YOV heard the last Sabaoth, how Zaccheus the Publicane was called to be a Christian: Now you shall heare the frute of his conuersion. No sooner had Christ called him from the tree, but that he came downe hastely, and recey­ued him ioyfully.

This was the fruite which it had in the [Page] hart of Zaccheus, namely obedience to the voyce of Christ: a fruite more precious & acceptable vnto God, than the most plea­sant fruites which Eden yeelded, and a sa­crifice more sweete and acceptable vnto him, than all the sacrifices which the Lawe required. This is the sacrifice where with the Lord is pleased, euen when his voyce is obeyed, 1. Sam. 15. 22. The voice of the Lord 1. Sa. 15. 22. Psalm. 29. is a glorious voyce, and mightie in operati­on, deuiding the flames of fire, and shaking the Cedar trees. So the voyce of Christ is a glorious voyce, his word is mightie in ope­ration, Heb. 4. 12. deuiding the soule and the spirite, & shaking Zaccheus from the wilde fig-tree, whereinto he had climbed.

The same God to whose commaund, the windes, the sea, the diuells and death it selfe obey, here commandeth Zaccheus to come Matth. 8. downe at once, and he commeth downe ha­stely to receiue him to house, and he recei­ueth him ioyfully. As Zaccheus could not come at Christ till he was called, so no man can come to Christ except the Father draw Ioh. 6. 44. him: and as Zaccheus could not choose but come; when hee was called by the voyce of Christ, so when anie man is called effectual­ly by the preaching of the Gospell, he can­not [Page] choose but come to Christ; for where there is an effectuall calling, there is grace giuen also to obey the same, Rom. 8. 30. The Rom. 8. 30 Lord is faine sometime to call vs often, be­cause we knowe not the voyce of him that calleth vs, as hee called Samuel three times; before hee aunswered: because at that time Samuel knew not the Lord, 1. Sam. 3. 7. But 1. Sam. 3. 7 as soone as hee vnderstoode that it was the Lord that spake vnto him, he replyed pre­sently, Speak on Lord, for thy seruant heareth: So when the Lord calleth anie man effectu­ally by the preaching of his Worde, all the partes and powers of his bodie doo yeelde their obedience, the eare listneth, the toung confesseth, the hart beleeueth, the head de­uiseth, the hand performeth, the foote run­neth, the eye directeth, and all concurre To doo thy will, O God, Psalm. 40. Psalm. 40. 7.

Such and so effectuall is the voyce of Christ in the harts of his chosen, that it ma­keth Saule of a bloodie perfecuter to be­come Paule a painfull preacher: it causeth Act. 9. Peter of a silly fisher-man, to become a Matt. 4. catcher of men: and Zaccheus heere of a vile publican, to become a zealous christi­an. And such also is the nature of the word preached, wheresoeuer it pleaseth the Lord [Page] to giue successe and encrease thereto, that it 1. Cor. 37. is able to transforme the mindes of men, to beget faith in the harts of infidels, and (in a word) to saue such as are ordained to eter­nall Rom. 1. Act. 13. 48. life, Acts. 13. This is the power of the word of God, euen to cause a consenting to the truth thereof: and this is the propertie of the children of God, to yeeld all obedi­ence to the word of God. Assoone as Christ calleth Zaccheus, he comes downe present­ly, like the Light in the creation, that was made as soone as God said, Let there be light. Here therefore of Zaccheus that obeied the voyce of Christ, let vs learne obedience to the voyce of Christ: for as Christ biddeth Zaccheus to come downe, because hee was too high: so hee saith to euerie one of vs, Come downe, because we are too high mind­ed. But with vs the voyce of Christ is not so effectuall, as it was with Zaccheus: for he was content to come downe at the first bidding, but we must bee often bidden to beware of pride and ambition, and yet wee will still be climbing. There are few so high that are content with their calling, but as Haman was alwaies aspiring till he came to Hest. 7. the gallowes, so manie amongest vs are al­waies climbing, till they catch a fall.

