THAT FOR THE BEAVTIE of humane nature, God gaue the Go­uernement of all the faculties of the soule to the will. THE FIRST CHAPTER.

I. VNION established in distinction, breeds Order, Order produceth Conueniencie, or Proportion; and from the Conueniencie of things entire and accomplished, riseth Beautie. An Armie is then saied to be Faire, when it is composed of partes so ranged in order, that their distinction is reduced to that proportion, which they ought to haue together for the ma­king [Page 2] of one onely armie. That Musicke be plea­sant, the voices must not onely be neate, cleare, and well distinguished, but also so combined be­twixt them selues, that thereof be made a due Sound and Harmonie by meanes of the Vnion which is in Distinction, and the Distinctiō which is in the Vnion of voices: which is not vnfitly ter­med an According Discord, or rather, a Discor­ding Accord.

2. Now as the Angelicall S. THOMAS, follo­wing the great SAINT DENIS, saieth excellently well, Beautie, and Goodnesse, though in some thing they agree, yet are they not for all that one, and the same thing: for Good is that which plea­seth the appetite, and will; Faire that which plea­seth the vnderstanding or knowledge: or else, Good is that, whose fruition delightes vs; Faire that, whose knowledge is agreeable vnto vs. For which cause in proper speach, we doe neuer attri­bute corporall Beautie, but to obiects of two senses, which are the most capable, and most ser­uiceable to the vnderstanding, to wit sight, and hearing: so that we doe not saie: behould Faire odours, or Faire sauours: yet doe we customari­ly saie behould Faire voices, and Faire colours.

3. Faire, then being called Faire, because the knowledge therof doth delight, it is requisite that besides the Vnion, and Distinction of Integritie, Order and Conueniencie of parts; there be also Splendor, and Light in abundance, to the end that it may be intelligible, and visible. Voices to be Faire, must be cleare, and neate; discourses, in­telligible; colours, glittering and shining; ob­scuritie, [Page 3] shades, and darkenesse are deformed and doe disfigure all things: because in them, nothing is intelligible; neither Order, Distinction, Vnion nor Conueniencie: which caused S. DENIS to saie, that God as Soueraigne Beautie, is author of the faire Conueniēcie, Luster, and Good Grace, which is found in all things, making appeare in forme of light, the distributions and diuisiōs of his rayes; by meanes wherof, all things are made faire, re­quiring, that for the establishment of Beautie, there should be, Conueniencie, Light, and Good Grace.

4. Certes THEOTIME, Beautie is without effect, vnprofitable, and dead, if Light, and Splendor, should not giue her life, and efficacie; whence we terme colours liuelie when they haue light, and luster.

5. But as touching animated and liuing things, their Beautie is not compleate without a Good Grace, which addes to Conueniencie of perfect parts, wherin Beautie consisteth, Conueniencie of Motion, Gesture, and Action, which are as the life, and soule of Beautie in liuing things: so in the soueraigne Beautie of our Lord God, we doe acknowledge Vnion, yea vnitie of essence, in the distinction of persons, with an infinite Light, to­gether with an incomprehensible Concurrence of all the perfections of actions and motions, soue­raignely comprised, and as one would saie, excel­lently ioyned and added in the onely, and most simple perfection of the pure diuine act, which is God himselfe, immutable, vnuariable, as else­where we will shew.

[Page 4]6. God therfore hauing a will to make all things Good and Faire, reduced the multitude, and distinction of the same, to a perfect Vnitie, and as man would saie, brought them all, to a Monar­chie, making a subordination of one thing to an other, and of all things to himself, the soue­raigne Monarch. He disgested all the members into one bodie, vnder one head: of many persons, he formes a Familie: of many Families, a Towne: of many Townes, a Prouince: of many Pro­uinces, a Kingdome; putting the whole King­dome vnder the gouernement of one onely King: so THEOTIME, amongst the innumerable mul­titude and varietie of actions, motions, feelings, inclinations, habits, passions, faculties, and powers which are in man, God hath established a naturall Monarchie in the will, which doth rule, and command all that is found in this little world. And God seemes to haue saied to the will, as Pharao saied to Ioseph: Thou shalt gouerne my house, all the people shall obaye thy com­mand; without it none shall moue. But certes this power of the will is practised in a farre diffe­rent manner.

How the will diuersly gouernes the powers of the soule. CHAPTER. II.

THe Householder doth Direct his Familie, wife, children, and seruants by his ordi­dances, and commandements, to which they are [Page 5] obliged to obaye; though they haue absolute po­wer not to obaye: but if he haue seruāts, and slaues, them he rules by force, which they haue no power to cōtradict; but his horses, oxen, and mules, he doth manage by industrie; binding, brideling, spurring, shutting vp, or giuing the bridle.

2. Certes the will doth gouerne the power of our exterior motions as a seruant, or slaue: for vnlesse some externall thing doe hinder, they are neuer deficient in obedience. We open, and shut our mouth, moue our tongue, our hands, feete, eyes, and all the members, wherin the motion of this power is conuersant, without resistance, ac­cording to our wish and will.

3. But as for our senses, and touching the Nu­tritiue, Augmentatiue and Generatiue Faculties, we cannot with like ease gouerne them, but we must imploy therin industrie, and arte. If a slaue be called, he comes; if he be willed to staie, he staies; But we must not expect this obedience frō a Sparrow-hauke, or Faulcon; he that desires she should returne to the hand, must shew her the lewre; if he would keepe her quiet, he must hood her. We bid our boy turne to the right or left hand, and he does it; but to make a horse turne so, one must make vse of the bridle; We must not THEOTIME command our eyes not to see, our eares not to heare, our hands not to touch, our stomacke not to digest, or our bodie not to en­crease or breede; for these faculties not being intelligible, are not capable of obedience. None can adde a cubite to his stature. RACHEL desired, but could not conceiue. We eate often without [Page 6] nourishment, or grouth; he that will preuaile with these powers, must vse industrie. A Phisition which hath to doe with a Child in the cradle doth neuer command him any thing: but onely giues order to the Nource to appointe such and such things, or else peraduenture he prescribs, that she shall eate this or that meate, take this or that potiō, which dispersing it's qualities in the milke, and the milke in the childes bellie, the Phisition doth accōplish his will in this little weakling, who hath not euen the power to thinke of it. It is not the way verily to impose abstinence, sobrietie, or continencie vpon the palate, stomacke, or bellie; but the hands must be commanded not to admini­ster to the mouth meate and drinke, but in such, and such a measure; we must keepe short the power which doth aduāce the objects, ād subiects, and take away the nourishment which doth forti­fie, as reason shall require. If we desire our eyes should not see, we must diuert, or couer, and shut them vp in their naturall hoode, and by these meanes, one may bring them to the point which the will aimes at. It is thus THEOTIME that our Sauiour saieth, there are some, which are such for the Kingdome of heauen, that is, which are not such by naturall impotencie, but by a certaine in­dustrie, which the will vseth to containe thē with­in the limits of holy continencie. It were follie to command a horse that he should not waxe fat, that he grow not, that he should not kicke; to ef­fect all this, and to breake him; one must not cō ­mand him, but his prouender.

4. The will doth also exercise a certaine kind [Page 7] of power ouer the Vnderstanding and Memo­rie; for of the diuersitie of things which the Vn­derstanding hath a power to vnderstand, and the Memorie, a power to remember, the will doth de­termine those, to which she will haue her faculties applie them selues; or from which diuert them­selues. It is true she cannot manage, or range them so absolutely as she doth the hands, feete or tongue, by reason of sensitiue faculties (namely the Fantasie, which doth not obaye the will with a prompt, and infallible obedience) which are ne­cessarily required to the operations of the Vnder­standing and Memorie: notwithstanding the will doth moue, imploy, and apply these faculties at her pleasure, though not so firmely and constant­ly, that the light and variable Fantasie, doth not often diuert, and distract them, so that as the A­postle cries out, I doe not the good which I desire, but the euill which I hate, so we are often com­pelled to thinke not the good which we loue, but the euill which we hate.

How the will gouerns the sen­suall appetite. CHAPTER. III.

1. THe Will then THEOTIME beares rule ouer the Memorie, Vnderstanding, and Fanta­sie, not by force, but by authoritie, so that she is not infallibly obayed, like as the Maister of the Familie is nor alwayes obayed by his children, and [Page 8] seruants. The like is touching the sensatiue ap­petite, which as S. AVGVSTINE saieth, is called in vs sinners concupiscence, and remaines sub­iect to the will, and Vnderstanding, as the wife to her Husband, because as it was saied to the woman; Thou shalt returne to thy Husband, who shall gouerne thee; so was it saied to Cain, that his appetite should returne home to him, and that he should maister it: And no other thing is ment by, Returne to man, then to submit, and subiect it selfe vnto him. O man saieth S. BER­NARD, it is in thy power if thou wilt, to bring thine enemy so to be thy seruant, that all things should succeede well with thee: Thy appetite is vnder thee, and thou shalt dominere ouer it. Thy enemy can moue in thee, the feeling of tempta­tion; but it is in thy power, to giue or refuse consent; In case thou permit thy appetite to car­rie thee away to sinne, then thou shalt be vn­der it, and it shall dominere ouer thee; for who­soeuer sinneth is made slaue to sinne; but be­fore thou sinne, so long as sinne getteth not en­trie into thy consent, but onely into thy sense, that is to saie, so long as it staies in the appe­tite, not goeing so farre as thy will, thy appe­tite is subiect vnto thee, and thou Lord ouer it. While an Emperour is not yet created, he is sub­iect to the Electors Dominion, in whose hands it is to reiect, or elect him to the Imperiall digni­tie: but being once elected and eleuated by their meanes, from thence they begin to be his sub­iects, and he their Lord. So long as the will denies consent, she presides: but hauing once gi­uen [Page 9] consent; she becomes slaue to her owne ap­petite.

2. To conclude, this sensuall appetite in plaine truth, is a rebellious subiect, seditious and stir­ring; and we must confesse we cannot so defeate it, that it doth not rise againe, encounter and as­sault the reason: yet hath the will such a strong hand ouer it, that she is able if she please, to bridle it, breake it's designes, and repulse it, syth that not to consent to the suggestions therof, is a sufficient repulse. One cannot hin­der concupiscence to conceiue; yet well may we staie it, from bringing foorth and accomplishing sinne.

3. Now this concupiscence or sensuall appe­petite, hath 12. motions, by which as by so ma­ny mutinous Captaines it raiseth sedition in man. And because ordinarily they trouble the soule, and disquiet the bodie: in so much as they trou­ble the soule, they are called perturbations: in so much as they disquiete the bodie, they are named passions, as witnesseth S. AVGVSTINE. All place before them selues, Good, or Euill, that, to atchiue it, this, to auoyde it. If Good be con­sidered in it selfe according to it's naturall good­nesse, it excites Loue, the prime and principall passion: If Good be represented as absent, it prouokes a desire of it selfe: it being desired, we apprehend it possible, it enters in vs a Hope; if impossible, Dispaire begins to sease vs. But when we enioie it as present, it moues vs to ioie. Contrariwise as soone as we discouer Euill, we Hate it: if it be absent, we flie it: if we [Page 10] propose it as ineuitable, we Feare it; if we think we can eschew it, we doe emboulden, and encou­rage our selues: But if we feele it as present, we Greeue; and thē Anger, and Indignation, sodaine­ly runnes out to resist, and repulse the Euill, or at least to be reuenged of it. Which if it succeede not according to our mind, we remaine in Griefe. But if we repell, or be reuenged of it, we feele satisfa­ction and content, which is a Pleasure of Triūphe, for as the possessiō of Good, doth glad the heart, so the victorie ouer Euill, doth satiate the cou­rage. And ouer all this multitude of sēsuall passiōs, the will beares Empire, reiecting their suggestiōs, repulsing their embracements, hindring their ef­fects: or at the very least stifly denying them con­sent, without the which, they can neuer endamage vs, and by refusall of which, they remaine van­quished; yea euen a farre off weakned, deiected, defeated, repressed, and if not altogether slaine, at least mortified and brought lowe.

4. And THEOTIME, this multitude of passions is permitted to reside in our soule for the exercise of our will in vertue, and spirituall vallour. In so much that the STOIKES who denied that passions, were found in wise men, did greatly erre, and so much the more; for that they shewed in effect, that which in words they denied, as S. AVGVSTINE shewes, recounting this pleasant historie. AVLVS GELIVS hauing embarked himselfe with a famous STOIKE, a great tempest takes them, whereat, the STOIKE being affrighted begun to waxe white, and Pale, and sensibly to Tremble, so that all in the boate perceiued it, and tooke precise notice [Page 11] of him, albeit they did runne the same hazard with him. In the interim the sea waxed calme, the dan­ger passed, and assurance did restore to eche of them Libertie to blame, yea euen to raile at him: A certaine voluptuous ASIATIKE gybed at the STOIKE and reproched vnto him his Feare, which had made him become white, and Pale by appre­hension of danger, whilst he for his part remained firme without Feare, to which the STOIKE replyed, by relation of that which ARISTIPPVS a SOCRATI­CAL Philosopher had answeared one, who for the same reason had quipped him with the like re­proch: saying vnto him, for thee, thou hadst no reason to be troubled for the death of a wicked Rascall: but I should haue wronged my selfe not to haue feared to loose the life of an ARISTIPPVS. And the best of it is, that AVLVS GELIVS an eye wit­nesse recites the storie: but touching the STOIKES reply contained therin, it did more commend his wit, then his Cause, sythens, alleaging a compa­nion of his Feares, he left two proofes, by two re­prochlesse witnesses, that STOIKES were touched with Feare, and with Feare which doth leaue it's effects in the Eyes, Face, and Countenance, and is consequently a Passion.

5. Ah greate follie! to wish to be wise, by a wisdome which is not possible. Truely the Church hath cōdemned the Follie of this wisdome, which certaine presumptuous ANCORITS would haue long agoe introduced, against which the whole Scripture, but especially the great APOSTLE crieth out: That we haue a law in our bodie, which resi­steth the law of our mind. Amongst vs Christians [Page 12] saieth that great S. AVGVSTINE, according to holy Scripture, and Sound doctrine, the Citizens of the sacred Citie of God, whose liues are agreea­ble to Gods owne heart, in the pilgrimage of this world doe Feare, Desire, Greeue, Reioice: Yea e­uen the soueraigne King of this Citie, did Feare, Desire, Greeue, Reioice, euen to teares, palenesse, trembling, sweating of blood; though in him these were not the motions of Passions like to ours; whence the great S. HIEROME, and after him the Schoole, durst not there vsurpe the name, Pas­sions, for reuerence of the person in whome they were, but the respectfull name, PRO-PASSIONS, to testifie that sensible motions in our Sauiour held the place of Passions, though they were not such indeede, seeing that he suffered, or sustained nothing by them, saue that, which was thought good to him, and in manner which liked him best, gouerning and guiding them at his pleasure; which we sinners cannot doe, who suffer, and endure these Motions with disorder, against our wills, to the great preiudice of the good estate and pol­licie of our soule.

That loue rules ouer all the affections, and passions, yea gouerns the will, albeit the will hath also a dominion ouer it. CHAPTER IIII.

1. LOue being the first complacence which we take in good, as we will presently [Page 13] shew; certes it preceedes desire; and in deede what other thing is it which we Desire, but that which we Loue? It forerunes Delectation, for how could we reioice in the fruition of a thing, if we loued it not? it goes before Hope, for we hope for nothing, but the Good which we loue: it pre­uents Hatred, for we hate not euill, but in respect of the good which we loue: nor is euill, euill, but because it is contrarie to good. And THEOTIME it is the like, touching all other passions and affe­ctions: for they doe all flow from loue, as from their source and roote.

2. For which cause the other passions, and af­fections, are good, vitious, or vertuous, accor­ding as the Loue whence they proceede is good or bad; For Loue doth so bedewe them with her owne qualities, that they seeme to be no other then very Loue it selfe. S. AVGVSTINE reducing all these passions to foure as did also BOETIVS, CICERO, VIRGIL with the greatest part of the Auncients, Loue saieth he, tending to the pos­session of that he loues, is termed Concupiscence, or Desire: hauing and possessing it, t'is called Ioie: flying that which is contrarie to him, is na­med Feare: but if Loue perceiue it arriued, he puts on the name of Griefe, and consequently these passiōs are Euill if the Loue be Euill, Good if it be Good. The Citizēs of the heauēlie Citie doe Feare, Desire, Greeue, Ioie, and because their loue is iust, all their affections are also iust. Christian doctrine doth subiect the Reason to God, to th'end he should guide and succour it; and to the Reason all the passiōs, that it may bridle and moderate them; [Page 14] so that they might be conuerted to the seruice of iustice and vertue. The rectified will is the good loue, the disordred will, is the euill loue: That is to saie in a word THEOTIME, Loue hath such dominion ouer the will, that he makes her iust such as he is.

3. The wife doth ordinarily change her condi­tion into that of her Husband, becoming noble, if he be noble; Queene, if he be King: Dutches if he be Ducke. The will doth also change her con­dition, into that of Loue which she espouseth; if he be carnall, she becomes carnall, if spirituall, she turnes spirituall: and all the affections, Desire, Ioie, Hope, Feare, Griefe, as issues of the mariage, betwixt Loue and the will, doe consequently re­ceiue their qualities frō Loue; to be short THEO­TIME the will is not moued but by her affections, amongst which, Loue as the PRIMVM MO­BILE and prime affection, giues motion to all the rest, and causeth all the other motions of the soule.

4. Nor doth it follow hence, that the will doth not also rule ouer Loue, seeing that the will doth not Loue, but in willing to Loue, and that of the diuersitie of Loues, which present them selues, she can apply her selfe to which she list, otherwise, Loue would neither be prohibited nor comman­ded. She is then Mistresse ouer Loues, as a Dāfelle ouer her Suters, amongst which she may make election of whom she pleaseth. But as after the mariage, she looseth her libertie, and of Mi­stresse becomes subiect to her Husbands power; remaining taken, by him whom she tooke, so the [Page 15] will which at her owne pleasure made election of Loue, after she hath embraced any one, she re­maine subiect to him. And as the wife is still sub­iect to the Husband which she hath chosen, so long as he shall liue, doth after her Husbands death regaine her precedent libertie, to marrie an other: so while one Loue liues in the will, it reignes there, and the will is subiect to his mo­tions, but if this Loue come to die, she can after­wards take an other. And againe, there is a liber­tie in the will which a wife hath not; and it is, that the will can reiect her Loue at her pleasure, by applying her vnderstanding to motiues, which makes it disgustfull, and by vndertaking, to chainge the obiect: For in this manner to make the diuine Loue liue, and reigne in vs, we ought to mortifie Proper Loue; if we cannot altogether annihilate it, at least we must weaken it in such sort, that though it liue, yet it doe not reigne in vs. As contrariwise in forsaking Diuine Loue, we may adheare to that of creaturs, which is that in­famous adulterie, wherewith the Diuine Loue doth so often reproch sinners.

Of the affections of the will. CHAPTER. V.

1. THere is no lesse motion in the Intellectuall or Reasonable appetite, which is called the will, then there is in the Sensitiue or Sensuall: but those are customarily named Affections, these Passions. The Philosophers and Pagans did in [Page 16] some sort loue God, their Common wealth, Ver­tue, Sciences: they hated Vice, aspired after Ho­nours, expected not to escape Death, or Calum­nie, were desirous of knowledge, yea euen of Bea­titude after Death. They did encourage them selues, to surmount the difficulties, which did crosse the way of Vertue, dreaded Blame, fled di­uers Faultes, reuenged publicke Iniuries, disdai­ned Tyrants, without any proper interest. Now all these Motions were seated in the Reasonable part, syth that neither the Senses, nor consequen­tly the Sensuall appetits are capable of application to these obiects, and therefore these Motiōs were Affections of the Intellectuall, or Resonable ap­petite, not Passions of the Sensuall.

2. How often doe we feele Passions in the sen­suall appetite of desires, contrarie to the Affectiōs, which at the same time we perceiue in the Reaso­nable appetite, or will. The young man mentio­ned by S. HIEROME did fairely with his teeth cut of his tongue, and spet it in the face of that ac­cursed woman, which inflamed him to carnalitie: did he not testifie therby an extreame Affection of Displeasure in his will, contrarie to that Pas­sion of Pleasure, which by force she made him feele in his Concupistible, or sensible Appetite? How often doe we tremble amidst the dangers, to which our will brought vs, and makes vs remaine? How often doe we Hate the Pleasure, wherin the sensuall appetite delightes it selfe, and Loue the Spirituall good wherin it is disgusted? In this con­fisteth the warre, which we daiely experience betwixt the Spirit, and Flesh: betwixt our exte­riour [Page 17] Man, which depends of Sense, and our inte­riour, which depends of Reason: betwixt the old Adam which followeth the appetits of his EVE or Concupiscence, and the new Adam, which doth second heauenly wisdome, and holy Reason.

3. The STOIKES as S. AVGVSTINE, deliuers, denying that a wise-man hath Passions, doe confesse notwithstanding as may Appeare, that he had affections which they termed EVPA­THIES, or Good Passions, or else CONSTANCIES with CICERO: for they saied, the wiseman did not Couit, but will onely; was not Light of heart, but Setledly ioyefull; that he had no Feare but onely a Foresight and Precaution; so that he was not moued but by Reason, and according to Rea­son: for this cause they peremptorily denied that a wise-man could euer be Sorrowfull, that being caused by present Euill, whereas no Euill can befale a wise-man; syth that, no man is hurt but by himselfe, following their MAXIME. And certes THEOTIME they did not amisse to holde that EVPATHIES, or Good Affections reside in the Reasonable part of man, but they erred much in auerring, that there were no Passions in the Sensi­tiue part, and that Sorrow did not touch a wise­mans heart: For omitting what they them selues had experienced in this behalfe (as hath bene tou­ched) by this meanes they might conclud that wis­dome might depriue one of Mercy, which is a ver­tuous sorrow, touching our hearts, and working thē to a desire to deliuer our neighbour from the euill which he endureth. Nor doth EPICTETES, the best mā amongst the Pagās follow this errour; that [Page 18] Passions, doe not make Insurrections in a wise­man, as S. AVGVSTINE doth witnesse, showing fur­ther, that the dissension of STOIKES, and other Philosophers about this subiect, was but a meere dissension in words, and strife in language.

4. Now the Affections which we feele in Our reasonable part, are more or lesse Noble and Spi­rituall, according as their Obiect is more or lesse Sublime, and as they are in a more eminent degree of the mind: for some of them proceede from the Discourse which we make, following the Expe­rience of Sense; others are formed by a Discourse drawne from Humane Sciences; others rising from a Discourse which is made according to Faith, and finally there are some which haue their Origin from the simple Taste and Repose, which the Soule, hath in Veritie, and the will of God. The first, are called Naturall affections: For who is he that doth not naturally desire Health, commoditie of Meate, Drinke, and Cloth, Sweete and Agreea­ble conuersation? The second, are named Reaso­nable, as being altogether founded vpon the spiri­tuall Knowledge of Reason, by which our will is excited to seeke the Tranquillitie of the minde, morall Vertues, true Honour, a Philosophicall Contemplation of heauenly things. The third sort of Affections, are termed Christian, because they issue from Discourse deriued from the Doctrine of our Sauiour Christ, which causeth in vs a Loue of voluntarie Prouertie, perfect Chastitie, the Glorie of Heauen: But the Affections of the su­preeme degree are instiled Diuine, and Supernatu­rall, because God himselfe doth poure them into [Page 19] our hearts, and they ayme at, and tend to him with­out the helpe of any Discourse, or naturall Light, as it is easie to conceiue; and we will hereafter speak of the Restes, and gustes which are practi­sed in the Sanctuarie of the soule. And these su­pernaturall Affections are principally three: the Loue of the mind towards the beautie of the my­steries of faith: a Loue towards the profit of things promised vs in the other life; and a Loue towards the soueraigne Bountie of the thrice holy and e­ternall Diuinitie.

How the Loue of God doth rule ouer other Loues. CHAPTER VI.

1. THe will doth gouerne all the other faculties of mans Soule: yet is she gouerned by her Loue, which makes her such as he is. Now, of all loues, that of God holds the Septer, and hath a commanding authoritie so inseparably vnited vnto him, and so proper to his nature, that if he be not Maister, he ceaseth to be, and pe­risheth.

2. ISMAEL, was not Coheire with Isaac his youn­ger brother; ESAV, was appointed to be his younger brothers seruant; IOSEPH, was not onely honoured by his brethren, but euen by his Father, yea and his Mother also in the person of BENIA­MIN, as by dreames in his youth he had foreseene: Certes it is not voide of mysterie, that the youn­gest [Page 20] of these brethren bore away the aduantage from the eldest. Diuine Loue is truely the last be­gotten of all the Affections of mans heart: For as the Apostle saieth that which is Naturall, is first: and that which is spirituall, is after. But this last borne inherites all the authoritie: and Selfe-loue as an other ESAV is deputed to his seruice, and not onely all the other motions of the Soule, as his brethren doe adore, and are subiect vnto him, but also the Vnderstanding, and will, which are to him as Father, and Mother. All is subiect to this heauenlie Loue who will either be King, or nothing, who cannot liue, but reigne: nor reigne if not in a soueraigne manner.

3. ISAAC, IACOB, and IOSEPH, were supernaturall children: For their Mothers SARA, REBECCA, and RACHEL being sterill by nature, conceiued them by the grace of the Diuine Bountie, and for this cause they were established Maisters of their bre­thren: so diuine Loue, is a child of miracle; syth that mans will, cannot conceiue it, if it be not poured into our hearts, by the holy Ghost. And as supernaturall, it must preside, and reigne ouer all the affections, yea euen ouer the Vnderstan­ding, and will.

4. And be it, there are other supernaturall mo­tions in the soule, Feare, Pietie, Force, Hope, as ISAAC, and BENIAMIN, were Supernaturall children of RACHEL, and REBECCA: yet is diuine Loue still Maister, Heire, and Superiour, as being the Sonne of promise: syth that in vertue of it, heauen is promised to man. Saluation is showen to Faith, prepared for Hope, but is giuen onely to Chari­tie. [Page 21] Faith points out the way to the Land of Pro­misse as a Pillar of cloudes and fire, to wit CLEAR­DARKE: Hope doth feede vs with her Manna of delight, but Charitie doth conduct vs thither, as an Arke of Alliance, making way through Ior­dain, that is, to Iudgment, and shall remaine a­midst the people, in the heauenlie Land promissed to the true ISRAELITS, where neither the Pillar of Faith doth serue as guide, nor the MANNA of Hope is vsefull for foode.

5. Diuine Loue, doth make his abode in the most high and eminent region of the Soule, where he doth offer Sacrifice and Holocausts to the Di­uinitie; as ABRAHAM did, and as our Sauiour sacri­ficed himselfe vpon the tope of CALVARIE, to th'end that from so eminent a place he might be heard, and obayed of his people, that is, of all the Faculties and Affections of the Soule, which he gouernes with an incomparable sweetnesse. For Loue hath none pressed, or flaues: but brings all things vnder his power with a force so delight­full, that as nothing is so forcible as Loue: so nothing is so amiable as his Force.

6. Vertues are seated in the soule to moderate her motions, and Charitie as prime of all the Ver­tues, gouerns ad tempers them all, not onely be­cause the first in euery Species of things, is as a rule, and measure to the rest; but also, for that God hauing created man to his similitude, and liknesse, will, that as in himselfe, so in man all things be ordered, for, and by Loue.

A description of Loue in generall. CHAPTER VII.

1. THe wil hath so great a sympathie with Good, that as soone as she perceiues it, she turnes towards it, to please her selfe therin, as in her desired obiect, to which she hath so neerely al­lyed her selfe, that one cannot euen declare her Nature, but by the reference she hath to it: like as one cannot shew the nature of Good otherwise, then by the Affinitie it hath with the will: For tell me THEOTIME what other thing is Good, then that which euery one doth will. And what is the will, if not the facultie which beares vs forward, and makes vs tend to Good, or that which the will esteemes such?

2. The will then perceiuing, and feeling Good, by the help of the Vnderstanding proposing it, feeles at the same time, a suddaine delight, and complacence vpon it, which doth sweetly, yet powerfully moue and incline her towards this amiable obiect, with intention to be vnited ther­vnto, and moues her to search the meanes most proper to attaine this Vnion.

3. The will then hath a strict affinitie with Good, this affinitie doth produce the compla­cence which the will doth taste in feeling, and per­ceiuing Good: this complacence doth moue and prick forward the will to Good: this motion [Page 23] tends to Vnion, and and in fine the will put in motion and tending to Good, doth search all meanes requisite to atchiue it.

4. And truely generally speaking, Loue com­priseth all this together; as a faire Tree whose Roote is the Sympathie which the will hath to Good; the Bole is the Complacence; her Motion, the tope; the INQVESTS, PVRSVITS; and other Endeauours, are her Branches; but Vnion and Fruition, are her Fruits. So loue, seemes to be composed of these fiue principale parts, vnder which a number of other little peeces are con­tained; as we shall find in the processe of this worke.

5. Let's consider I praye you, the exercise of an insensible Loue betwixt the ADAMANT and IRON, being a true representation of sensible, and voluntarie Loue, of which we speake. IRON then hath such a Sympathie with the ADAMANT, that as soone as it is touched with the vertue therof it turnes towards it, this done sodainely it begins to stirre, and quiuer with a little hopping, testifying in that, the Complacence it takes, and thervpon it doth aduance, and beare it selfe towards the ADAMANT, striuing by all meanes possible to be vnited vnto it. And doe you not see all the parts of a liuely Loue represented in this lifelesse stone?

6. But to conclud THEOTIME, the Compla­cence, and Motion, or Effusion of the will vpon the thing beloued, is properly speaking, Loue, yet so as that the Complacence, is but the begin­ning of Loue, and the Motion or Effusion of the heart which ensues, is the true essentiall Loue: so [Page 24] that th'one and th'other, may truly be named Loue, but in a diuerse manner: for as the breake of day, may be termed day; so this first Compla­cence of the heart in the thing beloued, may be called Loue, because it is the first impression of loue. But as the true Heart of the day begins onely from day-breake, to the sonne setting: so the true essence of Loue doth consiste in the motion, and current of the heart, flowing imme­diately from Complacence, and ending it's course in Vnion: To be short, Complacence is the first stirring, or motion which Good causeth in the will, and this motion is followed by a lique­faction, or effusion wherby the soule doth runne and approache towards the thing beloued, which is the true and proper Loue. Let's saie thus: Good doth touch, sease vpon, and engaige the heart by Complacence: but by Loue, it doth draw, conduct, and conueigh it to it selfe: by Complacence, it makes the heart vndertake the iourney; but by Loue, doth accomplish it. Com­placence, is the awaker of the heart: but Loue, the operation; Complacence giues the Alarum, but Loue causeth the March. The heart displayes his winges by Complacēce; but Loue, is it's Flight. Loue then to speake distinctly and precisely, is no other thing then the motion, course and ad­uancement of the heart, towards the thing be­loued.

7. Many great personages haue bene of opiniō, that Loue was no other thing then Complacence it selfe, in which they followed a faire semblance of reason: For not onely the motion of Loue [Page 25] takes her origine, from the Complacence which the heart feeles at the first approach of Good, and ends in a second Complacence begotten in the heart by Vnion with the beloued: but further it keeps companie with that Complacence, not being able to subsist without her, who is his Mo­ther, and Nource: so that, as soone as the Com­placence ceaseth, Loue ceaseth. And as the Bee is bred in the honie, feed of honie, flyeth not abrode but for honie: so Loue is borne of Compla­cence, maintained by Complacence, and tends to Complacence. The poyse of things doth sway, moue, and staie them; t'is the waight of the stone that doth stirre and moue it to discent; it is the same waight that makes it continew motion after the externall impression be ended; and finally it is the same waight, that makes it stop and staie as soone as it hath attained it's Center: such is the nature of the Complacence which moues the will, she it is that moues, and she that makes the will repose in the Vnion of the thing beloued. This motion of Loue then hauing her birth, con­seruation, and perfection dependantly of Com­placence, and being alwayes inseparably adioy­ned vnto her; it is no maruell that these braue wits esteemed Loue and Complacence the same thing, though indeede, Loue being a true Passion of the mind, it cannot be a simple Complacence, but must needes be a motion proceeding from it.

8. Now, this motion caused by Complacence dures till the Vnion or Fruition, and therefore when it tends to a present Good, it hath no other effect then to put forwards, apply, ioyne, and look [Page 26] the heart to the thing beloued, which by this meanes it enioyes, and thervpon is called Loue of delight, or Complacence, because as soone as it is begotten of the first Complacence, it ends in the second, which it receiues in being vnited to it's obiect. But when the Good towards which the heart is turned, inclyned, and moued is distant, absent, or that so perfect an vnion cannot yet be made as is desired, then the motion of Loue by which the heart doth tend, aspire, and make to­wards this absent obiect, is properly named De­sire, For desire is no other thing then an appetite, lust, and coueting of things aymed at, but not yet obtained.

9. There are yet certaine other motions of Loue; by which we desire things that we neither hope for, nor pretend in any sort, as when we saie, why am I not now in heauen! I wish I were King; I would to God I were Younger; I wish I had neuer offended, and the like. These indeede are desires, but imperfect ones, which in proper speach as it seemes, might de called wishes; and indeede these affections, are not expressed in man­ner of Desires, for when we expresse our true De­sires, we saie I Desire; but when we signifie our imperfect Desires, we saie, I should or I woud Desire; we may well saie I would Desire to be young, but we doe not saie, I Desire to be young, seeing that this is not possible; and this motion is called a halfe Desire, or as the Schoolemen terme it a Velleitie, which is nothing elsse but the begin­ning of a Desire without effect, for that the will perceiuing that she cānot attaine vnto that obiect [Page 27] by reason of impossibilitie or extreeme difficultie, she stops her motion, and ends it in this simple af­fection of Velleitie, as though she should saie, this Good which I behould and cannot Hope for, is truely very agreeable vnto me, and though I can­not will or Hope for it; yet so my affection stands, that if I could will or Desire it, I would willingly Desire, and will it.

10. To be short these halfe conceiued Desires or Velleities, are onely a little Loue, which is cal­led Loue of simple approbation, because without all pretention the soule approues the Good she knoweth, and wanting meanes to Desire it in ef­fect, she protesteth she would willingly Desire it, and that it is truely to be Desired.

11. Nor is this all THEOTIME, for there are Desires and Velleities which are yet more imper­fect then those we haue spoaken of, for so much as their motions are not staied by reason of im­possibilitie or extreeme difficultie, but by the in­compossibilitie they haue with other Desires or wishes more powerfull, as when a sickeman De­sires to eate MVSHROMES, which though he haue at his will, yet will he not for all that eate thē fea­ring therby to impare his Health: ād who decernes not two Desires in this partie? th'one to eate MVSH­ROMES, th'other to be cured; but because the De­sire of Health is greater, it doth block vp ād suffo­cate the other in such sort, as it can produce no ef­fect. IEPHTE had a Velleitie to conserue his daughter, but this not being compatible with a Desire he had to keepe his Vow, he made an ele­ction contrarie to his Velleitie, to wit, to sacrifice [Page 28] his daughter, and had a halfe wish or Velleitie, of that which he desired not, which was to con­serue his daughter. PILATE and HERODE had Vel­leities, th'one to diliuer out SAVIOVR th'other his PRECVRSOR: but because this was incompatible, the one with a Desire to please the IEWES, and CAESAR: the other HERODIADAS and her daughter, these wishes were vaine and fruitlesse. Now accor­ding as the things incompatible with that which we would are lesse amiable, the Velleities are lesse perfect, syth they are stopped, and as it were sti­fled by so weake opposits. So the wish which HE­ROD had not to beheade S. IOHN was more im­perfect, then that of PILATS, to free our SAVIOVR. For the one feared the calumnie, and indignation of the people; the other to contristate one sole woman.

9. The Velleities which are hindred, not by impossibilitie, but by incompatibilitie with stron­ger Desires, are called indeede Desires but vaine, stifled and vnprofitable ones. Following the Vel­leitie of things impossible, we saie, I would but cannot. And following the Velleitie of things pos­sible, we saie, I wish but I will not.

VVhat that conueniencie is, which doth excite loue. CHAPTER. VIII.

1. VVE saie the eye seeth, the eare hea­reth, the tongue speaketh, the vn­derstanding [Page 29] discourseth, the memorie remem­breth, the will loueth; Sure t'is notwithstan­ding, that it is the whole man, to speake proper­ly, who by diuerse Faculties, and different Or­gans, workes all this varietie of operations; man also then it is; who by the affectiue Facultie, na­med the will, doth tend to, and please himselfe in Good, and who hath so great a sympathie with it, as being the Source and Origine of Loue. But they did farre misse the marke who beleiued that Resemblance was the onely Conueniencie, which produced Loue: For who knowes not that cra­sie old men, doe tenderly and dearely loue little infants, and are reciprocally loued of them; that the wise, loue such as are ignorant, if they finde them docile; and the sick, their Phisitions. And if we may draw any argument from the image of Loue, which is found in things without sense, what resemblance can draw the Iron, towards the Adamant? hath not one Adamant more re­semblance with an other, or an other stone, then with Iron of a diuerse kind? and though some to reduce all Conueniencie to a Resem­blance, would assure vs that Iron drawes Iron: and the Adamant, the Adamant: Yet are they to seeke for their reason, why the Adamant doth more powerfully draw Iron; then Iron doth Iron it selfe. But I pray you what similitude is there be­twixt Lime, and water? or betwixt water, and a Sponge? and yet both of them drinke water with a quenchlesse desire, testifying an exces­siue insensible Loue towards it. T'is the like of humane loue: For sometimes it takes more [Page 30] strongly amongst persons of contrarie qualitie, then those who haue a great Resemblance. Con­ueniencie then which causeth Loue doth not al­wayes consist in Similitude, but in the Propor­tion, Reference; and correspondance betwixt the Louer, and the Beloued: And to this effect, it is not resemblance which moues the sickmans affe­ction to the Doctour, but a correspondance of the ones necessitie with the others sufficiencie, for that the one can afford the assistance, which the other stands in neede of; as againe the Doctour loues the sickman, knowing him to be his patient, as vpon whom he hath power to exercise his fa­cultie: the olde man loueth children, not by sym­pathie, but for that the great simplicitie, feeble­nesse and tendernesse of the one, doth exalt and make more apparant the prudence and assurance of the other, and euen this dissimilitude is agreea­ble: on the other side, children loue olde men be­cause they see them buisie and carefull about them, and that by a secret instinct they perceiue they haue neede of their directions. Musicall concord stands in a kind of discord, in which vnlike voices doe correspond, making vp altogether one sole Close of proportion, as the dissimilitude of pre­cious stones, and flowres, doe make the gratefull compositiō of Imbosture and Diaprie, so Loue is not caused alwayes by Resemblance, and Sympa­thie, but by Correspondance, and Proportion, which consisteth in this, that by the vnion of one thing to another, they may mutually receiue one anothers perfection, and so be bettered. The head doth not resemble the bodie, nor the hand the [Page 31] arme; yet they haue such a Correspōdance, and are seated so neerely together that by their mutuall neighbourhood they doe meruelously enterchāge perfection; so that if these parts had each one a distinct soule, they would haue a perfect mutua [...] Loue; not by Similitude, but by Correspondance which they haue in their mutuall perfection: For this cause the melancolie and ioyefull, soure and sweete haue often a correspondance of mutuall affection, by reason of the mutuall impressions which they receiue one of an other, by which their humours are reciprocally moderated. But when this mutuall Correspondance meetes with simili­tude, Loue without doubt is engendred more effi­caciously: for Similitude being the true picture of Vnitie, when two like things are vnited by a proportion to the same end, it seemes rather to be an Vnitie, then an Vnion.

11. The Sympathie then betwixt the Louer and the Beloued, is the first source of Loue, and this Sympathie, or Conueniencie consisteth in a Correspondance, which is no other thing then a mutuall aptitude making things proper to be v­nited, and mutually to communicate their perfections: but this will be cleared in the processe of this booke.

That loue tends to vnion. CHAPTER IX.

1. THe great Salamon in a delitiously admira­ble ayre, doth sing our Sauiours loues, and those of the deuote soule, in that diuin worke, which for it's excellent sweetnesse is instyled the Canticle of Canticles. And to rayse our selues in a more easie flight, to the consideration of this spirituall loue, which is exercised betwixt God and vs, by the correspondance which the motions of our hearts haue with the inspirations of his di­uine Maiestie, he makes vse of a perpetuall repre­sentation of the loues of a chaste Shepheard, and shamefast Shepheardesse. Now (making the Spou­se or Bride first begin the parlie by manner of a certaine surprise of loue) he makes her at the first onset lance out her heart in these words; let him deigne me a kisse of his mouth. Doe you marke THEOTIME how the soule personated by this She­pheardesse, doth pretēd no other thing by the first expression of her desire, thē a chast vnion with her spouse, protesting that it is the highest ayme of her ambition, and onely thing she breathes after: For I pray you what other thing would this first sigh intimate? Let him deigne me with a Kisse of his mouth.

2. A Kisse, from all ages as by naturall instinct, hath bene imployed as a representation of perfect loue, that is the vnion of hearts; and not without [Page 33] cause: we send out and muster the passions and motions, which our soule hath common with brute beasts by our eyes, eye-browes, forehead and countenance; in generall by his face a man is knowē saieth the Scripture; and Aristotle giuing a rea­son why ordinarily great mens faces onely are pourtrated, t'is saieth he, that the countenances teach what they are.

3. Yet doe we not vtter our discourse, nor the thoughts which proceede from the spirituall por­tion of our soule called reason, (by which we are distinguished from Beasts) but by words; and in consequence by helpe of the mouth: in so much that to poure out ones soule, and scatter ones heart, is nothing else but to speake, Poure out your hearts before God saieth the PSALMIST, that is, expresse and turne the affections of your hearts into words: And SAMVEL'S pious Mother pro­nouncing her praiers, allthough so softly, that one could hardly discerne the motion of her lips: I haue poured out (saieth she) my heart before God: in this wise, one mouth is applyed to another in kissing, to testifie that they desire to poure our one soule into the other, recipro­cally to vnite them in a perfect vnion, and for this Reason in all times, and amongst the most saintly men the world had, the kisse hath bene a signe of loue and affection: and such vse was vniuersally made of it amongst the auncient Chri­stians as the great S. PAVLE testifieth, when writing to the ROMAN'S and CORINTHIANS he saieth, Salute mutually one another in a holy kisse. And as diuerse doe witnesse, IVDAS in be­traying [Page 34] our SAVIOVR made vse of a Kisse to dis­couer him, because this diuine SAVIOVR, was ac­customed to kisse his Disciples when he met them; and not onely his Disciples, but euen little Chil­dren whom he tooke louingly in his armes: as he did him, by comparison of whom, he so solemnely inuited his APOSTLES to the loue of their Neigh­bours, who as IANSENIVS reporteth was thought to haue bene S. MARTIAL.

4. Thus then the Kisse being a liuely marke of of the vnion of hearts, the Spouse who hath no other pretention in all her endeuours, and pur­suits then to be vnited to her beloued, let him kisse me, saieth she, with a kisse of his mouth; as if she had cryed out, so many sighes and inflamed grones as my heart incessantly sobs out, will they neuer impetrate that, which my heart desires? I runne, alas shall I neuer gaine the prise, for which I lance my selfe out? which is to be vnited heart to heart, spirit to spirit, to my God, my Spouse, my life? when will arriue the happie houre in which I shall poure my soule into his heart, and that he will turne his heart into my soule, that we may liue inseparable in that happie vnion?

5. When the holy Ghost would expresse a per­fect loue, he alwayes in a manner makes choice of the word Vnion or Coniunction: amongst the multitude of the faithfull saieth S. LVCKE, there was but one heart and one soule: our SAVIOVR praied for all the faithfull that they might be but on same thing: SAINT PAVLE doth aduertise vs to conserue vnitie of minde by the vnion of peace. These Vnities of heart, soule, and spirit doe signifie [Page 35] the perfection of Loue, which ioynes many soules in one; for so it is saied that IONATHAS his soule was glewed to DAVIDS, that is to saie, as the Scrip­ture addeth, He loued DAVID as his owne soule. The great APOSTLE of FRANCE as well according to his owne Dictamē, as that of HIEROTHEVS who he citeth; writeth (I thinke a thousand times in one Chapter OF DIVINE NAMES) that Loue is of a Nature, vnifying, vniting, referring, recolle­cting, and pressing things to an Vnitie. S. GRE­GORIE of NAZIANZEN, and S. AVGVSTINE saieth; that their friends and they, had but one soule, and ARISTOTLE approuing euen in his time this man­ner of speach: when saieth he we would expresse how much we loue our friends, we saie, his and my soule is but one. Hatred doth separate vs, and Loue doth assemble vs. The end then of loue, is no other thing, then the vnion of the louer and the beloued.

That the vnion which loue pretends is spirituall. CHATPER. X.

1. VVE are neuerthelesse to vnderstand, that there are naturall Vnions, as those of Similitude, Consanguinitie, and the Cause with the effect; and others which not being na­turall, may be termed voluntarie; for though they be according to nature, yet are they not made, but by our will as those which rise from [Page 36] benefits, and doe vndoubtedly vnite him that receiues them to the giuer, those of Companie, Conuersation and the like. Now Naturall vnion produceth Loue, and that Loue being produced, inclines vs to another Voluntarie vnion perfecting the naturall: so the Father and the Sonne, the Mother and Daughter, or two Brothers being ioyned in an Naturall vnion, by the participa­tion of the same blood, are excited by this V­nion to Loue; and by that Loue are carried to the Vnion of the will, and the minde which may be called Voluntarie; because allbeit her foun­dation is naturall, yet is her action deliberate, and in these Loues produced by Naturall vnion, we must looke for no other correspondence then Vnion it selfe, by which nature preuenting the will, doth oblige her to approoue loue, and per­fect the Vnion which she hath already made. But for Voluntarie vnions, they being after Loue in Effect, yet are his Cause, as being his onely end and pretention; so that as Loue tends to V­nion, so Vnion againe doth extend, and augment Loue; for Loue begets a desire of conuersation, and conuersatiō doth nourish and encrease Loue: Loue causeth a desire of nuptiall vnion, and this Vnion doth reciprocally conserue, and dilate Loue; so that in euery sense, it is true that loue tends to vnion.

2. But to what kind of Vnion doth it tend? Did you not note THEOTIME that the sacred Spouse did expresse her desire of being vnited to her Spouse by a kisse? and that a kisse doth represent the spirituall vnion which is caused by the reci­procall [Page 37] communication of hearts? true it is that man loueth, but by his will, and therefore the end of his Loue is of the nature of his will; but his will is spirituall, and consequently the vnion which Loue pretends is also spirituall, and so much the rather for that the heart, seate, and source of Loue, should not onely not be perfected by vnion with corporall things, but euen become more vile.

3. It will not hence be inferred, that there are not certaine passions in man, which as Gumme, or Missel to vpon trees, by manner of excrement and ouergroth, sproute vp amongst and about Loue, which notwithstanding are neither Loue nor any part therof, but excrements, and superfluities of the same: which are so farre from an aptitude to maintaine or accomplish Loue, that it doth enda­mage, and weaken it: and in time if they be not weeded away, doe vtterly ruinate it. See the reason hereof.

4. According to the multitude of operatiōs, (be they of the same, or of a diuerse Nature) to which the soule doth applie her selfe, she performs them lesse perfectly, and vigorously: because she being fi­nite her actiue vertue is also finite, so that furnish­ing her actiuitie to diuerse operations it is necessarie that each one of thē haue lesse therof; so that one attētiue to diuerse things, is lesse intēce in euery of them; It is not possible that one should at the same time exactly discerne the feature of the face by the eyes; and by the eare distinguish the harmonie of an excellent musique; nor at the same instant be attentiue to figure, and colour. If our affection be to talke, our attention is for no other thing.

[Page 38]5. Yet am I not ignorant what is saied of CE­SAR, nor incredulous of that which so many great personages assures vs of ORIGIN; that they could apply their attentions at the same time to diuerse obiects. Yet euery one doth confesse, that accor­ding to the measure, in which they were applyed to many, they were lesse in euery one of the same; there is then a difference betwixt to see, heare, and vnderstand much; and to see, heare and vnder­stand better: For he that seeth better, seeth lesse; and he that seeth more, seeth not so well; t'is rare that he who knowes much, knowes that well which he knoweth; because the vertue, and force of the vnderstanding, being scatered vpon the knowledge of diuerse things, is lesse stronge and vigourous, then when it is restrained to the consi­deration of one onely obiect. Hence it is that when the soule imploies her forces in diuerse operations of Loue, The actiō so diuided is lesse vigorous. We haue three sorts of actions of Loue, the spirituall, reasonable, and Sensitiue: when Loue lets runne his forces through all these three operations, doubtlesse it is more Extense, but lesse Intense: but when it runnes through one operation onely; it is more Intense, though lesse Extense. Doe we not see that fire, the Symbole of loue, forced to make way by the onely mouth of the Can­non, makes a prodigious flashe, which had bene much lesse, if it had found vent by two or three passages: sythence then that Loue is an acte of our will, he that desires to haue it not onely noble, and generous, but also very vigorous and actiue, must containe the vertue, and force of [Page 39] it, within the limits of spirituall operations, for he that would applie it to the Sensitiue operatiōs of the soule, should so farre fourth weaken the In­tellectuall, in which essentiall loue consisteth.

6. The auncient PHILOSOPHERS attained to the knowledge of two Extases, the one wherof did place our selues aboue our selues: the other deiected vs, and set vs below our selues; as though they would haue saied, that man was of a Nature betwixt Angels and Beasts; in his intellectuall part, participating the Angelicall Nature; and in his sensitiue the Nature of Beasts; and yet that he could by good moderation of life, and a conti­nuall care had of himselfe, deliuer and infrancise himselfe of this meane condition, so that applying and exercising himselfe frequently in Intellectuall actions, he might bring himselfe nearer to the na­ture of Angels then Beasts: but if he did much applie himselfe to Sensible actions, he made a dis­cent from his midle condition to that of beasts. And because an Extasie is no other thing then a going out of ones selfe, whether one goe vpwards, or downewards, he is truely in an Extasie. Those then that touched with intellectuall and diuine pleasures; doe permit their heart to be rauished with those touches, are truly out of them selues, that is, aboue the condition of their Nature, but by a blessed and wishfull departure, by which en­tering into a more noble, and eminent estate, they are as much Angels by the operation of their soule, as men by the substance of their Nature, and are either to be instiled Humane Angels, or Angelicall men. On the contrarie side, those [Page 40] that enticed with sensuall pleasurs giue them selues ouer to the enioying of them, descend from their middle condition to the lowest of brute Beasts, and merit as well to be called Brutall by their operations, as men by Nature; vnhappie to be out of themselues, for no better end then to enter into a condition infinitly vnworthy of their naturall estate and calling.

7. Now according as the Extasie is more great, either aboue or below vs; by so much it doth more hinder the soule to returne to her selfe, and pro­duce contrarie operations to the Extasie in which she is; so those Angelicall men which are rauished in God and heauenly things during their Extasie, doe quite loose the vse of the attention of sense; motion and all exteriour actions, because their soule, to th'end she may applie her vertue and actiuitie more entirely and attentiuely to that diuine obiect, doth retire and withdraw it, from all her other faculties wholy to deturne them from thence. And in like manner, brutish men rauished by sensuall pleasure, (especially by that of sense in generall,) doe wholy loose the vse of reason and vnderstanding, because their misera­ble soules, to haue a more entire and attentiue gust of their brutall obiect, doe diuert themselues from spirituall operations, to giue themselues with more vigour to brutall and bestiall ones: mystical­ly imitating herein the one, HELIAS taken vp in the fierie Chariot to the Cōpanie of Angels; th'o­ther NABVCHODONOSOR debased to the ranke of brute beasts.

8. Hence then I saie, that when the Soule pra­ctiseth [Page 41] Loue by actions of sense, so that she is car­ried below her selfe, it is impossible that therby the exercise of her Superiour loue, should not be so much the more weakned: In such sort that true and Essentiall loue is so farre from being ayeded, and conserued by the vnion to which Sensuall loue tends, that it is impared, dissipated, and perisheth therby. IACOBS Oxen plowed the ground as long as the idle Asses fed by them, eating the pasture dew to the labouring Oxen. As long as the Intellectuall part of our soule, is employed in honest vertuous loue vpon any obiect wor­thy therof; it comes to passe often times that the senses and faculties of the inferiour part tend to their proper vnion, and graise thervpon, though Vnion be onely due vnto the Heart and Soule, which alone is able to produce true and Substantiall Loue.

9. HELISEVS hauing cured NAMAN the SYRIAN, pleasing himselfe in the obligation he had put vpon him refused the gold, money, and o­ther moueables which were offered him. But his trustlesse seruant IESSE running after him, deman­ded and tooke against his Maister pleasure that, which he had refused; Intellectuall ād cordiall loue, which either is, or should be the Maister of our Heart, doth refuse all sorts of corporall, and Sen­sible Vnions, and is contented with good-will one­ly, but the powers of the Sensitiue part which are, or should be the Hand-maids of the Spirit, doe demande, seeke after, and take that which rea­son refused, and without her leaue doth make after their abiect, seruile, and dishonorable loues, [Page 42] as another IESSE violating the puritie of their Mai­sters intention, to wit the Spirit. And in what proportion the Soule doth conuert her selfe to such grosse Vnions: in the same she doth diuert her selfe from the delicate, Intellectuall, and cor­diall vnion.

10. You see then planely THEOTIME that these Vnions which tend to Sensible Complacence and passions, are so farre from producing, or conser­uing Loue, that they doe greatly hurt, and render it extreamely weake. So when the incestuous AM­MON, who languished, and died as it were in the Loue of THAMAR had once arriued at these Sēsuall and Brutall Vnions, his heart was so robbed of Cordiall loue, that neuer after he could endure to see her: but with indignitie pushed her out, vio­lating no lesse cruelly the Right of loue, then he had impudently stained that of blood.

11. Basill, Rosmarie, Marigouls, Isope, Cloues, Camimell, Nutmeygs, Lemmans, and Muske put together and incorporated, doe yeeld a truly de­lightfull odour by the mixture of their good smells; yet not nigh that of the water which is thence distilled, in which the sweetes of all these Ingredients squised from their bodies, are mixed in a more excellent manner: meeting to the ma­king vp of a most perfect odour, which doth pe­netrate the sense of smelling farre more liuely then it would, if together with the waters the bodies of the Ingredients were found mingled, and vni­ted; So loue may be found in the Vnions of sen­suall powers, mixed with the Vnions of intelle­ctuall powers, but neuer so excellently, as then, [Page 43] when the sole Heart and Courage abstracted from all corporall affections, vnited together, doe pu­rifie and Spiritualize Loue. For the sent of affe­ctions by such mixture, is not onely sweeter, and better, but more liuely, actiue, and solide.

12. True it is, that many hauing rustike, earthy, and vile hearts, doe put a rate vpon Loues, as vp­on pieces of gold: where the most massiue and weightie are the best, and most currant; for so their opinion goes, that Brutish loue is more strong because it is more violent, and turbulent: more solide because more grosse, and terreane: greater because more sensible, and rough: but con­trariwise Loue is as fire, which by how much more it's matter is delicate, by so much the flames are more cleare and faire, which cannot be better ex­tinguihed then by depressing them, and couering them with earth, for in like manner, by how much more abstract and spirituall the subiect of loue is, by so much his actions are more liuely, subsistent, and permanent: nor is there a more easie way to ruinate it, then by prostituting it to vile and ter­reane actiōs. The difference as S. GREGORIE saieth betwixt spirituall and corporall pleasurs, is, that corporall ones beget a desire before we obtaine them: and being obtained, a disgust; but spiri­tuall ones contrariwise, bring disgust before we haue them: and being had, pleasure: so that bru­tall loue which thinkes by the Vnion which he maketh with the Beloued, to perfect and crowne his desires, finding that to the contrarie, he de­stroieth them in ending them, is left in disgust of such Vnion. Which moued the great Philosopher [Page 44] to saie that almost euery beast after the enioying of his most ardent and pressing corporall pleasure remaines sad, mournefull and astonished: as a Mar­chant, who hauing fed him selfe with hope of great gaines, doth finde his hopes frustrated, and his barke engaiged in a rude Hauen: whereas In­tellectuall loue finding in the Vnion made with her obiect contentment passing his hopes, ac­complishing in the surplus his complacence; he continewes it in vniting himselfe, and continual­ly doth further vnite himselfe in continuing it.

That there are two portions in the soule, and how. CHAPTER XII.

1. VVE haue but one Soule THEOTIME, and an indiuisible one: but in that one Soule, there are diuerse degrees of perfectiōs, for she is Liuing, Sensible, and Reasonable, and according to these diuerse degrees, she hath also diuerse Proprieties, and Inclinations by which she is carried to the pursuite and Vnion of things. For first we see, the Vine doth hate as one would saie, and flie the Colewort, so that the one of them are pernicious to th'other: and contrariwise is de­lighted in the Oliue; so we perceiue a naturall con­trarietie betwixt Men and Serpents, in so much that a mans fasting spittle is to them mortall: and contrariwise, Man and Sheepe haue a wonderous [Page 45] conueniencie, and doth delight the one in the o­ther. Now this inclination doth not proceede from any knowledge the one hath of the birth of his contrarie, or of the profit of him with whom he doth sympathie: but onely from a certaine se­cret and hidden qualitie, which doth produce this insensible contrarietie and antipathie, as also this complacence and sympathie.

2. Secondly, we haue in vs the Sensitiue appe­tite, wherby we are moued to the inquirie and flight of diuerse things by meanes of the sensitiue knowledge we haue of them, not vnlike to Cattell wherof one hath an appetite to one thing, an other to an other, according to the knowledge, which they haue agreeable or disagreeable vnto thē, and this appetite resides, or from it floweth the Loue, which we call Sensuall or Brutall, which yet pro­perly speaking ought not to be termed loue, but simply be called appetite.

3. Thirdly, in so much as we are reasonable we haue a will by which we are carried to the inquirie of Good, according as by discourse we know, or iudge it to be such; againe, we manifest­ly discouer in our Soule as it is Reasonable two degrees of perfection, which great S. AVGVSTINE, and after him all the DOCTOVRS, haue named the two portions of the soule Inferiour and Supe­riour; of which that is called Inferiour which discourseth, and deduceth consequences, as she apprehendeth and experienceth by Sense: and that Superiour, which reasoneth and drawes consequences, according to an Intellectuall know­ledge not founded vpon the experience of sense, [Page 46] but on the discretion and iudgement of the minde of spirit; hence this superiour part is called the Spirit or the Mentall part of the soule, as the Infe­riour is termed commonly Sense, feeling, or hu­mane reason.

4. Now this Superiour part discourseth accor­ding to two sorts of lights, that is either accor­ding to a Naturall light, as the Philosophers, and all those who discoursed by sciences did: or accor­ding to a Supernaturall light as Diuins, and Chri­stiās, so farre fourth as they establish their discourse vpon Faith, and the reuealed word of God, and more particular illustrations, inspirations, and motions from heauen. This is that which S. AV­GVSTINE saieth that by the superiour portion of the soule we adheare and applie our selues to the obseruance of the eternall lawe.

5. IACOB extreamely pressed with want of do­mesticall necessaries, sollicited Beniamin that he might be led away by his brethren into EGIPTE, which yet he did against his proper liking, as the sacred Historie witnesseth, in which he testifieth two wills, th'one Inferiour by which he grudged his departure, the other Superiour by which he tooke resolution to part with him: for the dis­course which moued him to disaproue his depar­ture, was founded in the sensible pleasure he tooke in his presence, and the displeasure he was to feele by his absence, which are apprehensiue and sensi­ble grounds: but the resolution which he tooke to send him, was grounded vpon a reason of state in his familie, to prouide for future, and approa­ching necessities. ABRAHAM according to the Infe­riour [Page 47] portion of his soule spoake words testifying in him a kind of diffidēce when the Angell an­nounced vnto him the happie tidings of a Sonne, doe you thinke that by a CENTENARIE, a child may be begotten? but according to his Superiour part he beleeued in God, and it was reputed vnto him for Iustice. According to his Inferiour part doubtlesse he was in great anguish, when he had receiued command to sacrifice his Sonne: but ac­cording to his Superiour part he resolued coura­giously to sacrifice him.

6. We also dayly experience in our selues di­uerse Contra [...] [...]ills. A Father sending his Sonne either to Court, or to his studies, doth not denie teares to his departure, testifying, that though ac­cording to his Superiour part, for the Childs ad­uācemēt in vertue, he wills his departure, yet accor­ding to his Inferiour part he finds repugnance in the separation; and though a Girle be married to her owne contentment and her Mothers, yet with her benediction she receiues teares, in such sort that, though the Superiour will, giue way to the departure, yet the Inferiour showes resistance: We must not hence inferre that a man hath two soules or two natures, as the MANICHEANS drea­med, no saieth S. AVGVSTINE in the 8. BOOKE OF HIS CONFESSIONS AND X. CHAP. but the will in­ticed by diuerse baits, ād moued by diuerse reasōs seemes to be deuided in her selfe, while she is di­uersly drawen, till making vse of her libertie, she maketh choice of the one, or the other: for then the more efficacious Will surmounteth, and gai­ning the day, leaues the soule to resent the euill [Page 48] that the debate brought, which we call re­morce.

7. But the example of our Sauiour is admira­bly vsefull in this behalfe, and being considered it leaues no further doubt touching the distinctiō of the Superiour, and Inferiour part of the soule: for who amongst the Diuines knowes not that he was perfectly glorious from the instant of his Con­ception in his Virgin Mothers wombe, and yet at the same time he was subiect to Sorrow, griefe, and afflictions of heart: nor must we saie he suf­fred onely in bodie, nor yet onely in soule, as it was sensible, or, which is the sa [...] thing, accor­ding to sense: for himselfe doth attest that before he suffered any exteriour torment, or saw the Tormentour by him, his soule was heauie euen to death. For which cause he made his praier, that the Cup of his Passion might be transported from him: that is, that he might be exempted from it; in which he doth manifestly show the de­sire of the Inferiour portion of his soule; which discoursing vpon the sad and anguishing obiects of his Passion prouided for him (the liuely image whereof was represented to his Imagination) he gathered by lawfull consequence, the absence and want of these things which he demanded of his Father: by which we clearely see that the Infe­riour part of the soule, is not the sensitiue degree of the same, nor the Inferiour will the same with the Sensitiue appetite: for neither the sensitiue appetite, nor the Soule in so much as it is Sensi­tiue, is capable of making any demand or praier, these being acts of the Reasonable power: and [Page 49] especially they are incapable of speach with God, an obiect aboue the senses reach, to make it kno­wen to the appetite; but the same Sauiour hauing thus exercised the Inferiour part, and testified that according to it and it's codsiderations, his will de­clined the griefes and paines; He shewed after­wards that he had a superiour part by which in­uiolably adhering to the Eternall will, and De­cree made by his heauenlie Father, he willingly accepted death, and notwithstanding the Infe­riour part of reason, he saieth, ah! no Lord, not my will, but thyne be done; when he saieth, My will, he takes it according to the Inferiour portion, and in as much as he saieth it voluntarily, he shewes in himselfe a Superiour will.

That in these 2. portions of the soule there are found 4. different degrees of reason. CHAPTER XII.

1. THere were three Portalls in SALOMONS Temple; one for Gentils and strangers, who hauing recourse to God, came to adore in Hierusalem: the second for the Israelits, men and women, (the separation of men from women not being made by SALOMON); the third for Priests, and Leuits; and then there was the Sanctuarie or sacred house the which was open to the Hig [...] Priest onely, and that but once a yeare. Our R [...] son [Page 50] or rather our soule as she is reasonable is the true Temple of the Almightie, who there takes vp his chiefe residence. I sought thee, Saieth S. AVGVSTINE, without my selfe, but found thee not, because thou wast with in me. In this mysti­call Temple there are also three partitions, which are Three different degrees of reason. In the first we discourse according to the experience of Sense: in the second according to Humane Sciences: in the third according to faith; but beyond all this we discouer a certaine Hight, or highest point of reason, and the spirituall facultie, which is not guided by the light of discourse or reason, but by a simple view of the vnderstanding, and a simple touch of the will, by which the soule yeelds, and submits her selfe to Veritie, and the will of God.

2. Now this extremitie and Climate of our soule, this highest point of our spirit, is naturally well represented by the Sanctuarie or Holy place: For first in the Sanctuarie there were no win­dowes to giue light; In this degree of the soule there is no discourse which doth illuminate. Se­condly in the Sanctuarie, all the light entred by the Port; in this degree of the soule nothing en­ters but by faith, which produceth in manner of rayes, the view and gust of the beautie and bountie of the good pleasure of God. Thirdly, none en­tred into the Sanctuarie, saue the high Priest; In this point of the soule, discourse approacheth not, but onely the high, vniuersall, and soueraigne fee­ling, that the diuine will ought soueraignely to be embraced, loued, and approued, not onely in [Page 51] some particular things, but generally in all things: nor generally in all things onely, but also parti­cularly in each thing. Fouerthly, the High Priest entring into the Sanctuarie, obscured euen that light which came by the Port, and the abundance of perfumes from his Thurible repulsed the rayes of light, which by the Port sought passage; and all the light which is in the supreame part of the soule, is in some sort obscured, and vealed, by the renunciations, and resignations which the soule makes, not desiring so much to behould and see the Beautie of the Truth, and the Truth of the Bountie presented vnto her, as to embrace and adore the same: in suchwise, that the soule would almost shut her eyes, as soone as she begins to see the dignitie of Gods will, to th'end, that not being further occupied in that consideration, she might more powerfully and perfectly receiue it, and by an absolute compla­cence infinitly vnite, and submit her selfe thervn­to. Fiftly to conclude, in the Sanctuarie was kept the Arke of the Alliance, and in that, or ioyning to it, the Tables of the Lawe, MANNA in a golden vessell, AARONS rod, which in a night bore flo­wers, and fruite; and in this highest point of the soule, first of all the light of faith, figured by the MANNA enclosed in the pot whereby we quietly beleeue the truth of mysteries which our vnder­standing can not attaine to; secondly, the profit of hope represented by Aarons florishing and fruitfull rod, by which we confidently expect our promised happinesse, which we see not. Thirdly, the sweetnesse of holy charitie represented by [Page 52] Gods commandements which she containes wher­by we repose in the vnion of our spirit with God's, which we scarcely perceiue.

3. And although Faith, Hope, and Charitie doe disperce their diuine motions, into almost all the faculties of the soule, as well reasonable as sensi­tiue, reducing and holily subiecting them to their iust authoritie: yet their speciall residence, their true and naturall Mannor, is this supreame region of the soule, from whence as from a happie source of liue water, it brancheth it selfe out by diuerse Conduits, and Brookes vpon the inferiour partes, and faculties.

4. So that THEOTIME in the superiour part of reason, there are Two degrees of reason; in the one, those discourses are made which depend of faith, and supernaturall light; in the other the simple repose of faith, hope, and charitie. SAINT PAVLES soule, found here selfe pressed with two di­uerse desires: the one, to be deliuered from his bo­die to flie vp streight to IESVS CHRIST, the other to remaine in this would to labour in the conuer­sion of soules; both these desires were without doubt in the Superiour part, for they proceeded both from Charitie: but his resolution of the later proceeded not from discourse, but from a simple light, and liking he had of his maisters will, to­wards which the very point of the spirit of this great seruant turned, to the preiudice of all that Discourse might conclude.

5. But if Faith, Hope, and Charitie, be formed by this holy Rest in the point of the spirit, how comes it to passe that in the Inferiour part, dis­course [Page 53] is made depending of the light of Faith. As we see Aduocats in many words pleade the facts, and rights of parties at the Barre; the Parlia­ment, or Senate from aboue resolues all the strife by a positiue sentence, which being pro­nounced, the Aduocats and Auditours rest not for all that to discourse amongst them selues of the Parliaments motiues ther vnto. Euen so THEO­TIME after discourse, and aboue all that the grace of God haue persuaded the point and highest part of the spirit to beleeue, and forme an Act of faith by manner of sentence, the vnderstanding doth not leaue to discourse againe vpon that same Act of faith already conceiued, to consider the mo­tiues and reasons therof, yet so, as Theologicall Discourses passe in the lower Benches, and Barre of the Superiour portion of the soule: but the Ar­rests, aboue in the Tribunall of the point of the spirit. And because the knowledge of these 4. de­grees of the reason, is much conducing to the vn­derstanding of all the treatises of spirituall things, I haue enlarged my selfe in the explication therof.

The difference of loues. CHAPTER. XIII.

1. LOue is deuided into two species wherof the one is called Loue of beneuolence or good will, th'other, Loue of cōcupiscence. Loue of con­cupiscence is that, by which we loue things with pretention of profit. Loue of beneuolence that, by [Page 54] which we loue a thing for it's owne profit. For what other thing is it, to loue one with the loue of beneuolence or good will, then to will him good?

2. If he to whom we will good, haue already obtained and possest it, then we wish it him by the pleasure, and contentment which we haue to see him possessed of it; and hence springs Loue of complacence, which is onely an act of the will by which it is ioyned and vnited to the pleasure, con­tent, and good of an other. But in case he to whom we wish good, haue not yet obtained it, we desire it him, and thence, that loue is termed Loue of desire.

3. When Loue of beneuolence is exercised with­out correspōdance of the beloued, it is called Loue of simple beneuolence, but when it is practised with mutuall correspondance it is called loue of friendship. Now Mutuall correspondence con­sisteth of three things, to wit a mutuall loue, a mu­tuall knowledge of the same, conuersation and priuate familiaritie.

4. If we loue our friend without preferring him before others, t'is Simple familiaritie; if with pre­ference, then this familiaritie turnes to be Dile­ction, or as one would saie, A loue by election, as making choice of this, from amongst many things we loue, and preferring it.

5. Againe when by this Dilection we doe not much preferre one friend before others, t'is called Simple dilection; but if contrariwise we much more esteeme, and greatly preferre one before an­other of the same ranck, then this friendship is called Dilection by excellencie.

[Page 55]6. But if the esteeme, and preference of our friend, though great and without equall, doe yet enter into comparison, and proportion with o­thers, the friendship shall be called Eminent dile­ction: but if the eminencie therof doe without proportion incomparably passe all others, then it is graced with the Title of Incomparable, soue­raigne, and supereminent dilection; and in a word it shall be Charite due to one God onely: And indeede in our lāguage the word deare, deare­ly, indeared, doth testifie a certaine particular esteeme, prise, or valewe: so, that as amongst the people the word HOMO is almost appropriated to the male-kind as to the more excellent sexe: and the word ADORATION is in a manner due to God onely as it's prime obiect: so the word CHARITIE is appropriated to him, as to the supreame and so­ueraigne dilection.

That charitie ought to be na­med loue. CHAPTER XIIII.

1. ORIGIN saieth that the holy Scripture, in his opinion, vsed the word Charitie and Dilection as termes more honest; least the word Loue might giue occasion of euill thoughts to the weaker sort, as being more proper to signifie a car­nall passion then a spirituall affection. But S. AV­GVSTINE hauing deeplier weighed the vse of Gods word, clearely shewes, that the word Loue is no lesse sacred then the word Dilection, [Page 56] and that as well the one, as the other doe some­times signifie an holy affection, as sometimes also a depraued passion, alleading to this purpose diuerse passages of holy Scripture. But the great S. DENIS, as chiefe Doctour of the PROPRIETIE OF DIVINE NAMES, goes much further in fauour of the word Loue, teaching that the Diuins, that is the Apostels and their first Disciples (for this Saint knew no other Diuins) to disabuse the vulgare, and tame their Phansie who took the word Loue, in a profaine and carnall sense, the more willingly imployed it to signifie diuine things, then that of Dilection, and though they thought that both were indifferently taken for the same thing: yet some of them were of opi­nion, that the word Loue was more proper and a­greeing to God, then the word Dilection. Hence the diuine IGNATIVS left these words written, MY LOVE IS CRVCIFIED. And as these Auncient Diuins made vse of the word Loue in heauenly mat­ters, to quit it of the touch of impuritie, wher­with in the worlds imagination it was suspected, so to expresse humane affections, they pleased to vse the word Dilection, as exempt from all suspi­tion of dishonestie. Whervpon some of them, as S. DENIS reporteth, saied, thy Dilection hath made entrie into my soule as the Dilection of women, In fine the word Loue doth signifie more feruour, efficacie, and actiuitie, then that of Dilection; so that amongst the Latins, Dilection is much lesse significatiue then Loue. CLAVDIVS saieth, the great Oratour bears me Dilection, and to saie it more excellently, He loues me: and therefore the word [Page 57] Loue, as the more excellent, hath iustly bene im­posed vpon Charitie as principall, and most emi­nent of all Loues. For these reasons, and for that I pretended to speake of the Acts of Charitie more then of her habits, I haue intitled this small worke, A TREATISE OF THE LOVE OF GOD.

Of the conueniencie betwixt God and man. CHAPTER. XV.

1. AS soone as a man takes the Diuinitie into his consideratiō with a little attētion, he feeles a certaine delightfull leaping of the heart, witnessing that God, is God of man's heart, and that our vnderstanding is neuer so filled with pleasure, as in this consideration, the least know­ledge wherof, as saieth the prince of Philoso­phers, is more worth then the greatest of other things, as the least Sunne beame is brighter, then the greatest from the Moone, or starres; yea is more lightsome then the Moone, and starres alltogether, so that if any dreadfull accident as­saie our heart, it hath presently recourse to the Di­uinitie, protesting therin, that when all other things faile him, that onely stands his friend, and when danger threateneth, that onely is his soueraigne good, and can saue and war­rant him.

2. This confidence, this pleasure which man's heart naturally takes in God, can spring from [Page 58] no other roote then from the conueniencie which is betwixt God and man's soule, a great, but se­crete conueniencie; a conueniencie which each one knowes, but few vnderstands; a conuenien­cie which cannot be denied, nor yet be well foun­ded; we are created to the similitude and like­nesse of God: what is this to saie? if not, that we haue an extreamely great proportion with the di­uine Maiestie.

3. Our soule is spirituall, indiuisible, immor­tall, vnderstands, willeth, and that freely, is capa­ble of discourse, iudgment, knowledge, and of vertues, in all which it resembles God. It is all in all, and all in euery part of the bodie, as the Diuinitie is all in this our All, and all in euery part therof: man knowes and loues himselfe by acts produced, and expressed by his vnderstanding, and will, distinguished in them selues; remaining notwithstanding inseparably vnited in the soule, and in these faculties from whence they proceede. So the Sonne proceedes from the Father, as his knowledge expressed; and the Holy Ghost, as loue expired, and produced from the Father and the Sonne: both the Persons being distinct in them selues, and from the Father, and yet inse­parable and vnited, or rather one same sole, sim­ple, onely, indiuisible Diuinitie.

4. But besides this conueniencie of simili­tude, there is an incomparable correspondence betwixt God and man, by reason of their recipro­call perfection, not that God can receiue any per­fection from man, but because, as man cannot be perfected but by the diuine Bountie, so the di­uine [Page 59] Bountie can scarcely so well exercise it's per­fection out of it selfe, as vpon our humanitie, th'one hath great want, and capicitie to receiue good; th'other great abundance, and inclination to bestow it: nothing is so agreeable to pouertie as a liberall abundance, nor to a liberall abun­dance, as a needie pouertie, and by how much the good is more abundant, by so much more strong is the inclination to poure fourth, and communi­cate it selfe: By how much more the poore man is in want, by so much greater is his appetite to re­ceiue, as an emptie thing to fill it selfe. The concurrence then of abundance and pouertie, is most sweete and agreeable: nor could one almost haue discerned, whether the abounding good hath a greater contentment in opening, and com­municating it selfe; or the needie and indigent good in receiuing and drawing to it selfe; if our Sauiour had not saied, that there is a greater felici­tie in giuing then in receiuing: but where there is more felicitie, there is more satisfactiō, and there­fore the diuine bountie receiues greater pleasure in giuing, then we in receiuing.

5. Mothers haue sometimes their breasts so fruitfull and abundant, that they cannot containe, but giue them some child to sucke, and though the child draw the pappe with great ardour, yet doth the Mother giue it more ardently, the sucking child pressed by it's necessitie, and the nourishing Mother pressed with her fecundi­tie.

6. The sacred Spouse wished for the holy kisse of vnion: ô saieth she, let him deigne me [Page 60] a kisse of his mouth. But is there Sympathie e­nough ô thou Beloued of the Beloued betwixt thee and thy heauēly Spouse, to come to the vnion which thou desirest? I quoth she, giue me this kisse of vnion ô thou deare friend of my heart, for thy dugges are better then wine, though per­fumed with excellent odours. New wine works and boyles in it selfe by vertue of it's good­nesse, and cannot be contained within the peece, and thy dugges are yet better, they presse thy breast with continuall shuttings pouring out their superabundant milke, as wishing to be discharged of it: and to draw the children of thy heart to sucke them, they poure out a more po­werfully drawing odour then all the odours of perfums, so that THEOTIME we stand in neede of Gods abundance being poore and needie, but Gods abundance hath no neede of our pouertie but by reason of the excellencie of his perfection, and bountie. Bountie, which is not at all bettered by communication: For it doth acquire nothing in pouring it selfe out of it selfe, but contrariwise giues: but our pouertie would remaine abiect and miserable, if it were not enriched by the diuine abundance.

7. Our soule then seeing that nothing can per­fectly content her, and that nothing the world can afforde, is able to fill her capacitie, considering that her vnderstanding hath an infinite inclination still to know more; and her will an vnwearied ap­petite to search and loue good: hath she not rea­son to crie out. Ah, I am not then made for this world! There is a soueraigne good on which I de­pend, [Page 61] an infinite workman who hath impressed in me this endlesse desire of knowing, and this insa­tiable appetite: and therfore I must tend and ex­tend my selfe towards him, to vnite and ioyne my selfe to his bountie, to whom I appertaine and am; Such is the sympathie betwixt God and mans soule!

That we haue a naturall inclination to loue God aboue all things. CHAPTER XVI.

1. IF there were any of that integritie ād originall iustice, in which ADAM was created, though otherwise not helped by any other assistance, then that which he affordeth to all Creaturs in com­mon, to produce actions befitting their na­turs, they should not onely haue an inclination to loue God aboue all things, but euen natural­ly they could put in execution that so iust an incli­nation: for as this heauenly authour and Na­ture-maister doth cooperate, and lend his strong hand to the fiers ascent, to the waters course to­wards the sea, to the earth's discent vnto the Cen­ter and it's abode there. So hauing with his owne finger planted in mans heart a speciall naturall in­clination not onely to loue good in generall; but in particular, and aboue all things to loue his di­uine goodnesse, which is better and more amiable then all things together. The sweetnesse of his soueraigne prouidence required, that he should cōtribute to the happie men of whom we speake, [Page 62] as much helpe as should be necessarie to practise, ād effect that inclinatiō; And of one side this helpe should be naturall, as being agreeable to nature, and tending to the loue of God, as he is authour and soueraigne Maister of nature; and on th'other side it should be supernaturall; because it would correspond not with mans pure nature, but with nature adorned, enriched and honoured by origi­nall iustice, which is a supernaturall qualitie pro­ceeding from Gods speciall fauour. But as tou­ching loue aboue all things, which should be ex­ercised according to this helpe, it should be cal­led naturall, because vertuous actions take their names from their obiects and motiues, and this loue wherof we speake should tend onely to God, as acknowledged to be Authour, Lord ad soueraigne of euery creature by a naturall light onely, and consequently to be amiable and esti­mable aboue all things, by naturall propension and inclination.

2. And although now our humane nature be not endewed with that health and originall Iu­stice, which the first man had in his Creation, and that contrariwise we are greatly depraued by sinne, yet notwithstanding the holy inclination of of louing God aboue all things staies with vs, as also the naturall light by which we see his soue­raigne goodnesse more amiable then all other things, and it is impossible that one thinking at­tentiuely vpon God, yea euen by naturall dis­course onely, should not feele a certaine touch of loue, which the secret inclination of our nature doth excite in the bottome of our hearts, by [Page 63] which at the prime apprehēsion of this prime and soueraigne obiect, the will is preuented, and per­ceiues her selfe stirred vp to a complacence in him.

3. It happens often amongst PARTRIDGES, that one steals away an others egges with intention to sit them, whether moued by a greedinesse to be­come Mothers, or a stupiditie which makes them mistake their owne: And behould a strang thing, yet not without good testimonie; the young one which was hatched, and nourished vnder the winges of a strāger Partridge, at her true Mothers first call, who had laied the egge whence she was hatched, quits the pilching Partridge, renders her selfe to her first Mother, and puts her selfe into her Couie, by the correspondance which she hath with her first origine: a correspondance notwithstanding which appeared not, but remai­ned secret, shut vp, and as it were put a sleepe in the botton of nature, till she met with her obiect, which sodenly excited and in a sort awakened, strikes the stroke, and turnes the yong Partridge's appetite to her former dutie. Tis the like THEO­TIME of our heart, which though it be couied, nourished, and bred amongst corporall, base, and terreane things, and in a manner vnder the winges of nature, notwithstanding at the first view it takes of God, vpon the first intelligence it receiues of him it's Naturall and prime inclination to loue God, which was dull and imperceptible, doth waken in an instant, and of a sodaine appears as a sparke from amongst the finders, which touching our will, lanceth her with Supreame loue dew vnto the Soueraigne and prime principale of all things.

That we haue not naturally the power to loue God aboue all things. CHATPER. XVII.

1. THe Eagle hath a good heart, and that, se­conded with a strong winge for flight, yet hath she imcomparably more sight then winge, and doth cast with quicker dispatch, and in fur­ther distance her eye, then her bodie: so our soules animated with an holy naturall inclination to­wards the Diuinitie, hath farre more light in her Vnderstanding to see how much it is amiable, then force in her will to loue it in effect: For sinne hath much more debilitated mans will, then dimmed his Reason; and the rebellion of the sensuall appe­tite which we call Concupiscence doth indeede disturbe the Vnderstanding; but it is quite contra­rie to the will, stirring vp against it seditions and reuoults: so that the poore will wholy infirme, and shaken with continuall assaults, which Con­cupiscence waigeth against her, cannot make so great progresse in diuine Loue, as Reason and Na­turall inclination suggesteth that she ought to doe.

2. Alas THEOTIME, how faire arguments, not onely of a great knowledge of God, but also of a great inclination towards him, haue those great Philosophers, SOCRATES, PLATO, TRISMEGISTVS, ARISTOTLE, HIPPOCRATES, SENECA, EPICTETES, [Page 65] left behind them. SOCRATES the most laudable amongst them, came to the cleare knowledge of the vnitie of God, and felt in himselfe such an in­clination to loue him, that as S. AVGVSTINE wit­nesseth, many were of opinion that he neuer had other ayme in teaching morall Philosophie, then to purifie their witts for the better contempla­tion of the Soueraigne good, which is the most indiuisible Diuinitie. And for PLATO he doth suf­ficiently declare himselfe in his definition of Phi­losophie, and of a Philosopher, saying that to doe the part of a Philosopher is nothing else but to loue God, and a Philosopher no other thing then, A Louer of God. What shall I saie of great ARI­STOTLE, who so efficaciously proues God's vnitie, and spoake so honorably of it, in diuerse occur­rences.

3. But ô eternall God! those great witts which had so great knowledge of the Diuinitie, and so great a propension to loue it, wanted all of them force and courage to loue it well indeede. By visible things they came to the inuisible things of God, yea euen to his eternall vertue, and Diui­nitie saieth the Apostle; in so much, as they are inexcusable as hauing knowne God, and not ha­uing glorified him as God, nor rendred him thankes. Indeede they glorified him in some sort attributing vnto him the soueraigne Titles of ho­nour, yet did they not glorifie him as they ought; that is, they glorified him not aboue all things, not hauing the heart to ruinate Idolatrie, but cō ­municated with it, detaining Veritie, which they knewe, prisoner by iniustice in their hearts, and [Page 66] preferring the honour and vaine repose of their life, before the honour due vnto God, they vani­shed in their owne knowledge.

4. Is it not great pitie THEOTIME to see SOCRA­TES, as PLATO reports, speake vpon his death-bed, concerning the Gods, as though there had bene many, he knowing so well that there was but one onely? Is't not a thing to be deplored, that PLA­TO who vnderstoode so clearely the truth of the Diuine vnitie, should ordaine that sacrifice should be done to many Gods? And is it not a lamenta­ble thing that TRISMEGISTVS should so base­ly lament, and plaine the abolishment of Ido­latrie, who in so many occasions, had spoaken so worthily of the Diuinitie? But aboue all I ad­mire the poore good man EPICTETES, whose words and sentences are so sweete in our tongue, translated by the learned, and faire Plume of the R. F. D. IOHN of S. FRANCIS, Prouinciall of the Congregation of the FVLIANS in GAVLE, not long agoe exposed to our view. For what a pitie was it I pray you to see this excellent Philosopher, speake of God some times with such gust, feeling, and Zeale, that one would haue taken him for a Christian, comming from some holy, and pro­found meditation, and yet againe at diuerse times, mentioning the Pagan Gods? Alas this good man who knewe so well the vnitie of God and had so much gust in his bountie, why had he not a pious iealousie of the diuine honour to th'end not to flatter or dissemble in a matter of so great conse­quence?

5. In somme THEOTIME our catiue nature, [Page 67] disinabled by sinne, is like our countrie Palme-trees, which in deede make some imperfect pro­ductions, and as it were essayes of fruite, but to beare entire, ripe, and seasoned Dates, is reserued for a better Climate; for euen so certes, mans heart doth naturally produce certaine Onsets of God's loue but to proceede so farre, as to loue him aboue all things, which is the fullnesse of loues grouth, due vnto this Supreame goodnesse, this is proper onely to hearts animated and assisted with hea­uenly grace, being in the state of holy charitie: and this little imperfect loue, of whose touches nature in her selfe is sensible, is but a will without will, a will that would, but will not; a sterill will, which doth not produce true effects, a will sicke of the Palsie, which seeth the healthfull Pond of holy Loue; but hath not the strength to throw herselfe into it; to conclude this will is an abortiue of the good will, and hath not necessarie life, and generous vigour, to preferre God in effect before all things. Whervpon the Apostle in person of the sinner, cries out, There is will in me, but I find not the meanes to accomplish it.

That the naturall inclination which we haue to loue God is not without profit. CHAPTER XVIII.

1. BVt seeing we haue not power naturally to loue God aboue all things, why haue we [Page 68] naturally an inclination to it? Is not Nature vaine to incite vs to a Loue, which she cannot bestow vp­on vs? Why doth she moue in vs a thirst of a pre­cious water, wherof she cannot make vs drinke? Ah THEOTIME how good God was with vs! the perfidiousnesse which we did commit in of­fending him, deserued truely that he should haue depriued vs of all the markes of his beneuolence, and of the fauour which he deigned to our na­ture, when he imprinted vpon her the light of his diuine countenance, and indued our hearts with a ioyfulnesse to perceiue themselues inclined to the loue of the diuine goodnesse, to the end that the Angels seeing this miserable man, might by way of compassion haue occasion to saie; is this the creature perfect in beautie? the glorie of the earth?

2. But this infinite Clemencie could neuer be so rigorous to the worke of his hands. He saw that we were clothed with flesh; A winde which consumes in passing and returns not; and there­fore according to the bowells of his Mercy, he would not vtterly ruinate vs, nor depriue vs of the signe of his lost grace, to the end that weighing, and feeling in our selues this inclination, and pro­pension to loue, we should endeauour to loue indeede, and to the end that none might iustly saie, Who will shew vs the God? For though by this sole naturall inclination we cannot be so happie, as to loue God as we ought; yet if we im­ploie it faithfully, the sweetnesse of the diuine Pie­tie, would afford vs some assistance, by meanes wherof, we might make progresse, and seconding [Page 69] this first assistance. God would bestow vpon vs another greater, and conduct vs from good to better in all sweetnesse, till he brought vs to the Soueraigne loue, to which our naturall inclination drawes vs; sythence it is certaine, that the diuine goodnesse doth neuer denie his hel­ping hand, more and more to aduance him whom he sees faithfull in a little, and doe what he is able.

3. This naturall inclination then which we haue to loue God aboue all things, is not left for nothing in our hearts: for God of his part makes vse of it as of a Handle, by which he takes hold, to drawe vs more sweetely vnto himselfe; and it seemes the Diuine Goodnesse by this impression, doth in some sort, hold our hearts tyed, as little birdes in a string, by which he can drawe vs when it pleaseth his mercy to take pitie vpon vs: to vs it is a marke and memoriall of our first Principle, and Creator, to whose loue it moues vs, leauing in vs a secret intimation, that we belong to his Diuine Goodnesse. Euen as Harts whom princes haue sometimes taken, and put vpon them Col­lers with their Armes, though afterwards they cause them so to be let loose, and runne at liber­tie in the Forest, doe not leaue to be knowen to any that lights vpon them, not onely to haue bene once taken by the Prince, whose Cognoi­sance they beare but also to be still reserued for him: for so the extreeme old age of a Hart was knowen, which according to some Historians was taken three hundred yeares after the death of Cesar, because he was found in a Coller [Page 70] with Cesars Armes vpon it, and this Mote: ‘CESAR LET ME GOE.’

4. Certes the honorable inclination which God hath left in our hearts doth testifie as well to our friends as our enemies, that we did not onely sometimes belong to our Creator, but fur­thermore, though he did let vs runne, and leaue vs to the mercy of our freewill, that we doe still ap­pertaine vnto him, and he reserued a right in vs, to take vs againe to himselfe when he pleased, to saue vs according as his holy and sweete prouidēce shall require. Hence the Royall Prophet termes this inclination, not a light onely, in that it makes vs see whether we are to tend, but also, a Ioye and a cheerefulnesse, for that it doth comfort vs in our straying, giuing vs a hope that he who did ingraue and left in vs this faire marke of our origine, pre­tends also and desires to reduce and bring vs back thither, if we be so happie as to leaue our selues to the will of the diuine good­nesse.

That the diuine perfections are but one onely, yet an infinite perfection. FIRST CHAPTER.

I. WHEN the sunne riseth redde, soone after turning black, or hol­low and bended; or else when it setteth bleake, pale, and sad, we saie it is a signe of raine. THEO­TIME the sunne is neither redde, blacke, pale graie, nor greene; This great light is not obno­xius to vicissituds or change of colours, hauing no other colour at all, then it's most cleare and perpetuall brightnesse, which, vnlesse by Miracle, [Page 72] is vnuariable. But we vse this manner of speach, because it seemes such to vs, following the varie­tie of vapours interposed betwixt it and vs, ma­king it so diuersly appeare.

2. Now we discourse in like manner of God, not so much according to that which he in him­self is, as by his works; by meanes wherof we con­template him: for according to our diuerse consi­derations we name him diuersly, euen as though he had a great multitude of different Excellences and Perfections; If we consider him as he puni­sheth the wicked, we terme him IVST; If as he deli­uereth sinners frō their miserie, we publish him MERCIFVLL; As he created all things and worketh Miracles, we name him OMNIPOTENT; as exactly performing his promises, we diuulge him TRVE; as ranging all things in so goodly an order, we in­stile him MOST-WISE: and cōsequently behoulding the diuersitie of his works, we attribute vnto him great diuersitie of perfections; This notwith­standing, in God ther is neither Varietie, nor any kind of different Perfections. But he is in himselfe one, most sole, most simple and most indiuisibly one Perfection: for all that is in him, is no other thing then himselfe: And all the Excellēcies which we saie are in him in so great diuersitie, are there vnited in a most simple, and pure Vnitie. And as the Sunne hath none of the colours which we asscribe vnto it, but one sole most cleare light, passing all colour, and rēdring all coulours actually visible: so in God there is none of those Perfections which we imagine, but one onely most pure excellencie, which is aboue all Perfection, and giues perfectiō [Page 73] to all that is perfect. Now to assigne a perfect name to this Supreame excellencie, which in it's most singular vnitie doth comprehend, yea sur­mount all excellencie, is not within the reach of a Creature Humane or Angelicall. For as we finde in the Apocalypse our Lord hath a Name which no man knowes but himselfe; for that he onely perfectly seeing his owne infinite Perfection, he also can onely expresse it in a Name proportiona­ble: whence the Auncients affirmed, that God a­lone was true Diuine; for so much as none but he onely could arriue to the full knowledge of the infinite greatnesse of the diuine Perfection, nor consequently set it out in words. For this cause, God by the Angell answering Samsons Father who demanded his Name. Why dost thou demand my Name quoth he, which is Admirable? As though he would haue saied; my Name may be admired, but neuer pronounced by Creaturs: It must be adored, but cannot be comprised, saue by me, who onely can pronounce the proper Name, by which truely and to the life I expresse my Excellencie. Our thoughts are too feeble to forme a conceite which might represent an Excel­lencie so Immense, that comprehendeth in his most simple, and most indiuisible Perfection, distinctly and perfectly all other Perfections, in an infinitly excellent and eminent manner, to which our thoughts cannot raise themselues; At least in some sort to speake of God, we are forced to vse a great number of names saying that he is GOOD, WISE, OMNIPO­TENT, TRVE, IVST, HOLY, INFINITE, [Page 74] IMMORTALL, INVISIBLE. And certes we saie true, God is all this together, because he is more then all this; that is to saie he is in so pure, excellent, and eleuated a manner, that in one most simple perfection he containes the Vertue, Vigour, and excellencie of all perfection.

3. So Manna was one onely meate which con­taining in it se [...]fe the tast and vertue of all other meats; one might haue saied of it, that it had the tast of Lemmons, Melons, Raysins, Prunes, and Peares, yet might one truelyer haue saied, that it had not all these gusts, but one onely, which was properly it's owne: containing notwithstanding in it's vnitie, all that was agreeable, and to be de­sired in all the diuersitie of all other gusts. As the hearbe DEDECATHEOS which as PLINIE saieth cu­ring all deseases, is neither Rubarbe, Sene, Rose, Betonie, or Bugle, but a pure simple, which in the onely simplicitie of it's proprietie containes as much vertue as the mixture of all the other mede­cins. O Abysse of diuine Perfections! how admi­rable thou art, to possesse in one onely Perfectiō, the Excellencie of all Perfection, in so excel­lent a sort, that none can comprehend it but thy selfe?

4. We will saie much, saieth the holy Scripture of this matter, and yet shall alwaies come short in wordes, the somme of all discourse is, that he is all things. If we glorie, to what purpose shall it be? for the Almightie is aboue all his workes. Blessing our Lord, exalte him as much as thou can'st, for he passeth all Praise: In exalting him take breath againe, marrie wearie not your selfe [Page 75] in it, for you shall neuer be able to comprehend him. No THEOTIME we can neuer comprehend him, syth, as S. IOHN saieth, he is larger then our heart. Yet neuerthelesse let each Spirit praise our Lord, calling him by all the most eminent Names which may be found. And for the greatest Praise we can render vnto him, let vs confesse that neuer can he be sufficiently praised. And for the most excellent Name we can attribute vnto him, let's protest that his name passeth all Names, nor can we worthily name him.

That in God there is but one onely Act, which is his proper Diuinitie. CHAPTER. II.

1. THere are in vs great diuersitie of Faculties, and Habits, which doe produce great va­rietie of actions, and they also an incomparable number of workes. For in this manner the Facul­ties of hearing, seeing, tasting, touching, mouing, ingendering, nourishing, willing, and the Habits of speaking, walking, playing, singing, sowing, leaping, swimming, are diuerse, as also the actions and workes which issue from these faculties and Habits, are much different.

2. But it is not the like in God: for in him there is One onely most simple infinite Perfection, and in that Perfection one onely most sole, and most pure Act, yea to speake more sainctly, and sagely. God is one sole most soueraignly indiuisible, and most indiuisibly soueraigne Perfection; and this Perfection is one sole most purely simple, and [Page 76] most simply pure Act, which being no other thing then the proper diuine Essence, it is consequently euer permanent and eternall. Neuerthelesse, mi­serable Creaturs that we are, we talke of Gods Actions, as though dayly done in great quantitie and varietie, knowing yet the contrarie. But our weaknesse THEOTIME forceth vs to this, for our Speach can but follow our Vnderstanding; and our Vnderstanding the customarie passage of things with vs. Now for as much as in naturall things there is hardly any diuersitie of workes, without diuersitie of Actions; when we behould so many different workes, so great varietie of pro­ductions, and the innumerable multitude of workes of the diuine Puissance, we deeme forth­with, that this diuersitie is caused by as many Acts as we see different Effects, and we speake of them accordingly for our more ease, and to con­forme our selues to the ordinarie practise and cu­stome we haue to vnderstand things, and yet doe not we in this violate Truth; For though in God there is no multitude of Actions, but one sole act which is the Diuinitie it selfe; this Act notwith­standing is so perfect, that it comprehends by manner of Excellencie, the force and vertue of all the Acts which might seeme requisite to the pro­duction of all the diuerse Effects we see.

3. God spoake but one word, and in vertue of that in a moment, the Sunne, Moone, and that innumerable multitude of Starres, with their diffe­rences in brightnesse, motion, and influence, were made.

[Page 77] One of Gods wordes filled the aire with birds, and sea with fishes: made spring from the earth all the plants, and all the beasts we see. For though the sacred Historian, accommodating himselfe to our fashion of vnderstanding recounts, that God did often repeate that Omnipōtent worde, accor­ding to the dayes of the world's Creation; neuer­thelesse properly speaking, this worde was purely one; so that Dauid termes it a Breathing or Aspi­ration of the diuine Mouth; that is one onely Touch of his infinite will, which so powrefully with his vertue doth bedewe the varietie of things created, that therby we conceiue them as multi­plied and diuersifiied into differences proportio­nable to the Effects, though indeede it is most indiuisible, and most simple; So doth S. CHRYSO­STOME marke that which MOYSES made many wordes off describing the Creation of the world, the glorious S. IOHN expressed in a worde, saying, that by the worde, that is, by this Eternall worde which is the Sonne of God, all was made.

4. This worde then THEOTIME being most sim­ple, and most indiuisible produceth all the distin­ction of things; being inuariable produceth all good changes; and in fine being permanent in his Eternitie, giueth succession, vicissitude, order, rancke and season to all things.

5. Let vs imagine I pray you of one side a Painter drawing the picture of our Sauiours Birth (and I writ this in the Feast dedicated to this ho­ly Mysterie) doubtlesse he will giue a thousand and a thousand touches with his Pencill, and will not onely imploy daies, but euen weekes, and [Page 78] monthes to perfect this Table, as the varietie of persons and other things which he will there re­present shall require. But on the other side let's behould a Stamper of picturs, who hauing spred his leafe vpon the grauen Planch of the Natiuitie giuing but one onely stroke of his Presse, and in that onely touch THEOTIME he will perfect his worke, and presently he will take off his picture, gratfully representing in a faire and smouth cut all that ought to be imagined according to the sa­cred Historie: and though in one motion he per­formed the worke; yet it carrieth a great number of personages and other different things, each one well distinguished in his order, rancke, place, di­stance, and proportion. And one not acquainted with the secret, would be astonished to see pro­ceede from one Act, so great varietie of effects. So THEOTIME Nature as a Painter, multiplies, and di­uersifies her Acts, according as the workes she hath in hand are diuerse; and she takes great time to finish great effects; But God as the Stamper, gaue being to all the diuersitie of Creaturs which haue bene, are, or shall be by one onely touch of his omnipotent will, drawing from his Idea, as from a well grauen stampe, this admirable diffe­rence of persons, and other things which succeede in seasons, ages, and times in their due order and being, this Soueraigne vnitie of the diuine Act being opposed to Confusion and Disorder, not to Distinction and Varietie, which it implies in the composition of beautie, reducing all Differences and Diuersities to Proportion; Proportion to Order, and Order to the Vnitie of the world [Page 79] which compriseth all things created visible and inuisible, all which together are called the Vniuerse peraduenture because their Diuersitie is reduced to Vnitie; as though one would saie One-diuerse that is One and Diuerse, Vnitie with Diuersitie, or Diuersitie with Vnitie.

6. In somme, the soueraigne diuine Vnitie doth diuersifie; and his permanent Eternitie giues change to all things, because the perfection of this vnitie being aboue all difference and varietie it is able to furnish all the diuersities of created perfections with their being; and contains a ver­tue to produce them; In signe of which the Scrip­ture relats, that God in the beginning saied, let the lights be made in the firmament of heauē, and let them separate daie from night, and let them be signes for times, daies, and yeares; further we see euen to this daie a perpetuall reuolution of times and seasons, which shall continew till the end of the world, to teach vs, that as

So the onely eternall will of his diuine Maiestie, extends his force from age to age, yea to the ages of ages, to all that hath bene, is, or shall be eter­nally, nothing at all hauing any beeing, but by this sole, most simple, and most eternall diuine Act, to which be honour and glorie. Amen.

Touching the diuine prouidence in generall. CHAPTER. III.

1. GOd then THEOTIME needes no diuersitie of Acts syth that one onely diuine Act of [Page 80] his All puissant will by reason of it's infinite perfe­ction, is sufficient to produce all the varietie of workes. But we mortalls must treate of them, in such an intelligible methode and manner, as our small capacities may attaine vnto. Following which, in treating of the Diuine prouidence, let vs consider I praie you the raigne of the great SA­LOMON, as a perfect modell of the art of good gouernment.

2. This great king then, knowing by diuine inspiration that the Weale-publicke dependeth vpon Religion, as the Bodie vpon the Soule: and Religion vpon the Weale-publicke, as the Soule vpon the Bodie, he disposed in his minde of all the parts requisite, as well for the establishment of Religion, as that of the Common-wealth; and touching Religion, he determined that a Temple was to be erected of such and such a length, breadth, and hight; so many Porches, and Por­talls, so many windowes and so fourth concerning the rest which belonged to the Temple: Then so many Sacryficers, so many Singers, and other of­ficers of the Temple. And as for the Common wealth, he ordained to make a Royall Palace, and a Court for his Maiestie; in it, so many Stewards, so many Gentlemen and other Courtiers. And for the people, Iudges and other Magistrats who were to execute Iustice: further for the assurance of his kingdome and establishment of the weal­publicks repose, wherof himselfe was partaker, he appointed in time of peace a powrefull Prepa­ration for warre, and to this effect two hundred and fiftie Commanders in diuerse charges, fortie [Page 81] thousand horse, and all that great furniture which the Scripture, and Historians doe testifie.

3. Now hauing thus made his count, and dis­posed in himselfe of all the principall things re­quisite for his Kingdome, he came to the Act of Prouidence, and passed in his cogitation all things necessarie for the structure of the Temple; to maintaine the sacred Officers, Ministers, Royall Magistrats, and men of armes, which he had pro­iected, he resolued to send to HIERAM for fit tim­ber, to begin commerce with PERV, and OPHIR, and to take all conuenient meanes to procure all things requisite for the entertainement and good conduct of his enterprise. Neither staied he there THEOTIME, for hauing made his proiect, and deli­berated in himselfe about the proper meanes to accomplish it; comming to the practise, he created officers according to his determination, and by a good gouernment caused prouision to be made of all things requisite to comply with, and execute their charges; so that hauing the knowledge of the art of well gouerning, he executed that dis­position which he had passed in his mind touching the creation of Officers of euery sort, and effected his Prouidence by the good gouernment which he vsed; and so his art of good gouernment which consisted in disposition, prouidence, or foresight, was practised in the creation of Officers, Gouern­ment, and good carriage of things; But for so much as that dispositiō was frutelesse without the Creation of Officers, and Creation also vaine without Prouidence which lookes for necessaries for the conseruation of Officers created or ere­cted; and in fine, that this Conseruation effected [Page 82] by good gouernment, is no other thing then Pro­uidence put in execution: and therfore not onely the Disposition, but also the Creation, and good gouernment of SALOMON, were called by the name PROVIDENCE: nor doe we indeede saie that a man is prouident vnlesse he gouerne well.

4. Now THEOTIME speaking of heauenly things, according to the impression made in vs by the consideration of humane things, we affirme that God, hauing had an eternall, and most per­fect knowledge of the Art of making the world for his glorie; First in his diuine Vnderstanding, he disposed all the principall parts of the Vni­uerse, which might render him honour: to wit Angelicall and Humane Nature; and in the Ange­licall Nature, the varietie of Hierarchies and Or­ders taught vs by the sacred Scripture, and holy Doctours: as also amongst Men he ordained that there should be so great diuersitie as we see. Fur­ther in this same Eternitie, he made accompt in himselfe, and foresaw all the meanes requisite for Men, and Angels to come to the end for which he had ordained them, and so made the Act of his prouidence, and without staying there to effect his Disposition, he Actually created Angels, and men: and to effect his Prouidēce he did and doth furnish reasonable Creatures with all things necessarie to attaine Glorie: So that to speake in a word, the Soueraigne prouidence is no other thing, then the Act wherby God doth furnish mē or Angels, with the meanes necessarie or profitable to the ob­taining of their end. But because our meanes are of [Page 83] diuerse kindes, we doe also diuersifie the name of Prouidence, and saie that there is one Prouidence naturall, another Supernaturall, and that this a­gaine is either Generall, speciall, or particular.

5. And because hereafter THEOTIME I shall exhort you to ioyne your will to God's Proui­dence; while I am in hand with this discourse, I'le tell you a word of Naturall prouidence. God then willing to prouide men of naturall meanes neces­sarie for them to render glorie to the diuine boun­tie, he produced in their behalfe all the beasts, and plants: and to prouid for them also, he produced varietie of Territories, Seasōs, Fountains, Windes, Raine, and as well for man, as th'other things appertaining vnto him, he created the elements, heauen, and starres, ordaining in an admirable manner, that almost each Creature affords a reci­procall seruice one to another; Horses carrie vs, and we dresse and keepe them; Sheepe doe feede and cloth vs, and we graze them; the Earth sends her vapours to the aire, it renders thē in showres; the Hand serues the Foote, and the Foote the Hand. O! He that should consider the commerce and generall trafficke with a great correspondance, exercised amongst Creaturs, how many amorous passions would moue his heart toward this soue­raigne wisdome, to crie out; thy Prouidence, ô great eternall father, gouernes all things! S. BASILE and S. AMBROSE in their EXAMEROVS, the good LEWIS OF GRANADO in his Introduction to the Creede, and LEWIS RICHEOME in diuerse of his faire workes, would suggest many motiues to well borne soules, to profit in this subiect.

[Page 84]6. Thus Deare THEOTIME this Prouidence toucheth all, raignes ouer all, and reduceth all to his glorie. There is notwithstanding Chance, and Vnexpected accidents, but that in regard of vs onely; for doubtlesse they were most certaine to the Diuine prouidence, who foreseeth and dire­cteth them to the good of the worlds Cōmon­wealth. Now these accident s doe happen by the concourse of diuerse causes, which hauing no na­turall alliance one with the other, doe produce each of them their particular effect, yet so as from their concourse, there issueth another effect, of a diuerse nature, to which though it could not be foreseene, all the different causes did contribute. For example ESCHILVS his curiositie was iustly chastised, who being foretolde by a Diuine, that he should perish by the fall of a house, kept him­selfe all that daie in a plaine field to escape the destinie, and staying close to it bareheadded, a Faul­con who dareing in the aire held in her beeke a TORTOISE (espying his bald head, and gessing it had bene the point of a Rocke) let the shell fall right vpon him; and behould ESCHILVS dying in the brode field, suppressed with the house, broken with the shell. This was doublesse an Vnexpected chance: For he betooke not himselfe to the field to die, but to eschape death; nor did the Fanlcon dreame of cracking a Poets crowne, but the crowne ād shell of the Tortoise, to make him selfe maister of the meate within; yet it chanced to the contrarie, for the Tortoise remained safe, and the poore ESCHILVS was slaine. According to vs, this chance was vnexpected, but in respect of the Di­uine [Page 85] prouidence which looked frō aboue and saw the concourse of causes, it was an Act of iustice punishing the superstition of the man. Old IOSEP'S aduenturs were admirable for varietie, and for their passages betwixt two extreemes. His Brethrē, who to extinguish him had sold him, were amazed to see him become Vice-Roy, and were mighty apprehensiue that he remained sensible of the wrōg they had done him: but no, saied he, it was not so much by your plot, that I was sent hither as by the Diuine prouidence, you had wicked designes against me, but God turned all to good. Doe you marke THEOTIME the world would haue termed this Fortune or Doubtfull euent, which IOSEPH calleth a proiect of the Soueraigne Prouidence, which turneth and reduceth all to his seruice. The like it is of all things which happen in the world, yea euen of Monsters, the birth of which makes compleate and perfect workes more esteemed, be­gets admiration, prouokes discourse whence ma­ny wholesome thoughts proceede; In fine they are to the world, as shadowes to picturs, which giue a grace, and seeme euen to rayse the colours.

Of the supernaturall prouidence which God vseth towards reasonable creaturs. CHAPTER IIII.

1. All God's workes are ordained to man and Angels saluation: but see the order of his prouidēce in this behalfe, in such wise as by the [Page 86] obseruation of holy Scripturs and the writings of the Auncients we are able to discouer it, and as our weaknesse permits vs to speake of it.

2. God knew from all Eternitie that he was able to make an innumerable number of creaturs in diuerse perfections and qualities, to whom he might communicate himselfe; and considering that amongst all the sorts of communicatiōs, there was none so excellent, as to ioyne himselfe to some created nature in such sort as the Creature might be ingraffed and implanted in the Diuinitie, and become one onely person with it; His infinite Bountie which of it selfe, and by it selfe is car­ried towards a communication, resolued and de­termined to communicate himselfe in this manner, to th'end that as eternally there is an Essentiall communication in God, by which the Father doth communicate all his infinite and indiuisible Diui­nitie to the Sonne in producing him, and the Fa­ther and the Sonne together producing the holy Ghost doe communicate to him also their owne indiuisible Deitie. So in like manner this Soue­raigne sweetnesse was so perfectly communicated without himselfe to a Creature, that the Created and Diuine Nature, retaining each of them their owne proprietie were notwithstanding so vnited together, that they were but one Person.

3. Now of all the Creaturs which that Soue­raigne omnipotencie could produce, he thought good to make choice of the same Humanitie, which afterwards in effect, was ioyned to the Per­son of God the Sonne, to which he determined that incomparable honour of the Personall vnion [Page 87] to his diuine Maiestie, to th'end that for all Eter­nitie, it might enioy by way of Excellencie the treasurs of his infinite glorie, and hauing thus se­lected for this happinesse, the sacred Humanitie of our Sauiour: the Supreame prouidence decreed not to restraine his goodnesse to the onely Person of his well beloued Sōne, but fauorably to poure it out vpon diuerse other Creaturs, and in grosse vpon the innumerable number of things which he could produce, he made choyce to create Men and Angels to accompagnie his Sonne, participate of his graces and glorie, adore and prayse him for euer. And for as much as he saw, that he could in diuerse manners effect the Humanitie of his Sonne, making him true Man; as for example, creating him of nothing, not onely in regard of the soule, but euen in regard of the bodie also, ei­ther by forming the bodie of some precedent mat­ter, as he did that of ADAM and EVE; or by way of Ordinarie generation by man and woman, & finally by Extraordinarie generation of a woman without man; he determined that the worke should be effected by the last way; and of all the women he might haue choisen to this end, he made choice of the most holy virgin our Lady, by meanes wherof, the Sauiour of our soules should not one­ly be Man, but euen a Child of mankind.

4. Furthermore the Sacred prouidence deter­mined to produce all the other things, as well na­turall as supernaturall, in behalfe of our Sauiour, to th'end that men and Angels, in seruing him, might participate his glorie, in sequall wherof though God would create as well men, as Angels [Page 88] endewed with Freewill, and possessed of Li­bertie to elect good or euill; yet neuerthelesse to testifie that of his part they were dedicated to glorie, he created them all in Originall Iustice which is no other thing then A most sweete loue disposing, conuerting, and weighing them to eternall felicitie.

5. But because this Supreame Wisdome had deliberated to temper this Originall Loue in such sort with the will of his Creaturs, that Loue should not force the will, but should leaue her in her freedome; he foresaw that a part, yet the lesse, of the Angelicall nature voluntarily quit­ting the diuine loue, should consequently loose their Glorie. And for that, the Angelicall nature could not offend herein, but by an expresse ma­lice without temptation, or motiue whatsoeuer which might pleade their excuse; and that on the other side, the farre greater part of that same na­ture remained constant in the seruice of theire Sa­uiour; God who had so amply glorified his Mercy in the worke of the Creation of An­gels, would also magnifie his Iustice, and for his indignations sake, resolued for euer to aban­don that woefull and accursed troope of Trai­tours, who in the furie of their Rebellion had so villanously abandoned him.

6. He also foresaw well, that the first man would abuse his libertie, and forsaking Grace would loose Glorie, yet would he not treate hu­mane nature so rigorously, as he deliberated to treate the angelicall. T'was humane nature wher­of he had determined to take a blessed peace to v­nite [Page 89] it to his Deitie. He saw that it was a feeble nature, a winde which passeth and returns not, that is, which is dissipated in passing. He conside­red the surprise which Satan made against the first man, and weighed the gteatnesse of the tempta­tion which animated him. He saw that all the race of men perished, by the fault of one onely, so that moued by these reasons, he beheld our nature with the eye of Pitie, and resolued to take it to his Mercy.

7. But to th'end that the sweetnesse of his Mercy might be adorned with the beautie of his Iustice he deliberated to saue man by way of a ri­gorous Redemption, which being it could not well be effected, but by his Sonne, he concluded that he should redeeme man, not onely by the price of one of his amourous actions, though more then most sufficient, to ransome a thousand millions of worlds: but euen by all the innume­rable amourous actions, and dolourous passions which he should doe, or suffer till death, and death of the crosse, to which he determined him; that so he might be made a companion of our Mise­ries, to make vs afterwards companions of his Glorie, showing therby the riches of his Bountie in this copious, abundant, superabundant, magni­ficent, and excessiue Redemption which regained and restored vs all necessaries to attaine Glo­rie, so that no man can euer plaine, as though the Diuine mer­cy were deficient to any

That the heauenly prouidence hath pro­uided man of a most abun­dant redemption. CHAPTER. V.

1. NOw THEOTIME, affirming that God had seene, and willed first one thing, and then secondly another, obseruing an order in his wills: I intended it according to my declaration made before, to wit that though all this passed in a most sole and most simple Act: yet in that Act, the order, distinctiō, and dependence of things were no lesse obserued, thē in case there had bene indeede many Acts in the Vnderstanding and will of God. And sith that euery well ordered will determined to will diuerse obiects equally present, doth loue bet­ter, and aboue all the rest that which is most amia­ble: it followeth that the Soueraigne Prouidence making his eternall purpose and designe of all which he would produce he first willed and Loued, by a preference of Excellencie, the most a­miable obiect of his Loue which is our Sauiour; and then the other Creaturs by degrees, accor­ding as they more or lesse belonge to his seruice, honour, and glorie.

2. Thus was all things made for that Deified Mā, who for this cause is called THE FIRST BEGOTTEN OF ALL CREATVRS, possessed by the diuine Maie­stie in the beginning of his wayes, before he made any thing, created in the beginning before ages: [Page 91] For in him all things are made, he is before all, and all things are established in him, and he is the head of all the Church, hauing the Primacie in, and through all things. The principall reason of plan­ting the vine, is the fruite, and therfore the fruite is the first thing desired and aimed at, though the leaues and the buds are first produced. So our great Sauiour was the first in the Diuine Intention, and in the Eternall Proiect which the Diuine Proui­dence made of the production of Creaturs, and in contemplation of this desired fruite, the Vine of the world was planted, and the succession of ma­ny generations established which as leaues, or blossoms doe preceede it as forerunners, and fit preparatiues for the production of that Grape, which the sacred Spouse doth so much praise in the Canticles and the iuyce of which doth reioyce God and Man.

3. But now my THEOTIME who can doubt of the abundance of meanes to saluation, hauing so great a Sauiour, in consideration of whom we were made, and by the merits of whom we were ran­somed. For he dyed for all, because all were dead, and his Mercy was more Soueraigne to buie the Race of mortalls, then Adams Miserie was Veni­mous to loose it. And so farre was ADAMS fault from surmounting the Diuine Benignitie, that contrariwise, it was therby excited and prouoked. So that by a most sweete, and most louing ANTI­PERISTASIS and contention it receiued vigour fuom it's aduersaries presence, and as recollecting it's forces to vanquish, it caused grace, to super­abound where iniquitie had abounded. Whence [Page 92] the holy Church by a pious excesse of admiration cryes out vpon EASTER EVE, O Sinne of ADAM truly necessarie, which was cancelled by the death of IESVS-CHRIST! ô Blessed fault, which merited to haue such and so great a Redemour! Certes THEOTIME, we may saie as did that Auncient; we were lost, if we had not bene lost; that is our losse brought vs profit, sythens in effect humane nature hath receiued more graces by the redem­demption of her Sauiour, then euer she should haue receiued by Adam's innocencie, if he had perseuered therin.

4. For though the Diuine Prouidence hath left in man deepe markes of his anger, yea euen a middest the graces of his Mercy, as for example, the necessitie of death, sicknesse, labours, the re­bellion of the sensualitie, yet the Diuine Assi­stance, hauing the vpper hand of all these, takes pleasure to conuert these miseries, to the greatest aduantage of such as loue him, making Patience rise out of their trauailes; the Contempt of the world, out of the necessitie of death; a thousand victories ouer Concupiscence; and as the Raine­bowe touching the Thorne ASPALATHVS makes it more odoriferous then the Lillie: so our Sa­uiours Redemption touching our miseries, makes them more profitable, and amiable, then Origi­nall Iustice could euer haue bene. The Angels in heauen saieth our Sauiour, doe more ioy in one penitent sinner, them in nintie nine iust, and so the State of Redemption, is an hundred times better then that of Innocencie. Verily by being watered with our Sauiours Blood, caused by the [Page 93] Isoppe of the Crosse, we are reduced to a whit­nesse incomparably more excellent, then the snow of innocencie, returning out of the Flood of health with NAMAN, more pure and vnspotted, as though we had neuer bene Leprous: to th'end that the diuine Maiestie, as he hath also ordained we should doe, might not be ouercome by euill, but ouercome euill by good; that his Mercy as a sa­cred oyle might keepe aboue Iudgment, and his commiseration surpasse all his workes.

Of certaine speciall fauours exercised by the diuine prouidence in the Re­demption of man. CHAPTER. VI.

1. CErtainly God doth admirably show the riches of his incomprehensible power in this great varietie of things which we see in Nature. Yet doth he make the Trea­surs of his infinite Bountie more magnificent­ly appeare, in the incomparable varietie of be­nefits which we acknowledge in Grace. For THEOTIME he was not content with the holy excesse of his Mercy, in sending to his people, that is to Mankind, a generall and vniuersall Redem­ption by meanes wherof euery one might be sa­ued, but moreouer he diuersified it in so many sorts, that his Liberalitie did shine amiddest that varietie, and that varietie againe did mutually im­bellish his Lliberalitie.

2. And following this, he first of all prepared for his most holy Mother a fauour, worthy the [Page 94] loue of a Sonne, who being most wise, omni­potent and good, was to prouide himselfe of a Mother to his liking, and thefore he ordained that his Redemption should be applied to her by way of a preseruatiue to th'end that sinne, which ranne from generation to generation, might stop before it came at her; so that she was ransomed in so ex­cellent a manner, that although the Torrent of originall iniquitie came rolling her vnfortunate waters vpon the Conception of this sacred Lady, euen with as great impetuositie, as against the daughters of ADAM; yet being arriued there, it did not dare a further passage: but made a sodaine staie, as did of old, the waters of Iordaine, in the daies of IOSVE and for the same respect: for the flood stopt his course in reuerence of the Ark of Alliance which passed; and originall sinne made his waters retire, adoring, and dreading the pre­sence of the true Tabernacle of Eternall Alliance.

3. In this sort then God deturned all bondage from his glorious Mother, giuing her the good of both the states of humane nature: retaining the Innocencie which the first ADAM had lost, and en­ioying in an excellent sort the Redemption which the second did acquire. Whence as a garden of e­lection, which was to bring fourth the fruite of life, she was made florishing in all sorts of perfe­ctions; This sonne of eternall loue, hauing thus decked his Mother with a Robe of gold wrought in faire varietie, that she might be the Queene of his right hand, that is to saie, the first of the elect, which should enioy the delightes of God's right hand; so that this sacred Mother, as being altoge­ther [Page 95] reserued for her Sonne, was by him infran­chised, not onely from damnation, but euen from all danger of damnation, giuing her Assurance of grace, and the Perfection of grace: not vnlike an Aurora who beginning to appeare encreaseth continually in brightnesse till perfect day light. Admirable redemption! Master-pece of the Re­demour! and Prime of all Redemptions! by which the sonne with a truly filiall heart, preuented his Mother in the benedictions of sweetnesse, he pre­serued her, not onely from sinne as he did the An­gels, but euen from all danger of sinne and euery thing that might diuert, of hinder her in the exer­cise of holy Loue. Protesting that amongst all the reasonable Creaturs he had chosen, this Mother was his onely Doue, his entirely perfect, his who­lie deare well beloued without all paragon, and comparison.

4. God also appointed other sauours for a small number of rare Creaturs, whom he would assure from the perill of damnation; as certainly he did S. IOHN BAPTIST, and probably IEREMIE with certaine others, which the Diuine Proui­uidence seased vpon in their mothers wombe, and stated vpon them a Perpetuitie of Grace, by which they might remaine firme in his Loue, though subiect to delaies and veniall sinnes, which are contrarie to the perfection of Loue, not to Loue it selfe, and these soules in regard of others, are as Queenes continually crowned with Chari­tie, holding the principall place in the loue of their Sauiour next to his Mother who is Queene of Queenes. A Queene not onely crowned with [Page 96] Loue, but with the Perfectiō of loue, yea which is yet more, crowned with her owne Sonne the soue­raigne obiect of Loue, being that childrē are theire Fathers and Mothers crownes.

5. There are yet other soules which God de­termined for a time to leaue exposed to the dan­ger, not of loosing their saluation: but yet in perill to loose his Loue, yea he permitted them to loose it in effect, not assuring them Loue for the whole time of their life, but onely for the periode therof, and for certaine precedent times. Such were the APOSTLES, DAVID, MADELAINE, and di­uerse others, who for a time remained out of God's grace, but in the end being throughly conuerted they were confirmed in grace vntill death; so that, though from thence they continued subiect to im­perfections, yet were they exempt from all mor­tall sinne, and consequently from danger of loo­sing the Diuine loue, and were as the heauenly spouse his sacred soules, adorned indeede with a wedding garment of this holy loue: yet for all that not crowned; a crowne being an ornament of the head, that is of the prime part of a man: now the first yeares of the Soules of this ranck, hauing bene subiect to terreane loue, they were not to be adorned with the crowne of heauenly loue, but it is sufficient for them to weare the Robe which renders them capable of the marriage-bede with the heauenly Spouse, and to be eternally happie with him.

How admirable the diuine prouidence is in the diuersitie of graces giuen to men. CHAPTER. VII.

1. THere was then in the eternall Prouidence an incomparable fauour for the Queene of Queenes, Mother of faire Dilection, and alto­gether most entirely perfect. There were also for certaine others, some speciall fauours. After this the soueraigne Bountie poured an abundance of graces, and benedictions vpon the whole race of mankind, and the nature of Angels, with which all were watered, as with a light which illumina­teth euery man comming into this world; euery one receiued their portion, as of seed which falls not onely vpon the good ground, but vpon the high way, amōgst thornes, and vpō rockes, that all might be vnexcusable before the Redeemour, if they should not imploy this most aboundant Re­demption, for their soules health.

2. But albeit THEOTIME that this most aboun­dant sufficiencie of grace, be thus poured vpon all humane nature; and that in this we are all equall that a rich aboundāce of benedictions is presented to vs all; yet the varietie of these fauours is so great, that one cannot saie whether the greatnesse of these graces in so great a diuersitie, or the di­uersitie in such greatnesses be more admirable: For who sees not that the meanes of Saluation a­mongst [Page 98] Christians are greater, and more effica­cious then amongst Barbarians, and againe, that amongst Christians, there are People and Townes where the Pastors are more profitable and capa­ble. Now to denie that these exteriour meanes were benefits of the diuine Prouidence or to doubt whether they did auaile to the saluatiō, and perfection of soules, were to be vngratfull to the diuine Bountie, and belye certaine experience, by which we see that ordinarily where these exte­riour helpes abound, the interiour are more effi­cacious, and succeede better.

3. Certes as we see, that there are neuer found two men perfectly resembling th'one thother in naturall giftes, so are there neuer any found wholy equall in supernaturall ones. The Angels, as great S. AVGVSTINE and S. THOMAS assure vs, receiued grace with proportion to the varietie of their naturall conditions. Now they are all either of a different species or at least of a different con­dition, being they are distinguished one from an­other: therfore according to the diuersitie of An­gels, there are different graces. And though grace is not giuen to men according to their naturall conditions, yet the diuine sweetenesse ioyeth, and as one would saie exulteth in the production of graces, infinitly diuersifying them, to the end that out of his varietie, the faire enamell of his Redem­ption and mercy might appeare: whence the Church vpon the Feasts of euery Confessour and Bishop doth sing: There was not found the like to him; and as in heauen none knowes the new name, saue him that receiues it, because ech [Page 99] one of the Blessed, hath his owne a part, according to the new beeing of glorie which he attained. So in earth, euery one doth receiue a grace so parti­cular, that all are diuerse. Our Sauiour doth also compare his grace to Pearles, which as Plinnie saith, are otherwise called Vnions, because euery one of them are so singular in their qualities, that neuer two of them are found perfectly like. And as one starre is different from another in brightnesse, so shall one passe another in glorie, a sure signe of their aduantage in Grace. Now this varietie in Grace, or this grace in varietie, com­poseth a most sacred beautie, and most sweete har­monie, reioysing all the holy citie of the heauen­ly Hierusalem.

