A TREATISE OF THE LOVE OF GOD.  
Written in french by B. FRANCIS DE SALES Bishope and Prince of Geneva, Translated into English by MILES CAR Priest of the English College of Douai.  
THE EIGHTEENTH EDITION.  
Printed at Douai, By GERARD PINCHON, at the sign of Coleyn, 1630.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE AND VIRTUOUS LADY, THE LADY ELISABETH DORMER.  
MADAME,  
NO sooner had this Divine Book of DIVINE LOVE happened into my hands, but it seemed as well by the circumstances of the AUTHOR, whether we respect his Extraction; as being descended from one of the most Illustrious Houses of Savoye; his Function, as being Bishope and Prince of Geneva; the TITLE and CONTENTS of his Work, already honoured by the eighteenth Edition; or my OBLIGATION, as well in myself, as in those of whom I glory to have so happy a dependence, to be determined to your HONOUR, as nearly symbolising, and due to your VERTUS and HONOUR'S worth: and as having had the weak● colours in which it now appears from my n●●ilfull Pencil, to fly to your HONOR'S powerful Protection. For w●it●er ind●●de could so Pious, Worthy, and Noble an AUTHOR be better addresed then to Piety, Worth, and Nobility? where Piety bears so absolute aswaye in a Noble breast, that Worth and Nobility would be reputed ignoble and worthless, if they bore not a Testimony about them, that they had passed by VERTVES' TEMPLE; where either from other is so richly embellished, and receive so mutually each others qualities, that Virtue would be taken for Nobility and Worth, or Nobility and Worth for Virtue, if both were not seen to conspire to make up one PEERLESS PIECE. Where could DIVINE LOVE be provided of a fit Mansion than a heavenly Heart? Where effects outspeak Fame, where Charity outstrips poverties expectation, Riches are possessed and despised; where a noble saying of Saint Hierom's 
S. Hier. ad Demetr. ep. 8.  properly suits: It is proper to your Stock, at once to have and contemn riches; Witness your honourable and pious Father, the LORD VICE-COUNT MONTAGVE, who made them in all occurrences stoop to virtue's Lore. Witness your equally honourable and pious mother whose bountiful, and frequent works of Charity (being then widow) strooke even heretics with astonishment. Witness a later branch of the same stock, your honourable Nephew, the LORD VICE-COUNT MOUNTAGVE of fresh and Blessed memory, whose matchless Zeal in God's cause, which all the world speaks of with admiration, and which, as it may seem by God's special Providence, he came to write in our heart's some few weeks before he went to receive the reward of it, doth easily draw me to instance in him. What did not he bountifully employ in the assistance of God's servants? what did not he piously spend in the riches and glory of God's house? what did not he Catholikly, repute as nothing, that he might gain Christ? and to descend yet further, is not the same Bounty, Piety and Religion, and for them, a contempt of all, brought down as it were by right line, and translated together with his Dominions to the Honourable now LORD VICE-COUNT MOUNTAGVE, who actually possesseth his Country of the happiness he long promised? Finally is not the same plainly seen in your honour's own honoured and happy progeny? It were to long, MADAME, to mention all in your line, 
Aug. de diligendo Deo cap. 4.  to whom Saint Augustine's pitthie and heavenly Contemplation might seem to be addressed; Love Riches, but as thy subject's, but as thy slaves, but as pledges from a Spouse, as Presents from a friend, as benefits from a Master: where Love and even that Love which casteth-out Fear might seem to be possessed by Right of blood, so doth your HONOUR give to the life your renowned Fathers undaunted Zeal, together with your Noble Mother's incomparable Piety; and yet be found to be held by Right of Conquest, so frequent and fortunate are your VERTV'S essays and performances! Performances which send even away strangers hearts taken with admiring Love; and teach Foreigners to speak and use your HONOUR'S name in terms of respect and honour: For the rest, touching our general OBLIGATION, (wherein my Pen was provided most to have laboured) for reasons, as I hope, neither unknowen, nor unapproved to your HONOUR, unwillingly will I pass over in silence: Yet with this assurance, that what in words is here omitted, our hearts (wherein your HONOUR'S CHARITY hath engraven her Memore deeper then that the iniquity of times can raise it out) shall speak to the Tribunal, where the heart's language is only agreeable. Mean while MADAME licence my pen, to put down that which many wish with one consent of hearts and voices; That as his pen that did not study your Honourable Father's advantages, 
Camb. in Elis. pag. 26. & 51.  left for after ages to bless and adore, his noble Memory marked with these better marks of Nobility KNOWN PRUDENCE: UNDAUNTED CONSTANCY: CATHOLIC ZEAL. So this my first essay may be the Pyramids wherein in his and yours may jointly live for ever; and wherein eu n little ones may read, that DIVINE LOVE could not on earth find a fit TABERNACLE, nor a more nobly pious PATRONESS. For whose prosperity.  
MADAME, YOUR HONOR'S Humblest servant will not cease to pray, MILES CAR.   

THE AUTHORS' DEDICATORY PRAYER.  
THRICE holy mother of God: Vessel of incomparable election, Queen of Sovereign dilection, thou art the most lovely, the most loving, and most beloved of all creatures. The love of the heavenly father pleased himself in thee from all eternity, allotting thy chaste heart to the perfection of holy love, to th'end that one day thou mightest love his only son, with an only Motherly love, as he had done from all eternity with a fatherly love, o Saviour JESUS, to whom could I better dedicate a speech of thy Love, then to a heart best beloved of the well-beloved of thy heart.  
But o all triumphant mother who can cast his eyes upon thy Majesty, without seeing him at thy right hand whom for the love of thee, thy Son deigned so often to honour with the title of Father, having united him unto thee by the celestial band of a virginal marriage, to th'end that he might be thy Coadiutour and Helper, in the charge of the direction and education of thy Divine Infancy? o great S. JOSEPH most beloved Spouse, of the well-beloved mother. Ah how often hast thou borne betwixt thy arms, the love of heaven and earth, till burnt with the sweet embracements, and kisses of this Divine child, thy soul melted away with joy, while he tenderly whispered in thy ears, (o God what content) that thou was his dear friend, and dearly beloved ●eare Father. It was the custom of old to place the lamps of the ancient Temple upon flowers of golden Lilies O MARIE and JOSEPH, Pair without compare sacred Lilies of incomparable beauty, amongst which the well-beloved feeds himself and his Lovers. Alas if I might give myself any hope, that this Love-letter might inflame and lighten the children of light, where might I better place it, then amongst your Lilies, Lilies, where the Son of justice, the splendour and candour of the eternal Light, did so soveraignely recreate himself that he the●e practised the delights of the ineffable Love of his heart towards us? O well beloved mother of the well-be loved; o well beloved spouse of the well-beloved! prone laid at thy sacred feet who bore my Saviour, I vow, dedicate and consecrate this little work of Love, to the immense greatness of thy Love; ah! I conjure thee by the heart of thy sweet JESUS, king of hearts, whom thine adore, animate my heart, and all theirs who shall read this writing of thy all puissant favour, with the Holy Ghost, so that hencefourth, we may offer up in holocaust all our affections to his Divine goodness, to live, die, and revive for ever in the flames of this heavenly fire, which our Saviour, thy son hath so much laboured to kindle in our hearts, that he never ceased to labour and travel therein, even unto death; and death of the Cross.   

VIVE JESUS. THE PREFACE OF THE AUTHOR.  
THE Holy Ghost teacheth, that the lips of the heavenly Spouse, which is the CHURCH, resembles scarlate, and the honey comb whence honey distilleth, to th'end that every one may know, that the doctrine which she announceth consisteth of sacred Love, of a more fair vermilion then Scarlate, by reason of the Spouse his blood wherein she is died; more sweet than honey, by reason of the Beloved his sweetness, who crownes her with delights. So this heavenly Spouse when he thought good to give an entry to the publication of his Law, streamed down a number of fiery tongues upon the Assembly of his disciples, which he had deputed to this office: sufficiently intimating thereby, that the preaching of the Gospel, was wholly designed to the inflaming of hearts.  
Propose unto yourselves a fine done amidst the Sun rays; you shall see her change into so many diverse colours, as you behold her diversely; because her feathers are so apt to receive the light, that the sun spreading his splendour amongst them, there is caused a number of transparences, which bring forth a great variety of alterations and mutations of colours; but colours so agreeable to the eye, that they put down all other colours, yea the enamel of richest jewels; colours that are glittering, and so quaintly guilt, that the gold gives them more life. In consideration hereof the Royal Prophet said unto the Israelites. 
Although affliction rudly d●ght your face,  
Yet shall your hue henceforth to men appear  
As pigeons plumes, when siluers trembling grace,  
And burnished gold, do make their shine more clear.  Truly the Church is adorned with an incomparable variety of excellent documents, sermons, Treatises, Spiritual books, all very comely and pleasant to the sight, by reason of the admirable mixture which the sun of justice makes of his Divine wisdom with the tongues of his Pastors, which are their Penns, and with their Penns, which sometimes they use in lieu of their tongues, and do compose the rich plumes of this mystical dove. But amongst all the diverse colours of the doctrine which she doth publish, the fine gold of holy Charity is especially discovered, who makes herself be gloriously enteruiewed, gild all the sciences of Saints with her incomparable lustre, and raising them above all other Sciences. All is to Love, in Love, for Love, and from Love in the holy Church.  
But as we are not ignorant that all the light of the day proceeds from the Sun, and yet do ordinarily say, that the Sun shines not, save only when it doth openly send out its beams here or there. In like manner though all Christian doctrine consist of sacred Love, yet do we not indistinctly honour all Divinity with the title of DIVINE LOVE, but only those parts of it, which do contemplate the birth, nature, properties, and operations thereof in particular.  
Now it is certain, that diverse writers, have admirably handled this subject; Above all the rest those ancient Fathers, who as they did lovingly serve God, so did they speak divinely of his Love.. O what a pleasure it is to hear S. PAUL, speak of heavenly things, who learned them even in Heaven itself. And how good a thing it is to see those souls that were nurced in the bosom of Love, writ of its sweetness I For this reason, those amongst the school men that discoursed the most and the best of it, did also most excel in piety. S. THOMAS made a Treatise of it, worthy of S. THOMAS: S. BONAVENTURE, and Blessed Denis the Carthusian, have made diverse most excellent ones of it, under sundry titles: and as for john Garson, Chancellor of the university of P●●l●, Sixtus Senensis speaks of him in this sort: He hath so worthily discoursed upon fifty properties of Divine Love, which are drawn here and there out of the Canticles, that he alone may seem to have hit the number of the affections of Divine Love.. Verily he was a man exceeding learned, judicious and devote.  
Yet that we might know that this kind of writing is performed with more felicity by the devotion of Lovers, then by the learning of the learned, it hath pleased the Holy Ghost that diverse women should work wonders in this kind. Who did ever better express the heavenly passions of heavenly Love then S. CATHARINE of Genua. S. ANGELA of Folligni, S. CATHARINE of Sienna. S. MATILDA?  
In our age also diverse have wrote upon this subject, whose works I have not had leisure to read distinctly, but only here and there so fare forth as was requisite, to discover whether this might yet find place. Father Lewes of Granado, that great Doctor of piety, left a treatise of the Love of God in his Memorial, which is sufficiently commended, in saying it is his. Stella, a Franciscan made a very affective one, and profitable for Prayer. Christoph: Fonceca an Austin, put out yet a greater, wherein he hath many excellent things. Father Richeome of the Society, hath also published a book, under the title of the Art of loving God by his Creatures, and this Author is so amiable in his person, and in his singular writings, that one cannot doubt but he is yet more amiable by writing of Love itself. Father johh of JESUS MARIA a discalced Carmelite, composed a little book, which is also called the Art of loving God, which is much esteemed. The great and famous Cardinal Bellermine did also a while ago give into light a little book entitled, The little Ladder to ascend unto God by his creatures, which cannot be but admirable, coming from so devote a soul and so learned a pen, which hath wrote so much, and so learnedly in the Church her behalf. I will say nothing of Parenetique that flood of Eloquence, who floats at this hour through all France, in the multitude and variety of his sermons, and noble writings, the strait spiritual consanguinity, which my soul hath contracted with his, when by the imposition of my hands he received the Character of Episcopal dignity, to the great happiness of the Diocese of Belie, and to the honour of the Church, besides a thousand bands of a sincere friendship which ties us together, permits me not to speak with credit of his works, amongst which this Parenetique of Divine Love, was one of the first sallies of the incomparable fullness of wit, which every one admires in him,  
Further, we do see a goodly and magnificent Palace which the R. Father Laurence Paris, a Capucine Preacher erected in the honour of heavenly Love, which being finished, will be a complete course of the Art of loving well. And lastly the B. Mother Teresa of JESUS, hath written so accuratly of the sacred motions of Love, in all the books she hath left us, that a man is astonished to see so much eloquence, masked in so profound humility; so great solidity of wit, in so great simplicity: and her most learned ignorance, makes the knowledge of many learned men appear ignorant, who after a great tormoile in studies, blush, not to understand that which she so happily puts down touching the practice of holy Love.. Thus doth God raise the Throne of his Power, upon the Theather of our infirmity, making use of weak things to confound the strong.  
And be it, my dear Reader, that this Treatise which I now present, come fare short of those excellent works, without hope of ever coming nigh them, yet have I such confidence in that pa●re of heavenly Lovers, to whom I dedicate it, that it may be some ways serviceable unto thee, and that there, thou shalt meet with many wholesome considerations, which thou shouldst not else where so easily find, as again thou mayst else where find many rare things, which are not here. Yea me thinks, my design falls not in with theirs, save in general, in so much as the glory of Divine Love is all our aims. But this you shall know by reading it.  
Truly mine intention was only, simply and nakedly with art or varnish, to represent the History of the Birth, progress, decay, operations, proprieties, advantages, and excellencies of heavenly Love.. And if besides all this thou findest somewhat else they are certain superfluities which are hard for such an one as myself, who writ amidst many distractions, to avoid. Howbeit I hope, nothing therein shall be without some profit. Nature herself, who is so skilful a work woman, projecting the production of grapes, produceth withal, as by a certain prudent inaduertance, such an abundance of leaves and vine-branches, that there are very few vines, which are not in the season to be pruined and cut.  
Writers often are handled to harshly, the Censures that are made of them being precipitated, ordinarily with more impertinency, than they practised imprudence in taking upon them to publish their writings. Precipitation of judgement doth greatly endanger the judge's conscience, and the innocence of the Accused: diverse do write foolishly, and diverse also do censure grossly. The sweetness of the Reader, makes his reading sweet and profitable. And my dear Reader, to have thee more favourable, I will here render thee a reason of some passages, which might peradventure, otherwise put thee out of humour.  
Some, peradventure, may apprehend, that I have said too much, and that it was not requisite, to bring down the discourse even from its heads. But I am of opinion, that heavenly Love is a Plant, like to that which we call Angelica, whose root is no less odoriferous than the bowl, and branches. The 4. first books, and some chapters of the rest, might without doubt have been omitted to the liking of such souls as only seek the practice of holy Love, yet all of it will be profitable unto them if they behold it with a devote eye, While others also might have disliked, not to have had the whole continuance of that which belongs to the Treatise of Divine Love.. Certes I took as I ought, into my consideration the condition of the wits of this age wherein we are. It doth much import one, to know in what Age he writs.  
I cite the Scripture, sometimes in other terms, then are found in the vulgar Edition. O good God, my dear Reader, do me not therefore the wrong to think, that I would go from that Edition: ah no; for I know the Holy Ghost hath authorised it by the Holy Council of Trent, and that therefore all of us ought to stick to it: but contrariwise I make no other use of the other versions, but only to serve this, when they explicate and confirm the true sense thereof. For example. That which the heavenly Spouse sayeth to his Spouse, thou HAST WOUNDED MY HEART, is wonderfully cleared by the other version, thou HAST TAKEN AWAY MY HEART, or, thou HAST SNACHED AWAY, AND RAVISHED MY HEART. That which our Saviour sayeth, BLESSED ARE THE POOR OF SPIRIT is much amplified and declared, by the Greek, BLESSED ARE THE BEGGARS OF SPIRIT, and so of others.  
I have often cited the sacred Psalmist in verse, and it was done to recreate thy mind, and through the facility which I found in it by reason: of the sweet translation of Philipe de Portes, Abbot of Tiron, which notwithstanding I have not precisely followed; yet not out of any hope I had to be able to do better than this famous Poet. For I should be too impertinent, if, never having so much as thought of this kind of writing, I should pretend to be happy in it; in an age and condition of life, which would oblige me to retire myself from it, in case I had ever been engaged therein. But in some places where the sense might be diversely taken, I followed not his verse, because I would not follow his sense; as in the Ps. 132. where he hath taken a latin word, for the fringe of the garment, which I apprehended, was to be taken for the collar, whereupon I translated it to mine own mind.  
I have said nothing which I have not learned of others: yet it is impossible for me to remember whence I had every thing in particular; But believe it, if I had drawn any great pieces of remark out of any Author, I would make a conscience not to let him have the deserved honour of it; and to deliver you of a suspicion which you may conceive against my sincerity in this behalf, I give you to know, that the 13. Chap. of the 7. book, is extracted out of a Sermon which I made at Paris at S. JOHN'S in Greve, upon the feast of the Assumption of our B. Lady. 1602.  
I have not always expressed how one Chapter follows another, but if you mark, you will easily find the connection. In that and diverse other things I had a care to spare mine own labour, and your patience. After I had caused the Introduction to a devote to life be printed, my Lord Archbishope of Vienna, Peter villars, did me the favour to unite his opinion of it, in terms so advantageous to me, and that little book, that I dare never rehease it; and exhorting me to apply the most of my leisure to the likes works; amongst many rare advices wherewith ●e gratified me, one was, that as fare forth as the matter would permit, I should be short in the Chapters. For even as, quoth he, the Traveller knowing that there is a fair Garden some twenty or twenty five pa●es out of his way, doth easily divert, for so small away, to go see it, which he would not do, if it were further distant▪ even so one that knows that there is but a little distance betwixt the beginning and end of a Chapter, doth willingly undertake to read it, which he would not do, though the subject were never so delightful, if a long time were required to the reading of it. And therefore I had good reason to follow mine own inclination in this respect, since it was agreeable to this great Personage, who was one of the most saintly Prelates, and learned Doctors that the Church had in our age, and who, at the time that he honoured me with his letter, was the most ancient of all the Doctors of the Faculty of Paris.  
A great servant of God advertised me not long a go, that by addressing my speech still to Philothie in the Introduction to a devote life, I hindered many men to profit by it; for that they did not esteem the advertissements made to a woman, worthy of a man. I admired that there were men, who to be thought men, did show themselves so little men, in effect. For I leave it to your consideration, my dear Reader, whether devotion be not as well for women as men; and whether wear not to read the second epistle of S. JOHN with as great attention and reverence which was addressed to the holy Lady Electa, as the third which he directeth to Caius: and whether a thousand thousand Epistles, and Treatises of the ancient Fathers of the Church ought to be held unprofitable to men, for that they are addressed to holy women of those times. But again, it is the soul which aspires to devotion that I call Philothie, and men have souls as well as women.  
Nevertheless to imitate the great Apostle in this occasion who esteemed himself liable to every one, I changed my address in this Treatise, and speak to THEOTIME: but if peradventure there should be any women (and such an impertinency would be more tolerable in them) who would not read the instructions which are made to men, I beseech them to know, that THEOTIME, to whom I speak, is man's spirit desiring to make progress in holy Love, which is as well in men as in women.  
This Treatise than is made for a soul already devote, to advance her in her design; and for this cause, I have been forced to speak many things less known to the common sort, which consequently will appear obscure: The bottom of a science is always hardest to be founded; and few diverse are found, who will, or knows how to dive for Pearls, or other precious stones in the midst of the Ocean. But if you have a free heart to dive into this writing, it will truly happen to you as to diverse, who, sayeth Pliny, being in the deepest gulf of the Sea, clearly discover the light of the Sun. For you shall find even in the darkest places of this discourse, a good and amiable light. And verily as I do not follow those who despise certain books, which treat of a life supereminent in perfection, so would I not speak of this supereminency. For neither can I censure the Authors, nor yet authorize the censures of a doctrine which I understand not.  
I have touched many points of Divinity; not with a Spirit of contradiction, but simply proposing, not so much what long ago I learned in the schools, as that which the care I have had of souls, and the experience of 24. years I have spent in preaching, hath made me apprehend to be most to the glory of the Gospel and the Church.  
For the rest, divers men of note from divers places have signified unto me, that certain little Pamphlets have been published, under the only first letters of their Authors name, which light to be the very same with mine; which made some believe that they were my works not without touch of scandal to such as apprehended thereby that I had bidden Adieu to my wonted simplicity, to puff up my style with words of ostentation, my discourse with vain conceits, and my conceits with a lofty and plumed eloquence. For this cause, my dear reader I will tell thee, that as such as grave or cut in precious stones, having their sight dazzled by keeping it continually fixed upon the small styxes of their work, do willingly hold before them some fair Emerald, that by beholding it from time to time, they may be recreated in its greenness, and relieve their weakened sight. So in this Press of business, which my function daily draws upon me, I have still some projects of certain treatises of piety, which at my leisure I look upon, to revieve and unwearie my mind.  
Howbeit, I do not profess myself a writer; for the dulness of my spirit, and the condition of my, life, exposed to the service and approach of many, would not permit me so to be. Wherefore I have written very little, and yet have published less, and to comply with the Council and will of my friends, I will tell thee what I have written to th'end that thou mayst not attribute the praises of another man's labours to him, who of himself deserves them not.  
It is now 19 years ago, that being at Thonon a little town situated upon the Lack of Geneva, which by little and little began at that time to be converted to the Catholic faith. The Minister, Enemy of the Church, cried all up and down, that the Catholic Article of the Real Presence of our Saviour's body in the Eucharist, did destroy the Symbol and the Analogy of Faith (for he was glad to mouth this word ANALOGY not understood of his Auditors, that he might appear learned) and upon this the rest of the Catholic Preachers, with whom I was, pressed me to write some thing in refutation of this vanity; I did what seemed fitting, framing a brief meditation upon the Creed to confirm the Truth, and all the copies were dispersed in this Diocese, where now I find not one of them.  
Soon after his Highness came over the Mountains, and finding the Bailiwike of Cablays, Gaillard, and Ternier, which are about Geneva, well disposed to receive the Catholic faith, which had been banished thence by force of wars and revoults, about 70. years past, he resolved to re-establish the exercise thereof in all the Parishes, and to abolish the exercise of Heresy: And whereas on the one side this great Happiness had many obstacles, according to the considerations, which are called reasons of state, and yet on the other side, diverse, as yet not well instructed in the truth, made resistance against this so much desired establishment, his Highness surmounted the first difficulty by the invincible constancy of his Zeal to the Catholic Religion, and the second, by an extraordinary sweetness and prudence. For he made the chief and most obstinate be called together, and made a speech unto them with so lovely and pressing an eloquence that in a manner being all vanquished by the gentle violence of his fatherly love towards them deposed the arms of their obstinacy at his feet, and their souls into the hands of the Church.  
Licence me my dear Reader, I pray thee, to speak this word by the by, one might praise many rich actions of this great Prince, amongst which I see the proof of his unspeakable valour, and military knowledge, which he makes now admired through all Europe. But for my part, I cannot sufficiently extol the establishment of the Catholic Religion in these three Bailiwikes, which I have even now mentioned, having discovered in it so many marks of piety suited with so great a varierie of actions of Prudence, Constancy, Magnanimity, justice, and mildness. Me thought, I discerned in this little Piece, as in an abridgement, all that is praised in Princes, who have in times passed with most fervour striven to advance Gods an the Church her glory. The stage was but little, but the actions long. And like as that ancient Artist was never so much prized for his great Pieces, as he was admired for making a ship of Ivory, stored with all her furniture, in so little a form, that the wings of a bee did cover it: So I esteem more that which this great Prince did at that time, in this small corner of his Dominions, than many more specious actions, which others extol to the heavens.  
Now by this means the victorious ensigns of the Cross were replanted in all the ways and public places of those quarters: and whereas a little before, there had been one erected very solemnly at Ennemassa near unto Geneva, a certain Minister made a little treatise against the honour thereof, containing a sharp and venomous invective, to which therefore it was deemed fit to make answer: And my Lord Claudius de Granier my Predecessor, whose memory is in benediction, did impose the burden upon me, according to the power which he had over me, who beheld him not only as my Bishope, but also as a holy servant of God. I made therefore this answer under this Title, A Defence of the Banner of the Cross, and dedicated it to his Highness, partly to testify unto him my most humble submission, and partly to render him some small thanksgiving for the care which he took of the Church in those parts.  
Now a while ago this Defence is reimprinted under the prodigious tittle of PANTHALOGIE, or Treasure of the Cross: a Title whereof I never dreamt, as in truth I am not a man of that study and leisure, nor yet of that memory, to be able to put together so many pieces of worth in one book as it might bear the name of TREASURE, or PANTHALOGIE, besides that I abhor such insolent Frontispieces.  
A Sot, or senseless Creature we him call,  
Who makes his Portall greater than his Hall.  
In the year 1602. the obsequies of the Magnanimous Prince Philipe Emanuel of Lorraine, Duke of Mercury, who had done so many brave exploits upon the Turk in Hungary, that all Christianity was bound to conspire to honour his memory, were celebrated at Paris, I being there. But above all the rest, Lady Marie of Luxembourg his widow, did for her part all that her heart, and the Love of the dead could suggest unto her, to solemnize his funerals. And because my Father, my Grand Father, and great Grand Father, had been brought up Pages to the most illustrious and most excellent Princes of Martigues, his Father, and Predecessors, she eyed me as an hereditary servant of the house, and made choice of me to make the funeral Sermon, in this so great a celebrity, where there were not only diverse Cardinals and Prelates, but certain Princes also, Princesses, Marshals of France, knights of the Order, yea and the Court of parliament in Body. I made then this funeral Sermon, and pronounced it in this so great an assemble, in the great Church of Paris; And for so much as it contained a true abridgement of the heroical feats of the deceased Prince. I did easily cause it to be imprinted at the request of the widowe-Princesse, whose request was to me a law. Now I dedicated that Piece to Madame the Duchess of Vandome, as yet a girl, and a very young Princess, yet one, in whom was already apparently seen, the strains of that excellent virtue and piety, which at this day shine in her, worthy of the extraction and and breeding of so denote and pious a mother.  
While this Sermon was in the press, I heard that I was made Bishope, so that I came presently hither to be consacrated, and to begin my Residence, and upon it, was proposed unto me how necessary it was to advertise the Confeslariouses of some important points: for this reason I wrote 25. advertisments, which I caused to be printed, to get them more easily dispersed amongst those to whom I directed them, but since, they have been reimprinted in diverse places.  
Three or four years after I put out the Introduction to a devote life, upon the occasion, and in the manner which I have put down in the Preface thereof touching which I have nothing to say to thee, my dear Reader, save only, that though this little book have generally had a gracious and gentle acceptance, yea even amongst the most grave Prelates and Doctors of the Church, yet escaped it not the rude censure of some, who did not merely blame me, but bitterly taunted me in public, for that I tell Philothe that dancing is an action indifferent in itself, and that for recreations sake one may make Quodlibets; and I kowing the manner of these censures, I praise their intention, which I think was good. Yet should I have desired, that they had pleased to have considered, that the first proposition is drawn out of the common and true doctrine of the most holy and learned Divines, which I put down for such as live in the world, and Court: that withal, I do carefully incultate the extreme dangers which are found in dancing: and touching the second proposition it is not mine, but that admirable king's S. Lewis, a Doctor worthy to be followed, in conducting Courtiers to a devote life. For I believe, if they had weighed this, their Charity and discretion had never permitted their Zeal, how rigorous and austere soever, to have armed their indignation against me.  
And to this purpose, my dear reader, I conjure thee to be gracious and favourable unto me in reading this Treatise: and though thou shouldst find the style a little (and a little only I assure myself it shall be) different from that which I used in writing unto Philothie, and both of them much different from that which I used in the defence of the Cross, know that in nine-teene years one learns and unlearnes many things; that the language of the wars differs from that of Peace, and that a man useth one manner of speech to young Prentices, an other to old iorneymen.  
My purpose is here to speak to souls that are advanced in devotion; for you must know, that we have in this town a congregation of young maids and widows, who being retired from the world, do live unanimously in God's service, under the protection of his most holy mother; and as their piety and purity have often times given me great consolations, so have I striven to return them the like, by a frequent distribution of the holy word, which I have announced unto them, as well in public sermons, as in spiritual conferences, yea and that continually in the presence of divers Religious men, and people of great piety, whence I was often to treat of the most delicate feelings of piety, passing beyond that which I had said unto Philothie. And I own a good part of that which now I communicate unto thee, to this blessed assembly, because she that is the mother of them, and doth rule, knowing that I was writing upon this subject, and yet that scarcely was I able to accomplish it without Gods very special assistance, and their continual solicitation, she took a continual care, to pray and make me be prayed for to this end, and holily conjured me to gather together all the odd ends of leisure which she judged might be spared here and there from the press of my encumbrances, and to employ them in this. And because I bear a great respect to this good soul, she had, God knows, no little power to animate mine in this occasion; I began indeed long ago, to think of writing of holy Love, but that thought came fare short of that, which this occasion caused to be produced, an occasion which I declare unto you so nakedly, and sincerely, to the imitation of the Ancients, that you may know that I wit only upon occasion, and that I may find you more favourable. The Pagans held, that Phidras' never represented any thing so perfectly as the DIVINITY; nor Apelles, as Alexander. One is not always alike happy; If I fall short in this Treatise, let thy goodness fly home; and God bless thy reading.  
To this end I have dedicated this work to the Mother of dilection, and to the Father of cordial Love, as I dedicated the Introduction to the Heavenly Child, who is the Saviour of Lovers and the Love of the saved. Certes, as women while they are strong and able to bring forth their children with ease, choose commonly their worldly friends to be their Godfathers. But when their feebleness and indisposition makes their delivery difficile and dangerous, they invoke the Saints of Heaven, and vow to make their children be christened by some poor body, or by some devote person in the name of S. JOSEPH, S. FRANCIS OF ASSICIA, S. FRANCIS OF PAULA, S. NICHOLAS, or to some other of the Blessed, who may obtain of God their safe delivery, and that the child may be borne alive. So I, while I was not yet Bishope, having more leisure and less apprehension to write, I dedicated my little works to Princes of the earth; but now being overcharged with my charge, and having a thousand impediments. I consecrate all to the Princes of Heaven, to th'end they may obtain for me the light which is requisite, and that, if so it may plea● the Divine will, these my writings may have a birth profitable and fruitful.  
Thus, my dear Reader, I beseech God to bless thee, and to enrich thee with his love. Mean while from my very heart I submit all my writings, my words and actions to the correction of the most holy Catholic, apostolic, and Roman Church, knowing that she is the Pillar, and solidity of truth, wherein she can neither be deceived nor deceive us; and that none can have God for his Father, who will not have this Church for his Mother. ANNESS●, the day of the most loving Apostles S. PETER and S. PAUL 1616.  
Blessed be God.   

THE TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS CONTAINED IN this Treatise. The first number shows the Chapter, The second the Page.  

THE TABLE OF THE FIR●T BOOK. CONTAINING A Preparation to the whole Treatise.  
THat for th● beauty of humane nature, God gave the ●●uernment of all the faculties of the soul 〈◊〉 the will. Chap. 1. pag. 1.  
How the w●● diversely governs the powers of the soul. Chap. 2. pag. 4.  
How the will governs the ●suall appetite. Cham 3. pag. 7.  
That love rules over all i● affections, and passions, yea governs the will, albe●● the will hath also a dominion over it. Chap. 4. pag. 12.  
Of the affections of the will. Chap. 5. pag. 15  
How the Love of God doth rule over other Loves. Chap. 6. pag. 19  
A description of Love in general. chap 7. pag. 22  
What that conveniency is, which doth excite love. ch. 8. 28  
That love tends to union. chap. 9 pag. 32  
That the union which love pretends is spiritual. chap. 10. pag. 35.  
That there are two portions in the soul, and how, chap. 11. pag. 44.  
That in these 2 portions of the soul there are found 4. different degrees of reason. chap. 12. pag. 49  
The difference of loves chap. 13. pag. 53  
That charity ought to be named love. chap. 14. p. 55  
Of the conveniency betwixt God and man. ch. 15. p. 57  
That we have a natural inclination to love God above all things. chap. 16. 61  
That we have not naturally the power to love God above all things. chap. 17. 64  
That the natural inclination which we have to love God, is not without profit. chap. 18. 67   

THE TABLE OF THE Second Book. THE HISTORY OF THE GENEration, or heavenly birth of Divine Love..  
THat the divine perfections are but one only, yet an infinite perfection. chap. 1. pag 71  
Touching the divine providence in general. chap. 3. p. 79  
Of the supernatural providence which God, useth towards reasonable creatures. chap. 4. pag. 85  
That the heavenly providence hath provided man of a most abundant Redemption. cha. 5. 90  
Of certain special favours exercised by the divine providence in the Redemption of man. chap. 6. 93  
How admirable the divine providence is in the diversity of graces given to men, chap. 7. 97  
How much God desires, we should love him, chap. 8. 100  
How the eternal love of God doth prevent our hearts with his inspirations to th' end we might love him. chap. 9 pag. 104  
How we often times repulse the inspiration, and refuse to love. chap. 10. 108  
That the divine bounties will is that we should have a most excellent love chap. 11. 112  
That divine inspirations leave us in our liberty to follow, or repulse them. chap. 12. 116  
Of the first feelings of Love which divine inspirations cause in the soul before she yet receive faith. ch. 13. 121  
Of the feeling of the Divine love which is had by faith. chap. 14. 126  
Of the great feeling of love which we receive by holy hope. chap. 15. 130  
How love is practised in hope. ch. 16. 133  
That the Love which is practised in hope, is very good, though imperfect. cha. 17. 137  
That love is exercised in penance, and first, that there are divers sorts of penance. ch. 18. 141  
That Penance without love is imperfect. ch. 19 146  
How there is mixture of Love and sorrow in Contrition. chap. 20. pag. 148  
How our Saviour loving inspirations do assist and accompany us to faith and charity. chap. 21. 154  
A short description of Charity. cha. 22. 159   

THE TABLE OF THE Third Book. OF THE PROGRESS AND Perfection of Love..  
THat holy love may be augmented still more and more in every of us. chap. 1. pag. 162  
How easy our Saviour hath made the increase of love. ch. 2. pag. 166  
How a soul in Charity makes progress in it. chap. 3. pag. 170  
Touching holy perseverance in sacred Love.. ch. 4. 178  
That the happiness to die in heavenly Charity, is a special gift of God. chap. 5. 182  
That we cannot attain to a perfect union with God in this mortal life. ch. 6. 186  
That the Charity of Saints in this mortal life doth equalise, yea sometimes pass that of the Blessed. chap. 7. pag. 189  
Of the incomparable love of the mother of God our B. Lady. chap. 8. 191  
A Preparation to the discourse of the union of the Blessed with God. chap. 9 196  
That the precedent desire shall much increase the union of the Blessed with God. ch. 10. 200  
Of the Union of the Blessed souls with God, in seeing the Divinity. chap. 11. 202  
Of the eternal union of the blessed spirits with God, in the vision of the eternal birth of the Son of God chap. 12. pag. 206  
Of the union of the Blessed with God in the vision of the Holy Ghost's production ch. 13. 209  
That the Light of Glory, shall concur to the union of the Blessed with God, chap. 14. 213  
That there shall be different degrees of the union of the Blessed with God. chap. 15. 215   

THE TABLE OF THE Fourth Book. OF THE DECAY, OR RVINE of Charity.  
THat while we are in this mortal life we may lose the love of God. chap 1. pag. 219  
How the soul waxeth cool in holy Love.. chap. 2. pag. 223  
H●w we forsake heavenly love for that of Creatures. chap. 3. pag. 227  
That heavenly love is lost in a moment. chap. 4. pag. 232  
That the sole cause of the decay and slackening of Charity, is in the creatures will. chap. 5. pag. 235  
That we ought to acknowledge the love we bear to God, to be from God. chap. 6. pag. 239  
That we must avoid all curiosity, and humbly repose in Gods most wise providence. chap 7. pag. 244.  
An exhortation to the affectionate submission, which we are to make to the Decrees of the divine providence chap. 8. pag 249  
Of a certain remainder of love which oftentimes stays in the soul, t at hath lost Charity. chap. 9 pag 254  
How dangerous this imperfect love is. chap 10. pag 258  
A means to discern this imperfect Love.. chap. 11. pag. 260   

THE TABLE OF THE Fift Book. OF THE TWO PRINCIPAL EXERcises of holy love, performed by complacence and benevolence.  
OF the sacred Complacence of love, and first in what it consisteth. chap. 1. pag. 264  
How by holy complacence we are made as little children, at our Saviour's breasts. chap. 2. pag. 269  
That a holy complacence gives our heart to God, and makes us feel a continual desire in enjoying him. chap. 3. pag. 274  
Of a loving condoling, by which the complacence of love is better declared, chap. 4. 280  
Of the commiseration and Complacence of love in our Saviour's Passion. chap. 5. 284  
Of the Love of Benevolence which we exercise towards our Saviour by way of desire. chap. 6. 288  
How the desire to exalt and magnify God, doth separate us from inferior pleasures, and makes us attentive to the Divine perfections. chap. 7. 291  
How holy Benevolence doth produce the Divine well_beloved Praises. chap. 8. 294  
How Benevolence makes us invoke all Creatures to God's Praise. chap. 9 300  
How the desire we have to praise God makes us aspire to heaven. chap. 10. 303  
How we practise the Love of Benevolence in the praises which our Saviour and his mother give to God. chap. 11. 307  
Of the sovereign praise which God gives unto himself, and how we exercise Benevolence in it. chap. 12. pag. 312   

