CHAP. I. The diviſion of Love into its kinds.

THat which is moſt pleaſing and delightfull to the Soule and Nature of man, next unto God, is Love. Of which I intending to ſpeak, (by way of Preface) I muſt tell you that there are two kinds of Love; the one metaphorically ſo termed, which is that naturall inclination in things inſen­ſate, and irrationall, whereby they are moved according to that, which may moſt work to their reſt, or better being. By the power and ſtrength of this Love, the fire aſcends, the earth de­ſcends, the aire and water ever ſtrive to attaine and reach their own Region, or place; wherein, and where, (never till then) they are at reſt.

And I may not altogether improperly call that quality, ſtrength, or vertue, Love; which doth ſo unite, and knit all the parts of this great world (the Ʋniverſe) together, that without it, both it, and all the parts thereof, would ſoon be diſſolved and come to nothing, of what they are. 2An ancient Philoſopher called this kinde of love, unity; and to this loving unity, other Philoſo­phers attributed ſo much, that they conceived the whole world, and all in it, to be nothing elſe but that, or but one entire thing; which, though conſiſting of many various and different na­tures, are yet by Love collected, drawn toge­ther, and knit into one; which ſo long as it holds to be one, becomes incorruptible.

What is Muſick, but an harmony or conſonancy of various diſcordant ſounds? What's health, but a temper or accord of the elements and parts of the body? Some write that the ſtone Tuces, if broken, though then leſſe weighty, ſinketh; but, ſo long as it is one, whole and intire, then, and ſo long it ſwimmeth, and keeps from ſinking under water: and the like power hath love and unity in all other bodies.

Conſider and know, that if the Almighty Ar­chitect of the world had not breathed or infuſed a ſpirit of unity into the upper and celeſtiall parts with the inferiour elementary, that theſe had ſoon been ſcorched, and indeed conſumed by thoſe. Again, the inferiour parts ever ſtand in need, and crave the help, benefit, or influence of thoſe above them, as the earth of the water, the wa­ter of the aire, the aire of the fire, and the fiery element of the Heavens; in which if one Sphere ſhould thwart, and not gently yeeld to the others influence or motion, they, as the inferiour world, would ſuddenly periſh and be conſumed.

The great Creator of theſe, and all things in, and under them,Geneſis 1.31. gave not the high praiſe and title of very good unto them, untill himſelf, by his moſt admirable power and goodneſſe,Gen. 1.31. had united them by love, and ſo made them all one. I cannot but acknowledge, the ſaying of that3 Philoſopher to be good and wiſe, who called this kinde of love, the Soul of the world. For, as the ſoule gives life and motion unto the body: ſo doth love unto all other things; and as the ſoule cheriſheth and enlightens the bodie: ſo doth love beautifie and inrich the world.

In a word, there is no creature, nor part of the world, either great or ſmall, but hath, if not all, yet the greateſt part of its perfection, ſub­ſiſtence, or continuance from this love.

But beſides this kinde of love hitherto ſpoken of, which in unreaſonable creatures may more ſtrictly be called inclination; there is a love pro­perly ſo termed, which hath its working in the will, both of God, Angels, and men. Parmeni­des (though an Heathen) could ſay, That love in God preceded the Chaos, or the creation of the world, as cauſing and making both. Take this love as in man, and then hear another Philo­ſopher call it, the Pilot; a ſecond, the Sun; a third, the guide and director of the will of man, and of all his choice actions.

CHAP. II. What love is, and how it is the cauſe of all paſsions.

