Treacle for there is none at all there but it is so called because the plant of the vine hauing bene steeped in Treacle the grapes and vines which sprung from it drew into them selues the vertue and operation of the Treacle against all sorts of poison we must not therefore thinke it strang if penance according to the holy scripture doe blot-out sinne saue the soule make her gratefull to GOD and iustifie her which are effects appertaining to loue and seeme not to be attributed to any saue it for though loue it selfe be not alwaies found in perfect penance yet its vertue and proprieties are alwaies there conueied thither by the motife of loue whence it sprung 9. Nor must we admire that the force of loue should spring out of penance before loue be there formed sith we see that the reflection of the sunne beames beating vpō a looking glasse heate which is the vertue and proper qualitie of fire gaines by little and little so much force that it begins to burne before it haue yet well produced the fire or at least before we perceiued it for so the holy ghost casting into our vnderstanding the consideration of the greatnesse of our sinns for that by them we haue offended so soueraigne a Bountie and our will receiuing the reflection of this knowledge repentance by little and little groweth so strong with a certaine affectiue heate and desire to returne into grace with God that in fine this motion becomes so compleate that it doth burne and vnite euen before the loue be fully formed which notwithstanding as a sacred fire is immediatly in that moment kindled so that repentance neuer comes to the point of burning and reuniting the heart to God which is her vtmost perfection but she find's her selfe wholy conuerted into fire and flames of loue the end of the one giuing the other a beginning yea rather the end of penance is within the beginning of loue as ESAV his foote was within Iacobs hand in such sort that as soone as ESAV ended his birth Iacob begun his the end of the ones birth being ioyned tyed and which is more enuironed with the beginning of the others for so the beginning of perfect loue doth not onely follow the end of pennance but doth euen cleaue and tye it selfe to it and to containe all in one word this beginning of loue doth mixe it selfe with the end of repentance and in this motion of mixture pennance and contrition merits life euerlasting 3. Now because this louing repentance is ordinarily practised by eleuations and raisings vp of the heart to God like to those of the auncient penitents I am thine ô Lord saue me haue mercy vpon me for in thee my soule doth confide saue me o Lord for the waters doe ouerwhelme my soule Vse me like one of thy hirelings Lord be propitious to me a poore sinner It is not without reason that some haue saied that Praier did iustifie for the repentant Praier or the suppliant repentance raising vp the soule to God and reuniting it to his goodnesse without doubt obtaines Pardon in vertue of holy loue which giues the sacred motiō And therefore we ought to be furnished with such iaculatorie praiers made in manner of louing repentance and desire aiming at our recōciliatiō to God to th' end that by the meanes therof laying before our Sauiour our tribulation we may poure out our soules before and with in his pitifull heart who will receiue them to mercy How our Sauiour louing inspirations doe assist and accompanie vs to faith and charitie CHAPTER XXI 1. FRom the first awaking from sinne or infidelitie to the finall resolution of a perfect beleefe there often runneth a great deale of time in which we may praie as we haue seene S. PACOMIVS doe and as the father of the poore Lunatike who by S. MARKES relation giuing assurance he beleeued that is that he began to beleeue knew with all that he beleeued not sufficiently wherevpon he cried out Lord I beleeue yet help my incredulitie as though he should haue saied I am now no more in the obscuritie of the night of infidelitie the raies of your faith doth already touch vpon the Orizon of my soule yet doe I not euen yet beleeue so much as were conuenient it is yet an infant knowledge and mixed with darknesse ah Lord helpe me S. AVGVSTINE also doth solemnly pronoūce this remarkable word But harke ô man and vnderstand art thou not drawene praie that thou may'st be drawen in which his intention is not to speake of the first motiō which GOD work 's in vs without vs when he excites and awakes vs out of the sleepe of sinne For how could we demand to be awaked seeing no man can praie before he be awaked but he speakes of the resolution which a man vndertakes to become faithfull For he esteemes that to beleeue is to be drawen and therefore he admonisheth euen such as were exercised in faith to demand the gift of faith and indeede none could better know the difficulties which ordinarily passe betwixt the first motions that God works in vs and the perfect resolution of perfect beleefe then S. AVGVSTINE who hauing had so great a varietie of touches by the words of the glorious S. AMBROSE by the conferance he had with Potitian and a thousand other meanes vsed notwithstanding so many delayes and had so much paine to resolue so that more truely to him then any other might haue bene applyed that which he afterwards saied to others Alas AVGVSTINE if thou be not drawen if thou beleeue not praie that thou maist be drawen that thou maist beleeue 2. Our Sauiour drawes hearts by the delight that he giues them which makes them find the heauēly learning sweete and agreeable but till this sweetenesse haue engaged and assured our will by his amiable bonds to draw it to the perfect agreement and consent of faith as GOD is not deficient in exercising his goodnesse vpon vs by his holy inspirations so doth not our enemie cease to practise his malice by temptations In the interim we remaine in full libertie to consent to the diuine drawghtes or to reiect them for as the Sacred CONC of TRENT hath clearely resolued If any one should saie that mans freewill being moued and incited by GOD doth cooperate in nothing by consenting to GOD who did moue and call him to the end he might dispose and prepare himselfe to obtaine the grace of Iustification and that he could not consent though he would verily he should be excommunicated and reproued by the Church But if we doe not repulse the grace of holy loue it doth dilate it selfe by continuall encrease in our soules till they be entierily conuerted like to great riuers which finding opē plaines spreed themselues still gaining ground 3. And if the inspiration hauing drawen vs to faith find no resistance in vs it drawes vs euen to penance and charitie S. PETER as an Apode helpt vp by an inspiration
which came from the eies of his maister permitting himselfe freely to be moued and carried by the gentle blast of the holy Ghost and looking vpon those comfortable eies which had stirred him vp he read's in thē as in the booke of life the inuitations to pardon which the diuine clemencie doth offer him drawes frō it a iust motife of hope goes out of the Court cōsiders the horror of his sīne ād detests it He weeps he sobbs he prostrats his miserable heart before his Sauiours mercy craues Pardon for his faults makes resolution of an inuiolable loyaltie and by this Progresse of motiōs practised by the healpe of grace which doth continually conduct assist and further it he comes at length to the holy remission of his sinns and passeth so from grace to grace according to that which S. PROSPER doth auerre that without grace a mā doth not runne to grace 4. So then to conclude this point the soule preuented by grace feeling the first essaies and consenting to their sweetnesse as returning to her selfe after so long a sownd she begins to sigh out these words ah my deare SPOVSE my friend draw me I beseech thee and take me by the hand otherwise I am not able to walke but if thou doest draw me we runne thou in helping me by the odour of thy perfumes and I by corresponding by my weake consent and by relishing thy sweet's which doth recreate and strengthen me till the Balme of thy sacred name that is the wholsome ointment of my iustification be spred within me Doe you marke THEO she would not Praie if she were not excited but as soone as that is done and that she perceiues the draughtes she Praies that she may be drawen being drawen she runns marrie she would not runne if the