The Breastplate of Faith and Love

Now this love shows it self by two effects: it would have the thing it loves to be preserved.

Now this love shewes it selfe by two effects: it would have the thing it loves to be preserved.

And secondly, a man that loves, would have it his, and therefore he draws near to it, or else he draws the thing near to him. For • take it not to be true that is commonly taken for granted, that love is a desire of union, for we do not always desire, that the thing should be united to us that we love, (for a thing may be too near us, as letters may be too near the eye, as well as too far off:) But we would have things in such a distance as is most agreeable to us, as we love fire for our use, but it may be too near us, and we love a knife for our use, but it may be too near: So by the way mark it, It is not always a desire of union, but it is a desire to have the thing it loves in such a distance, as is most agreeable to us: but still remember this, that love shows it self by these two effects: It desires the preservation of the thing: Secondly, he would that what he loves might be his. As when a man loves an unreasonable creature, when he loves a glass, when he loves a horse, he preserves the glass, he keeps the horse strong and fair, and if he can he would have them for his use. So a man that loves riches, or honour, or that loves a good name, he preserves them, he would have them his: that is, he would have them at his own arbitrement, for his own turn & service: So a man that loves his son or his friend, he desires the preservation of them, and withal he would have them his; that is, he would have them so sure united to him, as ⟨p. 8⟩may stand with his convenience. This is the nature of love; one thing more know of it, it is a commanding affection: Love and hatred are as it were the great Lords and Masters that divide the rest of the affections between them, as when a man loves, he desires, he goes and makes forward towards the thing he loves; if he obtain it, he rejoiceth in it; if he do not obtain it, yet if there be probability, then he hopes, if there be no probability, then he despairs; if there be any inconvenience and impediment that hinders him in his prosecution, he is angry with it, and desires to remove it: thus these affections hang on love. Again, on the other side, as love desires the preservation of the thing in a nearness and union of it: so hatred desires the destruction of the thing, and the separation from it.