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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20960	Theophilus, or Loue diuine A treatise containing fiue degrees, fiue markes, fiue aides, of the loue of God. Translated by Richard Goring, out of the third French edition: renewed, corrected and augmented by the author M. Peter Moulin, preacher the reformed Church of Paris.; Theophile ou de l'amour divin. English.	Du Moulin, Pierre, 1568-1658.; Goring, Richard.	1610 (1610)	STC 7339; ESTC S118661	51,058	311

God Fol. 254. CHAP. I. Of true and false Loue. LOue is that point of our spirites whereby she ioyneth her selfe vnto obiects That which is weight in heauie things Loue is the verie same in our soules For as weight moueth earthly bodyes towardes the place of their rest so loue moueth our soules towardes that obiect which promiseth rest contentment Whereupon it followeth that as heauie things doe moue in a direct line towards the place of their rest so if we will attaine vnto any perfect repose our loue must go right and haue an equall motion 1 True loue then is that same which giueth rest and contentment vnto the soule whereas false loue is an irregular agitation and endlesse motion Such is worldly loue which we see to be filled with vnquietnesse and not to stay his agitation but through wearisomnesse or despaire which is no rest but an vnablenesse to moue because that force failing desire doth still continue like vnto a tied horse which gnaweth his bit Such are almost all men they haue many desires and little power they most desire that they can least do neither being able to obey or command their couetousnes They cannot obey it because of their weaknes nor commaund it because of their incontinencie So that if a man enioy without any let that which he loueth that verie easinesse it selfe bringeth him a distast withal For worldly loue is enflamed by resistāce and nourished with difficulties like vnto those fishes which loue to be in violent streames and floud-gates but do die in a still water The cause of this vnquietnesse is because that our loue chuseth false obiects and which cannot satisfy couetousnesse For if you passe your eie vpon all which is best and most pleasing in the world you shall not finde therein any firme and stable quiet but a chaine of cares linked together a web of perpetuall vnrest The most graue sweetes are sow●ed in bitternes The atcheiuement of riches pleasure and honour is painfull and many perish in the pursuite therof the possession is vncertaine but the losse certaine For if these things leaue not vs by some accident we shall leaue thē by death These are things which are bestowed not onely vpon the wicked but euen because they are bad as being rewards of wickednesse To expose a mans loue towards these things is but a pursuing of the winde and a perpetuall trauell For euen when these things might be termed alwaies good yet are they vncertaine A man cannot take good aime at a flying fowle nor haue any assured designement aiming after transitorie goods and pleasures We must seek our rest then some other where thē on earth and turne the edge of our loue towards heauen For euen as the lower part of the elementary region is the seate of windes tempests and earthquakes but that part towards heauen is alwaies peaceable stil so our loue shall be euer full of vnquietnes whilest it setteth it self vpon base things but it shall find rest if it raise it selfe towards heauē Gods promises And for this cause is it that in the middest of tempestuous wether at sea the needle of the Compasse remaineth alwayes vnmoueable and stayed vpon one point namely be cause it gouerneth it self by the Pole In like sort the soule of a faithfull Christian in the midst of the confusiōs of this world most grieuous afflictions shall enioy a most assured peace because his loue aimeth at heauen and stayeth it selfe vpon Gods promises which is the true obiect of our loue which alone is to be chiefly loued which can make vs louely in louing vs and which alone can yea will make them happie who loue them As the Apostle S. Paul saith The eie of man hath not seene his eares heard nor hath euer entred into his hart what things God hath prepared for those which loue him Also he promiseth in S. Iohn To come vnto him which loueth him and to dwell with him Admirable loue which maketh our soules to be the pallace of the King of heauen and the sanctuarie of his Spirit 2 Philosophie leadeth vs hereunto at vnawares for it hath for a generall Maxime that God and nature make nothing in vaine Now this infinit desire this vn satiable appetite which is in man should be in vaine if there were not something to content it which being not found vpon earth must be sought for in heauen and towards God who is infinite goodnesse 3 Adde hereunto that God hauing created the world for mans vse hath without all doubt created man for some better thing then the world to wit for God himselfe 4 And that amongst all creatures God hath created man alone vnto his Image alone with vpright stature visage erected vpwards to the end he might loue him whose resemblance hee beareth and that his desire and his loue might aime at heauenly things 5 Adde we hereunto that the perfection of our spirits cannot be but in the vnion with the Chiefe of spirits which communicateth his vertue vnto the creature in like fashiō as the Sunne darteth out his beames that is giueth it in such sort that it yet dependeth vpon him after hauing giuen it 6 Moreouer true loue is that which transformeth the louer into the thing beloued Now if a deformed man loue a corporall beautie neuer shall hee by that loue correct his owne imperfection contrariwise by louing God we become like to him and as the Apostle saith in the 2. Corinth chap. 3. Beholding as in a mirrour the glorie of the Lord with open face we are changed into the same image 7 Finally beauty being the first sparke of loue we shall see hereby how that which we call loue is not so but only a superficial colour which couereth filth but that light is true beautie God then being the first light father of lights is also the chiefe beautie and by consequent hee that we ought chiefly to loue Yet humane Philosophie disagreeth here in one point from diuine which is the word of God For naturall Philosophie holdeth that naturall motion is alwayes better then that which is against nature On the cōtrarie in matter of loue the Scripture teacheth vs that the loue contrarie vnto our nature is better then the natural For sithence Sathan by seducing Adam hath disfigured the Image of God in man mans desires haue turned towards the world and in a maner our loue hath bene fallen headlong downe from heauen to earth The affections of the flesh are enmity with God Rom. 8. If any one loue God it is not of his owne nature but it is a gift of God Wherefore our Lord Iesus in the eight of Saint Iohn saith that none can come to him if his Father draw him not And the Apostle S. Paul pulling vs out of the mire and thicke mud commandeth vs to seeke the things which are on high Coloss 3. ver 1 2. For the saying of the Apostle S. Iohn is most true

