while the Lord and his cause doe suffer A good Conscience preferr'd before worldly glory Flavianus Clemens one of Domitians Courtiers was so much in favour with that Emperour as he intended to make his Son his Successor in the Empire but this good Flavianus rather then he would breake the Peace of his Conscience in the matter of his Religion he was content to beare the turning of this great love the Emperour bore him into as great hatred so as he hated him to death and oppressed his whole House Honours change manners Two Schollers that were long brought up together agreed that which of them came first to preferment should help the other one of them came afterward to be a Bishop the other seeing himselfe forgotten or at least neglected came to the Bishop desiring him to remember his promise the Bishop made as if he knew him not not know me replyed the other I am such a one Oa said the Bishop 't is no marvaile I shouâ—d not knowyou for to tell you true I scarce know my selfe A good help for the Pope at a dead lift A Fryer Minorite wrote a Booke to prove that the Pope might be Excommunicate as well as any other man to which purpose he used this Dilemma either the Pope is a Brother or he is not a Brother if he be a Brother then 't is certaine he may be Excommunicate by a Brother if he be not a Brother why doth he say Our Father at which the Pope was very much troubled but a merry Courtier that waited on him said That it was an easie matter to avoyd the Fryers Dilemma the Pope desired to know how Why Sir said the Courtier Vos nunquam dicite Pater Noster solutum est argumentum Let your Holinesse never say the Lords Prayer and there 's an end of an old Song The sinfull examples of great men are of dangerous consequence in the world Austin in his Confessions speaking of Poeticall Fictions saith that the Devill drew men on cunningly to wickednesse by them for whereas the Poets feigned such and such men who were sometimes famous in the world to be gods and did cry them up for Deities and attributed to thâ—m filthy lusts and wicked uncleannesse it came to passe that such as delighted in such wayes would blesse themselves in this that they did not imitate base men but the coelestiall gods Thus the Devil gets Sinne countenanced in the world by the examples of great ones the meaner sort thinking themselves safe if they have but men of eminency for their patterne A fit Meditation for every man Franciscus Xaverius writing to John the third King of Portugall gave him this wholsome counsell That he would every day for a quarter of an houre meditate upon that Divine sentence Wbat shall it profit a man to win the world and lose his owne soule And that he would seeke of God the right understanding of it and that he would make it the close of all his prayers the repetition of these words What shall it profit a man c. A Miracle in our dayes Mistris Hony-wood of Kent an ancient and religious Gentle-woman being in great distresse of Conscience for want of assurance oft crying out that she was certainly damn'd one day as she was in conference with some godly Divines who laboured what they could to comfort her and satisfie her spirit she still persisted in her dispairing expressions when the Ministers were about to depart she called for a cup of Wine for them which being brought she dranke to one of them a Glasse of the Wine and as soone as she had done in an extreame passion she threw the Venice Glasse against the ground saying As sure as this Glasse will breake so surely am I damned the Glasse rebounded from the ground without any harme which one of the Ministers suddenly caught in his hand and said Behold a Miracle from Heaven to confute your unbeleefe tempt God no more tempt God no more both the Gentlewoman and all the company were mightily amazed at this strange accident and all glorified God for what was done and the Gentlewoman through the Grace of God received much comfort and lived and dyed full of peace and assurance This hapned in King James his time and the whole Story was related to him in a Sermon immediately after it was done and so also was it related by another Preacher at Pauls Crosse Kings never want Laws to doe what they list Cambyses desirous to marry his owne sister asked his Magi whether it were lawfull or no for him to doe so They answered that indeed they had no Law for the Brother to marry the Sister but they had another Law whereby it was lawful for the Kings of Persia to doe what they listed The Churches treasure Saint Laurence the Martyr being demanded by Galienus the Tyrant where he had bestowed the Treasure of the Church he told him that within three dayes he would resolve him in the meane time he gathered together a great number of poore Christians saying that these were the riches of the Church He that serves God by a Proxy shall goe to Heaven by an Atturny There was a Merchant that seldome or never went to Church himselfe but used to send his Wife to pray for them both it hapned that they both dyed much about the same time and comming to Heaven Gates Saint Peter let the Woman only in saying That as she went to Church for both so she should be received into Heaven for both A sinfull life followed with a wofull death One Hermanus a great Courtier in the Kingdome