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WE are so vncapa∣ble of the loue of God, that we are e∣uen ignorant what it is. This herbe groweth not in our garden; it is a gift from aboue, com∣ming from the Father of lights, who is loue & charitie it selfe, as saith Saint Iohn. It is a licour which God powreth
into our soules by drops as into narrow mouthed vessels. Wherefore to deale with our selues ac∣cording to our owne slownesse, we will ende∣uour to receiue it into our mindes by little and little, and by easie steps to bring our selues to the highest degree of loue.
There are fiue degrees of this loue; the lowest whereof being the most imperfect, doth serue notwithstāding to raise vs to the highest.
1 The first degree is to loue God, because
of the good which hee doth vs, and which we hope to receiue of him.
2 The second degree is to loue him for his owne sake, because he is soueraignely excellent, and most excellently a∣miable.
3 The third is, not only to loue God aboue al things, and more then our selues, but also not to loue any thing in the world but for Gods loue.
4 The fourth is, to hate our selues for Gods sake.
5 Aboue all which
degrees, that loue of God excelleth, where∣with we shall loue him in the life to come. A loue which burneth in the breasts of Saints and Angels, which stand be∣fore his throne of glo∣rie.
We call these sorts of loue, degrees, and not kinds; because the high∣er degrees containe the inferiour: euen as the most excellēt white dif∣fereth frō other white∣nesse lesse cleare, not in kinde of colour, but in degree: steps vpō which wee must get vp, and
vpon each of them stay a little our spirits.
THe first and lowest step,* 1.1 is to loue God because of the good which he doth vs. Vpon this degree of loue was Dauid, when in the 116 Psalme he saith, I loue the Lord because he hath heard my voice: and so in the 18. Psalme. For God will be loued for do∣ing good vnto vs. It is God which hath made vs, which keepeth and gui∣deth vs, which nourisheth
our bodies and instructeth our soules; redeemeth vs by his Sonne, gouerneth vs by his holy Spirit, tea∣cheth vs by his word: ma∣keth vs his seruants, yea his friends,* 1.2 yea his chil∣dren, yea euen one with himselfe. Plato philoso∣phizing vpon the grace of God, according as he was able, gaue thankes vnto him for three things. 1. For that he had created him a mā, & not a beast. 2. That he was borne a Grecian, and not a Barbarian. 3. That not onely so, but a Phi∣losopher also. We that
are instructed in a better schoole, do otherwise distribute our thanksgi∣uing, and do praise him for three things also. 1. That amongst all his creatures, he hath made vs men, created after his owne image. 2. That frō amongst all sorts of men hee hath made vs Chri∣stians. 3. That amongst those which beare the name of Christians, he hath made vs faithfull ones. Herunto you may adde if you will the 4. that he hath adopted & elected vs in his Sonne before the foundation
of the worlde: hauing had care of vs not onely before we were borne, but euen before the world was made. For if a woman lately concei∣uing, loue her future fruite, much more doth she so when it is borne and embraced in her armes: so if God loued vs before wee had any being, how much more when we call vpon him and loue him with a fi∣liall loue? Now in this grace, the lesse our num∣ber is, the greater is our priuiledge, the greater his bountie and mercie
towards vs, to be like a few wel sighted amōgst a throng of blind men; like the portion of Iacob in Egypt, alone enlight∣ned in the midst of that darknesse which coue∣red all the countrey: like Gedeons fleece, alonely watered with his bles∣sing, whilest all the rest of the earth is drie and destitute of his grace. God hath enuironed vs with examples of blind∣nesse, to the end wee might make the more account of light, and that wee should go on in the way of righteous∣nes
whilest the day la∣steth, whilest he enligh∣teneth vs by his word.