perfums which inticeth and by which she is drawen did not reuiue her heart by the vertue of their odour and as her course is more swifte ād as she approacheth neerer her heauenly Spouse she hath a more delicious taste of the sweetenesse which he sends out in such sort that in the end her heart begins to melt like scattered Baulme whence she cries out as being surprised by this contentment not so quickly expected but vnlooked for ô my spouse thou are as Baulme poured into my bosome it is not strang that young soules dearely esteeme thee 5. Thus my deare THEO the diuine inspiration doth come vnto vs and preuent vs mouing our wills to sacred loue And if we doe not repulse her she walkes with vs and doth enuiron vs continually to incite and aduance vs not abandoning vs if we abandō her not till such time as she hath brought vs to holy Charities Gate performing for vs the three good offices which the great Angell RAPHAEL did for his deare TOBIE for she is a guide to vs through all our iorney of holy penance she is our warrant from daungers and assaults of the the diuell and doth comfort loue and fortifie vs in difficulties A short description of Charitie CHAPTER XXII 1. BEhould at length THEO how GOD by a progresse full of ineffable sweetenesse conducteth the soule which he made goe out of the Egipt of sinne from Loue to Loue as from Lodging to Lodging till she haue made her entrie into the LAND OF PROMIS I meane of most holy Charitie which to saie in one word is Friendshipe not a loue of proper interest for by Charitie we loue God for his owne sake by reason of his most soueraignely amiable Bountie But this friendshipe is a true friendshipe being reciprocall God hauing loued all such eternally as haue doe or shall loue him temporally it is showen and acknowledged mutually sith that GOD cannot be ignorant of the loue we beare him he himselfe bestowing it vpon vs nor can we be ignorant of his loue to vs seeing it is so published and that we acknowledge all the good we haue as true effects of his beneuolence and in fine we haue continuall communication with him who neuer ceaseth to speake vnto our hearts by inspirations allurements and sacred motions he ceaseth not to helpe vs and giue all sorts of testimonies of his holy affection hauing openly reuealed vnto vs all his secrets as to his confident friends and for the accomplishment of his holy LOVE-COMMERCE with vs he made himselfe our proper foode in the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist and as for vs we haue freedome to treate with him at all times whē we please in holy Praier we hauing our whole life motion and beeing not onely with him but euen in and by him 2. Nor is this friendshipe a simple friendshipe but a friendshipe of dilection by which we make election of God to loue him with a speciall loue He is chosen saieth the sacred spouse from amongst a thousand she saieth from amongst a thousand but she would saie from amongst all whence this loue is not a loue of simple excellencie but an incomparable loue for charitie loues God by a certaine esteeme and preferance so high and transcending all other esteemes that other loues either are not true loues in comparison of this or if they be true loues this loue is infinitly more then loue and therefore THEO it is not a loue which the force of nature either angelicall or humane can produce but the holy Ghost doth giue it and poure it into our hearts and as our soules which animate the bodie haue not their origine from the bodie but are there put by the naturall prouidēce of God so Charitie which giues life to our hearts hath not her extraction from thence but is poured into them as an heauēly liquour by the supernaturall prouidence of his diuine Maiestie 3. For this reason and for that it hath reference to God and doth tend vnto him not according to the naturall knowledge we haue of his goodnesse but according to the supernaturall knowledge of faith we name it supernaturall friēdshipe Whence she together with faith and hope keepes residence 4. And as a Maiesticall Queene is seated in the will as in her Throne whēce she conueies into the soule her dainties and sweetes making her therby faire agreeable and amiable to the diuine Goodnesse so that if the soule be a kingdome wherof the Holy Ghost is the king Charitie is the Queene set at his right hand in a Robe of gold wrought in varietie If the soule be a Queene Spouse to the great king of heauen Charitie is her Crowne which doth roially adorne her heade yea if the soule with the bodie be a little world Charitie is the Sunne which beautifies all heates all and reuiues all 5. Charitie then is a loue of friendshipe a friendshipe of dilection a dilection of preference yea and an incōparable soueraigne and supernaturall preference which is as a Sunne through all the soule to lighten it with his raies in all the spirituall faculties to perfect thē in all the powers to moderate them but in the will as in his
iust man turne from his iustice by sinne God will no longer remember the iustice and good works which he hath done But yet if this poore fallen man doe afterwards rise and returne into Gods grace by penance God will thinke no more of his sinne and not remembring his sinne he will turne mindfull of his former good works and of the reward which he promised them since sinne which alone had blotted them out of the diuine memorie is wholy raysed out abolished annihilated so that in that case God's Iustice doth oblige his Mercy or rather his Mercy doth enforce his Iustice to looke a new vpon their precedent good works euē as though he had neuer forgottē thē otherwise the sacred penitent had not dared to saie to his Maister render vnto me the ioye of thy saluation and confirme me with thy principall spirit for as you see he doth not onely require a newnesse of heart and spirit but he pretends to haue the ioye rendred vnto him which sinne had bereft him off Now this ioye is no other thing then the wine of heauenly Loue which doth reioyce mans heart 3. It fares not alike with sinne in this behalfe as with the workes of charitie for the iust mans workes are not blotted out abolished or annihilated by the commission of sinne but are onely forgotten marry the sinnes of the wicked are not onely forgotten but are euen raysed out clenged abolished and annihilated by holy penāce wherevpon the sinne that is committed by the iust man doth not cause the sinne that was once pardoned to liue againe because it was entirely annihilated But when loue returnes into the penitent soule it makes her former good works returne to life againe because they were not abolished but onely forgotten And this obliuion of the works of the iust man who hath forsaken his iustice and charitie consisteth in this that it made them vnprofitable while sinne made him vncapable of eternal life which is their fruit and therefore as soone as by the returne of Charitie he is rancked againe with the childen of God and thereby made capable of immortall glorie God recals to mind his auncient good works and they become againe fruitfull It were not reasonable that sinne should haue as much power ouer Charitie as Charitie hath against sinne For sinne is an issue of our infirmitie Charitie proceedes from God's power If sinne abound in malice to ruinate vs Grace doth superabound to worke the reparation and God's Mercy by which he blots out sinne doth rayse it selfe continually and becomes gloriously triumphant ouer the rigour of Iudgement whereby God had forgotten the good workes which went before sinne In this sort in the corporall cures which our Sauiour did by miracle he did not onely restore health but withall added new benedictions making the cure farre passe the desease so bountifull is he to man 4. I neuer saw red nor heard that waspes oxebees flies and such other little hurtfull creatures being once dead did reuiue and returne to life againe but that the vertuous and harmelesse honie Bee can rise againe it is a common report and I haue often red it It is saied these are Plinies words that if one keepe the dead bodies of the drowned bees all the winter with in the house and expose thē to the sunne beames the spring following couered ouer with ashes of the figue tree they will rise againe and be as good as euer That iniquities and sinfull workes cā returne to life after they haue once bene drowned and abolished by