An Introduction to the loue of god ⸫ Accompted among the workes of S. Augustine and set forth in his name very profitable to moue all men to loue God for his benefits receaued Math. 22. ¶ Thou shalte loue the Lorde thy God with al thy harte wyth al thy soule and with al thy mynd This is the greatest and the first commaundement The second is lyke to this Thou shalte loue thy neighboure as thy selfe In these two commaundementes hange all the law and the Prophets 1 IOHN 2. Loue not the world neither the things that are in the worlde If a man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in hym Seene and alowed accordinge to the Quenes Maiesties Iniunctions Anno 1574. ¶ TO THE MOST vertuous and noble Princes Queene Elizabeth by the grace of God Queene of England Fraunce and Ireland defender of the fayth c. AMong all other benefites most gracious soueraigne Ladie which God in mercie hath bestowed vpon your roial person â–ª the knowledge of GOD is most singuler for the which we your humble Subiectes haue moste cause to prayse god But I meane not the knowledge of hys essence or beyng whych none of the Angels or heauenly powers are able to comprehend Neyther yet that general knowledge of God which is gotten by his creatures and workes from the creation of the world Which although it bee of no force to chaunge the mynde regenerate to true godlynes yet are all men by it made inexcuseable before God in as muche as when they knewe God they glorified him not as god But I mean the chiefe and singuler knowledge of God wherby not onely his vniuersall power and infinite mercy replenishing the whole earth but also his vnsearchable counsel in sauing vs by Christ hidden from the world is well perceiued and knowen This knowledge of God hath eternall lyfe annexed vnto it as sayth Christ Thys is lyfe eternall that they myght know thee the onely true God Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent And as this knowledge of God doth comprehende in it the counsell of God to saue vs by Christ so it doth renue the whole maÌ„ vrgeth hym to apprehend that good thing which it sheweth accordyng to the saying of Christ you shall knowe the truth and the truth shall make you free That this knowledge of God by hys good spirite already planted in your Maiesties hart might dayly encrease more and more bee confirmed I haue chosen out a litle short treatise stirryng and mouing verye much to the loue of God through the consideration of hys benefites Accompted amonge the workes of saint Augustine set forth in hys name to dedicate the same to your Highnes The diligent vewe and consideration whereof I knowe ryght well wyll not a litle enflame and set on fire those sparkes of the knowledge loue of God already by Gods good spirite kindled in your royall hart For I am not ignorant most gracious soueraigne of your good and gracious nature and how muche your Maiestye is enclined to loue and mercy to pity the poore miserable to respect the causes of such as are in distresse to help the oppressed to pardon offences to doo good to all men which all are nothing els but fruites of that knowledge and loue of God whych by the woorde of God and Gospell of Christ you haue conceaued And as the same hath alredy brought forth these fruites so I nothing doubt but the continuall meditation of Gods infinite loue and innumerable benefits wyl bring forth more loue of God to solace and comfort her selfe onely in his loue in respect whereof all pleasure ioy loue of this world waxeth vyle and chuseth rather wyth him to beare afflictions and suffer hard thinges then with the world to enioye the pleasures of sinne for a season For surely suche is the nature of the loue of God that as it nothing forceth of or regardeth not the afflictioÌ„s of thys life so it vtterlye contemneth and treadeth vnder foote the vanities loue of this world as nothing in respect of his loue who first hath loued vs. To the furtherance whereof the diligent reading of this litle treatise wyll very much helpe Wherein the Author euen of sense and feeling and as one all together rauished with the loue of god setteth forth how diuersly by his benefites and loue we are mooued to loue him and that his vnspeakeable loue towards vs can no waies better be recompenced then by loue againe Wherein if it shall please your Maiesty to bestow some short tyme I know the more it is read the more comfortable delight wil be conceiued therein And though paraduenture this myght bee thought of some a trauaile altogether superfluous to translate the same out of Lattin in which tong it was first wrytten and to dedicate the same to your highnes considering the excellencie of your knowledge in the same tounge wherein you might vvith more delectation pleasure haue solaced your selfe yet to me it should not seeme superfluous beyng set foorth in a language that moste of your Subiectes do vnderstand therfore like to redounde to the profite of the moe