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
soule saieth she melted as soone as my well-beloued spoke The loue of her Spouse was in her heart and breast as a strong new wine which cannot be contained within the peece For it ouerflowed one euery side and the soule being led by her loue after the Spouse had saied thy breastes are better then wine streaming out precious ointments she addes Thy name is oile poured-out and as the Spouse had poured out his loue and soule into the heart of the Spouse so she againe turnes her soule into the Spouse his heart and as we see a honie-combe touched with a hote sunne-beame goe out of it selfe forsaking its forme doe also flowe on that side where the sunne toucheth it so the soule of this louer runns that ward where her well-beloued is heard going out of her selfe and passing the limits of her naturall beeing to follow him that spoke vnto her 3. But how is this sacred liquifaction of the soule into the well-beloued practised An extreame complacence of the Louer in the thing beloued begets a certaine spirituall impotencie which makes the soule not finde any more power to remaine in her selfe And therefore as dissolued Baulme that hath no more firmenesse or soliditie she permits her selfe to slide and runne into the thing beloued for she neither casteth her selfe by way of iaculation nor locks her selfe by way of vnion but lets her selfe gently glide as a liquide and fluent thing into the Diuinitie which she loues And as we see cloudes which thickned by the winde at Noonetide resoluing ād turning into raine cannot containe themselues but doe fall and showre downe and mixe themselues so inly with the earth which they moisten that they become one thing with it so the soule which though otherwise in loue remained before in her selfe goes out by this sacred liquifaction and saintly flowing and forsakes her selfe not onely to be vnited to the well-beloued but to be entirely mingled and moistened with him 4. You see then deare THEOT that the liquifaction of a soule into her God is a true extasie by which the soule trenscendes the limits of her naturall behauiour being wholy mixed absorpt and engulfed in God Hence it happens that such as attaine to these holy excesses of heauenly loue afterward being come to themselues can finde nothing in the earth that can content them and liuing in an extreame annihilation of themselues remaine much weakned in that which toucheth sense ād haue perpetually in their hearts the B. Mother Teresa her Maxime ALL THAT IS NOT GOD IS NOTHING And it seemes that such was the louing passion of the great friend of the well-beloued who saied I liue now not I but IESVS-CHRIST in me and our life is hid with IESVS-CHRIST in God For tell me I praie you THEOT if a drope of Elementarie water throwne into an Ocean of liue water were liuing could speake and declare it's condition would it not crie out with ioye O mortalls I liue indeede but I liue not I but this Ocean liues in me and my life is hidden in this Abisse 5. The soule that runnes into God dies not For how can she die by being shut vp in life but she liues without liuing in her selfe because as the starrs without loosing their light shine not in the presence of the Sunne but the Sunne shines in thē and they are hid in the light of the Sunne so the soule without loosing her life liues not being mixed with God but God liues in her Such as I thinke were the feelings of the great S. PHILIPPVS NERIVS and S. FRANCIS ZAVERIVS when ouercloied with heauenly consolations they petitioned to God that he would withdrawe himselfe for a space from them sith his will was that their life should a little longer appeare vnto the world which could not be while it was wholy hidden and absort in God Of the wound of loue CHAPTER XIII 1. All these termes of loue are drawne from a certaine resemblance which is betwixt the affections of the minde and the passions of the bodie GRIEFE FEARE HOPE HATRED and the rest of the affections of the soule enters not into the heart but when loue doth drawe thē after it We doe not hate euill but because it is contrarie to the Good which we loue We feare future euill because it will depriue vs of the good we loue Though an euill be extreame yet doe we neuer hate it but according to the opposition it hath to the good which is deare vnto vs. He that doth not much affect the Commonwealth is not much troubled to see it ruin'd He that doth not much loue God doth also not much hate sinne LOVE is the first yea the Source and origine of all the Passions And therefore it is LOVE that first enters the heart ād because it doth penetrate ād that well nigh to the very bottome of the will where his seate is we saie he wounds the heart It is sharp-pointed saieth the Apostle of France and enters the heart most deeply the other affections doe also enter but by the meanes of loue for it is he that pearcing the heart makes passage The onely point of the dart woundeth the rest of it doth but enlarge the wound and encrease paine 2. Now if it wound it doth consequently put vs to paine Pomegranats by their vermillion colour by the multitude of their cornes so close set and rancked and by their faire crownes liuely represēting as S. GREGORIE saieth most holy Charitie all redde by reasō of her ardour towards God crowned with the varietie of all vertues and who alone doth beare away the crowne of eternall reward 's but the iuice of Pomegranats which as we know is so delightfull as well to the sound as sicke is so compounded of sweete and soure that one can hardly discerne whether it delights the taste more by it's sweetish tartnesse or tarte sweetenesse Verily THEOT Loue is in like sorte bitter-sweete and while we liue in this world it hath neuer a sweetenesse perfectly sweete because it is not perfect or euer purely saciated and satisfied and yet it leaues not to be maruelous agreeable to the tartnesse thereof correcting the Lusshiousnesse of it's sweetenesse as the sweetenesse thereof sharpens the delight of it's tartenesse But how can this be there haue bene young men seene enter into conuersation free sound and frolicke who not taking care of themselues plainely perceiued lōg before they could get cleare that loue making vse of glaunces gestures words yea of the haire of a weake and fraile creature as of so many darts had smote and wounded their poore hearts so that you shall see them sorrowfull sad and dismaied Why I praie you are they sorrowfull With out doubt because they are wounded and who hath wounded them LOVE but loue being the child of Complacence how can it wounde and aggreeue Sometimes the beloued obiect is absent and then my deare THEO Loue woundes the heart by the desire which it excits which while it
and fantomes of pleasurs for which we cast off the loue of the heauenly Spouse And how can we then truely saie that we loue him since we preferre so friuolous vanities before his grace 5. Is it not a deplorable wonder to see a DAVID so noble in surmounting hatred so generous in pardoning iniuries and yet so impotently iniurious in mater of Loue that not being satiated with the vniust detaining of a number of wiues he must needes yet wrongfully vsurpe and take away by rape the poore Vrias his wife Yea and by an insupportable treacherie put to slaughter her poore husband that he might the better enioye the Loue of his wife Who would not admire the heart of a SAINT PETER which was so brauely bold amidst the armed soldiers that he of all his Maisters troupe was the first and onely man that drew and layed about him and yet a little after so cowardly amongst vnarmed women that at the worde of a wench he denied and detested his Maister And how can it seeme so strange to vs that Rachel could sell the chast embracements of her Iacob for Aples of the Mandragore since that Adame and Eue forsooke euen grace for an Aple and that too presented by a Serpent 6. In fine I will tell you a word worthy of note Heretikes are Heretikes aÌ„d beare the name of such because of the Articles of Faith they choose at their gust and pleasure what likes them best and those they beleeue reiecting and disauowing the others And Catholiks are Catholiks because without choice or election at all they embrace with an equall assurance and without reserue all the faith of the Church Now it happens after the same manner in the Articles of Charitie It is an herasie in sacred loue to make choice of Gods Commandements which to obserue and which to violate He that saied thou shalt not kill saied also thou shalt not commite adulterie It is not then for the loue of God that thou killest not but it is some other motiue that makes thee rather choose this commandement then the other A choice that hatcheth heresie in matter of Charitie If one should tell me that he would not cut my arme out of a loue to me and yet would pull out myne eyes breake my head or ruÌ„ne me quite through ah should I saie with what face can you tell me that it is in respect of my Loue that you wound not myne arme since you make no difficultie to pull out myne eyes which are no lesse deare vnto me yet since you ruÌ„ne me quite through the bodie with your sword which is more perilous for me It is an Axiome that good comes from an entire cause but euill from each defect That the act of Charitie be perfect it must proceede from an entire generall and vniuersall Loue which is extended to all the Diuine Commandements And if we faile in any one CommandemeÌ„t loue ceaseth to be entire and vniuersall and the heart wherein it harbers cannot be truely called a louing heart nor consequently a truly good one That we are to Loue the Diuine Goodnesse soueraignely more then our selues CHAPTER X. 1. Aristotle had reason to saie that GOOD is indeede amiable but principaly euery ones proper good to himselfe so that the Loue which we haue to others proceedes from the loue of our selues for how could a Philosopher saie otherwise who did not onely not Loue God but hardly euen euer spoke of the Loue of God howbeit the Loue of God doth preceede all the Loue of our selues yea euen according to the naturall inclination of the will as I declared in the first booke 2. Certes the will is so dedicated and if we may so saie consecrated to goodnesse that if an infinite goodnesse were clearely proposed vnto it vnlesse by miracle it is impossible that it should not soueraignely loue it yea the Blessed are rauished and necessitated though yet not forced to loue God whose soueraigne beautie they clearely see which the Scripture doth sufficiently shew in coÌ„paring the contentment which doth fill the hearts of the happie inhabitants of the heauenly Hierusalem to a torrent or impetuous floode whose waters cannot be kept from spreeding ouer the neighbour plaines 3. But in this mortall life THEO we are not necessitated to loue soueraignly because we see him not so clearely In Heauen where we shall see him face to face we shall loue him heart to heart that is wheÌ„ we shall all see the infinitie of his beautie euery one in his measure with a soueraignely cleare sight so shall we be rauished with the loue of his infir it goodnesse in a soueraignely strong rauishment to which we neither would if we could nor can if we would make any resistance But here belowe when we behold not this Soueraigne Bountie aÌ„d Beautie but onely enter view it in our obscurities we are indeede inclined and allured yet not necessitated to Loue more then our selues but rather the contrarie and albeit we haue a holy naturall inclination to loue the Diuinitie aboue all things yet haue we not the strength to put it in execution vnlesse the same Diuinitie infuse holy charitie supernaturally into our heart's 4. Yet true it is that as the cleare view of the Diuinitie doth infallibly beget in vs a necessitie of louing it more then our selues so the enterview that is the naturall knowledge of the Diuinitie doth produce infallibly an inclination and pronenesse to loue it more theÌ„ our selues for I praie you THEOT since the will is wholy addicted to the loue of GOOD how can it in any degree know a soueraigne GOOD without being more or lesse inclined to loue it soueraignely Now of all the Good 's which are not infinite our WILL willeth alwayes in her affection that which is nighest to her but aboue all her owne But there is so little proportion betwixt an infinite and finite GOOD that our will hauing knowledge oâ— an infinite GOOD is without doubt put in motion inclined and incited to prefere the friendshipe of the Abisse of this infinite goodnesse before all other loue yea euen the loue of our selues 5. But principally this inclination is strong because we are more in God then in our selues we liue more in him then in our selues and are in such sort from him by him for him and to him that we cannot in very deede hit of what we are to him and he is to vs but we are forced to crie out I am thyne Lord and am to belong to none but to thee my soule is thyne and ought not to liue but by thee my will is thyne and ought not to loue but for thee my Loue is thyne and is onely to tend to thee I am to loue thee as my first PRINCIPLE sith I haue my beeing from thee I am to loue thee as myne end and Center since I am for thee I am to loue thee more then myne owne being seeing eueÌ„ my Bâ—EING doth sublist by thee I am to loue
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
1. AS Loue rends towards the Good of the thing beloued either by taking delight in it being obtained or in desiring and pursuing it not being obtained So it brings forth hatred by which it flies the euill which is contrarie to the thing beloued either in desiring and striuing to be quit of it being alreadie present or in absence by essaying to diuert and hinder its approch But if euill can neither be hindred to approch nor be remoued loue at least leaues not to make it be hated and detested When loue therefore is seruent and is come to that hight that it would take away remoue and diuert that which is opposite to the thing beloued it is termed Zeale So that in proper speach Zeale is no other thing then loue in its ardour or rather the ardour that is in loue And therefore such as the loue is such is the Zeale which is in ardour If the loue be good the Zeale is Good if bad the Zeale is also bad Now when I speake of Zeale I meane to speake of iealousie too for iealousie is a SPECIES of Zeale and vnlesse I be deceiued there is but this onely difference betweene them That Zeale hath a respect to all the Good of the thing beloued with intention to remoue the contrarie euill from it but iealousie eyes the particular good of friendshipe to th' end it might repulse all that doth oppose it 2. When therefore we ardently set our affections vpon earthly and temporall things beautie honours riches Place That Zeale that is the ardour of that Loue ends ordinarily with enuie because these base and vile things are so little limited particular finite and imperfect that being possessed by one another cannot entirely possesse them So that being communicated to diuers each one in particular hath a lesse perfect communication of them But when we loue in particular to be ardently beloued the Zeale or ardour of this Loue turnes into Iealousie because humane friēdshipe though otherwise a vertue hath this imperfection by reason of our weaknesse that being diuided amongst many euery ones part it lesse Wherevpon the ardour or Zeale we haue to be beloued will not permit corriualls and companions which if we apprehend we haue we presently fall into the passion of Iealousie which indeede doth in some sort resemble enuie yet is farre an other thing 1. Enuie is alwayes vniust but iealousie is sometimes iust so that it be moderate for haue not such as are married good reason to looke that an others shareing with them doe not cause their friendship's decrease Enuie makes vs sorrowfull that our neighbour enioys a like or a greater good then we though he diminish not that which we haue one iot But iealousie is in no wise troubled at our neighbours good so it touch not vpon our coppie-hold for the Iealous man would not be sorrie that his companion should be beloued of others so it were not of his owne Mistresse Yea properly speaking a man is not iealous of Competitours till he apprehend that he himselfe hath alreadie atchiued the friendshipe of the partie beloued And if there be any passiō that preceedes this it is not iealousie but enuie 3. We doe not presuppose any imperfection in the partie we enuie but quite contrarie we apprehend that he hath the good which we doe enuie in him Marry we presuppose that the partie whereof we are iealous is imperfect fickle subiect to corruption and change 4. Iealousie proceedes from loue enuie comes from the defect of Loue. 5. Iealousie neuer happens but in matter of Loue but enuie is extended to all the subiects of good to honours to fauours to beautie And if at any time one be enuious of the affection which is borne to another it is not for loue but for the profit that is in it The Enuious man is not a whit troubled to see his fellow in grace with his Prince so that he be not in occurrences gratified and preferred by him That God is Iealous of vs. CHAPTER XIII 1. GOd saieth thus I am thy Lord thy God a iealous God Our Lord is called Iealous God is iealous then THEO but what is his iealousie verily vpon the first sight it seemes to be a iealousie of Concupiscence such as is a husbands ouer his wife for he will haue vs so to be his that he will in no sort haue vs to be any others but his No man saieth he can serue two Maisters He demands all our heart all our soule all our spirit all our strength for this very reason he is called our spouse our soules his Spouses And all sorts of separations from him are called fornication Adulterie And indeede it is high reason that this great God singularly good should most entirely exact our whole heart for our heart is but little and cannot store vs with loue enough worthily to loue the Diuine Goodnesse is it not therefore conuenient that since we cannot afford him such a measure of Loue as were requisite that at least we should afford him all we are able The GOOD that is soueraignely louely ought it not to be soueraignely loued and to loue soueraignely is to loue totally 2. Howbeit Gods iealousie of vs is not truely a iealousie of concupiscence but of SOVERAIGNE FRIENDSHIPE for it is not his profit that we should loue him but ours Our loue is vnprofitable to him but to vs gainefull and if it be agreeable to him it is because it is profitable to vs For being the Soueraigne GOOD he takes pleasure to communicate himselfe by loue without any kind of profit that can returne to him thereby whence he cries out making his complaint of sinners by way of iealousie They haue forsaken me me that am the fountaine of liuing water and haue digged vnto themselues Cisterns broken Cisterns that are not able to hold water marke a little THEO I praie you how this Diuine Louer doth delicatly well expresse the nobilitie and generositie of his Iealousie they haue left me saieth he me that am the Source of liuing water I complaine not that they haue forsaken me in respect of any damage that their reuoult can draw vpon me for what worse is a liuing spring that men will not draw water at it will it therefore leaue to glide and slide ouer the earth but I am sorrie for their misfortune that hauing left me they haue busied themselues about wells without water And if by supposition of an impossible thing they could haue light vpon some other fountaine of liuing water I should easily endure their departure from me since I pretend nothing in their loue but their owne good but to forsake me to perish to flie from me to fall headlong is that which doth astonish and offend me in their follie It is then for the loue of vs that he desires that we should loue him because we cannot cease to loue him but we begin to be lost nor withdraw any part of our affection from him but we
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
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
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.
