and haue Pipins whence other trees and plants of the same kind doe spriÌ„g Neuer doe vertues come to their perfect stature aÌ„d abilitie in vs till such time as they beget in vs a desire of progresse which as spirituall seede serues to the production of new degrees of vertue And me thinks the earth of our heart is coÌ„manded to bring forth the plants of vertue which beare the fruits of good works euery one in his kind and which haue the seedes of a desire and resolution to encrease and aduaÌ„ce in the way of perfection And the vertue that beares not the seede or Pipin of this desire is not yet come to her groth and maturitie Thou wilt not then saieth S. BERNARD to the sluggard a better thy selfe in perfection No nor yet grow worse nor yet that verily Why then dost thou desire neither to amend nor paire Alas poore man thou wouldst be that which thou canst not be Euen in the wide world there is nothing stable and constant yet of man it is saied more particularly that he neuer remaines in one estate He must either goe forward or else he goes backward 4. Nor doe I more then S. BERNARD affirme that it is a sinne not to practise the Counsells no verily THEO for it is the proper difference betwixt Commandements and Counsells that Commandements doe oblige vs vnder paine of sinne Counsell doth onely inuite vs without paine of sinne Yet doe I bouldly auerre that to contemne the pretention of Christian perfection is a great sinne and yet greater to contemne the inuitation by which our Sauiour cals vs to it but it is an insupportable impietie to contemne the Counsells and meanes which our Sauiour markes vs out to the attaining of it It were an Heresie to saie that our Sauiour had not giuen vs good Counsell and a blasphemie to saie to God withdraw thy selfe from vs we will not know thy wayes But it is a horrible irreuerence done to him that with so much loue and delight did inuite vs to perfection to saie I will not be holy or perfect nor will I any larger portion of thy Beneuolence nor will I follow the Counsells which thou giuest me to fructifie therein 5. We may indeede without offence not follow the Counsells for the affection we beare another way as for example it is lawfull for a man not to sell what he possesseth nor giue it to the poore because he hath not the courage to make so entire a renunciation It is also lawfull to marrie because one loues a wife or otherwise hath not strength of mind necessarie to vndertake the warre which must be waged against the flesh But to make profession that one will not follow the CouÌ„sells nor any one of them cannot be done without contempt of him that giues them Not to follow the Counsell for that one hath an intention to marrie is not euill done but so to marrie as to preferre marriage before chastitie with heritikes is a great contempt either of the Counsellour or of his Counsell To drinke wine against the Doctors aduise when one is ouercome with thrist or with a desire to drinke is not properly to contemne the Doctor nor his aduise but to saie I will not follow the Doctors aduise must necessarily proceede froÌ„ some bad opinion one harbours of him Now as concerning men one may often contemne their Counsell without contemning them because to esteeme that a man doth erre is not to contemne him But to reiect and contemne Gods Counsell cannot spring but from a conceite we haue that he hath not Counselled vs well which cannot be thought but by a Spirit of Blasphemie as though God were not wise enough to know or good enough to will to giue good aduise We may saie the same of the Counsells of the Church which by reason of the continuall assistance of the holy ghost which doth instruct and conduct her in all truth can neuer giue euill aduise A continuation of the precedent discourse how euery one ought to loue though not to practise the Euangelicall Counsells and yet how euery one is to practise what he is able CHAPTER IX 1. Allthough all the Euangelicall Counsells cannot nor ought not to be practised by euery Christian in particular yet is euery one obliged to loue them all they being all very good If you haue the Megrim and the smell of muke doe anoie you will you therefore disauowe that this smell is good and delightsome If a Robe of gold be not fit for you will you thence saie that it is worth nothing or will you throw a ring into the â—urt because it fits not your finger Praise therefore THEOT and dearely affect all the Counsells that God hath giuen vnto men O blessed be the Angell of the high CouÌ„sell for euer together with the Counâ—ell he giues and exhortations he makes to man The heart is cheared vp with oyntments and good smells saieth Salomon and by the good Counsell of a friend the soule is calmed But of what friend and of what Counsells doe we speake ô God it is of the friend of friends and his CouÌ„sells are more delightâ—ull then honie Our friend is our Sauiour his Counsells are to saue vs. 2. Let vs reioyce THEO when we see others vndertake the Counsells which either we cannot or ought not to obserue Le ts praie for them blesse fauour and assist them For Charitie doth oblige vs not onely to loue our owne good but that also which is good for our neighbour 3. We may sufficiently testifie our loue to all the Counsells if we deuotely obserue such as are sutable to our calling for euen as he that beleeues an Article of Faith before God reuealed it in his word published and declared it by the Church cannot misbeleeue the others and he that obserues one Commandement for the pure Loue of God is readie to obserue the others when occasion shall be offered So he that doth loue and prize one Euangelicall Counsell because it came from God he cannot but loue all the others consequently being they are also from God Now we may with ease practise many of them though not all of them together for God deliuered many to the end euery one might obserue some of them nor doth there passe a day wherein we haue not some occasion thereof 4. Doth Charitie require that to assist thy Father or mother thou shouldst liue with them conserue notwithstanding a loue and affection to your recollection let your heart liue at your Fathers house so farre forth as is requisit to acquit your selfe of that which Charitie doth order Is it not expedient your qualitie considered that you should conserue perfect chastitie keepe it at least in such sort as you may without violating charitie Who cannot doe all at least let him doe a part you are not obliged to looke after him that hath offended you for it is his part to come to himselfe and to you to giue you satisfaction since he began the