4. But we must be very warie neuer to make enquirie, why the supreame wisdome bestowes a GRACE rather vpon one thē another, nor why she makes her fauours abound rather in one behalfe thē another. No THEOTIME, neuer enter into this curiositie: For hauing all of vs sufficiently, yea a­bundantly, that which is requisite to saluation, what reason can any creature liuing haue to com­plaine, if it please God to bestow his graces more amply vpon one then another? If one should de­mand, why God made MELONS greater then STRAWBEARIES, or LYLIES greater then VIOLETS, why ROSMARIE is not a ROSE, or why the Cloue­gillow flour is not a Turnesole: why the Peacocke is more beautifull then the Rate, or why the Figue is sweete and the Lemmā sourishe, one would laugh at such demandes, and saie; poore man, sith the beautie of the world doth require varietie, it is [Page 100] necessarie there should be difference, and inequa­litie in things, and that the one should not be thother? For which cause the one is little, th'other great: the one bitter, the other sweete: the one more, the other lesse faire. Now, it is the same in supernaturall things: euery one hath his gifte, one thus and another thus, saieth the Holy Ghost. It is then an impertinencie to search, why S. PAVLE had not the grace of S. PETER; or S. PETER that of S. PAVLE; why S. ANTONIE was not S. ATHA­NASIVS; or he, S. HIEROME; for one would answere these demands, that the Church is a garden dia­pred with infinite flowers: it was necessary then they should be of diuerse quantities, diuerse cou­lours, diuerse odours, in fine of different perfe­ctions, euery of them haue their worth, grace, and beautie; and all of them in the collection of their varieties doe make vp a most gratefull perfection of beautie.

How much God desires, we should loue him. CHAPTER. VIII.

1. ALthough our Sauiours Redemption be ap­plyed vnto vs, in as many different man­ners, as there be soules; yet so notwithstanding that the vniuersall meanes of our Saluation, is Loue, which goes through all, and without which nothing is profitable, as elsewhere, we shall de­clare. The Cherubin was placed at the gate of the [Page 101] earthlie Paradice with his firie sword, to teach vs that none shall enter into the heauenlie Paradice, who is not pearced through with the sword of loue. For this cause THEOTIME the sweete IESVS who bought vs with his blood, desireth infinitly that we should loue him, that we might eternally be saued, and desires we might be saued, that we might loue him eternally, his loue tending to our saluation, and our saluation to his loue. Ah saieth he, I came to put fire into the world, to what end, but that it should burne; But to set out more to the life the vehemencie of his desire, he com­mandeth vs this loue in admirable termes. Thou shalt loue saieth he the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soule, with all thy force, this is the first and greatest Commandement. Good God THEOTIME how amourous the diuine heart is of our loue, had it not bene sufficient to haue published a permission, by which we might haue had leaue to loue him: as LABAN permitted Iacob to loue his faire RACHEL, and to gaine her by seruices? ah no! he made a further declaration of his amourous passion of loue to vs, and com­mandes vs to loue him with all our powre, least the consideration of his maiestie, and our mi­serie, which puts vs in so great a distance, and ine­qualitie, or other pretext whatsoeuer, might di­uert vs from his loue: In which THEOTIME he well shewes that he did not leaue in vs a naturall inclination to loue for nothing: For to th'end it might not be idle, he vrgeth vs by this generall commandement to imploy it, and to th'end this commandement might haue effect he furniseth [Page 102] euery liuing creature abundantly with all meanes requisite thervnto. The visible Sunne toucheth euery thing with his liuely heate, and as the com­mon louer of things belowe, doth impart vnto them requisite vigour to produce. And euen so the diuine goodnesse doth animate all soules and encourage all hearts to her loue, none at all being shut vp from her heate. The eternall wisdome sayeth Salomon preacheth in publicke, she makes her voice resoūd amōgst the places, she cries ād re­cries before the people, she pronoūceth her words in the gates of the Citie, saying ô children how long will it be, that you will loue your infancie? how long will fooles desire hurtfull things? and the imprudent hate knowledge? Conuert your selues, returne to me vpon this aduertissement; ah! behould how I profer you my spirit, and I will shew you my wordes. And the same wisdome pursueth in EZECHIEL saying. Let no man saye I am dead in sinne, and how cā I recouer life againe? Ah no! for harke, God saieth, I am liuing, and as true as I liue, I will not the death of a sinner but that he be conuerted and liue. Now, to liue accor­ding to God, is to loue, and he that loues not remaines in death; See now THEOTIME whether God doth not desire we should loue him.

2. But he is not content to denounce in this manner publickly his great desire to be loued, so that euery one might receiue a part of the seedes of his loue, but he goes euen from doore to doore, knocking and beating; protesting that if any one open, he will enter, and suppe with him; that is, he will testifie all sorts of good will to­wards [Page 103] him.

3. But what would all this saie THEOTIME but that God doth not onely giue vs a meere suffi­ciencie of meanes to loue him, and in louing him to saue our selues: but euen a rich, ample and magnificent sufficiencie, and such as ought to be expected from so great a bountie, as his. The great Apostle speaking to the obstinate sinner; Dost thou contemne, saieth he, the riches of the bountie, patience and longanimitie of God? art thou ignorant that the benignitie of God doth draw thee to penāce? But thou according to thy hardnesse ād impenitēt heart, dost heape vp against thy selfe anger in the day of Anger. My deare THEO: God doth not therfore exercise a meere suf­ficiencie of remedies to conuert the obstinate, but imployes to this end the riches of his bountie. The Apostle as you see doth oppose the riches of God's goodnesse, against the treasurs of the impe­nitēt hearts malice, and saieth, that the malicious heart is so rich in iniquitie, that he despiseth euē the riches of Gods mildnesse, by which he drawes him to repentance: and marke, that the obstinate doth not onely contemne the riches of God's goodnesse, but euē riches attractiue to repentance, Riches, wherof one cānot well be ignorant: veri­ly this rich heape, and abundant sufficiencie of meanes which God freely bestoweth vpon sinners to loue him, doth appeare almost through the whole Scripture. For see this diuine Louer at the gate, he doth not simply beate, but stayes beating; he calls the Soule, goe to, rise my well-beloued, dispach, put thy hād to the locke to try whether it [Page 104] will open: When he preacheth amidst the places, he doth not simply preach, but goes cry­ing out, that is, he continues his crie, and when he proclaims that euery one should conuert them­selues, he thinkes he hath neuer repeated it suffi­ciently. Conuert your selues, conuert your selues, doe penance, returne to me, liue, why dost thou die ô house of Israel? In conclusion this heauenlie Sauiour forgets nothing, to shew that his mer­cyes are aboue all his workes, that his mercy doth surpasse his Iudgment, that his Redemption is co­pious, that his loue is infinite, and as the Apostle saieth, that he is rich in mercy, and by conse­quence, that his will is, that all men should be saued, none perish.

How the eternall loue of God doth preuent our hearts with his inspirations to th'end we might loue him. CHAPTER. IX.

1. I Haue loued thee with a perpetuall charitie, ād therfore haue drawen thee vnto me hauing pitie and mercy vpon thee, and againe I will ree­difie thee, and thou shalt be built againe virgin of ISRAEL: These are God's wordes by which he pro­miseth that the Sauiour coming into the world shall establish a new raigne in his Church, which shall be his Virgin-spouse, and true spirituall Israëlite.

[Page 105]2. Now as you see THEOT: it was not by any merit of the workes which we had done that he saued vs, but according to his mercy, his auncient, yea eternall charitie which moued his diuine Pro­uidence to draw vs vnto him. For if the father had not drawne vs, we had neuer come to the Sonne our Sauiour, nor consequently to saluation.

3. There are certaine birds THEOT: which A­ristotle calls Apodes for that their legges being ex­treamly short, and their feete feable they haue no more vse of them then though they had none at all, so that if at any time they light vpon the groūd they are caught, neuer after being able to take flight, because hauing no seruice of their legges or feete, they haue no further power to rayse and re­gaine themselues into the ayre, but remaine there peuling and dying, vnlesse some winde fauorable to their impotencie, sending out his blastes vpon the face of the earth, sease vpon them, and beare them vp, as it doth many other things. For then making vse of their winges, they correspond to this first touch and motion which the winde gaue them, it also continewing it's assistance towards them bringing them by little and little to flight.

4. THEO: Angels are like to the birds, which for their beautie and raritie are called birds of Pa­radice, neuer seene in earth, but dead. For those heauenlie spirits had no sooner forsaken Diuine loue to be fixed vpon Selfe loue till sodainely they fell as dead, buried in Hell, seeing that the same ef­fect which death hath in men, seperating them euerlastingly from this mortall life, the same had the Angels fall in them, excluding them for euer [Page 106] from eternall life. But we mortalls doe rather re­semble Apodes: For if it chance that we, quitting the ayre of holy and diuine loue, fall vpon the earth and adheare to creaturs, which we doe as often as we offend God, we die indeede, yet not so absolute a death that there resteth in vs no motiō, together with legges and feete to wit, some weake affectiōs, which enableth vs to make some essaies of loue, yet so weakly, that in trueth, we are impo­tēt of our selues to reclaime our hearts from sinne, or restore our selues to the flight of sacred loue, which, catifs that we are, we haue perfideously and voluntarily forsaken.

5. And truely we should well deserue to re­maine abandoned of God, sith we haue disloyally abandoned him but his eternall charitie doth of­ten not permit his iustice to vse this chastisement, but exciting his compassion, prouokes him to reclaime vs from our miserie, which he doth by sending vnto vs the fauorable wind of his most holy inspiration, which blowing vpon our hearts with a sweete violence, doth sease and stirre them, aduancing our thoughtes, and eleuating our af­fections into the ayre of heauenly loue.

6. Now this first stirring or motion, which God, causeth in our hearts, to incite them to their owne good, is effected indeede in vs, but not by vs; for it cometh vnexpectedly before we either haue, or could haue thought of it, seeing we haue not any sufficiencie of our selues, as of our selues, to thinke any thing necessarie to our saluatiō, but all our abilitie is frō God, who did not onely loue vs before we were, but euen to th'end we might be, [Page 107] and become Saincts; For which cause, he doth preuēt vs with the blessings of his fatherly sweete­nesse and doth excitate our hearts, to bring them to a holy repentance and conuersion. See, I pray you THEOT: the poore Apostle, stupid with sinne in the heauie night of his Maisters passion; he did no more thinke to sorrow for his sinne, then though he had neuer knowen his heauenly Sa­uiour: and as a miserable Apode fallen vpon the ground had neuer risen, had not the Cocke, as an instrument of the diuine prouidence, struke his eares with his voice, at the same instante in which his sweete Redeemour casting vpō him a gracious looke as a dart of loue, transpearced his heart of loue, whence afterwards did issue water in such abundance, as did frō the auncient Rocke smot by Moyses in the Desert. But looke againe and see this holy Apostle sleeping in Herods Prison, chained in two chaines; he is there in qualitie of a Martyr, and neuerthelesse he representeth poore man, sleeping, enuironed with sinne, prisoner and slaue to Satan. Alas who will deliuer him? The Angell descends from heauen, and striking vpon the great emprisoned Peters side, awakes him, saying, vp, arise; and the inspiration comes from heauen as an Angell, and hitting right vpon the poore sinners heart, stirs him vp, that he might rise from his iniquitie. Is it not true then ô my deare THEOT: that this first motion and touch which the soule perceiueth, when God preuen­ting it with loue, doth awake and excite it to for­sake sinne returning vnto him; and not onely the first touch but euen the whole awaking is done in [Page 108] vs and for vs, but not by vs? We are awaked, but not of our selues; it was the inspiration which wakened vs, and to make vs rise, did moue and shake vs, I slept saieth the deuote Spouse, and my SPOVSE who is my Heart, watched. Ah! see him heare how he awakes me calling me by the title of our loues, I know well by his voice, t'is he. It is at vnawares ād vnexpectedly that God doth call and stirs vs vp by his holy inspiration. And in this beginning of grace, we doe nothing, but feele the touch which God giues in vs indeede as S. BER­RARD saieth, but without our concourse.

How we often times repulse the inspiration, and refuse to loue. CHAPTER. X.

1. VVoe be to thee COROSAIN, woe be to thee BETHSAIDA: For if in TIRIA and SIDONIA the Miracles had bene done which were done in thee, they had done penance in haire cloth and ashes; t'is the word of God; Harke I pray you THEOT: how the inhabitants of COROSAIN, and BETSAIDA, instructed in the true Religiō, and possessed of fauours, that would euen haue conuer­ted the Pagans themselues, remaine neuerthelesse obstinate neuer making vse therof, but reiecting this holy light, by an incomparable rebellion. Certainely at the day of iudgment, the NINIVITS and the Queene Saba will rise vp against the Iewes, and will conuince them to be worthy of damna­tion: [Page 109] For as touching the NINIVITS they being Idolatours, and Barbarians, at the voice of IONAS were conuerted and did penance; And the Queene of SABA, though engaged in the affairs of her kingdome: yet hauing heard the renowne of SALO­MONS wisdome, she forsooke all, to goe to heare him speake. While the IEWES, hearing with their eares the heauenly wisdome of the true SALO­MON Sauiour, of the world; seeing with their eies his miracles; touching with their hands his graces and benefits, ceased not for all that to be hardned, and to resist the grace which was profe­red them. See then againe THEOT: how they who had fewer drawings are brought to penance, and those who had more remaine obdurate: Those who had lesse occasion to come, come to wisdomes schoole: and those who had more, sticke in their follie.

2. Thus is the iudgment of comparison made, as all the Doctours haue noted, which can haue no foundation, if it consist not in this, that notwith­standing some haue had as many, or more callings, then others haue, they denyed consent to God's mercy, whereas others assisted with the like, yea euen lesser helpes, haue followed the inspiration betaking themselues to holy penance: For how could one otherwise reasonably reproach the im­penitent with their impenitencie, by comparison to such as are conuerted?

3. Certainly our Sauiour doth clearly shew, and all Christians doe in simplicitie conceiue, that in this iust iudgment the Iewes shall be condem­ned, by comparison to the NINIVITS; because those [Page 110] receiued many fauours, and yet loued not: much assistance, and yet repented not; these, lesse fauour, and yet loued much: lesse assistance, and yet sor­rowed much.

4. The great S. AVGVSTINE giues great light to this discourse by a passage of his in the 12. booke of the Citie of God, 6. 7. 8. and 9. Chap­ter; for though he haue there a particular reference to Angels, yet so, as that he makes a paritie in this pointe, betwixt them and men.

5. Now, after he had in the sixt chapter put two men, entirely equall in goodnesse and all things, molested with the same temptation, he presupposeth that the one could resist, the other giue way to the enemy: in the 9. chapter hauing proued that all the Angels were created in chari­tie, auerring further as a thing probable, that grace and charitie was equall in them all; he makes a de­mand how it came to passe, that some of them per­seuerd, and made progresse in goodnesse euen to the attaining of glorie, others forsooke good, to imbrace euill, euen to damnation. And he an­sweres, that no other answere can be rendred, then that the one companie perseuered by the grace of their Creatour: the other, of good which they were, became bad by their owne onely will.

6. But if it be true, as S. THOMAS doth singu­larly well prooue, that grace was diuersified in An­gels with proportion, and according to the varie­tie of their naturall giftes, the Seraphins should haue had a grace incomparably more excellent, then the simple Angels of the last Order: How then happened it, that some of the Seraphins, yea [Page 111] euen the first of all, according to the common and most probable opinion of the auncients, did fall, while an innumerable multitude of other Angels, inferiour in nature and grace, did brauely and couragiously perseuer? How came it to passe that Lucifer, excellent by nature, and superexcellent by grace fell and so many Angels with lesse aduan­tages stood to theire fidelitie. Truely such as stood ought to render the praise therof to God, who of his mercy created and maintained them good: But to whom can Lucifer and all his crew, ascribe their fall, if not as S. PAVLE saieth, to their owne will, which, by her libertie deuorced her selfe from God's grace that had so sweetely preuented her? How art thou fallen ô great Lucifer, who euen like a faire morning, came out into this in­uisible world, clothed with prime charitie, as from the beginning of the brightnesse of a faire day, who ought to encrease till the mid-day of eternall glorie? Thou didst not want grace, which corres­pondant to thy nature, thou hadst most excel­lent of all; but thou wast awanting to grace. God did not depriue thee of the operation of his loue, but thou depriued his loue of thy cooperation: God had neuer reiected thee, if thou hadst not re­iected his loue; O most good God, thou dost not forsake, vnlesse forsaken: thou neuer recalls thy giftes till we recall our hearts.

7. We robbe God of his right, if we take vnto our selues the glorie of our saluation: but we dis­honour his Mercy, if we saie he failed vs. In con­cealing his benefits, we wronge his Liberalitie: but we blaspheme his bountie, if we denie his assi­stance [Page 112] and succour. In fine God cries faire and high in our eares, thy perdition comes from thy selfe, ô Israël, I onely am thy succour.

That the diuine bountie's will is that we should haue a most ex­cellent loue. CHAPTER. XI.

1. O God THEOT: if we receiued diuine in­spiratiōs, in the full extent of their vertue, in how short a time should we make a great pro­gresse in sanctitie? Be the fountaine neuer so co­pious, her streames enter not into a garden accor­ding to their plentie, but in a measure, according to the littlenesse or amplitude of the chanell, by which they are conducted thither. And though the holy ghost, as a source of liue-water doth driue vpon our hearts euery side, to water them with his graces, yet so as he will not haue them enter without the free consent of our will. He will not pouer them out, but according to his good pleasure, and our owne disposition and coopera­tion, as the Holy Councell saieth, which also as I suppose, by reason of the correspondance betwixt our consent and grace, calls the receit therof a free receit.

2. In this sense, S. PAVLE exhorteth vs not to receiue God's grace in vaine. For as a sicke man, who hauing receiued the potion in his hand, and should not take it into his stomacke, should true­ly haue receiued the potiō, yet without receiuing [Page 113] it, that is, he receiued it in an vnprofitable and fruitlesse sort, so we receiue the grace of God in vaine, when we receiue it at the gate of our heart, without permitting it to enter into our hearts consent: for so we receiue it without receiuing it to wit, we receiue it without fruit, sith it auails nothing to feele the inspira­tion, vnlesse we consent vnto it. And as the sicke man, who had the potion giuen into his hand, if he tooke it not wholy but in part onely, had also the operation therof in part onely, not wholy: so when God sends a great and puissant inspiration to imbrace his loue, if we consent not according to it's whole amplitude, it will but profit vs in the same measure. It happens often, that being inspi­red to doe much, we consent not to the whole in­spiration, but onely to some part therof, as did those good people in the Gospell, who vpon the inspiration, which God gaue them to follow him, made reseruations, the one, to goe first and in­terre his father; the other, to take leaue of his friends.

3. As long as the poore widow had emtie vessells, the oyle, whose multiplication HELISEVS did miraculously impetrate, neuer left running; but when she had no more, to receiue it in, it sea­sed to flow. In the same measure in which our heart dilats it selfe, or rather, in the measure, in which it permits it selfe to be amplified and di­lated, not denying the freedome of it's cōsent to Gods mercy, he streames out continually, and without delay poures in his sacred inspirations, which still increase, and make vs increase more and [Page 114] more in heauenly loue. But when there is no more freedome left; or that we giue no further consent, he staies their course.

4. What is the reason then we are not so much aduanced in the loue of God, as was S. AVGVSTINE S. FRANCIS, S. CATHERINE of GENVA, or SAINT FRANCISCA: THEOT: it is, because God gaue vs not the grace; and why did not God giue vs the grace? for that we did not cōply as we ought with his in­spirations. And why did we not comply? Because hauing libertie, we did therin abuse it. But why did we abuse our libertie? Ah THEO: we must stop there: For, as S. AVGVSTINE saieth, the depraua­tion of our will, proceeds from no cause but from the defect of a cause, which causeth the sinne.

5. The deuote brother RVFIN, vpon a cer­taine vision which he had of the glorie which the great S. FRANCIS should attaine vnto, by his hu­militie, made him this demande: my deare father, I beseech you tell me in earnest, what opinion you haue of your selfe: The Sainte answered, verily I hould my selfe the greatest sinner in the world, and one which serueth God the least. But brother RVFIN replied, how can you saie that in truth and conscience, seeing that many others, as we mani­festly see, commit many great sinnes, from which God bethanked you are exempt? To which SAINT FRANCIS answered; if God, saieth he, had fauored those others of whom you speake, with so great mercy as he hath me, certaine I am, be they neuer so bad now, they had bene farre more acknowli­ging of God's giftes, then I am; and would serue him much better then I doe; and if my God did [Page 115] abandon me, I should commit more wickednes then they.

6. You see THEOT: the opinion of this man, who indeede was rather no man, but a Seraphin vpon earth, I know it was humilitie that moued him to speake thus of himselfe, yet neuerthelesse he beleeued for a certaine trueth, that an equall grace granted by a like mercy, might be more fruitfully imploied by one sinner then by another. Now I hould for an Oracle the feeling of this great doctour in the sciēce of Saints, who brought vp in the schoole of the Crosse, breathed nothing but diuine inspirations. This Apothegme hath also bene praised, and repeated by the greatest de­uotest that followed him, amongst which, diuerse are of opinion, that the great Apostle S. PAVLE, saied in the same sense, that he was the greatest of all sinners.

7. The blessed mother TERESA of IESVS a virgin indeede altogether angelicall, speaking of Praier of repose, saieth these words. There are diuerse soules, which come to this perfection, but few passe further, and I know not the cause of it, cer­tainly the fault is not on Gods side: for sith his di­uine maiestie doth ayde vs, and giues vs the grace to arriue at this pointe, I assure my selfe, he would not be deficient to assist vs further, if it were not our fault, and the impediment which we of our part put. Let vs therefore THEO: be attentiue to aduancement in the loue which we owe to God, for his to vs can neuer faile.

That diuine inspirations leaue vs in our libertie to follow, or repulse them. CHAPTER. XII.

1. I Will not heare speake my deare THEOT: of those miraculous graces, which haue almost in an instāt, transformed wolfes into shepsheards, Rockes into waters, persecutors into preachers; I'le leaue a part those all-powerfull vocations, and holily violent draughts by which God hath brought some elect soules, from the extreamitie of vice, to the extreamitie of grace, working, as it were in thē, a certaine TRANSSVBTANTIATION morall and spirituall, as it happned to the great Apostle, who of SAVLE vessell of persecution, be­came Sodainly PAVLE vessell of election. We must giue a particular rancke to those priuileged soules vpon whom it pleased God to exercise not a meere abundance, but an inundation, and if one may so saie, not a liberalitie onely or a meere owerflowing but euen a prodigalitie and lauishing out of his loue. The diuine iustice doth chastise vs in this world with punishments, which as they are ordi­narie, so they remaine alwaies in a manner vn­knowen and imperceptible, yet sometimes he sends out Deluges and Abisses of punishments, to make knowen, and dreaded the seueritie of his indignation: In like manner, the diuine Mercy doth ordinarily conuert, and gratifie soules so [Page 117] sweetely, gently, and delicatly, that his motion is scarcely perceiued, and yet it happens againe, that his soueraigne bountie ouerflowing his ordinarie bankes, (as a flood swollen and ouercharged with the aboundance of waters, which breaketh ouer the plaine) streames out his graces, so impe­tuously though louingly, that in a moment he doth water and couer a soule with benedictions, that the riches of his loue may appeare; and as his iustice proceedes cōmonly the ordinarie way, and but seldome the extraordinarie; so his mercy ex­erciseth liberalitie vpon the cōmon sort of men the ordinarie way, and but vpon some few onely the extraordinarie.

2. But which are then the ordinarie lines wherby the diuine prouidence is accustomed to draw our hearts to his loue? Such truly as he him­selfe doth designe describing the meanes which he vsed to draw the people of Israel out of Egipte, and out of the desert vnto the land of Promisse: I will draw them saieth he by OSEE, with lines of humanitie, charitie, and loue. Doubtlesse THEOT: we are not drawen to God by Iron chaines, as Bulls and Bufflers: but by enticements, delicious touches and holy inspirations, which in some, are the lines of ADAM and humanitie; that is pro­portioned and squared to humane hearts, where libertie is naturall: the property of mans heart, is delight and pleasure; we show Nuts to children saieth S. AVGVSTINE, ād they are drawen in louing them, they are drawen by the line, not of the bo­die, but of the heart. Marke then how the eter­nall father drawes vs, by teaching he delightes vs, [Page 118] not by imposing vpon vs any necessitie, he ea­steth into our hearts delectatiōs ād spirituall plea­sures as sacred baits by which he sweetely drawes vs to take and tast the sweetenesse of his doctrine.

3. In this sort then, dearest THEO: our free­will is in no wise forced, or necessitated by grace; but notwithstanding the most powerfull vigour of Gods mercifull hand, which toucheth, enuiro­neth, and ties the soule with such a number of in­spirations, seades, and draughtes, this humane will remaines franke and free, and exempt from all constrainte and necessitie. Grace is so gracious and so graciously seaseth our hearts to draw them, that she offends nothing in the libertie of our will: she toucheth powerfully, but yet so delicatly the parts of our heart, that our free will receiues no force therby: she hath forces, not to force, but to entice the heart, she is holily violent, not to violate, but to make our libertie beloued. She acteth strongly, yet so sweetely, that our will doth not remaine op­pressed by so powerfull an action, she presseth, but oppresseth not our libertie, so that amiddest these forces, we haue power to consent, or dissent from her motions, according to our liking. But that which is no lesse admirable then true, is, that when our will followeth the draught, and con­sents to the diuine motion, she followeth no lesse freely, then freely she doth resist, when she resi­steth: although the consent to grace, depends much more of grace, then of the will, and that the resistance of grace, depends vpon the will onely, so amiable is Gods hand in the hadling of our hearts; so dexterous it is in communicating vnto vs its [Page 119] force, without depriuing vs of libertie; and in im­parting vnto vs the motiō of his power, without impeachmēt to the motion of our will; adding power to sweetnesse; in such sort, that as in good things his power doth sweetly giue vs force, so his sweetnesse doth mātaine powerfully the freedome of our will. If thou knew the gift of God, saied our Sauiour to the Samaritane, and who he is who saieth vnto thee giue me to drinke, thou thy selfe peraduēture wouldst haue asked him, and he had giuen thee liue-water. See I praie you, THEO: the touch of our Sauiour when he signifies his drawings: If thou knewst, would he saie, the gift of God, doubt­lesse thou wouldst be moued and drawen, to de­mand the water of eternall life, and perchance thou wouldst demand it: as though he had saied, thou shouldst haue power and motion to de­mand, yet in no wise be forced or constained: but onely, perchance, thou would demand it; for thy libertie would remaine to demand or not de­mand it. Such are our Sauiours words according to the vulgar edition, and according to S. AV­GVSTINE vpon S. IOHN.

4. To conclud, if any should saie, that our free-will doth not cooperate in consenting to the grace, with which God doth preuent her: or that she could not reiect, and denie it consent, he should contradict the whole Scripture, all the aun­cient fathers, experience, and be excommunicated by the Concell of Trent. But when it is saied that we haue power to reiect the diuine inspirarions and motions, there is no such meaning at all, as that one may hinder God to inspire vs, or touch [Page 120] our hearts; for as I haue already saied, that is done in vs without our helpe. These are fauours which God bestowes vpon vs, before we haue once thought on them: he awakes vs when we sleepe: and consequently we find our selues awake be­fore we thought on't, but it is in our power to rise or not to rise; and though he haue awaked vs with­out vs, he will not raise vs without vs. Now not to rise is to resist the call, and sleepe againe, seeing we were called onely to th'end we should rise. We cannot hinder that the inspiration thrust vs not on, and consequently put vs not into mo­tion, but if as it driues vs forwards, we repulse it by not yeelding our selues to its motion, we then make resistance; so the winde hauing seased vpō, ād mounted our Apodes, will not beare thē vp ve­ry farre vnlesse they display their winges, and coo­perate raising themselues, and soaring vp a loft in­to the aire, toward which the winde began their motion: but if contrariwise taken, as it happens, with some pray they espie vpō the ground, or be­fium'd with their delay there, in lieu of seconding the winde, they keepe their winges foulded and doe cast themselues againe vpon the earth: they receiued indeede the motion of the winde, but in vaine sith they did not helpe themselues therby. THEO: inspirations doe preuent vs, and euen be­fore they be thought on make themselues be felt, but after we haue felt them, it is in our hand's either to consent to them, to second and follow their motiō, or else to dissent and repell thē. They cause themselues to be perceiued by vs without vs: but without vs they doe not force consent.

Of the first feelings of loue which diuine inspirations cause in the soule before she yet receiue faith. CHAPTER XIII.

1. THe winde that raiseth the Apodes, blowes first vpon their fethers as parts most light, and capable of agitation: by which it giues the beginning of motion to their winges, ex­tending and displaying thē; making vse therof as of a hold, by which it may sease the birds, and waft them into the aire. And if they thus mounted, doe cōtribute the motiō of their winges to that of the winde, the same winde that first enter'd their motion will still ayde them more and more to fly with ease. Euen so, my deare THEO: when an in­spiration, as a sacred gale, blowes vs forward in the aire of holy loue, it first laies at our will, and by the sense of some heauenly delectation moues, vnfolds, and extends the naturall inclination which she hath to good: so that it serues it selfe of this inclination as a hold to fasten vpon the soule, and all this as I haue saied is done in vs, without vs: for it is the diuine fauour, that doth preuent vs in this sort. But if our will thus holily preuented, per­ceiuing the winges of her inclination moued, dis­plaied, extended, stirred and agitated by this hea­uenly winde, doe in any measure contribute her consent, ah how happie she is THEO: for the same inspiration, and fauour which hath seased vs, mix­ing [Page 122] their action with our consent, animating our feeble motions with their vigour, and giuing life to our weake cooperation, by the puissance of their operation, they ayde, conduct and accom­panie vs, from loue to loue, euen vnto the act of most holy faith requisite for our conuersion.

2. Sweete God THEO: what a consolation it is to consider the sacred methode with which the Holy Ghost pouers into our soules the first rayes and feelings of his light, and vitall heate! O IESVS how delightfull a pleasure it is, to marke how the diuine loue goes by little and little; by degrees which insensibly become sensible, displaying his light vpon a soule, neuer disisting till he haue wholy couered it with the splendour of his pre­sence, endewing it in the end with the perfect beautie of his day! ô how cheerefull, faire, amia­ble, and agreeable this day-breake is! Neuerthe­lesse true it is, that either this breake of day is not day, or if it be day, it is but a beginning day, a ri­sing of the day, and rather the infancie of the day then the day it selfe. In like manner, without doubt these motions of loue which forerunne the act of faith requisite to our iustifi­tion, are either not loue properly speaking, or but a beginning and imperfect loue. They are the first verdant blossomes, which the soule warmed with the heauenly Sunne, as a mysticall tree begins to put fourth in spring time which are rather presa­ges of fruite then fruite it selfe.

3. S. PACOMIVS, as then a young souldier and ignorant of God, enrolled vnder the colours of the armie, which CONSTANCE had leuied against the [Page 123] Tyrant MAXENTIVS, came with the Companie with whom he was to lodge nigh a little towne, not farre distant frō Thebes, where not onely he, but all the armie were in extreame want of victualls; which the inhabitants of the little towne hauing vnderstoode, being by good fortune Christians, and consequently friendly and charitable to their neighbours, they sodainly succoured the soul­diers in their necessitie; and that with such care, courtifie, and affection, that PACOMIVS was strucke with admiration therat, and demāding what natiō it was that was so bountifull, amiable and gracious, it was answered him, they were Christians; and enquiring againe, of what law, and manner of life they were, he learned that they beleeued in IESVS CHRIST the onely sonne of God, and did good to all sorts of people, with a firme hope to re­ceiue euen of God himselfe, an ample recompense therof. Alas THEOT: the poore PACOMIVS, though of a good nature, was then laied a sleepe in the beed of his infidelitie, and behould how vpon a sodaine, God was present at the port of his heart, and by the good example of these Christians, as by a sweete voice he calls him, awakes him and giues him the first Feelings of the little heate of his loue for scarcely had he heard, as I haue saied, the sweete law of our Sauiour intimated, till filled with a new light, and interiour consolation, retiring him­selfe a part, and hauing for a space mused, he lifted vp his hands towards heauen, and with a profound sigh, fell into this speach. Lord God who made heauen and earth, if thou deigne to cast thine eies vpon my basenesse, and miserie, and giue me the [Page 124] knowledge of thy diuinitie, I promisse to serue thee, and obey thy commandements all the daies of my life. From this praier and promisse, the loue of the true good, and pietie did so encrease in him, that he ceased not to practise, a thousand thousād acts of vertue.

4. Verily me thinkes I see in this example, a Nightingale who waking at the peepe of the day begins to stirre vp, and strech her selfe, vnfould her plumes, skipe from branch to branch amidst the thickets, and chirpe out her delicious notes. For did you not note, how the good example of the charitable Christians, did excitate and stirre vp by manner of surprise the blessed PACOMIVS; Tru­ly the amaisement of admiration wherwith he was taken, was no other thing, then his awaking. At which God touched him, as doth the Sunne the earth with a raie of his heate, which filled him with a great feeling of spirituall pleasure. For which cause PACOMIVS did a little diuert himselfe: To th'end he might with more attention and fa­cilitie recollect, and relish the grace he had recei­ued, withdrawing himselfe to thinke thervpon: then he extends his heart and hands towards hea­uen, whether the inspiration drawes him, and be­ginning to displaie the winges of his affections, flying betwixt the diffidēce which he hath of him­selfe, and the confidēce which he reposeth in God he intons in an ayre humbly amourous, the Can­ticle of his conuersion, by which he testifieth, that euen already he knew one onely God Creatour of heauen and earth: but withall he knew that he did not know him sufficiētly to serue him as he ought [Page 125] and therefore he petitions, that a more perfect knowledg may be imparted vnto him, that therby he may come to the perfect seruice of his diuine maiestie:

4. Behould in the interim, I beseech you THEO: how God in a sweete manner fortifieth by little and little the grace of his inspiration in the consenting hearts, drawing them after him, as it were stepp by stepp, vpon this IACOBS ladder. But of what sort are his drawhtes? The first, by which he doth preuent, and awake vs, is his worke in vs, without our cooperation; All the other, are his works, and in vs, but not without our concourse. Draw me saied the sacred spouse, that is, begin thou first; for I cānot awake of my selfe, I cānot moue, vnlesse thou moue me; but when thou shalt once haue giuen motion, then ô thou deare Spouse of my heart, we runne, we two, thou runns before me drawing me still forward: and as for me, I will follow thee in thy course, consenting to thy draught: but let no man thinke that thou haist me after the by compulsion, as a slaue, or as a liuelesse charret; ah no, thou drawes me by the o­dour of thy perfumes; though I follow thee, it is not that thou trayles me; but that thou dost intice me; thy drawghtes are puissant, but no way violent, sith their whole force, is placed in their sweetenesse; Perfumes haue no other force to draw men to follow them, then their sweetenesse; and how could sweetenesse draw, but sweetely and de­lightfully.

Of the feeling of the diuine loue which is had by faith. CHAPTER. XIV.

1. VVHen God giues vs faith he enters into our soule, and speakes to our heart, not by manner of discourse, but by way of inspiration, proposing in so sweete a manner that which ought to be beleeued vnto the vnderstāding that the will receiues therby a great complacence and such indeede, as that it incites the vnderstan­ding to consent, and yeeld to TRVTH without doubt or distrust at all, and heare lyes the miracle: for God proposeth the mysteries of faith to our soules, amid'st obscurities and cloudes, in such sort: that we see not, but onely ENTER-VIEVV it, as TRVTH it happens somtimes that the face of the earth being couered with fogges, we cannot view the Sunne, but onely a little more then ordinarie brightnesse about where it is; so that as one would saie, we see it without seeing it, because on the one side we see it not so faire, as that we can well af­firme we see it; nor yet againe doe we see it so little, that we may auerre we see it not; and this is that which we terme ENTER-VIEVV. And not­withstanding this obscure brightnesse of faith, h [...]ing got entrie into our soule, not by way of discourse or show of argument but by the onely sweetenesse of it's presence, it workes the vnder­standing to beleeue and obey it with as great au­thoritie, [Page 127] as the assurance which it giues vs of the TRVTH, surpasseth all other assurances, and doth keepe the vnderstanding, and all the discourse therof in such subiection that they haue no credit in comparison of faith.

2. Good God THEO: may I well saie this? Faith is the great friend of our vnderstanding, and may iustly saie to humane sciences, which vante they are more cleare then she, as did the sacred spouse to the shepheards. I am black, yet faire, ô humane discourses of sciences acquired; I am black, for I am seated amongst the obcurities of simple reuelatiōs, which haue no apparēt euidēce, but makes me looke blacke, putting me well nigh out of knowledge: yet I am faire in my selfe, by reason of my infinite, certaintie, and if mortall eies could behould me such as I am by nature, they would finde me entirely faire: And must it not necessarily follow that in effect I am infinitly amiable, since that the gloomie darknesse, and thicke mistes amongst which I am, not viewed but onely ENTER-VIEVVED, could not hinder me to be so agreeable, but that the vnderstanding prising me aboue all things, and breaking the presse of other knowledges caused way be made vnto me, and receiued me as his Queene into he most sub­lime throne of his Pallace, from whence I giue lawes to all sciences, and doe keepe, all discourse and humane sense vnder: yea verily THEO: euen as the Commanders of the Armie of Israel strip­ping themselues, put all their clothes in a heape, and made them as a royall throne, vpon which they placed IEHV, crying IEHV is kinge, so at [Page 128] faiths arriuall the vnderstanding puts of all dis­course and arguments, and submitting them to faith, sets her vpon them, acknowledging her for Queene, and with a great ioye cries out VIVE LA FOY. Discourse and pious arguments, miracles and other aduantages of Christian religion, make faith wonderfull credible and intelligible, but faith alone makes her beleeued ād acknowledged enamoring men with the beautie of her VERITIE. and making thē beleeue the veritie of her beautie by meanes of the sweetenesse which she poures into their wills, and the assurance which she giues to their vnderstanding. The IEWES saw the mi­racles and heard the wonders of our Sauiour, but being indisposed to receiue faith, that is, their will not being capable of the sweetenesse ād plea­santnesse of faith, by reason of the bitternesse and malice, with which they were filled, they persi­sted in their infidelitie. They perceiued the force of the argumēt, but they relished not the sweete­nesse of the conclusion, and therfore did not rest in her truth, while notwithstanding the act of faith consisteth in this rest of the vnderstanding, which hauing receiued the gratefull light of truth adheares to it, as to a sweete, yet powerfull and solide assurance and certaintie, which it draweth from the authoritie of the REVELATION had therof.

3. You haue heard THEO: that in generall Councels there are great disputatiōs and inquiries made of truth by discourse, reason, and theolo­gicall arguments, but the matters being discussed, the FATHERS, that is the Bishops, but especially the [Page 129] POPE, who is the head of Bishops doth resolue, conclude, and determine, and the determination being once pronoūced euery one doth fully therin rest, and quiet them selues, not in consideration of the reasons alleaged in the precedent discussion and inquisition; but in vertue of the Holy Ghosts authoritie, who presiding inuisibly in Councells, iudged determined and concluded by the mouth of his seruants, whom he had established Pastours of Christianitie. The inquisition then and the disputation is made in the PORCES by Priestes and Doctours, but the resolution and determina­tion is passed in the SANCTVARIE where the Ho­ly Ghost which animateth the bodie of his Church speaketh by the mouth of the head thereof: In like manner the Ostridg layes her egges vpon the Libian shore, but the Sunne alone doth hatch her young ones. The Doctours by their inquirie, and discourse doe propose TRVTH, but the one­ly beames of the Sunne of iustice giues certaintie, and repose therein. Now to conclude THEOTIME this assurance which man's reason finds in sublime things, and mysteries of faith, begins by an a­morous sense of delight, which the will re­ceiues from the beautie and sweetenesse of the proposed TRVTH, so that faith doth compre­hend a beginning of loue towards heauenly things, which our heart resenteth.

Of the great feeling of loue which we re­ceiue by holy hope. CHAPTER. XV.

1. AS being exposed to the Sunne beames at mid-day, we hardly see the brightnesse, till presently we feele the heate; so the light of faith hath no sooner spred the splendour of its verities in our vnderstanding, but incontinently our will perceiues the holy heate of heauenly loue. Faith makes vs know by an infallible certaintie that God is; that he is infinite in bountie; that he can communicate himselfe vnto vs; and not onely that he can, but that he will; so that by an ineffable sweetenesse he hath prouided vs of all things re­quisite to obtaine the happinesse of eternall glorie. Now we haue a naturall inclination to the soue­raigne good, by reason of which our heart is tou­ched with a certaine inward griping and a conti­nuall disquiet, not being able to repose or cease to testifie, that it enioyes not its perfect satisfactiō and solide contentment, but when holy faith hath represented vnto our vnderstanding this faire obiect of our naturall inclination, ô good God THEO: what repose, what pleasure, how ge­nerall an exultation possesseth our soule, where­vpon, as being surprised at the aspect of so excel­lent a beautie, in loue she cries out, ô how faire thou art my well-beloued, ô how faire thou art!

2. Eliezer sought for a wife to his master A­BRAHAMS [Page 131] sonne: how knew he that she would ap­peare faire and gracious in his eies, as his desire was? but when he had espied her at the fountaine, and saw her so excellent in beautie and so perfe­ctly sweete, and especially when he had obtained her, he adored GOD and blessed him with thankes-giuing full of incomparable ioye. Mans heart tends to God by his naturall inclination, without discerning well who he is, but when he finds him at the fountaine of faith, and seeth him so good, faire, sweete, and gentle towards all, and so prone, as soueraigne good, to bestow himselfe vpon all which desire him, ô God what content­ments, and what sacred motions hath the soule to vnite her selfe for euer to this bountie so soue­raignly amiable? I haue foūd, saieth the soule thus inspired, I haue found that which my heart desi­red and now I am at repose: And as Iacob hauing seene the faire Rachel after he had holily kissed her, melted into treares of ioye, for the good he apprehended in meeting with so desired an obiect; so our poore heart hauing found out God, and re­ceiued of him the first kisse of holy faith, it dis­solues fourthwith into the delightes of loue, by reason of the infinite good which it presently es­pies in that soueraigne Beautie.

3. We somtimes experience in our selues cer­taine vnexpected delights, without any appa­rent cause, and these are diuers times presages of some greater ioyes, whence many are of opinion that our good Angell fore-seeing the good which shall arriue vnto vs, giues vs by this meanes a fore­tast therof, as contrariwise he strikes into vs with [Page 132] a certaine feare and dread amongst vnknowen dangers, to the end we may be moued to inuoke GODS assistance, and stand vpon our garde: Now when the presaged good arriues we receiue it with open breast, and reflecting vpon the content we formely tasted without knowing the cause, we onely then begin to perceiue, that it was a fore­runner of the Hape we now enioye. Euen so my deare THEO: our heart hauing had for so long a time an inclination to it's soueraigne good, knew not to what end this motion tended: But so soone as faith hath set it at view, then the heart doth clearly discerne, that it was that which his soule coueted, his vnderstanding serched, and his incli­nation aymed at. Certainly whether we wake, or sleepe, our soule tends toward the soueraigne good: but what is this soueraigne good? we are like to these good ATHENIANS, who sacrificed vnto the true God albeit vnknowen vnto them, till the great S. PAVLE taught thē the knowledge therof. For so our heart by a deepe and secrete instinct, in all his actions doth tend to, and pretend felicitie, pursuing it here and there as it were by groping, without knowing either where it resides, or in what it consisteth, till faith showes and describs the infinite mysteries therof; but then hauing found the treasure he sought for, ah! what con­tentment finds this poore humane heart! What ioye, what complacence of loue! ô I haue met with him, whom my heart sought for without knowing him; ô how I was ignorant to what my pretentions did tend, while nothing of that which I pretended, could content me, because I knew [Page 133] not indeede what I pretēded. I pretended to loue, yet knew not vpon what to place my affection, and therefore my pretention not finding its true loue, my loue remained alwayes in a true, yet vn­knowen pretention; I had indeede sufficient tou­ches of loue to make me pretend, but not sense enough of the Bountie which I was to loue, to exercise loue.

How loue is practised in hope. CHAPTER. XVI.

1. MAns vnderstanding being conueniently applied to the consideratiō of that which faith representeth touching it's soueraigne good, presently vpon it, the will conceiues an extreame, delight in this diuine obiect which then being ab­sent, begets an ardent desire of it's presence, whēce the soule holily cries out, let him kisse me with a kisse of his mouth.

And as the vnhoodded Hawke hauing got her pray at view, doth sodainely lanch her selfe vpon the winge, and being held in her leash strugles vpon the hand with extreame ardout; so faith ha­uing drawen the vaile of ignorance, and made vs see our soueraigne good, of which neuerthelesse we cannot yet be possessed, retained by the con­dition of this mortall life; alas THEO: we then de­sire it in such sort, that

This desire is iust, THEO: for who would not de­sire so desirable a good? But this desire would be vnprofitable, yea would be a continuall torment to our heart, if we had not assurāce that we should at length satiate it, he, who, because he was de­laied in the possession of this happinesse, protested that his teares were his ordinarie bread night and day, so long as his God was absent, and his ene­mies demanded where is thy God, Alas what would he haue done, if he had not had some hope one day to enioye this good after which he sighed. The Diuine spouse, wailes and pines with loue, be­cause she doth not readily find out the well-be­loued she searcheth for. The loue of the well-be­loued had bred in her a desire: that desire begot an ardour to pursue it: and that ardour, caused in her a languishment, which had consumed, and annihilated her poore heart, vnlesse she had hoped at length to meete with that she pursued: So then [Page 135] least the vnrest, and dolourous langour which the essaies of coueting loue causeth in our soules, might make vs quaile in courage or carrie vs to dispare, the same souueraigne good, which moues in vs so vehement a desire, doth also giue vs assurance, that we may with ease obtaine it, by a thousand thousand promisses which he giues vs therof in his holy word and by his inspirations, alwayes prouided, that we will imploy the meanes he hath prepared for vs, and which he offers vs to this effect.

2. Now these diuine promises and assurances, by a particular miracle encrease the cause of our disquiete, and according to that augmentation, they ruinate and destroy the effects; yea verily THEO. for the assurance which GOD giues vs, that Paradice is for vs, doth infinitly fortifie the desire we haue to enioye it, and yet doth weaken, yea al­together distroy the trouble and disquiet which this desire brought vnto vs, so that our hearts, by the promises which the diuine goodnesse hath made vs, remaine quieted, and this quiete is the roote of the most holy vertue, which we call hope. For the will assured by faith, that she hath power to enioye the soueraigne good, vsing the meanes appointed, makes two great acts of vertue; by the one, she expects from God the fruition of his soueraigne goodnesse, by the other, she aspires to that holy fruition.

3. And indeede THEO: betwixt hoping and as­piring, there is but this difference, that we hope for things which we expect by an others assistance, and we aspire vnto those things which we thinke [Page 136] to atchiue of our selues, by our owne endeuours: and for so much as we attaine the fruition of our soueraigne good, which is GOD, by his fauour, grace and mercy; and that notwithstanding the saied mercy will haue vs cooperate with his fa­uours, by contributing the weaknesse of our con­sent, to the strength of her grace; our hope is thence in some sort mixed with aspiration, so that we doe not altogether hope without aspiring, nor doe we euer aspire without altogeither hopeing, in which, hope keeps the principall place, as being founded vpon heauenly grace: without which like as we cannot euen so much as thinke of our soue­raigne good in such sort as we ought to arriue there; so can we neuer without hope in a compe­tent manner aspire to the obtaining of it.

4. Our aspiration then is a young shoot of hope, as is our cooperation of grace, and as those that would hope without aspiring, would be re­iected as degenerous and negligent, so those that should aspire without hopeing would be rash, in­solent, and presumptious: but when hope is se­conded with aspiration, and that hopeing we as­pire, and aspiring we hope, then deare THEO: hope by aspiration becomes a couragious desine, and aspiration is changed by hope into an humble pretention while we hope and aspire as GOD shall inspire vs. Howbeit as well the one as the other is caused by the coueting loue, tending, to our soueraigne good, which by how much more sure­ly it is hoped for, by so much it is more affected: yea hope is no other thing then a complacence of loue, which we take in the expectation and pre­tention [Page 137] of our soueraigne good. All that is there is loue TH. As soone as faith had showe me my soue­raigne good I loued it, which because it was ab­sent, I desired it, and hauing vnderstood that he would bestow himselfe vpon me, I loued and desi­red him yet more ardently; ād indeede his bountie is so much more to be beloued, ād desired, by how much it is more prone to cōmunicate it selfe. Now by this progresse loue turned his desire into hope, pretention and expectation, so that hope is a pre­tending and attending loue, and because the soue­raigne good which hope expects, is God, whom also she doth not expect but from God himselfe, to whom and by whom she doth hope and aspire, this holy vertue of hope bounded on euery side by God, is by consequence a diuine or Theologicall vertue.

That the Loue which is practised in hope, is very good, though imperfect. CHAPTER. XVII.

1. THe loue which we practise in hope aymes at GOD indeede THEO: marry it redounds vpon our selues, his aspect is vpon the diuine goodnesse, yet with a respect to our owne profit; it tends to this supreame perfection, but it pre­tends our owne satisfaction; that is, it carrieth vs not towards God, for that he is soueraignely good in himselfe, but because he is soueraignely good to vs; in which, as you see, there is a cer­taine [Page 138] respect to our selues, and our proper interest; so that this loue is truely loue, but loue of Con­cupiscence, and profit; Yet doe I not affirme, that it doth in such sort returne to our selues, that it makes vs loue God onely for the loue of our selues; ô God no: For the soule which should not loue God, but for the loue of her selfe, pla­cing the end of the loue which she beareth to God in her proper interest, should alas, commit an extreame sacrilege. If a wife loue her husband onely for the loue of her seruant, she should loue her husband in nature of a seruant, and her seruant in the nature of a husbād; so the soule that loueth not God, but for her selfe, loueth her selfe as she ought to loue God, and God as she ought to loue her selfe.

2. But there is a faire difference betwixt this word. I loue God for the good which I expect frō him; and this, I doe not loue God but in regard of the good which I expect from him; as it is also a farre other thing, to saie, I loue God for my selfe, and I loue God for the loue of my selfe, for when I say I loue God for my selfe, it is as though I should saie I loue to haue God, I loue that God should be myne, my soueraigne good, which is a holy affection of the heauenly Spouse, who an hun­dred times in excesse of delight protesteth; my well-beloued is wholy mine, and I entirely his, I to him, and he to me: but to saie I loue God, for loue of my selfe? is as one should saie, the loue which I beare to my selfe is the end why I loue God; in such sort, that the loue of God would be dependant, subordinate and inferiour to the loue [Page 139] of our selues, which is a matchlesse impietie.

3. This loue then, which we terme hope, is a loue of concupiscence, but of a holy, and well or­dered concupiscence, by meanes where of we doe not draw God to vs, nor to our profit, but we adioyne our selues vnto him as to our finall hap­pinesse; by this loue we loue our selues together with God, yet not preferring or equalising our selues to him in this loue; the loue of our selues is mixed with that of God, but that of God keepes the vpper had; our owne loue enters there, indeede but as a simple motife, not as principall end; our owne interest hath some place there, but God holds the principall rancke. Yea without doubt THEO: for when we loue God as our soueraigne, we loue him for a qualitie, by which we doe not referre him to vs, but vs to him. We are not his end, pre­tention, or perfection, but he ours; he doth not appertaine to vs, but we to him; he depēdeth not of vs, but we of him. In somme, by the qualitie of soueraigne good for which we loue him, he re­ceiueth nothing of vs, but we receiue of him. He doth exercise vpon vs his plentie and bountie; and we our scarcitie and want; So that to loue God in qualitie of soueraigne good, is to loue him with an honorable and respectfull loue, by which we acknowledge him to be our perfection, repose and end, in the fruition of which our felicitie is placed: some things there are which are seruiceable vnto vs in their vse, as our slaues, seruants, horses, clothes, and the loue which we beare vnto them is a loue of pure concupiscence, sith we loue them not, but for our owne profit [Page 140] onely. Other things there are wherof we haue the fruition, but a fruition which is reciprocall, and mutually equall, as we enioye our friends: for the loue we haue vnto them, in that they doe content vs, is indeede a loue of concupiscence, yet an ho­nest one, making them ours, and vs mutually theirs: them belonge to vs, and vs againe to them. But there are yet other things which we enioye by a fruition of dependance, participation, and sub­iection; as we doe the beneuolence, presence or fauour of our Prelats, Princes, fathers, and mo­thers: for verily the loue which we beare vnto them, is truely a loue of concupiscence; when we loue them in that they are our Princes, Prelats, Fathers, or mothers, sithēce it is not the qualitie of a Prelate, Prince, Father or mother, which is the cause of our affection towards them, but because they are such to vs, and to our respects. But this concupiscence is a loue of respect, reuerence and honour: we loue our Father, for example, not because he is ours, but because we are his: ād after the same māner it is that we loue ād aspire to God by hope, not to the end he might become our good, but for that he is our God already; not to th'end he should be ours, but because we are his; not as though he were for vs, but in respect that we are for him.

4. And note, THEO: that in this loue, the reason why we loue; that is, the reason why we applie our heart to the loue of the good which we desire, is, because it is our Good: but the reason of the measure and quantitie of this loue, doth de­pend of the excellencie and dignitie of the good [Page 141] which we loue. We loue our benefactours, be­cause they are such to vs, yet we loue them more o [...] lesse, as they are more or lesse our benefactours, Why then doe we loue God, THEO: with this loue of concupiscence? because he is our Good; and why doe we soueraignly loue him? because he is our soueraigne good.

5. But whe I saie we loue God soueraignely, I doe not therefore saie, that we loue him with a souerai­gne loue; soueraigne loue is onely in charitie; whe­reas in hope loue is imperfect, because it doth not tend to the soueraigne Bountie as being such in it selfe, but onely for that it is such to vs: and yet be­cause in this kind of loue, there is no more excel­lent motife, then that which proceedes from the consideration of the soueraigne good, we are saied by that, to loue soueraignly, though in very deede, none is able by vertue of this loue, ether to keepe Gods commandements, or obtaine life euerlasting, beeing a loue that yeeldes more affe­ction then effect, when it is not accompanied with charitie.

That loue is exercised in penance, and first, that there are diuerse sorts of penance. CHAPTER. XVIII.

1. TO speake generally, penance is a kinde of repentance, wherby a man doth reiect and [Page 142] detest the sinne he hath cōmitted, with resolution to repaire, as much as in him lyeth, the offence and iniurie done against the offended. I comprehend in penance a purpose to repaire the offence, be­cause that repentance doth not sufficiently detest the fault, which voluntarily permitteth the prin­cipall effect therof, to wit, the offence and iniurie to subsist; and it doth permit it to subsist, while it can in some sort make reparation, and will not.

2. I will omitt the penance of diuerse pagans, who, as TERTVLLIAN doth witnesse; had some ap­parences of it amongst them, but so vaine and frutlesse, that they did oftē penāce for hauing done well: and speake onely of a vertuous penance, which according to the different motifes whēce it proceed's, is of a diuerse species. There is one sort purely morall and humane, as was that of ALEX­ANDER the Great, who hauing slaine his deare CLITVS thought to haue starued himselfe, so great was the force of penance, saieth CICERO: and that of ALCIBIADES, who being by SOCRATES conuin­ced not to be wise began to weepe bitterly, being sorrowfull and afflicted, not to be that which he ought to haue bene, as SAINT AVGVSTINE saieth. ARISTOTLE also acknowledging this sort of pe­nance, assures vs, that the intemperate man, who on set purpose giues himself ouer to pleasures, is wholy incorrigible, for that he cannot repent, and he that is impenitent is incurable.

3. Certes SENECA, PLVTARKE, and the PY­THAGORIANS, who so highly commended the exa­men of conscience, but especially the first, who [Page 143] speaketh so feelingly of the torment, which inte­riour remorce doth excite in the soule, without doubt vnderstood, that there was a repentance; and as for the wise E [...]ICTETES, he doth so well describe the reprehention, which a man is to vse towards himself, that scarcely is any thing to be added.

4. There is yet an other penance, which is in­deede morall yet religious too, yea in some sort di­uine, proceeding from the naturall knowledge which we haue of our offending GOD by sinne: For certainly many Philosophers vnderstood, that to liue vertuously was a thing agreeable to the di­uine goodnesse, and consequently, to liue vitiously was offensiue vnto him. The good EPICTETES, wished that he might dye a Christian (as it is very probable he did,) and amongst other things, he saied he should be cōtent, if dying he could lift vp his hands to God and saie vnto him; For my part, I haue not dishonored thee. Furthermore, he will haue his Philosopher to make an admirable Oth to God, neuer to be disobedient to his diuine Ma­iestie, nor to accuse or blame any thing coming from him, nor yet in any sort to complaine therof: And in another place he teacheth that GOD and our good Angell, are present to all our actions. You see then THEO: that this Philosopher, as yet Pagan, knew that sinne offended GOD, as vertue honored him, and consequently, he thought re­pentance necessarie, sith that euen he ordained an examen of conscience at night, in respect wherof with Pithagoras he gaue this aduertise­ment.

Now this kind of repentance tyed to the know­ledge and loue of GOD which nature can giue, was a dependance of morall religion: but as naturall reason bestowed more knowledge then loue vpon the Philosophers, who glorified him not with proportion to the notice, they had therof; so did nature furnish them with more light to vnder­stand how much God was offended by sinne, then heate to stire vp repentance, necessarie for the re­paration of the offence.

5. And abbeit religious penance hath in some sort bene acknowledged by some of the Philolo­phers, yet so rarely and weakly, that those which were reputed the most vertuous amongst them, to wit the STOIKES, gaue assurance, that the wise­man was neuer attristated, wherevpon they framed a MAXIME, so contrarie to reason, as the proposi­tion on which it was grounded, was contrarie to experience, THAT THE WISE-MAN SINNED NOT.

6. We may therefore well saie THEO: that pe­nance is a vertue wholy Christian, sith on the one side it was so little knowen to the Pagans, and on the other side, it is so well knowen amongst true Christians, that in it consisteth a great part of the Euangelicall Philosophie, according to which, who soeuer affirmeth that he sinneth not, is mad and who soeuer thinketh without penance to re­dresse his sinne is frantike for it is our Sauiours exhortation of exortations, DOE PENANCE Be­hold [Page 145] a briefe description of the progresse of this vertue.

7. We enter into a deepe apprehension, why we offend GOD so farre as we are able, in despising, dishonoring, disobeying and rebelling against him; who againe, of his part, holdeth himselfe of­fended theraat, irritated, ād contemned, distasting, reprouing and abhorring iniquitie. Out of this true apprehension, diuers motiues spring, which either all, or many together, or each one a part, may carrie vs to this repentance: For it enters into our thoughts some times, that GOD the offended hath established a rigourous punishment in Hell for sinners, and that he will depriue them of Para­dice prepared for the good. And as the desire of Paradice is extreamly honorable; so the feare to loose it, is greatly cōsiderable, and not that onely, but the desire of Paradice, being of high esteeme, the feare of its contrarie, hell, is good and lauda­ble. O who would not dread so great a losse, so great a torment? And this double feare, the one seruile the other mercenarie, doth greatly beare vs forwards, towards a repentance for our sinnes, by which we haue incurred them. And to this effect in the holy word, this feare is a thousand and a thousand times intimated. Againe we consider the deformitie and malice of sinne according as faith doth teach vs, as for example, that by yet, the lik­nesse and Image of GOD is defiled and disuigo­red, the dignitie of our soule dishonoured; that we are become like brute beasts, that we haue violated our dutie towards the CREATOR of the world, forfetted the happinesse of the Angelicall [Page 146] societie, to associate, and subiect our selues to the Diuell, ād to the slauerie of our owne passiōs, ouer­turning the order of reason, offending our GOOD-ANGELS, to whom we haue so great obligation.

8. At other times we are prouoked to repen­tance, by the beautie of vertue, which brings as much good with it, as sinne doth euill. Further we are often moued to it, by the example of Saints: for who did euer cast his eies vpon the exercises of the incomparable penance of a MAGDELAINE, of a MARIE EGIPTIACA; or of the PENITENTS of the Monasterie surnamed PRISON, described by S. IOHN CLIMACVS without being moued to repen­tance for his sinns: sithence the very reading of the Historie doth incite therto such, as are not altogether insensible.

That Penance without loue is imperfect. CHAPTER. XIX.

1. NOw all these motiues are taught vs by faith, and Christian religiō, and therefore the repentance which thence issueth is very lauda­ble, though otherwise imperfect; very laudable certainly it is: for neither the holy Scripture, nor Church would euer haue vsed these motifes to haue stirred vs vp, if the penance thence proceeding had not bene good; and we see manifestly, that it is most agreeable to reason, to repent for sinne, for these considerations; yea that it is impossible, that he who considereth them attentiuely, should not repent. Yet it is an imperfect repentance, because the diuine loue is not as yet found there: ah! doe [Page 147] not you see THEO: that we haue all these repen­tances for the interest of our owne soule, her feli­citie, her interiour beautie, honour, dignitie, and in a word for selfe loue, yet a lawfull, iust, and well ordered loue.

2. And note, that I doe not saie that these re­pentances reiect the loue of God, but onely that they doe not include it; they doe not repulse it, yet doe they not containe it; they are not contra­rie to it, but as yet are without it; it is not exclu­ded, nor yet is it included. The will which doth simply imbrace good, is good, yet if she so imbrace it as to reiect the better, she is truly disordinate, not in accepting the one, but in repulsing the o­ther: So to vow to giue almes this day is good, yet to vow, to giue onely this day, were bad; be­cause it would exclude the better, that is to giue both to day, to morrow, and euery day when cō ­moditie serueth. Certes it is well done, it cannot be denied, to repent for our sinns to auoide the paines of Hell, and obtaine heauen, but he that should resolue neuer to repent for any other thing, should wilfully exclude the better, which is to repent for the loue of God, and com­mit a great sinne. And what father would not find it strang, that his sonne would indeede serue him, yet not at all with loue, or by loue.

3. The beginning of good things is good: the progresse, better: the end the best; yet the be­ginning is good in the nature of a beginning: and the progresse, in the nature of a progresse but to offer in the beginning, [...] progresse to end the worke, were to peruert order. Infancie is [Page 148] good, but to desire to remain still a child, is naught for a child of an hūdred yeares old is despised. It is laudable to begin to learne, yet he that should be­gin with intētiō neuer to perfect himselfe, should doe against all reasō. Feare, ād those other motifes of repētāce whereof I spoake, are good for the be­ginning of Christiā wisdome, cōsisting of penance: but he who deliberatly would not attaine to loue the perfectiō of penāce, should greatly offend him, who ordained all to his owne loue, as to the end of all things.

4. To cōclude, the penāce which excluds the loue of God, is infernall like to that of the damned; The repētance which doth not reiect the loue of GOD, though as yet it be without it, is a good penāce, but imperfect and cānot giue saluatiō, vntill it attaine loue ād ioyne it selfe vnto it. So that as the great A­postle saied, that though he should deliuer his bo­die to be burnt, ād all his goods to the poore wan­ting charitie, it should be vnprofitable vnto him, so we may truly saie, that though our penāce were so great that it should cause our eies dissolue into tea­res, ād our hearts breake with sorow without the sacred loue of God, all this were nothing auai­lable to eternall life.

How there is mixture of Loue and sorrow in Contrition. CHAPTER. XX.

1. NAture did neuer, that I know, cōuert fire in­to water, though diuers waters are cōuerted into fire: yet God did it once by miracle: for as it is writtē in the boo [...] of MACHABIES; when the chil­drē of Israel were cōducted into Babilō in the time [Page 149] of SEDECIAS; the Priests by HIEREMIES coūsell hide the HOLY FIRE in a vallie, in a drie well, ād vpō their returne the children of those that had hid it, went to seeke it, following the directions their fathers had giuen them, and they found it conuerted into a thike water, which being drawen by them, and poured vpō the sacrifices, according to NEHEMIAS his ordinance, as soone as the sunne beames had touched it, it was conuerted into a great fire.

4. THE: amōgst the sorrowes of a liuely repētāce, GOD doth oftē put in the botome of our heart the sacred fire of loue; this loue is conuerted into the water of teares; they, by a secōd chang, into a grea­ter fire of loue. Thus the famous PENITENT-LOVER loued first her Sauiour; that loue was cōuerted into teares, and those into an excellēt loue: whence our Sauiour told her that many sinns were pardon'd her because she loued much. And as we see fire doth turne wine into a certaine water called AQVA-VI­TAE which doth so easily cōceiue fire that it is also term'd hot: so the consideration of the soueraignly amiable Bountie offended by sinne, doth produce the water of holy Penance, and thence the fire of Diuine Loue doth issue, properly term'd AQVA­VITAE, or hot water. Penance is indeed a water in it's substance being a true dislike a reall griefe and repentance, yet is it hot for that it containes the propertie of Loue, whence it springs, and giues the life of Grace. So that Penāce hath two effect's; by sorrow and detestation it seperats vs frō sinne, ād the Creaturs; and by loue it reunits vs to God, at once reclaiming vs frō sīne in qualitie of repen­tance, and in qualitie of Loue, reuniting vs to God.

[Page 150]5. Yet will I not affirme that the perfect loue of God by which we loue him aboue all things, doth alwayes preceede this repentāce, nor that this repentance doth alwayes preceede this loue: for though it doth happen so many tymes, yet so, as that otherwhiles also, at the same instant that di­uine loue is conceiued in our heart, penance is cō ­ceiued by loue; and often times penance entring into our heart, loue doth enter with it; and as when ESAV came out of his mothers wombe, IA­COB his twinne-brother, held him by the foote, to the end that their births might not onely follow the one the other, but also might hold and entan­gle one an other; so repentance, rude and rough in regard of it's sorrowe, was first borne, as another ESAV, and loue sweete and gracious, holds him by the foote and doth cleeue so vnto him, that their birth was one, sith the end of the birth of repen­tance was the beginning of that of perfect loue. Now as ESAV did first appeare, so repentance doth ordinarily make it selfe to be seene before loue, but loue as another IACOB, although the younger, doth afterwards subdue penance, conuerting it into consolation.

6. Marke I praie you THEO: the well-beloued MAGDELEINE, how she weepes with loue; they haue taken vp my Sauiour, quoth she melting into teares, and I know not where they haue put him: but hauing by teares and sobbs found him, she holds and possesseth him by loue. Imperfect loue desires and requires him, penance doth seeke and find him, perfect loue doth hold and tye him. Euen as it is saied of the Ethiopian Rubies whose [Page 151] fire is naturally very blew, but being dipped in vineger, it shins and casteth out its cleare raies: for the loue which goeth before repentance, is ordinarily imperfect; but being steeped in the bit­ternesse of penace, it gaines strengh, and becomes excellent loue.

7. Yea it happens some times that penance, though imperfect, containes not in it selfe the proper action of loue, but onely the vertue and proprietie of it: you will aske me, what vertue or proprietie of loue can repentance haue, if she haue not the action: GOD's goodnesse is the mo­tife of perfect repentance, whom it displeaseth vs to haue offended: now this motife is for no other reason a motife, then that it doth stire, and moue vs. But the motion which the diuine goodnesse giues vnto the heart which considers, it, can be no other then the motion of loue, that is of v­nion. And therefore true repentance, though it seeme not so, and though we perceiue not the proper effect of loue, receiues alwayes motiō from loue, and the vnitiue nature therof by meanes of which she doth reunite and reioyne vs to the di­uine goodnesse. Tell me I praie, is it the propertie of the ADAMANT to draw, and ioine iron vnto it selfe? Doe we not see that iron touched with the ADAMANT, without either it, or its nature, but onely its vertue, and attractiue power, doth notwithstanding draw and vnite vnto it an other iron? So perfect repentance touched with the mo­tife of loue, without hauing the proper action of loue, leaues not to haue the vertue and qualitie therof, that is an vniting motion, to reioyne and [Page 152] reunite our hearts to the diuine will: But you will replie, what difference is there betwixt this vni­ting motion of penance, and the proper action of loue. THEO: the action of loue is indeede a motiō to vnion, but it is performed by complacence, wheras the motion of vnion which is in penance, is not done by way of complacence, but by dis­like, repentance, reparatiō, reconciliation; for so much therefore, as this motion doth vnite, it is indued with the qualitie of loue; in so much as it is bitter, and dolorous, it receiues the qualitie of penance, and in fine, by its naturall condition it is a true motion of penance; yet so, as it retaines the vertue and vniting qualitie of loue.

8. So Treacle-wine is not so named for that it doth containe the proper Substance of Treacle, for there is none at all there, but it is so called, because the plant of the vine hauing bene steeped in Trea­cle, the grapes and vines which sprung from it, drew into them selues, the vertue and operation of the Treacle, against all sorts of poison; we must not therefore thinke it strang, if penance accor­ding to the holy scripture, doe blot-out sinne, saue the soule, make her gratefull to GOD, and iustifie her, which are effects appertaining to loue, and seeme not to be attributed to any saue it: for though loue it selfe be not alwaies found in perfect penance; yet its vertue and proprieties are alwaies there, conueied thither by the motife of loue whence it sprung.

9. Nor must we admire that the force of loue should spring out of penance, before loue be there formed sith we see that the reflection of the sunne [Page 153] beames beating vpō a looking glasse, heate, which is the vertue and proper qualitie of fire, gaines by little and little so much force, that it begins to burne, before it haue yet well produced the fire, or at least before we perceiued it; for so the holy ghost casting into our vnderstanding the conside­ration of the greatnesse of our sinns, for that by them we haue offended so soueraigne a Bountie, and our will receiuing the reflection of this know­ledge, repentance by little and little groweth so strong, with a certaine affectiue heate and desire to returne into grace with God, that in fine this motion becomes so compleate, that it doth burne and vnite, euen before the loue be fully formed, which notwithstanding as a sacred fire is im­mediatly in that moment kindled: so that repen­tance neuer comes to the point of burning and reuniting the heart to God, which is her vtmost perfection, but she find's her selfe wholy conuer­ted into fire, and flames of loue, the end of the one giuing the other a beginning, yea rather the end of penance is within the beginning of loue, as ESAV his foote, was within Iacobs hand, in such sort, that as soone as ESAV ended his birth, Iacob begun his; the end of the ones birth, being ioyned, tyed, and which is more, enuironed with the be­ginning of the others for so the beginning of per­fect loue, doth not onely follow the end of pen­nance but doth euen cleaue, and tye it selfe to it; and to containe all in one word, this beginning of loue, doth mixe it selfe with the end of repentance and in this motion of mixture, pennance and con­trition merits life euerlasting.

[Page 154]3. Now because this louing repentance is or­dinarily practised by eleuations and raisings vp of the heart to God, like to those of the auncient pe­nitents: I am thine ô Lord, saue me, haue mercy vpon me, for in thee my soule doth confide; saue me o Lord, for the waters doe ouerwhelme my soule. Vse me like one of thy hirelings. Lord be propitious, to me a poore sinner. It is not without reason that some haue saied, that Praier did iusti­fie: for the repentant Praier, or the suppliant re­pentance, raising vp the soule to God, and reuni­ting it to his goodnesse without doubt obtaines Pardon, in vertue of holy loue, which giues the sacred motiō. And therefore we ought to be fur­nished with such iaculatorie praiers, made in man­ner of louing repentance, and desire aiming at our recōciliatiō to God, to th'end that by the meanes therof laying before our Sauiour our tribulation, we may poure out our soules, before, and with in his pitifull heart, who will receiue them to mercy.

How our Sauiour louing inspirations doe assist and accompanie vs to faith and charitie. CHAPTER XXI.

1. FRom the first awaking from sinne or infide­litie, to the finall resolution of a perfect be­leefe, there often runneth a great deale of time in [Page 155] which we may praie as we haue seene S. PACOMIVS doe, and as the father of the poore Lunatike (who by S. MARKES relation, giuing assurance he be­leeued, that is, that he began to beleeue) knew with all that he beleeued not sufficiently where­vpon he cried out. Lord I beleeue, yet help my incredulitie; as though he should haue saied, I am now no more in the obscuritie of the night of in­fidelitie, the raies of your faith doth already touch vpon the Orizon of my soule: yet doe I not, euen yet beleeue so much as were conuenient, it is yet an infant knowledge and mixed with darknesse, ah! Lord helpe me. S. AVGVSTINE also doth so­lemnly pronoūce this remarkable word. But harke ô man, and vnderstand, art thou not drawene praie that thou may'st be drawen; in which his intention is not to speake of the first motiō, which GOD work's in vs without vs, when he excites and awakes vs out of the sleepe of sinne: For how could we demand to be awaked seeing no man can praie before he be awaked; but he speakes of the resolution which a man vndertakes to become faithfull: For he esteemes, that to beleeue, is to be drawen, and therefore he admonisheth, euen such as were exercised in faith, to demand the gift of faith, and indeede none could better know the difficulties, which ordinarily passe betwixt the first motions that God works in vs, and the per­fect resolution of perfect beleefe, then S. AVGVS­TINE, who hauing had so great a varietie of tou­ches, by the words of the glorious S. AMBROSE, by the conferance he had with Potitian, and a thousand other meanes, vsed notwithstanding so [Page 156] many delayes, and had so much paine to resolue so that, more truely to him, then any other, might haue bene applyed that which he afterwards saied to others: Alas AVGVSTINE, if thou be not drawen, if thou beleeue not, praie that thou maist be drawen, that thou maist beleeue.

2. Our Sauiour drawes hearts by the delight that he giues them, which makes them find the heauēly learning sweete and agreeable, but till this sweetenesse haue engaged and assured our will, by his amiable bonds, to draw it to the perfect agree­ment and consent of faith as GOD is not deficient in exercising his goodnesse vpon vs by his holy inspirations; so doth not our enemie cease to pra­ctise his malice by temptations. In the interim, we remaine in full libertie, to consent to the diuine drawghtes, or to reiect them: for as the Sacred CONC: of TRENT hath clearely resolued. If any one should saie that mans freewill, being moued and incited by GOD doth cooperate in nothing, by consenting to GOD who did moue and call him, to the end he might dispose and prepare him­selfe to obtaine the grace of Iustification, and that he could not consent though he would, verily he should be excommunicated, and reproued by the Church. But if we doe not repulse the grace of holy loue it doth dilate it selfe by continuall en­crease in our soules, till they be entierily conuer­ted; like to great riuers, which finding opē plaines spreed themselues still gaining ground.

3. And if the inspiration hauing drawen vs to faith find no resistance in vs, it drawes vs euen to penance, and charitie. S. PETER, as an Apode, [Page 157] helpt vp by an inspiration which came from the eies of his maister permitting himselfe freely to be moued and carried by the gentle blast of the holy Ghost, and looking vpon those comfortable eies which had stirred him vp he read's in thē as in the booke of life, the inuitations to pardon, which the diuine clemencie doth offer him, drawes frō it a iust motife of hope, goes out of the Court, cōsi­ders the horror of his sīne, ād detests it: He weeps, he sobbs, he prostrats his miserable heart before his Sauiours mercy, craues Pardon for his faults, makes resolution of an inuiolable loyaltie, and by this Progresse of motiōs practised by the healpe of grace, which doth continually conduct, assist, and further it, he comes at length, to the holy remis­sion of his sinns and passeth so from grace to grace, according to that which S. PROSPER doth auerre; that without grace, a mā doth not runne to grace.

4. So then to conclude this point, the soule preuented by grace, feeling the first essaies, and consenting to their sweetnesse, as returning to her selfe after so long a sownd, she begins to sigh out these words, ah my deare SPOVSE, my friend! draw me, I beseech thee, and take me by the hand, other­wise I am not able to walke: but if thou doest draw me, we runne; thou in helping me by the o­dour of thy perfumes, and I by corresponding by my weake consent, and by relishing thy sweet's which doth recreate and strengthen me, till the Balme of thy sacred name, that is the wholsome ointment of my iustification, be spred within me. Doe you marke, THEO: she would not Praie, if she were not excited, but as soone as that is done, [Page 158] and that she perceiues the draughtes, she Praies that she may be drawen: being drawen, she runns: marrie she would not runne, if the perfums which inticeth and by which she is drawen, did not re­uiue her heart by the vertue of their odour; and as her course is more swifte, ād as she approacheth neerer her heauenly Spouse, she hath a more deli­cious taste, of the sweetenesse which he sends out; in such sort that in the end, her heart begins to melt like scattered Baulme, whence she cries out: as being surprised by this contentment not so quickly expected, but vnlooked for; ô my spouse thou are as Baulme poured into my bosome, it is not strang that young soules dearely esteeme thee!

5. Thus my deare THEO: the diuine inspira­tion doth come vnto vs, and preuent vs mouing our wills to sacred loue. And if we doe not repulse her she walkes with vs, and doth enuiron vs, con­tinually to incite and aduance vs; not abandoning vs, if we abandō her not, till such time, as she hath brought vs to holy Charities Gate, performing for vs the three good offices which the great Angell RAPHAEL did for his deare TOBIE: for she is a guide to vs through all our iorney of holy penance, she is our warrant from daungers and assaults of the the di­uell, and doth comfort, loue, and fortifie vs in dif­ficulties.

A short description of Charitie. CHAPTER. XXII.

1. BEhould at length THEO: how GOD by a progresse full of ineffable sweetenesse con­ducteth the soule which he made goe out of the E­gipt of sinne; from Loue to Loue, as from Lodging to Lodging, till she haue made her entrie into the LAND OF PROMIS, I meane of most holy Charitie, which to saie in one word, is Friendshipe not a loue of proper interest: for by Charitie we loue God for his owne sake, by reason of his most so­ueraignely amiable Bountie: But this friendshipe, is a true friendshipe being reciprocall, God ha­uing loued all such eternally, as haue, doe, or shall loue him temporally it: is showen and acknowled­ged mutually, sith that GOD cannot be ignorant of the loue we beare him, he himselfe bestowing it vpon vs, nor can we be ignorant of his loue to vs, seeing it is so published, and that we acknowledge all the good we haue, as true effects of his bene­uolence, and in fine we haue continuall commu­nication with him, who neuer ceaseth to speake vnto our hearts by inspirations, allurements and sacred motions; he ceaseth not to helpe vs, and giue all sorts of testimonies of his holy affection, hauing openly reuealed vnto vs all his secrets, as to his confident friends and for the accomplish­ment of his holy LOVE-COMMERCE with vs, he [Page 160] made himselfe our proper foode, in the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist; and as for vs, we haue freedome to treate with him at all times whē we please in holy Praier, we hauing our whole life, motion, and beeing, not onely with him, but euen in and by him.

2. Nor is this friendshipe a simple friendshipe, but a friendshipe of dilection, by which we make election of God, to loue him with a speciall loue. He is chosen saieth the sacred spouse from amongst a thousand, she saieth from amongst a thousand, but she would saie from amongst all, whence this loue is not a loue of simple excellencie, but an in­comparable loue: for charitie loues God by a cer­taine esteeme and preferance so high and transcen­ding all other esteemes, that other loues either are not true loues, in comparison of this or if they be true loues this loue is infinitly more then loue, and therefore THEO: it is not a loue which the force of nature either angelicall or humane can produce, but the holy Ghost doth giue it and poure it into our hearts; and as our soules which animate the bodie, haue not their origine from the bodie, but are there put by the naturall prouidēce of God; so Charitie, which giues life to our hearts, hath not her extraction from thence, but is poured into them as an heauēly liquour, by the supernaturall prouidence, of his diuine Maie­stie.

3. For this reason, and for that it hath refe­rence to God, and doth tend vnto him, not accor­ding to the naturall knowledge we haue of his goodnesse, but according to the supernaturall [Page 161] knowledge of faith; we name it supernaturall friēdshipe. Whence she together with faith, and hope, keepes residence.

4. And as a Maiesticall Queene, is seated in the will, as in her Throne, whēce she conueies into the soule her dainties, and sweetes, making her therby faire, agreeable, and amiable to the diuine Good­nesse, so that if the soule be a kingdome wherof the Holy Ghost is the king, Charitie is the Queene set at his right hand in a Robe of gold wrought in varietie. If the soule be a Queene, Spouse to the great king of heauen; Charitie is her Crowne which doth roially adorne her heade: yea if the soule with the bodie be a little world, Charitie is the Sunne which beautifies all, heates all, and re­uiues all,

5. Charitie then is a loue of friendshipe, a friendshipe of dilection, a dilection of preference, yea and an incōparable, soueraigne, and superna­turall preference, which is as a Sunne through all the soule, to lighten it with his raies; in all the spirituall faculties, to perfect thē; in all the powers, to moderate them; but in the will, as in his seate there to reside, ād to cause her to affect ād loue her God aboue all things; ô how happie is the soule wherin this holy loue is spred, sith that together with it, all good doth arriue.

That holy loue may be augmented still more and more in euery of vs. CHAPTER. I.

1. THE holy Councell of Trent assures vs, that the friends of God procee­ding from vertue to vertue, are day by day renewed, that is, encreased by good works, in the iustice, which they receiued by God's grace, and are more and more iustified, according to those heauenly aduer­tissements; he that is iust, let him be more iusti­fied; And he who is holy, let him be more sancti­fied. Feare not but thou maiest be iustified euen vntill death: the path of the iust is aduanced, and [Page 163] encreaseth as a resplendant light, euen till it be cleare day with charitie doing right, encreasing in all things, in him who is the head of all, IESVS-CHRIST: And I beseech you that your charitie, doe more and more encrease. All these are sacred wordes out of DAVID, S. IOHN, ECCLESIASTES, and S. PAVLE.

2. I neuer heard of any liuing creature whose grouth was not bounded and limited, saue onely the Crocodile who from an extreamly lit­tle beginning neuer ceaseth to growe till she come to her end, representing equally in this the good, and the wicked; for the arrogance of such as hate God, swells continually saieth the great kind DAVID; and the good doe encrease as the breake of the day, from brightnesse to brightnesse: and to stād long at a staie in one estate is a thing impossible; he that gaines not, looseth in this traficke; he that ascends not, descends vpon this ladder; he that vanquisheth not in this battell, is vanquished: we liue amidst the dangers of the warrs which our enemie doth wage with vs; if we resist not, we perish; and we cannot resist, but we ouercome, nor ouercome without triumphe: for, as saieth the glorious S. BERNARD; it is writ­ten in particular of man, that he neuer remaines in one state; he doth necessarily either goe forward or returne backward. Euery one runns, but one onely beares away the prize, runne so, as you may obtaine it. Who is the prize, but IESVS-CHRIST? And how can you attaine him, if you follow him not? But if you follow him, you shall march, and runne continually: for he neuer makes staie, but [Page 164] continues his course of loue and obedience euen vntill death, and death of the crosse.

3. Goe then, saith S. BERNARD, goe I saie with him, goe my deare THEO: and admit no other bounds, then those of life, and as long as it re­maines, runne after this Sauiour; but runne ar­dently and louingly: for what better will you be to follow him if you be not so happie as to ouerta him? Let vs heare the Prophete; I haue inclined my heart to doe thy Iustifications eternally, he doth not saie, that he will doe them for a time onely, but euerlastingly; and because he desires e­ternally to doe well, he shall haue an eternall re­ward. Blessed are they, who are pure in the way, who walke in the law of our Lord: accursed are they who are defiled, who walke not in the law of our Lord: It is onely a saying of the Diuell, that he will sit vpō the Norh. Vnworthy man wilt thou sit downe? ah! knowest thou not that thou art vpon the way, and that the way is not made to sit downe but to goe in? and so to goe in, that to goe, is to passe on the way. And God speaking to one of his greatest friends: walke saieth he before me and be perfect.

4. True vertue hath no limits she findes still PLVS VLTRA; but especially holy Charitie, which is the vertue of vert es, and hauing an infinite obiect, might be capable to become infinite, if she could meete with a heart capable of infinitie; nothing hī ­dering this loue to be infinite saue the cōdition of the will which receiues it, and is to become actiue by it; which, as it is cause that neuer any shall see God, as much as he is visible, so neuer any shall be [Page 165] able to loue him, as much as he is amiable. The heart which could loue GOD with a loue equall to the diuine Goodnesse, should haue a will infinitly good, which cānot be but in God. Charitie then in vs may be perfected euē to infinitie, but exclusiuely, that is, Charitie may become more and more and still more excellent, yet neuer infinite. The Holy Ghost, may eleuate our hearts, and apply them to what supernaturall actions it shall please him, so they be not infinite; for betwixt little an great things, though the one exceede the other neuer so much, there is still some proportion, prouided alwaies, that the excesse of the thing which doth exceede be not infinite: but betweene finite and infinite there is no proportiō nor can there be any made, vnlesse either the finite thing be raised to in­finitie, or the infinite brought downe to finitie, which is impossible.

5. So that euen the Charitie which is in our Re­deemour, as he is man, though greater then An­gell or man can comprehend, yet is it not infinite of it selfe, and in its owne being, but onely in the estimation of the dignitie and merite therof, as being the charitie of a diuine Person who i [...]e [...] eternall Sonne of the omnipotent Father.

6. Meane while, it is an extreame honour to the soule; that she may still grow more and more in the loue of her God, as long as she shall liue in this miserable life.

How easie our Sauiour hath made the encrease of loue. CHAPTER. II.

1. DOe you see. THEO. this glasse of water, or this peece of bread which a holy soule giues to a poore bodie for Gods sake, it is a smale matter God-wot, and in humane conceipt hardly worthy of consideration: God notwith­standing doth recompence it, and forthwith for it doth giue some encrease of Charitie: the Gotes haire which aunciently was presented to the TA­BERNACLE, was taken in good part, and had place amongst the holy Offerings; and the little actions which proceede frō Charitie are agreeable to God and meritorious: for as in the happie ARABIA, not onely the plants which are by nature odorife­rous, but euen all the others are sweete, partici­pating the felicitie of that soyle; so in a charitable be [...]e, not onely the workes which are excellent in their owne nature, but euen euery little action doth relish the vertue of holy loue, and hath a good odour before the maiestie of God, who in consideration thereof doth augment charitie. And I saie God doth it, because Charitie doth not pro­duce her owne encrease as doth a tree, who by her owne vertue doth thrust and branch out her boughes; but as Faith, Hope and Charitie are vertues which haue their origine from the diuine [Page 167] goodnesse; so thence also they draw their encrease and perfection; not vnlike vnto Bees, who hauing their extraction from honie, haue also their foode from it.

2. Wherefore like as Pearls are not onely bred of dew, but fed also with it, the Mother-pearls to this end opening their shels towards Heauen to begge, in a manner, the droppes which the fresh aire makes fall at the breake of the day; so we ha­uing receiued Faith, Hope, ād Charitie of the hea­uenly Bountie, we ought alwaies to turne and bend our hearts thitherwards, thence to obtaine the continuation and augmentation of the same vertues. O Lord, doth the holy Church our mo­ther teach vs to saie, giue vs the encrease of faith, hope, and charitie; And it is done in imitation of those that saied to our Sauiour, Lord encrease faith in vs, and following the counsell of S. PAVLE who assures vs, that God onely is able to make all grace abound in vs.

3. It is God therefore that giues this encrease in consideration of the imploimēt which we make of his grace, as it is written; to him who hath, (that is, who doth imploy the fauours receiued) more shall be giuen, and he shall abound. Thus is our Sauiours exhortation practised; Heape vp trea­surs in heauen: as though he should saie, to your precedent good workes, adde still new ones: for Fasting, and Almes deedes are the peeces wher­of your treasurs are to consists. Now, as amongst the treasurs of the Temple, the poore widdowes mite was much esteemed, and as indeede, by the addition of many little peeces the treasurs waxe [Page 168] great and a greater value is set vpon them; so the least of little good workes, though performed e­uen somewhat coldly, and not according to the whole latitude of the Charitie which is in vs, is agreeable to God, and esteemed by him; In such sort, that though of themselues they cannot cause any encrease in the precedent loue, being of lesse force then it; yet the Diuine Prouidence, waighing, and out of his goodnesse highly prising them, doth forthwith reward them with encrease of Charitie for the present, and for the time to come, with a more ample glorie in heauen.

4. THEOT: the delicious honie is the Bee's Maister-peece; nor yet is their waxe therefore ne­glected, but is an honour to their labours: Louing hearts ought to endeuour, to bring forth workes full of feruour, and of high value, to the end they might puissantly augment Charitie: yet if they bring forth some of lesser value, they shall not loose their recompence; for God will take them in good part, that is to saie, he will therby loue them a little more. Nor doth God euer loue a soule that is in Charitie more, without bestowing also vpon her more Charitie, our loue towards him being the proper, and speciall effect of his loue towards vs,

5. By how much more liuely we looke vpon our picture in a looking glasse, by so much more attentiuely it lookes vpon vs againe; and by how much more louingly God doth cast his gracious eies vpon our soule, which is made to his Image and liknesse, our soule mutually, with so much more attention and feruour is fixed vpon the Di­uine [Page 169] Goodnesse, answering, according to her lit­tlenesse, all the encrease of Diuine Loue which this soueraigne sweetenesse work's in her. The Councell of Trent saieth thus: If any saie that iustice receiued, is not conserued, yea that it is not augmented by good workes in the sight of God, but that workes are onely the fruites and signes of iustification acquired, and not the cause of its encrease, let him be accursed. Doe you marke THEO: how iustification wrought by Charitie, is augmented by good works, and which is to be noted, by good works without exceptiō: for as S. Bernard saieth excellently well vpon ano­ther passage; nothing is excepted, or nothing is distinguished; the Councell speakes of good workes indistinctly and without reseruatiō, yet gi­ues to vnderstand, that not onely the great and feruent, but also the little and faint workes doe cause the encrease of Charitie: but the great ones in a greater manner, the little ones, in a lesser.

6. Such is the loue which God beares to our soules, such his desire to make vs encrease in the loue which we owe to him. The Diuine sweete­nesse renders all things profitable vnto vs; takes all to our aduantage, and turnes all our endeuours, though neuer so faint and of low condition, to our gaine.

7. In the commerce of morall vertues little works bring no encrease to the vertue whence they proceede, but contrariwise, if they be very little, doe impaire it: for a great Liberalitie doth perish, while she is busied in bestowing things of smale value, and of liberalitie becomes niggard­nesse. [Page 170] But in the traficke of vertues which issue from God's mercy, and especially from Charitie, euery worke returnes profit: Nor is it strang that sacred Loue, as king of vertues, hath nothing either great or smale, which is not amiable, sith the Baulme tree, prince of sweete trees, beares neither barke nor leafe, that is not odoriferous: and what could loue bring fourth that were not worthie of loue, or did not tend to loue?

How a soule in Charitie makes progresse in it. CHAPTER. III.

1. LEt's make vse of a Parabole THEO: seeing it was a methode that pleased the Soue­raigne Maister of Loue, which we are to teach. A great and braue King hauing espoused a most a­miable young Princesse, and hauing on a certaine day led her into his secret Closet, there to con­uerse with her more at his pleasure; after some dis­course, he saw her by a certaine sudden accident fall downe as dead at his foote. Alas! he was ex­treamely astonished at this, and it did well nigh put him also into a sownd; for she was dearer to him then his owne life. Yet the same Loue that gaue him this assault of griefe, did fourthwith giue him strength to sustaine it, and put him into action, to th'end that with an incomparable prom­ptitude he might remedie the euill of the deare [Page 171] Companion of his life: so that with a nimble speede opening a Dresser which stood by, he takes a cordiall water infinitly precious, and hauing fil­led his mouth with it, by force he opēs the closed lippes and teeth of his well-beloued Princesse, thē breathing, and spurting the precious liquor which he held in his mouth, into his poore Loues, who lay in a sownd; and poureing the rest of the glasse vpon her nose, her temples, and about her heart, he made her returne to her selfe and senses againe; that done, he helpes her vp softely, and by vertue of remedies, doth so strengthen and bring her to life, that she begins to stand, and walke fairely with him; but in no sort without his helpe for he goes assisting and sustaining her vnder the arme, till at length he laied to her heart an Epetheme so precious, and of so great vertue, that finding her selfe entirely restored to her wounted health, she walkes all alone, her deare Spouse not now sur­taiening her so much, but onely holding her right hand softly betwixt his, and his right arme folded vnder hers, and vnder her breasts. Thus he enter­tained her, ād with all did her foure good offices: for 1. he gaue testimonie that his heart was louin­gly carefull of her. 2. he neuer desisted to solace her. 3. if she felt any touch of her former faintnesse returne, he would sustaine her. 4. if she light in­to any rough and difficile way, he would be her support and staie; And in Ascēts, or whē she would make a little more hast, he would lift her vp, ād po­werfully succour her. In fine he staied by her with a cordiall regard till night approached, ād thē also he would assist in cōueying her, to her royall bed.

[Page 172]2. The iust soule is the Spouse of our Sauiour, and because she is neuer iust, but when she is in charitie, she is also neuer spouse but she is led into the sacred Closet, of those delicious perfumes, mentioned in the Canticles; Now, when the soule thus honored, commits sinne, she falls as dead of a spirituall faintnesse; and this is truely an vnex­pected accident: for who would euer haue thought that a Creature would haue forsaken her Creator and soueraigne Good, for things so slight as the baites of sinne? Certes the Heauens are astonished at it, and if God were subiect to passions, he would fall downe in a sownd at this mishappe, as when he was mottall he died vpon the crosse for our Redemption. But seeing it is not now necessa­rie that he should imploy his loue to dye for vs, when he seeth the soule ouerthrowne by sinne, he commonly runs to her succour, and by an vnspeak­able mercy, laies open the gates of her heart, by the stings and remorses of conscience, which cō ­ming from the diuers lightes and apprehensions which he cast's into our hearts, with healthfull motions, by which as by an odoriferous and vitall water he makes the soule returne home to her selfe, and senses. And all this THEO: God works in vs without our helpe, his amiable Bountie pre­uenting vs with his sweetenesse. For euen as our languishing Bride had remained dead in her sownd, if the king had not assisted; so the soule would remaine lost in her sinne if God preuented her not. But if the soule thus excitated, adde her consent to the feeling of Grace, seconding the in­spiration which preuented her, and receiuing the [Page 173] aides and remedies requisite, prouided for her by God; he will fortifie her and conduct her through the diuers motions of Faith, Hope, and Penance, euen till he restore her to her true spirituall health which is Charitie. Now in her passage frō vertue to vertue, by which he disposeth her to Loue, he doth not conduct her onely, but in such sort sustaine her, that as she of her side walkes what she is able, so he of his part supports and sustaines her, and it is hard to saie, whether she goes, or she is carried: for she is not so carried that she goes not, and yet she goes so, that if she were not carried, she could not goe at all. So that to speake Apostolically, she must saie; I goe, not I alone, but the Grace of God with me.

3. But the Soule being entirely restored to her health, by the excellent Epitheme of Charitie which the Holy Ghost infuseth into her heart, she is then able to goe, and keepe her selfe vpon her feete of her selfe, yet by vertue of this health, and this sacred Epitheme of holy Loue. Wherefore though she be able to goe of her selfe, yet is she to rende the glorie thereof to God, who bestow­ed vpon her a health so vigourous, and manlie: for whether the Holy Ghost doth fortifie vs by the motions which he doth imprint in our hearts, or he doth sustaine vs by the Charitie which he doth infuse into it; whether he doth succour vs by manner of assistance, in lightening and carrying vs; or that he doth strengthen our hearts by poureing into them fortifying and quickening Loue; We al­wayes liue, goe, and operate, in and by him.

4. And although by meanes of Charitie poured [Page 174] into our Soules, we are able to walke in the pre­sence of God, and make aduancement in the way of Saluation, yet so, as that the Goodnesse of God doth still assist the soule whom he hath daigned with his Loue, continually holding her with his holy hand: For so 1. he doth better make appeare the sweetenesse of his loue towards her. 2. he goes still more and more encouraging her. 3. he giues her comfort against depraued inclinations, and euill customes contracted by her former sinne. 4. and finally, he maintains and defends her from temptations.

5. Doe not we often see THEO: that sound and lustie men must be prouoked to employ their strength and power well, and as one would saie must be drawen by the hand to the worke? So God hauing endewed vs with Charitie, and in it, with force and sufficiencie to gaine ground in the way of perfection; his Loue doth not permit him to let vs march all alone, but makes him put him­selfe vpon the way with vs, it vrgeth him to vrge vs, and doth sollicite his heart, to sollicite and driue forwards ours to make good vse of the Cha­ritie which he gaue vs, repeating often by meanes of his inspirations, S. PAVLES Aduertisements: See that thou receiue not heauenly Grace in vaine, while you haue time; doe all the good you can; runne so as you may winne the goale. So that we are often to thinke, that he iterats in our eares, the words which he vsed to the good Father ABRA­HAM: walke before me and be perfect.

6. But principally the speciall assistance of God is requisite for the soule endewed with Chari­tie, [Page 175] in her enterprises which are sublime and extra­ordinarie: for be it that Charitie, though very weake, doth sufficiently incline vs, and vnlesse I be deceiued, afford force inough to performe the workes necessarie to saluatiō. yet so, that to aspire to, and vndertake excellent and extraordinarie a­ctions, our hearts stād in neede of putting on, and heateing, by the hand and motion of this great heauenly Louer; as the Princesse in our Parable, although restored to health, could not ascend, nor haue gone fast, had not her deare Spouse re­leeued and strongely sustained her. To this Pur­pose, S. ANTONIE, and Simeon Stylite, were in the Grace of God ād Charitie, whē they did designe so high ēterprises: as also the B. mother S. TERESA whē she made her particular vow of obediēce: S. FRAN­CIS, and S. LEWES, when they vndertooke their iorney beyond sea for the aduancement of God's glorie: The B. ZAVERIVS when he consecrated his life to the Indians conuersion, S. CHARLES in exposing himselfe to serue the pestiferous, S. PAV­LINE, when he sould himselfe to redeeme the poore widowes child; yet neuer had they dared so hardie and generous enterprises, if God, to that Charitie which they had in their hearts, had not added speciall forces, inspirations, inuitations, and lights, wherby he did animate and push them forward to these extraordinarie essaies of spiri­tuall valour.

7. Doe you not marke the young man of the Ghospell, whom our Sauiour loued, and who cō ­sequently was in Charitie? certes he neuer dream'd of selling all he had, to giue it to the poore, and fol­low [Page 176] our Sauiour: nay though our Sauiour had giuen him such an inspiration, yet had he not the courage to put it in executiō. In these great works THEO: onely inspirations are not sufficient, but further we must be fortified, to be able to effect that which the inspiratiō inclines vs to. As againe in the fierce assaultes of extraordinarie tēptations, the speciall and particular presence of heauenly succours is altogether necessarie. For this cause, the holy Church makes vs so frequently crie out: Excite our hearts ô Lord, preuent our actions by breathing vpon vs; and in aiding vs, accompanie vs; O Lord be prompt to helpe vs, and the like; therby to obtaine grace to be able to effect excel­lent and extraordinarie works, and more fre­quently and feruently to exercise ordinarie ones: as also more ardently to resist smale temptations, and more valliently to encounter great ones. S. ANTONIE was assailed by a hideous legion of Di­uels, whose rage hauing a long time sustained, not without incredible paine and torment; at length he espied the couer of his Cell deuided, and a heauenly raie enter the breach, which made the blacke and disordered Route of his enemies vanish in a moment, and deliuered him of the paine of his wounds receiued in that schirmish, whence he perceiued God's particular presence, and casting out a grone towards the brightnesse; where wast thou ô good IESVS, quoth he, where wast thou? why wast thou not here from the beginning to haue remedied my paine? It was answered him frō aboue, Antonie, I was here: but I expected the euent of thy combat: And sithens thou behaued [Page 177] thy selfe brauely and valiently, I will be thy con­tinuall aide. But in what the valour, and courage of this braue spirituall Combatant did consist, he himselfe, another time declars, that being set vpon by a Diuell who professed to be the Spirit of fornicatiō, this Glorious Sainte after many words worthy of his great courage, fell a singing the 7. verse of the 115. Psalme.

And our Sauiour reuealed to S. CATHERINE of Sienna, that he was in the midst of her heart in a cruell temptation she had, as a Captaine in the midst of a Fort to hold it; and that without his succour she had lost her selfe in the battell. It is the like, in all the hote assaults which our enemie makes against vs: and we may well saie with IA­COB, that it is the Angell that doth warrant vs in all, and sing with the great king DAVID.

So that we ought often to repeate this exclama­ [...]ion and Praier.

Touching holy perseuerance in sa­cred Loue. CHAPTER IIII.

1. EVen as a tender mother, leading with her, her little babe, doth assist and support him according as neede requires, letting him now and then aduenture a step by himselfe in plaine, or lesse dangerous way, now taking him by the hand to weeld him, now taking him vp in her armes and bearing him: so our Sauiour hath a continuall care to conduct his children, that is such as are in Charitie; making thē walke before him, reaching them his hand in difficulties, and bearing them himselfe in such paines, as he sees otherwise in­supportable vnto thē, which he declared by ISAIE saying, I am thy GOD, taking thee by the hand, and saying feare not, I haue helped thee. So that with a strong courage we must haue a firme con­fidence in God, and his assistance: for if we faile [Page 179] not to second his Grace, he will accomplish in vs the happie worke of our Saluation, which he also began, working in vs both the VELLE and PERFI­CERE, as the Holy Councell of Trent doth as­sure vs.

2. In this conduct which the heauenly sweete­nesse daignes to our soules, from their entry to Charitie, vntill their finall perfection, which is not finished but in the period of life, doth the great gift of Perseuerance consist to which our Sauiour annecteth the greater gift of eternall glorie, fol­lowing that which he saieth, he that shall perse­uer to the end, shall be saued: for this gift is no other thing then a setting together, and a conti­nuing of the diuers supports, solaces, and succours wherby we continew in the Loue of God till death: as the education, breeding, and feeding of a child is no other thing, thē the many cares, aides and succours, ād other offices befitting a child, ex­ercised, and continued towards him till he grow to yeares in which he shall not neede them.

3. But the continuance of succours and helpes, are not equall in all those that perseuer: for in some it is short, as in such as were cōuerted a lit­tle before their death: so it happened to the good Thiefe; so to the Sergeant, who seeing S. IAMES his constancie, made forthwith profession of Faith and became a companion of the Matyrdome of this great Apostle: so to the glorious Porter who kept the 40. Martyrs in SEBASTE, who seeing one of them loose courage, and forsake the crowne of Martyrdome did put himselfe in his place, ād at ōce became Christian, Martyr, and Glorious: so to [Page 180] the Notarie, of whom mention is made in S. AN­TONIE of Padua his life, who hauing all his life bene a false villaine, yet died a Martyr: And so it hapned to a thousand others, whom we haue seene, and red that they died well, after an ill life. And as for these they stand not in neede of a great varietie of succours, but vnlesse some great tem­ptation crosse their way, may performe this short perseuerance by the onely Charitie giuen then, and by the aides by which they were conuerted. For they arriue at the PORT without sailing, and finish their pilgrimage in one onely iumpe, which the puissant mercy of God made them take in so due time, that their enemies saw them triumphe, before they stroke: so that their conuersion and perseuerance were scarcely distinguished, and if one would be exact in the proprietie of words, the grace which they receiued of God, wherby they attained as soone the issue, as the entry of their pretentions, could not well be termed Perseue­rance, though otherwise holding in effect the place of perseuerance, in that it giues saluation, we comprehend it vnder the name of Perseuerance. Now in others Perseuerance is longer, as in S. ANNE the Prophetesse; in S. IOHN the Euangelist; S. PAVLE the first Hermite; S. HILARION; S. ROMWALD; S FRANCIS of Paula, and they stood in neede of a thousand sundrie kinds of assistāces, ac­cording to the varietie of the aduenturs of their Pilgrimage, and the sharpnesse of it.

4. Howbeit Perseuerance is a gift, the most to be desired of any thing we can hope for in this life, and which, as he Councell of Trent saieth; we [Page 181] cannot haue but from the hand of God, who one­ly can assure him that stand's, and helpe him vp that falls: Wherfore we must incessantly demand it, making vse of the meanes which our Sauiour hath tought vs, to the obtaining of it, Praier, Fasting, Almes deedes, frequenting the Sacraments, con­uersation with the good, the hearing and reading of pious lessons.

5. Now sithens the gift of Praier and deuotion is liberally granted to all, thar freely doe consent to diuine inspirations, it is consequently in our power to perseuer. Yet not so, that I would hence inferre, that Perseuerāce hath her beginning from our power; for contrariwise I know she doth spring from God's mercy, whose most precious gift she is, but I would saie that though she doth not proceede frō our power, yet comes she with­in the compasse of it, by meanes of our will which we cannot denie to be in our power: for be it, that Gods grace is necessarie for vs, to will to perseuer, yet is this will in our power, because hea­uenly grace is neuer manting to our will, while our will is not wanting to our power. And in­deede, according to the great S. BERNARD'S opi­nion, we may truely saie with the Apostle: That neither death, nor life, nor Angels, neither depth, nor hight can separate vs from the Charitie of God, which is in Iesus Christ, no, for no creature can take vs away by force from this holy Loue; but we onely can forsake and abandon it by our owne will, nor is there any other thing in this be­halfe to be feared.

6. So THEO: following the aduise of the holy [Page 182] Councell, we ought to place our whole hope in God, who will perfect the work of our Saluation which he hath begun in vs, if we be not wanting to his grace: for we are not to thinke that he who saied to the Paralitike, goe and sinne not, gaue him not also power to auoide that which he did prohibit him: and surely he would neuer exhort the faithfull to perseuer, if he were not ready to furnish them with power required therto. Be faithfull till death saied he to the Bishop of SMIRNA and I will giue thee a crowne of Glorie; be diligent, and remaine in faith, labour couragiously, and comfort your selues, doe all your workes in Charitie; runne so, that you may obtaine the Prise. We must eftsonnes with the great king demand of God the heauenly gift of Perseuerance, and hope that he will grant it vs.

That the happinesse to die in heauenly Cha­ritie, is a speciall gift of God. CHAPTER. V.

1. VVHen the heauenly king hath brought the soule which he loueth, to the [Page 183] end of this life, he doth not cease to assist her also in her blessed departure, by which he drawes her to the mariage bed of eternall glorie, which is the delicious fruite of holy Perseuerance. And then, deare THEO. this soule wholy rauished with the loue of her well-beloued, putting before her eyes the multitude of fauours, and succours wherwith she was preuented and helped, while she is yet in her pilgrimage, she doth incessantly kisse this sweete helping hand, which cōducted, drew, and supported her in the way; and confesseth, that it is of this diuine Sauiour that she holds her felicitie, seeing he had done for her all that the Patriarch IACOB wished for his iorney at such time as he saw the Ladder to heauen. O Lord, saieth she then, thou wast with me, and guided me in the way by which I came. Thou fedst me with the bread of thy Sacraments; thou clothed'st me with the wedding garment of Charitie, thou hast happily conducted me to this MANSION OF GLORIE, which is thy HOVSE, ô my eternall Father. What remaines ô Lord, saue that I should protest that thou art my God for euer and euer. Amen.

Thus then we walke to eternall life, for the ac­complishment of which the Diuine Prouidence ordained the number, distinction and succession of graces necessarie to it, with their dependance of one another.

[Page 184]2. He willed first with a true will, that euen after the sinne of ADAM all men should be saued: but vpon termes, and by meanes agreeable to the condition of their nature endewed with free-will, that is to saie he willed the saluation, of all those that would contribute their consent, to the graces and fauours, which he prepared, offered, and distri­buted to this end.

3. Now amongst these fauours, his will was, that VOCATION should be the first, and that it should be so accommodated to our LIBERTIE, that we might at our pleasure accept or reiect it: and such as he saw would receiue it, he would furnish with the sacred motions of PENANCE; and deter­mined to giue Charitie to such as should second these motions: to those againe that were in Cha­ritie, he purposed to supplie with helpes necessa­rie to PERSEVERANCE: and to such, as should make vse of these diuine helpes, he resolued to im­part finall Perseuerance, and the glorious FELICI­TIE of his eternall Loue.

4. And thus we may giue a reason of the order which is found in the effects of PROVIDENCE ten­ding to saluation, descending from the first to the last, that is from the fruite, which is GLORIE, to the roote of this faire tree, which is our Sauiours REDEMPTION. For the Diuine Bountie doth fol­low MERITS with GLORIE, CHARITIE with me­rits, PENNANCE with CHARITIE, OBEDIENCE to the first Vocation, with Penance. The VOCA­TION with obediēce to the vocation, and our Sa­uiours REDEMPTION with a vocation, vpon which Iacobs mysticall ladder doth rest, as well towards [Page 185] heauē, it ending in the louing bosome of the eter­nall Father, in which he doth receiue and glorifie the Elect, as also towards the earth, being planted vpon the besome, and pearsed side of our Sauiour, who for this cause died vpon the Mont-Calua­rie.

5. And that this continuance of the effects of Prouidence was thus ordained, with the same de­pendance, which they haue of one another in the eternall will of God, the Holy Church, in the pre­face of one of her solemne Praiers, doth witnesse in these words: O ETERNALL and Almightie God who art Lord of the liuing and dead, and art mercifull to all those, whom thou foreseest are to be thine, by faith and works: as though she had acknowledged, that Glorie which is the encrease and fruite of Gods Mercy towards men, was o­nely ordained for those, whom the Diuine wis­dome had foreseene, that in tract of time, secon­ding their vocation, they should attaine a liuely Faith, which work's by Charitie.

6. Finally all these effects haue their abso­lute dependance of our Sauiours Redemption, who did merit them for vs IN RIGOVR OF IVS­TICE, by the louing obedience which he exerci­sed euē till death and death of the crosse, which is the source of all the graces which we receiue; we who are the Spirituall graffes ingraffed in his stoke and if being ingraffed we remaine in him, we shall beare without doubt, by the life of grace which he will impart vnto vs, the fruite of Glorie prepa­red for vs. But if we prooue broken sprigges and graffes vpon this tree, that is, if by resistance we [Page 186] breake the progresse, and successe of the effects of his Clemencie it will not be strang, if in the end we be wholy cut of, and be throwen into e­ternall fires, as fruitlesse branches.

7. God, doubtlesse, prepared heauen for those onely, whō he foresaw would be his. Let vs be his then THEO. by faith and works, and he will be ours by Glorie. Now it is in our power to be his: for though it be a gift of God to be Gods, yet is it a gift which God denies no bodie, but offers it to all, to giue it to such as freely doe consent to re­ceiue it.

8. Nay marke I pray you THEO: how ardent­ly God desires we should be his, sith to this end, he hath made himselfe entirely ours; bestowing vpon vs his death, and his life; his life, to exempt vs from eternall death; his death, to possesse vs of eternall life. Let vs remaine therefore in peace, and serue God, to become his in this mortall life; more his, in that immortall.

That we cannot attaine to a perfect vnion with God in this mortall life. CHAPTER. VI.

1. RIuers doe restlesse rūne, and as the wiseman saieth, returne to their source. The Sea which is the place whence they spring, is also the place of their finall repose; all their motion tend's no further then to vnite themselues to their foun­taine. [Page 187] O God saieth S. AVGVSTINE, thou hast created my heart for thy selfe, and it can neuer re­pose but in thee: But what haue I in heauen saue thee, ô my God, or what else in earth can I desire? yea Lord, for thou art the Lord of my heart, thou my part and portion for euer. Howbeit the vnion which our heart aspires to, neuer attaines to it's perfection in this mortall life; we may commence our Loues in this, but neuer consummat them till the next world.

2. The heauenly Spouse makes a delicate ex­pression of it, I haue found him at length saieth she; him whom my heart loues, I hold him, nor will I let him goe, till I haue led him into my mo­thers house, and into her chamber who brought me fourth. The well-beloued hath gotten him then: For he makes her feele his presence by a thousand consolations: she holdes him, these fee­lings causing in her strong affections, by which she doth holde and embrace him, protesting neuer to release him. O no! for these affections turne into eternall resolutions, yet cannot she perswade her selfe, that she giues him the mariage kisse, till she meete with him in her mothers house THE HEA­VENLY HIERVSALEM, as S. PAVLE saieth. But see, THEO: how this Spouse, thinks euen to keepe her beloued at her mercie, as slaue in Loue, and so leade him at her pleasure, bringing him to her mo­thers happie abode, though indeede she her selfe must be conducted thither by him, as was REBEC­CA into SARA'S chamber, by her deare ISAAC. The heart pressed with loue, doth still gaine ground towards the thing beloued. And the Spouse him­selfe [Page 188] confesseth, that the Beloued hath forced his heart, hauing tyed him with one onely heire of her head, acknowledging himselfe her prisoner by Loue.

3. This perfect coniunction then of the soule with God, shall onely be in heauen, where, as the Apocalypse saieth, the Lambs marriage-banquet shall be made. In this mottall life the soule is truely espoused, and betrothed to the immaculat Lambe, but not as yet married vnto him: They haue passed their words and promisses, but the execution of the marriage is differred: so that we haue alwayes time, though neuer reason, to disclame from it; our faithfull Spouse neuer abandoning vs, vnlesse prouoked by our disloyaltie and vnfaithfulnesse: But in heauen the marriage of this diuine vnion being celebrated, the tye of our hearts to their so­ueraine PRINCIPLE, shall neuer be vndone.

4. It is true THEOTIME that while we ex­pect the kisse of this indissoluble vnion, which we shall receiue of the Spouse aboue in glorie, he be­giues vs some few kisses, by a thousand touches of his gratfull presence: for vnlesse the soule were kissed, she should not be drawen, nor would she runne in the odour of the Beloued's perfumes: whence according to the originall Hebrew Text, and the 70. Interpreters, she wisheth many kisses: Let hī kisse me saith she, with kisses of his mouth. But whereas these little kisses of this present life, haue reference to the ETERNALL KISSE of the life to come, the holy vulgar Edition, hath pious­ly reduced the kisses of grace, to that of Glorie, expressing the spouse her desires in this wise: Let [Page 189] him kisse me with a kisse of his mouth, as though she should saie, of all the kisses, of all the fauours, that the friend of my heart, or the heart of my soule hath prouided for me; ah! I doe not breath after, or aspire to any other thing then this great and solemne marriage-kisse which remaines for euer, and in comparison whereof, the other kisses merit not the name of kisses, being rather signes of the future vnion betwixt my beloued and me, then vnion it selfe.

That the Charitie of Saints in this mortall life doth equallise, yea sometimes passe that of the Blessed. CHAPTER. VII.

1. VVHen after the trauailes and dangers of this mortall life, the happie soules arriue at the Port of the eternall, they ascend to the highest and vtmost degree of Loue to which they can attaine: and this finall encrease being bestowed vpon them in recompence of their me­rits, it is distributed vnto them, not onely in good measure, but is euen pressed and thrust downe, and yet doth scatter on euery side, as our Sauiour saieth: So that the Loue which is giuen for reward, is greater in euery one, then that which was, giuen for to merit.

2. Nor shall euery one in particular onely, haue a greater loue in heauen, then euer he had [Page 190] in earth, but euen the exercise of the least Charitie in heauen, shall be much more happie and excel­lent, generally speaking, then that of the greatest which is, hath bene, or shall be in this fraile life: for aboue, all the saints doe incessantly, without any intermissiō exercise loue; while heare belowe, God's greatest seruants racked and tyrannized with the necessities of this dying life, are forced to suffer a thousand and a thousand distractions, which oftentimes puts them by the practise of holy loue.

3. In heauen THEO: the louing attention of the blessed is firme, constant, inuiolable, and can­not perish or decrease; their intention is pure, and freed from all mixture of any inferiour intention▪ In some, this felicitie, to see God clearely, and loue him vnchangably is incomparable. And who would euer compare the pleasure one might take by sea (if any can be had to liue amidst the dan­gers continuall torments, agitations and mutatiōs, which there are to be endured) with the content of a royall Pallace, where all things are at a wish, yea where delights doe incomparably passe our wishes?

4. There is then more content, pleasure, and perfection in the exercise of sacred loue amongst the heauenly inhabitants, then in that of the pil­grims of this poore land: some notwithstanding haue bene so happie in their pilgrimage, that they passed in Charitie diuers of those Saints, who were already possessed of the eternall Countrie: for certainly it were strang, that the Charitie of a great S. IOHN, of the Apostles and Apostolicall [Page 191] men, were not greater, yea euen while they were detained heare belowe, then that of little children who dying in the onely grace of Baptisme en­ioyed immortall glorie.

5. It is not ordinarie that shepheards are more valiant then soldiers; and yet the little shepheard DAVID, cōming into the Armie of ISRAEL, foūd that euery one was more expert in the vse of armes then he, neuerthelesse he was more valiant then all they. Nor is it ordinarie that mortalls haue more charitie then the immortall, and yet there haue bene some mortalls, inferiour in the exercise of loue to the immortall, who notwithstanding haue gone before them in charitie, and habits of loue. And as making comparison betwixt hote iron and a burning lampe, we saie, the iron is hotter, yet the lampe is clearer and lighter: So if we parallel a glorious child with S. IOHN as yet prisoner, or S. PAVLE a captiue, we shall saie that the child in heauen hath more brightnesse and lightnesse in his vnderstanding, more heate and exercise of loue in the will: yet S. IOHN, or S. PAVLE had euen in earth, more fire of Charitie, and heate of loue.

Of the incomparable loue of the mo­ther of God our B. Lady. CHAPTER. VIII.

1. BVt what or whersoeuer I speake, my mea­ning is not to make comparison with the most Sacred virgin Mother our B. Lady: ô God [Page 192] no, FOR SHE IS THE DAVGHTER OF INCOMPARABLE DILECTION, the onely doue, the most perfect spouse. Of this heauenly Queene, from my heart I pronounce, this louing, and true thought; that, at least to­wards the end of her mortall daies, her charitie passed that of the Seraphins: for though many Daughters heaped together riches, she surpassed the all. The Saints and Angels are but cōpared to starrs, and the prime of those to the fairest of these: but she is faire as the moone, as easie to be singled and discerned from all the Saints, as the Sunne from the starrs. And yet I thinke further, that as the Charitie of this MOTHER OF LOVE ex­cells that of all the Saints of heauen in perfe­ction, so did she exercise it more perfectly, yea euen in this mortall life, neuer offending venially, as the Church esteemes; she had then nor change nor stop in the way of Loue, but by a perpetuall aduancement ascended from Loue to Loue. She neuer felt any contradiction of the sensuall appe­tite; whence her Loue as a true SALOMON reigned peacebly in her soule, and was exercised at her pleasure: the virginitie of her heart and bodie, was more worthy and honorable then that of An­gels. So that her spirit not diuided or separated as S. PAVLE saieth, was occupied in diuine thoughts to please her God. And in fine a mothers loue, most pressing, actiue, and ardent, an vnwearied and insatiable loue, what could it not work in the heart of such a mother, and for the heart of such a sonne.

2. Ah! doe not saie I pray you, that this virgin [Page 193] was subiect to sleepe, no, saie not so THEO: for doe you not see, that her sleepe, is a sleepe of Loue? so that it is euen her Spouse his will, that she should sleepe so long as she list; ah! take heede I coniure you saith he, that you awake not my well-beloued till she please. No THEO: this hea­uenly Queene neuer slept but of loue, sith she neuer gaue repose to her precious bodie, but to reenforce it, the better thence to serue God, which is a most excellent act of Charitie: for as the great S. Augustine saieth, Charitie doth oblige vs to loue our bodies conueniently, in so much as they are necessarie to good works; as they make a part of our person; and as they shall be partici­pant of eternall felicitie: Certes a Christian is to loue his bodie, as a liuing Image of our Sauiour incarnate, as issue of the same stocke, and conse­quently of his kindred and consanguinitie; espe­cially after we haue renewed the alliance, by re­ceiuing really the diuine bodie of our Redee­mour in the most adorable Sacrament of the Altar, and when by Baptisme, Confirmation and other Sacraments, we haue dedicated and con­secrated our selues to the Soueraigne Good­nesse.

3. But for the B. Virgine, ô God with what deuotion was she to loue her virginall bodie! not onely because it was a sweete, humble, pure bodie, obeissant to diuine Loue, and wholy embaumed with a thousand sacred sweetes, but also for that it was the liuely source of our Sauiour's, and did so strictly belong vnto him, by an incomparable dependance. For which cause, when she gaue her [Page 194] angelicall bodie to the repose of sleepe: goe to aied she, repose ô TABERNACLE OF ALLIANCE, ARKE OF SANCTITIE, THRONE OF THE DIVI­NITIE, ease thy selfe a little of thy wearinesse, and repaire thy forces, by this sweete repose.

4. Besides deare THEO: doe you not know that bad dreames, voluntarily procured by the dayes depraued thoughtes, are in some sort sinnes, in so much as they are dependances and executiōs of the precedent malice? euē so the dreames which proceede from the holy affections of such as are a wake be reputed vertuous and holy. O God THEO: what a consolation it is to heare S. CHRY­SOSTOME recounting on a certaine day to his peo­ple, the vehemencie of his loue towards them! the necessitie of sleepe, quoth he, pressing my eye-lids, the tyrannie of my loue towards you, doth excite the eyes of my mind: and euen while I sleepe me thinks I speake vnto you, for the soule is wonte in sleepe to see by imagination what she thought in the day time, so while we see not one an other with the eyes of flesh, we supplie it with the eyes of Charitie. O sweete IESVS, what dreames was thy sacred Mother to haue when she sleept, her heart watching? Did she not dreame that she had thee yet folded in her wombe, as thou wa'st for nine monthes space? or else hanging at her breasts, and pretily pressing the sacred nible of her virginall dugge? Ah what sweetenesse was in this soule! Paraduenture she dreamed, that as our Sa­uiour had often sleept in her bosome, as a tender lampkin vpon his mothers flanke, so she sleept in his pearced side, as a WHITE DOVE in the caue of [Page 195] an assured rocke: so that her sleepe was wholy like to an extasie, according to the operation of the spirit, though to the bodie it was a sweete and gracious rest and repose. But if euer she dreamed, as did the auncient Ioseph, of her future greatenesse; when in heauen she should be clothed with the Sunne, crowned with starrs, ād the moone at her feete, that is, wholy enuironed with her sonnes glorie, crowned with that of the Saints, and the world vnder her: or else, if as Iacob, she saw the progresse, and fruite of her sonnes Redem­ption, for the loue of Angells and men. THEO: who could euer imagine the immensitie of so great delightes? ô what conferēces with her deare child! what deliciousnesse from euery side!

5. But marke I pray you that I neither doe, nor will saie, that this so priuileged a Soule of the Mother of God, was depriued of the vse of reason in her sleepe. Many are of opinion that Salomon in that rare, yea, and true dreame, in which he de­manded and receiued the gift of incomparable wisdome, did truely exercise his free-will, by rea­son of the iudicious eloquence of the discourse he made; of his choice full of discretion; and the most excellent Praier which he vsed; and all these without any mixture of impertinences or distra­ctiōs of mind. But how much more reason is there, that the mother of the true Salomon, had the vse of reason in her sleepe, that is to saie, as Salomon himselfe made her speake, that her heart watched while she slept? Surely it was a farre greater mar­uell that S. IOHN had the exercise of reason in his mothers wombe. And why then should we denie [Page 196] her a lesse, for whom, and to whom God did more fauours, then either he hath, or shall doe for all creaturs besides?

6. To conclud, as the precious stone Abeston doth by a perlelesse proprietie conserue for euer the fire which it hath conceiued: So the virgin-Mothers heart remained perpetually inflamed with holy loue which she receiued pf her sonne: yet with this difference, that the Abestons fire as it cannot be extinguished, so it cannot be augmē ­ted; but the virgins sacred flames, sith they could neither perish, diminish, nor remaine in the same estate, neuer ceased to take vncredible encrease, euen vnto heauen the place of their origine: So true it is that this Mother, is the Mother of FAIRE DILECTION, that is, as the most amiable, so the most louing; and as the most louing, so the most beloued mother of this onely sonne; who againe is the most amiable, most louing, and most belo­ued sonne of this onely Mother.

A Preparation to the discourse of the vnion of the Blessed with God. CHAPTER. IX.

1. THe triumphant loue which the Blessed in heauen doe exercise, consisteth in the fi­nall, vnuariable and eternall vnion of the soule with God. But what is this vnion?

