Nine Sermons, Sermon 9
SERMON IX.
The Converſion of ZACCHEUS.
LUKE XIX 9, 10.
And Jeſus ſaid unto him, This Day is Salvation come to this Houſe; foraſmuch as he alſo is the Son of Abraham. For the Son of Man is come to ſeek and to ſave that which was loſt.
SAlvation every where through the whole Scripture, is ſaid to be the Free Gift of God thro' Jeſus Chriſt our Lord. Not only Free, becauſe God is a ſovereign Agent, and therefore may withold it from, or confer it on whom he pleaſeth; but Free, becauſe there is nothing to be found in Man, that can … Way induce God to be merciful unto him. The Righteouſneſs o… Jeſus Chriſt is the ſole Cauſe of our finding Favour in God's Sight—Thus Righteouſneſs apprehended by Faith (which is alſo the Gift of God) makes it our own—And this Faith, if true, will work by Love.
Theſe are Parts of thoſe Glad Tidings which are publiſh'd in the Goſpel, and of the Certainty of them, next to the expreſs Word of God, the Experience of all ſuch as have been ſaved, is the beſt, and, as I take it, the moſt undoubted Proof—That God might teach us every Way, he has been pleaſed to leave upon Record many Inſtances of the Power of his Grace exerted in the Salvation of ſeveral particular Perſons, that we, hearing how he dealt with them, might from thence infer the Manner we muſt expect to be dealt with ourſelves, and learn in what Way we muſt look for Salvation, if we truly deſire to be made Partakers of the heavenly Inheritance with the Saints in Light.
The Converſion of the Perſon referred to in the Text, I think will be of no ſmall Service to us in this Matter, if rightly improved—I would hope moſt of you know who the Perſon is, to whom the Lord Jeſus ſpeaks—It is the Publican Zaccheus, to whoſe Houſe the bleſſed Jeſus ſaid Salvation came, and whom he pronounces a Son of Abraham.
It is my Deſign (God helping) to make ſome Remarks upon his Converſion recorded at large in the Verſes foregoing, and th…n to infor… the latter Part of the Text, as an Encouragement to poor, undone Sinners to come to Jeſus Chriſt— … the Son of Man is come to ſeek and to ſave that which was lo…t.
St. Luke introduces the Account of this Man's Converſion thus—Ver. 1. And Jeſus entered and paſſed through Jericho —The Holy Jeſus made it his Buſineſs to go about doing Good—As the Sun in the Firmament is continually ſpreading his benign, quickning, and chearing Influences over the natural, ſo the Son of Righteouſneſs aroſe with healing under his Wings, and was daily and hourly diffuſing his gracious Influences over the moral World—The Chapter foregoing, acquaints us of a notable Miracle wrought by the Holy Jeſus on a poor blind Bartimeus—And in this a greater preſents itſelf to our Conſideration—The Evangeliſt would have us take particular Notice of it—For he introduces it with the Word Behold— And behold, ſays he, Ver. 2 there was a Man named Zaccheus, which was the Chief among the Publicans, and he was rich.
Well might the Evangeliſt uſher in the Relation of this Man… Converſion with the Word …ehold! For, according to human Judgment, how many unſurmountable Obſtacles lay in the Way of it! Surely no one will ſay there was any Fitneſs in Zaccheus for Salvation—For we are told that he was a Publican, and therefore in all Probability a notorious Sinner—The Publicans were Gatherers of the Roman Taxes—They were infamous for their abominable Extortion—Their v…ry Name therefore became ſo very odious, that we find the Phariſees often reproach'd our Lord, as very wicked, becauſe he was a Friend unto, and ſat down to Meat with them— Zaccheus then being a Publican, was no doubt a Sinner, and being Chief among the Publicans, conſequently was Chief among Sinners—Nay, … was rich. And one inſpired Apoſtle has told us, that not many mighty, not many noble, are called—Another …aith, God has choſen the Poor of this World, rich in Faith—And he that was the Maker and the Redeemer of the Apoſtles aſſures us, that it is …aſier for a Camel, or Cable-Rope, to go through the Eye of a Needle, than for a rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of God—Let not therefore the Rich glory in the Multitude of their Riches.
