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
A67736	Armour of proof, or a soveraign antidote, against the contagion of evil company Together with the skill, will, and industry of lewd ones; in tempting to sin, and drawing to perdition. Being subjects of concernment for the younger sort. The second part. By R. Younge of Roxwel in Essex, Florilegus.	Younge, Richard.	1655 (1655)	Wing Y138; ESTC R222620	37,249	36

approbation mine own bene●●t and the not harming of my neighbour ●nd then where the change is not a fault I will never think it a disgrace though the great exchange the World should judge it so Even modesty in some is a vi●e when out of a weak flexibility of nature man hath not courage enough to deny the request of a seeming friend If a man never abandoneth evill until he abandoneth evil company it is ●igh time to take courage yea the longer wee have been with them the more need have we to hasten out of them If this satisfie not as the Emperor Frade●ick said to certain of his Minions that we●e importunate to get into their ●ands the ancient demeasn of the Empire that he would rather be accounted of small liberallity then p●rjured even so had we in this case rather be ac●ounted inconstant then b● unconscionable To the second part of the objection I answer That true love and friend●hip is only among good men The wicked may talk of it and one drunkard ●ay professe to another that he loves him as well as himself and therein speake ●ruth for saith Augustine most elegantly to such an one thou lov●st thy self so as thou wilt destroy thy self and thou wilt destroy him whom thou lovest as ●hy self yea better then themselves for you shall have one Russian salute ano●her with God save you Sir but after some strange attestations swear away ●imself with God damn me Sir now how can any wise man think him a friend ●hat is his own enemy hee that is evill to himself to whom will he be good But see the depth of such a mans love and whether it be not to damn thy bo●y and soul everlastingly S. Ambrose tels us of one who solicited a godly woman to incontinency saying he infinitely loved her she answers if you lov● me so well as you seem put one of your fingers into the flame till your fles● be burnt off he rep●ys that was no part of love in her to require it yes said she if yours be love to cause both my body and soul to be burnt in he●●fire for ever which by conseque●ce will follow if I yeeld to your request and take your counsel Oh that thou hadst the wit to answer the drunkard when he tempts thee thus Indeed there is a kind of agreement which is st●engthened by sin it self as if one ●ee the keeper of a wench his secrecy is bought for ever But all this while if one call another friend it is but to give him a nick-name whereof he is not guilty for true friendship is so sacred holy and pure that it will not be used in evill which made Pericles when he was desired by a friend of his to aide him with false witnesse answe● that he would b●friend him as far as the Altar meaning so far as stood with piety and religion or his duty to God but no further and Phocion refuse to help his son in law Cariles in judgment being accused for bribery saying withall that he had made him his frien● and alli● in just and reasonable matters and in them only and this likewise made Papini● an a Pagan being commanded by the Empe●or Car●●alla whose Steward and familiar he was refuse to defend an unjust cause as Marcellinus records and thus it fares with all that are truly religious There is not any one quoth the sincere Christian either in blood or otherwise so near unto me but if he fall from God I will fall from him why our Saviour Christ hath taught me both by precept and example that I should acknowledg none so as to be led by them for my brother sister or mother but such as do the will of my Father which is in Heaven Matth. 12. 46. to 51. Whereas on the contrary in things lawfull nothing rivits hearts so close ●s religion it unites them together as gl●ws doth 〈◊〉 together it makes a knot even between such as never saw one anothers face that Alexander can not cut yea Tyrants will sooner want invention for torments then they with tortures be made treacherous How many have chosen rather to embrace the flams then to reveal their companions and b●ethren in Christ There is no friendship like the friendship of faith There is Amor among Beasts Dilectio among Men Charitas among Christians that is their peculiar nature makes husband and wi●● but one flesh grace makes them even one spirit and it is a question w●ether naturall Parents are to be●loved above spiritual we know that Christ preferred his spiritua● kindred to that of the flesh and m●jor est connexio 〈◊〉 quà● sanginum saith Beza Why s●ould we love them more that brought us into this sinfull and miserable world then those that b●ing us into a better world where is neither sin nor misery Why them that live with us on earth but a while equall to them that shall live with us in H●aven for ever But to go on Surely as grace in her self is far above nature so is she likewise in her effects and consequently unites in a far more ●urable bond Christians hearts are joyned one to another with so fast a gl●w that no by respects can s●ver them as you may see in that paire of friends Ionathan and David non● had so much cause to disaffect David as Ionathan no●e in a●l Israel should be such a looser by David's successe as he Saul was sure enough setled for hi● time only his successor should forgo all that which David should gain so a● none but David stands in Ionathan's way to the Crown and yet all this can not abate one dram of his love As also in Ruth and Naomy whom nothing but death could part Ruth 1. If you will see other examples look Rom. 1. 10 11. 1 Thes. 2. 17 19. 20. Galathians 4. 18 19. Act. 20. 37 38. and 16. 15. Luke 4. 42. 2 Kings 2. 4. 9. and 4. 9 10. As grace is the greatest attractive of love so is it the surest bond it is like varnish that makes ●eelings not only ●hine but last Where God uniteth hearts carnall respects are too weak to dis●ever them since that which breaks off affection must needs be stronger then that which conjoyneth it and why doth S. Iohn use these words once to the elect Lady 2 Iohn 1. 2. and again to Gajus 3 Iohn 1. whom I love in the truth but to shew that to love in the truth is the only true love Indeed religion is the surest cement of all societies the loser joynts of all naturall and civill relations are compacted and confirmed by the sinews of grace and religion and such a lose joynted friendship cannot hold long which wants the nerves of religion Wherefore give me any foe rather then a resolved Christian no friend unlesse a man truly honest §. 33. BUt here it will be objected That we hate and contemn all who are not like our selves that we remember them so much to