[Page] Againe, as Christ said to Zaccheus, To day I must abide at thy house: so Christ saith to vs, To daye my poore afflicted members should receiue some succour at your hands. But as the Priest & the Leuite Luc. 10. pas­sed Luc. 10. by the wounded man leauing him halfe dead: so we (for the most part) passe by our needie brethren, leauing them vnreleeued. Thus are we euerie way disobedient to the voice of Christ. He teacheth vs to be hum­ble as he himselfe is, Matt. 11. 29. and wee Matt. 11. 29. wax proud and insolent as Sathan is. Hee willeth vs to bee mercifull, as our heauenly father is, Luc. 6. 36. and we are cruel and vn­mercifull, Luc. 6. 36. Luc. 16. as the rich glutton was, Luc. 16. This is the cause why the earth deceiueth & rendreth not her fruite, Esa. 24. 5. This is Esa. 24. 5. the cause why the sword deuoureth abroad & the pestilence destroyeth at home, Deut. Deut. 28. 15 Leuit. 26. 24 25. 28. 15. Leuit. 26. 24, 25. and in a word, this is the cause of all the mischiefes and calami­ties that are threatned, euen because we are obstinate and rebellious against the Lord, wee are vnduetifull and disobedient to the voyce of Christ, that calleth vs so louingly to come vnto him, Mat. 11. 28. Matt. 11. 28.

Zaccheus was called but once, & he com­meth quickly: but we are called oftentimes [Page] and almost euerie day, and that by the voice of Christ himselfe: for hee that heareth you Luc. 10. 16. (saith Christ, Luc. 10. 16.) heareth mee: and yet we cannot finde the way to Christ. The word of GOD which is the lanterne vnto Ps. 119. 105. our feete, and the light vnto our paths, Psal. 119. hath been plainly and plentifully prea­ched amongst vs these manie yeres; and yet manie amongst vs haue not yet learned to come to Christ. Zaccheus comes quickly when Christ calleth him, let vs therefore learne of Zaccheus to come quickly when Christ calleth vs. We must be quicke in the Lords busines, for God cannot abide loyte­rers standing all the day idle, Mat. 20. & as he loueth a cheerefull giuer, 2. Cor. 9. 7. so he Matt. 20. 2. Cor. 9. 7. liketh a cheerfull follower.

It followeth therefore that Zaccheus re­ceiued him cheerefully. Still Zaccheus is a Receiuer: before he was a receiuer of cu­stome, now he is a receiuer of Christ. Zac­cheus receiued Christ two waies: first, into his hart when he desired to see him, & then into his house when gaue him hospitalitie. Manie receiued Christ to house, but not in­to their hearts, and therefore receiued him grudgingly: but Zaccheus receiued Christ first into his hart; and then into his house, [Page] and therefore receiued him ioyfully. Of Zaccheus his ioyfulnes, we must learne to be ioyfull when we do anie thing for the cause of Christ: wee must bee glad to harbour Christ in his members, as Zaccheus was ioy­full to harbor Christ himselfe. As before in comming downe from the tree, Zacche­us shewed his obedience: so heere in recey­uing Christ into his house, hee sheweth the loue that he bare vnto him. If Zaccheus had not loued Christ, he might haue sent him to some common Inne: but Zaccheus is con­tent to receiue Christ into his owne house, yea, he reioyceth to haue gotten so good a­guest, like Abraham that vsed to sit at the Gen. 18. doore of his Tent, and reioyced to enter­teine strangers that went by the waye: and therefore though Zaccheus were a Gentyle borne, yet heerein he sheweth himselfe the childe of Abraham, because hee dooth the workes of Abraham, Iohn the eighth chap­ter Iohn 8. 39. the nine and thirtieth verse. So did A­braham, and so must wee doo, if wee wyll shewe our selues to be the children of A­braham.

