his order rancke place distance and proportion And one not acquainted with the secret would be astonished to see proceede from one Act so great varietie of effects So THEOTIME Nature as a Painter multiplies and diuersifies her Acts according as the workes she hath in hand are diuerse and she takes great time to finish great effects But God as the Stamper gaue being to all the diuersitie of Creaturs which haue bene are or shall be by one onely touch of his omnipotent will drawing from his Idea as from a well grauen stampe this admirable difference of persons and other things which succeede in seasons ages and times in their due order and being this Soueraigne vnitie of the diuine Act being opposed to Confusion and Disorder not to Distinction and Varietie which it implies in the composition of beautie reducing all Differences and Diuersities to Proportion Proportion to Order and Order to the Vnitie of the world which compriseth all things created visible and inuisible all which together are called the Vniuerse peraduenture because their Diuersitie is reduced to Vnitie as though one would saie One-diuerse that is One and Diuerse Vnitie with Diuersitie or Diuersitie with Vnitie 6. In somme the soueraigne diuine Vnitie doth diuersifie and his permanent Eternitie giues change to all things because the perfection of this vnitie being aboue all difference and varietie it is able to furnish all the diuersities of created perfections with their being and contains a vertue to produce them In signe of which the Scripture relats that God in the beginning saied let the lights be made in the firmament of heauē and let them separate daie from night and let them be signes for times daies and yeares further we see euen to this daie a perpetuall reuolution of times and seasons which shall continew till the end of the world to teach vs that as One word of his commanding will Doth all the world with motion fill So the onely eternall will of his diuine Maiestie extends his force from age to age yea to the ages of ages to all that hath bene is or shall be eternally nothing at all hauing any beeing but by this sole most simple and most eternall diuine Act to which be honour and glorie Amen Touching the diuine prouidence in generall CHAPTER III. 1. GOd then THEOTIME needes no diuersitie of Acts syth that one onely diuine Act of his All puissant will by reason of it's infinite perfection is sufficient to produce all the varietie of workes But we mortalls must treate of them in such an intelligible methode and manner as our small capacities may attaine vnto Following which in treating of the Diuine prouidence let vs consider I praie you the raigne of the great SALOMON as a perfect modell of the art of good gouernment 2. This great king then knowing by diuine inspiration that the Weale-publicke dependeth vpon Religion as the Bodie vpon the Soule and Religion vpon the Weale-publicke as the Soule vpon the Bodie he disposed in his minde of all the parts requisite as well for the establishment of Religion as that of the Common-wealth and touching Religion he determined that a Temple was to be erected of such and such a length breadth and hight so many Porches and Portalls so many windowes and so fourth concerning the rest which belonged to the Temple Then so many Sacryficers so many Singers and other officers of the Temple And as for the Common wealth he ordained to make a Royall Palace and a Court for his Maiestie in it so many Stewards so many Gentlemen and other Courtiers And for the people Iudges and other Magistrats who were to execute Iustice further for the assurance of his kingdome and establishment of the wealpublicks repose wherof himselfe was partaker he appointed in time of peace a powrefull Preparation for warre and to this effect two hundred and fiftie Commanders in diuerse charges fortie thousand horse and all that great furniture which the Scripture and Historians doe testifie 3. Now hauing thus made his count and disposed in himselfe of all the principall things requisite for his Kingdome he came to the Act of Prouidence and passed in his cogitation all things necessarie for the structure of the Temple to maintaine the sacred Officers Ministers Royall Magistrats and men of armes which he had proiected he resolued to send to HIERAM for fit timber to begin commerce with PERV and OPHIR and to take all conuenient meanes to procure all things requisite for the entertainement and good conduct of his enterprise Neither staied he there THEOTIME for hauing made his proiect and deliberated in himselfe about the proper meanes to accomplish it comming to the practise he created officers according to his determination and by a good gouernment caused prouision to be made of all things requisite to comply with and execute their charges so that hauing the knowledge of the art of well gouerning he executed that disposition which he had passed in his mind touching the creation of Officers of euery sort and effected his Prouidence by the good gouernment which he vsed and so his art of good gouernment which consisted in disposition prouidence or foresight was practised in the creation of Officers Gouernment and good carriage of things But for so much as that dispositiō was frutelesse without the Creation of Officers and Creation also vaine without Prouidence which lookes for necessaries for the conseruation of Officers created or erected and in fine that this Conseruation effected by good gouernment is no other thing then Prouidence put in execution and therfore not onely the Disposition but also the Creation and good gouernment of SALOMON were called by the name PROVIDENCE nor doe we indeede saie that a man is prouident vnlesse he gouerne well 4. Now THEOTIME speaking of heauenly things according to the impression made in vs by the consideration of humane things we affirme that God hauing had an eternall and most perfect knowledge of the Art of making the world for his glorie First in his diuine Vnderstanding he disposed all the principall parts of the Vniuerse which might render him honour to wit Angelicall and Humane Nature and in the Angelicall Nature the varietie of Hierarchies and Orders taught vs by the sacred Scripture and holy Doctours as also amongst Men he ordained that there should be so great diuersitie as we see Further in this same Eternitie he made accompt in himselfe and foresaw all the meanes requisite for Men and Angels to come to the end for which he had ordained them and so made the Act of his prouidence and without staying there to effect his Disposition he Actually created Angels and men and to effect his Prouidēce he did and doth furnish reasonable Creatures with all things necessarie to attaine Glorie So that to speake in a word the Soueraigne prouidence is no other thing then the Act wherby God doth furnish mē or Angels with the meanes necessarie or profitable to the obtaining of their end
to be fed with the Diuine substance it selfe taken into our soule by the mouth of our vnderstanding and that which passeth all delight is that as mothers are not contented in feeding their babes with their milke which is their owne substance â—f they doe not also put the nible of their dugge into their mouthes that they might not receiue their substance in a spoone or other instrument but euen in and by their owne substance it seruing as well for foode as a conduite to conuey it to the deere little suckling So God our Father is not contented to make vs receiue his proper substance in our vnderstanding that is to make vs see his Diuinitie but by an Abisse of his sweetenesse himselfe will applie his substance to our soule to th' end that we might no longer vnderstand by species or representation but in it selfe and by it selfe so that his fatherly and eternall substance is both SPECIES and OBIECT to our vnderstanding Then these diuine promisses shal be practised in an excellent manner I will leade her into the solitude and speake vnto her heart and giue her sucke reioyce with Hierusalem in ioye that you may drink and be filled with the dugge of his consolation and that you may sucke and be delighted with the whole abundance of his glorie you shall be carried to the Pap and be lulled vpon the knee 4. Infinite blisse THEOT And which was not promised onely but we haue earnest of it in the Blessed Sacrament that perpetuall Feast of Diuine Grace For in it we receiue the blood of our Sauiour in his flesh and his flesh in his blood his blood being applied vnto vs by meanes of his flesh his substance by his substance euen to our corporall mouth to th' end we might know that so he will applie vnto vs his Diuine essence in the eternall Feast of his Glorie True it is this fauour is really done vnto vs euen here but couertly vnder SACRAMENTALL SPECIES AND APPARENCES whereas in heauen the Diuinitie will giue himselfe openly and we shall see him face to face as he is Of the eternall vnion of the blessed spirits with God in the vision of the eternall birth of the Sonne of God CHAPTER XII 1. O Holy and diuine Spirit eternall Loue of the Father and the Sonne be propitious to myne infancie Our vnderstanding shall then see God THEO yes it shall see God face to face contemplating by a view of true and reall presence the Diuine essence it selfe and in it the infinite beauties thereof all-power all-goodnesse all-wisdome all-iustice and the rest of this Abisse of perfections 2. The vnderstanding then shall clearely see the infinite knowledge which God the Father had from all eternitie of his owne beautie for the expression of which in himselfe he pronounced and saied eternally the MOT the WORD or the most singular and most infinite speech or diction which comprising and representing all the perfection of the Father can be but one same God most one with him without diuision or separation We shall then also see that eternall and admirable generation of the diuine WORD and Sonne by which he was eternally borne to the image and likenesse of the Father a liuelie and naturall Image and likenesse not representing any accidents nor extrinsicall thing sith in God all is Substance nor can there be any accident all is