THE TABLE OF THE sixth Book. OF THE EXERCISES OF HOLY Love in Prayer.  
A Description of mystical Divinity, which is no other thing than prayer. chap. 1. pag. 317  
Of Meditation the first degree of Prayer, or mystical Divinity. chap. 2. 323  
A description of contemplation, and touching the first difference that there is betwixt it and meditation. chap. 3. pag. 329  
That love in this life takes his origine, but not his excellency, from the knowledge of God. chap. 4. 331  
The second difference betwixt meditation and contemplation. chap. 5. 336  
That we do contemplate without pain, which it a third difference betwixt it and meditation. chap. 6. 340  
Of the loving recollection of the Soul in Contemplation. chap. 7. 345  
Of the repose of a soul recollected in her well-beleeved. chap. 8. 350  
How this sacred repose is practised. chap. 9 354  
Of diverse degrees of this repose, and how it is to be conserved. chap. 10. 357  
A continuation of the discourse touching the diverse degrees of holy repose, and of any excellent abnegation of a man's self practised therein chap. 11. 360  
Of the melting and liquifaction of the soul in God. cha. 12. pag. 365  
Of the wound of love. chap. 13. 370  
Of some other means by which love wounds the heart. chap. 14. 375  
Of the amorous languishment of the heart wounded with love. chap. 15. 380   

THE TABLE OF THE Seaventh Book. OF THE UNION OF THE SOUL with her God which is Perfected in Prayer.  
HOw love units the soul to God in Prayer. chap. 1. pag. 388  
Of the diverse degrees of the holy union which is made in Prayer. ch. 2. pag. 395  
Of the sovereign degree of union, by suspension or ravishment. ch. 3. 400  
Of Rapture, and of the first species of the same. chap. 4. pag. 406.  
Of the second Species of Rapture. ch 5. 409  
Of the signs of a good Rapture, and of the third species of the same. ch. 6. 412  
How Love is the life of the soul, with a continuation of the extaticall life. ch. 7. 417  
An admirable e●●●ertation of S. Paul to the extaticall and supernatural life. ch. 8. 420  
Of the supreme effect of affective love, which, is the death of Lovers, and first of such as died in love. chap. 9 pag. 425  
Of some that died by and for Divine Love.. chap. 10. pag. 429.  
How some of the heavenly Lovers died even of Love.. ch. 11 pag 431.  
A wonderful history of the death of a gentleman who died of Love upon the Mount-olivet. chap. 12. pag 435.  
That the Sacred Virgin mother of God died of the love of her Son. chap. 13. 441  
That the Glorious virgin died of an extremely sweet and calm love. chap. 14. 445   

THE TABLE OF THE Eight Book. OF THE LOVE OF CONFORMITY, by which we unite our Wills to the Will of God, signified unto us by his Commandments, Counsels and inspirations.  
OF the love of Conformity proceeding from holy Complacence. chap. 1. pag. 451  
Of the conformity of Submission which proceeds from the Love of Benevolence. ch. 2. 455  
How we are to conform ourselves to the Divine will, which is called the signified will. chap. 3. 458  
Of the Conformity of our will to the will which God hath to save us. ch. 4. 462  
Of the Conformity of our will to Gods will signified in his Commandments. chap. 5. 465  
Of the Conformity of our will to Gods, signified unto us by his Counsels. chap. 6. 469  
That Gods will signified in the commandments, doth move us forwards to the love of Counsels. chap. 7. pag. 472.  
That the contempt of Evangelicall Counsels, is a great sin. chap. 8. 478  
A continuation of the precedent discourse: how every one ought to love, though not to practise, the Evangelicall Counsels, and yet how every one is to practise what he is able. chap. 9 482  
How we are to conform ourselves to Gods will signified unto us by inspirations: and first of the truth of the means by which God enspires us. chap. 10. 487  
Of the union of our will to Gods in the inspirations which are given for the extraordinary practice of virtues; and of perseverance in ones vocation, the first mark of the inspiration. chap. 11. 491  
Of the union of Man's will to Gods in the inspirations, which are contrary to the ordinary Laws: and of the peace and tranquillity of heart, the second mark of Inspiration. chap. 12. 497  
The third Mark of the Inspiration, which is holy obedience to the Church and Superiors. chap. 13. 501  
A short method to know Gods will. chap. 14. 505   

THE TABLE OF THE Ninth Book. OF LOVE OF SUBMISSION, Whereby our will is united to Gods.  
OF the union of our will, to the will of God, which is the will of good pleasure. chap. 1. pag. 509  
That the union of our will to the will of God, is principally caused by tribulations. chap. 2. 513  
Of the union of our will to the Divine will, in spiritual afflictions by resignation. chap. 3. 518  
Of the union of our will to Gods will by Indifferency. chap. 4. 521  
That holy indifferency is extended to all things ch. 5. 525  
Of the practice of the loving indifferency, in things belonging to the service of God. chap. 6. 528  
Of the indifferency which we are to have in our Spiritual advancement. chap. 7. 533  
How we are to unite our will with Gods, in the permission of sin. chap. 8. 539  
How the purity of indifferency is practised in the actions of holy Love.. chap. 9 542  
A means to discover when we change in the matter of this holy Love.. chap. 10. 545  
Of the perplexity of the heart in Love, which doubts whether it please the Beloved. chap. 11. 549  
How the soul amidst these interior anguishes, knows not the Love she bears to God, and of the Lovely death of the will. chap. 12. 553.  
How the will being dead to itself, life's entirely to Gods will. chap. 13. 557  
An explanation of that which hath been said touching the decease of our will. chap. 14. 561  
Of the most excellent exercise a man can make in the interior and exterior troubles of this life, In sequel of the indifferency and death of the will chap. 15. 565  
Of the perfect stripping of the soul united to Gods will. chap. 16. 570   

THE TABLE OF THE Tenth Book. OF THE COMMANDMENT OF loving God above all things.  
OF the sweetness of the Commandment, which God gave us, to love him above all things. ch. 1. 5●5  
That this Divine Commandment of Love tends to Heaven yet is given to the faithful in this world. chap. 2: pag. 580.  
How, notwithstanding, that the whole heart is employed in sacred Love, y●t one may Love God diversely, and also many other things together with him. chap. 3. 582  
Of two degrees of perfection, in which this Commandment may be kept in this mortal life. chap. 4. 387  
Of two other degrees of greater perfection, by which we may Love God above all things. chap. 5. 592  
That the Love of God above all things is common to all Lovers. chap. 6. 598  
An illustration of the former chapter. chap. 7. 601  
A memorable history wherein is more clearly seen in what the force and Excellency of holy love consisteth. cha. 8. pag. 605.  
A confirmation of that which hath been said by a notable comparison. chap 9 612  
That we are to Love the Divine Goodness, soveraignely more than ourselves. chap. 10. 617  
How holy Charity brings forth the love of our neighbour. chap. 11. 620  
How love produceth Zeal. chap. 12. 624  
That God is jealous of us. chap. 13. 626  
Of the Zeal or jealousy which we have towards our Saviour. chap. 14. 632  
An advice for the direction of holy Zeal. chap. 15. 637  
That the examples of divers saints which seemed to exercise their Zeal with Ang●r, make nothing against the advice of the precedent Chapter, chap. 16. 643  
How our Saviour practised all the most Excellent acts of Love.. chap. 17. 650   

THE TABLE OF THE eleventh book. OF THE SOVEREIGN AUTHORITY whic● sacred love holds over all the virtues, actions and perfections of the soul.  
HOw much all the virtues are aggreeable unto God chap. 1. pag. 656  
That Divine Love, makes the virtues more agreeable to God by excellency than they are in their own nature. chap 2. pag. 661  
That there are some virtues which Divine Love doth raise to a higher degree of excellency, than others. chap. 3. pag. 665  
That Divine Love do●h yet more excellently sanctify the virtues', whi●h are pracitsed by his ordinance and Commandment. chap. 4. pag 668  
How sacred ●●ue doth spread its worth through all the o her virtues, which by that means are perfected. chap. 5 pag 972  
Of the exc●llent worth which holy Love bestows upon the actions why h issue from itself, and to those which proceed from other virtue s. chap 6. pag SIXPENCES  
That perfect virtues are never one without t●e other. chap. 7. pag. 682  
How Charity contains all virtues. chap 8. pag. 683  
That virtues have their worth from sacred Love.. ch. 9 pag. 693  
A digression upon the imperfection of the Pagan's virtues. c ap. 10. pag. 697  
How humane actions are without worth, being without Gods Love.. chap. 11. pag 7●4  
How holy Love returning into the soul, doth revive al● the works which sin had sl yne. chap 12. ●09  
How we are to reduce all the exercise of all the virtue s, and all our actions to ●oly Love chap 13. ●●5.  
The practice of that which ●ath been sated in the precedent chap er. chap. 14. 19  
How Charity contains in it the gift of the holy Ghost chap. 15. 722  
Of the loving fear of spouses, a continuation of the discourse alrea i● begun. chap 10. 726  
How scruple Feast remains together with holy Love.. chap. 17. 730  
How ●●●e makes use of natural, servile, and mercenary Fear. chap. 18. 734  
How sacred Love contains the 12 fruits of the holy Ghost, together with the 8. beatitudes of the Gospel. chap. 19 740  
How divine Love makes use of all the passions and affections of the soul and reduceth them to her obedience. chap 2●. 744  
That Sadness is almost always unprofitable, yea profile, to the service of ho y Love.. chap 21. pag. 750.   

THE TABLE OF THE Twelfth book. CONTAINING CERTAIN ADVISES for the progress of the soul in holy Love..  
THat our progress in holy ●oue doth not depend of our natural complexion. c a● 1. pag 757  
That we are to have a continual desire to love. ch 2. 7●9  
That to have the desire of sacred Love, we are to out off all other desires. chap 3. pag 762  
That our lawful occasions do not hinder us to practise Divine Love.. chap. 4. 764  
A Delightful example upon this subject. chap 5. 767  
That we are to employ all the occasions that are presented, in the practice of Divine Love.. chap. 6. 768  
That we must have a care to do our actions very perfectly. chap 7. 770  
A general means whereby to apply our works to God's service. chap. 8. 771  
Of certain other means, whereby we may apply our works more particularly to the Love of God. ch. 9 776  
An exhortation to the sacrifice which we are to make to God of our freewill chap. 10. 780  
Of the motives we have to holy Love.. c●ap. 11. 784  
A profitable method whereby we may employ these methodes chap. 2. 786  
That the Mount of Caluarie is the true. Academy of Love.. chap. 13. 788    

APPROBATIO.  
Tra●tatem hunc De Am ●●et, ab ill●●trissimo ac Reverendissimo D. D. FRANC. SALESTO Episcopo Genevensi conse iptum primo Gallicè, & in An●licanum ia deinde sermonem studio R D. CARRET Sacerdotis t a●luctum, ego infrascrip●us perlegi, nimisque in eo invem quod Cat●olicae doctrinae conse taneum non sit● quinimo totus ardet, ign●mq●e perpetuò divinum spirat, ut è coe●● Gallicano, nobis etiam divisis ab rbe sidus hoc aff●lgere, plurimùm ga●d●● de ●em is, I a ●entio Datum Se●t 9 1630.  
EDMUNDUS STRA●FORDVS, S. Theol. Professor.   

APPROBATIO.  
Ego infra scriptus test●r 〈◊〉 p●●l●g●●s● versionem, cui titulus, A treatise of the Love of ●od, Written in french by B. FRANCIS DE SALIS, Bishop and Prince of Geneva, translated into English by M●LES CAR Priest of the English College of D●W y, in eaque nihil deprehendesse contra fidem Catholicam, aut bonos mores. Datum anno Domini 163● Sept. 19  
GVILIELMUS HYDARUS Professor Philosophiae in Collegio Anglorum Duaceno.   

APPROBATIO.  
Hic liber, cui titul is e●t, de am●re Dei, Gallico sermone Conscriptus à Reuerēt●s. D. D. FRANCISCO DE SALES, Episcopo Genevensi fideliter translatus est in Anglicanam lin●uàm pot R. D. Milonem, alias Thomam Ca● eum, ut fi●e dignorum testimonio mihi constirit. ●ui ●am linguam ●oderunt, nec ●abet aliquid fidei Catholicae, aut bonis moribus contra ium: qua propter utiliter excuderut. Actum Duaci die 23 Septembris 1●30.  
GEORGIUS COLVENERIUS S. Theol. Doctor. Regius ordinariusque Professor. Collegiatae Ecclesiae S. Petri Exaepositus & Canonicus, Acad. Du●c. Cancel. & librorum Censor.   

THE TRANSLATOR TO THE READER.  
THough it be true (courtuous Reader) that where honour is not aimed at, censure is not dreaded; yet that I might neither wrong my author, nor come short in any point of civil regard to thee, I thought good, partly to implore thy favour, partly to facilitate thy reading, by the ensuing advertisements. Be pleased therefore to know, that our Author, being one of the greatest Divines of his time in France, speaks now and then in school terms and formalities, which our English will scarcely bear, especially in the highest and hardest matters of divinity, as predestination, the Trinity etc. And again I desired, that so worthy an Author, should rather be heard speak in his own words, then in my translation, esteeming FAITH, not SMOOTHNESS the grace thereof. Hence as fare forth as the language would permit, I have rendered his own words, turning BOUNTY Bounty (say the like of diverse other words) which notwithstanding in the rigour of the school, should often rather have been turned GOODNESS, as being the object of the divine Will Hence also, AMITY I have translated, friendship, which following the approved custom of the schools, should rather have been turned, LOVE, in the 212. pag. where it signifieth the holy Ghost. But the learned Reader, will favourably accommodate them according to the matter, and not reprove such words as necessity, or fidelity, made me admit, though they have not yet gotten so free and known course in our English tongue. If I put for the rest of the faults, in sense or words, mine own little skill, and less experience; and for the faults in the print (especially commas, which as they are frequent, and serve diverse times for parentheses, so being omitted, or displaced, in lieu of clearing, they violate, or at least trouble the smoothness of the period) the Printers total ignorance in the tongue (so that he will put as soon, TUB for, but, as BUT) my excuse will be as full and entire, as sincere. Some of the chief faults you may find in the end of the Book; the rest, your discretion and courtesy, will supply and pardon. Adieu.   


SALES an SAL-CS Francisce vocandus. Vtrumque Hoc tibi praeslat AWS: hoc tibi praestat AMOR Whence this burning Globe, Love symbol! Love did send it. Whence this burning Book, Love Masterpiece Love penned it.    

THE FIRST BOOK CONTAINING A PREPARATION TO THE WHOLE TREATISE.  

THAT FOR THE BEAUTY of humane nature, God gave the Government of all the faculties of the soul to the will. THE FIRST CHAPTER.  
I. UNION established in distinction, breeds Order, Order produceth Conveniency, or Proportion; and from the Conveniency of things entire and accomplished, riseth Beauty. An Army is then said to be Fair, when it is composed of parts so ranged in order, that their distinction is reduced to that proportion, which they ought to have together for the making of one only army. That Music be pleasant, the voices must not only be neat, clear, and well distinguished, but also so combined betwixt themselves, that thereof be made a due Sound and Harmony by means of the Union which is in Distinction, and the Distinction which is in the Union of voices: which is not unfitly termed an According Discord, or rather, a Discording Accord.  
2. Now as the Angelical S. THOMAS, following the great SAINT DENIS, sayeth excellently well, Beauty, and Goodness, though in some thing they agree, yet are they not for all that one, and the same thing: for Good is that which pleaseth the appetite, and will; Fair that which pleaseth the understanding or knowledge: or else, Good is that, whose fruition delights us; Fair that, whose knowledge is agreeable unto us. For which cause in proper speech, we do never attribute corporal Beauty, but to objects of two senses, which are the most capable, and most serviceable to the understanding, to wit sight, and hearing: so that we do not say: behold Fair odours, or Fair savours: yet do we customarily say behold Fair voices, and Fair colours.  
3. Fair, then being called Fair, because the knowledge thereof doth delight, it is requisite that besides the Union, and Distinction of Integrity, Order and Conveniency of parts; there be also Splendour, and Light in abundance, to the end that it may be intelligible, and visible. Voices to be Fair, must be clear, and neat; discourses, intelligible; colours, glittering and shining; obscurity, shades, and darkness are deformed and do disfigure all things: because in them, nothing is intelligible; neither Order, Distinction, Union nor Conveniency: which caused S. DENIS to say, that God as Sovereign Beauty, is author of the fair Conveniency, Luster, and Good Grace, which is found in all things, making appear in form of light, the distributions and divisions of his rays; by means whereof, all things are made fair, requiring, that for the establishment of Beauty, there should be, Conveniency, Light, and Good Grace.  
4. Certes THEOTIME, Beauty is without effect, unprofitable, and dead, if Light, and Splendour, should not give her life, and efficacy; whence we term colours lively when they have light, and lustre.  
5. But as touching animated and living things, their Beauty is not complete without a Good Grace, which adds to Conveniency of perfect parts, wherein Beauty consisteth, Conveniency of Motion, Gesture, and Action, which are as the life, and soul of Beauty in living things: so in the sovereign Beauty of our Lord God, we do acknowledge Union, yea unity of essence, in the distinction of persons, with an infinite Light, together with an incomprehensible Concurrence of all the perfections of actions and motions, soveraignely comprised, and as one would say, excellently joined and added in the only, and most simple perfection of the pure divine act, which is God himself, immutable, unvariable, as elsewhere we will show.  
6. God therefore having a will to make all things Good and Fair, reduced the multitude, and distinction of the same, to a perfect Unity, and as man would say, brought them all, to a Monarchy, making a subordination of one thing to an other, and of all things to himself, the sovereign Monarch. He digested all the members into one body, under one head: of many persons, he forms a Family: of many Families, a Town: of many Towns, a Province: of many Provinces, a Kingdom; putting the whole Kingdom under the government of one only King: so THEOTIME, amongst the innumerable multitude and variety of actions, motions, feelings, inclinations, habits, passions, faculties, and powers which are in man, God hath established a natural Monarchy in the will, which doth rule, and command all that is found in this little world. And God seems to have said to the will, as Pharaoh said to joseph: Thou shalt govern my house, all the people shall obey thy command; without it none shall move. But certes this power of the will is practised in a fare different manner.   

How the will diversely governs the powers of the soul. CHAPTER. II.  
THe Householder doth Direct his Family, wife, children, and servants by his ordidances, and commandments, to which they are obliged to obey; though they have absolute power not to obey: but if he have servants, and slaves, them he rules by force, which they have no power to contradict; but his horses, oxen, and mules, he doth manage by industry; binding, bridling, spurring, shutting up, or giving the bridle.  
2. Certes the will doth govern the power of our exterior motions as a servant, or slave: for unless some external thing do hinder, they are never deficient in obedience. We open, and shut our mouth, move our tongue, our hands, feet, eyes, and all the members, wherein the motion of this power is conversant, without resistance, according to our wish and will.  
3. But as for our senses, and touching the Nutritive, Augmentative and Generative Faculties, we cannot with like ease govern them, but we must employ therein industry, and art. If a slave be called, he comes; if he be willed to stay, he stays; But we must not expect this obedience from a Sparrowhauke, or Falcon; he that desires she should return to the hand, must show her the lewre; if he would keep her quiet, he must hood her. We bid our boy turn to the right or left hand, and he does it; but to make a horse turn so, one must make use of the bridle; We must not THEOTIME command our eyes not to see, our ears not to hear, our hands not to touch, our stomach not to digest, or our body not to increase or breed; for these faculties not being intelligible, are not capable of obedience. None can add a cubite to his stature. RACHEL desired, but could not conceive. We eat often without nourishment, or growth; he that will prevail with these powers, must use industry. A Physician which hath to do with a Child in the cradle doth never command him any thing: but only gives order to the Nurse to appoint such and such things, or else peradventure he prescribs, that she shall eat this or that meat, take this or that potion, which dispersing its qualities in the milk, and the milk in the child's belly, the Physician doth accomplish his will in this little weakling, who hath not even the power to think of it. It is not the way verily to impose abstinence, sobriety, or continency upon the palate, stomach, or belly; but the hands must be commanded not to administer to the mouth meat and drink, but in such, and such a measure; we must keep short the power which doth advance the objects, and subjects, and take away the nourishment which doth fortify, as reason shall require. If we desire our eyes should not see, we must divert, or cover, and shut them up in their natural hood, and by these means, one may bring them to the point which the will aims at. It is thus THEOTIME that our Saviour sayeth, there are some, which are such for the Kingdom of heaven, that is, which are not such by natural impotency, but by a certain industry, which the will useth to contain them within the limits of holy continency. It were folly to command a horse that he should not wax fat, that he grow not, that he should not kick; to effect all this, and to break him; one must not command him, but his provender.  
4. The will doth also exercise a certain kind of power over the Understanding and Memory; for of the diversity of things which the Understanding hath a power to understand, and the Memory, a power to remember, the will doth determine those, to which she will have her faculties apply themselves; or from which divert themselves. It is true she cannot manage, or range them so absolutely as she doth the hands, feet or tongue, by reason of sensitive faculties (namely the Fantasy, which doth not obey the will with a prompt, and infallible obedience) which are necessarily required to the operations of the Understanding and Memory: notwithstanding the will doth move, employ, and apply these faculties at her pleasure, though not so firmly and constantly, that the light and variable Fantasy, doth not often divert, and distract them, so that as the Apostle cries out, I do not the good which I desire, but the evil which I hate, so we are often compelled to think not the good which we love, but the evil which we hate.   

How the will governs the sensual appetite. CHAPTER. III.  
1. THe Will then THEOTIME bears rule over the Memory, Understanding, and Fantasy, not by force, but by authority, so that she is not infallibly obeyed, like as the Master of the Family is nor always obeyed by his children, and servants. The like is touching the sensative appetite, which as S. AUGUSTINE sayeth, is called in us sinners concupiscence, and remains subject to the will, and Understanding, as the wife to her Husband, because as it was said to the woman; Thou shalt return to thy Husband, who shall govern thee; so was it said to Cain, that his appetite should return home to him, and that he should master it: And no other thing is meant by, Return to man, then to submit, and subject itself unto him. O man sayeth S. BERNARD, it is in thy power if thou wilt, to bring thine enemy so to be thy servant, that all things should succeed well with thee: Thy appetite is under thee, and thou shalt domineer over it. Thy enemy can move in thee, the feeling of temptation; but it is in thy power, to give or refuse consent; In case thou permit thy appetite to carry thee away to sin, than thou shalt be under it, and it shall domineer over thee; for whosoever sinneth is made slave to sin; but before thou sin, so long as sin getteth not entry into thy consent, but only into thy sense, that is to say, so long as it stays in the appetite, not going so fare as thy will, thy appetite is subject unto thee, and thou Lord over it. While an Emperor is not yet created, he is subject to the Electors Dominion, in whose hands it is to reject, or elect him to the Imperial dignity: but being once elected and elevated by their means, from thence they begin to be his subjects, and he their Lord. So long as the will denies consent, she presides: but having once given consent; she becomes slave to her own appetite.  
2. To conclude, this sensual appetite in plain truth, is a rebellious subject, seditious and stirring; and we must confess we cannot so defeat it, that it doth not rise again, encounter and assault the reason: yet hath the will such a strong hand over it, that she is able if she please, to bridle it, break its designs, and repulse it, sith that not to consent to the suggestions thereof, is a sufficient repulse. One cannot hinder concupiscence to conceive; yet well may we stay it, from bringing forth and accomplishing sin.  
3. Now this concupiscence or sensual appepetite, hath 12. motions, by which as by so many mutinous Captains it raiseth sedition in man. And because ordinarily they trouble the soul, and disquiet the body: in so much as they trouble the soul, they are called perturbations: in so much as they disquiet the body, they are named passions, as witnesseth S. AUGUSTINE. All place before themselves, Good, or Evil, that, to achieve it, this, to avoid it. If Good be considered in itself according to it's natural goodness, it excites Love, the prime and principal passion: If Good be represented as absent, it provokes a desire of itself: it being desired, we apprehend it possible, it enters in us a Hope; if impossible, Despair gins to seize us. But when we enjoy it as present, it moves us to joy. Contrariwise as soon as we discover Evil, we Hate it: if it be absent, we fly it: if we propose it as inevitable, we Fear it; if we think we can eschew it, we do emboulden, and encourage ourselves: But if we feel it as present, we Grieve; and then Anger, and Indignation, suddenly runs out to resist, and repulse the Evil, or at least to be revenged of it. Which if it succeed not according to our mind, we remain in Grief. But if we repel, or be revenged of it, we feel satisfaction and content, which is a Pleasure of Triumph, for as the possession of Good, doth glad the heart, so the victory over Evil, doth satiate the courage. And over all this multitude of sensual passions, the will bears Empire, rejecting their suggestions, repulsing their embracements, hindering their effects: or at the very least stiffly denying them consent, without the which, they can never endamage us, and by refusal of which, they remain vanquished; yea even a fare off weakened, dejected, defeated, repressed, and if not altogether slain, at least mortified and brought low.  
4. And THEOTIME, this multitude of passions is permitted to reside in our soul for the exercise of our will in virtue, and spiritual valour. In so much that the STOIKES who denied that passions, were found in wise men, did greatly err, and so much the more; for that they shown in effect, that which in words they denied, as S. AUGUSTINE shows, recounting this pleasant history. AULUS GELIUS having embarked himself with a famous STOIC, a great tempest takes them, whereat, the STOIC being affrighted begun to wax white, and Pale, and sensibly to Tremble, so that all in the boat perceived it, and took precise notice of him, albeit they did run the same hazard with him. In the interim the sea waxed calm, the danger passed, and assurance did restore to each of them Liberty to blame, yea even to rail at him: A certain voluptuous ASIATIKE gybed at the STOIC and reproached unto him his Fear, which had made him become white, and Pale by apprehension of danger, whilst he for his part remained firm without Fear, to which the STOIC replied, by relation of that which ARISTIPPUS a SOCRATICAL Philosopher had answered one, who for the same reason had quipped him with the like reproach: saying unto him, for thee, thou hadst no reason to be troubled for the death of a wicked Rascal: but I should have wronged myself not to have feared to lose the life of an ARISTIPPUS. And the best of it is, that AULUS GELIUS an eye witness recites the story: but touching the STOIKES reply contained therein, it did more commend his wit, than his Cause, sithence, alleging a companion of his Fears, he left two proofs, by two reprochlesse witnesses, that stoics were touched with Fear, and with Fear which doth leave its effects in the Eyes, Face, and Countenance, and is consequently a Passion.  
5. Ah great folly! to wish to be wise, by a wisdom which is not possible. Truly the Church hath condemned the Folly of this wisdom, which certain presumptuous ANCORITS would have long ago introduced, against which the whole Scripture, but especially the great APOSTLE crieth out: That we have a law in our body, which resisteth the law of our mind. Amongst us Christians sayeth that great S. AUGUSTINE, according to holy Scripture, and Sound doctrine, the Citizens of the sacred City of God, whose lives are agreeable to Gods own heart, in the pilgrimage of this world do Fear, Desire, Grieve, Rejoice: Yea even the sovereign King of this City, did Fear, Desire, Grieve, Rejoice, even to tears, paleness, trembling, sweeting of blood; though in him these were not the motions of Passions like to ours; whence the great S. HIEROME, and after him the School, durst not there usurp the name, Passions, for reverence of the person in whom they were, but the respectful name, PROPASSIONS, to testify that sensible motions in our Saviour held the place of Passions, though they were not such indeed, seeing that he suffered, or sustained nothing by them, save that, which was thought good to him, and in manner which liked him best, governing and guiding them at his pleasure; which we sinners cannot do, who suffer, and endure these Motions with disorder, against our wills, to the great prejudice of the good estate and policy of our soul.   

That love rules over all the affections, and passions, yea governs the will, albeit the will hath also a dominion over it. CHAPTER four  
1. Love being the first complacence which we take in good, as we will presently show; certes it precedes desire; and in deed what other thing is it which we Desire, but that which we Love? It forerunes Delectation, for how could we rejoice in the fruition of a thing, if we loved it not? it goes before Hope, for we hope for nothing, but the Good which we love: it prevents Hatred, for we hate not evil, but in respect of the good which we love: nor is evil, evil, but because it is contrary to good. And THEOTIME it is the like, touching all other passions and affections: for they do all flow from love, as from their source and root.  
2. For which cause the other passions, and affections, are good, vicious, or virtuous, according as the Love whence they proceed is good or bad; For Love doth so bedew them with her own qualities, that they seem to be no other than very Love itself. S. AUGUSTINE reducing all these passions to four as did also BOETIUS, CICERO, VIRGIL with the greatest part of the Ancients, Love sayeth he, tending to the possession of that he love's, is termed Concupiscence, or Desire: having and possessing it, 'tis called Ioie: flying that which is contrary to him, is named Fear: but if Love perceive it arrived, he puts on the name of Grief, and consequently these passions are Evil if the Love be Evil, Good if it be Good. The Citizens of the heavenly City do Fear, Desire, Grieve, Ioie, and because their love is just, all their affections are also just. Christian doctrine doth subject the Reason to God, to th'end he should guide and secure it; and to the Reason all the passions, that it may bridle and moderate them; so that they might be converted to the service of justice and virtue. The rectified will is the good love, the disordered will, is the evil love: That is to say in a word THEOTIME, Love hath such dominion over the will, that he makes her just such as he is.  
3. The wife doth ordinarily change her condition into that of her Husband, becoming noble, if he be noble; Queen, if he be King: Duchess if he be Duck. The will doth also change her condition, into that of Love which she espouseth; if he be carnal, she becomes carnal, if spiritual, she turns spiritual: and all the affections, Desire, Ioie, Hope, Fear, Grief, as issues of the marriage, betwixt Love and the will, do consequently receive their qualities from Love; to be short THEOTIME the will is not moved but by her affections, amongst which, Love as the PRIMUM MOBILE and prime affection, gives motion to all the rest, and causeth all the other motions of the soul.  
4. Nor doth it follow hence, that the will doth not also rule over Love, seeing that the will doth not Love, but in willing to Love, and that of the diversity of Loves, which present themselves, she can apply herself to which she list, otherwise, Love would neither be prohibited nor commanded. She is then Mistress over Loves, as a Danfelle over her Suitors, amongst which she may make election of whom she pleaseth. But as after the marriage, she looseth her liberty, and of Mistress becomes subject to her Husband's power; remaining taken, by him whom she took, so the will which at her own pleasure made election of Love, after she hath embraced any one, she remain subject to him. And as the wife is still subject to the Husband which she hath chosen, so long as he shall live, doth after her Husband's death regain her precedent liberty, to marry an other: so while one Love lives in the will, it reigns there, and the will is subject to his motions, but if this Love come to die, she can afterwards take an other. And again, there is a liberty in the will which a wife hath not; and it is, that the will can reject her Love at her pleasure, by applying her understanding to motives, which makes it disgustful, and by undertaking, to change the object: For in this manner to make the divine Love live, and reign in us, we ought to mortify Proper Love; if we cannot altogether annihilate it, at least we must weaken it in such sort, that though it live, yet it do not reign in us. As contrariwise in forsaking Divine Love, we may adhere to that of creatures, which is that infamous adultery, wherewith the Divine Love doth so often reproach sinners.   

Of the affections of the will. CHAPTER. V  
1. THere is no less motion in the Intellectual or Reasonable appetite, which is called the will, than there is in the Sensitive or Sensual: but those are customarily named Affections, these Passions. The Philosophers and Pagans did in some sort love God, their Common wealth, Virtue, Sciences: they hated Vice, aspired after Honours, expected not to escape Death, or Calumny, were desirous of knowledge, yea even of Beatitude after Death. They did encourage themselves, to surmount the difficulties, which did cross the way of Virtue, dreaded Blame, fled diverse Faults, revenged public Injuries, disdained Tyrants, without any proper interest. Now all these Motions were seated in the Reasonable part, sith that neither the Senses, nor consequently the Sensual appetits are capable of application to these objects, and therefore these Motions were Affections of the Intellectual, or Reasonable appetite, not Passions of the Sensual.  
2. How often do we feel Passions in the sensual appetite of desires, contrary to the Affections, which at the same time we perceive in the Reasonable appetite, or will. The young man mentioned by S. HIEROME did fairly with his teeth cut of his tongue, and spit it in the face of that accursed woman, which inflamed him to carnality: did he not testify thereby an extreme Affection of Displeasure in his will, contrary to that Passion of Pleasure, which by force she made him feel in his Concupistible, or sensible Appetite? How often do we tremble amidst the dangers, to which our will brought us, and makes us remain? How often do we Hate the Pleasure, wherein the sensual appetite delights itself, and Love the Spiritual good wherein it is disgusted? In this consisteth the war, which we daily experience betwixt the Spirit, and Flesh: betwixt our exterior Man, which depends of Sense, and our interior, which depends of Reason: betwixt the old Adam which followeth the appetits of his EVE or Concupiscence, and the new Adam, which doth second heavenly wisdom, and holy Reason.  
3. The stoics as S. AUGUSTINE, delivers, denying that a wiseman hath Passions, do confess notwithstanding as may Appear, that he had affections which they termed EUPATHIES, or Good Passions, or else CONSTANCIES with CICERO: for they said, the wiseman did not Covit, but will only; was not Light of heart, but Setledly joyful; that he had no Fear but only a Foresight and Precaution; so that he was not moved but by Reason, and according to Reason: for this cause they peremptorily denied that a wiseman could ever be Sorrowful, that being caused by present Evil, whereas no Evil can befale a wiseman; sith that, no man is hurt but by himself, following their MAXIM. And certes THEOTIME they did not amiss to hold that EUPATHIES, or Good Affections reside in the Reasonable part of man, but they erred much in averring, that there were no Passions in the Sensitive part, and that Sorrow did not touch a wiseman's heart: For omitting what they themselves had experienced in this behalf (as hath been touched) by this means they might conclude that wisdom might deprive one of Mercy, which is a virtuous sorrow, touching our hearts, and working them to a desire to deliver our neighbour from the evil which he endureth. Nor doth EPICTETES, the best man amongst the Pagans' follow this error; that Passions, do not make Insurrections in a wiseman, as S. AUGUSTINE doth witness, showing further, that the dissension of STOIKES, and other Philosophers about this subject, was but a mere dissension in words, and strife in language.  
4. Now the Affections which we feel in Our reasonable part, are more or less Noble and Spiritual, according as their Object is more or less Sublime, and as they are in a more eminent degree of the mind: for some of them proceed from the Discourse which we make, following the Experience of Sense; others are form by a Discourse drawn from Humane Sciences; others rising from a Discourse which is made according to Faith, and finally there are some which have their Origin from the simple Taste and Repose, which the Soul, hath in Verity, and the will of God. The first, are called Natural affections: For who is he that doth not naturally desire Health, commodity of Meat, Drink, and Cloth, Sweet and Agreeable conversation? The second, are named Reasonable, as being altogether founded upon the spiritual Knowledge of Reason, by which our will is excited to seek the Tranquillity of the mind, moral Virtues, true Honour, a Philosophical Contemplation of heavenly things. The third sort of Affections, are termed Christian, because they issue from Discourse derived from the Doctrine of our Saviour Christ, which causeth in us a Love of voluntary Provertie, perfect Chastity, the Glory of Heaven: But the Affections of the supreeme degree are instiled Divine, and Supernatural, because God himself doth pour them into our hearts, and they aim at, and tend to him without the help of any Discourse, or natural Light, as it is easy to conceive; and we will hereafter speak of the Rests, and gusts which are practised in the Sanctuary of the soul. And these supernatural Affections are principally three: the Love of the mind towards the beauty of the mysteries of faith: a Love towards the profit of things promised us in the other life; and a Love towards the sovereign Bounty of the thrice holy and eternal Divinity.   

How the Love of God doth rule over other Loves. CHAPTER VI.  
1. THe will doth govern all the other faculties of man's Soul: yet is she governed by her Love, which makes her such as he is. Now, of all loves, that of God holds the Sceptre, and hath a commanding authority so inseparably united unto him, and so proper to his nature, that if he be not Master, he ceaseth to be, and perisheth.  
2. ISHMAEL, was not Coheir with Isaac his younger brother; ESAV, was appointed to be his younger brothers servant; JOSEPH, was not only honoured by his brethren, but even by his Father, yea and his Mother also in the person of BENJAMIN, as by dreams in his youth he had foreseen: Certes it is not void of mystery, that the youngest of these brethren bore away the advantage from the eldest. Divine Love is truly the last begotten of all the Affections of man's heart: For as the Apostle sayeth that which is Natural, is first: and that which is spiritual, is after. But this last borne inherits all the authority: and Self-love as an other ESAV is deputed to his service, and not only all the other motions of the Soul, as his brethren do adore, and are subject unto him, but also the Understanding, and will, which are to him as Father, and Mother. All is subject to this heavenly Love who will either be King, or nothing, who cannot live, but reign: nor reign if not in a sovereign manner.  
3. ISAAC, JACOB, and JOSEPH, were supernatural children: For their Mother's SARA, REBECCA, and RACHEL being sterile by nature, conceived them by the grace of the Divine Bounty, and for this cause they were established Masters of their brethren: so divine Love, is a child of miracle; sith that man's will, cannot conceive it, if it be not poured into our hearts, by the holy Ghost. And as supernatural, it must preside, and reign over all the affections, yea even over the Understanding, and will.  
4. And be it, there are other supernatural motions in the soul, Fear, Piety, Force, Hope, as ISAAC, and BENJAMIN, were Supernatural children of RACHEL, and REBECCA: yet is divine Love still Master, Heir, and Superior, as being the Son of promise: sith that in virtue of it, heaven is promised to man. Salvation is shown to Faith, prepared for Hope, but is given only to Charity. Faith points out the way to the Land of Promise as a Pillar of clouds and fire, to wit CLEARDARKE: Hope doth feed us with her Manna of delight, but Charity doth conduct us thither, as an Ark of Alliance, making way through jordain, that is, to judgement, and shall remain amidst the people, in the heavenly Land promised to the true ISRAELITS, where neither the Pillar of Faith doth serve as guide, nor the MANNA of Hope is useful for food.  
5. Divine Love, doth make his abode in the most high and eminent region of the Soul, where he doth offer Sacrifice and Holocausts to the Divinity; as ABRAHAM did, and as our Saviour sacrificed himself upon the tope of CALVARIE, to th'end that from so eminent a place he might be heard, and obeyed of his people, that is, of all the Faculties and Affections of the Soul, which he governs with an incomparable sweetness. For Love hath none pressed, or flaves: but brings all things under his power with a force so delightful, that as nothing is so forcible as Love: so nothing is so amiable as his Force.  
6. Virtue's are seated in the soul to moderate her motions, and Charity as prime of all the Virtues, governs ad tempers them all, not only because the first in every Species of things, is as a rule, and measure to the rest; but also, for that God having created man to his similitude, and likeness, will, that as in himself, so in man all things be ordered, for, and by Love..   