When Abraham thought onelie to haue enterteined men, hee receyued An­gells in the shape and likenesse of men: [Page] and when Zaccheus thought to enterteine the sonne of man, he receiueth the sonne of God himselfe. Let vs therefore (as the A­postle willeth vs Heb. 13. 2.) bee mindfull to enterteine strangers, forasmuch as there­by some haue receiued Angells into theyr Abraham. Gen. 18. 3. Lot. Gen. 19. 3. houses vnawares: and why should not wee hope to entertein the like or better guests, if we be giuen to hospitalitie, as those god­ly fathers were? For as the Angels came to them in the likenes of men, so Christ him­selfe comes to vs in the likenes of a poore man, of a lame man, and of a blinde man: and when hee commeth, he commeth hun­grie, or thirstie, or naked, or harborlesse, or sicke, or imprisoned, and happie are they that feede, or cloathe, or harbor, or visite him, when hee commeth thus afflicted. When Abraham enterteined the Angells, he was not onely busie himself, but his wife and all his household were carefull to make prouision for them: so when Zaccheus re­ceiued Christ into his house, his whole fami­lie (no doubt) were no lesse willing & care­full to enterteine Christ, than their Maister was: and therefore not onely to Zaccheus, but euen to his whole house Saluation is promised, because the whole familie reioy­ced [Page] at Christ his comming. Let rich men learne of Zaccheus, to enterteine Christ in his needie members, and let rich mens ser­uants learne of Zaccheus familie, to shewe themselues merciful like their merciful ma­sters, that they maye receiue the reward of mercie and hospitalitie at the last day, Come Matth. 25. yee blessed, for I was harborlesse, and yee tooke me in. Generally, as Zaccheus gladly recey­ued Christ: so let euerie one that is able, be glad to distribute to the necessitie of the poore Saints: if we haue much, let vs giue plentifully: if wee haue little, let vs giue gladly of that little: if we be not able to giue a pennie, yet haply we may affoord a mor­sell of bread: but if not that, yet ther is none so needie, that cannot giue a cup of colde Matth. 10. water, and euen so small a gift shall not lose his iust reward, Matth. 10. 41. Zaccheus re­ceiued Christ into his heart, but manie a­mongst vs are readie to driue Christ out, & to receiue sathan in stead of him: Zaccheus receiued Christ into his house, but there are manie rich men amongst vs, that like Diues Luc. 16. Luc. 16. will not affoord poore Lazarus the crummes that fall from their table: but as the damsell Act. 12. opened not the doore Act. 12. for ioy when she heard Peters voyce: so by [Page] contrarie, these men for verie griefe shut their gates, when they perceiue a begger there. Finally, Zaccheus was ioyfull when hee enterteined Christ, but manie amongst vs are sorrowfull when they should releeue the poore: like churlish Nabal, 1. Sam. 25. 1. Sam. 25. that reuiled Dauid, when hee should haue releeued him.

So long as Iob prospered, he kept a wor­thie and a worshipfull house, he suffred not the stranger to lie in the streetes, but ope­ned his doore to the trauailer that went by the way, Job. 31. 32. but now manie Gentle­men Iob. 31. 32. of the countrey, are content to suffer the stranger, the fatherles and the widdow, not onely to lye, but euen to starue and die in the streetes with hunger and colde, & ne­uer receiue them to house or harbour, nor affoord them anie releefe or succour. But as the voyce of Abels blood did crie from the earth to God, for vengeaunce against hys Gen. 4. 10. brothers crueltie: so the voyce of the poore and their piteous cries, shall enter into the eares of the Lord, and their guiltles blood (which is powred foorth in euerie place without all compassion) shall pull downe hastie and sodaine vengeance from heauen vppon the heads of these vnmercifull cor­morants, [Page] vnles while this time of mercy la­steth, they shewe mercie to their distressed neighbors. Thus you haue heard how Zac­cheus behaued himselfe in enterteining of Christ: now you shall see the behauiour of the Pharesies in disdaining at Christ. When all they saw it, they murmured, saying, that hee was gone in to lodge with a sinfull man. Before they hated Zaccheus for his vyces, because he was couetous: now they enuie him for his vertues, because he was giuen to hospi­tality. For the wicked wil alwaies haue som­thing to finde fault with in the children of God, like the sonnes of Iacob, Gen. 37. that Gen. 37 hated their brother Joseph, because of hys dreames: and like Saul that vnhappy King, that enuied Dauid for his happy victoryes, 1. Sam. 18. 29. Thus the wicked when they 1. Sam. 18. cannot charge the godly with any greeuous crime, they begin to grudge at their weldo­ing: and therefore not onely Zaccheus is ha­ted for receiuing Christ, but Christ is hated also for being his guest. When they could not accuse Christ for sinne, they accuse him for companying with sinners: for they must still bee accusing some or other, for one thing or other, like their father the diuell, that both by name, Reuel. chapt. 12. verse 10. Reuel. 12. [Page] and by nature, Job. 1. 6. 7. is a continuall accu­ser Iob. 1. 6. of the brethren. It had been the duetie of the Pharesies to haue receiued Christ, & made much of him as Zaccheus did: but they are so farre off from enterteining him themselues, that it greeueth them to see Zaccheus giue him enterteinement. And surely, such is the peruerse nature of the wicked, that they will neither receiue the grace of God when it is offered them, nor willingly suffer anie other to embrace the same: like the wicked Iewes, Actes. 13. 50. Act. 13. 50. that woulde neither beleeue the doctrine which Paul preached, nor could abide that the Gentiles should be brought to the faith of Christ. The high Priests thought them selues too high, to haue poore humble Christ amongst them: the Scribes and the Pharesies in their owne conceipt, were too good, too wise, and too holie to receyue him into their companie: and not content to sequester and estrange themselues from Christ, they disdained also that hee should be conuersant with Publicans and sinners, as though he were not worthie to be conuer­sant amongst men.

