guest When they could not accuse Christ for sinne they accuse him for companying with sinners for they must still be accusing some or other for one thing or other like their father the deuill that both by name Reuel 1 2. 10. and by nature Iob. 16. 7. is a continuall accuser of the brethren It had beene the duetie of the Pharisies to haue receiued Christ and made much of him as Zaccheus did but they are so farre off from entertaining him themselues that it grieueth them to see Zaccheus giue him entertainment 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 any other to imbrace the same like the wicked Iewes Acts. 13. 50. that would neither beleeue the doctrine which Paul preached nor coulde abide that the Gentiles should bee brought to the faith of Christ The high priests thought themselues too high to haue poore humble Christ amongst them the Scribes and the Pharisies in their owne conceit were too good too wise and too holie to receiue him into their company and not content to sequester and estraunge themselues from Christ they disdayned also that he should be conuersant with Publicans and sinners as though he were not worthie to bee conuersant amongst men If it were the office of Christ to conuert sinners why should the Pharisies be offended at him if he were sometimes conuersant with sinners to worke their conuersion If Christ were a Phisition to cure the sicknesse of the soule that is to saue the people from their sinnes why should the Pharisies murmure at him for keeping of companie with Zaccheus that was sicke in soule for as it is expedient for the Phisition to visite his patients for their better recouerye so it was conuenient Christ should visite sinners for their speedier conuersion But as the Phisition that resorteth to sick persons is not straight way infected so the soules Phisition that conuerseth with sinners is not thereby polluted And therefore as Christ performed his office though the Pharisies murmured so let the ministers of God learne by his example to performe their dueties though the wicked be offended It was the office of Christ to call sinners to repentance yea he came to call Pharisie sinners aswell as Publican sinners if the Pharisies woulde haue confessed themselues to bee sinners as the Publicans did but because they stoode so much vpon their owne righteousnesse and despised others therefore Christ denounceth so many woes against them and preferreth the penitent Publican that trusted in the Lordes mercie before the proud Pharisie that trusted in his owne merites Though Paule was a Pharisie and the sonne of a Pharisie yet he shameth not to confesse himselfe one of the chiefe sinners which Christ came to saue Soe if the Pharisies that murmured at Zaccheus would haue bin saued they should haue confessed themselues chiefe sinners as Paul did They should not haue accused Christ for keeping company with sinners but they shoulde haue accused themselues for not keeping company with Christ. The iust man saith Salomon Prouer. 18. is the first accuser of himselfe but the Pharisies are so farre from accusing of themselues that they begin to accuse Zaccheus and Christ together Thus the Pharisies of our time that make religion a cloake to couer their corrupt dealing haue this propertie to thinke other men to bee hainous sinners and themselues only to be righteous in so much as they will not sticke to speake like that proud people that was wont to saye Depart from me for I am holier then thou like that presumptuous Pharisic Luk. 18. I thank God I am not as others are extortioners vsurers adulterers drūkards or such like I sanctifie the Sabboth which other mē prophane I frequēt sermōs which they neglect I reuerence the name of God which they blaspheme I pay tith which others with-hold and fast oftentimes which they do seldom or neuer These were the speeches of the Pharisies that liued in the time of Christ whom he so often calleth hypocrites and these are the speeches of the hypocrites of our age that seeme to liue after the straightest sect of our religion Acts. 26. They wash the outside of the cup and of the platter that is they iustifie themselues and seeme maruailous holy in the sight of mē which can discern by the outward appearance onely but vnto God that seeth and searcheth the secrets of the harts reines they appeare like painted tombes ful of dead mens bones and al filthines that is they haue their inward parts full of rauening and all kind of wickednes Wherefore as Christ said to his Disciples Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies you cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen so I say vnto you that except your righteousnes exceed the righteousnesse of these pharisaicall hypocrites ye cānot be saued These holy Pharisies did vse to cal the Publicās not vsurers nor extortioners as they themselues were but by the general name of sinners as though they thēselues were free from sinne Thus the papists at this day doe vse to call the most sincere professors of the gospel not Lutherans Caluinists Zuinglians or protestants as they were wont to call them but now they tearme vs heretickes a name more odious then any other whereas in the meane season they themselues are of all others