fo. 73. 5 Dec. 1602. Mr. Layfeild at St. Clements.
His text, 2 Cor. iii. 7: "Whoe hath alsoe made us fitt ministers of the Newe Testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit quickeneth."
He had preached heretofore of this text, and had in that sermon obserued out of this place that the duty of a Christian and a fitt minister are severall and distinct. Nowe he considered the object whereabout the office of a minister is imployed, which is the Newe Testament, and to this purpose he shewed the difference betwixt the Old and Newe Testament, the old lawe and the newe, which consisted not onely in this (which the Papists make to all), that the newe is more plaine then the old, and that Moses was the writer of the first and Christ of the latter; but this the true essentiall difference, the old was a covenant; a mutuall sponsion and stipulacion; a promise upon condicion; something to be performed on either part. Fac hoc, sayth God to man, this is the lawe to be observed by man, et vives, and I will give thee lyfe; trust me with that. But the gospell, the Newe Testament, is a covenant absolute, like that "I have made a covenant with myne eyes," and that "I have made a covenant with David that I will not fayle:" a promise on Gods part onely, like a testament in this, that it is a free donacion without condicion precedent, all meerely of grace and favour from God. Noe merit from us. When he assended he gave gifts unto men.
When man had entered into covenant with God, and by breaking of it became soe farre his debtor that he had forfayted body and soule for his synn, God dealt mercifully with him, and tooke a sacrifice of some living beast as a bond which deferred, not satisfied, the debt, and this to continue till Christs comming, whose death should be a discharge of that obligacion, and the whole debt alsoe for soe manie as could obtaine Christs favour.
fo. 73b.
5 Dec. 1602.In the afternoone, the same man at the same place. After a briefe recapitulacion of what he had deliuered in the forenoone, he proceeded to shewe the office of a minister of the Newe Testament, with the difference betweene the preists of the Old and the ministers of the Newe Testament. The office of those was to teache the covenant, to denounce the curse, and to take sacrifices of synners as obligacions and testimonies against the synner that he had soe often forfayted his soule and body; the office of the minister of the New Testament is to preache both the lawe to deject and humble the synner by the operacion of the spirit; and the gospell to rayse and comfort him, that he may not despayre and dye, but beeleeve and be saved; their office is alsoe as executors of Christs testament to dispose of his legacyes, his promises; that is, to remitt synnes to every penitent beleeving synner; and lastly, to impart and confirme the graces by ministring his blessed sacraments.
The letter killeth, for that sayth in the lawe, Thou must doe this, thou must not doe that, otherwise God must be satisfied; thou must be punished, or els thou must have pardon. Man could not obserue them; man was not able to abide the punishment—was like a man in prison, could not gett forth to sue for pardon; was like a poor man deepely indebted, had noe meanes to make satisfaction. The gospell likewise in the letter sayth, Thou must repent, thou must beleeue, or els thou canst not be saued; and yet none of them is in our power. But the spirit quickeneth; that shewes vs Christ hath satisfied, and giues vs grace to beleeve it, &c.
fo. 74.
5 Dec. 1602.
The lawe of the Old Testament is not abolished by the Newe, but the old covenant, the condicion of the lawe, is taken awaye; for the lawe continues and hath a singular vse in the ministry of the Newe Testament, to make a synner knowe and confesse himselfe such a one, for before he finde his synnes greuous he hath noe neede of a sauiour; as Christ sayd, "I came not to call the righteous but synners to repentaunce," and "Come vnto me, all ye that are weary, and I will easye you," and "The whole neede not the physitian."
Yf the minister dispense Christs legacyes to a counterfayt and dissemblinge penitent, yet they haue done their duty. And as Christ sayd to his disciples, "When you enter into anie place, say peace be with you, and yf the Sonne of peace be not there, your peace shall returne againe vnto you."
