fo. 40. 10 Oct. 1602. At Paules Crosse.
Dr. Spenser94 preached. He remembred in his prayer the Companie of the Fishmongers, as his speciall benefactors while he lived in Oxford; his text the 5 of Isay, v. 4.
We are soe blind and peruerse by nature, that wee are soe farre from the sence of our owne imperfections and the terror of our synn, that either not seing or not acknowledging our owne weaknesses, wee runne headlong into all wickednes, and hate soe much to be reformed, that God is fayne to deale pollitikely with vs, propounding our state vnto vs in parables, as it were an others case, that thereby drawing man from conceit of himselfe, which would make him partiall, he might draw an uncorrupt iudgment of him self from him selfe. Soe dealt the Lord with David by the parable of the poore mans sheepe, and soe here he taketh up a comparison of the vine, to shewe Israell their ingratitude.
Parables are proportionable resemblances of things not well understoode; they be vayles indeed, which couer things, but being remoued give a kinde of light to them which before was insensible, and makes them seeme as though they were sensible.
The things considerable in the text are, first, The churche, resembled by the vine. 2. Gods benefits towards the Churche expressed in the manner of his dressing the vine. 3. The fruit expected, grapes, iudgment and righteousnes. 4. The fayling and ingratitude, by bringing forth sower and wylde grapes; oppression and crying. 5. God's judgment, vers. 6.
fo. 40b.
In the Church he considered, what it is, and where it is.
The Churche is compared most aptly to the vyne, for neither of them spring naturally. Non sumus de carne, nec voluntate hominis, sed bene-placito Dei. 2. Both spring, and growe, first in weakenes, yet then they claspe their little hands and take hold on of an other, and soe going on crescunt sine modo, the increase without measure, as Pliny sayth. 3. Noe plant more flourishing in the summer, none more poore and bare95 in winter. All followe the Church in prosperitie, and the rich, the mighty, the wise, in persequution fall away like leaves. 4. Bring forth fruit in clusters, which cheres the hart. God and men and angels reioyce when the Church aboundes in workes of righteousnes and true holines. 5. Both have but one roote, though manie branches; Christ is the true foundacion, other then this can no man lay. 6. The branches are ingrafted, and as in planting all are tyed alike with the outward bond, yet all proue not alike, soe all haue the same profession and outward meanes, yet all growe not nor fructifie alike: but it is the inward grace that maketh the true branche; as he is a Jewe that is one within. Rom. ii. 28, 29.
2. The Lord's vineyard is not to be knowne by the fruit (for we reade here that it bringeth forth wyld grapes), but where the roote is fo. 41.planted, where Christ is professed, there the Church is; it is nowe universall, not yed to anie place; we reade of 7 Churches in the Reuelacions, though all not alike pure, yet all churches: Israell is his eldest sonne, though a prodigall: as betwixt man and woman after a publique contract celebrated, though the woman play the harlot and bring forth children of fornicacion unto hir husband, yet continues shee his wife whose name shee beares vntill a publique divorce be sued. Some churches are soare, some sicke, some soe leprous that noe communion ought to [be] continued with them, yet churches still. Yf anie aske, as manie papists use to doe, where our church was before Martin Luther was borne, we aunswer that it is the same churche that was from the beginninge, and noe newe on as they terme it, for the weeding of a vyneyard is noe destroyinge, nor the pruning any planting; for we have remoued but idolatrie and a privat masse of ceremonies, which with the burying the author[?] of life in a hidden and unknowne language had almost put the heavenly light out of our candlesticke; and when the trashe of humaine inventions had raysed themselues to soe high esteeme, it was tyme to say, "Yf Ephraim play the harlot, yet lett not Israell synn."
fo. 41b.
Jerusalem litterally is the mother Churche of all.
