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 nature and the rare ... / by Sa. Clark ...

CHAP. III. Ezamples of Christian courage, and resolution.

THe Naturalists write of the Eagle, that she trieth [ 22] her young ones by turning their eies upon the Sun when it shineth brightly: so God doth his children,

who if they can outface the Sun of persecution, they are sincere indeed: not but that he knowes them sufficiently without such a triall, but hereby he makes them known both to themselves and others: for Grace is hid in nature here, as sweet water in Rose-leaves; the fire of affliction must be put under to distil it out: and as trees fix their roots the faster, the more they are shaken, so comforts abound as sufferings abound; yet lest any should think that he can stand by his own strength, the Apostle Paul tells him that all our suffici∣ency is of God, 2 Cor. 3. 5. who useth to proportion the burthen to the back, and the stroke to 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 [ 1] 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 ra∣ther 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 disloy∣all unto him, seeing they had abandoned their beliefe in God. Eusebius.

Luther being cited by an Herauld of Armes to ap∣peare [ 2] 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 De∣vill to resist him, as there were tiles to cover the houses in Wormes. Sl••id. Com.

The Dutches Dowager of Ferrar, who was a great [ 3] Patronesse of the Protestants in France had one Mali∣corne 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, un∣der [ 4] one of the first persecutions, of most invincible courage▪ and constancy, against whom the adversa∣ries 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 en∣wrapped 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 de∣parted: 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, where∣upon the young man fearing that he should now be∣conquered 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 [ 5] 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, [ 6] by this speech; If my father stood weeping on his knees before me, and my mother hanging on my neck be∣hinde, and all my brethren, sisters, children, and kins∣folk 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 un∣der my feet, that I might run to Christ, when he cal∣leth me. See his life in my first part.

Saint Chrysostome also shewes the like heroicall [ 7] 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 [ 8] 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 [ 9] 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 [ 10] Emperesse an Arian, if he would be an instru∣ment of some vile service:

What (saith he), do you promise me an higher place for a reward of iniqui∣ty? 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 en∣signe of his honour. Act. and Mon.

Polycarpus being accused for that he was a Christi∣an, [ 11] and brought before the Proconsul, was per∣swaded 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 [ 12] 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 De∣vonshire 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 ho∣nour. Act. and Mon.

Bernard used to say: Lord Iesus, I love thee, plus quàm [ 13] mea, meos, me, more then all my goods, all my friends, all my relations, yea more then my selfe.

Mr. Welch, a Suffolk Minister, weeping as he [ 14] sate at table, was asked the reason of it? he answered that it was because he could love Christ no more. Mr. Walls None but Christ.

Luthers resolution was such, that he affirmed, Mal∣lem [ 15] ruere cum Christo, quàm regnare cum Caesare: I had rather I were ruined with Christ, then that I should reigne as a King without him. [ 16]

Saint Basil relates a story of 40. Martyrs who be∣ing cast out naked all night in the winter, and were to be burned the next day, they comforted them∣selves on this wise,

Sharp is the winter, but sweet is Paradise: painfull is the frost, but joyfull the fruition that followeth it; waite but a while and the Patriarchs bosome shall cherish us: After one night we shall lay hold upon eternall life: Let our feet feel the fire for a season, that we may for ever walk arme in arme with the Angels: Let our hands fall off, that they may for ever be lifted up to praise the Al∣mighty, &c.

A godly Christian being tormented by Infidels with [ 17] divers paines, and ignominious taunts, they demanded of him by way of scorne: Tell us what miracles thy Christ hath done? to whom he answered,

Even this that you see, that I am not moved with all the cru∣elties, and contumelies that you cast upon me.

It is said of Luther, unus homo solus totius orbis im∣petum [ 18] sustinuit: that he alone opposed all the world.

When Eudoxia the Emperesse sent a threatning

message to Saint Chrysostome? Go tell her (saith he) from me, Nil nisi peccatum timeo: that I feare nothing but sin.

Theodosius the great, having in Egypt abolished [ 19] their heathenish sacrifices and worship upon paine of confiscation and death: the people fearing that the omission of their accustomed superstitions, would make the river Nilus (which they honoured as a God) keep in his streames, and not water their Land as formerly, began to mutiny: whereupon the President wrote to the Emperour, beseeching him for once to gratifie the people by conniving at their superstition: to whom he heroically answered: that it was better to continue faithfull, and constant to God, then to preferre the overflowing of Nilus, and the fertility of the earth before piety and godlinesse: and that he had rather Nilus should never over∣flow, then that they should raise it by sacrifices and inchantments. Soz.

