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gotten from the spies and setters of the house; for which they were afterwards rewarded with the fellowships of those who by that means were ejected. A most excellent encou→ ragement to informers! And let me add,” says he, “ that in direct contradiction to the very letter of the statutes, they ordered one of them to receive the rents of the college, and soon after made him sub-rector, though he was at that time, or only a few months before, no more than batchelor of arts."

To the above criminations Mr. Tozer desired time to put in his answer, which was granted him. When he returned his answer, he disowned their authority, saying, "That the things about which he was questioned, concerned the discipline of the college; and that he had some time before answered in the name of the whole college, that they could not, without perjury, submit to any other visitors than those to whom their statutes directed them." This answer being unsatisfactory to the visitors, they ordered him to be ejected, and committed the execution of the sentence to the soldiers of the garrison. However, Mr. Tozer still kept possession of his college for some time; and, June 29, 1648, the visitors sent for him again, and in direct opposition to the statutes of the house, peremptorily forbade him to proceed to an election the day following; and to effectually prevent him, they expelled him both from the college and the university. He refused after all to deliver up the keys of the college and to be perjured, when they proceeded to apprehend and imprison him. There is one circumstance more concerning his sufferings which, says our author, must not be omitted, viz. "That the second of the same month, he was dragged out of St. Martin's church by the soldiers, and forbidden to officiate there any more; because, forsooth! he preached pestilential doctrine." The visitors, however, afterwards moderated their sentence; allowed him the use of his chamber in the college; and appointed him the profits of a travelling fellowship, to be allowed him for three years: "but," our author adds, "whether it was ever paid him, or not, I cannot say." Upon the appointment of this allowance, he went to Holland, and became minister to the English merchants at Rotterdam, where he died September 11, 1650, aged forty-eight years, and his remains were interred in the English church at that place. Dr. Thomas Marshall, who

* Walker's Attempt, part ii. p. 115.

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succeeded him in the preacher's office, says, " he was always taken for an honest and a conscientious puritan."

His WORKS.-1. Directions for a Godly Life, especially for communicating at the Lord's Table, 1628.-2. A Christian Amendment, a Sermon on New-years-day at St. Mary's Ch. in Ox. on 2 Cor. v. 17., 1633.-3. Dicta et facta Christi ex quatour Evangelistis collecta, et in ordine disposita, 1634.-4. Christian Wisdom, or the Excellency, &c. of true Wisdom, a Sermon on 1 Kings x. 24., 1639.-5. A Sermon on John xviii. 3., 1640.

CHRISTOPHER LOVE, A. M.-This person was the son of Mr. Christopher Love, born at Cardiff in Glamorganshire, in the year 1618, and educated at New-inn-hall, Oxford. He was the youngest child of his parents, and the son of their old age; his mother, who was of a respectable family, was fifty years old when he was born. Though they never intended him for the ministry, they gave him a good education. From a child he was remarkably fond of books; and though his parents were too indulgent to him, allowing him too great liberty for play and sinful recreations, he never neglected his learning. He felt greatly concerned for his own improvement; therefore he devoted much of his time, both night and day, to his beloved studies.

He was fifteen years of age before ever he heard a sermon. At this period, Mr. Erbery going to the town, he was induced through curiosity to hear him; and he, with some others, was' greatly entertained with the novelty of it. Although he went, as he used afterwards to observe, only to see a man in a pulpit; yet, there God was pleased to meet with him, and, by that sermon, gave him such a sight of his sins and his undone condition, that he confessed he returned home, as he expressed it," with a hell in his conscience." When he came to his father's house, being dead to all his former carnal pleasures and sinful pastimes, his father greatly wondered at the sudden change; and, concluding him to be seized with some strange fit of melancholy, recommended him to associate and play with his old companions, but he refused. He could now take no pleasure in their company. His father sometimes advised him to go to gentlemen's houses, and attend his usual games; but the very thoughts of them were as daggers in his heart; therefore, he begged to be excused.

Mr. Love having fully relinquished the card-table, desired

* Wood's Athens Oxon. vol. i. p. 72.—Biog. Britan. vol. vi. p. 4076.

leave of his father, upon the next lecture day, to go to church; but this he absolutely refused, conceiving it to have been the occasion of his present sadness. Also, to prevent his attendance at church, his father locked him up in a high chamber of the house, thinking by this means to confine him there till the service was over. Such, however, was his courage, and his desire to hear the word, that he made his escape by tying a cord to the window, and sliding by it down the side of the house; and so went to the church, where the Lord was pleased so to deepen his convictions, that it ended in a sound conversion of his soul to God. Upon his return home, he found his father greatly exasperated. His situation was now deplorable. While his earthly parent was exceedingly displeased, the thoughts of an almighty and offended God were • almost insupportable. It was no small aggravation of his distress, that for some time he had not a friend on earth to whom he could unbosom his complaint. Afterwards he made known the anguish of his mind to Mr. Erbery, who was instrumental in further promoting his edification and benefit: nevertheless the Sovereign Disposer of all events was pleased to suspend the manifestations of his love, and keep him under a cloud for many years.*

