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

That we are to haue a continuall desire to loue. CHAPTER. II.

1. LAy vp treasures in heauen, one treasure is not sufficient to the liking of this Diuine Louer, but he desires we should haue it in such aboundance, that our treasure should be cōposed

of many treasures, that is to saie, THEO: that we are to haue an insatiable desire of Louing God, adding continually loue vpon loue. What is it that doth so much presse the Bees to encrease their ho∣nie, but the loue they beare to it! ô heart of my soule, who art created to loue the infinite good! what loue canst thou desire, but this loue, which is the most to be desired of all loues? Alas, ô soule of my heart, what desire canst thou loue, but the most louely of all desires? ô Loue of sacred desires! ô desires of holy Loue! ô how much haue I desi∣sired to desire your perfections!

2. The disgusted sickman hath no appetite to eate, yet hath he an appetite to haue an appetite: he desires no meate, yet he desires to haue a desire. THEO: to know whether we loue God aboue all things is not in our power, vnlesse God himselfe reueale it vnto vs; yet we may easily know whe∣ther we desire to loue him; ād perceiuing the desire of holy loue in vs, we know that we begin to loue. It is our sēsuall ād animall part which couets to eate, but it is our reasonable part that desires this appetite, and because the sensuall part doth not alwayes obeye the reasonable part, it happens that we desire an appetite, and yet haue it not.

3. But the desire of louing and loue depend both of the same will: Wherefore as soone as we haue framed a desire of louing, we begin to haue some Loue; and euer as this desire encreaseth, loue also encreaseth. He that desires Loue ardent∣ly, shall shortly loue with ardour. ô God THEO: who will make vs so happie, as that we may burne with this desire, which is the desire of the

poore and the preparation of their heart whom God doth willingly heare! He that hath no assu∣rance to loue God, is a poore man, and if he de∣sire to loue him, he is a beggar, but a beggar, in that bleessed beggarie, of which our Sauiour hath saied, Blessed are the poore of spirit, for theirs is the kingdome of Heauen.

4. Such an one was S. AVGVSTINE, when he cryed out, ô to loue! ô to walke! ô to die to a mans selfe! ô to come to God! Such S. FRANCIS, his saying, let me die of thy Loue ô thou friend of my heart, who hast daigned to die for my Loue, Such S. CATHARINE of GENVA, and S. TERESA when as spirituall Does panting and dying with the thirst of Diuine Loue, they sighed out this voice, ah Lord! giue me this water.

5. Temporall couituousnesse by which we doe greedily desire earthly riches, is the roote of all euill; but spirituall auarice, whereby one doth in∣cessātly sigh after the pure gold of Diuine Loue is the roote of all good. He that doth desire to Loue well, doth search it well; and he that doth search it well, doth find it well; and he that hath found it out, he hath found the source of life, whence he shall draw the saluation of our Lord. Let vs crie night and day, THEO: come ô holy Ghost, fill the hearts of thy faithfull, and kindle in them the fire of thy Loue. ô hea∣uenly Loue! when wilt thou fill my soule?