Heauen I Lord thy will be done in earth where we haue no pleasure which is not enterlaced with some paine no Roses without thornes no day so cleare that is not followed with a night no summer that was not vsshered in by a precedent winter In the earth ò Lord where consolations are thinne sowen desolations thicke let yet ò God thy will be done not onely in keeping thy Commandements Counsells and Inspirations which are to be practised by vs but also in the sufferance of afflictions and paines which are to fall vpon vs so that thy will may doe by vs for vs in vs and with vs what is thought good to thee That the vnion of our will to the will of God is priâ—câ—pally caused by tribulations CHAPTER II. 1. PAines considered in themselues cannot indeede be beloued yet beheld in their source that is in Gods will and prouidence which ordaines them they are infinitly amiable Behold Moyses his rod vpon the ground it is a hideous serpent looke vpon it in Moyses his hand it is a rod of wonders Looke tribulations in the face they are dreadfull behold them in the will of God they are loues and delights How often doth it fall out that the potion or plaster presented by the Phisition or Apoticarie is loathsome vnto vs which being offered by some friends hand Loue surmounting our loathing we receiue with delight Certes Loue doth either free labour from all difficultie or makes its difficultie delightfull It is reported that there is a riuer in Boetia wherein the fishes shine like gold but taken out of those waters the place of their origine they haue the naturalll colour of other fishes Euen so afflictions if they be looked vpon out of God's will they beare with them their naturall bitternesse but being contemplated in this eternall will they are all gold louely and precious beyond conceite 2. If Abraham had beheld a necessitie to slaughter his Sonne out of Gods will thinke THEO what panges and conuulsions his poore heart had felt but seeing it in Gods GOOD PLEASVRE it appeares all gold and he doth tenderly embrace it If the Martyrs had looked vpon their torments out of this GOOD PLEASVRE how could they haue sunge in chaines and flames The truely louing heart loues Gods GOOD PLEASVRE not in consolations onely but in afflictions also yea it loues it better vpon the crosse in paines and difficulties because it iâ— the prime effect of Loue to make the Louer suffer for the thing beloued 3. The Stoicks especially the good Epictetes placed all Philosophie in abstaining and sustaining bearing and forbearing in forbearing and abstaining froÌ„ terreane delightes pleasures aÌ„d honours in sustaining and bearing wrongs toyles and discoÌ„modities But Christian doctrine which is the onely true Philosophie hath three principles vpoÌ„ which it doth ground all its exercises Abnegation of ones selfe which is farre more then to abstaine from pleasures Bearing of the crosse which is farre more then to tolerate it following of our Sauiour not onely in the point of renunciation of a mans selfe and bearing of his crosse but euen in the practise of all sorts of good works Yet is there not so much loue testified neither in the abnegation nor in the very deede doing as in suffering Certes the holy-Ghost in the holy Scripture puts downe the death and passion which our Sauiour suffered for vs as the highest straine of our Sauiours Loue towards vs. 4. First to loue Gods will in consolations is a good loue when the loue of God is indeede loued not the consolation in which it is found howbeit it is a loue voide of contradiction repugnance and difficultie for who would not loue a will so worthy in a subiect so wellcome SecoÌ„dly to Loue the will of God in his CoÌ„mandemeÌ„ts CouÌ„sells aÌ„d inspiratioÌ„s is a secoÌ„d degree of loue and much more perfect for it leades vs to the renouncing and quitting of our owne will and makes vs abstaine and forbeare many pleasures yet not all Thirdly to loue sufferances and afflictions for the loue of God is the highest point of holy Charitie for there is nothing therein to gaine our affection saue the onely will of God Our nature feeles a great contradiction in it and we doe not thereby forsake pleasures onely but we euen eÌ„brace paines and torments 5. Our mortall enemye knew well what was Loue 's furthest tryall when he had heard from the mouth of God that IOB was iust rightuous fearing God hatting sinne and stable in innocencie he made no account of all this in comparison of bearing afflictions by which he made the last and surest essaye of the loue of this great seruant of God aÌ„d to haue theÌ„ in an extreamitie he composed them of the losse of all his goods and all his children of the entire reuolt of all his friends and of an arrogant opposition of his greatest Confederates and his owne wife and of an opposition full of despight mockerie and reproch to which he added the whole collection of almost all humane diseases namely a cruell stinking horrible vlcer ouer all his bodie 6. And yet behold the great IOB as king of all the miserable creaturs vpon the face of the earth seated vpon a dunge-hill as vpon the Throne of miserie adorned with soares vlcers and matter as with royall robes suteing them in the qualitie of his royaltie with so great an abiection and annihilation that if he had not spooken one should not haue descerned whether IOB was a man reduced into a dounghill or the dounghill a corruption in forme of a man Behold there I saie the great Iob crying out If we haue receiued good things from the hand of God why shall we not also receiue that which is bad ô God how this word is great with Loue He ponders THEO that it was from the hand of God that he had receiued the good testifying that he had not so much loued good because it was good as that it came from our Sauiours hand which being so he concluds that he is louingly to support aduersities since they proceede from our Sauiours hand equally to be loued when he distributs afflictions and when he bestowes consolations Each one doth easily receiue good things but to receiue euill is a worke of perfect Loue which loues them so much the more for that they are not amiable but in respect of his hand that giues them 7. The Trauailler that is in feare whether he hath hit vpon the right way walks in doubt looking about him in the countrie where he is and stands in a muse at the end of almost euery feild to thinke whether he goes not a straie But he that is sure of his way walks on iocundly boldly and swiftly Euen so the Loue that deâ—ires to walke to Gods will through consolations walkes still in feare to take the wrong path and in steede of louing Gods good liking to fall in loue with the pleasure which is in the consolation but
might inflame and lighten the children of light where might I better place it then amongst your Lilies Lilies where the Sonne of Iustice the splendour and candour of the eternall Light did so soueraignely recreate himselfe that he theâ—e practised the delightes of the ineffable Loue of his heart towards vs O well beloued mother of the well-be loued ô well beloued spouse of the well-beloued prone layed at thy sacred feete who bore my Sauiour I vow dedicate and consecrate this little worke of Loue to the immence greatnesse of thy Loue ah I coniure thee by the heart of thy sweete IESVS king of hearts whom thyne adore animate my heart and all theirs who shall reade this writing of thy all puissant fauour with the Holy Ghost so that hence-fourth we may offer vp in holocaust all our affections to his Diuine goodnesse to liue dy and reuiue for euer in the flames of this heauenly fire which our Sauiour thy sonne hath so much laboured to kindle in our hearts that he neuer ceased to labour and trauell therin euen vnto death and death of the Crosse VIVE IESVS THE PREFACE OF THE AVTHOVR THE Holy Ghost teacheth that the lipps of the heauenly Spouse which is the CHVRCH reseÌ„bles scarlate and the honie combe whence honie distilleth to th' end that euery one may know that the doctrine which she announceth consisteth of sacred Loue of a more faire vermilioÌ„ then Scarlate by reason of the Spouse his blood wherin she is dyed more sweete then honie by reason of the Beloued his sweetenesse who crownes her with delightes So this heauenly Spouse when he thought good to giue an entrie to the publication of his Law streamed downe a number of firie tongues vpon the Assemblie of his disciples which he had deputed to this office sufficiently intimating therby that the preaching of the Ghospell was wholy designed