Saluacion is come; wee are not able to seeke it; therefore Christ sayd, "Enter into thy fathers joy;" for wee are not capable that it should enter into us; but enter into that joy as the bucket into the fountayne. Yf he should endeauour to prefix a preface for attention, he could not finde a better then to tell them he must tell them of saluation. None under the degree of an angell was thought worthie to publishe the first tydinges of it to a fewe shepheards.
fo. 67b.
21 Nov. 1602.
Noe preacher able to giue his auditorie a tast of saluacion. It is one thing to forgive, another thing to declare forgivenes of synnes; the former is personall, and that Christ carried to heaven with him, the other ministeriall, and that he left behinde to his disciples and apostles; "Whose synnes you binde shallbe bound, whose synnes you remitt shalbe loosed."
The raysing of Lazarus, a resemblaunce of absolucion. Lazarus had layen three dayes when Christ came to rayse him; he bad him come out; here is his voyce, which being seconded by divine power restored him to lyfe; soe the word of God preached to a synner, being seconded with divine grace, rayseth the synner.
Popishe priests and Jesuites play fast and loose with mens consciences.
Jesuites come into riche mens houses, not to bring them salvacion, but because there is something to be fisht for. Jesus and the Church wee knowe; but whoe are these? Soe they are sent away naked and torne, like those presumptuous fellowes that would have cast out diuels in Christs name without his leaue, and the God of heaven will laugh them to scorne.
Not all poore blessed, but the poore in spirit onely; nor all rich cursed, but the riche in this world onely; for here is Zache blessed. Howsoever Christs words import a greate difficulty for rich men to enter into heauen, when, after he had compared heauen gate to a needles eye, and the rich man to a cammel, hee aunswered his disciples words, that all things are possible with God, and as though it were a miracle with men. Hardly can he runne after Christ when his hart is lockt vp in his coffer. fo. 68.
21 Nov. 1602.But the scripture tells us there is a rich Abraham in heaven, as well as a Dives in hell. Yf anie have inriched themselves by forged cauillacion lett them not despayre, for soe did Zache. Yf anie have a place that he must have vnder him as many officers as Briareus had hands, through whose hands many things may be ill carried, lett him not be discouraged, for soe had Zache. Yf anie be branded with infamie lett him yet be comforted by the example of Zache, for soe was hee, and yet became a true Christian.
Saluacion came unto Zache by a threefold conveyaunce: 1. By his riches, which to the good are sacramentes of His favor. 2. That himself being conuert, his whole family was soe; the servants and attendants are the shaddowes of their master; they moue at his motion. 3. That all his househould was blessed for his sake; such are the braunches as the roote; the whole lumpe was made holie by the first fruits.
Thrice happie land, whose prince is the daughter of Abraham, crowning it with the sacraments of temporall blessings. Add, O Lord! this blessing, that hir dayes may be multiplied as the starres of heaven.
To become the sonne of Abraham is to receive the image of Abraham. He hath two images, his fayth, and his workes. Imitate him: 1. In rejoycing in God, as Simeon did when he had Christ in his armes, and this joy made the burden seeme light to the lame man when he carried his bed, after Christ had cured him. fo. 68b.
21. Nov. 1602.2. In hospitallitie he received angels, and amongst them God, for one was called Jehoua. 3. In despising to growe rich by ill meanes. Sodome could not make him rich, because he would not have it said that the diuel had made him riche.