and Memorie for of the diuersitie of things which the Vnderstanding hath a power to vnderstand and the Memorie a power to remember the will doth determine those to which she will haue her faculties applie them selues or from which diuert themselues It is true she cannot manage or range them so absolutely as she doth the hands feete or tongue by reason of sensitiue faculties namely the Fantasie which doth not obaye the will with a prompt and infallible obedience which are necessarily required to the operations of the Vnderstanding and Memorie notwithstanding the will doth moue imploy and apply these faculties at her pleasure though not so firmely and constantly that the light and variable Fantasie doth not often diuert and distract them so that as the Apostle cries out I doe not the good which I desire but the euill which I hate so we are often compelled to thinke not the good which we loue but the euill which we hate How the will gouerns the sensuall appetite CHAPTER III. 1. THe Will then THEOTIME beares rule ouer the Memorie Vnderstanding and Fantasie not by force but by authoritie so that she is not infallibly obayed like as the Maister of the Familie is nor alwayes obayed by his children and seruants The like is touching the sensatiue appetite which as S. AVGVSTINE saieth is called in vs sinners concupiscence and remaines subiect to the will and Vnderstanding as the wife to her Husband because as it was saied to the woman Thou shalt returne to thy Husband who shall gouerne thee so was it saied to Cain that his appetite should returne home to him and that he should maister it And no other thing is ment by Returne to man then to submit and subiect it selfe vnto him O man saieth S. BERNARD it is in thy power if thou wilt to bring thine enemy so to be thy seruant that all things should succeede well with thee Thy appetite is vnder thee and thou shalt dominere ouer it Thy enemy can moue in thee the feeling of temptation but it is in thy power to giue or refuse consent In case thou permit thy appetite to carrie thee away to sinne then thou shalt be vnder it and it shall dominere ouer thee for whosoeuer sinneth is made slaue to sinne but before thou sinne so long as sinne getteth not entrie into thy consent but onely into thy sense that is to saie so long as it staies in the appetite not goeing so farre as thy will thy appetite is subiect vnto thee and thou Lord ouer it While an Emperour is not yet created he is subiect to the Electors Dominion in whose hands it is to reiect or elect him to the Imperiall dignitie but being once elected and eleuated by their meanes from thence they begin to be his subiects and he their Lord. So long as the will denies consent she presides but hauing once giuen consent she becomes slaue to her owne appetite 2. To conclude this sensuall appetite in plaine truth is a rebellious subiect seditious and stirring and we must confesse we cannot so defeate it that it doth not rise againe encounter and assault the reason yet hath the will such a strong hand ouer it that she is able if she please to bridle it breake it's designes and repulse it syth that not to consent to the suggestions therof is a sufficient repulse One cannot hinder concupiscence to conceiue yet well may we staie it from bringing foorth and accomplishing sinne 3. Now this concupiscence or sensuall appepetite hath 12. motions by which as by so many mutinous Captaines it raiseth sedition in man And because ordinarily they trouble the soule and disquiet the bodie in so much as they trouble the soule they are called perturbations in so much as they disquiete the bodie they are named passions as witnesseth S. AVGVSTINE All place before them selues Good or Euill that to atchiue it this to auoyde it If Good be considered in it selfe according to it 's naturall goodnesse it excites Loue the prime and principall passion If Good be represented as absent it prouokes a desire of it selfe it being desired we apprehend it possible it enters in vs a Hope if impossible Dispaire begins to sease vs. But when we enioie it as present it moues vs to ioie Contrariwise as soone as we discouer Euill we Hate it if it be absent we flie it if we propose it as ineuitable we Feare it if we think we can eschew it we doe emboulden and encourage our selues But if we feele it as present we Greeue and thē Anger and Indignation sodainely runnes out to resist and repulse the Euill or at least to be reuenged of it Which if it succeede not according to our mind we remaine in Griefe But if we repell or be reuenged of it we feele satisfaction and content which is a Pleasure of Triūphe for as the possessiō of Good doth glad the heart so the victorie ouer Euill doth satiate the courage And ouer all this multitude of sēsuall passiōs the will beares Empire reiecting their suggestiōs repulsing their embracements hindring their effects or at the very least stifly denying them consent without the which they can neuer endamage vs and by refusall of which they remaine vanquished yea euen a farre off weakned deiected defeated repressed and if not altogether slaine at least mortified and brought lowe 4. And THEOTIME this multitude of passions is permitted to reside in our soule for the exercise of our will in vertue and spirituall vallour In so much that the STOIKES who denied that passions were found in wise men did greatly erre and so much the more for that they shewed in effect that which in words they denied as S. AVGVSTINE shewes recounting this pleasant historie AVLVS GELIVS hauing embarked himselfe with a famous STOIKE a great tempest takes them whereat the STOIKE being affrighted begun to waxe white and Pale and sensibly to Tremble so that all in the boate perceiued it and tooke precise notice of him albeit they did runne the same hazard with him In the interim the sea waxed calme the danger passed and assurance did restore to eche of them Libertie to blame yea euen to raile at him A certaine voluptuous ASIATIKE gybed at the STOIKE and reproched vnto him his Feare which had made him become white and Pale by apprehension of danger whilst he for his part remained firme without Feare to which the STOIKE replyed by relation of that which ARISTIPPVS a SOCRATICAL Philosopher had answeared one who for the same reason had quipped him with the like reproch saying vnto him for thee thou hadst no reason to be troubled for the death of a wicked Rascall but I should haue wronged my selfe not to haue feared to loose the life of an ARISTIPPVS And the best of it is that AVLVS GELIVS an eye witnesse recites the storie but touching the STOIKES reply contained therin it did more commend his wit then his Cause sythens alleaging a companion of his Feares he left
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
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
the call and sleepe againe seeing we were called onely to th' end we should rise We cannot hinder that the inspiration thrust vs not on and consequently put vs not into motion but if as it driues vs forwards we repulse it by not yeelding our selues to its motion we then make resistance so the winde hauing seased vpō ād mounted our Apodes will not beare thē vp very farre vnlesse they display their winges and cooperate raising themselues and soaring vp a loft into the aire toward which the winde began their motion but if contrariwise taken as it happens with some pray they espie vpō the ground or befium'd with their delay there in lieu of seconding the winde they keepe their winges foulded and doe cast themselues againe vpon the earth they receiued indeede the motion of the winde but in vaine sith they did not helpe themselues therby THEO inspirations doe preuent vs and euen before they be thought on make themselues be felt but after we haue felt them it is in our hand 's either to consent to them to second and follow their motiō or else to dissent and repell thē They cause themselues to be perceiued by vs without vs but without vs they doe not force consent Of the first feelings of loue which diuine inspirations cause in the soule before she yet receiue faith CHAPTER XIII 1. THe winde that raiseth the Apodes blowes first vpon their fethers as parts most light and capable of agitation by which it giues the beginning of motion to their winges extending and displaying thē making vse therof as of a hold by which it may sease the birds and waft them into the aire And if they thus mounted doe cōtribute the motiō of their winges to that of the winde the same winde that first enter'd their motion will still ayde them more and more to fly with ease Euen so my deare THEO when an inspiration as a sacred gale blowes vs forward in the aire of holy loue it first laies at our will and by the sense of some heauenly delectation moues vnfolds and extends the naturall inclination which she hath to good so that it serues it selfe of this inclination as a hold to fasten vpon the soule and all this as I haue saied is done in vs without vs for it is the diuine fauour that doth preuent vs in this sort But if our will thus holily preuented perceiuing the winges of her inclination moued displaied extended stirred and agitated by this heauenly winde doe in any measure contribute her consent ah how happie she is THEO for the same inspiration and fauour which hath seased vs mixing their action with our consent animating our feeble motions with their vigour and giuing life to our weake cooperation by the puissance of their operation they ayde conduct and accompanie vs from loue to loue euen vnto the act of most holy faith requisite for our conuersion 2. Sweete God THEO what a consolation it is to consider the sacred methode with which the Holy Ghost pouers into our soules the first rayes and feelings of his light and vitall heate O IESVS how delightfull a pleasure it is to marke how the diuine loue goes by little and little by degrees which insensibly become sensible displaying his light vpon a soule neuer disisting till he haue wholy couered it with the splendour of his presence endewing it in the end with the perfect beautie of his day ô how cheerefull faire amiable and agreeable this day-breake is Neuerthelesse true it is that either this breake of day is not day or if it be day it is but a beginning day a rising of the day and rather the infancie of the day then the day it selfe In like manner without doubt these motions of loue which forerunne the act of faith requisite to our iustifition are either not loue properly speaking or but a beginning and imperfect loue They are the first verdant blossomes which the soule warmed with the heauenly Sunne as a mysticall tree begins to put fourth in spring time which are rather presages of fruite then fruite it selfe 3. S. PACOMIVS as then a young souldier and ignorant of God enrolled vnder the colours of the armie which CONSTANCE had leuied against the Tyrant MAXENTIVS came with the Companie with whom he was to lodge nigh a little towne not farre distant frō Thebes where not onely he but all the armie were in extreame want of victualls which the inhabitants of the little towne hauing vnderstoode being by good fortune Christians and consequently friendly and charitable to their neighbours they sodainly succoured the souldiers in their necessitie and that with such care courtifie and affection that PACOMIVS was strucke with admiration therat and demāding what natiō it was that was so bountifull amiable and gracious it was answered him they were Christians and enquiring againe of what law and manner of life they were he learned that they beleeued in IESVS CHRIST the onely sonne of God and did good to all sorts of people with a firme hope to receiue euen of God himselfe an ample recompense therof Alas THEOT the poore PACOMIVS though of a good nature was then laied a sleepe in the beed of his infidelitie and behould how vpon a sodaine God was present at the port of his heart and by the good example of these Christians as by a sweete voice he calls him awakes him and giues him the first Feelings of the little heate of his loue for scarcely had he heard as I haue saied the sweete law of our Sauiour intimated till filled with a new light and interiour consolation retiring himselfe a part and hauing for a space mused he lifted vp his hands towards heauen and with a profound sigh fell into this speach Lord God who made heauen and earth if thou deigne to cast thine eies vpon my basenesse and miserie and giue me the knowledge of thy diuinitie I promisse to serue thee and obey thy commandements all the daies of my life From this praier and promisse the loue of the true good and pietie did so encrease in him that he ceased not to practise a thousand thousād acts of vertue 4. Verily me thinkes I see in this example a Nightingale who waking at the peepe of the day begins to stirre vp and strech her selfe vnfould her plumes skipe from branch to branch amidst the thickets and chirpe out her delicious notes For did you not note how the good example of the charitable Christians did excitate and stirre vp by manner of surprise the blessed PACOMIVS Truly the amaisement of admiration wherwith he was taken was no other thing then his awaking At which God touched him as doth the Sunne the earth with a raie of his heate which filled him with a great feeling of spirituall pleasure For which cause PACOMIVS did a little diuert himselfe To th' end he might with more attention and facilitie recollect and relish the grace he had receiued withdrawing himselfe to thinke thervpon then he extends
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
he who because he was delaied in the possession of this happinesse protested that his teares were his ordinarie bread night and day so long as his God was absent and his enemies demanded where is thy God Alas what would he haue done if he had not had some hope one day to enioye this good after which he sighed The Diuine spouse wailes and pines with loue because she doth not readily find out the well-beloued she searcheth for The loue of the well-beloued had bred in her a desire that desire begot an ardour to pursue it and that ardour caused in her a languishment which had consumed and annihilated her poore heart vnlesse she had hoped at length to meete with that she pursued So then least the vnrest and dolourous langour which the essaies of coueting loue causeth in our soules might make vs quaile in courage or carrie vs to dispare the same souueraigne good which moues in vs so vehement a desire doth also giue vs assurance that we may with ease obtaine it by a thousand thousand promisses which he giues vs therof in his holy word and by his inspirations alwayes prouided that we will imploy the meanes he hath prepared for vs and which he offers vs to this effect 2. Now these diuine promises and assurances by a particular miracle encrease the cause of our disquiete and according to that augmentation they ruinate and destroy the effects yea verily THEO for the assurance which GOD giues vs that Paradice is for vs doth infinitly fortifie the desire we haue to enioye it and yet doth weaken yea altogether distroy the trouble and disquiet which this desire brought vnto vs so that our hearts by the promises which the diuine goodnesse hath made vs remaine quieted and this quiete is the roote of the most holy vertue which we call hope For the will assured by faith that she hath power to enioye the soueraigne good vsing the meanes appointed makes two great acts of vertue by the one she expects from God the fruition of his soueraigne goodnesse by the other she aspires to that holy fruition 3. And indeede THEO betwixt hoping and aspiring there is but this difference that we hope for things which we expect by an others assistance and we aspire vnto those things which we thinke to atchiue of our selues by our owne endeuours and for so much as we attaine the fruition of our soueraigne good which is GOD by his fauour grace and mercy and that notwithstanding the saied mercy will haue vs cooperate with his fauours by contributing the weaknesse of our consent to the strength of her grace our hope is thence in some sort mixed with aspiration so that we doe not altogether hope without aspiring nor doe we euer aspire without altogeither hopeing in which hope keeps the principall place as being founded vpon heauenly grace without which like as we cannot euen so much as thinke of our soueraigne good in such sort as we ought to arriue there so can we neuer without hope in a competent manner aspire to the obtaining of it 4. Our aspiration then is a young shoot of hope as is our cooperation of grace and as those that would hope without aspiring would be reiected as degenerous and negligent so those that should aspire without hopeing would be rash insolent and presumptious but when hope is seconded with aspiration and that hopeing we aspire and aspiring we hope then deare THEO hope by aspiration becomes a couragious desine and aspiration is changed by hope into an humble pretention while we hope and aspire as GOD shall inspire vs. Howbeit as well the one as the other is caused by the coueting loue tending to our soueraigne good which by how much more surely it is hoped for by so much it is more affected yea hope is no other thing then a complacence of loue which we take in the expectation and pretention of our soueraigne good All that is there is loue TH. As soone as faith had showe me my soueraigne good I loued it which because it was absent I desired it and hauing vnderstood that he would bestow himselfe vpon me I loued and desired him yet more ardently ād indeede his bountie is so much more to be beloued ād desired by how much it is more prone to cōmunicate it selfe Now by this progresse loue turned his desire into hope pretention and expectation so that hope is a pretending and attending loue and because the soueraigne good which hope expects is God whom also she doth not expect but from God himselfe to whom and by whom she doth hope and aspire this holy vertue of hope bounded on euery side by God is by consequence a diuine or Theologicall vertue That the Loue which is practised in hope is very good though imperfect CHAPTER XVII 1. THe loue which we practise in hope aymes at GOD indeede THEO marry it redounds vpon our selues his aspect is vpon the diuine goodnesse yet with a respect to our owne profit it tends to this supreame perfection but it pretends our owne satisfaction that is it carrieth vs not towards God for that he is soueraignely good in himselfe but because he is soueraignely good to vs in which as you see there is a certaine respect to our selues and our proper interest so that this loue is truely loue but loue of Concupiscence and profit Yet doe I not affirme that it doth in such sort returne to our selues that it makes vs loue God onely for the loue of our selues ô God no For the soule which should not loue God but for the loue of her selfe placing the end of the loue which she beareth to God in her proper interest should alas commit an extreame sacrilege If a wife loue her husband onely for the loue of her seruant she should loue her husband in nature of a seruant and her seruant in the nature of a husbād so the soule that loueth not God but for her selfe loueth her selfe as she ought to loue God and God as she ought to loue her selfe 2. But there is a faire difference betwixt this word I loue God for the good which I expect frō him and this I doe not loue God but in regard of the good which I expect from him as it is also a farre other thing to saie I loue God for my selfe and I loue God for the loue of my selfe for when I say I loue God for my selfe it is as though I should saie I loue to haue God I loue that God should be myne my soueraigne good which is a holy affection of the heauenly Spouse who an hundred times in excesse of delight protesteth my well-beloued is wholy mine and I entirely his I to him and he to me but to saie I loue God for loue of my selfe is as one should saie the loue which I beare to my selfe is the end why I loue God in such sort that the loue of God would be dependant subordinate and inferiour to the loue of our selues