interiour nor can ther be there any exteriour thing but an image representing the proper substance so liuely so naturally as well essentially as substantially that therfore it can be no other thing then the same God with him without distinction or differeÌ„ce at all either in essence or substance saue onely the distinction of persons for how could it be that this diuine sonne was the true liuelily liuely truely naturall image resemblance and figure of the infinite beautie and substance of the Father if it did not represent infinitly to the life and nature the infinite perfections of the Father and how could it infinitly represent infinite perfections if it were not infinitly perfect and how could it be infinitly perfect if it were not God and how could it be God if it were not the same God with the Father 3. The sonne then the infinite image and figure of his infinite Father is one onely God most singular and infinite with his Father there being no difference of substance betwixt them but onely the distinction of persons which distinction of persons as it is wholy necessarie so it is most sufficient to this that the Father pronounce and that the sonne should be the word pronounced that the Father speake and the Sonne be the word or the diction that the Father expresse and the Sonne be the image liknesse or figure expressed and in somme that the Father be Father and the Sonne Sonne two distinct persons but one onely Essence or Diuinitie so that God who is sole is not solitarie for he is sole in his most singular and simple Deitie yet is not solitarie because he is Father and Sonne in two persons O THEO what ioye what iubelie in the celebritie of this eternall birth keept in the SpleÌ„dour of Saints keept in seeing it and seene in keeping it 4. Milde S. BERNARD as yet a young child at Chatillon vpon Seine on Christmasse Eue expected in the Church while they begun the diuine Office and in this expectation the poore child fell into a light slumber meanewhile ô God what sweetenesse he saw in SPIRIT yet in a vision very distinct and cleare how the Sonne of God hauing espoused humane nature and becoming a little child in his mothers most pure entrals sprung virginally from her sacred wombe with a heauanly Maiestie masked in an humble mildenesse As Spouse who in a royall guise From mariage bed doth ioyfull rise A Vision THEO which did so replenish the little BERNARDS louely heart with content iubilation and spirituall dainties that he had all his life an extreame sense of it and therefore though after as a sacred Bee he daily culled out of all the diuine mysteries the honie of a thousand sweete aÌ„d heauenly consolations yet had he a more particular sweetenesse in the solemnitie of the Natiuitie and spoake with a singular gust of this birth of his Maister But alas I beseech thee THE if a mysticall and imaginarie vision of the temporall and humane birth of the Sonne of God by which he proceeded man from a woman virgin from a virgin doth rauish and so highly content the heart of a child what shall it be when our minds lightned with the â—ight of glorie shall see this eternall birth by which the Sonne doth proceede GOD from GOD LIGHT from LIGHT a TRVE GOD from a TRVE GOD diuinely and eternally then shall our minds be ioyned by an incomprehensible complacence to this obiect of delight and by an vnchangeable attention shall remaine vnited to it for euer Of the vnion of the Blessed with God in the vision of the Holy Ghost's
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
of our vnion assisting our weackenesse and ioyning him selfe sensibly vnto vs in so much that we feele him enter and penetrate our hearts with an incomprable delight And sometimes also as he drew vs insensibly to the vnion he continews insensibly to aide and assist vs. And we know not indeede how so great an vnion was made yet know we well that our forces were not able to effect it so that hence we make a cleare iudgment that some secret power workes insensibly in vs. As Marriners loden with iron perceiuing their shipe sale apace with a weake gale doe discouer that they approch to the Adamant rockes which drawes them imperceptibly and see in this sort a a sensible and perceptible aduancement caused by an insensible and imperceptible meanes for so when we see our soule still more and more vnited vnto God as it were by the weake endeauours of our will we doe easily discerne that we haue to soft a gale to saile fast and that it must needes be that the Adamant of our soule drawes vs by the secret influence of his grace which he keepes from our knowledge to th' end it might be more admirable and that without being occupied to discouer his draughts we might with more puritie and simplicitie striue to be vnited to his goodnesse 4. Sometimes this vnion is made so insensibly that our soule neither perceiues the diuine operation in her nor yet her owne cooperation but finds the onely vnion insensibly made to the imitatiō of Iacob who found himselfe married to Lia without thinking of it or rather as another Samson but more happie we finde our selues netted and tied in the bands of holy vnion without hauing euer perceiued it 5. At other times we discerne the pressing the vnion being made by sensible actions as well of Gods side as of ours 6. Sometimes the vnion is made by the will onely and sometimes the vnderstanding hath a part in it because the will doth force it after her and applies it to its obiect making it take a speciall pleasure to be fixed to the cōsideration thereof as we see loue doth endew our corporall eyes with a profound and peculiar attention to staie them in the viewe of what we loue 7. Sometimes this vnion is made by all the faculties of the soule who gather about the will not to be vnited to God themselues not being all capable of it but to assist the will to make her vnion for if euery of the other faculties were applied in particular to their owne obiect the soule working in them could not so wholy giue her selfe to the action by which the vnion with God is made Such is the varietie of vnions 8. See S. MARCIALL for he was as they saie the blessed child mentioned in S. MARKE our Sauiour tooke him lifted him vp and held him for a good space in his armes O pritie little Marciall how happie thou art to be laied hold on taken vp caried vnited ioyned and lock't to the heauenly bosome of a Sauiour and kissed with his sacred mouth without thy cooperation saue onely that thou resisted not the receiuing of those diuine huggings Contrariwise S. SIMEON doth embrace and claspe our Sauiour hard in his bosome our Sauiour giuing no signe of cooperating to this vnion though as the holy Church singeth the oldman bore the child but the child gouerned the oldmā S. BONAVENT touched with a holy humilitie did not onely not vnite hīselfe to our Sauiour but withdrewe himselfe frō his reall presence that is from the holy Sacrament of the Altar when vpon a day hearing Masse our Sauiour came to vnite himselfe vnto him bringing the holy Sacrament vnto him But this vnion being made ah God THEO thinke with what feruour this holy soule closed vp his Sauiour in his heart Cōtrariwise S. CATHARIN of Sienna ardētly desiring our Sauiour in the holy communion pressing and aduancing her soule and affection towards him he came and ioyned himselfe vnto her entring into her mouth with a thousand benedictions So that our Sauiour began the vnion with S. Bonauenture but S. CATHARIN seemed to begin that which she had with our Sauiour The sacred Spouse in the Canticles speakes as though she had practised both the sortes of vnions I am wholy my Beloued's quoth she and his returnes towards me for it is as much as though she had saied I am vnited to my deare friend and he likewise is nere me to th' end that by vniting himselfe more and more vnto me he may become wholly mine my deare friend is to me a posie of Myrrhe he shall remaine betwixt my breastes and I will hold him close to my bosome as a posie of delight My soule saieth Dauid hath stucke to thee ô God and thy right hand hath caught and seised me But in another place she confesseth that she is preuented saying my beloued is wholy mine and I am wholy his we make a holy vnion by which he is ioyned to me and I to him And yet to shew that all the vnion is made by Gods grace which drawes vs vnto it and by its allurements moues our selues and giues life to the motion of our vnion towards him she cries out as being wholy impotent Drawe me yet to testifie that she will not permit herselfe to be drawen as a stone or a slaue but that on her side she will concurre and will mixe her feeble motiōs to her Louers powerfull drought we rūne saieth she in the odours of thy perfumes And to th' end one may knowe that she is strōgly drawen by the will all the powers of the soule will make towards the vnion Drawe me saieth she and we will rūne The Spouse drawes but one and many runns towards the vnion It is the will onely that God aimes at but all the other powers runne after to be vnited to God with her 9. The diuine shepheard of soules prouoked his deare Sunamite to this vnion place me saieth he as a seale vpon thy heart or as a signet vpon thy arme To imprint a signet well vpon waxe one doth not onely ioyne it but euen presse it hard downe so he desireth that we should be vnited vnto him in so strict and close an vnion that we should keepe his markes imprinted vpon vs. 10. The holy loue of our Sauiour doth presse vs ô God what an excellent exemple of vnion He was vnited to our humane nature by grace as a vine to the Elme to make it in some sort participat of his fruite but seeing this vnion ouerthrowen by Adams sinne he made another more close and pressing vnion in the Incarnation wherby humane nature remaines for euer ioyned in personall vnitie to the Diuinitie and to th' end that not humane nature onely but euen euery man might be closely vnited to his Goodnesse he instituted the most holy Sacrament of the Altar in which euery one might participate and vnite his Sauiour to himselfe really and by māner of foode THEO this Sacramentall
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