If it were the office of Christ to conuert Matt. 9. 13. sinners, why should the Pharesies bee of­fended [Page] at him, if he were sometime conuer­sant with sinners to work their conuersion? If Christ were a Phisition to cure the sicke­nes Matt. 9. 12. of the soule, that is, to saue the people from their sinnes, why should the Pharesies murmur at him for keeping company with Zaccheus, that was sicke in soule: for as it is expedient for the Phisition to visite hys patients for their better recouerie, so it was conuenient Christ should visite sinners for their speedier conuersion. But as the Phi­sition that resorteth to sicke persons, is not straightway infected: so the soules Phisiti­on that conuerseth with sinners, is not ther­by polluted. And therefore, as Christ per­fourmed his office, though the Pharesies murmured, so let the ministers of GOD learne by his example, to performe theyr dueties, though the wicked be offended. It was the office of Christ to call sinners to re­pentance, yea he came to call Pharesie sin­ners aswell as Publican sinners, if the Pha­resies would haue confessed themselues to be sinners, as the Publicanes did: but be­cause Luc. 18. they stood so much vpon their owne righteousnesse, and despised others, there­fore Christ denounceth so manie woes a­gainst Matth. 23. them, and preferreth the penitent [Page] Publican that trusted in the Lords▪ mercie▪ before the proud Pharesie that trusted in his owne merites. Though Paul was a Pha­resie, Act. 23. 6. and the sonne of a Pharesie, yet he sha­meth not to confesse himselfe one of the chiefe sinners which Christ came to saue. So 1. Tim. 1. 15 if the Pharesies that murmured at Zacche­us would haue been saued, they shuld haue confessed themselues chiefe sinners, as Paul did. They should not haue accused Christ for keeping company with sinners, but they shuld haue accused themselues for not kee­ping companie with Christ. The iust man (saith Salomon, Pro. 18.) is the first accuser of Prou. 18. himselfe: but the Pharesies are so far from accusing of themselues, that they begin to accuse Zaccheus and Christ together. Thus the Pharesies of our time, that make religi­on a cloake to couer their corrupt dealing, haue thys propertie to thinke other men to be hainous sinners, and themselues onely to be righteous: insomuch, as they wil not stick to speake like that proud people that was wont to say, Depart from me, for I am holier than thou: and like that presumptuous pha­resie, Luc. 18. I. thanke God I am not as others Luc. 18. are, extortioners, vsurers, adulterers, drunkards, or such like: I sanctifie the Saboth, which other [Page] men prophane: I frequent sermons, which they neglect: I reuerence the name of God, which they blaspheme: I pay tythe, which others with-holde: and I fast oftentimes, which they doo seldome, or neuer. These were the speaches of the Pharesies, that li­ued in the time of Christ, whom he so often calleth hypocrites: and these are the spea­ches Matt. 15. 7. Luke. 11. 44 Luc. 12. 1. Act. 26. 5. Matt. 23. 25. 27. of the hypocrits of our age, that seeme to liue after the straightest sect of our reli­gion, Act. 26. They wash the outside of the cup, and of the platter: that is, they iustifie themselues, and seeme meruailous holie in the sight of men, which can discerne by the outward appearance onely: but vnto God, that seeth and searcheth the secretes of the harts and reynes, they appeare like paynted tombes full of dead mens bones, and all fil­thines: that is, they haue their inward parts full of rauening, and all kinde of wickednes. Wherefore, as Christ said to his Disciples, Except your righteousnes exceed the righteous­nes Matt. 5. 2 [...]. of the Scribes & Pharesies, you cannot en­ter into the kingdome of heauen: so I say vnto you, that except your righteousnes exceede the righteousnes of these Pharisaicall hypo­crites, ye cannot be saued. These holy Pha­rises did vse to cal the Publicans, not vsurers [Page] nor extortioners, as they themselues were: but by the general name of sinners, as thogh they themselues were free from sinne. Thus the papists at this day do vse to cal the most sincere professours of the Gospell, not Lu­therans, Caluinists, Zuinglians, or protestants, as they wer wont to call them: but now they tearme vs heretiques, a name more odious than anie other, whereas in the meane sea­son, they themselues are of all other the great heretiques. So the Atheists of our time, when they cannot accuse the godlie that are amongst vs of vsurie, or briberie, or extortion, or drunkennes, or anie such notorious sinne, they call them hypocrites, which is the summe of all: when as in verie truth, they themselues do best deserue that name: but it makes no matter what they cal vs, nei­ther are we to be moued at their despiteful speaches; for as the bitter taunts of these murmuring pharises could not hinder Zac­cheus in his conuersion, so the slaunders of these godles men, must not discourage the seruaunts of God from their good professi­on. The Pharises did Zaccheus great wrong for calling him sinner, when he had repen­ted of his sinne: and the Atheists at this day do greatly wrong the true professors, in cal­ling [Page] them hypocrites, which haue truely re­pented of their former sinnes, and endeuor by al good means to lead a godly life. Ther­fore as Zaccheus preferred his soules health before al their murmuring: so it behooueth vs to looke to our soules saluation, notwith­standing al the reproches and slanders that are deuised against vs. And as the Pharises might call Zaccheus sinner, but could not hinder his Conuersion: so the malicious worldlings may take awaye our goods, our good names, yea, and our liues also, but can­not depriue vs of our saluation. Wherefore as our Sauior said to his Apostles, Feare not Matt. 10. them that can kill the bodie, and then can doo no more: so I say vnto you, Feare not the frownes of the wicked, for they are not able to hurt your better part: seeke not to gaine the fauor of the world, for the whole world is not able to saue a soule, but feare to offend him that is able to destroy both bodie and soule in hell, and seeke to please him that is able to saue them both in heauen for euer.