penance truly my THEO neuer for as muche as I know did the Scripture or any Diuine saie it yea the contrarie is authorised by holy writ and by the common consent of Doctours But that good works which like vnto the sweete Bee doe compound the honie of merite being drowned in sinne can afterwards regaine life when couered with the ashes of penance they are exposed to the sunne of grace and Charitie is held and cleartly taught by all the Diuines nor are we to doubt but that they become profitable and fruitfull as before When Nabuzardan destroyed Hierusalem and Israel was led in captiuitie the holy fire of the Altar was hid in a well where it was turned into mud but this mud being drawen out of the well and exposed to the sunne after their returne from Captiuitie the dead fire kindled againe and the mud was turned into flames When the iust man is made slaue to sinne all the works of his life are miserably forgotten and turnd into durt but being deliuered out of Captiuitie to wit when by penance he returnes into grace with heauenly Charitie his former good works are drawen out of the well of obliuion and touched with the raves of heauenly mercy they returne to life and are conuerted into as cleare flames as euer to be sacrificed on the sacred Altar of the diuine approbation and to be restored againe to their wonted dignitie price and value How we are to reduce all the exercise of all the vertues and all our actions to holy Loue. CHAPTER III. 1. BRute beastes though they know not the end of their actions doe indeede tend to their end but pretend it not for to pretend is to tend to a thing by purpose before we tend to it in effect They cast as it were their actions towards their end yet forecast they not but follow their instinct without election or intention But man is Maister in such sort ouer his humane and reasonable actions that in them all he proposeth some end and can direct them to one or many particular ends as he pleaseth for he can change the naturall end of an action as when he sweares to deceiue another whereas contrariwise the end of an oath is to hinder deceite He can also adde another end to the naturall end of an action as when besides the intention of succouring of the needie which is the end of Almes-deedes he adds the intention of obliging the needie to render him like for like 2. Now we adde sometimes a lesse perfect end thē is the end of our actiō sometimes we adde an end of equall or like perfectiō sometimes also an end that is more high and eminent for besides the assistāce of the poore which is the principall ēd of Almes-deedes may not one pretend 1. to gaine his affection 2. to edifie his neighbour 3. to please God which are three diuers ends whereof the first is the least the second is not much better the third farre exceeding the common end of almes deeds So that as you see we haue power diuersly to perfect our actions according to the varietie of motiues ends and intentions which we haue in doing them 3. Be good Exchangers saieth our Sauiour Let vs be carefull therefore THEO not to change the motiues and ends of our actions but for our profit ād aduātage ād to doe nothing in this trafike but by good order and reason Behold for exāple this or that man who
but one yet containes it the vertue and propertie of all the others and is called a contemplatiue affection 6. So it is an opinion amongst Diuines that Angels higher in glorie haue a knowledge of God and the creaturs much more simple then such as are inferiour and that the SPECIES or IDâ—AS by which they see are more vniuersall so that what the lesse perfect Angels see by diuers SPECIES and lookes the more perfect see by fewer SPECIES and castes of the eye And the Great S. AVGVSTINE followed by S. THOMAS saieth that in heauen we shall not haue these great vicissitudes varieties changes and rechanges of thougtes and cogitatioÌ„s which passe and repasse froÌ„ obiect to obiect and from one thing to another but with one sole thought we may be attentiue to the diuersitie of many things and get the knowledge of them By how much further water runs from its source by so much the more it doth deuide it selfe and weare out its banks if it be not kept in by a continuall care and perfections doe seperate and deuid themselues according as they are more remote from God their source but approaching nigh him they are vnited till such time as we shall be swallowed vp in this soueraignely singular perfection which is the necessarie vnitie and THE BETTER PART that which MAGDALEN made choice of and which shall not be taken away from her That we doe contemplate without paine which is a third difference betwixt it and meditation CHAPTER VI. 1. NOw the simple view of contemplation is performed in one of these three fashioÌ„s we doe sometimes onely eye some one of Gods perfections as for example his infinite Bountie not thinking of the other ATTRIBVTS or vertues thereof As a Bridegroome simply staying his eye vpon the faire complection of his Bride yet by this meanes should truely see all her countenance for as much as the complection is spred in a sort through all the partes thereof aÌ„d should not be attentiue to the feature grace or other respectes of beautie for in like manner the mind often times considering the soueraigne goodnesse of the DIVINITIE although withall it sees the IVSTICE WISDOME and POWER yet is it onely attentiue to the GOODNESSE to which the simple view of it's contemplation is addressed Sometimes also we doe attentiuely behold in God diuers of his infinite perfections yet with a simple view and without distinction as he who with one glance of his eye passing his view from the top to the toe of his spouse richly deckt should attentiuely in generall haue seene all and nothing in particular not well discerning what carkanet or gowne she wore nor what countenance she had or how she lookt but onely that all was faire and comely For so in contemplation we often passe ouer sundrie Diuine Greatnesses and perfections in generall with one onely touch of consideration with out being able to render a reason of any thing in particular saue onely that all is perfectly good and faire and finally we doe at other times consider neither many nor onely one of the diuine perfections but onely some Diuine action or worke to which we are attentiue as for example to the act of MERCY by which God pardons sinnes or the act of Creation or the Resurrection of Lazarus or Conuersion of S. PAVLE as a Bridegroome who should not eye his Spouses eyes but onely the sweetenesse of the lookes she castes vpon him nor take notice of her mouth but onely of the delight of the words vttered by it And in this point THEO the soule makes a certaine sallie of loue not onely vpon the actions she considereth but vpon him whence they proceede Thou art Good ô Lord and in thy goodnesse teach me thy iustifications Thy throte that is the word which cometh from it is most delicious and thou art wholy desirable Ah! how sweete are thy words to my bowells sweeter then honie to my mouth or else with S. THOMAS My Lord my God and with S. MAGDELEN RABBONI ah Maister 2. But take which of these three wayes you will Contemplation hath still this excellencie that it is done with delight for that it supposeth that God and his holy loue is found that he is enioyed delighted in saying I haue found him whom my heart loueth I haue found him nor will I let him goe In which it differs from Meditation which almost alwayes is performed in paine labour and discourse our mind passing in it from consideration to consideration searching in many places either the well-beloued of her Loue or the loue of her well-beloued IACOB labours in meditation to obtaine Rachel but in contemplation he reioyceth with her forgetting his labours The diuine Spouse as a shephearde which he also is prepared a sumptious banquet according to the countrie fashion for his sacred Spouse which he so described that mystically it represented all the mysteries of mans RedeÌ„ption I came into my gardeÌ„ quoth he I haue gathered my myrrhe with all my perfumes I haue eaten my honie-coÌ„be with my honie I haue mingled my wine with my milke eate my frieÌ„ds aÌ„d drinke and inebriate your selues my dearest THE ha when was it I pray you that our Sauiour came into his garden if not when he came into his mothers purest huÌ„blest and sweetest wombe replenished with all the