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
would become of the Bishop I feare me he would to Hell too at which the Bishop being confounded went his way Bishop Wrens unsufferable insolency When Wren was Bishop of Norwich and had put downe all after-noone Sermons on Lords dayes in his Diocesse it hapned that the Earles of Bedford and Doncaster with three or foure Lords more were invited to the Baptizing of the Lord Brooks Childe at Dallam in Suffolke which was to be in the after-noone on the Lords day the Noble-men earnestly desired Master Ash Houshold Chaplaine to the Lord Brcoks to preach which through great importunity he did this presently comming to the Bishops eares he sends his Apparitor with a Citation for Master Ash to appeare before him with whom the Lord Brooks went along to the Bishop whom they found sitting in state like a great Lord or Demy Pope they desired to know his Lordships pleasure to which the Bishop answered That his Chaplaine had openly affronted him in his Diocesse in daring to preach therein without his speciall License and that on the Lords day after-noone when he had expresly prohibited all Sermons within his Jurisdiction telling Master Ash that he would make him an example to all others my Lord Brooks told the Bishop That it was by the earnest intreaty of those Lords and his owne command that his Chaplaine then preached and that he hoped there was no cause of offence in the matter to which the Bishop replyed That my Lord Brook did very ill to offer to maintaine his Chaplaine in this saying that no Lord in England should affront him in his Diocesse in such a manner if he did his Majesty should know of it and that he would make his Chaplaine an example Hereupon he presently proceedeth against Master Ash in his owne Court with all violence no mediation of Lords oâ— friends could pacifie him till at last the Earle of Donâ—aster told him That he would complaine of him to the King if he would not cease prosecuting Master Ash since he preached by the Lord Brooks command and at his and othâ—r Lords intreaty hereupon the Bishop leaving the Chaplain falls upon the Church-wardens fines them forty shillings a man injoynes them publick Pennance in the Church to aske God and the Bishop forgivenesse and to confesse that their pennance was just O pride O tyranny The Doctor could not pray without bâ—oke When the Religious Lord Vere was suddenly struck with deaths arrow at Sir Henry Vanes Table at White-Hall as he sate at Dinnâ—r and carried from thence into a Withdrawing Chamber where he dyed a Grand Doctor of Divinity one of the Kings Chaplaines being there present was upon this unexpected occasion desired to kneele downe and pray with the Company the Doctor hereupon calls for a Common-prayer Booke and answer being made that there was none present he replyed that he could not pray without a Book whereupon a Knight there present tooke him by the Gowne and forced him to kneele downe telling him that my Lord was dying and he must needs say some Prayer or other upon this he begins Our Father which art in heaven for other prayer could he say none which the Knight hearing bade him hold his peace for my Lord was dead and he was but a dead Divine who knew not how to pray He that stopt other mens mouthes had at last his own â—â—…pt with a vengeance Thomas Arundell Arch-Bishop of Canterbury a grievous persecutor of Gods people and a great suspender and silencer of his Ministers who occupying his tongue braines and Episcopall power to stop the mouthes and tye up the tongues of Gods Ministers and hinder the preaching and course of Gods Word was by Gods just Judgement so sâ—â—icken in his tongue that it swelled so bigge he could neither swallow nor speake for some dayes before his death and so he was starved choked and killed by this strange tumour of his tongue A true Slave There was not long since in the Towne of Ipswich an old man who was so extreamly base and miserable that he lived in a most sordid manner not allowing himselfe convenient necessaries either for back or belly but would walke Horses at Innes begge his victuals up and downe the Towne and weare such old rotten Canvase Jackets and Breeches as the Sea-men threw away when this wretch was dead his two Sonnes who were newly come from Sea knowing that their Father had money though he would never part with a farthing to them fell a ransaking the house and at last they found what they lookt for though the quantity farre exceeded their expectation the neighbours that came into the house with them stood amazed to see so much money in such a mans house the two Sons leapt up and downe for joy and one clapping the other on the back said Faith sirrah was not this a true Slave Cardinall Pools answer to a Figure-fâ—inger One that pretended skill in judiciall Astrologie came to Cardinall Poole telling him that he had been calculating of his Nativity the Cardinall askt him What he meant by his nativity The Astrologer answered his Birth under what Planet he was borne and what Fortunes would befall him which he said he had gathered from the Starres and Coelestiall houses Tush replyed the Cardinall I have been borne againe since then How to deale with crafty sinners The Lot when it was directed against Achan first it fell upon the Tribe secondly it fell upon the Family Thirdly upon the Houshold and lastly upon the person of Achan he hid his sinne ever till it lighted upon him So the crafty sinner is not moved when the threatning is given out generally against the Nation neither when it is given out against the City where he dwels nor when it comes to his Family till in particular it come to his Person and till it be said to him Thou art the man Sin is a shamelesse