and which yet does not destroy the great commandment unlesse it be destroying of it to explain it after the same manner the Son of God himself explained it in the Gospel when he assured us That he loves him who keeps his words Which gave occasion to that famous Chancellour of the University of Paris to say r Gerson iâ— Opusâ—ulo Tripartito That the Law which bindes us to love God with all our hearts is conveniently accomplisht by men if their works execute his Commandments Thus s See Fath. Caussin in his answer to the Moâ—al Divinity have eight Councels of France explicated the Precept of Charity which explication hath been inserted into the Ritualls of Paris Thoul and Bourges by the Authority of the Prelaâ—â—s to the end that it might be proposed to the people as the most proâ—itable to the ediâ—ication of souls And it is following them that Father Sirmond said t 〈◊〉 of the Defence of Vertue pag. 23. That we are bound under a grievous penalty to love God with an incomparable love of an inestimable value so great that we never equall any thing with him nor ever vâ—luntarily stagger between his service and the creatures being uâ—certain to which of them to give our selves much lesse that we never preâ—er any thing before him or suffer our selves in any important occasion to run to any thing contrary to his will Is this ranversing the Gospel and destroying the great commandment of the Law Is this â—â—ying The Love of God is not necessary to Salvition as the Jansenist saith he does He is so 〈◊〉 from that opinion that he professes the contâ—ary That the â—ormal act of loving God is necesâ—â—râ— by an absolute necessity by an indispensable necessiâ—y by a necessity at least suâ—passing that of Precâ—pt as all Divines acknowledge If a man sayes he were dying out of the state of Grace unlesse Charity assisted him it is indeed then in effect necessary and that necessitate medii by a necessity of means which is more then the necessity of Precept Whence it appears that when he disputes whether or no we are obliged to produce interioâ—r acts of the love of God by the necessity of Precept he speaketh onâ—ly of that Divine Law which Divines call Positive not of that which they call Naturall because it is grounded on naturall Principles And yet he does not deny even the precept of Positive Law but professes to explain the meaning of St. Thomas which he thinks to be doubtfull and uncertain affirming That it is not evident this Holy Dâ—ctour acknowledged this particular precept of the love of God which he cannot say of the Naturall Precepâ— because a little before he told us his opinion concerning the naturall Obligation every man hath to add 〈◊〉 himself towards God so soon as he begins to have the use of reason to the end he may 〈…〉 the first fruits of his heart to him But suppose he should absolutely deny the Positive Precept as long as he agrees with all Divines concerning the Naturall Law why will you quarrel with him on a subtilty which is never used but in School Disputes and of which the vulgar people are no wayes capable What prejudice can this Doctrine bring to Christians as long as they still know they are bound by an indispensable necessity to love God What matter is it to the faithfull whether they be bound by a Positive Law or a Naturall By a necessity of means necessitate medii or a necessity of Prâ—â—â—pt Will all the Gospel be destroyed for this Must we needs make such a noise for a distinction which does not yet free us from the obligation of loving God but which contrarily grounds this obligation on the essentiall principles of all reasonable creatures Yet if this Doctrine be to be condemned why does not the Jansenist condemn it in its Source Why does â—e not set upon St. Bernard who distinguishes thesâ— two sorts of Love the one u Est Charitas in actu est in effectu Et de illâ quidem quae operis est puto datam esse legem hominibus mandatumque formatum Nam in affectu quis ita habeat ut mandatur Ergo illa mandatur â—d meritum ista ut praemium datur Et infra Quomodo ergo jubenda fuit quae implenda nullo modo erat St. Bern. Serm 50. in Cantica effective the other affective And who assures us the first is commanded us but not the second If there be a good sense to be given his words as Monsiour Du Vall in his Treaty of Charity shews thâ—râ— is why must that be holy in the works of St. Bernard and criminall in the writings of Father Sirmond Yet if we do but reflect on the drift of the Book which he clamours against with such passion and animosity it will be no hard matter to finde what it is which nettles