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I. LOVE, as we haue saied, is no o∣ther thing, then the motion, and gliding of the heart towards good, by meanes of the complacēce which one takes in it; so that complacence is the great motiue of loue, as loue is the great motion of complacence.
2. Now this motion is practised towards God
in this manner. We know by faith, that the Di∣uinitie is an incomprehensible Abisse of all perfe∣ction, soueraignely infinite in excellencie, and in∣finitly soueraigne in boūtie. And this truth which faith teacheth vs is attentiuely considered by me∣ditation beholding the immensitie of goods which are in God, either in grosse by assembling all the perfections; or in particular, by conside∣ring his excellences, one after another, for exāple his All-power, his All-wisdome, his All-goodnesse, his Eternitie, his Infinitie. Now when we haue brought our vnderstanding to be very attentiue, to the greatnesse of the Goods that are in this di∣uine obiect; it is impossible but our will should be touched with complacence in this good, and then we vse the libartie and power which we haue ouer our selues, prouoking our owne heart, to answere and strengthen this first complacence, by acts of approbation, and reioycing. O saieth the deuote soule in this case, how faire thou art my well-be∣loued, how faire thou art, thou art wholy desi∣reable, yea thou art desire it selfe! Such is my well-beloued, ād he is the friend of my heart! ô daugh∣ters of Hierusalem, ô blessed be my God for euer, who is so good: ah! whether I liue or die, too happie I am in knowing, that my God is so rich in all Goodnesse, that his Goodnesse is so infinite, his infinitie so good.
3. Thus approuing the good which we see in God, and ioying in it: we make an act of loue which is called complacence: for we please our selues in the diuine pleasure, infinitly more then in our owne: and it is this loue which rendred so
much content to the Saints, when they could meete with the perfections of their well-beloued, and which caused thē to pronoūce with so much delight, that God was God; Goe to, knowe saied they, that our Lord is God; ô God, my God, my God, thou art my God; the God of my heart; and my God is the part of myne inheritance for euer. He is the God of our heart by this cōplacence, sith by it, our heart doth embrace him, and makes him it's owne: he is our inheritāce, because by this act, we enioye the goods which are in God, ād as from an inheritance we haue from it all pleasure, and content: by meanes of this complacence we drinke and eate spiritually the perfections of the Diuini∣tie: for we make them our owne, and draw them into our hearts.
4. IACOBS owes drew into their entrals the va∣rietie of colours which they saw in the fountaine wherein they were watered, when they were a rā∣ming; for in effect their young lambes were there∣vpon spotted: so a soule taken with the pleasing complacence which she takes in considering the Diuinitie, and in it an infinitie of excellences, she drawes the colours thereof into her heart, that is to saie, the multitude of wonders and perfections which she doth contemplate: and makes them her owne, by the contentment which she takes therein.
5. O God what ioye shall we haue in heauen, THEO: when we shall see the well-beloued of our hearts, as an infinite sea, whose waters are perfe∣ction, and goodnesse! Then as Harts, much pur∣sued and spent, putting their mouthes to a cleare
and coole fountaine, doe draw into thē the coole∣nesse of these faire waters; so our hearts after so many languishments and desires, meeting with the strong and liuing source of the diuinitie, shall draw by their complacence, all the perfections of the well-beloued, and shall haue the perfect frui∣tion of them by the ioye which they shall take in them, replenishing themselues with those immortall delightes: and in this wise the deare Spouse will enter into vs, as into his mariage bed, to communicate his eternall ioye vnto our soules, according as he himselfe saieth, that if we keepe the holy law of his loue he will come, and seiourne with vs. Such is the sweete and noble robberie of Loue, who without vncolouring the well-beloued doth colour it selfe with his colours; without dis∣robing him, inueste it selfe with his robes; with∣out taking from him, takes all that he hath, and without impouerishing him, is enriched with all his wealth; as the aire takes light, not lessening the originall brightnesse of the sunne, and the Myrror the grace of the countenance, not dimi∣nishing his, that lookes in it.
7. They were made abominable like to the things they loued, saied the Prophet speaking of the wicked; so might one saie of the good, that they are become louely as the things they loued. Behold I beseech you, S. CLARE of Mountfalco her heart, it was so delighted in our Sauiours Pas∣sion, and in meditating the most holy Trinitie, that it drew into it selfe all the markes of the pas∣sion, and an admirable representation of the Tri∣nitie: being made such as the things she loued.
The loue, which the great Apostle S. PAVLE, bore to the life, death and passion of our Sauiour, was so great that it drew the very life, death, and pas∣sion of this heauenly Sauiour into his louing ser∣uants heart; whose will was filled with it by dile∣ction, his memorie by meditation, and his vnder∣standing by contemplation. But by what canall or conduict was the milde IESVS conueied into SAINT PAVL••S heart? by the canall of complacence, as he himselfe declareth, saying: Farre be it from me euer to glorie, saue in the crosse of our Sauiour IESVS-CHRIST: for if you doe marke it, betwixt glo∣rying in a person, and compleasing ones selfe in the same; taking glorie, and taking pleasure in a thing, there is no other difference, sauing that he who glories in a thing, to pleasure addes honour, honour not being without pleasure, though plea∣sure can be without honour. This soule then, had such a complacence, and esteemed himselfe so much honored in the diuine Goodnesse, which appeares in the life, death, and passion of our Sa∣uiour, that he tooke no pleasure but in this ho∣nour. And it is this that made him saie, be it farre from me to Glorie saue in the crosse of my Sauiour, as he also saied that he liued not him∣selfe, but IESVS-CHRIST liued in him.