as you see for he giueth away halfe his goods but he giues it not to the rich that might giue to him againe but he giues it to the poore that cannot require quite him to teach vs vpon whom wee should bestow our almes As God that is rich in mercy giueth all thinges vnto vs that cannot requite him so the rich men of this worlde 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 far otherwise for if any thing be to be giuen not they that are poorest and stand in greatest neede but they that can make best friendes are best preferred Thus Diues is still inriched and Lazarus is still reiected If wee send to a great man we send an oxe for a present but if wee sende to a poore man we send a crust for an almes Therefore as Christ said to the Iewes that the Niniuites should rise in iudgement against them because they repented at Ionas preaching so it may be said vnto vs that Zaccheus shal rise in iudgement against vs and condemne vs for hee shewed great mercie vpon the poore but we are void of al compassion Thus you haue hearde the first part of Zaccheus confession wherein you see his liberality to the poore Now you shal heare the second part of his confession wherein he promiseth restitution of his vniust gotten goods Before Zaccheus gaue to the poore the half of that which was his own now he restoreth that which is none of his to the right owners And because he had detained their goods so long to their great losse and hinderance therefore he doth not only restore the principall which he had taken from them but he alloweth them their costes and dāmages they had sustained As Ioram King of Israell caused to bee restored to the Shunamite her house and lande and all the fruites and profits of the same which were wrongfully kept from her seuen yeers together so Zaccheus the customer restoreth to those that hee had oppressed their goods which hee had gotten from them by fradulent dealing with all the fruites and profits that might come thereof during the time of his vniust profession So liberall was Zaccheus to the poore that he gaue them halfe his goods and so little got Zaccheus by his vsury and oppression that for euery penie hee restored foure If the Vsurers and extortioners of our time woulde restore foure-folde for that they haue wrongfully gotten I feare mee they would haue but a small halfe to giue to the poore but a little left to helpe themselues There was no law to compel Zacheus to make such restitution except he wil confesse himselfe to be a theefe because he was an Vsurer and then the law of God requireth such restitution And surely Zaccheus seemeth after a sort to confesse his theft because he promiseth foure-fold restitutiō If a man had stolne a sheepe the law of God requireth that hee should restore foure sheepe for one and the auncient Romanes had this law that Vsurers should forfeit foure times so much as they tooke for vsury If the same lawe were nowe to vse against our theeuish Vsurers as it was sometime among them wee should not haue such complayning of the poore both in prisons and streetes But if these great theeues I meane our biting Vsurers that rob and spoyle without ceasing when they haue no neede might finde no more fauour than those pettie theeues which rob and steale sometime when they are driuen thereto by extreame necessitie then surelie the Common-wealth would soone bee disburdened of that pestilent brood of Caterpillers wherewith it is pestered I wish them betimes to looke to their owne estate and with Zaccheus to forsake their damnable trade If they haue liued hetherto by the gaine of vsury let them now lament their sin and call to God for mercy and forgiuenes let them make restitution of that they haue wrongfully taken and grieue that they haue so long detained y t which is none of theirs For as no sinne is pardoned without repentance to God so vsurie is not pardoned without repentance to God and as the sinne of theft is not remoued before restittution be made to men if the partie be able so the sinne of vsurie which is a secret theft is not remitted before restitution bee made to those that are oppressed and spoyled by this secret theft Thus you haue seene 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 Hee that lately was a Camell laden with riches and therefore vnapt to go thorow a needles eye hath now like the Camell cast off his rich lading and therefore may enter in at the narrow gate Some rich men would rather haue lost their liues than forgone their goods and for halfe that losse would haue prooued verie pensiue but this was the ioyfullest newes that euer came to Zaccheus house sweeter to him than all his golde and siluer that where as before he was in the state of damnation now saluation is promised to him and his house and whereas before he was the seruaunt of Sathan now he is become the childe of Abraham Now Zaccheus