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

A profitable methode whereby we may imploy these methods. CHAPTER. XII.

1. NOw to receiue from these motiues a pro∣found and powerfull heate of loue, we are, after we haue once considered one of them in cō∣mon, to applie it in particular to our selues: For example: O how amiable this great God is, who out of his infinite goodnesse gaue his sonne for the whole worlds redemption? alas I, for all in ge∣nerall, but also for me who am the first of offen∣ders! Ah, he hath loued me! yea I saie, he hath loued euen me, yea euen me my selfe, such as I am; and deliuered himselfe to death for me.

2. Secondly we must consider the Diuine be∣nefits in their first and eternall source. O God, T••••O: what loue can we haue sufficiently worthy of the infinit goodnesse of our Creatour, who frō all eternitie determined to create, conserue, go∣uerne, redeeme saue, and glorifie all in generall and in particular? Ah what was I then, when I was not? my selfe I saie, who now being some thing, am yet but a simple and poore worme of the earth; while yet God from the Abisse of his eter∣nitie, thought thoughts of benediction in my behalfe? He considered and designed, yea deter∣mined the houre of my birth, of my baptisme, of all the inspirations that he would bestow vpon

me; in a word, for all the benefits which he would doe and offer me; alas is there a sweetenesse like to this?

3. Thirdly we must consider the Diuine bene∣fits in their second meritorious source; for doe you not know, THEO: that the high Priest of the law, wore vpon his backe and bosome the names of the children of Israel, that is, the precious stones, vpon which the chiefe of the Israelites were engrauē? Ah behold IESVS our High Priest, and consider him from the very instant of his con∣ception, how he bore vs vpon his shoulders, vn∣dertaking the charge, to redeeme vs by his death, and death of the Crosse. ô THEO: THEO: this soule of our Sauiour knew vs all by name and sur∣name: but especially vpon the day of his passion, when he offered his teares, his praiers, his blood and life for all, he breathed in particular for thee these thoughts of loue. Ah my eternall Father, I take vpon me and to my charge, all poore THEO: sinns, to vndergoe torments and death, that he may be freed from them, and that he may not pe∣rish but liue. Let me die, so he may liue; let me be crucified, so that he may be glorified, ô the soue∣raigne Loue of IESVS his heart, what heart can euer blesse thee, so deuotely as it ought.

4. So within his fatherly breast his Diuine heart foresaw, disposed, merited, and obtained, all the benefits which we haue, not onely in gene∣rall for all, but also in particular for euery one; and his sweete dugges prouided for vs the milke of his motions draughtes, inspiratiōs, and sweete∣nesse, by which he doth draw, conduct and nurish

our hearts to eternall life. Benefits doe not in ••••ame vs, vnlesse we behold the eternall will, which ordaines them for vs, and the heart of our Sauiour that merited them for vs, by so many paines, es∣pecially in his death and passion.