All these graces de∣pend vpon one speciall grace, which is our re∣conciliation with God by the death of Iesus Christ; it is he that is the conduit-pipe, through which the graces of God do flow vnto vs: it is Iacobs ladder, which ioyneth earth vnto hea∣uen, which ioineth man againe with God. The Angels ascending this ladder, do signifie our prayers. The Angels de∣scending, signifie Gods
blessings. Iacobs sleeping at the foote of this lad∣der, representeth the rest of our consciences vn∣der the shadow of his intercession. For before, on what side soeuer man could turne his eyes, he could see nothing but matter of feare and asto∣nishment. If he looked on God, he saw a consu∣ming fire, and a soue∣raigne iustice armed a∣gainst sinners. If he loo∣ked on the law, hee saw the sentence of his con∣demnation: if on the heauē, he said, I am shut out thereof by my sins:
if on the world, he saw himselfe fallen from the empire he before had o∣uer the creatures: if on himselfe, he saw a thou∣sand corporall and spi∣rituall infirmities. By the signes in heauen, and earthquakes, he was sei∣zed with trembling and feare: then Satan, death and hell were the ene∣mies which either drew him to perdition, or tor∣tured him with their ap∣prehension. But now each man which hath an assured trust in Iesus Christ, looketh on all these things with ano∣ther
eye, and singeth a∣nother song. If he looke vpon God, he will say, It is my Father, who hath adopted me in his Sonne. If he thinke on the iudgement seate of the last day, he will say, My elder brother sitteth thereon, and he who is my Iudge, is also my ad∣uocate. If he thinke on the Angels, he will say, These are my keepers, Psal. 34. If he looke on heauen, he will say, It is my house. If he heare it thunder from aboue, he will say, It is my Fathers voice. If he consider the
law, he saith, The Sonne of God hath fulfilled it for me. If he be in pros∣peritie on earth, he will say, God hath yet better things for me in store. If he be in aduersitie, he wil say, Iesus Christ hath suffered much more hereof for my sake; God exerciseth me, proueth me, or correcteth me, or rather honoureth mee, making me like vnto his Sonne. If he thinke on the diuell, death, or hell, then he will triumph o∣uer all, saying with the Apostle, 1. Cor. 15. O death, where is thy victo∣rie?
O graue where is thy sting? Thankes be to God who hath giuen vs victo∣rie through Iesus Christ our Lord. If these things buzze and keepe a noise like angrie waspes, yet haue they lost their sting. If the old Serpent pricke our heele, yet is his head bruised. If the diuell through persecu∣tions giue vs a false a∣larme, yet belong we to Iesus Christ, who hath bought vs, and none shall snatch vs out of his hand. Who wil feare ha∣uing such a patron, who not onely maketh inter∣cession
for sinners, but of sinners maketh them iust? who not only plea∣deth for a bad case, but also of bad, maketh it good, because that hee doth not only pray, but also pay for vs: so that to pardon vs is not onely a worke of his mercie, but also an effect of his iu∣stice.
These obligations vn∣to the louing God, are common vnto all the faithfull. But I thinke, if each one would looke backe into the course of his life, and call to mind the time passed, there is
none of vs but should finde iust cause to ac∣knowledg besides these common benefites, ma∣nie particular witnesses of the care and loue of God towards vs: Of de∣liuerances out of many dangers, vnhoped for good chances, commo∣dious afflictions, our purposes crossed, but for our good, extraordi∣nary meanes to bring vs vnto the knowledge of his truth. Shall it be said, that the blessings of God haue rained vpon the sands, without making vs more fruitful of good
works? Shall we be like vnto beasts, which drink of the brooke without thinking of the spring; without raising vp our thoughts vnto God the wel-spring of all bles∣sing?
Meane while, when we say that God doth vs good, to the end we should loue him: it is not because he hath any need of our loue: but because he would saue vs, he would that we should loue him; be∣cause it is impossible to be saued whilst we hate him. Moreouer, our lo∣uing
him also, is partly his gift; for it is he which kindleth his loue in vs. God doth not only giue vs his graces, but giueth also grace to demaund them, the hand to ap∣prehend them, & grace to make good vse there∣of: the vertue to glorifie him for the same, in such sort, as to acknowledge that we owe vnto him not only those his good things, but euen our selues also. God doth good vnto the vnwor∣thy, but he maketh them worthy by this doing them good: his spiritual
graces being of such na∣ture, as that they trans∣forme such as receiue them.
This first degree of loue being holy and ne∣cessary, is not for all that any more then a begin∣ning of the loue of God and as the first stroke of true pietie. For he who loueth God but for his profite, is like vnto little children, who say their prayers that they may breake their fasts: and to speake properly, they loue not God but them∣selues. Such a loue, if it extend it selfe no fur∣ther,
is a mercenary loue, yea and iniurious vnto God. For it may be al∣wayes thought, that the end is better then those things which tend ther∣unto. If then the loue of God haue no other end but our owne profit, we place the same aboue God, and make our in∣terest more exellēt then his seruice. Let him then which is come to this first degree of loue, if he passe on no further, know that God pardo∣neth vs much, if he pu∣nish not that which is grounded but vpon the
loue of our selues: wher∣fore wee must mount higher, and come to the second step.
