language of them in the last chapter of Nehemias, half Jewishe, half
Ashdoch; like the bands of the Levites, that parted themselves one
companie to one mount to blesse, the other to an other to curse, the
people; soe the one part denounceth judgment, the other declareth mercy:
they may be compared to the cleane beastes, Deut. xiv., which had parted
hoofes, and chewed the cudd; soe here on the one syde is the old world
drowned, on the other Noach saved; on the one Sodom burned, on the other
Lott preserved. They are three of the strangest and fearefullest
examples in nature; the fall of the Angells, the drowning of the world,
the burning of Sodome; they stretch from one end to an other, alpha and
omega, heaven and earth, men and angels, the most excellent payre of
God's creatures, and the deluge oecumenicall and universall. But God
in his punishment, like a wise prince, will begin at his owne sanctuary,
at his owne house, _non habitabit mecum iniquus_, I will not suffer a
wicked person to dwell in my house, and therefore first turned the
angels from his habitacion. Angels in their creacion, _vere_ [Greek:
deuteron], the second light, the eyes and eares of the great king,
continuall attendantes in his court and assistauntes of his throne; they
are farr above the greatest saint, for wee shalbe but like them, and
they are next to the Sonne of God, otherwise he had said nothing when he
said, to which of the angells sayd he at anie tyme, &c. _Heb._: they
were _in summo non in tuto_, or rather _non in summo sed in tuto_,
untill they synned. But what their synne was, I may safely say I knowe
not. One sayth _non seruarunt principatum_, and St. Jo. sayth, _non
steterunt in veritate_, their synn was treason, [they] continued not in
their allegeaunce and fidelity; an other, _et in angelis vacuitatem,
prauitatem, infamiam reperiit_; an other, though an absurd opinion, that
it was fleshly lust, and concupiscence, by carnall copulacion with women
upon earth, and this they would lay upon these wordes, and the Sonnes of
God tooke the daughters of men; but of this it was sayd, _perquam noxium
audire et credere_. And yet it became as common as it was absurd,
because men thereby thought they might sooth themselves in that synn,
and thinke it tollerable when angells had done the like before them.
An other opinion more probable, that it was noe carnall, but spirituall
luxury that overthrewe them, a kinde of selfe love, when they overvalued
their owne excellency, and forgat their Creator; and this opinion that
their synn was pride is the most receiued and most like, because after
his fall the first temptation that he made was of pride to Adam in
paradise, _enim similis altissimo_.
[Sidenote: fo. 48.
October, 1602.]
[Sidenote: fo 48^b.
October, 1602.]
The Diuel neuer desyred to be like God in his essence, for that being
impossible he could never conceiue it, and that is neuer in appeticion
which was not first in apprehension. Yet he may be sayd to affect it
_desyderio complacentiæ, non efficaciæ_, because he might please himself
with such conceits, not conceaue howe he might attaine to those
pleasures, and to this purpose some there be that write as though they
had been taken up into the third heaven, and heard and seene the
conflict betwixt Michael and the diuel: and will not stick to affirme
that Michael had his name because when the diuel like a great giant
bellowed out blasphemie against the most highest, denying that he had
any creator or superior, Michael should resist and tell him, _Quis ut
Deus_, which is the interpretacion of Michael; soe though it be
incertaine what was the synn of angells, yet is it most certayne that
they fell from the highest happines to the lowest wretchednes; the fall
was like lightning suddein, and the place of it not possible to be
found; it passeth the capacitie of man to expresse it by comparison soe
perfectly that he may say _hoc impetu_; and for their payne it is
_transcendens, et transcendentia transcendit_, it is invaluable,
incomprehensible, passeth all hyperbole; there was a present amission of
place, grace, glory, the fruition of Godes presence, &c. which is the
greatest of miseries, _felicem fuisse_: but there remaines a fearefull
expectation of future miseries, _et Nihil magis adversarium quam
expectatio; et Quo me vindicta reservas?_
It was the opinion of Origen long since condemned for erronius, that the
diuels might be saued, and his reason was because they had _liberum
voluntatis arbitrium_, which might perhaps change and encline to the
desyre of good, and soe through repentaunce obteyne mercy; but the
diuels are soe obdurate in their malice that though they may have
_stimulum conscienciæ_, yet they can neuer come _ad correptionem
gratiæ_, and in that opinion Origen is said [Greek: Platonizein] non
[Greek: Christianizein]. Another prop to his opinion was Jacobs ladder,
where he imagined the descending and ascending of angels could meane
nothing but the fall and restitution of angels.