house is become Gods house and Zaccheus himselfe is the sonne of Abraham and therefore no cause why Christ should not refort to Zaccheus house As Christ sayd to the penitent theefe This day shalt thou be with me in paradise so hee saith here to the penitent Publican This day saluation is come unto thy house and this day thou art become the childe of Abraham Christ loueth not to bee long in any mans debt for as hee saith to Zaccheus To day I must abyde at thy house so hee saith to the same Zaccheus To day and henceforth for euer thou and thy house must abide with me in heauen Here is a happie change in stead of a little worldly treasure sub-iect to losse by the eues and to spoyle by rust and moths to haue all store of heauenlie treasure which neither theeues can steale nor cancker can corrupt instead of an earthlie house subiect to fire and falling to haue a house giuen of God not made with hands but eternall in heauen 2. Cor. 5. vers 1. Who would not rather chuse with Zaccheus 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 keepe all from the poore and to be tormented in those eternall flames That rich glutton that denied the crummes from his table chalenged Abraham for his father but hee was refused because hee had not the faith nor workes of Abraham but Zaccheus though by nature he were not the child of Abraham yet by grace hee is become the child of Abraham because hee walked in the steps of that
saluation And for this cause haue I made choise of this part of Scripture as of a light to shine vnto vs in darkenesse a direction to our steps and a lanthorne to our paths while we wander through the boistrous waues of this wicked world The text is playne and obiect to euerie mans capacitie naturally budding vnto blossomes The first contayning our duetie which we are to performe towards God The second Gods promises if we performe this duty Our duetie towards God is implied in these three conditions First If thou wilt early seeke vnto God Secondly If thou wilt pray vnto the Almighty Thirdly If thou bee pure and vpright so that the whole consisteth on these three poynts First what it is that God requireth namely a diligent and speedy search in these wordes If thou wilt seeke early Secondly how thy search is to be made in prayer in these wordes If thou wilt pray to the Almighty Thirdlie what effect these thinges ought to worke in vs a puritie and sinceritie of life in these words If thou be pure and vpright As our duety towards God consisteth in three points so Gods blessinge towards vs is also three-fold answerable to the same First for seeking he promiseth he will awake vnto thee Secondly for praying vnto him he will make the habitations of thy righteousnesse prosperous Thirdly for being pure and vpright he wil make thy latter end increase exceedingly yea though thy beginning be but small First therefore concerning the search it is a worke both in desire and labour to be ioyned to God In the Psalme this standeth for the burthen of the song They called vpon the Lord in the time of their trouble and hee deliuered them It is but Aske and haue seeke and find knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you Sauing that here these thinges are to bee regarded to wit how by whom and when we must seeke the Lord. How First faithfully for if yee haue but as much as a graine of mustard-seede and say vnto this mountaine Remoue it shall remoue and nothing shall be vnpossible vnto you Then next humbly for it is the humble petition that pearceth the skies that shewed the Publican to depart home to his house more iustified then the boasting Pharisie and they alone that be humble and meeke finde rest for their soules And last of all continually for wee must not faint in well doing because the reward is not promised to him that doth but to him that contiuneth to doe But wee may long seeke and neuer finde except wee seeke the Father by the Sonne For no man knoweth the Father but the sonne and hee to whom the Sonne shall disclose him he is the way the trueth and the life and no man commeth to the Father but by him There is one God and one mediatour betwixt God and man the man Christ Iesus So that if we sinne wee haue an aduocate Iesus Christ the just and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes onely let vs seeke the Lord while he may be found And to this ende the worde Seeking is vsed in this place that we may learne that as the heauens and the planets and the whole frame of nature were ordayned to finish their course by motions and operation so man as hee was ordained to a most blessed and happie ende should attaine thereunto not by sloth and idlenesse but by an earnest seeking of the same The kingdome of heauen is like a treasure which cannot bee found without seeking and digging It is like the precious pearle for which the wise Merchant was content