THe second step of Gods loue,* 1.3 is to loue him, not onely for our profits sake, but e∣uen for his owne sake, to wit, that laying aside all consideration of his benefites, yea and our hope of any profit from him, yet to loue him a∣boue all things. Dauid speaketh of this loue in
the 69. Psalme,* 1.4 ver. 37. Let all them which loue thy name, reioyce. Hee wold haue vs loue God for his names sake, that is to say, because he is so∣ueraigne Lord, wise in his counsels, iust in his actions, true in his pro∣mises, dwelling in glory which none can attaine vnto, possessing a soue∣raigne perfection. God, whose life is without beginning and ending, his eternitie without change, his greatnesse without measure, his power without resi∣stance: who hath made
the world by his word, gouerneth it by his sight, and shall ruinate it by his will: who in one vertue and perfection, which is his essence, in∣closeth all vertue, which is euery where dispersed in the creatures; as di∣uers lines which meete in one center, do dis∣perse thēselues by their extentiō. For these con∣siderations, God ought to be loued more then for the good which he doth vs. Iesus Christ himselfe teacheth vs the same, in the prayer he formed for vs; in which
he appointeth vs to de∣maund the sanctifying of his name, and the ad∣uancement of his king∣dome, before we craue any thing for our profit. A desire which so pos∣sessed the spirit of Moses, and the Apostle S. Paul, that forgetting them∣selues, they desired ra∣ther to be blotted out of the booke of life, and to be accursed, then that God should not be glo∣rified.
Wherefore to plant in vs this loue, which lo∣ueth God for his owne sake, it is necessarie to
know so farre forth as we may, what he is in himselfe, and wherefore soueraignly to be belo∣ued.
Wee naturally loue beautie; now light is the chiefe of beauties, with∣out which all other beauties do nothing dif∣fer from deformities. God then being the chiefe light, is necessari∣ly the chiefest beautie: He is the Father of lights, saith S. Iames. The foun∣taine of light is in him, and through his light we see crearly, saith Dauid in the 36. Psalme. For this
cause, when hee first set his hand vnto the crea∣tion, he began with the light, as a thing best re∣presenting his nature. He is the Sunne of iu∣stice: the Sunne which setteth not, which ma∣keth no shadow; vnto which all things are transparent: which not onely enlighteneth the eyes, but euen giueth sight. And iudge you what this soueraigne brightnesse is,* 1.5 seeing that the Scraphins stan∣ding before the Throne are dazeled,* 1.6 and faine to couer their faces with
their wings, as Esay saith, being not able to en∣dure so great a splendor. For if at the glorious ap∣parition of the humani∣tie of Iesus Christ, the Sunne shall be darkened as some litle light at the appearing of a greater, what may be the splen∣dor of his Diuinitie?
If you will consider the life of God,* 1.7 ours is but a shadow, and no∣thing in comparison. For our life is a flowing and succession of parts: but God possesseth his life entirely at one in∣stant, and all at once. He
who wil know what the life of God is in compa∣rison of mans life, let him compare the sea with some litle brooke. 1. The sea is very great, and the brooke very lit∣tle. 2. The sea budgeth not from his place, but the brooke runneth still forth, and is alwayes a new water. 3. The wa∣ters of the Sea come from no other place; but all running waters come from the sea, and return thither. The like is the life of God compared with ours. 1. His life is infinite, and ours verie
short. 2. His life consi∣steth in rest, and to pos∣sesse all his life at one in∣stant: but our life is a fluxe, and succession of parts. 3. His life com∣meth from none other, but our life commeth from him, Acts 17. ver. 28. and returneth vnto him againe, as Salomon saith in the 12. of Eccle∣siastes: The earth retur∣neth vnto the earth, as it was before, and the spirit vnto God which gaue it.
Gods knowledge is also a bottomlesse pit.* 1.8 He knoweth all things, yea euen such as are not.
