prevailing he condemned him yet when he was at the stake he sent his wife and seven children to him hoping by that meanes to work upon him but through Gods grace Religion overcame nature and when his wife intreated him with tears to favour himself he answered Be not a block in my way for I am in a good course and running towards the mark of my salvation and so he patiently suffered Martyrdome In Q Maries daies one Steven Knight Martyr when he came to the stake kneeled down and prayed thus O Lord Jesus Christ for the love of whom I willingly leave this life and rather desire the bitter death of thy Crosse with the losse of all earthly goods then to obey men in breaking thy holy Commandments Thou seest O Lord that whereas I might live in worldly wealth if I would worship a false god I rather choose the torments of my body and losse of my life counting all things but dung and drosse that I might win thee for whose sake death is dearer unto me then thousands of gold and silver c. See my Eng. Martyrologie p. 132. Thomas Watts Martyr when he was at the stake called his wife and six children to him saying Dear wife and my good children I must now leave you and therefore henceforth know I you no more as the Lord gave you unto me so I give you back again to the Lord c. and so kissing them he bade them farewell and went joyfully to the stake Idem p. 143. Nicholas Sheterden Martyr when he was ready to be burned said Lord thou knowest that if I would but seem to please men in things contrary to thy Word I might enjoy the commodities of life as others do as wife children goods and friends But seeing the world will not suffer me to enjoy them except I sin against thy holy Lawes lo I willingly leave all the pleasures of this life for the hopes sake of eternal life c. Idem p. 146. Richard Woodman Martyr when he was brought to his answer the Bishop told him that if he would be reformed he might enjoy his wife and children c. To whom he answered I love my wife and children in the Lord and if I had ten thousand pounds in gold I had rather forgo it all then them but yet I have them as if I had them not and will not for their sakes for sake Christ. Idem p. 185. A poor woman in Cornwall being admonished by the Bishop to remember her husband and children She answered I have them and I have them not whilest I was at liberty I enjoyed them but now seeing I must either forsake Christ or them I am resolved to stick to Christ alone my heavenly Spouse and to renounce the other Idem p. 211. See more in my two parts of Lives I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him c. Phil. 3. 8 9. Examples concerning Christ our Mediatour Themistocles being banished Athens was forced to fly to his deadly enemy Admetus King of the Molossians and when he came thither he took the Kings son being a child in his armes and so prostrated himself before the K. and found favour for it was a sacred Law amongst the Molossians that whosoever thus came before the King should have pardon whatsoever his offence was so whosoever goes to God the Father with Christ in his armes shall be sure to speed in his request Claudius Tib. Caesar hearing of the miracles and resurrection of Jesus Christ moved the Senate at Rome that he might be numbred amongst the gods but the Senate refused because he was by some esteemed for a God before the Senate had decreed him one Tert. One in Tamerlanes Army having found a great pot of Gold digged it up and brought it to Tamerlane who asked whether the Gold had his Fathers stamp upon it but when he saw it had the Roman stamp he would not own it So God will own none but such as have the stamp of Christ and his Image upon them CHAP. LXIII Examples of Compassion Sympathy COmmanded 1 Pet. 3. 8. Zach. 7. 8. Such as want it love not God 1 Joh. 3. 17. And are wicked 2 Chron. 36. 17. Scriptural Examples Our Saviour Christ Matt. 9. 36. 14. 14. 15. 32. Mark 1. 41. 6. 34. A Lord Matth. 18. 27. Pharaohs daughter Exod. 2. 6. The Father of the Prodigal Luke 15. 20. Darius his wife being a Captive with Alexander miscarried by reason of a fall and so died which when Alexander heard of he brake forth into weeping and suffered one of her Eunuches to carry Darius word of her death Darius hearing that Alexander wept at the newes of her death conceited that he had been too familiar with her but when the Eunuch by grievous asseverations protested that he had never seen her but once and then never offered the least indignity to her Darius lifting up his hands to heaven prayed the gods that if the Persian Empire were at an end that none might sit in Cyrus his Throne but so just and merciful a Conquerour Q. Cur. When Alexander M. found Darius murthered by his own servants though he was his enemy yet he could not refrain from weeping and putting off his own Coate he covered the body of Darius with it and so clothing of him with Kingly Ornaments he sent him