Man ashiv le-Yahoweh, or, A serious enquiry for a suitable return for continued life, in and after a time of great mortality, by a wasting plague (anno 1665) answered in XIII directions / by Tho. Doolitel.

SECT. XIII.

BUT more particularly I shall speak to three things:

• What manner of love is this
• Why they should have this
• Wherein they should manifest this

love one to another.

[ I] If you will improve this mercie God hath vouchsafed you, your love must have these pro∣perties.

1. It must be a Superlative love, that is in re∣spect of all sublunarie things; though your love to God and Christ must be more than your love one to another, else it doth sinfully exceed, for if any loveth Father or Mother, Husband or Wife, more than Christ, he is not worthie of him, yet in respect of all other persons and things in this world, it must be more, else it is sinfully deficient; A man must love his Wife above all other per∣sons, above his Estate, or whatsoever is dear un∣to him in this world, and so the Wife. Thus Christ loveth his Church, and a believing soul, above all other persons, and the Church recipro∣callie loves Christ above all other things in the world.

2. It must be a Constant love, it must last as long as life in both do••n last. The longer you live in this Relation, the more you should love. Length of time must not wear off the comman∣ded and allowed strength of your mutual Affecti∣on. Thus Christ alwaies love•• his Church, and the Church alwaies loves Jesus Christ.

3. It must be Holy love; from an holy Principle, obedience to Gods command; in an holy manner, according to the Word of God; for holy ends, the glorie of God, &c. Carnal love, for carnal ends, is not the love that God requireth in this Relati∣on,

Thus Christ loves the Church, and the Church loves Christ with an holy love.

4. It must be a tender, compassionate, and sym∣pathizing love; if God lay his afflicting hand up∣on either, in sickness of bodie, in terrours of mind, the other is to be tender, and to sympa∣thize in those afflictions. If God lay his hand upon both, in Povertie and want, they should not fret one against the other, (which is too usu∣all) but should both with tenderness of com∣passion endeavour to bear the same burden, and make up that which is wanting in outward en∣joyments in the degree of their love. And this would lighten many burdens, and sweeten the bit∣ter Cup of affliction which God may put into both their hands; as the want of Conjugal affe∣ction in many doth make that heavie which is light, and that bitter which is sweet. Thus Christ loveth his Church, and sympathizeth with her in all her afflictions, Isa. 63.9. Acts 9.4.

5. It must be Forgiving love; that shall hide and cover the infirmities of each from the world, every miscarriage in this Relation should not abate the affection of one to the other. Sinful Infirmities must not be allowed of in one another, because they must be faithful to each others souls, and yet they should not be blazed unto others, because of the love to each others person. Thus Christ loveth his Church notwithstanding her sinful Infirmities; and because he loveth her, he is readie and willing to forgive her. But there is no such retaliation of this Propertie of love in the Church to Christ, because he hath no such

sinful infirmities: but there is no such husband in the world besides Christ, and therefore in our case it is reciprocal.

Notes

• The pro∣perties of their love Superla∣tive.
• Constant
• Holy,
• Tender.
• Forgi∣ving love