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 perfect stripping of the soule vni∣ted to Gods will. CHAPTER. XVI.

1. LEt vs represent vnto our selues, THEO: the sweete Iesus in Pilats house, where for the Loue of vs, he was turned out of his clothes by the soldiers, the Ministers of death; and not con∣tent with that, they take the skin with them, tearing it with the blowes of rods and whipps, as afterwards his soule was bereft of his bodie, and his bodie of life, by the death which he endured vpon the Crosse. But three dayes being once rūne

ouer; the soule by the most holy Resurrection, did reinuest her glorious bodie, and his bodie its mor∣tall skin, wearing sundrie garments, now resem∣bling a Gardener, now a Pilgrime, or in some other guise, according as the saluation of man, and the glorie of God required. LOVE did all this THEO: and it is LOVE also that entring into a soule to make it happily die to it selfe, and liue to God, which doth bereaue it of all humane desires, and self-esteeme, which is as closely fixed to the Spirit, as the skin to the flesh, and strips her at lēgth of her best beloued affections, as were those which she had to spirituall affections, exercises of pietie, and the perfection of vertues, which see∣med to be the very life of the soule.

2. Then, THEO: the soule may by good right crie I haue put of my garment, and how can I find in my heart, to resume them againe? I haue washed my feete from all sorts of affections, and can I euer be so mad as to soile thē againe? I came naked out of the hande of God, and naked will I returne thither, God gaue me many desires and God hath taken them away, his holy name be blessed. Yea THEO: the same God that made vs desire vertues in our beginning, ād which makes vs practise thē in all occurrences, he it is, that takes from vs the affection to vertues, and all spirituall exercises, that with more tranquillitie, puritie and simplicitie, we should affect nothing but the Diuine Maiesties good pleasure. For as the faire Iudith reserued in∣deede, her costly festiuall robes in her Cabinet, and yet placed not her affection vpon them, nor yet euer wore them in the time of her widow∣hood,

saue onely when by God's inspiration, she went to ouerthrow Holofernes: so though we haue learnt the practise of vertue, and the exer∣cise of deuotion, yet are we not to affect them, nor reinuest our heart therewith, saue onely so farre forth, as we discerne it to agree with God's good pleasure: And as Iudith wore still moorning weedes, except onely in this occasion, wherein Gods will was that she should be in pompe, so are we peaceably to remaine vested in our miserie and abiection, amidst our imperfections and infir∣mities, till God shall exalt vs to the practise of ex∣cellent actions.

3. One cannot long remaine in this nakednesse voide of all affection: Wherefore following the aduise of the holy Apostle, as soone as we haue turn'd off the garments of the old Adam, we are to put on the habits of the new man, that is to saie, of IESVS CHRIST: for hauing renounced all, yea euen the affection to vertues, neither desiring of these nor of other things a larger portion, then may beare proportion with God's will; we must put on againe diuers affections, and peraduenture the very same which we haue renounced, and re∣signed vp: yet are we not therefore to resume thē, for that they are agreeable, profitable, honorable and proper to content our selfe-Loue; but because they are agreeable to God, profitable to his ho∣nour, and ordained to his glorie.

4. Eliezer carried eare-jewels, bracelets, and new attire, for the mayde whom God had proui∣ded for his Maisters sonne, and in effect he presen∣ted them to the virgine Rebecca, as soone as he

knew it was she. New garmēts are required to our Sauiour's Spouse. If for the Loue of God she hath bereft her selfe of the auncient affections which she had to Parents, Countrie, Father's house, and allie, she must take a span new affection, louing euery of these in their ranke, not now accor∣cording to humane considerations, but because the heauenly Spouse doth will, command and in∣tend it so, and hath established such an order in Charitie. If one haue once put off his old affectiō to spirituall consolations, to exercises of deuotion to the practise of vertues, yea to his owne aduan∣cement in perfection; he must put on another new affection, by louing all these graces and hea∣uēly fauours, not because they perfect and adorne our minde, but for that our Sauiours name is san∣ctified in them, his kingdome enriched, his good pleasure glorified.

5. So did S. PETER vest himselfe in the Prison, not at his owne election, but at the Angels com∣mand. He puts on his girdle, then his Sandales and afterwards the rest of his garments. And the glorious S. PAVL•• bereft in a moment of all affe∣ctions, Lord, quoth he, what wilt thou haue me doe? that is, what is thy pleasure I should affect, since throwing me to the ground, thou hast deaded me to myne owne will? Ah Lord plant thy good pleasure in the place of it, and teach me to performe thy will, for thou art my God. THEO: he that hath forsaken all for God, ought to re∣sume nothing, but according, to Gods pleasure: he feeds not his bodie, but according to Gods ordinance, that it may be seruiceable to the Spi∣rit;

all his studie is to assist his neighbour and his owne soule, according to the Diuine intention; he practiseth not vertues, as being according to his owne heart, but according to God's.

5. God commanded the Prophet Isaie to stripe himselfe naked; which he did, going and preaching in this sort for three dayes together, as some hold, or for three yeares together, as others think, and then, the time prefixed him by God being expired, he resumed his clothes. Euen so are we to turne our selues out of affections little and great, as also to make a frequent examine of our hearts, to discouer whether it be willing to vnuest it selfe, as Isaie did his garments, as also to resume in their time, the affections necessarie to the seruice of charitie; to the end we might die with our Sauiour naked vpon the crosse, and rise againe with him, in newnesse of life. Loue is as strong as death to make vs quit all; it is magnificent, as the Resurre∣ction, to adorne vs with honour and glorie.