A wonderfull historie of the death of a gentleman who died of Loue vpon the Mount-Oliuet chap. 12. pag 435. That the Sacred Virgin mother of God died of the loue of her Sonne chap. 13. 441 That the Glorious virgin died of an extreamely sweete and calme loue chap. 14. 445 THE TABLE OF THE Eight Booke OF THE LOVE OF CONFORMITIE by which we vnite our Wills to the Will of God signified vnto vs by his Commandements Counsells and inspirations OF the loue of Conformitie proceeding from holy Complacence chap. 1. pag. 451 Of the conformitie of Submission which proceedes from the Loue of Beneuolence ch 2. 455 How we are to conforme our selues to the Diuine will which is called the signified will chap. 3. 458 Of the Conformitie of our will to the will which God hath to saue vs. ch 4. 462 Of the Conformitie of our will to Gods will signified in his Commandements chap. 5. 465 Of the Conformitie of our will to Gods signified vnto vs by his Counsells chap. 6. 469 That Gods will signified in the commandements doth moue vs forwards to the loue of Counsells chap. 7. pag. 472. That the contempt of Euangelicall Counsells is a great sinne chap. 8. 478 A continuation of the precedent discourse how euery one ought to loue though not to practise the Euangelicall Counsells and yet how euery one is to practise what he is able chap. 9. 482 How we are to conforme our selues to Gods will signified vnto vs by inspirations and first of the truth of the meanes by which God enspires vs. chap. 10. 487 Of the vnion of our will to Gods in the inspirations which are giuen for the extraordinarie practise of vertues and of perseuerance in ones vocation the first marke of the inspiration chap. 11. 491 Of the vnion of Mans will to Gods in the inspirations which are contrarie to the ordinarie Lawes and of the peace and tranquillitie of heart the second marke of Inspiration chap. 12. 497 The third Marke of the Inspiration which is holy obedience to the Church and Superiours chap. 13. 501 A short methode to know Gods will chap. 14. 505 THE TABLE OF THE Ninth Booke OF LOVE OF SVBMISSION Whereby our will is vnited to Gods OF the vnion of our will to the will of God which is the will of good pleasure chap. 1. pag. 509 That the vnion of our will to the will of God is principally caused by tribulations chap. 2. 513 Of the vnion of our will to the Diuine will in spirituall afflictions by resignation chap. 3. 518 Of the vnion of our will to Gods will by Indifferencie chap. 4. 521 That holy indifferencie is extended to all things ch 5. 525 Of the practise of the louing indifferencie in things belonging to the seruice of God chap. 6. 528 Of the indifferencie which we are to haue in our Spirituall aduancement chap. 7. 533 How we are to vnite our will with Gods in the permission of sinne chap. 8. 539 How the puritie of indifferencie is practised in the actions of holy Loue. chap. 9. 542 A meanes to discouer when we chang in the matter of this holy Loue. chap. 10. 545 Of the perplexitie of the heart in Loue which doubts whether it please the Beloued chap. 11. 549 How the soule amidst these interiour anguishes knowes not the Loue she beares to God and of the Louely death of the will chap. 12. 553. How the will being dead to it selfe liues entirely to Gods will chap. 13. 557 An explanation of that which hath bene saied touching the decease of our will chap. 14. 561 Of the most excellent exercise a man can make in the interiour and exteriour troubles of this life In sequele of the indifferencie and death of the will chap. 15. 565 Of the perfect stripping of the soule vnited to Gods will chap. 16. 570 THE TABLE OF THE Tenth Booke OF THE COMMANDEMENT OF louing God aboue all things OF the sweetenesse of the Commandement which God gaue vs to loue him aboue all things ch 1. 5â—5 That this Diuine Commandement of Loue tends to Heauen yet is giuen to the faithfull in this world chap. 2 pag. 580. How notwithstanding that the whole heart is imployed in sacred Loue yâ—t one may Loue God diuersly and also many other things together with him chap. 3. 582 Of two degrees of perfection in which this Commandement may be kept in this mortall life chap. 4. 387 Of two other degrees of greater perfection by which we may Loue God aboue all things chap. 5. 592 That the Loue of God aboue all things is common to all Louers chap. 6. 598 An illustration of the former chapter chap. 7. 601 A memorable historie wherin is more clearely seene in what the force and ExcelleÌ„cie of holy loue consisteth cha 8. pag. 605. A confirmation of that which hath bene saied by a notable comparison chap 9. 612 That we are to Loue the Diuine Goodnesse soueraignely more then our selues chap. 10. 617 How holy Charitie brings forth the loue of our neighbour chap. 11. 620 How loue produceth Zeale chap. 12. 624 That God is Iealous of vs. chap. 13. 626 Of the Zeale or Iealousie which we haue towards our Sauiour chap. 14. 632 An aduise for the direction of holy Zeale chap. 15. 637 That the exaÌ„ples of diuerse saints which seemed to exercise their Zeale with Angâ—r make nothing against the aduise of the precedent Chapter chap. 16. 643 How our Sauiour practised all the most Excellent acts of Loue. chap. 17. 650 THE TABLE OF THE Eleauenth booke OF THE SOVERAIGNE AVTHORITIE whicâ— sacred loue holds ouer all the vertues actions and perfections of the soule HOw much all the vertues are aggreeable vnto God chap. 1. pag. 656 That Diuine Loue makes the vertues more agreeable to God by excellencie then they are in their owne nature chap 2. pag. 661 That there are some vertues which Diuine Loue doth raise to a higher degree of excellencie then others chap. 3. pag. 665 That Diuine Loue doâ—h yet more excellently sanctifie the vâ—rtues whiâ—h are pracitsed by his ordinance and Commanâ—ment chap. 4. pag 668 How sacred â—â—ue doth spread it's worth through all the o her vertues which by that meanes are â—erfected chap. 5 pag 972 Of the excâ—llent worth which holy Loue bestowes vpon the actions whi h issue from it selfe and to those which proceede from other vertu s. chap 6. pag 6â—â— That perfect vertues are neuer one without tâ—e other chap. 7. pag. 682 How Charitie containes all vertues chap 8. pag. 683 That vertues haue their worth from sacred Loue. ch 9. pag. 693 A digression vpon the imperfection of the Pagans vertues c ap 10. pag. 697 How humaine actions are without worth being without Gods Loue. chap. 11. pag 7â—4 How holy Loue returning into the soule doth reuiue alâ— the works w ich sinne had sl yne chap 12. â—09 How we are to reduce all the exercise of all the vertu s and all our actions to â—oly Loue chap
feeblenesse and tendernesse of the one doth exalt and make more apparant the prudence and assurance of the other and euen this dissimilitude is agreeable on the other side children loue olde men because they see them buisie and carefull about them and that by a secret instinct they perceiue they haue neede of their directions Musicall concord stands in a kind of discord in which vnlike voices doe correspond making vp altogether one sole Close of proportion as the dissimilitude of precious stones and flowres doe make the gratefull compositiō of Imbosture and Diaprie so Loue is not caused alwayes by Resemblance and Sympathie but by Correspondance and Proportion which consisteth in this that by the vnion of one thing to another they may mutually receiue one anothers perfection and so be bettered The head doth not resemble the bodie nor the hand the arme yet they haue such a Correspōdance and are seated so neerely together that by their mutuall neighbourhood they doe meruelously enterchāge perfection so that if these parts had each one a distinct soule they would haue a perfect mutua◠Loue not by Similitude but by Correspondance which they haue in their mutuall perfection For this cause the melancolie and ioyefull soure and sweete haue often a correspondance of mutuall affection by reason of the mutuall impressions which they receiue one of an other by which their humours are reciprocally moderated But when this mutuall Correspondance meetes with similitude Loue without doubt is engendred more efficaciously for Similitude being the true picture of Vnitie when two like things are vnited by a proportion to the same end it seemes rather to be an Vnitie then an Vnion 11. The Sympathie then betwixt the Louer and the Beloued is the first source of Loue and this Sympathie or Conueniencie consisteth in a Correspondance which is no other thing then a mutuall aptitude making things proper to be vnited and mutually to communicate their perfections but this will be cleared in the processe of this booke That loue tends to vnion CHAPTER IX 1. THe great Salamon in a delitiously admirable ayre doth sing our Sauiours loues and those of the deuote soule in that diuin worke which for it's excellent sweetnesse is instyled the Canticle of Canticles And to rayse our selues in a more easie flight to the consideration of this spirituall loue which is exercised betwixt God and vs by the correspondance which the motions of our hearts haue with the inspirations of his diuine Maiestie he makes vse of a perpetuall representation of the loues of a chaste Shepheard and shamefast Shepheardesse Now making the Spouse or Bride first begin the parlie by manner of a certaine surprise of loue he makes her at the first onset lance out her heart in these words let him deigne me a kisse of his mouth Doe you marke THEOTIME how the soule personated by this Shepheardesse doth pretēd no other thing by the first expression of her desire thē a chast vnion with her spouse protesting that it is the highest ayme of her ambition and onely thing she breathes after For I pray you what other thing would this first sigh intimate Let him deigne me with a Kisse of his mouth 2. A Kisse from all ages as by naturall instinct hath bene imployed as a representation of perfect loue that is the vnion of hearts and not without cause we send out and muster the passions and motions which our soule hath common with brute beasts by our eyes eye-browes forehead and countenance in generall by his face a man is knowē saieth the Scripture and Aristotle giuing a reason why