The Feast of Dedication Celebrated at Lincolns Inn, Title page – Prayer
Encaenia.
THE FEAST OF DEDICATION.
CELEBRATED AT LINCOLNES INNE, in a Sermon there vponupon Aſcenſion day, 1623.
At the Dedication of a new Chappell there, Conſecrated by the Right Reuerend Father in God, the Biſhop of LONDON.
Preached by IOHN DONNE, Deane of St. PAVLS.
LONDON, Printed by AVG. MAT. for THOMAS IONES, and are to bee ſold at his Shop in the Strand, at the blacke Rauen, neere vntounto Saint Clements Church. 1623.
TO THE MASTERS OF THE BENCH, AND the reſt of the Honourable Societie of LINCOLNES INNE.
IT pleaſed you to exerciſe your intereſt in me, and to expreſſe your fauour to mee, in inuiting mee to preach this Sermon: and it hath pleaſed you to doe both ouer againe, in inuiting me to publiſh it. To this latter ſeruice I was the more inclinable, becauſe, though in it I had no occaſion to handle any matter of Controuerſie betweene vsus, and thoſe of the Romane Perſwaſion, yet the whole body and frame of the Sermon, is oppoſed againſt one peſtilent calumny of theirs, that wee hauehave cast off all diſtinction of places, and of dayes, and all outward meanes of aſſiſting the deuotion of the Congregation. For this vſe, I am not ſorry that it is made publique, for I ſhall neuer bee ſorry to appeare plainly, and openly, and directly, without diſguiſe or modification, in the vindicating of our Church from the imputations and calumnies of that Aduerſary. If it had no publique vſe, yet I ſhould ſatisfie my ſelfe in this, that it is done in obedience to that, which you may call your Request, but I ſhall call your Commandement vponupon
Your very humble Seruant in Chriſt Ieſus. IOHN DONNE.
The Prayer before the Sermon.
O Eternall, and moſt gracious God, Father of our Lord Ieſus Christ; and in him, of all thoſe that are his, As thou diddeſt make him ſo much ours, as that he became like vsus, in all things, ſinne onelyonly excepted, make vsus ſo much his, as that we may be like him, euen without the exception of ſinne, that all our ſinnes may bee buryed in his wounds, and drowned in his Blood. And as this day wee celebrate his Aſcenſion to thee, bee pleaſed to accept our endeauour of conforming our ſelues to his patterne, in rayſing this place for our Aſcenſion to him. Leane vponupon theſe Pinnacles, O Lord, as thou diddiſt vponupon Iacobs Ladder, and hearken after vsus. Bee this thine Arke, and let thy Doue, thy bleſſed Spirit, come in and out, at theſe Windowes: and let a full pot of thy Manna, a good meaſure of thy Word, and an effectuall preaching thereof, bee euermore preſerued, and euermore bee diſtributed in this place. Let the Leproſie of Superſtition neuer enter within theſe Walles, nor the hand of Sacriledge euer fall vponupon them. And in theſe walles, to them that louelove Profit and Gaine, manifeſt thou thy ſelfe as a Treaſure, and fill them ſo; To them that louelove Pleaſure, manifeſt thy ſelfe, as Marrow and Fatneſſe, and fill them ſo; And to them that louelove Preferment, manifeſt thy ſelfe, as a Kingdome, and fill them ſo; that ſo thou mayeſt bee all vntounto all; giuegive thy ſelfe wholly to vsus all, and make vsus all wholly thine. Accept our humble thanks for all, &c.