as the bad but in the good it is moderated by submissioÌ„ and resignatioÌ„ to the will of God as is seene in Tobie who redred thaÌ„kes to the Diuine Maiâ—stie for all the aduersities wherewith he was afflicted and in â—OB who blessed the name of God in theÌ„ and in Daniel who turned his sorrowes into songes Now contrariwise in worldlings the same sorrow is an ordinarie dish with theÌ„ aÌ„d is changed into loathsomenesse dispaire madnesse for they reseÌ„ble Apes aÌ„d MoÌ„kies which are still peeuish sad and sottish in the wayning of the Moone as againe in the new of the Moone they hop dance and doe their apish trickes The worldling is froward harsh bitter and melancholie in the ebbe of his terreane prosperities but while they flowe he is almost continually in his brauado's iocund and insolent 6. Certes the sorrow of true Repentance is not so much to be termed sorrow as a dislike sense or detestation of sinne a sorrow which is neuer either harsh or peeuish a sorrow which doth not benume the mind but makes it become actiue prompt and diligent a sorrow which doth not abate the heart but doth reliue it by praier and hope and makes it make the stirrings of the feruour of deuotion a sorrow which in the hight of its bitternesse doth produce the sweetenesse of an incomparable consolation following the Precept of the great S. Augustine Let the penitent sorrow continually but let him also continually reioyce therein Sorrow saieth CassiaÌ„ which doth worke solide Penance and the wishfull repentaÌ„ce whereof a man doth neuer repeÌ„t him is obedient affable humble milde sweete patient as issuing and descending from Charitie so that extending it selfe to all the paine of the bodie and contrition of the heart it is in a certaine sort ioyfull quickned and streÌ„gthned with the hope of profit it retaines all the sweetenesse of affabilitie and longnanimitie as enioying the fruits of the holy Ghost recited by the holy Apostle now the fruits of the holy Ghost are Charitie Ioye Peace Longanimitie Goodnesse Benignitie Faith Mildnesse Continencie Such is true Repentance and such the good sorrow which is not properly sad or melancholie but onely attentiue and addicted to detest reiect and hinder the malice of sinne for the time past and time to come And indeede we meete often with Penetents sollicitous troubled impatieÌ„t mournefull soure groaning disquiet harsh and melancholie which are in the end found to be fruitlesse and are not followâ—d with any true amendement because they proceeded not from the true motiues of the vertuâ— of Penance but from naturall and selfe-loue 7. The sorrow of the world worketh death saieth the Apostle THEO we must be therefore carefull to auoyd and reiect it aâ—cording to our power if it be naturall we are to keepe it backe by withstanding its motions and by diuerting them by exercises proper for that end and by vsing the remedies and manner of liuing which the Phisitions shall aduise If it proceede from temptation we must fully disclose our heart to our Ghostly Father who will prescribe vs the meanes to ouercome it according to that which we haue deliuered touching this point in the fourtâ— Part of the Introduction to a deuote life If it be accidentall we must haue recourse to that which is saied in the eight booke to th' end we may see how delightfull temptations are to the sonns of God and that the greatenesse of our hopes in the eternall life to come all almost doe make all the passing euents of this mortall life of no consideration 8. For the rest amongst all the melancholies which can happen vnto vs we are to make vse of the authoritie of the superiour will to doe all thâ—t it is able in the behalfe of diuine Loue. Certes there are actions which haue so great a dependance of the corporall disposition and complexion that it is not in our power to doe them at our pleasure for the melancholie man cannot for his heart keepe neither his eyes speach nor countenance in the same grace and sweetenesse which they would haue if he were quit of this bad humour yet may he well though not with a grace speake gracious good and courtious words and may doe on despite of his inclination by force of reason what is conuenient in words and in the works of Charitie sweetnesse condescendance It is pardonable in a man not to be continually iocund for a man is not Maister of mirth to haue it when he list but he that is not continually gentle tractable and condescendant is not excusable for it is alwayes in the abilitie of our will nor is there any other thing required therevnto but a resolution to surmount the contrarie humour and inclination The end of the eleauenth booke THE TVVELFTH BOOKE CONTAINING CERtaine aduises for the progresse of the soule in holy Loue. That our progresse in holy Loue doth not depend of our naturall complexion CHAPTER I. I. A Famous religious of our age hath written that our naturall disposition doth much conduce to contemplatiue Loue and that such as are of an affectiue and louing nature are most proper for it Now I suppose his meaning is not that sacred Loue should be distributed to men or Angels in sequell and yet much lesse in vertue of their naturall conditions nor that he would saie that the distribution of diuine Loue is made to men according to their naturall qualities and abilities for this were to belye the Scripture and to violate the ecclesiasticall rule by which the Pelagians were declared Heretikes 2. For my part I speake in this Treatise of supernaturall Loue which God out of his goodnesse doth poure into our hearts and whose residence is in the supreame point of the Spirit a point which is aboue all the rest of our soule and is independant of all naturall complexion and withall though the soules that are inclined to Loue haue on the one side a certaine disposition which make theÌ„ more proper to loue God yet one the other side they are so subiect to set their affection vpon louely creatures that their inclination puts thâ—m iâ— as much danger of being diuerted from sacred Loue by a mixture of other Loues as they haue a facilitie in desiring to Loue God for the dangâ—r of louing amisse is annected to the facilitie of louing It is true that soules of this composition being once well purified from the loue of câ—â—atures they worke wonders in sacred Charitie Loue finding a great case to dilate it selfe in all the faculties of the heart and from thence proceeds a delightfull sweetenessâ— which appeares not in those whose soules are pâ—euish harsh melancholie and churlish 3. Neuerthelesse if two parties the one whereof is louing and sweete the other harsh and â—oure by nature had an equall Charitie they would loue God equally yet not both alike The heart naturally sweete would loue more easily more amiably more sweetely though neither more solidly nor yet more perfectly but the