which is a matchlesse impietie 3. This loue then which we terme hope is a loue of concupiscence but of a holy and well ordered concupiscence by meanes where of we doe not draw God to vs nor to our profit but we adioyne our selues vnto him as to our finall happinesse by this loue we loue our selues together with God yet not preferring or equalising our selues to him in this loue the loue of our selues is mixed with that of God but that of God keepes the vpper had our owne loue enters there indeede but as a simple motife not as principall end our owne interest hath some place there but God holds the principall rancke Yea without doubt THEO for when we loue God as our soueraigne we loue him for a qualitie by which we doe not referre him to vs but vs to him We are not his end pretention or perfection but he ours he doth not appertaine to vs but we to him he depeÌ„deth not of vs but we of him In somme by the qualitie of soueraigne good for which we loue him he receiueth nothing of vs but we receiue of him He doth exercise vpon vs his plentie and bountie and we our scarcitie and want So that to loue God in qualitie of soueraigne good is to loue him with an honorable and respectfull loue by which we acknowledge him to be our perfection repose and end in the fruition of which our felicitie is placed some things there are which are seruiceable vnto vs in their vse as our slaues seruants horses clothes and the loue which we beare vnto them is a loue of pure concupiscence sith we loue them not but for our owne profit onely Other things there are wherof we haue the fruition but a fruition which is reciprocall and mutually equall as we enioye our friends for the loue we haue vnto them in that they doe content vs is indeede a loue of concupiscence yet an honest one making them ours and vs mutually theirs them belonge to vs and vs againe to them But there are yet other things which we enioye by a fruition of dependance participation and subiection as we doe the beneuolence presence or fauour of our Prelats Princes fathers and mothers for verily the loue which we beare vnto them is truely a loue of concupiscence when we loue them in that they are our Princes Prelats Fathers or mothers sitheÌ„ce it is not the qualitie of a Prelate Prince Father or mother which is the cause of our affection towards them but because they are such to vs and to our respects But this concupiscence is a loue of respect reuerence and honour we loue our Father for example not because he is ours but because we are his aÌ„d after the same maÌ„ner it is that we loue aÌ„d aspire to God by hope not to the end he might become our good but for that he is our God already not to th' end he should be ours but because we are his not as though he were for vs but in respect that we are for him 4. And note THEO that in this loue the reason why we loue that is the reason why we applie our heart to the loue of the good which we desire is because it is our Good but the reason of the measure and quantitie of this loue doth depend of the excellencie and dignitie of the good which we loue We loue our benefactours because they are such to vs yet we loue them more oâ— lesse as they are more or lesse our benefactours Why then doe we loue God THEO with this loue of concupiscence because he is our Good and why doe we soueraignly loue him because he is our soueraigne good 5. But whe I saie we loue God soueraignely I doe not therefore saie that we loue him with a soueraigne loue soueraigne loue is onely in charitie whereas in hope loue is imperfect because it doth not tend to the soueraigne Bountie as being such in it selfe but onely for that it is such to vs and yet because in this kind of loue there is no more excellent motife then that which proceedes from the consideration of the soueraigne good we are saied by that to loue soueraignly though in very deede none is able by vertue of this loue ether to keepe Gods commandements or obtaine life euerlasting beeing a loue that yeeldes more affection then effect when it is not accompanied with charitie That loue is exercised in penance and first that there are diuerse sorts of penance CHAPTER XVIII 1. TO speake generally penance is a kinde of repentance wherby a man doth reiect and detest the sinne he hath coÌ„mitted with resolution to repaire as much as in him lyeth the offence and iniurie done against the offended I comprehend in penance a purpose to repaire the offence because that repentance doth not sufficiently detest the fault which voluntarily permitteth the principall effect therof to wit the offence and iniurie to subsist and it doth permit it to subsist while it can in some sort make reparation and will not 2. I will omitt the penance of diuerse pagans who as TERTVLLIAN doth witnesse had some apparences of it amongst them but so vaine and frutlesse that they did ofteÌ„ penaÌ„ce for hauing done well and speake onely of a vertuous penance which according to the different motifes wheÌ„ce it proceed's is of a diuerse species There is one sort purely morall and humane as was that of ALEXANDER the Great who hauing slaine his deare CLITVS thought to haue starued himselfe so great was the force of penance saieth CICERO and that of ALCIBIADES who being by SOCRATES conuinced not to be wise began to weepe bitterly being sorrowfull and afflicted not to be that which he ought to haue bene as SAINT AVGVSTINE saieth ARISTOTLE also acknowledging this sort of penance assures vs that the intemperate man who on set purpose giues himself ouer to pleasures is wholy incorrigible for that he cannot repent and he that is impenitent is incurable 3. Certes SENECA PLVTARKE and the PYTHAGORIANS who so highly commended the examen of conscience but especially the first who speaketh so feelingly of the torment which interiour remorce doth excite in the soule without doubt vnderstood that there was a repentance and as for the wise Eâ—ICTETES he doth so well describe the reprehention which a man is to vse towards himself that scarcely is any thing to be added 4. There is yet an other penance which is indeede morall yet religious too yea in some sort diuine proceeding from the naturall knowledge which we haue of our offending GOD by sinne For certainly many Philosophers vnderstood that to liue vertuously was a thing agreeable to the diuine goodnesse and consequently to liue vitiously was offensiue vnto him The good EPICTETES wished that he might dye a Christian as it is very probable he did and amongst other things he saied he should be coÌ„tent if dying he could lift vp his hands to God and saie vnto him For my part I haue not
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
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
seate there to reside aÌ„d to cause her to affect aÌ„d loue her God aboue all things ô how happie is the soule wherin this holy loue is spred sith that together with it all good doth arriue The end of the 2. booke THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE PROGRESSE AND PERFECTION OF LOVE That holy loue may be augmented still more and more in euery of vs. CHAPTER I. 1. THE holy Councell of Trent assures vs that the friends of God proceeding from vertue to vertue are day by day renewed that is encreased by good works in the iustice which they receiued by God's grace and are more and more iustified according to those heauenly aduertissements he that is iust let him be more iustified And he who is holy let him be more sanctified Feare not but thou maiest be iustified euen vntill death the path of the iust is aduanced and encreaseth as a resplendant light euen till it be cleare day with charitie doing right encreasing in all things in him who is the head of all IESVS-CHRIST And I beseech you that your charitie doe more and more encrease All these are sacred wordes out of DAVID S. IOHN ECCLESIASTES and S. PAVLE 2. I neuer heard of any liuing creature whose grouth was not bounded and limited saue onely the Crocodile who from an extreamly little beginning neuer ceaseth to growe till she come to her end representing equally in this the good and the wicked for the arrogance of such as hate God swells continually saieth the great kind DAVID and the good doe encrease as the breake of the day from brightnesse to brightnesse and to staÌ„d long at a staie in one estate is a thing impossible he that gaines not looseth in this traficke he that ascends not descends vpon this ladder he that vanquisheth not in this battell is vanquished we liue amidst the dangers of the warrs which our enemie doth wage with vs if we resist not we perish and we cannot resist but we ouercome nor ouercome without triumphe for as saieth the glorious S. BERNARD it is written in particular of man that he neuer remaines in one state he doth necessarily either goe forward or returne backward Euery one runns but one onely beares away the prize runne so as you may obtaine it Who is the prize but IESVS-CHRIST And how can you attaine him if you follow him not But if you follow him you shall march and runne continually for he neuer makes staie but continues his course of loue and obedience euen vntill death and death of the crosse 3. Goe then saith S. BERNARD goe I saie with him goe my deare THEO and admit no other bounds then those of life and as long as it remaines runne after this Sauiour but runne ardently and louingly for what better will you be to follow him if you be not so happie as to ouerta him Let vs heare the Prophete I haue inclined my heart to doe thy Iustifications eternally he doth not saie that he will doe them for a time onely but euerlastingly and because he desires eternally to doe well he shall haue an eternall reward Blessed are they who are pure in the way who walke in the law of our Lord accursed are they who are defiled who walke not in the law of our Lord It is onely a saying of the Diuell that he will sit vpoÌ„ the Norh Vnworthy man wilt thou sit downe ah knowest thou not that thou art vpon the way and that the way is not made to sit downe but to goe in and so to goe in that to goe is to passe on the way And God speaking to one of his greatest friends walke saieth he before me and be perfect 4. True vertue hath no limits she findes still PLVS VLTRA but especially holy Charitie which is the vertue of vert es and hauing an infinite obiect might be capable to become infinite if she could meete with a heart capable of infinitie nothing hiÌ„dering this loue to be infinite saue the coÌ„dition of the will which receiues it and is to become actiue by it which as it is cause that neuer any shall see God as much as he is visible so neuer any shall be able to loue him as much as he is amiable The heart which could loue GOD with a loue equall to the diuine Goodnesse should haue a will infinitly good which caÌ„not be but in God Charitie then in vs may be perfected eueÌ„ to infinitie but exclusiuely that is Charitie may become more and more and still more excellent yet neuer infinite The Holy Ghost may eleuate our hearts and apply them to what supernaturall actions it shall please him so they be not infinite for betwixt little an great things though the one exceede the other neuer so much there is still some proportion prouided alwaies that the excesse of the thing which doth exceede be not infinite but betweene finite and infinite there is no proportioÌ„ nor can there be any made vnlesse either the finite thing be raised to infinitie or the infinite brought downe to finitie which is impossible 5. So that euen the Charitie which is in our Redeemour as he is man though greater then Angell or man can comprehend yet is it not infinite of it selfe and in its owne being but onely in the estimation of the dignitie and merite therof as being the charitie of a diuine Person who iâ—â—eâ—â— eternall Sonne of the omnipotent Father 6. Meane while it is an extreame honour to the soule that she may still grow more and more in the loue of her God as long as she shall liue in this miserable life And by vertues new ascend To a life that knowes no end How easie our Sauiour hath made the encrease of loue CHAPTER II. 1. DOe you see THEO this glasse of water or this peece of bread which a holy soule giues to a poore bodie for Gods sake it is a smale matter God-wot and in humane conceipt hardly worthy of consideration God notwithstanding doth recompence it and forthwith for it doth giue some encrease of Charitie the Gotes haire which aunciently was presented to the TABERNACLE was taken in good part and had place amongst the holy Offerings and the little actions which proceede froÌ„ Charitie are agreeable to God and meritorious for as in the happie ARABIA not onely the plants which are by nature odoriferous but euen all the others are sweete participating the felicitie of that soyle so in a charitable be â—e not onely the workes which are excellent in their owne nature but euen euery little action doth relish the vertue of holy loue and hath a good odour before the maiestie of God who in consideration thereof doth augment charitie And I saie God doth it because Charitie doth not produce her owne encrease as doth a tree who by her owne vertue doth thrust and branch out her boughes but as Faith Hope and Charitie are vertues which haue their origine from the diuine goodnesse so thence also they draw their encrease
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
be enticed by any thing that hath a shew of good and temptations hooke is still baited with this kind of baite for as holy writ doth teach there is either some honorable good in the worlds sight to moue vs to the pride of a wordly life or a good delightfull to sense to carrie vs to carnall concupiscence or a good able to enrich vs to incite vs to auarice and couetousnesse of the eyes But if we keepe faith which can discerne betwixt the true Good we are to pursue and the false which we are to reiect liuelily attetiue to its office without doubt it will be a faithfull Sentinell to Charitie and will giue her intelligence of the euill that might approch the heart vnder colour of Good and Charitie would sodenly repulse it But because ordinarily we keepe our faith either a sleepe or lesse attentiue theÌ„ were requisite for the conseruation of Charitie we are often surprised by temptation which seducing our senses and they inciting the inferiour part of our soule to rebellioÌ„ it comes to passe eftsones that the superiour part of reason yeeldes to the violence of this reuoult and by committing the sinne looseth Charitie 4. Such was the progresse of the sedition which the disloiall Absolon stirred vp against his good Father DAVID for he laied before the people faire propositions in apparence which being receiued by the poore Israelites whose prudence was put a sleepe and smothered he did sollicite them in such sort that he wrought them to an entire rebellion so that the monefull Dauid was coÌ„strained to depart from Hierusalem with all his faithfull friends leauing there none of qualitie saue Sadoc and Abiathar Priests of the Almightie with their children now Sadoc was SEEING that is to saie a Prophet 5. For so most deare THEO selfe-loue finding our faith without attention and drowsie it presents vnto it vaine yet apparent goods seduceth our sense our imagination and the faculties of our soules and laies so hard at our free-wills that it brings them to an entire reuoult against the holy loue of God which then as a DAVID departs from our heart with all his traine that is with the gifts of the holy Ghost and the other heauenly vertues which are the inseparable companions of Charitie if not her proprieties and abilities nor doth there remaine in the HERVSALEM of our soule any vertue of importance sauing Sadoc the SEEING that is the gift of faith which by her exercise can make vs see eternall things and with him Abiathar that is the gift of hope with her action both which remaine much afflicted and sorrowfull yet maintaining in vs the Arch of Alliance that is the qualitie and tile of a Câ—RISTIAN purchased by Baptisme 6. Alas THEO what a pitifull spectacle is it to the Angels of peace to see the holy Ghost and his loue depart in this maÌ„ner out of our sinfull soules verily I think if they could weepe they would poure out infinite teares and with a mornefull voice lamenting our mishape would sing the Threnes which Ieremie throbed out when set vpon the threshold of the desolate Temple he contemplated the ruine of Hierusalem in the time of SEDECIAS Ah! with what griefe doe I behold HIERVSALEM famous of old For good and honorable men Of horror now become a den That heauenly loue is lost in a moment CHAPTER IV. 1. THe loue of God which brings vs to a neglect of our selues makes vs Citizens of the heauenly HierusaleÌ„ selfe-loue which pusheth vs forwards to the contempt of God makes vs slaues of the infernall Babilon True it is we come by little aÌ„d little to despise God but we haue no sooner done it but presently in a moment holy charitie doth forsake vs or rather she doth wholy perish I THEO for in the contempt of God doth mortall sinne consist and one onely mortall sinne doth banish Charitie from the soule for so much as it doth violate her tye and vnion with God which is obedience and submission to his will and as mans heart cannot liue diuided so Charitie which is the heart of the soule and the soule of the heart caÌ„ neuer be wounded but she is slaine as they saie of pearles which being conceiued of heauenly dâ—we doe perish if any drope of salte water get into their shell Indeede our soule doth not goe out of our bodie by little aÌ„d little but in a moment when the bodies indispositions are so great that she can no longer exercise the actions of life therein euen so at the very instant in which the heart is so disordered by passions that Charitie there can no longer raigne she quits and abandons it for she is so generous that she cannot leaue to raigne without leauing to liue 2. Habits gotten by human actions alone doe not perish by one onely contrarie act for a man is not saied to be intemperate for one onely act of intemperance nor is a painter held an vnskilfull maister for hauing once failed in his arte but as all such habits are gotten by the impression and in sequele of diuers acts so we loose them by a long cessation from their acts or by many contrarie acts But Charitie THEO which in a moment the holy Ghost poures into our hearts as soone as the conditions requisit to this infusion meete in vs is also in an instant expelled thence as soone as diuerting our will from the obedience due vnto God we haue accomplished consent to the rebellion and disloialtie to which temptation incites vs. 3. True it is Charitie encreaseth by degrees and goeth from perfection to perfection according as by our works or by the frequenting of Sacraments we make it place yet doth it not decrease by a lessening of perfection thereof for we neuer loose any bit of it but we loose it all In which it resembles PHIDIAS his Maister-peece so famous amongst the Auncients for they saie this great Grauer made in AtheÌ„s a picture of Minerua of Iuorie twentie seauen cubits high and in her Buckler wherein he expressed the battails of the Amasons and Giants he graued his owne picture with so great Arte that one could not take away one iot of it saieth Aristotle without defacing the whole statue so that this worke though it was perfected by adding peice to peice yet in a moment might be destroied by remouing any little parcell of the workmans feature In like maner THE though the Holy Ghost hauing infused Charitie into a soule doth eÌ„crease it by adding one degree to another and one perfection of loue to another yet so as that the resolution to preferre God's will before all things being the essentiall point of holy loue and that wherein the image of eternall loue that is of the Holy Ghost is represented one cannot withdraw one onely peece of it but presently Charitie doth wholy perish 4. This preference of God before all things is the deare child of Charitie And if AGAR being an Egiptian seeing her sonne in danger of death
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