A description of Love in general. CHAPTER VII.  
1. THe will hath so great a sympathy with Good, that as soon as she perceives it, she turns towards it, to please herself therein, as in her desired object, to which she hath so nearly allied herself, that one cannot even declare her Nature, but by the reference she hath to it: like as one cannot show the nature of Good otherwise, then by the Affinity it hath with the will: For tell me THEOTIME what other thing is Good, then that which every one doth will. And what is the will, if not the faculty which bears us forward, and makes us tend to Good, or that which the will esteems such?  
2. The will then perceiving, and feeling Good, by the help of the Understanding proposing it, feels at the same time, a sudden delight, and complacence upon it, which doth sweetly, yet powerfully move and incline her towards this amiable object, with intention to be united thereunto, and moves her to search the means most proper to attain this Union.  
3. The will then hath a strict affinity with Good, this affinity doth produce the complacence which the will doth taste in feeling, and perceiving Good: this complacence doth move and prick forward the will to Good: this motion tends to Union, and and in fine the will put in motion and tending to Good, doth search all means requisite to achieve it.  
4. And truly generally speaking, Love compriseth all this together; as a fair Tree whose Root is the Sympathy which the will hath to Good; the Bowl is the Complacence; her Motion, the tope; the INQVESTS, PURSVITS; and other Endeavours, are her Branches; but Union and Fruition, are her Fruits. So love, seems to be composed of these five principal parts, under which a number of other little pieces are contained; as we shall find in the process of this work.  
5. Let's consider I pray you, the exercise of an insensible Love betwixt the ADAMANT and IRON, being a true representation of sensible, and voluntary Love, of which we speak. IRON then hath such a Sympathy with the ADAMANT, that as soon as it is touched with the virtue thereof it turns towards it, this done suddenly it gins to stir, and quiver with a little hopping, testifying in that, the Complacence it takes, and thereupon it doth advance, and bear itself towards the ADAMANT, striving by all means possible to be united unto it. And do you not see all the parts of a lively Love represented in this lifeless stone?  
6. But to conclude THEOTIME, the Complacence, and Motion, or Effusion of the will upon the thing beloved, is properly speaking, Love, yet so as that the Complacence, is but the beginning of Love, and the Motion or Effusion of the heart which ensues, is the true essential Love: so that th'one and th'other, may truly be named Love, but in a divers manner: for as the break of day, may be termed day; so this first Complacence of the heart in the thing beloved, may be called Love, because it is the first impression of love. But as the true Heart of the day gins only from daybreak, to the son setting: so the true essence of Love doth consist in the motion, and current of the heart, flowing immediately from Complacence, and ending its course in Union: To be short, Complacence is the first stirring, or motion which Good causeth in the will, and this motion is followed by a liquefaction, or effusion whereby the soul doth run and approach towards the thing beloved, which is the true and proper Love.. Let's say thus: Good doth touch, seize upon, and engaige the heart by Complacence: but by Love, it doth draw, conduct, and convey it to itself: by Complacence, it makes the heart undertake the journey; but by Love, doth accomplish it. Complacence, is the awaker of the heart: but Love, the operation; Complacence gives the Alarm, but Love causeth the March. The heart displays his wings by Complacence; but Love, is its Flight. Love then to speak distinctly and precisely, is no other thing then the motion, course and advancement of the heart, towards the thing beloved.  
7. Many great personages have been of opinion, that Love was no other thing than Complacence itself, in which they followed a fair semblance of reason: For not only the motion of Love takes her origine, from the Complacence which the heart feels at the first approach of Good, and ends in a second Complacence begotten in the heart by Union with the beloved: but further it keeps company with that Complacence, not being able to subsist without her, who is his Mother, and Nurse: so that, as soon as the Complacence ceaseth, Love ceaseth. And as the Bee is bred in the honey, feed of honey, flieth not abroad but for honey: so Love is borne of Complacence, maintained by Complacence, and tends to Complacence. The poise of things doth sway, move, and stay them; 'tis the weight of the stone that doth stir and move it to descent; it is the same weight that makes it continue motion after the external impression be ended; and finally it is the same weight, that makes it stop and stay as soon as it hath attained its Centre: such is the nature of the Complacence which moves the will, she it is that moves, and she that makes the will repose in the Union of the thing beloved. This motion of Love then having her birth, conservation, and perfection dependantly of Complacence, and being always inseparably adjoined unto her; it is no marvel that these brave wits esteemed Love and Complacence the same thing, though indeed, Love being a true Passion of the mind, it cannot be a simple Complacence, but must needs be a motion proceeding from it.  
8. Now, this motion caused by Complacence dures till the Union or Fruition, and therefore when it tends to a present Good, it hath no other effect then to put forwards, apply, join, and look the heart to the thing beloved, which by this means it enjoys, and thereupon is called Love of delight, or Complacence, because as soon as it is begotten of the first Complacence, it ends in the second, which it receives in being united to its object. But when the Good towards which the heart is turned, inclined, and moved is distant, absent, or that so perfect an union cannot yet be made as is desired, than the motion of Love by which the heart doth tend, aspire, and make towards this absent object, is properly named Desire, For desire is no other thing then an appetite, lust, and coveting of things aimed at, but not yet obtained.  
9 There are yet certain other motions of Love; by which we desire things that we neither hope for, nor pretend in any sort, as when we say, why am I not now in heaven! I wish I were King; I would to God I were Younger; I wish I had never offended, and the like. These indeed are desires, but imperfect ones, which in proper speech as it seems, might de called wishes; and indeed these affections, are not expressed in manner of Desires, for when we express our true Desires, we say I Desire; but when we signify our imperfect Desires, we say, I should or I would Desire; we may well say I would Desire to be young, but we do not say, I Desire to be young, seeing that this is not possible; and this motion is called a half Desire, or as the Schoolmen term it a velleity, which is nothing else but the beginning of a Desire without effect, for that the will perceiving that she cannot attain unto that object by reason of impossibility or extreme difficulty, she stops her motion, and ends it in this simple affection of velleity, as though she should say, this Good which I behold and cannot Hope for, is truly very agreeable unto me, and though I cannot will or Hope for it; yet so my affection stands, that if I could will or Desire it, I would willingly Desire, and will it.  
10. To be short these half conceived Desires or Velleities, are only a little Love, which is called Love of simple approbation, because without all pretention the soul approves the Good she knoweth, and wanting means to Desire it in effect, she protesteth she would willingly Desire it, and that it is truly to be Desired.  
11. Nor is this all THEOTIME, for there are Desires and Velleities which are yet more imperfect than those we have spoken of, for so much as their motions are not stayed by reason of impossibility or extreme difficulty, but by the incompossibilitie they have with other Desires or wishes more powerful, as when a sickman Desires to eat MUSHROOMS, which though he have at his will, yet will he not for all that eat them fearing thereby to impair his Health: and who decernes not two Desires in this party? th'one to eat MUSHROOMS, th'other to be cured; but because the Desire of Health is greater, it doth block up and suffocate the other in such sort, as it can produce no effect. JEPHTE had a velleity to conserve his daughter, but this not being compatible with a Desire he had to keep his Vow, he made an election contrary to his velleity, to wit, to sacrifice his daughter, and had a half wish or velleity, of that which he desired not, which was to conserve his daughter. PILATE and HERODE had Velleities, th'one to diliver out SAVIOUR th'other his PRECURSOR: but because this was incompatible, the one with a Desire to please the JEWS, and CAESAR: the other HERODIADAS and her daughter, these wishes were vain and fruitless. Now according as the things incompatible with that which we would are less amiable, the Velleities are less perfect, sith they are stopped, and as it were stifled by so weak opposites. So the wish which HEROD had not to behead S. JOHN was more imperfect, then that of PILAT'S, to free our SAVIOUR. For the one feared the calumny, and indignation of the people; the other to contristate one sole woman.  
9 The Velleities which are hindered, not by impossibility, but by incompatibility with stronger Desires, are called indeed Desires but vain, stifled and unprofitable ones. Following the velleity of things impossible, we say, I would but cannot. And following the velleity of things possible, we say, I wish but I will not.   

What that conveniency is, which doth excite love. CHAPTER. VIII.  
1. WE say the eye seethe, the ear heareth, the tongue speaketh, the understanding discourseth, the memory remembreth, the will loveth; Sure 'tis notwithstanding, that it is the whole man, to speak properly, who by divers Faculties, and different Organs, works all this variety of operations; man also then it is; who by the affective Faculty, named the will, doth tend to, and please himself in Good, and who hath so great a sympathy with it, as being the Source and Origine of Love.. But they did fare miss the mark who believed that Resemblance was the only Conveniency, which produced Love: For who knows not that crazy old men, do tenderly and dear love little infants, and are reciprocally loved of them; that the wise, love such as are ignorant, if they find them docile; and the sick, their Physicians. And if we may draw any argument from the image of Love, which is found in things without sense, what resemblance can draw the Iron, towards the Adamant? hath not one Adamant more resemblance with an other, or an other stone, then with Iron of a divers kind? and though some to reduce all Conveniency to a Resemblance, would assure us that Iron draws Iron: and the Adamant, the Adamant: Yet are they to seek for their reason, why the Adamant doth more powerfully draw Iron; then Iron doth Iron itself. But I pray you what similitude is there betwixt Lime, and water? or betwixt water, and a Sponge? and yet both of them drink water with a quenchless desire, testifying an excessive insensible Love towards it. 'tis the like of humane love: For sometimes it takes more strongly amongst persons of contrary quality, than those who have a great Resemblance. Conveniency then which causeth Love doth not always consist in Similitude, but in the Proportion, Reference; and correspondance betwixt the Lover, and the Beloved: And to this effect, it is not resemblance which moves the sick-man's affection to the Doctor, but a correspondance of the ones necessity with the others sufficiency, for that the one can afford the assistance, which the other stands in need of; as again the Doctor love's the sick-man, knowing him to be his patiented, as upon whom he hath power to exercise his faculty: the old man loveth children, not by sympathy, but for that the great simplicity, feebleness and tenderness of the one, doth exalt and make more apparent the prudence and assurance of the other, and even this dissimilitude is agreeable: on the other side, children love old men because they see them busy and careful about them, and that by a secret instinct they perceive they have need of their directions. Musical concord stands in a kind of discord, in which unlike voices do correspond, making up altogether one sole Close of proportion, as the dissimilitude of precious stones, and flowers, do make the grateful composition of Embosture and Diaprie, so Love is not caused always by Resemblance, and Sympathy, but by Correspondance, and Proportion, which consisteth in this, that by the union of one thing to another, they may mutually receive one another's perfection, and so be bettered. The head doth not resemble the body, nor the hand the arm; yet they have such a Correspondance, and are seated so nearly together that by their mutual neighbourhood they do marvellously interchange perfection; so that if these parts had each one a distinct soul, they would have a perfect mutual Love; not by Similitude, but by Correspondance which they have in their mutual perfection: For this cause the melancholy and joyful, sour and sweet have often a correspondance of mutual affection, by reason of the mutual impressions which they receive one of an other, by which their humours are reciprocally moderated. But when this mutual Correspondance meets with similitude, Love without doubt is engendered more efficaciously: for Similitude being the true picture of Unity, when two like things are united by a proportion to the same end, it seems rather to be an Unity, than an Union.  
11. The Sympathy then betwixt the Lover and the Beloved, is the first source of Love, and this Sympathy, or Conveniency consisteth in a Correspondance, which is no other thing then a mutual aptitude making things proper to be united, and mutually to communicate their perfections: but this will be cleared in the process of this book.   

That love tends to union. CHAPTER IX.  
1. THe great Solomon in a deliciously admirable air, doth sing our Saviour's loves, and those of the devote soul, in that diuin work, which for its excellent sweetness is instyled the Canticle of Canticles. And to raise ourselves in a more easy flight, to the consideration of this spiritual love, which is exercised betwixt God and us, by the correspondance which the motions of our hearts have with the inspirations of his divine Majesty, he makes use of a perpetual representation of the loves of a chaste Shepherd, and shamefast Shepherdess. Now (making the Spouse or Bride first begin the parley by manner of a certain surprise of love) he makes her at the first onset lance out her heart in these words; let him deign me a kiss of his mouth. Do you mark THEOTIME how the soul personated by this Shepherdess, doth pretend no other thing by the first expression of her desire, than a chaste union with her spouse, protesting that it is the highest aim of her ambition, and only thing she breathes after: For I pray you what other thing would this first sigh intimate? Let him deign me with a Kiss of his mouth.  
2. A Kiss, from all ages as by natural instinct, hath been employed as a representation of perfect love, that is the union of hearts; and not without cause: we send out and muster the passions and motions, which our soul hath common with brute beasts by our eyes, eyebrows, forehead and countenance; in general by his face a man is known sayeth the Scripture; and Aristotle giving a reason why ordinarily great men's faces only are pourtrated, 'tis sayeth he, that the countenances teach what they are.  
3. Yet do we not utter our discourse, nor the thoughts which proceed from the spiritual portion of our soul called reason, (by which we are distinguished from Beasts) but by words; and in consequence by help of the mouth: in so much that to pour out ones soul, and scatter one's heart, is nothing else but to speak, Pour out your hearts before God sayeth the PSALMIST, that is, express and turn the affections of your hearts into words: And SAMVEL'S pious Mother pronouncing her prayers, although so softly, that one could hardly discern the motion of her lips: I have poured out (sayeth she) my heart before God: in this wise, one mouth is applied to another in kissing, to testify that they desire to pour our one soul into the other, reciprocally to unite them in a perfect union, and for this Reason in all times, and amongst the most saintly men the world had, the kiss hath been a sign of love and affection: and such use was universally made of it amongst the ancient Christians as the great S. PAUL testifieth, when writing to the ROMAN'S and CORINTHIANS he sayeth, Salute mutually one another in a holy kiss. And as divers do witness, JUDAS in betraying our SAVIOUR made use of a Kiss to discover him, because this divine SAVIOUR, was accustomed to kiss his Disciples when he met them; and not only his Disciples, but even little Children whom he took lovingly in his arms: as he did him, by comparison of whom, he so solemnly invited his APOSTLES to the love of their Neighbours, who as JANSENIUS reporteth was thought to have been S. MARTIAL.  
4. Thus than the Kiss being a lively mark of of the union of hearts, the Spouse who hath no other pretention in all her endeavours, and pursuits then to be united to her beloved, let him kiss me, sayeth she, with a kiss of his mouth; as if she had cried out, so many sighs and inflamed groans as my heart incessantly sobs out, will they never impetrate that, which my heart desires? I run, alas shall I never gain the prize, for which I launce myself out? which is to be united heart to heart, spirit to spirit, to my God, my Spouse, my life? when will arrive the happy hour in which I shall pour my soul into his heart, and that he will turn his heart into my soul, that we may live inseparable in that happy union?  
5. When the holy Ghost would express a perfect love, he always in a manner makes choice of the word Union or Conjunction: amongst the multitude of the faithful sayeth S. LUCKE, there was but one heart and one soul: our SAVIOUR prayed for all the faithful that they might be but on same thing: SAINT PAUL doth advertise us to conserve unity of mind by the union of peace. These Unities of heart, soul, and spirit do signify the perfection of Love, which joins many souls in one; for so it is said that JONATHAS his soul was glued to DAVID'S, that is to say, as the Scripture addeth, He loved DAVID as his own soul. The great APOSTLE of FRANCE as well according to his own Dictamen, as that of HIEROTHEUS who he citeth; writeth (I think a thousand times in one Chapter OF DIVINE NAMES) that Love is of a Nature, unifying, uniting, referring, recollecting, and pressing things to an Unity. S. GREGORY of NAZIANZEN, and S. AUGUSTINE sayeth; that their friends and they, had but one soul, and ARISTOTLE approving even in his time this manner of speech: when sayeth he we would express how much we love our friends, we say, his and my soul is but one. Hatred doth separate us, and Love doth assemble us. The end then of love, is no other thing, than the union of the lover and the beloved.   

That the union which love pretends is spiritual. CHATPER. X.  
1. WE are nevertheless to understand, that there are natural Unions, as those of Similitude, Consanguinity, and the Cause with the effect; and others which not being natural, may be termed voluntary; for though they be according to nature, yet are they not made, but by our will as those which rise from benefits, and do undoubtedly unite him that receives them to the giver, those of Company, Conversation and the like. Now Natural union produceth Love, and that Love being produced, inclines us to another Voluntary union perfecting the natural: so the Father and the Son, the Mother and Daughter, or two Brothers being joined in an Natural union, by the participation of the same blood, are excited by this Union to Love; and by that Love are carried to the Union of the will, and the mind which may be called Voluntary; because albeit her foundation is natural, yet is her action deliberate, and in these Love's produced by Natural union, we must look for no other correspondence than Union itself, by which nature preventing the will, doth oblige her to approve love, and perfect the Union which she hath already made. But for Voluntary unions, they being after Love in Effect, yet are his Cause, as being his only end and pretention; so that as Love tends to Union, so Union again doth extend, and augment Love; for Love begets a desire of conversation, and conversation doth nourish and increase Love: Love causeth a desire of nuptial union, and this Union doth reciprocally conserve, and dilate Love; so that in every sense, it is true that love tends to union.  
2. But to what kind of Union doth it tend? Did you not note THEOTIME that the sacred Spouse did express her desire of being united to her Spouse by a kiss? and that a kiss doth represent the spiritual union which is caused by the reciprocal communication of hearts? true it is that man loveth, but by his will, and therefore the end of his Love is of the nature of his will; but his will is spiritual, and consequently the union which Love pretends is also spiritual, and so much the rather for that the heart, seat, and source of Love, should not only not be perfected by union with corporal things, but even become more vile.  
3. It will not hence be inferred, that there are not certain passions in man, which as Gum, or Missel to upon trees, by manner of excrement and overgroth, sprout up amongst and about Love, which notwithstanding are neither Love nor any part thereof, but excrements, and superfluities of the same: which are so fare from an aptitude to maintain or accomplish Love, that it doth endamage, and weaken it: and in time if they be not weeded away, do utterly ruinated it. See the reason hereof.  
4. According to the multitude of operations, (be they of the same, or of a divers Nature) to which the soul doth apply herself, she performs them less perfectly, and vigorously: because she being finite her active virtue is also finite, so that furnishing her activity to divers operations it is necessary that each one of them have less thereof; so that one attentive to divers things, is less intemce in every of them; It is not possible that one should at the same time exactly discern the feature of the face by the eyes; and by the ear distinguish the harmony of an excellent music; nor at the same instant be attentive to figure, and colour. If our affection be to talk, our attention is for no other thing.  
5. Yet am I not ignorant what is said of CESAR, nor incredulous of that which so many great personages assures us of ORIGIN; that they could apply their attentions at the same time to divers objects. Yet every one doth confess, that according to the measure, in which they were applied to many, they were less in every one of the same; there is then a difference betwixt to see, hear, and understand much; and to see, hear and understand better: For he that seethe better, seethe less; and he that seethe more, seethe not so well; 'tis rare that he who knows much, knows that well which he knoweth; because the virtue, and force of the understanding, being scattered upon the knowledge of divers things, is less strong and vigorous, then when it is restrained to the consideration of one only object. Hence it is that when the soul imploies her forces in divers operations of Love, The action so divided is less vigorous. We have three sorts of actions of Love, the spiritual, reasonable, and Sensitive: when Love lets run his forces through all these three operations, doubtless it is more Extense, but less Intense: but when it runs through one operation only; it is more Intense, though less Extense. Do we not see that fire, the Symbol of love, forced to make way by the only mouth of the Cannon, makes a prodigious flash, which had been much less, if it had found vent by two or three passages: sithence than that Love is an act of our will, he that desires to have it not only noble, and generous, but also very vigorous and active, must contain the virtue, and force of it, within the limits of spiritual operations, for he that would apply it to the Sensitive operations of the soul, should so fare fourth weaken the Intellectual, in which essential love consisteth.  
6. The ancient PHILOSOPHERS attained to the knowledge of two Extases, the one whereof did place ourselves above ourselves: the other dejected us, and set us below ourselves; as though they would have said, that man was of a Nature betwixt Angels and Beasts; in his intellectual part, participating the Angelical Nature; and in his sensitive the Nature of Beasts; and yet that he could by good moderation of life, and a continual care had of himself, deliver and infrancise himself of this mean condition, so that applying and exercising himself frequently in Intellectual actions, he might bring himself nearer to the nature of Angels than Beasts: but if he did much apply himself to Sensible actions, he made a descent from his middle condition to that of beasts. And because an Ecstasy is no other thing then a going out of one's self, whether one go upwards, or downwards, he is truly in an Ecstasy. Those than that touched with intellectual and divine pleasures; do permit their heart to be ravished with those touches, are truly out of themselves, that is, above the condition of their Nature, but by a blessed and wishful departure, by which entering into a more noble, and eminent estate, they are as much Angels by the operation of their soul, as men by the substance of their Nature, and are either to be instiled Humane Angels, or Angelical men. On the contrary side, those that enticed with sensual pleasures give themselves over to the enjoying of them, descend from their middle condition to the lowest of brute Beasts, and merit as well to be called Brutal by their operations, as men by Nature; unhappy to be out of themselves, for no better end then to enter into a condition infinitely unworthy of their natural estate and calling.  
7. Now according as the Ecstasy is more great, either above or below us; by so much it doth more hinder the soul to return to herself, and produce contrary operations to the Ecstasy in which she is; so those Angelical men which are ravished in God and heavenly things during their Ecstasy, do quite lose the use of the attention of sense; motion and all exterior actions, because their soul, to th'end she may apply her virtue and activity more entirely and attentively to that divine object, doth retire and withdraw it, from all her other faculties wholly to deturne them from thence. And in like manner, brutish men ravished by sensual pleasure, (especially by that of sense in general,) do wholly lose the use of reason and understanding, because their miserable souls, to have a more entire and attentive gust of their brutal object, do divert themselves from spiritual operations, to give themselves with more vigour to brutal and bestial ones: mystically imitating herein the one, HELIAS taken up in the fiery Chariot to the Company of Angels; th'other NABUCHODONOSOR debased to the rank of brute beasts.  
8. Hence than I say, that when the Soul practiseth Love by actions of sense, so that she is carried below herself, it is impossible that thereby the exercise of her Superior love, should not be so much the more weakened: In such sort that true and Essential love is so fare from being ayeded, and conserved by the union to which Sensual love tends, that it is impaired, dissipated, and perisheth thereby. jacob's Oxen ploughed the ground as long as the idle Asses fed by them, eating the pasture dew to the labouring Oxen. As long as the Intellectual part of our soul, is employed in honest virtuous love upon any object worthy thereof; it comes to pass often times that the senses and faculties of the inferior part tend to their proper union, and graise thereupon, though Union be only due unto the Heart and Soul, which alone is able to produce true and Substantial Love..  
9 HELISEUS having cured NAMAN the SYRIAN, pleasing himself in the obligation he had put upon him refused the gold, money, and other movables which were offered him. But his trustless servant JESSE running after him, demanded and took against his Master pleasure that, which he had refused; Intellectual and cordial love, which either is, or should be the Master of our Heart, doth refuse all sorts of corporal, and Sensible Unions, and is contented with goodwill only, but the powers of the Sensitive part which are, or should be the Handmaids of the Spirit, do demand, seek after, and take that which reason refused, and without her leave doth make after their abject, servile, and dishonourable loves, as another JESSE violating the purity of their Master's intention, to wit the Spirit. And in what proportion the Soul doth convert herself to such gross Unions: in the same she doth divert herself from the delicate, Intellectual, and cordial union.  
10. You see then plainly THEOTIME that these Unions which tend to Sensible Complacence and passions, are so fare from producing, or conserving Love, that they do greatly hurt, and render it extremely weak. So when the incestuous AMMON, who languished, and died as it were in the Love of THAMAR had once arrived at these Sensual and Brutal Unions, his heart was so rob of Cordial love, that never after he could endure to see her: but with indignity pushed her out, violating no less cruelly the Right of love, than he had impudently stained that of blood.  
11. Basill, Rosemary, Marigouls, Isope, Cloves, Camimell, Nutmeygs, Lemen, and Musk put together and incorporated, do yield a truly delightful odour by the mixture of their good smells; yet not nigh that of the water which is thence distilled, in which the sweets of all these Ingredients squised from their bodies, are mixed in a more excellent manner: meeting to the making up of a most perfect odour, which doth penetrate the sense of smelling fare more lively than it would, if together with the waters the bodies of the Ingredients were found mingled, and united; So love may be found in the Unions of sensual powers, mixed with the Unions of intellectual powers, but never so excellently, as then, when the sole Heart and Courage abstracted from all corporal affections, united together, do purify and Spiritualise Love.. For the sent of affections by such mixture, is not only sweeter, and better, but more lively, active, and .  
12. True it is, that many having rustic, earthy, and vile hearts, do put a rate upon Loves, as upon pieces of gold: where the most massive and weighty are the best, and most currant; for so their opinion goes, that Brutish love is more strong because it is more violent, and turbulent: more  because more gross, and terreane: greater because more sensible, and rough: but contrariwise Love is as fire, which by how much more its matter is delicate, by so much the flames are more clear and fair, which cannot be better extinguihed then by depressing them, and covering them with earth, for in like manner, by how much more abstract and spiritual the subject of love is, by so much his actions are more lively, subsistent, and permanent: nor is there a more easy way to ruinated it, then by prostituting it to vile and terreane actions. The difference as S. GREGORY sayeth betwixt spiritual and corporal pleasures, is, that corporal ones beget a desire before we obtain them: and being obtained, a disgust; but spiritual ones contrariwise, bring disgust before we have them: and being had, pleasure: so that brutal love which thinks by the Union which he maketh with the Beloved, to perfect and crown his desires, finding that to the contrary, he destroyeth them in ending them, is left in disgust of such Union. Which moved the great Philosopher to say that almost every beast after the enjoying of his most ardent and pressing corporal pleasure remains sad, mournful and astonished: as a Merchant, who having fed himself with hope of great gains, doth find his hopes frustrated, and his bark engaiged in a rude Haven: whereas Intellectual love finding in the Union made with her object contentment passing his hopes, accomplishing in the surplus his complacence; he continewes it in uniting himself, and continually doth further unite himself in continuing it.   

That there are two portions in the soul, and how. CHAPTER XII.  
1. WE have but one Soul THEOTIME, and an indivisible one: but in that one Soul, there are divers degrees of perfections, for she is Living, Sensible, and Reasonable, and according to these divers degrees, she hath also divers Proprieties, and Inclinations by which she is carried to the pursuit and Union of things. For first we see, the Vine doth hate as one would say, and fly the Colewort, so that the one of them are pernicious to th'other: and contrariwise is delighted in the Olive; so we perceive a natural contrariety betwixt Men and Serpents, in so much that a man's fasting spittle is to them mortal: and contrariwise, Man and Sheep have a wondrous conveniency, and doth delight the one in the other. Now this inclination doth not proceed from any knowledge the one hath of the birth of his contrary, or of the profit of him with whom he doth sympathy: but only from a certain secret and hidden quality, which doth produce this insensible contrariety and antipathy, as also this complacence and sympathy.  
2. Secondly, we have in us the Sensitive appetite, whereby we are moved to the inquiry and flight of divers things by means of the sensitive knowledge we have of them, not unlike to Cattles whereof one hath an appetite to one thing, an other to an other, according to the knowledge, which they have agreeable or disagreeable unto them, and this appetite resides, or from it floweth the Love, which we call Sensual or Brutal, which yet properly speaking ought not to be termed love, but simply be called appetite.  
3. Thirdly, in so much as we are reasonable we have a will by which we are carried to the inquiry of Good, according as by discourse we know, or judge it to be such; again, we manifestly discover in our Soul as it is Reasonable two degrees of perfection, which great S. AUGUSTINE, and after him all the DOCTORS, have named the two portions of the soul Inferior and Superior; of which that is called Inferior which discourseth, and deduceth consequences, as she apprehendeth and experienceth by Sense: and that Superior, which reasoneth and draws consequences, according to an Intellectual knowledge not founded upon the experience of sense, but on the discretion and judgement of the mind of spirit; hence this superior part is called the Spirit or the Mental part of the soul, as the Inferior is termed commonly Sense, feeling, or humane reason.  
4. Now this Superior part discourseth according to two sorts of lights, that is either according to a Natural light, as the Philosophers, and all those who discoursed by sciences did: or according to a Supernatural light as Divins, and Christians, so fare fourth as they establish their discourse upon Faith, and the revealed word of God, and more particular illustrations, inspirations, and motions from heaven. This is that which S. AUGUSTINE sayeth that by the superior portion of the soul we adhere and apply ourselves to the observance of the eternal law.  
5. JACOB extremely pressed with want of domestical necessaries, solicited Benjamin that he might be led away by his brethren into EGIPTE, which yet he did against his proper liking, as the sacred History witnesseth, in which he testifieth two wills, th'one Inferior by which he grudged his departure, the other Superior by which he took resolution to part with him: for the discourse which moved him to disaprove his departure, was founded in the sensible pleasure he took in his presence, and the displeasure he was to feel by his absence, which are apprehensive and sensible grounds: but the resolution which he took to send him, was grounded upon a reason of state in his family, to provide for future, and approaching necessities. ABRAHAM according to the Inferior portion of his soul spoke words testifying in him a kind of diffidence when the Angel announced unto him the happy tidings of a Son, do you think that by a centenary, a child may be begotten? but according to his Superior part he believed in God, and it was reputed unto him for justice. According to his Inferior part doubtless he was in great anguish, when he had received command to sacrifice his Son: but according to his Superior part he resolved courageously to sacrifice him.  
6. We also daily experience in ourselves divers Contra●●●ills. A Father sending his Son either to Court, or to his studies, doth not deny tears to his departure, testifying, that though according to his Superior part, for the Child's advamcement in virtue, he wills his departure, yet according to his Inferior part he finds repugnance in the separation; and though a Girl be married to her own contentment and her Mothers, yet with her benediction she receives tears, in such sort that, though the Superior will, give way to the departure, yet the Inferior shows resistance: We must not hence infer that a man hath two souls or two natures, as the MANICHEANS dreamt, no sayeth S. AUGUSTINE in the 8. BOOK OF HIS CONFESSIONS AND X. CHAP. but the will enticed by divers baits, and moved by divers reasons seems to be divided in herself, while she is diversely drawn, till making use of her liberty, she maketh choice of the one, or the other: for then the more efficacious Will surmounteth, and gaining the day, leaves the soul to resent the evil that the debate brought, which we call remorse.  
7. But the example of our Saviour is admirably useful in this behalf, and being considered it leaves no further doubt touching the distinction of the Superior, and Inferior part of the soul: for who amongst the Divines knows not that he was perfectly glorious from the instant of his Conception in his Virgin Mother's womb, and yet at the same time he was subject to Sorrow, grief, and afflictions of heart: nor must we say he suffered only in body, nor yet only in soul, as it was sensible, or, which is the sa●● thing, according to sense: for himself doth attest that before he suffered any exterior torment, or saw the Tormentor by him, his soul was heavy even to death. For which cause he made his prayer, that the Cup of his Passion might be transported from him: that is, that he might be exempted from it; in which he doth manifestly show the desire of the Inferior portion of his soul; which discoursing upon the sad and anguishing objects of his Passion provided for him (the lively image whereof was represented to his Imagination) he gathered by lawful consequence, the absence and want of these things which he demanded of his Father: by which we clearly see that the Inferior part of the soul, is not the sensitive degree of the same, nor the Inferior will the same with the Sensitive appetite: for neither the sensitive appetite, nor the Soul in so much as it is Sensitive, is capable of making any demand or prayer, these being acts of the Reasonable power: and especially they are incapable of speech with God, an object above the senses reach, to make it known to the appetite; but the same Saviour having thus exercised the Inferior part, and testified that according to it and its codsiderations, his will declined the griefs and pains; He shown afterwards that he had a superior part by which inviolably adhering to the Eternal will, and Decree made by his heavenly Father, he willingly accepted death, and notwithstanding the Inferior part of reason, he sayeth, ah! no Lord, not my will, but thine be done; when he sayeth, My will, he takes it according to the Inferior portion, and in as much as he sayeth it voluntarily, he shows in himself a Superior will.   

That in these 2. portions of the soul there are found 4. different degrees of reason. CHAPTER XII.  
1. THere were three Portals in salomon's Temple; one for Gentiles and strangers, who having recourse to God, came to adore in Jerusalem: the second for the Israelits, men and women, (the separation of men from women not being made by SALOMON); the third for Priests, and levites; and then there was the Sanctuary or sacred house the which was open to the Hig● Priest only, and that but once a year. Our R●●son or rather our soul as she is reasonable is the true Temple of the Almighty, who there takes up his chief residence. I sought thee, Sayeth S. AUGUSTINE, without myself, but found thee not, because thou wast with in me. In this mystical Temple there are also three partitions, which are Three different degrees of reason. In the first we discourse according to the experience of Sense: in the second according to Humane Sciences: in the third according to faith; but beyond all this we discover a certain Hight, or highest point of reason, and the spiritual faculty, which is not guided by the light of discourse or reason, but by a simple view of the understanding, and a simple touch of the will, by which the soul yields, and submits herself to Verity, and the will of God.  
2. Now this extremity and Climate of our soul, this highest point of our spirit, is naturally well represented by the Sanctuary or Holy place: For first in the Sanctuary there were no windows to give light; In this degree of the soul there is no discourse which doth illuminate. Secondly in the Sanctuary, all the light entered by the Port; in this degree of the soul nothing enters but by faith, which produceth in manner of rays, the view and gust of the beauty and bounty of the good pleasure of God. Thirdly, none entered into the Sanctuary, save the high Priest; In this point of the soul, discourse approacheth not, but only the high, universal, and sovereign feeling, that the divine will ought soveraignely to be embraced, loved, and approved, not only in some particular things, but generally in all things: nor generally in all things only, but also particularly in each thing. Foverthly, the High Priest entering into the Sanctuary, obscured even that light which came by the Port, and the abundance of perfumes from his Thurible repulsed the rays of light, which by the Port sought passage; and all the light which is in the supreme part of the soul, is in some sort obscured, and vealed, by the renunciations, and resignations which the soul makes, not desiring so much to behold and see the Beauty of the Truth, and the Truth of the Bounty presented unto her, as to embrace and adore the same: in suchwise, that the soul would almost shut her eyes, as soon as she gins to see the dignity of God's will, to th'end, that not being further occupied in that consideration, she might more powerfully and perfectly receive it, and by an absolute complacence infinitely unite, and submit herself thereunto. Fiftly to conclude, in the Sanctuary was kept the Ark of the Alliance, and in that, or joining to it, the Tables of the Law, MANNA in a golden vessel, AARON'S rod, which in a night bore flowers, and fruit; and in this highest point of the soul, first of all the light of faith, figured by the MANNA enclosed in the pot whereby we quietly believe the truth of mysteries which our understanding can not attain to; secondly, the profit of hope represented by Aaron's flourishing and fruitful rod, by which we confidently expect our promised happiness, which we see not. Thirdly, the sweetness of holy charity represented by God's commandments which she contains whereby we repose in the union of our spirit with God's, which we scarcely perceive.  
3. And although Faith, Hope, and Charity do disperse their divine motions, into almost all the faculties of the soul, as well reasonable as sensitive, reducing and holily subiecting them to their just authority: yet their special residence, their true and natural Manor, is this supreme region of the soul, from whence as from a happy source of live water, it brancheth itself out by divers Conduits, and Brooks upon the inferior parts, and faculties.  
4. So that THEOTIME in the superior part of reason, there are Two degrees of reason; in the one, those discourses are made which depend of faith, and supernatural light; in the other the simple repose of faith, hope, and charity. SAINT PAUL'S soul, found here selfe pressed with two divers desires: the one, to be delivered from his body to fly up straight to JESUS CHRIST, the other to remain in this would to labour in the conversion of souls; both these desires were without doubt in the Superior part, for they proceeded both from Charity: but his resolution of the later proceeded not from discourse, but from a simple light, and liking he had of his master's will, towards which the very point of the spirit of this great servant turned, to the prejudice of all that Discourse might conclude.  
5. But if Faith, Hope, and Charity, be form by this holy Rest in the point of the spirit, how comes it to pass that in the Inferior part, discourse is made depending of the light of Faith. As we see Advocates in many words plead the facts, and rights of parties at the Bar; the Parliament, or Senate from above resolves all the strife by a positive sentence, which being pronounced, the Advocates and Auditors rest not for all that to discourse amongst themselves of the Parliaments motives there unto. Even so THEOTIME after discourse, and above all that the grace of God have persuaded the point and highest part of the spirit to believe, and form an Act of faith by manner of sentence, the understanding doth not leave to discourse again upon that same Act of faith already conceived, to consider the motives and reasons thereof, yet so, as Theological Discourses pass in the lower Benches, and Bar of the Superior portion of the soul: but the Arrests, above in the Tribunal of the point of the spirit. And because the knowledge of these 4. degrees of the reason, is much conducing to the understanding of all the treatises of spiritual things, I have enlarged myself in the explication thereof.   

