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

THE TENTH BOOKE. OF THE COMMAN∣DEMENT OF LOVING GOD ABOVE ALL things. (Book 10)

Of the sweetenesse of the Commandement, which God gaue vs, to loue him aboue all things. CHAPTER. I.

1. MAN is the perfection of the Vni∣uerse, the Spirit the perfection of man, Loue the Spirits, and Chari∣tie the perfection of Loue. Whēce the Loue of God, is the end of per∣fection, and the Excellencie of the vniuerse. In this THEO: doth consist the hight and primacie of the Commandement of Diuine Loue, called by

our Sauiour, the first and greatest Commandemet. This Commandement is as a Sunne, giuing luster and dignitie, to all the holy lawes, to all the Di∣uine ••ordonances, and to all the holy Scripturs. All is made for this heauenly Loue, and all tends to it: Of the sacred Tree of this Commandement, all consolations, exhortations, inspirations, and euen all the other Commandements, haue depen∣dance as it's flowres; and eternall life, as it's fruit: and all that tends not to eternall Loue, tends to eternall death. O great Commandement, whose perfect practise remaines euen in the euerlasting life, yea it is no other thing then life euerlasting.

2. But marke, THEO: how amiable this law of Loue is! ah Lord God, was it not sufficient that thou shouldst permit vs this heauenly Loue, as KABAN permitted IACOB to Loue RACHEL, with∣out daigning farther to inuite vs to it by ex∣hortations, and vrge vs to it by thy Com∣mandements? Nay more, ô Diuine Goodnesse! to the end that neither thy Maiestie, nor our mi∣serie, nor any other pretext at all, might delay our loue to thee, thou dost command it vs. The poore APELLES could neither abstaine from louing, nor yet aduenture to loue the faire COMPASPE, be∣cause she appertained to ALEXANDER the Great; but whē he had once leaue to loue her, how much did he hold himselfe obliged to him that did him the grace! He knew not whether he should more loue the faire COMPASPE granted him by so great an Emperour, or so great an Emperour, who had granted him the faire COMPASPE. O sweete God, THEO: If we could vnderstand it, what an obliga∣tion

should we haue to this Soueraigne good, who doth not onely permit, but doth euen command vs to loue him! Alas my God, I know not whether I ought more to loue thyne infinite Beautie, which so great a Bountie hath ordained that I should loue; or thy Diuine Bountie, which ordaines that I should loue so infinite a Beautie! O Beautie how amiable thou art, being granted vnto me by a Bountie so immense! O Bountie how amiable thou art, in communicating vnto me so eminent a Beautie!

3. God at the day of Iudgment will imprint, after an admirable māner in the hearts of the dam∣ned, the apprehension of their losse: for the Di∣uine Maiestie will make them clearely see the So∣ueraigne Beautie of his face, and the Treasures of his Bountie: and vpon the sight of this Abisse of infinite delights, the will, desires with an extreame violence to cast her selfe vpon him, to be vnited vnto him, and enioy•• his Loue: But all in vaine; she shall be as a womā, who in the panges of child-birth, after she haue endured violent paines, cruell conuulsions, and intollerable panges, dies in the end without being deliuered. For as soone as the cleare and faire knowledge of the heauenly Beautie, shall haue penetrated the vnderstandings of those infortunate wretches; the Diuine Iustice, shall in such sort depriue the will of her force, that she can in no wise loue this obiect, which the vn∣derstanding shall propose vnto her, and make cleare to be so amiable; and this sight which should beget in the will so great a Loue, in lieu thereof, shall engender an infinite desolation, which shall

be made eternall, by a memorie of the Soueraigne Beautie they saw, which shall for euer liue in these lost soules; a memorie voyd of all good, yea full of vexations, paines, torments and endlesse despe∣rations; For so much as in the soule shall be found both an imposiblitie, yea and a dreadfull and euer∣lasting auersion and repugnance to loue this so wishfull an Excellencie. So that the miserable damned shall liue for euer in a desperate rage to know so soueraignely amiable a perfection, with∣out all hope, of euer being able to enioye or loue it: because while they might haue loued it they would not: they shall burne, with a thrist, so much more violēt, by how much the remēbrāce of this source of waters of eternall life, shall more egge their ardour: they shall die immortally, as dogges, of a famine by so much more vehement, by how much their memorie shall more sharpen the insa∣tiable crueltie thereof, by calling to mind the heauenly banquet, of which they were depri∣ued.

The damned soules in foming rage, Shall wither vp and drie away: And nothing shall their griefe asswage, VVhat ere their daring hearts essaye.

I dare not affirme for certaine, that the view of Gods Beautie, which the damned shall haue, in the māner of a flash of lightning, shall be as bright as that of the Blessed; yet shall it be so cleare, that they shall see the sonne of mā in his Maiestie; they shall see him whom they pierced; and by the view

of this glorie, shall learne the greatnesse of their losse. Ah, if God had prohibited man to Loue, what a torment would that haue bene to generous hearts: what paines would they not vndertake to obtaine permission to Loue him? DAVID entred into a very dangerous Combat, to gaine the kings daughter, and what did not IACOB doe to espouse RACHEL? and the Prince SICHEM to haue DINA in marriage? The damned would repute them selues Blessed, if they could entertaine a hope euer to Loue God: And the Blessed would esteeme them∣selues Damned, if they harboured a thought, that they should euer be depriued of this sacred Loue.

4. O Good God, THEO: how gustfull is the sweetenesse of this Commandement, seeing that if it pleased the Diuine will to giue it to the dam∣ned, they would in a moment be deliuered of their greatest misfortune, and since the Blessed are not Blessed but by the practise of it! ô heauenly Loue how louelie thou art in the fight of our soules? And blessed be the Bountie of God for euer, who so earnestly commands vs to Loue him, though his Loue be otherwise most to be desired, and necessarie to our Happinesse, and that without it, we must necessarily be vnhappie.

That this Diuine Commandement of Loue tends to Heauen, yet is giuen to the faithfu••l in this world. CHAPTER. II.

1. If the law be not īposed on the iust mā because he preuenting the lawes, and without the la••es sollicitation, doth performe Gods will by the instinct of Charitie, which raignes in his soule; how free are we to esteeme the Blessed in Heauen from all commandements, since that from the possession of the Bountie and Beautie of the Beloued, in which they are, a sweete yet ineui∣table necessitie to Loue for euer the most holy Di∣uinitie, doth streame out and runne vpon their hearts? We shall Loue God aboue, THEO: not as being tyed and obliged by the law, but as being allured, and rauished with delight, which this so perfectly an amiable obiect shall yeeld vnto our hearts. Then the force of the Commandement will cease, to the end it may giue place to the force of contentment••, which shall be the fruite and crowne of the obseruance of the Commandement We are therefore ordained to the contentment which is promissed vs in the immortall life, by meanes of the Commandement giuen vnto vs in this our mortall life, in which truely we are strictly bound to obserue it, because it is the fundamen¦tall law, which the KING IESVS deliuered to

the Citizens of this militant HIERVSALEM, where∣by they may merite the BVRGVERSHIP, and ioye of the triumphant HI••RVSALEM.

2. Certes aboue in heauen, we shall haue a heart free from all passions, a soule puri∣fied from all distractions, a Spirit infranchised from contradictions, and forces exempt from op∣position, and therefore we shall Loue God, with a perpetuall and neuer interrupted affection, as it is saied of the foure sacred beasts, which repre∣senting the Euangelists, doe incessantly praise the Diuinitie. O God what a ioye, when we being established in those eternall Tabernacles our Spi∣rits shall be in this perpetuall motion, in which they shall enioye the so much desired repose of their eternall dilection.

Happie, who in thy Mansion liue, And in all Seasons praises giue!

But we are not to aime at this Loue so exceedingly perfect in this life of death, for as yet we haue nei∣ther the heart, nor the soule, nor the Spirit, nor the forces of the Blessed. It is sufficient for vs to Loue with all the heart and force which we haue. While we are little children, we are wise like little children, we speake like children, we Loue like children, but when we shall come to our perfect groth aboue, we shall be quit of our infan∣cie, and Loue God perfectly. Yet are we not for all this, THEO: during the infancie of our mortall life, to leaue to doe our best, according as it is commanded, since it is not onely in our power, but is also most facile, the whole Commandement

being of Loue, and of the Loue of God, who as he is soueraignely good, so is he soueraignely amiable.

How, notwithstanding, that the whole heart is imployed in sacred Loue, yet one may Loue God diuersly, and also many other things together with him. CHAPTER. III.

1. HE that saieth all, excluds nothing, and yet a man may be wholy Gods, wholy his Fa∣thers, wholy his mothers, wholy his Princes who∣ly his cōmon-wealth's, his children's, his friend's: so that being wholy euery on's, yet he is wholy to all: which happens, for that the dutie by which a man is wholy on's, is not contrarie to the dutie, by which a man is wholy an others.

2. Man giues himselfe wholy by loue, and with proportion to his loue he bestowes himselfe. He is therefore in a soueraigne manner giuen to God, when he loues the Diuine Bountie Soueraignely. And hauing once made this kind of donation of himselfe, he is to loue nothing that can remoue his heart from God. Now neuer doth any loue take our hearts from God, saue that which is con∣trarie vnto him.

3. SARA is not offended to spie ISMAEL about her deare ISAAC, while his dalliance with ISMAEL

is not to slight or disparage her: nor is God offen∣ded to see other loues liue in vs besids his, while we doe conserue for him, the reuerence, and res∣pect due vnto him.

4. Verily, THEOT: in heauen, God will giue himselfe wholy to all and not by halfs, since he is a WHOLE, that hath no parts, yet will he giue him∣selfe diuersly, and with varieties, equall to the va∣rietie of the Blessed, for though he giue himselfe wholy to all, and wholy to each one, yet will he neuer giue himselfe totally, neither to any one in particular, nor to all in generall. And we shall giue our selues to him, according to the measure in which he giues himselfe to vs: For we shall see him indeede face to face, as he is in his Beautie; and shall loue him heart to heart, as he is in his Boun∣tie: yet all shall not see him with an equall bright∣nesse, nor loue him with an equall sweetenesse: but euery one shall see and loue him, according to their particular portion of glorie, which the Di∣uine Prouidence hath prepared for them. We shall equally all haue the fulnesse of Diuine Loue; mar∣ry that fullnesse shall be vnequall in perfection. The honie of Narbone is sweete, and so is also that of Paris: both of them are full of sweetenesse, but the one of a sweetenesse, better, finer, ād more vigorous; and though both of them be entirely sweete, yet is neither of them totally sweete. I doe homage to my Soueraigne Prince, as also to him that is next vnto him. I present therefor my loyal∣tie as well to the one as to the other of them, yet doe I present it to neither of them totally. For in that which I exhibit to my Soueraigne, I doe not

exclud that which is due to his va••sall next to him, nor doe I in this includ that. Wherefore it is no wonder, if in Heauen, where these words THOV SHALT LOVE THE LORD T••Y GOD WITH ALL THY H••ART, shall be so excellently practised, there be great differences in loue, sith we see such diuersitie euen in this mortall life.

5. THEO: not onely of such as loue God with all their heart, some loue him more, and some lesse, but euen one and the same doth oft passe himselfe, in this soueraigne exercise of louing God aboue all things. Appelles did at sometimes hādle his Pencell better then at others, sometimes euen out striping himselfe: For though commonly he put all his art and all his attention to draw out ALEXANDER THE GREAT, yet did he neuer em∣ploye it so totally and entirely that he had not yet other tricks of art, by which though he neither put to't more skill, nor more affection, yet he did it more liuely and perfectly: He alwayes imployed all his wit to the good performance of this Table of ALEXANDER, because he vsed it without re∣serue, yet sometimes he did it with more grace and felicitie. Who knowes not that we make progresse in this holy Loue, ād that the end of Saints is crow∣ned with a more perfect loue, thē their beginning.

6. Now according to the phrase of holy Scripture; to doe a thing with all ones heart, im∣ports onely, to doe it willingly and without re∣serue. O Lord saieth Dauid I haue sought thee with all my heart, Lord heare me, and the holy WORD testifieth, that he had truely followed God with his whole heart: and yet not withstan∣ding

all that, it affirmes also that Ezechias had not his equall amōgst all the kings of Iuda, neither before nor after him; that he was vnited to God, and straied not from him: Afterwards treating of IOSIAS, it saieth, that he had not his fellow amongst all the kings either before or after hī, that he retur∣ned to God with all his heart, with all his soule, with all his force, according to the whole law of MOYSES: nor did there any that followed him, rise like vnto him Marke then I praie you THEO: marke how DAVID, EZECHIAS, and IOSIAS loued GOD with all their hearts; and yet not all three with an equall dilection, because some of them had not their like in this Loue, as the Sacred Text witnessed. All the three loued him; each of them with all their heart, yet did nere a one of them seperatly, nor all three ioyntly, Loue him totally, but euery one in his particular way: so that as all the three were a like, in this, that they gaue their whole heart, so were they vnlike, in their manner of deliuering it: yea there is no doubt at all but that DAVID taken a part, was farre different from himselfe in this Loue; and that with his second heart, which God created pure and cleane in him and his right Spirit, which he renewed in his bo∣wels by holy Penance, he sung the Canticle of Loue farre more melodiously, then euer he had done, with his first heart and Spirit.

