shall the serpent have such subtill teeth and shall ours be set on edge only to our own overthrow shall his Hornes as some kind of serpent has be so subtill to get a prey and shall our strength want subtilty to save us from being made a prey shall his wings for some kind of serpent does not only creep be more speedy to doe mischiefe than our wisedome in saving us from it shall he change his skinne and renew strength and shall not we renew our Lives by changing them shall his Appetite take all advantage from his Enemie and shall ours increase our spirituall Enemies against our selves shall he drive away other serpents from him and shall we intertaine them in the Bosome imbracing Heresie and Vice to our own Destruction shall his Voice be able to master Man that had Righteousnesse by Creation and shall not we be able to master the serpent that have a double Righteousnesse of Sanctification by Christ's Grace and of Justification by his Merits Briefely skall his whole Body be so subtile as to defend his Head shall not we with all our power defend the Godhead of our Saviour against the execrable Socinian◠our holy Faith in Christ our Head And shall not the Innocency also of the Dove advantage our Innocency He loves the Light and shall we love the workes of Darknesse shall he be ready to be Oppressed and shall we be too ready to Oppresse shall he be without Gall and shall we be full of Malice Were they a sacrifice to God and shall we be lesse acceptable Were they a Resemblance of the Church nay of God and shall we have neither the likenesse of either of them nor the blessing O let us strive then to imitate the Innocency of the Dove and Exceed it Would we be Heirs of the Kingdome of God we must become as little Children they crie not for the want of Wealth nor for the losse of it they doate not on Beauty no not on their own subject they are to sicknesse yet not to malice as if they were more free from sinne then from Disease they raise not themselves to Ambition it is above the reach of the Mother's Breast Such things then let us doe by the simplicity of Grace as they doe by simplicity of Nature Let us call to mind the first Christians how the unity of their Faith produced even a Community of their Goods a rare victory of Grace upon Nature By the blessing of Love they were above the blessing of Propriety shewing the Bounty of the Gospell to excell the Thrift of Law-Let us call to mind how they improved their Enemies into friends making them by forgivenesse their Helps to Heaven Let us call to mind that their sufferings were their Conquests and Death the beginning of Life Eternall O grant us then wisedome sweet Iesu thou that art the Wisedome of the Father and grant us Innocency O blessed Spirit that did'st vouchsafe to appeare like a Dove that we becomeing like the Dove may become like Thee that by descending to us Here we may Hereafter by the wings of the true Dove Innocency and Miracle Ascend to Thee the Father Son and Holy Ghost to whom be ascribed Mercy and Wisedome and Holinesse for evermore FINIS OF BAPTISME A SERMON BY BARTEN HOLYDAY Doctor of Divinity OXFORD Printed by Leonard Lichfield 1657. Galat. 3.27 As many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ THAT Likenesse which we may see produced by Inferiour Causes in their Effects is but an Imitation of the supreame Cause God Himselfe who is so naturally good that whatsoever he maks must needs beare some Image of that Goodnesse Thus when he made man he bestow'd upon him among many other two chiefe Perfections a Holinesse of Soule and a kind of Absolutensse of Body whiles a body that needed not a reference to Apparell But when man fell he fell from this double perfection and at once became sinfull and Naked So that we may say he was not as now unhappily naked when first he had no Cloaths but when first he wanted them and he stood not in need of a Covering for his Body till he stood in need of a Covering for his sinne Which when God naturally good beheld and saw the new dissimilitude between Himselfe and his Creature moov'd by his own goodnesse he intends a reparation of his Creature And since this dissimilitude to speake in part figuratively consisted in a Nakednesse of Soule and Body it pleased him to provide for both a Covering And this he did with such wisedome of Mercy that he made the Covering of his Body a figure of the Covering of his Soule and to teach our Understanding by our Sense sometimes he calls our Righteousnesse a Robe which as the Apostle here tells us every true Receiver puts on in the Sacrament of Baptisme As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ Which words duely considered may instruct us in the Nature of this Sacrament and the Extent of it As man is Gods workmanship and so should be his Image so as God is pure should man be pure and therefore being defil'd by sinne he should be now purified Thus though with the Leviticall Leper he may crie uncleane uncleane yet should he also crie with the great and happy sinner wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow That indeed has a right cleanesse the purity of Snow being not only purity but also Coolenesse a figure of the pure Coolenesse of the impure heates of Lust Which purity was shadowed out unto the Iew in his frequent washings whence the greatest pretenders of Sanctity among the Jews were the greatest Washers The Pharisie was a man of a cleare Hand and Cuppe and therefore thought himselfe also of a pure lippe in which opinion though he mistook his Outside for his Inside yet he acknowledged a washing necessary Even Pilate that had his hand in blood would yet also have his hand in water and though that Blood be counted a cleanser