the greatest heretickes So the Atheists of our time when they cannot accuse the godly that are amongst vs of vsury or briberie or extortion or drunkennesse or any such notorious sinne they call them hypocrites which is the summe of all when as in very truth they themselues doe best deserue that name but it makes no matter what they call vs neither are we to be mooued at their despiteful speeches for as the bitter taunts of these murmuring Pharisies could not hinder Zaccheus in his conuersion so the slanders of these godlesse men must not discourage the seruants of God from their good profession The Pharisies 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 them hypocrites which haue truely repented of their former sinnes and endeuour by all good meanes to lead a godly life Therefore as Zaccheus preferred his soules health before al their murmuring so it behooueth vs to looke to our soules saluation notwithstanding all the reproches and slaunders that are deuised against vs. And as the Pharisies might call Zaccheus sinner but coulde not hinder his conuersion so the malitious worldlings may take away our goods our good names yea and our liues also but cannot depriue vs of our saluation Wherefore as our Sauiour said to his Apostles Feare not thē that can kill the bodie and then can do no more so I say vnto you Feare not the frownes of the wicked for they are
Sabboth day With a number more hath God to call to account for euery one must answere for himselfe The fornicator for taking of filthie pleasure O sonne remember thou hast taken thy pleasure take thy punishment The careles Prelate for murthering so many thousand soules The Landlorde for getting money from his poore Tenants by racking of his rentes see the rest all they shall come like a verie sheepe when the Trumpet shal sound and the heauen and earth shâ—l come to iudgement against them when the heauens shall vanish like a scrole and the earth shall consume like fire and all the creatures standing against them The rockes shall cleaue a sunder and the mountaines shake and the foundation of the earth shall tremble and they shall say to the mountaines couer vs fall vpon vs and hide vs from the presence of his anger and wrath whome wee haue not cared for to offend but they shall not be couered hid but then they shall goe the blacke way to the snakes and serpents to bee tormented of deuils for euer O paine vnspeakeable and yet the more I expresse it the more horrible it is when you thinke of a torment passing all tormentes and yet a torment passing all that yet this torment is greater then them and passing them all Imagine you see a sinner going to hell and his somner gape at him his acquaintance looke at him the Angels shoute at him and the Saintes laugh at him and the deuils raile at him and many looke him in the face and they that said they would liue and die with him forsake him and leaue him to pay all the scores Then Iudas woulde restore his bribes Esau would cast vp his pottage Achan woulde cast downe his golde and Gehezi woulde refuse his giftes Nabuchadnezzar would be humbler Balam would be faithfull and the Prodigall sonne would be tame Me thinkes I see Achan running about where shall I hide my golde that I haue stolne that it might not be seene nor stand to appeare for a witnes against me And Iudas running to the high Priests saying hold take againe your money I will none of it I haue betraied the innocent bloud And Esau crying for the blessing when it is too late hauing sold his birthright for a messe of pottage Woe woe woe that euer we were borne O where is that Diues that would beleeue this before hee felt the fire in hell or that woulde beleeue the poorest Lazarus in the worlde to bee better then himselfe before that dreadfull day come when they cannot helpe it if they woulde neuer so faine when repentance is too late Herod shall then wish that he were Iohn Baptist. Pharaoh woulde wishe that hee were Moses and Saul would wish that hee had beene Dauid Nabuchadnezzar that he had beene Daniel Hammon to haue beene Mardocheus Esau would wish to bee Iacob and Balam woulde wish hee might die the death of the righteous then hee will say I will giue more then Ezekias crie more then Esau fast more then Moses pray more then Daniell weepe more then Mary Magdalen suffer more stripes then Paul abide more imprisonment then Michai abide more crueltie then any mortall man woulde doe that it migh bee Ite goe ye cursed might become yee blessed Yea I would giue all the goods in the worlde that I might escape this dreadfull day of wrath and iudgement and that I might not stand amongst the goe O that I might liue a begger al my life and a Leaper O that I might indure all plagues and sores from the top of the head to the sole of the foote sustaine all sicknes and griefes that I might escape this iudgement The guiltie conscience cannot abide this day The sillie sheepe when shee is taken will not bleate but you may carrie her and doe what you will with her and she will bee subiect but the swine if shee be once taken shee will roare and crie and thinkes shee is neuer taken but to bee slaine So of all things the guiltie conscience cannot abide to heare of this day for they knowe that when they