THings high and immenſe, having ſome re­ſemblance to infinity, hardly come under the limits of a ſtrict definition: which hath cau­ſed the ancients to ſet forth love by Emblemes and Hieroglyphicks. Yet ſo, that ſome have in gene­rall deſcribed it by negatives: as that, it is a thing which is I know not what, affecteth and worketh I know not in what manner, and which4 hurteth I know not how. S. Gregorie calls it, the fire in mans heart, which, according to the work­ing thereof, either cheriſheth, or deſtroyeth the Tabernacle of its reſidence: and it may well be conceived, that when the holy Ghoſt deſcended in the figure or ſhew of fire,Act. 2.3. that that fire ſigni­fied the love and accord to be amongſt the holy Apoſtles, being aſſembled together in one place; which is, the complement and bleſſing of all good Aſſemblies, when they are all of one minde and one heart, in a godly innocent love. The fire which came from Heaven to conſume the Sacri­fice, God commanded ever to be continued,Levit. •.13. that ſo it might never be extinguiſhed, or put out. Iſaiah ſaith,Iſa. 31.9. That God hath his fire in Sion, and his furnace in Jeruſalem: each, Symbols of Gods love, burning in the temple of our ſouls. Now Philoſophy teacheth, that love is a paſſion both of complacency, and ſuch as faſteneth the thing or perſon beloved, in the heart of the lover; and it addeth, That this love is the originall cauſe of all other paſſions in man, according as they pleaſe or diſpleaſe, ſuit with, or are contrary to our love and deſire.

For the ſoule of man hath two great powerfull faculties, called by Philoſophers, the concupiſcible and the iraſcible. In that are love, hate, deſire, fear, joy, and ſorrow, ariſing from the preſence or abſence of ſomething or other, which is ei­ther truly or apparently good. And according as the concupiſcible part is affected with grief, want, or loſſe of that which is deſired: ſo, more or leſſe, the iraſcible part is inflamed or incenſed to the proſecution or revenge of the affronts or be­reavings of the ſouls deſire. S. Baſil compared this paſſion unto the Shepherds dog, more valued by him, then many of his ſheep; not for that5 the dog hath any wooll, or gives any milk, but becauſe by his watchfulneſſe and barking, he defendeth the flock from the wolf; and ſo the concupiſcible faculty, or part of the ſoule, propo­ſeth to it ſelf matter of delight and content, and the iraſcible removeth or converteth the incon­veniences and difficulties which croſſe or op­pugne this deſire. And theſe are the two wings wherewith mans ſoule flyeth in the purſuit of great Acts, and without which, ſhe appears as a Galley unoared, and a bird unwinged, each un­able to move or help it ſelf.

A certain Philoſopher hath compared the bo­dy of a man, to a Coach drawn with two hor­ſes. Conceive them to be love of good, and ha­tred of evill. But conſidering that they are diſ­orderly, and oft-times unruly, God hath aſſigned them a diſcreet guide, that is, reaſon, to rule and govern them. Seneca the Philoſopher, calleth this the Guardian: and S. Auguſtine termeth it, the Author and Mover of all our actions, be they good or evill, as having tied at its girdle the keyes of all our wills and affections.

Betwixt love and concupiſcence ſome put this difference: 1. That concupiſcenſe aimeth at a ſuppoſed good that is abſent: but love, both at the abſent and preſent. 2. Concupiſcence, after the having and enjoying the thing deſired, (as being ſatisfied) groweth cold, or ceaſeth for the preſent to deſire: whereas love, by poſſeſſing and injoying, increaſeth, and is more ardent to­wards the thing beloved. For the poſſeſſion or enjoyment of the thing beloved, ſerveth as fuell to continue and increaſe the flame or fire: whereas things deſired by a concupiſcence, being injoyed, die, and are often reſolved into the ſmoak of diſgrace, or the aſhes of hate.

CHAP. III. The power and force of Love.

SOlomon ſaith, Love is ſtrong as death. But if we examine the ſtrength of each, we ſhall finde love to be the ſtronger. •antic. •.6.Tis true, that all earthly things ſubmit to the power of death; the young as the old, the King as the Peaſant, the rich as the poor, the wiſe as the fool. Scep­ters and ſpades are both alike to death. All know this truth; would we did but half ſo well conſider and prepare for it.