thought Innocent blood the greatest staine and that water would at least pretend his Innocency if not procure it But alas had he understood the right Baptisme he would with S. Peters resolution have desired not only the washing of the Hand but also of the Head the whole body Now under this figure as the Iew had been taught so was the Christian to be taught To the devoutest Iew Washing was but a Figure to the Devoutest Christian it is not only a shadow of Grace but also the companion of it and therefore it was not Ceremonie but Charitie in S. Peter Act. 2. to exhort his Converts to be Baptized To understand the Name and so the better the nature of Baptisme it is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly to Dippe consequently to wash Hence were the Pharisies by Iustin Martyr called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 baptists because of their frequent washings which S. Marke also mentioned c. 7.4
taught them not to condemne yet to avoid a Creature which in the use was so neer abuse He did not deny the blessing of the grape though his Gospell was the story of a greater joy yea he taught the joy of it in our Saviour's last supper in which it was both used and Sanctifyed Indeed the Severian Heretiques as Epiphanius relates thought wine was begotten of the Earth by the Devill himselfe perchance they might think so because it makes men outragious like the Devill himself But these were men that were mad without wine but in the wisedome of Christianity we must acknowledge it to be both God's creature and his blessing which may be abused by disestimation as by excesse Water indeed in the Southerne Countries as more purifyed by heate approaches neerer to health and dyet but in colder climates being cold and earthy a temperance in wine defends Age from Disease and Excuse nor can it being temperance be an Advocate for infirmity to Excesse Into which he that is fallen he that is sunke deep may cry out with David as S. Austin applies it Deliver me out of the mire neither let the deep swallow me up Psal 69.14 15. And if one cannot get out at once let him as one that is drawn out with lesse speed and more trouble get out by degrees els shall he quickly sinke one degree lower from Drunkennesse to Lust this being the next degree and filthinesse of the Body Our Adversary that was once an Angell of light and is now unnaturally become the Prince of darknes is now an enemy also to the light especially to such light as may preserve us from workes of Darkenes The first thing therefore that he endeavours against Man is to put out the light of Mans judgment which by the Apostle 1 Cor. 4.3 is in the Original aptly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man's day which the Divel frequently first effects by Drunkenes By which when the day of reason is shut in soon comes the night of lust and consequently the workes of darknesse which does increase whiles conceale Filthinesse Which filthinesse Clemens the Alexandrian well expresses when he compares a Lustfull man unto a Centaure which according to the Heathens instructive fiction was but halfe man and halfe beast But S. Peter counts such men all beasts naturally bruite beasts made to be taken and destroyed 2 Pet. 2.12 The Prophet Jeremie more particularly shewes why they are beasts whiles he compares them to neighing horses c. 13.17 as David before him did liken them to the horse mule that have no understanding 2 Psal 32.9 You see how they are corrupted in their Intellectualls and Moralls and are therefore defil'd into beasts Nor are they only beasts but very loathsome ones S. Peter likening them to the Dog delighting in his vomit a filthy beast indeed that casts away filthinesse and resumes it nay to such a beast he likens them as counts uncleanesse a delight such is the Saw wallowing in the mire 2 Pet. 2.22 a beast not only filthy but as S. Chrysostome saies such a one as fills other places where shee comes with filth and stench nor is only filthy without but also within whiles shee feeds on filth Yet the lustfull person is a worse beast because a more dangerous beast a very Serpent as S. Ambrose calls him A serpent for his pace he creeps upon his belly a serpent for his dyet dust is his food and earthy desires are the food of his lust a Serpent for his shifts rowling himselfe into many foulds finding out diversities of wayes in his slides a serpent for his venome from which Nature bids men flye and Grace more Yet is he a Serpent but in similitude or is he but thus nere unto a Serpent though the most cursed beast Surely a verier Serpent is not only neer him but in him even the Old Serpent the Divell Nay a lustfull man as S. Chrys saies is worse than a man possessed with the Divell for such a one is pittied by all men but a lustfull man is detested since this man is posses'd with the Devill with his own consent S. Peter expresses the manner of such possession foule and fearefull They have their eyes saies he full of adultry and cannot cease from sinne 2 Pet. 2.14 A sad society sinne and Perseverance in sinne you may see how they are possessed They have their eyes full of adultry S. Peter saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of an adultresse as if the face of the harlot were still in his eie and possessed his eie with more delight as the more cunning Devill This is the filthinesse this the possession of lust a vice so odious even to cleaner nature that Heathens some purer Heathens have abhorr'd it Of these was Cicero who having excellently declam'd against lust is as excellently presented to us by S. Austin saying All this is said by one who knew not the innocency of our first parents nor the happinesse