heare of it they heare of their owne condemnation I thinke if there were a generall collection made through the whole worlde that there might bee no iudgement day then God woulde bee so rich that all the world would goe a begging and bee as a waste wildernes Then the couetous Iudge woulde bring forth his bribes then the craftie Lawyer woulde fetch out his bagges the Vsurer would giue his gaine and the idle seruant would dig vp his talent againe make a double thereof But al the mony in the world vvil not serue for one sin but the Iudge must answere for his bribes hee that hath money must answere how he came by it iust condemnation must come vpon euery soule of them then shall the sinner bee euer dying and neuer deade like the Salamander that is euer in the fire and neuer consumed But if you come there you may say as the Queene of Saba said of King Salomon I beleeued the report that I heard of thee in mine owne countrie but the one halfe of thy wisedome was not tolde mee If you came there to see what is done you may say Now I beleeue the report that was told me in mine owne countrie concerning this place but the one halfe as now I feele I haue not heard of now chuse you whether you will reioyce or remember whether you wil stande amongst you blessed or amongst you cursed whether you will enter while the gate is open or knocke in vaine when the gate is shut whether you wil seek the Lord whilest he may be found or be found of him when you would not be sought beeing run into the bushes with Adam to hide your selues whether you wil take your heauen now here or your hell then there or through tribulation to enter into the kingdome of God and thus to take your hell now here or your heauen then there in the life to come with the blessed Saints Angels so that heereafter you may lead a new life putting on Iesus Christ and his righteousnesse FINIS THE SINFVLL MANS SEARCH Iob. 8. 5. 6. 7. 5 If thou wilt early seeke vnto God and pray vnto the Almightie 6 If thou be pure and vpright then surely hee will awake vnto thee and make the habitation of thy righteousnesse prosperous 7 And though thy beginning be but small yet thy latter end shall greatly increase IN a sicke and euill affected bodie dearelie beloued wee vsuallie see preparatiues ministred that the maladies maie bee made more fit and pliable to receiue wholsome medicines The like yea and greater regard ought we to haue of our soules which being not crasie onlie or light ly affected with sinne but sicke euen vnto death had neede to be prepared with threats and exhortations comforts and consolatioÌ„s one way or other that they may be made fit not to receiue the preparatiue but the perfection of happie
called oftentimes and almost euery day and that by the voyce of Christ himselfe For he that heareth you saith Christ Luke 10. 16 heareth me and yet wee cannot finde the way to Christ. The word of God which is the Lanterne vnto our feete and the light vnto our paths Psal. 119. hath bin playnly and plentifully preached amongst vs these many yeares and yet many 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. Wee must be quicke in the Lords businesse for God cannot abide loyterers standing all the day idle Matth. 20. and as he loueth a cheerefull giuer 2. Cor. 9. 7. so he liketh a cheerefull follower It followeth therefore that Zaccheus receiued him cheerfully Still Zaccheus is a receiuer before hee was a receiuer of custome now he is a receiuer of Christ. Zaccheus receiued Christ two waies first into his hearte when hee desired to see him and then into his house when he gaue him hospitalitie Many receiued Christ to house but not into theyr hearts and therefore receiued him grudgingly but Zaccheus receiued Christ first into his heart and then into his house and therefore receiued him ioyfully Of Zaccheus his ioyfulnes wee must learne to be ioyfull when we do any thing for the cause of Christ we must be glad to ha 〈…〉 Christ in his members as Zaccheus was ioyfull to harbour Christ himselfe As before in comming downe from the tree Zaccheus shewed his obedience so here in receiuing Christ into his house he sheweth the loue that hee 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 a guest like Abraham that vsed to sit at the doore of his tent reioiced to entertayne stangers that went by the way and therefore though Zaccheus were a Gentile borne yet herein hee sheweth himselfe the childe of Abraham because he doth the works of Abraham Iohn 8. vers 39. So did Abraham and so must we doe if we will shew our selues to be the children of Abraham When Abraham thought only to haue entertained men hee receiued the Angels in the shape and likenes of men when Zaccheus thought to entertayne the sonne of man he receiueth the sonne of God himselfe Let vs therefore as the Apostle willeth vs Heb. 13. 