A TREATISE OF THE LOVE OF GOD. Written in french by B. FRANCIS DE SALES Bishope and Prince of Geneua Translated into English by MILES CAR Priest of the English Colledge of Doway THE EIGHTEENTH EDITION Printed at Doway By GERARD PINCHON at the signe of Coleyn 1630. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND VERTVOVS LADIE THE LADIE ELISABETH DORMER MADAME NO sooner had this Diuine Booke of DIVINE LOVE happened into my hands but it seemed as well by the circumstances of the AVTHOVR whether we respect his Extraction as being descended from one of the most Illustrious Houses of Sauoye his Function as being Bishope and Prince of Geneua the TITLE and CONTENTES of his VVorke alreadie honored by the eighteenth Edition or my OBLIGATION as well in my selfe as in those of whom I glorie to haue so happie a dependance to be determined to your HONOR as neerely symbolising and due to your VERTVS and HONOR'S worth and as hauing had the weakâ— colours in which it now appeares from my nâ—â—ilfull Pensill to flie to your HONOR' 's pâ—werfull Protection For wâ—itâ—er indâ—â—de could so Pious Worthy and Noble an AVTHOVR be better addreâ—'t then to Pietie Worth and Nobilitie where Pietie beares so absolute aswaye in a Noble breast that Worth and Nobilitie would be reputed ignoble and worthlesse if they bore not a Testimonie about them that they had passed by VERTVES TEMPLE where either from other is so richly embellished and receiue so mutually each others qualities that Vertue would be taken for Nobilitie and Worth or Nobilitie and Worth for Vertue if both were not seene to conspire to make vp one PEERELESSE PEECE Where could DIVINE LOVE be prouided of a fitter Mansion then a heauenly Heart Where effectes out-speake Fame where Charitie out-strips pouerties expectation Riches are possess'd and despised where a noble saying of Saint Hierom's S. Hier. ad Demetr ep 8. properly sutes It is proper to your Stock at once to haue and contemne riches Witnesse your honorable and pious Father the LORD VICE-COVNT MONTAGVE who made them in all occurrences stoope to vertu's Lore Witnesse your equally honorable and pious mother whose bountifull and frequent workes of Charitie being theÌ„ widowe strooke euen heritikes with astonishment Witnesse a later branch of the same stocke your honorable Nephew the LORD VICE-COVNT MOVNTAGVE of freshe and Blessed memorie whose matchlesse Zeale in God's cause which all the world speakes of with admiration and which as it may seeme by God's speciall Prouidence he came to write in our heart 's some few weekes before he went to receiue the reward of it doth easily draw me to instance in him What did not he bountifully emploie in the assistance of God's seruants what did not he piously spend in the riches and glorie of God's house what did not he Catholikly repute as nothing that he might gaine Christ and to descend yet further is not the same Bountie Pietie and Religion and for them a contempt of all brought downe as it vvere by right line and translated together vvith his Dominions to the Honorable now LORD VICE-COVNT MOVNTAGVE who actually possesseth his Countrie of the happinesse he long promised Finally is not the same plainely seene in your Honor 's owne honoured and happie progenie It vvere to long MADAME to mention all in your line Aug. de diligendo Deo cap. 4. to vvhom Saint Augustines pitthie and heauenly Contemplation might seeme to be addressed Loue Riches but as thy subiect 's but as thy slaues but as pledges from a Spouse as Presents from a friend as benefits froÌ„ a Maister where Loue and eueÌ„ that Loue which casteth-out Feare might seeme to be possessed by Right of blood so doth your HONOR giue to the life your renovvned Fathers vndaunted Zeale together vvith your Noble Mothers incomparable Pietie and yet be found to be held by Right of Conquest so frequent and fortunate are your VERTV'S essayes and performances Performances vvhich send euen avvay strangers hearts taken vvith admiring Loue and teach Forrainers to speake and vse your HONOR'S name in termes of respect and honour For the rest touching our generall OBLIGATION vvherein my Pen vvas prouided most to haue laboured for reasons as I hope neither vnknovven nor vnapproued to your HONOR vnvvillingly vvill I passe ouer in silence Yet vvith this assurance that vvhat in vvords is here omitted our hearts vvherein your HONOR'S CHARITIE hath engrauen her Memore deeper then that the iniquitie of times can raise it out shall speake to the Tribunall vvhere the heart's language is onely agreeable Meane vvhile MADAME licence my pen to put dovvne that vvhich many vvish vvith one consent of hearts and voices That as his pen that did not studie your Honorable Fathers aduantages Camb. in Elis pag. 26. 51. left for after ages to blesse and adore his noble Memorie marked vvith these better markes of Nobilitie KNOVVEN PRVDENCE VNDAVNTED CONSTANCIE CATHOLIKE ZEALE So this my first essâ—y may be the Pyramides wherin in his and your's may ioyntly liue for euer and vvherin eu n little ones may reade that DIVINE LOVE could not on earth find a fitter TABERNACLE nor a more nobly pious PATRONESSE For vvhose prosperitie MADAME YOVR HONOR' 's Humblest seruant will not cease to praie MILES CAR. THE AVTHOVRS DEDICATORIE PRAYER THRICE holy mother of God Vessell of incomparable election Queene of Soueraigne dilection thou art the most louelie the most louing and most beloued of all creatures The loue of the heauenly father pleased himselfe in thee from all eternitie alloting thy chaste heart to the perfection of holy loue to th' end that one day thou mightest loue his onely sonne with an onely Motherly loue as he had done froÌ„ all eternitie with a fatherly loue ô Sauiour IESVS to whom could I better dedicate a speach of thy Loue then to a heart best beloued of the well-beloued of thy heart But ô all triumphant mother who can cast his eyes vpon thy Maiestie without seeing him at thy right hand whom for the loue of thee thy Sonne deigned so often to honour with the title of Father hauing vnited him vnto thee by the celestiall band of a virginall marriage to th' end that he might be thy Coadiutour and Helper in the charge of the direction and education of thy Diuine Infancie ô great S. IOSEPH most beloued Spouse of the well-beloued mother Ah how ofteÌ„ hast thou borne betwixt thy armes the loue of heauen and earth till burnt with the sweete embracements and kisses of this Diuine child thy soule melted away with ioye while he tenderly whispered in thy eares o God what content that thou was his deare friend and deare y beloued â—eare Father It was the custome of old to place the lampes of the auncieÌ„t TeÌ„ple vpon flowres of golden Lylies O MARIE and IOSEPH Paire without compare sacred Lilies of incoÌ„parable beautie amongst which the well-beloued feedes himselfe and his Louers Alas if I might giue my selfe any hope that this Loue-leâ—ter