The Churche, like the vine that hath many branches but one roote, may haue severall members, but all knit together with the vnity of three bonds—one Lord, one fayth, one baptisme. But nowe Rome, usurping over his fellowes, speakes like Babilon in the 18 Reuel. "I cannot erre," and have encroched an article vpon the Creede, that must be beeleeved upon payne of damnation, that there is one visible heade of the Churche (which must be the Pope). And yet in an œcumenical Counsell of 330 Catholike Bishops it was decreed that Constantinople should have equall authority with Rome; which plainely confuted their usurped universall supremacy. Yet the Popes, by the assistaunce of the Emperours, haue, like ivy, risen higher then the oke by which it climed: soe much that our countriman Stapleton doubts not to call his Holines Supremum in terris numen.
3. The benefites and manner of dressing the vine: Genesis is but the nurse of it; Exodus, the removing; Leviticus, the ordering and manner of keeping it; Josua, the weeding, &c. God soe loued it that he gave his onely Sonne to redeeme it, and when he gave him, what gave he not with him?
Might not the Church use the wordes of the leeper in the Ghospell: "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me cleane;" and why then complaynest thou?
fo. 42.
True it is, yf we consider his power: for he that is able to rayse vp children to Abraham of stones, to make the iron sweate, &c. can purifie our corruptions yf wee regard his power, and that without our meanes; but God hath tyed himself to ordinary meanes, by his eternall decree: and he that will not heare Moses and the prophets neither will he beleeve though one should rise from the dead. Many were foule with the leprosie in Nathans [Elishas?] tyme, yet none cured but Naman.
4. The fruit. All things, euen the meanest, imitate the Creator in doing something in their kind for the common good, not themselves alone; the olive doth not anoint itself with its owne oyle; the trees and plants which spend themselues in bringing forth some fruit or berry holds it noe longer then till it be ripe, and then letts it fall at his masters feete; the grape is not made drunke with its owne iuyce.
"He that receiveth a benefit hath lost his liberty," saith Seneca; and, since we have received such benefits of God as we can not, we would not renounce, lett us glorifie him in our bodies whose we are, not our owne.
Aeternitie cometh before we worke, therefore our workes merit not eternall life: and infants incorporat into the mysticall vyne are saued though they dy before they are able to bring forth anie good worke.
Our good workes growe as it were in a cold region; the best of them, even our prayers, scarce come to perfection throughe the imperfection of our nature.
Good workes to be performed for mutuall helpe, and though we holde ourselves sufficient, yet they are to be done, even as every thing fo. 42b.bringeth forth something yf for noe other purpose yet to continue in its owne state; like the spring, which, because it yeildeth water, is therefore continually fed with water.
Bona opera sunt via regni, non causa regnandi. (Bernard.)
The fruits brought forth; wyld grapes: an heavy sight to a carefull husbandman, to haue noe better reward of his paynes.
I pray God the Church of England may not justifie the synns of Sodome and Judas. Couetousnes, the roote of all wickednes, maketh men desyre to be greate rather then good, and this desyre causes them to sucke even the lyfe from one another. There is a synn amongst us which hath not bin heard of amongst the Gentiles, that wee should robb God, and that is in tithing. Howe manie desyrous that the labouring man, the minister, might be put out, that themselues might haue the inheritaunce. It is the corruption of the ministery that all the dores of entraunce are shut up but the dore of symony, soe that the most and best places are for the most possessed by the worst; and, yf anie of the better be forced to come in, they are constrayned to make shipwracke of a good conscience.
If it be true which is published in the names of the popish faction, the Pope hath sent a dispensation that the popish patrons may sell their presentations, soe be it the money come to the maintenance of the Jesuites. And will Peters successor thinke it lawefull to sell the guifts of the Holie Ghost? Will Simon Peter become Simon Magus? But he will nowe become a fisher for men; because he findes in their mouthes greater peices then fo. 43.twenty pence. The ministers are like the hart and liver, from whence are derived lyfe and nourishment by sound doctrine and good example into the members of the Church, and yf these be corrupt it is much to be feared the whole body is like to languishe in a dangerous consumption.
In defrauding the ministery, we pull downe the pillers of the house wee dwell in.
fo. 43b.