ordinarily great mens faces onely are pourtrated t' is saieth he that the countenances teach what they are 3. Yet doe we not vtter our discourse nor the thoughts which proceede from the spirituall portion of our soule called reason by which we are distinguished from Beasts but by words and in consequence by helpe of the mouth in so much that to poure out ones soule and scatter ones heart is nothing else but to speake Poure out your hearts before God saieth the PSALMIST that is expresse and turne the affections of your hearts into words And SAMVEL'S pious Mother pronouncing her praiers allthough so softly that one could hardly discerne the motion of her lips I haue poured out saieth she my heart before God in this wise one mouth is applyed to another in kissing to testifie that they desire to poure our one soule into the other reciprocally to vnite them in a perfect vnion and for this Reason in all times and amongst the most saintly men the world had the kisse hath bene a signe of loue and affection and such vse was vniuersally made of it amongst the auncient Christians as the great S. PAVLE testifieth when writing to the ROMAN'S and CORINTHIANS he saieth Salute mutually one another in a holy kisse And as diuerse doe witnesse IVDAS in betraying our SAVIOVR made vse of a Kisse to discouer him because this diuine SAVIOVR was accustomed to kisse his Disciples when he met them and not onely his Disciples but euen little Children whom he tooke louingly in his armes as he did him by comparison of whom he so solemnely inuited his APOSTLES to the loue of their Neighbours who as IANSENIVS reporteth was thought to haue bene S. MARTIAL 4. Thus then the Kisse being a liuely marke of of the vnion of hearts the Spouse who hath no other pretention in all her endeuours and pursuits then to be vnited to her beloued let him kisse me saieth she with a kisse of his mouth as if she had cryed out so many sighes and inflamed grones as my heart incessantly sobs out will they neuer impetrate that which my heart desires I runne alas shall I neuer gaine the prise for which I lance my selfe out which is to be vnited heart to heart spirit to spirit to my God my Spouse my life when will arriue the happie houre in which I shall poure my soule into his heart and that he will turne his heart into my soule that we may liue inseparable in that happie vnion 5. When the holy Ghost would expresse a perfect loue he alwayes in a manner makes choice of the word Vnion or Coniunction amongst the multitude of the faithfull saieth S. LVCKE there was but one heart and one soule our SAVIOVR praied for all the faithfull that they might be but on same thing SAINT PAVLE doth aduertise vs to conserue vnitie of minde by the vnion of peace These Vnities of heart soule and spirit doe signifie the perfection of Loue which ioynes many soules in one for so it is saied that IONATHAS his soule was glewed to DAVIDS that is to saie as the Scripture addeth He loued DAVID as his owne soule The great APOSTLE of FRANCE as well according to his owne Dictamē as that of HIEROTHEVS who he citeth writeth I thinke a thousand times in one Chapter OF DIVINE NAMES that Loue is of a Nature vnifying vniting referring recollecting
and pressing things to an Vnitie S. GREGORIE of NAZIANZEN and S. AVGVSTINE saieth that their friends and they had but one soule and ARISTOTLE approuing euen in his time this manner of speach when saieth he we would expresse how much we loue our friends we saie his and my soule is but one Hatred doth separate vs and Loue doth assemble vs. The end then of loue is no other thing then the vnion of the louer and the beloued That the vnion which loue pretends is spirituall CHATPER X. 1. VVE are neuerthelesse to vnderstand that there are naturall Vnions as those of Similitude Consanguinitie and the Cause with the effect and others which not being naturall may be termed voluntarie for though they be according to nature yet are they not made but by our will as those which rise from benefits and doe vndoubtedly vnite him that receiues them to the giuer those of Companie Conuersation and the like Now Naturall vnion produceth Loue and that Loue being produced inclines vs to another Voluntarie vnion perfecting the naturall so the Father and the Sonne the Mother and Daughter or two Brothers being ioyned in an Naturall vnion by the participation of the same blood are excited by this Vnion to Loue and by that Loue are carried to the Vnion of the will and the minde which may be called Voluntarie because allbeit her foundation is naturall yet is her action deliberate and in these Loues produced by Naturall vnion we must looke for no other correspondence then Vnion it selfe by which nature preuenting the will doth oblige her to approoue loue and perfect the Vnion which she hath already made But for Voluntarie vnions they being after Loue in Effect yet are his Cause as being his onely end and pretention so that as Loue tends to Vnion so Vnion againe doth extend and augment Loue for Loue begets a desire of conuersation and conuersatiō doth nourish and encrease Loue Loue causeth a desire of nuptiall vnion and this Vnion doth reciprocally conserue and dilate Loue so that in euery sense it is true that loue tends to vnion 2. But to what kind of Vnion doth it tend Did you not note THEOTIME that the sacred Spouse did expresse her desire of being vnited to her Spouse by a kisse and that a kisse doth represent the spirituall vnion which is caused by the reciprocall communication of hearts true it is that man loueth but by his will and therefore the end of his Loue is of the nature of his will but his will is spirituall and consequently the vnion which Loue pretends is also spirituall and so much the rather for that the heart seate and source of Loue should not onely not be perfected by vnion with corporall things but euen become more vile 3. It will not hence be inferred that there are not certaine passions in man which as Gumme or Missel to vpon trees by manner of excrement and ouergroth sproute vp amongst and about Loue which notwithstanding are neither Loue nor any part therof but excrements and superfluities of the same which are so farre from an aptitude to maintaine or accomplish Loue that it doth endamage and weaken it and in time if they be not weeded away doe vtterly ruinate it See the reason hereof 4. According to the multitude of operatiōs be they of the same or of a diuerse Nature to which the soule doth applie her selfe she performs them lesse perfectly and vigorously because she being finite her actiue vertue is also finite so that furnishing her actiuitie to diuerse operations it is necessarie that each one of thē haue lesse therof so that one attētiue to diuerse things is lesse intēce in euery of them It is not possible that one should at the same time exactly discerne the feature of the face by the eyes and by the eare distinguish the harmonie of an excellent musique nor at the same instant be attentiue to figure and colour If our affection be to talke our attention is for no other thing 5. Yet am I not ignorant what is saied of CESAR nor incredulous of that which so many great personages assures vs of ORIGIN that they could apply their attentions at the same time to diuerse obiects Yet euery one doth confesse that according to the measure in which they were applyed to many they were lesse in euery one of the same there is then a difference betwixt to see heare and vnderstand much and to see heare and vnderstand better For he that seeth better seeth lesse and he that seeth more seeth not so well t' is rare that he who knowes much knowes that well which he knoweth because the vertue and force of the vnderstanding being scatered vpon the knowledge of diuerse things is lesse stronge and vigourous then when it is restrained to the consideration of one onely obiect Hence it is that when the soule imploies her forces in diuerse operations of Loue The actiō so diuided is lesse vigorous We haue three sorts of actions of Loue the spirituall reasonable and Sensitiue when Loue lets runne his forces through all these three operations doubtlesse it is more Extense but lesse Intense but when it runnes through one operation onely it is more Intense though lesse Extense Doe we not see that fire the Symbole of loue forced to make way by the onely mouth of the Cannon makes a prodigious flashe which had bene much lesse if it had found vent by two or three passages sythence then that Loue is an acte of our will he that desires to haue it not onely noble and generous but also very vigorous and actiue must containe the vertue and force of it within the limits of spirituall operations for he that would applie it to the Sensitiue operatiōs of the soule should so farre fourth weaken the Intellectuall in which essentiall loue consisteth 6. The auncient PHILOSOPHERS attained to the knowledge of two Extases the one wherof did place our selues aboue our selues the other deiected vs and set vs below our selues as though they would haue saied that man was of a Nature betwixt Angels and Beasts in his intellectuall part participating the Angelicall Nature and in his sensitiue the Nature of Beasts and yet that he could by good moderation of life and a continuall care had of himselfe deliuer and infrancise himselfe of this meane condition so that applying and exercising himselfe frequently in Intellectuall actions he might bring himselfe nearer to the nature of Angels then Beasts but if he did much applie himselfe to Sensible actions he made a discent from his midle condition to that of beasts And because an Extasie is no other thing then a going out of ones selfe whether one goe vpwards or downewards he is truely in an Extasie Those then that touched with intellectuall and diuine pleasures doe permit their heart to be rauished with those touches are truly out of them selues that is aboue the condition of their Nature but by a blessed and wishfull departure by which entering
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