shell THEO if we loue God his be the honour and glorie who did all in vs and without whom nothing was done ours be the profit and obligation for it is a shareing of his diuine goodnesse with him he leaues vs the fruits of his benefits reserues to himselfe the honour and praise thereof and verily sith we are nothing but by his grace we ought to be nothing but to his glorie That we must auoide all curiositie and humbly repose in Gods most wise prouidence CHAPTER VII 1. MAns mind is so weake that whem he would looke too curiously into the causes and reasons of God's will he doth entangle and winde himselfe into a thousand quirks of difficulties out of which he hath afterwards much a doe to recouere himselfe he resembles smoake for in mounting it is subtilised and in being subtilised it vanisheth In striuing to raise our discourses too high in diuine things by curiositie we vanish in our thoughtes and in lieu of arriuing at the knowledge of truth we fall in the follie of our vanitie 2. But of all other things we are most humorous in that which concerns the diuine prouidence in the diuersitie of the meanes which he bestowes vpon vs to draw vs to his holy loue and by it to glorie For our temeritie vrgeth vs still to search why God giues more meanes to one then to another why he did not the miracles amongst the Tyrians and Sidonians which he did in Corozain and Bethsaida seeing they would haue made as good vse of them In fine why he drawes rather one then another to his loue 3. O THEO my friend neuer no neuer must we permit our minds to be carried away with a blasting whirlewinde or thinke to find a better reason of Gods will then the same will which is soueraignely reasonable yea the reason of all reasons the rule of all goodnesse the lawe of all equitie And although the holy ghost speaking in the holy Scripture giues reason in diuers parts of almost all that we can wish to know touching that which this prouidence doth in conducting men to holy loue and eternall saluation yet in diuers occasions he shewes that he ought in no wise renounce the respect which is due to his will whose purpose decree pleasure and resolution we are to adore in conclusion whereof as soueraigne Iudge and soueraignely iust it is not reasonable that he should manifest his motiues but it is sufficient that he saie simply and for reason that if we ought charitably to beare so much respect to the Decrees of soueraigne Courts coÌ„posed of corruptible Iudges of the earth and of earth as to beleeue that they were not made without motiue though we know theÌ„ not Ah Lord God with what a louing reuerence ought we to adore the equitie of thy supreame prouidence which is infinite in iustice and goodnesse 4. So in a thousand places of the holy word we find the reason why God reproued the Iewes because saieth S. PAVLE and S. BARNABIE you doe reiect the WORD of God and iudge your selues vnworthy of eternall life behould we turne towards the gentils And he that shall consider in tranquilitie of heart the IX X. and XI Chap. of the Epistle to the Romans shall clearely see that Gods will did not without reason reiect the Iewes neuerthelesse this reason must not be examined by mans wit which contrariwise is obliged to rest purely and simply in reuerencing the Diuine Decree Admiring it with loue as infinitly iust and vpright and louing it with admiration as inpenetrable and incomprehensible So that the diuine Apostle concluds the long discourse which he had made of it O the profunditie of the riches and wisdome of the knowledge of God how incomprehensible are his iudgments and how vnsearchable his wayes who doth know the thougtes of our Lord or who hath bene his Counsellour By which exclamation he testifieth that God doth all things with great wisdome knowledge and reason yet so that not hauing entred into the diuine counsells whose iudgments and designes are infinitly placed aboue our reach we ought deuotly to adore his Decrees as most iust without searching the motiues which he keepes to himselfe that so he might keepe our vnderstanding at home in respect and humilitie 5. S. AVGVSTINE in a hundred places doth teach vs this practise None comes to our Sauiour saieth he if not drawen whom he drawes and whom he drawes-not why he he drawes him and not him offer not to iudge vnlesse thou wilt erre heare once and vnderstand Art thou not drawen praie that thou maist be drawen Verily it is sufficient for a Christian liuing as yet by faith and not seeing that which is perfect but onely knowing in part to know and beleeue that God deliuers none from damnation but by his free mercy through our Lord IESVS-CHRIST and that he dammes none but by his most iust Truth through the same Lord Iâ—SVS-CHRIST But to know why he deliuers this partie rather then that let him sound who can so great a depth of his iudgemeÌ„ts but let him be ware of the precipice for these iudgements are not therefore vniust because they are hidden But why then doth he deliuer rather this man then that We saie againe ô maÌ„ who art thou that answerest God his iudgemets are incomprehensible and his wayes vnknowen and let vs adde this Doe not looke into things that are aboue thee and examine not that which is beyonde thy strength Now he granteth not them mercy to whom by a Truth most secrete and furdest remoued from mans thoughtes he iudgeth it not fit to communicate his fauours and mercy 6. We see sometimes twins whereof the one is borne aliue and receiues Baptisme the other in his birth loose his temporall life before he be regenerated to the eternall and consequently the one is heire of heauen the other is depriued of the inheritance Now why doth the diuine prouidence follow like birthes with so different effects Verily it might be answered that ordinarily Gods proâ—idence doth not violate the lawes of nature so that one of these twins being strong and the other too feeble to support the trauell of his deliuerie he died before he could be baptised th' other liued while the Diuine prouidence would not stop the course of naturall things which in this occurrence might be the reason why the one was depriued of Bapptisme And truely this is a solide answere But following the aduise of diuine S. PAVLE and S. AVGVSTINE we ought not to busie our thoughtes in this consideration which though it be good yet doth it in no respect enter into comparison with many others which God hath reserued and will shew vs in heauen Then saieth S. Augustine the secreet shall end why rather the one then th' other was christned the causes of both being equall and why miracles were not done amongst those who in case they had bene done had bene brought to repentance and were done amongst such as were not
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
ABRAHAMS bosome after this child 3. Commiseration is also great according to the greatnesse of their sufferances whom we loue for how little soeuer the frieÌ„dshipe be if the euells which we see endured be extreame they cause in vs great pitie This made Cesar weepe ouer Pompey and the daughters of Hierusalem could not stay themselues from weeping ouer our Sauiour though the greater part of them did not much affect him as also the friends of IACOB though wicked friends made great lamentation in beholding the dreadfull spectacle of his incomparable miserie and what a stroke of griefe was it in the heart of IACOB to thinke that his deare child was dead of a death so cruell as to be deuoured by a sauage beaste But besids all this commiseration is much strengthened by the presence of the obiect in miserie this caused the poore Agar absent her selfe from her languishing sonne to disburden her selfe in some sort of the compassionate griefe which she felt saying I will not see the child die as contrariwise our Sauiour weepes seeing the sepulchre of his well-beloued Lazarus and beholding his deare Hierusalem And the good IACOB was struck with griefe when he saw the bloodie Robe of his poore little IOSEPH 4. Now as many causes also doe augment complacence As a friend is more deare vnto vs we take more pleasure in his contentment and his good doth enter more deeply into our heart which if it be excellent our ioye is also greater but if we see our friend while he enioyes it our reioycing becomes extreame When the good IACOB knew that his sonne liued ô God what ioye his heart returned home he reuiued yea as one would saie returned to life But what is this he reuiued returned to life THEO SPIRITS die not their proper death but by sinne which seperateth them from God who is their true supernaturall life yet die they sometimes by anothers death and this happened to IAGOB of whom we speake for loue which drawes into the heart of the louer the good and euill of the thing beloued the one by complacence the other by commiseration drew the death of the louely IOSEPH into the louing IACOBS heart and by a miracle impossible to any other power but loue the minde of the good Father was full of the death of him that liued and raigned deceiued affection forerunning the effect 5. But as soone as he had knowen that his sonne was a liue Loue who had so long detained the presupposed death of the sonne in the good Fathers heart seeing that he was deceiued speedely reiected this imaginarie death and made enter in its place the true life of the saied sonne Thus then he returned to a new life because the life of his sonne entred into his heart by complacence and animated him with an incomparable contentment with which finding himselfe satisfied and not esteeming any other pleasure in comparison of this it fufficeth me saieth he if my child IOSEPH liue But when with his proper eyes he experienced his deare childs greatenesse in Gessan hanging vpon him and for a good space weeping about his necke ah now saieth he I will die ioyfull my deare SoÌ„ne sith I haue seene thy face and thou dost yet liue ô God what a ioye THEO and how excellently expressed by this old man For what would he saie by these words now I will die contented sith I haue seene thy face but that his content was so great that it was able to render death it selfe ioyfull and agreeable being the most discomfortable and horrible thing in the world Tell me I pray you THEO who hath more sense of IOSEPHES good he that enioyes it or IACOB who reenioyes it Certainly if good be not good but in respect of the content which it affordeth vs the father hath as much yea more then the Sonne for the sonne together with the dignitie of VICE-ROY whereof he is possessed hath coÌ„sequently many cares aÌ„d affaires but the Father doth enioye by Complacence and purely possesse all that good is in this his sonnes greatenesse and dignitie without charge care or trouble I will dye Ioyfull saieth he Alas who doth not see his contentment if euen death cannot trouble his ioye who can euer chang it if his content can liue amidst the distresses of death who can euer bereeue him of it Loue is strong as death and the ioyes of loue doe surmount the anoyes of death for death caÌ„not kill but doth reuiue them so that as there is a fire which miraculously is feed in a fountaine nere Greenoble as I surely know and S. AVGVSTINE doth attest so holy Charitie is so strong that she doth nourish her flames and consolations in the saddest anguishes of death and the waters of tribulations cannot extinguish her fires Of the commiseration and Complacence of loue in our Sauiours Passion CHAPTER V. 1. VVHen I see my Sauiour vpon the mouÌ„t Oliuet with his soule sad euen to death O Lord Iâ—SVS saie I who could haue borne these sorrowes of death in the soule of life if not loue who mouing commiseration drew thereby our miseries into thy soueraigne heart Now a deuote soule seeing this abisse of sorrow and distresse in this Diuine louer how can she be without a holily louing griefe But considering on the other side that none of these her well-beloued's afflictions proceede from any imperfectioÌ„ or want of force but from the greatnesse of his most deare loue she cannot but melt with a holily dolorous loue so that she cries out I am blacke with griefe by compassion but I am faire with loue by Complacence the anguishes of my well-beloued haue changed my hew for how can a faithfull louer see him so tormented whom she loues more then her life without becomming appalled withered and dried vp with griefe Nomades tents perpetually exposed to the outrage of weather and warrs are almost still beaten and couered with dust and I open to sorrows which by commiseration I receiue from the excessiue suffrances of my diuine Sauiour I am quite couered with anguishe and split with griefe but because his griefes whom I loue proceede from his loue as much as they afflict me by compassion they delight me by Complacence For how must not a faithfull louer needes haue an extreme coÌ„teÌ„t to see her selfe so much beloued of her heauenly Spouse And hence the beautie of loue appears in the foulenesse of griefe And though I weare mourning weedes for the Passion and death of my King deformed and blacked with griefe yet am I not without an incomparable delight to behold the excesse of his loue amidst the panges of his sorrowes And the tents of SALOMON brodered and wrought with an incomparable diuersitie of worke was neuer so goodlie as I am content and consequently sweete amiable and agreeable in the varietie of the essaies of loue which I feele amongst these griefes Loue doth equalize the louers ah I see this deare louer who is a burning fire in a thornie
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
plainly discouered So the diuine loue of this heart or rather this heart of diuine Loue doth continually discouer our hearts clearely and lookes vpon them with the eye of affection yet doe not we discouer him clearely but onely by halfes For Good God if we could see him as he is we should die of Loue for him being we are mortalls as he himselfe died for vs while he was mortall and as he would yet die if he were not immortall O that we could heare this diuine heart how it sings with an infinitly delicious voice songs of praise to the Diuinitie what ioye THEO what force would our hearts make to flie vp to heauen to heare these songs eternally and verily this deare friend of our hearts inuits vs vnto it Vp rise saieth he goe out of thy selfe take thy flight towards me my doue my most faire to this heauenly Mannour where there is nothing but ioye and nothing is heard but praise and benedictions All there is florishing all is sweete and odoriferous The Turtle which is the most dolefull of all birds is heard to sing in that Land Come my entirely deare beloued and that thou maiest see me more clearely come in at the same windowes by which I behold thee Come and consider my heart in the hole of my open side which was made when my bodie as a ruinous building was so ruthfully dight vpon the tree of the Crosse come and shew me thy face I see it now nor dost thou shew it me then I shall see it and thou shal't shew it me for thou shal'st see that I see thee Let me heare thy voice for I will tune it to myne and so thy face shall be faire and thy voice well tuned O what a delight shall it be vnto our hearts when our voices being tuned and accorded to our Sauiours we shall beare a part in the infinitly delicious praises which the beloued SoÌ„ne sings to his eternall Father Of the soueraigne praise which God giues vnto himselfe and how we exercise BENEVOLENCE in it CHAPTER XII 1. All our Sauiours humane actions are of an infinite merite and value by reason of the person which doth produce them which is the same God with the Father and the holy Ghost yet are they not infinite by nature and essence For as being in a Chamber we receiue not light with proportion to the Sonns brightnesse which streames it out but according to the greatnesse of the window by which it is communicated so our Sauiours humane actions are not infinite though indeede they be of infinite value foralbeit they are the actions of a diuine Person yet are they not produced according to the extent of his infinitie but accordiÌ„g to the finite greatnesse of his humanitie by which they are produced So that as the humane actions of our sweete Sauiour are infinite compared to ours so are they onely finite in comparison of the essentiall infinitie of the Diuinitie They are infinite in value estimation and dignitie as proceeding from a person which is God yet are they finite by nature and essence as being produced of God according to his humane nature and substance which is finite and therefore the praises which are giuen by our Sauiour as he is man not being in all respects infinite cannot fully correspoÌ„d to the infinite greatnesse of the Diuinitie to which they are directed 2. Wherefore after the first rauishment of admiration which doth take vs wheÌ„ we meete with a praise so glorious as is that which our Sauiour renders to his Father we leaue not to auowe that the Diuinitie is yet infinitly more praise-worthy theÌ„ it can be praised either by all the creaturs or by the very humanitie of the eternall Sonne 3. If one did praise the Sunne for its light the more he should set a praising it the more he should find it praise-worthy because he should still discouer more and more brightnesse And if as it is very probable it be the beautie of this light which prouoketh the Larke to singe it is not strang that as she flies more loftily she sings more clearely equally raising her voice and her flight till such time as heardly being able so sing any more she begins to fall in voice and bodie stouping by little and little as from her winge so in her voice So THEO as we mount neerer vnto the Diuinitie by Beneuolence to intone and heare the praises thereof we discouer more clearely that his praise is still aboue our notes And finally we learne that it cannot be praised according to the worth saue onely by it selfe which alone can fit its soueraigne goodnesse with a soueraigne praise Herevpon we crie out GLORIE BE VNTO THE FATHER AND THE SONNE AND TO THE HOLY GHOST and that euery one may know that it is not the glorie of created praises which we wish should be giuen to God by this eiaculation but the essentiall and eternall glorie that is in himselfe by himselfe of himselfe and which is himselfe we adde as it was in the begining so now and shall be for euer and euer AMâ—N As though we should wish That God should be glorified for euer with the glorie which he had before all creaturs in his infinit eternitie and eternall infinitie To this purpose we conclud euery Psalme and Canticle with this verse according to the auncient custome of the Easterne Church which the great S. HIEROME supplicated to the Pope Damasus that he would establishe it here in the west to protest that all the praises of men and Angels are too low to reach home to the Diuine Bounties praise and that to be worthily praised he himselfe is to be his owne glorie praise and benediction 4. O God what a Complacence what a ioye shall it be to the soule to haue her desire fulfilled in seeing her Beloued infinitly praise blesse and magnifie himselfe But from this Complacence there springs a new desire of praise for the soule would gladly praise this so worthy a praise giuen to God by himselfe rendring him heartie thankes for it aÌ„d inuoking againe all things to her succour to come and glorifie the glorie of God with her to blesse his infinit blessings and praise his eterternall praises so that by this repetition and redoubling praises vpon praises she engageth her selfe betwixt Complacence and Beneuolence in a most happie Labirinth of loue being wholy drunk vp and drowned in this immense sweetenesse soueraignely praising the Diuinitie in that that it caÌ„not be sufficiently be praised but by it selfe And though in the beginning the soule in loue had conceiued a certaine desire of praising God sufficiently yet reflecting vpon her selfe againe she protests that she would not wish to haue power to praise him sufficiently but remaines in a most humble Complacence to perceiue that the Diuine Goodnesse is so infinitly praise-worthy that it cannot be sufficiently praised saue by its owne infinitie onely 5. And here the soule rauished with admiration sings the song of sacred
silence Vnto thy peerlesse worth Silence doth sing Th'Hymne of Admiration O Sion's Kinge For so Isaie his Seraphins adoring and praising God vayled their faces and feete confessing therein theire want of sufficiencie sufficiently to contemplate or serue him for our feete whereon we goe signifies seruice Howbeit they flie with two wings in the continuall motion of Complacence and Beneuolence their Loue resting in that delightfull vnrest 6. Mans heart is neuer so much disquieted as when the motion by which it doth continually open and shut it selfe is troubled neuer so quiet as when its motions are free so that the hearts quiet consisteth in motion The like it is with the Seraphins and Seraphicall men for their Loue reposeth in the motion of it's complacence by which it draws God clerely into it selfe and in the motion of Beneuolence by which it doth dilate and throw it selfe into God This Loue then desires to behold the infinite wonders of God's goodnesse yet it spreeds it's wings ouer it's face confessing that it cannot arriue thither It would also present some worthy seruice yet hath it's feete couered to professe that it hath not power to performe it nor doth any thing remaine sauing the two wings of Complacence and Beneuolence by which it flies vp and casts it selfe vpon God The end of the fift Booke THE SIXT BOOKE OF THE EXERCISES OF HOLY LOVE IN PRAIER A description of mysticall Diuinitie which is no other thing then praier CHAPTER I. I. WE haue two principall exercices of our loue towards God the one affectiue the other effectiue or as S. BERNARD calles it actiue By that we affect God and what he affecteth by this we serue God and doe what he ordaines That ioynes vs to Gods goodnesse this makes vs execute his will The one fills vs with complacence beneuolence motions desires aspirations and spirituall ardors causing vs to practise the sacred infusions and mixtures â—f our spirit with Gods The other doth establish in vs the solide resolution constancie of heart and inuiolable obedience requisite to effect the ordinances of the diuine will and to suffer admit approue and embrace all that comes from his good pleasure The one makes vs pleased in God the other makes vs please God by the one we conceiue by the other we bring fourth by the one we place God vpon our heart as an Ensigne of loue by which our affections are ordered by the other we seate him vpon our arme as a sword of loue wherby we effect all vertuous exploits 2. The first exercise coÌ„sisteth in Praier specially in which so many different inward motions passe that to expresse them all is impossible not onely by reason of their number but also for their nature and qualitie which being spirituall they cannot but be very secret and almost hid from our vnderstanding the most trained and best sented hounds are often at default loosing the straine and sent by the varietie of sleights which the Hart vseth by dubles making them rune riot and practising a thousand shiftes to escape the Crie and we often times loose the sent and knowledge of our owne heart in the infinite diuersitie of motions by which it doth turne it selfe into so many formes and that with such promptitude that one cannot discerne the footings thereof 3. God alone is he who by his infinite wisdome sees souÌ„ds and penetrats all the turnings aÌ„d windings of our hearts he a farre of vnderstands our thoughts finds out our traces our doubles and leapings of His knowledge therein is admirable passing our capacitie and reach Certainly