Now followeth another frute of Zacche­us conuersion; namely, his good confession: for, as he beleeued with the hart vnto righ­teousnes, so hee confessed with the mouth Rom. 10. 10 vnto saluation. Whē Zaccheus was mocked [Page] of the Pharises, it seemeth that hee should stoup downe for shame: but when hee was thus reproued & reuiled by them, the scrip­ture saith that he stood vp in signe of glad­nes. As the Apostles went away reioycing Acts. 5. that they wer counted worthie to suffer re­buke for the name of Christ: so Zaccheus the Publican went forth reioycing, that hee was reproched for the cause of Christ. Be­fore Zaccheus was a Publican, and therefore stood in sinne verie daungerouslie, like the house that is builded vpon the sand, readye Luke. 6. 49. to be ouerturned with euerie tempest: but now Zaccheus is become a true Christian, & therefore stands in righteousnesse very safe­ly, like the house that is built vpon a tocke, free from anie danger of falling.

There are two parts of this confession. The first is his gift to the poore: the second is, the restitution of his vniust gotten goods. Before, Zaccheus was an oppressour of the poore, now hee is a great benefactor to the poore: before, he was an encroacher vpon other mens goods, now he is a distributer of his owne goods: before, hee was a receiuer and a taker, now he is a restorer and a giuer: neither doth hee giue sparingly, but hee gi­ueth [Page] liberally, laying vp a good foundation 1. Tim. 6. against the time to come. Now hath Zac­cheus found that precious pearle, & for ioy Matt. 13. thereof he is content, not to sell, but to giue all that he hath to enioy the same. When the rich Ruler (in the former chapter) was Luke 18. willed to sel all that he had, and to giue it to the poore, hee went away verie sorrowfull, for he was verie rich: but Zaccheus, perhaps as rich as he, is content of his owne accord and vnbidden, to bestow half his goods vp­pon the poore, and that with a cheerefull minde. If Zaccheus had giuen onely the third part of his goods, no doubt but Christ wold haue accepted it, for he accepteth the widowes farthing, because it was giuen with Luke 21. a willing minde: but if he had giuen all hys goods to feed the poor, as the Pharises gaue their almes to bee seene of men, yea, or his bodie to bee burned, as some Romanes haue 1, Cor. 13. done to get renowne, it should haue been to no purpose, because it was done to a wrong end Now, as Zaccheus was rich in the goods of this life, so was hee rich in faith also: nei­ther was it an idle or dead faith that Zacche­us had, but it was a fruitfull & a liuely faith, a faith that worketh and laboureth by loue, Gal. 5. 6. such as is required at the handes of Christi­ans. [Page] S. Iames saith, Shew mee thy faith by thy workes, & here Zaccheus doth shew his faith by his workes. Before, hee was exercised in vngodly works, which are the frutes of infi­delitie: but now he is exercised in the works of mercie, which are the fruites of a liuelie faith. Zaccheus is verie liberall in releeuing the poore, but he is liberall of that which is his own: so ther are manie now a daies that are verie liberall, but it is of that which is none of theirs: for as Nadab and Abihu of­fred Leuit. 10. strange fire vnto the Lord, so these men offer strange goods vnto the Lord. There are some amongst vs, that thinke to make a­mends for their vniust dealing, by giuyng part of that to some good vses, which they haue gotten by bad meanes: if they haue gotten a pound by vsury & oppression, they are content perhaps to giue a pennie to re­leeue the poore. But, as it was not lawfull for the Israelits to bring the price or the hire of a harlot into the house of the Lord: so it Deut. 23. is not lawful for vs to apply the gaine of our ill gotten goods to the seruice of God.