[Sidenote: fo. 49.
October 1602.]
The second example is the drowning of the world, a descent from heaven
to earth in judgments. The world is termed [Greek: kosmos] of the
Grecians, from the excellent beauty thereof, and of the Lattynes
_mundus, quia nihil mundius_, but here it is used to expresse the
universalitie of the destruction, as the hystorie declares it Gen. vi.
7, etc. vii. 21, 22, 23, 24: God destroyed euery thing that was vpon the
earth from man to beast, to the creeping thing, and to the foule of the
heaven, onely the fishes escaped, and the reason one rendreth was
because the sea onely was undefiled at that tyme; there was then noe
sayling upon that element, noe pyracie and murder committed upon it, noe
forrein invasion intended over it, noe trafficque with the nations for
straunge comodities, nor for one an others synnes and vices; all the
other creatures were polluted by man, and were [to] be purged with that
floud. The ayre as farr as our eyes could looke and fascinate, even the
foules as far as our breath could move, were infected with the contagion
thereof; all were uncleane, all were to be clensed or punished. The
greatnes of their number cannot excuse, but aggrauates the offence. A
multitude may synn and their synn is more grievous, _qui cum multitudine
peccat, cum multitudine periet_; and for the most part, the most are the
worst. It is noe sound argument, it is well done because many doe so.
The fox brings forth many cubbes, and the lyon hath but one whelpe at
once, yet that is a lyon, and more then manie foxes. The harlot boasts
that shee had manie moe resorted to hir house then Socrates to his
schole, but hir followers went the way of darknes.
[Sidenote: fo. 49^b.]
October, 1602.]
"And brought in the floud:" and therefor a miracle supernatural wrought
by the finger of God, not as some imagine by the conjunction of
waterishe planets, soe atributinge all to and confirming all by naturall
meanes, they say the world shalbe destroyed by fire, as it was by water,
when there shall happen the like conjunction of firy, as there was of
watery planets; but beleeve God, whoe sayth _Ego pluam_. And this was
against nature to destroy hir owne workes. The length of the rayne,
forty dayes, the continuaunce of the waters for twelve monethes, the
dissolucion of soe muche ayre with water as should make a generall
deluge. These are directly against the rules of naturall philosophie,
besydes the influence of a planet never stretcheth beyond his
hemisphere, all which shewe plainely, that it was the miraculous worke
of God, not effected by the course of nature. This was not _imber in
furore missus_, to destroy or famishe some particular city or country,
of which kinde of baptismes our land hath within fewe yeares felt many,
but this made the sea, which before made but one spheare with the earth,
as man and wife make but one flesh, breake the boundes of modesty and
overflowe the whole; that which before was the girdle of the earth, nowe
girt it, but in such a fashion, that it stiffled all. It was such a
dropsie in the world, that our simples having lost their former virtue,
we were permitted to eat flesh for the preseruacion of our liues, which
before were prolonged with the naturall herbes and fruits of the earth,
more hundreds then nowe they can bee scores with our best helpes of art
or nature.
But it may be said, What, will God punishe the goode with the wicked?