this unjust Accuser For the Authour of that work in his first Treatise aims at nothing but the maintaining the merit and excellency of vows which was vilisied by an injurious Comment on the Book of Holy Virginity censured some years before in Sorbon And in the second part which is that we speak of Father Sirmond impugneth an errour of certain absurd Heads who under pretence of going to God onely by Love cannot endure a man should help himself with Hope and Fear as if it were unworthy of a Christian to exercise those vertues they being full of self-love imperfections and sins In which errour those men follow the spirit of Luther who teacheth That all Morall Vertues and all the good works we do before we have Charity are sins A Proposition which was x Censura Sorbonica Anni 1521. condemned in the Year 1521. on the fifteenth of April as false rash capable of frighting sinners from the amendment of their lives and in fine tasting somewhat of Heresie Falsa temerariè asserta peccatorum ab emendatione retractiva sapiens haeresim You see what it is that displeases the Casuist of Port-Royall in Father Antony Sirmond but not daring to tel it and on the other side engaging himself stoutly for the Interests of Calvin and Luther whose opinions he aâ—mires he pretends this Father cannot be a Champion for those vertues unlesse he declare himself an enemy to Charity nor maintain the other commandments without violating that of the Love of God Let us give him some good advice on this Subject An Advertisement to the Jansenists To satisfie you I have shown you what Love of God it is which according to all Divines is necessary to salvation Now to bring you out of those errours into which you run give me leave a little to teach you what Love it is not and this according to the judgement of able Persons It is not at all necessary to give ones whole heart to a creature and to love it as much as God himself This is a little â—oo much for a Directour of
unknown to the greatest part of the world which will laugh at it as strange and barbarous because they know not what it is to to love God and man after so high a manner It was very necessary that the Abbot of St. Cyran should come into the world to teach us this unknown Language and that he should have Disciples to perswade us That this is the Language of the Ages of the Primitive Church of Fathers and Councels to kindle again that Sacred fire which the negligence of Pastors and the slacknesse of Casuists in these 500. last years had suffered to go out and to teach us what it is to love God and men after so high a manner What do you say to this Badinage this prophane Foolery The twenty eighth Imposture French 28. THat the Jesuites violate the great Commandment on wich depend all the Law and the Prophets That they affirm the love of God is not necessary to Salvation Letter 10. pag. 242. Engl. Edit Answer Who does this Calumniatour mean to oppose Who does he talk of Who does he so violently complain of Certainly he never read Divines 'T were impossible he should publish so notorious an untruth and so much against their honour if he had read them But according to his custome he hath without any ground yielded to the Ministers of Charenton a God in the Tables of the Law neither commandeth Faith nor Charity Thom 1 2. q. 10. a. 4. 2. 2. q 79. a. 2. 2. 2. q. 44. ar 4. Navarr Manual c. 11. in the Traditions of Du Moulin pag. 341 342. who accuse Saint Thomas and Navarr for destroying the whole precept of the Love of God Onely he is himself an abominable Falsiâ—ier if he dare affirm after having read Divines That they teach The Act of Charity is not necessary to Salvation I will not alledge out of the infinity of Authors who establish this necessity any one who is not a Jesuit because 't is under â—â—eir name he wounds the reputation of the others They speak then thus Cardinall Lugo b Praceptum de diligendo Deo est omnino de jure naturae obligaret secluso quolibet Dei decreto ut omnes concedunt Disp 7. de Pâ—nit Sect. 12. n. 250. The Precept of loving God is absolutely of the Law of Nature nay if there were no decree of God all Divines notwithstanding do agree in this That a man were bound to it Suarez c Diâ—o primò omnibus hominibus impositum esse hoc praecâ—ptum Constat Deut. 6. Diliges Deum Dominum tuum c. Et Matth. 10. 