[Page 197]2. By how much, more agreeable and excel­lent obiects our senses meete withall, by so much more ardently ād greedily they giue themselues to the fruition of them. By how much more faire, delightfull to the veiw, and duely lightened they are, by so much the eye doth more eagarly ād liue­ly behould them: and by how much more sweete and pleasant voices, or musicke are, the attention of the eare is more drawen vnto them: So that euery obiect doth exercise a puissant, yet amia­ble violence vpon its proper senses; a violence lesse or more strong, according as the excellencie is lesse or greater; prouided alwayes, that it be proportionable to the capacitie of the Sēse which desires to enioy it: for the eye which doth please it selfe so much in light, cannot yet support the extreamitie of it, nor fixe it selfe vpon the sunne: And be musicke neuer so sweete, if loude and too nigh, it doth importune and offend our eares. TRVTH is the obiect of our vnderstanding, and consequently takes no other content then to dis­couer and know the truth of things; as TRVTH is more excellent, so the vnderstanding doth applie it selfe more deliciously and attentiuely, to the consideration of it. What pleasure thinke you had these auncient Philosophers, who had so excel­lent a knowledge of so many faire TRVTHES in nature? Verily they reputed all pleasurs as nothing in comparison of their well beloued Philosophie, for which some of them quitted honours, others great riches, others their countrie: yea some there were, who deliberatly pulled out their eyes, de­priuing themselues for euer of the fruition of the [Page 198] faire ēd agreeable corporall light, that with more libertie they might applie themselues to the con­sideration of the veritie of things, by a spirituall light: for so we reade of Democrites. So delicious is the knowledge of truth! Hence it was frequent with Aristotle, that humane Felicitie and Beati­tude cōsisteth in wisdome, which is the knowledge of eminent truth.

3. But when our mind, raised aboue naturall lights, begins to see the sacred truthes of faith, ô God THEO: what ioy! the soule melts with plea­sure hearing the voice of her heauenly Spouse, whom she finds more sweete and delicious thē the honie of all humane knowledges.

4. God hath imprinted vpon all things crea­ted his trace, gate, or foote-steppes; so that the knowledge we haue of his diuine Maiestie by crea­turs, seemes no other thing then God's trace; and that in cōparison of it, Faith is a veiw of the very face of the diuine Maiestie, which we doe not yet see in the cleare day of Glorie, but as it were in the breake of day, as it happened to IACOB neere vnto the Torrent IABOC: for though he saw not the Angell with whom he wrastled, saue in the weake light of the day breake, yet rauished with contentment he ceased not to crie; I haue seene the Almightie face to face, and my soule hath bene saued. ô how delightfull is the holy light of faith, by which we know by an infallible certitude not onely the historie of the beginning of crea­turs, and their true vse; but euen that of the eternall birth of the great, and soueraigne DIVINE WORD, to and for whom, all was [Page 199] made, and who with the Father and the holy Ghost, is one onely God, most singular, most a­dorable and blessed for euer Amen. Ah! saieth S. HIEROME to his Paulina, the learned Plato neuer knew this; Eloquent Demosthenes was ignorant of it. How sweete thy words are to my palace, ô God quoth that great king, sweeter then honie to my mouth! was not our heart burning while he spoake to vs in the way, saied those happie pilgrims of Emaus, speaking of the flames of loue with which they were touched, by the word of faith. But if diuine TRVT [...]ES be so sweete, being propo­sed in the obscure light of faith, ô God what shall they be, when we shall contemplat them in the light of the noone-day of glorie?

5. The Queene of Saba, who at the greatnesse of Salomons renowne; left all to goe see him, being arriued in his presence, and hauing heard the wonders of the wisdome which he poured out in his speaches; as astonished and lost in admiration, she cried out, that what she had by hearesay of this heauenly wisdome was not halfe of the know­ledge which sight and experience had giuen her.

6. Ah! how faire and gratefull are the truthes which faith doth discouer vnto vs by hearing, but when arriued in the heauenly Hierusalem, we shall shee the great Salomon, king of glorie, seated v­pon the Throne of his wisdome manifesting by an incomprehensible brightnesse the wonders and eternall secrets of his Soueraigne TRVTH, with such light, that our vnderstanding shall see in presence, that which it had beleeued here below; ah! then most deare THEO: what rauishments! [Page 200] what extases! what admirations! what loues! what sweetes! no, neuer (shall we saie in this ex­cesse of sweetnesse) neuer could we haue imagined to haue seene truthes so delightsome. Indeede we beleeued all that we were told of thy glorie, ô great Citie of God, but we could not conceiue the infinite greatnesse of the Abisses of thy de­lightes.

That the precedent desire shall much encrease the vnion of the Bles­sed with God. CHAPTER. X.

1. THe desire which doth preceede fruition, doth egge and refine the feeling of the same, and by how much the desire was more vr­gent and powerfull, by so much more gratefull and delicious is the possession of the thing desired, ô IESVS, my deare THEO: what pleasure will man's heart take to see the face of the Diuinitie, a face so much desired, yea a face the onely desire of our soules? Our hearts haue a thrist which can­not be quenched by the pleasures of this mortall life, whereof the most esteemed and purchased, If moderat, quench vs not; if extreame, they stifle vs. Yet we desire them alwayes in the extreamitie, and being so desired they are alwayes excessiue, insupportable, dammagable: For we dye of ioye as well as of griefe: yea ioye is more actiue to ruinate [Page 201] vs then griefe. Alexāder hauing swallowed vp, what in effect, what in hope, this lower world, heard of a caitiue fellow, that there were yet many other worlds, and like a little child who will crie if one refuse him an aple, this Alexander whom the world instils the great, more foole notwithstan­ding then a little child, began bitterly to weepe, because there was no liklihoode that he should conquer the other worlds, hauing not as yet got the entire possession of this. He that did more fully enioye the world then euer any did, is yet so little satisfied with it, that he weepes for sorrow that he cannot haue the others, which the foolish persuasion of a wretched Babler made him con­ceiue. Tell me I praie you THEO: doth he not show that the thrist of his heart cannot be slaked in this life, and that this world is not sufficient to quench it! O admirable, yet amiable vnrest of mans heart! be still, be still my soule without all rest, or repose in this earth till thou shalt haue mett with the fresh waters of the immortall life, and the most holy Diuinitie, which alone can allay thy drouth, and cease thy desire.

2. Meane while, THEO: imagine with the Psalmist, how the Hart hard laied at by the Crie, hauing now, nor breath nor legges, doth plunge himselfe greedily into the waters, which he que­sted, and with what ardour he doth presse and shut himselfe vp in that Elemēt. One would think he would willingly be dissolued and conuerted into water, more fully to enioye this coldenesse: ah! what an vnion of our hearts shall there be with God aboue; where, after these infinite desires of [Page 202] the true of Good, neuer asswaged in this world, we shall find the liuing ād puissant source thereof; Then verily, as we see a hungrie child closely glewed to his mothers breast, and fixed to her dugge, greedely presse this sweete foūtaine of ple­sāt ād desired loquor, so that one would think, that either it would thrust it selfe into its mothers breast, or else sucke, and draw her breast into his: so our soule panting with an extreame thrist of the true Good, when she shall meete with that vn­drainable source in the Diuinitie; ô good God! what a holy and pleasing desire shall she feele to be vnited and ioyned to the plentifull breasts of the All-goodnesse, either altogether to diue into it, or draw it altogether into her.

Of the Vnion of the Blessed soules with God, in seeing the Diuinitie. CHAPTER. XI.

1. VVHen we looke vpon any thing, though presēt to vs it is not in it selfe vnited to our eyes, but onely sends out to them a certaine representation or picture of it selfe, which is called SPECIES SENSIBILIS, by meanes whereof we see. So also when we contemplat, or vnder­stand any thing, that which we vnderstand is not vnited to our vnderstanding, otherwise then by [Page 203] another representation, or most delicate and spi­rituall image, which is called SPECIES INTELLIGI­BILIS. But further these SPECIES by how many windings and changes get they to the vnderstan­ding? they aboord the exteriour senses, thence passe to the interiour, after to the Fantasie, from thence to the actiue vnderstanding, and come at last to the passiue, to th'end that passing so many sierces, and files, they might be purified, subtili­sed, and refined, and of sensible become intelli­gible.

2. Thus, THEOTINE we see and vnder­stand, all that we see and vnderstand in this mortall life; yea euen things of faith; for, as the Myrrour containeth not the thing we see in it, but onely the representation, and species of it, which representatiō staied by the Myrrour produ­ceth another in the behoulding eye: So the word of faith, doth not containe that which it announ­ceth, but onely represents it, and this representa­tion of diuine things, which is in the word of faith produceth an other, which our vnderstanding, helped by Gods grace doth accept, and receiue as a representation of holy TRVTH, and our will is pleased in it, and doth embrace it as an honorable, profitable, louelie, and best TRVTH: So that the truthes signified in Gods word, are by it represen­ted to the vnderstanding, as things expressed in the Myrrour are by it represēted to the eye; whēce the great Apostle saied, that to beleeue, was to see as in a Myrrour.

3. But in heauen, THEO: ô God what a fauour! The Diuinitie will vnite it selfe to our vnderstan­ding, [Page 204] without the mediation of any species or re­presentation at all, but it selfe will applie and ioyne it selfe to our vnderstanding, making it selfe in such sort present vnto it, that that inward presence shall be in lieu of a representation or species. O true God what a delight shall it be to mans vnderstanding, to be vnited for euer to his soueraigne obiect, receiuing not the repre­sentation but the presence, not the picture or species, but the very essence of Diuine TRVTH and Maiestie. We shall be there as most happie children of the Diuinitie, and shall haue the ho­nour to be fed with the Diuine substance it selfe; taken into our soule by the mouth of our vnderstanding; and that which passeth all delight, is, that as mothers are not contented in feeding their babes with their milke, which is their owne substance, [...]f they doe not also put the nible of their dugge into their mouthes, that they might not receiue their substance in a spoone or other instrument, but euen in, and by their owne substance, it seruing as well for foode, as a conduite to conuey it to the deere little suckling: So God our Father, is not contented to make vs receiue his proper substance in our vnderstan­ding, that is, to make vs see his Diuinitie, but by an Abisse of his sweetenesse, himselfe will applie his substance to our soule, to th'end that we might no longer vnderstand by species, or representa­tion, but in it selfe and by it selfe; so that his fa­therly, and eternall substance, is both SPECIES, and OBIECT to our vnderstanding. Then these diuine promisses shalbe practised in an excellent [Page 205] manner; I will leade her into the solitude, and speake vnto her heart, and giue her sucke; re­ioyce with Hierusalem in ioye, that you may drink, and be filled with the dugge of his consola­tion, and that you may sucke and be delighted with the whole abundance of his glorie; you shall be carried to the Pap, and be lulled vpon the knee.

4. Infinite blisse THEOT:! And which was not promised onely, but we haue earnest of it in the Blessed Sacrament, that perpetuall Feast of Diuine Grace: For in it we receiue the blood of our Sauiour in his flesh, and his flesh in his blood, his blood being applied vnto vs by meanes of his flesh, his substance by his sub­stance euen to our corporall mouth; to th'end we might know that so he will applie vnto vs, his Diuine essence in the eternall Feast of his Glorie. True it is, this fauour is really done vnto vs, euen here, but couertly vnder SACRAMENTALL SPECIES AND APPARENCES, whereas in heauen, the Diuinitie will giue himselfe openly, and we shall see him face to face as he is.

Of the eternall vnion of the blessed spirits with God, in the vision of the eternall birth of the Sonne of God. CHAPTER. XII.

1. O Holy and diuine Spirit, eternall Loue of the Father and the Sonne; be propitious to myne infancie. Our vnderstanding shall then see God, THEO: yes, it shall see God face to face, contemplating by a view of true and reall pre­sence, the Diuine essence it selfe, and in it, the in­finite beauties thereof, all-power, all-goodnesse, all-wisdome, all-iustice, and the rest of this Abisse of perfections.

2. The vnderstanding then shall clearely see, the infinite knowledge which God the Father had from all eternitie of his owne beautie for the ex­pression of which in himselfe, he pronounced, and saied eternally, the MOT, the WORD, or the most singular and most infinite speech or diction, which comprising and representing all the perfection of the Father, can be but one same God, most one with him, without diuision or separation. We shall then also see, that eternall and admirable genera­tion of the diuine WORD and Sonne, by which he was eternally borne to the image and likenesse of the Father; a liuelie and naturall Image and like­nesse, not representing any accidents nor extrin­sicall thing, sith in God all is Substance, nor can [Page 207] there be any accident; all is interiour, nor can ther be there any exteriour thing: but an image repre­senting the proper substance so liuely, so naturally as well essentially as substantially, that therfore it can be no other thing then the same God with him, without distinction or differēce at all, either in essence or substance, saue onely the distinction of persons: for how could it be that this diuine sonne was the true, liuelily liuely, truely natu­rall, image, resemblance, and figure of the infinite beautie, and substance of the Father, if it did not represent infinitly to the life and nature, the infi­nite perfections of the Father; and how could it infinitly represent infinite perfections, if it were not infinitly perfect; and how could it be infinitly perfect, if it were not God; and how could it be God, if it were not the same God with the Fa­ther?

3. The sonne then, the infinite image and fi­gure of his infinite Father, is one onely God, most singular, and infinite with his Father, there being no difference of substance betwixt them; but one­ly the distinction of persons; which distinction of persons, as it is wholy necessarie, so it is most suf­ficient to this, that the Father pronounce, and that the sonne should be the word pronounced; that the Father speake, and the Sonne be the word, or the diction; that the Father expresse, and the Sonne be the image, liknesse, or figure expres­sed; and in somme that the Father be Father, and the Sonne Sonne, two distinct persons, but one onely Essence or Diuinitie; so that God who is sole, is not solitarie, for he is sole in his most sin­gular [Page 208] and simple Deitie, yet is not solitarie, be­cause he is Father and Sonne in two persons. O THEO: what ioye, what iubelie in the celebritie of this eternall birth, keept in the Splēdour of Saints, keept in seeing it, and seene in keeping it.

4. Milde S. BERNARD as yet a young child at Chatillon vpon Seine, on Christmasse Eue, expe­cted in the Church while they begun the diuine Office, and in this expectation, the poore child fell into a light slumber; meanewhile (ô God what sweetenesse!) he saw in SPIRIT, yet in a vision very distinct, and cleare, how the Sonne of God, hauing espoused humane nature, and becoming a little child in his mothers most pure entrals, sprung virginally from her sacred wombe, with a heauan­ly Maiestie masked in an humble mildenesse.

A Vision THEO; which did so replenish the little BERNARDS louely heart with content, iubilation, and spirituall dainties, that he had all his life an extreame sense of it, and therefore, though after as a sacred Bee he daily culled out of all the diuine mysteries, the honie of a thousand sweete ād hea­uenly consolations; yet had he a more particular sweetenesse in the solemnitie of the Natiuitie, and spoake with a singular gust of this birth of his Mai­ster. But alas I beseech thee THE: if a mysticall and imaginarie vision of the temporall and humane birth of the Sonne of God, by which he procee­ded man from a woman, virgin from a virgin, doth rauish and so highly content the heart of a child: [Page 209] what shall it be when our minds lightned with the [...]ight of glorie, shall see this eternall birth, by which the Sonne doth proceede GOD from GOD, LIGHT from LIGHT, a TRVE GOD from a TRVE GOD diuinely and eternally; then shall our minds be ioyned by an incomprehensible complacence to this obiect of delight, and by an vnchangeable at­tention shall remaine vnited to it for euer.

Of the vnion of the Blessed with God in the vision of the Holy Ghost's production. CHAPTER XIII.

1. THe eternall Father seeing she infinite Bountie ād Beautie of his essence, so liue­lily, essentially, and substantially expressed in his Sonne, and the Sonne seeing reciprocally that his owne essence, Bountie, and Beautie was originally in his Father, as in their source and fountaine: ah can it possibly be that this Diuine Father and his Sonne, should not mutually loue one another with an infinite loue, sith their will, by which they loue, is infinite in each of them.

2. Loue not finding vs equall, doth equalize vs: not finding vs vnited, doth vnite vs. Now the Father and the Sonne finding themselues not one­ly equall and vnited, but euen one same God, one same Goodnesse, one same essence, and one same vnitie, how much must they needes loue one ano­ther? not with a loue which passeth, as that of in­tellectuall [Page 210] creaturs amongst themselues, or to­wards their Creator: for created loue is exercised in many and diuers motions, breathings, vnions and tyes which doe immediatly succeede one ano­ther, and continue loue with a gratfull vicissitude of spirituall motions. But the diuine loue of the e­ternall Father towards his Sonne, is practised in one onely breathing mutually from them both, who in this sort remaine vnited and tied together. I THEO: for the Bountie of the Father and Sonne being but one sole singularly one bountie, cōmon to them both, the loue of this Bountie can be but one onely loue; for though there be two Louers, to wit, the Father and the Sonne, yet seeing there is onely their most singular Bountie common to them both which is loued, and their most one will which doth loue, there is thereof but one loue, ex­ercised by one SPIRATION of loue. The Father breaths this loue, and so doth the Sonne, but be­cause the Father doth not breath this loue, but by meanes of the same will, and for the same Boun­tie, which is equally and singularly in him, and his Sonne: nor the Sonne againe doth not breath this SPIRATION of loue, but for this same Bountie, and by this same will: therefore this SPIRA­TION of loue, is but one SPIRATION or one onely SPIRIT breathed out by two, which Breath.

3. And because the Father and Sonne who breath, haue an infinite essence and will, by which they breath, and that the Bountie for which they breath is infinite, it is impossible the SPIRATION should not be infinite; and for as much as it can­not [Page 211] be infinite without being God, therfore this spirit breathed from the Father and the Sonne is true God; and sith there neither is, nor can be more then one onely God, it is one onely true God, with the Father and the Sonne. But more­ouer, whereas this loue, is an act which doth pro­ceede mutually from the Father and the Sonne, it can neither be the Father, nor the Sonne, from whom it proceeded, though it haue the same Bountie and Substance of the Father, ād the Sōne: but must necessarily be a third diuine person, who with the Father and the Sonne is onely God. And for that this loue is produced by manner of SPI­RATION, or inspiration, it is called the holy SPI­RIT.

4. Now, THEO: the king Dauid describing the sweetenesse of the frendshipe of Gods ser­uants, cries out.

[Page 212] But ô God, if humane friendshipe be so a­greeable, louelie, and doe spreede so delicious an odour on them that doth contemplate it, what shall it be, my well-beloued THEOTIME, to behold sacred loue mutually exercised betwixt the eternall Father, and the Sonne; SAINT GREGORIE NAZIANZENE recounts that the incomparable loue which was betwixt him, and SAINT BASILE the Great, was famous all through Greece: And Tertullian doth testi­fie, that the Pagans did admire, the more then brotherly loue, which raigned amongst the primitiue Christians. O what Feast, what solemnitie! with what praises and Benedictions is the eternall and Soueraigne Friendshipe of the Father, and the Sonne to be celebrated? with what admirations to be honored, and loued? What is there amiable and worthy to be loued, if not Friendshipe; and if Friend­shipe be amiable and worthy to be loued, what Friendshipe is like to that infinite Friendshipe, which is betwixt the Father and the Sonne, who is the same God, in a singular manner with them? Our heart THEOTIME, will fall into an Abisse of loue, through admiration of the beautie, and sweetenesse of the loue, that this eternall Father, and this in­comprehensible Sonne doe pra­ctise diuinely and eternally.

That the Light of Glorie, shall con­curre to the vnion of the Bles­sed with God. CHAPTER. XIV.

1. THus shall the created vnderstanding see the Diuine essence, without the meanes of any species or representation; yet not without a certaine excellent light, which doth dispose, eleuate, and strengthen it, to raise it's view so high, and to an obiect so sublime and resplendāt. For as the Owlets sight is strong enough to be­hold the gloomie light of a cleare night, yet not to see the light at noonetide, which is too glitte­ring to be seene by so troubled and weake eyes; so our vnderstanding which is strong enough to consider naturall truthes by discourse, yea euen the supernaturall things of grace, by the light of faith, is not yet able, neither by the light of nature nor faith, to attaine vnto the view of the diuine substance, in it selfe. Wherefore the goodnesse of the eternall wisdome determined, not to applie his essence to our vnderstanding, till he had pre­pared, reuigorated, and enabled it, to receiue a sight so eminent, and disproportionable to the naturall condition thereof, as is the view of the Diuinitie: for so the Sunne, the soueraigne ob­iect of our corporall eyes amongst naturall things, doth not present himselfe vnto our view, without [Page 214] sending first his raies, by meanes whereof we may be able to see him, so that we see him not but by his light. Yet there is a difference betwixt the raies which the Sunne doth cast vpō our corporall eyes, and the light which God will create in our vnder­standing in Heauen: for the Sunn's raies doe not fortifie our corporall eyes when they are weake and vnable to see, but doth rather, dazle, waste and blinde their infirme sight: whereas contrariwise, this sacred LIGHT OF GLORIE finding our vnder­standings weake and incapable to behould the Diuinitie, it doth raise, strengthen, and perfect them so excellently, that by an incomprehen­sible wonder, they doe behould and contem­plate the Abisse of the Diuine brightnesse in it selfe, with a firme and straight view, not being daz­led, or repulsed by the infinit greatnesse of it's splendour.

2. In like manner therefore as God hath en­dewed vs with the light of reason, by which we may know him as Authour of nature; and the light of faith, by which we consider him as source of Grace: so will he bestow vpon vs the LIGHT OF GLORIE, by which we shall contemplat him as fountaine of Beatitude, and eternall life: but a fountaine, THEOT: which we shall not contem­plate a farre off, as we doe now by faith, but we shall see it by the LIGHT OF GLORIE being co­uered, and swallowed vp in it, The Duckers saieth Plinie, who fishing for precious stones, diue into the water, doe take oile in their mouthes, that by scattering it, they might haue more day, to see in the waters where they swime, THEO: the Blessed [Page 215] hauing diued, and plunged themselues into the Ocean of the Diuine essence, God will poure into their vnderstandings the sacred LIGHT OF GLORIE which will giue them day in the Abisse of this inaccessible light, that so by the LIGHT OF GLO­RIE they may see the LIGHT OF THE DI­VINITIE.

That there shall be different degrees of the vnion of the Blessed with God. CHAPTER. XV.

1. NOw this light of Glorie, THEO: shall be the measure of the sight and contempla­tion of the Blessed, and according as we shall haue lesse, or more of this holy splendour, we shall see more or lesse clearely, and consequently more, or lesse happily the most holy Diuinitie, which as it is beholden ād diuersly looked vpō, so it will make vs diuersly glorious. Certes in this heauenly Para­dise, all the SPIRITS see all the Diuine Essence, [Page 216] yet no one of them, nor all of them together, doth or can see it entirely. No, THEO: for God being most singularly one, and most simply indiuisible, one cannot see him, without seeing all: But being infinite without limite, without bounds or mea­sure at all in his perfection, there neither is, nor can be any capacitie out of himselfe, who can euer totally comprehend, or penetrate the infinitie of his Goodnesse, infinitly essentiall, and essentially infinite.

2. This created light of the visible Sunne, which is limited and finite, is in such sort all seene of all those that doe behold it, that it is neuer totally seene of any one of them, nor of all to­gether; It is in a manner so with all our senses. Amongst many that heare excellent musike, though all of them heare it all, yet some heare it not so well, nor with so much delight as others, ac­cording as their eares, are lesse, or more delicate. MANNA had all tasts to all that eate it, yet diffe­rently, following the diuersitie of their appetits who tooke it, yet was it totally tasted of none for it had more different tasts, then the Israelits had varietie of gusts. THEO: we shall see, and taste in heauen, all the Diuinitie, but neuer any of the Blessed, nor all together, shall euer see or taste it totally. This infinite Diuinitie shall still haue in­finitly more excellences, then we sufficiencie, and capacitie: and we shall haue an vnspeakable content to know, that after we haue satiated all the desire of our heart, and fully replenished the capacitie thereof in the fruition of an infinite good which is God; neuerthelesse there will re­maine [Page 217] in this infinitie, infinite perfections to be seene, enioyed, and possessed, which his diuine Ma­iestie knowes and sees, it onely comprehending it selfe.

3. So fishes enioye the incredible vastnesse of the Ocean; but neuer any fish, nor yet all the multitude of fishes euer sawe all the armes of the Sea, or wet their sinnes in all its waters. Birds doe sport in the open aire, at their pleasure, but neuer any birde, nor yet all the flok's of birds to­gether did euer beat with their winges all the re­gions of the aire, or arriue at the supreame region of the same. Ah THEO: our soules shall freely, and according to the full extēt of their wishes, swime in the Ocean, and soare in the aire of the Diuinitie, reioycing eternally, to see that this aire is so infi­nite, this Ocean so vast, that it cannot be measured by their winges; and that enioying without all re­serue, or exception, all this infinite Abisse of the Diuinitie, yet shall they neuer be able to equalize their fruition to this infinitie, which remaines still infinitly infinite beyond their capicitie.

4. And at this the Blessed SPIRITS are rauished with two admirations, first at the infinite beautie which they contemplate, secondly, at the Abisse of the infinitie, which remaineth to be seene in this same beautie. O God how admirable is that which they see! but ô God how much more ad­mirable is that which they see not! And notwith­standing, THEO, the most sacred beautie which they see being infinite, it doth entirely satisfie and satiate them, and enioying it with content, ac­cording to the rancke which they hold in heauen, [Page 218] because God's amiable prouididence hath so de­termined it, they conuerte the knowledge they haue of not possessing, or not being totally to possesse their obiect into a simple compla­cence of admiration, in which they haue a soue­raigne ioye to see that the beautie they loue is so infinite, that it cannot be totally knowen, but by it selfe: For in this doth the Diuini­tie of this infinite Beautie, or the Beautie of this infi­nite Diuinitie consist.

That while we are in this mortall life we may loose the loue of God. CHAPTER. I.

I. WE make not these discourses for those great soules of Election, whō God by a most speciall fauour doth so maintaine, and confirme in his loue, that they runne no hazard of loosing it. We speake for the rest of mortalls, to whom the Holy Ghost doth addresse these aduertisements; he that stands, let him take heede that he fall not; hold what thou hast, be carefull and labour, that by Good workes you may assure your voca­tion, in sequele whereof he makes them make this Praier, doe not cast me from before thy face; doe [Page 220] not take from me thy SPIRIT: and leade vs not into temptation; to th'end they may worke their saluation with a holy trembling, and sacred feare, knowing that they are not more constant and strong to conserue Gods loue, then was the first Angell, his followers, and Iudas, who receiuing it loosed it, and in loosing it loosed themselues for euer; nor then Salomon who hauing lost it, holds the whole world in doubt of his damnation; nor then ADAM, EVE, DAVID, S. PETER, who being children of Saluation, fell yet for a space from the loue, without which there is no saluation: Alas THEO: who shall then haue assurance to conserue sacred loue in the nauigation of this mortall life, sith, as well in earth as heauen so many persona­ges of incomparable dignities suffered so fearefull shipwrakes.

2. But, ô eternall God, how is it possible, will you saie, that a soule that loues God, can neuer loose it: for where loue is it resisteth sinne, and how comes it to passe then, that sinne gets entrie there, sith that loue is strong, as death; sharpe in battaile, as hell? how can the forces of deth, or hell, that, is sinne, vanquish loue; which at least doth equalize them in strength, and doth passe them in friends, and right? Yea how can it be that a reasonable soule that hath once relished so great a sweetenesse as is that of heauenly loue, can euer willingly swallow the bitter waters of sinne? chil­dren though children, being fed with milke, with butter ād honie, abhorre the bitternesse of worme­woode, and Orpin, being readie to fall downe with weeping, when they are constrained to take them. [Page 221] All then o true God, the soule once ioyned to the goodnesse of the Creator, how can she forsake him, to follow the vanitie of the creature?

3. My deare THEO: the heauens them selues stand amazed; their ports doe burst with feare; and the Angels of peace are lost in astonishment, at this prodigious miserie of mans heart, abando­ning so amiable a good, to ioyne it selfe to things so deplorable. But haue you neuer seene the little marueill, which euery one knowes, and yet few knows the reason of it? when a full barrill is bro­ched, the wine will not runne, vnlesse it haue aire giuen from aboue, which yet happens not to bar­rels already drawen on; for they are no sooner open, but the wine runnes. Certes in this mortall life, though our soules abound with heauenly loue, yet are they neuer so full therwith, that by temptation this loue may not depart: but in heauē, when the sweetenesse of Gods beautie shall occupie all our vnderstanding, and the delightes of his Goodnesse shall wholy satiate our wills, so that there shall be nothing which the fullnesse of his loue shall not replenish; no obiect, though it penetrate euen to our hearts, can euer draw, or make rūne one sole drope of the precious liquour of our heauenly loue. And to think to giue aire aboue, that is, to deceiue, or surprise the vnder­standing, it shall no more be possible; for it shall be immouable, in the apprehension of the soue­raigne TRVTH.

4. So wine well purified and separated from the lees, is easily keept harmelesse when it is tos­sed and troubled; but that which is vpon the lees, [Page 222] is in continuall danger; and as for vs, so long as we are in this world, our soules are vpon the lees or tartar of a thousand humours, and miseries, and consequently easie to be changed, and turned into their loue. But being in heauen, where, as in the great feast described by Isaie, there shall be wine purified from the dregges, we shall be no longer subiect to change, but shall be inseparably vnited by loue to our soueraigne good. Here, in the twielight of day breake, we are affraide, that in lieu of the Spouse, we fall vpon some other obiect, which may delay, and deceiue vs; but when we shall find him aboue where he takes his repast, and repose, in the cleare day of glorie, there will be no occasion to be deceiued: for his light will be too cleare, ād his sweetenesse will tye vs so closely to his goodnesse, that we shall not haue the power, to will to vntye our selues.

5. We are like to Corall, which in the sea, the place of it's origine, is pale-greene, weake, bowing, and a pliable shrub: but being pulled out of the sea as from it's mothers wombe, it becomes almost a stone, firme and impliable, changing it's pale-greene into a liuely vermillion; for so we (being as yet amidst the sea of this world, the place of our birth) are obnoxius to strang changes pliable vpon euery occasion, by inspiration, to the right hand of heauenly loue; by temptation, to the left of terrene loue. But if, being once drawen out of this mortalitie, we shall haue changed the pale-greene of our doubtfull hopes, into the liue­ly red of assured fruition, we shall neuer more be moueable, but make a setled demoure for euer [Page 223] in eternall loue.

6. It is impossible to see the Diuinitie, and not loue it: but here below, where we doe not see it, but onely haue a glimps of it through the cloudes of faith, as in a myrror, our knowledge is not yet so perfect, as not to leaue entrie to the surprises of other obiects, and apparant good, which through the obscuritie, mixed with the cer­taintie, and veritie of faith, doe insensibly steale in, as little fox cubs and demolishe our florishing vine. To conclude THEO: when we haue charitie, our free-will is deck't with her wedding garment, which as she can still keepe on, if she please in well doing, so she can put it of, if she please, in of­fending.

How the soule waxeth coole in ho­ly Loue. CHAPTER. II.

1. THe soule is often contristated, and affli­cted in the bodie, yea euen to the for­going of many of the members thereof, which re­maine depriued of motion, and sense, though she neuer forsake the heart, where she is still entirely, till the periode of life. So charitie is sometimes so quelled, and made to languish in the heart, that it doth scarcely appeare in any action, though yet the remaine entire in the supreame region of the soule: And then it is, that vnder the multitude of [Page 224] veniall sinns, as vnder finders, the fire of holy Loue remaines couert, its light being smothered, though not deaded, or extinguished: for as the presence of the Diamant doth hinder the exercise and a­ction of the Adamants propertie in drawing iron, ād yet doth not depriue her of it, hauing her operatiō as soone as the obstackle is remoued: so the presence of veniall sinns, doth in no sort depriue cha­ritie of her force and power to worke, yet doth it as it were benume, and depriue her of the vse of her actiuitie. So that she remaines sterill and bar­ren, without action. Certes nor veniall, nor yet the affection to veniall sinne, is contrarie to the essentiall resolution of charitie, which is to pre­ferre God before all things; because by this sinne, we loue things besides reason, not against reason; we deferre a little too much, and more thē is con­uenient to creatures, yet doe not we preferre them before the Creator; we make more delay then is fitting in terrene things, yet doe we not for all that forsake heauenly things; In fine this kind of sinne doth impeach vs in the way of charitie, but doth not put vs out of it, and therefore veniall sinne not being contrarie to Charitie, it neuer de­stroies her either wholy, or partially.

2. God signified to the Bishope of Ephesus, that he had forsaken his prime charitie; when he saieth not that he was without charitie, but onely that he was not such, as in the beginning, that is that he was not now prompt, feruent, flourish­ing, and frutefull; as we are wount to saie of him, who was braue, cheerefull and frolicke, and after­wards becomes harsh, dull, and lowtish, that he is [Page 225] now the same man he was; for our meaning is not that he is not the same in substance, but onely in his actions, and exercises. And euen our Sauiour saieth, that in the later daies, the charitie of many shall waxe cold, that is, she shall not be so actiue and couragious, by reason of feare, and griefe which shall oppresse mens hearts. Sure it is that cōcupiscence hauing cōceiued doth engēder sinne; but this sinne, though sinne indeede, doth not still beget the death of the soule, but thē onely when it is compleate in malice, and when it is consummate and accomplished, as S. IAMES saieth, who in this doth establish so cleare a difference betwixt mor­tall and veniall sinne, that it is strang that some in our age haue had the impudence to de­ney it.

3. Howbeit veniall sinne is sinne, and conse­quently displeasant to Charitie, not as a thing that is contrarie to her, but contrarie to her ope­rations and progresse, yea her intention, which in so much as we are to direct all our actions to God is violated by veniall sinne, which carrying the actions, by which they are committed, not indeede against God, yet besides God, and his will: and as we saie of a tree rudely dight, and shaker. by a tempest, that nothing is left, because though the tree be entire, yet is it left without fruite; so when our charitie is shaken by the affe­ctions we haue to veniall sinne, we saie she is di­minished, and weakned, not for that the habits of loue are not entire in our hearts, but because she is without the workes, which are the fruites.

[Page 226]4. The affection to great sinnes did in such [...]ort make V [...]RITIE prisoner to Iniustice amongst the Pagan Philosophers, that, as the great Apo­stle saieth, knowing God, they honored him not according to that knowledge; so that, though this affection did not banish naturall light, yet it made it fruitlesse; so the affection to veniall sinne, doth not abolish Charitie, but it holds her as a slaue, tyed hand and foote, hindring her freedome, and action. This affection glewing vs too hard to the enioying of creaturs, depriues vs of the spirituall priuicie betwixt God and vs, to which charitie, as true friendshipe doth incite vs, and by conse­quence this affection doth make vs loose the in­teriour helpes and assistances, which are as the vitall SPIRITS of the soule, in default whereof there followeth a certaine spirituall Palsie, which in the end, if it be not remedied, leedes vs to death; for to conclude, charitie being an actiue qualitie can­not be long without either acting, or dying. She is, saie our Auncients, of the nature of Rachael, who also did represent her; giue me, said she to her husband, children or else I dye: And charitie vrgeth the heart which she hath espoused to make her fertile of good workes, otherwise she will perish.

5. We are rarely in this mortall life without many temptations; now vile and slouthfull hearts, and such as are giuen to exteriour pleasures, not being accustomed to fight, nor traiened vp in spiri­tuall warfare, neuer conserue Charitie long, but let themselues ordinarily be surprised by mortall sinne, which happens so much more easily, by [Page 227] how much the soule is more disposed by veniall sinne to mortall: for as that Auncient, by a daily continuance of carrying the same Calfe, bore him also when he was growen to be an Oxe, custome hauing by little and little made the encrease of so vntoward a burden insensible: so he that doth accustome himselfe to plaie for pence, will in the end plaie for crownes, pistols, and horses, and after them for all his substance; he that giues bridle to a smale coller, will find himself in the end furious and insupportable; he that giues him­selfe to lye in ieast, is in great perill to lye calum­niously.

6 In fine, THEO: we are wount to saie, that such as haue a weaklie complection, haue no life, that they haue not an ovnce, or not a handfull, be­cause that which must quickly haue end, seemes indeede already not to be. And those drowsie soules which are led with pleasurs, a [...]d set vpon transitorie things, may well saie that they haue lost Charitie, for though as yet they haue her, they are euen vpon the point of loosing her.

How we forsake heauenly loue for that of Creaturs. CHAPTER. III.

1. THe misfortune to leaue God for the crea­ture, happens thus; We loue not God without intermission, because in this mortall life, [Page 228] Charitie is in vs, as a simple habite, which as the Philosophers noted, we vse when we list and ne­uer against our likeing. When we doe not then make vse of the Charitie which is in vs, that is, whē we doe not applie our minds to the exercises of holy loue, but keepe them busied in some other affaire, or else being slothfull they remaine vnpro­fitable, and idle, then THEO: they may be assaul­ted by some bad obiect, and surprised by tempta­tion: And though the habite of charitie be at that instant, in the bottome of our hearts, and performe its office, inclining vs to reiect the bad suggestion, yet doth it not vrge or carrie vs to the action of resistance, but according as we second it as the manner of habits is; and therefore leauing vs in our freedome it happens often, that the bad obiects hauing throwen their allurements deep­ly into our hearts, we ioyne our selues vnto them by an excessiue complacence, which after encrea­sing, we can hardly be quit of it; and as thornes, according to the saying of our Sauiour, doe in the end stilfe the seede of grace, and heauēly loue. So it fell-out with our first Mother Eue, whose ouerthrow began by a certaine amusement, which she made in discoursing with the Serpent, taking complacence to heare of her aduancement in knowledge, and to see the beautie of the forbid­den fruite: so that the complacence waxing bigge with the amusement, and the amusement feeding it selfe in the complacence, she found her selfe at length so entangled, that giuing way to consent, she did commit the accursed sinne, to which after­wards she drew her husband.

[Page 229]2. We see doues sometimes touched with vanitie swimme hither, and thither, obseruing the va­rietie of their owne plumes; and then the Ter­celets, and Falcons that espie them, fall vpon and sease them, which they could neuer be able to doe if the doue had flowen out right, hauing a stronger winge then the Haulke. Alas, THEO: if we did not stand musing at the vanitie of fraile pleasurs espe­cially in the complacence of selfe-loue, but hauing once got charitie, would be carefull to flie straight whither she would carrie vs; suggestion, and tem­ptation should neuer catch vs: but because, as doues seduced and beguiled by selfe-esteeme, we looke backe vpon our selues, and keepe our minds too much conuersant amongst creaturs, we often find our selues in our enemies clawes, who beare away, and deuoure vs.

3. God will not hinder that temptation as­sault vs, to th'end that by resistance, our charitie may be more exercised, that by fight we may beare away the victorie; ād by victorie obtaine the triumphe. But that we haue any kind of inclina­tion to delight our selues in the temptation, this riseth from the condition of our nature, which doth so earnestly loue Good, that therby she is subiect to be enticed by any thing that hath a shew of good; and temptations hooke is still baited with this kind of baite: for as holy writ doth teach, there is either some honorable good in the worlds sight, to moue vs to the pride of a wordly life; or a good delightfull to sense, to carrie vs to carnall concupiscence; or a good able to enrich vs, to incite vs to auarice and couetousnesse of the [Page 230] eyes. But if we keepe faith, which can discerne be­twixt the true Good we are to pursue, and the false which we are to reiect, liuelily attetiue to its office, without doubt it will be a faithfull Senti­nell to Charitie, and will giue her intelligence of the euill that might approch the heart, vnder co­lour of Good, and Charitie would sodenly re­pulse it. But because ordinarily, we keepe our faith either a sleepe, or lesse attentiue thē were re­quisite for the conseruation of Charitie; we are often surprised by temptation, which seducing our senses, and they inciting the inferiour part of our soule to rebelliō, it comes to passe eftsones that the superiour part of reason yeeldes to the vio­lence of this reuoult, and by committing the sinne, looseth Charitie.

4. Such was the progresse of the sedition which the disloiall Absolon stirred vp against his good Father DAVID; for he laied before the peo­ple faire propositions in apparence, which being receiued by the poore Israelites, whose prudence was put a sleepe and smothered, he did sollicite them in such sort, that he wrought them to an en­tire rebellion; so that the monefull Dauid was cō ­strained to depart from Hierusalem with all his faithfull friends, leauing there none of qualitie, saue Sadoc and Abiathar Priests of the Almightie with their children: now Sadoc was SEEING that is to saie, a Prophet.

5. For so, most deare THEO: selfe-loue, fin­ding our faith without attention, and drowsie, it presents vnto it vaine, yet apparent goods, sedu­ceth our sense, our imagination, and the faculties [Page 231] of our soules, and laies so hard at our free-wills that it brings them to an entire reuoult, against the holy loue of God, which then as a DAVID de­parts from our heart, with all his traine, that is with the gifts of the holy Ghost, and the other heauenly vertues, which are the inseparable com­panions of Charitie, if not her proprieties, and abilities: nor doth there remaine in the HERVSA­LEM of our soule any vertue of importance, sauing Sadoc the SEEING, that is the gift of faith, which by her exercise can make vs see eternall things; and with him Abiathar, that is, the gift of hope with her action, both which remaine much af­flicted and sorrowfull, yet maintaining in vs the Arch of Alliance, that is, the qualitie and tile of a C [...]RISTIAN, purchased by Baptisme.

6. Alas, THEO: what a pitifull spectacle is it to the Angels of peace, to see the holy Ghost, and his loue depart in this māner out of our sinfull soules? verily, I think, if they could weepe, they would poure out infinite teares, and with a morne­full voice, lamenting our mishape, would sing the Threnes which Ieremie throbed out, when set v­pon the threshold of the desolate Temple, he con­templated the ruine of Hierusalem, in the time of SEDECIAS.

That heauenly loue is lost in a moment. CHAPTER. IV.

1. THe loue of God which brings vs, to a neglect of our selues, makes vs Citizens of the heauenly Hierusalē; selfe-loue which push­eth vs forwards to the contempt of God, makes vs slaues of the infernall Babilon. True it is we come by little ād little to despise God, but we haue no sooner done it, but presently in a moment, holy charitie doth forsake vs, or rather she doth who­ly perish. I, THEO: for in the contempt of God, doth mortall sinne consist, and one onely mortall sinne doth banish Charitie from the soule, for so much as it doth violate her tye and vnion with God, which is obedience, and submission to his will; and as mans heart cannot liue diuided; so Charitie which is the heart of the soule, and the soule of the heart, cā neuer be wounded, but she is slaine: as they saie of pearles, which being concei­ued of heauenly d [...]we, doe perish if any drope of salte water get into their shell. Indeede our soule doth not goe out of our bodie by little ād little, but in a moment, when the bodies indispositions are so great, that she can no longer exercise the actions of life therein: euen so at the very instant, in which the heart is so disordered by passions, that Chari­tie there can no longer raigne, she quits and abandons it: for she is so generous, that she can­not [Page 233] leaue to raigne, without leauing to liue.

2. Habits gotten by human actions alone, doe not perish by one onely contrarie act: for a man is not saied to be intemperate, for one onely act of intemperance, nor is a painter held an vnskilfull maister, for hauing once failed in his arte; but as all such habits are gotten by the impression and in sequele of diuers acts, so we loose them by a long cessation from their acts, or by many contrarie acts. But Charitie THEO: which in a moment the holy Ghost poures into our hearts, as soone as the conditions requi­sit to this infusion meete in vs; is also in an instant expelled thence, as soone as diuerting our will from the obedience due vnto God, we haue ac­complished consent to the rebellion and dis­loialtie to which temptation incites vs.

3. True it is, Charitie encreaseth by degrees, and goeth from perfection to perfection, accor­ding as by our works, or by the frequenting of Sacraments, we make it place: yet doth it not de­crease by a lessening of perfection thereof: for we neuer loose any bit of it, but we loose it all. In which it resembles PHIDIAS his Maister-peece so famous amongst the Auncients: for they saie, this great Grauer, made in Athēs a picture of Minerua of Iuorie twentie seauen cubits high, and in her Buckler, wherein he expressed the battails of the Amasons and Giants, he graued his owne pi­cture with so great Arte, that one could not take away one iot of it, saieth Aristotle, without defa­cing the whole statue, so that this worke though it was perfected by adding peice to peice, yet in [Page 234] a moment might be destroied, by remouing any little parcell of the workmans feature. In like maner THE: though the Holy Ghost hauing infused Charitie into a soule, doth ēcrease it by adding one degree to another, and one perfection of loue to another, yet so, as that the resolution to preferre God's will before all things, being the essentiall point of holy loue, and that wherein the image of eternall loue, that is, of the Holy Ghost, is repre­sented, one cannot withdraw one onely peece of it, but presently Charitie doth wholy perish.

4. This preference of God before all things, is the deare child of Charitie. And if AGAR being an Egiptian, seeing her sonne in danger of death, had not the heart to stay by him but would haue left him, saying ah! I am not able to see this child dye; is it strang then, that Charitie the daughter of sweetenesse and heauenly delight cannot see her child dye, which is a Resolution neuer to offend God? so that still as free-will resolues to consent to sinne, and therein killeth this holy resolution Charitie dyes with it, fighing out these last words: alas no, neuer will I see this child dye. In fine, THE: as the precious stone called PRASSIVS, looseth its luster in the presence of any poison; so in an in­stant, the soule looseth her splendour, grace and beautie which consisteth of holy loue, vpon the entrie and presence of any mortall sinne; whence it is written, that the soule who sinneth shall dye.

That the sole cause of the decay and slackening of Charitie, is in the creaturs will. CHAPTER. V.

1. AS it were a most wicked impudencie, to attribute the works of holy loue done by the holy ghost, in, and with vs to the strength of our will; so were it a shamelesse impietie, to lay the defect of loue in vngratfull men, on the want of heauenly assistance and grace. For the holy Ghost cries in euery place to the contrarie, that our ruine is from our selues: that our Sauiour brought the fire of loue and desires nothing but that it should burne our hearts: That saluation is prepared before the face of all nations, light to lighten the gentiles, and for the glorie of Israel. That the diuine goodnesse would haue none to perish but that all come to the knowledge of truth, that all be saued, their Sauiour being come into the world, that euery one might receiue the adoption of children: And the wiseman doth clea­rely aduertise vs. Saie not, it stikes of God: And the sacred Concell of Trēt, doth inculcate diuine­ly to all the children of the holy Church, that the Grace of God is neuer awāting, to such as doe what they can, inuoking the diuine assistance. That God doth neuer abandon such as he hath once iustified, vnlesse they abandon him first. So [Page 236] that if they be not a wanting to grace, they shall obtaine glorie.

2. In fine THEO: our Sauiour, is a light which doth illuminate euery one that comes into the world. Diuers trauellers in a summers day about noone-tyde lay downe to repose in the shade of a tree, but while their wearinesse ād the coolenesse of the shadowe keepes them a sleepe, the Sunne aduancing himselfe towards them, gaue iust vpon their eies his strongest light, which by the glitter of his brightnesse, made transparences, as with smale raies, about the Aple of those sleepers eyes, and by the heate which pearced their eyelids, forced them by a gentle violence to awake, but some of them being awaked got vp, and aduancing, came happily to their lodging, the rest, did not onely not rise, but turning their backes to the sunne, and pulling their hats ouer their eyes, there spent the day in sleeping, till surprised by night, being yet willing to make towards their lodging, they straied hither and thither in the Forest, at the mercy of mercilesse wolues, and other sauage bea­stes. Now tell me I praie, THEO: those that arriued, ought they not to asscribe all their contentment to the sunne, or to speak like a Christian, to the sunns Creatour? yes surely: for it was high time, and yet they dream't not of rising: the sunne did them this good office; and by a gentle warning, of his light and heate, came louingly to call them vp. T'is true they resisted not his call, but he also helped them much euen in that; for he spred his light fairely vpon them, giuing them a glimps of himselfe through their eyelids, and by his heate as [Page 237] by his loue, opened their eyes, and vrged them to see his day.

3. Contrariwise these poore strayers, were they not, to blame to crie in the woode Alas, what haue we done to the sunne that he made vs not see his light, as he did our Companions, that we might haue arriued at our lodgings, and not haue wan­dred in these hideous obscurities? for who would not vndertake the sunns, or rather Gods cause, my deare THEO: to answere these vnfortunate wretches. What is it, ô you wretches, in a manner, that the sunne could doe for you, and did not? his fauours were equall to all yee that slept. He es­saied you all with the same light, touched you with the same raie, scattered vpon you a like heate and accursed that you are, though you saw your companions rise, take their pilgrims stafe to gaine way, you turned your backes to the sunne, and would not make vse of his light, nor be ouercome by his heate.

4. See, see now THEO: what I would saie, we are all pilgrims in this mortall life, almost all of vs haue willingly slept in sinne; God the sunne of Iustice darts vpon vs most sufficiently, yea abun­dantly the beames of his inspirations, warmes our hearts with his benedictions, touching euery one with the allurements of his loue; ah how chance it then that these allurements allure so few, and yet draw fewer; ah, certainly, such as first allured, afterwards drawen, doe follow the inspiration, haue great occasion to ioye, but not to glorie in it: Let them ioye because they enioy a great good; yet let them not glorie in it, because it is by Gods [Page 238] pure goodnesse, who leauing them the profit of their good worke reserues to himselfe the glorie thereof.

5. But touching them that remaine in the sleepe of sinne: ô what good reason they haue to la­ment, sorrow, weepe, repent: for they are in a most lamentable case; yet haue they no reason to sor­row, or complaine, saue of themselues, who des­pised, yea rebelled against light: were vntractable by inuitations, and obstinate against inspirations, so that malediction and confusion, ought to fol­low their malice for euer; they onely being au­thours of their ruine, onely workers of their dam­nation. So the Iaponians, complaining to S. ZA­V [...]RIVS their Apostle, that God, who had had so much care of other nations, seemed to haue for­gotten their predecessours, not hauing giuen them the knowledge of himselfe, by the want whereof, they were lost: The good man answered them, that the diuine naturall law was engrauen in the hearts of all mortalls, which if their forerunners had obserued, the light of heauen had without doubt illuminated them, as contrariwise, hauing violated it, they merited damnation. An apostoli­call answere of an Apostolicall man, and resem­bling the reason giuen by the great Apostle of the losse of the auncient gentils, whom he calles inexcusable, for that hauing knowen good they followed euill: for it is in a worde, that which he doth inculcate in the first of his Epistles to the Romans: miserie vpon miserie be vnto such, as doe not acknowledge that their owne miserie pro­ceeds from their malice.

That we ought to ackowledge the loue we beare to God, to be from God. CHAPTER. VI.

1. THe loue of men towards God takes his beeing, progresse, and perfection from the eternall loue of God towards men. It is the v­niuersall Sense of the Church our mother, who with an ardent iealousie, will haue vs to acknow­ledge our saluation, and the meanes to it, to pro­ceede from our Sauiours meere mercy, to th'end that in earth as in heauen, and to him alone, be ho­nour and glorie.

2. What hast thou which thou hast not recei­ued, saieth the diuine Apostle, speaking of the giftes of knowledge, eloquence, and other the like qualities of Church men; and if thou hast re­ceiued them, why dost thou glorie in them, as though thou hadest not receiued them? It is true we haue receiued all from God, but especially the supernaturall goods of holy loue. And being we haue receiued them, why should we take glorie in them?

5. Certainly if any should extoll himselfe, for hauing made progresse in the loue of God: Alas caitife man, would we saie vnto him, thou layedst in the trāce of iniquitie, hauīg neither force or life left in thee to rise. (As it happened to the [Page 240] Princelie in our parable) and God by his infinite Goodnesse ranne to thy succour, and crying with a loude voice; open the mouth of thyne attention, and I will fill it: he himselfe put his fingers betwixt thy lipps, and vnlocked thy teeth, casting into thy heart his holy inspiration, and thou receiued it; and then being brought to thy senses, he went on by diuers motions, and different meanes, strengthning thy heart till at length he infused into it charitie, as thy liuely an perfect health.

4. Now tell me miserable creature what dist thou in all this, of which thou canst boast? Thou consented, I know it well; the motion of thy will did freely follow, that of heauenly grace. But what is all this, but to receiue the diuine opera­tion without resistance? and what is there in this, saue what thou receiuedst? I poore wrech which thou art, thou receiuedst the reception in which thou gloriest, and the consent whereof thou vaun­test: for tell me, I praie thee, wilt thou not allow me, that if God had not preuented, thou hadst neuer perceiued his Goodnesse, nor in conse­quence, consented to his loue? No, nor yet hadst thou thought a good thought of him. His motion gaue beeing, and life to thyne, and if his libertie had not animated, excited, and prouoked thy li­bertie, by the powrefull inuitations of his swete­nesse, thy libertie had bene for euer vnprofita­ble to thy saluation. I confesse thou didst coope­rate with the inspiration by consenting, but if thou be ignorant, I will teach thee, that thy coo­peration tooke beeing from the operation of grace, and thy free-will together, yet so, that if [Page 241] grace had not preuented and filled thy heart with her operation, neuer had it had nor power, nor will, to cooperate.

5. But tell me againe I beseech thee, vile and abiect man; art thou not ridiculous, when thou thinkest to haue part in the glorie of thy conuer­sion, because thou repulsed not the inspiration? is not this the tricke of a robber or Tyrant, to think to haue giuē life to such as they haue not de­priued of it? And is it not a franticke impietie to thinke that thou gauest the holy efficacie ād liue­ly actiuitie to the diuine inspiration, because by resistance thou didst not hinder it? We can indeede hinder the effects of the inspiration, but we can giue it none, it takes force and vertue from the Diuine Goodnesse, whence it proceedeth, and not from mans will where it arriueth. Would not a man be moued to wroth, to heare the Princesse of our Parable boast, that it was she that gaue vertue and soueraigntie to the cordiall waters, and other medecins, or that she cured her selfe, because, if she had not receiued the remedies, which the king gaue her, and poured into her mouth, (at such time, as being halfe dead, there remained hardly any sense in her) they had had [...]o operation? Yea might one saie to her, vngrate­full wretch, thou mightst haue bene obstinate and not haue receiued the remedies, thou mightest after thou hadst receiued them into thy mouth, haue cast them out againe, yet is it not true for all that, that thou gaue them force and vertue, for these were their naturall proprieties onely thou consented to receiue them, and that they might [Page 242] operate; and yet thou hadst neuer consentēd, if the king had not first reenforced thee, and then sollicited thee to take them; neuer hadst thou re­ceiued them, had not he assisted thee to receiue them, opening thy very mouth with his fingers, and poureing the potion into it: Art thou not then a Monster of ingratitude, to offer to attri­bute to thy selfe a benefit, which by so many titles thou owest to thy deare Spouse?

6. The admirable little fish, called ECCHINES, REMORA, or STAY-SHIPPE, hath indeede the power to stay or not to stay a shippe sailing in the broad sea vnder full saile: but it hath not the power to hoise saile, to make the shipe saile, or arriue: it can hinder motion but cannot giue it; our free-will can stay or impeach the course of the inspira­tion, and when the fauorable gale of Gods grace, doth swell the sailes of our soule, it is in our power to refuse consent, and therby to hinder the effect of the winds fauour: but when our soule lancheth out, and happily sailes, it is not we that make the gale of the inspiration blowe vpon vs, nor we that make our sailes swell with it, nor we that giue motion to the shippe of our heart; but onely we receiue the gale sent from heauen, consent to its motion, and let our shippe saile vnder it, not hindring it by the Remora of our resistance. It is the inspiration then which doth imprinte in our free-will the happie and delightfull influence whereby it doth not onely make vs see the beautie of Good, but also doth heate, helpe, strengthen and moue vs so delightfully, that therevpon, we encline, and runne freely towards good.

[Page 243]7. The heauens in spring time do prepare the fresh dew-drops, and shewers them downe vpon the face of the sea, and the mother pearles that open their shells, receiue them, and they are conuerted into pearles: But the Mother-pearles which keepe their shells shut, doe not hinder the dewes falling vpon them, yet doe they hinder their falling into them: Now the heauens, did they not let fall their dewe as well vpon the one, as the other pearle? Why did then the one, and not the other in effect produce the pearle? The heauens were as bountifull to her that remained sterill, as was requisite to impearle, and beget in her a faire vnion, but she hindred the effect of the heauens fauour, by keeping herselfe close, ād couert. And as for her who conceiued the pearle and was left bigge with dewe she hath no part in that worke which she receiued not from heauen, not her verie opening, wherby she receiued the dewe; for with­out the touches of the mornings rayes, which did gently excitate her, she had not risen vp to the tope of the sea, nor yet opened her shell. THEO: if we loue God, his be the honour, and glorie, who did all in vs, and without whom, nothing was done; ours be the profit, and obligation: for it is a shareing of his diuine goodnesse with him, he leaues vs the fruits of his benefits, reserues to himselfe the honour, and praise thereof; and verily sith we are nothing but by his grace, we ought to be nothing, but to his glorie.

That we must auoide all curiositie, and hum­bly repose in Gods most wise prouidence. CHAPTER. VII.

1. MAns mind is so weake, that whem he would looke too curiously, into the cau­ses, and reasons of God's will, he doth entangle and winde himselfe into a thousand quirks of difficulties, out of which he hath afterwards much a doe to recouere himselfe; he resembles smoake; for in mounting it is subtilised, and in being sub­tilised, it vanisheth. In striuing to raise our dis­courses too high in diuine things by curiositie, we vanish in our thoughtes, and in lieu of arri­uing at the knowledge of truth, we fall in the fol­lie of our vanitie.

2. But of all other things we are most humo­rous, in that which concerns the diuine pro­uidence, in the diuersitie of the meanes which he bestowes vpon vs, to draw vs to his holy loue and by it to glorie. For our temeritie vrgeth vs still to search; why God giues more meanes to one then to another; why he did not the miracles amongst the Tyrians, and Sidonians, which he did in Corozain, and Bethsaida, seeing they would haue made as good vse of them. In fine why he drawes rather one then another to his loue.

3. O THEO: my friend, neuer, no neuer, must we permit our minds to be carried away with a bla­sting [Page 245] whirlewinde, or thinke to find a better rea­son of Gods will, then the same will, which is so­ueraignely reasonable, yea the reason of all rea­sons, the rule of all goodnesse, the lawe of all e­quitie. And although the holy ghost, speaking in the holy Scripture, giues reason in diuers parts, of almost all that we can wish to know, touching that which this prouidence doth, in conducting men to holy loue, and eternall saluation; yet in diuers occasions he shewes, that he ought in no wise, renounce the respect which is due to his will, whose purpose, decree, pleasure, and resolution we are to adore; in conclusion whereof, as soue­raigne Iudge, and soueraignely iust, it is not rea­sonable that he should manifest his motiues, but it is sufficient, that he saie simply (and for reason) that if we ought charitably to beare so much res­pect to the Decrees of soueraigne Courts, cōpo­sed of corruptible Iudges of the earth, and of earth, as to beleeue that they were not made without mo­tiue, though we know thē not? Ah Lord God with what a louing reuerence, ought we to adore the equitie of thy supreame prouidence, which is infi­nite in iustice, and goodnesse?

4. So in a thousand places of the holy word we find the reason, why God reproued the Iewes, because, saieth S. PAVLE, and S. BARNABIE, you doe reiect the WORD of God, and iudge your selues vnworthy of eternall life, behould we turne to­wards the gentils; And he that shall consider in tranquilitie of heart the IX. X. and XI. Chap. of the Epistle to the Romans, shall clearely see, that Gods will did not without reason reiect the Iewes, [Page 246] neuerthelesse, this reason must not be examined by mans wit, which contrariwise is obliged to rest purely and simply in reuerencing the Diuine Decree: Admiring it with loue, as infinitly iust and vpright; and louing it with admiration, as in­penetrable, and incomprehensible. So that the di­uine Apostle concluds the long discourse which he had made of it. O the profunditie of the riches and wisdome of the knowledge of God, how in­comprehensible are his iudgments and how vn­searchable his wayes! who doth know the thougtes of our Lord, or who hath bene his Counsellour? By which exclamation he testifieth that God doth all things with great wisdome, knowledge, and reason; yet so, that not hauing entred into the di­uine counsells, whose iudgments and designes are infinitly placed aboue our reach, we ought deuot­ly to adore his Decrees as most iust, without sear­ching the motiues, which he keepes to himselfe, that so he might keepe our vnderstanding at home, in respect and humilitie.

5. S. AVGVSTINE in a hundred places doth teach vs this practise; None comes to our Sauiour saieth he, if not drawen; whom he drawes and whom he drawes-not, why he he drawes him and not him, offer not to iudge vnlesse thou wilt erre; heare once and vnderstand. Art thou not drawen, praie that thou maist be drawen. Verily it is sufficient for a Christian li­uing as yet by faith, and not seeing that which is perfect, but onely knowing in part, to know and beleeue that God deliuers none from damnation, but by his free mercy, through our Lord IESVS-CHRIST; [Page 247] and that he dammes none but by his most iust Truth, through the same Lord I [...]SVS-CHRIST. But to know why he deliuers this partie, rather then that, let him sound who can so great a depth of his iudgemēts, but let him be ware of the preci­pice, for these iudgements are not therefore vniust because they are hidden. But why then doth he deliuer rather this man, then that? We saie againe, ô mā who art thou that answerest God his iudgemets are incomprehensible, and his wayes vnknowen, and let vs adde this; Doe not looke into things that are aboue thee; and examine not that which is beyonde thy strength. Now he granteth not them mercy, to whom by a Truth most secrete and fur­dest remoued from mans thoughtes, he iudgeth it not fit to communicate his fauours and mercy.

6. We see sometimes twins whereof the one is borne aliue and receiues Baptisme, the other in his birth loose his temporall life, before he be regenerated to the eternall, and consequently the one is heire of heauen, the other is depriued of the inheritance. Now why doth the diuine prouidence, follow like birthes, with so different effects? Verily it might be answe­red that ordinarily Gods pro [...]idence, doth not violate the lawes of nature, so that one of these twins being strong, and the other too feeble to support the trauell of his deliuerie, he died before he could be baptised, th'other liued; while the Diuine prouidence would not stop the course of naturall things, which in this occurrence might be the reason, why the one was depriued of Bap­ptisme. And truely this is a solide answere. But [Page 248] following the aduise of diuine S. PAVLE, and S. AVGVSTINE, we ought not to busie our thoughtes in this consideration, which though it be good, yet doth it in no respect enter into comparison with many others, which God hath reserued, and will shew vs in heauen. Then saieth S. Augustine, the secreet shall end why rather the one then th'other was christned, the causes of both being equall, and why miracles were not done amongst those, who, in case they had bene done, had bene brought to repentance, and were done amongst such as were not about to beleeue. And in another place, the same Sainte, speaking of sinners, whereof God doth leaue the on in his iniquitie, raysing th'o­ther. Now why he retaines the one and not t'o­ther, it is not possible to comprehend it, nor law­full to make inquests into it, syth we know it is from him, we stand, and not from him we fall: and againe; this is couered, and remoued from manes reach, at least from myne.

7. Loe, THEO: the most saintly way of Philo­sophyzing in this behalfe, and therefore I haue all­waies reputed the learned modestie, and most wise humilitie of the Seraphicall Doctor sainct Bona­uenture admirable, and amiable in the discourse, which he makes of the reason why the Diuine prouidence doth ordaine the Elect to eternall life. Peraduenture, saieth he it is by a foresight of the good works which will be done by him that is drawen, in so much as they proceede in some sort from the will: but to be able to declare what good workes they are, which by their foresight moue Gods will, I know not perfectly, nor will I make in­quisition [Page 249] thervpon, there are no other reasons, then certaine conueniencies: so that we might assigne one, while it were another. Wherefore we cannot with assurance point out the true reason nor the true motiue of Gods will herein: for as S. Augustine saieth, notwithstanding that the truth of it is most certaine, yet is it so remoued from our thougts that we can speake nothing assured­ly of it, vnlesse it be reuealed by him who knowes all things; and wheras it was not ex­pedient for our saluation, that we should haue knowledge of these secreets; but was more pro­fitable we should be ignorant of them, to keepe vs in humilitie, God would not reueale them, yea the holy Apostle durst not inquire of them, but testified the insufficiencie of our vnderstanding in that matter when he cried out. ô depth of the wis­dome and knowledge of God! could one speake more saintly, THEO: of so saintly a mysterie, and indeede they are the words of a most saintly, and prudent Doctor of the Church.

An exhortation to the affectionat submis­sion, which we are to make to the De­crees of the diuine prouidence. CHAPTER. VIII.

1. LEt vs loue then THEO: and adore in humi­litie of SPIRITE, this depth of Gods iudg­ments, which, as S. AVGVSTINE saieth, the holy Apostle discouers not, but admires, when he cries [Page 250] out, ô the depth of Gods iudgment! Who can counte the sands of the sea, the drops of raine and measure the largnesse of the Abisse, saieth that ex­cellent S. GREGORIE of Nazianzen, and who can sound the depth of the diuine wisdome, by which all things were created and moderated as she plea­seth, and iudgeth fit. For indeede it sufficeth, that by the Apostles example we should admire it without sticking in the difficultie and obscuritie thereof. ô depth of the wisdome and knowledge of God! ô how inscrutable are his iudgments, and how inaccessible his wayes! who hath knowen the sense of our Lord, and who hath bene his counsellour? THEO, the reasons of Gods will can­not be penetrated by our wit, till we shall see his face, who toucheth from the one end to the other powerfully, and disposeth all things sweete­ly, doing all that he doth in number, waight, and measure; and to whom the Psalmist saieth, Lord thou hast done all things in wisdome.

2. How often doth it happen that we are igno­rant, why and how the workes of men are done? And yet saieth the same holy Bishope of Nazian­zen, the Artificer is not ignorant, though we be ignorant, in his Arte; nor are the things of this world, rashly and imprudently done, though we know not the reasons of them. Entering into a Clok-makers shoppe, we shall sometimes find a cloke, no greater then an Oringe, which yet hath in it an hundred, or two hundred peices, whereof some serue for the style, others to stricke the houre, or giue the morning ALARME; you shall see in it little wheeles one turning to the right, [Page 251] another to the left hand, one aboue, another be­lowe; and the plumbs which with a mesured pace doe balance its motion on euery side: and we ad­mire how Art could ioyne together such a num­ber of minute peices, with so iust a correspon­dance, neither knowing what each little peice serues for, nor to what purpose it was made in that sort, vnlesse the Maister tell it vs, knowing onely in grosse, that all is either for shew or to stricke. It is reported that the good Indians will stand whole dayes musing vpon a cloke, to heare it strike at the time prefixed, and not being able to gesse how it is done, they doe not for all that saie that it is without Art or reason, but are taken with loue and respect towards their keepres ad­miring them as more then mortalls. THEO: we see in this manner the vniuerse, but especially hu­mane nature, a clocke composed of so great va­rietie of actions and motions, that we cannot but be astonished at it. And we know in generall, that these so diuersly ordered peices, serue all either to point out, as a hand, God's most holy iustice, or, as a bell of praise, to sound the triumphant mercy of his goodnesse. But to know the particular vse of euery peice how it is ordered to the generall end or why it is made so, we cannot conceiue, vnlesse the soueraigne workman instruct vs; Now he con­ceals his Art from vs, to th'end that with more reuerence we might admire it, till in heauen he shall rauish vs with the sweetenesse of his wise­dome, where in the aboundance of his loue he will discouer vnto vs the reasons, meanes, and motiues of all that passed in the world, to the ad­uantage [Page 252] of our eternall saluation.

3. We resemble, saieth yet againe the great Nazianzen, those, who are troubled with a giddi­nesse or turning of the head, for they thinke that all rūnes roūd with them topsie turnie, though it be but their braine and imagination, which turne not the things about them; for so when we meete with any euents, whereof the causes are vn­knowen vnto vs, we deeme the world is gouerned without reason, because we are ignorant of it. Let vs beleeue then that as God is the maker, and fa­ther of all things, so takes he care of all things, by his prouidence, which doth imbrace and sustaine all the Machine of creatures; But especially let vs beleeue, that he doth rule our affaires, ours, who know him; though our life be tossed with so great contrarietie of accidents, whereof we know not the reasons, to th'end, by chance, that not being able to attaine to this knowledge, we might ad­mire the soueraigne reason of God, surpassing all things: for with vs, things easily knowen, are ea­sily despised; but that which out-tops our wit, by how much it is more hard to be knowen, by so much it excites a greater admiration in vs. Truely the reasons of the diuine prouidence were low placed, if our smale wits could reach vnto them; they should be lesse amiable in their sweetenesse and lesse admirable in their Maiestie, if they were set at a lesse distance with our capacitie.

4. Let vs crie out then THEO: in all occurren­ces, but let it be with an affectionat heart towards the most wise, most puissant, and most sweete pro­uidence of our eternall father. O the depth of the [Page 253] riches, wisdome, ād knowledge of God? O Sauiour IHESVS THEOT: how excessiue are the riches of of the diuine goodnesse! His loue towards vs, is an incomprehensible Abisse, whence he hath pro­uided for vs a rich sufficiencie, or rather a rich abundance of meanes proper for our saluation; ād sweetely to applie them, he makes vse of a so­ueraigne wisdome, hauing by his infinit knowled­ge, foreseene and knowen all that was requisite to that effect. Ah what can we feare, nay rather what ought not we to hope for being the children of a father so rich in goodnesse to loue and desire to saue vs, so vnderstanding to prouide meanes cōue­niēt: so wise to applie thē; so good to will; so cleare sighted to ordaine; and so prudent to execute.

5. Let vs neuer permit our minds to flutter by curiositie about Gods iudgemēts, for as little But­terflies we shall burne our wings, ād perish in this sacred flame. These iudgmēts are incōprehensible, or as S. GREGORIE Nazianzen saieth, inscrutable, that is, one cannot search and sound the motiues, the meanes and wayes, by which he doth execute and finish them cannot be discerned and knowen: And though the power of smelling be neuer so perfect in vs, yet shall we at euery turne be at de­fault, not finding the sent: for who can penetrate the sense, the vnderstanding, and intention of God? Who was euer his Consellour, to know his purposes, and their motiues? or who did euer preuent him with seruice? Is it not he contrariwise who doth preuent vs in the benedictions of his grace, to crowne vs with the felicitie of his glorie? ah, THEO: all things are from him, as being their [Page 254] Creatour; all things are by him, as being their Gouernour; all things are in him, as being their Protectour; To him be honour for euer and euer. Let vs walke in peace, THEO: in the waye of holy loue for he that shall enioye diuine loue in dying, after death shall enioye loue eternally.

Of a certaine remainder of loue which oftentimes stayes in the soule, that hath lost Charitie. CHAPTER. IX.

1. THe life of a man who languishing on his deathes bed, by little and little decaies, doth hardly deserue to be termed life, sith that, though it be life, yet is it so mingled with death, that it is hard to saie, whether it is a death as yet liuing, or a life dying. Alas! how pitifull a spe­ctacle it is THE: but farre more lamentable is the state of a soule, which vngratfull to her Sauiour goes hourely backward, withdrawing her-selfe from God's loue, by certaine degrees of indeuo­tion, and disloyaltie, till at length hauing quite forsaken it, she is left in the horrible obscuritie of perdition: and this loue which is in it's declining and which fades, and perisheth, is called imperfect loue, because though it be entire in the soule, yet seemes it not to be entirely; that is, it hardly keepes in the soule any longer, but is vpon the point of forsaking it. Now Charitie being separated from [Page 255] the soule by sinne, there remaines oftentimes a certaine resemblance of Charitie, which doth de­ceiue and put vs into a vaine muse; and I will tell you what it is. Charitie while it is in vs, produceth many actions of loue towards God, by the fre­quent exercise whereof, our soule gets a habit, and custome of louing God, which is not Charitie, but onely an impression and inclination, which the multitude of actions leaues in our hearts.

2. After a long habit of preaching or saying Masse deliberatly, it happens often, that in drea­ming we vtter and speake the same things, which we would saie in preaching or celebrating, so that custome and habit acquired by election, and ver­tue, is in some sort, afterward practised without election, or vertue, sith the actions of such as sleepe, generally speaking, haue nothing of vertue, saue onely an apparent image, and are onely the similitudes or representations thereof. So charitie by the multitude of actes which she produceth doth imprīt in vs a certaine facilitie to loue, which she leaues in vs, euē after we are depriued of her presence. I remember when I was a young scholler that in a village neare Paris, there was a certaine well with an ECHO, which would repeate the words that we pronoūced by it, diuers times. And if some Idiote without experience, had heard this repetition of words, he would haue beleeued that there had bene some bodie in the botome of the well, who had done it. But we had euen then knowen by Philosophie, that none was in the well, to reiterate our words, but that there were onely certaine concauities, in some one whereof [Page 256] our voices were assembled, ād not finding through passage, least they might altogether perish, and not imploy the force that was left them, they produced secōd voices; ād they gathering together in an other cōcauitie, produced a third, the third a fourth, ād so consequetly to the eleauenth, so that those voices heard in the well, were not now our voices, but resemblances and images of the same. And indeede there was a great difference betwixt our voices, and those: For when we made a long continuance of words, we had but some few of them rendred by the ECHO, shortning the pronunciation of syllables, which she slightly passed ouer, with tones and accents quite different from ours; nor did she begin to forme her words, till we had quite pronounced them. In fine they were not words of a liuing man, but as one would saie the words of any emptie, and vaine Rocke, which notwithstanding did so well counterfeit man's voice, whence she sprung, that a simple bodie, would haue bene misled and beguiled by her.

3. Now this is it that I would saie when holy CHARITIE meets a pliable soule, wherein she doth long reside she produceth a second loue, which is not a loue of Charitie, though it issue from Cha­ritie, but it is a humane loue which is yet so like to Charitie, that though she leaues behind, this her picture, and likenesse which doth so represent her, that one who were ignorant would be decei­ued therein; not vnlike to the birds on Zeuxis his painted raysins, which they deemed to be true raysins, so generally had Art imitated nature! [Page 257] And yet there is a faire difference betwixt Chari­tie, and humane loue which she doth beget in vs: for the voice of Charitie doth pronoūce, denoūce, and worke in our hearts Gods Commandments, humane loue which remaines after her, doth in­deede pronounce the commandments, and denounceth sometimes all of them, yet doth neuer effect them all, but some few onely: Charitie doth pronounce, and put together all the sillables, that is, all the circumstances of Gods comman­dments: humane Loue alwayes leaues out some of them: especially straightnesse, and puritie of in­tention: and as for the tone, Charitie takes it al­wayes at an equall hight, sweete and delightfull; humane Loue takes it still either to high in terrene things or to low in celestiall; and neuer sets vpon his worke, till Charitie haue ended hers: for so long as charitie is in the soule, she serues her selfe of this humane loue, as of her Creature, and makes vse of him to facilitate her operations; so that in that interim, the workes of this loue, as of a seruant, belong to Charitie his Mistresse. But Charitie flitting the actions of this loue are enti­rely his owne, not hauing their estimation, and worth from Charitie; for as Eliseus his stafe, in his absence, though in the hand of his seruant Geizi, who receiued it from him, wrought no miracle, so actions done in the absence of Charitie, by the onely habit of humane loue, are of no value or mi­rite, to eternall life, though he learned them of charitie, being but her seruant. And this comes thus to passe, because this humane loue in the ab­sence of Charitie, hath not any supernaturall [Page 258] strength, to raise the soule to the excellent action of the loue of God aboue all things.

How dangerous this imperfect loue is. CHAPTER. X.

1. ALas, my THEO: behold I pray you the poore Iudas, after he had betraied his Maister, how he goes to render the money to the Iewes how he acknowledgeth his sinne, how he speakes honorably of the blood of this immacu­late lambe. These were effects of imperfect loue, which precedent Charitie, now past, had left in his heart. We descend to impietie by certaine de­grees, and hardly any arriues in an instant to the extreamitie of malice.

2. Perfumers, though out of their shops, beare about with them, for a long time, the sent of the perfumes, which they haue handled. So, such as haue bene in the Closet of heauenly oyntments, that is in holy Charitie, hold for a time after the sent of it.

3. Where the Hart hath lodged by night, the morning after there is a fresh sent or vent of him, towards night it is harder to be tooke; but as soone as his straine waxeth old, ād dead, the hoūdes doe begin to loose it. When charitie hath raigned for a space in the soule, one may find there her racke, tracestraine, or sent, for a time after she be [Page 259] departed, but by little and little it doth quite va­nish, and a man looseth all knowledge that euer Charitie was there.

4. I haue seene certaine young people, well bred vp in the loue of God, who putting them selues out of that path remained for some time a­midst their accursed ruine, in whom notwith­standing, one might haue seene great markes of their former vertue, and the habit gotten in time of charitie, resisting present vice, scarcely could one for some monthes, discerne whether they were out of Charitie or not, whether vertious, or vitious, till such time as the progresse did cleare, that these vertuous exercises proceeded not from Charitie present, but past: not from perfect, but imperfect loue, which Charitie had left be­hind her, as a signe that she had lodged in those soules.

5. Now this imperfect loue, THEO: is good in it selfe, for being a creature of holy Charitie and one of her retinue, it cannot but be good, and in­deede did faithfully serue charitie, while she seiourned in the soule, as it is still readie to serue, vpon her returne, nor is it to be contemned, for that it cannot doe actions of perfect loue; the condition of its nature being such: so starres, which in com­parison of the sunne are very imperfect, are yet ex­treamely beautifull beheld alone; and hauing no ranke in the presence of the sunne, in his absence they haue.

6. Howbeit as this loue is good in vs, so it is perilous for vs, seeing that oftentimes we are con­tēted with it alone, because hauing many interiour [Page 260] and exeteriour stroakes of Charitie, thinking that it is the same which we haue, we foole our selues, with opinion of our owne sanctitie, while in this vaine persuation, the sinnes which depriued vs of Charitie doe encrease, waxe bigge, and multiplie so fast, that in the end they make themselues Mai­sters of our heart. If IACOB had not left his perfect Rachell, but had keept still by her the day of his marriage, he had not bene deceiued as he was; but permittīg her to goe into the Chāber without him he was holy astonished in the morning following, to find onely in lieu of her, the imperfect Lia which yet he beleeued had bene his deare Rachell; But Laban had put that deceit vpon him. Now selfe loue deceiues vs in the same manner, how little so euer we forsake Charitie, it thrusts vpon vs esti­mation this imperfect habit, and we delight our selues in it, as though, it were the true Charitie, tell some cleare light, manifest vnto vs, that we are abused.

7. Ah God! is it not a great pitie to see a soule flatter her selfe in the imagination of San­ctitie, remaining at rest, as though she were pos­sessed of Charitie, finding in the end, her Sanctitie a fiction, her rest a Letargie, her ioye a madnesse.

A meanes to discerne this imper­fect loue. CHAPTER. XI.

1. BVt you will aske me, what meanes is there to discerne, whether it be RACHELL or LIA, Cha­ritie [Page 261] or imperfect loue, which gaue me the feelings of deuotiō wherewith I am touched? If examining in particular the obiects of the desires, affections and designes which you haue for the present, you find any one for which you would transgresse the good will and pleasure of God, by sinning mor­tally, it is then out of doubt, that all the feeling facilitie and promptitude which you haue in Gods seruice, issue from no other source then humane and imperfect loue: for if perfect loue raigned in vs, ô Lord God! it would breake euery affection, euery desire, euery designe, whose obiect were so pernicious, and would not indure that our heart, should behould it.

2. But note that I saied that this examine must be made vpon our present affections; for it is not requisite, that you should imagine to your selfe such as may arise hereafter, sith it is sufficient that we be faithfull in present occurrences, according to the diuersitie of times; and sith that euery time hath enough to doe, with it's owne paine and trauell.

3. Yet if you were desirous to exercise your heart in spirituall valour, by the representation of diuers encounters, and assaults, you may profita­bly doe it, prouided, that after the acts of this imaginarie valour, which your heart might haue made, you esteeme not your selfe more valliant: for the children of Ephraim, who did wonders with their bow and arrowes, while they were yet trained vp in warlike feates at home, when it came indeede to the push, vpon the day of battell they turned their backes and had not so much as the [Page 262] courage to bow their arrowes, or behold those of their enemies.

4. When therefore we doe practise this valour in future occurrences, or such as are onely possi­ble, if we find a good and loyall feeling, we are to thanke God for it: For this feeling is alwayes good, howbeit we are to keepe our selues be­twixt a confidence and diffidence, hoping that by Gods grace, we should doe in the occasion, that which we imagined; and yet still fearing, that fol­lowing our ordinarie miserie, peraduenture we should performe nothing, but loose courage; but if the diffidence should waxe so excessiue, that it seemed to vs, that we should neither haue force, nor heart, and thereby we should fale into dis­paire, vpon the subiect of imaginarie temptations, as though we were not in Charitie, and in Gods grace; then, in despight of our feeling and discou­ragement, we were to make resolution of a great fidelitie in all occurrences, euen to the tempta­tion which troubles vs, hoping that when it shall happen, God will multiplie his grace, redouble his succours, and afforde vs all necessarie assistāce; and while he giues vs not the force for an ima­ginarie and vnnecessarie warre, he will giue it vs when it comes to the deede: For as many haue lost courage in the assault, so many haue also lost feare and haue taken heart, and resolution in the pre­sence of danger and difficultie, which in their ab­sence they had neuer done. And so many of Gods seruants, representing vnto themselues absent temptations, haue bene affrighted at them, euen almost to the loosing of courage, which when [Page 263] they saw present, they behaued themselues cou­ragiously. Finally in the amazements which rise from the representation of future assaults, when we apprehend that our heart failes vs, it is sufficiēt that we haue a desire of courage, and confidence that God will bestowe it vpon vs when time shall exact. Nor had SAMSON alwayes his strength, but it is noted in the Scripture, that the Lion of Tamathas vines, comming towards him furiously and roring, the Spirit of God seased him, that is, God gaue him the motion of a new force, and a new courage, and he tore the Lion in pieces, as a Gote: and in like manner when he defeated the thousand Philistians, which thought to haue de­feated him in the field of Lechi. So my deare THEO: it is not necessarie that we haue alwayes the sense and motion of courage requisite to surmoūt the roring Lion, which goeth roring hither and thither to deuoure vs, this might administer vs occasion of vanitie and pre umption. It is suf­ficiant that we haue a good desire to fight val­liently, a perfect confidence that the holy Ghost will assist vs with his helping hand, when occasion shall present it selfe.

Of the sacred Complacence of Loue, and first in what it con­sisteth. CHAPTER. I.

I. LOVE, as we haue saied, is no o­ther thing, then the motion, and gliding of the heart towards good, by meanes of the complacēce which one takes in it; so that complacence is the great motiue of loue, as loue is the great motion of complacence.

2. Now this motion is practised towards God [Page 265] in this manner. We know by faith, that the Di­uinitie is an incomprehensible Abisse of all perfe­ction, soueraignely infinite in excellencie, and in­finitly soueraigne in boūtie. And this truth which faith teacheth vs is attentiuely considered by me­ditation beholding the immensitie of goods which are in God, either in grosse by assembling all the perfections; or in particular, by conside­ring his excellences, one after another, for exāple his All-power, his All-wisdome, his All-goodnesse, his Eternitie, his Infinitie. Now when we haue brought our vnderstanding to be very attentiue, to the greatnesse of the Goods that are in this di­uine obiect; it is impossible but our will should be touched with complacence in this good, and then we vse the libartie and power which we haue ouer our selues, prouoking our owne heart, to answere and strengthen this first complacence, by acts of approbation, and reioycing. O saieth the deuote soule in this case, how faire thou art my well-be­loued, how faire thou art, thou art wholy desi­reable, yea thou art desire it selfe! Such is my well-beloued, ād he is the friend of my heart! ô daugh­ters of Hierusalem, ô blessed be my God for euer, who is so good: ah! whether I liue or die, too happie I am in knowing, that my God is so rich in all Goodnesse, that his Goodnesse is so infinite, his infinitie so good.

3. Thus approuing the good which we see in God, and ioying in it: we make an act of loue which is called complacence: for we please our selues in the diuine pleasure, infinitly more then in our owne: and it is this loue which rendred so [Page 266] much content to the Saints, when they could meete with the perfections of their well-beloued, and which caused thē to pronoūce with so much delight, that God was God; Goe to, knowe saied they, that our Lord is God; ô God, my God, my God, thou art my God; the God of my heart; and my God is the part of myne inheritance for euer. He is the God of our heart by this cōplacence, sith by it, our heart doth embrace him, and makes him it's owne: he is our inheritāce, because by this act, we enioye the goods which are in God, ād as from an inheritance we haue from it all pleasure, and content: by meanes of this complacence we drinke and eate spiritually the perfections of the Diuini­tie: for we make them our owne, and draw them into our hearts.

4. IACOBS owes drew into their entrals the va­rietie of colours which they saw in the fountaine wherein they were watered, when they were a rā ­ming; for in effect their young lambes were there­vpon spotted: so a soule taken with the pleasing complacence which she takes in considering the Diuinitie, and in it an infinitie of excellences, she drawes the colours thereof into her heart, that is to saie, the multitude of wonders and perfections which she doth contemplate: and makes them her owne, by the contentment which she takes therein.

5. O God what ioye shall we haue in heauen, THEO: when we shall see the well-beloued of our hearts, as an infinite sea, whose waters are perfe­ction, and goodnesse! Then as Harts, much pur­sued and spent, putting their mouthes to a cleare [Page 267] and coole fountaine, doe draw into thē the coole­nesse of these faire waters; so our hearts after so many languishments and desires, meeting with the strong and liuing source of the diuinitie, shall draw by their complacence, all the perfections of the well-beloued, and shall haue the perfect frui­tion of them by the ioye which they shall take in them, replenishing themselues with those immortall delightes: and in this wise the deare Spouse will enter into vs, as into his mariage bed, to communicate his eternall ioye vnto our soules, according as he himselfe saieth, that if we keepe the holy law of his loue he will come, and seiourne with vs. Such is the sweete and noble robberie of Loue, who without vncolouring the well-beloued doth colour it selfe with his colours; without dis­robing him, inueste it selfe with his robes; with­out taking from him, takes all that he hath, and without impouerishing him, is enriched with all his wealth; as the aire takes light, not lessening the originall brightnesse of the sunne, and the Myrror the grace of the countenance, not dimi­nishing his, that lookes in it.

7. They were made abominable like to the things they loued, saied the Prophet speaking of the wicked; so might one saie of the good, that they are become louely as the things they loued. Behold I beseech you, S. CLARE of Mountfalco her heart, it was so delighted in our Sauiours Pas­sion, and in meditating the most holy Trinitie, that it drew into it selfe all the markes of the pas­sion, and an admirable representation of the Tri­nitie: being made such as the things she loued. [Page 268] The loue, which the great Apostle S. PAVLE, bore to the life, death and passion of our Sauiour, was so great that it drew the very life, death, and pas­sion of this heauenly Sauiour into his louing ser­uants heart; whose will was filled with it by dile­ction, his memorie by meditation, and his vnder­standing by contemplation. But by what canall or conduict was the milde IESVS conueied into SAINT PAVL [...]S heart? by the canall of complacence, as he himselfe declareth, saying: Farre be it from me euer to glorie, saue in the crosse of our Sauiour IESVS-CHRIST: for if you doe marke it, betwixt glo­rying in a person, and compleasing ones selfe in the same; taking glorie, and taking pleasure in a thing, there is no other difference, sauing that he who glories in a thing, to pleasure addes honour, honour not being without pleasure, though plea­sure can be without honour. This soule then, had such a complacence, and esteemed himselfe so much honored in the diuine Goodnesse, which appeares in the life, death, and passion of our Sa­uiour, that he tooke no pleasure but in this ho­nour. And it is this that made him saie, be it farre from me to Glorie saue in the crosse of my Sauiour, as he also saied that he liued not him­selfe, but IESVS-CHRIST liued in him.

How by holy complacence we are made as little children, at our Sa­uiours breasts. CHAPTER. II.

1. O God how happie the soule is who takes pleasure in learning to know that God is God, and that his bountie is an infinite bountie: For this heauenly spouse, by this Gate of Com­placence, enters into her, and suppes with vs, as we with him. We feede our selues with his sweete­nesse, by the pleasure which we take therein, and recollect our heart, in the diuine perfections, by the repose we take therein: and this repast is a supper by reason of the repose which doth follow it, complacence making vs sweetely repose, in the deliciousnesse of the good which delightes vs, and wherwith we feede our heart: For as you know THEO: the heart feedes of that which delightes her, whēce in our French tongue we saie, that some are fed with honours, others with riches, as the wise-man saied, that the mouthers of fooles are fed with ignorance, and the soueraigne wisdome pro­testeth, that he is fed, that is, he is pleased, with no other thing then to doe the will of his Father: In conclusion, the Phisitions Aphorisme is true; what is sauorie, nourisheth; and the Philosophers what pleaseth, feedeth.

2. Let my well-beloued come into his garden [Page 270] saied the sacred spouse, and let him eate therein the fruite of his Aple-trees. Now the heauenly spouse comes into his garden, when he comes into the deuote soule. For seeing his delight is to be with the children of men, where can he better lodge then in the countrie of the minde, which he made to his likenesse ād similitude. He himselfe doth set in this garden, the louing Complacence which we haue in his bountie, ād whereof we feede as likewise his Goodnesse doth take his repast and repose in our complacence, so that againe our complacence is augmented, to perceiue that God is pleased to see vs take pleasure in him; in such sort that from these reciprocall pleasures the loue of incomparable Complacence doth spring, by which our soule being made a gardē of her spouse, and hauing from his bountie the Aple-trees of his delightes, she rēders him the fruite thereof, being that he is pleased in the complacence, she takes in in him. Thus doe we draw Gods heart into ours, ād he disperseth in it his precious Baulme. And thus is that practised which the holy Bride spoke with such ioye. The king of my heart, hath led me into his closet, we will exult, and reioyce in the, minde full of thy breasts, more amiable then wine, the good doe loue thee: for I praie you, THEO: what are the closets of this king of loue, but his papes, which aboūde in the varietie of sweetenesse ād de­lightes: The breasts and duggs of the mother are the closet of the little infants treasures, he hath no other riches then those which are more precious vnto him then gold, or the Topase, more beloued then the rest of the world.

[Page 271]3. The soule then which doth contemplate the infinite treasures of diuine perfections in her well-beloued holds her selfe too happie and rich, in that loue doth make her Mistrisse, by complacence, of all the perfections and content­ments of her deare spouse. And euen as the babie doth giue little ierts towards his mothers Pape, and hops with ioye to see thē discouered, ād as the mother againe on her part doth [...]resent them vnto him, with a loue alwayes a little forwards: euen so the deuoute soule doth feele t [...] dauncings and motions of an incomparable ioye, through the content which she hath, in beholding the trea­sures of the perfections, of the king of her holy loue; but especially when she sees that he himselfe doth discouer them by loue, and that amongst them that perfection of his infinite loue doth ex­cellently shine. Hath not this faire soule reason to crie? O my king, how amiable thy riches are, and how rich thy loues? ah! which of vs haue more ioye, thou that enioyest it, or I who reenioye it? we daunce with mirth in memorie of thy breasts, and thy duggs, so plentifull in all excellencie of deliciousnesse. I, because my well-beloued doth enioye it; thou because thy well-beloued doth re­reēioy it; for so we doe both ēioye it, sith thy goodnesse makes thee ēioye my reenioying, ād my loue makes me reenioye thy enioying. Ah! the iust and the good doe loue thee, and how can one be good and not loue so great a goodnesse? Wordly Princes keepe their treasures in the closets of their Pa­laces; their armour in their Castles; But the heauē ly Prince, keepes his treasures in his bosome, his [Page 272] armes within his breaste; and because his treasure is his goodnesse, as his weapons are his loues, his breaste and bosome resembles those of a tēder mo­ther, who hath two faire duggs, as two closets, rich with the sweetenesse of good milke, armed with as many darts, to subdue her little deare ba­bie, as it makes shoots in sucking.

4. Nature su [...]ely lodged the duggs in the bo­some, to th'end that, the heat of the heart conco­cting the milke, as the mother is the childs nourse, so her heart should be his foster-father, and that milke might be a foode of loue, better a thousand times then wine. Note the while, THEOT: that the comparison of milke and wine, seemes so proper to the holy spouse, that she is not content to haue saied once, that her spouse his breasts surpasseth wine, but she re­peats it thrice. Wine, THEOT: is the milke of grapes, and milke is the wine of the duggs: for so the sacred spouse saieth, that her well-beloued, is to her a grape, but a Cyprine grape, that is, of an excellēt odour. The Israelites saieth Moyses, could drinke the purest and best blood of the grape: And IACOB describing vnto his sonne Iudas, the share which they should haue in the land of Promise, prophetised vnder this figure, the [...]r [...]e felicitie of Christians, saying that our Sauiour would wash his robe, that is, his holy Church, in the blood of the grape, that is, in his owne blood: Now blood and milke are no more differrent, then grapes and wine: For as grapes ripening by the sunnes heate, chang their colour, become a grate­full and nourishing wine: so blood tempered by [Page 273] the heate of the heart, turns faire white, and be­comes a fit foode for children.

5. Milke which is a cordiall foode wholy con­sisting of loue, represents the mysticall knowledge and diuinitie, that is, the sweete relish which pro­ceeds from the complacence of loue, which the minde receiues in meditating the perfections of the diuine Goodnesse; But wine signifies ordinarie and acquired knowledge, which is squeezed by force of speculation from the presse of diuers ar­guments and disputes. Now the milke which our soules draw from the breastes of our Sauiours Charitie: is incomparably better then the wine which we squeeze from humane discourse: For this milke floweth from heauenly loue, which prepares it for his children, yea euen before they yet thought of it: it hath a sweete and amiable gust and the odour thereof puts downe all perfumes, it makes the breath pure and sweete, as of a sucking child: it giues ioye, without insolencie; it inebria­teth, without dulling: it doth not onely reare vp, but euen reuiue the senses.

6. When the holy man Isaac embraced and kis­sed his deare child IACOB, he smelt the good odour of his garments, and straight perfumed with an extreame pleasure: ô quoth he, behold how the odour of my sonne is like to the odour of a flou­rishing field, which God hath blessed: the gar­ment and perfumes were vpon IACOB, but ISAAC had the complacence and reenioying of them. Alas, the soule which by loue holds her Sauiour in the armes of her affection, how deliciously doth she smell the perfumes of the infinite perfections [Page 274] which are found in him? with what complacence doth she saie in herselfe, behold how the sent of my God is like the smell of a flourishing garden? how precious are his breastes, sending out soue­raigne parfumes? So the Spirit of a great S. Augu­gustine, staied in suspence betwixt the sacred con­tentments which he had to consider; on the one side the mysterie of his Maisters birth; on th'other that of the passion, he cried out rauished in this complacence.

That a holy complacence giues our heart to God, and makes vs feele a continuall desire in enioying him. CHAPTER. III.

1. THe loue which we beare to God doth flow from the first complacence that our heart takes, vpon the apprehension of the diuine Goodnesse, when it begins to tend towards the same. Now when by the exercise of loue we doe [Page 275] augment, and strengthen this first cōplacence, as we haue declared in the precedent Chapters, we then draw into our hearts the diuine perfections, and enioye the Diuine Goodnesse, by the delight we take in it, practising the first part of the con­tentment of loue expressed by the sacred spouse, saying: my well-beloued is myne. But because this complacence of loue being in vs that haue it, is also in God, in whom we take it, it giues vs re­ciprocally to his Diuine Goodnesse, so that by this holy loue of complacēce, we enioye the goods which are in God, as though they were our owne; but because the diuine perfections, are stronger then our Spirit, entring into it, they enioye it reci­procally, in so much, that we doe not onely saie God is ours by this cōplacence, but that we are his.

2. The hearbe Aproxis (as elsewhere we haue saied) hath so great a correspondance with fire, that, though in distance, as oone as it gets into the aspect of it, it draweth the flame, and begins to burne, conceiuing fire, not so much from the heate, as from the light of the fire pre­sented. When then by this attraction it is vnited to the fire, if it could speake, might it not well saie, my well-beloued fire is myne, sith I drew it to me and enioye its flames: but I am also his, for though I drew it to me, it reduced me into it, as more strong, and noble; it is my fire, and I am its hearbe, I draw it, and it burnes me. So our heart being brought into the presence of the Diuine Goodnesse, and hauing drawen the perfections thereof by the complacēce it takes in them, may truely saie, Gods Goodnesse [Page 276] is all myne, sith I enioye his excellēcies ād I againe am wholy his, seeing his delightes enioye me.

3. By complacence, our soule as a Gedeons fleece, is wholy filled with heauenly dewe, and this dewe is the fleeces, because it fell vpon it; and and againe the fleece is the dewes, because it was steeped in it, and receiued vertue from it. Which doth more belong to the other, the pearle or the oyster to the pearle? The pearle is the oysters, be­cause she drew it to her, but the oyster is the pear­les, because it giues her worth and value. Compla­cence makes vs Possessours of God, drawing into vs his perfections; but it makes vs also possessed of God, applying and tying vs to his perfections.

4. Now in this complacence, we doe glut our soule with delights, in such a manner, that we doe not yet cease to desire to be glutted, and tasteing the diuine Bountie, we desire yet to taste it, in sa­tiating our selues, we would still eate, and in ea­ting we perceiue our selues satiated. The head of the Apostles, hauing saied in his first Epistle, that the old Prophets had manifested the graces which were to abound amongst Christians, and amongst other things our Sauiours passion, and the glorie which was to follow it, as well by the Resurrectiō of his bodie, as also by the Exaltation of his name: In the end he concluds that the very Angels doe desire to behold the mysteries of the Redemption in this diuine Sauiour, whom, saieth he, the Angels doe desire to behold. But how can this be vnder­stoode that the Angels who see the Redeemour, and in him all the mysteries of our saluation, doe yet desire to see him? THEO: Verily they see him [Page 277] continually, but with a viewe so agreeable and de­licious, that the complacence they take in it doth satiate them, without taking away their desire, and makes them desire without remouing their Sacietie, the fruition is not lessened by the desire, but perfected therby, as their desire is not cloied but sharpned by the fruition.

5. The fruition of a thing which doth conti­nually content, doth neuer fade, but is renewed, and flourisheth incessantly, it is still agreeable, still amiable; The continuall contentment of heauen­ly louers, produceth a desire perseuerantly con­tent, as their continuall desire, doth beget in them, a contentment perseuerantly desired. The good which is finite, in giuing the possession doth end the desire, and in giuing the desire doth dis­possesse, while it cannot at once be possessed and desired: But the infinite Good, makes desire raigne with possession, and possession with desire, finding a way to saciate desire by a holy presence, and yet make it liue by the greatnesse of its excel­lencie which doth nourish in all those that possesse it, a continually contented desire, and a content­ment continually desired.

6. Consider TH [...]OT: such as hold in their mouth the hearbe SCITIQVE, for following report, they are neither hungrie, nor thristie, so doth it sa­ciate! and yet doe they neuer loose appetite, so de­liciously doth it nourish them! When our will meetes God, she reposeth in him, taking therein a soueraigne complacence, yet without staying the motions of her desire: for as she desires to loue, so she loues to desire: she hath the desire of loue, [Page 278] and the loue of desire. The repose of the heart consisteth not in immobilitie, but in hauing want of nothing: Not, in not mouing, but in not ha­uing neede to moue.

7. The damned are in eternall motion, with­out all mixture of rest: we mortalls who are yet in this pilgrimage, haue now motion, now rest, in our affections; The Blessed haue continuall repose in their motion and continuall motion in their re­pose; onely God hath repose without motion, be­cause he is soueraignely on substantiall and pure act. And though according to the ordinarie condition of this mortall life, we rest not in mo­tion, yet notwithstanding when we make essaies of the exercises of the immortall life, that is, when we practise the acts of holy loue, we find repose in the motion of our affections, and motion in the repose of the complacence which we take in our well-beloued, receiuing hereby fore-tastes of the future Felicitie, to which we aspire.

8. If it be true that the Cameleon liues of aire, wheresoeuer he goes in the aire, he finds foode; ād though he stirre from one place to another, it is not to find wherewithall to be satiated, but to ex­ercise himselfe in his element, as fishes in the sea. Who desires God in possessing him, doth not de­sire him, to search him, but to exercise affection, euen in the good which he enioyes: for the heart doth not make this motion of desire as pretending the fruition of a thing not had, sith it is already had, but as dilating it selfe in the fruition which it hath; not to obtaine the Good, but to recreate and please it selfe therein; not to enioye it, but to [Page 279] reioyce in it. No otherwise then we moue our selues, and goe to some delicious garden, where being arriued, we cease not to walke and stire our selues, yet it is not to come thither, but being there to walke and passe our time: we went to en­ioye the pleasantnesse of the garden; being there, we walke, to please our selues in the fruition of it.

We alwayes seeke, whom we alwayes loue, saieth the Great, S. AVGVSTINE. Loue seekes whom it hath found, not to haue him, but to haue him still.

9. Finally, THEO: the soule who is in the exer­cise of the loue of complacence, cries continually in her sacred silence: It suffiseth me that God be God, that his Goodnesse be infinite, that his per­fection be immence: whether I liue, or not, it little imports me, sith that my deare well-beloued liues eternally a triumphant life: Death it selfe cannot attristate a heart who knowes that its soueraigne Loue, liues. It is sufficient for a heart that loues, that he whom it loues more then it selfe, is reple­nished with eternall happinesse, seeing that it liues more in him whom it loues, then him, whom it doth animate, yea that it liues not, but its well-beloued liues in it.

Of a louing condoling, by which the com­placence of loue is better declared. CHAPTER. IV.

1. COmpassion, condoling commiseration, or mercy, is no other thing, then an affection which makes vs share in the sufferāces and griefes of him whom we loue, drawing the miserie which he endures into our heart, whence it is called MI­SERICORDIA as one would saie MISERIA CORDIS: as complacence doth draw into the louers heart, the pleasures and contentments of the thing beloued. It is Loue that workes both the effectes, by the vertue it hath, to vnite the louers heart to the be­loued, by this meanes making the good and euill which they haue, cōmon betwixt them. And that which happens in compassion, doth much illu­strate that which toucheth complacence.

2. Compassion takes her grouth from the loue whence she proceedes. So we see mothers doe deeply condole the afflictions of their onely chil­dren, as the Scripture doth often testifie. How great was the sorrow of Agars heart, vpon the griefe of her Ismael, whom she saw well nigh pe­rish with thirst in the Desert: How much did DA­VIDS soule commiserate the miserie of his Abso­lon: Ah doe you not marke the motherly heart of the great Apostle, sicke, with the sicke: burning [Page 281] with zeale for such as were scandalized, with a continuall dolour for the losse of the Iewes: and dayely dying for his deare spirituall children: But especially cōsider how loue drawes all the paines, all the torments, trauells, sufferances, griefes, wounds, passiō, crosse, and death it selfe of our Re­deemour, into his most sacred Mothers heart. Alas the same Nailes that crucified the bodie of this di­uine child, did also crucifie the mothers heart; the same thrones which pearced his head, did strike through the heart of this entirely sweete mother: she endured the same miseries with her sonne by commiseration; the same dolours, by condoling; the same passions by compassion: to be short, the sworde of death which transpearced the bodie of this best beloued sonne did stricke through the heart of this most louing mother; whence she might well haue saied, that he was to her a POSIE OF MIRRHE amidst her breastes, that is, in her bo­some, and in the midst of her heart. IACOB, hea­ring the sad, though false, newes of the death of his deare IOSEPH, you see how he is afflicted with it: ah! saied he, in sorrow I will descend to hell, that is to saie, to Lymbo, into ABRAHAMS bosome, after this child.

3. Commiseration is also great according to the greatnesse of their sufferances whom we loue: for how little soeuer the friēdshipe be, if the euells which we see endured be extreame they cause in vs great pitie. This made Cesar weepe ouer Pom­pey; and the daughters of Hierusalem could not stay themselues from weeping ouer our Sauiour; though the greater part of them, did not much af­fect [Page 282] him: as also the friends of IACOB, though wicked friends, made great lamentation, in be­holding the dreadfull spectacle of his incompa­rable miserie: and what a stroke of griefe was it in the heart of IACOB, to thinke that his deare child was dead, of a death so cruell, as to be de­uoured by a sauage beaste? But besids all this, com­miseration is much strengthened, by the presence of the obiect in miserie: this caused the poore Agar, absent her selfe from her languishing sonne, to disburden her selfe in some sort of the compas­sionate griefe which she felt, saying: I will not see the child die; as contrariwise our Sauiour weepes, seeing the sepulchre of his well-beloued Lazarus: and beholding his deare Hierusalem; And the good IACOB, was struck with griefe, when he saw the bloodie Robe of his poore little IOSEPH.

4. Now, as many causes also doe augment complacence. As a friend is more deare vnto vs, we take more pleasure in his contentment, and his good doth enter more deeply into our heart: which if it be excellent, our ioye is also greater; but if we see our friend while he enioyes it, our reioy­cing becomes extreame. When the good IACOB knew that his sonne liued, ô God what ioye! his heart returned home, he reuiued, yea as one would saie returned to life. But what is this, he reuiued, returned to life? THEO: SPIRITS die not their pro­per death but by sinne, which seperateth them from God, who is their true supernaturall life, yet die they sometimes by anothers death: and this happened to IAGOB, of whom we speake: for loue which drawes into the heart of the louer, the good [Page 283] and euill of the thing beloued, the one by compla­cence, the other by commiseration, drew the death of the louely IOSEPH, into the louing IACOBS heart, and by a miracle impossible to any other power but loue, the minde of the good Father was full of the death of him that liued, and raigned, de­ceiued affection forerunning the effect.

5. But as soone as he had knowen that his sonne was a liue, Loue who had so long detained the presupposed death of the sonne in the good Fathers heart seeing that he was deceiued, speedely reiected this imaginarie death, and made enter in its place the true life of the saied sonne; Thus then he returned to a new life, because the life of his sonne entred into his heart by complacence, and animated him with an incomparable contentment with which finding himselfe satisfied, and not esteeming any other pleasure in comparison of this, it fufficeth me, saieth he, if my child IOSEPH liue. But when with his proper eyes he experien­ced his deare childs greatenesse in Gessan, hanging vpon him and for a good space weeping about his necke; ah, now, saieth he, I will die ioyfull, my deare Sōne sith I haue seene thy face, and thou dost yet liue. ô God what a ioye, THEO: and how excel­lently expressed by this old man! For what would he saie by these words, now I will die contented, sith I haue seene thy face, but that his con­tent was so great that it was able to render death it selfe ioyfull and agreeable, being the most discomfortable, and horrible thing in the world? Tell me, I pray you, THEO: who hath more sense of IOSEPHES good, he that enioyes it, [Page 284] or IACOB who reenioyes it? Certainly if good be not good but in respect of the content which it af­fordeth vs: the father hath as much, yea more then the Sonne: for the sonne together with the dignitie of VICE-ROY whereof he is possessed, hath cōsequently many cares, ād affaires: but the Father doth enioye by Complacence, and purely possesse all that good is, in this his sonnes greatenesse, and dignitie, without charge, care, or trouble. I will dye Ioyfull saieth he: Alas! who doth not see his contentment: if euen death cannot trouble his ioye, who can euer chang it? if his content can liue amidst the distresses of death, who can euer bereeue him of it? Loue is strong as death, and the ioyes of loue doe surmount the anoyes of death, for death cānot kill, but doth reuiue them, so that, as there is a fire which miraculously is feed in a fountaine nere Greenoble, as I surely know, and S. AVGVSTINE doth attest, so holy Cha­ritie is so strong, that she doth nourish her flames and consolations in the saddest anguishes of death, and the waters of tribulations cannot extinguish her fires.

Of the commiseration and Complacence of loue in our Sauiours Passion. CHAPTER. V.

1. VVHen I see my Sauiour vpon the moūt Oliuet, with his soule, sad euen to [Page 285] death; O Lord I [...]SVS, saie I, who could haue borne these sorrowes of death, in the soule of life, if not loue, who mouing commiseration drew thereby our miseries into thy soueraigne heart. Now a deuote soule, seeing this abisse of sorrow and distresse in this Diuine louer, how can she be without a holily louing griefe? But considering on the other side, that none of these her well-be­loued's afflictions proceede from any imperfectiō, or want of force, but from the greatnesse of his most deare loue she cannot but melt with a holily dolorous loue: so that she cries out, I am blacke with griefe by compassion, but I am faire with loue, by Complacence; the anguishes of my well-beloued, haue changed my hew; for how can a faithfull louer see him so tormented, whom she loues more then her life, without becomming ap­palled, withered and dried vp with griefe? No­mades tents, perpetually exposed to the outrage of weather and warrs are almost still beaten, and couered with dust, and I open to sorrows, which by commiseration I receiue, from the excessiue suffrances of my diuine Sauiour, I am quite coue­red with anguishe, and split with griefe: but be­cause his griefes whom I loue, proceede from his loue, as much as they afflict me by compassion, they delight me by Complacence: For how must not a faithfull louer needes haue an extreme cōtēt to see her selfe so much beloued of her heauenly Spouse! And hence the beautie of loue appears in the foulenesse of griefe. And though I weare mourning weedes for the Passion and death of my King, deformed and blacked with griefe, yet am [Page 286] I not without an incomparable delight, to be­hold the excesse of his loue, amidst the panges of his sorrowes. And the tents of SALOMON bro­dered, and wrought with an incomparable diuer­sitie of worke, was neuer so goodlie, as I am con­tent, and consequently, sweete, amiable, and a­greeable, in the varietie of the essaies of loue, which I feele amongst these griefes. Loue doth e­qualize the louers: ah! I see this deare louer, who is a burning fire, in a thornie bush of griefe; and euen so I, I am wholy inflamed with loue amōgst the thornie thickets of sorrow; I am a Lillie enui­roned with thornes; doe not onely looke vpon the horrours of my pinching griefes, but behold the agreeable beautie of my loues. Alas this Diuine well-beloued louer doth suffer insupportable griefes, this it is that toucheth my heart, and makes me sound with anguish: but he takes plea­sure in suffering, he loues his torments, and dies with ioye, to die with griefe for me: wherefore as I greeue in his griefe, so am I rauished with ioye in his loue; I doe not onely sorrow with him, but glorie in him.

2. It was this loue THEO: that drew the Stig­mats vpon the louing Seraphicall S. FRANCIS; and vpon the louing Angelicall S. CATHERINE of Scienna, the vrgent wounds of her Sauiour; the louing Complacence, hauing sharpened the point of the dolourous compassion, as honnie make the bitternesse of Wormewoode more pearcing and sensible: as cōtrariwise, the daintie smell of Roses is refined by the neighberhoode of Garlike, which is planted neare the Rose-trees: for so the louing [Page 287] Complacence, which we haue taken in the loue of our Sauiour makes the compassion which we haue of his dolours more forcible; as also passing from the compassion of sorrowes, to the complacence of loues, we take a more ardent, and high content. Then the griefe of loue, and the loue of griefe is practised; then the amourous compassion, and do­lourous complacence, as another ESAV and IACOB, striuing who should striue more, puts the soule into incredible conuultions and agonies, and as it were an extasie amourously dolorous, and dolou­rously amourous. And according to this, the great soules of S. FRANCIS, and S. CATHERINE, felt in­comparable loues: in their dolours, and match­lesse dolours in their loues, when they were stig­matized, perceiuing loue ioyfull to endure for a friend, which our Sauiour exercised in the highest degree vpō the tree of the Crosse. Thus is the pre­cious vnion of our soule with God made, which as a mysticall Beniamin is a child of griefe ād loue to­gether.

3. It cannot be expressed, THEO: how much our Sauiour desires to enter into our soules by way of this dolourous Complacence. Alas, saieth, he, open me the dore, my deare sister, my friend, my doue, my all-faire, for my head is all to be­dewed, and my heires with the dropes of the night. What is this dewe, what are these dropes of the night, but the paines, and torments of his Passion? Pearles, (as we haue many times saied) are no other thing then dewie dropes, which the nights freshnesse shewers downe vpon the face of the sea, receiued in the shelles of Oysters, or mother-pearles. [Page 288] Ah! would the diuine louer of the soule saie, I am! oden with the paines, and sweat of my passion, which almost all passed either in the dark­nesse of the night, or in the night of darknesse, which the eclipsed sunne caused at the hight of the day. Open then thy heart towards me, as the mo­ther-pearle doth hers towards heauen, and I will poure downe vpon thee, the dewe of my passion, which shall turne into pearles of consolation.

Of the Loue of Beneuolence which we exercise towards our Sauiour by way of desire. CHAPTER. VI.

1. THe loue which God exerciseth towards vs, is alwayes begun by beneuolence willing and effecting all the good that is in vs, in which af­terwards he takes complacence. He made DAVID according to his heart by beneuolence, because he found him according to his heart by Compla­cence. He first created the world for man and man in the world, indewing euery thing with such a measure of goodnesse as was proportionable to it out of his pure beneuolence; then he approued all that he had done, finding that all was very good, and by complacence reposed in his worke.

2. But contrariwise our loue towards God be­gins from the complacence which we haue in the soueraigne Goodnesse, and infinite perfection, [Page 289] which we know is in the Diuinitie; then, we come to the exercise of beneuolence; And as the Com­placence which God takes in his creaturs, is no other thing then a continuation of his beneuo­lence towards them, so the beneuolence which we beare towards God, is nothing else, but an appro­bation, and perseuering in him.

3. Now this loue of beneuolence towards God, is practised in this sort: we cannot with a true desire wish any good to God, because his goodnesse is infinitly more perfect, then we can either wish or thinke: Desire is onely of a future good, and no good is future to God, sith that all good is so present to him, that the presence of good in his Diuine Maiestie, is no other thing then the Diuinitie it selfe. Not hauing therefore power to make an absolute desire for God, we doe make imaginarie and conditionall ones, in this manner: I haue saied, ô Lord thou art my God, who being full of thy owne infinite goodnesse, can haue no wāt, neither of my riches, nor of any other thing: but if by imagination of a thing impossible, I could thinke, thou had'st neede of any thing, I would neuer cease to wish it thee, euen with the losse of my life, beeing, and of all that the world hath. And if being what thou art, and which thou cannot but still be, it were possible that thou couldst receiue any encrease of good, ô God, what a desire should I haue, that thou hadst it: In that case ô eternall Lord, I would desire to see my heart conuerted into wishes, and my life into sighes, to wish thee such a good: ah! yet would I not for all this, ô thou sa­cred [Page 290] well-beloued of my soule, desire to haue power to desire any good to thy Maiestie; yea I hartily please my selfe in this thy supreeme de­gree of goodnesse, to which nothing can be added, neither by desire, nor yet by thought. But if such a desire were possible, ô infinte, Diuinitie, ô Di­uine infinitie, my soule would be that desire, and no other thing then that, so much would she be desirous, to desire for thee, that which she is infi­nitly pleased, that she cannot desire, seeing that her impotencie therein proceedes frō the infinite infinitie of thy perfection, which outstrips all de­sire and cogitation. Ah! ô my God how dearly I loue the impossibilitie of being able to desire thee any good, sith, that ryseth out of the incompre­hensible immensitie of thy abundance, which is so soueraignely infinite, that if there be an infinite desire, it should be infinitly saciated by the infini­tie of thy Goodnesse, which would conuert it into an infinite cōplacence. These desires then by ima­gination of impossibilities, may be sometimes profitably practised, amongst great, and extraor­dinarie feelings and feruours. Thus, as it is repor­ted, did the great S. AVGVSTINE often behaue himselfe pouring out in excesse of loue, in these words. Ah! Lord, I am AVGVSTINE, and thou art God, but howbeit, if that which neither is, nor can be, were, that I were God, and thou AVGVS­TINE, I would, in changing my condition with thee, become AVGVSTINE, to the end, thou mightest be God.

4. It is another kind of Beneuolence towards God, when seeing we cannot aduance him in him­selfe, [Page 291] we striue to doe it in our selues, that is still more and more to encrease the Complacence we take in his Goodnesse. And then THEOT: we de­sire not the Complacēce for the pleasure it yealdes vs, but purely because this pleasure is in God: For as we desire not the compassion, for the sor­row it brings to our heart, but because this sor­row doth vnite, and associate vs to our well-be­loued who greerueth; Nor doe we loue the com­placence because it brings vs pleasure, but because this pleasure is taken in vnion of the pleasure, and goodnesse which is in God, to which to be more vnited, we would please our selues in a compla­cence infinitly greater, by the imagination of the most holy Queene, and mother of loue, whose soule did continually magnifie and exalte God; And to th'end that it might be knowen that this aduancement was made by the complacence which she tooke in the diuine Goodnesse, she sig­nifies that her heart leapt with contentment in God her Sauiour.

How the desire to exalte and magnifie God, doth separate vs from inferiour plea­sures, and makes vs attentiue to the Diuine perfections. CHAPTER. VII.

1. LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE, then causeth in vs a desire more ād more to increase the cō ­placence [Page 292] which we take in the Diuine Goodnesse and to effect this encrease, the soule doth carefully depriue her selfe of all other pleasure, that she may giue herselfe more entirely to take pleasure in God. A religious man, asked S. GILES, one of the first, and most holy Companions of S. FRAN­CIS in what worke he could be most agreeable to God: he answered, in singing one to one, which after explicating; giue alwayes, quoth he, all your soule, the onely one to God, who is one. The soule doth glide through pleasures, and the diuer­sitie of them doth distract and hinder her, that she cannot attentiuely attend to the pleasure which she ought to take in God. The true Louer hath scarcely any pleasure, but in the thing beloued. The glorious S. PAVLE reputed all things as durt or dung, in comparison of his Sauiour. And the sacred Spouse is entirely for her well-beloued. And if the soule that stands thus holily affe­cted, meet with creaturs neuer so excellent, yea though they were Angels, she makes no delay with them, saue onely to be helped and aduanced in her desire. Tell me then, saieth she to them, tell me I coniure you: haue you not seene him, whom my heart loues? The glorious Louer MAGDELEN met the Angels at the sepul­chre, who doubtlesse spoke to her angelically, that is, deliciously, desirous to appease her griefe, but contrariwise, wholy ruthfull, she could take no kind of content, neither in their milde words, nor in the glorie of their garments, nor in the hea­uenly grace of their gesture, nor in the wholy lo­uely beautie of their featurs, but couered with [Page 293] tears, they haue taken away my Maister, saieth she, and I know not where they haue put him. And turning about she saw her sweete Sauiour, but in forme of a Gardener, wherein her heart cā ­not be at repose: for full with the loue of the death of her maister; flowres she will haue none, nor consequently Gardeners; she hath with in her heart the crosse, the nailes, the thornes, she seakes her crucified Lord: ah my deare Maister Gardener, saieth she, whether peraduenture haue you not planted my well-beloued deseased Lord, amongst your flowres as a Lillie, crusshed and withered? Tell me quickly, and I will carrie him away. But no sooner had he called her by her name, but wholy melting with delight. ô God, saieth she, maister! Nothing can content her, nor Angels cō ­panie delight he, no nor yet her Sauiours, vnlesse he appeare, in that forme in which he had stolne her heart. The kings could not content them­selues, neither in Hierusalems goodlinesse, nor in the Courts magnificence, nor in the starres splen­dour: Their hearts searching the little caue and child of Bethleem. The MOTHER OF FAIRE DILE­CTION, and the Spouse of most holy Loue, cannot stay amongst their parents and friends, they still walke on in griefe, enquiring after the onely ob­iect of their delight: The desire to encrease holy complacence, cuts of all other pleasure, to th'end it may with more feruour practise that, to which diuine beneuolence doth excite.

2. Now, more to magnifie the soueraigne well-beloued, the soule goes still pursuing his face, that is, with an attention daily more carefull and fer­uent, [Page 294] she notes euery particularitie of the beau­ties, and perfections which are in him, making a continuall progresse in this pleasing inquirie of motiues, that might perpetually presse her to a greater complacence in the incomprehensible goodnesse which she loueth. So DAVID, in many of his heauenly Psalmes, doth cote by parcells the workes and wonders of God. And the sacred Spouse, rangeth in her diuine Canticles as a well ranked armie, all the perfections of her spouse in their order, to prouoke her soule, to a holy com­placence, thereby more highly to magnifie his excellencie, and withall to winne euery crea­ture, to the loue of her so louely a friend.

How holy Beneuolence doth produce the Diuine well-beloueds Praises. CHAPTER. VIII.

1. HOnour, my deare THEO: is not in him that is honoured, but in him that doth honour; for how ordinarie is it, that he whom we honour is ignorant, nor doth so much as thinke thereof: how oftē doe we praise such as knowes vs not, or doe sleepe; and yet according to the ordinarie esti­mation of men, and their manner of conceiuing, it seemes that to doe one honour is to benefite him, and that in giuing him titles and honours we giue him much; and we sticke not to saie that a man is [Page 295] rich in honour, glorie, reputation, praise; though indeede we know, that all this is out of the partie that is honoured, who oftentimes receiues no manner of profit therby, according to a saying, ascribed to great S. AVGVSTINE, O poore Ari­stotle thou art praised where thou art not, and where thou art, thou art burnt. What fruite, I pray doe Cesar and Alexander the Great reape, of so many vaine words which a companie of vaine soules imploied in their praises?

2. God replenished with a goodnesse which doth surpasse all praise, and honour, receiues no aduantage or surplusage of good, by all the bene­dictiōs which we giue him, he is neither richer nor greater, more content or more happie by them: for his happinesse, his content, greatnesse, and riches, neither are, or can be any other thing, then the diuine infinitie of his Goodnesse. Notwith­standing because, according to our ordinarie ap­prehension honour is held one of the greatest ef­fectes of our beneuolence towards others, and that therby we doe not onely not presuppose those that we honour, in any want, but rather doe protest, that they abound in excellencie: we therefore make vse of this kind of beneuolēce to­wards God, who doth not onely admit it, but exact it, as a thing conformable to our condition, and so proper to testifie the respectfull loue we beare him, that he hath ordained we should render, and yeeld all honour and glorie vnto him.

3. Thus then the soule who hath taken a great complacence in God's infinite perfection, seeing that she cannot wish him any encrease of good­nesse, [Page 296] because he hath infinitly more then she can either wish or conceiue, desires at least, that his name may be blessed, exalted, praised, honoured, and adored dayly more and more. And begin­ning with her owne heart she ceaseth not to pro­uoke it to this holy exercise: and as a sacred Bee flies hither and thither, amongst the flowers of the diuine workes and excellencies, gathering from them, a sweete varietie of complacences, whereof she works and composeth the honnie of heauenly benedictions, praises, and honourable confessions, by which as farre as she is able, she magnifies and glorifies the name of her well-beloued; following the great Psalmist, who hauing enuironed, and as it were in Spirite runne ouer the wōders of the diuine goodnesse, sacrificed vpon the Altar of his heart the mysticall Hoste of the out-cryes thereof in Canticles and Psalmes of admiration and Bene­diction.

But, THEO: this desire of praising God, which ho­ly Beneuolence doth excite in our hearts, is insa­tiable: for the soule that is touched with it, would [Page 277] wish to haue infinite praises to bestowe vpon her well-beloued, because she finds his per­fections more then infinite: so that finding her selfe to fall farre short of her aime, she addes force to her affection, to praise, at least in some measure, this most praiseworthy goodnesse, and these en­deauours of Beneuolence, are meruellously aug­mented by complacence: for according as the soule finds God good, tasting more and more his sweetenesse and taking complacence in his infinit goodnesse, she would also raise higher his bene­dictions and praises. And againe, as the soule wax­eth hote, in praising the incomprehensible sweetenesse of her God, she enlargeth and dilateth the complacence she takes in him; and by this en­largmēt she doth animate her selfe more earnestly to praise him. So that the affection of compla­cence; and that of praise, by their reciprocall mo­tions, and incitements, doe aduance one another with great and continuall encrease.

4. So Nightingales, according to Plinie, takes such complacence in their songes, that by reason of this complacence, for fiue dayes and fiue nightes long, they neuer leaue warbling, forcing them­selues to sing better, in despight one of the other; so that when they chirpe the best, thy take a grea­ter complacence, and this encrease of complacēce, carrieth them to force themselues to a better qua­uering, augmenting in such sort their complacēce by their songe, and their songe by their compla­cence, that often they are seene to fall downe dead spliting their weeseells with the violence of sin­ging. Birdes worthy the faire name of Philomele, [Page 298] sith they die in this sorte, of, and for the loue of melodie.

5. O God, THEOT: how the soule ardently pressed with affection to praise God, is touched with a dolour, greatly delicious, and a delight greatly dolorous, when after a thousand essaies of praises, she finds herselfe to come short: Alas! this poore Nightingale striues still to lance out her accents higher, and perfect her melodie, the better to sing the praises of her well-beloued. By how much more she praiseth, by so much she is more delighted in praising; and by how much greater her delight in praising is, by so much her displeasure is greater, that she cannot yet more praise him; and yet to find what content she can in this passion, she vseth all endeauours, and a­midst them falls in languishment, as it happened to the most glorious S. FRANCIS, who in the plea­sures he had to praise God, and sing his Canticles of loue, shed a great abundāce of teares, ād through faintnesse, let often fall what at such times he had in his hands: remaining in languishment, as a sacred Philomele, ād eftsones lost breath, in breathing af­ter his praises whō he could neuer praise sufficiētly.

6. But marke a fine similitude vpon this sub­iect, drawen from the name which this louing saint gaue his religious; for he called them Cy­gales, by reason of the nightly praises they sunge to God. Cygales, THEO: haue their breasts set with pipes, as though they were naturall orgaines; and to sing the better they liue onely of dewe, which they take not by the beake for they haue none, but sucke it by a certaine weesel they haue in [Page 299] the midst of their stomacke by which also they sed out their tunes, with such a noyse that they seeme to be nothing but voice. Now this is the state of the sacred Louer; for all the faculties of her soule are as so many pipes which she hath in her breast, to resound the well-beloued's Cāticles ād praises. Her deuotion in the midst is the tongue of her heart, according to S. BERNARD, by which she re­ceiues the dew of diuine perfections, sucking and drawing them to her, as her foode, by the most holy complacence which she takes in them; and by the same tongue of deuotion, she tunes all her praiers, Praises, Canticles, Psalmes, Benedi­ctions, according to the testimonie of one of the most famous spirituall Cygales, that euer was heard, who sunge thus.