of Bohemia being at point of death did most lamentably cry out That he had spent more time in the Palace then in the Temple and that he had added to the ryotousnesse and vices of the Court which he should have sought to have reformed and so dyed to the horrour of those that were about him A Bishops blessing not worth a halfe penny There was a poore blinde man that sate begging by the High-way who hearing that a Bishop was comming the old man bestirr'd himself with great expectation of a bountiful reward from his Lordship crying Good my Lord good my Lord bestow some small peece of silver upon this poore blinde man for Gods sake my Lord one halfe penny to this blinde man but on rode the Bishop and not a farthing could the poore man get who perceiving that the Bishop was past he cryed to him that if he would give him no mony he would yet give him his blessing the Bishops blessing in old time was a goodly matter which the Bishop hearing turned his Horse and went back to the blinde man bidding him kneele downe and he would give him his blessing which was to lay his hand upon his head and pray God to blesse him the blinde man fell upon his knees but instantly starts up againe and said 'T was no great matter whether he did blesse him or no for he
in the Market a pretty while till at length a Country-man came to her and askt if she were not Master such a ones maide who answered she was I pray then said he commend me to your Master and give him this small testimony of my love which was twenty shillings and let him send some body to fetch two bushels of Wheat which I have set up at such a shop for him and I pray tell your Master that though he knowes me not yet I have cause to blesse God for the good I have received by his Ministery so the maid bought such provision as she was wont to doe and carried home the rest of the mony to her Master and Mistris and acquainted them with this strange providence and seasonable mercy Between greene heads and grey haires truth suffers much Inter juvenils judicium senile prejudieium veritas corrumpiter What for herbs in Summer and tosts in Winter a man cannot come by what he should have Vpon a Bishop of Elies Translation to Canterbury Laetentur Caeli transfertur ad Kentum ab Eli Cujus in adventum flent in Kent millia centum Rich Parsons need not preach A Gentleman meeting with a Ministers man of his acquaintance asked him how his Master did Very well Sir said the man But Thomas said the gentleman does thy Master preach still as lustily as he was wont to doe yes Sir replyed Thomas he preaches now and then though God be thanked he need not why need he not Thomas quoth the gentleman marry Sir said Thomas he is rich enough now and may give over preaching an 't please him A Prayer against the Grace of God In Edward the Sixt's time there happened a sweating Sicknesse in England whereof multitudes dyed in a short time the Scots that traded into the Northerne parts of this Kingdome demanded what disease it was that so many English-men dyed of the Country people that had never knowne any such sicknesse before knew not by what name to call it but as 't is usuall in strange accidents said 't was by the grace of God this was presently carried into Scotland that the English dyed of a new disease called The Grace of God whereupon the Clergy assembled together and composed a Collect or Prayer against the Grace of God which was ordered to be us'd on Sundaies and Holy-dayes in all the Churches of that Kingdome 't was in Latine thus Deus Sanctus Kintagernus Sanctus Romanus Sanctus Andreas libero nos hodie a Gratia Dei a faeda morte qua Angli moriuntur and in English it was thus God and Saint Mango St. Roman and St. Andrew shield us this day from God his Grace and from the foule death that the English-men dyed upon Foure blessings came into England together Greek Herefie Turkey-cocks and Beere Came into England all in one yeare Many cannot minde heaven they are so taken up with the earth King Henry the fourth asked the Duke of Alva if he had observed the great Eclips of the Sun which had lately hapned no said the Duke I have so much to doe on earth that I have no leisure to look up to heaven Nothing got by neglecting opportunities One that had gathered together many of the Sybils Books brought them to a King of the Romans to sell but demanding too much for them as the King thought they could not agree whereupon the man burnt the one halfe of his bookes and demanded double the price hee askt at first for the remainder which the King refusing to give he burnt halfe of the remaining part and doubled the price of all againe and then the King considering the value of them gave him the price I am afraid if we forbeare to give the prayers that God askes for the peace of Jerusalem the time may come that wee may be content to give blood and our estates too and yet not do one half quarter so much good as we may now by prayer This was spoken in a Sermon by an eminent Minister of London not long before our unhappy troubles Prayer more prevalent then an Army of men Mary Queen of Scots that was Mother to King James was wont to say That she feared Mr. Knockes Prayers more then an Army of ten thousand men A good tryall of bad servants Constantius the father of Constantine the