to his mother Sisigambis to be interred amongst his Ancestors in a royall manner Q. Cur. Nero the Emperour in the first five years of his reign was of a very compassionate disposition insomuch as being requested to set his hand to a Writ for the execution of a Malefactor he said Quà m vellem me nescire literas Would I had never learned to write Sâ—ne Camillus with the Roman Army after ten years siege took the City of Veia in Italy by storme and when Camillus from the top of the Castle saw the infinite riches which the Souldiers took by plundering the City he wept for very pitty to see the miseries which were brought upon the inhabitants Plut. The Thebans having given the Lacedemonians a very great overthrow in the Battel of Leuctra they presently sent an Ambassador to Athens to acquaint them with it and to desire them to enter into confederacy with them against the Lacedemonians their old enemies telling them that now was the time when they might be fully revenged of them for all the wrongs which they had received from them but the Athenian Senate was so far from rejoycing at the misery of the Lacedemonians that they did not so much as give lodging the Ambassadour or treat at all with him about a League Plut. Vespasian the Emperour was of such a merciful disposition that he never rejoyced at the death of any though his enemies yea he used to sigh and weep when he
of persons Eus. Alexander Severus the Emperour did so reverence the High Priest that whatsoever sentence he had passed in judgement he suffered the same to be revoked by the Priest if he saw cause for it Lipsius When at the Councel of Nice many Bishops brought complaints and Petitions each against other to Constantine the Great he would not so much as read them but burned them all before their faces saying It 's fit that I should be judged by you and not you by me Euseb. Bread and cheese with the Gospel is good cheere said Greenham Act. Mon. Ingo King of the Venudes at a great feast to shew his love to the Saints of God set his Pagan Nobles in the Hall and certain poor Christians with him in the Parlour A certaine Emperour of Germany coming by chance into a Church upon the Sabbath-day found there a most mis-shapen Priest penè portentum naturae insomuch as the Emperour much scorned and contemned him but when he heard him read those words in the Service For it is he that hath made us and not we our selves the Emperour checked his own proud thoughts and made enquiry into the quality and conditions of the man and finding upon examination that he was a very learned and devout man he made him Archbishop of Collen which place he discharged with much commendations Wâ—l of Malmsb. Queen Elizabeth when she came first to the Crown as she rode through the City of London a childe from a Pageant let down in a silken lace an English Bible to her she kissed her hands took it kissed it laid it to her breast then held it up thanking the City especially for that gift though they had given her some rich presents before promising to be a diligent reader of it See her life in my second Part. Constantine the Great made a decree that all Ministers and such whose vocation was to serve in the Church should be free and exempted from all publick duties taxes and burthens whatsoever that being so priviledged they might the better attend upon Divine administrations Yea so careful was he to nourish and cherish learning and learned men that he enacted a Law which ranne thus Medicos Grammaticos alios Professores literarum legum Doctores c. We will and decree that Physicians Grammarians and other Professors of the liberal Arts shall be free together with their lands and possessions from all civil charges and offices c. as also that their stipends and Salaries shall be well and truly paid them whereby they may the more freely attend upon their offices c. How will this rise up in judgement against those which think they can never lay burthens enough upon Ministers Universities c See his life in my second Part. Our King Edward the sixth was a diligent attender upon Sermons heard them with great reverence and penned them with his owne hand which he diligently studied afterwards See his Life in my second Part. The great love reverence and respect that Master John Bruen of Bruen Stapleford shewed to godly Ministers See his Life in my second Part. Mercurius Trismegistus was in such respect amongst the Egyptians that in reverence of him it was nos lawful to pronounce his name commonly and rashly How much more precious should the Name of God be amongst Christians The greatest delight of Queen Elizabeth was often to reade the Sacred Scriptures and to hear Sermons which she alwayes attended unto with great reverence See her Life in my Second Part. The young Lord Harrington was wondrons attentive in hearing the Word of God preached or read and carried himselfe exceeding reverently therein knowing