7. All true Louers are equall in this, that all giue all their heart to God, and with all their force, but vnequall, in the diuersitie of giuing it, whence one giues all his heart with all his force yet lesse perfectly then the others. Some giues it

it all by Martyrdome, all by virginitie, all by pu∣ritie, all by action, all by contemplation, all by a pastorall function; and though all giue it all, by the obseruance of the Commandements; yet doth some one giue it with lesse perfection then the others.

8. Euē so IACOB hīselfe, who was called the HOLY-of-GOD in DANIEL, and whō God protesteth that he loued, confesseth ingeniously that he had ser∣ue LABAN with all his strength: and why did he serue LABAN, but to obtaine RACHEL, whom he loued with all his forces? He serues LABAN with all his forces; he serues GOD with all his forces: he Loues RACHEL with all his forces, he Loues GOD with all his forces: yet Loues he not RACHEL as GOD, nor GOD as RACHEL: He Loues GOD as his God aboue all things and more then himselfe; he Loues RACHEL in qualitie of a wife, and as him∣selfe: he Loues God with an absolute and soue∣raignely supreame Loue; and RACHEL with the cheefest nuptiall Loue. Nor is the one of the Loues contrarie to the other, since that of RACHEL doth not violate the priuiledges and soueraigne aduan∣tages of the Loue of GOD.

9. So that our Loue to God, THEO: takes its worth from the eminencie and excellencie of the motiue, for which, and according to which we Loue him, in that we Loue him for his soueraigne infinite goodnesse, as God, and according as he is God. Now one drope of this Loue, is better, of more force and value, then all the other Loues that can euer enter into the hearts, or amongst the Quires of Angels. For while this Loue liues,

it raignes and bears the Scepter ouer all the affe∣ctions, making his will preferre God, before all things indifferently, vniuersally, and abso∣lutely.

Of two degrees of perfection, in which this Commandement may be kept in this mortall life. CHAPTER. IV.

1. VVHile the great king Salomon, en∣ioying as yet the Spirit of God, cō∣posed the sacred Canticle of Canticles, he had ac∣cording to the permission of those ages, great va∣rietie of dames and damsells dedicated to his Loue in diuers conditions, and qualities. For 1. there was one that was his singularly deare and wholy perfect one, most rare, as a singular doue, with which the others entred not into comparison, and for this reason she was called by his owne name SVNAMITE. 2. There were sixtie, which next to her, had the first ranke of honour and estimation, and were called Queenes. Besids which, there were thirdly Fourescore Dames, which were not indeede Queenes, yet were companions of his Royall bed, in qualitie of honorable and lawfull friends. 4. and lastly, there were young damsells without number, reserued in expectation, as a seedeplat, to succeede in the places of the former, when they should fall into decaye. Now, by the

IDEA of that which passed in his Palace, he descri∣bed the diuers perfections of soules, who in time to come, were to adore, Loue, and serue the great PACIFICALL KING IESVS CHRIST, our Sauiour; a∣mongst which there are some, who being newly freed from sinne and resolued to Loue God, are yet Nouices, Apprentises, tender and feeble: So, that they Loue indeede the Diuine sweetenesse, yet with such mixture of other different affections, that their sacred Loue, being as yet in its Nonage, they Loue together with our Sauiour, many su∣perfluous, vaine, and dangerous things. And as a PHENIX newly hatch't out of her sinders, hauing as yet her plumes tender and nice, and hauing on her first downes, can onely essay a short flight, in which she is rather saied to hop then to flie; so these tēder and daintie young soules, newly borne of the ashes of their Penance, cannot as yet take a high flight, and sore a aboue in the aire of holy loue, beīg held captiues by the multitude of wicked inclinations, and depraued customes in which the sinnes of their life past had left them. They are yet liuing, quickned, and feathered with Loue, yea and with true Loue too, else had they neuer forsakē sinne; yet with a Loue as yet feeble, young, and enuironed with a number of other Loues, and which cannot produce fruite in such abundance, as otherwise it would doe, if it had the full possession of the heart in its hands.

2. Such was the Prodigall Sonne, when quit∣ting the infamous cāpanie, and custodie of swine, amongst which he had liued, he returned into his fathers armes halfe naked, all to be dabed, durted,

and stinking of the filth, which he had contracted in the companie of those vncleane beasts. For what is it to forsake the swine, but to reclame ones selfe from sinne? and what is it to returne all ragged, tattered, and stinking, but to haue our af∣fections engaged in the habits and inclinations which tend to sinne? yet was he possessed of the life of the soule which is Loue. And as a Phenix ri∣sing out of her ashes he finds himselfe newly risen to life. He was dead, quoth his Father, and is re∣turned to life, he is reuiued. Now Salomons Friends, were called young daughters in the Can∣ticles for as much as (hauīg tasted the odour of the Spouse his name, which breathes nothing but Sal∣uation and Mercy) they Loue him with a true Loue, but a Loue, which is as themselues, in its tender age: for euen as young girles doe Loue their husbands well if they haue them, yet leaue not off much to affect their toyes, triffles, ād com∣panions with whom they were wont desperatly to loose themselues in playing, dancing and foo∣ling; in busying themselues with little birds, little dogges, squirills, and the like bables: So the yoūg and Nouice-soules haue truely an affection to the sacred Spouse, yet admit they with it a number of voluntarie distractions and incumbrances: so that louing him aboue all things, they doe yet bu∣sie themselues in many things which they Loue not like him, but besids him, out of him, and with∣out him: for as small irregularities in words, in gestures, in clothes, in pastimes, and fond trickes, are not, properly speaking, against the will of God; so are they not according to it, but out of

it and without it.

3. But there are certaine soules who hauing al∣readie made some progresse in the Loue of God, haue also cut off the affections they had to dange∣rous things, and yet doe entertaine dangerous and supersluous Loues: because they Loue with ex∣cesse, and Loue that which God ordaines they should Loue, with a Loue too nice and passionate. It stood with Gods pleasure that ADAM should loue EVE tenderly, yet not in that degree of ten∣dernesse, that to content her, he should haue vio∣lated the order giuen him by his Diuine Maiestie. He loued not then a superfluous thing, nor a thing in it selfe dangerous, but he loued it superfluously and dangerously. The loue of our Parents, friends and Benefactours, is in it selfe according to GOD, yet we may affect it with excesse; as we may also our vocations, be they neuer so spirituall; and our exercises of deuotion (which yet we ought so greately to affect) may beloued inordinatly, to wit, if we preferre them before obedience, or a more generall good; or in case we loue them in qualitie of LAST END, being the onely meanes and furtherances to our finall pretention, which is DI∣VINE LOVE. And those soules which Loue nothing, but that which God would haue them to Loue, and yet doe exceede in the manner of lo∣uing, doe truly Loue the Diuine Goodnesse aboue all things, yet not in all things: for the things, which not onely by permission but euen by command they are to Loue according to God, they doe not onely Loue according to God, but for other causes and motiues, which though

indeede they be not contrarie to God, yet are they out of him; so that they resemble the Phenix, who hauning gotten her first feathers, and beginning to waxe strong, doth forthwith hoist her selfe vp into the open aire, yet is not long able to con∣tinew flight, but is forced to light often vpon the ground, to take breath. Such was the poore young man, who hauing from his tender age obserued Gods Commandements, desired not his neighbours goods, yet affected his owne too tenderly. So that when our Sauiour gaue him Counsell to giue them to the poore, he be∣came sad and melancholie. He loued nothing but that which he might lawfully loue, but he loued it with a superfluous and too obliging an af∣fection. It is plaine therefore, THEO: that these soules loue too ardently and with superfluitie, yet loue they not the superfluities, but onely the thing which is to be loued. And herevpō they doe enioye the marriage bed of the heauenly Salomō, that is vnions, recollections, and the reposes of loue, whereof we spoke in the 5. and 6. booke: Marry they doe not enioye them in qualitie of Spouses, because the superfluitie with which they affect good things, hinders them from a frequent entrie into these Diuine Vnions with the Spouse, being busied and distracted in louing that out of him and without him, which they ought not to Loue but in him and for him.

Of two other degrees of greater perfection, by which we may Loue God aboue all things. CHAPTER. V.

1. NOw there are other soules that neither Loue superfluities, nor yet with super∣fluitie, but loue onely that which God will, and as he will; Blessed soules, who loue God, their friends in God, and their enemyes for God, they Loue many things together with God, but none at all, saue in God and for God: It is God that they Loue, not onely aboue all things, but euen in all things and all things in God, resembling the Phenix growne young againe, and come to her perfect strength, which is neuer seene but in the aire, or vpon the tops of mountaines that touch vpon the aire; for so these soules Loue nothing but in God; though indeede they Loue many things with God, and God with many things. S. LVKE recounts that our Sauiour inuited a young man to follow him, who indeede loued him deare∣ly but he had also a great affection to his Father, and therevpō had a mind to returne home to him. But our Sauiour out of this superfluitie of Loue, and excited him to a Loue more pure, that he might not onely Loue our Sauiour more then his Father, but that he should not euen Loue him at all, but in our Sauiour. Leaue the care of burying

the dead to the dead, as for thee, (who hast met with life) goe and preach the Kingdome of Heauen. And these soules, as you see THEOT: ha∣uing so great a connection with the Spouse, they merite to participate of his ranke, and to be Queenes, as he is King; being they are entirely dedicated to him without diuision or seperation at all, hauing no affections out of him, or without him, but onely in him, and for him.

2. But aboue all these soules, there is yet one Onely-one, who is the Queene of Queenes, the most louing, the most Louelie, and the most be∣loued of all the Friends of the Diuine Spouse, who doth not onely Loue God aboue all things, and in all things, but euen Loues nothing but God in all things; so that she Loues not many things, but one onely thing, which is God himselfe: And whereas it is God alone that she loueth in all that she loueth, she Loues him indifferently in all things, according as his good pleasure may re∣quire, out of all, and without all. If it be onely HESTER that Assuerus loueth, why should he more Loue her being perfumed and deckt, then in her ordinarie attire? If it be my Sauiour onely that I Loue, why should I not as much affect the Mount Caluarie, as the Mount Thabor, since he is as well in the one as in the other? and why should I not as cordially pronounce in the one as in the other, IT IS GOOD FOR VS TO BE HERE. If I Loue my Sa∣uiour in Egipt, without louing Egipt: why shall I not Loue him in Simon the Leporous his banket without louing the Banket, and if I Loue him a∣midst the blasphemies which are poured vpon him

not louing the blasphemies, why shall I not Loue him perfumed with Magdalens pretious oynt∣ment without either affecting the oyntment or the sent thereof? It is a true signe that we Loue onely God in all things, when we Loue him equally in all things, since that he being in himselfe immu∣table, the mutabilitie of our Loue towards him, must needes proceede frō some thing that is not himselfe. Now, the sacred Louer, Loues her God no more with the whole world to boote, then though he were all alone without the world: be∣cause all that is out of God, and is not God, is as nothing to her. An entirely pure soule Loues not euen Heauē, but by reason that her Spouse is loued therein: but a Spouse so soueraignly beloued in his Heauen, that if yet he had no Heauē to bestow, he would neither appeare lesse amiable, nor be lesse beloued of this generous louing heart, who cannot Loue the Heauen of her Spouse, but onely her Spouse of Heauen, and who puts no lesse price vpon Caluarie while her Spouse is there crucified, then vpon Heauen where he is glorified. He that waighes one of the little bullets of S. Clare of Monte-falco, finds it as heauie, as all the three to∣gether. So doth perfect Loue find God as amiable all alone, as together with all the creaturs for as much as the creaturs are onely loued in God, and for God.

3. Soules in this degree of perfection are so thinne sowen, that each of them are called their Mothers onely one, which is the Diuine Proui∣dence, and each of them is called the onely doue, because she onely loues her mate; she is termed

perfect, for that by loue she is made the same thing with the Soueraigne Perfection whence she may saie in a most humble truth; I am not, but for my beloued, ād he is wholy turned towards me. Now there is none saue the most Blessed Virgin our Ladie, that is perfectly arriued at this hight of ex∣cellencie, in the loue of her dearely beloued: For she is a DOVE so singularly singular in Loue, that all the rest being compared to her, are rather to be termed Dawes then Doues. But let vs leaue this Peerelesse Queene in her matchlesse eminen∣cie. There haue yet bene other soules, that haue found themselues so happie in the state of this pure loue, that in comparison of their companiōs, they might take the ranke of QVEENES of onely DOVES, of perfect FRIENDS of the SPOVSE. For I praie you THEO: in what degree must he needes haue bene, who from his very heart sung to God,

To what in Heauen but thee can I aspire? Or what in earth but thee, can I desire?