22. Hoc est primum maximum mandaâ—um Infra Ratio conclusionis est quia hujusmodi dâ—lectio est medium necessarium ad salutem omâ—ia â—utem talia media caduâ—t sub praeceptum Suareâ— Tract de Charitat Disp 5. Sect. 1. in the first place I say This Precept bindes all men It is evident by the Text in the sixth Chapter of Deuteronomy Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart And by that in St Matthew This is the first and the greatest of all the Commandments Now the reason of this Conclusion is That this love is a necessary means to Salvation and all means of this nature fall under the Precept Valentia d Cum quaerimus quomodo quando praeceptum de dilectionâ— Dei obliget pro certo ponimus illud extare id enim constat manifesté tum ex scripturâ tum ex ratione Et infra Dico primo obligare istud praeceptum ut Deum diligamus non quomodocunque sed tanqâ— am ultimum finem at que adâ—ò summè appretiativè seu quod idem est super omnia non autem summè intensivè Valentia Tom. 3. Disp 3. q. 19. punct When we ask after what manner and at what time the commandment of the love of God obliges us we take it for granted that there is one that being evident both by Scripture and Reason And a little further In the first place I say we are obliged to love God by this precept not with a common love but as our last end and by consequence with a love of sovereign esteem and preference before all things Molina e Mihi persuadco nos tencri sub culpâ lethali praecepto Charitatis Dei subvenire ac nos opponere quando honor gloria Dei Christi periclitarentur id effiâ—tendo quod profuturum ad id speraremus etiam cum periculo nostro Molina Tract 5. de Justitiâ Disp 59. pag. 3167. n. 7. Et infra pag. 3167. n. 7. Id vero non tollit quod de Dei Charitatc sit peculiare aliquod praeceptum tanquam de re Dâ—o debitâ tanquam de Medio ad Deum vitamque sempiternam obtinendam necessario I am verily perswaded that we are obliged by the precept of Divine Charity under pain of Mortall Sin if there be any danger that the honour and glory of God and Christ Jesus should be hazzarded before men to step in and oppose our selves and even with the perill of our lives to do all that we can hope may be any wayes serviceable A little further This does not hinder but that there is a particular commandment for the love of God as a thing which is due unto him and as a necessary means to enjoy God and obtain life everlasting Becanus f Praeceptum diligendi Deum est duplex 1. Generale quod in toto Decalogo continetur cujus obligatio est observare legem Dei 2. Particulare quod positivè obligat ad actum Charitatis five hic actus sit dilectio Dei five detestatio pecâ—ati ut est offensa Dei Hoc ergo posteriore oritur specialis obligatio Contritionis Becanus de Sacramentis Cap. 35. quaest 6. num 4. There are two precepts which command the love of God The first is General and comprehended in the Decalogue which obliges us to observe his Law The second Particular and Positive which obliges us to make an act of Charity whether it be in acertain motion of love to God or in a detestation of sin because it offends God Now from this last precept proceeds that particular obligation we have of being contrite Thomas Sanchez g Constat extare praeceptum de dilectione Dei Deu. 6. Matth. 22. Ratio est quia actus dilectionis est ad salutem necessarius 1. Joan. 3. Qui non diligit manet in morte At de omnibus ad salutem necessariis extat praeceptum Sanchez libr. 2. Moral cap. 35. num 1. 'T is certain there is a precept commanding us to love God The reason of it is because that act of loving God is necessary to salvation according to St. John He that loveth not shall remain in death Now all things which are necessary to salvation are commanded us Layman h Praeceptum hoc de diligendâ— Deo primum maxium dicitur Matth. 22. quia est
de excellentissimae virtutis primario actu â—oque inprimis necessario ad salutem Nam Charitas est inquit Sanctus Aug. in â—p Joan. tract 5. c. 3. sine quâ nibil prodest quodcâ—nque habueris quam si solam habeas sufficit tibi Layman libr. 2. Tract 3. cap. 2. num 2. This precept which concerns the love of God is called in St. Matth. 6. 22. The first and the greatest of all the Commandments because it concerns the first act of the most excellent vertue and that which is most necessary to salvation For as St. Austin tells us If we want Charity all other things are worth nothing and if we have that it alone is sufficient Azorius i Praeceptum Charitatis in sacris literis continetur non uno in loco sed pluribus ac diversis Primum Deut. 6. deinde Matth. 