But rich as he was, we are told, Ver. 3. … "he ſought to ſee Jeſus"—And that was a Wonder indeed!—The common People heard our Lord gladly, and the Poor received the Goſpel—The Multitude, the foreign, the Mob, the People that knew not the Law, as the proud High-Prieſts called them, uſed to follow him on Foot cut into the Country, and ſometimes ſtayed with him three Days together to hear him preach—But did the Rich believe or attend on him? No—Our Lord preached up the Doctrine of …—He preach'd too ſearching for them, … therefore they counted him their Enemy, …ecuted and ſpoke all Manner of Evil againſt … falſely. Let not the Miniſters of Chriſt …, if they meet with the like Treatment … the rich Men of this wicked and adulterous Generation—I ſhould think it no Scandal (… it true) to hear it affirmed, that none but the poor attended my Miniſtry—Their Souls are as precious to our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as the Souls of the greateſt Men—They were the Poor that attended him in the Days of his Fleſh—Theſe are they whom he hath choſen to be rich in Faith, and to be the greateſt in the Kingdom of Heaven—Were the rich in this World's Goods generally to ſpeak well of me, wo… be unto me—I ſhould think it a dreadful Sign that I was only a Wolf in Sheep's Cloathing, that I ſpoke Peace, Peace, when there was no Peace, and propheſied ſmoother Things than the Goſpel would allow of. Hear ye this, O ye Rich—Let who will dare to do it, God forbid that I ſhould deſpiſe the Poor. In doing ſo, I ſhould reproach my Maker—No, the Poor are dear to my Soul—I rejoice to ſee them fly to the Doctrine of Chriſt, like the Doves to your Windows. I only pray that the Poor, who attend, may be evangelized, and turned into the Spirit of the Goſpel—If ſo, Bleſſed are ye—For yours is the Kingdom of Heaven.
But we muſt return to Zaccheus— He ſought to ſee Jeſus. That is good News—I could heartily wiſh I could ſay, it was out of a good Principle—But without ſpeaking con…ry to that Charity, which hopes and believeth all Things for the beſt, we may ſay, that the ſame Principle drew him after Chriſt, which now draws Multitudes (to ſpeak plainly, it may be Multitudes of you) to hear a particular Preacher, …hat is, Curioſity. For we are told, that he came not to hear his Doctrine, but to view his Perſon, … uſe the Words of the Evangeliſt, to ſee …—Our Lord's Fame was now … …hrough all Jeruſalem, and all the Country … about—Some ſaid he was a … M…n—…, nay but he deceiveth th… People—And … Curioſity drew out this rich Publican … to ſee who this Perſon was of whom he … heard ſuch various Accounts—But it ſeems … not conveniently get a Sight of him for … Pr…ſs, and becauſe he was little of Stature. … how many are kept from ſeeing Chriſt in Glory by reaſon of the Preſs—I mean, how many … aſhamed of being ſingularly Good, and there…re …llow a Multitude to do Evil, becauſe they … a Preſs or Throng of polite Acquaintance. And for Fear of being ſet at nought by thoſe with whom they uſed to …it at Meat, they deny the Lord of Glory, and are aſhamed to confeſs, … before Men—This ba…e, this ſervile Fear of M…n, is the Bane of true Chriſtianity—It brings a dreadful Snare upon the Soul, and is the Ruin of ten Thouſands—For I am fully perſuaded, Number, are rationally convicted of Goſpel Tr…t… ▪ but not being able to brook Contempt, they will not proſecute their Conviction, no… reduce them into Practice—Happy thoſe, who in this Reſpect, at leaſt like Zaccheus, are reſolved to overc…me all Impediments that …e in their Way to a Sight of Chriſt—For finding he could not ſee Chriſt becauſe of the Preſs, and the Littleneſs of his natural Stature, he did not ſmi…e upon his Breaſt, and depart, ſaying, It is in vain to ſeek after a Sight of him my longer, I can never attain unto it—No, finding he could not ſee Chriſt, if he continued in the midſt of, he (Ver. 4.) Ran before, the Multitude, and climbed up into a Sycamore-Tree to ſee him: For he was to paſs that Way.
