRIST to the certayne hope of this Resurrection according as our Saviour sayeth Iohn 6.54 Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall lyfe and I will rayse him vp at the last day And as that father well marketh Non possunt separari in mercede quos opera conjungit For who worketh together in justice should bee rewarded together In this poynt I marvell much how they dare derogate from the power of GOD for Hee who made man first of nothing what can hinder Him againe now to make him vp of some thing For Hee that calleth things which are not as though they were ROM 4.17 how easilie may Hee call backe those thinges that were and quicken the dead For what although the bodies bee burnt in ashes bee devoured of beasts eaten of fowles or fishes For Tertullian answering to this sayeth Habet et carâ— suos sinus interim in aquis in ignibus in alitibê° et bestiis The flesh also hath her own receptacles in the meane tyme in the waters in the fyre in the fowles and beasts Cum in haec dissolvi videtur velut in vasa diffunditur And when in these it is dissolved it is powred in as it were in vessels Si etiam ipsa vasa defecerint cum de illis quoque defluxerit in suam matricem terram quasi per ambages resorbetur vt rursus ex illa repraesentetur And if sayeth hee these vessels fayle and it flowe out thereof by turning againe it is drunken in into the earth and out of it it may bee refounded againe according to that which is wrytten Revel 20.13 And the sea gaue vp the dead which were in it and death and the graue delyvered vp the dead that were in them and they were judged everie man according to his workes Showing whatsoever kynde of death they died they must all aryse and giue presence at judgement Knoweth not the LORD by His infinite wisdome where the smallest part of the dust wherein their bodies are dissolved lyeth and by His infinite power is Hee not able to collect them altogether Shall wee denye Him that skill a master of familie hath in his owne house or a gold-smith in his shop who can readilie bring everie thing out of its owne place and as they ought in a perfect manner put them together This power of GOD is evidentlie witnessed in the Phoenix who albeit burnt in ashes returneth to lyfe in the Flees and Wormes dead in Winter reviving againe in Summer in the day buried in the night the nixt day returning And to affirme that those bodies which shall bee glorified with the soule shall not bee the same bodies which were layde asleepe it is to deny the Resurrection For who can call that a Resurrection that is a raysing vp of that bodie which was fallen a wakening of that which was asleepe It were meerlie ridiculous as the strength of the former argumentes evidentlie evinceth Wherefore we must vndoubtedly holde with Tertullian that Resurget caro quidem omnis quidem ipsa quidem integra In deposito est ubicunque apud DEVM per fidelissimum sequestrem DEI hominum IESVM CHRISTVM qui homini DEVM hominem DEO reddet carni spiritum spiritui carnem that is The flesh shall aryse and all flesh that selfe-same flesh whole and in its integritie For where ever it be it is in sure keeping with GOD through that faythfull Mediator betwixt GOD and Man CHRIST IESVS who will restore GOD to Man and Man to GOD the spirit to the flesh and the flesh to the spirit The same bodies then which were layde asleepe in the graue shall bee awakened and that by the ministerie indeede of the holy Angels who are ministring spirits for the good of the Elect but efficiently it shal bee by the voyce of IESVS CHRIST as Hee testifieth of Himselfe Verilie verilie I say vnto you The houre is comming and now is when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of GOD and they that heare it shall liue IOHN v. 25 Hee is their Head and therefore will awake His owne members to the participation of His owne Glorie Hee is their King and will therefore call on them to share of the Happinesse of His Kingdome and to giue them a full and finall Evidence That Death is swallowed vp into victorie Hee will declare by His voyce what vertue is in Him to quicken them will possesse them with that which is the ende of
Charge as you haue heard hee worthilie did discharge himselfe provyding for Seminaries of Learning and nowrishment for seede to growe therein In these Seminaries the Youth as pleasant Plantes did aboundantlie spring vp in his tyme and he after due tryall of their worth planted them in the LORD'S Vineyarde yea after hee had planted them hee transplanted some of them from one part of it to another For as a wyse master Gardner sometymes hee plucked fullie vp vnprofitable trees out of their places that they should not trouble the ground anie more sometymes according to the nature of the soyle and the worth of the Plantes hee did transplant them that profitable trees might haue profitable rowmes And aboue all hee had a care that the pestilent weedes of Haeresie and Schisme should neyther abyde nor enter therein that almost heere by his meanes hee hath plucked vp Popish Superstition by the rootes And in the actes of Policie as a States-man hee did evidentlie declare that our mightie Prince did