of Angels For while this Loue liues it raignes and bears the Scepter ouer all the affections making his will preferre God before all things indifferently vniuersally and absolutely Of two degrees of perfection in which this Commandement may be kept in this mortall life CHAPTER IV. 1. VVHile the great king Salomon enioying as yet the Spirit of God cōposed the sacred Canticle of Canticles he had according to the permission of those ages great varietie of dames and damsells dedicated to his Loue in diuers conditions and qualities For 1. there was one that was his singularly deare and wholy perfect one most rare as a singular doue with which the others entred not into comparison and for this reason she was called by his owne name SVNAMITE 2. There were sixtie which next to her had the first ranke of honour and estimation and were called Queenes Besids which there were thirdly Fourescore Dames which were not indeede Queenes yet were companions of his Royall bed in qualitie of honorable and lawfull friends 4. and lastly there were young damsells without number reserued in expectation as a seedeplat to succeede in the places of the former when they should fall into decaye Now by the IDEA of that which passed in his Palace he described the diuers perfections of soules who in time to come were to adore Loue and serue the great PACIFICALL KING IESVS CHRIST our Sauiour amongst which there are some who being newly freed from sinne and resolued to Loue God are yet Nouices Apprentises tender and feeble So that they Loue indeede the Diuine sweetenesse yet with such mixture of other different affections that their sacred Loue being as yet in its Nonage they Loue together with our Sauiour many superfluous vaine and dangerous things And as a PHENIX newly hatch't out of her sinders hauing as yet her plumes tender and nice and hauing on her first downes can onely essay a short flight in which she is rather saied to hop then to flie so these tēder and daintie young soules newly borne of the ashes of their Penance cannot as yet take a high flight and sore a aboue in the aire of holy loue beīg held captiues by the multitude of wicked inclinations and depraued customes in which the sinnes of their life past had left them They are yet liuing quickned and feathered with Loue yea and with true Loue too else had they neuer forsakē sinne yet with a Loue as yet feeble young and enuironed with a number of other Loues and which cannot produce fruite in such abundance as otherwise it would doe if it had the full possession of the heart in its hands 2. Such was the Prodigall Sonne when quitting the infamous cāpanie and custodie of swine amongst which he had liued he returned into his fathers armes halfe naked all to be dabed durted and stinking of the filth which he had contracted in the companie of those vncleane beasts For what is it to forsake the swine but to reclame ones selfe from sinne and what is it to returne all ragged tattered and stinking but to haue our affections engaged in the habits and inclinations which tend to sinne yet was he possessed of the life of the soule which is Loue. And as a Phenix rising out of her ashes he finds himselfe newly risen to life He was dead quoth his Father and is returned to life he is reuiued Now Salomons Friends were called young daughters in the Canticles for as much as hauīg tasted the odour of the Spouse his name which breathes nothing but Saluation and Mercy they Loue him with a true Loue but a Loue which is as themselues in its tender age for euen as young girles doe Loue their husbands well if they haue them yet leaue not off much to affect their toyes triffles ād companions with whom they were wont desperatly to loose themselues in playing dancing and fooling in busying themselues with little birds little dogges squirills and the like bables So the yoūg and Nouice-soules haue truely an affection to the sacred Spouse yet admit they with it a number of voluntarie distractions and incumbrances so that louing him aboue all things they doe yet busie themselues in many things which they Loue not like him but besids him out of him and without him for as small irregularities in words in gestures in clothes in pastimes and fond trickes are not properly speaking against the will of God so are they not according to it but out of it and without it 3. But there are certaine soules who hauing alreadie made some progresse in the Loue of God haue also cut off the affections they had to dangerous things and yet doe entertaine dangerous and supersluous Loues because they Loue with excesse and Loue that which God ordaines they should Loue with a Loue too nice and passionate It stood with Gods pleasure that ADAM should loue EVE tenderly yet not in that degree of tendernesse that to content her he should haue violated the order giuen him by his Diuine Maiestie He loued not then a superfluous thing nor a thing in it selfe dangerous but he loued it superfluously and dangerously The loue of our Parents friends and Benefactours is in it selfe according to GOD yet we may affect it with excesse as we may also our vocations be they neuer so spirituall and our exercises of deuotion which yet we ought so greately to affect may beloued inordinatly to wit if we preferre them before obedience or a more generall good or in case we loue them in qualitie of LAST END being the onely meanes and furtherances to our finall pretention which is DIVINE LOVE And those soules which Loue nothing but that which God would haue them to Loue and yet doe exceede in the manner of louing doe truly Loue the Diuine Goodnesse aboue all things yet not in all things for the things which not onely by permission but euen by command they are to Loue according to God they doe not onely Loue according to God but for other causes and motiues which though indeede they be not contrarie to God yet are they out of him so that they resemble the Phenix who hauning gotten her first feathers and beginning to waxe strong doth forthwith hoist her selfe vp into the open aire yet is not long able to continew flight but is forced to light often vpon the ground to take breath Such was the poore young man who hauing from his tender age obserued Gods Commandements desired not his neighbours goods yet affected his owne too tenderly So that when our Sauiour gaue him Counsell to giue them to the poore he became sad and melancholie He loued nothing but that which he might lawfully loue but he loued it with a superfluous and too obliging an affection It is plaine therefore THEO that these soules loue too ardently and with superfluitie yet loue they not the superfluities but onely the thing which is to be loued And herevpō they doe enioye the marriage bed of the heauenly Salomō
had not the heart to stay by him but would haue left him saying ah I am not able to see this child dye is it strang then that Charitie the daughter of sweetenesse and heauenly delight cannot see her child dye which is a Resolution neuer to offend God so that still as free-will resolues to consent to sinne and therein killeth this holy resolution Charitie dyes with it fighing out these last words alas no neuer will I see this child dye In fine THE as the precious stone called PRASSIVS looseth its luster in the presence of any poison so in an instant the soule looseth her splendour grace and beautie which consisteth of holy loue vpon the entrie and presence of any mortall sinne whence it is written that the soule who sinneth shall dye That the sole cause of the decay and slackening of Charitie is in the creaturs will CHAPTER V. 1. AS it were a most wicked impudencie to attribute the works of holy loue done by the holy ghost in and with vs to the strength of our will so were it a shamelesse impietie to lay the defect of loue in vngratfull men on the want of heauenly assistance and grace For the holy Ghost cries in euery place to the contrarie that our ruine is from our selues that our Sauiour brought the fire of loue and desires nothing but that it should burne our hearts That saluation is prepared before the face of all nations light to lighten the gentiles and for the glorie of Israel That the diuine goodnesse would haue none to perish but that all come to the knowledge of truth that all be saued their Sauiour being come into the world that euery one might receiue the adoption of children And the wiseman doth clearely aduertise vs. Saie not it stikes of God And the sacred Concell of TreÌ„t doth inculcate diuinely to all the children of the holy Church that the Grace of God is neuer awaÌ„ting to such as doe what they can inuoking the diuine assistance That God doth neuer abandon such as he hath once iustified vnlesse they abandon him first So that if they be not a wanting to grace they shall obtaine glorie 2. In fine THEO our Sauiour is a light which doth illuminate euery one that comes into the world Diuers trauellers in a summers day about noone-tyde lay downe to repose in the shade of a tree but while their wearinesse aÌ„d the coolenesse of the shadowe keepes them a sleepe the Sunne aduancing himselfe towards them gaue iust vpon their eies his strongest light which by the glitter of his brightnesse made transparences as with smale raies about the Aple of those sleepers eyes and by the heate which pearced their eyelids forced them by a gentle violence to awake but some of them being awaked got vp and aduancing came happily to their lodging the rest did not onely not rise but turning their backes to the sunne and pulling their hats ouer their eyes there spent the day in sleeping till surprised by night being yet willing to make towards their lodging they straied hither and thither in the Forest at the mercy of mercilesse wolues and other sauage beastes Now tell me I praie THEO those that arriued ought they not to asscribe all their contentment to the sunne or to speak like a Christian to the sunns Creatour yes surely for it was high time and yet they dream't not of rising the sunne did them this good office and by a gentle warning of his light and heate came louingly to call them vp T' is true they resisted not his call but he also helped them much euen in that for he spred his light fairely vpon them giuing them a glimps of himselfe through their eyelids and by his heate as by his loue opened their eyes and vrged them to see his day 3. Contrariwise these poore strayers were they not to blame to crie in the woode Alas what haue we done to the sunne that he made vs not see his light as he did our Companions that we might haue arriued at our lodgings and not haue wandred in these hideous obscurities for who would not vndertake the sunns or rather Gods cause my deare THEO to answere these vnfortunate wretches What is it ô you wretches in a manner that the sunne could doe for you and did not his fauours were equall to all yee that slept He essaied you all with the same light touched you with the same raie scattered vpon you a like heate and accursed that you are though you saw your companions rise take their pilgrims stafe to gaine way you turned your backes to the sunne and would not make vse of his light nor be ouercome by his heate 4. See see now THEO what I would saie we are all pilgrims in this mortall life almost all of vs haue willingly slept in sinne God the sunne of Iustice darts vpon vs most sufficiently yea abundantly the beames of his inspirations warmes our hearts with his benedictions touching euery one with the allurements of his loue ah how chance it then that these allurements allure so few and yet draw fewer ah certainly such as first allured afterwards drawen doe follow the inspiration haue great occasion to ioye but not to glorie in it Let them ioye because they enioy a great good yet let them not glorie in it because it is by Gods pure goodnesse who leauing them the profit of their good worke reserues to himselfe the glorie thereof 5. But touching them that remaine in the sleepe of sinne ô what good reason they haue to lament sorrow weepe repent for they are in a most lamentable case yet haue they no reason to sorrow or complaine saue of themselues who despised yea rebelled against light were vntractable by inuitations and obstinate against inspirations so that malediction and confusion ought to follow their malice for euer they onely being authours of their ruine onely workers of their damnation So the Iaponians complaining to S. ZAVâ—RIVS their Apostle that God who had had so much care of other nations seemed to haue forgotten their predecessours not hauing giuen them the knowledge of himselfe by the want whereof they were lost The good man answered them that the diuine naturall law was engrauen in the hearts of all mortalls which if their forerunners had obserued the light of heauen had without doubt illuminated them as contrariwise hauing violated it they merited damnation An apostolicall answere of an Apostolicall man and resembling the reason giuen by the great Apostle of the losse of the auncient gentils whom he calles inexcusable for that hauing knowen good they followed euill for it is in a worde that which he doth inculcate in the first of his Epistles to the Romans miserie vpon miserie be vnto such as doe not acknowledge that their owne miserie proceeds from their malice That we ought to ackowledge the loue we beare to God to be from God CHAPTER VI. 1. THe loue of men towards God takes his beeing progresse and perfection from
a new desire to see still more and enioye his presence with whom she saw them whence she cried O how happie are the seruants who are still about thee and heare thy wisedome In like manner we sometimes begin to eate to get an appetite but our appetite being egged we continue eating to content it And in the beginning we consider the Goodnesse of God to excite our wills to loue him but loue being formed in our hearts we consider the same Goodnesse to content our loue which cannot be satiated in seeing continually what it loues In conclusion meditation is the mother of loue but contemplation is her daughter and for this reason I called contemplation a louing attention for childreÌ„ are named after their Father and not the Father after the child 3. It is true THEO that as the auncient IOSEPH who was the crowne and Glorie of his Father did greatly encrease his honours and contentment and made him waxe young in his old age so contemplation doth crowne its Father which is loue perfectes him and giues him the tope of excellencie for loue hauing moued in vs a contemplatiue attention that attention breedes reciprocally a more great and feruent loue which in the end is crowned with perfections when it enioyes the thing beloued Loue makes vs take pleasure in in the sight of our well-beloued and the sight of our well-beloued makes vs take pleasure in his diuine loue so that by this mutuall motion of loue to the sight and sight to loue as loue renders the beautie of the thing beloued more beautifull so the sight of it makes loue more louely and delightfull Loue by an imperceptible power makes the beautie which we loue appeare more faire and sight likewise doth refine loue to make it finde beautie more amiable Loue moues the eyes continually to behold the beloued beautie more attentiuely and the sight doth force the heart continually to loue it more forcibly That loue in this life takes his origine but not his excellencie from the knowledge of God CHAPTER IV. 1. BVt whether hath more force I pray you loue to make vs looke vpon the well-beloued or the sight to cause the loue therof knowledge THEO is required to the production of loue for we neuer sawe and according as the attentiue knowledge is augmented loue is also augmented so there be nothing to hinder it's actiuitie Yet it happens often that knowledge hauing produced holy loue Loue doth not staie within the compasse of the knowledge which is in the vnderstanding but goes forward and passeth farre beyond it so that in this life we may haue more loue then knowledge of God whence great S. THOMAS assures vs that often tymes the most simple and women abound in deuotion being more ordinarily capable of heaueÌ„ly loue then able and vndâ—rstanding people 2. The famous Abbot S. ANDRIEW of verceill S. ANTHONIES of Padua his Maister in his commentaries vpon S. DENIS doth often repeate that loue penetrates where exteriour knowledge cannot reach and saieth that many Bishops though not very learned had penetrated the mysterie of the Trinitie admiring vpon this passage his scholler S. ANTONIE of Padua who without wordly knowledge was endowed with a profound mysticall Diuinitie who as another S. IOHN Baptiste one might haue called a light and burning lampe The Blessed Brother Gilles one of the first companions of S. FRANCIS saied one day to S. BONAVENTVRE ô how happie you learned men are for you vnderstand many things wherby you praise God but what can we Idiotes doe S. BONAVENTVRE replied the grace to loue God is sufficient No but Father replied Brother Gilles can an ignorant man loue God as well as a learned yes saieth S. Bonauenture yea more a poore fillie woman may loue God as well as a Doctour of Diuinitie with this Brother Gilles cried out falling into a feruour ô poore simple womaÌ„ loue thy Sauiour and thou shall be as great as Brother Bonauenture and vpon it he remained for the space of three houres in a RAPTVRE 3. The will perceiues not Good but by meanes of the vnderstanding but hauing once perceiued it She hath no more neede of the vnderstanding to practise loue for the force of pleasure which she feeleth or pretends to feele by being vnited to her obiect drawes her powerfully to loue and to a desire to enioye it so that the knowledge of good breedes loue but bounds it not as we see the knowledge of an iniurie moues coler which if it be not suppressed doth in a manner alwayes exceede the wronge Passions not following the knowledge which moued them but eftsonns leauing it behind them they make towards the obiect without measure or limite 4. Now this happens more effectually in holy Loue for so much as our will is not applied to it by a naturall knowledge but by the light of faith which assuring vs of the infinite goodnesse that is in God giues vs sufficient to loue him with all our force We digge the earth to find gold and siluer employing a present labour for a good as yet in hope onely so that an vncertain knowledge sets vs vpon a present and certaine labour â—nd as we doe more discouer the vaine in the Mine we doe more earnestly search more Euen a cold sent serues to moue the Hound to the game so deare THEO an obscure knowledge shut vp in cloudes as is that of faith doth infinitly stirre our affectioÌ„ to loue the Goodnesse which it makes vs apprehend ô how true it is according to S. AVGVSTIN'S complaint That the vnlearned teare uen out of our hands while the learned fall into hell 5. In your opinion THEO whether of the two would loue the light more the borne blind who should know all the discourses that the Philosophers make of it and the praises they giue it or the plough-man who by a cleare sight should feele and resent the delightfull splendour of the faire rising sunne the first hath more knowledge of it but the second more fruition and that fruition produceth a loue more quicke and liuely then the simple knowledge by discourse for the experieÌ„ce of Good makes it infinitly more louely then all the knowledge which can be had of it We begin our loue by the knowledge which faith giues vs of God's Goodnesse which afterwards we relish and taste by loue and loue eggeth our gust and our gust refines our loue so that as we see the water role and swell by the windes blastes as by emulation vpon the encounter so the taste of good doth warme loue and loue againe the taste according to that Oracle of the diuine wisdome Those that shall taste me shall yet haue appetite and those that shall drinke me shall yet haue thrist Which of the two I praie you loued God more OCHAM held of some to be the most subtile man that liued or S. CATHERINE of Genua an vnlearned woman He knew him better by science she by experience and her experience did
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
might inflame and lighten the children of light where might I better place it then amongst your Lilies Lilies where the Sonne of Iustice the splendour and candour of the eternall Light did so soueraignely recreate himselfe that he theâ—e practised the delightes of the ineffable Loue of his heart towards vs O well beloued mother of the well-be loued ô well beloued spouse of the well-beloued prone layed at thy sacred feete who bore my Sauiour I vow dedicate and consecrate this little worke of Loue to the immence greatnesse of thy Loue ah I coniure thee by the heart of thy sweete IESVS king of hearts whom thyne adore animate my heart and all theirs who shall reade this writing of thy all puissant fauour with the Holy Ghost so that hence-fourth we may offer vp in holocaust all our affections to his Diuine goodnesse to liue dy and reuiue for euer in the flames of this heauenly fire which our Sauiour thy sonne hath so much laboured to kindle in our hearts that he neuer ceased to labour and trauell therin euen vnto death and death of the Crosse VIVE IESVS THE PREFACE OF THE AVTHOVR THE Holy Ghost teacheth that the lipps of the heauenly Spouse which is the CHVRCH reseÌ„bles scarlate and the honie combe whence honie distilleth to th' end that euery one may know that the doctrine which she announceth consisteth of sacred Loue of a more faire vermilioÌ„ then Scarlate by reason of the Spouse his blood wherin she is dyed more sweete then honie by reason of the Beloued his sweetenesse who crownes her with delightes So this heauenly Spouse when he thought good to giue an entrie to the publication of his Law streamed downe a number of firie tongues vpon the Assemblie of his disciples which he had deputed to this office sufficiently intimating therby that the preaching of the Ghospell was wholy designed to the inflaming of hearts Propose vnto your selues a fine done amidst the Sunne rayes you shall see her change into so many diuers colours as you behold her diuersly because her feathers are so apt to receiue the light that the sunne spreading his spleÌ„dour amongst theÌ„ there is caused a number of transparences which bring forth a great varietie of alterations and mutations of colours but colours so agreeable to the eye that they put downe all other colours yea the enamell of richest iewells colours that are glittering and so quaintly guilt that the gold giues them more life In consideration hereof the Royall Prophet saied vnto the Israelites Although affliction rudly dâ—ght your face Yet shall your hew henceforth to men appeare As pigions plumes when siluer 's trembling grace And burnisht gold doe make their shine more cleare Truly the Church is adorned with an incomparable varietie of excellent documents sermons Treatises Spirituall bookes all very comely and pleasant to the sight by reason of the admirable mixture which the sunne of Iustice makes of his Diuine wisdome with the tongues of his Pastours which are their Penns and with their Penns which sometimes they vse in lieu of their toÌ„gues and doe compose the rich plumes of this mysticall doue But amongst all the diuers colours of the doctrine which she doth publish the fine gold of holy Charitie is especially discouered who makes herselfe be gloriously enteruiewed gilding all the sciences of Saints with her incomparable luster and raysing them aboue all other Sciences All is to Loue in Loue for Loue and from Loue in the holy Church But as we are not ignorant that all the light of the day proceeds from the Sunne and yet doe ordinarily saie that the Sunne shines not saue onely when it doth openly send out its beames here or there In like manner though all Christian doctrine consist of sacred Loue yet doe we not indistinctly honour all Diuinitie with the title of DIVINE LOVE but onely those parts of it which doe contemplate the birth nature properties and operations thereof in particular Now it is certaine that diuers writers haue admirably handled this subiect Aboue all the rest those auncient Fathers who as they did louingly serue God so did they speake diuinely of his Loue. O what a pleasure it is to heare S. PAVLE speake of heauenly things who learn't them euen in Heauen it selfe And how good a thing it is to see those soules that were nurced in the bosome of Loue write of its sweetenesse I For this reason those amongst the schoole men that discoursed the most and the best of it did also most excell in pietie S. THOMAS made a Treatise of it worthy of S. THOMAS S. BONAVENTVRE and Blessed Denis the Carthusian haue made diuers most excellent ones of it vnder sundrie titles and as for Iohn Garson Chancelour of the vniuersitie of Pâ—â—lâ— Sixtus Senensis speaks of him in this sort He hath so worthily discoursed vpon fiftie properties of Diuine Loue which are drawen here and there out of the Canticles that he alone may seeme to haue hit the number of the affections of Diuine Loue. Verily he was a man exceeding learned iudicious and deuote Yet that we might know that this kind of writing is performed with more felicitie by the deuotion of Louers then by the learning of the learned it hath pleased the Holy Ghost that diuers womeÌ„ should worke wonders in this kind Who did euer better expresse the heauenly passions of heauenly Loue then S. CATHARINE of Genua S. ANGELA of Folligni S. CATHARINE of Sienna S. MATILDA In our age also diuers haue wrote vpon this subiect whose workes I haue not had leasure to read distinctly but onely here and there so farre forth as was requisite to discouer whether this might yet find place Father Lewes of Granado that great Doctour of pietie left a treatise of the Loue of God in his Memoriall which is sufficiently commended in saying it is his Stella a Franciscan made a very affectiue one and profitable for Praier Christoph Fonceca an Austine put out yet a greater wherein he hath many excellent things Father Richeome of the Societie hath also published a booke vnder the title of the Art of louing God by his Creaturs and this Authour is so amiable in his person and in his singular writings that one cannot doubt but he is yet more amiable by writing of Loue it selfe Father Iohh of IESVS MARIA a discalced Carmelite composed a little booke which is also called the Art of louing God which is much esteemed The great and famous Cardinall Bellermine did also a while agoe giue into light a little booke intituled The little Ladder to ascend vnto God by his creaturs which cannot be but admirable coÌ„ming from so deuote a soule and so learned a pen which hath wrote so much and so learnedly in the Church her behalfe I will saie nothing of Parenetique that floode of Eloquence who flotes at this houre through all France in the multitude and varietie of his sermons and noble writings the straight spirituall consanguinitie which my soule
hath conâ—racted with his wheÌ„ by the impositioÌ„ of my haÌ„ds he receiued the Caracter of Episcopall dignitie to the great happinesse of the Diocese of Belley and to the honour of the Church besids a thousand bands of a sincere friendshipe which tyes vs together permits me not to speake with credit of his workes amongst which this Parenetique of Diuine Loue was one of the first sallies of the incomparable fulnesse of wit which euery one admires in him Further we doe see a goodlie and magnificeÌ„t Pallace which the R. Father Laurence Paris a Capucine Preacher erected in the honour of heauenly Loue which being finished will be a compleat course of the Art of louing well And lastly the B. Mother Teresa of IESVS hath written so accuratly of the sacred motions of Loue in all the bookes she hath left vs that a man is astonished to see so much eloquence masked in so profound humilitie so great soliditie of wit in so great simplicitie and her most learned ignorance makes the knowledge of many learned men appeare ignorant who after a great tormoile in studies blushe not to vnderstand that which she so happily puts downe touching the practise of holy Loue. Thus doth God raise the Throne of his Power vpon the Theather of our infirmitie making vse of weake things to confound the strong And be it my deare Reader that this Treatise which I now present come farre short of those excellent workes without hope of euer coÌ„ming nigh theÌ„ yet haue I such confidence in that paâ—re of heauenly Louers to whom I dedicate it that it may be some wayes seruiceable vnto thee and that there thou shalt meete with many wholsome coÌ„siderations which thou shouldst not else where so easily find as againe thou maist els where find many rare things which are not here Yea me thinkes my designe fals not in with theirs saue in generall in so much as the glorie of Diuine Loue is all our aimes But this you shall know by reading it Truly myne intention was onely simply and nakedly with art or varnish to represent the Historie of the Birth progresse decaye operations proprieties aduantages and excellencies of heauenly Loue. And if besids all this thou findest somwhat else they are certaine superfluities which are hard for such an one as my selfe who write amidst many distractioÌ„s to auoyd Howbeit I hope nothing therin shall be without some profit Nature her selfe who is so skilfull a work woman proiecting the production of grapes produceth withall as by a certaine prudent inaduertance such an abundance of leaues and vine-branches that there are very few vines which are not in the season to be pruined and cut Writers often are handled to harshly the Censures that are made of them being precipitated ordinarily with more impertinencie then they practised imprudence in taking vpon them to publish their writings Precipitation of iudgment doth greatly endaÌ„ger the Iudges coÌ„science and the innocencie of the Accused Diuers doe write foolishly and diuers also doe censure grosly The sweetnesse of the Reader makes his reading sweete and profitable And my deare Reader to haue thee more fauourable I will here render thee a reason of some passages which might peraduenture otherwise put thee out of humour Some peraduenture may apprehend that I haue saied too much aÌ„d that it was not requisite to bring downe the discourse euen from its heads But I am of opinion that heauenly Loue is a Plant like to that which we call Angelica whose roote is no lesse odoriferous then the bole and branches The 4. first bookes and some chapters of the rest might without doubt haue bene omitted to the liking of such soules as onely seake the practise of holy Loue yet all of it will be profitable vnto them if they behold it with a deuote eye While others also might haue disliked not to haue had the whole continuance of that which belongs to the Treatise of Diuine Loue. Certes I tooke as I ought into my consideration the condition of the wits of this age wherein we are It doth much import one to know in what Age he writs I cite the Scripture sometimes in other termes then are found in the vulgar Edition O good God my deare Reader doe me not therefore the wrong to thinke that I would goe from that Edition ah no for I know the Holy Ghost hath authorised it by the Holy Councell of Trent and that therefore all of vs ought to stick to it but contrariwise I make no other vse of the other versions but onely to serue this when they explicate and confirme the true sense therof For example That which the heauenly Spouse saieth to his Spouse THOV HAST WOVNDED MY HEART is wonderfully cleared by the other version THOV HAST TAKEN AWAY MY HEART or THOV HAST SNACHED AWAY AND RAVISHâ—D MY HEART That which our Sauiour saieth BLESSED ARE THE POORE OF SPIRIT is much amplified and declared by the Greeke BLESSED ARE THE BEGGARS OF SPIRIT and so of others I haue often cited the sacred Psalmist in verse and it was done to recreate thy mind and through the facilitie which I found in it by reason of the sweete translation of Philipe de Portes Abbot of Tiron which notwithstanding I haue not precisely followed yet not out of any hope I had to be able to doe better then this famous Poet. For I should be too impertinent if neuer hauing so much as thought of this kind of writing I should pretend to be happie in it in an age and condition of life which would oblige me to retire my selfe from it in case I had euer bene engaged therein But in some places where the sense might be diuersly taken I followed not his verse because I would not follow his sense as in the Ps 132. where he hath taken a latin word for the fringe of the garment which I apprehended was to be taken for the coler wherevpon I translated it to myne owne mind I haue saied nothing which I haue not learn't of others yet it is impossible for me to remember wheÌ„ce I had euery thing in particular But beleeue it if I had drawen any great peeces of remarke out of any Authour I would make a conscience not to let him haue the deserued honour of it and to deliuer you of a suspition which you may conceiue against my sinceritie in this behalfe I giue you to know that the 13. Chap. of the 7. booke is extracted out of a Sermon which I made at Paris at S. IOHN'S in Greue vpon the feast of the Assumption of our B. Ladie 1602. I haue not alwayes expressed how one Chapter followes another but if you marke you will easily find the connection In that and diuers other things I had a care to spare myne owne labour and your patience After I had caused the IntroductioÌ„ to a deuote to life be printed my Lord Archbishope of Vienna Peter villars did me the fauour to unite his opinion of it in termes
instructed in the truth made resistance against this so much desired establishment his Highnesse surmounted the first difficultie by the inuincible constancie of his Zeale to the Catholike Religiō and the secōd by an extraordinarie sweetnesse and prudence For he made the chiefe ād most obstinate be called together ād made a speach vnto thē with so louely ād pressing an eloquence that in a māner being all vanquished by the gētle violēce of his fatherly loue towards thē deposed the armes of their obstinacie at his feete and their soules into the hands of the Church Licence me my deare Reader I praye thee to speake this worde by the by one might praise many rich actions of this great Prince amongst which I see the proofe of his vnspeakable valour and militarie knowledge which he makes now admired through all Europe But for my part I cannot sufficiently extoll the establishment of the Catholike Religion in these three Bailiwikes which I haue euen now mentioned hauing discouered in it so many markes of pietie suted with so great a varierie of actiōs of Prudēce Cōstancie Magnanimitie Iustice and mildnesse Me thought I discerned in this little Peece as in an abridgment all that is praised in Princes who haue in times past with most feruour striuen to aduance Gods an the Church her glorie The stage was but little but the actions long And like as that auncient Artist was neuer so much prized for his great Peeces as he was admired for making a shipe of Yuorie stored with all her furniture in so little a forme that the wings of a bee did couer it So I esteeme more that which this great Prince did at that time in this small corner of his Dominions then many more specious actions which others extoll to the heauens Now by this meanes the victorious ensignes of the Crosse were replanted in all the wayes and publicke places of those quarters ād whereas a little before there had bene one erected very solemnely at Ennemassa neare vnto Geneua a certaine Minister made a little treatise against the honour therof containing a sharpe and venimous inuectiue to which therefore it was deemed fit to make answere And my Lord Claudius de Granier my Predecessour whose memorie is in benediction did impose the burthen vpon me according to the power which he had ouer me who beheld him not onely as my Bishope but also as a holy seruant of God I made therefore this answere vnder this Title A Defence of the Banner of the Crosse and dedicated it to his Highnesse partly to testifie vnto him my most humble submission and partly to render him some small thanksgiuing for the care which he tooke of the Church in those parts Now a while agoe this Defence is reimprinted vnder the prodigious tittle of PANTHALOGIE or Treasure of the Crosse a Title whereof I neuer dream't as in truth I am not a man of that studie and leasure nor yet of that memorie to be able to put together so many peeces of worth in one booke as it might beare the name of TREASVRE or PANTHALOGIE besids that I abhorre such insolent Frontispices A Sot or senselesse Creature we him call VVho makes his Portall greater then his Hall In the yeare 1602. the obsequies of the Magnanimous Prince Philipe Emanuel of Loraine Duke of Mercurie who had done so many braue exploits vpon the Turke in Hungarie that all Christianitie was bound to conspire to honour his memorie were celebrated at Paris I being there But aboue all the rest Lady Marie of Luxembourg his widowe did for her part all that her heart and the Loue of the dead could suggest vnto her to solemnize his funeralls And because my Father my Grand Father and great Grand Father had bene brought vp Pages to the most illustrious and most excellent Princes of Martigues his Father and Predecessours she eyed me as an hereditarie seruant of the house and made choice of me to make the funerall Sermon in this so great a celebritie where there were not onely diuers Cardinalls and Prelats but certaine Princes also Princesses Marshalls of France knights of the Order yea and the Court of Parleament in Bodie I made then this funerall Sermon and pronounced it in this so great an assemble in the great Church of Paris And for so much as it contained a true abridgment of the heroicall feats of the deceased Prince I did easily cause it to be imprinted at the request of the widowe-Princesse whose request was to me a law Now I dedicated that Peece to Madame the Duchesse of Vandome as yet a girle and a very young Princesse yet one in whom was alreadie apparently seene the straines of that excellent vertue and pietie which at this day shine in her worthy of the extraction and and breeding of so denote and pious a mother While this Sermon was in the presse I heard that I was made Bishope so that I came presently hither to be consacrated and to begin my Residence and vpon it was proposed vnto me how necessarie it was to aduertise the Confeslariouses of some important points for this reason I wrote 25. aduertisments which I caused to be printed to get them more esily dispersed amongst those to whom I directed them but since they haue bene reimprinted in diuers places Three or foure yeares after I put out the Introduction to a deuote life vpon the occasion and in the manner which I haue put downe in the Preface thereof touching which I haue nothing to saie to thee my deare Reader saue onely that though this little booke haue generally had a gracious and gentle acceptance yea euen amongst the most graue Prelats and Doctours of the Church yet escaped it not the rude censure of some who did not meerely blame me but bitterly taunted me in publicke for that I tell Philothe that dauncing is an action indifferent in it selfe and that for recreations sake one may make Quodlibets and I kowing the manner of these censures I praise their intention which I thinke was good Yet should I haue desired that they had pleased to haue considered that the first proposition is drawen out of the cōmon and true doctrine of the most holy and learned Diuines which I put downe for such as liue in the world and Court that withall I doe carefully incultate the extreame dangers which are foūd in dauncing and touching the second proposition it is not myne but that admirable king's S. Lewis a Doctour worthy to be followed in conducting Courtiers to a deuote life For I beleeue if they had weighed this their Charitie and discretion had neuer permitted their Zeale how rigorous and austere soeuer to haue armed their indignation against me And to this purpose my deare reader I coniure thee to be gracious and fauorable vnto me in reading this Treatise and though thou shouldst find the style a little and a little onely I assure my selfe it shall be different from that which I vsed in writing vnto
faith ch 13. 121 Of the feeling of the Diuine loue which is had by faith chap. 14. 126 Of the great feeling of loue which we receiue by holy hope chap. 15. 130 How loue is practised in hope ch 16. 133 That the Loue which is practised in hope is very good though imperfect cha 17. 137 That loue is exercised in penance and first that there are diuerse sorts of penance ch 18. 141 That Penance without loue is imperfect ch 19 146 How there is mixture of Loue and sorrow in Contrition chap. 20. pag. 148 How our Sauiour louing inspirations doe assist and accompanie vs to faith and charitie chap. 21. 154 A short description of Charitie cha 22. 159 THE TABLE OF THE Third Booke OF THE PROGRESSE AND Perfection of Loue. THat holy loue may be augmented still more and more in euery of vs. chap. 1. pag. 162 How easie our Sauiour hath made the encrease of loue ch 2. pag. 166 How a soule in Charitie makes progresse in it chap. 3. pag. 170 Touching holy perseuerance in sacred Loue. ch 4. 178 That the happinesse to die in heauenly Charitie is a speciall gift of God chap. 5. 182 That we cannot attaine to a perfect vnion with God in this mortall life ch 6. 186 That the Charitie of Saints in this mortall life doth equalise yea sometimes passe that of the Blessed chap. 7. pag. 189 Of the incomparable loue of the mother of God our B. Lady chap. 8. 191 A Preparation to the discourse of the vnion of the Blessed with God chap. 9. 196 That the precedent desire shall much encrease the vnion of the Blessed with God ch 10. 200 Of the Vnion of the Blessed soules with God in seeing the Diuinitie chap. 11. 202 Of the eternall vnion of the blessed spirits with God in the vision of the eternall birth of the Sonne of God chap. 12. pag. 206 Of the vnion of the Blessed with God in the vision of the Holy Ghost's production ch 13. 209 That the Light of Glorie shall concurre to the vnion of the Blessed with God chap. 14. 213 That there shall be different degrees of the vnion of the Blessed with God chap. 15. 215 THE TABLE OF THE Fourth Booke OF THE DECAY OR RVINE of Charitie THat while we are in this mortall life we may loose the loue of God chap 1. pag. 219 How the soule waxeth coole in holy Loue. chap. 2. pag. 223 Hâ—w we forsake heauenâ—y loue for that of Creaturs chap. 3. pag. 227 That heauenly loue is lost in a moment chap. 4. pag. 232 That the sole cause of the decay and slackening of Charitie is in the creaturs will chap. 5. pag. 235 That we ought to acknowledge the loue we beare to God to be from God chap. 6. pag. 239 That we must auoide all curiositie and humbly repose in Gods most wise prouidence chap 7. pag. 244. An exhortation to the affectionat submission which we are to make to the Decrees of the diuine prouidence chap. 8. pag 249 Of a certaine remainder of loue which oftentimes stayes in the soule t at hath lost Charitie chap. 9. pag 254 How dangerous this imperfect loue is chap 10. pag 258 A meanes to discerne this imperfect Loue. chap. 11. pag. 260 THE TABLE OF THE Fift Booke OF THE TWO PRINCIPAL EXERcises of holy loue performed by complacence and beneuolence OF the sacred Complacence of loue and first in what it consisteth chap. 1. pag. 264 How by holy complacence we are made as little children at our Sauiours breasts chap. 2. pag. 269 That a holy complacence giues our heart to God and makes vs feele a continuall desire in enioying him chap. 3. pag. 274 Of a louing condoling by which the complacence of loue is better declared chap. 4. 280 Of the commiseration and Complacence of loue in our Sauiours Passion chap. 5. 284 Of the Loue of Beneuolence which we exercise towards our Sauiour by way of desire chap. 6. 288 How the desire to exalte and magnifie God doth separate vs from inferiour pleasures and makes vs attentiue to the Diuine perfections chap. 7. 291 How holy Beneuolence doth produce the Diuine well-beloueds Praises chap. 8. 294 How Beneuolence makes vs inuoke all Creaturs to God's Praise chap. 9. 300 How the desire we haue to praise God makes vs aspire to heauen chap. 10. 303 How we practise the Loue of Beneuolence in the praises which our Sauiour and his mother giue to God chap. 11. 307 Of the soueraigne praise which God giues vnto himselfe and how we exercise Beneuolence in it chap. 12. pag. 312 THE TABLE OF THE Sixt Booke OF THE EXERCISES OF HOLY Loue in Praier A Description of mysticall Diuinitie which is no other thing then praier chap. 1. pag. 317 Of Meditation the first degree of Praier or mysticall Diuinitie chap. 2. 323 A description of contemplation and touching the first difference that there is betwixt it and meditation chap. 3. pag. 329 That loue in this life takes his origine but not his excellencie from the knowledge of God chap. 4. 331 The second difference betwixt meditation and contemplation chap. 5. 336 That we doe contemplate without paine which it a third difference betwixt it and meditation chap. 6. 340 Of the louing recollection of the Soule in Contemplation chap. 7. 345 Of the repose of a soule recollected in her well-beleeued chap. 8. 350 How this sacred repose is practised chap. 9. 354 Of diuers degrees of this repose and how it is to be conserued chap. 10. 357 A continuation of the discourse touching the diuers degrees of holy repose and of any excellent abnegation of a mans selfe practised therein chap. 11. 360 Of the melting and liquifaction of the soule in God cha 12. pag. 365 Of the wound of loue chap. 13. 370 Of some other meanes by which loue wounds the heart chap. 14. 375 Of the amourous languishment of the heart wounded with loue chap. 15. 380 THE TABLE OF THE Seauenth Booke OF THE VNION OF THE SOVLE with her God which is Perfected in Praier HOw loue vnits the soule to God in Praier chap. 1. pag. 388 Of the diuers degrees of the holy vnion which is made in Praier ch 2. pag. 395 Of the soueraigne degree of vnion by suspension or rauishment ch 3. 400 Of Rapture and of the first species of the same chap. 4. pag. 406. Of the second Species of Rapture ch 5. 409 Of the signes of a good Rapture and of the third species of the same ch 6. 412 How Loue is the life of the soule with a continuation of the extaticall life ch 7. 417 An admirable eâ—â—â—ertation of S. Paule to the extaticall and supernaturall life ch 8. 420 Of the supreame effect of affectiue loue which is the death of Louers and first of such as died in loue chap. 9. pag. 425 Of some that died by and for Diuine Loue. chap. 10. pag. 429. How some of the heauenly Louers died euen of Loue. ch 11 pag 431.
A wonderfull historie of the death of a gentleman who died of Loue vpon the Mount-Oliuet chap. 12. pag 435. That the Sacred Virgin mother of God died of the loue of her Sonne chap. 13. 441 That the Glorious virgin died of an extreamely sweete and calme loue chap. 14. 445 THE TABLE OF THE Eight Booke OF THE LOVE OF CONFORMITIE by which we vnite our Wills to the Will of God signified vnto vs by his Commandements Counsells and inspirations OF the loue of Conformitie proceeding from holy Complacence chap. 1. pag. 451 Of the conformitie of Submission which proceedes from the Loue of Beneuolence ch 2. 455 How we are to conforme our selues to the Diuine will which is called the signified will chap. 3. 458 Of the Conformitie of our will to the will which God hath to saue vs. ch 4. 462 Of the Conformitie of our will to Gods will signified in his Commandements chap. 5. 465 Of the Conformitie of our will to Gods signified vnto vs by his Counsells chap. 6. 469 That Gods will signified in the commandements doth moue vs forwards to the loue of Counsells chap. 7. pag. 472. That the contempt of Euangelicall Counsells is a great sinne chap. 8. 478 A continuation of the precedent discourse how euery one ought to loue though not to practise the Euangelicall Counsells and yet how euery one is to practise what he is able chap. 9. 482 How we are to conforme our selues to Gods will signified vnto vs by inspirations and first of the truth of the meanes by which God enspires vs. chap. 10. 487 Of the vnion of our will to Gods in the inspirations which are giuen for the extraordinarie practise of vertues and of perseuerance in ones vocation the first marke of the inspiration chap. 11. 491 Of the vnion of Mans will to Gods in the inspirations which are contrarie to the ordinarie Lawes and of the peace and tranquillitie of heart the second marke of Inspiration chap. 12. 497 The third Marke of the Inspiration which is holy obedience to the Church and Superiours chap. 13. 501 A short methode to know Gods will chap. 14. 505 THE TABLE OF THE Ninth Booke OF LOVE OF SVBMISSION Whereby our will is vnited to Gods OF the vnion of our will to the will of God which is the will of good pleasure chap. 1. pag. 509 That the vnion of our will to the will of God is principally caused by tribulations chap. 2. 513 Of the vnion of our will to the Diuine will in spirituall afflictions by resignation chap. 3. 518 Of the vnion of our will to Gods will by Indifferencie chap. 4. 521 That holy indifferencie is extended to all things ch 5. 525 Of the practise of the louing indifferencie in things belonging to the seruice of God chap. 6. 528 Of the indifferencie which we are to haue in our Spirituall aduancement chap. 7. 533 How we are to vnite our will with Gods in the permission of sinne chap. 8. 539 How the puritie of indifferencie is practised in the actions of holy Loue. chap. 9. 542 A meanes to discouer when we chang in the matter of this holy Loue. chap. 10. 545 Of the perplexitie of the heart in Loue which doubts whether it please the Beloued chap. 11. 549 How the soule amidst these interiour anguishes knowes not the Loue she beares to God and of the Louely death of the will chap. 12. 553. How the will being dead to it selfe liues entirely to Gods will chap. 13. 557 An explanation of that which hath bene saied touching the decease of our will chap. 14. 561 Of the most excellent exercise a man can make in the interiour and exteriour troubles of this life In sequele of the indifferencie and death of the will chap. 15. 565 Of the perfect stripping of the soule vnited to Gods will chap. 16. 570 THE TABLE OF THE Tenth Booke OF THE COMMANDEMENT OF louing God aboue all things OF the sweetenesse of the Commandement which God gaue vs to loue him aboue all things ch 1. 5â—5 That this Diuine Commandement of Loue tends to Heauen yet is giuen to the faithfull in this world chap. 2 pag. 580. How notwithstanding that the whole heart is imployed in sacred Loue yâ—t one may Loue God diuersly and also many other things together with him chap. 3. 582 Of two degrees of perfection in which this Commandement may be kept in this mortall life chap. 4. 387 Of two other degrees of greater perfection by which we may Loue God aboue all things chap. 5. 592 That the Loue of God aboue all things is common to all Louers chap. 6. 598 An illustration of the former chapter chap. 7. 601 A memorable historie wherin is more clearely seene in what the force and ExcelleÌ„cie of holy loue consisteth cha 8. pag. 605. A confirmation of that which hath bene saied by a notable comparison chap 9. 612 That we are to Loue the Diuine Goodnesse soueraignely more then our selues chap. 10. 617 How holy Charitie brings forth the loue of our neighbour chap. 11. 620 How loue produceth Zeale chap. 12. 624 That God is Iealous of vs. chap. 13. 626 Of the Zeale or Iealousie which we haue towards our Sauiour chap. 14. 632 An aduise for the direction of holy Zeale chap. 15. 637 That the exaÌ„ples of diuerse saints which seemed to exercise their Zeale with Angâ—r make nothing against the aduise of the precedent Chapter chap. 16. 643 How our Sauiour practised all the most Excellent acts of Loue. chap. 17. 650 THE TABLE OF THE Eleauenth booke OF THE SOVERAIGNE AVTHORITIE whicâ— sacred loue holds ouer all the vertues actions and perfections of the soule HOw much all the vertues are aggreeable vnto God chap. 1. pag. 656 That Diuine Loue makes the vertues more agreeable to God by excellencie then they are in their owne nature chap 2. pag. 661 That there are some vertues which Diuine Loue doth raise to a higher degree of excellencie then others chap. 3. pag. 665 That Diuine Loue doâ—h yet more excellently sanctifie the vâ—rtues whiâ—h are pracitsed by his ordinance and Commanâ—ment chap. 4. pag 668 How sacred â—â—ue doth spread it's worth through all the o her vertues which by that meanes are â—erfected chap. 5 pag 972 Of the excâ—llent worth which holy Loue bestowes vpon the actions whi h issue from it selfe and to those which proceede from other vertu s. chap 6. pag 6â—â— That perfect vertues are neuer one without tâ—e other chap. 7. pag. 682 How Charitie containes all vertues chap 8. pag. 683 That vertues haue their worth from sacred Loue. ch 9. pag. 693 A digression vpon the imperfection of the Pagans vertues c ap 10. pag. 697 How humaine actions are without worth being without Gods Loue. chap. 11. pag 7â—4 How holy Loue returning into the soule doth reuiue alâ— the works w ich sinne had sl yne chap 12. â—09 How we are to reduce all the exercise of all the vertu s and all our actions to â—oly Loue chap
two proofes by two reprochlesse witnesses that STOIKES were touched with Feare and with Feare which doth leaue it's effects in the Eyes Face and Countenance and is consequently a Passion 5. Ah greate follie to wish to be wise by a wisdome which is not possible Truely the Church hath cōdemned the Follie of this wisdome which certaine presumptuous ANCORITS would haue long agoe introduced against which the whole Scripture but especially the great APOSTLE crieth out That we haue a law in our bodie which resisteth the law of our mind Amongst vs Christians saieth that great S. AVGVSTINE according to holy Scripture and Sound doctrine the Citizens of the sacred Citie of God whose liues are agreeable to Gods owne heart in the pilgrimage of this world doe Feare Desire Greeue Reioice Yea euen the soueraigne King of this Citie did Feare Desire Greeue Reioice euen to teares palenesse trembling sweating of blood though in him these were not the motions of Passions like to ours whence the great S. HIEROME and after him the Schoole durst not there vsurpe the name Passions for reuerence of the person in whome they were but the respectfull name PRO-PASSIONS to testifie that sensible motions in our Sauiour held the place of Passions though they were not such indeede seeing that he suffered or sustained nothing by them saue that which was thought good to him and in manner which liked him best gouerning and guiding them at his pleasure which we sinners cannot doe who suffer and endure these Motions with disorder against our wills to the great preiudice of the good estate and pollicie of our soule That loue rules ouer all the affections and passions yea gouerns the will albeit the will hath also a dominion ouer it CHAPTER IIII. 1. LOue being the first complacence which we take in good as we will presently shew certes it preceedes desire and in deede what other thing is it which we Desire but that which we Loue It forerunes Delectation for how could we reioice in the fruition of a thing if we loued it not it goes before Hope for we hope for nothing but the Good which we loue it preuents Hatred for we hate not euill but in respect of the good which we loue nor is euill euill but because it is contrarie to good And THEOTIME it is the like touching all other passions and affections for they doe all flow from loue as from their source and roote 2. For which cause the other passions and affections are good vitious or vertuous according as the Loue whence they proceede is good or bad For Loue doth so bedewe them with her owne qualities that they seeme to be no other then very Loue it selfe S. AVGVSTINE reducing all these passions to foure as did also BOETIVS CICERO VIRGIL with the greatest part of the Auncients Loue saieth he tending to the possession of that he loues is termed Concupiscence or Desire hauing and possessing it t' is called Ioie flying that which is contrarie to him is named Feare but if Loue perceiue it arriued he puts on the name of Griefe and consequently these passiōs are Euill if the Loue be Euill Good if it be Good The Citizēs of the heauēlie Citie doe Feare Desire Greeue Ioie and because their loue is iust all their affections are also iust Christian doctrine doth subiect the Reason to God to th' end he should guide and succour it and to the Reason all the passiōs that it may bridle and moderate them so that they might be conuerted to the seruice of iustice and vertue The rectified will is the good loue the disordred will is the euill loue That is to saie in a word THEOTIME Loue hath such dominion ouer the will that he makes her iust such as he is 3. The wife doth ordinarily change her condition into that of her Husband becoming noble if he be noble Queene if he be King Dutches if he be Ducke The will doth also change her condition into that of Loue which she espouseth if he be carnall she becomes carnall if spirituall she turnes spirituall and all the affections Desire Ioie Hope Feare Griefe as issues of the mariage betwixt Loue and the will doe consequently receiue their qualities frō Loue to be short THEOTIME the will is not moued but by her affections amongst which Loue as the PRIMVM MOBILE and prime affection giues motion to all the rest and causeth all the other motions of the soule 4. Nor doth it follow hence that the will doth not also rule ouer Loue seeing that the will doth not Loue but in willing to Loue and that of the diuersitie of Loues which present them selues she can apply her selfe to which she list otherwise Loue would neither be prohibited nor commanded She is then Mistresse ouer Loues as a Dāfelle ouer her Suters amongst which she may make election of whom she pleaseth But as after the mariage she looseth her libertie and of Mistresse becomes subiect to her Husbands power remaining taken by him whom she tooke so the will which at her owne pleasure made election of Loue after she hath embraced any one she remaine subiect to him And as the wife is still subiect to the Husband which she hath chosen so long as he shall liue doth after her Husbands death regaine her precedent libertie to marrie an other so while one Loue liues in the will it reignes there and the will is subiect to his motions but if this Loue come to die she can afterwards take an other And againe there is a libertie in the will which a wife hath not and it is that the will can reiect her Loue at her pleasure by applying her vnderstanding to motiues which makes it disgustfull and by vndertaking to chainge the obiect For in this manner to make the diuine Loue liue and reigne in vs we ought to mortifie Proper Loue if we cannot altogether annihilate it at least we must weaken it in such sort that though it liue yet it doe not reigne in vs. As contrariwise in forsaking Diuine Loue we may adheare to that of creaturs which is that infamous adulterie wherewith the Diuine Loue doth so often reproch sinners Of the affections of the will CHAPTER V. 1. THere is no lesse motion in the Intellectuall or Reasonable appetite which is called the will then there is in the Sensitiue or Sensuall but those are customarily named Affections these Passions The Philosophers and Pagans did in some sort loue God their Common wealth Vertue Sciences they hated Vice aspired after Honours expected not to escape Death or Calumnie were desirous of knowledge yea euen of Beatitude after Death They did encourage them selues to surmount the difficulties which did crosse the way of Vertue dreaded Blame fled diuers Faultes reuenged publicke Iniuries disdained Tyrants without any proper interest Now all these Motions were seated in the Reasonable part syth that neither the Senses nor consequently the Sensuall appetits are capable of application to these obiects and therefore
her Manna of delight but Charitie doth conduct vs thither as an Arke of Alliance making way through Iordain that is to Iudgment and shall remaine amidst the people in the heauenlie Land promissed to the true ISRAELITS where neither the Pillar of Faith doth serue as guide nor the MANNA of Hope is vsefull for foode 5. Diuine Loue doth make his abode in the most high and eminent region of the Soule where he doth offer Sacrifice and Holocausts to the Diuinitie as ABRAHAM did and as our Sauiour sacrificed himselfe vpon the tope of CALVARIE to th' end that from so eminent a place he might be heard and obayed of his people that is of all the Faculties and Affections of the Soule which he gouernes with an incomparable sweetnesse For Loue hath none pressed or flaues but brings all things vnder his power with a force so delightfull that as nothing is so forcible as Loue so nothing is so amiable as his Force 6. Vertues are seated in the soule to moderate her motions and Charitie as prime of all the Vertues gouerns ad tempers them all not onely because the first in euery Species of things is as a rule and measure to the rest but also for that God hauing created man to his similitude and liknesse will that as in himselfe so in man all things be ordered for and by Loue. A description of Loue in generall CHAPTER VII 1. THe wil hath so great a sympathie with Good that as soone as she perceiues it she turnes towards it to please her selfe therin as in her desired obiect to which she hath so neerely allyed her selfe that one cannot euen declare her Nature but by the reference she hath to it like as one cannot shew the nature of Good otherwise then by the Affinitie it hath with the will For tell me THEOTIME what other thing is Good then that which euery one doth will And what is the will if not the facultie which beares vs forward and makes vs tend to Good or that which the will esteemes such 2. The will then perceiuing and feeling Good by the help of the Vnderstanding proposing it feeles at the same time a suddaine delight and complacence vpon it which doth sweetly yet powerfully moue and incline her towards this amiable obiect with intention to be vnited thervnto and moues her to search the meanes most proper to attaine this Vnion 3. The will then hath a strict affinitie with Good this affinitie doth produce the complacence which the will doth taste in feeling and perceiuing Good this complacence doth moue and prick forward the will to Good this motion tends to Vnion and and in fine the will put in motion and tending to Good doth search all meanes requisite to atchiue it 4. And truely generally speaking Loue compriseth all this together as a faire Tree whose Roote is the Sympathie which the will hath to Good the Bole is the Complacence her Motion the tope the INQVESTS PVRSVITS and other Endeauours are her Branches but Vnion and Fruition are her Fruits So loue seemes to be composed of these fiue principale parts vnder which a number of other little peeces are contained as we shall find in the processe of this worke 5. Let 's consider I praye you the exercise of an insensible Loue betwixt the ADAMANT and IRON being a true representation of sensible and voluntarie Loue of which we speake IRON then hath such a Sympathie with the ADAMANT that as soone as it is touched with the vertue therof it turnes towards it this done sodainely it begins to stirre and quiuer with a little hopping testifying in that the Complacence it takes and thervpon it doth aduance and beare it selfe towards the ADAMANT striuing by all meanes possible to be vnited vnto it And doe you not see all the parts of a liuely Loue represented in this lifelesse stone 6. But to conclud THEOTIME the Complacence and Motion or Effusion of the will vpon the thing beloued is properly speaking Loue yet so as that the Complacence is but the beginning of Loue and the Motion or Effusion of the heart which ensues is the true essentiall Loue so that th' one and th' other may truly be named Loue but in a diuerse manner for as the breake of day may be termed day so this first Complacence of the heart in the thing beloued may be called Loue because it is the first impression of loue But as the true Heart of the day begins onely from day-breake to the sonne setting so the true essence of Loue doth consiste in the motion and current of the heart flowing immediately from Complacence and ending it's course in Vnion To be short Complacence is the first stirring or motion which Good causeth in the will and this motion is followed by a liquefaction or effusion wherby the soule doth runne and approache towards the thing beloued which is the true and proper Loue. Let 's saie thus Good doth touch sease vpon and engaige the heart by Complacence but by Loue it doth draw conduct and conueigh it to it selfe by Complacence it makes the heart vndertake the iourney but by Loue doth accomplish it Complacence is the awaker of the heart but Loue the operation Complacence giues the Alarum but Loue causeth the March The heart displayes his winges by Complacēce but Loue is it's Flight Loue then to speake distinctly and precisely is no other thing then the motion course and aduancement of the heart towards the thing beloued 7. Many great personages haue bene of opiniō that Loue was no other thing then Complacence it selfe in which they followed a faire semblance of reason For not onely the motion of Loue takes her origine from the Complacence which the heart feeles at the first approach of Good and ends in a second Complacence begotten in the heart by Vnion with the beloued but further it keeps companie with that Complacence not being able to subsist without her who is his Mother and Nource so that as soone as the Complacence ceaseth Loue ceaseth And as the Bee is bred in the honie feed of honie flyeth not abrode but for honie so Loue is borne of Complacence maintained by Complacence and tends to Complacence The poyse of things doth sway moue and staie them t' is the waight of the stone that doth stirre and moue it to discent it is the same waight that makes it continew motion after the externall impression be ended and finally it is the same waight that makes it stop and staie as soone as it hath attained it's Center such is the nature of the Complacence which moues the will she it is that moues and she that makes the will repose in the Vnion of the thing beloued This motion of Loue then hauing her birth conseruation and perfection dependantly of Complacence and being alwayes inseparably adioyned vnto her it is no maruell that these braue wits esteemed Loue and Complacence the same thing though indeede Loue being a true Passion of the mind
it cannot be a simple Complacence but must needes be a motion proceeding from it 8. Now this motion caused by Complacence dures till the Vnion or Fruition and therefore when it tends to a present Good it hath no other effect then to put forwards apply ioyne and look the heart to the thing beloued which by this meanes it enioyes and thervpon is called Loue of delight or Complacence because as soone as it is begotten of the first Complacence it ends in the second which it receiues in being vnited to it's obiect But when the Good towards which the heart is turned inclyned and moued is distant absent or that so perfect an vnion cannot yet be made as is desired then the motion of Loue by which the heart doth tend aspire and make towards this absent obiect is properly named Desire For desire is no other thing then an appetite lust and coueting of things aymed at but not yet obtained 9. There are yet certaine other motions of Loue by which we desire things that we neither hope for nor pretend in any sort as when we saie why am I not now in heauen I wish I were King I would to God I were Younger I wish I had neuer offended and the like These indeede are desires but imperfect ones which in proper speach as it seemes might de called wishes and indeede these affections are not expressed in manner of Desires for when we expresse our true Desires we saie I Desire but when we signifie our imperfect Desires we saie I should or I woud Desire we may well saie I would Desire to be young but we doe not saie I Desire to be young seeing that this is not possible and this motion is called a halfe Desire or as the Schoolemen terme it a Velleitie which is nothing elsse but the beginning of a Desire without effect for that the will perceiuing that she cānot attaine vnto that obiect by reason of impossibilitie or extreeme difficultie she stops her motion and ends it in this simple affection of Velleitie as though she should saie this Good which I behould and cannot Hope for is truely very agreeable vnto me and though I cannot will or Hope for it yet so my affection stands that if I could will or Desire it I would willingly Desire and will it 10. To be short these halfe conceiued Desires or Velleities are onely a little Loue which is called Loue of simple approbation because without all pretention the soule approues the Good she knoweth and wanting meanes to Desire it in effect she protesteth she would willingly Desire it and that it is truely to be Desired 11. Nor is this all THEOTIME for there are Desires and Velleities which are yet more imperfect then those we haue spoaken of for so much as their motions are not staied by reason of impossibilitie or extreeme difficultie but by the incompossibilitie they haue with other Desires or wishes more powerfull as when a sickeman Desires to eate MVSHROMES which though he haue at his will yet will he not for all that eate thē fearing therby to impare his Health ād who decernes not two Desires in this partie th' one to eate MVSHROMES th' other to be cured but because the Desire of Health is greater it doth block vp ād suffocate the other in such sort as it can produce no effect IEPHTE had a Velleitie to conserue his daughter but this not being compatible with a Desire he had to keepe his Vow he made an election contrarie to his Velleitie to wit to sacrifice his daughter and had a halfe wish or Velleitie of that which he desired not which was to conserue his daughter PILATE and HERODE had Velleities th' one to diliuer out SAVIOVR th' other his PRECVRSOR but because this was incompatible the one with a Desire to please the IEWES and CAESAR the other HERODIADAS and her daughter these wishes were vaine and fruitlesse Now according as the things incompatible with that which we would are lesse amiable the Velleities are lesse perfect syth they are stopped and as it were stifled by so weake opposits So the wish which HEROD had not to beheade S. IOHN was more imperfect then that of PILATS to free our SAVIOVR For the one feared the calumnie and indignation of the people the other to contristate one sole woman 9. The Velleities which are hindred not by impossibilitie but by incompatibilitie with stronger Desires are called indeede Desires but vaine stifled and vnprofitable ones Following the Velleitie of things impossible we saie I would but cannot And following the Velleitie of things possible we saie I wish but I will not VVhat that conueniencie is which doth excite loue CHAPTER VIII 1. VVE saie the eye seeth the eare heareth the tongue speaketh the vnderstanding discourseth the memorie remembreth the will loueth Sure t' is notwithstanding that it is the whole man to speake properly who by diuerse Faculties and different Organs workes all this varietie of operations man also then it is who by the affectiue Facultie named the will doth tend to and please himselfe in Good and who hath so great a sympathie with it as being the Source and Origine of Loue. But they did farre misse the marke who beleiued that Resemblance was the onely Conueniencie which produced Loue For who knowes not that crasie old men doe tenderly and dearely loue little infants and are reciprocally loued of them that the wise loue such as are ignorant if they finde them docile and the sick their Phisitions And if we may draw any argument from the image of Loue which is found in things without sense what resemblance can draw the Iron towards the Adamant hath not one Adamant more resemblance with an other or an other stone then with Iron of a diuerse kind and though some to reduce all Conueniencie to a Resemblance would assure vs that Iron drawes Iron and the Adamant the Adamant Yet are they to seeke for their reason why the Adamant doth more powerfully draw Iron then Iron doth Iron it selfe But I pray you what similitude is there betwixt Lime and water or betwixt water and a Sponge and yet both of them drinke water with a quenchlesse desire testifying an excessiue insensible Loue towards it T' is the like of humane loue For sometimes it takes more strongly amongst persons of contrarie qualitie then those who haue a great Resemblance Conueniencie then which causeth Loue doth not alwayes consist in Similitude but in the Proportion Reference and correspondance betwixt the Louer and the Beloued And to this effect it is not resemblance which moues the sickmans affection to the Doctour but a correspondance of the ones necessitie with the others sufficiencie for that the one can afford the assistance which the other stands in neede of as againe the Doctour loues the sickman knowing him to be his patient as vpon whom he hath power to exercise his facultie the olde man loueth children not by sympathie but for that the great simplicitie
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
