At Paules Crosse
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.
fo. 67b.
21 Nov. 1602.
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.
fo. 69.
21 Nov. 1602.
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.)
Take heed of your frend;
You are in the right——
Your foe strikes by day,
Your freind in the night.
Mr. Nichols, of Eastwell in Kent, wrote a booke which he called the Plea of Innocents;127 wherin it seemes he hath taken vpon him the defense of Puritans more then he ought, for I heard that he is deprived, and must be degraded for it, besides imprisonment and perpetuall silence, before the High Commissioners at Lambeth.
Women, because they cannot have their wills when they dye, they will have their wills while they live.
27.Dum spero pereo. (J. Couper's motto.)
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John Sweete: wee shine to:—a companie of stars about the moone. (His devise.)
fo. 70b.
27 Nov. 1602.There were called to the bar by parliament, Shurland, Branstone, Bradnum, Bennet, Gibbes, Jeanor, Rivers, Paget, Horton, and Crue.
The diuine, the lawyer, and the physicion must all have these three things, reason, experience, and autority, but eache in a severall degree; the diuine must begin with the autoritie of scripture, the lawyer rely upon reason, and the physicion trust to experience.
The happiest lyfe that I can fynd,
Is sweete content in a setled mynd.
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Serjeant Harris, standing on day at the common place barr with the other sergeants, and hauing scarce clients enough to hold motion,—"They talke of a call of sergeants," said he, "but for ought I can see wee had more neede of a call of clients."
When one said that Vennar the graund connicatcher had golden spurres and a brasen face, "It seemes," said R. R., "he hath some mettall in him."
A proud man is like a rotten egge, which swymmes above his betters.