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A12429 Foure sermons preached by Master Henry Smith. And published by a more perfect copie then heretofore; Sermons. Selected sermons Smith, Henry, 1550?-1591. 1599 (1599) STC 22748; ESTC S117441 74,212 106

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not able to hurt your better part seeke not to gaine the fauor of the world for the whole worlde is not able to saue a soule but feare to offende him that is able to destroy both body and soule in hell and seeke to please him that is able to saue them both in heauen for euer Now followeth another fruite of Zaccheus conuersion namely his good confession for as hee beleeued with the heart vnto righteousnesse so hee confessed with the mouth vnto saluation When Zaccheus was mocked of the Pharisies it seemeth that he should stoope downe for shame but when he was thus reprooued reuiled by them the Scripture saith that he stood vp in signe of gladnesse As the Apostles went away reioicing that they were coūted 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 very daungerously like the house that is builded vpon the sand ready to bee ouerturned with euerie tempest but now Zaccheus is become a true Christian and therefore stands in righteousnesse very safely like the house that is built vpon a rocke free from any danger of falling Behold Lorde the halfe of my goods c. 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 oppressor of the poore now hee is a great benefactor to the poore before hee was an encrocher vpon other mens goods now he is a distributer of his own goods before hee was a receiuer and a taker nowe he is a restorer and a giuer neither doth he giue sparingly but he giueth liberally laying vp a good foundatiō against the time to come Now hath Zaccheus found that pretious pearle and for ioy thereof he is content not to sell but to giue all that hee hath to enioy the same When the rich Ruler in the former chapter was willed to sel all that he had to giue it to the poore he went away very sorrowful for he was very rich but Zaccheus perhaps as rich as he is content of his owne accorde vnbidden to bestow halfe his goods vpon the poore and that with a cheerefull mind If Zaccheus had giuen only the third part of his goods no doubt but Christ would haue accepted it for he accepteth the widowes farthing because it was giuen with a willing minde but if hee had giuen all his goods to feede the poore as the Pharisies gaue their almes to be seene of men yea or his bodie to be burned as some Romans haue 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 he 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 such as is required at the handes of Christians Saint Iames saith Shew me thy faith by thy workes and here Zaccheus doth shew his faith by his workes Before he was exercised in vngodly works which are the fruites of infidelity but now he is exercised in the works of mercy which are the fruits of a liuely faith Zaccheus is very liberall in relieuing the poore but he is liberal of that which is his owne so there are many now a daies that are very liberall but it is of that which is none of theirs for as Nahab Abihu offered strange fire vnto the Lord so these men offer strange goods vnto the Lorde There are some amongst vs that thinke to make amends for their vniust dealing by giuing 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 cōtent perhaps to giue a pennie to relieue the poore But as it was not lawful for the Israelites to bring the price or the hire of a harlot into the house of the Lord so it is not lawful for vs to apply the gain of our ill gottē goods to the seruice of God The halfe of my goods I giue c. Zaccheus saith not I haue giuen as an vpbraider of God or I wil giue as a delayer that means to giue away his goods after his death when he can keepe them no longer but hee saith I giue to signifie that his wil is his deed that he meaneth not to take any daies of paiment for the matter For as before he ranne apace to see Christ and came down hastily to entertain Christ in his owne person so doth he here giue quickly to relieue Christ in his needy members This is Zaccheus last wil testament that he maketh before his death and seeth the same proued and performed before his eies If therefore we desire to do any good to any of our poore bre thren let vs learn of Zaccheus to do it quickly while we are aliue for time will preuent vs and death will preuent vs. I know there would be many that would bee 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 may haue there of before they die and therfore for the most part they will hardly forsake or leaue their goods till their goods forsake and leaue them But herein they shewe themselues to doubt of Gods prouidence as it were to distrust of his paiment who hath promised to repay whatsoeuer is giuen vnto the poore as it were lent vnto himselfe and y t not secretly though they did their almes neuer so secretly but the Lord wil reward thē openly as our Sauior speaketh Ma. 6. the wise preacher Eccl. 11. willeth vs to cast our bread vpō the waters that is to be liberal to the poore whose watry eies bewray their great necessity or as others expound it to hazard and aduenture some of our goods vpon our nee dy brethren as Merchantes do aduenture their goods vpon the seas for although they may seeme to bee in great perill and danger of perishing in the waters yet commonly it falleth out that by y e blessing of God they returne with greater profit So albeit the reliefe that is bestowed vpon our distressed neighbors may seeme to be lost yet as the wise mā saith after a time we shal find it againe and as the precious oyle descended from Aarons beard to the skirts of his clothing so certainely the oile of mercie and charitie which wee powre into the woundes of our distressed brethren shall descende into our owne soules and as the widdowes oile was increased in the cruse because shee relieued the Lordes Prophet so shall this pretious oile bestowed vpon the poore be returned vpon our heads in great measure Thus is Zaccheus liberall