Christ made his testament, bequeathed legacyes, made his executors the disposers of them: therefore there must be certaine markes and notes, as certaine as the names of persons to knowe the persons to whom the legacyes are bequeathed, otherwise the executors cannot knowe howe [to] dispose of them. And these markes are fayth and repentaunce, for to euery one that repenteth and beleeueth remission of syn is giuen: and therefore it followeth, against the doctrine of the Church of Rome, that a man must beleeue, and knowe that he beleeueth, hath fayth and repentaunce, for that generall fayth of that church in generall is noe more but to beleeue noe [more?] but this, that all that is in the Scripture is true, that all that beleeue shall be saued, and that noe man knoweth whether he beleeue or repent. But, on the contrarie, we hold that beleeue and fayth must be in particuler, and then such a person is become a legatary certaine in Christs testament, and capable of the disposicion of the promise.
fo. 74b.
7 Dec. 1602. In Justice Catlines128 tyme one Burchely brought a Replegiar "quare averia cepit et injuste detinuit", et declare "quod cepit et detinuit unam vaccam", and soe it was recorded. After, when Meade came to argue, he pleaded this in abatement; and Burchely, perceuing the recorde was faulty, entred the words et vitulum, and then said there was a calfe in the case in the roll (an Essex case). Justice Catline demaunded to see the record, and, the wordes being written soe newely that they were not dry, "It is true," sayd he, "your cowe hath newly calved, for shee hath not lickt the calfe dry yet." (Colebrand.)
The abuse of the Statute for reforming errors in the Kings Bench, &c. hath frayed the clients from their suites, when they see they can haue noe judgment certaine or speedy.
* * * * *
Three men's opinions preferred before five, yf not all togither; as in a writt of error in the Kings Benche to reverse a judgment in the Common place. Yf there be three of one opinion to reverse, and the fourth would haue it affirmed; nowe regarding the judgment in the Common place, with this mans opinion there are five on the on syde, and but three on the other, yet those three shall prevaile.
fo. 75.
Dec. 7, 1602.
Out of a little book intituled Buccina Capelli in laudem Juris:129
Lawe hath God for the author, and was from the beginning.
Jurisprudentia est naturæ effigies, ut Demosthenes; humanitatis initium, ut Isocrates; libertatis fundamentum, ut Anaxagoras; recte viuendi norma, ut Diodorus; æqui bonique ars, ut Ulpianus. Confert divitias, quibus egenos fulciant, amicos sublevent, patriam vel labentem sustineant, vel precipitantem erigant, vel florentem augeant; honores, quibus illustrati familiam suam obscuram illustrent, novam exornent, insignem decorent, facultatem qua inquinatam improborum vitam retundant et comprimant, et optimorum optimè traductam muncribus et mercede digna et laudabili ornent et illustrent, ut majores dicantur.
Quid aliud vult sibi legis nomen quam hoc, ut velit quicquid sit insolutum ligare, quicquid dissolutum legis severitate devincire, quicquid corruptum, quicquid inquinatum, illud resecare vel resarcire. Cuidam percontanti quomodo respublica florere, et statu fælicissimo quam diutissimè permanere possit, respondet Solon, "Si illi quos fortuna ad infimam plebis sortem depresserat penderent a præscripto magistratuum, et quos fortuna ad altiorem dignitatis gradum erexerat penderent a præscripto legum."
Literis incumbunt juuenes ut fiant judices.
Scio qualis fuerim, immo qualis fuisse non deberem; cognosco qualis sum, timeo qualis futurus sim, et magis timeo quo minus doleo; utinam magis dolerem, ut minus timerem.
Doleo quia semper dolens dolere nescio.
Quo modo nisi per dolores sanabitur, qui per delectationes infirmatur? Doce me salutarem dolorem.
fo. 75b.
Dec. 1602.Dunne130 is undonne; he was lately secretary to the Lord Keeper, and cast of because he would match him selfe to a gentlewoman against his Lords pleasure.
On Munday last the Queene dyned at Sir Robert Secils [sic] newe house in the Stran. Shee was verry royally entertained, richely presented, and marvelous well contented, but at hir departure shee strayned hir foote. His hall was well furnished with choise weapons, which hir Majestie tooke speciall notice of. Sundry deuises; at hir entraunce, three women, a maid, a widdowe, and a wife, eache commending their owne states, but the Virgin preferred;131 an other, on attired in habit of a Turke desyrous to see hir Majestie, but as a straunger without hope of such grace, in regard of the retired manner of hir Lord, complained; answere made, howe gracious hir Majestie in admitting to presence, and howe able to discourse in anie language; which the Turke admired, and, admitted, presents hir with a riche mantle, &c.