The difference of loves. CHAPTER. XIII.  
1. Love is divided into two species whereof the one is called Love of benevolence or good will, th'other, Love of concupiscence. Love of concupiscence is that, by which we love things with pretention of profit. Love of benevolence that, by which we love a thing for its own profit. For what other thing is it, to love one with the love of benevolence or good will, then to will him good?  
2. If he to whom we will good, have already obtained and possessed it, than we wish it him by the pleasure, and contentment which we have to see him possessed of it; and hence springs Love of complacence, which is only an act of the will by which it is joined and united to the pleasure, content, and good of an other. But in case he to whom we wish good, have not yet obtained it, we desire it him, and thence, that love is termed Love of desire.  
3. When Love of benevolence is exercised without correspondance of the beloved, it is called Love of simple benevolence, but when it is practised with mutual correspondance it is called love of friendship. Now Mutual correspondence consisteth of three things, to wit a mutual love, a mutual knowledge of the same, conversation and private familiarity.  
4. If we love our friend without preferring him before others, 'tis Simple familiarity; if with preference, than this familiarity turns to be Dilection, or as one would say, A love by election, as making choice of this, from amongst many things we love, and preferring it.  
5. Again when by this Dilection we do not much prefer one friend before others, 'tis called Simple dilection; but if contrariwise we much more esteem, and greatly prefer one before another of the same rank, than this friendship is called Dilection by excellency.  
6. But if the esteem, and preference of our friend, though great and without equal, do yet enter into comparison, and proportion with others, the friendship shall be called Eminent dilection: but if the eminency thereof do without proportion incomparably pass all others, than it is graced with the Title of Incomparable, sovereign, and supereminent dilection; and in a word it shall be Charite due to one God only: And indeed in our language the word dear, dear, endeared, doth testify a certain particular esteem, prize, or value: so, that as amongst the people the word HOMO is almost appropriated to the malekind as to the more excellent sex: and the word ADORATION is in a manner due to God only as it's prime object: so the word CHARITY is appropriated to him, as to the supreme and sovereign dilection.   

That charity ought to be named love. CHAPTER XIIII.  
1. ORIGIN sayeth that the holy Scripture, in his opinion, used the word Charity and Dilection as terms more honest; lest the word Love might give occasion of evil thoughts to the weaker sort, as being more proper to signify a carnal passion than a spiritual affection. But S. AUGUSTINE having deeplier weighed the use of God's word, clearly shows, that the word Love is no less sacred than the word Dilection, and that as well the one, as the other do sometimes signify an holy affection, as sometimes also a depraved passion, alleading to this purpose divers passages of holy Scripture. But the great S. DENIS, as chief Doctor of the PROPRIETY OF DIVINE NAMES, goes much further in favour of the word Love, teaching that the Divins, that is the apostles and their first Disciples (for this Saint knew no other Divins) to disabuse the vulgar, and tame their Fancy who took the word Love, in a profaine and carnal sense, the more willingly employed it to signify divine things, then that of Dilection, and though they thought that both were indifferently taken for the same thing: yet some of them were of opinion, that the word Love was more proper and agreeing to God, than the word Dilection. Hence the divine IGNATIUS left these words written, MY LOVE IS CRUCIFIED. And as these Ancient Divins made use of the word Love in heavenly matters, to quit it of the touch of impurity, wherewith in the world's imagination it was suspected, so to express humane affections, they pleased to use the word Dilection, as exempt from all suspicion of dishonesty. Whereupon some of them, as S. DENIS reporteth, said, thy Dilection hath made entry into my soul as the Dilection of women, In fine the word Love doth signify more fervour, efficacy, and activity, then that of Dilection; so that amongst the Latins, Dilection is much less significative then Love.. CLAUDIUS sayeth, the great Orator bears me Dilection, and to say it more excellently, He love's me: and therefore the word Love, as the more excellent, hath justly been imposed upon Charity as principal, and most eminent of all Loves. For these reasons, and for that I pretended to speak of the Acts of Charity more than of her habits, I have entitled this small work, A TREATISE OF THE LOVE OF GOD.   

Of the conveniency betwixt God and man. CHAPTER. XV.  
1. AS soon as a man takes the Divinity into his consideration with a little attention, he feels a certain delightful leaping of the heart, witnessing that God, is God of man's heart, and that our understanding is never so filled with pleasure, as in this consideration, the least knowledge whereof, as sayeth the prince of Philosophers, is more worth than the greatest of other things, as the least Sun beam is brighter, than the greatest from the Moon, or stars; yea is more lightsome than the Moon, and stars altogether, so that if any dreadful accident assay our heart, it hath presently recourse to the Divinity, protesting therein, that when all other things fail him, that only stands his friend, and when danger threateneth, that only is his sovereign good, and can save and warrant him.  
2. This confidence, this pleasure which man's heart naturally takes in God, can spring from no other root then from the conveniency which is betwixt God and man's soul, a great, but secret conveniency; a conveniency which each one knows, but few understands; a conveniency which cannot be denied, nor yet be well founded; we are created to the similitude and likeness of God: what is this to say? if not, that we have an extremely great proportion with the divine Majesty.  
3. Our soul is spiritual, indivisible, immortal, understands, willeth, and that freely, is capable of discourse, judgement, knowledge, and of virtues, in all which it resembles God. It is all in all, and all in every part of the body, as the Divinity is all in this our All, and all in every part thereof: man knows and love's himself by acts produced, and expressed by his understanding, and will, distinguished in themselves; remaining notwithstanding inseparably united in the soul, and in these faculties from whence they proceed. So the Son proceeds from the Father, as his knowledge expressed; and the Holy Ghost, as love expired, and produced from the Father and the Son: both the Persons being distinct in themselves, and from the Father, and yet inseparable and united, or rather one same sole, simple, only, indivisible Divinity.  
4. But besides this conveniency of similitude, there is an incomparable correspondence betwixt God and man, by reason of their reciprocal perfection, not that God can receive any perfection from man, but because, as man cannot be perfected but by the divine Bounty, so the divine Bounty can scarcely so well exercise its perfection out of itself, as upon our humanity, th'one hath great want, and capicitie to receive good; th'other great abundance, and inclination to bestow it: nothing is so agreeable to poverty as a liberal abundance, nor to a liberal abundance, as a needy poverty, and by how much the good is more abundant, by so much more strong is the inclination to pour fourth, and communicate itself: By how much more the poor man is in want, by so much greater is his appetite to receive, as an empty thing to fill itself. The concurrence then of abundance and poverty, is most sweet and agreeable: nor could one almost have discerned, whether the abounding good hath a greater contentment in opening, and communicating itself; or the needy and indigent good in receiving and drawing to itself; if our Saviour had not said, that there is a greater felicity in giving then in receiving: but where there is more felicity, there is more satisfaction, and therefore the divine bounty receives greater pleasure in giving, than we in receiving.  
5. Mother's have sometimes their breasts so fruitful and abundant, that they cannot contain, but give them some child to suck, and though the child draw the pap with great ardour, yet doth the Mother give it more ardently, the sucking child pressed by its necessity, and the nourishing Mother pressed with her fecundity.  
6. The sacred Spouse wished for the holy kiss of union: o sayeth she, let him deign me a kiss of his mouth. But is there Sympathy enough o thou Beloved of the Beloved betwixt thee and thy heavenly Spouse, to come to the union which thou desirest? I quoth she, give me this kiss of union o thou dear friend of my heart, for thy dugs are better than wine, though perfumed with excellent odours. New wine works and boyles in itself by virtue of its goodness, and cannot be contained within the piece, and thy dugs are yet better, they press thy breast with continual shutting pouring out their superabundant milk, as wishing to be discharged of it: and to draw the children of thy heart to suck them, they pour out a more powerfully drawing odour then all the odours of perfums, so that THEOTIME we stand in need of God's abundance being poor and needy, but God's abundance hath no need of our poverty but by reason of the excellency of his perfection, and bounty. Bounty, which is not at all bettered by communication: For it doth acquire nothing in pouring itself out of itself, but contrariwise gives: but our poverty would remain abject and miserable, if it were not enriched by the divine abundance.  
7. Our soul then seeing that nothing can perfectly content her, and that nothing the world can afford, is able to fill her capacity, considering that her understanding hath an infinite inclination still to know more; and her will an unwearied appetite to search and love good: hath she not reason to cry out. Ah, I am not then made for this world! There is a sovereign good on which I depend, an infinite workman who hath impressed in me this endless desire of knowing, and this insatiable appetite: and therefore I must tend and extend myself towards him, to unite and join myself to his bounty, to whom I appertain and am; Such is the sympathy betwixt God and man's soul!   

That we have a natural inclination to love God above all things. CHAPTER XVI.  
1. IF there were any of that integrity and original justice, in which ADAM was created, though otherwise not helped by any other assistance, then that which he affordeth to all Creatures in common, to produce actions befitting their natures, they should not only have an inclination to love God above all things, but even naturally they could put in execution that so just an inclination: for as this heavenly author and Nature-maister doth cooperate, and lend his strong hand to the fires ascent, to the waters course towards the sea, to the earth's descent unto the Centre and its abode there. So having with his own finger planted in man's heart a special natural inclination not only to love good in general; but in particular, and above all things to love his divine goodness, which is better and more amiable than all things together. The sweetness of his sovereign providence required, that he should contribute to the happy men of whom we speak, as much help as should be necessary to practise, and effect that inclination; And of one side this help should be natural, as being agreeable to nature, and tending to the love of God, as he is author and sovereign Master of nature; and on th'other side it should be supernatural; because it would correspond not with man's pure nature, but with nature adorned, enriched and honoured by original justice, which is a supernatural quality proceeding from God's special favour. But as touching love above all things, which should be exercised according to this help, it should be called natural, because virtuous actions take their names from their objects and motives, and this love whereof we speak should tend only to God, as acknowledged to be Author, Lord ad sovereign of every creature by a natural light only, and consequently to be amiable and estimable above all things, by natural propension and inclination.  
2. And although now our humane nature be not endued with that health and original justice, which the first man had in his Creation, and that contrariwise we are greatly depraved by sin, yet notwithstanding the holy inclination of of loving God above all things stays with us, as also the natural light by which we see his sovereign goodness more amiable than all other things, and it is impossible that one thinking attentively upon God, yea even by natural discourse only, should not feel a certain touch of love, which the secret inclination of our nature doth excite in the bottom of our hearts, by which at the prime apprehension of this prime and sovereign object, the will is prevented, and perceives herself stirred up to a complacence in him.  
3. It happens often amongst PARTRIDGES, that one steals away an others eggs with intention to sit them, whether moved by a greediness to become Mothers, or a stupidity which makes them mistake their own: And behold a strange thing, yet not without good testimony; the young one which was hatched, and nourished under the wings of a stranger Partridge, at her true Mother's first call, who had laid the egg whence she was hatched, quits the pilching Partridge, renders herself to her first Mother, and puts herself into her Covey, by the correspondance which she hath with her first origine: a correspondance notwithstanding which appeared not, but remained secret, shut up, and as it were put a sleep in the bottom of nature, till she met with her object, which suddenly excited and in a sort awakened, strikes the stroke, and turns the young Partridge's appetite to her former duty. 'tis the like THEOTIME of our heart, which though it be covied, nourished, and bred amongst corporal, base, and terreane things, and in a manner under the wings of nature, notwithstanding at the first view it takes of God, upon the first intelligence it receives of him it's Natural and prime inclination to love God, which was dull and imperceptible, doth waken in an instant, and of a sudden appears as a spark from amongst the finders, which touching our will, lanceth her with Supreme love dew unto the Sovereign and prime principale of all things.   

That we have not naturally the power to love God above all things. CHATPER. XVII.  
1. THe Eagle hath a good heart, and that, seconded with a strong wing for flight, yet hath she imcomparably more sight than wing, and doth cast with quicker dispatch, and in further distance her eye, than her body: so our souls animated with an holy natural inclination towards the Divinity, hath fare more light in her Understanding to see how much it is amiable, then force in her will to love it in effect: For sin hath much more debilitated man's will, then dimmed his Reason; and the rebellion of the sensual appetite which we call Concupiscence doth indeed disturb the Understanding; but it is quite contrary to the will, stirring up against it seditions and revoults: so that the poor will wholly infirm, and shaken with continual assaults, which Concupiscence waigeth against her, cannot make so great progress in divine Love, as Reason and Natural inclination suggesteth that she ought to do.  
2. Alas THEOTIME, how fair arguments, not only of a great knowledge of God, but also of a great inclination towards him, have those great Philosophers, SOCRATES, PLATO, TRISMEGISTUS, ARISTOTLE, HIPPOCRATES, SENECA, EPICTETES, left behind them. SOCRATES the most laudable amongst them, came to the clear knowledge of the unity of God, and felt in himself such an inclination to love him, that as S. AUGUSTINE witnesseth, many were of opinion that he never had other aim in teaching moral Philosophy, then to purify their wits for the better contemplation of the Sovereign good, which is the most indivisible Divinity. And for PLATO he doth sufficiently declare himself in his definition of Philosophy, and of a Philosopher, saying that to do the part of a Philosopher is nothing else but to love God, and a Philosopher no other thing then, A Lover of God. What shall I say of great ARISTOTLE, who so efficaciously proves God's unity, and spoke so honourably of it, in divers occurrences.  
3. But o eternal God! those great wits which had so great knowledge of the Divinity, and so great a propension to love it, wanted all of them force and courage to love it well indeed. By visible things they came to the invisible things of God, yea even to his eternal virtue, and Divinity sayeth the Apostle; in so much, as they are inexcusable as having known God, and not having glorified him as God, nor rendered him thankes. Indeed they glorified him in some sort attributing unto him the sovereign Titles of honour, yet did they not glorify him as they ought; that is, they glorified him not above all things, not having the heart to ruinated Idolatry, but communicated with it, detaining Verity, which they known, prisoner by injustice in their hearts, and preferring the honour and vain repose of their life, before the honour due unto God, they vanished in their own knowledge.  
4. Is it not great pity THEOTIME to see SOCRATES, as PLATO reports, speak upon his deathbed, concerning the Gods, as though there had been many, he knowing so well that there was but one only? Is't not a thing to be deplored, that PLATO who understood so clearly the truth of the Divine unity, should ordain that sacrifice should be done to many Gods? And is it not a lamentable thing that TRISMEGISTUS should so basely lament, and plain the abolishment of Idolatry, who in so many occasions, had spoken so worthily of the Divinity? But above all I admire the poor good man EPICTETES, whose words and sentences are so sweet in our tongue, translated by the learned, and fair Plume of the R. F. D. JOHN of S. FRANCIS, Provincial of the Congregation of the FULIANS in GAUL, not long ago exposed to our view. For what a pity was it I pray you to see this excellent Philosopher, speak of God some times with such gust, feeling, and Zeal, that one would have taken him for a Christian, coming from some holy, and profound meditation, and yet again at divers times, mentioning the Pagan Gods? Alas this good man who known so well the unity of God and had so much gust in his bounty, why had he not a pious jealousy of the divine honour to th'end not to flatter or dissemble in a matter of so great consequence?  
5. In some THEOTIME our caitiff nature, disenabled by sin, is like our country Palmtrees, which in deed make some imperfect productions, and as it were essays of fruit, but to bear entire, ripe, and seasoned Dates, is reserved for a better Climate; for even so certes, man's heart doth naturally produce certain Onsets of God's love but to proceed so fare, as to love him above all things, which is the fullness of love's growth, due unto this Supreme goodness, this is proper only to hearts animated and assisted with heavenly grace, being in the state of holy charity: and this little imperfect love, of whose touches nature in herself is sensible, is but a will without will, a will that would, but will not; a sterile will, which doth not produce true effects, a will sick of the Palsy, which seethe the healthful Pond of holy Love; but hath not the strength to throw herself into it; to conclude this will is an abortive of the good will, and hath not necessary life, and generous vigour, to prefer God in effect before all things. Whereupon the Apostle in person of the sinner, cries out, There is will in me, but I find not the means to accomplish it.   

That the natural inclination which we have to love God is not without profit. CHAPTER XVIII.  
1. But seeing we have not power naturally to love God above all things, why have we naturally an inclination to it? Is not Nature vain to incite us to a Love, which she cannot bestow upon us? Why doth she move in us a thirst of a precious water, whereof she cannot make us drink? Ah THEOTIME how good God was with us! the perfidiousness which we did commit in offending him, deserved truly that he should have deprived us of all the marks of his benevolence, and of the favour which he deigned to our nature, when he imprinted upon her the light of his divine countenance, and endued our hearts with a joyfulness to perceive themselves inclined to the love of the divine goodness, to the end that the Angels seeing this miserable man, might by way of compassion have occasion to say; is this the creature perfect in beauty? the glory of the earth?  
2. But this infinite Clemency could never be so rigorous to the work of his hands. He saw that we were clothed with flesh; A wind which consumes in passing and returns not; and therefore according to the bowels of his Mercy, he would not utterly ruinated us, nor deprive us of the sign of his lost grace, to the end that weighing, and feeling in ourselves this inclination, and propension to love, we should endeavour to love indeed, and to the end that none might justly say, Who will show us the God? For though by this sole natural inclination we cannot be so happy, as to love God as we ought; yet if we employ it faithfully, the sweetness of the divine Piety, would afford us some assistance, by means whereof, we might make progress, and seconding this first assistance. God would bestow upon us another greater, and conduct us from good to better in all sweetness, till he brought us to the Sovereign love, to which our natural inclination draws us; sithence it is certain, that the divine goodness doth never deny his helping hand, more and more to advance him whom he sees faithful in a little, and do what he is able.  
3. This natural inclination then which we have to love God above all things, is not left for nothing in our hearts: for God of his part makes use of it as of a Handle, by which he takes hold, to draw us more sweetly unto himself; and it seems the Divine Goodness by this impression, doth in some sort, hold our hearts tied, as little birds in a string, by which he can draw us when it pleaseth his mercy to take pity upon us: to us it is a mark and memorial of our first Principle, and Creator, to whose love it moves us, leaving in us a secret intimation, that we belong to his Divine Goodness. Even as Hearts whom princes have sometimes taken, and put upon them Collars with their Arms, though afterwards they cause them so to be let lose, and run at liberty in the Forest, do not leave to be known to any that lights upon them, not only to have been once taken by the Prince, whose Cognoisance they bear but also to be still reserved for him: for so the extreme old age of a Hart was known, which according to some Historians was taken three hundred years after the death of Cesar, because he was found in a Choler with Caesar's Arms upon it, and this Mote: CESAR LET ME GO.  
4. Certes the honourable inclination which God hath left in our hearts doth testify as well to our friends as our enemies, that we did not only sometimes belong to our Creator, but furthermore, though he did let us run, and leave us to the mercy of our freewill, that we do still appertain unto him, and he reserved a right in us, to take us again to himself when he pleased, to save us according as his holy and sweet providence shall require. Hence the Royal Prophet terms this inclination, not a light only, in that it makes us see whether we are to tend, but also, a joy and a cheerfulness, for that it doth comfort us in our straying, giving us a hope that he who did engrave and left in us this fair mark of our origine, pretends also and desires to reduce and bring us back thither, if we be so happy as to leave ourselves to the will of the divine goodness.   
The end of the first book.   

THE SECOND BOOK. THE HISTORY OF THE GENERATION, OR heavenly birth of divine Love..  

That the divine perfections are but one only, yet an infinite perfection. FIRST CHAPTER.  
I. WHEN the sun riseth red, soon after turning black, or hollow and bended; or else when it setteth bleak, pale, and sad, we say it is a sign of rain. THEOTIME the sun is neither red, black, pale grey, nor green; This great light is not obnoxius to vicissituds or change of colours, having no other colour at all, then it's most clear and perpetual brightness, which, unless by Miracle, is unvariable. But we use this manner of speech, because it seems such to us, following the variety of vapours interposed betwixt it and us, making it so diversely appear.  
2. Now we discourse in like manner of God, not so much according to that which he in himself is, as by his works; by means whereof we contemplate him: for according to our divers considerations we name him diversely, even as though he had a great multitude of different Excellences and Perfections; If we consider him as he punisheth the wicked, we term him JUST; If as he delivereth sinners from their misery, we publish him MERCIFUL; As he created all things and worketh Miracles, we name him OMNIPOTENT; as exactly performing his promises, we diwlge him TRUE; as ranging all things in so goodly an order, we instile him MOST-WISE: and consequently beholding the diversity of his works, we attribute unto him great diversity of perfections; This notwithstanding, in God there is neither Variety, nor any kind of different Perfections. But he is in himself one, most sole, most simple and most indivisibly one Perfection: for all that is in him, is no other thing than himself: And all the Excellencies which we say are in him in so great diversity, are there united in a most simple, and pure Unity. And as the Sun hath none of the colours which we asscribe unto it, but one sole most clear light, passing all colour, and rendering all colours actually visible: so in God there is none of those Perfections which we imagine, but one only most pure excellency, which is above all Perfection, and gives perfection to all that is perfect. Now to assign a perfect name to this Supreme excellency, which in its most singular unity doth comprehend, yea surmount all excellency, is not within the reach of a Creature Humane or Angelical. For as we find in the Apocalypse our Lord hath a Name which no man knows but himself; for that he only perfectly seeing his own infinite Perfection, he also can only express it in a Name proportionable: whence the Ancients affirmed, that God alone was true Divine; for so much as none but he only could arrive to the full knowledge of the infinite greatness of the divine Perfection, nor consequently set it out in words. For this cause, God by the Angel answering Samsons Father who demanded his Name. Why dost thou demand my Name quoth he, which is Admirable? As though he would have said; my Name may be admired, but never pronounced by Creatures: It must be adored, but cannot be comprised, save by me, who only can pronounce the proper Name, by which truly and to the life I express my Excellency. Our thoughts are too feeble to form a conceit which might represent an Excellency so Immense, that comprehendeth in his most simple, and most indivisible Perfection, distinctly and perfectly all other Perfections, in an infinitely excellent and eminent manner, to which our thoughts cannot raise themselves; At least in some sort to speak of God, we are forced to use a great number of names saying that he is GOOD, WISE, OMNIPOTENT, TRUE, JUST, HOLY, INFINITE, IMMORTAL, INVISIBLE. And certes we say true, God is all this together, because he is more than all this; that is to say he is in so pure, excellent, and elevated a manner, that in one most simple perfection he contains the Virtue, Vigour, and excellency of all perfection.  
3. So Manna was one only meat which containing in it self the taste and virtue of all other meats; one might have said of it, that it had the taste of Lemons, Melons, Raisins, Prunes, and Pears, yet might one truelyer have said, that it had not all these gusts, but one only, which was properly its own: containing notwithstanding in its unity, all that was agreeable, and to be desired in all the diversity of all other gusts. As the herb DEDECATHEOS' which as PLINY sayeth curing all diseases, is neither Rhubarb, Sene, Rose, Betonie, or Bugle, but a pure simple, which in the only simplicity of its propriety contains as much virtue as the mixture of all the other medecins. O Abyss of divine Perfections! how admirable thou art, to possess in one only Perfection, the Excellency of all Perfection, in so excellent a sort, that none can comprehend it but thyself?  
4. We will say much, sayeth the holy Scripture of this matter, and yet shall always come short in words, the some of all discourse is, that he is all things. If we glory, to what purpose shall it be? for the Almighty is above all his works. Blessing our Lord, exalte him as much as thou canst, for he passeth all Praise: In exalting him take breath again, marry weary not yourself in it, for you shall never be able to comprehend him. No THEOTIME we can never comprehend him, sith, as S. JOHN sayeth, he is larger than our heart. Yet nevertheless let each Spirit praise our Lord, calling him by all the most eminent Names which may be found. And for the greatest Praise we can render unto him, let us confess that never can he be sufficiently praised. And for the most excellent Name we can attribute unto him, let's protest that his name passeth all Names, nor can we worthily name him.   

That in God there is but one only Act, which is his proper Divinity. CHAPTER. II.  
1. THere are in us great diversity of Faculties, and Habits, which do produce great variety of actions, and they also an incomparable number of works. For in this manner the Faculties of hearing, seeing, tasting, touching, moving, engendering, nourishing, willing, and the Habits of speaking, walking, playing, singing, sowing, leaping, swimming, are divers, as also the actions and works which issue from these faculties and Habits, are much different.  
2. But it is not the like in God: for in him there is One only most simple infinite Perfection, and in that Perfection one only most sole, and most pure Act, yea to speak more sainctly, and sagely. God is one sole most sovereignly indivisible, and most indivisibly sovereign Perfection; and this Perfection is one sole most purely simple, and most simply pure Act, which being no other thing then the proper divine Essence, it is consequently ever permanent and eternal. Nevertheless, miserable Creatures that we are, we talk of God's Actions, as though daily done in great quantity and variety, knowing yet the contrary. But our weakness THEOTIME forceth us to this, for our Speech can but follow our Understanding; and our Understanding the customary passage of things with us. Now for as much as in natural things there is hardly any diversity of works, without diversity of Actions; when we behold so many different works, so great variety of productions, and the innumerable multitude of works of the divine Puissance, we deem forthwith, that this diversity is caused by as many Acts as we see different Effects, and we speak of them accordingly for our more ease, and to conform ourselves to the ordinary practice and custom we have to understand things, and yet do not we in this violate Truth; For though in God there is no multitude of Actions, but one sole act which is the Divinity itself; this Act notwithstanding is so perfect, that it comprehends by manner of Excellency, the force and virtue of all the Acts which might seem requisite to the production of all the divers Effects we see.  
3. God spoke but one word, and in virtue of that in a moment, the Sun, Moon, and that innumerable multitude of Stars, with their differences in brightness, motion, and influence, were made. 
He spoke, and scarcely yet begun:  
Behold a perfect work was done.  One of God's words filled the air with birds, and sea with fishes: made spring from the earth all the plants, and all the beasts we see. For though the sacred Historian, accommodating himself to our fashion of understanding recounts, that God did often repeat that Omnipontent word, according to the days of the world's Creation; nevertheless properly speaking, this word was purely one; so that David terms it a Breathing or Aspiration of the divine Mouth; that is one only Touch of his infinite will, which so powerfully with his virtue doth bedew the variety of things created, that thereby we conceive them as multiplied and diversifiied into differences proportionable to the Effects, though indeed it is most indivisible, and most simple; So doth S. CHRYSOSTOME mark that which MOSES made many words off describing the Creation of the world, the glorious S. JOHN expressed in a word, saying, that by the word, that is, by this Eternal word which is the Son of God, all was made.  
4. This word then THEOTIME being most simple, and most indivisible produceth all the distinction of things; being invariable produceth all good changes; and in fine being permanent in his Eternity, giveth succession, vicissitude, order, rank and season to all things.  
5. Let us imagine I pray you of one side a Painter drawing the picture of our Saviour's Birth (and I writ this in the Feast dedicated to this holy Mystery) doubtless he will give a thousand and a thousand touches with his Pencil, and will not only employ days, but even weeks, and months to perfect this Table, as the variety of persons and other things which he will there represent shall require. But on the other side let's behold a Stamper of pictures, who having spread his leaf upon the graved Planch of the Nativity giving but one only stroke of his Press, and in that only touch THEOTIME he will perfect his work, and presently he will take off his picture, gratfully representing in a fair and smouth cut all that aught to be imagined according to the sacred History: and though in one motion he performed the work; yet it carrieth a great number of personages and other different things, each one well distinguished in his order, rank, place, distance, and proportion. And one not acquainted with the secret, would be astonished to see proceed from one Act, so great variety of effects. So THEOTIME Nature as a Painter, multiplies, and diversifies her Acts, according as the works she hath in hand are divers; and she takes great time to finish great effects; But God as the Stamper, gave being to all the diversity of Creatures which have been, are, or shall be by one only touch of his omnipotent will, drawing from his Idea, as from a well graved stamp, this admirable difference of persons, and other things which succeed in seasons, ages, and times in their due order and being, this Sovereign unity of the divine Act being opposed to Confusion and Disorder, not to Distinction and Variety, which it implies in the composition of beauty, reducing all Differences and Diversities to Proportion; Proportion to Order, and Order to the Unity of the world which compriseth all things created visible and invisible, all which together are called the Universe peradventure because their Diversity is reduced to Unity; as though one would say One-diverse that is One and Divers, Unity with Diversity, or Diversity with Unity.  
6. In some, the sovereign divine Unity doth diversify; and his permanent Eternity gives change to all things, because the perfection of this unity being above all difference and variety it is able to furnish all the diversities of created perfections with their being; and contains a virtue to produce them; In sign of which the Scripture relats, that God in the beginning said, let the lights be made in the firmament of heaven, and let them separate day from night, and let them be signs for times, days, and years; further we see even to this day a perpetual revolution of times and seasons, which shall continue till the end of the world, to teach us, that as 
One word of his commanding will  
Doth all the world with motion fill.  So the only eternal will of his divine Majesty, extends his force from age to age, yea to the ages of ages, to all that hath been, is, or shall be eternally, nothing at all having any being, but by this sole, most simple, and most eternal divine Act, to which be honour and glory. Amen.   

Touching the divine providence in general. CHAPTER. III.  
1. GOd then THEOTIME needs no diversity of Acts sith that one only divine Act of his All puissant will by reason of its infinite perfection, is sufficient to produce all the variety of works. But we mortals must treat of them, in such an intelligible method and manner, as our small capacities may attain unto. Following which, in treating of the Divine providence, let us consider I pray you the reign of the great SALOMON, as a perfect model of the art of good government.  
2. This great king then, knowing by divine inspiration that the Weale-publicke dependeth upon Religion, as the Body upon the Soul: and Religion upon the Weale-publicke, as the Soul upon the Body, he disposed in his mind of all the parts requisite, as well for the establishment of Religion, as that of the Commonwealth; and touching Religion, he determined that a Temple was to be erected of such and such a length, breadth, and hight; so many Porches, and Portals, so many windows and so fourth concerning the rest which belonged to the Temple: Then so many Sacryficers, so many Singers, and other officers of the Temple. And as for the Common wealth, he ordained to make a Royal Palace, and a Court for his Majesty; in it, so many Stewards, so many Gentlemen and other Courtiers. And for the people, judges and other Magistrates who were to execute justice: further for the assurance of his kingdom and establishment of the wealpublicks repose, whereof himself was partaker, he appointed in time of peace a powerful Preparation for war, and to this effect two hundred and fifty Commanders in divers charges, forty thousand horse, and all that great furniture which the Scripture, and Historians do testify.  
3. Now having thus made his count, and disposed in himself of all the principal things requisite for his Kingdom, he came to the Act of Providence, and passed in his cogitation all things necessary for the structure of the Temple; to maintain the sacred Officers, Ministers, Royal Magistrates, and men of arms, which he had projected, he resolved to send to HIERAM for fit timber, to begin commerce with PERV, and OPHIR, and to take all convenient means to procure all things requisite for the entertainment and good conduct of his enterprise. Neither stayed he there THEOTIME, for having made his project, and deliberated in himself about the proper means to accomplish it; coming to the practice, he created officers according to his determination, and by a good government caused provision to be made of all things requisite to comply with, and execute their charges; so that having the knowledge of the art of well governing, he executed that disposition which he had passed in his mind touching the creation of Officers of every sort, and effected his Providence by the good government which he used; and so his art of good government which consisted in disposition, providence, or foresight, was practised in the creation of Officers, Government, and good carriage of things; But for so much as that disposition was fruitless without the Creation of Officers, and Creation also vain without Providence which looks for necessaries for the conservation of Officers created or erected; and in fine, that this Conservation effected by good government, is no other thing than Providence put in execution: and therefore not only the Disposition, but also the Creation, and good government of SALOMON, were called by the name PROVIDENCE: nor do we indeed say that a man is provident unless he govern well.  
4. Now THEOTIME speaking of heavenly things, according to the impression made in us by the consideration of humane things, we affirm that God, having had an eternal, and most perfect knowledge of the Art of making the world for his glory; First in his divine Understanding, he disposed all the principal parts of the Universe, which might render him honour: to wit Angelical and Humane Nature; and in the Angelical Nature, the variety of Hierarchies and Orders taught us by the sacred Scripture, and holy Doctors: as also amongst Men he ordained that there should be so great diversity as we see. Further in this same Eternity, he made account in himself, and foresaw all the means requisite for Men, and Angels to come to the end for which he had ordained them, and so made the Act of his providence, and without staying there to effect his Disposition, he Actually created Angels, and men: and to effect his Providence he did and doth furnish reasonable Creatures with all things necessary to attain Glory: So that to speak in a word, the Sovereign providence is no other thing, than the Act whereby God doth furnish men or Angels, with the means necessary or profitable to the obtaining of their end. But because our means are of divers kinds, we do also diversify the name of Providence, and say that there is one Providence natural, another Supernatural, and that this again is either General, special, or particular.  
5. And because hereafter THEOTIME I shall exhort you to join your will to God's Providence; while I am in hand with this discourse, I'll tell you a word of Natural providence. God then willing to provide men of natural means necessary for them to render glory to the divine bounty, he produced in their behalf all the beasts, and plants: and to provide for them also, he produced variety of Territories, Seasons, Fountains, Winds, Raine, and as well for man, as th'other things appertaining unto him, he created the elements, heaven, and stars, ordaining in an admirable manner, that almost each Creature affords a reciprocal service one to another; Horses carry us, and we dress and keep them; Sheep do feed and clothe us, and we graze them; the Earth sends her vapours to the air, it renders then in showers; the Hand serves the Foot, and the Foot the Hand. O! He that should consider the commerce and general traffic with a great correspondance, exercised amongst Creatures, how many amorous passions would move his heart toward this sovereign wisdom, to cry out; thy Providence, o great eternal father, governs all things! S. BASILE and S. AMBROSE in their EXAMEROUS, the good LEWIS OF GRANADO in his Introduction to the Creed, and LEWIS RICHEOME in divers of his fair works, would suggest many motives to well borne souls, to profit in this subject.  
6. Thus Dear THEOTIME this Providence toucheth all, reigns over all, and reduceth all to his glory. There is notwithstanding Chance, and Unexpected accidents, but that in regard of us only; for doubtless they were most certain to the Divine providence, who forseeth and directeth them to the good of the world's Commonwealth. Now these accident s do happen by the concourse of divers causes, which having no natural alliance one with the other, do produce each of them their particular effect, yet so as from their concourse, there issueth another effect, of a divers nature, to which though it could not be foreseen, all the different causes did contribute. For example ESCHILUS his curiosity was justly chastised, who being foretold by a Divine, that he should perish by the fall of a house, kept himself all that day in a plain field to escape the destiny, and staying close to it bareheadded, a Falcon who daring in the air held in her beeke a TORTOISE (espying his bald head, and guessing it had been the point of a Rock) let the shell fall right upon him; and behold ESCHILUS' dying in the broad field, suppressed with the house, broken with the shell. This was doubtless an Unexpected chance: For he betook not himself to the field to die, but to eschape death; nor did the Fanlcon dream of cracking a Poet's crown, but the crown and shell of the Tortoise, to make himself master of the meat within; yet it chanced to the contrary, for the Tortoise remained safe, and the poor ESCHILUS was slain. According to us, this chance was unexpected, but in respect of the Divine providence which looked from above and saw the concourse of causes, it was an Act of justice punishing the superstition of the man. Old IOSEP'S adventurs were admirable for variety, and for their passages betwixt two extremes. His brethren, who to extinguish him had sold him, were amazed to see him become Viceroy, and were mighty apprehensive that he remained sensible of the wrong they had done him: but no, said he, it was not so much by your plot, that I was sent hither as by the Divine providence, you had wicked designs against me, but God turned all to good. Do you mark THEOTIME the world would have termed this Fortune or Doubtful event, which JOSEPH calleth a project of the Sovereign Providence, which turneth and reduceth all to his service. The like it is of all things which happen in the world, yea even of Monsters, the birth of which makes complete and perfect works more esteemed, begets admiration, provokes discourse whence many wholesome thoughts proceed; In fine they are to the world, as shadows to pictures, which give a grace, and seem even to raise the colours.   