For is it not, as though he had saied, I am a mysti­call Cygale, my soule, my spirits, my thoughtes, all the faculties that are met together within me, are organes. Let all these for euer blesse the name, and resound the praises of my God.

How Beneuolence makes vs inuoke all Creaturs to God's praise. CHAPTER. IX.

1. THe heart that is taken and pressed with a desire of praising the Diuine Goodnesse more then it is able, after many endeauours, goes often times out of it selfe to inuite all Creaturs to helpe it in it's designe. As did the three children in the furnace, in that admirable Canticle of Benedictions, by which they excite all that is in Heauen, in earth and vnder the earth to render thankes to the Eternall God, in Blessing and praising him soueraignely: as also the glorious Psalmist, wholy moued by a holily irregular pas­sion to praise God, goes without order leaping from heauen to earth, from thence to heauen a­gaine, inuoking pel-mel, Angels, fishes, moun­taines, Waters, Dragons, Birdes, Serpents, Fire, Haile, Fogges, assembling by his desires all crea­turs; to th'end that they all might conspire piously to magnifie their Creatour. Some in their owne persōs, celebrating the diuine praise, others affording matter of praise, by the wōders of their differrent proprieties, which manifest their ma­kers power; so that this diuine royall Psalmist, ha­uing [Page 301] composed a great number of Psalmes, with this inscription Praise God, after he had rūne through all the creaturs, holily inuiting them to blesse the diuine Maiestie, and passed ouer a great varietie of meanes and instruments fit to celebrate the praises of this eternall Bountie, in the end as falling downe through shortenesse of breath, he closeth his sacred song with this, Eiaculation. Let euery spirit praise our Lord, that is, let all that hath life, nor liue, nor breath but to blesse their Creatour, following the encou­ragement he had elsewhere giuen.

So the great S. FRANCIS soung the Canticle of the Sunne, and a thousand other excellent bene­dictions, to inuoke the creaturs to aide his lan­guishing heart, in that he could not, according to his desire praise the deare Sauiour of his heart. So the heauenly Spouse perceiuing her selfe almost to sound amidst the violent essaies she vsed in bles­sing, and magnifying the well-beloued king of her heart; ah! cried she out to her companions; the diuine Spouse, hath led me by contemplation into his wine-celler, making me taste the incom­parable delightes of the perfections of his excel­lencie, [Page 302] and I haue so moistened and holily inebria­ted my selfe, by the holy complacence which I tooke in this abisse of beautie, that my soule lan­guisheth, wounded with a louingly mortall desire, which vrgeth me euerlastīgly to praise a goodnesse eminent. Come alas I beseech you to the succour of my poore heart, which is vpon the point of fal­ling downe dead. For pitie susteine it, and vn­derprope it with flowres; solace it, and enuirone it with aples, or else it will fall in a trance. Compla­cence drawes the diuine sweetes into her heart, which doth so ardently fill it selfe thereof that it is ouer charged. But the LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE makes our heart sallie out of it selfe, and spend it selfe in vapours of delicious perfumes, that is, in all kinds of holy praises. And yet not being able to doe it with the aduantage which it desires, ô saieth it, let all creaturs come and contribute the flowres of their benedictions, their aples of thankesgiuings, honours, and adorations, so that on euery side we may smell odours poured out to his glorie, whose infinite sweetenesse doth passe all honour, and whom we can neuer worthily enough magnifie.

2. It is this diuine passion, that brings out so many sermons; makes the Zaueriuses the Berzeses the Antonies, with a number of Iesuites, Capu­cins, and Religious and other Churchmen of all sorts passe the pikes in India, Iaponia, Maraig to th'end the holy name of IESVS may be knowen, acknowledged, and adored through out that vaste nation. It is this holy passion which penns so ma­ny spirituall bookes, build's so many churches, [Page 303] altars, and pious houses: and to conclud, which makes so many of God's seruants, watch, labour, and die, in the flames of Zeale which doe consume and spend them.

How the desire we haue to praise God makes vs aspire to heauen. CHAPTER. X.

1. THe soule in Loue perceiuing that she cā ­not saciate the desire she hath to praise her well-beloued, while she liues in the miseries of this world, and knowing that the praises which are giuen in heauen to the diuine goodnesse, are sunge in an aire, incomparably more delightfull; ô God, saieth she, how praiseworthie the praises are, which are poured fourth by those blessed spirits, before the throne of my heauenly king; how blessed are their blessings: ô what a happi­nesse is it to heare this melodie of the most holy eternitie, where the delicious concurrence of vn­like and wholy different voices, doth make these admirable accords, wherein all the parts redoub­ling one vpon another by a continued succession and an incomprehensible combination and pur­sute, perpetuall Allelui'as doe resound from eue­ry side.

2. Voices which for their sound are compared to thunder, trumpets, or to the noyse of a trou­bled [Page 304] seas waues: yet voices, which for their in­comparable delight and sweetenesse are compared to the melodie of harpes, delicatly, and deliciously touched by a most skillfull hand. And voices which doe all accord in one to sing the ioyfull Pascall Cāticle ALLELVIA, praise God, Amē praise God: for know, THEO: that there is a voice heard from the diuine Throne, which ceaseth not to crie to the happie inhabitants of the glorious heauenly Hierusalem, Praise God ô you that are his seruants, and you that feare him great and little, at which all the innumerable multitude of Saints, the quires of Angels, and men with one consent, doe answere in singing with all their force. ALLELVIA, praise God. But what is this admirable voice, which issuing out from the diuine Throne, doth announce the ALLELVIAS to the Elect, if not the most holy complacence, which being re­ceiued into the heart makes them feele the sweete­nesse of the Diuine perfections, wherevpon a lo­uing beneuolence, the source of heauenly praises, is bred in thē, so that complacence cōming from the Throne, intimateth Gods greatnesse to the Blessed, and beneuolence excites them mutually to pouer out the odours of praise before the Throne. And so by way of answere they eternally sing ALLELVIA, that is praise God. The complacence come frō the Throne into the heart, and Beneuolence goes from the Throne.

3. O how amiable is this TEMPLE wholy [Page 305] resounding with praise! ô what content haue such as liue in this sacred Residence, where so many heauenly Philomels and Nightingails, doe sing with strife of loue, the Canticles of eternall de­light!

4. The heart then, that in this world can nei­ther sing nor heare the diuine praises to it's liking, falls into incredible desires, of being deliuered from the bands of this life, to passe to the other, where the heauenly well-beloued is so perfectly praised: and these desires hauing taken possession of the heart, doe often times become so strōg and powrefull in the heauenly Louers heart that bani­shīg all other desires, they make all terreane thīgs disgustfull, and render the soule languishing, and loue-sicke; yea sometimes the holy passion goes so farre, as if God permitted, one would die of it.

5. So the glorious and Seraphicall Louer S. FRANCIS, hauing bene long wrought with this strong affection of praising God; in the end, to­wards his death, after he had had assurance by a speciall Reuelation, of his eternall saluation, he could not conteine his ioye, but waisted dayly, as if his life and soule, had fumed out like incense, vpon the flamme of ardent desires, which he had to see his Maister, incessantly to praise him. So that these flames dayly encreasing, his soule left his bo­die, by a force which he made towards heauen: for it was thought good to the Diuine prouidence, that he should die pronoūcing these sacred words; O Lord drawe my soule out of this prison, to the end I may praise thy holy name, the iuste expects [Page 306] me till thou restorest vnto me, my desired repose. Behold, THEO: I beseech you this soule, who as a heauenly Nightingale shut vp in the cage of his bodie, in which it cannot at wish sing the benedi­ctions of his eternall loue, knowes that he could better recorde and practise his melodious ditties, if he could gaine the aire, enioye the freedome and societie of other Philomels amongst the gaie and flowrie hillockes of the Land of the Blessed; and thence he cries alas! o Lord of my life, ah! by thy wholy sweete bountie, deliuer my pouertie out of the cage of my bodie, free me from this little pri­son, to th'end that released from this bondage I may flie to my deare companions who expect me aboue in heauen, to make me one of their Quiers, and enuirone me with their ioye, the Almightie according my voice to theirs, I with them will make vp a sweete harmonie, of de­licious aires, and accēts, singing, praising, and bles­sing thy mercy. This admirable Saint as an Ora­tor who would end and cōclude all he had saied, in some short sentence, made this the happie periode of all his wishes and desires, whereof these last words were a Breefe. Words to which his soule was so fixed, that in breathing them, he breathed his last. My God, THEO: what a sweete and deare death was this! a happily louing death, a ho­lily mortall loue.

How we practise the LOVE OF BE­NEVOLENCE in the praises which our Sauiour and his mother giue to God. CHAPTER. XI.

1. VVE ascend then stepe by stepe in this holy exercise, by the creaturs which we inuite to praise God, passing from the sensible to the reasonable and intellectuall, and from the Church militant to the triumphant, in which we raise our selues vp to the Angels and Saints, till aboue them all we haue met with the most sacred virgin, who in a matchlesse manner doth praise and magnifie the Diuinitie, more highly, holily, and deliciously, then all the other creaturs together are able.

2. Being two yeares agoe at Milan, whither the veneration of the fresh memorie of the great Archbishope S. CHARLES had drawen me, with certaine of our Church-men, we heard in diuers Churches, diuers sorts of musike: but in a Mona­sterie of Nunnes, we heard a Religious woman whose voice was so admirably delicious, that she alone, filled our minds with more delight incom­parably then all the rest together, which though otherwise excellent, yet seemed they to serue one­ly to giue luster, and raise the perfection and grace [Page 308] of this singular voice. So, THEO: amongst all the Quires of men and Angels, the most sacred Vir­gine's loftie voice is heard, which raised aboue all, renders more praise to God, then doe all the o­ther creaturs. And indeede the Heauenly king inuites her to sing, in a particular manner: shew me thy face, saieth he, my well-beloued, let thy voice sound in my eares, for thy voice is entirely sweete and thy face wholy faire.

3. But the praises which this Mother of ho­nour and faire dilection together with all the crea­turs giues to the Diuinitie, though excellent and admirable, come yet so short of the infinite merite of Gods goodnesse, that they carrie no propor­tion with it: and therefore, albeit they meruel­lously please the louing heart's holy beneuolence to the well-beloued, yet doe they not saciate it. Wherefore it goes forward and inuites our Sa­uiour to praise and glorifie his eternall Father, with all the Benedictions which a Sonnes loue can fournish him withall. And then, THEO: the soule is put to silence, being able onely to admire. O what a Canticle is this of the Sonne to his Father! ô how faire this deare well-beloued is amongst all the children of men! ô how sweete is his voice, as issuing from the lipps vpon which the fulnesse of grace was poured! All the others are perfu­med, but he is the perfume it selfe; the others are embaumed, but he is Baulme poured out: the eternall receiues others praises, as smells of pecu­liar flowres, but vpon the odour of the praises which our Sauiour giues him, doubtlesse he cries out: ô these are the odours of my sonns praises, [Page 309] as the odour of a field full of flowres which I haue blessed! I, my deare THEO: all the Benedictions which the Church militant and triumphant offers to God, are Angelicall and humane benedictions; for beit, they are addressed to the Creatour, yet proceede they from a Creature: but the Sonns, are diuine, for they doe not onely tend to God, as the others, but they flow from God; the Redeemour being true God, they are not onely diuine in res­pect of their end, but of their beginning: diuine, because they tend to God; diuine, because they issue from God. God prouokes the soule, endew­ing her with sufficient grace for the production of other praises; But the Redeemour, being God, produceth his owne, himselfe, and thence they are infinite.

4. He that in a morning for a good space ha­uing heard in the neighbour woods the sweete chaunting of a great companie of Canarie birdes, Linnets, Goldfinches, and such like little birdes, should in the end heare a Maister Nightingale, who in perfect melodie, would fill the aire, and eare with her admirable voice, doubtlesse he would preferre this one grouie Chaunter, before the whole Quires of the others. So hauing heard all the praises which so many different sorts of of creaturs, in emulation of one another, renders vnanimously to their Creatour, when at length one markes that of our Sauiour, they find in it a certaine infinitie of merite, valour, sweetenesse, which passe all hope, and expectation of heart: and the soule, as awaked out of a deepe sleepe, is then sodenly rauished with extreamitie of the sweete­nesse [Page 310] of that melodie. ah! I heare it; ô the voice, the voice of my well-beloued! The Queene-voice of all voices, a voice, in comparison wherof all the other voices are but a dume and sad silence. See how this deare friend doth spring out, see how he comes tripping ouer the mountaines, transcending the hills: his voice is heard aboue the Seraphins and all other creaturs; he hath the sight of a Goate, to penetrate deeper then any other, the beautie of the Sacred obiect which he desires to praise. He loues the melodie of the glorie, and praise of his Father, more then all the rest, and therefore he takes his Fathers praises, and bene­dictions in a straine aboue them all. Behold this diuine loue of the Beloued, as he is clothed in his humanitie, making hīselfe to be seene through the holes of his wounds, and his open side, as by win­dowes, and as by lattises, by which he lookes vpon vs.

5. Yes The: Diuine Loue being seated vpon our Sauiours heart as vpon his royall Throne, be­holds through the passage of his pearced side, all the hearts of the sonnes of mē: for this heart being the king of hearts, keepes his eye still fixed vpon hearts. But as those that looke through a lattise, doe plainely discouer others and yet are not plain­ly discouered; So the diuine loue of this heart, or rather this heart of diuine Loue, doth continual­ly discouer our hearts clearely and lookes vpon them with the eye of affection, yet doe not we dis­couer him clearely, but onely by halfes. For Good God, if we could see him, as he is, we should die of Loue for him, being we are mortalls, as he him­selfe [Page 311] died for vs, while he was mortall; and as he would yet die, if he were not immortall. O that we could heare this diuine heart, how it sings with an infinitly delicious voice, songs of praise to the Diuinitie! what ioye, THEO: what force would our hearts make, to flie vp to heauen, to heare these songs eternally: and verily this deare friend of our hearts, inuits vs vnto it. Vp, rise, saieth he, goe out of thy selfe, take thy flight to­wards me, my doue, my most faire, to this hea­uenly Mannour, where there is nothing but ioye, and nothing is heard but praise and benedictions. All there is florishing, all is sweete and odorife­rous: The Turtle which is the most dolefull of all birds, is heard to sing in that Land. Come my entirely deare beloued, and that thou maiest see me more clearely, come in at the same windowes by which I behold thee. Come and consider my heart in the hole of my open side, which was made when my bodie, as a ruinous building, was so ruthfully dight vpon the tree of the Crosse; come and shew me thy face. I see it now, nor dost thou shew it me; then, I shall see it, and thou shal't shew it me: for thou shal'st see, that I see thee. Let me heare thy voice; for I will tune it to myne, and so thy face shall be faire, and thy voice well tuned. O what a delight shall it be vnto our hearts, when our voices being tuned and accor­ded to our Sauiours, we shall beare a part in the infinitly delicious praises which the beloued Sōne sings to his eternall Father.

Of the soueraigne praise which God giues vnto himselfe, and how we exer­cise BENEVOLENCE in it. CHAPTER. XII.

1. All our Sauiours humane actions are of an infinite merite and value, by reason of the person which doth produce them, which is the same God with the Father, and the holy Ghost, yet are they not infinite by nature and essence. For as being in a Chamber, we receiue not light with proportion to the Sonns brightnesse, which strea­mes it out, but according to the greatnesse of the window, by which it is communicated; so our Sa­uiours humane actions, are not infinite, though in­deede they be of infinite value; foralbeit they are the actions of a diuine Person, yet are they not produced according to the extent of his infinitie, but accordīg to the finite greatnesse of his huma­nitie, by which they are produced. So that, as the humane actions of our sweete Sauiour, are infinite compared to ours, so are they onely finite in com­parison of the essentiall infinitie of the Diuinitie. They are infinite in value, estimation, and dignitie as proceeding from a person which is God; yet are they finite by nature and essence, as being pro­duced of God according to his humane nature and substance, which is finite, and therefore the praises which are giuen by our Sauiour, as he is [Page 313] man, not being in all respects infinite cannot fully correspōd to the infinite greatnesse of the Diuini­tie, to which they are directed.

2. Wherefore after the first rauishment of ad­miration which doth take vs, whē we meete with a praise so glorious, as is that which our Sauiour renders to his Father, we leaue, not to auowe, that the Diuinitie is yet infinitly more praise-wor­thy, thē it can be praised, either by all the creaturs, or by the very humanitie of the eternall Sonne.

3. If one did praise the Sunne for its light, the more he should set a praising it, the more he should find it praise-worthy, because he should still discouer more and more brightnesse. And if as it is very probable, it be the beautie of this light, which prouoketh the Larke to singe, it is not strang that as she flies more loftily, she sings more clearely, equally raising her voice and her flight, till such time as heardly being able so sing any more, she begins to fall in voice and bo­die, stouping by little and little, as from her winge, so in her voice. So THEO: as we mount nee­rer vnto the Diuinitie by Beneuolence to intone and heare the praises thereof, we discouer more clearely, that his praise is still aboue our notes. And finally, we learne that it cannot be praised according to the worth saue onely by it selfe, which alone can fit its soueraigne goodnesse with a soueraigne praise. Herevpon we crie out, GLO­RIE BE VNTO THE FATHER, AND THE SONNE, AND TO THE HOLY GHOST: and that euery one may know that it is not the glorie of created praises, which we wish should be giuen to God, [Page 314] by this eiaculation, but the essentiall and eternall glorie that is in himselfe, by himselfe, of himselfe, and which is himselfe, we adde; as it was in the begining, so now, and shall be for euer and euer AM [...]N: As though we should wish; That God should be glorified for euer, with the glorie which he had before all creaturs, in his infinit eternitie, and eternall infinitie. To this purpose we conclud euery Psalme and Canticle with this verse, accor­ding to the auncient custome of the Easterne Church, which the great S. HIEROME, supplica­ted to the Pope Damasus, that he would esta­blishe it here in the west to protest, that all the praises of men and Angels, are too low, to reach home to the Diuine Bounties praise: and that to be worthily praised, he himselfe is to be his owne glorie, praise, and benediction.

4. O God what a Complacence, what a ioye shall it be to the soule to haue her desire fulfilled, in seeing her Beloued infinitly praise, blesse and magnifie himselfe! But from this Complacence there springs a new desire of praise: for the soule would gladly praise this so worthy a praise giuen to God by himselfe, rendring him heartie thankes for it, ād inuoking againe all things to her succour to come and glorifie the glorie of God with her, to blesse his infinit blessings, and praise his eter­ternall praises, so that by this repetition and re­doubling praises vpon praises, she engageth her selfe betwixt Complacence and Beneuolence, in a most happie Labirinth of loue being wholy drunk vp and drowned in this immense sweetenesse, soue­raignely praising the Diuinitie, in that, that it [Page 315] cānot be sufficiently be praised but by it selfe. And though in the beginning the soule in loue had conceiued a certaine desire of praising God suffi­ciently; yet reflecting vpon her selfe againe, she protests that she would not wish to haue power to praise him sufficiently, but remaines in a most humble Complacence, to perceiue that the Di­uine Goodnesse is so infinitly praise-worthy, that it cannot be sufficiently praised, saue by its owne infinitie onely.

5. And here, the soule rauished with admira­tion, sings the song of sacred silence.

For so Isaie his Seraphins, adoring and praising God, vayled their faces and feete, confessing therein theire want of sufficiencie, sufficiently to contemplate or serue him: for our feete, whereon we goe, signifies seruice. Howbeit they flie with two wings in the continuall motion of Compla­cence and Beneuolence, their Loue resting in that delightfull vnrest.

6. Mans heart is neuer so much disquieted as when the motion, by which it doth continually open and shut it selfe is troubled; neuer so quiet as when its motions are free, so that the hearts quiet consisteth in motion. The like it is with the Seraphins, and Seraphicall men; for their Loue [Page 316] reposeth in the motion of it's complacence, by which it draws God clerely into it selfe; and in the motion of Beneuolence, by which it doth dilate and throw it selfe into God. This Loue then desires to behold the infinite wonders of God's goodnesse, yet it spreeds it's wings ouer it's face, confessing that it cannot arriue thi­ther. It would also present some worthy ser­uice, yet hath it's feete couered to professe that it hath not power to performe it, nor doth any thing remaine sauing the two wings of Com­placence and Beneuolence, by which it flies vp, and casts it selfe vpon God.

A description of mysticall Diuinitie, which is no other thing then praier. CHAPTER. I.

I. WE haue two principall exercices of our loue towards God: the one affectiue, the other effectiue; or as S. BERNARD calles it, actiue: By that we affect God and what he affecteth; by this we serue God, and doe what he ordaines. That ioynes vs to Gods goodnesse; this makes vs execute his will. The one fills vs with complacence, beneuolence, motions, desires, as­pirations, and spirituall ardors, causing vs to [Page 318] practise the sacred infusions and mixtures [...]f our spirit with Gods. The other doth establish in vs the solide resolution, constancie of heart and in­uiolable obedience requisite to effect the ordi­nances of the diuine will, and to suffer, admit, approue, and embrace all that comes from his good pleasure: The one makes vs pleased in God, the other makes vs please God: by the one we conceiue, by the other we bring fourth; by the one we place God vpon our heart, as an Ensigne of loue by which our affections are ordered; by the other we seate him vpon our arme, as a sword of loue, wherby we effect all vertuous exploits.

2. The first exercise cōsisteth, in Praier specially in which so many different inward motions passe, that to expresse them all is impossible, not onely by reason of their number but also for their nature and qualitie, which being spirituall, they cannot but be very secret, and almost hid from our vn­derstanding; the most trained and best sented hounds, are often at default, loosing the straine and sent by the varietie of sleights which the Hart vseth, by dubles making them rune riot, and practising a thousand shiftes to escape the Crie: and we often times loose the sent and knowledge of our owne heart in the infinite diuersitie of mo­tions by which it doth turne it selfe into so many formes, and that with such promptitude, that one cannot discerne the footings thereof.

3. God alone is he, who by his infinite wis­dome, sees, soūds and penetrats all the turnings ād windings of our hearts, he a farre of vnderstands our thoughts, finds out our traces, our doubles [Page 319] and leapings of; His knowledge therein is admi­rable passing our capacitie and reach. Certain­ly if we would looke backe vpon our owne hearts by the reflections and turnings of their actions, we should light into Labyrinthes, wherein we should find no out-gate, and it would require an intolerable attētion, to thinke what our thoughtes are, to consider our considerations, to see all our spirituall sightes, to discerne that we discerne, to remember that we remember; these would be Mazes out of which we should not be able to de­liuer our selues. This treatise then is most hard, especially to one not greatly conuersant in praiere.

4. We take not here the word PRAIER for the onely praier, or demaund of any good thing, pouered out by the faithfull before God, as S. BASILE calles it, but with S. BONAVENTVRE saying that Praier, generally speaking, comprehendes all the acts of contemplation; or with S. GRE­GORIE Nissene, teaching that praier is an entertai­nement, or conuersation of the soule with God; or else with S. CHRYSOSTOME, assuring vs that Praier is a discourse with the diuine Magestie; or finally with S. AVGVSTINE, and S. DAMASCENE, terming Praier an ascent or raising of the soule to God. And if Praier be a speach, discourse or con­uersation of the soule with God, by it then we speake to God and he againe speakes to vs; we aspire to him, and repose in him, and he mu­tually inspires vs, and reposeth in vs.

5. But of what doe we discourse in Praier, what is the subiect of our entertainement? THEO: we speake of God onely: for of what can Loue [Page 320] discourse and talke, but of the well-beloued? and therefore Praier, and mysticall Diuinitie are one same thing. It is called Diuinitie, because as spe­culatiue Diuinitie, hath God for its obiect, so this speakes onely of God, yet with three differences: for 1. that, treates of God, as God; but this spea­kes of God, as soueraignely amiable; that is, that aimes at the Diuinitie of the supreame Goodnesse, ād this at the supreame Goodnesse of the Diuinitie 2. the speculatiue treats of God with men and amongst men; the mysticall speakes of God, with God, and in God himselfe. 3. the Speculatiue tends to the knowledge of God; and the mysticall to the loue of God; so that, that makes her schol­lers knowing, learned, and Diuins; but this makes hers become feruēt and affectionate louers of God, and PHILOTHEES, OR THEOPHILES.

6. Now it is called mysticall, for that its con­uersatiō is altogether secrete, and there is nothing saied in it betwixt God and the soule, saue onely from heart to heart by a communication in com­municable to all, but themselues. Louers language is so particular to them selues, that none but thē ­selues vnderstand ir. I sleepe, saied the holy Spouse and my heart watcheth. Ah, harke how my well-beloued speakes vnto me. Who would haue ges­sed, that this Spouse being a sleepe, could yet talke with her Spouse? but where loue raignes, the noise of exteriour words is not necessarie, nor the helpe of sense to entertaine and mutually to heare one another. In fine Praier, and mysticall Diuinitie is no other thing, then a conuersation, in which the soule doth louingly discourse with God, touching [Page 321] his most amiable goodnesse to be vnited and ioy­ned to it.

7. Praier is a Manna in regard of the infinitie of amiable tastes, and precious delightes, which it giues to such as vse it: but it is secrete, because it falls before the light of any science in the MEN­TALL SOLITVDE where one onely soule, treates with one onely God. What is she this, might one saie of her, who ascends though the Desert as a cloud of perfumes, of Mirrhe, of incense, and of all the pouders of Perfumers: and indeede it was the de­sire of secrecie that moued her to make this peti­tion to her Spouse: come my well-beloued, let's goe into the fieldes, let vs soiourne in the village: for this reason the heauenly spouse, is stiled Tour­tle, a birde which is delighted in shadie and soli­tarie places, where she makes no other vse of her voice, but for her deare mate, ether in life wooe­ing him, or after his death plaining him. For this respect in the Canticles, the diuine Spouse, and the heauenly Spouse represent their loues in a continuall discourse, and if their friends, men and women, doe sometimes speake in it, t'is onely by the by, without interrupting their speach. Hence the Blessed mother S. TERESA of IESVS, found in the beginning more profit, in the misteries where our Sauiour was most alone, as in the Garden of Oliuet, and where he expected the Samaritaine; for she thought, he being alone, would with more ease admitt her into his companie.

8. Loue loues to be secret, yea though Louers haue no secret to impart, yet are they delighted in speaking secretly; and it is partly, if I be not de­ceiued, [Page 322] because they will speake onely to them­selues; nor doe they thinke to speake to them­selues onely while they speake high; partly for that they doe not deliuer cōmon things in a cō ­mō māner, but by particular wayes, and such as re­lish the affection, with which they are spoken. Loue language for the words is comon; yet in manner, and pronounciation is so particular, that none but Louers vnderstand it. The name of a Friend vttered in common, is no great thing; but being spoken a part, secretly in the eare, it im­ports wonders. And by how much more secretly it is spoken, the signification is so much more de­lightfull. O God what a difference is there be­twixt the l [...]nguage of the auncient Louers of the Diuinitie, Ignatius, Cyprian, Chrysostome, Au­gustine, Hilarie, Ephrem, Gregorie, Bernard, and that, of lesse louing Diuines: We vse their very wordes, but with them they were words full of fire, and the sweetes of Loues perfumes, but with vs they are cold, giuing no sent at all.

9. Loue speakes not onely by the tongue, but by the eyes, by sighes, coūtenances, yea it makes vse of mute silence in lieu of words. My heart hath saied vnto thee ô Lord, my face hath sought thee; ô Lord I will search after thy face. My eyes haue failed saying, when wilt thou comfort me. Heare my praier, ô Lord, and my demaund, heare with thy eares my teares. Let not the aple of thy eye cease to speake, saied the desolate hearts of the inhabitants of Hierusalem, to their owne Citie. Doe you marke, THEO: how the silence of affli­cted Louers speakes by the aple of their eyes, and [Page 323] their teares? Certainly the cheife exercise in my­sticall Diuinitie, is to speake to God, and heare God speake in the bottom of the heart: and be­cause this discourse passeth in secrete aspiratiōs, ād inspirations, we terme it a silent conference. The eyes speake to the eyes, and the heart to the heart, and none vnderstands what passeth, sauing the sa­cred louers who speakes.

Of Meditation the first degree of Praier, or mysticall Diuinitie. CHAPTER. II.

1. THis word is frequent in the holy Scrip. and imports no other thing, then an at­tentiue, and reiterated thought, apt to bring forth good or euill affections. In the 1. Psalme, the man is saied to be blessed whose will is in the way of our Lord, and in his law will meditate day and night: but in the 2. Psal: why did the Gentils rage, and people meditate vaine things: MEDI­TATION therefore is made as well for euill as good ends. Yet whereas in the holy Scripture, the word MEDITATION is put ordinarily for the at­tention which we haue to holy things, to th'end to stirre vs vp to loue them, it hath, as one would saie, bene canonized by the common consent of Diuines, with the word ANGELL, and ZEALE, as contrariwise the word DEMON or DIVEL, hath [Page 324] bene defamed so that now when one names medi­tation, we vnderstand a holy thinge, and that by which we begin mysticall Diuinitie.

2. Euery meditation is a thought, but euery thought is not meditation; for we haue thoughtes, to which our mynd is caried without aime or pre­tention at all, by way of a simple musing, as we see flies flie from one flowre to an other, without drawing any thing from them: And be this kind of thought as attentiue as it may be, it can neuer beare the name of meditation; but must be called a simple thought. Sometimes we consider a thinge attentiuely to learne it's causes, effectes, qualities; and this thought is named studie, in which the mynd, is like locustes, which promiscuously flie vpon flowres, and leeues, to eate them and nou­rishe themselfes thervpon: but when we thinke of heauenly things, not to learne but to loue them, that is called, to meditate: and the exercise thereof Meditation: in which our mynd, not as a flie, by a simple musing, nor yet as a locust, to eate and be filled, but as a sacred Bee flies amongst the flowres of holy mysteries, to extract from them the hon­nie of Diuine Loue.

3. So diuers mē are alwayes dreaming ād busying themselues in vnprofitable thoughtes, without knowing in a manner what they thinke vpon; and which is admirable, they are onely attentiue for want of attention, and would be rid of such thoughtes. Wittnesse he that saied: my thoughtes waste themselues, tormenting my heart. Others there are that studie, and by a most laborious trade, fill themselues with vanitie, not being able [Page 325] to withstand curiositie. But few there are, that meditate, to kindle their heart with heauenly loue. In fine, thoughtes, and studies may be vpon any subiect, but meditation in our present sense, hath reference onely to those obiectes, whose conside­ration tend's to make vs good and deuote. So that meditation is an attentiue thought iterated, or vo­luntarily intertained in the mynd,, to excitate the will to holy affections and resolutions.

4. Verily the holy word, doth admirably well explicate by an excellent similitude wherin holy meditation consisteth. Ezechias when he would explicate in his Canticle, the attentiue con­sideratiō which he had of his annoyes: I will crie, saieth he, like a young swallow, and meditate as a doue: for, my deare THEO: if euer you tooke notice of it, the younge swallows doe gape wide in their chirping; and contrariwise, the doue, of all the birdes, doth murmur with her neb shut and clos'd, rowling her voice in her weesell and and crope, nothing passing outwardly but a cer­taine resounding or eccho-like sound, and this close murmuring, doth equally serue her in the expression of her griefe and loues. Ezechias then to shew, that in his calamitie, he made many vo­call Praiers; I will crie, saieth he, as a younge swallow, opening my mouth, to lay before God in many lamētable voices; and to testifie also that he made vse of holy mentall prayer, he addes, I will meditate, as a doue winding and doubling my thoughtes within my heart, by an attentiue consideration, to excite my selfe to blisse and praise the soueraigne mercy of my God, who hath [Page 326] brought me backe from deaths gate, taking cō ­passion of my miserie. So, saieth Isaie, we will roare or rustle like Beares, and meditating we will mourne as Doues, the rustling of Beares doth re­semble the exclamations which are made in vocall praier, and the mourning of Doues, is compared to holy meditation. But to the end it may appeare that Doues doe not onely mourne in occasions of griefe, but euen of loue also and ioye, the sacred Spouse describing the naturall spring-time, to ex­presse the graces of the spirituall spring-time: the Turtles voice, saieth he, hath bene heard in our land, because in the spring the Turtle begins to waxe hote with loue; which by her more frequent song she testifieth: and presently after, my Doue shew me thy face, let thy voice resound in my eares; for thy voice is sweete, and thy face comely and gracious. He would saie THEO: that the de­uote soule is most agreeable vnto him, when she presents her selfe before him, and meditats to heate her selfe in holy spirituall loue, as doe Doues to stirre vp their mates to a naturall loue. So he that had saied, I will meditate as a Doue, putting his conceite into other words: I will recall to mind, saieth he, all my yeares in the bitternesse of my soule: for to meditate, and to recall to mind to th'end to moue affection, are the same thing. Hence Moyses exhorting the people to re­call to mind the benefits receiued of God, he addes this reason, to th'end you may obserue his commandements, walke in his wayes, and feare him. And our Sauiour himselfe gaue this com­mand to Iosue: thou shalt meditate in the booke [Page 327] of the lawe, day and night, that therby thou mayest obserue and doe that which is written in it; which in one of the passages, is expressed by the word MEDITATE, is declared in the other, by RECALL TO MIND. And to shew that an iterated thought, and meditation, tend to moue vs to affections, resolutions, and act [...]ons; it is saied as well in the one as the other passage, that we must recall to mind, and meditate in the law, to obserue and practise it. In this sense the Apostle exhorts vs saying think diligently vpon him who sustained of sinners such contradiction against himselfe, that you be not wearied, fainting in your minds. When he saieth think diligently, it is as though he had saied, meditate: but why would he haue vs to meditate: the holy passion? not that we should waxe learned, but that we should become patient, and constant in the way of heauen.

5. Meditation is a mysticall ruminating (re­quisite that we might not be found vncleane,) to which one of the pious shepherdesses that follow­eth the sacred Sunamite inuits vs; for she assures vs that holy write, is as a precious wine, worthy to be drunk, not onely by the Pastours and Do­ctours, but also to be diligently tasted, chewed and ruminated, as one would saie: Thy throte, saieth she, wherein the holy words are formed, is a best wine worthy of my well-beloued, to be drunk with his lippes, and ruminated with his teeth. So the Blessed Isaac, as a neate and pure Lambe, to­wards night went out into the fields, to recollect, conferre, and exercise his Spirit with God, that [Page 328] is, to praie and meditate.

6. The Bee flies from flowre to flowre in the spring time, not at all aduētures, but of pourpose; not to be recreated onely in the verdant diapring of the fieldes, but to gather honie, which hauing found, she suckes, and lodes her selfe with it, thence carying it to her hyue, she accommodates it artificially, separating the waxe from it, therof makeing the combe to reserue honie for the en­suing winter. Such is the deuote soule in medita­tion: she passeth from mysterie to mysterie, not at randome, or to solace her selfe onely in viewing the admirable beautie of those diuine obiectes, but deliberatly and of set pourpose, to find out motifes of loue, or some heauenly affection; and hauing found them, she drawes them to her, she relisheth them and lodes her selfe with them, and hauing brought them home, and placed them in her heart, she selectes that which she finds most proper for her aduancement, storing herselfe with fit resolutions against the time of temptation. Thus the celestiall Spouse, as a mysticall bee, flies to the Canticle of Canticles, now vpon the eyes, now vpon the lippes, cheekes and head haire of the well-beloued, to draw from thence the sweet­nesse of a thousand passions of loue; to this effect, noting in particular whatsoeuer she finds rare. So that inflamed with holy loue, she speakes with him, puts interrogatories to him; she harkes sighes, aspires, admires; as he of his part fills her with delight, inspiring her, touching and opening her heart, and streaming into it brightnesse, lighte and sweetenesses with-out end, but in so secrete a [Page 329] manner, that one may rightly saie of this holy conuersation of the soule with God, as the Holy Text saieth of God's with Moises: that Moises being sole vpon the tope of the mountaine, he spoke to God, and God answered him.

A description of contemplation, and tou­ching the first difference that there is betwixt it and meditation. CHAPTER. III.

1. THEO: Contemplation is no other thing; then a louing, simple, and permanent at­tention of the mynd to holy things, which you may easily perceiue by comparing it with medita­tion.

2. The little younge Bees, are called nymphes vntill they make honie, and then they become Bees: so praier is named meditation, till such time as it haue produced the honie of deuotion, and then it is conuerted into contemplation: for as the Bee flies through the countrie meades, to prey here and there, and gather honie, which hauing heaped together, she takes in its sweetnesse: so we meditate, to gather the loue of God; but ha­uing gathered it, we contemplate God, and are at­tentife to his Goodnesse, by reason of the sweet­nesse which loue makes vs find in it: The desire we haue to obtaine diuine loue, makes vs medi­tate, but loue obtained, makes vs contemplate: [Page 330] for by loue we find out a sweetenesse so agreeable in the thing beloued, that we cannot satisfie our mindes in seeing and considering it.

3. Behould the Queene of Saba THEO: consi­dering by parcells the wisdome of Salomon in his answers, in the beautie of his house, in the magni­ficencie of his table, in his seruants lodgings, in the order that his Courtiours held in executing their charges, in their apparrell, and behauiour, in the multitude of Holocausts which were offe­red in the Temple, she was taken with an ardent loue, which changed her meditation into a con­templation, by which being rapt out of her selfe, she vttered diuers words of extreame contētment. The sight of so many wonders begot in her heart an exceeding loue, and that loue enkindled a new desire to see still more, and enioye his presence with whom she saw them, whence she cried. O how happie are the seruants, who are still about thee, and heare thy wisedome! In like manner, we sometimes begin to eate to get an appetite; but our appetite being egged, we continue eating to content it. And in the beginning we consider the Goodnesse of God to excite our wills to loue him; but loue being formed in our hearts, we con­sider the same Goodnesse to content our loue, which cannot be satiated in seeing continually what it loues. In conclusion, meditation is the mother of loue, but contemplation is her daugh­ter, and for this reason I called contemplation a louing attention; for childrē are named after their Father, and not the Father after the child.

3. It is true, THEO: that as the auncient IOSEPH, [Page 331] who was the crowne and Glorie of his Father, did greatly encrease his honours and contentment and made him waxe young in his old age, so con­templation doth crowne its Father, which is loue, perfectes him, and giues him the tope of excel­lencie: for loue hauing moued in vs a contempla­tiue attention, that attention breedes reciprocally a more great and feruent loue, which in the end is crowned with perfections, when it enioyes the thing beloued. Loue makes vs take pleasure in in the sight of our well-beloued, and the sight of our well-beloued makes vs take pleasure in his di­uine loue: so that by this mutuall motion of loue to the sight, and sight to loue, as loue renders the beautie of the thing beloued more beautifull, so the sight of it makes loue more louely and delight­full. Loue by an imperceptible power, makes the beautie which we loue appeare more faire, and sight likewise doth refine loue to make it finde beautie more amiable. Loue moues the eyes con­tinually to behold the beloued beautie more at­tentiuely, and the sight doth force the heart con­tinually to loue it more forcibly.

That loue in this life takes his origine, but not his excellencie, from the knowledge of God. CHAPTER. IV.

1. BVt whether hath more force, I pray you, loue to make vs looke vpon the well-be­loued, [Page 332] or the sight to cause the loue therof? know­ledge, THEO: is required to the production of loue; for we neuer sawe; and according as the at­tentiue knowledge, is augmented, loue is also augmented, so there be nothing to hinder it's a­ctiuitie. Yet it happens often, that knowledge ha­uing produced holy loue, Loue doth not staie within the compasse of the knowledge which is in the vnderstanding, but goes forward, and passeth farre beyond it; so that in this life we may haue more loue, then knowledge of God, whence great S. THOMAS, assures vs that often tymes the most simple and women abound in deuotion being more ordinarily capable of heauēly loue then able and vnd [...]rstanding people.

2. The famous Abbot S. ANDRIEW of verceill S. ANTHONIES of Padua his Maister, in his com­mentaries vpon S. DENIS, doth often repeate that loue penetrates, where exteriour knowledge can­not reach; and saieth that many Bishops though not very learned, had penetrated the mysterie of the Trinitie, admiring vpon this passage his schol­ler S. ANTONIE of Padua, who without wordly knowledge was endowed with a profound mysti­call Diuinitie, who as another S. IOHN Baptiste, one might haue called, a light and burning lampe. The Blessed Brother Gilles, one of the first com­panions of S. FRANCIS, saied one day to S. BONA­VENTVRE, ô how happie you learned men are, for you vnderstand many things, wherby you praise God: but what can we Idiotes doe? S. BONAVEN­TVRE replied, the grace to loue God is sufficient. No, but Father replied Brother Gilles, can an ig­norant [Page 333] man loue God, as well as a learned? yes, saieth S. Bonauenture, yea more, a poore fillie woman may loue God as well as a Doctour of Di­uinitie: with this Brother Gilles cried out, falling into a feruour, ô poore simple womā, loue thy Sa­uiour, and thou shall be as great, as Brother Bo­nauenture; and vpon it, he remained for the space of three houres in a RAPTVRE.

3. The will perceiues not Good, but by meanes of the vnderstanding, but hauing once perceiued it, She hath no more neede of the vn­derstanding, to practise loue; for the force of plea­sure which she feeleth or pretends to feele by being vnited to her obiect, drawes her powerfully to loue, and to a desire to enioye it: so that the knowledge of good, breedes loue, but bounds it not: as we see the knowledge of an in­iurie, moues coler, which if it be not suppressed doth in a manner alwayes exceede the wronge. Passions not following the knowledge which mo­ued them, but eftsonns leauing it behind them, they make towards the obiect without mea­sure, or limite.

4. Now this happens more effectually in ho­ly Loue, for so much as our will is not applied to it by a naturall knowledge, but by the light of faith, which assuring vs of the infinite goodnesse that is in God, giues vs sufficient to loue him with all our force. We digge the earth to find gold, and siluer, employing a present labour, for a good, as yet in hope onely, so that an vncertain know­ledge, sets vs vpon a present and certaine labour: [...]nd as we doe more discouer the vaine in the [Page 334] Mine, we doe more earnestly search more. Euen a cold sent serues to moue the Hound to the game, so deare THEO: an obscure knowledge, shut vp in cloudes, as is that of faith, doth infinitly stirre our affectiō to loue the Goodnesse which it makes vs apprehend: ô how true it is, according to S. AVGVSTIN'S complaint. That the vnlearned teare uen out of our hands, while the learned fall into hell!

5. In your opinion, THEO: whether of the two would loue the light more, the borne blind, who should know all the discourses that the Phi­losophers make of it, and the praises they giue it, or the plough-man who by a cleare sight should feele, and resent, the delightfull splendour of the faire rising sunne? the first hath more knowledge of it, but the second more fruition; and that frui­tion produceth a loue, more quicke and liuely, then the simple knowledge by discourse: for the experiēce of Good makes it infinitly more louely, then all the knowledge which can be had of it. We begin our loue by the knowledge which faith giues vs of God's Goodnesse, which afterwards we relish and taste by loue, and loue eggeth our gust, and our gust refines our loue, so that as we see the water role and swell by the windes blastes, as by emulation vpon the en­counter, so the taste of good doth warme loue, and loue againe the taste, according to that Oracle of the diuine wisdome. Those that shall ta­ste me shall yet haue appetite, and those that shall drinke me, shall yet haue thrist. Which of the two I praie you loued God more, OCHAM, held of [Page 335] some to be the most subtile man that liued, or S. CATHERINE of Genua an vnlearned woman? He knew him better by science, she by experience, and her experience did much aduance her in Sera­phicall loue, while he with his knowledge remai­ned farre remote, from this so excellente a perfe­ction.

6. We doe extreamely loue Sciences before we yet know them, saieth S. Thomas, by the onely cōfused and superficiall knowledge we haue of them: Euen so we must confesse, that the know­ledge of Gods goodnesse applies our will to loue, but as soone as she is set on going, her loue en­creaseth of it selfe, by the pleasure which she takes to be vnited to this soueraigne good. While chil­dren haue not yet tasted honie and suggar, it is heard to make them receiue them into their mouthes: but after they haue ōce felt their sweete­nesse, they doe more affect them then one would wishe: still crying for them without measure.

7. We must confesse notwitstanding that the will drawen by the delight which she takes in her obiect, is more forcibly carried to be vnited to it, when the vnderstanding of his side, doth in an ex­cellent manner propose vnto her the goodnesse thereof; for she is then at once both drawen and thrust forward; thrust by knowledge, drawen by delight, so that knowledge is not of it selfe con­trarie, but profitable to deuotion, and meeting together, they doe meruellously assist one ano­ther, though it often happens through our mise­rie, that knowledge doth impeach the birth of deuotion, for so much as knowledge doth make [Page 336] vs swell and waxe proud, and pride which is con­trarie to all vertue is the totall ruine of deuotion. Certes the eminent knowledge of those Cyprians, Augustins, Hilaries, Chrisostomes, Basiles, Gre­gories, Bonauentures, Thomases, did not onely much commend, but euen greatly improue deuo­tion; as againe their deuotion did not onely raise, but also extreamely perfect their knowledge.

The second difference betwixt medita­tion and contemplation. CHAPTER. V.

1. MEditation considereth by peece-meale the obiectes proper to moue vs; but contemplation beholdes the obiect it loues, in one simple and recollected looke, and the consi­deration so vnited, causeth a more liuely and strong motion. One may behold, the beautie of a rich crowne two wayes, ether in looking vpon all the flowers and precious stones wherwith it is wrought and besett, or els after the consideration of all the peeces in particular, in beholding the whole peece together, in one sole and simple viewe. The first kind resembles meditation, in which, for example, we consider the effectes of God's mercy, to excite vs to his loue; but the second is like to contemplation, in which we con­sider, with one onely touch of our mynd, all the varietie of the same effectes, as an onely beautie composed of all these peeces, making vp one sole [Page 337] shine of brightnesse. We doe count, as it were, in meditating the diuine perfections which we find in a mysterie, but in contēplating, we somme vp the totall somme: The spouse her cōpanions had asked her who was her well-beloued, ād she makes answere, in an admirable descriptiō of all the partes of his perfect beautie: his hewe is white and redde; his head of gold, his head heire as the bude of a Palme tree, as yet not quite spred out, his eyes the eyes of a doue, his cheekes as little tables, placed at the corner of a garden, his lipps as Lil­lies perfumed with odours, his hands decked with ringes of Hiacinth, his legges as Marble pillers: thus she goes meditating this soueraigne beau­tie, peece by peece, till at length, she concluds by way of contemplation, putting all the beuties into one, his throte, saieth she, is most sweete, and he wholy desirable, such is my well-beloued, and he is my deare friend.

2. Meditation is like to him that smells a Pinke, a Rose, Rosmarie, Time, Iasmin, or the orange flowre, distinctly one after another; but contemplation, is like to one smelling the sweete water distilled from all those flowres: for the lat­ter in one smell receiues all the sentes together, which the other had smelt a part, and there is no doubt, but this one smell alone, rising from the mixture of all these smels, is more sweete and precious, then the smels of which it is composed being smelt a part one after another. Hence it is that the heauenly spouse esteemes so highly to be seene of his well-beloued with one eye onely, and that her haire is so well tressed, that it seemes to [Page 338] be but one haire: for what is it to behold the Spouse with one eye onely, then to behold him with a single attentiue view, without multi­plying lookes? and what is it to haue her haire thus foulded together, but not to scatter her thoughtes in the multiplicitie of considerations. O how happie are they who hauing rūne ouer the multitude of motiues which they haue to loue God, reducing all their lookes to one onely view and all their thoughtes to one conclusion, doe staie their mind in the vnitie of contemplation, following the example of S. AVGVSTINE, or S. BRVNO, pronouncing secretly in their soule, in a continuing admiration, these words of loue. O BOVNTIE! BOVNTIE! BOVN­TIE! euer old, and euer, new: and at the ex­ample of great S. FRANCIS, who set vpon his knees in Praier, passed the whole night in these words. O God thou art my God, and my All, inculca­ting the same continually, as reporteth the B. Brother Bernard of Quintenall, who himselfe heard it.

3. See S. BERNARD, THEO: he had by peece-meale meditated all the passion, and he makes a Nosegay of all the prime points put together of louing griefe; and putting it vpon his breast, to change his meditation into contemplation, he cried out, my well-beloued is to me a Posie of myrrhe.

4. But let vs see yet more deuotely the Crea­tour of the would, how in the Creation, he first meditated the goodnesse of his workes one by one seuerally, as soone as he saw them produced. [Page 339] He saw, saieth the Scripture, that the light was good, that heauen and earth was a good thing, and so the hearbes, and plantes, the sunne, moone, and starrs, the liuing beastes, and in somme, all the rest of the creaturs, as he created them one after another, till at length all the vniuers being accom­plished, the diuine meditation doth as it were, turne into Contemplation: for viewing all the goodnesse that was in his workes with one onely glance of his eye, He saw, saieth Moyses, all that he had made, and all of it was very good. The sun­drie parts considered seuerally by manner of me­ditation, were good, but beheld in one onely looke together in forme of contemplation, they were found very good: as many little brookes rū ­ning together makes a riuer, which doth carie greater fraightes, then the multitude of the same brookes seuerally could doe.

5. After we haue moued a great many diffe­rent pious affections by the multitude of conside­rations of which meditation is composed, we doe in the end gather together the vertue of all these affections, from which by the confusion and mix­ture of their forces, doth spring a certaine quinte­sence of affection, and of affection more actiue and puissant, then all the affections whence it pro­ceedeth, because though it be but one, yet con­taines it the vertue and propertie of all the others, and is called a contemplatiue affection.

6. So it is an opinion amongst Diuines, that Angels higher in glorie haue a knowledge of God and the creaturs, much more simple, then such as are inferiour, and that the SPECIES or ID [...]AS [Page 340] by which they see, are more vniuersall: so that, what the lesse perfect Angels see by diuers SPE­CIES and lookes, the more perfect see by fewer SPECIES and castes of the eye. And the Great S. AVGVSTINE, followed by S. THOMAS, saieth that in heauen we shall not haue these great vicissi­tudes, varieties, changes and rechanges of thougtes and cogitatiōs, which passe and repasse frō obiect to obiect, and from one thing to another, but with one sole thought we may be attentiue to the di­uersitie of many things, and get the knowledge of them. By how much further water runs from its source by so much the more it doth deuide it selfe and weare out its banks if it be not kept in by a continuall care: and perfections doe seperate and deuid themselues, according as they are more re­mote from God their source; but approaching nigh him, they are vnited, till such time as we shall be swallowed vp in this soueraignely singular per­fection, which is the necessarie vnitie, and THE BETTER PART, that which MAGDALEN made choice of, and which shall not be taken away from her.

That we doe contemplate without paine, which is a third difference betwixt it and meditation. CHAPTER. VI.

1. NOw the simple view of contemplation is performed in one of these three fashiōs, [Page 341] we doe sometimes onely eye some one of Gods perfections, as for example, his infinite Bountie, not thinking of the other ATTRIBVTS, or ver­tues thereof: As a Bridegroome, simply staying his eye vpon the faire complection of his Bride, yet by this meanes should truely see all her coun­tenance, for as much as the complection is spred in a sort, through all the partes thereof, ād should not be attentiue, to the feature, grace, or other respectes of beautie: for in like manner, the mind often times considering the soueraigne goodnesse of the DIVINITIE; although withall, it sees the IVSTICE, WISDOME, and POWER, yet is it onely attentiue to the GOODNESSE, to which the simple view of it's contemplation is addressed. Some­times also we doe attentiuely behold in God di­uers of his infinite perfections, yet with a simple view, and without distinction, as he, who with one glance of his eye passing his view from the top to the toe of his spouse, richly deckt, should attentiuely in generall haue seene all, and nothing in particular; not well discerning what carkanet, or gowne she wore, nor what countenance she had, or how she lookt, but onely, that all was faire and comely: For so in contemplation, we often passe ouer sundrie Diuine Greatnesses and perfections in generall, with one onely touch of consideration, with out being able to render a reason of any thing in particular, saue onely, that all is perfectly good and faire: and finally, we doe at other times consider, neither many nor onely one of the diuine perfections, but onely some Di­uine action or worke, to which we are attentiue; [Page 342] as for example, to the act of MERCY, by which God pardons sinnes; or the act of Creation, or the Resurrection of Lazarus, or Conuersion of S. PAVLE; as a Bridegroome who should not eye his Spouses eyes, but onely the sweetenesse of the lookes she castes vpon him; nor take notice of her mouth, but onely of the delight of the words vt­tered by it. And in this point, THEO: the soule makes a certaine sallie of loue, not onely vpon the actions she considereth, but vpon him whence they proceede. Thou art Good ô Lord; and in thy goodnesse, teach me thy iustifications: Thy throte, that is the word which cometh from it, is most delicious, and thou art wholy desirable. Ah! how sweete are thy words to my bowells, sweeter then honie to my mouth: or else with S. THOMAS, My Lord my God; and with S. MAGDELEN RAB­BONI, ah Maister!

2. But take which of these three wayes you will, Contemplation hath still this excellencie, that it is done with delight, for that it supposeth, that God and his holy loue is found, that he is en­ioyed, delighted in, saying, I haue found him, whom my heart loueth, I haue found him, nor will I let him goe. In which it differs from Medita­tion, which almost alwayes is performed in paine, labour, and discourse: our mind passing in it from consideration to consideration, searching in many places, either the well-beloued of her Loue, or the loue of her well-beloued. IACOB labours in meditation to obtaine Rachel: but in contempla­tion he reioyceth with her, forgetting his labours. The diuine Spouse, as a shephearde, which he also [Page 343] is, prepared a sumptious banquet, according to the countrie fashion, for his sacred Spouse; which he so described, that mystically it represented all the mysteries of mans Redēption; I came into my gardē, quoth he, I haue gathered my myrrhe, with all my perfumes, I haue eaten my honie-cōbe with my honie, I haue mingled my wine with my milke: eate my friēds, ād drinke, and inebriate your selues my dearest. THE: ha! when was it I pray you, that our Sauiour came into his garden, if not when he came into his mothers purest, hūblest and sweetest wombe, replenished with all the flourishing plātes of holy vertues? And what is ment by our Sa­uiours gathering of his myrrhe, with his perfumes, but to ioyne sufferāce to sufferēce vntill death, ād death of the crosse: heaping by that meanes merit vpon merit and treasurs vpō treasurs, to enrich his spirituall children? And how did he eate his honie-combe with his honie, but when he liued a new life, reuniting his soule more sweete then honie, to his pearced and wounded bodie, with more holes then a honie-combe? And when ascending into heauen he tooke possessiō of all the circumstances, and dependance of his diuine glorie, what other thing did he, if not mixe the reioycing wine of the essentiall glorie of his soule, with the delightfull milke of the perfect felicitie of his bodie, in a more excellent manner then hitherto he had done.

3. Now in all these diuine mysteries which containe all the others, there is sufficient to eate and drinke for all the deare friends, and to ine­briate the dearest; some of them doe eate and [Page 344] drinke, but they eate more then they drinke, and so are not drunke: others eate and drinke but drinke more thē they eate, and those are they that are inebriated. Now to eate is to meditate; for in meditating a mā doth chewe, turning his spirituall meate hither and thither betwixt the teeth of con­sideration to bruise, breake, and digest it, which is not done without some trouble: To drinke is to contemplate, which we doe without paine or difficultie, yea with pleasure, and facilitie but to be inebriated, is to contemplate so frequēt­ly and ardently, that one is quite out of himselfe to be wholy in God. O holy and sacred drunken­nesse, which contrarie to corporall drunkennesse, doth not alienate vs from spirituall, but from cor­porall sense, not dulling or besotting vs, but An­gelizing, and in a sort, Deifying vs; putting vs out of our selues, not to abase vs, and ranke vs with beastes, as doth terreane drūkennesse, but to raise vs aboue our selues, and range vs with An­gels; so that we might liue more in God then in our selues, being attentiue and busied by loue to see his beautie and be vnited to his Bountie.

4. Now whereas to attaine vnto contempla­tion, we stand ordinarily in neede to heare the word of God, to haue spirituall discourse and con­ference with others, as had the auncient Anco­rets, to reade deuote bookes, to praie, meditate, sing canticles, conceiue good thoughtes: for this reason holy contemplation being the end and aime of all these exercises, they are all reduced vnto it, and such as practise them are called CON­TEMPLATIVES, [Page 345] as allso the practise it selfe a CON­TEMPLATIVE life, by reason of the action of our vnderstanding, by which we behold the veritie of the diuine Beautie, and Bountie with an atten­tion of loue, that is with a loue that makes vs attentiue, or with an attention which proceedes from loue, and augments the loue which we haue to loue infinite sweetenesse.

Of the louing recollection of the SOVLE IN CONTEMPLATION. CHAPTER. VII.

1. I Speake not here, THEO: of the recollection by which such as are about to praie, vse to place themselues in God's presence, entring into themselues, and, as one would saie, retiring their soule with in their heart, there to speake with God: For this recollection is made by Lous commaund, which prouoking vs to praie, moues vs to serue our selues of this meanes to praie well, so that we our selues are cause of this retiring of our soule. But the recollection of which I meane to speake, is not made by lous commaund, but by loue it selfe: that is, we doe not make it by free choise, it nor being in our power to haue it when we please, not depending of our care: but God, at his pleasure works it in vs, by his holy grace. He, saied the B. Mother Saint Teresa of IESVS, who wrote, that the Praier of Recollection, [Page 346] is made as when an VRCHIN or TORTIS doe drawe themselues together, saied well, sauing that these beastes drawe themselues vp when they please, whereas recollection is not in our will, but onely when it pleaseth God of his grace to be­stowe it vpon vs.

2. Now thus it is done. Nothing is so naturall to good, as to draw and vnite vnto it selfe such things as are sensible of it, as doe our soules which draw continually and tend towards their treasure, that is towards that which they loue. Herevpon it fals out sometimes, that our Sauiour doth imperceptibly poure into the bottome of our hearts, a certaine agreeable sweetenesse in argumēt of his presence, and then the powers, yea the very exteriour senses of the soule, by a certaine secrete contentment doe turne it vpon that inward part, where the most amiable and dearest spouse is lod­ged: For as a young swarme of Bees, while they are ready to take flight, and chang their coun­trie, is recalled by the softe sound of a bason, the smell of Metheglin, or else by the sent of some odoriferous hearbs, so that they staie by the in­ticements of these sweetes, and enter into the hyue prepared for them: So our Sauiour pronouncing some secret word of his loue, or pouring out the odour of the wine of his dilection more deli­cious then honie, or else streaming the perfumes of his garments, that is some sense of diuine conso­lations in our heartes, and therby making them perceiue his most gratefull presence, he drawes vnto him all the faculties of our soule, which ga­ther about him, and staie in him, as in their most [Page 347] desired obiect. And as he that should cast a peece of an Adamant amōgst many needles, should in­stantly see them turne all their pointes towards their well-beloued Adamant, and hang vpon it: so when our Sauiour makes his delightfull pre­sence to be felt in the midst of our heartes, all our faculties turne their points that way, to be vni­ted to that incomparable sweetenesse.

3. O God saieth then the soule, imitating S. AVGVSTINE whither doe I wander searching thee? ô infinite Beautie; I sought thee with out, and thou wast in the midst of my heart. All Magda­lens affections, and all her thoughtes were scatte­red about the Sepulcher of her Sauiour, whom she went questing here and there: and though in­deede she had found him, and he spoke to her: yet leaues she them disperced, because she doth not perceiue his presence; but as soone as he had cal­led her by name, behold her gathered together, and laied fast at his feete: one onely word, puts her into Recollection.

4. Propose to your selfe, THEOT: the most holy Virgin our Lady, when she had conceiued the Sonne of God, her onely Loue; the soule of this well-beloued mother doth wholy recollect it selfe about this well-beloued child; and because this heauenly friend, was harboured in her sacred entrals, all the faculties of the soule doe gather thēselues within thēselues, as holy bees into their hyue wherein their honie was. And by how much the diuine greatnesse was by māner of speach more restrained ād lessened in the virginall wombe, by so much her soule did more dilate it selfe ād magnifie the [Page 348] praises of that infinite clemencie, and her Spirit within her bodie lept with ioye (as S. IOHN in his mothers wombe in presence of his God) which she felt. She lanched not her affections out of her selfe, sith that her loues, her delightes were in the midest of her sacred wōbe. Now this same con­tentmēt may be practised, by imitatiō, amōgst such as hauing communicated, doe perceiue by the cer­taintie of faith, that which neither flesh nor blood, but the heauenly Father hath reuealed vnto them, that their Sauiour, is in bodie and soule present, by a most reall presence to their bodie and soule in the most adorable Sacrament: for as the Mother-pearle hauing receiued the fresh morning drops of dewe, doth shut her selfe, not onely to conserue them pure from all mixture of sea-water, but also for the delight she taks to feele the gracious fresh­nesse of this gift from heauen; so it fals out with diuers holy and deuote soules, that hauing recei­ued the Blessed Sacrament, which containes all the dewe of heauēly benedictions, their soule shutteth it selfe, and all her faculties are retired, not onely to adore this soueraigne king, newly present by an admirable presence in their breastes, but also for the incredible consolation, and spirituall re­freshing which they receiue, to perceiue by faith the diuine shute of immortalitie within them; where you are diligently to note, THEO: that in­deede all this recollection is made by loue, which perceiuing the presence of the well-beloued by the baits it castes in the midest of the heart, doth ga­ther and drawe all the soule towards it by a most amiable inclination, most sweete turning, and [Page 349] most delicious winding of all faculties towards the well-beloued, who drawes them vnto him by the force of his sweetenesse, with which he drawes, and ties the heart, as bodies are drawen by materiall ropes, or bands.

5. This sweete recollection of our soule in her selfe, is not onely made by the apprehension of Gods presence in the midst of our heart, but euen by placing our selues in any manner in his sacred presence. It happens often times, that all our inte­riour powers doe gather and shut themselues vp in them selues, vpon an extreame reuerence and sweete feare, which doth sease vpon vs, in consi­deration of his soueraigne Maiestie, who is pre­sent with vs, and beholds vs; So that, notwithstan­ding we are distracted, if the Pope, or some great Prince should appeare, we recall our thoughtes and reflect vpon our selues, that we may be pre­sent to our selues and respectiue. The blew Lillie, or flowerdeluce is saied to shut it selfe at the sight of the Sunnes approach; because by his bright­nesse it doth shut and locke it selfe vp within it selfe, in whose absence it remaines desplaied, ād opē all the night. The like happēs in this recollectiō of which we speake: for vpō the onely presēce of God or feeling we haue that he beholds vs, either from heauen, or from any other place out of vs, though as then we thinke not of the other presence, by which he is in vs, our powres and faculties doe assemble, and gather together within vs, out of respect to his diuine Maiestie, which loue makes vs feare, with a feare of honour and res­pect.

[Page 350]6. Verily I was acquainted with a soule, to whom as soone as one mentioned any mysterie or sentence, which put her a little more expressely then ordinary, in minde of the presence of God, either in confession or priuate conference, she would so deeply ēter into her selfe, that she could hardly recouer her selfe to speake and make an­sweare; so that outwardly she remained as one de­stitute of life, and all her senses were absorpt, till her Spouse permitted her to returne, which was sometime sooner, sometime later.

Of the repose of a soule recollected in her well-beleued. CHAPTER. VIII.

1. THe soule then being thus recollected with­in her selfe, in God, or before God, doth now and then become so sweetly attentiue to the goodnesse of her well-beloued, that her attētion seemes not to her to be attention, so purely and delicatly is she imploied; as it happens to certaine floods, which glide so faire and smoothly, that it seemes to the beholders, and such as saile, that they neither see, or feele any motion, because they cannot be discouered to swell with billowes, or waues. And it is this admirable repose of the soule, that the B. Virgin TERESA of IESVS names praier of quiete, not farre differrent from that which she also calls the sleape of the powres, if [Page 351] at least I vnderstand her right.

2 Certes humane Louers are sometimes con­tent with being heare or within sight of the partie they loue, without speaking to him, or discursing alone, either of him, or his perfections, satiated, as it were, and satisfied to relish this deare pre­sence, not by reason of any reflection they make vpon it, but by a certaine quiet, and rest which the minde takes in it. My well-beloued is to me a Posie of Myrrhe, he shall remaine betwixt my breastes: my well-beloued is myne, and I his, who feedes amōgst the Lillies, till the day approch, and shaddowes vanish. Shew me then ô thou friend of my friend, where thou reposest, where thou liest at Noonetide. Doe you see, THEO: how the holy Sunamite is contented in knowing that her well-beloued is with her, or in her bosome, Parke, or elsewhere, so she know where he is, and thence also she is Sunamite, wholy peaceable, calme, and at repose.

3. Now this repose becomes sometimes so still that all the soule, and all her powers are put into a sleepe, remaining without motion or a­ction, sauing the will, euen which also doth no other thing out receiue the content, and satisfa­ction which the presence of the well-beloued doth afforde. And that which is yet more admirable, is, that the will doth not euen perceiue the delight and contentment which she receiues, enioying him insensibly, being not mindfull of herselfe but of him, whose presence yeelds her this plea­sure, as it happens frequently, that taken by a light slumber, we doe onely heare indistinctly [Page 352] what our friends saie about vs, or perceiue imper­ceptibly how officious they are towards vs, with­out perceiuing we perceiue it.

4. Notwitstanding, the soule who in this sweete repose, doth enioye this delicate touch of the diuine presence, though she doe not perceiue it as an enioying, yet doth she clearely shew how deare and precious this happinesse is vnto her, if one offer to depriue her of it, or diuert her from it: for then the poore soule plaines, cries out, yea sometime weepes, as a little child awaked, be­fore he had yet taken his full sleepe, who by the griefe he resenteth in being awaked, doth sufficiēt­ly shew, the content he had in sleeping. Here­vpon the heauenly shephearde adiureth the daughters of Hierusalem by their Roes, and the Harts of the fields, that they should not raise vp the Beloued, till herselfe would. That is, that she should rise of her selfe. No THEO: a foule thus recollected in her God, would not chang her repose for all the riches in the world.

5. Such, in a manner was the rest of the most holy Magdalen, when set at her Maisters feete, she heard his holy word. Behold her I beseech you THEO: she is set in a profound tranquillitie, she speakes not, she weepes not, she sighes not, she grones not, she stirres not, she praies not. Martha full of businesse passeth and repasseth through the Hall, Marie regardes her not. And what doth she doe then? she doth nothing, but onely hearkē; and what would this saie, she hearkeneth? It is to saie, she is there as a vessell of honour, to receiue drope by drope, the myrrhe of sweetenesse, which [Page 353] the lippes of her well-beloued distilled into her heart; And this heauenly Louer iealous of this loue-sleepe and rest of his well-beloued, chid Martha for offering to awake her. Martha, Mar­tha, thou art sollicitous, and troubled about ma­ny things, and yet one thing onely is necessarie, Marie hath chosen the better part, which shall not be taken from her. But what was Maries portion or part? To remaine in peace, repose, and quiet neare vnto her sweete IESVS.

6. The well-beloued S. IOHN is ordinarily painted in the last supper, not onely lying, but euen sleeping in his Maisters bosome, because being set after the fashion of the East, his head was towards his deare louers breast; vpon which as he slept, not a corporall sleepe, there being no likelihood of that; so I make no questiō, but finding himselfe so neare the breastes of the eternall sweetenesse, he tooke a profound mysticall sweete sleepe, as a child of loue, who locked to his mothers dugges, suckes in sleeping, and sleepes in sucking. O what a delight it was to this Beniamin, child of his Sa­uiours ioye, to sleepe in this sort in his Fathers armes, who the day after, as a Ben-oni child of griefe, recommended him to his mothers sweete dugges. Nothing is more delightfull to the youn­gling, whether he wake or sleepe, then his Fathers bosome and mothers breastes.

7. Wherefore, when you shall finde your selfe in this simple and pure filiall confidence neare our Sauiour, staie there, my deare THEO: without mouing your selfe to produce sensible actes, either of the vnderstanding or will: for this loue of sim­ple [Page 354] confidence, and this loue-sleepe which your soule takes in her Sauiours bosome, containes by excellencie, all that which you search for hi­ther and thither to please your gust: It is better euen to sleepe vpon this sacred breast, then to watch in what other place soeuer.

How this sacred repose is practised. CHAPTER. X.

1. HAue you neuer noted, THEO: with what feruour little children doe sometimes cleeue to their mothers duggs being hungrie, you shall see them with a low muttering, hold fast and presse the Pap in there mouth, sucking so greede­ly, that they euen put their mother to paine: but after the freshnesse of the milke, hath in some sort appeased the coueting heat of their tender sto­make, and the delightfull vapours which it sendes to the braine begin to lull them a sleepe, THEO: you shall see them foftly shut their little eies, and by little and little giue way to sleepe, yet without letting goe the Pap, vpon which they make no action, sauing, a slow and almost insensible mo­tion of the lips, wherby continually they drawe the milke which they let downe imperceptibly; and this they doe without thinking of it, yet not without pleasure: for if one drawe the Pap from them before they fall sound a sleepe, they awake and weepe bitterly, testifying by the sorrow which [Page 355] they shew in the priuation, that their content was great in the possession. Now it faires in like man­ner with the soule who is in rest and quiet before God; for she suckes, in a manner, insensibly the delightes of this presence, without discours, ope­ratiō, or motion at all of any her faculties, saue the onely point of the will, which she moues softly snd almost vndiscouerably, as the mouth by which the delight and insensible sacietie she takes in en­ioying the diuine presence. But if one trouble this poore little babe, or offer to take from it the Pap for that it seemes to sleepe, it will plainly shew thē that though it sleepe to all other things, yet not to that; for it perceiues the discomoditie of this separation, and greeues at it, shewing therby, the pleasure which it tooke, (though not thinking of it;) in the good which it did possesse. The B. S. TERESA, hauing written that she found this a fit similitude, I thought good to declare it so to be.

2. But tell me THEOT: the soule recollected in her God, at what I praie you should she be dis­quieted? hath she not reason to be quiete and remaine in rest? For indeede whom should she search? She hath found him whom she sought. What resteth now for her but to saie I haue sound my deare well-beloued, I hold him, nor will I let him goe. She hath no neede to trouble her selfe with the discours of the vnderstanding; for she sees her Spouse present, at so cleare a view, that discours were to her vnprofitable, and super­fluous. And againe though she should not see by the vnderstanding, she cares not, being content in [Page 356] feeling his presence by the delight and satisfaction which the will receiues in it. Ah! the mother of God, our B. Ladie and Mistresse, being with child and not seeing that diuine babe, but feeling it in her sacred wombe, ah God! what content had she therein? and did not S. ELIZABETH, admira­bly enioy the fruites of our Sauiours Diuine pre­sence without seeing him, vpon the day of the most holy Visitation? Nor doth the soule in this repose, stand in neede of memorie, her Louer being present; nor yet of imagination. For to what end were it to represent him in an exteriour, or interiour picture, whose presence we are possessed of? So that to conclude, it is the will alone that doth softely, and as it were in gentle shuts, drawe the milke of this sweete presence, all the rest of the soule reposing in the sweetenesse of the plea­sure which she takes.

3. Metheglin is vsed not onely to retire, and recall Bees to their hyues, but also to appease them: for when they stirre vp Sedition and mu­tinie amongst themselues, with mutuall slaughter, and ouerthrowe, their keeper hath no better way then to throwe Metheglin amidst this little mu­tinous people, because the ingredients thereof smelling sweetely and odoriferously, they are pa­cified, and giuing themselues to the fruition of of this sweetenesse, they continew appeased and calme. O Eternall God, when by thy sweete pre­sence, thou dost cast odoriferous perfumes into our hearts, perfumes which are more delightfull then delicious wine, and more then honie, all the powres of our soule enters into so delightfull a re­pose, [Page 357] and so absolute a rest, that there is no mo­tion, saue that of the will, which as the spirituall sense of smelling, remaines delightfully engaged, (without reflecting on it) in perceiuing the in­comparable benefit of hauing God present.

Of diuers degrees of this repose, and how it is to be conserued. CHAPTER. XI.

1. THere are some Spirits which are actiue, fertill, and stirring, in consideration: others, that are supple and flexible, and such as desire to taste, what they doe, to see and examine each thing that passeth in them, turning their eies perpetually vpon themselues to discouer their ad­uancement. There are yet others, who are not content to be content, vnlesse they feele, see and sauoure their contentment, and are like to such, as being well couered against the cold, would not beleeue it, if they knew not how many garments they wore; or such as seeing their Closets full of money, would not esteeme themselues rich, vnlesse they knew the number of their crownes.

2. Now all these Spirits are subiect to be troubled in Praier: for if God daigne them the sa­cred repose of his presence, they doe willingly forsake it, to note their owne comportment in it and to examine whether they haue true content, disquieting themselues to discerne whether their [Page 358] quietnesse, quiete: so that in lieu of imploying thēselues sweetely to perceiue the sweetes of the diuine presence, they distract their vnderstanding in discoursing vpon the feeling they haue; as a Bride that should busie her selfe in beholding, her wedding Ring, without looking vpon the Brid­groome who gaue it her. There is a faire diffe­rence, THEO: betwixt being occupied in God who giues vs the contentment, and being busied in the contentment which God gaue vs.

3. The soule to whom God giues the holy re­pose of loue in Praier, must abstaine, as much as she is able, from looking vpon her selfe, or her repose, which to be conserued, must not be cu­riously obserued; for he that doth loue it too much doth loose it, and the best manner of louing it, is to loue it without affectation and as a child, who to see where his feete were, had taken his head from his mothers breast, doth with a sodaine iert returne to it againe in a harmelesse wanton­nesse. So if we perceiue our selues distracted through a curiositie which we haue to know what we doe in Praier, we must restore our hearts, to the sweete and peaceable attention of Gods pre­sence, from whence we straied. Yet are we not to apprehend any danger of loosing this sacred repose by actions of bodie or minde, which are not done vpon lightnesse, or indiscretion: for as S. TERESA saieth, it were a superstition to be so iealous of this repose, as not to coffe, spit, or breath, for feare of loosing it; sith that God who giues this peace, doth not with drawe it, for such necessarie motions, nor yet for the distractions [Page 359] and wandrings of the minde which are not volun­tarie: and the will hauing once well tasted the di­uine presence, doth not cease to relish the sweete­nesse thereof, though the vnderstanding, or me­morie should make an escape, and slipe after strang and fruitlesse thoughtes.

4. It is true, the repose of the soule is not then so great as when the vnderstanding and memorie doe conspire with the will, yet is it a true spiri­tuall tranquilitie, sith it raignes in the will which is the mistresse of all the other faculties. Verily I knew a soule extreamely sixed and vnited to her God, who yet had her vnderstanding, and memo­rie so free from all exteriour imploiments, that she vnderstood very distinctly all that was saied about her, and did entirely remember it, though she could not answere, or loose her selfe from God, to whom she was tied, by the application of her will; but I saie she was so tied, that she could not be withdrawen from this sweete entertainment, without greate griefe, prouoking her to sighings, which she vsed in her greatest consalation and re­pose: as we see young children murmur, and make little plaints, when after an ardent desire they begin to sucke: or as IACOB did, who in kissing the faire, and chast Rachell lancing out a sigh, wept through the vehemencie of the conso­lation, and tendernesse which he felt: so that the soule, I speake of, hauing her onely will enga­ged, but her vnderstanding, memorie, hearing, and imagination free, resembled in my opinion, a little childe sucking, who could heare, see, and stirre his armes, without quitting his dere Pap.

[Page 360]5. Howbeit the peace of the soule should be much greater, and sweeter, if there were no noise made about her, nor occasion giuen of stirring herselfe, either in bodie or minde: for she would be wholy occupied, in the sweetenesse of the di­uine presence: but not being able wholy to hin­der distractions in her other faculties, in her will at least, she conserues peace, which is the powre wherby she hath the fruition of good. And note, that then the will being kept quiet, by the pleasure which she takes in the diuine presence, doth not endeauour to re­tire the other straying powres, because by vnder­taking that, sh [...] would loose her repose, separa­ting her selfe from her deare well-beloued; and her paines in rūning hither and thither to catch flitting powres which also can neuer be better brought to their dutie, then by the will her perse­uerance in holy repose: for by little and little, all the faculties are drawen by the pleasure which the will receiues, and of which she giues them certaine feelings as perfumes exciting them to drawe neare, to participate in the good which she enioyeth.

A continuation of the discourse touching the diuers degrees of holy repose, and of any excellent abnegation of a mans selfe pactised therein. CHAPTER. XII.

1. FOllowing that which is saied, holy repose hath diuers degrees: for sometimes it is in [Page 361] all the powres of the soule ioyned and vnited to the will; sometimes it is in the will onely, and there, sometimes sensibly, at other times imper­ceptibly, because it happens now and then, that the soule takes an incomparable delight, to feele by certaine inward touches, that God is present with her: as it happened to S. ELIZAB [...]TH, when our B. Ladie visited her: and at other times, the soule hath a certaine burning delight to be in Gods presence, which as then she discerns not; as it happened to the pilgrime-Apostles, who wal­king with our Sauiour scarcely perceiued the deare delight, with which they were touched, till such time as they were arriued, and discouered him in the diuine breaking of the bread. Some­times againe, the soule doth not onely perceiue Gods presence, but hears him speake, by certaine inward illuminations, and persuasions, which are in lieu of words: Sometimes she perceiues him ād speakes to him at once, but so secretly, sweete­ly and delicatly, that it doth not impeach her ho­ly peace and quiet; so that without being awaked, she wakes with him, that is, she wakes and speakes to her well-beloued heart with so sweete tran­quillitie, and gracious repose, as though she swete­ly flept. At other times she hears the Spouse speake, but she cannot speake to him, the delight she hath to heare him, or the reuerence she bears him, keeping her in silence: or else through dri­nesse, and feeblenesse of mind, hauing strength to heare onely, not to speake; as it sometimes hap­pens corporally to such as begin to sleepe, or haue bene wakned by sicknesse.

[Page 362]2. But finally, sometimes she neither hears, nor speakes to her well-beloued, nor yet discouers any signe of his presence, but simply knowes, that she is in the presence of God, who is pleased with her being there. Imagine, THEOT: that the glorious Apostle S. IOHN had taken a corporall sleepe in the bosome of his deare Maister at the last supper, and that he had done it by his com­mandement: verily in that case, he had bene in his Maisters presence without perceiuing it in any sort. And marke, I pray you, that there is more care required to place ones selfe in Gods presence th [...]m to remaine there, being once placed: for to p [...]ce ones selfe there, it is requisite to applie the mind, and render it actually attentiue to the pre­sence (as I haue showen in the INTRODVCTION) but being set in this presence, one keepes himselfe there by many other meanes, so long as we doe any thing in God, or for God, either by our vn­derstanding or will; as for example in beholding him, or any thing for loue of him; in hearing him, or such as as speake in his place; in speaking to him, or to any other, for loue of him; and doing any worke what soeuer to honour and serue him: yea one may continew in God's presence, not one­ly by hearing him, seeing him, or speaking to him, but also by expecting whether it might please him to looke vpon vs, to speake to vs, or to make vs speake to him, yea or yet in doeing none of all this, but in staying simply where it pleaseth him, and because it pleaseth him. But if it please him to accompanie this our simple staie, with some little feeling that weare his, and he ours, ô God [Page 363] how precious, and vsefull a grace this is for vs!

3. My deare, THEO: let vs yet take the liber­tie to frame another imagination: If a STATVA placed in the galerie of some Prince by the STA­TVARIE were endewed with vnderstanding and rea­son, and could discourse, and talke; and one should aske it saying, tell me ô faire STATVA, why art thou seated in this hole? it would answere, because my Maister placed me there: and if one should replie, but why staiest thou there, without doing any thing? because, would it saie, my Maister pla­ced me not there to doe any thing, but to th'end I should remaine immouable: but if one should vrge it further, saying, but poore STATVA what art thou the better to remaine here in this sorte? ah God, would it saie; I am not here for mine owne interest, and seruice, but to obaye and ac­complish the will of my MAISTER and MAKER, and this suffiseth me. And if one should yet put ano­ther demand in this sort; goe to, tell me then STA­TVA, I praie, not seeing thy Maister, how dost thou then take contentment to content him? no verily, would it confesse, I see him not indeede: for I haue eies not to see, as also feete not to walke, but I am ouer ioyed to know that my deare Maister sees me here, and in seeing me here takes pleasure. But if one should continew discourse with the STATVA and should saie vnto it; why, but would thou not at least wish to haue motion, that thou mightest approch nere they maker to afford him some bet­ter seruice? doubtlesse it would denie it, and pro­test, that it desired to doe no other thing, vnlesse [Page 364] it were its Maisters desire. Is it possible then, would one cōclude, that thou desin'st nothing but to be an immouable STATVA in that hollow place? no truely, would that wise STATVA finally an­swere, no I desire to be nothing but a STATVA and a STATVA continually in this hole, so long as my Maister pleaseth, being content to be heare, and in this nature, seeing it is his conten, t whose I am, and by whom I am, what I am.

4. O good God, how good a way it is of re­maining in Gods presence, to be and to will to be for euer and euer at his good pleasure; for so, vn­lesse I be deceiued, in all occurrences, yea in our deepest sleepe, we are more deeply in the holy pre­sence of God: yea verily, THEO: for if we loue him, we fall asleepe, not onely at the sight of him, but at his pleasure, and not at his pleasure onely, but euen according to his pleasure; And euen he himselfe, our heauenly Creatour and Maker, seemes to laie vs vpon our bed, as STATVA'S in their places, that we might nestle in our beds, as birds in their nestes. And at our awaking; if we reflect vpon it, we finde that God was still present with vs, and that we were in no wise absent, or separated from him. We were there then in the presence of his good pleasure, though without seeing or perceiuing him; so that we might saie with Iacob: Certes I haue sleept by my God, and in the bosome of his diuine presence, and proui­dence, and yet knew it not.

5. Now this quiete in which the will workes not, saue onely by a simple submission to the di­uine will, praying without any other pretention, [Page 365] then to be in the sight of God, according as it shall please him, is a quiet soueraignely excellent, because it hath no mixture of proper interest, the faculties of the soule taking no content in it, nor yet the will, saue onely in her supreame point, in which her content is, to admite no other con­tentment; except that of being without content­ment, for the loue of God's content and pleasure, wherein she reposeth. For in fine it is the top of the EXTASIE OF LOVE, to haue ones will not in his owne contentment but in God's, and ones content, not in his owne will, but in God's.

Of the melting and liquifaction of the soule in God. CHAPTER. XIII.

1. HVmide and liquide things doe easily re­ceiue the impressions, and limits which one would put vpon them, because they haue no firmenesse or soliditie, which may staie or limite them. Put liquour into a glasse, and you shall see it remaine bounded and limited therein, which being round, or square the liquour shall be the like, hauing no other limite nor shape then that of the glasse which contains it. With the soule it faires not so in nature, for she hath her proper shapes and limits; she takes her shape from her habits and inclinations, her limits from her will; and when she is set vpō her owne inclinations and [Page 366] will, we saie she is hard, that is willfull and obsti­nate. I will take from you, saieth God, your heart of stone, that is, your obstinacie. To chang the forme of stones, Iron, or woode: the axe, ham­mer, and fire is required. We call such, hearts of Iron, woode, or stone, as doe not easily receiue the diuine impressions, but linger in their owne will amid'st the inclinations which doe accom­panie our depraued nature: contrariwise a suple, pliable, and tractiue heart, is termed a melting, and liquifying heart. My heart, saieth DAVID speaking in the person of our Sauiour vpon the crosse, is made as melted waxe in the midst of my bellie. CLEOPATRA that infamous Queene of Egipt, striuing to outuie Marke ANTONIE in all the excesses and dissolutions of his banquets, in the end of one of them she made in her turne called for a viall of fine vineger, and dropt into it, one of the pearles which she wore in her eares, va­lued at two hūdred fiftie crownes, which being dis­solued, melted and liquified, she tooke it downe, and had yet buried the pearle she bore in her other eare, in the sinke of her villanous stomake, if Lucius Plautus had not hindred her. Our Sa­uiours heart, the true Orientall pearle, singularly singular, and priselesse, throwen into the midest of an incomparably bitter sea, in the day of his passion, melted in it selfe, dissolued, liquified, and flowed in griefe vnder the presse of so many mor­tall anguishes, but loue, stronger then death, did mollifie, soften, and melt the heart, sooner then the other passions.

2. My heart saied the holy Spoufe was wholy [Page 367] dissolued at my well-beloued his voice, and what is it to saie, it is dissolued, but that it is not contai­ned with in it selfe, but is runne out toward it's heauenly Louer? God gaue order to Moyses to speake to the ROCKE, and it should produce wa­ter; it is no maruell then if he himselfe, with his honie words can melt the heart of his Spouse. Balme is so thicke by nature, that it is not flo­wing or liquide, but the more it is kept, the more stife it growes, and in the end becomes hard redde and transparant, yet heat doth resolue, and make it flowe: Loue had liquified and melted the Spouse his soule, whence the Spouse cals him oile pou­red-out. And behold how now her selfe assures vs, she is melted with loue; my soule saieth she melted as soone as my well-beloued spoke. The loue of her Spouse was in her heart, and breast, as a strong new wine, which cannot be contained within the peece; For it ouerflowed one euery side, and the soule being led by her loue, after the Spouse had saied thy breastes are better then wine, streaming out precious ointments, she addes; Thy name is, oile poured-out: and as the Spouse had poured out his loue and soule, into the heart of the Spouse; so she againe turnes her soule, into the Spouse his heart: and as we see a honie-combe touched with a hote sunne-beame, goe out of it selfe, forsaking its forme, doe also flowe on that side where the sunne toucheth it; so the soule of this louer runns that ward where her well-beloued is heard, going out of her selfe, and passing the limits of her naturall beeing, to follow him that spoke vnto her.

[Page 368]3. But how is this sacred liquifaction of the soule into the well-beloued practised? An ex­treame complacence of the Louer in the thing be­loued begets a certaine spirituall impotencie, which makes the soule not finde any more power to remaine in her selfe; And therefore as dissolued Baulme that hath no more firmenesse or soliditie, she permits her selfe to slide and runne into the thing beloued: for she neither casteth her selfe by way of iaculation, nor locks her selfe by way of vnion, but lets her selfe gently glide, as a liquide and fluent thing, into the Diuinitie which she loues. And as we see cloudes which thickned by the winde at Noonetide, resoluing ād turning into raine, cannot containe themselues, but doe fall and showre downe, and mixe themselues so inly with the earth which they moisten, that they be­come one thing with it: so the soule which, though otherwise in loue, remained before in her selfe, goes out by this sacred liquifaction, and saintly flowing, and forsakes her selfe, not onely to be vnited to the well-beloued, but to be entirely mingled and moistened with him.

4. You see then deare, THEOT: that the li­quifaction of a soule into her God, is a true exta­sie, by which the soule trenscendes the limits of her naturall behauiour, being wholy mixed, ab­sorpt, and engulfed in God. Hence it happens, that such as attaine to these holy excesses of hea­uenly loue, afterward being come to themselues, can finde nothing in the earth, that can content them, and liuing in an extreame annihilation of themselues remaine much weakned in that which [Page 369] toucheth sense; ād haue perpetually in their hearts the B. Mother Teresa her Maxime. ALL THAT IS NOT GOD, IS NOTHING. And it seemes that such was the louing passion of the great friend of the well-beloued, who saied. I liue, now not I, but IESVS-CHRIST in me, and our life is hid with IESVS-CHRIST in God. For tell me I praie you, THEOT: if a drope of Elementarie water, throwne into an Ocean of liue water were liuing, could speake, and declare it's condition, would it not crie out with ioye. O mortalls I liue indeede, but I liue not I, but this Ocean liues in me, and my life is hidden in this Abisse.

5. The soule, that runnes into God dies not: For how can she die by being shut vp in life? but she liues, without liuing in her selfe; because, as the starrs without loosing their light, shine not in the presence of the Sunne, but the Sunne shines in thē, and they are hid in the light of the Sunne, so the soule without loosing her life, liues not being mixed with God, but God liues in her. Such, as I thinke, were the feelings of the great S. PHILIPPVS NERIVS and S. FRANCIS ZAVERIVS, when ouer­cloied with heauenly consolations, they petitio­ned to God that he would withdrawe himselfe for a space from them, sith his will was that their life should a little longer appeare vnto the world, which could not be, while it was wholy hidden and absort in God.

Of the wound of loue. CHAPTER. XIII.

1. All these termes of loue are drawne from a certaine resemblance, which is be­twixt the affections of the minde and the passions of the bodie. GRIEFE, FEARE, HOPE, HATRED, and the rest of the affections of the soule, enters not into the heart, but when loue doth drawe thē after it. We doe not hate euill, but because it is contrarie to the Good which we loue. We feare future euill, because it will depriue vs, of the good we loue. Though an euill be extreame, yet doe we neuer hate it, but according to the opposition it hath to the good which is deare vnto vs. He that doth not much affect the Commonwealth, is not much troubled to see it ruin'd. He that doth not much loue God, doth also not much hate sinne. LOVE is the first, yea the Source and origine of all the Passions. And therefore it is LOVE that first en­ters the heart; ād because it doth penetrate, ād that well nigh to the very bottome of the will, where his seate is, we saie, he wounds the heart. It is sharp-pointed, saieth the Apostle of France, and enters the heart most deeply; the other affections doe also enter, but by the meanes of loue; for it is he that pearcing the heart makes passage. The onely point of the dart woundeth, the rest of it doth but enlarge the wound and encrease paine.

[Page 371]2. Now if it wound, it doth consequently put vs to paine. Pomegranats by their vermillion co­lour, by the multitude of their cornes so close set and rancked, and by their faire crownes, liuely re­presēting, as S. GREGORIE saieth, most holy Chari­tie all redde, by reasō of her ardour towards God, crowned with the varietie of all vertues, and who alone doth beare away the crowne of eternall re­ward's, but the iuice of Pomegranats, which as we know is so delightfull as well to the sound, as sicke, is so compounded of sweete and soure, that one can hardly discerne, whether it delights the taste more by it's sweetish tartnesse or tarte sweetenesse. Verily, THEOT: Loue is in like sorte bit­ter-sweete, and while we liue in this world, it hath neuer a sweetenesse perfectly sweete, because it is not perfect, or euer purely saciated, and satisfied: and yet it leaues not to be maruelous agreeable, to the tartnesse thereof, correcting the Lusshious­nesse of it's sweetenesse, as the sweetenesse there­of, sharpens the delight of it's tartenesse. But how can this be? there haue bene young men seene en­ter into conuersation free, sound, and frolicke, who not taking care of themselues, plainely per­ceiued lōg before they could get cleare, that loue, making vse of glaunces, gestures, words, yea of the haire of a weake and fraile creature, as of so many darts, had smote and wounded their poore hearts, so that you shall see them sorrowfull, sad, and dismaied. Why I praie you are they sorrow­full? With out doubt, because they are wounded; and who hath wounded them? LOVE: but loue being the child of Complacence, how can it [Page 372] wounde, and aggreeue? Sometimes the beloued obiect is absent, and then, my deare THEO: Loue woundes the heart by the desire which it excits, which while it cannot be saciated, it doth much torment the mind.

3. If a Bee had stung a child, it were to sweete pourpose to saie to him, ô my child, the very Bee that stung thee, is the same that makes the honie which likes thee so well; for it is true, might it re­plie, her honie is very pleasant to my taste, but her sting is painefull: and while her sting stikes in my cheake, I shall neuer be at rest: and doe you not marke, that my face is all swollen with it? THEO: Loue is indeede a Complacence, and by consequence very delightfull, so that it leaues not in our heart the sting of desire, for when it leaues it, there is left with it a great paine: True it is this paine proceedes from loue, and therefore is an amiable, and beloued paine. Heare the painfull, yet louelie eiaculations of a royall Louer. My soule thrisleth after her strong and liuing God. Ah! when shall I come, and appeare before the face of my God? my teares haue bene bread to me night and day while it is saied vnto me, where is thy God? And the sacred Sunamite wholy pos­sessed with dolorous loues, speaking to the daughters, Alas, saieth she, I coniure you: if you meete my beloued, tell him my griefe, because I languish with the wound of loue. Delaied hope afflicts the soule.

4. Now the painfull wounds of loue are of di­uers sorts, 1. The first touches that loue giues our heart, are called wounds, because the heart that [Page 373] was sound, entire, and it's owne before it loued, being strook with loue, begins to separate and di­uide it selfe from it selfe, to giue it selfe to the be­loued obiect: nor can this separation be made without paine, seeing paine is no other thing then a separation of liuing things that were vnited. 2. Desire doth incessantly sting and wound the heart in which it is lodged. 3. TAEO: speaking of hea­uenly loue, in the practise of it, there is a kind of wound giuen by God himselfe to the soule which he will perfect: for he giues her admirable fee­lings and incomparable touches of his soueraigne goodnesse, as pressing and soliciting her to loue him, and then she forcibly bears herselfe vp, as to soare higher, towards her diuine obiect: but light­ing short, not being able to loue with propor­tion to her desire: ô God she feeles a paine with­out paragon. At the same instant that she is po­werfully drawen, to flie towards her deare and well beloued, she is powerfully retained, and can­not flie, as being chained to the seruile miseries of this mortall life, and out of her owne impotencie she wisheth the winge of the doue, to flie to her repose, but finds it not. So that she is roughly tormented betwixt the violencie of her desires, and her owne impotencie: ô miserable wretch that I am, saied one of those that had tried this tormēt, who will deliuer me from the bodie of this death? And then, if you marke it, THEO: it is not the desire of a thing absent that doth wound the heart; for the soule perceiues that her God is present, he had already led her into his wine celler, planted vpon her heart the banner of loue; but howbeit [Page 374] though already he see her wholy his, he vrgeth her, and from time to time toucheth her with a thousand thousand darts of his loue, shewing her by new meanes, how much more louely he is, then he is beloued. And she who hath not so much force to loue, as loue to force her selfe, seeing her forces so weake in respect of the desire she hath to loue him worthily, to whose worth no force of loue can reach: alas she finds her selfe stroock with an incomparable torment: for in the same measure that she sobbs out more deeply the longings of her coueting loue, the panges of her paine are augmented.

5. This heart in loue with God, desiring infi­nitly to loue, sees notwithstanding that it can nei­ther loue, nor desire sufficiently. Now this vnac­complished desire, is as a dart in the breast of a ge­nerous spirit: yet the paine which proceedes from it is amiable, because, whosoeuer desires earnest­ly to loue, loues also earnestly to desire. And would esteeme himselfe the most miserable man aliue, if he did not continually desire to loue, that which is so soueraignely good. Desiring to loue he receiues delight, but louing to desire, he is paied with paine.

6. Good God, THEOT: what am I going to saie? The Blessed in heauen, seeing that God is more to be beloued then they loue him, would sownd, and eternally perish with a desire to loue him more, if God's holiest will did not impose vpon theirs, the admirable repose which they en­ioye: for they so soueraignely loue this soueraigne will, that the desire thereof doth quiet theirs and [Page 375] God's contentment doth content them, being willing to be limited in their loue, euen by that will, whose Goodnesse is the obiect of their loue. If this were not, their loue would be equally de­licious and dolourous: delicious, by the posses­sion of so great a good; dolourous through an extreame desire of a greater loue. God therefore continually drawing arrowes, if we may saie so, out of the quiuer of his infinite beautie, wounds the hearts of his Louers, making them clearely see, that they doe not loue him nigh so much, as he is worthy to be beloued. what mortall soeuer desires not to loue the Diuine goodnesse more, loues him not enough; sufficiencie in this diuine exercise, doth not suffise him that will make a stand in it, as though it suffised him.

Of some other meanes by which loue wounds the heart. CHAPTER. XIV.

1. NOthihg doth so much wound a louing heart, as to perceiue another heart woun­ded with the loue of it. The Pellican builds her nest vpon the ground, whence serpents doe often sting her younglings. Now when this happens, the Pellican, as an excellent naturall Phisition, with the point of her beake doth woūd her poore younglings on euery side, to cause the poyson, which the Serpents sting had spred ouer all the [Page 376] bodie, to depart with the blood; and to get out all the poison, she lets out all the blood and con­sequently, permits the little troope of Pellicans, to perish in this sort; but seeing them dead she wounds her selfe, and spredding her blood ouer them, she doth reuiue them with a more new and pure life; her loue wounded them, and fourth­with by the same loue, she wounds her selfe. Neuer doe we wound a heart with the wound of loue, but we our selues are straight wounded with the same. When the soule, sees her God wounded by loue, for her sake; she receiues from it a mortall wound. Thou hast wounded my heart, saied the heauenly Spouse to the Suna­mite; and the Sunamite cries-out tell my well-be­loued that I am wounded with loue. Bees neuer wound, but themselues are wounded to death. And we, seeing the Sauiour of our soules wounded by loue for vs to death, and death of the crosse, how can we but be wounded with him, yea I saie woun­ded with a wound so much more dolorously a­miable, as his was amiably dolorous, nor can we neuer loue him, as his loue, and death requi­reth. There is yet another wound of loue, when the soule knowes well she loues God, and he treates her in such sort, as though he knew not she loued him; or were diffident of her loue: for then my deare, THEO: the soule is put into an extreame anguish it being insupportable vnto her, to see, or perceiue, any apparence that God distrusts in her. The poore S. PETER found his heart full of loue towards his Maister, and his Maister making shew not to know it; Peter quoth he dost thou [Page 377] loue me more then these? Ah Lord saied the Apostle, thou knowest I loue thee. But Peter dost thou loue me, replied our Sauiour? My deare Maister, saied the Apostle truely I loue thee, thou knowest it. But this so cote Maister, to proue him, and as shewing a diffidence of his loue: Peeter, saied he, dost thou loue me? Ah Sauiour thou woundest this poore heart, who much afflicted cries out louingly, yet dolorously, Maister thou knowest all things, indeede thou knowest well I loue thee. Vpon a certaine day while a possessed person was exorcised, the wicked spirit being vr­ged to tell his name. I am, quoth he, that accur­sed creature DEPRIVED OF LOVE; and S. CATHA­RIN, who was there present, sodenly perceiued all her bowells moued and disordered, in onely hauing heard these words, PRIVATION OF LOVE, pronounced for as the Diuels doe so hate the di­uine loue that they quake in seeing the signe of it, hearing it named, that is, in seeing the crosse or be a rāg the name of IESVS pronoūced. So such as doe en­tirely loue our Sauiour doe tremble with griefe ād horrour, when they see any signes, or seen by worde that doth brīg to mīd the priuatiō of this holy loue.

2. S. PETER was certaine that God who knew all, could not be ignorant how much he was loued by him: yet because the repetition of this de­maund; Peter dost thou loue me? hath some ap­parence of diffidence, S. PETER is much afflicted in it: Alas the poore soule that is resolued rather to die then offend her God, and yet feeles not a sparke of feruour, but contrariwise an ex­treame coldnesse, which doth so benume and [Page 378] weaken all her parts, that she frequently fals into very sensible imperfections: this soule, I saie, THEO: is all wounded; for her loue is exceeding dolourous, to see that God doth not seeme to see that she loues him, leauing her as one that apper­taines not to him; and she apprehēds that amidst her defaults, distractions, and coldnesse, our Sa­uiour doth strike her with this reproach: how can'st thou saie that thou loue'st me, seeing thy minde is not with me? which is as a dart of sor­rowe through her heart; but a dart of sorrowe which proceedes from loue: for if she loued not, she would not be afflicted, with the apprehen­sion she hath, that she loues not.

3. Sometimes loue doth wound vs in the very memorie we haue that there was a time in which we loued not our God. O how late I haue loued the auncient and new beautie, saied that Saint who for thirtie yeares was Hereticke. Life past is a horrour to his life present, who passed his life past without louing the Soueraigne Good­nesse.

4. Sometimes loue doth wound vs, with the meere cōsideration of the multitude of those that doe contemne the loue of God; so that hereby we sownd with griefe, as he who saied, my Zeale, ô Lord, hath withered me with griefe, for that my enemyes haue not kept thy lawe. And the Great S. FRANCIS, thinking he had not bene heard, wept vpon a day, sobed, and lamented so pitiful­ly, that an honest man ouer hearing him, ranne to his succour, as thinking some had offered to kill him, and finding him all alone, asked of him, why [Page 379] dost thou crie so heard poore man? Alas, quoth he, I weepe, to thinke that our Sauiour endured so much for the loue of vs, and none thinkes of it; and hauing saied thus, he begun againe to weepe, and this good mā fell also a sobbing and weeping with him.

5. But howsoeuer this is admirable in the woundes receiued from the diuine loue, that their paine is delightfull; and all that feele it, consent to it, and would not change this paine for all the pleasures of the world. There is no paine in Loue, or if any, it is a beloued one. A Seraphin on a day holding a golden arrowe, from the heade whereof issued a little flame, he darted it into the heart of the B. Mother Teresa, and offering to drawe it out, this virgine seemed to haue her bowells drawen from her, the paine being so excessiue, that she had onely force to cast out weake and smale sighes; but yet it was a paine so amiable, that she desired neuer to be deliuered of it. Such was the arrowe that God sent into the heart of the great S. CATHARIN of Genua, in the beginning of her conuersion, whence she became another woman, dead to the world and things created, to liue onely to her Creatour. The well-beloued is a posie of bitter Myrrhe, and this posie is also the well-beloueds, who remaines dearely sea­ted betwixt the breastes of his well-beloued, that is, the best-beloued of all the well-be­loueds.

Of the amourous languishment of the heart wounded with loue. CHAPTER. XV.

1. IT is a thing sufficiently knowne that hu­mane loue, doth not onely wound the heart, but euen weaken the bodie mortally; because as passions, and the temperature of the bodie, hath a great power to encline the soule and draw her after its so the affections of the soule haue great force in stirring the humours, and changing the qualities of the bodie: but further, loue, when it is violent, doth beare away the soule to the thing beloued, with such impetuositie, and doth so wholy possesse her, that she is deficient in all her other operations, be they sensatiue, or intelle­ctuall; so that to feede, and second this loue, the soule seemes to abandon all other care, all other exercises, yea and her selfe too; whēce Plato saied, that Loue was poore, trent, naked, barefoote, miserable, without house, that it laie without dores, vpon the hard ground alwayes in want. It is poore, because it makes one quit all for the thing beloued: It is without a house, because it vrgeth the soule to leaue her owne habitation, to follow hī cōtinually whō she loues: It is miserable pale, leane and ruinous, for that it makes one loose sleepe, meete and drinke. It is naked, and barefoote, sith it makes one forsake all other affe­ctions, [Page 381] to embrace that of the thing beloued. It lies without, vpon the hard ground, because it laies open the heart that is in loue, making it ma­nifest its passions, by sighes, plaintes, praises, sus­picions, iealousies: It lies all along at the gate like a begger, because it makes the louer perpe­tually attentiue to the eyes and mouth of the belo­ued, hanging continually at his eares, to speake to him, and begge of him some fauours, wherwith it is neuer saciated. Now the eyes, eares, and mouth are the gates of the soule. In fine the condition of its life is to be still indigent; for if euer it be sacia­ted, it leaues to be ardent, and consequently to be loue.

2. True it is, THEO: that Plato spoke thus of the abiect, vile, and foule loue of worldlings, yet are the same properties found in diuine and celestiall loue; For turne your eyes a litle vpon those first Maisters of christian doctrine, I meane those first Doctors of holy Euangelicall loue, and marke what one of them, who had laboured the most, saied, vntill this houre saieth he, we doe both hunger and thrist, and are naked, and are beaten with buffets, and are wanderers; we are made the refuse of this world, and as the drosse, or skume; as though he had saied, we are so ab­iect, that if the world be a Pallas, we are held the sweepers thereof: if the world be an aple, we are the parings. What, I praie you, had brought them to this state, but Loue? It was Loue that threwe S. FRANCIS naked before his Bishop, and made him die naked vpon the ground: It was Loue made him a begger all his life; It was Loue that [Page 382] sent the great S. FRANCIS ZAVERIVS poore, needie, torne, vp and downe amongst the Indians and Ia­ponians; It was Loue that brought the great Car­dinall S. CHARLES, Archbishop of Milan, to that extreamitie of pouertie, amidst the riches which he had by the right of blood and his dignitie, that, as Maister Panigaroll the eloquent Orator of Italie saied, he was as a dogge in his Maisters house, eating a peece of bread, drinking onely a little water, and lying vpon a little strawe.

3. Let vs heare I beseech you the holy Suna­mite, who cries almost in this manner; although by reason of a thousand consolations which loue giues me, I be more faire then the rich Tents of my Salomon, I would saie, more faire then heauen which is the lifelesse Pauillion of his royall Ma­iestie, seeing I am his liuing Pauillion; yet am I black, torne, squalled, and spoiled with so many wounds, and blows, giuen me by the same Loue: ah respect not my heu, for I am truely browne, because my beloued, who is my Sunne, hath streamed the raies of his loue vpon me, raies which by their light doe illuminate, yet by their heate, I am sunn-burnt, and made brownish, and touching me with their splendour they haue berefte me of my colour. The passion of loue hath done me too much honour in giuing me a Spouse, such as is my King; but the same passion which is a mother to me, seeing she alone gaue me in mariage, not my merits, hath other chil­dren which doe wonderfully assault, and vexe me, bringing me to such a langour, that as, of one side I am like to a Queene who is beside her king, so [Page 383] of the other side, I am as a Vineyard-keeper who in a miserable cabinet lookes to a vine, and a vine that is not his owne.

4. Truely THEOT: when the wounds and strokes of loue are frequent and strong, they put vs into lāgour, and into Lou's well-beloued sick­nesse. Who could euer describe the amourous lan­gours of a S. Catharin of Sienna, and Genua, or a S. Angelo Folini, a S. Bernard, a S. Francis. And as for the last, his latter dayes were nothing but teares, sighes, plaints, langours, pinings, Loue-traunces. But in all this, nothing so strange, as the admirable communicatiō which the sweete IESVS had with him, of his louing, and precious paines, by the impression of his wounds, and Stigmats. THEO: I haue often pondered this won­der, and haue made this conceipt of it. This great Seruant of God, a man wholy Seraphicall, behol­ding the liuely picture of his crucified Sauiour, represented in a glittering Seraphin, which ap­peared vnto him vpon the Mount-Aluernus, grewe softer then is imaginable, taken, with a soueraigne consolation and compassion: For beholding this bright Myrrour of loue which the Angell could not saciate himselfe in behol­ding; alas he sownded with delight, and content­ment! but seeing also the liuely representation of the markes and woundes of his Sauiour crucified, he felt in his soule the impetuous sworde which stroke through the sacred breast of the Virgin-Mother the day of the Passion, with as much in­ward griefe, as though she had bene crucified with her deare Sauiour. O God, THEO: if the picture [Page 384] of Abraham fetching deaths blow ouer his deare onely-begotten to sacrifice him, a picture drawen by a mortall hand, had the power to soften, and make weepe the Great S. GREGORIE Bishop of Nisse as often as he beheld it, ah! how extream­ly was the Great S. FRANCIS softened, when he beheld the picture of our Sauiour offering him­selfe vpon the Crosse: A picture which not a mor­tall hand, but the Mistresse hand of a heauenly Seraphin, had drawen, and copied out of the ori­ginall it selfe, representing so to the life and na­ture, the heauenly king of Angels, brused, woun­ded, murdered, crucified.

5. His soule then being thus mollified, softe­ned, and almost melted away in this deare paine, was therby greatly disposed to receiue the im­pressions, and markes of the loue and paine of his soueraigne louer: for his Memorie was wholy engaged in the remembrance of this Diuine Loue: his imagination forcibly applied to represent vnto himselfe, the wounds and wane blowes, which his eyes then saw so perfectly well expressed in the present picture; The Vnderstanding receiued from the Imagination infinitly liuelie Species: And fi­nally loue imploied all the forces of the will; to take pleasure in, and conforme her selfe to the Passion of her well-beloued, whence, without doubt, the soule found herselfe trāsformed into a second Crucified. Now the soule, as the forme, and Mistresse of the bodie, exercising her autho­ritie vpon, it printed the paines of the wounds, with which she was strook, in the partes corres­pondant to those, wherein her Louer endured [Page 385] them. Loue is admirable in edging the Imagina­tion, to penetrate to the exteriour: Labans yewes, while they were a ramming, had so strong an ima­gination, that it hit home vpon their Lambkins, with which they were, to make them become white, or motley according to the rods they be­held in the troughs where they were watered. And women with child hauing their Imagina­tion refined by loue, imprinte what they list, vpon the child's bodie. A strong Imagination, makes a man waxe white on a night, disturbing his health and humours. Loue then droue out the inwarde torments of this great Louer S. Francis, and wounded the bodie with the dart of sorrowe, with which he had wounded the heart. But loue being within, could not well make the holes in the flesh without, and therefore the burning Seraphin comming to helpe, darted the raies of so penetra­ting a light, that it really printed in the flesh the exteriour woundes of the Crucified, which loue had imprinted interiourly in the soule. So the Se­raphin seeing Isaie not daring to speake, because he perceiued his lips defiled, came in the name of God to touch, and purifie his lips with a bur­ning cole taken from vpon the Altar, seconding in this sort his desire. The Myrrhe-tree bringeth fourth her gumme, and first liquor by way of sweate, and transpiration, but that she may be well deliuered of all her iuyce, she must be helped by incision. So the diuine loue of S. FRANCIS ap­peared in his whole life in manner of sweate, for all his actions sauored nothing else but heauenly loue. But to make the incomparable abundance [Page 386] of it plainely appeare the diuine Seraphin came to giue the incision and wounds. And to th'end it might be knowen, that these wounds were woundes of heauenly loue, they were made, not with iron, but with raies of light! ô deare God, THEO: how louing a paine, ād how painefull a loue was this! for not onely at that instant, but euē his whole life after, this poore Saint went pining and languishing, as being very sicke of loue.

6. B. PHILIPE NERIVS at fourescore yeares of age, had such an inflammation of heart through diuine loue, that heate making way by the ribbs, did greatly dilate them, and broke the fourth and fift, to receiue aire, and be refreshed. B. STANIS­LAVS BOSCA, a young youth of fourteene yeares, was so assaulted by the loue of his Sauiour, that diuers times he fell downe in a sownd, and was constrained to applie linnen dept in cold water to his breast, to moderate the violencie of the bur­ning which he felt. To conclude, THEOT: how doe you thinke, that a soule, who hath once a little wishedly tasted diuine consolations, can liue in this world so full of miseries, without almost a continuall paine and languishing? That great man of God S. ZAVERIVS hath often bene heard lāching out his voice to heauē, thinking him selfe all alone, in these termes. Ah my God, doe not for pitie, doe not beare me downe with so great abundance of consolations; or if through thy infi­nit [...] goodnesse it will please thee, to make me so abound in delights, take me to Heauen; for he that hath once tasted thy sweetenesse, must necessarily liue in bitternesse, while he doth not enioye thee. [Page 387] And therefore when God hath somewhat largely bestowed his heauenly sweetes vpon a soule, and after withdrawes them, he wounds her by the pri­uation, and she vpon it, is left pining, and sob­bing which Dauid.

And with the Apostle: Vnhappie man that I am, who will deliuer me out of the bodie of this mortalitie?

How loue vnits the soule to God in Praier. CHAPTER. I.

I. WE speake not here of the generall vnion betwixt God and the soule, but of certaine particular actes, and motions, which the soule re­collected in God, makes by way of Praier, to be more and more vnited and ioyned to his diuine Goodnesse: for in good-south there is difference betwixt ioyning and vniting [Page 389] one thing to another, and thrusting or pressing one thing against, or vpon another; because to ioyne or vnite, it is onely required that the one be applied to th'other, so that they touch, and be together, as we ioyne vines to Elmes, and Iasmins to the crosse-barrs of Arbors which are made in gardens. But to thrust and presse together, a strong application must be made, which doth encrease and augment the vnion, so that to thrust together, is to ioyne strongly and closely, as we see Iuie ioyned to trees, which is not vnited one­ly, but pressed so hard vnto them, that it euen pe­netrats, and enters into their barke.

2. The comparison of little childrens loue to­wards their mother, must not be left out, by rea­son of its innocencie and puritie. Behold then this fine little child, to whom the mother, being set downe, presents her Pape, it casts it selfe so­denly into her armes, gathering and foulding all its little bodie into her bosome, and louely breast; and see the mother as mutually receiuing it, close, and as it were, glewe it to her bosome, and ioy­ning her mouth to it's, kisse it. But see againe this little babie allured with it's mothers huggings, how for it's part, it doth concurre to this vnion betwixt his mother and it: For it doth also as much as possibly it can, shut and presse it selfe to it's mothers breast and cheeke, as though it would wholy diue into, and hide it selfe in this delightfull wombe whence it was extracted. Now, THEO: in this case, the vnion is perfect, which being but one, proceedes notwithstanding from the mother and the child, yet so, that it hath it's [Page 390] whole dep [...]ndance of the mother: for she drewe the child to her, she did first locke him in her tresses, pressed him to her breast, nor had the babe such force, as to betake and locke himselfe so hard to his mother: yet the poore little on doth for his part what he can, and ioynes himselfe with all his force to his mothers bosome, not consen­ting onely to the delightfull vnion which his mo­ther makes, but contributing with all his heart his feeble endeauours, which are so weake that they seeme rather to be essaies of an vnion, then an v­nion it selfe.

3. Thus thē, THEO: our Sauiour shewing the most delightfull bosome of diuine loue to the deuote soule, he drawes her wholy to himselfe, gathers her vp, and doth, as it were, fould all her powers, in the bosome of his more thē motherly sweete­nesse, and then burning with loue, he thrusteth, ioyneth, presseth, and glueth her to the lips of his delightes, and to his delicious breastes, kis­sing her in the holy kisse of his mouth, and ma­king her taste his dugges more sweete thē wine. The soule allured with the delightes of these fa­uours doth not onely consent, and prepare her selfe to the vnion which God maketh, but in the strife of her heart doth cooperate, endeauouring more and more to ioyne and locke her selfe to the Diuine Goodnesse; yet in such sort that she doth ingeniously acknowledge, that her vnion, and tye to this soueraigne sweetenesse, is wholy dependant of Gods operation, without which she could not so much as make the least essaie imaginable to be vnited vnto him.

[Page 391]4. When wee see an exquisite beautie beholden with great ardour, or an excellent melodie heard with great attention; we are wount to saie, such a beautie holds the Spectators eyes glued vnto it; such a melodie holds their eares fastened, and that such discourse doth rauish the Auditours hearts; what is it to hold the eyes glued? the eares fastened, to rauish the heart, but to vnite, and closely to ioyne the senses and powers, whereof one speakes to their obiectes? And the soule is pressed and ioyned to her obiect, when she doth intensely af­fect it, that pressing being no other thing, then the progresse and aduancement of the vnion and coniunction. We make vse of this word in our tongue, in morrall matters: He presseth me to doe this, or he presseth me to staie, that is, he doth not meerely vse persuation, and intreatie, but doth it euen with earnestnesse, and strife, as did the Pil­grimes 1. Emaus, who did not onely petition to our Sauiour, but euen pressed and vrged him by force, and compelled him by a gentle violence to remaine in their lodging with them.

5. Now in Praier, this vnion is often made, by manner of little, yet frequēt ierts and aduancings of the soule towards God: and if you take notice of little children vnited and ioyned to their mo­thers breastes, you shall see them euer and anone pressing and ioyning themselues, by little iertes which the pleasurs they take in sucking makes them giue: so the heart vnited to God in Praier, makes often times certaine surcharges of vnion by motions which doe more closely presse and ioyne it to the diuine sweetenesse. As for example, The [Page 392] soule hauing made a long demoure in the fee­ling of the vnion, wherby she sweetely tastes, how happie she is to be Gods; in fine augmenting this vnion by a cordiall pressing and ierting forwards; I Lord, will she saie, I am thine, all, all, all, with­out reserue; or else; ah Lord, I am so verily, and will be daily more and more; or else by way of Praier. O sweete IESVS, ah! drawe me still more deeply into thy heart, to the end thy loue may de­uoure me, and that I may be swallowed vp in thy sweetenesse.

6. But at other times the vnion is made, not by iterated ierts, but by way of a continued in­sensible pressing and aduauncing of the heart to­wards the diuine Bountie: for as we see a great and heauie masse of leade, brasse, or stone, though not thrust, doth so presse, cleeue to, and sinke into the earth where it lies, that at length it is found buried, by reason of the inclination of its waightie poise, which makes it incessantly tend to the cen­ter; so our heart being once ioyned to God, if without being distracted it remaine in this vnion, it sinkes still deeper by an insensible progresse of vnion, till it be wholy in God, by reason of the holy inclination giuen it by loue, to be conti­nually more and more vnited to the soueraigne Goodnesse. For as the great Apostle of France saieth, Loue is a vnitiue vertue, that is, it bringes vs to a perfect vnion with the soueraigne Good. And sith it is a doubtlesse truth, that Diuine loue while we are in this life, is a motion or at least, an actiue habit tending to motiō, euen after it hath attained simple vniō, it ceaseth not to act, though impercep­tibly [Page 393] still more and more to encrease, ad perfect it.

7. So trees that require to be transplanted as soone as that is done, they sprede their roots, and lodge them deeper in the bosome of the earth which is their element, and nourishment, nor doth any perceiue this, while it is a doing, but onely after it is done. And mans heart, transplan­ted out of the world into God, by celestiall loue, if it doe earnestly practise Praier, certes it will continually extend and ioyne it selfe to the Diui­nitie, vniting it selfe more and more to Gods Goodnesse, but by imperceptible grouths, whose progresse one can hardly discouer while it is doing, but onely when it is done. If you drinke any exquisite water, to wit, imperiall water, the simple vnion thereof with you is instantly made vpon your receiuing of it; for the receiuing and vnion is all one in this behalfe; but afterwards by little and little this vniō is encreased by an insē ­sibly sensible progresse: for the vertue of this wa­ter penetrating the parts, will comfort the braine, sttengthen the heart, and will disperse its force through the spirits;

8. In like manner, a taste of loue, for example that God is good, hauing got entrie into the heart it doth presently make an vnion, with this Good­nesse, but being held a while, as a precious per­fume, it penetrats euery parte of the soule, poures out and dilats it selfe in our will, and doth, as it were, incorporate it selfe with our spirit ioyning and locking it selfe more nerely to ech part of vs, and vniting vs to it. And to it this which the great Dauid doth teach vs, when he compares his sacred [Page 394] words to honie: for who knowes not that the sweetenesse of honie is vnited more and more to our senses, by a continuall encrease of sauorinesse, while holding it a pritie space in our mouth, or softly swallowing it, the relish thereof doth more deeply penetrate our Taste? And in this wise, the taste of the diuine Goodnesse, ex­pressed in this word of S. BRVNOS: O BOVNTIE! or by these of S. THOMAS: MY LORD MY GOD! or these of MAGDALEN: AH MAISTER! or these of S. FRANCIS: MY GOD AND MY ALL! this taste, I saie, hauing bene kept a while in a louing heart, it is dilated, dispersed, and sinkes into the Spi­rit by an inward penetration, and doth more and more perfume it with it's sent, which is no other thing, then to encrease the v­nion, in the nature of a precious oyntment, or Baulme, which falling vpon cotten, doth so sinke into, and vnite it selfe to it, by little and little, that in the end one will not easily saie, whether the cotten is perfumed, or it is perfume, or else whether the perfume is cotton, or the cotten perfume. O how happie is the soule who in the peace of her heart, doth louingly con­serue the sacred feeling of Gods presence: for her vnion with the diuine Goodnesse shall haue continuall, though insensible, encrease: and shall throughly water the spirit with infinite sweete­nesse. Now when I speake of the sacred taste of Gods presēce, I doe not meane it, of a sensible taste but of that which doth inhabit the top, and Su­preame point of the Spirit, where heauenly Loue doth raigne, and keepe his principall exercises.

Of the diuers degrees of the holy vnion which is made in Praier. CHAPTER. II.

1. SOmetimes the vnion is made without our cooperation, saue onely by a simple consent, permitting our selues to be vnited to the Diuine Goodnesse, without resistance, as a little child in loue with his mothers breastes, ād yet is so weake, that he cannot moue himselfe towards them, nor to cleeue to her being there; onely he is glad to be drawen into his mothers armes, and to be pressed, by her to her breasts.

2. Sometimes we cooperate, when being drawen, we willingly runne to second the force of Gods Goodnesse, which drawes vs, and lockes vs to him by loue.

3. Sometimes, we apprehend that we begin to vnite and ioyne our selues to God, before he ioyne himselfe to vs, for that we feele the action of the vnion of our part, without perceiuing that which God doth on his side, which yet doubtlesse doth alwaies preuent vs, though we doe not alwaies perceiue his preuention: for vnlesse he vnited him­selfe to vs, we should neuer vnite our selues to him: he alwaies choseth, and laieth hold on vs, before we chose or laie hold one him. But when following his imperceptible touches we begin to vnite our selues vnto him, he doth often make the [Page 396] progresse of our vnion, assisting our weackenesse, and ioyning him selfe sensibly vnto vs, in so much that we feele him enter: and penetrate our hearts with an incomprable delight. And sometimes also, as he drew vs insensibly to the vnion, he conti­news insensibly to aide and assist vs. And we know not indeede how so great an vnion was made, yet know we well that our forces were not able to ef­fect it, so that hence we make a cleare iudgment, that some secret power workes insensibly in vs. As Marriners loden with iron, perceiuing their shipe sale apace with a weake gale, doe discouer that they approch to the Adamant rockes, which drawes them imperceptibly; and see in this sort, a a sensible and perceptible aduancement, caused by an insensible and imperceptible meanes: for so when we see our soule still more and more vnited vnto God, as it were by the weake endeauours of our will, we doe easily discerne that we haue to soft a gale to saile fast, and that it must needes be that the Adamant of our soule drawes vs by the secret influence of his grace: which he keepes from our knowledge, to th'end it might be more admirable, and that without being occupied to discouer his draughts, we might with more puri­tie, and simplicitie striue to be vnited to his good­nesse.

4. Sometimes this vnion is made so insensi­bly, that our soule neither perceiues the diuine o­peration in her, nor yet her owne cooperation; but finds the onely vnion insensibly made, to the imitatiō of Iacob, who found himselfe married to Lia without thinking of it; or rather as another [Page 397] Samson, but more happie, we finde our selues net­ted and tied in the bands of holy vnion, without hauing euer perceiued it.

5. At other times we discerne the pressing, the vnion being made by sensible actions, as well of Gods side, as of ours.

6. Sometimes the vnion is made by the will onely, and sometimes the vnderstanding hath a part in it, because the will doth force it after her, and applies it to its obiect, making it take a spe­ciall pleasure to be fixed to the cōsideration there­of; as we see, loue doth endew our corporall eyes with a profound and peculiar attention, to staie them in the viewe of what we loue.

7. Sometimes this vnion is made by all the fa­culties of the soule, who gather about the will, not to be vnited to God themselues, not being all ca­pable of it, but to assist the will to make her v­nion; for if euery of the other faculties, were ap­plied in particular to their owne obiect, the soule working in them, could not so wholy giue her selfe, to the action, by which the vnion with God is made. Such is the varietie of vnions!

8. See S. MARCIALL (for he was, as they saie the blessed child mentioned in S. MARKE) our Sa­uiour tooke him, lifted him vp, and held him for a good space in his armes. O pritie little Marciall, how happie thou art to be laied hold on, taken vp, caried, vnited, ioyned, and lock't to the heauenly bosome of a Sauiour, and kissed with his sacred mouth, without thy cooperation, saue onely that thou resisted not the receiuing of those diuine huggings! Contrariwise S. SIMEON [Page 398] doth embrace, and claspe our Sauiour hard in his bosome, our Sauiour giuing no signe of coo­perating to this vnion, though, as the holy Church singeth, the oldman bore the child, but the child gouerned the oldmā. S. BONAVENT: touched with a holy humilitie, did not onely not vnite hīselfe to our Sauiour, but withdrewe himselfe frō his reall presence, that is, from the holy Sacrament of the Altar, when vpon a day hearing Masse, our Sa­uiour came to vnite himselfe vnto him, bringing the holy Sacrament vnto him. But this vnion being made, ah God, THEO: thinke with what feruour this holy soule closed vp his Sauiour in his heart! Cōtrariwise S. CATHARIN of Sienna ardētly desiring our Sauiour in the holy communion, pres­sing and aduancing her soule and affection to­wards him, he came and ioyned himselfe vnto her, entring into her mouth with a thousand benedi­ctions, So that our Sauiour began the vnion with S. Bonauenture; but S. CATHARIN seemed to begin that, which she had with our Sauiour. The sacred Spouse in the Canticles, speakes, as though she had practised both the sortes of vnions; I am who­ly my Beloued's, quoth she, and his returnes towards me, for it is as much, as though she had saied, I am vnited to my deare friend, and he like­wise is nere me, to th'end that by vniting himselfe more and more vnto me, he may become wholly mine, my deare friend is to me a posie of Myrrhe, he shall remaine betwixt my breastes, and I will hold him close to my bosome, as a posie of delight. My soule, saieth Dauid, hath stucke to thee ô God and thy right hand hath caught and seised me. [Page 399] But in another place she confesseth that she is pre­uented, saying, my beloued is wholy mine, and I am wholy his, we make a holy vnion by which he is ioyned to me, and I to him. And yet to shew that all the vnion is made by Gods grace, which drawes vs vnto it, and by its allurements moues our selues, and giues life to the motion of our v­nion towards him, she cries out as being wholy impotent, Drawe me: yet to testifie, that she will not permit herselfe to be drawen as a stone or a slaue, but that on her side she will concurre, and will mixe her feeble motiōs to her Louers power­full drought. we rūne saieth she in the odours of thy perfumes. And to th'end one may knowe, that she is strōgly drawen by the will, all the powers of the soule will make towards the vnion, Drawe me saieth she and we will rūne; The Spouse drawes but one, and many runns towards the vnion. It is the will onely that God aimes at; but all the other powers runne after, to be vnited to God with her.