Will he drownd, all together, the righteous and the bad? Will he say
_Pereant amici, modo pereant inimici_? Will he command _stragem tam
amicorum quam hostium_? Shall his judgments be like the nett in the
Gospell, that catcheth good and bad togither? Noe, for he punished the
old world. This floud was his sope and nitar to scoure of the filth, to
seuer the good from the euill, the wheat from the chaffe. He brought the
floud upon the ungodly, but he "saued Noah, the eighth person;" a small
number, a child may tell them, a poore number, _pauperi est numerare_,
but eight persons saved. Those tymes were evil, but there are worse
dayes not instant but extant, wherein iniquitie prescribes hypocrisie,
settes hir hand to manie false bills, settes downe one hundred for ten,
the whole is overflowne with all wickednes, &c. The second part is God's
mercy, but he "saued Noah" like a ring on his finger, he kept him as
writing in the palme of his hand, as the apple of his eye, and as a
seale on his heart. He built him a castle stronger then brasse, and
lockt him up in the arke like a jewell in casket. He preserved him safe
in a wodden vessell amongst the toppes of mountains, in a world of
waters, without card, tacleing, or pilot. He was saued between judgment
and judgment, like Susanna betwixt the twoe elders, like the Children of
Israell betweene two walles of water in the Red Sea, like Christ
betweene the two theiues; soe that it may be truly sayd, it was noe
meaner a miracle in sauing Noah, then in drowning the whole world.
[Sidenote: fo. 50.
October, 1602.]
But "saued Noah, the eight person, a preacher of righteousnes." Here is
a banner of hope to all that feare God. When Justice was running hir
course like a strong giant to haue destroyed the whole world, Mercy
mett, encountered, and told hir that she must not touch Gods anoynted,
nor doe his prophetes anie harme. There was Noah, "a preacher of
righteousnes," and he must be spared, he was a preacher, not a whisperer
in corners, singing to himselfe and his muses. This Noah was the hemme
of the world, the remnant of the old, and the element of the newe: he
was _communis terminus_, the first shipwright, and yet "a preacher of
righteousnes." Nowe concerninge the estimacion of preachers in auncient
tymes, and the contempt of that calling in these dayes, their high
account with God, and their neglect with men, from hence he said he
could paradox manie conclusions which tyme forced him to ouer slip. But
in this age lett a preacher be as aunciently discended and of as good a
parentage, bee as well qualified, as soundly learned, of as comely
personage, as sweete a conversation, have a mother witt, and perhaps a
fathers blessing to, lett him be equall in all the giftes and ornamentes
of nature, art, and fortune to a man of an other profession, yet he
shall be scorned, derided, and pointed at like a bird of diuers strange
colours, and all because he beares the name of a preacher.
[Sidenote: fo. 50^b.
October, 1602.]
Tymes past were so liberall to the clergy that for feare all would have
runne into their handes there were statutes of mortmaine enacted to
restrayne that current: but devotion at this day is grown soe cold, that
the harts and hands of all are a verry mortmaine it self; they hold soe
fast they will part from nothing; noe, not from that which hath bin of
auncient given to holie uses. There are in England aboue 3000
impropriacions, where the minister hath a poore stipend; their bread is
broken amongst strangers, the foxes and their cubbes liue in their
ruines, the swallowe builds hir nest and the satyres daunce and revill
where the Leuites were wont to sing, the Church liuings are seised vpon
and possessed by the secular; it was the old lawe, that none should eate
the bread of the aultar but those that wayted at the altar, those things
which were provided for the pastors of our soules, with what conscience
can they receive, which are not able to feede them. _O miseram sponsam
talibus creditam paranymphis._
[Sidenote: fo. 51.
October, 1602.]
It is strange that that abhominable synn of Symony should be so common,
that it is no strang thing for a learned man to purchase his promotion;
but the honest must say to their patron, as Paule to the lame, _aurum et
argentum non habeo, quod habeo dabo_. I will liue honestly, I will
preach diligently, I will pray for you deuoutly, but that _quid dabitis_
liveth still with those of Judas his humor. They thinke all to much for
the preacher, nothing to much for themselves; it must be enacted that
they may not haue to much for feare of surfetting; they would haue them,
according to the newe dyet, brought downe to the skin and bone, to cure
them. "All their speaches and actions tend to our impouerishment," saith
he, "as though wee were onely droanes and they the bees of the State.