Things passed, are not passed vnto him: the fu∣ture are present before him. He soundeth the heart: he seeth through the cloake of hypocri∣sie. We behold things one after another, but he seeth them all at one view: as if a man were all eye, and should see all that were about him without turning him∣selfe. We see things be∣cause they are: on the contrarie, things are, be∣cause God seeth them. For in God to see, is as much as to will, and his will is, to do. To know
things, we looke vpon them: but God to know things, looketh on him∣selfe, because that in his wisedome hee hath the models of all things, and in his will the sentence of all chances.
How admirable also is his holinesse!* 1.9 It infi∣nitely surpasseth the ho∣linesse of Angels and Saints: as it is said in the booke of Iob, chap. 15. Behold, he hath no assu∣rance in his Saints, and the heauens are not pure in his sight: how much more abhominable and vile is man, who drinketh
iniquitie like water. Euen as the holy Scripture calleth the highest hea∣uen, the heauen of hea∣uens, because it inclo∣seth the inferiour: so also it calleth God, the holie of holies, because his holinesse incloseth that of all the Saints, as being infinitely inferiour. The holinesse of the creature is a qualitie: that of God is his substance. God is holy of himselfe; but men and Angels are not Saints, but because God hath sanctified them.* 1.10
Also after a cleane contrarie manner vnto
men, is he iust. For men are iust, because they do iust things. In God it is otherwise: for the things are iust because God doth them. For he is iu∣stice it selfe. Wherefore he is iust for no other cause, but for that hee doth according to his wil: according to which he hath giuen vs his law, the perfect rule of iu∣stice, which he not only setteth before vs, but al∣so writeth it in vs, and engraueth it with his finger in the stone, as he promiseth vs in the 31. of Ieremie: I will put my
law into them, and will write it in their harts. He loueth iustice and truth. He hateth the workers of iniquitie, he rooteth out liers, he hateth the bloud-thirsty and deceitful man. Psal. 5.
What shall we say of his goodnesse,* 1.11 through which he loueth them which hate him, by which hee causeth his Sunne to shine vpon the iust and vniust, the good and bad: by which hee raineth down his good∣nesse euen into the mouthes which are o∣pen to blaspheme him?
Aboue all, this infinite goodnes shineth in the person of his Son: This Sonne so begotten be∣fore all eternitie, that he yet now begetteth him: Sonne without begin∣ning of time, Sonne of the like age as his Fa∣ther: Essentiall Word, eternall Wisedom, God euerlastinglie blessed. That Sonne which Esay calleth the Father of E∣ternitie,* 1.12 would make himselfe the Sonne of man, to the end that we might be children of God: yea was content to be borne in a stable,
to the end that wee might be receiued into heauen; to be borne a∣mongst beasts, to the end that wee might be companions with An∣gels. Hee who is the Word it selfe, was con∣tent to stammer as a childe, to the end that wee might speake vnto God in all libertie. He who is the bread of life, was content to be an hungred, to the end we might be satisfied. He who is the fountaine of life, was content to be a∣thirst, to the end our soules might be moist∣ned.
Briefly, he who is life it selfe, hath suffered death, that hee might giue vs life. All this for vile creatures, yea ene∣mies vnto God, that he might make them of slaues vnto Sathan, his owne children, and transport them from hel into his kingdom. These are the bottomlesse pits of the bountie & good∣nesse of God, which do gently swallow vp our soules; there is pleasure to lose ones selfe there∣in. For these are the bot∣tomlesse depths of the grace of God, which
passe our vnderstan∣ding, but doe recreate our hearts; which giue matter of admiration, and also no lesse subiect of consolation. Here are the highest witnesses of his loue: here are all his fatherly affections layed open; all the riches of that grace which the Angels themselues ad∣mire, and as Saint Peter saith,* 1.13 endeuour to pry pro∣foundly into; louing in this case the goodnesse of God, not for their owne profit, but in res∣pect of God himselfe: for Iesus Christ is not
come into the world for their redemption.