And he that cried out. I doe esteeme all things as dung that I may gaine IESVS CHRIST: did he not testifie that he loued nothing out of his Maister, and that out of all things he drew arguments of his Maisters Loue? And what could be the feeling of that great Louer, who sighed all the night, my God is my all. Such was S. AVGVSTINE, S. BERNARD, the two S. Catharins of Sienna and Genua, and diuers others, by whose imitation euery one may aspire to this diuine degree of Loue. O rare and singular soules, which resemble not at all the birds of this world, no, not the Phenix her selfe, though so sin∣gularly

rare; but are onely represented by the bird, who for her excellent beautie, and noble∣nesse, is saied not to be of this world, but of Para∣dice, whereof she beares the name: for this daintie bird disdaining the earth, doth neuer touch it, but liues aboue in the aire; yea euen when she is forced to vnwearie her selfe, she will onely cleeue by the smale twigs of trees vpon which she hangs in the aire, out of which, or without which, she can neither flie nor repose. And euen so these great soules, doe not in very deede Loue the Creaturs in themselues, but in their Creatour, and their Creatour in them. But if they cleeue to any crea∣ture by the law of Charitie, it is onely to repose in God, the onely and finall aime of their Loue. So that finding God in the Creaturs, and the Creaturs in God, they Loue God indeede not the Creaturs; as they that fishing for Pearles find them in their shelles, doe esteeme their fish∣ing made for pearles onely.

4. For the rest, I doe not thinke, that there was euer any mortall Creature, that loued the heauenly Spouse with this matchlesse Loue so per∣fectly pure, except the Virgin who was his Spouse ād Mother both together; but cōtrariwise, as tou∣ching the practise of these foure differences of Loue, on can hardly be any long time without passing from one of them to another. The Soules which as young wenches, are as yet intangled in diuers vaine and dangerous affections, are not sometimes without hauing the most pure and ex∣cellent touches of Loue: but being but glimpse and passing lightnings, one cannot therevpon

rightly saie, that such soules are got out of the state of young girles which are Nouices and Prin∣tises. It happens also sometimes, that the soules that are in the degree of onely and perfect Louers, doe much relent and waxe cold, yea euen to the committing, and falling into troublesome veniall sinns: as may be gathered by many bitter conten∣tions stirred vp amongst Gods great seruants; yea euen amongst some of the Diuine Apostles, who as we cannot denie fell into some imperfections, by which notwithstanding Charitie was not vio∣lated, yet the feruour thereof was troubled. How∣beit whereas ordinarily those great soules loued God with a Loue perfectly pure, we are not to denie that they were in the state of perfect Loue. For how oft doe we see, that good trees though they neuer bring forth any venemous fruit, yet doe they produce raw and vnripe ones, corrupted with misseltoe or mosse: So the great Saints neuer fell into mortall sinne, yet fell they easily into fruitlesse actions and such as are greene, bitter, harsh, and ill tasted. And as euen in these circum∣stances we must confesse that those trees are fruit∣full, otherwise they could not be called good, so are we in no sort to denie, that some of their fruit was fruitlesse. For who cā denie that the misseltoe and mosse of trees, is an vnprofitable fruit? and who can also denie that smale angers, and minute excesses of ioye, of laughter, of vanitie, and of other the like passions, are vnprofitable and vn∣lawfull motions? and yet the Iust man brings them forth seauen times a day, that is, very often.

That the Loue of God aboue all things is common to all Louers. CHAPTER VI.

1. Though there be so sundrie degrees of Loue amongst true Louers, yet is there but one Commandement of Loue onely, which doth ge∣nerally and equally oblige euery one with a who∣ly like and entirely equall obligation, though it be differētly obserued, and with an infinite varie∣tie of perfections, there being peraduenture, was few soules found in earth as Angels in Heauen, perfectly equall in Loue: seeing that as one starre differs from another in brightnesse, so shall the Blessed in their Resurrection, where euery one sings a Canticle of Glorie, and receiues a name, knowen to none but to him that receiues it. But what degree of Loue is it, to which the Diuine Commandement doth equally, vniuersally and continually oblige all?

2. It was a peece of the holy Ghosts proui∣dence, that in our ordinarie version which his Di∣uine Maiestie hath canonized and sanctified by the Councell of Trent, the heauenly Commande∣ment of Loue, is expressed in the word DILECTION rather then by the word LOVE; for albeit that DI∣LECTION be a kind of Loue, yet is it not a simple Loue, but a Loue of choice and election, which sense the word it selfe carries, as the glorious S. THOMAS doth note: for this cōmandemēt doth in∣ioyne

vs a Loue chosen out of thousands, like to him to whom it is due, who as the beloued Suna∣mite markes him out in the Canticles, is one ele∣cted out of thousands. It is Loue that is to haue power ouer all our affections, and is to raigne ouer all our passions: and that which God exacteth of vs is, that of all our Loues, his may be the most cordiall, bearing rule ouer our heart; the most af∣fectionate, possessing our whole soule; the most generall, applying all our powers; the highest, re∣plenishing our whole heart; and the most solide, exercising all our strength and prowise. And whereas by this we doe choose and elect God, for the Soueraigne obiect of our soule, it is a Loue of Soueraigne Election, or an election of Soue∣raigne Loue.

3. You are not ignorant, THEO: that there are diuers species of Loue: as for example, there is a fatherly Loue, a brotherly Loue, a filiall Loue and a nuptiall Loue; a Loue of societie, of obligation, of dependance, and an hundred more, which are all different in excellencie, and so proportioned to their obiects, that scarcely can they be applied, or appropriated to any other. He that should af∣fect his Father, with the Loue of a brother onely, should come short of his dutie. He that should Loue his wife in qualitie of a Father onely, he should not loue her sufficiently. He that should loue his Lackey as his owne child, would be estee∣med impertinent. Loue is as honour: for as ho∣nour is diuersified according to the diuersitie of excellencies to which it is attributed; so Loues are diuers, according to the diuersitie of the GOOD

which is loued. Soueraigne honour is due to So∣ueraigne Excellencie; and Soueraigne loue to the Soueraigne Good. The loue of God is a loue without comparison, because the goodnesse of God is incomparable. Harke Israel, Thy God is the sole Lord, and therefore thou shalt loue him with thy whole soule, thy whole vnderstanding, thy whole strength: For God is the onely Lord, and his goodnesse is infinitly aboue all goodnesse: and he is to be loued with a loue which is emi∣nent, excellent and puissant beyond all compari∣son. It is this supreame loue, that placeth God in such esteeme amidst our soules, and makes vs repute it so great a happinesse to be gracious in his sight; that we preferre him before, and loue him aboue all things. Now THEOT: doe you not plainly see, that he that loues God in this sort, hath dedicated his whole soule and strength to God, sith for euer and in all occurrences, he will preferre Gods honour before all things; keeping himselfe in a readinesse to forsake the whole world, to preserue the loue which is due to the Diuine Goodnesse. And in somme, it is the loue of Excellencie, or the Excellencie of loue, which is cōmanded to all mortalls in generall, and each one of them in particular from their first vse of reason. A loue sufficient for euery one, and necessarie for all that will be saued.

An illustration of the former chapter. CHAPTER. VII.

1. VVE doe not alwayes clearely know, nay not at all certainely, at least by a certaintie of Faith, whether we haue the true loue of God, requisite to our saluation, yet haue we diuers markes thereof, amōgst which the most assured, and in a manner infallible is seene in the opposition, which the loue of creaturs makes a∣gainst our designes of God's loue: For in that oc∣currence, if Diuine Loue raigne in the soule it makes appeare the force of the credit and authori∣tie which it hath ouer the will, shewing by effects not onely that he hath no Maister, but that he hath euen no equall, repressing and prostrating all opposition, and making his intentions be obeyed. When the accursed companie of hellish spirits, re∣uolting from their Creatour, essayed to draw to their faction the troupes of the Blessed Spirits; the glorious S. MICHAEL encouraging his fellow-soldiers to the loyaltie which they ought to their God, cried (Marry after an Angelicall manner) with a loude voice through out the streets of the Heauenly Hierusalem. WHO IS LIKE TO GOD? And in this word he ouerthrew that Traitor Lucifer with his route, who equalized themselues to the Diuine maiestie, and thence, as

it is saied, S. MICHAELS name was imposed, since that MICHAEL imports no other thing then WHO IS LIKE TO GOD? And when the loue of created things, would draw our hearts to their PARTIE, to make vs disobedient to the Diuine Maiestie, if the great diuine loue be found in the soule, it makes head against it, as an other MI∣CHAEL, and makes good the powers and forces of the soule to Gods seruice; by this word of assu∣rance, WHO IS LIKE TO GOD? What beautie doth there appeare in creaturs, which ought to draw man's heart to a rebellion against the soueraigne bountie of God?

2. As soone as that holy and braue gentleman Ioseph, perceiued that the loue of his Mistresse tended to the ruine of that which was due to his Maister: ah quoth he, be it farre from me, that I should violate the respect which I owe to my Mai∣ster, who reposeth so much trust in me? how can I then admit this crime, and sinne against my God? marke THEO: marke how there are three loues in the louelie Iosephs heart: for he loues his Mi∣stresse, his Maister, ād God; but as soone as his Mi∣stresses loue riseth vp agaīst his Maisters, he sodain∣ly forsakes it, and away he runnes; as he would also haue forsaken his Maisters, if he had found it con∣trarie to God's. Amongst all the loues God's is so to be preferred that is, one must alwayes stand prepared in mind to forsake them all for that alone.

3. SARA gaue her maide AGAR to her husband ABRAHAM, to th'end that he might haue children by her, following the lawfull custome of those

times: But Agar hauing conceiued, did greatly contemne her Mistresse SARA: till then, scarcely could one discerne whether ABRAHAM bore more affection to SARA or AGAR; for AGAR was as well his bedfellowe as SARA, yea with fertilitie to boote; but when the God Abraham came to make comparison betweene his loues, he made manifest which was the stronger: for no sooner had Sara made her complaint that she was contemned by Agar, but he told her, thy chamber maide Agar is in thy power, doe vpon her what thou think'st good. So that from thence forth Sara did so afflict the poore Agar that she was constrained to retire her selfe. Diuine Loue doth willingly permit that we should haue other loues; nor can we sometimes easily discouer which loue is the cheife in our heart: for this man's heart of ours, doth often∣times most eagerly draw the loue of creaturs into the bed of his Complacene, yea it happens with∣all, that he makes more frequent acts of his loue towards creaturs, then towards his Creatour: while yet Diuine loue in him leaues not to excell all the other loues, as the euents make cleare, vpon the Creaturs oppositions to their Creatour; for then he takes sacred loues part, submitting vnto it all his affections.

4. There is great difference betwixt the bulke and value of things created. One of Cleopatras pearles was more worth then one of our highest rockes, marry this is greater, the one hath bulke, the other worth. It is made a questiō, whether the honour which a Prince atchiues in warrs by feats of armes, or that which he merits by iustice in

time of peace be greater; and me thinks, that mi∣litarie glorie is bigger, the other better: euen as of instruments, drumes and Trumpets make more noise; Luts and virginalls more melodie: the soūd of the one is stronger, the other sweeter, and more spirituall. An ounce of Baulme giues not so strong an odour, as a pound of Spickenard oyle, howbeit the smell of baulme, is alwayes better and more pleasing.

4. True it is, THEO: you shall see a mother so busie about her child, that it might seeme, she had no other loue but that, hauing eyes onely to see it, mouth to kisse it, breast to giue it sucke, care to bring it vp and one would thinke that her husband were nothing to her, in respect of her child: but if she were to make choice, whether she would loose; one would then plainely see, that she more esteemes her husband, yea and that though the Loue of her child was more tender, more pressing and passionate, yet that the other was more excellent, forceable and better. So when a heart Loues God in respect of his infinite Good∣nesse, though with neuer so little a portion of this excellent loue, it will preferre Gods will before all things, and in all the occasions that shall be of∣fered, it will forsake all, to conserue himselfe in grace with the Soueraigne Goodnesse, without being hindred by any thing at all. So that, though this diuine Loue, doth not alwayes so sensibly vrge and soften the heart, as doe the other Loues: yet in the occurrences, it performes so high and excellent actions, that one of them onely, is better than tenne millions of the others. Conies are in∣comparably

sertile, Elephants neuer haue more then one calfe: yet this one onely young Elephant is of greater price the all the Rabbets in the earth. Our Loue towards creaturs, doth often abound in the multitude of productions: but when sacred Loue doth its worke, it is so eminently purfect, that it surpasseth all: for it causeth God to be pre∣ferred before all things without reserue.

A memorable historie wherin is more clea∣rely seene in what the force and Excel∣lencie of holy loue consisteth. CHAPTER. VIII.

1. HOw great an extent then, ô my deare THEO: ought the force of this sacred loue of God aboue all things to haue? It is to surpasse all affections, to vanquish all difficulties, and to preferre the honour of God's Beneuolēce before all things, yea I saie before all things absolutely, without exception or reseruation at all; and, I saie, with a greatest care, because there are men, who would couragiously forsake their goods, ho∣nours, yea life it selfe for our Sauiour, who yet will not leaue for his sake things of farre lesse conse∣quence.

2. In the raigne of the Emperours VALERIA∣NVS and GALLVS there liued in Antioche a Priest called SAPHRICIVS, and a secular man named NI∣CEPHORVS, who by reason of their long and ex∣ceeding

great familiaritie were esteemed brothers: and yet it fell out in the end, I know not vpon what occasion, that this friendshipe failed, and ac∣cording to custome, was followed with a deeper hatred, which raigned for a time betwixt them, till at length NICEPHORVS acknowledging his fault, made three diuers essayes to be reconciled vnto SAPHRICIVS, to whom, now by one of their com∣mon friends, now by another, he signified in words all the satisfaction and submission, that heart could haue wished. But Saphricius in no wise answering to his inuitations, did still repulse the reconcilement, with as great inhumanitie, as Ni∣cephorus besought it with humilitie; In so much that the poore Nicephorus, apprehending that in case Saphricius should see hī prostrate at his feete begging pardō, he would be more touched to the heart with it; he goes and finds him out, and cou∣ragiously casting himselfe groueling at his feete: Reuerend Father, quoth he, ah pardon me I be∣seech thee for the bowels of our Sauiour IESVS: but euen this humilitie was disdaigned and reie∣cted together with his former endeuours.