so aduantagious to me and that little booke that I dare neuer rehease it and exhorting me to applie the most of my leasure to the likes workes amongst many rare aduises wherewith â—e gratified me one was that as farre forth as the matter would permit I should be short in the Chapters For euen as quoth he the Traueller knowing that there is a faire Garden some twentie or tweÌ„tie fiue paâ—es out of his way doth easily diuert for so small away to goe see it which he would not doe if it were further distant euen so one that knowes that there is but a little distance betwixt the beginning and end of a Chapter doth willingly vndertake to read it which he would not doe though the subiect were neuer so delightfull if a long time were required to the reading of it And therefore I had good reason to follow myne owne inclination in this respect since it was agreeable to this great Personage who was one of the most saintly Prelats and learned Doctours that the Church had in our age and who at the time that he honored me with his letter was the most auncient of all the Doctors of the Facultie of Paris A great seruant of God aduertised me not long a goe that by addressing my speache still to Philothie in the Introduction to a deuote life I hindered many men to profit by it for that they did not esteeme the aduertissements made to a woman worthy of a maÌ„ I admired that there were men who to be thought men did showe themselues so little men in effect For I leaue it to your consideration my deare Reader whether deuotion be not as well for women as men and whether weare not to read the second epistle of S. IOHN with as great attention and reuerence which was addressed to the holy Ladie Electa as the third which he directeth to Caius and whether a thousand thousand Epistles and Treatises of the auncient Fathers of the Church ought to be held vnprofitable to meÌ„ for that they are addressed to holy women of those times But againe it is the soule which aspires to deuotion that I call Philothie and men haue soules as well as women Neuerthelesse to imitate the great Apostle in this occasion who esteemed himselfe lyable to euery one I changed my addresse in this Treatise and speake to THEOTIME but if peraduenture there should be any women and such an impertinencie would be more tolerable in them who would not read the instructions which are made to men I beseech them to know that THEOTIME to whom I speake is mans spirit desiring to make progresse in holy Loue which is as well in men as in women This Treatise then is made for a soule alreadie deuote to aduance her in her designe and for this cause I haue bene forced to speake many things lesse knowen to the common sort which consequently will appeare obscure The bottome of a science is alwayes hardest to be founded and few Diuers are found who will or knowes how to diue for Pearles or other precious stones in the middest of the Ocean But if you haue a free heart to diue into this writing it will truely happen to you as to Diuers who saieth Plinie being in the deepest gulfe of the Sea clearely discouer the light of the Sunne For you shall find euen in the darkest places of this discourse a good and amiable light And verily as I doe not follow those who dispise certaine bookes which treate of a life supereminent in perfection so would I not speake of this supereminencie For neither can I censure the Authours nor yet authorise the censures of a doctrine which I vnderstand not I haue touched many points of Diuinitie not with a Spirit of contradiction but simply proposing not so much what long agoe I learned in the schooles as that which the care I haue had of soules and the experieÌ„ce of 24. yeares I haue spent in preaching hath made me apprehend to be most to the glorie of the Ghospell and the Church For the rest diuerse men of note from diuerse places haue signified vnto me that certaine little Pamphlets haue bene published vnder the onely first letters of their Authours name which light to be the very same with myne which made some beleeue that they were my workes not without touch of scandall to such as appreheÌ„ded thereby that I had bidden Adieu to my wounted simplicitie to puffe vp my style with words of ostentation my discourse with vaine conceits and my conceits with a loftie and plumed eloquence For this cause my deare reader I will tell thee that as such as graue or cut in precious stones hauing their sight dazled by keeping it continually fixed vpon the small stikes of their worke doe willlingly hold before them some faire Emerald that by beholding it from time to time they may be recreated in it's greenesse and relieue their weakned sight So in this Presse of businesse which my function dayly drawes vpon me I haue still some proiects of certaine treatises of pietie which at my leasure I looke vpon to reuieue and vnwearie my mind Howbeit I doe not professe my selfe a writer for the dulnesse of my spirit and the condition of my life exposed to the seruice and approch of many would not permit me so to be Wherefore I haue written very little and yet haue published lesse and to complie with the Councell and will of my friends I will tell thee what I haue written to th' end that thou maist not attribute the praises of another mans labours to him who of himselfe deserues them not It is now 19. yeares agoe that being at Thonon a little towne situated vpon the Lacke of Geneua which by little and little began at that time to be conuerted to the Catholike faith The Minister Enemye of the Church cryed all vp and downe that the Catholike Article of the Reall Presence of our Sauiours bodie in the Eucharist did distroye the Symbole and the Analogie of Faith for he was glad to mouth this word ANALOGIE not vnderstoode of his Auditours that he might appeare learned and vpon this the rest of the Catholike Preachers with whom I was pressed me to write some thing in refutation of this vanitie I did what seemed fitting framing a briefe meditation vpon the Creede to confirme the Truth and all the copies were dispersed in this Diocese where now I find not one of them Soone after his Highnesse came ouer the Mountaines and finding the Bailiwike of Cablaies Gaillard and Ternier which are about Geneua well disposed to receiue the Catholike faith which had bene banished thence by force of warrs and reuoults about 70. yeares past he resolued to reestablish the exercise thereof in all the Parishes and to abolish the exercise of Heresie And whereas on the one side this great Happinesse had many obstacles according to the considerations which are called reasons of state and yet on the other side diuers as yet not well
