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 certaine speciall fauours exercised by the diuine prouidence in the Re∣demption of man. CHAPTER. VI.

1. CErtainly God doth admirably show the riches of his incomprehensible power in this great varietie of things which we see in Nature. Yet doth he make the Trea∣surs of his infinite Bountie more magnificent∣ly appeare, in the incomparable varietie of be∣nefits which we acknowledge in Grace. For THEOTIME he was not content with the holy excesse of his Mercy, in sending to his people, that is to Mankind, a generall and vniuersall Redem∣ption by meanes wherof euery one might be sa∣ued, but moreouer he diuersified it in so many sorts, that his Liberalitie did shine amiddest that varietie, and that varietie againe did mutually im∣bellish his Lliberalitie.

2. And following this, he first of all prepared for his most holy Mother a fauour, worthy the

loue of a Sonne, who being most wise, omni∣potent and good, was to prouide himselfe of a Mother to his liking, and thefore he ordained that his Redemption should be applied to her by way of a preseruatiue to th'end that sinne, which ranne from generation to generation, might stop before it came at her; so that she was ransomed in so ex∣cellent a manner, that although the Torrent of originall iniquitie came rolling her vnfortunate waters vpon the Conception of this sacred Lady, euen with as great impetuositie, as against the daughters of ADAM; yet being arriued there, it did not dare a further passage: but made a sodaine staie, as did of old, the waters of Iordaine, in the daies of IOSVE and for the same respect: for the flood stopt his course in reuerence of the Ark of Alliance which passed; and originall sinne made his waters retire, adoring, and dreading the pre∣sence of the true Tabernacle of Eternall Alliance.

3. In this sort then God deturned all bondage from his glorious Mother, giuing her the good of both the states of humane nature: retaining the Innocencie which the first ADAM had lost, and en∣ioying in an excellent sort the Redemption which the second did acquire. Whence as a garden of e∣lection, which was to bring fourth the fruite of life, she was made florishing in all sorts of perfe∣ctions; This sonne of eternall loue, hauing thus decked his Mother with a Robe of gold wrought in faire varietie, that she might be the Queene of his right hand, that is to saie, the first of the elect, which should enioy the delightes of God's right hand; so that this sacred Mother, as being altoge∣ther

reserued for her Sonne, was by him infran∣chised, not onely from damnation, but euen from all danger of damnation, giuing her Assurance of grace, and the Perfection of grace: not vnlike an Aurora who beginning to appeare encreaseth continually in brightnesse till perfect day light. Admirable redemption! Master-pece of the Re∣demour! and Prime of all Redemptions! by which the sonne with a truly filiall heart, preuented his Mother in the benedictions of sweetnesse, he pre∣serued her, not onely from sinne as he did the An∣gels, but euen from all danger of sinne and euery thing that might diuert, of hinder her in the exer∣cise of holy Loue. Protesting that amongst all the reasonable Creaturs he had chosen, this Mother was his onely Doue, his entirely perfect, his who∣lie deare well beloued without all paragon, and comparison.

4. God also appointed other sauours for a small number of rare Creaturs, whom he would assure from the perill of damnation; as certainly he did S. IOHN BAPTIST, and probably IEREMIE with certaine others, which the Diuine Proui∣uidence seased vpon in their mothers wombe, and stated vpon them a Perpetuitie of Grace, by which they might remaine firme in his Loue, though subiect to delaies and veniall sinnes, which are contrarie to the perfection of Loue, not to Loue it selfe, and these soules in regard of others, are as Queenes continually crowned with Chari∣tie, holding the principall place in the loue of their Sauiour next to his Mother who is Queene of Queenes. A Queene not onely crowned with

Loue, but with the Perfectiō of loue, yea which is yet more, crowned with her owne Sonne the soue∣raigne obiect of Loue, being that childrē are theire Fathers and Mothers crownes.

5. There are yet other soules which God de∣termined for a time to leaue exposed to the dan∣ger, not of loosing their saluation: but yet in perill to loose his Loue, yea he permitted them to loose it in effect, not assuring them Loue for the whole time of their life, but onely for the periode therof, and for certaine precedent times. Such were the APOSTLES, DAVID, MADELAINE, and di∣uerse others, who for a time remained out of God's grace, but in the end being throughly conuerted they were confirmed in grace vntill death; so that, though from thence they continued subiect to im∣perfections, yet were they exempt from all mor∣tall sinne, and consequently from danger of loo∣sing the Diuine loue, and were as the heauenly spouse his sacred soules, adorned indeede with a wedding garment of this holy loue: yet for all that not crowned; a crowne being an ornament of the head, that is of the prime part of a man: now the first yeares of the Soules of this ranck, hauing bene subiect to terreane loue, they were not to be adorned with the crowne of heauenly loue, but it is sufficient for them to weare the Robe which renders them capable of the marriage-bede with the heauenly Spouse, and to be eternally happie with him.