to the inflaming of hearts Propose vnto your selues a fine done amidst the Sunne rayes you shall see her change into so many diuers colours as you behold her diuersly because her feathers are so apt to receiue the light that the sunne spreading his spleÌ„dour amongst theÌ„ there is caused a number of transparences which bring forth a great varietie of alterations and mutations of colours but colours so agreeable to the eye that they put downe all other colours yea the enamell of richest iewells colours that are glittering and so quaintly guilt that the gold giues them more life In consideration hereof the Royall Prophet saied vnto the Israelites Although affliction rudly dâ—ght your face Yet shall your hew henceforth to men appeare As pigions plumes when siluer 's trembling grace And burnisht gold doe make their shine more cleare Truly the Church is adorned with an incomparable varietie of excellent documents sermons Treatises Spirituall bookes all very comely and pleasant to the sight by reason of the admirable mixture which the sunne of Iustice makes of his Diuine wisdome with the tongues of his Pastours which are their Penns and with their Penns which sometimes they vse in lieu of their toÌ„gues and doe compose the rich plumes of this mysticall doue But amongst all the diuers colours of the doctrine which she doth publish the fine gold of holy Charitie is especially discouered who makes herselfe be gloriously enteruiewed gilding all the sciences of Saints with her incomparable luster and raysing them aboue all other Sciences All is to Loue in Loue for Loue and from Loue in the holy Church But as we are not ignorant that all the light of the day proceeds from the Sunne and yet doe ordinarily saie that the Sunne shines not saue onely when it doth openly send out its beames here or there In like manner though all Christian doctrine consist of sacred Loue yet doe we not indistinctly honour all Diuinitie with the title of DIVINE LOVE but onely those parts of it which doe contemplate the birth nature properties and operations thereof in particular Now it is certaine that diuers writers haue admirably handled this subiect Aboue all the rest those auncient Fathers who as they did louingly serue God so did they speake diuinely of his Loue. O what a pleasure it is to heare S. PAVLE speake of heauenly things who learn't them euen in Heauen it selfe And how good a thing it is to see those soules that were nurced in the bosome of Loue write of its sweetenesse I For this reason those amongst the schoole men that discoursed the most and the best of it did also most excell in pietie S. THOMAS made a Treatise of it worthy of S. THOMAS S. BONAVENTVRE and Blessed Denis the Carthusian haue made diuers most excellent ones of it vnder sundrie titles and as for Iohn Garson Chancelour of the vniuersitie of Pâ—â—lâ— Sixtus Senensis speaks of him in this sort He hath so worthily discoursed vpon fiftie properties of Diuine Loue which are drawen here and there out of the Canticles that he alone may seeme to haue hit the number of the affections of Diuine Loue. Verily he was a man exceeding learned iudicious and deuote Yet that we might know that this kind of writing is performed with more felicitie by the deuotion of Louers then by the learning of the learned it hath pleased the Holy Ghost that diuers womeÌ„ should worke wonders in this kind Who did euer better expresse the heauenly passions of heauenly Loue then S. CATHARINE of Genua S. ANGELA of Folligni S. CATHARINE of Sienna S. MATILDA In our age also diuers haue wrote vpon this subiect whose workes I haue not had leasure to read distinctly but onely here and there so farre forth as was requisite to discouer whether this might yet find place Father Lewes of Granado that great Doctour of pietie left a treatise of the Loue of God in his Memoriall which is sufficiently commended in saying it is his Stella a Franciscan made a very affectiue one and profitable for Praier Christoph Fonceca an Austine put out yet a greater wherein he hath many excellent things Father Richeome of the Societie hath also published a booke vnder the title of the Art of louing God by his Creaturs and this Authour is so amiable in his person and in his singular writings that one cannot doubt but he is yet more amiable by writing of Loue it selfe Father Iohh of IESVS MARIA a discalced Carmelite composed a little booke which is also called the Art of louing God which is much esteemed The great and famous Cardinall Bellermine did also a while agoe giue into light a little booke intituled The little Ladder to ascend vnto God by his creaturs which cannot be but admirable coÌ„ming from so deuote a soule and so learned a pen which hath wrote so much and so learnedly in the Church her behalfe I will saie nothing of Parenetique that floode of Eloquence who flotes at this houre through all France in the multitude and varietie of his sermons and noble writings the straight spirituall consanguinitie which my soule
Philothie and both of them much different from that which I vsed in the defence of the Crosse know that in nine-teene yeares one learnes and vnlearnes many things that the language of the warrs differs from that of Peace and that a man vseth one manner of speach to young Prentises an other to old iorneymen My purpose is here to speake to soules that are aduanced in deuotion for you must know that we haue in this towne a congregation of young maides and widowes who being retired from the world doe liue vnanimously in God's seruice vnder the protection of his most holy mother and as their pietie and puritie haue often times giuen me great consolations so haue I striuen to returne them the like by a frequent distribution of the holy word which I haue announced vnto them as well in publike sermons as in spirituall conferences yea and that continually in the presence of diuerse Religious men and people of great pietie whence I was often to treate of the most delicate feelings of pietie passing beyond that which I had saied vnto Philothie And I owe a good part of that which now I communicate vnto thee to this blessed assemblie because she that is the mother of them and doth rule knowing that I was writing vpon this subiect and yet that scarcely was I able to accomplish it without Gods very speciall assistance and their continuall sollicitation she tooke a continuall care to praie and make me be praied for to this end and holily coniured me to gather together all the odde ends of leasure which she iudged might be spared here and there from the presse of my incumbrances and to employe them in this And because I beare a great respect to this good soule she had God knowes no little power to animate myne in this occasion I began indeede long agoe to thinke of writing of holy Loue but that thought came farre short of that which this occasion caused to be produced an occasion which I declare vnto you so nakedly and sincerely to the imitation of the Auncients that you may know that I wite onely vpon occasion and that I may find you more fauorable The Pagans held that Phidras neuer represented any thing so perfectly as the DIVINITIE nor Apelles as Alexander One is not alwayes alike happie If I fall short in this Treatise let thy goodnesse flie home and God blesse thy reading To this end I haue dedicated this worke to the Mother of dilection and to the Father of cordiall Loue as I dedicated the Introduction to the Heauenly Child who is the Sauiour of Louers and the Loue of the saued Certes as women while they are strong and able to bring