feeblenesse and tendernesse of the one doth exalt and make more apparant the prudence and assurance of the other and euen this dissimilitude is agreeable on the other side children loue olde men because they see them buisie and carefull about them and that by a secret instinct they perceiue they haue neede of their directions Musicall concord stands in a kind of discord in which vnlike voices doe correspond making vp altogether one sole Close of proportion as the dissimilitude of precious stones and flowres doe make the gratefull compositiō of Imbosture and Diaprie so Loue is not caused alwayes by Resemblance and Sympathie but by Correspondance and Proportion which consisteth in this that by the vnion of one thing to another they may mutually receiue one anothers perfection and so be bettered The head doth not resemble the bodie nor the hand the arme yet they haue such a Correspōdance and are seated so neerely together that by their mutuall neighbourhood they doe meruelously enterchāge perfection so that if these parts had each one a distinct soule they would haue a perfect mutua◠Loue not by Similitude but by Correspondance which they haue in their mutuall perfection For this cause the melancolie and ioyefull soure and sweete haue often a correspondance of mutuall affection by reason of the mutuall impressions which they receiue one of an other by which their humours are reciprocally moderated But when this mutuall Correspondance meetes with similitude Loue without doubt is engendred more efficaciously for Similitude being the true picture of Vnitie when two like things are vnited by a proportion to the same end it seemes rather to be an Vnitie then an Vnion 11. The Sympathie then betwixt the Louer and the Beloued is the first source of Loue and this Sympathie or Conueniencie consisteth in a Correspondance which is no other thing then a mutuall aptitude making things proper to be vnited and mutually to communicate their perfections but this will be cleared in the processe of this booke That loue tends to vnion CHAPTER IX 1. THe great Salamon in a delitiously admirable ayre doth sing our Sauiours loues and those of the deuote soule in that diuin worke which for it's excellent sweetnesse is instyled the Canticle of Canticles And to rayse our selues in a more easie flight to the consideration of this spirituall loue which is exercised betwixt God and vs by the correspondance which the motions of our hearts haue with the inspirations of his diuine Maiestie he makes vse of a perpetuall representation of the loues of a chaste Shepheard and shamefast Shepheardesse Now making the Spouse or Bride first begin the parlie by manner of a certaine surprise of loue he makes her at the first onset lance out her heart in these words let him deigne me a kisse of his mouth Doe you marke THEOTIME how the soule personated by this Shepheardesse doth pretēd no other thing by the first expression of her desire thē a chast vnion with her spouse protesting that it is the highest ayme of her ambition and onely thing she breathes after For I pray you what other thing would this first sigh intimate Let him deigne me with a Kisse of his mouth 2. A Kisse from all ages as by naturall instinct hath bene imployed as a representation of perfect loue that is the vnion of hearts and not without cause we send out and muster the passions and motions which our soule hath common with brute beasts by our eyes eye-browes forehead and countenance in generall by his face a man is knowē saieth the Scripture and Aristotle giuing a reason why ordinarily great mens faces onely are pourtrated t' is saieth he that the countenances teach what they are 3. Yet doe we not vtter our discourse nor the thoughts which proceede from the spirituall portion of our soule called reason by which we are distinguished from Beasts but by words and in consequence by helpe of the mouth in so much that to poure out ones soule and scatter ones heart is nothing else but to speake Poure out your hearts before God saieth the PSALMIST that is expresse and turne the affections of your hearts into words And SAMVEL'S pious Mother pronouncing her praiers allthough so softly that one could hardly discerne the motion of her lips I haue poured out saieth she my heart before God in this wise one mouth is applyed to another in kissing to testifie that they desire to poure our one soule into the other reciprocally to vnite them in a perfect vnion and for this Reason in all times and amongst the most saintly men the world had the kisse hath bene a signe of loue and affection and such vse was vniuersally made of it amongst the auncient Christians as the great S. PAVLE testifieth when writing to the ROMAN'S and CORINTHIANS he saieth Salute mutually one another in a holy kisse And as diuerse doe witnesse IVDAS in betraying our SAVIOVR made vse of a Kisse to discouer him because this diuine SAVIOVR was accustomed to kisse his Disciples when he met them and not onely his Disciples but euen little Children whom he tooke louingly in his armes as he did him by comparison of whom he so solemnely inuited his APOSTLES to the loue of their Neighbours who as IANSENIVS reporteth was thought to haue bene S. MARTIAL 4. Thus then the Kisse being a liuely marke of of the vnion of hearts the Spouse who hath no other pretention in all her endeuours and pursuits then to be vnited to her beloued let him kisse me saieth she with a kisse of his mouth as if she had cryed out so many sighes and inflamed grones as my heart incessantly sobs out will they neuer impetrate that which my heart desires I runne alas shall I neuer gaine the prise for which I lance my selfe out which is to be vnited heart to heart spirit to spirit to my God my Spouse my life when will arriue the happie houre in which I shall poure my soule into his heart and that he will turne his heart into my soule that we may liue inseparable in that happie vnion 5. When the holy Ghost would expresse a perfect loue he alwayes in a manner makes choice of the word Vnion or Coniunction amongst the multitude of the faithfull saieth S. LVCKE there was but one heart and one soule our SAVIOVR praied for all the faithfull that they might be but on same thing SAINT PAVLE doth aduertise vs to conserue vnitie of minde by the vnion of peace These Vnities of heart soule and spirit doe signifie the perfection of Loue which ioynes many soules in one for so it is saied that IONATHAS his soule was glewed to DAVIDS that is to saie as the Scripture addeth He loued DAVID as his owne soule The great APOSTLE of FRANCE as well according to his owne Dictamē as that of HIEROTHEVS who he citeth writeth I thinke a thousand times in one Chapter OF DIVINE NAMES that Loue is of a Nature vnifying vniting referring recollecting
this kind of fauour one could desire no more and as the sunne-beames remaine Sunnne-beames notwithstanding that they are reiected and repulsed by some obstacle so God's signified will remaines the true will of God though it be resisted true it is it hath not the effects which it would haue being seconded 4. The conformitie then of our heart to the signified will of God consisteth in this that we should will that which the diuine goodnesse doth signifie vnto vs to be his intention beleeuing according to his doctrine hoping according to his promises fearing according to his threats louing and liuing according to his ordinances and aduertissements to which all the protestations which we make thereof in the holy Ceremonies of the Church doe tend Hence we stand while the Gospell is red as being readie to obay the holy signification of Gods will contained therein Hence we kisse the booke at the Gospell side in adoration of the sacred word which doth declare his heauenly will Hence many Saints meÌ„ and women carried in the old time in their bosoms the Gospell written as an Ephitheme of Loue as it is reported of S. CICILE And indeede S. MATHEWES Gospell was found vpon S. BARNABIES breast