2. be mindfull to entertaine strangers for as much as thereby some haue receiued Angels into their houses vnawares and why shoulde not wee hope to entertaine the like or better ghestes if we bee 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 of a blind man and when he commeth he commeth hungry or thirsty or naked or harborlesse or sicke or imprisoned and happy are they that feede or cloath or harbour or visite him when he commeth thus afflicted When Abraham entertained the Angels he was not only busie himself but his wife and al his housholde were careful to make prouision for them so when Zaccheus receiued Christ into his house his whole family no doubt were no lesse willing and carefull to entertaine Christ then their master was therefore not only to Zaccheus but euen to his whole house saluation is promised because the whole family reioyced at Christ his comming Let rich men learne of Zaccheus to entertaine Christ in his needy members and let rich mens seruaunts learne of Zaccheus familie to shewe themselues mercifull like their merciful masters that they may receiue the reward of mercy and hospitality at the last daie Come ye blessed for I was harborlesse and ye tooke me in Generally as Zaccheus gladly receiued Christ so let euery one that is able bee 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 wee bee not able to giue a peny yet happily we may afford a morsell of breade but if not that yet there is none so needie that cannot giue a cup of colde water and euen so small a gift shall not lose his iust reward Matth. 10. 41. Zaccheus receiued Christ into his heart but many amongst vs are readie to driue Christ out and to receiue Sathan in stead of him Zaccheus receiued Christ into his house but there are many richmen amongst vs that like Diues Luke 16. will not affoorde poore Lazarus the crummes that fall from their table but as the damsell Actes 12. opened not the doore for ioy when shee heard Peters voice so by contrary these men for very griefe shut their gates when they perceiue a begger there Finallie Zaccheus was ioyfull when hee entertained Christ but many amongst vs are sorrowfull when they should relieue the poore like churlish Nabal 1. Sam. 25. that reuiled Dauid when he should haue relieued him So long as Iob prospered hee kept a worthie and a worshipfull house hee suffered not the straunger to lye in the streetes but opened his doore to the Trauailer that went by the way Iob. 31. 32. but now many gentlemen of the countrey are content to suffer the stranger the fatherlesse and the widdow not onely to lye but euen to starue and die in the streetes with hunger and colde and neuer receiue them to house or harbour nor affoord them any reliefe or succour But as the voyce of Abels bloud did crie from the earth to God for vengeance against his brothers cruelty so the voice of the poore and their pitteous cries shal enter into the eares of the Lord and their guiltles bloud which is powred forth in euerie place without all compassion shall pull downe hasty and suddaine vengeance from heauen vpon the heads of these vnmercifull cormorants vnlesse while this time of mercie lasteth they shewe mercy to their distressed neighbours Thus you haue heard how Zaccheus behaued himselfe in entertaining of Christ nowe you shall see the behauiour of the Pharisies in disdaining at Christ. When all they saw it they murmured saying that hee was gnoe into lodge with a sinfull man Before they hated Zaccheus for his vices because he was couetous now they enuie him for his vertues because he was giuen to hospitalitie For the wicked wil alwaies haue something to finde fault with in the children of God like the sonnes of Iacob Gen. 37. that hated their brother Ioseph because of his dreames and like Saul that vnhappie king that enuied Dauid for his happie victories 1. Sam. 18. 29. Thus the wicked when they cannot charge the godly with any grieuous crime they begin to grudge at their well doing and therefore not only Zaccheus is hated for receiuing of Christ but Christ is hated also for being his
by his power a pure substance of ayre between heauen and earth that fishes might multiplie in the seas foules in great abundance flie in the open face of the firmament tender plants hearbes flowers and trees in al variety grow and fructifie vpon the ground yea creeping things cattell and beastes increase in infinite number in pastures fields gardens orchards and groues all these to do thee pleasure Hath he not further giuen thee springs and riuers gold and siluer pearles and iewels euen plentie of streames stones and mettall to furnish thee with whatsoeuer for profit thou needest or for pleasure desirest Hath he not made thee Lord and ruler ouer al his creatures euen ouer the huge Elephants the Whale the strong Lyon and Vnicorne and horse of warre ouer the sauage Tigers Beares Wolues ouer the mighty Eagle Griffin Vultur Ostrich and Hawke Art thou not clad and defended fed and inriched cheared and renowned by these his creatures and that all the partes of thy body and sences of thy minde might bee partakers of his goodnesse and with his sweetnes refreshed comforted and delighted in great measure yea aboue all this hath hee not breathed into thy body an immortall soule that thou mightest remaine with him in glorie for euer Did hee not at the first frame thee like vnto himselfe that he might therefore loue thee as his sonne Did he not cast into thy spirit the beames of his wisedome that thou through thy vnderstanding mightest beholde him and his glorie and stirred vp sparkes of goodnesse in thy heart that thou mightest by thy affection imbrace him and his