that he was in the presence of that God who is no respector of persons and that he heard not the words of a man but of God See his Life in my second Part. Robert King of Sicily was so wonderfully affected with the Scriptures that speaking to Fran. Petrarcha he thus said of them Juro tibi Petrarcha multò chariâ—res mihi esse literas quam regnum si alterutro mihi carendum sit aequanimiù◠me diademate quà m literis careturum Corn. è Lapide Theodosius the Emperour wrote out the whole New Testament with his own hand accounting it a great Jewel and reading part of it every day Doctor Cranmer in his journey to Rome learned all the New Testament by heart The like did Doctor Ridley in the walks of Pembrook-Hall See his Life in my first Part. We beseech you brethren to know them which labour amongst you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake 1. Thes. 5. 12 13. CHAP. XLV Examples of Gods judgements upon contemners of his Ministers Word and Sacraments THe Lord testified against Israel and against Judah by all the Prophets and by all the Seers saying Turne ye from your evil wayes and keep my commandments and my statutes according to all the Law that I commanded your fathers and which I sent to you by my servants the Prophets Notwithstanding they would not hear but hardoned their necks like unto the necks of their fathers c. Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight c. 2. King 17. 13 14 18. And the Lord God of their fathers sent unto them by his messengers rising up early and sending because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place But they mocked the messengers of God and despise his Word and misused his Prophets till the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy therefore he brought upon them the King of the Caldees who slew their young men with the sword and had no compassion c. 2 Chron. 36. 15 16 17. For this sinne was Hierusalem destroyed by Titus Mat. 23. 37 c. Heb. 10. 28 29. Pontius Pilate writing unto Tiberius Nero a true report of the Ministery and miracles of the resurrection and ascension of Iesus Christ adding that by good men he was accounted a God the Emperour was so moved therewith that he made a motion in the Senate at Rome that he might be enrolled in the number of their gods but the Senate refused it upon this reason because he was consecrated for a God before the Senate had decreed and approved of the same but what miseries befell the Senate and people of Rome for rejecting him the stories of those times shew Bede in his Ecclesiastical History of England reports that Anno Christi 420. After that the Britanes had been long afflicted by the Picts and Scots the Lord at last gave them rest from all their enemies and sent them such plenty of corne and fruits of the earth as the like was never known before But instead of returning thanks for those mercies they fell to all manner of riot and excesse which was accompanied with many other foul enormities especially with a hatred of the truth
A MIRROUR OR Looking-Glasse BOTH For Saints and Sinners Held forth in about two thousand Examples Wherein is presented as Gods wonderful Mercies to the one so his severe Judgments against the other Collected out of the most Classique Authors both Ancient and Modern with some late Examples observed by my self Whereunto are added the Wonders of God in Nature and the Rare Stupendious and Costly Works made by the Art and Industry of Man As the most famous Cities Structures Statues Cabinets of Rarities c. which have been or are in the WORLD By Sa. Clark Pastor in Bennet Fink London The second Edition much enlarged Sancti sunt honorandi propter imitationem August London Printed for Tho. Newberry and are to be sold at his Shop at the three Golden Lions in Corn-hill by the Royal-Exchange 1654. TO His dearly beloved Friends and Neighbours Members of the Church of Christ that meet in Bennet Fink London Dearly beloved Friends I Have much desired and longed for an opportunity to expresse and make known my gratefull heart unto you for those many favours and expressions of love which I have received from you For whereas by reason of the iniquities of the times and the cruelty of the common enemy I was banished from my home and that station wherein the Lord had seated mee with much comfort it pleased God to direct your hearts to make choyse of mee for your Minister and since that time being now eleven years I have never found your affections cooled but rather more and more inflamed and increased towards mee No small mercy in these giddy and unstable times and as a reall demonstration thereof you have been very solicitous to provide for my comfortable subsistence amongst you wherein I may use the Apostles expression 2 Cor. 8. 