forth their children with ease choose commonly their worldly friends to be their Godfathers But when their feeblenesse and indisposition makes their deliuerie difficile and dangerous they inuoke the Saints of Heauen and vow to make their children be christned by some poore bodie or by some deuote person in the name of S. IOSEPH S. FRANCIS OF ASSICIA S. FRANCIS OF PAVLA S. NICHOLAS or to some other of the Blessed who may obtaine of God their safe deliuerie and that the child may be borne aliue So I while I was not yet Bishope hauing more leasure and lesse apprehension to write I dedicated my little works to Princes of the earth but now being ouercharged with my charge and hauing a thousand impediments I consecrate all to the Princes of Heauen to th' end they may obtaine for me the ligâ—t which is requisite and that if so it may pleaâ— the Diuine will these my writings may haue a birth profitable and fruitfull Thus my deare Reader I beseech God to blesse thee and to enrich thee with his loue Meane while from my very heart I submit all my writings my words and actions to the correction of the most holy Catholike Apostolike and Romaine Church knowing that she is the Pillar and soliditie of truth wherein she caÌ„ neither be deceiued nor deceiue vs and that none caÌ„ haue God for his Father who will not haue this Church for his Mother ANNESSâ— the day of the most louing Apostles S. PETER and S. PAVLE 1616. Blessed be God THE TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS CONTAINED IN this Treatise The first number shewes the Chapter The second the Page THE TABLE OF THE FIRâ—T BOOKE CONTAâ—NING A PREparatioâ— to the whole Treatise THat for thâ— beautie of humane nature God gaue the â—â—uernment of all the faculties of the soule 〈◊〉 the will Chap. 1. pag. 1. How the wâ—â— diuersly gouernes the powers of the soule Chap. 2. pag. 4. How the will gouerns the â—suall appetite Cha. 3. pag. 7. That loue rules ouer all iâ— affections and passions yea gouerns the will albeâ—â— the will hath also a dominion ouer it Chap. 4. pag. 12. Of the affections of the will Chap. 5. pag. 15 How the Loue of God doth rule ouer other Loues Chap. 6. pag. 19 A description of Loue in generall chap 7. pag. 22 VVhat that coÌ„ueniencie is which doth excite loue ch 8. 28 That loue tends to vnion chap. 9. pag. 32 That the vnion which loue pretends is spirituall chap. 10. pag. 35. That there are two portions in the soule and how chap. 11. pag. 44. That in these 2 portions of the soule there are found 4. different degrees of reason chap. 12. pag. 49 The difference of loues chap. 13. pag. 53 That charitie ought to be named loue chap. 14. p. 55 Of the conueniencie betwixt God and man ch 15. p. 57 That we haue a naturall inclination to loue God aboue all things chap. 16. 61 That we haue not naturally the power to loue God aboue all things chap. 17. 64 That the naturall inclination which we haue to loue God is not without profit chap. 18. 67 THE TABLE OF THE Second Booke THE HISTORIE OF THE GENEration or heauenly birth of Diuine Loue. THat the diuine perfections are but one onely yet an infinite perfection chap. 1. pag 71 Touching the diuine prouidence in generall chap. 3. p. 79 Of the supernaturall prouidence which God vseth towards reasonable creaturs chap. 4. pag. 85 That the heauenly prouidence hath prouided man of a most abundant Redemption cha 5. 90 Of certaine speciall fauours exercised by the diuine prouidence in the Redemption of man chap. 6. 93 How admirable the diuine prouidence is in the diuersitie of graces giuen to men chap. 7. 97 How much God desires we should loue him chap. 8. 100 How the eternall loue of God doth preuent our hearts with his inspirations to th' end we might loue him chap. 9. pag. 104 How we often times repulse the inspiration and refuse to loue chap. 10. 108 That the diuine bountie's will is that we should haue a most excellent loue chap. 11. 112 That diuine inspirations leaue vs in our libertie to follow or repulse them chap. 12. 116 Of the first feelings of Loue which diuine inspirations cause in the soule before she yet receiue
and perfection not vnlike vnto Bees who hauing their extraction from honie haue also their foode from it 2. Wherefore like as Pearls are not onely bred of dew but fed also with it the Mother-pearls to this end opening their shels towards Heauen to begge in a manner the droppes which the fresh aire makes fall at the breake of the day so we hauing receiued Faith Hope ād Charitie of the heauenly Bountie we ought alwaies to turne and bend our hearts thitherwards thence to obtaine the continuation and augmentation of the same vertues O Lord doth the holy Church our mother teach vs to saie giue vs the encrease of faith hope and charitie And it is done in imitation of those that saied to our Sauiour Lord encrease faith in vs and following the counsell of S. PAVLE who assures vs that God onely is able to make all grace abound in vs. 3. It is God therefore that giues this encrease in consideration of the imploimēt which we make of his grace as it is written to him who hath that is who doth imploy the fauours receiued more shall be giuen and he shall abound Thus is our Sauiours exhortation practised Heape vp treasurs in heauen as though he should saie to your precedent good workes adde still new ones for Fasting and Almes deedes are the peeces wherof your treasurs are to consists Now as amongst the treasurs of the Temple the poore widdowes mite was much esteemed and as indeede by the addition of many little peeces the treasurs waxe great and a greater value is set vpon them so the least of little good workes though performed euen somewhat coldly and not according to the whole latitude of the Charitie which is in vs is agreeable to God and esteemed by him In such sort that though of themselues they cannot cause any encrease in the precedent loue being of lesse force then it yet the Diuine Prouidence waighing and out of his goodnesse highly prising them doth forthwith reward them with encrease of Charitie for the present and for the time to come with a more ample glorie in heauen 4. THEOT the delicious honie is the Bee 's Maister-peece nor yet is their waxe therefore neglected but is an honour to their labours Louing hearts ought to endeuour to bring forth workes full of feruour and of high value to the end they might puissantly augment Charitie yet if they bring forth some of lesser value they shall not loose their recompence for God will take them in good part that is to saie he will therby loue them a little more Nor doth God euer loue a soule that is in Charitie more without bestowing also vpon her more Charitie our loue towards him being the proper and speciall effect of his loue towards vs 5. By how much more liuely we looke vpon our picture in a looking glasse by so much more attentiuely it lookes vpon vs againe and by how much more louingly God doth cast his gracious eies vpon our soule which is made to his Image and liknesse our soule mutually with so much more attention and feruour is fixed vpon the Diuine Goodnesse answering according to her littlenesse all the encrease of Diuine Loue which this soueraigne sweetenesse work 's in her The Councell of Trent saieth thus If any saie that iustice receiued is not conserued yea that it is not augmented by good workes in the sight of God but that workes are onely the fruites and signes of iustification acquired and not the cause of its encrease let him be accursed Doe you marke THEO how iustification wrought by Charitie is augmented by good works and which