Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	know_v	love_v	soul_n	10,844	5	5.3323	4	true

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

of base allay As there are fiue degrees of true loue so are there also fiue markes to discerne it 1 The first mark of the true loue of God is that it quencheth all vnchast loues 2 The second mark and effect of this loue is that it bringeth peace and tranquillitie to the mind 3 The third is charitie towards our neighbours 4 The fourth is the pleasure to communicate often with God 5 The fift is the Zeale of the glorie of God which reioyceth or sorroweth according as God is honored or dishonored Whosoeuer feeleth in himselfe these effects may assure himselfe that hee loueth God with a true affection yea although that some coldnesse chance amongst this holy ardour and that the loue of himselfe be mingled withall yet this loue for being weak shall not let to be true prouided it do dayly go on tending vnto perfection Let vs runne ouer againe each one of these markes that wee may know them more perfectly The first marke of Gods Loue. THere are three sorts of loue the one whereof is euer good the other is euer bad the third good of his owne nature but accidentally bad because of our bad disposition That which is alwayes good is the loue of God in which it is impossible to sinne through excesse and in this point it is good to let slip the reines of our desires The measure of louing God is to loue him without measure The loue which is alwayes bad is the loue of murder of theft and of vnchaste pleasures c. The loue which being good of it owne nature becometh euill by accident is the loue of meate of drinke of ease or recreation appetites which are naturally good and necessarie but which we make to be bad by excesse and intemperance The loue of God doth diuersly behaue it selfe towards the other two sorts of loue For it ranketh the latter within the limits of mediocritie teacheth vs to satisfy our necessitie and not our curiositie It reiecteth all farre-fetched delicates being the distaste of a proud stomacke which awakeneth it selfe with artificiall meanes teaching vs to nourish this bodie so that it may not be a hinderance to the soule to watch and be sober lest we enter into temptation As for the second loue it can in no wise remaine with the loue of God but the feare of God doth wholy cut it off because that in a thing entirely bad we are not to seeke for any mediocritie None can be a fornicator an adulterer or a murderer by measure for the least inclination vnto these things is sinne against God But aboue all the strength of Gods loue is shewne in rooting out of our hearts vnchaste loue which kindleth in the mindes of worldly men a firebrand of filthy desires which defile our soules with a thousand beastly thoughts and importunate which of our bodies dedicated to be temples of God make an infectious brothell and as saith Saint Paul of the members of Christ do make them the members of a harlot Pleasures which weaken the bodie coole the spirit and abate courage which after the strength is consumed leaue yet a desire Infamous pleasures which place men beneath beasts of which man in this point ought to learne the laws of continencie and sobrietie Traiterous pleasures which embrace men to strangle them dally with him on the lap of delight as Dalilah played with Sampson that they may deliuer him not to the Philistians but vnto the diuell who hauing poaked out the sinners eyes oftentimes leade him this way vnto the temple of the Idoll Yet as if this were not enough man hath chosen out a painefull way vnto his pleasures they are not esteemed if not troublesome The stollen waters are sweetest saith Salomon and the malice of man supposeth all other entries better then the legitimate The loue of God entring into the spirit of any one for to purge it doth presently void out this filth and smothereth vp this loue by his greater force which teacheth vs to loue in our neighbors not their bodily beautie but their soules ornaments This holy loue hauing for his obiect the chiefe of spirits loueth consequently in men their spirituall beautie a beautie which coÌ„sisteth in the image of God an image whose principall lineaments are iustice and holinesse A beautie which is not superficial as that of the bodie which hideth within it selfe bloud brain and things which one may not behold without horror but it is a beautie which extendeth it self vnto the bottome as the beautie of a diamond or of the light it selfe The beautie of the body is but a flower which is withered with age but the beautie of the soule is not subiect vnto time and which is more the wrinkles which it hath are done out with time Many women might haue bin more happie if they had bene lesse beautifull for their beautie hath plentifully afflicted them but spirituall beautie is alwayes accompanied with Gods blessing Besides consider attentiuely the fairest visage of the world and you will becom neuer a whit the more faire your self but shall rather seem the fouler being neare it But carefully to contemplate a soule which God hath embellished with vertue will make you become vertuous and will forme you according to his example Carnall eyes perceiue not this beautie and pleasure knoweth not what it is For as a horse louing a mare thinketh that in the world there is no other beautie so the carnall and sensuall man thinketh there is no other beautie but that which through the sight toucheth his desires But the view of the faithfull pierceth further and oftentimes cleane through a corporall beÃ¡utie seeth the vetie image of the diuell CoÌ„trariwise the inward beauty is oftentimes vnder an exteriour foulenesse as that of a slubbered diamond As that of Iesus Christ during his opprobrious handling whereof Esay in the 53. chap. saith that there was not in him either forme or beautie and yet in the 45. Psalme he is called the most faire amongst the sonnes of men As the beautie of the Church whereof it is said in the first of Canticles that she is browne and yet faire being blacke without and burnt with afflictions which notwithstanding blot not out her inward beautie Therfore that women curious of their beautie may rather studie to adorne themselues inwardly as it is said in the 45. Psalm The Kings daughter is full of glorie within Let them take heed lest in decking artificially their bodies they become a snare of desires an instrument in the diuels hand A souldier hauing a sword that hath surely serued him in many combats will be careful to scowre and polish it and doe wee maruell if the woman hauing serued Sathan to ouerthrow Adam be carefully decked embellished by him and that women are so curious in ornaments by the suggestion of the diuell But we whom God hath honored with his knowledge to the end we might be inflamed with this loue let vs shut our eyes