choose him out according to the wyse counsell of Iethro to Moses for an able man one that feared GOD loved the Trueth and hated covetousnesse Exod. xviij 21 And so hee discharged himselfe in all Employmentes of that kynde that with IOB hee might haue sayde of himselfe that hee was in such admiration amongst the Princes and Nobles that when hee spake they refrayned talking and layd their hand on their mouth they held their peace and their tongue cleaved to the roofe of their mouth Iob xxix 9.10 That such a man is taken away it can not bee denyed but that it praesageth some heavie judgement vpon this Land and that the rather as Esay in the lyke case complayneth because the righteous perish and no man layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evill to come Esay lvij 1 Oh if men would consider howe that such men are both Lightes and Pillars where they liue and what respect the LORD hath vnto them and howe from tyme to tyme Hee hath wonderfullie spared others for their sakes how all Israll was spared for one Moses and howe hee would haue spared Sodom and Gomorrah if there had beene ten righteous men therein Gen. xviij and how that the Angell could not doe anie thing agaynst them vntill LOT did escape to the mountaynes The consideration of this would make them to take to heart the death of the Righteous and in tyme by repentance praevent these judgementes which seeme to ensue This is the speciall vse should bee made of our Prelates death and not as we are all doing mourne or weepe for him For knowing the happie estate wherein hee is wee haue matter to rejoyce and bee glad His soule is convoyed to the bosome of Abraham wherein the glorious companie of Angels and blessed Sayncts hee is praysing the LORD His bodie nowe resting from manie toylesome travelles is layde in a sound sleepe out of which one day by the sweete voyce of his Saviour CHRIST IESUS it shall bee awakened and when Hee shall come in Glorie Hee will then bring him both in soule and bodie to Glorie with Him and then with other wysemen hee shall shyne as the brightnesse in the firmament and because he hath turned manie vnto righteousnesse as a farre for ever and ever DAN 12. Wherefore should wee then mourne for him For as Bernard sayeth Pro defunctis fidelibus non de bemus plorare sed DEO gratias agere quia eos de miseria hujus seculi dignatus est liberare eos ad loca refrigerii lucis pacis sicut credimus fecit transire that is wee ought not to mourne for the faithfull that are dead but giue thankes to GOD for them who hath vouchsafed to delyver them out of the miseries of this lyfe and as wee are perswaded hath made them to flit vnto the places of refreshment light and peace And I am assured if hee were now speaking to you hee would tell you of his Happinesse that hee resteth now from his laboures and that his workes haue followed him So that if wee mourne nowe wee may hurt our selues but not profite him Let those onlie carnallie mourne for their friends that are ignorant of the nature of Death and denye the Resurrection But let vs rejoyce who knowe they are asleepe and shall bee awakened to everlasting Lyfe First then you worthie Citizens cease now and leaue off your mourning for your Reverende Prelate bee no more lyke Rachel who wept for her children and would noo bee comforted nor with Ioash weeping over the face of Elisha and crying O my father my father the chariot of Israell and the horse-men thereof Albeit I must yeelde this much to your griefe that being depryved of him you haue these concurring judgementes There is taken from you the Iudge and the Prophet the prudent and the ancient the honourable man the counseller the eloquent orator ESAI 3.2.3 Therefore I cannot better speake vnto you than in the wordes of our Saviour to the women who followed him to the place of his sufferinges Weepe not for mee but weepe for your selues O yee daughters of Ierusalem So you haue no matter to weepe for him but onlie for your selues Weepe that when you had him you made not a good vse of him that you did not obey his doctrine follow his counsels and yet in this hee hath not left you comfortlesse for more carefullie he hath provyded Pastores for your instruction nor ever anie that went before him whose doctrine if you hearken vnto and obey when Death which may bee shortlie shall sease vpon you and yee shall bee gathered vnto him with comfort you shall see him and say Heere is hee that turned vs vnto righteousnesse and at the sight of you joyfullie shall hee say LORD loe heere am I and the children which thou hast given mee HEB. 2.13 Next you my Reverend Colleagues his much respected Presbyters why continue you your mourning lyke Orphanes destitute of a father you are not ignorant as these who haue not hope Remember you not how carefull hee was not to leaue you comfortlesse what testimonies at his death had we of his loue did hee not shortlie before his death communicate with vs alone in the holie Sacrament of the blessed bodie and blood of CHRIST IESUS which was the last testimonie of CHRIST his owne loue to his Disciples when Elijah was to bee rapt vp into the Heavens being desyred of Elisha saying I pray the let a double portion of thy spirit bee vpon mee It seemed hard this petition to Elijah yet how gladlie did our ELIjAH when wee Elisha-lyke on bowed knees did begge His blessing answere vs with his hand on everie one of our heades saying The LORD blesse you and double his grace and loue to you that ever hee granted vnto mee What can wee but hope for Vertue from that hand as Elisha receaved Vertue from the Cloake of
