A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…

2. The husband ought to love his Wife as himself: So saith my Text. The Apostle had said ver. 28. so ought men to love their Wives as their own bodies: and lest that should not be sufficient, he goes on in my Text, and says, let every one of you in particular love his wife even as himself. And whereas it might be said; why, so we are to love all the world; thou shalt love thy Neighbour [as thy self:] now saith the Apostle, ver. 28. he that loveth his wife, he loveth [himself,] which is more than as himself. Now though this Love to a mans self is less, then that of Christ to his Church: yet it is more plain and sensible to us: for (as was said at first) he that doth not know with what manner of Love Christ doth love his Church, yet knows with what love he loves himself. And that is (besides what was last instanced in)

1. Tenderly. No one can touch or handle a mans⁽⁾ sores and griefs so tenderly as himself: ver. 29. No man ever yet hated his own flesh (how unlovely soever) but nourisheth and cherisheth it. Such ought the Husbands love to be towards his Wife, accompanied with the greatest tenderness. For they are like Chrystal Glasses, soon broken, if not tenderly handled. Their Constitutions are such as inevitably make them liable to^(t) fears and passions and griefs innumerable; and therefore the Husband must deal as tenderly with his Wife, as a man would deal with himself.

1. Tenderly. No one can touch or handle a mans⁽⁾ sores and griefs so tenderly as himself: ver. 29. No man ever yet hated his own flesh (how unlovely soever) but nourisheth and cherisheth it. Such ought the Husbands love to be towards his Wife, accompanied with the greatest tenderness. For they are like Chrystal Glasses, soon broken, if not tenderly handled. Their Constitutions are such as inevitably make them lyable to