if we would looke backe vpon our owne hearts by the reflections and turnings of their actions we should light into Labyrinthes wherein we should find no out-gate and it would require an intolerable atteÌ„tion to thinke what our thoughtes are to consider our considerations to see all our spirituall sightes to discerne that we discerne to remember that we remember these would be Mazes out of which we should not be able to deliuer our selues This treatise then is most hard especially to one not greatly conuersant in praiere 4. We take not here the word PRAIER for the onely praier or demaund of any good thing pouered out by the faithfull before God as S. BASILE calles it but with S. BONAVENTVRE saying that Praier generally speaking comprehendes all the acts of contemplation or with S. GREGORIE Nissene teaching that praier is an entertainement or conuersation of the soule with God or else with S. CHRYSOSTOME assuring vs that Praier is a discourse with the diuine Magestie or finally with S. AVGVSTINE and S. DAMASCENE terming Praier an ascent or raising of the soule to God And if Praier be a speach discourse or conuersation of the soule with God by it then we speake to God and he againe speakes to vs we aspire to him and repose in him and he mutually inspires vs and reposeth in vs. 5. But of what doe we discourse in Praier what is the subiect of our entertainement THEO we speake of God onely for of what can Loue discourse and talke but of the well-beloued and therefore Praier and mysticall Diuinitie are one same thing It is called Diuinitie because as speculatiue Diuinitie hath God for its obiect so this speakes onely of God yet with three differences for 1. that treates of God as God but this speakes of God as soueraignely amiable that is that aimes at the Diuinitie of the supreame Goodnesse aÌ„d this at the supreame Goodnesse of the Diuinitie 2. the speculatiue treats of God with men and amongst men the mysticall speakes of God with God and in God himselfe 3. the Speculatiue tends to the knowledge of God and the mysticall to the loue of God so that that makes her schollers knowing learned and Diuins but this makes hers become ferueÌ„t and affectionate louers of God and PHILOTHEES OR THEOPHILES 6. Now it is called mysticall for that its conuersatioÌ„ is altogether secrete and there is nothing saied in it betwixt God and the soule saue onely from heart to heart by a communication in communicable to all but themselues Louers language is so particular to them selues that none but theÌ„selues vnderstand ir I sleepe saied the holy Spouse and my heart watcheth Ah harke how my well-beloued speakes vnto me Who would haue gessed that this Spouse being a sleepe could yet talke with her Spouse but where loue raignes the noise of exteriour words is not necessarie nor the helpe of sense to entertaine and mutually to heare one another In fine Praier and mysticall Diuinitie is no other thing then a conuersation in which the soule doth louingly discourse with God touching his most amiable goodnesse to be vnited and ioyned to it 7. Praier is a Manna in regard of the infinitie of amiable tastes and precious delightes which it giues to such as vse it but it is secrete because it falls before the light of any science in the MENTALL SOLITVDE where one onely soule treates with one onely
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
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
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
but the LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE darts our hearts into God and by consequence all our actions and affections most louingly dedicating and consecrating thē vnto him for Beneuolēce desires that all honour all Glorie ād acknowledgmēt possible should be rendred vnto God as a certaine exteriour good which is due to his Goodnesse 3. Now this desire is practised according to the complacence which we take in God as followeth We haue had an extreame Complacence to perceiue that God i◠soueraignely GOOD ād therefore by the LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE we desire that all the Loues which we can possibly imagine may be imployed to loue this Goodnesse entirely We haue taken delight in the soueraigne excellencie of God's perfection and therevpon we desire that he should be soueraignely loued honored ād adored We haue bene ioyed to consider how God is not onely the first beginning but also the last end Authour Conseruour and Lord of all things for which reason we wish that all things should be subiect to him by a soueraigne obedience We see Gods will soueraignly perfect vpright iust equall and vpon this consideration our desire is that it should be the rule and soueraigne law of all things and that it should be obserued kept and obayed by all other wills 4. But note THEO that I treate not heare of the obedience due vnto God as he is our Lord and Maister our Father and Benefactour for this kind of obedience belongs to the vertue of Iustice not to Loue. No it is not this I speake off for the present for though there were no Hell to punish the wicked nor Heauen to reward the good and that we had no kind of obligation nor dutie to God be this saied by imagination of a thing impossible and scarcE imaginable yet would the LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE moue vs to render all obedience and submission to God by election and inclination yea by a sweete violence of Loue in consideration of the Soueraigne Bountie Iustice and equitie of the Diuine will 5. Doe not we see THEO that a maide by a free choice proceeding from the LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE doth subiect herselfe to her husband to whom otherwise she ought no dutie Or that a gentleman submits himselfe to a forraine Prince's command or else giues vp his will into the hands of the Superiour of some religious Order which he is content to vndertake 6. Euen so is our heart conformed to Gods when by holy Beneuolence we throw all our affections into the hands of the diuine will to be turned ād directed by it to be moulded ād formed to the good liking thereof And in this point the profoundest obedience of loue is placed which hath no neede of being spurred by minaces or rewards nor yet by lawes and commandements for it preuents all this submitting it selfe to God for the onely perfect goodnesse which is in him where by he deserues that all wills should be obedient vnto him subiect and vnder his power conforming and vniting themselues to his diuine intentions in and through all things How we are to conforme our selues to the Diuine will which is called the signified will CHAPTER III. 1. VVE doe sometimes consider God's will as it is in it selfe and finding it entirely holy and good it is an easie thing for vs to praise blesse and adore it and to sacrifice our owne ād all other creaturs wills to it's obseruāce in this diuine Exclamation THY WILL BE DONE IN EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN At other times we consider God's will in the particular effects thereof as in the euents that touch vs and accidents that befall vs and finally in the declaration and manifestation of his intentions And albeit that God in very deede hath but one most singular and most simple will yet doe we designe it by different names according to the varietie of the meanes whereby we know it by which varietie also we are diuersly obliged to conforme our selues to it 2. Christian doctrine doth clearely propose vnto vs the Truthes which God willeth that we should beleeue the goods that he will haue vs hope for the paines which he will haue vs to dread that which he will haue vs to loue the commandements which he will haue vs to obserue and the Coūcells which he desireth we should follow And all these are called God's SIGNIFIED WILL because he hath signified and made manifest vnto vs that his will and meaning is that all these should be beleeued hoped for feared loued and practised 3. Now for as much as this signified will of God proceeds by way of desire and not by way of absolute will we haue power either to follow it by obedience or by disobedience to resist it for to this porpose God makes three acts of his will He willeth that we should haue power to resist he desireth that we resist not and yet leaues it to vs to resist if we please That we haue power to resist depends of our naturall condition and libertie that we doe resist proceedes from our malice that we doe not resist is according to the diuine Bounties desire And therefore when we doe resist God contributs nothing to our disobediēce but leauing our will in the hand of her Libertie permits her to make choice of Euill But when we obay God contributs his assistance inspiration and grace for permission is an actio of the will which of it selfe is barren sterill and fruitlesse and is as it were a passiue action which acteth not but onely permits action desire contrariwise is an actiue action frutefull fertill which doth excite inuite and vrge Wherefore God desirous that we should follow his signified will doth sollicite exhort incite inspire aide and succour But in permitting vs to resist he doth nothing but simply leaue vs to our owne wills according to our free election contrarie to his desire and intention And yet this desire is a true desire for how can one more truely expresse the desire he hath to giue his friend a heartie welcome then to prouide for his sake a good and excellent banquet as did the king in the Euangelicall Parable and then to inuite vrge and in a manner to compell him by praiers exhortations pursuits to come sit downe at the table and eate Verily he that should by force of armes open his friends mouth crame meate into his throte and make him swallow it should not bestowe a friendly entertainemēt vpon his friend but should vse him like a beast and a cram'd Capon This kind of fauour would be offered by way of inuitation remonstrance and sollicitation not violently and forcibly thrust vpon a man and thēce it is practised by way of desire not of absolute will Now it goes after the same manner in the signified will of God for in it God doth desire with a true desire that we should doe that which he declares and to this effect he doth prouide vs of all things necessarie exhorting and vrging vs to make vse of them In
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
and haue Pipins whence other trees and plants of the same kind doe spriÌ„g Neuer doe vertues come to their perfect stature aÌ„d abilitie in vs till such time as they beget in vs a desire of progresse which as spirituall seede serues to the production of new degrees of vertue And me thinks the earth of our heart is coÌ„manded to bring forth the plants of vertue which beare the fruits of good works euery one in his kind and which haue the seedes of a desire and resolution to encrease and aduaÌ„ce in the way of perfection And the vertue that beares not the seede or Pipin of this desire is not yet come to her groth and maturitie Thou wilt not then saieth S. BERNARD to the sluggard a better thy selfe in perfection No nor yet grow worse nor yet that verily Why then dost thou desire neither to amend nor paire Alas poore man thou wouldst be that which thou canst not be Euen in the wide world there is nothing stable and constant yet of man it is saied more particularly that he neuer remaines in one estate He must either goe forward or else he goes backward 4. Nor doe I more then S. BERNARD affirme that it is a sinne not to practise the Counsells no verily THEO for it is the proper difference betwixt Commandements and Counsells that Commandements doe oblige vs vnder paine of sinne Counsell doth onely inuite vs without paine of sinne Yet doe I bouldly auerre that to contemne the pretention of Christian perfection is a great sinne and yet greater to contemne the inuitation by which our Sauiour cals vs to it but it is an insupportable impietie to contemne the Counsells and meanes which our Sauiour markes vs out to the attaining of it It were an Heresie to saie that our Sauiour had not giuen vs good Counsell and a blasphemie to saie to God withdraw thy selfe from vs we will not know thy wayes But it is a horrible irreuerence done to him that with so much loue and delight did inuite vs to perfection to saie I will not be holy or perfect nor will I any larger portion of thy Beneuolence nor will I follow the Counsells which thou giuest me to fructifie therein 5. We may indeede without offence not follow the Counsells for the affection we beare another way as for example it is lawfull for a man not to sell what he possesseth nor giue it to the poore because he hath not the courage to make so entire a renunciation It is also lawfull to marrie because one loues a wife or otherwise hath not strength of mind necessarie to vndertake the warre which must be waged against the flesh But to make profession that one will not follow the CouÌ„sells nor any one of them cannot be done without contempt of him that giues them Not to follow the Counsell for that one hath an intention to marrie is not euill done but so to marrie as to preferre marriage before chastitie with heritikes is a great contempt either of the Counsellour or of his Counsell To drinke wine against the Doctors aduise when one is ouercome with thrist or with a desire to drinke is not properly to contemne the Doctor nor his aduise but to saie I will not follow the Doctors aduise must necessarily proceede froÌ„ some bad opinion one harbours of him Now as concerning men one may often contemne their Counsell without contemning them because to esteeme that a man doth erre is not to contemne him But to reiect and contemne Gods Counsell cannot spring but from a conceite we haue that he hath not Counselled vs well which cannot be thought but by a Spirit of Blasphemie as though God were not wise enough to know or good enough to will to giue good aduise We may saie the same of the Counsells of the Church which by reason of the continuall assistance of the holy ghost which doth instruct and conduct her in all truth can neuer giue euill aduise 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 CHAPTER IX 1. Allthough all the Euangelicall Counsells cannot nor ought not to be practised by euery Christian in particular yet is euery one obliged to loue them all they being all very good If you haue the Megrim and the smell of muke doe anoie you will you therefore disauowe that this smell is good and delightsome If a Robe of gold be not fit for you will you thence saie that it is worth nothing or will you throw a ring into the â—urt because it fits not your finger Praise therefore THEOT and dearely affect all the Counsells that God hath giuen vnto men O blessed be the Angell of the high CouÌ„sell for euer together with the Counâ—ell he giues and exhortations he makes to man The heart is cheared vp with oyntments and good smells saieth Salomon and by the good Counsell of a friend the soule is calmed But of what friend and of what Counsells doe we speake ô God it is of the friend of friends and his CouÌ„sells are more delightâ—ull then honie Our friend is our Sauiour his Counsells are to saue vs. 2. Let vs reioyce THEO when we see others vndertake the Counsells which either we cannot or ought not to obserue Le ts praie for them blesse fauour and assist them For Charitie doth oblige vs not onely to loue our owne good but that also which is good for our neighbour 3. We may sufficiently testifie our loue to all the Counsells if we deuotely obserue such as are sutable to our calling for euen as he that beleeues an Article of Faith before God reuealed it in his word published and declared it by the Church cannot misbeleeue the others and he that obserues one Commandement for the pure Loue of God is readie to obserue the others when occasion shall be offered So he that doth loue and prize one Euangelicall Counsell because it came from God he cannot but loue all the others consequently being they are also from God Now we may with ease practise many of them though not all of them together for God deliuered many to the end euery one might obserue some of them nor doth there passe a day wherein we haue not some occasion thereof 4. Doth Charitie require that to assist thy Father or mother thou shouldst liue with them conserue notwithstanding a loue and affection to your recollection let your heart liue at your Fathers house so farre forth as is requisit to acquit your selfe of that which Charitie doth order Is it not expedient your qualitie considered that you should conserue perfect chastitie keepe it at least in such sort as you may without violating charitie Who cannot doe all at least let him doe a part you are not obliged to looke after him that hath offended you for it is his part to come to himselfe and to you to giue you satisfaction since he began the
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
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
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
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
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
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
generall possesseth it then though each one possessed it a part But whereas the light of a LaÌ„pe is little short and insufficient for many each one desires to haue it in his chamber and he that hath it is enuied at by the rest The good of humane things is so bare and beggerlie that as it is more communicated to one it is lesse communicable to others and thervpoÌ„ it is that we are stirred aÌ„d doe storme wheÌ„ we haue any Corriualls or fellowes But God's heart is so abundant in loue his goodnesse so infinitly infinite that all men may possesse him without lessening any ones possession this infinitie of goodnesse can neuer be drayned though all the hearts of the vniuerse be furnished with it for when all shall be brime full his infinitie remaines alwayes entire without any diminution The Sunne doth no lesse shine vpon a rose together with a thousaÌ„d millions of other flowres then though it shined but vpon that alone And God doth no lesse poure his loue into one soule albeit with it he loue an infinitie of others then though he loued her onely the force of his Loue not decreasing by the multitude of rayes which it streames out but remaining full of his immensitie 3. But wherein then consisteth the Iealousie and Zeale which we ought to haue towards the Diuine Goodnesse THEO their office is first to hate flie hinder detest reiect to set vpon and ouerthrowe so farre forth as one is able all that is opposit to God to wit to his will to his Glorie aÌ„d the saÌ„ctifying of his name I haue hated iniquitie saied Dauid and haue had those that thou hatest in abomination O Lord did not I hate them and did not I pine away because of thine enemies My Zeale hath made me sownd because my enemies haue forgotten thy words In the morning I killed all the sinners that were vpon the face of the earth that I might ruinate and banish all the workers of iniquitie See I praie you THEO with what a Zeale this great king is animated and how he imployes the passions of his soule in the seruice of holy Iealousie He doth not simply hate iniquitie but hath it in abomination vpon the sight of it he withers â—ith distresse he fals into sownds and trances he pursues it defeats and banisheth it So P INEâ—S pushed forwards with a holy Zeale did holily runne through that impudent Israelite and brazen faced Madianite which he found in the infamous commerce of their beastlinesse So the Zeale which consumed our Sauiours heart made him cast out all that bought and sold and presently reuenge the irreuerence and prophanation which they committed in the Temple 4. Secondly Zeale makes vs ardently iealous of the puritie of soules which are the Spouses of IESVS CHRIST according to the holy Apostle to the Corinthians I emulate you with the emulation of God for I haue despoused you to one man to present you a chast Virgin to IESVS Christ Eliezer had bene extreamly stung with Iealousie if he had perceiued the chast and faire Rebecca whom he conueyed to be espoused to his Maisters sonne in any danger of being dishonored and doubtlesse he might haue saied to this holy Damsell I am Iealous of you with a iealousie which I owe to my Maister 's respect for I haue despoused you to one man to present you a chast virgin to my Maister Abraham's Sonne So would the great S. PAVLE saie to his Corinthians I was sent from God to you soules to treate the marriage of an eternall vnion betweene his sonne our Sauiour and you and I haue despoused you vnto him to present you as a chast virgine to this heauenly Spouse Behold why I am emulous not with myne owne emulation but with the emulation of God in whose behalfe I haue treated with you It was this Iealousie THEO that caused this holy Apostle dayly to fall downe in trances and die I die dayly quoth he for thy glorie Who is weake and I am not weake who is scandalized and I am not burnt Marke saie the Auncients marke what loue what care and what iealousie a broode Hen doth shew to her chickens for our Sauiour esteemed not this comparison vnworthy oâ— his Ghospell the Hen is a very Hen that is a creature without courage or generositie at all while she is not yet a mother but in her mothershipe she puts on a Lions heart Alwayes her head is vp alwayes her eyes watchfull still throwing them on euery side at the least apparence of danger towards her young ones No enemie appears vpon whom she dares not throw her selfe in the defence of her deare broode for whom she hath a continuall sollicitude which makes her still ruÌ„ne vp and downe clocking aÌ„d repining And if any of her chickings come to die what griefe what anger Such is the iealousie of Parents for their children of Pastours for their flockes of brothers for their Brothers What was the Zeale of the Children of Iacob after they had knowe that DINA was violated what was the Zeale of Iob vpon the appreheÌ„sion and feare he had that his children should offend God what was the Zeale of a S. Paule for his brethren according to flesh and blood and his children according to God for whose sake he desired to be branded with ANATHEMA and excommunication what the Zeale of a Moyses towards his people for whom he is willing in a certaine manner to be rased out of the booke of life 4. In humane iealousie we are afrayed least the thing beloued should be possessed by some other but our Zeale to God makes vs especially feare that we are not wholy possessed by him Humane iealousie makes vs apprehend that we are not beloued enough Christian iealousie that we loue not enough wherevpon the sacred Sunamite cried out ô the beloued of my soule show me where thou lyest in the midday least I beginne to wander after the flocks of my companions Her feare is that she is not entirely her sacred sheppheards or that she might be hindred though neuer so little by such as striue to be his Competitors For she will by no meanes permit that wordly pleasures honours or exteriour riches should prepossesse the least bit of her loue which she hath wholy dedicated to her deare Sauiour An aduise for the direction of holy Zeale CHAPTER XV. 1. VVHereas Zeale is an ardour and vehemencie of loue it stands in neede of prudent conduct otherwise it will violate the termes of modestie and discretion not that diuine Loue though neuer so vehement can be excessiue in it selfe nor in the motions and inclinations which it giues to our hearts but because it makes vse of the vnderstanding in the execution of its designes ordering that it should find out the meanes whereby they might haue good successe and that it should haue boldnesse or anger in a readinesse to encounter and surmount difficulties it happens very frequently that the vnderstanding proposeth and makes vs