Zaccheus faith not, I haue giuen, as an vp­braider of God: or, I will giue, as a delaier, that means to giue away his goods after his [Page] death, when he can keepe them no longer: but he saith, I giue, to signifie that his will is his deed, and that he meaneth not to take a­nie dayes of paiment for the matter. For, as before he ran apace to see Christ, and came downe hastely to enterteine Christ in hys owne person: so doth he here giue quickly to releeue Christ in his needie members. This is Zaccheus last will & testament, that hee maketh before his death, and seeth the same proued and performed before his eies, If therefore we desire to doo any good to a­nie of our poore brethren, let vs learne of Zaccheus to doo it quickly, while wee are a­liue, for time will preuent vs, and death will preuent vs. I know ther be many that wold be willing to giue some part of their goods to the poore before their death, as Zaccheus did: but that they knowe not what neede themselues maye haue thereof before they die, and therefore for the most part they wil hardly forsake or leaue their goods, till their goods forsake and leaue them. But heerein they shewe themselues to doubt of Gods prouidence, and as it were to distrust of his paiment, who hath promised to repay what soeuer is giuen vnto the poore, as if it were lent vnto himself, & that not secretly, thogh [Page] they did theyr almes neuer so secretly, but Prou. 19. 17. the Lord will reward them openly, as our Sauiour speaketh. Math, 6. The wise Prea­cher, Matt. 6. Eccle. 11. Eccle. 11. willeth vs to cast our breade vpon the waters, that is, to be liberal to the poore, whose watry eyes bewray their great necessity: or, (as others expound it) to ha­zard & aduenture some of our goods vpon our needy brethren, as Merchants do aduē ­ture their goods vppon the seas; For al­though they may seeme to be in great per­ril & danger of perishing in the waters, yet cōmonly it falleth out, that by the blessing of God they return with far greater profite. So albeit the reliefe that is bestowed vpon our distressed neighbours may seeme to be lost, yet as the wise man saith, after a time we shall finde it againe: and as the precious oyle descended from Aarons beard to the Psal. 133. skirts of his clothing, so certainly the oile of mercie & charitie which we powre into the wounds of our distressed brethren, shal de­scend into our owne soules; and as the wid­dowes Luke, 10. oyle was encreased in the cruse, be­cause shee releeued the Lordes prophet, so 1, King. 17. shall this precious oyle bestowed vpon the poore, be returned vpon our heads in grea­ter measure. Thus is Zaccheus liberall, as [Page] you see: for he giueth away halfe his goods, but hee giues it not to the rich, that might giue to him againe, but hee giues it to the poore that cannot requite him: to teach vs vpon whom we should bestow our almes. As GOD that is rich in mercie, giueth all things vnto vs that cannot requite him: so the rich men of this world (if they haue any sparke of mercie in them) should giue vn­to the poore that cannot requite them. But amongst vs in euery place almost, it is farre otherwise: for if anie thing be to be giuen, not they that are poorest and stand in grea­test need, but they that can make best frends are best preferd. Thus Diues is still inrich­ed Luke. 16. and Lazarus is still reiected. If wee send to a great man, we send an oxe for a present but if wee send to a poore man wee send a crust for an almes. Therefore, as Christ said to the Jewes, that the Niniuites should rise in Matth. 12 iudgement against them, because they repē ­ted at Jonas preaching: so it may be said vn­to vs, that Zaccheus shal rise in iudgement a­gainst vs and condemne vs: for hee shewed great mercie vppon the poore, but wee are voyde of all compassion. Thus you haue heard the first part of Zaccheus confession, wherein you see his liberality to the poore.