not onely to seeke but to sell all that he had to buy it God hath placed vs here in this world as husbandmen to plough vp the fallowe of our hearts as labourers to worke in his vineyarde as trauellers to seeke a countrey as souldiers to fight the battell of the Lorde against the flesh the world and the diuell And for this purpose hath hee proposed vnto vs an vntilled lande a vineyarde a triple enemie to fight against that wee might remember that wee must till the ground if wee will reape the fruite that wee must prune the vine if wee will drinke of the grape that wee must fight if we will ouercome He that tilleth the land sayth the wise man shall bee satisfied with breade but hee that followeth idlenesse shall be filled with pouerty Idlenesse is a moath or canker of the mind and the fruits thereof are wicked cogitations euill affections and worse actions corrupt trees without fruit twise dead and plucked vp by the rootes engendering in the mind a loathing of God and godlines Eschue therefore idlenesse I beseech ye and by the want ye finde in others learne instructions for your selues Bee not forgetfull howe busie your enemy is if he finde ye idle first hee putteth yee in minde of some vanitie then offereth opportunitie to practise then hee craueth consent and if yee grant him that hee triumpheth by adding practise hee leaueth no meanes vnattempted whereby hee may subuert and bring ye to perdition To one as to Eua hee promiseth the knowledge of good and euil Another he seduceth with lying speeches as he did Pharao the king whom hee deceiued by false Prophets To the Iewes he pretended the temple of the Lord. To the heathen hee shewed vniuersalities and antiquities And to omit particulars hee leaueth no men vnattempted whereby he may entangle the soules of the simple and wrap them in the snares of death Flie idlenesle therefore and seeke vertue and the way thereof seeke learning as for a iwell make diligent search and inquisition after her seeke earlie and seeke late in the morning sow thy seed and in the euening let not thy hande rest seeke him in the day of trouble and he wil deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie him Seeke him there is the commaundement hee will deliuer thee there is the promise and thou shalt glorifie him there is the condition To disobey the commaundement is rebellion to distrust the promise is infidelitie to refuse the condition is vile ingratitude Wherefore let vs seeke and seeke earnestly with a feruent spirit and humblenesse of heart and let vs perswade ourselues that there is no seeking without finding no opening without knocking The second circumstance to bee considered in this point is to whom wee must seeke for these thinges Our direction is made vnto God For euery good and perfect gift is from aboue descending from the father of lights And as for many causes we are to seeke God and to God alone so especiallie for these foure First because we haue nothing of our selues nor of anie other creature but whatsoeuer we haue wee haue it of God for what hast thou that thou hast not receiued in him wee liue wee moue and haue our being Art thou wise in thine owne conceit O remember that the wisedome of the world is foolishnesse with God O consider
faithfull Father Abraham beleeued before hee was circumcised so Zaccheus belieued before he was circumcised As Abraham left his countrey 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 desirêd to see the day of Christ and saw it and reioyced so Zaccheus desired to see Christ and he sawe him and reioyced Now is Zaccheus a Gentile become the child 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 seruauntes if he bee godly and religious they prooue godly and religious if he bee an Atheist they prooue Atheists likewise Therefore keepe no companie with the wicked for it is most pernitious but associate thy selfe with those that feare the Lorde that thou also mayest learne to feare the Lord who for his mercie graunt that we may with Zaccheus be desirous to see Christ ioyfull to receiue Christ liberall to releeue the members of Christ and readie to make a mends when we haue wronged anie of our brethren that so with Zaccheus we may be heites of saluation and the true sonnes of Abraham to raigne with Christ in heauen for euer by the meanes and merites of him that dyed and rose againe for vs. To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all glory Amen FINIS A praier for the Morning O Lord prepare our hearts to pray O Lord GOD our heauenly Father wee thy poore and wretched creatures giue thee most humble and heartie thankes for our quiet and safe sleepe and for raising vs vp from the same Wee beseech thee for Iesus Christs sake to prosper vs this day in our labour and trauell that it may bee to the discharging of our duety in our vocations principally to thy glory nexte to