And besides forth that vvhich is set foorth vnder the protection and priuiledge of Princes is of all men the more diligently read And to vvhom myght I more aptlye dedicate the introduction to the loue of God then to so godly and vertuous a Prince out of vvhose brest ther flovveth such streames of mercy and flames of loue tovvard her subiectes that shee seemeth an apt meete soyle of God vvherein the loue of God myght profitablye be planted The God of loue therefore enflame your most royal hart vvith his loue and vvith his holy spirit direct you in the ryght course to eternall lyfe That in this life your Maiesty may haue such sence and feeling of hys loue that in tyme to come you may haue the full fruition therof in his eternall glorye Amen Your Maiesties most humble Subiect and faithful seruaunt Edmund Roffen Viuat Regina Ad serenissimam D. D. Elizabetham Angliae Franciae Hiberniae Reginam fidei defens c. ¶ EPIGRAMMATA Nescia virgo viri regni Regina potentis Nobilibus multum sollicitata procis Non sociata tamen quia non mortalevidetur Coniugium mentem tangere posse tuam Accipe diuini coelestia pignora scripti Vnde tuum flagret pectus amore Dei. Qui pius in Christo te tam redamab it Iesu Quam fuerit Christus totus amore tuus Sed tuus ille quidem manet aeternuÌ„que manebit Illius in studio tu quia fixa manes Nil opus est igitur nostro Regina libello Qui docâ—t vt facias quod prior ipsa facis Nil opus est fateor forsan tamen ista legendo Esse tuus poterit multiplicatus amor Ad eandem Principem Sacra deo Princeps et sacro nomine virgo Accipe quae sacro pignora fonte fluunt
he that in creating thee seemed so excellent high that in repayring thee semed so lowly is no lesse wonderful in the latter worke then hee was in the former In the former he mightely gaue great thinges vnto thee and in the latter hee mercifullye suststeyned sharpe thinges for thee For to the ende that he myght aduance thee again to that from the which thon wast fallen he disdained not to descend hither where thou art and that it myght fullye be restored to thee which thon hadst lost hee was willinge to suffer that whiche thou didst deserue He descended therefore vndertooke suffered ouercame and restored He descended to mortallitye he toke vpon him freylty he suffered paine ouercame death and restored man Behould these thinges O thou my Soule and be astonished at these so great wonders and at these benefits exhibited for thy sake Consider how much he loued thee that vouched safe to doo so much so manye thinges for thee Thou wast beutyfull by his gyfte and thou became foule through thyne own iniquitie Againe thou were clensed and purified by his mercy his loue yet working on euerye syde to helpe thee In tymes past when thou were not he loued to create thee when thou were foule and yl fauored he loued to beutyfie thee And finally to shew thee of his loue the feruency hee woulde delyuer thee from death by none other meanes then by dying for thee And all to vtter therin not so much the benefit of his mercy as the great vehemency of his charity and loue With great bounty therfore hath this louing Creator poured the breath of life into the first Man his creature but with muche more loue hath hee for that selfe Man and creature geuen and bestowed not his goodes but him selfe Greatly then doth this set forth Gods goodnes towardes me that I am his workmanship but much more doth this cōmende it that he made hym selfe the price of my redemption The rather bicause that my redemption was wyth so royall a price performed that man therein might seme a prisoner not vnfyt by God to be raūsomed O happy fault of myne for the purging of the which while my Soueraigne Lord is drawen with that loue affection his loue is opened and reuealed vnto me greatly longing and coueting to peruse the same For I should neuer haue knowen hys loue so fullye had not my great peryls proportioned myne experience accordingly O how happelye therefore fell I that after my fall was raysed againe more happelye Ther is no loue greater no zeale purer no charitie hollyer no affection feruenter then that an Innocent vouched safe to dye for me finding in me no cause to loue or to fauour me Tell me therefore O Lord what it is that thou hast so loued in me and so dearelye loued that thou wouldest needes dye for me what hast thou found in me of that qualitie or nature that might make thee to be wylling to suffer for me such crueltie ¶ The seuenth Chapter ¶ Of the benefite of God in callyng vs to the fayth ANd thou my Soule to th end thou mayest behold thys loue more perfectlye and ioy in it more aboundantlye ponder with thy selfe how many and how worthy in comparison of thee are left forlorne refused and vtterlye cast awaye that coulde neuer attayne to the grace which thou hast geuen vnto thee Surely thou hast heard say that from the beginning of the world to this day many generations haue passed all the which without the knowledge