Of the supernatural providence which God useth towards reasonable creatures. CHAPTER four  
1. All God's works are ordained to man and Angels salvation: but see the order of his providence in this behalf, in such wise as by the observation of holy Scriptures and the writings of the Ancients we are able to discover it, and as our weakness permits us to speak of it.  
2. God knew from all Eternity that he was able to make an innumerable number of creatures in divers perfections and qualities, to whom he might communicate himself; and considering that amongst all the sorts of communications, there was none so excellent, as to join himself to some created nature in such sort as the Creature might be ingraffed and implanted in the Divinity, and become one only person with it; His infinite Bounty which of itself, and by itself is carried towards a communication, resolved and determined to communicate himself in this manner, to th'end that as eternally there is an Essential communication in God, by which the Father doth communicate all his infinite and indivisible Divinity to the Son in producing him, and the Father and the Son together producing the holy Ghost do communicate to him also their own indivisible Deity. So in like manner this Sovereign sweetness was so perfectly communicated without himself to a Creature, that the Created and Divine Nature, retaining each of them their own propriety were notwithstanding so united together, that they were but one Person.  
3. Now of all the Creatures which that Sovereign omnipotency could produce, he thought good to make choice of the same Humanity, which afterwards in effect, was joined to the Person of God the Son, to which he determined that incomparable honour of the Personal union to his divine Majesty, to th'end that for all Eternity, it might enjoy by way of Excellency the treasurs of his infinite glory, and having thus selected for this happiness, the sacred Humanity of our Saviour: the Supreme providence decreed not to restrain his goodness to the only Person of his well beloved Son, but favourably to pour it out upon divers other Creatures, and in gross upon the innumerable number of things which he could produce, he made choice to create Men and Angels to accompagnie his Son, participate of his graces and glory, adore and praise him for ever. And for as much as he saw, that he could in divers manners effect the Humanity of his Son, making him true Man; as for example, creating him of nothing, not only in regard of the soul, but even in regard of the body also, either by forming the body of some precedent matter, as he did that of ADAM and EVE; or by way of Ordinary generation by man and woman, & finally by Extraordinary generation of a woman without man; he determined that the work should be effected by the last way; and of all the women he might have choisen to this end, he made choice of the most holy virgin our Lady, by means whereof, the Saviour of our souls should not only be Man, but even a Child of mankind.  
4. Furthermore the Sacred providence determined to produce all the other things, as well natural as supernatural, in behalf of our Saviour, to th'end that men and Angels, in serving him, might participate his glory, in sequall whereof though God would create as well men, as Angels endued with Freewill, and possessed of Liberty to elect good or evil; yet nevertheless to testify that of his part they were dedicated to glory, he created them all in Original justice which is no other thing then A most sweet love disposing, converting, and weighing them to eternal felicity.  
5. But because this Supreme Wisdom had deliberated to temper this Original Love in such sort with the will of his Creatures, that Love should not force the will, but should leave her in her freedom; he foresaw that a part, yet the less, of the Angelical nature voluntarily quitting the divine love, should consequently lose their Glory. And for that, the Angelical nature could not offend herein, but by an express malice without temptation, or motive whatsoever which might plead their excuse; and that on the other side, the fare greater part of that same nature remained constant in the service of their Saviour; God who had so amply glorified his Mercy in the work of the Creation of Angels, would also magnify his justice, and for his indignations sake, resolved for ever to abandon that woeful and accursed troop of Traitors, who in the fury of their Rebellion had so villainously abandoned him.  
6. He also foresaw well, that the first man would abuse his liberty, and forsaking Grace would lose Glory, yet would he not treat humane nature so rigorously, as he deliberated to treat the angelical. 'Twas humane nature whereof he had determined to take a blessed peace to unite it to his Deity. He saw that it was a feeble nature, a wind which passeth and returns not, that is, which is dissipated in passing. He considered the surprise which Satan made against the first man, and weighed the gteatnesse of the temptation which animated him. He saw that all the race of men perished, by the fault of one only, so that moved by these reasons, he beheld our nature with the eye of Pity, and resolved to take it to his Mercy.  
7. But to th'end that the sweetness of his Mercy might be adorned with the beauty of his justice he deliberated to save man by way of a rigorous Redemption, which being it could not well be effected, but by his Son, he concluded that he should redeem man, not only by the price of one of his amorous actions, though more than most sufficient, to ransom a thousand millions of worlds: but even by all the innumerable amorous actions, and dolorous passions which he should do, or suffer till death, and death of the cross, to which he determined him; that so he might be made a companion of our Miseries, to make us afterwards companions of his Glory, showing thereby the riches of his Bounty in this copious, abundant, superabundant, magnificent, and excessive Redemption which regained and restored us all necessaries to attain Glory, so that no man can ever plain, as though the Divine mercy were deficient to any   

That the heavenly providence hath provided man of a most abundant redemption. CHAPTER. V  
1. NOw THEOTIME, affirming that God had seen, and willed first one thing, and then secondly another, observing an order in his wills: I intended it according to my declaration made before, to wit that though all this passed in a most sole and most simple Act: yet in that Act, the order, distinction, and dependence of things were no less observed, than in case there had been indeed many Acts in the Understanding and will of God. And sith that every well ordered will determined to will divers objects equally present, doth love better, and above all the rest that which is most amiable: it followeth that the Sovereign Providence making his eternal purpose and design of all which he would produce he first willed and Loved, by a preference of Excellency, the most amiable object of his Love which is our Saviour; and then the other Creatures by degrees, according as they more or less belong to his service, honour, and glory.  
2. Thus was all things made for that Deified Man, who for this cause is called THE FIRST BEGOTTEN OF ALL CREATURES, possessed by the divine Majesty in the beginning of his ways, before he made any thing, created in the beginning before ages: For in him all things are made, he is before all, and all things are established in him, and he is the head of all the Church, having the Primacy in, and through all things. The principal reason of planting the vine, is the fruit, and therefore the fruit is the first thing desired and aimed at, though the leaves and the buds are first produced. So our great Saviour was the first in the Divine Intention, and in the Eternal Project which the Divine Providence made of the production of Creatures, and in contemplation of this desired fruit, the Vine of the world was planted, and the succession of many generations established which as leaves, or blossoms do precede it as forerunners, and fit preparatives for the production of that Grape, which the sacred Spouse doth so much praise in the Canticles and the juice of which doth rejoice God and Man.  
3. But now my THEOTIME who can doubt of the abundance of means to salvation, having so great a Saviour, in consideration of whom we were made, and by the merits of whom we were ransomed. For he died for all, because all were dead, and his Mercy was more Sovereign to buy the Race of mortals, than Adam's Misery was Venomous to lose it. And so fare was ADAM'S fault from surmounting the Divine Benignity, that contrariwise, it was thereby excited and provoked. So that by a most sweet, and most loving ANTIPERISTASIS and contention it received vigour fuom its adversary's presence, and as recollecting its forces to vanquish, it caused grace, to superabound where iniquity had abounded. Whence the holy Church by a pious excess of admiration cries out upon EASTER EVE, O Sin of ADAM truly necessary, which was canceled by the death of JESUS-CHRIST! o Blessed fault, which merited to have such and so great a redeemer! Certes THEOTIME, we may say as did that Ancient; we were lost, if we had not been lost; that is our loss brought us profit, sithence in effect humane nature hath received more graces by the redemdemption of her Saviour, than ever she should have received by Adam's innocence, if he had persevered therein.  
4. For though the Divine Providence hath left in man deep marks of his anger, yea even a midst the graces of his Mercy, as for example, the necessity of death, sickness, labours, the rebellion of the sensuality, yet the Divine Assistance, having the upper hand of all these, taketh pleasure to convert these miseries, to the greatest advantage of such as love him, making Patience rise out of their travails; the Contempt of the world, out of the necessity of death; a thousand victories over Concupiscence; and as the Rainbow touching the Thorn ASPALATHUS makes it more odoriferous than the Lily: so our Saviour's Redemption touching our miseries, makes them more profitable, and amiable, then Original justice could ever have been. The Angels in heaven sayeth our Saviour, do more joy in one penitent sinner, them in ninety nine just, and so the State of Redemption, is an hundred times better than that of Innocence. Verily by being watered with our Saviour's Blood, caused by the Isoppe of the Cross, we are reduced to a whiteness incomparably more excellent, than the snow of innocence, returning out of the Flood of health with NAMAN, more pure and unspotted, as though we had never been Leprous: to th'end that the divine Majesty, as he hath also ordained we should do, might not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil by good; that his Mercy as a sacred oil might keep above judgement, and his commiseration surpass all his works.   

Of certain special favours exercised by the divine providence in the Redemption of man. CHAPTER. VI  
1. CErtainly God doth admirably show the riches of his incomprehensible power in this great variety of things which we see in Nature. Yet doth he make the Treasurs of his infinite Bounty more magnificently appear, in the incomparable variety of benefits which we acknowledge in Grace. For THEOTIME he was not content with the holy excess of his Mercy, in sending to his people, that is to Mankind, a general and universal Redemption by means whereof every one might be saved, but moreover he diversified it in so many sorts, that his Liberality did shine amidst that variety, and that variety again did mutually embellish his Lliberalitie.  
2. And following this, he first of all prepared for his most holy Mother a favour, worthy the love of a Son, who being most wise, omnipotent and good, was to provide himself of a Mother to his liking, and therefore he ordained that his Redemption should be applied to her by way of a preservative to th'end that sin, which ran from generation to generation, might stop before it came at her; so that she was ransomed in so excellent a manner, that although the Torrent of original iniquity came rolling her unfortunate waters upon the Conception of this sacred Lady, even with as great impetuosity, as against the daughters of ADAM; yet being arrived there, it did not dare a further passage: but made a sudden stay, as did of old, the waters of jordaine, in the days of JOSVE and for the same respect: for the flood stopped his course in reverence of the Ark of Alliance which passed; and original sin made his waters retire, adoring, and dreading the presence of the true Tabernacle of Eternal Alliance.  
3. In this sort then God deturned all bondage from his glorious Mother, giving her the good of both the states of humane nature: retaining the Innocence which the first ADAM had lost, and enjoying in an excellent sort the Redemption which the second did acquire. Whence as a garden of election, which was to bring fourth the fruit of life, she was made flourishing in all sorts of perfections; This son of eternal love, having thus decked his Mother with a Robe of gold wrought in fair variety, that she might be the Queen of his right hand, that is to say, the first of the elect, which should enjoy the delights of God's right hand; so that this sacred Mother, as being altogether reserved for her Son, was by him enfranchised, not only from damnation, but even from all danger of damnation, giving her Assurance of grace, and the Perfection of grace: not unlike an Aurora who beginning to appear increaseth continually in brightness till perfect day light. Admirable redemption! Master-pece of the redeemer! and Prime of all Redemptions! by which the son with a truly filial heart, prevented his Mother in the benedictions of sweetness, he preserved her, not only from sin as he did the Angels, but even from all danger of sin and every thing that might divert, of hinder her in the exercise of holy Love.. Protesting that amongst all the reasonable Creatures he had chosen, this Mother was his only Dove, his entirely perfect, his wholly dear well beloved without all paragon, and comparison.  
4. God also appointed other savours for a small number of rare Creatures, whom he would assure from the peril of damnation; as certainly he did S. JOHN BAPTIST, and probably JEREMY with certain others, which the Divine Proviuidence seized upon in their mother's womb, and stated upon them a Perpetuity of Grace, by which they might remain firm in his Love, though subject to delays and venial sins, which are contrary to the perfection of Love, not to Love itself, and these souls in regard of others, are as Queens continually crowned with Charity, holding the principal place in the love of their Saviour next to his Mother who is Queen of Queens. A Queen not only crowned with Love, but with the Perfection of love, yea which is yet more, crowned with her own Son the sovereign object of Love, being that children are their Fathers and Mother's crowns.  
5. There are yet other souls which God determined for a time to leave exposed to the danger, not of losing their salvation: but yet in peril to lose his Love, yea he permitted them to lose it in effect, not assuring them Love for the whole time of their life, but only for the period thereof, and for certain precedent times. Such were the APOSTLES, DAVID, MADELAINE, and divers others, who for a time remained out of God's grace, but in the end being throughly converted they were confirmed in grace until death; so that, though from thence they continued subject to imperfections, yet were they exempt from all mortal sin, and consequently from danger of losing the Divine love, and were as the heavenly spouse his sacred souls, adorned indeed with a wedding garment of this holy love: yet for all that not crowned; a crown being an ornament of the head, that is of the prime part of a man: now the first years of the Souls of this rank, having been subject to terreane love, they were not to be adorned with the crown of heavenly love, but it is sufficient for them to wear the Robe which renders them capable of the marriage-bede with the heavenly Spouse, and to be eternally happy with him.   

How admirable the divine providence is in the diversity of graces given to men. CHAPTER. VII.  
1. THere was then in the eternal Providence an incomparable favour for the Queen of Queens, Mother of fair Dilection, and altogether most entirely perfect. There were also for certain others, some special favours. After this the sovereign Bounty poured an abundance of graces, and benedictions upon the whole race of mankind, and the nature of Angels, with which all were watered, as with a light which illuminateth every man coming into this world; every one received their portion, as of seed which falls not only upon the good ground, but upon the high way, amongst thorns, and upon rocks, that all might be unexcusable before the Redeemour, if they should not employ this most abundant Redemption, for their soul's health.  
2. But albeit THEOTIME that this most abundant sufficiency of grace, be thus poured upon all humane nature; and that in this we are all equal that a rich abundance of benedictions is presented to us all; yet the variety of these favours is so great, that one cannot say whether the greatness of these graces in so great a diversity, or the diversity in such greatnesses be more admirable: For who sees not that the means of Salvation amongst Christians are greater, and more efficacious then amongst Barbarians, and again, that amongst Christians, there are People and Towns where the Pastors are more profitable and capable. Now to deny that these exterior means were benefits of the divine Providence or to doubt whether they did avail to the salvation, and perfection of souls, were to be ungrateful to the divine Bounty, and belie certain experience, by which we see that ordinarily where these exterior helps abound, the interior are more efficacious, and succeed better.  
3. Certes as we see, that there are never found two men perfectly resembling th'one tother in natural gifts, so are there never any found wholly equal in supernatural ones. The Angels, as great S. AUGUSTINE and S. THOMAS assure us, received grace with proportion to the variety of their natural conditions. Now they are all either of a different species or at least of a different condition, being they are distinguished one from another: therefore according to the diversity of Angels, there are different graces. And though grace is not given to men according to their natural conditions, yet the divine sweetness joyeth, and as one would say exulteth in the production of graces, infinitely diversifying them, to the end that out of his variety, the fair enamel of his Redemption and mercy might appear: whence the Church upon the Feasts of every Confessor and Bishop doth sing: There was not found the like to him; and as in heaven none knows the new name, save him that receives it, because each one of the Blessed, hath his own a part, according to the new being of glory which he attained. So in earth, every one doth receive a grace so particular, that all are divers. Our Saviour doth also compare his grace to Pearls, which as Plinnie saith, are otherwise called Unions, because every one of them are so singular in their qualities, that never too of them are found perfectly like. And as one star is different from another in brightness, so shall one pass another in glory, a sure sign of their advantage in Grace. Now this variety in Grace, or this grace in variety, composeth a most sacred beauty, and most sweet harmony, rejoicing all the holy city of the heavenly Jerusalem.  
4. But we must be very wary never to make enquiry, why the supreme wisdom bestows a GRACE rather upon one than another, nor why she makes her favours abound rather in one behalf than another. No THEOTIME, never enter into this curiosity: For having all of us sufficiently, yea abundantly, that which is requisite to salvation, what reason can any creature living have to complain, if it please God to bestow his graces more amply upon one than another? If one should demand, why God made MELONS greater than STRAWBEARIES, or LILIES greater than VIOLETS, why ROSEMARY is not a ROSE, or why the Clovegillow flour is not a Turnesole: why the Peacock is more beautiful than the Rate, or why the Figue is sweet and the Leman sourishe, one would laugh at such demands, and say; poor man, sith the beauty of the world doth require variety, it is necessary there should be difference, and inequality in things, and that the one should not be tother? For which cause the one is little, th'other great: the one bitter, the other sweet: the one more, the other less fair. Now, it is the same in supernatural things: every one hath his gift, one thus and another thus, sayeth the Holy Ghost. It is then an impertinency to search, why S. PAUL had not the grace of S. PETER; or S. PETER that of S. PAUL; why S. ANTONY was not S. ATHANASIUS; or he, S. HIEROME; for one would answer these demands, that the Church is a garden diapered with infinite flowers: it was necessary than they should be of divers quantities, divers colours, divers odours, in fine of different perfections, every of them have their worth, grace, and beauty; and all of them in the collection of their varieties do make up a most grateful perfection of beauty.   

How much God desires, we should love him. CHAPTER. VIII.  
1. ALthough our Saviour's Redemption be applied unto us, in as many different manners, as there be souls; yet so notwithstanding that the universal means of our Salvation, is Love, which goes through all, and without which nothing is profitable, as elsewhere, we shall declare. The Cherubin was placed at the gate of the earthly Paradise with his fiery sword, to teach us that none shall enter into the heavenly Paradise, who is not pierced through with the sword of love. For this cause THEOTIME the sweet JESUS who bought us with his blood, desireth infinitely that we should love him, that we might eternally be saved, and desires we might be saved, that we might love him eternally, his love tending to our salvation, and our salvation to his love. Ah sayeth he, I came to put fire into the world, to what end, but that it should burn; But to set out more to the life the vehemency of his desire, he commandeth us this love in admirable terms. Thou shalt love sayeth he the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy force, this is the first and greatest Commandment. Good God THEOTIME how amorous the divine heart is of our love, had it not been sufficient to have published a permission, by which we might have had leave to love him: as LABAN permitted jacob to love his fair RACHEL, and to gain her by services? ah no! he made a further declaration of his amorous passion of love to us, and commands us to love him with all our power, lest the consideration of his majesty, and our misery, which puts us in so great a distance, and inequality, or other pretext whatsoever, might divert us from his love: In which THEOTIME he well shows that he did not leave in us a natural inclination to love for nothing: For to th'end it might not be idle, he urgeth us by this general commandment to employ it, and to th'end this commandment might have effect he furniseth every living creature abundantly with all means requisite thereunto. The visible Sun toucheth every thing with his lively heat, and as the common lover of things below, doth impart unto them requisite vigour to produce. And even so the divine goodness doth animate all souls and encourage all hearts to her love, none at all being shut up from her heat. The eternal wisdom sayeth Solomon preacheth in public, she makes her voice resound amongst the places, she cries and recries before the people, she pronounceth her words in the gates of the City, saying o children how long will it be, that you will love your infancy? how long will fools desire hurtful things? and the imprudent hate knowledge? Convert yourselves, return to me upon this advertissement; ah! behold how I proffer you my spirit, and I will show you my words. And the same wisdom pursueth in EZECHIEL saying. Let no man say I am dead in sin, and how can I recover life again? Ah no! for hark, God sayeth, I am living, and as true as I live, I will not the death of a sinner but that he be converted and live. Now, to live according to God, is to love, and he that love's not remains in death; See now THEOTIME whether God doth not desire we should love him.  
2. But he is not content to denounce in this manner publicly his great desire to be loved, so that every one might receive a part of the seeds of his love, but he goes even from door to door, knocking and beating; protesting that if any one open, he will enter, and sup with him; that is, he will testify all sorts of good will towards him.  
3. But what would all this say THEOTIME but that God doth not only give us a mere sufficiency of means to love him, and in loving him to save ourselves: but even a rich, ample and magnificent sufficiency, and such as ought to be expected from so great a bounty, as his. The great Apostle speaking to the obstinate sinner; Dost thou contemn, sayeth he, the riches of the bounty, patience and longanimity of God? art thou ignorant that the benignity of God doth draw thee to penance? But thou according to thy hardness and impenitent heart, dost heap up against thyself anger in the day of Anger. My dear THEO: God doth not therefore exercise a mere sufficiency of remedies to convert the obstinate, but employs to this end the riches of his bounty. The Apostle as you see doth oppose the riches of God's goodness, against the treasurs of the impenitent heart's malice, and sayeth, that the malicious heart is so rich in iniquity, that he despiseth even the riches of God's mildness, by which he draws him to repentance: and mark, that the obstinate doth not only contemn the riches of God's goodness, but even riches attractive to repentance, Riches, whereof one cannot well be ignorant: verily this rich heap, and abundant sufficiency of means which God freely bestoweth upon sinners to love him, doth appear almost through the whole Scripture. For see this divine Lover at the gate, he doth not simply beat, but stays beating; he calls the Soul, go to, rise my well-beloved, dispatch, put thy hand to the lock to try whether it will open: When he preacheth amidst the places, he doth not simply preach, but goes crying out, that is, he continues his cry, and when he proclaims that every one should convert themselves, he thinks he hath never repeated it sufficiently. Convert yourselves, convert yourselves, do penance, return to me, live, why dost thou die o house of Israel? In conclusion this heavenly Saviour forgets nothing, to show that his mercies are above all his works, that his mercy doth surpass his judgement, that his Redemption is copious, that his love is infinite, and as the Apostle sayeth, that he is rich in mercy, and by consequence, that his will is, that all men should be saved, none perish.   

How the eternal love of God doth prevent our hearts with his inspirations to th'end we might love him. CHAPTER. IX.  
1. I Have loved thee with a perpetual charity, and therefore have drawn thee unto me having pity and mercy upon thee, and again I will re-edify thee, and thou shalt be built again virgin of ISRAEL: These are God's words by which he promiseth that the Saviour coming into the world shall establish a new reign in his Church, which shall be his Virgin-spouse, and true spiritual Israëlite.  
2. Now as you see THEOT: it was not by any merit of the works which we had done that he saved us, but according to his mercy, his ancient, yea eternal charity which moved his divine Providence to draw us unto him. For if the father had not drawn us, we had never come to the Son our Saviour, nor consequently to salvation.  
3. There are certain birds THEOT: which Aristotle calls Apodes for that their legs being extremely short, and their feet feeble they have no more use of them then though they had none at all, so that if at any time they light upon the ground they are caught, never after being able to take flight, because having no service of their legs or feet, they have no further power to raise and regain themselves into the air, but remain there peuling and dying, unless some wind favourable to their impotency, sending out his blasts upon the face of the earth, seize upon them, and bear them up, as it doth many other things. For then making use of their wings, they correspond to this first touch and motion which the wind gave them, it also continuing its assistance towards them bringing them by little and little to flight.  
4. THEO: Angels are like to the birds, which for their beauty and rarity are called birds of Paradise, never seen in earth, but dead. For those heavenly spirits had no sooner forsaken Divine love to be fixed upon Self love till suddenly they fell as dead, buried in Hell, seeing that the same effect which death hath in men, separating them everlastingly from this mortal life, the same had the Angels fall in them, excluding them for ever from eternal life. But we mortals do rather resemble Apodes: For if it chance that we, quitting the air of holy and divine love, fall upon the earth and adhere to creatures, which we do as often as we offend God, we die indeed, yet not so absolute a death that there resteth in us no motion, together with legs and feet to wit, some weak affections, which enableth us to make some essays of love, yet so weakly, that in truth, we are impotent of ourselves to reclaim our hearts from sin, or restore ourselves to the flight of sacred love, which, catifs that we are, we have perfidiously and voluntarily forsaken.  
5. And truly we should well deserve to remain abandoned of God, sith we have disloyally abandoned him but his eternal charity doth often not permit his justice to use this chastisement, but exciting his compassion, provokes him to reclaim us from our misery, which he doth by sending unto us the favourable wind of his most holy inspiration, which blowing upon our hearts with a sweet violence, doth seize and stir them, advancing our thoughts, and elevating our affections into the air of heavenly love.  
6. Now this first stirring or motion, which God, causeth in our hearts, to incite them to their own good, is effected indeed in us, but not by us; for it cometh unexpectedly before we either have, or could have thought of it, seeing we have not any sufficiency of ourselves, as of ourselves, to think any thing necessary to our salvation, but all our ability is from God, who did not only love us before we were, but even to th'end we might be, and become Saints; For which cause, he doth prevent us with the blessings of his fatherly sweetness and doth excitate our hearts, to bring them to a holy repentance and conversion. See, I pray you THEOT: the poor Apostle, stupid with sin in the heavy night of his Master's passion; he did no more think to sorrow for his sin, then though he had never known his heavenly Saviour: and as a miserable Apode fallen upon the ground had never risen, had not the Cock, as an instrument of the divine providence, struck his ears with his voice, at the same instant in which his sweet Redeemour casting upon him a gracious look as a dart of love, transpearced his heart of love, whence afterwards did issue water in such abundance, as did from the ancient Rock smote by Moses in the Desert. But look again and see this holy Apostle sleeping in Herod's Prison, chained in two chains; he is there in quality of a Martyr, and nevertheless he representeth poor man, sleeping, environed with sin, prisoner and slave to Satan. Alas who will deliver him? The Angel descends from heaven, and striking upon the great imprisoned Peter's side, awakes him, saying, up, arise; and the inspiration comes from heaven as an Angel, and hitting right upon the poor sinner's heart, stirs him up, that he might rise from his iniquity. Is it not true then o my dear THEOT: that this first motion and touch which the soul perceiveth, when God preventing it with love, doth awake and excite it to forsake sin returning unto him; and not only the first touch but even the whole awaking is done in us and for us, but not by us? We are awaked, but not of ourselves; it was the inspiration which wakened us, and to make us rise, did move and shake us, I slept sayeth the devote Spouse, and my SPOUSE who is my Heart, watched. Ah! see him hear how he awakes me calling me by the title of our loves, I know well by his voice, 'tis he. It is at unawares and unexpectedly that God doth call and stirs us up by his holy inspiration. And in this beginning of grace, we do nothing, but feel the touch which God gives in us indeed as S. BERRARD sayeth, but without our concourse.   

How we often times repulse the inspiration, and refuse to love. CHAPTER. X.  
1. Woe be to thee COROSAIN, woe be to thee BETHSAIDA: For if in TIRIA and SIDONIA the Miracles had been done which were done in thee, they had done penance in hair cloth and ashes; 'tis the word of God; Hark I pray you THEOT: how the inhabitants of COROSAIN, and BETSAIDA, instructed in the true Religion, and possessed of favours, that would even have converted the Pagan's themselves, remain nevertheless obstinate never making use thereof, but rejecting this holy light, by an incomparable rebellion. Certainly at the day of judgement, the NINIVITS and the Queen Saba will rise up against the jews, and will convince them to be worthy of damnation: For as touching the NINIVITS they being Idolatours, and Barbarians, at the voice of IONAS were converted and did penance; And the Queen of SABA, though engaged in the affairs of her kingdom: yet having heard the renown of salomon's wisdom, she forsook all, to go to hear him speak. While the JEWS, hearing with their ears the heavenly wisdom of the true SALOMON Saviour, of the world; seeing with their eyes his miracles; touching with their hands his graces and benefits, ceased not for all that to be hardened, and to resist the grace which was proffered them. See then again THEOT: how they who had fewer drawings are brought to penance, and those who had more remain obdurate: Those who had less occasion to come, come to wisdom's school: and those who had more, stick in their folly.  
2. Thus is the judgement of comparison made, as all the Doctors have noted, which can have no foundation, if it consist not in this, that notwithstanding some have had as many, or more callings, than others have, they denied consent to God's mercy, whereas others assisted with the like, yea even lesser helps, have followed the inspiration betaking themselves to holy penance: For how could one otherwise reasonably reproach the impenitent with their impenitency, by comparison to such as are converted?  
3. Certainly our Saviour doth clearly show, and all Christians do in simplicity conceive, that in this just judgement the jews shall be condemned, by comparison to the NINIVITS; because those received many favours, and yet loved not: much assistance, and yet repent not; these, less favour, and yet loved much: less assistance, and yet sorrowed much.  
4. The great S. AUGUSTINE gives great light to this discourse by a passage of his in the 12. book of the City of God, 6. 7. 8. and 9 Chapter; for though he have there a particular reference to Angels, yet so, as that he makes a parity in this point, betwixt them and men.  
5. Now, after he had in the sixth chapter put two men, entirely equal in goodness and all things, molested with the same temptation, he presupposeth that the one could resist, the other give way to the enemy: in the 9 chapter having proved that all the Angels were created in charity, averring further as a thing probable, that grace and charity was equal in them all; he makes a demand how it came to pass, that some of them perseverd, and made progress in goodness even to the attaining of glory, others forsook good, to embrace evil, even to damnation. And he answers, that no other answer can be rendered, then that the one company persevered by the grace of their Creator: the other, of good which they were, became bad by their own only will.  
6. But if it be true, as S. THOMAS doth singularly well prove, that grace was diversified in Angels with proportion, and according to the variety of their natural gifts, the Seraphins should have had a grace incomparably more excellent, than the simple Angels of the last Order: How then happened it, that some of the Seraphins, yea even the first of all, according to the common and most probable opinion of the ancients, did fall, while an innumerable multitude of other Angels, inferior in nature and grace, did bravely and courageously persever? How came it to pass that Lucifer, excellent by nature, and superexcellent by grace fell and so many Angels with less advantages stood to their fidelity. Truly such as stood aught to render the praise thereof to God, who of his mercy created and maintained them good: But to whom can Lucifer and all his crew, ascribe their fall, if not as S. PAUL sayeth, to their own will, which, by her liberty divorced herself from God's grace that had so sweetly prevented her? How art thou fallen o great Lucifer, who even like a fair morning, came out into this invisible world, clothed with prime charity, as from the beginning of the brightness of a fair day, who ought to increase till the midday of eternal glory? Thou didst not want grace, which correspondant to thy nature, thou hadst most excellent of all; but thou wast wanting to grace. God did not deprive thee of the operation of his love, but thou deprived his love of thy cooperation: God had never rejected thee, if thou hadst not rejected his love; O most good God, thou dost not forsake, unless forsaken: thou never recalls thy gifts till we recall our hearts.  
7. We rob God of his right, if we take unto ourselves the glory of our salvation: but we dishonour his Mercy, if we say he failed us. In concealing his benefits, we wrong his Liberality: but we blaspheme his bounty, if we deny his assistance and succour. In fine God cries fair and high in our ears, thy perdition comes from thyself, o Israël, I only am thy succour.   

That the divine bounties will is that we should have a most excellent love. CHAPTER. XI.  
1. O God THEOT: if we received divine inspirations, in the full extent of their virtue, in how short a time should we make a great progress in sanctity? Be the fountain never so copious, her streams enter not into a garden according to their plenty, but in a measure, according to the littleness or amplitude of the channel, by which they are conducted thither. And though the holy ghost, as a source of live-water doth drive upon our hearts every side, to water them with his graces, yet so as he will not have them enter without the free consent of our will. He will not pover them out, but according to his good pleasure, and our own disposition and cooperation, as the Holy Council sayeth, which also as I suppose, by reason of the correspondance betwixt our consent and grace, calls the receipt thereof a free receipt.  
2. In this sense, S. PAUL exhorteth us not to receive God's grace in vain. For as a sick man, who having received the potion in his hand, and should not take it into his stomach, should truly have received the potion, yet without receiving it, that is, he received it in an unprofitable and fruitless sort, so we receive the grace of God in vain, when we receive it at the gate of our heart, without permitting it to enter into our heart's consent: for so we receive it without receiving it to wit, we receive it without fruit, sith it avails nothing to feel the inspiration, unless we consent unto it. And as the sick man, who had the potion given into his hand, if he took it not wholly but in part only, had also the operation thereof in part only, not wholly: so when God sends a great and puissant inspiration to embrace his love, if we consent not according to it's whole amplitude, it will but profit us in the same measure. It happens often, that being inspired to do much, we consent not to the whole inspiration, but only to some part thereof, as did those good people in the Gospel, who upon the inspiration, which God gave them to follow him, made reservations, the one, to go first and inter his father; the other, to take leave of his friends.  
3. As long as the poor widow had empty vessels, the oil, whose multiplication HELISEUS did miraculously impetrate, never left running; but when she had no more, to receive it in, it seized to flow. In the same measure in which our heart dilats itself, or rather, in the measure, in which it permits itself to be amplified and dilated, not denying the freedom of its consent to God's mercy, he streams out continually, and without delay pours in his sacred inspirations, which still increase, and make us increase more and more in heavenly love. But when there is no more freedom left; or that we give no further consent, he stays their course.  
4. What is the reason than we are not so much advanced in the love of God, as was S. AUGUSTINE S. FRANCIS, S. CATHERINE of GENVA, or SAINT FRANCISCA: THEOT: it is, because God gave us not the grace; and why did not God give us the grace? for that we did not comply as we ought with his inspirations. And why did we not comply? Because having liberty, we did therein abuse it. But why did we abuse our liberty? Ah THEO: we must stop there: For, as S. AUGUSTINE sayeth, the depravation of our will, proceeds from no cause but from the defect of a cause, which causeth the sin.  
5. The devote brother RUFIN, upon a certain vision which he had of the glory which the great S. FRANCIS should attain unto, by his humility, made him this demand: my dear father, I beseech you tell me in earnest, what opinion you have of yourself: The Saint answered, verily I hold myself the greatest sinner in the world, and one which serveth God the least. But brother RUFIN replied, how can you say that in truth and conscience, seeing that many others, as we manifestly see, commit many great sins, from which God bethanked you are exempt? To which SAINT FRANCIS answered; if God, sayeth he, had favoured those others of whom you speak, with so great mercy as he hath me, certain I am, be they never so bad now, they had been fare more acknowliging of God's gifts, than I am; and would serve him much better than I do; and if my God did abandon me, I should commit more wickedness than they.  
6. You see THEOT: the opinion of this man, who indeed was rather no man, but a Seraphin upon earth, I know it was humility that moved him to speak thus of himself, yet nevertheless he believed for a certain truth, that an equal grace granted by a like mercy, might be more fruitfully employed by one sinner then by another. Now I hold for an Oracle the feeling of this great doctor in the science of Saints, who brought up in the school of the Cross, breathed nothing but divine inspirations. This Apothegme hath also been praised, and repeated by the greatest devotest that followed him, amongst which, divers are of opinion, that the great Apostle S. PAUL, said in the same sense, that he was the greatest of all sinners.  
7. The blessed mother TERESA of JESUS a virgin indeed altogether angelical, speaking of Prayer of repose, sayeth these words. There are divers souls, which come to this perfection, but few pass further, and I know not the cause of it, certainly the fault is not on God's side: for sith his divine majesty doth aid us, and gives us the grace to arrive at this point, I assure myself, he would not be deficient to assist us further, if it were not our fault, and the impediment which we of our part put. Let us therefore THEO: be attentive to advancement in the love which we own to God, for his to us can never fail.   

That divine inspirations leave us in our liberty to follow, or repulse them. CHAPTER. XII.  
1. I Will not hear speak my dear THEOT: of those miraculous graces, which have almost in an instant, transformed wolves into shepsheards, Rocks into waters, persecutors into preachers; I'll leave a part those all-powerfull vocations, and holily violent draughts by which God hath brought some elect souls, from the extremity of vice, to the extremity of grace, working, as it were in them, a certain TRANSSUBTANTIATION moral and spiritual, as it happened to the great Apostle, who of SAUL vessel of persecution, became Suddenly PAUL vessel of election. We must give a particular rank to those privileged souls upon whom it pleased God to exercise not a mere abundance, but an inundation, and if one may so say, not a liberality only or a mere owerflowing but even a prodigality and lavishing out of his love. The divine justice doth chastise us in this world with punishments, which as they are ordinary, so they remain always in a manner unknown and imperceptible, yet sometimes he sends out Deluges and Abisses of punishments, to make known, and dreaded the severity of his indignation: In like manner, the divine Mercy doth ordinarily convert, and gratify souls so sweetly, gently, and delicately, that his motion is scarcely perceived, and yet it happens again, that his sovereign bounty overflowing his ordinary banks, (as a flood swollen and overcharged with the abundance of waters, which breaketh over the plain) streams out his graces, so impetuously though lovingly, that in a moment he doth water and cover a soul with benedictions, that the riches of his love may appear; and as his justice proceeds commonly the ordinary way, and but seldom the extraordinary; so his mercy exerciseth liberality upon the common sort of men the ordinary way, and but upon some few only the extraordinary.  
2. But which are then the ordinary lines whereby the divine providence is accustomed to draw our hearts to his love? Such truly as he himself doth design describing the means which he used to draw the people of Israel out of Egipte, and out of the desert unto the land of Promise: I will draw them sayeth he by OSEE, with lines of humanity, charity, and love. Doubtless THEOT: we are not drawn to God by Iron chains, as Bulls and Bufflers: but by enticements, delicious touches and holy inspirations, which in some, are the lines of ADAM and humanity; that is proportioned and squared to humane hearts, where liberty is natural: the property of man's heart, is delight and pleasure; we show Nuts to children sayeth S. AUGUSTINE, and they are drawn in loving them, they are drawn by the line, not of the body, but of the heart. Mark then how the eternal father draws us, by teaching he delights us, not by imposing upon us any necessity, he easteth into our hearts delectations and spiritual pleasures as sacred baits by which he sweetly draws us to take and taste the sweetness of his doctrine.  
3. In this sort then, dearest THEO: our freewill is in no wise forced, or necessitated by grace; but notwithstanding the most powerful vigour of God's merciful hand, which toucheth, environeth, and ties the soul with such a number of inspirations, seeds, and draughts, this humane will remains frank and free, and exempt from all constrainte and necessity. Grace is so gracious and so graciously seizeth our hearts to draw them, that she offends nothing in the liberty of our will: she toucheth powerfully, but yet so delicately the parts of our heart, that our free will receives no force thereby: she hath forces, not to force, but to entice the heart, she is holily violent, not to violate, but to make our liberty beloved. She acteth strongly, yet so sweetly, that our will doth not remain oppressed by so powerful an action, she presseth, but oppresseth not our liberty, so that amidst these forces, we have power to consent, or descent from her motions, according to our liking. But that which is no less admirable than true, is, that when our will followeth the draught, and consents to the divine motion, she followeth no less freely, then freely she doth resist, when she resisteth: although the consent to grace, depends much more of grace, then of the will, and that the resistance of grace, depends upon the will only, so amiable is God's hand in the hadling of our hearts; so dexterous it is in communicating unto us its force, without depriving us of liberty; and in imparting unto us the motion of his power, without impeachment to the motion of our will; adding power to sweetness; in such sort, that as in good things his power doth sweetly give us force, so his sweetness doth maintain powerfully the freedom of our will. If thou knew the gift of God, said our Saviour to the Samaritane, and who he is who sayeth unto thee give me to drink, thou thyself peradventure wouldst have asked him, and he had given thee live-water. See I pray you, THEO: the touch of our Saviour when he signifies his drawings: If thou knewst, would he say, the gift of God, doubtless thou wouldst be moved and drawn, to demand the water of eternal life, and perchance thou wouldst demand it: as though he had said, thou shouldst have power and motion to demand, yet in no wise be forced or constained: but only, perchance, thou would demand it; for thy liberty would remain to demand or not demand it. Such are our Saviour's words according to the vulgar edition, and according to S. AUGUSTINE upon S. JOHN.  
4. To conclude, if any should say, that our freewill doth not cooperate in consenting to the grace, with which God doth prevent her: or that she could not reject, and deny it consent, he should contradict the whole Scripture, all the ancient fathers, experience, and be excommunicated by the council of Trent. But when it is said that we have power to reject the divine inspirarions and motions, there is no such meaning at all, as that one may hinder God to inspire us, or touch our hearts; for as I have already said, that is done in us without our help. These are favours which God bestows upon us, before we have once thought on them: he awakes us when we sleep: and consequently we find ourselves awake before we thought on't, but it is in our power to rise or not to rise; and though he have awaked us without us, he will not raise us without us. Now not to rise is to resist the call, and sleep again, seeing we were called only to th'end we should rise. We cannot hinder that the inspiration thrust us not on, and consequently put us not into motion, but if as it drives us forwards, we repulse it by not yielding ourselves to its motion, we then make resistance; so the wind having seized upon, and mounted our Apodes, will not bear them up very fare unless they display their wings, and cooperate raising themselves, and soaring up a loft into the air, toward which the wind began their motion: but if contrariwise taken, as it happens, with some pray they espy upon the ground, or befiumed with their delay there, in lieu of seconding the wind, they keep their wings folded and do cast themselves again upon the earth: they received indeed the motion of the wind, but in vain sith they did not help themselves thereby. THEO: inspirations do prevent us, and even before they be thought on make themselves be felt, but after we have felt them, it is in our hand's either to consent to them, to second and follow their motion, or else to descent and repel them. They cause themselves to be perceived by us without us: but without us they do not force consent.   