the profit of this Church and common-weale and last of all to the benefite and content of our masters Grant deare father that we may cheerfully and conscionably do our businesse and labours not as men-pleasers but as seruing thee our God knowing thee to bee the chiefe master of vs and that thou seest and beholdest vs with thy fatherly eies who hast promised rewarde to them that faithfullie and truly walke in their vocation and threatned euerlasting death and damnation to them that deceitfully and wickedly do their works and labours We beseech thee O heauenly father to giue vs the strength of thy spirit that godlie and gladlie we may ouercome our labours and that the tediousnesse of their irksome labour which thou for our sinnes hast powred vpon all mankind may seeme to vs more delectable and sweet Fulfill nowe O Lord these our requests for thy sonne our Sauiours sake in whose name we pray as hee himselfe hath taught vs. Our father c. A godly praier to be said at all times BEcause I haue sinned O Lord and done wickedly in thy sight and prouoked thee to anger by my abhominable wickednesse making my body which thou hast ordained as a vessel for thine honor an instrument to most detestable filthines O Lord be mercifull vnto me and pardon me this great wickednesse looke not vpon me good Father with the eyes of iustice neither doe thou drawe against mee the sword of iudgement for then howe shall I that am but dust stand in thy presence when thy wrathful indignation commeth forth as a whirle wind and thy heauy displeasure as a mighty tempest seeing the earth trembleth the depths are discouered and the very heauens are shaken when thou art angrie Exercise not therefore thy fury against me that am but chaffe before the winde and as stubble against a flaming fire though I haue sinned grieuously in thy sight preferring my wicked desire before thy holy commandement esteeming the pleasure of a moment before eternal euerlasting ioyes nay which is worse making more account of vilenes and vanity and extreame folly and madnes then of the glory and maiesty of the most excellent wonderfull and blessed God nothing dreading his displeasure whose wrath maketh the diuels to quake burneth vnquenchable vnto the bottomles pit of hel whose might is so great that by the breath of his nosthrils he can in the twinkling of an eye destroy a thousand worlds yet am I bold prostrating my selfe before the throne of thy maiestie heartily to beseech and humbly to intreate thee that thou wilt not deale with mee according to my merites for I haue deserued y t thoushouldest raine down fire brimstone from out of heauen vpon me to deuoure me or to open the earth vnder me to swallow me vp quicke vnto hell but thou art gratious and ful of compassion and rich in mercies therefore do men put their trust vnder the shadow of thy wings I haue none in heauen to flie vnto but thee nor in earth of whom I may receiue any comfort but at thy fauorable hands which are stretched out day and night to receiue all that by earnest repentance turne to thee being ready to ease all those that are ladē with the burthen of their sin and to refresh their distressed consciēces In the multitude of thy mercies I approach vnto thee O Lord desiring thee to looke down from the height of thy sanctuary vpon me poore and wretched sinner and to wipe away mine offences to blot out my misdeeds especiallie this my vngratious vncleane and vngodly act that it may not come vp in remembrance with thee nor bee imputed to me for euer for thy sonnes sake O Lord in whome thou art well pleased in whome thou wast fullie satisfied vpon the crosse for my sinnes grant me free pardon and remission of that I haue so foolishly by my exceeding frailetie committed against thee in this shamefull deede But O thou my vncleane and vnthankefull soule my vngodly and rebellious heart what did I sinful wretch execrable caitife so blindly and desperately attempt Howe art thou become quite senselesse that thou wast so ready to anger thy most louing God and to prouoke thy most mightie Iudge that thou mightest satisfie thy filthie flesh suborned both by thine Gods most malitious aduersarie to grieue and vexe the spirit of the Lorde and to damne thy selfe for euer Hath not God of his singular fauour made the heauens of olde and placed the Sun and Moone in thē two glorious lights with innumerable starres a wonderfull workmanship for thy vse and benefit Hath he not lifted vp the cloudes by his strong arme and heaped treasures of raine haile and snowe to doe thee seruice Hath he not in the midst of the world laide the foundations of the earth that thou mightest haue a stable habitation and mightest from thence beholde euerie waie thou lookest the walles of his beautifull place Hath hee not gathered the waters into one place and made the drie land appeare and drawne forth