Page:Strange and wonderful predictions of the Reverend martyr, Mr. Christopher Love.pdf/2



Few nights after he was ſentenced to be beheaded on Tower-Hill, which was on the 22d day of Auguſt, in the year 1651, which was ten days before his appointed time, by the ſentence be received at the bar. Being one night viſited by two intimate acquaintances, or boſom friends, as he himſelf called them, in their private conference they began to complain to him of the cruelty of the times, and the malice and ill-uſage of the time ſerving brethren; to which Mr. Love anſwered; and think you this an evil time; no, no, this is the very time that grace and true godlineſs can be diſtinguiſhed from hypocriſy. Many have followed Chriſt hitherto for the leaves, and are now turned back becauſe of the roughneſs of the way, and the fore trial and tribulation met with by others that are gone before them. There are many in London at this very day, who think to go to heaven in their gilded coaches, and have denied Chriſt's cauſe before man againſt whom I am now witneſs) and Chriſt in his never failing word has promiſed to deny all ſuch before his Father and the holy angels. This is the time to diſcern between him who ſerveth God, and him who ſerveth him not. They formerly were my familiar acquaintances in fellowſhip and ſweet converſe. I ſent this day to have a few words of them here in the priſon, but they would not come for their countenance is fallen, their conſciences wounded, they cannot look me in the face, becauſe I knew or their reſolution, and was witneſs of their perjuration. But, ah! how will they look