A treatise of the loue of God. Written in french by B. Francis de Sales Bishope and Prince of Geneua, translated into English by Miles Car priest of the English Colledge of Doway

Of the excellent worth which holy Loue be∣stowes vpon the actions which issue from it selfe, and to those which proceede from other vertues. CHAPTER. VI.

1. BVt you will aske me what this worth is which holy Loue bestowes vpon our a∣ctions? ô God THEO: I Verily I should not dare to speake it, if the Holy Gost himselfe had not de∣clared it in expresse termes, by his Apostle S. Paule, who saieth thus: That our tribulation which is presently momentarie and light, worketh aboue measure exceedingly an eternall weight of glorie in vs. For the loue of IESVS let vs ponder these words. Our tribulations which are so light that they passe in a moment worke in vs the solide and stable weight of glorie: I beseech you behold these wonders! Tribulation produceth glorie; lightnesse giues weight, moments worke eternitie. But what is it that can enrich these fleeting mo∣ments, and light tribulations with so great worth?

Scarlet and purple, or fine crimson violet, is a pre∣cious, and royall cloth, yet not, by reason of the woole, but the die. Christian workes are of that worth, that Heauen is giuen vs for them: but THEO: it is not, in that they proceede frō vs, and are the woole of our hearts, but because they are died in the blood of the sonne of God, I meane, for so much, as our Sauiour doth sanctifie our workes by the merits of his blood. The twigge of a vine vnited and ioyned to the stocke, being not forth ••ruit in it's owne vertue, but in vertue of the stocke. Now we are vnited by Cha∣ritie vnto our Redeemour, as members to their head, and thence it is that our fruit and good workes drawing their worth from him, doe merit life euerlasting. AARONS rod was withered, and in∣capable of it selfe to bring forth fruit; but as soone as the name of the high priest was written vpon it, in one night it brought out leaues, flowres, and fruit. We, in our selues are withered bowes, vnpro∣fitable, fruitlesse, not being sufficient to thinke any thing of our selues as of our selues, but our sufficiencie is of God, who hath made vs meet and fit ministers of his will; and therefore as soone as by holy Loue, the name of our Sauiour the high Bishop of our soules, is engrauen li•••• our soules, we begin to beare delicious fruits for life euerlasting. And as seedes which of them selues doe onely bring forth vnsauorie Melons, would bring forth sugared and musked ones, if they were steeped in sugared or musk't water; so our soules which of themselues are not able to proiect one, onely good thought towards God's

seruice, being watered with holy loue, by the ho∣ly Ghost, which doth inhabite vs, they produce sacred actions, which doe tend, and doe carrie vs to immortall glorie. Our works as proceeding from our selues are but miserable reeds, yet these reeds become gold by Charitie, and with the same we suruey the Heauenly Hierusalem, which is giuen vs by that measure: for as well to man as Angels, glorie is distributed according to Chari∣tie and her actions. So that men and An∣gels measure is one, and the same; and God both hath, and will reward euery one according to his works, as all the holy Scripture doth teach vs, which assignes vs the felicitie and eter∣nall ioyes of Heauen, in reward of the labours and good works which we haue practised in earth.

2. A magnificent reward, and such an one as doth sauour of the Maisters greatnesse whom we serue, who in truth THEO: if so he had pleased, might most iustly exact our obedience and ser∣uice without proposing vnto vs any prize or re∣ward at all, since we are his by a thousand most le∣gitimate titles, and that we can doe nothing that is worth any thing but in him, by him, for him, and dependently of him. Yet did not his Good∣nesse so dispose, but in consideration of his sonne our Sauiour, he would deale with vs at a set price, receiuing vs at wages, and engaging himselfe by his promise vnto vs, that our hire, yea an eternall one, shall answere to our workes. Nor is it, that our seruice can either be necessarie, or profitable vnto him; for when we shall haue accomplished

all his commands, we are yet to professe in a most humble truth, or a most true humilitie, that in∣deede we are most vnprofitable and vnfruitfull seruants to our Maister, who by reason of his es∣sentiall superabundancie of riches, can haue no profit by vs, but conuerting all our works to our owne aduantage and commoditie, he makes vs serue him with as little profit to him, as much pro∣fit to our selues, who by so small labours, gaine so great rewards.

3. He was not then bound to paie vs for our seruice, if he had not passed his promis for it: yet doe not thinke, THEO: that he would so manifest his goodnesse in this promise as to forget to glori∣fie his wisdome, yea contrariwise, he did most ex∣actly obserue the rules of equitie, mixing come∣linesse with liberalitie in an admirable manner: for though our works are indeede very small, and in no wise, for their quantitie, cōparable to Glo∣rie, yet in regard of their qualitie they are very proportionable therevnto, by reason of the Holy Ghost, who by Charitie dwelling in our hearts, workes them in vs, by vs, and for vs, in so exquisite a manner, that the same workes that are wholy ours, are more wholy his, sith, as he doth produce them in vs, so we againe produce them in him; as he doth them for vs, so we doe them for him; as he operats them with vs, so we cooperate them with him.

4. Now the holy Ghost doth dwell in vs, if we be liuely members of IESVS CHRIST, who here∣vpon saied vnto his Disciples. He that abids in me, and I in him, he brings forth much fruit, and it is,

THEO: because he that abids in him, is made par∣taker of his diuine Spirit, who is in the midst of mans heart, as a liuing fountaine of water springing vp vnto life euerlasting: so the holy oyle which was poured vpon our Sauiour, as vpon the head of the Church militant and triumphant, doth spread it selfe ouer the societie of the Blessed, (who as the sacred beard of this heauenly Maister, is continually fastened to his glorious face) and doth drope vpon the companie of the faithfull, who, as clothes are ioyned and vnited by loue to the Di∣uine Maiestie; the one and the other troope being composed of naturall brethren; hauing here∣by occasion to crie out; Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is, for brethren to dwell in one: as oyntment on the head, which ranne downe vpon the beard, the beard of Aaron, which ranne downe vpon the hemme of his gar∣ment.

5. Our works therefore as a little corne of mustard, are in no sort comparable in greatnesse, to the tree of glorie which they produce, yet haue they the vigour and vertue to worke it, for that they proceede from the holy ghost, who by an ad∣mirable infusiō of his grace into our hearts, makes our works his, and yet withall leaues them our owne, since we are members of one head, whereof he is the Spirit; and ingraffed in a tree, whereof he is the sape: and whereas he doth in this sort act in our actions, and we after a certaine manner doe operate or cooperate to his operation, he leaues vs to our part, all the merite ad profite of our ser∣uices and good workes, and we againe leaue him

all the honour and praise thereof; acknowledging that the beginning, the progresse, and the end of all the good we doe, depends of his mercy, by which he hath come vnto vs; and hath preuented vs; he came into vs, and assisted vs, he came with vs, and conducted vs; finishing what he had begun. But ô God, THEO: how mercifull is this Bountie vnto vs in this diuision, we render him the glo∣rie of our praises, alas, and he giues vs the glorie of his possession. In somme, by these light and passing labours, we obtaine goods permanent for all eternitie. Amen.