Of the first feelings of love which divine inspirations cause in the soul before she yet receive faith. CHAPTER XIII.  
1. THe wind that raiseth the Apodes, blows first upon their feathers as parts most light, and capable of agitation: by which it gives the beginning of motion to their wings, extending and displaying them; making use thereof as of a hold, by which it may seize the birds, and waft them into the air. And if they thus mounted, do contribute the motion of their wings to that of the wind, the same wind that first entered their motion will still aid them more and more to fly with ease. Even so, my dear THEO: when an inspiration, as a sacred gale, blows us forward in the air of holy love, it first lays at our will, and by the sense of some heavenly delectation moves, unfolds, and extends the natural inclination which she hath to good: so that it serves itself of this inclination as a hold to fasten upon the soul, and all this as I have said is done in us, without us: for it is the divine favour, that doth prevent us in this sort. But if our will thus holily prevented, perceiving the wings of her inclination moved, displayed, extended, stirred and agitated by this heavenly wind, do in any measure contribute her consent, ah how happy she is THEO: for the same inspiration, and favour which hath seized us, mixing their action with our consent, animating our feeble motions with their vigour, and giving life to our weak cooperation, by the puissance of their operation, they aid, conduct and accompany us, from love to love, even unto the act of most holy faith requisite for our conversion.  
2. Sweet God THEO: what a consolation it is to consider the sacred method with which the Holy Ghost povers into our souls the first rays and feelings of his light, and vital heat! O JESUS how delightful a pleasure it is, to mark how the divine love goes by little and little; by degrees which insensibly become sensible, displaying his light upon a soul, never disisting till he have wholly covered it with the splendour of his presence, endewing it in the end with the perfect beauty of his day! o how cheerful, fair, amiable, and agreeable this daybreak is! Nevertheless true it is, that either this break of day is not day, or if it be day, it is but a beginning day, a rising of the day, and rather the infancy of the day than the day itself. In like manner, without doubt these motions of love which forerun the act of faith requisite to our iustifition, are either not love properly speaking, or but a beginning and imperfect love. They are the first verdant blossoms, which the soul warmed with the heavenly Sun, as a mystical tree gins to put fourth in spring time which are rather presages of fruit than fruit itself.  
3. S. PACOMIUS, as then a young soldier and ignorant of God, enroled under the colours of the army, which CONSTANCE had levied against the Tyrant MAXENTIUS, came with the Company with whom he was to lodge nigh a little town, not fare distant from Thebes, where not only he, but all the army were in extreme want of victuals; which the inhabitants of the little town having understood, being by good fortune Christians, and consequently friendly and charitable to their neighbours, they suddenly succoured the soldiers in their necessity; and that with such care, courtifie, and affection, that PACOMIUS was struck with admiration thereat, and demanding what nation it was that was so bountiful, amiable and gracious, it was answered him, they were Christians; and enquiring again, of what law, and manner of life they were, he learned that they believed in JESUS CHRIST the only son of God, and did good to all sorts of people, with a firm hope to receive even of God himself, an ample recompense thereof. Alas THEOT: the poor PACOMIUS, though of a good nature, was then laid a sleep in the bead of his infidelity, and behold how upon a sudden, God was present at the port of his heart, and by the good example of these Christians, as by a sweet voice he calls him, awakes him and gives him the first Feelings of the little heat of his love for scarcely had he heard, as I have said, the sweet law of our Saviour intimated, till filled with a new light, and interior consolation, retiring himself a part, and having for a space mused, he lifted up his hands towards heaven, and with a profound sigh, fell into this speech. Lord God who made heaven and earth, if thou deign to cast thine eyes upon my baseness, and misery, and give me the knowledge of thy divinity, I promise to serve thee, and obey thy commandments all the days of my life. From this prayer and promise, the love of the true good, and piety did so increase in him, that he ceased not to practise, a thousand thousand acts of virtue.  
4. Verily me thinks I see in this example, a Nightingale who waking at the peep of the day gins to stir up, and stretch herself, unfold her plumes, skipe from branch to branch amidst the thickets, and chirp out her delicious notes. For did you not note, how the good example of the charitable Christians, did excitate and stir up by manner of surprise the blessed PACOMIUS; Truly the amaisement of admiration wherewith he was taken, was no other thing, than his awaking. At which God touched him, as doth the Sun the earth with a ray of his heat, which filled him with a great feeling of spiritual pleasure. For which cause PACOMIUS did a little divert himself: To th'end he might with more attention and facility recollect, and relish the grace he had received, withdrawing himself to think thereupon: then he extends his heart and hands towards heaven, whether the inspiration draws him, and beginning to display the wings of his affections, flying betwixt the diffidence which he hath of himself, and the confidence which he reposeth in God he intons in an air humbly amorous, the Canticle of his conversion, by which he testifieth, that even already he knew one only God Creator of heaven and earth: but withal he knew that he did not know him sufficiently to serve him as he ought and therefore he petitions, that a more perfect knowledge may be imparted unto him, that thereby he may come to the perfect service of his divine majesty:  
4. Behold in the interim, I beseech you THEO: how God in a sweet manner fortifieth by little and little the grace of his inspiration in the consenting hearts, drawing them after him, as it were step by step, upon this jacob's ladder. But of what sort are his drawhtes? The first, by which he doth prevent, and awake us, is his work in us, without our cooperation; All the other, are his works, and in us, but not without our concourse. Draw me said the sacred spouse, that is, begin thou first; for I cannot awake of myself, I cannot move, unless thou move me; but when thou shalt once have given motion, then o thou dear Spouse of my heart, we run, we two, thou runs before me drawing me still forward: and as for me, I will follow thee in thy course, consenting to thy draught: but let no man think that thou haist me after the by compulsion, as a slave, or as a liveless chariot; ah no, thou draws me by the odour of thy perfumes; though I follow thee, it is not that thou trails me; but that thou dost entice me; thy drawghtes are puissant, but no way violent, sith their whole force, is placed in their sweetness; Perfumes have no other force to draw men to follow them, than their sweetness; and how could sweetness draw, but sweetly and delightfully.   

Of the feeling of the divine love which is had by faith. CHAPTER. XIV.  
1. When God gives us faith he enters into our soul, and speaks to our heart, not by manner of discourse, but by way of inspiration, proposing in so sweet a manner that which ought to be believed unto the understanding that the will receives thereby a great complacence and such indeed, as that it incites the understanding to consent, and yield to TRUTH without doubt or distrust at all, and hear lies the miracle: for God proposeth the mysteries of faith to our souls, amidst obscurities and clouds, in such sort: that we see not, but only INTERVIEW it, as TRUTH it happens sometimes that the face of the earth being covered with fogs, we cannot view the Sun, but only a little more than ordinary brightness about where it is; so that as one would say, we see it without seeing it, because on the one side we see it not so fair, as that we can well affirm we see it; nor yet again do we see it so little, that we may aver we see it not; and this is that which we term INTERVIEW. And notwithstanding this obscure brightness of faith, h●●ing got entry into our soul, not by way of discourse or show of argument but by the only sweetness of its presence, it works the understanding to believe and obey it with as great authority, as the assurance which it gives us of the TRUTH, surpasseth all other assurances, and doth keep the understanding, and all the discourse thereof in such subjection that they have no credit in comparison of faith.  
2. Good God THEO: may I well say this? Faith is the great friend of our understanding, and may justly say to humane sciences, which vaunt they are more clear than she, as did the sacred spouse to the shepherds. I am black, yet fair, o humane discourses of sciences acquired; I am black, for I am seated amongst the obcurities of simple revelations, which have no apparent evidence, but makes me look black, putting me well nigh out of knowledge: yet I am fair in myself, by reason of my infinite, certainty, and if mortal eyes could behold me such as I am by nature, they would find me entirely fair: And must it not necessarily follow that in effect I am infinitely amiable, since that the gloomy darkness, and thick mists amongst which I am, not viewed but only ENTER-VIEWED, could not hinder me to be so agreeable, but that the understanding prising me above all things, and breaking the press of other knowledges caused way be made unto me, and received me as his Queen into he most sublime throne of his Palace, from whence I give laws to all sciences, and do keep, all discourse and humane sense under: yea verily THEO: even as the Commanders of the Army of Israel stripping themselves, put all their clothes in a heap, and made them as a royal throne, upon which they placed JEHV, crying JEHV is king, so at faith's arrival the understanding puts of all discourse and arguments, and submitting them to faith, sets her upon them, acknowledging her for Queen, and with a great joy cries out VIVE LA FOY. Discourse and pious arguments, miracles and other advantages of Christian religion, make faith wonderful credible and intelligible, but faith alone makes her believed and acknowledged enamoring men with the beauty of her VERITY. and making them believe the verity of her beauty by means of the sweetness which she pours into their wills, and the assurance which she gives to their understanding. The JEWS saw the miracles and heard the wonders of our Saviour, but being indisposed to receive faith, that is, their will not being capable of the sweetness and pleasantness of faith, by reason of the bitterness and malice, with which they were filled, they persisted in their infidelity. They perceived the force of the argument, but they relished not the sweetness of the conclusion, and therefore did not rest in her truth, while notwithstanding the act of faith consisteth in this rest of the understanding, which having received the grateful light of truth adheares to it, as to a sweet, yet powerful and  assurance and certainty, which it draweth from the authority of the REVELATION had thereof.  
3. You have heard THEO: that in general Counsels there are great disputations and inquiries made of truth by discourse, reason, and theological arguments, but the matters being discussed, the FATHERS, that is the Bishops, but especially the POPE, who is the head of Bishops doth resolve, conclude, and determine, and the determination being once pronounced every one doth fully therein rest, and quiet themselves, not in consideration of the reasons alleged in the precedent discussion and inquisition; but in virtue of the Holy Ghosts authority, who presiding invisibly in Counsels, judged determined and concluded by the mouth of his servants, whom he had established Pastors of Christianity. The inquisition then and the disputation is made in the PORCES by Priests and Doctors, but the resolution and determination is passed in the SANCTVARIE where the Holy Ghost which animateth the body of his Church speaketh by the mouth of the head thereof: In like manner the Ostridg lays her eggs upon the Libyan shore, but the Sun alone doth hatch her young ones. The Doctors by their inquiry, and discourse do propose TRUTH, but the only beams of the Sun of justice gives certainty, and repose therein. Now to conclude THEOTIME this assurance which man's reason finds in sublime things, and mysteries of faith, gins by an amorous sense of delight, which the will receives from the beauty and sweetness of the proposed TRUTH, so that faith doth comprehend a beginning of love towards heavenly things, which our heart resenteth.   

Of the great feeling of love which we receive by holy hope. CHAPTER. XV.  
1. AS being exposed to the Sun beams at midday, we hardly see the brightness, till presently we feel the heat; so the light of faith hath no sooner spread the splendour of its verities in our understanding, but incontinently our will perceives the holy heat of heavenly love. Faith makes us know by an infallible certainty that God is; that he is infinite in bounty; that he can communicate himself unto us; and not only that he can, but that he will; so that by an ineffable sweetness he hath provided us of all things requisite to obtain the happiness of eternal glory. Now we have a natural inclination to the sovereign good, by reason of which our heart is touched with a certain inward griping and a continual disquiet, not being able to repose or cease to testify, that it enjoys not its perfect satisfaction and  contentment, but when holy faith hath represented unto our understanding this fair object of our natural inclination, o good God THEO: what repose, what pleasure, how general an exultation possesseth our soul, whereupon, as being surprised at the aspect of so excellent a beauty, in love she cries out, o how fair thou art my well-beloved, o how fair thou art!  
2. Eliezer sought for a wife to his master ABRAHAM'S son: how knew he that she would appear fair and gracious in his eyes, as his desire was? but when he had espied her at the fountain, and saw her so excellent in beauty and so perfectly sweet, and especially when he had obtained her, he adored GOD and blessed him with thanksgiving full of incomparable joy. Man's heart tends to God by his natural inclination, without discerning well who he is, but when he finds him at the fountain of faith, and seethe him so good, fair, sweet, and gentle towards all, and so prone, as sovereign good, to bestow himself upon all which desire him, o God what contentments, and what sacred motions hath the soul to unite herself for ever to this bounty so sovereignly amiable? I have found, sayeth the soul thus inspired, I have found that which my heart desired and now I am at repose: And as jacob having seen the fair Rachel after he had holily kissed her, melted into treares of joy, for the good he apprehended in meeting with so desired an object; so our poor heart having found out God, and received of him the first kiss of holy faith, it dissolves forthwith into the delights of love, by reason of the infinite good which it presently espies in that sovereign Beauty.  
3. We sometimes experience in ourselves certain unexpected delights, without any apparent cause, and these are diverse times presages of some greater joys, whence many are of opinion that our good Angel foreseeing the good which shall arrive unto us, gives us by this means a foretaste thereof, as contrariwise he strikes into us with a certain fear and dread amongst unknown dangers, to the end we may be moved to invoke GOD'S assistance, and stand upon our guard: Now when the presaged good arrives we receive it with open breast, and reflecting upon the content we formely tasted without knowing the cause, we only then begin to perceive, that it was a forerunner of the Hap we now enjoy. Even so my dear THEO: our heart having had for so long a time an inclination to its sovereign good, knew not to what end this motion tended: But so soon as faith hath set it at view, than the heart doth clearly discern, that it was that which his soul coveted, his understanding searched, and his inclination aimed at. Certainly whether we wake, or sleep, our soul tends toward the sovereign good: but what is this sovereign good? we are like to these good ATHENIANS, who sacrificed unto the true God albeit unknown unto them, till the great S. PAUL taught them the knowledge thereof. For so our heart by a deep and secret instinct, in all his actions doth tend to, and pretend felicity, pursuing it here and there as it were by groping, without knowing either where it resides, or in what it consisteth, till faith shows and describs the infinite mysteries thereof; but then having found the treasure he sought for, ah! what contentment finds this poor humane heart! What joy, what complacence of love! o I have met with him, whom my heart sought for without knowing him; o how I was ignorant to what my pretensions did tend, while nothing of that which I pretended, could content me, because I knew not indeed what I pretended. I pretended to love, yet knew not upon what to place my affection, and therefore my pretention not finding its true love, my love remained always in a true, yet unknown pretention; I had indeed sufficient touches of love to make me pretend, but not sense enough of the Bounty which I was to love, to exercise love.   

How love is practised in hope. CHAPTER. XVI.  
1. Man's understanding being conveniently applied to the consideration of that which faith representeth touching its sovereign good, presently upon it, the will conceives an extreme, delight in this divine object which then being absent, begets an ardent desire of its presence, whence the soul holily cries out, let him kiss me with a kiss of his mouth. 
To God it is I do aspire  
God is all my hearts desire.  And as the unhoodded Hawk having got her pray at view, doth suddenly launch herself upon the wing, and being held in her leash struggles upon the hand with extreme ardout; so faith having drawn the veil of ignorance, and made us see our sovereign good, of which nevertheless we cannot yet be possessed, retained by the condition of this mortal life; alas THEO: we then desire it in such sort, that 
The long time chased Hart  
In panting flight oppress't  
Doth not the floods so much desire;  
As our poor hearts distressed  
To thee o Lord aspire.  
Our sickly hearts bring out  
Desires that still augment,  
And cry alas, when shall it be,  
O God of Hosts omnipotent,  
That we thy face shall set?  This desire is just, THEO: for who would not desire so desirable a good? But this desire would be unprofitable, yea would be a continual torment to our heart, if we had not assurance that we should at length satiate it, he, who, because he was delayed in the possession of this happiness, protested that his tears were his ordinary bread night and day, so long as his God was absent, and his enemies demanded where is thy God, Alas what would he have done, if he had not had some hope one day to enjoy this good after which he sighed. The Divine spouse, wails and pines with love, because she doth not readily find out the well-beloved she searcheth for. The love of the well-beloved had bred in her a desire: that desire begot an ardour to pursue it: and that ardour, caused in her a languishment, which had consumed, and annihilated her poor heart, unless she had hoped at length to meet with that she pursued: So than lest the unrest, and dolorous langour which the essays of coveting love causeth in our souls, might make us quail in courage or carry us to despair, the same soweraigne good, which moves in us so vehement a desire, doth also give us assurance, that we may with ease obtain it, by a thousand thousand promises which he gives us thereof in his holy word and by his inspirations, always provided, that we will employ the means he hath prepared for us, and which he offers us to this effect.  
2. Now these divine promises and assurances, by a particular miracle increase the cause of our disquiet, and according to that augmentation, they ruinated and destroy the effects; yea verily THEO. for the assurance which GOD gives us, that Paradise is for us, doth infinitely fortify the desire we have to enjoy it, and yet doth weaken, yea altogether destroy the trouble and disquiet which this desire brought unto us, so that our hearts, by the promises which the divine goodness hath made us, remain quieted, and this quiet is the root of the most holy virtue, which we call hope. For the will assured by faith, that she hath power to enjoy the sovereign good, using the means appointed, makes two great acts of virtue; by the one, she expects from God the fruition of his sovereign goodness, by the other, she aspires to that holy fruition.  
3. And indeed THEO: betwixt hoping and aspiring, there is but this difference, that we hope for things which we expect by an others assistance, and we aspire unto those things which we think to achieve of ourselves, by our own endeavours: and for so much as we attain the fruition of our sovereign good, which is GOD, by his favour, grace and mercy; and that notwithstanding the said mercy will have us cooperate with his favours, by contributing the weakness of our consent, to the strength of her grace; our hope is thence in some sort mixed with aspiration, so that we do not altogether hope without aspiring, nor do we ever aspire without altogether hoping, in which, hope keeps the principal place, as being founded upon heavenly grace: without which like as we cannot even so much as think of our sovereign good in such sort as we ought to arrive there; so can we never without hope in a competent manner aspire to the obtaining of it.  
4. Our aspiration then is a young shoot of hope, as is our cooperation of grace, and as those that would hope without aspiring, would be rejected as degenerous and negligent, so those that should aspire without hoping would be rash, insolent, and presumptuous: but when hope is seconded with aspiration, and that hoping we aspire, and aspiring we hope, then dear THEO: hope by aspiration becomes a courageous desine, and aspiration is changed by hope into an humble pretention while we hope and aspire as GOD shall inspire us. Howbeit as well the one as the other is caused by the coveting love, tending, to our sovereign good, which by how much more surely it is hoped for, by so much it is more affected: yea hope is no other thing then a complacence of love, which we take in the expectation and pretention of our sovereign good. All that is there is love TH. As soon as faith had show me my sovereign good I loved it, which because it was absent, I desired it, and having understood that he would bestow himself upon me, I loved and desired him yet more ardently; and indeed his bounty is so much more to be beloved, and desired, by how much it is more prone to communicate itself. Now by this progress love turned his desire into hope, pretention and expectation, so that hope is a pretending and attending love, and because the sovereign good which hope expects, is God, whom also she doth not expect but from God himself, to whom and by whom she doth hope and aspire, this holy virtue of hope bounded on every side by God, is by consequence a divine or Theological virtue.   

That the Love which is practised in hope, is very good, though imperfect. CHAPTER. XVII.  
1. THe love which we practise in hope aims at GOD indeed THEO: marry it redounds upon ourselves, his aspect is upon the divine goodness, yet with a respect to our own profit; it tends to this supreme perfection, but it pretends our own satisfaction; that is, it carrieth us not towards God, for that he is soveraignely good in himself, but because he is soveraignely good to us; in which, as you see, there is a certain respect to ourselves, and our proper interest; so that this love is truly love, but love of Concupiscence, and profit; Yet do I not affirm, that it doth in such sort return to ourselves, that it makes us love God only for the love of ourselves; o God no: For the soul which should not love God, but for the love of herself, placing the end of the love which she beareth to God in her proper interest, should alas, commit an extreme sacrilege. If a wife love her husband only for the love of her servant, she should love her husband in nature of a servant, and her servant in the nature of a husband; so the soul that loveth not God, but for herself, loveth herself as she ought to love God, and God as she ought to love herself.  
2. But there is a fair difference betwixt this word. I love God for the good which I expect from him; and this, I do not love God but in regard of the good which I expect from him; as it is also a fare other thing, to say, I love God for myself, and I love God for the love of myself, for when I say I love God for myself, it is as though I should say I love to have God, I love that God should be mine, my sovereign good, which is a holy affection of the heavenly Spouse, who an hundred times in excess of delight protesteth; my well-beloved is wholly mine, and I entirely his, I to him, and he to me: but to say I love God, for love of myself? is as one should say, the love which I bear to myself is the end why I love God; in such sort, that the love of God would be dependant, subordinate and inferior to the love of ourselves, which is a matchless impiety.  
3. This love then, which we term hope, is a love of concupiscence, but of a holy, and well ordered concupiscence, by means where of we do not draw God to us, nor to our profit, but we adjoin ourselves unto him as to our final happiness; by this love we love ourselves together with God, yet not preferring or equalising ourselves to him in this love; the love of ourselves is mixed with that of God, but that of God keeps the upper had; our own love enters there, indeed but as a simple motife, not as principal end; our own interest hath some place there, but God holds the principal rank. Yea without doubt THEO: for when we love God as our sovereign, we love him for a quality, by which we do not refer him to us, but us to him. We are not his end, pretention, or perfection, but he ours; he doth not appertain to us, but we to him; he dependeth not of us, but we of him. In some, by the quality of sovereign good for which we love him, he receiveth nothing of us, but we receive of him. He doth exercise upon us his plenty and bounty; and we our scarcity and want; So that to love God in quality of sovereign good, is to love him with an honourable and respectful love, by which we acknowledge him to be our perfection, repose and end, in the fruition of which our felicity is placed: some things there are which are serviceable unto us in their use, as our slaves, servants, horses, clothes, and the love which we bear unto them is a love of pure concupiscence, sith we love them not, but for our own profit only. Other things there are whereof we have the fruition, but a fruition which is reciprocal, and mutually equal, as we enjoy our friends: for the love we have unto them, in that they do content us, is indeed a love of concupiscence, yet an honest one, making them ours, and us mutually theirs: them belong to us, and us again to them. But there are yet other things which we enjoy by a fruition of dependence, participation, and subjection; as we do the benevolence, presence or favour of our Prelates, Princes, fathers, and mothers: for verily the love which we bear unto them, is truly a love of concupiscence; when we love them in that they are our Princes, Prelates, Fathers, or mothers, since it is not the quality of a Prelate, Prince, Father or mother, which is the cause of our affection towards them, but because they are such to us, and to our respects. But this concupiscence is a love of respect, reverence and honour: we love our Father, for example, not because he is ours, but because we are his: and after the same manner it is that we love and aspire to God by hope, not to the end he might become our good, but for that he is our God already; not to th'end he should be ours, but because we are his; not as though he were for us, but in respect that we are for him.  
4. And note, THEO: that in this love, the reason why we love; that is, the reason why we apply our heart to the love of the good which we desire, is, because it is our Good: but the reason of the measure and quantity of this love, doth depend of the excellency and dignity of the good which we love. We love our benefactors, because they are such to us, yet we love them more o● less, as they are more or less our benefactors, Why then do we love God, THEO: with this love of concupiscence? because he is our Good; and why do we sovereignly love him? because he is our sovereign good.  
5. But when I say we love God soveraignely, I do not therefore say, that we love him with a sovereign love; sovereign love is only in charity; whereas in hope love is imperfect, because it doth not tend to the sovereign Bounty as being such in itself, but only for that it is such to us: and yet because in this kind of love, there is no more excellent motife, then that which proceeds from the consideration of the sovereign good, we are said by that, to love sovereignly, though in very deed, none is able by virtue of this love, either to keep God's commandments, or obtain life everlasting, being a love that yields more affection than effect, when it is not accompanied with charity.   

That love is exercised in penance, and first, that there are divers sorts of penance. CHAPTER. XVIII.  
1. TO speak generally, penance is a kind of repentance, whereby a man doth reject and detest the sin he hath committed, with resolution to repair, as much as in him lieth, the offence and injury done against the offended. I comprehend in penance a purpose to repair the offence, because that repentance doth not sufficiently detest the fault, which voluntarily permitteth the principal effect thereof, to wit, the offence and injury to subsist; and it doth permit it to subsist, while it can in some sort make reparation, and will not.  
2. I will omit the penance of divers pagans, who, as TERTULLIAN doth witness; had some apparences of it amongst them, but so vain and frutlesse, that they did often penance for having done well: and speak only of a virtuous penance, which according to the different motifes whence it proceeds, is of a divers species. There is one sort purely moral and humane, as was that of ALEXANDER the Great, who having slain his dear CLITUS thought to have starved himself, so great was the force of penance, sayeth CICERO: and that of ALCIBIADES, who being by SOCRATES convinced not to be wise began to weep bitterly, being sorrowful and afflicted, not to be that which he ought to have been, as SAINT AUGUSTINE sayeth. ARISTOTLE also acknowledging this sort of penance, assures us, that the intemperate man, who on set purpose gives himself over to pleasures, is wholly incorrigible, for that he cannot repent, and he that is impenitent is incurable.  
3. Certes SENECA, PLUTARCH, and the PYTHAGORIANS, who so highly commended the examen of conscience, but especially the first, who speaketh so feelingly of the torment, which interior remorse doth excite in the soul, without doubt understood, that there was a repentance; and as for the wise E●ICTETES, he doth so well describe the reprehension, which a man is to use towards himself, that scarcely is any thing to be added.  
4. There is yet an other penance, which is indeed moral yet religious too, yea in some sort divine, proceeding from the natural knowledge which we have of our offending GOD by sin: For certainly many Philosophers understood, that to live virtuously was a thing agreeable to the divine goodness, and consequently, to live viciously was offensive unto him. The good EPICTETES, wished that he might dye a Christian (as it is very probable he did,) and amongst other things, he said he should be content, if dying he could lift up his hands to God and say unto him; For my part, I have not dishonoured thee. Furthermore, he will have his Philosopher to make an admirable Oath to God, never to be disobedient to his divine Majesty, nor to accuse or blame any thing coming from him, nor yet in any sort to complain thereof: And in another place he teacheth that GOD and our good Angel, are present to all our actions. You see then THEO: that this Philosopher, as yet Pagan, knew that sin offended GOD, as virtue honoured him, and consequently, he thought repentance necessary, sith that even he ordained an examen of conscience at night, in respect whereof with Pythagoras he gave this advertisement. 
Let conscience of the fact be virtue's meed,  
Let bitter reprehension vice succeed.  Now this kind of repentance tied to the knowledge and love of GOD which nature can give, was a dependence of moral religion: but as natural reason bestowed more knowledge than love upon the Philosophers, who glorified him not with proportion to the notice, they had thereof; so did nature furnish them with more light to understand how much God was offended by sin, than heat to stir up repentance, necessary for the reparation of the offence.  
5. And abbeit religious penance hath in some sort been acknowledged by some of the Philolophers, yet so rarely and weakly, that those which were reputed the most virtuous amongst them, to wit the STOIKES, gave assurance, that the wiseman was never attristated, whereupon they framed a MAXIM, so contrary to reason, as the proposition on which it was grounded, was contrary to experience, THAT THE WISEMAN SINNED NOT.  
6. We may therefore well say THEO: that penance is a virtue wholly Christian, sith on the one side it was so little known to the Pagans, and on the other side, it is so well known amongst true Christians, that in it consisteth a great part of the Evangelicall Philosophy, according to which, who soever affirmeth that he sinneth not, is mad and who soever thinketh without penance to redress his sin is frantic for it is our Saviour's exhortation of exortations, DO PENANCE Behold a brief description of the progress of this virtue.  
7. We enter into a deep apprehension, why we offend GOD so fare as we are able, in despising, dishonouring, disobeying and rebelling against him; who again, of his part, holdeth himself offended theraat, irritated, and contemned, distasting, reproving and abhorring iniquity. Out of this true apprehension, diverse motives spring, which either all, or many together, or each one a part, may carry us to this repentance: For it enters into our thoughts some times, that GOD the offended hath established a rigorous punishment in Hell for sinners, and that he will deprive them of Paradise prepared for the good. And as the desire of Paradise is extremely honourable; so the fear to lose it, is greatly considerable, and not that only, but the desire of Paradise, being of high esteem, the fear of its contrary, hell, is good and laudable. O who would not dread so great a loss, so great a torment? And this double fear, the one servile the other mercenary, doth greatly bear us forwards, towards a repentance for our sins, by which we have incurred them. And to this effect in the holy word, this fear is a thousand and a thousand times intimated. Again we consider the deformity and malice of sin according as faith doth teach us, as for example, that by yet, the likeness and Image of GOD is defiled and disuigored, the dignity of our soul dishonoured; that we are become like brute beasts, that we have violated our duty towards the CREATOR of the world, forfeited the happiness of the Angelical society, to associate, and subject ourselves to the Devil, and to the slavery of our own passions, overturning the order of reason, offending our GOOD-ANGELS, to whom we have so great obligation.  
8. At other times we are provoked to repentance, by the beauty of virtue, which brings as much good with it, as sin doth evil. Further we are often moved to it, by the example of Saints: for who did ever cast his eyes upon the exercises of the incomparable penance of a MAGDELAINE, of a MARIE EGIPTIACA; or of the PENITENTS of the Monastery surnamed PRISON, described by S. JOHN CLIMACUS without being moved to repentance for his sins: sithence the very reading of the History doth incite thereto such, as are not altogether insensible.   

That Penance without love is imperfect. CHAPTER. XIX.  
1. NOw all these motives are taught us by faith, and Christian religion, and therefore the repentance which thence issueth is very laudable, though otherwise imperfect; very laudable certainly it is: for neither the holy Scripture, nor Church would ever have used these motifes to have stirred us up, if the penance thence proceeding had not been good; and we see manifestly, that it is most agreeable to reason, to repent for sin, for these considerations; yea that it is impossible, that he who considereth them attentively, should not repent. Yet it is an imperfect repentance, because the divine love is not as yet found there: ah! do not you see THEO: that we have all these repentances for the interest of our own soul, her felicity, her interior beauty, honour, dignity, and in a word for self love, yet a lawful, just, and well ordered love.  
2. And note, that I do not say that these repentances reject the love of God, but only that they do not include it; they do not repulse it, yet do they not contain it; they are not contrary to it, but as yet are without it; it is not excluded, nor yet is it included. The will which doth simply embrace good, is good, yet if she so embrace it as to reject the better, she is truly disordinate, not in accepting the one, but in repulsing the other: So to vow to give alms this day is good, yet to vow, to give only this day, were bad; because it would exclude the better, that is to give both to day, to morrow, and every day when commodity serveth. Certes it is well done, it cannot be denied, to repent for our sins to avoid the pains of Hell, and obtain heaven, but he that should resolve never to repent for any other thing, should wilfully exclude the better, which is to repent for the love of God, and commit a great sin. And what father would not find it strange, that his son would indeed serve him, yet not at all with love, or by love.  
3. The beginning of good things is good: the progress, better: the end the best; yet the beginning is good in the nature of a beginning: and the progress, in the nature of a progress but to offer in the beginning, 〈◊〉 progress to end the work, were to pervert order. Infancy is good, but to desire to remain still a child, is naught for a child of an hundred years old is despised. It is laudable to begin to learn, yet he that should begin with intention never to perfect himself, should do against all reason. Fear, and those other motifes of repentance whereof I spoke, are good for the beginning of Christian wisdom, consisting of penance: but he who deliberately would not attain to love the perfection of penance, should greatly offend him, who ordained all to his own love, as to the end of all things.  
4. To conclude, the penance which excluds the love of God, is infernal like to that of the damned; The repentance which doth not reject the love of GOD, though as yet it be without it, is a good penance, but imperfect and cannot give salvation, until it attain love and join itself unto it. So that as the great Apostle said, that though he should deliver his body to be burnt, and all his goods to the poor wanting charity, it should be unprofitable unto him, so we may truly say, that though our penance were so great that it should cause our eyes dissolve into tears, and our hearts break with sorrow without the sacred love of God, all this were nothing available to eternal life.   

How there is mixture of Love and sorrow in Contrition. CHAPTER. XX.  
1. NAture did never, that I know, convert fire into water, though diverse waters are converted into fire: yet God did it once by miracle: for as it is written in the boo●● of MACHABIES; when the children of Israel were conducted into Babylon in the time of SEDECIAS; the Priests by HIEREMIES' counsel hide the HOLY FIRE in a valley, in a dry well, and upon their return the children of those that had hid it, went to seek it, following the directions their fathers had given them, and they found it converted into a think water, which being drawn by them, and poured upon the sacrifices, according to NEHEMIAS his ordinance, as soon as the sun beams had touched it, it was converted into a great fire.  
4. THE: amongst the sorrows of a lively repentance, GOD doth often put in the bottom of our heart the sacred fire of love; this love is converted into the water of tears; they, by a second change, into a greater fire of love. Thus the famous PENITENT-LOVER loved first her Saviour; that love was converted into tears, and those into an excellent love: whence our Saviour told her that many sins were pardoned her because she loved much. And as we see fire doth turn wine into a certain water called AQVAVITAE which doth so easily conceive fire that it is also termed hot: so the consideration of the sovereignly amiable Bounty offended by sin, doth produce the water of holy Penance, and thence the fire of Divine Love doth issue, properly termed AQVAVITAE, or hot water. Penance is indeed a water in its substance being a true dislike a real grief and repentance, yet is it hot for that it contains the property of Love, whence it springs, and gives the life of Grace. So that Penance hath two effects; by sorrow and detestation it seperats us from sin, and the Creatures; and by love it reunits us to God, at once reclaiming us from sinne in quality of repentance, and in quality of Love, reuniting us to God.  
5. Yet will I not affirm that the perfect love of God by which we love him above all things, doth always precede this repentance, nor that this repentance doth always precede this love: for though it doth happen so many times, yet so, as that otherwhiles also, at the same instant that divine love is conceived in our heart, penance is conceived by love; and often times penance entering into our heart, love doth enter with it; and as when ESAV came out of his mother's womb, JACOB his twinne-brother, held him by the foot, to the end that their births might not only follow the one the other, but also might hold and entangle one an other; so repentance, rude and rough in regard of its sorrow, was first borne, as another ESAV, and love sweet and gracious, holds him by the foot and doth cleeve so unto him, that their birth was one, sith the end of the birth of repentance was the beginning of that of perfect love. Now as ESAV did first appear, so repentance doth ordinarily make itself to be seen before love, but love as another JACOB, although the younger, doth afterwards subdue penance, converting it into consolation.  
6. Mark I pray you THEO: the well-beloved MAGDELEINE, how she weeps with love; they have taken up my Saviour, quoth she melting into tears, and I know not where they have put him: but having by tears and sobs found him, she holds and possesseth him by love. Imperfect love desires and requires him, penance doth seek and find him, perfect love doth hold and tie him. Even as it is said of the Ethiopian Rubies whose fire is naturally very blue, but being dipped in vinegar, it shins and casteth out its clear rays: for the love which goeth before repentance, is ordinarily imperfect; but being steeped in the bitterness of penace, it gains strength, and becomes excellent love.  
7. Yea it happens some times that penance, though imperfect, contains not in itself the proper action of love, but only the virtue and propriety of it: you will ask me, what virtue or propriety of love can repentance have, if she have not the action: GOD's goodness is the motife of perfect repentance, whom it displeaseth us to have offended: now this motife is for no other reason a motife, then that it doth stir, and move us. But the motion which the divine goodness gives unto the heart which considers, it, can be no other than the motion of love, that is of union. And therefore true repentance, though it seem not so, and though we perceive not the proper effect of love, receives always motion from love, and the unitive nature thereof by means of which she doth reunite and rejoin us to the divine goodness. Tell me I pray, is it the property of the ADAMANT to draw, and join iron unto itself? Do we not see that iron touched with the ADAMANT, without either it, or its nature, but only its virtue, and attractive power, doth notwithstanding draw and unite unto it an other iron? So perfect repentance touched with the motife of love, without having the proper action of love, leaves not to have the virtue and quality thereof, that is an uniting motion, to rejoin and reunite our hearts to the divine will: But you will reply, what difference is there betwixt this uniting motion of penance, and the proper action of love. THEO: the action of love is indeed a motion to union, but it is performed by complacence, whereas the motion of union which is in penance, is not done by way of complacence, but by dislike, repentance, reparation, reconciliation; for so much therefore, as this motion doth unite, it is endued with the quality of love; in so much as it is bitter, and dolorous, it receives the quality of penance, and in fine, by its natural condition it is a true motion of penance; yet so, as it retains the virtue and uniting quality of love.  
8. So Treacle-wine is not so named for that it doth contain the proper Substance of Treacle, for there is none at all there, but it is so called, because the plant of the vine having been steeped in Treacle, the grapes and vines which sprung from it, drew into themselves, the virtue and operation of the Treacle, against all sorts of poison; we must not therefore think it strange, if penance according to the holy scripture, do blot-out sin, save the soul, make her grateful to GOD, and justify her, which are effects appertaining to love, and seem not to be attributed to any save it: for though love itself be not always found in perfect penance; yet its virtue and proprieties are always there, conveied thither by the motife of love whence it sprung.  
9 Nor must we admire that the force of love should spring out of penance, before love be there form sith we see that the reflection of the sun beams beating upon a looking glass, heat, which is the virtue and proper quality of fire, gains by little and little so much force, that it gins to burn, before it have yet well produced the fire, or at least before we perceived it; for so the holy ghost casting into our understanding the consideration of the greatness of our sins, for that by them we have offended so sovereign a Bounty, and our will receiving the reflection of this knowledge, repentance by little and little groweth so strong, with a certain affective heat and desire to return into grace with God, that in fine this motion becomes so complete, that it doth burn and unite, even before the love be fully form, which notwithstanding as a sacred fire is immediately in that moment kindled: so that repentance never comes to the point of burning and reuniting the heart to God, which is her utmost perfection, but she finds herself wholly converted into fire, and flames of love, the end of the one giving the other a beginning, yea rather the end of penance is within the beginning of love, as ESAV his foot, was within jacob's hand, in such sort, that as soon as ESAV ended his birth, jacob begun his; the end of the ones birth, being joined, tied, and which is more, environed with the beginning of the others for so the beginning of perfect love, doth not only follow the end of penance but doth even cleave, and tie itself to it; and to contain all in one word, this beginning of love, doth mix itself with the end of repentance and in this motion of mixture, penance and contrition merits life everlasting.  
3. Now because this loving repentance is ordinarily practised by elevations and raisings up of the heart to God, like to those of the ancient penitents: I am thine o Lord, save me, have mercy upon me, for in thee my soul doth confide; save me o Lord, for the waters do overwhelm my soul. Use me like one of thy hirelings. Lord be propitious, to me a poor sinner. It is not without reason that some have said, that Prayer did justify: for the repentant Prayer, or the suppliant repentance, raising up the soul to God, and reuniting it to his goodness without doubt obtains Pardon, in virtue of holy love, which gives the sacred motion. And therefore we ought to be furnished with such iaculatory prayers, made in manner of loving repentance, and desire aiming at our reconciliation to God, to th'end that by the means thereof laying before our Saviour our tribulation, we may pour out our souls, before, and with in his pitiful heart, who will receive them to mercy.   