3. That to your power yea I bear record beyond your power you have been willing But that which especially hath ministred most comfort unto mee is your professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ evidenced remarkably in this particular which I desire to speak of to Gods glory your credit and that your zeal may provoke others I never had occasion to move you in any just and honest businesse whether of publique or private concernment wherein I have not found your readinesse and forwardnesse to concur with and answer my expectation My hearts desire and earnest prayer to God for you is that you may yet abound more and more in every good word and work that so fighting the good fight of faith you may finish your course with joy For which end I beseech you in the bowels of Jesus Christ that you mark them which would cause divisions and offences among you contrary to the Doctrine which yee have learned and avoid them For many false Prophets are gone out into the world in Sheeps clothing which yet inwardly are ravening Wolves beguâ—ling unstable soules who like little children are carried about with every wind of Doctrine Ye therefore Beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest ye also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastnesse 2 Pet. 3. 17. And the God of all grace who hath called us into his eternal glory by Jesus Christ after that yee have suffered a while make you perfect strengthen and settle you which shall ever be the hearty prayer and earnest endeavour of him who is Devoted to the service of your Faith Sa. Clark THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Christian Reader THis Book which I now present unto thee is the fruit of my spare houres it having been my recreation for these many years to read the best Histories which I could meet with and for the help of my memory I have collected the eminentest and most remarkable examples which did occur and reduced them under several heads distinguished into severall Chapters which I have found very useful profitable and pleasing unto me and presuming that they may be so to others also I have now this second time published them to the world that so they which neither have money to buy nor leisure to read many Volumes may find in this little Epitome the choisest and chiefest things that are contained in them I have also sometimes set down more pleasant stories which may have their use and prevent tediousnesse to the Reader though in such great variety of History I suppose there is no great danger of nauseousnesse But besides what I have collected out of the Authours themselves I have met with many examples in several Treatises and Sermons which have been lately published but what I have borrowed from them I hope I shall repay with interest by this insuing Collection I have also inserted some memorable examples from my own observation which were never before in Print I presume that it will be superfluous for me to tell thee what great benefit thou mayst reap by acquainting thy self with these Examples Dost thou live in places of danger and times of persecution here thou mayest see how powerful and merciful the Lord is in supporting or delivering his people in such times Doest thou see the enemies of Gods Church to thrive and proâ—per in their malice and cruelty here thou mayest see what the end of them is like to be if they speedily repent not Would'st thou see the amiablenesse and desireablenesse of vertues and Graces here thou mayst see it held forth unto thee in excellent Mirrours or Looking-Glasses Wouldest thou behold the uglinesse and danger of great and horrid sins Behold here Examples of the severity of Gods Judgments against them Would'st thou find out and propose some choyce Patterns and Presidents for thine imitation Here thou shalt find store and variety of them These with divers other uses and benefits may be made of these examples which I freely impart to thee with prayer for Gods blessing upon thee and them and desiring the like courtesie at thy hands I rest Thine in the Lord Sa. Clark From my Study in Thridneedle-street this 1. of April 1654. A Table of the CHAPTERS contained in this Book MIracles of Gods Mercies to his children Pag. 1 Examples fit for Gods Ministers to imitate Pag. 21 Of Christian courage and resolution Pag. 26 Of Gods Judgments upon Persecutors Pag. 35 Of the wicked lives and woful deaths of many Popes and Popelings Pag. 57 Of inhumane cruelties Pag. 68 Of Temperance Abstinence and Sobriety Pag. 84 Of Drunkennesse Pag. 90 Of Prodigality and Excesse Pag. 98 Of Gods Judgments upon Adulterers and unclean persons Pag. 101 Of Chastity and Modesty Pag. 112 Of Charity Pag. 116 Of Liberality Bounty and Munificence Pag. 122 Of Covetousnesse and Avarice Pag. 125 Of Sacriledge Pag. 132 Of Pride Arrogance Ambition and Vain-glory. Pag. 136 Of Humility and Self-denial Pag. 150 Of Anger Wrath Malice Hatred and Revenge Pag. 157 Of Patience Moderation and Meeknesse Pag. 161 Of Gods Judgments upon Apostates and Backsliders Pag. 168 Of Gods Judgments upon Atheists Pag. 180 Of Blasphemy and Gods Judgments