[Page] Now you shall heare the second part of his confession, wherein hee promiseth resti­tution of his vniust gotten goods. Before, Zaccheus gaue to the poore the half of that which was his owne: now he restoreth that which is none of his, to the right owners. And because hee had detained their goods so long, to their great losse and hinderaunce, therfore he doth not onely restore the prin­cipal, which he had taken from them, but he alloweth them their costs and damages they had susteined. As Ioram king of Israel caused 2. King. 8. to be restored to the Shunamite her house & land, with all the fruites and profites of the same, which were wrongfully kept from hir seuen yeres together: so Zaccheus the custo­mer, restoreth to those that he had oppres­sed, their goods which hee had gotten from them by fraudulent dealing, with all the fruites and profits that might come thereof during the time of his vniust possession. So liberall was Zaccheus to the poore, that hee gaue them halfe his goods: and so little got Zaccheus by his vsurie and oppression, that for euerie penie he restored foure. If the v­surers and extortioners of our time woulde restore fourefold for that they haue wrong­fully gotten, I feare me they wold haue but [Page] a small halfe to giue to the poore, and but a little left to help themselues. There was no law to compel Zaccheus to make such resti­tution, except he will confesse himself to be a thiefe, because hee was an vsurer, and then the lawe of God requireth such restitution. And surely Zaccheus seemeth after a sort to confes his theft, because he promiseth foure fold restitution. If a man had stoln a sheep, the law of God required that he should re­store Exod. 22. 1 2. Sam. 12. foure sheepe for one: and the ancient Romans had this law, that vsurers, shuld for­feit foure times so much as they took for v­surie. If the same law were now to vse a­gainst our theeuish vsurers, as it was some­time among them, we should not haue such complaining of the poore both in prisons & streetes. But if these great theeues (I meane our biting vsurers) that rob and spoile with­out ceasing when they haue no need, might find no more fauor, than those petty theeues which rob and steale sometime, when they are driuen thereto by extreame necessitie, then surely the commonwealth wold soone be disburdend of that pestilent brood of ca­terpillers wherewith it is pestered. I wish them betimes to look to their own estate, & with Zaccheus to forsake their damnable [Page] trade. If they haue liued hethertoo by the gaine of vsurie, let them now lament theyr sinne, and call to God for mercie & forgiue­nes: let them make restitution of that they haue wrongfuly taken, and greeue that they haue so long deteined that which is none of theirs. For as no sinne is pardoned without repentance to God, so vsurie is not pardond without repentance to God: and as the sinne of theft is not remooued, before restitution bee made to men (if the partie bee able,) so the sinne of vsurie (which is a secret theft) is not remitted before restitution be made to those that are oppressed and spoiled by this secret theft. Thus you haue seen how Zac­cheus that was once a hoorder of his goods, as our rich men are: is now a liberall dispo­ser of his goods, as I wish they were. He that lately was a Camell laden with riches, and Matth. 19. therfore vnapt to go through a needles eie, hath now like the Camell cast off his rich Matt. 7. lading, and therfore may enter in at the nar­row gate. Some rich men wold rather haue lost their liues, than forgone their goods, & for halfe that losse would haue proued very pensiue, but this was the ioyfullest newes that euer came to Zaccheus house, sweeter to him than all his gold & siluer: that where [Page] as before hee was in the state of damnation, now saluation is promised to him and hys house: and whereas before he was the ser­uant of Sathan, now he is become the child of Abraham. Now Zaccheus hous is become Gods house, & Zaccheus himselfe is the son of Abraham, and therefore no cause whie Christ should not resort to Zaccheus house. As Christ said to the penitent theife, This day shalt thou be with me in Paradice, so hee Luke. 23. saith here to the penitent publican, This day saluation is come vnto thy house, and this daye thou art become the childe of Abraham. Christ loueth not to be long in any mans debt, for as he saith to Zaccheus, To day I must abide at thy house: so he saith to the same Zacche­us, To day and hence forth for euer, thou & thy house must abide with mee in heauen. Here is a happie change: in stead of a little worldly treasure, subiect to losse by theeues, and to spoyle by rust and moths, to haue all store of heauenly treasure, which neyther theeues can steale, nor canker can corrupt: in stead of an earthly house, subiect to fire Matt. 6. and falling, to haue a house giuen of God, not made with handes, but eternall in hea­uen, 2. Cor. 5. 1.