of Paradice nor the resurrection of the body Sure then at the last day even such Heathens shall rise up in judgement against many Christians And by their cleaner obedience to nature condemn some Christians foule disobedience unto Grace Need therefore great need have such to cleanse thēselves from such filthines since so Dangerous it is for them not to cleanse themselves and so hard to cleanse themselves you may see the danger in the Judgements which God has inflicted for lust revenging it with fire on the Cities of the plaine revenging it with the sword on the Tribe of Benjamin revenging it with the permission of Incest Rebellion upon David in his children revenging it with the losse of sight life on weake Sampson revenging it with the spirituall blindnesse of Idolatry on weaker Solomon But such as persevere in such sins shall hereafter know that as they would not here partake by cleanesse in the life of Christ so neither shall they hereafter pertake by happinesse in the merits of Christ to the knowledge of whom if as yet they are not come they are then as yet without the comfort from hope of mercy by ignorance and if they have the knowledge of him then loose they the comfort from hope of mercy by contempt You may see the difficulty of removing filthinesse in S. Jerom's expression who sayes so hard it is in carne non carnaliter vivere to live as without the body whiles we are in the body And he professes of himself that in himself he felt flames of desire though by fastings his flesh was dead as he speaks before he was dead You may see the difficultie in S. Austin's complaint who confesses that the servitude of lust turns into custome and that custome defends it self by the name of necessitie Hard then it is to cleanse from filthinesse yea so hard that a greater miracle it is for Christ by grace to renew a lustfull man to purity of life than it was for him to raise Lazarus from
death after four dayes buriall In this change indeed of the body a dead creature was made a living creature but in the change of the Soul a dead creature is made like the everliving creator that was a temporary effect chiefly of power this an everlasting effect of infinite Mercy S. Cyprian's wisdome gives the reason of the difficulty to escape lust others sinnes sayes he seem harsh unto us but pleasure kils us whiles it flatters us Wherefore that we may Cleanse our selves from this filthinesse we must resist the first motion to it it being like a Serpent as S. Ierom sayes If the head enters the whole body follows We must resist the first motion Blessed is he that takes thy children O Babylon that is the first temptations of lust and dashes them against the stone that is Christ as the same father's judgment expounds it We must if a foul thought offers to defile us crie unto God to God our Saviour Iesu thou sonne of David have mercy on us Wee must crie-out to our own Soul in the words of the Prophet Psal 42.11 Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within mee hope thou in God for I shall yet prayse him who is the health of my countenance and my God And at last then we shall with the same Prophet Psal 116. 7. say also Return unto thy rest O my Soul for the Lord has dealt bountifully with thee vers 8. For thou hast deliver'd my Soul from death mine eies from tears and my feet from falling vers 9. I will walke before the Lord in the land of the living Thus must we resist this dangerous temptation although indeed it is so dangerous that we are not so properly said to resist it as to flie from it which flight is not cowardlinesse but victory So Ioseph fled and though his garment was caught his mind was not But if it comes to passe that we cannot flie then must we resist and by resisting though with danger yet because with danger we shall with glory put the temptation and the tempter to flight But in a lesse terrible way let us fly let us fly ill thoughts S. Ierome master'd them by study devotion He master'd the softnesse of lust by the rugged study of the Hebrew language as unpleasing to a Roman as the wildernesse in which he learn'd it He maister'd it chiefly by the Hebrew Scripture which imploy'd him in a high intention of wit and holinesse Thus study teaches temperance temperance chastitie chastitie which is an advanc'd a royall an unconquer'd an unwearied excellency It helpes us to admire it and enjoy it whiles also it teaches us that lust is a base servile cowardly guilty Infamie You shall find chastitie in the Temple in the Field on the wals of the city you shall find it praying labouring Combating you shall find it harden'd dusty swarthy but lust you shall find on a lazy bed in some fulsome house that is afraid of an officer Chastitie says devout Ephrem is a Rose that with delight perfumes the household the chastitie of parents being as Ierome sayes the comfort also and honour of the children Conjugall chastitie has a double prerogative it was in paradise and in the state of Innocency A chaste man and an Angel sayes S. Bernard differ in happinesse rather than in vertue and though the chastitie of an Angel be happier yet the chastitie of Man is greater and Angel being as without a body so without temptation and therfore without pretence to the glory of such victory And surely great examples have some Times and Countries setforth even of Kings that have been monasticall without a monastery deserting the libertie of their marriage and making continence their delight Thus has our own storie fam'd our great confessor Edward thus Casiile the Second Alphonsus thus Polonia Bodeslaus and thus Germanie an Emperour the first Henry Our Religion may make our faith assent to the storie supposing first an