Two sermons preached by Master Henry SmithTvvo sermons preached by Master Henry Smith

Thus you have heard the first part of Zaccheus confession, wherein you see his liberality to the poor. Now you shall hear the second part of his confession, wherein he promiseth restitution of his unjust gotten goods. Before, Zaccheus gave to the poor the half of that which was his own: now he restoreth that which is none of his, to the right owners. And because he had detained their goods so long, to their great loss & hinderance, therefore he doth not only restore the principal, which he had taken from them, but he alloweth them their costs and damages they had sustained. As Joram King of Israel caused to be restored to the ¹Shunamite her house and land, and all the fruits and profits of the same, which were wrongfully kept from her seven years together: so Zaccheus the customer restoreth to those that he had oppressed, their goods which he had gotten from them, by fraudulent dealing, with all the fruits and profits that might come thereof: during the time of his unjust profession. So liberal was Zaccheus to the poor, that he gave them half his ⟨image 18⟩goods: and so little got Zaccheus by his usury and oppression, that for every penny he restored four. If the usurers and extortioners of our time would restore fourfold for that they have wrongfully gotten. I fear me they would have but a small half to give to the poor, and but a little left to help themselves. There was no law to compel Zaccheus to make such restitution, except he will confess himself to be a thief, because he was an usurer, and then the law of God requireth such restitution. And surely Zaccheus seemeth after a sort to confess his theft, because he promiseth four-fold restitution. If a man had stolen a sheep, the law of God requireth that he should restore four sheep for one: and the ancient Romans had this law, that usurers ²should forfeit four times so much as they took for usury. If the same law were now to use against our thievish usurers, as it was sometime among them, we should not have such complaining of the poor both in prisons and streets.

Thus you haue heard the first part of Zaccheus confession, wherein you see his liberality to the poore. Now you shall heare the second part of his confession, wherein hee promiseth restitution of his vniust gotten goods. Before, Zaccheus gaue to the poore the halfe of that which was his owne: now hee restoreth that which is none of his, to the right owners. And because hee had detained their goods so long, to their great losse & hinderance, therefore he doth not onely restore the principall, which he had taken from them, but hee alloweth them their costs and dammages they had sustained. As Ioram King of Israel caused to bee restored to the