And as the juriſdiction of death, ſo is that of love, univerſall. None ever eſcaped the flames of this fire; not the Supremacy of the King, not the holineſſe of the Prophet, both proved in David: not the gravity of the high Prieſt, verified in Eli to his ſons; not the wiſdom of Solomon, nor the ſtrength of Samſon; all owe homage, and pay their tribute to Love, as un­to Death.

When Solomon compared Loves force, to the power of death, he ſo compared it, becauſe he could finde no one thing ſo ſtrong, to which he might have likened it. And if with the He­brews there had been in their expreſſions any comparative degrees, I conceive Solomon would, as well he might, have ſaid, That Love is ſtron­ger then Death; which will eaſily appear, if we compare the powerfull acts of Love, with thoſe of Death.

For the power of Death is ſeen in that (as is before ſaid) Kings, wiſe, rich, ſtrong, young,7 all ſtoop and ſubmit to the ſtroak of Death Nay, it you ſay further, That Death adventu­red upon, yea, and prevailed over the Son of God, the Saviour and life of the world: yet know, that all this was done, neither could it have been done, but onely by the Love of Him, who ſubmitted himſelf to this Death. For love it was, and onely love, that wreſtled with God, and overcame him in this, that he ſhould leave the Heavens, and lay down his life, ſubmitting himſelf to that death, which had no power over him, but through his own unſpeakable love. So that I may truly ſay, That all Deaths atchieve­ments are but weakeneſs, in compariſon of this Love.

Might I not adde to this, that it was love, and love alone, that brought down God himſelf from Heaven, to be incarnate in the wombe of a wo­man, to ſuffer all the miſeries and hardneſſe to which humane nature (not ſinfull) is ſubject? to endure weather, travail, hunger, thirſt, fear, yea, the ſadneſſe of ſoule, even unto death, and to a kinde of expoſtulation with his Father, My God, why haſt thou forſaken me? and, in concluſion of all, to ſuffer his glorious body to be nailed to the Croſſe, and there, by direfull long tormentings, to linger out his life? and what were all theſe ſufferings, but ſo many tri­umphs of his love? and may I not cry out, O the power of Love! triumphing (with reve­rence and in a right ſenſe be it ſpoken) over God himſelf?

You have in a glaunce or ſhadow, as it were, ſeen ſome glimpſe of Loves power in God; will you now ſee, how it hath wrought on men? where to rehearſe the many great affronts diſgra­ces, perſections, ſuffered by S. Peter, S. Paul,8 and by other the glorious company of the Apo­ſtles, and the noble Army of Martyrs: were to write Volumes greater then have been ſeen yet. In cloſe of all, we muſt conclude, that all thoſe glorious Martyrdoms were performed by the po­wer of Faith, through Love.

It were eaſie to inlarge the hiſtory of Loves power, ſhould I tell you, that Love oft-times re­jecteth the greateſt Commands, wiſeſt Edicts, and beſt Laws, deſpiſeth honour, neglects fame, wealth, health, life, ſoul, and all: yea, and perverteth the very courſe of nature; ſuch is the unruly and untamed diſpoſition and po­wer of Love. It makes the weak dare and to encounter the ſtrong, and the coward, the moſt valiant. In a word, it turns the hen, having chickens, to become an Eaglet, and a timerous Doe, as a couragious Lion.

Love by many is rightly compared to fire, the moſt active, and ſtrongeſt worker of all the Elements, which deſtroyeth houſes, Caſtles, Towns, Cities, which melteth and conſumeth the hardeſt Metals; and ſuch is, and ſo oft-times works, Love. Which as it moſt takes and works by idleneſſe, and converſe: ſo is it beſt reſiſted by the contraries, good imployment, and the ſhunning wanton company.

We reade that one of Darius his ſervants held,1 Eſd•a•3. that the King, a ſecond, that Wine, and a third, that a Woman, is of the greateſt power to perſwade, or overcome man. But neither wine nor woman, hath, or can have, this power over man, unleſſe it firſt prevaile, and get the love of man. So that it is not the beauty, or in­ticements of woman, but mans love, that over­comes, inthralls, and deſtroyes man.