written with his owne hand Wherevpon in the auncient Councells in the midst of the assemblie of Bishops they erected a Throne and put vpon it the Booke of the holy Gospells which represented the person of our Sauiour king Doctour Directour Spirit of all the Councells and of the whole Church so much did they reuerence the signification of Gods will expressed in this holy booke Certes that great Myrrour of Pastours S. CHARLES Archbishop of Milau neuer studied the holy Scripture but bare head and vpon his knees to testifie with what respect we are to reade and heare the signified will of God Of the Conformitie of our will to the will which God hath to saue vs. CHAPTER IV. 1. GOd hath signified vnto vs so diuersly and by so diuerse meanes that his will was that we should all be saued that none can be ignorant of it to this purpose he made vs to his owne Image by Creation and himselfe to our Image and likenesse by his Incarnation after which he suffered death to ransome and saue all mankind which he performed with so much loue that as the great S. DENIS Apostle of France racounteth he saied vpon a day to the holy man Carpus that he was ready to suffer an other passion to saue maÌ„kind and that this would be pleasant vnto him if it could be done without any mans offence 2. And although all are not saued yet is this will the truâ— will of God who doth worke in vs according to the condition of our and his nature For his Bountie moues him liberally to communicate â—nto â—â— the succours of his grace to bring vs to the felicitie of his glorie but our nature reqâ—â—â— that his liberalitie should leaue vs in libertie to make vse of it to our saluation or to neglect it to oâ—r damnation 3. I haue demanded one thing saied the Prophet and it is that which I will demand for euer that I may see the delightes of our Lord and visite his temple But what are the delightes of the soueraigne Goodnesse but to poure out and communicate its perfections Verily his delightes are to be with the children of men to showre his grace vpon them Nothing is so agreeable and delightfull to free Agents as to doe their owne will Our Sanctification is the will of God and our Saluation his good pleasure nor is there any difference at all betwixt good pleasure and Good liking or consequently betwixt good-liking and goodwill yea the will which God hath to aduantage man is called good because it is amiable propitious fauorable agreeable delicious and as the Grecians after S. PAVLE saied it is a true PHILANTROPIE that is a beneuolence or a will entirely affectionate to men 4. All the celestiall Temple of the TriumphaÌ„t and Militant Church doth resound on euery side the delicious Canticles of God's loue towards vs. And the Sacred bodie of our Sauiour as the most holy Temple of his Diuinitie is wholy adorned with markes and tokens of this Beneuolence so that in visiting the Diuine Temple we behold the louely delightes which he takes to doe vs fauours 5. Let vs then a thousand times a day behold this louing will of God aÌ„d grounding ours therein let 's deuotely crie-out O Bountie infinitly sweete how amiable is thy will How desirable thy fauours Thou created vs for an eternall life and thy motherly breast swolen in the sacred dugges of an incomparable loue abounds in the milke of mercy whether it be to pardon sinners or perfect the Iust Ah why doe not we then glew our wills to thyne as a child is locked to the nible of his mothers dugge to lucke the milke of thy eternall benedictions 6. THâ—O we are to will our Saluation in such sort as God will's it and he wills it by way of desire must not we then following his desire incessantly desire it Nor doth he will it onely but in effect enables vs with all necessarie meanes to attaine it we then in sequele of the desire we haue to be saued must not onely desire but in effect accept all the graces which he hath prouided for vs and presents vnto vs. It is sufficient to saie I desire to be saued yet it is not sufficient to saie I desire to embrace the meanes conuenient to the attaining of saluation but we must with an absolute resolution desire and embrace the grace which God bestowes vpon vs for our will must necessarily correspoÌ„de to God's And whereas Gods will giues vs the meanes to saue our selues we ought to receiue them as we ought to desire saluation in such sort as God desires it and vs. 7. But it fals often out that the meanes to come to Saluation considered in grosse and in generall are according to our hearts liking but considered by peecemeale and in particular they are dreadfull to vs for haue we not seene the poore S. Peter prepared to vndergoe all kind of torments in generall yea death it selfe to follow his Maister and yet when it came to the deede doing and performance waxe pale tremble and at the word of a simple maide denie his Maister Euery one deemes himselfe able to drinke our Sauiours CHALICE with him but when indeede it is presented vnto vs we flie and forsake all Things proposed in particular make a more strong impressioÌ„ and more sensibly wound in the Imagination And for this reason we gaue aduice in the INTRODVCTION that after generall affections one should descend to particular ones in holy Meditation Dauid accepted particular afflictions as an aduancement to his perfection when he sunge in this wise O Lord how good it is for me that thou hast humbled me that I might learne thy iustifications So also did the Apostles reioyce in their tribulations in that they
and fantomes of pleasurs for which we cast off the loue of the heauenly Spouse And how can we then truely saie that we loue him since we preferre so friuolous vanities before his grace 5. Is it not a deplorable wonder to see a DAVID so noble in surmounting hatred so generous in pardoning iniuries and yet so impotently iniurious in mater of Loue that not being satiated with the vniust detaining of a number of wiues he must needes yet wrongfully vsurpe and take away by rape the poore Vrias his wife Yea and by an insupportable treacherie put to slaughter her poore husband that he might the better enioye the Loue of his wife Who would not admire the heart of a SAINT PETER which was so brauely bold amidst the armed soldiers that he of all his Maisters troupe was the first and onely man that drew and layed about him and yet a little after so cowardly amongst vnarmed women that at the worde of a wench he denied and detested his Maister And how can it seeme so strange to vs that Rachel could sell the chast embracements of her Iacob for Aples of the Mandragore since that Adame and Eue forsooke euen grace for an Aple and that too presented by a Serpent 6. In fine I will tell you a word worthy of note Heretikes are Heretikes aÌ„d beare the name of such because of the Articles of Faith they choose at their gust and pleasure what likes them best and those they beleeue reiecting and disauowing the others And Catholiks are Catholiks because without choice or election at all they embrace with an equall assurance and without reserue all the faith of the Church Now it happens after the same manner