motus vniversa vocalia sint veritatem mente concipiat toto â—am habitu ornatu resonat So was hee learned in this learned Citie where there is the Seat of Learning wyse in ordering and governing GOD'S House faythfull impartiall and solid in judging discret in admonishing compassionate in correcting full of power and authoritie in censuring and rebuking to reduce the inordinate and when neede was to cutt off evill examples from the Flocke In dispatch of businesse speedie and with great dexteritie alwayes provident and carefull to advance the Gospell and paynfull even in the tyme of his sicknesse Without all carnall and base feare of men not bowed with boastes to betray the Church or daunted and discowraged from executing his office with great cowrage spirit resolutenesse of mynd contending with them that contended with God and fighting a good fight both in defence of the truth expugnation of heresies schisms and seditions brought in by adversaries And which is a speciall mark descerning a faithful Pastor from an hyreling who seekes his own things Hee was not given to filthie lucre but hating covetousnes all simoniacal practises all cunning covetous dealing not corrupted by brybes non erat manâ— porrecta ad accipiendum collecta ad dandum But in word and work benevolent charitable and hospital Not as Tacitus lib. 1. spake of Otho Opes perdere iste sciet donare nescit An honourable patterne of pietie and humanitie to all a lover and favourer of good men a comfort to the best a terrour and a wound to enemies and the worst inclyned And as Augustine spake of Cyprian Multi erat meriti multi pectoris multi oris multae virtutis In outward carriage and actions graue modest and constant procuring reverence of all that beheld him And which is especially worthie of mention and imitation he was sincere vpright being within what he seemed without Not as Tertullian saith of certain Philosophers Mimicè affectaÌ„t veritatem affectando corrumpunt For as Seneca says of Clemens Nemo potest diu personam fictam ferre But this integritie and constancie appeared in him vnto the ende it was not onlie a naturall inclination in him but a spirituall and gracious disposition At last being over-taken with a longsome and grievous disease which he did beare with his accustomed cowrage and constancie not vsing any word of impatience complaint or motion showing any discontent with God but with a quyet invinceable vndaunted heart as an immoveable Rocke â—phelde himselfe by Fayth and Hope resting in GOD his Saviour only lamenting his infirmitie in this That it vnabled him from the discharge of his Office as hee had done when Health lasted And yet in tyme of his weaknesse his Memorie and Senses beeing perfect hee caused carrie him diverse tymes both to the publicke meeting of the Ministerie and ordinarilie to the Church to the publicke worship of GOD vvhere hee was an attentiue and comfortable hearer And at last extremitie of sicknesse and death drawing neare hee was compelled to keepe home in Divine conference with all that visited him in speach jocund and pleasant vttering diverse Christian Apophthegmes before death often saying That hee had passed the halfe of death alreadie Pulchâ—a res est consummare vitam ante mortem vt mors pauca inveniat quae abolere possit And laying aside all other care hee composed himselfe whollie vnto that heavenlie lyfe and with that store of Comforts which hee had taught others prepared himselfe to death to yeeld his dayes peaceablie and with good resolution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVherein hee shewe great contentment and willingnesse to die and change this lyfe with a better For hee knewe by his singular wisedome and pietie Nihil esse stultius quam ad praemia coelestia non obsequio voluntatis accurrere sed necessitatis vinculo invitum trahi And for his farther comfort receaved the holie SACRAMENT of the Bodie and Blood of the LORD IESUS CHRIST vvith great devotion in the companie and together with diverse Reverend and Godlie Men the Ministers of both the Townes vnto whom hee verie heartilie in token of his agreement and comfort hee had of their fellowship in his lyfe gaue his Blessing and recommended them vnto the Grace of GOD. After which strength and speach fayling hee gaue diverse tokens to them who were present of a mynde setled and established by Fayth and Hope in assurance of the Mercie of GOD in the remission of his sinnes And then the extremitie of paynes chased that Soule of his out of the tabernacle of this flesh which the Angels haue carried vnto the Bosome of his Father ABRAHAM being delivered from the wearisomnesse and perils of this lyfe and now eateth the Fruits of his labours