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

A meanes to discerne this imper∣fect loue. CHAPTER. XI.

1. BVt you will aske me, what meanes is there to discerne, whether it be RACHELL or LIA, Cha∣ritie

or imperfect loue, which gaue me the feelings of deuotiō wherewith I am touched? If examining in particular the obiects of the desires, affections and designes which you haue for the present, you find any one for which you would transgresse the good will and pleasure of God, by sinning mor∣tally, it is then out of doubt, that all the feeling facilitie and promptitude which you haue in Gods seruice, issue from no other source then humane and imperfect loue: for if perfect loue raigned in vs, ô Lord God! it would breake euery affection, euery desire, euery designe, whose obiect were so pernicious, and would not indure that our heart, should behould it.

2. But note that I saied that this examine must be made vpon our present affections; for it is not requisite, that you should imagine to your selfe such as may arise hereafter, sith it is sufficient that we be faithfull in present occurrences, according to the diuersitie of times; and sith that euery time hath enough to doe, with it's owne paine and trauell.

3. Yet if you were desirous to exercise your heart in spirituall valour, by the representation of diuers encounters, and assaults, you may profita∣bly doe it, prouided, that after the acts of this imaginarie valour, which your heart might haue made, you esteeme not your selfe more valliant: for the children of Ephraim, who did wonders with their bow and arrowes, while they were yet trained vp in warlike feates at home, when it came indeede to the push, vpon the day of battell they turned their backes and had not so much as the

courage to bow their arrowes, or behold those of their enemies.

4. When therefore we doe practise this valour in future occurrences, or such as are onely possi∣ble, if we find a good and loyall feeling, we are to thanke God for it: For this feeling is alwayes good, howbeit we are to keepe our selues be∣twixt a confidence and diffidence, hoping that by Gods grace, we should doe in the occasion, that which we imagined; and yet still fearing, that fol∣lowing our ordinarie miserie, peraduenture we should performe nothing, but loose courage; but if the diffidence should waxe so excessiue, that it seemed to vs, that we should neither haue force, nor heart, and thereby we should fale into dis∣paire, vpon the subiect of imaginarie temptations, as though we were not in Charitie, and in Gods grace; then, in despight of our feeling and discou∣ragement, we were to make resolution of a great fidelitie in all occurrences, euen to the tempta∣tion which troubles vs, hoping that when it shall happen, God will multiplie his grace, redouble his succours, and afforde vs all necessarie assistāce; and while he giues vs not the force for an ima∣ginarie and vnnecessarie warre, he will giue it vs when it comes to the deede: For as many haue lost courage in the assault, so many haue also lost feare and haue taken heart, and resolution in the pre∣sence of danger and difficultie, which in their ab∣sence they had neuer done. And so many of Gods seruants, representing vnto themselues absent temptations, haue bene affrighted at them, euen almost to the loosing of courage, which when

they saw present, they behaued themselues cou∣ragiously. Finally in the amazements which rise from the representation of future assaults, when we apprehend that our heart failes vs, it is sufficiēt that we haue a desire of courage, and confidence that God will bestowe it vpon vs when time shall exact. Nor had SAMSON alwayes his strength, but it is noted in the Scripture, that the Lion of Tamathas vines, comming towards him furiously and roring, the Spirit of God seased him, that is, God gaue him the motion of a new force, and a new courage, and he tore the Lion in pieces, as a Gote: and in like manner when he defeated the thousand Philistians, which thought to haue de∣feated him in the field of Lechi. So my deare THEO: it is not necessarie that we haue alwayes the sense and motion of courage requisite to surmoūt the roring Lion, which goeth roring hither and thither to deuoure vs, this might administer vs occasion of vanitie and pre umption. It is suf∣ficiant that we haue a good desire to fight val∣liently, a perfect confidence that the holy Ghost will assist vs with his helping hand, when occasion shall present it selfe.