unfeined continency consent in their royall consorts No doubt they remember'd and our charity may believe they understood that of the Apostle Let them that have wives be as if they had none It was in a time of distres and also may imply a temperance as well as abstinence and not an abstinence without mutuall consent and no consent without an experimentall guift of Continence And therefore we can but touch the Apostle's councell remember our Saviours also Let him that can entertaine it entertaine it And let no man in a mistaking appetite of holy fame loose what he seekes and his safety too But now shall petty sinners betraie easy women by povertie to lust and lye in confederacies of uncleannesse not fearing the Almighty when as such mighty Princes as much feared his Majesty as they desired to imitate his purity shall Job make a covenant with his eies not to looke upon a maide and shall these make a Covenant with Hell scarse to imploy their eies in other objects shall we by such beauties attaine to the beauty of Holinesse Often it is the judgement of God to punish bodily whoredome by spirituall whoredome letting the uncleane fall from Whoredome to Idolatry which is a filthinesse of spirit no lesse dangerous than infamous Idolatry and Witchcraft were the great sinnes of the Gentiles for which the wise Iew in the book of Wisedome tells us cap. 12.3 4. that the first inhabitants of the Holy Land were by God cast out They thought to cast out Him and cast out themselves their sinne cast them out off that second Paradise whence they were driven not by a fiery sword yet by fire and sword Ioshua was an Angell a messenger though not from Heaven yet from God and at that time zealously cleansed the land as well from the sins as from the sinners the Idolater and the Sorcerer The Idolater that worshippes his own creature and his Enemy an Idol the sorcerer that worships God's creature but God's Enemy the Devill Idolatry came in by the vaine glory of men if we take the report Wisd 14.14 15. for when a Father afflicted had lost his Sonne untimely he made an Image for him and honoured him as a God which was then a dead man and delivered to those that were under him ceremonies and Sacrifices Thus custome grew to a Law v. 18. then when any would honour those that were absent to flatter them they made images of them v. 17. And the dilligence of the Artificer did helpe to set forward the ignorant to more superstition v. 18. And the workman himselfe was glad to flatter one in Authority and therefore made the more excellent worke by the grace of which he allured the multitude v. 19. Thus it arose from the pride and tyranny of great men and from the necessity and flattery of the meaner sort as the wisdome intituled to Solomon excellently expresses it v. 21. and happy had the true Solomon been if the image of this Doctrine had been still before
just distinction weight He forgives Iniquitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sinne of man against his Neighbour his unjust dealing He forgives Transgression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Man's Rebellion against God his receding from the power of the Lord that layd a command upon him and so aptly expresses the old offenee of our first parents their Disobedience as the Apostle calls it and our own offences against the Lord. He forgives Sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Sepiuagint renders it which though it be of a large signification yet here by way of difference may fitly be taken for that sin of sinnes which is too nerely against Our selves that sinne whence others flow that law in our members as the Apostle speakes Rom. 7.23 the sinne that dwells in us v. 17. originall sinne And thus does the Lord Iesus deliver his people at the last from all kind of sinne Iniquitie against our Neighbour Transgression against God Sinne against our selves And as the Lord did visibly shew himselfe passing by before Moses so did the Lord Iesus who was represented in that vision exhibite himselfe in the flesh visibly to the world as it were a passing by the World At which wonderfull sight yea at the remembrance of it may not we likewise take up with a little change those words of almighty God The Lord the Lord God the Lord the Lord Iesus Mercifull and Gracious long suffering and Abundant in Goodnesse and Truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving Iniquity and Transgression and Sinne Now as this work of our Saviour was the Restoring of the world so was it also the ordering of it and accordingly the Greek Fathers frequently call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ordering of a house hould as Iustin and Nazianzene expresse it God in his mercy having by this provided for the world as for his familie Which word they might borrow from the Apostle Ep. 1.10 where he says God did worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the dispensation of the fullnesse of times which might have been rendred in his house-hold-goverment or in the governing of his family the world in the fullnesse of times Nor has he only order'd the world but also Honoured it whiles Man in Iesus is united unto God Here did God gather together in one all things in Christ Eph. 1.10 all things that is Man as Irenaeus and S. Gregory expound it He did it that he might gather all things together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might Recapitulate or bring to a Head all things in Christ Indeed we are but the Members he is the Head the Annointed head he is God's Christ or his Annointed The eminency of Annointing you may see in the excellency of the persons anciently annointed among the Iews the Priest the Prophet