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. XLIII. Examples of Contempt of the World, of Riches, Honours, &c.

WE must not love the world, 1 John. 2. 15. for it passeth away, ver. 17.

Love of the world is a character of the wicked, 1 Joh. 2. 15.

We must so love it as not to abuse it, 1 Cor. 7. 31.

All the glory of the world is but a fancy, Act. 25. 23.

Scriptural examples: Abram, Gen. 14. 22, &c Gi∣deon, Jud. 8. 23. Christ, Mat. 8. 20. Luk. 9. 58. Iohn 6. 15. Paul, Phil. 3. 8. Peter, Marke 10. 28, &c. ••uk. 18. 28, &c.

After the battel of Marathon, wherein the Grecians [ 1] had overthrown the Persians, they found their enemies tents full of gold, silver, rich apparel, and other trea∣sures; yet Aristides, to whom a great share of them did belong, would not touch any of them, nor take to himselfe the worth of one farthing. Plut.

Aristides, who by his prudence, Policy, and va∣lour [ 2] had exceedingly enriched the Athenians, did so contemne riches, that when others abounded, he only remained poore: and when a kinsman of his call••d Callias, who had exceedingly enriched himself by the Persian treasure, was accused to the people for neglect∣ing to relieve him in his wants: Aristides himself un∣dertook his defence, telling them that Callias had often offered him much, but he had alwayes refused it: For there are many, saith he▪ that abuse their riches, but few can bear poverty well. Plut▪ When he died he was bur••ed at the publick charges of the City, not leaving so much as would pay for his own funeral Plato thought that amongst all those famous, and worthy men that Athens had bread, none deserved so much honour as Aristides: for that whereas others had filled Athens with stately buildings, money, and other trifles: only Aristides in managing the affairs of the Common∣wealth, had proposed nothing to himself but the ad∣vancement of virtue. Pez. Mel. Hist.

Cimon the sonne of Aristides, after his fathers [ 3] death, governing the Common-wealth of Athens, would by no means take any bribes, but did and spake all things gratis: and when a certaine Persian exile with a great Masse of treasures fled to Athens, meeting there with some affronts, went to the house of Cimon, and there set down before him two great goblets full of gold, and silver; Cimon seeing it, laughed▪ and said unto him, Whether wouldst thou have me thy friend Gratis, or thy Patron hired by a great summe of money? Therefore, said he, take these things away, and m••ke use of me as thy friend, and imploy thy money otherwise as thou pleasest. Plut.

This Cimon when he had gotten a compe••ent estate, [ 4] caused the hedges of his fields to be thrown down, that

so every one might freely make use of the fruits there∣of: He kept a frugal Table, yet enough for many, and so entertained all comers. Plut.

Epimenides, a very wise and good man, having ta∣ken [ 5] great paines in reforming Athens, when he was to returne home, the people offered him great summes of money; but he refused all, only desiring them to give him a branch of Olive, with which he returned into his own countrey. See his example in Reforma∣tion. Plut.

Epaminondas that was one of the gallantest men [ 6] that ever Greece bred, who freed his countrey of Thebes from the Lacedemonian slavery; and obtained many great, and admirable victories; yet was he such a con∣temner of riches, that when he died he left not enough to discharge the charge of his funeral. Just.

The Lacedemonians having freed themselves from [ 7] those Tyrants that had lorded it over them, they sold their houses, and goods, by which they raised one hundred and twenty Talents, & then bethinking them∣selves, where to choose a worthy General, they at last pitched upon Philopoemen, the most accomplished man in all Greece, and thereupon resolved to send Ambassadours to make a tender to him of this Masse of money; but every one, (knowing how far he was from being caught with such baits) refused that office: At last they chose one Timolaus of his ancient acquaint∣ance, who wen to him at Megalopolis, where being entertained and feasted by Philopoemen, observing his gravity, frugality, and temperance, was so discouraged, that (not daring to deliver his message) he returned without effecting any thing; the like did a second: but a third being sent to him, took the boldnesse to tell him how much the Lacedemonians esteemed and honoured his virtues, whereby he prevailed with Phi∣lopoemen

to go to Lacedemon, who there (in a publick As∣sembly of the people) exhorted shem that they would not go about to buy friends by their gifts who were ready to serve them without them, perswading them rather to imploy that money in bribing their turbulent Oratours that disturbed the peace of the City: with so high a minde did he despise their money. Plut.

Agesilaus King of Sparta used to say that he [ 8] had rather make his souldiers rich, then to be rich himself. Xenoph.

Lysander King of Sparta having overcome the A∣thenians [ 9] in a great battel, did wonderfully enrich his Countrey with the spoiles, yet himself remained poor, not enriching himself one penny thereby. And when Dionysius the Sicilian Tyrant sent him costly garments for his daughters, he returned them back again, say∣ing▪ That he feared lest his daughters should be disgraced by them. Plut. Xenoph.