to these allurements possessing as saith Saint Paul our vessels in holinesse abstain your selues not onely from euill but also from all appearance and occasions of euill Eschue idlenesse for it is the pillow of vices Let Satan coming to assaile you find you euer occupied Flie bad companie filthy talke books of loue for they are fire-brands of lust the hookes and baits of the diuel None cometh to do euill but by these accessaries yea the euill is alreadie in these accessaries Many will say that they are chast of bodie but their eyes their eares and their thoughts are culpable of lust Yet Christ saith that he who looketh on his neighbours wife to lust after her hath already committed adultery The best companie and the best busines to diuert our minds from this euill is the carefull reading of the word of God ioyned vnto prayer Saint Augustine in the eight book of his Confessions cap. 8. 12. saith that when he was vpon termes of rendering himselfe a Christian that which most troubled him was that hee must leaue his fornication and that in this combatfull anguish hee withdrew himselfe into a garden where twice he heard the voice of a child as it were coming from the houses hard by saying Take and reade At this voice he tooke the booke of the Epistles of S. Paul and chanced at the first opening of the booke on this text of the 13. chapter to the Romains where he saith Let vs walke honestlie as in the day time not in riot and drunkeÌ„nesse not in chambering and wantonnesse neither in strife or enuie but put you on the Lord Iesus Christ and haue no care of the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof There was enough for him and thereupon were it that this voice came from God or that it chanced by other meanes he resolued to follow the counsell of the Apostle who without looking for any reuelation therupon doth sufficiently manifest vnto vs the wil of God touching the laying off of these desires The second marke of the loue of God THis same loue bringeth forth another effect by which it is to be knowne to wit the peace and tranquillitie of the soule it chaseth away feares asswageth cares sweetneth afflictions For what euill soeuer happeneth him who loueth God he wil euer remember the sentence of the Apostle Rom. 8. That all things turne to the best for them which loue God Euen their crosses becom blessings their bodily pouerty is a spiritual diet vnto them their banishments teach them to leaue the world their sequestring from honors is their approch vnto God their enemies are their Physitions causing them to be warie and to liue in Gods feare Their corporall diseases are spirituall cares death is an entrie into life and a bringing forth by which the soule is deliuered of the bodie as of her last after-birth and cometh forth of a darke den to enter into Gods light The passage through afflictions resembleth the passage of the red sea for the wicked are ouerwhelmed therein they are vnto them forerunners of damnation but the faithfull and Gods people finde that way a passage vnto the land of promise This verie same loue of God will suggest vnto the faithfull this thought Seeing that I loue God it is certaine that he loueth me For Saint Iohn saith that we loue him because he loued vs first For I had not naturally in me any inclination to loue him but it was hee who louing me framed my heart to loue him Now if God loue mee he intendeth my good and he can do all that he will nothing hapneth but according to his will He will not then permit that any euill happen me he will turne my euils vnto good for my saluation he will leade me thereunto through a way thornie vnto flesh but healthfull to my soule Briefly the loue of God excludeth feares and is the prop of our assurance as saith the Apostle Saint Iohn There is no feare in charitie but perfect charitie driueth forth feare This same loue sweetneth afflictions and maketh our Lords yoake easie and tollerable For you shall see by experience that in a house where loue is great betweene the husband and the wife they passe the bad time ouer with content and haue mutuall consolatioÌ„ one of another yea to haue a faithfull friend into whose bosome you may shed your teares and powre forth your complaints doth bring a man much ease although it bring no remedy How much more shall the faithfull soule find feele in the loue of his God of God who not onely knoweth our euils counteth our sighes layeth vp our teares in his vessels but who can and will remedie them and not onely remedie them but turne them to good giuing vs in our afflictions not onely occasion to suffer but euen matter of reioycing So the faithfull speake in the 46. Psalm Let the waters of the sea make a noise and let the mountaines shake by the rising of his waues in the meane time the brookes of the riuer shall reioyce the city of God These troblesome waters are the people banded against God as is expounded in the Apocalypse chapter 17. These brookes which in the meane time do reioyce the holy citie are the instructioÌ„s of Gods word whose voice is our consolation For in his afflictions the faithfull will turne aside his eyes from his enemies and from all second causes and will say Lord it is thou that hast done it I receiue this affliction at thy hand make this proue healthfull vnto me and permit not that I euer come to murmur against thee or to kicke against the pricke We swallow with the better resolution a bitter potion when it is presented vs by a friendly hand whose ignorance or falshood we feare not We finde all these things in God who moreouer maketh venomes themselues to prooue good medicines So the loue of God is a retraite and shelter against all anguish it is the grouÌ„d of true peace it is the prop of our assurance which causeth vs to despise the threatnings of men to looke on the enterprises of great men and the risings of people with disdaine which causeth vs to find ease on the rack and to looke on deaths face with assurance and take off his maske to see Iesus Christ which cometh vnto vs vnder that shew which maketh the faithful to stand vpright in the middest of the ruines of his country This holy loue made S. Paul to say Rom. 8. If God be with vs who shall be against vs He which hath not spared his owne Sonne but deliuered him ouer for vs how shall not he giue vs all things with him Let vs likewise say He that laieth vp our teares wil not he gather vp our prayers He without whose prouideÌ„ce a sparrow lighteth not on the ground wold he permit that our soules should fall into hell for lacke of caring for them Hee who extendeth his care to gather vp our teares yea to count

which God hath giueÌ„ you serueth you but to feele griefe more sensibly or that God hath made you great that your teares might haue the greater fall Time which easeth the most ignorant people of their euils cannot it finish the sighes of a person whom God hath so much enriched with his knowledge Shall it not be better to ioy in future good things which are great and certaine then to afflict our selues for euils past which are remediles Herein surely God is offended if in worldly crosses we find more occasion of griefe then matter of ioy in heaueÌ„ly riches And wrongfully do we complaine of our afflictions seeing we hurt our selues we doe vnderhand as it were confesse that God hath not afflicted vs enough The Psalmist saith indeed that God putteth vp our teares into his bottels as precious things but he speaketh of teares bred of repentance or of griefe to see God blasphemed and despised amongst men For God gathereth not vp obstinate tears which extending themselues beyond their limits occupie the time due to consolation How many times giuing your selfe to reading haue you bedewed the holie scripture with your teares and yet this booke containeth the matter of our ioy And in the booke of Psalmes the tunes wherof you loue and yet much more the matter where you see your own picture and the anatomie of your inward affections Haue you not obserued that all the Psalmes which haue their beginnings troubled and whose first lines containe nothing but profouÌ„d sighes and broken complaints do end in delight and termes which witnes contentment and peace of conscience Let your tears Madame be formed vpon this example and let them end in spirituall ioy Let your faith raise her selfe from vnder her burthen and let the sluces of afflictions which God hath stopped her course withal make her to runne forth with the greater impetuousnes let her take streÌ„gth from resistance Hereunto the meditation of Gods graces will much serue you the which if you couÌ„terballance with your euils they will mightily weigh them downe The onely attention of future glorie which you apprehend by faith can it not digest all bitternesse That faith which filled the Martyrs with ioy in the midst of their present torments may she not in our rest comfort vs against the memorie of passed euils And you who acknowledge what seruitude those people liue in which are dragged into perdition by the inuisible chaines of opinioÌ„ and custome can you sufficiently magnifie the grace which God hath giuen you in honoring you with his alliance and enlightning you with his truth Yea and in your life time how many of Gods assistances how many difficulties happily ouergone God hauing giueÌ„ you the grace to be alone in your family an example of constancie and holy perseuerance in the profession of his truth hauing made you great that in the contradiction of the world you might be an example of firmenesse and constancie And yet admit your wounds were more grieuous as taking all at the worst our liues being so short they caÌ„not long last for you are not troubled to seeke consolations against death seeing that death it selfe is a consolation vnto vs. For God if he receiue the sighs which wee powre foorth in our praiers much more regardeth he the sighes which our soules giue vp vnto him in our deaths Which being a place of shelter and which putteth our soules into securitie we ought not onely looke for his coming but euen go forth to meete him hastening his comming by our desires by the example of S. Paul who saith that his desire tendeth to dislodge and be with Christ And to say with Dauid O when shall I present my selfe before Gods face For our soules being bound vnto our bodies by two bonds wherof the one is naturall and the other voluntarie if through hatred and contempt of life present we vntie the voluntary bond waiting the time when God shall breake the naturall death then coming shall find the businesse begun and our soules prepared to this dissolution These cogitations Madame and such like haue hitherto giuen you consolation the which although you be sufficiently prouided of and haue alwayes readie many spirituall remedies yet you borrow from other the receipts and haue thought that I could contribute something to your consolation And to this effect hauing heard talke of some of my Sermons vpon the Loue of God you would needs make vse of the power you haue ouer me demanding them of me in writing knowing well that of the discontentments of this life there is no such gentle remouall as the loue of God or more stronger remedy then that he loueth vs. Herefrom I drew backe a long time partly through idlenesse accompanied with some other distractions partly through feare apprehending your iudgement which far surpassing ordinarie spirits feedeth it self not vpon vulgar meates At length after long delay being not any longer able to striue against your instant requests which are vnto me as so many commandements I haue let this discourse come forth in publick vnder the protection of your name to the end that the imperfections thereof may likewise be imputed vnto you and that you might beare also a part of the blame for hauing assisted at the birth of that which ought not to haue seene the light but I shall be easily excused as hauing obeyed you For honor shal it euer be vnto me to execute your coÌ„mandements and to employ my selfe to do you most humble seruice as being your Most humble and most obedient seruant Peter du Moulin A Table of the Chapters and principall points contained in this Treatise of the Loue of God OF true and false loue Chap. 1. fol. 1. Fiue degrees of the loue of God Chap. 2. fol. 24. 1. Degree to loue God because of the good he doth vs and which we hope to receiue of him fol. 28. 2. To loue God for his own sake because he is soueraignlie excellent and chieflie to be beloued fol. 45. 3. Not onlie to loue God aboue all things and more then our selues but also not to loue anie thing in this world but for his sake Fol. 67. 4. To hate our selues for the loue of God Fol. 79. 5. Is the loue wherewith we shall loue God in the life to come Fol. 94. Of the marks and effects of the loue of God Cha. 3. Fol. 102. 1. Marke is that it extinguisheth all voluptuous loue Fol. 105. 2. That it is the peace and tranquillitie of the soule Fol. 122. 3. That it is charitie to our neighbours Fol. 136. 4. And the pleasure to coÌ„municate often with God Fol. 153. 5. It is the zeale of the glorie of God Fol. 184. Fiue meanes or aids to inflame vs in this loue of God Chap. 4. Fol. 202. 1. Meanes is the image of vices Fol. 206. 2. The choise of friends Fol. 215. 3. The hatred of the world Fol. 226. 4. Prayer Fol. 238. 5. The hearing and reading of the word of