and the King Of which last Lactantius observ'd that Annointing was the signe of Royalty among the Iews as the purple roabe was among the Romans All which respects concurr'd in the Annointing of our Saviour he being a Priest that offer'd Sacrifice for the sinnes of the World he being a Prophet that declared the secret Counsaile of his Father concerning the redemption of mankind he being a King in delivering Laws and affording protection to his Church And being thus mystically annointed with the Holy Ghost he may more truely than Zerubbabel and Ioshua the high Priest after the Captivity in the phrase of the prophet Zacharie 4.14 be call'd the Sonne of oile Nor was it without an embleme that he ascended into Heaven from the Mount of Olives which then was also the mount of the Annointed Oile is by the Hebrews called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the purity and shining of it When therefore it is said Psal 104.15 that God gives man Oile to make his face shine the originall imports to make his face shine more than oile as the English Interpreters observe Indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word drawn from the same originall with the former signifies the Light at noon day or the most full light and thus is our Saviour Christ brighter than oile and the Meridian Light that inlightens the world No marvaile then if the Gentiles whiles they were out of the Govenant of Grace so much envied at the glory of Christ the annointed so much that they indeavoured to burne all bookes that had the name of Christ in them especially the Sacred writings compelling all that in the Dioclesian persecution had such bookes to deliver them up whence such faint Christians as delivered them were call'd Traditores as S. Austin in part implies against the Donatists and as appeares by the first Councill of Arles Can. 13. and by Arnobius with others But as those Gentiles were not able to blot out the Sacred and Glorious name of Christ so neither was Domitian with all the power of his Malice and Crueltie before that able to disgrace the name of Christian though because it was in honour of our Saviour and so signified a servant of Christ the Annointed he imposed that scorne and intended torment upon the blessed Evangelist S. Iohn by causing him to be cast into a vessell of scalding oile Domitian's oile having no more power agaist the Christian than against Christ And that we may know how to be true Christians we may partly learne it from the names by which at the beginning of their profession they call'd themselves their usuall name being Disciples implying an obedience and willingnesse to learne Truth and so was an Instruction as well as a Title They were called the Beleivers not that they did disclaime holy workes which are all good mens Duty but that comparatively they disesteemed them nothing being meritorious but Christ and by Christ the Foundation of their Faith They were called Breathren they were call'd Saints intimating their Unity and Holinesse not in Pretence but Practice But the most usuall name of Humilitie and Zeale was Disciples which yet was chang'd at Antiochia by the consent of the Apostles into the name of Christians upon occasion as Athanasius shews of the divisions of those that pretended to be Disciples Thus did their name declare and Remember them to be the worshippers of the Lord 's Annointed The Heathens in disgrace fequently called them the Sibylists as Origen tells us the Christians so frequently alleadging against the Gentiles the Sibylls verses So Clemens the Alexandrian mentions S. Paul alleadging a Sibyl which memorialls it seems were in those times known among the Christians which is the name by Apostolicall institution and never was the name of any Sectaries but among the Christians the Apostoliques was the name of a Sect of Heretiques And by as easy reason might the Catholiques have been so too A Christian then being glorious in his Title should remember that as the Ancient wrestlers among the Heathen were annointed with oile to make them the more Active so should we to a better expedition be annointed with a spirituall Oile which is Gods Grace The Romanists annoint â—he Christian when
he comes into the visible Church by Baptisme and when by death he is ready to goe out of it at which time they use their extreame Unction though the first be without warrant as the last beyond the date of the warrant that only for a time was once given and now accordingly of no effect But insteed of this unprofitable Annointing we may see the benefits of our Saviours Annointing expressed unto us in the Olive-Tree and in the Oile The Olive-Tree is green even in the Winter and was not thus our Saviour Christ and is not also thus the Christian of a constant flourish even in Calamities The Root is Bitter is not such the Biginning of the true Christian Life The Barke is Hard Is not the life of the Christian fitly prepared against all violencies The Wood of it is firme and solid Is not such the Doctrine and Life of the Christian The Flower is singularly pleasant the Fruite sweet and full of Iuice are not such the works of Fruitfull Christians The Branch of the Olive in a Câ—vell use was a signe of Peace and carryed sometime by Embassadours when they Desired or Offered Peace and God himselfe made it a signe of reconciliation unto Noah when he made the dove returne to him with an Olive-Branch If likewise we consider the Naturall use of the Oile we know that it refreshes man's Body making him cheirfull it nourishes the Lampe to give us Light it keepes pure from rust the weapons of our Safety And does not Grace thus refresh the Christian soule does it not increase continue the Light of understanding preserving our spirituall weapons Fasting Prayer Almes from the unhappy rust of sloth and Hipocrisie If troublesomely a dore turnes upon his hinges with an ungratefull noise does not the oile give it a speedy willingnesse And sometimes when we are averse from devotion does not Grace give expedition and cheirfullnesse of performance Does it not make us without murmuring to turne unto Christ Does it not make us as acceptable as it self unto Christ Christ sayes to his Church Cant. 4.10 The Savour of thy Ointments is better than all spices yet much were the Ingredients of the holy Annointing Oile Ex. 30.23 and with such sometimes were women purified Esth 2.12 and the Dead embalm'd 2 Chron. 