2â— tum Marci II. postremo Lucae 10. quibus in locis hisce verbis dictum est nobis Diliges Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo Azor. libr. 9. Instit Moral cap. 4. In many places of Holy Scripture we may finde a command for Charity First in the sixth Chapter of Deut. afterwards in the 22. of Matth. in the 11. of Mark and lastly in the tenth of St. Luke For in all these places it is said Thou shalt love thy Lord thy God with all thy heart Tanner k Praeceptum de diligendo Deo habet se per modum principii omnibus noti Tannerus Tom. 3. Disp 2. de Spe Charitate quaest 4. dub 4. num 62. The Commandment of loving God is ranked amongst those which are known to the whole world Castro-Palao l Latum esse speciale mandatum de diligendo Deo tenent cum D. Thoma omnes ejus expositoros Castro-Palao Tom. 1. q. de Spe Charitate Disp 1. p. 2. All Interpreters of St. Thomas agree with that Holy Doctour in this that there is a particular precept obliging us to love God Maldonatus m Respondeo hoc tanquam certum statui nos non nisi bona nobis velle debere non alitèr nosmetipsos quà m propter Deum amaturos esse cum Deum ex toto corde ex totâ auimâ totis viribus diligere jubeamur quod si facimus non possumus nos diligere alitèr quà m oportet Propterea jubemur proximum eodem modo diligere Maldonatus in cap. 22. Matth. vers 39. I answer we presuppose as a certain Maxime that we ought not to wish any thing but good to our selves and that we do not love our selves otherwise then for the love of God since that we are commanded to love God with all our heart with all our soul and with all our strength If we do thus we cannot love our selves but as we should Therefore we are command to love our neighbour as our selves Cardinall Bellarmin n Scriptura Divina non solùm praedicat dilectionem esse donum Dei sed etiam praecipit ut diligamus Deum ac certè non praecipit ut diligamus Deum ex habitu infuso sed ut diligamus Deum ex toto corde Leges enim de actibus dantur non de habitibus Bellarmin Tom. 4. l. 6. de Gratiâ libero Arbitrio c. 7. pag. 892. Holy Scripture does not onely tell us That Charity is the gift of God but it commands us also to love him Now certainly it does not command us to love him by any infused habit but with all our heart for Laws command the Acts not the Habits I should make a volume if I would set down all the Authors of the Society who teach That there is a particular precept injoyning the love of God I say a Particular As for the generall precept comprehended in all the commandments of God never any Catholique doubted of it And therefore in that the Iansenist shews alike both his ignorance and his mâ—lice thus confounding the different precepts of Divine Love with a certain shuffling mixing and winding them one into the other whereas he should have distinguisht them that he might shew us what it is he dislikes and give us by that a Testimony of his ability He ought to have said there is a negative Commandment which alwayes hath a binding power over us and which forbids the doing any thing that may prejudice the Love of God and cast us out of the State of Grace and that there is not any one Authour found which will oppose this But also there is an affirmative precept which according to Divines does not alwayes binde us but onely aâ— some certain times and that 't is concerning this they dispute and question at what time it does oblige us He ought to have distinguished two affirmative Precepts one of which is in the Law of Nature the other in the Positive Law and have observed by the way thereare some Authors who are not Jesuites that have believed a man might fulfill the precept of Charity meerly by naturall love but in this they were opposed by the whole world He ought to have said that there is one Positive Precept which is commonly called Generall that bindes us to an observance of all Gods Commandments and this is acknowledged by all faithfull Catholiques And another particular which bindes us to make certain formall Acts of the Love of God which o Sancius in select disputationibus Disp 1. Sancius who is no Jesuit seems to deny citing though not right for confirmation of his opinion St. Bernard St. Augustin Maldonatus and p Vasquez quaest 90. A. 1. Dub. 4. n. 41. Merito ergo diximus esse prâ—ceptum dilectionis Et paulò post Sanctus Thomas tantum docet esse Charitatis praeceptum quod ego non nego sed quando obliget non explicat Vasquez But Monsieur Du Val in his Treaty of Charity q Du Vallius Tract de Charitate refutes him and hath very perfectly explained St. Bernards meaning For the others 't is no hard matter to justifie them since Vasquez in the very same place he alledges professes the quite contrary opinion and Maldonatus speaks onely concerning the Generall Precept which he does not distingush from the ten Precepts of the Decalogue You see now what