is to be noted by good works without exceptiō for as S. Bernard saieth excellently well vpon another passage nothing is excepted or nothing is distinguished the Councell speakes of good workes indistinctly and without reseruatiō yet giues to vnderstand that not onely the great and feruent but also the little and faint workes doe cause the encrease of Charitie but the great ones in a greater manner the little ones in a lesser 6. Such is the loue which God beares to our soules such his desire to make vs encrease in the loue which we owe to him The Diuine sweetenesse renders all things profitable vnto vs takes all to our aduantage and turnes all our endeuours though neuer so faint and of low condition to our gaine 7. In the commerce of morall vertues little works bring no encrease to the vertue whence they proceede but contrariwise if they be very little doe impaire it for a great Liberalitie doth perish while she is busied in bestowing things of smale value and of liberalitie becomes niggardnesse But in the traficke of vertues which issue from God's mercy and especially from Charitie euery worke returnes profit Nor is it strang that sacred Loue as king of vertues hath nothing either great or smale which is not amiable sith the Baulme tree prince of sweete trees beares neither barke nor leafe that is not odoriferous and what could loue bring fourth that were not worthie of loue or did not tend to loue How a soule in Charitie makes progresse in it CHAPTER III. 1. LEt 's make vse of a Parabole THEO seeing it was a methode that pleased the Soueraigne Maister of Loue which we are to teach A great and braue King hauing espoused a most amiable young Princesse and hauing on a certaine day led her into his secret Closet there to conuerse with her more at his pleasure after some discourse he saw her by a certaine sudden accident fall downe as dead at his foote Alas he was extreamely astonished at this and it did well nigh put him also into a sownd for she was dearer to him then his owne life Yet the same Loue that gaue him this assault of griefe did fourthwith giue him strength to sustaine it and put him into action to th' end that with an incomparable promptitude he might remedie the euill of the deare Companion of his life so that with a nimble speede opening a Dresser which stood by he takes a cordiall water infinitly precious and hauing filled his mouth with it by force he opēs the closed lippes and teeth of his well-beloued Princesse thē breathing and spurting the precious liquor which he held in his mouth into his poore Loues who lay in a sownd and poureing the rest of the glasse vpon her nose her temples and about her heart he made her returne to her selfe and senses againe that done he helpes her vp softely and by vertue of remedies doth so strengthen and bring her to life that she begins to stand and walke fairely with him but in no sort without his helpe for he goes assisting and sustaining her vnder the arme till at length he laied to her heart an Epetheme so precious and of so great vertue that finding her selfe entirely restored to her wounted health she walkes all alone her deare Spouse not now surtaiening her so much but onely holding her right hand softly
forsaketh flesh and blood to be vnited to her Beloued Now it is the most violent effect that a loue worketh in a soule and which requires a great precedent puritie from all such affections as may detaine the soule prisoner either to the world or to the bodie so that like as fire hauing by little and little seperated the Essenâ—e from its masse and wholy purified it at length it also driues out the QVINT-ESSENCE euen so holy Loue hauing retired mans heart from all fantasies inclinatioÌ„s and assions as farre fourth as may be doth at length vrge the soule out to the end that by that passage pretious in the sight of God she might passe to eternall glorie 2. The great S. FRANCIS who in the matter of heauenly loue comes still before myne eyes could not possibly escape dying by loue by reason of the manifould and great langours Extasies and tranâ—es which his loue to God who had exposed him to the whole worlds view as a MIRACLE OF LOVE would not onely haue him die for loue but euen of Loue. For consider I beseech you his death Perceiuing himselfe vpon the point of his departure he caused himselfe to be laied naked vpon the ground where hauing receiued a habite for God's sake which they put on him he made a speach to his bretheren encouraging them to loue and feare God and his Church made our Sauiours passioÌ„ be red and then with an extreame feruour began the 141. Psalme With my voice I haue cried to our Lord with my voice I haue Praied to our Lord and hauing pronounced these last words o Lord bring forth my soule out prison that I may praise thy holy name the iust expect me till thou reward me he died the 45. yeare of his age Who sees not I besseech you THEO that the Seraphicall man who had so instantly desired to be martyred and to die for loue died in the end of loue as in another place I haue explicated 3. S. MAGDALEN hauing for the space of 30. yeares liued in a caue which is yet to be seene in PROVINCE rauished seuen times a day and borne vp in the aire by Angels as though it had bene to sing the seuen Canonicall houres in their Quire in the end vpon a Soneday she came to Church where her deare Bishop S. Maximinus finding her in contemplation her eyes full of teares and her armes stretched out he communicated her and soone after she deliuered vp her blessed soule who once a gaine for good and all went to her Sauiours feete to enioye the BETTER â—Aâ—â— which she had already made choice off neare belowe 4. S. BASILE had contracted a strict friendshipe with a Phisition a Iewe by nation and religion with intention to bring him to the faith of IESVS CHRIST which neuerthelesse he could not effect till such time as decaied by youth old age and labours being vpon the point of dying he enquired of the Phisition what opinion he had of him coniuring him to speake freely which the Phisition refused not but feeling his pulse told him there was no remedie quoth he before the Sunne let you will depart this life But what will you saie replied the patient if to morrow I shall be aliue I will become Christian I promisse you laied the Phisition With this the Saint praied to God and obtained a prolongation of his owne temporall life for the good of his Phisitions spirituall life who hauing seene this Miracle was conuerted and S. Basile rysing couragiously out of his bed went to the Church and baptised him with all his Familie then being returned to his chamber and gotten to bed after he had passed a good space with our Sauiour in Praier he holily exhorted the assistants to serue God with their whole heart and finally seeing the Angels approch pronouncing with an extreame delight these words ô God I recommend vnto thee my soule and restore it into thy hands he died But the poore conuerted Phisition seeing him thus deceased colling him and melting into teares vpon him ô great Seruant of God Basile quoth he indeede if thou hadst list thou had'st no more died to day then yesterday Who doth not see that this death was wholy froÌ„ loue And the Blessed S. Teresa reuealed after her death that she died with an impetuous assault of loue Which had bene so violent that nature not able to support it the soule departed towards the beloued obiect of her loue A wonderfull historie of the death of a gentleman who died of loue vpon the Mount-Oliuet CHAPTER XII 1. BEsides that which hath bene saied I