in the Articles of Charitie It is an herasie in sacred loue to make choice of Gods Commandements which to obserue and which to violate He that saied thou shalt not kill saied also thou shalt not commite adulterie It is not then for the loue of God that thou killest not but it is some other motiue that makes thee rather choose this commandement then the other A choice that hatcheth heresie in matter of Charitie If one should tell me that he would not cut my arme out of a loue to me and yet would pull out myne eyes breake my head or ruÌ„ne me quite through ah should I saie with what face can you tell me that it is in respect of my Loue that you wound not myne arme since you make no difficultie to pull out myne eyes which are no lesse deare vnto me yet since you ruÌ„ne me quite through the bodie with your sword which is more perilous for me It is an Axiome that good comes from an entire cause but euill from each defect That the act of Charitie be perfect it must proceede from an entire generall and vniuersall Loue which is extended to all the Diuine Commandements And if we faile in any one CommandemeÌ„t loue ceaseth to be entire and vniuersall and the heart wherein it harbers cannot be truely called a louing heart nor consequently a truly good one That we are to Loue the Diuine Goodnesse soueraignely more then our selues CHAPTER X. 1. Aristotle had reason to saie that GOOD is indeede amiable but principaly euery ones proper good to himselfe so that the Loue which we haue to others proceedes from the loue of our selues for how could a Philosopher saie otherwise who did not onely not Loue God but hardly euen euer spoke of the Loue of God howbeit the Loue of God doth preceede all the Loue of our selues yea euen according to the naturall inclination of the will as I declared in the first booke 2. Certes the will is so dedicated and if we may so saie consecrated to goodnesse that if an infinite goodnesse were clearely proposed vnto it vnlesse by miracle it is impossible that it should not soueraignely loue it yea the Blessed are rauished and necessitated though yet not forced to loue God whose soueraigne beautie they clearely see which the Scripture doth sufficiently shew in coÌ„paring the contentment which doth fill the hearts of the happie inhabitants of the heauenly Hierusalem to a torrent or impetuous floode whose waters cannot be kept from spreeding ouer the neighbour plaines 3. But in this mortall life THEO we are not necessitated to loue soueraignly because we see him not so clearely In Heauen where we shall see him face to face we shall loue him heart to heart that is wheÌ„ we shall all see the infinitie of his beautie euery one in his measure with a soueraignely cleare sight so shall we be rauished with the loue of his infir it goodnesse in a soueraignely strong rauishment to which we neither would if we could nor can if we would make any resistance But here belowe when we behold not this Soueraigne Bountie aÌ„d Beautie but onely enter view it in our obscurities we are indeede inclined and allured yet not necessitated to Loue more then our selues but rather the contrarie and albeit we haue a holy naturall inclination to loue the Diuinitie aboue all things yet haue we not the strength to put it in execution vnlesse the same Diuinitie infuse holy charitie supernaturally into our heart's 4. Yet true it is that as the cleare view of the Diuinitie doth infallibly beget in vs a necessitie of louing it more then our selues so the enterview that is the naturall knowledge of the Diuinitie doth produce infallibly an inclination and pronenesse to loue it more theÌ„ our selues for I praie you THEOT since the will is wholy addicted to the loue of GOOD how can it in any degree know a soueraigne GOOD without being more or lesse inclined to loue it soueraignely Now of all the Good 's which are not infinite our WILL willeth alwayes in her affection that which is nighest to her but aboue all her owne But there is so little proportion betwixt an infinite and finite GOOD that our will hauing knowledge oâ— an infinite GOOD is without doubt put in motion inclined and incited to prefere the friendshipe of the Abisse of this infinite goodnesse before all other loue yea euen the loue of our selues 5. But principally this inclination is strong because we are more in God then in our selues we liue more in him then in our selues and are in such sort from him by him for him and to him that we cannot in very deede hit of what we are to him and he is to vs but we are forced to crie out I am thyne Lord and am to belong to none but to thee my soule is thyne and ought not to liue but by thee my will is thyne and ought not to loue but for thee my Loue is thyne and is onely to tend to thee I am to loue thee as my first PRINCIPLE sith I haue my beeing from thee I am to loue thee as myne end and Center since I am for thee I am to loue thee more then myne owne being seeing eueÌ„ my Bâ—EING doth sublist by thee I am to loue
generall possesseth it then though each one possessed it a part But whereas the light of a LaÌ„pe is little short and insufficient for many each one desires to haue it in his chamber and he that hath it is enuied at by the rest The good of humane things is so bare and beggerlie that as it is more communicated to one it is lesse communicable to others and thervpoÌ„ it is that we are stirred aÌ„d doe storme wheÌ„ we haue any Corriualls or fellowes But God's heart is so abundant in loue his goodnesse so infinitly infinite that all men may possesse him without lessening any ones possession this infinitie of goodnesse can neuer be drayned though all the hearts of the vniuerse be furnished with it for when all shall be brime full his infinitie remaines alwayes entire without any diminution The Sunne doth no lesse shine vpon a rose together with a thousaÌ„d millions of other flowres then though it shined but vpon that alone And God doth no lesse poure his loue into one soule albeit with it he loue an infinitie of others then though he loued her onely the force of his Loue not decreasing by the multitude of rayes which it streames out but remaining full of his immensitie 3. But wherein then consisteth the Iealousie and Zeale which we ought to haue towards the Diuine Goodnesse THEO their office is first to hate flie hinder detest reiect to set vpon and ouerthrowe so farre forth as one is able all that is opposit to God to wit to his will to his Glorie aÌ„d the saÌ„ctifying of his name I haue hated iniquitie saied Dauid and haue had those that thou hatest in abomination O Lord did not I hate them and did not I pine away because of thine enemies My Zeale hath made me sownd because my enemies haue forgotten thy words In the morning I killed all the sinners that were vpon the face of the earth that I might ruinate and banish all the workers of iniquitie See I praie you THEO with what a Zeale this great king is animated and how he imployes the passions of his soule in the seruice of holy Iealousie He doth not simply hate iniquitie but hath it in abomination vpon the sight of it he withers