Christopher Love (1618-1651)

Today, many Christians are turning back to the puritans to, “walk in the old paths,” of God’s word, and to continue to proclaim old truth that glorifies Jesus Christ. There is no new theology. In our electronic age, more and more people are looking to add electronic books (ePubs, mobi and PDF formats) to their library – books from the Reformers and Puritans – in order to become a “digital puritan” themselves. Take a moment to visit Puritan Publications (click the banner below) to find the biggest selection of rare puritan works updated in modern English in both print form and in multiple electronic forms. There are new books published every month. All proceeds go to support A Puritan’s Mind.

Works currently published and updated in modern English by Christopher Love are HERE at Puritan Publications:

The Main Points of Church Government and Discipline

The Christian’s Duty and Safety in Evil Times

The Christian’s Combat Against the Devil

Heaven’s Glory

Christ’s Ascension and Second Coming from Heaven

The Hearer’s Duty and Other Works

A Treatise on Hell’s Terror

A Christian’s Directory

The Last Words and Letters of Christopher Love

Biography of Christopher Love (1618-1651):

Christopher Love (1618-1651) was born in Cardiff, Wales in 1618. He was converted at the age of 15 and attended

New Inn Hall, Oxford, against the wishes of his father, but supported by his minister and mother. While at Oxford, Love was tutored by Dr. Christopher Rogers, a man with Strong Puritan leanings.

Love pastored in London after several short stops along the way. Before he assumed the pastorate of St. Lawrence Jewry in London, Love catechized and taught theology to the children of the sheriff of London. He married Mary Stone, the daughter of a London merchant, whom he met while they were both employed by Sheriff Warner. They had five children, two girls who died early in life, and three boys, the last who was born a week after Love’s death. Love, a Presbyterian, obtained ordination in the Church of England after much difficulty. He would have had it easily in Scotland, but not without leaving England to live in Scotland, which he was loathe to do.

Because of his political leanings and involvements, he was arrested by Oliver Cromwell’s forces for his alleged involvement with a plan to raise money for the restoration of the monarchy, a charge Love denied. He was arrested along with six other prominent ministers in London (all Presbyterians, the venerable Thomas Watson being the most noted), for treason. The rest were released after six months; Love was beheaded on Tower Hill, London on August 22, 1651.

For a more detailed account of his life, read The Last Words and Letters of Christopher Love.

This volume has never been published since the time Love’s executors distributed it in 1653. To have this particular volume in print is to have the very last of Christopher Love’s available works for publication.

 

The Christian has a number of duties to follow at Christ’s command living in such evil days. The matter of these works is wholesome, seasonable, with a great savor of Love’s gracious spirit. He manifests to the world the workings both of his heart and life, being zealously devoted to the service of Christ, and the Christian soul. CLICK HERE

His Works:

Modernized works:

The Christian’s Duty and Safety in Evil Times
The Christian’s Combat Against the Devil
Heaven’s Glory
Christ’s Ascension and Second Coming from Heaven
The Christian’s Directory
Hell’s Terror
The Hearer’s Duty and Other Works
The Last Words and Letters of Christopher Love
Get the printed books HERE at our Spotlight Page for Puritan Publications.

Old English Works:

1. “The debauched Cavalier, or the English Midianite,” 1643.
2. “England’s Distemper, having Division and Error as its Cause, etc. Together with Vindication of the Author from…aspersions.” London, 4to, 1645; having affixed the sermon preached at Uxbridge.
3. “Short and plaine Animadversions on some Passages in Mr. Dels’ Sermon,” 4to, London, 1646, 5nd edit. 1647.
4. “An Answer to an unlicensed Pamphlet,” 4to, 1646, written in answer to the above.
5. “A modest and clear Vindication of the…ministers of London from the scandalous aspersions of John Price,” anon., London, 1649, 4to (ascribed to Love in Illumination to Sion College, 1649, anon.)
6. “A Cleare and necessary Vindication of the Principles and Practices of Mr. Christopher Love,” etc., 4to, London, 1651. His posthumously published petitions and narrative to the parliament, speech and prayer on the scaffold, and letters to his wife, were published in various unauthorized books in 1651. He also appears as editor, and may have been author, of “The Main Points of Church Government and Discipline,” London, 1649, 12mo.

Love’s executors, Edmund Calamy, Simeon Ashe, Jeremiah Whitaker, William Taylor, and Allan Geare, published after his death the following works:

1. “Grace, the Truth and Growth and Different Degrees Thereof (fifteen sermons),” 1652, 4to, and 1810.
2. “Heaven’s Glory” (ten sermons), 1653, 4to, 1810; Dutch version, 1867 (Sneek, “De Neerligkheid das Hemels”).*
3. “The Soul’s Cordial, in two Treatises: (1) How to be eased of the Guilt of Sin, (2) Discovering Advantages by Christ’s Ascension” (twenty-two sermons), 1653.
4. “A Treatise of Effectual Calling and Election,” 1653.
5. “Scripture Rules to be observed in Buying and Selling,” 1653.*
6. “A Christian’s Duty and Safety in evil Times,” 1653, to which is annexed the “Saints’ Rest, or their happy Sleep in Death.”
7. “The Hearer’s Duty, and three other Sermons,” 1653.*
8. “The Christian’s Directory, tending to guide him,” &c., 1653.*
9. “The true Doctrine of Mortification and Sincerity, in opposition to Hypocrisy,” 1654.
10. “The Combat between the Flesh and Spirit” (twenty-seven sermons), 1654.
11. “The Sum or Substance of prelatical Divinity, or the Grounds of Religion in a catechistical Way,” 1654.
12. “The dejected Soul’s Cure, in divers Sermons,” 1657.
13. “The Ministry of Angels to the Heirs of Salvation,” 1657.
14. “Of God’s Omnipresence,” 1657.
15. “The Sinner’s Legacy to Posterity,” 1657.
16. “The Penitent Pardoned,” 1657.
17. “A Discourse of Christ’s Ascension and coming to Judgment.”
18. “The natural Man’s Case stated, or an exact Map of the Worldly Man” (seventeen sermons), 1658.
19. “The History of the Holy Bible,” 1783. His “Select Works,” Glasgow, 2 vols. 8vo, appeared in 1805, and “Remains” (with life), London, 12mo, in 1807.
20. “Hell’s Terror,” (seven sermons), 1653.*
21. “The Christian’s Combat Against the Devil,” (treatise).*

 

*These works have been published by Puritan Publications.