and his Conscience the comfort of his former fidelitie and with vnspeakeable joye awayteth for our comming thither A SERMON Preached at the Funerall of the R. R. Father in GOD PATRICKE FORBES Late Lord Bishop of ABERDENE In the speciall Church of the Citie of ABERDENE called Saynct Nicolas the xij of Aprill 1635. By WILLIAM GUILD Doctor of Divinitie Chaplane to his Majestie and Minister of GOD'S Word in the foresayd Citie LUKE II. VERS 29. LORD now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy Word THese words dearly beloved in our Lord and Saviour which I haue read in your present audience according to the opinion of some are the words of Prayse and of others are the words of Petition Of Prayse olde Simeon in them having now gotten the performance of that Promise made vnto him That hee should not see Death till hee saw the LORD' 's Anoynted and having the Babe CHRIST IESVS in his arms he prayseth GOD for this performance and acknowledgeth That now Hee was letting him depart iâ— peace for his eyes according to His word of promise made vnto him had seene his Salvation And those who so expound this Text haue for their warrand the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the present tyme. Some agayne both Ancient and Moderne make these wordes to bee the wordes of Petition and to contayne the holie desire of this happie olde Man wherein now having gotten in his lyfe-tyme a sight of his promised and longed-for Saviour whyle Hee was presented in the Temple he desireth now a peaceable and happie departure as having seene Him who is the death of Death and LORD of Lyfe after whom hee longed In which Text we haue to consider 1. That there is a Departure out of this lyfe 2. That this is commoÌ„ to the Servants of GOD aswel as to the wicked therefore sayth old SIMEON Now LORD let thy servant depart 3. Wee see how the death of GOD'S servants is called to wit a Dimission or freedome to depart 4. The difference betweene the death and departure of the Godlie and the wicked to wit the one is in Peace the other not 5. From
tossing the mynde cares torturing the heart paines pinching the bodie pensiuenesse possessing the soule feares fretting crosses consuming and death at last consummating And wherein there is not any houre wherein we are not eyther in the remembrance of calamities by-past or the sense of some present or vnder the feare and foresight of some that are to come So that it is most true which Iob sayeth of man in this lyfe Man that is borne of woman is of short continuance and full of trouble Curasque subiisse molestas Sors homini connataetulit velut edita prunis Scintilla ignitis tenues vaga scandit in aâ—ras O then as sayeth Moses That men were wyse aâ—d would consider their latter ende and would thinke on the worlds vanitie to despyse it lyfes frayltie to contemne it deaths certayntie to expect iâ— judgements severitie to prevent it hells miserie to avoyde it and heavens felicitie to attayne it Seeing the death of the Godlie is a parting not a perishing a delyverie and not a destruction an annalysing not an annihilating In qua potius miseria Christiani quam ipse Christianus moritur Therefore the same is not to be feared by them who die nor yet excessiuelie deplored by vs who surviue praemitâ—untur enim non amittuntur oriuntur potius quam moriuntur eorumque funera sunt iis maximâ— foenera So that death vnto them is rather premiall nor penall lyfe nor losse and the day thereof lyke a birth-day to bee celebrated in respect of them rather with mirth nor mourning Therefore they rather desire nor dread the same saying with David My soule thirsteth for God even for the living God when shall I come and appeare before God Or with S. Paull I desire to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ. Or with Simeon here Lord now let thy servant depart in peace Or with the Sayncts saying How long O Lord which art holie and true Come Lord Iesu come quicklie And good reason they haue for doing so because three things concurre to them which are matter of great joye to vs in this lyfe a glad marriage a glorious triumph and a solemne coronation the marriage with Christ the triumph over all their enemies the coronation with a crowne of righteousnesse If poore Esther then and all her kinred were glad when shee was assumed by king Assuerâ—s to bee his Queene If David rejoyced when hee came backe triumphing after the slaughter of Goliah and if the earth it selfe rang for joye with the acclamations of the coronation of Salomon O how joyefull a day is that wherein the poore soule of a Christian is married gloriouslie with Him who is King of kings and Lord of lords and at the sight of that blessed Brydegroome as at Elizabeth's hearing of the blessed virgines salutation the Baptist did how doeth that soule spring and leape for joye O with what joyefull acclamations also doe these glorious spirits welcome the triumphant soule that is victorious over the enemies of Gods glorie and man's good and who so rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner much more shall they not at the coronation of a Saynct assumed vp to heaven associate to