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 vnion of Mans will to Gods in the in∣spirations, which are contrarie to the or∣dinarie Lawes: and of the peace and tranquillitie of heart, the second marke of Inspiration. CHAPTER. XII.

1. THus then THEO: we are to behaue our selues in the inspirations, which are no otherwise extraordinarie, then in that they doe moue vs to practise ordinarie Christian exercises, with an extraordinarie feruour and perfectiō: but there are other inspirations called extraordinarie, not onely because they make the soule passe the bonds of an ordinarie proceeding, but also moue a man to actions contrarie to the lawes, rules and common customes of the most holy Church: and which therefore are more admirable then imi∣table. The holy Damsell called by the Historians Eusebia the strang, left Rome, her natiue soyle, and putting her selfe in mans attire, with two girles more, tooke shipe to goe by Sea to Ale∣xandria, and thence to the Ile of Co, where fin∣ding

themselues sure, they put on againe their womans habit, and returning to Sea, they went to the towne Mylasla in Car••••, whither the great S. PAVLE, who had found her in Co, and had ta∣ken her vnder his spirituall protection, led her, and where afterwards, being made Bishop, he did so piously direct her, that she erected a Monaste∣rie, and dedicated it to serue the Church in quali∣tie of DIACONESSES, (as in those dayes they were named) with such feruour of Charitie that in the end she died a Saint, and by a number of miracles which God did by her Relikes and intercessions, was acknowledged for such. To put on an attire, proper to a diuers Sexe, and in a disguised manner to expose ones selfe to a iourney together with men, doth not onely passe the extraordinarie rules of Christian modestie, but is euen contrarie to them. A certaine young man hauing giuen his mother a kicke with his foote, touched with a liuely repentance confessed it to S. ANTONIE of Padua; who to imprint the horrour of his sinne more deepely in his heart, saied vnto him, amōgst other things, my child, the foote which serued for an instrument of wickednesse, would deserue to be cut off for so great a trespasse: which the youth tooke in so good earnest, that being returned home to his mother, transported with the feeling of contrition he cut of his foote: the Saints words had not had such force, according to their ordina¦rie qualitie, vnlesse God had added his inspiration therevnto; yea an inspiration so extraordinarie, that it was esteemad rather a temptatiō, if the mi∣racle of his reunited foote, caused by the Saints

benediction had not authorised it. S. PAVLE the first Hermite, S. ANTONIE, S. MARIE EGIPTIACA, did not inhabite the vast wildernesse, where they were depriued of hearing Masse, communicating▪ and confessing, yea of all direction and assistance being young people, without a strong inspiration. The great SYMEON STYLITE led a life, that neuer mortall creature would haue dream't of, or haue vndertaken without an heauēly instinct and assi∣stance: SAINT IOHN Bishop surnamed SILEN∣TIARIVS forsaking his Bishoprike without the knowledge of any of his Clergie, passed the rest of his dayes in the Monasterie of Laura, nor was there after, any newes heard of him. Was not this contrarie to the rule of keeping a holy Resi∣dence? And the great S. PAVLINE, who sold him∣selfe to ransome a poore widowes sonne, how could he doe it following the ordinarie lawes, since he was not his owne, but by his Episcopale consecration, belonged to the Church, and the Common? The Virgins and wiues who being pursued for their beautie, with voluntarie wounds disfigured their faces, that vnder the maske of an holy deformitie, they might conserue their cha∣stitie, did they not, in apparēce, prohibited things?

2. Now the best marke of good inspirations in generall, and particularly of extraordinarie ones, is the peace and tranquillitie of the heart that receiues them: for though the holy Ghost be truely violent, yet is his violence sweete, deli∣cate and peaceable; he comes as a blast of winde, and as an heauēly thunder-clape, but he doth not ouerthrow the Apostles, he troubles them not;

the feare which they had in hearing the noyse, was of no continuance, but was sodainly followed with a sweete assurance. So that this fire, seates it selfe vpon each of them, where it giues and takes a sacred repose: and as our Sauiour is called a peaceabl•• o•• gentle Salomon, so is his Spouse ter∣med Sunamite, calme, and Daughter of Peace: and the voice, that is, the inspiration of God, doth not in any sort disquiet or trouble, but drawes her so sweetely, that he makes her soule deliciously melt and runne into him: My soule, quoth she, melted when my Beloued spoke; and though she be warlike and Martiall, yet is she withall so pea∣ceable, that in the discord of weapons and warrs, she maintaines the concord of an incomparable melodie. What can you see, saied she, in the Suna∣mite, but troupes of armed men? Her armies con∣sist of troupes, that is, of concords, and singers, and her troupes are armed men, because the wea∣pons of the Church, and of the deuote soule, are no other thing then Praiers, Hymes, Canticles, and Psalmes. So that seruants of God, which had the most high and sublime inspirations, were the most milde and peaceable that the world had. A∣braham, Isaac, Iacob, Moyses are enstyled the most milde amongst men; Dauid is famous for his mild∣nesse. Whereas Contrariwise the Euill Spirit is turbulent, rough, stirring: and those that follow hellish suggestions, apprehending them to be hea∣uenly inspirations, are commonly easily knowen, being disquieted, headie, fierce, enterprisers and sticklers in affaires, who vnder the cloake of Zeale, doe turne all topce-turnie, censure all the

world, chide euery one, find fault with all things; they are a people that will not be directed, by or condiscend to any, they will beare with nothing, but exercise the passions of selfe-loue vnder the title of Zeale of Gods honour.