9. The diuine shepheard of soules prouo­ked his deare Sunamite to this vnion: place me, saieth he, as a seale vpon thy heart, or as a signet vpon thy arme. To imprint a signet well vpon waxe, one doth not onely ioyne it, but euen presse it hard downe: so he desireth that we should be vnited vnto him in so strict and close an vnion, that we should keepe his markes imprinted vpon vs.

10. The holy loue of our Sauiour doth presse vs; ô God what an excellent exemple of vnion! He was vnited to our humane nature by grace, as [Page 400] a vine to the Elme, to make it in some sort partici­pat of his fruite; but seeing this vnion ouer­throwen by Adams sinne, he made another more close and pressing vnion in the Incarnation, wher­by humane nature remaines for euer ioyned in personall vnitie to the Diuinitie: and to th'end that not humane nature onely, but euen euery man might be closely vnited to his Goodnesse, he instituted the most holy Sacrament of the Altar, in which euery one might participate, and vnite his Sauiour to himselfe really, and by māner of foode. THEO: this Sacramentall vnion doth vrge, and aide vs towards the spirituall vnion, of which we speake.

Of the soueraigne degree of vnion, by sus­pension or rauishment. CHAPTER. III.

1. VVHether therefore, the vnion of our soule with God be made percepti­bly, or imperceptibly, God is alwaies the Authour thereof; for none can be vnited to him, but by going vnto him, nor can any goe vnto him, vnlesse he be drawen by him, as the Heauenly Spouse doth testifie, saying, none can come vnto me, vnlesse my Father drawes him: which his holy Spouse doth also protest, saying, Drawe me, and we will runne in the odour of thy perfumes.

2. Now the perfection of this vnion consisteth [Page 401] of two points; that it be pure ād that it be strong. May not I goe towards a man with intention, to behold him better, to speake to hī to obtaine some thīg of him, to smell the perfumes which are about him, to be supported by him? and in that case certainly I goe towards him, and ioyne my selfe vnto him: yet my approch and vnion, is not my principall pretention, but I onely make that a meanes and way to the obtaining of another thing. But if I approch and ioyne my selfe vnto him, for no other end, then to be neere vnto him, and to enioye this neighbourhood and vniō, it is then an approch of pure and simple vnion.

3. So, many doe approch vnto our Sauiour, some to heare him, as Magdalen; some to be cu­red by him, as the sicke of the fluxe; others to a­dore him, as the three kinges; others to serue him, as Martha; others to vanquish their incredulitie, as S. THOMAS; others to anointe him, as MAGDA­LEN, IOSEPH, NICODEMVS; but his diuine Suna­mite seekes to find him, and hauing found him, desires no other thing then to hold him fast, and holding him, neuer to quit him; I hold him, saieth she, and I will neuer let him goe. IACOB, saieth S. B RNARD, hauing fast hold of God, will let him goe, so he may receiue his benediction; but the Sunamite will not let hī depart, for all the benedictiōs he can giue her; for her aime is not the benedictions of God, but the God of benedictiōs, saying with Dauid, what is there for me in heauen, or in earth what can I pretend but thy selfe? thou art the God of my heart, and my part for euer.

4. Thus was the glorious Mother at the foote [Page 402] of her sonnes Crosse. Ah! what dost thou search ô mother of life, in this Mount of Caluarie, in this place of death? I am looking, would she haue saied, my child, who is the life of my life. And why dost thou looke him? to be close by him. But now he is amidst the dolours of death. Ah! it is not mirth I seeke, it is himselfe: and my heart in loue, makes me looke all about; to be vnited vnto that amiable child, my tenderly beloued. In fine the pretention of the soule in this vnion, is onely to be with her Louer.

5. But when the vnion of the soule with God is most strict and most close it is called by Diuines, an INHESION, or ADHESION, for that, the soule thereby is taken, fastened, glued, and nayled to the Diuine Maiestie, so that she cannot easily loose, or drawe her selfe backe againe. Looke, I praie you, vpon a man taken, and locked by at­tention to the delight of a harmonious musike, or else (which is idle) to the fopperie of a game at cardes, you would drawe him from it, but cānot, what businesse soeuer attend him at home; there is no forcing him thence, in it, euen meate and drinke is forgotten. O God, THEOT: how much more ought the soule that is in loue with God to be fastened, and locked, being vnited to the Di­uinitie of the infinite Sweetenesse, and who is taken, and wholy possessed by this obiect of in­comparable perfection? Such was the soule of that great vessell of Election, who cried-out: To th'end I might liue with God, I am nayld to the Crosse with IESVS-CHRIST; and with all, he pro­tests, that nothing, no not death it selfe, can se­parate [Page 403] him from his Maister. This effect of loue was also practised betweene Dauid and Ionathas: for it is saied, that the soule of Ionathas was glued to Dauids; to conclud it is a famous AXIOME amongst the Aunciant Fathers, that Friendshipe that can know end, was neuer true Friendshipe, as elswhere I haue saied.

5. See, I beseech you THEO: the little childe cleeuing to, and colling his mother; if one offer to take him thence to laie him in his cradle, it being high time, he delaies and essaies by all the meanes he is able, not to forsake that amiable bosome; and if one make him loose one hand, he claspes hold with the other, but if one carrie him quite away, he fals a crying, and keeping his heart and his eyes, where he cannot keepe his bodie, with shrikes he pursues his deare mother, till by rocking he is brought a sleepe. So the soule who by the exercise of vnion is come to be taken, and fastened to the Diuine Goodnesse, can hardly be pulled from it by force, ād a great deale of paine. It is not possible to make her loose hold; if one diuert her Imagination, she ceaseth not to ap­prehend her selfe taken by the vnderstanding; and if one loose her vnderstanding, she cleeues by the will, or if yet by some violent distraction they vrge her will to quit her hold from moment to moment, she returns towards her deare obiect, from which she cannot be entirely vntyed, but she striues all she can to linke together againe the sweete bands of her vnion with him, by the fre­quent returns which she makes by stelth, expe­riencing in it S. PAVLES paine: for she is pressed [Page 404] with two desires; to be freede of all exteriour im­ploiment, to remaine with IESVS-CHRIST in her interiour and yet to put hand to the worke of Obedience, which the very vnion with IESVS CHRIST, doth teach her to be requisite.

6. And the B. S. TERESA saieth excellently, that the vnion being arriued at this perfection, as to hold vs taken and tyed to our Sauiour, is not distinguished from a rauishment, suspension, or hanging of the Spirit, But that it is called onely vnion, suspension, or hanging, when it is short; and when it is long, Extasie or rauishment, be­cause indeede, the soule which is so firmely and closely vnited to her God, that she cannot easily be drawen thence, is not in her selfe but in God, as a crucified bodie is not in it selfe but vpon the crosse, or as Iuie grasping the wall, is not in it's selfe, but vpon the wall.

7. But to auoyde all equiuocation, know THEO: that Charitie is a place, and a place of perfection: and he that is endued with more Charitie, is more straitly vnited, and fastened vnto God. And we speake not of that vnion which is permanent in vs by manner of habite, be we sleeping, or waking; we speake of the vniō made by action, which is one of the Exercises of loue and Charitie. Imagine then that S. PAVLE, S. DENIS, S. AVGVSTINE, S. BERNARD, S. FRANCIS, S. CATHE­RIN of Genua, or of Sienna were yet in this world, and were fallen a sleepe, being wearied with their many labours taken for the loue of God: Propose to your selfe on the other side some good soule, yet not so holy as they, that were in [Page 405] the Praier of Vnion at the same time: I would aske you, THEO: who is more vnited, ioyned, and fastened to God, whether these great Saints that sleepe, or that soule that praies? Certes those are the admirable louers; for they haue more Chari­tie; and their affections, though in some sort a sleepe, are so engaged, and tyed to their Maister, that they cannot be separated from him. But you will saie vnto me, how can it be, that a soule in Praier of Vnion, euen vnto Extasie, should be lesse vnited vnto God, then such as sleepe be they neuer so Saintly? Why marke what I tell you THEO: that soule is more aduanced in the Exercise of vniō; those in the vnion it selfe: these are vnited, not vniting thēselues, being a sleepe: but she is vni­ted ād is in the actuall practise, ād exercise of vniō.

8. Moreouer this exercise of vnion with God may euen be practised by short and passing, yet frequent, eiaculations of our heart to God, by way of Iaculatorie Praier made to this purpose. Ah IESVS who will giue me the grace to be one soule with thee! In fine Lord reiecting the multi­plicitie of creaturs I desire thyne onely vnitie! O God thou art the onely vnitie, and onely one, necessarie for my soule! Alas, deare friend of my heart, vnite my poore lone soule, to thy most sin­gular Bountie! Ah thou art wholy myne, when shall I be wholy thyne? The Adamant drawes and vnites iron vnto it; ô Lord my Adamant, be my draw-heart, locke, presse and vnite my heart for euer vnto thy Fatherly breast? Ah sith I am made for thee, why am I not in thee? Dip this drope of Spirit which thou hast bestowed vpon me, into [Page 406] the Sea of thy Goodnesse, from whence it flowed. Ah Sauiour I seeing that thy heart loues me why doth it not force me to it, I desiring it should be so? Drawe me and I will runne seconding thy draughtes, to cast my selfe into thy Fatherly bo­some, from whence euerlastingly I will not de­parte.

Of Rapture, and of the first spe­cies of the same. CHAPTER. IV.

1. AN Extasie is called a Rapture, for as much as God doth therby draw and reare vs vp to himselfe, and a Rapture is termed an extasie, in that we doe by it, goe and remaine, out of and a­boue our selues, to be vnited to God. And al­though the touches by which God drawes vs be admirably sweete, gustfull and delicious; yet by reason of the force which the diuine Beautie and Bountie haue, to drawe vnto them the attention and application of the mind, it seemes, that it doth not onely raise vs, but that it doth rauish and beare vs a way. As contrariwise, by reason of the most free consent, and ardent motion, by which the soule rauished, rūnes after the diuine touches, she seemes not onely to mount, and eleuate her selfe, but that she doth breake out of her selfe and cast her selfe into the very Diuinitie. It fals out after the same manner, in the most infamous extasie, or [Page 407] abominable Rapture of the soule, who by the baites of brutall pleasures, is degraded of her spiri­tuall dignitie, and placed below her naturall con­dition; for in so much as she doth willingly follow this accursed pleasure, and doth precipitate her­selfe, out of herselfe, that is, out of her spirituall estate, she is saied to be in a sensuall Extasie: but for as much as the sensuall baites, and inticements doe forceably drawe her, and as it were, traile her into this vile and base condition, she is saied to be rauished, and transported, because these beastly delightes doe depose her from the vse of reason and vnderstanding with so furious a vio­lence, that as one of the greatest Philosophers saieth, a man in this case, seemes to be fallen into the falling sicknesse, so is the mind swallowed vp and as it were lost. O men how long will you be so made, as to debase your naturall dignitie, vo­luntarily precipitating your selues, and discending to the condition of brute beastes?

2. But my Deare THEO: as touching sacred Extasies, they are of three kindes; the one belongs to the Vnderstanding, th'other to the Affection, and the third to the Action: The one is in Splen­dour, th'other in feruour, the third in the worke: the one is made by admiration, th'other by deuo­tion, and the third by operation. Admiration is caused in vs by the approch of an vncoth Truth, which we neither know, nor yet hope to know: and if the vncoth Truth we meete with, be accom­paned with Beautie and Goodnesse, the admi­ratition which proceedeth from it, is vety deli­cious; So the Queene of Saba finding more true [Page 408] wisdome in Salomon, then she had imagined, was filled with admiration. And the Iewes experien­cing in our Sauiour more knowledge then euer they had beleeued, they were taken with a great admiratiō. When therefore it pleaseth the Diuine Goodnesse to illuminate our heart with some speciall light, wherby it is raised to an extraordi­narie, and sublime contemplation of heauenly Mysteries, then discouering more beautie in them, then it could haue imagined, it fals into Admi­ration.

3. Now admiration of pleasant things doth closely fixe and glew the mind to the thing ad­mired, as well by reason of the excellent beautie which admiration discouers vnto it, as also by the noueltie of this excellencie, the vnderstanding neuer thinking to haue gazed enough, vpon that which it neuer sawe before, and yet is so agreeable to the viewe: Sometimes also besides this, God doth impart to the soule, a light not onely cleare, but euen encreasing in clearenesse, as the breake of the day, and thē, as such as haue found a goldē Myne, doe still breake more earth, still to finde more of that wished mettle, so the vnderstanding doth still diue deeper and deeper into the consi­deration and admiration of his diuine obiect: for euen as admiration was the cause of Philosophie and the attentiue studie of naturall things, so it was the cause of Contēplation, and mysticall Diui­nitie; ād whereas this admiratiō being strōg, keepes vs without our selues ād aboue our selues by a liue­ly attētion, and applicatiō of our vnderstāding to heauēly things, it carries vs cōsequētly into Extasie.

Of the second Species of Rapture. CHAPTER. V.

1. GOd drawes mens minds vnto him, by his soueraigne Beautie, and incomprehensible GOODNESSE, which two excellences are but one Supreame Diuinitie, most singularly faire and good together. Euery thing aimes at GOOD and FAIRE, euery thing lookes that way, and are stir­red and staied by it; GOOD and FAIRE, is desirable, amiable, and deare vnto all; for it, all things doe and will, whatsoeuer they will or doe. And FAIRE because it doth attract, and recall all things to it selfe, the Grecians giues it a name which signifies to recall. In like manner, light is the true picture of GOOD especially in that, light doth recollect, reduce and turne all things towards it selfe, whēce the Sunne amongst the Grecians is named from a word, which shewes that his effect is to gather to­gether, vnite, and assemble things dispersed; as GOODNESSE doth turne all things vnto it selfe, being not onely the soueraigne vnion, but soue­raignely vniting, since all things desire it, as their Principall conseruation, and last end; so that in conclusion GOOD and FAIRE are but one and the same thing, because all things doe couet GOOD and FAIRE.

2. This discourse THEO: is almost entirely composed of the words of the Diuine S. D [...]NIS of Areopagite: and verily it is certaine that the Sūne, [Page 410] Source of corporall light, is the true picture of GOOD and FAIRE: for amongst purely corporall creaturs, there is neither Goodnesse, nor Beautie equall to that of the Sunne. Now the BEAVTIE and GOODNESSE of the Sunne consisteth in his light, without which nothing would be FAIRE, nothing GOOD in this corporall world: as FAIRE, he lighteneth all, as GOOD he heateth and quick­neth all: in so much as he is FAIRE and cleare, he drawes vnto him all the eyes of the world that haue sight; In so much as he is good, and doth heate, he gaines vnto himselfe all the appetits and inclina­tions of this corporall world: for he doth extract and drawe vp the exhalations and vapours, he tou­cheth and makes rise from their originalls, Plantes and liuing creatures; nor is there any generation to which the vitall heate of this great light doth not contribute. So God, Father of light, souerai­gnely GOOD and FAIRE, by his beautie drawes our Vnderstanding to contemplate him, and by his GOODNESSE our wills to loue him; as Faire, re­plenishing our vnderstanding with delight, he poures his loue into our wills; as Good, filling our wills with his loue he excits our vnderstanding to contemplate him; Loue prouoking vs to Con­templation, and Contemplation to loue: whence it followes that Extasies and Raptures depend wholy of loue, for it is loue that carries the vnder­standing to Contemplation, and the will to vnion so that finally we must conclud with the great S. DENIS, that Diuine Loue is extaticall, not leauing Louers to liue to themselues, but to the thing be­loued: for which cause the admirable Apostle S. [Page 411] PAVLE, being possessed of this diuine Loue, and participating the extaticall force thereof, with a diuinely inspired mouth, I liue, saied he, not I, but IESVS-CHRIST liues in me, as a true Louer gone out of himselfe into God; he liued now not his owne life, but the life of his beloued, as being soueraignely amiable

3. Now these Raptures of loue, are exercised vpon the will in this sort, God toucheth it with the touches of his sweetenesse, and thē, as a needle touched with an Adamant, doth turne and tend towards the Pole forgetfull of its insensible condi­tion; so the will touched with heauenly loue, doth lanche out, and aduāce it selfe towards God, lea­uing all earthly pretentions, and by that meanes fals into a Rapture, not of knowledge, but of fruition; not of admiration, but of affe­ction; not of science, but of experience; not of sight, but of taste and feeling. It is true as I haue already signified, the vnderstanding enters some times into admiration, seeing the sacred delight which the will takes in her Extasie, as the will of­ten takes pleasure to perceiue the vnderstanding in admiration, so that these two faculties doe en­terchang their rauishments: the view of Beautie making vs loue it, and the loue thereof making vs view it. Rarely is a man made hote by the sunne beames, that he is not also lightened; or lightened and not made hote. Loue doth easily make vs ad­mire; and admiration, loue.

3. Howbeit the two Extasies of the vnderstan­ding and will, are not so mutuall but that the one is often found without the other; for as the Phi­losophers [Page 412] did better know, then loue their Crea­tour; so ordinarily good Christians doe more loue then know him, and consequently the abundance of knowledge, is not alwayes followed with the abundance of loue, like as the abundance of loue is not still accompaned with the abundance of knowledge, as elsewhere I haue noted. Now if the Extasie of admiration be alone, we are not made better by it, following that which he saied, who was drawen vp in Extasie into the third heauen: If I knew, quoth he, all the Mysteries and Sciences, and should wāt Charitie, I am nothing; and there­fore the euill Spirit can put into an Extasie, if we may so saie, and rauish the vnderstanding, by pro­posing vnto it wonders which holds it in suspence eleuated aboue its naturall forces, and by such lightes he can afford the will a kind of vaine, daintie, nice, and imperfect loue, by way of com­placence, satisfaction, and sensible consolation. But to put the will into a true Extasie, wherby it is entirely and powerfully ioyned vnto the diuine Goodnesse, appertaines onely to that soueraigne Spirit, by whom the Charitie of God is diffused into our hearts

Of the signes of a good Rapture, and of the third species of the same. CHAPTER. VI.

1. ANd indeede THEO: there haue bene many in our age, that both themselues and [Page 413] others with them beleeued, that they were fre­quently by the diuine power drawen into Extasie, and yet in the end it was discouered, that all was but illusions, and diabolicall amassements. A cer­taine Priest in S. AVGVSTINES time put himselfe into Extasies when he pleased, by singing, or hea­ring sunge certaine mournefull, and pitifull dit­ties, and that onely to please their curiositie, who desired to view this Spectacle. But that which is most admirable is, that his Extasie went so farre, that he did not feele fire which was applied vnto him, saue after he was come to himselfe; and yet if some spoke with a shrill voice, he would heare them as from a farre off, yet did he not breath. The Philosophers themselues did acknowledge certaine Species of naturall Extasies, caused by a vehement application of the mind to the conside­tion of high things: Wherefore we must not thinke it strang if the diuell to plaie the Ape, to beguile soules, to scandalize the weake, and to transforme himselfe into an Angell of light, cause Rapturs in certaine soules, who are not solidly instructed in true pietie.

2. To the end then, that one might discerne Diuine Extasie from humane an [...] [...]iobolicall; Gods seruants haue left many documents: But for my part, it shall suffice for my purpose, to propose vnto you two markes of the good and holy Exta­sie. The one is that the holy Extasie doth neuer so much charge, and affect the vnderstanding as the will, which it doth stirre vp, enkindle, and fill with a solide affection towards God; so that, if the Exstasie be more faire then Good; more bright thē [Page 414] hote; more speculatiue then affectiue, it is very doubtfull, and worthy of suspition. I doe not saie, that one may not haue Rapturs, yea Prophe­ticall visiōs without Charitie: for as I know well, one may haue Charitie without being rauished, or prophecying, as one may also be rauished and prophecie, without hauing Charitie: but I affirme that he that in his Rapture hath more light of vn­derstanding to admire God, then heate of will to loue him, is to stand vpon his garde: for it is to be feared that this extasie may be false, and rather puff vp the mind then edifie, putting him indeede as another Saule, Balaam, and Caiphas amongst the Prophets, yet leauing him amongst the re­probate.

3. The second marke of true Extasies consi­steth in the third species of Extasies which we tou­ched aboue; an Extasie wholy sacred, wholy a­miable, and which crownes the two others; and it is the Extasie of the worke and life. The entire obseruance of Gods commādement is not within the bounds of mans strength, yet is it within the the confins of the instinct of mans mind, as being most conformable to naturall light and reason: so that liuing according to Gods Commande­ments, doth not put vs by our naturall inclination, yet besides God's Cōmandmets, there are certaine heauenly inspirations, to the effecting of which, it is not onely requisite that God doe raise vs a­boue our owne strength, but also he must eleuate vs aboue our naturall instincts and inclina­tions, because allbeit these inspirations are not opposite to humane capacitie, yet doe they ex­ceede [Page 415] it, surmounte it, and are placed aboue it, in such sort as we doe not then liue a ciuill, honest, and Christian life onely, but a supernaturall, spi­rituall deuoute, and extaticall life, that is, a life which in all respects is without the compasse, and aboue the condition of our nature.

4. Not to steale, not to lye, not to com­mit luxurie, to praie to God, not to sweare, in vaine to loue and honour ones Father, not to kill; is to liue according to mans naturall reason: but to forsake all our fortuns, to fall in loue with Pouertie, to entitle and obserue her in the quali­tie of a most delightfull Mistresse, to repute re­proches, contemptes, abiections, persecutions, martyrdomes, Felicities, and beatitudes, to con­taine ones selfe within the termes of an absolute chastitie, and in fine to liue amidst the world and in this mortall life, contrarie to the worlds opi­nions and MAXIMES, and against the currant of the worlds floode, dayly by resignatiōs, renunciatiōs, and abnegations of our selues, is not to liue natu­rally but supernaturally: it is not to liue in our selues, but with out and aboue our selues; and be­cause none is able to raise himselfe in this manner aboue himselfe, vnlesse the Almightie draw him; thence it is that this kind of life is a perpetuall rauishment, and a continuall Extasie in action and operation.

5. You are dead, saied the great Apostles to the Rodians, and your life is hidden with IESVS CHRIST in God: Death seperats the soule from the bodie, and the confines thereof. What will then these words of the Apostle saie, THEO: you [Page 416] are dead; it is as much as though he had saied, you liue not in your selues, nor with in the compasse of your naturall condition; your soule doth not now liue according to her selfe but aboue herselfe. The Phenix is Phe­nix in this, that by the helpe of the Sunne beames she doth annihilate her owne life, to ex­chang it, for one more sweete and vigorous, hi­ding as it were her life vnder the dead cinders. Silke-wornes doe chang their beeing, of wormes, becoming butterflies; Bees are bred wormes, then they turne Nymphes, and creepe, and finally they become flying bees. We doe the like, THEO: if we be spirituall: for we forsake our naturall life to liue a more eminent life and aboue our selues, hiding all this new life in God with IESVS CHRIST who alone sees, knowes, and bestowes it. Our new life, is heauenly loue, which doth quicken and animate our soule, and this Loue is wholy hidden in God, and Godly things with IESVS CHRIST: for as the sacred Euangelicall Text saieth, after our Sauiour had a while showen himselfe to his Disciples in mounting to heauenwards, at length he was ēuironed with a cloude, which tooke him and hid him frō their view. IESVS CHRIST thē aboue is hidden in God. And IESVS CHRIST is our loue, which is the life of our soule: Therefore our life is hidden in God with IESVS CHRIST, and when IESVS CHRIST who is our Loue, and cōsequētly our spirituall life, shall appeare in the day of Iudgmēt, we shall thē appeare together with him in glorie, that is, IESVS CHRIST our Loue will glorifie vs, cōmunicating vnto vs his felicitie, ād brightnesse.

How Loue is the life of the soule, with a continuation of the extaticall life. CHAPTER. VII.

1. THe soule is the first act and principle of all the vitall motions of man, and as Ari­stotle expresseth it, the PRINCIPLE wherby we liue, feele, and vnderstand; whence it followes, that from the diuersitie of motions, we gather the diuersitie of lifes; so that beastes that haue no naturall motion, are entirely lifelesse. Euen so, THEO: Loue is the first ACT or PRIN­CIPLE of our deuote or spirituall life, by which we liue, feele, and moue: and our spirituall life is such, as are the motions of our loue; and a heart that wants motion and affection, wants loue; as contrariwise a heart possessed of loue, is not with­out Loue-motions. As soone therefore as we haue set our affection vpon IESVS CHRIST, we haue consequently placed in him, our spirituall life. Now our Loue is hidden in God aboue, as God was hidden in it, while he was heare belowe: Our life therefore is hiddē in him, ād whē he shall appeare in glorie, our life, and our Loue shall like­wise appeare with him in God. Hence S. IGNATIVS, as S. D [...]NIS reporteth, affirmed that his Loue was crucified, as though he would haue saied, my na­turall and humane loue with all the passions that depend of it, is nailed to the crosse: I haue put it [Page 418] to death as a mortall Loue, which made my heart liue a mortall life: and as my Sauiour was cruci­fied and died according to his mortall life, to rise againe to an immortall life, so did I die with him vpon the Crosse according to his naturall loue, which was the mortall life of my soule, to th'end I might rise againe to the supernaturall life of a loue which in that it can be exercised in Heauen, is also immortall.

2. When therefore we see a soule that hath Raptures in Praier, by which she goes out of her selfe and mounts vnto God, and yet hath no Ex­tasies in her life, I meane, leades not an exemplar life, vnited to God, by abnegation of worldly de­sires, mortification of the will and naturall incli­nations; by an interiour calmenesse, simplicitie, humilitie, and aboue all, by a continuall Chari­tie: beleeue it, THEO: all these Raptures are ex­ceedingly doubtfull, and dangerous; These are Raptures fit to stirre vp men to admiration, but not to sanctifie them. For what can it profit the soule to be reared vp in rauishment to God by Praier, while in her life and conuersation she is rauished by earthly, foule, and naturall affections? to be aboue herselfe in Praier, and belowe her selfe in life and operation? To be Angelicall in Meditation, and brutall in conuersation? It is to hault on both sides; to sweare by God, and yet by Melchon: In fine it is a true marke that such Rap­tures and Extasies, are but fraudes and delusions of the diuell. Happie are they who liue a superna­turall and extaticall life, aduanced aboue them­selues, alltough in Praier they be not rauished. [Page 419] There are many Saints in heauen who were neuer in Extasie, or Rapture of contemplation: for how many Martyrs, holy men and women, are mentio­ned in histories, who neuer had other priuiledge in Praier, then that of deuotion and feruour? But there was neuer Sainte, who had not the Extasie and Rapture of life and operation, ouercomming themselues with their naturall inclinations.

3. And who sees not I praie you THE: that it is the Extasie of life ād operatiō that the great Apostle speakes off, especially when he saieth, I liue not I, but IESVS CHRIST liueth in me: for he himselfe doth expose it in other termes to the Romans, saying, that our old man is crucified together with IESVS CHRIST; that we are dead to sinne with him, and that we are also risen with him, to walke in newnesse of life, and not be any longer slaues to sinne. Behold, THEO: how two men are repre­sented in each of vs, and consequently two liues: the one of the old man, which is the old life; as we saie of an Eagle, who being growen into old age, is glad to drag her plumes, not being after able to take flight: the other is the life of the new man, which, also is a new life, as that of the Eagle, who being disburdened of her old feethers which she had shaken off into the sea, recouers new ones, and being growne young againe, flies in the newnesse of her forces.

4. In the first life we liue according to the old man, that is, according to the defaultes, weake­nesse and infirmitie, contracted by our first Fa­ther Adams sinne; and therefore we liue to Adams sinne, and our life is a mortall life, yea death it [Page 240] selfe: In the second life, we liue according to the new man, that is according to the graces, fauours, ordinances, and will of our Sauiour, and conse­quently, we liue to saluation and Redemption, and this new life, is a liuing, vitall, and quickning life, but whosoeuer would attaine the new life, he must make his way by the death of the old, cruci­fying his flesh with all the vices and concupicences thereof, interring it in the holy water of Baptisme, or in penance; as Naman did drowne and burie in the waters of Iordain, his leporous and infe­cted old life, to liue a new, sound, and spotlesse life: for one might well haue saied of him, that he was not now the old leporous, stinking, infected Naman: but a new, neate, sound, and comely Na­man, because he was dead to leprosie, but suruiued to health, and integritie.

5. Now, whosoeuer is raised vp againe to this new life of our Sauiour, he neither liues to himselfe, in himselfe, or for himselfe, but to his Sauiour, in his Sauiour, ād for his Sauiour. Thinke saieth S. Paule, that you are truely dead to sinne, but liue to God in our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST.

An admirable exhortation of S. Paule to the extaticall and supernaturall life. CHAPTER. VIII.

1. BVt finally, me thinkes S. Paule, makes the most forceable pressing, and admirable ar­gument, [Page 421] that euer was made, to vrge vs all to the Extasie, and Rapture of life and operation. Marke THEO: I beseech you, be attentiue, and ponder the force and efficacie, of the ardent and heauenly words of this Apostle, rauished and transported with the loue of his Maister. Speaking then of himselfe (and the like is to be saied of euery one) the Charitie, saieth he of IESVS CHRIT, doth presse vs, yes THEO: nothing doth so much presse mans heart, as loue; if a man knowe that he is beloued, be it of whom it will, he is pressed to loue mu­tually. But if an ordinarie fellow be beloued by a great Lord, he is yet more pressed; if of a power­full Monarke, how much more is he pressed? And now I praie you, knowing well that IESVS CHRIST the true Eternall God Omnipotent, hath loued vs, euen to suffering death for vs, and the death of the crosse, is not this ô my deare THEO: to haue our hearts in the presse, to feele them forceably pressed, and perceiue loue squised out of them by violence and constraint, which is so much more violent, by how much it is more amiable and louelie? But in what sort doth Charitie presse vs? the Charitie of IESVS CHRIST, doth presse vs, saieth his holy Apostle, waighing this matter. But what doth these words (waighing this matter) im­port? It imports, that our Sauiours Charitie doth presse vs then especially, when we doe waigh, con­sider, ponder, meditate, and remaine attentiue to this resolution of faith. But what resolution? marke, my Good THEOT: how he goes engra­uing, emplanting, and forcing his conceite into our hearts. Waighing this, saieth he; and what? [Page 422] That if one be dead, and IESVS CHRIST died for all. Certes it is true, if a IESVS CHRIST died for all, all the are dead, in the person of this onely Sa­uiour, who died for them: and his death is to be imputed vnto them, since it was endured for them, and in consideration of them.

2. But what followes out of all this? me thinkes I heare that Apostolicall mouth, as a thun­der, making an outcrie to the eares of our hearts; It followes then ô Christians, what IESVS CHRIST dying for vs, desired of vs. And what did he desire of vs, but that we should be conformed vnto him, to th'end, saieth the Apostle, that such as liue, should henceforth no more liue to themselues, but to him that died, and rose for them. Deare God, THEO: how powerfull a consequence is this in the matter of Loue! IESVS CHRIST died for vs, by his death he hath giuen vs life; we doe not liue but in so much as he died, he died for vs, to vs, and in vs. Our life then, is no more ours, but his who did purchase it vs, by his death: we are not there­fore any more to liue to our selues, but to him, nor in our selues, but in him, nor for our selues but for him. A yoūg Girle of the Ile of Sestos, had brought vp an Eagle, with such diligēce as little childrē are wonte to bestowe vpon such emploiments: the Eagle being come to her grouth, began by little and little to find her winge, and flie at bird's, fol­lowing her naturall instinct, afterwards getting more strength, she seased vpon wild beasts, neuer failing faithfully to bring home the prey to her deare Mistresse, as in acknowledgment of the breeding, which she had from her. Now it happe­ned [Page 423] vpon a day that this young damsell died, while the poore Eagle was rouing abrode, and her bodie according to the coustome of those times, and places, was publickly placed vpon the funerall Pile to be brunt; but euen as the flame began to sease hpon her, the Eagle came in; with a quicke flight, and beholding this vnlooked for, and sad spectackle, strooke through with griefe, she loosed her talons, let fall her prey, and spred herselfe vpon her poore beloued Mistresse; and couering her with her wings, as it were to defend her from the fire, or for pities sake to embrace her, she remained there constant and immoueable, couragiously dying and burning with her, the ardour of her affection not giuing place to the ar­dour of flames and fire, that by that meanes she might become the VICTIME ād HOLOCAVSTE of her braue and prodigious loue, as her Mistresse was already of death and fire.

3. O THEO: to what a high flight this Eagle moues vs! our Sauiour hath bred vs vp from our tender youth, yea he formed vs, and receiued vs as a louing Nource into the armes of his Di­uine Prouidence, euen from the time of our Con­ception.

He made vs his owne by Baptisme, and by an in­comprehensible loue doth tenderly nourish both our bodie and soule: to purchace vs life, he suf­fered death, and with his owne flesh and blood hath fed vs: Ah what rests then, my deare THEO: [Page 424] what Conclusion are we to draw from hence; but onely, that such as liue, should liue no more to them selues, but to him that died for them; that is to saie, that we should consecrate all the moments of our life, to the Diuine Loue of our Sa­uiours death, bringing home to his glorie all our preys, all our conquests, all our actions, all our thoughts and affections? Let vs behold, THEO: this heauenly Redeemour extended vpon the Crosse, as vpon a funerall Pile of honour, where he died of Loue for vs, yea of loue more painefull then death it selfe, or a death more pleasant then loue it selfe: Ah doe we not spiritually cast our selues vpon him, to die vpon the Crosse with him, who for the loue of vs freely died? I will hold him, should we saie, if we had the Eagles generositie, and will neuer depart from him; I will die with him, and burne in the flames of his loue; one and the same fire shall consume the Diuine Creatour, and the miserable creature. My IESVS is wholy myne, and I am wholy his, I will liue and die vpon his breast, nor life nor death shall euer separate me from him. Thus is the holy Extasie of true loue practised while we liue not accor­ding to humane reason and bent, but aboue them, following the inspiration and in­stinct of the heauenly Sauiour of our soules.

Of the supreame effect of affectiue loue, which, is the death of Louers, and first of such as died in loue. CHAPTER. IX.

1. LOue is strong, as death; death doth sepe­rate the soule of him that dies from the bo­die, and from all earthly things: Sacred loue doth seperate the Louers soule from the bodie, and all earthly things; nor is there any other difference, sauing that death doth that in effect, which loue ordinarily doe onely in affection. I saie ordina­rily, THEO: because holy loue is sometimes so violent that euen in effect, it causeth a separation betwixt the bodie and the soule; making the Louers die a most happie death, much better then a thousand liues.

2. As it is proper to the Reprobate to die in sinne; so is it proper to the Elect to die in the Loue and Grace of God, yet in a different manner. The iust man neuer dies vnprouided; for to haue perse­uered in Christian Iustice euen to the end, was a good prouision for death. He dies indeede some­times sodainely, or a sodaine death. For this cause the most wise Church in her Litanies doth teach vs not onely to demand, to be deliuered frō sodaine death, but sodaine ād vnprouided death: It is no worse for being sodaine, if it be not withall vnprouided. If some weake and common soules, had seene fire frō [Page 426] Heauen fall vpon the great S. SIMEON Stilits head, and kill him, what would they haue thought, but thoughts of scandall? yet are we to make no o­ther conceit of the matter then that this great Saint, hauing perfectly sacrificed himselfe to God in his heart already wholy consumed with loue, the fire came from Heauen to perfect the Holo­causte and entirely burne it; for the Abbot Iulian, being a dayes iorney off, saw his soule ascend to Heauen, and thervpon caused incense to be offe­red in thankesgiuing to God. The Blessed man, Good Cremonius, on a certaine day, set vpon his knees most deuotly to heare Masse, rose not at the Ghospell according to custome, whēce those that were about him, looked vpon him, and perceiued he was dead. There haue bene in our time most famous men for vertue and learning, found dead, some in the confession seat, others while they heard the Sermon: yea some haue bene seene fal­ling downe dead at their going out of the Pulpet where they had preached with great feruour; and all these deaths were sodaine, yet not vnproui­ded. And how many Good people doe we see die of Apoplexies, Lethargies, and a thousand other wayes, very sodainely; others of madnesse and frensie without the vse of reason? and all these, together with children who are baptised died in Grace and consequently in the Loue of God. But how could they die in the Loue of God, since they thought not of God, at the time of their depar­ture?

3. Learned men, THEO: loose not their know­ledge while they are a sleepe, for so they would be [Page 427] vnlearned at their awaking, and be forced to re­turne to schoole. The like it is of all the habits of Prudence, Temperance, Faith, Hope, and Cha­ritie: They are continually in the iust mans heart, though they be not alwayes in action. While a man sleeps, it seemes that all his habits sleepe with him, and when he awakes, awake with him. So a iust man dying sodainely, or oppressed by a house falling vpon him, kill'd by Thunder, or stifled with a catarre, or else dying out of his senses by the violence of a hote Ague, dies not indeede in the exercise of holy Loue, yet dies he in the ha­bit thereof, wher-vpon the wise-man saieth, if the iust-man be preuented by death, he shall be in a place of refreshing: for it sufficeth to obtaine eternall life to die in the state and habit of loue and Charitie.

4. Yet many Saints haue departed this life, not onely in Charitie, and with the habite of hea­uenly loue, but euen in the act and practise there­of. S. AVGVSTINE deceased in the exercise of holy contrition, which cannot be without Loue. S. HIEROM in exhorting his deare children to the loue of God, their neighbours, and vertue. S. AMBROSE in a Rapture, sweetely discoursing with his Sauiour, immediatly after he had receiued the holy Sacrament of the Altar. S. ANTONIE of Pa­dua after he had recited a hymne of the glorious virgin-mother and while he spoke with great ioye to our Sauiour. S. THOMAS of Aquine, ioyning his hands, eleuating his eyes towards Heauen, raising his voice very high, and pronouncing by way of iaculation, with great deuotion these words of the [Page 428] Cāticles, (the last which he had expounded,) Come vnto me, my dearly beloued, and let vs goe toge-into the fields. All the Apostles, and in a manner all the Martyrs died in Praier. The Blessed and Ve­nerable Bede, hauing foreknowne by reuelation the time of his departure, went to Euensong (and it was vpō the Ascension day) and standing vpō his feete, leaning onely vpon the rests of his seate, without any disease at all, ended his life with the end of the Euensong, as it were directly to follow his Maister ascending vnto Heauen, there to en­ioye the bright morning of eternitie, which knowes no euening. Iohn Gerson Chancellour of the vniuersitie of Paris, a man so learned and pious that as Sixtus Sen [...]nsis saieth, one can hardly dis­cerne whether his learning outstripped his pieti [...] or his pietie his learning, hauing explicated the fift proprietie of diuine loue, recorded in the Can­ticle of Canticles, three dayes after making shew of a very liuely countenance and courage, expi­red pronouncing and iterating by way of iacula­torie Praier, these holy words drawen out of the same Canticles? ô God thy loue is strong as death. S. MARTIN [...] as is knowen, died so attentiue to the exercise of his deuotions, that he could not speake another word. S. Lewis that great king amongst Saints, and great Saint amongst kings. being in­fected with the plague, praied still, and then ha­uing receiued his heauenly VIATICVM, casting a­brode his armes in māner of a Crosse, his eyes fixed vpon Heauen, yeelded vp the ghost ardently sighing out these words with a perfect confidence of loue, ah Lord I will enter into thy house, I will [Page 429] adore thee in thy holy Temple, and blesse thy [...]ame. S. PETER Celestine, wholy possessed with afflictions, which one can scarcely speake off, being come to the periode of his daies, began to sing, as a sacred Nitingale, the last Psalme making these louing words the close of his life and song. LET [...]VERY SPIRIT PRAISE OVR LORD. The Admirable S. EVSEBIVS, surnamed the stranger, deceased vpon his knees in feruent Praier: S. PETER Martyr writing with his owne finger and blood the Con­fession of Faith for which he died, and vttering these words, Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit: And the great Iaponian Apostle S. FRANCIS Zauerius, holding and kissing the image of the Crucifix, and repeating at euery turne of a hand, this Eiaculation of heart. O IESVS, the God of my heart,

Of some that died by and for diuine Loue. CHAPTER. X.

1. All the Martyrs THEO: died for the Loue of God; for when we saie many died for the faith, we meane not, that they died for a dead faith, but for a liuely faith, that is, quickned by Charitie: And the confession of Faith, is not so much an act of the vnderstanding, and of Faith, as of the will, and of the Loue of God. And thus the great S. PET R conseruing Faith in his heart [Page 430] the day of his Maisters, did yet quit Charitie, re­fusing in words to professe him to be his Maister, whom in heart he acknowledged to be such. But there were yet other Martyrs who died expressely for Charitie alone, as our Sauiours great Forerunner, who was martyred for brotherly correction; and the glorious Princes of the Apo­stles S. PETER and S. PAVLE, but especially S. PAVLE was put to death for hauing reclamed those women to a pious and pure life, whom that infamous Nero had wrought to lewdnesse: The holy Bishops Stanislaus, and S. THOMAS of Can­terburie, were slaine for a matter that touched not Faith, but Charitie. In fine a great part of sacred Virgin-Martyrs were put to slaughter for the Zeale they had to conserue their Chastitie, which Charitie had caused them to dedicate to their hea­uenly Spouse.

2. But there are some of the Sacred Louers that doe so absolutly giue themselues ouer to the exercises of Diuine Loue, that holy fire doth wast and consume their life. Griefe doth sometimes so long hinder such as are afflicted, frō eating, drinking, or sleeping, that in the ēd weake­ned and wasted they dye; whervpon it is a com­mon saying, that such died of Griefe: but it is not so indeede; for they died through euacuation, and defect of strength. True it is, sith this faintnesse tooke them by reason of griefe, we must auerre, that though they died not of griefe, yet they died by reason of griefe, and by griefe: so my deare THEO: when the feruour of holy loue is great, it giues so many assaults to the heart, so often woūds [Page 431] it, causeth in it so many langours, so ordinarily melts it, and puts it so frequently into Extasies ad Raptures, that by this meanes, (the soule being almost entitely occupied in God, not being able to affo [...]d sufficient assistance to nature, cōuenien­tly to disg [...]st and nourish) the sensible and vitall spirits beg [...]n by little ād little to faile, li [...]e is short­ned, and death approcheth.

3. O God, THEO: how happie this death is! How delightfull is this loue-dart, which woun­ding vs with the incurable wound of heauenly loue, makes vs for euer pining and sicke with so strong a beating of the heart, that at length we must yeeld to death. How much, doe you thinke, did these sacred langours, and labours vndergone for Charitie, shorten the dayes of the Diuine Louers S. Catherin of Sienna, S. Francis, Little Stanislaus Bosca, S. Charles, and many hundreds more who died in their youth? Verily as for S. FRANCIS, from the time he receiued his Maisters holy Stigmats, he had so violent and stinging paines, gripes, conuulsions and deseases, that he had nothing left on him but skinne and bones; and he seemed rather to be an Anatomie, or a picture of death, then one liuing and breathing.

How some of the heauenly Louers died euen of Loue. CHAPTER. XI.

1. All the Elect then, THEO: deceased in the habit of holy loue; but further, some died [Page 432] euen in the exercise of it, some againe for it, others by it. But that which belongs to the soueraigne degree of loue, is, that some die of loue; ād thē it is, that loue doth not onely woūd the soule, ād there­by make her languish, but doth euen pearce her through, hitting directly on the midst of the heart, and so deeply, that it forceth the soules de­pa [...]ture out of the bodie, which fals out in this manner. The soule powerfully drawen by the di­uine sweetenesse of her Beloued, to complie of her part with his deare allurements, forcibly springs out, and to her power tends towards her desired attracting friend, and not being able to draw her bodie after her, rather then to staie with it in this miserable life, she quits it and gets cleare, lonely flying as a faire doue into the delicious bo­some of her heauēly Spouse. She throwes her selfe vpon her Beloued, and her Beloued doth draw and force her to himselfe. And as the Bridgroome leaues Father and mother to adheare to his deare Bride. So this chaste Bride forsaketh flesh and blood to be vnited to her Beloued. Now it is the most violent effect that a loue worketh in a soule, and which requires a great precedent puritie from all such affections as may detaine the soule pri­soner either to the world or to the bodie, so that like as fire hauing by little and little seperated the Essen [...]e from its masse, and wholy purified it, at length it also driues out the QVINT-ESSENCE; euen so holy Loue hauing retired mans heart from all fantasies, inclinatiōs, and assions as farre fourth as may be, doth at length vrge the soule out, to the end that by that passage, pretious in the sight [Page 433] of God, she might passe to eternall glorie.

2. The great S. FRANCIS, who in the matter of heauenly loue comes still before myne eyes, could not possibly escape dying by loue, by reason of the manifould and great langours, Extasies and tran [...]es which his loue to God, who had exposed him to the whole worlds view, as a MIRACLE OF LOVE, would not onely haue him die for loue, but euen of Loue. For consider, I beseech you his death. Perceiuing himselfe vpon the point of his departure, he caused himselfe to be laied naked vpon the ground, where hauing receiued a habite for God's sake, which they put on him, he made a speach to his bretheren, encouraging them to loue and feare God, and his Church▪ made our Sauiours passiō be red, and then with an extreame feruour began the 141. Psalme. With my voice I haue cried to our Lord: with my voice I haue Praied to our Lord: and hauing pronounced these last words, o Lord bring forth my soule out prison, that I may praise thy holy name, the iust expect me, till thou reward me; he died the 45. yeare of his age. Who sees not, I besseech you THEO: that the Seraphicall man, who had so in­stantly desired to be martyred, and to die for loue, died in the end of loue, as in another place I haue explicated.

3. S. MAGDALEN hauing for the space of 30. yeares liued in a caue which is yet to be seene in PROVINCE rauished seuen times a day, and borne vp in the aire by Angels, as though it had bene to sing the seuen Canonicall houres in their Quire, in the end, vpon a Soneday she came to Church, [Page 434] where her deare Bishop S. Maximinus finding her in contemplation, her eyes full of teares, and her armes stretched out, he communicated her, and soone after, she deliuered vp her blessed soule, who once a gaine for good and all, went to her Sauiours feete, to enioye the BETTER [...]A [...] which she had already made choice off neare belowe.

4. S. BASILE had contracted a strict friendshipe with a Phisition, a Iewe by nation and religion, with intention to bring him to the faith of IESVS CHRIST, which neuerthelesse he could not effect, till such time, as, decaied by youth, old age and labours, being vpon the point of dying, he enqui­red of the Phisition, what opinion he had of him, coniuring him to speake freely; which the Phisi­tion refused not, but feeling his pulse, told him, there was no remedie (quoth he) before the Sunne let you will depart this life. But what will you saie, replied the patient, if to morrow I shall be aliue? I will become Christian I promisse you, laied the Phisition. With this the Saint praied to God, and obtained a prolongation of his owne temporall life, for the good of his Phisitions spi­rituall life, who, hauing seene this Miracle, was conuerted, and S. Basile rysing couragiously out of his bed went to the Church, and baptised him with all his Familie: then being returned to his chamber, and gotten to bed, after he had passed a good space with our Sauiour in Praier, he holily exhorted the assistants to serue God with their whole heart, and finally seeing the Angels ap­proch, pronouncing with an extreame delight [Page 435] these words, ô God I recommend vnto thee my soule, and restore it into thy hands, he died. But the poore conuerted Phisition, seeing him thus deceased, colling him, and melting into teares vpon him: ô great Seruant of God Basile, quoth he, indeede if thou hadst list, thou had'st no more died to day, then yesterday. Who doth not see that this death was wholy frō loue? And the Bles­sed S. Teresa, reuealed after her death, that she died with an impetuous assault of loue, Which had bene so violent, that nature not able to support it, the soule departed towards the beloued obiect of her loue.

A wonderfull historie of the death of a gent­leman who died of loue vpon the Mount-Oliuet. CHAPTER. XII.

1. BEsides that which hath bene saied, I haue light vpō a historie, which being extreamly admirable, is yet more credible to sacred Louers; since, as the holy Apostle saieth Charitie doth ea­sily beleeue all things that is, she doth not easily suspect one of lying; and vnlesse there be signes of apparent deceite in that which is proposed, she makes no difficultie to beleeue it: but especially when they are things which doe exalt and magni­fie God's loue towards man, or man's loue towards God; because Charitie being the Soueraigne [Page 436] Q [...]eene of vertues, following the manner of a Princ [...]sse, who takes cōtēt in things that are for the renowne of her Empire, and dominion. And beit, the relation I am to make, be neither so much di­uulged nor confirmed, as the greatnesse of the mi­racle which it containes would require, yet is it not therefore voyde of truth: for as S. Augustine saieth excellently well: scarcely can we know miracles, though most famous, euen in the places where they are wrought; and euen though such as haue seene them relates them, we haue difficultie to giu [...] credit vnto them; yet are they no lesse true for all this: and in matter of Religion, well borne soules take more delight to beleeue those things which containe difficultie and admiration.

2. A valiant illustrious and vertuous knight, went vpon a time beyond [...]ee into Palestin, to visit the holy Land where our Sauiour performed the work of our Redemption; and to begin this holy exercise worthily, he first of all confessed, and communicated deuotely, immediatly, after went straight to Nazareth, where the Angell announ­ced vnto the most Sacred virgin, the Blessed Incar­nation, and where the most adorable conception of the Eternall word was finished, and there this worthy Pilgrime set himselfe to the contempla­tion of the heauenly Boun [...] is depth, who daigned to put on mans nature, to recouer him from per­dition; from thence he passed to Bethleem, the place of the Natiuitie, where, it is not to be spokē, what an abundance of teares he poured forth, in contemplation of those wherewith the Sonne of God, the virgins little babe, had watered that [Page 437] holy stable, kissing and rekissing a thousand times that sacred earth, and licking the dust, vpon which the prime infancie of the Diuine child was recei­ued in Bethleem: He went into Berthabara, and from thence to that little place in Bethania, where calling to mind, that our Sauiour was there vnue­sted to be baptised, he also vnuested himselfe, and going into Iordaine, washing himselfe and drin­king the waters thereof, he thought, he saw his Sauiour receiuing Baptisme at his Precursors hand, and the holy Ghost descending visibly vpon him, in the forme of a doue, the Heauens remai­ning open, from whence, as it appeared to him, the voice of the Eternall Father issued, saying: This is my beloued Sonne, in whom I am pleased: From Bethania he takes his way towards the De­sert where he beheld with the eyes of his mind, the Sauiour of the world-fasting, fighting, and vanquishing the Enemie, together with the An­gels who serued him with admirable foode. From thence he makes towards the Mount THABOR, where he saw our Sauiour transfigured; thence to the mountaine of SION, where he saw our Sauiour againe, as he apprehended, vpon his knees in the last supper washing the Disciples fe [...] [...], ād then di­stributing vnto them his sacred bodie in the holy EVCHARISTE: he passeth the Torrent of CEDRON, and betakes himselfe to the Garden of GETHSE­MIN [...], where with a most amiable dolour, his heart dissolued into teares, while he proposed vnto him­selfe his deare Sauiour sweating blood in the ex­treame Agonie which he there endured; and soone after takē, corded ād led to Hierusal [...], whither also [Page 438] he goes, throughly to follow the footesteps of his Beloued, and saw him in Imagination haled hither and thither; to ANNAS; to CAIPHAS, to PILATE, to HERODE, whipped, buffetted, spit vpon, crowned with thornes, presented to the people, sentenced to death, loden with his Crosse, which he carries, and in carrying it met his dolorous mother, and the daughters of Hierusalem bewailing him. Fi­nally this deuote Pilgrime mounts vnto the Moūt Caluarie, where he sees in Spirit the Crosse laied vpon the ground, and our Sauiour quite naked whom they throw downe, and most cruelly naile him to it hand and foote. He goes on, contempla­ting how they reare vp the Crosse, and crucifie him in the aire, blood flowing out from euery part of his diuine bodie. He lookes vpon the poore sa­cred virgin, trāspearced with the sword of sorrow, and then againe he eyeth his crucified Sauiour, whose 7. last words he marks with an incompa­rable loue, and at the length he saw him dying, soone after, dead. Then receiuing the wound of th [...] Lance, and by that holes passage shewing his Diuine heart, then taken downe from the Crosse, and carried to his Sepulcher, whither still he followes him sending out a Sea of tea [...]es vpon the ground, which was watered with his Redee­mours blood; he enters into the sepulcher and bu­ries his heart with his Maisters bodie; afterwards rising with him, he goes to Emaus, and sees what passed betweene the Maister ād his two Disciples. In fine returning by the Mount Oliuet, where th [...] Mysterie of the Ascension was accomplished, and there seeing the last prints and footesteps of his [Page 439] heauenly Sauiours feete, falling groueling vpon them, and kissing thē a thousand, thousand times with the sighes, of an infinite loue, he begunne to draw towards him the force of all his affections, as an Archer the string of his Bowe, when he is about to shoote, then raising himselfe, and stret­ching his eyes and hands to heauenward. O IESVS, saied he, my sweete IESVS, I haue now no further to search and follow thee in Earth. Ah then IESVS, IESVS my LOVE, grant vnto my poore heart that it may follow thee, and flie after thee to Heauen; and in these feruent words, he presently breathed out his sole to Heauen, as a blessed arrow, which he, as a diuine Archer, shot at the white of his most happie Obiect. But his fellow's, and ser­uants, who saw this Louer so sodainly fall downe as dead, amaised at the accidēt, rāne with speede for the Doctor, who when he came, he found him quite dead; and to giue a certaine Iudgment of so sodaine a death, he made enquirie, of what complection, nature and disposit [...]on the deceased partie was, and he found, that he was of a most sweete ād amiable nature, maruellous deuote, and feruent in the loue of God. Wherevpon, quoth the Doctor, doubtlesse his heart split with excesse and feruour of loue. And to confirme his iudgment the more, he opened him, and found this generous heart open, with this sacred Motto engrauen in it, IESVS MY LOVE! Loue then, plaied Deaths parte in this heart, seperating the soule from the bodie, without the concourse of any o­ther cause. S. Bernardin of Sienna, a learned and pious Authour relates this Historie, in the first [Page 440] of his Sermons of the Ascension.

3. An other Authour also, well neare of the same Age, who out of humilitie concealed his name worthy to be named; in a booke intitled, A MYRROR OF THE SPIRITVALL, makes mention of an historie yet more admirable: for he saieth that in PROVINCE there liued a Lord much addicted to the Loue of God, and exceeding deuote to the Blessed Sacrament. Now vpon a time being ex­treamly afflicted with a disease, which caused him cōtinually to rēder, the Holy Cōmuniō, which was brought vnto him, who not daring to receiue it, least he might be forced to cast it vp againe, he besought the Pastour, to applie it at least to his breast, and with it to make the signe of the Crosse ouer him; This was done, and in a moment, his breast inflamed with Diuine Loue, opened, and drew into it selfe the heauenly foode, wherin his beloued was contained, and at the same instant de­parted life. I must in very deede confesse that this historie is extraordinarie, and such as would re­quire a more waightie testimonie: yet after the true historie of S. CLARE DE MONTE PALCO, which all the world may, euen to this day, see; and that of S. Francis his STIGMATS, which is most certaine, my soule meets with no­thing which is hard to be beleeued amongst she effects of Diuine Loue.

That the Sacred Virgin mother of God died of the loue of her S [...]nne. CHAPTER▪ XIII.

1. ONe can hardly well doubt, but that the great S. Ioseph died before the Passion and death of our Sauiour, who otherwise had not commended his mother to S. Iohn. And how can one imagine, that the deare child of his heart, his beloued Nurse-child, did not assist him at the houre of his departure? Blessed are the mercifull, for they shall obtaine mercy. Alas! how much sweetenesse, Charitie, and Mercy did this good Foster-father vse towards our little Sauiour at his [...]ntrie into this world: and who can then beleeue, but at his departure out of it, that diuine child ren­dred him the like with an hundredfold, filling him with heauenly delights? Storks are the true repre­sentations of the mutuall pietie of children to­wards their parents, and of parents towards their children: for being flitting birds, they beare their decrepit parents with them in their iorney; as their parents had borne them while they were yet young in the like occasion. While our Sauiour was yet a little babe, the great S. Ioheph his Foster-Father, and his most glorious Virgin-mo­ther, had many a time borne him, but especially in their iorney from Iudea to Egipt, ād from Egipt [Page 442] to Iudea. Ah who can then doubt, but this holy Father being come to the period of his dayes, was reciprocally borne by his diuine Nurse-child (in his passage from this to another life) into Abra­hams bosome, to translate him from thence to Glorie in the daie of his Ascension? A Saint that had loued so much in his life, could not die but of loue; for his heart not being able to loue his deare IESVS so much as he desired, while he continued amongst th [...] distractions of this life, and hauing alreadie performed the dutie which he ought to his non-age, what remained, but that he should saie to the Eternall Father, O Father I haue accom­plished my charge: and then to the Sonne, [...] my child, as thy heauenly Father put thy tender bodie into my hands the daie of thy cōming into this world, so doe I render vp my soule [...] thyne, this daie of my departure out of this world.

2. Such, as I conceiue, was the death of this great Patriarch, a man elected to performe the most deare and louing offices, that euer was, or shall be performed to the Sōne of God, saue those that were done by the Sacred Spouse, the true na­turall mother of the saied sonne: of whom it is not possible to make a conceit, that she died of any other kind of death, then of loue. A death the most noble of all, and consequently due to the most noble life that euer was amongst creaturs. A death whereof the very Angels would desire to die, if die they could. If the primatiue Chri­stians were saied to haue but one heart and one soule, by reason of their perfect mutuall loue? If S. Paule liued not himselfe, but IESVS [Page 443] CHRIST liued in him, by reason of the close vnion of his heart to his Maisters; wherby his soule was as dead in the heart which it quickened, to liue in the heart of the Sauiour which it loued? O Good God how much more true it is, that the Sacred Virgin and her Sonne had but one soule, one heart, and one life, so that this heauēly mother in liuing, liued not, but her sonne liued in her. She was a mother the most louing and the most beloued that euer could be, yea louing and beloued with a loue incomparably more eminent, then that of all the Orders of Angels and men, like as the names of an onely Mother, and an onely Sonne, are names passing all other names in matter of loue; and I saie of an onely mother, and an onely Sonne, because all the other sonne [...] of men, doe diuide the acknowledgment of their production betwixt their Father and mother; but in this sonne as all his humane birth depēds of his mother alone, who alone, contributed that which was requisite to the vertue of the holy Ghost for the cōception of this heauenly child; so to her alone, all the loue which sprung from that production was rendred as due, In such sort, that this Sonne, and this mo­ther, were vnited in an vnion by so much more excellent, as her name in loue is different, and a­boue all other names: for which of the Seraphins can saie to our Sauiour, thou art my true Sonne, and as such, I loue thee? And to which of his creaturs did our Sauiour euer saie, Thou art my true mother, and as my true mother I loue thee? Thou art my true mother, entirely myne, and I am thy true sonne wholy thyne: And if a louing [Page 444] seruant durst, and did indeede saie that he had no other life then his Maisters: Alas, how confident­ly and feruently might this mother proclame. I haue no life, but the life of my Sonne, my life is wholy in his, and his wholy in myne; for there was not a meere vnion, but an vnitie of hearts betwixt this mother and this sonne.

3. And if this mother liued by her Sonns life she also died of her Sonns death: for such as is the life, such is the death. The Phenix, as the report goes, growen very aged, gathers together in the top of a mountaine, a quantitie of aromaticall woods, vpon which, as vpon he bed of honour she goes to end her dayes: for when the Sunne, being at his highest doth streame out his hotest beames, this most singular bird, to contribute the aduantage of action to the Sunns ardour, ceaseth not to beate with her wings vpon her bed, till she haue made it take fire, and burning with it, she consumes, and dies in those odoriferous flames. In like manner, THEO: the virgin Marie hauing assembled in her heart all the most amiable Myste­ries of the life and death of her sonne, by a most liuely and continuall memorie of them, and with­all RECTA LINEA receiuing the most ardent inspirations, which her Sonne, the Sonne, of Iustice, darted vpon mortalls, euen in the heate of his charitie. And further, of her part, making a perpetuall motion of Contemplation: in the end the sacred fire of this heauenly loue, did wholy consume her as an Holocaust of sweetenesse, so that she died of it, her soule being altogether ra­uished, and transported into the armes of her [Page 445] Sonns loue. O death louingly vitall, ô Loue vital­ly mortall!

4. Many sacred Louers were present at our Sa­uiours death: amongst whom such as did most loue, did also most greeue: for Loue was then sleeped in griefe, and griefe in Loue: and all such as were feruent in loue towards their Sauiour, fell in loue with his passion and paine. But the sweete mother who passed all in loue, receiued a deeper wound from the sword of griefe then all the rest. Her Sonns paine was then a sharp sword which rāne through his mothers heart, it being glewed, ioyned ād vnited to her sonns in so perfect an v­nion, that nothing could hurt the one which did not as deeply hurt the other. Now this motherly heart being in this sort wounded with loue, did not onely not seeke to haue her wound cured, but euen loued her wound better then all cures: deare­ly conseruing the darts of sorrow which she had receiued in her heart, because it was loue that shot them at her; and continually desiring to die of thē, as her sonne died thereof who, as the holy Scripturs▪ and all the Doctours doe witenesse, died amidst the flames of Charitie, a perfect HO­LOCAVST for all the sinnes of the world.

That the Glorious virgin died of an ex­treamely sweete and calme loue. CHAPTER. XIV.

1. OF one side it is saied that our B. Ladie re­uealed to S. Mathilda, that the sickenesse [Page 446] whereof she died, was no other thing then an im­petuous assault of loue. Yet S. Brigit, and S. Iohn Damascen doe witnesse, that she died an exceeding peaceable death; and both are true, THEOTIME.

2. The starres are wonderfull delightfull to behold, and cast out pleasing shines, yet if you haue noted it, they bring forth their rayes, by way of gatterings, sparklings, and dartings, as though they were deliuered of their light by trauell at di­uers essayes, whether it be that their weake light cannot keepe a continuall equalitie of action, or our f [...]ble [...]ight cannot constantly and steaddily behold them, by reason of the great distance: So ordinarily Saints that die of loue, experience in themselues a great varietie of accidents▪ and sym­ptomes thereof, before they come to their ēd, many sobings, many assaults many extasies, many lāguors many agonies; and one would thinke that their Loue brought forth their happie death by trauell, and [...] endeuours: which happens by the weaknesse of their loue, which is not as yet per­fectly perfect; so that it cannot continew affection with an equall steadfastnesse.

3. But in the B. Virgin it was a quite other thing, for as we see the faire AVRORA encrease, not at diuers essayes, and ierts, but by a cōtinued dilatation and encrease, which is in a sort insensi­bly sensible, so that she is indeede seene to en­crease her light, yet so softly, that no interrup­tion, seperation, or discontinuation, can be ap­prehended therein. So God's loue did euery mo­ment encrease, in the Virginall heart of this glo­rious [Page 447] Ladie, but by a gentle, smooth, and conti­nued encrease, without agitation, tosse, or vio­lence at all: Ah no THEO: we must not admit any forcible agitation in this celestiall loue of the vir­gins motherly heart; for loue of it selfe is sweete, gracious, peaceable, and calme. And if it doe sometimes assault, and make force against the mind, it is because it meetes with opposition. But when the passages of the soule lye open to it with­out oppositiō or cōtradiction, it peaceably makes progresse with an incōparable sweetenesse. Thus then holy loue exercised its force vpon the virgi­nall heart of the Sacred mother, without force or violent boisterousnesse, because it found therein neither stop nor staie. For as we see great riuers froth, and flash back againe with a great noise in craggie corners, where the points or shelues of rockes doe oppose themselues, and hinder the waters course: while contrariwise they d [...]ie smoothly without violence glid and steele ouer the plaines: So diuine Loue meeting with many im­peachments and oppositions in humane hearts, as in truth all hearts haue them, though differently, makes force, fighting against naughtie inclina­tions, beating the heart, thrusting the will for­wards by diuers shuggs ād sundrie essayes, to make way be made to it selfe, or at least, to ouerpasse the obstacles. But all things in the B. Virgin did helpe and second the course of heauenly loue: making in her a greater progresse and encrease, then in all other creaturs, yet a progresse that was infinitly sweete peaceable ād calme. No, she sown­ded not with loue or compassion at the foote of [Page 448] her crucified sonne, though there she had the most hote ād stinging fit of loue, that euer heart could thinke: for though it was an extreame fit, yet was it equally strong and sweete, powerfull and calme, actiue and peaceable, composed of a sharpe yet sweete heate.

4. I doe not denie, THEO: that there were two portions in the B. Virgins soule, and conse­quently two appetits: the one according to the Spirit and superiour reason; the other according to sense, and inferiour reason: so that she could feele the oppositions and contrarieties of both the appetits; for this trouble did euen our Sauiour her sonne endure. But I affirme that all affections were so well, ordered and [...]anged in this heauenly mother, that diuine Loue did most peaceably ex­ercise in her its power and dominion, without being troubled by the diuersitie of wills and ap­petits▪ or contrarietie of the senses, because the oppositiōs of the naturall appetite, and motion of the senses, did neuer come to be so much as a ve­niall sinne but contrariwise all these were holily and faithfully imploied in the seruice of diuine Loue, for the exercise of other vertues, which for the most part, cannot be practised but amongst difficulties, oppositions, and contradictions.

5. Thorne [...] in the common opinion, are not onely differēt from flowers but contrarie to them; and it seemes, it were better if there were none in the world; which made S. Ambrose thinke that but for sinne, there had bene none at all. But yet, [...]ith there are some, the carefull husbandman doth fetch profit out of thē, making there hedges [Page 449] and inclosurs about his closes and springing trees being their defence and rampire against cattell. So the Glorious virgin hauing had a part in all hu­mane miseries, sauing such as doe directly tend to sinne, she imploied them most profitably to the exercise and encrease of holy vertues, of Hope, Temperance, Iustice, and Prudence, Pouertie, Hu­militie, Sufferance and Compassion: So that she was so farre from hindring, that she did euen assist and strengthen heauenly loue by continuall exer­cises and aduancements. And in her, Magdalen did not trouble the attention wherewith she re­ceiued from her Sauiour the impressions of loue, for all Martha's heate, and sollicitude. She hath made choice of her Sonn's loue, and not any thing doth depriue her of it,

6. The ADAMANT, as euery one knowes, THEO: doth naturally draw Iron vnto it, by a se­creet and most wonderfull vertue: yet 5. things there are which doe hinder this operation 1. a too great distance. 2. a Diamāt interposed. 3. if the Irō be greesed. 4. if it be rubbed with an onyon 5. if it be too waightie. Our heart is made for God who doth continually allure it, neuer ceasing to throw his baits into our hearts. But fiue things doe hin­der the operatiō of his draughtes. 1. Sinne, which puts vs at a distance with God. 2. affection to ri­ches. 3. sensuall pleasures. 4. Pride and vanitie. 5. self-loue together with the multitude of inordi­nate passions, which it brings forth, and are to vs an ouercharging load bearing vs downe. But none of these hindrances had place in the Glorious vir­gins heart. 1. she was perpetually preserued from [Page 450] all sinne. 2. perpetually most poore of heart. 3. perpetually most pure. 4. perpetually most hum­ble, 5. perpetually a peaceable Mistresse of all her passions, and exempt from the rebellion which self-loue raiseth against the loue of God. And therefore as Iron if it were quit of all obstacle, yea euen of its owne waight, were powerfully, yet softely ād with ā equall draught drawne by the A­damāt, yet so that the draught should still be more actiue and forcible, as they came nearer the one to the other and the motion nearer to its end: So the most holy Mother, hauing nothing in her, which hindred her Sonns diuine Loue, she was vnited vnto him in an incomparable vnion, by gentle ex­tasies without trouble or trauell; Extasies in which the sensible powers ceased not to performe their actions, without disturbing the vnion of the mind: as againe, the perfect application of her mind did not much diuert her senses. So that this virgins decease was more sweete then could be imagined, drawen delightfully by the sent of her Sonns per­fums, and she most amiably springing after their sacred sweetenesse, euen into the bosome of her Sonns Bountie. And albeit this holy soule, did ex­treamely affect her most holy, most pure, and most amiable bodie, yet did she forsake it, with­out paine or resistance at all: as the Chast Iudith, who though she maruellously loued the habits of Penance, and widowhood, forsooke them not­withstanding, and freely put them off, to put on her marriage garments, when she went to be vi­ctorious ouer Holofernes; or as a Ionathas when for the loue of Dauid he did the like. Loue had [Page 451] made her feele at the Crosses foote, the deepest sor­row of death, and therefore it was but reason that at length, death should possesse her of the soue­raigne delightes of loue.

Of the loue of Conformitie proceeding from holy Complacence. CHAPTER. I.

AS good ground hauing receiued the seede, doth render it in its season with an hundred fold, so the heart that hath [Page 452] taken complacence in God, cannot hinder it selfe from presenting another complacence to God. None pleaseth vs, whom we desire not to please. Fresh wine doth for a time refresh the drinkers, but as soone as it is heated in the receiuers sto­make it mutually heats it, and the more the sto­make heat's it, the more it heat's the stomake. True loue is neuer vngratefull but striues to please the, in whom it is pleased; and thēce is that louing conformitie, which makes vs such as those that we loue. The most deuote and most wise king Salo­mon, became foole and Idolater, while he loued women that were fooles and Idolaters, and serued as many Idols, as did his wiues. For this cause the Scripture termes those men effeminate that despe­ratly affect women in qualitie of women, because Loue metamorphiseth men into women, in man­ners and behauiour.

2. Now this metamorphos [...]s is made insensibly by the complacence, which hauing got entrie into our heart, begets another, to present it vnto him of whom we had it. They saie there is a little land beast in the Indies, which takes such a delight to accōpainie fish in the sea, that by often swimming with them it becomes a fish, and of a beast of the land, a beast of the sea. So by often delighting in God, we become conformable to God, and our will is transformed into that of the Diuine Maie­stie, by the complace which it takes therein. Loue saieth S. Chrysostome, either finds or makes simi­litude; The example of such as we loue, beares a sweete and imperceptible rule ouer vs, an au­thoritie not to be perceiued: It is necessarie either [Page 453] to imitate or forsake them. He, that being taken with the delight of perfumes, enters into the per­fumers shop, receiuing thence the pleasure which he takes to smell those odours, perfumes himselfe, and going out, communicats to others part of the pleasurs which he receiued spreeding amongst them the sent of the perfumes which he had con­tracted: our heart together with the pleasurs which it taketh in the thing beloued, drawes vnto it selfe the qualitie thereof: for delight opens the heart, as sorrow shuts it; wherevpon the holy Scripture often vseth the word dilate, insteede of reioyce. Now the heart being opened by pleasure, the impressions of the qualities whereof the plea­sure depends, finds easie passage into the heart, and together with them, such others as are in the same subiect, though distastfull vnto vs creepe in through the throng of pleasurs, as he that wanted his marriage garment, got into the banquet a­mongst those that were adorned▪ So Aristotl's schollers were delighted in stutting with him and Plato's went crooked in the back in imitation of their Maister. There was a certaine woman, as Plutarke reporteth, whose imagination, and ap­apprehensiō through sensualitie laye so open to all things, that beholding a Blackamors picture she conceiued a child all black by a Father extreamely white: and the fact of Iacobs yewes, will serue for a proofe of this. In fine the pleasure which one takes in a thing, is a certaine Herbinger which lodgeth the qualities of the thing which pleaseth in the Louers heart. And hence it is that holy Cō ­placē [...] doth trāsforme vs into God whō we loue [Page 454] and by how much greater the complacence is, by so much the transformatiō is more perfect: so the Saints that loued ardently, were speedily and per­fectly transformed, loue transporting and transla­ting the conditions and qualities of the one heart into the other.

3. It is a strang, yet a true thing; put two Luts together which are vnison, that is, of the same sound, and accord, and let one play vpon the one of them: the other, though not touched, will re­sound to that which is played on; the conueniē ­cie which is betwixt them, as by a naturall loue causing this correspondance. We haue difficultie to imitate such as we hate euen in good things; not would the Lacedemonians follow the good coun­sell of the wicked, vnlesse some honest man pro­nounced it after them. Of the contrarie side, one cannot be keept, from cōforming himselfe to such as he loueth. In this sense, as I thinke, the great Apostle saied that the Law was not made for the Iust mā: for in truth, the Iust mā is not Iust, but inso much as he hath Loue; and if he haue Loue, there is no neede to presse him by the rigour of the Law: Loue being the most pressing Doctour, and Solli­citour, to vrge the heart which it possesseth, to obay the will and intentiō of the Beloued. Loue is a Magistrat which executs his authoritie, without voicing it, without Pursuiuāts, or Sergants, by this mutually complacence, by which as we take plea­sure in God, so also, we desire to please him. Loue is the Abridgment of all Diuinitie, which made the ignorance of Paules, Antonies, Hilario [...]s, Si­meons, Francises, so holily learned, without [Page 455] bookes, Maisters, or Art. By vertue of this holy Loue, the Spouse may pronounce with assurance; My Beloued is wholy myne by the Complacence wherwith he doth please, and feede me; And I by Beneuolence am wholy his, wherewith I pleas [...] ād feede him. My heart is fed in taking pleasure in him, and his is fed, in that I take pleasure in him, for him: He feeds me iust as a holy shepheard his deare yewe amidst the Lillies of his perfectiōs; in which I take pleasure; And I, as his deare yewe, paie him the milke of my affections, by which I striue to please him. Whosoeuer doth truely feede in God, desires faithfully to please God, and to conforme himselfe vnto him, to th'end he might please him.

Of the conformitie of Submission which proceeds from the Loue of Beneuolence. CHAPTER. II.

1. COmplacence then drawes into our hearts the feelings of diuine perfections, accor­ding as we are capable to receiue them, (like as the Myrrour receiues the Sūns picture, not accor­ding to the excellencie and amplitude of this great and admirable Lampe, but with proportion to the glasse its largnesse and capacitie) and therby we become conformable to God.

2. But besids this, LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE [Page 456] brings vs to this holy conformitie by another meanes; LOVE OF COMPLACENCE drawes God into our hearts; but the LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE darts our hearts into God, and by consequence all our actions and affections, most louingly dedicating and consecrating thē vnto him: for Beneuolēce de­sires that all honour, all Glorie, ād acknowledgmēt possible should be rendred vnto God, as a certaine exteriour good which is due to his Goodnesse.

3. Now this desire is practised according to the complacence which we take in God, as follo­weth. We haue had an extreame Complacence to perceiue that God i [...] soueraignely GOOD, ād there­fore, by the LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE, we desire that all the Loues which we can possibly imagine, may be imployed to loue this Goodnesse entirely. We haue taken delight in the soueraigne excellen­cie of God's perfection; and therevpon we desire that he should be soueraignely loued, honored, ād adored. We haue bene ioyed to consider, how God is not onely the first beginning, but also the last end, Authour, Conseruour, and Lord of all things; for which reason we wish that all things should be subiect to him by a soueraigne obe­dience. We see Gods will soueraignly perfect, vpright, iust, equall; and vpon this consideration our desire is, that it should be the rule and soue­raigne law of all things, and that it should be ob­serued, kept and obayed by all other wills.

4. But note THEO: that I treate not heare of the obedience due vnto God, as he is our Lord and Maister, our Father and Benefactour: for this kind of obedience belongs to the vertue of Iustice, not [Page 457] to Loue. No, it is not this I speake off for the pre­sent: for though there were no Hell to punish the wicked, nor Heauen to reward the good, and that we had no kind of obligation, nor dutie to God (be this saied by imagination of a thing impossi­ble, and scarcE imaginable) yet would the LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE moue vs to render all obedience and submission to God by election and inclina­tion, yea by a sweete violence of Loue, in conside­ration of the Soueraigne Bountie, Iustice and equi­tie of the Diuine will.

5. Doe not we see, THEO: that a maide by a free choice proceeding from the LOVE OF BENE­VOLENCE, doth subiect herselfe to her husband, to whom, otherwise she ought no dutie? Or that a gentleman, submits himselfe to a forraine Prince's command or else giues vp his will into the hands of the Superiour of some religious Order, which he is content to vndertake?

6. Euen so is our heart conformed to Gods, when by holy Beneuolence we throw all our affe­ctions, into the hands of the diuine will, to be tur­ned ād directed by it, to be moulded ād formed to the good liking thereof. And in this point the profoundest obedience of loue is placed, which hath no neede of being spurred by minaces or re­wards, nor yet by lawes and commandements; for it preuents all this, submitting it selfe to God, for the onely perfect goodnesse which is in him, where by he deserues that all wills should be obedient vnto him, subiect, and vnder his power, confor­ming and vniting themselues to his diuine inten­tions, in and through all things.

How we are to conforme our selues to the Diuine will, which is called the signified will. CHAPTER. III.

1. VVE doe sometimes consider God's will as it is in it selfe, and finding it entirely holy and good, it is an easie thing for vs to praise, blesse, and adore it, and to sacrifice our owne, ād all other creaturs wills to it's obseruāce in this diuine Exclamation: THY WILL BE DONE IN EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. At other times we con­sider God's will in the particular effects thereof; as in the euents that touch vs, and accidents that befall vs; and finally in the declaration and mani­festation of his intentions. And albeit that God in very deede hath but one most singular and most simple will, yet doe we designe it by different names, according to the varietie of the meanes whereby we know it, by which varietie also we are diuersly obliged to conforme our selues to it.

2. Christian doctrine doth clearely propose vnto vs the Truthes, which God willeth that we should beleeue; the goods that he will haue vs hope for; the paines which he will haue vs to dread; that which he will haue vs to loue; the comman­dements which he will haue vs to obserue; and the Coūcells which he desireth we should follow. [Page 459] And all these are called God's SIGNIFIED WILL; be­cause he hath signified and made manifest vnto vs, that his will and meaning is, that all these should be beleeued, hoped for, feared, loued and practi­sed.

3. Now for as much as this signified will of God, proceeds by way of desire, and not by way of absolute will, we haue power either to follow it by obedience, or by disobedience to resist it: for to this porpose God makes three acts of his will; He willeth, that we should haue power to resist; he desireth that we resist not; and yet leaues it to vs to resist if we please. That we haue power to resist, depends of our naturall condition, and libertie; that we doe resist proceedes from our ma­lice; that we doe not resist, is according to the di­uine Bounties desire. And therefore when we doe resist, God contributs nothing to our disobediēce, but leauing our will in the hand of her Libertie, permits her to make choice of Euill. But when we obay, God contributs his assistance, inspiration and grace: for permission is an actio of the will, which of it selfe is barren, sterill, and fruitlesse, and is as it were a passiue action, which acteth not, but onely permits action: desire contrariwise is an actiue action, frutefull, fertill, which doth ex­cite, inuite and vrge. Wherefore God, desirous that we should follow his signified will, doth sol­licite, exhort, incite, inspire, aide, and succour. But in permitting vs to resist, he doth nothing but simply leaue vs to our owne wills, according to our free election, contrarie to his desire and in­tention. And yet this desire is a true desire: for [Page 460] how can one more truely expresse the desire he hath to giue his friend a heartie welcome, then to prouide for his sake a good and excellent ban­quet, as did the king in the Euangelicall Parable; and then to inuite, vrge, and in a manner to com­pell him by praiers, exhortations, pursuits, to come, sit downe at the table, and eate. Verily he that should by force of armes open his friends mouth, crame meate into his throte, and make him swallow it, should not bestowe a friendly en­tertainemēt vpon his friend, but should vse him like a beast, and a cram'd Capon. This kind of fa­uour, would be offered by way of inuitation, re­monstrance, and sollicitation, not violently and forcibly thrust vpon a man; and thēce it is practi­sed by way of desire, not of absolute will. Now it goes after the same manner in the signified will of God: for in it, God doth desire with a true desire, that we should doe that which he declares; and to this effect he doth prouide vs of all things necessa­rie, exhorting and vrging vs to make vse of them. In this kind of fauour, one could desire no more: and as the sunne-beames remaine Sunnne-beames notwithstanding that they are reiected, and re­pulsed by some obstacle; so God's signified will remaines the true will of God, though it be resi­sted; true it is, it hath not the effects which it would haue, being seconded.

4. The conformitie then of our heart to the signified will of God, consisteth in this, that we should will that which the diuine goodnesse doth signifie vnto vs to be his intention beleeuing ac­cording to his doctrine, hoping according to his [Page 461] promises, fearing according to his threats, louing and liuing according to his ordinances, and ad­uertissements, to which all the protestations which we make thereof in the holy Ceremonies of the Church doe tend. Hence we stand while the Gos­pell is red, as being readie to obay the holy signi­fication of Gods will contained therein. Hence we kisse the booke at the Gospell side, in adora­tion of the sacred word which doth declare his heauenly will. Hence many Saints mē and women carried in the old time in their bosoms the Gos­pell written, as an Ephitheme of Loue as it is re­ported of S. CICILE. And indeede S. MATHEWES Gospell was found vpon S. BARNABIES breast written with his owne hand. Wherevpon in the auncient Councells in the midst of the assemblie of Bishops, they erected a Throne, and put vpon it the Booke of the holy Gospells, which repre­sented the person of our Sauiour, king, Doctour, Directour, Spirit of all the Councells, and of the whole Church, so much did they reuerence the signification of Gods will, expressed in this holy booke. Certes that great Myrrour of Pastours S. CHARLES, Archbishop of Milau neuer studied the holy Scripture, but bare head and vpon his knees, to testifie with what respect we are to reade and heare the signified will of God.

Of the Conformitie of our will to the will which God hath to saue vs. CHAPTER. IV.

1. GOd hath signified vnto vs so diuersly, and by so diuerse meanes, that his will was that we should all be saued, that none can be ignorant of it; to this purpose he made vs to his owne Image by Creation, and himselfe to our Image and likenesse by his Incarnation; after which he suffered death to ransome and saue all mankind, which he performed with so much loue, that as the great S. DENIS Apostle of France racounteth, he saied vpon a day to the holy man Carpus, that he was ready to suffer an other passion to saue mā ­kind, and that this would be pleasant vnto him, if it could be done without any mans offence.

2. And although all are not saued, yet is this will the tru [...] will of God, who doth worke in vs according to the condition of our and his nature. For his Bountie moues him liberally to commu­nicate [...]nto [...] the succours of his grace, to bring vs to the felicitie of his glorie: but our nature re­q [...] that his liberalitie should leaue vs in libertie to make vse of it to our saluation, or to neglect it to o [...]r damnation.

3. I haue demanded one thing saied the Pro­phet, and it is that which I will demand for euer, [Page 463] that I may see the delightes of our Lord, and vi­site his temple. But what are the delightes of the soueraigne Goodnesse, but to poure out and com­municate its perfections? Verily his delightes are to be with the children of men to showre his grace vpon them. Nothing is so agreeable and delight­full to free Agents, as to doe their owne will. Our Sanctification is the will of God, and our Saluation his good pleasure; nor is there any dif­ference at all betwixt good pleasure and Good li­king, or consequently betwixt good-liking and goodwill: yea the will which God hath to aduan­tage man, is called good, because it is amiable, propitious, fauorable, agreeable, delicious; and as the Grecians after S. PAVLE saied, it is a true PHI­LANTROPIE, that is, a beneuolence, or a will en­tirely affectionate to men.

4. All the celestiall Temple of the Triumphāt and Militant Church doth resound on euery side the delicious Canticles of God's loue towards vs. And the Sacred bodie of our Sauiour, as the most holy Temple of his Diuinitie, is wholy adorned with markes and tokens of this Beneuolence; so that in visiting the Diuine Temple, we behold the louely delightes which he takes to doe vs fauours.

5. Let vs then a thousand times a day behold this louing will of God, ād grounding ours there­in, let's deuotely crie-out. O Bountie infinitly sweete, how amiable is thy will! How de­sirable thy fauours! Thou created vs for an eternall life, and thy motherly breast swolen in the sacred dugges of an incomparable loue, abounds in the milke of mercy, whether it [Page 464] be to pardon sinners, or perfect the Iust. Ah why doe not we then glew our wills to thyne, as a child is locked to the nible of his mothers dugge, to lucke the milke of thy eternall benedictions.

6. TH [...]O: we are to will our Saluation, in such sort as God will's it, and he wills it by way of de­sire; must not we then following his desire inces­santly desire it? Nor doth he will it onely, but in effect enables vs with all necessarie meanes to at­taine it: we then, in sequele of the desire we haue to be saued, must not onely desire, but in effect accept all the graces, which he hath prouided for vs, and presents vnto vs. It is sufficient to saie I de­sire to be saued, yet it is not sufficient to saie, I de­sire to embrace the meanes conuenient to the at­taining of saluation, but we must with an absolute resolution desire and embrace the grace which God bestowes vpon vs: for our will must necessa­rily correspōde to God's. And whereas Gods will giues vs the meanes to saue our selues, we ought to receiue them; as we ought to desire saluation, in such sort, as God desires it, and vs.

7. But it fals often out that the meanes to come to Saluation considered in grosse, and in ge­nerall, are according to our hearts liking, but considered by peecemeale, and in particular, they are dreadfull to vs: for haue we not seene the poore S. Peter, prepared to vndergoe all kind of torments in generall, yea death it selfe to follow his Maister, and yet when it came to the deede doing, and performance, waxe pale, tremble, and at the word of a simple maide, denie his Maister? Euery one deemes himselfe able to drinke our Sa­uiours [Page 465] CHALICE with him, but when indeede it is presented vnto vs, we flie, and forsake all. Things proposed in particular, make a more strong im­pressiō, and more sensibly wound in the Imagina­tion. And for this reason we gaue aduice in the INTRODVCTION, that after generall affections, one should descend to particular ones, in holy Medi­tation. Dauid accepted particular afflictions as an aduancement to his perfection, when he sunge in this wise. O Lord how good it is for me that thou hast humbled me, that I might learne thy iu­stifications. So also did the Apostles reioyce in their tribulations, in that they were held worthy to endure ignominie for their Sauiours name.

Of the conformitie of our will to Gods will, signified in his Com­mandements. CHAPTER. V.

1. THe desire which God hath to make vs ob­serue his Commandements is extreame, as the whole Scripture doth witnesse: and how could he better expresse it, then by the great reward which he proposeth to the obseruers of his law, together with the wonderfull punishments which he doth minace to such as shall violate the same? This made Dauid crye out, ô Lord, thou hast very much commanded thy Commandements to be kept.

[Page 466]2. Now LOVE OF COMPLACENCE beholding this Diuine desire, desires to please God in obser­uing it: The LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE, which sub­mits all to God, doth also submit our desires and wills to this, which God hath signified vnto vs; whence doth spring, not onely the obseruance but euen the Loue of the Commandements which Dauid doth extoll in the 118. Psalm. in an extra­ordinarie straine, which he seemes onely to haue done vpon this occasion.

But to stirre vp in vs the Loue of the Commande­ments, we must cōtemplate their admirable beau­tie: For as there are workes which are bad, be­cause they are prohibited; and others prohibited because they are bad: so there are some that are good, because they are commanded; and orthers; are commanded because they are Good, and most profitable: so that all of them are exceeding good and amiable, the commandement enriching with goodnesse, such as were not otherwise good, and giuing an excesse of goodnesse to such as in them­selues were good without being commanded. We doe not receiue euen that which is good in good part, being presented by an enemies hand. The Lacedemonians would not follow a solide and wholsome aduise comming from a wicked person, till it were aduised them againe by a good man. [Page 467] Contrariwise, a friends present is alwayes grate­full. The sweetest Commandements become bitter, when they are imposed by a tyrannicall and cruell heart which turnes againe to be most amiable, being ordained by Loue. Iacobs seruice seemed a Royaltie vnto him, because it proceeded from Loue. O how sweete, and how much to be desired is the yoake of the heauenly Law, esta­blished by so amiable a king?

3. Diuers keepe the commandements, as sicke men take downe potions, more through feare to die damned, then pleasure to liue according to our Sauiours liking. But as some persons, haue an aduersion from phisike, be it neuer so agreeable, onely because it beares the name of phisike, so there are some soules, that abhorre things com­manded, onely because they are commanded. And there was a certaine man found, who hauing liued in the great towne of Paris for the space of fourescore yeares, without euer going out of it, as soone as it was enioyned him by the king that he should remaine there the rest of his dayes, he went abrode to see the feilds, which in his whole life time before he neuer desired.

4. On the other side, the louing heart Loues the commandements, and by how much more hard they are, by so much they are more agreeable because they doe more perfectly please the Belo­ued, and are more honorable vnto him. It sends out and sings hymnes of ioye, when God doth teach it, his Commandements and iustifications. And as the Pilgrime who merrily sings on his way, add's the paine of singing to that of going, ād yet [Page 468] doth indeede by this surplus of paine vnwearie himselfe, and lighten the difficultie of the way; Euen so the sacred Louer finds such content in the Commandements, that nothing doth so much ease and refresh him, as the gracious loade of Gods Commandements. wherevpon the holy Psalmist cryes out. O Lord thy iustifications or Comman­dements, are delicious songs to me in this place of my pilgrimage. They saie that Mules and horses being loaden with figges, doe presently fall vnder their burthen, and loose their strength: More sweete thē the figge is the law of our Lord: but brutall mā, who is become as a horse or Mule without vnderstanding, looseth courage, and finds not strength to beare this amiable burthen. But as a branch of AGNVS CAS [...]VS doth keepe the Trauel­ler that beares it about him from being wearie, so the Crosse, Mortification, the yoake, the Law of our Sauiour who is the true CHAST LAMBE, is a burthen, which doth vnwearie, refresh and re­create the hearts that Loue his diuine Maiestie. There is no paine in the thing beloued, or if there be any, it is a beloued paine. Paine mix­ed with loue, hath a certaine tart-sweetenesse, more pleasant to the pallate, then a thing purely sweete

5. Thus then doth heauēly Loue conforme vs to the will of God, and makes vs carefully obserue his commandements, as being the absolute desire of his diuine Maiestie, whom we desire to please. So that this complacence with its sweete and amiable violence, doth forerunne the necessitie of obaying that which the law doth impose vpon [Page 469] vs, conuerting the necessitie into dilection, and the whole difficultie into delight.

Of the conformitie of our will to Gods, signified vnto vs by his Counsells. CHAPTER. VI.

1. A Commandement doth argue a most entire and absolute will in him that giues it. But Counsell doth onely signifie a WILL OF DESIRE: A Commandement doth oblige vs; Counsell onely incits vs: A Commandement makes the Trans­gressours thereof culpable; Counsell makes onely such as follow it not, lesse laudable. Those that violate Commandements deserue Damnation; those that neglect Counsells deserue onely to be-lesse glorified. There is a difference betwixt com­manding, and commending vnto ones care; in cō ­manding we vse authoritie to oblige, but in com­mending vnto ones care, we vse curtisie to egge and incite. A Commandement doth impose neces­sitie, Counsell and recommendation incits vs to that which is more profitable. Obedience corres­ponds to Commandements, beliefe to Counsells. We follow Counsell with intention to please, and Commandements least we might displease. And thence it is, that the LOVE OF COMPLAC [...]NCE which doth oblige vs to please the beloued, doth by consequence vrge vs to follow his Counsells: and [Page 470] the LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE, which desires that all wills and affections should be subiected vnto him, procurs that we doe not onely will that which he ordaines, but also that which he counsells, and to which he doth exhort: like as the Loue and respect which a good child beares vnto his Father, makes him resolue to liue not onely according to the Commandements which he doth impose, but euen according to the desires and inclinations which he doth manifest.

2. Counsell is giuen in fauour of him to whom it is giuen, to th'end he might become perfect: If thou wilt be perfect, saied our Sauiour, goe, sell all that thou hast, giue it to the poore, and follow me.

3. But a louing heart doth not receiue Coun­sell for his owne profit, but to be conformed to his desire, who giues him Counsell and render him homage to his will: and therefore he receiues not Counsells, but in such sort as God desires, nor doth God desire that euery one should obserue all Counsells, but such onely as are conuenient, ac­cording to the diuersitie of persons, times, occa­sions, strength, as charitie requires: for she it is, that, as Queene of all vertues, of all the Comman­dements, of all the Counsells, and to be short of all lawes, and all Christian workes, doth giue them all, their ranke, order, time, and worth.

4. If thy assistance be truely necessarie to thy Father or mother to be able to liue, it is no time then to practise the Counsell of betaking thy selfe into a Monasterie: for Charitie doth ordaine, that thou goe actually to put in execution the [Page 471] Commandement of honoring, seruing, aiding and succouring thy Father, and Mother. Thou art a Prince, by whose posteritie the Subiects to thy crowne, are to be conserued in peace, and assured against tyrannie, sedition, ciuill wars; and there­fore the occasion of so great a good, doth oblige thee to beget lawfull successours in a holy Mar­riage. It is either not to loose Chastitie, or at least, to loose it chastly, while for loue of Charitie, it is sacrificed to the publick good. Art thou weake and wauering in thy health, and doth it exact great maintenance? doe not then voluntarily vndertake actuall pouertie, for thou art prohibited by Cha­ritie. Charitie doth not onely forbid house-hol­ders to sell and giue it to the poore, but doth euen command them, honestly to gather together that which is requisite for the education, and sustenta­tion of their wife, children and seruants: as also kings and Princes to lay vp treasures, which being kept together by a laudable frugalitie, not gotten by tyrannicall trikes, doe serue for wholsome pre­seruatiues against the visible enemie. Doth not S. Paule Counsell such as are married, that the time of Praier being ended, they should repaire to the well ordered course of their houshold af­faires?

5. All the Counsells are giuen to perfect christian people, but not to perfect euery christian in par­ticular. There are circūstances which makes them so times vnprofitable, sometimes perilous, impos­sible, sometimes hurtfull to some men, which is one of the reasōs, why our Sauiour saied of one of the Counsells, which he would haue to be vnderstood [Page 472] of them all. He that can take, let him take, as though he had saied, according to S. HIEROMS ex­positions, he that can winne and beare away the honour of chastitie as a prize of reputation, let him take it, for it is exposed to such as shall rūne valliantly. Euery one then, cannot; that is, it is not expedient for euery one, to obserue all the Counsells which as they are granted in fauour of Charitie, so is she the rule and measure by which they are executed.

6. Hence it is that vpon Charities order, Monkes and Religious are drawen out of their Cloisters, to be made Cardinalls, Prelats, Curats yea sometimes they are euen ioyned in matrimo­nie for a kingdoms repose, as I haue alreadie saied. And if Charitie make those leaue their Cloister, that had tyed themselues therto by solemne vowe, by better reason and vpon lesse occasion, one may by the authoritie of the same Charitie, counsell many to liue at home, to keepe their meanes, to marrie, yea to turne soldiers and goe to warrs, which is so perilous a profession.

7. Now when Charitie incites one to pouertie, ād recals āother; whē she stirrs vp one to marriage and others to continencie; when she shuts one vp in a Cloister, and makes another quit it, she is not liable to giue any man an accompt of her deede: for she hath fulnesse of power in Christian lawes, as it is written. Charitie can doe all things; she hath a compleat prudence, according to that: Charitie doth nothing in vaine. Yet if any will contest, and demand a reason of her fact, she will bouldly make answere. That it is needefull for her [Page 473] lord: All is made for Charitie, ād Charitie for God. All must serue her, and she none: no she serues not her well-beloued, whose seruant she is not, but his spouse, whom she doth not serue, but Loue, for which cause, we are to take her order, how to exercise Councells: for to some she will appoint Chastitie, without pouertie; to others obedience and not chastitie; to others fasting but not Almes deedes; to others Almes deedes, and not fa­sting; to others sollitarinesse, not the charge of a Pastour; to others conuersation and not sollitarinesse. In fine she is a sacred water, by which the garden of the Church is fertilized; and though she haue but one colour, without colour, yet the flowres which she makes spring haue euery one their different colour. She makes the Martyrs redder thē the Rose; virgins whiter then the Lillie; some she dies with the fine violet of mortification; others with the yellow of marriage-care, imploying diuersly the Coun­sells, for the perfections of such soules as are so fortunate as to liue vnder her conduct.

That Gods will signified in the cōmandemēts, doth moue vs forwards to the loue of Counsells. CHAPTER. VII.

1. O THEO: how amiable is this Diuine will! ô how amiable and desirable it is! ô Law wholy of Loue, and for Loue! The Hebrewes by [Page 474] the word peace vnderstand the collection and per­fection of all good things, that is, Felicitie: and the Psalmist cries out, that a plentifull PEACE doth abound in those that loue the law of God, and that they stumble not; as though he would saie, o Lord what delightes are in the Loue of thy Commandements! the heart that is possessed with the Loue of thy law is possessed of all de­licious sweetenesse. Certes the great king, whose heart was made according to the heart of God, did so inly tast the perfect excellencie of the Di­uine Decrees, that he seemes to be a Louer caught with the beautie of this Law, as with the chast Spouse and Queene of his heart, as appears by his continuall praises thereof.

6. When the heauenly Spouse would expresse the infinite sweetenesse of her diuine Spouses per­fums: thy name, saieth she vnto him, is an oynt­ment poured forth, as though she saied, thou art so excellently well perfumed, that thou seemest to be all perfume, and that thou art more fitly termed oyle and perfume, then anoynted and perfumed. So the Soule that loueth God, is so transformed into the Diuine will, that it merits rather to be called Gods will, then obedient and subiect to his will: whence God saieth by Isaie, that he will call the Christian Church by a new name, which the mouth of our Lord will pronounce, imprint, and engraue in the hearts of his faithfull; and then, ex­plicating this name, he saieth, it shall be, MY WILL SHALL BE IN IT; as though he had saied, that such as are not Christians euery one hath his owne will, in the midst of his heart, but euery one of our Sa­uiours [Page 475] true children, shall forsake his owne will, and shall haue onely one Mistresse, regent and vniuersall will, which shall quicken, gouerne and direct all soules, hearts and wills: and the name of honour amongst christians, shall be no other; but THE WILL OF GOD IN THEM, a will which will rule ouer all wills, and transforme them all into herselfe: so that the will of Christians, and the will of Christ, are but one onely will; which was perfectly verified in the primitiue Church, when, as saieth the glorious S. Luke, in the multitude of the faithfull, there was but one heart, and one soule: for he meanes not there to speake of the heart that animats our bodie, nor of the soule which doth animate the heart with a humane life: but he speakes of the heart which giues our soules a heauenly life, and of the soule that animats our hearts with a supernaturall life; the singular hearts and soules of true Christians, which are no other thing then the will of God. Life, saieth the Psal­mist, is in the will of God, not onely for that our temporall life depends of the diuine pleasure, but because our spirituall life, is placed in the obser­uance thereof, wherby God liues and raignes in vs, making vs liue and subsist in him. Contrariwise the wicked, from ages, that is, alwayes, haue broken the yoake of the Law of God, and haue saied I will not obay, wherevpon God saieth, that from their mothers wombe, he named thē Trans­gressours ād Rebells: and speaking to the king of Tyria, he doth reproch him, that he had placed his heart as the heart of God: for a reuoulting spirit, will haue his heart to be its owne Maister, and his [Page 476] owne will to be Soueraigne, as the will of God. He will not haue the Diuine will to raig [...]e ouer his, but will be absolute and without controwle. O eternall God doe neuer permit that! But effect that not my will, but thine be done. Alas we are in this world not to worke our o [...]ne, but the will of the Bountie which put vs there. It was written of thee ô Sauiour of my soule, that thou didst the will of thy eternall Father, and by thy soule her first humane act of willing at the instant of thy conception, thou didst louingly embrace this law of the diuine will, and placedst it in the midst of thy heart, there to raigne and haue dominion for euer. Ah who will blesse my soule with the hap­pinesse to haue no will but the will of God!

7. Now when our Loue is exceeding great to­wards Gods will, we are not content to do the Diuine will onely which is signified vnto vs by the Commandements, but also we put our selues vnder obedience to follow counsells, which are onely giuen vs, to the more perfect obseruing of the Commandements, to which they haue a cer­taine reference, as S. THOMAS saieth excellently well. O how excellent is his obseruance of the prohibition of vniust pleasurs, who at once, doth renounce the most iust and legitimate delights! How farre is he frō coueting another mans Goods who doth reiect all riches, yea euen such, as holily he might haue conserued? How farre is he frō pre­ferring his will before Gods, who to performe the will of God, doth submit himselfe to the will of a man.

8. Dauid vpon a day was in his Campe; and the [Page 477] Philistian Garrison in Bethleem: now he made a wish, saying, ô that some would present me with a draught of water out of the Cisterne which stads at Bethleēs Port! And behold he had no sooner saied the word, but three braue Caualeers did set out, prepared thēselues for the exploit, passed through the enemies troupes, wēt to the Cisterne of Beth­leem, drew water, and brought it to Dauid; who seeing the hazard to which these gentlemen had exposed themselues to content his appetite, he would not drinke that water purchased at the pe­rill of their blood and life, but poured it out in sacrifice to the eternall God. Ah marke I beseech you THEO: the feruour of these Caualeers to their Maisters seruice and liking! They fled, and broake the rankes of their enemies with a thousand dan­gers of loosing themselues, to complie with one onely simple desire, which their king intimated vnto them. Our Sauiour whē he was in this world, declared his will in diuers occurrences by way of Commandement; in others, he onely signified it, by way of desire: for he did highly commend chastitie, Pouertie, Obedience and perfect resig­nation, the abnegation of ones owne will, wid­dowhoode, fasting, ordinarie Praier; and what he saieth of Chastitie, that, he that could winne the prise, should beare it away, he saied sufficiently of all the other Counsells; At this desire of his, the most generous Christians, put themselues vpon the Course▪ and maugre all opposition, restlesse lust and difficulties, they haue arriued at holy per­fection, submitting themselues vnder the strict obseruance of the kings desires, and by this [Page 478] meanes beareing away the crowne of Glo­rie.

9. Verily, as witenesseth the Diuine Psalmist, God doth not onely heare the Praiers of his faithfull, but euen their very desire and the meere preparation of their hearts to praie; so fauorable and forward he is to doe the will of those that Loue him. And why shall not we then by recipro­cation be so iealous in the point of performing Gods holy will, that we should not onely effect his Commands, but euen that also which we know he liketh, and wisheth? Noble soules neede no other spurre to the vndertaking of a designe, then to know it is the desire of their Beloued. My soule, saied one of them, dissolued when I heard my be­loued speake.

That the contempt of Euangelicall Coun­sells, is a great sinne. CHAPTER. VIII.

1. THe words in which our Sauiour exhots to pretend and tend to perfection, are so for­cible and pressing, that we cannot dissemble the obligation we haue to engage our selues in that designe. Be holy, saieth he, because I am holy. He that is holy let him be yet more sanctified; and he that is iust, let him be yet more iustified. Be per­fect, as your heauenly Father is perfect. For this cause, the great S. BERNARD writing to the glorious S. GVARINE Abbot of Aux, whose [Page 479] life, and miracles haue left so sweete an odour in this Diocese; the iust man, quoth he, doth neuer saie, enough; he doth still hunger and thrist after Iustice.

2. Truly THEO: as for temporall goods, no­thing doth suffice him who is not sufficed with that which is sufficient: for what can suffice a heart that holds not a sufficiencie sufficient? but touching spirituall goods, he that is sufficed with that which doth suffice, hath not that which doth su [...]fice, since a true sufficiencie in diuine things, consisteth partly in desire of abundance. God in the beginning commāded the earth to bring forth greene herbs such as seedeth, and that euery tree should beare fruite, hauing seede each one accor­ding to his kind.

3. And doe not we see by experience, that plāts and fruits are not come to their full groth and maturitie till they begin to seede and haue Pipins, whence other trees and plants of the same kind doe sprīg? Neuer doe vertues come to their perfect stature ād abilitie in vs, till such time as they beget in vs a desire of progresse, which, as spirituall seede, serues to the production of new degrees of vertue. And me thinks the earth of our heart is cō ­manded to bring forth the plants of vertue, which beare the fruits of good works euery one in his kind, and which haue the seedes of a desire and re­solution to encrease and aduāce in the way of per­fection. And the vertue, that beares not the seede or Pipin of this desire, is not yet come to her groth and maturitie. Thou wilt not then, saieth S. BER­NARD to the sluggard, a better thy selfe in perfe­ction? [Page 480] No nor yet grow worse? nor yet that ve­rily. Why then, dost thou desire neither to amend nor paire. Alas poore man thou wouldst be that, which thou canst not be. Euen in the wide world there is nothing stable and constant, yet of man it is saied more particularly, that he neuer re­maines in one estate. He must either goe forward, or else he goes backward.

4. Nor doe I, more then S. BERNARD, affirme, that it is a sinne not to practise the Counsells, no verily THEO: for it is the proper difference betwixt Commandements and Counsells, that Comman­dements doe oblige vs vnder paine of sinne, Coun­sell doth onely inuite vs without paine of sinne. Yet doe I bouldly auerre that to contemne the pretention of Christian perfection is a great sinne, and yet greater to contemne the inuitation by which our Sauiour cals vs to it, but it is an insup­portable impietie to contemne the Counsells and meanes, which our Sauiour markes vs out to the attaining of it. It were an Heresie to saie, that our Sauiour had not giuen vs good Counsell; and a blasphemie to saie to God, withdraw thy selfe from vs, we will not know thy wayes. But it is a horrible irreuerence done to him, that with so much loue and delight did inuite vs to perfection, to saie, I will not be holy, or perfect; nor will I any larger portion of thy Beneuolence, nor will I follow the Counsells which thou giuest me to fru­ctifie therein.

5. We may indeede without offence, not follow the Counsells, for the affection we beare another way, as for example, it is lawfull for a man, not to [Page 481] sell what he possesseth, nor giue it to the poore, because he hath not the courage to make so entire a renunciation: It is also lawfull to marrie, be­cause one loues a wife, or otherwise hath not strength of mind necessarie to vndertake the warre which must be waged against the flesh. But to make profession that one will not follow the Coū ­sells, nor any one of them, cannot be done without contempt of him that giues them. Not to follow the Counsell for that one hath an intention to marrie, is not euill done, but so to marrie as to pre­ferre marriage before chastitie, with heritikes, is a great contempt either of the Counsellour, or of his Counsell. To drinke wine, against the Doctors aduise when one is ouercome with thrist, or with a desire to drinke, is not properly to contemne the Doctor nor his aduise: but to saie I will not follow the Doctors aduise, must necessarily proceede frō some bad opinion one harbours of him. Now as concerning men, one may often contemne their Counsell without contemning them, because to esteeme that a man doth erre, is not to contemne him. But to reiect and contemne Gods Counsell, cannot spring but from a conceite we haue, that he hath not Counselled vs well, which cannot be thought but by a Spirit of Blasphemie, as though God were not wise enough, to know, or good enough to will to giue good aduise. We may saie the same of the Counsells of the Church, which by reason of the continuall assistance of the holy ghost, which doth instruct and conduct her in all truth, can neuer giue euill aduise.

A continuation of the precedent discourse: how euery one ought to loue, though not to practise the Euangelicall Counsells, and yet how euery one is to practise what he is able. CHAPTER. IX.

1. Allthough all the Euangelicall Counsells cannot, nor ought not to be practised by euery Christian in particular; yet is euery one ob­liged to loue them all, they being all very good. If you haue the Megrim, and the smell of muke doe anoie you, will you therefore disauowe that this smell is good and delightsome? If a Robe of gold be not fit for you, will you thence saie, that it is worth nothing? or will you throw a ring into the [...]urt, because it fits not your finger? Praise, there­fore THEOT: and dearely affect all the Counsells, that God hath giuen vnto men. O blessed be the Angell of the high Coūsell for euer, together with the Coun [...]ell he giues, and exhortations he makes to man! The heart is cheared vp with oyntments and good smells, saieth Salomon: and by the good Counsell of a friend, the soule is calmed. But of what friend, and of what Counsells doe we speake? ô God, it is of the friend of friends: and his Coū ­sells are more delight [...]ull then honie. Our friend is our Sauiour, his Counsells are to saue vs.

[Page 483]2. Let vs reioyce, THEO: when we see others vndertake the Counsells, which either we cannot, or ought not to obserue: Lets praie for them, blesse, fauour, and assist them. For Charitie doth oblige vs not onely to loue our owne good, but that also, which is good for our neighbour.

3. We may sufficiently testifie our loue to all the Counsells, if we deuotely obserue such as are sutable to our calling, for euen as he that beleeues an Article of Faith, before God reuealed it in his word, published and declared it by the Church, cannot misbeleeue the others: and he that ob­serues one Commandement, for the pure Loue of God, is readie to obserue the others, when occa­sion shall be offered. So he that doth loue and prize one Euangelicall Counsell, because it came from God, he cannot but loue all the others con­sequently, being they are also from God. Now we may with ease practise many of them, though not all of them together; for God deliuered many, to the end euery one might obserue some of them: nor doth there passe a day, wherein we haue not some occasion thereof.

4. Doth Charitie require, that to assist thy Fa­ther or mother, thou shouldst liue with them? conserue notwithstanding a loue and affection to your recollection, let your heart liue at your Fa­thers house, so farre forth as is requisit, to acquit your selfe of that which Charitie doth order. Is it not expedient, your qualitie considered, that you should conserue perfect chastitie? keepe it at least in such sort as you may, without violating charitie. Who cannot doe all, at least let him doe a part: you [Page 484] are not obliged to looke after him that hath of­fended you; for it is his part to come to himselfe and to you to giue you satisfaction, since he began the iniurie and outrage: yet goe, THEO: follow our Sauiours Counsell, preuent him in good, render him good for euill, cast vpon his head and heart burning coales, proofes of Charitie, that may wholy burne him, and force him to a reconcilia­tion. You are not bound by rigour of law, to giue almes to all the poore you meete, but onely to such as are in extreamitie. Yet following our Sauiours Counsell, cease not to giue to euery poore bodie that you light on, hauing still a respect to your owne condition, and to the true exigent of your affaires. You haue no obligation to make any vow at all; yet bouldly make some, such as shall be iud­ged fit by your Ghostly Father for your aduance­ment in Diuine Loue. You haue free libertie to vse wine within the termes of decencie; yet follo­wing S. PAVLES Counsell to Timothie, take onely so much; as is requisit to comfort your sto­make

5. In Counsells there are diuers degrees of per­fections; To lend to such poore people as are not in extreame want, is the first degree of the Coun­sell of Almes-deedes, to giue them some what, is a higher; a higher yet to giue them all: but the hi­ghest of all to dedicate ones owne person to their seruice. Hospitalitie out of the termes of extreame necessitie is a Counsell. To entertaine strangers, is the first degree of it; but to stand in cōmon pas­sages with Abraham, to inuite them, is a degree higher; and yet higher then that, to seate one selfe [Page 485] in a place of danger to harbour, aide and waire vpon passengers. Herein the great S. BERNARD of Menthon borne in this diocese did excell, who being extracted from a noble house, did for di­uers yeares inhabit the shelues and topes of our Alpes, established there a cōpanie to serue, lodge, assist and preserue pilgrims and passingers from the danger of tempests, who might often perish amidst the stormes, snow, and thunder-clapes, were it not for the Hospitalls which this great friend of God erected and founded vpon two moun­tains, which taking their names from him, are called, GREAT S. BERNARD, in the Bishopricke of Sion, and LITTLE S. BERNARD, in the Bishoptike of Tharētise. To visite the sicke, which are not in extreame necessitie, is a laudible Charitie, to serue thē, is yet better: but to consecrate a mans selfe to their seruice, is the excellēcie of that Coūsell, which the Clarks of the visitatiō of the sicke doe exercise by their proper institute, ād many Ladies in diuers places, imitating the great S. SANSON, a gentleman and Phisition of Rome, who at Constantinople, where he was made Priest, with a wonderfull charitie deuoted hīselfe to the seruice of the sicke in a hospitall which he began, and which the Em­perour Iustinian did raise and accomplish, by the imitation of S. CATHARINE of Sienna, and Genua, of S. ELIZABETH of Hungarie, and of the glorious friends of God S. FRANCIS, and the B. IGNATIVS of Loyola, who in the beginning of their Orders, performed this exercise, with an incomparable spirituall feruour and profit.

6. Vertues haue then a certaine extent of per­fection, [Page 486] and commonly we are not obliged to pra­ctise them in the hight of their excellencie. It is sufficient to goe so farre in the practise of thē, that we doe indeede practise them▪ But to make a fur­ther passage, and gaine ground in perfection, is a Counsell, the acts of heroicall vertues not being ordinarily commanded, but counselled onely. And if vpon some occasion we find our selues obliged to exercise them, it is by reason of some rare and extraordinarie exigent, which makes them neces­sarie to the conseruation of Gods grace. The hap­pie Porter of the Prison of Sebastia, seeing one of the fortie which were thē martyred, loose courage and the crowne of Martyrdome, tooke his place, without being pursued, and made the 40. of those glorious and Triumphant Souldiers of Christ. S. ADAVCTVS seeing S. FELIX led to Martyrdome, and I, quoth he, (none at all vrging him) I am also a Christian as well as he whō you haue in your hāds, ād worshipe the same Sauiour; ād with that kissing S. FELIX he marched with him to martyrdome, and was beheaded. Thousands of the auncient Martyrs did the like; and hauing it equally in their power to auoyd or vndergoe martyrdome without offēce they choosed rather generously to vndergoe it, then lawfully to auoyd it. In these, Martyrdome was an heroicall act of force and constancie, giuen them by a holy excesse of Loue. But when it is necessarie to endure Martyrdome or to renounce Faith, Martyrdome it doth not cease to be Martyr­dome, and an excellent act of loue and vallour: yet doe I scarcely thinke it is to be termed an he­roicall act, not being elected by any excesse of [Page 487] Loue, but by force of the law, which in that case commands it. Now in the practise of heroicall acts of vertue, is placed the perfect Imitation of our Sauiour, who as the great S. THOMAS saieth, had all the vertues in an heroicall manner, from the first instant of his conception, yea I would wil­lingly adde more then heroicall, since he was not simply more then man, but infinitly more then man, that is, true God.

How we are to conforme our selues to Gods will signified vnto vs by inspirations: and first of the truth of the meanes by which God enspires vs. CHAPTER. X.

1. THe sunne-beames in lightening doe heate, and in heating doe lighten. Inspiration is a heauenly raie, which brings into our hearts a burning light, by which at once we doe both see good, and are inflamed with a desire to pursue it. Euery thing that liues vpon the face of the earth, is benūmed with winters cold; but vpon the re­turne of the springtime withall heate, they returne to their wonted motion. Beasts of the earth rūne more swiftly; birds flie more quickly, and chaunt more merrily; and plants doe put out their leaues and fruite more pleasantly. Without inspirations our soules would lead an idle, blasted and fruit­lesse [Page 488] life, but at the arriuall of the Diuine raies of inspirations, we perceiue a light mixed with a quickning heate, which doth illuminate our vn­derstanding, excitate and animate our will, ena­bling her with strenght to will and effect the good appertaining to eternall health. God hauing for­med mans bodie of the slyme of the earth, as Moyses saieth, he breathed into his face the breath of life, and man became a liuing soule, that is, he became a soule that gaue life, motion and opera­tion to the bodie. And the same eternall God, doth breath and blow into our soules the inspirations of a supernaturall life, to the end that, as saieth the great Apostle, they might become quickning Spirits, that is, Spirits that make vs liue, moue, feele and worke the workes of grace; so that he who gaue vs being, giues vs also operation. Mans breath doth warme the things it enters into, wit­nesse the Sunamits child, to whose mouth the Prophet Eliseus hauing laied his, and breathed vpon him, his flesh waxed hote; and it is a Maxime of experience. But touching the breath of God, it doth not onely heate, but also giue a perfect light, his Spirit being an infinite light, whose vitall breath is called Inspiration, for so much as by it the Diuine Goodnesse doth breath vpon vs, and inspire vs with the desires and intentions of his owne heart.

2. Now God doth inspire vs by infinite meanes, S. ANTONIE, S. FRANCIS, S. ANSELME, and a thou­sand others, had frequent inspirations by the sight of crearurs: preaching is the ordinarie meanes: but sometimes, such as the word profits not, are [Page 489] taught by tribulation, according to the Prophet: vexation shall giue vnderstanding in the Hearing, that is, such as by hearing the heauely menaces against the wicked, doe not amend, shall be taught the truth by the euents and effects, and by the gripe of affliction become wise. S. MARIE Egip: was inspired by the sight of our Ladies picture; S. ANTONIE by hearing the Ghospell, which is red at Masse; S. AVGVSTINE, vpon the relation of S. AN­TONIES life; The Duke of Gandie by looking v­pon the dead Empresse; S. PACOMIVS by an Ex­ample of Charitie; The B. Ignatius Loyola in rea­ding the Saints liues; S. CYPRIAN (not the great Bishope of Carthage, but a lay-man, yet a glorious Martyr) was touched in hearing the diuell confesse his owne impotencie ouer such as are confident in God. When I was a young youth at Paris, two scholers whereof the one was ā Heretike, deboistly passing the night in the Suburbs of S. Iames, heard the Carthusiās ringe to Matins, ād the Heretike as­kīg the other why they rūg, he related vnto hī with what deuotion they celebrated the Diuine office in that holy Monasterie· ô God, quoth he, how diffe­rēt is the practise of those Religious frō ours! They performe the office of Angels, and we that of brute beastes: and desiring the day after to see, that which by his companions relation he had learnt, he found the good Fathers on their formes as a companie of marble statues, ranged a long the wall in their hollow seates, immoueable to all a­ction, but singing of Psalmes, which they perfor­med with a truly angelicall attention and deuo­tion, according to the custome of this holy Order; [Page 490] So that this poore youth wholy rauished with ad­miration was taken with the exceeding consola­tion which he tooke to see God so well worship­ped amongst Catholikes, and resolued, which af­terward he fulfilled, to put himselfe into the Church her bosome, his true and onely Spouse, who had visited him in his inspiration, while he was laied on the infamous bed of abomina­tion.

3. O how happie are they that keepe their hearts open to holy inspirations, which are neuer awāting to any, so farre forth as they are necessarie to liue well and deuotely, according to each ones condition of life, and holily to complie with the duties of their profession: for as God by nature doth furnish euery beast with the instincts which are necessarie to their conseruation, and to the exercise of their naturall qualities; so if we resist not Gods grace, he bestowes on euery one of vs inspirations necessarie for our life, operation and spirituall conseruation. O Lord, saied the faith­full Eliezer, here I stand at this fountaine, and the daughters of the inhabitāts of this Citie will come forth to draw water: the yoūg girle then to whom I shall saie, let downe thy pitcher that I may drinke, and who shall answere, Drinke, yea and I will also giue to thy Camells; she it is whom thou hast prepared for thy seruant Isaac. THEO: Eliezer giues her onely to vnderstand that he himselfe would drinke: but the faire Rebecca obeying the inspiration which God of his clemencie bestowed vpon her, doth offer withall to water his Camells. Hence she became holy Isaac's wife, daughter-in-law [Page 491] to the great Abraham, and grand-mother to our Sauiour. Certes the soules which are not con­tented with effecting that which the heauenly Spouse requires at their hands by his Commande­ments and Counsells, but doe also promptly com­plie with sacred inspirations, are those, whom the Eternall Father hath prouided for Spouses to his well-beloued Sonne. And concerning the good Eliezer, hauing no other grounds to discerne her amongst the daughters of Haran, a towne of Na­chor, who was desined for his Maisters sonne, God reueals it vnto him by inspiratiō. When we are at a non-plus, and humane helps doe faile vs in our perplexities, God doth then inspire vs, nor will he permit that we should erre, while we humbly o­beye: I will saie no more of these necessarie inspi­rations, hauing often alreadie spoken of them in this worke, as also in the Introduction.

Of the vnion of our will to Gods in the in­spirations which are giuen for the extra­ordinarie practise of vertues; and of per­seuerance in ones vocation, the first marke of the inspiration. CHAPTER. XI.

1. THere are certaine Inspirations which tend onely to an extraordinarie perfection of the ordinarie exercises of Christian life. Charitie [Page 492] towards poore infirme people is an ordinarie ex­ercise with true Christians, yet an ordinarie exer­cise which was practised by S. FRANCIS with an ex­traordinarie perfection, as also by S. Catharine, of Sienna, when she licked and sucked the vlcers of the Leprous and Cankred; and by the glorious S. LEWES when bare-head and vpon his knees, he serued the sicke, whereat an Abbot of Cisteau loosed himselfe in admiration, seeing him in this posture, handle and dresse the running and can­kered wounds of a miserable wretch: as it was also a very extraordinarie exercise, that the holy Mo­narke should serue the most abiect and vile poore people at table, and eate their leauings. S. HIE­ROME, entertaining in his Hospitall at Bethleem the Pilgrims of Europe, who fled the persecution of the Goths, did not onely wash their feete, but descended euen so low as to wash and rub their Camels leggs, imitating Rebecca whom we lately mentioned, who did not onely draw water for Eliezer, but for his Camells also. S. FRANCIS did not onely practise pouerrie in an extreamitie, as is knowen to all, but euen exercised simplicitie in the like measure. He redeemed a lambe fearing it should be put to slaughter, because it represented our Sauiour: he bore a respect almost to all Crea­turs, in respect of their Creatour, by an vnac­customed, yet most prudent simplicitie. Now and then he would busie himselfe to withdraw wormes out of the way, least some in passing, should trāple thē vnder their feete, remēbring that our Sauiour had compared himselfe to the worme. He called the Creaturs his brothers and sisters, by a cer­taine [Page 493] admirable consideration, which loue sugge­sted vnto him. S. ALEXIS, a gentleman of a noble descent, practised in an excellent manner the ab­iection of himselfe, liuing vnkowen for the space of 17. yeares, in his Fathers house at Rome, in the nature of a poore pilgrime. All these inspirations were for ordinarie exercise, which notwithstan­ding were practised with extraordinarie perfe­ction. In this kind of inspiration, we are to ob­serue the rules which I gaue for desirs, in the In­troduction. We must not striue to practise many exercises at once, and vpon a sodaine: for it is of­ten a trike of the enemye, to moue vs to vnder­take and begin many desines, to th'end that ouer­whelmed with the multiplicitie of businesse, we might accōplish nothing, but leaue all vnfinished: yea sometimes he doth suggest vnto vs a desire, to vndertake to begin some excellent worke, which he foresees we will not accomplish, to deturne vs from prosecuting a worke lesse excellent, which we had easily performed; for he cares not how ma­ny purposes and onsets be made, so that nothing be effected. He will not hinder the mysticall wo­men, that is the Christian soules, to bring forth men-children, no more then Pharao did, prouided that their groth be preuented by slaughter. Con­trariwise, saieth the great S. Hierome, amongst Christians we doe not so much note the begin­ning as the end. One must not eate so much, that he cannot disgest it. The Spirit of guile stayes vs in the beginnings, and makes vs content with the florishing spring-time; but the Diuine Spirit ne­uer moues vs to reflect vpon our beginnings, saue [Page 494] to attaine the end; neuer to make vse of the flowres of the spring, but with intention, to en­ioye the ripe fruites of the Summer, and Autumne.

2. The great S. THOMAS is of opinion, that it is not expedient, to make many consultations and long deliberations touching the desire one feeles in himselfe to enter into a good and well or­dered Religion and not without reason: For Religion being counselled by our Sauiour in the Gospell, what needs much consultation? It is suf­ficient to make one good one, with a few friends, who are prudent, and conuersant in such a busi­nesse, and such as may assist vs to make a short and solide resolution. But after we haue once de­liberated and resolued, as well in this matter, as in any other that appertaines to Gods seruice, we must be constant and vnuariable, without permit­ting our selues to be shaken by any apprehēsion of a greater good; for oftentimes, saieth the glorious S. BERNARD the Diuell makes vs rūne the riot, and to draw vs from the effecting of one good, he pro­poseth vnto vs some other good, that seemes bet­ter, which after we haue set vpon, to diuert vs from that againe, he presents a third, being wil­ling that we should often begin, so we neuer come to an end. Nay one is not euen to goe from one order to another without very waightie motifes, saieth S. THOMAS, following the Abbot Nesto­rious, cited by Cassian.