the Patriarches made equall with the Angels and conformed to Christ The fourth thing which this Text offereth to our consideration is the difference betweene the death of the Godlie and the death of the wicked the one is in peace the other not therefore sayeth the Prophet There is no peace to the wicked sayeth my GOD. But on the contrary Marke the Godlie and the vpright man sayeth the Psalmist For the ende of that man is peace for according to his soules estate as sayth Isaias hee entereth into peace and according to his bodie he resteth in the graue as a sweet sleeping bed so that hee may say with David I will lay mee downe in peace and sleepe And when I awake I shall be satisfied with thy lykenesse The cause of which death in peace is the lyfe of grace and because they lived the lyfe of the righteous therefore they die the death of the righteous But as for the wicked they depart not in peace because their life was destitute of grace both which the Apostls joyne as inseparable in their salutations grace and peace therefore sayth the Prophet of them The way of peace they haue not knowne and there was no vprightnesse in their goings but they made them crooked pathes wherein whosoever goeth hee shall not know peace wherefore they shall be in death as Balthassar was in his agonie seeing nothing but their guiltie conscience wryting bitter things against them sorrowing for their sinnes bygone being in anguish for their present miserie and in terrour for torments to come Satan now accusing them the conscience convicting them the lawe condemning them the Gospell forsaking them the Heavens debarring them and lyke Ionas whale hell gaping to swallowe them O dreadfull perplexitie when feare is so on everie syde a wrathfull judge aboue vnquenchable flames beneath a gnawing worme within a dreadfull dittie before fearfull fiends about and a dolefull doome at hand Whereas on the contraire the death of the Godlie hath peace for perplexitie solace for sorrow and for dreadour desire of dissolution their sinnes are silent their conscience calme the Law absolveth them the Gospell comforteth them their Saviour attendeth them Heaven is open to them the Angels accompanie them their good workes doe follow them O comfortable is the clayme that the soule maketh in that houre to God as a reconciled Father to Christ as her bryde-groome and Saviour to his blood as her ransome to his sufferings as her satisfaction to his promises as the covenant to Heaven as his purchase for her and to the societie of the Sayncts and Angels as fellow-citizens in eternall glorie with her 1. Seeing then that this is onlie the priviledge of Gods servantes to depart in peace let not Satan's slaues in their senselesse securitie clayme or expect the same For such a Pearle is not for swyne nor this Bread of God's Children is not to be given to doggs Therefore it may be sayde to them as Iehâ— sayd to Ioram What hast thou to doe with peace so long as thy impieties are so manie and thy impenitencie so great Or as the Lord sayth to the wicked What hast thou to doe to take my Covenant of peace in thy mouth that thou shouldest expect to die the death of the righteous who wilt not liue the lyfe of the righteous Seeing that Qui in vita moritur per vitiâ— certò in morte transire oportet ad aeterna supplicia 2. Seeing the departure of the Godlie is in peace that as the Prophet sayeth in that houre they enter into peace or into a joyfull and peaceabe estate resting from their labours it followeth then that they depart not with the terrifying expectation of a fyrie purgatorie wherein
of it vpon that sinfull people loaden with iniquitie No doubt they cry in like maner now when they look vpon the great impietie and impuritie of this Land though we heare them not We feele in part the effect of GOD'S Holinesse this way We are almost consumed and yet wee haue neyther had Sword nor Famine nor Pestilence Through the anger of the Holie One of Israell the whole earth is darkened and the people is as the fewell of the fire no man spareâ—h his brother ISAI ix 19 Everie one eateth the flesh of his owne arme ISAI ix 20 Wee spreade foorth our handes and Hee hydeth His Eyes Wee make manie prayers but Hee will not heare Isai. j. 15 For all this His anger is not turned away but His Hand is stretched out still because our prophane hands are full of wickednesse If Hee bee so terrible to vs nowe howe dreadfull shall Hee bee heereafter when we shall stand before Him at death or at judgement ISAIAH was an holie man when that vision was presented vnto him Isai. 6. yet howe astonished was hee at the sight of the LORD Woe is mee for I am thee vndone c. How terrible then shal the presence of God thy Iudge be to thee who hast not heere or there a spot of sin but hast filthines incorporat in thy soule Revel vj. 16 They sayde to the mountaynes and to the rockes Fall on vs and hyde vs from the face of Him that sitteth on the Throne Goe then such as are vncleane and vnholie wash you and make you cleane Goe to that pure Fountayne which the HOLIEST of HOLIES hath opened out of His owne side Zach. xiij 1 and say with DAVID PSAL. lj Wash mee