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A true Mark of the Love of God, is the fulfilling of the Commands of God, according to the Doctrine of the Wiseman; for love begets likeness, and conformity, makes one Heart, one Will, one Soul in the Lover and the Beloved. When Love raiseth her self above her self, she frames her self into the will of her Beloved, and if she stoops be∣neath her self, she moulds all things into
her own likeness, and esteems or values nothing according to its natural goodness, but according to her own good liking or pleasure: And so makes that Evil, which was by God created good in Na∣ture. He who loves God above all things, is well pleased with whatsoever is well pleasing to God, and is troubled at every thing that displeaseth him, and therefore he loves Righteousness and hates Iniquity, does that which is Good and avoids Evil: I say he does that which is good, tho not always according to the works of the Law, yet always in confor∣mity with the end of the Law; for it happens sometimes, that a man in doing contrary to the works of the Law, yet does that which is right and good with reference to the end of the Law. Now the end of the Law is the Love of God above all things, with which no manner of Evil doing may consist. So that he who truly loves God, keeps all that God hath commanded him, even wha••soever is contain'd in the Divine Word, ••ccor∣ding to the Doctrine of St. Austin, who expresseth himself in these following Words:
Love but, and then do what
thou wilt: Art thou silent? be silent for Love; dost thou cry aloud? Cry aloud for love: Dost thou reprove? Reprove for Love: Dost thou recon∣cile? Reconcile out of Love:keep but this Root in thy heart, even true Divine Love and Charity, and than nothing but what's good, can ever come from thee, nothing can be done by thee, but what is saving, or tends to Salvation. Wherefore Men can never be Divinely taught by any one, save only in the School of Love, with her alone are found the doers of of the Divine Word; all other Arts and Learning whatsoever make nothing but Hearers only. To this Art of Arts even the Love of God, Parents should draw and allure their Children; The Masters, their Schollars; the spiritual Pastors, their Sheep; or rather the Sheep of Christ. Whatsoever it is they teach be∣sides this, is nothing but Labour and Vexation of Spirit: Neither indeed is there any other Art necessary to Salvation. Yet it is true too, that no body can ef∣fectually teach this Divine Art of Love but God himself, as before hath been
declar'd, wherefore aiso our Lord Je∣sus Christ forbids us, to look out for any other Master, for to attain the Art of Salvation, save himself alone.