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 sustentatioÌ„ 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 christiaÌ„ 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 â—â—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
worship him As for the image we reade that to turne the glorie of the incorruptible God into the similitude of a corruptible creature is idolatrie Well may I then affirme with Moses Cursed be the Image and the Image maker The conclusion therefore of this poynt is this that we seeke the Lord and his strength euermore that wee pray vnto God in humilitie sinceritie and in full assurance of faith continually who without end is to be sought because without end he is to be beloued The third thing contained in our duetie is what effect this seeking and praying ought to worke in vs comprehended in these wordes If thou be pure vpright if the cloudes be ful they will powre forth raine vpon the earth vnpossible it is that a man that seeketh after God and prayeth vnto the Almighty should not bring forth the fruits of a godly life for if the tree be good the fruits cannot be bad if the head of y e water be pure it wil send forth pure waters into the cesterns Wherefore as good motions are stirred vp by praier so must they bee fostred by practise of life according to that of the Apostle Quench not the spirit nor grieue the holy one of God by whom ye are sealed to the day of redemption He quencheth dearly beloued the spirit which being once lightened with the sparkles of faith felte Gods motions in his hart doth neglect to increase the one to a flame the other to good workes in his life but with the dog turneth to his vomit with the Sow that was washed to her wallowing againe in the mire Therefore beloued loue and seeke the Lord pray to the almightie be pure and vpright in conuersation fly from sinne as from a serpent for if thou come neare it will bite thee The teeth thereof are as the teeth of a Lyon to slay the soules of men and all iniquitie is as a two edged sword the woundes that it giues cannot bee healed I dare not stand as I would vpon these pointes fearing tediousnes wherefore let this suffice for the former general part concerning the duty we owe vnto God Now Gods promises for the performance herof yeeld vnto vs most plentiful matter of doctrine cōsolation First of his iustice that as he will suffer no sin vnpunished so he will leaue no good work vnrewarded but giueth to euery seueral actiō his seueral hire iust recompence of reward Shall the howre come in which al that are in their graues shal heare a voice come forth they that haue done vvel to the resurrection of life they that haue done euil to the resurrection of condemnation Shall the Lord search Ierusalem with Lanthornes Shall all foule corners be swept and all pleites and vvrinckles be vnfolded Shall the sea graue death and hell giue vp al that is in them and shal all the deade both great and small stand before God vvhen the bookes are opened and shall euery man haue praise of God according vnto his deseruing Shall vvee then discerne betweene the vessels of honour and of vvrath betweene sheepe and gotes the iust and vniust Finally shall there be an infallible generall and incorrupt iudgement wherein the booke of all our offences shall be laide wide open Now God bee mercifull vnto vs be fauorable O Lord bee fauorable But to proceede it is thy nature O Lorde to gather vp the wheate and burne the tares to cut down all fruitles trees cast them into the fire yea into a fierie furnace that neuer shall be quenched into an vtter darknes where is weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth then be fauorable O Lord be fauorable Doth not the Lord spare Dauid a king and a Prophet for murther doth he not spare the Sichemites for adulterie nor Absalom for treason nor Saul for tyrannie nor Eli for negligence nor Achab Ieroboam nor Iezabell for crueltie nor Herod Nabuchadnezzar Lucifer for pride nor Pharaoh for incredulitie then be fauorable O Lord be fauorable to vs in whom almost euery one of these sins doe dwell and remaine Did the Lorde for corruption ouerflow the world with water did hee burne Sodome for her villanie did he cast Adam and Eue out of Paradise for eating of the forbidden fruite did hee stone a poore wretch to death for gathering chips on the Sabboth day then be fauorable O Lorde be fauorable vnto vs. But dooth not the Lord spare the Cedar tree for his height nor the Oke for his strength nor the Poplar for his smoothnesse nor the Lawrel for his greennes No verely from the Cedar that is in Lybanon euen to y e hysop that groweth out of the wall yea euery one that bringeth not forth good fruite is hewne downe and cast into the fire it is a righteous thing with God to render vengeance to those that disobey him and to destroy such as haue forsaken the law by euerlasting perdition Behold the Lord shal come in the great and latter day of iudgement when none shall escape his iudgment seat with cloudes shall he come and euery eie shall see him euen they which pierced him thorow shall also waile before him being sūmoned al to appeare most fearfully before his imperial throne of maiesty thē be fauorable O Lord be fauorable A las with what eies shall we miserable sinners behold him so gloriously sitting in his roiall kingdome with all his mightie and holy angels and whole number of saints sounding with the voice of the archangell and trumpet of God causing the heauens to passe away with a noise and the elements to melt like waxe the earth to burne with the works thereof yea with what eies shall wee behold him when we see the Sun darkned the Moone eclipsed and the stars fall down from heauen But alas when he taketh the furbished blade into his hand when he is ready to throw the fiery thunderbolts of his wrath when hee summoneth before him the worme that neuer dieth the fire that neuer shall bee quenched to reuenge vppon the wicked into what a plight are they then driuen then leaue they off be fauorable O Lorde be fauorable and say to the hils O ye mountains come and couer vs O yee waters come and ouerwhelme vs wo wo wo how great is this darkenes The godly on the other side are bathed in such streames of blisse and aduanced to such happines as neither tongue can vtter nor heart conceiue The second thing wee haue to note in his promises is his mercy which exceedeth al his workes For God though hee haue giuē a curse of the law against sinners yet seeing Christ for the penitent hath borne the curse whereby his iustice is not impaired he is content to accept our weaknesse as our strength to recompence our imperfection with rewarde of greatest perfection and that which we can performe but in small part hee is content to accept as whole not for any