countrey but yet the water was too shallow to carry boats till God sent a strong Southwest winde which drave the sea into the rivers and land that great boats passed and victualled the â—own whereupon the Spaniards raised their siege but behold the remarkable work of God! who two dayes after sent as strong a North-west winde that beat back the Sea again whence it came Belg. Com. Wealth p. 72. Rochell being besieged with a mighty Army from the beginning of December 1573. to the moneth of June following a Dearth began to seize upon the godly Protestants which were within the same but the Lord seasonably sent a number of fishes called Surdones into the haven whereby the poor Inhabitants were relieved during the continuance of the siege which being once broken up the fishes departed and were found no more in that coast Fren. Hist. As it was always one of Mr. Latimers wishes that he might be so happy as to shed his hearts blood for the truth and so it fell out at the time of his burning that when the violence of the fire had opened his body such abundance of blood gushed so violently out from his heart to the great astonishment of the beholders as if all the blood in his body had been gathered to that one place Act. Mon. A Christian Matron of excellent parts and piety languishing long under the pressure of hideous temptations wofully at length yeelded to despaire and attempted the destruction of her selfe After often and curious seeking occasion for that bloody fact at last getting upon a Rock that hung over into the Sea putting off her apparell she threw her self head long from the same but receiving no hurt by the fall she was there miraculously preserved for the space of two houres labouring all that while industriously to drown her self after which time being with much difficulty drawn forth and recovered she did yet conflict with that extreamest desperate horrour almost an whole yeer after but at length by Gods providence listening oâ— a time though very unwillingly at the first to her husband reading that Text Esa. 57. 15. by little and little abundance of spiritual comfort flowed into her heart in which condition she continued many yeeres after even untill her death which was 1595. Mr. Bolton A virtuous Gentlewoman in this Land doubting very often of her salvation made her case known unto a godly Minister who often counselled her to take heed of inquiries farther then Gods Word and to trust assuredly that she might ground her salvation upon evidences out of that without farther revelations yet still did that temptation grow upon her insomuch that having a Venice-glasse in her hand the Minister sitting by her she brake forth into very lamentable words saying You have often told me that I must seek no further then Gods Word but I have been long without comfort and can endure no longer therefore if I must be saved let this glasse be kept from breaking and therewithal she threw it against the walls and though the Lord might have dealt otherwise yet he was content to satisfie her longing soul with a miracle The Glasse rebounds againe and comes safe unto the ground which the Minister taking up said Oh repent of this sinne and blesse God for his mercy never distrust him more of his promise Bolton Yates See this more fully in my first part of Lives In the life of Master Fox Mistris Katharine Brettergh upon her death-bed was assaulted with most grievous temptations which made her cry out that a roaring wildernesse of wo was within her that her sinnes had made her a prey to Satan and wished that she had never been borne or that she had been made any other creature rather then a woman crying Wo wo wo c. a weake a wofull a wretched a forsaken woman but at length by Gods wonderful mercy she recovered such comfort that in the ravishments of spirit she cried out O Lord Jesus doest thou pray for me O blessed and sweet Saviour how wonderful how wonderful how wonderful are thy mercies O thy love is unspeakable that hast dealt so graciously with me O Lord my God blessed be thy Name for evermore which hast shewed me the path of life thou diddest O Lord hide thy face from me for a little season but with everlasting mercy thou hast compassion upon me and now blessed Lord thy comfortable presence is come yea thou art come to thine handmaid with fulnesse of joyes and abundance of consolation O the joyes the joyes the joyes that I feel in my soul O they be wonderful they be wonderful they be wonderful O Lord I feele thy mercy and I am assured of thy love and so certaine am I thereof as thou art the God of truth even so sure do I know my self to be thine and this my soul knoweth right well and this my soul knoweth right well O blessed be the Lord O blessed be the Lord that hath thus comforted me O the joy the joy the delightsome joy that I feele O praise the Lord for his mercies and for this