God withall our hearts, with all our soules, and with all our strengths, and our neigh∣bour as our selues: to loue God I say for his owne sake, and our neighbour for the loue of God. To make vs bend all our actions to attaine to this perfection, the holy Scriptures could not lay a better foundation, then to tell vs, that Charity proceedeth from God, that hee that loueth is borne of God, and knoweth God, and that hee that loueth not, knoweth not God, for God is charity. For by this wee learne that God is the fountaine and spring of loue, and that his affection runneth into and spreadeth it selfe abroad in those parts of man, wherein the true knowledge of the Deity dwelleth.
In such manner that as the true apprehension of God, necessarily ingendreth in vs the loue of God; so consequently it followeth, that where there is no charity, there is no true knowledge of God. And therefore we may well say, that we loue God, according to the knowledge that wee haue of him, and of his benefits towards vs. As wee are taught that God loued vs, at such time as wee were his enemies, and dead by sinne, yea, and loued vs in such manner, that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne, that whosoeuer be∣leeueth in him should not perish, but haue life euerlasting. Which maketh vs loue him: (as Saint Iohn saith,) That wee loue God, because hee first loued vs. And so, for that the more hee exhorteth vs to liue vprightly and holily; so much the more cause haue wee, to assure and comfort our selues in the loue which hee beareth vnto vs. For the interiour feeling of our loue towards God, is a certaine testimony vnto vs, that he loueth vs. As Iesus Christ by the signes of loue of the sinnefull woman, weeping at his feete, and washing them with her teares, shewed the Pharesies, that God loued that woman much, & that he had forgiuen her many sinnes. For as the sunne is the fountaine & the originall spring of all bodily light, and that without it, there should bee none, and where most light is, necessarily there is a greater participation of his radiant beames. So God is the beginning and fountaine of all charity, so that no creature can loue him well but by himselfe; & where he imparteth more abundance of the heate of his loue, there necessarily appeareth a greater reflection of loue towards the Deity: and further if God did not preuent man, with the sauour and sweete∣nesse of his loue, embracing him with the liuing flames of his Charity, there would bee nothing but a kinde of coldnesse in him, and no true knowledge of Gods benefits.
Let vs heere note the saying of an Infidel, that true amitie consisteth onely in willing, and not willing: so wee ought manifestly to shewe our loue towards GOD in con∣formitie and subiection to his will, in desiring to doe that which hee willeth vs to doe, and in hating that which displeaseth him. For the highest, the chiefest, and the most perfect degree of loue, is that which leadeth vs to the perfection of vertue, that maketh vs of men to become Angels, and that maketh vs Citizens of heauen, while wee are yet liuing here on earth. Therefore euery man ought to make account, that he hath so much, and so farre proceeded, and entered into the loue of God, and that hee shall haue so much the more peace and quietnesse of conscience, as hee is lesse in loue with himselfe, and neerer vnited vnto GOD, referring himselfe in all things, at all times, and in all pla∣ces to the will of GOD, to doe that which he commandeth, and to shunne that which he forbiddeth.
Touching the other point, of the loue of our neighbour: It is the most visible marke of the children of God, and the true disciples of Iesus Christ, and for that cause most re∣commended, throughout all the holy Scriptures. Specially, by our Lord Iesus Christ, when hee saith, I giue you a commandement, that is to say, whereon men ought to thinke continually, as if it were renewed euery houre: That you loue one another, as I haue loued you, to the end that you also should loue one another. By this shall all men know, that you are my disciples, if you haue loue one to another. To the same ende Saint Iohn saith, If wee loue one another, God dwel∣leth in vs, and his loue is perfect in vs. And Saint Paul, after he had exhorted the faithfull vn∣to all holinesse and righteousnesse, and specially to the obseruation of this commandement of God, To loue their neighbours as themselues, maketh this conclusion: Therefore loue is the fulfilling of the Law. Whereunto that also tendeth, which hee saith in an other place, That faith working by loue; is that which auaileth with Christ, and that without this diuine vertue, all other gifts and graces profit vs nothing. From whence we specially gather this doctrine, that none but those that are truely faithfull, are endued with charitie, because they only know God, by faith in his word; and loue him, and their neighbours in him, for the loue of him. For we must beleeue this diuine sentence, That if any man saith that hee loueth God, and hateth his brother, he is a lier.