How our Saviour loving inspirations do assist and accompany us to faith and charity. CHAPTER XXI.  
1. FRom the first awaking from sin or infidelity, to the final resolution of a perfect belief, there often runneth a great deal of time in which we may pray as we have seen S. PACOMIUS do, and as the father of the poor Lunatic (who by S. MARKS relation, giving assurance he believed, that is, that he began to believe) knew with all that he believed not sufficiently whereupon he cried out. Lord I believe, yet help my incredulity; as though he should have said, I am now no more in the obscurity of the night of infidelity, the rays of your faith doth already touch upon the Orison of my soul: yet do I not, even yet believe so much as were convenient, it is yet an infant knowledge and mixed with darkness, ah! Lord help me. S. AUGUSTINE also doth solemnly pronounce this remarkable word. But hark o man, and understand, art thou not drawene pray that thou may'st be drawn; in which his intention is not to speak of the first motion, which GOD work's in us without us, when he excites and awakes us out of the sleep of sin: For how could we demand to be awaked seeing no man can pray before he be awaked; but he speaks of the resolution which a man undertakes to become faithful: For he esteems, that to believe, is to be drawn, and therefore he admonisheth, even such as were exercised in faith, to demand the gift of faith, and indeed none could better know the difficulties, which ordinarily pass betwixt the first motions that God works in us, and the perfect resolution of perfect belief, then S. AUGUSTINE, who having had so great a variety of touches, by the words of the glorious S. AMBROSE, by the conferance he had with Potitian, and a thousand other means, used notwithstanding so many delays, and had so much pain to resolve so that, more truly to him, than any other, might have been applied that which he afterwards said to others: Alas AUGUSTINE, if thou be not drawn, if thou believe not, pray that thou mayst be drawn, that thou mayst believe.  
2. Our Saviour draws hearts by the delight that he gives them, which makes them find the heavenly learning sweet and agreeable, but till this sweetness have 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 goodness upon us by his holy inspirations; so doth not our enemy cease to practise his malice by temptations. In the interim, we remain in full liberty, to consent to the divine drawghtes, or to reject them: for as the Sacred CONC: of TRENT hath clearly resolved. If any one should say that man's freewill, being moved and incited by GOD doth cooperate in nothing, by consenting to GOD who did move and call him, to the end he might dispose and prepare himself to obtain the grace of justification, and that he could not consent though he would, verily he should be excommunicated, and reproved by the Church. But if we do not repulse the grace of holy love it doth dilate itself by continual increase in our souls, till they be entierily converted; like to great rivers, which finding open plains spreed themselves still gaining ground.  
3. And if the inspiration having drawn us to faith find no resistance in us, it draws us even to penance, and charity. S. PETER, as an Apode, helped up by an inspiration which came from the eyes of his master permitting himself freely to be moved and carried by the gentle blast of the holy Ghost, and looking upon those comfortable eyes which had stirred him up he read's in them as in the book of life, the invitations to pardon, which the divine clemency doth offer him, draws from it a just motife of hope, goes out of the Court, considers the horror of his sinne, and detests it: He weeps, he sobs, he prostrats his miserable heart before his Saviour's mercy, craves Pardon for his faults, makes resolution of an inviolable loyalty, and by this Progress of motions practised by the help of grace, which doth continually conduct, assist, and further it, he comes at length, to the holy remission of his sins and passeth so from grace to grace, according to that which S. PROSPER doth aver; that without grace, a man doth not run to grace.  
4. So then to conclude this point, the soul prevented by grace, feeling the first essays, and consenting to their sweetness, as returning to herself after so long a sound, she gins to sigh out these words, ah my dear SPOUSE, my friend! draw me, I beseech thee, and take me by the hand, otherwise I am not able to walk: but if thou dost draw me, we run; thou in helping me by the odour of thy perfumes, and I by corresponding by my weak consent, and by relishing thy sweets which doth recreate and strengthen me, till the Balm of thy sacred name, that is the wholesome ointment of my justification, be spread within me. Do you mark, THEO: she would not Pray, if she were not excited, but as soon as that is done, and that she perceives the draughts, she Prays that she may be drawn: being drawn, she runs: marry she would not run, if the perfums which enticeth and by which she is drawn, did not revive her heart by the virtue of their odour; and as her course is more swift, and as she approacheth nearer her heavenly Spouse, she hath a more delicious taste, of the sweetness which he sends out; in such sort that in the end, her heart gins to melt like scattered Balm, whence she cries out: as being surprised by this contentment not so quickly expected, but unlooked for; o my spouse thou are as Balm poured into my bosom, it is not strange that young souls dear esteem thee!  
5. Thus my dear THEO: the divine inspiration doth come unto us, and prevent us moving our wills to sacred love. And if we do not repulse her she walks with us, and doth environ us, continually to incite and advance us; not abandoning us, if we abandon her not, till such time, as she hath brought us to holy Charity's Gate, performing for us the three good offices which the great Angel RAPHAEL did for his dear TOBY: for she is a guide to us through all our journey of holy penance, she is our warrant from dangers and assaults of the the devil, and doth comfort, love, and fortify us in difficulties.   

A short description of Charity. CHAPTER. XXII.  
1. Behold at length THEO: how GOD by a progress full of ineffable sweetness conducteth the soul which he made go out of the Egypt of sin; from Love to Love, as from Lodging to Lodging, till she have made her entry into the LAND OF PROMISE, I mean of most holy Charity, which to say in one word, is Friendship not a love of proper interest: for by Charity we love God for his own sake, by reason of his most soveraignely amiable Bounty: But this friendship, is a true friendship being reciprocal, God having loved all such eternally, as have, do, or shall love him temporally it: is shown and acknowledged mutually, sith that GOD cannot be ignorant of the love we bear him, he himself bestowing it upon us, nor can we be ignorant of his love to us, seeing it is so published, and that we acknowledge all the good we have, as true effects of his benevolence, and in fine we have continual communication with him, who never ceaseth to speak unto our hearts by inspirations, allurements and sacred motions; he ceaseth not to help us, and give all sorts of testimonies of his holy affection, having openly revealed unto us all his secrets, as to his confident friends and for the accomplishment of his holy LOVE-COMMERCE with us, he made himself our proper food, in the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist; and as for us, we have freedom to treat with him at all times when we please in holy Prayer, we having our whole life, motion, and being, not only with him, but even in and by him.  
2. Nor is this friendship a simple friendship, but a friendship of dilection, by which we make election of God, to love him with a special love. He is chosen sayeth the sacred spouse from amongst a thousand, she sayeth from amongst a thousand, but she would say from amongst all, whence this love is not a love of simple excellency, but an incomparable love: for charity love's God by a certain esteem and preferance so high and transcending all other esteems, that other love's either are not true loves, in comparison of this or if they be true love's this love is infinitely more than love, and therefore THEO: it is not a love which the force of nature either angelical or humane can produce, but the holy Ghost doth give it and pour it into our hearts; and as our souls which animate the body, have not their origine from the body, but are there put by the natural providence of God; so Charity, which gives life to our hearts, hath not her extraction from thence, but is poured into them as an heavenly liquor, by the supernatural providence, of his divine Majesty.  
3. For this reason, and for that it hath reference to God, and doth tend unto him, not according to the natural knowledge we have of his goodness, but according to the supernatural knowledge of faith; we name it supernatural friendshipe. Whence she together with faith, and hope, keeps residence.  
4. And as a Majestical Queen, is seated in the will, as in her Throne, whence she conveys into the soul her dainties, and sweets, making her thereby fair, agreeable, and amiable to the divine Goodness, so that if the soul be a kingdom whereof the Holy Ghost is the king, Charity is the Queen set at his right hand in a Robe of gold wrought in variety. If the soul be a Queen, Spouse to the great king of heaven; Charity is her Crown which doth royally adorn her head: yea if the soul with the body be a little world, Charity is the Sun which beautifies all, heats all, and revives all,  
5. Charity then is a love of friendship, a friendship of dilection, a dilection of preference, yea and an incomparable, sovereign, and supernatural preference, which is as a Sun through all the soul, to lighten it with his rays; in all the spiritual faculties, to perfect them; in all the powers, to moderate them; but in the will, as in his seat there to reside, and to cause her to affect and love her God above all things; o how happy is the soul wherein this holy love is spread, sith that together with it, all good doth arrive.   
The end of the 2. book.   

THE THIRD BOOK OF THE PROGRESS AND PERFECTION OF LOVE.  

That holy love may be augmented still more and more in every of us. CHAPTER. I.  
1. THE holy Council of Trent assures us, that the friends of God proceeding from virtue to virtue, are day by day renewed, that is, increased by good works, in the justice, which they received by God's grace, and are more and more justified, according to those heavenly advertissements; he that is just, let him be more justified; And he who is holy, let him be more sanctified. Fear not but thou mayest be justified even until death: the path of the just is advanced, and increaseth as a resplendent light, even till it be clear day with charity doing right, increasing in all things, in him who is the head of all, JESUS-CHRIST: And I beseech you that your charity, do more and more increase. All these are sacred words out of DAVID, S. JOHN, ECCLESIASTES, and S. PAUL.  
2. I never heard of any living creature whose growth was not bounded and limited, save only the Crocodile who from an extremely little beginning never ceaseth to grow till she come to her end, representing equally in this the good, and the wicked; for the arrogance of such as hate God, swells continually sayeth the great kind DAVID; and the good do increase as the break of the day, from brightness to brightness: and to stand long at a stay in one estate is a thing impossible; he that gains not, looseth in this traffic; he that ascends not, descends upon this ladder; he that vanquisheth not in this battle, is vanquished: we live amidst the dangers of the wars which our enemy doth wage with us; if we resist not, we perish; and we cannot resist, but we overcome, nor overcome without triumph: for, as sayeth the glorious S. BERNARD; it is written in particular of man, that he never remains in one state; he doth necessarily either go forward or return backward. Every one runs, but one only bears away the prize, run so, as you may obtain it. Who is the prize, but JESUS-CHRIST? And how can you attain him, if you follow him not? But if you follow him, you shall march, and run continually: for he never makes stay, but continues his course of love and obedience even until death, and death of the cross.  
3. Go then, saith S. BERNARD, go I say with him, go my dear THEO: and admit no other bounds, than those of life, and as long as it remains, run after this Saviour; but run ardently and lovingly: for what better will you be to follow him if you be not so happy as to overta him? Let us hear the Prophet; I have inclined my heart to do thy justifications eternally, he doth not say, that he will do them for a time only, but everlastingly; and because he desires eternally to do well, he shall have an eternal reward. Blessed are they, who are pure in the way, who walk in the law of our Lord: accursed are they who are defiled, who walk not in the law of our Lord: It is only a saying of the Devil, that he will sit upon the Norh. Unworthy man wilt thou sit down? ah! knowest thou not that thou art upon the way, and that the way is not made to sit down but to go in? and so to go in, that to go, is to pass on the way. And God speaking to one of his greatest friends: walk sayeth he before me and be perfect.  
4. True virtue hath no limits she finds still PLUS VLTRA; but especially holy Charity, which is the virtue of vert es, and having an infinite object, might be capable to become infinite, if she could meet with a heart capable of infinity; nothing hindering this love to be infinite save the condition of the will which receives it, and is to become active by it; which, as it is cause that never any shall see God, as much as he is visible, so never any shall be able to love him, as much as he is amiable. The heart which could love GOD with a love equal to the divine Goodness, should have a will infinitely good, which cannot be but in God. Charity then in us may be perfected even to infinity, but exclusively, that is, Charity may become more and more and still more excellent, yet never infinite. The Holy Ghost, may elevate our hearts, and apply them to what supernatural actions it shall please him, so they be not infinite; for betwixt little an great things, though the one exceed the other never so much, there is still some proportion, provided always, that the excess of the thing which doth exceed be not infinite: but between finite and infinite there is no proportion nor can there be any made, unless either the finite thing be raised to infinity, or the infinite brought down to finitie, which is impossible.  
5. So that even the Charity which is in our Redeemour, as he is man, though greater than Angel or man can comprehend, yet is it not infinite of itself, and in its own being, but only in the estimation of the dignity and merit thereof, as being the charity of a divine Person who i●●e●● eternal Son of the omnipotent Father.  
6. Mean while, it is an extreme honour to the soul; that she may still grow more and more in the love of her God, as long as she shall live in this miserable life.  
And by virtues new ascend,  
To a life that knows no end.   

How easy our Saviour hath made the increase of love. CHAPTER. II.  
1. Do you see. THEO. this glass of water, or this piece of bread which a holy soul gives to a poor body for God's sake, it is a small matter God-wot, and in humane conceit hardly worthy of consideration: God notwithstanding doth recompense it, and forthwith for it doth give some increase of Charity: the Goats' hair which anciently was presented to the TABERNACLE, was taken in good part, and had place amongst the holy Offerings; and the little actions which proceed from Charity are agreeable to God and meritorious: for as in the happy ARABIA, not only the plants which are by nature odoriferous, but even all the others are sweet, participating the felicity of that soil; so in a charitable be ●e, not only the works which are excellent in their own nature, but even every little action doth relish the virtue of holy love, and hath a good odour before the majesty of God, who in consideration thereof doth augment charity. And I say God doth it, because Charity doth not produce her own increase as doth a tree, who by her own virtue doth thrust and branch out her boughs; but as Faith, Hope and Charity are virtues which have their origine from the divine goodness; so thence also they draw their increase and perfection; not unlike unto Bees, who having their extraction from honey, have also their food from it.  
2. Wherefore like as Pearls are not only bred of dew, but fed also with it, the Mother-pearls to this end opening their shells towards Heaven to beg, in a manner, the drops which the fresh air makes fall at the break of the day; so we having received Faith, Hope, and Charity of the heavenly Bounty, we ought always to turn and bend our hearts thitherwards, thence to obtain the continuation and augmentation of the same virtues. O Lord, doth the holy Church our mother teach us to say, give us the increase of faith, hope, and charity; And it is done in imitation of those that said to our Saviour, Lord increase faith in us, and following the counsel of S. PAUL who assures us, that God only is able to make all grace abound in us.  
3. It is God therefore that gives this increase in consideration of the employment which we make of his grace, as it is written; to him who hath, (that is, who doth employ the favours received) more shall be given, and he shall abound. Thus is our Saviour's exhortation practised; Heap up treasurs in heaven: as though he should say, to your precedent good works, add still new ones: for Fasting, and Alms deeds are the pieces whereof your treasurs are to consists. Now, as amongst the treasurs of the Temple, the poor widow's mite was much esteemed, and as indeed, by the addition of many little pieces the treasurs wax great and a greater value is set upon them; so the least of little good works, though performed even somewhat coldly, and not according to the whole latitude of the Charity which is in us, is agreeable to God, and esteemed by him; In such sort, that though of themselves they cannot cause any increase in the precedent love, being of less force than it; yet the Divine Providence, weighing, and out of his goodness highly prising them, doth forthwith reward them with increase of Charity for the present, and for the time to come, with a more ample glory in heaven.  
4. THEOT: the delicious honey is the Bee's Masterpiece; nor yet is their wax therefore neglected, but is an honour to their labours: Loving hearts ought to endeavour, to bring forth works full of fervour, and of high value, to the end they might pvissantly augment Charity: yet if they bring forth some of lesser value, they shall not lose their recompense; for God will take them in good part, that is to say, he will thereby love them a little more. Nor doth God ever love a soul that is in Charity more, without bestowing also upon her more Charity, our love towards him being the proper, and special effect of his love towards us,  
5. By how much more lively we look upon our picture in a looking glass, by so much more attentively it looks upon us again; and by how much more lovingly God doth cast his gracious eyes upon our soul, which is made to his Image and likeness, our soul mutually, with so much more attention and fervour is fixed upon the Divine Goodness, answering, according to her littleness, all the increase of Divine Love which this sovereign sweetness work's in her. The Council of Trent sayeth thus: If any say that justice received, is not conserved, yea that it is not augmented by good works in the sight of God, but that works are only the fruits and signs of justification acquired, and not the cause of its increase, let him be accursed. Do you mark THEO: how justification wrought by Charity, is augmented by good works, and which is to be noted, by good works without exception: for as S. Bernard sayeth excellently well upon another passage; nothing is excepted, or nothing is distinguished; the Council speaks of good works indistinctly and without reservation, yet gives to understand, that not only the great and fervent, but also the little and faint works do cause the increase of Charity: but the great ones in a greater manner, the little ones, in a lesser.  
6. Such is the love which God bears to our souls, such his desire to make us increase in the love which we own to him. The Divine sweetness renders all things profitable unto us; takes all to our advantage, and turns all our endeavours, though never so faint and of low condition, to our gain.  
7. In the commerce of moral virtues little works bring no increase to the virtue whence they proceed, but contrariwise, if they be very little, do impair it: for a great Liberality doth perish, while she is busied in bestowing things of small value, and of liberality becomes niggardness. But in the traffic of virtues which issue from God's mercy, and especially from Charity, every work returns profit: Nor is it strange that sacred Love, as king of virtues, hath nothing either great or small, which is not amiable, sith the Balm tree, prince of sweet trees, bears neither bark nor leaf, that is not odoriferous: and what could love bring fourth that were not worthy of love, or did not tend to love?   

How a soul in Charity makes progress in it. CHAPTER. III.  
1. LEt's make use of a Parabole THEO: seeing it was a method that pleased the Sovereign Master of Love, which we are to teach. A great and brave King having espoused a most amiable young Princess, and having on a certain day led her into his secret Closet, there to converse with her more at his pleasure; after some discourse, he saw her by a certain sudden accident fall down as dead at his foot. Alas! he was extremely astonished at this, and it did well nigh put him also into a sound; for she was dearer to him then his own life. Yet the same Love that gave him this assault of grief, did forthwith give him strength to sustain it, and put him into action, to th'end that with an incomparable promptitude he might remedy the evil of the dear Companion of his life: so that with a nimble speed opening a Dresser which stood by, he takes a cordial water infinitely precious, and having filled his mouth with it, by force he opens the closed lips and teeth of his well-beloved Princess, them breathing, and spurting the precious liquor which he held in his mouth, into his poor Loves, who lay in a sound; and poureing the rest of the glass upon her nose, her temples, and about her heart, he made her return to herself and senses again; that done, he helps her up softly, and by virtue of remedies, doth so strengthen and bring her to life, that she gins to stand, and walk fairly with him; but in no sort without his help for he goes assisting and sustaining her under the arm, till at length he laid to her heart an Epetheme so precious, and of so great virtue, that finding herself entirely restored to her wonted health, she walks all alone, her dear Spouse not now surtaiening her so much, but only holding her right hand softly betwixt his, and his right arm folded under hers, and under her breasts. Thus he entertained her, and with all did her four good offices: for 1. he gave testimony that his heart was lovingly careful of her. 2. he never desisted to solace her. 3. if she felt any touch of her former faintness return, he would sustain her. 4. if she light into any rough and difficile way, he would be her support and stay; And in Ascents, or when she would make a little more haste, he would lift her up, and powerfully secure her. In fine he stayed by her with a cordial regard till night approached, and then also he would assist in conveying her, to her royal bed.  
2. The just soul is the Spouse of our Saviour, and because she is never just, but when she is in charity, she is also never spouse but she is led into the sacred Closet, of those delicious perfumes, mentioned in the Canticles; Now, when the soul thus honoured, commits sin, she falls as dead of a spiritual faintness; and this is truly an unexpected accident: for who would ever have thought that a Creature would have forsaken her Creator and sovereign Good, for things so slight as the baits of sin? Certes the Heavens are astonished at it, and if God were subject to passions, he would fall down in a sound at this mishap, as when he was mottall he died upon the cross for our Redemption. But seeing it is not now necessary that he should employ his love to dye for us, when he seethe the soul overthrown by sin, he commonly runs to her succour, and by an unspeakable mercy, lays open the gates of her heart, by the stings and remorses of conscience, which coming from the diverse lights and apprehensions which he casts into our hearts, with healthful motions, by which as by an odoriferous and vital water he makes the soul return home to herself, and senses. And all this THEO: God works in us without our help, his amiable Bounty preventing us with his sweetness. For even as our languishing Bride had remained dead in her sound, if the king had not assisted; so the soul would remain lost in her sin if God prevented her not. But if the soul thus excitated, add her consent to the feeling of Grace, seconding the inspiration which prevented her, and receiving the aides and remedies requisite, provided for her by God; he will fortify her and conduct her through the diverse motions of Faith, Hope, and Penance, even till he restore her to her true spiritual health which is Charity. Now in her passage from virtue to virtue, by which he disposeth her to Love, he doth not conduct her only, but in such sort sustain her, that as she of her side walks what she is able, so he of his part supports and sustains her, and it is hard to say, whether she goes, or she is carried: for she is not so carried that she goes not, and yet she goes so, that if she were not carried, she could not go at all. So that to speak Apostolically, she must say; I go, not I alone, but the Grace of God with me.  
3. But the Soul being entirely restored to her health, by the excellent Epitheme of Charity which the Holy Ghost infuseth into her heart, she is then able to go, and keep herself upon her feet of herself, yet by virtue of this health, and this sacred Epitheme of holy Love.. Wherefore though she be able to go of herself, yet is she to rend the glory thereof to God, who bestowed upon her a health so vigorous, and manly: for whether the Holy Ghost doth fortify us by the motions which he doth imprint in our hearts, or he doth sustain us by the Charity which he doth infuse into it; whether he doth secure us by manner of assistance, in lightning and carrying us; or that he doth strengthen our hearts by poureing into them fortifying and quickening Love; We always live, go, and operate, in and by him.  
4. And although by means of Charity poured into our Souls, we are able to walk in the presence of God, and make advancement in the way of Salvation, yet so, as that the Goodness of God doth still assist the soul whom he hath daigned with his Love, continually holding her with his holy hand: For so 1. he doth better make appear the sweetness of his love towards her. 2. he goes still more and more encouraging her. 3. he gives her comfort against depraved inclinations, and evil customs contracted by her former sin. 4. and finally, he maintains and defends her from temptations.  
5. Do not we often see THEO: that sound and lusty men must be provoked to employ their strength and power well, and as one would say must be drawn by the hand to the work? So God having endued us with Charity, and in it, with force and sufficiency to gain ground in the way of perfection; his Love doth not permit him to let us march all alone, but makes him put himself upon the way with us, it urgeth him to urge us, and doth solicit his heart, to solicit and drive forwards ours to make good use of the Charity which he gave us, repeating often by means of his inspirations, S. PAUL'S Advertisements: See that thou receive not heavenly Grace in vain, while you have time; do all the good you can; run so as you may win the goal. So that we are often to think, that he iterats in our ears, the words which he used to the good Father ABRAHAM: walk before me and be perfect.  
6. But principally the special assistance of God is requisite for the soul endued with Charity, in her enterprises which are sublime and extraordinary: for be it that Charity, though very weak, doth sufficiently incline us, and unless I be deceived, afford force enough to perform the works necessary to salvation. yet so, that to aspire to, and undertake excellent and extraordinary actions, our hearts stand in need of putting on, and heateing, by the hand and motion of this great heavenly Lover; as the Princess in our Parable, although restored to health, could not ascend, nor have gone fast, had not her dear Spouse relieved and strongly sustained her. To this Purpose, S. ANTONY, and Simeon Stylite, were in the Grace of God and Charity, when they did design so high enterprises: as also the B. mother S. TERESA when she made her particular vow of obedience: S. FRANCIS, and S. LEWES, when they undertook their journey beyond sea for the advancement of God's glory: The B. ZAVERIUS when he consecrated his life to the Indians conversion, S. CHARLES in exposing himself to serve the pestiferous, S. PAULINE, when he sold himself to redeem the poor widow's child; yet never had they dared so hardy and generous enterprises, if God, to that Charity which they had in their hearts, had not added special forces, inspirations, invitations, and lights, whereby he did animate and push them forward to these extraordinary essays of spiritual valour.  
7. Do you not mark the young man of the Gospel, whom our Saviour loved, and who consequently was in Charity? certes he never dreamed of selling all he had, to give it to the poor, and follow our Saviour: nay though our Saviour had given him such an inspiration, yet had he not the courage to put it in execution. In these great works THEO: only inspirations are not sufficient, but further we must be fortified, to be able to effect that which the inspiration inclines us to. As again in the fierce assaults of extraordinary temptations, the special and particular presence of heavenly succours is altogether necessary. For this cause, the holy Church makes us so frequently cry out: Excite our hearts o Lord, prevent our actions by breathing upon us; and in aiding us, accompany us; O Lord be prompt to help us, and the like; thereby to obtain grace to be able to effect excellent and extraordinary works, and more frequently and fervently to exercise ordinary ones: as also more ardently to resist small temptations, and more valliently to encounter great ones. S. ANTONY was assailed by a hideous legion of Devils, whose rage having a long time sustained, not without incredible pain and torment; at length he espied the cover of his Cell divided, and a heavenly ray enter the breach, which made the black and disordered Rout of his enemies vanish in a moment, and delivered him of the pain of his wounds received in that schirmish, whence he perceived God's particular presence, and casting out a groan towards the brightness; where wast thou o good JESUS, quoth he, where wast thou? why wast thou not here from the beginning to have remedied my pain? It was answered him from above, Antony, I was here: but I expected the event of thy combat: And sithence thou behaved thyself bravely and valiantly, I will be thy continual aid. But in what the valour, and courage of this brave spiritual Combatant did consist, he himself, another time declars, that being set upon by a Devil who professed to be the Spirit of fornication, this Glorious Saint after many words worthy of his great courage, fell a singing the 7. verse of the 115. Psalm. 
Th'eternal God is my defence,  
In him it is I stand:  
I weigh no enemies pretence,  
I dread no hostel band.  And our Saviour revealed to S. CATHERINE of Sienna, that he was in the midst of her heart in a cruel temptation she had, as a Captain in the midst of a Fort to hold it; and that without his succour she had lost herself in the battle. It is the like, in all the hot assaults which our enemy makes against us: and we may well say with JACOB, that it is the Angel that doth warrant us in all, and sing with the great king DAVID. 
The Pastor who doth guide my way,  
Is God, who rules this ROUND.  
While I to his commands obey,  
At wish, all things abound:  
When he behoulds my souls distress  
Her Anguish, grief, or care,  
His Goodness grant's a quick redress  
And th' ruins doth repair.  So that we ought often to repeat this exclamation and Prayer.  
●o hour want I thy bounty's hand,  
Each where I'm guarded by thy Grace,  
That in thy heavenly PROMISED LAND,  
Obtain I might a MANSION PLACE.   

Touching holy perseverance in sacred Love. CHAPTER four  
1. EVen as a tender mother, leading with her, her little babe, doth assist and support him according as need requires, letting him now and then adventure a step by himself in plain, or less dangerous way, now taking him by the hand to wield him, now taking him up in her arms and bearing him: so our Saviour hath a continual care to conduct his children, that is such as are in Charity; making them walk before him, reaching them his hand in difficulties, and bearing them himself in such pains, as he sees otherwise insupportable unto them, which he declared by isaiah saying, I am thy GOD, taking thee by the hand, and saying fear not, I have helped thee. So that with a strong courage we must have a firm confidence in God, and his assistance: for if we fail not to second his Grace, he will accomplish in us the happy work of our Salvation, which he also began, working in us both the VELLE and PERFICERE, as the Holy Council of Trent doth assure us.  
2. In this conduct which the heavenly sweetness daignes to our souls, from their entry to Charity, until their final perfection, which is not finished but in the period of life, doth the great gift of Perseverance consist to which our Saviour annecteth the greater gift of eternal glory, following that which he sayeth, he that shall persever to the end, shall be saved: for this gift is no other thing then a setting together, and a continuing of the diverse supports, solaces, and succours whereby we continue in the Love of God till death: as the education, breeding, and feeding of a child is no other thing, than the many cares, aides and succours, and other offices befitting a child, exercised, and continued towards him till he grow to years in which he shall not need them.  
3. But the continuance of succours and helps, are not equal in all those that persever: for in some it is short, as in such as were converted a little before their death: so it happened to the good Thief; so to the Sergeant, who seeing S. JAMES his constancy, made forthwith profession of Faith and became a companion of the Matyrdome of this great Apostle: so to the glorious Porter who kept the 40. Martyrs in SEBASTE, who seeing one of them lose courage, and forsake the crown of Martyrdom did put himself in his place, and at once became Christian, Martyr, and Glorious: so to the Notary, of whom mention is made in S. ANTONY of Milan his life, who having all his life been a false villain, yet died a Martyr: And so it happened to a thousand others, whom we have seen, and red that they died well, after an ill life. And as for these they stand not in need of a great variety of succours, but unless some great temptation cross their way, may perform this short perseverance by the only Charity given then, and by the aides by which they were converted. For they arrive at the PORT without sailing, and finish their pilgrimage in one only jump, which the puissant mercy of God made them take in so due time, that their enemies saw them triumph, before they struck: so that their conversion and perseverance were scarcely distinguished, and if one would be exact in the propriety of words, the grace which they received of God, whereby they attained as soon the issue, as the entry of their pretensions, could not well be termed Perseverance, though otherwise holding in effect the place of perseverance, in that it gives salvation, we comprehend it under the name of Perseverance. Now in others Perseverance is longer, as in S. ANNE the Prophetess; in S. JOHN the Evangelist; S. PAUL the first Hermit; S. HILARION; S. ROMWALD; S FRANCIS of Paula, and they stood in need of a thousand sundry kinds of assistances, according to the variety of the adventurs of their Pilgrimage, and the sharpness of it.  
4. Howbeit Perseverance is a gift, the most to be desired of any thing we can hope for in this life, and which, as he Council of Trent sayeth; we cannot have but from the hand of God, who only can assure him that stands, and help him up that falls: Wherefore we must incessantly demand it, making use of the means which our Saviour hath taught us, to the obtaining of it, Prayer, Fasting, Alms deeds, frequenting the Sacraments, conversation with the good, the hearing and reading of pious lessons.  
5. Now sithence the gift of Prayer and devotion is liberally granted to all, that freely do consent to divine inspirations, it is consequently in our power to persever. Yet not so, that I would hence infer, that Perseverance hath her beginning from our power; for contrariwise I know she doth spring from God's mercy, whose most precious gift she is, but I would say that though she doth not proceed from our power, yet comes she within the compass of it, by means of our will which we cannot deny to be in our power: for be it, that God's grace is necessary for us, to will to persever, yet is this will in our power, because heavenly grace is never manting to our will, while our will is not wanting to our power. And indeed, according to the great S. BERNARD'S opinion, we may truly say with the Apostle: That neither death, nor life, nor Angels, neither depth, nor height can separate us from the Charity of God, which is in jesus Christ, no, for no creature can take us away by force from this holy Love; but we only can forsake and abandon it by our own will, nor is there any other thing in this behalf to be feared.  
6. So THEO: following the advice of the holy Council, we ought to place our whole hope in God, who will perfect the work of our Salvation which he hath begun in us, if we be not wanting to his grace: for we are not to think that he who said to the Paralitike, go and sin not, gave him not also power to avoid that which he did prohibit him: and surely he would never exhort the faithful to persever, if he were not ready to furnish them with power required thereto. Be faithful till death said he to the Bishop of SMIRNA and I will give thee a crown of Glory; be diligent, and remain in faith, labour courageously, and comfort yourselves, do all your works in Charity; run so, that you may obtain the Prize. We must eftsonnes with the great king demand of God the heavenly gift of Perseverance, and hope that he will grant it us.  
Do not permit thy servant's fall,  
O Lord my only HOPE, my ALL,  
In th-winter of this mortal day.  
But when untired time shall hazel  
To render back to th'earth the waste  
Of what I was; be thou my stay.   

That the happiness to die in heavenly Charity, is a special gift of God. CHAPTER. V  
1. When the heavenly king hath brought the soul which he loveth, to the end of this life, he doth not cease to assist her also in her blessed departure, by which he draws her to the marriage bed of eternal glory, which is the delicious fruit of holy Perseverance. And then, dear THEO. this soul wholly ravished with the love of her well-beloved, putting before her eyes the multitude of favours, and succours wherewith she was prevented and helped, while she is yet in her pilgrimage, she doth incessantly kiss this sweet helping hand, which conducted, drew, and supported her in the way; and confesseth, that it is of this divine Saviour that she holds her felicity, seeing he had done for her all that the Patriarch JACOB wished for his journey at such time as he saw the Ladder to heaven. O Lord, sayeth she then, thou wast with me, and guided me in the way by which I came. Thou fedst me with the bread of thy Sacraments; thou clothed'st me with the wedding garment of Charity, thou hast happily conducted me to this MANSION OF GLORY, which is thy HOUSE, o my eternal Father. What remains o Lord, save that I should protest that thou art my God for ever and ever. Amen. 
O God my Lord, my God for ever dear,  
Thy hand hath been my stay; thy sacred grace,  
My surest Guide; and did me upwards rear  
To the honour of thy heavenly MANSION PLACE.  Thus than we walk to eternal life, for the accomplishment of which the Divine Providence ordained the number, distinction and succession of graces necessary to it, with their dependence of one another.  
2. He willed first with a true will, that even after the sin of ADAM all men should be saved: but upon terms, and by means agreeable to the condition of their nature endued with freewill, that is to say he willed the salvation, of all those that would contribute their consent, to the graces and favours, which he prepared, offered, and distributed to this end.  
3. Now amongst these favours, his will was, that VOCATION should be the first, and that it should be so accommodated to our LIBERTY, that we might at our pleasure accept or reject it: and such as he saw would receive it, he would furnish with the sacred motions of PENANCE; and determined to give Charity to such as should second these motions: to those again that were in Charity, he purposed to supply with helps necessary to PERSEVERANCE: and to such, as should make use of these divine helps, he resolved to impart final Perseverance, and the glorious FELICITY of his eternal Love..  
4. And thus we may give a reason of the order which is found in the effects of PROVIDENCE tending to salvation, descending from the first to the last, that is from the fruit, which is GLORY, to the root of this fair tree, which is our Saviour's REDEMPTION. For the Divine Bounty doth follow MERITS with GLORY, CHARITY with merits, PENANCE with CHARITY, OBEDIENCE to the first Vocation, with Penance. The VOCATION with obedience to the vocation, and our Saviour's REDEMPTION with a vocation, upon which jacob's mystical ladder doth rest, as well towards heaven, it ending in the loving bosom of the eternal Father, in which he doth receive and glorify the Elect, as also towards the earth, being planted upon the bosom, and pierced side of our Saviour, who for this cause died upon the Mont-Caluarie.  
5. And that this continuance of the effects of Providence was thus ordained, with the same dependence, which they have of one another in the eternal will of God, the Holy Church, in the preface of one of her solemn Prayers, doth witness in these words: O ETERNAL and Almighty God who art Lord of the living and dead, and art merciful to all those, whom thou foreseest are to be thine, by faith and works: as though she had acknowledged, that Glory which is the increase and fruit of God's Mercy towards men, was only ordained for those, whom the Divine wisdom had foreseen, that in tract of time, seconding their vocation, they should attain a lively Faith, which work's by Charity.  
6. Finally all these effects have their absolute dependence of our Saviour's Redemption, who did merit them for us IN RIGOUR OF JUSTICE, by the loving obedience which he exercised even till death and death of the cross, which is the source of all the graces which we receive; we who are the Spiritual grasses ingraffed in his stoke and if being ingraffed we remain in him, we shall bear without doubt, by the life of grace which he will impart unto us, the fruit of Glory prepared for us. But if we prove broken sprigs and grasses upon this tree, that is, if by resistance we break the progress, and success of the effects of his Clemency it will not be strange, if in the end we be wholly cut of, and be thrown into eternal fires, as fruitless branches.  
7. God, doubtless, prepared heaven for those only, whom he foresaw would be his. Let us be his then THEO. by faith and works, and he will be ours by Glory. Now it is in our power to be his: for though it be a gift of God to be Gods, yet is it a gift which God denies no body, but offers it to all, to give it to such as freely do consent to receive it.  
8. Nay mark I pray you THEO: how ardently God desires we should be his, sith to this end, he hath made himself entirely ours; bestowing upon us his death, and his life; his life, to exempt us from eternal death; his death, to possess us of eternal life. Let us remain therefore in peace, and serve God, to become his in this mortal life; more his, in that immortal.   