The Lord commaunded to bring into his tabernacle, but these strive whoe
may carry out fastest, and blesse themselves in the spoile, saying with
that Churche robber, _Videtis quam prospera nauigatio ab ipsis dijs
immortalibus sacrilegis detur_, but the hier of these labourers, this
field of Naboth, &c., will cry out against them. Christ, when he was
vpon the earth, wipped those out the Church which bought and sold in the
Church, what will he doe with those which buy and sell his church
itselfe? I speake not this, because I would perswade you to give your
goodes unto ns; _non vestra, sed vos_, nay, _non nostra sed vos,
quero_. I doe but advertise you to consider whether the withholding the
tenth may not depriue you of the whole, the spoiling the Churche of hir
clothes may not strip you of your living, the impropriating hir
benefices may not dispropriat the Kingdome of Heaven to you."
[Sidenote: fo. 51^b.
October, 1602.]
"A preacher of righteousnes" or a righteous preacher, such a one as Jo.
Baptist was; he preached, as all ought to doe, by his lyfe, by his
hands. By his lyfe; _vel non omnino vel moribus doceto._ He preached
amendement from synn, he preached the lawes of nature and the judgments
imminent, and as some thinke he preached Christ alsoe. And wee preache
the lawe of nature: doth not nature teache you, &c. Wee preache faythe:
then being justified by faythe. Wee preache the lawe of Moses: Christ
came not to breake but to fulfill the lawe. We preach righteousnes,
_semen et germen_, embued, endued, active, and contemplative,
justificacion and sanctificacion, primitiue and imputed, the one in
Christ absolute, the other in us. Righteousnes acted by Christ and
accepted by us, which is the true justifying righteousnes, and aboue all
the others.
The third example of Sodome and Gomorrhe. They were not condemned onely,
but condemned to be ouerthrowne, and soe ouerthrowne that they should be
turned, not into stones which might come togither againe, but into
ashes; neither soe onely, for there had bin some mitigacion, yf they
might soe have perished that they should not haue bin remembred, but
they must be an example to all posteritie. Their remembraunce must not
dye.
[Sidenote: fo. 52.
October, 1602.]
The cuntry is said to have bin a verry pleasaunt and fruitfull soyle,
but _terra bona, gens mala fuit_, and therefore it was destroyed with
fyre from a seven tymes hotter myne then that seven times heated ouen.
It was hell-fyre out of heaven, fire from coales that were neuer blowne,
it rayned fyre. As Kayne was sett as a marke to take heede of bloudshed,
soe are those places an example to the ungodly; there remaines untill
this day such a noysom water that some call it the Diuels Sea; others
the Sea of Brimstone, for the ill savour; the Dead Sea, for noe fishe
can liue in it, soe foule that noe uncleane thing can he clensed in it,
soe thicke a water that nothing can sinke into it. There are certaine
apples fayre to the eye which being touched in _fumum abeunt, tanquam
ardent adhuc, et olet adhuc incendio terra_. There is seen a cloud of
pitche and heapes of ashes at this daye, their woundes are not skinned
ouer, they appeare for ever.
[Sidenote: fo. 52^b.
October, 1602.]
"And deliuered just Lott." The word signified a kinde of force, as
though he had pulled him out; here is Lottes commendacion that he liued
amongst the wicked, and was not infected with them; _bonum esse cum
bonis non admodum laudabile_; _nihil est in Asia non fuisse, sed in Asia
continenter vixisse, eximium._ Soe was Abraham in Chaldea, Moses in the
Court of Pharao, and yet noe partakers of the synnes of those places,
"vexed with the uncleane conversacion." _Non veniat anima mea in
consilium eorum!_ The justice of Lott was professed enmity with the
wicked. When Martiall asked Nazianzeene but a question, Nazianzeene told
him he would not answere _nisi purgatus fuerit_. Wee must not say soe
much as "God saue them!" to the wicked. But our stomakes are to strong;
wee can digest to be drunke for companie, to rend the ayre with
prodigious oathes in a brauery, but not rend our garmentes in contrition
of heart; wee can telle howe to take 10 in the 100, nay 100 for 10, with
a secure conscience; this synne of usury is a synn against nature, like
the synn of Sodome. Wee will dissemble with the hyppocrite, temporise
with the politician, deride with the atheist. Men thinke nowe a dayes
that Arrianisme, Atheisme, Papisme, Libertinisme, may stand togither,
and like salt, oyle, and meale be put togither in a sacrifice. Their
conscience is sett in bonde, like Thamar when shee went to play the
harlott. They had rather haue the shrift of a popishe priest then heare
the holsome admonicion of a preacher; they have Metian, Suffetian
myndes; _Vertumni, Protei_; any relligion, every relligion will serve
their turne. Rome, that second Sodome, which still battlith our Church
and relligion, lett it charge hir wheirein the Gospel hath offended this
44 yeares, and at last it will appeare all hir fault wilbe noe more but
innocence and true godlines. _Est mihi supplicii causa fuisse piam_, &c.