that we must loue God because he hath loued vs first This is also one of the effects of the loue of God towards vs to wit our loue towards him And there is nothing that we ought to demaund of God with more feruencie then to haue the grace to loue him for this is vnto the faithfull a witnesse that God loueth him it is the first effect of faith it is a most expresse trace of Gods image it is the most liuely marke of Gods children This loue is the soule of other vertues the rule of our actions the summary of the law This loue is the vpholder of Martyrs the ladder of heauen the peace of conscience yea I dare say it is a tast and a beginning of the vnion and communication which we shal haue with God in heauen Our meditation cannot chuse a more excellent subiect for what is there which is greater then God or more sweete theÌ„ his loue The profit likewise is no lesse then the sweetnesse for men are good or bad not because they beleeue but because they loue Those be good which loue good things and amongst good things what is there like vnto God who not onely is soueraignely good but who also maketh them good which loue him Let vs then endeuour so to do and to be disciples vnto the holy Spirit which is loue it selfe and which will forme our hearts vnto loue lest we be deceiued vnder this name of loue and lest we should take for this true loue a corporall loue an importunate itching a furious heate to wit the worst of vices for the chiefe of vertues a brutall sicknesse for an Angelicall perfection I know truly that he who shall dispose himselfe to loue God with al his heart to neglect all other considerations in regard of his seruice shall necessarily incurre the hatred of the world whose loue is enmitie with God as the Apostle Saint Iames saith But God causeth this hatred of the world to profite vs for as the Apostle saith All things together one with another turne to the good of those which loue God Euils become blessings vnto them corporall afflictions are so many spiritual exercises vnto them the sicknesses of the bodie are medicines vnto their soules for in the hands of this soueraigne PhysitioÌ„ verie poison it selfe becometh a medicine his strokes are balme as Dauid saith and in suffering for Gods cause there is not onely matter of patience but euen occasion of glory They are like scarres on the forehead honorable maimes conformities vnto Iesus Christ liueries of a Christian souldier And all through the vnderpropping of this loue whose sweetnesse tempereth this bitternesse and maketh vs reioyce for his names sake Some one will say that the loue of God is an excellent vertue indeed but that to loue him we must know him before and that we cannot know him in this life but with a slender obscure knowledge This is true but for all this we must not let to study the same we must not suffer ignorance to be cause of negligence for wee cannot haue so litle knowledge of God but it will profit vs and stirre vs vp vnto the loue of God One beame of his light is worth the whole Sun A man were better to haue an obscure knowledge of God then a cleare vnderstanding of naturall things If a beam of the Sun do enter into an obscure den or dungeoÌ„ the prisoner by this little snip knoweth the beautie of light so the little which wee haue of the knowledge of God is sufficient to giue vs a taste of his excellencie and to inflame vs with his loue Moreouer the knowledge which Gods giues vs of himselfe is not so small but it is sufficient vnto saluation and the obligations which we owe vnto the goodnesse of God the causes of our loue are fully represented vnto vs in the word of God where the Apostle Saint Paul herald of the said word saith That vnto vs is declared all the counsell of God Acts 20. 27. CHAP. II. Fiue degrees of the Loue of God WE are so vncapable of the loue of God that we are euen ignorant what it is This herbe groweth not in our garden it is a gift from aboue comming from the Father of lights who is loue charitie it selfe as saith Saint Iohn It is a licour which God powreth into our soules by drops as into narrow mouthed vessels Wherefore to deale with our selues according to our owne slownesse we will endeuour to receiue it into our mindes by little and little and by easie steps to bring our selues to the highest degree of loue There are fiue degrees of this loue the lowest whereof being the most imperfect doth serue notwithstaÌ„ding to raise vs to the highest 1 The first degree is to loue God because of the good which hee doth vs and which we hope to receiue of him 2 The second degree is to loue him for his owne sake because he is soueraignely excellent and most excellently amiable 3 The third is not only to loue God aboue al things and more then our selues but also not to loue any thing in the world but for Gods loue 4 The fourth is to hate our selues for Gods sake 5 Aboue all which degrees that loue of God excelleth wherewith we shall loue him in the life to come A loue which burneth in the breasts of Saints and Angels which stand before his throne of glorie We call these sorts of loue degrees and not kinds because the higher degrees containe the inferiour euen as the most excelleÌ„t white differeth froÌ„ other whitenesse lesse cleare not in kinde of colour but in degree steps vpoÌ„ which wee must get vp and vpon each of them stay a little our spirits The first degree THe first and lowest step is to loue God because of the good which he doth vs. Vpon this degree of loue was Dauid when in the 116 Psalme he saith I loue the Lord because he hath heard my voice and so in the 18. Psalme For God will be loued for doing good vnto vs. It is God which hath made vs which keepeth and guideth vs which nourisheth our bodies and instructeth our soules redeemeth vs by his Sonne gouerneth vs by his holy Spirit teacheth vs by his word maketh vs his seruants yea his friends yea his children yea euen one with himselfe Plato philosophizing vpon the grace of God according as he was able gaue thankes vnto him for three things 1. For that he had created him a maÌ„ not a beast 2. That he was borne a Grecian and not a Barbarian 3. That not onely so but a Philosopher also We that are instructed in a better schoole do otherwise distribute our thanksgiuing and do praise him for three things also 1. That amongst all his creatures he hath made vs men created after his owne image 2. That froÌ„ amongst all sorts of men hee hath made vs Christians 3. That amongst those which beare