haue light vpoÌ„ a historie which being extreamly admirable is yet more credible to sacred Louers since as the holy Apostle saieth Charitie doth easily beleeue all things that is she doth not easily suspect one of lying and vnlesse there be signes of apparent deceite in that which is proposed she makes no difficultie to beleeue it but especially when they are things which doe exalt and magnifie God's loue towards man or man's loue towards God because Charitie being the Soueraigne Qâ—eene of vertues following the manner of a Princâ—sse who takes coÌ„teÌ„t in things that are for the renowne of her Empire and dominion And beit the relation I am to make be neither so much diuulged nor confirmed as the greatnesse of the miracle which it containes would require yet is it not therefore voyde of truth for as S. Augustine saieth excellently well scarcely can we know miracles though most famous euen in the places where they are wrought and euen though such as haue seene them relates them we haue difficultie to giuâ— credit vnto them yet are they no lesse true for all this and in matter of Religion well borne soules take more delight to beleeue those things which containe difficultie and admiration 2. A valiant illustrious and vertuous knight went vpon a time beyond â—ee into Palestin to visit the holy Land where our Sauiour performed the work of our Redemption and to begin this holy exercise worthily he first of all confessed and communicated deuotely immediatly after went straight to Nazareth where the Angell announced vnto the most Sacred virgin the Blessed Incarnation and where the most adorable conception of the Eternall word was finished and there this worthy Pilgrime set himselfe to the contemplation of the heauenly Bounâ— is depth who daigned to put on mans nature to recouer him from perdition from thence he passed to Bethleem the place of the Natiuitie where it is not to be spokeÌ„ what an abundance of teares he poured forth in contemplation of those wherewith the Sonne of God the virgins little babe had watered that holy stable kissing and rekissing a thousand times that sacred earth and licking the dust vpon which the prime infancie of the Diuine child was receiued in Bethleem He went into Berthabara and from thence to that little place in Bethania where calling to mind that our Sauiour was there vnuested to be baptised he also
were held worthy to endure ignominie for their Sauiours name Of the conformitie of our will to Gods will signified in his Commandements CHAPTER V. 1. THe desire which God hath to make vs obserue his Commandements is extreame as the whole Scripture doth witnesse and how could he better expresse it then by the great reward which he proposeth to the obseruers of his law together with the wonderfull punishments which he doth minace to such as shall violate the same This made Dauid crye out ô Lord thou hast very much commanded thy Commandements to be kept 2. Now LOVE OF COMPLACENCE beholding this Diuine desire desires to please God in obseruing it The LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE which submits all to God doth also submit our desires and wills to this which God hath signified vnto vs whence doth spring not onely the obseruance but euen the Loue of the Commandements which Dauid doth extoll in the 118. Psalm in an extraordinarie straine which he seemes onely to haue done vpon this occasion O how thy holy law to me is deare It dayly theames my pen and thoughts doth hold And how ô Lord thy Testimonies beare Away my heart as Topase set in gold If honie be compared to thy sweete WORD Honie turn's gale and doth no sweetes afford But to stirre vp in vs the Loue of the Commandements we must coÌ„template their admirable beautie For as there are workes which are bad because they are prohibited and others prohibited because they are bad so there are some that are good because they are commanded and orthers are commanded because they are Good and most profitable so that all of them are exceeding good and amiable the commandement enriching with goodnesse such as were not otherwise good and giuing an excesse of goodnesse to such as in themselues were good without being commanded We doe not receiue euen that which is good in good part being presented by an enemies hand The Lacedemonians would not follow a solide and wholsome aduise comming from a wicked person till it were aduised them againe by a good man Contrariwise a friends present is alwayes gratefull The sweetest Commandements become bitter when they are imposed by a tyrannicall and cruell heart which turnes againe to be most amiable being ordained by Loue. Iacobs seruice seemed a Royaltie vnto him because it proceeded from Loue. O how sweete and how much to be desired is the yoake of the heauenly Law established by so amiable a king 3. Diuers keepe the commandements as sicke men take downe potions more through feare to die damned then pleasure to liue according to our Sauiours liking But as some persons haue an aduersion from phisike be it neuer so agreeable onely because it beares the name of phisike so there are some soules that abhorre things commanded onely because they are commanded And there was a certaine man found who hauing liued in the great towne of Paris for the space of fourescore yeares without euer going out of it as soone as it was enioyned him by the king that he should remaine there the rest of his dayes he went abrode to see the feilds which in his whole life time before he neuer desired 4. On the other side the louing heart Loues the commandements and by how much more hard they are by so much they are more agreeable because they doe more perfectly please the Beloued and are more honorable vnto him It sends out and sings hymnes of ioye when God doth teach it his Commandements and iustifications And as the Pilgrime who merrily sings on his way add's the paine of singing to that of going aÌ„d yet doth indeede by this surplus of paine vnwearie himselfe and lighten the difficultie of the way Euen so the sacred Louer finds such content in the Commandements that nothing doth so much ease and refresh him as the gracious loade of Gods Commandements wherevpon the holy Psalmist cryes out O Lord thy iustifications or Commandements are delicious songs to me in this place of my pilgrimage They saie that Mules and horses being loaden with figges doe presently fall vnder their burthen and loose their strength More sweete theÌ„ the figge is the law of our Lord but brutall maÌ„ who is become as a horse or Mule without vnderstanding looseth courage and finds not strength to beare this amiable burthen But as a branch of AGNVS CASâ—VS doth keepe the Traueller that beares it about him from being wearie so the Crosse Mortification the yoake the Law of our Sauiour who is the true CHAST LAMBE is a burthen which doth vnwearie refresh and recreate the hearts that Loue his diuine Maiestie There is no paine in the thing beloued or if there be any it is a beloued paine Paine mixed with loue hath a certaine tart-sweetenesse more pleasant to the pallate then a thing purely sweete 5. Thus then doth heaueÌ„ly Loue conforme vs to the will of God and makes vs carefully obserue his commandements as being the absolute desire of his diuine Maiestie whom we desire to please So that this complacence with its sweete and amiable violence doth forerunne the necessitie of obaying that which the law doth impose vpon vs conuerting the necessitie into dilection and the whole difficultie into delight Of the conformitie of our will to Gods signified vnto vs by his