come under the word, out of no better principle than curio fity. Who knows but God may call them? It is good to be where the LORD is paffing by! May all who are now prefent out of this principle, hear the voice of the Son of God speaking to their fouls, and fo hear that they may live! Not that men ought therefore to take encouragement to come out of curiofity For perhaps a thoufand mare, at other times, came to fee CHRIST out of curiofity, as well as Zaccheus, who were not effectually called by his grace. I only mention this for the encouragement of my own foul, and the confolation of God's children, who are too apt to be angry, with those who do not attend on the word out of love to GOD: but let them alone. Brethren, pray for them. How do you know but JESUS CHRIST may fpeak to their hearts? A few words from CHRIST, applied by his fpirit, will fave, their fouls. Zaccheus, fays CHRIST, make haste and come down. And he made hafte, and came down, and received him joyfully.Best

I have observed, in holy fcripture, how particularly it is remarked, that perfons rejoiced upon believing in CHRIST, Thus the converted Eunuch went on his way rejoicing thus the Jaylor rejoiced with his whole houfe; thus Zaccheus received CHRIST joyfully. And well may thofe rejoice who receive JESUS CHRIST; for with him they receive righteoufnefs, fanctification, and eternal redemption. Many have brought up an ill report upon our good land, and would fain perfuade people that religion will make them melancholy mad So far from it, that joy is one ingredient of the kingdom of God in the heart of a believer; The kingdom of Gan is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghoft."To rejoice in the LORD, is a gofpel-duty. Rejoice in the LORD always, and again I fay, rejoice." And who can be so joyful, as thofe who know that their pardon is fealed before they go hence and are no more feen? The godly may, but I cannot fee how any ungodly men can, rejoice: they cannot be truly cheerful. What if wicked men may fometimes have laughter amongst them? It is only the laughter of fools; in the midft of it there is heaviness: At the belt, it is but like the crack+ ling of thorns under a pót; it makes a blaze, but foon goes out. But, as for the godly, it is not fo with them their joy

11

Is

is folid and lafting. As it is a joy that a ftranger intermed dleth not with, fo it is a joy that no man taketh from them it is a joy in GoD, a "joy unspeakable and full of glory." -It fhould feem that Zacobus was under foulediftrefs but a little while; perhaps (fays Guthrie, in his book intituled, The Trial concerning a faving Interest in Chrift) not above a quar ter of an hour. I add, perhaps not fo long: for, as one ob→ ferves, fometimes the LORD JBSUs delights to deliver speedily, God is a fovereign agent, and works upon his children in their effectual calling, according to the counsel of his eternal will. It is with the fpiritual, as natural birth all women have not the like pangs; all christians have not the like degree of conviction. But all agree, inothis, that all have JESUS CHRIST formed in their hearts and those who have not sor many trials at firft, may be vifited with the greater conflicts! hereafter; though they never come into bondage again, after they have once received the fpirit of adoption. "We have not, (fays Paul) received the spirit of bondage again unto fear." We know not what Zaccheus underwent before ches died: however, this one thing I know, he now believed sin CHRIST, and was justified, or acquitted, and looked upon as righteous in Gop's fight, though a Publican, chief among the Publicans, not many moments before. And thus it is with all, that, like Zaccheus, receive JESUS CHRIST by faith into their hearts: the very moment they find reft in him, they are freely justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Mofes; for by grace are we favedy through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of GOD."

Say not within yourselves, this is a licentious Antingmian doctrine; for this faith, if true, will work by love, and be productive of the fruits of holiness. See an instance in this convert Zaccheus: no fooner had he received JESUS CHRIST by faith into his heart, but he evidences it by his works; for, ver18 we are told," Zaccheus ftood forth, and faid unto the LORD, Behold, LORD, the half of my goods I give unto the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accufation, I reftore him four-fold."..

n

Having believed on JESUS in his heart, he now makes cons feffion of him with his mouth to falvation. Zaccheus stood

forth"

1

11

A

1

forth she was not afhamed, but ftood forth before his bro-. ther Publicans; for true faith cafts out all fervile, finful fear of man, “and said, Behold, Lo®p." It is remarkable, how readily people in fcripture shave owned the divinity of CHRIST immediately upon their converfion. Thus the woman at facob's wells Is not this the CHRIST?" Thus the man born blind; "LORD, I believe, and worshipped him." Thus Zaccheus, Behold, LORD." An inconteftable proof this to me, that those who deny our LORD's divinity, never effectu. ally felt his power if they had, they would not speak fo lightly of him ; they would fcorn to deny his eternal power and »Godhead.” 16 Zaccheus food forth, and said, Behold, LORD, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accufation, I reftore him four-fold." Noble fruits of a true living faith in the LORD JESUS! Every word calls for our notice. Not fome fmall, not the tenth part, but the balf. Of what? My goods; things that were valuable. My goods, his own, not another's. I give: not, I will give when I die, when I can keep them no longer ; but, I give now, even now. Zaccheus would be his own executor. For whilft we have time we fhould dos good. But to whom would he give half of his goods Not to the rich, not to those who were already clothed in purple and fine linen, of whom he might be recompenfed again; but to the poor, the maimed, the halt, the blind, from which he could expect no recompence till the resurrection of the dead." I give to the poor." But know ing that he must be just before he could be charitable, and confcious to himself that in his public administrations he had wronged many persons, he adds," And if I have taken any thing from any man by false accufation, I restore him four. fold. Hear ye this, all ye that make no conscience of cheating the king of his taxes, or of buying, or felling run goods. If even Gon gives you true faith, you will never refty till, dike Zaccheus, you have made reftitution to the utmost of your power. I suppose, before his conversion, be thought it no harm to cheat thus, no more than you may do now, and pleafed himself frequently, to be fure,d that he Igot rich by doing fos but now he is grieved for it at his heart; he confelles his injuftice before men, and promises to make ample reftitution.

