He expounded the opening the seven seales in the Revelacion to have reference to sundry tymes, and the 6. to the destruction of Jerusalem. 7 tymes 7 makes a weeke of yeares, the Jewes true Jubilee, wherein 7 trumpets should be blowne.
The best expositor of the Revelacion a nobleman in Scotland,[158] whoe hath taken Christian and learned paynes therein, yet fayled in the computacion of the beginning of the yeares.
The Revelacion might be better understood if men would better studye it; and that it may be understood, and hath good use, he alledged the word, 1. 3. "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the wordes of this prophesy, and keepe those thinges which are written therein;" which were vayne unles it might be understoode.
fo. 97.
Feb. 1602.
Towards the end of his sermon he told his auditory howe it had bin bruited abroade, as he thought by some Atheists or Papists whose profest enemy he is, that this last weeke he had hanged himselfe, but some of his friends, he said, would not believe it, but said some other had done it; yet others that like him not for some opinion, said it was noe marvaile yf he hanged himselfe, for he had bin possest of the diuel a good while, "but I thinke rather," said he, "they were possessed that said soe, and yet not soe possessed as some hold possession now a dayes, that is essentially," and here he shewed his opinion that there can be noe essentiall possession: 1. Because the diuel can effect as much without entering into the person as yf he were essentially in him, and then it is more then needes. 2. Because there cannot be assigned anie proper token or signe to knowe that anie is essentially possessed. Which signe must be apparent in all such as are soe possessed, and not in anie others. This opinion of his, he said, he would hold till he sawe better reason to the contrary.
In his sermon he told a tale of the Jewes Thalmud, which, he said, was as true perhaps as anie in the Papists legend of lyes, and it was howe Rabbi Haley had conference with Elias in a caue, and would knowe of Elias when Messias should come. Elias told him, Goe aske of the Messias himselfe. Rabbi Haley required where the Messias might be found. Elias told him he should find him at Rome gates amongst the poore; a verry scoffe and a flout, he thought, to the Papists, to shewe that fo.
97b.
6 Feb. 1602.Christ neuer came within their city, but they kept him out of dores, and that he was not amongst their Cardinals, but the beggars, &c.
I will not believe it, because I will not, is Tom Sculs argument, as they say in Cambrige, and a womans reason, as they say here. (Clapham.)
Mr. Bodley which hath made the famous library at Oxeford was the sonne of a merchant of London: was sometymes a factor for the state: after maried a riche widdowe in Devonshire or Cornewall, whose husband grewe to a greate quantity of wealth in a short space, specially by trading for pilchers; nowe himself having noe children lives a pleasing privat life, somewhile at the City, somewhile at the University; he followed the Earl of Essex till his fall. (Mr. Curle.)
7.One came to the fyre and Mr. South gave him place; "You are as kinde," quoth he, "as the South-west winde." (Da.)