of God and the price of their redemption are fallen into the lappes of euerlastyng destruction And hereby appeareth that thy redemer preferred thee before them all when hee gaue thee his grace so frankly and freelye which none of them all could get or come by and yet why thou were taken and chosen before them or why he dealt with thee more louingly then wyth thē thou canst finde in thy selfe no cause but onely the mere loue of thy merciful Sauiour Thy Spouse therefore thy Louer thy God and thy Redeemer hath both chosen forechosen thee He hath chosen thee I say in all ▪ and hath taken thee from among all and hath loued thee in all and called thee also by hys owne name that the remembraunce and memoriall of him might remaine with thee for euer He woold haue thee partaker of his name and partaker of the truth of his name bycause hee hath annoynted thee with that selfe oyle of gladnes with the which him selfe was annointed that of the anointed thou mightest be anointed bycause that of Christ thou art called a Christian But were thou stronger were thou wyser were thou nobler or were thou ritcher then they all in that thou hast atchiued this speciall grace ouer aboue before them all How manye strong how many wyse how many noble how manye ritch were there in those dayes and yet all they forsaken haue perished euery one highly therfore hast thou stād in his fauoure and greate I confesse is the bonntye which he hath extended towardes thee For when thou wast foule and polluted deformed also and miserably defiled ragged and torne ougsome and grysely and as one that was fulfylled of lothsomnes and enormity so God thy Lord loued thee that with all the giftes of his grace hee vouched safe to enritche thee Take this therefore for an absolute resolution that excepte thou endeuour with great and earnest study to adorne and decke thy selfe to recouer thy first comelines and decency thou shalt neuer be thought meete to be brought into the Bride chamber of thy spouse that is glorious celestial and heauenly Now therfore while thou hast tyme opportunity trym and dresse thy selfe O my Soule sleeke vp thy foreheade facion thy face frame thine attyre fret of thy freckles rub of thy warts wash away thy spots smoth thy wrinkles be all hansome and cleanlye amend thy behauiour and with all thy might and mayne set all thinges in good order that thou maist be accepted of so louinge a Spouse Prepare thy selfe I say as becommeth the Bryde of him that is immortall and as besemeth the Spouses of a Kyng celestial ¶ The eyght Chapter ¶ Of the gift of vertues KNow this also O my Soule that thou haste wherewith to decke and adorne thy selfe yet that thou shouldeste not haue of thy selfe if God did not geeue it thee For of him thou haste receiued the vesture and garment of good workes with the fruict of almes fasting and praier besides diuers other vertues wherewith thou maist be garnished trymd and made gorgious as with a robe of variable freshe and sundrye colours And leaste thou shouldest fayle in any poynt he hath bountefully bestowed vpon thee what so euer is knowen partinent to health or refection And what so euer maye repayre comelines or increase thy beuty From the which how plenteous store and distribution presenteth it selfe vnto thee on al sydes I pray thee be aduised diligently to thinke on Thou haddest nothing
and much was geuen thee that was geuen thou hadst lost it was restored vnto thee whereby thou art assured that thou shalt neuer be left destitute but in such sort rather as thou shalt haue many folde occasion to know and to see how entirely he loueth thee that is thy Paramour He is loth my Soule to lose thee and that is the cause why he awayteth thy loyalty with such patience and long sufferaunce geuing thee leaue and liberty accordinge to the multitude of his mercye so often to repent thee as thou cōmittest any folly And now recorde call to memory how many maye be foūd which with thee haue receued al that I haue recited and yet haue not with thee obtained that fauour in thē to haue renued what soeuer they haue impaire◠which beinge considered thou haste iust cause to thinke that thou art yet loued more then they al for that the things by thee lost are so beningly restored which to them by thē lost are so strictly denied For thou by his grace bounty wer neuer denied to worke wel wisely Therfore if thou redely do great things thou art mercyfullye aduaunced and if thou hardly do small thinges thou art worthely humbled For he knoweth what is good for thee better then thy selfe doest and therefore if thou wylt haue a good dutyfull opinion of him vnderstand and conceiue that whatsoeuer he doth to thee is both good and well done Such is the loue of God towardes vs that the infirmitie of man endureth nothing but that by his goodnes is disposed to our profit Perhaps thou hast not the grace of strength to do vertues but whilest thou art shaken with the suggestion of vyces