3. Meane while, behold a hote persecution a∣rose against the Christians, in which, Saphricius with others being apprehended, did wounders in suffering a thousand thousand tormēts for the Cō∣fessiō of his Faith, but especially whē he was rude∣ly turned and tossed in an instrument made of set purpose, after the manner of a Presse, without euer being quailed in his constancie; whereat the Gouernour of Antioche being extreamely irrita∣tated, he adiudged him to death, wherevpon he

was publikly led out of prison, towards the place where he was to receiue the glorious crowne of Martyrdome which Nicephorus had no sooner vn∣derstoode, but sodainely he ranne and hauing met his Saphricius, throwing himselfe vpon the ground, Alas cried he with a lowde voice, ô Mar∣tyr of IESVS-CHRIST pardon me; for I haue offen∣ded thee: whereof Saphricius taking no notice, the poore Nicephorus getting againe before him by a shorter passage, set vpon him a new with the like humilitie, coniuring him to pardon him, in these termes, ô Martyr of IESVS CHRIST, pardon the offence which I haue committed against thee being a poore man subiect to offend: for loe a crowne is alreadie bestowed vpon thee by our Sa∣uiour whom thou deneyedst not, yea thou hast confessed his holy name in the face of many wit∣nesses. But Saphricius continuing in his insolencie, gaue hī not one word in answere; but onely the Exe¦cutioner admiring the perseuerance of Nicepho∣rus; neuer, quoth he to him, did we see so great an Asse; this fellow is going euen at this instant to die; what hast thou to doe with his pardon? To whom Nicephorus answering, thou knowest not quoth he, what it is I demand of this Confessour of IESVS CHRIST, but God kowes. Now in the in∣terim Saphricius arriued at the place of execution, where yet againe Nicephorus hurling himselfe vpon the grownd before him; I beseech thee, quoth he, ô Martyr of IESVS CHRIST, that it would please thee to pardon me: for it is written aske and it shall be granted you. Words which could not at all bowe the flintie and rebellious heart of

the accursed Saphricius, who obstinatly denying mercy to his neighbour, was himselfe depriued, by the iust iudgment of God, of the most glorious Palme of Martyrdome: for the Headsman com∣manding him to put himselfe vpon his knees, that he might behead him, he begun to be daunted, and to condition with him, making, in the end, this deplorable and shamefull submission. Ah, for pitie doe not behead me, I will submite my selfe to the Emperours ordonance, and sacrifice to the Idols. Which the poore good man Nice∣phorus hearing, with teares in his eyes he begun to crie: Ah my deare brother, doe not, doe not I beseech thee, transgresse the law, and denie IESVS CHRIST: Forsake him not, for loue, loose not the crowne of glorie which with so great paines and torments thou hast atchiued. But alas this miserable Priest, cōming to the Altar of Mar∣tyrdome there to consacrate his life to the eter∣nall God, had not called to mind what the Prince of martyres had saied: If thou carrie thy offering vnto the Altar, and remember that thy brother hath somewhat against thee, leaue thy offering there, goe and be reconciled vnto thy brother, and thē come, and present thyne offering. Where∣fore God reiected his present, and withdrawing his mercy from him, permitted that he lost not onely the soueraigne felicitie of Martyrdome, but euen fell headlong into the miserie of Idolatrie; while the humble and meeke Nicephorus, percei∣uing this crowne of Martyrdome vacant, by the Apostasie of the obdurate Saphricius, touched with an excellent and extraordinarie inspiratiō, put faire

for, ••••ying to the officiers, and the headsman, I am a christian my friends, I am in truth a Chri∣stiā, and doe beleeue in IESVS CHRIST, whō Saphri∣cius hath denied; put me therefore I beseech you in his place, smite of this head of myne. At which the officers being wonderfully astonished, they carried the tidings to the Emperour; who gaue order for Saphricius his libertie, and that Nice∣phorus should be put to death: which happened the 9. of Feb: about the yeare 260. of our Sauiour as Metaphrastes and Surivs recounteth. A dreadfull historie, and worthy diligently to be pondered in the behalfe we speake off: for did you not note, my deare THEO: the Couragious Saphricius, how bold and feruent he was in the defence of his faith, how he suffered a thousand torments, how constant and immoueable he was in the confession of our Sauiours name, while he was roled and crusht in that presse like machine; how readie he was to receiue death's blow, to fulfill the highest point of the Diuine lawe, preferring God's ho∣nour before his owne life. And yet because on the other side he preferred the satisfaction which his cruell heart tooke in hating Nicephorus before the Diuine will, he came short of the goale, and while he was vpō the point of attaining and gaining the prise of glorie by Martyrdome, vnprofitably strumbling and falling into Idolatrie broke his necke.

4. It is therefore true, my THEO: that it is not enough for vs, to loue God more then our owne life, vnlesse we also loue him generally, ab∣solutly, and without reserue, more then all we

doe or can loue. But you will saie vnto me, did not our Sauiour designe the furthest point of our Loue towards him, in saying that a man could not haue a greater charitie, then to expose a mans life for his friends? It is true indeede, THEO: that a∣mongst the particular acts, and testimonies of Di∣uine Loue, there is none so great, as to vndergoe death for Gods glorie: yet it is also true, that it is but onely one act, one onely testimonie; which indeede is the Maister peece of Charitie; but besids it, Charitie exacts many things at our hands, and so much more ardently and instantly, as they are acts more easie, common and ordinarie amongst all the Louers, and more generally necessarie to the conseruation of Diuine Loue. O miserable Sa∣phricius, durst thou be bould to affirme that thou loued'st God as thou ought'st, whil'st thou doest not preferre the will of God before the passion of hatred and ranckour entertained in thy heart a∣gainst the poore Nicephorus? To be willing to die for God is one and the greatest, but not the onely act of Loue which we owe to God. To will this act onely, with excluding the others, is not charitie, but vanitie. Charitie is not fantasticall, which yet she would be in the highst degree, if being resolued to please the Beloued in things of greatest difficultie, she would permit one to dis∣please hī in matters of of lesse momēt. How should he die for God, who will not liue accordīg to God?

5. A well ordered mind that is resolued to die for a friend, would also without doubt vndergoe all other things: for he that hath once despi∣sed death, ought not to set by other things.

But the mind of man is weake, inconstant and hu∣morous: wherevpon he doth oft rather choose to die then to vndergoe farre slighter paines; wil∣lingly changing life, for a friuelous, childish, and extreamely vaine contentment. Agripina hauing learn't that the child which she bore, should in∣deede be Emperour, but yet that he would put her to death. Let him kill me, quoth she, prouided that he raigne: marke, I praie you the disorder of this foolishly louing mothers heart: she pre∣ferr's her sonn's dignitie, before her owne life. Cato and Cleopatra choosed death rather, then to see their enemies exult and glorie in hauing them: And Lucrecia found it easier to precipitate herselfe impetuously vpon death, then vniustly to be branded with the shame of a fact, whereof she seemed not guiltie. How many are there that would willingly embrace death for their friend, who yet would not liue in their seruice, or yet ac∣complish their other desires? Such there are as will lay open their life to danger, who yet will not open their purse. And though there be ma∣ny found, who engage their life for their friends defence, yet scarcely is there one found in an age, that will engage his libertie, or loose an ounce of the most vaine and vnprofitable reputation, or renowne in the world, be it for neuer so deare a friend.

A Confirmation of that which hath bene saied by a notable comparison. CHAPTER. IX.

1. YOu know THEO: of what nature Iacobs loues towards Rachel were, and what did not he doe to testifie their greatenesse, force and fidelitie, euen from the houre he had saluted her at the head of the fountaine? For frō thenceforth neuer did he cease to die of loue for her; and to game her in Marriage he serued seuē whole yeares, with an incredible desire; conceiuing yet in him∣selfe that all this was nothing, so did Loue sweetē the paines which he supported for his beloued Rachel, whereof being after frustrated, he serued yet other seuen yeares space to obtaine her, so constant, loyall and couragious was he in his af∣fection! And hauing at length obtained her, he neglected all other affections, yea and had in a manner in no esteeme euen Lia her seruice, though his first Spouse, a woman of great merite, worthy to be cherished; and of the neglect whereof euen God himselfe tooke compassion, so remarkable it was.

2. But all this being done, which was euen suf∣ficient, to haue brought downe the most dis∣dainefull wench in the world, to the loue of so

loyall a Louer, it is a shame verily to see the weak∣nesse which Rachel made appeare in her affectiō to Iacob. The poore neglected Lia, had no tye of Loue with Iacob saue her onely fertilitie, whereby she had made him, a father to foure Sonn's; the eldest whereof named RVBEN, being gone forth into the fields, in the time of wheat-haruest, he found Mandragores, which he gathered, and after, his returne home presented to his mother. Which Rachel espying, saied, giue me part of thy Sonns Mandragores: she answered doest thou thinke it a small matter, that thou hast taken my husband from me, vnlesse thou take also my Sonn's Man∣dragores? Goe too, saied Rachel for thy Sonn's Mandragores, let him sleepe with thee this night. She accepted the condition, and when Iacob re∣turned at euen from the field, Lia went out to meete him ād saied, with ioyfull cheere, this night thou art myne my deare Lord and friend, because with wages I haue hired thee, for my Sonn's Mā∣dragores: and with this, vp and told him, the com∣pact which had passed betwixt her and Rachel. But from Iacob, beleeue it, there was no words heard, being struck with a maisement, and hauing his heart seased with the weakenesse and incon∣stancie of Rachel who for a thing of nothing had forsaken, for a whole night the honour and con∣tent of his presence. For speake the truth, THEO: was it not a strange and vaine lightnesse in Ra∣chel, to preferre a companie of little Aples be∣fore the chast loues of so louing a husband. If it had yet bene done for Kingdomes, for Monar∣kies: but to doe it for a poore handfull of Man∣dragores!

THEOTIME, what conceite frame you of it?

3. And yet returning home to our owne bo∣somes, ah good God, how oft doe we make ele∣ctions infinitly more shamefull and wretched? The great S. AVGVSTINE vpon a time tooke pleasure leasurely to view and contemplate Mandragores, the better to discerne the cause why Rachel had so passionatly coueted them. And he found that they were indeede pleasing to the view, and of a delightfull smell, yet altogether insipide and with∣out gust. Now; Plinie recounts, that when the Surgeōs orders that such as they are to cut should drinke the iuyce of them, to th'end they might not feele the smart of the lance, it happens often that the very smell doth worke the operation, and doth sufficiently put the patient into a sleepe. wherevpon the Mandragora is held a bewitching Plant, which doth inchant the eyes, sorrowes, and all kind of passions by sleepe. For the rest he that smels the sent of them too long turnes deafe; and he that drinks too much of them, dies without redemption.

4. THEOT: could pompes, riches and terreane delights, be better represented? they haue a gai∣ning out-side; but ah he that bites this aple, that is, he that sounds their natures, finds neither taste nor contentment in them. Neuerthelesse they doe so inchant and bewitch vs with the vanities of their smell; and the renowne which the Sonn's of the world giue them, doth benumme and put those into a deepe sleepe which doe attentiuely linger in them; or such as receiue them in too great aboun∣dance.

And alas these are the Mandragores, the Chimera's and fantomes of pleasurs for which we cast off the loue of the heauenly Spouse. And how can we then truely saie that we loue him since we preferre so friuolous vanities, before his grace?

5. Is it not a deplorable wonder to see a DA∣VID, so noble in surmounting hatred, so generous in pardoning iniuries, and yet so impotently in∣iurious in mater of Loue, that not being satiated with the vniust detaining of a number of wiues, he must needes yet wrongfully vsurpe and take away by rape, the poore Vrias his wife. Yea and by an insupportable treacherie, put to slaughter her poore husband, that he might the better enioye the Loue of his wife? Who would not admire the heart of a SAINT PETER, which was so brauely bold amidst the armed soldiers, that he of all his Maisters troupe was the first and onely man that drew and layed about him; and yet a little after so cowardly amongst vn∣armed women, that at the worde of a wench, he denied and detested his Maister; And how can it seeme so strange to vs that Rachel could sell the chast embracements of her Iacob for Aples of the Mandragore, since that Adame and Eue forsooke euen grace for an Aple, and that too, presented by a Serpent.