thing yee may spit seven times in the face of it before it blush A covetous man is like a Christmas Box The covetous man is like a Christmas Box whatsoever is put into it cannot be taken out till it be broken he soaketh up the waters of riches like a Spunge and till death doth come and squeeze him with his Iron graspe he will not yeeld one drop of that which he hath received 'T is hard to know a mans disposition till he be out of check 'T is said of Tiberius that whilst Augustâ—â— rul'd he was no wayes tainted in his reputation and that whiles Drusus and Germanicus were alive he feigned those vertues which he had not to maintaine a good opinion of himselfe in the hearts of the people but after he had got himselfe out of the reach of contradiction and controulment there was no fact in which he was not faulty no crime to which he was not accessary Love me a little and love me long 'T was a witty reason of Diogenes why he askt a half penny of the thrifty man and a pound of the
making warre against the Duke of Austria and finding himselfe too weak sends privately for three of the Dukes chief Gentlemen promising them great summes of money if they would perswade the Duke to returne home which they undertook and so prevailed with the Duke that hee gave over the warre for that time Shortly after the Gentlemen came to the Emperour for the money he had promised The Emperour gave them great bags full of golden Ducats but all counterfeit whereof they afterward complained to the Emperour who bade them bee gone like knaves saying That false worke must have false wages a just reward of Treason Solyman the Turkish Emperour imploying a Christian to betray the Rhodes promised to give him his Daughter to wife if he did the businesse The service being done the Traytor demanded what was promised the Turk commanded his Daughter to bee brought forth in stately manner as if shee were to bee married saying to him Forasmuch as thou art a Christian and my daughter a Mahumitan you cannot so live quietly or comfortably together and I am loath to have a sonne that is not a Muselman both without and within and therefore 't is not enough that thou abjure Christianity as many of you will doe upon lesser occasion but you must pull off your skin which is baptized and uncircumcised which hee commanded to bee done and then promised him that if there came a Mahumitan skin in room of the Christian he should have his Daughter but not before Too much prosperity dangerous St. Ambrose comming into a rich mans house who boasted that he had never felt any adversity in all his life said to his friends we must not stay here left wee perish with this man They were no sooner out of doores but the earth opened and swallowed up the house Master and all The uncertainty of worldly prosperity Croesus was so puft up with his great riches and outward glory that he boasted himselfe to be the happiest man that lived but Solon told him That no man was to be accounted happy before death Croesus little regarded what Solon had said unto him untill he came by miserable experience to find the uncertainty of his riches and worldly glory which before he would not beleeve for when hee was taken by King Cyrus and condemned to be burnt and saw the fire preparing for him then he cryed out O Solon Solon Cyrus asking him the cause of that outcry hee answered that now hee remembred what Solon had told him in his prosperity Nemo ante obitum foelix That no man was to be counted happy before death A noble act of faithfull Courtiers Lewis the eleventh of France going about to establish some unjust edicts when some of his chiefe Courtiers perceived his drift they went all together to him in red Gownes The King asked them what they would The President La Vacqueri answers We are come with a full purpose to lose our lives every one of us rather then by our connivency any unjust Ordinance should take place The King being amazed at this answer and at the constancy and resolution of those Peeres gave them gracious entertainment and commanded that all the former Edicts should bee forthwith cancelled in his presence Lavish vowes are but sleightly performed A Mariner in a great storme prayed to the Virgin to deliver him and vowed to give her a wax Candle as big as his Mast but when the danger was over he told his Companions that now one of eight in the pound should serve her turne A Souldier of a pious and publick spirit 'T was a Noble Spirit that acted in one Terentius a Captaine of the Emperour Valens who being returned out of Armenia with a great Victory the Emperour bad him aske a reward hee asked onely that hee would be pleased to grant to those of the Christian Religion one publick Church in Antioch and although the Emperour were angry and tore his Petition bidding him aske something else yet hee persisted in this and refused any other reward for all the service hee had done Height of Malice One having gotten his enemy at an advantage first caused him to speak blasphemy in hope of life and then stab'd him boasting when he had done that he had made his enemy lose both-body and soule A fit reward for Treason Camillus having besieged the Falerians the Schoole-master trained all the youth of the City as far as the Roman Watch of purpose to betray them to the Romans their enemies the Schoolmaster being taken with his Schollers and brought before Camillus received this answer That a worthy Captaine should seek victory by trusting to his owne valour and not by anothers villany and so commanded him to be stript and his hands bound behind him his Scholars were sent back to their parents with rods in their hands whipping their Master before them for which noble act the Falerians submitted themselves to the Romanes