into a more noble and eminent estate they are as much Angels by the operation of their soule as men by the substance of their Nature and are either to be instiled Humane Angels or Angelicall men On the contrarie side those that enticed with sensuall pleasurs giue them selues ouer to the enioying of them descend from their middle condition to the lowest of brute Beasts and merit as well to be called Brutall by their operations as men by Nature vnhappie to be out of themselues for no better end then to enter into a condition infinitly vnworthy of their naturall estate and calling 7. Now according as the Extasie is more great either aboue or below vs by so much it doth more hinder the soule to returne to her selfe and produce contrarie operations to the Extasie in which she is so those Angelicall men which are rauished in God and heauenly things during their Extasie doe quite loose the vse of the attention of sense motion and all exteriour actions because their soule to th' end she may applie her vertue and actiuitie more entirely and attentiuely to that diuine obiect doth retire and withdraw it from all her other faculties wholy to deturne them from thence And in like manner brutish men rauished by sensuall pleasure especially by that of sense in generall doe wholy loose the vse of reason and vnderstanding because their miserable soules to haue a more entire and attentiue gust of their brutall obiect doe diuert themselues from spirituall operations to giue themselues with more vigour to brutall and bestiall ones mystically imitating herein the one HELIAS taken vp in the fierie Chariot to the Cōpanie of Angels th' other NABVCHODONOSOR debased to the ranke of brute beasts 8. Hence then I saie that when the Soule practiseth Loue by actions of sense so that she is carried below her selfe it is impossible that therby the exercise of her Superiour loue should not be so much the more weakned In such sort that true and Essentiall loue is so farre from being ayeded and conserued by the vnion to which Sensuall loue tends that it is impared dissipated and perisheth therby IACOBS Oxen plowed the ground as long as the idle Asses fed by them eating the pasture dew to the labouring Oxen. As long as the Intellectuall part of our soule is employed in honest vertuous loue vpon any obiect worthy therof it comes to passe often times that the senses and faculties of the inferiour part tend to their proper vnion and graise thervpon though Vnion be onely due vnto the Heart and Soule which alone is able to produce true and Substantiall Loue. 9. HELISEVS hauing cured NAMAN the SYRIAN pleasing himselfe in the obligation he had put vpon him refused the gold money and other moueables which were offered him But his trustlesse seruant IESSE running after him demanded and tooke against his Maister pleasure that which he had refused Intellectuall ād cordiall loue which either is or should be the Maister of our Heart doth refuse all sorts of corporall and Sensible Vnions and is contented with good-will onely but the powers of the Sensitiue part which are or should be the Hand-maids of the Spirit doe demande seeke after and take that which reason refused and without her leaue doth make after their abiect seruile and dishonorable loues as another IESSE violating the puritie of their Maisters intention to wit the Spirit And in what proportion the Soule doth conuert her selfe to such grosse Vnions in the same she doth diuert her selfe from the delicate Intellectuall and cordiall vnion 10. You see then planely THEOTIME that these Vnions which tend to Sensible Complacence and passions are so farre from producing or conseruing Loue that they doe greatly hurt and render it extreamely weake So when the incestuous AMMON who languished and died as it were in the Loue of THAMAR had once arriued at these Sēsuall and Brutall Vnions his heart was so robbed of Cordiall loue that neuer after he could endure to see her but with indignitie pushed her out violating no lesse cruelly the Right of loue then he had impudently stained that of blood 11. Basill Rosmarie Marigouls Isope Cloues Camimell Nutmeygs Lemmans and Muske put together and incorporated doe yeeld a truly delightfull odour by the mixture of their good smells yet not nigh that of the water which is thence distilled in which the sweetes of all these Ingredients squised from their bodies are mixed in a more excellent manner meeting to the making vp of a most perfect odour which doth penetrate the sense of smelling farre more liuely then it would if together with the waters the bodies of the Ingredients were found mingled and vnited So loue may be found in the Vnions of sensuall powers mixed with the Vnions of intellectuall powers but neuer so excellently as then when the sole Heart and Courage abstracted from all corporall affections vnited together doe purifie and Spiritualize Loue. For the sent of affections by such mixture is not onely sweeter and better but more liuely actiue and solide 12. True it is that many hauing rustike earthy and vile hearts doe put a rate vpon Loues as vpon pieces of gold where the most massiue and weightie are the best and most currant for so their opinion goes that Brutish loue is more strong because it is more violent and turbulent more solide because more grosse and terreane greater because more sensible and rough but contrariwise Loue is as fire which by how much more it's matter is delicate by so much the flames are more cleare and faire which cannot be better extinguihed then by depressing them and couering them with earth for in like manner by how much more abstract and spirituall the subiect of loue is by so much his actions are more liuely subsistent and permanent nor is there a more easie way to ruinate it then by prostituting it to vile and terreane actiōs The difference as S. GREGORIE saieth betwixt spirituall and corporall pleasurs is that corporall ones beget a desire before we obtaine them and being obtained a disgust but spirituall ones contrariwise bring disgust before we haue them and being had pleasure so that brutall loue which thinkes by the Vnion which he maketh with the Beloued to perfect and crowne his desires finding that to the contrarie he destroieth them in ending them is left in disgust of such Vnion Which moued the great Philosopher to saie that almost euery beast after the enioying of his most ardent and pressing corporall pleasure remaines sad mournefull and astonished as a Marchant who hauing fed him selfe with hope of great gaines doth finde his hopes frustrated and his barke engaiged in a rude Hauen whereas Intellectuall loue finding in the Vnion made with her obiect contentment passing his hopes accomplishing in the surplus his complacence he continewes it in vniting himselfe and continually doth further vnite himselfe in continuing it That there are two portions in the soule and how CHAPTER XII 1. VVE haue but
of cōcupiscence Loue of concupiscence is that by which we loue things with pretention of profit Loue of beneuolence that by which we loue a thing for it's owne profit For what other thing is it to loue one with the loue of beneuolence or good will then to will him good 2. If he to whom we will good haue already obtained and possest it then we wish it him by the pleasure and contentment which we haue to see him possessed of it and hence springs Loue of complacence which is onely an act of the will by which it is ioyned and vnited to the pleasure content and good of an other But in case he to whom we wish good haue not yet obtained it we desire it him and thence that loue is termed Loue of desire 3. When Loue of beneuolence is exercised without correspōdance of the beloued it is called Loue of simple beneuolence but when it is practised with mutuall correspondance it is called loue of friendship Now Mutuall correspondence consisteth of three things to wit a mutuall loue a mutuall knowledge of the same conuersation and priuate familiaritie 4. If we loue our friend without preferring him before others t' is Simple familiaritie if with preference then this familiaritie turnes to be Dilection or as one would saie A loue by election as making choice of this from amongst many things we loue and preferring it 5. Againe when by this Dilection we doe not much preferre one friend before others t' is called Simple dilection but if contrariwise we much more esteeme and greatly preferre one before another of the same ranck then this friendship is called Dilection by excellencie 6. But if the esteeme and preference of our friend though great and without equall doe yet enter into comparison and proportion with others the friendship shall be called Eminent dilection but if the eminencie therof doe without proportion incomparably passe all others then it is graced with the Title of Incomparable soueraigne and supereminent dilection and in a word it shall be Charite due to one God onely And indeede in our lāguage the word deare dearely indeared doth testifie a certaine particular esteeme prise or valewe so that as amongst the people the word HOMO is almost appropriated to the male-kind as to the more excellent sexe and the word ADORATION is in a manner due to God onely as it 's prime obiect so the word CHARITIE is appropriated to him as to the supreame and soueraigne dilection That charitie ought to be named loue CHAPTER XIIII 1. ORIGIN saieth that the holy Scripture in his opinion vsed the word Charitie and Dilection as termes more honest least the word Loue might giue occasion of euill thoughts to the weaker sort as being more proper to signifie a carnall passion then a spirituall affection But S. AVGVSTINE hauing deeplier weighed the vse of Gods word clearely shewes that the word Loue is no lesse sacred then the word Dilection and that as well the one as the other doe sometimes signifie an holy affection as sometimes also a depraued passion alleading to this purpose diuerse passages of holy Scripture But the great S. DENIS as chiefe Doctour of the PROPRIETIE OF DIVINE NAMES goes much further in fauour of the word Loue teaching that the Diuins that is the Apostels and their first Disciples for this Saint knew no other Diuins to disabuse the vulgare and tame their Phansie who took the word Loue in a profaine and carnall sense the more willingly imployed it to signifie diuine things then that of Dilection and though they thought that both were indifferently taken for the same thing yet some of them were of opinion that the word Loue was more proper and agreeing to God then the word Dilection Hence the diuine IGNATIVS left these words written MY LOVE IS CRVCIFIED And as these Auncient Diuins made vse of the word Loue in heauenly matters to quit it of the touch of impuritie wherwith in the worlds imagination it was suspected so to expresse humane affections they pleased to vse the word Dilection as exempt from all suspition of dishonestie Whervpon some of them as S. DENIS reporteth saied thy Dilection hath made entrie into my soule as the Dilection of women In fine the word Loue doth signifie more feruour efficacie and actiuitie then that of Dilection so that amongst the Latins Dilection is much lesse significatiue then Loue. CLAVDIVS saieth the great Oratour bears me Dilection and to saie it more excellently He loues me and therefore the word Loue as the more excellent hath iustly bene imposed vpon Charitie as principall and most eminent of all Loues For these reasons and for that I pretended to speake of the Acts of Charitie more then of her habits I haue intitled this small worke A TREATISE OF THE LOVE OF GOD. Of the conueniencie betwixt God and man CHAPTER XV. 1. AS soone as a man takes the Diuinitie into his consideratiō with a little attētion he feeles a certaine delightfull leaping of the heart witnessing that God is God of man's heart and that our vnderstanding is neuer so filled with pleasure as in this consideration the least knowledge wherof as saieth the prince of Philosophers is more worth then the greatest of other things as the least Sunne beame is brighter then the greatest from the Moone or starres yea is more lightsome then the Moone and starres alltogether so that if any dreadfull accident assaie our heart it hath presently recourse to the Diuinitie protesting therin that when all other things faile him that onely stands his friend and when danger threateneth that onely is his soueraigne good and can saue and warrant him 2. This confidence this pleasure which man's heart naturally takes in God can spring from no other roote then from the conueniencie which is betwixt God and man's soule a great but secrete conueniencie a conueniencie which each one knowes but few vnderstands a conueniencie which cannot be denied nor yet be well founded we are created to the similitude and likenesse of God what is this to saie if not that we haue an extreamely great proportion with the diuine Maiestie 3. Our soule is spirituall indiuisible immortall vnderstands willeth and that freely is capable of discourse iudgment knowledge and of vertues in all which it resembles God It is all in all and all in euery part of the bodie as the Diuinitie is all in this our All and all in euery part therof man knowes and loues himselfe by acts produced and expressed by his vnderstanding and will distinguished in them selues remaining notwithstanding inseparably vnited in the soule and in these faculties from whence they proceede So the Sonne proceedes from the Father as his knowledge expressed and the Holy Ghost as loue expired and produced from the Father and the Sonne both the Persons being distinct in them selues and from the Father and yet inseparable and vnited or rather one same sole simple onely indiuisible Diuinitie 4. But besides this conueniencie of
the botton of nature till she met with her obiect which sodenly excited and in a sort awakened strikes the stroke and turnes the yong Partridge's appetite to her former dutie T is the like THEOTIME of our heart which though it be couied nourished and bred amongst corporall base and terreane things and in a manner vnder the winges of nature notwithstanding at the first view it takes of God vpon the first intelligence it receiues of him it 's Naturall and prime inclination to loue God which was dull and imperceptible doth waken in an instant and of a sodaine appears as a sparke from amongst the finders which touching our will lanceth her with Supreame loue dew vnto the Soueraigne and prime principale of all things That we haue not naturally the power to loue God aboue all things CHATPER XVII 1. THe Eagle hath a good heart and that seconded with a strong winge for flight yet hath she imcomparably more sight then winge and doth cast with quicker dispatch and in further distance her eye then her bodie so our soules animated with an holy naturall inclination towards the Diuinitie hath farre more light in her Vnderstanding to see how much it is amiable then force in her will to loue it in effect For sinne hath much more debilitated mans will then dimmed his Reason and the rebellion of the sensuall appetite which we call Concupiscence doth indeede disturbe the Vnderstanding but it is quite contrarie to the will stirring vp against it seditions and reuoults so that the poore will wholy infirme and shaken with continuall assaults which Concupiscence waigeth against her cannot make so great progresse in diuine Loue as Reason and Naturall inclination suggesteth that she ought to doe 2. Alas THEOTIME how faire arguments not onely of a great knowledge of God but also of a great inclination towards him haue those great Philosophers SOCRATES PLATO TRISMEGISTVS ARISTOTLE HIPPOCRATES SENECA EPICTETES left behind them SOCRATES the most laudable amongst them came to the cleare knowledge of the vnitie of God and felt in himselfe such an inclination to loue him that as S. AVGVSTINE witnesseth many were of opinion that he neuer had other ayme in teaching morall Philosophie then to purifie their witts for the better contemplation of the Soueraigne good which is the most indiuisible Diuinitie And for PLATO he doth sufficiently declare himselfe in his definition of Philosophie and of a Philosopher saying that to doe the part of a Philosopher is nothing else but to loue God and a Philosopher no other thing then A Louer of God What shall I saie of great ARISTOTLE who so efficaciously proues God's vnitie and spoake so honorably of it in diuerse occurrences 3. But ô eternall God! those great witts which had so great knowledge of the Diuinitie and so great a propension to loue it wanted all of them force and courage to loue it well indeede By visible things they came to the inuisible things of God yea euen to his eternall vertue and Diuinitie saieth the Apostle in so much as they are inexcusable as hauing knowne God and not hauing glorified him as God nor rendred him thankes Indeede they glorified him in some sort attributing vnto him the soueraigne Titles of honour yet did they not glorifie him as they ought that is they glorified him not aboue all things not hauing the heart to ruinate Idolatrie but cōmunicated with it detaining Veritie which they knewe prisoner by iniustice in their hearts and preferring the honour and vaine repose of their life before the honour due vnto God they vanished in their owne knowledge 4. Is it not great pitie THEOTIME to see SOCRATES as PLATO reports speake vpon his death-bed concerning the Gods as though there had bene many he knowing so well that there was but one onely Is' t not a thing to be deplored that PLATO who vnderstoode so clearely the truth of the Diuine vnitie should ordaine that sacrifice should be done to many Gods And is it not a lamentable thing that TRISMEGISTVS should so basely lament and plaine the abolishment of Idolatrie who in so many occasions had spoaken so worthily of the Diuinitie But aboue all I admire the poore good man EPICTETES whose words and sentences are so sweete in our tongue translated by the learned and faire Plume of the R. F. D. IOHN of S. FRANCIS Prouinciall of the Congregation of the FVLIANS in GAVLE not long agoe exposed to our view For what a pitie was it I pray you to see this excellent Philosopher speake of God some times with such gust feeling and Zeale that one would haue taken him for a Christian comming from some holy and profound meditation and yet againe at diuerse times mentioning the Pagan Gods Alas this good man who knewe so well the vnitie of God and had so much gust in his bountie why had he not a pious iealousie of the diuine honour to th' end not to flatter or dissemble in a matter of so great consequence 5. In somme THEOTIME our catiue nature disinabled by sinne is like our countrie Palme-trees which in deede make some imperfect productions and as it were essayes of fruite but to beare entire ripe and seasoned Dates is reserued for a better Climate for euen so certes mans heart doth naturally produce certaine Onsets of God's loue but to proceede so farre as to loue him aboue all things which is the fullnesse of loues grouth due vnto this Supreame goodnesse this is proper onely to hearts animated and assisted with heauenly grace being in the state of holy charitie and this little imperfect loue of whose touches nature in her selfe is sensible is but a will without will a will that would but will not a sterill will which doth not produce true effects a will sicke of the Palsie which seeth the healthfull Pond of holy Loue but hath not the strength to throw herselfe into it to conclude this will is an abortiue of the good will and hath not necessarie life and generous vigour to preferre God in effect before all things Whervpon the Apostle in person of the sinner cries out There is will in me but I find not the meanes to accomplish it That the naturall inclination which we haue to loue God is not without profit CHAPTER XVIII 1. BVt seeing we haue not power naturally to loue God aboue all things why haue we naturally an inclination to it Is not Nature vaine to incite vs to a Loue which she cannot bestow vpon vs Why doth she moue in vs a thirst of a precious water wherof she cannot make vs drinke Ah THEOTIME how good God was with vs the perfidiousnesse which we did commit in offending him deserued truely that he should haue depriued vs of all the markes of his beneuolence and of the fauour which he deigned to our nature when he imprinted vpon her the light of his diuine countenance and indued our hearts with a ioyfulnesse to perceiue themselues inclined to the loue of the diuine
goodnesse to the end that the Angels seeing this miserable man might by way of compassion haue occasion to saie is this the creature perfect in beautie the glorie of the earth 2. But this infinite Clemencie could neuer be so rigorous to the worke of his hands He saw that we were clothed with flesh A winde which consumes in passing and returns not and therefore according to the bowells of his Mercy he would not vtterly ruinate vs nor depriue vs of the signe of his lost grace to the end that weighing and feeling in our selues this inclination and propension to loue we should endeauour to loue indeede and to the end that none might iustly saie Who will shew vs the God For though by this sole naturall inclination we cannot be so happie as to loue God as we ought yet if we imploie it faithfully the sweetnesse of the diuine Pietie would afford vs some assistance by meanes wherof we might make progresse and seconding this first assistance God would bestow vpon vs another greater and conduct vs from good to better in all sweetnesse till he brought vs to the Soueraigne loue to which our naturall inclination drawes vs sythence it is certaine that the diuine goodnesse doth neuer denie his helping hand more and more to aduance him whom he sees faithfull in a little and doe what he is able 3. This naturall inclination then which we haue to loue God aboue all things is not left for nothing in our hearts for God of his part makes vse of it as of a Handle by which he takes hold to drawe vs more sweetely vnto himselfe and it seemes the Diuine Goodnesse by this impression doth in some sort hold our hearts tyed as little birdes in a string by which he can drawe vs when it pleaseth his mercy to take pitie vpon vs to vs it is a marke and memoriall of our first Principle and Creator to whose loue it moues vs leauing in vs a secret intimation that we belong to his Diuine Goodnesse Euen as Harts whom princes haue sometimes taken and put vpon them Collers with their Armes though afterwards they cause them so to be let loose and runne at libertie in the Forest doe not leaue to be knowen to any that lights vpon them not onely to haue bene once taken by the Prince whose Cognoisance they beare but also to be still reserued for him for so the extreeme old age of a Hart was knowen which according to some Historians was taken three hundred yeares after the death of Cesar because he was found in a Coller with Cesars Armes vpon it and this Mote CESAR LET ME GOE 4. Certes the honorable inclination which God hath left in our hearts doth testifie as well to our friends as our enemies that we did not onely sometimes belong to our Creator but furthermore though he did let vs runne and leaue vs to the mercy of our freewill that we doe still appertaine vnto him and he reserued a right in vs to take vs againe to himselfe when he pleased to saue vs according as his holy and sweete prouidēce shall require Hence the Royall Prophet termes this inclination not a light onely in that it makes vs see whether we are to tend but also a Ioye and a cheerefulnesse for that it doth comfort vs in our straying giuing vs a hope that he who did ingraue and left in vs this faire marke of our origine pretends also and desires to reduce and bring vs back thither if we be so happie as to leaue our selues to the will of the diuine goodnesse The end of the first booke THE SECOND BOOKE THE HISTORIE OF THE GENERATION OR heauenly birth of diuine Loue. That the diuine perfections are but one onely yet an infinite perfection FIRST CHAPTER I. WHEN the sunne riseth redde soone after turning black or hollow and bended or else when it setteth bleake pale and sad we saie it is a signe of raine THEOTIME the sunne is neither redde blacke pale graie nor greene This great light is not obnoxius to vicissituds or change of colours hauing no other colour at all then it 's most cleare and perpetuall brightnesse which vnlesse by Miracle is vnuariable But we vse this manner of speach because it seemes such to vs following the varietie of vapours interposed betwixt it and vs making it so diuersly appeare 2. Now we discourse in like manner of God not so much according to that which he in himself is as by his works by meanes wherof we contemplate him for according to our diuerse considerations we name him diuersly euen as though he had a great multitude of different Excellences and Perfections If we consider him as he punisheth the wicked we terme him IVST If as he deliuereth sinners frō their miserie we publish him MERCIFVLL As he created all things and worketh Miracles we name him OMNIPOTENT as exactly performing his promises we diuulge him TRVE as ranging all things in so goodly an order we instile him MOST-WISE and cōsequently behoulding the diuersitie of his works we attribute vnto him great diuersitie of perfections This notwithstanding in God ther is neither Varietie nor any kind of different Perfections But he is in himselfe one most sole most simple and most indiuisibly one Perfection for all that is in him is no other thing then himselfe And all the Excellēcies which we saie are in him in so great diuersitie are there vnited in a most simple and pure Vnitie And as the Sunne hath none of the colours which we asscribe vnto it but one sole most cleare light passing all colour and rēdring all coulours actually visible so in God there is none of those Perfections which we imagine but one onely most pure excellencie which is aboue all Perfection and giues perfectiō to all that is perfect Now to assigne a perfect name to this Supreame excellencie which in it's most singular vnitie doth comprehend yea surmount all excellencie is not within the reach of a Creature Humane or Angelicall For as we finde in the Apocalypse our Lord hath a Name which no man knowes but himselfe for that he onely perfectly seeing his owne infinite Perfection he also can onely expresse it in a Name proportionable whence the Auncients affirmed that God alone was true Diuine for so much as none but he onely could arriue to the full knowledge of the infinite greatnesse of the diuine Perfection nor consequently set it out in words For this cause God by the Angell answering Samsons Father who demanded his Name Why dost thou demand my Name quoth he which is Admirable As though he would haue saied my Name may be admired but neuer pronounced by Creaturs It must be adored but cannot be comprised saue by me who onely can pronounce the proper Name by which truely and to the life I expresse my Excellencie Our thoughts are too feeble to forme a conceite which might represent an Excellencie so Immense that comprehendeth in his most simple and most
Ordinarie generation by man and woman finally by Extraordinarie generation of a woman without man he determined that the worke should be effected by the last way and of all the women he might haue choisen to this end he made choice of the most holy virgin our Lady by meanes wherof the Sauiour of our soules should not onely be Man but euen a Child of mankind 4. Furthermore the Sacred prouidence determined to produce all the other things as well naturall as supernaturall in behalfe of our Sauiour to th' end that men and Angels in seruing him might participate his glorie in sequall wherof though God would create as well men as Angels endewed with Freewill and possessed of Libertie to elect good or euill yet neuerthelesse to testifie that of his part they were dedicated to glorie he created them all in Originall Iustice which is no other thing then A most sweete loue disposing conuerting and weighing them to eternall felicitie 5. But because this Supreame Wisdome had deliberated to temper this Originall Loue in such sort with the will of his Creaturs that Loue should not force the will but should leaue her in her freedome he foresaw that a part yet the lesse of the Angelicall nature voluntarily quitting the diuine loue should consequently loose their Glorie And for that the Angelicall nature could not offend herein but by an expresse malice without temptation or motiue whatsoeuer which might pleade their excuse and that on the other side the farre greater part of that same nature remained constant in the seruice of theire Sauiour God who had so amply glorified his Mercy in the worke of the Creation of Angels would also magnifie his Iustice and for his indignations sake resolued for euer to abandon that woefull and accursed troope of Traitours who in the furie of their Rebellion had so villanously abandoned him 6. He also foresaw well that the first man would abuse his libertie and forsaking Grace would loose Glorie yet would he not treate humane nature so rigorously as he deliberated to treate the angelicall T' was humane nature wherof he had determined to take a blessed peace to vnite it to his Deitie He saw that it was a feeble nature a winde which passeth and returns not that is which is dissipated in passing He considered the surprise which Satan made against the first man and weighed the gteatnesse of the temptation which animated him He saw that all the race of men perished by the fault of one onely so that moued by these reasons he beheld our nature with the eye of Pitie and resolued to take it to his Mercy 7. But to th' end that the sweetnesse of his Mercy might be adorned with the beautie of his Iustice he deliberated to saue man by way of a rigorous Redemption which being it could not well be effected but by his Sonne he concluded that he should redeeme man not onely by the price of one of his amourous actions though more then most sufficient to ransome a thousand millions of worlds but euen by all the innumerable amourous actions and dolourous passions which he should doe or suffer till death and death of the crosse to which he determined him that so he might be made a companion of our Miseries to make vs afterwards companions of his Glorie showing therby the riches of his Bountie in this copious abundant superabundant magnificent and excessiue Redemption which regained and restored vs all necessaries to attaine Glorie so that no man can euer plaine as though the Diuine mercy were deficient to any That the heauenly prouidence hath prouided man of a most abundant redemption CHAPTER V. 1. NOw THEOTIME affirming that God had seene and willed first one thing and then secondly another obseruing an order in his wills I intended it according to my declaration made before to wit that though all this passed in a most sole and most simple Act yet in that Act the order distinctiō and dependence of things were no lesse obserued thē in case there had bene indeede many Acts in the Vnderstanding and will of God And sith that euery well ordered will determined to will diuerse obiects equally present doth loue better and aboue all the rest that which is most amiable it followeth that the Soueraigne Prouidence making his eternall purpose and designe of all which he would produce he first willed and Loued by a preference of Excellencie the most amiable obiect of his Loue which is our Sauiour and then the other Creaturs by degrees according as they more or lesse belonge to his seruice honour and glorie 2. Thus was all things made for that Deified Mā who for this cause is called THE FIRST BEGOTTEN OF ALL CREATVRS possessed by the diuine Maiestie in the beginning of his wayes before he made any thing created in the beginning before ages For in him all things are made he is before all and all things are established in him and he is the head of all the Church hauing the Primacie in and through all things The principall reason of planting the vine is the fruite and therfore the fruite is the first thing desired and aimed at though the leaues and the buds are first produced So our great Sauiour was the first in the Diuine Intention and in the Eternall Proiect which the Diuine Prouidence made of the production of Creaturs and in contemplation of this desired fruite the Vine of the world was planted and the succession of many generations established which as leaues or blossoms doe preceede it as forerunners and fit preparatiues for the production of that Grape which the sacred Spouse doth so much praise in the Canticles and the iuyce of which doth reioyce God and Man 3. But now my THEOTIME who can doubt of the abundance of meanes to saluation hauing so great a Sauiour in consideration of whom we were made and by the merits of whom we were ransomed For he dyed for all because all were dead and his Mercy was more Soueraigne to buie the Race of mortalls then Adams Miserie was Venimous to loose it And so farre was ADAMS fault from surmounting the Diuine Benignitie that contrariwise it was therby excited and prouoked So that by a most sweete and most louing ANTIPERISTASIS and contention it receiued vigour fuom it's aduersaries presence and as recollecting it's forces to vanquish it caused grace to superabound where iniquitie had abounded Whence the holy Church by a pious excesse of admiration cryes out vpon EASTER EVE O Sinne of ADAM truly necessarie which was cancelled by the death of IESVS-CHRIST ô Blessed fault which merited to haue such and so great a Redemour Certes THEOTIME we may saie as did that Auncient we were lost if we had not bene lost that is our losse brought vs profit sythens in effect humane nature hath receiued more graces by the redemdemption of her Sauiour then euer she should haue receiued by Adam's innocencie if he had perseuered therin 4. For though the Diuine Prouidence
Mother of faire Dilection and altogether most entirely perfect There were also for certaine others some speciall fauours After this the soueraigne Bountie poured an abundance of graces and benedictions vpon the whole race of mankind and the nature of Angels with which all were watered as with a light which illuminateth euery man comming into this world euery one receiued their portion as of seed which falls not onely vpon the good ground but vpon the high way amōgst thornes and vpō rockes that all might be vnexcusable before the Redeemour if they should not imploy this most aboundant Redemption for their soules health 2. But albeit THEOTIME that this most aboundant sufficiencie of grace be thus poured vpon all humane nature and that in this we are all equall that a rich aboundāce of benedictions is presented to vs all yet the varietie of these fauours is so great that one cannot saie whether the greatnesse of these graces in so great a diuersitie or the diuersitie in such greatnesses be more admirable For who sees not that the meanes of Saluation amongst Christians are greater and more efficacious then amongst Barbarians and againe that amongst Christians there are People and Townes where the Pastors are more profitable and capable Now to denie that these exteriour meanes were benefits of the diuine Prouidence or to doubt whether they did auaile to the saluatiō and perfection of soules were to be vngratfull to the diuine Bountie and belye certaine experience by which we see that ordinarily where these exteriour helpes abound the interiour are more efficacious and succeede better 3. Certes as we see that there are neuer found two men perfectly resembling th' one thother in naturall giftes so are there neuer any found wholy equall in supernaturall ones The Angels as great S. AVGVSTINE and S. THOMAS assure vs receiued grace with proportion to the varietie of their naturall conditions Now they are all either of a different species or at least of a different condition being they are distinguished one from another therfore according to the diuersitie of Angels there are different graces And though grace is not giuen to men according to their naturall conditions yet the diuine sweetenesse ioyeth and as one would saie exulteth in the production of graces infinitly diuersifying them to the end that out of his varietie the faire enamell of his Redemption and mercy might appeare whence the Church vpon the Feasts of euery Confessour and Bishop doth sing There was not found the like to him and as in heauen none knowes the new name saue him that receiues it because ech one of the Blessed hath his owne a part according to the new beeing of glorie which he attained So in earth euery one doth receiue a grace so particular that all are diuerse Our Sauiour doth also compare his grace to Pearles which as Plinnie saith are otherwise called Vnions because euery one of them are so singular in their qualities that neuer two of them are found perfectly like And as one starre is different from another in brightnesse so shall one passe another in glorie a sure signe of their aduantage in Grace Now this varietie in Grace or this grace in varietie composeth a most sacred beautie and most sweete harmonie reioysing all the holy citie of the heauenly Hierusalem 4. But we must be very warie neuer to make enquirie why the supreame wisdome bestowes a GRACE rather vpon one thē another nor why she makes her fauours abound rather in one behalfe thē another No THEOTIME neuer enter into this curiositie For hauing all of vs sufficiently yea abundantly that which is requisite to saluation what reason can any creature liuing haue to complaine if it please God to bestow his graces more amply vpon one then another If one should demand why God made MELONS greater then STRAWBEARIES or LYLIES greater then VIOLETS why ROSMARIE is not a ROSE or why the Clouegillow flour is not a Turnesole why the Peacocke is more beautifull then the Rate or why the Figue is sweete and the Lemmā sourishe one would laugh at such demandes and saie poore man sith the beautie of the world doth require varietie it is necessarie there should be difference and inequalitie in things and that the one should not be thother For which cause the one is little th' other great the one bitter the other sweete the one more the other lesse faire Now it is the same in supernaturall things euery one hath his gifte one thus and another thus saieth the Holy Ghost It is then an impertinencie to search why S. PAVLE had not the grace of S. PETER or S. PETER that of S. PAVLE why S. ANTONIE was not S. ATHANASIVS or he S. HIEROME for one would answere these demands that the Church is a garden diapred with infinite flowers it was necessary then they should be of diuerse quantities diuerse coulours diuerse odours in fine of different perfections euery of them haue their worth grace and beautie and all of them in the collection of their varieties doe make vp a most gratefull perfection of beautie How much God desires we should loue him CHAPTER VIII 1. ALthough our Sauiours Redemption be applyed vnto vs in as many different manners as there be soules yet so notwithstanding that the vniuersall meanes of our Saluation is Loue which goes through all and without which nothing is profitable as elsewhere we shall declare The Cherubin was placed at the gate of the earthlie Paradice with his firie sword to teach vs that none shall enter into the heauenlie Paradice who is not pearced through with the sword of loue For this cause THEOTIME the sweete IESVS who bought vs with his blood desireth infinitly that we should loue him that we might eternally be saued and desires we might be saued that we might loue him eternally his loue tending to our saluation and our saluation to his loue Ah saieth he I came to put fire into the world to what end but that it should burne But to set out more to the life the vehemencie of his desire he commandeth vs this loue in admirable termes Thou shalt loue saieth he the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy force this is the first and greatest Commandement Good God THEOTIME how amourous the diuine heart is of our loue had it not bene sufficient to haue published a permission by which we might haue had leaue to loue him as LABAN permitted Iacob to loue his faire RACHEL and to gaine her by seruices ah no! he made a further declaration of his amourous passion of loue to vs and commandes vs to loue him with all our powre least the consideration of his maiestie and our miserie which puts vs in so great a distance and inequalitie or other pretext whatsoeuer might diuert vs from his loue In which THEOTIME he well shewes that he did not leaue in vs a naturall inclination to loue for nothing For to th' end it might not
inferiour in nature and grace did brauely and couragiously perseuer How came it to passe that Lucifer excellent by nature and superexcellent by grace fell and so many Angels with lesse aduantages stood to theire fidelitie Truely such as stood ought to render the praise therof to God who of his mercy created and maintained them good But to whom can Lucifer and all his crew ascribe their fall if not as S. PAVLE saieth to their owne will which by her libertie deuorced her selfe from God's grace that had so sweetely preuented her How art thou fallen ô great Lucifer who euen like a faire morning came out into this inuisible world clothed with prime charitie as from the beginning of the brightnesse of a faire day who ought to encrease till the mid-day of eternall glorie Thou didst not want grace which correspondant to thy nature thou hadst most excellent of all but thou wast awanting to grace God did not depriue thee of the operation of his loue but thou depriued his loue of thy cooperation God had neuer reiected thee if thou hadst not reiected his loue O most good God thou dost not forsake vnlesse forsaken thou neuer recalls thy giftes till we recall our hearts 7. We robbe God of his right if we take vnto our selues the glorie of our saluation but we dishonour his Mercy if we saie he failed vs. In concealing his benefits we wronge his Liberalitie but we blaspheme his bountie if we denie his assistance and succour In fine God cries faire and high in our eares thy perdition comes from thy selfe ô Israël I onely am thy succour That the diuine bountie's will is that we should haue a most excellent loue CHAPTER XI 1. O God THEOT if we receiued diuine inspiratiōs in the full extent of their vertue in how short a time should we make a great progresse in sanctitie Be the fountaine neuer so copious her streames enter not into a garden according to their plentie but in a measure according to the littlenesse or amplitude of the chanell by which they are conducted thither And though the holy ghost as a source of liue-water doth driue vpon our hearts euery side to water them with his graces yet so as he will not haue them enter without the free consent of our will He will not pouer them out but according to his good pleasure and our owne disposition and cooperation as the Holy Councell saieth which also as I suppose by reason of the correspondance betwixt our consent and grace calls the receit therof a free receit 2. In this sense S. PAVLE exhorteth vs not to receiue God's grace in vaine For as a sicke man who hauing receiued the potion in his hand and should not take it into his stomacke should truely haue receiued the potiō yet without receiuing it that is he receiued it in an vnprofitable and fruitlesse sort so we receiue the grace of God in vaine when we receiue it at the gate of our heart without permitting it to enter into our hearts consent for so we receiue it without receiuing it to wit we receiue it without fruit sith it auails nothing to feele the inspiration vnlesse we consent vnto it And as the sicke man who had the potion giuen into his hand if he tooke it not wholy but in part onely had also the operation therof in part onely not wholy so when God sends a great and puissant inspiration to imbrace his loue if we consent not according to it 's whole amplitude it will but profit vs in the same measure It happens often that being inspired to doe much we consent not to the whole inspiration but onely to some part therof as did those good people in the Gospell who vpon the inspiration which God gaue them to follow him made reseruations the one to goe first and interre his father the other to take leaue of his friends 3. As long as the poore widow had emtie vessells the oyle whose multiplication HELISEVS did miraculously impetrate neuer left running but when she had no more to receiue it in it seased to flow In the same measure in which our heart dilats it selfe or rather in the measure in which it permits it selfe to be amplified and dilated not denying the freedome of it's cōsent to Gods mercy he streames out continually and without delay poures in his sacred inspirations which still increase and make vs increase more and more in heauenly loue But when there is no more freedome left or that we giue no further consent he staies their course 4. What is the reason then we are not so much aduanced in the loue of God as was S. AVGVSTINE S. FRANCIS S. CATHERINE of GENVA or SAINT FRANCISCA THEOT it is because God gaue vs not the grace and why did not God giue vs the grace for that we did not cōply as we ought with his inspirations And why did we not comply Because hauing libertie we did therin abuse it But why did we abuse our libertie Ah THEO we must stop there For as S. AVGVSTINE saieth the deprauation of our will proceeds from no cause but from the defect of a cause which causeth the sinne 5. The deuote brother RVFIN vpon a certaine vision which he had of the glorie which the great S. FRANCIS should attaine vnto by his humilitie made him this demande my deare father I beseech you tell me in earnest what opinion you haue of your selfe The Sainte answered verily I hould my selfe the greatest sinner in the world and one which serueth God the least But brother RVFIN replied how can you saie that in truth and conscience seeing that many others as we manifestly see commit many great sinnes from which God bethanked you are exempt To which SAINT FRANCIS answered if God saieth he had fauored those others of whom you speake with so great mercy as he hath me certaine I am be they neuer so bad now they had bene farre more acknowliging of God's giftes then I am and would serue him much better then I doe and if my God did abandon me I should commit more wickednes then they 6. You see THEOT the opinion of this man who indeede was rather no man but a Seraphin vpon earth I know it was humilitie that moued him to speake thus of himselfe yet neuerthelesse he beleeued for a certaine trueth that an equall grace granted by a like mercy might be more fruitfully imploied by one sinner then by another Now I hould for an Oracle the feeling of this great doctour in the sciēce of Saints who brought vp in the schoole of the Crosse breathed nothing but diuine inspirations This Apothegme hath also bene praised and repeated by the greatest deuotest that followed him amongst which diuerse are of opinion that the great Apostle S. PAVLE saied in the same sense that he was the greatest of all sinners 7. The blessed mother TERESA of IESVS a virgin indeede altogether angelicall speaking of Praier of repose saieth these words There are
in the SANCTVARIE where the Holy Ghost which animateth the bodie of his Church speaketh by the mouth of the head thereof In like manner the Ostridg layes her egges vpon the Libian shore but the Sunne alone doth hatch her young ones The Doctours by their inquirie and discourse doe propose TRVTH but the onely beames of the Sunne of iustice giues certaintie and repose therein Now to conclude THEOTIME this assurance which man's reason finds in sublime things and mysteries of faith begins by an amorous sense of delight which the will receiues from the beautie and sweetenesse of the proposed TRVTH so that faith doth comprehend a beginning of loue towards heauenly things which our heart resenteth Of the great feeling of loue which we receiue by holy hope CHAPTER XV. 1. AS being exposed to the Sunne beames at mid-day we hardly see the brightnesse till presently we feele the heate so the light of faith hath no sooner spred the splendour of its verities in our vnderstanding but incontinently our will perceiues the holy heate of heauenly loue Faith makes vs know by an infallible certaintie that God is that he is infinite in bountie that he can communicate himselfe vnto vs and not onely that he can but that he will so that by an ineffable sweetenesse he hath prouided vs of all things requisite to obtaine the happinesse of eternall glorie Now we haue a naturall inclination to the soueraigne good by reason of which our heart is touched with a certaine inward griping and a continuall disquiet not being able to repose or cease to testifie that it enioyes not its perfect satisfactiō and solide contentment but when holy faith hath represented vnto our vnderstanding this faire obiect of our naturall inclination ô good God THEO what repose what pleasure how generall an exultation possesseth our soule wherevpon as being surprised at the aspect of so excellent a beautie in loue she cries out ô how faire thou art my well-beloued ô how faire thou art 2. Eliezer sought for a wife to his master ABRAHAMS sonne how knew he that she would appeare faire and gracious in his eies as his desire was but when he had espied her at the fountaine and saw her so excellent in beautie and so perfectly sweete and especially when he had obtained her he adored GOD and blessed him with thankes-giuing full of incomparable ioye Mans heart tends to God by his naturall inclination without discerning well who he is but when he finds him at the fountaine of faith and seeth him so good faire sweete and gentle towards all and so prone as soueraigne good to bestow himselfe vpon all which desire him ô God what contentments and what sacred motions hath the soule to vnite her selfe for euer to this bountie so soueraignly amiable I haue foūd saieth the soule thus inspired I haue found that which my heart desired and now I am at repose And as Iacob hauing seene the faire Rachel after he had holily kissed her melted into treares of ioye for the good he apprehended in meeting with so desired an obiect so our poore heart hauing found out God and receiued of him the first kisse of holy faith it dissolues fourthwith into the delightes of loue by reason of the infinite good which it presently espies in that soueraigne Beautie 3. We somtimes experience in our selues certaine vnexpected delights without any apparent cause and these are diuers times presages of some greater ioyes whence many are of opinion that our good Angell fore-seeing the good which shall arriue vnto vs giues vs by this meanes a foretast therof as contrariwise he strikes into vs with a certaine feare and dread amongst vnknowen dangers to the end we may be moued to inuoke GODS assistance and stand vpon our garde Now when the presaged good arriues we receiue it with open breast and reflecting vpon the content we formely tasted without knowing the cause we onely then begin to perceiue that it was a forerunner of the Hape we now enioye Euen so my deare THEO our heart hauing had for so long a time an inclination to it's soueraigne good knew not to what end this motion tended But so soone as faith hath set it at view then the heart doth clearly discerne that it was that which his soule coueted his vnderstanding serched and his inclination aymed at Certainly whether we wake or sleepe our soule tends toward the soueraigne good but what is this soueraigne good we are like to these good ATHENIANS who sacrificed vnto the true God albeit vnknowen vnto them till the great S. PAVLE taught thē the knowledge therof For so our heart by a deepe and secrete instinct in all his actions doth tend to and pretend felicitie pursuing it here and there as it were by groping without knowing either where it resides or in what it consisteth till faith showes and describs the infinite mysteries therof but then hauing found the treasure he sought for ah what contentment finds this poore humane heart What ioye what complacence of loue ô I haue met with him whom my heart sought for without knowing him ô how I was ignorant to what my pretentions did tend while nothing of that which I pretended could content me because I knew not indeede what I pretēded I pretended to loue yet knew not vpon what to place my affection and therefore my pretention not finding its true loue my loue remained alwayes in a true yet vnknowen pretention I had indeede sufficient touches of loue to make me pretend but not sense enough of the Bountie which I was to loue to exercise loue How loue is practised in hope CHAPTER XVI 1. MAns vnderstanding being conueniently applied to the consideratiō of that which faith representeth touching it's soueraigne good presently vpon it the will conceiues an extreame delight in this diuine obiect which then being absent begets an ardent desire of it's presence whēce the soule holily cries out let him kisse me with a kisse of his mouth To God it is I doe aspire God is all my hearts desire And as the vnhoodded Hawke hauing got her pray at view doth sodainely lanch her selfe vpon the winge and being held in her leash strugles vpon the hand with extreame ardout so faith hauing drawen the vaile of ignorance and made vs see our soueraigne good of which neuerthelesse we cannot yet be possessed retained by the condition of this mortall life alas THEO we then desire it in such sort that The long time chased Hart In panting flight oppress 't Doth not the floods so much desire As our poore hearts distress't To thee ô Lord aspire Our sicklie hearts bring out Desires that still augment And crie alas when shall it be O God of Hostes omnipotent That we thy face shall set This desire is iust THEO for who would not desire so desirable a good But this desire would be vnprofitable yea would be a continuall torment to our heart if we had not assurāce that we should at length satiate it
dishonored thee Furthermore he will haue his Philosopher to make an admirable Oth to God neuer to be disobedient to his diuine Maiestie nor to accuse or blame any thing coming from him nor yet in any sort to complaine therof And in another place he teacheth that GOD and our good Angell are present to all our actions You see then THEO that this Philosopher as yet Pagan knew that sinne offended GOD as vertue honored him and consequently he thought repentance necessarie sith that euen he ordained an examen of conscience at night in respect wherof with Pithagoras he gaue this aduertisement Let conscience of the fact be vertues meede Let bitter reprehension vice succeede Now this kind of repentance tyed to the knowledge and loue of GOD which nature can giue was a dependance of morall religion but as naturall reason bestowed more knowledge then loue vpon the Philosophers who glorified him not with proportion to the notice they had therof so did nature furnish them with more light to vnderstand how much God was offended by sinne then heate to stire vp repentance necessarie for the reparation of the offence 5. And abbeit religious penance hath in some sort bene acknowledged by some of the Philolophers yet so rarely and weakly that those which were reputed the most vertuous amongst them to wit the STOIKES gaue assurance that the wiseman was neuer attristated wherevpon they framed a MAXIME so contrarie to reason as the proposition on which it was grounded was contrarie to experience THAT THE WISE-MAN SINNED NOT. 6. We may therefore well saie THEO that penance is a vertue wholy Christian sith on the one side it was so little knowen to the Pagans and on the other side it is so well knowen amongst true Christians that in it consisteth a great part of the Euangelicall Philosophie according to which who soeuer affirmeth that he sinneth not is mad and who soeuer thinketh without penance to redresse his sinne is frantike for it is our Sauiours exhortation of exortations DOE PENANCE Behold a briefe description of the progresse of this vertue 7. We enter into a deepe apprehension why we offend GOD so farre as we are able in despising dishonoring disobeying and rebelling against him who againe of his part holdeth himselfe offended theraat irritated ād contemned distasting reprouing and abhorring iniquitie Out of this true apprehension diuers motiues spring which either all or many together or each one a part may carrie vs to this repentance For it enters into our thoughts some times that GOD the offended hath established a rigourous punishment in Hell for sinners and that he will depriue them of Paradice prepared for the good And as the desire of Paradice is extreamly honorable so the feare to loose it is greatly cōsiderable and not that onely but the desire of Paradice being of high esteeme the feare of its contrarie hell is good and laudable O who would not dread so great a losse so great a torment And this double feare the one seruile the other mercenarie doth greatly beare vs forwards towards a repentance for our sinnes by which we haue incurred them And to this effect in the holy word this feare is a thousand and a thousand times intimated Againe we consider the deformitie and malice of sinne according as faith doth teach vs as for example that by yet the liknesse and Image of GOD is defiled and disuigored the dignitie of our soule dishonoured that we are become like brute beasts that we haue violated our dutie towards the CREATOR of the world forfetted the happinesse of the Angelicall societie to associate and subiect our selues to the Diuell ād to the slauerie of our owne passiōs ouerturning the order of reason offending our GOOD-ANGELS to whom we haue so great obligation 8. At other times we are prouoked to repentance by the beautie of vertue which brings as much good with it as sinne doth euill Further we are often moued to it by the example of Saints for who did euer cast his eies vpon the exercises of the incomparable penance of a MAGDELAINE of a MARIE EGIPTIACA or of the PENITENTS of the Monasterie surnamed PRISON described by S. IOHN CLIMACVS without being moued to repentance for his sinns sithence the very reading of the Historie doth incite therto such as are not altogether insensible That Penance without loue is imperfect CHAPTER XIX 1. NOw all these motiues are taught vs by faith and Christian religiō and therefore the repentance which thence issueth is very laudable though otherwise imperfect very laudable certainly it is for neither the holy Scripture nor Church would euer haue vsed these motifes to haue stirred vs vp if the penance thence proceeding had not bene good and we see manifestly that it is most agreeable to reason to repent for sinne for these considerations yea that it is impossible that he who considereth them attentiuely should not repent Yet it is an imperfect repentance because the diuine loue is not as yet found there ah doe not you see THEO that we haue all these repentances for the interest of our owne soule her felicitie her interiour beautie honour dignitie and in a word for selfe loue yet a lawfull iust and well ordered loue 2. And note that I doe not saie that these repentances reiect the loue of God but onely that they doe not include it they doe not repulse it yet doe they not containe it they are not contrarie to it but as yet are without it it is not excluded nor yet is it included The will which doth simply imbrace good is good yet if she so imbrace it as to reiect the better she is truly disordinate not in accepting the one but in repulsing the other So to vow to giue almes this day is good yet to vow to giue onely this day were bad because it would exclude the better that is to giue both to day to morrow and euery day when cōmoditie serueth Certes it is well done it cannot be denied to repent for our sinns to auoide the paines of Hell and obtaine heauen but he that should resolue neuer to repent for any other thing should wilfully exclude the better which is to repent for the loue of God and commit a great sinne And what father would not find it strang that his sonne would indeede serue him yet not at all with loue or by loue 3. The beginning of good things is good the progresse better the end the best yet the beginning is good in the nature of a beginning and the progresse in the nature of a progresse but to offer in the beginning 〈◊〉 progresse to end the worke were to peruert order Infancie is good but to desire to remain still a child is naught for a child of an hūdred yeares old is despised It is laudable to begin to learne yet he that should begin with intētiō neuer to perfect himselfe should doe against all reasō Feare ād those other motifes of repētāce whereof I spoake
are good for the beginning of ChristiaÌ„ wisdome coÌ„sisting of penance but he who deliberatly would not attaine to loue the perfectioÌ„ of penaÌ„ce should greatly offend him who ordained all to his owne loue as to the end of all things 4. To coÌ„clude the penaÌ„ce which excluds the loue of God is infernall like to that of the damned The repeÌ„tance which doth not reiect the loue of GOD though as yet it be without it is a good penaÌ„ce but imperfect and caÌ„not giue saluatioÌ„ vntill it attaine loue aÌ„d ioyne it selfe vnto it So that as the great Apostle saied that though he should deliuer his bodie to be burnt aÌ„d all his goods to the poore wanting charitie it should be vnprofitable vnto him so we may truly saie that though our penaÌ„ce were so great that it should cause our eies dissolue into teares aÌ„d our hearts breake with sorow without the sacred loue of God all this were nothing auailable to eternall life How there is mixture of Loue and sorrow in Contrition CHAPTER XX. 1. NAture did neuer that I know coÌ„uert fire into water though diuers waters are coÌ„uerted into fire yet God did it once by miracle for as it is writteÌ„ in the booâ—â— of MACHABIES when the childreÌ„ of Israel were coÌ„ducted into BabiloÌ„ in the time of SEDECIAS the Priests by HIEREMIES couÌ„sell hide the HOLY FIRE in a vallie in a drie well aÌ„d vpoÌ„ their returne the children of those that had hid it went to seeke it following the directions their fathers had giuen them and they found it conuerted into a thike water which being drawen by them and poured vpoÌ„ the sacrifices according to NEHEMIAS his ordinance as soone as the sunne beames had touched it it was conuerted into a great fire 4. THE amoÌ„gst the sorrowes of a liuely repeÌ„taÌ„ce GOD doth ofteÌ„ put in the botome of our heart the sacred fire of loue this loue is conuerted into the water of teares they by a secoÌ„d chang into a greater fire of loue Thus the famous PENITENT-LOVER loued first her Sauiour that loue was coÌ„uerted into teares and those into an excelleÌ„t loue whence our Sauiour told her that many sinns were pardon'd her because she loued much And as we see fire doth turne wine into a certaine water called AQVA-VITAE which doth so easily coÌ„ceiue fire that it is also term'd hot so the consideration of the soueraignly amiable Bountie offended by sinne doth produce the water of holy Penance and thence the fire of Diuine Loue doth issue properly term'd AQVAVITAE or hot water Penance is indeed a water in it's substance being a true dislike a reall griefe and repentance yet is it hot for that it containes the propertie of Loue whence it springs and giues the life of Grace So that PenaÌ„ce hath two effect's by sorrow and detestation it seperats vs froÌ„ sinne aÌ„d the Creaturs and by loue it reunits vs to God at once reclaiming vs froÌ„ siÌ„ne in qualitie of repentance and in qualitie of Loue reuniting vs to God 5. Yet will I not affirme that the perfect loue of God by which we loue him aboue all things doth alwayes preceede this repentaÌ„ce nor that this repentance doth alwayes preceede this loue for though it doth happen so many tymes yet so as that otherwhiles also at the same instant that diuine loue is conceiued in our heart penance is coÌ„ceiued by loue and often times penance entring into our heart loue doth enter with it and as when ESAV came out of his mothers wombe IACOB his twinne-brother held him by the foote to the end that their births might not onely follow the one the other but also might hold and entangle one an other so repentance rude and rough in regard of it's sorrowe was first borne as another ESAV and loue sweete and gracious holds him by the foote and doth cleeue so vnto him that their birth was one sith the end of the birth of repentance was the beginning of that of perfect loue Now as ESAV did first appeare so repentance doth ordinarily make it selfe to be seene before loue but loue as another IACOB although the younger doth afterwards subdue penance conuerting it into consolation 6. Marke I praie you THEO the well-beloued MAGDELEINE how she weepes with loue they haue taken vp my Sauiour quoth she melting into teares and I know not where they haue put him but hauing by teares and sobbs found him she holds and possesseth him by loue Imperfect loue desires and requires him penance doth seeke and find him perfect loue doth hold and tye him Euen as it is saied of the Ethiopian Rubies whose fire is naturally very blew but being dipped in vineger it shins and casteth out its cleare raies for the loue which goeth before repentance is ordinarily imperfect but being steeped in the bitternesse of penace it gaines strengh and becomes excellent loue 7. Yea it happens some times that penance though imperfect containes not in it selfe the proper action of loue but onely the vertue and proprietie of it you will aske me what vertue or proprietie of loue can repentance haue if she haue not the action GOD's goodnesse is the motife of perfect repentance whom it displeaseth vs to haue offended now this motife is for no other reason a motife then that it doth stire and moue vs. But the motion which the diuine goodnesse giues vnto the heart which considers it can be no other then the motion of loue that is of vnion And therefore true repentance though it seeme not so and though we perceiue not the proper effect of loue receiues alwayes motioÌ„ from loue and the vnitiue nature therof by meanes of which she doth reunite and reioyne vs to the diuine goodnesse Tell me I praie is it the propertie of the ADAMANT to draw and ioine iron vnto it selfe Doe we not see that iron touched with the ADAMANT without either it or its nature but onely its vertue and attractiue power doth notwithstanding draw and vnite vnto it an other iron So perfect repentance touched with the motife of loue without hauing the proper action of loue leaues not to haue the vertue and qualitie therof that is an vniting motion to reioyne and reunite our hearts to the diuine will But you will replie what difference is there betwixt this vniting motion of penance and the proper action of loue THEO the action of loue is indeede a motioÌ„ to vnion but it is performed by complacence wheras the motion of vnion which is in penance is not done by way of complacence but by dislike repentance reparatioÌ„ reconciliation for so much therefore as this motion doth vnite it is indued with the qualitie of loue in so much as it is bitter and dolorous it receiues the qualitie of penance and in fine by its naturall condition it is a true motion of penance yet so as it retaines the vertue and vniting qualitie of loue 8. So Treacle-wine is not so named for that it doth containe the proper Substance of
Treacle for there is none at all there but it is so called because the plant of the vine hauing bene steeped in Treacle the grapes and vines which sprung from it drew into them selues the vertue and operation of the Treacle against all sorts of poison we must not therefore thinke it strang if penance according to the holy scripture doe blot-out sinne saue the soule make her gratefull to GOD and iustifie her which are effects appertaining to loue and seeme not to be attributed to any saue it for though loue it selfe be not alwaies found in perfect penance yet its vertue and proprieties are alwaies there conueied thither by the motife of loue whence it sprung 9. Nor must we admire that the force of loue should spring out of penance before loue be there formed sith we see that the reflection of the sunne beames beating vpō a looking glasse heate which is the vertue and proper qualitie of fire gaines by little and little so much force that it begins to burne before it haue yet well produced the fire or at least before we perceiued it for so the holy ghost casting into our vnderstanding the consideration of the greatnesse of our sinns for that by them we haue offended so soueraigne a Bountie and our will receiuing the reflection of this knowledge repentance by little and little groweth so strong with a certaine affectiue heate and desire to returne into grace with God that in fine this motion becomes so compleate that it doth burne and vnite euen before the loue be fully formed which notwithstanding as a sacred fire is immediatly in that moment kindled so that repentance neuer comes to the point of burning and reuniting the heart to God which is her vtmost perfection but she find's her selfe wholy conuerted into fire and flames of loue the end of the one giuing the other a beginning yea rather the end of penance is within the beginning of loue as ESAV his foote was within Iacobs hand in such sort that as soone as ESAV ended his birth Iacob begun his the end of the ones birth being ioyned tyed and which is more enuironed with the beginning of the others for so the beginning of perfect loue doth not onely follow the end of pennance but doth euen cleaue and tye it selfe to it and to containe all in one word this beginning of loue doth mixe it selfe with the end of repentance and in this motion of mixture pennance and contrition merits life euerlasting 3. Now because this louing repentance is ordinarily practised by eleuations and raisings vp of the heart to God like to those of the auncient penitents I am thine ô Lord saue me haue mercy vpon me for in thee my soule doth confide saue me o Lord for the waters doe ouerwhelme my soule Vse me like one of thy hirelings Lord be propitious to me a poore sinner It is not without reason that some haue saied that Praier did iustifie for the repentant Praier or the suppliant repentance raising vp the soule to God and reuniting it to his goodnesse without doubt obtaines Pardon in vertue of holy loue which giues the sacred motiō And therefore we ought to be furnished with such iaculatorie praiers made in manner of louing repentance and desire aiming at our recōciliatiō to God to th' end that by the meanes therof laying before our Sauiour our tribulation we may poure out our soules before and with in his pitifull heart who will receiue them to mercy How our Sauiour louing inspirations doe assist and accompanie vs to faith and charitie CHAPTER XXI 1. FRom the first awaking from sinne or infidelitie to the finall resolution of a perfect beleefe there often runneth a great deale of time in which we may praie as we haue seene S. PACOMIVS doe and as the father of the poore Lunatike who by S. MARKES relation giuing assurance he beleeued that is that he began to beleeue knew with all that he beleeued not sufficiently wherevpon he cried out Lord I beleeue yet help my incredulitie as though he should haue saied I am now no more in the obscuritie of the night of infidelitie the raies of your faith doth already touch vpon the Orizon of my soule yet doe I not euen yet beleeue so much as were conuenient it is yet an infant knowledge and mixed with darknesse ah Lord helpe me S. AVGVSTINE also doth solemnly pronoūce this remarkable word But harke ô man and vnderstand art thou not drawene praie that thou may'st be drawen in which his intention is not to speake of the first motiō which GOD work 's in vs without vs when he excites and awakes vs out of the sleepe of sinne For how could we demand to be awaked seeing no man can praie before he be awaked but he speakes of the resolution which a man vndertakes to become faithfull For he esteemes that to beleeue is to be drawen and therefore he admonisheth euen such as were exercised in faith to demand the gift of faith and indeede none could better know the difficulties which ordinarily passe betwixt the first motions that God works in vs and the perfect resolution of perfect beleefe then S. AVGVSTINE who hauing had so great a varietie of touches by the words of the glorious S. AMBROSE by the conferance he had with Potitian and a thousand other meanes vsed notwithstanding so many delayes and had so much paine to resolue so that more truely to him then any other might haue bene applyed that which he afterwards saied to others Alas AVGVSTINE if thou be not drawen if thou beleeue not praie that thou maist be drawen that thou maist beleeue 2. Our Sauiour drawes hearts by the delight that he giues them which makes them find the heauēly learning sweete and agreeable but till this sweetenesse haue engaged and assured our will by his amiable bonds to draw it to the perfect agreement and consent of faith as GOD is not deficient in exercising his goodnesse vpon vs by his holy inspirations so doth not our enemie cease to practise his malice by temptations In the interim we remaine in full libertie to consent to the diuine drawghtes or to reiect them for as the Sacred CONC of TRENT hath clearely resolued If any one should saie that mans freewill being moued and incited by GOD doth cooperate in nothing by consenting to GOD who did moue and call him to the end he might dispose and prepare himselfe to obtaine the grace of Iustification and that he could not consent though he would verily he should be excommunicated and reproued by the Church But if we doe not repulse the grace of holy loue it doth dilate it selfe by continuall encrease in our soules till they be entierily conuerted like to great riuers which finding opē plaines spreed themselues still gaining ground 3. And if the inspiration hauing drawen vs to faith find no resistance in vs it drawes vs euen to penance and charitie S. PETER as an Apode helpt vp by an inspiration