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
endeuored himselfe to precipitate them which seeing he could not so quickly performe he fumed in himselfe and curst them till at length lifting vp his head towards Heauen he espied the sweete and most coÌ„passionate Sauiour of our soules moued with an extreame pitie and compassion of that which passed rysing from his Throne and descending to the place where the two poore miserable wretches were stretch towards them his helping hand as also the Angels round about them did catching hold of them to hinder them from falling into this dreadfull Gulfe and in Conclusion the amiable and milde IESVS turning himselfe to the stormie CARPVS hold CARPVS saied he henceforth beate vpoÌ„ me for I am readie to suffer oÌ„ce more for maÌ„s saluation and it should be pleasant vnto me if it could be performed without the offence of other men as for the rest aduise with thy selfe which thou likest better to be in this gulfe together with these serpents or to liue with Angels who are so great friends to men THEO the holy man CARPVS had iust reason to be zealously moued at these two men and his Zeale had but rightly raysed his stomacke against them but being once moued he left reason and Zeale behind him ouer ruÌ„ning the bounds and limits of holy loue and consequently Zeale which is loue in its heate Anger changed the hatred of sinne into the hatred of the sinner and the most mild Charitie into an outragious crueltie 6. Some there are of that disposition that they thinke one cannot be very Zealous vnlesse they be very angrie thinking that nothing is done well vnlesse all be spoyled whereas contrariwise true Zeale rarely makes vse of choler for as we neuer applie the lance and the fire to sicke but in meere extreamities so holy Zeale doth not imploie choler but in extreame necessities That the examples of diuers saints which seemed to exercise their Zeale with Anger make nothing against the aduise of the precedent Chapter CHAPTER XVI 1. IT is true indeede my deare THEO that MOYSES PHINEES HELIE MATHATIAS and diuers great seruaÌ„ts of God made vse of choler to exercise their Zeale in sundrie remarkable occurrences yet note also I praie you that those were great personages who could well manage their choler not vnlike to that braue Captaine of the Ghospell who saied to his soldiers goe and they went come and they came but we who are in a manner all but a kind of poore people we haue no such power ouer our motions our horse is not so well broken that we caÌ„ both spurre and make him stope at our pleasure Old and well trayned hounds doe come in or fall off according to the huntsmans call but vntrayned younge hounds doe disordely flie out The great Saints that haue trayned vp their passions in a continuall mortification by the exercise of vertue can at euery turne of a haÌ„d turne and winde their passions giuing the scope or gathering theÌ„ vp at their pleasure But we who haue vnbridled passions young or at least mistaught we cannot giue bridle to our anger but at great perill of disorder for hauing once gotten head one cannot restrayne and order them as were fitting 2. S. DENIS talking with that DEMOPHILVS who would haue giuen the name of Zeale to his rage and furie he that would correct others quoth he must first beware that anger doe not turne reason out of the power and Dominion wherein God hath established it ouer the soule aÌ„d that it doe not stirre vp a reuoult sedition and confusion within our selues so that we doe in no sort approoue your impetuosities to which you were pricked forward with an vndiscreete Zeale though you should a thousand times repeate PHINEES and HELIE for the like words did not please IESVS CHRIST being spoken to him by his Disciples who were not yet made partakers of this sweete and benigne spirit PHINEES THEOT seeing a certaine accursed Israelite offend God with a Moabite slew them both HELIE foretold the death of OCHOSIAS who wrothfull at this presage sent two Captains one after another with fiftie men a peece to take him and the man of God made fire descend from heaueÌ„ which deuour'd them Our Sauiour on a day passing through Samaria sent into a towne to take vp his lodging but the inhabitants knowing that our Sauiour was a Iewe by nation and that he went to Hierusalem they would not lodge him which S. IOHN and S. IAMES seeing they saied vnto our Sauiour shall we commande the fire to descend and burne them And our Sauiour turning towards them chid them saying you know not what spirit moues you to this the Sonne of man came not to distroye soules but to saue them This it is then THEOT that S. DENIS would saie to DEMOPHILVS who alleaged the example of PHINEES and HELIE for S. IOHN and S. IAMES who would haue imitated PHINEES and HELIE in making sire descend from Heauen vpon men were reprehended by our Sauiour who gaue them to know that his Spirit and Zeale was sweete milde and gracious which rarely made vse of wroth or indignation but onely in some circumstaÌ„ces where there was no other hope left to preuaile S. THOMAS of Aquine that great Starre of Diuinitie being sicke of the desease whereof he died at the Monasterie of Fossanoua of S. BERNARDS order the Religious besought him to make them some short expositioÌ„ vpon the CANTICLE OF CANTICLES to the imitation of S. BERNARD and he answered them Deare Fathers giue me a S. BERNARDS Spirit and I will interprete this diuine Canticle as did S. BERNARD so verily if one should saie to one of vs small miserable imperfect and wretched Christians serue your selues of Anger and indignation in your Zeale as did PHINEES HELIE MATHATHIAS S. PETER and S. PAVLE we ought to replie giue vs the Spirit of perfectioÌ„ and pure Zeale with the interiour light which those great Saints had and we will arme our selues with choler as they did It is not a common performaÌ„ce to discerne when and in what measure we are to be angrie 3. Those great Saints were immediatly inspired by God and therefore might boldly imploye their anger without perill for the same Spirit which did embolden them to this exploite did also gouerne the raynes of their iust wroth least they might out raye their prefixed bounds An Anger that is inspired or excited by the holy Ghost is not now the anger of a maÌ„ and it is mans wroth that we are to be â—ware of because as S. IAMES saieth it worketh not God's Iustice And indeede when those worthy seruants of God made vse of anger it was in so sollemne occurrences and vpon so inordinate crimes that there was no danger that the punishment should passe the fault 4. Are we thinke you to take libertie to iniurie sinners to blame nations to controll and censure our Conductors and Prelats because S. PAVLE once cals the Galatians senslesse represents to the Candiots their lewde inclinations and
vnto God CHAPTER I. 1. VErtue is of it's owne nature so amiable that God doth fauour it wheresoeuer he finds it The PagaÌ„s though they were enemies to the Diuine Maiestie did now and theÌ„ 〈◊〉 certaine ciuill and morall vertues which were not by their nature placed aboue the forces of a reasonable spirit Now you may thinke THEOT how small a matter this was for though these vertues made a great shew yet in effect they were of little worth by reason of the lownesse of their intention that practised them who laboured in a manner for no other thing then honour as S. AVGVSTINE saieth or for some other pretention of light consideratioÌ„ as for the entertainement of ciuill societie or by reason of some weake inclination they had to good which meeting with no great contradiction carried them oâ— to minute actions of vertue as for example to mutuall salutations to aide their friends to liue moderatly not to steale to fidelitie towards ones Maister to paie hirelings wages And neuerthelesse though this was so slender and full of diuers imperfections God tooke it in good part at those poore peoples hands and recompensed it largely 2. The midwiues whom Pharao commanded to kill all the male children of the Israelits â—ere without all dispute Egyptians and Pagans for making their excuse that they had not executed the Kings pleasure The hebrow women saied they are not like Egyptians for they know how to receiue the child and before we come vnto them they are deliuered an excuse which had not bene to the purpose if these midwiues had bene Iewes besids that it is not credible that Pharao would haue graunted so sharpe a Commission to Iewish-women against Iewish-women being of the same nation and religioÌ„ and with all Iosephus doth witnesse they were indeede Egiptians And be it they were Egiptians and Pagans yet did they feare to offend God by so barbarous and vnnaturall a crueltie as had bene the Masacre of so many little children which the diuine sweetenesse tooke so well at their hands that he built them houses that is to saie he made them become fruitfull in children and in temporall riches 3. NABVCODONOZOR king of Babilon had waged a iust warre against the towne of Tyrie which the Diuine Iustice would chastice and God signified to Ezechiel that in recompence thereof he would deliuer vp Egipt into the hands of NABVCODONOZOâ— and his armie Because saieth God they haue laboured for me hence addes S. HIEROME in his commentaries we learne that in case the Pagans themselues doe any Good they are not vnrewarded by God's Iudgement So did DANIEL exhort NABVCODONOZOR an Infidell to redeeme his sinnes by almes that is to ransome himselfe out of the temporall paines due vnto his sinne which hung ouer his head Doe you see then THEO how true it is that God doth esteeme vertues though practised by persons otherwise wicked If he had not approued the mercye of those Midwiues and the iustice of the Babilonian warrs would he haue taken the paines I praie you to haue rewarded them And if Daniel had not knowen that notwithstanding Nabucodonozors infidelitie his almes-deedes were agreeable vnto God why would he haue counselled him them Certes the Apostle assures vs that Pagans who haue no faith doe naturally performe that which belongs vnto the law and in doing so who can doubt but they doe well or that God doth make accompt of it Pagans vnderstoode that marriage was good and necessarie they saw that it was conuenient to haue their children brought vp in sciences in loue of their countries in ciuilitie and they did so Now I leaue it to your consideration whether this was not gratefull vnto God since to this end he indewed them with the light of reason and a naturall propention 4. Naturall reason is a good tree which Gods owne finger planted in our soule the fruits that spring from it cannot otherwise be then good yet in truth in comparison of that which springs from grace they are of a very lowe rate though not of no value sith God put a rate vpon them bestowing in respect of them temporall rewards as he rewarded the morall vertues of the Romans according to S. AVGVSTINE with the great extention and glorious reputation of their Empire 5. Sinne without question makes the soule sicke whence she is not able to performe great and powerfull operations though little ones she can for all the sicke mans actions are not sicke he speakes he sees he heares he drinkes The soule in sinne can doe good workes which being naturall are rewarded with naturall rewards being ciuile they are payed with ciuile and humane money that is with temporall commodities The sinner is not in the state of the diuills whose wills are so drunke vp and incorporated in euill that they can will no good at all No THEO the sinner in this world is not in this estate He is thereby indeede wounded to death in the way betwixt Hierusalem and Ierico but as yet is not dead for saieth the Ghospell he is left halfe aliue and as such he can produce actions halfe a liue t is true he can neither walke nor rise nor crie for aide no not so much as speake saue onely languidly by reason of his faint heart yet can he open his eyes stirre his fingers sigh make some little complaints which are weake actions notwithstanding all which he might haue bene found miserably lying dead in his owne blood had not the mercifull Samaritaine poured his owne honie and wine into his wounds and carried him to a lodging where he gaue charge that he should be dressed and looked too at his cost 5. Naturall reason is deeply wounded and halfe slayne by sinne so that being so at vnder it cannot obserue all the Commandements which notwithstanding it apprehends to be conuenient It knowes its dutie but cannot acquit it selfe thereof It 's eyes hath more light to discouer the way then its legges hath strength to vndertake it 6. The sinner may indeede here and there obserue some of the Commandements yea all of them for some small time while there is not presented vnto him high subiects in which commanded vertues are to be practised or some violent temptation of committing a prohibited sinne But that a sinner should siue loÌ„g in his sinne whithout adding to it new ones is not a thing that can be done but by God's speciall protection For mans enemie is hot stirring and in perpetuall action to precipitate him and when he sees that occasion of practising ordinarie vertues doe not occurre he stirrs vp a thousand temptations to make him fall into forbidden things at which time NATVRE without GRACE cannot warrant it selfe from falling for if we ouercome it 's God giues vs the victorie through IESVS CHRIST as S. PAVLE saieth watch and praie that you enter not into temptation If God had saied onely WATCH we should apprehend our owne power sufficient but adding PRAIE he showes that if he keepe
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
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
truth or a most true humilitie that indeede we are most vnprofitable and vnfruitfull seruants to our Maister who by reason of his essentiall superabundancie of riches can haue no profit by vs but conuerting all our works to our owne aduantage and commoditie he makes vs serue him with as little profit to him as much profit to our selues who by so small labours gaine so great rewards 3. He was not then bound to paie vs for our seruice if he had not passed his promis for it yet doe not thinke THEO that he would so manifest his goodnesse in this promise as to forget to glorifie his wisdome yea contrariwise he did most exactly obserue the rules of equitie mixing comelinesse with liberalitie in an admirable manner for though our works are indeede very small and in no wise for their quantitie cōparable to Glorie yet in regard of their qualitie they are very proportionable therevnto by reason of the Holy Ghost who by Charitie dwelling in our hearts workes them in vs by vs and for vs in so exquisite a manner that the same workes that are wholy ours are more wholy his sith as he doth produce them in vs so we againe produce them in him as he doth them for vs so we doe them for him as he operats them with vs so we cooperate them with him 4. Now the holy Ghost doth dwell in vs if we be liuely members of IESVS CHRIST who herevpon saied vnto his Disciples He that abids in me and I in him he brings forth much fruit and it is THEO because he that abids in him is made partaker of his diuine Spirit who is in the midst of mans heart as a liuing fountaine of water springing vp vnto life euerlasting so the holy oyle which was poured vpon our Sauiour as vpon the head of the Church militant and triumphant doth spread it selfe ouer the societie of the Blessed who as the sacred beard of this heauenly Maister is continually fastened to his glorious face and doth drope vpon the companie of the faithfull who as clothes are ioyned and vnited by loue to the Diuine Maiestie the one and the other troope being composed of naturall brethren hauing hereby occasion to crie out Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell in one as oyntment on the head which ranne downe vpon the beard the beard of Aaron which ranne downe vpon the hemme of his garment 5. Our works therefore as a little corne of mustard are in no sort comparable in greatnesse to the tree of glorie which they produce yet haue they the vigour and vertue to worke it for that they proceede from the holy ghost who by an admirable infusiō of his grace into our hearts makes our works his and yet withall leaues them our owne since we are members of one head whereof he is the Spirit and ingraffed in a tree whereof he is the sape and whereas he doth in this sort act in our actions and we after a certaine manner doe operate or cooperate to his operation he leaues vs to our part all the merite ad profite of our seruices and good workes and we againe leaue him all the honour and praise thereof acknowledging that the beginning the progresse and the end of all the good we doe depends of his mercy by which he hath come vnto vs and hath preuented vs he came into vs and assisted vs he came with vs and conducted vs finishing what he had begun But ô God THEO how mercifull is this Bountie vnto vs in this diuision we render him the glorie of our praises alas and he giues vs the glorie of his possession In somme by these light and passing labours we obtaine goods permanent for all eternitie Amen That perfect vertues are neuer one without the other CHAPTER VII 1. The heart is saied to be the first part of a mā which receiues life by the vnion of the soule and the eye the last as contrariwise in a naturall death the eye begins first to die the heart the last Now when the heart begins to liue before the other parts be animated life is feeble tender and imperfect but still as it gets further possession in the other parts of the bodie life is more vigorous in each part but particularly in the heart and we see that life being interressed in any one of the members it is weakened in all the rest If a mans foote or arme be agreeued all the bodie is disseased stirred troubled and changed If our stomake paine vs the eyes voice and countenance are sensible of it Such is the agreement amongst all the parts of man for the enioying of this naturall life 2. All the vertues are not gotten in an instant but one after another as reason which is as the soule of our heart rids it selfe now of one passion now of another to moderate and gouerne them and ordinarily this life of our soule takes it's beginning in the heart of our passion which is Loue and branching it selfe ouer all the rest it doth euen quicken the very vnderstanding by contemplation as contrariwise morall or spirituall death makes its entrie into the soule by the consideration Death enters by the windowes saieth the sacred Text and its last effect is to distroy the good Loue which once perishing all our morall life is dead in vs so that though me may indeede haue some vertues seperated from others yet are they but at most languishing imperfect and weake vertues since that reason which is the life of our soule is neuer satisfied or at ease in a soule vnlesse it occupie and possesse all the faculties and passions of the same and being once agreeued or hurt in any one of our passions or affections all the rest loose their force and vigour and strangly doe pine away 3. Marke THEO all the vertues are vertues by the proportion or conformitie they haue to reason and an action cannot be named vertuous if it proceede not from the affection which the heart beares to the decencie and beautie of reason Now if the loue of reason doe possesse and animate the mynd it will be obedient to reason in all occurrences and consequently will practise all the vertues If IACOB loued RACHEL in respect that she was Laban's daughter why did he despise LIA who was not onely the daughter but euen the eldest daughter of the saied LABAN But because he affected RACHEL by reason of her beautie he could neuer equally loue the poore LIA though a fruitfull and wise maide not being so faire in his eye He that loues a vertue for the loue of the reason and decorum that shines in it he will loue them all since he will find the same motiue in thē all and he will loue each of them more or lesse as reason shall appeare in them more or lesse resplendēt He that loues Liberalitie and not Chastitie shewes sufficiently that he loues not liberalitie for the beautie of reason for that is