CHAP. IV. Love is ſilent, yet active.

SCripture, and experience teach us, that they who love moſt, make the leaſt ſhew of their love; and in this they reſemble, the moſt righ­teous, the wiſeſt, the nobleſt, and moſt valiant: who rather let others ſee, and judge of their goodneſſe and vertue, then themſelves to become their own trumpets.

True love hath hands, and no mouth: whereas the falſe hath only a tongue to prate, but no hands to act. Some Ancients therefore portrayed Love, with the finger on the mouth, as ſparing of words: but naked, as having diſtributed, and given all away unto his very skin. And, our moſt bleſſed Saviour after his reſurrection, ſhewed unto his Diſciples his ſide and his hands pierced, that, by that fountain, and theſe chanels, his love might appear to them, and to all the world. S. John therefore, his beloved Diſciple,1 Joh. 3.18. and true follower, admoniſheth his ſcholars not to love, by tongue, and in words; but in truth, and works: S. Peter having made large promiſes, though all forſake thee, yet I will not: and again, I will lay down my life for thee: Chriſt upon this puts Peter to it, three times queſtioning him, Loveſt thou me? and as often bidding him, to make proof of his love, by feeding his ſheep,Joh. 21.17. the elder, and his lambs, the younger ſort. Acti­on and performance is the touchſtone, and ſureſt triall of true love; for which, and the cauſe thereof, ſhewed in anointing Chriſts head, waſh­ing his feet, and wiping them with her hair, one M. Magdalene hath no leſſe reward, then the for­giveneſſe10 of all her ſins; and all this ſaith Chriſt, becauſe ſhe loved much.

Moſes the Angel and ſervant of the Lord, had prodigious or wonder-working hands, and ſuch, as with his rod could draw fountains of water, out of the hard and drie rock: ſuch as could bring flies, frogs, and deſtroying armies of ſmall beaſts upon Pharaoh, and all the land of Aegypt: yet he was a man, as it were, without a tongue, tongue-tied, or no man of fluent ſpeech: and therefore his brother Aaron,Exod. 4.10. was in his ſtead, the mouth,Exod. 4.30. and Oratour, to deliver the Almighties meſſage unto King Pharaoh. Ez•kiels living creatures,Ez•k. 1. the repreſentations of Gods Embaſſa­dors, had wings to flie, and ſoare aloft by con­templation, and ſpreading glad tydings to the world, but under theſe wings they had hands, herein expreſſing the nature and work of true love.

Love, wee ſee, is beſt ſeen by works, not words: and the work of love is ſuch, that oft-times it diſroabs, or takes away that ſtupidity, or incivility, which naturally is inbred, and by a gentle influence and cultivation, infuſeth, or begets fantaſie, and manly deportments. Plato a great Philoſopher, was of opinion, that, the ſtrength of fantafie, which was ſhewed in many high ſtraines of Poëſie, was kindled, and in­flamed by the heat of love.

And this love, though it oft-times want a tongue for outward expreſſion, yet this defect, it makes good by the eye; for as loves palace is the heart: ſo this palace is full of lights, through which love makes it ſelf viſible, and known.

And as a Chamaeleon, or an Actor on the ſtage, is now fearfull, then confident; ſorrowfull, and anon joyfull; jealous, yet ſecure; weak, but11 made ſtrong: ſo love makes one man twenty ſeverall men, it makes him all, and again a no­thing, but all working love.

CHAP. V. Love leſſeneth, or facilitateth things moſt difficult.

LOve hath a participation of the Almighties power, able to make the bitter, ſweet; hea­vy, light; and the almoſt impoſſible things, fea­ſible. A taſt of the Colloquintida in Eliſha's pot of portage,2 King. 4.41. cauſeth his gueſts the Prophets, to cry out, Death is in the pot: to remedy the which Eliſha caſts meal, and then ſaith the text, there was no harm, or evil thing in the pot: what that meal did, Love can doe, and more. Our moſt bleſſed Saviour ſaith, My yoke is eaſie,Mat. 11•.30. and my burden light: now his yoke, and burden are, the renouncing all that a man hath, wealth, li­berty, and life; and are theſe ſo eaſie, and light? yes, Truth it ſelf hath ſpoken it, and moſt true it is, that Love makes theſe, both light, and eaſie.