which came from the eies of his maister permitting himselfe freely to be moued and carried by the gentle blast of the holy Ghost and looking vpon those comfortable eies which had stirred him vp he read's in thē as in the booke of life the inuitations to pardon which the diuine clemencie doth offer him drawes frō it a iust motife of hope goes out of the Court cōsiders the horror of his sīne ād detests it He weeps he sobbs he prostrats his miserable heart before his Sauiours mercy craues Pardon for his faults makes resolution of an inuiolable loyaltie and by this Progresse of motiōs practised by the healpe of grace which doth continually conduct assist and further it he comes at length to the holy remission of his sinns and passeth so from grace to grace according to that which S. PROSPER doth auerre that without grace a mā doth not runne to grace 4. So then to conclude this point the soule preuented by grace feeling the first essaies and consenting to their sweetnesse as returning to her selfe after so long a sownd she begins to sigh out these words ah my deare SPOVSE my friend draw me I beseech thee and take me by the hand otherwise I am not able to walke but if thou doest draw me we runne thou in helping me by the odour of thy perfumes and I by corresponding by my weake consent and by relishing thy sweet's which doth recreate and strengthen me till the Balme of thy sacred name that is the wholsome ointment of my iustification be spred within me Doe you marke THEO she would not Praie if she were not excited but as soone as that is done and that she perceiues the draughtes she Praies that she may be drawen being drawen she runns marrie she would not runne if the perfums which inticeth and by which she is drawen did not reuiue her heart by the vertue of their odour and as her course is more swifte ād as she approacheth neerer her heauenly Spouse she hath a more delicious taste of the sweetenesse which he sends out in such sort that in the end her heart begins to melt like scattered Baulme whence she cries out as being surprised by this contentment not so quickly expected but vnlooked for ô my spouse thou are as Baulme poured into my bosome it is not strang that young soules dearely esteeme thee 5. Thus my deare THEO the diuine inspiration doth come vnto vs and preuent vs mouing our wills to sacred loue And if we doe not repulse her she walkes with vs and doth enuiron vs continually to incite and aduance vs not abandoning vs if we abandō her not till such time as she hath brought vs to holy Charities Gate performing for vs the three good offices which the great Angell RAPHAEL did for his deare TOBIE for she is a guide to vs through all our iorney of holy penance she is our warrant from daungers and assaults of the the diuell and doth comfort loue and fortifie vs in difficulties A short description of Charitie CHAPTER XXII 1. BEhould at length THEO how GOD by a progresse full of ineffable sweetenesse conducteth the soule which he made goe out of the Egipt of sinne from Loue to Loue as from Lodging to Lodging till she haue made her entrie into the LAND OF PROMIS I meane of most holy Charitie which to saie in one word is Friendshipe not a loue of proper interest for by Charitie we loue God for his owne sake by reason of his most soueraignely amiable Bountie But this friendshipe is a true friendshipe being reciprocall God hauing loued all such eternally as haue doe or shall loue him temporally it is showen and acknowledged mutually sith that GOD cannot be ignorant of the loue we beare him he himselfe bestowing it vpon vs nor can we be ignorant of his loue to vs seeing it is so published and that we acknowledge all the good we haue as true effects of his beneuolence and in fine we haue continuall communication with him who neuer ceaseth to speake vnto our hearts by inspirations allurements and sacred motions he ceaseth not to helpe vs and giue all sorts of testimonies of his holy affection hauing openly reuealed vnto vs all his secrets as to his confident friends and for the accomplishment of his holy LOVE-COMMERCE with vs he made himselfe our proper foode in the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist and as for vs we haue freedome to treate with him at all times whē we please in holy Praier we hauing our whole life motion and beeing not onely with him but euen in and by him 2. Nor is this friendshipe a simple friendshipe but a friendshipe of dilection by which we make election of God to loue him with a speciall loue He is chosen saieth the sacred spouse from amongst a thousand she saieth from amongst a thousand but she would saie from amongst all whence this loue is not a loue of simple excellencie but an incomparable loue for charitie loues God by a certaine esteeme and preferance so high and transcending all other esteemes that other loues either are not true loues in comparison of this or if they be true loues this loue is infinitly more then loue and therefore THEO it is not a loue which the force of nature either angelicall or humane can produce but the holy Ghost doth giue it and poure it into our hearts and as our soules which animate the bodie haue not their origine from the bodie but are there put by the naturall prouidēce of God so Charitie which giues life to our hearts hath not her extraction from thence but is poured into them as an heauēly liquour by the supernaturall prouidence of his diuine Maiestie 3. For this reason and for that it hath reference to God and doth tend vnto him not according to the naturall knowledge we haue of his goodnesse but according to the supernaturall knowledge of faith we name it supernaturall friēdshipe Whence she together with faith and hope keepes residence 4. And as a Maiesticall Queene is seated in the will as in her Throne whēce she conueies into the soule her dainties and sweetes making her therby faire agreeable and amiable to the diuine Goodnesse so that if the soule be a kingdome wherof the Holy Ghost is the king Charitie is the Queene set at his right hand in a Robe of gold wrought in varietie If the soule be a Queene Spouse to the great king of heauen Charitie is her Crowne which doth roially adorne her heade yea if the soule with the bodie be a little world Charitie is the Sunne which beautifies all heates all and reuiues all 5. Charitie then is a loue of friendshipe a friendshipe of dilection a dilection of preference yea and an incōparable soueraigne and supernaturall preference which is as a Sunne through all the soule to lighten it with his raies in all the spirituall faculties to perfect thē in all the powers to moderate them but in the will as in his
and perfection not vnlike vnto Bees who hauing their extraction from honie haue also their foode from it 2. Wherefore like as Pearls are not onely bred of dew but fed also with it the Mother-pearls to this end opening their shels towards Heauen to begge in a manner the droppes which the fresh aire makes fall at the breake of the day so we hauing receiued Faith Hope ād Charitie of the heauenly Bountie we ought alwaies to turne and bend our hearts thitherwards thence to obtaine the continuation and augmentation of the same vertues O Lord doth the holy Church our mother teach vs to saie giue vs the encrease of faith hope and charitie And it is done in imitation of those that saied to our Sauiour Lord encrease faith in vs and following the counsell of S. PAVLE who assures vs that God onely is able to make all grace abound in vs. 3. It is God therefore that giues this encrease in consideration of the imploimēt which we make of his grace as it is written to him who hath that is who doth imploy the fauours receiued more shall be giuen and he shall abound Thus is our Sauiours exhortation practised Heape vp treasurs in heauen as though he should saie to your precedent good workes adde still new ones for Fasting and Almes deedes are the peeces wherof your treasurs are to consists Now as amongst the treasurs of the Temple the poore widdowes mite was much esteemed and as indeede by the addition of many little peeces the treasurs waxe great and a greater value is set vpon them so the least of little good workes though performed euen somewhat coldly and not according to the whole latitude of the Charitie which is in vs is agreeable to God and esteemed by him In such sort that though of themselues they cannot cause any encrease in the precedent loue being of lesse force then it yet the Diuine Prouidence waighing and out of his goodnesse highly prising them doth forthwith reward them with encrease of Charitie for the present and for the time to come with a more ample glorie in heauen 4. THEOT the delicious honie is the Bee 's Maister-peece nor yet is their waxe therefore neglected but is an honour to their labours Louing hearts ought to endeuour to bring forth workes full of feruour and of high value to the end they might puissantly augment Charitie yet if they bring forth some of lesser value they shall not loose their recompence for God will take them in good part that is to saie he will therby loue them a little more Nor doth God euer loue a soule that is in Charitie more without bestowing also vpon her more Charitie our loue towards him being the proper and speciall effect of his loue towards vs 5. By how much more liuely we looke vpon our picture in a looking glasse by so much more attentiuely it lookes vpon vs againe and by how much more louingly God doth cast his gracious eies vpon our soule which is made to his Image and liknesse our soule mutually with so much more attention and feruour is fixed vpon the Diuine Goodnesse answering according to her littlenesse all the encrease of Diuine Loue which this soueraigne sweetenesse work 's in her The Councell of Trent saieth thus If any saie that iustice receiued is not conserued yea that it is not augmented by good workes in the sight of God but that workes are onely the fruites and signes of iustification acquired and not the cause of its encrease let him be accursed Doe you marke THEO how iustification wrought by Charitie is augmented by good works and which is to be noted by good works without exceptiō for as S. Bernard saieth excellently well vpon another passage nothing is excepted or nothing is distinguished the Councell speakes of good workes indistinctly and without reseruatiō yet giues to vnderstand that not onely the great and feruent but also the little and faint workes doe cause the encrease of Charitie but the great ones in a greater manner the little ones in a lesser 6. Such is the loue which God beares to our soules such his desire to make vs encrease in the loue which we owe to him The Diuine sweetenesse renders all things profitable vnto vs takes all to our aduantage and turnes all our endeuours though neuer so faint and of low condition to our gaine 7. In the commerce of morall vertues little works bring no encrease to the vertue whence they proceede but contrariwise if they be very little doe impaire it for a great Liberalitie doth perish while she is busied in bestowing things of smale value and of liberalitie becomes niggardnesse But in the traficke of vertues which issue from God's mercy and especially from Charitie euery worke returnes profit Nor is it strang that sacred Loue as king of vertues hath nothing either great or smale which is not amiable sith the Baulme tree prince of sweete trees beares neither barke nor leafe that is not odoriferous and what could loue bring fourth that were not worthie of loue or did not tend to loue How a soule in Charitie makes progresse in it CHAPTER III. 1. LEt 's make vse of a Parabole THEO seeing it was a methode that pleased the Soueraigne Maister of Loue which we are to teach A great and braue King hauing espoused a most amiable young Princesse and hauing on a certaine day led her into his secret Closet there to conuerse with her more at his pleasure after some discourse he saw her by a certaine sudden accident fall downe as dead at his foote Alas he was extreamely astonished at this and it did well nigh put him also into a sownd for she was dearer to him then his owne life Yet the same Loue that gaue him this assault of griefe did fourthwith giue him strength to sustaine it and put him into action to th' end that with an incomparable promptitude he might remedie the euill of the deare Companion of his life so that with a nimble speede opening a Dresser which stood by he takes a cordiall water infinitly precious and hauing filled his mouth with it by force he opēs the closed lippes and teeth of his well-beloued Princesse thē breathing and spurting the precious liquor which he held in his mouth into his poore Loues who lay in a sownd and poureing the rest of the glasse vpon her nose her temples and about her heart he made her returne to her selfe and senses againe that done he helpes her vp softely and by vertue of remedies doth so strengthen and bring her to life that she begins to stand and walke fairely with him but in no sort without his helpe for he goes assisting and sustaining her vnder the arme till at length he laied to her heart an Epetheme so precious and of so great vertue that finding her selfe entirely restored to her wounted health she walkes all alone her deare Spouse not now surtaiening her so much but onely holding her right hand softly
men was onely ordained for those whom the Diuine wisdome had foreseene that in tract of time seconding their vocation they should attaine a liuely Faith which work 's by Charitie 6. Finally all these effects haue their absolute dependance of our Sauiours Redemption who did merit them for vs IN RIGOVR OF IVSTICE by the louing obedience which he exercised euē till death and death of the crosse which is the source of all the graces which we receiue we who are the Spirituall graffes ingraffed in his stoke and if being ingraffed we remaine in him we shall beare without doubt by the life of grace which he will impart vnto vs the fruite of Glorie prepared for vs. But if we prooue broken sprigges and graffes vpon this tree that is if by resistance we breake the progresse and successe of the effects of his Clemencie it will not be strang if in the end we be wholy cut of and be throwen into eternall fires as fruitlesse branches 7. God doubtlesse prepared heauen for those onely whō he foresaw would be his Let vs be his then THEO by faith and works and he will be ours by Glorie Now it is in our power to be his for though it be a gift of God to be Gods yet is it a gift which God denies no bodie but offers it to all to giue it to such as freely doe consent to receiue it 8. Nay marke I pray you THEO how ardently God desires we should be his sith to this end he hath made himselfe entirely ours bestowing vpon vs his death and his life his life to exempt vs from eternall death his death to possesse vs of eternall life Let vs remaine therefore in peace and serue God to become his in this mortall life more his in that immortall That we cannot attaine to a perfect vnion with God in this mortall life CHAPTER VI. 1. RIuers doe restlesse rūne and as the wiseman saieth returne to their source The Sea which is the place whence they spring is also the place of their finall repose all their motion tend's no further then to vnite themselues to their fountaine O God saieth S. AVGVSTINE thou hast created my heart for thy selfe and it can neuer repose but in thee But what haue I in heauen saue thee ô my God or what else in earth can I desire yea Lord for thou art the Lord of my heart thou my part and portion for euer Howbeit the vnion which our heart aspires to neuer attaines to it's perfection in this mortall life we may commence our Loues in this but neuer consummat them till the next world 2. The heauenly Spouse makes a delicate expression of it I haue found him at length saieth she him whom my heart loues I hold him nor will I let him goe till I haue led him into my mothers house and into her chamber who brought me fourth The well-beloued hath gotten him then For he makes her feele his presence by a thousand consolations she holdes him these feelings causing in her strong affections by which she doth holde and embrace him protesting neuer to release him O no! for these affections turne into eternall resolutions yet cannot she perswade her selfe that she giues him the mariage kisse till she meete with him in her mothers house THE HEAVENLY HIERVSALEM as S. PAVLE saieth But see THEO how this Spouse thinks euen to keepe her beloued at her mercie as slaue in Loue and so leade him at her pleasure bringing him to her mothers happie abode though indeede she her selfe must be conducted thither by him as was REBECCA into SARA'S chamber by her deare ISAAC The heart pressed with loue doth still gaine ground towards the thing beloued And the Spouse himselfe confesseth that the Beloued hath forced his heart hauing tyed him with one onely heire of her head acknowledging himselfe her prisoner by Loue. 3. This perfect coniunction then of the soule with God shall onely be in heauen where as the Apocalypse saieth the Lambs marriage-banquet shall be made In this mottall life the soule is truely espoused and betrothed to the immaculat Lambe but not as yet married vnto him They haue passed their words and promisses but the execution of the marriage is differred so that we haue alwayes time though neuer reason to disclame from it our faithfull Spouse neuer abandoning vs vnlesse prouoked by our disloyaltie and vnfaithfulnesse But in heauen the marriage of this diuine vnion being celebrated the tye of our hearts to their soueraine PRINCIPLE shall neuer be vndone 4. It is true THEOTIME that while we expect the kisse of this indissoluble vnion which we shall receiue of the Spouse aboue in glorie he begiues vs some few kisses by a thousand touches of his gratfull presence for vnlesse the soule were kissed she should not be drawen nor would she runne in the odour of the Beloued's perfumes whence according to the originall Hebrew Text and the 70. Interpreters she wisheth many kisses Let hī kisse me saith she with kisses of his mouth But whereas these little kisses of this present life haue reference to the ETERNALL KISSE of the life to come the holy vulgar Edition hath piously reduced the kisses of grace to that of Glorie expressing the spouse her desires in this wise Let him kisse me with a kisse of his mouth as though she should saie of all the kisses of all the fauours that the friend of my heart or the heart of my soule hath prouided for me ah I doe not breath after or aspire to any other thing then this great and solemne marriage-kisse which remaines for euer and in comparison whereof the other kisses merit not the name of kisses being rather signes of the future vnion betwixt my beloued and me then vnion it selfe That the Charitie of Saints in this mortall life doth equallise yea sometimes passe that of the Blessed CHAPTER VII 1. VVHen after the trauailes and dangers of this mortall life the happie soules arriue at the Port of the eternall they ascend to the highest and vtmost degree of Loue to which they can attaine and this finall encrease being bestowed vpon them in recompence of their merits it is distributed vnto them not onely in good measure but is euen pressed and thrust downe and yet doth scatter on euery side as our Sauiour saieth So that the Loue which is giuen for reward is greater in euery one then that which was giuen for to merit 2. Nor shall euery one in particular onely haue a greater loue in heauen then euer he had in earth but euen the exercise of the least Charitie in heauen shall be much more happie and excellent generally speaking then that of the greatest which is hath bene or shall be in this fraile life for aboue all the saints doe incessantly without any intermissiō exercise loue while heare belowe God's greatest seruants racked and tyrannized with the necessities of this dying life are forced to suffer a thousand and a thousand distractions which oftentimes
puts them by the practise of holy loue 3. In heauen THEO the louing attention of the blessed is firme constant inuiolable and cannot perish or decrease their intention is pure and freed from all mixture of any inferiour intention In some this felicitie to see God clearely and loue him vnchangably is incomparable And who would euer compare the pleasure one might take by sea if any can be had to liue amidst the dangers continuall torments agitations and mutatiōs which there are to be endured with the content of a royall Pallace where all things are at a wish yea where delights doe incomparably passe our wishes 4. There is then more content pleasure and perfection in the exercise of sacred loue amongst the heauenly inhabitants then in that of the pilgrims of this poore land some notwithstanding haue bene so happie in their pilgrimage that they passed in Charitie diuers of those Saints who were already possessed of the eternall Countrie for certainly it were strang that the Charitie of a great S. IOHN of the Apostles and Apostolicall men were not greater yea euen while they were detained heare belowe then that of little children who dying in the onely grace of Baptisme enioyed immortall glorie 5. It is not ordinarie that shepheards are more valiant then soldiers and yet the little shepheard DAVID cōming into the Armie of ISRAEL foūd that euery one was more expert in the vse of armes then he neuerthelesse he was more valiant then all they Nor is it ordinarie that mortalls haue more charitie then the immortall and yet there haue bene some mortalls inferiour in the exercise of loue to the immortall who notwithstanding haue gone before them in charitie and habits of loue And as making comparison betwixt hote iron and a burning lampe we saie the iron is hotter yet the lampe is clearer and lighter So if we parallel a glorious child with S. IOHN as yet prisoner or S. PAVLE a captiue we shall saie that the child in heauen hath more brightnesse and lightnesse in his vnderstanding more heate and exercise of loue in the will yet S. IOHN or S. PAVLE had euen in earth more fire of Charitie and heate of loue Of the incomparable loue of the mother of God our B. Lady CHAPTER VIII 1. BVt what or whersoeuer I speake my meaning is not to make comparison with the most Sacred virgin Mother our B. Lady ô God no FOR SHE IS THE DAVGHTER OF INCOMPARABLE DILECTION the onely doue the most perfect spouse Of this heauenly Queene from my heart I pronounce this louing and true thought that at least towards the end of her mortall daies her charitie passed that of the Seraphins for though many Daughters heaped together riches she surpassed the all The Saints and Angels are but cōpared to starrs and the prime of those to the fairest of these but she is faire as the moone as easie to be singled and discerned from all the Saints as the Sunne from the starrs And yet I thinke further that as the Charitie of this MOTHER OF LOVE excells that of all the Saints of heauen in perfection so did she exercise it more perfectly yea euen in this mortall life neuer offending venially as the Church esteemes she had then nor change nor stop in the way of Loue but by a perpetuall aduancement ascended from Loue to Loue. She neuer felt any contradiction of the sensuall appetite whence her Loue as a true SALOMON reigned peacebly in her soule and was exercised at her pleasure the virginitie of her heart and bodie was more worthy and honorable then that of Angels So that her spirit not diuided or separated as S. PAVLE saieth was occupied in diuine thoughts to please her God And in fine a mothers loue most pressing actiue and ardent an vnwearied and insatiable loue what could it not work in the heart of such a mother and for the heart of such a sonne 2. Ah! doe not saie I pray you that this virgin was subiect to sleepe no saie not so THEO for doe you not see that her sleepe is a sleepe of Loue so that it is euen her Spouse his will that she should sleepe so long as she list ah take heede I coniure you saith he that you awake not my well-beloued till she please No THEO this heauenly Queene neuer slept but of loue sith she neuer gaue repose to her precious bodie but to reenforce it the better thence to serue God which is a most excellent act of Charitie for as the great S. Augustine saieth Charitie doth oblige vs to loue our bodies conueniently in so much as they are necessarie to good works as they make a part of our person and as they shall be participant of eternall felicitie Certes a Christian is to loue his bodie as a liuing Image of our Sauiour incarnate as issue of the same stocke and consequently of his kindred and consanguinitie especially after we haue renewed the alliance by receiuing really the diuine bodie of our Redeemour in the most adorable Sacrament of the Altar and when by Baptisme Confirmation and other Sacraments we haue dedicated and consecrated our selues to the Soueraigne Goodnesse 3. But for the B. Virgine ô God with what deuotion was she to loue her virginall bodie not onely because it was a sweete humble pure bodie obeissant to diuine Loue and wholy embaumed with a thousand sacred sweetes but also for that it was the liuely source of our Sauiour's and did so strictly belong vnto him by an incomparable dependance For which cause when she gaue her angelicall bodie to the repose of sleepe goe to aied she repose ô TABERNACLE OF ALLIANCE ARKE OF SANCTITIE THRONE OF THE DIVINITIE ease thy selfe a little of thy wearinesse and repaire thy forces by this sweete repose 4. Besides deare THEO doe you not know that bad dreames voluntarily procured by the dayes depraued thoughtes are in some sort sinnes in so much as they are dependances and executiōs of the precedent malice euē so the dreames which proceede from the holy affections of such as are a wake be reputed vertuous and holy O God THEO what a consolation it is to heare S. CHRYSOSTOME recounting on a certaine day to his people the vehemencie of his loue towards them the necessitie of sleepe quoth he pressing my eye-lids the tyrannie of my loue towards you doth excite the eyes of my mind and euen while I sleepe me thinks I speake vnto you for the soule is wonte in sleepe to see by imagination what she thought in the day time so while we see not one an other with the eyes of flesh we supplie it with the eyes of Charitie O sweete IESVS what dreames was thy sacred Mother to haue when she sleept her heart watching Did she not dreame that she had thee yet folded in her wombe as thou wa'st for nine monthes space or else hanging at her breasts and pretily pressing the sacred nible of her virginall dugge Ah what sweetenesse was in this soule
Paraduenture she dreamed that as our Sauiour had often sleept in her bosome as a tender lampkin vpon his mothers flanke so she sleept in his pearced side as a WHITE DOVE in the caue of an assured rocke so that her sleepe was wholy like to an extasie according to the operation of the spirit though to the bodie it was a sweete and gracious rest and repose But if euer she dreamed as did the auncient Ioseph of her future greatenesse when in heauen she should be clothed with the Sunne crowned with starrs aÌ„d the moone at her feete that is wholy enuironed with her sonnes glorie crowned with that of the Saints and the world vnder her or else if as Iacob she saw the progresse and fruite of her sonnes Redemption for the loue of Angells and men THEO who could euer imagine the immensitie of so great delightes ô what confereÌ„ces with her deare child what deliciousnesse from euery side 5. But marke I pray you that I neither doe nor will saie that this so priuileged a Soule of the Mother of God was depriued of the vse of reason in her sleepe Many are of opinion that Salomon in that rare yea and true dreame in which he demanded and receiued the gift of incomparable wisdome did truely exercise his free-will by reason of the iudicious eloquence of the discourse he made of his choice full of discretion and the most excellent Praier which he vsed and all these without any mixture of impertinences or distractioÌ„s of mind But how much more reason is there that the mother of the true Salomon had the vse of reason in her sleepe that is to saie as Salomon himselfe made her speake that her heart watched while she slept Surely it was a farre greater maruell that S. IOHN had the exercise of reason in his mothers wombe And why then should we denie her a lesse for whom and to whom God did more fauours then either he hath or shall doe for all creaturs besides 6. To conclud as the precious stone Abeston doth by a perlelesse proprietie conserue for euer the fire which it hath conceiued So the virgin-Mothers heart remained perpetually inflamed with holy loue which she receiued pf her sonne yet with this difference that the Abestons fire as it cannot be extinguished so it cannot be augmeÌ„ted but the virgins sacred flames sith they could neither perish diminish nor remaine in the same estate neuer ceased to take vncredible encrease euen vnto heauen the place of their origine So true it is that this Mother is the Mother of FAIRE DILECTION that is as the most amiable so the most louing and as the most louing so the most beloued mother of this onely sonne who againe is the most amiable most louing and most beloued sonne of this onely Mother A Preparation to the discourse of the vnion of the Blessed with God CHAPTER IX 1. THe triumphant loue which the Blessed in heauen doe exercise consisteth in the finall vnuariable and eternall vnion of the soule with God But what is this vnion 2. By how much more agreeable and excellent obiects our senses meete withall by so much more ardently aÌ„d greedily they giue themselues to the fruition of them By how much more faire delightfull to the veiw and duely lightened they are by so much the eye doth more eagarly aÌ„d liuely behould them and by how much more sweete and pleasant voices or musicke are the attention of the eare is more drawen vnto them So that euery obiect doth exercise a puissant yet amiable violence vpon its proper senses a violence lesse or more strong according as the excellencie is lesse or greater prouided alwayes that it be proportionable to the capacitie of the SeÌ„se which desires to enioy it for the eye which doth please it selfe so much in light cannot yet support the extreamitie of it nor fixe it selfe vpon the sunne And be musicke neuer so sweete if loude and too nigh it doth importune and offend our eares TRVTH is the obiect of our vnderstanding and consequently takes no other content then to discouer and know the truth of things as TRVTH is more excellent so the vnderstanding doth applie it selfe more deliciously and attentiuely to the consideration of it What pleasure thinke you had these auncient Philosophers who had so excellent a knowledge of so many faire TRVTHES in nature Verily they reputed all pleasurs as nothing in comparison of their well beloued Philosophie for which some of them quitted honours others great riches others their countrie yea some there were who deliberatly pulled out their eyes depriuing themselues for euer of the fruition of the faire eÌ„d agreeable corporall light that with more libertie they might applie themselues to the consideration of the veritie of things by a spirituall light for so we reade of Democrites So delicious is the knowledge of truth Hence it was frequent with Aristotle that humane Felicitie and Beatitude coÌ„sisteth in wisdome which is the knowledge of eminent truth 3. But when our mind raised aboue naturall lights begins to see the sacred truthes of faith ô God THEO what ioy the soule melts with pleasure hearing the voice of her heauenly Spouse whom she finds more sweete and delicious theÌ„ the honie of all humane knowledges 4. God hath imprinted vpon all things created his trace gate or foote-steppes so that the knowledge we haue of his diuine Maiestie by creaturs seemes no other thing then God's trace and that in coÌ„parison of it Faith is a veiw of the very face of the diuine Maiestie which we doe not yet see in the cleare day of Glorie but as it were in the breake of day as it happened to IACOB neere vnto the Torrent IABOC for though he saw not the Angell with whom he wrastled saue in the weake light of the day breake yet rauished with contentment he ceased not to crie I haue seene the Almightie face to face and my soule hath bene saued ô how delightfull is the holy light of faith by which we know by an infallible certitude not onely the historie of the beginning of creaturs and their true vse but euen that of the eternall birth of the great and soueraigne DIVINE WORD to and for whom all was made and who with the Father and the holy Ghost is one onely God most singular most adorable and blessed for euer Amen Ah! saieth S. HIEROME to his Paulina the learned Plato neuer knew this Eloquent Demosthenes was ignorant of it How sweete thy words are to my palace ô God quoth that great king sweeter then honie to my mouth was not our heart burning while he spoake to vs in the way saied those happie pilgrims of Emaus speaking of the flames of loue with which they were touched by the word of faith But if diuine TRVTâ—ES be so sweete being proposed in the obscure light of faith ô God what shall they be when we shall contemplat them in the light of the noone-day of glorie 5. The Queene of Saba
who at the greatnesse of Salomons renowne left all to goe see him being arriued in his presence and hauing heard the wonders of the wisdome which he poured out in his speaches as astonished and lost in admiration she cried out that what she had by hearesay of this heauenly wisdome was not halfe of the knowledge which sight and experience had giuen her 6. Ah! how faire and gratefull are the truthes which faith doth discouer vnto vs by hearing but when arriued in the heauenly Hierusalem we shall shee the great Salomon king of glorie seated vpon the Throne of his wisdome manifesting by an incomprehensible brightnesse the wonders and eternall secrets of his Soueraigne TRVTH with such light that our vnderstanding shall see in presence that which it had beleeued here below ah then most deare THEO what rauishments what extases what admirations what loues what sweetes no neuer shall we saie in this excesse of sweetnesse neuer could we haue imagined to haue seene truthes so delightsome Indeede we beleeued all that we were told of thy glorie ô great Citie of God but we could not conceiue the infinite greatnesse of the Abisses of thy delightes That the precedent desire shall much encrease the vnion of the Blessed with God CHAPTER X. 1. THe desire which doth preceede fruition doth egge and refine the feeling of the same and by how much the desire was more vrgent and powerfull by so much more gratefull and delicious is the possession of the thing desired ô IESVS my deare THEO what pleasure will man's heart take to see the face of the Diuinitie a face so much desired yea a face the onely desire of our soules Our hearts haue a thrist which cannot be quenched by the pleasures of this mortall life whereof the most esteemed and purchased If moderat quench vs not if extreame they stifle vs. Yet we desire them alwayes in the extreamitie and being so desired they are alwayes excessiue insupportable dammagable For we dye of ioye as well as of griefe yea ioye is more actiue to ruinate vs then griefe Alexāder hauing swallowed vp what in effect what in hope this lower world heard of a caitiue fellow that there were yet many other worlds and like a little child who will crie if one refuse him an aple this Alexander whom the world instils the great more foole notwithstanding then a little child began bitterly to weepe because there was no liklihoode that he should conquer the other worlds hauing not as yet got the entire possession of this He that did more fully enioye the world then euer any did is yet so little satisfied with it that he weepes for sorrow that he cannot haue the others which the foolish persuasion of a wretched Babler made him conceiue Tell me I praie you THEO doth he not show that the thrist of his heart cannot be slaked in this life and that this world is not sufficient to quench it O admirable yet amiable vnrest of mans heart be still be still my soule without all rest or repose in this earth till thou shalt haue mett with the fresh waters of the immortall life and the most holy Diuinitie which alone can allay thy drouth and cease thy desire 2. Meane while THEO imagine with the Psalmist how the Hart hard laied at by the Crie hauing now nor breath nor legges doth plunge himselfe greedily into the waters which he quested and with what ardour he doth presse and shut himselfe vp in that Elemēt One would think he would willingly be dissolued and conuerted into water more fully to enioye this coldenesse ah what an vnion of our hearts shall there be with God aboue where after these infinite desires of the true of Good neuer asswaged in this world we shall find the liuing ād puissant source thereof Then verily as we see a hungrie child closely glewed to his mothers breast and fixed to her dugge greedely presse this sweete foūtaine of plesāt ād desired loquor so that one would think that either it would thrust it selfe into its mothers breast or else sucke and draw her breast into his so our soule panting with an extreame thrist of the true Good when she shall meete with that vndrainable source in the Diuinitie ô good God! what a holy and pleasing desire shall she feele to be vnited and ioyned to the plentifull breasts of the All-goodnesse either altogether to diue into it or draw it altogether into her Of the Vnion of the Blessed soules with God in seeing the Diuinitie CHAPTER XI 1. VVHen we looke vpon any thing though presēt to vs it is not in it selfe vnited to our eyes but onely sends out to them a certaine representation or picture of it selfe which is called SPECIES SENSIBILIS by meanes whereof we see So also when we contemplat or vnderstand any thing that which we vnderstand is not vnited to our vnderstanding otherwise then by another representation or most delicate and spirituall image which is called SPECIES INTELLIGIBILIS But further these SPECIES by how many windings and changes get they to the vnderstanding they aboord the exteriour senses thence passe to the interiour after to the Fantasie from thence to the actiue vnderstanding and come at last to the passiue to th' end that passing so many sierces and files they might be purified subtilised and refined and of sensible become intelligible 2. Thus THEOTINE we see and vnderstand all that we see and vnderstand in this mortall life yea euen things of faith for as the Myrrour containeth not the thing we see in it but onely the representation and species of it which representatiō staied by the Myrrour produceth another in the behoulding eye So the word of faith doth not containe that which it announceth but onely represents it and this representation of diuine things which is in the word of faith produceth an other which our vnderstanding helped by Gods grace doth accept and receiue as a representation of holy TRVTH and our will is pleased in it and doth embrace it as an honorable profitable louelie and best TRVTH So that the truthes signified in Gods word are by it represented to the vnderstanding as things expressed in the Myrrour are by it represēted to the eye whēce the great Apostle saied that to beleeue was to see as in a Myrrour 3. But in heauen THEO ô God what a fauour The Diuinitie will vnite it selfe to our vnderstanding without the mediation of any species or representation at all but it selfe will applie and ioyne it selfe to our vnderstanding making it selfe in such sort present vnto it that that inward presence shall be in lieu of a representation or species O true God what a delight shall it be to mans vnderstanding to be vnited for euer to his soueraigne obiect receiuing not the representation but the presence not the picture or species but the very essence of Diuine TRVTH and Maiestie We shall be there as most happie children of the Diuinitie and shall haue the honour
production CHAPTER XIII 1. THe eternall Father seeing she infinite Bountie ād Beautie of his essence so liuelily essentially and substantially expressed in his Sonne and the Sonne seeing reciprocally that his owne essence Bountie and Beautie was originally in his Father as in their source and fountaine ah can it possibly be that this Diuine Father and his Sonne should not mutually loue one another with an infinite loue sith their will by which they loue is infinite in each of them 2. Loue not finding vs equall doth equalize vs not finding vs vnited doth vnite vs. Now the Father and the Sonne finding themselues not onely equall and vnited but euen one same God one same Goodnesse one same essence and one same vnitie how much must they needes loue one another not with a loue which passeth as that of intellectuall creaturs amongst themselues or towards their Creator for created loue is exercised in many and diuers motions breathings vnions and tyes which doe immediatly succeede one another and continue loue with a gratfull vicissitude of spirituall motions But the diuine loue of the eternall Father towards his Sonne is practised in one onely breathing mutually from them both who in this sort remaine vnited and tied together I THEO for the Bountie of the Father and Sonne being but one sole singularly one bountie cōmon to them both the loue of this Bountie can be but one onely loue for though there be two Louers to wit the Father and the Sonne yet seeing there is onely their most singular Bountie common to them both which is loued and their most one will which doth loue there is thereof but one loue exercised by one SPIRATION of loue The Father breaths this loue and so doth the Sonne but because the Father doth not breath this loue but by meanes of the same will and for the same Bountie which is equally and singularly in him and his Sonne nor the Sonne againe doth not breath this SPIRATION of loue but for this same Bountie and by this same will therefore this SPIRATION of loue is but one SPIRATION or one onely SPIRIT breathed out by two which Breath 3. And because the Father and Sonne who breath haue an infinite essence and will by which they breath and that the Bountie for which they breath is infinite it is impossible the SPIRATION should not be infinite and for as much as it cannot be infinite without being God therfore this spirit breathed from the Father and the Sonne is true God and sith there neither is nor can be more then one onely God it is one onely true God with the Father and the Sonne But moreouer whereas this loue is an act which doth proceede mutually from the Father and the Sonne it can neither be the Father nor the Sonne from whom it proceeded though it haue the same Bountie and Substance of the Father ād the Sōne but must necessarily be a third diuine person who with the Father and the Sonne is onely God And for that this loue is produced by manner of SPIRATION or inspiration it is called the holy SPIRIT 4. Now THEO the king Dauid describing the sweetenesse of the frendshipe of Gods seruants cries out O God how good a thing it is And with a thousand sweetes of Blisse Doth yeeld a sacred hearts content To see in Brothers hearts consent Such sweetes are like the oiles was spred Vpon the consecrated head Of Aaron Preist which flowing downe Vpon his beard his necke and gowne Did sweetely all bedewe and which With daintie sentes did all enriche But ô God if humane friendshipe be so agreeable louelie and doe spreede so delicious an odour on them that doth contemplate it what shall it be my well-beloued THEOTIME to behold sacred loue mutually exercised betwixt the eternall Father and the Sonne SAINT GREGORIE NAZIANZENE recounts that the incomparable loue which was betwixt him and SAINT BASILE the Great was famous all through Greece And Tertullian doth testifie that the Pagans did admire the more then brotherly loue which raigned amongst the primitiue Christians O what Feast what solemnitie with what praises and Benedictions is the eternall and Soueraigne Friendshipe of the Father and the Sonne to be celebrated with what admirations to be honored and loued What is there amiable and worthy to be loued if not Friendshipe and if Friendshipe be amiable and worthy to be loued what Friendshipe is like to that infinite Friendshipe which is betwixt the Father and the Sonne who is the same God in a singular manner with them Our heart THEOTIME will fall into an Abisse of loue through admiration of the beautie and sweetenesse of the loue that this eternall Father and this incomprehensible Sonne doe practise diuinely and eternally That the Light of Glorie shall concurre to the vnion of the Blessed with God CHAPTER XIV 1. THus shall the created vnderstanding see the Diuine essence without the meanes of any species or representation yet not without a certaine excellent light which doth dispose eleuate and strengthen it to raise it's view so high and to an obiect so sublime and resplendāt For as the Owlets sight is strong enough to behold the gloomie light of a cleare night yet not to see the light at noonetide which is too glittering to be seene by so troubled and weake eyes so our vnderstanding which is strong enough to consider naturall truthes by discourse yea euen the supernaturall things of grace by the light of faith is not yet able neither by the light of nature nor faith to attaine vnto the view of the diuine substance in it selfe Wherefore the goodnesse of the eternall wisdome determined not to applie his essence to our vnderstanding till he had prepared reuigorated and enabled it to receiue a sight so eminent and disproportionable to the naturall condition thereof as is the view of the Diuinitie for so the Sunne the soueraigne obiect of our corporall eyes amongst naturall things doth not present himselfe vnto our view without sending first his raies by meanes whereof we may be able to see him so that we see him not but by his light Yet there is a difference betwixt the raies which the Sunne doth cast vpō our corporall eyes and the light which God will create in our vnderstanding in Heauen for the Sunn's raies doe not fortifie our corporall eyes when they are weake and vnable to see but doth rather dazle waste and blinde their infirme sight whereas contrariwise this sacred LIGHT OF GLORIE finding our vnderstandings weake and incapable to behould the Diuinitie it doth raise strengthen and perfect them so excellently that by an incomprehensible wonder they doe behould and contemplate the Abisse of the Diuine brightnesse in it selfe with a firme and straight view not being dazled or repulsed by the infinit greatnesse of it's splendour 2. In like manner therefore as God hath endewed vs with the light of reason by which we may know him as Authour of nature and the light of faith
by which we consider him as source of Grace so will he bestow vpon vs the LIGHT OF GLORIE by which we shall contemplat him as fountaine of Beatitude and eternall life but a fountaine THEOT which we shall not contemplate a farre off as we doe now by faith but we shall see it by the LIGHT OF GLORIE being couered and swallowed vp in it The Duckers saieth Plinie who fishing for precious stones diue into the water doe take oile in their mouthes that by scattering it they might haue more day to see in the waters where they swime THEO the Blessed hauing diued and plunged themselues into the Ocean of the Diuine essence God will poure into their vnderstandings the sacred LIGHT OF GLORIE which will giue them day in the Abisse of this inaccessible light that so by the LIGHT OF GLORIE they may see the LIGHT OF THE DIVINITIE In God the fountaine is Of Life and heauenly blisse His brightnesse shall appeare To vs in th'-rayon cleare Of his day which shall be Our day of IVBILIE That there shall be different degrees of the vnion of the Blessed with God CHAPTER XV. 1. NOw this light of Glorie THEO shall be the measure of the sight and contemplation of the Blessed and according as we shall haue lesse or more of this holy splendour we shall see more or lesse clearely and consequently more or lesse happily the most holy Diuinitie which as it is beholden ād diuersly looked vpō so it will make vs diuersly glorious Certes in this heauenly Paradise all the SPIRITS see all the Diuine Essence yet no one of them nor all of them together doth or can see it entirely No THEO for God being most singularly one and most simply indiuisible one cannot see him without seeing all But being infinite without limite without bounds or measure at all in his perfection there neither is nor can be any capacitie out of himselfe who can euer totally comprehend or penetrate the infinitie of his Goodnesse infinitly essentiall and essentially infinite 2. This created light of the visible Sunne which is limited and finite is in such sort all seene of all those that doe behold it that it is neuer totally seene of any one of them nor of all together It is in a manner so with all our senses Amongst many that heare excellent musike though all of them heare it all yet some heare it not so well nor with so much delight as others according as their eares are lesse or more delicate MANNA had all tasts to all that eate it yet differently following the diuersitie of their appetits who tooke it yet was it totally tasted of none for it had more different tasts then the Israelits had varietie of gusts THEO we shall see and taste in heauen all the Diuinitie but neuer any of the Blessed nor all together shall euer see or taste it totally This infinite Diuinitie shall still haue infinitly more excellences then we sufficiencie and capacitie and we shall haue an vnspeakable content to know that after we haue satiated all the desire of our heart and fully replenished the capacitie thereof in the fruition of an infinite good which is God neuerthelesse there will remaine in this infinitie infinite perfections to be seene enioyed and possessed which his diuine Maiestie knowes and sees it onely comprehending it selfe 3. So fishes enioye the incredible vastnesse of the Ocean but neuer any fish nor yet all the multitude of fishes euer sawe all the armes of the Sea or wet their sinnes in all its waters Birds doe sport in the open aire at their pleasure but neuer any birde nor yet all the flok's of birds together did euer beat with their winges all the regions of the aire or arriue at the supreame region of the same Ah THEO our soules shall freely and according to the full extēt of their wishes swime in the Ocean and soare in the aire of the Diuinitie reioycing eternally to see that this aire is so infinite this Ocean so vast that it cannot be measured by their winges and that enioying without all reserue or exception all this infinite Abisse of the Diuinitie yet shall they neuer be able to equalize their fruition to this infinitie which remaines still infinitly infinite beyond their capicitie 4. And at this the Blessed SPIRITS are rauished with two admirations first at the infinite beautie which they contemplate secondly at the Abisse of the infinitie which remaineth to be seene in this same beautie O God how admirable is that which they see but ô God how much more admirable is that which they see not And notwithstanding THEO the most sacred beautie which they see being infinite it doth entirely satisfie and satiate them and enioying it with content according to the rancke which they hold in heauen because God's amiable prouididence hath so determined it they conuerte the knowledge they haue of not possessing or not being totally to possesse their obiect into a simple complacence of admiration in which they haue a soueraigne ioye to see that the beautie they loue is so infinite that it cannot be totally knowen but by it selfe For in this doth the Diuinitie of this infinite Beautie or the Beautie of this infinite Diuinitie consist The end of the third Booke THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF THE DECAY OR RVINE OF CHARITIE That while we are in this mortall life we may loose the loue of God CHAPTER I. I. WE make not these discourses for those great soules of Election whō God by a most speciall fauour doth so maintaine and confirme in his loue that they runne no hazard of loosing it We speake for the rest of mortalls to whom the Holy Ghost doth addresse these aduertisements he that stands let him take heede that he fall not hold what thou hast be carefull and labour that by Good workes you may assure your vocation in sequele whereof he makes them make this Praier doe not cast me from before thy face doe not take from me thy SPIRIT and leade vs not into temptation to th' end they may worke their saluation with a holy trembling and sacred feare knowing that they are not more constant and strong to conserue Gods loue then was the first Angell his followers and Iudas who receiuing it loosed it and in loosing it loosed themselues for euer nor then Salomon who hauing lost it holds the whole world in doubt of his damnation nor then ADAM EVE DAVID S. PETER who being children of Saluation fell yet for a space from the loue without which there is no saluation Alas THEO who shall then haue assurance to conserue sacred loue in the nauigation of this mortall life sith as well in earth as heauen so many personages of incomparable dignities suffered so fearefull shipwrakes 2. But ô eternall God how is it possible will you saie that a soule that loues God can neuer loose it for where loue is it resisteth sinne and how comes it to passe then that sinne gets entrie there sith
that loue is strong as death sharpe in battaile as hell how can the forces of deth or hell that is sinne vanquish loue which at least doth equalize them in strength and doth passe them in friends and right Yea how can it be that a reasonable soule that hath once relished so great a sweetenesse as is that of heauenly loue can euer willingly swallow the bitter waters of sinne children though children being fed with milke with butter ād honie abhorre the bitternesse of wormewoode and Orpin being readie to fall downe with weeping when they are constrained to take them All then o true God the soule once ioyned to the goodnesse of the Creator how can she forsake him to follow the vanitie of the creature 3. My deare THEO the heauens them selues stand amazed their ports doe burst with feare and the Angels of peace are lost in astonishment at this prodigious miserie of mans heart abandoning so amiable a good to ioyne it selfe to things so deplorable But haue you neuer seene the little marueill which euery one knowes and yet few knows the reason of it when a full barrill is broched the wine will not runne vnlesse it haue aire giuen from aboue which yet happens not to barrels already drawen on for they are no sooner open but the wine runnes Certes in this mortall life though our soules abound with heauenly loue yet are they neuer so full therwith that by temptation this loue may not depart but in heauē when the sweetenesse of Gods beautie shall occupie all our vnderstanding and the delightes of his Goodnesse shall wholy satiate our wills so that there shall be nothing which the fullnesse of his loue shall not replenish no obiect though it penetrate euen to our hearts can euer draw or make rūne one sole drope of the precious liquour of our heauenly loue And to think to giue aire aboue that is to deceiue or surprise the vnderstanding it shall no more be possible for it shall be immouable in the apprehension of the soueraigne TRVTH 4. So wine well purified and separated from the lees is easily keept harmelesse when it is tossed and troubled but that which is vpon the lees is in continuall danger and as for vs so long as we are in this world our soules are vpon the lees or tartar of a thousand humours and miseries and consequently easie to be changed and turned into their loue But being in heauen where as in the great feast described by Isaie there shall be wine purified from the dregges we shall be no longer subiect to change but shall be inseparably vnited by loue to our soueraigne good Here in the twie-light of day breake we are affraide that in lieu of the Spouse we fall vpon some other obiect which may delay and deceiue vs but when we shall find him aboue where he takes his repast and repose in the cleare day of glorie there will be no occasion to be deceiued for his light will be too cleare ād his sweetenesse will tye vs so closely to his goodnesse that we shall not haue the power to will to vntye our selues 5. We are like to Corall which in the sea the place of it's origine is pale-greene weake bowing and a pliable shrub but being pulled out of the sea as from it's mothers wombe it becomes almost a stone firme and impliable changing it's pale-greene into a liuely vermillion for so we being as yet amidst the sea of this world the place of our birth are obnoxius to strang changes pliable vpon euery occasion by inspiration to the right hand of heauenly loue by temptation to the left of terrene loue But if being once drawen out of this mortalitie we shall haue changed the pale-greene of our doubtfull hopes into the liuely red of assured fruition we shall neuer more be moueable but make a setled demoure for euer in eternall loue 6. It is impossible to see the Diuinitie and not loue it but here below where we doe not see it but onely haue a glimps of it through the cloudes of faith as in a myrror our knowledge is not yet so perfect as not to leaue entrie to the surprises of other obiects and apparant good which through the obscuritie mixed with the certaintie and veritie of faith doe insensibly steale in as little fox cubs and demolishe our florishing vine To conclude THEO when we haue charitie our free-will is deck't with her wedding garment which as she can still keepe on if she please in well doing so she can put it of if she please in offending How the soule waxeth coole in holy Loue. CHAPTER II. 1. THe soule is often contristated and afflicted in the bodie yea euen to the forgoing of many of the members thereof which remaine depriued of motion and sense though she neuer forsake the heart where she is still entirely till the periode of life So charitie is sometimes so quelled and made to languish in the heart that it doth scarcely appeare in any action though yet the remaine entire in the supreame region of the soule And then it is that vnder the multitude of veniall sinns as vnder finders the fire of holy Loue remaines couert its light being smothered though not deaded or extinguished for as the presence of the Diamant doth hinder the exercise and action of the Adamants propertie in drawing iron ād yet doth not depriue her of it hauing her operatiō as soone as the obstackle is remoued so the presence of veniall sinns doth in no sort depriue charitie of her force and power to worke yet doth it as it were benume and depriue her of the vse of her actiuitie So that she remaines sterill and barren without action Certes nor veniall nor yet the affection to veniall sinne is contrarie to the essentiall resolution of charitie which is to preferre God before all things because by this sinne we loue things besides reason not against reason we deferre a little too much and more thē is conuenient to creatures yet doe not we preferre them before the Creator we make more delay then is fitting in terrene things yet doe we not for all that forsake heauenly things In fine this kind of sinne doth impeach vs in the way of charitie but doth not put vs out of it and therefore veniall sinne not being contrarie to Charitie it neuer destroies her either wholy or partially 2. God signified to the Bishope of Ephesus that he had forsaken his prime charitie when he saieth not that he was without charitie but onely that he was not such as in the beginning that is that he was not now prompt feruent flourishing and frutefull as we are wount to saie of him who was braue cheerefull and frolicke and afterwards becomes harsh dull and lowtish that he is now the same man he was for our meaning is not that he is not the same in substance but onely in his actions and exercises And euen our Sauiour saieth that in the later daies the
charitie of many shall waxe cold that is she shall not be so actiue and couragious by reason of feare and griefe which shall oppresse mens hearts Sure it is that coÌ„cupiscence hauing coÌ„ceiued doth engeÌ„der sinne but this sinne though sinne indeede doth not still beget the death of the soule but theÌ„ onely when it is compleate in malice and when it is consummate and accomplished as S. IAMES saieth who in this doth establish so cleare a difference betwixt mortall and veniall sinne that it is strang that some in our age haue had the impudence to deney it 3. Howbeit veniall sinne is sinne and consequently displeasant to Charitie not as a thing that is contrarie to her but contrarie to her operations and progresse yea her intention which in so much as we are to direct all our actions to God is violated by veniall sinne which carrying the actions by which they are committed not indeede against God yet besides God and his will and as we saie of a tree rudely dight and shaker by a tempest that nothing is left because though the tree be entire yet is it left without fruite so when our charitie is shaken by the affections we haue to veniall sinne we saie she is diminished and weakned not for that the habits of loue are not entire in our hearts but because she is without the workes which are the fruites 4. The affection to great sinnes did in such â—ort make Vâ—RITIE prisoner to Iniustice amongst the Pagan Philosophers that as the great Apostle saieth knowing God they honored him not according to that knowledge so that though this affection did not banish naturall light yet it made it fruitlesse so the affection to veniall sinne doth not abolish Charitie but it holds her as a slaue tyed hand and foote hindring her freedome and action This affection glewing vs too hard to the enioying of creaturs depriues vs of the spirituall priuicie betwixt God and vs to which charitie as true friendshipe doth incite vs and by consequence this affection doth make vs loose the interiour helpes and assistances which are as the vitall SPIRITS of the soule in default whereof there followeth a certaine spirituall Palsie which in the end if it be not remedied leedes vs to death for to conclude charitie being an actiue qualitie cannot be long without either acting or dying She is saie our Auncients of the nature of Rachael who also did represent her giue me said she to her husband children or else I dye And charitie vrgeth the heart which she hath espoused to make her fertile of good workes otherwise she will perish 5. We are rarely in this mortall life without many temptations now vile and slouthfull hearts and such as are giuen to exteriour pleasures not being accustomed to fight nor traiened vp in spirituall warfare neuer conserue Charitie long but let themselues ordinarily be surprised by mortall sinne which happens so much more easily by how much the soule is more disposed by veniall sinne to mortall for as that Auncient by a daily continuance of carrying the same Calfe bore him also when he was growen to be an Oxe custome hauing by little and little made the encrease of so vntoward a burden insensible so he that doth accustome himselfe to plaie for pence will in the end plaie for crownes pistols and horses and after them for all his substance he that giues bridle to a smale coller will find himself in the end furious and insupportable he that giues himselfe to lye in ieast is in great perill to lye calumniously 6 In fine THEO we are wount to saie that such as haue a weaklie complection haue no life that they haue not an ovnce or not a handfull because that which must quickly haue end seemes indeede already not to be And those drowsie soules which are led with pleasurs aâ—d set vpon transitorie things may well saie that they haue lost Charitie for though as yet they haue her they are euen vpon the point of loosing her How we forsake heauenly loue for that of Creaturs CHAPTER III. 1. THe misfortune to leaue God for the creature happens thus We loue not God without intermission because in this mortall life Charitie is in vs as a simple habite which as the Philosophers noted we vse when we list and neuer against our likeing When we doe not then make vse of the Charitie which is in vs that is wheÌ„ we doe not applie our minds to the exercises of holy loue but keepe them busied in some other affaire or else being slothfull they remaine vnprofitable and idle then THEO they may be assaulted by some bad obiect and surprised by temptation And though the habite of charitie be at that instant in the bottome of our hearts and performe its office inclining vs to reiect the bad suggestion yet doth it not vrge or carrie vs to the action of resistance but according as we second it as the manner of habits is and therefore leauing vs in our freedome it happens often that the bad obiects hauing throwen their allurements deeply into our hearts we ioyne our selues vnto them by an excessiue complacence which after encreasing we can hardly be quit of it and as thornes according to the saying of our Sauiour doe in the end stilfe the seede of grace and heaueÌ„ly loue So it fell-out with our first Mother Eue whose ouerthrow began by a certaine amusement which she made in discoursing with the Serpent taking complacence to heare of her aduancement in knowledge and to see the beautie of the forbidden fruite so that the complacence waxing bigge with the amusement and the amusement feeding it selfe in the complacence she found her selfe at length so entangled that giuing way to consent she did commit the accursed sinne to which afterwards she drew her husband 2. We see doues sometimes touched with vanitie swimme hither and thither obseruing the varietie of their owne plumes and then the Tercelets and Falcons that espie them fall vpon and sease them which they could neuer be able to doe if the doue had flowen out right hauing a stronger winge then the Haulke Alas THEO if we did not stand musing at the vanitie of fraile pleasurs especially in the complacence of selfe-loue but hauing once got charitie would be carefull to flie straight whither she would carrie vs suggestion and temptation should neuer catch vs but because as doues seduced and beguiled by selfe-esteeme we looke backe vpon our selues and keepe our minds too much conuersant amongst creaturs we often find our selues in our enemies clawes who beare away and deuoure vs. 3. God will not hinder that temptation assault vs to th' end that by resistance our charitie may be more exercised that by fight we may beare away the victorie aÌ„d by victorie obtaine the triumphe But that we haue any kind of inclination to delight our selues in the temptation this riseth from the condition of our nature which doth so earnestly loue Good that therby she is subiect to
about to beleeue And in another place the same Sainte speaking of sinners whereof God doth leaue the on in his iniquitie raysing th' other Now why he retaines the one and not t'other it is not possible to comprehend it nor lawfull to make inquests into it syth we know it is from him we stand and not from him we fall and againe this is couered and remoued from manes reach at least from myne 7. Loe THEO the most saintly way of Philosophyzing in this behalfe and therefore I haue allwaies reputed the learned modestie and most wise humilitie of the Seraphicall Doctor sainct Bonauenture admirable and amiable in the discourse which he makes of the reason why the Diuine prouidence doth ordaine the Elect to eternall life Peraduenture saieth he it is by a foresight of the good works which will be done by him that is drawen in so much as they proceede in some sort from the will but to be able to declare what good workes they are which by their foresight moue Gods will I know not perfectly nor will I make inquisition thervpon there are no other reasons then certaine conueniencies so that we might assigne one while it were another Wherefore we cannot with assurance point out the true reason nor the true motiue of Gods will herein for as S. Augustine saieth notwithstanding that the truth of it is most certaine yet is it so remoued from our thougts that we can speake nothing assuredly of it vnlesse it be reuealed by him who knowes all things and wheras it was not expedient for our saluation that we should haue knowledge of these secreets but was more profitable we should be ignorant of them to keepe vs in humilitie God would not reueale them yea the holy Apostle durst not inquire of them but testified the insufficiencie of our vnderstanding in that matter when he cried out ô depth of the wisdome and knowledge of God! could one speake more saintly THEO of so saintly a mysterie and indeede they are the words of a most saintly and prudent Doctor of the Church An exhortation to the affectionat submission which we are to make to the Decrees of the diuine prouidence CHAPTER VIII 1. LEt vs loue then THEO and adore in humilitie of SPIRITE this depth of Gods iudgments which as S. AVGVSTINE saieth the holy Apostle discouers not but admires when he cries out ô the depth of Gods iudgment Who can counte the sands of the sea the drops of raine and measure the largnesse of the Abisse saieth that excellent S. GREGORIE of Nazianzen and who can sound the depth of the diuine wisdome by which all things were created and moderated as she pleaseth and iudgeth fit For indeede it sufficeth that by the Apostles example we should admire it without sticking in the difficultie and obscuritie thereof ô depth of the wisdome and knowledge of God! ô how inscrutable are his iudgments and how inaccessible his wayes who hath knowen the sense of our Lord and who hath bene his counsellour THEO the reasons of Gods will cannot be penetrated by our wit till we shall see his face who toucheth from the one end to the other powerfully and disposeth all things sweetely doing all that he doth in number waight and measure and to whom the Psalmist saieth Lord thou hast done all things in wisdome 2. How often doth it happen that we are ignorant why and how the workes of men are done And yet saieth the same holy Bishope of Nazianzen the Artificer is not ignorant though we be ignorant in his Arte nor are the things of this world rashly and imprudently done though we know not the reasons of them Entering into a Clok-makers shoppe we shall sometimes find a cloke no greater then an Oringe which yet hath in it an hundred or two hundred peices whereof some serue for the style others to stricke the houre or giue the morning ALARME you shall see in it little wheeles one turning to the right another to the left hand one aboue another belowe and the plumbs which with a mesured pace doe balance its motion on euery side and we admire how Art could ioyne together such a number of minute peices with so iust a correspondance neither knowing what each little peice serues for nor to what purpose it was made in that sort vnlesse the Maister tell it vs knowing onely in grosse that all is either for shew or to stricke It is reported that the good Indians will stand whole dayes musing vpon a cloke to heare it strike at the time prefixed and not being able to gesse how it is done they doe not for all that saie that it is without Art or reason but are taken with loue and respect towards their keepres admiring them as more then mortalls THEO we see in this manner the vniuerse but especially humane nature a clocke composed of so great varietie of actions and motions that we cannot but be astonished at it And we know in generall that these so diuersly ordered peices serue all either to point out as a hand God's most holy iustice or as a bell of praise to sound the triumphant mercy of his goodnesse But to know the particular vse of euery peice how it is ordered to the generall end or why it is made so we cannot conceiue vnlesse the soueraigne workman instruct vs Now he conceals his Art from vs to th' end that with more reuerence we might admire it till in heauen he shall rauish vs with the sweetenesse of his wisedome where in the aboundance of his loue he will discouer vnto vs the reasons meanes and motiues of all that passed in the world to the aduantage of our eternall saluation 3. We resemble saieth yet againe the great Nazianzen those who are troubled with a giddinesse or turning of the head for they thinke that all rūnes roūd with them topsie turnie though it be but their braine and imagination which turne not the things about them for so when we meete with any euents whereof the causes are vnknowen vnto vs we deeme the world is gouerned without reason because we are ignorant of it Let vs beleeue then that as God is the maker and father of all things so takes he care of all things by his prouidence which doth imbrace and sustaine all the Machine of creatures But especially let vs beleeue that he doth rule our affaires ours who know him though our life be tossed with so great contrarietie of accidents whereof we know not the reasons to th' end by chance that not being able to attaine to this knowledge we might admire the soueraigne reason of God surpassing all things for with vs things easily knowen are easily despised but that which out-tops our wit by how much it is more hard to be knowen by so much it excites a greater admiration in vs. Truely the reasons of the diuine prouidence were low placed if our smale wits could reach vnto them they should be lesse amiable in their sweetenesse and lesse
intention and as for the tone Charitie takes it alwayes at an equall hight sweete and delightfull humane Loue takes it still either to high in terrene things or to low in celestiall and neuer sets vpon his worke till Charitie haue ended hers for so long as charitie is in the soule she serues her selfe of this humane loue as of her Creature and makes vse of him to facilitate her operations so that in that interim the workes of this loue as of a seruant belong to Charitie his Mistresse But Charitie flitting the actions of this loue are entirely his owne not hauing their estimation and worth from Charitie for as Eliseus his stafe in his absence though in the hand of his seruant Geizi who receiued it from him wrought no miracle so actions done in the absence of Charitie by the onely habit of humane loue are of no value or mirite to eternall life though he learned them of charitie being but her seruant And this comes thus to passe because this humane loue in the absence of Charitie hath not any supernaturall strength to raise the soule to the excellent action of the loue of God aboue all things How dangerous this imperfect loue is CHAPTER X. 1. ALas my THEO behold I pray you the poore Iudas after he had betraied his Maister how he goes to render the money to the Iewes how he acknowledgeth his sinne how he speakes honorably of the blood of this immaculate lambe These were effects of imperfect loue which precedent Charitie now past had left in his heart We descend to impietie by certaine degrees and hardly any arriues in an instant to the extreamitie of malice 2. Perfumers though out of their shops beare about with them for a long time the sent of the perfumes which they haue handled So such as haue bene in the Closet of heauenly oyntments that is in holy Charitie hold for a time after the sent of it 3. Where the Hart hath lodged by night the morning after there is a fresh sent or vent of him towards night it is harder to be tooke but as soone as his straine waxeth old ād dead the hoūdes doe begin to loose it When charitie hath raigned for a space in the soule one may find there her racke tracestraine or sent for a time after she be departed but by little and little it doth quite vanish and a man looseth all knowledge that euer Charitie was there 4. I haue seene certaine young people well bred vp in the loue of God who putting them selues out of that path remained for some time amidst their accursed ruine in whom notwithstanding one might haue seene great markes of their former vertue and the habit gotten in time of charitie resisting present vice scarcely could one for some monthes discerne whether they were out of Charitie or not whether vertious or vitious till such time as the progresse did cleare that these vertuous exercises proceeded not from Charitie present but past not from perfect but imperfect loue which Charitie had left behind her as a signe that she had lodged in those soules 5. Now this imperfect loue THEO is good in it selfe for being a creature of holy Charitie and one of her retinue it cannot but be good and indeede did faithfully serue charitie while she seiourned in the soule as it is still readie to serue vpon her returne nor is it to be contemned for that it cannot doe actions of perfect loue the condition of its nature being such so starres which in comparison of the sunne are very imperfect are yet extreamely beautifull beheld alone and hauing no ranke in the presence of the sunne in his absence they haue 6. Howbeit as this loue is good in vs so it is perilous for vs seeing that oftentimes we are contēted with it alone because hauing many interiour and exeteriour stroakes of Charitie thinking that it is the same which we haue we foole our selues with opinion of our owne sanctitie while in this vaine persuation the sinnes which depriued vs of Charitie doe encrease waxe bigge and multiplie so fast that in the end they make themselues Maisters of our heart If IACOB had not left his perfect Rachell but had keept still by her the day of his marriage he had not bene deceiued as he was but permittīg her to goe into the Chāber without him he was holy astonished in the morning following to find onely in lieu of her the imperfect Lia which yet he beleeued had bene his deare Rachell But Laban had put that deceit vpon him Now selfe loue deceiues vs in the same manner how little so euer we forsake Charitie it thrusts vpon vs estimation this imperfect habit and we delight our selues in it as though it were the true Charitie tell some cleare light manifest vnto vs that we are abused 7. Ah God! is it not a great pitie to see a soule flatter her selfe in the imagination of Sanctitie remaining at rest as though she were possessed of Charitie finding in the end her Sanctitie a fiction her rest a Letargie her ioye a madnesse A meanes to discerne this imperfect loue CHAPTER XI 1. BVt you will aske me what meanes is there to discerne whether it be RACHELL or LIA Charitie or imperfect loue which gaue me the feelings of deuotiō wherewith I am touched If examining in particular the obiects of the desires affections and designes which you haue for the present you find any one for which you would transgresse the good will and pleasure of God by sinning mortally it is then out of doubt that all the feeling facilitie and promptitude which you haue in Gods seruice issue from no other source then humane and imperfect loue for if perfect loue raigned in vs ô Lord God! it would breake euery affection euery desire euery designe whose obiect were so pernicious and would not indure that our heart should behould it 2. But note that I saied that this examine must be made vpon our present affections for it is not requisite that you should imagine to your selfe such as may arise hereafter sith it is sufficient that we be faithfull in present occurrences according to the diuersitie of times and sith that euery time hath enough to doe with it 's owne paine and trauell 3. Yet if you were desirous to exercise your heart in spirituall valour by the representation of diuers encounters and assaults you may profitably doe it prouided that after the acts of this imaginarie valour which your heart might haue made you esteeme not your selfe more valliant for the children of Ephraim who did wonders with their bow and arrowes while they were yet trained vp in warlike feates at home when it came indeede to the push vpon the day of battell they turned their backes and had not so much as the courage to bow their arrowes or behold those of their enemies 4. When therefore we doe practise this valour in future occurrences or such as are onely possible if we find a good and
