Experience, historie, and divinitie Divided into five books. Written by Richard Carpenter, vicar of Poling, a small and obscure village by the sea-side, neere to Arundel in Sussex. Who being, first a scholar of Eaton Colledge, and afterwards, a student in Cambridge, forsooke the Vniversity, and immediatly travelled, in his raw, green, and ignorant yeares, beyond the seas; ... and is now at last, by the speciall favour of God, reconciled to the faire Church of Christ in England? Printed by order from the House of Commons.

An Act of the love of God.

I, such a one, in perfect health and me∣mory; able yet to revell in the world; to enjoy wealth and pleasure; to scrifice my body and soule to sensuality; doe con∣temne,

and lay under my feete, all: (goe be∣hinde me Satan, sworne enemy of Man∣kinde) and love God purely for himselfe. For, put the case he had not framed this world, or beene the prime cause of any creature in it: put the case hee had never beene the Author of any blessing to mee: yet excellencie and perfection of themselves are worthy of love and duty: and as the object of the understanding is truth, so the object of the will is goodnesse; and there∣fore my will shall cheerefully runne with a full career, to the love of it. Saint Austin hath taught me: Qui amicum propter commo∣dum quodlibet amat, non amicum convincitur amare, sed commodum: He that loves his friend for the profit he reapes by him; is easily convinced, not to love his friend, but the profit. Wherefore, although I should see in the Propheticall booke of the divine Prescience my selfe not well using the di∣vine helpes, not rightly imploying the ta∣lents commended to my charge, and to be damned for ever; yet still I would love him, (away ill thoughts, touch me not) I would: insomuch, that if it were possible, I would even compound, and make to meet hands, the love of God, and damnation. For, although I were to be damned, yet God could not be in the fault; and though I

should be exceedingly miserable by damna∣tion; he would yet remaine infinitely good, and great by glory: and though I did not partake so plentifully of his goodnesse; yet, many others would. O Lord I love thee so truely, that if I could possibly adde to thy perfection, I freely would, but be∣cause I cannot, I am heartily glad, and love thee againe, because thou art so good and perfect, that thou canst not be any way more perfect, or good, either to thy selfe or in thy self. And I most humbly desire to en∣joy thee, that thy glory may shine in mee; and that I may love thee for ever and ever. It grieves me to thinke, that if I should faile of thee in my death; I should be de∣prived in Hell, not onely of thee, but also of the love of thee.

Note pray, that other vertues, either dis∣pose us in a pious way towards our neigh∣bour, as justice; or doe order the things which are ours, and in us, as many morall vertues; or they looke upon those things which appertaine to God, as Religion; or they direct us to God himselfe, but accor∣ding onely to one Attribute, or peculiar perfection: As the vertue of Faith giveth us to beleeve the divine authority, revealing to us Gods holy truth: Hope to cast An∣chor upon his helpe, and promises. But

with charity, or the love of God, we fasten upon all God, with respect to all his per∣fections: we love his mercie, justice, pow∣er, wisedome, infinity, immensity, eternity. And faith, hope, patience, temperance, and other vertues, leaving us at the gate of Hea∣ven, charity enters with us, and stayes in us for ever.

Notes

• S. Aug. hom. 38.