Serm.. XX.IX. 207. SERMON XXIX. The beft Men liable to the worft Treatment, from tG86: Miftakén Zealots. JOHN XVi. 2. They Jhall put you out of the Synagogues : Tea, the time cometh, that whofoever killeth you, trill think, that he loth Godfervice. TH E S E words were fpoken by our Bleffed Saviour; when hewasabout- to leave the World ; at the thoughts whereof, finding his Difciples to be exceedingly troubled, he comforts them by the Confiderition of the great Benefit and Advantage which from thence would accrue to them î he tells them that he was going to Heaven to intercede for them, and to make way for their admiffion there ; and withal promifeth, that his Father would fend the Holy Ghoft, who fhould abundantly fupply the want of his Prefence with them : but he tells them at the fame time, that they fhould meet with very ill Entertain- ment and Ufage from the World : but fo had He, Chap. J5. 18. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me, before it hatedyou; and why fhould they ex- peót to be better treated than He was ? o. 20. Rememberthe word that IPaid un- to you, the fervant is not greener than the. Lord; if they have perfecuted me, they will elfoperfecute you. And at the beginning of this Chapter he tells them, that he did on purpofefore- warn them of thefe things, to prepare their Minds beforehand, and to arm them against the worft that might happen ; v. r. thefe things have Ifpoken toyou, that yefhould not be offended. And then he declares more particylarfy, how far the Rage and Malice ofMen fhould proceed againft them, and in what kind they fhould fuller : Theyfhallput you out of the Synagogues : Tea, the time cometh, that who- faever killethyou will think that he doth Godfervice. So that bur Saviour here foretels Two forts of Perfecution, which his Difciples fhould be Exercifed withal, Excommunication ; they(hall put you out of their Sy-, nagogues : And Excifron ; Tea the time cometh, that whofoever killeth you will think that he doth God fervice. And thefe perhaps were but feveral Kinds and Degreesof Excommunication; for the clearer. underftanding whereof it will be re- quifite; briefly to explain the Three Degrees of Excommunication among the Jews. The Firft call'd Niddui, is that which our Saviour here means, by putting out of the Synagogue ; arid which he elfewhere expreffeth by á¢çee ike., or fepe- , ration. Luke 6. 22. Ble/fedareye when men(hall hate you, and when theyfnall feparateyoufrom their company. And the Effe& of this Excommunication was to exclude Men from the Communion of the Church and People of God, and from his Service, which was a great difgrace ; becaufe, after this Sentence, none of the yews were to converfe with them, but. to look upon them as Heathens' and Pub- licans. ,d .:!r The Second Degree of this Cenfure" Was called Cherem; which included the firil, but extended farther, to the Confifcation of Goods into the Sacred Treafury, and devoting them to God; after which there was no Redemption of them. And of this we find exprefs mention, Ezra to. 7, 8. where it is faid, That they made Proclamation throughout Judah and Jerufalem, unto all the children of the capti- vity, that theyfhouldgather themfelves together unto Jerufalem ; and that whofo- ever would, not come within three days, according to the Counjelc of the Princes and
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