hast made him where is thy mindfulnesse of his benefits Is this the way to the kingdome of heauen Art thou assured that being fallen thou shalt rise againe For a little pleasure mingled with bitternesse wilt thou trouble the peace of thy conscience For a little porttage of herbes wilt thou neglect thy birth-right At these suggestions the faithfull wil stay himselfe he will sigh before God and like Sampson he will breake the bonds of his desires but all is not yet done nor this rebellious flesh is not yet quelled For after these holy resolutions we haue for certain spaces great dulnesse againe Then the diuell espieth occasion if he see vs in bad companie if he see vs idle if we haue discontinued praier reading or hearing of the word of God then our desires doe rouse themselues vp againe then the contrarie suggestions of the flesh and the spirit struggle together for masterie which maketh the life of the faithful oftentimes seem bitter euen to the desiring of death to end this combat O miserable nature enemie to it owne selfe Ã´ ingrafted and deepe rooted corruption O mutinous seditioÌ„ which woldest bring vs back into Egypt which after our coming out of Sodome makest vs look backe againe like vnto Lots wife and makest vs loth to leaue the euill we are come from CorruptioÌ„ which troubleth our best actions by bad suggestions and besmeareth them with some euill If we thinke vpon death our flesh suggesteth vnto vs that there is yet time inough to thinke thereon If we heare or reade the reprehensions of Gods word it perswadeth vs that it is spoken vnto others If we thinke of heauen it saith we shal come time enough thither If thou thinkest to giue almes it will softly suggest in thine eare What know I that I shall haue no need thereof my selfe If thou wouldest reprehend thy friend for his amendment it will draw thee by a cruel respect namely for feare of offending him Each good affectioÌ„ hath as it were two eares like a pot by which the flesh and the world take hold to hinder the execution thereof Here then wee must carefully haue recourse to Gods assistance and imitate Rebecca who had recourse vnto prayer when two children stroue in her wombe a most expresse figure of these two men which are in euery faithful person the one which is the old the other which is the new man the one our corrupted nature the other the regenerate spirit which do couet one against another as saith the Apostle S. Paul Wherfore also God answered Rebecca The elder shall serue the younger For the old man must be subiected vnto the new vntill he be fully ranked in due obedience vnto God The fift degree of the loue of God THere remayneth now the last and chiefest degree or step which is the loue wherwith we shall loue God in the glorie celestiall For we loue things according as wee know them We shall therfore loue God much more then because wee shall much better know him Now saith the Apostle we know in part now we see as in a glasse obscurely but then we shall see face to face Our loue which seeth from a farre off and which is distracted by diuers obiects shall then see neare at hand and shall wholy be fixed vpon God And as wheÌ„ two great high swelling riuers come to encounter one another they make a maruellous inundation so the loue of our selues and the loue of God are like two streames which neuer ioyne themselues together on earth but shall meete in heauen What then shall the vehemencie be of both these affections when they shal be mingled both together and ioyned in one loue For then in louing God we shall loue our selues because God shall dwell in vs and because that saith the Apostle S. Iohn we shall be like vnto him Nor are we not to doubt but that the Angels and Saints do loue themselues ardently but with a loue which distilleth from the loue of God O happie and admirable loue of ones selfe which is mingled with the loue of God! Let vs forbeare to loue our selues vntill that time and let vs loue nothing in our selues but what doth prepare vs and entertain vs with the hope of this loue But because this loue with which we shal loue God in Paradice doth grow from the view contemplation of his face for loue is kindled by the sight let vs learne what sight this shall be that shall cause this our loue Our bodily eies see things by two meanes either by receiuing their images for so we see the bodies exposed to our view or by receiuing into our eyes the thing it selfe which wee see so wee see the light which wee see in such sort as that it entereth euen into our eyes Now God who is the chiefest of lights will make our soules to see him in heauen in this latter fashion For he dwelleth in his Saints and is in them all in all But in this life he causeth himselfe to be seene by images that is by the contemplation of his works in which hee hath imprinted a picture as it were of himselfe and the expresse markes of his vertue Therfore we shal then see our God in such sort as we now see the light but that now we see it not but by the windowes of the bodie that is by the eyes for then wee shall receiue throughout all our parts the light of God which shall enlighten vs on all sides with the beames of his holinesse Euen as if a man were all eye throughout and should receiue light in himselfe on all sides This same sight of God will make vs like vnto God as Saint Iohn saith We shall be like vnto him for we shall see him as he is For as a looking-glasse cannot be exposed to the Sunne but it will shine like the same so God receiueth none to contemplate his face but hee transformeth them into his owne likenesse by the irradiation of his light and perfection And as God is charitie and loue it selfe as the same Apostle teacheth it is necessary that the creature being by this view made like vnto God should also be seized with this loue and enflamed with this spirituall fire A fire which hath giuen name vnto the Seraphins so called because of their ardour which is nothing else but the loue of God the feruour of their zeale and their readines to do him seruice Here necessarily must end these degrees or steps of loue and our meditation can mount no higher it is the last steppe of Iacobs ladder by which we mount vp vnto God CHAP. III. Of the markes and effects of the loue of God WE all make profession to loue God but few loue him seriously By this professioÌ„ we deceiue men yea we deceiue our selues but caÌ„not deceiue God Wherefore it is necessarie to bring hither the touchstone to discerne the true and pure loue of God from the false and

wold he haue bin rauished if himselfe had bene transfigured as the Apostle saith that Iesus Christ shall transforme our vile bodies that they may be made like vnto his glorious bodie Who doubteth but that when this glorie vanished S. Peter was seized with great sorrow and so indeede the heart of the faithfull comming from this meditation againe to consider these base and earthly things is necessarily touched with a great distast and base esteeme of them and is grieued to see himselfe tied thereunto and to say with Dauid Psal 42. O when shall I present my self before the face of God It was these thoughts which made the Prophet greedie and thirstie after the Lord. These were the thoughts which made Paul desire to be dislodged and to be with Christ which made him thinke that which was gaine vnto others to be losse vnto him These are the thoughts which haue euen in our time sustained the Martyrs which haue made them go vnto death as cheerfully as those which come thence For loue is strong saith Salomon as death yea stronger seeing it maketh one to despise life This ardour of loue is entertayned in our soules by a frequent coÌ„munication with God and wee may easily see that the cause of our slacknesse and coldnesse in this loue is because wee speake not often with God The most exquisite friendships doe waxe cold for want of communication how much more if friendship neuer hath bene as indeed man is naturally borne and inclined vnto enmitie with God This is a common euill to wit that wee are much exercised in speaking with others but very litle with our selues and yet lesse with God If some houres of leisure do steale vs from men they giue vs not any whit the more vnto God If we enter alone into our closet we enter not euer the sooner into our selues to examine our conscieÌ„ces to search our wounds to feele the pulses of our consciences or to talk with God And yet none shall see him aboue who hath not carefully sought him here below and hath not carefully walked with him by prayers meditations and by the studie and reading of the word This let vs study and from our life which is deuided into a thousand parts amongst a thousand occupatioÌ„s suites solicitations publicke and domesticke affaires let vs withdraw some houres to giue our selues vnto God retiring our selues out of the throng and noise of this world quietly to meditate on those things which pertaine to our saluation As if by a litle channell we wold diuert a part of the troubled waters of a stream that they may run more gently and cleerly A running brooke presenteth not any images nor a spirit which is euer in action alwaies pussed with businesse hardly can hee frame himselfe vnto the image of God We must then separate some houres to speake with God All the time of our life is lost except that which is thus husbanded That time alone is only ours which we giue to God Let none here alledge his domesticke affaires For if we be Gods children his seruice is part of our domesticall affaires yea and whilest we are doing our handy workes what hindereth vs that we may not think of God and send him vp by our broken sighes those sort of prayers which the ancient Fathers called eiaculatoriae short praiers which may be said euery where prayers lanced forth spiritual sallies borne of the present occasion prayers which haue no other ornament but feruency whose clauses haue no other contexture but necessitie Who doubteth but that the Prophet Eliseus ploughing of his field of that verie labour of his tooke occasion to say We sow here in teares but we shall reape in heauen with ioy Or that the Apostle S. Paul labouring with his hands to make tents of this earthly trauell tooke occasion to thinke of our heauenly rest The way is euery where open vnto praier and the loue of God is ingenious to suggest thoughts which like sparkes of pietie mount vp vnto God The fift marke of the Loue of God THe life of the bodie is discerned by these two markes 1. by motion 2. by feeling The loue of God being the life of our soules is also knowne by these two things The foure marks of this loue which wee haue hitherto presented are the motions of our soules for they are holy actions and spirituall motions produced by the loue of God but this fift marke is the feeling to wit an affection which maketh a man sensible to be moued either with griefe or with ioy according as God is blasphemed or glorified Carnall and vicious loue may serue vs for an example We reade of the sonne of king Antigonus that being grieuously sicke and none knowing the cause of his maladie his Physitian perceiued the cause to be the loue of his mother in law because that she being entred into the chamber his pulse began to beate extraordinarily The like happeneth in the loue of God All men that are therewith possessed when that they see God glorified or his name his truth blasphemed although hee intend to containe himselfe yet will the pulse of his conscience be extraordinarily moued either with ioy or sorow and impatience It will chance him as it happened vnto Croesus his sonne who hauing bene euer dumbe came suddenly to his speech seeing his father assailed feare and griefe hauing ouercome all naturall hinderances For the Spirit of Iesus Christ dwelling in him produceth the same effects in him as in himselfe of whom it is written The zeale of thy house hath eaten me vp This affection did exulcerate the Apostle Saint Paul being at Athens and grieued his soule to see the Towne so giuen to idolatry This same zeale was it which seized on the soule of Eli his daughter in law so as in her death she was not so much afflicted either for his or for her husbands as for the Arke of the couenant which was taken by the infidels It is of this alone that she speaketh dying The glorie of the Lord saith she is departed froÌ„ Israel There is no more certain effect of the loue of God then this here for if at one time we receiue seuerall newes the one of the losse of a law-suite the other of the reuolt of some persons bought and are more grieued with the last then the first Or if we be more angrie to heare Gods name blasphemed then to heare our selues euill spoken of then haue we in vs an assured witnesse that the loue of God is liuely imprinted in our soules Good bloud will not bely it selfe All wel-borne children are touched at the quicke with the iniuries are done vnto their fathers who so is not moued therewith confesseth himselfe a bastard or a stranger This is an euill which we see before our eyes to our great griefe that vnto them which make profession to carrie weapons and to vnderstand the termes of reputatioÌ„ if one speake the least crosse