Hee that hath no children thinks all fond Parents fooles Agesilaus did use to play with his children when they were little as to ride on Hobby-horses c. A friend of his taking him in the manner rebuked him But Agesilaus intreated him to say nothing till he had children of his owne Our late Bishops were true Prophets When King James came first into England he was much petitioned to abolish the Ceremonies used in the Church whereto he seemed indifferently inclined But the Bishops lay at him continually by no meanes to hearken to the Puritans often harping upon this string No Ceremony no Bishop No Bishop no King which blessed be God is now come to passe The Clergy of Rome had good cause to be angry with Luther A German Prince askt Erasmus what hee thought of the Doctrine of Martin Luther Erasmus answered That the Doctrine was good enough but that it pincht too much upon the Monks bellies and the Popes prerogative A sad Story A Fryer preaching upon these words Vinum non babent i. e. They have no wine he divides the Text into two parts First here is Vinum ibi optimus liquor Secondly Non habent ibi pessimus clamor of the first part he spake very largely but when he came to the second he brake off abruptly Gods Mercy to England since it was a Common-wealth From the first of King James to the last of King Charls England was seldom free from the Plague but now God be praised the Land is free from that judgement and our London Bils of Mortality have given in of the Plague none for many weeks together Prosperity needs ballancing with some Adversitie Newes being brought to Philip of Macedon all in one day of many good successes as first that hée had got a prize at the Olympian Games next that his Generall Parmenio had overcome the Dardonians Thirdly that his wife Olympia was delivered of a Sonne lifting up his hands to Heaven he said O yee Gods send me some moderate misfortune to countervaile so great prosperity The sword of the
Souldier knows not the goods of their friends from the goods of their enemies When the Citizens of Papia in Italy were at dissention by reason of the Faction between the Guelphs and the Gibellines the Gibellines procured a favourer of theirs called Facinas Cajus to assist them covenanting that hee should have the goods of Guelphes for his labour but he being once come into the City and prevailing he spared the goods of neither of them whereupon the Gibellines complained saying that their goods were also spoiled hee answered them that indeed they themselves were Gibellines and should bee safe but their goods were Guelphes and so belonged to the Souldiers And so it may fall out to them who have bin unfaithful to God Religion and their Country though they themselves may prove to be Catholikes yet their goods and places of preferment may be counted Hereticks Labour good both for body and soule The Heavens move and are pure the earth stands still and is full of dregs the industrious man hath no leisure to sinne the idle man hath neither leisure nor power to avoid sin Labour then is as wholsome for the soul as 't is profitable for the body Live-well and Dye-well are Twins Living and Dying well are Twins daughters of grace like Lea and Rachel and therefore as Jacob could not enjoy his Rachel till he had married Leah So all must first live well which is tedious and unpleasant before they can dye well which is beautifull and faire Thus the two Temples in Rome of Honour and Vertue were so contiguously built that no man could goe into the Temple of Honour before he went into the Temple of Vertue Apenance for Drunkennesse A Monke of Prague that had lived all his time in a Cloyster knowing little of the fashions of the world was at length appointed by his Superiour to receive Confessions which hee did of all such as came to him and he enjoyned penance according to the nature of the sins that were confest amongst the rest there came one which made confession that he was guilty of Drunkennesse The Fryar askt the Penitent what kind of sinne that was The man told him that it was drinking too much strong drink but the Fryar having no experience of it put off the mans penance to another time and in the interim he gate a good quantity of strong Liquor into his chamber where he so handled the matter that he stole himself drunk which he being but a novice that way made him very sick for a time when the man came to him again for his penance the Fryar enjoyned him to be drunk againe and so ever after he appointed all that confest drunkennesse no other penance but to be drunk againe supposing that to be drunk had punishment enough in it selfe The power of Preaching As the walls of Jerico fell downe by the Trumpets of the Priests so the strong holds of Satan are overthrowne by the Ministery of the Word A fit Embleme for over-curious women Mercury being to make a garment for the Moone could never fit her but either it would be too big or too little by reason she was alwayes increasing or decreasing This may be the Embleme of some women whose curiosity about their clothes can hardly be satisfied To speak well a hard lesson One comming to a Holy man desired him to learne him some good Lesson the good man bade him endeavour to speak well and when he had learned that to come to him againe and he would give him another Lesson The Holy man meeting afterward with his Scholler asked him if hee had learned his Lesson He answered no saying it was so difficult that he knew not when hee should learne it They that spend their estate in Luxury deserve no pitty It is reported of Alphonsus King of Arragon that when a Knight of his had consumed a great patrimony by lust and luxury and besides ran into debt and being to be cast into prison by his Creditors his friends petitioned the King for him The King answered that if he had spent so much money in the service of his Prince or for the good of his Country or in relieving his kindred I would have hearkned to you but seeing he hath spent so much upon his body 't is fit his body should smart for it So when we look up to God for mercy in our distresse and the comfort of the creatures have forsaken us he may justly answer If you had spent that abundance of the creature which I afforded you in my service or for the good of my people I would have heard you but now it is just you should be left in your distresse and that so much pleasure as you have had so much misery should follow according to Abrahams speech to the rich Glutton Luk. 16. 