the Jansenist should have said had he dealt sincerely with us instead of his declaiming with so much heat against the Casuists which outrage he had never committed had he but had more commerce with School-Divines and lesse with Heretiques For I defie him to shew even any one Jesuit who teaches That the Love of God is not necessary to Salvation I do not onely speak of that effective Love consisting in a perfect observance of all Gods Laws but also of that affective Love as St. Bernard calls it which consists in the interiour act of supernaturall Divine Love Neither indeed durst he set upon any particular person unlesse it were Antony Sirmond with whom he wrangles upon a conditionall proposition which he takes in a wrong sense
Book The twenty seventh Imposture THat it is a Drollery where the spirit of man insolently sports with the love of God to dispute as all Divines do when a man is obliged to have an actuall affection for God and declare their different opinions thereon Letter 10. pag. 237. Answer If this Fool had onely pretended to oppose a particular opinion I would pardon his Foppery and if he had wanted respect onely for one Divine I could tollerate his insolency But he is run to the very extreamity of folly and hath chosen for his opposers the whole School of Divinty striving to make that passe for a ridiculous amusement and unworthy of a wise man which in a Controversia est non parvi momenti inter Doctores de tempore quo tenetur peccator Conteri Cajetan in Summa verb. Contritio Cajetans opinion is a question of the greatest importance being concerning an indispensable rule of our Salvation most seriously to be considered and most difficult to be resolved since the most learned Divines are divided in their Opinions One telleth us we are bound to look up to God by a certain moving of Love as soon as we begin to have the use of reason as St. Thomas Another tells us we must do it on every Holy Day those dayes being therefore dedicated to the Worship and Service of God as Soto Another that this Precept bindes to make an interiour act of Love at the least once a year as Monsiâ—ur Du Val. Another as oft as we communicate as Bannes Another as often as God inspireth the Thought into us as St. Antoâ—in To desire to terminate all these differences were to aim at an impossibility to chuse a good side is an act of wisdom but indiscreetly to finde fault with and to use the famous Doctours as if they were Drolls because they writ on this subject 't is a want of judgement and a drowning of ones self in the sight of all the wise men of the world without being pittied by any An Advertisement to the Jansenists If you would learn to Droll and to play insolently with the Love of God and your Neighbour I would counsel you to read the first Letters of your Master the Abbot of St. Cyran 'T is an Originall 't is an Antique and I will shew you some excellent features of it by which you may guess at the Genius of their Authour He writes to Monsieur D' Andilly and makes use as he sayes himself of the most pure part of Piety of Religion and of the love of God to assure him of his affection Being desirous b The Letter of the Abbot of St. Cyran to Monsieur D' Andilly Counsellour to the King in his Counsell of State from Poictiers 25. Sept. 1620. The Originall is in Clermont Colledge and also printed in the Progresse of Jansenisme pag. 123. saith he once for all to tell you with some expression equal to the depth of my thoughts in what manner I have dedicated my self to you I have in that essay done contrary to those excellent Penitents who finde a difficulty in beating down their imaginations I not being able to elevate mine to that pitch my acknowledgements would carry them which has been the cause that in the strife between my heart and spirit whose conceptions never reach my inclinations I chose rather to be silent a while expecting the turning and meeting of those purified spirits which help to form high imaginations then by endeavouring to say something to say it with a diminution and prejudice to the Source of my passions But finding time slip away and my self obliged to give an account of the condition of that friend whom you have so often recommended to me and who has nothing of Feminine in him besides vertue I have taken a pen and as if I would have writ in spilling ink on the paper I have writ at one dash all that which follows Sir That you may be assured of me I will tell you in such manner as if I gave you my Paâ—â—l and I wish it may render me guilty before God if ever I violate or transgresse it that you shall