Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	cause_n	life_n	sin_n	10,328	5	5.0260	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67137	The wounds of a friend, or, A letter mentioned by Mr. Love upon the scaffold in his speech a little before his death sent unto him the night before he should have been executed in the moneth of July, which is upon the occasion of the said mention thereof published / by John Price, of Colemanstreet, London.	Price, John, of Colemanstreet, London.	1651 (1651)	Wing W3664; ESTC R9250	4,693	10

THE Wounds of a Friend OR A LETTER Mentioned by Mr Love upon the Scaffold in his SPEECH a little before his Death Sent unto him the night before he should have been executed in the Moneth of JULY Which is upon the occasion of the said Mention thereof published BY Iohn Price of Colemanstreet London LONDON Printed by I. M. for H. Cripps and L. Lloyd and are to be sold at their shop in Popes-head Alley 1651. The Wounds of a Friend OR A Letter mentioned by Mr Love upon the Scaffold c. READER I Understand that Mr Love in his Speech upon the Scaffold a little before his death amongst other things made mention of a certain Letter sent unto him the night before he should have been executed the last Moneth which he called an insulting Letter importing a resolution in some to publish in print several things reflecting dishonor upon him after his death The truth is the Letter he spake of was written by my self and his jealousie of any mans writing concerning him after his death had its rise onely from a marginal note of the said Letter which it seems made a deep impression upon him and since his death I perceive that not onely Mr Love but some of his friends did take that Letter very ill at my hands especially considering that deep sense pity and compassion that did as they say seem to appear in me towards him in his sad condition but a little before that Letter was sent which was I confess so great that as on the one hand I could not be well satisfied how the Parliament could in Honor and Conscience have vouchsafed him a Pardon they being indeed not their own but Trustees for the Commonwealth and therefore obliged to pursue the publique and common benefit in saving or destroying him his life being forfeited to the Commonwealth and no probable much less certain publique advantage appearing to accrue from his Pardon but rather a giving up their cause so maintained and assetted by him during all the time of his tryal and nothing appearing to the contrary in all his post addresses how ever slily and cunningly couch'd and pen'd so on the other hand my bowels and affections did so melt and yearn towards him that I verily beleeve I could have been contented in Gods way to have parted with one of my limbs for his life and however I was by him and am by others unhappily mistaken in that letter yet God and mine own Conscience do witness for me the uprightness plainness and singleness of my heart and spirit out of which I wrote it for the spiritual peace and advantage of his soul had he been pleased to have improved it to that end being as I conceived very genuinely naturally improvable thereunto And mine own Family can bear me witness which I would not mention but upon this occasion that with many prayers night and day I did according to my poor measure importune the Almighty for grace and mercy for him until the time of his death The truth is I was plain and clear with him in my Letter applying my self to him in such matter which I thought might be most healthful and profitable for him It is now about eleven years sithence my first acquaintance with him in which time I have had very many advantages by a strict observation of him his deportment in publique and private of inspection as into his worth and excellency whereof he was always sufficiently sensible so into his weakness and infirmities for I hope they were no worse and I found and it was not onely my observation of him but also many others for alas it could not be hid that he was exceeding apt not onely to be courted but even captivated with that secret close and dangerous lust and sin of popularity affecting multitude of followers and not able to bear opposition and contradiction and therefore well perceiving the policy of Satan that great adversary of mankinde adepting and sitting this feare of death wherein his foot was so aptly and easily taken and mounting him upon the wing and pinnacle of popular observation and considering also his seeming penitential Addresses unto the Parliament though cloudily obstrucely and very uncertainly fram'd and pen'd arguing at least unto me a kinde of a trembling shaking and exceeding dissatisfactory frame and temper of minde to venture his life upon so bad a cause and understanding also by some of his very neer friends that were dayly with him how uncertain he was in his disposition to an ingenuous christian and plenary acknowledgment in his Addresses unto the Parliament for mercy and that by reason of the various and diverse disposed and opinionated persons that were his constant Visitors some inclining him one way and some another some endevoring as it seemed to me to make him a meer * Calf or Heifer a Victim to their cause though happily instructing him in that black art of double dealing dis-ingenuous distinctions and reservations to save his life together with their cause could it so be brought about some of which friends I fear stuck too close to him even to his death a Others again advising him to acknowledg his sin and to give glory to God I say perceiving this poor young man thus harrassed and hurried in his thoughts and minde and ready to offer up his life in this perplexed temper and disposition And lastly calling to minde the most dangerous and desperate estate and condition of his poor Soul should he offer it up unto the service of this lust not withstanding his seeming zeal for Gods glory and the great temptation hereunto by a mighty concourse of people to see the manner of his death and hear his last Scaffold Oration These Considerations wrought upon me out of very faithfulness to write this ensuing Letter which take as followeth Mr Love I do not know nor am I much solicitous whether you esteem me an enemy or a friend but as I abhor to salute you with the Kisses of an enemy so I judg it unseasonable to afflict you with the Wounds of a friend and yet the bowels of a spiritual Brother I know not whether you can eccho Brother to me do so implacably importune me that I am compel'd by the workings thereof to be bold with you in one word of Counsel before our final parting it is this Offer not up your precious life with all its concernments natural spiritual a victim to the great Godess of vain Professors popula●ity though confind within the Circle of a certain Party You may call this Censoriousness for want of love but my conscience calls it Faithfulness through the abundance of love to be prais'd while you live and talked on after you be dead for a valiant Assertor even unto death of that Cause judged by many of your own Friends and Judgment to be weak yea wicked is but a small price for this precious life and the hazards of a better It is well