joy which my soul feeleth full well Praise his Name for evermore See her life and death in my second Part. Mr. Peacock a biessed servant of God being in horrour of conscience recounting some smaller sinnes burst out into these words And for these now saith he I feele an hell in my conscience and afterwards groaning most pitiously he cried out O me pitious wretch Oh mine heart is miserable Oh oh miserable and wofull the burthen of my sinne lieth so heavie upon me I doubt it will break my heart Oh how wofull and miserable is my state that thus must converse with hell-hounds Being asked whether he would pray he answered I cannot then they said Let us pray for you Take not replied he the Name of God in vain by praying for a reprobate but after a while this tempest of temptation being over Truly said he my heart and soul hath been farre led and deeply troubled with temptations and many inconsiderate speeches have flowed from me in the same for which I humbly and heartily aske mercy of God I now finde that the Sea is not more full of water nor the Sunne of light then the Lord of mercy yea his mercies are ten thousand times more what great cause have I to magnifie the goodnesse of God that hath humbled nay rather exalted such a wretched miscreant and of so base a condition to an estate so glorious and stately the Lord hath honoured me with his goodnesse I am sure he hath provided a glorious Kingdom for me The joy that I feele in my heart is incredible Bolton Mr. Robert Glover was so worne and consumed by the space of five yeares that neither almost any brooking of meate quietnesse of sleepe pleasure of life yea and almost no kinde of sense was left in him upon the apprehension of some backsliding he was so perplexed that if he had been almost in the pit of
the strength of him that beareth it and if at any time the furnace be made hotter then ordinary yet then will he make his power to appeare in our weaknesse so steeling our hearts and raising our resolutions that no danger though never so great shal be able to appale it as will appeare evidently in these examples following Constantius the father of Constantine the great to try the faith and beliefe in God of his Courtiers put it to their free choice either to sacrifice to the Idol-gods and so to stay with him or else if they refused to leave their honours and offices and so to depart but those that would leave all and depart rather then to renounce and forsake their faith in God he kept with him still and highly prized them casting off all the rest who he supposed would prove disloyall unto him seeing they had abandoned their beliefe in God Eusebius Luther being cited by an Herauld of Armes to appeare before the Councel at Wormes many of his friends perswaded him not to adventure himselfe to such a present danger to whom he answered that he was resolved and certainly determined to enter into Wormes in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ although he knew that there were so many Devill to resist him as there were tiles to cover the houses in Wormes Slâ—id Com. The Dutches Dowager of Ferrar who was a great Patronesse of the Protestants in France had one Malicorne a Knight of the Order sent by the Duke Guise to seize upon her towne and Castle who began to threaten the Lady with Cannon shot to batter her Castle but she couragiously sent him word that if he proceeded to such boldnesse to do it she would first stand in the breach her selfe to try if he durst be so bold to kill the daughter of a King for so she was whereupon like a snaile he pulled in his hornes and departed French Hist. St. Ierome relates an History of a young man under one of the first persecutions of most invincible courage and constancy against whom the adversaries had very little hope of prevailing by tortures and torments and therefore they took another course with him They brought him into a most fragrant Garden flowing with all pleasure and delight there they laid him upon a bed of downe softly enwrapped in a net of silke amongst the Lillies and the Roses the delicious murmur of the streames and the sweet whistling of the leaves and then all departed presently in comes a beautifull strumpet and useth all the abominable tricks of her impure Art and whorish villanies to draw him to her desire whereupon the young man fearing that he should now beconquered by folly who was conqueror over fury bites off a peece of his tongue with his own teeth and spits it into the face of the whore and so prevented the hurt of sin by the smart of his wound Domosthenes the famous Oratour of Athens soliciting Lais a beautiful strumpet for a nights lodging with her she demanded of him a thousand Drachmas for it but he being affrighted at the name of so great a sum thus replyed I purpose not to buy repentance so deare Non poenitentiam tanti emam Plut. Saint Jerome himselfe shewed his owne resolution by this