flourishing plaÌ„tes of holy vertues And what is ment by our Sauiours gathering of his myrrhe with his perfumes but to ioyne sufferaÌ„ce to suffereÌ„ce vntill death aÌ„d death of the crosse heaping by that meanes merit vpon merit and treasurs vpoÌ„ treasurs to enrich his spirituall children And how did he eate his honie-combe with his honie but when he liued a new life reuniting his soule more sweete then honie to his pearced and wounded bodie with more holes then a honie-combe And when ascending into heauen he tooke possessioÌ„ of all the circumstances and dependance of his diuine glorie what other thing did he if not mixe the reioycing wine of the essentiall glorie of his soule with the delightfull milke of the perfect felicitie of his bodie in a more excellent manner then hitherto he had done 3. Now in all these diuine mysteries which containe all the others there is sufficient to eate and drinke for all the deare friends and to inebriate the dearest some of them doe eate and drinke but they eate more then they drinke and so are not drunke others eate and drinke but drinke more theÌ„ they eate and those are they that are inebriated Now to eate is to meditate for in meditating a maÌ„ doth chewe turning his spirituall meate hither and thither betwixt the teeth of consideration to bruise breake and digest it which is not done without some trouble To drinke is to contemplate which we doe without paine or difficultie yea with pleasure and facilitie but to be inebriated is to contemplate so frequeÌ„tly and ardently that one is quite out of himselfe to be wholy in God O holy and sacred drunkennesse which
this kind of fauour one could desire no more and as the sunne-beames remaine Sunnne-beames notwithstanding that they are reiected and repulsed by some obstacle so God's signified will remaines the true will of God though it be resisted true it is it hath not the effects which it would haue being seconded 4. The conformitie then of our heart to the signified will of God consisteth in this that we should will that which the diuine goodnesse doth signifie vnto vs to be his intention beleeuing according to his doctrine hoping according to his promises fearing according to his threats louing and liuing according to his ordinances and aduertissements to which all the protestations which we make thereof in the holy Ceremonies of the Church doe tend Hence we stand while the Gospell is red as being readie to obay the holy signification of Gods will contained therein Hence we kisse the booke at the Gospell side in adoration of the sacred word which doth declare his heauenly will Hence many Saints meÌ„ and women carried in the old time in their bosoms the Gospell written as an Ephitheme of Loue as it is reported of S. CICILE And indeede S. MATHEWES Gospell was found vpon S. BARNABIES breast written with his owne hand Wherevpon in the auncient Councells in the midst of the assemblie of Bishops they erected a Throne and put vpon it the Booke of the holy Gospells which represented the person of our Sauiour king Doctour Directour Spirit of all the Councells and of the whole Church so much did they reuerence the signification of Gods will expressed in this holy booke Certes that great Myrrour of Pastours S. CHARLES Archbishop of Milau neuer studied the holy Scripture but bare head and vpon his knees to testifie with what respect we are to reade and heare the signified will of God Of the Conformitie of our will to the will which God hath to saue vs. CHAPTER IV. 1. GOd hath signified vnto vs so diuersly and by so diuerse meanes that his will was that we should all be saued that none can be ignorant of it to this purpose he made vs to his owne Image by Creation and himselfe to our Image and likenesse by his Incarnation after which he suffered death to ransome and saue all mankind which he performed with so much loue that as the great S. DENIS Apostle of France racounteth he saied vpon a day to the holy man Carpus that he was ready to suffer an other passion to saue maÌ„kind and that this would be pleasant vnto him if it could be done without any mans offence 2. And although all are not saued yet is this will the truâ— will of God who doth worke in vs according to the condition of our and his nature For his Bountie moues him liberally to communicate â—nto â—â— the succours of his grace to bring vs to the felicitie of his glorie but our nature reqâ—â—â— that his liberalitie should leaue vs in libertie to make vse of it to our saluation or to neglect it to oâ—r damnation 3. I haue demanded one thing saied the Prophet and it is that which I will demand for euer that I may see the delightes of our Lord and visite his temple But what are the delightes of the soueraigne Goodnesse but to poure out and communicate its perfections Verily his delightes are to be with the children of men to showre his grace vpon them Nothing is so agreeable and delightfull to free Agents as to doe their owne will Our Sanctification is the will of God and our Saluation his good pleasure nor is there any difference at all betwixt good pleasure and Good liking or consequently betwixt good-liking and goodwill yea the will which God hath to aduantage man is called good because it is amiable propitious fauorable agreeable delicious and as the Grecians after S. PAVLE saied it is a true PHILANTROPIE that is a beneuolence or a will entirely affectionate to men 4. All the celestiall Temple of the TriumphaÌ„t and Militant Church doth resound on euery side the delicious Canticles of God's loue towards vs. And the Sacred bodie of our Sauiour as the most holy Temple of his Diuinitie is wholy adorned with markes and tokens of this Beneuolence so that in visiting the Diuine Temple we behold the louely delightes which he takes to doe vs fauours 5. Let vs then a thousand times a day behold this louing will of God aÌ„d grounding ours therein let 's deuotely crie-out O Bountie infinitly sweete how amiable is thy will How desirable thy fauours Thou created vs for an eternall life and thy motherly breast swolen in the sacred dugges of an incomparable loue abounds in the milke of mercy whether it be to pardon sinners or perfect the Iust Ah why doe not we then glew our wills to thyne as a child is locked to the nible of his mothers dugge to lucke the milke of thy eternall benedictions 6. THâ—O we are to will our Saluation in such sort as God will's it and he wills it by way of desire must not we then following his desire incessantly desire it Nor doth he will it onely but in effect enables vs with all necessarie meanes to attaine it we then in sequele of the desire we haue to be saued must not onely desire but in effect accept all the graces which he hath prouided for vs and presents vnto vs. It is sufficient to saie I desire to be saued yet it is not sufficient to saie I desire to embrace the meanes conuenient to the attaining of saluation but we must with an absolute resolution desire and embrace the grace which God bestowes vpon vs for our will must necessarily correspoÌ„de to God's And whereas Gods will giues vs the meanes to saue our selues we ought to receiue them as we ought to desire saluation in such sort as God desires it and vs. 7. But it fals often out that the meanes to come to Saluation considered in grosse and in generall are according to our hearts liking but considered by peecemeale and in particular they are dreadfull to vs for haue we not seene the poore S. Peter prepared to vndergoe all kind of torments in generall yea death it selfe to follow his Maister and yet when it came to the deede doing and performance waxe pale tremble and at the word of a simple maide denie his Maister Euery one deemes himselfe able to drinke our Sauiours CHALICE with him but when indeede it is presented vnto vs we flie and forsake all Things proposed in particular make a more strong impressioÌ„ and more sensibly wound in the Imagination And for this reason we gaue aduice in the INTRODVCTION that after generall affections one should descend to particular ones in holy Meditation Dauid accepted particular afflictions as an aduancement to his perfection when he sunge in this wise O Lord how good it is for me that thou hast humbled me that I might learne thy iustifications So also did the Apostles reioyce in their tribulations in that they