3. I will borrow a fine similitude of S. Anselme writing to Lanzon: As a plant often transplanted can neuer take roote, nor consequently come to perfection, and rēder the wished fruite; so the soule [Page 495] that doth transplant her heart from one desine to another, cannot profit, nor come to the true groth of her perfection; since perfection is not found in beginnings, but in accomplishments. Ezechiel's holy beasts went whither the ouer bearing-furie of their spirits carried them, nor did they in going looke backward, but each of them went on out right before them: Wee are to goe whither the in­spiration moues vs, not turning about, or retur­ning backe, but tēding thither, whither God hath turned our face, without looking ouer our shoulder. He that is in a good way, let him worke his saluation. It happens sometimes that we for­sake the good, to seeke the better, and that ha­uing forsaken th'one, we find not the other: Bet­ter is the possession of a smale treasure alreadie found, then the pretention of a farre greater, which is yet to be sought for. The inspiration is to be suspected, which moues vs to quit a present good which we enioye, to purchase a better we know not when. A young Portugaise, called Francis Bassus, was admirable, not onely for Diuine elo­quence, but also for the practise of vertue vnder the discipline of S. PHILIPE NERIVS in the Con­gregation of the Oratorie at Rome: Now, he per­swaded himselfe that he was inspired to leaue this holy Societie, to put himselfe in a formall Order, which also he resolued vpon; But the B. PHILIPE being present, while he was receiued into the or­der of S. DOMINIKE, he wept bitterly. Wherevpon being demanded by Francis Marie Tauruse, who was afterwards Archbishop of Sienna and Cardi­nall, why he shed teares? I deplore, quoth he, the [Page 496] losse of so many vertues: and indeede this young man, who did so excell in wisdome and pietie in the Congregation, after he was become a reli­gious man, was so inconstant and fickle, that tos­sed with many desires of noueltie and change, he gaue afterwards great and grieuous scan­dall.

4. If the Fowler goe straight to the Partridge nest, she will come before him and coūterfaite her back to be broken, or that she is lame, and raysing her selfe vp as though she would take a great flight, she will tumble downe of a sodaine, with show that she is able to doe no more, to thēd that the Fowler, being busied in looking after her, whom he thinks with ease to catch, may not light on her little ones in the nest, but as soone as he hath pursued her a while, and thinkes he is vpon the point of catching her, she escapes by flying away. So the enemye, seeing a man by Gods in­spiration vndertake a profession and manner of life most proper for his aduancements in heauenly Loue, persuads him, to enter into some other way, more perfect in appearance; but hauing put him out of his first way, he makes him by little and little apprehend the second way impossible, proposing a third; that so keeping him occupied in the cōtinuall enquirie of diuers and new meanes of perfection, he may hinder him from making vse of any, and consequently from attaining the end which he seekes for, which is perfection. Young hounds loose the sent at euery double, and rūne counter: but the old and well sented hounds neuer rūnes counter, but keepes still the same sent [Page 497] they are vpon. Let euery one then, hauing once found out Gods holy will touching his vocation, stick to it holily and louingly, practising therein fitting exercises, according to the order of discre­tion, and with the Zeale of perfection.

Of the vnion of Mans will to Gods in the in­spirations, which are contrarie to the or­dinarie Lawes: and of the peace and tranquillitie of heart, the second marke of Inspiration. CHAPTER. XII.

1. THus then THEO: we are to behaue our selues in the inspirations, which are no otherwise extraordinarie, then in that they doe moue vs to practise ordinarie Christian exercises, with an extraordinarie feruour and perfectiō: but there are other inspirations called extraordinarie, not onely because they make the soule passe the bonds of an ordinarie proceeding, but also moue a man to actions contrarie to the lawes, rules and common customes of the most holy Church: and which therefore are more admirable then imi­table. The holy Damsell called by the Historians Eusebia the strang, left Rome, her natiue soyle, and putting her selfe in mans attire, with two girles more, tooke shipe to goe by Sea to Ale­xandria, and thence to the Ile of Co, where fin­ding [Page 498] themselues sure, they put on againe their womans habit, and returning to Sea, they went to the towne Mylasla in Car [...], whither the great S. PAVLE, who had found her in Co, and had ta­ken her vnder his spirituall protection, led her, and where afterwards, being made Bishop, he did so piously direct her, that she erected a Monaste­rie, and dedicated it to serue the Church in quali­tie of DIACONESSES, (as in those dayes they were named) with such feruour of Charitie that in the end she died a Saint, and by a number of miracles which God did by her Relikes and intercessions, was acknowledged for such. To put on an attire, proper to a diuers Sexe, and in a disguised manner to expose ones selfe to a iourney together with men, doth not onely passe the extraordinarie rules of Christian modestie, but is euen contrarie to them. A certaine young man hauing giuen his mother a kicke with his foote, touched with a liuely repentance confessed it to S. ANTONIE of Padua; who to imprint the horrour of his sinne more deepely in his heart, saied vnto him, amōgst other things, my child, the foote which serued for an instrument of wickednesse, would deserue to be cut off for so great a trespasse: which the youth tooke in so good earnest, that being returned home to his mother, transported with the feeling of contrition he cut of his foote: the Saints words had not had such force, according to their ordinarie qualitie, vnlesse God had added his inspiration therevnto; yea an inspiration so extraordinarie, that it was esteemad rather a temptatiō, if the mi­racle of his reunited foote, caused by the Saints [Page 499] benediction had not authorised it. S. PAVLE the first Hermite, S. ANTONIE, S. MARIE EGIPTIACA, did not inhabite the vast wildernesse, where they were depriued of hearing Masse, communicating▪ and confessing, yea of all direction and assistance being young people, without a strong inspiration. The great SYMEON STYLITE led a life, that neuer mortall creature would haue dream't of, or haue vndertaken without an heauēly instinct and assi­stance: SAINT IOHN Bishop surnamed SILEN­TIARIVS forsaking his Bishoprike without the knowledge of any of his Clergie, passed the rest of his dayes in the Monasterie of Laura, nor was there after, any newes heard of him. Was not this contrarie to the rule of keeping a holy Resi­dence? And the great S. PAVLINE, who sold him­selfe to ransome a poore widowes sonne, how could he doe it following the ordinarie lawes, since he was not his owne, but by his Episcopale consecration, belonged to the Church, and the Common? The Virgins and wiues who being pursued for their beautie, with voluntarie wounds disfigured their faces, that vnder the maske of an holy deformitie, they might conserue their cha­stitie, did they not, in apparēce, prohibited things?

2. Now the best marke of good inspirations in generall, and particularly of extraordinarie ones, is the peace and tranquillitie of the heart that receiues them: for though the holy Ghost be truely violent, yet is his violence sweete, deli­cate and peaceable; he comes as a blast of winde, and as an heauēly thunder-clape, but he doth not ouerthrow the Apostles, he troubles them not; [Page 500] the feare which they had in hearing the noyse, was of no continuance, but was sodainly followed with a sweete assurance. So that this fire, seates it selfe vpon each of them, where it giues and takes a sacred repose: and as our Sauiour is called a peaceabl [...] o [...] gentle Salomon, so is his Spouse ter­med Sunamite, calme, and Daughter of Peace: and the voice, that is, the inspiration of God, doth not in any sort disquiet or trouble, but drawes her so sweetely, that he makes her soule deliciously melt and runne into him: My soule, quoth she, melted when my Beloued spoke; and though she be warlike and Martiall, yet is she withall so pea­ceable, that in the discord of weapons and warrs, she maintaines the concord of an incomparable melodie. What can you see, saied she, in the Suna­mite, but troupes of armed men? Her armies con­sist of troupes, that is, of concords, and singers, and her troupes are armed men, because the wea­pons of the Church, and of the deuote soule, are no other thing then Praiers, Hymes, Canticles, and Psalmes. So that seruants of God, which had the most high and sublime inspirations, were the most milde and peaceable that the world had. A­braham, Isaac, Iacob, Moyses are enstyled the most milde amongst men; Dauid is famous for his mild­nesse. Whereas Contrariwise the Euill Spirit is turbulent, rough, stirring: and those that follow hellish suggestions, apprehending them to be hea­uenly inspirations, are commonly easily knowen, being disquieted, headie, fierce, enterprisers and sticklers in affaires, who vnder the cloake of Zeale, doe turne all topce-turnie, censure all the [Page 501] world, chide euery one, find fault with all things; they are a people that will not be directed, by or condiscend to any, they will beare with nothing, but exercise the passions of selfe-loue vnder the title of Zeale of Gods honour.

The third Marke of the Inspiration, which is holy obedience to the Church and Superiours. CHAPTER. XIII.

1. HOly humilitie is inseparably adioyned to the peace and sweetenesse of heart. But I doe not terme a complementall ranging of words, gestures, and kissings of the ground, obeissance▪ inclinations, humilitie, being done as it often fals out, without any inward sense of our owne abie­ction, and of the iust conceite we make of our neighbour: for these are but the vaine amusemēts of a weake braine, and are rather to be termed fantomes of humilitie, then humilitie.

2. I speake of a noble, reall, pithie, and solide humilitie, which makes vs supple to correction, pliable and prompt to obedience. While the in­comparable Simeon Stylite was yet a Nouice at Toledo, he could not be stirred by his Superiours aduise, who sought to reclame him from the pra­ctise of so many strang austerities, by which he was inordinatly cruell to hīselfe, so that at lēgth he was turned out of the Monasterie vpon it, as one that [Page 502] was incapable of the mortificatiō of the mīd, ād too much addicted to that of the bodie: but beīg recal­led againe to the Monasterie, ād become more de­uote ād prudēt in spirituall life, his behauiour was quite other, as in the ensuing action he declared: for the Hermits which were disperced in the neigh­bour Deserts of Antioche, hauing notice of the extraordinarie life which he led vpon the Pillar, in which he seemed to be either an earthly Angell or a neauenly mā, they dispatched a Deputie, with order to speake vnto him from them as followeth. Why dost thou, Simeon, leauing the high way of perfection, which so great and holy Forerunners haue troden, follow another, vncouth, and farre different from all that hath bene seene or heard to this day? Simeon forsake the Pillar, and sort thy selfe with others, as well in their manner of life, a [...] in their methode of seruing God, vsed by our ho­ly Auncesters. In case Simeon, yeelding to their aduise, and condescending to their pleasures, should shew himselfe readie to descend, they had charged the Deputie, to leaue him in his libertie to perseuer in his present manner of life, because his obedience, saied those good Fathers, gaue as­surance, that he enterprised this kind of life, by the diuine inspiration: But in case he should resist, and despising their exhortations he would follow his owne will, they resolued to withdraw him thence by violence, and force him to forsake his Pillar. The Deputie being come to the Pillar, he had not so soone performed his Embasie, but the great Simeō without delay, whithout reserue, without replie at all, began to descend, with an o­bedience [Page 503] and humilitie worthy of his rare Sancti­tie. Which when the Deputie saw, stay saied he, ô Simeon, remaine there, perseuer constantly, take courage, pursue thy enterprise valliantly; thy stay vpon this pillar is from God.

3. But marke, I pray you THEO: how these aunciant and holy Ancorets, in their generall meeting, foūd no surer markes of an heauēly in­spiration, in so extraordinarie an occurrence, as was this holy Stylits life, then to find him simple, sweete, and tractable, vnder the lawes of holy o­bedience: and indeede God blessing the Submis­sion of this great man, gaue him the grace to per­seuer thirtie whole yeares vpon the top of a Pillar 36. cubits high, hauing before passed 7. yeares vpon others, of 6. 12, and 20. foote high, as also vpon the sharpe point of a rocke, in a place called Mander. Thus this birde of Paradice, kee­ping aboue without touching the ground, was a a Spectacle of Loue to the Angels, and of admira­tion to mortalls: In obedience all is secure, out of it, all is doubtfull.

4. When God inspires a heart, he moues it first to obedience, but was there euer a more no­table and sensible inspiration, then that which was giuen to the glorious S. Paule? and the principall peece of it was, that he should repaire to the Ci­tie, where he should receiue from Ananias his mouth, what he was to doe: This Ananias, a very famous man, was, as S. Dorothie saieth, the Bishop of Damas. Whosoeuer saieth that he is inspired, and yet refuseth to obey his Superiours, and follow their Counsell, is an Imposture. All the [Page 504] Prophets and Preachers that euer were in­spired, did alwayes loue the Church, alwayes ad­hered to her Doctrine, alwayes were Proued by her, nor did they euer announce any thing so constantly as this truth, that the lipps of the Priest, should conserue knowledge, and that frō his mouth one was to demande the lawe; so that Extraordinarie missions are diabolicall illu­sions, not heauenly inspirations, vnlesse they be acknowledged and approued by the Pa­stours, which are of the ordinarie mission. For so Moyses and the Prophets are reconciled, so SAINT FRANCIS, SAINT DOMINIKE, and the other Fathers of Religious Orders, were called to the succour of soules by an extraordinarie inspi­ration: Marrie, they did so much more humbly and cordially submit themselues to the Sacred Hie­rarchie of the Church. In fine the three most assu­red markes of lawfull inspirations, are PERSEVE­RANCE, against inconstancie and lightenesse; PEACE and sweetenesse of heart, against vnquietnesse and sollicitude; HVMBLE OBEDIENCE against obstinacie and humourousnesse.

5. And to conclude all that we haue saied tou­ching the vnion of our will with Gods will which is called signified; almost all the hearbs which beare yellowe flowres, yea Cicorie also which beares blewe ones, doe still turne towards the Sūne and goe about with it, while the HELIOTROPIVM doth not onely in its flowres, but euen in its leaues also followe this great light; So all the Elect doe turne the very flowre of their heart, which is obe­dience to the commandements, towards the di­uine [Page 505] will; but soules taken with holy Loue, doe not onely eye this diuine Goodnesse by obedience to the Commandements, but euen by the vnion of all their affections, following this heauenly sunne in his Round, in all that he doth Command, Conunsell, and inspire, without reserue or exce­ption at all: whence they may saie with the holy Psalmist, Lord thou hast held my right hand, and in thy will thou hast conducted me, with en­crease of thy glorie thou hast receiued me; as a beast I am become with thee, ād I am alwayes with thee; for as a well broken horse, is easily handled, fairely and duely brought into any posture by him that rides him; so the Louing soule is so plia­ble to Gods will, that he doth with her what he pleaseth.

A short methode to know Gods will. CHAPTER. XIV.

1. SAINT BASILE saieth, that Gods will is made cleare vnto vs, by his ordinances or com­mandemēts, and that then there is no deliberation to be made: for we are simply to doe that which is ordained. So that for all other things, we haue freedome to choose, as we list, what likes vs; though we are not to doe all that is lawfull, but that onely which is expedient: and that finally to discerne securely what is expedient, we are to fol­low [Page 506] our prudent Ghostly Father's aduise.

2. But THEOT: I am to premonish you of a troublesome temptation, which crosseth the way of such soules as are carried on with a great desire of doing that which is most according to Gods will. For the enemy at euery turne of a hand, will put them to their wits end, to discouer whether they are rather to doe this or that; for example, whether they should eate with their friend, or no; whether they should weare gray or blacke clothes whether they should fast Friday, or Saturday; whether they should recreate, or abstaine from it, consuming therein much time; and while they are busie, and breake their heads to descerne the better, they idly spend the time, in which they might doe many good offices, farre more to Gods glorie, then their descerning betwixt good and better, wherein they are musing.

3. We vse not to waigh euery smale peece of money, but such onely as are of importance: Tra­ding would be too troublesome, and would burne too much day, if we were to waigh pence, far­things, halfe farthings &c. Nor likewise are we to waigh, euery pettie action, to know whether it be of more value then others. Yea there is often times a kinde of superstition in this precise inqui­sition: For to what end should a mā make difficul­tie, whether it were better to heare masse in one Church then another, to spinne then to sow, to giue Almes to a man then to a woman? It is not good seruice done to a Maister, to spend as much time to consider what is to be done as to doe the things which is to be done. We are to propor­tion [Page 507] our attention to the consequence of the thing we are to vndertake. It were a superfluous care, to vse as long a deliberation about a iorney of one day, as for one of 6. or 8. hundred miles.

4. The choice of ones vocation, the proposi­tion of a businesse of great consequence, a labour full of difficultie, or subiect to great expences: the chang of ones place of abode, election of conuer­sations, and the like, deserue a serious ponder a­tion which accords best with the will of God. But in little and dayly exercises wherein the fault is ne­ther of moment, or irreparable, what neede is there to chant a QVANTA PATIMVR by engaging ones attention in importune consultations? To what end should I put my selfe vpon the racke, to learne whether God would rather that I should saie the Rosarie or our Ladies Office, since there can be no such difference betwixt them, that a GRAND-IVRIE should be impannelled vpon it? That I should rather goe to visite the sicke in the hospitall, then to VESPERAS. That I should rather goe to a Sermon, then to a Church where there are Indulgences; commonly there is no such re­markable thing in the one more then the other, that the matter requires any great deliberation: we must walke simply, not subtily in those occur­rēces, and as S. BASILE, freely doe that which licks vs best, without wearying out our wits, loosing our time, and running hazard of disquiet, scru­ples, and superstitiō. Now my meaning is alwayes, where there is no great disproportion betwixt the two workes, and where there occurrs no circum­stance more considerable in the one then th'other.

[Page 508]5. And euen in matters of moment we are to vse a great humilitie, and not to thinke we can fish out Gods will by force of examination, and subtilitie of discourse; But hauing implored the light of the holy-Ghost, applied our cōsideration to the search of his good pleasure, taken our Di­rectours counsell, and of two or three spirituall persōs more if they chāced to be there we must ab­solutly resolue and determine in the name of God, neuer after to call our choice in question, but de­uotely, peaceably and constantly to vndergoe and improue it. And albeit that the difficulties, temp­tations, and the diuersitie of euents which crosse the execution of our designe, might make vs doubt whether we had made a good choice; yet must we remaine constant, not waighing all this. Yea we are to consider, that if we had made an o­ther choice, we had peraduenture bene an hundred times worse; besides, that we wot not whether it be God's will that we should be exerci­sed in consolation or desolation, in peace or in warre. The resolution being once holily vnder­taken, we are neuer to doubt of the holinesse of the execution; for vnlesse it be our fault there can be none: to doe otherwise is a notable marke of selfe-Loue, of childishnesse, or bransicknesse.

Of the vnion of our will, to the will of God, which is the WILL OF GOOD PLEASVRE. CHAPTER. I.

I. NOthing excepting sinne, is done but by the will of God, called an absolute will and of GOOD PLEA­SVRE, which cannot be hindred by man, and which is not knowen, vn­to vs but by the effects, yet being arriued, they make manifest that God willed and determined them.

2. Let vs conside [...] in grosse THEO: all that [Page 510] hath bene, is, and shall be; and rauished with a­mazement, we shall be forced to crie out with the Psalmist: O Lord I will praise thee, because thou are abundantly magnified; thy works are wonder­full, and my soule doth acknowledge thē very much; thy knowledge is become admirable of me, it is made great, nor can I reach to it. And from thence we passe on to a most holy Complacence, reioycing that God is so infinit in WISDOME, PO­WER, and GOODNESSE, which are the three Diuine Proprieties, whereof the world is but a small taste, or scantling.

3. Let vs behold men and Angels, and all the varietie of nature, qualities, conditions, faculties, affections, passions, graces and priuiledges which the diuine Prouidence hath established in the in­numerable number, of those heauenly INTELLI­GENCES, and humane creaturs, vpon which Gods IVSTICE and MERCY is so admirably practised; and we cannot containe our selues from singing with ioye full of respect and louing dread.

THEO: we are to take an exceeding complacence to see how God exerciseth his MERCY by the sun­drie benefits which he doth distribute amongst men and Angels in heauen and earth; And how he practiseth his IVSTICE by an infinit varietie of paines and chastisements: for his IVSTICE and [Page 511] MERCY are equally amiable and admirable in them selues, since both of them, are no other thing then the same most singular Goodnesse and Deitie. But the effects of his Iustice being alwayes sharpe and and full of bitternesse to vs, he sweetens them with the mixture of the effects of his MERCY, conser­uing the greene Oliue amidst the waters of the Deluge of his iust indignation, and giuing power to the deuote soule, as to a chast doue, to find it in the end, prouided alwayes, that like to the doue, she doth louingly meditate. So death, afflictions, anguishes, labours, whereof our life is full, which by Gods iust ordinances are the punishments of sinne, are also by his milde MERCY, made ladders to ascend to Heauen, meanes to encrease grace, and merits to obtaine Glorie. Blessed is pouertie, hunger, thirst, sorrow, sicknesse, persecution, death: for in truth they are the iust punishments of our faults, yet punishments so seasoned, or to vse the Phisitions terme, so aromatized with Diuine sweetenesse, benignitie and clemencie, that their bitternesse, is best beloued. A strang, yet a true thing, THEO: if the damned were not blinded with the obstinacie, and hatred which they con­ceiue against God, they would find consolation in their torments, and see the Diuine MERCY admi­rably dispersed amongst their eternally-tormen­ting flames. So that the Saints considering on the one side the torments of the damned so horrible and dreadfull, they praise Gods IVSTICE in it, and crie out, thou art iust ô Lord thou art iust, and iu­stice for euer raignes in thy iudgments. But seeing on the other side, that these paines, though eternall [Page 512] and incomprehensible, come yet farre short of the crime and trespasse, for which they were inflicted, rauished with Gods infinite MERCY; ó Lord, will they saie, how good thou art, since in the very heate of thy wroth, thou canst not keepe in the torrent of thy MERCYES, that it streame not its waters into the deuouring flames of Hell.

And then turning our eyes vpon our selues in par­cular, and finding in vs diuers interiour and exte­riour goods, as also a greatest number of interiour and exteriour paines, which the Diuine Prouidēce hath prepared for vs, according to his most holy IVSTICE and MERCY: and as opening the armes of our consent, we doe most louingly embrace all, resting in Gods most holy will and singing vnto him, by way of a Hymne of an eternall repose, Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heauen: I Lord, thy will be done in earth, where we haue no pleasure, which is not enterlaced with some paine; no Roses without thornes; no day so cleare that is not followed with a night; no summer that was not vsshered in by a precedent winter: In the earth, ò Lord, where consolations are thinne sowen, desolations thicke: let yet ò God thy will be done, not onely in keeping thy Commande­ments, Counsells, and Inspirations which are to be practised by vs; but also in the sufferance of [Page 513] afflictions and paines which are to fall vpon vs, so that thy will may doe by vs, for vs, in vs, and with vs, what is thought good to thee.

That the vnion of our will to the will of God, is pri [...]c [...]pally caused by tribulations. CHAPTER. II.

1. PAines considered in themselues, cannot in­deede be beloued; yet beheld in their source that is, in Gods will and prouidence which or­daines them, they are infinitly amiable. Behold Moyses his rod vpon the ground, it is a hideous serpent; looke vpon it in Moyses his hand, it is a rod of wonders. Looke tribulations in the face, they are dreadfull; behold them in the will of God, they are loues and delights. How often doth it fall out, that the potion or plaster presented by the Phisition or Apoticarie is loathsome vnto vs, which being offered by some friends hand, (Loue surmounting our loathing) we receiue with de­light? Certes Loue doth either free labour from all difficultie, or makes its difficultie delightfull. It is reported that there is a riuer in Boetia, where­in, the fishes shine like gold, but taken out of those waters, the place of their origine, they haue the naturalll colour of other fishes. Euen so affli­ctions if they be looked vpon out of God's will, they beare with them their naturall bitternesse; [Page 514] but being contemplated in this eternall will, they are all gold, louely and precious beyond con­ceite.

2. If Abraham had beheld a necessitie to slaughter his Sonne out of Gods will, thinke THEO: what panges and conuulsions his poore heart had felt: but seeing it in Gods GOOD PLEA­SVRE, it appeares all gold, and he doth tenderly embrace it. If the Martyrs had looked vpon their torments out of this GOOD PLEASVRE, how could they haue sunge in chaines and flames? The truely louing heart, loues Gods GOOD PLEASVRE, not in consolations onely, but in afflictions also; yea it loues it better vpon the crosse, in paines and diffi­culties, because it i [...] the prime effect of Loue, to make the Louer suffer for the thing belo­ued.

3. The Stoicks, especially the good Epictetes, placed all Philosophie in abstaining and sustaining bearing and forbearing: in forbearing and abstai­ning frō terreane delightes, pleasures ād honours; in sustaining and bearing wrongs, toyles and discō ­modities. But Christian doctrine which is the onely true Philosophie, hath three principles vpō which it doth ground all its exercises. Abnegation of ones selfe, which is farre more then to abstaine from pleasures: Bearing of the crosse, which is farre more then to tolerate it: following of our Sa­uiour not onely in the point of renunciation of a mans selfe, and bearing of his crosse, but euen in the practise of all sorts of good works. Yet is there not so much loue testified, neither in the abnega­tion, nor in the very deede doing, as in suffering. [Page 515] Certes the holy-Ghost in the holy Scripture puts downe the death and passion which our Sauiour suffered for vs, as the highest straine of our Sa­uiours Loue towards vs.

4. First to loue Gods will in consolations, is a good loue, when the loue of God is indeede loued, not the consolation in which it is found: howbeit it is a loue voide of contradiction, repugnance and difficultie; for who would not loue a will so wor­thy in a subiect so wellcome? Secōdly, to Loue the will of God in his Cōmandemēts, Coūsells, ād in­spiratiōs, is a secōd degree of loue and much more perfect: for it leades vs to the renouncing and quitting of our owne will, and makes vs abstaine and forbeare many pleasures, yet not all. Thirdly to loue sufferances and afflictions for the loue of God, is the highest point of holy Charitie: for there is nothing therein to gaine our affection, saue the onely will of God; Our nature feeles a great contradiction in it, and we doe not thereby forsake pleasures onely, but we euen ēbrace paines and torments.

5. Our mortall enemye knew well, what was Loue's furthest tryall, when he had heard from the mouth of God, that IOB was iust, rightuous, fea­ring God, hatting sinne, and stable in innocencie: he made no account of all this, in comparison of bearing afflictions, by which he made the last and surest essaye of the loue of this great seruant of God, ād to haue thē in an extreamitie, he compo­sed them of the losse of all his goods, and all his children, of the entire reuolt of all his friends, and of an arrogant opposition of his greatest Confede­rates, [Page 516] and his owne wife: and of an opposition, full of despight, mockerie, and reproch; to which he added the whole collection of almost all hu­mane diseases namely a cruell, stinking, horrible vlcer ouer all his bodie.

6. And yet behold the great IOB, as king of all the miserable creaturs vpon the face of the earth seated vpon a dunge-hill, as vpon the Throne of miserie; adorned with soares, vlcers, and matter, as with royall robes, suteing them in the qualitie of his royaltie, with so great an abiection and an­nihilation, that if he had not spooken, one should not haue descerned, whether IOB was a man redu­ced into a dounghill, or the dounghill a corrup­tion in forme of a man. Behold there, I saie, the great Iob, crying out, If we haue receiued good things from the hand of God, why shall we not also receiue that which is bad? ô God how this word is great with Loue! He ponders, THEO: that it was from the hand of God, that he had receiued the good, testifying that he had not so much loued good because it was good, as that it came from our Sauiours hand: which being so, he concluds, that he is louingly to support aduersities, since they proceede from our Sauiours hand, equally to be loued when he distributs afflictions, and when he bestowes consolations. Each one doth easily re­ceiue good things, but to receiue euill, is a worke of perfect Loue, which loues them so much the more, for that they are not amiable, but in respect of his hand that giues them.

7. The Trauailler that is in feare whether he hath hit vpon the right way, walks in doubt, loo­king [Page 517] about him in the countrie where he is, and stands in a muse at the end of almost euery feild, to thinke whether he goes not a straie. But he that is sure of his way, walks on iocundly, boldly and swiftly. Euen so the Loue that de [...]ires to walke to Gods will through consolations, walkes still in feare to take the wrong path, and in steede of lo­uing Gods good liking, to fall in loue with the pleasure which is in the consolation; but the Loue that strikes straight through afflictions towards the will of God, walkes in assurance: For affli­ction being in no wise amiable in it selfe; it is an easie thing to Loue it onely for his sake that send's it. The hounds in spring time, are euery foote at default finding hardly any sent at all; because the hearbes and flowres doe then smell so freshly, that the freshnesse put downe the rowt or sent of the Hart or hare; In the spring time of consolations, Loue is scarcely acquainted with Gods pleasure, because the sensible pleasure of the consolation doth so allure the heart, that it trou­bles the attention which it ought to haue to the will of God. S. CATHARINE hauing from our Sa­uiour her choice of a Crowne of gold, or a crowne of thornes, choosed this, as better suteting with Loue. A desire of sufferance, saieth the B. ANGELA FOLIGNY, is an infallible marke of Loue: and the great Apostle cries out, that he glories onely in the Crosse, in in­firmitie, in per­secution.

Of the vnion of our will to the Diuine will, in spirituall afflictions by resignation. CHAPTER. III.

1. THe Loue of the Crosse makes vs vndertake voluntarie afflictions, as for example, fa­sting, watching, haire-shirts, and other tamings of the bodie, renoūce pleasures, honours ād riches: ād loue in these exercises is very delightfull to the beloued; yet more, when we receiue with patience sweetenesse, and mildnesse the paines, torments, and tribulations, by reason of the Diuine will which sends vs them. But Loue then is at its hight, when we receiue afflictions not with patience and sweet­nesse onely, but we doe euen cheerish, loue and embrace thē, in regard of the Diuine will, whence they proceede.

2. Now of all the essayes of perfect Loue, that which is practised by the repose of the mind in spi­rituall tribulations, is doubtlesse the most pure, and highest. The B. ANGELA OF FOLIGNY makes an admirable description of the interiour panges which sometimes she felt, saying that her soule was tortured like to one who being tyed hand and foote, should be hung by the necke, without being strangled, but should hang in this estate betwixt death and life, without hope of helpe, and neither being able to keepe herselfe vpon her feete, nor [Page 519] assist herselfe with her hands, nor crie out, nor yet sigh or moane. So it faires, THEO: the soule is sometimes so ouercharged with interiour affli­ctions, that all her faculties and powers, are op­pressed by priuation of all that might releiue her; and by apprehension and impression, of all that might attristate her. So that at the imitation of her Sauiour she begins to be troubled, to feare, to be disamayed, and at length to waxe sad with a sor­row like vnto that of one dying. Whence she may rightly saie, My soule is heauie euen to death: and with her whole hearts consent, she desirs, peti­tions, supplicats, that if it be possible, this Calice may passe, hauing nothing left her, saue the very supreame point of her Spirit, which cleeuing hard to the Diuine heart and will, saieth in a most sin­cere submission, O eternall Father, ah! not myne, but thy will be done. And, which is diligently to be noted, the soule makes this resignation a­midst such a world of troubles, contradictions re­pugnances, that she doth euen hardly perceiue that she makes it; at least it seemes to her to be done so coldly, that it is not done from her heart, nor as it were fitting, since that which passeth there in fauour of the Diuine will, is not onely done without delight and contentment, but euen against the pleasure and liking of all the rest of the heart; whom loue permits to bemoane her selfe, at least to moane that she cannot bemoane her­selfe, and to sigh out all the LAMENTATIONS of IOB and Hieremie: yet with charge, that a sacred peace be still conserued in the very bottome of the heart in the highest and most delicate point of the Spi­rit; [Page 520] and this submissiue peace is not tender or sweete, nor yet in a manner sensible, though o­therwise, sincere, strōg, inuincible, ād full of Loue; ād it seemes to haue betakē it selfe to the very ēd of the Spirit, as into the dungeō of the Fort, where it remaines corragious; though all the rest be taken and pressed with sorrow: And by how much the more Loue in this case is depriued of all helpes, forsaken of all the aide of the vertues and faculties of the soule, by so much it is more to be prised for conseruing constantly its fidelitie.

3. This vnion or conformitie to the diuine pleasure, is made either by a holy resignation, or a most holy indifferencie. Now Resignation is pra­ctised, with a certaine force and submission: one would willingly liue in lieu of dying, yet since it is Gods pleasure that die we must, we yeeld to it. We would willingly liue, if it pleased God, yea further, we would willingly that it were his plea­sure to prolong life: we die willingly, yet more willingly would we liue; we departe with a reaso­nable good will, yet would we stay with a better. IOB in his afflictions made an act of resignation: since we haue receiued the good, saied he, from the hand of God, why shall we not sustaine the the toyles and vexations which he doth send vs? marke, THEO: how he speakes of sustaining, sup­porting, enduring; as it hath pleased our Lord, so was it done, our Lords name be praised. These are the words of resignation and acceptance, by way of sufferance and patience.

Of the vnion of our will to Gods will by Ind [...]fferencie. CHAPTER. IV.

1. REsignation preferrs Gods will before all things, yet doth it Loue many other things besides the will of God: but Indifferencie passeth Resignation: for it Loues nothing, but meerely for the Loue of Gods will: in so much that no­thing at all can stirre the indifferent heart, in the presence of the will of God. True it is, the most indifferent heart in the world may be touched with some affection, while yet it discouers not where the will of God is. Eliezer being come to the fountaine of Harā, had a full view of the virgin Rebecca, ād without doubt, saw her too too faire and pleasing: howbeit he staied himselfe in an in­differencie, till he knew by a signe from God, that the Diuine will had ordained her a wife for his Maisters sonne: for then he presented her with the eare-iewels, and bracelets of gold. Con­trariwise if IACOB had onely loued in Rachel the alliance with Laban, to which his Father Isaac had obliged him, Lya had bene as deare vnto him as Rachel, they being doth Labans daughters; and consequently his Fathers will had bene as well ful­filled in the one as in the other. But because beyōd his Fathers will he coueted to satisfie his owne liking, taken with the beautie and louelinesse of [Page 522] Rachel, he was troubled to Espouse LYA, yet by resignation, tooke her against his owne li­king.

2. But the indifferent heart stands not thus af­fected, for knowing that tribulation though she be hard-fauered as another LYA, leaues not for all that to be daughter and a beloued one to the Diuine Pleasure, it loues her as much as consola­tion, which yet in it selfe is more gracious, yea it Loues tribulation more, for that it sees nothing amiable in it, sauing the signe of Gods will. If pure water onely be my desire, what care I whether it be serued vp in a golden bolle, or in a glasse, since, I am to haue the water onely; yea I would rather haue it in a glasse, because it hath no other colour then that of the water, which also I haue at a fairer view. What doth import whether Gods will be presented vnto vs in tribulation or in con­solation, since I pretend nothing in either of them, but Gods will, which appears so much the better, in that there appears, no other beautie, then that of the eternall pleasure?

3. Heroicall, yea more then heroicall was the indifferencie of the incomparable S. PAVLE, I am pressed saied he, of two sides, hauing on the one side a desire to be freede from this bodie, and to be with IESVS-CHRIST, which is incomparably better: yet on the other side a desire to liue for your sake. Wherein he was followed by the great Bishop S. MARTIN, who being got to the periode of his life, pressed with an extreame desire to goe to God, did yet testifie that he would most willingly re­maine amongst the trauaills of his charge, for the [Page 523] good of his flocke, so that hauing ended this Can­ticle.

He fell vpon this exclamation. O Lord, if I may yet be seruiceable to thy peoples saluation, I refuse not Labour, thy will be done. Admirable was the indifferencie of the Apostle, admirable that of this Apostolicall man. They see heauen stand o­pen for them, in earth a thousand toyles, they are indifferent in the choice of either, nothing but the will of God can conterpoise their hearts. Heauen appears no more pleasant then worldly miseries, so Gods GOOD PLEASVRE be equally in them both. Labours are a heauen to them, if Gods will be found in thē, and heauen is a Hell if it be not found therein: for as Dauid saieth, they desire not any thing in heauen or earth, but that Gods GOOD PLEASVRE might be accomplished. O Lord what is there in heauen for me, or what can I desire in earth saue thyne owne selfe.

4. The indifferent heart is as a balle of waxe in [Page 524] the hands of its God, readie to receiue all the im­pressions of the Diuine pleasure. It is a heart e­qually disposed to all, hauing no other obiect of its will, then the will of its God, which doth not place its affection vpon the things that God wil­leth, but vpon the will of God that willeth them. Wherevpon when it meetes with Gods will in di­uers things, it chooseth that, cost what it will, wherein it appeares most. Gods will is found in marriage, and in virginitie, but because it is more in virginitie, the indifferent heart makes choice of virginitie though it should cost her her life, as it did S. PAVLS deare spirituall daughter S. T [...]CLA, S. CE­CILIE, S. AGATHA, with a thousand others. Gods will is found in seruing as well the poore as the rich, but yet somwhat more in seruing the poore; the indifferent heart will choose that part. God's will is in modestie exercised in consolations, and in patience practised in tribulations; the indifferent heart preferres this, as hauing more of Gods will in it. To conclud Gods will is the soueraigne ob­iect of the indifferēt soule. Wheresoeuer she espies it, she rūnes to the odour of its perfumes, directing her course still thither, where it most appeares, without any other respect. She is cōducted by the Diuine will, as in a beloued string, which way soe­uer it takes, she makes after it: She would prise hell more with Gods will to boote, then heauen without it. Nay she would euen preferre hell be­fore heauen, if she perceiued onely a little more of Gods will in that, then in this. So that if by sup­position of an impossible thing, she should appre­hend her owne damnation more agreeable to God, [Page 525] then her saluation, she would quit Heauen and runne into Hell fire.

That holy indifferencie is extended to all things. CHAPTER. V.

1. Indifferencie is to be practised in things be­longing to the naturall life, as in health, sick­nesse, beautie, deformitie, weacknesse and strēgth: in the affaires of the spirituall life as in honours, place, riches; In the varietie of the spirituall life, as in drinesses, consolations, gusts, aridities: In actions, in sufferances, and finally in all sorts of e­uents. Iob, in his naturall life, was wounded with a most horrible soare that euer eye beheld. In his ciuile life, he was scorned, baffled, contemned, and that by his nerest allie: In his spirituall life, he was oppressed with languors, gripings, conuulsions, andguishes, darknesse, and with all kinds of in­tollerable interiour aggreeuāces, as his cōplaints and Lamentations doe witenesse. The great Apo­stle doth denounce vnto vs a generall indifferencie to shew our selues the true seruants of God, in wants, anguishes, wounds, in prisons, seditions, trauailles, in watchings, fastings, in chastitie, in knowledge, in longanimitie, and sweetenesse, in vertue of the holy Ghost, in vnfained Charitie, in the word of truth, in the vertue of God, by the armes of Iustice, to the right and left hand, by glo­rie [Page 526] and abiection, by infamie and good name; as seductours and yet iust, as men vnknowen, and yet acknowledged, as men dying and yet aliue, as cha­stised and yet not slaine, as sorrowfull, and yet still continually ioyefull, as needie and yet enriching many, as hauing nothing and yet possessing all things.

2. Note I pray you, THEO: how the life of the Apostles, in their bodies, was afflicted with woūds: in their hearts with anguishes: in their ciuile life, by infamie and prisons; and in all these ô God what indifferencie they had! Their sorrows are ioyfull, their pouertie rich, their death liuely, their dishonours honorable: that is, they are ioy­full to be sad, content to be poore, reenforced to liue amongst the dangers of death, and glorious to be disesteemed; for such was the will of God.

3. And whereas the will of God was better knowen in sufferances, then in the acts of other vertues, he rankes the exercise of patience in the front, saying, let vs appeare in all things the seruāts of God, by great patience in tribulations, in wāts in anguishes: and then towards th'end, in chasti­tie, in Prudence, in longanimitie.

4. In like manner our heauenly Sauiour was incomparably afflicted in his ciuile life, being con­demned as guiltie of Treason against God and mā, bet, buffetted, scourged; and in his naturall life tormēted with an extraordinarie ignominie, dying in the most cruell and sensible torments that heart could thinke. In his spirituall life, enduring sor­rowes, feares, amazements, anguishes, succour­lesnesse, [Page 527] interiour oppressions, such as neuer was or shall be. For though the supreame portion of his soule did soueraignely enioye eternall glorie, yet would not Loue let glorie spred its delightes, neither in his sense, imagination or inferiour rea­son, but left the whole heart exposed in this sort, to the mercy of sorrow and distresse.

5. Ezechiel had a vision of a picture of a hād, which tooke him by an onely locke of his head-haire, and hoist him vp into the aire. In like man­ner our Sauiour reared vp into the aire vpon the Crosse, seemed to be held in his Fathers hand, by the very extreamitie of the Spirit, and as it were, by one haire of his head, which being touched by the sweete hand of his eternall Father, receiued a soueraigne abundāce of Felicitie, all the rest being drunke vp in sorrow and griefe. Wherevpon he cries out, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?

6. They saie, that the fish termed the Lanterne of the Sea, in the midst of the tempest, thrusts her tongue out of the water, which is so bright, shi­ning and cleare that she serue the marriners for light-houses, or Beacons; so in the midst of pas­sions wherewith our Sauiour was beset, all the fa­culties of the soule were swallowed vp, and buried in the torment of such a number of paines, excep­ting onely the point of his Spirit, which being free from all paine, remained bright and light with glorie and felicitie. O how blessed is the Loue which raignes in the top of a faithfull soule, while it is tossed vpon the billowes and waues of interiour tribulations.

Of the practise of the louing indiffe­rencie, in things belonging to the seruice of God. CHAPTER VI.

1. Scarcely can we discouer the Diuine plea­sure but by the euents, and as long as it is vnknowen vnto vs, we must adheare close to the will of God which is alreadie declared and signi­fied vnto vs: but as soone as the Diuine Maiesties pleasure appeares, we must presently and louingly submit our selues vnto it.

2. My mother, or my selfe (all is one) are sicke in bed, what doe I know, whether it be his will, that death should ensue? verily I am ignorant of it; yet know I well, that in the interim, till the euent arriue, he hath ordained by his signified will, that I vse meanes conuenient for the cure. I will therefore faithfully doe myne endeauour, not omitting any thing that I can well contribute to that effect. But if it be the Diuine pleasure, that the remedies should not preuaile against the dis­ease which brings death with it; as soone as I shall haue intelligence thereof by the euent, I will lo­uingly yeeld to it, in the point of my heart maugre all the opposition of the inferiour powers of my soule. I, Lord, will I saie, it is my will, because thy GOOD PLEASVRE is such: so it hath pleased thee, and so it shall please me, who am the most humble seruant of thy will.

[Page 529]3. But if the Diuine pleasure were declared vnto me, before the euent thereof, as was the man­ner of his death to the great S. Peter: to the great S. PAVLE his shakles and prisons: to Hieremie the ruine of his deare Hierusalē: to Dauid the death of his sonne: then I were at the same instant to vnite my will to Gods, in imitation of the great Abra­ham, and with him, if we had such a command, we were to vndertake the execution of the eternall Decree, euen in the slaughter of our owne childrē. O admirable vnion of this Patriarch [...] to the will of God, who beleeuing that it was the Diuine pleasure that he should sacrifice his child, willed and enterprised it so couragiously! Admirable that of the child, who so meekely submited him­selfe to his Fathers sword, to haue Gods will per­formed, at the price of his owne blood.

4. But note here, THEO: a marke of the per­fect vnion of an indifferent heart with the Diuine pleasure: behold Abraham with the sword in his hand, his arme extended, readie to lend death's-blow to his onely deare Sōne: this he did to please the Diuine pleasure: and see at the same instant an Angell, who of the part of the saied Pleasure, sodainely stops him, and presently, he waighes his blow, equally readie to sacrifice or not to sa­crifice his sonne, his life and death being all one to him, in the presence of Gods will. When God giues him order to sacrifice his Sonne, he is not sorrowfull; when he dispenseth with the order giuen, he is not ioyfull. All is one to this resolute heart, so Gods will be done.

5. Yes, THEO: for God oftentimes to exercise [Page 530] vs in this holy indifferencie, inspires vs with high designes, which yet he will not haue accomplished and as then we are boldly, couragiously and cō ­stantly to set vpon and pursue the worke to our power; so are we sweetly and quietly to submit our selues to the euent of our entreprise, such as it pleaseth God to send vs. S. LEWES by inspira­tion, passed the Sea, to conquer the holy Land, the successe answered not his expectation, he sweetly submitted hīselfe to it. I doe more esteeme the tranquillitie of this submission, then the mag­nanimitie of his enterprise. S. FRANCIS went into Egipt to conuert the infidels, or amongst the in­fidels to die a Martyre, such was the will of God, yet he returned without performing of either, and that was also Gods will. It was also the will of God, that S. ANTONIE of Padua both desired Martyrdome, and obtained it not. The B. Ignatius of Loyola, hauing with such paines put on foote the Companie of the name of IESVS, whereof he saw so faire fruit, and foresaw much more in the tyme to come, durst yet promise himselfe, that, though he should see it dissolued, which was the sharpest displeasure that could befall him, with in halfe an houre after he would be resigned and appease himselfe in the will of God. Iohn Auila, that holy and learned Preacher of Andalusia, ha­uīg a designe to erect a cōpanie of reformed Priests for the aduancement of Gods glorie, wherein he had alreadie made a good step, as soone as he saw that of the Iesuites on foote, which he thought did suffice for that time, he presently stopt his designe, with an incomparable meecknesse and humilitie. [Page 531] O how happie are such soules, as are couragious, and forceable in the enterprises to which God in­spires them; and withall tractable and facile in gi­uing them ouer, when God doth so dispose. These are markes of a most perfect indifferencie, to leaue of doing a good, when God pleaseth, and to re­turne in the halfe way, when Gods will, which is our Guide, doth ordaine it. Ionas was much to blame, to suspect that God did not accomplish his Prophesie vpon the NINIVITS; Ionas performed Gods will, in denouncing vnto the Niniuits their ouerthrowe, but he let his owne will and interest enter into the worke, wherevpon seeing that God did not fulfill his prediction according to the ri­gour of the letter, he was offended, and murmured vnworthily. Whereas, if Gods will had bene the onely motiue of his actions, he would haue bene as well content to haue seene it accomplished, in remission of the paine which the Niniuits had me­rited, as in punishments of the fault, which the Niniuits had comitted. Our desire is that the things which we vndertake, or haue a finger in, should succeede well, but there is no reason, that God should doe all that we desire. If Gods will be that Niniuie should be threatned, ād not throwen downe, since the threat is sufficient to correct, why should Ionas find himselfe ageeeued in it?

6. But if this be so, we are then to affect no­thing at all, but abandone our businesse to the mercy of the euents. Pardon me, THEO: we are to omit nothing, which is requisite to bring the worke, which God hath put into our hands to a [Page 532] happie issue; yet vpon condition, that if the euent be contrarie, we should louingly and peaceably embrace it: for we are commanded to be iealous in that which appertaines to God's glorie, and to our office: but we are neither obliged, nor char­ged with the euent which is not placed within our reach. Take care of him, was it saied to the Groome of the stable, in the Parable of the poore mā, who lay halfe dead betwixt Hierusalē ād Hie­rico: It is not saied, as S. Bernard remarkes, cure him, but take care of him. So the Apostles, with an vnspeakable affection, preached first to the Iewes, though they foresaw that in the end they they should be forced to leaue them, and betake themselues to the Gentils. It is our part to plant and water carefully, but it belongs to God onely, to giue encrease.

7. The great Psalmist makes this praier to our Sauiour, as in an exclamation of ioye, and with presage of victorie. O Lord, for thy beautie and comlinesse sake, bend thy bow, march prosperou­sly and get on horse back; as though he too would saie, that by the arrowes of his heauenly Loue, shot into humane hearts, he made himselfe Maister of man, to handle him at his pleasure, not vnlike to a horse well trained vp. O Lord thou art the Royall MAISTER OF THE HORSE, who can turne the heart of thy faithfull Louers into all postures, some­times giuing them full bridle, they runne at full speede in the enterprises to which they were inspi­red; ād againe, at thy pleasure, thou stopest them in the midst of their careere, and at the hight of their speede.

[Page 533]8. But further, if the enterprise begun by in­spiration, doe perish by his fault, into whose hāds it was put in trust, how can one saie then, that a man is to submit himselfe to Gods will? for some will saie vnto me, it is not Gods will that hinders the euent, but my fault, which is not caused by Gods will. It is true, my child, thy fault was not caused by Gods will; for God is not Authour of sinne: yet it is also true, that it is Gods will that thy fault, is followed with the defect and ouerthow of thy designe, in punishment of thy fault: for though his goodnesse cannot permit him to will thy fault, yet can his Iustice permit the paine due to it. So God was not the cause that Dauid offen­ded, yet he inflicted vpon him the paine due to his sinne. Nor was he the cause of Sauls sinne; Marrie he was cause that in punishment of it, the victorie perished in his hands.

9. When therefore it happens, that in punish­ment of our fault, our holy designes haue not good euents; we must equally by a solide repentance detest the fault, and accept the punishments thereof.

Of the indifferencie which we are to haue in our Spirituall aduancement. CHAPTER. VII.

1. GOd hath ordained that we should imploy our whole endeauours to obtaine the [Page 534] holy vertues. Let vs thē forget nothīg which might helpe our good successe in this pious entreprise: but after we haue once planted, and watered, let's then know for certaine, that it is God, which must giue groth to the trees of our good inclina­tions and habits. And therefore, from his Diuine Prouidence we are to expect the fruits of our de­sires ād labours. And if we perceiue not the pro­gresse and aduancement of our hearts in deuotiō, such as we would desire it, let's not be troubled at it, let's liue in peace, let a smooth calme alwayes raigne in our hearts. It belongs to vs, diligently to labour our heart, and therefore we must faithfully attend to it: But touching the plentie of the croppe or haruist, let's leaue the care thereof to our Lord and Maister. The Husbandman is neuer reprehen­ded that the haruest is not plentifull; but onely that he did not carefully till and sowe his ground. Let's not be troubled to perceiue our selues conti­nually NOVICES in the exercise of vertue: for in the MONASTERIE OF A DEVOTE LIFE, euery one holds himselfe a continuall NOVICE; and there, the whole life, is the yeare of PROBATION, there being no more euident argument, not onely that we are NOVICES, but that we are euen worthy of expul­sion and reprobation, then to esteeme and hold our selues PROFESSED. For according to the Rule of this Order, not the solemnitie, but the perfor­mance of the vowes, makes the Nouices Profes­sed; nor are the vowes euer performed, while there remaines yet something to be done for their per­formance; nor is the obligation of seruing God, and going on in his loue ended, but with the end [Page 535] of life. I but, will some say vnto me, if I know that it is by my owne fault, that I profited not in ver­tue, how could I but be greeued and disquieted? I haue saied the same in the Introduction to a de­uote life, but I doe willingly iterate it, because it can neuer be saied sufficiently, one must be sorrie for faultes committed, with a setled, constant, and calme repentance, but not with such an one as is distempered, turbulent, or disencouraging. Are you sure that your backwardnesse in vertue was caused by your fault? goe to then, humble your selfe before God, implore his Mercy, fall prostrate before the face of his goodnesse, and demand par­don, confesse your fault, crie him mercy, euen in your Ghostly Fathers eare, to obtaine absolation: But this being done remaine in peace, and hauing detested the offence, embrace louingly the ab­iection, which you feele in your selfe, by reason of delaying your aduancement in vertue.

2. Alas, THEO: the soules in Purgatorie, are there doubtlesse for their sinnes, and for sinnes which they haue detested, and doe highly detest: but as for the abiection and paine which remaines, to be tyed to that place, and to be depriued for a space of the beloued Loue of heauen, they endure it with Loue, and deuotely pronoūce the Canticle of the Diuine Iustice; Thou art iust ô Lord, and thy iudgments are rightuous. Let's therefore ex­pect our aduancement with patience, and in steede of disquieting our selues that we haue so little pro­fited in the time past, let vs diligently endeuour to doe better in the time to come.

3. Behold, I beseech you this good soule, she [Page 536] hath much desired and endeauored to infranchish her selfe of choler, wherein God hath assisted her: for he hath quite deliuered her from all the sinns which proceede frō choler, she would die rather then vtter one onely iniurious word, or to let slipe any showe of hatred. And yet she is subiect to the assaults, and first motions of this passion, which are certaine iertings, stirrings, and sallies of an angrie mind, termed in the Caldaicall Para­phrase, SHRVGGINGS, saying shrugge, but sinne not: whereas our sacred version saieth; Be angrie, but sinne not; which in effect is the same thing: for the Prophet would onely saie, that if anger sur­prise vs, stirring vp in our hearts the first shrug­gings of sinne, we should be carefull not to let our selues be carried further into the passion, for so we should offend: and though these first stirrings and shruggings be no sinne, yet the poore soule that is oft set hard at by them, doth trouble, af­flict ād disquisquiet herselfe, reputing her sorrow a sacrifice to God, as though it were the Loue of God that prouoked her to this sorrow. And yet, THEO: it is not heauenly Loue that causeth this trouble; it neuer being offended but at sinne; it is selfe-Loue that desires to be freed from the paines and toyles, which the assaults of anger drawes vpō vs. Nor is it the offence that offends vs in these stirrings of anger, there being none at all commit­ted: it is the paine we are put to in resisting, that disquiets vs.

4. These rebellions of the sensuall appetite, as well irascible, as concupiscible, are left in vs for our exercise, to th'end we might practise spirituall [Page 537] valour in resisting them. They are they Philistians, against whom the true Israelits are still to fight, but shall neuer put them to flight; they may wea­ken them but neuer quite ouerthrow them. They liue with vs, and neuer die but with vs. They are truly execrable and detestable, as being bred by sinne, and fed of sinne, whence, as we are termed earth, because we take our descent from earth, and to earth runne back againe, so this rebellion is named sinne by the great Apostle, as being issue of sinne and drawing still that wayward, though it neuer makes vs guiltie, vnlesse we second, and obey it; wherevpon the same Apostle doth exhort vs, that we permit it not to raigne in our mortall bodie, to be subiect vnto it. He prohibits vs not to feele: but onely not to consent to it. He doth not ordaine, that we should hinder sinne to enter into vs, but he commands, that it should not raigne in vs: It is in vs when we feele the rebellion of the sensuall appetite, but it doth not raigne in vs, vnlesse we giue consent vnto it. The Phisitian will neuer giue order that the sicke of an ague should not be drie, for that were too great a fol­lie, marrie he will tell him, that though he be drie, he must abstaine from drinking. No man will be so mad, as to bid a woman with child, longe for no extrauagant things, for it is not in her power; well may one desire her to discouer her longings, to th'end that if she longes for hurtfull things, one might diuert her imagination, least the phantasie might get dominion ouer her heart.

5. The sting of the flesh, forerunner of Satan▪ did rudely treate the good S. PAVLE; to haue in [...] ­ted [Page 538] him into the precipice of sinne: The poore Apostle endured this as a shamefull and infamous wrong: and therevpon termed it a boxing or buf­fetting, and petitioned to God to be deliuered of it: but he heard from God, Paule my grace is sufficient for thee: for vertue is perfected in infir­mitie; whereat this holy man submitting himselfe, willingly, then quoth he, will I glorie in myne in­firmities, that the vertue of Christ may dwell in me. But take notice, I beseech you, that there is sensuall rebellion euen in this admirable vessell of Election, who in rūning to the remedie of Praier, doth teach vs, that we are to vse the same armes against the temptatiōs we feele. Note further, that God doth not alwayes permit those cruell reuoults in man, for the punishment of sinne, but to mani­fest the force and vertue of the Diuine assistance and grace. Finally marke, how we are not onely not to be disquieted in our temptations and infir­mities, but are euen to glorie to be infirme, that therby Gods vertue may appeare in vs, sustaining our weeknesse, against the force of the suggestion and temptation: for the glorious Apostle cals the stingings and shooting of the impurities which he endured, his infirmities, and yet he saieth he glo­ries in them; for be't that he felt them by his mi­serie, yet through Gods mercy he consented not to them.

6. Certes, as I haue alreadie saied, the church condemned the errour of certaine Solitarists, who held, that we might be perfectly deliuered, euen in this world, of the passion of Anger, Concupis­cence, Feare, and the like. It is Gods will we [Page 539] should haue enemies; and it is also his will that we [...]hould repulse them. Let vs thē behaue our selues couragiously betwixt the one and th'other will of God, enduring with patience to be assaulted, and endeauoring with courage by resistance to make head against the assaults.

How we are to vnite our will with Gods, in the permission of sinne. CHAPTER. VIII.

1. GOd doth soueraignely hate sinne, and yet he doth most wisely permit it to leaue rea­sonable creaturs free in their actions, according to the condition of their nature, and to make the good more commendable, while hauing power to transgresse the law, they doe not for all that trans­gresse it. Let vs therefore adore and blesse this ho­ly permission. But since the Prouidence which doth permit the sinne, doth infinitly hate it, let vs also detest and hate it, desiring with all our heart, that sinne permitted, may not be com­mitted: And in sequele of this desire, let vs make vse of all the meanes possible to hinder the birth, groth and raigne of sinne, imitating our Sauiour therein, who neuer ceaseath to exhort, to promise, to menace, to prohibite, to command, and inspire vs, to turne our will from sinne, so farreforth as is possible, without depriuing vs of libertie. But when the sinne is once committed, let vs endeauore [Page 540] what we are able, to haue it blotted out; as our Sa­uiour, who assured Carpus, aboue mentioned, that if it were requisit he was readie to suffer death a­gaine to deliuer one onely soule from sinne. But if the Sinner waxe obstinate, let vs weepe, THEO: moane, praie for him together with our Sauiour, who hauing all his life time shed an aboundance of teares vpon sinners, and such as did represent thē, died in the end, his eyes full of teares, his bodie goarie with blood, lamenting the losse of sinners. This affection touched Dauid so to the quicke, that he fell into a traunce vpon it, I haue sownded, saieth he, for sinners abandoning thy law. And the great Apostle protest's that a continuall sor­row possesseth his heart for the obstinacie of the Iewes.

2. Yet be sinners neuer so obstinate, let vs ne­uer desist to aide and assist them: for what doe we know, but they may doe pennance and be saued? happie is he that can saie to his neighbour, as did S. Paule, I haue neither ceased night nor day to admonish euery of you with teares; and therefore I am cleare of your blood; for I haue not bene sparing, in denouncing vnto you, Gods good pleasure in euery behalfe. So lōg as there remaines any hope, that the sinner will amend, which al­wayes remaines as long as life; we must neuer re­iect him, but praie for him, and assist him as farre forth as his miserie will permit.

3. But lastly, after we haue wept ouer the ob­stinate, and performed towards them the good of­fices of Charitie, in essaying to reclame them from perdition, we must imitate our Sauiour, and [Page 541] the Apostles, that is, we must remoue our mind from thence, and place it vpon other obiects, and imployments, more to the aduancement of Gods glorie. We were first, saied the A­postles to the Iewes, to announce the word of God vnto you, but whereas you reiect it and make your selues vnworthy of the raigne of IESVS-CHRIST, we will betake our selues to the Gentils. The kingdome of God, saieth our Sauiour shall be taken from you, and shall be giuen to a nation that will make some profit of it. Nor can one in­deede spend much time in bewailing some few, without loosing time fit and necessarie, to pro­cure the saluation of others. It is true indeede, the Apostle saieth, that the losse of the Iewes is a cōti­nuall corrasiue vnto him, yet he spoke it in no o­ther sense, then we saie, that we praise God con­tinually, for we meane no other thing thereby, then that we praise him very frequently, and in euery occasion: and in the same manner, the glo­rious S. Paule, felt a continuall griefe in his heart, caused by the Iewes reprobation, for that in euery occasion he bemoaned their mishape.

4. For the rest we must for euer adore, Loue and praise God's reuenging and punishing IVS­TICE, as we loue his MERCY being both daugh­ters of his goodnesse. For as he is good, yea so­ueraignly good, he makes vs good by his grace: by his IVSTICE he punisheth sinne, because he hates it, and he hates it, for that being soueraignly good, he hates the soueraigne euill which is ini­quitie. And in conclusion note, that God doth neuer otherwise withdraw his MERCY from vs, [Page 542] then by the iust vengāce of his punishing IVSTICE, nor doe we euer escape the rigour of his IVSTICE, but by his iustifying MERCY: and howsoeuer whe­ther he punish or gratifie vs, his good pleasure is worthy of adoration, loue, and euerlasting praise. So the Iust, who sing the praises of Gods MERCY, for such as haue wrought their owne saluation, shall reioyce, euen in seeing Gods vengance: The Blessed shall with ioye approue the Sentence of the Reprobats damnation, as well as that of the Elects saluation. And the Angels hauing exerci­sed their Charitie towards those that they had in keeping, shall remaine in peace, while they see them obstinate, yea euen damned. We are there­fore to submit our selues to the Diuine will, and kisse the right hand of his MERCY, and the left hand of his IVSTICE, with an equall Reuerence.

How the puritie of Indifferencie is practised in the actions of holy Loue. CHAPTER. IX.

1. THe most excellent Musician of the Vniuer­sitie, and one that had a skeelfull hād vpō the Lute, became in time so deadly deafe, that his hearing serued him for nothing, yet ceased he not for all that to sing, and to handle his Lute maruei­lous delicatly, by reasō of the perfect habite which he had therein whereof his deafenesse did not de­priue [Page 543] him; But taking no pleasure in his song, nor yet in the sound of his Lute, as being depriued of his hearing, he could not perceiue the sweetenesse and delight of it; so that he neither sung nor plaied, saue onely to content a Prince, whose na­tiue subiect he was, and whom he infinitely desired to please, as hauing an infinite obligatiō vnto him, for his breeding from his childhood. Hence he tooke an incomparable delight to delight him: and when his Prince made shew to be delighted in his musike, he was rauished with delight. But it hap­pened sometimes that the Prince, to make triall of this louing Musician's loue, gaue him order to sing, and presently vpon it, leauing him there, wēt a hunting: yet the desire which this Chaunter had to accomplish his Maisters desires, made him con­tinue his musike as attentiuely as though his Prince had bene present; though in very deede he had no content in his owne song: for he neither had the pleasure of the Melodie, whereof his deafe­nesse depriued him, nor the content of pleasing his Prince, who being absent could not enioye the sweetenesse and pleasure of the ayre which he sung.

[Page 544] Mans heart is the true Chaunter of the Can­ticle of sacred Loue; himselfe the HARPE or PSAL­TER: Now ordinarily this Chaunter is his owne auditorie, taking a great pleasure in the Melodie of his song; I meane, our heart louing God, doth taste the delights of this Loue, and takes an incom­parable contentment, to loue so louely an obiect. Marke▪ I praie you THEO: what I would saie. The Little young Nightingales, doe first essaie a be­ginning of song, by imitating the old one, but ha­uing got skill, and passing Maisters, they sing for the pleasure which they take in their owne song, and doe so passhionatly addict themselues to this delight, as I haue saied in an other place, that by striuing to send out their voice, their weseele bur­sting, they send out their life. So our hearts in the beginning of deuotion, loue God that they may be vnited, and become gratefull vnto him, and imitate him in that he hath loued vs for all eter­nitie: but by little and little being formed, and exercised in holy Loue, they are imperceptibly changed, and in lieu of louing God, to please God, they begin to Loue him for the pleasure they take in the exercises of holy Loue, and insteede of falling in Loue with God, they fall in Loue with the Loue they beare him, and stand affected to their owne affections, not taking any more plea­sure in God, but in the pleasure they take in his Loue; contenting themselues with this Loue, because it is theirs, that it is in their heart, whence it proceedes: for though this sacred Loue be called the Loue of God, because God is loued by it, yet it is also ours, we being the Louers that [Page 545] Loue by it. And herevpon we come to chang; for insteede of louing this holy Loue for that it tends to God, who is the beloued; we Loue it because it proceedes from vs, who are the Louers. Now who doth not see, that in so doing we doe not seeke God, but turne home to our selues, louing the Loue, in lieu of louing the beloued; louing, I saie, the Loue, not by reason of Gods good plea­sure and liking, but for the pleasure and content we draw from it. This Chaunter who in the be­ginning sung to God, and for God, doth now ra­ther sing to himselfe and for himselfe, then for God. And the pleasure he takes in singing, is not so much to please Gods eare, as his owne. And for as much, as the Canticle of Diuine Loue is of all, the most excellent, he also Loues it better, not by reason of the Diuine excellencie which is exalted therein, but because its ayre is more delicious and agreeable.

A meanes to discouer when we chang in the matter of this holy Loue. CHAPTER. X.

1. YOu may easily discouer this THEO: for if this mysticall Nigtīgale sing to please God she will sing the song, which she knowes to be most gratefull to the Diuine Prouidence: but if she sing for the delight which she her selfe takes [Page 546] in her melodious sōg, she will not sing the Cāticle, which is most agreeable to the heauenly Bountie; but that which likes herselfe best, and from which she thinks to draw the most contentment. Of two Canticles which are both Diuine, the one may be sung, because it is Diuine: and the other, because it is pleasing; Rachell and Lya, were equally Ia­cobs wiues, but he Loues the one onely in the qualitie of a wife: the other, in that she was beau­tifull. The Canticle is Diuine, but the motiue which moues vs to sing it, is the spirituall delight which we pretend therein.

2. Doe you not see, will some saie to this or that Bishop, that it is Gods will that you should sing the Pastorall song of his Loue, amongst your flocke, which he commands you thrice to feede in vertue of holy Loue, in the person of the great S. Peter, the first head of Pastours? What will you an­swere me? That at Rome, or Paris there is more spirituall delight, and that there, one may practise Diuine Loue with more comfort. O God it is not then to please thee that this partie desires to sing, it is for the pleasure he takes in it; He seekes not thee in his Loue, but the contentment which he receiues in the exercise of the same loue. Religious men would sing the Pastours song, and married men that which belongs to the Religious, and all this saie they, to Gods greater glorie. Ah, you de­ceiue your selues my friends, doe not saie that you doe it to Gods greater glorie. O God no! it is done for your owne greater content; which you preferre before Gods. Gods will is equally, and almost still more in sicknesse, thē in health. Where­fore [Page 547] if we Loue health better, let vs neuer saie, that we doe it to serue God the better: for who sees not, that it is health that we looke for in Gods will, not God's will in health.

3. It is hard, I confesse, to behold long toge­ther and with delight, the beautie of a Myrrour, without casting an eye vpon a mans selfe, yea with­out taking a complacence in himselfe; yet is there a differēce betwixt the pleasure which one takes in beholding the Myrrour, by reason of its beau­tie, and the complacence one takes to see himselfe in it: It is also without doubt very hard, to loue God, and not withall Loue the pleasure which we take in his Loue: yet is there a faire difference be­twixt the pleasure which one takes in louing God for his beautie, and that which he takes in louing him because his Loue is delightfull vnto him. Now, our strife must be purely to find out in God the Loue of his beautie, not the pleasure we take in the beautie of his Loue. He that in praying de­ce [...]nes that he praies, is not perfectly attentiue to his Praier: for he diuerts his attention from God, to whom he praies, and turnes it vpō the Praier, which he makes vnto him. The very solicitude we haue, not to be distracted, is often times a maine distraction: Simplicitie in spirituall actions is most commendable. Desire you to behold God, doe so then, and be attentiue to that: for if you goe to reflect and bring your eyes backwards vpon your selfe, to see how you looke when you looke vpon him, it is not now him that you behold, but your owne gesture, your selfe. He that praies feruently, knowes not whether he praies or not; for he [Page 548] thinks not of the Praier which he makes, but of God, to whom he makes it. He that is in the heate of sacred Loue, doth not turne his heart vpon him­selfe, to looke what he is doing, but keepes it hard set, and bent vpon God, to whom he applies his Loue. The heauenly Chaunter takes such plea­sure in pleasing God, that he hath no pleasure in the melodie of his voice, but onely in respect that God is pleased in it.

4. Why, in your opinion Theo: did Amon the sonne of Dauid Loue Thamar so desperately, that he euen thought to die for Loue? Doe you thinke that it was her that he loued? You shall see that he did not: for as soone as he had glutted his execrable lust, he cruelly kick'ed her out of dores, ād ignominiously reiected her. If it had bene thamar that he loued, he had neuer done this; for Thamar remained still Thamar: but whereas it was not Tha­mar that he loued, but the brutall delight which he tooke in her, as soone as he had got what he sought for, Thamar was outragiously bet, and brutally treated by him. His pleasure was placed vpon Thamar, but his Loue was set vpon the plea­sure, not vpon Thamar. So that the pleasure being ended he could also willingly haue procured an end of her. THEO: you shall see some praying, as you would thinke, with great deuotion and feruour in the practise of heauenly Loue: but stay a little, and you shall discouer whether it be God indeede that he loueth. Alas, as soone as the delight and satisfaction which he tooke in Loue shall de­part, and a drinesse shall arriue, he will quite leaue of all, and praie onely cursarily by fits. Now if it [Page 549] had bene God indeede that he loued, why would he haue left louing him, since God is still God: it was therefore God's consolation that he loued, not the God of consolation. Truly there are diuers that take no delight in Diuine Loue, vnlesse it be canded in the suggur of some sensible sweetenesse, and they doe willingly plaie the children, who, if they haue a little honie spred vpō theit bread doe licke and sucke off the honie, casting the bread away: for if the delight could be separated from the Loue, they would reiect Loue, and licke vp the delight onely. Wherefore following Loue for Loue of the delight, whē they meete not with delight, they forsake Loue. And, ô God, to what eminent danger are those people exposed, either to returne backe againe as soone as they misse those gusts and consolatiōs, or else to be occupied in vaine delight farre remote from true Loue, and to mistake the honie of Heraclea for that of Nar­bone?

Of the perplexitie of the heart in Loue, which doubts whe­ther it please the Beloued. CHAPTER. XI.

1. THe Musician which I mentioned being fal­len sicke, tooke no delight in his owne musicke, saue onely that now and thē he perceiued [Page 550] his Prince attentiue to it, and please himselfe in it, O how happie is the heart that Loues God with­out pretence of any other pleasure then a strife to please God: for what more deare and perfect plea­sure can a soule euer take, then that which is takē in the Diuine pleasure? Yet this pleasure to please God, is not properly Diuine Loue, but the fruit thereof, which may be separated from it, as the Lemmon from the Lemmon tree. For, as I haue saied, our Musician did continually sing, without reaping any contentment of his song, whereof his deefenesse made him incapable: and often also did he sing, without hauing the pleasure to please his Prince, who after he had giuen him Order to begin, would withdraw himselfe, or goe a hun­ting, neither taking leasure nor pleasure to heare bim.

2. O God, while thy benigne looke doth te­stifie vnto me that thou art pleased in the song of my Loue, ah how I am comforted! for is there any pleasure comparable to the pleasure of plea­sing thee? But when thou turnes thyne eyes from me, not daigning me a feeling of the delightfull fa­uour, of the complacence which thou takest in my song, good God what panges my soule endures: without leauing off for all that [...]ally to Loue thee, and continually to sing the Hymne of thy Loue, not for any delight she finds in it; for she finds none at all, but for the pure Loue of thy will.

3. I haue seene a sicke child of that disposition that he would couragiously haue eaten wha [...] his mother presented him (though with an incredible [Page 551] loathing) for a pure desire he had to giue her con­tent: In this case, he eate his meate without ta­king any pleasure in it, yet not without a pleasure of a higher rate and ranke, which was the pleasure of pleasing his mother ād in perceiuing her cōtent. But another who without seeing his mother, by the meere knowledge he had of her desire, tooke all that was brought to him by her order, he eate without any pleasure at all: for he neither had the pleasure of eating, nor yet the contentment to see his mother pleased, but did it onely purely and simply to doe her will. The contentment of our Prince who is present with vs, or of any partie that we Loue earnestly, makes watchings, paines, and trauailles delicious, and begets in vs a Loue of pe­rill. But nothing is so discomfortable, as to serue a Maister that knowes it not, or at least if he know it, yet giues no signe that he takes it in good part; Loue must be strong in this occurrence, because it runnes alone without being sustained by any plea­sure or pretention.

4. Thus it comes to passe often times that we haue no consolation in the exercise of holy Loue, for that, being like deafe singers, we heare not our owne voices nor ēioye the melodie of our sōg; yea further, we are pressed with a thousand feares, frighted with a thousand false Alarmes, which the Enemye giues round about our heart; suggesting, that peraduenturs, we are not in grace with our Maister, and that our Loue is fruitlesse, yea that it is false and vaine, since it brings forth no comfort. And then, THEO: we labour not without pleasure onely, but with an exceeding distresse, being nei­ther [Page 552] able to discouer the profit of our labours, nor his contentment, for whom we labour.

5. But that which in this case doth augment our difficultie, is, that euen the Spirit and highest part of Reason cannot all asswage our griefe for this poore superiour portion of Reason being be­set round about with the suggestions of the ene­mie, she is euen all in teares, and hath her hands full in keeping the GARD, least sinne by surprise might get consent: so that she can make no SAL­L [...] to disengage the inferiour part of her Spirit. And albeit she haue not lost heart, yet is she so desperatly set at, that though she be not guiltie of fault, yet is she not free from paine: for that her griefe might be full, she is depriued of the generall consolati [...]n, which doth ordinarily accompanie vs through all the other calamities of this life, to wit, hope that they will not be of long conti­nuance, but will haue an end; so that the heart in these spirituall troubles, falls into a certaine im­potencie of thinking to see an end of them, and consequently of hoping to be eased of its bur­den. Faith indeede which resides in the top of the Spirit, assures vs that these troubles will haue end, and that one day we shall enioye expected repose: But the lowdnesse of the shoutes and outcries which the Enemie makes in the rest of the soule about the inferiour Reason's Quarter, will scare­ly permit the aduise and Remonstrance of Faith to be heard. And we haue our Imagination filled with this heauie presage. Alas I shall neuer be ioyfull.

6. O God, my deare THEO: now it is, that [Page 553] we are to shew an inuincible courage towards our Sauiour, seruing him purely for the Loue of his will▪ not onely without pleasure, but euen flot­ing in the midst of sorrows, horrours, astonish­ments and assaults; as did his glorious mother, and S. IOHN vpon the day of his passion, who amongst so many blasphemies, sorrows and deadly disa­sters, remained constant in Loue; yea euen in tha [...] instant in which our Sauiour, hauing drawen all his holy ioyes to the very top of his Spirit, left no ioye or consolatiō at all in his heauenly coūtināce; and when his eyes languishing and couered with the darke vaile of death, did onely cast vpon them a looke of sorrow, as did the Sunne send out beames of horrour, and daunting darknesse.

How the soule amidst the [...] interiour an­guishes, knowes not the Loue she beares to God, and of the Louely death of the will. CHAPTER. XII.

1. THe night before the great S. PETER was to suf [...]er, Martyrdome, an Angell came to the Prison and filled it with splendour, awaked S. PE­TER, made him arise, girt himselfe, put on his shooes and clothes, freede him of, his bonds and shackles, drew him out of Prison, and led him through the first and second garde, till he came to [Page 554] the iron gate in the high way towards the towne, which opened at their cōming: and hauing passed a streete, the Angell left the glorious S. PETER in full libertie. Behold a great varietie of very sen­sible actions, and yet S. PETER who was at the first awaked, did not apprehend that which was done by the Angell, was done indeede, but esteemed in [...]n imaginarie vision. He was awake, and yet did not thinke so; he put on his clothes and shooes, not knowing that he had done it; he walked, and yet thought he walked not; he was deliuered, and beleeued it not: And all this, because the wonder of his deliuerance was so great▪ and it did engage his heart in such sort, that though he had sense and knowledge enough to doe what he did, ye [...] had he not enough to discouer that he did it real­ly, and in good earnest; He saw indeede the An­gell, but could not discerne whether it was a true and naturall vision. Wherevpon he tooke no con­solation in his deliuerie, till such time a [...] cōming to himselfe: Now, quoth he, I know for certaine, that God hath sent his Angell, and hath deliuered me out of Herods hands, and from all the Iewes expectation.

2. Now, THEO euen after the same manner it goes with a soule which is ouercharged with in­teriour anguishes, for be it that she hath the po­wer to beleeue, to hope and Loue her God, yet her distresse doth possesse her and make head a­gainst her so desperatly, that she cā get no time to make a retreate into her owne quarter, and see what is done at home. Wherevpon she is concei­ted that she hath neither faith, Hope, nor Chari­tie▪ [Page 555] but onely the shadowes, and fruitlesse impres­sions of the saied vertues; which she apprehends in a manner without apprehending them, and as strangers, not as the Familiars of the soule. And if you will but take notice of it, you shall find our soules alwayes in this estate, when they are fierce­ly set vpon by some violent passion: for they per­forme many actions, as though they were in a dreame, with so little feeling, that they can scarce­ly beleeue that the passage is reall. Which moued the Psalmist to expresse the greatenesse of the Israelits consolation in their returne from Babi­lon's Captiuitie in these words.

And as the holy latine version following the Sea­uentie hath, we were made as men comforted, that is, the admiration of the good which befell vs was so excessiuely great, that it hindred vs from fee­ling the consolation which we receiued, and it see­med to vs, that we were not truely comforted nor had any true consolation, but onely in a figure, and a dreame.

3, Such are the feelings of the soule which is tossed in the midst of Spirituall anguishes, which doe exceedingly purifie and refine Loue for being stript of all pleasure by mediation, whereof she might be ioyned to God, she is ioyned and v­nited [Page 556] to God immediatly, will to will, heart to heart without the least mediation of content, or any o­ther pretention. Alas, THEO: how the poore heart is afflicted, when being as it were abandoned by Loue, it lookes round about, ād yet seemes not to find it. It is not found in the exteriour senses, thy not being capable of it; nor in the Imagination, which is cruelly tortured by sundrie onsets; nor in the vnderstanding, distracted with a thousand ob­scurities of strang discourses and apprehensions; and though at length it be found in the top and supreame region of the Spirit, where it doth still reside: yet doth the soule mistake it, and conceiues that it is not it; because the thicknesse of darke­nesse and distresse doth not permit her to taste the sweetenesse thereof. She sees it without seeing it; meetes it, but doth not know it; as though it pas­sed in a dreame onely [...]r in a Type. In this sort Magdalaine hauing met with her deare-Maister, re­ceiued no comfort from him, for that, she did not apprehend that it was he indeede, but a Gardener onely.

4. But what is the soule to doe that finds her selfe in this case? THEO: she wots not how to be­haue herselfe amidst so many vexations; nor hath she any strength left, but euen permits her will to die in the hands of Gods will, imitating her sweete IESVS, who being come to the top of the paines of the Crosse, which his Father had ordained, and not being able any further to resist the extream [...]tie of his torments, did like the Hart, who, when he is rūne out of breath, and oppressed by the hounds, yeelding himselfe vp into the [Page 557] huntsmans hands, with teares trickling downe, sends out his last brayings: for so this Diuine Sa­uiour, neere vnto his death, and giuing vp his last breath, with a loude voice and aboundance of teares; Alas quoth he, ô Father into thy hands I commēd my Spirit: This was the last word, THEO: and that by which the beloued sonne, gaue a so­ueraigne testimonie of his Loue towards his Fa­ther. When therefore all failes vs, when our ex­treamities are growen to their hight; this word, this disposition, this rendring vp of our soule into our Sauiours hands, can neuer faile vs. The sonne commended his soule to his Father in this his last, and incomparable anguish. And we, when the con­uulsions of spirituall paines shall bereaue vs of all other sort of solace, and meanes of resistance, let vs commend our soule into the hands of the eter­nall sonne our true Father, and making our hearts in a quiet submission stoope to his good pleasure, let vs make ouer our whole will vnto him.

How the will being dead to it selfe, liues entirely to Gods will. CHAPTER. XIII.

1. VVE speake with a singular proprietie of the death of men, in our French tongue: For we call it an OVERPASSING, and the dead thēselues OVERPASSED, intimatīg, that DEATH amongst men, is but a PASSAGE from one life to [Page 558] another, and TO DIE, is no other thing but to OVER PASSE the confines of this mortall life, to arriue at the immortall. True it is our will can no more die then our soule, yet doth she sometimes out goe the limits of her ordinarie life, to liue wholy in the Diuine will. Then it is that she nei­ther cann, or will desire any thing at all, but giues her selfe ouer totally and without reserue to the good pleasure of the Diuine prouidence, moiste­ning, and incorporating her selfe with this good pleasure, that she is not seene, but is hid with IESVS CHRIST in God, where she liues: not she, but the will of IESVS CHRIST in her.

2. What becomes of the brightnesse of the starres, when the Sunne appeares in our Horison? certainely it doth in no wise perish, but is drunke vp, and spent in the Sunnes singular light, with which it is happily mixed and allied. And what becomes of mans will when it is entirely deliuered vp to God's pleasure? It doth not altogether pe­rish, yet is it so drunke vp, and dispersed in the will of God, that it appeares not, nor hath it any other will, then the will of God. Propose vnto your selfe, THEOT: the glorious and neuer suffi­ciently praysed S. Lewes, who embarkes him­selfe to saile beyond Sea: and behold the Queene his deare wife ebarking her selfe together with his Maiestie; now if one should haue demanded of this braue Princesse, Madame whither doe you tend? she would without doubt haue replied, I goe whither the king goeth; but if one should haue demanded againe saying: but doe you know, Ma­dame, whither the King Goes? She would also [Page 558] haue made answere, he told me in generall, how­beit I care not for knowing that, desiring onely to accompanie him. And if one had replied, why then Madame, you haue no designe in this iorney; No, would she haue saied, I haue no other but to be with my deare Soueraigne and husband. Why, but might one haue saied vnto her, he goes into Egipte, to passe into PALESTINE, he will lodge at DAMIETA in ACREA, ād in many places besids; doe not you intend Madame, to goe thither to? To this she would haue made answere: no in truth I haue no intention, saue onely to keepe my selfe neere my King, as for the places whither he goes, they are all indifferent to me, nor doe they enter into my thoughts, but in so much as he shall be there; I goe without desire of going, for I affect nothing but the Kings presence. It is therefore the King that goes, he that designes the iorney; but as for me, I goe not, I followe onely: I desire not the iorney, but the onely presence of the King: to goe or to staie, and all sorts of contrarietie, being indifferent to me.

3. Certes if one demand of a seruant that is of his Maisters traine, whither he goes: he is not to an­swere that he is to goe to such or such a place, but onely that he is to follow his Maister; for he goes no where vpō his owne accord, but at his Maisters pleasure onely. In like manner, THEO: a will per­fectly resigned to God's, is not to haue any will of her owne, but is simply to follow God's. And as one in a Shipe, doth not moue by his owne motiō, but leaues himselfe to be moued by the Motion of the Vessell in which he is, so the heart, that is [Page 560] embarked in the diuine pleasure, ought to haue no other will then that of permitting it selfe to be conducted by the Diuine will. And then the heart doth not, as before, saie, thy will be done not myne, for there is now no will to be renounced; but it pronounceth these words, Lord, I put my will into thy hands, euen as though it had not its will in its owne disposing: but at the disposition of the Diuine prouidence; So that it is not proper­ly in this manner that Seruants follow their Mai­sters▪ for albeit the iorney be vndertaken at their Maisters pleasure, yet is their following perfor­med by their owne particular will, by a will not­withstanding that is follower, seruant, subiect, and thraule to the will of their Maister. So that as the Maister ād seruāt are two, so the will of the Maister and the will of the seruant are also two. But the will which is dead to her selfe, that she may liue to Gods, is without any particular will, remai­ning not onely conformable and subiect, but euen annihilated in herselfe to be cōuerted into Gods: as one might saie of a little child, who hath not yet got the vse of his will, to Loue or desire any thing, saue the vse of his deare mothers breastes: for he decernes not of which side he would rather be, or any other thing else, except onely to be be­twixt his mothers tresses, with whom he esteemes himselfe one same thing; neuer troubling himselfe how he should conforme his will to his mothers: for he perceiues not his owne, nor doth he think, he hath any, leauing all the care to his mother, to goe, to doe, and to will what she iudgeth profi­table for him.

[Page 561]4 It is truely the highest perfection of our will, to be thus vnited to our soueraigne good, as was his, who saied: ô Lord thou hast conducted and led me in the way of thy will: for what would he haue saied, but that he had made no vse of his owne will to conduct himselfe, but simply left the conduct and command thereof to the will of God.

An explanation of that which hath bene saied touching the decease of our will. CHAPTER. XIV.

1. IT is credible that the most sacred virgine our Ladie, receiued so much content in car­rying her little IESVS betwixt her armes, that de­light beguiled wearinesse, or at least made it de­lightfull: for if a branch of AGNVS CHAS­TVS can solace and vnwearie Trauaillers, what solace did not the GLORIOVS MOTHER receiue in carrying the immaculate LAMBE of God? And though she permitted him now and then to rūne a foote by her, weelding him by the hand, yet was it not, that she would not rather haue had him hā ­ging about her necke and breasts; but it was to teach him to forme his steps, and walke alone. And we, THEO: as the little children of the heauenly Father, may walke with him in two sorts: for we may either take the steps of our owne will, which [Page 562] we conforme to his, holding alwayes in the hand of our obedience his Diuine intention, and follo­wing it wheresoeuer it shall leade vs, which God requires at our hands by the signification of his will: for since his will is that I should doe his or­donance, his will is also that I haue a will to doe it. God hath signified vnto me that his will is, I should keepe holy the Saboth day, since therefore he will haue me to doe it, he will also that I haue a will to doe it, and for this end that I haue a will of myne owne, by which I follow his, by corres­pondance and conformitie. But we may also walke with our Sauiour, without any will of our owne, by casting our selues simply vpon the Diuine plea­sure, as a little child in his mothers armes, by a certaine admirable kind of consent, which may be termed VNION, or rather vnitie of our heart with Gods. And this is the way that we are to endeuour to comport our selues in GODS WILL OF GOOD PLEASVRE, for so much as the effects of this WILL OF GOOD PLEASVRE, doe proceede purely from his Prouidence and doe come vnto vs without our la­bour. True it is we may desire their cōming, ac­cording to Gods will, and this is a good desire; yet we may also receiue the euents of Heauens good pleasure, by a most simple tranquillitie of our will, while willing nothing, we doe in sim­plicitie of heart giue way to all that God would haue done in vs, on vs, or by vs.

2. If one had asked the sweete IESVS when he was carried in his mothers armes, whither he went too! might he not with good reason haue answe­red, I goe not, t'is my mother that goes for me. [Page 563] And if one had saied to him, but at least doe not you goe with your mother? might he not reaso­nably haue replied: no, I doe not goe, or if I goe whither my Mother carries me, I neither goe with her, nor by myne owne steps, but by my mothers, by her, and in her: But if one had yet gone fur­ther with him, saying; surely ô most deare Diuine child, thy will is that thy sweete mother should carrie thee: no verily might he haue saied, I will none of all this; but as my entirely good mother walkes for me, so she wills for me. I leaue her the care as well to goe, as to will to goe for me, where she likes best. and as I goe not hut by her gate; so I will not but by her will: And from the instant I was first in her armes, I neuer gaue my attention either to will or nill, turning all other cares ouer to my mother, saue onely the care to liue in her bosome, to sucke her sacred Pappe, and to keepe my selfe close ioyned to her amiable necke, louing to kisse her with kisses of my mouth. And be it knowen vnto you, that while I am amongst the delights, of these holy huggings which surpasse all delights; I apprehend my mother as a tree of life, and my selfe in her, as the fruit; that I am her owne heart in the midst of her heart, or her soule in the heart of her heart, so that as her gate serues both her and me without my touching the ground; so her will serues vs both without producing any act of my will, about the businesse of going and cō ­ming. Nor doe I euer take notice whither she goe fast or fairely, hither or thither, nor doe I make any enquirie whither she tends, contenting my selfe with this, that goe she whither she please, I [Page 564] goe still lock't vp in her bosome, close layed at her sugared dugges, where I feede as amōgst Lil­lies. O Diuine child of Marie, permit my poore soule to take this straine of Loue! But goe then ô most amiable deare little babe, or rather goe not, but staie still so holily glewed to thy sweete mothers breast, goe alwayes in her, and by her, or with her, but neuer without her while thou re­mainest a child; ô how blessed is the wombe that bore thee, and the dugges that gaue thee sucke! The Sauiour of our soules was endewed with the vse of Reason, from the instant of his Conception in his mothers wombe, and could make all these discourses: yea euen the glorious S. IOHN his Fore­runner from the day of his holy Visitation. And though both of them, as well in that time, as in their infancie, were possessed of proper libertie to will or not to will; yet did they deferre the care of that which concerned their exteriour gouernemēt to their mothers, to doe and will for them what was requisite.

3. Such should we be, THEO: pliable and tra­ctable to Gods good Pleasure, as though we were very waxe, not giuing our thoughts leaue to wan­der in wishing and willing any thing, but leauing it to God to will and doe all for vs according to his goodnesse throwing vpon him all our sollicitude, because he hath care of vs, as the holy Apostle saieth; and note that he saieth: All our sollicitudes that is, as well those which concerne the euents, as those, which pertaine to willing or not willing: for he will haue a care of the issue of our affaires, and of willing that which is best for vs.

[Page 565]4. Meane while let vs affectionatly imploye our cares to blesse God in all his works, by Iobs example, saying; our Lord gaue, and our Lord hath taken away: the name of our Lord be blessed. Lord I will will no euents, but will let them be willed for me, euen as thou shalt please: yea in lieu of willing the euents, I will blesse thee, in that thou hast willed them. O THEO: what an ex­cellent imployment of our will is this, when she leaues willing and choosing the effects of Gods good pleasure, to praise and thanke him for such effects.

Of the most excellent exercise a man can make in the interiour and exteriour trou­bles of this life, In sequele of the indif­ferencie and death of the will. CHAPTER XV.

1. TO blesse and thanke God in all the euents that his prouidence ordaines, is in very deede a most holy exercise: yet if while we leaue the care to God to will and doe in vs, on vs, and with vs, what pleaseth him, without attending to that which passeth, though indeede we feele it, we could diuert our heart, and applie our attention to the Diuine goodnesse and sweetenesse, blessing God not in the effects or euēts which he ordaines, but in himselfe, and in his owne excellencie, we [Page 566] should certainly performe a farre more eminent exercise. In the time that Demetrius layed Seige to Rhodes; Protogenes, who was in a little house in the Suburbs, ceased not to worke, and that with such assurance and repose of mind, that though the enemies sword hung still in a manner ouer his head, yet performed he that excellent MAIST [...]R-PEECE, ād admirable Satyre, making him­selfe merrie with playing vpon a pipe. O God how worthy soules are those, that in all kinds of acci­dents, keepe still their affections and attentions vpon the eternall goodnesse to honour and Loue it eternally?

2. The daughter of an excellent Phisitian and Surgeon, being in a continuall Ague and knowing that she was tenderly beloued of her Father, saied to one of her friends, I endure a great paine, yet thinke I of no remedies: for I know not what would be apt to worke the Cure. I might wish for one thing, while an other were more conuenient. Were it not therefore my fairest way to leaue all this care to my Father, who knowes what to doe, can, and will doe all that is required for my health? I were to blame if I should trouble my selfe to thinke of it, since he will be carefull enough to thinke of it for me: I should erre to desire any thing, sith he is diligēt enough to desire all that cā be profitable for me: I will therefore expect one­ly till he will that which he deames fit, and will not otherwise busie my selfe then in fixing myne eyes vpon him when he comes nigh me, to testifie vnto him my filiall affection, and to discouer vnto him my perfect confidence; and with this she fell a [Page 567] sleepe; till her Father iudging it fit to let her blood, prouided things requisite for it, and com­ming towards her, euen as she awaked, after he had asked her, how she found herselfe after her sleepe, he demanded whether she would not like well to be let blood for her health; Father, saied she, I am yours, I know not what I should desire for my cure; it belongs to you to will and doe for me whatsoeuer you shall iudge conue­nient: for my part, it sufficeth me to Loue and ho­nour you with my whole heart, as indeede I doe: with this they take and bind her arme, and her Fa­ther himselfe lanceth the veine; But while he is doing the deede, and the blood springs out, the louing girle neuer once looked vpon her lanced arme, nor yet on the blood that issued out of the veine, but keeping her eyes fixed vpon her Fathers face, she saied onely now and then with a low voice; my Father Loues me tenderly, and I am entirely his: And when all was done, she than­ked him not, but onely repeated againe, the former words of her filiall affection and confi­dence.

3. But tell me now THEO: my friend, did not this girle testifie a more solide, and attentiue loue towards her father, then though she had she [...]en her selfe much sollicitous in begging his helpe to her cure, in looking how they opened her veine, or how the blood span out, and in vsing a great deale of ceremonie in rendring him thankes? cer­tainely none can make any doubt of it; For in ta­king vpon her the care of her selfe, what had she gotten, but an vnprofitable anxitie, especially her [Page 568] father hauing care enough of her: what had loo­king vpon her arme profited her, but haue bene an occasion of horrour? And what vertue had she practised in thanking her father, saue that of gra­titude? Did she not better then, to occupie her selfe wholy in the Demonstrations of her filiall affection, which is infinitly more delightfull to her father then all other vertues.

4. Myne eyes are alwayes to our Lord, because he will deliuer our feete from the snare. Art thou fallen into the snares of aduersitie? ah looke not vpon this mishape, nor vpon the Gyues wherein thou art caught? looke vpon God, and leaue all to him, he will haue care of thee, throwe thy thoughtes vpon him, and he will nourrish thee. Why dost thou trouble thy selfe with willing or nilling the euents and accidents of this world, since thou art ignorant what were best for thee to will, and that God will will for thee, without thy trouble, all that thou art to will for thy selfe. Ex­pect therefore in peace of mind the effect of the Diuine pleasure; and let his willing suffice thee, since he can neuer cease to be good: For so he gaue order to his well beloued S. Catharine of Sienna, Thinke of me quoth he to her, and I will thinke for thee. It is a hard thing to expresse to the full, this extreame indifferencie of mans heart, which is so reduced to, and dead in the will of God: for it is not to be saied, me thinkes, that she doth sub­mit herselfe to Gods submission, being an act of the soule declaring her consent, nor is it to be saied that she doth accept or receiue it; for as much as accepting, or receiuing are certaine actions, [Page 169] which in some sort may be termed passiue a­ctions, by which we embrace, and take what soe­ctions, befalls vs: nor yet are we to saie, that she per­mits; permission being an action of the will, and consequently a certaine idle emptie wish, that will indeede doe nothing, but onely let it be done. And therefore, me thinke, the soule in this indifferecie, that willeth nothing, but leaues God to will what he pleaseth, is to be saied to haue her will in a sim­ple expectation; since that to expect, is not to doe, or act; but onely to remaine exposed to some euer. And if you marke it, the expectation of the soule is altogether voluntarie, and yet an action it is not, but a meere disposition to receiue whatsoeuer shall happen: and as soone as the euents are once arriued and receiued, the expectation becomes a cōtentment or repose; Marry till they happen, in truth the soule is A PVRE EXPECTATION, indifferēt to all that it shall please the Diuine will to ordaine.

5. In this sort did our Sauiour expresse the ex­treame submission of his humane will to the will of his eternall Father. The Almightie, saieth he, hath opened myne eare, that is, he hath declared vnto me his pleasure, touching the multitude of torments which I am to endure, and I, saieth he afterwards, doe not gainesaie or withdraw my selfe▪ what would this saie, I doe not gainesaie, or withdraw my selfe, but this, my will is in a simple expectation, and is readie for all that God shall send; In sequele whereof I deliuer vp and abandone my bodie, to the mercy of such as will beate it, and my cheekes to such as will make them smart, being prepared to let them exercise their pleasure [Page 570] vpon me. But marke, I praie you THEO: that euen as our Sauiour, after he had made his Praier of Resignation in the Garden of Oliuet, and after he was taken, left himselfe to be handled and haled by those that crucified him, by an admirable sur­render made of his bodie and life into their hands. So did he resigne vp his soule and will, by a most perfect indifferēcie, into his eternall Fathers hāds. For though he cried out. My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? Yet was that, to let vs vn­derstand, the reall anguish and distresse of his soule, but in no wise to impeach the most holy in­differencie, of which it as possessed; as shortly after he shewed, concluding all his life and passion in these incomparable words. Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit.

Of the perfect stripping of the soule vni­ted to Gods will. CHAPTER. XVI.

1. LEt vs represent vnto our selues, THEO: the sweete Iesus in Pilats house, where for the Loue of vs, he was turned out of his clothes by the soldiers, the Ministers of death; and not con­tent with that, they take the skin with them, tearing it with the blowes of rods and whipps, as afterwards his soule was bereft of his bodie, and his bodie of life, by the death which he endured vpon the Crosse. But three dayes being once rūne [Page 571] ouer; the soule by the most holy Resurrection, did reinuest her glorious bodie, and his bodie its mor­tall skin, wearing sundrie garments, now resem­bling a Gardener, now a Pilgrime, or in some other guise, according as the saluation of man, and the glorie of God required. LOVE did all this THEO: and it is LOVE also that entring into a soule to make it happily die to it selfe, and liue to God, which doth bereaue it of all humane desires, and self-esteeme, which is as closely fixed to the Spirit, as the skin to the flesh, and strips her at lēgth of her best beloued affections, as were those which she had to spirituall affections, exercises of pietie, and the perfection of vertues, which see­med to be the very life of the soule.

2. Then, THEO: the soule may by good right crie I haue put of my garment, and how can I find in my heart, to resume them againe? I haue washed my feete from all sorts of affections, and can I euer be so mad as to soile thē againe? I came naked out of the hande of God, and naked will I returne thither, God gaue me many desires and God hath taken them away, his holy name be blessed. Yea THEO: the same God that made vs desire vertues in our beginning, ād which makes vs practise thē in all occurrences, he it is, that takes from vs the affection to vertues, and all spirituall exercises, that with more tranquillitie, puritie and simplicitie, we should affect nothing but the Diuine Maiesties good pleasure. For as the faire Iudith reserued in­deede, her costly festiuall robes in her Cabinet, and yet placed not her affection vpon them, nor yet euer wore them in the time of her widow­hood, [Page 572] saue onely when by God's inspiration, she went to ouerthrow Holofernes: so though we haue learnt the practise of vertue, and the exer­cise of deuotion, yet are we not to affect them, nor reinuest our heart therewith, saue onely so farre forth, as we discerne it to agree with God's good pleasure: And as Iudith wore still moorning weedes, except onely in this occasion, wherein Gods will was that she should be in pompe, so are we peaceably to remaine vested in our miserie and abiection, amidst our imperfections and infir­mities, till God shall exalt vs to the practise of ex­cellent actions.

3. One cannot long remaine in this nakednesse voide of all affection: Wherefore following the aduise of the holy Apostle, as soone as we haue turn'd off the garments of the old Adam, we are to put on the habits of the new man, that is to saie, of IESVS CHRIST: for hauing renounced all, yea euen the affection to vertues, neither desiring of these nor of other things a larger portion, then may beare proportion with God's will; we must put on againe diuers affections, and peraduenture the very same which we haue renounced, and re­signed vp: yet are we not therefore to resume thē, for that they are agreeable, profitable, honorable and proper to content our selfe-Loue; but because they are agreeable to God, profitable to his ho­nour, and ordained to his glorie.

4. Eliezer carried eare-jewels, bracelets, and new attire, for the mayde whom God had proui­ded for his Maisters sonne, and in effect he presen­ted them to the virgine Rebecca, as soone as he [Page 573] knew it was she. New garmēts are required to our Sauiour's Spouse. If for the Loue of God she hath bereft her selfe of the auncient affections which she had to Parents, Countrie, Father's house, and allie, she must take a span new affection, louing euery of these in their ranke, not now accor­cording to humane considerations, but because the heauenly Spouse doth will, command and in­tend it so, and hath established such an order in Charitie. If one haue once put off his old affectiō to spirituall consolations, to exercises of deuotion to the practise of vertues, yea to his owne aduan­cement in perfection; he must put on another new affection, by louing all these graces and hea­uēly fauours, not because they perfect and adorne our minde, but for that our Sauiours name is san­ctified in them, his kingdome enriched, his good pleasure glorified.

5. So did S. PETER vest himselfe in the Prison, not at his owne election, but at the Angels com­mand. He puts on his girdle, then his Sandales and afterwards the rest of his garments. And the glorious S. PAVL [...] bereft in a moment of all affe­ctions, Lord, quoth he, what wilt thou haue me doe? that is, what is thy pleasure I should affect, since throwing me to the ground, thou hast deaded me to myne owne will? Ah Lord plant thy good pleasure in the place of it, and teach me to performe thy will, for thou art my God. THEO: he that hath forsaken all for God, ought to re­sume nothing, but according, to Gods pleasure: he feeds not his bodie, but according to Gods ordinance, that it may be seruiceable to the Spi­rit; [Page 524] all his studie is to assist his neighbour and his owne soule, according to the Diuine intention; he practiseth not vertues, as being according to his owne heart, but according to God's.

5. God commanded the Prophet Isaie to stripe himselfe naked; which he did, going and preaching in this sort for three dayes together, as some hold, or for three yeares together, as others think, and then, the time prefixed him by God being expired, he resumed his clothes. Euen so are we to turne our selues out of affections little and great, as also to make a frequent examine of our hearts, to discouer whether it be willing to vnuest it selfe, as Isaie did his garments, as also to resume in their time, the affections necessarie to the seruice of charitie; to the end we might die with our Sauiour naked vpon the crosse, and rise againe with him, in newnesse of life. Loue is as strong as death to make vs quit all; it is magnificent, as the Resurre­ction, to adorne vs with honour and glorie.

Of the sweetenesse of the Commandement, which God gaue vs, to loue him aboue all things. CHAPTER. I.

1. MAN is the perfection of the Vni­uerse, the Spirit the perfection of man, Loue the Spirits, and Chari­tie the perfection of Loue. Whēce the Loue of God, is the end of per­fection, and the Excellencie of the vniuerse. In this THEO: doth consist the hight and primacie of the Commandement of Diuine Loue, called by [Page 576] our Sauiour, the first and greatest Commandemet. This Commandement is as a Sunne, giuing luster and dignitie, to all the holy lawes, to all the Di­uine [...]ordonances, and to all the holy Scripturs. All is made for this heauenly Loue, and all tends to it: Of the sacred Tree of this Commandement, all consolations, exhortations, inspirations, and euen all the other Commandements, haue depen­dance as it's flowres; and eternall life, as it's fruit: and all that tends not to eternall Loue, tends to eternall death. O great Commandement, whose perfect practise remaines euen in the euerlasting life, yea it is no other thing then life euerlasting.

2. But marke, THEO: how amiable this law of Loue is! ah Lord God, was it not sufficient that thou shouldst permit vs this heauenly Loue, as KABAN permitted IACOB to Loue RACHEL, with­out daigning farther to inuite vs to it by ex­hortations, and vrge vs to it by thy Com­mandements? Nay more, ô Diuine Goodnesse! to the end that neither thy Maiestie, nor our mi­serie, nor any other pretext at all, might delay our loue to thee, thou dost command it vs. The poore APELLES could neither abstaine from louing, nor yet aduenture to loue the faire COMPASPE, be­cause she appertained to ALEXANDER the Great; but whē he had once leaue to loue her, how much did he hold himselfe obliged to him that did him the grace! He knew not whether he should more loue the faire COMPASPE granted him by so great an Emperour, or so great an Emperour, who had granted him the faire COMPASPE. O sweete God, THEO: If we could vnderstand it, what an obliga­tion [Page 577] should we haue to this Soueraigne good, who doth not onely permit, but doth euen command vs to loue him! Alas my God, I know not whether I ought more to loue thyne infinite Beautie, which so great a Bountie hath ordained that I should loue; or thy Diuine Bountie, which ordaines that I should loue so infinite a Beautie! O Beautie how amiable thou art, being granted vnto me by a Bountie so immense! O Bountie how amiable thou art, in communicating vnto me so eminent a Beautie!

3. God at the day of Iudgment will imprint, after an admirable māner in the hearts of the dam­ned, the apprehension of their losse: for the Di­uine Maiestie will make them clearely see the So­ueraigne Beautie of his face, and the Treasures of his Bountie: and vpon the sight of this Abisse of infinite delights, the will, desires with an extreame violence to cast her selfe vpon him, to be vnited vnto him, and enioy [...] his Loue: But all in vaine; she shall be as a womā, who in the panges of child-birth, after she haue endured violent paines, cruell conuulsions, and intollerable panges, dies in the end without being deliuered. For as soone as the cleare and faire knowledge of the heauenly Beautie, shall haue penetrated the vnderstandings of those infortunate wretches; the Diuine Iustice, shall in such sort depriue the will of her force, that she can in no wise loue this obiect, which the vn­derstanding shall propose vnto her, and make cleare to be so amiable; and this sight which should beget in the will so great a Loue, in lieu thereof, shall engender an infinite desolation, which shall [Page 578] be made eternall, by a memorie of the Soueraigne Beautie they saw, which shall for euer liue in these lost soules; a memorie voyd of all good, yea full of vexations, paines, torments and endlesse despe­rations; For so much as in the soule shall be found both an imposiblitie, yea and a dreadfull and euer­lasting auersion and repugnance to loue this so wishfull an Excellencie. So that the miserable damned shall liue for euer in a desperate rage to know so soueraignely amiable a perfection, with­out all hope, of euer being able to enioye or loue it: because while they might haue loued it they would not: they shall burne, with a thrist, so much more violēt, by how much the remēbrāce of this source of waters of eternall life, shall more egge their ardour: they shall die immortally, as dogges, of a famine by so much more vehement, by how much their memorie shall more sharpen the insa­tiable crueltie thereof, by calling to mind the heauenly banquet, of which they were depri­ued.

I dare not affirme for certaine, that the view of Gods Beautie, which the damned shall haue, in the māner of a flash of lightning, shall be as bright as that of the Blessed; yet shall it be so cleare, that they shall see the sonne of mā in his Maiestie; they shall see him whom they pierced; and by the view [Page 579] of this glorie, shall learne the greatnesse of their losse. Ah, if God had prohibited man to Loue, what a torment would that haue bene to generous hearts: what paines would they not vndertake to obtaine permission to Loue him? DAVID entred into a very dangerous Combat, to gaine the kings daughter, and what did not IACOB doe to espouse RACHEL? and the Prince SICHEM to haue DINA in marriage? The damned would repute them selues Blessed, if they could entertaine a hope euer to Loue God: And the Blessed would esteeme them­selues Damned, if they harboured a thought, that they should euer be depriued of this sacred Loue.

4. O Good God, THEO: how gustfull is the sweetenesse of this Commandement, seeing that if it pleased the Diuine will to giue it to the dam­ned, they would in a moment be deliuered of their greatest misfortune, and since the Blessed are not Blessed but by the practise of it! ô heauenly Loue how louelie thou art in the fight of our soules? And blessed be the Bountie of God for euer, who so earnestly commands vs to Loue him, though his Loue be otherwise most to be desired, and necessarie to our Happinesse, and that without it, we must necessarily be vnhappie.

That this Diuine Commandement of Loue tends to Heauen, yet is giuen to the faithfu [...]l in this world. CHAPTER. II.

1. If the law be not īposed on the iust mā because he preuenting the lawes, and without the la [...]es sollicitation, doth performe Gods will by the instinct of Charitie, which raignes in his soule; how free are we to esteeme the Blessed in Heauen from all commandements, since that from the possession of the Bountie and Beautie of the Beloued, in which they are, a sweete yet ineui­table necessitie to Loue for euer the most holy Di­uinitie, doth streame out and runne vpon their hearts? We shall Loue God aboue, THEO: not as being tyed and obliged by the law, but as being allured, and rauished with delight, which this so perfectly an amiable obiect shall yeeld vnto our hearts. Then the force of the Commandement will cease, to the end it may giue place to the force of contentment [...], which shall be the fruite and crowne of the obseruance of the Commandement We are therefore ordained to the contentment which is promissed vs in the immortall life, by meanes of the Commandement giuen vnto vs in this our mortall life, in which truely we are strictly bound to obserue it, because it is the fundamentall law, which the KING IESVS deliuered to [Page 581] the Citizens of this militant HIERVSALEM, where­by they may merite the BVRGVERSHIP, and ioye of the triumphant HI [...]RVSALEM.

2. Certes aboue in heauen, we shall haue a heart free from all passions, a soule puri­fied from all distractions, a Spirit infranchised from contradictions, and forces exempt from op­position, and therefore we shall Loue God, with a perpetuall and neuer interrupted affection, as it is saied of the foure sacred beasts, which repre­senting the Euangelists, doe incessantly praise the Diuinitie. O God what a ioye, when we being established in those eternall Tabernacles our Spi­rits shall be in this perpetuall motion, in which they shall enioye the so much desired repose of their eternall dilection.

But we are not to aime at this Loue so exceedingly perfect in this life of death, for as yet we haue nei­ther the heart, nor the soule, nor the Spirit, nor the forces of the Blessed. It is sufficient for vs to Loue with all the heart and force which we haue. While we are little children, we are wise like little children, we speake like children, we Loue like children, but when we shall come to our perfect groth aboue, we shall be quit of our infan­cie, and Loue God perfectly. Yet are we not for all this, THEO: during the infancie of our mortall life, to leaue to doe our best, according as it is commanded, since it is not onely in our power, but is also most facile, the whole Commandement [Page 582] being of Loue, and of the Loue of God, who as he is soueraignely good, so is he soueraignely amiable.

How, notwithstanding, that the whole heart is imployed in sacred Loue, yet one may Loue God diuersly, and also many other things together with him. CHAPTER. III.

1. HE that saieth all, excluds nothing, and yet a man may be wholy Gods, wholy his Fa­thers, wholy his mothers, wholy his Princes who­ly his cōmon-wealth's, his children's, his friend's: so that being wholy euery on's, yet he is wholy to all: which happens, for that the dutie by which a man is wholy on's, is not contrarie to the dutie, by which a man is wholy an others.

2. Man giues himselfe wholy by loue, and with proportion to his loue he bestowes himselfe. He is therefore in a soueraigne manner giuen to God, when he loues the Diuine Bountie Soueraignely. And hauing once made this kind of donation of himselfe, he is to loue nothing that can remoue his heart from God. Now neuer doth any loue take our hearts from God, saue that which is con­trarie vnto him.

3. SARA is not offended to spie ISMAEL about her deare ISAAC, while his dalliance with ISMAEL [Page 583] is not to slight or disparage her: nor is God offen­ded to see other loues liue in vs besids his, while we doe conserue for him, the reuerence, and res­pect due vnto him.

4. Verily, THEOT: in heauen, God will giue himselfe wholy to all and not by halfs, since he is a WHOLE, that hath no parts, yet will he giue him­selfe diuersly, and with varieties, equall to the va­rietie of the Blessed, for though he giue himselfe wholy to all, and wholy to each one, yet will he neuer giue himselfe totally, neither to any one in particular, nor to all in generall. And we shall giue our selues to him, according to the measure in which he giues himselfe to vs: For we shall see him indeede face to face, as he is in his Beautie; and shall loue him heart to heart, as he is in his Boun­tie: yet all shall not see him with an equall bright­nesse, nor loue him with an equall sweetenesse: but euery one shall see and loue him, according to their particular portion of glorie, which the Di­uine Prouidence hath prepared for them. We shall equally all haue the fulnesse of Diuine Loue; mar­ry that fullnesse shall be vnequall in perfection. The honie of Narbone is sweete, and so is also that of Paris: both of them are full of sweetenesse, but the one of a sweetenesse, better, finer, ād more vigorous; and though both of them be entirely sweete, yet is neither of them totally sweete. I doe homage to my Soueraigne Prince, as also to him that is next vnto him. I present therefor my loyal­tie as well to the one as to the other of them, yet doe I present it to neither of them totally. For in that which I exhibit to my Soueraigne, I doe not [Page 584] exclud that which is due to his va [...]sall next to him, nor doe I in this includ that. Wherefore it is no wonder, if in Heauen, where these words THOV SHALT LOVE THE LORD T [...]Y GOD WITH ALL THY H [...]ART, shall be so excellently practised, there be great differences in loue, sith we see such diuersitie euen in this mortall life.

5. THEO: not onely of such as loue God with all their heart, some loue him more, and some lesse, but euen one and the same doth oft passe himselfe, in this soueraigne exercise of louing God aboue all things. Appelles did at sometimes hādle his Pencell better then at others, sometimes euen out striping himselfe: For though commonly he put all his art and all his attention to draw out ALEXANDER THE GREAT, yet did he neuer em­ploye it so totally and entirely that he had not yet other tricks of art, by which though he neither put to't more skill, nor more affection, yet he did it more liuely and perfectly: He alwayes imployed all his wit to the good performance of this Table of ALEXANDER, because he vsed it without re­serue, yet sometimes he did it with more grace and felicitie. Who knowes not that we make progresse in this holy Loue, ād that the end of Saints is crow­ned with a more perfect loue, thē their beginning.

6. Now according to the phrase of holy Scripture; to doe a thing with all ones heart, im­ports onely, to doe it willingly and without re­serue. O Lord saieth Dauid I haue sought thee with all my heart, Lord heare me, and the holy WORD testifieth, that he had truely followed God with his whole heart: and yet not withstan­ding [Page 585] all that, it affirmes also that Ezechias had not his equall amōgst all the kings of Iuda, neither before nor after him; that he was vnited to God, and straied not from him: Afterwards treating of IOSIAS, it saieth, that he had not his fellow amongst all the kings either before or after hī, that he retur­ned to God with all his heart, with all his soule, with all his force, according to the whole law of MOYSES: nor did there any that followed him, rise like vnto him Marke then I praie you THEO: marke how DAVID, EZECHIAS, and IOSIAS loued GOD with all their hearts; and yet not all three with an equall dilection, because some of them had not their like in this Loue, as the Sacred Text witnessed. All the three loued him; each of them with all their heart, yet did nere a one of them seperatly, nor all three ioyntly, Loue him totally, but euery one in his particular way: so that as all the three were a like, in this, that they gaue their whole heart, so were they vnlike, in their manner of deliuering it: yea there is no doubt at all but that DAVID taken a part, was farre different from himselfe in this Loue; and that with his second heart, which God created pure and cleane in him and his right Spirit, which he renewed in his bo­wels by holy Penance, he sung the Canticle of Loue farre more melodiously, then euer he had done, with his first heart and Spirit.

7. All true Louers are equall in this, that all giue all their heart to God, and with all their force, but vnequall, in the diuersitie of giuing it, whence one giues all his heart with all his force yet lesse perfectly then the others. Some giues it [Page 586] it all by Martyrdome, all by virginitie, all by pu­ritie, all by action, all by contemplation, all by a pastorall function; and though all giue it all, by the obseruance of the Commandements; yet doth some one giue it with lesse perfection then the others.

8. Euē so IACOB hīselfe, who was called the HOLY-of-GOD in DANIEL, and whō God protesteth that he loued, confesseth ingeniously that he had ser­ue LABAN with all his strength: and why did he serue LABAN, but to obtaine RACHEL, whom he loued with all his forces? He serues LABAN with all his forces; he serues GOD with all his forces: he Loues RACHEL with all his forces, he Loues GOD with all his forces: yet Loues he not RACHEL as GOD, nor GOD as RACHEL: He Loues GOD as his God aboue all things and more then himselfe; he Loues RACHEL in qualitie of a wife, and as him­selfe: he Loues God with an absolute and soue­raignely supreame Loue; and RACHEL with the cheefest nuptiall Loue. Nor is the one of the Loues contrarie to the other, since that of RACHEL doth not violate the priuiledges and soueraigne aduan­tages of the Loue of GOD.

9. So that our Loue to God, THEO: takes its worth from the eminencie and excellencie of the motiue, for which, and according to which we Loue him, in that we Loue him for his soueraigne infinite goodnesse, as God, and according as he is God. Now one drope of this Loue, is better, of more force and value, then all the other Loues that can euer enter into the hearts, or amongst the Quires of Angels. For while this Loue liues, [Page 387] it raignes and bears the Scepter ouer all the affe­ctions, making his will preferre God, before all things indifferently, vniuersally, and abso­lutely.

Of two degrees of perfection, in which this Commandement may be kept in this mortall life. CHAPTER. IV.

1. VVHile the great king Salomon, en­ioying as yet the Spirit of God, cō ­posed the sacred Canticle of Canticles, he had ac­cording to the permission of those ages, great va­rietie of dames and damsells dedicated to his Loue in diuers conditions, and qualities. For 1. there was one that was his singularly deare and wholy perfect one, most rare, as a singular doue, with which the others entred not into comparison, and for this reason she was called by his owne name SVNAMITE. 2. There were sixtie, which next to her, had the first ranke of honour and estimation, and were called Queenes. Besids which, there were thirdly Fourescore Dames, which were not indeede Queenes, yet were companions of his Royall bed, in qualitie of honorable and lawfull friends. 4. and lastly, there were young damsells without number, reserued in expectation, as a seedeplat, to succeede in the places of the former, when they should fall into decaye. Now, by the [Page 588] IDEA of that which passed in his Palace, he descri­bed the diuers perfections of soules, who in time to come, were to adore, Loue, and serue the great PACIFICALL KING IESVS CHRIST, our Sauiour; a­mongst which there are some, who being newly freed from sinne and resolued to Loue God, are yet Nouices, Apprentises, tender and feeble: So, that they Loue indeede the Diuine sweetenesse, yet with such mixture of other different affections, that their sacred Loue, being as yet in its Nonage, they Loue together with our Sauiour, many su­perfluous, vaine, and dangerous things. And as a PHENIX newly hatch't out of her sinders, hauing as yet her plumes tender and nice, and hauing on her first downes, can onely essay a short flight, in which she is rather saied to hop then to flie; so these tēder and daintie young soules, newly borne of the ashes of their Penance, cannot as yet take a high flight, and sore a aboue in the aire of holy loue, beīg held captiues by the multitude of wicked inclinations, and depraued customes in which the sinnes of their life past had left them. They are yet liuing, quickned, and feathered with Loue, yea and with true Loue too, else had they neuer forsakē sinne; yet with a Loue as yet feeble, young, and enuironed with a number of other Loues, and which cannot produce fruite in such abundance, as otherwise it would doe, if it had the full possession of the heart in its hands.

2. Such was the Prodigall Sonne, when quit­ting the infamous cāpanie, and custodie of swine, amongst which he had liued, he returned into his fathers armes halfe naked, all to be dabed, durted, [Page 589] and stinking of the filth, which he had contracted in the companie of those vncleane beasts. For what is it to forsake the swine, but to reclame ones selfe from sinne? and what is it to returne all ragged, tattered, and stinking, but to haue our af­fections engaged in the habits and inclinations which tend to sinne? yet was he possessed of the life of the soule which is Loue. And as a Phenix ri­sing out of her ashes he finds himselfe newly risen to life. He was dead, quoth his Father, and is re­turned to life, he is reuiued. Now Salomons Friends, were called young daughters in the Can­ticles for as much as (hauīg tasted the odour of the Spouse his name, which breathes nothing but Sal­uation and Mercy) they Loue him with a true Loue, but a Loue, which is as themselues, in its tender age: for euen as young girles doe Loue their husbands well if they haue them, yet leaue not off much to affect their toyes, triffles, ād com­panions with whom they were wont desperatly to loose themselues in playing, dancing and foo­ling; in busying themselues with little birds, little dogges, squirills, and the like bables: So the yoūg and Nouice-soules haue truely an affection to the sacred Spouse, yet admit they with it a number of voluntarie distractions and incumbrances: so that louing him aboue all things, they doe yet bu­sie themselues in many things which they Loue not like him, but besids him, out of him, and with­out him: for as small irregularities in words, in gestures, in clothes, in pastimes, and fond trickes, are not, properly speaking, against the will of God; so are they not according to it, but out of [Page 590] it and without it.

3. But there are certaine soules who hauing al­readie made some progresse in the Loue of God, haue also cut off the affections they had to dange­rous things, and yet doe entertaine dangerous and supersluous Loues: because they Loue with ex­cesse, and Loue that which God ordaines they should Loue, with a Loue too nice and passionate. It stood with Gods pleasure that ADAM should loue EVE tenderly, yet not in that degree of ten­dernesse, that to content her, he should haue vio­lated the order giuen him by his Diuine Maiestie. He loued not then a superfluous thing, nor a thing in it selfe dangerous, but he loued it superfluously and dangerously. The loue of our Parents, friends and Benefactours, is in it selfe according to GOD, yet we may affect it with excesse; as we may also our vocations, be they neuer so spirituall; and our exercises of deuotion (which yet we ought so greately to affect) may beloued inordinatly, to wit, if we preferre them before obedience, or a more generall good; or in case we loue them in qualitie of LAST END, being the onely meanes and furtherances to our finall pretention, which is DI­VINE LOVE. And those soules which Loue nothing, but that which God would haue them to Loue, and yet doe exceede in the manner of lo­uing, doe truly Loue the Diuine Goodnesse aboue all things, yet not in all things: for the things, which not onely by permission but euen by command they are to Loue according to God, they doe not onely Loue according to God, but for other causes and motiues, which though [Page 591] indeede they be not contrarie to God, yet are they out of him; so that they resemble the Phenix, who hauning gotten her first feathers, and beginning to waxe strong, doth forthwith hoist her selfe vp into the open aire, yet is not long able to con­tinew flight, but is forced to light often vpon the ground, to take breath. Such was the poore young man, who hauing from his tender age obserued Gods Commandements, desired not his neighbours goods, yet affected his owne too tenderly. So that when our Sauiour gaue him Counsell to giue them to the poore, he be­came sad and melancholie. He loued nothing but that which he might lawfully loue, but he loued it with a superfluous and too obliging an af­fection. It is plaine therefore, THEO: that these soules loue too ardently and with superfluitie, yet loue they not the superfluities, but onely the thing which is to be loued. And herevpō they doe enioye the marriage bed of the heauenly Salomō, that is vnions, recollections, and the reposes of loue, whereof we spoke in the 5. and 6. booke: Marry they doe not enioye them in qualitie of Spouses, because the superfluitie with which they affect good things, hinders them from a frequent entrie into these Diuine Vnions with the Spouse, being busied and distracted in louing that out of him and without him, which they ought not to Loue but in him and for him.

Of two other degrees of greater perfection, by which we may Loue God aboue all things. CHAPTER. V.

1. NOw there are other soules that neither Loue superfluities, nor yet with super­fluitie, but loue onely that which God will, and as he will; Blessed soules, who loue God, their friends in God, and their enemyes for God, they Loue many things together with God, but none at all, saue in God and for God: It is God that they Loue, not onely aboue all things, but euen in all things and all things in God, resembling the Phenix growne young againe, and come to her perfect strength, which is neuer seene but in the aire, or vpon the tops of mountaines that touch vpon the aire; for so these soules Loue nothing but in God; though indeede they Loue many things with God, and God with many things. S. LVKE recounts that our Sauiour inuited a young man to follow him, who indeede loued him deare­ly but he had also a great affection to his Father, and therevpō had a mind to returne home to him. But our Sauiour out of this superfluitie of Loue, and excited him to a Loue more pure, that he might not onely Loue our Sauiour more then his Father, but that he should not euen Loue him at all, but in our Sauiour. Leaue the care of burying [Page 593] the dead to the dead, as for thee, (who hast met with life) goe and preach the Kingdome of Heauen. And these soules, as you see THEOT: ha­uing so great a connection with the Spouse, they merite to participate of his ranke, and to be Queenes, as he is King; being they are entirely dedicated to him without diuision or seperation at all, hauing no affections out of him, or without him, but onely in him, and for him.

2. But aboue all these soules, there is yet one Onely-one, who is the Queene of Queenes, the most louing, the most Louelie, and the most be­loued of all the Friends of the Diuine Spouse, who doth not onely Loue God aboue all things, and in all things, but euen Loues nothing but God in all things; so that she Loues not many things, but one onely thing, which is God himselfe: And whereas it is God alone that she loueth in all that she loueth, she Loues him indifferently in all things, according as his good pleasure may re­quire, out of all, and without all. If it be onely HESTER that Assuerus loueth, why should he more Loue her being perfumed and deckt, then in her ordinarie attire? If it be my Sauiour onely that I Loue, why should I not as much affect the Mount Caluarie, as the Mount Thabor, since he is as well in the one as in the other? and why should I not as cordially pronounce in the one as in the other, IT IS GOOD FOR VS TO BE HERE. If I Loue my Sa­uiour in Egipt, without louing Egipt: why shall I not Loue him in Simon the Leporous his banket without louing the Banket, and if I Loue him a­midst the blasphemies which are poured vpon him [Page 594] not louing the blasphemies, why shall I not Loue him perfumed with Magdalens pretious oynt­ment without either affecting the oyntment or the sent thereof? It is a true signe that we Loue onely God in all things, when we Loue him equally in all things, since that he being in himselfe immu­table, the mutabilitie of our Loue towards him, must needes proceede frō some thing that is not himselfe. Now, the sacred Louer, Loues her God no more with the whole world to boote, then though he were all alone without the world: be­cause all that is out of God, and is not God, is as nothing to her. An entirely pure soule Loues not euen Heauē, but by reason that her Spouse is loued therein: but a Spouse so soueraignly beloued in his Heauen, that if yet he had no Heauē to bestow, he would neither appeare lesse amiable, nor be lesse beloued of this generous louing heart, who cannot Loue the Heauen of her Spouse, but onely her Spouse of Heauen, and who puts no lesse price vpon Caluarie while her Spouse is there crucified, then vpon Heauen where he is glorified. He that waighes one of the little bullets of S. Clare of Monte-falco, finds it as heauie, as all the three to­gether. So doth perfect Loue find God as amiable all alone, as together with all the creaturs for as much as the creaturs are onely loued in God, and for God.