Saint Basil being sent to by the Emperor to subscribe [ 20] to the Arian heresie, the messenger at first gave him good language, and promised him great preferment if he would turne Arian; to whom he answered: Alas Sir, these speeches are fit to catch little children withall that look after such things: but we that are nourished and taught by the holy Scriptures, are rea∣dier to suffer a thousand deaths, then to suffer one syllable, or tittle of the Scripture to be altered: The messenger offended with his boldnesse, told him that he was mad: to whom he replied, Opto me in aeter∣num sic delirare: I wish I were for ever thus mad. Theodor.

Melancthon being much disquieted in spirit by rea∣son [ 21] of the great opposition which the German refor∣mation met with, Luther thus encourageth him: See∣ing

the businesse is not mans, but Almighty Gods, laying aside all care, you should cast the whole weight of it upon him: why do you vex your self? If God hath bestowed his Sonne upon us, why are we afraid? what tremble we at? why are we distracted and sad∣ded? Is Satan stronger then he? why fear we the world which Christ hath conquered? If we defend an evil cause, why do we not change our purpose? If the cause be holy and just, why do we not trust Gods promises? Certainly there is nothing besides our lives that Satan can snatch from us, and though we die, yet Christ lives, and reignes for ever to defend his own cause, &c. Sleid Com. l. 7.

Chrysostome speaking to the people of Antioch, like [ 23] himself, a man of an invincible spirit against the Ty∣rants of his times, saith thus: In this should a gracious man differ from a gracelesse man, that he should bear his crosses couragiously, and as it were, with the wings of faith outsoare the height of all humane miseries: He should be like a Rock, being incorporated into Iesus Christ, inexpugnable, and unshaken with the most furious incursions of the waves, and stormes of worldly troubles, pressures, and persecutions. Ad pop. Antioch.

He that writes the life of Anselme, saith thus of [ 24] him, that he feared nothing in the world more then sinne, and that if on the one hand he should see corporally the horrour of sin, and on the other the paines of hell, and must necessarily be plunged into the one, he would chuse hell, rather then sinne; and that he would rather have hell, being innocent, and free from sinne, then polluted with the filth thereof, possesse the kingdome of heaven.

Mr. Woodman, Martyr, speaks thus of himself: When [ 25] I have been in prison wearing bolts and shackles, sometimes lying upon the bare ground, sometimes sitting in the stocks, sometimes bound with cords that all my body hath

been swolne, like to be overcome with paine: sometimes faine to lie without in the woods, and fields, wandring to and fro: sometimes brought before the Justices, Sheriffes, Lords, Doctors and Bishops; sometimes called Dog, Devil, Heretick, Whoremonger, Traitor, Theefe, Decei∣ver, &c. yea, and they that did eat of my bread, and should have been most my friends by nature have betrayed me; yet for all this I praise my Lord God, that hath separated me from my mothers wombe: all this that hath happened to me, hath been easie, light, and most delectable, and joyful of any treasure that ever I possessed. Act. and Mon.

There were five Monks that were studying to finde [ 26] out the best means to mortifie sinne: One said that it was to meditate on death: The second to meditate on judgement: The third to meditate on the joyes of heaven: The fourth to meditate on the torments of hell: The fifth to meditate on the love, and sufferings of Christ, which indeed is the strongest motive of all.

Hormisdas a Noble man of Persia, famous for Piety, [ 27] was deposed from all his honours, and offices, because he would not forsake Christ, and his truth: yet at last was by the King restored to them again, yet with∣all was required to renounce his profession of Christi∣anity; to which he bravely answered, Si propter ista me denegaturum Christum putas, ista denuo accipe. If you think that I will deny Christ to keep my offices, take them all again.

Julian the Apostate (that subtil enemy of the Church [ 28] of Christ) when his Army was to be paid, caused an Altar to be set by him and a table with incense on it, requiring every souldier as he came to receive his pay, to cast some incense into the fire upon the Altar; which many of the Christians (understanding it to be inter∣pretive,

and implicit Idolatry) refused to do, rather choosing to lose their wages: whilest others not knowing the depth of this mystery of iniquity, and suspecting no hurt, did it, and so defiled their con∣sciences; which afterwards filled them with such ex∣treame grief, and horror, that they offered to expiate their sin with their blood. Theod.

I say unto you, my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do: But I will forewarne you, whom you shall feare: Fear him which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell: yea I say unto you, Fear him,

Luke 12. 4, 5.