accords best with the will of God But in little and dayly exercises wherein the fault is nether of moment or irreparable what neede is there to chant a QVANTA PATIMVR by engaging ones attention in importune consultations To what end should I put my selfe vpon the racke to learne whether God would rather that I should saie the Rosarie or our Ladies Office since there can be no such difference betwixt them that a GRAND-IVRIE should be impannelled vpon it That I should rather goe to visite the sicke in the hospitall then to VESPERAS That I should rather goe to a Sermon then to a Church where there are Indulgences commonly there is no such remarkable thing in the one more then the other that the matter requires any great deliberation we must walke simply not subtily in those occurrēces and as S. BASILE freely doe that which licks vs best without wearying out our wits loosing our time and running hazard of disquiet scruples and superstitiō Now my meaning is alwayes where there is no great disproportion betwixt the two workes and where there occurrs no circumstance more considerable in the one then th' other 5. And euen in matters of moment we are to vse a great humilitie and not to thinke we can fish out Gods will by force of examination and subtilitie of discourse But hauing implored the light of the holy-Ghost applied our cōsideration to the search of his good pleasure taken our Directours counsell and of two or three spirituall persōs more if they chāced to be there we must absolutly resolue and determine in the name of God neuer after to call our choice in question but deuotely peaceably and constantly to vndergoe and improue it And albeit that the difficulties temptations and the diuersitie of euents which crosse the execution of our designe might make vs doubt whether we had made a good choice yet must we remaine constant not waighing all this Yea we are to consider that if we had made an other choice we had peraduenture bene an hundred times worse besides that we wot not whether it be God's will that we should be exercised in consolation or desolation in peace or in warre The resolution being once holily vndertaken we are neuer to doubt of the holinesse of the execution for vnlesse it be our fault there can be none to doe otherwise is a notable marke of selfe-Loue of childishnesse or bransicknesse The end of the eight booke THE NINGTH BOOKE OF LOVE OF SVBMISSION WHEREBY OVR WILL IS VNITED to Gods Of the vnion of our will to the will of God which is the WILL OF GOOD PLEASVRE CHAPTER I. I. NOthing excepting sinne is done but by the will of God called an absolute will and of GOOD PLEASVRE which cannot be hindred by man and which is not knowen vnto vs but by the effects yet being arriued they make manifest that God willed and determined them 2. Let vs conside◠in grosse THEO all that hath bene is and shall be and rauished with amazement we shall be forced to crie out with the Psalmist O Lord I will praise thee because thou are abundantly magnified thy works are wonderfull and my soule doth acknowledge thē very much thy knowledge is become admirable of me it is made great nor can I reach to it And from thence we passe on to a most holy Complacence reioycing that God is so infinit in WISDOME POWER and GOODNESSE which are the three Diuine Proprieties whereof the world is but a small taste or scantling 3. Let vs behold men and Angels and all the varietie of nature qualities conditions faculties affections passions graces and priuiledges which the diuine Prouidence hath established in the innumerable number of those heauenly INTELLIGENCES and humane creaturs vpon which Gods IVSTICE and MERCY is so admirably practised and we cannot containe our selues from singing with ioye full of respect and louing dread True Iustice and true Iudgment are The obiect of my dittie VVhich vnto thee I offer dare Most iust and full of pitie THEO we are to take an exceeding complacence to see how God exerciseth his MERCY by the sundrie benefits which he doth distribute amongst men and Angels in heauen and earth And how he practiseth his IVSTICE by an infinit varietie of paines and chastisements for his IVSTICE and MERCY are equally amiable and admirable in them selues since both of them are no other thing then the same most singular Goodnesse and Deitie But the effects of his Iustice being alwayes sharpe and and full of bitternesse to vs he sweetens them with the mixture of the effects of his MERCY conseruing the greene Oliue amidst the waters of the Deluge of his iust indignation and giuing power to the deuote soule as to a chast doue to find it in the end prouided alwayes that like to the doue she doth louingly meditate So death afflictions anguishes labours whereof our life is full which by Gods iust ordinances are the punishments of sinne are also by his milde MERCY made ladders to ascend to Heauen meanes to encrease grace and merits to obtaine Glorie Blessed is pouertie hunger thirst sorrow sicknesse persecution death for in truth they are the iust punishments of our faults yet punishments so seasoned or to vse the Phisitions terme so aromatized with Diuine sweetenesse benignitie and clemencie that their bitternesse is best beloued A strang yet a true thing THEO if the damned were not blinded with the obstinacie and hatred which they conceiue against God they would find consolation in their torments and see the Diuine MERCY admirably dispersed amongst their eternally-tormenting flames So that the Saints considering on the one side the torments of the damned so horrible and dreadfull they praise Gods IVSTICE in it and crie out thou art iust ô Lord thou art iust and iustice for euer raignes in thy iudgments But seeing on the other side that these paines though eternall and incomprehensible come yet farre short of the crime and trespasse for which they were inflicted rauished with Gods infinite MERCY ó Lord will they saie how good thou art since in the very heate of thy wroth thou canst not keepe in the torrent of thy MERCYES that it streame not its waters into the deuouring flames of Hell Goodnesse o Lord hath not thy soule forsooke Euen while thy iustest iustice vengeance tooke Midst hellish flames nor could sterne ire represse The torrent of thy wounted graciousnesse Thou still pour'st out and still dost enterlace Thy wrothfull strokes with strikes of grace And then turning our eyes vpon our selues in parcular and finding in vs diuers interiour and exteriour goods as also a greatest number of interiour and exteriour paines which the Diuine Prouidēce hath prepared for vs according to his most holy IVSTICE and MERCY and as opening the armes of our consent we doe most louingly embrace all resting in Gods most holy will and singing vnto him by way of a Hymne of an eternall repose Thy will be done in earth as it is in
had bene the onely motiue of his actions he would haue bene as well content to haue seene it accomplished in remission of the paine which the Niniuits had merited as in punishments of the fault which the Niniuits had comitted Our desire is that the things which we vndertake or haue a finger in should succeede well but there is no reason that God should doe all that we desire If Gods will be that Niniuie should be threatned ād not throwen downe since the threat is sufficient to correct why should Ionas find himselfe ageeeued in it 6. But if this be so we are then to affect nothing at all but abandone our businesse to the mercy of the euents Pardon me THEO we are to omit nothing which is requisite to bring the worke which God hath put into our hands to a happie issue yet vpon condition that if the euent be contrarie we should louingly and peaceably embrace it for we are commanded to be iealous in that which appertaines to God's glorie and to our office but we are neither obliged nor charged with the euent which is not placed within our reach Take care of him was it saied to the Groome of the stable in the Parable of the poore mā who lay halfe dead betwixt Hierusalē ād Hierico It is not saied as S. Bernard remarkes cure him but take care of him So the Apostles with an vnspeakable affection preached first to the Iewes though they foresaw that in the end they they should be forced to leaue them and betake themselues to the Gentils It is our part to plant and water carefully but it belongs to God onely to giue encrease 7. The great Psalmist makes this praier to our Sauiour as in an exclamation of ioye and with