But because our meanes are of diuerse kindes we doe also diuersifie the name of Prouidence and saie that there is one Prouidence naturall another Supernaturall and that this againe is either Generall speciall or particular 5. And because hereafter THEOTIME I shall exhort you to ioyne your will to God's Prouidence while I am in hand with this discourse I 'le tell you a word of Naturall prouidence God then willing to prouide men of naturall meanes necessarie for them to render glorie to the diuine bountie he produced in their behalfe all the beasts and plants and to prouid for them also he produced varietie of Territories Seasōs Fountains Windes Raine and as well for man as th' other things appertaining vnto him he created the elements heauen and starres ordaining in an admirable manner that almost each Creature affords a reciprocall seruice one to another Horses carrie vs and we dresse and keepe them Sheepe doe feede and cloth vs and we graze them the Earth sends her vapours to the aire it renders thē in showres the Hand serues the Foote and the Foote the Hand O! He that should consider the commerce and generall trafficke with a great correspondance exercised amongst Creaturs how many amorous passions would moue his heart toward this soueraigne wisdome to crie out thy Prouidence ô great eternall father gouernes all things S. BASILE and S. AMBROSE in their EXAMEROVS the good LEWIS OF GRANADO in his Introduction to the Creede and LEWIS RICHEOME in diuerse of his faire workes would suggest many motiues to well borne soules to profit in this subiect 6. Thus Deare THEOTIME this Prouidence toucheth all raignes ouer all and reduceth all to his glorie There is notwithstanding Chance and Vnexpected accidents but that in regard of vs onely for doubtlesse they were most certaine to the Diuine prouidence who foreseeth and directeth them to the good of the worlds Cōmon-wealth Now these accident s doe happen by the concourse of diuerse causes which hauing no naturall alliance one with the other doe produce each of them their particular effect yet so as from their concourse there issueth another effect of a diuerse nature to which though it could not be foreseene all the different causes did contribute For example ESCHILVS his curiositie was iustly chastised who being foretolde by a Diuine that he should perish by the fall of a house kept himselfe all that daie in a plaine field to escape the destinie and staying close to it bareheadded a Faulcon who dareing in the aire held in her beeke a TORTOISE espying his bald head and gessing it had bene the point of a Rocke let the shell fall right vpon him and behould ESCHILVS dying in the brode field suppressed with the house broken with the shell This was doublesse an Vnexpected chance For he betooke not himselfe to the field to die but to eschape death nor did the Fanlcon dreame of cracking a Poets crowne but the crowne ād shell of the Tortoise to make him selfe maister of the meate within yet it chanced to the contrarie for the Tortoise remained safe and the poore ESCHILVS was slaine According to vs this chance was vnexpected but in respect of the Diuine prouidence which looked frō aboue and saw the concourse of causes it was an Act of iustice punishing the superstition of the man Old IOSEP'S aduenturs were admirable for varietie and for their passages betwixt two extreemes His Brethrē who to extinguish him had sold him were amazed to see him become Vice-Roy and were mighty apprehensiue that he remained sensible of the wrōg they had done him but no saied he it was not so much by your plot that I was sent hither as by the Diuine prouidence you had wicked designes against me but God turned all to good Doe you marke THEOTIME the world would haue termed this Fortune or Doubtfull euent which IOSEPH calleth a proiect of the Soueraigne Prouidence which turneth and reduceth all to his seruice The like it is of all things which happen in the world yea euen of Monsters the birth of which makes compleate and perfect workes more esteemed begets admiration prouokes discourse whence many wholesome thoughts proceede In fine they are to the world as shadowes to picturs which giue a grace and seeme euen to rayse the colours Of the supernaturall prouidence which God vseth towards reasonable creaturs CHAPTER IIII. 1. All God's workes are ordained to man and Angels saluation but see the order of his prouidēce in this behalfe in such wise as by the obseruation of holy Scripturs and the writings of the Auncients we are able to discouer it and as our weaknesse permits vs to speake of it 2. God knew from all Eternitie that he was able to make an innumerable number of creaturs in diuerse perfections and qualities to whom he might communicate himselfe and considering that amongst all the sorts of communicatiōs there was none so excellent as to ioyne himselfe to some created nature in such sort as the Creature might be ingraffed and implanted in the Diuinitie and become one onely person with it His infinite Bountie which of it selfe and by it selfe is carried towards a communication resolued and determined to communicate himselfe in this manner to th' end that as eternally there is an Essentiall communication in God by which the Father doth communicate all his infinite and indiuisible Diuinitie to the Sonne in producing him and the Father and the Sonne together producing the holy Ghost doe communicate to him also their owne indiuisible Deitie So in like manner this Soueraigne sweetnesse was so perfectly communicated without himselfe to a Creature that the Created and Diuine Nature retaining each of them their owne proprietie were notwithstanding so vnited together that they were but one Person 3. Now of all the Creaturs which that Soueraigne omnipotencie could produce he thought good to make choice of the same Humanitie which afterwards in effect was ioyned to the Person of God the Sonne to which he determined that incomparable honour of the Personall vnion to his diuine Maiestie to th' end that for all Eternitie it might enioy by way of Excellencie the treasurs of his infinite glorie and hauing thus selected for this happinesse the sacred Humanitie of our Sauiour the Supreame prouidence decreed not to restraine his goodnesse to the onely Person of his well beloued Sōne but fauorably to poure it out vpon diuerse other Creaturs and in grosse vpon the innumerable number of things which he could produce he made choyce to create Men and Angels to accompagnie his Sonne participate of his graces and glorie adore and prayse him for euer And for as much as he saw that he could in diuerse manners effect the Humanitie of his Sonne making him true Man as for example creating him of nothing not onely in regard of the soule but euen in regard of the bodie also either by forming the bodie of some precedent matter as he did that of ADAM and EVE or by way of
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
hath left in man deepe markes of his anger yea euen a middest the graces of his Mercy as for example the necessitie of death sicknesse labours the rebellion of the sensualitie yet the Diuine Assistance hauing the vpper hand of all these takes pleasure to conuert these miseries to the greatest aduantage of such as loue him making Patience rise out of their trauailes the Contempt of the world out of the necessitie of death a thousand victories ouer Concupiscence and as the Rainebowe touching the Thorne ASPALATHVS makes it more odoriferous then the Lillie so our Sauiours Redemption touching our miseries makes them more profitable and amiable then Originall Iustice could euer haue bene The Angels in heauen saieth our Sauiour doe more ioy in one penitent sinner them in nintie nine iust and so the State of Redemption is an hundred times better then that of Innocencie Verily by being watered with our Sauiours Blood caused by the Isoppe of the Crosse we are reduced to a whitnesse incomparably more excellent then the snow of innocencie returning out of the Flood of health with NAMAN more pure and vnspotted as though we had neuer bene Leprous to th' end that the diuine Maiestie as he hath also ordained we should doe might not be ouercome by euill but ouercome euill by good that his Mercy as a sacred oyle might keepe aboue Iudgment and his commiseration surpasse all his workes Of certaine speciall fauours exercised by the diuine prouidence in the Redemption of man CHAPTER VI. 1. CErtainly God doth admirably show the riches of his incomprehensible power in this great varietie of things which we see in Nature Yet doth he make the Treasurs of his infinite Bountie more magnificently appeare in the incomparable varietie of benefits which we acknowledge in Grace For THEOTIME he was not content with the holy excesse of his Mercy in sending to his people that is to Mankind a generall and vniuersall Redemption by meanes wherof euery one might be saued but moreouer he diuersified it in so many sorts that his Liberalitie did shine amiddest that varietie and that varietie againe did mutually imbellish his Lliberalitie 2. And following this he first of all prepared for his most holy Mother a fauour worthy the loue of a Sonne who being most wise omnipotent and good was to prouide himselfe of a Mother to his liking and thefore he ordained that his Redemption should be applied to her by way of a preseruatiue to th' end that sinne which ranne from generation to generation might stop before it came at her so that she was ransomed in so excellent a manner that although the Torrent of originall iniquitie came rolling her vnfortunate waters vpon the Conception of this sacred Lady euen with as great impetuositie as against the daughters of ADAM yet being arriued there it did not dare a further passage but made a sodaine staie as did of old the waters of Iordaine in the daies of IOSVE and for the same respect for the flood stopt his course in reuerence of the Ark of Alliance which passed and originall sinne made his waters retire adoring and dreading the presence of the true Tabernacle of Eternall Alliance 3. In this sort then God deturned all bondage from his glorious Mother giuing her the good of both the states of humane nature retaining the Innocencie which the first ADAM had lost and enioying in an excellent sort the Redemption