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

TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND VERTVOVS LADIE, THE LADIE ELISABETH DORMER.

MADAME,

NO sooner had this Diuine Booke of DIVINE LOVE happened into my hands, but it seemed as well by the circumstances of the AVTHOVR, whe∣ther we respect his Extraction; as being des∣cended from one of the most Illustrious Hou∣ses of Sauoye; his Function, as being Bishope

and Prince of Geneua; the TITLE and CONTENTES of his VVorke, alrea∣die honored by the eighteenth Edition; or my OBLIGATION, as well in my selfe, as in those of whom I glorie to haue so happie a dependance, to be determined to your HONOR, as neerely symbolising, and due to your VERTVS and HONOR'S worth: and as hauing had the weak•• colours in which it now appea∣res from my n••••ilfull Pensill, to flie to your HONOR'S p••werfull Protection. For w••it••er ind••••de could so Pious, Wor∣thy, and Noble an AVTHOVR be better addre••'t then to Pietie, Worth, and Nobilitie? where Pietie beares so abso∣lute aswaye in a Noble breast, that Worth and Nobilitie would be reputed ignoble and worthlesse, if they bore not a Testimonie about them, that they had passed by VER∣TVES TEMPLE; where either from other is so richly embellished, and receiue so

mutually each others qualities, that Ver∣tue would be taken for Nobilitie and Worth, or Nobilitie and Worth for Vertue, if both were not seene to conspire to make vp one PEERELESSE PEECE. Where could DIVINE LOVE be prouided of a fitter Mansion then a heauenly Heart? Where effectes out-speake Fame, where Charitie out-strips pouerties expecta∣tion, Riches are possess'd and despised; where a noble saying of Saint Hierom's* 1.1 properly sutes: It is proper to your Stock, at once to haue and contemne riches; Witnesse your honorable and pious Father, the LORD VICE-COVNT MONTAGVE, who made them in all occurrences stoope to vertu's Lore. Wit∣nesse your equally honorable and pious mother whose bountifull, and frequent workes of Charitie (being thē widowe) strooke euen he∣ritikes with astonishment. Witnesse a later branch of the same stocke, your honorable

Nephew, the LORD VICE-COVNT MOVNTAGVE of freshe and Bles∣sed memorie, whose matchlesse Zeale in God's cause, which all the world speakes of with admiration, and which, as it may seeme by God's speciall Prouidence, he came to write in our heart's some few weekes be∣fore he went to receiue the reward of it, doth easily draw me to instance in him. What did not he bountifully emploie in the assi∣stance of God's seruants? what did not he piously spend in the riches and glorie of God's house? what did not he Catholikly, repute as nothing, that he might gaine Christ? and to descend yet further, is not the same Bountie, Pietie and Religion, and for them, a con∣tempt of all, brought downe as it vvere by right line, and translated together vvith his Dominions to the Honorable now LORD VICE-COVNT MOVNTA∣GVE, who actually possesseth his Coun∣trie of the happinesse he long promised? Fi∣nally

is not the same plainely seene in your Honor's owne honoured and happie progenie? It vvere to long, MADAME, to mention all in your line,* 1.2 to vvhom Saint Augustines pit∣thie and heauenly Contemplation might seeme to be addressed; Loue Riches, but as thy subiect's, but as thy slaues, but as pledges from a Spouse, as Presents from a friend, as benefits frō a Maister: where Loue and euē that Loue which ca∣steth-out Feare might seeme to be possessed by Right of blood, so doth your HO∣NOR giue to the life your renovv∣ned Fathers vndaunted Zeale, together vvith your Noble Mothers incomparable Pietie; and yet be found to be held by Right of Conquest, so frequent and fortunate are your VERTV'S essayes and perfor∣mances! Performances vvhich send euen a∣vvay strangers hearts taken vvith admi∣ring Loue; and teach Forrainers to speake and vse your HONOR'S name in

termes of respect and honour: For the rest, touching our generall OBLIGATION, (vvherein my Pen vvas prouided most to haue laboured) for reasons, as I hope, neither vnknovven, nor vnapproued to your HO∣NOR, vnvvillingly vvill I passe ouer in silence: Yet vvith this assurance, that vvhat in vvords is here omitted, our hearts (vvherein your HONOR'S CHARITIE hath engrauen her Memore deeper then that the iniquitie of times can raise it out) shall speake to the Tribunall, vvhere the heart's language is onely agreeable. Meane vvhile MADAME licence my pen, to put dovvne that vvhich many vvish vvith one consent of hearts and voices; That as his pen that did not studie your Honorable Fathers aduanta∣ges,* 1.3 left for after ages to blesse and adore, his noble Memorie marked vvith these bet∣ter markes of Nobilitie KNOVVEN PRVDENCE: VNDAVNTED

CONSTANCIE: CATHOLIKE ZEALE. So this my first ess••y may be the Pyramides wherin in his and your's may ioyntly liue for euer; and vvherin eu n little ones may reade, that DIVINE LOVE could not on earth find a fitter TABER∣NACLE, nor a more nobly pious PA∣TRONESSE. For vvhose prosperitie.

MADAME,

YOVR HONOR'S Humblest seruant will not cease to praie, MILES CAR.

Notes

• * 1.1

  S. Hier. ad De∣metr. ep. 8.
• * 1.2

  Aug. de dili∣gendo Deo cap. 4.
• * 1.3

  Camb. in Elis. pag. 26. & 51.