1

reftitution.

Go ye cheating Publicans, learn of Zaccheus; go away and do likewife. If you do not make reftitution here, the LORD JESUS fhall make you confefs your fins before men and angels, and condemn you for it, when he comes in the glory of his Father to judgment hereafter.

After all this, with good reafon might our LORD fay unto him," This day is falvation come to this houfe; forafmuch as he alfo is the Son of Abraham;" not fo much by a natural as by a fpiritual birth. He was made partaker of like precious faith with Abraham like Abraham he believed on the LORD, and it was accounted to him for righteoufnefs: his faith, like Abraham's, worked by love; and I doubt not, but he has been long fince fitting in Abraham's harbour.

And now, are you not afhamed of yourfelves, who speak against the doctrines of grace, especially that doctrine of being juftified by faith alone, as though it leaded to licentioufnefs? What can be more unjuft than fuch a charge? Is not the inftance of Zaccheus, a fufficient proof to the contrary? Have I ftrained it to ferve my own turn? God forbid. To the best of my knowledge I have fpoken the truth in fincerity, and the truth as it is in JESUS. I do affirm that we are faved by grace, and that we are juftified by faith alone: but I do also affirm, that faith must be evidenced by good works, where there is an' opportunity of performing them.

What therefore has been faid of Zaccheus, may serve as a rule, whereby all may judge whether they have faith or not. You fay you have faith; but how do you prove it? Did you ever hear the LORD JESUS call you by name? Were you ever made to obey that call? Did you ever, like Zaccheus," receive JESUS CHRIST joyfully into your hearts? Are you influenced by the faith you fay you have, to ftand up and confefs the LORD JESUS before men? Were you ever made willing to own, and humble yourselves for, your paft offences? Does your faith work by love, fo that you confcientiously lay up, according as God has profpered you, for the fupport of the poor? Do you give alms of all things that you poffefs? And have you made due restitution to thofe you have wronged ? If fo, happy are ye; falvation is come to your fouls, you are fons, you are daughters of, you shall shortly be everlastingly bleffed with, faithful Abraham. But, if you are not thus minded, do not

1

་་་

deceive

deceive your own fouls. Though you may talk of juftification by faith, like angels, it will do you no good; it will only increafe your damnation. You hold, the truth, but it is in unrighteoufnefs: your faith being without works, is dead: you have the devil, not Abraham, for your father. Unless you get a faith of the heart, a faith working by love, with devils and damned fpirits fhall you dwell for evermore.

h

But it is, time now to enforce the latter part of the text; "For the Son of man is come to feek and to fave that which was loft." Thefe, words are fpoken by our Saviour in answer to some felf-righteous Pharifees, who, instead of rejoicing with the angels in heaven, at the conversion of fuch a finner, murmured, That he was gone to be a guest with a man. that was a finner." To vindicate his conduct, he tells them, that this was an act agreeable to the design of his coming: For the Son of man is come to feek and to fave that which was loft." He might have faid, the Son of GOD. But O the wonderful condefcenfion of our Redeemer ! He delights

to

tile himself the Son of man. He came not only to fave, but to feek, and to fave that which was loft. He came to Je-richa to feek and fave Zaccheus ; for otherwife Zaccheus wouldnever have been saved by him. But from whence came he? Even from heaven, his dwelling-place, to this lower earth, this vale of tears, to feek and fave that which was loft; or all that feel themselves loft, and are willing, like Zaccheus, to receive him into their hearts to fave them; with how great 4, falvation? Even from the guilt, and alfo from the power of their fins; to make them heirs of GOD, and joint heirs with himself, and partakers of that glory which he enjoyed. with the Father before the world began. Thys will the Son of man fave that which is loft. He was made the son of man," on purpose that he might fave them. He had no other end but this in leaving his Father's throne, in obeying the moral law, and hanging upon the cross: all that was done and fuffered, merely to fatisfy, and procure a righteoufnefs for poor, loft, undone finners, and that too without refpect of perfons. "That which was loft;" all of every nation and language, that feel, bewail, and are truly defirous of being delivered from their loft ftate, did the Son of man come down to feek and to fave; for he is mighty, not only fo, but willing, to fave

to