speech If my father stood weeping on his knees before me and my mother hanging on my neck behinde and all my brethren sisters children and kinsfolk houling on every side to retaine me in a sinfull life I would fling my mother to the ground despise all my kindred run over my father and tread him under my feet that I might run to Christ when he calleth me See his life in my first part Saint Chrysostome also shewes the like heroicall spirit in these words When saith he I was driven from the City none of these things troubled me but I said within my selfe if the Queen will let her Banish me the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof if she will let her saw me asunder Isaiah suffered the same if she will let her cast me into the Sea I will remember Jonah if she will let her cast me into a burning fiery Furnace or amongst wilde beasts the three children and Daniel were so dealt with if she will let her stone me or cut off mine head I have then Saint Stephen and the Baptist my blessed companions if she will let her take away all my substance Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither agiaine Kilian a Dutch Schoolmaster being in prison for the cause of Christ was asked if he loved not his wife and children yea said he my wife and my children are so deare unto me that if the world were all gold and were mine to dispose of I would give it to live with them yea though it were in prison yet my soule and Christ are dearer to me then all Act. and Mon. George Carpenter a Martyr said My wife and my children are so deare unto me that they cannot be bought from me forall the riches and possessions of the greatest Duke yet for the love of my Lord God I will willingly forsake them all Act. and Mon. Benevolus being offered preferment by Justina the Emperesse an Arian if he would be an instrument of some vile service What saith he do you promise me an higher place for a reward of iniquity nay take this away that I have already with all my heart so that I may keep a good conscience and thereupon threw at her feet his girdle the ensigne of his honour Act. and Mon. Polycarpus being accused for that he was a Christian and brought before the Proconsul was perswaded to sweare by the fortune of Caesar and to defie Christ to whom he answered Fourscore and six yeares have I been his servant yet in all this time hath he not so much as once hurt me how then may I speak evill of my King and Lord who hath thus preserved me King Edward the sixth being sollicited by some of his best friends to permit the Lady Mary his sister to have the Masse in her house answered That he would rather spend his life and all that he had then to grant that that he knew certainly to be against Gods truth And in his message to the Devonshire Rebels who stood for Popery Assure your selves said he most surely that we of no earthly thing under heaven make such account as of this one to have our Lawes obeyed and this cause of God which we have taken in hand to be throughly maintained from the which we wil never remove one haires breadth or give place to any creature living much lesse to any subject wherein we will spend our owne Royall person our Crowne Treasure Realme and all our Estate whereof we assure you upon our high honour Act. and Mon. Bernard used to say Lord Iesus I love thee plus quà m mea meos me more then all my goods all my friends all my relations yea more
countervail this great prosperity and victory some bitter adversity be predestinated for us I then beseech you to spare the City of Rome and this our Army and let it wholly fall upon my person alone Plut. Whilest Codrus was K. of Athens the Peloponesians upon an old grudge came with a great Army against the Athenians and sending to the Oracle to know the event of the War They were answered That they should have good successe if they did not kill the King of Athens Whereupon they charged all their Souldiers to be sure not to hurt Codrus the King when they came to the battell Codrus understanding all this changed his apparel with a common Souldier and with a Snapsack on his back he went to the Peloponesian Army and there picking a quarrel with one of the Souldiers wounded him whereupon the Souldier slew him and after his death being found to be Codrus the Peloponesians returned back expecting no good successe and thus Codrus out of love to his Country voluntarily dyed to deliver it from danger Pez Mel. Hist. Agesilaus King of Sparta did so love and esteem his Countrey that for the profit of it he neither spared his pains nor shunned dangers nor favoured his old age and though by his prudent and upright dealing he had gotten all the power into his own hands yet he studied nothing more then to maintain the Lawes and to shew himself subservient to them and amongst those which raised up dissensions in the Common-Wealth he carried himself as a father to his children chiding those