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

Of the feeling of the diuine loue which is had by faith. CHAPTER. XIV.

1. VVHen God giues vs faith he enters into our soule, and speakes to our heart, not by manner of discourse, but by way of inspiration, proposing in so sweete a manner that which ought to be beleeued vnto the vnderstāding that the will receiues therby a great complacence and such indeede, as that it incites the vnderstan∣ding to consent, and yeeld to TRVTH without doubt or distrust at all, and heare lyes the miracle: for God proposeth the mysteries of faith to our soules, amid'st obscurities and cloudes, in such sort: that we see not, but onely ENTER-VIEVV it, as TRVTH it happens somtimes that the face of the earth being couered with fogges, we cannot view the Sunne, but onely a little more then ordinarie brightnesse about where it is; so that as one would saie, we see it without seeing it, because on the one side we see it not so faire, as that we can well af∣firme we see it; nor yet againe doe we see it so little, that we may auerre we see it not; and this is that which we terme ENTER-VIEVV. And not∣withstanding this obscure brightnesse of faith, h••••ing got entrie into our soule, not by way of discourse or show of argument but by the onely sweetenesse of it's presence, it workes the vnder∣standing to beleeue and obey it with as great au∣thoritie,

as the assurance which it giues vs of the TRVTH, surpasseth all other assurances, and doth keepe the vnderstanding, and all the discourse therof in such subiection that they haue no credit in comparison of faith.

2. Good God THEO: may I well saie this? Faith is the great friend of our vnderstanding, and may iustly saie to humane sciences, which vante they are more cleare then she, as did the sacred spouse to the shepheards. I am black, yet faire, ô humane discourses of sciences acquired; I am black, for I am seated amongst the obcurities of simple reuelatiōs, which haue no apparēt euidēce, but makes me looke blacke, putting me well nigh out of knowledge: yet I am faire in my selfe, by reason of my infinite, certaintie, and if mortall eies could behould me such as I am by nature, they would finde me entirely faire: And must it not necessarily follow that in effect I am infinitly amiable, since that the gloomie darknesse, and thicke mistes amongst which I am, not viewed but onely ENTER-VIEVVED, could not hinder me to be so agreeable, but that the vnderstanding prising me aboue all things, and breaking the presse of other knowledges caused way be made vnto me, and receiued me as his Queene into he most sub∣lime throne of his Pallace, from whence I giue lawes to all sciences, and doe keepe, all discourse and humane sense vnder: yea verily THEO: euen as the Commanders of the Armie of Israel strip∣ping themselues, put all their clothes in a heape, and made them as a royall throne, vpon which they placed IEHV, crying IEHV is kinge, so at

faiths arriuall the vnderstanding puts of all dis∣course and arguments, and submitting them to faith, sets her vpon them, acknowledging her for Queene, and with a great ioye cries out VIVE LA FOY. Discourse and pious arguments, miracles and other aduantages of Christian religion, make faith wonderfull credible and intelligible, but faith alone makes her beleeued ād acknowledged enamoring men with the beautie of her VERITIE. and making thē beleeue the veritie of her beautie by meanes of the sweetenesse which she poures into their wills, and the assurance which she giues to their vnderstanding. The IEWES saw the mi∣racles and heard the wonders of our Sauiour, but being indisposed to receiue faith, that is, their will not being capable of the sweetenesse ād plea∣santnesse of faith, by reason of the bitternesse and malice, with which they were filled, they persi∣sted in their infidelitie. They perceiued the force of the argumēt, but they relished not the sweete∣nesse of the conclusion, and therfore did not rest in her truth, while notwithstanding the act of faith consisteth in this rest of the vnderstanding, which hauing receiued the gratefull light of truth adheares to it, as to a sweete, yet powerfull and solide assurance and certaintie, which it draweth from the authoritie of the REVELATION had therof.

3. You haue heard THEO: that in generall Councels there are great disputatiōs and inquiries made of truth by discourse, reason, and theolo∣gicall arguments, but the matters being discussed, the FATHERS, that is the Bishops, but especially the

POPE, who is the head of Bishops doth resolue, conclude, and determine, and the determination being once pronoūced euery one doth fully therin rest, and quiet them selues, not in consideration of the reasons alleaged in the precedent discussion and inquisition; but in vertue of the Holy Ghosts authoritie, who presiding inuisibly in Councells, iudged determined and concluded by the mouth of his seruants, whom he had established Pastours of Christianitie. The inquisition then and the disputation is made in the PORCES by Priestes and Doctours, but the resolution and determina∣tion is passed in the SANCTVARIE where the Ho∣ly Ghost which animateth the bodie of his Church speaketh by the mouth of the head thereof: In like manner the Ostridg layes her egges vpon the Libian shore, but the Sunne alone doth hatch her young ones. The Doctours by their inquirie, and discourse doe propose TRVTH, but the one∣ly beames of the Sunne of iustice giues certaintie, and repose therein. Now to conclude THEOTIME this assurance which man's reason finds in sublime things, and mysteries of faith, begins by an a∣morous sense of delight, which the will re∣ceiues from the beautie and sweetenesse of the proposed TRVTH, so that faith doth compre∣hend a beginning of loue towards heauenly things, which our heart resenteth.