throughlie from my iniquitie Though all GOD'S People should worship Him in the Beautie of Holinesse yet more especiallie they that serue at the LORD'S Altar A terrible demonstration heereof the LORD gaue to Nadab and Abihu Levit. x. 1.2 Their office requyreth a particular sanctification inward by the grace of GOD'S Spirit working an ardent and fervent desire of halowing the NAME of GOD giving power and skill to dispense the meanes of Holinesse and moving them to goe before others in a lyfe examplariâ—ie holie Outward by the authoritie of the CHVRCH separating and consecrating them with Prayers Supplications and imposition of handes to this Sacred Office to be Fellow-workers with GOD and His Instrumentes in sanctifying and saving of men Therefore this HOLINESSE TO THE LORD was engraven in the head and fore-head of the high Priest to signifie that though the duetie bee common to all yet chieflie belonged to him and that hee by his example should leade all others both Priestes and People in the studie of Holinesse Exceeding great Holinesse is requyred in the high Priest whether wee consider him in reference to GOD or Man Priesthood sayeth Chrysostome in his excellent Bookes De Sacerdotio Lib. 3. is performed on earth but yet it is to bee counted in the ranke of heavenlie thinges And therefore a Priest must bee so pure as if in Heaven it selfe hee were walking amongst heavenlie powers Terrible were those thinges which praeceeded the tyme of Grace as Bells Pomgranats precious Stones the Mitre the plate of Golde the Holiest of Holies c. Yet sayth hee if wee compare them with the things that are vnder the tyme of Grace we will finde them to bee verie light and that true which saynct PAVL sayeth 2. COR. 3. For whyle thou beholdest the LORD sacrificed the Priest performing that Sacrifice and powring ouâ— Prayers and the people dyed as it were and made red with that precious Blood thinkest thou that thou art yet amongst mortall men and on the earth Art thou not rather translated to Heaven and doest thou not laying aside all carnall cogitation beholde with a free and pure mynde the thinges that are in Heaven And Lib. 6. hee sayeth to the same purpose when the Priest performeth this most sublime part of Christian Service in the EVCHARIST I demand sayeth hee where shall wee ranke him What integritie should wee require of him What religion How innocent should those hands â—ee that serue Howe pure the tongue that vttereth those wordes What thinge should bee so pure and cleane as the soule that receaveth so great and so worthie a Spirit At that tyme sayeth hee the Angels stand beside and the whole order of the heavenlie Powers doe shout What is requyred of him sayeth NAZIANZ that is to stand with the Angels and to prayse with the Arch-Angels and to sende Sacrifice to the Altar that is Aboue and to discharge Priesthood with CHRIST and to restore the frame of Man-kynde and to renewe his Image and to bee an Architect for that superiour worlde and to say more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who becommeth himselfe God and maketh others such And agayne A man should greatly purge his mynde and approach beyond others to GOD before hee take care of Souls and to mediate betwixt GOD and Man which is the duetie of a Priest before hee presume to offer that great Sacrifice This is the summe sayeth NAZIANZ then Tbat Priests bee such in vettue as that to speake it in a word they bee heavenlie that they themselues bee first purged then purge others first endewed themselues with wisdome and then make others wyse first bee themselues a light then enlighten others first come to GOD themselues and then bring others to Him A Ruler sayeth GREGORIE should greatlie labour to bee cleane hee should be polluted with no spet who hath vndertaken this office to cleanse the heartes of other men Quia necesse est ut esse munda studeat manus quae diluere sordes curat The hand should bee cleane that would cleanse For if vncleane sayeth hee it yet defileth more It is written sayeth hee there ISAI lij Mundamiui qui fertis Vasa DOMINI Be ye cleane that beare the Vessels of the LORD VERS 11. This they doe who beare the Soules of their Brethren to the inward Sacrifices In conversationis suae exemplo in the example of their owne conversation Howe cleane then should hee bee who carrieth in the bosome of his owne conscience those living Vessels to the Temple of Aeternitie Therefore whereas all Christians should bee and are called Sancti HOLIE Christian Bishops should bee and haue beene styled Sanctissimi MOST HOLIE It was the Sanctitie of the Priestlie Office and conversation that procured to those of that place of olde so great veneration as that it proceeded even to the kissing of their feete and handes So the people of Hierusalem kissed the feete of Epiphanius and the people of Rome the feete of Anselme Thou seest sayeth Ambrose the neckes of Kinges and Princes bowed downe to the knees of Priestes and having kissed their handes they thinke themselues guarded by their Prayers Before wee ende let vs descende to a more particular application and shortlie consider howe this our REVEREND