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

How the Loue of God doth rule ouer other Loues. CHAPTER VI.

1. THe will doth gouerne all the other faculties of mans Soule: yet is she gouerned by her Loue, which makes her such as he is. Now, of all loues, that of God holds the Septer, and hath a commanding authoritie so inseparably vnited vnto him, and so proper to his nature, that if he be not Maister, he ceaseth to be, and pe∣risheth.

2. ISMAEL, was not Coheire with Isaac his youn∣ger brother; ESAV, was appointed to be his younger brothers seruant; IOSEPH, was not onely honoured by his brethren, but euen by his Father, yea and his Mother also in the person of BENIA∣MIN, as by dreames in his youth he had foreseene: Certes it is not voide of mysterie, that the youn∣gest

of these brethren bore away the aduantage from the eldest. Diuine Loue is truely the last be∣gotten of all the Affections of mans heart: For as the Apostle saieth that which is Naturall, is first: and that which is spirituall, is after. But this last borne inherites all the authoritie: and Selfe-loue as an other ESAV is deputed to his seruice, and not onely all the other motions of the Soule, as his brethren doe adore, and are subiect vnto him, but also the Vnderstanding, and will, which are to him as Father, and Mother. All is subiect to this heauenlie Loue who will either be King, or nothing, who cannot liue, but reigne: nor reigne if not in a soueraigne manner.

3. ISAAC, IACOB, and IOSEPH, were supernaturall children: For their Mothers SARA, REBECCA, and RACHEL being sterill by nature, conceiued them by the grace of the Diuine Bountie, and for this cause they were established Maisters of their bre∣thren: so diuine Loue, is a child of miracle; syth that mans will, cannot conceiue it, if it be not poured into our hearts, by the holy Ghost. And as supernaturall, it must preside, and reigne ouer all the affections, yea euen ouer the Vnderstan∣ding, and will.

4. And be it, there are other supernaturall mo∣tions in the soule, Feare, Pietie, Force, Hope, as ISAAC, and BENIAMIN, were Supernaturall children of RACHEL, and REBECCA: yet is diuine Loue still Maister, Heire, and Superiour, as being the Sonne of promise: syth that in vertue of it, heauen is promised to man. Saluation is showen to Faith, prepared for Hope, but is giuen onely to Chari∣tie.

Faith points out the way to the Land of Pro∣misse as a Pillar of cloudes and fire, to wit CLEAR∣DARKE: Hope doth feede vs with her Manna of delight, but Charitie doth conduct vs thither, as an Arke of Alliance, making way through Ior∣dain, that is, to Iudgment, and shall remaine a∣midst the people, in the heauenlie Land promissed to the true ISRAELITS, where neither the Pillar of Faith doth serue as guide, nor the MANNA of Hope is vsefull for foode.

5. Diuine Loue, doth make his abode in the most high and eminent region of the Soule, where he doth offer Sacrifice and Holocausts to the Di∣uinitie; as ABRAHAM did, and as our Sauiour sacri∣ficed himselfe vpon the tope of CALVARIE, to th'end that from so eminent a place he might be heard, and obayed of his people, that is, of all the Faculties and Affections of the Soule, which he gouernes with an incomparable sweetnesse. For Loue hath none pressed, or flaues: but brings all things vnder his power with a force so delight∣full, that as nothing is so forcible as Loue: so nothing is so amiable as his Force.

6. Vertues are seated in the soule to moderate her motions, and Charitie as prime of all the Ver∣tues, gouerns ad tempers them all, not onely be∣cause the first in euery Species of things, is as a rule, and measure to the rest; but also, for that God hauing created man to his similitude, and liknesse, will, that as in himselfe, so in man all things be ordered, for, and by Loue.