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

1. Quest. What Love in its general Idea or Nature doth import? this question being more Philosophic than Theologic, we shall not much insist thereon. But to clear up our way to the following questions, we may take up this concise Character, or Idea of Love, as abstracted from this or that subject. Love is the most vigorous, potent, imperious and sovereign affection of the humane soul; which has its Royal seat in the Will, or rather in the soul as willing what is Good. For albeit I cannot conceive how the Will and Understanding may be really distinguished, more than by their formal Objects and Acts; yet I can easily grant, the soul, as willing what is good, to be the proper Subject and seat of Love. Not but that there is also passion of Love, or something analogous to Love, in the sensitive soul, or Animal part. But this is more Passionate, that in the humane soul more Rational: this more rash; that more deliberate: this more superficial and transient; that more rooted and fixed: this more confused and difform; that more uniform and equal: this more carnal; that more spiritual: in its objects and motions: this more brutish and servile; that more humane and voluntary, specially if regular.

1. Quest. What Love in its general Idea or Nature doth import? this question being more Philosophick than Theologick, we shall not much insist thereon. But to clear up our way to the following questions, we may take up this concise Character, or Idea of Love, as abstracted from this or that subject. Love is the most vigorous, potent, imperious and soveraign affection of the humane soul; which has its Royal seat in the Will, or rather in the soul as willing what is Good. For albeit I cannot conceive how the Will and Understanding may be really distinguished, more than by their formal Objects and Acts; yet I can easily grant, the soul, as willing what is good, to be the proper Subject and seat of Love. Not but that there is also passion of Love, or something analogous to Love, in the sensitive soul, or Animal part. But this is more Passionate, that in the humane soul more Rational: this more rash; that more deliberate: this more superficial and transient; that more rooted and fixed: this more confused and difform; that more uniform and equal: this more carnal; that more spiritual: in its objects and motions: this more brutish and servile; that more humane and voluntary, specially if regular.