Counsells CHAPTER VI. 1. A Commandement doth argue a most entire and absolute will in him that giues it But Counsell doth onely signifie a WILL OF DESIRE A Commandement doth oblige vs Counsell onely incits vs A Commandement makes the Transgressours thereof culpable Counsell makes onely such as follow it not lesse laudable Those that violate Commandements deserue Damnation those that neglect Counsells deserue onely to be-lesse glorified There is a difference betwixt commanding and commending vnto ones care in coÌ„manding we vse authoritie to oblige but in commending vnto ones care we vse curtisie to egge and incite A Commandement doth impose necessitie Counsell and recommendation incits vs to that which is more profitable Obedience corresponds to Commandements beliefe to Counsells We follow Counsell with intention to please and Commandements least we might displease And thence it is that the LOVE OF COMPLACâ—NCE which doth oblige vs to please the beloued doth by consequence vrge vs to follow his Counsells and the LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE which desires that all wills and affections should be subiected vnto him procurs that we doe not onely will that which he ordaines but also that which he counsells and to which he doth exhort like as the Loue and respect which a good child beares vnto his Father makes him resolue to liue not onely according to the Commandements which he doth impose but euen according to the desires and inclinations which he doth manifest 2. Counsell is giuen in fauour of him to whom it is giuen to th' end he might become perfect If thou wilt be perfect saied our Sauiour goe sell all that thou hast giue it to the poore and follow me 3. But a louing heart doth not
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
truth or a most true humilitie that indeede we are most vnprofitable and vnfruitfull seruants to our Maister who by reason of his essentiall superabundancie of riches can haue no profit by vs but conuerting all our works to our owne aduantage and commoditie he makes vs serue him with as little profit to him as much profit to our selues who by so small labours gaine so great rewards 3. He was not then bound to paie vs for our seruice if he had not passed his promis for it yet doe not thinke THEO that he would so manifest his goodnesse in this promise as to forget to glorifie his wisdome yea contrariwise he did most exactly obserue the rules of equitie mixing comelinesse with liberalitie in an admirable manner for though our works are indeede very small and in no wise for their quantitie cōparable to Glorie yet in regard of their qualitie they are very proportionable therevnto by reason of the Holy Ghost who by Charitie dwelling in our hearts workes them in vs by vs and for vs in so exquisite a manner that the same workes that are wholy ours are more wholy his sith as he doth produce them in vs so we againe produce them in him as he doth them for vs so we doe them for him as he operats them with vs so we cooperate them with him 4. Now the holy Ghost doth dwell in vs if we be liuely members of IESVS CHRIST who herevpon saied vnto his Disciples He that abids in me and I in him he brings forth much fruit and it is THEO because he that abids in him is made partaker of his diuine Spirit who is in the midst of mans heart as a liuing fountaine of water springing vp vnto life euerlasting so the holy oyle which was poured vpon our Sauiour as vpon the head of the Church militant and triumphant doth spread it selfe ouer the societie of the Blessed who as the sacred beard of this heauenly Maister is continually fastened to his glorious face and doth drope vpon the companie of the faithfull who as clothes are ioyned and vnited by loue to the Diuine Maiestie the one and the other troope being composed of naturall brethren hauing hereby occasion to crie out Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell in one as oyntment on the head which ranne downe vpon the beard the beard of Aaron which ranne downe vpon the hemme of his garment 5. Our works therefore as a little corne of mustard are in no sort comparable in greatnesse to the tree of glorie which they produce yet haue they the vigour and vertue to worke it for that they proceede from the holy ghost who by an admirable infusiō of his grace into our hearts makes our works his and yet withall leaues them our owne since we are members of one head whereof he is the Spirit and ingraffed in a tree whereof he is the sape and whereas he doth in this sort act in our actions and we after a certaine manner doe operate or cooperate to his operation he leaues vs to our part all the merite ad profite of our seruices and good workes and we againe leaue him all the honour and praise thereof acknowledging that the beginning the progresse and the end of all the good we doe depends of his mercy by which he hath come vnto vs and hath preuented vs he came into vs and assisted vs he came with vs and conducted vs finishing what he had begun But ô God THEO how mercifull is this Bountie vnto vs in this diuision we render him the glorie of our praises alas and he giues vs the glorie of his possession In somme by these light and passing labours we obtaine goods permanent for all eternitie Amen That perfect vertues are neuer one without the other CHAPTER VII 1. The heart is saied to be the first part of a mā which receiues life by the vnion of the soule and the eye the last as contrariwise in a naturall death the eye begins first to die the heart the last Now when the heart begins to liue before the other parts be animated life is feeble tender and imperfect but still as it gets further possession in the other parts of the bodie life is more vigorous in each part but particularly in the heart and we see that life being interressed in any one of the members it is weakened in all the rest If a mans foote or arme be agreeued all the bodie is disseased stirred troubled and changed If our stomake paine vs the eyes voice and countenance are sensible of it Such is the agreement amongst all the parts of man for the enioying of this naturall life 2. All the vertues are not gotten in an instant but one after another as reason which is as the soule of our heart rids it selfe now of one passion now of another to moderate and gouerne them and ordinarily this life of our soule takes it's beginning in the heart of our passion which is Loue and branching it selfe ouer all the rest it doth euen quicken the very vnderstanding by contemplation as contrariwise morall or spirituall death makes its entrie into the soule by the consideration Death enters by the windowes saieth the sacred Text and its last effect is to distroy the good Loue which once perishing all our morall life is dead in vs so that though me may indeede haue some vertues seperated from others yet are they but at most languishing imperfect and weake vertues since that reason which is the life of our soule is neuer satisfied or at ease in a soule vnlesse it occupie and possesse all the faculties and passions of the same and being once agreeued or hurt in any one of our passions or affections all the rest loose their force and vigour and strangly doe pine away 3. Marke THEO all the vertues are vertues by the proportion or conformitie they haue to reason and an action cannot be named vertuous if it proceede not from the affection which the heart beares to the decencie and beautie of reason Now if the loue of reason doe possesse and animate the mynd it will be obedient to reason in all occurrences and consequently will practise all the vertues If IACOB loued RACHEL in respect that she was Laban's daughter why did he despise LIA who was not onely the daughter but euen the eldest daughter of the saied LABAN But because he affected RACHEL by reason of her beautie he could neuer equally loue the poore LIA though a fruitfull and wise maide not being so faire in his eye He that loues a vertue for the loue of the reason and decorum that shines in it he will loue them all since he will find the same motiue in thē all and he will loue each of them more or lesse as reason shall appeare in them more or lesse resplendēt He that loues Liberalitie and not Chastitie shewes sufficiently that he loues not liberalitie for the beautie of reason for that is