Now to what end all this, but that wee should loue him who hath so much loued vs, and admire with ioy the treasures of his grace? O God, as thy greatnesse is incomprehensible, so also thy bountie is infi∣nite! our spirits are stop∣ped with this contem∣plation; our words are beneath our thoughts, and our thoughts yet much lower then the truth. We speake of this greatnesse but stamme∣ringly, our praises do a∣base
thee, we draw the picture of the Sun with a coale. But ô God, raise vp our soules to thee: and if our spirits be too weake to know thee, make our affections ar∣dent to loue thee. Thou who wast pleased to be our Father, touch our hearts with a filiall affe∣ction. Thou which gi∣uest vs occasion to loue thee, giue vs also the motions thereof. For, as much as we are poore in meanes, so much are we vncapable to receiue them, and to loue thee after hauing receiued
them, if thou thy selfe doest not plant thy loue in vs.
All these considera∣tions do raise vp our spi∣rits to loue God, not for our selues, but for his owne sake: which ap∣peareth also in this, that our loue to God cannot be well directed, if it be not formed vpon the modell of that loue wherewith God hath loued vs. Now God lo∣ueth vs for the loue of himselfe, as he saith by the mouth of Esay:* 1.14 It is I, it is I, that blotteth out thy sinnes for mine owne
sake. And it is the prayer which Daniel maketh in his ninth chapter, Lord heare, Lord pardon, Lord tarrie not, but hasten for thine owne sake; for thy name hath bene called vpon this citie, and vpon thy people. God conside∣reth that we beare his i∣mage: hee considereth that wee are vnworthy of his grace, but that it is a thing worthy of his bountie, to do good vn∣to the vnworthy, and which is more, to make them worthy by doing them good. He consi∣dereth that his Church
is like vnto a flock which carieth his name,* 1.15 and is called the people of God; and therefore he will not let it be Sathans prey, nor a matter of tri∣umph vnto the aduer∣sarie.
THe third degree or step, is so to loue God aboue all things; that we should loue nothing in the world but for his sake. For example, there are many persons and ma∣ny things in the world
that wee cannot keepe our selues from louing, yea and it would be ill done not to loue them. So a father loueth his children, a wife her hus∣band; our kindred, allies, neighbours and friends haue part in this amitie. So a man loueth his health, his house, his land, his studie, &c. To go about to dispossesse a man of the loue of these things, would be an in∣humane doctrine, and more then tending to brutalitie. He is worse then an infidell that hath not care of his familie,
saith the Apostle. Pietie rooteth not out these af∣fections, but doth hus∣band them, and of mi∣strisses which they were, maketh them but hand∣maids vnto the loue and feare of the Lord. No more then Iosua would kill the Gibeonites, but subiected them vnto the seruice of Gods house. For then doth a father loue his children as hee ought, if in bringing them vp, he purpose to vse them as mē do yong plants, which shall one day bring forth fruite to the glorie of God. If he
so remember himself to be their father, that he be yet more mindfull that God is his. Then a man loueth his friends as he ought, when he lo∣ueth them because they loue God, and because hee seeth the image of God shining in them. So we shall then iustly loue health, when wee shall loue it, not because it is more gamesom and without paine, but be∣cause it bringeth vigour vnto our bodies, and li∣bertie vnto our mindes to serue God in our vo∣cation. The like ought
to be said of riches, of honours, of knowledge, things which one may honestly loue; prouided that their loue doe not distract vs from the loue of God, but may rather thereto aduance & help vs to performe good workes. And as there is not any so little brooke but it leadeth vnto the sea: so let these good∣nesses of God, seeme they neuer so smal, leade our thoughts to this great depth of the goodnes and greatnesse of God. Briefly, all our liues and affections to∣wards
our neighbours, shal be well squared out, when they shal be bran∣ches & brooks of Gods loue, and a reflection of our sight, which from God glanceth vpon his image. Neuer loue the persons for that which is about them, but for what is in them. Esteem not of men, as of purses for the money which is therein. If you honour a man because he is well clothed, by consequēce ought we to salute sattin in whole peeces. If you account of a man for his honours sake, you tie
his dignitie to his titles and to his habite: which things being takē away, there is no more of any thing which ought to be loued; as a horse which carieth an idoll, which being takē away, hath no more reueren∣ces done about him. On the contrary, if you loue a man because he fea∣reth God, because he is firme in the faith, for∣ward in the knowledge of God, true in his words, iust in his acti∣ons, charitable towards the afflicted, burning with the zeale of Gods
house, you shall neuer want occasion to loue him. Take away from him his goods, his ho∣nours, yea his cloathes, yea euen his bodie; all these ornaments will re∣maine, and that excel∣lencie which consisteth in the image of God, and the graces of his Spirit.