great when he was advanced to honour he had about him of his servants some that were Pagans and some that were Christians he to discover who were Christians and who were not made an Edict That all those that were Christians and would not worship the Heathen Gods should immediately depart from the Court upon this all the Pagans flockt about him And many false-hearted Christians also presented their service to him To whom he made this answer nay sayes hee If you will be false to your Gods I will never trust you to be servants to me Embassadours whether sent from Kings or from God must not be abused It is reported that Rome was once destroyed to the ground for some abuses that were offered to an Embassadour that was sent unto it And David we know never played any such harsh play in all his life as he did to the Ammonites that despightfully used his Embassadours which he sent unto them when they shaved their beards and cut their coats 'T is no lesse dangerous for any to abuse the Ministers of Jesus Christ for they are Gods Embassadours An ignorant Bishop When Popery was profest in Scotland complaint was made to the Bishop of Dankelden of one called Deane Thomas That he preached too often whereupon the Bishop sent for him and charged him with what hee had heard The Deane answered that he preached but once upon the Sunday why man quoth the Bishop if thou that hast but a smal living preach once a Sunday what will the people say of me that have a great living and preach not once a yeare But prethee Deane Thomas tell me what thou preachest so often upon My Lord said hee I preach sometimes upon the Epistle and sometimes upon the Gospel appointed for the day as it hits Tush man said the Bishop thou art a foole I le tell thee what thou shalt doe when thou meetest with a good Pistle or a good Ghospel which makes for the priviledge of holy Kirk preach that and let the rest be My Lord said the Deane I have read both the old Law and the new and I can find none but good Pistles and Gospels in the Book of God if you can shew me any that are bad I will let them bee Now fie upon thee Deane Thomas replyed the Bishop what doest thou meane to trouble thy selfe so with the Scriptures And clapping himselfe upon his breast hee swore that for his part hee never knew Old Law nor New whereupon it grew into a Proverbe in Scotland when they would expresse a very ignorant man you are like the Bishop of Dunkelden that knew neither old Law nor
should be made against him if Dionysius would but bestow a good sum of money upon him The Tyrant being desirous to understand the truth of so necessary an art for his preservation sent for him who told him that there was no other skil in his Art but that he should deliver him a Talent and then boast that he had learned the use of so unvaluable a secret Dyonisius liking the invention gave him the Talent and by that meanes kept his enemies in awe An Vsurers last Will and Testament One that had been a great and griping Usurer being neare his end was with much adoe over-come to make his Will which he dictated to the Scrivener after this manner First I bequeath my owne Soule to the Devil for being so greedy of the muck of this world Item Next I give my Wives Soule to the Devill for perswading me to this course of life Item I give the Parson of our Parishes Soule to the Devill because he did not shew me the danger I lived in nor reprove me for it An admirable example of a selfe-denying Christian Marcus Galeacius was a Courtier to the Emperour Charles the fifth Nephew to Popâ—Paul the fourth and Marquesse of Vico which is one of the Paradises or Naples Naples the paradise of Italy Italy of Europe and Europe of the whole earth his Father was not only a Marquesse but in such favour with the Emperour as he was joyned equally in Commission with the Vice-roy of Naples to sway the Scepter of that Kingdome his Mother of honourable Parentage and Sister to Paul the fourth his Lady was Daughter to the Duke of Niceria one of the principall Peers of Italy This Marquesse Galeacius being brought to heare a Sermon of Peter Martyrs God was pleased so to worke upon his spirit that he began to enter into serious thoughts whether his way were right or no he being at that time a professed Papist then he began to take up a constant exercise of reading the Scriptures and to change his former company and to make choyse of better his Father was much moved against him using him with sharpnesse his Lady wrought what she could by teares complaints and intreaties to take him off from that way the most part of the Noble-men in and about Naples being either his kindred or familiar friends they continually resorted to take him off to follow their old pleasures together yet at last having further light let into his Soule to see not only the necessity of some truths that he understood not before but likewise of deliâ—ering himselfe from that Idolatry that he apprehended himselfe defiled with therefore his resolutions were strong to leave the Court and his father and honours yea and his inheritance to joyne himselfe to a true Church of God and according to this resolution he went away much meanes were used to call him back great offers of riches and preferments to draw him his children hung about him