11 October, 1602.The Lord Zouche, Lord President of the Marches of Wales, begins to knowe and use his authoritie soe muche that his iurisdiction is allready brought in question in the Common place, and the Cheif Justice of that bench96 thinkes that Glostershire, Herefordshire, &c., are not within his circuit.
When he came to sitt on the benche at Ludlowe, there were, as it was wont, two cushions layd, one for the Cheife Justice Leukenour, another for the President, but he tooke the on, and casting it downe said, one was enough for that place. (Tho: Overbury.)
Sir Walter Rhaleighs sollicitor, on Sheborough, was verry malapert and saucy in speache to Justice Walmesley97 at the bench in the Common place; soe far that, after words past hotly betwixt them, he said he thought it fitt to commit him for his contemptuous behauiour, but the other iudges were mum. Quantus ille! His wordes, "Before God, you do not well to lay their practises vpon us. You knowe me well enough. If you list, &c."
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fo. 44.
10 October, 1602.
I heard that Sir Robert Cecile is fallen in dislike with one of his Secretaries of greatest confidence (Mr.98,) and hath discarded him, which moues manie coniectures and much discourse in the Court. This Secretary was a sutour to be on of the clerkes of the signet, as a place of more ease and lesse attendaunce then a clarke of the counsell, which it is though[t] he might haue.
The Irish Earle of Clanrichard99 is well esteemed of by hir Maiestie, and in speciall grace at this tyme; hath spent lavishly since he came ouer, yet payes honestly. (Mr. Hadsor.)
The Earl of Ormond100 is purposed, and hath licence, to marry his daughter to one of his cosens, not to the Lord Mountioy as was thought. (Idem.)
Evill companie cuttes to the bone before the fleshe smart. It is like a fray in the night, when a man knowes not howe to ward. (Ch. Dauers booke.)
The libertines from the rose of Sola fides, sucke the poyson of security. (Idem.)
A souldier being challenged for flying from the camp said, Homo fugiens denuo pugnabit.
Booth being indited of felony for forgery the second time, desyred a day to aunswere till Easter terme; "Oh!" said the Attorny, "you would haue a spring; you shall, but in a halter," (Ch. Da.)
* * * * *
25.
I heard that Sir Richard Basset is much seduced, indeed gulled, by one Nic. Hill, a great profest philosopher, and nowe abuseth this yong knight by imagined alchymie.101 (Jo. Chap.)
fo. 44b.
12 October, 1602.The Earle of Sussex keepes Mrs. Syluester Morgan (sometyme his ladies gentlewoman) at Dr. Daylies house as his mistress, calls hir his Countesse, hyres Captain Whitlocke,102 with monie and cast suites, to braue his Countes, with telling of hir howe he buyes his wench a wascote of 10l., and puts hir in hir veluet gowne, &c.: thus, not content to abuse hir by keeping a common wench, he striues to invent meanes of more greife to his lady, whoe is of a verry goodly and comely personage, of an excellent presence, and a rare witt. Shee hath brought the Earle to allowe hir 1700l. a yeare for the maintenaunce of hir selfe and hir children while she lives apart. It is coniectured that Captain Whitlocke, like a base pander, hath incited the Earl to followe this sensuall humour, * * * as he did the Earl of Rutland. (J. Bramstone nar.) The Countesse is daughter to the Lady Morrison in Hartfordshire,103 with whom it is like she purposeth to liue. * * * A practise to bring the nobilitie into contempt and beggery, by nourishing such as may prouoke them to spend all vpon lechery and such base pleasures.
When there came one which presented a supplicacion for his master to the Counsell, that vpon sufficient bond he might be released out of Wisbishe Castle, where he lay for recusancy, that he might looke to his busines in haruest, the Lord Admirall104 thought the petition reasonable, but the old Lord Treasurour, Sir W. Cecil, said he would not assent, "for," said he, "I knowe howe such men would vse vs yf they had vs at the like aduantage, and therefore while we haue the staffe in our handes lett us hold it, and when they gett it lett them vse it." (Mr. Hadsor nar.)