The traditionall Jewes had branched, and ſummed up the precepts of the Moſaicall law into 793, whereof they made 428 affirmatives, & 365 negatives; but all theſe, and if there were a thouſand times more,Joh. 15•.12. Chriſt hath reduced them all, into this one, Love; and according to this truth, S. Paul averreth, that the fulfilling of that law, which to fleſh and blood was impoſ­ſible, is now done, and performed by love; Love, ſaith he, is the fulfilling of the law. Rom. 13.10.

As love fulfills all, and makes all things eaſie and light: ſo where love is wanting, nothing12 is light, eaſie, well done, or indeed is done at all, or not as it ought to be done; for where love is wanting, all is too much, that is done: and where love is, all that is done is too little; love maketh a beam, a ſtraw; and contrariwiſe it can change a ſtraw, into a beam. He, ſaith Chriſt, that loveth me, keepeth my law: for where love is, the leaſt word is a law, and that law is fulfil­led by this word, Love. Some ſpectacles there are, that repreſent things greater, and others leſſer then indeed they are, and both theſe ſpe­ctacles are made of love; which makes the vir­tues of the beloved greater, but his vices leſſe.

Jacob loves Rachel, and that he may injoy this beloved piece, he ſerves twice ſeven yeares, bea­ring the heat of the day, and cold by night; and yet all this ſeemed to him, but as a pleaſant act of a few daies,Gen. 29.20. for the love (ſaith the text) he had to her.

The truth of this Axiome, is made manifeſt by the mirrour of love, Love it ſelf, Chriſt, our Saviour, who being very God, and ſo, impaſ­ſible, yet aſſumes our nature, and then ſuffers himſelf to be reviled, ſcornfully uſed, ſcourged, and put to a ſhamefull and moſt ignominious death; and all for us, his open, deadly enemies.

Look upon me O Lord, ſaith David, and be mer­cifull unto me,•ſ. 119.132. as thou uſeſt to doe unto thoſe, that love thy name: that is, as to thy friends, and ſer­vants whom thou loveſt; for as Love, by the Heathens, and Poets is feigned, and portrayed blind: ſo indeed, where love is, it doth not, or will not ſee, or cenſure the infirmities, and ble­miſhes of its beloved, but takes them to be as Love-ſpots, rather then deformities.

When Adam laid the blame of his tranſgreſ­ſion on his Wife, S. Bernard ſeems to blame13 Adam, that, he had not taken it upon himſelf, which, ſaith he, he would have done, had he loved her.

CHAP. VI. Love extracteth delight, and glory, out of torments, and ſufferings.

I Speak not this of carnall, or politick love, which is uſually changeable, and inconſtant, and accompanied with falſity, tending to ſelf-ends; but of Divine love, and of this I may truly ſay, the greater or leſſer the affection is, ſuch, more, or leſſe is the perfection acquired.

The bleſſed Apoſtles, and holy Martyrs in the primitive times, give us ample teſtimony, and proof to this aſſertion, whoſe revilings, and moſt exquiſite tortures, begot in them not pa­tience only, but delight, and pleaſure; the ſtones thrown at the Proto-martyr Stephens head, he eſteemed, as ſo many jewels. The fire under Laurence, was to him, as ſome pretious balme, or ſoveraigne confection. Ignatius, who ſo much longed, to be torn in pieces by wild beaſts, ſaid, If they be tame, I will provoke them; for I am as wheat to be bruiſed, broken, and to be ſerved up to my Lords table. And S. Paul ſaid, that his af­flictions,2 Cor. 11.30. temptations, and tribulations were his joy, and glory: ſo that, though pain, oft-times, might have drawn teares from their eyes, or blood from their veines, yet, the love they bore to their Lord Chriſt, raiſed content in their hearts, and ſuch ſmiles in their faces, as if they had been already with him, in heavenly joy.

