Christopher Love, a staunch Covenanted Presbyterian, was executed by the English army during Oliver Cromwell's usurpation -- or as John Gerstner writes, "he was martyred for the zeal of the Cromwellian Independents."

Gerstner continues, "at the end of the 20th century, the Protestant church has fewer Christopher Loves and needs them more. Though he died at 33 years of age, his wisdom is for the ages, especially the impending 'Third Christian Millennium'... Christopher Love made all the actors on the religious scene of his day more or less his enemies because he told the truth across the board. As I said above, we can use a few more Loves for the 21st century... Love was a jure divino (divine right) Presbyterian... With Samuel Rutherford in Scotland, Gisbert Voetius in Holland, and Christopher Love in England, this was the gold age for church order, not for top-down (Episcopacy) or bottom-up (Independency) but top-down and bottom-up (Presbyterianism).

That a stickler for regulations would be the devout pietist of the letters here included, is instructive. High Calvinistic theology, meticulous discipline, and heart religion were providentially and sanctifyingly mixed together and out came Christopher Love. He had to die young" (from the Foreword to Don Kistler's A Spectacle Unto God: The Life and Death of Christopher Love, pp. viii-ix).

After Love's execution, the Presbyterian Thomas Manton (a close friend of Love's) ignored threats by Cromwell's sectarian soldiers (who said they would shoot him if he preached at Love's funeral) to preach Love's funeral sermon anyway (and he was not shot). This book helps exhibit the wickedness of Cromwell's administration, exposing Cromwell as the Judas of the Solemn League and Covenant.

It also demonstrates the faithfulness of God to his covenanted, elect remnant -- especially to those martyred for maintaining second Reformation attainments. The subtitle, picking up where the title left off, further explains the contents of this title. It reads: "Also, His Grounds and Reasons of giving in a Narrative, and the lawfulness of the Matter and Titles of his Petitions. Together with a Declaration of his Judgment concerning Cromwell's unlawful Invasion of the Kingdom of Scotland. Likewise, Mr. Love's Speech and Prayer, on the Scaffold at Tower Hill, upon the day of his Death, and his last Sermon."

Love's speech and prayer just before his execution exhibit what was at the heart of the second Reformation, as well as what was on the lips of its martyrs. "I die cleaving to all those oaths, vows and covenants, and protestations, that were imposed by the two houses of parliament, as owning them, and in dying with my judgment for them: to the protestation, the vow and the covenant, the solemn league and covenant. And this I tell you all, I had rather die a covenant keeper, than live a covenant breaker" (p. 70).

Also included here are the heart-wrenching letters that passed between Love and his wife leading up to his state sanctioned murder, a letter from Love to one of the witnesses against him, and several letters to Love from Dr. Drake and other of his then fellow-suffers.

114 pages.