25. The Sermon is not done untill it be practised A Lady that was not her selfe at Church that day seeing her man come home askt him if Sermon were done He answered no Why then said she doe you come away He answered that though the Preacher had done speaking yet the Sermon was not done till the hearers had practised it Tyrants are Gods Rods which he casts into the fire when he hath done with them Caesar having bathed his sword in the blood of the Senate and his owne Countrey-men is after a while miserably murdered in the Senate by his owne friends Caessius and Brutus to shew unto Tyrants that the highest step of their greatnesse is tyed to a halter and that they are but the scourges and rods of the Almighty which he will cast into the fire as soon as he hath done with them Though Kings Crownes sit light upon their heads yet oftentimes they lye heavy upon their Consciences Philip the third of Spaine whose life was free from grosse evils professing that hee would rather lose all his Kingdomes then offend God willingly yet being in the Agony of death and considering more thorowly of his account he was to give to God feare struck into him and these words brake from him Oh would to God I had never reigned Oh that those yeares I have spent in my Kingdome I had lived a private life in the wildernesse Oh that I had lived a solitary life with God! how much more securely should I now have dyed how much more confidently should I have gone to the Throne of God what does all my glory profit me but that I have so much the more torment in my death Christians lives should answer Christs rules Ponormitan having read the 5 6 and 7. Chapters of Matthew and comparing the lives of people with those Rules of Christ said that either that was no Gospel or the people no Christians A triumphant Conquerour becomes a patient sufferer for Jesus Christ Trojane the Emperour had sent Eustochius one of his chiefe Captaines against the Barbarians who having vanquished them returned home The Emperour being very joyfull at this newes goes to meet him and brings him
new A Knight that durst appeare for a persecuted Truth and man One Dowglas a Scottish Knight having heard Master Wiseheart preach some things contrary to the corrupt Doctrine of those times said I know the Governour and Cardinall shall heare of it But say unto them said the Knight I will avow it and not onely maintaine the Doctrine but also the person of the Teacher to the uttermost of my power Christians must learn self-denyall Antoninus Pius when he undertook the Title of Emperour said he did then forgoe the property and interest of a private person so when wee take upon us the Name of CHRIST we should forgoe all selfish and private respects A covetous King and an ingratefull Guest Our Henry the seventh with his whole Retinue were Royally entertained by the Earle of Oxford for three dayes together at Henningham Castle in Essex when the King was to depart the Earle had caused three hundred of his Servants Retayners and Tenants to stand in ranckes on either side the long Cawsey from the Castle when the King came to the end of the ranckes and had taken notice of so many proper men all in one Livery he turned to the Earle and askt him if all those men were his houshold servants No Sir answered the Earle 't is not for my ease to keep so many in my house saying That most of them were Reteyners Well my Lord quoth the King I thank you for my good entertainment but I must not see my Lawes broken before my face my Atturney must speake with you about this businesse The King was as good as his word for it cost the Earle of Oxford 14000. Markes for his Composition upon the penall Statute of Reteyners Who is the most Foole A Cardinall that had a very fine staffe his fool was importunate that he would bestow it upon him which the Cardinall did upon condition that hee should not part with it but to one that was more foole then himselfe The Foole layes up his staffe very carefully till one day the Cardinal being sick and like to dye the Foole came to him askt him if he were willing to dye O no said the Cardinall I am afraid to dye because I doe not know whether I shal go to Heaven or to Hel The Foole hearing his Master say so runs presently and fetcheth the Staffe and gives it to the Cardinall again saying he had met with one now that was more foole then himselfe For sayes the foole you have spent your time so much in pompe and luxury neglecting the good of your soul that now you are afraid to dye Take your staffe againe for I know none that deserves it better 'T is enough to repent the day before ones death A Jewish Rabby pressing the practise of repentance upon his Disciples exhorted them to be sure to repent the day before they dyed one of them replyed that the day of any mans death was very uncertaine Repent therfore every day said the Rabbin and then you shall bee sure to Repent the day before you dye Meane Parentage no disparagement to vertuous men Seneca writing to a Knight