6. In fine, I will tell you a word worthy of note. Heretikes are Heretikes ād beare the name of such, because of the Articles of Faith they choose at their gust and pleasure what likes them best, and those they beleeue, reiecting and disauowing the others. And Catholiks are Catholiks, be∣cause

without choice or election at all, they em∣brace with an equall assurance, and without re∣serue, all the faith of the Church. Now it happens after the same manner in the Articles of Charitie; It is an herasie in sacred loue, to make choice of Gods Commandements, which to obserue, and which to violate. He that saied thou shalt not kill, saied also; thou shalt not commite adulterie. It is not then for the loue of God, that thou killest not, but it is some other motiue, that makes thee rather choose this commandement then the other. A choice that hatcheth heresie in matter of Cha∣ritie. If one should tell me, that he would not cut my arme, out of a loue to me, and yet would pull out myne eyes, breake my head, or rūne me quite through; ah, should I saie, with what face can you tell me that it is in respect of my Loue, that you wound not myne arme, since you make no difficul∣tie to pull out myne eyes; which are no lesse deare vnto me? yet since you rūne me quite through the bodie with your sword, which is more perilous for me? It is an Axiome that good comes from an entire cause, but euill from each defect; That the act of Charitie be perfect, it must proceede from an entire, generall and vniuersall Loue, which is extended to all the Diuine Commande∣ments. And if we faile in any one Commandemēt, loue ceaseth to be entire and vniuersall; and the heart wherein it harbers, cannot be truely called a louing heart, nor consequently a truly good one.

That we are to Loue the Diuine Good∣nesse, soueraignely more then our selues. CHAPTER. X.

1. Aristotle had reason to saie that GOOD is indeede amiable, but principaly eue∣ry ones proper good to himselfe; so that the Loue which we haue to others, proceedes from the loue of our selues: for how could a Philosopher saie otherwise, who did not onely not Loue God, but hardly euen euer spoke of the Loue of God? howbeit the Loue of God, doth preceede all the Loue of our selues, yea euen according to the na∣turall inclination of the will, as I declared in the first booke.

2. Certes the will is so dedicated, and if we may so saie, consecrated to goodnesse that if an infinite goodnesse were clearely proposed vnto it, vnlesse by miracle, it is impossible that it should not so∣ueraignely loue it; yea the Blessed are rauished and necessitated, though yet not forced to loue God, whose soueraigne beautie they clearely see, which the Scripture doth sufficiently shew, in cō∣paring the contentment which doth fill the hearts of the happie inhabitants of the heauenly Hieru∣salem, to a torrent or impetuous floode, whose waters cannot be kept from spreeding ouer the neighbour plaines.

3. But in this mortall life, THEO: we are not necessitated to loue soueraignly, because we see him not so clearely: In Heauen where we shall see him face to face, we shall loue him heart to heart that is, whē we shall all see the infinitie of his beau¦tie, euery one in his measure, with a soueraignely cleare sight: so shall we be rauished with the loue of his infir it goodnesse, in a soueraignely strong rauishment, to which we neither would if we could, nor can if we would make any resistance: But here belowe, when we behold not this Soue∣raigne Bountie ād Beautie, but onely enter view it in our obscurities; we are indeede inclined, and al∣lured, yet not necessitated to Loue more then our selues, but rather the contrarie, and albeit we haue a holy naturall inclination to loue the Diuinitie aboue all things, yet haue we not the strength to put it in execution, vnlesse the same Diuini∣tie infuse holy charitie supernaturally into our heart's.

4. Yet true it is, that as the cleare view of the Diuinitie, doth infallibly beget in vs a necessitie of louing it more then our selues; so the enter∣view, that is, the naturall knowledge of the Di∣uinitie, doth produce infallibly, an inclination and pronenesse to loue it more thē our selues: for I praie you THEOT: since the will is wholy addicted to the loue of GOOD, how can it in any degree know a soueraigne GOOD, without being more or lesse inclined to loue it soueraignely? Now of all the Good's which are not infinite, our WILL wil∣leth alwayes in her affection, that which is nighest to her, but aboue all, her owne: But there is so

little proportion betwixt an infinite, and finite GOOD, that our will hauing knowledge o•• an in∣finite GOOD is without doubt put in motion, in∣clined and incited to prefere the friendshipe of the Abisse of this infinite goodnesse, before all other loue, yea euen the loue of our selues.

5. But principally this inclination is strong, because we are more in God, then in our selues; we liue more in him then in our selues, and are in such sort, from him, by him, for him, and to him, that we cannot in very deede hit of what we are to him, and he is to vs, but we are forced to crie out. I am thyne Lord, and am to belong to none but to thee; my soule is thyne, and ought not to liue but by thee; my will is thyne, and ought not to loue but for thee; my Loue is thyne, and is one∣ly to tend to thee. I am to loue thee as my first PRINCIPLE, sith I haue my beeing from thee; I am to loue thee as myne end and Center, since I am for thee; I am to loue thee more then myne owne being, seeing euē my B••EING, doth sublist by thee; I am to loue thee more then my selfe, since I am wholy thyne, and in thee.

6. And in case there were, or could be some Soueraigne GOOD whereof we were independent, yet so as that we could vnite our selues vnto it by loue, we should euen be incited to loue it more then our selues, seeing that the infinitie of it's sweetenesse, would be still Soueraignely more powerfull to allure our will to it's loue, then all the other, yea euen our owne proper GOODS▪

7. But if by imagination of a thing impossible, there were an infinite goodnesse, whereof we had

no dependance at all, and wherewith we could haue no kind of vnion, or communication: we should yet verily esteeme it more then our selues: For we should plainely know, that being infi∣nite, it were more estimable and amiable then we: and consequently that we should make simple wishes to be able to loue it. Yet properly speaking we should not loue it, sith that loue aimes at vniō; and much lesse can we haue Charitie towards it, since that Charitie is a Friendshipe, and Friends∣hipe cannot be vnlesse it be reciprocall, hauing for it's grownd-worke COMMVNICATION, and VNION for it's end. This I saie, for certaine chime∣ricall and vaine wits, who vpon impertinent ima∣ginations, doe role melancolie discourses vp and downe their mind, to their owne maine vexation. But as for vs THEOT: my deare friend, we see plainly that we cannot be true men, without ha∣uing an inclination to loue God more then our selues: nor true Christians, without practising this inclination. Let vs loue him more then our selues which is to vs more then all, and more then our selues, Amen, for true it is▪

How holy Charitie brings forth the loue of our neighbour. CHAPTER. XI.

1. AS God created man to his owne Image and likenesse, so did he ordaine a loue for

man, to the image and resemblance of the loue which is due to his owne Diuinitie. Thou shalt loue, saieth he, thy Lord, thy God with all thy heart, it is the first and greatest commandement: And the second is like vnto this, Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe. Why doe we loue God, THEO: The cause why we loue God, saieth S. BERNARD, is God himselfe: as though he had saied, we loue God because he is the most soue∣raigne and infinite Goodnesse. And why doe we loue our selues in Charitie? surely because we are the Image and liknesse of God. And whereas all men are indewed with the same dignitie, we loue him also as our selues, that is, in qualitie of the most holy and liuely Image of the Diuinitie: for it is in that qualitie, THEO: that we belong to God in so strict an aliance, and so amiable a dependance, that he makes no difficultie to be called Father, and to call vs children. It is in this qualitie that we are ca∣pable to be vnited to his Diuine essence, by the fruition of his soueraigne bountie and felicitie. It is in this qualitie that we receiue his grace, that our spirits are associated to his most holy spirit, ād made in a māner participāt of his Diuine nature as S. LEO sayeth. And therefore the same Chari∣tie which produceth the acts of the loue of God, produceth withall the acts of the loue of our neighbour. And euen as Iacob saw but one ladder which reached from Heauen to earth, by which the Angels did as well descend as ascend, so we see that one same charitie extends it selfe both to the loue of God and our neighbour, raising vs to the vnion of our spirit with God, and yet brin∣ing

vs back againe to a peaceable and quiet ••ocietie with our neighbours. Yet with this diffe∣rence, that we loue our neighbour, in that he is created to the Image and likenesse of God, to haue communication with the Diuine bountie, parti∣cipation of grace, and fruition of glorie.

2. THEO: to loue our Neighbour in Charitie is to loue God in man, or man in God; It is to loue God for his owne sake, and the creature for the loue of him. The young Tobie accompained with the Angell Raphael, hauing met with Raguel his Father to whom yet he was vnknowen. Raguel had no sooner set his eyes vpon him, saieth the Scripture, but turning himselfe towards his wife Anne; looke looke quoth he how much this yoūg man doth resemble my cosen: and hauing saied thus, he saied vnto thē, whence come you youthes, my deare bretheren? at which they replied: We are of the Tribe of Nephtali, of the Captiuitie of Niniuie, and he saied vnto them; doe you know my brother Tobie? yes Sir, we know him, replied they: and Raguel beginning highly to commend him, the Angell saied vnto him; Tobie of whom you speake, is this youths owne Father; with that Raguel stept towards him and kissing him with many teares, and hāging vpon his necke, blessing haue thou my sonne, quoth he, because thou art the sonne of a good and most vertuous man: and the good woman Anne his wife and Sara his daughter, began to weepe through tendernesse of affectiō. Doe not you note, how Raguel, embraced the little Tobie, cherished, kissed and wept with ioye vpon him, whom he knew not. Whence pro∣ceeded

this Loue but from old Tobie his Father, whom this child did so much resemble? Blessing hasie thou, quoth he, but why? not truly because thou art a good youth, for that as yet I know not, but because thou art sonne and like to thy Father, who is a very good man.

3. Ah good God THEOT: when we see our neighbour created to the Image and likenesse of God, ought we not to saie one to another. Ob∣serue and see this creature, how it resembles the Creatour, ought we not to cast our selues vpon it, cherishe it, and weepe ouer it with loue? ought we not to blesse it a thousand and a thousand times? And why this? For the loue of it? no verily: for we know not whether it be worthy of loue, or hatred in it selfe; but wherefore thē? O THEO: for the loue of God, who hath framed it to his owne similitude and likenesse and consequently hath endowed it with a capacitie to be partaker of his goodnesse, in GRACE, and GLORIE. For the loue of God, I saie, from whom it is, whose it is, by whom it is, in whom it is, for whom it is, and whom it re∣sembles in a most particular manner. Wherevpon the diuine loue doth not onely often times com∣mand the loue of our neighbours, but it selfe pro∣duceth it, and poures it into man's heart, as his resemblance and Image: for euen as man is the Image of God, so the sacred loue of man towards man, is the true picture of the heauenly loue of man towards God. But this discourse of the loue of our neighbour requires a whole Treatise a part, which I beseech the Soueraigne Louer of men, to inspire into some of his most excellent ser∣uants,

since the top of the loue of the Diuine Goodnesse of the heauenly Father, consisteth in the perfection of the loue of our brothers and companions in earth.

How loue produceth Zeale. CHAPTER. XII.

1. AS Loue rends towards the Good of the thing beloued, either by taking delight in it being obtained, or in desiring and pursuing it not being obtained. So it brings forth hatred by which it flies the euill which is contrarie to the thing beloued, either in desiring and striuing to be quit of it, being alreadie present, or in absence, by essaying to diuert and hinder its approch. But if euill can neither be hindred to approch, nor be remoued, loue at least leaues not to make it be hated and detested. When loue therefore is seruent, and is come to that hight, that it would take away, remoue, and diuert that which is oppo∣site to the thing beloued, it is termed Zeale. So that in proper speach, Zeale is no other thing then loue in its ardour, or rather the ardour that is in loue. And therefore, such as the loue is, such is the Zeale which is in ardour. If the loue be good the Zeale is Good, if bad, the Zeale is also bad. Now when I speake of Zeale, I meane to speake of iealousie too: for iealousie is a SPECIES of Zeale, and vnlesse I be deceiued, there is but this onely

difference betweene them; That Zeale hath a respect to all the Good of the thing beloued, with intention to remoue the contrarie euill from it: but iealousie eyes the particular good of friends∣hipe, to th'end it might repulse all that doth op∣pose it.

2. When therefore we ardently set our affe∣ctions vpon earthly and temporall things, beautie, honours, riches, Place: That Zeale, that is, the ardour of that Loue, ends ordinarily with enuie: because these base and vile things, are so little, li∣mited, particular, finite, and imperfect, that being possessed by one, another cannot entirely possesse them. So that being communicated to diuers, each one in particular hath a lesse perfect communica∣tion of them. But when we loue in particular to be ardently beloued, the Zeale, or ardour of this Loue turnes into Iealousie; because humane friēd∣shipe, though otherwise a vertue, hath this imper∣fection, by reason of our weaknesse, that being diuided amongst many, euery ones part it lesse. Wherevpon the ardour or Zeale we haue to be beloued, will not permit corriualls and compa∣nions: which if we apprehend we haue, we pre∣sently fall into the passion of Iealousie, which in∣deede doth in some sort resemble enuie, yet is farre an other thing. 1. Enuie is alwayes vniust, but iealousie is sometimes iust, so that it be mo∣derate: for haue not such as are married good rea∣son to looke that an others shareing with them doe not cause their friendship's decrease? Enuie makes vs sorrowfull that our neighbour enioys a like, or a greater good then we, though he di∣minish

not that which we haue one iot. But iea∣lousie is in no wise troubled at our neighbours good so it touch not vpon our coppie-hold: for the Iealous man would not be sorrie that his com∣panion should be beloued of others, so it were not of his owne Mistresse. Yea properly speaking, a man is not iealous of Competitours, till he ap∣prehend that he himselfe hath alreadie atchiued the friendshipe of the partie beloued. And if there be any passiō that preceedes this, it is not iealousie but enuie. 3. We doe not presuppose any imper∣fection in the partie we enuie, but quite contra∣rie we apprehend that he hath the good which we doe enuie in him. Marry we presuppose that the partie whereof we are iealous, is imperfect, fickle subiect to corruption and change. 4. Iealousie pro∣ceedes from loue, enuie comes from the defect of Loue. 5. Iealousie neuer happens but in matter of Loue, but enuie is extended to all the subiects of good; to honours, to fauours to beautie. And if at any time one be enuious of the affection which is borne to another, it is not for loue, but for the profit that is in it. The Enuious man is not a whit troubled to see his fellow in grace with his Prince, so that he be not in occurrences gratified and preferred by him.

