Selected quad for the lemma: friend_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
friend_n	david_n	jonathan_n	saul_n	1,059	5	10.1589	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57544	The disabled debtor discharged: or, Mary Magdalen pardoned Set forth in an exposition on that parable Luke 7. 40.-51. There was a certain creditor, which had two debtors, &c. By Nehemiah Rogers, minister of the gospel.; Mirrour of mercy, and that on Gods part and mans. Part I	Rogers, Nehemiah, 1593-1660.	1658 (1658)	Wing R1821A; ESTC R222102	218,172	327

desert woods in Affrica where he wandring up and downe at last espied a Cave under the ground which unknowne to him was the Den of a Lyon into this he goeth to repose himselfe that night by and by comes in the Lyon roaring and halting and espying Androcles lay downe by him putting forth his paw which was grievously wounded with a stub making moane as though he desired help The man perceiving the Lyons meaning began to pluck up his spirits and lookes into the Lyons foot plucks out the stub dresseth the wound which was much festered and washt it with his Urine The next day the Lyon went out for his Prey and soone returnes with it in his mouth which he layed downe at the feet of Androcles who had eaten nothing two or three daies before And thus did the Lyon daily for the space of three yeares Afterwards this Androcles waxing wearie of his solitary life stoale away in the absence of the Lyon and hid himselfe not farre from the place The Lyon returning after his accustomed manner with meate for his guest dinner and not finding him made pitifull moane and lamentation Androcles when the Lyon as he conceived was laid to rest departs and wandering up and downe fell by chance into the hands of those whom his Master had sent to looke him up and being brought againe by them unto his Master was clapt up in Prison and condemned to be devoured by wild Beasts which they used to take in the Desart for that purpose It so happened that this Lyon was shortly after taken by Hunters and sent to Rome and appointed to be the Lyon with which the condemned were to combate The Lyon was brought into the place certaine Prisoners were cast in unto him which he cruelly rent in peeces at length this poore slave was cast in also to be devoured with the rest But as the Lyon ran towards him to teare him he knew the man and came fawning on him like a dog licking his hands and feet Androcles perceiving it to be the Lyon with whom he lived in the Cave stroaked him gently on the Head and Back to the admiration of all Beholders Titus the Emperour being then present demanded of the man the cause of this who related to the Emperour the whole businesse The Emperour hereupon pardons Androcles and gave him the Lyon which waited on him whithersoever he went of whom the people usually said Hic est Leo hospes hominis Hic est homo medicus leonis Philarcus tells us of another There was a young Eagle which a Boy had nourished and brought up very carefully and cured him being sick This Eagle shewed many and strange signes of love unto the Boy insomuch that the youth falling sick the Eagle would continually sit by him and when the Boy did sleep it would sleepe and when the Boy did wake that would wake and if the Boy would not eate his meate neither would that eate and afterward when the Boy died and was carryed forth upon a hearse the Eagle followed and when the body of the Boy was buryed in the fire the Eagle likewise flew into the fire and so consumed her selfe Atheneus reports likewise that one Milesius having bought a Dolphin alive let him go againe into the sea It so fell out that Milesius afterwards was cast away by shipwrack and being ready to perish in the midst of the Waves the same Dolphin came and got him on his back and carryed him safe to shore and preserved his life I am loath the Truth should suffer shipwrack by these Narrations let the credit of these stories be upon the Authors This is most apparent in experience that men may learne Love and Thankefullnesse from Bruit and Savage Creatures and these I mention thereby to shame such barbarous and rough natures Quidam quo plu● debent magis oderunt leve as alienum debitorem facit gravem inimicum Senec. Epist 48. Amicos diligere omnium est Inimicos autem solorum Christianerum Tertul ad Scap. in ips● initio as being provoked to this duty of Love by kindnesse received doe thereby take occasion of hatred and working mischiefe to them who have of them so well deserved If we love not our friends is it like we will ever love enemies And yet our Saviour hath required this of us Every man saith Tetullian can doe the one and yet that scarce onely a true Christian can doe the other Nature teacheth us to requite Goodnesse with Goodnesse it is Religion that must teach us to returne Good for Evill A great offence it must needs be to requite Evill with Evill but to recompence Good with Evill is most intollerable and the highest degree of Ingratitude I come to the next Doct. The more kindnesse wee have received from any the more should they bee endeared to us and beloved of us There are three things in Love First Benevolence and well-wishing Secondly Beneficence or Actuall well-dong Thirdly Complacency or delight-taking In all these may be a preferment given to one above another In Wellwishing none may be excluded seeme they for the present to be never so vile 1 Tim. 2.1 But David must be preferred 2 Sam. 8.3 The safety and wellfare of publike persons is especially to be desired In our delight or Contentment-taking who knowes not but though our Enemies must be prayed for yet that is so peculiar to the Saints as that it cannot without suspicion of unsoundnesse be extended to Aliens Heare Davids protestation Psal 16 3. 119.63 For Beneficence and Actuall welldoing the place is plaine Gal. 6. verse 10. There though the Charge runs generally yet a specialty therein must be reserved to the Saints Vse It should not then be counted any disparagement at all to the discretion or charity of any that they enlarge their hearts more to one then to another David had his Ionathan S. Paul had his Barnabas S. Austin his Alypias S. Hier●m his Heliodorus S. Bernard his Gernasius Eusebius his Pamphilus and our Blessed Saviour had his beloved Disciple It is a generall sentence delivered by Salomon Eccles 4.12 A threefold Cord is not easily broken Where are the most cords to tie us and the most bands to joyne us there should our love be the stronger and greater Grace is a common band of Christian Affection Nature and Blood makes it stronger for though it hath beene questioned whether a man may preferre a gratious Child before a gratious Friend yet there is no question but that a man may love a gratious Friend or Child before a gratious Stranger To these if you add Personall merits the bond is still strengthened Thus David loved Saul c. but his soule clave close to Ionathan Our Meditations might easily be enlarged in these points but they arising from the Letter of the Text I content my selfe to doe by them as the Disciples did with the eares of Corne they plucked in the field Rub them betwixt my fingers not thresh them