of Rome who was preferred for his valour but yet of meane parentage for which he seemed to be troubled Seneca cites him this notable saying of Plato That there is no King but is raised from those which were servants and that there is no servant but had some of his Ancestors Kings Though gold comes from the earth none despiseth it and although drosse comes from the gold none regards it A vertuous man comming from meane Parentage is truely honourable and a vicious man comming from Noble parentage is justly contemptible Loving Wives Conradus the third Emperour of that name having besieged Guelph Duke of Bavaria would yeeld to no other condition but onely to suffer such Gentlewoman as were in the City to come out of the Towne on foot with such things as they could carry about them The Ladies and Gentlewomen resolved neglecting all other Riches to carry their husbands children and the Duke himselfe on their backs The Emperour perceiving the quaintnesse of their device took such pleasure at it as weeping for joy presently turned his former inexorable rage and hatred to the Duke into speciall love and favour Some sorrows are not to be exprest Psamneticus King of Aegypt being prisoner to Cambyses King of Persia seeing his owne daughter passing before him in base array being sent to draw water at which sight his friends about him wept but himselfe could not be moved to utter one word presently after his sonne was carried to execution before his face neither did this move him to shew any passion but afterwards when a friend of his was to suffer then hee tare his haire and shewed great sorrow being demanded the reason of this his carriage he answered That the losse of a Friend might bee exprest but not the griefe for the losse of a childe Ingentes stupent A Painter being to represent the griefe of the standers by at the Sacrifice of Iphigenia according to the interest and affection every one did beare to so faire so young and so innocent a Lady when hee came to her Father as if no countenance were able to expresfe his sorrow hee drew him with a veyle over his face Cure leves loquuntur ingentes stupent Hence comes the Fiction of Niobe who having lost seven sons and seven daughters is feigned to be turned into a stone Valour scornes any kinde of base tricks Alexander being perswaded to make use of an advantage which the darknesse of the night afforded him to fall upon Darius No no said he it pleaseth me not to hunt after night stolne Victories Malo me fortunae poeniieat quam Victoriae pudeat I had rather repent of my bad fortune then be ashamed of an ill gotten Victory Christian Fortitude The Tripartite History tels us of one Same 's a Noble man who had and maintained a thousand servants of his owne yet was deprived of all his estate by the King of Persia and was compelled to serve one of the most abject and basest of his owne servants to whom the King also gave his wife that by this meanes he might cause him to deny his faith But he not at all moved kept his Faith intire willingly suffering all this wrong and indignity for Christ Tyrants requests are commands A poore man of Sevill in Spaine having a faire and fruitfull Peare-Tree one of the Fathers of the Inquisition desired some of the Fruit thereof The poore man not out of gladnesse to gratifie but feare to offend as if it were a sin for him to have better fruit then his betters suspecting that on his denyall the Tree might be made his own Rod if not his Gallowes plucked up the Tree roots and all and gave it to the Inquisitor A piece of Policy A stranger gave out that hee could teach Dionysius the Tyrant of Syracuse a way to discover any plot or practise that
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
knew if it were worth a halfe penny his Lordship would not part with it Remarkable Circumstances about the Kings death King Charles was beheaded in that very place where the first blood was shed in the beginning of our late troubles for a company of Citizens returning from Westminster where they had been quietly petitioning for Justice were set upon by some of the Court as they past by White-Hall in which tumult divers were hurt and one or more slaine just by the Banqueting-house in the place where the Scaffold stood on which he suffered 'T is further remarkable that he should end his dayes in a Tragedie at the Banqueting-house where he had seene and caused many a Comedy to be acted upon the Lords Day Men of publike spirits would not out-live their Countries prosperity When Titus had taken and sacked Jerusalem the Priests came to him and begged their Lives that mercifull Prince and darling of Mankinde caused them to be slaine as degewretches that would desire to out-live their Temple and Religion One good turne requires another Augustus Caesar being requested by an old Souldier of his to be present at the hearing of a cause he had Augustus answered That he would send one in his roome the Souldier replyed O Emperour I sent no Deputy to fight in thy quarrell at Philippi but went my selfe whereat Augustus blushing yeelded to his request The lively picture of our times When God raised up Luther Melancthon Zwinglius and divers other Worthies to be the Reformers of his Church At the same time the enemy of Mankinde raised up the Anabaptists to be the disturbers of his Church And the more active Luther and the rest were in labouring a Reformation according to the Gospel the more violent were Thomas Muntzer Storch Knipper Dolling and the rest of that Phanicall frenzie crue in raysing tumults and confusions and disgraceing those worthy instruments of God rayling upon them and upon whatsoever they did towards the worke of Reformation crying out that Luther was worse then the Pope