There's no ſeeing Chriſt in Glory, unleſs we run before the Multitude, and are willing to be in the Number of thoſe deſpiſed few, who take the Kingdom of God by Violence—That broad Way, in which ſo many go, can never be that ſtrait and narrow Way which leads to Life—Our Lord's Flock was, and always will be, comparatively a little One—And unleſs we dare to run before the Multitude in a holy Singularity, and can rejoyce in being accounted Fools for Chriſt's Sake, we ſhall never ſee Jeſus with Comfort, when he appears in Glory—From mentioning the Sycamore-Tree, and conſidering the Difficulty with which Zaccheus muſt climb it, we may further learn, that thoſe who would ſee Chriſt, muſt undergo other Difficulties and Hardſhips beſides Contempt. Zaccheus, without doubt, went through both—Did not many, think you, laugh at him as he ran along, and in the Language of Michal, Saul's Daughter, cry out, How glorious did the rich Zaccheus look to Day, when forgetting the Greatneſs of his Station, he ran before a pitiful, giddy Mob, and climbed up a Sycamore-Tree, to ſee an Enthuſiaſtick Preacher!—But Zaccheus cares not for all that—His Curioſity was ſtrong—If he could but ſee who Jeſus was, he did not value what Scoffers ſaid of him—And thus much more will it be with all thoſe who have an effectual Deſire to ſee Jeſus in Heaven—They will go on from Strength to Strength, break through every Difficulty lying in their Way, and care not what Men or Devils ſay of, or do unto them—May the Lord make us all thus minded for his dear Son's Sake!
At length, after taking much Pains, and going (as we may well ſuppoſe) thro' much Contempt, Zaccheus has climbed the Tree; and there he ſits, as he thinks, hid in the Leaves of it, and watching when he ſhould ſee Jeſus paſs by—"For he was to paſs by that Way."
But ſing, O Heavens, and rejoyce, O Earth! Praiſe, magnify, and adore ſovereign, electing, free, preventing Love, Jeſus the everlaſting God, the Prince of Peace, who ſaw Nathanael under the Fig-Tree, and Zaccheus from Eternity, now ſees him in the Sycamore-Tree, and calls him in Time.
Ver. 5. And when Jeſus came to the Place, he looked up, and ſaw him, and ſaid unto him, Zaccheus, make haſte and come down; for this Day I muſt abid… at thy Houſe —Amazing Love! Well might St. Luke uſher in the Account with the Word Behold! It is worthy our higheſt Admiration. When Zaccheus thought of no ſuch Thing, nay, thought that Chriſt Jeſus did not know him, Behold Chriſt does, what we never hear he did before or after, I mean, invite himſelf to the Houſe of Zaccheus—Saying, Zaccheus, make haſte add come down; for this … I muſt abide at thy Houſe—Not pray let …, but I muſt abide this Day at thy Houſe. He alſo calls him by Name, as tho' he was well acquainted with him—And indeed well he might. For his Name was written in the Book of Life. He was one of thoſe whom the Father had given him from all Eternity. Therefore he muſt abide at his Houſe that Day—For whom he did predeſtinate, them he alſo called.
Here then, as through a Glaſs, we may ſee the Doctrine of free Grace evidently exemplified before us—Here was no Fitneſs in Zaccheus—He was a Publican, chief among the Publicans, not only ſo, but rich, and came hither to ſee Chriſt only out of Curioſity. But ſovereign Grace triumphs over all—And if we do God Juſtice, and are effectually wrought upon, we muſt acknowledge there was no more Fitneſs in us, than in Zaccheus—And had not Chriſt prevented us by his Call, we had remained dead in Treſpaſſes and Sins, and alienated from the divine Life, even as others. Jeſus looked up, and ſaw him, and ſaid unto him, Zaccheus, make haſte and come down; for this Day I muſt abide at thy Houſe.