I am not ignorant, that the secrets of mens hearts are very deep; and oftentimes the friends which a man chuseth for vertuous, do becom vicious, or else shew they were neuer other∣wise
In this case the man which loueth God, ought to reprehend his friend, and to reforme him if he can possible. Flatterie hath takē away from true friendship all his termes, except the li∣bertie to reprehend. To be afraid to chide ones friend, lest wee should offend him, is a respect full of crueltie: as if whē hee were readie to be drowned, thou shouldst feare to catch him by the haire of the head, lest hee should leese a haire or two. If by these reprehēsions thy friend
do not amēd, the friend∣ship of a man must then giue place vnto Gods loue. We must do like Moses, who made vse of his rod whilest it was a rod, but fled from be∣fore it when it became a serpent. And yet in this case it were better to separate our selues by little and little, and to vnsow friendship rather then to teare it asunder.
Vnto all these diffi∣culties the loue of God serueth as a rule. Many heathen haue gathered a number of precepts of friendship, but haue not
discouered this secret, which ruleth all their rules, that is, to learne first to loue God, and to cause our friendships to be deriued frō his loue. Such as the braine is vnto the sinewes, the li∣uer vnto the veines, and the heart vnto the arte∣ries, that very same is the loue of God vnto hu∣mane friendships; that is to say, they are but threds and branches which depend thereon. This diuine loue not be∣ing therein, friendships are no friendships, but a conspiration; an accord
or agreemēt to disagree with God: friendships grounded vpon pleasure or vpon gaine, which ceasse when pleasures leese their taste through age, or when profite di∣minisheth, or is not e∣qually distributed: but friendships groūded vp∣on the loue of God, are firme, because they are grounded vpon a sure foundatiō. Which loue ought so far to aduance it selfe, that for the loue of God we ought not onely to loue our friends, but euen our e∣nemies, because God
willeth it. Matth. 5. Be∣cause that amongst these enmities, some marks of Gods image do yet ap∣peare; because they are as it were rods in Gods hand for our amend∣ment, and inforcements vnto his feare.
WE are not yet at the highest.* 1.16 For we must come euen to the hating of our selues for the loue of God. For euen as there is not in man, any loue more
strong or more naturall then the loue of our selues: so is it that same which most resisteth the loue of God, and which is most vneasy to be sur∣mounted. That which the shirt is in our cloa∣thing, the same is the loue of our selues in our affections, to wit, that which is last put off. There we are to fight a great combat: it is as it were Sathans last in∣trenchment, frō whence he is vneasily driuen a∣way. Yet none can loue God as he ought, who hateth not his owne na∣ture;
who is not grieued at his owne desires, and maketh not mortall war against them, being de∣sirous to finish this com∣bat by death, & to be dis∣solued, that he might be with God: readie to be prodigall of his bloud, that he may be sparing of Gods glorie: waxing wearie of this bodie of ours, as of a mouing pri∣son or portable sepul∣cher. Like vnto him that being in prison, looketh through the grates, desi∣ring his libertie: so looke you not to get out at the doore, you shall onely
get out through the ru∣ines thereof, by the de∣structiō of this body: as whē the prison sinketh, & the prisoner escapeth at some breach thereof. Hee which shall haue most made warre with himselfe, shall haue the more peace with God: he which shall not haue pardoned himself, God shall pardon him: he which shall haue despi∣sed,* 1.17 yea hated his owne life, he shall saue it.
Here is the fourth de∣gree or step of loue, and the highest that man can reach vnto in this
life. It was this degree of loue, which made the Apostle to crie out:* 1.18 Alas miserable man that I am, who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death? It was this degree of loue which caused Dauid, ha∣uing a scepter in his hand, being vanquisher of his enemies, and filled with earthly riches and honor, to acknowledge himselfe but a stranger and way faring man vpō earth.* 1.19 It is this degree of loue which hath sustai∣ned Martyrs in their tor∣ments, the heate wherof hath bene hoter then
the heate of the fire: can you think that they had their muscles of steele, or bodies vncapable of torment and paine? it is not so. But as the heate of a feauer drieth vp out∣ward vlcers, and a lesser heate is surmounted by a greater: so the interior heate of Gods loue did surmount the heate of the flame, and had more strength to sustain them, then paine had power to preuaile against them. Martyrs, whose vertues do yet vnto this day su∣staine our vices; whose ashes do yet heate our
coldnesse; whose bloud doth yet crie, speaking both for the truth of the Gospell, and against our slacknesse, who in a litle time are so farre degene∣rate from their constan∣cy. Surely if they do not serue vs for an example, they will serue vs for a reproach and condem∣nation.