and that he and his Party savoured nothing but the flesh and because these mad-headed Anabaptists could finde nothing in the written Word to defend their Errours and the tumults which they raised they fly to Revelations and Inspirations hereupon every Fish-monger begins to boast of the Spirit feigne revelations after the example of Storch and Muntzer and the Pulpit is open to every Cobler and Tinker they scoffed at the publick Sermons of the reformed inveighed against the Lutheran Faith as being voyd of good workes Muntzer the chiefe trumpet of these uproares proclaimes openly that he was raised up by the command of God for the punishment of wicked Princes and altering of politick Government his usuall subscriptions to his Letters was Thomas Muntzer the Servant of God against the ungodly Nine Pillars for the supporting of Faith David hath couched nine severall Arguments in one Verse for the strengthening of his faith in God as we may see Psal. 18. 2. 1 Jehovah 2 My Rock 3 My Fortresse 4 My Deliverer 5 My God 6 My strength 7 My Buckler 8 The Horne of my salvation 9 My high Towre The undaunted spirit of Ignatius Ignatius when he was in his enemies hands and ready to suffer Martyrdome he used this notable speech I care sayes he for nothing visible or invisible so I may get Christ let fire the Crosse the letting out of wilde beasts upon me breaking of my bones the tearing of my members the grinding of my whole body and the torments of the Devill come â—pon me so be it I may get Christ More Devils in the Country then in the City A Holy man travelling to a great and populous Towne spyed a great company of Devils in every field and about every house in the Country as he went but comming to the City he found only one Devill there who sate on the pinacle of the highest Church this Holy man conjuring him downe demanded of him the reason why there were so many Devils in the Country and but one in the City He answered That one was enough in the City because there was so much wickednesse in it that they were all his owne already and he only kept watch least there should be any alteration amongst them but in the Country the people were so poore industrious and honest that they were enforced to imploy their greatest numbers and paines to gaine them Confesse and be saved The Duke of Roan visiting his Common Goale demands of the first Prisoner he saw wherefore he lay there he answered for no offence that ever he had committed but upon malice the like answer made the second and the third and so all the rest but comming to the last he answered That he lay there for his offences of Felony and Murder expecting death as he had deserved The Duke liking his humble confession bade the Goaler take away that wicked fellow from those holy and innocent men saying He was enough to infect them all by which meanes he only escaped No matter by whom so Gods work be done Matthew Langi Arch-Bishop of Salzburg said 'T was true that many things were greatly amisse in the Church of Rome and that the whole Clergy stood in need of Reformation but that such a Rascally Monk as Martin Luther should be the Author of such a work was intollerable A good use of a wooden god Diagoras having something to boyle and wanting other fuell he tooke his wooden god Hercules saying It is now the time of Hercules that as thou hast served Euristheus in twelve Labours so thou shouldest serve me in the thirteenth and so threw him into the fire as a peece of wood Three good questions for every man to aske himselfe every night Seneca reports of one Sexius who every night when he should take his rest would ask himselfe three questions 1 What evill hast thou healed this day 2 What vice hast thou stood against 3 In what part art thou bettered 'T is not Blood but Faith that makes men noble Romanus the Martyr who was borne of Noble Parentage intreated his Persecutors that they would not favour him for his Nobility for it is not said he the blood of my Ancestors but my Christian Faith that makes me noble An EPITAPH upon Duke Hamilton HE that three Kingdoms made one flame Blasted their beauty burnt the frame Himselfe now here in ashes lyes A part of this great Sacrifice Here all of Hamilton remaines Save what the other world containes But Reader it is hard to tell VVhether that world be Heaven or Hell A Scotch-man enters Hell at 's birth And scapes it when he goes to earth Assur'd no worse a Hell can come Then that which he enjoy'd at home How did the Royall work-man botch This Duke halfe English and halfe Scotch A Scot an English Earldome fits As purple doth your Marmuzets Yet might he thus disguis'd no lesse Have slipt to Heaven in 's English dresse But that he in hope of
prodigall the first he said might give him often but the other ere long would have none to give Curst Cowes have short hornes Foelix Earle of Wartemberg sitting at supper with many of his friends it hapned that some at the Table fell into discourse of Luther and the peoples generall receiving of his Doctrine upon which the Earle swore a great Oath that ere he dyed he would ride up to the spurs in the bloud of the Lutherans but the very same night God stretched out his hand so against him that he was choaked with his owne blood Martin Luther the famous Instrument of Gods glory liv'd and dyed a very poore man Luther being very sick and expecting death though it pleased God he recovered that fit he made his Will concerning his Wife and Children after this manner Lord God I thank thee that thou wouldest have me live a poore and indigent person upon earth I have neither house nor lands nor possessions nor mony to leave thou hast given me Wife and Children them I give back unto thee nourish teach and keep them O thou the Father of