word it is inough to cut one anothers throate so that they confesse their liues to be litle worth seeing they will hazard them for so litle making it an euerie dayes exercise but if God be blasphemed his truth slandered if his name be abused before their eyes they remaine vnmoueable and beare a part therein We are leapers without feeling in spirituall things but verie sensible in carnall We go for curiositie vnto sermons where Gods truth is opposed against and our presence by the weake taken for an approbation but we wold be loth to be found i● a place or companie where the honor of our house should be defamed but to contradict the same Let vs vndergo in this point a voluntary condemnatiō and let vs acknowledge that this spirituall feeling is verie feeble in vs to the end we may craue of God to awaken it by quickening vs with his loue From these fiue degrees and fiue markes you may easily gather that the loue of God consisteth not onely in hauing a good opinion of him or to haue a good feeling or to speak well of him but that chiefly it consisteth in obeying him and conforming vs to his wil. So God in his law saith that he sheweth mercie vnto them which loue him but he addeth which keep my commandements And Iesus Christ Ioh. 14. Who so loueth me will keep my sayings And the same Apostle in another place My litle children loue not in word neither in tongue onely but in deed and in truth So S. Iames saith That pure and vnderfield religion before God is to visit the fatherlesse and widows in their aduersitie and to keepe our selues vnspotted of the world But there be many that are religious in speech not in actions and who studie to be more skilfull not more wise who confesse God with their lips but denie him in their hearts Like vnto those which struck Iesus Christ saying Haile maister or to Rabshakeh who spake not the language of the people of God but for to dishonour him withall He knoweth not God who loueth him not he loueth him not who obeieth not his wil. The children of Eli were instructed in the will of God for being Priests they taught it vnto others and yet the Scripture saith 1 Sam. 2. 12. that they knew not God because they loued him not The kingdome of God saith S. Paul lieth not in words but in power It is euen so with his loue So Dauid in the 33. Psal saith that praises are very comely but he addeth in the mouths of iust men As for the wicked God saith vnto him in the 50 Psalme Wherefore takest thou my words into thy mouth For this cause was it that Iesus Christ when the diuell confessed him said vnto him Hold thy peace hold thy peace For the praise of God and the truth of religion are vilified and debased in the mouth of the wicked and therby lose their authoritie for shee is made a companion of vice and the liuerie of Gods children becometh by this meanes a cloake of impietie Thou saist I loue God but doest despise his will I loue God but doest hate the image of God Canst thou loue God without following him or follow such as do good to their enemies whilest thou liuest in discord with thy brethren We protest all of vs to loue God but we better loue the increase of our monies then the aduancement of his cause Wee protest to feare him but we do not feare to do before him such things as we would shame to do before men Who is that quarreller or theefe that wil strike or steale in the presence of the Iudge and for all this what do we not in Gods sight the Iudge not onely of our actions but also of our thoughts We protest to loue Iesus Christ and yet abandon his members which are the poore We spend more in a quarter of an houre at play then in a whole yeare in almes The superfluitie of our attire would cloathe a great number of poore All is spent in pleasure and nothing in pietie All is for our couetousnes nothing for Gods sake Doth that man loue God which wil not willingly speake vnto him nor of him or who taketh no counsell of God in his distresse or who is not touched with the zeale of his glory In the mean time there is none amongst vs who maketh not profession to loue God which sheweth that wee loue him in grosse but hate him in retaile this being in generall and gainsaid in particular We speake of heauen but haue our hearts on the earth By this meanes if one mark apart our loue to God it may be found some speciall matter but if we ballance it with our loue of the world our pleasures our riches our preferments it is found verie light so that our loue is a kinde of disesteeme and almost an hatred Let vs take heed to our selues for we shal not be iudged according to this general profession but according to our particular actions And if so it be that we loue not God as we ought or if wee loue some other thing with him otherwise then for his sake how shall we subsist before him louing any thing better better then he yea euen against him louing that which God hateth to wit the world and the desires thereof and cherishing his enemies in his presence CHAP. IV. Fiue meanes or helpes to inflame vs in the loue of God NOw we are to treat of the meanes to nourish in vs this loue It is surely an effect of the Spirit of sanctification which God giueth onely to his children whereupon this spirit is called the spirit of adoption by the Apostle Rom. 8. because it is not giuen to any other then the children of God which he hath adopted in Iesus Christ and that therefore hee frameth their hearts vnto a child-like loue and to haue recourse vnto God as their Father It is requisite that the grace of God should preuēt our wils to make them willing that it may accompanie them that they may will feruently and that it follow them to the end they may not will in vaine and without fruite It is God which bringeth forth in vs with efficacie both the will and the deede according to his good pleasure Notwithstanding God moueth vs not like stones he maketh vs follow willingly he bendeth our wils by an vnconstrained necessitie For this cause is it that we are called workers together with God that in the same place where S. Paul saith that God giueth the will and the deede according to his good pleasure he willeth notwithstanding that we should worke out our owne saluation with feare and trembling Phil. 2. 12. 13. The meanes then which we haue to employ our selues in the nourishing and cherishing of this loue of God in vs is in generall to giue our selues to good workes which be pleasing vnto him But in this trauell I finde fiue helpes