in the words of my text: "Whomsoever I have defrauded by forged cavillation, I restore," &c.

4. In which words I shall observe unto you these two general parts: First, A discovery, and, it may be, confession of his beloved, bosom sin, the sin of his trade, in these words: "If I have defrauded any man," or "whomsoever I have defrauded." Secondly, Satisfaction tendered in the words following: "I restore unto him fourfold." In the former general, we may take notice of two particulars: 1. Zaccheus's willingness and readiness of his own accord to discover and confess his sin, when he said, "Whomsoever I have defrauded." And, 2. The nature and heinousness of the crime discovered, which is called a defrauding "by forged cavillation;" or, as some translations read, "with false accusation." In the second general, likewise, (which is the satisfaction tendered by Zaccheus) there offer themselves two particulars more; namely, 1. So much of the satisfaction as was necessary to be performed, by virtue of an indispensable precept, and that is restitution, in these words: "I restore unto him." 2. That which was voluntary and extraordinary, namely, the measure and excess of this restitution, which he professeth should be "fourfold." Of these two parts, therefore, with their several particulars, in the same order as they have been proposed, briefly, and with all the plainness and perspicuity I can imagine. And, 1. Of the former general, and therein of the first particular, namely, Zaccheus's readiness to confess his sin, in these words: "If I," &c.

5. I said, even now only, it may be, this was a confession of his crime; but now I will be more

resolute, and tell you peremptorily, this was a confession; for, without all question, Zaccheus, as the case stood now with him, was in no humour of justifying himself, he had no mind to boast his integrity in his office; or, if he had, he might be sure that common fame (if that were all, yet that alone) might be a sufficient argument, at least too great a presumption against him, to confute him. But, to put it out of question, our Saviour himself, by applying the tenth verse of this chapter to him, acknowledgeth him for a sinful, undone man; one that had so far lost himself in the wandering mazes of this wicked world, that unless Christ himself had taken the pains to search and inquire after him, and, having found him, by the power and might of his grace to rescue and recover him from the error of his ways, by restoring him his eyes, whereby he might take notice towards what a dangerous precipice he was hastening, there had been no possibility but at last he must have needs fallen headlong into the gulf of destruction.

6. Now it being, I suppose, evident, that Zaccheus was guilty, and that in a high degree, and openly and scandalously guilty of the crime here discovered; there is no doubt to be made, but that he, who was so willing to unlock and disperse his ill-gotten treasures, would not begin to divert his covetousness upon his sins; he would not hoard them up, but would place his glory even in his shame; and whereas he had been the servant and slave of sin, he would wear his shackles and fetters, as signs of the glorious victory, which through Christ he had won, and emblems of that blessed change, which he found in himself, being rescued from the basest slavery that possibly can

be imagined, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.

7. But it may be you will say, Suppose Zaccheus did freely and voluntarily confess his sin to Christ, who had authority to forgive him his sins, though he had never discovered them; what collection shall be made from hence? Zaccheus might be as bold as he would with himself; but as for us, his example shall be no rule to us: we thank God, this is popery in these days, and since we have freed ourselves from this burden, we will not be brought into bondage to any man; we will confess our sins, I warrant you, only to God, who is only able to forgive us them; as for the minister, it may be, we will sometimes be beholden to him to speak some comfortable words now and then to us, when we are troubled in conscience; and we have not been taught to go any further.

8. I confess I find no great inclination in myself, especially being in the pulpit, to undertake a controversy, even where it may seem to offer itself, much less to press and strain a text for it; for I desire to have no adversaries in my preaching, but only the devil and sin. Only having now mentioned confession, and considering how much the doctrine of our holy mother the church hath been traduced, not only by the malice and detraction of our professed enemies of the church of Rome, but also by the suspicious ignorance and partiality of her own children; who, out of a liking of the zeal, or rather fury, of some former protestant writers, have laid this for a ground of stating controversies of our religion: That this is to be acknowledged for the doctrine of these reformed

churches, which is most opposite and contradicting to the church of Rome: so that, as the case goes now, controversies of religion are turned into private quarrels, and it is not so much the truth that is sought after, as the salving and curing the reputation of particular men.

9. These things therefore considered, truly for my part I dare not take upon me so much to gratify the papists, as to think myself obliged to maintain many incommodious speeches of some of our divines in this point. Hoc Ithacus velit, et magno mercentur Atrida-They will never be unfurnished of matter to write books to the world's end, if this shall be the method of stating controversies. O what an impregnable cause should we have against the church of Rome, if we ourselves did not help to weaken and betray it, by mixing therewith the interests and conceits of particular men!

10. Give me therefore leave, I pray you, to give you the state of the question, and the doctrine of our church, in the words of one, who both now is, and for ever will be, worthily accounted, the glory of this kingdom. *"Be it known (saith he) to our adversaries of Rome (I add, also, to our adversaries of even Great Britain, who sell their private fancies for the doctrine of our church,) that no kind of confession, either public or private, is disallowed by our church, that is any way requisite for the due execution of that ancient power of the keys, which Christ bestowed upon his church. The thing which we reject, is that new picklock of sacramental confes

Bp. Usher's Answer to the Jesuit. Cap. of Confession, p. 84.

sion, obtruded upon men's consciences, as a matter necessary to salvation, by the canons of the late conventicle of Trent, in the 14th session."

11. And this truth being so evident in Scripture, and in the writings of the ancient, best times of the primitive church, the safest interpreters of Scripture, I make no question, but there will not be found one person amongst you, who, when he shall be in a calm, impartial disposition, will offer to deny it. For, I beseech you, give yourselves leave impartially to examine your own thoughts can any man be so unreasonable, as once to imagine with himself, that when our Saviour, after his resurrection, having received (as himself saith) all power in heaven and earth, having led captivity captive, came then to bestow gifts upon men; when he, I say, in so solemn a manner (having first breathed upon his disciples, thereby conveying and insinuating the Holy Ghost into their hearts) renewed unto them, or rather confirmed and sealed unto them, that glorious commission, which before he had given to Peter, sustaining, as it were, the person of the whole church, whereby he delegated to them an authority of binding and loosing sins upon earth, with a promise, that the proceedings in the court of heaven should be directed and regulated by theirs on earth: can any man, I say, think so unworthily of our Saviour, as to esteem these words of his for no better than compliment? for nothing but court holy water?

12. Yet so impudent have our adversaries of Rome been in their dealings with us, that they have dared to lay to our charge, as if we had so mean a conceit of our Saviour's gift of the keys;