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
conserue life after Charities death who gaue them life The Lake which profane authours doe commonly call Asphalitus and sacred authours MARE-MORTVVM hath so heauie a curse put vpon it that nothing that is put into it can liue when the fish of Iordaine doe come neere it they die vnlesse they speedily returne backe against the streame The trees vpon the brims of it produce nothing aliue and though their fruit be in apparance and autward shew like to the fruits of other countries howbeit when on puls them they are found to be skinne and core being full of asshes which flie away in the wind These be the markes of infamous sinns for the punishment whereof this Coūtrie which was peopled with three populous Cities was of old conuerted into a pit of filth and corruption and nothing was deamed better to represent the mischeife of sinne then this abominable Lacke which had its origine from the most execrable disorder that could be cōmitted by mans bodie Sinne therefore as a dead and mortall sea kills all that comes neere it nothing is found liuing in the soule which it possesseth nor all about it O God THEO nothing for sinne is not onely a dead worke but is withall so infections and venimous that the most excellent vertues of the sinfull soule doe produce no liuing action And though the actions of sinners haue oftentimes a great resemblance with those of the iust man yet are they indeede barkes onely stuffed with wind and dust whē they are truely looked into and are rewarded of God onely by some present benefits which are bestowed vpō thē as vpon the chambermaids children yet are they such barkes as neither are nor can be so tasted and relished by the Diuine Iustice as to be rewarded with an eternall crowne they die vpon the trees and cannot be conserued in the hand of God being voyd of true worth as it is saied in the Apocalypse to the Bishop of Sardis who was reputed a liuing tree by reason of diuers vertues which he practised and yet dead he was for that being in sinne his vertues were not true liuing fruits but dead barkes glorious to the eyes but no wayes sauorie to the palate so that we may all cast out this true voice following the holy Apostle without Charitie I am nothing nothing doth profit me and with S. AVGVSTINE saie Giue Charitie to a heart and all doth profit depriue it of Charitie and nothing doth profit it I meane towards life euerlasting for as we haue saied the vertuous works of sinners are profitable to our temporall life But my deare THEO what doth it profit a man to gaine all the world temporally if he loose his soule eternally How holy Loue returning into the soule doth reuiue all the works which sinne had slayne CHAPTER XII 1. THe works then of a sinner while he is depriued of Charitie are not profitable to eternall life and therevpon they are called dead works whereas contrariwise the good works of the iust man are saied to be liuing for that the Diuine Loue doth animate and quicken them with its dignitie And if afterwards they loose their life and worth by sinne they are held to be workes that are deaded extinguished or mortified onely but not quite deade especially in the Elect for as our Sauiour speaking of the little Tabitha Iarus his daughter said she was not dead but slept onely because she continued dead so small a time till she was resuscitated that it seemed rather to be a sleepe then a true death So the works of the iust man but especially of the elect who by the commission of sinne dyeth are not called dead works but onely deaded mortified stounded or put into a trance because vpon the next returne of holy Loue they either ought or at least may reuiue and returne to life againe Sinn 's returne depriues the soule and all her workes of life the returne of Grace doth restore life to the soule and all her actions A sharpe winter doth dead all the plants of the fields so that if it continued still they would still continew in the state of death Sinne the sad and daunting winter of the soule doth quayle all the holy workes that it finds there in and if it did alwayes continew neuer would any thing recouer either life or vigour But as in the returne of the pleasant spring not onely the seedes which are sowē by the helpe of this delightfull and fruitfull season doe gratefully bud and blossome euery one in his kind but euen the old plants which the rigour of the winter past had bitten withered and deaded waxe greene and doe resume new force vertue and life So sinne being blotted out and the grace of Diuine Loue returning into the soule the new affections which this spring of grace doth bring doe blossome and bring forth ample merites and blessings but the works that are dried vp and withered by the rigour of the winter of sinns ouer passed as being deliuered from their mortall enemye resume their force waxe strong and as risen from the dead they florish a new and store vp merits for the eternall life Such is the omnipotencie of Diuine Loue or the Loue of the Diuine omnipotencie If the impious turne away himselfe from his impietie and shall doe iudgement and iustice he shall viuificate his soule conuert and doe penance for all your iniquities and iniquitie shall not be a ruine vnto you saieth our Lord. And what is that iniquitie shall not be a ruine vnto you but that the ruine which it made shall be repaired So besides a thousand courtisies that the prodigall sonne receiued at his Fathers hands he was reestablished euen with aduantage in all his ornaments graces fauours and dignities which he had lost And IOB that innocent picture of a penitent sinner did in the end receiue the double of that which he had Verily it is the Councell of Trēts desire that we should encourage the penitents that are returned into fauour with God allmightie in these words of the Apostle Abound in euery good worke knowing that your labour is not vnprofitable in our Lord for God is not vniust to forget your worke and the Loue which you haue showen in his name God then doth not forget the works of those who by sinne hauing lost loue recouers it againe by penance Now God is saied to forget our workes whē they loose their merite and sanctitie by sinne committed and he remembers them when they returne to life and vigour by the presence of holy Loue. So that amongst the faithfull it is not necessarie to the reward of their good works as well by the encrease of grace and future glorie as by the enioying of life euerlasting in effect that one fall not into sinne but it is sufficient according to the Councell of Trent that one depart this life in God's grace and charitie 2. God hath promised an eternall reward to the works of a iust man but if the
takes vpon him publike seruice and withall pretends honour if his pretention be more to honour himselfe then to serue the common wealth or whether his pretention be equall in them both he doth amisse and is indeede ambitious For he ouerthrowes the order of reasoÌ„ in either preferring or equalizing his owne interest with a publike good But if his principall eÌ„d be the publike good and yet withall he haue a desire thereby to aduance the honour of his familie verily one knowes not how to blame him not onely because both his pretentions are honest but are also well ordered Some will communicate at Easter that they may not be blamed by their neighbours and withall to obeye God who can doubt but they doe well But if they communicate equally or more to auoyd blame then to obeye God who can also doubt but they doe impertinently in equalizing or preferring humane respects before the obedience which they owe to God One may fast in Lent either by Charitie to please God or by obedience because it is a precept of the Church or else for sobrieties sake or out of diligence to studie better or through prudence to spare somewhat for some other necessitie by chastitie to th' end I might tame my bodie or out of religion the better to praie Now if I please I may make a collection of all these intentions and fast for them all together But in this case there must be good gouernment vsed to order these motiues For if I fast rather out of a sparing humour then for obedience to the Church rather that I may studie well then to please God who doth not see that I confound right and order preferring myne owne interest before the obedience due to the Church or Gods pleasure To fast to spare is good To fast to obeye the Church is better to fast to please God is best and though it seeme that of three goods one cannot compose a bad thing yet he that should displace them preferring the worse before the better should without doubt coÌ„mite a blame worthy disorder 4. He that inuites but one of his friends doth in no wise offend the rest but if he inuite them all and yet giue the greatest respect to the least drawing the most honorable to the lowest end doth he not offend both those and these these because he doth depresse them against reason those because he makes fooles of them So to doe an action for one onely reasonable motiue be it neuer so little reason is not offended at it but he that will haue many motiues he is to ranke them according to their qualities otherwise he sinneth for disorder is a sinne as sinne is a disorder He that desires to please both God and our B. Ladie doth excellent well but he that would please our Blessed Ladie as much or more then God â—hould commit an insupportable disorder and one might saie to him as was saied to Cain Though you offered well yet you diuided ill leaue off you haue sinned Euery end must haue its right place And consequently the end of louing God the soueraigne place 5. Now the soueraigne motiue of our actions which is that of heauenly loue hath this soueraigne propertie that being more pure it makes the action which proceedes from it more pure so that the Angels and Saints of Heauen loue nothing for any other pretention then for the loue of the Diuine goodnesse and with intention to please True it is they exercise a most ardent mutuall loue amongst themselues as they also loue vs and the vertues but all this purely to please God They follow and practise vertues not for that they are faire and delightfull but because they are agreeable to God They loue their owne felicitie not because it is in them but for that it pleaseth God Yea verily they loue the Loue with which they loue God not because it is in theÌ„ but for that it tends to God not because it is gustfull to themselues but because it is pleasant to God not because they enioye and possesse it but because God giues it them and delightes himselfe in it The practise of that which hath bene saied in the precedent chapter CHAPTER XIV 1. LEt vs striue therefore THEO to purifie all our intentions and since we may if we list grace all the actions of vertue with the sacred motiues of Diuine Loue why shall we not doe it reiecting as occasion requires all kind of vicious motiues as vaine glorie and proper interest and Let vs consider all the good motiues which we may haue to vndertake the present action that we may choose the motiue of holy Loue which is the most excellent of all to water moisten all the other with it for example if I desire vallourously to expose my selfe to the danger of warre I may put it in execution in consideration of diuers motiues for the naturall motiue of this action is that of strength and vallour which moues vs reasonably to vndertake dangerous exploits yet besides this I may haue diuers other motiues as that of obeying the Prince whom I serue the loue of the common wealth that of magnanimitie which makes me delight my selfe in the greatnesse of this action Now comming to the deede doing I put my selfe vpon the foreseene perill for all these motiues together But to raise them all to the degree of Diuine Loue and perfectly to purifie them I will pronounce in my soule from my very heart ô eternall God who art the most deare Loue of my affections if vallour obedience to my Prince Loue of my CouÌ„trie and magnanimitie were not agreeable vnto thee I would neuer follow their motions which now I feele but whereas these vertues are delightfull vnto thee I embrace this occasion of putting them in practise and will no otherwise second their instinct and inclination then because thou louest and willest them 2. You see plainly THEO how by this reflection of our mind we perfume all those other motiues with the odour and sweetenesse of holy Loue since we doe not meerely follow them as they are vertuous motiues but in qualitie of motiues that are desired embraced beloued and cherished of God He that steaks wherewithall to be drunke is more a drunkard then a thiefe according to Aristotle And he then that doth practise vallour obedience loue towards his couÌ„trie and magnanimitie to please God he is more a Diuine Louer then either valliant obedient good Patriote or magnanimous because his whole will in that exercise doth aime at and fall vpon the Loue of God making onely vse of all these motiues to arriue at this end We are not wont to saie we goe to Lyons but to Paris while we passe onely by Lions to Paris nor doe we saie we goe to singe but to serue God while we goe not to sing but to th' end to serue God 3. And if it chance that at sometimes we are touched with particular motiues as for example if we should
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
loue that should spring vp amongst the brambles and repugnances of a harsh and drie nature would be more braue and glorious and withall more delightfull and gracious like to the other 4. It imports not much then whether one haue a naturall inclination to loue when supernaturall loue is handled by which one works onely supernaturally Onely this THEO I would willingly crie out to all men ô mortalls if you haue hearts addicted to loue alas why doe you not pretend celestiall and Diuine Loue But if you be harsh and hard hearted alas poore peopâ—â— sith you are depriued of naturall Loue why doe you not aspire to supernaturall Loue which shall be louingly bestowed on you by him who so holily calls you to loue him That we are to haue a continuall desire to loue CHAPTER II. 1. LAy vp treasures in heauen one treasure is not sufficient to the liking of this Diuine Louer but he desires we should haue it in such aboundance that our treasure should be coÌ„posed of many treasures that is to saie THEO that we are to haue an insatiable desire of Louing God adding continually loue vpon loue What is it that doth so much presse the Bees to encrease their honie but the loue they beare to it ô heart of my soule who art created to loue the infinite good what loue canst thou desire but this loue which is the most to be desired of all loues Alas ô soule of my heart what desire canst thou loue but the most louely of all desires ô Loue of sacred desires ô desires of holy Loue ô how much haue I desisired to desire your perfections 2. The disgusted sickman hath no appetite to eate yet hath he an appetite to haue an appetite he desires no meate yet he desires to haue a desire THEO to know whether we loue God aboue all things is not in our power vnlesse God himselfe reueale it vnto vs yet we may easily know whether we desire to loue him aÌ„d perceiuing the desire of holy loue in vs we know that we begin to loue It is our seÌ„suall aÌ„d animall part which couets to eate but it is our reasonable part that desires this appetite and because the sensuall part doth not alwayes obeye the reasonable part it happens that we desire an appetite and yet haue it not 3. But the desire of louing and loue depend both of the same will Wherefore as soone as we haue framed a desire of louing we begin to haue some Loue and euer as this desire encreaseth loue also encreaseth He that desires Loue ardently shall shortly loue with ardour ô God THEO who will make vs so happie as that we may burne with this desire which is the desire of the poore and the preparation of their heart whom God doth willingly heare He that hath no assurance to loue God is a poore man and if he desire to loue him he is a beggar but a beggar in that bleessed beggarie of which our Sauiour hath saied Blessed are the poore of spirit for theirs is the kingdome of Heauen 4. Such an one was S. AVGVSTINE when he cryed out ô to loue ô to walke ô to die to a mans selfe ô to come to God! Such S. FRANCIS his saying let me die of thy Loue ô thou friend of my heart who hast daigned to die for my Loue Such S. CATHARINE of GENVA and S. TERESA when as spirituall Does panting and dying with the thirst of Diuine Loue they sighed out this voice ah Lord giue me this water 5. Temporall couituousnesse by which we doe greedily desire earthly riches is the roote of all euill but spirituall auarice whereby one doth incessaÌ„tly sigh after the pure gold of Diuine Loue is the roote of all good He that doth desire to Loue well doth search it well and he that doth search it well doth find it well and he that hath found it out he hath found the source of life whence he shall draw the saluation of our Lord. Let vs crie night and day THEO come ô holy Ghost fill the hearts of thy faithfull and kindle in them the fire of thy Loue. ô heauenly Loue when wilt thou fill my soule That to haue the desire of saâ—red Loue we are to cut of all other desires CHAPTER III. 1. VVHy doe hounds thinke you THEO more ordinarily loose the sent or straine of the game they runne in the spring time then in other times it is as the Hunters and Philosophers saie because the grasse and floures are then in their vigour so that the varietie of smells which they send out doth so fill the hounds sense of smelling that they can neither take nor follow the sent of their game amongst so sundrie â—ents which the earth doth euaporate Certes those soules that doe abound still in desires designes and proiects doe neuer desire the holy celestiall loue as they ought nor can perceiue the delightfull straine and sent of the Diuine beloued who is compared to the Roe or to the little Faune of the Do. 2. Lilies haue no season but growe soone or late as they are deeper or lesse deepe set in the ground for if they be thrust three fingers onely into the ground they will presently florish but if they be put 6. or 9. fingers into the earth they come vp later proportionably If the heart that pretends Diuine Loue be deeply engaged in terreane and temporall affaires it will bud late and with difficultie But if it haue onely so much to doe with the world as its condition requires you shall see it blosome timely in Loue and send out a delicious odour 3. For this cause the Saints betooke themselues to deserts that being freede from worldly solicitudes they might more ardently bestowe themselues in the exercise of holy Loue Hence the sacred Spouse shut the one of her eyes to th'ed that she might fixe the sight of the other alone more setledly and withall aime more directly at the very midst of her Beloued's heart which she desires to wound witâ— loue And for this same reason she keepes her haire so plaited and foulded together in tresses that she seemes to haue one onely haire which she makes vse off as of a chaine to bind and beare away her Spouse his heart whom she makes a slaue to her Loue. 5. They that desire for good and all to loue God shut vp their vnderstanding from worldly discoursâ—s to imploye it more feruently in Diuine meditations and doe gather vp all their pretentions into that onely one pretention of onely louing God Whosoeuâ—r he be that desires any thing which he desires not for God doth in that lesse desire God 5. A Religious man dâ—manded of B. Giles what he could doe most gratefull to God and he answâ—red him by singing one to one that is one onely soule to one onely God So many desires and Loues in our heart are as many children vpon one dâ—gge who while they can not all sucke at once they thrust to it now one
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.
