Claustrum animae, the reformed monastery, or, The love of Jesus a sure and short, pleasant and easie way to Heaven in meditations, directions, and resolutions to love and obey Jesus unto death : in two parts.

§. 31. Love will work the best Refor∣mation.

But the voluminous directions of Casuists and Confessionists cannot reach all cases and all particulars: to shorten our labour therefore, let the love of JESUS do the work of self-reformation and it will be soon∣est and best done. Love will find out the most effectual means for the extermination of our sins, and love will use them to the best purpose. Certain it is, that love in all instan∣ces, sets men upon acts of self-de∣nial; as great Generals and many more, who forego the peaceable in∣joyment

of the comforts they might have at home, and expose them∣selves to dangers, because they love honour; merchants who forsake their dearest relations, and run through many great troubles and perils, be∣cause they love gain; and the more generous love of friendship, which hath caus'd many to chuse great in∣conveniences and even death to serve their friends: and therefore certain it is also that the love of JESUS will make his yoke and even his cross easie; will make us deny our selves and forbear what displeaseth him, though otherwise pleasing to us. That men might be without excuse, God hath made a short work upon the earth:

(saith S. Aug.) by con∣tracting his immensity into the narrow dimen∣sions of man, he hath abbreviated his doctrine and our talk.

JESUS is the Center and the sum of our Faith and Religion, and the love of JESUS is the content of our duty. I have determined, (saith S. Paul) not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified, and we preach

Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness: but to them that are called, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God, that is, in whom God fully reveals his will, and gives us full power to fulfil it. Therefore (saith the Apo∣stle) God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of Jesus Christ my Lord; by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. The knowledge and love of JESUS, our Crucified Saviour, is the most proper means to teach us our duty, the greatest motive to undertake it, and the best instrument to perform and effect it withal; it will kill our lusts, crucifie the members of the body of sin, and carry us through the labours and difficulties of penitence and sincere amendment: it will be the fulfilling of repentance, as it is the fulfilling of the law.

For, as love is strong to overcome strong enemies, to kill the greatest sins: so it is wise and quicksighted to see and to find out the least. A loving friend will not only not slander and defame his friend, not rob, or strike, or murther him: but will for∣bear all words and actions which

might bring him the least grief or inconvenience; love will not only not give the greatest provocations; but even not disoblige or displease in the least instances. And so, if my love to JESUS be sincere, it will not only keep me from confederation with his profest and greatest ene∣mies, but even make me shun and forsake the most secret and contemp∣tible of them: I mean that the love of JESUS will never suffer me to entertain any the least sin; and, whenever I find that I have been un∣happily seduc'd to commit any, it will cause me to grieve and sadly to repent, that I have displeased my dearest Saviour, and wounded that tender love I have for him. And in∣deed, it is reported of many devout persons, great lovers of JESUS, that they would sorrow and weep for ordinary failings, for small omissions, more than others would, for much greater sins. Divine Love, like a bright burning flame, will feel a commotion and disturbance by the least drop of water that falls upon it: a small irregularity will be more grie∣vous to a pious lover of JESUS, than great crimes to another. There∣fore

he that could say, the love of Christ constraineth us, would also high∣ly complain, and groan under the sense of our unavoidable imperfecti∣ons; O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Nothing will make us more sensible of our least and most com∣mon sins, than the love of JESUS; it will make us angry at, and impa∣tient of them, and earnest and severe in reforming of them.

Notes

• Ʋt nemo habet excusa∣tionem in die judicii vo∣luit Dous, sicut scriptum est, consummare & abbre∣viare verbum super ter∣ram. Aug. de Doct. Chri∣stiana. l. 1. c. 1.
• 1 Cor. 2.2.
• 1.24.
• Gal. 6.14.
• Rom. 7.24.