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Of the pure Loue of God; and by what signs wee may know itt.
WHEN as Man hath now by perfect Ab∣negation withdrawn his Affection frō all Creatures without Him, and likewise from Himselfe by pure Resignation; hee falls with his whole Affection, and Adhesion vp∣pon the guifts of God. For God out of his infinitt goodnesse rewards presently this Abnegation, and Resignation with inter∣nall Light, Gust, Comfort, and Consola∣tion;
to which nature instantly conuerts it∣selfe, and rests therin with Propriety; like as shee did before in the Creatures without Her. And when as this Comfort is with∣drawn shee remayneth impatient, and grei∣ueth, and is not quiet vntill shee obtayn itt agayn. Besyds which present internall Com∣fort, and gust: shee also recreates herself in the Consideration of the future Reward: wherin shee reioyceth, and exulteth with Propriety, yea resteth therin.
And albeit man in this life may well en∣ioy the internall Guifts of God (for to that end they are giuen Him from God) yet ne∣uerthelesse they do greatly hinder him, whē as with Propriety hee adheres vnto them, and resteth in them. And is no whit lesse retayned from the true Spirituall Death, and annihilation, and consequently from the Perfect Vnion with God yn through the adhesion to exterior Things without him; and rests in Himselfe, as before mentioned. Inlike manner although it be permitted, yea virtuous, and good to hope for, desyr, and long after the future happynes, yet notwith∣standing for as much, as it is done with pro∣priety, and not symply with a perfect Resi∣gnation to God (that since Man intends ther∣in his owne Comfort, profitt, and good) it doth likewise hinder his Death, Annihi∣lation, and Vnion with God.
Wherefore the third thing which is re∣quisit
to find God perfectly is that the abne∣gation of all creatures, and the Resignation of himselfe be done purely for the Loue of God For the soule being now naked from all exterior Things, and freed from all in∣ternall adhesion to herselfe remayns yet in Hersel••e, ready notwithstanding to be car∣ryed, and brought further: which happe∣neth, when as the pure loue of God is adioy∣ned therewith by which shee is lifted vp aboue herselfe into God which shee so much the more perceiueth by how much her Lo∣ue is the purer. Thus saith S. Bernard. The soule which is such (an one) that shee seekes, or desyres nothing proper, neither felic••ty, nor honour, nor any Thing else through selfe-loue, shee is yn carry••d w••oly into God: & ••hee hath but one perfect Desyr to be led by th•• Kyng into his Bedchamber, and to a••here soly vnto Him, and enioy him, and continually face to face beholding him is transformed into the same Image from glory to glory as from our Lords Spirit.
This pure Loue of God consists heerin that a Man deny absolutly all created Things, & resign, and render vp himselfe wholy vnto God without intending thereby any meritt, Comfort, Profitt, or any other Benefitt in∣ternall, or externall, temporall, or Spirituall; but meerely for God, who doth only deser∣ue itt, to whom hee belongeth, and who hath deserued itt at his hands; holding him∣selfe
therewith contented without seeking ought else; or desyring, no, not that expe∣rimentall feeling of God which (as is said) is necessaryly engendred thereby in the sou∣le; This Loue is pure; for hee beholdeth God only in Himself.
And although one think that Hee hath this pure Loue of God, yet neuertheles Hee must not presently beleiue it. For Hee may heerin be yet sooner deceiued yn in one of the former Poynts. For this pure Loue is Contrary to the now nature, and inclyna∣tion of Man; by reason that Hee being de∣clyned from the true loue of God, hee is now wholy bent towards Himselfe hauing con∣tinually in all his doings, and omissions an eye to his own profits, commodity, and com∣fort: which is now, as it were, become na∣turall vnto Him: so that Hee can very hard∣ly be reclaymed from itt. And therefor it is very rare to find any one that doth not in so∣me sort seeke himself in God, at least after the last manner, to wit in conuerting himself to God thereby to fynd God experimentally de∣syring itt more for Himself yn for God. And this nature doth work very couertly, and secretly, so that it is exceeding hard to giue heere a certain sign whereby one may know whither Hee haue the pure of Loue of God, or no; especially as-long as Hee hath in Him that internall ••ust, & comfort. For that hee resteth therin much more couertly yn hee
did in externall things. And it were necessa∣ry (as hath beene said) that Man aboue All guifts had tasted God in Himselfe before hee can well discern whither hee Loue God pu∣rely, or no; for by the least selfe-Loue hee in himselfe becomes obscure, and looseth the noble presence of God sine Medio without any meane.
Notwithstanding to giue the beginner a sign whereby Hee may know whither his Loue be pure, or no; hee shall in the exer∣cising the foresaid Abnegation of all created Things, and the absolute Resignation of Himself auert his intention from all guifts which hee either actually hath, or could ha∣ue, And behold God purely in Himselfe; and propound vnto himselfe that albeit there were no heauen heerafter to be expected, nor that God would any way reward him in this life, nor would euer manifest himselfe vnto him; That neuerthelesse hee would willingly forsake all things, and resi∣gn himself wholy vnto him purely becaus hee is God. And yet to be more certayn hee shall further add. That albeit hee knew that through Gods Iustice hee were to be heer∣after damned eternally, and remayn in this life in continuall Aridity, yet notwithstand∣ing hee would rather choose to persist in this Abnegation, and Resignation, and so to serue God: yn otherwise to enioy all Li∣berty, and pleasure internall, and Externall. If hee
speak this from his Hart, and really meane it; hee shall besyd the aforesaid in imagina∣bity, or vacancy of all created things per∣ceiue in his soule a deuyn light, and Clarity which will inuyte Him to be eleuated abo∣ue Himselfe in God. But if Hee cannot speak that from his Hart; Hee may well persuade himselfe that hee doth not Loue God so pu∣rely, as is necessary to be eleuated aboue him∣selfe sine Medio without meane in God. For like as the Abnegation, and Resignation do produce in the soule a nakednesse, and clea∣renesse. So doth this pure Loue raise, and lift itselfe vp to God. For it is proper vnto Loue especially this pure Loue which is altoge∣ther cleere, and vnmixt.