which the second did acquire Whence as a garden of election which was to bring fourth the fruite of life she was made florishing in all sorts of perfections This sonne of eternall loue hauing thus decked his Mother with a Robe of gold wrought in faire varietie that she might be the Queene of his right hand that is to saie the first of the elect which should enioy the delightes of God's right hand so that this sacred Mother as being altogether reserued for her Sonne was by him infranchised not onely from damnation but euen from all danger of damnation giuing her Assurance of grace and the Perfection of grace not vnlike an Aurora who beginning to appeare encreaseth continually in brightnesse till perfect day light Admirable redemption Master-pece of the Redemour and Prime of all Redemptions by which the sonne with a truly filiall heart preuented his Mother in the benedictions of sweetnesse he preserued her not onely from sinne as he did the Angels but euen from all danger of sinne and euery thing that might diuert of hinder her in the exercise of holy Loue. Protesting that amongst all the reasonable Creaturs he had chosen this Mother was his onely Doue his entirely perfect his wholie deare well beloued without all paragon and comparison 4. God also appointed other sauours for a small number of rare Creaturs whom he would assure from the perill of damnation as certainly he did S. IOHN BAPTIST and probably IEREMIE with certaine others which the Diuine Prouiuidence seased vpon in their mothers wombe and stated vpon them a Perpetuitie of Grace by which they might remaine firme in his Loue though subiect to delaies and veniall sinnes which are contrarie to the perfection of Loue not to Loue it selfe and these soules in regard of others are as Queenes continually crowned with Charitie holding the principall place in the loue of their Sauiour next to his Mother who is Queene of Queenes A Queene not onely crowned with Loue but with the Perfectiō of loue yea which is yet more crowned with her owne Sonne the soueraigne obiect of Loue being that childrē are theire Fathers and Mothers crownes 5. There are yet other soules which God determined for a time to leaue exposed to the danger not of loosing their saluation but yet in perill to loose his Loue yea he permitted them to loose it in effect not assuring them Loue for the whole time of their life but onely for the periode therof and for certaine precedent times Such were the APOSTLES DAVID MADELAINE and diuerse others who for a time remained out of God's grace but in the end being throughly conuerted they were confirmed in grace vntill death so that though from thence they continued subiect to imperfections yet were they exempt from all mortall sinne and consequently from danger of loosing the Diuine loue and were as the heauenly spouse his sacred soules adorned indeede with a wedding garment of this holy loue yet for all that not crowned a crowne being an ornament of the head that is of the prime part of a man now the first yeares of the Soules of this ranck hauing bene subiect to terreane loue they were not to be adorned with the crowne of heauenly loue but it is sufficient for them to weare the Robe which renders them capable of the marriage-bede with the heauenly Spouse and to be eternally happie with him How admirable the diuine prouidence is in the diuersitie of graces giuen to men CHAPTER VII 1. THere was then in the eternall Prouidence an incomparable fauour for the Queene of Queenes
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
of Paula and they stood in neede of a thousand sundrie kinds of assistāces according to the varietie of the aduenturs of their Pilgrimage and the sharpnesse of it 4. Howbeit Perseuerance is a gift the most to be desired of any thing we can hope for in this life and which as he Councell of Trent saieth we cannot haue but from the hand of God who onely can assure him that stand's and helpe him vp that falls Wherfore we must incessantly demand it making vse of the meanes which our Sauiour hath tought vs to the obtaining of it Praier Fasting Almes deedes frequenting the Sacraments conuersation with the good the hearing and reading of pious lessons 5. Now sithens the gift of Praier and deuotion is liberally granted to all thar freely doe consent to diuine inspirations it is consequently in our power to perseuer Yet not so that I would hence inferre that Perseuerāce hath her beginning from our power for contrariwise I know she doth spring from God's mercy whose most precious gift she is but I would saie that though she doth not proceede frō our power yet comes she within the compasse of it by meanes of our will which we cannot denie to be in our power for be it that Gods grace is necessarie for vs to will to perseuer yet is this will in our power because heauenly grace is neuer manting to our will while our will is not wanting to our power And indeede according to the great S. BERNARD'S opinion we may truely saie with the Apostle That neither death nor life nor Angels neither depth nor hight can separate vs from the Charitie of God which is in Iesus Christ no for no creature can take vs away by force from this holy Loue but we onely can forsake and abandon it by our owne will nor is there any other thing in this behalfe to be feared 6. So THEO following the aduise of the holy Councell we ought to place our whole hope in God who will perfect the work of our Saluation which he hath begun in vs if we be not wanting to his grace for we are not to thinke that he who saied to the Paralitike goe and sinne not gaue him not also power to auoide that which he did prohibit him and surely he would neuer exhort the faithfull to perseuer if he were not ready to furnish them with power required therto Be faithfull till death saied he to the Bishop of SMIRNA and I will giue thee a crowne of Glorie be diligent and remaine in faith labour couragiously and comfort your selues doe all your workes in Charitie runne so that you may obtaine the Prise We must eftsonnes with the great king demand of God the heauenly gift of Perseuerance and hope that he will grant it vs. Doe not permit thy seruant 's fall O Lord my onely HOPE my ALL In th-winter of this mortall day But when vntired time shall hasle To render back to th-earth the waste Of what I was be thou my stay That the happinesse to die in heauenly Charitie is a speciall gift of God CHAPTER V. 1. VVHen the heauenly king hath brought the soule which he loueth to the end of this life he doth not cease to assist her also in her blessed departure by which he drawes her to the mariage bed of eternall glorie which is the delicious fruite of holy Perseuerance And then deare THEO this soule wholy rauished with the loue of her well-beloued putting before her eyes the multitude of fauours and succours wherwith she was preuented and helped while she is yet in her pilgrimage she doth incessantly kisse this sweete helping hand which cōducted drew and supported her in the way and confesseth that it is of this diuine Sauiour that she holds her felicitie seeing he had done for her all that the Patriarch IACOB wished for his iorney at such time as he saw the Ladder to heauen O Lord saieth she then thou wast with me and guided me in the way by which I came Thou fedst me with the bread of thy Sacraments thou clothed'st me with the wedding garment of Charitie thou hast happily conducted me to this MANSION OF GLORIE which is thy HOVSE ô my eternall Father What remaines ô Lord saue that I should protest that thou art my God for euer and euer Amen O God my Lord my God for euer deare Thy hand hath bene my stay thy sacred grace My surest Guide and did me vpwards reare To the honour of thy heauenly MANSION PLACE Thus then we walke to eternall life for the accomplishment of which the Diuine Prouidence ordained the number distinction and succession of graces necessarie to it with their dependance of one another 2. He willed first with a true will that euen after the sinne of ADAM all men should be saued but vpon termes and by meanes agreeable to the condition of their nature endewed with free-will that is to saie he willed the saluation of all those that would contribute their consent to the graces and fauours which he prepared offered and distributed to this end 3. Now amongst these fauours his will was that VOCATION should be the first and that it should be so accommodated to our LIBERTIE that we might at our pleasure accept or reiect it and such as he saw would receiue it he would furnish with the sacred motions of PENANCE and determined to giue Charitie to such as should second these motions to those againe that were in Charitie he purposed to supplie with helpes necessarie to PERSEVERANCE and to such as should make vse of these diuine helpes he resolued to impart finall Perseuerance and the glorious FELICITIE of his eternall Loue. 4. And thus we may giue a reason of the order which is found in the effects of PROVIDENCE tending to saluation descending from the first to the last that is from the fruite which is GLORIE to the roote of this faire tree which is our Sauiours REDEMPTION For the Diuine Bountie doth follow MERITS with GLORIE CHARITIE with merits PENNANCE with CHARITIE OBEDIENCE to the first Vocation with Penance The VOCATION with obediēce to the vocation and our Sauiours REDEMPTION with a vocation vpon which Iacobs mysticall ladder doth rest as well towards heauē it ending in the louing bosome of the eternall Father in which he doth receiue and glorifie the Elect as also towards the earth being planted vpon the besome and pearsed side of our Sauiour who for this cause died vpon the Mont-Caluarie 5. And that this continuance of the effects of Prouidence was thus ordained with the same dependance which they haue of one another in the eternall will of God the Holy Church in the preface of one of her solemne Praiers doth witnesse in these words O ETERNALL and Almightie God who art Lord of the liuing and dead and art mercifull to all those whom thou foreseest are to be thine by faith and works as though she had acknowledged that Glorie which is the encrease and fruite of Gods Mercy towards
