* * * * *[155]
fo. 96.
6 Feb. 1602.At the Temple Churche, Dr. Abbottes,[156] Deane of [Winchester.[157]]
His text, 59 of Isay, v. 12: "For our tresspasses are many before thee, and our synnes testify against us, for our trespasses are with us, and we knowe our iniquities."
He began with a commendacion of this prophet for the most eloquent and evangelique, in soe much that St. Jerome said he might rather be placed amongst the Evangelists then the Prophets.
All men are synners. "Our trespasses." When Christ taught his disciples to pray, it was one peticion, "Forgive us our trespasses:" to lett them knowe that they were his chosen disciples, yet they were not without synn.
Some may say they have liued sine crimine, sine querela, sed nemo absque peccato.
Hence we must learne not to be presumptuous, but to worke out our salvacion with feare and trembling, since all are synners. 2. Not to despayre, since the best haue synned.
Our synnes are before God, his eyes are 10,000 tymes brighter then the sunne, nothing hid from his knowledge. Synne is like a smoke, like fyre, it mounteth upward, and comes even before God to accuse us; it is like a serpent in our bosome, still ready to sting us; it is the diuels daughter. A woman hath hir paynes in travaile and delivery, but rejoyceth when she seeth a child is borne; but the birth of synn is of a contrary fashion; for all the pleasure [is] in the bringing forth, but when it is finished and brought forth, it tormenteth us continually; they haunt us like the tragicall furies.
fo. 96b.
6 Feb. 1602.In the afternoone, Mr. Clapham; his text, Math. xxiv. 15.
"Lett him that readeth consider it." He said this chapter is not to be understoode of doomesday, but of the destruction of Jerusalem; and that the 28 v. "Wheresoever the dead carcase is, thither doe the eagles resort," cannot be applied to the resurrection and congregacion of the saints into state of glory with Christ, as some notes interpret, but of the gathering togither of Christes people in the kingdome of grace: for Christ in his kingdome of glory cannot be sayd a carcase, but nowe he may, because he is crucified. And the 29 v. "The sunne shall be darkened, and the moone shall not give hir light, and the stars shall fall from heaven," he expounded thus, That the temporall and ecclesiasticall state of the Jewes in Jerusalem, and the starres, i. e. their magistrates, shall loose their authority.