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 iâ— 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 condemnatioÌ„ 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 preueÌ„t 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

to resist against error following the exaÌ„ple of our Lord euer resisting the diuell by Scripture and saying vnto him It is written it is written c. Onely we will stay our selues vpon this to wit that the reading kindleth in our hearts the loue of God This is knowne by experience For after a man once begins to take a tast in reading the holy Scriptures other studies begin to proue without relish you shall see no more vpon the Carpet bookes of loue the ridiculous Romanes and tales of Amadis do flie before the Bible more then the diuell before holywater all these pleasing and vaine readings which busied the spirit and tickled the imagination do leese their taste after this spirituall nourishment Another kind of loue is kindled in the spirits of those which dayly propose vnto theÌ„selues the witnesses of the loue of God towards vs contained in his word This meditation furnisheth vs with a iust subiect of complaint For then wheÌ„ they burned vs for reading the Scripture wee burned with zeale to be reading them Now with our libertie is bread also our negligence disesteem thereof We are barbarous and new to seeke in the language of Gods Spirit Our hearts then resemble flint-stones which cast no sparks but when they are strucken Many will haue a Bible well bound gilt lying vpon a cupboord more for shew then for instruction we loue but the outside thereof Wee adorne the holy Scriptures outwardly but it were better it might decke vs within It were better it were torn with often reading that thy conscience might be more entire for it is more easie for thee to haue another then it is easie for thee to be an honest man without it Wee desire a faire impression but the fairest impression is that which is made with the finger of God in our soules The matrices of these characters are in heauen This loue of God is ingrauen in our hearts with his hand and is formed vpon the model of that loue which hee hath borne vs in his Son according as he saith in the 15. of Saint Iohn As my Father loued me so haue I loued you remaine in my loue FINIS Heb. 9. 4. 1. Pet. 4. 17. Heb. 5. 8. Phil. 1. 23. Psal 42. 2. Seuen reasons to proue that the loue of God is the onely true loue 1. Cor. 2. 9. Ioh. 14. 23. Rom. 8. Ephes 3. 19. Austins Enchiridion to Laurentius cap. 117. Iam. 4. 4. Rom. 8. Psal 141. 5 To loue God for his blessings Ioh. 15. 15. Ioh. 17. 17. To loue God for Gods owne sake Psal 69. 37 Psal 146. 8 Esay 6. 2. The life of God The knowledge of God what it is His holines His iustice His goodnes Esay 9. 1. Pet. 1. 12. Esay 43. Osea 2. To hate ones owne selfe for the loue of God Luk. 9. 14. Rom. 7. 24. Psal 39. 129. Math. 5. Coloss 3. 2. Cor. 12. Gal. 5. Gal. 5. 17. How the Saints in glorie do loue God 1. Cor. 13. 12. 1. Ioh. 3. 1. Ioh. 3. Vrim Thumim 1. Ioh. 4. 8. That vnchast loues must be extinguished What is true beauty Peace and tranquility of the soule 1. Ioh. 4 1. Ioh. 4 3. Loue is a thing full of care and feare The loue of our neighbour 1. Ioh. 4. 20. Gal. 5. 14. 1. Ioh. 3. 17. Brotherly reliefe Iames 5. Heb. 13. 16. Agreement among brethren Gen. 45. 24. Often communication with God Gen. 34 23. Gen. 26. 35. 2. Sam. 16. Phil. 3. 21. Zeale of the glorie of God Ioh. 2. 17. Rom. 15. 3. Act. 17. 26. Sam. 4. 21. 1. Ioh. 3. Cha. 1. v. 17 1. Cor. 4. 20. Phil. 2. 13. 1 Cor. 3. 9. The image of vices Psal 103. 1. Sam. 13. 20. Choise of friends Contempt and hatred of the world 1. Ioh. 2. Eccles 1. Prayer Gen. 24. 63. Esay 38. 2. Act. 10. 9. Matth. 18. v. 19. 20. Psal 45. 18 1. Tim. 2. Esay 1. Ioh. 15. 3. Coloss 3. 5. Act. 17. 11. Psal 19. v. 9 10. Psal 119. v. 103. 1. Cor. 3. Mat. 4. Luk. 4.

THEOPHILVS OR LOVE DIVINE A TREATISE CONTAINING FIVE DEGREES FIVE MARKES FIVE AIDES OF THE LOVE OF GOD. Translated by Richard Goring out of the third French edition renewed corrected and augmented by the author M. Peter Moulin Preacher to the reformed Church of Paris LONDON Printed for Samuel Macham and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls churchyard at the signe of the Bul-head 1610. To my Worshipful good Friend M. George Hakewill Batchelor of Diuinitie and Fellow of Exeter Colledge in Oxford SIR when you first wished me to reade this Discourse coÌ„mending it as a worke no lesse scholerlike then religious I was thinking how I might some way requite with somewhat more then verball thankfulnes your kind fauors good wishes towards me But hauing perused the same I thought I could not better employ my time of small emploiment then to translate the same as being a subiect fit for all men seriouslie to meditate vpon supplying with my willing but poore endeuour that which you could haue better polished and I dare say willinglie would by reason of your familiar acquaintance with the Author if your leisure might haue serued you to haue taken it in hand your selfe Therefore as you commended it vnto me for a peece neatly and eloquentlie done in the originall so surelie it did rauish me in the reading as being a most worthie theame and hath emboldned me to recommend it backe againe vnto you thus homelie apparelled in our mother tong in which it can leese but litle grace being in it selfe so gracious as it is Suffer it therfore I pray you if it be not too full of defects to passe vnder your name who best deserue herin if ought there be deseruing For mine owne part I wil onlie say I haue striued to shew some part of the paines I would gladlie take to do you anie pleasing seruice in requitall of your manie fauours which I will pray you still to continue as I will alwaies endeuor to be thankfull and constantlie rest Your very affectionate and much bounden Rich. Goring TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTIE Ladie Anne D' Allegre wife vnto the high and mightie Lord Monsieur de Fervaques Marshall of France and the Kings Lieutenant in Normandie MAdame The Apostle vnto the Hebrewes teacheth vs that within the Ark of the couenant there was a cruse full of Manna and Aarons rod. God thereby instructing vs that he hath not onely a care of the nourishing of our soules but to correct vs for our sins also and that he hath giuen vs together with the bread of his word his rod of afflictioÌ„s The one nourisheth vs the other exerciseth vs the one instructeth vs the other reformeth vs the one teacheth vs to do the will of God the other maketh vs to renounce our owne both equally effects of his loue For God humbleth vs by afflictions and pricketh the swelling of our pride He cutteth loppeth vs to the end we may bring forth the more fruite He filleth vs with bitternesse in this life to the end we might long for the life to come For those whom God afflicteth grieuously in this world leaue it with lesse griefe And indeed if the childreÌ„ of Israel being come out of Egypt after hauing endured there so many afflictions did notwithstanding grieue and oftentimes mutined to returne thither againe how much more had they grieued if they had suffered nothing Adde hereunto that God who hath formed vs to feare him knoweth that our prayers are slacke and cold in prosperitie as proceeding from a spirit that is cooled by successe and which are endited by custom The cries which our owne will produceth are feeble in comparison of those which griefe expresseth There is nothing so strong as necessitie nothing so ingenious to pray well as sorow which in an instant formeth the slowest tongues to a holy eloquence and furnisheth vs with sighes which cannot be expressed It is not then in anger that God afflicteth vs but because that sinne is a kind of falling sicknesse God striketh and afflicteth vs to awaken vs. His beatings are fatherly corrections if he vsed vs otherwise we should not be his childreÌ„ For if a man seeing two children a fighting doe chastise one for the same without touching the other the standers by without further knowing him presume that it is his father so God correcteth as his children those which he embraceth with a fatherly loue He beginneth his chastisings at his owne house Now if Iesus Christ as saith the Apostle hath learned obedieÌ„ce by the things which he hath suffered although he were the Son how much more ought wee to bow downe our neckes vnto Gods corrections humble our selues in his presence rather then to kicke against the prick or to make the afflictions which are bitter enough of themselues to be yet more bitter by impatieÌ„ce None can make a white haire become blacke with all his care but well may he make his blacke haire becom white through his vnprofitable discontent It is euer better to follow then to be dragged on aboue all when God conducteth vs for if the way through which he leadeth vs be thornie yet is it straight Now when I cast mine eye vpon all the remedies of afflictions I find there are three things which may asswage griefe time reason and the feare of God For length of time mitigateth sorow and closeth vp the wound yea euen in the weakest spirits and most vncapable of consolation but reason esteemeth this remedie too long and vnworthy of a couragious man for wearinesse of weeping is a poore remedie The feare of God doth more for as to appease griefe reason stayeth not for time so the feare of God stayeth not for reason but before that reason can bring in her consolations drawne from the ineuitable necessitie of euils or from the vnprofitablenesse of teares that resolueth promptly vpon the loue of God who chastiseth vs for our good so as in steed of casting forth complaints it findeth out occasion of thanksgiuing and formeth not only vnto patience but also vnto ioy as acknowledging amongst his afflictions certaine signes of Gods loue These documents Madame are so much the more familiar vnto you as you haue had often experience of them and who being past her appreÌ„tiship in afflictions haue carefully sought out the lenitiues which Gods word doth furnish vs withall which besides that sobrietie and modestie which shineth in you and hath altogether estranged you from the vanitie which now a daies reigneth in the world haue taught you to solace your selfe with God But take heed also lest you suffer your selfe to be ouerwhelmed with sorow and make pietie the nurse of disconteÌ„t Inueterat griefs do often turne into habit and old wounds become fresh with too much handling which me thinks is aboue all verie vnfitting your nature whose meeknes and gentlenes so pleasing vnto all is much more at accord with ioy Shall it be said that the great viuacity of spirit

