Selected quad for the lemma: work_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	dead_a	faith_n	lively_a	5,187	5	10.6802	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B15838	Tvvo sermons preached by Master Henry Smith: with a prayer for the morning thereunto adioyned. And published by a more perfect copy then heeretofore; Sermons. Selected sermons	Smith, Henry, 1550?-1591.	1610 (1610)	STC 22768; ESTC S117490	89,948	135

them hypocrites which is the summe of all when as in very trueth they themselues doe best deserue that name but it makes no matter what they call vs neither are wee to be mooued at their despightfull speeches for as the bitter taunts of these murmuring pharisies could not hinder Zaccheus in his conuersion so the slaunders 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 hee had repented of his sinne and the Atheists at this day doe greatly wrong the true professours 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 all their murmuring so it behooueth vs to looke to our soules saluation notwithstanding all 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 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 them that can kill the body and then can do no more so I Math. 10. 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 fauour 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 body and soule in hell and seeke to please him that is able to saue them both in heauen for euer Now followeth an other fruit of Zaccheus conuersion namely his good confession for as hee beleeued with his heart vnto righteousnesse so he confessed with Rom. 10. 10. the mouth vnto saluation VVhen Zaccheus was mocked of the Pharises it seemeth that hee should stoope downe for shame but when he was thus reprooued and reuiled by them the Scripture saith that hee stood vp in signe of gladnesse As the Apostles went away reioycing that they were counted woorthy to suffer rebuke Acts 5. for the name of Christ so Zaccheus the Publican went foorth reioicing that he was reproched for the cause of Christ Before Zaccheus was a Publican and therefore stood in sinne very dangerously like the house that is builded vpon the sand ready to be ouerturned with euery tempest but now Zaccheus is become a true christian Luke 6. 46. and therefore stands in righteousnes very safely like the house that is built vpon a rocke free from any danger of falling Behold Lord 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 he is a great benefactor to the poore before hee was an encrocher vpon other mens goods now he is a distributer of his owne goods before he was a receiuer and a taker 1. Tim. 6. Matth. 13. now he is a restorer and a giuer neither doth he giue sparingly but he giueth liberally laying vp a good foundation 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 he hath to enioy the same VVhen the rich Ruler in the former chapter was willed to sell all that he had to giue it to the poor he went away very sorrowfull for Luke 18. he was very rich but Zaccheus perhaps as rich as he is content of his owne accord and vnbidden to bestow halfe his goods vpon the poore and that with a cheerfull minde If Zaccheus had giuen only the third part of his goods no doubt but Christ would haue accepted it for he accepted the widdowes farthing because it was giuen with a willing mind but if he had giuen all Luke 21. his goods to feede the poore as the Pharises gaue their almes to bee seene of men yea or his body to be burned as some Romans haue done to get renown it should haue beene to no purpose because it was done to a wrong 1. Cor. 13. end Now as Zaccheus was rich in the goods of his life so was he rich in faith also neither was it an idle or dead saith that Zaccheus had but it was a fruitfull and liuely Gal. 5. 6. faith a faith that worketh and laboureth by loue such as is required at the hands of Christians Saint Iames saith Shew me thy faith by thy workes And here Zaccheus doth shew his faith by his works Before he was exercised in vngodly works which are the fruites of infidelitie but now he is exercised in the works of mercie which are the fruites of a liuely faith Zaccheus is very liberall in releeuing the poore but he is liberall 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 and Abihu offred strange fire vnto the Lord so these men offer strange goods vnto the Lord There are some amongst vs that thinke to make amends Leuit. 10. 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 and oppression they are content perhaps to giue a penny to releeue the poore But as it was not lawfull for the Israelites to bring the price of the hire of an harlot into the house of the Lord so it is not lawfull for vs to apply the gaine of our ill gotten goods to the seruice of God Deut. 23. The halfe of my goods I giue c. Zaccheus saith not I haue giuen as an vpbraider of God or I will giue as a delayer that meanes to giue away his goods after his death when he can keepe them no longer but he saith I giue to signifie that his will is his deede and that he meaneth not to take any daies of paiment for the matter For as before he ranne apace to see Christ and came downe hastily to entertain Christ in his owne person so doth he here giue quickly to releeue Christ in his needy members This is Zaccheus last will and Testament that he maketh before his death and seeth the same proued performed before his eies If therefore we desire to doe any good to any of our poore brethren let vs learne of Zaccheus to do it quickly while we are aliue for time will preuent vs and death wil preuent vs I know there would be many that would be willing to giue some part of their goods to the poore before their death as Zaccheus did but that they know not what neede themselues may haue thereof before they die and therfore for the most part they will hardly forsake or leaue their goods till their goods forsake