bountie and bee made perfectly blessed by his infinite happinesse who when Adam thy vngratefull father by distrusting him that had faithfully promised was throughlie able to fulfill his will and resolutely determined exceedingly to aduance him hauing giuen him this whole worlde in testimony thereof by discontenting his minde with the excellent estate hee was placed in of vnspeakeable loue vnlesse hee might bee as good as God himselfe proudlie desiring to make dust the fellowe of him who was from euerlasting infinitly full of wisedome power grace and maiestie and had done al this at the perswasion of the most traiterous rebell of his right gratious king and spitefull enemie of his most bountifull master euen then when this most villanous conspiring with Gods notorious aduersarie had deserued immortall hatred against him and all that pertained vnto him yea thee as yet vnborne but contained in him whose whole masse by his impious disobedience became by iust iudgement a temple of cursed estate for euer and for euer thou also thy selfe bringing foorth fruite of contempt of his lawe who is most holy merciful and mighty yet euen then I say of vnspeakeable pittie and compassion intended nay promised nay laboured to deliuer him and thee from that dreadfull vengeance which ye had purchased by your owne wicked and vngracious demerits and to reconcile you base abiects and vile castawaies and yet stubborne and spitefull haters of the great God Iehoua who when there was no meanes to be found in heauen nor seas nor in the earth nor vnder the earth but that hee should damne his onely begotten Sonne the very brightnes of his glory who neuer offended him but was an eternall delight vnto his soule and reioycing vnto his spirit that thou mightest be saued a grosse lumpe of slime and clay still vexing him by thy wickednes yet deliuered his sonne into the full power of Sathan to put him to a most shamefull death by the handes of most detestable persons and did cast him farre away out of his fauour and threw him downe into the bottomlesse pit of his vnsupportable wrath indignation that thou mightst bee placed betweene his owne armes in the kingdome of heauen in all royalty and glory as his deere and entirely beloued sonne Why therefore wast thou O my vnholy and vnthankful nature so ready and prone so violent and headlong to commit thinges lightly displeasant in his sight who in a manner and as far as it was possible slewe himselfe for thy safetie when he had no creature so disobedient vnto him as thee O thou my inwarde soule and spirit of my minde awake and stand vp to defend thy self for thou art besieged with mightie enemies the prince of darkenes the rulers of the ayre the spirituall craftines and policies of hell why arisest thou not thou sluggard thy foes in great number are prepared with many ambushments hauing a huge armie all maliciouslie bent with venemous darts to pearce thorow thy heart they are entred thy holde at all fiue gates of thy outwarde sences yea they haue broken downe thy inwarde doores and haue left thee but one window towardes heauen to escape by euen thy praiers whereto the spirit of God waiteth thy speedy comming make hast O thou heauie with sleepe or thou art taken by thy cruell enemies whose handes are of yron and their teeth of steele to grind thy very bones to powder hearken no longer to that stinking harlot thy wicked appetite which lying in thy bosome desireth nothing but thy vtter destruction she perswadeth thee that thou art in no present danger that she may reioice at thy miserable ende It may be thou art fed to the slaughter that though thou go on a little way in thy pleasant path thou maiest returne backe when thou wilt and thy little wandering will not greatly be regarded O thou vnwise and sottish of heart when wilt thou vnderstand Hath the sonne of God indured such paine for the smallest of thy sinnes and makest thou so light account of so grieuous crimes Doth the lawe thunder curses and plagues and euerlasting tormentes against thy least inordinate motions and didst thou not dreade to performe so shamelesse a practise Knowest thou not that the eyes of God and his Angels behold thee doing that thou wouldest be ashamed to do in the presence of vngodly men or vncleane beastes or doest thou not consider howe thou didst grieue the spirit of God who hath vouchsafed of his infinite mercie to dwell in thy bodie to this ende chiefelie that hee might mortifie thy carnall lusts Why didst thou then defile his temple which he hath sanctified to be an house for himselfe to dwel in take heed thou driue not out so worthy and noble a ghest by such swinish and fleshly behauiour who if he once depart then shalt thou be an hold for diuels and legions of damned spirits that they may stuffe thee full of all manner of iniquitie and then at length become pitch and brimstone to maintaine the fire of Gods scorching wrath in thy sinewes spirits and inwarde bowels drinking out in full measure the dregs of the wyne of his rage and fury and canst thou be so blind and rechlesse that for the vaine pleasure of sinne for a little while thou wilt constrayne God to torment thee euerlastingly who it may bee euen at this instant if thou wilt still trie his