it the next Sabboth To day therefore if ye will heare his voice haraen not your hearts as did the Israelites least if you harden your heartes his voice be heard no more amongst you This day you may gather this heauenly Manna as the Israelites might gather their Manna sixe daies together but tomorrow perhaps and sixe daies after you may not gather it as on the seuenth day Manna might not be found The Lord graunt that you may gather sufficient food for the sustentatiō of your soules that as Elias the prophet iournied in the strength of the meate that the Angell brought him euen vnto Horeb the mount of God so you in the strength of this spiritual meate which heere I bring you may bee able to passe through the dangerous waies of this troublesome worlde vnto Gods holy Mountaine the hauen of all happines whither he bring vs that hath deerly bought vs with his pretious bloud euen Christ Iesus the righteous to whome with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one God be giuen all glory and maiestie world without end Amen FINIS THE SINNERS CONFESSION The Text. Luke chap. 19. verses 6. 7. 8. 9. 6 Then he came down hastily and receiued him ioyfully 7 And when all they saw it they murmured saying that he was gone into lodge with a sinful man 8 And Zaccheus stood forth and sayde vnto the Lorde Beholde Lord the halfe of my goods I giue to the poore and if I haue taken from any man by forged cauillation I restore him foure fold 9 Then Iesus sayd vnto him This day is saluation come vnto this house forasmuch as hee is also become the sonne of Abraham YOu heard the last Sabboth how Zacheus the Publican was called to be a christiā now you shall heare the fruit of his conuersion No sooner had Christ called him from the tree but that he came downe hastilie and receiued him ioyfullie This was the fruit which it had in the heart of Zaccheus namely obedience to the voice of Christ a fruite more pretious and acceptable vnto God than the most pleasant fruits which Eden yeelded and a sacrifice more sweet and acceptable vnto him than all the sacrifices which the Law required This is the sacrifice wherewith the Lord is pleased euen when his voice is obeyed 1. Sam. 15. 22. The voice of the Lord is a glorious voice and mighty in operation diuiding the flames of fire and shaking the Cedar trees So the voyce of Christ is a glorious voyce his voyce is mightie in operation diuiding the soule and the spirit and shaking Zaccheus from the wilde figge tree whereinto hee had climed The same God to whose commaund the windes the sea the diuels and death it selfe obey here commaundeth Zaccheus to come downe at once and he commeth downe hastilie to receiue him into his house and he receiueth him ioifully As Zaccheus could not come at Christ till he was called so no man can come to Christ except the Father drawe him and as Zaccheus could not chuse but come when he was called by the voice of Christ so when any man is called effectually by the preaching of the Gospell hee cannot chuse but come to Christ for where there is an effectuall calling there is grace giuen also to obey the same Ro. 8. 30. The Lord is faine somtime to cal vs often because we know not the voyce of him that calleth vs as hee called Samuel three times before hee answered because at that time Samuel knew not the Lord 1. Sam. 3. 7. But as soone as he vnderstood that it was the Lord that spake vnto him he replied presently Speake on Lorde for thy seruant heareth So when the Lord calleth any man effectually by the preaching of his worde all the partes and powers of his bodie doe yeeld their obedience the eare listneth the tongue confesseth the heart beleeueth the head deuiseth the hand performeth the foote runneth the eye directeth and all concurre to do thy will O God Psal. 40. 7. Such and so effectuall is the voice of Christ in the heartes of his chosen that it maketh Saul of a bloudy persecutor to become Paul a painefull preacher it causeth Peter of a silly Fisher-man to become a catcher of men and Zaccheus here of a vile publican to become a zealous christian And such also is the nature of the word preached wheresoeuer it pleaseth the Lord to giue successe and increase thereto that it is able to transforme the mindes of men to beget faith in the hearts of Infidels and in a word to saue such as are ordained to eternall life Acts 13. This is the powre 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 down presentlie like the light in the creatition that was made as soone as God said Let there be light Here therefore of Zaccheus that obeied the voice of Christ let vs learne obedience to the voice of Christ for as Christ biddeth Zaccheus to come down because he was too high so he saith to euery one of vs come downe because wee are too high minded But with vs the voyce of Christ is not soe effectuall as it was with Zaccheus for hee was content to come downe at the first bidding but wee must be often bidden to beware of pride and ambition and yet wee will still bee climing There are fewe so high that are content with their calling but as Haman was alwaies aspiring till he came to the gallowes so many amongst vs are alwayes climing till they catch a fall Againe as Christ sayd 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 handes But as the Priest the Leuite Luke 10. passed by the wounded man leauing him halfe dead so we for the most part passe by our needy brethren leauing them vnreleeued Thus are we euery ●●y disobedient to the voice of Christ. He teacheth vs to be humble as he himselfe is Matth. 11. 29. and wee waxe proude and insolent as Sathan is Hee willeth vs to bee mercifull as our heauenly father is Luke 6. 36. and wee are cruel and vnmercifull as the rich glutton was Luke 16. This is the cause why the earth deceiueth and rendreth not her fruit Esai 24. 5. This is the cause why the sword deuoureth abroad and the pestilence destroyeth at home Deut. 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 Lorde we are vndutifull and disobedient to the voyce of Christ that calleth vs so louingly to come vnto him Matth. 11. 28. Zaccheus was called but once and he commeth quickly but we are