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 resistaÌ„ce 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 sowâ—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 theÌ„ 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 theÌ„ 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 heaueÌ„ 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 confusioÌ„s 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 fashioÌ„ 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 coÌ„trarie 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

diuell comforting himselfe in the meane time in God and relying on his loue This same friendship among the faithfull will serue the better to make them know themselues For seeing we be blind in our imperfections we ought to borrow our friends eyes and lend them ours to the end we may mutually reprehend and correct one another The serious reprehensions of a friend do more good then praises were they neuer so true Whoso shall take away from friendship the libertie of reprehending leaueth nothing that may distinguish it from flatterie And seeing that we are naturally lame and benuÌ„med in things touching Gods seruice we must employ the helpe of our frieÌ„ds to the end they may bring vs into this bath to receiue healing For God communicateth not his graces vnto vs that they should fade and vanish with vs but that we might multiply our talent and that the spring of his spiritual benedictions which he causeth to breake forth in vs may run out and serue for instruction to our neighbors as Christ saith to S. Peter But thou being conuerted confirme thy brethren For if God command vs to take vp our enemies strayed beast how much more to reforme the soule of our friend when it wandereth out of the way of saluation This communication also among the faithfull bringeth comfort in affliction which being deuided among many is more easily borne Many small brooks reunited in one channell carrie great vessels many afflicted spirits ioyning theÌ„selues together by concord mutuall support will easily beare an affliction And the word of God witnesseth vnto vs that God looketh on hearkneth vnto and taketh pleasure in the consolations and mutuall exhortations of his children So the Prophet Malachie in the 3. chapter saith that when the proud are esteemed happie and the bad aduanced then those which feared the Lord spake one vnto another the Lord was attentiue and heard and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them which feare the Lord and think on his name and they shall be mine said the Lord when I shall lay apart my most precious iewels O how precious a treasure is a vertuous friend fearing God! And would to God that as we are vsed to know by certaine markes the goodnesse and courage of a horse so also in the choise of friends that we might with the sight of a man know his vertue but the lurking holes of the spirit of a man are so deep that he deceiueth both himselfe and others and he is hidden euen from himselfe Yet by a mans innocencie of his actioÌ„s sobrietie of his words by the simplicitie of his habit by his zeale and ardour in Gods cause by his disesteem of gain by his eschuing of pleasures you may very probably know the puritie of his mind within eueÌ„ as by the sparks coming forth of a heape of ashes men know the hidden fire The third helpe of the loue of God THe disesteeme likewise and hatred of the world doth not a litle aide vnto the loue of God For the loue of the world saith S. Iames is enmitie against God And S. Iohn likewise If anie one loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him By the world I vnderstand humane busines worldly pomp carnall enticements earthly desires deceitful and vncertaine hopes who so loueth God will looke on these things with disdaine He wil passe ouer all the ages of man from his conception vnto his rotten sepulcher he will consider in all the conditions and states of his life his certaine miserie his vncertain hopes vnfruitfull gaine that he may say with Salomon Vanitie of vanities all is vanitie Looking on these things with a disdaine mingled with compassion a disdaine extending euen vnto hatred when he shall consider wickednesse to be mingled with vanitie and the diuell to haue so established his reigne in the world that it is a kind of miracle and prodigie to see therein a good man So as the Prophet Esay acknowledgeth chap. 8. Behold me saith he and the children which the Lord hath giuen me for a signe and for a miracle in Israel Now if it were a miracle in Israel to see a familie instructed in the feare of the Lord how much more amongst infidels and if in Ierusalem how much more in Babylon It is then without reason that we wonder when wee see examples of disloyaltie crueltie vncleannesse seeing that on the contrary the Spirit of God teacheth vs to hold the example of pietie and the feare of God for a miraculous and vnusual thing These and such like considerations ioyned vnto the feeling of the excellencie of the children of God will cause the faithfull to esteeme himselfe better then the world and looking on the earth as a place cursed will liue therin as a passenger and traueller as an Englishman that should trauell ouer Persia or Tartaria intending to returne into his countrey For hee will not answer as that Philosopher who being enquired of what countrey he was answered that he was a citizen of the world but the faithfull saith he is a stranger in this world and a citizen of heauen and therfore withdrawing his affection from the world and raising vp his heart vnto God he doth like him who from the top of the Alpes where the aire is cleer looketh vpoÌ„ the fields beaten with tempest the country all about foggie and mistie and there reioyceth him self resting himselfe vpoÌ„ the loue of God which hath deliuered him froÌ„ this general male dictioÌ„ So in the 29. Psalme after hauing represented the tearing of the Cedars the shaking of the mountaines and the discouering of the forrests by the force of the thundering voice of God he withdraweth the children of God out of this confusioÌ„ and assembles them into Gods pallace where hee is glorified and assures himselfe that God wil giue peace and strength vnto his people For in this pallace of God which is his church doth sound that voice not which shaketh the mountains but which assureth our hearts not that voice which rooteth vp the Cedars but that which comforteth our consciences not that which causeth the Hindes to cast their yong ones but which maketh vs to conceiue hope It is the word of the Gospell in which God layeth open the treasures of his loue in which whosoeuer shall take a relish he shall finde the sweetes of the world to be bitternesse and hating the same wil learne to loue God Now we say this not to discharge our selues of all earthly things this carelesnes of the world hindereth not the loue of our children nor the care of our family nor our endeuour in the administration of our magistracie but the faithful will do these things as a passenger fits himselfe in the best manner he may at some Inne He who is not to stay there aboue a night will not stand to build a wall and if he suffer there any discommodity he wil patiently digest it because it is but a

