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. LXII. Examples of such as have preferred Christ, before all earthly enjoyments.

Under the eight Persecution there was one Mari∣nus, [ 1] a Nobleman, and valiant Captaine in Cae∣saria who stood for an honourable office that of right fell to him; but his Competitor to prevent him, accused him to the Judge for being a Christian: The Judge examining him of his faith, and finding it true, gave him three houres time to deliberate with him∣selfe whether he would lose his Office, and Life, or renounce Christ, and his profession: Marinus being much perplexed what to resolve on, a godly Bishop took him by the hand, led him into the Church, laid before him a sword, and a New-Testament, bidding him freely take his choice which of them he would

have, whereupon Marinus ranne to the New Testa∣ment, and chose that, and so being encouraged by the Bishop, he went boldly to the Judge, by whose sen∣tence he was beheaded.

Dioclesian that bloody Persecutor, first laboured to [ 2] seduce the Christian souldiers in his Camp, commanding them either to sacrifice to his gods, or to lay down their places, offices, and armes: To whom they reso∣lutely answered, That they were not only ready to lay down their honours, and weapons, but even their lives, if he required it, rather then to sinne against God, and de∣ny Christ.

A Noble Virgin in Portugal called Eulalia, under [ 3] the tenth Persecution, seeing the cruelty used against Christians for the cause of Christ, went to the Judge, and thus bespake him: What a shame is it for you, thus wickedly to seek to kill mens souls, and to break their bo∣dies in pieces, seeking thereby to withdraw them from Christ? Would you know what I am? I am a Christian, ana an enemy to your devillish sacrifices, I spurne your idols under my feet, &c. Hereupon the Judge being en∣raged, said unto her: O fond, and sturdy girle, I would faine have thee before thou diest revoke thy wicked∣nesse: Remember the Honourable House of which thou art come, and thy friends teares: Wilt thou cast away thy selfe in the flower of thy youth? Wilt thou bereave thy selfe of honourable marriage? Doth the glittering pomp of the bride-bed nothing prevaile with thee? &c. Behold, if these things will not move thee, I have here variety of engins prepared to put thee to a cruel death, &c. But our Noble Eulalia having her heart ravished with the love of Christ, to whom she desired to be married, rejected both his flatteries, and threats, and chose death, rather then to forsake Christ. See my General Martyrology. p. 77.

In the late Bohemian Persecution a noble Lady of [ 4] the City of Latium, leaving all her riches, house, and friends, crept under the walls through the com∣mon sewer (the gates being guarded) that she might enjoy Christ in his Ordinances elsewhere.

In the Affrican Persecution under the Arians there [ 5] was a noble man called Saturus, eminent for piety, and holinesse, whom the Tyrant King laboured to withdraw from Christ, and his truth, to the Arian Heresie, telling him, that if he consented not pre∣sently, he should forfeit his house, his Lands, his goods, his honours, that his children and servants should be sold, that his wife should be given to one of his basest slaves, &c. But when threats prevailed not, he was cast into prison, and when his Lady heard her doom, she went to him with her garments rent, and her hair disheveled, her children at her heeles, and a sucking infant in her armes, and fal∣ling down at her husbands feet, she took him about the knees, saying, Have compassion (O my sweetest) of me thy poor wife, and of these thy children, look upon them; let them not be made slaves; let not me be yoaked in so base a marriage: consider that which thou art re∣quired to do, thou doest it not willingly, but art constrain∣ed thereto, and therefore it will not be laid to thy charge, &c. But this valiant Souldier of Christ answered her in the words of Job: Thou speakest like a foolish woman; Thou actest the Devils part: If thou truly lovedst thy husband, thou wouldest never seek to draw him to sin that may separate him from Christ, and expose him to the second death: Know assuredly, that I am resolved (as my Saviour Christ commands me) to forsake wife, children, house, lands, &c. that so I may enjoy him which is best of all.

One Copin a Merchant in France was apprehend∣ed, [ 6] and carried before the Bishop of Ast for his bold asserting of the truth, to whom the B. said, that he must either recant his opinions, or be punished: But Copin answered, that he would maintain them with his life: For, saith he, I have goods, a wife, and children, and yet have I lost those affections which I for∣merly bore to them, neither are they dear to me, so I may gain Christ.

See more Examples of this kind before in this Book, p. 29, 30, 31.

Anno Christi 1620. in that bloody Persecution [ 7] in the Valtoline, a noble Gentleman having for a while hid himself, was at last found out by his Popish adversaries, whom he requested to spare him for his childrens sake: but they told him that this was no time for pity, except he would renounce his Re∣ligion, and embrace Popery; whereupon he said, God forbid, that to save this temporal life, I should deny my Lord Jesus Christ, who with his precious blood upon the Crosse redeemed me at so dear a rate, &c. I say, God forbid; and so they murthered him. See my Gen. Martyrologie, p. 327.

Anno Christi 1507. one Laurence Guest being in [ 8] prison for the truth in Salisbury, the Bishop (because he had good friends) laboured by all means to draw him to recant: but not 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, Reli∣gion 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, [ 9] when he came to the stake kneeled down, and pray∣ed 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, [ 10] 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 [ 11] 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 [ 12] 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 chil∣dren 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 [ 13] 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 re∣nounce 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 [ 1] 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 pro∣strated 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 [ 2] 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 [ 3] 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.