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The Strange and Wonderful Predictions of Mr. Christopher Love.
A Few nights after he was sentenc'd 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 he received at the bar; being one night visited-by two intimate acquaintances, or bosom friends, as he himself call’d them; in their private conference they began to complain to him of the cruelty of the times, and the malice and 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 when grace and true godliness can be distinguished from hypocrisy; many have followed Christ hitherto for the loaves, and are now turned back because of the roughness of the way and the sore 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 that serveth God, and him that 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 of their resolution, and was witness of their perjuration. But, ah! how will they look the blessed Jesus in the face, in the morning of the resurrection? what answer or excuse will they have for what they have done? O foolish people! who think to escape the cross, and come to the crown; but I tell you nay, you must all suffer persecution, who follow the Lamb; we mull be hated of all nations for Christ’s fake, we must come thro’ great tribulation, thro’ the fiery furnace of affliction, before we can enter the land of joy and felicity; know you not that the souls of those that were slain for the testimony of Jesus, are placed under the altar? Happy, happy are these men at this day, and ever shall be happy, who suffer for Christ’s fake in a right and charitable way, thro’ love to his cause, and honesty of heart? not thro’ pride and hypocrisy, without the root of the matter; to have it said, they died martyrs; these are they who will miss their mark, and thole who denied the call, and turned back shall never have the honour to find it. I am now pointed out by many to be in a destitute and forlorn condition; but I would not