The Bee doth pickle vpon the Lilie the Flower-deluce the Rose yet they get as ample a prey vpon the little minute Rosmarie flowres and Thyme yea they draw not onely more honie from thence but euen better honie for in these little vessells the honie is locked vp more closely yea and is better kept therein Certes in the low and little workes of deuotion Charitie is not onely practised more frequently but ordinarily more humbly too and consequently more fruitfully and holily 4. These condescendances to others humours these supportations of the clownish and troublesome actions and behauiours of our neighbour these victories ouer our owne humours and passions these renounciations of our lesser inclinations these endeauours against our owne auersions and repugnances this heartie and sweete acknowledgment of our owne imperfections the continuall paines we take to keepe our soule in an equalitie this loue of our owne abiection the gentle and gracious acceptance which we make of the contempt and censurs of our condition our life couersation and actions THEO all these things are more profitable to our soules then we can conceiue so that holy Loue haue the husbanding of them but we haue told Philothie this alreadie That we must haue a care to doe our actions very perfectly CHAPTER VII 1. OVr Sauiour as the auncients report was wount to saie to his be skilâ—ull exchangers If the pistoll be nor good gold if it want weight if it be not bet to lawfull coyne it is cast backe as not currant if a worke be not of a good SPECIES if it be not adorned with Charitie if the intention be not pious it shall not be admitted amongst the good workes If I Fast but yet out of sparingnesse my fast is not of a good SPECIES if it be out of temperance and yet I haue some mortall sinne in my soule the worke wants weight for it is Charitie that giues poise to all that we doe if it were onely through conuersation and to accommodate my selfe to my companions the worke is not stamped with an approoued intentioÌ„ but if I fast out of Temperance and be in God's grace and that I haue an intention to please his Diuine Maiestie by this Temperance tha shall be currant money fit to augment in me the treasure of Charitie 2. To doe little actions with a great puritie of intention and with a will addicted to please God is to doe them excellently and then also they doe greatly sanctifie vs. There are some that eate much and yet are still leane thinne and languishing because their power of disgestion is not good others there are who eate little and yet are alwayes in good plight and vigorous because their stomake is good Euen so there are some soules that doe many workâ—s and yet encrease but little in Charitie because they doe them either coldly and negligently or by an naturall instinct and inclination more then by Diuine inspiration or heauenly heate and contrariwise others there are who doe but few good workes marry they doe them with so holy a will and intention that they make a wonderfull aduancement in charitie they haue but a few Talents yet they husband them so faithfully that their Maister doth largely rereward them for it A generall meanes whereby to applie our workes to Gods serâ—ice CHAPTER VIII 1. All that we doe and whatsoeuer we doe in word or deede let it all be done in the name of IESVS CHRIST whether you eate or you drinke or you doe some other thing doe all to the glorie of God these are the words of the Diuine Apostle which as thâ— great S. THOMAS saieth in explicating them are sufficiently practised when we haue the habit of holy Charitie whereby though we haue not an expresse and set purpose to doe euery worke for the loue of God yet is that intention couertly contained in the vnion and communion which we haue with God by which all the good we can doe is dedicated together with our selues to his Diuine Goodnesse It is not necessarie that a child which liues in his Fathers house and vnder his directions should declare that all that he gets is gotten to his Father for sith his person belongs to his Father all that depends of it will also belong vnto him It is sufficient also that we be Gods children by Loue to make all that we doe be entirely directed to his glorie 2. It is true then THEO as I haue saied elsewhere that euen as the Oliue-tree set neere vnto the vine doth impart vnto it its sauour so Charitie being neere the other vertuâ—s it doth coÌ„municate vnto them her perfection Yet true it is also that if one engraffe a vine vpon an Oliue-tree it doth not onely more perfectly leaue in it its taste but makes it also participat of its sape Nor be you content to haue Charitie and together with it the practise of vertues but endeuour that it may be by it and for it that you practise them that they may be rightely ascribed vnto it 3. When a Painter doth hold and leade an apprentise his hand the strokes that he makes are principally attributed to the Painter because though the Prentise indeede contributed the motion of his hand and the application of his Pensell yet the Maister also for his part did so mingle his motion with that of the Apprentises that giuing the impression therein the honour of whatsoeuer is good in the stroke is especially ascribed to him though yet the Prentise is also praised by reason of the pliablenesse with which he accommodated his motion to his Maisters direction ô how excellent vertuous actions are when Diuine Loue doth imprint his sacred motion vpon them that is when they are done by Loues motiue but this happens differently 4. The motiue of Diuine Loue doth poure fourth a particular influence of perâ—ection vpon the vertuous actions of those that haue in a speciall manner dedicated themselues vnto God to serue him for euer Such are Bishops and Priests who by a Sacramentall consecration and by a spirituall Character which cannot be blotted our vowe themselues as stigmatized and marked seruants to the perpetuall seruice of God Such are Religious who by their vowes either solemne or simple are sacrificed vnto God in qualitie of liuing and reasonable Hosts Such all those that doe betake themselues to pious Congregations dedicated for euer to Gods glorie Further such are all those that of let purpose doe procure in themselues deepe and strong resolutions to follow the will of God making for this end a recollection for some dayes that they may stirre vp their soule by diuers spirituall exercises to the entire reformation of their life a holy methode and ordinarie amongst the auncient Christians but since almost quite left of till the great seruant of God Ignatius de Loyola brought it into vse againe in the time of our Fathers 5. I know well that some are of opinion that this generall oblation of our selues doth not extend
its vâ—rtue and beare its influence vpon the actions which we practise afterwards but so farre forth as in the exercise of them we applie the motiue of Loue in particular by dedicating them in a speciall manner to the glorie of God Yet doe all confesse with SAINT BONAVENTVRE who hath the generall approbation of all in this behalfe that if I haue determined in my heart to giue an huÌ„dred crownes for Gods sake though afterwards I make the distribution of this somme at leasure hauing my mind distracted and without attention yet is all the distribution made through Loue because it proceedes from the first proiect which Diuine Loue made me make of giuing the whole 6. But I praie you Tâ—EO what difference is there betwixt him that offers an hundred crowneâ— to God and him thâ—t offers to him all his actions truly there is none at all but that the one offers a somme of money the other a somme of actions And why I praie shall they not then be doth esteemed to make the distribution of the parcells of the somme in vertue of their first purpose and fundamentall resolutions And if one that distributs his crownes without attention be not depriued of the influence of his first purpose why shall not the other in the distribution of his actionâ— enioye the fruit of his first intention He that purposely hath made himselfe a louing seruant of the Diuine goodnesse hath by consequence dedicated all his actions to the same goodnesse 7. Grounding vpon this truth euery one should once in his life make a good recollection thereby to cleane his soule from all sinne and vpoÌ„ it to make an inward and solide resolution to liue wholy to God as we haue giuen instructions in the first part of the Introduction to a deuote life And afterwards at least once euery yeare to make a suruey vpon ones conscience and a renouation of the first resolution which we haue put downe in the fift part of the same booke to which in this behalfe I remit you 8. Certes SAINT BONAVENTVRE doth auoutch that a man that hath gotten so great an inclination and custome of well doing that he doth it frequently without any speciall intention looseth not the merits of such actions which are enriched by Loue from whence they spring as from their roote and originall source of thire blessed habit facilitie and promptitude Of certaine other meanes whereby we may applie our workes more particularly to the Loue of God CHAPTER IX 1. VVHen the Pea-hen hatcheth her egges in a white place her youÌ„g ones are also white And when our intentions are in the loue of God when we proiect some good worke or vndertake some certaine vocation all the actions which doe issue thence take their worth and deriue their nobilitie from the Loue whence they descended for who doth not see that the actioÌ„s which are proper to my vocation and requisite to my designe doe depend of this first election and resolution which I made 2. Yet THEO one must not staie there but to make an excellent progresse in deuotion we must not onely in the begining of our conuersion and afterâ—ards once euery yeare addresse all our life and actions to God but we must euen offer them vnto him euery day following the morning exercise which we haue taught Philothie for in this dayely renewing of our oblation we spread the vertue and vigour of our loue vpon our actions by a new application of our heart to the Diuine glorie by meanes whereof it is still more and more sanctified 3. Besides this let vs an hundred and an hundred times a day applie our life to Diuine Loue by the practise of iaculatorie praiers eleuations of the mind and spirituall retreats for thâ—sâ— holy exercises casting and bearing vp our minds to Gâ—d doe also in the end draw all our actions thither and how should it come to passe I praie you that a soule which doth euery moment dart vp herselfe at the Diuine Goodnesse and which doth incessantly breath words of Loue to th' end she may keepe her heart continually lodged in the bosome of her heauenly Faâ—her should not be thought to doe all her good workes in God and for God 4. She that saieâ—h ah Lord I am thyne my beloued is wholy myne and I am wholy his My God thou art my all O IESVS thou art my life ah who will doe me the fauour that I may die to my selfe to th' end I may liue onely to thee O to loue to goe to die to a mans selfe ô to liue to God! ô to bee in God! ô Lord whatsoeuer is not thy very selfe is nothing to me She I saie doth she not continually dedicate her actions to her heauenly Spouse ô how blessed is the soule who hath once stripped and perfectly resigned herselfe into the hands of God Almightie whereof we spoke before for afterwards she will onely neede one little sight aÌ„d view of God to renew and confirme her stripping resignation and oblation together with her Protestation that she will haue nothing but God and for God and that she neither loues herselfe nor any other thing in the world but in God and for the Loue of God 5 The exercise then of continuall aspirations is very proper for the application of all our works to Loue. But principally it is abundantly sufficient for the small and ordinarie actions of our life for as for heroicall workes and maters of consequeÌ„ce it is expedient if we intend to make any great profit to vse the ensuing methode as I haue alreadie giuen a touch elsewhere 6. Let vs in these occurreÌ„ces eleuate our heart aÌ„d spirit to God let vs burie our consideration and exteÌ„de our thoughts into the most holy and glorious eternitie let vs behold how in it the Diuine goodnesse did tenderly cherish vs preparing all conuenient meanes for our saluation and progresse in his Loue and in particular the commoditie to doe the good which doth at that present presente it selfe vnto vs or to suffer the euill which befalls vs. This done displaying if we may so saie and eleuating the armes of our consent let vs embrace dearely feruently and most louingly as well the good which presents it selfe to be done as the euill which we are to suffer in consideration that God willed it so from all eternitie to please him and to obeye his prouidence 7. Behold the great S. CHARLES when his Diocese was infested with the plague he lifted vp his heart to God and beheld attentiuely that in the eternitie of Gods Prouidence this scourge was determined and prepared for his flocke and that the same Prouidence had ordained that in this their scourge he should take a most tender care to serue solace and cordially to assist the afflicted sith that in this occurrence he chanced to be the Ghostly Father Pastour and Bishope of that Prouince Wherevpon representing vnto himselfe the greatnesse of the paines toyles and hazards which he was necessarily
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
exercised the Inferiour part and testified that according to it and it's codsiderations his will declined the griefes and paines He shewed afterwards that he had a superiour part by which inuiolably adhering to the Eternall will and Decree made by his heauenlie Father he willingly accepted death and notwithstanding the Inferiour part of reason he saieth ah no Lord not my will but thyne be done when he saieth My will he takes it according to the Inferiour portion and in as much as he saieth it voluntarily he shewes in himselfe a Superiour will That in these 2. portions of the soule there are found 4. different degrees of reason CHAPTER XII 1. THere were three Portalls in SALOMONS Temple one for Gentils and strangers who hauing recourse to God came to adore in Hierusalem the second for the Israelits men and women the separation of men from women not being made by SALOMON the third for Priests and Leuits and then there was the Sanctuarie or sacred house the which was open to the Higâ— Priest onely and that but once a yeare Our Râ—â—son or rather our soule as she is reasonable is the true Temple of the Almightie who there takes vp his chiefe residence I sought thee Saieth S. AVGVSTINE without my selfe but found thee not because thou wast with in me In this mysticall Temple there are also three partitions which are Three different degrees of reason In the first we discourse according to the experience of Sense in the second according to Humane Sciences in the third according to faith but beyond all this we discouer a certaine Hight or highest point of reason and the spirituall facultie which is not guided by the light of discourse or reason but by a simple view of the vnderstanding and a simple touch of the will by which the soule yeelds and submits her selfe to Veritie and the will of God 2. Now this extremitie and Climate of our soule this highest point of our spirit is naturally well represented by the Sanctuarie or Holy place For first in the Sanctuarie there were no windowes to giue light In this degree of the soule there is no discourse which doth illuminate Secondly in the Sanctuarie all the light entred by the Port in this degree of the soule nothing enters but by faith which produceth in manner of rayes the view and gust of the beautie and bountie of the good pleasure of God Thirdly none entred into the Sanctuarie saue the high Priest In this point of the soule discourse approacheth not but onely the high vniuersall and soueraigne feeling that the diuine will ought soueraignely to be embraced loued and approued not onely in some particular things but generally in all things nor generally in all things onely but also particularly in each thing Fouerthly the High Priest entring into the Sanctuarie obscured euen that light which came by the Port and the abundance of perfumes from his Thurible repulsed the rayes of light which by the Port sought passage and all the light which is in the supreame part of the soule is in some sort obscured and vealed by the renunciations and resignations which the soule makes not desiring so much to behould and see the Beautie of the Truth and the Truth of the Bountie presented vnto her as to embrace and adore the same in suchwise that the soule would almost shut her eyes as soone as she begins to see the dignitie of Gods will to th' end that not being further occupied in that consideration she might more powerfully and perfectly receiue it and by an absolute complacence infinitly vnite and submit her selfe thervnto Fiftly to conclude in the Sanctuarie was kept the Arke of the Alliance and in that or ioyning to it the Tables of the Lawe MANNA in a golden vessell AARONS rod which in a night bore flowers and fruite and in this highest point of the soule first of all the light of faith figured by the MANNA enclosed in the pot whereby we quietly beleeue the truth of mysteries which our vnderstanding can not attaine to secondly the profit of hope represented by Aarons florishing and fruitfull rod by which we confidently expect our promised happinesse which we see not Thirdly the sweetnesse of holy charitie represented by Gods commandements which she containes wherby we repose in the vnion of our spirit with God's which we scarcely perceiue 3. And although Faith Hope and Charitie doe disperce their diuine motions into almost all the faculties of the soule as well reasonable as sensitiue reducing and holily subiecting them to their iust authoritie yet their speciall residence their true and naturall Mannor is this supreame region of the soule from whence as from a happie source of liue water it brancheth it selfe out by diuerse Conduits and Brookes vpon the inferiour partes and faculties 4. So that THEOTIME in the superiour part of reason there are Two degrees of reason in the one those discourses are made which depend of faith and supernaturall light in the other the simple repose of faith hope and charitie SAINT PAVLES soule found here selfe pressed with two diuerse desires the one to be deliuered from his bodie to flie vp streight to IESVS CHRIST the other to remaine in this would to labour in the conuersion of soules both these desires were without doubt in the Superiour part for they proceeded both from Charitie but his resolution of the later proceeded not from discourse but from a simple light and liking he had of his maisters will towards which the very point of the spirit of this great seruant turned to the preiudice of all that Discourse might conclude 5. But if Faith Hope and Charitie be formed by this holy Rest in the point of the spirit how comes it to passe that in the Inferiour part discourse is made depending of the light of Faith As we see Aduocats in many words pleade the facts and rights of parties at the Barre the Parliament or Senate from aboue resolues all the strife by a positiue sentence which being pronounced the Aduocats and Auditours rest not for all that to discourse amongst them selues of the Parliaments motiues ther vnto Euen so THEOTIME after discourse and aboue all that the grace of God haue persuaded the point and highest part of the spirit to beleeue and forme an Act of faith by manner of sentence the vnderstanding doth not leaue to discourse againe vpon that same Act of faith already conceiued to consider the motiues and reasons therof yet so as Theologicall Discourses passe in the lower Benches and Barre of the Superiour portion of the soule but the Arrests aboue in the Tribunall of the point of the spirit And because the knowledge of these 4. degrees of the reason is much conducing to the vnderstanding of all the treatises of spirituall things I haue enlarged my selfe in the explication therof The difference of loues CHAPTER XIII 1. LOue is deuided into two species wherof the one is called Loue of beneuolence or good will th' other Loue