A VINDICATION Of Mr. Christopher Love, FROM Divers scandalous reproaches cast upon him by the Malignant party. Who charge him to be a hinderer of the Treaty at Uxbridge, and a disturber of the Peace of this commonwealth. WHEREIN He cleareth himself from those aspersions; and showeth that he always constantly endeavoured that Peace with Truth might be established; to the Glory of God, and the comfort of this NATION.  
Written with his own hand, before his death, and now published for General satisfaction.  
LONDON, Printed by R. Wood, 1651.   

A Vindication of Mr. Christopher Love from divers reproaches cast upon him by the Malignant party.  
IF a man's good name be as precious ointment, there will not be wanting many flies (to carry about flying Reports) to corrupt it: Although I deserve not a name among the children of the most high God, yet would I not lose that room which any hath vouchsafed me in their hearts, not be made an abhorring to them. 'Tis true, this Sermon which I preached at Uxbridge exposeth me to the envy of the bad, the jealousy of the good, yea the scandalous Reports of all; should I now be silent, I should strengthen those reports, and ratify the rumours unjustly raised against me. I confess the meanness of my gifts, and fewness of my years, (being no more than 28.) doth lay a great discouragement upon my spirit to come into public view, to hold forth the dim light of a candle now the Sun shineth; to bring in my poor mite, when men now adays cast in of their abundance into God's Treasury; had I not been pressed under the pressure of reproaches, I should never have brought my Sermon (which I preached at Uxbridge) to the press; when I preached it, I accounted it no other than as an untimely birth, that should never see the Sun; the reason why I now bring it to light, is not any high conceit that I have of it, but a false conceit that many have both of the Sermon, and myself that preached it. I am presented to the world as an enemy to Treaties, or a peace by that way; I can make my Appeal to Heaven, where my witness is, that in the travel of my Soul I have uncessantly cried unto God for a good success to that Treaty, that by it Peace and Truth might flourish in our days, only an unsound and an unsafe peace have I preached and prayed against.  
I have only two things faithfully and humbly to present to your consideration. First, the Call that I had to preach at Vxbridg at that day. Secondly, the Matter which I preached. For the first, viz. the Call that I had to preach, I shall briefly relate: On Wednesday night the 29 of January, (being the monthly Fast) I had notice that the Commissioners were come to Vxbridg, and that Mr. Martial or some other Minister that attended upon the Honourable Commissioners, was to preach the Thursday following; (which was the first day of the Treaty) hearing of this, I rode from Windsor Castle to Vxbridg on Thursday morning; went forth with to Mr. Martial, to know whether he preached, who told me he did not, yet said that there was a Sermon: soon after I went towards the Church to be an Hearer. As I was going, I met the governor of the Town, who told me that he with others had been waiting in the Congregation for a Sermon, but the Minister expected to preach was not come; whereupon he desired me that I would preach, else the Congregation would be disappointed. To whom I answered, that I had no thoughts of preaching, but to be an hearer, yet rather than the Congregation should be disappointed, I would spend some half an hour to give them a word of Exhortation, which accordingly I did. Now whether this was not a hand of Heaven to cast me upon the work, let my accusers themselves be Judges. I am constrained to write the manner how I came to preach, to wipe off those scandals that are cast upon me. Some say that I intruded myself on the work, when divers can tell how earnestly Capt. Hampton, the governor of the Town, did solicit me, telling me else the Congregation would be disappointed. Some were so shameless as to say, that I thrust M. Martial down the Pulpit stairs, when 'tis well known M. Martial was not there all that day; besides, had he been there to preach, I am so far from doing any such unchristian action, as to rob the Congregation of the Labours of him whose Books I am no● worthy to carry after him, yea (if it were an expression meet for a mere man, I could say, whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy to untie. Others say, that one Mr. Kem was to preach; others say, some adjacent Minister, (whose turn it was to supply the lecture that day) whether the one or the other, I knew not then; only this I know, it was almost a 11 of the clock when I was entreated to preach: the governor and some of the people came out of the Congregation, thinking they had been disappointed of a Sermon; yea, I did myself also bid the clerk call a long Psalm, that so if the Minister who was appointed to preach had come in the mean time, he might have supplied the place.  