loyall feeling we are to thanke God for it For this feeling is alwayes good howbeit we are to keepe our selues betwixt a confidence and diffidence hoping that by Gods grace we should doe in the occasion that which we imagined and yet still fearing that following our ordinarie miserie peraduenture we should performe nothing but loose courage but if the diffidence should waxe so excessiue that it seemed to vs that we should neither haue force nor heart and thereby we should fale into dispaire vpon the subiect of imaginarie temptations as though we were not in Charitie and in Gods grace then in despight of our feeling and discouragement we were to make resolution of a great fidelitie in all occurrences euen to the temptation which troubles vs hoping that when it shall happen God will multiplie his grace redouble his succours and afforde vs all necessarie assistāce and while he giues vs not the force for an imaginarie and vnnecessarie warre he will giue it vs when it comes to the deede For as many haue lost courage in the assault so many haue also lost feare and haue taken heart and resolution in the presence of danger and difficultie which in their absence they had neuer done And so many of Gods seruants representing vnto themselues absent temptations haue bene affrighted at them euen almost to the loosing of courage which when they saw present they behaued themselues couragiously Finally in the amazements which rise from the representation of future assaults when we apprehend that our heart failes vs it is sufficiēt that we haue a desire of courage and confidence that God will bestowe it vpon vs when time shall exact Nor had SAMSON alwayes his strength but it is noted in the Scripture that the Lion of Tamathas vines comming towards him furiously and roring the Spirit of God seased him that is God gaue him the motion of a new force and a new courage and he tore the Lion in pieces as a Gote and in like manner when he defeated the thousand Philistians which thought to haue defeated him in the field of Lechi So my deare THEO it is not necessarie that we haue alwayes the sense and motion of courage requisite to surmoūt the roring Lion which goeth roring hither and thither to deuoure vs this might administer vs occasion of vanitie and pre umption It is sufficiant that we haue a good desire to fight valliently a perfect confidence that the holy Ghost will assist vs with his helping hand when occasion shall present it selfe The end of the fourth Booke THE FIFT BOOKE OF THE TVVO PRINCIPALE EXERCISES OF HOLY LOVE performed by complacence and beneuolence Of the sacred Complacence of Loue and first in what it consisteth CHAPTER I. I. LOVE as we haue saied is no other thing then the motion and gliding of the heart towards good by meanes of the complacēce which one takes in it so that complacence is the great motiue of loue as loue is the great motion of complacence 2. Now this motion is practised towards God in this manner We know by faith that the Diuinitie is an incomprehensible Abisse of all perfection soueraignely infinite in excellencie and infinitly soueraigne in boūtie And this truth which faith teacheth vs is attentiuely considered by meditation beholding the immensitie of goods which are in God either in grosse by assembling all the perfections or in particular by considering his excellences one after another for exāple his All-power his All-wisdome his All-goodnesse his Eternitie his Infinitie Now when we haue brought our vnderstanding to be very attentiue to the greatnesse of the Goods that are in this diuine obiect it is impossible but our will should be touched with complacence in this good and then we vse the libartie and power which we haue ouer our selues prouoking our owne heart to answere and strengthen this first complacence by acts of approbation and reioycing O saieth the deuote soule in this case how faire thou art my well-beloued how faire thou art thou art wholy desireable yea thou art desire it selfe Such is my well-beloued ād he is the friend of my heart ô daughters of Hierusalem ô blessed be my God for euer who is so good ah whether I liue or die too happie I am in knowing that my God is so rich in all Goodnesse that his Goodnesse is so infinite his infinitie so good 3. Thus approuing the good which we see in God and ioying in it we make an act of loue which is called complacence for we please our selues in the diuine pleasure infinitly more then in our owne and it is this loue which rendred so much content to the Saints when they could meete with the perfections of their well-beloued and which caused thē to pronoūce with so much delight that God was God Goe to knowe saied they that our Lord is God ô God my God my God thou art my God the God of my heart and my God is the part of myne inheritance for euer He is the God of our heart by this cōplacence sith by it our heart doth embrace him and makes him it 's owne he is our inheritāce because by this act we enioye the goods which are in God ād as from an inheritance we haue from it all pleasure and content by meanes of this complacence we drinke and eate spiritually the perfections of the Diuinitie for we make them our owne and draw them into our hearts 4. IACOBS owes drew into their entrals the varietie of colours which they saw in the fountaine wherein they were watered when they were a rāming for in effect their young lambes were therevpon spotted so a soule taken with the pleasing complacence which she takes in considering the Diuinitie and in it an infinitie of excellences she drawes the colours thereof into her heart that is to saie the multitude of wonders and perfections which she doth contemplate and makes them her owne by the contentment which she takes therein 5. O God what ioye shall we haue in heauen THEO when we shall see the well-beloued of our hearts as an infinite sea whose waters are perfection and goodnesse Then as Harts much pursued and spent putting their mouthes to a cleare and coole fountaine doe draw into thē the coolenesse of these faire waters so our hearts after so many languishments and desires meeting with the strong and liuing source of the diuinitie shall draw by their complacence all the perfections of the well-beloued and shall haue the perfect fruition of them by the ioye which they shall take in them replenishing themselues with those immortall delightes and in this wise the deare Spouse will enter into vs as into his mariage bed to communicate his eternall ioye vnto our soules according as he himselfe saieth that if we keepe the holy law of his loue he will come and seiourne with vs. Such is the sweete and noble robberie of Loue who without vncolouring the well-beloued doth colour it selfe with his colours without disrobing him inueste
it selfe with his robes without taking from him takes all that he hath and without impouerishing him is enriched with all his wealth as the aire takes light not lessening the originall brightnesse of the sunne and the Myrror the grace of the countenance not diminishing his that lookes in it 7. They were made abominable like to the things they loued saied the Prophet speaking of the wicked so might one saie of the good that they are become louely as the things they loued Behold I beseech you S. CLARE of Mountfalco her heart it was so delighted in our Sauiours Passion and in meditating the most holy Trinitie that it drew into it selfe all the markes of the passion and an admirable representation of the Trinitie being made such as the things she loued The loue which the great Apostle S. PAVLE bore to the life death and passion of our Sauiour was so great that it drew the very life death and passion of this heauenly Sauiour into his louing seruants heart whose will was filled with it by dilection his memorie by meditation and his vnderstanding by contemplation But by what canall or conduict was the milde IESVS conueied into SAINT PAVLâ—S heart by the canall of complacence as he himselfe declareth saying Farre be it from me euer to glorie saue in the crosse of our Sauiour IESVS-CHRIST for if you doe marke it betwixt glorying in a person and compleasing ones selfe in the same taking glorie and taking pleasure in a thing there is no other difference sauing that he who glories in a thing to pleasure addes honour honour not being without pleasure though pleasure can be without honour This soule then had such a complacence and esteemed himselfe so much honored in the diuine Goodnesse which appeares in the life death and passion of our Sauiour that he tooke no pleasure but in this honour And it is this that made him saie be it farre from me to Glorie saue in the crosse of my Sauiour as he also saied that he liued not himselfe but IESVS-CHRIST liued in him How by holy complacence we are made as little children at our Sauiours breasts CHAPTER II. 1. O God how happie the soule is who takes pleasure in learning to know that God is God and that his bountie is an infinite bountie For this heauenly spouse by this Gate of Complacence enters into her and suppes with vs as we with him We feede our selues with his sweetenesse by the pleasure which we take therein and recollect our heart in the diuine perfections by the repose we take therein and this repast is a supper by reason of the repose which doth follow it complacence making vs sweetely repose in the deliciousnesse of the good which delightes vs and wherwith we feede our heart For as you know THEO the heart feedes of that which delightes her wheÌ„ce in our French tongue we saie that some are fed with honours others with riches as the wise-man saied that the mouthers of fooles are fed with ignorance and the soueraigne wisdome protesteth that he is fed that is he is pleased with no other thing then to doe the will of his Father In conclusion the Phisitions Aphorisme is true what is sauorie nourisheth and the Philosophers what pleaseth feedeth 2. Let my well-beloued come into his garden saied the sacred spouse and let him eate therein the fruite of his Aple-trees Now the heauenly spouse comes into his garden when he comes into the deuote soule For seeing his delight is to be with the children of men where can he better lodge then in the countrie of the minde which he made to his likenesse aÌ„d similitude He himselfe doth set in this garden the louing Complacence which we haue in his bountie aÌ„d whereof we feede as likewise his Goodnesse doth take his repast and repose in our complacence so that againe our complacence is augmented to perceiue that God is pleased to see vs take pleasure in him in such sort that from these reciprocall pleasures the loue of incomparable Complacence doth spring by which our soule being made a gardeÌ„ of her spouse and hauing from his bountie the Aple-trees of his delightes she reÌ„ders him the fruite thereof being that he is pleased in the complacence she takes in in him Thus doe we draw Gods heart into ours aÌ„d he disperseth in it his precious Baulme And thus is that practised which the holy Bride spoke with such ioye The king of my heart hath led me into his closet we will exult and reioyce in the minde full of thy breasts more amiable then wine the good doe loue thee for I praie you THEO what are the closets of this king of loue but his papes which abouÌ„de in the varietie of sweetenesse aÌ„d delightes The breasts and duggs of the mother are the closet of the little infants treasures he hath no other riches then those which are more precious vnto him then gold or the Topase more beloued then the rest of the world 3. The soule then which doth contemplate the infinite treasures of diuine perfections in her well-beloued holds her selfe too happie and rich in that loue doth make her Mistrisse by complacence of all the perfections and contentments of her deare spouse And euen as the babie doth giue little ierts towards his mothers Pape and hops with ioye to see theÌ„ discouered aÌ„d as the mother againe on her part doth â—resent them vnto him with a loue alwayes a little forwards euen so the deuoute soule doth feele tâ—â— dauncings and motions of an incomparable ioye through the content which she hath in beholding the treasures of the perfections of the king of her holy loue but especially when she sees that he himselfe doth discouer them by loue and that amongst them that perfection of his infinite loue doth excellently shine Hath not this faire soule reason to crie O my king how amiable thy riches are and how rich thy loues ah which of vs haue more ioye thou that enioyest it or I who reenioye it we daunce with mirth in memorie of thy breasts and thy duggs so plentifull in all excellencie of deliciousnesse I because my well-beloued doth enioye it thou because thy well-beloued doth rereeÌ„ioy it for so we doe both eÌ„ioye it sith thy goodnesse makes thee eÌ„ioye my reenioying aÌ„d my loue makes me reenioye thy enioying Ah! the iust and the good doe loue thee and how can one be good and not loue so great a goodnesse Wordly Princes keepe their treasures in the closets of their Palaces their armour in their Castles But the heaueÌ„ly Prince keepes his treasures in his bosome his armes within his breaste and because his treasure is his goodnesse as his weapons are his loues his breaste and bosome resembles those of a teÌ„der mother who hath two faire duggs as two closets rich with the sweetenesse of good milke armed with as many darts to subdue her little deare babie as it makes shoots in sucking 4. Nature suâ—ely lodged the duggs in the
how can this be vnderstoode that the Angels who see the Redeemour and in him all the mysteries of our saluation doe yet desire to see him THEO Verily they see him continually but with a viewe so agreeable and delicious that the complacence they take in it doth satiate them without taking away their desire and makes them desire without remouing their Sacietie the fruition is not lessened by the desire but perfected therby as their desire is not cloied but sharpned by the fruition 5. The fruition of a thing which doth continually content doth neuer fade but is renewed and flourisheth incessantly it is still agreeable still amiable The continuall contentment of heauenly louers produceth a desire perseuerantly content as their continuall desire doth beget in them a contentment perseuerantly desired The good which is finite in giuing the possession doth end the desire and in giuing the desire doth dispossesse while it cannot at once be possessed and desired But the infinite Good makes desire raigne with possession and possession with desire finding a way to saciate desire by a holy presence and yet make it liue by the greatnesse of its excellencie which doth nourish in all those that possesse it a continually contented desire and a contentment continually desired 6. Consider THâ—OT such as hold in their mouth the hearbe SCITIQVE for following report they are neither hungrie nor thristie so doth it saciate and yet doe they neuer loose appetite so deliciously doth it nourish them When our will meetes God she reposeth in him taking therein a soueraigne complacence yet without staying the motions of her desire for as she desires to loue so she loues to desire she hath the desire of loue and the loue of desire The repose of the heart consisteth not in immobilitie but in hauing want of nothing Not in not mouing but in not hauing neede to moue 7. The damned are in eternall motion without all mixture of rest we mortalls who are yet in this pilgrimage haue now motion now rest in our affections The Blessed haue continuall repose in their motion and continuall motion in their repose onely God hath repose without motion because he is soueraignely on substantiall and pure act And though according to the ordinarie condition of this mortall life we rest not in motion yet notwithstanding when we make essaies of the exercises of the immortall life that is when we practise the acts of holy loue we find repose in the motion of our affections and motion in the repose of the complacence which we take in our well-beloued receiuing hereby fore-tastes of the future Felicitie to which we aspire 8. If it be true that the Cameleon liues of aire wheresoeuer he goes in the aire he finds foode aÌ„d though he stirre from one place to another it is not to find wherewithall to be satiated but to exercise himselfe in his element as fishes in the sea Who desires God in possessing him doth not desire him to search him but to exercise affection euen in the good which he enioyes for the heart doth not make this motion of desire as pretending the fruition of a thing not had sith it is already had but as dilating it selfe in the fruition which it hath not to obtaine the Good but to recreate and please it selfe therein not to enioye it but to reioyce in it No otherwise then we moue our selues and goe to some delicious garden where being arriued we cease not to walke and stire our selues yet it is not to come thither but being there to walke and passe our time we went to enioye the pleasantnesse of the garden being there we walke to please our selues in the fruition of it Let not in length of time be found a space In which we cease to search t'Almighties face We alwayes seeke whom we alwayes loue saieth the Great S. AVGVSTINE Loue seekes whom it hath found not to haue him but to haue him still 9. Finally THEO the soule who is in the exercise of the loue of complacence cries continually in her sacred silence It suffiseth me that God be God that his Goodnesse be infinite that his perfection be immence whether I liue or not it little imports me sith that my deare well-beloued liues eternally a triumphant life Death it selfe cannot attristate a heart who knowes that its soueraigne Loue liues It is sufficient for a heart that loues that he whom it loues more then it selfe is replenished with eternall happinesse seeing that it liues more in him whom it loues then him whom it doth animate yea that it liues not but its well-beloued liues in it Of a louing condoling by which the complacence of loue is better declared CHAPTER IV. 1. COmpassion condoling commiseration or mercy is no other thing then an affection which makes vs share in the sufferaÌ„ces and griefes of him whom we loue drawing the miserie which he endures into our heart whence it is called MISERICORDIA as one would saie MISERIA CORDIS as complacence doth draw into the louers heart the pleasures and contentments of the thing beloued It is Loue that workes both the effectes by the vertue it hath to vnite the louers heart to the beloued by this meanes making the good and euill which they haue coÌ„mon betwixt them And that which happens in compassion doth much illustrate that which toucheth complacence 2. Compassion takes her grouth from the loue whence she proceedes So we see mothers doe deeply condole the afflictions of their onely children as the Scripture doth often testifie How great was the sorrow of Agars heart vpon the griefe of her Ismael whom she saw well nigh perish with thirst in the Desert How much did DAVIDS soule commiserate the miserie of his Absolon Ah doe you not marke the motherly heart of the great Apostle sicke with the sicke burning with zeale for such as were scandalized with a continuall dolour for the losse of the Iewes and dayely dying for his deare spirituall children But especially coÌ„sider how loue drawes all the paines all the torments trauells sufferances griefes wounds passioÌ„ crosse and death it selfe of our Redeemour into his most sacred Mothers heart Alas the same Nailes that crucified the bodie of this diuine child did also crucifie the mothers heart the same thrones which pearced his head did strike through the heart of this entirely sweete mother she endured the same miseries with her sonne by commiseration the same dolours by condoling the same passions by compassion to be short the sworde of death which transpearced the bodie of this best beloued sonne did stricke through the heart of this most louing mother whence she might well haue saied that he was to her a POSIE OF MIRRHE amidst her breastes that is in her bosome and in the midst of her heart IACOB hearing the sad though false newes of the death of his deare IOSEPH you see how he is afflicted with it ah saied he in sorrow I will descend to hell that is to saie to Lymbo into
bush of griefe and euen so I I am wholy inflamed with loue amōgst the thornie thickets of sorrow I am a Lillie enuironed with thornes doe not onely looke vpon the horrours of my pinching griefes but behold the agreeable beautie of my loues Alas this Diuine well-beloued louer doth suffer insupportable griefes this it is that toucheth my heart and makes me sound with anguish but he takes pleasure in suffering he loues his torments and dies with ioye to die with griefe for me wherefore as I greeue in his griefe so am I rauished with ioye in his loue I doe not onely sorrow with him but glorie in him 2. It was this loue THEO that drew the Stigmats vpon the louing Seraphicall S. FRANCIS and vpon the louing Angelicall S. CATHERINE of Scienna the vrgent wounds of her Sauiour the louing Complacence hauing sharpened the point of the dolourous compassion as honnie make the bitternesse of Wormewoode more pearcing and sensible as cōtrariwise the daintie smell of Roses is refined by the neighberhoode of Garlike which is planted neare the Rose-trees for so the louing Complacence which we haue taken in the loue of our Sauiour makes the compassion which we haue of his dolours more forcible as also passing from the compassion of sorrowes to the complacence of loues we take a more ardent and high content Then the griefe of loue and the loue of griefe is practised then the amourous compassion and dolourous complacence as another ESAV and IACOB striuing who should striue more puts the soule into incredible conuultions and agonies and as it were an extasie amourously dolorous and dolourously amourous And according to this the great soules of S. FRANCIS and S. CATHERINE felt incomparable loues in their dolours and matchlesse dolours in their loues when they were stigmatized perceiuing loue ioyfull to endure for a friend which our Sauiour exercised in the highest degree vpō the tree of the Crosse Thus is the precious vnion of our soule with God made which as a mysticall Beniamin is a child of griefe ād loue together 3. It cannot be expressed THEO how much our Sauiour desires to enter into our soules by way of this dolourous Complacence Alas saieth he open me the dore my deare sister my friend my doue my all-faire for my head is all to bedewed and my heires with the dropes of the night What is this dewe what are these dropes of the night but the paines and torments of his Passion Pearles as we haue many times saied are no other thing then dewie dropes which the nights freshnesse shewers downe vpon the face of the sea receiued in the shelles of Oysters or mother-pearles Ah! would the diuine louer of the soule saie I am oden with the paines and sweat of my passion which almost all passed either in the darknesse of the night or in the night of darknesse which the eclipsed sunne caused at the hight of the day Open then thy heart towards me as the mother-pearle doth hers towards heauen and I will poure downe vpon thee the dewe of my passion which shall turne into pearles of consolation Of the Loue of Beneuolence which we exercise towards our Sauiour by way of desire CHAPTER VI. 1. THe loue which God exerciseth towards vs is alwayes begun by beneuolence willing and effecting all the good that is in vs in which afterwards he takes complacence He made DAVID according to his heart by beneuolence because he found him according to his heart by Complacence He first created the world for man and man in the world indewing euery thing with such a measure of goodnesse as was proportionable to it out of his pure beneuolence then he approued all that he had done finding that all was very good and by complacence reposed in his worke 2. But contrariwise our loue towards God begins from the complacence which we haue in the soueraigne Goodnesse and infinite perfection which we know is in the Diuinitie then we come to the exercise of beneuolence And as the Complacence which God takes in his creaturs is no other thing then a continuation of his beneuolence towards them so the beneuolence which we beare towards God is nothing else but an approbation and perseuering in him 3. Now this loue of beneuolence towards God is practised in this sort we cannot with a true desire wish any good to God because his goodnesse is infinitly more perfect then we can either wish or thinke Desire is onely of a future good and no good is future to God sith that all good is so present to him that the presence of good in his Diuine Maiestie is no other thing then the Diuinitie it selfe Not hauing therefore power to make an absolute desire for God we doe make imaginarie and conditionall ones in this manner I haue saied ô Lord thou art my God who being full of thy owne infinite goodnesse can haue no wāt neither of my riches nor of any other thing but if by imagination of a thing impossible I could thinke thou had'st neede of any thing I would neuer cease to wish it thee euen with the losse of my life beeing and of all that the world hath And if being what thou art and which thou cannot but still be it were possible that thou couldst receiue any encrease of good ô God what a desire should I haue that thou hadst it In that case ô eternall Lord I would desire to see my heart conuerted into wishes and my life into sighes to wish thee such a good ah yet would I not for all this ô thou sacred well-beloued of my soule desire to haue power to desire any good to thy Maiestie yea I hartily please my selfe in this thy supreeme degree of goodnesse to which nothing can be added neither by desire nor yet by thought But if such a desire were possible ô infinte Diuinitie ô Diuine infinitie my soule would be that desire and no other thing then that so much would she be desirous to desire for thee that which she is infinitly pleased that she cannot desire seeing that her impotencie therein proceedes frō the infinite infinitie of thy perfection which outstrips all desire and cogitation Ah! ô my God how dearly I loue the impossibilitie of being able to desire thee any good sith that ryseth out of the incomprehensible immensitie of thy abundance which is so soueraignely infinite that if there be an infinite desire it should be infinitly saciated by the infinitie of thy Goodnesse which would conuert it into an infinite cōplacence These desires then by imagination of impossibilities may be sometimes profitably practised amongst great and extraordinarie feelings and feruours Thus as it is reported did the great S. AVGVSTINE often behaue himselfe pouring out in excesse of loue in these words Ah! Lord I am AVGVSTINE and thou art God but howbeit if that which neither is nor can be were that I were God and thou AVGVSTINE I would in changing my condition with thee become AVGVSTINE to the
our condition and so proper to testifie the respectfull loue we beare him that he hath ordained we should render and yeeld all honour and glorie vnto him 3. Thus then the soule who hath taken a great complacence in God's infinite perfection seeing that she cannot wish him any encrease of goodnesse because he hath infinitly more then she can either wish or conceiue desires at least that his name may be blessed exalted praised honoured and adored dayly more and more And beginning with her owne heart she ceaseth not to prouoke it to this holy exercise and as a sacred Bee flies hither and thither amongst the flowers of the diuine workes and excellencies gathering from them a sweete varietie of complacences whereof she works and composeth the honnie of heauenly benedictions praises and honourable confessions by which as farre as she is able she magnifies and glorifies the name of her well-beloued following the great Psalmist who hauing enuironed and as it were in Spirite runne ouer the wōders of the diuine goodnesse sacrificed vpon the Altar of his heart the mysticall Hoste of the out-cryes thereof in Canticles and Psalmes of admiration and Benediction My heart flies here and there Borne vp on fancies winge In admirations aire She heauenlily doth singe A Sacrifice of praise And on the Harpe she plaies A BENEDICITE To Sions heauenly Kinge But THEO this desire of praising God which holy Beneuolence doth excite in our hearts is insatiable for the soule that is touched with it would wish to haue infinite praises to bestowe vpon her well-beloued because she finds his perfections more then infinite so that finding her selfe to fall farre short of her aime she addes force to her affection to praise at least in some measure this most praiseworthy goodnesse and these endeauours of Beneuolence are meruellously augmented by complacence for according as the soule finds God good tasting more and more his sweetenesse and taking complacence in his infinit goodnesse she would also raise higher his benedictions and praises And againe as the soule waxeth hote in praising the incomprehensible sweetenesse of her God she enlargeth and dilateth the complacence she takes in him and by this enlargmēt she doth animate her selfe more earnestly to praise him So that the affection of complacence and that of praise by their reciprocall motions and incitements doe aduance one another with great and continuall encrease 4. So Nightingales according to Plinie takes such complacence in their songes that by reason of this complacence for fiue dayes and fiue nightes long they neuer leaue warbling forcing themselues to sing better in despight one of the other so that when they chirpe the best thy take a greater complacence and this encrease of complacēce carrieth them to force themselues to a better quauering augmenting in such sort their complacēce by their songe and their songe by their complacence that often they are seene to fall downe dead spliting their weeseells with the violence of singing Birdes worthy the faire name of Philomele sith they die in this sorte of and for the loue of melodie 5. O God THEOT how the soule ardently pressed with affection to praise God is touched with a dolour greatly delicious and a delight greatly dolorous when after a thousand essaies of praises she finds herselfe to come short Alas this poore Nightingale striues still to lance out her accents higher and perfect her melodie the better to sing the praises of her well-beloued By how much more she praiseth by so much she is more delighted in praising and by how much greater her delight in praising is by so much her displeasure is greater that she cannot yet more praise him and yet to find what content she can in this passion she vseth all endeauours and amidst them falls in languishment as it happened to the most glorious S. FRANCIS who in the pleasures he had to praise God and sing his Canticles of loue shed a great abundāce of teares ād through faintnesse let often fall what at such times he had in his hands remaining in languishment as a sacred Philomele ād eftsones lost breath in breathing after his praises whō he could neuer praise sufficiētly 6. But marke a fine similitude vpon this subiect drawen from the name which this louing saint gaue his religious for he called them Cygales by reason of the nightly praises they sunge to God Cygales THEO haue their breasts set with pipes as though they were naturall orgaines and to sing the better they liue onely of dewe which they take not by the beake for they haue none but sucke it by a certaine weesel they haue in the midst of their stomacke by which also they sed out their tunes with such a noyse that they seeme to be nothing but voice Now this is the state of the sacred Louer for all the faculties of her soule are as so many pipes which she hath in her breast to resound the well-beloued's Cāticles ād praises Her deuotion in the midst is the tongue of her heart according to S. BERNARD by which she receiues the dew of diuine perfections sucking and drawing them to her as her foode by the most holy complacence which she takes in them and by the same tongue of deuotion she tunes all her praiers Praises Canticles Psalmes Benedictions according to the testimonie of one of the most famous spirituall Cygales that euer was heard who sunge thus Blesse Sions King my Soule Inflamed with heauenly flame My powers my thoughts and all Cease not to speake his name For is it not as though he had saied I am a mysticall Cygale my soule my spirits my thoughtes all the faculties that are met together within me are organes Let all these for euer blesse the name and resound the praises of my God Summing vp thyne endlesse glorie I 'le spinne out an endlesse storie In singing onely which I 'le rest And thou Myne Aide shalt pleasure take To heare it for thy Mercies sake And helpe a sillie heart oppress 't How Beneuolence makes vs inuoke all Creaturs to God's praise CHAPTER IX 1. THe heart that is taken and pressed with a desire of praising the Diuine Goodnesse more then it is able after many endeauours goes often times out of it selfe to inuite all Creaturs to helpe it in it's designe As did the three children in the furnace in that admirable Canticle of Benedictions by which they excite all that is in Heauen in earth and vnder the earth to render thankes to the Eternall God in Blessing and praising him soueraignely as also the glorious Psalmist wholy moued by a holily irregular passion to praise God goes without order leaping from heauen to earth from thence to heauen againe inuoking pel-mel Angels fishes mountaines Waters Dragons Birdes Serpents Fire Haile Fogges assembling by his desires all creaturs to th' end that they all might conspire piously to magnifie their Creatour Some in their owne persōs celebrating the diuine praise others affording matter of praise by the
wōders of their differrent proprieties which manifest their makers power so that this diuine royall Psalmist hauing composed a great number of Psalmes with this inscription Praise God after he had rūne through all the creaturs holily inuiting them to blesse the diuine Maiestie and passed ouer a great varietie of meanes and instruments fit to celebrate the praises of this eternall Bountie in the end as falling downe through shortenesse of breath he closeth his sacred song with this Eiaculation Let euery spirit praise our Lord that is let all that hath life nor liue nor breath but to blesse their Creatour following the encouragement he had elsewhere giuen VVith high and animated straine Let 's striue to celebrate amaine Euen who can best th Eternall's fame Let shirlest voice awakt by Loue Beare vp the starrie vaults aboue The Peeleresse glorie of his name So the great S. FRANCIS soung the Canticle of the Sunne and a thousand other excellent benedictions to inuoke the creaturs to aide his languishing heart in that he could not according to his desire praise the deare Sauiour of his heart So the heauenly Spouse perceiuing her selfe almost to sound amidst the violent essaies she vsed in blessing and magnifying the well-beloued king of her heart ah cried she out to her companions the diuine Spouse hath led me by contemplation into his wine-celler making me taste the incomparable delightes of the perfections of his excellencie and I haue so moistened and holily inebriated my selfe by the holy complacence which I tooke in this abisse of beautie that my soule languisheth wounded with a louingly mortall desire which vrgeth me euerlastīgly to praise a goodnesse eminent Come alas I beseech you to the succour of my poore heart which is vpon the point of falling downe dead For pitie susteine it and vnderprope it with flowres solace it and enuirone it with aples or else it will fall in a trance Complacence drawes the diuine sweetes into her heart which doth so ardently fill it selfe thereof that it is ouer charged But the LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE makes our heart sallie out of it selfe and spend it selfe in vapours of delicious perfumes that is in all kinds of holy praises And yet not being able to doe it with the aduantage which it desires ô saieth it let all creaturs come and contribute the flowres of their benedictions their aples of thankesgiuings honours and adorations so that on euery side we may smell odours poured out to his glorie whose infinite sweetenesse doth passe all honour and whom we can neuer worthily enough magnifie 2. It is this diuine passion that brings out so many sermons makes the Zaueriuses the Berzeses the Antonies with a number of Iesuites Capucins and Religious and other Churchmen of all sorts passe the pikes in India Iaponia Maraig to th' end the holy name of IESVS may be knowen acknowledged and adored through out that vaste nation It is this holy passion which penns so many spirituall bookes build's so many churches altars and pious houses and to conclud which makes so many of God's seruants watch labour and die in the flames of Zeale which doe consume and spend them How the desire we haue to praise God makes vs aspire to heauen CHAPTER X. 1. THe soule in Loue perceiuing that she cānot saciate the desire she hath to praise her well-beloued while she liues in the miseries of this world and knowing that the praises which are giuen in heauen to the diuine goodnesse are sunge in an aire incomparably more delightfull ô God saieth she how praiseworthie the praises are which are poured fourth by those blessed spirits before the throne of my heauenly king how blessed are their blessings ô what a happinesse is it to heare this melodie of the most holy eternitie where the delicious concurrence of vnlike and wholy different voices doth make these admirable accords wherein all the parts redoubling one vpon another by a continued succession and an incomprehensible combination and pursute perpetuall Allelui'as doe resound from euery side 2. Voices which for their sound are compared to thunder trumpets or to the noyse of a troubled seas waues yet voices which for their incomparable delight and sweetenesse are compared to the melodie of harpes delicatly and deliciously touched by a most skillfull hand And voices which doe all accord in one to sing the ioyfull Pascall Cāticle ALLELVIA praise God Amē praise God for know THEO that there is a voice heard from the diuine Throne which ceaseth not to crie to the happie inhabitants of the glorious heauenly Hierusalem Praise God ô you that are his seruants and you that feare him great and little at which all the innumerable multitude of Saints the quires of Angels and men with one consent doe answere in singing with all their force ALLELVIA praise God But what is this admirable voice which issuing out from the diuine Throne doth announce the ALLELVIAS to the Elect if not the most holy complacence which being receiued into the heart makes them feele the sweetenesse of the Diuine perfections wherevpon a louing beneuolence the source of heauenly praises is bred in thē so that complacence cōming from the Throne intimateth Gods greatnesse to the Blessed and beneuolence excites them mutually to pouer out the odours of praise before the Throne And so by way of answere they eternally sing ALLELVIA that is praise God The complacence come frō the Throne into the heart and Beneuolence goes from the Throne 3. O how amiable is this TEMPLE wholy resounding with praise ô what content haue such as liue in this sacred Residence where so many heauenly Philomels and Nightingails doe sing with strife of loue the Canticles of eternall delight 4. The heart then that in this world can neither sing nor heare the diuine praises to it's liking falls into incredible desires of being deliuered from the bands of this life to passe to the other where the heauenly well-beloued is so perfectly praised and these desires hauing taken possession of the heart doe often times become so strōg and powrefull in the heauenly Louers heart that banishīg all other desires they make all terreane thīgs disgustfull and render the soule languishing and loue-sicke yea sometimes the holy passion goes so farre as if God permitted one would die of it 5. So the glorious and Seraphicall Louer S. FRANCIS hauing bene long wrought with this strong affection of praising God in the end towards his death after he had had assurance by a speciall Reuelation of his eternall saluation he could not conteine his ioye but waisted dayly as if his life and soule had fumed out like incense vpon the flamme of ardent desires which he had to see his Maister incessantly to praise him So that these flames dayly encreasing his soule left his bodie by a force which he made towards heauen for it was thought good to the Diuine prouidence that he should die pronoūcing these sacred words O Lord drawe my soule out of this prison
God What is she this might one saie of her who ascends though the Desert as a cloud of perfumes of Mirrhe of incense and of all the pouders of Perfumers and indeede it was the desire of secrecie that moued her to make this petition to her Spouse come my well-beloued let 's goe into the fieldes let vs soiourne in the village for this reason the heauenly spouse is stiled Tourtle a birde which is delighted in shadie and solitarie places where she makes no other vse of her voice but for her deare mate ether in life wooeing him or after his death plaining him For this respect in the Canticles the diuine Spouse and the heauenly Spouse represent their loues in a continuall discourse and if their friends men and women doe sometimes speake in it t' is onely by the by without interrupting their speach Hence the Blessed mother S. TERESA of IESVS found in the beginning more profit in the misteries where our Sauiour was most alone as in the Garden of Oliuet and where he expected the Samaritaine for she thought he being alone would with more ease admitt her into his companie 8. Loue loues to be secret yea though Louers haue no secret to impart yet are they delighted in speaking secretly and it is partly if I be not deceiued because they will speake onely to themselues nor doe they thinke to speake to themselues onely while they speake high partly for that they doe not deliuer coÌ„mon things in a coÌ„moÌ„ maÌ„ner but by particular wayes and such as relish the affection with which they are spoken Loue language for the words is comon yet in manner and pronounciation is so particular that none but Louers vnderstand it The name of a Friend vttered in common is no great thing but being spoken a part secretly in the eare it imports wonders And by how much more secretly it is spoken the signification is so much more delightfull O God what a difference is there betwixt the lâ—nguage of the auncient Louers of the Diuinitie Ignatius Cyprian Chrysostome Augustine Hilarie Ephrem Gregorie Bernard and that of lesse louing Diuines We vse their very wordes but with them they were words full of fire and the sweetes of Loues perfumes but with vs they are cold giuing no sent at all 9. Loue speakes not onely by the tongue but by the eyes by sighes couÌ„tenances yea it makes vse of mute silence in lieu of words My heart hath saied vnto thee ô Lord my face hath sought thee ô Lord I will search after thy face My eyes haue failed saying when wilt thou comfort me Heare my praier ô Lord and my demaund heare with thy eares my teares Let not the aple of thy eye cease to speake saied the desolate hearts of the inhabitants of Hierusalem to their owne Citie Doe you marke THEO how the silence of afflicted Louers speakes by the aple of their eyes and their teares Certainly the cheife exercise in mysticall Diuinitie is to speake to God and heare God speake in the bottom of the heart and because this discourse passeth in secrete aspiratioÌ„s aÌ„d inspirations we terme it a silent conference The eyes speake to the eyes and the heart to the heart and none vnderstands what passeth sauing the sacred louers who speakes Of Meditation the first degree of Praier or mysticall Diuinitie CHAPTER II. 1. THis word is frequent in the holy Scrip. and imports no other thing then an attentiue and reiterated thought apt to bring forth good or euill affections In the 1. Psalme the man is saied to be blessed whose will is in the way of our Lord and in his law will meditate day and night but in the 2. Psal why did the Gentils rage and people meditate vaine things MEDITATION therefore is made as well for euill as good ends Yet whereas in the holy Scripture the word MEDITATION is put ordinarily for the attention which we haue to holy things to th' end to stirre vs vp to loue them it hath as one would saie bene canonized by the common consent of Diuines with the word ANGELL and ZEALE as contrariwise the word DEMON or DIVEL hath bene defamed so that now when one names meditation we vnderstand a holy thinge and that by which we begin mysticall Diuinitie 2. Euery meditation is a thought but euery thought is not meditation for we haue thoughtes to which our mynd is caried without aime or pretention at all by way of a simple musing as we see flies flie from one flowre to an other without drawing any thing from them And be this kind of thought as attentiue as it may be it can neuer beare the name of meditation but must be called a simple thought Sometimes we consider a thinge attentiuely to learne it's causes effectes qualities and this thought is named studie in which the mynd is like locustes which promiscuously flie vpon flowres and leeues to eate them and nourishe themselfes thervpon but when we thinke of heauenly things not to learne but to loue them that is called to meditate and the exercise thereof Meditation in which our mynd not as a flie by a simple musing nor yet as a locust to eate and be filled but as a sacred Bee flies amongst the flowres of holy mysteries to extract from them the honnie of Diuine Loue. 3. So diuers meÌ„ are alwayes dreaming aÌ„d busying themselues in vnprofitable thoughtes without knowing in a manner what they thinke vpon and which is admirable they are onely attentiue for want of attention and would be rid of such thoughtes Wittnesse he that saied my thoughtes waste themselues tormenting my heart Others there are that studie and by a most laborious trade fill themselues with vanitie not being able to withstand curiositie But few there are that meditate to kindle their heart with heauenly loue In fine thoughtes and studies may be vpon any subiect but meditation in our present sense hath reference onely to those obiectes whose consideration tend's to make vs good and deuote So that meditation is an attentiue thought iterated or voluntarily intertained in the mynd to excitate the will to holy affections and resolutions 4. Verily the holy word doth admirably well explicate by an excellent similitude wherin holy meditation consisteth Ezechias when he would explicate in his Canticle the attentiue consideratioÌ„ which he had of his annoyes I will crie saieth he like a young swallow and meditate as a doue for my deare THEO if euer you tooke notice of it the younge swallows doe gape wide in their chirping and contrariwise the doue of all the birdes doth murmur with her neb shut and clos'd rowling her voice in her weesell and and crope nothing passing outwardly but a certaine resounding or eccho-like sound and this close murmuring doth equally serue her in the expression of her griefe and loues Ezechias then to shew that in his calamitie he made many vocall Praiers I will crie saieth he as a younge swallow opening my mouth to lay before God in many
much aduance her in Seraphicall loue while he with his knowledge remained farre remote from this so excellente a perfection 6. We doe extreamely loue Sciences before we yet know them saieth S. Thomas by the onely cōfused and superficiall knowledge we haue of them Euen so we must confesse that the knowledge of Gods goodnesse applies our will to loue but as soone as she is set on going her loue encreaseth of it selfe by the pleasure which she takes to be vnited to this soueraigne good While children haue not yet tasted honie and suggar it is heard to make them receiue them into their mouthes but after they haue ōce felt their sweetenesse they doe more affect them then one would wishe still crying for them without measure 7. We must confesse notwitstanding that the will drawen by the delight which she takes in her obiect is more forcibly carried to be vnited to it when the vnderstanding of his side doth in an excellent manner propose vnto her the goodnesse thereof for she is then at once both drawen and thrust forward thrust by knowledge drawen by delight so that knowledge is not of it selfe contrarie but profitable to deuotion and meeting together they doe meruellously assist one another though it often happens through our miserie that knowledge doth impeach the birth of deuotion for so much as knowledge doth make vs swell and waxe proud and pride which is contrarie to all vertue is the totall ruine of deuotion Certes the eminent knowledge of those Cyprians Augustins Hilaries Chrisostomes Basiles Gregories Bonauentures Thomases did not onely much commend but euen greatly improue deuotion as againe their deuotion did not onely raise but also extreamely perfect their knowledge The second difference betwixt meditation and contemplation CHAPTER V. 1. MEditation considereth by peece-meale the obiectes proper to moue vs but contemplation beholdes the obiect it loues in one simple and recollected looke and the consideration so vnited causeth a more liuely and strong motion One may behold the beautie of a rich crowne two wayes ether in looking vpon all the flowers and precious stones wherwith it is wrought and besett or els after the consideration of all the peeces in particular in beholding the whole peece together in one sole and simple viewe The first kind resembles meditation in which for example we consider the effectes of God's mercy to excite vs to his loue but the second is like to contemplation in which we consider with one onely touch of our mynd all the varietie of the same effectes as an onely beautie composed of all these peeces making vp one sole shine of brightnesse We doe count as it were in meditating the diuine perfections which we find in a mysterie but in contēplating we somme vp the totall somme The spouse her cōpanions had asked her who was her well-beloued ād she makes answere in an admirable descriptiō of all the partes of his perfect beautie his hewe is white and redde his head of gold his head heire as the bude of a Palme tree as yet not quite spred out his eyes the eyes of a doue his cheekes as little tables placed at the corner of a garden his lipps as Lillies perfumed with odours his hands decked with ringes of Hiacinth his legges as Marble pillers thus she goes meditating this soueraigne beautie peece by peece till at length she concluds by way of contemplation putting all the beuties into one his throte saieth she is most sweete and he wholy desirable such is my well-beloued and he is my deare friend 2. Meditation is like to him that smells a Pinke a Rose Rosmarie Time Iasmin or the orange flowre distinctly one after another but contemplation is like to one smelling the sweete water distilled from all those flowres for the latter in one smell receiues all the sentes together which the other had smelt a part and there is no doubt but this one smell alone rising from the mixture of all these smels is more sweete and precious then the smels of which it is composed being smelt a part one after another Hence it is that the heauenly spouse esteemes so highly to be seene of his well-beloued with one eye onely and that her haire is so well tressed that it seemes to be but one haire for what is it to behold the Spouse with one eye onely then to behold him with a single attentiue view without multiplying lookes and what is it to haue her haire thus foulded together but not to scatter her thoughtes in the multiplicitie of considerations O how happie are they who hauing rūne ouer the multitude of motiues which they haue to loue God reducing all their lookes to one onely view and all their thoughtes to one conclusion doe staie their mind in the vnitie of contemplation following the example of S. AVGVSTINE or S. BRVNO pronouncing secretly in their soule in a continuing admiration these words of loue O BOVNTIE BOVNTIE BOVNTIE euer old and euer new and at the example of great S. FRANCIS who set vpon his knees in Praier passed the whole night in these words O God thou art my God and my All inculcating the same continually as reporteth the B. Brother Bernard of Quintenall who himselfe heard it 3. See S. BERNARD THEO he had by peece-meale meditated all the passion and he makes a Nosegay of all the prime points put together of louing griefe and putting it vpon his breast to change his meditation into contemplation he cried out my well-beloued is to me a Posie of myrrhe 4. But let vs see yet more deuotely the Creatour of the would how in the Creation he first meditated the goodnesse of his workes one by one seuerally as soone as he saw them produced He saw saieth the Scripture that the light was good that heauen and earth was a good thing and so the hearbes and plantes the sunne moone and starrs the liuing beastes and in somme all the rest of the creaturs as he created them one after another till at length all the vniuers being accomplished the diuine meditation doth as it were turne into Contemplation for viewing all the goodnesse that was in his workes with one onely glance of his eye He saw saieth Moyses all that he had made and all of it was very good The sundrie parts considered seuerally by manner of meditation were good but beheld in one onely looke together in forme of contemplation they were found very good as many little brookes rūning together makes a riuer which doth carie greater fraightes then the multitude of the same brookes seuerally could doe 5. After we haue moued a great many different pious affections by the multitude of considerations of which meditation is composed we doe in the end gather together the vertue of all these affections from which by the confusion and mixture of their forces doth spring a certaine quintesence of affection and of affection more actiue and puissant then all the affections whence it proceedeth because though it be
cannot be saciated it doth much torment the mind 3. If a Bee had stung a child it were to sweete pourpose to saie to him ô my child the very Bee that stung thee is the same that makes the honie which likes thee so well for it is true might it replie her honie is very pleasant to my taste but her sting is painefull and while her sting stikes in my cheake I shall neuer be at rest and doe you not marke that my face is all swollen with it THEO Loue is indeede a Complacence and by consequence very delightfull so that it leaues not in our heart the sting of desire for when it leaues it there is left with it a great paine True it is this paine proceedes from loue and therefore is an amiable and beloued paine Heare the painfull yet louelie eiaculations of a royall Louer My soule thrisleth after her strong and liuing God Ah! when shall I come and appeare before the face of my God my teares haue bene bread to me night and day while it is saied vnto me where is thy God And the sacred Sunamite wholy possessed with dolorous loues speaking to the daughters Alas saieth she I coniure you if you meete my beloued tell him my griefe because I languish with the wound of loue Delaied hope afflicts the soule 4. Now the painfull wounds of loue are of diuers sorts 1. The first touches that loue giues our heart are called wounds because the heart that was sound entire and it 's owne before it loued being strook with loue begins to separate and diuide it selfe from it selfe to giue it selfe to the beloued obiect nor can this separation be made without paine seeing paine is no other thing then a separation of liuing things that were vnited 2. Desire doth incessantly sting and wound the heart in which it is lodged 3. TAEO speaking of heauenly loue in the practise of it there is a kind of wound giuen by God himselfe to the soule which he will perfect for he giues her admirable feelings and incomparable touches of his soueraigne goodnesse as pressing and soliciting her to loue him and then she forcibly bears herselfe vp as to soare higher towards her diuine obiect but lighting short not being able to loue with proportion to her desire ô God she feeles a paine without paragon At the same instant that she is powerfully drawen to flie towards her deare and well beloued she is powerfully retained and cannot flie as being chained to the seruile miseries of this mortall life and out of her owne impotencie she wisheth the winge of the doue to flie to her repose but finds it not So that she is roughly tormented betwixt the violencie of her desires and her owne impotencie ô miserable wretch that I am saied one of those that had tried this tormēt who will deliuer me from the bodie of this death And then if you marke it THEO it is not the desire of a thing absent that doth wound the heart for the soule perceiues that her God is present he had already led her into his wine celler planted vpon her heart the banner of loue but howbeit though already he see her wholy his he vrgeth her and from time to time toucheth her with a thousand thousand darts of his loue shewing her by new meanes how much more louely he is then he is beloued And she who hath not so much force to loue as loue to force her selfe seeing her forces so weake in respect of the desire she hath to loue him worthily to whose worth no force of loue can reach alas she finds her selfe stroock with an incomparable torment for in the same measure that she sobbs out more deeply the longings of her coueting loue the panges of her paine are augmented 5. This heart in loue with God desiring infinitly to loue sees notwithstanding that it can neither loue nor desire sufficiently Now this vnaccomplished desire is as a dart in the breast of a generous spirit yet the paine which proceedes from it is amiable because whosoeuer desires earnestly to loue loues also earnestly to desire And would esteeme himselfe the most miserable man aliue if he did not continually desire to loue that which is so soueraignely good Desiring to loue he receiues delight but louing to desire he is paied with paine 6. Good God THEOT what am I going to saie The Blessed in heauen seeing that God is more to be beloued then they loue him would sownd and eternally perish with a desire to loue him more if God's holiest will did not impose vpon theirs the admirable repose which they enioye for they so soueraignely loue this soueraigne will that the desire thereof doth quiet theirs and God's contentment doth content them being willing to be limited in their loue euen by that will whose Goodnesse is the obiect of their loue If this were not their loue would be equally delicious and dolourous delicious by the possession of so great a good dolourous through an extreame desire of a greater loue God therefore continually drawing arrowes if we may saie so out of the quiuer of his infinite beautie wounds the hearts of his Louers making them clearely see that they doe not loue him nigh so much as he is worthy to be beloued what mortall soeuer desires not to loue the Diuine goodnesse more loues him not enough sufficiencie in this diuine exercise doth not suffise him that will make a stand in it as though it suffised him Of some other meanes by which loue wounds the heart CHAPTER XIV 1. NOthihg doth so much wound a louing heart as to perceiue another heart wounded with the loue of it The Pellican builds her nest vpon the ground whence serpents doe often sting her younglings Now when this happens the Pellican as an excellent naturall Phisition with the point of her beake doth woūd her poore younglings on euery side to cause the poyson which the Serpents sting had spred ouer all the bodie to depart with the blood and to get out all the poison she lets out all the blood and consequently permits the little troope of Pellicans to perish in this sort but seeing them dead she wounds her selfe and spredding her blood ouer them she doth reuiue them with a more new and pure life her loue wounded them and fourthwith by the same loue she wounds her selfe Neuer doe we wound a heart with the wound of loue but we our selues are straight wounded with the same When the soule sees her God wounded by loue for her sake she receiues from it a mortall wound Thou hast wounded my heart saied the heauenly Spouse to the Sunamite and the Sunamite cries-out tell my well-beloued that I am wounded with loue Bees neuer wound but themselues are wounded to death And we seeing the Sauiour of our soules wounded by loue for vs to death and death of the crosse how can we but be wounded with him yea I saie wounded with a wound so much more dolorously
amiable as his was amiably dolorous nor can we neuer loue him as his loue and death requireth There is yet another wound of loue when the soule knowes well she loues God and he treates her in such sort as though he knew not she loued him or were diffident of her loue for then my deare THEO the soule is put into an extreame anguish it being insupportable vnto her to see or perceiue any apparence that God distrusts in her The poore S. PETER found his heart full of loue towards his Maister and his Maister making shew not to know it Peter quoth he dost thou loue me more then these Ah Lord saied the Apostle thou knowest I loue thee But Peter dost thou loue me replied our Sauiour My deare Maister saied the Apostle truely I loue thee thou knowest it But this so cote Maister to proue him and as shewing a diffidence of his loue Peeter saied he dost thou loue me Ah Sauiour thou woundest this poore heart who much afflicted cries out louingly yet dolorously Maister thou knowest all things indeede thou knowest well I loue thee Vpon a certaine day while a possessed person was exorcised the wicked spirit being vrged to tell his name I am quoth he that accursed creature DEPRIVED OF LOVE and S. CATHARIN who was there present sodenly perceiued all her bowells moued and disordered in onely hauing heard these words PRIVATION OF LOVE pronounced for as the Diuels doe so hate the diuine loue that they quake in seeing the signe of it hearing it named that is in seeing the crosse or be a rāg the name of IESVS pronoūced So such as doe entirely loue our Sauiour doe tremble with griefe ād horrour when they see any signes or seen by worde that doth brīg to mīd the priuatiō of this holy loue 2. S. PETER was certaine that God who knew all could not be ignorant how much he was loued by him yet because the repetition of this demaund Peter dost thou loue me hath some apparence of diffidence S. PETER is much afflicted in it Alas the poore soule that is resolued rather to die then offend her God and yet feeles not a sparke of feruour but contrariwise an extreame coldnesse which doth so benume and weaken all her parts that she frequently fals into very sensible imperfections this soule I saie THEO is all wounded for her loue is exceeding dolourous to see that God doth not seeme to see that she loues him leauing her as one that appertaines not to him and she apprehēds that amidst her defaults distractions and coldnesse our Sauiour doth strike her with this reproach how can'st thou saie that thou loue'st me seeing thy minde is not with me which is as a dart of sorrowe through her heart but a dart of sorrowe which proceedes from loue for if she loued not she would not be afflicted with the apprehension she hath that she loues not 3. Sometimes loue doth wound vs in the very memorie we haue that there was a time in which we loued not our God O how late I haue loued the auncient and new beautie saied that Saint who for thirtie yeares was Hereticke Life past is a horrour to his life present who passed his life past without louing the Soueraigne Goodnesse 4. Sometimes loue doth wound vs with the meere cōsideration of the multitude of those that doe contemne the loue of God so that hereby we sownd with griefe as he who saied my Zeale ô Lord hath withered me with griefe for that my enemyes haue not kept thy lawe And the Great S. FRANCIS thinking he had not bene heard wept vpon a day sobed and lamented so pitifully that an honest man ouer hearing him ranne to his succour as thinking some had offered to kill him and finding him all alone asked of him why dost thou crie so heard poore man Alas quoth he I weepe to thinke that our Sauiour endured so much for the loue of vs and none thinkes of it and hauing saied thus he begun againe to weepe and this good mā fell also a sobbing and weeping with him 5. But howsoeuer this is admirable in the woundes receiued from the diuine loue that their paine is delightfull and all that feele it consent to it and would not change this paine for all the pleasures of the world There is no paine in Loue or if any it is a beloued one A Seraphin on a day holding a golden arrowe from the heade whereof issued a little flame he darted it into the heart of the B. Mother Teresa and offering to drawe it out this virgine seemed to haue her bowells drawen from her the paine being so excessiue that she had onely force to cast out weake and smale sighes but yet it was a paine so amiable that she desired neuer to be deliuered of it Such was the arrowe that God sent into the heart of the great S. CATHARIN of Genua in the beginning of her conuersion whence she became another woman dead to the world and things created to liue onely to her Creatour The well-beloued is a posie of bitter Myrrhe and this posie is also the well-beloueds who remaines dearely seated betwixt the breastes of his well-beloued that is the best-beloued of all the well-beloueds Of the amourous languishment of the heart wounded with loue CHAPTER XV. 1. IT is a thing sufficiently knowne that humane loue doth not onely wound the heart but euen weaken the bodie mortally because as passions and the temperature of the bodie hath a great power to encline the soule and draw her after its so the affections of the soule haue great force in stirring the humours and changing the qualities of the bodie but further loue when it is violent doth beare away the soule to the thing beloued with such impetuositie and doth so wholy possesse her that she is deficient in all her other operations be they sensatiue or intellectuall so that to feede and second this loue the soule seemes to abandon all other care all other exercises yea and her selfe too whēce Plato saied that Loue was poore trent naked barefoote miserable without house that it laie without dores vpon the hard ground alwayes in want It is poore because it makes one quit all for the thing beloued It is without a house because it vrgeth the soule to leaue her owne habitation to follow hī cōtinually whō she loues It is miserable pale leane and ruinous for that it makes one loose sleepe meete and drinke It is naked and barefoote sith it makes one forsake all other affections to embrace that of the thing beloued It lies without vpon the hard ground because it laies open the heart that is in loue making it manifest its passions by sighes plaintes praises suspicions iealousies It lies all along at the gate like a begger because it makes the louer perpetually attentiue to the eyes and mouth of the beloued hanging continually at his eares to speake to him and begge of him some fauours wherwith it is neuer saciated
Now the eyes eares and mouth are the gates of the soule In fine the condition of its life is to be still indigent for if euer it be saciated it leaues to be ardent and consequently to be loue 2. True it is THEO that Plato spoke thus of the abiect vile and foule loue of worldlings yet are the same properties found in diuine and celestiall loue For turne your eyes a litle vpon those first Maisters of christian doctrine I meane those first Doctors of holy Euangelicall loue and marke what one of them who had laboured the most saied vntill this houre saieth he we doe both hunger and thrist and are naked and are beaten with buffets and are wanderers we are made the refuse of this world and as the drosse or skume as though he had saied we are so abiect that if the world be a Pallas we are held the sweepers thereof if the world be an aple we are the parings What I praie you had brought them to this state but Loue It was Loue that threwe S. FRANCIS naked before his Bishop and made him die naked vpon the ground It was Loue made him a begger all his life It was Loue that sent the great S. FRANCIS ZAVERIVS poore needie torne vp and downe amongst the Indians and Iaponians It was Loue that brought the great Cardinall S. CHARLES Archbishop of Milan to that extreamitie of pouertie amidst the riches which he had by the right of blood and his dignitie that as Maister Panigaroll the eloquent Orator of Italie saied he was as a dogge in his Maisters house eating a peece of bread drinking onely a little water and lying vpon a little strawe 3. Let vs heare I beseech you the holy Sunamite who cries almost in this manner although by reason of a thousand consolations which loue giues me I be more faire then the rich Tents of my Salomon I would saie more faire then heauen which is the lifelesse Pauillion of his royall Maiestie seeing I am his liuing Pauillion yet am I black torne squalled and spoiled with so many wounds and blows giuen me by the same Loue ah respect not my heu for I am truely browne because my beloued who is my Sunne hath streamed the raies of his loue vpon me raies which by their light doe illuminate yet by their heate I am sunn-burnt and made brownish and touching me with their splendour they haue berefte me of my colour The passion of loue hath done me too much honour in giuing me a Spouse such as is my King but the same passion which is a mother to me seeing she alone gaue me in mariage not my merits hath other children which doe wonderfully assault and vexe me bringing me to such a langour that as of one side I am like to a Queene who is beside her king so of the other side I am as a Vineyard-keeper who in a miserable cabinet lookes to a vine and a vine that is not his owne 4. Truely THEOT when the wounds and strokes of loue are frequent and strong they put vs into lāgour and into Lou's well-beloued sicknesse Who could euer describe the amourous langours of a S. Catharin of Sienna and Genua or a S. Angelo Folini a S. Bernard a S. Francis And as for the last his latter dayes were nothing but teares sighes plaints langours pinings Loue-traunces But in all this nothing so strange as the admirable communicatiō which the sweete IESVS had with him of his louing and precious paines by the impression of his wounds and Stigmats THEO I haue often pondered this wonder and haue made this conceipt of it This great Seruant of God a man wholy Seraphicall beholding the liuely picture of his crucified Sauiour represented in a glittering Seraphin which appeared vnto him vpon the Mount-Aluernus grewe softer then is imaginable taken with a soueraigne consolation and compassion For beholding this bright Myrrour of loue which the Angell could not saciate himselfe in beholding alas he sownded with delight and contentment but seeing also the liuely representation of the markes and woundes of his Sauiour crucified he felt in his soule the impetuous sworde which stroke through the sacred breast of the Virgin-Mother the day of the Passion with as much inward griefe as though she had bene crucified with her deare Sauiour O God THEO if the picture of Abraham fetching deaths blow ouer his deare onely-begotten to sacrifice him a picture drawen by a mortall hand had the power to soften and make weepe the Great S. GREGORIE Bishop of Nisse as often as he beheld it ah how extreamly was the Great S. FRANCIS softened when he beheld the picture of our Sauiour offering himselfe vpon the Crosse A picture which not a mortall hand but the Mistresse hand of a heauenly Seraphin had drawen and copied out of the originall it selfe representing so to the life and nature the heauenly king of Angels brused wounded murdered crucified 5. His soule then being thus mollified softened and almost melted away in this deare paine was therby greatly disposed to receiue the impressions and markes of the loue and paine of his soueraigne louer for his Memorie was wholy engaged in the remembrance of this Diuine Loue his imagination forcibly applied to represent vnto himselfe the wounds and wane blowes which his eyes then saw so perfectly well expressed in the present picture The Vnderstanding receiued from the Imagination infinitly liuelie Species And finally loue imploied all the forces of the will to take pleasure in and conforme her selfe to the Passion of her well-beloued whence without doubt the soule found herselfe trāsformed into a second Crucified Now the soule as the forme and Mistresse of the bodie exercising her authoritie vpon it printed the paines of the wounds with which she was strook in the partes correspondant to those wherein her Louer endured them Loue is admirable in edging the Imagination to penetrate to the exteriour Labans yewes while they were a ramming had so strong an imagination that it hit home vpon their Lambkins with which they were to make them become white or motley according to the rods they beheld in the troughs where they were watered And women with child hauing their Imagination refined by loue imprinte what they list vpon the child's bodie A strong Imagination makes a man waxe white on a night disturbing his health and humours Loue then droue out the inwarde torments of this great Louer S. Francis and wounded the bodie with the dart of sorrowe with which he had wounded the heart But loue being within could not well make the holes in the flesh without and therefore the burning Seraphin comming to helpe darted the raies of so penetrating a light that it really printed in the flesh the exteriour woundes of the Crucified which loue had imprinted interiourly in the soule So the Seraphin seeing Isaie not daring to speake because he perceiued his lips defiled came in the name of God to touch and purifie his lips with a burning