And, in all this, they did but as ſcholars imi­tate14 their Maſter; who, as he often delighted to treat of his paſſion: ſo he profeſt to his diſciples, that,Luk. 22.15. with deſire he deſired, that is, he greatly, and earneſtly deſired to eat the Paſſover, not as de­lighted to feaſt with them, but to ſuffer for them: and when S. Peter would have diſſwaded his Lord from his laſt great ſufferings, his Lord reproved him more for this, then for his deniall of him in the high Prieſts hall; for on this de­niall Chriſt did but caſt his eye toward Peter, minding him thereby of his high promiſe made never to deny him; but for that, he not only bids him avaunt,Mat. 16.23. which we only ſay to Dogs, but he calls him Satan, as being an adverſary or hinde­rer of his much deſired and longed-for Death.

We read in the New Teſtament of two Moun­tains whereon Chriſt more eminently appeared, the one was Tabor, where the ſhine of his glory ſeemed greater then that of the ſun: the other was Calvarie, where he was beheld as a man de­ſpiſed more then the worſt of men, Barabbas the thief & murderer prefer'd before him; and when the ſun hid his face, aſhamed of the horrid fact, of putting the God of Heaven to death; yet this exaltation on the Croſſe in Mount Calvarie, took more with Chriſt, then that other, of his tranſ­figuration on Mount Tabor, inſomuch as here he finiſhed the great work of his love, for which he came into the world, for the redemption of mankind, and that all might be ſaved: a pledge of which the thief dying beſides him, found; who, upon the word of Chriſt ſpoken unto him, preſently entred Paradiſe: and this ſuffering on the Croſſe in Calvarie, ſubſtantially proved, what the other appearing on Tabor, did but typically prefigure, the glory of his paſſion; ſo that, here, not there, the ſtanders by, and ſince that, the15 Chriſtian world proclaimed him,Mat. 27.54. what before was believed but by few, that he was truly the Son of God.

Men on earth ſtudy to blazon their coats with Dogs, Hogs, Cats, and the like; and by theſe means think to traduce their names, as famous to poſterity, though themſelves never in their lives, did an act worthy of a Dogs-taile; where­as our moſt bleſſed Lord Chriſt, who acted all things worthy the Son of the moſt high God, and all for the good of mankind, had no other coat-armour, but the Croſſe, which his love pro­cured and wrought; and hath thereby made him juſtly to be adored, and worſhipped, as the God of the whole world.

CHAP. VII. Love transformeth the Lover into the thing beloved.

NOT onely ſome choice Philoſophers, but learned Fathers of our Church have dee­med, and called a friend, a ſecond ſelf; the half of the ſoule: or the ſame. And, among them, one ſaith, he that loveth intirely, is dead as to his own body, and liveth in that body which he loveth: for that, love carrieth with it, if not the whole ſubſtance, yet the principall vigorous acting fa­culties of the ſoule. This poſition, (in ſome ſenſe) is made good in the divine Lover, by that of S. Paul, when he ſaith, Your life is hid,Col. 3.3•. with Chriſt, in God: where love to God hath morti­fied the Lover, as to the body, and to the world; and, makes him live by, and in Chriſt: for truly the ſoule cannot be thought, or ſaid to live, but16 where it appears to move, or work. Hereupon, ſome wittily have pronounced, that the beloved is become an homicide, and guilty of murder, if he return not love, for love; but robs the Lover of his ſoul, not returning his again to the Lover.

And ſome Philoſophers have conceived, that, the ſoul of a dead friend by a ſtrange tranſmi­gration, hath been ſecretly conveighed into the body of a friend living, and there kept alive, and operating: and all this to be effected, and brought to paſſe by the ſpirituall power of love. S. Auguſtine comes ſomewhat neer to theſe con­ceits, when he ſaith, My love is as the weight in a clock, or the magnetick virtue in the load-ſtone; for whitherſoever I am moved, or caried, that it is which carieth, or moveth me, and my ſoule.