3. Soules in this degree of perfection are so thinne sowen, that each of them are called their Mothers onely one, which is the Diuine Proui­dence, and each of them is called the onely doue, because she onely loues her mate; she is termed [Page 595] perfect, for that by loue she is made the same thing with the Soueraigne Perfection whence she may saie in a most humble truth; I am not, but for my beloued, ād he is wholy turned towards me. Now there is none saue the most Blessed Virgin our Ladie, that is perfectly arriued at this hight of ex­cellencie, in the loue of her dearely beloued: For she is a DOVE so singularly singular in Loue, that all the rest being compared to her, are rather to be termed Dawes then Doues. But let vs leaue this Peerelesse Queene in her matchlesse eminen­cie. There haue yet bene other soules, that haue found themselues so happie in the state of this pure loue, that in comparison of their companiōs, they might take the ranke of QVEENES of onely DOVES, of perfect FRIENDS of the SPOVSE. For I praie you THEO: in what degree must he needes haue bene, who from his very heart sung to God,

And he that cried out. I doe esteeme all things as dung that I may gaine IESVS CHRIST: did he not testifie that he loued nothing out of his Maister, and that out of all things he drew arguments of his Maisters Loue? And what could be the feeling of that great Louer, who sighed all the night, my God is my all. Such was S. AVGVSTINE, S. BERNARD, the two S. Catharins of Sienna and Genua, and diuers others, by whose imitation euery one may aspire to this diuine degree of Loue. O rare and singular soules, which resemble not at all the birds of this world, no, not the Phenix her selfe, though so sin­gularly [Page 596] rare; but are onely represented by the bird, who for her excellent beautie, and noble­nesse, is saied not to be of this world, but of Para­dice, whereof she beares the name: for this daintie bird disdaining the earth, doth neuer touch it, but liues aboue in the aire; yea euen when she is forced to vnwearie her selfe, she will onely cleeue by the smale twigs of trees vpon which she hangs in the aire, out of which, or without which, she can neither flie nor repose. And euen so these great soules, doe not in very deede Loue the Creaturs in themselues, but in their Creatour, and their Creatour in them. But if they cleeue to any crea­ture by the law of Charitie, it is onely to repose in God, the onely and finall aime of their Loue. So that finding God in the Creaturs, and the Creaturs in God, they Loue God indeede not the Creaturs; as they that fishing for Pearles find them in their shelles, doe esteeme their fish­ing made for pearles onely.

4. For the rest, I doe not thinke, that there was euer any mortall Creature, that loued the heauenly Spouse with this matchlesse Loue so per­fectly pure, except the Virgin who was his Spouse ād Mother both together; but cōtrariwise, as tou­ching the practise of these foure differences of Loue, on can hardly be any long time without passing from one of them to another. The Soules which as young wenches, are as yet intangled in diuers vaine and dangerous affections, are not sometimes without hauing the most pure and ex­cellent touches of Loue: but being but glimpse and passing lightnings, one cannot therevpon [Page 597] rightly saie, that such soules are got out of the state of young girles which are Nouices and Prin­tises. It happens also sometimes, that the soules that are in the degree of onely and perfect Louers, doe much relent and waxe cold, yea euen to the committing, and falling into troublesome veniall sinns: as may be gathered by many bitter conten­tions stirred vp amongst Gods great seruants; yea euen amongst some of the Diuine Apostles, who as we cannot denie fell into some imperfections, by which notwithstanding Charitie was not vio­lated, yet the feruour thereof was troubled. How­beit whereas ordinarily those great soules loued God with a Loue perfectly pure, we are not to denie that they were in the state of perfect Loue. For how oft doe we see, that good trees though they neuer bring forth any venemous fruit, yet doe they produce raw and vnripe ones, corrupted with misseltoe or mosse: So the great Saints neuer fell into mortall sinne, yet fell they easily into fruitlesse actions and such as are greene, bitter, harsh, and ill tasted. And as euen in these circum­stances we must confesse that those trees are fruit­full, otherwise they could not be called good, so are we in no sort to denie, that some of their fruit was fruitlesse. For who cā denie that the misseltoe and mosse of trees, is an vnprofitable fruit? and who can also denie that smale angers, and minute excesses of ioye, of laughter, of vanitie, and of other the like passions, are vnprofitable and vn­lawfull motions? and yet the Iust man brings them forth seauen times a day, that is, very often.

That the Loue of God aboue all things is common to all Louers. CHAPTER VI.

1. Though there be so sundrie degrees of Loue amongst true Louers, yet is there but one Commandement of Loue onely, which doth ge­nerally and equally oblige euery one with a who­ly like and entirely equall obligation, though it be differētly obserued, and with an infinite varie­tie of perfections, there being peraduenture, was few soules found in earth as Angels in Heauen, perfectly equall in Loue: seeing that as one starre differs from another in brightnesse, so shall the Blessed in their Resurrection, where euery one sings a Canticle of Glorie, and receiues a name, knowen to none but to him that receiues it. But what degree of Loue is it, to which the Diuine Commandement doth equally, vniuersally and continually oblige all?

2. It was a peece of the holy Ghosts proui­dence, that in our ordinarie version which his Di­uine Maiestie hath canonized and sanctified by the Councell of Trent, the heauenly Commande­ment of Loue, is expressed in the word DILECTION rather then by the word LOVE; for albeit that DI­LECTION be a kind of Loue, yet is it not a simple Loue, but a Loue of choice and election, which sense the word it selfe carries, as the glorious S. THOMAS doth note: for this cōmandemēt doth in­ioyne [Page 599] vs a Loue chosen out of thousands, like to him to whom it is due, who as the beloued Suna­mite markes him out in the Canticles, is one ele­cted out of thousands. It is Loue that is to haue power ouer all our affections, and is to raigne ouer all our passions: and that which God exacteth of vs is, that of all our Loues, his may be the most cordiall, bearing rule ouer our heart; the most af­fectionate, possessing our whole soule; the most generall, applying all our powers; the highest, re­plenishing our whole heart; and the most solide, exercising all our strength and prowise. And whereas by this we doe choose and elect God, for the Soueraigne obiect of our soule, it is a Loue of Soueraigne Election, or an election of Soue­raigne Loue.

3. You are not ignorant, THEO: that there are diuers species of Loue: as for example, there is a fatherly Loue, a brotherly Loue, a filiall Loue and a nuptiall Loue; a Loue of societie, of obligation, of dependance, and an hundred more, which are all different in excellencie, and so proportioned to their obiects, that scarcely can they be applied, or appropriated to any other. He that should af­fect his Father, with the Loue of a brother onely, should come short of his dutie. He that should Loue his wife in qualitie of a Father onely, he should not loue her sufficiently. He that should loue his Lackey as his owne child, would be estee­med impertinent. Loue is as honour: for as ho­nour is diuersified according to the diuersitie of excellencies to which it is attributed; so Loues are diuers, according to the diuersitie of the GOOD [Page 600] which is loued. Soueraigne honour is due to So­ueraigne Excellencie; and Soueraigne loue to the Soueraigne Good. The loue of God is a loue without comparison, because the goodnesse of God is incomparable. Harke Israel, Thy God is the sole Lord, and therefore thou shalt loue him with thy whole soule, thy whole vnderstanding, thy whole strength: For God is the onely Lord, and his goodnesse is infinitly aboue all goodnesse: and he is to be loued with a loue which is emi­nent, excellent and puissant beyond all compari­son. It is this supreame loue, that placeth God in such esteeme amidst our soules, and makes vs repute it so great a happinesse to be gracious in his sight; that we preferre him before, and loue him aboue all things. Now THEOT: doe you not plainly see, that he that loues God in this sort, hath dedicated his whole soule and strength to God, sith for euer and in all occurrences, he will preferre Gods honour before all things; keeping himselfe in a readinesse to forsake the whole world, to preserue the loue which is due to the Diuine Goodnesse. And in somme, it is the loue of Excellencie, or the Excellencie of loue, which is cōmanded to all mortalls in generall, and each one of them in particular from their first vse of reason. A loue sufficient for euery one, and necessarie for all that will be saued.

An illustration of the former chapter. CHAPTER. VII.

1. VVE doe not alwayes clearely know, nay not at all certainely, at least by a certaintie of Faith, whether we haue the true loue of God, requisite to our saluation, yet haue we diuers markes thereof, amōgst which the most assured, and in a manner infallible is seene in the opposition, which the loue of creaturs makes a­gainst our designes of God's loue: For in that oc­currence, if Diuine Loue raigne in the soule it makes appeare the force of the credit and authori­tie which it hath ouer the will, shewing by effects not onely that he hath no Maister, but that he hath euen no equall, repressing and prostrating all opposition, and making his intentions be obeyed. When the accursed companie of hellish spirits, re­uolting from their Creatour, essayed to draw to their faction the troupes of the Blessed Spirits; the glorious S. MICHAEL encouraging his fellow-soldiers to the loyaltie which they ought to their God, cried (Marry after an Angelicall manner) with a loude voice through out the streets of the Heauenly Hierusalem. WHO IS LIKE TO GOD? And in this word he ouerthrew that Traitor Lucifer with his route, who equalized themselues to the Diuine maiestie, and thence, as [Page 602] it is saied, S. MICHAELS name was imposed, since that MICHAEL imports no other thing then WHO IS LIKE TO GOD? And when the loue of created things, would draw our hearts to their PARTIE, to make vs disobedient to the Diuine Maiestie, if the great diuine loue be found in the soule, it makes head against it, as an other MI­CHAEL, and makes good the powers and forces of the soule to Gods seruice; by this word of assu­rance, WHO IS LIKE TO GOD? What beautie doth there appeare in creaturs, which ought to draw man's heart to a rebellion against the soueraigne bountie of God?

2. As soone as that holy and braue gentleman Ioseph, perceiued that the loue of his Mistresse tended to the ruine of that which was due to his Maister: ah quoth he, be it farre from me, that I should violate the respect which I owe to my Mai­ster, who reposeth so much trust in me? how can I then admit this crime, and sinne against my God? marke THEO: marke how there are three loues in the louelie Iosephs heart: for he loues his Mi­stresse, his Maister, ād God; but as soone as his Mi­stresses loue riseth vp agaīst his Maisters, he sodain­ly forsakes it, and away he runnes; as he would also haue forsaken his Maisters, if he had found it con­trarie to God's. Amongst all the loues God's is so to be preferred that is, one must alwayes stand prepared in mind to forsake them all for that alone.

3. SARA gaue her maide AGAR to her husband ABRAHAM, to th'end that he might haue children by her, following the lawfull custome of those [Page 603] times: But Agar hauing conceiued, did greatly contemne her Mistresse SARA: till then, scarcely could one discerne whether ABRAHAM bore more affection to SARA or AGAR; for AGAR was as well his bedfellowe as SARA, yea with fertilitie to boote; but when the God Abraham came to make comparison betweene his loues, he made manifest which was the stronger: for no sooner had Sara made her complaint that she was contemned by Agar, but he told her, thy chamber maide Agar is in thy power, doe vpon her what thou think'st good. So that from thence forth Sara did so afflict the poore Agar that she was constrained to retire her selfe. Diuine Loue doth willingly permit that we should haue other loues; nor can we sometimes easily discouer which loue is the cheife in our heart: for this man's heart of ours, doth often­times most eagerly draw the loue of creaturs into the bed of his Complacene, yea it happens with­all, that he makes more frequent acts of his loue towards creaturs, then towards his Creatour: while yet Diuine loue in him leaues not to excell all the other loues, as the euents make cleare, vpon the Creaturs oppositions to their Creatour; for then he takes sacred loues part, submitting vnto it all his affections.

4. There is great difference betwixt the bulke and value of things created. One of Cleopatras pearles was more worth then one of our highest rockes, marry this is greater, the one hath bulke, the other worth. It is made a questiō, whether the honour which a Prince atchiues in warrs by feats of armes, or that which he merits by iustice in [Page 604] time of peace be greater; and me thinks, that mi­litarie glorie is bigger, the other better: euen as of instruments, drumes and Trumpets make more noise; Luts and virginalls more melodie: the soūd of the one is stronger, the other sweeter, and more spirituall. An ounce of Baulme giues not so strong an odour, as a pound of Spickenard oyle, howbeit the smell of baulme, is alwayes better and more pleasing.

4. True it is, THEO: you shall see a mother so busie about her child, that it might seeme, she had no other loue but that, hauing eyes onely to see it, mouth to kisse it, breast to giue it sucke, care to bring it vp and one would thinke that her husband were nothing to her, in respect of her child: but if she were to make choice, whether she would loose; one would then plainely see, that she more esteemes her husband, yea and that though the Loue of her child was more tender, more pressing and passionate, yet that the other was more excellent, forceable and better. So when a heart Loues God in respect of his infinite Good­nesse, though with neuer so little a portion of this excellent loue, it will preferre Gods will before all things, and in all the occasions that shall be of­fered, it will forsake all, to conserue himselfe in grace with the Soueraigne Goodnesse, without being hindred by any thing at all. So that, though this diuine Loue, doth not alwayes so sensibly vrge and soften the heart, as doe the other Loues: yet in the occurrences, it performes so high and excellent actions, that one of them onely, is better than tenne millions of the others. Conies are in­comparably [Page 605] sertile, Elephants neuer haue more then one calfe: yet this one onely young Elephant is of greater price the all the Rabbets in the earth. Our Loue towards creaturs, doth often abound in the multitude of productions: but when sacred Loue doth its worke, it is so eminently purfect, that it surpasseth all: for it causeth God to be pre­ferred before all things without reserue.

A memorable historie wherin is more clea­rely seene in what the force and Excel­lencie of holy loue consisteth. CHAPTER. VIII.

1. HOw great an extent then, ô my deare THEO: ought the force of this sacred loue of God aboue all things to haue? It is to surpasse all affections, to vanquish all difficulties, and to preferre the honour of God's Beneuolēce before all things, yea I saie before all things absolutely, without exception or reseruation at all; and, I saie, with a greatest care, because there are men, who would couragiously forsake their goods, ho­nours, yea life it selfe for our Sauiour, who yet will not leaue for his sake things of farre lesse conse­quence.

2. In the raigne of the Emperours VALERIA­NVS and GALLVS there liued in Antioche a Priest called SAPHRICIVS, and a secular man named NI­CEPHORVS, who by reason of their long and ex­ceeding [Page 606] great familiaritie were esteemed brothers: and yet it fell out in the end, I know not vpon what occasion, that this friendshipe failed, and ac­cording to custome, was followed with a deeper hatred, which raigned for a time betwixt them, till at length NICEPHORVS acknowledging his fault, made three diuers essayes to be reconciled vnto SAPHRICIVS, to whom, now by one of their com­mon friends, now by another, he signified in words all the satisfaction and submission, that heart could haue wished. But Saphricius in no wise answering to his inuitations, did still repulse the reconcilement, with as great inhumanitie, as Ni­cephorus besought it with humilitie; In so much that the poore Nicephorus, apprehending that in case Saphricius should see hī prostrate at his feete begging pardō, he would be more touched to the heart with it; he goes and finds him out, and cou­ragiously casting himselfe groueling at his feete: Reuerend Father, quoth he, ah pardon me I be­seech thee for the bowels of our Sauiour IESVS: but euen this humilitie was disdaigned and reie­cted together with his former endeuours.

3. Meane while, behold a hote persecution a­rose against the Christians, in which, Saphricius with others being apprehended, did wounders in suffering a thousand thousand tormēts for the Cō ­fessiō of his Faith, but especially whē he was rude­ly turned and tossed in an instrument made of set purpose, after the manner of a Presse, without euer being quailed in his constancie; whereat the Gouernour of Antioche being extreamely irrita­tated, he adiudged him to death, wherevpon he [Page 607] was publikly led out of prison, towards the place where he was to receiue the glorious crowne of Martyrdome which Nicephorus had no sooner vn­derstoode, but sodainely he ranne and hauing met his Saphricius, throwing himselfe vpon the ground, Alas cried he with a lowde voice, ô Mar­tyr of IESVS-CHRIST pardon me; for I haue offen­ded thee: whereof Saphricius taking no notice, the poore Nicephorus getting againe before him by a shorter passage, set vpon him a new with the like humilitie, coniuring him to pardon him, in these termes, ô Martyr of IESVS CHRIST, pardon the offence which I haue committed against thee being a poore man subiect to offend: for loe a crowne is alreadie bestowed vpon thee by our Sa­uiour whom thou deneyedst not, yea thou hast confessed his holy name in the face of many wit­nesses. But Saphricius continuing in his insolencie, gaue hī not one word in answere; but onely the Executioner admiring the perseuerance of Nicepho­rus; neuer, quoth he to him, did we see so great an Asse; this fellow is going euen at this instant to die; what hast thou to doe with his pardon? To whom Nicephorus answering, thou knowest not quoth he, what it is I demand of this Confessour of IESVS CHRIST, but God kowes. Now in the in­terim Saphricius arriued at the place of execution, where yet againe Nicephorus hurling himselfe vpon the grownd before him; I beseech thee, quoth he, ô Martyr of IESVS CHRIST, that it would please thee to pardon me: for it is written aske and it shall be granted you. Words which could not at all bowe the flintie and rebellious heart of [Page 608] the accursed Saphricius, who obstinatly denying mercy to his neighbour, was himselfe depriued, by the iust iudgment of God, of the most glorious Palme of Martyrdome: for the Headsman com­manding him to put himselfe vpon his knees, that he might behead him, he begun to be daunted, and to condition with him, making, in the end, this deplorable and shamefull submission. Ah, for pitie doe not behead me, I will submite my selfe to the Emperours ordonance, and sacrifice to the Idols. Which the poore good man Nice­phorus hearing, with teares in his eyes he begun to crie: Ah my deare brother, doe not, doe not I beseech thee, transgresse the law, and denie IESVS CHRIST: Forsake him not, for loue, loose not the crowne of glorie which with so great paines and torments thou hast atchiued. But alas this miserable Priest, cōming to the Altar of Mar­tyrdome there to consacrate his life to the eter­nall God, had not called to mind what the Prince of martyres had saied: If thou carrie thy offering vnto the Altar, and remember that thy brother hath somewhat against thee, leaue thy offering there, goe and be reconciled vnto thy brother, and thē come, and present thyne offering. Where­fore God reiected his present, and withdrawing his mercy from him, permitted that he lost not onely the soueraigne felicitie of Martyrdome, but euen fell headlong into the miserie of Idolatrie; while the humble and meeke Nicephorus, percei­uing this crowne of Martyrdome vacant, by the Apostasie of the obdurate Saphricius, touched with an excellent and extraordinarie inspiratiō, put faire [Page 609] for, [...]ying to the officiers, and the headsman, I am a christian my friends, I am in truth a Chri­stiā, and doe beleeue in IESVS CHRIST, whō Saphri­cius hath denied; put me therefore I beseech you in his place, smite of this head of myne. At which the officers being wonderfully astonished, they carried the tidings to the Emperour; who gaue order for Saphricius his libertie, and that Nice­phorus should be put to death: which happened the 9. of Feb: about the yeare 260. of our Sauiour as Metaphrastes and Surivs recounteth. A dreadfull historie, and worthy diligently to be pondered in the behalfe we speake off: for did you not note, my deare THEO: the Couragious Saphricius, how bold and feruent he was in the defence of his faith, how he suffered a thousand torments, how constant and immoueable he was in the confession of our Sauiours name, while he was roled and crusht in that presse like machine; how readie he was to receiue death's blow, to fulfill the highest point of the Diuine lawe, preferring God's ho­nour before his owne life. And yet because on the other side he preferred the satisfaction which his cruell heart tooke in hating Nicephorus before the Diuine will, he came short of the goale, and while he was vpō the point of attaining and gaining the prise of glorie by Martyrdome, vnprofitably strumbling and falling into Idolatrie broke his necke.

4. It is therefore true, my THEO: that it is not enough for vs, to loue God more then our owne life, vnlesse we also loue him generally, ab­solutly, and without reserue, more then all we [Page 610] doe or can loue. But you will saie vnto me, did not our Sauiour designe the furthest point of our Loue towards him, in saying that a man could not haue a greater charitie, then to expose a mans life for his friends? It is true indeede, THEO: that a­mongst the particular acts, and testimonies of Di­uine Loue, there is none so great, as to vndergoe death for Gods glorie: yet it is also true, that it is but onely one act, one onely testimonie; which indeede is the Maister peece of Charitie; but besids it, Charitie exacts many things at our hands, and so much more ardently and instantly, as they are acts more easie, common and ordinarie amongst all the Louers, and more generally necessarie to the conseruation of Diuine Loue. O miserable Sa­phricius, durst thou be bould to affirme that thou loued'st God as thou ought'st, whil'st thou doest not preferre the will of God before the passion of hatred and ranckour entertained in thy heart a­gainst the poore Nicephorus? To be willing to die for God is one and the greatest, but not the onely act of Loue which we owe to God. To will this act onely, with excluding the others, is not charitie, but vanitie. Charitie is not fantasticall, which yet she would be in the highst degree, if being resolued to please the Beloued in things of greatest difficultie, she would permit one to dis­please hī in matters of of lesse momēt. How should he die for God, who will not liue accordīg to God?

5. A well ordered mind that is resolued to die for a friend, would also without doubt vndergoe all other things: for he that hath once despi­sed death, ought not to set by other things. [Page 611] But the mind of man is weake, inconstant and hu­morous: wherevpon he doth oft rather choose to die then to vndergoe farre slighter paines; wil­lingly changing life, for a friuelous, childish, and extreamely vaine contentment. Agripina hauing learn't that the child which she bore, should in­deede be Emperour, but yet that he would put her to death. Let him kill me, quoth she, prouided that he raigne: marke, I praie you the disorder of this foolishly louing mothers heart: she pre­ferr's her sonn's dignitie, before her owne life. Cato and Cleopatra choosed death rather, then to see their enemies exult and glorie in hauing them: And Lucrecia found it easier to precipitate herselfe impetuously vpon death, then vniustly to be branded with the shame of a fact, whereof she seemed not guiltie. How many are there that would willingly embrace death for their friend, who yet would not liue in their seruice, or yet ac­complish their other desires? Such there are as will lay open their life to danger, who yet will not open their purse. And though there be ma­ny found, who engage their life for their friends defence, yet scarcely is there one found in an age, that will engage his libertie, or loose an ounce of the most vaine and vnprofitable reputation, or renowne in the world, be it for neuer so deare a friend.

A Confirmation of that which hath bene saied by a notable comparison. CHAPTER. IX.

1. YOu know THEO: of what nature Iacobs loues towards Rachel were, and what did not he doe to testifie their greatenesse, force and fidelitie, euen from the houre he had saluted her at the head of the fountaine? For frō thenceforth neuer did he cease to die of loue for her; and to game her in Marriage he serued seuē whole yeares, with an incredible desire; conceiuing yet in him­selfe that all this was nothing, so did Loue sweetē the paines which he supported for his beloued Rachel, whereof being after frustrated, he serued yet other seuen yeares space to obtaine her, so constant, loyall and couragious was he in his af­fection! And hauing at length obtained her, he neglected all other affections, yea and had in a manner in no esteeme euen Lia her seruice, though his first Spouse, a woman of great merite, worthy to be cherished; and of the neglect whereof euen God himselfe tooke compassion, so remarkable it was.

2. But all this being done, which was euen suf­ficient, to haue brought downe the most dis­dainefull wench in the world, to the loue of so [Page 613] loyall a Louer, it is a shame verily to see the weak­nesse which Rachel made appeare in her affectiō to Iacob. The poore neglected Lia, had no tye of Loue with Iacob saue her onely fertilitie, whereby she had made him, a father to foure Sonn's; the eldest whereof named RVBEN, being gone forth into the fields, in the time of wheat-haruest, he found Mandragores, which he gathered, and after, his returne home presented to his mother. Which Rachel espying, saied, giue me part of thy Sonns Mandragores: she answered doest thou thinke it a small matter, that thou hast taken my husband from me, vnlesse thou take also my Sonn's Man­dragores? Goe too, saied Rachel for thy Sonn's Mandragores, let him sleepe with thee this night. She accepted the condition, and when Iacob re­turned at euen from the field, Lia went out to meete him ād saied, with ioyfull cheere, this night thou art myne my deare Lord and friend, because with wages I haue hired thee, for my Sonn's Mā ­dragores: and with this, vp and told him, the com­pact which had passed betwixt her and Rachel. But from Iacob, beleeue it, there was no words heard, being struck with a maisement, and hauing his heart seased with the weakenesse and incon­stancie of Rachel who for a thing of nothing had forsaken, for a whole night the honour and con­tent of his presence. For speake the truth, THEO: was it not a strange and vaine lightnesse in Ra­chel, to preferre a companie of little Aples be­fore the chast loues of so louing a husband. If it had yet bene done for Kingdomes, for Monar­kies: but to doe it for a poore handfull of Man­dragores! [Page 614] THEOTIME, what conceite frame you of it?

3. And yet returning home to our owne bo­somes, ah good God, how oft doe we make ele­ctions infinitly more shamefull and wretched? The great S. AVGVSTINE vpon a time tooke pleasure leasurely to view and contemplate Mandragores, the better to discerne the cause why Rachel had so passionatly coueted them. And he found that they were indeede pleasing to the view, and of a delightfull smell, yet altogether insipide and with­out gust. Now; Plinie recounts, that when the Surgeōs orders that such as they are to cut should drinke the iuyce of them, to th'end they might not feele the smart of the lance, it happens often that the very smell doth worke the operation, and doth sufficiently put the patient into a sleepe. wherevpon the Mandragora is held a bewitching Plant, which doth inchant the eyes, sorrowes, and all kind of passions by sleepe. For the rest he that smels the sent of them too long turnes deafe; and he that drinks too much of them, dies without redemption.

4. THEOT: could pompes, riches and terreane delights, be better represented? they haue a gai­ning out-side; but ah he that bites this aple, that is, he that sounds their natures, finds neither taste nor contentment in them. Neuerthelesse they doe so inchant and bewitch vs with the vanities of their smell; and the renowne which the Sonn's of the world giue them, doth benumme and put those into a deepe sleepe which doe attentiuely linger in them; or such as receiue them in too great aboun­dance. [Page 615] And alas these are the Mandragores, the Chimera's and fantomes of pleasurs for which we cast off the loue of the heauenly Spouse. And how can we then truely saie that we loue him since we preferre so friuolous vanities, before his grace?

5. Is it not a deplorable wonder to see a DA­VID, so noble in surmounting hatred, so generous in pardoning iniuries, and yet so impotently in­iurious in mater of Loue, that not being satiated with the vniust detaining of a number of wiues, he must needes yet wrongfully vsurpe and take away by rape, the poore Vrias his wife. Yea and by an insupportable treacherie, put to slaughter her poore husband, that he might the better enioye the Loue of his wife? Who would not admire the heart of a SAINT PETER, which was so brauely bold amidst the armed soldiers, that he of all his Maisters troupe was the first and onely man that drew and layed about him; and yet a little after so cowardly amongst vn­armed women, that at the worde of a wench, he denied and detested his Maister; And how can it seeme so strange to vs that Rachel could sell the chast embracements of her Iacob for Aples of the Mandragore, since that Adame and Eue forsooke euen grace for an Aple, and that too, presented by a Serpent.

6. In fine, I will tell you a word worthy of note. Heretikes are Heretikes ād beare the name of such, because of the Articles of Faith they choose at their gust and pleasure what likes them best, and those they beleeue, reiecting and disauowing the others. And Catholiks are Catholiks, be­cause [Page 616] without choice or election at all, they em­brace with an equall assurance, and without re­serue, all the faith of the Church. Now it happens after the same manner in the Articles of Charitie; It is an herasie in sacred loue, to make choice of Gods Commandements, which to obserue, and which to violate. He that saied thou shalt not kill, saied also; thou shalt not commite adulterie. It is not then for the loue of God, that thou killest not, but it is some other motiue, that makes thee rather choose this commandement then the other. A choice that hatcheth heresie in matter of Cha­ritie. If one should tell me, that he would not cut my arme, out of a loue to me, and yet would pull out myne eyes, breake my head, or rūne me quite through; ah, should I saie, with what face can you tell me that it is in respect of my Loue, that you wound not myne arme, since you make no difficul­tie to pull out myne eyes; which are no lesse deare vnto me? yet since you rūne me quite through the bodie with your sword, which is more perilous for me? It is an Axiome that good comes from an entire cause, but euill from each defect; That the act of Charitie be perfect, it must proceede from an entire, generall and vniuersall Loue, which is extended to all the Diuine Commande­ments. And if we faile in any one Commandemēt, loue ceaseth to be entire and vniuersall; and the heart wherein it harbers, cannot be truely called a louing heart, nor consequently a truly good one.

That we are to Loue the Diuine Good­nesse, soueraignely more then our selues. CHAPTER. X.

1. Aristotle had reason to saie that GOOD is indeede amiable, but principaly eue­ry ones proper good to himselfe; so that the Loue which we haue to others, proceedes from the loue of our selues: for how could a Philosopher saie otherwise, who did not onely not Loue God, but hardly euen euer spoke of the Loue of God? howbeit the Loue of God, doth preceede all the Loue of our selues, yea euen according to the na­turall inclination of the will, as I declared in the first booke.

2. Certes the will is so dedicated, and if we may so saie, consecrated to goodnesse that if an infinite goodnesse were clearely proposed vnto it, vnlesse by miracle, it is impossible that it should not so­ueraignely loue it; yea the Blessed are rauished and necessitated, though yet not forced to loue God, whose soueraigne beautie they clearely see, which the Scripture doth sufficiently shew, in cō ­paring the contentment which doth fill the hearts of the happie inhabitants of the heauenly Hieru­salem, to a torrent or impetuous floode, whose waters cannot be kept from spreeding ouer the neighbour plaines.

[Page 618]3. But in this mortall life, THEO: we are not necessitated to loue soueraignly, because we see him not so clearely: In Heauen where we shall see him face to face, we shall loue him heart to heart that is, whē we shall all see the infinitie of his beautie, euery one in his measure, with a soueraignely cleare sight: so shall we be rauished with the loue of his infir it goodnesse, in a soueraignely strong rauishment, to which we neither would if we could, nor can if we would make any resistance: But here belowe, when we behold not this Soue­raigne Bountie ād Beautie, but onely enter view it in our obscurities; we are indeede inclined, and al­lured, yet not necessitated to Loue more then our selues, but rather the contrarie, and albeit we haue a holy naturall inclination to loue the Diuinitie aboue all things, yet haue we not the strength to put it in execution, vnlesse the same Diuini­tie infuse holy charitie supernaturally into our heart's.

4. Yet true it is, that as the cleare view of the Diuinitie, doth infallibly beget in vs a necessitie of louing it more then our selues; so the enter­view, that is, the naturall knowledge of the Di­uinitie, doth produce infallibly, an inclination and pronenesse to loue it more thē our selues: for I praie you THEOT: since the will is wholy addicted to the loue of GOOD, how can it in any degree know a soueraigne GOOD, without being more or lesse inclined to loue it soueraignely? Now of all the Good's which are not infinite, our WILL wil­leth alwayes in her affection, that which is nighest to her, but aboue all, her owne: But there is so [Page 619] little proportion betwixt an infinite, and finite GOOD, that our will hauing knowledge o [...] an in­finite GOOD is without doubt put in motion, in­clined and incited to prefere the friendshipe of the Abisse of this infinite goodnesse, before all other loue, yea euen the loue of our selues.

5. But principally this inclination is strong, because we are more in God, then in our selues; we liue more in him then in our selues, and are in such sort, from him, by him, for him, and to him, that we cannot in very deede hit of what we are to him, and he is to vs, but we are forced to crie out. I am thyne Lord, and am to belong to none but to thee; my soule is thyne, and ought not to liue but by thee; my will is thyne, and ought not to loue but for thee; my Loue is thyne, and is one­ly to tend to thee. I am to loue thee as my first PRINCIPLE, sith I haue my beeing from thee; I am to loue thee as myne end and Center, since I am for thee; I am to loue thee more then myne owne being, seeing euē my B [...]EING, doth sublist by thee; I am to loue thee more then my selfe, since I am wholy thyne, and in thee.

6. And in case there were, or could be some Soueraigne GOOD whereof we were independent, yet so as that we could vnite our selues vnto it by loue, we should euen be incited to loue it more then our selues, seeing that the infinitie of it's sweetenesse, would be still Soueraignely more powerfull to allure our will to it's loue, then all the other, yea euen our owne proper GOODS▪

7. But if by imagination of a thing impossible, there were an infinite goodnesse, whereof we had [Page 620] no dependance at all, and wherewith we could haue no kind of vnion, or communication: we should yet verily esteeme it more then our selues: For we should plainely know, that being infi­nite, it were more estimable and amiable then we: and consequently that we should make simple wishes to be able to loue it. Yet properly speaking we should not loue it, sith that loue aimes at vniō; and much lesse can we haue Charitie towards it, since that Charitie is a Friendshipe, and Friends­hipe cannot be vnlesse it be reciprocall, hauing for it's grownd-worke COMMVNICATION, and VNION for it's end. This I saie, for certaine chime­ricall and vaine wits, who vpon impertinent ima­ginations, doe role melancolie discourses vp and downe their mind, to their owne maine vexation. But as for vs THEOT: my deare friend, we see plainly that we cannot be true men, without ha­uing an inclination to loue God more then our selues: nor true Christians, without practising this inclination. Let vs loue him more then our selues which is to vs more then all, and more then our selues, Amen, for true it is▪

How holy Charitie brings forth the loue of our neighbour. CHAPTER. XI.

1. AS God created man to his owne Image and likenesse, so did he ordaine a loue for [Page 621] man, to the image and resemblance of the loue which is due to his owne Diuinitie. Thou shalt loue, saieth he, thy Lord, thy God with all thy heart, it is the first and greatest commandement: And the second is like vnto this, Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe. Why doe we loue God, THEO: The cause why we loue God, saieth S. BERNARD, is God himselfe: as though he had saied, we loue God because he is the most soue­raigne and infinite Goodnesse. And why doe we loue our selues in Charitie? surely because we are the Image and liknesse of God. And whereas all men are indewed with the same dignitie, we loue him also as our selues, that is, in qualitie of the most holy and liuely Image of the Diuinitie: for it is in that qualitie, THEO: that we belong to God in so strict an aliance, and so amiable a dependance, that he makes no difficultie to be called Father, and to call vs children. It is in this qualitie that we are ca­pable to be vnited to his Diuine essence, by the fruition of his soueraigne bountie and felicitie. It is in this qualitie that we receiue his grace, that our spirits are associated to his most holy spirit, ād made in a māner participāt of his Diuine nature as S. LEO sayeth. And therefore the same Chari­tie which produceth the acts of the loue of God, produceth withall the acts of the loue of our neighbour. And euen as Iacob saw but one ladder which reached from Heauen to earth, by which the Angels did as well descend as ascend, so we see that one same charitie extends it selfe both to the loue of God and our neighbour, raising vs to the vnion of our spirit with God, and yet brin­ing [Page 622] vs back againe to a peaceable and quiet [...]ocietie with our neighbours. Yet with this diffe­rence, that we loue our neighbour, in that he is created to the Image and likenesse of God, to haue communication with the Diuine bountie, parti­cipation of grace, and fruition of glorie.

2. THEO: to loue our Neighbour in Charitie is to loue God in man, or man in God; It is to loue God for his owne sake, and the creature for the loue of him. The young Tobie accompained with the Angell Raphael, hauing met with Raguel his Father to whom yet he was vnknowen. Raguel had no sooner set his eyes vpon him, saieth the Scripture, but turning himselfe towards his wife Anne; looke looke quoth he how much this yoūg man doth resemble my cosen: and hauing saied thus, he saied vnto thē, whence come you youthes, my deare bretheren? at which they replied: We are of the Tribe of Nephtali, of the Captiuitie of Niniuie, and he saied vnto them; doe you know my brother Tobie? yes Sir, we know him, replied they: and Raguel beginning highly to commend him, the Angell saied vnto him; Tobie of whom you speake, is this youths owne Father; with that Raguel stept towards him and kissing him with many teares, and hāging vpon his necke, blessing haue thou my sonne, quoth he, because thou art the sonne of a good and most vertuous man: and the good woman Anne his wife and Sara his daughter, began to weepe through tendernesse of affectiō. Doe not you note, how Raguel, embraced the little Tobie, cherished, kissed and wept with ioye vpon him, whom he knew not. Whence pro­ceeded [Page 623] this Loue but from old Tobie his Father, whom this child did so much resemble? Blessing hasie thou, quoth he, but why? not truly because thou art a good youth, for that as yet I know not, but because thou art sonne and like to thy Father, who is a very good man.

3. Ah good God THEOT: when we see our neighbour created to the Image and likenesse of God, ought we not to saie one to another. Ob­serue and see this creature, how it resembles the Creatour, ought we not to cast our selues vpon it, cherishe it, and weepe ouer it with loue? ought we not to blesse it a thousand and a thousand times? And why this? For the loue of it? no verily: for we know not whether it be worthy of loue, or hatred in it selfe; but wherefore thē? O THEO: for the loue of God, who hath framed it to his owne similitude and likenesse and consequently hath endowed it with a capacitie to be partaker of his goodnesse, in GRACE, and GLORIE. For the loue of God, I saie, from whom it is, whose it is, by whom it is, in whom it is, for whom it is, and whom it re­sembles in a most particular manner. Wherevpon the diuine loue doth not onely often times com­mand the loue of our neighbours, but it selfe pro­duceth it, and poures it into man's heart, as his resemblance and Image: for euen as man is the Image of God, so the sacred loue of man towards man, is the true picture of the heauenly loue of man towards God. But this discourse of the loue of our neighbour requires a whole Treatise a part, which I beseech the Soueraigne Louer of men, to inspire into some of his most excellent ser­uants, [Page 624] since the top of the loue of the Diuine Goodnesse of the heauenly Father, consisteth in the perfection of the loue of our brothers and companions in earth.

How loue produceth Zeale. CHAPTER. XII.

1. AS Loue rends towards the Good of the thing beloued, either by taking delight in it being obtained, or in desiring and pursuing it not being obtained. So it brings forth hatred by which it flies the euill which is contrarie to the thing beloued, either in desiring and striuing to be quit of it, being alreadie present, or in absence, by essaying to diuert and hinder its approch. But if euill can neither be hindred to approch, nor be remoued, loue at least leaues not to make it be hated and detested. When loue therefore is seruent, and is come to that hight, that it would take away, remoue, and diuert that which is oppo­site to the thing beloued, it is termed Zeale. So that in proper speach, Zeale is no other thing then loue in its ardour, or rather the ardour that is in loue. And therefore, such as the loue is, such is the Zeale which is in ardour. If the loue be good the Zeale is Good, if bad, the Zeale is also bad. Now when I speake of Zeale, I meane to speake of iealousie too: for iealousie is a SPECIES of Zeale, and vnlesse I be deceiued, there is but this onely [Page 625] difference betweene them; That Zeale hath a respect to all the Good of the thing beloued, with intention to remoue the contrarie euill from it: but iealousie eyes the particular good of friends­hipe, to th'end it might repulse all that doth op­pose it.

2. When therefore we ardently set our affe­ctions vpon earthly and temporall things, beautie, honours, riches, Place: That Zeale, that is, the ardour of that Loue, ends ordinarily with enuie: because these base and vile things, are so little, li­mited, particular, finite, and imperfect, that being possessed by one, another cannot entirely possesse them. So that being communicated to diuers, each one in particular hath a lesse perfect communica­tion of them. But when we loue in particular to be ardently beloued, the Zeale, or ardour of this Loue turnes into Iealousie; because humane friēd­shipe, though otherwise a vertue, hath this imper­fection, by reason of our weaknesse, that being diuided amongst many, euery ones part it lesse. Wherevpon the ardour or Zeale we haue to be beloued, will not permit corriualls and compa­nions: which if we apprehend we haue, we pre­sently fall into the passion of Iealousie, which in­deede doth in some sort resemble enuie, yet is farre an other thing. 1. Enuie is alwayes vniust, but iealousie is sometimes iust, so that it be mo­derate: for haue not such as are married good rea­son to looke that an others shareing with them doe not cause their friendship's decrease? Enuie makes vs sorrowfull that our neighbour enioys a like, or a greater good then we, though he di­minish [Page 626] not that which we haue one iot. But iea­lousie is in no wise troubled at our neighbours good so it touch not vpon our coppie-hold: for the Iealous man would not be sorrie that his com­panion should be beloued of others, so it were not of his owne Mistresse. Yea properly speaking, a man is not iealous of Competitours, till he ap­prehend that he himselfe hath alreadie atchiued the friendshipe of the partie beloued. And if there be any passiō that preceedes this, it is not iealousie but enuie. 3. We doe not presuppose any imper­fection in the partie we enuie, but quite contra­rie we apprehend that he hath the good which we doe enuie in him. Marry we presuppose that the partie whereof we are iealous, is imperfect, fickle subiect to corruption and change. 4. Iealousie pro­ceedes from loue, enuie comes from the defect of Loue. 5. Iealousie neuer happens but in matter of Loue, but enuie is extended to all the subiects of good; to honours, to fauours to beautie. And if at any time one be enuious of the affection which is borne to another, it is not for loue, but for the profit that is in it. The Enuious man is not a whit troubled to see his fellow in grace with his Prince, so that he be not in occurrences gratified and preferred by him.

That God is Iealous of vs. CHAPTER. XIII.

1. GOd saieth thus: I am thy Lord thy God, a iealous God. Our Lord is called Iealous. [Page 607] God is iealous then, THEO: but what is his iea­lousie; verily vpon the first sight, it seemes to be a iealousie of Concupiscence such as is a husbands ouer his wife: for he will haue vs so to be his, that he will in no sort haue vs to be any others but his. No man saieth he can serue two Maisters. He de­mands all our heart, all our soule, all our spirit, all our strength; for this very reason he is called our spouse, our soules his Spouses; And all sorts of separations from him, are called fornication, Adulterie. And indeede it is high reason that this great God, singularly good, should most entirely exact our whole heart: for our heart is but little, and cannot store vs with loue enough, worthily to loue the Diuine Goodnesse; is it not therefore conuenient, that since we cannot afford him such a measure of Loue as were requisite, that at least we should afford him all we are able? The GOOD that is soueraignely louely, ought it not to be soueraignely loued? and to loue soue­raignely is to loue totally.

2. Howbeit Gods iealousie of vs, is not truely a iealousie of concupiscence but of SOVERAIGNE FRIENDSHIPE: for it is not his profit, that we should loue him, but ours. Our loue is vnprofitable to him, but to vs gainefull; and if it be agreeable to him, it is because it is profitable to vs: For being the Soueraigne GOOD, he takes pleasure to com­municate himselfe by loue, without any kind of profit that can returne to him thereby, whence he cries out, making his complaint of sinners by way of iealousie. They haue forsaken me, me that am the fountaine of liuing water; and haue digged [Page 628] vnto themselues Cisterns, broken Cisterns that are not able to hold water: marke a little THEO: I praie you, how this Diuine Louer doth delicatly well expresse the nobilitie and generositie of his Iealousie: they haue left me, saieth he, me that am the Source of liuing water: I complaine not that they haue forsaken me, in respect of any damage that their reuoult can draw vpon me: for what worse is a liuing spring, that men will not draw water at it? will it therefore leaue to glide and slide ouer the earth? but I am sorrie for their mis­fortune, that hauing left me, they haue busied themselues about wells without water. And if by supposition of an impossible thing, they could haue light vpon some other fountaine of liuing water, I should easily endure their departure from me, since I pretend nothing in their loue, but their owne good: but to forsake me to perish; to flie from me to fall headlong, is that which doth asto­nish and offend me in their follie: It is then for the loue of vs, that he desires that we should loue him, because we cannot cease to loue him, but we begin to be lost, nor withdraw any part of our af­fection from him, but we loose it.

3. Put me, saied the Diuine shepheard to the Sunamite, put me as a seale vpon thy heart, as a seale vpon thy arme; The Sunamits heart was full of the heauenly Loue of her deare Spouse, who though he possesse all, yet is he not content in that, but by a holy distrust of iealousie he will be set vp­on the heart which he possesseth, and will haue her sealed vp with himselfe, least any of the loue due to him might escape out, or any thing get en­trie, [Page 629] which might cause a mixture: for he is not satisfied with the loue, in which the Sunamite is compleat vnlesse she be also vnchangeable, purely and onely his. And that he may not onely enioye the affections of our heart, but also the effects and operations of our hands, he will also be as a seale vpon our right arme, that it may not be streched out, or imployed, saue in the works of his seruice. And the reason of the Diuine Spouse his demande is that as death is so strong, that it separats the soule from all things, yea euen from her owne bo­die; so sacred loue which is come to the degree of Zeale, doth diuide and put the soule at a distance withall affections, and doth purifie her from all mixture: for as much as it is not onely as strong as death, but it is withall sharpe, resolute, stife, and pitilesse in punishing the wrong done vnto it, in the admittance of Competitors together with it, as Hell is violent in punishing the damned: And euen as Hell full of horrour, rage, and crueltie, ad­mits no mixture of loue, so doth iealous loue tol­lerate no mixture of another affection, striuing that the whole should be reserued for the Belo­ued. Nothing is so sweete as the Doue, yet nothing so mercilesse as he in his iealousie towards his hen. If euer you tooke notice, THEO: you haue seene that this milde birde, returning from his flight, and finding his mate amongst her companions, he is not able to suppresse in himselfe a certaine sense of distrust, which makes him churlish and humou­rous, so that at their first accosting, he circles a­bout her, with a soure and out faceing countenāce▪ trampling vpon her, and beating her with his [Page 630] wings though he haue otherwise assurance that she is loyall and sees her snowie white in innocen­cie. Vpon a certaine day S. CaTHARINE of Sienna was in a Rapture, which did not bereeue her of her senses, and while God was shewing her wonders, a brother of hers passed by, and with the noise he made diuerted her, so that she turned towards him, and eyed him one onely moment. This little di­straction, which did on the sodaine surprise her, was neither sinne, nor disloyaltie, but an onely shadow of sinne, and an onely resemblance of dis­loyaltie: and yet the most holy mother of the hea­uēly Spouse, did so earnestly chide her for it, and the glorious S. PAVLE did so confound her in it, that she thought she should haue melted away in teares. And Dauid reestablished in grace by a per­fect loue, how was he treated for the onely veniall sinne which he had committed in taking a List of his People?

4. But THEO: he that desires to see this Iealousie put downe in a delicate and excellent expression, let him read the Instructions which the Seraphi­call S. CATHARINE of Genua made in declaration of the proprieties of pure Loue, amongst which she doth instantly inculcate and presse this which ensueth: That perfect Loue, that is, Loue which is come to the perfection of Zeale, cannot endure any mediation, interposition, or the mixture of any other thing not euen of God's gifts, yea it is in this hight of rigour, that it permit's not euen the loue of Heauen, but with intention to loue more perfectly therein the Goodnesse of him that giues it: So that the Lampes of this pure Loue haue nei­ther [Page 631] oyle, weeke, nor smoake, but are all fire and flame, which no worldly thing can extinguish. And such as carrie these burning Lampes in their hāds, haue the saintly feare of holy Spouses, not the feare of adulterous women. Both feare indeede, but differently, saieth S. AVGVSTINE, The chast Spouse feares the absence of her Spouse; The adul­rous the presēce of hers. That feares his departure, this his staie: That is so deeply in Loue, that it makes her iealous, this is not annoy'd with iea­lousie, because she enioyes not Loue; This feares to be punished, but the punishment which that feares, is, that she shall not beloued enough; yea rather in very deede, she feares not, not to belo­ued, as is the custome of the Iealous, who loue thēselues, and will needes be beloued; but her feare is that she loues not him enough whom she sees so loue-worthy, that none can loue him to the worth ād accordīg to the large measure of loue which he merit's, as before I haue faied. Wherefore her Iea­lousie, is not a IEALOVSIE OF PROPER INTEREST, but a pure Iealousie, which proceedes not frō any concupiscence, but from a noble and simple friēds­hipe: A Iealousie which extends it selfe to our neighbour, together with the loue whence it is­sueth: for since we loue our neighbour as our selues, for Gods sake; we are also iealous of him, as of our selues, for God's sake, so that we would euen die least he might perish.

5. Now as Zeale is an inflamed ardour, or an ardent inflamation of Loue, it hath also neede to be wisely and prudently practised; other­wise vnder the cloake of it, one may violate the [Page 632] termes of modestie and discretion, and easily slipe out of Zeale into anger, and from a iust affection, to an vniust passion; wherefore this not being the proper place to put downe the markes of Zeale, my THEO: I aduise you that for the execution thereof you haue alwayes recourre to him whom God hath giuen you, for the direction of your deuote life.

Of the Zeale or Iealousie which we haue towards our Sauiour. CHAPTER. XIV.

1. A certaine Caualeere gaue order to a famous Painter to draw him out a horse rūning, and the Painter hauing represented him as in a curuet, with him vpō his backe, the Caualeere be­gan to storme, whervpon the Painter turning the picture vpside downe be not angrie Sir, quoth he, to change the postures of a horse in his Carriere, into a horse in his curuet, a man is onely to turne the Table vpside downe He that desires to disco­uer, what iealousie or Zeale we are to exercise to­wards God, he is onely to expresse to life the iea­lousie we haue in humane things, and then turne it vpside downe; for such will it be, as that which God for his part requires at our hands.

2. Imagine THEO: what comparison there is betwixt those who enioye the light of the Sunne, and those who haue onely the glimps of a Lampe: [Page 633] they are not enuious or iealous of one an other: for they plainely see, that that great light is abun­dantly sufficient for all; that the ones fruition doth not impeach the others; and that nones possession in particular is lesse for that all in generall posses­seth it, then though each one possessed it a part. But whereas the light of a Lāpe is little, short, and insufficient for many, each one desires to haue it in his chamber, and he that hath it, is enuied at by the rest: The good of humane things is so bare and beggerlie that as it is more communicated to one, it is lesse communicable to others; and ther­vpō it is that we are stirred, ād doe storme whē we haue any Corriualls or fellowes. But God's heart is so abundant in loue, his goodnesse so infinitly in­finite, that all men may possesse him without les­sening any ones possession: this infinitie of good­nesse, can neuer be drayned, though all the hearts of the vniuerse be furnished with it: for when all shall be brime full, his infinitie remaines alwayes entire without any diminution. The Sunne doth no lesse shine vpon a rose together with a thousād millions of other flowres, then though it shined but vpon that alone. And God doth no lesse poure his loue into one soule, albeit with it he loue an infinitie of others, then though he loued her one­ly: the force of his Loue, not decreasing by the multitude of rayes which it streames out, but re­maining full of his immensitie.

3. But wherein then consisteth the Iealousie and Zeale which we ought to haue towards the Diuine Goodnesse? THEO: their office is: first to hate, flie, hinder, detest, reiect, to set vpon, and ouer­throwe, [Page 634] so farre forth as one is able, all that is op­posit to God to wit to his will, to his Glorie, ād the sāctifying of his name. I haue hated iniquitie, saied Dauid, and haue had those that thou hatest in a­bomination. O Lord, did not I hate them? and did not I pine away because of thine enemies? My Zeale hath made me sownd, because my enemies haue forgotten thy words. In the morning I killed all the sinners that were vpon the face of the earth, that I might ruinate, and banish all the workers of iniquitie. See I praie you THEO: with what a Zeale this great king is animated, and how he im­ployes the passions of his soule in the seruice of holy Iealousie! He doth not simply hate iniquitie, but hath it in abomination, vpon the sight of it he withers [...]ith distresse; he fals into sownds and trances, he pursues it, defeats and banisheth it. So P INE [...]S pushed forwards with a holy Zeale, did holily runne through that impudent Israelite, and brazen faced Madianite which he found in the infamous commerce of their beastlinesse: So the Zeale which consumed our Sauiours heart, made him cast out all that bought and sold and presen­tly reuenge the irreuerence and prophanation which they committed in the Temple.

4. Secondly Zeale makes vs ardently iealous of the puritie of soules, which are the Spouses of IESVS CHRIST, according to the holy Apostle to the Corinthians, I emulate you with the emula­tion of God, for I haue despoused you to one man to present you a chast Virgin to IESVS Christ. Eliezer had bene extreamly stung with Iealousie, if he had perceiued the chast and faire Rebecca, [Page 635] whom he conueyed to be espoused to his Maisters sonne, in any danger of being dishonored; and doubtlesse he might haue saied to this holy Dam­sell I am Iealous of you, with a iealousie which I owe to my Maister's respect: for I haue despoused you to one man, to present you a chast virgin to my Maister Abraham's Sonne. So would the great S. PAVLE saie to his Corinthians: I was sent from God to you: soules, to treate the marriage of an eternall vnion, betweene his sonne our Sauiour, and you, and I haue despoused you vnto him, to present you as a chast virgine to this heauenly Spouse. Behold why I am emulous, not with myne owne emulation but with the emulation of God, in whose behalfe I haue treated with you. It was this Iealousie THEO: that caused this holy Apostle dayly to fall downe in trances and die: I die dayly, quoth he, for thy glorie. Who is weake, and I am not weake? who is scandalized and I am not burnt? Marke, saie the Auncients, marke what loue, what care and what iealousie a broode Hen doth shew to her chickens, (for our Sauiour esteemed not this comparison vnworthy o [...] his Ghospell) the Hen is a very Hen, that is, a creature without courage or generositie at all, while she is not yet a mother, but in her mothershipe she puts on a Lions heart. Alwayes her head is vp, alwayes her eyes watchfull, still throwing them on euery side, at the least ap­parence of danger towards her young ones: No enemie appears, vpon whom she dares not throw her selfe in the defence of her deare broode, for whom she hath a continuall sollicitude, which makes her still rūne vp and downe clocking ād re­pining. [Page 636] And if any of her chickings come to die, what griefe? what anger? Such is the iealousie of Parents for their children, of Pastours for their flockes, of brothers for their Brothers. What was the Zeale of the Children of Iacob, after they had knowe that DINA was violated? what was the Zeale of Iob, vpon the apprehēsion and feare he had that his children should offend God? what was the Zeale of a S. Paule for his brethren according to flesh and blood, and his children according to God, for whose sake he desired to be branded with ANATHEMA and excommunication? what the Zeale of a Moyses towards his people, for whom he is willing, in a certaine manner to be rased out of the booke of life.

4. In humane iealousie we are afrayed least the thing beloued, should be possessed by some o­ther: but our Zeale to God, makes vs especially feare, that we are not wholy possessed by him. Hu­mane iealousie makes vs apprehend that we are not beloued enough; Christian iealousie, that we loue not enough, wherevpon the sacred Sunamite cried out, ô the beloued of my soule, show me where thou lyest in the midday, least I beginne to wander after the flocks of my companions. Her feare is that she is not entirely her sacred shep­pheards, or that she might be hindred, though neuer so little, by such as striue to be his Compe­titors. For she will by no meanes permit that wordly pleasures, honours, or exteriour riches should prepossesse the least bit of her loue, which she hath wholy dedicated to her deare Sa­uiour.

An aduise for the direction of holy Zeale. CHAPTER. XV.

1. VVHereas Zeale is an ardour and vehe­mencie of loue, it stands in neede of prudent conduct, otherwise it will violate the termes of modestie and discretion: not that diuine Loue, though neuer so vehement, can be exces­siue in it selfe, nor in the motions and inclinations, which it giues to our hearts, but because it makes vse of the vnderstanding in the execution of its designes, ordering that it should find out the meanes whereby they might haue good successe, and that it should haue boldnesse or anger in a readinesse, to encounter and surmount difficulties, it happens very frequently, that the vnderstan­ding proposeth, and makes vs vndertake too sharpe and violent courses; and withall, that anger or boldnesse being once set on foote, and not being able to containe themselues within the bounds of reason, beare a way the heart to disorder; so that Zeale by this meanes being exercised indiscretly and inordinatly, becomes hurtfull and blame wor­thy. DAVID sent IACOB to leade his armie, against his disloyall and rebellious Sōne ABSALŌ, with speciall charge that they should not touch him, but in all occurrences they should haue a speciall care to saue his life: But IACOB being set to't and being hot in the pursuite of the victorie, with his owne [Page 638] hand slewe the poore Absolon, neuer thinking of the charge which the king gaue him: euen so Zeale doth imploye choler against the euill, yet with ex­presse order, that in distroying wickednesse and sinne, if it be possible, it saue the sinner and the wicked; but being once in hot blood, as a strong headed and stirring horse, runnes away with his rider out of the Listes, without stop or staie while breath lasteth.

2. The good man of the house, which our Sa­uiour describs in the Ghospell, knew well that hot and violent seruants are wont to out runne their Maisters intention: For his seruants presenting themselues vnto him, to weede vp darnell, no quoth he, I will not least together with weedes you pull vp corne. Verily, THEO: Anger is a ser­uant, who being strong, couragious, and a great vndertaker, doth indeede at the first on-set per­forme a great deale of worke, but with all is so hot headdie, inconsiderate, and impetuous, that it doth neuer any good at all, but ordinarily it drawes with it many discomodities. Now it is not good husbandrie, saie our husbandmen to keepe Peacokes about the house; for though they free it of spiders, yet doe they so spoile their couers and tiles that their profit is not comparable to the great waste they make. Anger was giuen as a helpe to reason by Nature, and is employed by Grace in the seruice of Zeale, to put in execution it's designes; yet is it a dangerous helpe, and not greately to be desired: for if it get strength it be­coms Mistresse, defeating Reason's authoritie, and the louing lawes of Zeale: and if it turne weake, [Page 639] it doth no more then Zeale would performe all alone; how soeuer, it giues still a iust occasion of feare, that waxing strong; it might impare the heart and Zeale, making them slaues to its tyran­nie, euen as an artificiall fire which in an instant is kindled in a building, and [...]hich one knowes not how to extinguish. It were an act of dispare to put a stranger compaine into a Fort in garison, who by that meanes might become stronger.

3. Selfe Loue doth oft deceiue vs, and makes vs runne-counter, practising our proper passions vnder the name of Zeale, Zeale hath sometimes of old made vse of Anger: and Anger often times makes vse of the name of Zeale in counterchange to keepe its shamefull disorder couered vnder it. And marke, that I saie, it makes vse of the name of Zeale; for it can make no vse of Zeale it selfe, since it is the propertie of all vertues, but espe­cially of Charitie whereof Zeale is a depēdance, to be so good, that none can abuse it.

4. Vpon a day there came a notorious sinner, and threw himselfe at the feete of a good and worthy priest, protesting with a great deale of hu­miliatiō that he came to find a cure for his desease, that is, to receiue the holy absolution of his faults: a certaine MONKE called DEMOPHILVS, apprehen­ding in his conceite, that this poore penitent came too nigh the high Altar, fell into so violent a fit of choler, that falling vpon him, he kicked and pushed him thence with his feete, wronging the good priest in an outragious sort, who accor­ding to his dutie, had mildly admitted the poore penitent: And then running vnto the Altar, he [Page 640] tooke away the most holy things there, and car­ried them thence, least, as he would make men thinke, the place should haue bene profaned by the sinners approch: Now hauing finished this specious maister-peece of Zeale, he staied not yet there, but made a great matter of it to the great S. DENIS AREOPAGITE, in a letter which he wrote touching it, whereof he receiued an excellent an­swere, worthy of the Apostolicall spirit, wherwith this great Disciple of S. PAVLE was animated: for he made him clearely see that his Zeale had bene indiscreete, imprudēt and impudent withall: be­cause though the Zeale of the honour due vnto holy things be good and laudable, yet was it pra­ctised against reason, without consideration, or iudgement at all, since he had vsed pushing with his feete, outrage, iniurie, and reproch, in a place, in a circumstance, and against a person that he was to honour, loue, and respect, so that the Zeale could not be good, being so disorderly practised. But in this very answere, the same Saint recounts another admirable example of a great Zeale proceeding frō a very good soule, whom yet the excesse of Anger, which Zeale did excite in her, had blemished and spoyled.

5. A Pagan had seduced and made a Christian of CANDIE newly conuerred to the Faith returne to Idolatrie: CARPVS an eminent man for puritie and sanctitie of life, and who as it is very probable, was the Bishope of Candie, conceiued so deepe a wroth against it, that he had neuer in his time en­dured the like, and let himselfe be so farre carried away with this passion, that being risen at mid­night [Page 641] to praie according to his custome, he con­cluded in him selfe that it was not reasonable, that wicked men should any longer liue, with great in­dignation beseeching the Diuine Iustice, to strike downe at once these two sinners, the Pagan se­ductour, and Christian seduced. But note, THEO: how God corrected the bitternesse of the passion, which carried the poore CARPVS beyond himselfe. First he made him as another S. STEPHEN behold the heauens open, and our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST seated vpon a great throne enuironed with a mul­titude of Angels, who assisted him, in humane shape; then he saw below, the earth gaping open, as a horrid and vast gulfe, and the two sinners to whom he had wished so much euill vpon the very edge of this Precipice, quaking, and well nere fal­ling downe in a traunce for dread being vpon the point of tumbling in, drawen on the one side by a multitude of Serpents, which rising out of the gulfe, wrapped thēselues about their ledges, tick­ling them with their tayles, and prouoking their fall: and the other side a cōpanie of men did push and iogge, to rush them in; so that they seemed to be euē alreadie swallowed vp by this precipice: Now consider, my THEO: I praie you, the violen­cie of CARPVS his passion: for as he himselfe after­wards recounted to S. D [...]NIS, he made nothing of beholding our Sauiour and the Angels, ascen­ding to Heauen, so was he taken with gazing vpon the daunting destresse, of those two miserable wretches; being onely troubled, that they were so long a perishing, and therevpon endeuored him­selfe to precipitate them: which seeing he could [Page 642] not so quickly performe, he fumed in himselfe, and curst them, till at length lifting vp his head to­wards Heauen, he espied the sweete and most cō ­passionate Sauiour of our soules, moued with an extreame pitie and compassion of that which pas­sed, rysing from his Throne, and descending to the place where the two poore miserable wretches were, stretch towards them his helping hand, as also the Angels round about them did, catching hold of them to hinder them from falling into this dreadfull Gulfe, and in Conclusion the amiable and milde IESVS, turning himselfe to the stormie CARPVS: hold CARPVS, saied he, henceforth beate vpō me; for I am readie to suffer ōce more for mās saluation, and it should be pleasant vnto me, if it could be performed, without the offence of other men; as for the rest, aduise with thy selfe, which thou likest better; to be in this gulfe together with these serpents, or to liue with Angels, who are so great friends to men. THEO: the holy man CARPVS had iust reason to be zealously moued at these two men, and his Zeale had but rightly ray­sed his stomacke against them, but being once moued, he left reason and Zeale behind him, ouer rūning the bounds and limits of holy loue, and consequently Zeale which is loue in its heate; An­ger changed the hatred of sinne into the hatred of the sinner, and the most mild Charitie into an outragious crueltie.

6. Some there are of that disposition, that they thinke one cannot be very Zealous vnlesse they be very angrie, thinking that nothing is done well, vnlesse all be spoyled, whereas contrariwise [Page 643] true Zeale rarely makes vse of choler; for as we neuer applie the lance, and the fire to sicke, but in meere extreamities; so holy Zeale doth not im­ploie choler but in extreame necessities.

That the examples of diuers saints which seemed to exercise their Zeale with An­ger, make nothing against the aduise of the precedent Chapter. CHAPTER. XVI.

1. IT is true indeede, my deare THEO: that MOYSES, PHINEES, HELIE, MATHATIAS, and diuers great seruāts of God, made vse of choler, to exercise their Zeale in sundrie remarkable occur­rences; yet note also I praie you, that those were great personages, who could well manage their choler, not vnlike to that braue Captaine of the Ghospell, who saied to his soldiers, goe, and they went; come, and they came: but we, who are in a manner all but a kind of poore people, we haue no such power ouer our motions: our horse is not so well broken, that we cā both spurre, and make him stope at our pleasure: Old and well trayned hounds doe come in, or fall off according to the huntsmans call, but vntrayned younge hounds, doe disordely flie out. The great Saints, that haue trayned vp their passions in a continuall mor­tification by the exercise of vertue, can [Page 644] at euery turne of a hād turne and winde their pas­sions, giuing the scope or gathering thē vp at their pleasure: But we who haue vnbridled passions, young, or at least mistaught, we cannot giue bridle to our anger, but at great perill of disorder, for hauing once gotten head, one cannot re­strayne, and order them as were fitting.

2. S. DENIS talking with that DEMOPHILVS, who would haue giuen the name of Zeale to his rage, and furie; he that would correct others, quoth he, must first beware, that anger doe not turne reason out of the power and Dominion wherein God hath established it ouer the soule, ād that it doe not stirre vp a reuoult, sedition, and confusion within our selues; so that we doe in no sort approoue your impetuosities, to which you were pricked forward with an vndiscreete Zeale, though you should a thousand times repeate PHINEES and HELIE: for the like words did not please IESVS CHRIST, being spoken to him by his Disciples, who were not yet made partakers of this sweete and benigne spirit. PHINEES, THEOT: seeing, a certaine accursed Israelite offend God with a Moabite, slew them both: HELIE fore­told the death of OCHOSIAS, who wrothfull at this presage, sent two Captains one after ano­ther with fiftie men a peece, to take him: and the man of God made fire descend from heauē which deuour'd them. Our Sauiour on a day passing through Samaria, sent into a towne to take vp his lodging, but the inhabitants knowing that our Sauiour was a Iewe by nation, and that he went to Hierusalem, they would not lodge him; which [Page 645] S. IOHN and S. IAMES seeing they saied vnto our Sauiour, shall we commande the fire to descend, and burne them? And our Sauiour turning to­wards them, chid them, saying, you know not what spirit moues you to this, the Sonne of man, came not to distroye soules, but to saue them: This it is then, THEOT: that S. DENIS would saie to DEMOPHILVS, who alleaged the example of PHINEES and HELIE: for S. IOHN and S. IAMES, who would haue imitated PHINEES and HELIE in making sire descend from Heauen vpon men, were reprehended by our Sauiour, who gaue them to know, that his Spirit and Zeale was sweete, milde, and gracious, which rarely made vse of wroth or indignation, but onely in some circum­stāces, where there was no other hope left to pre­uaile. S. THOMAS of Aquine that great Starre of Diuinitie, being sicke of the desease whereof he died at the Monasterie of Fossanoua, of S. BER­NARDS order, the Religious besought him to make them some short expositiō vpon the CANTICLE OF CANTICLES to the imitation of S. BERNARD, and he answered them: Deare Fathers, giue me a S. BER­NARDS Spirit and I will interprete this diuine Can­ticle as did S. BERNARD; so verily, if one should saie to one of vs small, miserable, imperfect and wretched Christians, serue your selues of Anger and indignation in your Zeale, as did PHINEES, HELIE, MATHATHIAS, S. PETER and S. PAVLE: we ought to replie, giue vs the Spirit of perfectiō, and pure Zeale, with the interiour light which those great Saints had, and we will arme our selues with choler as they did; It is not a common performāce [Page 646] to discerne when and in what measure we are to be angrie.

3. Those great Saints were immediatly inspi­red by God, and therefore might boldly imploye their anger without perill; for the same Spirit, which did embolden them to this exploite, did also gouerne the raynes of their iust wroth, least they might out raye their prefixed bounds. An Anger that is inspired or excited by the holy Ghost, is not now the anger of a mā, and it is mans wroth that we are to be [...]ware of, because, as S. IAMES saieth, it worketh not God's Iustice. And indeede when those worthy seruants of God made vse of anger, it was in so sollemne occurrences, and vpon so inordinate crimes, that there was no dan­ger that the punishment should passe the fault.

4. Are we, thinke you, to take libertie to in­iurie sinners, to blame nations, to controll and censure our Conductors and Prelats; because S. PAVLE once cals the Galatians senslesse; repre­sents to the Candiots their lewde inclinations, and resisted the glorious S. PETER his Superiour in his face? Certes euery one is not a S. PAVLE, to know how to doe those things in the nicke: But hot, harsh, presumptuous and reprochfull spirits, following their owne inclinations, humours, a­uersions, and the high conceits they haue of their owne sufficiencie, draw the vaile of Zeale ouer their iniquitie; and vnder the name of this sacred fire, permit themselues to be burnt vp with their proper passions. It is the Zeale of the health of soules, that makes the Prelatshipe be sought after, if you will beleeue the ambitious man; that makes [Page 647] the Monke ordained for the Quire, course about; if you will giue credit to his disquieted spirit; that causeth all those censures and murmuratiōs against the Prelates of the Church, and tēporall Princes, if you will giue eare to the arrogant. You shall heare nothing frō him but Zeale; nor yet see any Zeale in hī, but onely opprobrious and rayling speaches hatred ād rācore, disquiete of the heart and tōgue.

5. Zeale may be practised three wayes: first in exercising high actions of Iustice to repell euill; and this belongs onely to publike officers, to correct, censure, and reprehend in the nature of a Superiour, as Princes, Prelates, Magistrats, Preachers: but whereas this office is worshipfull, euery one will vndertake it, euery one will haue a fingar in it. Secondly, one may vse Zeale in actions of great vertue, for the good example of others, by suggesting the remedies of euill, and exhorting men to applie them, by working the good that is opposite to the euill which we desire to banish, which is a thing that belongs to euery one, and yet it hath but few vndertakers. Finally the most excellent vse of Zeale is placed in suffering and enduring much to hinder or diuert euill, and scarce will any admit this Zeale. A spe­cious Zeale is all our ambition: vpon that, each one willingly spends his talant, neuer taking no­tice, that it is not Zeale indeede which is there sought for, but glorie, ambition's satisfaction, choler, churlishnesse and other passions.

6. Certainly our Sauiours Zeale did princi­pally appeare in his death vpon the Crosse, to di­stroy death and sinne in men: wherein he was soue­raignly [Page 648] imitated by that admirable vessell of ele­ction and dilection, as the great S. GREGORIE Na­zianzen in golden words represents him: for speaking of this holy Apostle, he fights for all, saieth he, he poures out praiers for all, he is Zea­lously passionat towards all, he is inflamed for all, yea he dared yet more for his brethren accor­ding to flesh, so that if I may dare also to saie it, he desires through charitie, that they might haue euen his owne place, nere our Sauiour. O excellencie of an incredible courage and feruour of Spirit? He imitats IESVS CHRIST, who became a curse for our Loue, who put on our infirmities, and bore our deseases. Or that I may speake a lit­tle more soberly, he was the first after our Sauiour that refused not to suffer and to be reputed wicked in their behalfe. Euē so then, THEO: as our Sauiour was whip't, condemned, crucified as man, deuo­ted, bequeathed, and dedicated to beare and sup­port all the reproches, ignominies and punish­ments due to all the offenders in the world, and to be a generall sacrifice for sinne being made as an ANATHEMA, forsaken and left of his eternall Fa­ther; so according to the true doctrine of this great Nazianzen, the glorious Apostle S. PAVLE desired to be loden with ignominie, to be cruci­fied, left abandoned and sacrificed for the sinnes of the Iewes, that the curse and paine which they me­rited might fall vpon him. And as our Sauiour did so take vpon him the sinnes of the world and be­came a curse, was sacrificed for sinne, and forsaken of his Father, that he ceased not continually to be the well-beloued Sonne in which his Father plea­sed [Page 649] himselfe: So the holy Apostle desired in­deede to be a curse, and to be separated from his Maister, to be left alone to the mercy of the re­proches and punishments due vnto the Iewes; yet did he neuer desire to be depriued of Charitie and the grace of God, from which nothing could se­parate him, that is, he desired to be vsed as one separated, from God, but he desired not in effect to be separated▪ or depriued of his Grace; for this cannot be piously desired. So the heauenly Spouse confesseth that though loue be strong as death, which makes a separation betwixt the bodie and the soule. Yet Zeale which is an ardent loue, is yet stronger; for it resembles Hell, which separats the soule from our Sauiours sight; but it was neuer saied, nor can euer be saied, that Loue or Zeale was Like to sinne, which alone separats from the grace of God. And indeede how could the ardour of Loue possibly make one desire to be separated from grace, since Loue is grace it selfe, or at least cannot consist without grace? Now the Zeale of the great S. PAVLE was in some sort practised by the little S. PAVLE, I meane S. PAVLINE, who to de­liuer a slaue out of bondage became himselfe a slaue, sacrificing his owne libertie, to bestow it vpon his neighbour.

6. Happie is he, saieth S. AMBROSE, who knowes the gouernment of Zeale! The Deuil will easily scofe at thy Zeale, if it be not according to science, let therefore thy Zeale be inflamed with Charitie, adorned with science, established in cō ­stancie. True Zeale is the child of Charitie, as being the ardour of it: Wherefore, like to Chari­tie, [Page 650] it is patient, benigne, not troublesome nor contentious, not enuious or spightfull, but re­ioycing in Truth. The ardour of true Zeale re­sembles that of the huntsman, being diligēt, care­full, actiue, industrious and eager in the pursuit, but without choler, anger, or trouble: for if the huntsman's labour were cholerike, harsh and wayward, it would not be so earnestly loued and affected. Zeale in like manner hath extreame fer­uours, but such as are constant, solide, sweete, la­borious, equally amiable and infatigable; whereas contrariwise, false Zeale is turbulent, confused, insolent, arrogant, cholericke, wauering, no lesse impetuous then inconstant.

How our Sauiour practised all the most Excellent acts of Loue. CHAPTER. XVII.

1. HAuing spoken at large of the acts of Di­uine Loue, that you may more easily and holily conserue the memorie thereof, I present you with a collection or abridgement of it. The Charitie of IESVS CHRIST doth presse vs, saieth the great Apostle: Yea truly, THEO: it doth force, or vse a violence against vs by its infinite sweete­nesse, which shines in the whole worke of our Redemption, wherein appeared the benignitie and loue of our Sauiour towards men. For what did not this Diuine Louer doe in matter of Loue? [Page 651] 1. he loued vs with a LOVE OF COMPLACENCE, for his delightes were to be with the children of men, and to draw man to himselfe becōming man. 2. he loued vs with a LOVE of BENEVOLENCE enri­ching man with his diuinitie, so that man was God. 3. he vnited himselfe vnto vs in an incōprehensible coniunctiō, whereby he adhered, and ioyned him­selfe so neerely indissolubly, and infinitly to our nature, that neuer was any thing so straightly ioyned and pressed to the humanitie, as is now the most sacred Diuinitie, in the person of the Sonno of God. 4. he ranne wholy into vs, and as it were, dissolued his greatnesse to bring it downe to the forme and figure of our littlenesse, whence he is instyled a Source of liuing water, dewe and rayne of Heauen.

5. He was in extasie, not onely in that, as S. DENIS saieth, by the excesse of his louing good­nesse, he became in a certaine manner out of him­selfe, extending his prouidence to all things, and beeing in all things; but also, in that, as S. Paule saieth, he did in a sort forsake, and emptie him­selfe; drayned his greatnesse and glorie; deposed himselfe of the Throne of his incomprehensible Maiestie, and, if it be lawfull so to saie, annihilated himselfe, to stoope downe to our humanitie, to fill vs with his Diuinitie, to replenish vs with his goodnesse, to rayse vs to his dignitie, and bestow vpon vs the Diuine beeing of the children of God. And he, of whom it is so frequent written, I LIVE SAIED OVR LORD, pleased afterwards according to his Apostles language to saie, I liue, now not I, but man liues in me, man is my life, and to die [Page 652] for man, is my gaines, my life is hidden with man in God. He that did inhabit in himselfe, lodgeth now in vs: and he that was liuing frō all eternitie in the bosome of his eternall Father, becomes mortall in the bosome of his temporall mother. He that liued eternally by his owne Diuine life, li­ued temporally a humane life: And he that from eternitie had bene onely God, shall be for all eter­nitie man too: so did the loue of man rauish God, and draw him into an Extasie!

6. Sixtly how oftē by loue did he admire, as he did the Centurion, and the Cananee? 7. he beheld the young man who had till that houre keept the Commandements and desired to be taught perfe­ction. 8. he tooke a louing repose in vs, yea euen with some suspension of his senses, in his mothers wombe and in his infancie. 9. he was wonderfull tender towards little children, which he would take in his armes, and louingly dandle a sleepe; towards MARTHA and MAGDALEN, towards La­zarus ouer whom he wept, as also ouer the Citie of Hierusalem. 10. he was animated with an incō ­parable Zeale, which, as S. DENIS saieth, turned into iealousie, turning away so farre as he could all euill from his beloued humane nature, with ha­zard, yea with the price of his blood, driuing away the Deuil the Prince of this world, who seemed to be his Corriuall and Competitor.

7. He had a thousand thousand languors of Loue: for from whence could those Diuine words proceede; I haue to be baptised with a baptisme, and how am I straitened vntill it be dispatched? The houre in which he was baptised in his bloode [Page 653] was not yet come, and he languished after it, the loue which he bore vnto vs vrging him there­vnto that he might by his death, see vs deliuer [...]d from an eternall death. He was also sad, and sweate blood of distresse in the garden of Oliuet; not onely by reason of the exceeding griefe which his soule felt in the inferiour part of reason; but also through the singular loue which he bore vnto vs in the superiour portiō thereof, sorrow begetting in him a horrour of death, yet loue, an extreame desire of the same; so that there was a hote com­bat, and a cruell agonie, betwixt desire and hor­rour of death, vnto the shedding of much blood, which streamed downe vpon the earth as from a liuing source.

8. Finally THEO: this Diuine Louer died a­mongst the flames and ardours of Loue; by reason of the infinite charitie which he had towards vs; and by the force and vertue of Loue, that is, he died in Loue, by Loue, for Loue, and of Loue: for though his cruell torments were sufficient to haue kild any bodie; yet could death neuer make a breach in his life, who keepes the keyes of life and death, vnlesse Diuine Loue, which hath the hand­ling of those keyes, had opened the Port to death to let it sacke that Diuine bodie, and dispoyle it of life. Loue not being content to haue made him mortall onely, vnlesse it had made him die withall. It was by choice, not by force of torment that he died. No man doth take my life from me, saieth he, but I yeeld it of my selfe and I haue power to yeeld it, and I haue power to take it againe. He was offered, saieth Isaie, because he himselfe [Page 654] would and therefore it is not saied that his Spirit went away, forsooke him, or separated it selfe frō him; but cōtrariwise that he gaue vp his Spi­rit, expired, rendred vp the Ghost, yeelded his Spirit vp into the hands of the eternall Father; so that S. ATHANASIVS remarketh, that he stooped downe with head to die, to the end he might consent, and bend towards deaths approch, which otherwise durst not haue come neere him: and crying out with a lowde voice, he gaue vp his Spirit into his Fathers hands, to shew, that as he had strength and breath enough not to die, so had he so much Loue, that he could no longer liue, but would by his death reuiue those, which without it could neuer eschew death, nor pretend for true life. Wherefore our Sauiours death was a true sa­crifice, and a sacrifice of Holocaust, which him­selfe offered to our Sauiour to be our Re­demption: for though the paines and do­lours of his Passion were so great and vio­lent, that any but he had died of them, yet had he neuer died of them, vnlesse he himselfe had pleased, and vnlesse the fire of his infinite Charitie had consumed his life. He was then the Priest himselfe, who offered vp himselfe vnto his Father, and sacrificed himselfe in Loue, to Loue▪ by Loue, for Loue, from Loue.

9. Yet beware of saying, THEOTIME, that this death of Loue in our Sauiour, passed by way of rauishment: for the obiect which his Cha­ritie had to moue him to die, was not so amiable, that it could force this heauenly soule ther­to, [Page 655] which therefore departed the bodie by way of extasie, driuen on and forced forwards by the abundance and force of Loue, euen as the Myrrhetree is seene to send foorth her first iuyce by her onely abundance, without being strayned or pressed, according to that which he himselfe saied, as we haue noted. No man taketh my life away from me, but I yeelded it of my selfe. O God THEO: what burning coles are cast vpon our hearts to inflame vs to the exercise of holy loue towards our best Sauiour, seeing he hath so louingly practised them towards vs who are his worst seruants! The Charitie then of IESVS-CHRIST doth presse vs.

How much all the vertues are ag­greeable vnto God. CHAPTER. I.

1. VErtue is of it's owne nature so a­miable, that God doth fauour it, wheresoeuer he finds it: The Pagās, though they were enemies to the Diuine Maiestie, did now and thē, [...] certaine ciuill and morall vertues, which [Page 657] were not by their nature, placed aboue the forces of a reasonable spirit. Now you may thinke, THEOT: how small a matter this was: for though these vertues made a great shew, yet in effect they were of little worth, by reason of the lownesse of their intention that practised them; who labou­red in a manner for no other thing then honour, as S. AVGVSTINE saieth, or for some other pre­tention of light consideratiō, as for the entertaine­ment of ciuill societie, or by reason of some weake inclination they had to good, which mee­ting with no great contradiction, carried them o [...] to minute actions of vertue, as for example, to mu­tuall salutations, to aide their friends, to liue mo­deratly, not to steale, to fidelitie towards ones Maister, to paie hirelings wages. And neuerthe­lesse though this was so slender, and full of diuers imperfections God tooke it in good part at those poore peoples hands, and recompensed it large­ly.

2. The midwiues whom Pharao commanded to kill all the male children of the Israelits, [...]ere without all dispute Egyptians and Pagans; for ma­king their excuse, that they had not executed the Kings pleasure; The hebrow women, saied they, are not like Egyptians; for they know how to re­ceiue the child; and before we come vnto them, they are deliuered: an excuse which had not bene to the purpose, if these midwiues had bene Iewes; besids that it is not credible, that Pharao would haue graunted so sharpe a Commission to Iewish-women, against Iewish-women, being of the same nation and religiō, and with all Iosephus doth wit­nesse [Page 658] they were indeede Egiptians. And be it they were Egiptians and Pagans, yet did they feare to offend God by so barbarous and vnnaturall a crueltie, as had bene the Masacre of so many little children which the diuine sweetenesse tooke so well at their hands, that he built them houses, that is to saie, he made them become fruitfull in chil­dren, and in temporall riches.

3. NABVCODONOZOR king of Babilon, had waged a iust warre against the towne of Tyrie, which the Diuine Iustice would chastice, and God signified to Ezechiel, that in recompence thereof he would deliuer vp Egipt into the hands of NABVCODONOZO [...] and his armie. Because saieth God, they haue laboured for me; hence addes S. HIEROME in his commentaries, we learne that in case the Pagans themselues doe any Good, they are not vnrewarded by God's Iudgement. So did DANIEL exhort NABVCODONOZOR an Infidell, to redeeme his sinnes by almes, that is, to ransome himselfe out of the temporall paines due vnto his sinne, which hung ouer his head. Doe you see then THEO: how true it is, that God doth esteeme vertues though practised by persons otherwise wicked? If he had not approued the mercye of those Midwiues, and the iustice of the Babilonian warrs, would he haue taken the paines, I praie you, to haue rewarded them? And if Daniel had not knowen, that notwithstanding Nabucodono­zors infidelitie, his almes-deedes were agreeable vnto God, why would he haue counselled him them? Certes the Apostle assures vs that Pagans who haue no faith, doe naturally performe that [Page 659] which belongs vnto the law, and in doing so, who can doubt but they doe well, or that God doth make accompt of it. Pagans vnderstoode that marriage was good and necessarie, they saw that it was conuenient to haue their children brought vp in sciences, in loue of their countries, in ciuili­tie, and they did so. Now I leaue it to your consi­deration, whether this was not gratefull vnto God, since to this end, he indewed them with the light of reason, and a naturall propention.

4. Naturall reason is a good tree, which Gods owne finger planted in our soule, the fruits that spring from it, cannot otherwise be then good; yet in truth in comparison of that which springs from grace they are of a very lowe rate, though not of no value, sith God put a rate vpon them, bestowing in respect of them temporall rewards, as he rewarded the morall vertues of the Romans, according to S. AVGVSTINE, with the great ex­tention and glorious reputation of their Em­pire.

5. Sinne without question, makes the soule sicke, whence she is not able to performe great and powerfull operations, though little ones she can: for all the sicke mans actions are not sicke; he speakes, he sees, he heares, he drinkes. The soule in sinne, can doe good workes, which being na­turall, are rewarded with naturall rewards; being ciuile, they are payed with ciuile and humane money, that is, with temporall commodities. The sinner is not in the state of the diuills, whose wills are so drunke vp, and incorporated in euill that they can will no good at all. No THEO: the sinner [Page 660] in this world is not in this estate. He is thereby in­deede wounded to death in the way betwixt Hie­rusalem and Ierico, but as yet is not dead: for, saieth the Ghospell, he is left halfe aliue, and as such he can produce actions halfe a liue: tis true he can neither walke, nor rise, nor crie for aide, no not so much as speake, saue onely languidly, by reason of his faint heart; yet can he open his eyes, stirre his fingers, sigh, make some little com­plaints, which are weake actions, notwithstan­ding all which he might haue bene found misera­bly lying dead in his owne blood, had not the mer­cifull Samaritaine poured his owne honie and wine into his wounds and carried him to a lodging, where he gaue charge that he should be dressed and looked too, at his cost.

5. Naturall reason is deeply wounded, and halfe slayne by sinne, so that being so at vnder, it cannot obserue all the Commandements, which notwithstanding it apprehends to be conuenient. It knowes its dutie; but cannot acquit it selfe thereof. It's eyes hath more light to discouer the way, then its legges hath strength to vndertake it.

6. The sinner may indeede here and there ob­serue some of the Commandements, yea all of them for some small time, while there is not pre­sented vnto him high subiects, in which comman­ded vertues are to be practised, or some violent temptation of committing a prohibited sinne. But that a sinner should siue lōg in his sinne, whithout adding to it new ones, is not a thing that can be done, but by God's speciall protection. For mans enemie is hot, stirring, and in perpetuall action to [Page 661] precipitate him; and when he sees that occasion of practising ordinarie vertues doe not occurre, he stirrs vp a thousand temptations to make him fall into forbidden things; at which time NATVRE without GRACE cannot warrant it selfe from fal­ling: for if we ouercome, it's God giues vs the vi­ctorie through IESVS CHRIST, as S. PAVLE saieth, watch and praie, that you enter not into tempta­tion. If God had saied onely WATCH, we should apprehend our owne power sufficient, but adding PRAIE, he showes, that if he keepe not our soules in time of temptation, in vaine shall they watch who keepe them.

That Diuine Loue, makes the vertues more agreeable to God by excellencie then they are in their owne nature. CHAPTER. II.

1. SVch as studie Husbandrie, doe admire the fresh innocencie and puritie of the little strawburie, which though it lye vpon the grownd and is continually crept vpon by serpents, Lea­zards, and other venimous beastes, yet receiues it no impression of poyson, nor is infected with any venimous qualitie, which is a signe, that it hath no affinitie with poyson. Such are the morall vertues, THEO: which though they be in a heart that is low, earthly, and greatly laboured with sinne, yet are they not infected with the malice thereof, [Page 662] being of so free and innocent a nature, that they cannot be corrupted by the Societie of iniquitie, as euen ARISTOTLE himselfe saied, that vertue was a habit which none could abuse. And though the vertues, which are so good in themselues, be not rewarded with an eternall Laurell when they are practised by infidells, or by such as are not in the state of grace, it is nothing strange, since that the sinfull heart from whence they proceede, is not capable of an eternall good, and was otherwise auerted from God; and since that none is to haue part in that celestiall inheritance which belongs to the sonns of God, but such as are in him, and his adoptiue brothers; besides that the Couenant by which God promisseth heauen, hath referrence to such onely as are in his grace, and that the vertues of sinners haue no worth nor value, saue that of their owne nature, which by consequence cannot raise them to the merite of supernaturall rewards, so called, for that Nature withall her appurtināces, can neither giue, nor merite them.

2. Howbeit, the vertues which are found in the friends of God, though they be onely morall and naturall in themselues, are yet dignified and raised to the worth of holy workes, by reason of the hearts excellencie which produceth them. It is one of the properties of friendshipe, to make the friend, and all that is good and honest in him, gratefull. Friendshipe doth poure out its grace and fauour vpon all the actions of the beloued, that are any wayes capable of them. A friends tartnesse is sweete, and the sweetes of an enemye are bitter. All the vertuous actions of a heart that loues God, [Page 663] are dedicated to God: for the heart that hath giuen himselfe, how hath not he giuen all that depends of himselfe? He that giues the tree without re­serue, giues he not also the leeues, flowres, and fruite? The iust man shall flourish like the palme tree, and shall be multiplied as the Ceder of Ly­banus, they are planted in the house of our Lord, and shall flourish in the courtes of the house of our God, sithence the iust man is planted in the house of God, his leeues, his flowres and his fruite doe there encrease, and are dedicated to the ser­uice of his Maiestie. He is as a tree planted nigh to the streames of waters, which shall giue his fruite in his time: his very leaues shall not fall, and all things whatsoeuer he doth shall prosper: not onely the fruits of Charitie, and the flowres of the works which she ordaines, but euen the very leaues of morall vertues doe draw a meruellous felicitie from the loue of the heart which produ­ceth them. If you graffe in a Rose tree, and put a graine of muske in the clift of the stoke, all the roses that spring from it, will smell of muske. Cleeue your heart then by holy penance, and put the loue of God in the clift, afterwards ingraffe in it what vertue you please, and the workes which spring from it, shall be all perfumed with Sancti­tie, without taking any further care thereof.

3. Though the Spartans had heard an excel­lent sentence from the mouth of some wicked man they neuer iudged it fit to receiue it, till it were first pronounced againe by some good man, And therefore to make it worthy of acceptance, they onely made it be vttered againe by a vertuous [Page 664] man. If you desire to make the humane and mo­rall vertues of an EPECTETES, a SOCRATES, a DE­MADES become holy, cause them onely to be gra­ced by a truely Christian mouth; that is by one that is in charitie. So God did first respect ABEL, and then his offerings; so that his offerings had their worth and dignitie in the sight of God, from the goodnesse and pietie of him, that offered them. O the soueraigne Goodnesse of this great God? who doth so loue his Louers, who doth cherish their weakest endeauours, and doth excellently enrich them, be they neuer so weake; Honouring them with the Title and qualitie of HOLY! Ah, it is in consideration of his beloued Sonne, whose adop­tiue children, he will honour, sanctifiing all that is good in them, their bones, their haires, their garments, their graues, yea the shadowe of their bodies: Faith, Hope, Charitie, Loue, Religion, yea euen sobrietie, courtisie, affabilitie of heart.

4. Wherefore my deare bretheren, saied the Apost: be constant and stable, abounding in eue­ry good worke, knowing that your Labour is not without reward in our Lord. And marke THEO: that euery vertuous worke, is to be esteemed the worke of our Lord, yea though it were euē practi­sed by an infidell: for his Diuine Maiestie saied vnto EZECHIEL, that NABVCODONOZOR and his armie had laboured for him, because he had waged a lawfull and iust warre against the Tyrians, suffiently shewing therein, that the iustice of the vniust is his, tends and belōgs vnto him, though the vniust who worke that Iustice, are neither his nor doe tend and belong vnto him: for as the [Page 665] great prince and Prophet IOB, though of Pagan extraction and an inhabitant of the land of Hus, did for all that belong to God; so morall vertues, though they proceede from a sinfull heart, doe notwithstanding belong to God. But when the same vertues are found in a truly christian heart, that is, in a heart endowed with holy loue, then they doe not onely belong to God, and are not vnfruitfull in him, but become fruitfull and pre­cious before the eyes of his goodnesse. Giue a man Charitie, saieth S. AVGVSTINE, and all things are profitable vnto him; depriue him of Charitie and all the rest profits him not. And to them that loue God all things cooperate vnto Good, saieth the Apostle.

That there are some vertues which diuine Loue doth raise to a higher degree of excellencie, then others. CHAPTER. III.

1. BVt there are some vertues, which by reason of their naturall alliance and correspon­dance with Charitie, are also much more capable to receiue the precious influence of sacred Loue, and consequently, the communication of the di­gnitie and worth of the same. Such are Faith and Hope, which together with Charitie, haue an im­mediate reference to God; and Religion together with penance and Deuotion, which are imployed to the honour of his Diuine Maiestie. For these [Page 666] vertues haue naturally so great a reference to God, and are so capable of the impressions of heauenly loue, that to make them participate in its Sancti­tie, they neede onely to be by it; that is, neare a heart which loues God. So to make grapes tast like Oliues, it is but planting the vine amongst the Oliue-trees, for by their onely neighbourhoode, without euer touching one another, these plantes doe mutually enterchange fauours and properties; so great an inclination, and so strict a conueniencie is there betwixt them.

2. Certes, all flowres, except those of the tree called the Pensiue Tree and others that are mon­stres in nature, all I saie, are gladded, displayed, and embellished at the Sunnes approch, by the vitall heat which they receiue from his rayes. But all yel­low flowres, and especiall that, which the Gre­cians terme HELIOTROPIVM, and we, TVRNE-SOLE are not onely gladded ād pleased with his presence but euen follow his beames allurement, by an a­miable winding about, to looke and turne them­selues towards it, euen from the rysing to the set­ting. So all vertues doe receiue a new lustre, and an excellent dignitie, by the presence of holy Loue: but Faith, Hope, the Feare of God, Pietie, Penance, and all the other vertues, which of their owne natures doe particularly tend vnto God, and to his honour doe not onely receiue the impres­sion of Diuine loue, whereby they are eleuated to a great value, but they hang wholy towards him, associate themselues with him, following and ser­uing him in all occasions: for in fine, my deare THEO: the holy word doth attribute a certaine [Page 667] sauing, sanctifying force and proprietie, to Faith Hope, Pietie, Feare of God, to Penance, which is an euidence, that those vertues are of great price, and being practised by a heart in Charitie, they become more fruitfull, and holy by excellencie, then the others, which of their owne nature haue not so great an agreement with heauenly Loue. And he that cries, if I had all Faith euen in such a measure that I could transport mountaines, and should want charitie, I am nothing, doth suffi­ciently shew, that with Charitie, this faith would be very fruitfull. Charitie then is a vertue without compare, which doth not onely adorne the heart, wherin she is, but with her meere presēce doth also blesse ād sanctifie all the vertues which she meetes therein, embalming and perfuming them with her celestiall odour, by meanes whereof they are ray­sed to a high rate in the sight of God; which yet she performes farre more excellently in Faith, Hope, and other vertues which of them selues doe naturally tend to pietie.

3. Wherefore, THRO: of all vertuous actions we ought most carefully to practise those of Re­ligion, and Reuerence towards diuine things, those of Faith, of Hope, and the most holy Feare of God; taking occasion often to speake of heauen­ly things, thinking, and sighing after eternitie, frequenting the Church and Diuine seruice, ma­king pious lectures, obseruing the ceremonies of christian Religion: for sacred Loue is fed accor­ding to its hearts desire in these exercises, and doth in greater abundance streame out its graces and proprieties vpon them, then it doth vpon [Page 668] those vertues which are purely naturall; like as the heauenly rainebow makes all the plantes vpon which it lightes odoriferous, but the Aspha­latus incomparably more then all the rest.

That Diuine Loue doth yet more excellently sanctifie the vertues, which are pra­ctised by his ordinance and Commandment. CHAPTER IV.

1. THe faire RACHEL after an earnest desire of issue, with her deare IACOB, was by two meanes made fertill, whence also she had children of two sundrie kinds: for in the beginning of her marriage, seeing she could haue no children of her owne bodie, she made vse of her seruant BALA, as it were by loue, which she drew into her socie­tie by the exercise of the functions of marriage, saying vnto her husband, I haue here my hand­maide BALA, take her in wedlocke, and companie with her, that she may beare vpon my knees, and I may haue children of her, and it fell out accor­ding to her desire: For she conceiued and brought forth many children vpon RACHELS knees, who receiued them as though they had bene truely her owne, since they were begotten by two bodies whereof IACOBS belonged to her by the right of marriage, BALA'S by the dutie of seruice, and a­gaine [Page 669] because the generation was effected by her order and will. But she had afterwards two other children without her command or order, which were conceiued, begot, and sprung from her owne bodie, at her owne bent to wit, Ioseph, and the beloued Beniamin.

2. I must tell you now, THEOT: that Chari­tie and holy loue, a thousand times more faire then Rachel, married to mans heart, doth inces­santly wish to produce holy operations. And if in the begining she her selfe cannot bring forth of her owne extraction, by the sacred vnion which is singularly proper vnto her, she cals the other ver­tues, as her faithfull handmaids, makes them cōpa­nions with her in marriage, commanding the heart to make vse of them, and beget holy operations of them, yet operations which she doth adopt and repute her owne, as being produced by her order and commandment, and of a heart which belongs vnto her, sith, as we haue formerly declared, Loue is the Maister of the heart, and consequently, of all the acts of other vertues, made by his consent. But further heauenly Charitie, hath two acts which are her owne issue properly, and are of her owne extraction, the one is EFFECTIVE LOVE, who as another IOSEPH vsing the fulnesse of regall au­thoritie, doth subiect, and range the troopes of our faculties, powers, passions and affections, to Gods will, that it might be loued, obeyed and ser­ued aboue all things, by this meanes putting the great celestiall commandment in execution. Thou shalt loue thy LORD thy GOD with all thy heart, with all thy soule, with all thy Spirit, with all thy [Page 670] strength: The other is AFFECTIVE OR AFFECTIO­NATE LOVE, who as a little Beniamin, is excee­dingly delicate, tender, pleasing, and amiable; but in this, more happie then Beniamin, that Charitie his mother dies not in his birth, but, as it were gaines a new life, by the delight she takes in it.

3. Thus then THEOT: the vertuous actions of the children of God, doe all belong to Chari­tie; some of them because they sprung from her owne wombe; others, because she sanctifies them by her quickning presence; and finally others, by the authoritie and commāde which she exerciseth ouer the other vertues, whence she made them spring. And these, as indeede they are not so emi­nent in dignitie, as the actions which doe proper­ly and immediatly issue from Charitie, so doe they incomparably passe those, which take their whole sanctitie from the presence, and Societie of Cha­ritie.

4. A great Generall of an Armie hauing gay­ned some renowned bataile, will without doubt haue all the glorie of the victorie, and not with­out reason; for he himselfe will haue fought in the forefront of the armie essaying many braue feates of armes, he will haue rancked his troopes, ordai­ned and commanded all that was done, so that he is esteemed to haue done all; either for that he himselfe fought in his owne person; or by his con­duct and command of others. And albeit some friendly Succours cume at vnawares, and fall in with them, yet is not the Generall depriued of the whole honour, for though thy receiued not his [Page 671] commands, yet did they obserue them, and fol­low his intentions. But yet, after one haue attri­buted all the honour in grosse vnto him, a distri­butiō thereof is made to euery part of the armie in particular, in relatīg what the VANT GARD, the BO­DIE, and the REARE-GARD had done, as the Frēch, the Italians, the Germans, the Spaniards behaued thēselues, yea, we praise this ād that particular mā, that honoured himselfe in the battaile. So my deare THEOT. amongst all the vertues, the glorie of our Saluation, and victorie ouer Hell, is ascri­bed to Diuine Loue, who, as Prince and Com­mander of the whole armie of vertues, contriues all the plotes, by which we gaine the triumphe: For Sacred Loue hath his proper actions, which issue and proceede from himselfe, by which he workes wonders of armes vpon our enemie; and with all, he rangeth, commands, and orders the actions of other vertues, which thence are termed, ACTS COMMANDED OR ORDAINED BY LOVE. And in case, some vertues produce their operations without his order, so they obserue his intention, which is God's honour, he will still aduowe them to be his owne▪ yet notwithstanding, though we saie in grosse with the holy Apostle, that Charitie suffers all, beleeues all, hopes for all, supports all, and finally that she doth all, yet doe we distribute in particular the praises of the saluation of the Blessed to other vertues, according as they did ex­cell in each one: for we saie, some were saued by Faith, others by Almes-deedes, by Temperance, by Praier, Humilitie, Hope, Chastitie: others for that the acts of these vertues, did more notably [Page 672] shine in them. Yet still after we haue extolled these particular vertues, we must ascribe all their ho­nour to sacred Loue, whece they deriue all their sanctitie. For what other thing would the glo­rious Apostle saie, inculcating that Charitie is be­nigne, patient, that she beleeues all, hopes for all, supports all, but that Charitie ordaines and Com­mands Patience to be patient, Hope to hope, Faith to beleeue. True it is, THEOT: that toge­ther with this, he intimats also, that Loue is the soule and life of all the vertues; as though he would haue saied Patience is not patient enough, nor Faith faithfull; that Hope was not hopefull enough, nor mildnesse sufficiently milde, vnlesse Loue doe animate and quicken them. The same thinge, this same Vessell of Election giues vs to vnderstand when he saieth, that without Charitie nothing doth profit him; and that he is nothing: for it is as though he had saied, that without Loue a man is neither patient, milde, constant, faithfull nor confident, in such sort as is required to be Gods seruant, which is the true and wishfull beeing of man.

How sacred loue doth spread it's worth through all the other vertues, which by that meanes are perfected. CHAPTER. V.

1. I Haue seene, saieth PLINIE, a tree at TYVO­LY graffed in all the fashions, that one can [Page 673] graffe, which bore all sorts of fruite, for vpon one branch there were nuts, cherries vpon another, vpon a third raysins, figues, pome-granades, aples and generally all kinds of fruite. This was admi­rable, THEO: yet more admirable to see in a Chri­stian man heauēly Charitie, wherevpon all vertues are graffed in such sort, that as one might haue saied of this tree, that it was a Cherri-tree, an Aple-tree, a Nut-tree, a pom-granad-tree; so may one saie of Charitie, that she is patient, milde, generous, iust: or rather, that she is Patience, mildnesse, and Iustice it selfe.

2. But the poore Tree of Tyuoly was not of long continuance, as the same PLINIE doth wit­nesse: for these diuers productions did presently drie vp its HVMIDVM RADICALE, that it withered away, and dyed; whereas contrariwise Charitie is fortified and made stronge, to produce abun­dance of fruit in the exercise of all the vertues, yea as our holy Fathers haue obserued, she is insa­tiable in her desires of bringing forth fruit, and neuer ceaseth to presse the heart wherein she in­habits, as Rachel did her husband, saying giue me children or else I die.

3. Now the fruits of graffed-trees, doe alwayes follow the graffe: For if the graffe be of an aple-tree, it will haue aples, if of a cherri-tree, it brings forth cherries, yet so as the fruit doth alwayes taste of the stocke. In like manner, THEOT: our acts take their name and SPECIES from the particular vertues whence they sprung, but they draw the taste of their Sanctitie from holy Charitie, which is the roote and source of all Sanctitie in man, and [Page 674] as the stocke doth communicate it's taste to all the fruit which spring from the graffe, yet so as that euery fruit reserues the naturall propertie of the graffe whence it sprung: euen so Charitie, pou­ers out in such sort her excellencie and dignitie vpon the acts of other vertues that she doth not depriue them of the particular worth and good­nesse which they haue by their owne naturall con­dition.

4. All fllowres loose their luster and grace amidst the nights obscuritie; but the Sunne in the morning making them againe visible and agreea­able, doth not yet make their beautie and grace equall; and though its light be equally spred ouer them all, yet doth it make them bright and glitte­ring with inequalitie, as it finds them more or lesse capable of its brightnesse. And let the Sunne shine neuer so equally vpō the Violet and the Rose, yet shall it neuer make that so faire as this, or make a Marigold as gracious as a Lilie. Howbeit if the Sunne should shine clearely vpon the Violet, and throwe a mist onely vpon the Rose, then with­out doubt the Violet would be more agreeable to the view thē the Rose. So, my THEO: if one with an equall Charitie should suffer the death of martyr­dome, and another the hungar of a fast, who doth not see that this fast shall not be so much prized as this Martyrdome? No, THEO: for who dare be bould to affirme, that Martyrdome is not more excellent in it selfe then fasting? Which being more excellent in it selfe, and Charitie not depriuing it of its naturall excellencie, but perfecting it, doth consequently leaue it in the aduantages which it [Page 675] naturally hath ouer fasting. Surely none in his right senses will equalize nuptiall chastitie to vir­ginitie, nor the good vse of riches, to the entire abnegation of the same. Or who will also dare to saie; that Charitie accompaning these vertues doth depriue them of their properties and priui­leges; since it is not a vertue which doth destroye and impouerish, but doth a better, qu [...]cken, and enrich all the good that she finds in the soules, which she rules; yea so farre is she from bereauing the other vertues of their naturall preeminences and dignities, that contrariwise, hauing this qua­litie to perfect the perfections which she meetes withall, as it finds greater perfections, it doth great lier perfect them; like as suggar doth so sea­son conserued fruits with its sweetnesse, that sweetening them all, it leaues euery of them different in relish and sweetenesse, as they haue a diuers taste in their owne nature. Nor doth it euer render the Peech, and the Nut, so sweete and pleasing, as the Appricot and the Myrabolan plumme.

5. True it is notwithstanding, that if the Loue be ardent, powerfull, and excellent in a heart, it will also more enrich and perfect all the vertuous workes which shall proceede from it. One may suffer death and fire for God without Charitie, as S. PAVLE presupposeth and I declare elswhere; by better reason may one suffer them hauing a little charitie. Now I saie, THEO: that it may come to passe, [...]hat a very little vertue may be of greater value in a soule, where sacred Loue doth feruently raigne, then Martyrdome it selfe, in a soule where [Page 676] Loue is languishing, feeble and slow. As the least vertues in our B. Lady, in S. IOHN, in other great Saints, were of greater price before God, then the greatest of diuers inferiour Saints: as many little eiaculations of Loue in Seraphins, are more infla­med, then the greatest in the Angels of the last orders; as the singing of a young Nightingale, is incomparably more harmonious, then that of the finest Goldfinch.

6. PIRCIVS towards the end of his dayes pain­ted onely in little formes, and trifeling things, as Barbar's and Cobler's shops, little Asses loaden with grasse, and the like triuiall toyes; which he did, as PLINIE coniectures, to lay his great re­nowne, whence in the end he was called the Pain­ter of small wares; and yet the greatnesse of his art did so appeare in his small workes, that they were sould at a higher rate, then others greatest peaces. Euen so THEO: the little simplicities, ab­iections and humiliations, in which the great Saints tooke so great content to hide themselues, and put their hearts into Harbour against vaine glorie, hauing bene practised with a great excellencie of the Art and ardour of heauenly Loue, were found more gratefull in the sight of God, then the great and illustrious workes of diuers others which were performed with little Charitie and deuo­tion.

7. The sacred Spouse doth wound her Spouse with one of her head haires, of which he makes so great accompt, that he compares them to the flockes of the Goates of GALAAD; and hath no sooner commended the eyes of his deuote Louer, [Page 677] which are the most noble parts of the face, but presently he fals a praising her head haire, which is the most fraile, vile an abiect. That we might learne thereby, that in a soule taken with holy Loue, actions that seeme very poore are highly agreeable to the Diuine Maiestie.

Of the excellent worth which holy Loue be­stowes vpon the actions which issue from it selfe, and to those which proceede from other vertues. CHAPTER. VI.

1. BVt you will aske me what this worth is which holy Loue bestowes vpon our a­ctions? ô God THEO: I Verily I should not dare to speake it, if the Holy Gost himselfe had not de­clared it in expresse termes, by his Apostle S. Paule, who saieth thus: That our tribulation which is presently momentarie and light, worketh aboue measure exceedingly an eternall weight of glorie in vs. For the loue of IESVS let vs ponder these words. Our tribulations which are so light that they passe in a moment worke in vs the solide and stable weight of glorie: I beseech you behold these wonders! Tribulation produceth glorie; lightnesse giues weight, moments worke eternitie. But what is it that can enrich these fleeting mo­ments, and light tribulations with so great worth? [Page 678] Scarlet and purple, or fine crimson violet, is a pre­cious, and royall cloth, yet not, by reason of the woole, but the die. Christian workes are of that worth, that Heauen is giuen vs for them: but THEO: it is not, in that they proceede frō vs, and are the woole of our hearts, but because they are died in the blood of the sonne of God, I meane, for so much, as our Sauiour doth sanctifie our workes by the merits of his blood. The twigge of a vine vnited and ioyned to the stocke, being not forth [...]ruit in it's owne vertue, but in vertue of the stocke. Now we are vnited by Cha­ritie vnto our Redeemour, as members to their head, and thence it is that our fruit and good workes drawing their worth from him, doe merit life euerlasting. AARONS rod was withered, and in­capable of it selfe to bring forth fruit; but as soone as the name of the high priest was written vpon it, in one night it brought out leaues, flowres, and fruit. We, in our selues are withered bowes, vnpro­fitable, fruitlesse, not being sufficient to thinke any thing of our selues as of our selues, but our sufficiencie is of God, who hath made vs meet and fit ministers of his will; and therefore as soone as by holy Loue, the name of our Sauiour the high Bishop of our soules, is engrauen li [...] our soules, we begin to beare delicious fruits for life euerlasting. And as seedes which of them selues doe onely bring forth vnsauorie Melons, would bring forth sugared and musked ones, if they were steeped in sugared or musk't water; so our soules which of themselues are not able to proiect one, onely good thought towards God's [Page 679] seruice, being watered with holy loue, by the ho­ly Ghost, which doth inhabite vs, they produce sacred actions, which doe tend, and doe carrie vs to immortall glorie. Our works as proceeding from our selues are but miserable reeds, yet these reeds become gold by Charitie, and with the same we suruey the Heauenly Hierusalem, which is giuen vs by that measure: for as well to man as Angels, glorie is distributed according to Chari­tie and her actions. So that men and An­gels measure is one, and the same; and God both hath, and will reward euery one according to his works, as all the holy Scripture doth teach vs, which assignes vs the felicitie and eter­nall ioyes of Heauen, in reward of the labours and good works which we haue practised in earth.

2. A magnificent reward, and such an one as doth sauour of the Maisters greatnesse whom we serue, who in truth THEO: if so he had pleased, might most iustly exact our obedience and ser­uice without proposing vnto vs any prize or re­ward at all, since we are his by a thousand most le­gitimate titles, and that we can doe nothing that is worth any thing but in him, by him, for him, and dependently of him. Yet did not his Good­nesse so dispose, but in consideration of his sonne our Sauiour, he would deale with vs at a set price, receiuing vs at wages, and engaging himselfe by his promise vnto vs, that our hire, yea an eternall one, shall answere to our workes. Nor is it, that our seruice can either be necessarie, or profitable vnto him; for when we shall haue accomplished [Page 680] all his commands, we are yet to professe in a most humble truth, or a most true humilitie, that in­deede we are most vnprofitable and vnfruitfull seruants to our Maister, who by reason of his es­sentiall superabundancie of riches, can haue no profit by vs, but conuerting all our works to our owne aduantage and commoditie, he makes vs serue him with as little profit to him, as much pro­fit to our selues, who by so small labours, gaine so great rewards.

3. He was not then bound to paie vs for our seruice, if he had not passed his promis for it: yet doe not thinke, THEO: that he would so manifest his goodnesse in this promise as to forget to glori­fie his wisdome, yea contrariwise, he did most ex­actly obserue the rules of equitie, mixing come­linesse with liberalitie in an admirable manner: for though our works are indeede very small, and in no wise, for their quantitie, cōparable to Glo­rie, yet in regard of their qualitie they are very proportionable therevnto, by reason of the Holy Ghost, who by Charitie dwelling in our hearts, workes them in vs, by vs, and for vs, in so exquisite a manner, that the same workes that are wholy ours, are more wholy his, sith, as he doth produce them in vs, so we againe produce them in him; as he doth them for vs, so we doe them for him; as he operats them with vs, so we cooperate them with him.

4. Now the holy Ghost doth dwell in vs, if we be liuely members of IESVS CHRIST, who here­vpon saied vnto his Disciples. He that abids in me, and I in him, he brings forth much fruit, and it is, [Page 681] THEO: because he that abids in him, is made par­taker of his diuine Spirit, who is in the midst of mans heart, as a liuing fountaine of water springing vp vnto life euerlasting: so the holy oyle which was poured vpon our Sauiour, as vpon the head of the Church militant and triumphant, doth spread it selfe ouer the societie of the Blessed, (who as the sacred beard of this heauenly Maister, is continually fastened to his glorious face) and doth drope vpon the companie of the faithfull, who, as clothes are ioyned and vnited by loue to the Di­uine Maiestie; the one and the other troope being composed of naturall brethren; hauing here­by occasion to crie out; Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is, for brethren to dwell in one: as oyntment on the head, which ranne downe vpon the beard, the beard of Aaron, which ranne downe vpon the hemme of his gar­ment.

5. Our works therefore as a little corne of mustard, are in no sort comparable in greatnesse, to the tree of glorie which they produce, yet haue they the vigour and vertue to worke it, for that they proceede from the holy ghost, who by an ad­mirable infusiō of his grace into our hearts, makes our works his, and yet withall leaues them our owne, since we are members of one head, whereof he is the Spirit; and ingraffed in a tree, whereof he is the sape: and whereas he doth in this sort act in our actions, and we after a certaine manner doe operate or cooperate to his operation, he leaues vs to our part, all the merite ad profite of our ser­uices and good workes, and we againe leaue him [Page 682] all the honour and praise thereof; acknowledging that the beginning, the progresse, and the end of all the good we doe, depends of his mercy, by which he hath come vnto vs; and hath preuented vs; he came into vs, and assisted vs, he came with vs, and conducted vs; finishing what he had begun. But ô God, THEO: how mercifull is this Bountie vnto vs in this diuision, we render him the glo­rie of our praises, alas, and he giues vs the glorie of his possession. In somme, by these light and passing labours, we obtaine goods permanent for all eternitie. Amen.

That perfect vertues are neuer one with­out the other. CHAPTER. VII.

1. The heart is saied to be the first part of a mā, which receiues life by the vnion of the soule, and the eye the last; as contrariwise, in a naturall death, the eye begins first to die, the heart the last. Now when the heart begins to liue before the other parts be animated, life is feeble, tender, and imperfect: but still as it gets further possession in the other parts of the bodie, life is more vigorous in each part, but particularly in the heart; and we see that life being interressed in any one of the members, it is weakened in all the rest. If a mans foote or arme be agreeued, all the bo­die is disseased, stirred, troubled, and changed. If [Page 683] our stomake paine vs, the eyes, voice, and coun­tenance are sensible of it. Such is the agreement amongst all the parts of man, for the enioying of this naturall life.

2. All the vertues are not gotten in an in­stant, but one after another; as reason, which is as the soule of our heart, rids it selfe now of one passion, now of another to moderate and gouerne them: and ordinarily this life of our soule, takes it's beginning in the heart of our passion, which is Loue, and branching it selfe ouer all the rest, it doth euen quicken the very vnderstanding by contemplation: as contrariwise, morall or spiri­tuall death makes its entrie into the soule by the consideration (Death enters by the windowes, saieth the sacred Text) and its last effect is to di­stroy the good Loue, which once perishing, all our morall life is dead in vs; so that though me may indeede haue some vertues seperated from others, yet are they but at most languishing, imperfect and weake vertues, since that reason which is the life of our soule, is neuer satisfied or at ease in a soule, vnlesse it occupie and possesse all the facul­ties and passions of the same; and being once a­greeued or hurt in any one of our passions, or af­fections all the rest loose their force and vigour and strangly doe pine away.

3. Marke, THEO: all the vertues are vertues, by the proportion or conformitie they haue to reason: and an action cannot be named vertuous, if it proceede not from the affection, which the heart beares to the decencie and beautie of reason. Now if the loue of reason doe possesse and ani­mate [Page 684] the mynd, it will be obedient to reason in all occurrences, and consequently will practise all the vertues. If IACOB loued RACHEL, in respect that she was Laban's daughter, why did he despise LIA, who was not onely the daughter, but euen the eldest daughter of the saied LABAN? But because he affected RACHEL, by reason of her beautie, he could neuer equally loue the poore LIA, though a fruitfull and wise maide, not being so faire in his eye. He that loues a vertue for the loue of the rea­son and decorum that shines in it, he will loue them all, since he will find the same motiue in thē all: and he will loue each of them more or lesse, as reason shall appeare in them more or lesse res­plendēt. He that loues Liberalitie, and not Chasti­tie, shewes sufficiently that he loues not libera­litie for the beautie of reason, for that is more ra­diant cleare in Chastitie, and where the cause is more strong, the effects ought also to be the like. It is therefore an euident signe, that that heart is not carried to liberalitie by the motiue, and in consideration of reason: whence it followes that that Liberalitie which seemed to be a vertue, is but an apparance, since it proceedes not from reason, which is the true motiue of vertues, but from some other stranger-motiue. It is sufficient for a child to be borne in marriage, to beare the name, (in the eye of the world) Armes, and titles of his mothers husband: but to haue his blood and nature, he must not onely be borne in marriage, but of the marriage: Actions haue the name, Armes, and recognoiscence of vertue, because being borne of a heart endowed with reason, we [Page 685] apprehend them to be reasonable; yet haue they neither the substance nor vigour of vertue, when they proceede from a strang and adulterate mo­tiue, not from reason. It may happen then, that a man may haue some vertues, and not all: but they shall either be vertues newly springing and as yet tender, as flowres in blossome, or else perishing and dying vertues, as faiding flowres: for in Con­clusion vertues cannot haue their true grouth and integritie, vnlesse they be all together, as all Phi­losophie, and Diuinitie assures vs: What Prudence I praie you THEO: can an intemperate, vniust, and cousening knaue haue, since he makes choise of vice and forsakes vertue? And how can one be iust, without being Prudent, constant and tempe­rate: Iustice being no other thing, but a perpetuall, strong and constant will, to render to euery one his owne, and the science by which right is done, is called IVRISPRVDENTIA; and that to giue each one his owne, we must leade a wise and modest life, and remoue the disorders of intemperance in vs, thereby to render to our selues what belongs vnto vs? and the word VERTVE, doth it not signi­fie a force and vigour properly belonging vn­to the soule, euen as we attribute such or such a vertue or proprietie to hearbes, or precious stones?

4. But is not Prudence it selfe imprudent in an intemperate man? Force without Prudence, Iustice, and Temperance, is not force, but a mad­nesse: and Iustice is vniust in a gilefull man, who will not vse it; in the intemperate man who per­mits himselfe to be carried away with passion, and in the imprudent man who is not able to discerne [Page 686] betweene right and wrong. Iustice is not Iustice, vnlesse it be strong, Prudent, and temperate: nor is Prudence Prudence, vnlesse it be temperate, iust, and strong: Nor Force, Force, vnlesse it be iust, prudent, and temperate: neither is Temperance, Temperance, vnlesse it be prudent, strong and iust. In fine vertue, is not perfect vertue, vnlesse it be accompanied with all the rest.

5. It is true, THEOT: that one cannot exercise all the vertues at once; because the occasions are not all presented at once, yea there are vertu, which some of God's greatest Saints had neuer oc­casion to practise. For S. PAVLE the first Heremit, for example, what occasion could he haue to exer­cise the pardoning of iniuries, Affabilitie, Magni­ficence, and mildnesse? Howbeit such soules, stand so affected to the rightnesse of reason, that though they haue not all the vertues in effect, yet haue they them all, in affection, being readie, and pre­pared, to follow and obeye reason in all occurren­ces, without exception or reserue.

6. There are certaine inclinations which are esteemed vertues, and are not so, but fauours and aduantages of nature. How many are there, who naturally are sober, simple, milde, still, yea euen chast, and honest? Now all these seeme to be ver­tues, and yet haue no more the merite thereof, thē bad inclinations are worthy of blame, till we haue giuen free and voluntarie consent to such naturall humours. It is no vertue to be a man of little meate by nature, yet to abstaine by choice, is a vertue. It is no vertue to be silent by nature, though it be a vertue to bridle ones tongue by [Page 687] reason. Many there are, who apprehend that they haue the vertue, while they cxercise not the con­trarie vice: One that was neuer assaulted, may truely vaunt that he neuer was a runne-away, yet hath he no ground to boast his vallour. He that was neuer afflicted may well praise himselfe for not being impatient, yet can he not bragge of his Patience: So many thinke they haue vertues who haue onely good inclinations: and whereas those inclinations are one without another, they thinke that vertues may be so too.

7. Certes S. AVGVSTINE showes in an Epistle which he wrote to S. HI [...]ROME, that we may haue some sorts of vertues, without hauing all the rest, and that yet we can haue no perfect ones but we must haue them all. But as for vice, we may haue some, without hauing other some, yea it is euen impossible to haue them all together; so that it followes not that he that hath lost all the vertues hath by consequence all the vices, especially since almost euery vertue hath two opposite vices, which are not onely contrarie to the vertue, but euen to one another. He that by rashnesse lost his valour, cannot at the same time be taxed of cowar­dise: nor can he, who lost liberalitie by his prodi­galitie, be at the same time condemned of nigard­linesse. CATILINE, saieth S. AVGVSTINE, is sober, vigilant, patient in suffering cold, heate, and fa­mine: so that both he and his Complices deemed that he was maruellous constant: but this con­stancie wanted prudence, since it made choice of bad, in lieu of good; it was not temperate: for it gaue bridle to villanous beastlinesses; it was not [Page 688] iust sith he made a Conspiracie against his owne Coūtrie, it was not therefore a constancie but an obstinacie, which to deceiue fooles, bore the name of constancie.

How Charitie containes all vertues. CHAPTER. VIII.

1. THere flowed a Riuer out of the place of delights to water the terrestiall Paridice, and thence deuided it selfe into foure heads. Now, man is in a place of delights, where God makes the floud of reason and naturall light streame out, to water all the Paradice of our heart; and this floud brancheth it selfe out into foure heads, that is, it makes foure streames, according to the foure regions of the soule; for 1. naturall reason doth streame out prudence vpon our practicall VNDER­STANDING, (as it is called, whose office it is to dis­cerne what actions we are to doe, or to flie) which doth encline our mind wisely to iudge of the euill, that we are to auoyd and eschewe; and the good we are to pursue and doe. 2. it makes Iu­stice rūne ouer our will, which is a continuall and firme will to render to euery one his owne. 3. ouer the Concupiscible Appetite, it makes Temperance flowe, which moderats the passion it lights on therein. 4. it spreds Force ouer the Irascible Appe­tite, which doth bridle, and maniage all the mo­tions [Page 689] of Anger. Now these foure riuers thus de­uided, doe afterwards deuide themselues into di­uers others, that all humane actions might be duely fashioned to naturall honestie and felicitie. But besids all this, God, to enriche Christians with a speciall fauour, he makes a supernaturall foun­taine rise vp vpon the very top of the superiour part of the spirit, which is called Grace, and doth indeede comprehend faith and Hope; yet it con­sists of Charitie, which doth purifie the soule from sinne, and then doth adorne and embellish her with a most delightfull beautie; and finally doth spreed her waters ouer all the faculties and operations therof, to endow the vnderstanding with a celestiall Prudence, the will with a holy Iustice, the concupiscible Appetite with a sacred Temperāce, and the Irascible Appetite with a de­note Force, to the end that mans whole heart might tend to the supernaturall honestie and feli­citie, which is a vnion with God. And if these foure streames or flouds of Charitie, doe meete with any one of the foure naturall vertues in the soule, they bring it to their obedience, mixing themselues therewith to perfect it; as perfumed water doth perfect naturall water being mingled together. But if holy Charitie poured out in this manner, meete with none of the naturall vertues in the soule, she alone doth all their operations, as oc­casion requires.

2. Thus heauenly Loue finding sundrie vertues in S. PAVLE, S. AMBROSE, S. DENIS, S. PACOMIVS, poured vpon them a delightfull light, reducing them all to his seruice. But the Diuine Loue, fin­ding [Page 690] no vertue at all, in S. MARIE MAGDALENE, S. MARIE EGIPTIACA, the good Thiefe, and a thousand the like penitents who had bene great offenders, did the office and worke of all the ver­tues, becōming patient, sweete, hūble, ād liberall in them. We sowe great varietie of seeds in Gardens and couer them with earth, as burying them; till the Sunne preuailing makes them rise againe, and as one would saie, doth resuscitate them, in the production of their leaues, and fruit, which haue new seede, euery one in his kind; so that one onely heauenly heate, doth cause all the diuersitie of pro­ductions, by meanes of the seede which it finds hid in the bosome of the erath. Verily, my THEO: God hath sowen in our hearts the seeds of all ver­tues, which are yet so couered with our imperfe­ctions and weaknesse, that they did not at all, or at least scarce appeare, till the vitall heate of holy Loue, came to quicken and resuscitate them, by them producing the actions of all ver­tues. So that as Manna contained in it selfe the sundrie tastes of all meates, and left a relish thereof in the Israelits mouthes; euen in like manner hea­uenly Loue comprehends in it selfe the diuers per­fections of all the vertues in so excellent, and high a sort, that it produceth all the actions, in time and place, according to their occurrences. IOSVE did valliantly defeate God's enemyes, by his good command ouer the armies which were put in his hands. But Samson defeated them yet more glo­riously, who by his owne hand slew thousands with the iawe bone of an asse. IOSVE by his com­mand and good order, making vse of the valour [Page 691] of his troopes, wrought wonders: But SAMSON by his owne force alone, wrought wonders. IOSVE had the strength of many soldiers vnder him but SAMSON had it in him, and could alone per­forme as much, as IOSVE together with many sol­diers. Holy loue is excellent in both these wayes: for finding some vertues in a soule (and ordinarily it finds at least Faith, Hope, and Penance) it quic­kens, commands, and happily imployes them in God's seruice: and for the rest of the vertues which it finds not, it performes their worke all alone, hauing more strength alone, then they haue all together.