persuation and intreatie but doth it euen with earnestnesse and strife as did the Pilgrimes 1. Emaus who did not onely petition to our Sauiour but euen pressed and vrged him by force and compelled him by a gentle violence to remaine in their lodging with them 5. Now in Praier this vnion is often made by manner of little yet frequēt ierts and aduancings of the soule towards God and if you take notice of little children vnited and ioyned to their mothers breastes you shall see them euer and anone pressing and ioyning themselues by little iertes which the pleasurs they take in sucking makes them giue so the heart vnited to God in Praier makes often times certaine surcharges of vnion by motions which doe more closely presse and ioyne it to the diuine sweetenesse As for example The soule hauing made a long demoure in the feeling of the vnion wherby she sweetely tastes how happie she is to be Gods in fine augmenting this vnion by a cordiall pressing and ierting forwards I Lord will she saie I am thine all all all without reserue or else ah Lord I am so verily and will be daily more and more or else by way of Praier O sweete IESVS ah drawe me still more deeply into thy heart to the end thy loue may deuoure me and that I may be swallowed vp in thy sweetenesse 6. But at other times the vnion is made not by iterated ierts but by way of a continued insensible pressing and aduauncing of the heart towards the diuine Bountie for as we see a great and heauie masse of leade brasse or stone though not thrust doth so presse cleeue to and sinke into the earth where it lies that at length it is found buried by reason of the inclination of its waightie poise which makes it incessantly tend to the center so our heart being once ioyned to God if without being distracted it remaine in this vnion it sinkes still deeper by an insensible progresse of vnion till it be wholy in God by reason of the holy inclination giuen it by loue to be continually more and more vnited to the soueraigne Goodnesse For as the great Apostle of France saieth Loue is a vnitiue vertue that is it bringes vs to a perfect vnion with the soueraigne Good And sith it is a doubtlesse truth that Diuine loue while we are in this life is a motion or at least an actiue habit tending to motiō euen after it hath attained simple vniō it ceaseth not to act though imperceptibly still more and more to encrease ad perfect it 7. So trees that require to be transplanted as soone as that is done they sprede their roots and lodge them deeper in the bosome of the earth which is their element and nourishment nor doth any perceiue this while it is a doing but onely after it is done And mans heart transplanted out of the world into God by celestiall loue if it doe earnestly practise Praier certes it will continually extend and ioyne it selfe to the Diuinitie vniting it selfe more and more to Gods Goodnesse but by imperceptible grouths whose progresse one can hardly discouer while it is doing but onely when it is done If you drinke any exquisite water to wit imperiall water the simple vnion thereof with you is instantly made vpon your receiuing of it for the receiuing and vnion is all one in this behalfe but afterwards by little and little this vniō is encreased by an insēsibly sensible progresse for the vertue of this water penetrating the parts will comfort the braine sttengthen the heart and will disperse its force through the spirits 8. In like manner a taste of loue for example that God is good hauing got entrie into the heart it doth presently make an vnion with this Goodnesse but being held a while as a precious perfume it penetrats euery parte of the soule poures out and dilats it selfe in our will and doth as it were incorporate it selfe with our spirit ioyning and locking it selfe more nerely to ech part of vs and vniting vs to it And to it this which the great Dauid doth teach vs when he compares his sacred words to honie for who knowes not that the sweetenesse of honie is vnited more and more to our senses by a continuall encrease of sauorinesse while holding it a pritie space in our mouth or softly swallowing it the relish thereof doth more deeply penetrate our Taste And in this wise the taste of the diuine Goodnesse expressed in this word of S. BRVNOS O BOVNTIE or by these of S. THOMAS MY LORD MY GOD or these of MAGDALEN AH MAISTER or these of S. FRANCIS MY GOD AND MY ALL this taste I saie hauing bene kept a while in a louing heart it is dilated dispersed and sinkes into the Spirit by an inward penetration and doth more and more perfume it with it 's sent which is no other thing then to encrease the vnion in the nature of a precious oyntment or Baulme which falling vpon cotten doth so sinke into and vnite it selfe to it by little and little that in the end one will not easily saie whether the cotten is perfumed or it is perfume or else whether the perfume is cotton or the cotten perfume O how happie is the soule who in the peace of her heart doth louingly conserue the sacred feeling of Gods presence for her vnion with the diuine Goodnesse shall haue continuall though insensible encrease and shall throughly water the spirit with infinite sweetenesse Now when I speake of the sacred taste of Gods presēce I doe not meane it of a sensible taste but of that which doth inhabit the top and Supreame point of the Spirit where heauenly Loue doth raigne and keepe his principall exercises Of the diuers degrees of the holy vnion which is made in Praier CHAPTER II. 1. SOmetimes the vnion is made without our cooperation saue onely by a simple consent permitting our selues to be vnited to the Diuine Goodnesse without resistance as a little child in loue with his mothers breastes ād yet is so weake that he cannot moue himselfe towards them nor to cleeue to her being there onely he is glad to be drawen into his mothers armes and to be pressed by her to her breasts 2. Sometimes we cooperate when being drawen we willingly runne to second the force of Gods Goodnesse which drawes vs and lockes vs to him by loue 3. Sometimes we apprehend that we begin to vnite and ioyne our selues to God before he ioyne himselfe to vs for that we feele the action of the vnion of our part without perceiuing that which God doth on his side which yet doubtlesse doth alwaies preuent vs though we doe not alwaies perceiue his preuention for vnlesse he vnited himselfe to vs we should neuer vnite our selues to him he alwaies choseth and laieth hold on vs before we chose or laie hold one him But when following his imperceptible touches we begin to vnite our selues vnto him he doth often make the progresse
vnion doth vrge and aide vs towards the spirituall vnion of which we speake Of the soueraigne degree of vnion by suspension or rauishment CHAPTER III. 1. VVHether therefore the vnion of our soule with God be made perceptibly or imperceptibly God is alwaies the Authour thereof for none can be vnited to him but by going vnto him nor can any goe vnto him vnlesse he be drawen by him as the Heauenly Spouse doth testifie saying none can come vnto me vnlesse my Father drawes him which his holy Spouse doth also protest saying Drawe me and we will runne in the odour of thy perfumes 2. Now the perfection of this vnion consisteth of two points that it be pure ād that it be strong May not I goe towards a man with intention to behold him better to speake to hī to obtaine some thīg of him to smell the perfumes which are about him to be supported by him and in that case certainly I goe towards him and ioyne my selfe vnto him yet my approch and vnion is not my principall pretention but I onely make that a meanes and way to the obtaining of another thing But if I approch and ioyne my selfe vnto him for no other end then to be neere vnto him and to enioye this neighbourhood and vniō it is then an approch of pure and simple vnion 3. So many doe approch vnto our Sauiour some to heare him as Magdalen some to be cured by him as the sicke of the fluxe others to adore him as the three kinges others to serue him as Martha others to vanquish their incredulitie as S. THOMAS others to anointe him as MAGDALEN IOSEPH NICODEMVS but his diuine Sunamite seekes to find him and hauing found him desires no other thing then to hold him fast and holding him neuer to quit him I hold him saieth she and I will neuer let him goe IACOB saieth S. B RNARD hauing fast hold of God will let him goe so he may receiue his benediction but the Sunamite will not let hī depart for all the benedictiōs he can giue her for her aime is not the benedictions of God but the God of benedictiōs saying with Dauid what is there for me in heauen or in earth what can I pretend but thy selfe thou art the God of my heart and my part for euer 4. Thus was the glorious Mother at the foote of her sonnes Crosse Ah! what dost thou search ô mother of life in this Mount of Caluarie in this place of death I am looking would she haue saied my child who is the life of my life And why dost thou looke him to be close by him But now he is amidst the dolours of death Ah! it is not mirth I seeke it is himselfe and my heart in loue makes me looke all about to be vnited vnto that amiable child my tenderly beloued In fine the pretention of the soule in this vnion is onely to be with her Louer 5. But when the vnion of the soule with God is most strict and most close it is called by Diuines an INHESION or ADHESION for that the soule thereby is taken fastened glued and nayled to the Diuine Maiestie so that she cannot easily loose or drawe her selfe backe againe Looke I praie you vpon a man taken and locked by attention to the delight of a harmonious musike or else which is idle to the fopperie of a game at cardes you would drawe him from it but cānot what businesse soeuer attend him at home there is no forcing him thence in it euen meate and drinke is forgotten O God THEOT how much more ought the soule that is in loue with God to be fastened and locked being vnited to the Diuinitie of the infinite Sweetenesse and who is taken and wholy possessed by this obiect of incomparable perfection Such was the soule of that great vessell of Election who cried-out To th' end I might liue with God I am nayld to the Crosse with IESVS-CHRIST and with all he protests that nothing no not death it selfe can separate him from his Maister This effect of loue was also practised betweene Dauid and Ionathas for it is saied that the soule of Ionathas was glued to Dauids to conclud it is a famous AXIOME amongst the Aunciant Fathers that Friendshipe that can know end was neuer true Friendshipe as elswhere I haue saied 5. See I beseech you THEO the little childe cleeuing to and colling his mother if one offer to take him thence to laie him in his cradle it being high time he delaies and essaies by all the meanes he is able not to forsake that amiable bosome and if one make him loose one hand he claspes hold with the other but if one carrie him quite away he fals a crying and keeping his heart and his eyes where he cannot keepe his bodie with shrikes he pursues his deare mother till by rocking he is brought a sleepe So the soule who by the exercise of vnion is come to be taken and fastened to the Diuine Goodnesse can hardly be pulled from it by force ād a great deale of paine It is not possible to make her loose hold if one diuert her Imagination she ceaseth not to apprehend her selfe taken by the vnderstanding and if one loose her vnderstanding she cleeues by the will or if yet by some violent distraction they vrge her will to quit her hold from moment to moment she returns towards her deare obiect from which she cannot be entirely vntyed but she striues all she can to linke together againe the sweete bands of her vnion with him by the frequent returns which she makes by stelth experiencing in it S. PAVLES paine for she is pressed with two desires to be freede of all exteriour imploiment to remaine with IESVS-CHRIST in her interiour and yet to put hand to the worke of Obedience which the very vnion with IESVS CHRIST doth teach her to be requisite 6. And the B. S. TERESA saieth excellently that the vnion being arriued at this perfection as to hold vs taken and tyed to our Sauiour is not distinguished from a rauishment suspension or hanging of the Spirit But that it is called onely vnion suspension or hanging when it is short and when it is long Extasie or rauishment because indeede the soule which is so firmely and closely vnited to her God that she cannot easily be drawen thence is not in her selfe but in God as a crucified bodie is not in it selfe but vpon the crosse or as Iuie grasping the wall is not in it's selfe but vpon the wall 7. But to auoyde all equiuocation know THEO that Charitie is a place and a place of perfection and he that is endued with more Charitie is more straitly vnited and fastened vnto God And we speake not of that vnion which is permanent in vs by manner of habite be we sleeping or waking we speake of the vniō made by action which is one of the Exercises of loue and Charitie Imagine then that S. PAVLE S. DENIS S. AVGVSTINE
S. BERNARD S. FRANCIS S. CATHERIN of Genua or of Sienna were yet in this world and were fallen a sleepe being wearied with their many labours taken for the loue of God Propose to your selfe on the other side some good soule yet not so holy as they that were in the Praier of Vnion at the same time I would aske you THEO who is more vnited ioyned and fastened to God whether these great Saints that sleepe or that soule that praies Certes those are the admirable louers for they haue more Charitie and their affections though in some sort a sleepe are so engaged and tyed to their Maister that they cannot be separated from him But you will saie vnto me how can it be that a soule in Praier of Vnion euen vnto Extasie should be lesse vnited vnto God then such as sleepe be they neuer so Saintly Why marke what I tell you THEO that soule is more aduanced in the Exercise of vniō those in the vnion it selfe these are vnited not vniting thēselues being a sleepe but she is vnited ād is in the actuall practise ād exercise of vniō 8. Moreouer this exercise of vnion with God may euen be practised by short and passing yet frequent eiaculations of our heart to God by way of Iaculatorie Praier made to this purpose Ah IESVS who will giue me the grace to be one soule with thee In fine Lord reiecting the multiplicitie of creaturs I desire thyne onely vnitie O God thou art the onely vnitie and onely one necessarie for my soule Alas deare friend of my heart vnite my poore lone soule to thy most singular Bountie Ah thou art wholy myne when shall I be wholy thyne The Adamant drawes and vnites iron vnto it ô Lord my Adamant be my draw-heart locke presse and vnite my heart for euer vnto thy Fatherly breast Ah sith I am made for thee why am I not in thee Dip this drope of Spirit which thou hast bestowed vpon me into the Sea of thy Goodnesse from whence it flowed Ah Sauiour I seeing that thy heart loues me why doth it not force me to it I desiring it should be so Drawe me and I will runne seconding thy draughtes to cast my selfe into thy Fatherly bosome from whence euerlastingly I will not departe Of Rapture and of the first species of the same CHAPTER IV. 1. AN Extasie is called a Rapture for as much as God doth therby draw and reare vs vp to himselfe and a Rapture is termed an extasie in that we doe by it goe and remaine out of and aboue our selues to be vnited to God And although the touches by which God drawes vs be admirably sweete gustfull and delicious yet by reason of the force which the diuine Beautie and Bountie haue to drawe vnto them the attention and application of the mind it seemes that it doth not onely raise vs but that it doth rauish and beare vs a way As contrariwise by reason of the most free consent and ardent motion by which the soule rauished rūnes after the diuine touches she seemes not onely to mount and eleuate her selfe but that she doth breake out of her selfe and cast her selfe into the very Diuinitie It fals out after the same manner in the most infamous extasie or abominable Rapture of the soule who by the baites of brutall pleasures is degraded of her spirituall dignitie and placed below her naturall condition for in so much as she doth willingly follow this accursed pleasure and doth precipitate herselfe out of herselfe that is out of her spirituall estate she is saied to be in a sensuall Extasie but for as much as the sensuall baites and inticements doe forceably drawe her and as it were traile her into this vile and base condition she is saied to be rauished and transported because these beastly delightes doe depose her from the vse of reason and vnderstanding with so furious a violence that as one of the greatest Philosophers saieth a man in this case seemes to be fallen into the falling sicknesse so is the mind swallowed vp and as it were lost O men how long will you be so made as to debase your naturall dignitie voluntarily precipitating your selues and discending to the condition of brute beastes 2. But my Deare THEO as touching sacred Extasies they are of three kindes the one belongs to the Vnderstanding th' other to the Affection and the third to the Action The one is in Splendour th' other in feruour the third in the worke the one is made by admiration th' other by deuotion and the third by operation Admiration is caused in vs by the approch of an vncoth Truth which we neither know nor yet hope to know and if the vncoth Truth we meete with be accompaned with Beautie and Goodnesse the admiratition which proceedeth from it is vety delicious So the Queene of Saba finding more true wisdome in Salomon then she had imagined was filled with admiration And the Iewes experiencing in our Sauiour more knowledge then euer they had beleeued they were taken with a great admiratiō When therefore it pleaseth the Diuine Goodnesse to illuminate our heart with some speciall light wherby it is raised to an extraordinarie and sublime contemplation of heauenly Mysteries then discouering more beautie in them then it could haue imagined it fals into Admiration 3. Now admiration of pleasant things doth closely fixe and glew the mind to the thing admired as well by reason of the excellent beautie which admiration discouers vnto it as also by the noueltie of this excellencie the vnderstanding neuer thinking to haue gazed enough vpon that which it neuer sawe before and yet is so agreeable to the viewe Sometimes also besides this God doth impart to the soule a light not onely cleare but euen encreasing in clearenesse as the breake of the day and thē as such as haue found a goldē Myne doe still breake more earth still to finde more of that wished mettle so the vnderstanding doth still diue deeper and deeper into the consideration and admiration of his diuine obiect for euen as admiration was the cause of Philosophie and the attentiue studie of naturall things so it was the cause of Contēplation and mysticall Diuinitie ād whereas this admiratiō being strōg keepes vs without our selues ād aboue our selues by a liuely attētion and applicatiō of our vnderstāding to heauēly things it carries vs cōsequētly into Extasie Of the second Species of Rapture CHAPTER V. 1. GOd drawes mens minds vnto him by his soueraigne Beautie and incomprehensible GOODNESSE which two excellences are but one Supreame Diuinitie most singularly faire and good together Euery thing aimes at GOOD and FAIRE euery thing lookes that way and are stirred and staied by it GOOD and FAIRE is desirable amiable and deare vnto all for it all things doe and will whatsoeuer they will or doe And FAIRE because it doth attract and recall all things to it selfe the Grecians giues it a name which signifies to recall In like manner
light is the true picture of GOOD especially in that light doth recollect reduce and turne all things towards it selfe wheÌ„ce the Sunne amongst the Grecians is named from a word which shewes that his effect is to gather together vnite and assemble things dispersed as GOODNESSE doth turne all things vnto it selfe being not onely the soueraigne vnion but soueraignely vniting since all things desire it as their Principall conseruation and last end so that in conclusion GOOD and FAIRE are but one and the same thing because all things doe couet GOOD and FAIRE 2. This discourse THEO is almost entirely composed of the words of the Diuine S. Dâ—NIS of Areopagite and verily it is certaine that the SuÌ„ne Source of corporall light is the true picture of GOOD and FAIRE for amongst purely corporall creaturs there is neither Goodnesse nor Beautie equall to that of the Sunne Now the BEAVTIE and GOODNESSE of the Sunne consisteth in his light without which nothing would be FAIRE nothing GOOD in this corporall world as FAIRE he lighteneth all as GOOD he heateth and quickneth all in so much as he is FAIRE and cleare he drawes vnto him all the eyes of the world that haue sight In so much as he is good and doth heate he gaines vnto himselfe all the appetits and inclinations of this corporall world for he doth extract and drawe vp the exhalations and vapours he toucheth and makes rise from their originalls Plantes and liuing creatures nor is there any generation to which the vitall heate of this great light doth not contribute So God Father of light soueraignely GOOD and FAIRE by his beautie drawes our Vnderstanding to contemplate him and by his GOODNESSE our wills to loue him as Faire replenishing our vnderstanding with delight he poures his loue into our wills as Good filling our wills with his loue he excits our vnderstanding to contemplate him Loue prouoking vs to Contemplation and Contemplation to loue whence it followes that Extasies and Raptures depend wholy of loue for it is loue that carries the vnderstanding to Contemplation and the will to vnion so that finally we must conclud with the great S. DENIS that Diuine Loue is extaticall not leauing Louers to liue to themselues but to the thing beloued for which cause the admirable Apostle S. PAVLE being possessed of this diuine Loue and participating the extaticall force thereof with a diuinely inspired mouth I liue saied he not I but IESVS-CHRIST liues in me as a true Louer gone out of himselfe into God he liued now not his owne life but the life of his beloued as being soueraignely amiable 3. Now these Raptures of loue are exercised vpon the will in this sort God toucheth it with the touches of his sweetenesse and theÌ„ as a needle touched with an Adamant doth turne and tend towards the Pole forgetfull of its insensible condition so the will touched with heauenly loue doth lanche out and aduaÌ„ce it selfe towards God leauing all earthly pretentions and by that meanes fals into a Rapture not of knowledge but of fruition not of admiration but of affection not of science but of experience not of sight but of taste and feeling It is true as I haue already signified the vnderstanding enters some times into admiration seeing the sacred delight which the will takes in her Extasie as the will often takes pleasure to perceiue the vnderstanding in admiration so that these two faculties doe enterchang their rauishments the view of Beautie making vs loue it and the loue thereof making vs view it Rarely is a man made hote by the sunne beames that he is not also lightened or lightened and not made hote Loue doth easily make vs admire and admiration loue 3. Howbeit the two Extasies of the vnderstanding and will are not so mutuall but that the one is often found without the other for as the Philosophers did better know then loue their Creatour so ordinarily good Christians doe more loue then know him and consequently the abundance of knowledge is not alwayes followed with the abundance of loue like as the abundance of loue is not still accompaned with the abundance of knowledge as elsewhere I haue noted Now if the Extasie of admiration be alone we are not made better by it following that which he saied who was drawen vp in Extasie into the third heauen If I knew quoth he all the Mysteries and Sciences and should waÌ„t Charitie I am nothing and therefore the euill Spirit can put into an Extasie if we may so saie and rauish the vnderstanding by proposing vnto it wonders which holds it in suspence eleuated aboue its naturall forces and by such lightes he can afford the will a kind of vaine daintie nice and imperfect loue by way of complacence satisfaction and sensible consolation But to put the will into a true Extasie wherby it is entirely and powerfully ioyned vnto the diuine Goodnesse appertaines onely to that soueraigne Spirit by whom the Charitie of God is diffused into our hearts Of the signes of a good Rapture and of the third species of the same CHAPTER VI. 1. ANd indeede THEO there haue bene many in our age that both themselues and others with them beleeued that they were frequently by the diuine power drawen into Extasie and yet in the end it was discouered that all was but illusions and diabolicall amassements A certaine Priest in S. AVGVSTINES time put himselfe into Extasies when he pleased by singing or hearing sunge certaine mournefull and pitifull ditties and that onely to please their curiositie who desired to view this Spectacle But that which is most admirable is that his Extasie went so farre that he did not feele fire which was applied vnto him saue after he was come to himselfe and yet if some spoke with a shrill voice he would heare them as from a farre off yet did he not breath The Philosophers themselues did acknowledge certaine Species of naturall Extasies caused by a vehement application of the mind to the considetion of high things Wherefore we must not thinke it strang if the diuell to plaie the Ape to beguile soules to scandalize the weake and to transforme himselfe into an Angell of light cause Rapturs in certaine soules who are not solidly instructed in true pietie 2. To the end then that one might discerne Diuine Extasie from humane anâ—â—iobolicall Gods seruants haue left many documents But for my part it shall suffice for my purpose to propose vnto you two markes of the good and holy Extasie The one is that the holy Extasie doth neuer so much charge and affect the vnderstanding as the will which it doth stirre vp enkindle and fill with a solide affection towards God so that if the Exstasie be more faire then Good more bright theÌ„ hote more speculatiue then affectiue it is very doubtfull and worthy of suspition I doe not saie that one may not haue Rapturs yea Propheticall visioÌ„s without Charitie for as I know well one may haue Charitie
euen as the flame began to sease hpon her the Eagle came in with a quicke flight and beholding this vnlooked for and sad spectackle strooke through with griefe she loosed her talons let fall her prey and spred herselfe vpon her poore beloued Mistresse and couering her with her wings as it were to defend her from the fire or for pities sake to embrace her she remained there constant and immoueable couragiously dying and burning with her the ardour of her affection not giuing place to the ardour of flames and fire that by that meanes she might become the VICTIME ād HOLOCAVSTE of her braue and prodigious loue as her Mistresse was already of death and fire 3. O THEO to what a high flight this Eagle moues vs our Sauiour hath bred vs vp from our tender youth yea he formed vs and receiued vs as a louing Nource into the armes of his Diuine Prouidence euen from the time of our Conception Not beeing yet thy holy hand did make me Scarce borne into thy armes thy loue did take me He made vs his owne by Baptisme and by an incomprehensible loue doth tenderly nourish both our bodie and soule to purchace vs life he suffered death and with his owne flesh and blood hath fed vs Ah what rests then my deare THEO what Conclusion are we to draw from hence but onely that such as liue should liue no more to them selues but to him that died for them that is to saie that we should consecrate all the moments of our life to the Diuine Loue of our Sauiours death bringing home to his glorie all our preys all our conquests all our actions all our thoughts and affections Let vs behold THEO this heauenly Redeemour extended vpon the Crosse as vpon a funerall Pile of honour where he died of Loue for vs yea of loue more painefull then death it selfe or a death more pleasant then loue it selfe Ah doe we not spiritually cast our selues vpon him to die vpon the Crosse with him who for the loue of vs freely died I will hold him should we saie if we had the Eagles generositie and will neuer depart from him I will die with him and burne in the flames of his loue one and the same fire shall consume the Diuine Creatour and the miserable creature My IESVS is wholy myne and I am wholy his I will liue and die vpon his breast nor life nor death shall euer separate me from him Thus is the holy Extasie of true loue practised while we liue not according to humane reason and bent but aboue them following the inspiration and instinct of the heauenly Sauiour of our soules Of the supreame effect of affectiue loue which is the death of Louers and first of such as died in loue CHAPTER IX 1. LOue is strong as death death doth seperate the soule of him that dies from the bodie and from all earthly things Sacred loue doth seperate the Louers soule from the bodie and all earthly things nor is there any other difference sauing that death doth that in effect which loue ordinarily doe onely in affection I saie ordinarily THEO because holy loue is sometimes so violent that euen in effect it causeth a separation betwixt the bodie and the soule making the Louers die a most happie death much better then a thousand liues 2. As it is proper to the Reprobate to die in sinne so is it proper to the Elect to die in the Loue and Grace of God yet in a different manner The iust man neuer dies vnprouided for to haue perseuered in Christian Iustice euen to the end was a good prouision for death He dies indeede sometimes sodainely or a sodaine death For this cause the most wise Church in her Litanies doth teach vs not onely to demand to be deliuered frō sodaine death but sodaine ād vnprouided death It is no worse for being sodaine if it be not withall vnprouided If some weake and common soules had seene fire frō Heauen fall vpon the great S. SIMEON Stilits head and kill him what would they haue thought but thoughts of scandall yet are we to make no other conceit of the matter then that this great Saint hauing perfectly sacrificed himselfe to God in his heart already wholy consumed with loue the fire came from Heauen to perfect the Holocauste and entirely burne it for the Abbot Iulian being a dayes iorney off saw his soule ascend to Heauen and thervpon caused incense to be offered in thankesgiuing to God The Blessed man Good Cremonius on a certaine day set vpon his knees most deuotly to heare Masse rose not at the Ghospell according to custome whēce those that were about him looked vpon him and perceiued he was dead There haue bene in our time most famous men for vertue and learning found dead some in the confession seat others while they heard the Sermon yea some haue bene seene falling downe dead at their going out of the Pulpet where they had preached with great feruour and all these deaths were sodaine yet not vnprouided And how many Good people doe we see die of Apoplexies Lethargies and a thousand other wayes very sodainely others of madnesse and frensie without the vse of reason and all these together with children who are baptised died in Grace and consequently in the Loue of God But how could they die in the Loue of God since they thought not of God at the time of their departure 3. Learned men THEO loose not their knowledge while they are a sleepe for so they would be vnlearned at their awaking and be forced to returne to schoole The like it is of all the habits of Prudence Temperance Faith Hope and Charitie They are continually in the iust mans heart though they be not alwayes in action While a man sleeps it seemes that all his habits sleepe with him and when he awakes awake with him So a iust man dying sodainely or oppressed by a house falling vpon him kill'd by Thunder or stifled with a catarre or else dying out of his senses by the violence of a hote Ague dies not indeede in the exercise of holy Loue yet dies he in the habit thereof wher-vpon the wise-man saieth if the iust-man be preuented by death he shall be in a place of refreshing for it sufficeth to obtaine eternall life to die in the state and habit of loue and Charitie 4. Yet many Saints haue departed this life not onely in Charitie and with the habite of heauenly loue but euen in the act and practise thereof S. AVGVSTINE deceased in the exercise of holy contrition which cannot be without Loue. S. HIEROM in exhorting his deare children to the loue of God their neighbours and vertue S. AMBROSE in a Rapture sweetely discoursing with his Sauiour immediatly after he had receiued the holy Sacrament of the Altar S. ANTONIE of Padua after he had recited a hymne of the glorious virgin-mother and while he spoke with great ioye to our Sauiour S. THOMAS of Aquine ioyning his
hands eleuating his eyes towards Heauen raising his voice very high and pronouncing by way of iaculation with great deuotion these words of the CaÌ„ticles the last which he had expounded Come vnto me my dearly beloued and let vs goe toge-into the fields All the Apostles and in a manner all the Martyrs died in Praier The Blessed and Venerable Bede hauing foreknowne by reuelation the time of his departure went to Euensong and it was vpoÌ„ the Ascension day and standing vpoÌ„ his feete leaning onely vpon the rests of his seate without any disease at all ended his life with the end of the Euensong as it were directly to follow his Maister ascending vnto Heauen there to enioye the bright morning of eternitie which knowes no euening Iohn Gerson Chancellour of the vniuersitie of Paris a man so learned and pious that as Sixtus Senâ—nsis saieth one can hardly discerne whether his learning outstripped his pietiâ— or his pietie his learning hauing explicated the fift proprietie of diuine loue recorded in the Canticle of Canticles three dayes after making shew of a very liuely countenance and courage expired pronouncing and iterating by way of iaculatorie Praier these holy words drawen out of the same Canticles ô God thy loue is strong as death S. MARTINâ— as is knowen died so attentiue to the exercise of his deuotions that he could not speake another word S. Lewis that great king amongst Saints and great Saint amongst kings being infected with the plague praied still and then hauing receiued his heauenly VIATICVM casting abrode his armes in maÌ„ner of a Crosse his eyes fixed vpon Heauen yeelded vp the ghost ardently sighing out these words with a perfect confidence of loue ah Lord I will enter into thy house I will adore thee in thy holy Temple and blesse thy â—ame S. PETER Celestine wholy possessed with afflictions which one can scarcely speake off being come to the periode of his daies began to sing as a sacred Nitingale the last Psalme making these louing words the close of his life and song LET â—VERY SPIRIT PRAISE OVR LORD The Admirable S. EVSEBIVS surnamed the stranger deceased vpon his knees in feruent Praier S. PETER Martyr writing with his owne finger and blood the Confession of Faith for which he died and vttering these words Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit And the great Iaponian Apostle S. FRANCIS Zauerius holding and kissing the image of the Crucifix and repeating at euery turne of a hand this Eiaculation of heart O IESVS the God of my heart Of some that died by and for diuine Loue. CHAPTER X. 1. All the Martyrs THEO died for the Loue of God for when we saie many died for the faith we meane not that they died for a dead faith but for a liuely faith that is quickned by Charitie And the confession of Faith is not so much an act of the vnderstanding and of Faith as of the will and of the Loue of God And thus the great S. PET R conseruing Faith in his heart the day of his Maisters did yet quit Charitie refusing in words to professe him to be his Maister whom in heart he acknowledged to be such But there were yet other Martyrs who died expressely for Charitie alone as our Sauiours great Forerunner who was martyred for brotherly correction and the glorious Princes of the Apostles S. PETER and S. PAVLE but especially S. PAVLE was put to death for hauing reclamed those women to a pious and pure life whom that infamous Nero had wrought to lewdnesse The holy Bishops Stanislaus and S. THOMAS of Canterburie were slaine for a matter that touched not Faith but Charitie In fine a great part of sacred Virgin-Martyrs were put to slaughter for the Zeale they had to conserue their Chastitie which Charitie had caused them to dedicate to their heauenly Spouse 2. But there are some of the Sacred Louers that doe so absolutly giue themselues ouer to the exercises of Diuine Loue that holy fire doth wast and consume their life Griefe doth sometimes so long hinder such as are afflicted froÌ„ eating drinking or sleeping that in the eÌ„d weakened and wasted they dye whervpon it is a common saying that such died of Griefe but it is not so indeede for they died through euacuation and defect of strength True it is sith this faintnesse tooke them by reason of griefe we must auerre that though they died not of griefe yet they died by reason of griefe and by griefe so my deare THEO when the feruour of holy loue is great it giues so many assaults to the heart so often wouÌ„ds it causeth in it so many langours so ordinarily melts it and puts it so frequently into Extasies ad Raptures that by this meanes the soule being almost entitely occupied in God not being able to affoâ—d sufficient assistance to nature coÌ„ueniently to disgâ—st and nourish the sensible and vitall spirits begâ—n by little aÌ„d little to faile liâ—e is shortned and death approcheth 3. O God THEO how happie this death is How delightfull is this loue-dart which wounding vs with the incurable wound of heauenly loue makes vs for euer pining and sicke with so strong a beating of the heart that at length we must yeeld to death How much doe you thinke did these sacred langours and labours vndergone for Charitie shorten the dayes of the Diuine Louers S. Catherin of Sienna S. Francis Little Stanislaus Bosca S. Charles and many hundreds more who died in their youth Verily as for S. FRANCIS from the time he receiued his Maisters holy Stigmats he had so violent and stinging paines gripes conuulsions and deseases that he had nothing left on him but skinne and bones and he seemed rather to be an Anatomie or a picture of death then one liuing and breathing How some of the heauenly Louers died euen of Loue. CHAPTER XI 1. All the Elect then THEO deceased in the habit of holy loue but further some died euen in the exercise of it some againe for it others by it But that which belongs to the soueraigne degree of loue is that some die of loue aÌ„d theÌ„ it is that loue doth not onely wouÌ„d the soule aÌ„d thereby make her languish but doth euen pearce her through hitting directly on the midst of the heart and so deeply that it forceth the soules depaâ—ture out of the bodie which fals out in this manner The soule powerfully drawen by the diuine sweetenesse of her Beloued to complie of her part with his deare allurements forcibly springs out and to her power tends towards her desired attracting friend and not being able to draw her bodie after her rather then to staie with it in this miserable life she quits it and gets cleare lonely flying as a faire doue into the delicious bosome of her heaueÌ„ly Spouse She throwes her selfe vpon her Beloued and her Beloued doth draw and force her to himselfe And as the Bridgroome leaues Father and mother to adheare to his deare Bride So this chaste Bride
forsaketh flesh and blood to be vnited to her Beloued Now it is the most violent effect that a loue worketh in a soule and which requires a great precedent puritie from all such affections as may detaine the soule prisoner either to the world or to the bodie so that like as fire hauing by little and little seperated the Essenâ—e from its masse and wholy purified it at length it also driues out the QVINT-ESSENCE euen so holy Loue hauing retired mans heart from all fantasies inclinatioÌ„s and assions as farre fourth as may be doth at length vrge the soule out to the end that by that passage pretious in the sight of God she might passe to eternall glorie 2. The great S. FRANCIS who in the matter of heauenly loue comes still before myne eyes could not possibly escape dying by loue by reason of the manifould and great langours Extasies and tranâ—es which his loue to God who had exposed him to the whole worlds view as a MIRACLE OF LOVE would not onely haue him die for loue but euen of Loue. For consider I beseech you his death Perceiuing himselfe vpon the point of his departure he caused himselfe to be laied naked vpon the ground where hauing receiued a habite for God's sake which they put on him he made a speach to his bretheren encouraging them to loue and feare God and his Church made our Sauiours passioÌ„ be red and then with an extreame feruour began the 141. Psalme With my voice I haue cried to our Lord with my voice I haue Praied to our Lord and hauing pronounced these last words o Lord bring forth my soule out prison that I may praise thy holy name the iust expect me till thou reward me he died the 45. yeare of his age Who sees not I besseech you THEO that the Seraphicall man who had so instantly desired to be martyred and to die for loue died in the end of loue as in another place I haue explicated 3. S. MAGDALEN hauing for the space of 30. yeares liued in a caue which is yet to be seene in PROVINCE rauished seuen times a day and borne vp in the aire by Angels as though it had bene to sing the seuen Canonicall houres in their Quire in the end vpon a Soneday she came to Church where her deare Bishop S. Maximinus finding her in contemplation her eyes full of teares and her armes stretched out he communicated her and soone after she deliuered vp her blessed soule who once a gaine for good and all went to her Sauiours feete to enioye the BETTER â—Aâ—â— which she had already made choice off neare belowe 4. S. BASILE had contracted a strict friendshipe with a Phisition a Iewe by nation and religion with intention to bring him to the faith of IESVS CHRIST which neuerthelesse he could not effect till such time as decaied by youth old age and labours being vpon the point of dying he enquired of the Phisition what opinion he had of him coniuring him to speake freely which the Phisition refused not but feeling his pulse told him there was no remedie quoth he before the Sunne let you will depart this life But what will you saie replied the patient if to morrow I shall be aliue I will become Christian I promisse you laied the Phisition With this the Saint praied to God and obtained a prolongation of his owne temporall life for the good of his Phisitions spirituall life who hauing seene this Miracle was conuerted and S. Basile rysing couragiously out of his bed went to the Church and baptised him with all his Familie then being returned to his chamber and gotten to bed after he had passed a good space with our Sauiour in Praier he holily exhorted the assistants to serue God with their whole heart and finally seeing the Angels approch pronouncing with an extreame delight these words ô God I recommend vnto thee my soule and restore it into thy hands he died But the poore conuerted Phisition seeing him thus deceased colling him and melting into teares vpon him ô great Seruant of God Basile quoth he indeede if thou hadst list thou had'st no more died to day then yesterday Who doth not see that this death was wholy froÌ„ loue And the Blessed S. Teresa reuealed after her death that she died with an impetuous assault of loue Which had bene so violent that nature not able to support it the soule departed towards the beloued obiect of her loue A wonderfull historie of the death of a gentleman who died of loue vpon the Mount-Oliuet CHAPTER XII 1. BEsides that which hath bene saied I haue light vpoÌ„ a historie which being extreamly admirable is yet more credible to sacred Louers since as the holy Apostle saieth Charitie doth easily beleeue all things that is she doth not easily suspect one of lying and vnlesse there be signes of apparent deceite in that which is proposed she makes no difficultie to beleeue it but especially when they are things which doe exalt and magnifie God's loue towards man or man's loue towards God because Charitie being the Soueraigne Qâ—eene of vertues following the manner of a Princâ—sse who takes coÌ„teÌ„t in things that are for the renowne of her Empire and dominion And beit the relation I am to make be neither so much diuulged nor confirmed as the greatnesse of the miracle which it containes would require yet is it not therefore voyde of truth for as S. Augustine saieth excellently well scarcely can we know miracles though most famous euen in the places where they are wrought and euen though such as haue seene them relates them we haue difficultie to giuâ— credit vnto them yet are they no lesse true for all this and in matter of Religion well borne soules take more delight to beleeue those things which containe difficultie and admiration 2. A valiant illustrious and vertuous knight went vpon a time beyond â—ee into Palestin to visit the holy Land where our Sauiour performed the work of our Redemption and to begin this holy exercise worthily he first of all confessed and communicated deuotely immediatly after went straight to Nazareth where the Angell announced vnto the most Sacred virgin the Blessed Incarnation and where the most adorable conception of the Eternall word was finished and there this worthy Pilgrime set himselfe to the contemplation of the heauenly Bounâ— is depth who daigned to put on mans nature to recouer him from perdition from thence he passed to Bethleem the place of the Natiuitie where it is not to be spokeÌ„ what an abundance of teares he poured forth in contemplation of those wherewith the Sonne of God the virgins little babe had watered that holy stable kissing and rekissing a thousand times that sacred earth and licking the dust vpon which the prime infancie of the Diuine child was receiued in Bethleem He went into Berthabara and from thence to that little place in Bethania where calling to mind that our Sauiour was there vnuested to be baptised he also
vnuested himselfe and going into Iordaine washing himselfe and drinking the waters thereof he thought he saw his Sauiour receiuing Baptisme at his Precursors hand and the holy Ghost descending visibly vpon him in the forme of a doue the Heauens remaining open from whence as it appeared to him the voice of the Eternall Father issued saying This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am pleased From Bethania he takes his way towards the Desert where he beheld with the eyes of his mind the Sauiour of the world-fasting fighting and vanquishing the Enemie together with the Angels who serued him with admirable foode From thence he makes towards the Mount THABOR where he saw our Sauiour transfigured thence to the mountaine of SION where he saw our Sauiour againe as he apprehended vpon his knees in the last supper washing the Disciples feâ—â— aÌ„d then distributing vnto them his sacred bodie in the holy EVCHARISTE he passeth the Torrent of CEDRON and betakes himselfe to the Garden of GETHSEMINâ— where with a most amiable dolour his heart dissolued into teares while he proposed vnto himselfe his deare Sauiour sweating blood in the extreame Agonie which he there endured and soone after takeÌ„ corded aÌ„d led to Hierusalâ— whither also he goes throughly to follow the footesteps of his Beloued and saw him in Imagination haled hither and thither to ANNAS to CAIPHAS to PILATE to HERODE whipped buffetted spit vpon crowned with thornes presented to the people sentenced to death loden with his Crosse which he carries and in carrying it met his dolorous mother and the daughters of Hierusalem bewailing him Finally this deuote Pilgrime mounts vnto the MouÌ„t Caluarie where he sees in Spirit the Crosse laied vpon the ground and our Sauiour quite naked whom they throw downe and most cruelly naile him to it hand and foote He goes on contemplating how they reare vp the Crosse and crucifie him in the aire blood flowing out from euery part of his diuine bodie He lookes vpon the poore sacred virgin traÌ„spearced with the sword of sorrow and then againe he eyeth his crucified Sauiour whose 7. last words he marks with an incomparable loue and at the length he saw him dying soone after dead Then receiuing the wound of thâ— Lance and by that holes passage shewing his Diuine heart then taken downe from the Crosse and carried to his Sepulcher whither still he followes him sending out a Sea of teaâ—es vpon the ground which was watered with his Redeemours blood he enters into the sepulcher and buries his heart with his Maisters bodie afterwards rising with him he goes to Emaus and sees what passed betweene the Maister aÌ„d his two Disciples In fine returning by the Mount Oliuet where thâ— Mysterie of the Ascension was accomplished and there seeing the last prints and footesteps of his heauenly Sauiours feete falling groueling vpon them and kissing theÌ„ a thousand thousand times with the sighes of an infinite loue he begunne to draw towards him the force of all his affections as an Archer the string of his Bowe when he is about to shoote then raising himselfe and stretching his eyes and hands to heauenward O IESVS saied he my sweete IESVS I haue now no further to search and follow thee in Earth Ah then IESVS IESVS my LOVE grant vnto my poore heart that it may follow thee and flie after thee to Heauen and in these feruent words he presently breathed out his sole to Heauen as a blessed arrow which he as a diuine Archer shot at the white of his most happie Obiect But his fellow 's and seruants who saw this Louer so sodainly fall downe as dead amaised at the accideÌ„t raÌ„ne with speede for the Doctor who when he came he found him quite dead and to giue a certaine Iudgment of so sodaine a death he made enquirie of what complection nature and dispositâ—on the deceased partie was and he found that he was of a most sweete aÌ„d amiable nature maruellous deuote and feruent in the loue of God Wherevpon quoth the Doctor doubtlesse his heart split with excesse and feruour of loue And to confirme his iudgment the more he opened him and found this generous heart open with this sacred Motto engrauen in it IESVS MY LOVE Loue then plaied Deaths parte in this heart seperating the soule from the bodie without the concourse of any other cause S. Bernardin of Sienna a learned and pious Authour relates this Historie in the first of his Sermons of the Ascension 3. An other Authour also well neare of the same Age who out of humilitie concealed his name worthy to be named in a booke intitled A MYRROR OF THE SPIRITVALL makes mention of an historie yet more admirable for he saieth that in PROVINCE there liued a Lord much addicted to the Loue of God and exceeding deuote to the Blessed Sacrament Now vpon a time being extreamly afflicted with a disease which caused him coÌ„tinually to reÌ„der the Holy CoÌ„munioÌ„ which was brought vnto him who not daring to receiue it least he might be forced to cast it vp againe he besought the Pastour to applie it at least to his breast and with it to make the signe of the Crosse ouer him This was done and in a moment his breast inflamed with Diuine Loue opened and drew into it selfe the heauenly foode wherin his beloued was contained and at the same instant departed life I must in very deede confesse that this historie is extraordinarie and such as would require a more waightie testimonie yet after the true historie of S. CLARE DE MONTE PALCO which all the world may euen to this day see and that of S. Francis his STIGMATS which is most certaine my soule meets with nothing which is hard to be beleeued amongst she effects of Diuine Loue. That the Sacred Virgin mother of God died of the loue of her Sâ—nne CHAPTER XIII 1. ONe can hardly well doubt but that the great S. Ioseph died before the Passion and death of our Sauiour who otherwise had not commended his mother to S. Iohn And how can one imagine that the deare child of his heart his beloued Nurse-child did not assist him at the houre of his departure Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy Alas how much sweetenesse Charitie and Mercy did this good Foster-father vse towards our little Sauiour at his â—ntrie into this world and who can then beleeue but at his departure out of it that diuine child rendred him the like with an hundredfold filling him with heauenly delights Storks are the true representations of the mutuall pietie of children towards their parents and of parents towards their children for being flitting birds they beare their decrepit parents with them in their iorney as their parents had borne them while they were yet young in the like occasion While our Sauiour was yet a little babe the great S. Ioheph his Foster-Father and his most glorious Virgin-mother had many a time borne him but especially in their iorney from Iudea
our fâ—â—ble â—ight cannot constantly and steaddily behold them by reason of the great distance So ordinarily Saints that die of loue experience in themselues a great varietie of accidents and symptomes thereof before they come to their eÌ„d many sobings many assaults many extasies many laÌ„guors many agonies and one would thinke that their Loue brought forth their happie death by trauell and 〈◊〉 endeuours which happens by the weaknesse of their loue which is not as yet perfectly perfect so that it cannot continew affection with an equall steadfastnesse 3. But in the B. Virgin it was a quite other thing for as we see the faire AVRORA encrease not at diuers essayes and ierts but by a coÌ„tinued dilatation and encrease which is in a sort insensibly sensible so that she is indeede seene to encrease her light yet so softly that no interruption seperation or discontinuation can be apprehended therein So God's loue did euery moment encrease in the Virginall heart of this glorious Ladie but by a gentle smooth and continued encrease without agitation tosse or violence at all Ah no THEO we must not admit any forcible agitation in this celestiall loue of the virgins motherly heart for loue of it selfe is sweete gracious peaceable and calme And if it doe sometimes assault and make force against the mind it is because it meetes with opposition But when the passages of the soule lye open to it without oppositioÌ„ or coÌ„tradiction it peaceably makes progresse with an incoÌ„parable sweetenesse Thus then holy loue exercised its force vpon the virginall heart of the Sacred mother without force or violent boisterousnesse because it found therein neither stop nor staie For as we see great riuers froth and flash back againe with a great noise in craggie corners where the points or shelues of rockes doe oppose themselues and hinder the waters course while contrariwise they dâ—ie smoothly without violence glid and steele ouer the plaines So diuine Loue meeting with many impeachments and oppositions in humane hearts as in truth all hearts haue them though differently makes force fighting against naughtie inclinations beating the heart thrusting the will forwards by diuers shuggs aÌ„d sundrie essayes to make way be made to it selfe or at least to ouerpasse the obstacles But all things in the B. Virgin did helpe and second the course of heauenly loue making in her a greater progresse and encrease then in all other creaturs yet a progresse that was infinitly sweete peaceable aÌ„d calme No she sownded not with loue or compassion at the foote of her crucified sonne though there she had the most hote aÌ„d stinging fit of loue that euer heart could thinke for though it was an extreame fit yet was it equally strong and sweete powerfull and calme actiue and peaceable composed of a sharpe yet sweete heate 4. I doe not denie THEO that there were two portions in the B. Virgins soule and consequently two appetits the one according to the Spirit and superiour reason the other according to sense and inferiour reason so that she could feele the oppositions and contrarieties of both the appetits for this trouble did euen our Sauiour her sonne endure But I affirme that all affections were so well ordered and â—anged in this heauenly mother that diuine Loue did most peaceably exercise in her its power and dominion without being troubled by the diuersitie of wills and appetits or contrarietie of the senses because the oppositioÌ„s of the naturall appetite and motion of the senses did neuer come to be so much as a veniall sinne but contrariwise all these were holily and faithfully imploied in the seruice of diuine Loue for the exercise of other vertues which for the most part cannot be practised but amongst difficulties oppositions and contradictions 5. Thorneâ— in the common opinion are not onely differeÌ„t from flowers but contrarie to them and it seemes it were better if there were none in the world which made S. Ambrose thinke that but for sinne there had bene none at all But yet â—ith there are some the carefull husbandman doth fetch profit out of theÌ„ making there hedges and inclosurs about his closes and springing trees being their defence and rampire against cattell So the Glorious virgin hauing had a part in all humane miseries sauing such as doe directly tend to sinne she imploied them most profitably to the exercise and encrease of holy vertues of Hope Temperance Iustice and Prudence Pouertie Humilitie Sufferance and Compassion So that she was so farre from hindring that she did euen assist and strengthen heauenly loue by continuall exercises and aduancements And in her Magdalen did not trouble the attention wherewith she receiued from her Sauiour the impressions of loue for all Martha's heate and sollicitude She hath made choice of her Sonn's loue and not any thing doth depriue her of it 6. The ADAMANT as euery one knowes THEO doth naturally draw Iron vnto it by a secreet and most wonderfull vertue yet 5. things there are which doe hinder this operation 1. a too great distance 2. a DiamaÌ„t interposed 3. if the IroÌ„ be greesed 4. if it be rubbed with an onyon 5. if it be too waightie Our heart is made for God who doth continually allure it neuer ceasing to throw his baits into our hearts But fiue things doe hinder the operatioÌ„ of his draughtes 1. Sinne which puts vs at a distance with God 2. affection to riches 3. sensuall pleasures 4. Pride and vanitie 5. self-loue together with the multitude of inordinate passions which it brings forth and are to vs an ouercharging load bearing vs downe But none of these hindrances had place in the Glorious virgins heart 1. she was perpetually preserued from all sinne 2. perpetually most poore of heart 3. perpetually most pure 4. perpetually most humble 5. perpetually a peaceable Mistresse of all her passions and exempt from the rebellion which self-loue raiseth against the loue of God And therefore as Iron if it were quit of all obstacle yea euen of its owne waight were powerfully yet softely aÌ„d with aÌ„ equall draught drawne by the AdamaÌ„t yet so that the draught should still be more actiue and forcible as they came nearer the one to the other and the motion nearer to its end So the most holy Mother hauing nothing in her which hindred her Sonns diuine Loue she was vnited vnto him in an incomparable vnion by gentle extasies without trouble or trauell Extasies in which the sensible powers ceased not to performe their actions without disturbing the vnion of the mind as againe the perfect application of her mind did not much diuert her senses So that this virgins decease was more sweete then could be imagined drawen delightfully by the sent of her Sonns perfums and she most amiably springing after their sacred sweetenesse euen into the bosome of her Sonns Bountie And albeit this holy soule did extreamely affect her most holy most pure and most amiable bodie yet did she forsake it without paine
or resistance at all as the Chast Iudith who though she maruellously loued the habits of Penance and widowhood forsooke them notwithstanding and freely put them off to put on her marriage garments when she went to be victorious ouer Holofernes or as a Ionathas when for the loue of Dauid he did the like Loue had made her feele at the Crosses foote the deepest sorrow of death and therefore it was but reason that at length death should possesse her of the soueraigne delightes of loue The end of the Seauenth Booke THE EIGHT BOOKE OF THE LOVE OF CONFORMITIE BY WHICH WE VNITE OVR WILLS TO THE will of God signified vnto vs by his Commandements Counsells and inspirations Of the loue of Conformitie proceeding from holy Complacence CHAPTER I. AS good ground hauing receiued the seede doth render it in its season with an hundred fold so the heart that hath taken complacence in God cannot hinder it selfe from presenting another complacence to God None pleaseth vs whom we desire not to please Fresh wine doth for a time refresh the drinkers but as soone as it is heated in the receiuers stomake it mutually heats it and the more the stomake heat's it the more it heat's the stomake True loue is neuer vngratefull but striues to please the in whom it is pleased and theÌ„ce is that louing conformitie which makes vs such as those that we loue The most deuote and most wise king Salomon became foole and Idolater while he loued women that were fooles and Idolaters and serued as many Idols as did his wiues For this cause the Scripture termes those men effeminate that desperatly affect women in qualitie of women because Loue metamorphiseth men into women in manners and behauiour 2. Now this metamorphosâ—s is made insensibly by the complacence which hauing got entrie into our heart begets another to present it vnto him of whom we had it They saie there is a little land beast in the Indies which takes such a delight to accoÌ„painie fish in the sea that by often swimming with them it becomes a fish and of a beast of the land a beast of the sea So by often delighting in God we become conformable to God and our will is transformed into that of the Diuine Maiestie by the complace which it takes therein Loue saieth S. Chrysostome either finds or makes similitude The example of such as we loue beares a sweete and imperceptible rule ouer vs an authoritie not to be perceiued It is necessarie either to imitate or forsake them He that being taken with the delight of perfumes enters into the perfumers shop receiuing thence the pleasure which he takes to smell those odours perfumes himselfe and going out communicats to others part of the pleasurs which he receiued spreeding amongst them the sent of the perfumes which he had contracted our heart together with the pleasurs which it taketh in the thing beloued drawes vnto it selfe the qualitie thereof for delight opens the heart as sorrow shuts it wherevpon the holy Scripture often vseth the word dilate insteede of reioyce Now the heart being opened by pleasure the impressions of the qualities whereof the pleasure depends finds easie passage into the heart and together with them such others as are in the same subiect though distastfull vnto vs creepe in through the throng of pleasurs as he that wanted his marriage garment got into the banquet amongst those that were adorned So Aristotl's schollers were delighted in stutting with him and Plato's went crooked in the back in imitation of their Maister There was a certaine woman as Plutarke reporteth whose imagination and apapprehensioÌ„ through sensualitie laye so open to all things that beholding a Blackamors picture she conceiued a child all black by a Father extreamely white and the fact of Iacobs yewes will serue for a proofe of this In fine the pleasure which one takes in a thing is a certaine Herbinger which lodgeth the qualities of the thing which pleaseth in the Louers heart And hence it is that holy CoÌ„placeÌ„â—â— doth traÌ„sforme vs into God whoÌ„ we loue and by how much greater the complacence is by so much the transformatioÌ„ is more perfect so the Saints that loued ardently were speedily and perfectly transformed loue transporting and translating the conditions and qualities of the one heart into the other 3. It is a strang yet a true thing put two Luts together which are vnison that is of the same sound and accord and let one play vpon the one of them the other though not touched will resound to that which is played on the conuenieÌ„cie which is betwixt them as by a naturall loue causing this correspondance We haue difficultie to imitate such as we hate euen in good things not would the Lacedemonians follow the good counsell of the wicked vnlesse some honest man pronounced it after them Of the contrarie side one cannot be keept from coÌ„forming himselfe to such as he loueth In this sense as I thinke the great Apostle saied that the Law was not made for the Iust maÌ„ for in truth the Iust maÌ„ is not Iust but inso much as he hath Loue and if he haue Loue there is no neede to presse him by the rigour of the Law Loue being the most pressing Doctour and Sollicitour to vrge the heart which it possesseth to obay the will and intentioÌ„ of the Beloued Loue is a Magistrat which executs his authoritie without voicing it without PursuiuaÌ„ts or Sergants by this mutually complacence by which as we take pleasure in God so also we desire to please him Loue is the Abridgment of all Diuinitie which made the ignorance of Paules Antonies Hilarioâ—s Simeons Francises so holily learned without bookes Maisters or Art By vertue of this holy Loue the Spouse may pronounce with assurance My Beloued is wholy myne by the Complacence wherwith he doth please and feede me And I by Beneuolence am wholy his wherewith I pleasâ— aÌ„d feede him My heart is fed in taking pleasure in him and his is fed in that I take pleasure in him for him He feeds me iust as a holy shepheard his deare yewe amidst the Lillies of his perfectioÌ„s in which I take pleasure And I as his deare yewe paie him the milke of my affections by which I striue to please him Whosoeuer doth truely feede in God desires faithfully to please God and to conforme himselfe vnto him to th' end he might please him Of the conformitie of Submission which proceeds from the Loue of Beneuolence CHAPTER II. 1. COmplacence then drawes into our hearts the feelings of diuine perfections according as we are capable to receiue them like as the Myrrour receiues the SuÌ„ns picture not according to the excellencie and amplitude of this great and admirable Lampe but with proportion to the glasse its largnesse and capacitie and therby we become conformable to God 2. But besids this LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE brings vs to this holy conformitie by another meanes LOVE OF COMPLACENCE drawes God into our hearts
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
receiue Counsell for his owne profit but to be conformed to his desire who giues him Counsell and render him homage to his will and therefore he receiues not Counsells but in such sort as God desires nor doth God desire that euery one should obserue all Counsells but such onely as are conuenient according to the diuersitie of persons times occasions strength as charitie requires for she it is that as Queene of all vertues of all the Commandements of all the Counsells and to be short of all lawes and all Christian workes doth giue them all their ranke order time and worth 4. If thy assistance be truely necessarie to thy Father or mother to be able to liue it is no time then to practise the Counsell of betaking thy selfe into a Monasterie for Charitie doth ordaine that thou goe actually to put in execution the Commandement of honoring seruing aiding and succouring thy Father and Mother Thou art a Prince by whose posteritie the Subiects to thy crowne are to be conserued in peace and assured against tyrannie sedition ciuill wars and therefore the occasion of so great a good doth oblige thee to beget lawfull successours in a holy Marriage It is either not to loose Chastitie or at least to loose it chastly while for loue of Charitie it is sacrificed to the publick good Art thou weake and wauering in thy health and doth it exact great maintenance doe not then voluntarily vndertake actuall pouertie for thou art prohibited by Charitie Charitie doth not onely forbid house-holders to sell and giue it to the poore but doth euen command them honestly to gather together that which is requisite for the education and sustentation of their wife children and seruants as also kings and Princes to lay vp treasures which being kept together by a laudable frugalitie not gotten by tyrannicall trikes doe serue for wholsome preseruatiues against the visible enemie Doth not S. Paule Counsell such as are married that the time of Praier being ended they should repaire to the well ordered course of their houshold affaires 5. All the Counsells are giuen to perfect christian people but not to perfect euery christian in particular There are circūstances which makes them so times vnprofitable sometimes perilous impossible sometimes hurtfull to some men which is one of the reasōs why our Sauiour saied of one of the Counsells which he would haue to be vnderstood of them all He that can take let him take as though he had saied according to S. HIEROMS expositions he that can winne and beare away the honour of chastitie as a prize of reputation let him take it for it is exposed to such as shall rūne valliantly Euery one then cannot that is it is not expedient for euery one to obserue all the Counsells which as they are granted in fauour of Charitie so is she the rule and measure by which they are executed 6. Hence it is that vpon Charities order Monkes and Religious are drawen out of their Cloisters to be made Cardinalls Prelats Curats yea sometimes they are euen ioyned in matrimonie for a kingdoms repose as I haue alreadie saied And if Charitie make those leaue their Cloister that had tyed themselues therto by solemne vowe by better reason and vpon lesse occasion one may by the authoritie of the same Charitie counsell many to liue at home to keepe their meanes to marrie yea to turne soldiers and goe to warrs which is so perilous a profession 7. Now when Charitie incites one to pouertie ād recals āother whē she stirrs vp one to marriage and others to continencie when she shuts one vp in a Cloister and makes another quit it she is not liable to giue any man an accompt of her deede for she hath fulnesse of power in Christian lawes as it is written Charitie can doe all things she hath a compleat prudence according to that Charitie doth nothing in vaine Yet if any will contest and demand a reason of her fact she will bouldly make answere That it is needefull for her lord All is made for Charitie ād Charitie for God All must serue her and she none no she serues not her well-beloued whose seruant she is not but his spouse whom she doth not serue but Loue for which cause we are to take her order how to exercise Councells for to some she will appoint Chastitie without pouertie to others obedience and not chastitie to others fasting but not Almes deedes to others Almes deedes and not fasting to others sollitarinesse not the charge of a Pastour to others conuersation and not sollitarinesse In fine she is a sacred water by which the garden of the Church is fertilized and though she haue but one colour without colour yet the flowres which she makes spring haue euery one their different colour She makes the Martyrs redder thē the Rose virgins whiter then the Lillie some she dies with the fine violet of mortification others with the yellow of marriage-care imploying diuersly the Counsells for the perfections of such soules as are so fortunate as to liue vnder her conduct That Gods will signified in the cōmandemēts doth moue vs forwards to the loue of Counsells CHAPTER VII 1. O THEO how amiable is this Diuine will ô how amiable and desirable it is ô Law wholy of Loue and for Loue The Hebrewes by the word peace vnderstand the collection and perfection of all good things that is Felicitie and the Psalmist cries out that a plentifull PEACE doth abound in those that loue the law of God and that they stumble not as though he would saie o Lord what delightes are in the Loue of thy Commandements the heart that is possessed with the Loue of thy law is possessed of all delicious sweetenesse Certes the great king whose heart was made according to the heart of God did so inly tast the perfect excellencie of the Diuine Decrees that he seemes to be a Louer caught with the beautie of this Law as with the chast Spouse and Queene of his heart as appears by his continuall praises thereof 6. When the heauenly Spouse would expresse the infinite sweetenesse of her diuine Spouses perfums thy name saieth she vnto him is an oyntment poured forth as though she saied thou art so excellently well perfumed that thou seemest to be all perfume and that thou art more fitly termed oyle and perfume then anoynted and perfumed So the Soule that loueth God is so transformed into the Diuine will that it merits rather to be called Gods will then obedient and subiect to his will whence God saieth by Isaie that he will call the Christian Church by a new name which the mouth of our Lord will pronounce imprint and engraue in the hearts of his faithfull and then explicating this name he saieth it shall be MY WILL SHALL BE IN IT as though he had saied that such as are not Christians euery one hath his owne will in the midst of his heart but euery one of our Sauiours true children shall forsake