with dolefull cryes his friends standing about him with watery eyes which so wrought upon his tender heart he being of a most loving and sweet disposition that as he hath often said he thought that all his bowels rolled about within him and that his heart would presently have burst and he should there have instantly dyed but he denied himselfe in all and chose rather to live in a meane condition where he might injoy God and the peace of his conscience then to have the riches glory pleasures of Italy and of the Emperours Court A Judgement upon perjury Vladislaus King of Hungary having concluded a peace with Amurath the Turkish Emperour which was confirmed by a solemne oath on both sides afterwards by the perswasion of some Cardinals Vladislaus brake his engagement and suddenly made war upon the Turke in the first set Battle the Turkish Army had the worst for a great part of the day at which Amurath pulling the Articles of the peace out of his bosome and lifting up his eyes to heaven said O Jesus Christ if thou beest a God as these Christians say thou art Revenge this injury offered to thee and me and punish these Truce-breakers which words were no sooner spoken but the battell and courage of the Christians began to abate Vladislaus himselfe was slaine and all his Army discomfited A text well improved One preaching upon Num. 22. 30. Am not I thine Asse c. raised these foure solid and profitable Doctrines 1 That the silliest and simplest being wronged may justly speake in their owne defence 2 That the worst men have a good title to their owne goods for though Balaam was a Sorcerer yet the Asse confesseth twice that he was his 3 That they who have done many good offices and fail in one are often not only unrewarded for former services but punished for that one offence 4 That when the Creatures formerly officious to serve us start from their former obedience man ought to reflect on his owne sin as the sole cause thereof Delight in sinning Plutarch reports of one who would not be resolved of his doubts because he would not lose the pleasure in seeking for resolution like to him that would not have his Phisitian to remove the thirst he felt in his Ague because he would not lose the pleasure of drinking and like those that would not be freed from their sins because they would not lose the pleasure of sinning A wise answer to a foolish people When the Thracians told Agesilaus that they had Canonized him for a God Have you power saith he to make Gods of whom you please If you have pray make a god of one of your selves and when I see what good he hath thereby I will thanke you for your kindnesse A notable act of charity Our King Richard the first being wounded in the arme with an Arrow whereof he dyed within a few dayes finding himselfe past recovery he caused the party that had wounded him to be brought into his presence who being asked what moved him to doe this fact answered That King Richard had killed his Father and two of his Brothers with his owne hand and therefore would doe it if it were to be done againe upon this insolent answer every one looked the King should have censured him to some terrible punishment when contrary to their expectations in a high degree of charity he not only freely forgave him but gave a speciall charge he should be set at liberty and that no man should dare to doe him the least hurt commanding besides that a hundred shillings should be given him an act that well shewed he had been at the holy Land or rather indeed that he was going to it A good speech of Constantine When Constantine the Emperour was told that there was no meanes to cure his Leprosie but by bathing his body in the blood of Infants answered Malo semper aegrotare quam tali remedio convalescere I had rather not be cured then use such a remedy Men of great
life became All Scot and quit his English claime This mystick Proteus too as well Might cheate the Devill scape his Hell Since to those pranks he pleas'd to play Religion ever pav'd the way VVhich he did to a Faction tye Not to reforme but crucifie 'T was he that first Alarm'd the Kirk To this preposterous bloody worke Vpon the King to place Christs Throne A step and foot-stoole to his owne Taught zeale a hundred tumbling tricks And Scriptures twin'd with Politicks The Pulpit made a Juglers Box Set Law and Gospel in the Stocks As did old Buchanon and Knox In those dayes when at once the Pox And Presbyters a way did finde Into the world to plague Mankinde 'T was he patcht up the new Divine Part Calvine and part Cataline Could too transforme without a Spel Satan into a Gabriel Just like those Pictures which we paint On this side Fiend on that side Saint Both this and that and every thing He was for and against the King Rather then he his ends would misse Bâ—tray'd his Master with a Kisse And buried in one common Fate The glory of our Church and State The Crown too levell'd on the ground And having rook'd all parties round Faith it was time then to be gone Since he had all his businesse done Next on the fatall Block expir'd He to this Marble-Cell retir'd VVhere all of Hamilton remaines But what Eternity containes The old Cardinall did not like the new way of chusing Popes An old Sicilian Cardinall after long absence comming to the