Object. What ever your Call was to preach that day, yet the matter which you preached was unseasonable in that place, before that Auditory, and at that time.  
To which I answer, First, it was their usual Lecture-day; but a Country Auditory, none of the Commissioners of either fide were there. Secondly, Had they been there, I spoke not a word touching the Commissioners of either side, only prayed for our own. Thirdly if any thing were unseasonable, it must be this; I advised the Auditors not to dote too much on Treaties of Peace: What unseasonableness was in this? I hope a Minister may advise a people not to dote too much upon ordinances, or upon duties, yet this no disparagement to either, or to the authority of God that enjoins both; one may advise another not to dote too much upon Wife and children, yet this advice doth not reflect to the disgrace of either: in the like manner, might not a Minister advise a Congregation not to dote too much upon that Treaty, yet this advice no ways reflects on the Treaters, or Treaty itself. I said further, that whiles our enemies go on in their wicked practices, and whiles we keep to our principles, we may as soon make fire and water to agree, and (I had almost said) reconcile Heaven and Hell, as their spirits and ours; either they must grow better, or we must grow worse, before it is possible for us to agree; wherein is this unseasonable? sh●w me, and I will fall down with an acknowledgement at your feet.  
Object. Why did you not write this Vindication sooner; had there not been a fault you would not have been so long silent, and suffer many aspersion thus to spread.  
To which I briefly answer, First, I acknowledge such a sense and apprehension I have of these poor fruits o● my studies, that I had no thoughts at all to print my Sermon, had not the importunity of divers friends, who are both godly and wise, prevailed with me, as also the consideration that these scandals would not only reflect upon myself, but on other Ministers also who cleave to the Parliament proceedings, as if they were of the same spirit that I am unjustly presented to the World to be of, had not there considerations swayed with me, I should not have brought my Sermon to public view, but have waited in silence, submission, and patience on my God for a Vindication, knowing assuredly the innocency and integrity of my heart and carriage to be clear in this matter; I bless God, the integrity of my spirit (being in nothing about this matter conscious to myself) hath been as a brazen wall against all the scandals which have hence been darted against me, that none of them have entered to to pierce the quietness and content of my spirit; I remember what the Poet said,  
— Hic muru● abeneus esto  
Nil conscire sibi, nulla pallescere culpa.  
Secondly, it was meet I should be thus long silent, lest I should have anticipated the Parliament (before whom some accusations against me were presented) I should have been pragmatical, unwise, yea also have blemished my own vindication, should not I have waited for their determinations; who have (by an Order of the House of Commons) cleared and acquitted me touching this matter.  
It was requisite I should stay until the Treaty was over, lest it might exasperate the spirits of our enemies, and so father that on me as if I had not a peaceable disposition, which indeed is the bastard that ought to be laid before their own doors; though their words be smother than butter, yet war is in their hearts, but Peace in mine.  
Fourthly, I deemed it my best way to wait a while in silence that I might the better hear and know the scandalous aspersions cast upon me, that I might the easier clear myself. Some report that I ran out of Uxbridge as soon as I had preached the Sermon, as being ashamed of what I had done, whereas 'tis known by divers I went publicly up and down the Town, and stayed at least four hours after the sermon in the Town; others say that I retired myself, and kept out of the way when I was sent for by the Parliament, when divers can testify I went up and down the City; yea, was so far from hiding myself from any Court of Judicature, that I used means that I might be heard; that I might come to answer the accusations that were against me. Malignants (who would have it so) reported that I was whipped out of Uxbridge, or committed close prisoner in Uxbridge by our Commissioners, brought in a Cart to London, committed by the Parliament close Prisoner to Newgate, with many other lying reproaches would they fasten upon me, whereas 'tis well known I was never before either parliament, or Honourable Commissioners employed by them, or any else about this business, only I was sent for by an Order of the House of Commons, but in regard nothing was brought in against me, I was by them acquitted.  
Thus Courteous Reader, referring myself to thy favourable censure, I humbly take leave for this time; pressing myself to be  
An earnest wellwisher to Truth and Peace, with them who love both in sincerity, Christopher Love.  
FINIS.