presage of victorie O Lord for thy beautie and comlinesse sake bend thy bow march prosperously and get on horse back as though he too would saie that by the arrowes of his heauenly Loue shot into humane hearts he made himselfe Maister of man to handle him at his pleasure not vnlike to a horse well trained vp O Lord thou art the Royall MAISTER OF THE HORSE who can turne the heart of thy faithfull Louers into all postures sometimes giuing them full bridle they runne at full speede in the enterprises to which they were inspired ād againe at thy pleasure thou stopest them in the midst of their careere and at the hight of their speede 8. But further if the enterprise begun by inspiration doe perish by his fault into whose hāds it was put in trust how can one saie then that a man is to submit himselfe to Gods will for some will saie vnto me it is not Gods will that hinders the euent but my fault which is not caused by Gods will It is true my child thy fault was not caused by Gods will for God is not Authour of sinne yet it is also true that it is Gods will that thy fault is followed with the defect and ouerthow of thy designe in punishment of thy fault for though his goodnesse cannot permit him to will thy fault yet can his Iustice permit the paine due to it So God was not the cause that Dauid offended yet he inflicted vpon him the paine due to his sinne Nor was he the cause of Sauls sinne Marrie he was cause that in punishment of it the victorie perished in his hands 9. When therefore it happens that in punishment of our fault our holy designes haue not good euents we must equally by a solide repentance detest the fault and accept the punishments thereof Of the indifferencie which we are to haue in our Spirituall aduancement CHAPTER VII 1. GOd hath ordained that we should imploy our whole endeauours to obtaine the holy vertues Let vs thē forget nothīg which might helpe our good successe in this pious entreprise but after we haue once planted and watered let 's then know for certaine that it is God which must giue groth to the trees of our good inclinations and habits And therefore from his Diuine Prouidence we are to expect the fruits of our desires ād labours And if we perceiue not the progresse and aduancement of our hearts in deuotiō such as we would desire it let 's not be troubled at it let 's liue in peace let a smooth calme alwayes raigne in our hearts It belongs to vs diligently to labour our heart and therefore we must faithfully attend to it But touching the plentie of the croppe or haruist let 's leaue the care thereof to our Lord and Maister The Husbandman is neuer reprehended that the haruest is not plentifull but onely that he did not carefully till and sowe his ground Let 's not be troubled to perceiue our selues continually NOVICES in the exercise of vertue for in the MONASTERIE OF A DEVOTE LIFE euery one holds himselfe a continuall NOVICE and there the whole life is the yeare of PROBATION there being no more euident argument not onely that we are NOVICES but that we are euen worthy of expulsion and reprobation then to esteeme and hold our selues PROFESSED For according to the Rule of this Order not the solemnitie but the performance of the vowes makes the Nouices Professed nor are the vowes euer performed while there remaines yet something to be done for their performance nor is the obligation of seruing God and going on in his loue ended but with the end of life I but will some say vnto me if I know that it is by my owne fault that I profited not in vertue how could I but be greeued and disquieted I haue saied the same in the Introduction to a deuote life but I doe willingly iterate it because it can neuer be saied sufficiently one must be sorrie for faultes committed with a setled constant and calme repentance but not with such an one as is distempered turbulent or disencouraging Are you sure that your backwardnesse in vertue was caused by your fault goe to then humble your selfe before God implore his Mercy fall prostrate before the face of his goodnesse and demand pardon confesse your fault crie him mercy euen in your Ghostly Fathers eare to obtaine absolation But this being done remaine in peace and hauing detested the offence embrace louingly the abiection which you feele in your selfe by reason of delaying your aduancement in vertue 2. Alas THEO the soules in Purgatorie are there doubtlesse for their sinnes and for sinnes which they haue detested and doe highly detest but as for the abiection and paine which remaines to be tyed to that place and to be depriued for a space of the beloued Loue of heauen they endure it with Loue and deuotely pronoūce the Canticle of the Diuine Iustice Thou art iust ô Lord and thy iudgments are rightuous Let 's therefore expect our aduancement with patience and in steede of disquieting our selues that we haue so little profited in the time past let vs diligently endeuour to doe better in the time to come 3. Behold I beseech you
heart for the obstinacie of the Iewes 2. Yet be sinners neuer so obstinate let vs neuer desist to aide and assist them for what doe we know but they may doe pennance and be saued happie is he that can saie to his neighbour as did S. Paule I haue neither ceased night nor day to admonish euery of you with teares and therefore I am cleare of your blood for I haue not bene sparing in denouncing vnto you Gods good pleasure in euery behalfe So lōg as there remaines any hope that the sinner will amend which alwayes remaines as long as life we must neuer reiect him but praie for him and assist him as farre forth as his miserie will permit 3. But lastly after we haue wept ouer the obstinate and performed towards them the good offices of Charitie in essaying to reclame them from perdition we must imitate our Sauiour and the Apostles that is we must remoue our mind from thence and place it vpon other obiects and imployments more to the aduancement of Gods glorie We were first saied the Apostles to the Iewes to announce the word of God vnto you but whereas you reiect it and make your selues vnworthy of the raigne of IESVS-CHRIST we will betake our selues to the Gentils The kingdome of God saieth our Sauiour shall be taken from you and shall be giuen to a nation that will make some profit of it Nor can one indeede spend much time in bewailing some few without loosing time fit and necessarie to procure the saluation of others It is true indeede the Apostle saieth that the losse of the Iewes is a cōtinuall corrasiue vnto him yet he spoke it in no other sense then we saie that we praise God continually for we meane no other thing thereby then that we praise him very frequently and in euery occasion and in the same manner the glorious S. Paule felt a continuall griefe in his heart caused by the Iewes reprobation for that in euery occasion he bemoaned their mishape 4. For the rest we must for euer adore Loue and praise God's reuenging and punishing IVSTICE as we loue his MERCY being both daughters of his goodnesse For as he is good yea soueraignly good he makes vs good by his grace by his IVSTICE he punisheth sinne because he hates it and he hates it for that being soueraignly good he hates the soueraigne euill which is iniquitie And in conclusion note that God doth neuer otherwise withdraw his MERCY from vs then by the iust vengāce of his punishing IVSTICE nor doe we euer escape the rigour of his IVSTICE but by his iustifying MERCY and howsoeuer whether he punish or gratifie vs his good pleasure is worthy of adoration loue and euerlasting praise So the Iust who sing the praises of Gods MERCY for such as haue wrought their owne saluation shall reioyce euen in seeing Gods vengance The Blessed shall with ioye approue the Sentence of the Reprobats damnation as well as that of the Elects saluation And the Angels hauing exercised their Charitie towards those that they had in keeping shall remaine in peace while they see them obstinate yea euen damned We are therefore to submit our selues to the Diuine will and kisse the right hand of his MERCY and the left hand of his IVSTICE with an equall Reuerence How the puritie of Indifferencie is practised in the actions of holy Loue. CHAPTER IX 1. THe most excellent Musician of the Vniuersitie and one that had a skeelfull hād vpō the Lute became in time so deadly deafe that his hearing serued him for nothing yet ceased he not for all that