That God is Iealous of vs. CHAPTER. XIII.

1. GOd saieth thus: I am thy Lord thy God, a iealous God. Our Lord is called Iealous.

God is iealous then, THEO: but what is his iea∣lousie; verily vpon the first sight, it seemes to be a iealousie of Concupiscence such as is a husbands ouer his wife: for he will haue vs so to be his, that he will in no sort haue vs to be any others but his. No man saieth he can serue two Maisters. He de∣mands all our heart, all our soule, all our spirit, all our strength; for this very reason he is called our spouse, our soules his Spouses; And all sorts of separations from him, are called fornication, Adulterie. And indeede it is high reason that this great God, singularly good, should most entirely exact our whole heart: for our heart is but little, and cannot store vs with loue enough, worthily to loue the Diuine Goodnesse; is it not therefore conuenient, that since we cannot afford him such a measure of Loue as were requisite, that at least we should afford him all we are able? The GOOD that is soueraignely louely, ought it not to be soueraignely loued? and to loue soue∣raignely is to loue totally.

2. Howbeit Gods iealousie of vs, is not truely a iealousie of concupiscence but of SOVERAIGNE FRIENDSHIPE: for it is not his profit, that we should loue him, but ours. Our loue is vnprofitable to him, but to vs gainefull; and if it be agreeable to him, it is because it is profitable to vs: For being the Soueraigne GOOD, he takes pleasure to com∣municate himselfe by loue, without any kind of profit that can returne to him thereby, whence he cries out, making his complaint of sinners by way of iealousie. They haue forsaken me, me that am the fountaine of liuing water; and haue digged

vnto themselues Cisterns, broken Cisterns that are not able to hold water: marke a little THEO: I praie you, how this Diuine Louer doth delicatly well expresse the nobilitie and generositie of his Iealousie: they haue left me, saieth he, me that am the Source of liuing water: I complaine not that they haue forsaken me, in respect of any damage that their reuoult can draw vpon me: for what worse is a liuing spring, that men will not draw water at it? will it therefore leaue to glide and slide ouer the earth? but I am sorrie for their mis∣fortune, that hauing left me, they haue busied themselues about wells without water. And if by supposition of an impossible thing, they could haue light vpon some other fountaine of liuing water, I should easily endure their departure from me, since I pretend nothing in their loue, but their owne good: but to forsake me to perish; to flie from me to fall headlong, is that which doth asto∣nish and offend me in their follie: It is then for the loue of vs, that he desires that we should loue him, because we cannot cease to loue him, but we begin to be lost, nor withdraw any part of our af∣fection from him, but we loose it.

3. Put me, saied the Diuine shepheard to the Sunamite, put me as a seale vpon thy heart, as a seale vpon thy arme; The Sunamits heart was full of the heauenly Loue of her deare Spouse, who though he possesse all, yet is he not content in that, but by a holy distrust of iealousie he will be set vp∣on the heart which he possesseth, and will haue her sealed vp with himselfe, least any of the loue due to him might escape out, or any thing get en∣trie,

which might cause a mixture: for he is not satisfied with the loue, in which the Sunamite is compleat vnlesse she be also vnchangeable, purely and onely his. And that he may not onely enioye the affections of our heart, but also the effects and operations of our hands, he will also be as a seale vpon our right arme, that it may not be streched out, or imployed, saue in the works of his seruice. And the reason of the Diuine Spouse his demande is that as death is so strong, that it separats the soule from all things, yea euen from her owne bo∣die; so sacred loue which is come to the degree of Zeale, doth diuide and put the soule at a distance withall affections, and doth purifie her from all mixture: for as much as it is not onely as strong as death, but it is withall sharpe, resolute, stife, and pitilesse in punishing the wrong done vnto it, in the admittance of Competitors together with it, as Hell is violent in punishing the damned: And euen as Hell full of horrour, rage, and crueltie, ad∣mits no mixture of loue, so doth iealous loue tol∣lerate no mixture of another affection, striuing that the whole should be reserued for the Belo∣ued. Nothing is so sweete as the Doue, yet nothing so mercilesse as he in his iealousie towards his hen. If euer you tooke notice, THEO: you haue seene that this milde birde, returning from his flight, and finding his mate amongst her companions, he is not able to suppresse in himselfe a certaine sense of distrust, which makes him churlish and humou∣rous, so that at their first accosting, he circles a∣bout her, with a soure and out faceing countenāce▪ trampling vpon her, and beating her with his

wings though he haue otherwise assurance that she is loyall and sees her snowie white in innocen∣cie. Vpon a certaine day S. CaTHARINE of Sienna was in a Rapture, which did not bereeue her of her senses, and while God was shewing her wonders, a brother of hers passed by, and with the noise he made diuerted her, so that she turned towards him, and eyed him one onely moment. This little di∣straction, which did on the sodaine surprise her, was neither sinne, nor disloyaltie, but an onely shadow of sinne, and an onely resemblance of dis∣loyaltie: and yet the most holy mother of the hea∣uēly Spouse, did so earnestly chide her for it, and the glorious S. PAVLE did so confound her in it, that she thought she should haue melted away in teares. And Dauid reestablished in grace by a per∣fect loue, how was he treated for the onely veniall sinne which he had committed in taking a List of his People?

4. But THEO: he that desires to see this Iealousie put downe in a delicate and excellent expression, let him read the Instructions which the Seraphi∣call S. CATHARINE of Genua made in declaration of the proprieties of pure Loue, amongst which she doth instantly inculcate and presse this which ensueth: That perfect Loue, that is, Loue which is come to the perfection of Zeale, cannot endure any mediation, interposition, or the mixture of any other thing not euen of God's gifts, yea it is in this hight of rigour, that it permit's not euen the loue of Heauen, but with intention to loue more perfectly therein the Goodnesse of him that giues it: So that the Lampes of this pure Loue haue nei∣ther

oyle, weeke, nor smoake, but are all fire and flame, which no worldly thing can extinguish. And such as carrie these burning Lampes in their hāds, haue the saintly feare of holy Spouses, not the feare of adulterous women. Both feare indeede, but differently, saieth S. AVGVSTINE, The chast Spouse feares the absence of her Spouse; The adul∣rous the presēce of hers. That feares his departure, this his staie: That is so deeply in Loue, that it makes her iealous, this is not annoy'd with iea∣lousie, because she enioyes not Loue; This feares to be punished, but the punishment which that feares, is, that she shall not beloued enough; yea rather in very deede, she feares not, not to belo∣ued, as is the custome of the Iealous, who loue thēselues, and will needes be beloued; but her feare is that she loues not him enough whom she sees so loue-worthy, that none can loue him to the worth ād accordīg to the large measure of loue which he merit's, as before I haue faied. Wherefore her Iea∣lousie, is not a IEALOVSIE OF PROPER INTEREST, but a pure Iealousie, which proceedes not frō any concupiscence, but from a noble and simple friēds∣hipe: A Iealousie which extends it selfe to our neighbour, together with the loue whence it is∣sueth: for since we loue our neighbour as our selues, for Gods sake; we are also iealous of him, as of our selues, for God's sake, so that we would euen die least he might perish.

5. Now as Zeale is an inflamed ardour, or an ardent inflamation of Loue, it hath also neede to be wisely and prudently practised; other∣wise vnder the cloake of it, one may violate the

termes of modestie and discretion, and easily slipe out of Zeale into anger, and from a iust affection, to an vniust passion; wherefore this not being the proper place to put downe the markes of Zeale, my THEO: I aduise you that for the execution thereof you haue alwayes recourre to him whom God hath giuen you, for the direction of your deuote life.

Of the Zeale or Iealousie which we haue towards our Sauiour. CHAPTER. XIV.

1. A certaine Caualeere gaue order to a famous Painter to draw him out a horse rūning, and the Painter hauing represented him as in a curuet, with him vpō his backe, the Caualeere be∣gan to storme, whervpon the Painter turning the picture vpside downe be not angrie Sir, quoth he, to change the postures of a horse in his Carriere, into a horse in his curuet, a man is onely to turne the Table vpside downe He that desires to disco∣uer, what iealousie or Zeale we are to exercise to∣wards God, he is onely to expresse to life the iea∣lousie we haue in humane things, and then turne it vpside downe; for such will it be, as that which God for his part requires at our hands.

2. Imagine THEO: what comparison there is betwixt those who enioye the light of the Sunne, and those who haue onely the glimps of a Lampe:

they are not enuious or iealous of one an other: for they plainely see, that that great light is abun∣dantly sufficient for all; that the ones fruition doth not impeach the others; and that nones possession in particular is lesse for that all in generall posses∣seth it, then though each one possessed it a part. But whereas the light of a Lāpe is little, short, and insufficient for many, each one desires to haue it in his chamber, and he that hath it, is enuied at by the rest: The good of humane things is so bare and beggerlie that as it is more communicated to one, it is lesse communicable to others; and ther∣vpō it is that we are stirred, ād doe storme whē we haue any Corriualls or fellowes. But God's heart is so abundant in loue, his goodnesse so infinitly in∣finite, that all men may possesse him without les∣sening any ones possession: this infinitie of good∣nesse, can neuer be drayned, though all the hearts of the vniuerse be furnished with it: for when all shall be brime full, his infinitie remaines alwayes entire without any diminution. The Sunne doth no lesse shine vpon a rose together with a thousād millions of other flowres, then though it shined but vpon that alone. And God doth no lesse poure his loue into one soule, albeit with it he loue an infinitie of others, then though he loued her one∣ly: the force of his Loue, not decreasing by the multitude of rayes which it streames out, but re∣maining full of his immensitie.

3. But wherein then consisteth the Iealousie and Zeale which we ought to haue towards the Diuine Goodnesse? THEO: their office is: first to hate, flie, hinder, detest, reiect, to set vpon, and ouer∣throwe,

so farre forth as one is able, all that is op∣posit to God to wit to his will, to his Glorie, ād the sāctifying of his name. I haue hated iniquitie, saied Dauid, and haue had those that thou hatest in a∣bomination. O Lord, did not I hate them? and did not I pine away because of thine enemies? My Zeale hath made me sownd, because my enemies haue forgotten thy words. In the morning I killed all the sinners that were vpon the face of the earth, that I might ruinate, and banish all the workers of iniquitie. See I praie you THEO: with what a Zeale this great king is animated, and how he im∣ployes the passions of his soule in the seruice of holy Iealousie! He doth not simply hate iniquitie, but hath it in abomination, vpon the sight of it he withers ••ith distresse; he fals into sownds and trances, he pursues it, defeats and banisheth it. So P INE••S pushed forwards with a holy Zeale, did holily runne through that impudent Israelite, and brazen faced Madianite which he found in the infamous commerce of their beastlinesse: So the Zeale which consumed our Sauiours heart, made him cast out all that bought and sold and presen∣tly reuenge the irreuerence and prophanation which they committed in the Temple.

4. Secondly Zeale makes vs ardently iealous of the puritie of soules, which are the Spouses of IESVS CHRIST, according to the holy Apostle to the Corinthians, I emulate you with the emula∣tion of God, for I haue despoused you to one man to present you a chast Virgin to IESVS Christ. Eliezer had bene extreamly stung with Iealousie, if he had perceiued the chast and faire Rebecca,

whom he conueyed to be espoused to his Maisters sonne, in any danger of being dishonored; and doubtlesse he might haue saied to this holy Dam∣sell I am Iealous of you, with a iealousie which I owe to my Maister's respect: for I haue despoused you to one man, to present you a chast virgin to my Maister Abraham's Sonne. So would the great S. PAVLE saie to his Corinthians: I was sent from God to you: soules, to treate the marriage of an eternall vnion, betweene his sonne our Sauiour, and you, and I haue despoused you vnto him, to present you as a chast virgine to this heauenly Spouse. Behold why I am emulous, not with myne owne emulation but with the emulation of God, in whose behalfe I haue treated with you. It was this Iealousie THEO: that caused this holy Apostle dayly to fall downe in trances and die: I die dayly, quoth he, for thy glorie. Who is weake, and I am not weake? who is scandalized and I am not burnt? Marke, saie the Auncients, marke what loue, what care and what iealousie a broode Hen doth shew to her chickens, (for our Sauiour esteemed not this comparison vnworthy o•• his Ghospell) the Hen is a very Hen, that is, a creature without courage or generositie at all, while she is not yet a mother, but in her mothershipe she puts on a Lions heart. Alwayes her head is vp, alwayes her eyes watchfull, still throwing them on euery side, at the least ap∣parence of danger towards her young ones: No enemie appears, vpon whom she dares not throw her selfe in the defence of her deare broode, for whom she hath a continuall sollicitude, which makes her still rūne vp and downe clocking ād re∣pining.