And albeit that Man had said to himselfe all that wee haue heere put down for a sign of pure Loue, and yet thereby did perceiue little, or no cleerenesse in his soule, Hee must beleiue himselfe to be yet possessed with selfe-loue though couertly; or at least that his Loue to God is not so pure, as is heere requyred, and therefor hee must di∣ligently search his fund, and consider well his Intention, to witt. What hee cheifely in∣tends, and aymes at in his Exercise; and whither his Exercise be soly God, or rather some internall mouing, or gust of the sensi∣ble Part, or else some Image, light, or know∣ledg infused into some of his internall Pow∣res which hee receiueth, as coming from
God, But dares not Adore it as God himselfe; and in the meane tyme rests, and adheres therevnto hauing no other knowledg of God, and feares to loose the same; and hauing lost the same (which of∣ten happens) is troubled, and vexed, and prone to conuerte himself to externall com∣forts, and Creatures. Which is an euident sign of selfe-loue. Besides hee shall perceiue that in his Conuersion to God hee is alwayes effigiated with himselfe, or alwayes looking on himself, and that very grossely. For al∣beit his obiect be somewhat deuyn, yet be∣caus hee seekes, and enioyes it for himself, and rests therin Therefor hee is alwayes fi∣gurated with himself. Likewise hee shall find that thereby hee is not ledd to his owne nothing, but remayns continually with lit∣tle, or no progresse in himselfe.
And if any one find in himselfe that hee thus seekes, and intends himself in God, and doth not Loue him with pure Loue, hee must know that as long as hee continueth in this maner hee can neuer be eleuated aboue himself, and attayn to God after this finall manner whereof wee now treate. Hee may be free from all exterior Creatures, and also from himself, hauing left himselfe for God. But hee is not thereby gone into God, but ••o the guifts of God to which hee adheres, and likwise into himself, and cannot be carryed aboue himself▪ into the hidden essence of
God. This want of pure Loue many an one hath▪ (though vnknown to them▪) that do practise▪ the aforesaid Abnegation, and Re∣signation out of a good intention for God.
Such an one may be compared to a Bird that is loose, and fr••e, and able to fly where shee, list but remayns willingly captiue in the cage becaus shee is therin fedd, and will not fly forth though the doore be open to her, through an idle feare shee hath; that being forth in the Ayr shee should not be so cer∣tayn of her food. So this Man through an Abnegation of all creatures, and Resigna∣tion of himself to God hath the way open to God, but hee remayns yet willingly captiue in his senses; for that therin hee enioyes a sensible comfort without which hee will not liue; And which hee thinks hee shall not find, out of himself, in God. Wherefore for such an one by pure Loue to come to God, hee must through aridity, and desola∣tion be forced, and as it were driuen into a perfect conformity to God. Like as the fore∣said Byrd when as her Meate is taken from her is compelled to leaue the Cage, and fly into the Ayr, and conside that shee shall find Meate.
Wherevnto if the foule will also helpe her∣selfe to yett sooner to God shee shall take into her Consideration some ••o••ing reasons, as the deuyn worthynes of which S. Augustyn sayth. Hee loueth thee O Lord lesse y n is befit∣ting
thee, that loueth any thing but thee; that Hee loueth not, for thee. And truly who lou∣eth God for his guifts; loueth not God, but himselfe. For all that which you seeme to Loue for Another; you really Loue that whither the end of the Loue tendeth, not that through which it tendeth. As saith S. Bernard. This pure Loue is also Commanded vs in the gospell where hee will haue vs to Loue him with all ones soule, with all ones powre. Wherevppon sayth S. Gregory. It is to be diligently noted that the deuyn word when it commands God to be Loued doth not only teach vs with what loue, but also with what Measure wee must Loue him; when it sayth with ones whole hart. To which perfect Loue, ought most of all to moue vs the pure Loue through which God gaue his sonn vnto vs, of whō is writtē God so loued the world that gaue his own only sonne &c. The pure also, and greate Loue of God the Sonn who suffered so great, and greiuous Torments, and lastly such an igno∣minious, and paynefull Death for vs. For no man hath greater Charity then to giue his life for his friends. And agayn hee testifieth his Loue to vs to be such as his heauenly fa∣thers is to him. As my Father loued mee so I loue you &c. And what greater Purity of lo∣ue can there be yn is betwixt the heauenly Father, and his Sonn.
All this behold∣ing of God, is no other th••n the L••ght of f••ith in this life.
Notable Doctrin and a true si∣militu∣d••.
Deut. 5. 6. Matth. 22. 37.
Io 3. 16.
Io. 15. 13
Io. 15. 9.