his owne will and shall haue onely one Mistresse regent and vniuersall will which shall quicken gouerne and direct all soules hearts and wills and the name of honour amongst christians shall be no other but THE WILL OF GOD IN THEM a will which will rule ouer all wills and transforme them all into herselfe so that the will of Christians and the will of Christ are but one onely will which was perfectly verified in the primitiue Church when as saieth the glorious S. Luke in the multitude of the faithfull there was but one heart and one soule for he meanes not there to speake of the heart that animats our bodie nor of the soule which doth animate the heart with a humane life but he speakes of the heart which giues our soules a heauenly life and of the soule that animats our hearts with a supernaturall life the singular hearts and soules of true Christians which are no other thing then the will of God Life saieth the Psalmist is in the will of God not onely for that our temporall life depends of the diuine pleasure but because our spirituall life is placed in the obseruance thereof wherby God liues and raignes in vs making vs liue and subsist in him Contrariwise the wicked from ages that is alwayes haue broken the yoake of the Law of God and haue saied I will not obay wherevpon God saieth that from their mothers wombe he named theÌ„ Transgressours aÌ„d Rebells and speaking to the king of Tyria he doth reproch him that he had placed his heart as the heart of God for a reuoulting spirit will haue his heart to be its owne Maister and his owne will to be Soueraigne as the will of God He will not haue the Diuine will to raigâ—e ouer his but will be absolute and without controwle O eternall God doe neuer permit that But effect that not my will but thine be done Alas we are in this world not to worke our oâ—ne but the will of the Bountie which put vs there It was written of thee ô Sauiour of my soule that thou didst the will of thy eternall Father and by thy soule her first humane act of willing at the instant of thy conception thou didst louingly embrace this law of the diuine will and placedst it in the midst of thy heart there to raigne and haue dominion for euer Ah who will blesse my soule with the happinesse to haue no will but the will of God! 7. Now when our Loue is exceeding great towards Gods will we are not content to do the Diuine will onely which is signified vnto vs by the Commandements but also we put our selues vnder obedience to follow counsells which are onely giuen vs to the more perfect obseruing of the Commandements to which they haue a certaine reference as S. THOMAS saieth excellently well O how excellent is his obseruance of the prohibition of vniust pleasurs who at once doth renounce the most iust and legitimate delights How farre is he froÌ„ coueting another mans Goods who doth reiect all riches yea euen such as holily he might haue conserued How farre is he froÌ„ preferring his will before Gods who to performe the will of God doth submit himselfe to the will of a man 8. Dauid vpon a day was in his Campe and the Philistian Garrison in Bethleem now he made a wish saying ô that some would present me with a draught of water out of the Cisterne which stads at BethleeÌ„s Port And behold he had no sooner saied the word but three braue Caualeers did set out prepared theÌ„selues for the exploit passed through the enemies troupes weÌ„t to the Cisterne of Bethleem drew water and brought it to Dauid who seeing the hazard to which these gentlemen had exposed themselues to content his appetite he would not drinke that water purchased at the perill of their blood and life but poured it out in sacrifice to the eternall God Ah marke I beseech you THEO the feruour of these Caualeers to their Maisters seruice and liking They fled and broake the rankes of their enemies with a thousand dangers of loosing themselues to complie with one onely simple desire which their king intimated vnto them Our Sauiour wheÌ„ he was in this world declared his will in diuers occurrences by way of Commandement in others he onely signified it by way of desire for he did highly commend chastitie Pouertie Obedience and perfect resignation the abnegation of ones owne will widdowhoode fasting ordinarie Praier and what he saieth of Chastitie that he that could winne the prise should beare it away he saied sufficiently of all the other Counsells At this desire of his the most generous Christians put themselues vpon the Course and maugre all opposition restlesse lust and difficulties they haue arriued at holy perfection submitting themselues vnder the strict obseruance of the kings desires and by this meanes beareing away the crowne of Glorie 9. Verily as witenesseth the Diuine Psalmist God doth not onely heare the Praiers of his faithfull but euen their very desire and the meere preparation of their hearts to praie so fauorable and forward he is to doe the will of those that Loue him And why shall not we then by reciprocation be so iealous in the point of performing Gods holy will that we should not onely effect his Commands but euen that also which we know he liketh and wisheth Noble soules neede no other spurre to the vndertaking of a designe then to know it is the desire of their Beloued My soule saied one of them dissolued when I heard my beloued speake That the contempt of Euangelicall Counsells is a great sinne CHAPTER VIII 1. THe words in which our Sauiour exhots to pretend and tend to perfection are so forcible and pressing that we cannot dissemble the obligation we haue to engage our selues in that designe Be holy saieth he because I am holy He that is holy let him be yet more sanctified and he that is iust let him be yet more iustified Be perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect For this cause the great S. BERNARD writing to the glorious S. GVARINE Abbot of Aux whose life and miracles haue left so sweete an odour in this Diocese the iust man quoth he doth neuer saie enough he doth still hunger and thrist after Iustice 2. Truly THEO as for temporall goods nothing doth suffice him who is not sufficed with that which is sufficient for what can suffice a heart that holds not a sufficiencie sufficient but touching spirituall goods he that is sufficed with that which doth suffice hath not that which doth suâ—fice since a true sufficiencie in diuine things consisteth partly in desire of abundance God in the beginning commaÌ„ded the earth to bring forth greene herbs such as seedeth and that euery tree should beare fruite hauing seede each one according to his kind 3. And doe not we see by experience that plaÌ„ts and fruits are not come to their full groth and maturitie till they begin to seede
iniurie and outrage yet goe THEO follow our Sauiours Counsell preuent him in good render him good for euill cast vpon his head and heart burning coales proofes of Charitie that may wholy burne him and force him to a reconciliation You are not bound by rigour of law to giue almes to all the poore you meete but onely to such as are in extreamitie Yet following our Sauiours Counsell cease not to giue to euery poore bodie that you light on hauing still a respect to your owne condition and to the true exigent of your affaires You haue no obligation to make any vow at all yet bouldly make some such as shall be iudged fit by your Ghostly Father for your aduancement in Diuine Loue. You haue free libertie to vse wine within the termes of decencie yet following S. PAVLES Counsell to Timothie take onely so much as is requisit to comfort your stomake 5. In Counsells there are diuers degrees of perfections To lend to such poore people as are not in extreame want is the first degree of the Counsell of Almes-deedes to giue them some what is a higher a higher yet to giue them all but the highest of all to dedicate ones owne person to their seruice Hospitalitie out of the termes of extreame necessitie is a Counsell To entertaine strangers is the first degree of it but to stand in cōmon passages with Abraham to inuite them is a degree higher and yet higher then that to seate one selfe in a place of danger to harbour aide and waire vpon passengers Herein the great S. BERNARD of Menthon borne in this diocese did excell who being extracted from a noble house did for diuers yeares inhabit the shelues and topes of our Alpes established there a cōpanie to serue lodge assist and preserue pilgrims and passingers from the danger of tempests who might often perish amidst the stormes snow and thunder-clapes were it not for the Hospitalls which this great friend of God erected and founded vpon two mountains which taking their names from him are called GREAT S. BERNARD in the Bishopricke of Sion and LITTLE S. BERNARD in the Bishoptike of Tharētise To visite the sicke which are not in extreame necessitie is a laudible Charitie to serue thē is yet better but to consecrate a mans selfe to their seruice is the excellēcie of that Coūsell which the Clarks of the visitatiō of the sicke doe exercise by their proper institute ād many Ladies in diuers places imitating the great S. SANSON a gentleman and Phisition of Rome who at Constantinople where he was made Priest with a wonderfull charitie deuoted hīselfe to the seruice of the sicke in a hospitall which he began and which the Emperour Iustinian did raise and accomplish by the imitation of S. CATHARINE of Sienna and Genua of S. ELIZABETH of Hungarie and of the glorious friends of God S. FRANCIS and the B. IGNATIVS of Loyola who in the beginning of their Orders performed this exercise with an incomparable spirituall feruour and profit 6. Vertues haue then a certaine extent of perfection and commonly we are not obliged to practise them in the hight of their excellencie It is sufficient to goe so farre in the practise of thē that we doe indeede practise them But to make a further passage and gaine ground in perfection is a Counsell the acts of heroicall vertues not being ordinarily commanded but counselled onely And if vpon some occasion we find our selues obliged to exercise them it is by reason of some rare and extraordinarie exigent which makes them necessarie to the conseruation of Gods grace The happie Porter of the Prison of Sebastia seeing one of the fortie which were thē martyred loose courage and the crowne of Martyrdome tooke his place without being pursued and made the 40. of those glorious and Triumphant Souldiers of Christ S. ADAVCTVS seeing S. FELIX led to Martyrdome and I quoth he none at all vrging him I am also a Christian as well as he whō you haue in your hāds ād worshipe the same Sauiour ād with that kissing S. FELIX he marched with him to martyrdome and was beheaded Thousands of the auncient Martyrs did the like and hauing it equally in their power to auoyd or vndergoe martyrdome without offēce they choosed rather generously to vndergoe it then lawfully to auoyd it In these Martyrdome was an heroicall act of force and constancie giuen them by a holy excesse of Loue. But when it is necessarie to endure Martyrdome or to renounce Faith Martyrdome it doth not cease to be Martyrdome and an excellent act of loue and vallour yet doe I scarcely thinke it is to be termed an heroicall act not being elected by any excesse of Loue but by force of the law which in that case commands it Now in the practise of heroicall acts of vertue is placed the perfect Imitation of our Sauiour who as the great S. THOMAS saieth had all the vertues in an heroicall manner from the first instant of his conception yea I would willingly adde more then heroicall since he was not simply more then man but infinitly more then man that is true God How we are to conforme our selues to Gods will signified vnto vs by inspirations and first of the truth of the meanes by which God enspires vs. CHAPTER X. 1. THe sunne-beames in lightening doe heate and in heating doe lighten Inspiration is a heauenly raie which brings into our hearts a burning light by which at once we doe both see good and are inflamed with a desire to pursue it Euery thing that liues vpon the face of the earth is benūmed with winters cold but vpon the returne of the springtime withall heate they returne to their wonted motion Beasts of the earth rūne more swiftly birds flie more quickly and chaunt more merrily and plants doe put out their leaues and fruite more pleasantly Without inspirations our soules would lead an idle blasted and fruitlesse life but at the arriuall of the Diuine raies of inspirations we perceiue a light mixed with a quickning heate which doth illuminate our vnderstanding excitate and animate our will enabling her with strenght to will and effect the good appertaining to eternall health God hauing formed mans bodie of the slyme of the earth as Moyses saieth he breathed into his face the breath of life and man became a liuing soule that is he became a soule that gaue life motion and operation to the bodie And the same eternall God doth breath and blow into our soules the inspirations of a supernaturall life to the end that as saieth the great Apostle they might become quickning Spirits that is Spirits that make vs liue moue feele and worke the workes of grace so that he who gaue vs being giues vs also operation Mans breath doth warme the things it enters into witnesse the Sunamits child to whose mouth the Prophet Eliseus hauing laied his and breathed vpon him his flesh waxed hote and it is a Maxime of experience But touching the breath of God
Heauen I Lord thy will be done in earth where we haue no pleasure which is not enterlaced with some paine no Roses without thornes no day so cleare that is not followed with a night no summer that was not vsshered in by a precedent winter In the earth ò Lord where consolations are thinne sowen desolations thicke let yet ò God thy will be done not onely in keeping thy Commandements Counsells and Inspirations which are to be practised by vs but also in the sufferance of afflictions and paines which are to fall vpon vs so that thy will may doe by vs for vs in vs and with vs what is thought good to thee That the vnion of our will to the will of God is priâ—câ—pally caused by tribulations CHAPTER II. 1. PAines considered in themselues cannot indeede be beloued yet beheld in their source that is in Gods will and prouidence which ordaines them they are infinitly amiable Behold Moyses his rod vpon the ground it is a hideous serpent looke vpon it in Moyses his hand it is a rod of wonders Looke tribulations in the face they are dreadfull behold them in the will of God they are loues and delights How often doth it fall out that the potion or plaster presented by the Phisition or Apoticarie is loathsome vnto vs which being offered by some friends hand Loue surmounting our loathing we receiue with delight Certes Loue doth either free labour from all difficultie or makes its difficultie delightfull It is reported that there is a riuer in Boetia wherein the fishes shine like gold but taken out of those waters the place of their origine they haue the naturalll colour of other fishes Euen so afflictions if they be looked vpon out of God's will they beare with them their naturall bitternesse but being contemplated in this eternall will they are all gold louely and precious beyond conceite 2. If Abraham had beheld a necessitie to slaughter his Sonne out of Gods will thinke THEO what panges and conuulsions his poore heart had felt but seeing it in Gods GOOD PLEASVRE it appeares all gold and he doth tenderly embrace it If the Martyrs had looked vpon their torments out of this GOOD PLEASVRE how could they haue sunge in chaines and flames The truely louing heart loues Gods GOOD PLEASVRE not in consolations onely but in afflictions also yea it loues it better vpon the crosse in paines and difficulties because it iâ— the prime effect of Loue to make the Louer suffer for the thing beloued 3. The Stoicks especially the good Epictetes placed all Philosophie in abstaining and sustaining bearing and forbearing in forbearing and abstaining froÌ„ terreane delightes pleasures aÌ„d honours in sustaining and bearing wrongs toyles and discoÌ„modities But Christian doctrine which is the onely true Philosophie hath three principles vpoÌ„ which it doth ground all its exercises Abnegation of ones selfe which is farre more then to abstaine from pleasures Bearing of the crosse which is farre more then to tolerate it following of our Sauiour not onely in the point of renunciation of a mans selfe and bearing of his crosse but euen in the practise of all sorts of good works Yet is there not so much loue testified neither in the abnegation nor in the very deede doing as in suffering Certes the holy-Ghost in the holy Scripture puts downe the death and passion which our Sauiour suffered for vs as the highest straine of our Sauiours Loue towards vs. 4. First to loue Gods will in consolations is a good loue when the loue of God is indeede loued not the consolation in which it is found howbeit it is a loue voide of contradiction repugnance and difficultie for who would not loue a will so worthy in a subiect so wellcome SecoÌ„dly to Loue the will of God in his CoÌ„mandemeÌ„ts CouÌ„sells aÌ„d inspiratioÌ„s is a secoÌ„d degree of loue and much more perfect for it leades vs to the renouncing and quitting of our owne will and makes vs abstaine and forbeare many pleasures yet not all Thirdly to loue sufferances and afflictions for the loue of God is the highest point of holy Charitie for there is nothing therein to gaine our affection saue the onely will of God Our nature feeles a great contradiction in it and we doe not thereby forsake pleasures onely but we euen eÌ„brace paines and torments 5. Our mortall enemye knew well what was Loue 's furthest tryall when he had heard from the mouth of God that IOB was iust rightuous fearing God hatting sinne and stable in innocencie he made no account of all this in comparison of bearing afflictions by which he made the last and surest essaye of the loue of this great seruant of God aÌ„d to haue theÌ„ in an extreamitie he composed them of the losse of all his goods and all his children of the entire reuolt of all his friends and of an arrogant opposition of his greatest Confederates and his owne wife and of an opposition full of despight mockerie and reproch to which he added the whole collection of almost all humane diseases namely a cruell stinking horrible vlcer ouer all his bodie 6. And yet behold the great IOB as king of all the miserable creaturs vpon the face of the earth seated vpon a dunge-hill as vpon the Throne of miserie adorned with soares vlcers and matter as with royall robes suteing them in the qualitie of his royaltie with so great an abiection and annihilation that if he had not spooken one should not haue descerned whether IOB was a man reduced into a dounghill or the dounghill a corruption in forme of a man Behold there I saie the great Iob crying out If we haue receiued good things from the hand of God why shall we not also receiue that which is bad ô God how this word is great with Loue He ponders THEO that it was from the hand of God that he had receiued the good testifying that he had not so much loued good because it was good as that it came from our Sauiours hand which being so he concluds that he is louingly to support aduersities since they proceede from our Sauiours hand equally to be loued when he distributs afflictions and when he bestowes consolations Each one doth easily receiue good things but to receiue euill is a worke of perfect Loue which loues them so much the more for that they are not amiable but in respect of his hand that giues them 7. The Trauailler that is in feare whether he hath hit vpon the right way walks in doubt looking about him in the countrie where he is and stands in a muse at the end of almost euery feild to thinke whether he goes not a straie But he that is sure of his way walks on iocundly boldly and swiftly Euen so the Loue that deâ—ires to walke to Gods will through consolations walkes still in feare to take the wrong path and in steede of louing Gods good liking to fall in loue with the pleasure which is in the consolation but
the Loue that strikes straight through afflictions towards the will of God walkes in assurance For affliction being in no wise amiable in it selfe it is an easie thing to Loue it onely for his sake that send 's it The hounds in spring time are euery foote at default finding hardly any sent at all because the hearbes and flowres doe then smell so freshly that the freshnesse put downe the rowt or sent of the Hart or hare In the spring time of consolations Loue is scarcely acquainted with Gods pleasure because the sensible pleasure of the consolation doth so allure the heart that it troubles the attention which it ought to haue to the will of God S. CATHARINE hauing from our Sauiour her choice of a Crowne of gold or a crowne of thornes choosed this as better suteting with Loue. A desire of sufferance saieth the B. ANGELA FOLIGNY is an infallible marke of Loue and the great Apostle cries out that he glories onely in the Crosse in infirmitie in persecution Of the vnion of our will to the Diuine will in spirituall afflictions by resignation CHAPTER III. 1. THe Loue of the Crosse makes vs vndertake voluntarie afflictions as for example fasting watching haire-shirts and other tamings of the bodie renouÌ„ce pleasures honours aÌ„d riches aÌ„d loue in these exercises is very delightfull to the beloued yet more when we receiue with patience sweetenesse and mildnesse the paines torments and tribulations by reason of the Diuine will which sends vs them But Loue then is at its hight when we receiue afflictions not with patience and sweetnesse onely but we doe euen cheerish loue and embrace theÌ„ in regard of the Diuine will whence they proceede 2. Now of all the essayes of perfect Loue that which is practised by the repose of the mind in spirituall tribulations is doubtlesse the most pure and highest The B. ANGELA OF FOLIGNY makes an admirable description of the interiour panges which sometimes she felt saying that her soule was tortured like to one who being tyed hand and foote should be hung by the necke without being strangled but should hang in this estate betwixt death and life without hope of helpe and neither being able to keepe herselfe vpon her feete nor assist herselfe with her hands nor crie out nor yet sigh or moane So it faires THEO the soule is sometimes so ouercharged with interiour afflictions that all her faculties and powers are oppressed by priuation of all that might releiue her and by apprehension and impression of all that might attristate her So that at the imitation of her Sauiour she begins to be troubled to feare to be disamayed and at length to waxe sad with a sorrow like vnto that of one dying Whence she may rightly saie My soule is heauie euen to death and with her whole hearts consent she desirs petitions supplicats that if it be possible this Calice may passe hauing nothing left her saue the very supreame point of her Spirit which cleeuing hard to the Diuine heart and will saieth in a most sincere submission O eternall Father ah not myne but thy will be done And which is diligently to be noted the soule makes this resignation amidst such a world of troubles contradictions repugnances that she doth euen hardly perceiue that she makes it at least it seemes to her to be done so coldly that it is not done from her heart nor as it were fitting since that which passeth there in fauour of the Diuine will is not onely done without delight and contentment but euen against the pleasure and liking of all the rest of the heart whom loue permits to bemoane her selfe at least to moane that she cannot bemoane herselfe and to sigh out all the LAMENTATIONS of IOB and Hieremie yet with charge that a sacred peace be still conserued in the very bottome of the heart in the highest and most delicate point of the Spirit and this submissiue peace is not tender or sweete nor yet in a manner sensible though otherwise sincere stroÌ„g inuincible aÌ„d full of Loue aÌ„d it seemes to haue betakeÌ„ it selfe to the very eÌ„d of the Spirit as into the dungeoÌ„ of the Fort where it remaines corragious though all the rest be taken and pressed with sorrow And by how much the more Loue in this case is depriued of all helpes forsaken of all the aide of the vertues and faculties of the soule by so much it is more to be prised for conseruing constantly its fidelitie 3. This vnion or conformitie to the diuine pleasure is made either by a holy resignation or a most holy indifferencie Now Resignation is practised with a certaine force and submission one would willingly liue in lieu of dying yet since it is Gods pleasure that die we must we yeeld to it We would willingly liue if it pleased God yea further we would willingly that it were his pleasure to prolong life we die willingly yet more willingly would we liue we departe with a reasonable good will yet would we stay with a better IOB in his afflictions made an act of resignation since we haue receiued the good saied he from the hand of God why shall we not sustaine the the toyles and vexations which he doth send vs marke THEO how he speakes of sustaining supporting enduring as it hath pleased our Lord so was it done our Lords name be praised These are the words of resignation and acceptance by way of sufferance and patience Of the vnion of our will to Gods will by Indâ—fferencie CHAPTER IV. 1. REsignation preferrs Gods will before all things yet doth it Loue many other things besides the will of God but Indifferencie passeth Resignation for it Loues nothing but meerely for the Loue of Gods will in so much that nothing at all can stirre the indifferent heart in the presence of the will of God True it is the most indifferent heart in the world may be touched with some affection while yet it discouers not where the will of God is Eliezer being come to the fountaine of HaraÌ„ had a full view of the virgin Rebecca aÌ„d without doubt saw her too too faire and pleasing howbeit he staied himselfe in an indifferencie till he knew by a signe from God that the Diuine will had ordained her a wife for his Maisters sonne for then he presented her with the eare-iewels and bracelets of gold Contrariwise if IACOB had onely loued in Rachel the alliance with Laban to which his Father Isaac had obliged him Lya had bene as deare vnto him as Rachel they being doth Labans daughters and consequently his Fathers will had bene as well fulfilled in the one as in the other But because beyoÌ„d his Fathers will he coueted to satisfie his owne liking taken with the beautie and louelinesse of Rachel he was troubled to Espouse LYA yet by resignation tooke her against his owne liking 2. But the indifferent heart stands not thus affected for knowing that tribulation though she be hard-fauered as another LYA leaues
heart for the obstinacie of the Iewes 2. Yet be sinners neuer so obstinate let vs neuer desist to aide and assist them for what doe we know but they may doe pennance and be saued happie is he that can saie to his neighbour as did S. Paule I haue neither ceased night nor day to admonish euery of you with teares and therefore I am cleare of your blood for I haue not bene sparing in denouncing vnto you Gods good pleasure in euery behalfe So lōg as there remaines any hope that the sinner will amend which alwayes remaines as long as life we must neuer reiect him but praie for him and assist him as farre forth as his miserie will permit 3. But lastly after we haue wept ouer the obstinate and performed towards them the good offices of Charitie in essaying to reclame them from perdition we must imitate our Sauiour and the Apostles that is we must remoue our mind from thence and place it vpon other obiects and imployments more to the aduancement of Gods glorie We were first saied the Apostles to the Iewes to announce the word of God vnto you but whereas you reiect it and make your selues vnworthy of the raigne of IESVS-CHRIST we will betake our selues to the Gentils The kingdome of God saieth our Sauiour shall be taken from you and shall be giuen to a nation that will make some profit of it Nor can one indeede spend much time in bewailing some few without loosing time fit and necessarie to procure the saluation of others It is true indeede the Apostle saieth that the losse of the Iewes is a cōtinuall corrasiue vnto him yet he spoke it in no other sense then we saie that we praise God continually for we meane no other thing thereby then that we praise him very frequently and in euery occasion and in the same manner the glorious S. Paule felt a continuall griefe in his heart caused by the Iewes reprobation for that in euery occasion he bemoaned their mishape 4. For the rest we must for euer adore Loue and praise God's reuenging and punishing IVSTICE as we loue his MERCY being both daughters of his goodnesse For as he is good yea soueraignly good he makes vs good by his grace by his IVSTICE he punisheth sinne because he hates it and he hates it for that being soueraignly good he hates the soueraigne euill which is iniquitie And in conclusion note that God doth neuer otherwise withdraw his MERCY from vs then by the iust vengāce of his punishing IVSTICE nor doe we euer escape the rigour of his IVSTICE but by his iustifying MERCY and howsoeuer whether he punish or gratifie vs his good pleasure is worthy of adoration loue and euerlasting praise So the Iust who sing the praises of Gods MERCY for such as haue wrought their owne saluation shall reioyce euen in seeing Gods vengance The Blessed shall with ioye approue the Sentence of the Reprobats damnation as well as that of the Elects saluation And the Angels hauing exercised their Charitie towards those that they had in keeping shall remaine in peace while they see them obstinate yea euen damned We are therefore to submit our selues to the Diuine will and kisse the right hand of his MERCY and the left hand of his IVSTICE with an equall Reuerence How the puritie of Indifferencie is practised in the actions of holy Loue. CHAPTER IX 1. THe most excellent Musician of the Vniuersitie and one that had a skeelfull hād vpō the Lute became in time so deadly deafe that his hearing serued him for nothing yet ceased he not for all that to sing and to handle his Lute marueilous delicatly by reasō of the perfect habite which he had therein whereof his deafenesse did not depriue him But taking no pleasure in his song nor yet in the sound of his Lute as being depriued of his hearing he could not perceiue the sweetenesse and delight of it so that he neither sung nor plaied saue onely to content a Prince whose natiue subiect he was and whom he infinitely desired to please as hauing an infinite obligatiō vnto him for his breeding from his childhood Hence he tooke an incomparable delight to delight him and when his Prince made shew to be delighted in his musike he was rauished with delight But it happened sometimes that the Prince to make triall of this louing Musician's loue gaue him order to sing and presently vpon it leauing him there wēt a hunting yet the desire which this Chaunter had to accomplish his Maisters desires made him continue his musike as attentiuely as though his Prince had bene present though in very deede he had no content in his owne song for he neither had the pleasure of the Melodie whereof his deafenesse depriued him nor the content of pleasing his Prince who being absent could not enioye the sweetenesse and pleasure of the ayre which he sung My heart to sing is readie and dispos'd A hymne in honour of thy name compos'd My soule and spirit ardently essayes To sing thy praise Vp then my glorie vp and quit thy rest In Harpe ād Psaltere let our lord be bles't Mans heart is the true Chaunter of the Canticle of sacred Loue himselfe the HARPE or PSALTER Now ordinarily this Chaunter is his owne auditorie taking a great pleasure in the Melodie of his song I meane our heart louing God doth taste the delights of this Loue and takes an incomparable contentment to loue so louely an obiect Marke I praie you THEO what I would saie The Little young Nightingales doe first essaie a beginning of song by imitating the old one but hauing got skill and passing Maisters they sing for the pleasure which they take in their owne song and doe so passhionatly addict themselues to this delight as I haue saied in an other place that by striuing to send out their voice their weseele bursting they send out their life So our hearts in the beginning of deuotion loue God that they may be vnited and become gratefull vnto him and imitate him in that he hath loued vs for all eternitie but by little and little being formed and exercised in holy Loue they are imperceptibly changed and in lieu of louing God to please God they begin to Loue him for the pleasure they take in the exercises of holy Loue and insteede of falling in Loue with God they fall in Loue with the Loue they beare him and stand affected to their owne affections not taking any more pleasure in God but in the pleasure they take in his Loue contenting themselues with this Loue because it is theirs that it is in their heart whence it proceedes for though this sacred Loue be called the Loue of God because God is loued by it yet it is also ours we being the Louers that Loue by it And herevpon we come to chang for insteede of louing this holy Loue for that it tends to God who is the beloued we Loue it because it proceedes from vs who are
the Louers Now who doth not see that in so doing we doe not seeke God but turne home to our selues louing the Loue in lieu of louing the beloued louing I saie the Loue not by reason of Gods good pleasure and liking but for the pleasure and content we draw from it This Chaunter who in the beginning sung to God and for God doth now rather sing to himselfe and for himselfe then for God And the pleasure he takes in singing is not so much to please Gods eare as his owne And for as much as the Canticle of Diuine Loue is of all the most excellent he also Loues it better not by reason of the Diuine excellencie which is exalted therein but because its ayre is more delicious and agreeable A meanes to discouer when we chang in the matter of this holy Loue. CHAPTER X. 1. YOu may easily discouer this THEO for if this mysticall NigtiÌ„gale sing to please God she will sing the song which she knowes to be most gratefull to the Diuine Prouidence but if she sing for the delight which she her selfe takes in her melodious soÌ„g she will not sing the CaÌ„ticle which is most agreeable to the heauenly Bountie but that which likes herselfe best and from which she thinks to draw the most contentment Of two Canticles which are both Diuine the one may be sung because it is Diuine and the other because it is pleasing Rachell and Lya were equally Iacobs wiues but he Loues the one onely in the qualitie of a wife the other in that she was beautifull The Canticle is Diuine but the motiue which moues vs to sing it is the spirituall delight which we pretend therein 2. Doe you not see will some saie to this or that Bishop that it is Gods will that you should sing the Pastorall song of his Loue amongst your flocke which he commands you thrice to feede in vertue of holy Loue in the person of the great S. Peter the first head of Pastours What will you answere me That at Rome or Paris there is more spirituall delight and that there one may practise Diuine Loue with more comfort O God it is not then to please thee that this partie desires to sing it is for the pleasure he takes in it He seekes not thee in his Loue but the contentment which he receiues in the exercise of the same loue Religious men would sing the Pastours song and married men that which belongs to the Religious and all this saie they to Gods greater glorie Ah you deceiue your selues my friends doe not saie that you doe it to Gods greater glorie O God no! it is done for your owne greater content which you preferre before Gods Gods will is equally and almost still more in sicknesse theÌ„ in health Wherefore if we Loue health better let vs neuer saie that we doe it to serue God the better for who sees not that it is health that we looke for in Gods will not God's will in health 3. It is hard I confesse to behold long together and with delight the beautie of a Myrrour without casting an eye vpon a mans selfe yea without taking a complacence in himselfe yet is there a differeÌ„ce betwixt the pleasure which one takes in beholding the Myrrour by reason of its beautie and the complacence one takes to see himselfe in it It is also without doubt very hard to loue God and not withall Loue the pleasure which we take in his Loue yet is there a faire difference betwixt the pleasure which one takes in louing God for his beautie and that which he takes in louing him because his Loue is delightfull vnto him Now our strife must be purely to find out in God the Loue of his beautie not the pleasure we take in the beautie of his Loue. He that in praying deceâ—nes that he praies is not perfectly attentiue to his Praier for he diuerts his attention from God to whom he praies and turnes it vpoÌ„ the Praier which he makes vnto him The very solicitude we haue not to be distracted is often times a maine distraction Simplicitie in spirituall actions is most commendable Desire you to behold God doe so then and be attentiue to that for if you goe to reflect and bring your eyes backwards vpon your selfe to see how you looke when you looke vpon him it is not now him that you behold but your owne gesture your selfe He that praies feruently knowes not whether he praies or not for he thinks not of the Praier which he makes but of God to whom he makes it He that is in the heate of sacred Loue doth not turne his heart vpon himselfe to looke what he is doing but keepes it hard set and bent vpon God to whom he applies his Loue. The heauenly Chaunter takes such pleasure in pleasing God that he hath no pleasure in the melodie of his voice but onely in respect that God is pleased in it 4. Why in your opinion Theo did Amon the sonne of Dauid Loue Thamar so desperately that he euen thought to die for Loue Doe you thinke that it was her that he loued You shall see that he did not for as soone as he had glutted his execrable lust he cruelly kick'ed her out of dores aÌ„d ignominiously reiected her If it had bene thamar that he loued he had neuer done this for Thamar remained still Thamar but whereas it was not Thamar that he loued but the brutall delight which he tooke in her as soone as he had got what he sought for Thamar was outragiously bet and brutally treated by him His pleasure was placed vpon Thamar but his Loue was set vpon the pleasure not vpon Thamar So that the pleasure being ended he could also willingly haue procured an end of her THEO you shall see some praying as you would thinke with great deuotion and feruour in the practise of heauenly Loue but stay a little and you shall discouer whether it be God indeede that he loueth Alas as soone as the delight and satisfaction which he tooke in Loue shall depart and a drinesse shall arriue he will quite leaue of all and praie onely cursarily by fits Now if it had bene God indeede that he loued why would he haue left louing him since God is still God it was therefore God's consolation that he loued not the God of consolation Truly there are diuers that take no delight in Diuine Loue vnlesse it be canded in the suggur of some sensible sweetenesse and they doe willingly plaie the children who if they haue a little honie spred vpoÌ„ theit bread doe licke and sucke off the honie casting the bread away for if the delight could be separated from the Loue they would reiect Loue and licke vp the delight onely Wherefore following Loue for Loue of the delight wheÌ„ they meete not with delight they forsake Loue. And ô God to what eminent danger are those people exposed either to returne backe againe as soone as they misse those gusts and
consolatioÌ„s or else to be occupied in vaine delight farre remote from true Loue and to mistake the honie of Heraclea for that of Narbone Of the perplexitie of the heart in Loue which doubts whether it please the Beloued CHAPTER XI 1. THe Musician which I mentioned being fallen sicke tooke no delight in his owne musicke saue onely that now and theÌ„ he perceiued his Prince attentiue to it and please himselfe in it O how happie is the heart that Loues God without pretence of any other pleasure then a strife to please God for what more deare and perfect pleasure can a soule euer take then that which is takeÌ„ in the Diuine pleasure Yet this pleasure to please God is not properly Diuine Loue but the fruit thereof which may be separated from it as the Lemmon from the Lemmon tree For as I haue saied our Musician did continually sing without reaping any contentment of his song whereof his deefenesse made him incapable and often also did he sing without hauing the pleasure to please his Prince who after he had giuen him Order to begin would withdraw himselfe or goe a hunting neither taking leasure nor pleasure to heare bim 2. O God while thy benigne looke doth testifie vnto me that thou art pleased in the song of my Loue ah how I am comforted for is there any pleasure comparable to the pleasure of pleasing thee But when thou turnes thyne eyes from me not daigning me a feeling of the delightfull fauour of the complacence which thou takest in my song good God what panges my soule endures without leauing off for all that â—â—â—ally to Loue thee and continually to sing the Hymne of thy Loue not for any delight she finds in it for she finds none at all but for the pure Loue of thy will 3. I haue seene a sicke child of that disposition that he would couragiously haue eaten whaâ— his mother presented him though with an incredible loathing for a pure desire he had to giue her content In this case he eate his meate without taking any pleasure in it yet not without a pleasure of a higher rate and ranke which was the pleasure of pleasing his mother aÌ„d in perceiuing her coÌ„tent But another who without seeing his mother by the meere knowledge he had of her desire tooke all that was brought to him by her order he eate without any pleasure at all for he neither had the pleasure of eating nor yet the contentment to see his mother pleased but did it onely purely and simply to doe her will The contentment of our Prince who is present with vs or of any partie that we Loue earnestly makes watchings paines and trauailles delicious and begets in vs a Loue of perill But nothing is so discomfortable as to serue a Maister that knowes it not or at least if he know it yet giues no signe that he takes it in good part Loue must be strong in this occurrence because it runnes alone without being sustained by any pleasure or pretention 4. Thus it comes to passe often times that we haue no consolation in the exercise of holy Loue for that being like deafe singers we heare not our owne voices nor eÌ„ioye the melodie of our soÌ„g yea further we are pressed with a thousand feares frighted with a thousand false Alarmes which the Enemye giues round about our heart suggesting that peraduenturs we are not in grace with our Maister and that our Loue is fruitlesse yea that it is false and vaine since it brings forth no comfort And then THEO we labour not without pleasure onely but with an exceeding distresse being neither able to discouer the profit of our labours nor his contentment for whom we labour 5. But that which in this case doth augment our difficultie is that euen the Spirit and highest part of Reason cannot all asswage our griefe for this poore superiour portion of Reason being beset round about with the suggestions of the enemie she is euen all in teares and hath her hands full in keeping the GARD least sinne by surprise might get consent so that she can make no SALLâ—â— to disengage the inferiour part of her Spirit And albeit she haue not lost heart yet is she so desperatly set at that though she be not guiltie of fault yet is she not free from paine for that her griefe might be full she is depriued of the generall consolatiâ—n which doth ordinarily accompanie vs through all the other calamities of this life to wit hope that they will not be of long continuance but will haue an end so that the heart in these spirituall troubles falls into a certaine impotencie of thinking to see an end of them and consequently of hoping to be eased of its burden Faith indeede which resides in the top of the Spirit assures vs that these troubles will haue end and that one day we shall enioye expected repose But the lowdnesse of the shoutes and outcries which the Enemie makes in the rest of the soule about the inferiour Reason's Quarter will scarely permit the aduise and Remonstrance of Faith to be heard And we haue our Imagination filled with this heauie presage Alas I shall neuer be ioyfull 6. O God my deare THEO now it is that we are to shew an inuincible courage towards our Sauiour seruing him purely for the Loue of his will not onely without pleasure but euen floting in the midst of sorrows horrours astonishments and assaults as did his glorious mother and S. IOHN vpon the day of his passion who amongst so many blasphemies sorrows and deadly disasters remained constant in Loue yea euen in thaâ— instant in which our Sauiour hauing drawen all his holy ioyes to the very top of his Spirit left no ioye or consolatioÌ„ at all in his heauenly couÌ„tinaÌ„ce and when his eyes languishing and couered with the darke vaile of death did onely cast vpon them a looke of sorrow as did the Sunne send out beames of horrour and daunting darknesse How the soule amidst theâ—â— interiour anguishes knowes not the Loue she beares to God and of the Louely death of the will CHAPTER XII 1. THe night before the great S. PETER was to sufâ—er Martyrdome an Angell came to the Prison and filled it with splendour awaked S. PETER made him arise girt himselfe put on his shooes and clothes freede him of his bonds and shackles drew him out of Prison and led him through the first and second garde till he came to the iron gate in the high way towards the towne which opened at their coÌ„ming and hauing passed a streete the Angell left the glorious S. PETER in full libertie Behold a great varietie of very sensible actions and yet S. PETER who was at the first awaked did not apprehend that which was done by the Angell was done indeede but esteemed in â—n imaginarie vision He was awake and yet did not thinke so he put on his clothes and shooes not knowing that he had done it he walked and yet
she wills for me I leaue her the care as well to goe as to will to goe for me where she likes best and as I goe not hut by her gate so I will not but by her will And from the instant I was first in her armes I neuer gaue my attention either to will or nill turning all other cares ouer to my mother saue onely the care to liue in her bosome to sucke her sacred Pappe and to keepe my selfe close ioyned to her amiable necke louing to kisse her with kisses of my mouth And be it knowen vnto you that while I am amongst the delights of these holy huggings which surpasse all delights I apprehend my mother as a tree of life and my selfe in her as the fruit that I am her owne heart in the midst of her heart or her soule in the heart of her heart so that as her gate serues both her and me without my touching the ground so her will serues vs both without producing any act of my will about the businesse of going and coÌ„ming Nor doe I euer take notice whither she goe fast or fairely hither or thither nor doe I make any enquirie whither she tends contenting my selfe with this that goe she whither she please I goe still lock't vp in her bosome close layed at her sugared dugges where I feede as amoÌ„gst Lillies O Diuine child of Marie permit my poore soule to take this straine of Loue But goe then ô most amiable deare little babe or rather goe not but staie still so holily glewed to thy sweete mothers breast goe alwayes in her and by her or with her but neuer without her while thou remainest a child ô how blessed is the wombe that bore thee and the dugges that gaue thee sucke The Sauiour of our soules was endewed with the vse of Reason from the instant of his Conception in his mothers wombe and could make all these discourses yea euen the glorious S. IOHN his Forerunner from the day of his holy Visitation And though both of them as well in that time as in their infancie were possessed of proper libertie to will or not to will yet did they deferre the care of that which concerned their exteriour gouernemeÌ„t to their mothers to doe and will for them what was requisite 3. Such should we be THEO pliable and tractable to Gods good Pleasure as though we were very waxe not giuing our thoughts leaue to wander in wishing and willing any thing but leauing it to God to will and doe all for vs according to his goodnesse throwing vpon him all our sollicitude because he hath care of vs as the holy Apostle saieth and note that he saieth All our sollicitudes that is as well those which concerne the euents as those which pertaine to willing or not willing for he will haue a care of the issue of our affaires and of willing that which is best for vs. 4. Meane while let vs affectionatly imploye our cares to blesse God in all his works by Iobs example saying our Lord gaue and our Lord hath taken away the name of our Lord be blessed Lord I will will no euents but will let them be willed for me euen as thou shalt please yea in lieu of willing the euents I will blesse thee in that thou hast willed them O THEO what an excellent imployment of our will is this when she leaues willing and choosing the effects of Gods good pleasure to praise and thanke him for such effects Of the most excellent exercise a man can make in the interiour and exteriour troubles of this life In sequele of the indifferencie and death of the will CHAPTER XV. 1. TO blesse and thanke God in all the euents that his prouidence ordaines is in very deede a most holy exercise yet if while we leaue the care to God to will and doe in vs on vs and with vs what pleaseth him without attending to that which passeth though indeede we feele it we could diuert our heart and applie our attention to the Diuine goodnesse and sweetenesse blessing God not in the effects or eueÌ„ts which he ordaines but in himselfe and in his owne excellencie we should certainly performe a farre more eminent exercise In the time that Demetrius layed Seige to Rhodes Protogenes who was in a little house in the Suburbs ceased not to worke and that with such assurance and repose of mind that though the enemies sword hung still in a manner ouer his head yet performed he that excellent MAISTâ—R-PEECE aÌ„d admirable Satyre making himselfe merrie with playing vpon a pipe O God how worthy soules are those that in all kinds of accidents keepe still their affections and attentions vpon the eternall goodnesse to honour and Loue it eternally 2. The daughter of an excellent Phisitian and Surgeon being in a continuall Ague and knowing that she was tenderly beloued of her Father saied to one of her friends I endure a great paine yet thinke I of no remedies for I know not what would be apt to worke the Cure I might wish for one thing while an other were more conuenient Were it not therefore my fairest way to leaue all this care to my Father who knowes what to doe can and will doe all that is required for my health I were to blame if I should trouble my selfe to thinke of it since he will be carefull enough to thinke of it for me I should erre to desire any thing sith he is diligeÌ„t enough to desire all that caÌ„ be profitable for me I will therefore expect onely till he will that which he deames fit and will not otherwise busie my selfe then in fixing myne eyes vpon him when he comes nigh me to testifie vnto him my filiall affection and to discouer vnto him my perfect confidence and with this she fell a sleepe till her Father iudging it fit to let her blood prouided things requisite for it and comming towards her euen as she awaked after he had asked her how she found herselfe after her sleepe he demanded whether she would not like well to be let blood for her health Father saied she I am yours I know not what I should desire for my cure it belongs to you to will and doe for me whatsoeuer you shall iudge conuenient for my part it sufficeth me to Loue and honour you with my whole heart as indeede I doe with this they take and bind her arme and her Father himselfe lanceth the veine But while he is doing the deede and the blood springs out the louing girle neuer once looked vpon her lanced arme nor yet on the blood that issued out of the veine but keeping her eyes fixed vpon her Fathers face she saied onely now and then with a low voice my Father Loues me tenderly and I am entirely his And when all was done she thanked him not but onely repeated againe the former words of her filiall affection and confidence 3. But tell me now THEO my friend did not this girle testifie
a more solide and attentiue loue towards her father then though she had sheâ—en her selfe much sollicitous in begging his helpe to her cure in looking how they opened her veine or how the blood span out and in vsing a great deale of ceremonie in rendring him thankes certainely none can make any doubt of it For in taking vpon her the care of her selfe what had she gotten but an vnprofitable anxitie especially her father hauing care enough of her what had looking vpon her arme profited her but haue bene an occasion of horrour And what vertue had she practised in thanking her father saue that of gratitude Did she not better then to occupie her selfe wholy in the Demonstrations of her filiall affection which is infinitly more delightfull to her father then all other vertues 4. Myne eyes are alwayes to our Lord because he will deliuer our feete from the snare Art thou fallen into the snares of aduersitie ah looke not vpon this mishape nor vpon the Gyues wherein thou art caught looke vpon God and leaue all to him he will haue care of thee throwe thy thoughtes vpon him and he will nourrish thee Why dost thou trouble thy selfe with willing or nilling the euents and accidents of this world since thou art ignorant what were best for thee to will and that God will will for thee without thy trouble all that thou art to will for thy selfe Expect therefore in peace of mind the effect of the Diuine pleasure and let his willing suffice thee since he can neuer cease to be good For so he gaue order to his well beloued S. Catharine of Sienna Thinke of me quoth he to her and I will thinke for thee It is a hard thing to expresse to the full this extreame indifferencie of mans heart which is so reduced to and dead in the will of God for it is not to be saied me thinkes that she doth submit herselfe to Gods submission being an act of the soule declaring her consent nor is it to be saied that she doth accept or receiue it for as much as accepting or receiuing are certaine actions which in some sort may be termed passiue actions by which we embrace and take what soections befalls vs nor yet are we to saie that she permits permission being an action of the will and consequently a certaine idle emptie wish that will indeede doe nothing but onely let it be done And therefore me thinke the soule in this indifferecie that willeth nothing but leaues God to will what he pleaseth is to be saied to haue her will in a simple expectation since that to expect is not to doe or act but onely to remaine exposed to some euer And if you marke it the expectation of the soule is altogether voluntarie and yet an action it is not but a meere disposition to receiue whatsoeuer shall happen and as soone as the euents are once arriued and receiued the expectation becomes a coÌ„tentment or repose Marry till they happen in truth the soule is A PVRE EXPECTATION indiffereÌ„t to all that it shall please the Diuine will to ordaine 5. In this sort did our Sauiour expresse the extreame submission of his humane will to the will of his eternall Father The Almightie saieth he hath opened myne eare that is he hath declared vnto me his pleasure touching the multitude of torments which I am to endure and I saieth he afterwards doe not gainesaie or withdraw my selfe what would this saie I doe not gainesaie or withdraw my selfe but this my will is in a simple expectation and is readie for all that God shall send In sequele whereof I deliuer vp and abandone my bodie to the mercy of such as will beate it and my cheekes to such as will make them smart being prepared to let them exercise their pleasure vpon me But marke I praie you THEO that euen as our Sauiour after he had made his Praier of Resignation in the Garden of Oliuet and after he was taken left himselfe to be handled and haled by those that crucified him by an admirable surrender made of his bodie and life into their hands So did he resigne vp his soule and will by a most perfect indiffereÌ„cie into his eternall Fathers haÌ„ds For though he cried out My God My God why hast thou forsaken me Yet was that to let vs vnderstand the reall anguish and distresse of his soule but in no wise to impeach the most holy indifferencie of which it as possessed as shortly after he shewed concluding all his life and passion in these incomparable words Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Of the perfect stripping of the soule vnited to Gods will CHAPTER XVI 1. LEt vs represent vnto our selues THEO the sweete Iesus in Pilats house where for the Loue of vs he was turned out of his clothes by the soldiers the Ministers of death and not content with that they take the skin with them tearing it with the blowes of rods and whipps as afterwards his soule was bereft of his bodie and his bodie of life by the death which he endured vpon the Crosse But three dayes being once ruÌ„ne ouer the soule by the most holy Resurrection did reinuest her glorious bodie and his bodie its mortall skin wearing sundrie garments now resembling a Gardener now a Pilgrime or in some other guise according as the saluation of man and the glorie of God required LOVE did all this THEO and it is LOVE also that entring into a soule to make it happily die to it selfe and liue to God which doth bereaue it of all humane desires and self-esteeme which is as closely fixed to the Spirit as the skin to the flesh and strips her at leÌ„gth of her best beloued affections as were those which she had to spirituall affections exercises of pietie and the perfection of vertues which seemed to be the very life of the soule 2. Then THEO the soule may by good right crie I haue put of my garment and how can I find in my heart to resume them againe I haue washed my feete from all sorts of affections and can I euer be so mad as to soile theÌ„ againe I came naked out of the hande of God and naked will I returne thither God gaue me many desires and God hath taken them away his holy name be blessed Yea THEO the same God that made vs desire vertues in our beginning aÌ„d which makes vs practise theÌ„ in all occurrences he it is that takes from vs the affection to vertues and all spirituall exercises that with more tranquillitie puritie and simplicitie we should affect nothing but the Diuine Maiesties good pleasure For as the faire Iudith reserued indeede her costly festiuall robes in her Cabinet and yet placed not her affection vpon them nor yet euer wore them in the time of her widowhood saue onely when by God's inspiration she went to ouerthrow Holofernes so though we haue learnt the practise of vertue and the exercise of deuotion yet are we
not to affect them nor reinuest our heart therewith saue onely so farre forth as we discerne it to agree with God's good pleasure And as Iudith wore still moorning weedes except onely in this occasion wherein Gods will was that she should be in pompe so are we peaceably to remaine vested in our miserie and abiection amidst our imperfections and infirmities till God shall exalt vs to the practise of excellent actions 3. One cannot long remaine in this nakednesse voide of all affection Wherefore following the aduise of the holy Apostle as soone as we haue turn'd off the garments of the old Adam we are to put on the habits of the new man that is to saie of IESVS CHRIST for hauing renounced all yea euen the affection to vertues neither desiring of these nor of other things a larger portion then may beare proportion with God's will we must put on againe diuers affections and peraduenture the very same which we haue renounced and resigned vp yet are we not therefore to resume theÌ„ for that they are agreeable profitable honorable and proper to content our selfe-love but because they are agreeable to God profitable to his honour and ordained to his glorie 4. Eliezer carried eare-jewels bracelets and new attire for the mayde whom God had prouided for his Maisters sonne and in effect he presented them to the virgine Rebecca as soone as he knew it was she New garmeÌ„ts are required to our Sauiour's Spouse If for the Loue of God she hath bereft her selfe of the auncient affections which she had to Parents Countrie Father's house and allie she must take a span new affection louing euery of these in their ranke not now accorcording to humane considerations but because the heauenly Spouse doth will command and intend it so and hath established such an order in Charitie If one haue once put off his old affectioÌ„ to spirituall consolations to exercises of deuotion to the practise of vertues yea to his owne aduancement in perfection he must put on another new affection by louing all these graces and heaueÌ„ly fauours not because they perfect and adorne our minde but for that our Sauiours name is sanctified in them his kingdome enriched his good pleasure glorified 5. So did S. PETER vest himselfe in the Prison not at his owne election but at the Angels command He puts on his girdle then his Sandales and afterwards the rest of his garments And the glorious S. PAVLâ— bereft in a moment of all affections Lord quoth he what wilt thou haue me doe that is what is thy pleasure I should affect since throwing me to the ground thou hast deaded me to myne owne will Ah Lord plant thy good pleasure in the place of it and teach me to performe thy will for thou art my God THEO he that hath forsaken all for God ought to resume nothing but according to Gods pleasure he feeds not his bodie but according to Gods ordinance that it may be seruiceable to the Spirit all his studie is to assist his neighbour and his owne soule according to the Diuine intention he practiseth not vertues as being according to his owne heart but according to God's 5. God commanded the Prophet Isaie to stripe himselfe naked which he did going and preaching in this sort for three dayes together as some hold or for three yeares together as others think and then the time prefixed him by God being expired he resumed his clothes Euen so are we to turne our selues out of affections little and great as also to make a frequent examine of our hearts to discouer whether it be willing to vnuest it selfe as Isaie did his garments as also to resume in their time the affections necessarie to the seruice of charitie to the end we might die with our Sauiour naked vpon the crosse and rise againe with him in newnesse of life Loue is as strong as death to make vs quit all it is magnificent as the Resurrection to adorne vs with honour and glorie The end of the ninth booke THE TENTH BOOKE OF THE COMMANDEMENT OF LOVING GOD ABOVE ALL things Of the sweetenesse of the Commandement which God gaue vs to loue him aboue all things CHAPTER I. 1. MAN is the perfection of the Vniuerse the Spirit the perfection of man Loue the Spirits and Charitie the perfection of Loue. WheÌ„ce the Loue of God is the end of perfection and the Excellencie of the vniuerse In this THEO doth consist the hight and primacie of the Commandement of Diuine Loue called by our Sauiour the first and greatest Commandemet This Commandement is as a Sunne giuing luster and dignitie to all the holy lawes to all the Diuine â—ordonances and to all the holy Scripturs All is made for this heauenly Loue and all tends to it Of the sacred Tree of this Commandement all consolations exhortations inspirations and euen all the other Commandements haue dependance as it's flowres and eternall life as it 's fruit and all that tends not to eternall Loue tends to eternall death O great Commandement whose perfect practise remaines euen in the euerlasting life yea it is no other thing then life euerlasting 2. But marke THEO how amiable this law of Loue is ah Lord God was it not sufficient that thou shouldst permit vs this heauenly Loue as KABAN permitted IACOB to Loue RACHEL without daigning farther to inuite vs to it by exhortations and vrge vs to it by thy Commandements Nay more ô Diuine Goodnesse to the end that neither thy Maiestie nor our miserie nor any other pretext at all might delay our loue to thee thou dost command it vs. The poore APELLES could neither abstaine from louing nor yet aduenture to loue the faire COMPASPE because she appertained to ALEXANDER the Great but wheÌ„ he had once leaue to loue her how much did he hold himselfe obliged to him that did him the grace He knew not whether he should more loue the faire COMPASPE granted him by so great an Emperour or so great an Emperour who had granted him the faire COMPASPE O sweete God THEO If we could vnderstand it what an obligation should we haue to this Soueraigne good who doth not onely permit but doth euen command vs to loue him Alas my God I know not whether I ought more to loue thyne infinite Beautie which so great a Bountie hath ordained that I should loue or thy Diuine Bountie which ordaines that I should loue so infinite a Beautie O Beautie how amiable thou art being granted vnto me by a Bountie so immense O Bountie how amiable thou art in communicating vnto me so eminent a Beautie 3. God at the day of Iudgment will imprint after an admirable maÌ„ner in the hearts of the damned the apprehension of their losse for the Diuine Maiestie will make them clearely see the Soueraigne Beautie of his face and the Treasures of his Bountie and vpon the sight of this Abisse of infinite delights the will desires with an extreame violence to cast her selfe vpon
him to be vnited vnto him and enioyâ— his Loue But all in vaine she shall be as a womaÌ„ who in the panges of child-birth after she haue endured violent paines cruell conuulsions and intollerable panges dies in the end without being deliuered For as soone as the cleare and faire knowledge of the heauenly Beautie shall haue penetrated the vnderstandings of those infortunate wretches the Diuine Iustice shall in such sort depriue the will of her force that she can in no wise loue this obiect which the vnderstanding shall propose vnto her and make cleare to be so amiable and this sight which should beget in the will so great a Loue in lieu thereof shall engender an infinite desolation which shall be made eternall by a memorie of the Soueraigne Beautie they saw which shall for euer liue in these lost soules a memorie voyd of all good yea full of vexations paines torments and endlesse desperations For so much as in the soule shall be found both an imposiblitie yea and a dreadfull and euerlasting auersion and repugnance to loue this so wishfull an Excellencie So that the miserable damned shall liue for euer in a desperate rage to know so soueraignely amiable a perfection without all hope of euer being able to enioye or loue it because while they might haue loued it they would not they shall burne with a thrist so much more violeÌ„t by how much the remeÌ„braÌ„ce of this source of waters of eternall life shall more egge their ardour they shall die immortally as dogges of a famine by so much more vehement by how much their memorie shall more sharpen the insatiable crueltie thereof by calling to mind the heauenly banquet of which they were depriued The damned soules in foming rage Shall wither vp and drie away And nothing shall their griefe asswage VVhat ere their daring hearts essaye I dare not affirme for certaine that the view of Gods Beautie which the damned shall haue in the maÌ„ner of a flash of lightning shall be as bright as that of the Blessed yet shall it be so cleare that they shall see the sonne of maÌ„ in his Maiestie they shall see him whom they pierced and by the view of this glorie shall learne the greatnesse of their losse Ah if God had prohibited man to Loue what a torment would that haue bene to generous hearts what paines would they not vndertake to obtaine permission to Loue him DAVID entred into a very dangerous Combat to gaine the kings daughter and what did not IACOB doe to espouse RACHEL and the Prince SICHEM to haue DINA in marriage The damned would repute them selues Blessed if they could entertaine a hope euer to Loue God And the Blessed would esteeme themselues Damned if they harboured a thought that they should euer be depriued of this sacred Loue. 4. O Good God THEO how gustfull is the sweetenesse of this Commandement seeing that if it pleased the Diuine will to giue it to the damned they would in a moment be deliuered of their greatest misfortune and since the Blessed are not Blessed but by the practise of it ô heauenly Loue how louelie thou art in the fight of our soules And blessed be the Bountie of God for euer who so earnestly commands vs to Loue him though his Loue be otherwise most to be desired and necessarie to our Happinesse and that without it we must necessarily be vnhappie That this Diuine Commandement of Loue tends to Heauen yet is giuen to the faithfuâ—l in this world CHAPTER II. 1. If the law be not iÌ„posed on the iust maÌ„ because he preuenting the lawes and without the laâ—es sollicitation doth performe Gods will by the instinct of Charitie which raignes in his soule how free are we to esteeme the Blessed in Heauen from all commandements since that from the possession of the Bountie and Beautie of the Beloued in which they are a sweete yet ineuitable necessitie to Loue for euer the most holy Diuinitie doth streame out and runne vpon their hearts We shall Loue God aboue THEO not as being tyed and obliged by the law but as being allured and rauished with delight which this so perfectly an amiable obiect shall yeeld vnto our hearts Then the force of the Commandement will cease to the end it may giue place to the force of contentmentâ— which shall be the fruite and crowne of the obseruance of the Commandement We are therefore ordained to the contentment which is promissed vs in the immortall life by meanes of the Commandement giuen vnto vs in this our mortall life in which truely we are strictly bound to obserue it because it is the fundamentall law which the KING IESVS deliuered to the Citizens of this militant HIERVSALEM whereby they may merite the BVRGVERSHIP and ioye of the triumphant HIâ—RVSALEM 2. Certes aboue in heauen we shall haue a heart free from all passions a soule purified from all distractions a Spirit infranchised from contradictions and forces exempt from opposition and therefore we shall Loue God with a perpetuall and neuer interrupted affection as it is saied of the foure sacred beasts which representing the Euangelists doe incessantly praise the Diuinitie O God what a ioye when we being established in those eternall Tabernacles our Spirits shall be in this perpetuall motion in which they shall enioye the so much desired repose of their eternall dilection Happie who in thy Mansion liue And in all Seasons praises giue But we are not to aime at this Loue so exceedingly perfect in this life of death for as yet we haue neither the heart nor the soule nor the Spirit nor the forces of the Blessed It is sufficient for vs to Loue with all the heart and force which we haue While we are little children we are wise like little children we speake like children we Loue like children but when we shall come to our perfect groth aboue we shall be quit of our infancie and Loue God perfectly Yet are we not for all this THEO during the infancie of our mortall life to leaue to doe our best according as it is commanded since it is not onely in our power but is also most facile the whole Commandement being of Loue and of the Loue of God who as he is soueraignely good so is he soueraignely amiable How notwithstanding that the whole heart is imployed in sacred Loue yet one may Loue God diuersly and also many other things together with him CHAPTER III. 1. HE that saieth all excluds nothing and yet a man may be wholy Gods wholy his Fathers wholy his mothers wholy his Princes wholy his coÌ„mon-wealth's his children's his friend 's so that being wholy euery on 's yet he is wholy to all which happens for that the dutie by which a man is wholy on 's is not contrarie to the dutie by which a man is wholy an others 2. Man giues himselfe wholy by loue and with proportion to his loue he bestowes himselfe He is therefore in a soueraigne manner giuen to God when
he loues the Diuine Bountie Soueraignely And hauing once made this kind of donation of himselfe he is to loue nothing that can remoue his heart from God Now neuer doth any loue take our hearts from God saue that which is contrarie vnto him 3. SARA is not offended to spie ISMAEL about her deare ISAAC while his dalliance with ISMAEL is not to slight or disparage her nor is God offended to see other loues liue in vs besids his while we doe conserue for him the reuerence and respect due vnto him 4. Verily THEOT in heauen God will giue himselfe wholy to all and not by halfs since he is a WHOLE that hath no parts yet will he giue himselfe diuersly and with varieties equall to the varietie of the Blessed for though he giue himselfe wholy to all and wholy to each one yet will he neuer giue himselfe totally neither to any one in particular nor to all in generall And we shall giue our selues to him according to the measure in which he giues himselfe to vs For we shall see him indeede face to face as he is in his Beautie and shall loue him heart to heart as he is in his Bountie yet all shall not see him with an equall brightnesse nor loue him with an equall sweetenesse but euery one shall see and loue him according to their particular portion of glorie which the Diuine Prouidence hath prepared for them We shall equally all haue the fulnesse of Diuine Loue marry that fullnesse shall be vnequall in perfection The honie of Narbone is sweete and so is also that of Paris both of them are full of sweetenesse but the one of a sweetenesse better finer aÌ„d more vigorous and though both of them be entirely sweete yet is neither of them totally sweete I doe homage to my Soueraigne Prince as also to him that is next vnto him I present therefor my loyaltie as well to the one as to the other of them yet doe I present it to neither of them totally For in that which I exhibit to my Soueraigne I doe not exclud that which is due to his vaâ—sall next to him nor doe I in this includ that Wherefore it is no wonder if in Heauen where these words THOV SHALT LOVE THE LORD Tâ—Y GOD WITH ALL THY Hâ—ART shall be so excellently practised there be great differences in loue sith we see such diuersitie euen in this mortall life 5. THEO not onely of such as loue God with all their heart some loue him more and some lesse but euen one and the same doth oft passe himselfe in this soueraigne exercise of louing God aboue all things Appelles did at sometimes haÌ„dle his Pencell better then at others sometimes euen out striping himselfe For though commonly he put all his art and all his attention to draw out ALEXANDER THE GREAT yet did he neuer employe it so totally and entirely that he had not yet other tricks of art by which though he neither put to 't more skill nor more affection yet he did it more liuely and perfectly He alwayes imployed all his wit to the good performance of this Table of ALEXANDER because he vsed it without reserue yet sometimes he did it with more grace and felicitie Who knowes not that we make progresse in this holy Loue aÌ„d that the end of Saints is crowned with a more perfect loue theÌ„ their beginning 6. Now according to the phrase of holy Scripture to doe a thing with all ones heart imports onely to doe it willingly and without reserue O Lord saieth Dauid I haue sought thee with all my heart Lord heare me and the holy WORD testifieth that he had truely followed God with his whole heart and yet not withstanding all that it affirmes also that Ezechias had not his equall amoÌ„gst all the kings of Iuda neither before nor after him that he was vnited to God and straied not from him Afterwards treating of IOSIAS it saieth that he had not his fellow amongst all the kings either before or after hiÌ„ that he returned to God with all his heart with all his soule with all his force according to the whole law of MOYSES nor did there any that followed him rise like vnto him Marke then I praie you THEO marke how DAVID EZECHIAS and IOSIAS loued GOD with all their hearts and yet not all three with an equall dilection because some of them had not their like in this Loue as the Sacred Text witnessed All the three loued him each of them with all their heart yet did nere a one of them seperatly nor all three ioyntly Loue him totally but euery one in his particular way so that as all the three were a like in this that they gaue their whole heart so were they vnlike in their manner of deliuering it yea there is no doubt at all but that DAVID taken a part was farre different from himselfe in this Loue and that with his second heart which God created pure and cleane in him and his right Spirit which he renewed in his bowels by holy Penance he sung the Canticle of Loue farre more melodiously then euer he had done with his first heart and Spirit 7. All true Louers are equall in this that all giue all their heart to God and with all their force but vnequall in the diuersitie of giuing it whence one giues all his heart with all his force yet lesse perfectly then the others Some giues it it all by Martyrdome all by virginitie all by puritie all by action all by contemplation all by a pastorall function and though all giue it all by the obseruance of the Commandements yet doth some one giue it with lesse perfection then the others 8. EueÌ„ so IACOB hiÌ„selfe who was called the HOLY-of-GOD in DANIEL and whoÌ„ God protesteth that he loued confesseth ingeniously that he had serue LABAN with all his strength and why did he serue LABAN but to obtaine RACHEL whom he loued with all his forces He serues LABAN with all his forces he serues GOD with all his forces he Loues RACHEL with all his forces he Loues GOD with all his forces yet Loues he not RACHEL as GOD nor GOD as RACHEL He Loues GOD as his God aboue all things and more then himselfe he Loues RACHEL in qualitie of a wife and as himselfe he Loues God with an absolute and soueraignely supreame Loue and RACHEL with the cheefest nuptiall Loue. Nor is the one of the Loues contrarie to the other since that of RACHEL doth not violate the priuiledges and soueraigne aduantages of the Loue of GOD. 9. So that our Loue to God THEO takes its worth from the eminencie and excellencie of the motiue for which and according to which we Loue him in that we Loue him for his soueraigne infinite goodnesse as God and according as he is God Now one drope of this Loue is better of more force and value then all the other Loues that can euer enter into the hearts or amongst the Quires