that erred and honouring those that did well Plut. Sylla having overcome Marius in Battel commanded all the Citizens of Praeneste to be slain excepting onely one that was his intimate friend But he hearing the Bloody sentence against the rest stepped forth and said That he scorned to live by his favour who was the destroyer of his Country and so went amongst the rest who were to be slain Fulgos Sertorius the more he prospered and prevailed in his Wars in Spain the more importunate he was with Metellus and Pompey the Captains of his enemies that laying down Armes they would give him leave to return into Italy again professing that he had rather live a private life with the sweet enjoyment of his Countrey then to obtain the Government of many Cities Sabi l. 8. Nescio quâ natale solum dulcedine cunctos Ducit et immemores non sinit esse sui CHAP LXVI Examples concerning Death ALI must die Heb. 9. 27. Psal. 89. 48. It 's called a Bed to rest in Isa. 57. 2. A being with Christ Phil. 1. 23. A changing 1 Cor. 15. 51. A cutting down Job 14. 2. A cutting off Job 6. 9. A depriving of years Isa. 38. 10. A dissolution Phil. 1. 23. A destruction of the body 2 Cor. 5. 1. A day of darknesse Eccles. 12. 7. A departing Luk. 2. 29. A going forth of the breath Psal. 146. 4. An entrance into the way of all the world Joshu 23. 14. An end of all flesh Gen. 6. 13. An end of mans daies 1 Sam. 26. 10. A falling asleep Act. 7. 60. A finishing our course 2 Tim. 4. 7. A fleeting away Job 20. 8. A gathering to the people Gen. 25. 8. A going to the grave Job 5. 26. The way of all the earth 1 King 2. 2. To our fathers Gen. 15. 15. To the dead 2 Sam. 12. 23. To the place of silence Psal. 115. 17. Into the pit Job 33. 24. Home Psal. 39. 13. To the long home Eccles. 12. 5. Into the Land of darknesse Job 10. 21. A hiding in the Grave Job 14 13. A house for the living Job 30. 23. A lying still Job 3. 13. A Land of oblivion Psal. 88. 12. A rest from labour Rev. 14. 13. A returning to the dust Gen. 3. 9. Job 34. 15. A sleep Job 3. 13. 1 Thess. 4. 14. 1 King 1. 21. Job 7. 21. A translation Heb. 11. 15. A vanishing Job 14. 2. A giving up the ghost Gen. 25. 8. Vita citò avolat nec potest retineri Mors quotidie ingruit nec potest resisti Death happy to the godly Psal. 116. 15. 72. 14. Eccles. 7. 1. Rev. 14. 13. 1 Cor. 15. 5 52. Death cursed to the wicked Psal. 37. 9 10 20 22. Job 18. 17. Phil. 3. 19. Qualis vita finis ità Vita vitrea Fumus et umbra sumus Mors ubique nos expectat Solon enacted a Law amongst the Athenians that none should speak evil of the Dead Plut. Xerxes getting upon an hill near to Abydus and beholding the Sea covered over with his Ships and all the Plains filled with his Army which consisted of above a million of men thought himself a very happy man yet withal fell a weeping and being asked the reason of it by Artabanus his Uncle he answered Considering with my self how short the life of man is I cannot but pity this great multitude of gallant men of whom within an hundred years there shall not one be left alive Herod Lycurgus made a Law in Lacedaemon that they should bury their dead round about their Temples that the young men having the graves alwaies in their eyes should mind their own mortality Plut. Agesilaus King of Sparta used to say That they which live virtuously are not yet blessed persons but that they had attained true felicity who dyed virtuously Xenophon When Agesilaus was ready to dye he charged his friends that they should neither make any picture nor statue of him for saith he If I have done any thing that is good that will be my monument but if I have done otherwise all the statues that you can make will not keep my good name alive Idem Democritus the Philosopher as he was travelling abroad in the world came to the Court of Darius King of Persia whom he found overwhelmed with grief for the death of one of his most beautifull wives to whom Democritus promised that he would restore her to life again if he would provide him things necessary for such a businesse Darius much rejoycing at this promise bade him ask for whatsoever he would have Democritus told him that amongst other ingredients he must have the names of three men that had never met with any sorrow in the whole course of their lives The King told him that that was impossible to be done Then said Democritus What a fool art thou which desirest to be freed from that fortune which is common to all men Pez Mel. Hist. Alex. M. being twice wounded in the siege of an Indian City feeling the pain of his wounds said I am called the son of Jupiter but I perceive that I am subject to wounds and death as well as other men Q Cur. Epaminondas finding his Sentinel asleep slew him saying I left him but as I found him Plut. A certain Christian King in Hungary being on a time very sad His brother a jolly Courtier would needs know on him what ailed him O brother said he I have been