The Debt Book, Chapter 14
CHAP. 14. The qualities of religious LoueLove.
AS is the nature of religious LoueLove, ſo are the qualities holy and heauenly. Theſe are three; Patience, Conſtancy, and Feruency: LoueLove is patient; Charity ſuffereth long, and is kinde; it is not eaſily prouoked, it beareth all things, it endureth all things, 1 Cor. 13. 4, 5. 7. The Iſraelits depoſe Samuel from his gouernment, as great an indignity as could bee deuiſed; yet, God forbid (ſaid hee) that I ſhould ceaſe to pray for you, or to ſhew you the right way, 1. Sam. 12. This was the patience of his louelove, to recompence good for euill. Saul perſecutes Dauid bitterly; 1. Sam. 24. 5 & 26. 11. &c.Dauid hauing his life in his power twice, takes not the opportunity of priuate reuenge, but diſmiſſeth him ſafe; this was the patience of his louelove to the Lords annointed; ȣGreg. hom 7 in Ezech.Patientia vera eſt, quae ipſum amat quem portat; It is true patience to louelove him whoſe weight we feele. Thus the nurſe beares the vnquietneſſe of her child, that breakes her ſleepe: the Miniſter the ignorance and wilfulneſſe of the oppoſite: the husband and the wife ſuffer the infirmities of each other without grudging or repyning, becauſe there is true louelove in the fleſh, and in the Lord. As is the meaſure of LoueLove, ſo of Patience: much louelove, much patience. LoueLove is ſtrong as death, being ſupported with patience. Whereupon alſo doth depend the next property which is Conſtancy.
The Apoſtle hauing ſaid, that Charity Aquin. in hunc locumbeareth all, and endureth all things; inferreth in the next words; Charity neuer faileth, 1. Cor. 13. 8. Charitas in diligendo non deficit, ſed proficit; Charity in louing goes not backward but forward; as appeares in the Philippians, whoſe louelove abounded more and more. The louelove of Ruth to Naomi, makes her cleaue vntounto her conſtantly, though ſhee had perſwaſions, and example, and diſcouragements to the contrary, yet the reſolution was; That nought but death ſhould make a ſeparation. Ruth 1. 16 17.The like ſtedfaſtneſſe is in the louelove of Paul towards the Corinthians, though the more he loued them, the leſſe he was beloued, Yet will I ſpend most willingly (ſaith he) and will bee ſpent for your ſakes, 2. Cor. 12. 15.
True louelove is not apprehenſiue of offences, nor alienated vponupon ſleight occurrents, though the ſeruices of louelove bee ſometimes coſtly, as in relieuing the poore: and the labour of louelove ſometimes painfull, as of *Ierem. 38.Ebedmelecke in drawing Ieremy out of the dungeon of Malchiah, hazarding thereby the diſpleaſure of Prince and State. Yet louelove, armed with conſtancy, perſiſteth in good purpoſes; againſt all difficulties & oppoſitions whatſoeuer; yea, when many other eminent gifts doe ceaſe, yet ſhall louelove continue, 1. Cor. 13. 8. 9.
The third quality of this louelove is Feruency. Aboue all things hauehave feruent louelove among your ſelues, 1. Pet. 4. 8. This ſets an edge on louelove, it keepes it from languiſhing, it ſuffers not ſo gracious an affection to ſettle vponupon the lees of ſluggiſhneſſe, but will quicken it as a taskemaſter, exacting daily the ſeruice of the day, it will make vsus reſtleſſe til ſome good be done, and ſenſible in caſe we faile: as is noted of *Hieron. in Epiſt. ad Gal. cap. 6.Titus the Emperour, when he had not done ſome memorable good, he would lament the loſſe of ſuch a day. Feruency will make vsus ſow our ſeed in the morning, and not ſuffer our hand to Eccle. 11. 6.ceaſe in the euening. Want of feruency in our louelove, makes vsus vnprofitable in time of need; like the Prieſt and Leuite to the Luk. 10. 30 31, 32, 33.man that was wounded and halfe dead, they looked on, and perhaps pitied him, but paſſed by the other way, without vouchſafing any reliefe at all: So is the common temper of mens louelove, they thinke themſelues in charity, elſe God forbid, they hate no body, they hurt no body, they are no quarrellers, or otherwiſe iniurious; thus they make faire weather with all: but let a man fall into ſome extremity; and then they will not eaſe his burden with the leaſt of their fingers. It is Feruency muſt make our louelove actiue & vſefull, and which muſt make vsus like the good Samaritane, miniſtring to the diſtreſſed as wee are able, and they hauehave need, Neuer turning our eyes from our owne fleſh, Eſay 58. 7.