Orphants and Judge of the Widow as thou hast done unto me so doe unto them Rulers should ever be at leasure to doe Justice An old Woman complaining to Adrian the Emperour of some wrongs done to her the Emperour answered he was not at leasure to heare her to whom she replyed That then he ought not to be at leasure to be Emperour where-with Adrian was so affected that he not only righted her wrongs presently but also ever after was more diligent to heare his subjects Causes Luthers Epitaph by Theodorus Beza Rome tam'd the world the Pope tam'd Rome so great Rome rul'd by power the Pope by deep deceit But how more large than Theirs was Luthers fame Who with one pen both Pope and Rome did tame Goe fixious Greece goe tell Alcides then His Club is nothing to great Luthers Pâ—n A Prophesie accomplished most exactly forty yeares after it was attered Spotswood Arch-Bishop of Glasgow having procured the imprisonment and coâ—demnation of one Mr. Welsch and other godly Ministers in Scotland Anno 16â—5 Master Welsch writes out of prison a Letter to the Lord Levinston of Kilsyth wherein he Prophesieth not only the utter abolishing of Episcopacy but the down-fall and ruine of that great Prelate and his Family in these words Sir I am farre from bitternesse but here I denounce the wrath of an everlasting God against him meaning Spotswood which assuredly shall fall except it be prevented Sir Dagon shall not stand before the Arke of the Lord and those names of Blasphemy that he weares of Lord-Bishop and Arch-Bishop will have a fearefull end Not one word of this is fallen to the ground for Episcopacy is now abolished there as all men know and for that part of the Prophesie which concernes Spotswood himselfe even in the top of all his honours when he had come up to be Arch-Bishop of St. Andrewes and Chancellor of the Kingdome he was cast out of Scotland and dyed a poore miserable man at London having not a six-pence of his owne to buy bread while he liv'd nor to bury him when he was dead but as it was begg'd at Court The evident hand of God lighted on his Posterity his Lands of Darfie all the conquesse he was able to make to his eldest Son Sir John Spotswood is ready to be sold and that branch of his posterity to goe a beging his second Son Sir Robert Spotswood President of the Colledge of Justice for his Treason against Scotland did dye miserably upon a Scaffold at St. Andrewes an obdurate impenitent man his Brother the Bishop of Clogher was cast out of his great estates in Ireland and in his extreame old age forced to teach Children in Scotland for his bread but being unfit for that imployment he went to London where he was long a Suitor for the meanest place in the Ministry that he might be kept from starving but could not obtaine it Learning is to be preferred before Honour The Emperour Sigismond having Knighted a Doctor of the Civill Law this new Knight presently leaves the society of his old fellow Doctors and keeps company altogether with the Knights which the Emperour observing called him foole for preferring Knight-hood before Learning saying That he could make a thousand Knights in one day but not a Doctor in a thousand yeares The ingenuity of a Scotch Colonell A Scotch-man newly come over to Utrecht and presenting himselfe to Colonell Edmunds his Country-man told him That my Lord his Father and such such Knights and Gentlemen his Cousens were all in good health the Colonell turning to the Gentlemen that were in company with him at that time said Gentlemen beleeve not one word he saith my Father is but a poore Baker of Edenborough and workes hard for his living whom this Knave would make a Lord to curry favour with me and make you beleeve I am a great man borne Truth Error elegantly compared to Tamars two twins Gen. 38. in a Sermon before the Parliament The different judgements of Professors throughout the Land shew that our Church hath Twins in her wombe so much of Truth as hath been already owned by the Parliament Zarah-like hath put forth the hand none can say but this came out first for you have marked it with the scarlet thred of a Civill Sanction yet is there a Pharez a Division or Separation as the word properly signifies whose breakings out are notoriously knowne as also his challenge of Primogenâ—ture Our hopes are that Zarah will in due time be fully borne notwithstanding this interposition and that you will say to the Party that separates in Doctrinall Principles by maintaining opinions that are destructive and prey upon the vitall spirits of Religion as the Mid-wise then did to Pharez upon thee be this breach and not upon us may it never come to be upon you may you never come to be partakers of other mens sins in so high a degree Hitherto the damnable Heâ—esies and daring Blasphemies which have been vented every where may be thought to stand on the private account of such as â—ent them but if representative England which God forbid should espouse their Crimes by over-much connivence at them the guilt would then become Nationall and too heavie for us to beare A comfort for poore faithfull Ministers As Christ and all his Apostles were poore in respect of worldly goods so for the most part the most eminent Ministers of the Gospel have been men of meane conditions as to worldly estates Martin Luther had neither lands nor houses nor mony to leave his Wife and Children when he dyed Calvins Inventory Library and all came not to six score pound Mr. Perkins dyed a very poore man Mr. Ainsworth even while he wrote his excellent commentary upon the Pentateuch had but nine-pence a week to live on Mr. Samuel Herne when he dyed left a Wife and many small Children without