passage For the faithfull wil follow domesticall and ciuil affaires not as if he meant there to set vp his staffe to tie therunto his desseignes or therein to place his hope His thoughts will euer be in some other place and during his businesse will euer think of the vanitie of his trauell He will alwayes begin his actions with the seruice of God and inuocation of his name and that shal euer be the first which he will haue last whilest worldlings after the example of Martha paine themselues excessiuely in domesticke affaires he after Maries example will chuse the good part which shall not be taken from him placing himselfe at Christs feete to heare his word If hee haue any worldly feares they wil giue place vnto the feare of God If he haue any hopes they will giue place vnto his hope of the kingdom of heauen If he haue any sorrowes they will be swallowed vp of a greater sorrow proceeding from the sence of his sinnes or the bruisings of Ioseph God himselfe herein is an example vnto vs. For in building of the world he hath done coÌ„trary vnto men which do build also men begin at the foundation but God beginneth at the top He stretched out the heauens before he laied the foundations of the earth The naturall workes of God are spirituall instructions vnto vs. To the end that wee may follow this order and that wee may euer begin by the care of heauenly things the earthly will present themselues in the second rank to be thought on not of loue or of purpose but by necessitie and as much as is required for not seeming cruell vnto those which be ours or enemies to our selues Seeke ye first the kingdom of God and the righteousnes thereof and all other things shal be administred vnto you Math. 6. 33. The fourth aide of the loue of God FRequent and often prayers doe likewise nourish this loue I mean as well publicke as priuate for the publick are a quire of sighes a harmonie of affections sent vp with one accord vnto God which imitateth that holy consort of the Angels soules of the Saints sounding on their harps in heauen wherof mention is made in the 5. of the Apocalypse In our priuate prayers the faithfull man being hidden from mans eies discouereth himselfe vnto God maketh his complaints to him with a child-like familiaritie prayeth vnto him not of custome but with affectioÌ„ with words broken off with sighes which are vsed euen in the midst of businesse through a gentle distraction and wholesom interruption which prayers haue no other motiue but loue nor other subiect but necessitie or other eloquence but affection None craueth an almes with the flowers of Rhetoricke Familiar simplicitie is verie comely in prayer To make these solitary praiers Isaac went out into the fields So king Ezechias turned his face vnto the wall for feare to be troubled in his praier So the Apostle S. Peter went vp vnto an high roome of the house to pray alone Iesus Christ himself in the 6. of Luke withdrew himselfe into a mountain to make his prayers and continued therein all night Both these sorts of prayers haue promise of God to be heard As touching the publick our Sauiour promiseth vs that there where two or three be gathered together in his name he will be in the midst of them and that all which they shall aske with one accord shall be ganted them As for the priuate he also speaketh thus in the 6. of S. Matth. When thou prayest enter into the closet and hauing shut the doore pray vnto thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which is in secret shall reward thee openlie These prayers are so many matches of the loue of God For as soone as God will be prayed vnto by vs this is a great witnes vnto vs that he loues vs. Our importunitie is pleasing vnto him he giueth by his commandemeÌ„t free accesse vnto our praiers That wee may obtaine his graces hee demandeth no other price of vs but our prayers For riuers of his goodnesse he demandeth but some drops of our thankfulnes He is attentiue vnto the crie of the afflicted He is nigh vnto them which call vpon him If the crie of dead Abels bloud came vp vnto him how much more the cry of his liuing childreÌ„ which cal vpon him in the name of Iesus Christ If he reckon our haires how much more our sighes and our prayers which hee himselfe hath prescribed vs Adde hereunto that prayer is a strong bridle vnto vs to hold vs in the feare of God For this onelie thought that it is before him that we present our selues before him who knoweth our harts who seeth all our filthinesse through the cloake of hypocrisie obligeth vs to purifie our hearts and our hands to wit our thoughts and actions according to the commandement of the Apostle I will saith he that all men make praiers in all places heauing vp pure hands without anger or debate On the contrarie God by the Prophet Esai reiecteth haÌ„ds full of bloud euen when they lengthen out their praiers Then when we come to frame our prayers each word that we say is a lesson or a reproach For example we thus begin the Lords prayer Our Father which art in heauen In calling him our Father wee learne on the one part to be his obedient children and to be perswaded of his loue on the other side to despise the world as inferiour to our dignitie seeing wee be the children of God This word also of Our frameth vs vnto charity towards our neighbors to procure their good not only in our prayers but in all our actions And these words which art in heauen aduertise vs to seeke for heauenly things and that our conuersation should be as that of heauenly citizens and children of the heauenly King Then when the faithful shall come to propose his demaunds he will chide himselfe on this sort I craue of God that his name may be hallowed and yet I profane and dishonor it I desire that his kingdome may come and be aduanced and notwithstanding I resist and foreslow it as much as lieth in me vnwilling that he should reigne in me not subiecting my selfe vnto the scepter of his kingdome which is his word nor contributing any thing to his Church which is called in the Gospell Gods kingdome Item I pray his will may be done and yet I resist this wil. I beg my bread and yet couet another mans My dailie bread and yet my couetous care extends it selfe vnto many yeares So likewise wee craue that God would forgiue vs as wee forgiue them which haue trespassed against vs and for all that wee are vnreconcileable our hatred is mortall or to say better immortall and yet feare not that God should heare vs pardoning vs according as we pardon our neighbours So we desire not to be led into temptation and yet we runne after temptations