that is vnions recollections and the reposes of loue whereof we spoke in the 5. and 6. booke Marry they doe not enioye them in qualitie of Spouses because the superfluitie with which they affect good things hinders them from a frequent entrie into these Diuine Vnions with the Spouse being busied and distracted in louing that out of him and without him which they ought not to Loue but in him and for him Of two other degrees of greater perfection by which we may Loue God aboue all things CHAPTER V. 1. NOw there are other soules that neither Loue superfluities nor yet with superfluitie but loue onely that which God will and as he will Blessed soules who loue God their friends in God and their enemyes for God they Loue many things together with God but none at all saue in God and for God It is God that they Loue not onely aboue all things but euen in all things and all things in God resembling the Phenix growne young againe and come to her perfect strength which is neuer seene but in the aire or vpon the tops of mountaines that touch vpon the aire for so these soules Loue nothing but in God though indeede they Loue many things with God and God with many things S. LVKE recounts that our Sauiour inuited a young man to follow him who indeede loued him dearely but he had also a great affection to his Father and therevpō had a mind to returne home to him But our Sauiour out of this superfluitie of Loue and excited him to a Loue more pure that he might not onely Loue our Sauiour more then his Father but that he should not euen Loue him at all but in our Sauiour Leaue the care of burying the dead to the dead as for thee who hast met with life goe and preach the Kingdome of Heauen And these soules as you see THEOT hauing so great a connection with the Spouse they merite to participate of his ranke and to be Queenes as he is King being they are entirely dedicated to him without diuision or seperation at all hauing no affections out of him or without him but onely in him and for him 2. But aboue all these soules there is yet one Onely-one who is the Queene of Queenes the most louing the most Louelie and the most beloued of all the Friends of the Diuine Spouse who doth not onely Loue God aboue all things and in all things but euen Loues nothing but God in all things so that she Loues not many things but one onely thing which is God himselfe And whereas it is God alone that she loueth in all that she loueth she Loues him indifferently in all things according as his good pleasure may require out of all and without all If it be onely HESTER that Assuerus loueth why should he more Loue her being perfumed and deckt then in her ordinarie attire If it be my Sauiour onely that I Loue why should I not as much affect the Mount Caluarie as the Mount Thabor since he is as well in the one as in the other and why should I not as cordially pronounce in the one as in the other IT IS GOOD FOR VS TO BE HERE If I Loue my Sauiour in Egipt without louing Egipt why shall I not Loue him in Simon the Leporous his banket without louing the Banket and if I Loue him amidst the blasphemies which are poured vpon him not louing the blasphemies why shall I not Loue him perfumed with Magdalens pretious oyntment without either affecting the oyntment or the sent thereof It is a true signe that we Loue onely God in all things when we Loue him equally in all things since that he being in himselfe immutable the mutabilitie of our Loue towards him must needes proceede frō some thing that is not himselfe Now the sacred Louer Loues her God no more with the whole world to boote then though he were all alone without the world because all that is out of God and is not God is as nothing to her An entirely pure soule Loues not euen Heauē but by reason that her Spouse is loued therein but a Spouse so soueraignly beloued in his Heauen that if yet he had no Heauē to bestow he would neither appeare lesse amiable nor be lesse beloued of this generous louing heart who cannot Loue the Heauen of her Spouse but onely her Spouse of Heauen and who puts no lesse price vpon Caluarie while her Spouse is there crucified then vpon Heauen where he is glorified He that waighes one of the little bullets of S. Clare of Monte-falco finds it as heauie as all the three together So doth perfect Loue find God as amiable all alone as together with all the creaturs for as much as the creaturs are onely loued in God and for God 3. Soules in this degree of perfection are so thinne sowen that each of them are called their Mothers onely one which is the Diuine Prouidence and each of them is called the onely doue because she onely loues her mate she is termed perfect for that by loue she is made the same thing with the Soueraigne Perfection whence she may saie in a most humble truth I am not but for my beloued ād he is wholy turned towards me Now there is none saue the most Blessed Virgin our Ladie that is perfectly arriued at this hight of excellencie in the loue of her dearely beloued For she is a DOVE so singularly singular in Loue that all the rest being compared to her are rather to be termed Dawes then Doues But let vs leaue this Peerelesse Queene in her matchlesse eminencie There haue yet bene other soules that haue found themselues so happie in the state of this pure loue that in comparison of their companiōs they might take the ranke of QVEENES of onely DOVES of perfect FRIENDS of the SPOVSE For I praie you THEO in what degree must he needes haue bene who from his very heart sung to God To what in Heauen but thee can I aspire Or what in earth but thee can I desire And he that cried out I doe esteeme all things as dung that I may gaine IESVS CHRIST did he not testifie that he loued nothing out of his Maister and that out of all things he drew arguments of his Maisters Loue And what could be the feeling of that great Louer who sighed all the night my God is my all Such was S. AVGVSTINE S. BERNARD the two S. Catharins of Sienna and Genua and diuers others by whose imitation euery one may aspire to this diuine degree of Loue. O rare and singular soules which resemble not at all the birds of this world no not the Phenix her selfe though so singularly rare but are onely represented by the bird who for her excellent beautie and noblenesse is saied not to be of this world but of Paradice whereof she beares the name for this daintie bird disdaining the earth doth neuer touch it but liues aboue in the aire yea euen when
she is forced to vnwearie her selfe she will onely cleeue by the smale twigs of trees vpon which she hangs in the aire out of which or without which she can neither flie nor repose And euen so these great soules doe not in very deede Loue the Creaturs in themselues but in their Creatour and their Creatour in them But if they cleeue to any creature by the law of Charitie it is onely to repose in God the onely and finall aime of their Loue. So that finding God in the Creaturs and the Creaturs in God they Loue God indeede not the Creaturs as they that fishing for Pearles find them in their shelles doe esteeme their fishing made for pearles onely 4. For the rest I doe not thinke that there was euer any mortall Creature that loued the heauenly Spouse with this matchlesse Loue so perfectly pure except the Virgin who was his Spouse ād Mother both together but cōtrariwise as touching the practise of these foure differences of Loue on can hardly be any long time without passing from one of them to another The Soules which as young wenches are as yet intangled in diuers vaine and dangerous affections are not sometimes without hauing the most pure and excellent touches of Loue but being but glimpse and passing lightnings one cannot therevpon rightly saie that such soules are got out of the state of young girles which are Nouices and Printises It happens also sometimes that the soules that are in the degree of onely and perfect Louers doe much relent and waxe cold yea euen to the committing and falling into troublesome veniall sinns as may be gathered by many bitter contentions stirred vp amongst Gods great seruants yea euen amongst some of the Diuine Apostles who as we cannot denie fell into some imperfections by which notwithstanding Charitie was not violated yet the feruour thereof was troubled Howbeit whereas ordinarily those great soules loued God with a Loue perfectly pure we are not to denie that they were in the state of perfect Loue. For how oft doe we see that good trees though they neuer bring forth any venemous fruit yet doe they produce raw and vnripe ones corrupted with misseltoe or mosse So the great Saints neuer fell into mortall sinne yet fell they easily into fruitlesse actions and such as are greene bitter harsh and ill tasted And as euen in these circumstances we must confesse that those trees are fruitfull otherwise they could not be called good so are we in no sort to denie that some of their fruit was fruitlesse For who cā denie that the misseltoe and mosse of trees is an vnprofitable fruit and who can also denie that smale angers and minute excesses of ioye of laughter of vanitie and of other the like passions are vnprofitable and vnlawfull motions and yet the Iust man brings them forth seauen times a day that is very often That the Loue of God aboue all things is common to all Louers CHAPTER VI. 1. Though there be so sundrie degrees of Loue amongst true Louers yet is there but one Commandement of Loue onely which doth generally and equally oblige euery one with a wholy like and entirely equall obligation though it be differētly obserued and with an infinite varietie of perfections there being peraduenture was few soules found in earth as Angels in Heauen perfectly equall in Loue seeing that as one starre differs from another in brightnesse so shall the Blessed in their Resurrection where euery one sings a Canticle of Glorie and receiues a name knowen to none but to him that receiues it But what degree of Loue is it to which the Diuine Commandement doth equally vniuersally and continually oblige all 2. It was a peece of the holy Ghosts prouidence that in our ordinarie version which his Diuine Maiestie hath canonized and sanctified by the Councell of Trent the heauenly Commandement of Loue is expressed in the word DILECTION rather then by the word LOVE for albeit that DILECTION be a kind of Loue yet is it not a simple Loue but a Loue of choice and election which sense the word it selfe carries as the glorious S. THOMAS doth note for this cōmandemēt doth inioyne vs a Loue chosen out of thousands like to him to whom it is due who as the beloued Sunamite markes him out in the Canticles is one elected out of thousands It is Loue that is to haue power ouer all our affections and is to raigne ouer all our passions and that which God exacteth of vs is that of all our Loues his may be the most cordiall bearing rule ouer our heart the most affectionate possessing our whole soule the most generall applying all our powers the highest replenishing our whole heart and the most solide exercising all our strength and prowise And whereas by this we doe choose and elect God for the Soueraigne obiect of our soule it is a Loue of Soueraigne Election or an election of Soueraigne Loue. 3. You are not ignorant THEO that there are diuers species of Loue as for example there is a fatherly Loue a brotherly Loue a filiall Loue and a nuptiall Loue a Loue of societie of obligation of dependance and an hundred more which are all different in excellencie and so proportioned to their obiects that scarcely can they be applied or appropriated to any other He that should affect his Father with the Loue of a brother onely should come short of his dutie He that should Loue his wife in qualitie of a Father onely he should not loue her sufficiently He that should loue his Lackey as his owne child would be esteemed impertinent Loue is as honour for as honour is diuersified according to the diuersitie of excellencies to which it is attributed so Loues are diuers according to the diuersitie of the GOOD which is loued Soueraigne honour is due to Soueraigne Excellencie and Soueraigne loue to the Soueraigne Good The loue of God is a loue without comparison because the goodnesse of God is incomparable Harke Israel Thy God is the sole Lord and therefore thou shalt loue him with thy whole soule thy whole vnderstanding thy whole strength For God is the onely Lord and his goodnesse is infinitly aboue all goodnesse and he is to be loued with a loue which is eminent excellent and puissant beyond all comparison It is this supreame loue that placeth God in such esteeme amidst our soules and makes vs repute it so great a happinesse to be gracious in his sight that we preferre him before and loue him aboue all things Now THEOT doe you not plainly see that he that loues God in this sort hath dedicated his whole soule and strength to God sith for euer and in all occurrences he will preferre Gods honour before all things keeping himselfe in a readinesse to forsake the whole world to preserue the loue which is due to the Diuine Goodnesse And in somme it is the loue of Excellencie or the Excellencie of loue which is cōmanded to all mortalls in generall and
each one of them in particular from their first vse of reason A loue sufficient for euery one and necessarie for all that will be saued An illustration of the former chapter CHAPTER VII 1. VVE doe not alwayes clearely know nay not at all certainely at least by a certaintie of Faith whether we haue the true loue of God requisite to our saluation yet haue we diuers markes thereof amōgst which the most assured and in a manner infallible is seene in the opposition which the loue of creaturs makes against our designes of God's loue For in that occurrence if Diuine Loue raigne in the soule it makes appeare the force of the credit and authoritie which it hath ouer the will shewing by effects not onely that he hath no Maister but that he hath euen no equall repressing and prostrating all opposition and making his intentions be obeyed When the accursed companie of hellish spirits reuolting from their Creatour essayed to draw to their faction the troupes of the Blessed Spirits the glorious S. MICHAEL encouraging his fellow-soldiers to the loyaltie which they ought to their God cried Marry after an Angelicall manner with a loude voice through out the streets of the Heauenly Hierusalem WHO IS LIKE TO GOD And in this word he ouerthrew that Traitor Lucifer with his route who equalized themselues to the Diuine maiestie and thence as it is saied S. MICHAELS name was imposed since that MICHAEL imports no other thing then WHO IS LIKE TO GOD And when the loue of created things would draw our hearts to their PARTIE to make vs disobedient to the Diuine Maiestie if the great diuine loue be found in the soule it makes head against it as an other MICHAEL and makes good the powers and forces of the soule to Gods seruice by this word of assurance WHO IS LIKE TO GOD What beautie doth there appeare in creaturs which ought to draw man's heart to a rebellion against the soueraigne bountie of God 2. As soone as that holy and braue gentleman Ioseph perceiued that the loue of his Mistresse tended to the ruine of that which was due to his Maister ah quoth he be it farre from me that I should violate the respect which I owe to my Maister who reposeth so much trust in me how can I then admit this crime and sinne against my God marke THEO marke how there are three loues in the louelie Iosephs heart for he loues his Mistresse his Maister ād God but as soone as his Mistresses loue riseth vp agaīst his Maisters he sodainly forsakes it and away he runnes as he would also haue forsaken his Maisters if he had found it contrarie to God's Amongst all the loues God's is so to be preferred that is one must alwayes stand prepared in mind to forsake them all for that alone 3. SARA gaue her maide AGAR to her husband ABRAHAM to th' end that he might haue children by her following the lawfull custome of those times But Agar hauing conceiued did greatly contemne her Mistresse SARA till then scarcely could one discerne whether ABRAHAM bore more affection to SARA or AGAR for AGAR was as well his bedfellowe as SARA yea with fertilitie to boote but when the God Abraham came to make comparison betweene his loues he made manifest which was the stronger for no sooner had Sara made her complaint that she was contemned by Agar but he told her thy chamber maide Agar is in thy power doe vpon her what thou think'st good So that from thence forth Sara did so afflict the poore Agar that she was constrained to retire her selfe Diuine Loue doth willingly permit that we should haue other loues nor can we sometimes easily discouer which loue is the cheife in our heart for this man's heart of ours doth oftentimes most eagerly draw the loue of creaturs into the bed of his Complacene yea it happens withall that he makes more frequent acts of his loue towards creaturs then towards his Creatour while yet Diuine loue in him leaues not to excell all the other loues as the euents make cleare vpon the Creaturs oppositions to their Creatour for then he takes sacred loues part submitting vnto it all his affections 4. There is great difference betwixt the bulke and value of things created One of Cleopatras pearles was more worth then one of our highest rockes marry this is greater the one hath bulke the other worth It is made a questiō whether the honour which a Prince atchiues in warrs by feats of armes or that which he merits by iustice in time of peace be greater and me thinks that militarie glorie is bigger the other better euen as of instruments drumes and Trumpets make more noise Luts and virginalls more melodie the soūd of the one is stronger the other sweeter and more spirituall An ounce of Baulme giues not so strong an odour as a pound of Spickenard oyle howbeit the smell of baulme is alwayes better and more pleasing 4. True it is THEO you shall see a mother so busie about her child that it might seeme she had no other loue but that hauing eyes onely to see it mouth to kisse it breast to giue it sucke care to bring it vp and one would thinke that her husband were nothing to her in respect of her child but if she were to make choice whether she would loose one would then plainely see that she more esteemes her husband yea and that though the Loue of her child was more tender more pressing and passionate yet that the other was more excellent forceable and better So when a heart Loues God in respect of his infinite Goodnesse though with neuer so little a portion of this excellent loue it will preferre Gods will before all things and in all the occasions that shall be offered it will forsake all to conserue himselfe in grace with the Soueraigne Goodnesse without being hindred by any thing at all So that though this diuine Loue doth not alwayes so sensibly vrge and soften the heart as doe the other Loues yet in the occurrences it performes so high and excellent actions that one of them onely is better than tenne millions of the others Conies are incomparably sertile Elephants neuer haue more then one calfe yet this one onely young Elephant is of greater price the all the Rabbets in the earth Our Loue towards creaturs doth often abound in the multitude of productions but when sacred Loue doth its worke it is so eminently purfect that it surpasseth all for it causeth God to be preferred before all things without reserue A memorable historie wherin is more clearely seene in what the force and Excellencie of holy loue consisteth CHAPTER VIII 1. HOw great an extent then ô my deare THEO ought the force of this sacred loue of God aboue all things to haue It is to surpasse all affections to vanquish all difficulties and to preferre the honour of God's Beneuolēce before all things yea I saie before all things absolutely without exception or
reseruation at all and I saie with a greatest care because there are men who would couragiously forsake their goods honours yea life it selfe for our Sauiour who yet will not leaue for his sake things of farre lesse consequence 2. In the raigne of the Emperours VALERIANVS and GALLVS there liued in Antioche a Priest called SAPHRICIVS and a secular man named NICEPHORVS who by reason of their long and exceeding great familiaritie were esteemed brothers and yet it fell out in the end I know not vpon what occasion that this friendshipe failed and according to custome was followed with a deeper hatred which raigned for a time betwixt them till at length NICEPHORVS acknowledging his fault made three diuers essayes to be reconciled vnto SAPHRICIVS to whom now by one of their common friends now by another he signified in words all the satisfaction and submission that heart could haue wished But Saphricius in no wise answering to his inuitations did still repulse the reconcilement with as great inhumanitie as Nicephorus besought it with humilitie In so much that the poore Nicephorus apprehending that in case Saphricius should see hiÌ„ prostrate at his feete begging pardoÌ„ he would be more touched to the heart with it he goes and finds him out and couragiously casting himselfe groueling at his feete Reuerend Father quoth he ah pardon me I beseech thee for the bowels of our Sauiour IESVS but euen this humilitie was disdaigned and reiected together with his former endeuours 3. Meane while behold a hote persecution arose against the Christians in which Saphricius with others being apprehended did wounders in suffering a thousand thousand tormeÌ„ts for the CoÌ„fessioÌ„ of his Faith but especially wheÌ„ he was rudely turned and tossed in an instrument made of set purpose after the manner of a Presse without euer being quailed in his constancie whereat the Gouernour of Antioche being extreamely irritatated he adiudged him to death wherevpon he was publikly led out of prison towards the place where he was to receiue the glorious crowne of Martyrdome which Nicephorus had no sooner vnderstoode but sodainely he ranne and hauing met his Saphricius throwing himselfe vpon the ground Alas cried he with a lowde voice ô Martyr of IESVS-CHRIST pardon me for I haue offended thee whereof Saphricius taking no notice the poore Nicephorus getting againe before him by a shorter passage set vpon him a new with the like humilitie coniuring him to pardon him in these termes ô Martyr of IESVS CHRIST pardon the offence which I haue committed against thee being a poore man subiect to offend for loe a crowne is alreadie bestowed vpon thee by our Sauiour whom thou deneyedst not yea thou hast confessed his holy name in the face of many witnesses But Saphricius continuing in his insolencie gaue hiÌ„ not one word in answere but onely the Executioner admiring the perseuerance of Nicephorus neuer quoth he to him did we see so great an Asse this fellow is going euen at this instant to die what hast thou to doe with his pardon To whom Nicephorus answering thou knowest not quoth he what it is I demand of this Confessour of IESVS CHRIST but God kowes Now in the interim Saphricius arriued at the place of execution where yet againe Nicephorus hurling himselfe vpon the grownd before him I beseech thee quoth he ô Martyr of IESVS CHRIST that it would please thee to pardon me for it is written aske and it shall be granted you Words which could not at all bowe the flintie and rebellious heart of the accursed Saphricius who obstinatly denying mercy to his neighbour was himselfe depriued by the iust iudgment of God of the most glorious Palme of Martyrdome for the Headsman commanding him to put himselfe vpon his knees that he might behead him he begun to be daunted and to condition with him making in the end this deplorable and shamefull submission Ah for pitie doe not behead me I will submite my selfe to the Emperours ordonance and sacrifice to the Idols Which the poore good man Nicephorus hearing with teares in his eyes he begun to crie Ah my deare brother doe not doe not I beseech thee transgresse the law and denie IESVS CHRIST Forsake him not for loue loose not the crowne of glorie which with so great paines and torments thou hast atchiued But alas this miserable Priest coÌ„ming to the Altar of Martyrdome there to consacrate his life to the eternall God had not called to mind what the Prince of martyres had saied If thou carrie thy offering vnto the Altar and remember that thy brother hath somewhat against thee leaue thy offering there goe and be reconciled vnto thy brother and theÌ„ come and present thyne offering Wherefore God reiected his present and withdrawing his mercy from him permitted that he lost not onely the soueraigne felicitie of Martyrdome but euen fell headlong into the miserie of Idolatrie while the humble and meeke Nicephorus perceiuing this crowne of Martyrdome vacant by the Apostasie of the obdurate Saphricius touched with an excellent and extraordinarie inspiratioÌ„ put faire for â—â—ying to the officiers and the headsman I am a christian my friends I am in truth a ChristiaÌ„ and doe beleeue in IESVS CHRIST whoÌ„ Saphricius hath denied put me therefore I beseech you in his place smite of this head of myne At which the officers being wonderfully astonished they carried the tidings to the Emperour who gaue order for Saphricius his libertie and that Nicephorus should be put to death which happened the 9. of Feb about the yeare 260. of our Sauiour as Metaphrastes and Surivs recounteth A dreadfull historie and worthy diligently to be pondered in the behalfe we speake off for did you not note my deare THEO the Couragious Saphricius how bold and feruent he was in the defence of his faith how he suffered a thousand torments how constant and immoueable he was in the confession of our Sauiours name while he was roled and crusht in that presse like machine how readie he was to receiue death's blow to fulfill the highest point of the Diuine lawe preferring God's honour before his owne life And yet because on the other side he preferred the satisfaction which his cruell heart tooke in hating Nicephorus before the Diuine will he came short of the goale and while he was vpoÌ„ the point of attaining and gaining the prise of glorie by Martyrdome vnprofitably strumbling and falling into Idolatrie broke his necke 4. It is therefore true my THEO that it is not enough for vs to loue God more then our owne life vnlesse we also loue him generally absolutly and without reserue more then all we doe or can loue But you will saie vnto me did not our Sauiour designe the furthest point of our Loue towards him in saying that a man could not haue a greater charitie then to expose a mans life for his friends It is true indeede THEO that amongst the particular acts and testimonies of Diuine Loue there is none so great as to vndergoe
death for Gods glorie yet it is also true that it is but onely one act one onely testimonie which indeede is the Maister peece of Charitie but besids it Charitie exacts many things at our hands and so much more ardently and instantly as they are acts more easie common and ordinarie amongst all the Louers and more generally necessarie to the conseruation of Diuine Loue. O miserable Saphricius durst thou be bould to affirme that thou loued'st God as thou ought'st whil'st thou doest not preferre the will of God before the passion of hatred and ranckour entertained in thy heart against the poore Nicephorus To be willing to die for God is one and the greatest but not the onely act of Loue which we owe to God To will this act onely with excluding the others is not charitie but vanitie Charitie is not fantasticall which yet she would be in the highst degree if being resolued to please the Beloued in things of greatest difficultie she would permit one to displease hī in matters of of lesse momēt How should he die for God who will not liue accordīg to God 5. A well ordered mind that is resolued to die for a friend would also without doubt vndergoe all other things for he that hath once despised death ought not to set by other things But the mind of man is weake inconstant and humorous wherevpon he doth oft rather choose to die then to vndergoe farre slighter paines willingly changing life for a friuelous childish and extreamely vaine contentment Agripina hauing learn't that the child which she bore should indeede be Emperour but yet that he would put her to death Let him kill me quoth she prouided that he raigne marke I praie you the disorder of this foolishly louing mothers heart she preferr's her sonn 's dignitie before her owne life Cato and Cleopatra choosed death rather then to see their enemies exult and glorie in hauing them And Lucrecia found it easier to precipitate herselfe impetuously vpon death then vniustly to be branded with the shame of a fact whereof she seemed not guiltie How many are there that would willingly embrace death for their friend who yet would not liue in their seruice or yet accomplish their other desires Such there are as will lay open their life to danger who yet will not open their purse And though there be many found who engage their life for their friends defence yet scarcely is there one found in an age that will engage his libertie or loose an ounce of the most vaine and vnprofitable reputation or renowne in the world be it for neuer so deare a friend A Confirmation of that which hath bene saied by a notable comparison CHAPTER IX 1. YOu know THEO of what nature Iacobs loues towards Rachel were and what did not he doe to testifie their greatenesse force and fidelitie euen from the houre he had saluted her at the head of the fountaine For frō thenceforth neuer did he cease to die of loue for her and to game her in Marriage he serued seuē whole yeares with an incredible desire conceiuing yet in himselfe that all this was nothing so did Loue sweetē the paines which he supported for his beloued Rachel whereof being after frustrated he serued yet other seuen yeares space to obtaine her so constant loyall and couragious was he in his affection And hauing at length obtained her he neglected all other affections yea and had in a manner in no esteeme euen Lia her seruice though his first Spouse a woman of great merite worthy to be cherished and of the neglect whereof euen God himselfe tooke compassion so remarkable it was 2. But all this being done which was euen sufficient to haue brought downe the most disdainefull wench in the world to the loue of so loyall a Louer it is a shame verily to see the weaknesse which Rachel made appeare in her affectiō to Iacob The poore neglected Lia had no tye of Loue with Iacob saue her onely fertilitie whereby she had made him a father to foure Sonn's the eldest whereof named RVBEN being gone forth into the fields in the time of wheat-haruest he found Mandragores which he gathered and after his returne home presented to his mother Which Rachel espying saied giue me part of thy Sonns Mandragores she answered doest thou thinke it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband from me vnlesse thou take also my Sonn 's Mandragores Goe too saied Rachel for thy Sonn 's Mandragores let him sleepe with thee this night She accepted the condition and when Iacob returned at euen from the field Lia went out to meete him ād saied with ioyfull cheere this night thou art myne my deare Lord and friend because with wages I haue hired thee for my Sonn 's Mādragores and with this vp and told him the compact which had passed betwixt her and Rachel But from Iacob beleeue it there was no words heard being struck with a maisement and hauing his heart seased with the weakenesse and inconstancie of Rachel who for a thing of nothing had forsaken for a whole night the honour and content of his presence For speake the truth THEO was it not a strange and vaine lightnesse in Rachel to preferre a companie of little Aples before the chast loues of so louing a husband If it had yet bene done for Kingdomes for Monarkies but to doe it for a poore handfull of Mandragores THEOTIME what conceite frame you of it 3. And yet returning home to our owne bosomes ah good God how oft doe we make elections infinitly more shamefull and wretched The great S. AVGVSTINE vpon a time tooke pleasure leasurely to view and contemplate Mandragores the better to discerne the cause why Rachel had so passionatly coueted them And he found that they were indeede pleasing to the view and of a delightfull smell yet altogether insipide and without gust Now Plinie recounts that when the Surgeōs orders that such as they are to cut should drinke the iuyce of them to th' end they might not feele the smart of the lance it happens often that the very smell doth worke the operation and doth sufficiently put the patient into a sleepe wherevpon the Mandragora is held a bewitching Plant which doth inchant the eyes sorrowes and all kind of passions by sleepe For the rest he that smels the sent of them too long turnes deafe and he that drinks too much of them dies without redemption 4. THEOT could pompes riches and terreane delights be better represented they haue a gaining out-side but ah he that bites this aple that is he that sounds their natures finds neither taste nor contentment in them Neuerthelesse they doe so inchant and bewitch vs with the vanities of their smell and the renowne which the Sonn 's of the world giue them doth benumme and put those into a deepe sleepe which doe attentiuely linger in them or such as receiue them in too great aboundance And alas these are the Mandragores the Chimera's
thee more then my selfe since I am wholy thyne and in thee 6. And in case there were or could be some Soueraigne GOOD whereof we were independent yet so as that we could vnite our selues vnto it by loue we should euen be incited to loue it more then our selues seeing that the infinitie of it's sweetenesse would be still Soueraignely more powerfull to allure our will to it's loue then all the other yea euen our owne proper GOODS 7. But if by imagination of a thing impossible there were an infinite goodnesse whereof we had no dependance at all and wherewith we could haue no kind of vnion or communication we should yet verily esteeme it more then our selues For we should plainely know that being infinite it were more estimable and amiable then we and consequently that we should make simple wishes to be able to loue it Yet properly speaking we should not loue it sith that loue aimes at vnioÌ„ and much lesse can we haue Charitie towards it since that Charitie is a Friendshipe and Friendshipe cannot be vnlesse it be reciprocall hauing for it's grownd-worke COMMVNICATION and VNION for it's end This I saie for certaine chimericall and vaine wits who vpon impertinent imaginations doe role melancolie discourses vp and downe their mind to their owne maine vexation But as for vs THEOT my deare friend we see plainly that we cannot be true men without hauing an inclination to loue God more then our selues nor true Christians without practising this inclination Let vs loue him more then our selues which is to vs more then all and more then our selues Amen for true it is How holy Charitie brings forth the loue of our neighbour CHAPTER XI 1. AS God created man to his owne Image and likenesse so did he ordaine a loue for man to the image and resemblance of the loue which is due to his owne Diuinitie Thou shalt loue saieth he thy Lord thy God with all thy heart it is the first and greatest commandement And the second is like vnto this Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe Why doe we loue God THEO The cause why we loue God saieth S. BERNARD is God himselfe as though he had saied we loue God because he is the most soueraigne and infinite Goodnesse And why doe we loue our selues in Charitie surely because we are the Image and liknesse of God And whereas all men are indewed with the same dignitie we loue him also as our selues that is in qualitie of the most holy and liuely Image of the Diuinitie for it is in that qualitie THEO that we belong to God in so strict an aliance and so amiable a dependance that he makes no difficultie to be called Father and to call vs children It is in this qualitie that we are capable to be vnited to his Diuine essence by the fruition of his soueraigne bountie and felicitie It is in this qualitie that we receiue his grace that our spirits are associated to his most holy spirit aÌ„d made in a maÌ„ner participaÌ„t of his Diuine nature as S. LEO sayeth And therefore the same Charitie which produceth the acts of the loue of God produceth withall the acts of the loue of our neighbour And euen as Iacob saw but one ladder which reached from Heauen to earth by which the Angels did as well descend as ascend so we see that one same charitie extends it selfe both to the loue of God and our neighbour raising vs to the vnion of our spirit with God and yet brining vs back againe to a peaceable and quiet â—ocietie with our neighbours Yet with this difference that we loue our neighbour in that he is created to the Image and likenesse of God to haue communication with the Diuine bountie participation of grace and fruition of glorie 2. THEO to loue our Neighbour in Charitie is to loue God in man or man in God It is to loue God for his owne sake and the creature for the loue of him The young Tobie accompained with the Angell Raphael hauing met with Raguel his Father to whom yet he was vnknowen Raguel had no sooner set his eyes vpon him saieth the Scripture but turning himselfe towards his wife Anne looke looke quoth he how much this youÌ„g man doth resemble my cosen and hauing saied thus he saied vnto theÌ„ whence come you youthes my deare bretheren at which they replied We are of the Tribe of Nephtali of the Captiuitie of Niniuie and he saied vnto them doe you know my brother Tobie yes Sir we know him replied they and Raguel beginning highly to commend him the Angell saied vnto him Tobie of whom you speake is this youths owne Father with that Raguel stept towards him and kissing him with many teares and haÌ„ging vpon his necke blessing haue thou my sonne quoth he because thou art the sonne of a good and most vertuous man and the good woman Anne his wife and Sara his daughter began to weepe through tendernesse of affectioÌ„ Doe not you note how Raguel embraced the little Tobie cherished kissed and wept with ioye vpon him whom he knew not Whence proceeded this Loue but from old Tobie his Father whom this child did so much resemble Blessing hasie thou quoth he but why not truly because thou art a good youth for that as yet I know not but because thou art sonne and like to thy Father who is a very good man 3. Ah good God THEOT when we see our neighbour created to the Image and likenesse of God ought we not to saie one to another Obserue and see this creature how it resembles the Creatour ought we not to cast our selues vpon it cherishe it and weepe ouer it with loue ought we not to blesse it a thousand and a thousand times And why this For the loue of it no verily for we know not whether it be worthy of loue or hatred in it selfe but wherefore theÌ„ O THEO for the loue of God who hath framed it to his owne similitude and likenesse and consequently hath endowed it with a capacitie to be partaker of his goodnesse in GRACE and GLORIE For the loue of God I saie from whom it is whose it is by whom it is in whom it is for whom it is and whom it resembles in a most particular manner Wherevpon the diuine loue doth not onely often times command the loue of our neighbours but it selfe produceth it and poures it into man's heart as his resemblance and Image for euen as man is the Image of God so the sacred loue of man towards man is the true picture of the heauenly loue of man towards God But this discourse of the loue of our neighbour requires a whole Treatise a part which I beseech the Soueraigne Louer of men to inspire into some of his most excellent seruants since the top of the loue of the Diuine Goodnesse of the heauenly Father consisteth in the perfection of the loue of our brothers and companions in earth How loue produceth Zeale CHAPTER XII
vndertake too sharpe and violent courses and withall that anger or boldnesse being once set on foote and not being able to containe themselues within the bounds of reason beare a way the heart to disorder so that Zeale by this meanes being exercised indiscretly and inordinatly becomes hurtfull and blame worthy DAVID sent IACOB to leade his armie against his disloyall and rebellious SoÌ„ne ABSALOÌ„ with speciall charge that they should not touch him but in all occurrences they should haue a speciall care to saue his life But IACOB being set to 't and being hot in the pursuite of the victorie with his owne hand slewe the poore Absolon neuer thinking of the charge which the king gaue him euen so Zeale doth imploye choler against the euill yet with expresse order that in distroying wickednesse and sinne if it be possible it saue the sinner and the wicked but being once in hot blood as a strong headed and stirring horse runnes away with his rider out of the Listes without stop or staie while breath lasteth 2. The good man of the house which our Sauiour describs in the Ghospell knew well that hot and violent seruants are wont to out runne their Maisters intention For his seruants presenting themselues vnto him to weede vp darnell no quoth he I will not least together with weedes you pull vp corne Verily THEO Anger is a seruant who being strong couragious and a great vndertaker doth indeede at the first on-set performe a great deale of worke but with all is so hot headdie inconsiderate and impetuous that it doth neuer any good at all but ordinarily it drawes with it many discomodities Now it is not good husbandrie saie our husbandmen to keepe Peacokes about the house for though they free it of spiders yet doe they so spoile their couers and tiles that their profit is not comparable to the great waste they make Anger was giuen as a helpe to reason by Nature and is employed by Grace in the seruice of Zeale to put in execution it's designes yet is it a dangerous helpe and not greately to be desired for if it get strength it becoms Mistresse defeating Reason's authoritie and the louing lawes of Zeale and if it turne weake it doth no more then Zeale would performe all alone how soeuer it giues still a iust occasion of feare that waxing strong it might impare the heart and Zeale making them slaues to its tyrannie euen as an artificiall fire which in an instant is kindled in a building and â—hich one knowes not how to extinguish It were an act of dispare to put a stranger compaine into a Fort in garison who by that meanes might become stronger 3. Selfe Loue doth oft deceiue vs and makes vs runne-counter practising our proper passions vnder the name of Zeale Zeale hath sometimes of old made vse of Anger and Anger often times makes vse of the name of Zeale in counterchange to keepe its shamefull disorder couered vnder it And marke that I saie it makes vse of the name of Zeale for it can make no vse of Zeale it selfe since it is the propertie of all vertues but especially of Charitie whereof Zeale is a depeÌ„dance to be so good that none can abuse it 4. Vpon a day there came a notorious sinner and threw himselfe at the feete of a good and worthy priest protesting with a great deale of humiliatioÌ„ that he came to find a cure for his desease that is to receiue the holy absolution of his faults a certaine MONKE called DEMOPHILVS apprehending in his conceite that this poore penitent came too nigh the high Altar fell into so violent a fit of choler that falling vpon him he kicked and pushed him thence with his feete wronging the good priest in an outragious sort who according to his dutie had mildly admitted the poore penitent And then running vnto the Altar he tooke away the most holy things there and carried them thence least as he would make men thinke the place should haue bene profaned by the sinners approch Now hauing finished this specious maister-peece of Zeale he staied not yet there but made a great matter of it to the great S. DENIS AREOPAGITE in a letter which he wrote touching it whereof he receiued an excellent answere worthy of the Apostolicall spirit wherwith this great Disciple of S. PAVLE was animated for he made him clearely see that his Zeale had bene indiscreete imprudeÌ„t and impudent withall because though the Zeale of the honour due vnto holy things be good and laudable yet was it practised against reason without consideration or iudgement at all since he had vsed pushing with his feete outrage iniurie and reproch in a place in a circumstance and against a person that he was to honour loue and respect so that the Zeale could not be good being so disorderly practised But in this very answere the same Saint recounts another admirable example of a great Zeale proceeding froÌ„ a very good soule whom yet the excesse of Anger which Zeale did excite in her had blemished and spoyled 5. A Pagan had seduced and made a Christian of CANDIE newly conuerred to the Faith returne to Idolatrie CARPVS an eminent man for puritie and sanctitie of life and who as it is very probable was the Bishope of Candie conceiued so deepe a wroth against it that he had neuer in his time endured the like and let himselfe be so farre carried away with this passion that being risen at midnight to praie according to his custome he concluded in him selfe that it was not reasonable that wicked men should any longer liue with great indignation beseeching the Diuine Iustice to strike downe at once these two sinners the Pagan seductour and Christian seduced But note THEO how God corrected the bitternesse of the passion which carried the poore CARPVS beyond himselfe First he made him as another S. STEPHEN behold the heauens open and our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST seated vpon a great throne enuironed with a multitude of Angels who assisted him in humane shape then he saw below the earth gaping open as a horrid and vast gulfe and the two sinners to whom he had wished so much euill vpon the very edge of this Precipice quaking and well nere falling downe in a traunce for dread being vpon the point of tumbling in drawen on the one side by a multitude of Serpents which rising out of the gulfe wrapped theÌ„selues about their ledges tickling them with their tayles and prouoking their fall and the other side a coÌ„panie of men did push and iogge to rush them in so that they seemed to be eueÌ„ alreadie swallowed vp by this precipice Now consider my THEO I praie you the violencie of CARPVS his passion for as he himselfe afterwards recounted to S. Dâ—NIS he made nothing of beholding our Sauiour and the Angels ascending to Heauen so was he taken with gazing vpon the daunting destresse of those two miserable wretches being onely troubled that they were so long a perishing and therevpon
resisted the glorious S. PETER his Superiour in his face Certes euery one is not a S. PAVLE to know how to doe those things in the nicke But hot harsh presumptuous and reprochfull spirits following their owne inclinations humours auersions and the high conceits they haue of their owne sufficiencie draw the vaile of Zeale ouer their iniquitie and vnder the name of this sacred fire permit themselues to be burnt vp with their proper passions It is the Zeale of the health of soules that makes the Prelatshipe be sought after if you will beleeue the ambitious man that makes the Monke ordained for the Quire course about if you will giue credit to his disquieted spirit that causeth all those censures and murmuratiōs against the Prelates of the Church and tēporall Princes if you will giue eare to the arrogant You shall heare nothing frō him but Zeale nor yet see any Zeale in hī but onely opprobrious and rayling speaches hatred ād rācore disquiete of the heart and tōgue 5. Zeale may be practised three wayes first in exercising high actions of Iustice to repell euill and this belongs onely to publike officers to correct censure and reprehend in the nature of a Superiour as Princes Prelates Magistrats Preachers but whereas this office is worshipfull euery one will vndertake it euery one will haue a fingar in it Secondly one may vse Zeale in actions of great vertue for the good example of others by suggesting the remedies of euill and exhorting men to applie them by working the good that is opposite to the euill which we desire to banish which is a thing that belongs to euery one and yet it hath but few vndertakers Finally the most excellent vse of Zeale is placed in suffering and enduring much to hinder or diuert euill and scarce will any admit this Zeale A specious Zeale is all our ambition vpon that each one willingly spends his talant neuer taking notice that it is not Zeale indeede which is there sought for but glorie ambition's satisfaction choler churlishnesse and other passions 6. Certainly our Sauiours Zeale did principally appeare in his death vpon the Crosse to distroy death and sinne in men wherein he was soueraignly imitated by that admirable vessell of election and dilection as the great S. GREGORIE Nazianzen in golden words represents him for speaking of this holy Apostle he fights for all saieth he he poures out praiers for all he is Zealously passionat towards all he is inflamed for all yea he dared yet more for his brethren according to flesh so that if I may dare also to saie it he desires through charitie that they might haue euen his owne place nere our Sauiour O excellencie of an incredible courage and feruour of Spirit He imitats IESVS CHRIST who became a curse for our Loue who put on our infirmities and bore our deseases Or that I may speake a little more soberly he was the first after our Sauiour that refused not to suffer and to be reputed wicked in their behalfe Euē so then THEO as our Sauiour was whip't condemned crucified as man deuoted bequeathed and dedicated to beare and support all the reproches ignominies and punishments due to all the offenders in the world and to be a generall sacrifice for sinne being made as an ANATHEMA forsaken and left of his eternall Father so according to the true doctrine of this great Nazianzen the glorious Apostle S. PAVLE desired to be loden with ignominie to be crucified left abandoned and sacrificed for the sinnes of the Iewes that the curse and paine which they merited might fall vpon him And as our Sauiour did so take vpon him the sinnes of the world and became a curse was sacrificed for sinne and forsaken of his Father that he ceased not continually to be the well-beloued Sonne in which his Father pleased himselfe So the holy Apostle desired indeede to be a curse and to be separated from his Maister to be left alone to the mercy of the reproches and punishments due vnto the Iewes yet did he neuer desire to be depriued of Charitie and the grace of God from which nothing could separate him that is he desired to be vsed as one separated from God but he desired not in effect to be separated or depriued of his Grace for this cannot be piously desired So the heauenly Spouse confesseth that though loue be strong as death which makes a separation betwixt the bodie and the soule Yet Zeale which is an ardent loue is yet stronger for it resembles Hell which separats the soule from our Sauiours sight but it was neuer saied nor can euer be saied that Loue or Zeale was Like to sinne which alone separats from the grace of God And indeede how could the ardour of Loue possibly make one desire to be separated from grace since Loue is grace it selfe or at least cannot consist without grace Now the Zeale of the great S. PAVLE was in some sort practised by the little S. PAVLE I meane S. PAVLINE who to deliuer a slaue out of bondage became himselfe a slaue sacrificing his owne libertie to bestow it vpon his neighbour 6. Happie is he saieth S. AMBROSE who knowes the gouernment of Zeale The Deuil will easily scofe at thy Zeale if it be not according to science let therefore thy Zeale be inflamed with Charitie adorned with science established in cōstancie True Zeale is the child of Charitie as being the ardour of it Wherefore like to Charitie it is patient benigne not troublesome nor contentious not enuious or spightfull but reioycing in Truth The ardour of true Zeale resembles that of the huntsman being diligēt carefull actiue industrious and eager in the pursuit but without choler anger or trouble for if the huntsman's labour were cholerike harsh and wayward it would not be so earnestly loued and affected Zeale in like manner hath extreame feruours but such as are constant solide sweete laborious equally amiable and infatigable whereas contrariwise false Zeale is turbulent confused insolent arrogant cholericke wauering no lesse impetuous then inconstant How our Sauiour practised all the most Excellent acts of Loue. CHAPTER XVII 1. HAuing spoken at large of the acts of Diuine Loue that you may more easily and holily conserue the memorie thereof I present you with a collection or abridgement of it The Charitie of IESVS CHRIST doth presse vs saieth the great Apostle Yea truly THEO it doth force or vse a violence against vs by its infinite sweetenesse which shines in the whole worke of our Redemption wherein appeared the benignitie and loue of our Sauiour towards men For what did not this Diuine Louer doe in matter of Loue 1. he loued vs with a LOVE OF COMPLACENCE for his delightes were to be with the children of men and to draw man to himselfe becōming man 2. he loued vs with a LOVE of BENEVOLENCE enriching man with his diuinitie so that man was God 3. he vnited himselfe vnto vs in an incōprehensible coniunctiō whereby he
not our soules in time of temptation in vaine shall they watch who keepe them That Diuine Loue makes the vertues more agreeable to God by excellencie then they are in their owne nature CHAPTER II. 1. SVch as studie Husbandrie doe admire the fresh innocencie and puritie of the little strawburie which though it lye vpon the grownd and is continually crept vpon by serpents Leazards and other venimous beastes yet receiues it no impression of poyson nor is infected with any venimous qualitie which is a signe that it hath no affinitie with poyson Such are the morall vertues THEO which though they be in a heart that is low earthly and greatly laboured with sinne yet are they not infected with the malice thereof being of so free and innocent a nature that they cannot be corrupted by the Societie of iniquitie as euen ARISTOTLE himselfe saied that vertue was a habit which none could abuse And though the vertues which are so good in themselues be not rewarded with an eternall Laurell when they are practised by infidells or by such as are not in the state of grace it is nothing strange since that the sinfull heart from whence they proceede is not capable of an eternall good and was otherwise auerted from God and since that none is to haue part in that celestiall inheritance which belongs to the sonns of God but such as are in him and his adoptiue brothers besides that the Couenant by which God promisseth heauen hath referrence to such onely as are in his grace and that the vertues of sinners haue no worth nor value saue that of their owne nature which by consequence cannot raise them to the merite of supernaturall rewards so called for that Nature withall her appurtināces can neither giue nor merite them 2. Howbeit the vertues which are found in the friends of God though they be onely morall and naturall in themselues are yet dignified and raised to the worth of holy workes by reason of the hearts excellencie which produceth them It is one of the properties of friendshipe to make the friend and all that is good and honest in him gratefull Friendshipe doth poure out its grace and fauour vpon all the actions of the beloued that are any wayes capable of them A friends tartnesse is sweete and the sweetes of an enemye are bitter All the vertuous actions of a heart that loues God are dedicated to God for the heart that hath giuen himselfe how hath not he giuen all that depends of himselfe He that giues the tree without reserue giues he not also the leeues flowres and fruite The iust man shall flourish like the palme tree and shall be multiplied as the Ceder of Lybanus they are planted in the house of our Lord and shall flourish in the courtes of the house of our God sithence the iust man is planted in the house of God his leeues his flowres and his fruite doe there encrease and are dedicated to the seruice of his Maiestie He is as a tree planted nigh to the streames of waters which shall giue his fruite in his time his very leaues shall not fall and all things whatsoeuer he doth shall prosper not onely the fruits of Charitie and the flowres of the works which she ordaines but euen the very leaues of morall vertues doe draw a meruellous felicitie from the loue of the heart which produceth them If you graffe in a Rose tree and put a graine of muske in the clift of the stoke all the roses that spring from it will smell of muske Cleeue your heart then by holy penance and put the loue of God in the clift afterwards ingraffe in it what vertue you please and the workes which spring from it shall be all perfumed with Sanctitie without taking any further care thereof 3. Though the Spartans had heard an excellent sentence from the mouth of some wicked man they neuer iudged it fit to receiue it till it were first pronounced againe by some good man And therefore to make it worthy of acceptance they onely made it be vttered againe by a vertuous man If you desire to make the humane and morall vertues of an EPECTETES a SOCRATES a DEMADES become holy cause them onely to be graced by a truely Christian mouth that is by one that is in charitie So God did first respect ABEL and then his offerings so that his offerings had their worth and dignitie in the sight of God from the goodnesse and pietie of him that offered them O the soueraigne Goodnesse of this great God who doth so loue his Louers who doth cherish their weakest endeauours and doth excellently enrich them be they neuer so weake Honouring them with the Title and qualitie of HOLY Ah it is in consideration of his beloued Sonne whose adoptiue children he will honour sanctifiing all that is good in them their bones their haires their garments their graues yea the shadowe of their bodies Faith Hope Charitie Loue Religion yea euen sobrietie courtisie affabilitie of heart 4. Wherefore my deare bretheren saied the Apost be constant and stable abounding in euery good worke knowing that your Labour is not without reward in our Lord. And marke THEO that euery vertuous worke is to be esteemed the worke of our Lord yea though it were euē practised by an infidell for his Diuine Maiestie saied vnto EZECHIEL that NABVCODONOZOR and his armie had laboured for him because he had waged a lawfull and iust warre against the Tyrians suffiently shewing therein that the iustice of the vniust is his tends and belōgs vnto him though the vniust who worke that Iustice are neither his nor doe tend and belong vnto him for as the great prince and Prophet IOB though of Pagan extraction and an inhabitant of the land of Hus did for all that belong to God so morall vertues though they proceede from a sinfull heart doe notwithstanding belong to God But when the same vertues are found in a truly christian heart that is in a heart endowed with holy loue then they doe not onely belong to God and are not vnfruitfull in him but become fruitfull and precious before the eyes of his goodnesse Giue a man Charitie saieth S. AVGVSTINE and all things are profitable vnto him depriue him of Charitie and all the rest profits him not And to them that loue God all things cooperate vnto Good saieth the Apostle That there are some vertues which diuine Loue doth raise to a higher degree of excellencie then others CHAPTER III. 1. BVt there are some vertues which by reason of their naturall alliance and correspondance with Charitie are also much more capable to receiue the precious influence of sacred Loue and consequently the communication of the dignitie and worth of the same Such are Faith and Hope which together with Charitie haue an immediate reference to God and Religion together with penance and Deuotion which are imployed to the honour of his Diuine Maiestie For these vertues haue naturally so great a reference to God
and are so capable of the impressions of heauenly loue that to make them participate in its Sanctitie they neede onely to be by it that is neare a heart which loues God So to make grapes tast like Oliues it is but planting the vine amongst the Oliue-trees for by their onely neighbourhoode without euer touching one another these plantes doe mutually enterchange fauours and properties so great an inclination and so strict a conueniencie is there betwixt them 2. Certes all flowres except those of the tree called the Pensiue Tree and others that are monstres in nature all I saie are gladded displayed and embellished at the Sunnes approch by the vitall heat which they receiue from his rayes But all yellow flowres and especiall that which the Grecians terme HELIOTROPIVM and we TVRNE-SOLE are not onely gladded ād pleased with his presence but euen follow his beames allurement by an amiable winding about to looke and turne themselues towards it euen from the rysing to the setting So all vertues doe receiue a new lustre and an excellent dignitie by the presence of holy Loue but Faith Hope the Feare of God Pietie Penance and all the other vertues which of their owne natures doe particularly tend vnto God and to his honour doe not onely receiue the impression of Diuine loue whereby they are eleuated to a great value but they hang wholy towards him associate themselues with him following and seruing him in all occasions for in fine my deare THEO the holy word doth attribute a certaine sauing sanctifying force and proprietie to Faith Hope Pietie Feare of God to Penance which is an euidence that those vertues are of great price and being practised by a heart in Charitie they become more fruitfull and holy by excellencie then the others which of their owne nature haue not so great an agreement with heauenly Loue. And he that cries if I had all Faith euen in such a measure that I could transport mountaines and should want charitie I am nothing doth sufficiently shew that with Charitie this faith would be very fruitfull Charitie then is a vertue without compare which doth not onely adorne the heart wherin she is but with her meere presēce doth also blesse ād sanctifie all the vertues which she meetes therein embalming and perfuming them with her celestiall odour by meanes whereof they are raysed to a high rate in the sight of God which yet she performes farre more excellently in Faith Hope and other vertues which of them selues doe naturally tend to pietie 3. Wherefore THRO of all vertuous actions we ought most carefully to practise those of Religion and Reuerence towards diuine things those of Faith of Hope and the most holy Feare of God taking occasion often to speake of heauenly things thinking and sighing after eternitie frequenting the Church and Diuine seruice making pious lectures obseruing the ceremonies of christian Religion for sacred Loue is fed according to its hearts desire in these exercises and doth in greater abundance streame out its graces and proprieties vpon them then it doth vpon those vertues which are purely naturall like as the heauenly rainebow makes all the plantes vpon which it lightes odoriferous but the Asphalatus incomparably more then all the rest That Diuine Loue doth yet more excellently sanctifie the vertues which are practised by his ordinance and Commandment CHAPTER IV. 1. THe faire RACHEL after an earnest desire of issue with her deare IACOB was by two meanes made fertill whence also she had children of two sundrie kinds for in the beginning of her marriage seeing she could haue no children of her owne bodie she made vse of her seruant BALA as it were by loue which she drew into her societie by the exercise of the functions of marriage saying vnto her husband I haue here my handmaide BALA take her in wedlocke and companie with her that she may beare vpon my knees and I may haue children of her and it fell out according to her desire For she conceiued and brought forth many children vpon RACHELS knees who receiued them as though they had bene truely her owne since they were begotten by two bodies whereof IACOBS belonged to her by the right of marriage BALA'S by the dutie of seruice and againe because the generation was effected by her order and will But she had afterwards two other children without her command or order which were conceiued begot and sprung from her owne bodie at her owne bent to wit Ioseph and the beloued Beniamin 2. I must tell you now THEOT that Charitie and holy loue a thousand times more faire then Rachel married to mans heart doth incessantly wish to produce holy operations And if in the begining she her selfe cannot bring forth of her owne extraction by the sacred vnion which is singularly proper vnto her she cals the other vertues as her faithfull handmaids makes them cōpanions with her in marriage commanding the heart to make vse of them and beget holy operations of them yet operations which she doth adopt and repute her owne as being produced by her order and commandment and of a heart which belongs vnto her sith as we haue formerly declared Loue is the Maister of the heart and consequently of all the acts of other vertues made by his consent But further heauenly Charitie hath two acts which are her owne issue properly and are of her owne extraction the one is EFFECTIVE LOVE who as another IOSEPH vsing the fulnesse of regall authoritie doth subiect and range the troopes of our faculties powers passions and affections to Gods will that it might be loued obeyed and serued aboue all things by this meanes putting the great celestiall commandment in execution Thou shalt loue thy LORD thy GOD with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy Spirit with all thy strength The other is AFFECTIVE OR AFFECTIONATE LOVE who as a little Beniamin is exceedingly delicate tender pleasing and amiable but in this more happie then Beniamin that Charitie his mother dies not in his birth but as it were gaines a new life by the delight she takes in it 3. Thus then THEOT the vertuous actions of the children of God doe all belong to Charitie some of them because they sprung from her owne wombe others because she sanctifies them by her quickning presence and finally others by the authoritie and commāde which she exerciseth ouer the other vertues whence she made them spring And these as indeede they are not so eminent in dignitie as the actions which doe properly and immediatly issue from Charitie so doe they incomparably passe those which take their whole sanctitie from the presence and Societie of Charitie 4. A great Generall of an Armie hauing gayned some renowned bataile will without doubt haue all the glorie of the victorie and not without reason for he himselfe will haue fought in the forefront of the armie essaying many braue feates of armes he will haue rancked his troopes ordained and commanded all that was
the perfections which she meetes withall as it finds greater perfections it doth great lier perfect them like as suggar doth so season conserued fruits with its sweetnesse that sweetening them all it leaues euery of them different in relish and sweetenesse as they haue a diuers taste in their owne nature Nor doth it euer render the Peech and the Nut so sweete and pleasing as the Appricot and the Myrabolan plumme 5. True it is notwithstanding that if the Loue be ardent powerfull and excellent in a heart it will also more enrich and perfect all the vertuous workes which shall proceede from it One may suffer death and fire for God without Charitie as S. PAVLE presupposeth and I declare elswhere by better reason may one suffer them hauing a little charitie Now I saie THEO that it may come to passe â—hat a very little vertue may be of greater value in a soule where sacred Loue doth feruently raigne then Martyrdome it selfe in a soule where Loue is languishing feeble and slow As the least vertues in our B. Lady in S. IOHN in other great Saints were of greater price before God then the greatest of diuers inferiour Saints as many little eiaculations of Loue in Seraphins are more inflamed then the greatest in the Angels of the last orders as the singing of a young Nightingale is incomparably more harmonious then that of the finest Goldfinch 6. PIRCIVS towards the end of his dayes painted onely in little formes and trifeling things as Barbar's and Cobler's shops little Asses loaden with grasse and the like triuiall toyes which he did as PLINIE coniectures to lay his great renowne whence in the end he was called the Painter of small wares and yet the greatnesse of his art did so appeare in his small workes that they were sould at a higher rate then others greatest peaces Euen so THEO the little simplicities abiections and humiliations in which the great Saints tooke so great content to hide themselues and put their hearts into Harbour against vaine glorie hauing bene practised with a great excellencie of the Art and ardour of heauenly Loue were found more gratefull in the sight of God then the great and illustrious workes of diuers others which were performed with little Charitie and deuotion 7. The sacred Spouse doth wound her Spouse with one of her head haires of which he makes so great accompt that he compares them to the flockes of the Goates of GALAAD and hath no sooner commended the eyes of his deuote Louer which are the most noble parts of the face but presently he fals a praising her head haire which is the most fraile vile an abiect That we might learne thereby that in a soule taken with holy Loue actions that seeme very poore are highly agreeable to the Diuine Maiestie Of the excellent worth which holy Loue bestowes vpon the actions which issue from it selfe and to those which proceede from other vertues CHAPTER VI. 1. BVt you will aske me what this worth is which holy Loue bestowes vpon our actions ô God THEO I Verily I should not dare to speake it if the Holy Gost himselfe had not declared it in expresse termes by his Apostle S. Paule who saieth thus That our tribulation which is presently momentarie and light worketh aboue measure exceedingly an eternall weight of glorie in vs. For the loue of IESVS let vs ponder these words Our tribulations which are so light that they passe in a moment worke in vs the solide and stable weight of glorie I beseech you behold these wonders Tribulation produceth glorie lightnesse giues weight moments worke eternitie But what is it that can enrich these fleeting moments and light tribulations with so great worth Scarlet and purple or fine crimson violet is a precious and royall cloth yet not by reason of the woole but the die Christian workes are of that worth that Heauen is giuen vs for them but THEO it is not in that they proceede froÌ„ vs and are the woole of our hearts but because they are died in the blood of the sonne of God I meane for so much as our Sauiour doth sanctifie our workes by the merits of his blood The twigge of a vine vnited and ioyned to the stocke being not forth â—ruit in it's owne vertue but in vertue of the stocke Now we are vnited by Charitie vnto our Redeemour as members to their head and thence it is that our fruit and good workes drawing their worth from him doe merit life euerlasting AARONS rod was withered and incapable of it selfe to bring forth fruit but as soone as the name of the high priest was written vpon it in one night it brought out leaues flowres and fruit We in our selues are withered bowes vnprofitable fruitlesse not being sufficient to thinke any thing of our selues as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God who hath made vs meet and fit ministers of his will and therefore as soone as by holy Loue the name of our Sauiour the high Bishop of our soules is engrauen liâ—â— our soules we begin to beare delicious fruits for life euerlasting And as seedes which of them selues doe onely bring forth vnsauorie Melons would bring forth sugared and musked ones if they were steeped in sugared or musk't water so our soules which of themselues are not able to proiect one onely good thought towards God's seruice being watered with holy loue by the holy Ghost which doth inhabite vs they produce sacred actions which doe tend and doe carrie vs to immortall glorie Our works as proceeding from our selues are but miserable reeds yet these reeds become gold by Charitie and with the same we suruey the Heauenly Hierusalem which is giuen vs by that measure for as well to man as Angels glorie is distributed according to Charitie and her actions So that men and Angels measure is one and the same and God both hath and will reward euery one according to his works as all the holy Scripture doth teach vs which assignes vs the felicitie and eternall ioyes of Heauen in reward of the labours and good works which we haue practised in earth 2. A magnificent reward and such an one as doth sauour of the Maisters greatnesse whom we serue who in truth THEO if so he had pleased might most iustly exact our obedience and seruice without proposing vnto vs any prize or reward at all since we are his by a thousand most legitimate titles and that we can doe nothing that is worth any thing but in him by him for him and dependently of him Yet did not his Goodnesse so dispose but in consideration of his sonne our Sauiour he would deale with vs at a set price receiuing vs at wages and engaging himselfe by his promise vnto vs that our hire yea an eternall one shall answere to our workes Nor is it that our seruice can either be necessarie or profitable vnto him for when we shall haue accomplished all his commands we are yet to professe in a most humble