With what different Emotions of Heart may we ſuppoſe Zaccheus received this Invitation? Think you not that he was ſurprized to hear Jeſus Chriſt call him by Name, and not only ſo, but invite himſelf to his Houſe? Surely thinks Zaccheus, I dream. It cannot be—How ſhould …e know me? I never ſaw him before—Beſides, I ſhall undergo much Contempt, if I receive him under my Roof—Thus, I ſay, we may ſuppoſe Zaccheus thought within himſelf. But what ſaith the Scripture? I will make a willing People in the Day of my Power—With this outward Call, there went an efficacious Power from God, which ſweetly over-ruled his natural Will; and therefore, Ver. 6. "He made haſte, and came down, and received him joyfully"—Not only into his Houſe, but alſo into his Heart.
Thus it is the great God brings home his Children. He calls them by Name, by his Word or Providence—He ſpeaks to them by his Spirit—Hereby they are enabled to open their Hearts, and are made willing to receive the King of Glory in—For Zaccheus's ſake let us not intirely condemn People that come under the Word, out of no better Principle than Curioſity. Who knows but God may call them? It is good to be where the Lord is paſſing by—May all that are now preſent, out of this Principle, hear the Voice of the Son of God ſpeaking to their Souls, and ſo hear that they may live! Not that Men ought therefore to take Encouragement to come out of Curioſity—For perhaps a thouſand more, at other Times, came to ſee Chriſt out of Curioſity, as well as well as Zaccheus, which were not effectually called by hi… Grace—I only mention this for the Encouragement of my own Soul, and the Conſolation 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 ſpeak to their Hearts? A few Word from Chriſt, applied …—Zaccheus, …—And … and came down, ….
I have obſerved, in Holy Scripture, how particularly it … remarked, that Perſons rejoyced upon believing in Chriſt—Thus the converted … went on … Way rejoycing—Thus the … rejoyced with his whole Houſe—Thus Zaccheus received Chriſt joyfully—And well may thoſe rejoyce that receive Jeſus Chriſt. For with him they receive Righteouſneſs, Sanctification, and eternal Redemption—Many have brought up an ill Report upon our good Land, … …ain perſwade 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 … God is Righteouſneſs, Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghoſt—To rejoyce in the Lord, is a Goſpel Duty. Rejoyce in the Lord always, and … I ſay rejoyce—And who can be ſo joyful, as th…ſe who know that their Pardon is ſealed before they go hence, and are no more ſeen? The godly may, but I cannot ſee how any ungodly Man can rejoice—They cannot be truly chearful. What if wicked Men may ſometimes have … amongſt them? It is only the Laughter …—In the midſt of it, … At the beſt, it is but like the Crackling of Thorns under a Pot—It makes a Blaze, but ſoon goes out—But as for the Godly, it is not to with them—Their Joy is ſolid and laſting— As it is a Joy that a Stranger intermedd…th not with; ſo it is a Joy that … Man taketh from them—It is a Joy in God, a … unſpeakable and full of Glory.
It ſhould ſeem that Zaccheus was under … Diſtreſs but a … Perhaps … G…thery, in his Book intitled, The … thing a ſaving Inter … not above a Quart… … Hour—I add perhaps not ſo long—For, … one obſerves, ſometimes the Lord Jeſus … to deliver ſpeedily—God … a ſovereign A …, and works upon … Children in their … Calling, according to the Counſel of … Will—It is with the … is natural Birth A… Women have not the … Pangs—A Chriſtians have not the … Degree of Conviction. But all agree … that they … have Jeſus Chriſt formed in the … that have not ſo many … with the greater … herea…e… … But … We … We know not what Zaccheus … I know … …ow believed in Chriſt, and was juſtified … a…quitted, and looked upon as righted … God's Sight, tho'… 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 … in him, they are freely juſtified from all Things from which they could not be juſtified by the Law of Moſes—For by Grace are we ſaved, thro' Faith, and that not of ourſelves, it is the Gift of God.
Say not any of you within yourſelves, this is a licentious, Antinomian Doctrine—For the Faith, if true, will work by Love, and be productive of the Fruits of Holineſs—See an Inſta… in this Convert Zaccheus—No ſooner had he received Jeſus Chriſt by Faith into his Heart, but he evidences it by his Works—For, Ver. 8. we w… are told, Zaccheus ſtood forth, and ſaid unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my Goods I give unto the Poor; and if I have ta…en any thing from any Man by falſe Accuſation I reſtore him Four-fold.