Who wold not rather chuse with Zaccheus [Page] to giue halfe his goods to the poore, that he may be an heire of saluation, and the sonne of Abraham to rest in his fathers bosome; than with Diues to keep all from the poore, & to be tormented in those eternall flames. That rich glutton that denied the crummes Luc. 16. from his table, challenged Abraham for his father, but hee was refused, because hee had not the faith nor workes of Abraham: but Iohn 8. 39. Zaccheus, though by nature he were not the childe of Abraham, yet by grace hee is be­come the childe of Abraham, because hee walked in the steps of that faithfull father. Abraham beleeued before hee was circum­cised, Rom. 4. 12. so Zaccheus beleeued before hee was circumcised. As Abraham left his countrey, Gen. 12. 1. Act. 7. 3. and all that he had when God called him, so Zaccheus left his office and the most part of his riches, when he was called by the sonne of God: and as Abraham desired to see the Ioh. 8. 56. day of Christ, and sawe it, and reioyced; so Zaccheus desired to see Christ, and hee saw him, and reioyced. Now is Zaccheus a Gen­tile become the childe of Abraham, and not only he, but his whole house also is become the house of Abraham: for when Zaccheus is conuerted, his whole house is conuerted. As the master is, such are the seruants: if he [Page] be godly & religious, they proue godly and religious: if he be an Atheist, they prooue Atheists likewise. Therfore keep no com­panie Psalm. 18. with the wicked, for it is most perni­cious: but associate thy selfe with those that feare the Lord, that thou also maist learn to fear the Lord: who for his mercy grant that wee maye with Zaccheus bee desirous to see Christ, ioyful to receiue Christ, liberal to re­leeue the members of Christ, and readie to make amends when we haue wronged anie of our brethren, that so with Zaccheus we may be heires of saluation, and the true sons of Abraham, to reigne with Christ in hea­uen for euer, by the meanes and merites of him, that died and rose againe for vs. To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all glorie.

Amen.