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 practise of the louing indiffe∣rencie, in things belonging to the seruice of God. CHAPTER VI.

1. Scarcely can we discouer the Diuine plea∣sure but by the euents, and as long as it is vnknowen vnto vs, we must adheare close to the will of God which is alreadie declared and signi∣fied vnto vs: but as soone as the Diuine Maiesties pleasure appeares, we must presently and louingly submit our selues vnto it.

2. My mother, or my selfe (all is one) are sicke in bed, what doe I know, whether it be his will, that death should ensue? verily I am ignorant of it; yet know I well, that in the interim, till the euent arriue, he hath ordained by his signified will, that I vse meanes conuenient for the cure. I will therefore faithfully doe myne endeauour, not omitting any thing that I can well contribute to that effect. But if it be the Diuine pleasure, that the remedies should not preuaile against the dis∣ease which brings death with it; as soone as I shall haue intelligence thereof by the euent, I will lo∣uingly yeeld to it, in the point of my heart maugre all the opposition of the inferiour powers of my soule. I, Lord, will I saie, it is my will, because thy GOOD PLEASVRE is such: so it hath pleased thee, and so it shall please me, who am the most humble seruant of thy will.

3. But if the Diuine pleasure were declared vnto me, before the euent thereof, as was the man∣ner of his death to the great S. Peter: to the great S. PAVLE his shakles and prisons: to Hieremie the ruine of his deare Hierusalē: to Dauid the death of his sonne: then I were at the same instant to vnite my will to Gods, in imitation of the great Abra∣ham, and with him, if we had such a command, we were to vndertake the execution of the eternall Decree, euen in the slaughter of our owne childrē. O admirable vnion of this Patriarch•• to the will of God, who beleeuing that it was the Diuine pleasure that he should sacrifice his child, willed and enterprised it so couragiously! Admirable that of the child, who so meekely submited him∣selfe to his Fathers sword, to haue Gods will per∣formed, at the price of his owne blood.

4. But note here, THEO: a marke of the per∣fect vnion of an indifferent heart with the Diuine pleasure: behold Abraham with the sword in his hand, his arme extended, readie to lend death's-blow to his onely deare Sōne: this he did to please the Diuine pleasure: and see at the same instant an Angell, who of the part of the saied Pleasure, sodainely stops him, and presently, he waighes his blow, equally readie to sacrifice or not to sa∣crifice his sonne, his life and death being all one to him, in the presence of Gods will. When God giues him order to sacrifice his Sonne, he is not sorrowfull; when he dispenseth with the order giuen, he is not ioyfull. All is one to this resolute heart, so Gods will be done.

5. Yes, THEO: for God oftentimes to exercise

vs in this holy indifferencie, inspires vs with high designes, which yet he will not haue accomplished and as then we are boldly, couragiously and cō∣stantly to set vpon and pursue the worke to our power; so are we sweetly and quietly to submit our selues to the euent of our entreprise, such as it pleaseth God to send vs. S. LEWES by inspira∣tion, passed the Sea, to conquer the holy Land, the successe answered not his expectation, he sweetly submitted hīselfe to it. I doe more esteeme the tranquillitie of this submission, then the mag∣nanimitie of his enterprise. S. FRANCIS went into Egipt to conuert the infidels, or amongst the in∣fidels to die a Martyre, such was the will of God, yet he returned without performing of either, and that was also Gods will. It was also the will of God, that S. ANTONIE of Padua both desired Martyrdome, and obtained it not. The B. Ignatius of Loyola, hauing with such paines put on foote the Companie of the name of IESVS, whereof he saw so faire fruit, and foresaw much more in the tyme to come, durst yet promise himselfe, that, though he should see it dissolued, which was the sharpest displeasure that could befall him, with in halfe an houre after he would be resigned and appease himselfe in the will of God. Iohn Auila, that holy and learned Preacher of Andalusia, ha∣uīg a designe to erect a cōpanie of reformed Priests for the aduancement of Gods glorie, wherein he had alreadie made a good step, as soone as he saw that of the Iesuites on foote, which he thought did suffice for that time, he presently stopt his designe, with an incomparable meecknesse and humilitie.