Having believed on Jeſus in his Heart, he now makes Confeſſion of him with his Mouth to Salvation—Zaccheus ſtood forth—He was not aſhamed, but ſtood forth before his Brother Publicans—For true Faith caſts out all ſervile, ſinful Fear of Man—"And ſaid, Behold, Lord"—It is remarkable how readily People in Scripture have owned the Divinity of Chriſt immediately upon their Converſion—Thus the Woman at Jacob's Well—"Is not this the Chriſt?" Thus the Man born blind—"Lord I believe, and worſhipped him." Thus Zaccheus, "Behold, Lord." An inconteſtable Proof this to me, that thoſe who deny our Lord's Divinity, never effectually felt his Power—If they had, they would not ſpeak ſo lightly of him—They would ſcorn to deny his eternal Power and Godhead— Zaccheus ſtood 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 Accuſation, I … him Four-fold. —Oh noble Fruits of a true living Faith in the Lord Jeſus!—Every Word calls for our Notice—Not ſome ſmall, not the tenth Part, but the half—Of what? My Goods—Things that were valuable My Goods—His own not anothers—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 whilſt we have Time we ſhould do 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 Linnen, of whom he might be recompenſed 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 knowing that he muſt be juſt, before he could be charitable, and conſcious to himſelf, that in his publick Adminiſtrations he had wronged many Perſons, he adds, And if I have taken any thing from any Man by falſe Accuſation, 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 rolling Run Goods—If ever God gives you true Faith, you will never reſt, till, like Zaccheus, you have made Reſtitution to the utmoſt of your Power—I ſuppoſe before his Converſion, he thought it no Harm… to cheat thus, no more than you may do now, and pleaſed himſelf frequently to be ſure, that he got ſo rich by doing ſo—But now he is grieved for it at his Heart—He confeſſes his Injuſtice before Men, and promiſes to make ample Reſtitution—Go ye cheating Publicans, learn of Zaccheus—Go away and do likewiſe. If you do not make Reſtitution here, the Lord Jeſus ſhall make you confeſs it 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 Reaſon might our Lord ſay unto him— This Day is Salvation come to this Houſe—For ſomuch as he alſo is the Son of Abraham —Not ſo much by a natural, as by a ſpiritual 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 Righteouſneſs—His Faith, like Abraham's, worked by Love, and I doubt not, but he has been long ſince ſitting in Abraham's Harbour.
And now are you not aſhamed of yourſelves, who ſpeak againſt the Doctrines of Grace, eſpecially that Doctrine of being juſtified by Faith alone, as tho' it leaded to Licentiouſneſs? What can be more unjuſt than ſuch a Charge? Is not the Inſtance of Zaccheus a ſufficient Proof to the contrary? Have I ſtrained it to ſerve my own Turn? God forbid—To the beſt of my Knowledge I have ſpoken the Truth in Sincerity and the Truth as it is in Jeſus—I do affirm that we are ſaved by Grace, and that we are juſtified by Faith alone—But I do alſo affirm, that Faith muſt be evidenced by Good Works, where there … an Opportunity of performing them.
What therefore has been ſaid of Zaccheus, may ſerve as a Rule, whereby all may judge whether they have Faith or not—You ſay 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 ſay you have, to ſtand up and conteſs the Lord Jeſus before Men? Were you ever made willing to own, and humble your ſelves for your paſt Offences? Does your Faith work by Love, ſo that you conſcientiouſly lay up, according as God as proſpered you, for the Support of the Poor? Do you give Alms of all Things that you poſſeſs? And have you made due Reſtitution to thoſe you have wronged? If ſo, happy are ye—Salvation is come to your Souls—You are Sons, you are Daughters of, you ſhall ſhortly be everlaſtingly bleſſed with, faithful Abraham. But if you are not thus minded, do not deceive your own Souls—Tho' you may talk of Juſtification by Faith like Angels, it will do you no Good—It will only increaſe your Damnation—You hold the Truth, but it is in Unrighteouſneſs. 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 Spirits ſhall you dwell for evermore.
