Diary of John Manningham Part 20

His text 2 Peter ii. v. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. The length of his text might make some tedious semblance of a long discourse, but the matter shortly cutt itself into two parts, example and rule; one particular, the other generall; the one experiment, the other science; the one of more force to proue, the other to instruct. The argument is not _a posse ad esse_, but _ab esse ad posse_; it hath bin, and therefore may be; nay by this place it shalbe, for _lege mortali quod vnquam fuit, et hodie fieri potest_; but _lege aeterna_, that which hath bin shalbe agayne. Here is an acted performaunce, a demonstracion, [Greek: to hoti], which are most forceable to persuade, being of all thinges sauing the thinges themselves neerest our apprehension, leading from the sense to the vnderstanding, which is our certaynest meane of acquiring knowledge, since philosophie teacheth _quod nihil est intellectu, quod non prius fuit in sensu; sicut audiuimus, et fecerunt patres nostri_. Hystory and example the strongest motives to imitation. Rules are but sleeping and seeming admonitions. Thomas would not beleeue vnles he thrust his fingers into Christes sydes, and felt the print of his nayles; and we are so obstinat, wee will hardly beeleue except G.o.des judgments thrust fingers and nayles into our sydes.

[Sidenote: fo. 47.

Oct. 1602.]

[Sidenote: fo. 47^b.

Oct. 1602.]

The examples are bipart.i.te: each containing contrary doctrines, like the 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 G.o.d's creatures, and the deluge oec.u.menicall and universall. But G.o.d in his punishment, like a wise prince, will begin at his owne sanctuary, at his owne house, _non habitabit mec.u.m 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 a.s.sistauntes of his throne; they are farr above the greatest saint, for wee shalbe but like them, and they are next to the Sonne of G.o.d, 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 princ.i.p.atum_, 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 l.u.s.t, and concupiscence, by carnall copulacion with women upon earth, and this they would lay upon these wordes, and the Sonnes of G.o.d 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 G.o.d 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 complacentiae, non efficaciae_, 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 pa.s.seth 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, pa.s.seth all hyperbole; there was a present amission of place, grace, glory, the fruition of G.o.des 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 conscienciae_, yet they can neuer come _ad correptionem gratiae_, 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 rest.i.tution 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: G.o.d 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 mult.i.tude may synn and their synn is more grievous, _qui c.u.m mult.i.tudine peccat, c.u.m mult.i.tudine 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 G.o.d, 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 G.o.d, 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 G.o.d, 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 fas.h.i.+on, 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 G.o.d 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 unG.o.dly, 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 G.o.d'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 bra.s.se, 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.

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October, 1602.]

But "saued Noah, the eight person, a preacher of righteousnes." Here is a banner of hope to all that feare G.o.d. 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 G.o.ds 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 s.h.i.+pwright, 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 G.o.d, 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, _s.e.m.e.n 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 c.u.n.try 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 h.e.l.l-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 unG.o.dly; 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 c.u.m 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 n.a.z.ianzeene but a question, n.a.z.ianzeene told him he would not answere _nisi purgatus fuerit_. Wee must not say soe much as "G.o.d 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 G.o.dlines. _Est mihi supplicii causa fuisse piam_, &c.

G.o.d'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 aetate 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 fas.h.i.+on, 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 a.s.sent 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.]