O how happie are such soules, as are couragious, and forceable in the enterprises to which God in∣spires them; and withall tractable and facile in gi∣uing them ouer, when God doth so dispose. These are markes of a most perfect indifferencie, to leaue of doing a good, when God pleaseth, and to re∣turne in the halfe way, when Gods will, which is our Guide, doth ordaine it. Ionas was much to blame, to suspect that God did not accomplish his Prophesie vpon the NINIVITS; Ionas performed Gods will, in denouncing vnto the Niniuits their ouerthrowe, but he let his owne will and interest enter into the worke, wherevpon seeing that God did not fulfill his prediction according to the ri∣gour of the letter, he was offended, and murmured vnworthily. Whereas, if Gods will had bene the onely motiue of his actions, he would haue bene as well content to haue seene it accomplished, in remission of the paine which the Niniuits had me∣rited, as in punishments of the fault, which the Niniuits had comitted. Our desire is that the things which we vndertake, or haue a finger in, should succeede well, but there is no reason, that God should doe all that we desire. If Gods will be that Niniuie should be threatned, ād not throwen downe, since the threat is sufficient to correct, why should Ionas find himselfe ageeeued in it?

6. But if this be so, we are then to affect no∣thing at all, but abandone our businesse to the mercy of the euents. Pardon me, THEO: we are to omit nothing, which is requisite to bring the worke, which God hath put into our hands to a

happie issue; yet vpon condition, that if the euent be contrarie, we should louingly and peaceably embrace it: for we are commanded to be iealous in that which appertaines to God's glorie, and to our office: but we are neither obliged, nor char∣ged with the euent which is not placed within our reach. Take care of him, was it saied to the Groome of the stable, in the Parable of the poore mā, who lay halfe dead betwixt Hierusalē ād Hie∣rico: It is not saied, as S. Bernard remarkes, cure him, but take care of him. So the Apostles, with an vnspeakable affection, preached first to the Iewes, though they foresaw that in the end they they should be forced to leaue them, and betake themselues to the Gentils. It is our part to plant and water carefully, but it belongs to God onely, to giue encrease.

7. The great Psalmist makes this praier to our Sauiour, as in an exclamation of ioye, and with presage of victorie. O Lord, for thy beautie and comlinesse sake, bend thy bow, march prosperou∣sly and get on horse back; as though he too would saie, that by the arrowes of his heauenly Loue, shot into humane hearts, he made himselfe Maister of man, to handle him at his pleasure, not vnlike to a horse well trained vp. O Lord thou art the Royall MAISTER OF THE HORSE, who can turne the heart of thy faithfull Louers into all postures, some∣times giuing them full bridle, they runne at full speede in the enterprises to which they were inspi∣red; ād againe, at thy pleasure, thou stopest them in the midst of their careere, and at the hight of their speede.

8. But further, if the enterprise begun by in∣spiration, doe perish by his fault, into whose hāds it was put in trust, how can one saie then, that a man is to submit himselfe to Gods will? for some will saie vnto me, it is not Gods will that hinders the euent, but my fault, which is not caused by Gods will. It is true, my child, thy fault was not caused by Gods will; for God is not Authour of sinne: yet it is also true, that it is Gods will that thy fault, is followed with the defect and ouerthow of thy designe, in punishment of thy fault: for though his goodnesse cannot permit him to will thy fault, yet can his Iustice permit the paine due to it. So God was not the cause that Dauid offen∣ded, yet he inflicted vpon him the paine due to his sinne. Nor was he the cause of Sauls sinne; Marrie he was cause that in punishment of it, the victorie perished in his hands.

9. When therefore it happens, that in punish∣ment of our fault, our holy designes haue not good euents; we must equally by a solide repentance detest the fault, and accept the punishments thereof.