3. The great Apostle doth not onely saie, that Charitie giues vs Patience, Benignitie, Constan­cie, Simplicitie: but he saieth, that Charitie it selfe is patient, benigne, constant: And it is the propertie of the supreame vertues amongst men and Angels, not onely to direct the inferiour ver­tues in their operations, but also to be able them­seues to doe what they command others. The Bishope giues the charge of all the Ecclesiasticall functions; to open the Church, to reade, exercise, preach, baptize, sacrifice, communicate and ab­solue therein; and he himselfe also cā doe, and doth all this, hauing in himselfe an eminent vertue which comprehends all the inferiour vertues. So S. THOMAS, vpon that which S. PAVLE assures vs, to wit, that Charitie is patient, benigne, strong; Charitie saieth he, doth doe and accomplish the works of all the vertues. And S. AMBROSE wri­ting to DEMETRIAS, cals Patience and the rest of the vertues, members of Charitie. And the glo­rious [Page 692] S. AVGVSTINE saieth, that the Loue of GOD comprehends all the vertues, and doth all their o­perations in vs: heare his words, That we saie that vertue is deuided into foure, (he meanes the foure Cardinall vertues) we saie it, in my opinion, by reason of the diuers affections which proceede from Loue. So that I would make no doubt to de­fine those foure vertues thus: Temperance is a Loue which giues it selfe entirely vnto God: For­titude is a Loue which doth willingly support all things for Gods sake: Iustice is a Force which serues God onely, and therefore disposeth iustly of all that belong vnto man: Prudence is a Loue that makes choice of things proper to vnite it selfe vnto God, and reiect such things as are contrarie to it. He therefore that hath Charitie, hath his soule inuested with a faire wedding garment, which like vnto that of IOSEPH, is wrought with the varietie of vertues: or rather it hath a perfe­ction which containes the vertue of all the perfe­ctions, and the perfection of all the vertues: whence Charitie is patient and benigne: She is not enuious, but bashfull; she commits no leuities, but is prudent; she is not puffed vp with pride, but is humble; she is not ambitious or disdainefull, but amiable and affable; she is not eager in ex­acting that which belongs vnto her, but free and condescending. She is not irritated but is pea­ceable. She thinkes of no euill, but is gentle; She doth not reioyce in euill, but in the truth, and with the truth; she suffers all, she easily beleeues all the good which one can tell her, without all headinesse, contention, or diffidence: [Page 693] She hath a firme hope of her neighbours good without euer distrusting to procure his saluation, she sustaines euery thing, expecting in peace that which is promised her: And in conclusion, Charitie is that pure inflamed gold, which our Sauiour coū ­selled the Bishope of Laodicea to buy, containing the price of all things, and which cā doe, and doth all things.

That vertues haue their worth from sacred Loue. CHAPTER IX.

1. CHaritie is then the band of perfection, since in it all the perfections of the soule are assembled and contained, and without it, one cānot onely not haue the full assemblie of vertues, but euen not so much as the perfection of any one of them. If the cemente and morter which should tie together the stones in the wall be awanting, the whole edifice goes to wrake. Were it not for the nerues, muskles, and sinewes, the whole bo­die would be entirely defeated: and without Cha­ritie the vertues can neuer stand together. Our Sauiour doth still tie the performance of the com­mandements to Charitie. He that hath my Com­mandements, saieth he, and doth obserue them, he it is that loues me: He that loues me not, keepes not my C [...]mmandements. He that loues me, will obserue my words: which, the disciple whom our Sauiour loued repeating; he that ob­serues the Commandements of God, saieth he, the Charitie of God is perfect in him; and this is the Charitie of God, that we keepe his Commande­ments. [Page 694] And he that had all vertues, would keepe all the Commandements: for he that loued the vertue of Religion, would keepe the three first Commandements: He that had Pietie, would ob­serue the fourth: He that had the vertue of mild­nesse and gentlenesse, would obserue the fift: by the vertue of Charitie, one would obserue the sixt: by Liberalitie, one would auoyd the breach of the seauenth: by Truth, one would effect the eight: by frugalitie and puritie, one would obserue the ninth, and tenth. And if without Charitie we cannot keepe the Commandements, much lesse can we without her, haue all the other vertues.

2. True it is, one may haue some one vertue, and liue some small time without offending God, though he want Charitie: But euen as we some­times see trees rooted out of the ground, growe as it were, yet fadingly, and for a short time; so a heart seperated from Charitie, may indeede bring forth some acts of vertue, but that cannot conti­new for any long time.

3. All vertues separated from Charitie are im­perfect, since they are not able without it, to ar­riue at their end, which is Beatitude. Bees in their birth, are little groubs and wormes, without feete wings, forme or fashion: in tract of time they change and become little flies; but afterwards waxing strong, and being come to their groth, then they are saied to be perfect and accomplish't Bees, as being furnished of all necessaries to flie abrode and make honie. Vertues haue their be­ginnings, their progresse, and their perfection; and I doe not denie but without Charitie, they [Page 695] may both be borne, and growe, but that they should come to their perfection and beare the name of formed, fashioned, and accomplished vertues, is a worke of Charitie, which giues them the force to flie home to God, to gather vp his mercy, the honie of true merite, and the sanctification of the heart wherein they are found.

4. Charitie is amongst the vertues, as the Sūne amongst the Starrs, she distributs to them all their luster and Beautie. Faith, Hope, Feare and Penance doe ordinarily come before as Herbin­gers to take vp her Lodging in the soule; and vpō her arriuall they with all the traine of vertues, doe obeye and waite vpon her; and she with her presence doth animate, adorne and quicken them all.

5. The other vertues, can mutually aide and ex­cite one another in their labours and exercises: for who sees not, that Chastitie doth call vpon and stirre vp sobrietie; and that obedience doth moue vs to liberalitie, Praier, and humilitie? Now by this communication which they haue amongst themselues, they participate one of anothers per­fections: for Chastitie kept by obedience, hath a double dignitie, its owne, and that of obedience; yea it hath euen more of the dignitie of obedience then of its owne: for, as ARISTOTLE saieth, he that robbeth, to th'end he may commite fornication, is more a Fornicatour then a Thiefe, because for­nication was his affection's onely ayme, he made vse of stelth onely as of a passage thither: euen so he that keepes his chastitie through obedience is [Page 696] more obedient then Chast, since he makes Cha­stitie serue obedience: howbeit from the mix­ture of Chastitie and obedience a perfect and ac­complished vertue cannot issue, being they both want their last perfection which is Charitie; so that if it were possible, that all the vertues were put in one man, and that he wanted onely Chari­tie, this assemblie of vertues, should indeede be a most perfect, and compleate bodie in all its mem­bers, as Adams was, when God with his omnipo­tēt hand had formed him of the slime of the earth: yet should it be a bodie, wanting motion, life and grace, till God breathed into it the breath of life, that is, holy Charitie, without which nothing doth profit vs.

6. For the rest, the perfectiō of diuine Loue is so soueraigne that it doth perfect all the vertues, and can receiue no perfection from them; no not by obedience it selfe which yet is that, which is most able to giue perfection to the rest: For although loue be commanded, and that in louing we exer­cise obedience, yet so, that loue drawes not its perfection from obedience, but from the good­nesse of that which it loueth, loue not being there­fore excellent because it is obedient, but because it loues an excellent Goop. Truely in louing we obeye, as also in obeying we loue; but that this o­bedience is so extreamely louely, is because it tends to the excellencie of Loue, nor doth its excellen­cie consist in this, that in louing we obeye, but in this, that in obeying we loue. So that euen as God is as well the last end of all that is good, as the first beginning: euē so Loue that is the source [Page 697] of euery good affection, is likewise the last end and perfection therof.

A digression vpon the imperfection of the Pagans vertues. CHAPTER. X.

1. THe auncient SAGES of the world, made of old, glorious discourses in the honour of morall vertues, yea euen in the behalfe of Reli­gion; but that which Plutarke obserued in the Stoicks, is yet more proper for the rest of the Pa­gans. We see ships, quoth he, which beare famous inscriptions. Some are called VICTORIE, others THE VALOVROVS, others THE SVNNE, yet are they not for all that, exempt from their subiection to the winds and waues: So the Stoicks bragged that they were exempt from passions; that they were without Feare, Griefe or Anger; being people im­moueable, and vnuariable, yet are they in effect subiect to troubles, disquiets, boisterousnesse and other impertinences.

2. I beseech you for Gods loue THEO: what vertues could those people haue, who voluntarily, and of set purpose ouerthrew all the lawes of Religiō. SENECA wrote a booke against Superstitiō, wherein he reprehēds the Pagā impietie with a great deale of libertie: But this libertie saieth S. AVGVSTINE was foūd in his writings, not in his life, since he adui­sed that in affection one should reiect superstition, [Page 698] yet practise it in action, for marke his words: Which superstitions the Sage shall obserue, as commanded by the law, not as gratefull to the Gods. How could they be vertuous, who, as S. AVGVSTINE relates, were of opinion that the wise­man was to kill himselfe, when he could not, or ought not longer to endure the calamities of this life, and yet would not professe that calamities were miserable, nor miseries full of calamities, but maintained that the wiseman was continually hap­pie, and his life blessed? ô what a blessed life, saith S. AVGVSTINE, which to flie, we flie to death? If it be blessed, why doe you not remaine in it? So that Captaine of the Stoicks (who was so greartly ex­tolled amongst those cruell and profane people, for hauing slaine himselfe in Vtica, to auoyd a cala­mitie which he reputed vnworthy of his life) per­formed it with so little true vertue, that, as S. AVGVSTINE saieth, he did not testifie that he had a courage that would eschew dishonour, but a weake soule, which had not the heart, to expect aduersitie. For if he reputed it a dishonorable thinge to liue vnder Caesars cōmand, why had he commanded to hope in Caesars mercy? why did he not aduise his sonne to die with him, if death were better ād more honorable then life? He killed him­selfe then, because he either enuyed Caesar the glo­rie to haue power to pardō him, or for that he ap­prehended it a disgrace to liue vnder a Conquerour that he hated: wherein he may be commended for a stout and bigge heart, yet not for a wise, vertuous and stayed Spirit. The crueltie which is exercised out of choler in cold blood, is the most cruell of [Page 699] all: it is the like in despaire; for the most slow, de­liberate, and resolute, is the lest excusable, and the most desperate. And as for LVCRECIA (that we may not forget the vallour of the lesse vallourous Sexe) Either she was chast, when TARQVINIVS did force and violate her, or she was not: If LVCRECIA was not chast, why is the chastitie of Lucrecia commended? If Lucrecia were chast and vnspot­ted in that occurrence, was it not an vnworthy fact in Lucrecia, to murther the innocent Lucrecia? If she were adulterious, why so much extolled? If honest, why was she slaine I But she dreaded dishonour and reproch from such as might haue thought that the dishonour which she suffered by force, while yet she liued had bene willingly suf­fered, if she had after daigned to liue. She was afraied the world would iudge that she complied with the sinne, if that which was villanously cō ­mitted against her, had bene patiently supported by her. And must we then to auoyd shame and re­proch, which depends vpon the opinion of men, oppresse the innocent, and kill the iust? must we maintaine honour at vertues [...]ost and reputation, with hazard of iniustice? Such were the vertues of the most vertuous Pagans towards God, and to­wards themselues.

3. Touching the vertues that belong to our neighbours, euen by their lawes they trod them shamefully vnder foote, yea the principall of them, Pietie: For Aristotle the greatest wit a­mongst them, doth pronounce this most hor­rible and violent sentence. Touching the expo­sing, that is, the abandoning of children, or their [Page 700] education, let this be the law: that nothing is to be kept, that is depriued of any member; touching other children, if they be prohibited by the lawes and customes of the Citie to forsake their chil­dren, and that the numbers of any ones children doe so encrease on him, that he hath more by halfe then his meanes will keepe, he is to preuēt, and to procure an aborsement. Seneca, that so re­nowned a wise man, we kill monsters, saieth he, and such of our children, as are manke, weaklings, imperfect, or mōstrous we reiect and abandone. So that it is not without cause, that Tertullian doth reproch the Romans with the exposing of their children to the mercy of the waters, to the cold, to famine, to dogs, and this also not by the extreamitie of want: for as he saieth, the Presi­dents and Magistrats themselues practised this vn­naturall crueltie. ô good God, THEO: what kind of vertuous men were these? And what was their wisdome, who taught a wisdome so cruell and bru­tall? Alas, saied the great Apostle, thinking themselues wise, they became senselesse, and their foolish heart hath bene darkened, and deliuered vp into a reprobate sense. Ah what a horrour it is, that so great a Philosopher should aduise aborse­ment! It is a forerunning of manslaughter, saieth Tertullian, to hinder a child conceiued to be borne, and S. Ambrose reprehending the Pagans for this barbarousnesse, they depriue by this meanes, saieth he, their children of life, before they are yet possessed of it.

4. And if the Pagās haue at any time practised any vertues, it was most ordinarily, in regard of word­ly [Page 701] glorie, and consequently they had onely ver­tue in action, but neither the motiues nor intētion thereof; nor is vertue true vertue, vnlesse it haue a right intention. The Pagans force was built vpon humane auarice, saieth the Councell of Aur: but the strength of Christians is established by hea­uenly charitie: The Pagans vertues, saieth S. AV­GVSTINE, were not true, but onely resembled Truth; as not hauing bene practised to their true end, but for pretentions that vanish away. FA­BRITIVS shall be lesse punished then CATAZINE, not that he was good, but because this was worse; Not that FABRITIVS had any true vertues, but be­cause he was not so farre distant from them. So that the Pagans vertues at the day of Iudgment will be a kind of defence to them, not that they can be saued thereby, but that they may be lesse dāned: one vice was blotted out by another amongst the Pa­gans, one vice making place to another, without leauing any place at all to vertue. And out of vaine glorie onely, they repressed auarice, and many other vices, yea sometimes through vanitie, they despised vanitie; wherevpon one of them who see­med to be least vaine, trampled with his feete Plato's finely made bed▪ what dost thou DIOGENES, saied PLATO vnto him? I tread vnder foote Plato's pride, quoth he; It is true, replyed PLATO, thou treadst vpon it, but with another pride. Whether SENECA was vaine, may be gathered out of his last words: for the end crownes the worke, and the last houre iudgeth all: ô what vanitie! being at the point of death, he saied vnto his friends, that be could not till now sufficiently thanke them, a [...] [Page 702] that therefore he would leaue them a Legacie, part of that which was most gracious and excellent in him, and which, if they carefully kept, they should receiue great honour by it; adding, that this magnificent Legacie, was no other thinge, then the picture of his life. Doe not you marke, THEO: how his last breathing stinke of vanitie? It was not the loue of honestie, but the loue of honour which pricked forward those wise worldlings to the exercise of vertue, and indeede their vertues were as different from true vertues, as the honour of honestie, and the loue of merite is different from the Loue of reward. Those that serue their Prince for their owne interest, doe ordinarily per­forme their dutie with more solicitude, ardour, and feeling; but such as serue out of Loue, doe it more nobly, generously, and therefore more worthily.

4. Carbunckles and Rubies are called by the grecians by two contrarie names, to wit [...], and [...], that is, of fire ād without fire, or else, inflamed, and without flame. They call them fi­rie, of fire, burning coles, or Carbunkles, because in light and splendour they resemble fire; but they are called without flame, or if we may so saie, vn­flamie, because their light is not onely no wayes hote, but they are not euen capable of heate, there being [...]o fire that can heate them. So did our old F [...]rthers terme the Pagan vertues, VERTVES, and [...]OT-VERTVES both together; Vertues, because they carried the luster and apparence of vertues, NOT-VERTVES, because they wanted not onely the vitall [...]eate of the Loue of God, which alone could per­fect [Page 703] them, but they were not euen capable of it, because they were in subiects wanting faith; there being in those times, saieth S. AVGVSTINE, two Romans famous for their vertue, CAESAR and CA­TO; Cato's vertue came much neerer to the true vertue, then Caesars did: and hauing saied in some passage, that the Philosophers who were destitute of true pietie, had yet shined in the light of vertue, he doth vnsaie it in the first booke of his Retrac­tations, esteeming that, too great a praise to be giuen to imperfect vertues, as those of the Pagans were: which in truth, are like vnto shining night wormes, that shine onely by night, and the day being come, loose their light. For euen so those Pagan vertues are onely vertues in comparison of vice, but in respect of true Christian vertues, doe not at all deserue the name of vertue.

6. Yet whereas they containe some good, they may be compared to greene Aples; for both their colour, and that substance which is left them, is as good as that of entire vertues, but the worme of of vanitie which is in the midst of them, spoyles all; and therefore he that would make profit of them, must culle out the good from the bad. I will easily grant, THEO: that CATO had a resolute courage, and that this resolutnesse was laudable in it selfe, but he that would make profit of his example, it must be in a iust and laudable subiect, not by slaughtering himselfe but by suffering death, when true vertue shall exact it: not by the vanitie of glorie, but by the glorie of veritie: as it happened to our Martyrs, who with inuincible courages, did so many miracles of constancie and [Page 704] resolution, that those CATO'S, HORACES, SENE­CA'S, and LVCRECE'S, are in comparison, worthy of no consideration, witnesse those LAVRENCES, VINCENTS, VITALISES, ERASMVSSES, EVGENIASE'S, SEBASTIANS, AGATHAS, AGNESES, CATHARINS, PERPETVAS, FELICITES, SYMPHOROSAS, NA­TALESES, and a thousand thousand others, who make me dayly admire the Admirours of Pagan vertues: not so much in that they doe inordinatly admire the imperfect vertues of the Pagans, as for that they doe not admire the most perfect vertues of the Christians: vertues a thousand times worthy of admiration, and they alone are worthy of imitation.

How humaine actions are without worth, being without Gods Loue. CHAPTER. XI.

1. THe great friend of God ABRAHAM, had one­ly by SARA his principall wife, his most one­ly deare Isaac, who also, was his onely vniuersall Heire: and though he had Ismael by AGAR, and diuers other children by CETVRA his seruants and lesse principall wiues, yet bestowed he vpon them certaine presents onely and Legacies, whereby to put them off and disinherite them, because not being allowed off by his cheife wife, they could not be his successours: Now they were not allo­wed, because, as for the children of CETVRA, they were all borne after SARA'S decease; and concer­ning [Page 705] Ismael, though his mother Agar, conceiued him by the permission of SARA her Mistresse, how­beit, perceiuing her selfe with child, she despised her, and brought not forth this child vpon her knees, as Bala brought forth hers vpon Rachel's. THEO: the onely children, that is, the onely acts of holy Charitie are God's Heires, Coheires with IESVS CHRIST; and the children, or the acts of which the other vertues conceiue and bring forth vpon her knees, by her command, or at least, vn­der the winges and fauour of her presence: But when morall vertues, yea euen supernaturall ver­tues, doe produce their actions in the absence of Charitie, as they doe amongst Schismatikes, ac­cording to S. AVGVSTINS relation, and some­times amongst euill Catholikes, they are of no va­lue towards the purchace of Paradice, no not euen Almes deedes, though we should distribute therein all out Substance to the poore: Nor yet Martyrdome, though we should deliuer our bodie to the fire to be burnt. No THE: without Charitie, saith the Apostle, all this were worth nothīg, as we will more amply shew hereafter. Now againe, the will doth sometimes prooue disobediēt to her mi­stresse which is Charitie in the production of mo­rall vertues, to wit, when as by pride, vanitie, tem­porall respects, or by some other bad motiue, the vertues are turn'd out of their owne nature: and then those actions are reiected, and banished, out of ABRAHAMS house, and from Sara's companie, that is, they are depriued of the fruit and priui­ledges of Charitie, and consequently are left with­out worth or merite. For those actions, strayned [Page 706] in that sort, with bad intentions, are indeede more vicious then vertuous, hauing onely vertue on their outside, their interiour belonging to vice, which serues them for a motiue, witnesse the fa­stings, offerings, and other actions of the Pha­risie.

2. But furthermore, as the Israelits liued pea­ceably in Egipt, during Iosephs life time and the life time of LEVI, and presently after the death of LEVI, were tyrannically reduced into seruitude, whence the Iewes tooke their Prouerbe. ONE OF THE BROTHERS BEING DECEASED, THE OTHERS ARE OPPRES'T, as it is registred in the Hebrewes great Chronologie, which was published by the learned Archbishop of Aix Gilbert Genebrard whom to his honour I name with consolation, whose scholler I was, though an vnprofitable one while he was the king's reader at Paris, and expli­cated the Canticle of Canticles; so the merits and and fruits as well of morall as Christian vertues, doe in a most sweete tranquillitie subsist in the soule, while sacred Charitie liues ād raignes there­in; but as soone as heauenly loue dies, all the me­rits and fruits of other vertues doe also die vpon it, and these are they which the Diuines call DEAD WORKES, for that hauing beene borne aliue vnder charities protection, and as an­other Ismael, in Abrahams house, they doe after­wards loose life and the right of inheritance, by the disobedience and rebellion which proceeded from their mother, the will

3. O God THEO: what a misfortune it is, if the iust man forsake his Iustice, and turne to iniquitie, [Page 707] his workes of iustice shall be no longer held in me­morie; he shall die in this sinne, saieth our Lord in Ezechiel; so that mortall sinne, doth ouerthowe all the merite of vertues: for touching those which are practised while sinne raignes in the soule, they are borne so dead that they are vnprofitable for euer to the pretentiō of life euerlasting; and as for those that were practised before the sinne was commit­ted, that is while sacred loue liued in the soule, their value and merite doth perish and die iust vpō its arriuall, not being able to conserue life after Charities death who gaue them life. The Lake which profane authours doe commonly call As­phalitus, and sacred authours MARE-MORTVVM, hath so heauie a curse put vpon it, that nothing that is put into it can liue; when the fish of Ior­daine doe come neere it, they die, vnlesse they speedily returne backe against the streame: The trees vpon the brims of it, produce nothing aliue and though their fruit be in apparance, and aut­ward shew like to the fruits of other countries; howbeit when on puls them, they are found to be skinne and core, being full of asshes which flie away in the wind. These be the markes of infa­mous sinns, for the punishment whereof, this Coūtrie which was peopled with three populous Cities was of old conuerted into a pit of filth and corruption; and nothing was deamed better to re­present the mischeife of sinne then this abomina­ble Lacke which had its origine from the most exe­crable disorder that could be cōmitted by mans bodie. Sinne therefore, as a dead and mortall sea, kills all that comes neere it; nothing is found li­uing [Page 708] in the soule which it possesseth, nor all about it. O God, THEO: nothing: for sinne is not onely a dead worke, but is withall so infections and ve­nimous, that the most excellent vertues of the sin­full soule doe produce no liuing action; And though the actions of sinners haue oftentimes a great resemblance with those of the iust man, yet are they indeede barkes onely stuffed with wind and dust, whē they are truely looked into, and are rewarded of God onely by some present benefits, which are bestowed vpō thē as vpon the chamber­maids children, yet are they such barkes, as nei­ther are, nor can be so tasted and relished by the Diuine Iustice, as to be rewarded with an eternall crowne: they die vpon the trees, and cannot be conserued in the hand of God, being voyd of true worth, as it is saied in the Apocalypse to the Bishop of Sardis, who was reputed a liuing tree, by reason of diuers vertues which he practised, and yet dead he was, for that being in sinne, his ver­tues were not true liuing fruits, but dead barkes; glorious to the eyes, but no wayes sauorie to the palate, so that we may all cast out this true voice following the holy Apostle; without Charitie, I am nothing, nothing doth profit me: and with S. AVGVSTINE saie; Giue Charitie to a heart, and all doth profit, depriue it of Charitie, and nothing doth profit it, I meane towards life euerlasting: for as we haue saied, the vertuous works of sin­ners are profitable to our temporall life. But my deare THEO: what doth it profit a man to gaine all the world temporally, if he loose his soule eter­nally.

How holy Loue returning into the soule, doth reuiue all the works which sinne had slayne. CHAPTER. XII.

1. THe works then of a sinner, while he is de­priued of Charitie, are not profitable to e­ternall life; and therevpon they are called dead works: whereas contrariwise the good works of the iust man, are saied to be liuing: for that the Diuine Loue doth animate and quicken them with its dignitie. And if afterwards they loose their life and worth by sinne, they are held to be workes that are deaded, extinguished or mortified onely, but not quite deade, especially in the Elect: for as our Sauiour, speaking of the little Tabitha Iarus his daughter, said she was not dead, but slept onely, because she continued dead so small a time till she was resuscitated, that it seemed rather to be a sleepe then a true death. So the works of the iust man, but especially of the elect, who by the commission of sinne dyeth, are not called dead works, but onely deaded, mortified, stounded or put into a trance, because, vpon the next returne of holy Loue, they either ought, or at least may reuiue and returne to life againe. Sinn's returne, depriues the soule and all her workes of life; the returne of Grace doth restore life to the soule and all her actions. A sharpe winter doth dead all the [Page 710] plants of the fields, so that if it continued still, they would still continew in the state of death. Sinne, the sad and daunting winter of the soule, doth quayle all the holy workes that it finds there in, and if it did alwayes continew, neuer would any thing recouer either life or vigour. But as in the returne of the pleasant spring, not onely the seedes which are sowē, by the helpe of this delight­full and fruitfull season, doe gratefully bud and blossome, euery one in his kind, but euen the old plants, which the rigour of the winter past had bitten, withered and deaded, waxe greene, and doe resume new force, vertue and life. So sinne being blotted out, and the grace of Diuine Loue returning into the soule, the new affections, which this spring of grace doth bring, doe blossome, and bring forth ample merites and blessings; but the works that are dried vp, and withered by the ri­gour of the winter of sinns ouer passed, as being deliuered from their mortall enemye, resume their force, waxe strong, and as risen from the dead, they florish a new, and store vp merits for the e­ternall life. Such is the omnipotencie of Diuine Loue, or the Loue of the Diuine omnipotencie. If the impious turne away himselfe from his im­pietie and shall doe iudgement and iustice, he shall viuificate his soule; conuert and doe penance for all your iniquities, and iniquitie shall not be a ruine vnto you, saieth our Lord. And what is that, iniquitie shall not be a ruine vnto you, but that the ruine which it made shall be repaired? So besides a thousand courtisies that the prodigall sonne receiued at his Fathers hands, he was reesta­blished, [Page 711] euen with aduantage in all his ornaments, graces, fauours, and dignities which he had lost. And IOB that innocent picture of a penitent sinner did in the end receiue the double of that which he had. Verily it is the Councell of Trēts desire, that we should encourage the penitents that are retur­ned into fauour with God allmightie, in these words of the Apostle. Abound in euery good worke, knowing that your labour is not vnpro­fitable in our Lord; for God is not vniust to forget your worke, and the Loue which you haue show­en in his name. God then doth not forget the works of those, who by sinne hauing lost loue, recouers it againe by penance. Now God is saied to forget our workes, whē they loose their merite and sanctitie by sinne committed, and he remem­bers them, when they returne to life and vigour by the presence of holy Loue. So that amongst the faithfull, it is not necessarie to the reward of their good works, (as well by the encrease of grace and future glorie, as by the enioying of life euer­lasting in effect) that one fall not into sinne; but it is sufficient according to the Councell of Trent, that one depart this life in God's grace and cha­ritie.

2. God hath promised an eternall reward to the works of a iust man, but if the iust man turne from his iustice by sinne, God will no longer re­member the iustice and good works which he hath done. But yet if this poore fallen man, doe afterwards rise and returne into Gods grace by penance, God will thinke no more of his sinne, and not remembring his sinne, he will turne mind­full [Page 712] of his former good works, and of the reward which he promised them, since sinne, which alone had blotted them out of the diuine memorie is wholy raysed out, abolished, annihilated: so that in that case God's Iustice doth oblige his Mercy, or rather his Mercy, doth enforce his Iustice, to looke a new vpon their precedent good works, euē as though he had neuer forgottē thē, otherwise the sacred penitent had not dared to saie to his Maister; render vnto me the ioye of thy saluation, and confirme me with thy principall spirit; for as you see he doth not onely require a newnesse of heart and spirit, but he pretends, to haue the ioye rendred vnto him, which sinne had bereft him off. Now this ioye is no other thing then the wine of heauenly Loue which doth reioyce mans heart.

3. It fares not alike with sinne in this behalfe, as with the workes of charitie: for the iust mans workes are not blotted out, abolished, or anni­hilated by the commission of sinne, but are onely forgotten: marry the sinnes of the wicked are not onely forgotten but are euen raysed out, clenged abolished, and annihilated by holy penāce: where­vpon the sinne that is committed by the iust man, doth not cause the sinne that was once pardoned, to liue againe, because it was entirely annihilated: But when loue returnes into the penitent soule, it makes her former good works returne to life a­gaine, because they were not abolished but onely forgotten. And this obliuion of the works of the iust man who hath forsaken his iustice and chari­tie, consisteth in this, that it made them vnprofi­table, [Page 713] while sinne made him vncapable of eternal life, which is their fruit; and therefore as soone as by the returne of Charitie, he is rancked againe with the childen of God, and thereby made ca­pable of immortall glorie, God recals to mind his auncient good works, and they become a­gaine fruitfull. It were not reasonable that sinne should haue as much power ouer Charitie, as Cha­ritie hath against sinne: For sinne is an issue of our infirmitie, Charitie proceedes from God's power. If sinne abound in malice to ruinate vs, Grace doth superabound to worke the reparation: and God's Mercy, by which he blots out sinne, doth rayse it selfe continually, and becomes gloriously triumphant ouer the rigour of Iudgement where­by God had forgotten the good workes which went before sinne. In this sort, in the corporall cures which our Sauiour did by miracle, he did not onely restore health, but withall added new benedictions, making the cure farre passe the de­sease, so bountifull is he to man.

4. I neuer saw, red, nor heard that waspes, oxe­bees, flies, and such other little hurtfull creatures, being once dead, did reuiue and returne to life, againe; but that the vertuous and harmelesse honie Bee can rise againe, it is a common report, and I haue often red it. It is saied, (these are Plinies words) that if one keepe the dead bodies of the drowned bees all the winter with in the house, and expose thē to the sunne beames the spring fol­lowing, couered ouer with ashes of the figue tree they will rise againe, and be as good as euer. That iniquities and sinfull workes cā returne to life, after [Page 714] they haue once bene drowned and abolished by penance, truly my THEO: neuer, for as muche as I know, did the Scripture, or any Diuine saie it; yea the contrarie is authorised by holy writ, and by the common consent of Doctours. But that good works, which, like vnto the sweete Bee, doe compound the honie of merite, being drowned in sinne, can afterwards regaine life, when couered with the ashes of penance, they are expo­sed to the sunne of grace and Charitie, is held and cleartly taught by all the Diuines: nor are we to doubt but that they become profitable and fruit­full, as before. When Nabuzardan destroyed Hie­rusalem, and Israel was led in captiuitie, the holy fire of the Altar was hid in a well, where it was turned into mud, but this mud, being drawen out of the well and exposed to the sunne, after their returne from Captiuitie, the dead fire kindled a­gaine, and the mud was turned into flames. When the iust man is made slaue to sinne, all the works of his life, are miserably forgotten, and turnd into durt, but being deliuered out of Captiuitie, to wit, when by penance, he returnes into grace with heauenly Charitie, his former good works are drawen out of the well of obliuion, and tou­ched with the raves of heauenly mercy, they re­turne to life, and are conuerted into as cleare flames as euer, to be sacrificed on the sacred Altar of the diuine approbation, and to be restored a­gaine to their wonted dignitie, price, and value.

How we are to reduce all the exercise of all the vertues, and all our actions to holy Loue. CHAPTER. III.

1. BRute beastes though they know not the end of their actions, doe indeede tend to their end, but pretend it not: for to pretend, is to tend to a thing by purpose, before we tend to it in ef­fect. They cast, as it were, their actions towards their end, yet forecast they not, but follow their instinct, without election or intention. But man is Maister in such sort ouer his humane and rea­sonable actions, that in them all, he proposeth some end, and can direct them, to one, or many particular ends, as he pleaseth: for he can change the naturall end of an action, as when he sweares to deceiue another, whereas contrariwise the end of an oath, is to hinder deceite. He can also adde another end, to the naturall end of an action, as when, besides the intention of succouring of the needie, which is the end of Almes-deedes, he adds the intention of obliging the needie to render him like for like.

2. Now we adde sometimes a lesse perfect end, thē is the end of our actiō; sometimes we adde an end of equall or like perfectiō, sometimes also an end that is more high and eminent: for besides the assistāce of the poore, which is the principall ēd of Almes-deedes, may not one pretend 1. to gaine his [Page 716] affection, 2. to edifie his neighbour, 3. to please God, which are three diuers ends, whereof the first is the least, the second is not much better, the third farre exceeding the common end of almes deeds? So that as you see, we haue power di­uersly to perfect our actions, according to the varietie of motiues, ends, and intentions which we haue in doing them.

3. Be good Exchangers saieth our Sauiour. Let vs be carefull therefore, THEO: not to change the motiues, and ends of our actions but for our profit ād aduātage, ād to doe nothing in this trafike, but by good order and reason. Behold for exāple, this or that man, who takes vpon him publike seruice, and withall pretends honour, if his pretention be more to honour himselfe then to serue the com­mon wealth, or whether his pretention be equall in them both, he doth amisse, and is indeede ambitious. For he ouerthrowes the order of reasō, in either preferring or equalizing his owne inter­est with a publike good: But if his principall ēd be the publike good, and yet withall he haue a desire thereby to aduance the honour of his familie, ve­rily one knowes not how to blame him; not one­ly because both his pretentions are honest, but are also well ordered. Some will communicate at Easter, that they may not be blamed by their neighbours, and withall to obeye God, who can doubt but they doe well? But if they communi­cate equally, or more to auoyd blame, then to obeye God, who can also doubt but they doe im­pertinently in equalizing or preferring, humane respects, before the obedience which they owe to [Page 717] God. One may fast in Lent, either by Charitie to please God, or by obedience, because it is a pre­cept of the Church; or else for sobrieties sake, or out of diligence to studie better, or through pru­dence, to spare somewhat for some other neces­sitie; by chastitie to th'end I might tame my bodie; or out of religion, the better to praie. Now if I please, I may make a collection of all these intentions, and fast for them all together: But in this case, there must be good gouernment vsed, to order these motiues. For if I fast rather out of a sparing humour, then for obedience to the Church: rather that I may studie well, then to please God: who doth not see that I confound right, and order, preferring myne owne interest before the obedience due to the Church, or Gods pleasure? To fast to spare, is good: To fast to obeye the Church, is better, to fast to please God is best: and though it seeme that of three goods, one cannot compose a bad thing; yet he that should displace them, preferring the worse before the better, should without doubt cōmite a blame worthy disorder.

4. He that inuites but one of his friends, doth in no wise offend the rest: but if he inuite them all, and yet giue the greatest respect to the least, draw­ing the most honorable to the lowest end, doth he not offend both those and these? these because he doth depresse them against reason: those, be­cause he makes fooles of them. So to doe an action for one onely reasonable motiue, be it neuer so little, reason is not offended at it; but he that will haue many motiues, he is to ranke them accor­ding [Page 718] to their qualities, otherwise he sinneth: for disorder is a sinne, as sinne is a disorder. He that desires to please both God and our B. Ladie doth excellent well; but he that would please our Bles­sed Ladie, as much, or more then God [...]hould commit an insupportable disorder; and one might saie to him, as was saied to Cain, Though you of­fered well, yet you diuided ill, leaue off, you haue sinned. Euery end must haue its right place. And consequently the end of louing God, the soue­raigne place.

5. Now the soueraigne motiue of our actions, which is that of heauenly loue, hath this soue­raigne propertie, that being more pure, it makes the action which proceedes from it more pure; so that the Angels and Saints of Heauen loue no­thing for any other pretention, then for the loue of the Diuine goodnesse, and with intention to please. True it is, they exercise a most ardent mu­tuall loue amongst themselues, as they also loue vs, and the vertues, but all this, purely to please God. They follow and practise vertues not for that they are faire and delightfull, but because they are agreeable to God: They loue their owne feli­citie, not because it is in them, but for that it plea­seth God. Yea verily they loue the Loue, with which they loue God; not because it is in thē, but for that it tends to God; not because it is gustfull to themselues, but because it is pleasant to God; not because they enioye and possesse it, but be­cause God giues it them, and delightes himselfe in it.

The practise of that which hath bene saied in the precedent chapter. CHAPTER. XIV

1. LEt vs striue therefore, THEO: to purifie all our intentions, and since we may, if we list, grace all the actions of vertue with the sacred mo­tiues of Diuine Loue, why shall we not doe it reie­cting, as occasion requires, all kind of vicious mo­tiues, as vaine glorie, and proper interest? and Let vs consider all the good motiues, which we may haue to vndertake the present action, that we may choose the motiue of holy Loue, which is the most excellent of all, to water, moisten all the other with it: for example, if I desire vallourously to expose my selfe to the danger of warre, I may put it in execution, in consideration of diuers motiues; for the naturall motiue of this action, is that of strength and vallour, which moues vs reasonably to vndertake dangerous exploits: yet besides this I may haue diuers other motiues, as that of obeying the Prince, whom I serue; the loue of the common wealth; that of magnanimitie, which makes me delight my selfe in the greatnesse of this action. Now comming to the deede doing, I put my selfe vpon the foreseene perill, for all these motiues together. But to raise them all to the degree of Diuine Loue, and perfectly to purifie them, I will [Page 720] pronounce in my soule from my very heart, ô e­ternall God, who art the most deare Loue of my affections, if vallour, obedience to my Prince, Loue of my Coūtrie and magnanimitie were not agreea­ble vnto thee, I would neuer follow their motions which now I feele: but whereas these vertues are delightfull vnto thee, I embrace this occasion of putting them in practise: and will no otherwise second their instinct and inclination, then be­cause thou louest, and willest them.

2. You see plainly, THEO: how by this refle­ction of our mind, we perfume all those other mo­tiues with the odour and sweetenesse of holy Loue, since we doe not meerely follow them as they are vertuous motiues, but in qualitie of motiues that are desired, embraced, beloued, and cherished of God. He that steaks wherewithall to be drunke, is more a drunkard then a thiefe, according to Ari­stotle. And he then that doth practise vallour, o­bedience, loue towards his coūtrie, and magnani­mitie to please God, he is more a Diuine Louer, then either valliant, obedient, good Patriote, or magnanimous, because his whole will in that ex­ercise doth aime at, and fall vpon the Loue of God making onely vse of all these motiues, to arriue at this end. We are not wont to saie, we goe to Lyons, but to Paris, while we passe onely by Lions to Paris: nor doe we saie we goe to singe, but to serue God, while we goe not to sing but to th'end to serue God.

3. And if it chance that at sometimes we are tou­ched with particular motiues, as for example, if we should loue Chastitie, by reason of its singular [Page 721] and delightfull puritie, presently vpon this mo­tiue, we must poure out that of holy Loue, in this sort. ô most seemely and delicious candour of cha­stitie, ô how louely thou art, sith thou art so be­loued of the Diuine Goodnesse; and then turning towards the Almightie. Ah! Lord I demand onely one thing of thee, it is that which I aime at in Chastitie to see and practise thy good pleasure in it, and the delightes thou takest therein. And as often as we set vpon the practise of any vertue, we must eftsons saie from our heart, yes eternall Fa­ther I will doe it, because so it was pleasing vnto thee from all eternitie. In this sort we are to ani­mate our actions with Gods good pleasure, louing the decorum and beautie of vertues principally, because they are agreeable to God: For my, deare THEO: there are some men who impotently affect the beautie of certaine vertues, not onely without louing Charitie, but euen with contempt of Cha­ritie. Origin and Tertullian did so affect the pu­ritie of Chastitie, that in it, they violated the grea­test lawes of Charitie, the one choosing to com­mit adolatrie, rather then to endure an horrible vilanie, whereby the Tyrans sought to defile his bodie, the other separating himselfe from the most chast Catholike church his mother, to esta­blish the Chastitie of his wife more according to his owne fantasie. Who knowes not that there were certaine beggars at Lions who, to extoll beggarie excessiuely, turned heretikes, and of beg­gars became vagabund-rogues? who is ignorant of the vanitie of the ENTHOVSIASTES, MESSALIENS, EVCHITISTES, who forsooke Charitie, to brage of [Page 722] their Praier? And were there not Heretikes, who to exalte charitie towards the poore, depressed Charitie towards God, ascribing mans whole sal­uation to Almes-deedes, as S. Augustine doth witenesse? Notwithstanding that the holy Apostle cries out, that though a man giue all his goods to the poore, and haue not Charitie, it profits him nothing.

4. God hath planted the Standart of charitie vpon me, saieth the sacred Sunamite. Loue, THEO: is the Standart in the armie of vertues, all of it is ordered to loue, it is the onely colours vnder which our Sauiour, who is the true Generall of the armie, makes them all sight. Let vs there­fore draw all the vertues to the obedience of Cha­ritie: Let vs loue the vertues in particular, but principally because they are agreeable to God: Let vs loue the more excellēt vertues in a more ex­cellent manner, not in that they are excellent, but because God loues them more excellently: So will holy Loue viuificate all the vertues, making them all louing, louely, and more then louely.

How Charitie containes in it the gift of the holy Ghost. CHAPTER. XV.

1. THat mans heart might easily follow the motions and instincts of reason to attaine the naturall felicitie which it could pretend by li­uing according to the lawes of honestie, it is re­quisite [Page 723] to haue. 1. Temperance, to represse the in­solent motions of sensualitie. 2. Iustice, to render to God, our neighbour, and our selues what is due. 3. Fortitude, to vāquish the difficulties which occurre in doing good, and auoyding euill. 4. Prudence, to decerne what meanes are most pro­per to come vnto good, and to vertue. 5. Science, to know the true good, to which we are to aspire, and the true euill, which we are to flie. 6. Vnder­standing, throughly to penetrate the first and maine grounds, or principles of beautie, and the excellēcie of honestie. 7. and finally, Wisdome, to contemplate the Diuinitie, the prime fountaine of all good. These are the qualities whereby the mind is made milde, obedient, and pliable to the lawes of naturall reason, which is in vs.

2. In like manner the holy Ghost which dwel­leth in vs, to make our soule supple, pliable, and obedient to his heauenly motions, and diuine in­spirations, which are the lawes of his Loue, in the obseruance whereof consisteth the supernaturall felicitie of this presēt life, he bestowes vpō vs seuē proprieties and perfections, almost like to those seuē which we now spoke off, called in in the holy Scripture, and amongst the Diuines, GIFTS OF THE HOLY GHOST.

3. Now, they are not onely inseparable from charitie, but all things considered, and properly speaking, they are the prime vertues, proprieties, and qualities of Charitie. For first, Wisdome, is in effect no other thing, then the loue which ta­steth, relisheth and experiēceth, how sweete ād de­licious God is. The 2. Vnderstāding, is nothīg else, [Page 724] then Loue attentiue to consider and penetraet he beautie of the truthes of Faith, to know there­by God in himselfe, and then, falling from that hight, to consider him in his creatures. 3. Science, on the other side, is no other thing, then the same Loue, which keepes vs hard to the knowledge of our selues and the creatures, to make vs reascend to a more perfect knowledge of the seruice which we owe to God. 4. Counsell is also Loue, in so much, as it makes vs carefull, attentiue, and dex­terous in choosing the meanes, proper to serue God piously. 5. Fortitude is Loue encouraging and animating the heart, to put in execution that which Counsell determined should be done. 6. Pietie is the Loue which doth sweeten labour, and make vs cordially, agreeably, and with a filiall af­fection, imploye our selues in things, which please God, our Father. And 7. to conclud Feare is no other thing then Loue, in so much as it doth make vs flie and auoyd that which is distastfull to the Diuine Maiestie.

4. So, THEO: Charitie shall be another Ia­cobs ladder vnto vs, consisting of the seauen gifts of the holy Ghost, as of so many sacred steps by which, Angelicall men shall ascend from earth to Heauen, to be vnited to the bosome of the Al­mightie; and whereby they shall descend from Heauen to earth, to lend a helping hand to their neighbours, to lead them to Heauen. For in ascē ­ding, vpon the first step, Feare makes vs forsake euill; vpon the 2. Pietie incites vs to doe good; vpon the 3. Science makes vs decerne the good which we are to doe, and the euill which we [Page 725] are to flie; vpon the 4. Fortitude doth encourage vs, against all the difficulties which occurre in our enterprise; vpon the 5. we make choice of conue­nient meanes by Counsell; vpon the 6. we vnite our vnderstanding to God to behold and pene­trate the draughtes of his infinite beautie; and vpō the 7. we ioyne our wills to God to taste and experienee the sweetenesse of his incomprehen­sible goodnesse: for vpon the top of this ladder, God bending towards vs, giues vs the kisse of Loue, and makes vs sucke the sacred dugges of his delight, better then wine.

5. But if after we haue delightfully enioyed these fauours of loue, we desire to returne into the earth, to gaine our neighbour to the same hap­pinesse; from the chiefe and highest step, where we haue filled our will with an ardent Zeale, and haue perfumed our soules with the perfumes of Gods Soueraigne Charitie, we must descend to the second step, where our vnderstanding is en­glightened with an incomparable light, and makes prouision of the most excellent grounds and Ma­ximes, to glorifie the Diuine Beautie and Boun­tie. From thence we passe to the third, where, by the gift of Counsell, we aduise by what meanes we may instill the gust, and true estimation of the Diuine sweetenesse into our neighbours heart. Vpon the 4. we take heart, by the means of holy Fortitude, to surmount the difficulties, which might crosse this designe. Vpon the 5. by the gift of Science we begin to preach, exhorting all men to follow vertue, and flie vice; Vpon the 6. we striue to plant pietie in them, that acknowledging [Page 726] God for their louing father, they may obserue him with a filiall feare. Vpon the last step, we ter­rifie them with Gods iudgments, so that mixing the feare of damnation with a filiall respect, they doe with more feruour forsake the earth, to ascēd to Heauen with vs.

6. Meane while Charitie comprehends these Seuē gifts, ād is like to a faire Lillie, whose flowres are whiter then snow, beset in the midst with fine little Hamma [...]s of the gold of wisdome, which beate into our heart the gusts, and louing tastes of the goodnesse of the Father, our Creatour: of the Mercy of the Sonne, our Redeemour: and of the sweetenesse of the Holy Ghost, our Sanctifier. And I place, as you see, this double Feare vpon the two lowest steps, to reconcile all the tradi­tions, with the holy and sacred vulgare Edition: for it is not without mysterie that the word FEARE is repeated twice; but to shew, that there is a filiall gift of Feare, which is no other thing thē the gift of pietie; and a gift of seruile Feare, which is the be­ginning of our iorney, towards the soueraigne wisdome.

Of the louing feare of sp [...]uses, a continuation of the discourse alreadie begune. CHAPTER. XVI.

1. AH! Brother IONATHAS saied DAVID, thou wast deare to me, aboue the loue of wo­men: [Page 727] as though he had saied, thou didst deserue a greater Loue, then that of wiues towards their husbands. All excellent things are rare. Propose to your selfe, THEO: a spouse with a Columbine heart, which hath the perfectiō of marriage-Loue, the Loue thereof is incōparable; not onely in ex­cellencie but also by reason of a number of singu­lar affections and qualities which doe accompanie it: it is not meerely chast, but shamefast too: it is strong, but gracious with all: It is violent, and yet tender: it is ardent, but respectfull: generous yet fearefull: bold, but obedient, and all its feare is mixed with a delicious confidēce. Such truely is the feare of a soule, endowed with the excel­lencie of Loue: For she hath such assurance in the goodnesse of her spouse, that she feares not the loosing of him; indeede she is afrayed, that she shall not sufficiently enioye his diuine pre­sence, and that some occasion may make him ab­sent himselfe though for an onely moment. She is confident enough neuer to displease him, but she feares she shall not loue him so much as loue requires: Her Loue is too couragious, to enter­taine the lest suspicion, of euer falling into dis­grace with him; but she is withall apprehensiue and fearefull, that she shall not be vnited vnto him, so much as she desires: yea the soule doth sometimes arriue at such a desire of perfection, that she doth not feare but she shall be sufficiently v­nited vnto him, Loue assuring her the continuance thereof: but she feares that this vnion is not so pure, simple, and attentiue as her Loue makes her wish. It is this admiring Louer, who desires not [Page 728] to loue, the gust, delightes, vertues, and spirituall consolations least she might be though neuer so little diuerted from the singular loue which she beares to her beloued; protesting that it is himselfe, not his benefits which she lookes for, and crying out to this purpose, ah! shew me my Beloued, where thou feedest, where thou lyest at midday; least I might roue after the pleasures, which are out of thee.

2. With this holy feare of heauenly Spouses, were touched those great soules of S. PAVLE, S. FRANCIS, S. CATHARINE of Genua, and others who would not admit any mixture in their Loues, but endeauoured to make them so pure, simple and perfect, that neither consolations, nor vertues themselues, might be enterposed betwixt their heart and God, so that they might saie, I liue, not I, but IESVS-CHRIST liues in me: my God is my all, that which is not God is nothing to me, IESVS-CHRIST is my life: my Loue is cruci­fied, and others the like extaticall words. Now the loue of new beginners or apprētises, proceedes from true loue, but from a loue which is as yet ten­der, feeble, and beginning onely: Filiall feare pro­ceedes from a constant and solide loue, and which alreadie tends to perfection: but the feare of a Spouse, springs from the excellencie and perfectiō of Loue alreadie acquired, but as touching seruile and mercinarie feares, they proceede not from loue at all, but ordinarily they preceede Loue, and serue it as Herbingers, as we haue alreadie saied, and are oftentimes very profitable seruants. How­beit, THEO: you shall oft see a good Ladie, who, [Page 729] not willing to eate her bread in idlenesse, resem­bling her, whom Salomon doth so much extoll, will worke in silke vpon fine white Satine with a goodly varietie of colours, to make a peece of embroderie, consisting of many rare flowers, which afterward she will richly raise with gold and siluer fitly suted▪ the worke is wrought with the needle, which she vseth all through to lay her silke, siluer, or gold: yet is not the needle put into the Satine to be left there, but onely to draw in after it, and make way to the silke, siluer and gold: so that these being once layed vpon their grounds, the needle is drawen out and taken thence. Euen so the Diuine Goodnesse about to place a great varietie of vertues in mans soule, and afterwards to raise them with his sacred Loue, he makes vse of the needle of seruile and merci­narie Feare, which commonly doe first pricke our hearts. Yet is it not left in it, but still as the vertues are placed and lodged in the soule, merce­narie and seruile Feare departs, according to the saying of the beloued Disciple, That perfect Cha­ritie casteh out Feare. I verily THEO: for the feare of being damned, and of loosing Heauen is dreadull and full of anguish: and how can it then stand with holy Loue which is wholy sweete and de­lightfull.

How seruile Feare remaines toge­ther with holy Loue. CHAPTER. XVII.

1. And albeit that the Lady we spoke off will not leaue her needle in her worke after it be once perfected, yet as longe as there remaines any thing to be done about it, if any other occur­rence hinder her, she will leaue the needle sticking in the Pincke, the Rose, or Paunsie which she embroders, to find it in a readinesse when she re­turnes to her worke. In like manner THEO: while the Diuine Prouidence is about the embroderie of vertues, and the worke of Diuine Loue in our soules, there is alwayes a mercinarie or seruile loue left in thē, till Charitie being come to perfe­ction, doth take out this pricking needle, and put it vp as it were in her Clue. In this life therefore wherein our Charitie shall neuer come to that perfection, that it shall be exempt from perill, Feare is alwayes necessarie, and euen while we daunce for ioye with Loue, we must tremble with apprehension by Feare.

[Page 731] Our great Father ABRAHAM sent his seruant ELIEZER to choose a wife for his onely sonne ISAAC: Eliezer wēt and by diuine inspiration made choice of the faire and chast REBECCA whom he carried away with him. But this wittie Damsell forsooke ELIEZER, as soone as she met with ISAAC, and being conducted into SARAS chamber, she re­mained his spouse for euer. God doth often send seruile Feare, as another ELIEZER, (and Eliezer, is interpreted God's assistance) to treate the mar­riage betwixt it selfe and sacred Loue. And though the soule be brought vnder the conduct of Feare, it is not that Feare meanes to espouse her; for in effect, as soone as the soule meets with Loue, she vnits herselfe vnto him, and quits Feare.

2. Yet as ELIEZER after his returne remained in Isaac his house, at his and Rebeccas seruice, so Feare hauing led vs to holy Loue, it remaines still with vs, to serue both Loue and the louing soule as occasion serues. For though the soule be iust, yet she is oft set vpon by extreame temptations, and Loue as couragious as it is hath enough to doe, to sustaine the assault by reason of the disad­uantage of the place wherein it is, which is the va­riable heart of man, subiect to the mutinie of the passions. In that case therefore THEO: Loue em­ployes Feare in the fight, making vse of him to re­pulse the enemie. The braue Prince IONATHAS, going to giue a charge vpon the Phylistians, a­midst the obscuritie of the night, would haue his Esquire with him and those that he killed not, his Espire killed. And loue enterprising some difficult thing, makes not vse of his proper motiues onely, [Page 732] but also of the motiues of seruile and mer­cinarie feare; and the temptations which Loue ouerthrowes not, Feare defeates: If a temp­tation of Pride, auarice or some voluptuous plea­sure make head against me; Ah! shall I saie, it is possible, that for things so vaine, my soule would quit the grace of her well-beloued? but if this will not serue, Loue will call Feare to his aide: ah dost thou not see miserable heart, that by se­conding this temptation, the horrible flames of Hell doe waite vpon thee? and that thou loosest the eternall inheritance of heauen? a man makes vse of all things in extreamities: as the saied IO­NATHAS did, when passing the sharp Rockes, which were betwixt him and the Phylistians he did not onely make vse of his feete, but as well as he could, scrambled, and ramped with his hands. Euen therefore as the Mariners, who lanch out vnder a fauorable gale, and in a fit season, doe yet neuer leaue behind them their cables, ankers, and other necessaries against stormes and tempests: so though the seruant of God enioye the sweete repose of holy Loue, he must neuer be vnprouided of the Feare of Gods iudgments, to helpe himselfe there­with amōgst the outrages and assaults of tempta­tions: besids that as the skin of an aple, which in it selfe is of small estimation, is yet very vsefull for the conseruation of the aple which it coue­reth; so seruile feare, which in it selfe is but of a meane condition in respect of Loue, is yet very profitable to its conseruation, during the dan­gers of this mortall life. And as he that presents a Pomegranade, doth onely present it in respect of [Page 733] the grains and iuyce contained with in it, and yet giues it in the pille, as a certaine dependance of it; Euen so, though the holy Ghost, amongst his sacred gifts bestowes a louing Feare vpon the hearts of his friends, that they may feare God in pietie, as their Father and Spouse, yet doth he also adde to that, a mercinarie and seruile Feare, as an accessarie to the other, which is more excellent: so Ioseph presenting his Father with many loades of the riches of Egipt, gaue him not onely the trea­sures, but withall, the asses that brought them.

3. Now albeit that mercinarie and seruile Feare be very necessarie for this mortall life, yet is it vnworthy of any part in the immortall, where there shall be an assurance voyd of Feare, a Peace without opposition, a repose free from care; yet shall the seruices which this seruile and mercina­rie Feare made Loue, be there rewarded; so that these Feares, though as another Moyses and Aaron they enter not into the LAND OF PROMIS, yet shall their posteritie and workes enter: and as for a Filiall, and the Feare of Spouses, they there shall haue their rancke and place, not to cause any dif­fidence or perplexitie in the foule, but to make her admire and reuerence with submission the in­comprehensible maiestie, of this omnipotent Fa­ther, and this Spouse of glorie.

How Loue makes vse of naturall seruile, and mercinarie Feare. CHAPTER. XVIII.

1. Lightnings, Thundrings, Thunderbolts, tem­pests, Inundations, Earth-quakes, and other sodaine accidents, doe excite euen the most inde­uote person to feare God, and nature preuenting discourse in those occurences, doth driue the heart, the eyes, yea the very hands to heauen­wards, to inuoke the assistance of the most holy Diuinitie, according to the common sense of mā ­kind, which is, saieth Titus Liuius, that such as serue the Almightie, doe prosper and such as contemne him, are afflicted. In the storme which endāgered IONAS, the Marriners were strooke with a great feare, and each of them fell sodainly a crying to God. They were ignorant saieth SAINT HIEROME, of the Truth, yet they knew there was a Prouidence, and beleeued that it was by the iudgment of Heauen, that they were in this dan­ger, as the Malteses, when they saw S. PAVLE inua­ded by a viper, after he had escaped shipwrake, beleeued that it happened by the Diuine ven­geance. And indeede Thunders, Stormes Thun­derbolts are called the Almighties voice by the Psalmist, saying further, that they make his words because they Proclame his Feare, and are as Mini­sters of his Iustice. And againe, wishing that the [Page 735] Maiestie of God would become dreadfull to his enemies; lighten lightening, saieth he, and thou shalt disperse them: shoote out thyne arrowes and thou shalt destroye them: where he termes Thūderbolts the arrowes ād darts of God. And be­fore the Psalmist, Samuels good mother had alrea­die sung, that euē, Gods enemies would feare hī if he would thūder ouer thē frō Heauē. Certes PLATO in his GORGIAS, and else where, doth witnesse that there was some sense of Feare amongst the Pa­gans, not onely in regard of the chastiments, which the soueraigne Iustice of God doth practise in this world, but also in respect of the punish­ments which he exerciseth in the other life, vpon their soules that haue incurable sinnes so deeply is the instinct of fearing a Deitie engrauen in mans nature.

2. But this feare being practised by way of a sodaine motion or naturall feeling, is neither to be commended nor condemned in vs, since it pro­ceedes not from our election: yet is it an effect of a best cause, and cause of a best effect; for it comes from the naturall knowledge which God hath giuen vs of his Prouidence, and giues vs to vnder­stand what dependance we haue of the soueraigne omnipotencie, mouing vs to implore his aide, and being in a faithfull soule, it doth much aduance her in goodnesse. Christians (amidst the asto­nishments which Thunder, Tempests, and other naturall dangers cause in vs) inuoke the sacred name of IESVS and MARIE, make the signe of the Crosse, prostrate themselues before God, and exercise many good acts of Faith, Hope, and [Page 736] Religion. The Glorious SAINT THOMAS of Aquine, being naturally subiect to start when it thundered was accustomed to saie, by way of Ia­culatorie Praier the Diuine words, which the Church hath in such esteeme! THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH. Vpon this feare then Diuine Loue doth make diuers acts of Complacence, and Be­neuolence. I will blesse thee ô Lord, for thou art wōderfully magnified: Let euery one feare thee ô Lord; ô you great ones of the earth, vnderstand, serue our Lord in feare, and reioyce in him with trembling.

3. But there is another feare, that takes it's beginning from Faith, which teacheth vs, that af­ter this mortall life, there are punishments dread­fully eternall, or eternally dreadfull, prepared for such, as in this world haue offended the Diuine Maiestie, without a perfect reconciliation before their decease: That at the house of death, the soule shall be iudged by a particular Iudgment, and that at the end of the world, all shall rise and appeare together to be iudged againe in the Vniuersall Iudgment: For these Christian truthes, THEOT: doe strike the hearts of those that doe deeply pon­der them with an extreeme horrour, and indeede, how could one represent vnto himselfe those eternall honours without foming, and quaking with apprehension? Now when these feelings doe take such roote in our soule, that they driue and banish thence the affection and will to sinne, ac­cording as the holy Councell of Trent speaketh, they are very wholsome. We haue conceiued thy feare ô Lord, and haue brought forth the Spirit of [Page 737] Saluation: I saie hath it. That is thy wrothfull face tertified vs, and made vs conceiue and bring forth the Spirit of Penance, which is the Spirit of Saluation, so did the Psalmist saie, my bones en­ioyed no peace, but trembled before the face of thy anger.

4. Our Sauiour who euen came to establish the law of Loue amongst vs, ceaseth not to incul­cate vnto vs this feare; feare him, saieth he, who hath power to throw the bodie and soule into hell fire: The NINIVITS did penance vpon the threat of their owne subuersion and damnation, and their penance was agreeable to God: to be short, this feare is comprised amongst the gifts of the holy Ghost, as many aunciant Fathers haue noted.

5. But if Feare doe not deterre our will and affection from Sinne truely it is bad, and like to that of the diuells, who cease to doe mischiefe onely through a feare they haue to be tormented by the Exorcisme, without ceasing to desire, and will mischeife, which is their meditation for euer; Like to that of the miserable gallie-slaue who would euen eate the Captaines heart, though he dares not stirre from the Oare least he might be beaten; Like to the Feare of that great old Mai­ster-heretike, who confessed that he hated God, because he did punish the wicked. Certes he that loues sinne, and would willingly commit it, maugre Gods will, though in effect he will not commit it onely least he might be damned, hath a horrible and detestable feare: for though he haue not the will to come to the execution of sinne, yet doth [Page 738] he entertaine the execution of it in his will, since he would doe it, if feare withheld him not, and it is as it were by force, that he effectes it not.

6. To this Feare one may adde another, lesse malicious indeede, yet no lesse vnprofitable, as was that of the Iudge FELIX who hearing Gods iudgmēts spoken off was stroken into amazemēt, yet did he not for all that giue ouer his auarice: and that of BALTASAR, who in seeing the prodi­gious hand, that wrote his condemnation vpon the wall, was so astonished, that he looked agaste▪ the ioyntes of his backe bone were disioynted, his knees with shaking dashed one against another, nor would he yet doe penance: and to what pur­pose is it to feare euill, vnlesse by feare, we resolue to eschew it?

7. Their Feare then, that doe as slaues obserue the Law of God, to auoyd Hell, is good indeede; but much more noble and desirable is the merci­narie feare of Christians, who as hirelings doe faithfully labour, yet not principally for any loue they beare their Maister, but to be rewarded with the reward promised. O that the eye could see, that the eare could heare, or that it could enter into the heart of man, what God hath pre­pared for those that serue him! Ah what an ap­prehension would one haue to violate Gods com­mandements, least he might loose those immor­tall rewards! What teares, what sobbs would one cast out, when by sinne one had lost it! Yet should this Feare be blame worthy, if it contained in it, the exclusion of holy Loue; for he that should [Page 739] saie, I will not serue God, for any loue I will haue towards him, but onely to attaine the reward he promiseth, should commit blasphemie, in prefer­ring the reward, before his Maister, the benefit before the Benefactour, the inheritance before the Father, and his owne profit before God almightie, as we haue more amply showen in the second booke.

8. But finally, when we feare to offend God, not to auoyd the paines of Hell, or the lose of Heauen, but onely, for that, God being our good Father we owe him honour, respect, obedience, thē our Feare is filiall, because a well borne child doth not obeye his Father in respect of the power he hath to punish his disobedience, or because he might disinherite him, but purely because he is his Father; In such sort, that though his Father were old, impotent and poore, he would not serue him with lesse diligence, but rather, as a pious Storke, would assist him with more care and af­fection: Euen as IOSEPH, seeing the good man IA­CO [...] his Father, old, in want, and brought vnder his scepter, ceased not to honour, serue, and re­uerēce him, with a more thē filiall tēdernesse, and such as his brothers hauing takē notice, apprehen­ded that it would euen worke after his death, and therevpon they made vse of it to obtaine pardon at his hands, saying, your Father commanded vs that we should tell you thus from him; I beseech thee to forget thy brothers crime, and the sinne and malice which they practised against thee: which hauing heard, he began to weepe, so did his filiall heart melt at the representation of his [Page 740] deceased Fathers wish and will. Such then doe feare God with a filiall affection, as doe feare to displease him, purely and simply, because he is their most sweete, most benigne and most louing Father.

9. Howbeit though this filiall feare be ioyned, mixed, and tempered with the seruile feare of e­ternall damnation, or with the mercinarie Feare of loosing Heauen, it is yet gratefull to God and is called a BEGINNING FEARE, that is a feare of such as are beginners, and Apprentises in the exer­cise of diuine Loue. For as young youthes, at their first beginning to ride a horse when they perceiue him rise a little high before, doe not onely cleeue close to hī with their knees, but doe also catch hard hold of the saddle bole with their hands, yet after they haue bene a while trayned vp with it, doe one­ly keepe thēselues close together; euen so Nouices ād Prentises in Gods seruice, finding thēselues lost amidst the assaults which the enemie makes a­gainst them in their beginnings, doe not onely make vse of filiall, but also of mercinarie and ser­uile Feare, and hold themselues as well as they cā, that they might not fall from their pretentions.

How sacred Loue containes the 12. fruits of the holy Ghost, together with the 8. beatitudes of the Ghospell. CHAPTER. XIX.

1. THe glorious S. PAVLE saieth thus; Now the Fruit of the holy Ghost is Charitie [Page 741] Ioye, Peace, Patience, Benignitie, Goodnesse, Longanimitie, Mildnesse, Modestie, Faith, Continencie, Chastitie. But marke, THEO: how this holy Apostle showing these 12. fruits of the holy Ghost, puts them for one onely fruit: for he saieth not, the fruits of the holy Ghost, are Charitie, Ioye &c. but onely the fruit of the Holy Ghost, is Charitie, Ioye. And behold the secrete of this manner of speach. The Charitie of God is poured forth into our hearts, by the holy Ghost which is giuen vs. Certes Charitie is the onely fruit of the holy Ghost, but because this one fruit hath an infinitie of excellent proprieties, the Apostle about to represent some of them, by way of a scantling, he speakes of this onely fruit, as of many, by reason of the multitude of proprieties which it containes in its vnitie, and speakes againe of all these fruits as of one onely, by reason of the vnitie, in which it is comprised in this varietie. So he that should saie that the fruit of the vine, is ripe grapes, greene grapes, wine, aqua vitae, the liquour that doth reioyce the heart of man, the drinke that doth comfort the stomake, would not saie that they were fruits of diuers SPECIES: but onely, that though they be but one onely fruit, yet hath it many different proprieties, accor­ding as it is diuersly vsed.

2. The Apostle therefore would saie no other thing, but onely, that Charitie is the fruit of the holy Ghost, which is ioyfull, peaceable, patient, benigne, good, longanimous, sweete, faithfull, modest, continent, chast, that is to saie, that the Diuine Loue doth giue vs an inward ioye and cō ­solation, [Page 742] together with a great peace of mind, which in aduersitie is conserued by Patience, and which makes vs benigne and gracious in succou­ring our neighbour, by a cordiall goodnesse to­wards him, a goodnesse which is not variable, but Constant and perseuerant, giuing vs a courage of great extent, by meanes whereof, we become mild, affable and condescendant to all, supporting their humours and imperfections, and standing perfectly loyall vnto them, testifying a simplicitie accompanied with confidence, as well in our words as actions, liuing modestly and humbly, cutting off all superfluities, and disorders in meate drinke, apparell, bed, plaie, pastimes and such other voluptuous desires by a holy continencie, repressing especially the inclinations and seditions of the flesh, by a diligēt chastitie, so that our whole man may be occupied in holy Loue as well inte­riourly by Ioye, Peace, Patience, Longanimitie, Goodnesse, and Fidelitie, as also exteriously, by benignitie, mildnesse, modestie, continencie, and Chastitie.

3. Now Charitie is called a fruit in so much as it doth delight vs, ād in so much as we doe enioye its delicious sweetenesse, as being a true aple of Pa­radice, gathered from the tree of life, which is the holy Ghost, graffed in our humane hearts, and dwelling in vs by his infinite mercy. But when we doe not onely reioyce in this heauenly Loue, and enioye its delicious sweetenesse, but euen place all our glorie therein, as in the crowne of our honour, then it is not a fruit onely delightfull to our palate but it is a beatitude and a most wishfull felicitie, [Page 743] not onely because it assures vs the felicitie of the next life, but euen in that it doth enrich vs in this life, with a contentment of an inestimable price, a contentement which is so strong, that all the waters of tribulation, and the floodes of persequution cannot extinguish it, yea it is not onely not extinguished, but it waxeth rich a­midst pouertie, is aduanced by abiections, and humiliations, reioyceth in teares, gaines strength by being forsaken by Iustice; and by being depri­ued of the helpe thereof, while begging for it, it is deneyed of all: compassion and commiseration doe recreate it, while it is enuironed with the iniurious and neede: It is delighted in the renun­ciation of all sorts of sensuall and earthly delightes, to obtaine the puritie and cleanenesse of heart, the vse of its valour is to lay a sleepe warrs, iarrs and dissentions, and to spurne temporall ad­uancements and reputation, by all kinds of suffe­rance it waxeth strong, and holds, that its true life consisteth in dying for the well-beloued. So that in a word, THEO: holy Charitie is a vertue, a Gift, a Fruit, and a Beatitude; as it is a vertue, it makes vs obedient to exteriour inspiratiōs, which God hath giuē vs by his Cōmādemēts ād Coūsells, in the execution whereof, all vertues are practi­sed, whence Charitie is the VERTVE OF VERTVES.

4. In qualitie of a gift, Charitie makes vs ma­nigable and tractable by interiour inspirations, which are as Gods secreete Commandements and Counsells, in the execution whereof the 7. giftes of the holy Ghost are imployed, so that Charitie is the GIFT OF GIFTS. As it is a Fruit it giues vs [Page 744] an extreame gust and pleasure in the practise of a deuote life, which is felt in the 12. fruits of the holy Ghost, and thence it is the FRVIT OF FRVITS. In qualitie of Beatitude, it makes vs repute the af­fronts, calumnies, rebukes, reuilings which the world heapes vpon vs for greatest fauours, and singular honours; and withall makes vs forsake, renounce and reiect all other kinds of glorie, saue that which comes from the beloued Crucifix, for which we glorie in the abiection, abnegation and annihilation of our selues, admitting of no other marke of Maiestie, then our crucified Maister's crowne of thornes, his scepter of a Reed, his robe of scorne which they put vpon him, and the Throne of his Crosse, vpon which the sacred Louers had more content, ioye, glorie and felici­tie, then euer Salomon had in his Iuerie Throne.

5. So is Loue often times represented by the Pomegranate, which taking proprieties from the Pome-granate-tree, may be saied to be it's vertue, as also the gift thereof which out of Loue it offers to man; and its fruit, sith that it is eaten, to refresh m [...]ns taste, and finally it is as it were its glorie and Beatitude, bearing the crowne and diademe.

How diuine Loue makes vse of all the pas­sions and affections of the soule and reduceth them to her obedience. CHAPTER. XX.

1. Loue is the life of our heart; and as the coūter­poise giues motiō to all the moueable parts [Page 745] of a cloke, so doth Loue giue all the motiō the soule hath: All our affections follow our Loue, and ac­cording to it we desire, we reioyce, we hope, we dispaire, we feare, we take heart, we hate, we flie, we sorrow, we fall into choler, we triūphe. Doe not we see men who haue giuen vp their heart as a prey, to the base and abiect Loue of women, that they haue no desires but according to this Loue, they take no pleasure but in it, they neither hope nor dispaire but for this subiect, they neither dread nor enterprise any thing but for it, they are neither disgusted with, nor flie from, any thing saue that which doth diuert them from, this, they are onely troubled at that which doth depriue them of it, they are neuer angrie but out of iea­lousie, neuer glorie but in this infamie.

2. The like may be saied, of couetous misers and glorie-hunters; for they become slaues to that which they loue, and haue neither heart in their breast, nor soule in their hearts, nor affections in their soules saue onely for this.

3. When therefore Diuine Loue doth raigne in our hearts, it doth in a kinglike manner bring vnder, all the other Loues, and consequently all the affections thereof, for as much as naturally they follow loue; this done it doth tame sensuall Loue, and bringing it to subiection, all the sensuall passions doe follow it. For in a word, this sacred Loue, is the soueraigne water, of which our Sa­uiour saied, he that shall drinke of this water shall neuer thirst. No surely, THEO: he that hath Loue in a certaine abundance he shall neither haue de­sire, dread, hope, courage, nor ioye, but for [Page 746] God, and all his motions shall be quieted in this onely celestiall Loue.

4. Diuine Loue and selfe loue are in our hearts, as IACOB and ESAV in the wombe of RE­BECCA; there is a great antipathie and opposition betwixt them, and doe continually presse on vpon another in the heart. Whereat the poore soule giues an outcrie, alas wretch that I am, who will deliuer me out of the bodie of this death, that the onely Loue of God may peaceably raigne in me Howbeit we must take courage putting our trust in our Sauiours word, who promiseth in commā ­ding, and commandeth in promising victorie to his Loue: and he seemes to saie to the soule, that which he caused to be saied to REBECCA; two na­tions are in thy wōbe, and there shall be a diuision betwixt two people in thy intrailles, the one shall surmount the other, and the elder shall serue the younger: for as Rebecca, who had one­ly two childrē in her wombe, whereof two people were to descend, was saied to haue two nations in her wombe; so the soule hauing two loues in her heart, hath consequently two great troopes of motions, affections and passions: and as Re­becca her two children, by the contrarietie of their motions, made her suffer great conuulsions and paines of the wombe; so the two loues of our soul [...], puts our heart as it were into trauaill. And as it was saied of Rebeccas two children, that the elder should serue the younger; so was it ordained that of these two loues of our heart, the sensuall should serue the spirituall, that is selfe-loue should serue the Loue of God.

[Page 747]5. But when was it, that the eldest of tha [...] people which was in Rebecca's wombe serued th [...] yoūgest? Surely it was onely whē Dauid ouercame the Idumeans in warre, and that Salomon ouerruled them in time of Peace. When shall it then be, that sensuall loue shall serue Diuine Loue? It shall then be, THEO: when armed Loue, being arriued at Zeale, shall by mortification subiect our passions, but principally when aboue in heauen, Blessed Loue shall possesse our whole soule in peace.

6. Now the meanes whereby Diuine Loue is to subiect the sensuall appetite, is like to that which IACOB vsed, when for a good presage and beginning of that which was afterwards to come to passe, ESAV cōming out of his mothers wombe, IACOB held him by the foote as it were to trample vpon, to suppliant, and keepe him vnder, or as they saie, to keepe him tyed by the foote, after the manner of a Hauke, such as ESAV was in quali­litie of a hunter, and as he was a fierce man: For so holy Loue, perceiuing some passion or naturall affection to rise in vs, must presently catch it by th [...] foote, and order it to his seruice. But what is it to saie, take it by the foote? it is to bind it, and bring it downe to a r [...]solution of seruing God. Doe not you see how Moyses transformed the serpent into a rod, by taking her onely by the tayle! euen so by bestowing a good end vpon our passions, they turne vertues.

7. But what methode are we then to obserue, to order our affections and passions to the seruice of Diuine Loue? Methodicall Phisitions, haue [Page 748] alwayes this APHORISIME in their mouthes, T [...]at contraries are cured by their cōtraries; t [...] Alchymists haue another famous sentence contrarie to this, Saying, that like are cured by their like. Howsoeuer we are certaine that two contrarie things make the light of the starrs disappeare, to wit the obscuritie of nightly foggues, and the greater light of the sunne; and in like manner, we doe fight against passions; either by opposing contrarie passions, or greater affections of the same sort. If any vaine hope pre­sent it selfe vnto me, my way of resistance may be, by opposing vnto it this iust discouragement, O senselesse man vpō what foundatiō dost thou build this hope? dost thou not see that the great one to whom thou dost aspire, is as neere to his graue as thy selfe? Dost thou not know the instabilitie, weaknesse, and imbecillitie of the spirit of man? To day his heart, in whom thy pretentions are, is thyne, to morrow, another carries it away from thee, vpon what then is this hope grounded? Ano­ther way of resisting this hope is, to oppose to it another more strong; hope in God, ô my Soule, for it is he that deliuers thy feete out of the snares; neuer did any hope in him, and was confounded, throwe thy thoughtes vpon eternall and perma­nent things. In like manner, may one fight with riches and temporall delightes, either by the con­tempt they merite, or by the desire of such as are immortall, and by this meanes sensuall and earth­ly Loue, shall be ruinated by heauenly Loue; either as fire is extinguished by water, by reason [Page 749] of its contrarie qualities, or as it is extinguished by heauenly fire, by meanes of its qualities more strong and predominant.

8. Our Sauiour makes vse of both the wayes in his spirituall cures. He cured his Disciples of their wordly Feare, by imprinting in their hearts a Feare of a superiour rancke. Feare not those, saied he, who kill the bodie, but feare him, who can throw the bodie and the soule into Hell fire: Whē he would another time cure thē of an abiect ioye, he assigned them one more high; doe not re­ioyce, quoth he, that the euill spirits are vnder you, but that your names are written in Heauen; and himselfe also reiecteth ioye, by sorrow; woe be to you that laugh, for you shall weepe. Thus then doth the Diuine Loue supplant and bring-vnder the affections and passions, turning them from the end to which selfe loue would swaye thē, and applying them to its spirituall pretention. And as rhe rayne-bow touching the hearbe ASPA­IATHVS doth depriue it of its owne smell, and giues it another farre more excellent; so sacred Loue touching our passions takes from them their earthly end, and bestowes a heauenly one in its place, the appetite of eating is much spiritualized, if before the practise thereof we put vpō it the [...]o­tiue of loue. Ah Sauiour! It is not to content my palate, nor yet to saciate this appetite, that I goe to table, but according to thy Prouidence, to su­staine this bodie which thou hast giuen me, subiect to this miserie; I Lord, because so it was thy plea­sure. If I hope for a friends assistance, may not I saie, the manner of thy establishment of our life, [Page 750] ô Lord, was such, as that we should stand in neede of one anothers helpe, comfort and consolation: and because so it pleaseth thee, I will vse this or that man, whom thou hast ioyned vnto me in friendshipe to this purpose. Is there some iust occasion of Feare? It is thy will ô Lord, that I should feare, that I may vse conuenient meanes to auoyd this inconueniencie, I will doe so, ô Lord, since such is thy good pleasure. If feare be exces­siue, ah God our eternall Father, what is it that thy children and the chickes, which liue vnder thy winges can dread? Well, I will vse the meanes con­uenient to eschew euill, but that being done, Lord, I am thyne, saue me, if it be thy pleasure, and that which shall befall me, I will accept, be­cause such is thy good pleasure. O holy and sacred ALCHIMIE, ô heauenly PROTECTION POVDER by which all the mettalls of our passions, affections, and actions are conuerted into the most pure gold of heauenly Loue.

That sadnesse is almost alwayes vnprofi­table, yea opposite to the seruice of holy Loue. CHAPTER. XXI.

1. ONe cannot graffe an Oake vpon a Peare-tree, of so contrarie an humour are those two trees; nor can anger, choler and dispaire be [Page 751] graffed in Charitie, at least it would be a hard peece of worke. We haue seene Anger alreadie in the discourse of Zeale; as for dispaire, vnlesse it be reduced to a mans iust defence, or at least to the feeling which we ought to haue of the vanitie, feablenesse, and inconstancie of wordly fauours, assistances, and promisses; I see not, what seruice Diuine Loue can draw from it.

2. And as concerning sadnesse, how can it be profitable to holy Charitie, seeing that ioye is rancked amongst the fruits of the holy Ghost, ad­ioyning vnto Charitie. Howbeit the great Apostle saieth thus; The sorrow that is according to God, worketh penance vnto saluation that is stable, but the sorrow of the world worketh death: there is then a sorrow according to God, which is profita­bly practised either by sinners in Penance, or by the good, by way of compassion for the tempo­rall miseries of our neighbours; or by the perfect, in deploring, bemoaning and condoling the spiri­tuall calamities of soules. For DAVID, S. PETER, MAGDALENE, wept for their sinns: AGAR wept when she sawe her sonne almost deade of thirst. Hieremie vpon the ruines of Hierusalem: Our Sa­uiour ouer the Iewes; and his great Apostle groanes out these words, many walke of whom I haue often told you, and I tell you againe with teares, who are enemyes to the Crosse of IESVS-CHRIST.

3. There is a sorrow of this world, which doth also proceede frō 3. causes: For. 1. it comes some­times from the infernall enemye, who by a thou­sand sad, melancholie, and troublesome sugge­stions, [Page 752] doth obscure the vnderstanding; weaken the will, trouble the whole soule, and like to a thicke mist doth stuffe the head and breast with a rume, and by this meanes makes a man draw his breath with difficultie, and doth perplexe the poore trauailler; so the euill spirit filling mans mind with daunting thoughts, depriues it of the facilitie of aspiring to God, and doth possesse it with an extreame vexation and discouragement, to bring it to dispaire and perdition. They saie there is a fish named a sea-toade, or a sea-diuell by surname, who by mouing and stirring the mud, doth trouble the water round about her, to hid her selfe in it, as in an amboush, wherein as soone as she perceiues the poore little fishes, she falls vpō them, spoyles and deuoures them: whence perad­uenture came the common prouerbe, of fishing in a troubled water. Now, the diuell of Hell, vseth the same slight with the Diuell of the Sea: For he makes his Ambushe in the midst of sorow, who after he hath troubled the soule with a multitude of loathsome thoughts, cast hither and thither in the vnderstanding, he makes a charge vpon the affections, bearing them downe with distrust, ie­lousies, auersions, disgustes, grieues, superfluous apprehensions of sinns past; adding withall a number of vaine, bitter, and sullen subtilities, that all reasons, and consolations might be re­iected.

4. Sorow 2. doth sometimes proceede from a mans naturall condition, when a melancholie humour doth abound in vs; and this is not vicious in it selfe, yet doth our enemie make great vse of [Page 753] it to cōtriue and plot a thousād temptatiōs in our soules for as the Spyder doth hardly weaue her w [...]be saue in cloudie and close weather; so this wicked Spirit, finds neuer so fit a time to lay the snares of his suggestiōs in sweete, benigne, ad cheerefull spi­rits, as he doth in sullen, sad, and pesi [...]e hearts: for he doth easily trouble them with way [...]ardnesse, suspiciō; hatred, slouth, ād with a spirituall nūnesse.

5. Thirdly and lastly, there is a sorrow which the varietie of humane chāces doth bring vpō vs. What ioye ca I haue saied Tobie, not being able to see the light of heauē. So was IACOB sorrowfull vpō the ne­wes of the death of his Sōne IOS [...]P [...], ād DAVID for the death of his Absalō: and this is cōmō as well to the good as the bad, but in the good it is moderated by submissiō and resignatiō to the will of God, as is seene in Tobie, who redred thākes to the Diuine Mai [...]stie, for all the aduersities wherewith he was afflicted: and in [...]OB, who blessed the name of God in thē: and in Daniel who turned his sorrowes into songes: Now contrariwise in worldlings, the same sorrow is an ordinarie dish with thē, ād is changed into loathsomenesse, dispaire, madnesse: for they resēble Apes ād Mōkies, which are still peeuish, sad and sottish in the wayning of the Moone, as againe in the new of the Moone they hop, dance, and doe their apish trickes. The worldling, is froward, harsh bitter, and melancholie in the ebbe of his terreane prosperities, but while they flowe, he is almost continually in his brauado's iocund, and insolent.

6. Certes the sorrow of true Repentance is not so much to be termed sorrow, as a dislike, sense or detestation of sinne: a sorrow which is neuer either [Page 754] harsh or peeuish: a sorrow which doth not be­nume the mind, but makes it become actiue, prompt and diligent: a sorrow which doth not abate the heart, but doth reliue it by praier, and hope, and makes it make the stirrings of the fer­uour of deuotion: a sorrow which in the hight of its bitternesse, doth produce the sweetenesse of an incomparable consolation, following the Precept of the great S. Augustine. Let the penitent sor­row continually, but let him also continually re­ioyce therein. Sorrow, saieth Cassiā, which doth worke solide Penance, and the wishfull repentāce, whereof a man doth neuer repēt him, is obedient, affable, humble, milde, sweete, patient, as issuing and descending from Charitie; so that extending it selfe to all the paine of the bodie, and contri­tion of the heart, it is in a certaine sort, ioyfull, quickned and strēgthned with the hope of profit, it retaines all the sweetenesse of affabilitie and longnanimitie, as enioying the fruits of the holy Ghost recited by the holy Apostle: now the fruits of the holy Ghost are, Charitie, Ioye, Peace, Longanimitie, Goodnesse, Benignitie, Faith, Mildnesse, Continencie. Such is true Repentance, and such the good sorrow, which is not properly, sad or melancholie, but onely attentiue and addi­cted to detest, reiect, and hinder the malice of sinne for the time past, and time to come. And in­deede we meete often with Penetents sollicitous, troubled, impatiēt, mournefull, soure, groaning, disquiet, harsh, and melancholie, which are in the end found to be fruitlesse, and are not follow [...]d with any true amendement, because they procee­ded [Page 755] not from the true motiues of the vertu [...] of Penance, but from naturall and selfe-loue.

7. The sorrow of the world worketh death, saieth the Apostle; THEO: we must be therefore carefull to auoyd and reiect it a [...]cording to our power: if it be naturall, we are to keepe it backe, by withstanding its motions, and by diuerting them by exercises proper for that end, and by vsing the remedies and manner of liuing which the Phisitions shall aduise. If it proceede from temptation, we must fully disclose our heart to our Ghostly Father, who will prescribe vs the meanes to ouercome it, according to that which we haue deliuered touching this point, in the fourt [...] Part of the Introduction to a deuote life. If it be accidentall, we must haue recourse to that which is saied in the eight booke, to th'end we may see how delightfull temptations are to the sonns of God, and that the greatenesse of our hopes in the eternall life to come, all almost doe make all the passing euents of this mortall life, of no consideration.

8. For the rest, amongst all the melancholies which can happen vnto vs, we are to make vse of the authoritie of the superiour will, to doe all th [...]t it is able in the behalfe of diuine Loue. Certes there are actions which haue so great a depen­dance of the corporall disposition and complexion that it is not in our power to doe them at our pleasure: for the melancholie man cannot for his heart, keepe neither his eyes, speach nor coun­tenance in the same grace and sweetenesse, which they would haue, if he were quit of this bad hu­mour: [Page 756] yet may he well, though not with a grace, speake gracious, good and courtious words, and may doe on despite of his inclina­tion, by force of reason, what is conuenient in words, and in the works of Charitie, sweet­nesse, condescendance. It is pardonable in a man not to be continually iocund, for a man is not Maister of mirth, to haue it when he list; but he that is not continually gentle, tractable and condescendant is not excusable; for it is alwayes in the abilitie of our will, nor is there any other thing required there­vnto, but a resolution to sur­mount the contrarie hu­mour and incli­nation.

That our progresse in holy Loue doth not depend of our naturall complexion▪ CHAPTER. I.

I. A Famous religious of our age hath written that our naturall disposi­tion doth much conduce to con­templatiue Loue, and that such as are of an affectiue and louing na­ture, are most proper for it. Now I suppose his [Page 758] meaning is not, that sacred Loue should be distri­buted to men or Angels, in sequell, and yet much lesse in vertue, of their naturall conditions; nor that he would saie, that the distribution of diuine Loue is made to men, according to their naturall qualities and abilities: for this were to belye the Scripture, and to violate the ecclesiasticall rule, by which the Pelagians were declared Here­tikes.

2. For my part, I speake in this Treatise of su­pernaturall Loue, which God out of his goodnesse doth poure into our hearts, and whose residence is in the supreame point of the Spirit; a point which is aboue all the rest of our soule, and is in­dependant of all naturall complexion; and withall, though the soules that are inclined to Loue, haue on the one side a certaine disposition, which make thē more proper to loue God, yet one the other side, they are so subiect to set their affection vpon louely creatures, that their inclination puts th [...]m i [...] as much danger of being diuerted from sacred Loue, by a mixture of other Loues, as they haue a facilitie in desiring to Loue God: for the dang [...]r of louing amisse, is annected to the facilitie of lo­uing. It is true that soules of this composition being once well purified from the loue of c [...]a­tures, they worke wonders in sacred Charitie, Loue finding a great case to dilate it selfe in all the faculties of the heart: and from thence proceeds a delightfull sweeteness [...], which appeares not in those whose soules are p [...]euish, harsh, melancho­lie, and churlish.

3. Neuerthelesse if two parties, the one whereof [Page 759] is louing and sweete, the other harsh and [...]oure by nature, had an equall Charitie, they would loue God equally, yet not both alike. The heart naturally sweete, would loue more easily, more amiably, more sweetely, though neither more solidly, nor yet more perfectly; but the loue that should spring vp amongst the brambles and re­pugnances of a harsh and drie nature, would be more braue and glorious, and withall more de­lightfull and gracious, like to the other.

4. It imports not much then, whether one haue a naturall inclination to loue, when superna­turall loue is handled, by which one works onely supernaturally. Onely this, THEO: I would wil­lingly crie out to all men, ô mortalls if you haue hearts addicted to loue, alas why doe you not pre­tend celestiall and Diuine Loue! But if you be harsh and hard hearted, alas poore peop [...], sith you are depriued of naturall Loue, why doe you not aspire to supernaturall Loue, which shall be louingly bestowed on you by him, who so holily calls you to loue him?

That we are to haue a continuall desire to loue. CHAPTER. II.

1. LAy vp treasures in heauen, one treasure is not sufficient to the liking of this Diuine Louer, but he desires we should haue it in such aboundance, that our treasure should be cōposed [Page 760] of many treasures, that is to saie, THEO: that we are to haue an insatiable desire of Louing God, adding continually loue vpon loue. What is it that doth so much presse the Bees to encrease their ho­nie, but the loue they beare to it! ô heart of my soule, who art created to loue the infinite good! what loue canst thou desire, but this loue, which is the most to be desired of all loues? Alas, ô soule of my heart, what desire canst thou loue, but the most louely of all desires? ô Loue of sacred desires! ô desires of holy Loue! ô how much haue I desi­sired to desire your perfections!

2. The disgusted sickman hath no appetite to eate, yet hath he an appetite to haue an appetite: he desires no meate, yet he desires to haue a desire. THEO: to know whether we loue God aboue all things is not in our power, vnlesse God himselfe reueale it vnto vs; yet we may easily know whe­ther we desire to loue him; ād perceiuing the desire of holy loue in vs, we know that we begin to loue. It is our sēsuall ād animall part which couets to eate, but it is our reasonable part that desires this appetite, and because the sensuall part doth not alwayes obeye the reasonable part, it happens that we desire an appetite, and yet haue it not.

3. But the desire of louing and loue depend both of the same will: Wherefore as soone as we haue framed a desire of louing, we begin to haue some Loue; and euer as this desire encreaseth, loue also encreaseth. He that desires Loue ardent­ly, shall shortly loue with ardour. ô God THEO: who will make vs so happie, as that we may burne with this desire, which is the desire of the [Page 761] poore and the preparation of their heart whom God doth willingly heare! He that hath no assu­rance to loue God, is a poore man, and if he de­sire to loue him, he is a beggar, but a beggar, in that bleessed beggarie, of which our Sauiour hath saied, Blessed are the poore of spirit, for theirs is the kingdome of Heauen.

4. Such an one was S. AVGVSTINE, when he cryed out, ô to loue! ô to walke! ô to die to a mans selfe! ô to come to God! Such S. FRANCIS, his saying, let me die of thy Loue ô thou friend of my heart, who hast daigned to die for my Loue, Such S. CATHARINE of GENVA, and S. TERESA when as spirituall Does panting and dying with the thirst of Diuine Loue, they sighed out this voice, ah Lord! giue me this water.

5. Temporall couituousnesse by which we doe greedily desire earthly riches, is the roote of all euill; but spirituall auarice, whereby one doth in­cessātly sigh after the pure gold of Diuine Loue is the roote of all good. He that doth desire to Loue well, doth search it well; and he that doth search it well, doth find it well; and he that hath found it out, he hath found the source of life, whence he shall draw the saluation of our Lord. Let vs crie night and day, THEO: come ô holy Ghost, fill the hearts of thy faithfull, and kindle in them the fire of thy Loue. ô hea­uenly Loue! when wilt thou fill my soule?

That to haue the desire of sa [...]red Loue, we are to cut of all other desires. CHAPTER. III.

1. VVHy doe hounds, thinke you THEO: more ordinarily loose the sent or straine of the game they runne, in the spring time then in other times? it is, as the Hunters and Phi­losophers saie, because the grasse and floures are then in their vigour, so that the varietie of smells which they send out, doth so fill the hounds sense of smelling, that they can neither take nor follow the sent of their game, amongst so sundrie [...]ents which the earth doth euaporate. Certes those soules that doe abound still in desires, designes, and proiects, doe neuer desire the holy celestiall loue as they ought, nor can perceiue the delight­full straine, and sent of the Diuine beloued, who is compared to the Roe, or to the little Faune of the Do.

2. Lilies haue no season, but growe soone or late, as they are deeper or lesse deepe set in the ground: for if they be thrust three fingers onely into the ground, they will presently florish, but if they be put 6. or 9. fingers into the earth, they come vp later proportionably. If the heart that pretends Diuine Loue, be deeply engaged in ter­reane and temporall affaires, it will bud late, and [Page 763] with difficultie: But if it haue onely so much to doe with the world, as its condition requires, you shall see it blosome timely in Loue, and send out a delicious odour.

3. For this cause the Saints betooke them­selues to deserts, that being freede from worldly solicitudes, they might more ardently bestowe themselues in the exercise of holy Loue: Hence the sacred Spouse shut the one of her eyes, to th'ed that she might fixe the sight of the other alone more setledly, and withall aime more directly at the very midst of her Beloued's heart, which she desires to wound wit [...] loue. And for this same reason, she keepes her haire so plaited and foulded together in tresses that she seemes to haue one onely haire which she makes vse off, as of a chaine, to bind and beare away her Spouse his heart, whom she makes a slaue to her Loue.

5. They that desire for good and all to loue God, shut vp their vnderstanding from worldly discours [...]s, to imploye it more feruently in Di­uine meditations, and doe gather vp all their pre­tentions into that onely one pretention of one­ly louing God. Whosoeu [...]r he be that desires any thing, which he desires not for God, doth in that, lesse desire God.

5. A Religious man d [...]manded of B. Giles, what he could doe most gratefull to God, and he answ [...]red him, by singing one to one, that is, one onely soule, to one onely God. So many desires and Loues in our heart, are as many children vpon one d [...]gge, who while they can not all sucke at once, they thrust to it, now one, now another, [Page 764] by emulation, making it in the end waxe withered and drie. He that aimes at heauenly Loue, must carefully reserue his times, his spirit, and affe­ctions for it.

That our lawfull occasions doe not hin­der vs to practise Diuine Loue. CHAPTER. IV.

1. CVriositie, ambition, disquiete together with inaduertance and inconsideration of the end for which we are in this world, are cause that we haue a thousand times more impediments then affaires; more hurrying vp and downe, then worke; more lets then businesse: And these are the MAZES, THEOT: that is, she witlesse, vaine, and superfluous vndertakings into which we runne our selues, which doe hinder the loue of God, not the true and lawfull exercises of our vo­cations. DAVID and after him S. L [...]WIS, in the presse of his perils, toyles, and trauaills which he endured, as well in peace, as in warrs, did not cease to sing from his heart.

[Page 765]2. S. BERNARD loosed not a foote of the pro­gresse which he desired to make in holy Loue, though he were in the Courts and Armies of great Princes, where he laboured to bring matter of sta [...]e to the seruice of Gods glorie; he chan­ged his habitation, but he changed not his heart.

3. And to vse his owne words, these changes passed in him, but were not caused by him, sith that though his imployments were much differēt, yet were all imployements indifferent to him and he different from them all, not receiuing the colours of his affaires, and couersations, as the CAMELION, those of the place where she is; but re­mayning still wholy vnited to God, still white in puritie still read with Charitie, still full of humilitie.

4. I am not ignorant THEOT: what the wise mans counsell is.

And the Israelites had good reason to excuse thē ­selues to the Babylonians, who vrged them to sing the sacred Canticle of Sion.

[Page 766] But doe not you also marke, that those poore people were not onely amōgst the Babylonias, but were euen their Captiues. Whosoeuer is a slaue to Courtly fauours, issues in law, and honour in warrs, ô God, all is past with him, he hath no leasure to sing the Hymne of heauenly Loue. But he that is onely in the Court, in warrs, or in the Sessions-houses because his dutie calls him th ther, God is his aide, and the heauenly sweetenesse is as an EPITHEME vpon his heart, to preserue him from the plague which raignes in those places.

5. While the plague pestered the Milaneises, SAINT CHARLES neuer made difficultie to fre­quent the infected houses, and to touch the infe­cted persons. Yet THEO: he onely frequented and touched them, so farre forth as the necessitie of Gods worke required, nor would he for a world haue thrust himselfe into danger without necessi­tie, least he should haue commited the sinne of tempting God. So that he was neuer touched with any infection, Gods Prouidence conseruing him, who reposed so pure a confidence in [...]t, that it had no mixture either of feare or forwardnesse. In like manner, God takes a speciall care of those who goe not to the Court, Sessions, or warre, but one­ly to complie with the necessitie of their dutie; and in that case, a man is neither to be so scrupulous, as to abandone good and lawfull affaires, by not going; nor yet to be presumptuously pushed forwards with a desire of going thither, or staying there, without the expresse necessitie of his dutie and affaires.

A delightfull example vpon this subiect. CHAPTER. V.

1. GOd is innocent to the innocent, Good to the good, cordiall to the cordiall, tender towards such as are tender, and his loue makes him often times vse certaine sacred and daintie deuises towards the holy soules, which out of a louing puritie, and simplicitie behaue themselues as little children about him.

2. Vpon a day S. FRANCISCA was reciting our Ladies office, and as it commonly happens, that if there be any businesse to be done all the day long, it presseth most in the time of Praier; This good Ladie was called in her husbands name about a houshold affaire, and foure sundrie times thin­king to goe on with her office she was called from it againe, and constrained to leaue off in the same verse, till at length this blessed affaire, for which they had so importunely interrupted her praier, being finished returning to her office, she found the verse which she had so often left off by obe­dience, and begunne againe by deuotiō, all written in faire golden letters. Which her deuote Compa­nion Madame Vannocie swore she saw written by the Saints deare Angell gardian, to whom also S. PAVLE did afterwards reueale it.

3. O what a sweetenesse is this, THEOT: of [Page 768] the heauenly Spouse, towards this sweete and fi­liall louer! We see notwithstāding that euery ones necessarie imployments according to their voca­tion, doth ot diminish Diuine Loue, but doth euen encrease it, and as it were doe gild [...] the de­uote worke. The Nightingale loues her owne me­lodie no lesse when she makes her rest's, then when she sings. Deuote hearts loue not Loue, lesse when they are distracted in exteriour necessities; then when they praie. Their silence, their speach, their action, and their contemplation, their imploy­ments and their rests, doe in them equally sing the Hymne of their Loue.

That we are to imploye all the occa­sions that are presented, in the pra­ctise of Di [...]ine Loue. CHAPTER. VI.

1. THere are some soules that make proiects vnto themselues to doe excellent seruices to our Sauiour, by eminent actions, and extraor­dinarie sufferances: but actions and sufferances, whole occasion is not present, nay nor peraduen­ture neuer will be present; and vpon this they ap­prehend that they haue done a great matter in loue, in which yet they are often deceiued. As it appears by those, who, as they themselues thinke, embrasing in desire greate future crosses, doe ve­hemently flie the burden of such as are present, [Page 769] though lesser. Is it not a fearefull temptation to be so valiant in imagination, and so cowardly in exe­cution?

2. Ah God preserue vs from those imagina­rie feruours, which doe often bread a vaine and secreete selfe esteeme in the botome of our hearts. Great works light not alwayes in our waye, but euery moment we may practise little ones with excellencie, that is with a great Loue. Behold this Saint, I beseech you, who bestowes a cup of cold water vpon the ouerheated passinger, he doth but a small matter in outward shew, but the inten­tiō, the sweetenesse, the Loue, with which he doth giue life to his worke, is so excellent, that it turnes this simple water into water of life, and life euerlasting.

3. The Bee doth pickle vpon the Lilie, the Flower-deluce, the Rose; yet they get as ample a prey vpon the little minute Rosmarie flowres, and Thyme, yea they draw not onely more honie from thence, but euen better honie for in these little vessells the honie is locked vp more closely, yea and is better kept therein, Certes in the low and little workes of deuotion, Charitie is not onely practised more frequently, but ordinarily more humbly too, and consequently more fruitfully, and holily.

4. These condescendances to others humours these supportations of the clownish and trouble­some actions and behauiours of our neighbour, these victories ouer our owne humours and pas­sions; these renounciations of our lesser inclina­tions, these endeauours against our owne auer­sions [Page 770] and repugnances, this heartie and sweete acknowledgment of our owne imperfections, the continuall paines we take to keepe our soule in an equalitie, this loue of our owne abiection; the gentle and gracious acceptance which we make of the contempt and censurs of our condition, our life, couersation and actions, THEO: all these things are more profitable to our soules, then we can conceiue, so that holy Loue haue the husban­ding of them, but we haue told Philothie this alreadie.

That we must haue a care to doe our actions very perfectly. CHAPTER. VII.

1. OVr Sauiour, as the auncients report, was wount to saie to his, be skil [...]ull exchangers. If the pistoll be nor good gold, if it want weight, if it be not bet to lawfull coyne, it is cast backe as not currant: if a worke be not of a good SPE­CIES, if it be not adorned with Charitie, if the in­tention be not pious, it shall not be admitted a­mongst the good workes. If I Fast, but yet out of sparingnesse, my fast is not of a good SPECIES; if it be out of temperance, and yet I haue some mor­tall sinne in my soule the worke wants weight; for it is Charitie that giues poise to all that we doe: if it were onely through conuersation, and to ac­commodate my selfe to my companions, the worke is not stamped with an approoued intentiō; but if I fast out of Temperance, and be in God's [Page 771] grace, and that I haue an intention to please his Diuine Maiestie, by this Temperance, tha shall be currant money, fit to augment in me the treasure of Charitie.

2. To doe little actions with a great puritie of intention, and with a will addicted to please God, is to doe them excellently, and then also they doe greatly sanctifie vs. There are some that eate much and yet are still leane, thinne, and languishing, be­cause their power of disgestion is not good; others there are who eate little, and yet are alwayes in good plight, and vigorous, because their stomake is good. Euen so there are some soules, that doe many work [...]s, and yet encrease but little in Charitie, because they doe them either coldly and negligently; or by an naturall instinct and inclina­tion, more then by Diuine inspiration, or hea­uenly heate; and contrariwise others there are who doe but few good workes, marry they doe them with so holy a will and intention, that they make a wonderfull aduancement in charitie, they haue but a few Talents, yet they husband them so faithfully, that their Maister doth largely re­reward them for it.

A generall meanes whereby to applie our workes to Gods ser [...]ice. CHAPTER. VIII.

1. All that we doe, and whatsoeuer we doe in word or deede, let it all be done in the name of IESVS CHRIST, whether you eate, or you drinke, or you doe some other thing, doe all to the [Page 772] glorie of God, these are the words of the Diuine Apostle which as th [...] great S. THOMAS saieth, in explicating them, are sufficiently practised, when we haue the habit of holy Charitie, whereby though we haue not an expresse and set purpose to doe euery worke for the loue of God; yet is that intention couertly contained in the vnion, and communion which we haue with God, by which all the good we can doe, is dedicated toge­ther with our selues to his Diuine Goodnesse. It is not necessarie that a child which liues in his Fa­thers house and vnder his directions, should de­clare that all that he gets is gotten to his Father; for sith his person belongs to his Father, all that depends of it will also belong vnto him. It is suffi­cient also that we be Gods children by Loue, to make all that we doe, be entirely directed to his glorie.

2. It is true then THEO: as I haue saied else­where, that euen as the Oliue-tree set neere vnto the vine, doth impart vnto it its sauour, so Cha­ritie being neere the other vertu [...]s, it doth cōmu­nicate vnto them her perfection: Yet true it is al­so, that if one engraffe a vine vpon an Oliue-tree, it doth not onely more perfectly leaue in it its taste, but makes it also participat of its sape. Nor be you content to haue Charitie, and toge­ther with it the practise of vertues, but ende­uour that it may be by it and for it that you pra­ctise them, that they may be rightely ascribed vnto it.

3. When a Painter doth hold and leade an ap­prentise his hand, the strokes that he makes, are [Page 773] principally attributed to the Painter, because though the Prentise indeede contributed the mo­tion of his hand, and the application of his Pen­sell, yet the Maister also for his part, did so mingle his motion with that of the Apprentises, that gi­uing the impression therein, the honour of what­soeuer is good in the stroke, is especially ascribed to him, though yet the Prentise is also praised, by reason of the pliablenesse with which he accom­modated his motion, to his Maisters direction: ô how excellent vertuous actions are, when Di­uine Loue doth imprint his sacred motion vpon them, that is, when they are done by Loues mo­tiue, but this happens differently.

4. The motiue of Diuine Loue doth poure fourth a particular influence of per [...]ection, vpon the vertuous actions of those that haue in a spe­ciall manner dedicated themselues vnto God, to serue him for euer. Such are Bishops and Priests, who by a Sacramentall consecration, and by a spirituall Character, which cannot be blotted our vowe themselues as stigmatized and marked ser­uants to the perpetuall seruice of God. Such are Religious who by their vowes either solemne or simple, are sacrificed vnto God, in qualitie of li­uing and reasonable Hosts. Such all those that doe betake themselues to pious Congregations, dedi­cated for euer to Gods glorie. Further such are all those that of let purpose, doe procure in them­selues, deepe and strong resolutions to follow the will of God, making for this end a recollection for some dayes that they may stirre vp their soule by diuers spirituall exercises to the entire refor­mation [Page 774] of their life, a holy methode, and ordinarie amongst the auncient Christians; but since, almost quite left of till the great seruant of God Ignatius de Loyola, brought it into vse againe, in the time of our Fathers.

5. I know well, that some are of opinion that this generall oblation of our selues doth not ex­tend its v [...]rtue, and beare its influence vpon the actions which we practise afterwards, but so farre forth, as in the exercise of them, we applie the motiue of Loue in particular, by dedicating them in a speciall manner to the glorie of God. Yet doe all confesse with SAINT BONAVENTVRE, who hath the generall approbation of all in this be­halfe, that if I haue determined in my heart to giue an hūdred crownes for Gods sake, though afterwards I make the distribution of this somme at leasure, hauing my mind distracted and with­out attention, yet is all the distribution made through Loue, because it proceedes from the first proiect which Diuine Loue made me make of gi­uing the whole.

6. But I praie you T [...]EO: what difference is there betwixt him that offers an hundred crowne [...] to God, and him, th [...]t offers to him all his actions truly there is none at all, but that the one offers a somme of money, the other a somme of actions. And why I praie shall they not then be doth estee­med to make the distribution of the parcells of the somme, in vertue of their first purpose, and fun­damentall resolutions? And if one that distributs his crownes without attention, be not depriued of the influence of his first purpose, why shall [Page 775] not the other in the distribution of his action [...] enioye the fruit of his first intention? He that purposely hath made himselfe a louing seruant of the Diuine goodnesse, hath by con­sequence dedicated all his actions to the same goodnesse.

7. Grounding vpon this truth, euery one should once in his life make a good recollection, thereby to cleane his soule from all sinne, and vpō it, to make an inward and solide resolution to liue wholy to God, as we haue giuen instructions in the first part of the Introduction to a deuote life. And afterwards at least once euery yeare, to make a suruey vpon ones conscience, and a reno­uation of the first resolution, which we haue put downe in the fift part of the same booke, to which in this behalfe I remit you.

8. Certes SAINT BONAVENTVRE doth auoutch, that a man that hath gotten so great an in­clination and custome of well doing, that he doth it frequently without any speciall inten­tion, looseth not the merits of such actions, which are enriched by Loue, from whence they spring, as from their roote and originall source of thire blessed habit, facilitie, and promptitude.

Of certaine other meanes, whereby we may applie our workes more particu­larly to the Loue of God. CHAPTER. IX.

1. VVHen the Pea-hen hatcheth her egges in a white place, her yoūg ones are also white. And when our intentions are in the loue of God, when we proiect some good worke, or vndertake some certaine vocation, all the a­ctions which doe issue thence take their worth, and deriue their nobilitie from the Loue whence they descended: for who doth not see, that the actiōs which are proper to my vocation, and re­quisite to my designe, doe depend of this first ele­ction and resolution which I made.

2. Yet THEO: one must not staie there; but to make an excellent progresse in deuotion, we must not onely in the begining of our conuersion, and after [...]ards once euery yeare, addresse all our life and actions to God, but we must euen offer them vnto him euery day, following the morning exer­cise which we haue taught Philothie; for in this dayely renewing of our oblation, we spread the vertue and vigour of our loue vpon our actions, by a new application of our heart to the Diuine glorie, by meanes whereof it is still more and more sanctified.

[Page 777]3. Besides this, let vs an hundred and an hun­dred times a day, applie our life, to Diuine Loue, by the practise of iaculatorie praiers, eleuations of the mind, and spirituall retreats: for th [...]s [...] holy exercises casting and bearing vp our minds to G [...]d doe also in the end draw all our actions thither: and how should it come to passe I praie you, that a soule which doth euery moment dart vp herselfe at the Diuine Goodnesse, and which doth inces­santly breath words of Loue, to th'end she may keepe her heart continually lodged in the bosome of her heauenly Fa [...]her, should not be thought to doe all her good workes in God, and for God?

4. She that saie [...]h ah Lord, I am thyne, my beloued is wholy myne, and I am wholy his; My God thou art my all. O IESVS thou art my life: ah who will doe me the fauour, that I may die to my selfe, to th'end I may liue onely to thee. O to loue! to goe! to die to a mans selfe! ô to liue to God! ô to bee in God! ô Lord whatsoeuer is not thy very selfe is nothing to me. She, I saie, doth she not continually dedicate her actions to her heauenly Spouse? ô how blessed is the soule, who hath once stripped, and perfectly resigned herselfe into the hands of God Almightie, whereof we spoke before, for afterwards, she will onely neede one little sight ād view of God, to renew and con­firme her stripping, resignation, and oblation, to­gether with her Protestation that she will haue nothing but God, and for God; and that she nei­ther loues herselfe nor any other thing in the world, but in God, and for the Loue of God.

[Page 778]5, The exercise then of continuall aspirations is very proper for the application of all our works to Loue. But principally it is abundantly sufficient for the small and ordinarie actions of our life; for as for heroicall workes and maters of consequēce, it is expedient, if we intend to make any great profit, to vse the ensuing methode, as I haue alrea­die giuen a touch elsewhere.

6. Let vs in these occurrēces eleuate our heart ād spirit to God, let vs burie our consideration, and extēde our thoughts into the most holy and glo­rious eternitie; let vs behold, how in it, the Diuine goodnesse did tenderly cherish vs, preparing all conuenient meanes for our saluation and pro­gresse in his Loue, and in particular, the commo­ditie to doe the good which doth at that present, presente it selfe vnto vs; or to suffer the euill which befalls vs. This done, displaying, if we may so saie, and eleuating the armes of our consent, let vs em­brace, dearely, feruently, and most louingly, as well the good which presents it selfe to be done, as the euill which we are to suffer, in consideration that God willed it so from all eternitie, to please him, and to obeye his prouidence.

7. Behold the great S. CHARLES, when his Diocese was infested with the plague; he lifted vp his heart to God, and beheld attentiuely, that in the eternitie of Gods Prouidence, this scourge was determined, and prepared for his flocke, and that the same Prouidence had ordained, that in this their scourge he should take a most tender care to serue, solace, and cordially to assist the af­flicted, sith that in this occurrence, he chanced to [Page 779] be the Ghostly Father, Pastour, and Bishope of that Prouince. Wherevpon representing vnto himselfe the greatnesse of the paines, toyles and hazards which he was necessarily to vn­dergoe in that behalfe, he sacrificed himselfe in spirit, to Gods good pleasure, and dearely kissing this his Crosse, he cryed from the botome of his heart, to the imitation of SAINT ANDREW, I salute thee ô precious Crosse, I salute, thee ô blessed tribulation; ô holy affli­ction how delightfull thou art, since thou didst issue from the louing breast, of the eternall Father of mercy, who willed thee from all e­ternitie, and did ordaine thee for my deare people and me! O Crosse, my heart willeth thee, sith the heart of my God hath willed thee; ô Crosse my soule doth cherish and em­brace thee, with her whole affection?

8. In this sort are we to vndertake affaires of greatest consequence, and the sharpest tri­bulations, which can befall vs. But if they prooue to be of long continuance, we must from time to time, and very frequently, ite­rate this exercise, that we may more profita­bly continew our vnion to Gods good will and pleasure, pronouning this short, yet who­ly Diuine Protestation of his Sonne, yes ô eternall Father! I will it with all my heart, because so it was pleasing in thy sight, ô God, T [...]EOTIME, how rich this pra­ctise is?

An exhortation to the sacrifice which we are to make to God of our free-will. CHAPTER. X.

1. I adde to the sacrifice of S. CHARLES, that of the great Patriarke Abraham, as a liuely image of the most strong and loyall loue, that could be imagined in any creature.

2. Certainly he sacrificed the strongest naturall affections that possibly he could haue, whē hearing the voice of God which said vnto him, Leaue thy coūtrie and thy friends and thy Fathers house, and goe into the land which I will shew vnto thee, he presently departed, and with speede put himselfe vpō the way, without knowing whither he was to goe; the loue of his deare countrie, the delightfull conuersation of his neere allie, the pleasures of his Fathers house did not stagger him, he departs with an ardent boldnesse, and goes whither it shall please God to codduct him. What an abnegation, THEO: what renunciation was this? one cannot perfectly Loue God, vnlesse he forsake the affe­ction to momentarie things.

3. But this was nothing in respect of that which he did afterwards, when being twice called by God, who, seeing his promptitude in answearing, saied vnto him. Take ISAAC thyne onely sonne: whom thou louest, and goe into the Land of vi­sion, [Page 781] where thou shalt offer him in Holocaust, vpō one of the mountaines which I will shew vnto thee; for behold this great man, how he sodainely departs with his so much beloued, and so worthy to be beloued Sonne, goes three dayes iorney, comes to the foote of the mountaine, leaues there his seruant and asse, lodes his sonne Isaac with woode necessarie to the holocaust, reseruing himselfe to carrie the sword and fire; and as he ascends the mountaine, his tender child saied vnto him, Father, and he answered him, what wouldst thou child? Looke, saied the child, be­hold the woode and fire, but where is the victime of the holocaust? To which his Father replied, God will prouide the victime of the Holocaust, my child; and in the meane while, they arriued at the top of the designed mountaine, where Abraham presently erected an Altar, lays the woode in order vpon it, binds his Isaac, and puts him vpon the fu­nerall Pile; extends his right hand, layes hold of, and drawes out his sword, lifts vp his arme, and as he was readie to dispatch the blow, to sacrifice the child, the Angell cried from aboue, Abraham, Abraham, who answeres, I am here Lord, and the Angell saied vnto him; doe not kill thy sonne, it is sufficient, now I know thou fearest God, and hast not spared thy sonne for my sake. Vpon this Isaac is vntyed, Abraham takes a Rame which he sound hanging by the hornes in the brambles, and sacrificed him.

4. THEO: he that sees his neighbours wife to couet her, hath alreadie cōmitted adult [...]rie in his heart; and he that binds his sonne to sacrifice him, [Page 782] hath alreadie sacrificed him in his heart. Behold then, for Gods loue, what a Holocaust this holy man offered in his heart! an incomparable sacri­fice, a sacrifice that one cannot fully estimate, nor yet praise to the full. O God who is able to dis­cerne, which of the two loues was greater, Abra­hams, who to please God, sacrificed his sonne so amiable, or the childs, who to please God is wil­ling to be sacrificed, and to that end permits him­selfe to be bound, and extended vpon the woode, and as a tender lambe, peaceably attends deathes blow, from the deare hand of his good Fa­ther.

5. For my part I preferre the Father for his longanimitie: yet dare I with all boldly giue the prize of magnaminitie to the sonne: For on the one side, it is indeede a miracle, yet not so great a one, that Abraham alreadie old and accomplished in the science of louing God, and frotified by the late vision and word of God, should giue this last essay of loyaltie, and loue, towards a Maister whose sweetenesse and prouidence he had so oftē perceiued and tasted. But to see Isaac in the Spring of his age, as yet a meere Nouice and Apprētise in the art of louing God, offer himselfe vpon the onely word of his father, to the sword and the flame, to become a Holocaust of obedience to the Diuine will, is a thing that passeth all admi­ration.

6. Yet of the other side, doe you not see THEOT: that for the space of three dayes, Abra­ham doth tosse and turne in his soule the bitter thought, and resolutiō of this sharp sacrifice. Doe [Page 783] you not take compassion of his Fatherlie heart, when ascending alone with his sonne, the child, more simple then a Doue saied vnto him, Father where is the victime? and he answered him, God will prouide for that my sōne. Doe you not thinke that the sweetenesse of the child carrying the woode vpon his shoulders, and piling it after­wards vpon the Altar, made his fathers bowels melt away with tendernesse? ô heart which the Angells admire, and God magnifieth! O Sauiour I [...]SVS, when shall it then be that hauing sacrificed vnto thee all that we haue, we shall also offer vp vnto thee all that we are? When shall we offer vn­to thee, our freewill the onely child of our soule? when will it be, that we shall extend and tye it vpon the Altar of thy Crosse, of thy thornes, of thy lance, that as a little Ewe, it may be a grate­full victime to thy good pleasure, to burne and die in the flame, and with the sword of thy Di­uine Loue.

7. O Freewill of my heart, how good a thing were it for thee to be bound and extended vpon the Crosse of thy Heauenly Sauiour? How desi­rable a thing it is to die to thy selfe, to burne for euer a Holocaust to the Almightie? THEOT: our Freewill is neuer so free, as when it is slaue, subiect to the will of God, nor euer so a slaue, as when it serues our owne will. It neuer hath so much life, as when it dies to it selfe, nor euer so much death, as when it liues to it selfe.

8. We haue freedome to doe good or euill; yet to make choyce of euill, is not to vse, but to abuse our freedome. Let vs renounce the accursed liber­tie, [Page 784] and let vs for euer subiect our free-will to the rule of heauenly Loue, let vs become slaues to Loue, whose seruants are more happie then kings. And if euer our soule should offer to imploye her libertie against our resolutiōs of seruing God for euer and without reserue; ô in that case for Gods sake, let vs sacrifice our freewill, and make it die to it selfe, that it may liue to God. He that in res­pect of selfe loue will keepe it in this world, shall loose it in respect of eternall Loue in the other world; and he that for the loue of God shall loose it in this world, shall cōserue it for the same loue in the next. He that giues it libertie in this world, shall find it a slaue in the other, and he that shall make it a seruant to the Crosse in this world, shall find it free in the next, where being drunk vp in the fruition of the Diuine goodnesse, libertie will be conuerted into loue, and loue into libertie, but libertie of an infinite sweetenesse, without violēce paine, or repugnance at all: we shall vnchangeably loue the Creatour and Sauiour of our soules.

Of the motiues we haue to holy Loue. CHAPTER. XI.

1. SAINT BONAVENTVRE, Father Granado, Father Lowis of Po [...]t, Stella haue suffi­ciently discoursed vpon this subiect. I will onely somme vp, the points which I haue touched in this Treatise.

[Page 785]2. The Diuine Goodnesse considered in it selfe, is not onely the first motiue of all, but with­all the greatest, the most noble and most puis­sant: For it is that which doth rauish the Blessed and crowne their Felicitie. How can one haue a heart, and yet not loue so infinite a goodnesse? This subiect is in some sort proposed in the 1. and 2. chap. of the 2. booke, and from the 8. chap. of the 3. booke to the end, and in the 9. chap. of the 10. booke.

3. The 2. motiue is that of Gods supernatu­rall Prouidence, creation, and conseruation, to­wards vs, according as we haue saied in the 3. cha. of the 2. booke.

4. The 3. motiue is that of Gods supernaturall Prouidence ouer vs, and of the Redemption which he prepared for vs, as it is explicated in the 4. 5. 6. and 7. chap. of the 2. booke.

5. The 4. motiue is to consider how God doth practise this Prouidence and Redemption, giuing euery one the grace and assistance which is requisite to their Saluation, which we handle in the 2. booke from the 8. chap. and in the 3. booke from the beginning till the 6. chap.

6. The 5. motiue is the eternall glorie, prouided for vs by the diuine goodnesse, which is the ac­complishment of Gods benefits towards vs, and is in some sort touched from the 9. chap. to the end of the 3. booke.

A profitable methode whereby we may imploy these methods. CHAPTER. XII.

1. NOw to receiue from these motiues a pro­found and powerfull heate of loue, we are, after we haue once considered one of them in cō ­mon, to applie it in particular to our selues: For example: O how amiable this great God is, who out of his infinite goodnesse gaue his sonne for the whole worlds redemption? alas I, for all in ge­nerall, but also for me who am the first of offen­ders! Ah, he hath loued me! yea I saie, he hath loued euen me, yea euen me my selfe, such as I am; and deliuered himselfe to death for me.

2. Secondly we must consider the Diuine be­nefits in their first and eternall source. O God, T [...]O: what loue can we haue sufficiently worthy of the infinit goodnesse of our Creatour, who frō all eternitie determined to create, conserue, go­uerne, redeeme saue, and glorifie all in generall and in particular? Ah what was I then, when I was not? my selfe I saie, who now being some thing, am yet but a simple and poore worme of the earth; while yet God from the Abisse of his eter­nitie, thought thoughts of benediction in my behalfe? He considered and designed, yea deter­mined the houre of my birth, of my baptisme, of all the inspirations that he would bestow vpon [Page 787] me; in a word, for all the benefits which he would doe and offer me; alas is there a sweetenesse like to this?

3. Thirdly we must consider the Diuine bene­fits in their second meritorious source; for doe you not know, THEO: that the high Priest of the law, wore vpon his backe and bosome the names of the children of Israel, that is, the precious stones, vpon which the chiefe of the Israelites were engrauē? Ah behold IESVS our High Priest, and consider him from the very instant of his con­ception, how he bore vs vpon his shoulders, vn­dertaking the charge, to redeeme vs by his death, and death of the Crosse. ô THEO: THEO: this soule of our Sauiour knew vs all by name and sur­name: but especially vpon the day of his passion, when he offered his teares, his praiers, his blood and life for all, he breathed in particular for thee these thoughts of loue. Ah my eternall Father, I take vpon me and to my charge, all poore THEO: sinns, to vndergoe torments and death, that he may be freed from them, and that he may not pe­rish but liue. Let me die, so he may liue; let me be crucified, so that he may be glorified, ô the soue­raigne Loue of IESVS his heart, what heart can euer blesse thee, so deuotely as it ought.

4. So within his fatherly breast his Diuine heart foresaw, disposed, merited, and obtained, all the benefits which we haue, not onely in gene­rall for all, but also in particular for euery one; and his sweete dugges prouided for vs the milke of his motions draughtes, inspiratiōs, and sweete­nesse, by which he doth draw, conduct and nurish [Page 788] our hearts to eternall life. Benefits doe not in [...]ame vs, vnlesse we behold the eternall will, which ordaines them for vs, and the heart of our Sauiour that merited them for vs, by so many paines, es­pecially in his death and passion.

That the Mount of Caluarie is the true Academie of Loue. CHAPTER. XIII.

1. NOw in finall conclusion, the death and Passiō of our Sauiour, is the sweetest ād yet most violent motiue, that cā animate our hearts in this mortall life. And it is the very truth, that my­sticall Bees, make their most excellēt honie, with­in this Lyon's woūd; of the Tribe of Iuda, but che­red rent and torne vpon the Mount of Caluarie: and the children of the Crosse glorie in their ad­mirable Probleme, which the word vnderstāds not. O [...]t of all deuouring death, r [...]se the life of our consolation, and out of death which is the strongest of all things, the honie sweetenesse of our loue did issue. O IESVS my Sauiour, how amiable is thy death, since it is the soueraigne effect of thy Loue.

2. And indeede aboue in heauenly glorie, next to the motiue of the diuine goodnesse knowne ād cō ­si [...]er [...]d in it selfe, that of the death of our Sauiour, shall be the most powerfull to rauish the hearts of [Page 789] the Blessed with the loue of God: in signe whereof MOYSES and HELIE in the Transfiguration, which was a scantling of glorie, spoke with our Sauiour of the Excesse, which he was to accomplish in Hie­rusalem: but of what excesse, if not of that ex­cesse of Loue, by which life was forced from the Louer to be bestowed vpon the beloued? So that in the eternall Canticle, I imagine that ioyfull accla­mation will be iterated each moment.

3. THEO, the mount Caluarie is the mount of Louers. All loue that begi s not from our Sauiours Passion, is friuolous, and dangerous. Accursed is death without the Loue of our Sauiour. Accursed is Loue, without the death of our Sauiour. Loue and death are so mingled in the passion of our Sa­uiour, that one cannot haue the one in his heart without the other. Vpon Caluarie one cānot haue life without Loue, nor loue without the death of our Redeemour. But out of that, all is either eter­nall death, or eternall Loue; Christian wisdome, consisteth in making a good choice, and to assist you in that, I vndertook [...] this Treatise, my TH [...]O:

O eternall Loue, my soule doth desire and make choice of thee eternally, ah come ô holy Ghost, and inflame our hearts with thy Loue, Either loue or die, die or loue: To die to all other Loue, to liue to that of IESVS, that we may not eternally die; but that liuing in thy eternall loue, ô Sauiour of our soules, we may eternally singe VIVE IESVS. I loue IESVS, liue IESVS whom I loue, I loue IESVS, who liueth and raigneth for euer and euen. Amen.

4. These things THEO: which by the grace and helpe of Charitie, haue bene written to your Cha­ritie I beseech GOD they may take roote in your heart, that this Charitie may find in you, the fruits of holy workes, not the leaues of prayses. Amen. God be blessed. Thus I shut vp this whole Trea­tise, in the words with which S. AVGVSTINE ended his admirable sermon of Charitie, made before an illustrious assemblie.