The King of Persia sending to Epaminondas, that fa∣mous [ 10] Thebane Captaine, three thousand pieces of gold to make him his friend, he sharply rebuked the Am∣bassadour that brought it, for travelling so long a journey to corrupt Epaminondas: and bad him take it back, and tell his King, that if he deserved the favour of the Thebanes, Epaminondas would be his friend without a bribe; but if he deserved otherwise, he would be his enemy. Plut.

The same Epaminondas hearing that his Squire had [ 11] taken a great summe of money for the redemption of a Captive, called him to him, and said, Give me my shield from thee, and go and buy thee a shop, and turn huc∣ster; for now that thou art grown rich, I am sure thou wilt not adventure thy self into dangers. Plut.

Agesilaus King of Sparta was a great contemner of [ 12]

riches, and could not endure covetousnesse: So that never any of his souldiers, or Officers had cause to complaine that he wronged them in their wages, or otherwise, but every one praised him for his bounty. Plut.

Agesilaus King of Sparta was such a contemner of [ 13] riches, that he would never suffer himself to be cor∣rupted by them to do any thing that was prejudicial to his Countrey: and whereas the Kings of Persia in his time made it all their care to heape up gold, sil∣ver, and all precious things, he on the contrary valued not any of them: he suited his expences to his incomes, and to get money would never do any unjust thing. Plut.

Pyrrhus King of Epyrus in the first battel that he [ 14] fought in Italy against the Romanes, overcame them, and took one thousand eight hundred prisoners; where∣upon the Romanes sent Ambassadours to him, proffer∣ing a great summe of money for their ransome; but he rej••cting their money set them free gratis, and tak∣ing a great love to one of the Ambassadours called Fa∣bricius, and understanding that he was very poore, he proffered him a fourth part of his Kingdom if he would serve him: But Fabricius scorned the proffer▪ where∣with Pyrrhus was so taken, that he presently sent▪ and made peace with the Romanes. Eutrop.

Marcus ••ttilius Regulus, the Romane Consul was [ 15] so po••re, that wh••l'st he fought in Affrica against the Carthaginians, his wife and children were maintain∣ed upon the publick charges. Polyb.

Curius Dentatus the Romane Consul, having gorten [ 16] a great victory over the Samnites, they sent Ambas∣sadours to him with a great summe of gold, who found him parching pease for his dinner; and when they proffered him the gold, he said to them, I had rather

have these pease in my earthen pots, and rule over those that have gold, then to receive your gold of you: And when he was afterwards charged with stealing some∣thing that should have been brought into the publick treasury, he brought forth a wooden platter that he used to sacrifice in, and swore that of all the spoils he had reserved only that to himselfe. Aur. Victor.

Vergerius the Popes Legate was sent by his Master to [ 17] Luther (when he first began to preach against the corrruptions of the Church of Rome) to proffer him a Cardinals hat, if he would relinquish his opinions: To whom he answered, Contemptus est à me Roma∣nus & favor & furor: I neither care for the favour, nor fury of Rome. At another time there was a de∣signe to give him a great summe of money; but one (wiser then the rest) cried out, Hem! Germana illa bestia▪non curat aurum: That beast of Germany cares not for money. See his Life in my first Part.

Luther tells us that when the Pope sent some Car∣dinals [ 18] to him to tempt him with promises of great wealth, and honour: Turning my self (saith he) to God: Valde protestatus sum, me nolle sic satiari ab eo: I said flatly that God should not put me off with these low things. See his Life in my first Part.

Love of money the root of all evil.

After the battel of Marathon, a Persian to obtain [ 1] favour, shewed one Callias an Athenian, a mighty Masse of treasure that was hidden by the Persians in a pit: but Callias most unjustly, and cruelly murthered him that shewed it him, lest he should speak of it to others. Pez. Mel. Hist.

Lycurgus the Lacedemonian Lawgiver considering [ 2]

the manifold mischiefs which come by the love of money, and covetousnesse, banished the use of money out of the Common-wealth, forbidding all coine of gold and silver, imploying iron in stead thereof, whereof a great quantity was but worth a little, so that to lay up ten pound in iron would have filled an whole Cellar: hereby he prevented all theft, and rob∣beries: Hereby also he prevented all superfluous, and unprofitable sciences; for who would make such things as would undo them, by reason of the basenesse of the money which they should receive for them? Hereby also they could buy no forreigne commodities, because their iron money would go no where else. This kept out of his Common-wealth Rhetoricians which teach the cun∣ning art of Lying, and Panders which keep brothel∣houses: and Goldsmiths, and Jewellers which sell toyes for women. Hereby delicatenesse wanting fewel by little, and little vanished. Housholdstuffe was ex∣cellently made; for Artificers laying aside superfluous works, wholly imployed themselves in making necessa∣ry things. Plut.

They that will be rich fall into tentation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition,

1 Tim. 6. 9.