desert of ours but in the satisfaction of his son who paid with the seale of his owne bloud the ransome for our sins he hath cancelled the hand writing that was against vs. Wherefore we are to pray vnto God that whensoeuer our sinnes shall come in question before him that hee would looke vpon Christ Iesus the true looking glasse in whom he shal find vs most pure and innocent and to shine most cleerely in the righteousnesse which he had giuen vs by faith so that wee appeare not in our own righteousnesse but in the righteousnesse of the lambe who hauing taken away the sins of the world and hauing made vs as white as snowe though wee were as red as crimson saith he will be mercifull to our iniquities and wil remember our sinnes no more Of him do al the Prophets be are witnesse that through his name all that beleeue shal receiue remissiō of their sins Againe Drinke ye all of this for this is my bloud which is shed for the remission of sins Christ gaue himself for our sins that hee might deliuer vs from the curse of the lawe euen according to the will of the father Christ bare our sinnes in his owne body on the tree that wee being deliuered from sin might liue in righteousnes by whose stripes we are healed for we were as sheep going astray but are now returned to the shepheard and bishop of our soules It is no more but beleeue be saued beleeue and receiue remission beleeue and lay off thine own righteousnes and inuest thy selfe with the righteousnesse of the vnspotted lambe Dauid was yong and after was old yet in all his daies he neuer saw the righteous forsakē Somtimes he scourgeth his childrē but like a louing father he laieth no more vpon them thā they are able to be are for he afflicteth thē for his own iustice because they are sinners for his wisedome to exercise their faith for his mercy to cause thē to repent but this is the end of al he helpeth thē in their distresses he reuengeth himselfe vpon his enemies giueth to his people rest and quietnesse O that we would therefore praise the Lord and forget not al other his singular benefits O that we would confesse that his mercy endureth for euer The third thing to note in his promises is his boūtiful kindnes in requiting so smal a thing with so great liberal blessings and bindeth himselfe by obligation as it were that as sure as wee performe the one so he will not faile to accomplish the other The fourth is his patience and long suffering which is not slacknes as some men account slacknes but is patience because willingly he would haue no man to pertsh but gladly would haue all men to come to repentance He is content to stay our leasure till wee seeke and pray vnto him and neuer smiteth til there be no hope of redresse The fift is his loue in that he is content to stir vs vp to holy exercises purity of life to allure vs with faire promises of aid prosperous increase of al his blessings in this world The particular examinatiō of these blessings would require a larger discourse thā fearing tediousnes I dare presume to trouble ye withal wherefore a word of each and so I end Touching the first where it is said God will awake vp vnto thee it is a greater benefit than the words import for it signifieth not only that he will heare thee but that hee will also do what thou desirest and satisfie thy request As long as the sinner sleepeth the Lord is said to bee asleepe but as soone as the sinner awaketh from sinne God wil arise saith Dauid and his enemies shall bee scattered and they that hate him shal fly before him as the smoak vanisheth before the wind as the wax melteth before the fire euen so shall the wicked perish at the presence of God Wherfore as Paul exhorted the Ephesians so I exhort you Awake thou that sleepest stād vp frō the dead christ shal giue thee light awake vnto God God wil awake vnto thee Christ euen the son of God the bright morning star shall giue thee the light of life In the second hee promiseth abundance of worldlie blessings in recōpence of praier for it is said He wil make the habitations of thy righteousnes prosperous that is the Lord wil make peace within thy wals prosperity within thy palaces he wil commād his blessings to be with thee in thy store house and in al thou settest thy hand vnto he will open vnto thee his good treasures euen the heauens to giue raine on thy land in due season Thou shalt lay vp gold as the dust the gold of Ophir as the flint of the riuer thou shalt wash thy paths with butter thy rocks shall powre out riuers of oile thou shalt cal saluation thy wal praise shall be in thy gates Lo thus shal the man be blessed that feareth God Lastly for being pure vpright he wil make thy latter end greatly increase that thou maist the lesse mistrust his promise he wil do it though thy beginning be but small Here brethren ye see what a sea of matter is offered me whereunto if I would commit my selfe I might discourse vnto ye what strange euents by Gods prouidence haue hapned in the world what great kings and potentates haue bin plucked down from their thrones and what contemptible persons in the eie of the world haue been aduanced to their roomes How Mardocheus a stranger was exalted into Hamons place how Ioseph and Daniel the one a bond-man in Egypt the other a captiue in Babylon were made Princes in those kingdomes But because I will not ouermuch transgresse the bondes of modesty or hold yee longer than in this place I haue beene accustomed onely remember what the Prophet saith He raiseth the needy out of the dust and lifteth the poore out of the mire that he might set him with the princes euen with the princes of the world Remember the example of Dauid whom the Lord chose and tooke from the Ewes great with young that hee might feed his people in Iacob his inheritance in Israel Remēber the example of Iob how the Lord turned the captiuitie of Iob as the riuers in the south how he blessed the last daies of Iob more than the first how he gaue him sheep camels oxen she asses in more abundance than he had before how he increased him with sons and daughters euen to the fourth generatiō so y t he died being old and full of daies Remember euen our own estate for whom the Lord hath don great things already as created vs and redeemed vs sanctified vs and not long since deliuered vs from the gaping iawes of those that sought to sucke our bloud Vpon some he hath bestowed humility whereby their mindes are adorned with