Man ashiv le-Yahoweh, or, A serious enquiry for a suitable return for continued life,…

¹Hath God spared you in time of Pestilence; when he hath taken away many of your own Relations, then, the fewer objects you have for your love now, the stronger let your love be towards God then it was before: In ste•d of murmuring against God, that you have lost those whom you did love; the greater let your love be to God, since you h•ve not so many for to love. Love l•id out upon many objects, is the weaker; bu•, love united, and spent upon one object, is t•e stronger: As those, that have but one only Son, love that more, then those that have more do love any; because their love is divided amongst them all: It may be God had too little of your love, and it was •n offence, and grief unto your God, that the Creature should have that love which w•s due unto himself; and therefore he hath cut off the S•re•es, that you may get nearer to the Fountain. Thy Relation had more of ⟨p. 271⟩thy affection then came unto his share; and therefore, in stead of Murmuring, be more in loving of thy God; and this will be to live answerably to Gods Correcting, and Afflicting of thee, in the loss of thy Relation, and to his Mercy in sparing of thy self: And, look what Relation it is that is taken from thee while thou survivest; and get clearer evidences that God will be in stead of that Relation to thee, and be better to thee than that was: Hast thou thy Husband removed by this Contagious Disease, now make out more to God, that he would be an Husband to thee? Hast thou lost thy Children, or thy only Son; see more diligently, that God hath bestowed his only Son upon thee, and this will much satisfy, and quiet thy heart? Hath God done thee any wrong, if he hath taken thy only Son from thee, and hath given his only Son to thee. Thus, since you did survive others that are taken from you, improve your Affliction, and your Mercy, in being advantaged in Spirituals; and, this will be to live in some measure answerably to Gods dealing with you.