election of a new Pope and expecting that incessant Prayers as of old should have been made to God for the directing of the choyse of Christs Vicar and finding now nought but canvasing promising anâ— threatnings for Voyces Ad hunc modum faith he fiunt Romani Pontifices Are the Popes of Rome chosen after this manner He would stay no longer in the Conclave but away he went and never saw Rome after The Low-Countries compared to a Cow The State of the Low-Countries hath been resembled to a Cow the King of Spaine spurring her the Queen of England feeding her the Prince of Orange milking her the Duke of Anjoy pulling her back by the tayle but she befoul'd his fingers The Counsell of Constance At the Counsell of Constance Anno 1414. were assembled Sigismund the Emperour four Patriarchs twenty nine Cardinals three hundred forty six Arch-Bishops and Bishops five hundred sixty foure Abbots and Doctors six hundred Secular Princes and Noble-men foure hundred and fifty common Harlots six hundred Barbers three hundred and twenty Minstrils and Jesters Of one that had never troubled God with his prayers before that time A man being sick and afraid of death fell to his prayers and to move God to heare him told him that he was no common Begger and that he had never troubled him with his prayers before and if he would but heare him at that time he would never trouble him againe England and Scotland seldome long at peace That which Vellejus said of the Romans and Carthaginians may as truly be said of the English and Scotch That almost for three hundred yeares there was either Bellum inter eos aut belli preparatio aut infida pax Either Warre or preparation to Warre or a false Peace between them What to doe in time of danger The Duke of Saxony preparing an Army against the Bishop of Magdenburg which he hearing of he fell to prayer reforming his Church and amending what was amisse which one of his friends perceiving and saw that he made no preparation for his defence asked him if he did not heare what the Duke intended yea said he I doe heare it well enough Sed ego sanabo Ecclesiam meam Deus pugnabit pro me I will reforme my Church and then God will fight for me A Rule for Kings Theopompus being demanded by what means a King might safely keep his Kingdome answered by giving his friends free liberty oâ— speech Riches the bane of the Church Bishop Jewell records out of Joannis Parisensis and others that when Constantine the Great advanced Bishops and endowed the Church with Lands and great temporall Possessions there was a voyce of Angels heard in the aire saying Hodie venenum funditur in Ecclesiam This day is poyson poured out upon the Church Germany baned by three things Luther Prophesied that there were three things which would be the bane of Christian Religion in Germany First Forgetfulnesse of Gods great blessing in restoring the Gospel againe to them Secondly Security which said he already reigneth every where Thirdly Worldly wisdome which would bring all things into good order and undertake to cure the publick distempers with wicked Counsels Learning too low for Noble-mens Sons A great Peere of this Land not guilty of â—uch Learning nor any great friend to it â—â—id it was enough for Noble-mens Sons to winde their Horne and carry their Hawke â—â—ire and that Study and Learning was for Children of meaner ranke to whom it was justly replyed That then Noble-men must be content that their Children may winde their Hornes and carry their Hawkes while meaner mens Sonnes doe weild the affaires of State The Earle of Castle-havens miserable Comforters When the Earle of Castle-haven was to be beheaded there were sent two great learned Deanes and Doctors of Divinity to his Lodgeing to pray with him before his death who calling for a Common Prayer-booke they read over the Letany to him which was all the Prayers they used with him the Earle much grieved and discontented there-with brake forth into these speeches Alas what doe these Doctors meane to trouble themselves or me in praying to God to deliver me from Lightning Tempest from Plague Pestilence and Famine from Battle and Murder and from suddaine death who am now presently to dye and lose my head Or what doth their praying to preserve all that travell by Land or by Water all Women labouring with Childe all sick Persons young children concerne either me or my present condition who am now ready to perish and bâ— destroyed miserable Comforters are they This he spake with teares in his eyes and thereupon desired the Company that was with him to goe into another roome from these Deanes where he made such an heavenly fervent extemporary Prayer pertinent to his present dying condition as ravished all the Auditors An Imposture handsomely discovered The Duke of Gloster being with Henry the Sixth at Saint Albans there was a great brute up and downe the Towne of a famous Miracle wrought at that very time upon a poore man by vertue of St. Albans Shrine which was the restoring of fight to this poore man who as he said was born blinde the Miracle was so noysed in the Towne and in every mans mouth that the Duke desired to see the man that was thus cured of his blindnesse who being brought to him he asked him if he were borne blinde who answered him that he was and