About the same time some others, who had been his companions in vice, were brought to an acquaintance with God. They who had been familiar associates in games and sinful pleasures, now often assembled together for the purpose of fasting and prayer. That they might not neglect their schoolhours, nor displease their parents, they met together in the night season, when their parents thought they were in bed. For many months they held these nocturnal assemblies, setting apart two nights in the week for these devotional exercises. Mr. Love's father seeing him continue in this course, appeared to draw his affection from him, and looked upon him as a hopeless youth. He who had been called a young gamester, was now stigmatized a young puritan. Mr. Erbery perceiving his distressed situation, waited upon his father, and requested him to allow his son to come to his house, and he would promote his improvement in learning, and take proper care of him, to which his father gave his consent.

In this new situation he continued for some time, to his great advantage and comfort, of which he retained a lively sense to the day of his death. His father going to London, procured a place for him as an apprentice, entered into an

* Sloane's MSS. No. 3945.

agreement with the master, and even paid the stipulated premium: but young Love was exceedingly averse to the situation, and earnestly entreated his father to send him to Oxford. Though his father consented to his wishes, he did it in displeasure, withholding his pecuniary aid; and, during his abode at the university, he was supported partly by his mother, and partly by Mr. Erbery. He who was appointed to endure many troubles, began thus to bear the yoke in his youth. Upon his arrival at Oxford, not knowing any person in the place, nor whom to choose for his tutor, as he sat by the fire at the inn, there came several young scholars, whose discourse was wholly against the puritans, railing against them, and cursing them, especially one Mr. Rogers, whom they stigmatized an arch-puritan, and declared there was none other besides him who was head of any house in Oxford. Having heard what they had to say, he resolved to make some further inquiries concerning this Mr. Rogers, hoping that he was just such a tutor as he wanted; and after gaining satisfactory information, he intrusted himself to his care and tuition.

While at the university, Mr. Love had but little to subsist upon; but he was careful of what he received, and extremely provident of his time, making suitable improvement in his studies. He sought the acquaintance of religious persons, who, in those times of danger, were particularly cautious whom they admitted into their society. He enjoyed, however, little or no comfort for several years. God seemed to keep at a distance from him, which caused him to sigh and mourn. The remembrance of his former misspent life was to him a source of constant and bitter lamentation. In the midst of these painful conflicts, he walked as in the valley of the shadow of death. The terrors of death and hell compassed him about, and the thoughts of God made him afraid. The apprehensions of death were an astonishment to him. Under these afflictive terrors and convictions, he desired to live, as he used to say, " that he might have a little longer respite out of hell." Having little or no hope of escaping future misery, he feared that every step he took would launch him into endless torment. The waves and billows passed over his soul, and had he not been supported by the grace of Christ, be would have been overwhelmed in the mighty storm. Amidst all these painful conflicts, he lifted up his heart to God in devout prayer and supplication, and was at length enabled by faith to look within the vail, and obtain a glimpse of God, as a father and a friend, through Jesus Christ. He chose rather

1

to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to live in the pleasures of sin. He was enabled to come unto the Lord, and to cast anchor on the promise of his word; and then he enjoyed comfort.

was,

He knew that grace was absolutely necessary to make a good christian; so learning, in his opinion, was of great importance to make an able minister of the gospel. He therefore, constantly assiduous to enjoy both. He was a good proficient in the school of Christ, as well as in the school of the prophets. The Lord greatly blessed his close application to his studies; and, to qualify him for making known the glorious gospel of the blessed God, he filled his earthen vessel with the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

During the above painful conflict, he was generally looked upon as melancholy. As he had but few friends to whom he could unbosom his complaint, most persons were totally unacquainted with the cause of his dejection. At the usual time of attending his meals, as I have heard him say, (the writer of his life observes,) he used to come to his meat, when he would scarcely take any notice of those who sat with him at table, but wondered that they could eat and drink with such merry hearts. While at the table, he thought the moments long till he again retired to his study, where he spent nearly all his time, devoting certain hours every day to his academical pursuits, and the rest to the study of the holy scriptures. He allowed himself very little sleep, and little or no time for recreation. the house and ordinances of God, and conscientiously exact He was steady in his attachment to in all the duties of private devotion. For his zeal in the cause of God, he was often prosecuted in the bishops' courts; but none of these things moved him, or damped his religious

ardour.

Mr. Love having entered the ministerial function, became a very popular and useful preacher, but was persecuted for nonconformity. Even during his abode at Oxford, for refusing in convocation to subscribe Laud's superstitious canons, he was expelled from the house, never to sit there any more. Upon leaving the university, he went to London, where he was invited by the sheriff, who was a person of eminent piety, to become his domestic chaplain. In this situation he was exceedingly beloved, and made instrumental in the conversion of several in the family. He received an

*.Sloane's MSS. No. 3945.

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