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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A27517	A sermon upon the Epiphany preach't at Christ-Church in the city of Dublin, 1672 by Richard Berry ...	Berry, Richard.	1672 (1672)	Wing B2046; ESTC R14245	13,293	36

salvation O Sun of Righteousness O brightness of the Eternal Father Rise thou upon us with healing under thy wings Display the beams of thy saving countenance upon our souls Dispell the dark mists of Sin and Infidelity which overcloud our minds and wills Dry up the damps of Original Concupiscence in our hearts by the warmth of a mighty grace as these earthly ones are done away by the heat of that burning fiery Globe above us That at the last becoming the sons and daughters of Epiphanies we may walk as becomes Children of the Father of Lights and as Brethren of the Son and Heir of Lights shining in all manner of Purity and Integrity throughout the whole course of our Conversations Secondly Now follows as a second Branch of my propounded method that in the same order by way of Historical Narration and profitable Inferences we speak somewhat and more briefly of the Persian Magi. Of these early Votaries and true Converts to the Son of God and Discipline of his Kingdom there is a great Controversie amongst the most eminent of the Fathers whether they were Kings or no. But though the late Learned Dr. Hammond be for the Affirmative following St. Augustine St. Jerome and Tertullian in this point yet waving Disputes of this nature we may take it for granted That they were men of Princely dignity at the least For the name of Magi both in Persia and Arabia was a name of men highly eminent for their extraction as well as for profound Learning and Employ That in general they were Princes and Philosophers of the highest rank it seems to be clear from the Character that Cicero gives them in his learned Book de Divinatione where he sayes Nullum Persarum Regem esse potuisse qui non ante Magorum disciplinam scientiamque percepisset i. e. That he was utterly uncapable to be King of Persia who had not been in some good measure experienc'd in the Discipline and Wisdom of the Magi. And that they were men of the greatest state and place if not Kings themselves yet Kings Privy Counsellors he assures us by another Character that he gives them elsewhere in the same Book Sine auctoritate consilio Magorum sayes he constat ne ipsis quidem Regibus quicquam agere licere Without the counsel and authority of the Magi even unto Kings themselves was it never permitted to act in any important matter whatsoever And again magnifying another high qualification in them he gives their name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to denote not only a peculiar sort of Wise men thoroughly instructed in all the Liberal Arts and Sciences as was said before but who had likewise a grand Concern about Sacred Things Magus altissimarum rerum Cultor Interpres habetur Doubtless they were profoundly skill'd in Mathematicks and Philosophy great Inquisitors into and Interpreters of the Phaenomena of Nature of the Nature and Counsels of their Gods of the Causes and Events of Things The onely Curators of Religious Matters in Doctrine Worship Vows Prayers Sacrifices and of whatever else appertained thereunto They were briefly the same in their Countrey what the Gymnosophists were amongst the Indians the Philosophers amongst the Graecians the Wise men amongst the Latines the Druids amongst the Gaules the Chaldaeans amongst the Assyrians Therefore does our Holy Evangelist entitle them with the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon these forementioned accounts of their eminent Birth Office and Learning and not from their illusive dealing with King Herod in not returning unto him according to his Injunction as some do imagine It is the judgment of St. Chrysostom That they had this name given them from those unlawful Arts which he supposeth them to have practised and as we are apt to call in our Tongue but in the worst sense your wiser sort of men Wizards and Magitians But if such these men were we are bound the rather to admire the goodness of God who was pleased to call at so great a distance and from so deep an abyss of Impiety and Hell the very Priests and Votaries of Devils the Forerunners and First fruits of us once such sinful Gentiles or worse haply to the adoration of his Son but just new born and that too by the imperious message of a new-made Star And thus much may suffice as touching their persons and personal perfections which may minister unto us several good Documents and Consolations 1. In that they were Gentiles once a despised people we are given to understand that it is Gods free grace and mercy through them to open unto us a door of life and having pull'd down that partition wall to give them and us a free entrance into the promised rest 2. And if Gentiles then sinners too From hence springs light and comfort to all disconsolate Souls languishing under the burthen of their sins for if Heaven notwithstanding our deep defilement by original and actual transgressions vouchsafe to favour us with a gracious look nor they nor we nor any Nation or person need fear to be excluded the Kingdom of God if they obey the call 3. Great Personages they were foretold in Psalm 72. under the notion of the Kings of Arabia and Saba bringing gifts as most interpret that place of them Our Saviours Question How hard is it for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven And St. Paul's Negation That not many mighty not many noble of this world are called might well enough startle and confound the hopes of all the great men of the earth were it not for this particular instance of Free-grace that the Persian Magi great Princes of the East rich and honourable may claim an Interest in Christs Star as well as the poor and those that are termed the Off-scowring of the World 4. Nor does their great Learning or mysterious knowledge any way debar them from being Proselytes to Christianity The Apostles Intimation of not many wise not many learned might well again amaze and deaden the hearts of great Scholars were it not that these accomplisht Heroes of Learning had a portion in the Star that leads to Christ as well as they had an accurate knowledge of the Stars above them to gratifie the nobler senses of their intellectual Faculties as one day they shall have them under them for the glory of their whole beatifi'd Beings The knowledge of natural things and natural reason it self was first set up in the Soul as a Star or Candle of the Lord to lead man to the admiration of his Divinity And these Renowned Princes who had the full use and benefit of the same employed it wholly to the right end But such alas is the Corruption of these last Ages of the World That instead of coming unto God and Christ by Faith and Obedience Things consentaneous with reason advanc't to the highest pitch our gallant Atheists do as much as in them lies endeavour to depart from them not only by their vicious Lives but to