that all humane actions might be duely fashioned to naturall honestie and felicitie But besids all this God to enriche Christians with a speciall fauour he makes a supernaturall fountaine rise vp vpon the very top of the superiour part of the spirit which is called Grace and doth indeede comprehend faith and Hope yet it consists of Charitie which doth purifie the soule from sinne and then doth adorne and embellish her with a most delightfull beautie and finally doth spreed her waters ouer all the faculties and operations therof to endow the vnderstanding with a celestiall Prudence the will with a holy Iustice the concupiscible Appetite with a sacred Temperāce and the Irascible Appetite with a denote Force to the end that mans whole heart might tend to the supernaturall honestie and felicitie which is a vnion with God And if these foure streames or flouds of Charitie doe meete with any one of the foure naturall vertues in the soule they bring it to their obedience mixing themselues therewith to perfect it as perfumed water doth perfect naturall water being mingled together But if holy Charitie poured out in this manner meete with none of the naturall vertues in the soule she alone doth all their operations as occasion requires 2. Thus heauenly Loue finding sundrie vertues in S. PAVLE S. AMBROSE S. DENIS S. PACOMIVS poured vpon them a delightfull light reducing them all to his seruice But the Diuine Loue finding no vertue at all in S. MARIE MAGDALENE S. MARIE EGIPTIACA the good Thiefe and a thousand the like penitents who had bene great offenders did the office and worke of all the vertues becōming patient sweete hūble ād liberall in them We sowe great varietie of seeds in Gardens and couer them with earth as burying them till the Sunne preuailing makes them rise againe and as one would saie doth resuscitate them in the production of their leaues and fruit which haue new seede euery one in his kind so that one onely heauenly heate doth cause all the diuersitie of productions by meanes of the seede which it finds hid in the bosome of the erath Verily my THEO God hath sowen in our hearts the seeds of all vertues which are yet so couered with our imperfections and weaknesse that they did not at all or at least scarce appeare till the vitall heate of holy Loue came to quicken and resuscitate them by them producing the actions of all vertues So that as Manna contained in it selfe the sundrie tastes of all meates and left a relish thereof in the Israelits mouthes euen in like manner heauenly Loue comprehends in it selfe the diuers perfections of all the vertues in so excellent and high a sort that it produceth all the actions in time and place according to their occurrences IOSVE did valliantly defeate God's enemyes by his good command ouer the armies which were put in his hands But Samson defeated them yet more gloriously who by his owne hand slew thousands with the iawe bone of an asse IOSVE by his command and good order making vse of the valour of his troopes wrought wonders But SAMSON by his owne force alone wrought wonders IOSVE had the strength of many soldiers vnder him but SAMSON had it in him and could alone performe as much as IOSVE together with many soldiers Holy loue is excellent in both these wayes for finding some vertues in a soule and ordinarily it finds at least Faith Hope and Penance it quickens commands and happily imployes them in God's seruice and for the rest of the vertues which it finds not it performes their worke all alone hauing more strength alone then they haue all together 3. The great Apostle doth not onely saie that Charitie giues vs Patience Benignitie Constancie Simplicitie but he saieth that Charitie it selfe is patient benigne constant And it is the propertie of the supreame vertues amongst men and Angels not onely to direct the inferiour vertues in their operations but also to be able themseues to doe what they command others The Bishope giues the charge of all the Ecclesiasticall functions to open the Church to reade exercise preach baptize sacrifice communicate and absolue therein and he himselfe also cā doe and doth all this hauing in himselfe an eminent vertue which comprehends all the inferiour vertues So S. THOMAS vpon that which S. PAVLE assures vs to wit that Charitie is patient benigne strong Charitie saieth he doth doe and accomplish the works of all the vertues And S. AMBROSE writing to DEMETRIAS cals Patience and the rest of the vertues members of Charitie And the glorious S. AVGVSTINE saieth that the Loue of GOD comprehends all the vertues and doth all their operations in vs heare his words That we saie that vertue is deuided into foure he meanes the foure Cardinall vertues we saie it in my opinion by reason of the diuers affections which proceede from Loue. So that I would make no doubt to define those foure vertues thus Temperance is a Loue which giues it selfe entirely vnto God Fortitude is a Loue which doth willingly support all things for Gods sake Iustice is a Force which serues God onely and therefore disposeth iustly of all that belong vnto man Prudence is a Loue that makes choice of things proper to vnite it selfe vnto God and reiect such things as are contrarie to it He therefore that hath Charitie hath his soule inuested with a faire wedding garment which like vnto that of IOSEPH is wrought with the varietie of vertues or rather it hath a perfection which containes the vertue of all the perfections and the perfection of all the vertues whence Charitie is patient and benigne She is not enuious but bashfull she commits no leuities but is prudent she is not puffed vp with pride but is humble she is not ambitious or disdainefull but amiable and affable she is not eager in exacting that which belongs vnto her but free and condescending She is not irritated but is peaceable She thinkes of no euill but is gentle She doth not reioyce in euill but in the truth and with the truth she suffers all she easily beleeues all the good which one can tell her without all headinesse contention or diffidence She hath a firme hope of her neighbours good without euer distrusting to procure his saluation she sustaines euery thing expecting in peace that which is promised her And in conclusion Charitie is that pure inflamed gold which our Sauiour coūselled the Bishope of Laodicea to buy containing the price of all things and which cā doe and doth all things That vertues haue their worth from sacred Loue. CHAPTER IX 1. CHaritie is then the band of perfection since in it all the perfections of the soule are assembled and contained and without it one cānot onely not haue the full assemblie of vertues but euen not so much as the perfection of any one of them If the cemente and morter which should tie together the stones in the wall be awanting the whole edifice goes
to wrake Were it not for the nerues muskles and sinewes the whole bodie would be entirely defeated and without Charitie the vertues can neuer stand together Our Sauiour doth still tie the performance of the commandements to Charitie He that hath my Commandements saieth he and doth obserue them he it is that loues me He that loues me not keepes not my Câ—mmandements He that loues me will obserue my words which the disciple whom our Sauiour loued repeating he that obserues the Commandements of God saieth he the Charitie of God is perfect in him and this is the Charitie of God that we keepe his Commandements And he that had all vertues would keepe all the Commandements for he that loued the vertue of Religion would keepe the three first Commandements He that had Pietie would obserue the fourth He that had the vertue of mildnesse and gentlenesse would obserue the fift by the vertue of Charitie one would obserue the sixt by Liberalitie one would auoyd the breach of the seauenth by Truth one would effect the eight by frugalitie and puritie one would obserue the ninth and tenth And if without Charitie we cannot keepe the Commandements much lesse can we without her haue all the other vertues 2. True it is one may haue some one vertue and liue some small time without offending God though he want Charitie But euen as we sometimes see trees rooted out of the ground growe as it were yet fadingly and for a short time so a heart seperated from Charitie may indeede bring forth some acts of vertue but that cannot continew for any long time 3. All vertues separated from Charitie are imperfect since they are not able without it to arriue at their end which is Beatitude Bees in their birth are little groubs and wormes without feete wings forme or fashion in tract of time they change and become little flies but afterwards waxing strong and being come to their groth then they are saied to be perfect and accomplish't Bees as being furnished of all necessaries to flie abrode and make honie Vertues haue their beginnings their progresse and their perfection and I doe not denie but without Charitie they may both be borne and growe but that they should come to their perfection and beare the name of formed fashioned and accomplished vertues is a worke of Charitie which giues them the force to flie home to God to gather vp his mercy the honie of true merite and the sanctification of the heart wherein they are found 4. Charitie is amongst the vertues as the SuÌ„ne amongst the Starrs she distributs to them all their luster and Beautie Faith Hope Feare and Penance doe ordinarily come before as Herbingers to take vp her Lodging in the soule and vpoÌ„ her arriuall they with all the traine of vertues doe obeye and waite vpon her and she with her presence doth animate adorne and quicken them all 5. The other vertues can mutually aide and excite one another in their labours and exercises for who sees not that Chastitie doth call vpon and stirre vp sobrietie and that obedience doth moue vs to liberalitie Praier and humilitie Now by this communication which they haue amongst themselues they participate one of anothers perfections for Chastitie kept by obedience hath a double dignitie it s owne and that of obedience yea it hath euen more of the dignitie of obedience then of its owne for as ARISTOTLE saieth he that robbeth to th' end he may commite fornication is more a Fornicatour then a Thiefe because fornication was his affection's onely ayme he made vse of stelth onely as of a passage thither euen so he that keepes his chastitie through obedience is more obedient then Chast since he makes Chastitie serue obedience howbeit from the mixture of Chastitie and obedience a perfect and accomplished vertue cannot issue being they both want their last perfection which is Charitie so that if it were possible that all the vertues were put in one man and that he wanted onely Charitie this assemblie of vertues should indeede be a most perfect and compleate bodie in all its members as Adams was when God with his omnipoteÌ„t hand had formed him of the slime of the earth yet should it be a bodie wanting motion life and grace till God breathed into it the breath of life that is holy Charitie without which nothing doth profit vs. 6. For the rest the perfectioÌ„ of diuine Loue is so soueraigne that it doth perfect all the vertues and can receiue no perfection from them no not by obedience it selfe which yet is that which is most able to giue perfection to the rest For although loue be commanded and that in louing we exercise obedience yet so that loue drawes not its perfection from obedience but from the goodnesse of that which it loueth loue not being therefore excellent because it is obedient but because it loues an excellent Goop Truely in louing we obeye as also in obeying we loue but that this obedience is so extreamely louely is because it tends to the excellencie of Loue nor doth its excellencie consist in this that in louing we obeye but in this that in obeying we loue So that euen as God is as well the last end of all that is good as the first beginning eueÌ„ so Loue that is the source of euery good affection is likewise the last end and perfection therof A digression vpon the imperfection of the Pagans vertues CHAPTER X. 1. THe auncient SAGES of the world made of old glorious discourses in the honour of morall vertues yea euen in the behalfe of Religion but that which Plutarke obserued in the Stoicks is yet more proper for the rest of the Pagans We see ships quoth he which beare famous inscriptions Some are called VICTORIE others THE VALOVROVS others THE SVNNE yet are they not for all that exempt from their subiection to the winds and waues So the Stoicks bragged that they were exempt from passions that they were without Feare Griefe or Anger being people immoueable and vnuariable yet are they in effect subiect to troubles disquiets boisterousnesse and other impertinences 2. I beseech you for Gods loue THEO what vertues could those people haue who voluntarily and of set purpose ouerthrew all the lawes of ReligioÌ„ SENECA wrote a booke against SuperstitioÌ„ wherein he repreheÌ„ds the PagaÌ„ impietie with a great deale of libertie But this libertie saieth S. AVGVSTINE was fouÌ„d in his writings not in his life since he aduised that in affection one should reiect superstition yet practise it in action for marke his words Which superstitions the Sage shall obserue as commanded by the law not as gratefull to the Gods How could they be vertuous who as S. AVGVSTINE relates were of opinion that the wiseman was to kill himselfe when he could not or ought not longer to endure the calamities of this life and yet would not professe that calamities were miserable nor miseries full of calamities but maintained that the wiseman was continually
where our vnderstanding is englightened with an incomparable light and makes prouision of the most excellent grounds and Maximes to glorifie the Diuine Beautie and Bountie From thence we passe to the third where by the gift of Counsell we aduise by what meanes we may instill the gust and true estimation of the Diuine sweetenesse into our neighbours heart Vpon the 4. we take heart by the means of holy Fortitude to surmount the difficulties which might crosse this designe Vpon the 5. by the gift of Science we begin to preach exhorting all men to follow vertue and flie vice Vpon the 6. we striue to plant pietie in them that acknowledging God for their louing father they may obserue him with a filiall feare Vpon the last step we terrifie them with Gods iudgments so that mixing the feare of damnation with a filiall respect they doe with more feruour forsake the earth to asceÌ„d to Heauen with vs. 6. Meane while Charitie comprehends these SeueÌ„ gifts aÌ„d is like to a faire Lillie whose flowres are whiter then snow beset in the midst with fine little Hammaâ—s of the gold of wisdome which beate into our heart the gusts and louing tastes of the goodnesse of the Father our Creatour of the Mercy of the Sonne our Redeemour and of the sweetenesse of the Holy Ghost our Sanctifier And I place as you see this double Feare vpon the two lowest steps to reconcile all the traditions with the holy and sacred vulgare Edition for it is not without mysterie that the word FEARE is repeated twice but to shew that there is a filiall gift of Feare which is no other thing theÌ„ the gift of pietie and a gift of seruile Feare which is the beginning of our iorney towards the soueraigne wisdome Of the louing feare of spâ—uses a continuation of the discourse alreadie begune CHAPTER XVI 1. AH Brother IONATHAS saied DAVID thou wast deare to me aboue the loue of women as though he had saied thou didst deserue a greater Loue then that of wiues towards their husbands All excellent things are rare Propose to your selfe THEO a spouse with a Columbine heart which hath the perfectioÌ„ of marriage-Loue the Loue thereof is incoÌ„parable not onely in excellencie but also by reason of a number of singular affections and qualities which doe accompanie it it is not meerely chast but shamefast too it is strong but gracious with all It is violent and yet tender it is ardent but respectfull generous yet fearefull bold but obedient and all its feare is mixed with a delicious confideÌ„ce Such truely is the feare of a soule endowed with the excellencie of Loue For she hath such assurance in the goodnesse of her spouse that she feares not the loosing of him indeede she is afrayed that she shall not sufficiently enioye his diuine presence and that some occasion may make him absent himselfe though for an onely moment She is confident enough neuer to displease him but she feares she shall not loue him so much as loue requires Her Loue is too couragious to entertaine the lest suspicion of euer falling into disgrace with him but she is withall apprehensiue and fearefull that she shall not be vnited vnto him so much as she desires yea the soule doth sometimes arriue at such a desire of perfection that she doth not feare but she shall be sufficiently vnited vnto him Loue assuring her the continuance thereof but she feares that this vnion is not so pure simple and attentiue as her Loue makes her wish It is this admiring Louer who desires not to loue the gust delightes vertues and spirituall consolations least she might be though neuer so little diuerted from the singular loue which she beares to her beloued protesting that it is himselfe not his benefits which she lookes for and crying out to this purpose ah shew me my Beloued where thou feedest where thou lyest at midday least I might roue after the pleasures which are out of thee 2. With this holy feare of heauenly Spouses were touched those great soules of S. PAVLE S. FRANCIS S. CATHARINE of Genua and others who would not admit any mixture in their Loues but endeauoured to make them so pure simple and perfect that neither consolations nor vertues themselues might be enterposed betwixt their heart and God so that they might saie I liue not I but IESVS-CHRIST liues in me my God is my all that which is not God is nothing to me IESVS-CHRIST is my life my Loue is crucified and others the like extaticall words Now the loue of new beginners or appreÌ„tises proceedes from true loue but from a loue which is as yet tender feeble and beginning onely Filiall feare proceedes from a constant and solide loue and which alreadie tends to perfection but the feare of a Spouse springs from the excellencie and perfectioÌ„ of Loue alreadie acquired but as touching seruile and mercinarie feares they proceede not from loue at all but ordinarily they preceede Loue and serue it as Herbingers as we haue alreadie saied and are oftentimes very profitable seruants Howbeit THEO you shall oft see a good Ladie who not willing to eate her bread in idlenesse resembling her whom Salomon doth so much extoll will worke in silke vpon fine white Satine with a goodly varietie of colours to make a peece of embroderie consisting of many rare flowers which afterward she will richly raise with gold and siluer fitly suted the worke is wrought with the needle which she vseth all through to lay her silke siluer or gold yet is not the needle put into the Satine to be left there but onely to draw in after it and make way to the silke siluer and gold so that these being once layed vpon their grounds the needle is drawen out and taken thence Euen so the Diuine Goodnesse about to place a great varietie of vertues in mans soule and afterwards to raise them with his sacred Loue he makes vse of the needle of seruile and mercinarie Feare which commonly doe first pricke our hearts Yet is it not left in it but still as the vertues are placed and lodged in the soule mercenarie and seruile Feare departs according to the saying of the beloued Disciple That perfect Charitie casteh out Feare I verily THEO for the feare of being damned and of loosing Heauen is dreadull and full of anguish and how can it then stand with holy Loue which is wholy sweete and delightfull How seruile Feare remaines together with holy Loue. CHAPTER XVII 1. And albeit that the Lady we spoke off will not leaue her needle in her worke after it be once perfected yet as longe as there remaines any thing to be done about it if any other occurrence hinder her she will leaue the needle sticking in the Pincke the Rose or Paunsie which she embroders to find it in a readinesse when she returnes to her worke In like manner THEO while the Diuine Prouidence is about the embroderie of vertues and the worke of Diuine Loue
in our soules there is alwayes a mercinarie or seruile loue left in thē till Charitie being come to perfection doth take out this pricking needle and put it vp as it were in her Clue In this life therefore wherein our Charitie shall neuer come to that perfection that it shall be exempt from perill Feare is alwayes necessarie and euen while we daunce for ioye with Loue we must tremble with apprehension by Feare In Feare aduise of what thou tak'st in hand Serue and reioyce in him that raignes aboue Reioyce in him yet ioyfull firmly stand In lowlinesse of heart in trembling loue Our great Father ABRAHAM sent his seruant ELIEZER to choose a wife for his onely sonne ISAAC Eliezer wēt and by diuine inspiration made choice of the faire and chast REBECCA whom he carried away with him But this wittie Damsell forsooke ELIEZER as soone as she met with ISAAC and being conducted into SARAS chamber she remained his spouse for euer God doth often send seruile Feare as another ELIEZER and Eliezer is interpreted God's assistance to treate the marriage betwixt it selfe and sacred Loue. And though the soule be brought vnder the conduct of Feare it is not that Feare meanes to espouse her for in effect as soone as the soule meets with Loue she vnits herselfe vnto him and quits Feare 2. Yet as ELIEZER after his returne remained in Isaac his house at his and Rebeccas seruice so Feare hauing led vs to holy Loue it remaines still with vs to serue both Loue and the louing soule as occasion serues For though the soule be iust yet she is oft set vpon by extreame temptations and Loue as couragious as it is hath enough to doe to sustaine the assault by reason of the disaduantage of the place wherein it is which is the variable heart of man subiect to the mutinie of the passions In that case therefore THEO Loue employes Feare in the fight making vse of him to repulse the enemie The braue Prince IONATHAS going to giue a charge vpon the Phylistians amidst the obscuritie of the night would haue his Esquire with him and those that he killed not his Espire killed And loue enterprising some difficult thing makes not vse of his proper motiues onely but also of the motiues of seruile and mercinarie feare and the temptations which Loue ouerthrowes not Feare defeates If a temptation of Pride auarice or some voluptuous pleasure make head against me Ah! shall I saie it is possible that for things so vaine my soule would quit the grace of her well-beloued but if this will not serue Loue will call Feare to his aide ah dost thou not see miserable heart that by seconding this temptation the horrible flames of Hell doe waite vpon thee and that thou loosest the eternall inheritance of heauen a man makes vse of all things in extreamities as the saied IONATHAS did when passing the sharp Rockes which were betwixt him and the Phylistians he did not onely make vse of his feete but as well as he could scrambled and ramped with his hands Euen therefore as the Mariners who lanch out vnder a fauorable gale and in a fit season doe yet neuer leaue behind them their cables ankers and other necessaries against stormes and tempests so though the seruant of God enioye the sweete repose of holy Loue he must neuer be vnprouided of the Feare of Gods iudgments to helpe himselfe therewith amōgst the outrages and assaults of temptations besids that as the skin of an aple which in it selfe is of small estimation is yet very vsefull for the conseruation of the aple which it couereth so seruile feare which in it selfe is but of a meane condition in respect of Loue is yet very profitable to its conseruation during the dangers of this mortall life And as he that presents a Pomegranade doth onely present it in respect of the grains and iuyce contained with in it and yet giues it in the pille as a certaine dependance of it Euen so though the holy Ghost amongst his sacred gifts bestowes a louing Feare vpon the hearts of his friends that they may feare God in pietie as their Father and Spouse yet doth he also adde to that a mercinarie and seruile Feare as an accessarie to the other which is more excellent so Ioseph presenting his Father with many loades of the riches of Egipt gaue him not onely the treasures but withall the asses that brought them 3. Now albeit that mercinarie and seruile Feare be very necessarie for this mortall life yet is it vnworthy of any part in the immortall where there shall be an assurance voyd of Feare a Peace without opposition a repose free from care yet shall the seruices which this seruile and mercinarie Feare made Loue be there rewarded so that these Feares though as another Moyses and Aaron they enter not into the LAND OF PROMIS yet shall their posteritie and workes enter and as for a Filiall and the Feare of Spouses they there shall haue their rancke and place not to cause any diffidence or perplexitie in the foule but to make her admire and reuerence with submission the incomprehensible maiestie of this omnipotent Father and this Spouse of glorie The Loue to God we beare Is full of purest Feare His Feare and Maiestie Dures for eternitie How Loue makes vse of naturall seruile and mercinarie Feare CHAPTER XVIII 1. Lightnings Thundrings Thunderbolts tempests Inundations Earth-quakes and other sodaine accidents doe excite euen the most indeuote person to feare God and nature preuenting discourse in those occurences doth driue the heart the eyes yea the very hands to heauen-wards to inuoke the assistance of the most holy Diuinitie according to the common sense of mākind which is saieth Titus Liuius that such as serue the Almightie doe prosper and such as contemne him are afflicted In the storme which endāgered IONAS the Marriners were strooke with a great feare and each of them fell sodainly a crying to God They were ignorant saieth SAINT HIEROME of the Truth yet they knew there was a Prouidence and beleeued that it was by the iudgment of Heauen that they were in this danger as the Malteses when they saw S. PAVLE inuaded by a viper after he had escaped shipwrake beleeued that it happened by the Diuine vengeance And indeede Thunders Stormes Thunderbolts are called the Almighties voice by the Psalmist saying further that they make his words because they Proclame his Feare and are as Ministers of his Iustice And againe wishing that the Maiestie of God would become dreadfull to his enemies lighten lightening saieth he and thou shalt disperse them shoote out thyne arrowes and thou shalt destroye them where he termes Thūderbolts the arrowes ād darts of God And before the Psalmist Samuels good mother had alreadie sung that euē Gods enemies would feare hī if he would thūder ouer thē frō Heauē Certes PLATO in his GORGIAS and else where doth witnesse that there was some sense of Feare amongst the Pagans
not onely in regard of the chastiments which the soueraigne Iustice of God doth practise in this world but also in respect of the punishments which he exerciseth in the other life vpon their soules that haue incurable sinnes so deeply is the instinct of fearing a Deitie engrauen in mans nature 2. But this feare being practised by way of a sodaine motion or naturall feeling is neither to be commended nor condemned in vs since it proceedes not from our election yet is it an effect of a best cause and cause of a best effect for it comes from the naturall knowledge which God hath giuen vs of his Prouidence and giues vs to vnderstand what dependance we haue of the soueraigne omnipotencie mouing vs to implore his aide and being in a faithfull soule it doth much aduance her in goodnesse Christians amidst the astonishments which Thunder Tempests and other naturall dangers cause in vs inuoke the sacred name of IESVS and MARIE make the signe of the Crosse prostrate themselues before God and exercise many good acts of Faith Hope and Religion The Glorious SAINT THOMAS of Aquine being naturally subiect to start when it thundered was accustomed to saie by way of Iaculatorie Praier the Diuine words which the Church hath in such esteeme THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH Vpon this feare then Diuine Loue doth make diuers acts of Complacence and Beneuolence I will blesse thee ô Lord for thou art wōderfully magnified Let euery one feare thee ô Lord ô you great ones of the earth vnderstand serue our Lord in feare and reioyce in him with trembling 3. But there is another feare that takes it's beginning from Faith which teacheth vs that after this mortall life there are punishments dreadfully eternall or eternally dreadfull prepared for such as in this world haue offended the Diuine Maiestie without a perfect reconciliation before their decease That at the house of death the soule shall be iudged by a particular Iudgment and that at the end of the world all shall rise and appeare together to be iudged againe in the Vniuersall Iudgment For these Christian truthes THEOT doe strike the hearts of those that doe deeply ponder them with an extreeme horrour and indeede how could one represent vnto himselfe those eternall honours without foming and quaking with apprehension Now when these feelings doe take such roote in our soule that they driue and banish thence the affection and will to sinne according as the holy Councell of Trent speaketh they are very wholsome We haue conceiued thy feare ô Lord and haue brought forth the Spirit of Saluation I saie hath it That is thy wrothfull face tertified vs and made vs conceiue and bring forth the Spirit of Penance which is the Spirit of Saluation so did the Psalmist saie my bones enioyed no peace but trembled before the face of thy anger 4. Our Sauiour who euen came to establish the law of Loue amongst vs ceaseth not to inculcate vnto vs this feare feare him saieth he who hath power to throw the bodie and soule into hell fire The NINIVITS did penance vpon the threat of their owne subuersion and damnation and their penance was agreeable to God to be short this feare is comprised amongst the gifts of the holy Ghost as many aunciant Fathers haue noted 5. But if Feare doe not deterre our will and affection from Sinne truely it is bad and like to that of the diuells who cease to doe mischiefe onely through a feare they haue to be tormented by the Exorcisme without ceasing to desire and will mischeife which is their meditation for euer Like to that of the miserable gallie-slaue who would euen eate the Captaines heart though he dares not stirre from the Oare least he might be beaten Like to the Feare of that great old Maister-heretike who confessed that he hated God because he did punish the wicked Certes he that loues sinne and would willingly commit it maugre Gods will though in effect he will not commit it onely least he might be damned hath a horrible and detestable feare for though he haue not the will to come to the execution of sinne yet doth he entertaine the execution of it in his will since he would doe it if feare withheld him not and it is as it were by force that he effectes it not 6. To this Feare one may adde another lesse malicious indeede yet no lesse vnprofitable as was that of the Iudge FELIX who hearing Gods iudgmēts spoken off was stroken into amazemēt yet did he not for all that giue ouer his auarice and that of BALTASAR who in seeing the prodigious hand that wrote his condemnation vpon the wall was so astonished that he looked agaste the ioyntes of his backe bone were disioynted his knees with shaking dashed one against another nor would he yet doe penance and to what purpose is it to feare euill vnlesse by feare we resolue to eschew it 7. Their Feare then that doe as slaues obserue the Law of God to auoyd Hell is good indeede but much more noble and desirable is the mercinarie feare of Christians who as hirelings doe faithfully labour yet not principally for any loue they beare their Maister but to be rewarded with the reward promised O that the eye could see that the eare could heare or that it could enter into the heart of man what God hath prepared for those that serue him Ah what an apprehension would one haue to violate Gods commandements least he might loose those immortall rewards What teares what sobbs would one cast out when by sinne one had lost it Yet should this Feare be blame worthy if it contained in it the exclusion of holy Loue for he that should saie I will not serue God for any loue I will haue towards him but onely to attaine the reward he promiseth should commit blasphemie in preferring the reward before his Maister the benefit before the Benefactour the inheritance before the Father and his owne profit before God almightie as we haue more amply showen in the second booke 8. But finally when we feare to offend God not to auoyd the paines of Hell or the lose of Heauen but onely for that God being our good Father we owe him honour respect obedience thē our Feare is filiall because a well borne child doth not obeye his Father in respect of the power he hath to punish his disobedience or because he might disinherite him but purely because he is his Father In such sort that though his Father were old impotent and poore he would not serue him with lesse diligence but rather as a pious Storke would assist him with more care and affection Euen as IOSEPH seeing the good man IACO◠his Father old in want and brought vnder his scepter ceased not to honour serue and reuerēce him with a more thē filiall tēdernesse and such as his brothers hauing takē notice apprehended that it would euen worke after his death and therevpon they made vse of it to obtaine
pardon at his hands saying your Father commanded vs that we should tell you thus from him I beseech thee to forget thy brothers crime and the sinne and malice which they practised against thee which hauing heard he began to weepe so did his filiall heart melt at the representation of his deceased Fathers wish and will Such then doe feare God with a filiall affection as doe feare to displease him purely and simply because he is their most sweete most benigne and most louing Father 9. Howbeit though this filiall feare be ioyned mixed and tempered with the seruile feare of eternall damnation or with the mercinarie Feare of loosing Heauen it is yet gratefull to God and is called a BEGINNING FEARE that is a feare of such as are beginners and Apprentises in the exercise of diuine Loue. For as young youthes at their first beginning to ride a horse when they perceiue him rise a little high before doe not onely cleeue close to hī with their knees but doe also catch hard hold of the saddle bole with their hands yet after they haue bene a while trayned vp with it doe onely keepe thēselues close together euen so Nouices ād Prentises in Gods seruice finding thēselues lost amidst the assaults which the enemie makes against them in their beginnings doe not onely make vse of filiall but also of mercinarie and seruile Feare and hold themselues as well as they cā that they might not fall from their pretentions How sacred Loue containes the 12. fruits of the holy Ghost together with the 8. beatitudes of the Ghospell CHAPTER XIX 1. THe glorious S. PAVLE saieth thus Now the Fruit of the holy Ghost is Charitie Ioye Peace Patience Benignitie Goodnesse Longanimitie Mildnesse Modestie Faith Continencie Chastitie But marke THEO how this holy Apostle showing these 12. fruits of the holy Ghost puts them for one onely fruit for he saieth not the fruits of the holy Ghost are Charitie Ioye c. but onely the fruit of the Holy Ghost is Charitie Ioye And behold the secrete of this manner of speach The Charitie of God is poured forth into our hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vs. Certes Charitie is the onely fruit of the holy Ghost but because this one fruit hath an infinitie of excellent proprieties the Apostle about to represent some of them by way of a scantling he speakes of this onely fruit as of many by reason of the multitude of proprieties which it containes in its vnitie and speakes againe of all these fruits as of one onely by reason of the vnitie in which it is comprised in this varietie So he that should saie that the fruit of the vine is ripe grapes greene grapes wine aqua vitae the liquour that doth reioyce the heart of man the drinke that doth comfort the stomake would not saie that they were fruits of diuers SPECIES but onely that though they be but one onely fruit yet hath it many different proprieties according as it is diuersly vsed 2. The Apostle therefore would saie no other thing but onely that Charitie is the fruit of the holy Ghost which is ioyfull peaceable patient benigne good longanimous sweete faithfull modest continent chast that is to saie that the Diuine Loue doth giue vs an inward ioye and cōsolation together with a great peace of mind which in aduersitie is conserued by Patience and which makes vs benigne and gracious in succouring our neighbour by a cordiall goodnesse towards him a goodnesse which is not variable but Constant and perseuerant giuing vs a courage of great extent by meanes whereof we become mild affable and condescendant to all supporting their humours and imperfections and standing perfectly loyall vnto them testifying a simplicitie accompanied with confidence as well in our words as actions liuing modestly and humbly cutting off all superfluities and disorders in meate drinke apparell bed plaie pastimes and such other voluptuous desires by a holy continencie repressing especially the inclinations and seditions of the flesh by a diligēt chastitie so that our whole man may be occupied in holy Loue as well interiourly by Ioye Peace Patience Longanimitie Goodnesse and Fidelitie as also exteriously by benignitie mildnesse modestie continencie and Chastitie 3. Now Charitie is called a fruit in so much as it doth delight vs ād in so much as we doe enioye its delicious sweetenesse as being a true aple of Paradice gathered from the tree of life which is the holy Ghost graffed in our humane hearts and dwelling in vs by his infinite mercy But when we doe not onely reioyce in this heauenly Loue and enioye its delicious sweetenesse but euen place all our glorie therein as in the crowne of our honour then it is not a fruit onely delightfull to our palate but it is a beatitude and a most wishfull felicitie not onely because it assures vs the felicitie of the next life but euen in that it doth enrich vs in this life with a contentment of an inestimable price a contentement which is so strong that all the waters of tribulation and the floodes of persequution cannot extinguish it yea it is not onely not extinguished but it waxeth rich amidst pouertie is aduanced by abiections and humiliations reioyceth in teares gaines strength by being forsaken by Iustice and by being depriued of the helpe thereof while begging for it it is deneyed of all compassion and commiseration doe recreate it while it is enuironed with the iniurious and neede It is delighted in the renunciation of all sorts of sensuall and earthly delightes to obtaine the puritie and cleanenesse of heart the vse of its valour is to lay a sleepe warrs iarrs and dissentions and to spurne temporall aduancements and reputation by all kinds of sufferance it waxeth strong and holds that its true life consisteth in dying for the well-beloued So that in a word THEO holy Charitie is a vertue a Gift a Fruit and a Beatitude as it is a vertue it makes vs obedient to exteriour inspiratiōs which God hath giuē vs by his Cōmādemēts ād Coūsells in the execution whereof all vertues are practised whence Charitie is the VERTVE OF VERTVES 4. In qualitie of a gift Charitie makes vs manigable and tractable by interiour inspirations which are as Gods secreete Commandements and Counsells in the execution whereof the 7. giftes of the holy Ghost are imployed so that Charitie is the GIFT OF GIFTS As it is a Fruit it giues vs an extreame gust and pleasure in the practise of a deuote life which is felt in the 12. fruits of the holy Ghost and thence it is the FRVIT OF FRVITS In qualitie of Beatitude it makes vs repute the affronts calumnies rebukes reuilings which the world heapes vpon vs for greatest fauours and singular honours and withall makes vs forsake renounce and reiect all other kinds of glorie saue that which comes from the beloued Crucifix for which we glorie in the abiection abnegation and annihilation of our selues admitting of no other marke of
Maiestie then our crucified Maister 's crowne of thornes his scepter of a Reed his robe of scorne which they put vpon him and the Throne of his Crosse vpon which the sacred Louers had more content ioye glorie and felicitie then euer Salomon had in his Iuerie Throne 5. So is Loue often times represented by the Pomegranate which taking proprieties from the Pome-granate-tree may be saied to be it's vertue as also the gift thereof which out of Loue it offers to man and its fruit sith that it is eaten to refresh mâ—ns taste and finally it is as it were its glorie and Beatitude bearing the crowne and diademe How diuine Loue makes vse of all the passions and affections of the soule and reduceth them to her obedience CHAPTER XX. 1. Loue is the life of our heart and as the couÌ„terpoise giues motioÌ„ to all the moueable parts of a cloke so doth Loue giue all the motioÌ„ the soule hath All our affections follow our Loue and according to it we desire we reioyce we hope we dispaire we feare we take heart we hate we flie we sorrow we fall into choler we triuÌ„phe Doe not we see men who haue giuen vp their heart as a prey to the base and abiect Loue of women that they haue no desires but according to this Loue they take no pleasure but in it they neither hope nor dispaire but for this subiect they neither dread nor enterprise any thing but for it they are neither disgusted with nor flie from any thing saue that which doth diuert them from this they are onely troubled at that which doth depriue them of it they are neuer angrie but out of iealousie neuer glorie but in this infamie 2. The like may be saied of couetous misers and glorie-hunters for they become slaues to that which they loue and haue neither heart in their breast nor soule in their hearts nor affections in their soules saue onely for this 3. When therefore Diuine Loue doth raigne in our hearts it doth in a kinglike manner bring vnder all the other Loues and consequently all the affections thereof for as much as naturally they follow loue this done it doth tame sensuall Loue and bringing it to subiection all the sensuall passions doe follow it For in a word this sacred Loue is the soueraigne water of which our Sauiour saied he that shall drinke of this water shall neuer thirst No surely THEO he that hath Loue in a certaine abundance he shall neither haue desire dread hope courage nor ioye but for God and all his motions shall be quieted in this onely celestiall Loue. 4. Diuine Loue and selfe loue are in our hearts as IACOB and ESAV in the wombe of REBECCA there is a great antipathie and opposition betwixt them and doe continually presse on vpon another in the heart Whereat the poore soule giues an outcrie alas wretch that I am who will deliuer me out of the bodie of this death that the onely Loue of God may peaceably raigne in me Howbeit we must take courage putting our trust in our Sauiours word who promiseth in commaÌ„ding and commandeth in promising victorie to his Loue and he seemes to saie to the soule that which he caused to be saied to REBECCA two nations are in thy woÌ„be and there shall be a diuision betwixt two people in thy intrailles the one shall surmount the other and the elder shall serue the younger for as Rebecca who had onely two childreÌ„ in her wombe whereof two people were to descend was saied to haue two nations in her wombe so the soule hauing two loues in her heart hath consequently two great troopes of motions affections and passions and as Rebecca her two children by the contrarietie of their motions made her suffer great conuulsions and paines of the wombe so the two loues of our soulâ— puts our heart as it were into trauaill And as it was saied of Rebeccas two children that the elder should serue the younger so was it ordained that of these two loues of our heart the sensuall should serue the spirituall that is selfe-loue should serue the Loue of God 5. But when was it that the eldest of thaâ— people which was in Rebecca's wombe serued thâ— youÌ„gest Surely it was onely wheÌ„ Dauid ouercame the Idumeans in warre and that Salomon ouerruled them in time of Peace When shall it then be that sensuall loue shall serue Diuine Loue It shall then be THEO when armed Loue being arriued at Zeale shall by mortification subiect our passions but principally when aboue in heauen Blessed Loue shall possesse our whole soule in peace 6. Now the meanes whereby Diuine Loue is to subiect the sensuall appetite is like to that which IACOB vsed when for a good presage and beginning of that which was afterwards to come to passe ESAV coÌ„ming out of his mothers wombe IACOB held him by the foote as it were to trample vpon to suppliant and keepe him vnder or as they saie to keepe him tyed by the foote after the manner of a Hauke such as ESAV was in qualilitie of a hunter and as he was a fierce man For so holy Loue perceiuing some passion or naturall affection to rise in vs must presently catch it by thâ— foote and order it to his seruice But what is it to saie take it by the foote it is to bind it and bring it downe to a râ—solution of seruing God Doe not you see how Moyses transformed the serpent into a rod by taking her onely by the tayle euen so by bestowing a good end vpon our passions they turne vertues 7. But what methode are we then to obserue to order our affections and passions to the seruice of Diuine Loue Methodicall Phisitions haue alwayes this APHORISIME in their mouthes Tâ—at contraries are cured by their coÌ„traries tâ—â— Alchymists haue another famous sentence contrarie to this Saying that like are cured by their like Howsoeuer we are certaine that two contrarie things make the light of the starrs disappeare to wit the obscuritie of nightly foggues and the greater light of the sunne and in like manner we doe fight against passions either by opposing contrarie passions or greater affections of the same sort If any vaine hope present it selfe vnto me my way of resistance may be by opposing vnto it this iust discouragement O senselesse man vpoÌ„ what foundatioÌ„ dost thou build this hope dost thou not see that the great one to whom thou dost aspire is as neere to his graue as thy selfe Dost thou not know the instabilitie weaknesse and imbecillitie of the spirit of man To day his heart in whom thy pretentions are is thyne to morrow another carries it away from thee vpon what then is this hope grounded Another way of resisting this hope is to oppose to it another more strong hope in God ô my Soule for it is he that deliuers thy feete out of the snares neuer did any hope in him and was confounded throwe thy thoughtes vpon eternall and permanent
things In like manner may one fight with riches and temporall delightes either by the contempt they merite or by the desire of such as are immortall and by this meanes sensuall and earthly Loue shall be ruinated by heauenly Loue either as fire is extinguished by water by reason of its contrarie qualities or as it is extinguished by heauenly fire by meanes of its qualities more strong and predominant 8. Our Sauiour makes vse of both the wayes in his spirituall cures He cured his Disciples of their wordly Feare by imprinting in their hearts a Feare of a superiour rancke Feare not those saied he who kill the bodie but feare him who can throw the bodie and the soule into Hell fire WheÌ„ he would another time cure theÌ„ of an abiect ioye he assigned them one more high doe not reioyce quoth he that the euill spirits are vnder you but that your names are written in Heauen and himselfe also reiecteth ioye by sorrow woe be to you that laugh for you shall weepe Thus then doth the Diuine Loue supplant and bring-vnder the affections and passions turning them from the end to which selfe loue would swaye theÌ„ and applying them to its spirituall pretention And as rhe rayne-bow touching the hearbe ASPAIATHVS doth depriue it of its owne smell and giues it another farre more excellent so sacred Loue touching our passions takes from them their earthly end and bestowes a heauenly one in its place the appetite of eating is much spiritualized if before the practise thereof we put vpoÌ„ it the â—otiue of loue Ah Sauiour It is not to content my palate nor yet to saciate this appetite that I goe to table but according to thy Prouidence to sustaine this bodie which thou hast giuen me subiect to this miserie I Lord because so it was thy pleasure If I hope for a friends assistance may not I saie the manner of thy establishment of our life ô Lord was such as that we should stand in neede of one anothers helpe comfort and consolation and because so it pleaseth thee I will vse this or that man whom thou hast ioyned vnto me in friendshipe to this purpose Is there some iust occasion of Feare It is thy will ô Lord that I should feare that I may vse conuenient meanes to auoyd this inconueniencie I will doe so ô Lord since such is thy good pleasure If feare be excessiue ah God our eternall Father what is it that thy children and the chickes which liue vnder thy winges can dread Well I will vse the meanes conuenient to eschew euill but that being done Lord I am thyne saue me if it be thy pleasure and that which shall befall me I will accept because such is thy good pleasure O holy and sacred ALCHIMIE ô heauenly PROTECTION POVDER by which all the mettalls of our passions affections and actions are conuerted into the most pure gold of heauenly Loue. That sadnesse is almost alwayes vnprofitable yea opposite to the seruice of holy Loue. CHAPTER XXI 1. ONe cannot graffe an Oake vpon a Peare-tree of so contrarie an humour are those two trees nor can anger choler and dispaire be graffed in Charitie at least it would be a hard peece of worke We haue seene Anger alreadie in the discourse of Zeale as for dispaire vnlesse it be reduced to a mans iust defence or at least to the feeling which we ought to haue of the vanitie feablenesse and inconstancie of wordly fauours assistances and promisses I see not what seruice Diuine Loue can draw from it 2. And as concerning sadnesse how can it be profitable to holy Charitie seeing that ioye is rancked amongst the fruits of the holy Ghost adioyning vnto Charitie Howbeit the great Apostle saieth thus The sorrow that is according to God worketh penance vnto saluation that is stable but the sorrow of the world worketh death there is then a sorrow according to God which is profitably practised either by sinners in Penance or by the good by way of compassion for the temporall miseries of our neighbours or by the perfect in deploring bemoaning and condoling the spirituall calamities of soules For DAVID S. PETER MAGDALENE wept for their sinns AGAR wept when she sawe her sonne almost deade of thirst Hieremie vpon the ruines of Hierusalem Our Sauiour ouer the Iewes and his great Apostle groanes out these words many walke of whom I haue often told you and I tell you againe with teares who are enemyes to the Crosse of IESVS-CHRIST 3. There is a sorrow of this world which doth also proceede froÌ„ 3. causes For. 1. it comes sometimes from the infernall enemye who by a thousand sad melancholie and troublesome suggestions doth obscure the vnderstanding weaken the will trouble the whole soule and like to a thicke mist doth stuffe the head and breast with a rume and by this meanes makes a man draw his breath with difficultie and doth perplexe the poore trauailler so the euill spirit filling mans mind with daunting thoughts depriues it of the facilitie of aspiring to God and doth possesse it with an extreame vexation and discouragement to bring it to dispaire and perdition They saie there is a fish named a sea-toade or a sea-diuell by surname who by mouing and stirring the mud doth trouble the water round about her to hid her selfe in it as in an amboush wherein as soone as she perceiues the poore little fishes she falls vpoÌ„ them spoyles and deuoures them whence peraduenture came the common prouerbe of fishing in a troubled water Now the diuell of Hell vseth the same slight with the Diuell of the Sea For he makes his Ambushe in the midst of sorow who after he hath troubled the soule with a multitude of loathsome thoughts cast hither and thither in the vnderstanding he makes a charge vpon the affections bearing them downe with distrust ielousies auersions disgustes grieues superfluous apprehensions of sinns past adding withall a number of vaine bitter and sullen subtilities that all reasons and consolations might be reiected 4. Sorow 2. doth sometimes proceede from a mans naturall condition when a melancholie humour doth abound in vs and this is not vicious in it selfe yet doth our enemie make great vse of it to coÌ„triue and plot a thousaÌ„d temptatioÌ„s in our soules for as the Spyder doth hardly weaue her wâ—be saue in cloudie and close weather so this wicked Spirit finds neuer so fit a time to lay the snares of his suggestioÌ„s in sweete benigne ad cheerefull spirits as he doth in sullen sad and pesiâ—e hearts for he doth easily trouble them with wayâ—ardnesse suspicioÌ„ hatred slouth aÌ„d with a spirituall nuÌ„nesse 5. Thirdly and lastly there is a sorrow which the varietie of humane chaÌ„ces doth bring vpoÌ„ vs. What ioye ca I haue saied Tobie not being able to see the light of heaueÌ„ So was IACOB sorrowfull vpoÌ„ the newes of the death of his SoÌ„ne IOSâ—Pâ— aÌ„d DAVID for the death of his AbsaloÌ„ and this is coÌ„moÌ„ as well to the good
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
now another by emulation making it in the end waxe withered and drie He that aimes at heauenly Loue must carefully reserue his times his spirit and affections for it That our lawfull occasions doe not hinder vs to practise Diuine Loue. CHAPTER IV. 1. CVriositie ambition disquiete together with inaduertance and inconsideration of the end for which we are in this world are cause that we haue a thousand times more impediments then affaires more hurrying vp and downe then worke more lets then businesse And these are the MAZES THEOT that is she witlesse vaine and superfluous vndertakings into which we runne our selues which doe hinder the loue of God not the true and lawfull exercises of our vocations DAVID and after him S. Lâ—WIS in the presse of his perils toyles and trauaills which he endured as well in peace as in warrs did not cease to sing from his heart What doe the Heauens admire Sauâ— God that I desire To what saue God beneath Can heart aspire or breath 2. S. BERNARD loosed not a foote of the progresse which he desired to make in holy Loue though he were in the Courts and Armies of great Princes where he laboured to bring matter of staâ—e to the seruice of Gods glorie he changed his habitation but he changed not his heart 3. And to vse his owne words these changes passed in him but were not caused by him sith that though his imployments were much differeÌ„t yet were all imployements indifferent to him and he different from them all not receiuing the colours of his affaires and couersations as the CAMELION those of the place where she is but remayning still wholy vnited to God still white in puritie still read with Charitie still full of humilitie 4. I am not ignorant THEOT what the wise mans counsell is He flies the CaÌ„pe the Court and Courtly strife Who seakes to sowe the seedes of holy life Vertue we see doth cause the soules encrease Faith and Pietie daughters are to peace And the Israelites had good reason to excuse theÌ„selues to the Babylonians who vrged them to sing the sacred Canticle of Sion Ay me but in what musike shall we sing In this sad sâ—yle and ruthfull banishment A Sions songe to Sions heauâ—nly King A Sions songe of heauenly wonderment But doe not you also marke that those poore people were not onely amoÌ„gst the Babylonias but were euen their Captiues Whosoeuer is a slaue to Courtly fauours issues in law and honour in warrs ô God all is past with him he hath no leasure to sing the Hymne of heauenly Loue. But he that is onely in the Court in warrs or in the Sessions-houses because his dutie calls him th ther God is his aide and the heauenly sweetenesse is as an EPITHEME vpon his heart to preserue him from the plague which raignes in those places 5. While the plague pestered the Milaneises SAINT CHARLES neuer made difficultie to frequent the infected houses and to touch the infected persons Yet THEO he onely frequented and touched them so farre forth as the necessitie of Gods worke required nor would he for a world haue thrust himselfe into danger without necessitie least he should haue commited the sinne of tempting God So that he was neuer touched with any infection Gods Prouidence conseruing him who reposed so pure a confidence in â—t that it had no mixture either of feare or forwardnesse In like manner God takes a speciall care of those who goe not to the Court Sessions or warre but onely to complie with the necessitie of their dutie and in that case a man is neither to be so scrupulous as to abandone good and lawfull affaires by not going nor yet to be presumptuously pushed forwards with a desire of going thither or staying there without the expresse necessitie of his dutie and affaires A delightfull example vpon this subiect CHAPTER V. 1. GOd is innocent to the innocent Good to the good cordiall to the cordiall tender towards such as are tender and his loue makes him often times vse certaine sacred and daintie deuises towards the holy soules which out of a louing puritie and simplicitie behaue themselues as little children about him 2. Vpon a day S. FRANCISCA was reciting our Ladies office and as it commonly happens that if there be any businesse to be done all the day long it presseth most in the time of Praier This good Ladie was called in her husbands name about a houshold affaire and foure sundrie times thinking to goe on with her office she was called from it againe and constrained to leaue off in the same verse till at length this blessed affaire for which they had so importunely interrupted her praier being finished returning to her office she found the verse which she had so often left off by obedience and begunne againe by deuotioÌ„ all written in faire golden letters Which her deuote Companion Madame Vannocie swore she saw written by the Saints deare Angell gardian to whom also S. PAVLE did afterwards reueale it 3. O what a sweetenesse is this THEOT of the heauenly Spouse towards this sweete and filiall louer We see notwithstaÌ„ding that euery ones necessarie imployments according to their vocation doth ot diminish Diuine Loue but doth euen encrease it and as it were doe gildâ— the deuote worke The Nightingale loues her owne melodie no lesse when she makes her rest 's then when she sings Deuote hearts loue not Loue lesse when they are distracted in exteriour necessities then when they praie Their silence their speach their action and their contemplation their imployments and their rests doe in them equally sing the Hymne of their Loue. That we are to imploye all the occasions that are presented in the practise of Diâ—ine Loue. CHAPTER VI. 1. THere are some soules that make proiects vnto themselues to doe excellent seruices to our Sauiour by eminent actions and extraordinarie sufferances but actions and sufferances whole occasion is not present nay nor peraduenture neuer will be present and vpon this they apprehend that they haue done a great matter in loue in which yet they are often deceiued As it appears by those who as they themselues thinke embrasing in desire greate future crosses doe vehemently flie the burden of such as are present though lesser Is it not a fearefull temptation to be so valiant in imagination and so cowardly in execution 2. Ah God preserue vs from those imaginarie feruours which doe often bread a vaine and secreete selfe esteeme in the botome of our hearts Great works light not alwayes in our waye but euery moment we may practise little ones with excellencie that is with a great Loue. Behold this Saint I beseech you who bestowes a cup of cold water vpon the ouerheated passinger he doth but a small matter in outward shew but the intentioÌ„ the sweetenesse the Loue with which he doth giue life to his worke is so excellent that it turnes this simple water into water of life and life euerlasting 3.
to vndergoe in that behalfe he sacrificed himselfe in spirit to Gods good pleasure and dearely kissing this his Crosse he cryed from the botome of his heart to the imitation of SAINT ANDREW I salute thee ô precious Crosse I salute thee ô blessed tribulation ô holy affliction how delightfull thou art since thou didst issue from the louing breast of the eternall Father of mercy who willed thee from all eternitie and did ordaine thee for my deare people and me O Crosse my heart willeth thee sith the heart of my God hath willed thee ô Crosse my soule doth cherish and embrace thee with her whole affection 8. In this sort are we to vndertake affaires of greatest consequence and the sharpest tribulations which can befall vs. But if they prooue to be of long continuance we must from time to time and very frequently iterate this exercise that we may more profitably continew our vnion to Gods good will and pleasure pronouning this short yet wholy Diuine Protestation of his Sonne yes ô eternall Father I will it with all my heart because so it was pleasing in thy sight ô God Tâ—EOTIME how rich this practise is An exhortation to the sacrifice which we are to make to God of our free-will CHAPTER X. 1. I adde to the sacrifice of S. CHARLES that of the great Patriarke Abraham as a liuely image of the most strong and loyall loue that could be imagined in any creature 2. Certainly he sacrificed the strongest naturall affections that possibly he could haue wheÌ„ hearing the voice of God which said vnto him Leaue thy couÌ„trie and thy friends and thy Fathers house and goe into the land which I will shew vnto thee he presently departed and with speede put himselfe vpoÌ„ the way without knowing whither he was to goe the loue of his deare countrie the delightfull conuersation of his neere allie the pleasures of his Fathers house did not stagger him he departs with an ardent boldnesse and goes whither it shall please God to codduct him What an abnegation THEO what renunciation was this one cannot perfectly Loue God vnlesse he forsake the affection to momentarie things 3. But this was nothing in respect of that which he did afterwards when being twice called by God who seeing his promptitude in answearing saied vnto him Take ISAAC thyne onely sonne whom thou louest and goe into the Land of vision where thou shalt offer him in Holocaust vpoÌ„ one of the mountaines which I will shew vnto thee for behold this great man how he sodainely departs with his so much beloued and so worthy to be beloued Sonne goes three dayes iorney comes to the foote of the mountaine leaues there his seruant and asse lodes his sonne Isaac with woode necessarie to the holocaust reseruing himselfe to carrie the sword and fire and as he ascends the mountaine his tender child saied vnto him Father and he answered him what wouldst thou child Looke saied the child behold the woode and fire but where is the victime of the holocaust To which his Father replied God will prouide the victime of the Holocaust my child and in the meane while they arriued at the top of the designed mountaine where Abraham presently erected an Altar lays the woode in order vpon it binds his Isaac and puts him vpon the funerall Pile extends his right hand layes hold of and drawes out his sword lifts vp his arme and as he was readie to dispatch the blow to sacrifice the child the Angell cried from aboue Abraham Abraham who answeres I am here Lord and the Angell saied vnto him doe not kill thy sonne it is sufficient now I know thou fearest God and hast not spared thy sonne for my sake Vpon this Isaac is vntyed Abraham takes a Rame which he sound hanging by the hornes in the brambles and sacrificed him 4. THEO he that sees his neighbours wife to couet her hath alreadie coÌ„mitted adultâ—rie in his heart and he that binds his sonne to sacrifice him hath alreadie sacrificed him in his heart Behold then for Gods loue what a Holocaust this holy man offered in his heart an incomparable sacrifice a sacrifice that one cannot fully estimate nor yet praise to the full O God who is able to discerne which of the two loues was greater Abrahams who to please God sacrificed his sonne so amiable or the childs who to please God is willing to be sacrificed and to that end permits himselfe to be bound and extended vpon the woode and as a tender lambe peaceably attends deathes blow from the deare hand of his good Father 5. For my part I preferre the Father for his longanimitie yet dare I with all boldly giue the prize of magnaminitie to the sonne For on the one side it is indeede a miracle yet not so great a one that Abraham alreadie old and accomplished in the science of louing God and frotified by the late vision and word of God should giue this last essay of loyaltie and loue towards a Maister whose sweetenesse and prouidence he had so ofteÌ„ perceiued and tasted But to see Isaac in the Spring of his age as yet a meere Nouice and AppreÌ„tise in the art of louing God offer himselfe vpon the onely word of his father to the sword and the flame to become a Holocaust of obedience to the Diuine will is a thing that passeth all admiration 6. Yet of the other side doe you not see THEOT that for the space of three dayes Abraham doth tosse and turne in his soule the bitter thought and resolutioÌ„ of this sharp sacrifice Doe you not take compassion of his Fatherlie heart when ascending alone with his sonne the child more simple then a Doue saied vnto him Father where is the victime and he answered him God will prouide for that my soÌ„ne Doe you not thinke that the sweetenesse of the child carrying the woode vpon his shoulders and piling it afterwards vpon the Altar made his fathers bowels melt away with tendernesse ô heart which the Angells admire and God magnifieth O Sauiour Iâ—SVS when shall it then be that hauing sacrificed vnto thee all that we haue we shall also offer vp vnto thee all that we are When shall we offer vnto thee our freewill the onely child of our soule when will it be that we shall extend and tye it vpon the Altar of thy Crosse of thy thornes of thy lance that as a little Ewe it may be a gratefull victime to thy good pleasure to burne and die in the flame and with the sword of thy Diuine Loue. 7. O Freewill of my heart how good a thing were it for thee to be bound and extended vpon the Crosse of thy Heauenly Sauiour How desirable a thing it is to die to thy selfe to burne for euer a Holocaust to the Almightie THEOT our Freewill is neuer so free as when it is slaue subiect to the will of God nor euer so a slaue as when it serues our owne will It neuer hath so much life as
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
Philothie and both of them much different from that which I vsed in the defence of the Crosse know that in nine-teene yeares one learnes and vnlearnes many things that the language of the warrs differs from that of Peace and that a man vseth one manner of speach to young Prentises an other to old iorneymen My purpose is here to speake to soules that are aduanced in deuotion for you must know that we haue in this towne a congregation of young maides and widowes who being retired from the world doe liue vnanimously in God's seruice vnder the protection of his most holy mother and as their pietie and puritie haue often times giuen me great consolations so haue I striuen to returne them the like by a frequent distribution of the holy word which I haue announced vnto them as well in publike sermons as in spirituall conferences yea and that continually in the presence of diuerse Religious men and people of great pietie whence I was often to treate of the most delicate feelings of pietie passing beyond that which I had saied vnto Philothie And I owe a good part of that which now I communicate vnto thee to this blessed assemblie because she that is the mother of them and doth rule knowing that I was writing vpon this subiect and yet that scarcely was I able to accomplish it without Gods very speciall assistance and their continuall sollicitation she tooke a continuall care to praie and make me be praied for to this end and holily coniured me to gather together all the odde ends of leasure which she iudged might be spared here and there from the presse of my incumbrances and to employe them in this And because I beare a great respect to this good soule she had God knowes no little power to animate myne in this occasion I began indeede long agoe to thinke of writing of holy Loue but that thought came farre short of that which this occasion caused to be produced an occasion which I declare vnto you so nakedly and sincerely to the imitation of the Auncients that you may know that I wite onely vpon occasion and that I may find you more fauorable The Pagans held that Phidras neuer represented any thing so perfectly as the DIVINITIE nor Apelles as Alexander One is not alwayes alike happie If I fall short in this Treatise let thy goodnesse flie home and God blesse thy reading To this end I haue dedicated this worke to the Mother of dilection and to the Father of cordiall Loue as I dedicated the Introduction to the Heauenly Child who is the Sauiour of Louers and the Loue of the saued Certes as women while they are strong and able to bring forth their children with ease choose commonly their worldly friends to be their Godfathers But when their feeblenesse and indisposition makes their deliuerie difficile and dangerous they inuoke the Saints of Heauen and vow to make their children be christned by some poore bodie or by some deuote person in the name of S. IOSEPH S. FRANCIS OF ASSICIA S. FRANCIS OF PAVLA S. NICHOLAS or to some other of the Blessed who may obtaine of God their safe deliuerie and that the child may be borne aliue So I while I was not yet Bishope hauing more leasure and lesse apprehension to write I dedicated my little works to Princes of the earth but now being ouercharged with my charge and hauing a thousand impediments I consecrate all to the Princes of Heauen to th' end they may obtaine for me the ligâ—t which is requisite and that if so it may pleaâ— the Diuine will these my writings may haue a birth profitable and fruitfull Thus my deare Reader I beseech God to blesse thee and to enrich thee with his loue Meane while from my very heart I submit all my writings my words and actions to the correction of the most holy Catholike Apostolike and Romaine Church knowing that she is the Pillar and soliditie of truth wherein she caÌ„ neither be deceiued nor deceiue vs and that none caÌ„ haue God for his Father who will not haue this Church for his Mother ANNESSâ— the day of the most louing Apostles S. PETER and S. PAVLE 1616. Blessed be God THE TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS CONTAINED IN this Treatise The first number shewes the Chapter The second the Page THE TABLE OF THE FIRâ—T BOOKE CONTAâ—NING A PREparatioâ— to the whole Treatise THat for thâ— beautie of humane nature God gaue the â—â—uernment of all the faculties of the soule 〈◊〉 the will Chap. 1. pag. 1. How the wâ—â— diuersly gouernes the powers of the soule Chap. 2. pag. 4. How the will gouerns the â—suall appetite Cha. 3. pag. 7. That loue rules ouer all iâ— affections and passions yea gouerns the will albeâ—â— the will hath also a dominion ouer it Chap. 4. pag. 12. Of the affections of the will Chap. 5. pag. 15 How the Loue of God doth rule ouer other Loues Chap. 6. pag. 19 A description of Loue in generall chap 7. pag. 22 VVhat that coÌ„ueniencie is which doth excite loue ch 8. 28 That loue tends to vnion chap. 9. pag. 32 That the vnion which loue pretends is spirituall chap. 10. pag. 35. That there are two portions in the soule and how chap. 11. pag. 44. That in these 2 portions of the soule there are found 4. different degrees of reason chap. 12. pag. 49 The difference of loues chap. 13. pag. 53 That charitie ought to be named loue chap. 14. p. 55 Of the conueniencie betwixt God and man ch 15. p. 57 That we haue a naturall inclination to loue God aboue all things chap. 16. 61 That we haue not naturally the power to loue God aboue all things chap. 17. 64 That the naturall inclination which we haue to loue God is not without profit chap. 18. 67 THE TABLE OF THE Second Booke THE HISTORIE OF THE GENEration or heauenly birth of Diuine Loue. THat the diuine perfections are but one onely yet an infinite perfection chap. 1. pag 71 Touching the diuine prouidence in generall chap. 3. p. 79 Of the supernaturall prouidence which God vseth towards reasonable creaturs chap. 4. pag. 85 That the heauenly prouidence hath prouided man of a most abundant Redemption cha 5. 90 Of certaine speciall fauours exercised by the diuine prouidence in the Redemption of man chap. 6. 93 How admirable the diuine prouidence is in the diuersitie of graces giuen to men chap. 7. 97 How much God desires we should loue him chap. 8. 100 How the eternall loue of God doth preuent our hearts with his inspirations to th' end we might loue him chap. 9. pag. 104 How we often times repulse the inspiration and refuse to loue chap. 10. 108 That the diuine bountie's will is that we should haue a most excellent loue chap. 11. 112 That diuine inspirations leaue vs in our libertie to follow or repulse them chap. 12. 116 Of the first feelings of Loue which diuine inspirations cause in the soule before she yet receiue