thou art made more strong in thyne humilitie For weakenes with humilitye hath a better sauour in the presence of God then pride of mynde hath with the strength of vertue Be not therefore so bold or malapert as any wai to presume to preiudice Goddes disposition but alwaies with feare and reuerence addresse thy praiers to God that he may vouchsafe to helpe thee as he knoweth it most fyt and expedient for thee And that if as yet any euyl remain in thee he may mercifully redresse it and that if anye goodnes begun in thee be not yet finished he may bountifully accomplish it and finally conduct and bring thee to him selfe by such way as he him selfe best lyketh ¶ The .ix. Chapter ¶ Of the gyft of vnderstanding and knowledge NOw tel me O my soule what recompence shall we make to the Lord for all the goodnes that we haue receiued of him For hee hath not contented hym selfe to geue vs onely those good things which he hath geuen to others the residue of his creatures but he hath also prouided that in our afflictions we may feele and taste of his loue towardes vs and therby take occasion singularly and that as well in all our aduersities as prosperities to embrace his kyndnes in the armes of our loue Saye we therefore in our selues vse we this meditacion Lord thou hast geuen vs the grace to knowe thee and more then to other creatures thou haste disclosed and opened thy secretes vnto vs by framing our vnderstandyng to conceaue thy hydden misteries Other our Equals Mates and companions as well in age as dignitye thou hast left lyinge in ignoraunce and the darknes of infidelity but to vs thou haste showen the lyght of thy grace veritie and truth more then to other of Adams children For vnto vs thou haste geuen capable sence easy vnderstanding fast memory strength in working grace in conuersion mayntenaunce in prosperity profit in study wyt in conceyts cōfort in aduersity and which way souer we tourne thy grace and thy mercy doth preuēt and go before vs For right often my Soule when as to oure selues we semed vtterly wast and consumed he did sodainly relieue vs when we wandred and went astray he brought vs into the way when we were ignorant he taught vs when we were sad he did comfort vs when we were fallen he did reare vs vp and when we stoode he did hold and stay vs from falling Finally he gaue vs the grace more verelye to knowe hym more purely to loue him more sincerely to beleue in him and more feruently to follow him then he gaue it to any other of his creatures Therefore O Lord my God the swetenes of my lyfe the lyght of myne eyes what recompence shall I make thee for all that thou hast done for me wilt thou that I shal loue thee then teach me how and how greatly I shall do it For who am I that I may loue thee my strength my Lord my stedfastnes my refuge and my deliuerance my God my helper my defender the horne of my saluation and my maintainer what shall I say more but my Lord and my God. ¶ The .x. Chapter ¶ Of God his prouident care ouer vs. FOr manifolde innumerable are the good thynges which thou hast done for me O lord my God and of them to think and to speake shall it alwaies be sweete and pleasant vnto me the rather if thou Lord shalt make me thankfull that I may praise and loue thee for all thy benefites Loe my Soule thou hast nowe thy pledge and thy pledge doth manifest shew forth thy Spouse Keepe it therfore vntouched keepe it vndefiled keepe it vnpolluted kepe it safe kepe it whole keepe it cleane keepe it sounde For albeit thou were sometime defiled thou art nowe made honest and a Virgin againe according to the naturall operatiō of his loue which wonteth to restore puritie to the corrupted and in them that ar pure to kepe chastity vnspotted Occupy therefore thy cogitacion alwaies busy thy self in thinking how mercifully he hath dealt with thee therin ponder how greatlye hee loueth thee in that hee neither suffereth his benefit to be wanting vnto thee nor thee to be ignoraunt how diuersly thou enioyest it And this say I to thee because that so often as I note or marke the course of his mercy it seemeth to mee that God doth nothyng els if I may so saye but onely prouide for my saluation For I see him so wholy occupied and busyed in keping of me as if he had forgotten all other thynges onely to attende me so continuallye is God present with mee so continuallye doth he offer him selfe ready for me that which way soeuer I turne me he neuer forsaketh me wheresoeuer I become he neuer goeth from me whatsoeuer I do he doth still assist me Finally he is the perpetuall beholder of all my doinges and so much as may beseeme or become his goodnes as an vnseperable workeman together with me he stādeth by me and doth not onely help and set forward what wanteth in me but also pacientlye perfiteth theffect of his workemanship And hereby it appeareth that albeit hys face cannot yet be sene of vs his presēce notwithstandinge is euermore with vs But what is the