A88579:65
A clear and necessary vindication of the principles and practices of me Christopher Love,…A cleare and necessary vindication of the principles and practices of me Christopher Love,…
A clear and necessary vindication of the principles and practices of me Christopher Love, since my trial before, and condemnation by, the High Court of Justice. 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 unlawful invasion of the kingdom of Scotland. Written by me Christopher Love, Master of Arts, minister of Lawrence Jury, London; penned by me the eighth of August, fourteen days before my death.A cleare and necessary vindication of the principles and practices of me Christopher Love, 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.
London : s.n., Printed in the year 1651
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. I had not so much hopes, that saying in any sense the Sentence was just would formerly so much advantage me as now I have, therefore would not give so likely an offence for so unlikely and uncertain an advantage.
2. I had not so much hopes, that saying in any sence the Sentence was just would formerly so much advantage me as now I have, therefore would not give so likely an offence for so unlikely and uncertain an advantage.
3. I considered with my self, that the Sentence of the Court (whether just or unjust as to my acknowledgement) was but a nice controversy in Law, not a clear Case of Conscience in Divinity. I did not refuse to say the Sentence was in any ⟨p. 12⟩sense just, as if I thought it were a sin in its own Nature to say that by their Laws the Sentence was just, I never loaded my Conscience with that, but I forbore it out of Christian prudence; I would not harden my Judges, nor ensnare my Brethren.
3. I considered with my self, that the Sentence of the Court (whether just or unjust as to my acknowledgment) was but a nice controversie in Law, not a clear Case of Conscience in Divinity. I did not refuse to say the Sentence was in any ⟨p. 12⟩sence just, as if I thought it were a sin in its own Nature to say that by their Laws the Sentence was just, I never loaded my Conscience with that, but I forbore it out of Christian prudence; I would not harden my Judges, nor insnare my Brethren.
4. The last reason why I did say the Sentence was just, is this, because my Judges did upon the evidence bring me under these general and comprehensive words, To abet, countenance, and encourage the Scottish Nation. These words are of such a latitude, that they might bring me under them by forced inferences, strained consequences, and rigid interpretations; so that in this sense (this rigid sense) the Sentence may be said to be just. Yet for all this that hath been said, my Judges have great cause to be troubled, as