the name of Christians he hath made vs faithfull ones Herunto you may adde if you will the 4. that he hath adopted elected vs in his Sonne before the foundation of the worlde hauing had care of vs not onely before we were borne but euen before the world was made For if a woman lately conceiuing loue her future fruite much more doth she so when it is borne and embraced in her armes so if God loued vs before wee had any being how much more when we call vpon him and loue him with a filiall loue Now in this grace the lesse our number is the greater is our priuiledge the greater his bountie and mercie towards vs to be like a few wel sighted amoÌ„gst a throng of blind men like the portion of Iacob in Egypt alone enlightned in the midst of that darknesse which couered all the countrey like Gedeons fleece alonely watered with his blessing whilest all the rest of the earth is drie and destitute of his grace God hath enuironed vs with examples of blindnesse to the end wee might make the more account of light and that wee should go on in the way of righteousnes whilest the day lasteth whilest he enlighteneth vs by his word All these graces depend vpon one speciall grace which is our reconciliation with God by the death of Iesus Christ it is he that is the conduit-pipe through which the graces of God do flow vnto vs it is Iacobs ladder which ioyneth earth vnto heauen which ioineth man againe with God The Angels ascending this ladder do signifie our prayers The Angels descending signifie Gods blessings Iacobs sleeping at the foote of this ladder representeth the rest of our consciences vnder the shadow of his intercession For before on what side soeuer man could turne his eyes he could see nothing but matter of feare and astonishment If he looked on God he saw a consuming fire and a soueraigne iustice armed against sinners If he looked on the law hee saw the sentence of his condemnation if on the heaueÌ„ he said I am shut out thereof by my sins if on the world he saw himselfe fallen from the empire he before had ouer the creatures if on himselfe he saw a thousand corporall and spirituall infirmities By the signes in heauen and earthquakes he was seized with trembling and feare then Satan death and hell were the enemies which either drew him to perdition or tortured him with their apprehension But now each man which hath an assured trust in Iesus Christ looketh on all these things with another eye and singeth another song If he looke vpon God he will say It is my Father who hath adopted me in his Sonne If he thinke on the iudgement seate of the last day he will say My elder brother sitteth thereon and he who is my Iudge is also my aduocate If he thinke on the Angels he will say These are my keepers Psal 34. If he looke on heauen he will say It is my house If he heare it thunder from aboue he will say It is my Fathers voice If he consider the law he saith The Sonne of God hath fulfilled it for me If he be in prosperitie on earth he will say God hath yet better things for me in store If he be in aduersitie he wil say Iesus Christ hath suffered much more hereof for my sake God exerciseth me proueth me or correcteth me or rather honoureth mee making me like vnto his Sonne If he thinke on the diuell death or hell then he will triumph ouer all saying with the Apostle 1. Cor. 15. O death where is thy victorie O graue where is thy sting Thankes be to God who hath giuen vs victorie through Iesus Christ our Lord. If these things buzze and keepe a noise like angrie waspes yet haue they lost their sting If the old Serpent pricke our heele yet is his head bruised If the diuell through persecutions giue vs a false alarme yet belong we to Iesus Christ who hath bought vs and none shall snatch vs out of his hand Who wil feare hauing such a patron who not onely maketh intercession for sinners but of sinners maketh them iust who not only pleadeth for a bad case but also of bad maketh it good because that hee doth not only pray but also pay for vs so that to pardon vs is not onely a worke of his mercie but also an effect of his iustice These obligations vnto the louing God are common vnto all the faithfull But I thinke if each one would looke backe into the course of his life and call to mind the time passed there is none of vs but should finde iust cause to acknowledg besides these common benefites manie particular witnesses of the care and loue of God towards vs Of deliuerances out of many dangers vnhoped for good chances commodious afflictions our purposes crossed but for our good extraordinary meanes to bring vs vnto the knowledge of his truth Shall it be said that the blessings of God haue rained vpon the sands without making vs more fruitful of good works Shall we be like vnto beasts which drink of the brooke without thinking of the spring without raising vp our thoughts vnto God the wel-spring of all blessing Meane while when we say that God doth vs good to the end we should loue him it is not because he hath any need of our loue but because he would saue vs he would that we should loue him because it is impossible to be saued whilst we hate him Moreouer our louing him also is partly his gift for it is he which kindleth his loue in vs. God doth not only giue vs his graces but giueth also grace to demaund them the hand to apprehend them grace to make good vse thereof the vertue to glorifie him for the same in such sort as to acknowledge that we owe vnto him not only those his good things but euen our selues also God doth good vnto the vnworthy but he maketh them worthy by this doing them good his spiritual graces being of such nature as that they transforme such as receiue them This first degree of loue being holy and necessary is not for all that any more then a beginning of the loue of God and as the first stroke of true pietie For he who loueth God but for his profite is like vnto little children who say their prayers that they may breake their fasts and to speake properly they loue not God but themselues Such a loue if it extend it selfe no further is a mercenary loue yea and iniurious vnto God For it may be alwayes thought that the end is better then those things which tend therunto If then the loue of God haue no other end but our owne profit we place the same aboue God and make our interest more exelleÌ„t then his seruice Let him then which is come to this first degree of loue if he passe on no further know that God pardoneth vs much if he punish not that which is

grounded but vpon the loue of our selues wherfore wee must mount higher and come to the second step The second degree of Gods loue THe second step of Gods loue is to loue him not onely for our profits sake but euen for his owne sake to wit that laying aside all consideration of his benefites yea and our hope of any profit from him yet to loue him aboue all things Dauid speaketh of this loue in the 69. Psalme ver 37. Let all them which loue thy name reioyce Hee wold haue vs loue God for his names sake that is to say because he is soueraigne Lord wise in his counsels iust in his actions true in his promises dwelling in glory which none can attaine vnto possessing a soueraigne perfection God whose life is without beginning and ending his eternitie without change his greatnesse without measure his power without resistance who hath made the world by his word gouerneth it by his sight and shall ruinate it by his will who in one vertue and perfection which is his essence incloseth all vertue which is euery where dispersed in the creatures as diuers lines which meete in one center do disperse theÌ„selues by their extentioÌ„ For these considerations God ought to be loued more then for the good which he doth vs. Iesus Christ himselfe teacheth vs the same in the prayer he formed for vs in which he appointeth vs to demaund the sanctifying of his name and the aduancement of his kingdome before we craue any thing for our profit A desire which so possessed the spirit of Moses and the Apostle S. Paul that forgetting themselues they desired rather to be blotted out of the booke of life and to be accursed then that God should not be glorified Wherefore to plant in vs this loue which loueth God for his owne sake it is necessarie to know so farre forth as we may what he is in himselfe and wherefore soueraignly to be beloued Wee naturally loue beautie now light is the chiefe of beauties without which all other beauties do nothing differ from deformities God then being the chiefe light is necessarily the chiefest beautie He is the Father of lights saith S. Iames. The fountaine of light is in him and through his light we see crearly saith Dauid in the 36. Psalme For this cause when hee first set his hand vnto the creation he began with the light as a thing best representing his nature He is the Sunne of iustice the Sunne which setteth not which maketh no shadow vnto which all things are transparent which not onely enlighteneth the eyes but euen giueth sight And iudge you what this soueraigne brightnesse is seeing that the Scraphins standing before the Throne are dazeled and faine to couer their faces with their wings as Esay saith being not able to endure so great a splendor For if at the glorious apparition of the humanitie of Iesus Christ the Sunne shall be darkened as some litle light at the appearing of a greater what may be the splendor of his Diuinitie If you will consider the life of God ours is but a shadow and nothing in comparison For our life is a flowing and succession of parts but God possesseth his life entirely at one instant and all at once He who wil know what the life of God is in comparison of mans life let him compare the sea with some litle brooke 1. The sea is very great and the brooke very little 2. The sea budgeth not from his place but the brooke runneth still forth and is alwayes a new water 3. The waters of the Sea come from no other place but all running waters come from the sea and return thither The like is the life of God compared with ours 1. His life is infinite and ours verie short 2. His life consisteth in rest and to possesse all his life at one instant but our life is a fluxe and succession of parts 3. His life commeth from none other but our life commeth from him Acts 17. ver 28. and returneth vnto him againe as Salomon saith in the 12. of Ecclesiastes The earth returneth vnto the earth as it was before and the spirit vnto God which gaue it Gods knowledge is also a bottomlesse pit He knoweth all things yea euen such as are not Things passed are not passed vnto him the future are present before him He soundeth the heart he seeth through the cloake of hypocrisie We behold things one after another but he seeth them all at one view as if a man were all eye and should see all that were about him without turning himselfe We see things because they are on the contrarie things are because God seeth them For in God to see is as much as to will and his will is to do To know things we looke vpon them but God to know things looketh on himselfe because that in his wisedome hee hath the models of all things and in his will the sentence of all chances How admirable also is his holinesse It infinitely surpasseth the holinesse of Angels and Saints as it is said in the booke of Iob chap. 15. Behold he hath no assurance in his Saints and the heauens are not pure in his sight how much more abhominable and vile is man who drinketh iniquitie like water Euen as the holy Scripture calleth the highest heauen the heauen of heauens because it incloseth the inferiour so also it calleth God the holie of holies because his holinesse incloseth that of all the Saints as being infinitely inferiour The holinesse of the creature is a qualitie that of God is his substance God is holy of himselfe but men and Angels are not Saints but because God hath sanctified them Also after a cleane contrarie manner vnto men is he iust For men are iust because they do iust things In God it is otherwise for the things are iust because God doth them For he is iustice it selfe Wherefore he is iust for no other cause but for that hee doth according to his wil according to which he hath giuen vs his law the perfect rule of iustice which he not only setteth before vs but also writeth it in vs and engraueth it with his finger in the stone as he promiseth vs in the 31. of Ieremie I will put my law into them and will write it in their harts He loueth iustice and truth He hateth the workers of iniquitie he rooteth out liers he hateth the bloud-thirsty and deceitful man Psal 5. What shall we say of his goodnesse through which he loueth them which hate him by which hee causeth his Sunne to shine vpon the iust and vniust the good and bad by which hee raineth down his goodnesse euen into the mouthes which are open to blaspheme him Aboue all this infinite goodnes shineth in the person of his Son This Sonne so begotten before all eternitie that he yet now begetteth him Sonne without beginning of time Sonne of the like age as his Father Essentiall

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