production CHAPTER XIII 1. THe eternall Father seeing she infinite Bountie ād Beautie of his essence so liuelily essentially and substantially expressed in his Sonne and the Sonne seeing reciprocally that his owne essence Bountie and Beautie was originally in his Father as in their source and fountaine ah can it possibly be that this Diuine Father and his Sonne should not mutually loue one another with an infinite loue sith their will by which they loue is infinite in each of them 2. Loue not finding vs equall doth equalize vs not finding vs vnited doth vnite vs. Now the Father and the Sonne finding themselues not onely equall and vnited but euen one same God one same Goodnesse one same essence and one same vnitie how much must they needes loue one another not with a loue which passeth as that of intellectuall creaturs amongst themselues or towards their Creator for created loue is exercised in many and diuers motions breathings vnions and tyes which doe immediatly succeede one another and continue loue with a gratfull vicissitude of spirituall motions But the diuine loue of the eternall Father towards his Sonne is practised in one onely breathing mutually from them both who in this sort remaine vnited and tied together I THEO for the Bountie of the Father and Sonne being but one sole singularly one bountie cōmon to them both the loue of this Bountie can be but one onely loue for though there be two Louers to wit the Father and the Sonne yet seeing there is onely their most singular Bountie common to them both which is loued and their most one will which doth loue there is thereof but one loue exercised by one SPIRATION of loue The Father breaths this loue and so doth the Sonne but because the Father doth not breath this loue but by meanes of the same will and for the same Bountie which is equally and singularly in him and his Sonne nor the Sonne againe doth not breath this SPIRATION of loue but for this same Bountie and by this same will therefore this SPIRATION of loue is but one SPIRATION or one onely SPIRIT breathed out by two which Breath 3. And because the Father and Sonne who breath haue an infinite essence and will by which they breath and that the Bountie for which they breath is infinite it is impossible the SPIRATION should not be infinite and for as much as it cannot be infinite without being God therfore this spirit breathed from the Father and the Sonne is true God and sith there neither is nor can be more then one onely God it is one onely true God with the Father and the Sonne But moreouer whereas this loue is an act which doth proceede mutually from the Father and the Sonne it can neither be the Father nor the Sonne from whom it proceeded though it haue the same Bountie and Substance of the Father ād the Sōne but must necessarily be a third diuine person who with the Father and the Sonne is onely God And for that this loue is produced by manner of SPIRATION or inspiration it is called the holy SPIRIT 4. Now THEO the king Dauid describing the sweetenesse of the frendshipe of Gods seruants cries out O God how good a thing it is And with a thousand sweetes of Blisse Doth yeeld a sacred hearts content To see in Brothers hearts consent Such sweetes are like the oiles was spred Vpon the consecrated head Of Aaron Preist which flowing downe Vpon his beard his necke and gowne Did sweetely all bedewe and which With daintie sentes did all enriche But ô God if humane friendshipe be so agreeable louelie and doe spreede so delicious an odour on them that doth contemplate it what shall it be my well-beloued THEOTIME to behold sacred loue mutually exercised betwixt the eternall Father and the Sonne SAINT GREGORIE NAZIANZENE recounts that the incomparable loue which was betwixt him and SAINT BASILE the Great was famous all through Greece And Tertullian doth testifie that the Pagans did admire the more then brotherly loue which raigned amongst the primitiue Christians O what Feast what solemnitie with what praises and Benedictions is the eternall and Soueraigne Friendshipe of the Father and the Sonne to be celebrated with what admirations to be honored and loued What is there amiable and worthy to be loued if not Friendshipe and if Friendshipe be amiable and worthy to be loued what Friendshipe is like to that infinite Friendshipe which is betwixt the Father and the Sonne who is the same God in a singular manner with them Our heart THEOTIME will fall into an Abisse of loue through admiration of the beautie and sweetenesse of the loue that this eternall Father and this incomprehensible Sonne doe practise diuinely and eternally That the Light of Glorie shall concurre to the vnion of the Blessed with God CHAPTER XIV 1. THus shall the created vnderstanding see the Diuine essence without the meanes of any species or representation yet not without a certaine excellent light which doth dispose eleuate and strengthen it to raise it's view so high and to an obiect so sublime and resplendāt For as the Owlets sight is strong enough to behold the gloomie light of a cleare night yet not to see the light at noonetide which is too glittering to be seene by so troubled and weake eyes so our vnderstanding which is strong enough to consider naturall truthes by discourse yea euen the supernaturall things of grace by the light of faith is not yet able neither by the light of nature nor faith to attaine vnto the view of the diuine substance in it selfe Wherefore the goodnesse of the eternall wisdome determined not to applie his essence to our vnderstanding till he had prepared reuigorated and enabled it to receiue a sight so eminent and disproportionable to the naturall condition thereof as is the view of the Diuinitie for so the Sunne the soueraigne obiect of our corporall eyes amongst naturall things doth not present himselfe vnto our view without sending first his raies by meanes whereof we may be able to see him so that we see him not but by his light Yet there is a difference betwixt the raies which the Sunne doth cast vpō our corporall eyes and the light which God will create in our vnderstanding in Heauen for the Sunn's raies doe not fortifie our corporall eyes when they are weake and vnable to see but doth rather dazle waste and blinde their infirme sight whereas contrariwise this sacred LIGHT OF GLORIE finding our vnderstandings weake and incapable to behould the Diuinitie it doth raise strengthen and perfect them so excellently that by an incomprehensible wonder they doe behould and contemplate the Abisse of the Diuine brightnesse in it selfe with a firme and straight view not being dazled or repulsed by the infinit greatnesse of it's splendour 2. In like manner therefore as God hath endewed vs with the light of reason by which we may know him as Authour of nature and the light of faith
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
that weare his and he ours ô God how precious and vsefull a grace this is for vs 3. My deare THEO let vs yet take the libertie to frame another imagination If a STATVA placed in the galerie of some Prince by the STATVARIE were endewed with vnderstanding and reason and could discourse and talke and one should aske it saying tell me ô faire STATVA why art thou seated in this hole it would answere because my Maister placed me there and if one should replie but why staiest thou there without doing any thing because would it saie my Maister placed me not there to doe any thing but to th' end I should remaine immouable but if one should vrge it further saying but poore STATVA what art thou the better to remaine here in this sorte ah God would it saie I am not here for mine owne interest and seruice but to obaye and accomplish the will of my MAISTER and MAKER and this suffiseth me And if one should yet put another demand in this sort goe to tell me then STATVA I praie not seeing thy Maister how dost thou then take contentment to content him no verily would it confesse I see him not indeede for I haue eies not to see as also feete not to walke but I am ouer ioyed to know that my deare Maister sees me here and in seeing me here takes pleasure But if one should continew discourse with the STATVA and should saie vnto it why but would thou not at least wish to haue motion that thou mightest approch nere they maker to afford him some better seruice doubtlesse it would denie it and protest that it desired to doe no other thing vnlesse it were its Maisters desire Is it possible then would one cōclude that thou desin'st nothing but to be an immouable STATVA in that hollow place no truely would that wise STATVA finally answere no I desire to be nothing but a STATVA and a STATVA continually in this hole so long as my Maister pleaseth being content to be heare and in this nature seeing it is his conten t whose I am and by whom I am what I am 4. O good God how good a way it is of remaining in Gods presence to be and to will to be for euer and euer at his good pleasure for so vnlesse I be deceiued in all occurrences yea in our deepest sleepe we are more deeply in the holy presence of God yea verily THEO for if we loue him we fall asleepe not onely at the sight of him but at his pleasure and not at his pleasure onely but euen according to his pleasure And euen he himselfe our heauenly Creatour and Maker seemes to laie vs vpon our bed as STATVA'S in their places that we might nestle in our beds as birds in their nestes And at our awaking if we reflect vpon it we finde that God was still present with vs and that we were in no wise absent or separated from him We were there then in the presence of his good pleasure though without seeing or perceiuing him so that we might saie with Iacob Certes I haue sleept by my God and in the bosome of his diuine presence and prouidence and yet knew it not 5. Now this quiete in which the will workes not saue onely by a simple submission to the diuine will praying without any other pretention then to be in the sight of God according as it shall please him is a quiet soueraignely excellent because it hath no mixture of proper interest the faculties of the soule taking no content in it nor yet the will saue onely in her