to sing and to handle his Lute marueilous delicatly by reasō of the perfect habite which he had therein whereof his deafenesse did not depriue him But taking no pleasure in his song nor yet in the sound of his Lute as being depriued of his hearing he could not perceiue the sweetenesse and delight of it so that he neither sung nor plaied saue onely to content a Prince whose natiue subiect he was and whom he infinitely desired to please as hauing an infinite obligatiō vnto him for his breeding from his childhood Hence he tooke an incomparable delight to delight him and when his Prince made shew to be delighted in his musike he was rauished with delight But it happened sometimes that the Prince to make triall of this louing Musician's loue gaue him order to sing and presently vpon it leauing him there wēt a hunting yet the desire which this Chaunter had to accomplish his Maisters desires made him continue his musike as attentiuely as though his Prince had bene present though in very deede he had no content in his owne song for he neither had the pleasure of the Melodie whereof his deafenesse depriued him nor the content of pleasing his Prince who being absent could not enioye the sweetenesse and pleasure of the ayre which he sung My heart to sing is readie and dispos'd A hymne in honour of thy name compos'd My soule and spirit ardently essayes To sing thy praise Vp then my glorie vp and quit thy rest In Harpe ād Psaltere let our lord be bles't Mans heart is the true Chaunter of the Canticle of sacred Loue himselfe the HARPE or PSALTER Now ordinarily this Chaunter is his owne auditorie taking a great pleasure in the Melodie of his song I meane our heart louing God doth taste the delights of this Loue and takes an incomparable contentment to loue so louely an obiect Marke I praie you THEO what I would saie The Little young Nightingales doe first essaie a beginning of song by imitating the old one but hauing got skill and passing Maisters they sing for the pleasure which they take in their owne song and doe so passhionatly addict themselues to this delight as I haue saied in an other place that by striuing to send out their voice their weseele bursting they send out their life So our hearts in the beginning of deuotion loue God that they may be vnited and become gratefull vnto him and imitate him in that he hath loued vs for all eternitie but by little and little being formed and exercised in holy Loue they are imperceptibly changed and in lieu of louing God to please God they begin to Loue him for the pleasure they take in the exercises of holy Loue and insteede of falling in Loue with God they fall in Loue with the Loue they beare him and stand affected to their owne affections not taking any more pleasure in God but in the pleasure they take in his Loue contenting themselues with this Loue because it is theirs that it is in their heart whence it proceedes for though this sacred Loue be called the Loue of God because God is loued by it yet it is also ours we being the Louers that Loue by it And herevpon we come to chang for insteede of louing this holy Loue for that it tends to God who is the beloued we Loue it because it proceedes from vs who are
of Angels For while this Loue liues it raignes and bears the Scepter ouer all the affections making his will preferre God before all things indifferently vniuersally and absolutely Of two degrees of perfection in which this Commandement may be kept in this mortall life CHAPTER IV. 1. VVHile the great king Salomon enioying as yet the Spirit of God cōposed the sacred Canticle of Canticles he had according to the permission of those ages great varietie of dames and damsells dedicated to his Loue in diuers conditions and qualities For 1. there was one that was his singularly deare and wholy perfect one most rare as a singular doue with which the others entred not into comparison and for this reason she was called by his owne name SVNAMITE 2. There were sixtie which next to her had the first ranke of honour and estimation and were called Queenes Besids which there were thirdly Fourescore Dames which were not indeede Queenes yet were companions of his Royall bed in qualitie of honorable and lawfull friends 4. and lastly there were young damsells without number reserued in expectation as a seedeplat to succeede in the places of the former when they should fall into decaye Now by the IDEA of that which passed in his Palace he described the diuers perfections of soules who in time to come were to adore Loue and serue the great PACIFICALL KING IESVS CHRIST our Sauiour amongst which there are some who being newly freed from sinne and resolued to Loue God are yet Nouices Apprentises tender and feeble So that they Loue indeede the Diuine sweetenesse yet with such mixture of other different affections that their sacred Loue being as yet in its Nonage they Loue together with our Sauiour many superfluous vaine and dangerous things And as a PHENIX newly hatch't out of her sinders hauing as yet her plumes tender and nice and hauing on her first downes can onely essay a short flight in which she is rather saied to hop then to flie so these tēder and daintie young soules newly borne of the ashes of their Penance cannot as yet take a high flight and sore a aboue in the aire of holy loue beīg held captiues by the multitude of wicked inclinations and depraued customes in which the sinnes of their life past had left them They are yet liuing quickned and feathered with Loue yea and with true Loue too else had they neuer forsakē sinne yet with a Loue as yet feeble young and enuironed with a number of other Loues and which cannot produce fruite in such abundance as otherwise it would doe if it had the full possession of the heart in its hands 2. Such was the Prodigall Sonne when quitting the infamous cāpanie and custodie of swine amongst which he had liued he returned into his fathers armes halfe naked all to be dabed durted and stinking of the filth which he had contracted in the companie of those vncleane beasts For what is it to forsake the swine but to reclame ones selfe from sinne and what is it to returne all ragged tattered and stinking but to haue our affections engaged in the habits and inclinations which tend to sinne yet was he possessed of the life of the soule which is Loue. And as a Phenix rising out of her ashes he finds himselfe newly risen to life He was dead quoth his Father and is returned to life he is reuiued Now Salomons Friends were called young daughters in the Canticles for as much as hauīg tasted the odour of the Spouse his name which breathes nothing but Saluation and Mercy they Loue him with a true Loue but a Loue which is as themselues in its tender age for euen as young girles doe Loue their husbands well if they haue them yet leaue not off much to affect their toyes triffles ād companions with whom they were wont desperatly to loose themselues in playing dancing and fooling in busying themselues with little birds little dogges squirills and the like bables So the yoūg and Nouice-soules haue truely an affection to the sacred Spouse yet admit they with it a number of voluntarie distractions and incumbrances so that louing him aboue all things they doe yet busie themselues in many things which they Loue not like him but besids him out of him and without him for as small irregularities in words in gestures in clothes in pastimes and fond trickes are not properly speaking against the will of God so are they not according to it but out of it and without it 3. But there are certaine soules who hauing alreadie made some progresse in the Loue of God haue also cut off the affections they had to dangerous things and yet doe entertaine dangerous and supersluous Loues because they Loue with excesse and Loue that which God ordaines they should Loue with a Loue too nice and passionate It stood with Gods pleasure that ADAM should loue EVE tenderly yet not in that degree of tendernesse that to content her he should haue violated the order giuen him by his Diuine Maiestie He loued not then a superfluous thing nor a thing in it selfe dangerous but he loued it superfluously and dangerously The loue of our Parents friends and Benefactours is in it selfe according to GOD yet we may affect it with excesse as we may also our vocations be they neuer so spirituall and our exercises of deuotion which yet we