And if any of her chickings come to die, what griefe? what anger? Such is the iealousie of Parents for their children, of Pastours for their flockes, of brothers for their Brothers. What was the Zeale of the Children of Iacob, after they had knowe that DINA was violated? what was the Zeale of Iob, vpon the apprehēsion and feare he had that his children should offend God? what was the Zeale of a S. Paule for his brethren according to flesh and blood, and his children according to God, for whose sake he desired to be branded with ANATHEMA and excommunication? what the Zeale of a Moyses towards his people, for whom he is willing, in a certaine manner to be rased out of the booke of life.

4. In humane iealousie we are afrayed least the thing beloued, should be possessed by some o∣ther: but our Zeale to God, makes vs especially feare, that we are not wholy possessed by him. Hu∣mane iealousie makes vs apprehend that we are not beloued enough; Christian iealousie, that we loue not enough, wherevpon the sacred Sunamite cried out, ô the beloued of my soule, show me where thou lyest in the midday, least I beginne to wander after the flocks of my companions. Her feare is that she is not entirely her sacred shep∣pheards, or that she might be hindred, though neuer so little, by such as striue to be his Compe∣titors. For she will by no meanes permit that wordly pleasures, honours, or exteriour riches should prepossesse the least bit of her loue, which she hath wholy dedicated to her deare Sa∣uiour.

An aduise for the direction of holy Zeale. CHAPTER. XV.

1. VVHereas Zeale is an ardour and vehe∣mencie of loue, it stands in neede of prudent conduct, otherwise it will violate the termes of modestie and discretion: not that diuine Loue, though neuer so vehement, can be exces∣siue in it selfe, nor in the motions and inclinations, which it giues to our hearts, but because it makes vse of the vnderstanding in the execution of its designes, ordering that it should find out the meanes whereby they might haue good successe, and that it should haue boldnesse or anger in a readinesse, to encounter and surmount difficulties, it happens very frequently, that the vnderstan∣ding proposeth, and makes vs vndertake too sharpe and violent courses; and withall, that anger or boldnesse being once set on foote, and not being able to containe themselues within the bounds of reason, beare a way the heart to disorder; so that Zeale by this meanes being exercised indiscretly and inordinatly, becomes hurtfull and blame wor∣thy. DAVID sent IACOB to leade his armie, against his disloyall and rebellious Sōne ABSALŌ, with spe¦ciall charge that they should not touch him, but in all occurrences they should haue a speciall care to saue his life: But IACOB being set to't and being hot in the pursuite of the victorie, with his owne

hand slewe the poore Absolon, neuer thinking of the charge which the king gaue him: euen so Zeale doth imploye choler against the euill, yet with ex∣presse order, that in distroying wickednesse and sinne, if it be possible, it saue the sinner and the wicked; but being once in hot blood, as a strong headed and stirring horse, runnes away with his rider out of the Listes, without stop or staie while breath lasteth.

2. The good man of the house, which our Sa∣uiour describs in the Ghospell, knew well that hot and violent seruants are wont to out runne their Maisters intention: For his seruants presenting themselues vnto him, to weede vp darnell, no quoth he, I will not least together with weedes you pull vp corne. Verily, THEO: Anger is a ser∣uant, who being strong, couragious, and a great vndertaker, doth indeede at the first on-set per∣forme a great deale of worke, but with all is so hot headdie, inconsiderate, and impetuous, that it doth neuer any good at all, but ordinarily it drawes with it many discomodities. Now it is not good husbandrie, saie our husbandmen to keepe Peacokes about the house; for though they free it of spiders, yet doe they so spoile their couers and tiles that their profit is not comparable to the great waste they make. Anger was giuen as a helpe to reason by Nature, and is employed by Grace in the seruice of Zeale, to put in execution it's designes; yet is it a dangerous helpe, and not greately to be desired: for if it get strength it be∣coms Mistresse, defeating Reason's authoritie, and the louing lawes of Zeale: and if it turne weake,

it doth no more then Zeale would performe all alone; how soeuer, it giues still a iust occasion of feare, that waxing strong; it might impare the heart and Zeale, making them slaues to its tyran∣nie, euen as an artificiall fire which in an instant is kindled in a building, and ••hich one knowes not how to extinguish. It were an act of dispare to put a stranger compaine into a Fort in garison, who by that meanes might become stronger.

3. Selfe Loue doth oft deceiue vs, and makes vs runne-counter, practising our proper passions vnder the name of Zeale, Zeale hath sometimes of old made vse of Anger: and Anger often times makes vse of the name of Zeale in counterchange to keepe its shamefull disorder couered vnder it. And marke, that I saie, it makes vse of the name of Zeale; for it can make no vse of Zeale it selfe, since it is the propertie of all vertues, but espe∣cially of Charitie whereof Zeale is a depēdance, to be so good, that none can abuse it.

4. Vpon a day there came a notorious sinner, and threw himselfe at the feete of a good and worthy priest, protesting with a great deale of hu∣miliatiō that he came to find a cure for his desease, that is, to receiue the holy absolution of his faults: a certaine MONKE called DEMOPHILVS, apprehen∣ding in his conceite, that this poore penitent came too nigh the high Altar, fell into so violent a fit of choler, that falling vpon him, he kicked and pushed him thence with his feete, wronging the good priest in an outragious sort, who accor∣ding to his dutie, had mildly admitted the poore penitent: And then running vnto the Altar, he

tooke away the most holy things there, and car∣ried them thence, least, as he would make men thinke, the place should haue bene profaned by the sinners approch: Now hauing finished this specious maister-peece of Zeale, he staied not yet there, but made a great matter of it to the great S. DENIS AREOPAGITE, in a letter which he wrote touching it, whereof he receiued an excellent an∣swere, worthy of the Apostolicall spirit, wherwith this great Disciple of S. PAVLE was animated: for he made him clearely see that his Zeale had bene indiscreete, imprudēt and impudent withall: be∣cause though the Zeale of the honour due vnto holy things be good and laudable, yet was it pra∣ctised against reason, without consideration, or iudgement at all, since he had vsed pushing with his feete, outrage, iniurie, and reproch, in a place, in a circumstance, and against a person that he was to honour, loue, and respect, so that the Zeale could not be good, being so disorderly practised. But in this very answere, the same Saint recounts another admirable example of a great Zeale proceeding frō a very good soule, whom yet the excesse of Anger, which Zeale did excite in her, had blemished and spoyled.

5. A Pagan had seduced and made a Christian of CANDIE newly conuerred to the Faith returne to Idolatrie: CARPVS an eminent man for puritie and sanctitie of life, and who as it is very probable, was the Bishope of Candie, conceiued so deepe a wroth against it, that he had neuer in his time en∣dured the like, and let himselfe be so farre carried away with this passion, that being risen at mid∣night

to praie according to his custome, he con∣cluded in him selfe that it was not reasonable, that wicked men should any longer liue, with great in∣dignation beseeching the Diuine Iustice, to strike downe at once these two sinners, the Pagan se∣ductour, and Christian seduced. But note, THEO: how God corrected the bitternesse of the passion, which carried the poore CARPVS beyond himselfe. First he made him as another S. STEPHEN behold the heauens open, and our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST seated vpon a great throne enuironed with a mul∣titude of Angels, who assisted him, in humane shape; then he saw below, the earth gaping open, as a horrid and vast gulfe, and the two sinners to whom he had wished so much euill vpon the very edge of this Precipice, quaking, and well nere fal∣ling downe in a traunce for dread being vpon the point of tumbling in, drawen on the one side by a multitude of Serpents, which rising out of the gulfe, wrapped thēselues about their ledges, tick∣ling them with their tayles, and prouoking their fall: and the other side a cōpanie of men did push and iogge, to rush them in; so that they seemed to be euē alreadie swallowed vp by this precipice: Now consider, my THEO: I praie you, the violen∣cie of CARPVS his passion: for as he himselfe after∣wards recounted to S. D••NIS, he made nothing of beholding our Sauiour and the Angels, ascen∣ding to Heauen, so was he taken with gazing vpon the daunting destresse, of those two miserable wretches; being onely troubled, that they were so long a perishing, and therevpon endeuored him∣selfe to precipitate them: which seeing he could

not so quickly performe, he fumed in himselfe, and curst them, till at length lifting vp his head to∣wards Heauen, he espied the sweete and most cō∣passionate Sauiour of our soules, moued with an extreame pitie and compassion of that which pas∣sed, rysing from his Throne, and descending to the place where the two poore miserable wretches were, stretch towards them his helping hand, as also the Angels round about them did, catching hold of them to hinder them from falling into this dreadfull Gulfe, and in Conclusion the amiable and milde IESVS, turning himselfe to the stormie CARPVS: hold CARPVS, saied he, henceforth beate vpō me; for I am readie to suffer ōce more for mās saluation, and it should be pleasant vnto me, if it could be performed, without the offence of other men; as for the rest, aduise with thy selfe, which thou likest better; to be in this gulfe together with these serpents, or to liue with Angels, who are so great friends to men. THEO: the holy man CARPVS had iust reason to be zealously moued at these two men, and his Zeale had but rightly ray∣sed his stomacke against them, but being once moued, he left reason and Zeale behind him, ouer rūning the bounds and limits of holy loue, and consequently Zeale which is loue in its heate; An∣ger changed the hatred of sinne into the hatred of the sinner, and the most mild Charitie into an outragious crueltie.

6. Some there are of that disposition, that they thinke one cannot be very Zealous vnlesse they be very angrie, thinking that nothing is done well, vnlesse all be spoyled, whereas contrariwise

true Zeale rarely makes vse of choler; for as we neuer applie the lance, and the fire to sicke, but in meere extreamities; so holy Zeale doth not im∣ploie choler but in extreame necessities.

That the examples of diuers saints which seemed to exercise their Zeale with An∣ger, make nothing against the aduise of the precedent Chapter. CHAPTER. XVI.

1. IT is true indeede, my deare THEO: that MOYSES, PHINEES, HELIE, MATHATIAS, and diuers great seruāts of God, made vse of choler, to exercise their Zeale in sundrie remarkable occur∣rences; yet note also I praie you, that those were great personages, who could well manage their choler, not vnlike to that braue Captaine of the Ghospell, who saied to his soldiers, goe, and they went; come, and they came: but we, who are in a manner all but a kind of poore people, we haue no such power ouer our motions: our horse is not so well broken, that we cā both spurre, and make him stope at our pleasure: Old and well trayned hounds doe come in, or fall off according to the huntsmans call, but vntrayned younge hounds, doe disordely flie out. The great Saints, that haue trayned vp their passions in a continuall mor∣tification by the exercise of vertue, can

at euery turne of a hād turne and winde their pas∣sions, giuing the scope or gathering thē vp at their pleasure: But we who haue vnbridled passions, young, or at least mistaught, we cannot giue bridle to our anger, but at great perill of disorder, for hauing once gotten head, one cannot re∣strayne, and order them as were fitting.

2. S. DENIS talking with that DEMOPHILVS, who would haue giuen the name of Zeale to his rage, and furie; he that would correct others, quoth he, must first beware, that anger doe not turne reason out of the power and Dominion wherein God hath established it ouer the soule, ād that it doe not stirre vp a reuoult, sedition, and confusion within our selues; so that we doe in no sort approoue your impetuosities, to which you were pricked forward with an vndiscreete Zeale, though you should a thousand times repeate PHINEES and HELIE: for the like words did not please IESVS CHRIST, being spoken to him by his Disciples, who were not yet made partakers of this sweete and benigne spirit. PHINEES, THEOT: seeing, a certaine accursed Israelite offend God with a Moabite, slew them both: HELIE fore∣told the death of OCHOSIAS, who wrothfull at this presage, sent two Captains one after ano∣ther with fiftie men a peece, to take him: and the man of God made fire descend from heauē which deuour'd them. Our Sauiour on a day passing through Samaria, sent into a towne to take vp his lodging, but the inhabitants knowing that our Sauiour was a Iewe by nation, and that he went to Hierusalem, they would not lodge him; which

S. IOHN and S. IAMES seeing they saied vnto our Sauiour, shall we commande the fire to descend, and burne them? And our Sauiour turning to∣wards them, chid them, saying, you know not what spirit moues you to this, the Sonne of man, came not to distroye soules, but to saue them: This it is then, THEOT: that S. DENIS would saie to DEMOPHILVS, who alleaged the example of PHINEES and HELIE: for S. IOHN and S. IAMES, who would haue imitated PHINEES and HELIE in making sire descend from Heauen vpon men, were reprehended by our Sauiour, who gaue them to know, that his Spirit and Zeale was sweete, milde, and gracious, which rarely made vse of wroth or indignation, but onely in some circum∣stāces, where there was no other hope left to pre∣uaile. S. THOMAS of Aquine that great Starre of Diuinitie, being sicke of the desease whereof he died at the Monasterie of Fossanoua, of S. BER∣NARDS order, the Religious besought him to make them some short expositiō vpon the CANTICLE OF CANTICLES to the imitation of S. BERNARD, and he answered them: Deare Fathers, giue me a S. BER∣NARDS Spirit and I will interprete this diuine Can∣ticle as did S. BERNARD; so verily, if one should saie to one of vs small, miserable, imperfect and wretched Christians, serue your selues of Anger and indignation in your Zeale, as did PHINEES, HELIE, MATHATHIAS, S. PETER and S. PAVLE: we ought to replie, giue vs the Spirit of perfectiō, and pure Zeale, with the interiour light which those great Saints had, and we will arme our selues with choler as they did; It is not a common performāce

to discerne when and in what measure we are to be angrie.