to wrake Were it not for the nerues muskles and sinewes the whole bodie would be entirely defeated and without Charitie the vertues can neuer stand together Our Sauiour doth still tie the performance of the commandements to Charitie He that hath my Commandements saieth he and doth obserue them he it is that loues me He that loues me not keepes not my Câ—mmandements He that loues me will obserue my words which the disciple whom our Sauiour loued repeating he that obserues the Commandements of God saieth he the Charitie of God is perfect in him and this is the Charitie of God that we keepe his Commandements And he that had all vertues would keepe all the Commandements for he that loued the vertue of Religion would keepe the three first Commandements He that had Pietie would obserue the fourth He that had the vertue of mildnesse and gentlenesse would obserue the fift by the vertue of Charitie one would obserue the sixt by Liberalitie one would auoyd the breach of the seauenth by Truth one would effect the eight by frugalitie and puritie one would obserue the ninth and tenth And if without Charitie we cannot keepe the Commandements much lesse can we without her haue all the other vertues 2. True it is one may haue some one vertue and liue some small time without offending God though he want Charitie But euen as we sometimes see trees rooted out of the ground growe as it were yet fadingly and for a short time so a heart seperated from Charitie may indeede bring forth some acts of vertue but that cannot continew for any long time 3. All vertues separated from Charitie are imperfect since they are not able without it to arriue at their end which is Beatitude Bees in their birth are little groubs and wormes without feete wings forme or fashion in tract of time they change and become little flies but afterwards waxing strong and being come to their groth then they are saied to be perfect and accomplish't Bees as being furnished of all necessaries to flie abrode and make honie Vertues haue their beginnings their progresse and their perfection and I doe not denie but without Charitie they may both be borne and growe but that they should come to their perfection and beare the name of formed fashioned and accomplished vertues is a worke of Charitie which giues them the force to flie home to God to gather vp his mercy the honie of true merite and the sanctification of the heart wherein they are found 4. Charitie is amongst the vertues as the SuÌ„ne amongst the Starrs she distributs to them all their luster and Beautie Faith Hope Feare and Penance doe ordinarily come before as Herbingers to take vp her Lodging in the soule and vpoÌ„ her arriuall they with all the traine of vertues doe obeye and waite vpon her and she with her presence doth animate adorne and quicken them all 5. The other vertues can mutually aide and excite one another in their labours and exercises for who sees not that Chastitie doth call vpon and stirre vp sobrietie and that obedience doth moue vs to liberalitie Praier and humilitie Now by this communication which they haue amongst themselues they participate one of anothers perfections for Chastitie kept by obedience hath a double dignitie it s owne and that of obedience yea it hath euen more of the dignitie of obedience then of its owne for as ARISTOTLE saieth he that robbeth to th' end he may commite fornication is more a Fornicatour then a Thiefe because fornication was his affection's onely ayme he made vse of stelth onely as of a passage thither euen so he that keepes his chastitie through obedience is more obedient then Chast since he makes Chastitie serue obedience howbeit from the mixture of Chastitie and obedience a perfect and accomplished vertue cannot issue being they both want their last perfection which is Charitie so that if it were possible that all the vertues were put in one man and that he wanted onely Charitie this assemblie of vertues should indeede be a most perfect and compleate bodie in all its members as Adams was when God with his omnipoteÌ„t hand had formed him of the slime of the earth yet should it be a bodie wanting motion life and grace till God breathed into it the breath of life that is holy Charitie without which nothing doth profit vs. 6. For the rest the perfectioÌ„ of diuine Loue is so soueraigne that it doth perfect all the vertues and can receiue no perfection from them no not by obedience it selfe which yet is that which is most able to giue perfection to the rest For although loue be commanded and that in louing we exercise obedience yet so that loue drawes not its perfection from obedience but from the goodnesse of that which it loueth loue not being therefore excellent because it is obedient but because it loues an excellent Goop Truely in louing we obeye as also in obeying we loue but that this obedience is so extreamely louely is because it tends to the excellencie of Loue nor doth its excellencie consist in this that in louing we obeye but in this that in obeying we loue So that euen as God is as well the last end of all that is good as the first beginning eueÌ„ so Loue that is the source of euery good affection is likewise the last end and perfection therof A digression vpon the imperfection of the Pagans vertues CHAPTER X. 1. THe auncient SAGES of the world made of old glorious discourses in the honour of morall vertues yea euen in the behalfe of Religion but that which Plutarke obserued in the Stoicks is yet more proper for the rest of the Pagans We see ships quoth he which beare famous inscriptions Some are called VICTORIE others THE VALOVROVS others THE SVNNE yet are they not for all that exempt from their subiection to the winds and waues So the Stoicks bragged that they were exempt from passions that they were without Feare Griefe or Anger being people immoueable and vnuariable yet are they in effect subiect to troubles disquiets boisterousnesse and other impertinences 2. I beseech you for Gods loue THEO what vertues could those people haue who voluntarily and of set purpose ouerthrew all the lawes of ReligioÌ„ SENECA wrote a booke against SuperstitioÌ„ wherein he repreheÌ„ds the PagaÌ„ impietie with a great deale of libertie But this libertie saieth S. AVGVSTINE was fouÌ„d in his writings not in his life since he aduised that in affection one should reiect superstition yet practise it in action for marke his words Which superstitions the Sage shall obserue as commanded by the law not as gratefull to the Gods How could they be vertuous who as S. AVGVSTINE relates were of opinion that the wiseman was to kill himselfe when he could not or ought not longer to endure the calamities of this life and yet would not professe that calamities were miserable nor miseries full of calamities but maintained that the wiseman was continually