â—ith distresse he fals into sownds and trances he pursues it defeats and banisheth it So P INEâ—S pushed forwards with a holy Zeale did holily runne through that impudent Israelite and brazen faced Madianite which he found in the infamous commerce of their beastlinesse So the Zeale which consumed our Sauiours heart made him cast out all that bought and sold and presently reuenge the irreuerence and prophanation which they committed in the Temple 4. Secondly Zeale makes vs ardently iealous of the puritie of soules which are the Spouses of IESVS CHRIST according to the holy Apostle to the Corinthians I emulate you with the emulation of God for I haue despoused you to one man to present you a chast Virgin to IESVS Christ Eliezer had bene extreamly stung with Iealousie if he had perceiued the chast and faire Rebecca whom he conueyed to be espoused to his Maisters sonne in any danger of being dishonored and doubtlesse he might haue saied to this holy Damsell I am Iealous of you with a iealousie which I owe to my Maister 's respect for I haue despoused you to one man to present you a chast virgin to my Maister Abraham's Sonne So would the great S. PAVLE saie to his Corinthians I was sent from God to you soules to treate the marriage of an eternall vnion betweene his sonne our Sauiour and you and I haue despoused you vnto him to present you as a chast virgine to this heauenly Spouse Behold why I am emulous not with myne owne emulation but with the emulation of God in whose behalfe I haue treated with you It was this Iealousie THEO that caused this holy Apostle dayly to fall downe in trances and die I die dayly quoth he for thy glorie Who is weake and I am not weake who is scandalized and I am not burnt Marke saie the Auncients marke what loue what care and what iealousie a broode Hen doth shew to her chickens for our Sauiour esteemed not this comparison vnworthy oâ— his Ghospell the Hen is a very Hen that is a creature without courage or generositie at all while she is not yet a mother but in her mothershipe she puts on a Lions heart Alwayes her head is vp alwayes her eyes watchfull still throwing them on euery side at the least apparence of danger towards her young ones No enemie appears vpon whom she dares not throw her selfe in the defence of her deare broode for whom she hath a continuall sollicitude which makes her still ruÌ„ne vp and downe clocking aÌ„d repining And if any of her chickings come to die what griefe what anger Such is the iealousie of Parents for their children of Pastours for their flockes of brothers for their Brothers What was the Zeale of the Children of Iacob after they had knowe that DINA was violated what was the Zeale of Iob vpon the appreheÌ„sion and feare he had that his children should offend God what was the Zeale of a S. Paule for his brethren according to flesh and blood and his children according to God for whose sake he desired to be branded with ANATHEMA and excommunication what the Zeale of a Moyses towards his people for whom he is willing in a certaine manner to be rased out of the booke of life 4. In humane iealousie we are afrayed least the thing beloued should be possessed by some other but our Zeale to God makes vs especially feare that we are not wholy possessed by him Humane iealousie makes vs apprehend that we are not beloued enough Christian iealousie that we loue not enough wherevpon the sacred Sunamite cried out ô the beloued of my soule show me where thou lyest in the midday least I beginne to wander after the flocks of my companions Her feare is that she is not entirely her sacred sheppheards or that she might be hindred though neuer so little by such as striue to be his Competitors For she will by no meanes permit that wordly pleasures honours or exteriour riches should prepossesse the least bit of her loue which she hath wholy dedicated to her deare Sauiour An aduise for the direction of holy Zeale CHAPTER XV. 1. VVHereas Zeale is an ardour and vehemencie of loue it stands in neede of prudent conduct otherwise it will violate the termes of modestie and discretion not that diuine Loue though neuer so vehement can be excessiue in it selfe nor in the motions and inclinations which it giues to our hearts but because it makes vse of the vnderstanding in the execution of its designes ordering that it should find out the meanes whereby they might haue good successe and that it should haue boldnesse or anger in a readinesse to encounter and surmount difficulties it happens very frequently that the vnderstanding proposeth and makes vs
when it dies to it selfe nor euer so much death as when it liues to it selfe 8. We haue freedome to doe good or euill yet to make choyce of euill is not to vse but to abuse our freedome Let vs renounce the accursed libertie and let vs for euer subiect our free-will to the rule of heauenly Loue let vs become slaues to Loue whose seruants are more happie then kings And if euer our soule should offer to imploye her libertie against our resolutioÌ„s of seruing God for euer and without reserue ô in that case for Gods sake let vs sacrifice our freewill and make it die to it selfe that it may liue to God He that in respect of selfe loue will keepe it in this world shall loose it in respect of eternall Loue in the other world and he that for the loue of God shall loose it in this world shall coÌ„serue it for the same loue in the next He that giues it libertie in this world shall find it a slaue in the other and he that shall make it a seruant to the Crosse in this world shall find it free in the next where being drunk vp in the fruition of the Diuine goodnesse libertie will be conuerted into loue and loue into libertie but libertie of an infinite sweetenesse without violeÌ„ce paine or repugnance at all we shall vnchangeably loue the Creatour and Sauiour of our soules Of the motiues we haue to holy Loue. CHAPTER XI 1. SAINT BONAVENTVRE Father Granado Father Lowis of Poâ—t Stella haue sufficiently discoursed vpon this subiect I will onely somme vp the points which I haue touched in this Treatise 2. The Diuine Goodnesse considered in it selfe is not onely the first motiue of all but withall the greatest the most noble and most puissant For it is that which doth rauish the Blessed and crowne their Felicitie How can one haue a heart and yet not loue so infinite a goodnesse This subiect is in some sort proposed in the 1. and 2. chap. of the 2. booke and from the 8. chap. of the 3. booke to the end and in the 9. chap. of the 10. booke 3. The 2. motiue is that of Gods supernaturall Prouidence creation and conseruation towards vs according as we haue saied in the 3. cha of the 2. booke 4. The 3. motiue is that of Gods supernaturall Prouidence ouer vs and of the Redemption which he prepared for vs as it is explicated in the 4. 5. 