supreame point in which her content is to admite no other contentment except that of being without contentment for the loue of God's content and pleasure wherein she reposeth For in fine it is the top of the EXTASIE OF LOVE to haue ones will not in his owne contentment but in God's and ones content not in his owne will but in God's Of the melting and liquifaction of the soule in God CHAPTER XIII 1. HVmide and liquide things doe easily receiue the impressions and limits which one would put vpon them because they haue no firmenesse or soliditie which may staie or limite them Put liquour into a glasse and you shall see it remaine bounded and limited therein which being round or square the liquour shall be the like hauing no other limite nor shape then that of the glasse which contains it With the soule it faires not so in nature for she hath her proper shapes and limits she takes her shape from her habits and inclinations her limits from her will and when she is set vpō her owne inclinations and will we saie she is hard that is willfull and obstinate I will take from you saieth God your heart of stone that is your obstinacie To chang the forme of stones Iron or woode the axe hammer and fire is required We call such hearts of Iron woode or stone as doe not easily receiue the diuine impressions but linger in their owne will amid'st the inclinations which doe accompanie our depraued nature contrariwise a suple pliable and tractiue heart is termed a melting and liquifying heart My heart saieth DAVID speaking in the person of our Sauiour vpon the crosse is made as melted waxe in the midst of my bellie CLEOPATRA that infamous Queene of Egipt striuing to outuie Marke ANTONIE in all the excesses and dissolutions of his banquets in the end of one of them she made in her turne called for a viall of fine vineger and dropt into it one of the pearles which she wore in her eares valued at two hūdred fiftie crownes which being dissolued melted and liquified she tooke it downe and had yet buried the pearle she bore in her other eare in the sinke of her villanous stomake if Lucius Plautus had not hindred her Our Sauiours heart the true Orientall pearle singularly singular and priselesse throwen into the midest of an incomparably bitter sea in the day of his passion melted in it selfe dissolued liquified and flowed in griefe vnder the presse of so many mortall anguishes but loue stronger then death did mollifie soften and melt the heart sooner then the other passions 2. My heart saied the holy Spoufe was wholy dissolued at my well-beloued his voice and what is it to saie it is dissolued but that it is not contained with in it selfe but is runne out toward it's heauenly Louer God gaue order to Moyses to speake to the ROCKE and it should produce water it is no maruell then if he himselfe with his honie words can melt the heart of his Spouse Balme is so thicke by nature that it is not flowing or liquide but the more it is kept the more stife it growes and in the end becomes hard redde and transparant yet heat doth resolue and make it flowe Loue had liquified and melted the Spouse his soule whence the Spouse cals him oile poured-out And behold how now her selfe assures vs she is melted with loue my
accords best with the will of God But in little and dayly exercises wherein the fault is nether of moment or irreparable what neede is there to chant a QVANTA PATIMVR by engaging ones attention in importune consultations To what end should I put my selfe vpon the racke to learne whether God would rather that I should saie the Rosarie or our Ladies Office since there can be no such difference betwixt them that a GRAND-IVRIE should be impannelled vpon it That I should rather goe to visite the sicke in the hospitall then to VESPERAS That I should rather goe to a Sermon then to a Church where there are Indulgences commonly there is no such remarkable thing in the one more then the other that the matter requires any great deliberation we must walke simply not subtily in those occurrēces and as S. BASILE freely doe that which licks vs best without wearying out our wits loosing our time and running hazard of disquiet scruples and superstitiō Now my meaning is alwayes where there is no great disproportion betwixt the two workes and where there occurrs no circumstance more considerable in the one then th' other 5. And euen in matters of moment we are to vse a great humilitie and not to thinke we can fish out Gods will by force of examination and subtilitie of discourse But hauing implored the light of the holy-Ghost applied our cōsideration to the search of his good pleasure taken our Directours counsell and of two or three spirituall persōs more if they chāced to be there we must absolutly resolue and determine in the name of God neuer after to call our choice in question but deuotely peaceably and constantly to vndergoe and improue it And albeit that the difficulties temptations and the diuersitie of euents which crosse the execution of our designe might make vs doubt whether we had made a good choice yet must we remaine constant not waighing all this Yea we are to consider that if we had made an other choice we had peraduenture bene an hundred times worse besides that we wot not whether it be God's will that we should be exercised in consolation or desolation in peace or in warre The resolution being once holily vndertaken we are neuer to doubt of the holinesse of the execution for vnlesse it be our fault there can be none to doe otherwise is a notable marke of selfe-Loue of childishnesse or bransicknesse The end of the eight booke THE NINGTH BOOKE OF LOVE OF SVBMISSION WHEREBY OVR WILL IS VNITED to Gods Of the vnion of our will to the will of God which is the WILL OF GOOD PLEASVRE CHAPTER I. I. NOthing excepting sinne is done but by the will of God called an absolute will and of GOOD PLEASVRE which cannot be hindred by man and which is not knowen vnto vs but by the effects yet being arriued they make manifest that God willed and determined them 2. Let vs conside◠in grosse THEO all that hath bene is and shall be and rauished with amazement we shall be forced to crie out with the Psalmist O Lord I will praise thee because thou are abundantly magnified thy works are wonderfull and my soule doth acknowledge thē very much thy knowledge is become admirable of me it is made great nor can I reach to it And from thence we passe on to a most holy Complacence reioycing that God is so infinit in WISDOME POWER and GOODNESSE which are the three Diuine Proprieties whereof the world is but a small taste or scantling 3. Let vs behold men and Angels and all the varietie of nature qualities conditions faculties affections passions graces and priuiledges which the diuine Prouidence hath established in the innumerable number of those heauenly INTELLIGENCES and humane creaturs vpon which Gods IVSTICE and MERCY is so admirably practised and we cannot containe our selues from singing with ioye full of respect and louing dread True Iustice and true Iudgment are The obiect of my dittie VVhich vnto thee I offer dare Most iust and full of pitie THEO we are to take an exceeding complacence to see how God exerciseth his MERCY by the sundrie benefits which he doth distribute amongst men and Angels in heauen and earth And how he practiseth his IVSTICE by an infinit varietie of paines and chastisements for his IVSTICE and MERCY are equally amiable and admirable in them selues since both of them are no other thing then the same most singular Goodnesse and Deitie But the effects of his Iustice being alwayes sharpe and and full of bitternesse to vs he sweetens them with the mixture of the effects of his MERCY conseruing the greene Oliue amidst the waters of the Deluge of his iust indignation and giuing power to the deuote soule as to a chast doue to find it in the end prouided alwayes that like to the doue she doth louingly meditate So death afflictions anguishes labours whereof our life is full which by Gods iust ordinances are the punishments of sinne are also by his milde MERCY made ladders to ascend to Heauen meanes to encrease grace and merits to obtaine Glorie Blessed is pouertie hunger thirst sorrow sicknesse persecution death for in truth they are the iust punishments of our faults yet punishments so seasoned or to vse the Phisitions terme so aromatized with Diuine sweetenesse benignitie and clemencie that their bitternesse is best beloued A strang yet a true thing THEO if the damned were not blinded with the obstinacie and hatred which they conceiue against God they would find consolation in their torments and see the Diuine MERCY admirably dispersed amongst their eternally-tormenting flames So that the Saints considering on the one side the torments of the damned so horrible and dreadfull they praise Gods IVSTICE in it and crie out thou art iust ô Lord thou art iust and iustice for euer raignes in thy iudgments But seeing on the other side that these paines though eternall and incomprehensible come yet farre short of the crime and trespasse for which they were inflicted rauished with Gods infinite MERCY ó Lord will they saie how good thou art since in the very heate of thy wroth thou canst not keepe in the torrent of thy MERCYES that it streame not its waters into the deuouring flames of Hell Goodnesse o Lord hath not thy soule forsooke Euen while thy iustest iustice vengeance tooke Midst hellish flames nor could sterne ire represse The torrent of thy wounted graciousnesse Thou still pour'st out and still dost enterlace Thy wrothfull strokes with strikes of grace And then turning our eyes vpon our selues in parcular and finding in vs diuers interiour and exteriour goods as also a greatest number of interiour and exteriour paines which the Diuine Prouidēce hath prepared for vs according to his most holy IVSTICE and MERCY and as opening the armes of our consent we doe most louingly embrace all resting in Gods most holy will and singing vnto him by way of a Hymne of an eternall repose Thy will be done in earth as it is in
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
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