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

You have seen in what things, and after what manner, we may, and ought to love our selves; and that it is our duty to show our love to others in the same things, and in like manner. It may be requisite that we speak something also about the degrees of love; which we shall do in answering two questions.

You have seen in what things, and after what manner, we may, and ought to love our selves; and that it is our duty to shew our love to others in the same things, and in like manner. It may be requisite that we speak something also about the degrees of love; which we shall do in answering two questions.

Qu. 1. Whether it be our duty to love our Neighbour as much as our selves?

Ans. The command to love our Neighbour as our selves, doth not require that our love should be every way as much to our Neighbour as our selves: The word, As, in the Commandment, doth not denote a Parity, but a Similitude; It is not as much as, but like as^(h). It is indeed our duty to desire and endeavour that others may be blessed in the full enjoyment of God to all eternity, which is as much as we can desire for our selves; but every man more intensely desireth this happiness to himself than to another. If that grace which any man hath received of God would save another man; and he could communicate ⟨p. 61⟩it to him, he were not bound to part with it to that end and purpose. When the foolish Virgins said to the wise, Give us of your oil; they answered,² Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you; but go ye rather, to them that sell, and buy for your selves: So it is in reference to temporal things. We are charged with this as a duty, to communicate to others in need