But it is Time now to enforce the latter Part of the Text—"For the Son of Man is come to ſeek and to ſave that which was loſt"—Theſe Words are ſpoken by our Saviour in Anſwer to ſome ſelf-righteous Phariſees, who, inſtead of rejoycing with the Angels in Heaven at the Converſion of ſuch a Sinner, murmured, ſaying, that he was gone to be a Gueſt with a Man that was a Sinner—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 ſeek and to ſave that which was loſt—He might have ſaid the Son of God—But Oh the wonderful Condeſcenſion of our Redeemer! He delights to ſtile himſelf the Son of Man—He came, ſays he, not only to ſave, but to ſeek and to ſave that which was loſt—He came to Jericho to ſeek and ſave Zaccheus. For otherwiſe Zaccheus would never 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 ſeek and ſave that which was loſt—All that feel themſelves loſt, and are willing, like Zaccheus, to receive him into their Hearts—To ſave them—With how great a Salvation! Even from the Guilt, and alſo Power of their Sins—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—Thus will the Son of Man ſave that which is loſt—He was made the Son of Man on purpoſe that he might ſave 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 ſuffered only to ſatisfy, and procure a Righteouſneſs for poor, loſt, undone Sinners, and that too without Reſpect of Perſons—"That which was loſt"—All of every Nation and Language, that feel, bewail, and are truly deſirous of being delivered from their loſt State, the Son of Man came down to ſeek and to ſave—For he is a God mighty, not only ſo, but willing to ſave to the uttermoſt all thoſe that come to God thro' him—He will in no wiſe caſt them out—For he is th… ſame to Day, as he was Yeſterday. He comes now to Sinners, as well as formerly, and I hope hath ſent me out this Day to ſeek, and under him, to bring home ſome of you, the loſt Sheep of the Houſe of Iſrael—What ſay you? Shall I go home rejoycing? Saying, that many like Sheep have went aſtray, but they have now believed on Jeſus Chriſt, and ſo returned home to the great Shepherd and Biſhop of their Souls. If the Lord would be pleaſed thus to proſper me in my Work, I care not how many Legaliſts and ſelf-righteous Phariſees murmur againſt me, for offering Salvation to the worſt of Sinners—For I know the Son of Man came to ſeek and … ſave them, and the Lord Jeſus will now be a Gueſt to the worſt Publican, the vileſt Sinner that is amongſt you, if he does but believe on him—Make haſte then, O Sinners, make haſte, and come by Faith to Chriſt—Then, this Day, even this Hour, nay, this Moment, if you believe… Jeſus Chriſt ſhall come, and make his eternal Abode in your Hearts—Which of you is ma…e willing to receive the King of Glory? Which of you obeys the Call, a… Zaccheus did? Alas! why do you ſtand ſtill? How know you wh… ther Jeſus Chriſt may ever call you again? Come then, poor guilty Sinners—Come away, poor loſt, undone Publicans—Make haſte, I ſay, and come away to Jeſus Chriſt—The Lord condeſcends to invite himſelf to come under the filth▪ Roofs of the Houſes of your Souls—Do not be afraid of entertaining him—He will fill you with all Peace and Joy in Believing—Do not be aſhamed to run before the Multitude, and to have all Manner of Evil ſpoke againſt you falſely for his ſake—One Sight of Chriſt will make amends for all—Zaccheus was laughed at, and all that will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus ſhall ſuffer Perſecution? But what of that? Zaccheus … now crowned in Glory, as you alſo ſhall ſhortly be, if you believe on, and are reproached for Chriſt's ſake. Do not therefore put me off with frivolous Excuſes—There's no Excuſe can be given for your not coming to Chriſt—You are loſt, undone, without him; and if he is not glorified in your Salvation, he will be glorified in your Deſtruction—If he does not come, and make his Abode in your Hearts, you muſt take up an eternal Abode with the Devil and his Angels—Oh that the Lord would be pleaſed to paſs by ſome of you at this Time! Oh that he may call you by his Spirit; and make you a willing People in this Day of his Power! For I know my Calling will not do, unleſs He, by his efficacious not, Grace, compell you to come in—Oh that you once felt what it is to receive Jeſus Chriſt into your Hearts! You