always find my actions stronger what do I say then my words yea then my conceptions What do I say then my conceptions yea then my affections and internall movings For all those have something in them of the body and by consequence are not sufficient to give testimony of a thing that is spirituall So that I would not have you judge me but by what is more perfect and which has no alloy of those things that are mixt with flesh blood sumes and imperfections because my love to you resteth in the center of my heart before it opens and dilating and stretching it self to you produces certain spirits conceptions imaginations and passions which are most excellent I feel them as an affâ—ctionate weight within me and which I dare neither bring forth nor disclose for fear I expose a Saint-like holy fruit I had rather call it by that name then any other to my senses to my imaginations to my passions which tarnish immediately and like clouds veil the best productions of the soul Insomuch that to give my self to you in as much purity as is imaginable I will not do it either by imaginations by conceptions by passions by affections by letters nor by words all these being inferiour to that which I feel in my heart and which is so far elevated above all other things that granting to the Angels in my Philosophy the knowledge of that which is exteriour and swims to say so above my heart there is none but God can dive into the bottom and center Even I my self that offer you it see scarce any thing that I can call by a name I know nothing but that vast unlimited yet certain and unmoveable propension I have to love and honour you the which I shall be carefull enough not to limit by any thing since I would perswade my self that I am in the infinity of a Radicall I had almost said Substantiall Love having respect to something Divine and to God in whom Love is Substance For I pretend that my Love to you is infused into the substance of my heart into the very Center and Quintessence of my soul which being infinite both in time and in your vertue of acting as he is of whom the soul is an image I may boldly say I am capable to operate towards you with Love as God does towards men For I have alwayes more power to act and love efficaciously then I could be thought to have by my actions In this there is nothing incredible if a man know 't is for love of your excellent vertues that I make this so admirable vow Can any one finde fault with me in offering you the Center of my Heart you being as you are one self same thing with God Can any complain that I expresse the inclinations I have for you in a language
Consciences When you over-looked the Christian and Spirituall Letters of the Abbot of St. Cyran you ought for the honour of your Sect to have reformed that Complement you make him write to a certain Nun. y See the Christian and Spirituall Letters wâ—iâ—h Monsieur D' Andilly published under the name of the Abbot of St. Cyran which are far more polisht then those which are kept in Cleâ—mâ—nt Colledge written by the Abbots own hand as you may easily judge by what follows I am now more then ever assured of your great love to God and 't is that which redoubles mine to you rendring me as much yours as I am his who never shares any thing but gives all he loves as I give all my whole heart to you Letter 49. You will confesse these words might have been left out and that they are not very necessary to Salvâ—tion It is not at all necessary in being Christianly charitable to be more transported then those who fall into rage into drunkennesse and into a passion of sensuall love Those are the expressions of that great Abbot of St. Cyran writing to Monsieur D' Andilly z This is the first Letter of those which are kept in Clermont Colledge written by tho Abbot of St. Cyran to Monsieur D' Andilly the 25. of Sept. 1620. A man must be passionate as we are for that invisible beauty sayes he before he be able to speak or have the least knowledge of it This Love therefore is interdicted your Court because they never heard That that passion which troubles and stifles their wits illuminates ours and that as in Religious Orders which are nothing but certain Fraternities of men living and dying together perfection consists in Charity even as 't was onely a mutuall affection which bound together that famous Squadron of Greeks and rendred them invincible The knowledge of the things of God springs up onely out of the Love we have of him All the wits on earth how sharp and knowing soever they be can never understand any thing in our Caball unless they be first