ought so greately to affect may beloued inordinatly to wit if we preferre them before obedience or a more generall good or in case we loue them in qualitie of LAST END being the onely meanes and furtherances to our finall pretention which is DIVINE LOVE And those soules which Loue nothing but that which God would haue them to Loue and yet doe exceede in the manner of louing doe truly Loue the Diuine Goodnesse aboue all things yet not in all things for the things which not onely by permission but euen by command they are to Loue according to God they doe not onely Loue according to God but for other causes and motiues which though indeede they be not contrarie to God yet are they out of him so that they resemble the Phenix who hauning gotten her first feathers and beginning to waxe strong doth forthwith hoist her selfe vp into the open aire yet is not long able to continew flight but is forced to light often vpon the ground to take breath Such was the poore young man who hauing from his tender age obserued Gods Commandements desired not his neighbours goods yet affected his owne too tenderly So that when our Sauiour gaue him Counsell to giue them to the poore he became sad and melancholie He loued nothing but that which he might lawfully loue but he loued it with a superfluous and too obliging an affection It is plaine therefore THEO that these soules loue too ardently and with superfluitie yet loue they not the superfluities but onely the thing which is to be loued And herevpō they doe enioye the marriage bed of the heauenly Salomō
pardon at his hands saying your Father commanded vs that we should tell you thus from him I beseech thee to forget thy brothers crime and the sinne and malice which they practised against thee which hauing heard he began to weepe so did his filiall heart melt at the representation of his deceased Fathers wish and will Such then doe feare God with a filiall affection as doe feare to displease him purely and simply because he is their most sweete most benigne and most louing Father 9. Howbeit though this filiall feare be ioyned mixed and tempered with the seruile feare of eternall damnation or with the mercinarie Feare of loosing Heauen it is yet gratefull to God and is called a BEGINNING FEARE that is a feare of such as are beginners and Apprentises in the exercise of diuine Loue. For as young youthes at their first beginning to ride a horse when they perceiue him rise a little high before doe not onely cleeue close to hī with their knees but doe also catch hard hold of the saddle bole with their hands yet after they haue bene a while trayned vp with it doe onely keepe thēselues close together euen so Nouices ād Prentises in Gods seruice finding thēselues lost amidst the assaults which the enemie makes against them in their beginnings doe not onely make vse of filiall but also of mercinarie and seruile Feare and hold themselues as well as they cā that they might not fall from their pretentions How sacred Loue containes the 12. fruits of the holy Ghost together with the 8. beatitudes of the Ghospell CHAPTER XIX 1. THe glorious S. PAVLE saieth thus Now the Fruit of the holy Ghost is Charitie Ioye Peace Patience Benignitie Goodnesse Longanimitie Mildnesse Modestie Faith Continencie Chastitie But marke THEO how this holy Apostle showing these 12. fruits of the holy Ghost puts them for one onely fruit for he saieth not the fruits of the holy Ghost are Charitie Ioye c. but onely the fruit of the Holy Ghost is Charitie Ioye And behold the secrete of this manner of speach The Charitie of God is poured forth into our hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vs. Certes Charitie is the onely fruit of the holy Ghost but because this one fruit hath an infinitie of excellent proprieties the Apostle about to represent some of them by way of a scantling he speakes of this onely fruit as of many by reason of the multitude of proprieties which it containes in its vnitie and speakes againe of all these fruits as of one onely by reason of the vnitie in which it is comprised in this varietie So he that should saie that the fruit of the vine is ripe grapes greene grapes wine aqua vitae the liquour that doth reioyce the heart of man the drinke that doth comfort the stomake would not saie that they were fruits of diuers SPECIES but onely that though they be but one onely fruit yet hath it many different proprieties according as it is diuersly vsed 2. The Apostle therefore would saie no other thing but onely that Charitie is the fruit of the holy Ghost which is ioyfull peaceable patient benigne good longanimous sweete faithfull modest continent chast that is to saie that the Diuine Loue doth giue vs an inward ioye and cōsolation together with a great peace of mind which in aduersitie is conserued by Patience and which makes vs benigne and gracious in succouring our neighbour by a cordiall goodnesse towards him a goodnesse which is not variable but Constant and perseuerant giuing vs a courage of great extent by meanes whereof we become mild affable and condescendant to all supporting their humours and imperfections and standing perfectly loyall vnto them testifying a simplicitie accompanied with confidence as well in our words as actions liuing modestly and humbly cutting off all superfluities and disorders in meate drinke apparell bed plaie pastimes and such other voluptuous desires by a holy continencie repressing especially the inclinations and seditions of the flesh by a diligēt chastitie so that our whole man may be occupied in holy Loue as well interiourly by Ioye Peace Patience Longanimitie Goodnesse and Fidelitie as also exteriously by benignitie mildnesse modestie continencie and Chastitie 3. Now Charitie is called a fruit in so much as it doth delight vs ād in so much as we doe enioye its delicious sweetenesse as being a true aple of Paradice gathered from the tree of life which is the holy Ghost graffed in our humane hearts and dwelling in vs by his infinite mercy But when we doe not onely reioyce in this heauenly Loue and enioye its delicious sweetenesse but euen place all our glorie therein as in the crowne of our honour then it is not a fruit onely delightfull to our palate but it is a beatitude and a most wishfull felicitie not onely because it assures vs the felicitie of the next life but euen in that it doth enrich vs in this life with a contentment of an inestimable price a contentement which is so strong that all the waters of tribulation and the floodes of persequution cannot extinguish it yea it is not onely not extinguished but it waxeth rich amidst pouertie is aduanced by abiections and humiliations reioyceth in teares gaines strength by being forsaken by Iustice and by being depriued of the helpe thereof while begging for it it is deneyed of all compassion and commiseration doe recreate it while it is enuironed with the iniurious and neede It is delighted in the renunciation of all sorts of sensuall and earthly delightes to obtaine the puritie and cleanenesse of heart the vse of its valour is to lay a sleepe warrs iarrs and dissentions and to spurne temporall aduancements and reputation by all kinds of sufferance it waxeth strong and holds that its true life consisteth in dying for the well-beloued So that in a word THEO holy Charitie is a vertue a Gift a Fruit and a Beatitude as it is a vertue it makes vs obedient to exteriour inspiratiōs which God hath giuē vs by his Cōmādemēts ād Coūsells in the execution whereof all vertues are practised whence Charitie is the VERTVE OF VERTVES 4. In qualitie of a gift Charitie makes vs manigable and tractable by interiour inspirations which are as Gods secreete Commandements and Counsells in the execution whereof the 7. giftes of the holy Ghost are imployed so that Charitie is the GIFT OF GIFTS As it is a Fruit it giues vs an extreame gust and pleasure in the practise of a deuote life which is felt in the 12. fruits of the holy Ghost and thence it is the FRVIT OF FRVITS In qualitie of Beatitude it makes vs repute the affronts calumnies rebukes reuilings which the world heapes vpon vs for greatest fauours and singular honours and withall makes vs forsake renounce and reiect all other kinds of glorie saue that which comes from the beloued Crucifix for which we glorie in the abiection abnegation and annihilation of our selues admitting of no other marke of