would ſoon, like Zaccheus, give him every Thing—You do not love Chriſt, becauſe you do not know him—You do not come to him, becauſe you do not feel your Want of him—You are whole, and not broken-hearted—You are not ſick, at leaſt not ſenſible of your Sickneſs, and therefore no wonder you do not apply to Jeſus Chriſt, that Great, that Almighty Phyſician—You do not feel your ſelves loſt, and therefore do not ſeek to be found in Chriſt—Oh that God would wound you with the Sword of his Spirit! Oh that he would cauſe his Arrows of Conviction to … in your Heart, … Oh that he would dart a R…v of divine Light into your Souls▪ For if you do not feel your ſelves … Chriſt you are of all Men moſt miſerable—Your Souls are dea…, you are not only an Image …, but in ſome Degree Hell it ſelf—You carry Hell about with you, and you know … no—Oh that I could ſee ſome of you ſenſible of … and hear you cry out, Lord, break this hard Heart—Lord, deliver me from the Body of this Death—Draw me, Lord, make me willing to come after thee—I am loſt—Lord, ſave me, or I periſh—W… this your Caſe, How … would the Lord ſtretch forth by Almighty Hand, and ſay, Be of good Cheer, … I, be not afraid—What a wonderful Ca… … your troubled Souls! Your … would … be with the Father and the Son—Your Life would be hid with Chriſt in God—Some of you I hope have experienced this, and can ſay, I was loſt, but I am found; I was dead, but am alive again—The Son of Man came and ſought me in the Day of his Power, and ſaved my ſinful Soul—And do you repent that you came to Chriſt? Has he not been a good Maſter? Is not his Preſence ſweet to your Souls? Has he not been faithful to his Promiſe? And have you not found that even in doing and ſuffering for him there is an exceeding preſent great Reward? I am perſwaded you will anſwer, Yes—Oh then, ye Saints, recommend and talk of the Love of Chriſt to others, and tell them, Oh tell them, what great Things the Lord has done for you!—This may encourage others to come unto him—And who knows, but the Lord may make you Fiſhers of Men? The Story of Zaccheus was left on Record for this Purpoſe—No truly convicted Soul, after ſuch an Inſtance of divine Grace has been laid before him, need deſpair of Mercy—What if you are Publicans? Was not Zaccheus a Publican? What if you are chief among the Publicans? Was not Zaccheus ſo likewiſe? What if you are rich? Was not Zaccheus rich alſo? And yet Almighty Grace made him more than Conqueror over all theſe Hindrances—All Things are poſſible to Jeſus Chriſt; Nothing is too hard for Him—He is the Lord Almighty—Our Mountains of Sins muſt all fall before this great Zerubbabel—On him God the Father has laid the Iniquities of all that ſhall believe on him, and in his own Body he bare them on the Tree—There, there by Faith, O Mou…ners in Sion, may you ſee your Saviour hanging with Arms ſtretched out, and hear him, as it were, thus ſpeaking to your Souls—Behold how I have loved you!—Behold my Hand… and my Feet!—Look, look into my wo…ded Side, and … a Heart flaming with Love … ſtronger than Death—Come into my Arms, O Sinners, come waſh your … in my Heart's Blood—See here … for all Sin and all … how the … you—Come, … and … your ſelves in …—For I am …—I am … may … more—… the Serpent in the … on a Tree—See … you—The … upon me. I am thus … on him now—For tho' he is dead, he … ſpeak… eth all this in the Scripture, nay, in … ſays all this in the Words of the Text—The Son of Man is come to ſeek and to ſave that … was loſt—Do not therefore any longer … the Lord of Glory—Bring thoſe Rebels, your Sins, which will not have him to reign over them—Bring them out to him—Tho' you cannot … them yourſelves, yet he will ſlay them for you—The Power of his Death and Reſurrection is … great now as formerly—Make haſte therefore, ma…e haſte, O ye Publicans and Sinners, and give the dear Lord Jeſus your Hearts, your whole Hearts—If you refuſe to hearken to … Call of the Lord, remember your Damnation will be … I am free from the Blood … you all—You … acquit my Maſter and me at the terrible Day … Judgment—Oh that you may know the Thing that … to your everlaſting Peace, be … they are eternally hid from your Eves! Let … that have the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in … ſay Amen.
End of the text · George Whitefield, Nine Sermons (1743)