16.14 such were also a present for a King 2 Chron. 9.9 nay for a Solomon there was no such spice as the Queen of Sheba gave King Solomon And surely no such acceptable present to Christ our Solomon as his own Grace in the Christian By which the Christian is made a Christ by Grace not by Essence Christ does annoint him as S. Paul speakes 2 Cor. 1.21 nor are we only annointed by him but also with him he being figuratively the oile it selfe as the Prophet Isaiah calls him c. 10. 27. our translation has it the annointing but the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 literally the Oile Whosoever then will not love the blessing of this Oile which is not only the Signe but also the Cause of Joy nor only of Joy but also of Honour only especiall persons being eminently annointed let him fall under the sorrow shame of this curse which here our Apostle pronounces against him let him be Anathema Maranatha To understand Gods word necessary it is to understand Words the Interpretation of which we are to expect not from Revelation but from Industry the way of the divine providence in humane affaires By which we may know that from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Separate comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 written with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Guift separated to God and thus is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 written and used Luk. 21.5 in which sense some wittily think 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above the guifts separated to holy use being usually hâng'd up as shields crownes and the like from an enemie on walls and pillars in thankfullnesse and honour And such a guift for the separation of it is by Suidas call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Taking-away that is from the use of man to the use of God as for the Elevation some Offring is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 30.13 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 advancing as the Wave-offring is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 29.24 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Elevate There is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 written with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which being referr'd to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Curse signifies that which is accursed and so an execrable person according to which writing and sense it is here used The Gentiles indeed had a custome when signes from Heaven or Judgments terrified them to indeavour the appeasing of their Gods by leading some person out of the City and killing him as a Sacrifice for the rest and such a One the old Grecians call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence it is that Hesychius makes this word of the same sense with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that is separated from the Communion of men S. Paul implyed such a sense and Custome 1 Cor. 4.13 when he saies he was the Off-scouring of all things the word is there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alluding to the former Custome of the Gentiles who when upon occasion they offered to the Sea-God Neptune such a wretched person used in the casting of him from some Cliffe into the Sea to crie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be thou our Off-Scouring as Suidas teaches us And this may the rather appeare to be the purpose of the Apostle from the ninth verse of that chapter where he saies I think that God has set forth us the Apostles last as it were apointed to death meaning that they should be used like accursed persons The Hebrews call'd such things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destruction or devoting from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to destroy without pitty the word seeming as some observe contrary to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to love or have compassion both words consisting of the same letters but inverted as if the inversion of the letters were a figure of the inversion of the sense Yet in Devoting there were some degrees sometimes all things being to be destroyed Man Beast and Goods for thus they dealt with Idolatrous Cities Deut. 13. Sometimes they were to kill Man and Beast but spare the Goods Gold Silver and Brasse as in Iericho's destruction Sometimes they were to destroy only the people as in Hai's destruction Iosh 8. But at last among the Grecians this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 came to an Ecclesiasticall acception signifying a person Excommunicated from the Church it being judg'd a fit word to expresse the Separation and in that the Curse of such persons The Jews had also their Excommunication which was the casting of one out of their Synagogues their places throughout their Countrie for Prayer and the Exposition of the Law upon their Sabbaths Which punishment was such a shame that in