Now to come to this degree of loue, we must haue a long and hard combat: for our flesh is rebellious & mutinous, and couetousnes so roo∣ted therein, that to pluck it vp (as witnesseth the
Son of God himselfe) is as if a man should cut off a hand,* 1.20 or plucke out an eye. And Saint Paul also calleth our desires our members.* 1.21 Notwith∣standing God saith, that he will make an end of his worke in our infirmitie:* 1.22 he maketh vs to be victo∣rious, but after many fals. Oftentimes man being placed as in a crosse∣way,* 1.23 betweene the spirit and the flesh, betweene the loue of God and the loue of the world, hee feeleth contrarie sugge∣stions, and a maruellous combat. How many
times commeth it to passe, that after the loue of God hath had the vp∣per hand, and that the faithful hath resolued to be good, by and by his desires doe reassemble thēselues, & giue a new assault vnto the feare of God? The faithful being thus assailed, either with some appetite of re∣uenge, of rapine, or lust, shall feele this loue of God speaking thus vnto him in his heart: Mise∣rable man, whither go∣est thou? doth not God see this? despisest thou his threatnings? reiectest
thou his promises? for∣gettest thou thy vocati∣on? Wherfore wouldest thou grieue the Spirit of God? wherefore woul∣dest thou bring a scan∣dall vpon his Church? Where are the promises which thou hast made him? where is thy mind∣fulnesse of his benefits? Is this the way to the kingdome of heauen? Art thou assured that being fallen, thou shalt rise againe? For a little pleasure mingled with bitternesse, wilt thou trouble the peace of thy conscience? For a little
porttage of herbes, wilt thou neglect thy birth∣right? At these suggesti∣ons the faithfull wil stay himselfe, he will sigh be∣fore God; and like Sam∣pson, he will breake the bonds of his desires: but all is not yet done, nor this rebellious flesh is not yet quelled. For after these holy resoluti∣ons, we haue for certain spaces, great dulnesse a∣gaine. Then the diuell espieth occasion, if he see vs in bad companie, if he see vs idle, if we haue discontinued prai∣er, reading or hearing of
the word of God, then our desires doe rouse themselues vp againe; then the contrarie sug∣gestions of the flesh and the spirit struggle toge∣ther for masterie: which maketh the life of the faithful oftentimes seem bitter, euen to the desi∣ring of death to end this combat. O miserable na∣ture, enemie to it owne selfe! ô ingrafted and deepe rooted corrupti∣on! O mutinous seditiō, which woldest bring vs back into Egypt: which after our coming out of Sodome, makest vs look
backe againe, like vnto Lots wife; and makest vs loth to leaue the euill we are come from. Cor∣ruptiō which troubleth our best actions by bad suggestions, and be∣smeareth them with some euill. If we thinke vpon death, our flesh suggesteth vnto vs, that there is yet time inough to thinke thereon. If we heare or reade the repre∣hensions of Gods word, it perswadeth vs that it is spoken vnto others. If we thinke of heauen, it saith, we shal come time enough thither. If thou
thinkest to giue almes, it will softly suggest in thine eare, What know I that I shall haue no need thereof my selfe? If thou wouldest reprehend thy friend for his amend∣ment, it will draw thee by a cruel respect, name∣ly, for feare of offending him. Each good affectiō hath as it were two eares like a pot, by which the flesh and the world take hold to hinder the exe∣cution thereof.
Here then wee must carefully haue recourse to Gods assistance, and imitate Rebecca, who
had recourse vnto pray∣er when two children stroue in her wombe: a most expresse figure of these two men which are in euery faithful per∣son; the one which is the old, the other which is the new man; the one our corrupted nature, the other the regenerate spirit, which do couet one against another, as saith the Apostle S. Paul.* 1.24 Wherfore also God an∣swered Rebecca, The el∣der shall serue the younger. For the old man must be subiected vnto the new, vntill he be fully
ranked in due obedi∣ence vnto God.
