A treatise of the loue of God. Written in french by B. Francis de Sales Bishope and Prince of Geneua, translated into English by Miles Car priest of the English Colledge of Doway

That the naturall inclination which we haue to loue God is not without profit. CHAPTER XVIII.

1. BVt seeing we haue not power naturally to loue God aboue all things, why haue we

naturally an inclination to it? Is not Nature vaine to incite vs to a Loue, which she cannot bestow vp∣on vs? Why doth she moue in vs a thirst of a pre∣cious water, wherof she cannot make vs drinke? Ah THEOTIME how good God was with vs! the perfidiousnesse which we did commit in of∣fending him, deserued truely that he should haue depriued vs of all the markes of his beneuolence, and of the fauour which he deigned to our na∣ture, when he imprinted vpon her the light of his diuine countenance, and indued our hearts with a ioyfulnesse to perceiue themselues inclined to the loue of the diuine goodnesse, to the end that the Angels seeing this miserable man, might by way of compassion haue occasion to saie; is this the creature perfect in beautie? the glorie of the earth?

2. But this infinite Clemencie could neuer be so rigorous to the worke of his hands. He saw that we were clothed with flesh; A winde which consumes in passing and returns not; and there∣fore according to the bowells of his Mercy, he would not vtterly ruinate vs, nor depriue vs of the signe of his lost grace, to the end that weighing, and feeling in our selues this inclination, and pro∣pension to loue, we should endeauour to loue indeede, and to the end that none might iustly saie, Who will shew vs the God? For though by this sole naturall inclination we cannot be so happie, as to loue God as we ought; yet if we im∣ploie it faithfully, the sweetnesse of the diuine Pie∣tie, would afford vs some assistance, by meanes wherof, we might make progresse, and seconding

this first assistance. God would bestow vpon vs another greater, and conduct vs from good to better in all sweetnesse, till he brought vs to the Soueraigne loue, to which our naturall inclination drawes vs; sythence it is certaine, that the diuine goodnesse doth neuer denie his hel∣ping hand, more and more to aduance him whom he sees faithfull in a little, and doe what he is able.

3. This naturall inclination then which we haue to loue God aboue all things, is not left for nothing in our hearts: for God of his part makes vse of it as of a Handle, by which he takes hold, to drawe vs more sweetely vnto himselfe; and it seemes the Diuine Goodnesse by this impression, doth in some sort, hold our hearts tyed, as little birdes in a string, by which he can drawe vs when it pleaseth his mercy to take pitie vpon vs: to vs it is a marke and memoriall of our first Principle, and Creator, to whose loue it moues vs, leauing in vs a secret intimation, that we belong to his Diuine Goodnesse. Euen as Harts whom princes haue sometimes taken, and put vpon them Col∣lers with their Armes, though afterwards they cause them so to be let loose, and runne at liber∣tie in the Forest, doe not leaue to be knowen to any that lights vpon them, not onely to haue bene once taken by the Prince, whose Cognoi∣sance they beare but also to be still reserued for him: for so the extreeme old age of a Hart was knowen, which according to some Historians was taken three hundred yeares after the death of Cesar, because he was found in a Coller

with Cesars Armes vpon it, and this Mote:

CESAR LET ME GOE.

4. Certes the honorable inclination which God hath left in our hearts doth testifie as well to our friends as our enemies, that we did not onely sometimes belong to our Creator, but fur∣thermore, though he did let vs runne, and leaue vs to the mercy of our freewill, that we doe still ap∣pertaine vnto him, and he reserued a right in vs, to take vs againe to himselfe when he pleased, to saue vs according as his holy and sweete prouidēce shall require. Hence the Royall Prophet termes this inclination, not a light onely, in that it makes vs see whether we are to tend, but also, a Ioye and a cheerefulnesse, for that it doth comfort vs in our straying, giuing vs a hope that he who did ingraue and left in vs this faire marke of our origine, pre∣tends also and desires to reduce and bring vs back thither, if we be so happie as to leaue our selues to the will of the diuine good∣nesse.