18.One would needes knowe of a philosopher what reason there was that a man should be in love with beauty; the other made noe other answer, but told him it was a blind mans question. Soe one wondered what sweetenes men found in musicke they were soe much delighted in, an other said it was but the doubt of a deaf man, &c.
"Flumen orationis, micam vero habuit rationis," hee had a streame of wordes, but scarce a drop of witt.
Beauty more excellent then many virtues, for it makes itselfe more knowne: noe sooner seene but admired, whereas one may looke long enough upon a man before he can tell what virtue is in him, untill some occasion be offered to shew them.
28.Captaine Whitlocke, a shuttlecock: flyes up and downe from one nobleman to an other, good for nothing but to make sport, and help them to loose tyme.123
His text, vii. Isay. 10. All the while he prayed he kept on his velvet night cap untill he came to name the Queene, and then of went that to, when he had spoken before both of and to God with it on his head.
Yf Godes words will not move us, neither will his workes. If dixit will not perswade, neither can fecit induce us.
A regall not a righteous motive.
Puts on the visard of hypocrisie.
Omne bonum a Deo bono, as all springs from their offspring the sea.
Judge the whole by part, as merchants sell their wares, the whole butt by a tast of a pint, &c.
Jobs patience compared to Gods not soe muche as a drop to the sea, or a mote to the whole earth.
Sinfull man approching Gods presence is not consumed as the stuble with the fyre, because man is Gods worke, and Gods mercy is ouer all his workes.
What will you make me like unto, or what will you make like unto me, saith God.
Scriptura discentem non docentem respicit, and therefore penned in a plaine and easie manner.
Essentia operis est potentia creatoris. Here he stumbled into an invective against contempt of ministers, and impoverishing the clergy. Pharoes dreame is revived, the leane kine eate up the fatt, and were never the fatter. Laymens best liuings were the Church livings; yet the gentry come to beggery.
Magnum solatium est magnum supplicium a magno impositum; but intollerable when the basest make it their cheife grace to disgrace the ministers.
Christ calls them the light of the world, and they are the children of darknes that would blowe it out.
Pride is a greate cause of unthankefullnes, when he shall thinke omne datum esse tuum officium et suum meritum.
Bishop Bonner made bonefires of the bones of saints and martyres in Queen Maries days.
Praysd our happy gouernment for peace and religion; and soe ended.
fo. 66.
21 November, 1602.Though a fashion of witt in writing may last longer then a
fashion in a sute of clothes, yet yf a writer live long, and change
not his fashion, he may perhaps outlive his best credit. It were good
for such a man to dy quickly. (Of Dr. Reynolds; Th. Cranmer.)
Reynolds esteemes it his best glorie to quote an author for every sentence, nay almost every syllable; soe he may indeede shewe a great memory but small judgment. Alas, poore man! he does as yf a begger should come and pouer all his scraps out of his wallet at a riche mans table. He had done what he could, might tell where he had begd this peece and that peece, but all were but a beggerly shewe. He takes a speciall grace to use an old worne sentence, as though anie would like to be served with cockcrowen pottage,124 or a man should like delight to have a garment of shreeds. (Cra. and I.)
The old deane of Paules, Nowell, told Dr. Holland that he did onerare, not honorare, eum laudibus.
That which men doe naturally they doe more justly; subiects naturally desire liberty, for all things tend to their naturall first state, and all were naturally free without subjection; therefore the subiect may more justly seeke liberty then the prince incroach upon his liberty. (Th. Cran.)
Lucian, after a great contention amongst the gods which should have the first place, the Grecian challenging the prioritie for their curious workmanship, though their stuff were not soe rich, the other for the richnes of their substaunce, though they were less curious; at last he determines, the richer must be first placed, and the virtuous next. (Th. Cran.)
fo. 66b.
21 Nov. 1602.Jo. Marstone the last Christmas he daunct with Alderman
Mores wiues daughter, a Spaniard borne. Fell into a strang
commendacion of hir witt and beauty. When he had done, shee
thought to pay him home, and told him she though[t] he was a
poet. "'Tis true," said he, "for poets fayne and lye, and soe dyd
I when I commended your beauty, for you are exceeding foule."
Mr. Tho. Egerton, the Lord Keeper's sonne,125 brake a staff gallantly this tilting; there came a page skipping, "Ha, well done yfayth!" said he, "your graundfather never ranne such a course." (In novitatem.)
"His mouth were good to make a mouse trap;" of one that smels of chese-eating.
A good plaine fellowe preacht at night in the Temple Churche; his text, lxxxvi Psal. v. 11, "Teache me thy wayes, O Lord, and I will walk in thy truth."