6. and 7. chap. of the 2. booke 5. The 4. motiue is to consider how God doth practise this Prouidence and Redemption giuing euery one the grace and assistance which is requisite to their Saluation which we handle in the 2. booke from the 8. chap. and in the 3. booke from the beginning till the 6. chap. 6. The 5. motiue is the eternall glorie prouided for vs by the diuine goodnesse which is the accomplishment of Gods benefits towards vs and is in some sort touched from the 9. chap. to the end of the 3. booke A profitable methode whereby we may imploy these methods CHAPTER XII 1. NOw to receiue from these motiues a profound and powerfull heate of loue we are after we haue once considered one of them in coÌ„mon to applie it in particular to our selues For example O how amiable this great God is who out of his infinite goodnesse gaue his sonne for the whole worlds redemption alas I for all in generall but also for me who am the first of offenders Ah he hath loued me yea I saie he hath loued euen me yea euen me my selfe such as I am and deliuered himselfe to death for me 2. Secondly we must consider the Diuine benefits in their first and eternall source O God Tâ—â—O what loue can we haue sufficiently worthy of the infinit goodnesse of our Creatour who froÌ„ all eternitie determined to create conserue gouerne redeeme saue and glorifie all in generall and in particular Ah what was I then when I was not my selfe I saie who now being some thing am yet but a simple and poore worme of the earth while yet God from the Abisse of his eternitie thought thoughts of benediction in my behalfe He considered and designed yea determined the houre of my birth of my baptisme of all the inspirations that he would bestow vpon me in a word for all the benefits which he would doe and offer me alas is there a sweetenesse like to this 3. Thirdly we must consider the Diuine benefits in their second meritorious source for doe you not know THEO that the high Priest of the law wore vpon his backe and bosome the names of the children of Israel that is the precious stones vpon which the chiefe of the Israelites were engraueÌ„ Ah behold IESVS our High Priest and consider him from the very instant of his conception how he bore vs vpon his shoulders vndertaking the charge to redeeme vs by his death and death of the Crosse ô THEO THEO this soule of our Sauiour knew vs all by name and surname but especially vpon the day of his passion when he offered his teares his praiers his blood and life for all he breathed in particular for thee these thoughts of loue Ah my eternall Father I take vpon me and to my charge all poore THEO sinns to vndergoe torments and death that he may be freed from them and that he may not perish but liue Let me die so he may liue let me be crucified so that he may be glorified ô the soueraigne Loue of IESVS his heart what heart can euer blesse thee so deuotely as it ought 4. So within his fatherly breast his Diuine heart foresaw disposed merited and obtained all the benefits which we haue not onely in generall for all but also in particular for euery one and his sweete dugges prouided for vs the milke of his motions draughtes inspiratioÌ„s and sweetenesse by which he doth draw conduct and nurish our hearts to eternall life Benefits doe not in â—â—ame vs vnlesse we behold the eternall will which ordaines them for vs and the heart of our Sauiour that merited them for vs by so many paines especially in his death and passion That the Mount of Caluarie is the true Academie of Loue. CHAPTER XIII 1. NOw in finall conclusion the death and PassioÌ„ of our Sauiour is the sweetest aÌ„d yet most violent motiue that caÌ„ animate our hearts in this mortall life And it is the very truth that mysticall Bees make their most excelleÌ„t honie within this Lyon's wouÌ„d of the Tribe of Iuda but chered rent and torne vpon the Mount of Caluarie and the children of the Crosse glorie in their admirable Probleme which the word vnderstaÌ„ds not Oâ—t of all deuouring death râ—se the life of our consolation and out of death which is the strongest of all things the honie sweetenesse of our loue did issue O IESVS my Sauiour how amiable is thy death since it is the soueraigne effect of thy Loue. 2. And indeede aboue in heauenly glorie next to the motiue of the diuine goodnesse knowne aÌ„d coÌ„siâ—erâ—d in it selfe that of the death of our Sauiour shall be the most powerfull to rauish the hearts of the Blessed with the loue of God in signe whereof MOYSES and HELIE in the Transfiguration which was a scantling of glorie spoke with our Sauiour of the Excesse which he was to accomplish in Hierusalem but of what excesse if not of that excesse of Loue by which life was forced from the Louer to be bestowed vpon the beloued So that in the eternall Canticle I imagine that ioyfull acclamation will be iterated each moment Lâ—ue IESVS liue whose death doth prooue What is the force of heauenly loue 3. THEO the mount Caluarie is the mount of Louers All loue that begi s not from our Sauiours Passion is friuolous and dangerous Accursed is death without the Loue of our Sauiour Accursed is Loue without the death of our Sauiour Loue and death are so mingled in the passion of our Sauiour that one cannot haue the one in his heart without the other Vpon Caluarie one caÌ„not haue life without Loue nor loue without the death of our Redeemour But out of that all is either eternall death or eternall Loue Christian wisdome consisteth in making a good choice and to assist you in that I vndertookâ— this Treatise my THâ—O While this short day doth last Make choice ô man thou mayst To liue eternally Or else for ere to dye It is the Heauens Decree There should no middle be O eternall Loue my soule doth desire and make choice of thee eternally ah come ô holy Ghost and inflame our hearts with thy Loue Either loue or die die or loue To die to all other Loue to liue to that of IESVS that we may not eternally die but that liuing in thy eternall loue ô Sauiour of our soules we may eternally singe VIVE IESVS I loue IESVS liue IESVS whom I loue I loue IESVS who liueth and raigneth for euer and euen Amen 4. These things THEO which by the grace and helpe of Charitie haue bene written to your Charitie I beseech GOD they may take roote in your heart that this Charitie may find in you the fruits of holy workes not the leaues of prayses Amen God be blessed Thus I shut vp this whole Treatise in the words with which S. AVGVSTINE ended his admirable sermon of Charitie made before an illustrious assemblie The end of this present Treatise ERRATA Pag Lin Faults Coâ—rectâ—â— 9 28 it being desired if being desired 28 7 Hâ—rodiadas Herodias 45 16 this in this 51 22 Alliance Couenant 58 23 expired breathed out 63 33 Principale prâ—nciple 64 9 soules soule 88 33 peace peece 128 8 her herselfe 169 14 or where 188 21 begiues giues 109 4 light a True God Light true God 209 18 their his 237 28 Seeing a Seer 266 17 owes ewes 293 11 deseased deceased 332 3 for for we neuer loue that which 334 8 uen heauen 359 14 exteriour interiour 381 27 Pallas Pallace 393 32 And to it this And this is it 430 1 Maisters Maisters Passion 461 12 Epthitheme Eâ—itheme 479 19 Pipins Kernells 546 18 at and 568 30 to Gods submissioÌ„ to God submissioÌ„ 592 24 Sauâ—our out Sauiour brought him out 603 6 God good 660 13 honie oyle 694 7 Charitie Chastitie 788 17 word world