God's mercy in particuler to our nation, in prosperity, in trade,
auoydaunce of forrein attempts, appeasing of inbred treasons and
dissensions, &c. soe that wee may say these 44 yeares of hir Majesties
happie government is the kalender of earthly felicity wherein the
Gospell hath growne old, yf not to old to some which begin to fall out
of love with it, but were it as newe as it was the first day of hir
Majesties entraunce, wee should hear them cry "Oh, howe beautifull are
the feete of those that bring glad tydyngs of salvacion!" _Eamus in
domum Domini_, &c. And lett us pray to Christ that, as the Evangelist
writes he did, soe the Gospell may _crescere ætate et gratia_.
"The rule followeth," saith he, "which I promised, but tyme and order
must rule me. It is but the summe of the examples, it is the same liquor
that ranne from those spouts and is nowe in this cysterne. It runnes
like that violl in the Gospell with wyne and oyle, wherewith Christ
cured the wounded travailer; it runnes like Christes syde, with water
and bloud, judgment and mercy; punishment and comfort," &c.
_Consciencia est coluber in domo, immo in sinu._
[Sidenote: fo. 53.
28 October, 1602.]
In the Chequer, Mr. Crooke,[110] the Recorder of London, standing at the
barr betweene the twoe Maiors, the succeeding on his right hand, and the
resigning on his left, made a speache after his fashion, wherin first he
exhorted the magistrates to good deserts in regard of the prayse or
shame that attends such men for their tyme well or ill imployed; then he
remembered manie hir Majesties fauours to the Citie, their greate and
beneficiall priviledges, their ornaments and ensignes of autoritie,
their choise out of their owne Companies, &c. "Great, and exceeding
great," said hee, "is hir Majesties goodnes to this City," for which he
remembred their humble due thankefulnes; next he briefly commended the
resigning Sir Jo. Jarrett,[111] saying that his owne performances were
speaking wittnesses for him, and the succeeding, for the good hope, &c.:
and then, showing howe this maior, Mr. Lee, had bin chosen by the free
and generall assent of the Citye, he presented him to that honourable
Court, praying their accustomable allowaunce.
[Footnote 110: Afterwards Sir John Croke, Recorder of London from
1595 to 1603, Speaker of the House of Commons in 1601, and a Judge
of the King's Bench under James I. (Foss's Judges, vi. 130.)]
[Footnote 111: Sir John Garrett or Garrard.]
The Lord Chief Baron Periam comended the Recorders speache, and
recommended hir Majesties singular benefits to their thankefull
consideracions, admonished that their might be some monethly strict
searche be made in the Cytie for idle persons and maisterles men,
whereof there were, as he said, at this tyme 30,000 in London; theise
ought to be found out and well punished, for they are the very scumme of
England, and the sinke of iniquitie, &c.
[Sidenote: fo. 53^b.