1. Note David's wisdome in desyring knowledge before all things. 2. Our ignoraunce that must be taught. 3. Our imperfection. David was an old scholler in Gods schole, and yet desyred to be taught. 4. Thy wayes; not false decretals, &c. nor lying legends, &c.
Soe soone as the Arke came into the Temple the idol Dagon fell downe and brake its necke; when God enters into our harts our idol synnes must be cast out.
fo. 67.
21 Nov. 1602.Mr. Fenton, reader of Gray's Inn. His text, Luke xix. 9, "This day
is salvacion come unto this house: insoemuch as this man also is become
the sonne of Abraham." This is an absolution, and a rule of it, 1. He
that pronounceth the absolution is Christ; 2. The person absolued is
Zachee. An example that may most move this auditorie to followe
Christ; since this man was rich and a ruler of the people, whereas the
most of them that followed Christ had nothing to loose; 3. The ground
of his absolucion, that he was the sonne of Abraham, which he proved to
Christ by his fayth, to the world by his works. He observed 5 parts:
1. The nature of the absolution, that it is a declaracion of saluacion. 2.
By whom it is declared, viz. by Christ. 3. How far it extended, to Zachee
and his family. 4. Upon what ground, that is, his fayth and repentaunce.
5. Howe soone, "This day."
Saluacion is come; wee are not able to seeke it; therefore Christ sayd, "Enter into thy fathers joy;" for wee are not capable that it should enter into us; but enter into that joy as the bucket into the fountayne. Yf he should endeauour to prefix a preface for attention, he could not finde a better then to tell them he must tell them of saluation. None under the degree of an angell was thought worthie to publishe the first tydinges of it to a fewe shepheards.
Noe preacher able to giue his auditorie a tast of saluacion. It is one thing to forgive, another thing to declare forgivenes of synnes; the former is personall, and that Christ carried to heaven with him, the other ministeriall, and that he left behinde to his disciples and apostles; "Whose synnes you binde shallbe bound, whose synnes you remitt shalbe loosed."
The raysing of Lazarus, a resemblaunce of absolucion. Lazarus had layen three dayes when Christ came to rayse him; he bad him come out; here is his voyce, which being seconded by divine power restored him to lyfe; soe the word of God preached to a synner, being seconded with divine grace, rayseth the synner.
Popishe priests and Jesuites play fast and loose with mens consciences.
Jesuites come into riche mens houses, not to bring them salvacion, but because there is something to be fisht for. Jesus and the Church wee knowe; but whoe are these? Soe they are sent away naked and torne, like those presumptuous fellowes that would have cast out diuels in Christs name without his leaue, and the God of heaven will laugh them to scorne.
Not all poore blessed, but the poore in spirit onely; nor all rich cursed,
but the riche in this world onely; for here is Zache blessed. Howsoever
Christs words import a greate difficulty for rich men to enter into
heauen, when, after he had compared heauen gate to a needles eye, and
the rich man to a cammel, hee aunswered his disciples words, that all
things are possible with God, and as though it were a miracle with men.
Hardly can he runne after Christ when his hart is lockt vp in his coffer.
fo. 68.
21 Nov. 1602.But the scripture tells us there is a rich Abraham in heaven, as well as a
Dives in hell. Yf anie have inriched themselves by forged cauillacion
lett them not despayre, for soe did Zache. Yf anie have a place that he
must have vnder him as many officers as Briareus had hands, through
whose hands many things may be ill carried, lett him not be discouraged,
for soe had Zache. Yf anie be branded with infamie lett him yet be
comforted by the example of Zache, for soe was hee, and yet became a
true Christian.
Saluacion came unto Zache by a threefold conveyaunce: 1. By his riches, which to the good are sacramentes of His favor. 2. That himself being conuert, his whole family was soe; the servants and attendants are the shaddowes of their master; they moue at his motion. 3. That all his househould was blessed for his sake; such are the braunches as the roote; the whole lumpe was made holie by the first fruits.
Thrice happie land, whose prince is the daughter of Abraham, crowning it with the sacraments of temporall blessings. Add, O Lord! this blessing, that hir dayes may be multiplied as the starres of heaven.
To become the sonne of Abraham is to receive the image of Abraham.
He hath two images, his fayth, and his workes. Imitate him: 1. In
rejoycing in God, as Simeon did when he had Christ in his armes, and
this joy made the burden seeme light to the lame man when he carried
his bed, after Christ had cured him. fo. 68b.
21. Nov. 1602.2. In hospitallitie he received
angels, and amongst them God, for one was called Jehoua. 3. In despising
to growe rich by ill meanes. Sodome could not make him rich,
because he would not have it said that the diuel had made him riche.