3. Those great Saints were immediatly inspi∣red by God, and therefore might boldly imploye their anger without perill; for the same Spirit, which did embolden them to this exploite, did also gouerne the raynes of their iust wroth, least they might out raye their prefixed bounds. An Anger that is inspired or excited by the holy Ghost, is not now the anger of a mā, and it is mans wroth that we are to be ••ware of, because, as S. IAMES saieth, it worketh not God's Iustice. And indeede when those worthy seruants of God made vse of anger, it was in so sollemne occurrences, and vpon so inordinate crimes, that there was no dan∣ger that the punishment should passe the fault.

4. Are we, thinke you, to take libertie to in∣iurie sinners, to blame nations, to controll and censure our Conductors and Prelats; because S. PAVLE once cals the Galatians senslesse; repre∣sents to the Candiots their lewde inclinations, and resisted the glorious S. PETER his Superiour in his face? Certes euery one is not a S. PAVLE, to know how to doe those things in the nicke: But hot, harsh, presumptuous and reprochfull spirits, following their owne inclinations, humours, a∣uersions, and the high conceits they haue of their owne sufficiencie, draw the vaile of Zeale ouer their iniquitie; and vnder the name of this sacred fire, permit themselues to be burnt vp with their proper passions. It is the Zeale of the health of soules, that makes the Prelatshipe be sought after, if you will beleeue the ambitious man; that makes

the Monke ordained for the Quire, course about; if you will giue credit to his disquieted spirit; that causeth all those censures and murmuratiōs against the Prelates of the Church, and tēporall Princes, if you will giue eare to the arrogant. You shall heare nothing frō him but Zeale; nor yet see any Zeale in hī, but onely opprobrious and rayling speaches hatred ād rācore, disquiete of the heart and tōgue.

5. Zeale may be practised three wayes: first in exercising high actions of Iustice to repell euill; and this belongs onely to publike officers, to correct, censure, and reprehend in the nature of a Superiour, as Princes, Prelates, Magistrats, Preachers: but whereas this office is worshipfull, euery one will vndertake it, euery one will haue a fingar in it. Secondly, one may vse Zeale in actions of great vertue, for the good example of others, by suggesting the remedies of euill, and exhorting men to applie them, by working the good that is opposite to the euill which we desire to banish, which is a thing that belongs to euery one, and yet it hath but few vndertakers. Finally the most excellent vse of Zeale is placed in suffering and enduring much to hinder or diuert euill, and scarce will any admit this Zeale. A spe∣cious Zeale is all our ambition: vpon that, each one willingly spends his talant, neuer taking no∣tice, that it is not Zeale indeede which is there sought for, but glorie, ambition's satisfaction, choler, churlishnesse and other passions.

6. Certainly our Sauiours Zeale did princi∣pally appeare in his death vpon the Crosse, to di∣stroy death and sinne in men: wherein he was soue∣raignly

imitated by that admirable vessell of ele∣ction and dilection, as the great S. GREGORIE Na∣zianzen in golden words represents him: for speaking of this holy Apostle, he fights for all, saieth he, he poures out praiers for all, he is Zea∣lously passionat towards all, he is inflamed for all, yea he dared yet more for his brethren accor∣ding to flesh, so that if I may dare also to saie it, he desires through charitie, that they might haue euen his owne place, nere our Sauiour. O excellencie of an incredible courage and feruour of Spirit? He imitats IESVS CHRIST, who became a curse for our Loue, who put on our infirmities, and bore our deseases. Or that I may speake a lit∣tle more soberly, he was the first after our Sauiour that refused not to suffer and to be reputed wicked in their behalfe. Euē so then, THEO: as our Sauiour was whip't, condemned, crucified as man, deuo∣ted, bequeathed, and dedicated to beare and sup∣port all the reproches, ignominies and punish∣ments due to all the offenders in the world, and to be a generall sacrifice for sinne being made as an ANATHEMA, forsaken and left of his eternall Fa∣ther; so according to the true doctrine of this great Nazianzen, the glorious Apostle S. PAVLE desired to be loden with ignominie, to be cruci∣fied, left abandoned and sacrificed for the sinnes of the Iewes, that the curse and paine which they me∣rited might fall vpon him. And as our Sauiour did so take vpon him the sinnes of the world and be∣came a curse, was sacrificed for sinne, and forsaken of his Father, that he ceased not continually to be the well-beloued Sonne in which his Father plea∣sed

himselfe: So the holy Apostle desired in∣deede to be a curse, and to be separated from his Maister, to be left alone to the mercy of the re∣proches and punishments due vnto the Iewes; yet did he neuer desire to be depriued of Charitie and the grace of God, from which nothing could se∣parate him, that is, he desired to be vsed as one separated, from God, but he desired not in effect to be separated▪ or depriued of his Grace; for this cannot be piously desired. So the heauenly Spouse confesseth that though loue be strong as death, which makes a separation betwixt the bodie and the soule. Yet Zeale which is an ardent loue, is yet stronger; for it resembles Hell, which separats the soule from our Sauiours sight; but it was neuer saied, nor can euer be saied, that Loue or Zeale was Like to sinne, which alone separats from the grace of God. And indeede how could the ardour of Loue possibly make one desire to be separated from grace, since Loue is grace it selfe, or at least cannot consist without grace? Now the Zeale of the great S. PAVLE was in some sort practised by the little S. PAVLE, I meane S. PAVLINE, who to de∣liuer a slaue out of bondage became himselfe a slaue, sacrificing his owne libertie, to bestow it vpon his neighbour.

6. Happie is he, saieth S. AMBROSE, who knowes the gouernment of Zeale! The Deuil will easily scofe at thy Zeale, if it be not according to science, let therefore thy Zeale be inflamed with Charitie, adorned with science, established in cō∣stancie. True Zeale is the child of Charitie, as being the ardour of it: Wherefore, like to Chari∣tie,

it is patient, benigne, not troublesome nor contentious, not enuious or spightfull, but re∣ioycing in Truth. The ardour of true Zeale re∣sembles that of the huntsman, being diligēt, care∣full, actiue, industrious and eager in the pursuit, but without choler, anger, or trouble: for if the huntsman's labour were cholerike, harsh and wayward, it would not be so earnestly loued and affected. Zeale in like manner hath extreame fer∣uours, but such as are constant, solide, sweete, la∣borious, equally amiable and infatigable; whereas contrariwise, false Zeale is turbulent, confused, insolent, arrogant, cholericke, wauering, no lesse impetuous then inconstant.

How our Sauiour practised all the most Excellent acts of Loue. CHAPTER. XVII.

1. HAuing spoken at large of the acts of Di∣uine Loue, that you may more easily and holily conserue the memorie thereof, I present you with a collection or abridgement of it. The Charitie of IESVS CHRIST doth presse vs, saieth the great Apostle: Yea truly, THEO: it doth force, or vse a violence against vs by its infinite sweete∣nesse, which shines in the whole worke of our Redemption, wherein appeared the benignitie and loue of our Sauiour towards men. For what did not this Diuine Louer doe in matter of Loue?

1. he loued vs with a LOVE OF COMPLACENCE, for his delightes were to be with the children of men, and to draw man to himselfe becōming man. 2. he loued vs with a LOVE of BENEVOLENCE enri∣ching man with his diuinitie, so that man was God. 3. he vnited himselfe vnto vs in an incōprehensible coniunctiō, whereby he adhered, and ioyned him∣selfe so neerely indissolubly, and infinitly to our nature, that neuer was any thing so straightly ioyned and pressed to the humanitie, as is now the most sacred Diuinitie, in the person of the Sonno of God. 4. he ranne wholy into vs, and as it were, dissolued his greatnesse to bring it downe to the forme and figure of our littlenesse, whence he is instyled a Source of liuing water, dewe and rayne of Heauen.

5. He was in extasie, not onely in that, as S. DENIS saieth, by the excesse of his louing good∣nesse, he became in a certaine manner out of him∣selfe, extending his prouidence to all things, and beeing in all things; but also, in that, as S. Paule saieth, he did in a sort forsake, and emptie him∣selfe; drayned his greatnesse and glorie; deposed himselfe of the Throne of his incomprehensible Maiestie, and, if it be lawfull so to saie, annihilated himselfe, to stoope downe to our humanitie, to fill vs with his Diuinitie, to replenish vs with his goodnesse, to rayse vs to his dignitie, and bestow vpon vs the Diuine beeing of the children of God. And he, of whom it is so frequent written, I LIVE SAIED OVR LORD, pleased afterwards according to his Apostles language to saie, I liue, now not I, but man liues in me, man is my life, and to die

for man, is my gaines, my life is hidden with man in God. He that did inhabit in himselfe, lodgeth now in vs: and he that was liuing frō all eternitie in the bosome of his eternall Father, becomes mortall in the bosome of his temporall mother. He that liued eternally by his owne Diuine life, li∣ued temporally a humane life: And he that from eternitie had bene onely God, shall be for all eter∣nitie man too: so did the loue of man rauish God, and draw him into an Extasie!

6. Sixtly how oftē by loue did he admire, as he did the Centurion, and the Cananee? 7. he beheld the young man who had till that houre keept the Commandements and desired to be taught perfe∣ction. 8. he tooke a louing repose in vs, yea euen with some suspension of his senses, in his mothers wombe and in his infancie. 9. he was wonderfull tender towards little children, which he would take in his armes, and louingly dandle a sleepe; towards MARTHA and MAGDALEN, towards La∣zarus ouer whom he wept, as also ouer the Citie of Hierusalem. 10. he was animated with an incō∣parable Zeale, which, as S. DENIS saieth, turned into iealousie, turning away so farre as he could all euill from his beloued humane nature, with ha∣zard, yea with the price of his blood, driuing away the Deuil the Prince of this world, who seemed to be his Corriuall and Competitor.

7. He had a thousand thousand languors of Loue: for from whence could those Diuine words proceede; I haue to be baptised with a baptisme, and how am I straitened vntill it be dispatched? The houre in which he was baptised in his bloode

was not yet come, and he languished after it, the loue which he bore vnto vs vrging him there∣vnto that he might by his death, see vs deliuer••d from an eternall death. He was also sad, and sweate blood of distresse in the garden of Oliuet; not onely by reason of the exceeding griefe which his soule felt in the inferiour part of reason; but also through the singular loue which he bore vnto vs in the superiour portiō thereof, sorrow begetting in him a horrour of death, yet loue, an extreame desire of the same; so that there was a hote com∣bat, and a cruell agonie, betwixt desire and hor∣rour of death, vnto the shedding of much blood, which streamed downe vpon the earth as from a liuing source.

8. Finally THEO: this Diuine Louer died a∣mongst the flames and ardours of Loue; by reason of the infinite charitie which he had towards vs; and by the force and vertue of Loue, that is, he died in Loue, by Loue, for Loue, and of Loue: for though his cruell torments were sufficient to haue kild any bodie; yet could death neuer make a breach in his life, who keepes the keyes of life and death, vnlesse Diuine Loue, which hath the hand∣ling of those keyes, had opened the Port to death to let it sacke that Diuine bodie, and dispoyle it of life. Loue not being content to haue made him mortall onely, vnlesse it had made him die withall. It was by choice, not by force of torment that he died. No man doth take my life from me, saieth he, but I yeeld it of my selfe and I haue power to yeeld it, and I haue power to take it againe. He was offered, saieth Isaie, because he himselfe

would and therefore it is not saied that his Spirit went away, forsooke him, or separated it selfe frō him; but cōtrariwise that he gaue vp his Spi∣rit, expired, rendred vp the Ghost, yeelded his Spirit vp into the hands of the eternall Father; so that S. ATHANASIVS remarketh, that he stooped downe with head to die, to the end he might consent, and bend towards deaths approch, which otherwise durst not haue come neere him: and crying out with a lowde voice, he gaue vp his Spirit into his Fathers hands, to shew, that as he had strength and breath enough not to die, so had he so much Loue, that he could no longer liue, but would by his death reuiue those, which without it could neuer eschew death, nor pretend for true life. Wherefore our Sauiours death was a true sa∣crifice, and a sacrifice of Holocaust, which him∣selfe offered to our Sauiour to be our Re∣demption: for though the paines and do∣lours of his Passion were so great and vio∣lent, that any but he had died of them, yet had he neuer died of them, vnlesse he himselfe had pleased, and vnlesse the fire of his infinite Charitie had consumed his life. He was then the Priest himselfe, who offered vp himselfe vnto his Father, and sacrificed himselfe in Loue, to Loue▪ by Loue, for Loue, from Loue.

9. Yet beware of saying, THEOTIME, that this death of Loue in our Sauiour, passed by way of rauishment: for the obiect which his Cha∣ritie had to moue him to die, was not so amia¦ble, that it could force this heauenly soule ther∣to,

which therefore departed the bodie by way of extasie, driuen on and forced forwards by the abundance and force of Loue, euen as the Myrrhetree is seene to send foorth her first iuyce by her onely abundance, without being strayned or pressed, according to that which he himselfe saied, as we haue noted. No man taketh my life away from me, but I yeelded it of my selfe. O God THEO: what burning coles are cast vpon our hearts to inflame vs to the exercise of holy loue towards our best Sauiour, seeing he hath so louingly practised them towards vs who are his worst seruants! The Charitie then of IESVS-CHRIST doth presse vs.

The end of the Tenth Booke.