to the world ib. A fit Meditation for every man p. 78 A miracle in our dayes ib. Kings never want Laws to do what they list p 79 The Churches treasure p. 80 He that serves God by a Proxy shall go to Heaven by an Atturny ib. A sinfull life followed with a wofull death ib. A Bishops blessing not worth a halfe penny p. 81 Remarkable Circumstances about the Kings death p 82 Men of publick spirits would not out live their Countries prosperity ib. One good turn requires another p. 83 The lively picture of our times ib. Nine Pillars for the supporting of Faith p. 84 The undaunted spirit of Ignatius p. 85 More Devils in the Country then in the City ib. Confesse and be saved p 86 No matter by whom so Gods worke be done ib. A good use of a wooaen god p. 87 Three good questions for every man to aske himselfe every night ib. 'T is not Blood but Faith that makes men noble ib. An Epitaph upon Duke Hamilton p. 88 The old Cardinâ—ll did not like the new way of chusing Popes p 90 The Low Countries compared to a Cow p. 91 The Counsell of Constance ib. Of one that had never troubled God with his prayers before that time ib. England and Scotland seldome long at peace p 92 What to do in time of danger ib. A Rule for Kings ib. Riches the bane of the Church p 93 Germany baneâ— by three things ib. Learning too low for Noble-mens Sons ib. The Earle of Castlehavens miserable Comforters p 94 An Impostor hâ—ndsomely discovered p. 95 Iesuiticall juggeling p. 96 A remarkable Iudgement upon a wicked Counsellour p. 97 What cast Lucifer out of Heaven and Adam out of Paraaice ib. The worlds Hypocrisie p 98 Stay the Bells the man is alive yet and like to plague you worse ib. A fair confutation of a foule lye p. 99 God is not alwayes alike present with his most faithfull Servants p 100 Vpon a Gentlewoman that well deserved it p. 101 Luthers constancy to the Truth ib. Heavinesse may indure for a night but joy commeth in the morning ib. Vertus and valour is the best nobility p. 103 Want of learning in Noble-men to be lamâ—nted ib. The means Julian used to destroy Christian Religion p. 104 Christ only inlightens the soule ib. In war policy is better then valour p. 105 The qualities of a good Servant ib. Men are â—asily drawn to vice but hardly to vertue ib The wonderful power of Prayer even in our days p. 106 Christ is all and in all p. 107 Queen Elizabeths godly answer about Tollerating of popery ib. An excellent custom amongst the Athenians p. 108 A Murder strangely discovered ib. A strange accident at Oxford Assizes p. 109 Maâ—â—â— is a perfect resemblance of Iesus Christ p. 110 Men mâ—ch in debt seldome sleep soundly p. 112 Our high galants have not for the poor ib. The most carnall Religion is best pleasing to carnall men ib. Ignorance of other mens condition a cause of uncomfortablenesse in many Christians p. 113 A brave Cupboard of Glasses well broken and the story better applyed p. 114 The Churches security p. 116 No Iesuites in Hell ib. A worthy example of gratitude p. 118 The absurdity of South-saying or judiciall Astrology p. 122 Where humane help failes we may expect Divine ib. Eight Rules to know false doctrines by p. 123 A good argument for the immartality of the Soule p. 125 Great men are only happy by report p 126 Nero's overthrow ib. Not good to be too Satyricall ib. An Episcopall character ib. A fine way to get preserment p. 127 A man to be trusted ib. What is what is not the work of a Minister p. 128 Calvins sweet temper ib. A merry Epitaph upon a Singing-man ib. Severall Lawes and Customes of severall States and Common-wealths p. 129 The vertue of Christian prayers p. 130 A smart Satyre p. 131. If the Devill take the Prince what will become of the Bishop ib. Bishop Wrens unsufferable insolency p. 132 The Doctor could not pray without book p. 134 He that stopt other mens mouths had at last his own stopt with a vengeance p. 135 A true Slave p. 136 Cardinall Pools answer to a Figure-flinger ib. How to deal with crafty sinners p. 137 A covetous man is like a Christmas Box ib. T is hard to know a mans disposition till he be out of check p. 138 Love me a little and love me long ib. Curst Cowes have shâ—rt hornes ib. Martin Luther the famous Instrument of Gods glory liv'd and dyed a very poore man p. 139 Rulers should ever be at leasure to do Iustice ib. Luthers Epitaph by Theodorus Beza p. 140 A Prophesie accomplished most exactly forty years after it was uttered ib. Learning is to be preferred before Honour p. 142 The ingenuity of a Scotch Colonell ib. Truth and Error elegantly compared to Taâ—urs two twins Gen. 38. in a Sermon before the Parliament p. 143. A comfort for poor faithfull Ministers p. 144 They that have mony and will not imploy it deserve to have it taken from them p. 145 A Luxurious Nation wil soon overthrow it self ib. A speedy return of prayer p. 146 A pretty device to cousen Conscience ib. A witty tricke of a blinde man p. 147 The industriousnesse of Peter Ramus p. 14â— An impregnable place taken by a fine stratagem p. 149 The Service-book and Ceremonies pleasing to Papists p. 150 A Butcher of Norwich Churched p. 151 A gracious Providence ib. A pretty waggish tricke p. 153 Some mens sins go before-hand to Iudgement p. 15â— Lilly a grand Imposter p. 156 The fruite of Covetousnesse p. 157. A right Counsellour rare to find ib. Courtiers are usually flatterers p. 158 The peoples rage and Gods just hand against a wicked Tyrant ib. A wonderfull Earth-quake p. 159 Great Theeves condâ—mn little Theeves p. 160 The foundations of Religion are not to be removed p. 161 Rich men should help their poor kindred in their callings but not toke them from their Profession ib. A mannerly answer of a young Gentleman p. 162 Of one that preacht well but lived ill ib. Martiall discipline is very strict p. 163 FINIS