initiated into those Mysteries which as * Orgies were the Sacifices of Bacchus where the Heathens did run about like mad men and tear and cut themselves Holy Orgies render their spirits more transported one towards another like those who fall into madnesse into drunkennesse and into the passion of carnall Love Three faults by which our Master in his Books illustrates that unspeakable perfection those have who unite or make themselves one with him by a certain amorous Devotion which has different movings worthily illustrated by those of the Sun which have an uniformity in their disformity which has something looking like spots which we may exemplisie by those we see in the body of the Moon which has disorders like those of the four seasons which are the same in their variety of which motions the violent which are those of Winter introduce again the beauty of the Spring which is a Sally of my pen you ought to welcome In fine it is not necessary to take God and Monsieur D' Andilly for one and the same thing as that same Abbot did and to think ones self happy in the union of these two nor is it necessary that the passion one has for an illustâ—ious Solitary Person of Port Royall should be alwayes in an eminent height from whence there is no possible descent Nor is it necessary to salvation to say That God loveth that person by us with an infinite love which we cannot explicate but by Letters as strangely placed as the Characters of the Sibylls and as hard to understand as Hebrew which the first Hebrews never learnt but by Cabal This admirable Love belongs onely to the Heads of your Sect. A man must be of your Cabal to be perfect in it I am confident there are very few Wits can write a Language so high as is that which himself admires in one of his Letters very carefully kept in Clermont Colledge Hearken a little how he speaks of that Love which flames in his Breast for he deserves that all the World should understand him * Saint Cyran's mad Raptures in expressing himself to his Neighbour Monsieur D' Andilly Me thinks sayes he on one side that the Characters of Friendship are as estimable as Letters and on the other side having been surprized about eleven a clock by him for whom I write and having neither a good Pen nor good Ink which are two wants into which I often fall I had then a certain inability to write better which is more excusable between two Friends then in any other thing not bounded by the simple will as true Love is which laughs at those powers and effects of which other dignities boast and finding my self bound by that powerfull Language which your Letter speaks it is no strange thing if being desirous to reform you in your stile and rank you with my own that is with that of the enamoured of God who onely Contemplate and Act without speaking I am become as obscure in the expression of Conceptions as in Letters For it was not my pen which was the instrument of my haste so much as the ardent desire I had which made me hasten more then either the time or my hand to tell you that I did not take your vulgar and common fashion of speaking although it was extreamly well deduced by which you engage your self to me in occasions for my Friend without remembring you that that which I have got on you through your voluntary donation to prevent all time and all occasions and all the power which you could ever acquire and rendâ—ing my self as at the very point of a Temporal Eâ—ernity whâ—re our friendship did begin the Master of the ground gave me a right to all the fruit and because it is impossible while I write to you that I should not feel a burning fire in my Spirits which elevates me and maketh me soar very high I have taken occasion from thence to begin a Discourse which I admire in its root and which you have had cause to contemn in its branches and leaves for the little grace I gave those words I made use of to expresse it which gave me the knowledge that I never before had of the admirable Secrets of our Master the which not being able but imprudently to tell to any other but your self and not being able to make them come out of that my Spirit but with the same precipitation of the Spirit of God which compells me violently to tell you them think whether you had rather I should lose them by writing them slowly or dictating them to a Servant who dishonours them and cooleth them with a greater certainty then if I should cast them as informed seeds falling from heaven upon your Spirit by Letters as ill ranged as were those of the Sibyls when they writ in their fury the Oracles of the Gods z 'T is