Vindication, Title page – Letter
A Cleare and Neceſſary VINDICATION OF THE PRINCIPLES and PRACTICES OF ME CHRISTOPHER LOƲE, Since my Tryall before, and Condemnation by, the High Court of Iuſtice, WHEREBY It is manifeſted, That a cloſe Priſon, a long Sword, a High Court, and a bloody Scaffold, have not in the leaſt altered my judgment.
WHEREAS ALSO The Cruelty of the Sentence, the Inſufficiency of the Proofs, and My own Innocency, are demonſtrated. AS ALSO My Grounds and Reaſons of giving in a Narrative, and the Lawfulneſs of the Matter and Titles of My Petitions (though to Uſurpers) manifeſted and maintained.
TOGETHER WITH A Declaration of My judgement concerning Cromwells unlawfull Invaſion of the Kingdom of SCOTLAND.
Written by Me CHRISTOPHER LOVE, Maſter of Arts, Miniſter of Lawrence Iury, London; Penned by Me the eighth of Auguſt, fourteen days before My death.
Jeremiah 26. 14, 15.
As for Me, behold I am in your hands, do with Me as ſeemeth good and meet unto you, but know ye for certain, that if ye put Me to death, ye ſhall ſurely bring innocent blood upon your ſelves, and upon this City, and upon the Inhabitants thereof, &c.
LONDON Printed in the page missing
To the Reverend Fathers and Brethren, the Miniſters in and about the City of London, Subſcribers of the Petitions for my Reprieve and …ardon.
Reverend Sirs,
IT is no little comfort to me, that when Men caſt me out of the world, that God doth not caſt me out of your hearts, (which would have been more bitter than death unto me) How much am I bound to bleſſe God, and thank you, that you ſhould intercede ſhould not dye, when ſo many Sonnes of Violence think me not worthy to live? Though your mediation for my life ſhould not ſucceed, yet herein I ſhould rejoyce, if your meeting together lay a foundation of love and union among your ſelves, though not of advantage unto me. It hath been no little grief of heart to me to conſider, that whiles the Prelates contend…d for Vniformity, thinking to have the Coat of Chriſt without rent, and the Separatiſts for Purity, thinking to have it without ſpot, by their contentions they have left the Church this Coat of Chriſt full of both. I know it is your work and wiſedome to labour for the things that make for Peace in the Churches of the Saints. As for a State-peace, or State-union, that's more proper for Stateſmen; I ſhould not deſire to live to that day, to ſee the Miniſters of London unite upon a State intereſt to maintain the preſent Power; this were to ſay a confederacy with them that ſay a confederacy; this were rather a Combination, than a Vnion. All that I ſhall ſay touching the men in preſent Power, They have gotten Power into their hands by policy, exerciſe it by cruelty, and they will loſe it with ignominy. As it was ſaid of Boniface, he entred the Popedome like a Fox, reigned like a Lyon, but dyed like a Dog: Reverend Fathers and Brethren, as you have not bin aſhamed of my chain, ſo, I beſeech you, wax more confident by my bonds, and be much more bold to Preach the Word without fear. God hath not promiſed to preſerve this or that kinde of Government in the States and Kingdomes of this World, but he hath promiſed to preſerve a Ministry in his Church, and loe he will be with you to the end of the World. I have no more to ſay, but to take my laſt farewell of you all, for I am ready to be offered up, and the time of my departure is at hand; I ſee men thirſt after my blood, though you long after my life, oh! that my blood could ſoder the differences, and my dead body fill up the breaches that are among the Godly, that they might walk together in Truth and Love, in the Fellowſhip of the Goſpell; This is the prayer of
Your dying, yet comforted Servant, who is not worthy to have a name among you, therefore is cut off from the land of the living, CHRISTOPHER LOVE. From the Tower of London, Aug. 11. 1651.