There is none but would spend the best bloud in his body, and stretch his verry hart strings, to be made sure of his salvacion; but the matter is easier, you must stretch your purse-strings, and restore what you have gotten wrongefully, otherwise noe security of saluacion.
A peremptory to conclude before his premisses.
What motives to restitution. Should I propound the rigor of the
lawe, you will say that is taken away by the gospell. Should I sett
before you the commendable examples of such as professed restitution,
you will alledge your owne imperfection—they were perfect and rare
men, wee must not look for such perfection. Shall I tell you there
are but four crying synnes, and this is one of them—"The syn of
them that have taken from others by fraud or violence cryeth before
the Lord of Hosts," as though nothing could appease but vengeance.
Yet, you will say, though the syn be heynous, yet the mercy of God
is over all his workes, and there is more virtue in the seede of the
woman to heale then there can be poison in the serpent to hurt us. And
God forgiueth all upon repentaunce. 'Tis true God absolueth the penitent,
but upon condicion that he restore the pledge that he withheld, and that
which he hath robbed. But may not this be dispensed withall by the
fo. 69.
21 Nov. 1602.gospell? The shaddowe points at the truthe. In the v. of Numbers, 7 [v.]
besides the ransom for the attonement, the goods that were deteyned
must be restored. Christ resembleth the ram, &c. Ob. Hath not Christ
paid all our debts for us? Yes, but such as thou couldst not pay
thyselfe; he hath satisfied God for thy syn, and thou must satisfie thy
brother for the wrong thou hast done him yf thou beest able, otherwise
thou must look for noe absolucion, for without repentaunce and amendment
noe absolucion, and without restitution no true repentaunce. It
may be you will say you are sorry for that you have gayned wrongfully,
and meane to doe soe noe more. This is noe true sorrowe nor sufficient
repentaunce, for soe long as you reteine the thing, there is a continuaunce
of the syn, for thou holdest that willingly which was gotten wrongfully.
Surely yf a theife had taken your purse, and should tell you he were
sorry, but could not finde in his heart to give you it againe, you would
thinke he did but mocke you. But be not deceived, God will not be
mocked. Glaunces make noe impression. There is a worldly sorrowe,
and there is a godly sorrowe. Soe long as the goods are retained pœitentia
non agitur sed fingitur. But pænitentia vera non est pænitenda.
But you will say, yf I should make restitution I should empty manie of
my bags, and make a greate hole in my lands, and this would make me
sorry againe; but this is worldly. Soe there would followe a certaine
kinde of shame upon restitucion; but the point is to resolve first to
restore, and then doubt not but the wisdome of God will cause you to
restore without shame, as the cunning of the diuel made you gett
without shame.
This day. When God came to reprehend and denounce judgment against Adam in Paradise, it is sayd he walked; but when he comes with saluacion he comes with hindes feet swiftly. This day. Against procrastinacion and deferring repentaunce. It is a fearefull saying, they shall striue to enter in and cannot, because they came not soone enough; too many think they have the Spirit of God in a string, and are able to dispatch all while the bell is tolling. But God sayth, they shall cry, but I will not hear them; then they shall seeke me earely, but they shall not finde me, because they cry and seeke too late. The example of the theife on the crosse is noe example. It was a miracle, that Christ might shewe the power of his diuinity in his greatest humiliacion: besides, the theife had moe and greater graces then manie of the disciples at that time, for some had forsaken and none durst confesse him. And besydes, he were but a desperat theife that would presume because the prince had graunted one pardon.
Outward actions of Christ point at inward and spirituall matters; the raysing of Lazarus that had bin dead three dayes was with great difficulty. Christ was fayne to cry out and grone ere he could get him up. And the disciples could not cast out the diuel that had possessed the man from his infancy. And when Christ cast him out it was with wonderfull tormentinges to the possessed; soe dangerous delay, for the difficulty to repent, syn growing as deare as old, &c.
fo. 70.
22 Nov. 1602.I heard that one Daniel, an Italian, having appeached one Mowbray,
a Scott, of treason against his King, Mowbray challenged the
combat, and it was appointed to be foughten.
25.Lord Cheife Baron Manwood126 understanding that his sonne had sold his chayne to a goldsmith, sent for the goldsmith, willed him to bring the chayne, enquired where he bought it. He told, in his house. The Baron desyred to see it, and put it in his pocket, telling him it was not lawefully bought. The goldsmith sued the Lord, and, fearing the issue would proue against him, obtained the counsels letters to the Lord, whoe answered, "Malas causas habentes semper fugiunt ad potentes. Ubi non valet veritas, prevalet authoritas. Currat lex, Vivat Rex, and soe fare you well, my Lords;" but he was committ. (Curle.)