Every one therefore it ſtrongly behoveth ſe­riouſly to conſider, before he ſetleth, upon what he intends to ſet his love: for if on earth, he becomes earthly; if fleſh, fleſhly; if heaven, heavenly; which agreeth well with thoſe terms given in holy Scriptures, to ſeverall kinds of af­fectionate lovers. Our moſt bleſſed Saviour prayeth for us, that, we may be in him, and be one with him:Joh. 17.21. as Chriſt is in, and with his Father: w^ch holy reſidence, and bleſſed union, muſt be next to Gods goodneſſe, the work of love.

S. Paul ſaith of himſelf, that he is crucified with Chriſt,Gal. 2.20. nevertheleſſe (ſaith he) I live, and yet (he adds) it is not I that live, but Chriſt liveth in me; if you ask him, how this can be? he tells you in the words following, the life which I now live, I live by faith, this is the inſtrumentall mean: & if you enquire into the cauſe of this life, it is there mentioned, when he ſaith, by the ſon of God, who loved me, and gave himſelf, and all his merits, and benefits to work for, and in me.

Our carnall and prophane looſe lovers, uſu­ally court their miſtreſſes with theſe, and the like unhallowed ſpeeches; You are my life, my heart, my ſoul; which oft-times is more true, then godly. Divinely ſpoke King David, (O that we would imitate him!) God is my light, and ſalvation.

Plato ſaid, that a friend is like a good looking-glaſſe, in, and by which, the other friend may ſee himſelf; and be ſeen by others: for ſo it was in Jonathan and David, that who ſaw the one, diſcerned the other.

Or, you ſhall find two friends united by true love, to be like the mother and the child; where if the child ſmile, or weep, the mother doeth the like: and as the Chamelcon appeareth to be of that colour with the thing to which it is joy­ned; ſo is it with good, and true lovers; who like Hippocrates twins looked, laughed, cried, each as the other, and were of like colour, con­dition, and paſſion each as other; ſo that the union of friends made by ſincere love, is well compared and preſented by inoculating a bud into another ſtock, whereby it is made one with it.

Now in man there be three unions, and each of them cauſed or bottomed on love: the firſt is that of the ſoule and body matched together by a naturall love. The ſecond is the union of ſoules, whether as among ordinary friends, or as among Chriſts diſciples,Act. 2.1. who were of one heart and mind, endevouring to keep the unity of the ſpirit (as S. Paul ſpeaks) in the bond of peace:Eph. 4.3. the former of theſe is wrought by a naturall, the other by a ſpirituall love. The third union is that which is betwixt God, and mans ſoule, when, as S. John ſaith, God is in the righteous,1 Joh. 4.16.18 and they in him: and the efficient cauſe of this union is, Divine love.

Which union as of all other, and above all things in this world, it is to be moſt deſired, eſte­med, and preſerved; ſo is the ſeparation or di­vorce the moſt to be feared, grieved for, and moſt carefully to be prevented; for, as by that bleſſed union we are made partakers of all the beſt things that earth or heaven can afford; ſo by that ſeparation, we not only loſe all the bleſ­ſings by that union acquired, but we purchaſe to our ſelves all the miſcries, vexations, and torments, that hell, the Devils, and our owne conſcience can afflict us with: the cutting off a finger from the hand is painfull; of the hand from the arm painfull, and damagefull; and of the head from the body, painfull, grievous, and deadly: but the dividing or divorcing the ſoule of man from God, the life of the ſoule, is a pain, grief, and loſſe not to be expreſſed, no nor to be imagined fully, no not by them that ſuffer and feel it. Of all ſeparations and divorces, O my ſoule be fearfull and carefull to avoid this: and, O thou the God of my ſoule, be gracious, and mercifull unto me, that through blindneſſe of underſtanding, or hardneſſe of heart, I never incurre the dreadfull ſentence of ſuch a divorce or ſeparation.