THere remayneth now the last and chiefest degree or step,* 1.25 which is the loue wher∣with we shall loue God in the glorie celestiall. For we loue things ac∣cording as wee know them. We shall therfore loue God much more then, because wee shall much better know him. Now (saith the Apostle) we know in part,* 1.26 now we
see as in a glasse obscurely; but then we shall see face to face. Our loue which seeth from a farre off, and which is distracted by diuers obiects, shall then see neare at hand, and shall wholy be fixed vpon God. And as whē two great high swelling riuers come to encoun∣ter one another, they make a maruellous in∣undation: so the loue of our selues and the loue of God, are like two streames which neuer ioyne themselues toge∣ther on earth, but shall meete in heauen. What
then shall the vehemen∣cie be of both these af∣fections, when they shal be mingled both toge∣ther, and ioyned in one loue? For then in louing God, we shall loue our selues, because God shall dwell in vs, and because that (saith the Apostle S. Iohn) we shall be like vnto him.* 1.27 Nor are we not to doubt, but that the Angels and Saints do loue themselues ar∣dently, but with a loue which distilleth from the loue of God. O hap∣pie and admirable loue of ones selfe, which is
mingled with the loue of God! Let vs forbeare to loue our selues vntill that time, and let vs loue nothing in our selues but what doth prepare vs and entertain vs with the hope of this loue.
But because this loue, with which we shal loue God in Paradice, doth grow from the view & contemplation of his face, (for loue is kind∣led by the sight) let vs learne what sight this shall be, that shall cause this our loue. Our bodi∣ly eies see things by two meanes, either by recei∣uing
their images; for so we see the bodies expo∣sed to our view; or by receiuing into our eyes the thing it selfe which wee see: so wee see the light, which wee see in such sort as that it ente∣reth euen into our eyes. Now God who is the chiefest of lights, will make our soules to see him in heauen in this latter fashion. For he dwelleth in his Saints, and is in them all in all. But in this life he causeth him∣selfe to be seene by ima∣ges, that is, by the con∣templation of his works,
in which hee hath im∣printed a picture (as it were) of himselfe, and the expresse markes of his vertue. Therfore we shal then see our God in such sort as we now see the light: but that now we see it not but by the windowes of the bodie, that is, by the eyes: for then wee shall receiue throughout all our parts the light of God, which shall enlighten vs on all sides with the beames of his holinesse. Euen as if a man were all eye throughout, and should receiue light in himselfe
on all sides.
This same sight of God, will make vs like vnto God, as Saint Iohn saith,* 1.28 We shall be like vnto him, for we shall see him as he is. For as a looking∣glasse cannot be expo∣sed to the Sunne but it will shine like the same: so God receiueth none to contemplate his face, but hee transformeth them into his owne like∣nesse by the irradiation of his light and perfecti∣on.* 1.29 And as God is cha∣ritie and loue it selfe,* 1.30 as the same Apostle teach∣eth; it is necessary that
the creature being by this view made like vnto God, should also be sei∣zed with this loue, and enflamed with this spiri∣tuall fire. A fire which hath giuen name vnto the Seraphins, so called because of their ardour, which is nothing else but the loue of God, the feruour of their zeale, and their readines to do him seruice.
Here necessarily must end these degrees or steps of loue, and our meditation can mount no higher: it is the last steppe of Iacobs ladder,
by which we mount vp vnto God.
To loue God for his bles∣sings.
Ioh. 15. 15. & Ioh. 17. 17.
To loue God for Gods owne sake.
Psal. 69. 37
Psal. 146. 8
Esay 6. 2.
The life of God.
The know∣ledge of God, what it is.
His holines.
His iustice.
His goodnes
Esay 9.
1. Pet. 1. & 12.
Esay 43.
Osea 2.
To hate ones owne selfe for the loue of God
Luk. 9. & 14.
Rom. 7. 24.
Psal. 39. & 129.
Math. 5.
Coloss▪ 3.
2. Cor. 12.
Gal. 5.
Gal. 5. 17.
How the Saints in glorie, do loue God.
1. Cor. 13. 12.
1. Ioh. 3.
1. Ioh. 3.
Vrim & Thumim.
1. Ioh. 4. 8.