28 October 1602.]
The Lord Treasurer, L. Buckhurst,[112] spake sharpely and earnestly,
that of his certaine knowledge there were two thinges hir Majestie is
desyrous should be amended. There hath bin warning given often tymes,
yet the commaundement still neglected. They are both matters of
importaunce, and yf they be not better looked vnto the blame wilbe
insupportable, and their answere inexcusable. The former is, nowe in
this time of plenty to make prouision of corne to fill the magazines of
the Citie, as well for suddein occasions as for prouision for the poore
in tyme of dearth: this he aduised the maior to have speciall care of,
and to amend their neglect by diligence, while their fault sleepes in
the bosome of hir Majesties clemency. The other matter was the erecting
and furnishing hospitals. Theise were thinges must be better regarded
then they have bin: otherwise, howesoever he honour the Cytie in his
priuat person, yet it is his dutie in regard of his place to call them
to accompt for it.
[Footnote 112: Thomas Sackville, poet and statesman; Lord Buckhurst,
1567-1604, Earl of Dorset, 1604-1608, and Lord Treasurer,
1599-1608.]
[Sidenote: fo. 54.
27 Oct. 1602.]
Thou carest not for me, thou scornest and spurnest me, but yet, like
those which play at footeball, spurne that which they runne after.
(_Hoste to his wife._)
Wee call an hippocrite a puritan, in briefe, as by an ironized terme a
good fellow meanes a thiefe. (_Albions England._)
[Sidenote: 28.]
He lives by throwing a payre of dice, and breathing a horse sometyme,
_i. e._ by cheatinge and robbinge. (_Towse nar._ [?]).
_In Patres Jesuitas.
Tute mares vitias, non uxor, non tibi scortum,
Dic Jesuita mihi, quî potes esse pater?_
When there was a speach concerning a peace to be made with Spayne, a
lusty cauallier at an ordinary swore he would be hangd yf there were a
peace with Spaine, for which words he was sent for to the Court, and
chargd as a busie medler, and a seditious fellowe; he aunswered, he
meant noe such matter as they imagined; but he ment plainely that
because himselfe was a man of armes, yf wee should haue a peace he
should want employment, and then must take a purse, and soe he was sure
he should be hanged yf there were a peace with Spaine. (_Mr. Gorson._)
One said the Recorder was the mouth of the Cytie; then the City hath a
black mouth, said Harwell, for he is a verry blacke man.
[Sidenote: fo. 54^b.]
OCTOBER 31. AT PAULES
Dr. Dene [?] made a Sermon against the excessiue pride and vanitie of
women in apparraile, &c., which vice he said was in their husbands power
to correct. This man the last tyme he was in this place taught that a
man could not be divorced from his wife, though she should commit
adultery.
He reprehended Mr. Egerton, and such an other popular preacher, that
their auditory, being most of women, abounded in that superfluous vanity
of appa[raile].
AT THE TEMPLE CHURCH
One Mr. Irland, whoe about some three yeares since was a student of the
Middle Temple, preached upon this text: "Thy fayth hath saued the, goe
thy waye in peace."
The Persians had a lawe, that when any nobleman offended, himselfe was
neuer punished, but they tooke his clothes, and when they had beaten
them they gave them vnto him againe; soe when mans soule had synned,
Christ took our flesh upon him, which is as it were the apparaile of the
soule, and when it had been beaten he gave it us againe.
In the afternoone Mr. Marbury of the Temple, text xxi. Isay. 5 v. &c.
But I may not write what he said, for I could not heare him, he
pronunces in manner of a common discourse. Wee may streatche our eares
to catch a word nowe and then, but he will not be at the paynes to
strayne his voyce, that wee might gaine one sentence.
[Sidenote: fo. 55.
Octob. 1602.]
I love not to heare the sound of the sermon, except the preacher will
tell me what he says. I thinke many of those which are fayne to stand
without dores at the sermon of a preacher whom the multitude throng
after may come with as greate a deuotion as some that are nearer, yet I
beleeve the most come away as I did from this, scarse one word the
wiser.
[Sidenote: fol. 55^b.
1 Nov. 1602.]
A preacher in Cambridge said that manie in their universitie had long
beards and short wittes, were of greate standing and small
vnderstandinge; the world sayth _Bonum est nobis esse hic_, and _Soluite
asinum_, for the Lorde hath neede of him; the good schollers are kept
downe in the vniuersitie, while the dunces are preferred. (_Cosen Willis
narr._)