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NOw as all sins and miseries proceed from a misplaced love; so all vertues and felicities are the product of love well guided, and placed on the right object; this is as beneficial and advantagious, as
the other is perni∣cious: that is, (as S. Augustine saith) that as self-love is the root of all evil, so the love of God is the root of all good, the stock whence all vertues do grow. The excellency of Divine Love is so great, so transcen∣dent, that it alone is accepted on its own account, and all other things for its sake; a faith strong enough to work miracles, alms the most expensive, and even the flames of Martyrdom profit nothing without love, as S. Paul teacheth; love it is that makes all good works meritorious in the best sense; love it is that gives a value to all other vertues; or rather, it is love that produceth all good works and vertues, as they are so indeed. Love is the discharge of our whole duty, the fulfilling of the law, saith S. Paul, Rom. 13.10. love is that grace which renews and sanctifies our natures and abides for ever; it is the greatest, the most excel∣lent gift of God; it is even the Divine Spi∣rit, who unites all things within the bonds of love and unity, saith S. Aug. and
with whom all good things are ever given. Divines teach that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son, by way of love; wherefore he is called, nexus amoris quo conjungitur Pater cum Filio, & Filius cum Patre; that is, in the Language of the Church, that in the Unity of the same Spirit, the Father and the Son live and reign evermore; or, as S. Augustine expres∣seth it, The love wherewith the Father and the Son love mutually is the Holy Spirit, and represents best the Mystery of their Incomprehensible Union.
Now that Divine Spirit, which is the eternal love of God to himself, is given to us, in the grace of love or charity (which are one and the same) whereby we are all joined together into one body, and all uni∣ted to God; therefore in our holding Com∣munion with the Church, we are com∣manded to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, Ephes. 4.3. and we are taught, that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost which is given to us, Rom, 5.5. and that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost are all one, 2 Cor. 13.14. so that to come to the highest
pitch, and finish the elogium of love, we we may say with S. John, that God is love, and then we have said all. God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him, 1 Joh. 4.16. that is, God is an abyss of love and goodness; by love he gives himself to us, and by love we give up our selves to him, and are transformed into him. Won∣der not therefore, if the effects of love are so glorious and wonderful, when it proceeds immediate∣ly from God, and is the communication of himself to us; when it is the grace of Jesus Christ, and the most precious gift of the Divine Spirit; when it is the Sanctification of our natures, and the bettering and per∣fecting of the noblest of humane affections, natural love, that powerful passion where∣by all things and all men are governed.
Sicut radix omnium malerum est cupiditas: ita radix omium bono∣rum est charitas. Serm. de Charit.
Sine charitate fides potest esse, sed non pro∣desse. Aug. 1 Cor. 13.
Ʋnitas Spiritus conti∣net omnia. Serm. Pont.
Donum est Spiritus San tus in quo nobis om∣nia bona dantur.
Charitas qua Pater di∣ligit Filium & Filius Pa rem, quae est Spiritus Sanctus, ineffabilem com∣munionem amborum de∣monstrat. De Trin. l. 15.
Deus charitas est; bre∣vis laus sed magna laus: brevis in ser none & ma∣gna in intellectu, &c. Aug. Tract. 9. in Ep. Johan.