That we cannot attain to a perfect union with God in this mortal life. CHAPTER. VI  
1. Rivers do restless runne, and as the wiseman sayeth, return to their source. The Sea which is the place whence they spring, is also the place of their final repose; all their motion tends no further than to unite themselves to their fountain. O God sayeth S. AUGUSTINE, thou hast created my heart for thyself, and it can never repose but in thee: But what have I in heaven save thee, o my God, or what else in earth can I desire? yea Lord, for thou art the Lord of my heart, thou my part and portion for ever. Howbeit the union which our heart aspires to, never attains to its perfection in this mortal life; we may commence our Loves in this, but never consummate them till the next world.  
2. The heavenly Spouse makes a delicate expression of it, I have found him at length sayeth she; him whom my heart love's, I hold him, nor will I let him go, till I have led him into my mother's house, and into her chamber who brought me fourth. The well-beloved hath gotten him then: For he makes her feel his presence by a thousand consolations: she holds him, these feelings causing in her strong affections, by which she doth hold and embrace him, protesting never to release him. O no! for these affections turn into eternal resolutions, yet cannot she persuade herself, that she gives him the marriage kiss, till she meet with him in her mother's house THE HEAVENLY JERUSALEM, as S. PAUL sayeth. But see, THEO: how this Spouse, thinks even to keep her beloved at her mercy, as slave in Love, and so lead him at her pleasure, bringing him to her mother's happy abode, though indeed she herself must be conducted thither by him, as was REBECCA into SARA'S chamber, by her dear ISAAC. The heart pressed with love, doth still gain ground towards the thing beloved. And the Spouse himself confesseth, that the Beloved hath forced his heart, having tied him with one only heir of her head, acknowledging himself her prisoner by Love..  
3. This perfect conjunction then of the soul with God, shall only be in heaven, where, as the Apocalypse sayeth, the Lamb's marriage-banquet shall be made. In this mottall life the soul is truly espoused, and betrothed to the immaculate Lamb, but not as yet married unto him: They have passed their words and promises, but the execution of the marriage is differred: so that we have always time, though never reason, to disclaim from it; our faithful Spouse never abandoning us, unless provoked by our disloyalty and unfaithfulness: But in heaven the marriage of this divine union being celebrated, the tie of our hearts to their sovereign PRINCIPLE, shall never be undone.  
4. It is true THEOTIME that while we expect the kiss of this indissoluble union, which we shall receive of the Spouse above in glory, he begives us some few kisses, by a thousand touches of his grateful presence: for unless the soul were kissed, she should not be drawn, nor would she run in the odour of the Beloued's perfumes: whence according to the original Hebrew Text, and the 70. Interpreters, she wisheth many kisses: Let him kiss me saith she, with kisses of his mouth. But whereas these little kisses of this present life, have reference to the ETERNAL KISS of the life to come, the holy vulgar Edition, hath piously reduced the kisses of grace, to that of Glory, expressing the spouse her desires in this wise: Let him kiss me with a kiss of his mouth, as though she should say, of all the kisses, of all the favours, that the friend of my heart, or the heart of my soul hath provided for me; ah! I do not breathe after, or aspire to any other thing then this great and solemn marriage-kisse which remains for ever, and in comparison whereof, the other kisses merit not the name of kisses, being rather signs of the future union betwixt my beloved and me, than union itself.   

That the Charity of Saints in this mortal life doth equallise, yea sometimes pass that of the Blessed. CHAPTER. VII.  
1. When after the travails and dangers of this mortal life, the happy souls arrive at the Port of the eternal, they ascend to the highest and utmost degree of Love to which they can attain: and this final increase being bestowed upon them in recompense of their merits, it is distributed unto them, not only in good measure, but is even pressed and thrust down, and yet doth scatter on every side, as our Saviour sayeth: So that the Love which is given for reward, is greater in every one, then that which was, given for to merit.  
2. Nor shall every one in particular only, have a greater love in heaven, than ever he had in earth, but even the exercise of the least Charity in heaven, shall be much more happy and excellent, generally speaking, then that of the greatest which is, hath been, or shall be in this frail life: for above, all the saints do incessantly, without any intermission exercise love; while hear below, God's greatest servants racked and tyrannised with the necessities of this dying life, are forced to suffer a thousand and a thousand distractions, which oftentimes puts them by the practice of holy love.  
3. In heaven THEO: the loving attention of the blessed is firm, constant, inviolable, and cannot perish or decrease; their intention is pure, and freed from all mixture of any inferior intention▪ In some, this felicity, to see God clearly, and love him unchangably is incomparable. And who would ever compare the pleasure one might take by sea (if any can be had to live amidst the dangers continual torments, agitations and mutations, which there are to be endured) with the content of a royal Palace, where all things are at a wish, yea where delights do incomparably pass our wishes?  
4. There is then more content, pleasure, and perfection in the exercise of sacred love amongst the heavenly inhabitants, then in that of the pilgrims of this poor land: some notwithstanding have been so happy in their pilgrimage, that they passed in Charity diverse of those Saints, who were already possessed of the eternal Country: for certainly it were strange, that the Charity of a great S. JOHN, of the Apostles and Apostolical men, were not greater, yea even while they were detained hear below, then that of little children who dying in the only grace of Baptism enjoyed immortal glory.  
5. It is not ordinary that shepherds are more valiant than soldiers; and yet the little shepherd DAVID, coming into the Army of ISRAEL, found that every one was more expert in the use of arms than he, nevertheless he was more valiant than all they. Nor is it ordinary that mortals have more charity than the immortal, and yet there have been some mortals, inferior in the exercise of love to the immortal, who notwithstanding have gone before them in charity, and habits of love. And as making comparison betwixt hot iron and a burning lamp, we say, the iron is hotter, yet the lamp is clearer and lighter: So if we parallel a glorious child with S. JOHN as yet prisoner, or S. PAUL a captive, we shall say that the child in heaven hath more brightness and lightness in his understanding, more heat and exercise of love in the will: yet S. JOHN, or S. PAUL had even in earth, more fire of Charity, and heat of love.   

Of the incomparable love of the mother of God our B. Lady. CHAPTER. VIII.  
1. But what or wheresoever I speak, my meaning is not to make comparison with the most Sacred virgin Mother our B. Lady: o God no, FOR SHE IS THE DAUGHTER OF INCOMPARABLE DILECTION, the only dove, the most perfect spouse. Of this heavenly Queen, from my heart I pronounce, this loving, and true thought; that, at least towards the end of her mortal days, her charity passed that of the Seraphins: for though many Daughters heaped together riches, she surpassed the all. The Saints and Angels are but compared to stars, and the prime of those to the fairest of these: but she is fair as the moon, as easy to be singled and discerned from all the Saints, as the Sun from the stars. And yet I think further, that as the Charity of this MOTHER OF LOVE excels that of all the Saints of heaven in perfection, so did she exercise it more perfectly, yea even in this mortal life, never offending venially, as the Church esteems; she had then nor change nor stop in the way of Love, but by a perpetual advancement ascended from Love to Love.. She never felt any contradiction of the sensual appetite; whence her Love as a true SALOMON reigned peaceably in her soul, and was exercised at her pleasure: the virginity of her heart and body, was more worthy and honourable then that of Angels. So that her spirit not divided or separated as S. PAUL sayeth, was occupied in divine thoughts to please her God. And in fine a mother's love, most pressing, active, and ardent, an unwearied and insatiable love, what could it not work in the heart of such a mother, and for the heart of such a son.  
2. Ah! do not say I pray you, that this virgin was subject to sleep, no, say not so THEO: for do you not see, that her sleep, is a sleep of Love? so that it is even her Spouse his will, that she should sleep so long as she list; ah! take heed I conjure you saith he, that you awake not my well-beloved till she please. No THEO: this heavenly Queen never slept but of love, sith she never gave repose to her precious body, but to reinforce it, the better thence to serve God, which is a most excellent act of Charity: for as the great S. Augustine sayeth, Charity doth oblige us to love our bodies conveniently, in so much as they are necessary to good works; as they make a part of our person; and as they shall be participant of eternal felicity: Certes a Christian is to love his body, as a living Image of our Saviour incarnate, as issue of the same stock, and consequently of his kindred and consanguinity; especially after we have renewed the alliance, by receiving really the divine body of our Redeemour in the most adorable Sacrament of the Altar, and when by Baptism, Confirmation and other Sacraments, we have dedicated and consecrated ourselves to the Sovereign Goodness.  
3. But for the B. Virgin, o God with what devotion was she to love her virginal body! not only because it was a sweet, humble, pure body, obeissant to divine Love, and wholly embaumed with a thousand sacred sweets, but also for that it was the lively source of our saviour's, and did so strictly belong unto him, by an incomparable dependence. For which cause, when she gave her angelical body to the repose of sleep: go to aid she, repose o TABERNACLE OF ALLIANCE, ARK OF SANCTITY, THRONE OF THE DIVINITY, ease thyself a little of thy weariness, and repair thy forces, by this sweet repose.  
4. Besides dear THEO: do you not know that bad dreams, voluntarily procured by the day's depraved thoughts, are in some sort sins, in so much as they are dependences and executions of the precedent malice? even so the dreams which proceed from the holy affections of such as are a wake be reputed virtuous and holy. O God THEO: what a consolation it is to hear S. CHRYSOSTOME recounting on a certain day to his people, the vehemency of his love towards them! the necessity of sleep, quoth he, pressing my eyelids, the tyranny of my love towards you, doth excite the eyes of my mind: and even while I sleep me thinks I speak unto you, for the soul is wont in sleep to see by imagination what she thought in the day time, so while we see not one an other with the eyes of flesh, we supply it with the eyes of Charity. O sweet JESUS, what dreams was thy sacred Mother to have when she steeped, her heart watching? Did she not dream that she had thee yet folded in her womb, as thou was't for nine months' space? or else hanging at her breasts, and prettily pressing the sacred nible of her virginal dug? Ah what sweetness was in this soul! Peradventure she dreamt, that as our Saviour had often steeped in her bosom, as a tender lampkin upon his mother's flank, so she steeped in his pierced side, as a WHITE DOVE in the cave of an assured rock: so that her sleep was wholly like to an ecstasy, according to the operation of the spirit, though to the body it was a sweet and gracious rest and repose. But if ever she dreamt, as did the ancient joseph, of her future greatness; when in heaven she should be clothed with the Sun, crowned with stars, and the moon at her feet, that is, wholly environed with her son's glory, crowned with that of the Saints, and the world under her: or else, if as jacob, she saw the progress, and fruit of her son's Redemption, for the love of Angels and men. THEO: who could ever imagine the immensity of so great delights? o what conferences with her dear child! what deliciousness from every side!  
5. But mark I pray you that I neither do, nor will say, that this so privileged a Soul of the Mother of God, was deprived of the use of reason in her sleep. Many are of opinion that Solomon in that rare, yea, and true dream, in which he demanded and received the gift of incomparable wisdom, did truly exercise his freewill, by reason of the judicious eloquence of the discourse he made; of his choice full of discretion; and the most excellent Prayer which he used; and all these without any mixture of impertinences or distractions of mind. But how much more reason is there, that the mother of the true Solomon, had the use of reason in her sleep, that is to say, as Solomon himself made her speak, that her heart watched while she slept? Surely it was a fare greater marvel that S. JOHN had the exercise of reason in his mother's womb. And why then should we deny her a less, for whom, and to whom God did more favours, then either he hath, or shall do for all creatures besides?  
6. To conclude, as the precious stone Abeston doth by a perlelesse propriety conserve for ever the fire which it hath conceived: So the virgin-mothers' heart remained perpetually inflamed with holy love which she received pf her son: yet with this difference, that the Abestons' fire as it cannot be extinguished, so it cannot be augmented; but the virgins sacred flames, sith they could neither perish, diminish, nor remain in the same estate, never ceased to take uncredible increase, even unto heaven the place of their origine: So true it is that this Mother, is the Mother of FAIR DILECTION, that is, as the most amiable, so the most loving; and as the most loving, so the most beloved mother of this only son; who again is the most amiable, most loving, and most beloved son of this only Mother.   

A Preparation to the discourse of the union of the Blessed with God. CHAPTER. IX.  
1. THe triumphant love which the Blessed in heaven do exercise, consisteth in the final, unvariable and eternal union of the soul with God. But what is this union?  
2. By how much, more agreeable and excellent objects our senses meet withal, by so much more ardently and greedily they give themselves to the fruition of them. By how much more fair, delightful to the view, and duly lightened they are, by so much the eye doth more eagarly and lively behold them: and by how much more sweet and pleasant voices, or music are, the attention of the ear is more drawn unto them: So that every object doth exercise a puissant, yet amiable violence upon its proper senses; a violence less or more strong, according as the excellency is less or greater; provided always, that it be proportionable to the capacity of the Sense which desires to enjoy it: for the eye which doth please itself so much in light, cannot yet support the extremity of it, nor fix itself upon the sun: And be music never so sweet, if loud and too nigh, it doth importune and offend our ears. TRUTH is the object of our understanding, and consequently takes no other content then to discover and know the truth of things; as TRUTH is more excellent, so the understanding doth apply itself more deliciously and attentively, to the consideration of it. What pleasure think you had these ancient Philosophers, who had so excellent a knowledge of so many fair TRUTHS in nature? Verily they reputed all pleasures as nothing in comparison of their well beloved Philosophy, for which some of them quitted honours, others great riches, others their country: yea some there were, who deliberately pulled out their eyes, depriving themselves for ever of the fruition of the fair end agreeable corporal light, that with more liberty they might apply themselves to the consideration of the verity of things, by a spiritual light: for so we read of Democrites. So delicious is the knowledge of truth! Hence it was frequent with Aristotle, that humane Felicity and Beatitude consists in wisdom, which is the knowledge of eminent truth.  
3. But when our mind, raised above natural lights, gins to see the sacred truths of faith, o God THEO: what joy! the soul melts with pleasure hearing the voice of her heavenly Spouse, whom she finds more sweet and delicious than the honey of all humane knowledges.  
4. God hath imprinted upon all things created his trace, gate, or footsteps; so that the knowledge we have of his divine Majesty by creatures, seems no other thing then God's trace; and that in comparison of it, Faith is a view of the very face of the divine Majesty, which we do not yet see in the clear day of Glory, but as it were in the break of day, as it happened to JACOB near unto the Torrent JABOC: for though he saw not the Angel with whom he wrestled, save in the weak light of the day break, yet ravished with contentment he ceased not to cry; I have seen the Almighty face to face, and my soul hath been saved. o how delightful is the holy light of faith, by which we know by an infallible certitude not only the history of the beginning of creatures, and their true use; but even that of the eternal birth of the great, and sovereign DIVINE WORD, to and for whom, all was made, and who with the Father and the holy Ghost, is one only God, most singular, most adorable and blessed for ever Amen. Ah! sayeth S. HIEROME to his Paulina, the learned Plato never knew this; Eloquent Demosthenes was ignorant of it. How sweet thy words are to my palace, o God quoth that great king, sweeter than honey to my mouth! was not our heart burning while he spoke to us in the way, said those happy pilgrims of Emaus, speaking of the flames of love with which they were touched, by the word of faith. But if divine TRUTHS be so sweet, being proposed in the obscure light of faith, o God what shall they be, when we shall contemplate them in the light of the noonday of glory?  
5. The Queen of Saba, who at the greatness of salomon's renown; left all to go see him, being arrived in his presence, and having heard the wonders of the wisdom which he poured out in his speeches; as astonished and lost in admiration, she cried out, that what she had by hearsay of this heavenly wisdom was not half of the knowledge which sight and experience had given her.  
6. Ah! how fair and grateful are the truths which faith doth discover unto us by hearing, but when arrived in the heavenly Jerusalem, we shall she the great Solomon, king of glory, seated upon the Throne of his wisdom manifesting by an incomprehensible brightness the wonders and eternal secrets of his Sovereign TRUTH, with such light, that our understanding shall see in presence, that which it had believed here below; ah! then most dear THEO: what ravishments! what extases! what admirations! what loves! what sweets! no, never (shall we say in this excess of sweetness) never could we have imagined to have seen truths so delightsome. Indeed we believed all that we were told of thy glory, o great City of God, but we could not conceive the infinite greatness of the Abisses of thy delights.   

That the precedent desire shall much increase the union of the Blessed with God. CHAPTER. X.  
1. THe desire which doth precede fruition, doth egg and refine the feeling of the same, and by how much the desire was more urgent and powerful, by so much more grateful and delicious is the possession of the thing desired, o JESUS, my dear THEO: what pleasure will man's heart take to see the face of the Divinity, a face so much desired, yea a face the only desire of our souls? Our hearts have a thirst which cannot be quenched by the pleasures of this mortal life, whereof the most esteemed and purchased, If moderate, quench us not; if extreme, they stifle us. Yet we desire them always in the extremity, and being so desired they are always excessive, insupportable, dammagable: For we dye of joy as well as of grief: yea joy is more active to ruinated us then grief. Alexander having swallowed up, what in effect, what in hope, this lower world, heard of a caitive fellow, that there were yet many other worlds, and like a little child who will cry if one refuse him an apple, this Alexander whom the world instils the great, more fool notwithstanding then a little child, began bitterly to weep, because there was no liklihoode that he should conquer the other worlds, having not as yet got the entire possession of this. He that did more fully enjoy the world then ever any did, is yet so little satisfied with it, that he weeps for sorrow that he cannot have the others, which the foolish persuasion of a wretched Babbler made him conceive. Tell me I pray you THEO: doth he not show that the thirst of his heart cannot be slaked in this life, and that this world is not sufficient to quench it! O admirable, yet amiable unrest of man's heart! be still, be still my soul without all rest, or repose in this earth till thou shalt have met with the fresh waters of the immortal life, and the most holy Divinity, which alone can allay thy drought, and cease thy desire.  
2. Mean while, THEO: imagine with the Psalmist, how the Hart hard laid at by the Cry, having now, nor breath nor legs, doth plunge himself greedily into the waters, which he quested, and with what ardour he doth press and shut himself up in that Element. One would think he would willingly be dissolved and converted into water, more fully to enjoy this coldness: ah! what an union of our hearts shall there be with God above; where, after these infinite desires of the true of Good, never assuaged in this world, we shall find the living and puissant source thereof; Then verily, as we see a hungry child closely glued to his mother's breast, and fixed to her dug, greedily press this sweet fountain of pleasant and desired loquor, so that one would think, that either it would thrust itself into its mother's breast, or else suck, and draw her breast into his: so our soul panting with an extreme thirst of the true Good, when she shall meet with that undrainable source in the Divinity; o good God! what a holy and pleasing desire shall she feel to be united and joined to the plentiful breasts of the All-goodnesse, either altogether to dive into it, or draw it altogether into her.   

Of the Union of the Blessed souls with God, in seeing the Divinity. CHAPTER. XI.  
1. When we look upon any thing, though present to us it is not in itself united to our eyes, but only sends out to them a certain representation or picture of itself, which is called SPECIES SENSIBILIS, by means whereof we see. So also when we contemplate, or understand any thing, that which we understand is not united to our understanding, otherwise then by another representation, or most delicate and spiritual image, which is called SPECIES INTELLIGIBILIS. But further these SPECIES by how many windings and changes get they to the understanding? they aboard the exterior senses, thence pass to the interior, after to the Fantasy, from thence to the active understanding, and come at last to the passive, to th'end that passing so many sierces, and files, they might be purified, subtilised, and refined, and of sensible become intelligible.  
2. Thus, THEOTINE we see and understand, all that we see and understand in this mortal life; yea even things of faith; for, as the Mirror containeth not the thing we see in it, but only the representation, and species of it, which representation stayed by the Mirror produceth another in the beholding eye: So the word of faith, doth not contain that which it announceth, but only represents it, and this representation of divine things, which is in the word of faith produceth an other, which our understanding, helped by God's grace doth accept, and receive as a representation of holy TRUTH, and our will is pleased in it, and doth embrace it as an honourable, profitable, lovely, and best TRUTH: So that the truths signified in God's word, are by it represented to the understanding, as things expressed in the Mirror are by it represented to the eye; whence the great Apostle said, that to believe, was to see as in a Mirror.  
3. But in heaven, THEO: o God what a favour! The Divinity will unite itself to our understanding, without the mediation of any species or representation at all, but itself will apply and join itself to our understanding, making itself in such sort present unto it, that that inward presence shall be in lieu of a representation or species. O true God what a delight shall it be to man's understanding, to be united for ever to his sovereign object, receiving not the representation but the presence, not the picture or species, but the very essence of Divine TRUTH and Majesty. We shall be there as most happy children of the Divinity, and shall have the honour to be fed with the Divine substance itself; taken into our soul by the mouth of our understanding; and that which passeth all delight, is, that as mothers are not contented in feeding their babes with their milk, which is their own substance, ●f they do not also put the nible of their dug into their mouths, that they might not receive their substance in a spoon or other instrument, but even in, and by their own substance, it serving as well for food, as a conduit to convey it to the dear little suckling: So God our Father, is not contented to make us receive his proper substance in our understanding, that is, to make us see his Divinity, but by an Abyss of his sweetness, himself will apply his substance to our soul, to th'end that we might no longer understand by species, or representation, but in itself and by itself; so that his fatherly, and eternal substance, is both SPECIES, and OBJECT to our understanding. Then these divine promises shallbe practised in an excellent manner; I will lead her into the solitude, and speak unto her heart, and give her suck; rejoice with Jerusalem in joy, that you may drink, and be filled with the dug of his consolation, and that you may suck and be delighted with the whole abundance of his glory; you shall be carried to the Pap, and be lulled upon the knee.  
4. Infinite bliss THEOT:! And which was not promised only, but we have earnest of it in the Blessed Sacrament, that perpetual Feast of Divine Grace: For in it we receive the blood of our Saviour in his flesh, and his flesh in his blood, his blood being applied unto us by means of his flesh, his substance by his substance even to our corporal mouth; to th'end we might know that so he will apply unto us, his Divine essence in the eternal Feast of his Glory. True it is, this favour is really done unto us, even here, but covertly under SACRAMENTAL SPECIES AND APPARENCES, whereas in heaven, the Divinity will give himself openly, and we shall see him face to face as he is.   

Of the eternal union of the blessed spirits with God, in the vision of the eternal birth of the Son of God. CHAPTER. XII.  
1. O Holy and divine Spirit, eternal Love of the Father and the Son; be propitious to mine infancy. Our understanding shall then see God, THEO: yes, it shall see God face to face, contemplating by a view of true and real presence, the Divine essence itself, and in it, the infinite beauties thereof, all-power, all-goodnesse, all-wisdome, all-iustice, and the rest of this Abyss of perfections.  
2. The understanding than shall clearly see, the infinite knowledge which God the Father had from all eternity of his own beauty for the expression of which in himself, he pronounced, and said eternally, the MOT, the WORD, or the most singular and most infinite speech or diction, which comprising and representing all the perfection of the Father, can be but one same God, most one with him, without division or separation. We shall then also see, that eternal and admirable generation of the divine WORD and Son, by which he was eternally borne to the image and likeness of the Father; a lively and natural Image and likeness, not representing any accidents nor extrinsical thing, sith in God all is Substance, nor can there be any accident; all is interior, nor can there be there any exterior thing: but an image representing the proper substance so lively, so naturally as well essentially as substantially, that therefore it can be no other thing then the same God with him, without distinction or difference at all, either in essence or substance, save only the distinction of persons: for how could it be that this divine son was the true, livelily lively, truly natural, image, resemblance, and figure of the infinite beauty, and substance of the Father, if it did not represent infinitely to the life and nature, the infinite perfections of the Father; and how could it infinitely represent infinite perfections, if it were not infinitely perfect; and how could it be infinitely perfect, if it were not God; and how could it be God, if it were not the same God with the Father?  
3. The son then, the infinite image and figure of his infinite Father, is one only God, most singular, and infinite with his Father, there being no difference of substance betwixt them; but only the distinction of persons; which distinction of persons, as it is wholly necessary, so it is most sufficient to this, that the Father pronounce, and that the son should be the word pronounced; that the Father speak, and the Son be the word, or the diction; that the Father express, and the Son be the image, likeness, or figure expressed; and in some that the Father be Father, and the Son Son, two distinct persons, but one only Essence or Divinity; so that God who is sole, is not solitary, for he is sole in his most singular and simple Deity, yet is not solitary, because he is Father and Son in two persons. O THEO: what joy, what iubelie in the celebrity of this eternal birth, kept in the Splendour of Saints, kept in seeing it, and seen in keeping it.  
4. Mild S. BERNARD as yet a young child at Chatillon upon Seine, on Christmas Eve, expected in the Church while they begun the divine Office, and in this expectation, the poor child fell into a light slumber; meanwhile (o God what sweetness!) he saw in SPIRIT, yet in a vision very distinct, and clear, how the Son of God, having espoused humane nature, and becoming a little child in his mother's most pure entrails, sprung virginally from her sacred womb, with a heavanly Majesty masked in an humble mildness. 
As Spouse who in a royal guise,  
From marriage bed doth joyful rise.  A Vision THEO; which did so replenish the little BERNARD'S lovely heart with content, iubilation, and spiritual dainties, that he had all his life an extreme sense of it, and therefore, though after as a sacred Bee he daily culled out of all the divine mysteries, the honey of a thousand sweet and heavenly consolations; yet had he a more particular sweetness in the solemnity of the Nativity, and spoke with a singular gust of this birth of his Master. But alas I beseech thee THE: if a mystical and imaginary vision of the temporal and humane birth of the Son of God, by which he proceeded man from a woman, virgin from a virgin, doth ravish and so highly content the heart of a child: what shall it be when our minds lightened with the ●ight of glory, shall see this eternal birth, by which the Son doth proceed GOD from GOD, LIGHT from LIGHT, a TRUE GOD from a TRUE GOD divinely and eternally; then shall our minds be joined by an incomprehensible complacence to this object of delight, and by an unchangeable attention shall remain united to it for ever.   

Of the union of the Blessed with God in the vision of the Holy Ghost's production. CHAPTER XIII.  
1. THe eternal Father seeing she infinite Bounty and Beauty of his essence, so livelily, essentially, and substantially expressed in his Son, and the Son seeing reciprocally that his own essence, Bounty, and Beauty was originally in his Father, as in their source and fountain: ah can it possibly be that this Divine Father and his Son, should not mutually love one another with an infinite love, sith their will, by which they love, is infinite in each of them.  
2. Love not finding us equal, doth equalise us: not finding us united, doth unite us. Now the Father and the Son finding themselves not only equal and united, but even one same God, one same Goodness, one same essence, and one same unity, how much must they needs love one another? not with a love which passeth, as that of intellectual creatures amongst themselves, or towards their Creator: for created love is exercised in many and diverse motions, breathe, unions and ties which do immediately succeed one another, and continue love with a grateful vicissitude of spiritual motions. But the divine love of the eternal Father towards his Son, is practised in one only breathing mutually from them both, who in this sort remain united and tied together. I THEO: for the Bounty of the Father and Son being but one sole singularly one bounty, common to them both, the love of this Bounty can be but one only love; for though there be two Lovers, to wit, the Father and the Son, yet seeing there is only their most singular Bounty common to them both which is loved, and their most one will which doth love, there is thereof but one love, exercised by one SPIRATION of love. The Father breathes this love, and so doth the Son, but because the Father doth not breathe this love, but by means of the same will, and for the same Bounty, which is equally and singularly in him, and his Son: nor the Son again doth not breathe this SPIRATION of love, but for this same Bounty, and by this same will: therefore this SPIRATION of love, is but one SPIRATION or one only SPIRIT breathed out by two, which Breath.  
3. And because the Father and Son who breath, have an infinite essence and will, by which they breathe, and that the Bounty for which they breathe is infinite, it is impossible the SPIRATION should not be infinite; and for as much as it cannot be infinite without being God, therefore this spirit breathed from the Father and the Son is true God; and sith there neither is, nor can be more than one only God, it is one only true God, with the Father and the Son. But moreover, whereas this love, is an act which doth proceed mutually from the Father and the Son, it can neither be the Father, nor the Son, from whom it proceeded, though it have the same Bounty and Substance of the Father, and the Son: but must necessarily be a third divine person, who with the Father and the Son is only God. And for that this love is produced by manner of SPIRATION, or inspiration, it is called the holy SPIRIT.  
4. Now, THEO: the king David describing the sweetness of the friendship of God's servants, cries out. 
O God how good a thing it is,  
And with a thousand sweets of Bliss  
Doth yield a sacred hearts content,  
To see in Brothers, heart's consent.  
Such sweets, are like the oils was spread  
Upon the consecrated head  
Of Aaron Priest; which flowing down  
Upon his beard, his neck, and gown,  
Did sweetly all bedew; and which  
With dainty sentes did all enrich.  But o God, if humane friendship be so agreeable, lovely, and do spreede so delicious an odour on them that doth contemplate it, what shall it be, my well-beloved THEOTIME, to behold sacred love mutually exercised betwixt the eternal Father, and the Son; SAINT GREGORY NAZIANZENE recounts that the incomparable love which was betwixt him, and SAINT BASILE the Great, was famous all through Greece: And Tertullian doth testify, that the Pagans did admire, the more than brotherly love, which reigned amongst the primitive Christians. O what Feast, what solemnity! with what praises and Benedictions is the eternal and Sovereign Friendship of the Father, and the Son to be celebrated? with what admirations to be honoured, and loved? What is there amiable and worthy to be loved, if not Friendship; and if Friendship be amiable and worthy to be loved, what Friendship is like to that infinite Friendship, which is betwixt the Father and the Son, who is the same God, in a singular manner with them? Our heart THEOTIME, will fall into an Abyss of love, through admiration of the beauty, and sweetness of the love, that this eternal Father, and this incomprehensible Son do practise divinely and eternally.   

That the Light of Glory, shall concur to the union of the Blessed with God. CHAPTER. XIV.  
1. THus shall the created understanding see the Divine essence, without the means of any species or representation; yet not without a certain excellent light, which doth dispose, elevate, and strengthen it, to raise its view so high, and to an object so sublime and resplendent. For as the Owlets sight is strong enough to behold the gloomy light of a clear night, yet not to see the light at noontide, which is too glittering to be seen by so troubled and weak eyes; so our understanding which is strong enough to consider natural truths by discourse, yea even the supernatural things of grace, by the light of faith, is not yet able, neither by the light of nature nor faith, to attain unto the view of the divine substance, in itself. Wherefore the goodness of the eternal wisdom determined, not to apply his essence to our understanding, till he had prepared, revigorated, and enabled it, to receive a sight so eminent, and disproportionable to the natural condition thereof, as is the view of the Divinity: for so the Sun, the sovereign object of our corporal eyes amongst natural things, doth not present himself unto our view, without sending first his rays, by means whereof we may be able to see him, so that we see him not but by his light. Yet there is a difference betwixt the rays which the Sun doth cast upon our corporal eyes, and the light which God will create in our understanding in Heaven: for the Sun's rays do not fortify our corporal eyes when they are weak and unable to see, but doth rather, dazzle, waste and blind their infirm sight: whereas contrariwise, this sacred LIGHT OF GLORY finding our understandings weak and incapable to behold the Divinity, it doth raise, strengthen, and perfect them so excellently, that by an incomprehensible wonder, they do behold and contemplate the Abyss of the Divine brightness in itself, with a firm and strait view, not being dazzled, or repulsed by the infinite greatness of its splendour.  
2. In like manner therefore as God hath endued us with the light of reason, by which we may know him as Author of nature; and the light of faith, by which we consider him as source of Grace: so will he bestow upon us the LIGHT OF GLORY, by which we shall contemplate him as fountain of Beatitude, and eternal life: but a fountain, THEOT: which we shall not contemplate a fare off, as we do now by faith, but we shall see it by the LIGHT OF GLORY being covered, and swallowed up in it, The Duckers sayeth Pliny, who fishing for precious stones, dive into the water, do take oil in their mouths, that by scattering it, they might have more day, to see in the waters where they swim, THEO: the Blessed having dived, and plunged themselves into the Ocean of the Divine essence, God will pour into their understandings the sacred LIGHT OF GLORY which will give them day in the Abyss of this inaccessible light, that so by the LIGHT OF GLORY they may see the LIGHT OF THE DIVINITY.  
In God the fountain is  
Of Life, and heavenly bliss:  
His brightness shall appear  
To us in th'-rayon clear  
Of his day, which shall be  
Our day of JUBILEE.   

That there shall be different degrees of the union of the Blessed with God. CHAPTER. XV.  
1. NOw this light of Glory, THEO: shall be the measure of the sight and contemplation of the Blessed, and according as we shall have less, or more of this holy splendour, we shall see more or less clearly, and consequently more, or less happily the most holy Divinity, which as it is beholden and diversely looked upon, so it will make us diversely glorious. Certes in this heavenly Paradise, all the SPIRITS see all the Divine Essence, yet no one of them, nor all of them together, doth or can see it entirely. No, THEO: for God being most singularly one, and most simply indivisible, one cannot see him, without seeing all: But being infinite without limit, without bounds or measure at all in his perfection, there neither is, nor can be any capacity out of himself, who can ever totally comprehend, or penetrate the infinity of his Goodness, infinitely essential, and essentially infinite.  
2. This created light of the visible Sun, which is limited and finite, is in such sort all seen of all those that do behold it, that it is never totally seen of any one of them, nor of all together; It is in a manner so with all our senses. Amongst many that hear excellent music, though all of them hear it all, yet some hear it not so well, nor with so much delight as others, according as their ears, are less, or more delicate. MANNA had all tastes to all that eat it, yet differently, following the diversity of their appetits who took it, yet was it totally tasted of none for it had more different tastes, than the Israelits had variety of gusts. THEO: we shall see, and taste in heaven, all the Divinity, but never any of the Blessed, nor all together, shall ever see or taste it totally. This infinite Divinity shall still have infinitely more excellences, than we sufficiency, and capacity: and we shall have an unspeakable content to know, that after we have satiated all the desire of our heart, and fully replenished the capacity thereof in the fruition of an infinite good which is God; nevertheless there will remain in this infinity, infinite perfections to be seen, enjoyed, and possessed, which his divine Majesty knows and sees, it only comprehending itself.  
3. So fishes enjoy the incredible vastness of the Ocean; but never any fish, nor yet all the multitude of fishes ever saw all the arms of the Sea, or wet their sins in all its waters. Birds do sport in the open air, at their pleasure, but never any bird, nor yet all the floks of birds together did ever beat with their wings all the regions of the air, or arrive at the supreme region of the same. Ah THEO: our souls shall freely, and according to the full extent of their wishes, swim in the Ocean, and soar in the air of the Divinity, rejoicing eternally, to see that this air is so infinite, this Ocean so vast, that it cannot be measured by their wings; and that enjoying without all reserve, or exception, all this infinite Abyss of the Divinity, yet shall they never be able to equalise their fruition to this infinity, which remains still infinitely infinite beyond their capicitie.  
4. And at this the Blessed SPIRITS are ravished with two admirations, first at the infinite beauty which they contemplate, secondly, at the Abyss of the infinity, which remaineth to be seen in this same beauty. O God how admirable is that which they see! but o God how much more admirable is that which they see not! And notwithstanding, THEO, the most sacred beauty which they see being infinite, it doth entirely satisfy and satiate them, and enjoying it with content, according to the rank which they hold in heaven, because God's amiable provididence hath so determined it, they convert the knowledge they have of not possessing, or not being totally to possess their object into a simple complacence of admiration, in which they have a sovereign joy to see that the beauty they love is so infinite, that it cannot be totally known, but by itself: For in this doth the Divinity of this infinite Beauty, or the Beauty of this infinite Divinity consist.   
The end of the third Book.   

THE FOURTH BOOK. OF THE DECAY OR RVINE OF CHARITY.  

That while we are in this mortal life we may lose the love of God. CHAPTER. I.  
I. WE make not these discourses for those great souls of Election, whom God by a most special favour doth so maintain, and confirm in his love, that they run no hazard of losing it. We speak for the rest of mortals, to whom the Holy Ghost doth address these advertisements; he that stands, let him take heed that he fall not; hold what thou hast, be careful and labour, that by Good works you may assure your vocation, in sequel whereof he makes them make this Prayer, do not cast me from before thy face; do not take from me thy SPIRIT: and lead us not into temptation; to th'end they may work their salvation with a holy trembling, and sacred fear, knowing that they are not more constant and strong to conserve God's love, than was the first Angel, his followers, and judas, who receiving it loosed it, and in losing it loosed themselves for ever; nor then Solomon who having lost it, holds the whole world in doubt of his damnation; nor then ADAM, EVE, DAVID, S. PETER, who being children of Salvation, fell yet for a space from the love, without which there is no salvation: Alas THEO: who shall then have assurance to conserve sacred love in the navigation of this mortal life, sith, as well in earth as heaven so many personages of incomparable dignities suffered so fearful shipwrakes.  
2. But, o eternal God, how is it possible, will you say, that a soul that love's God, can never lose it: for where love is it resisteth sin, and how comes it to pass then, that sin gets entry there, sith that love is strong, as death; sharp in battle, as hell? how can the forces of death, or hell, that, is sin, vanquish love; which at least doth equalise them in strength, and doth pass them in friends, and right? Yea how can it be that a reasonable soul that hath once relished so great a sweetness as is that of heavenly love, can ever willingly swallow the bitter waters of sin? children though children, being fed with milk, with butter and honey, abhor the bitterness of wormwood, and Orpin, being ready to fall down with weeping, when they are constrained to take them. All then o true God, the soul once joined to the goodness of the Creator, how can she forsake him, to follow the vanity of the creature?  
3. My dear THEO: the heavens themselves stand amazed; their ports do burst with fear; and the Angels of peace are lost in astonishment, at this prodigious misery of man's heart, abandoning so amiable a good, to join itself to things so deplorable. But have you never seen the little marvel, which every one knows, and yet few knows the reason of it? when a full barrill is broached, the wine will not run, unless it have air given from above, which yet happens not to barrels already drawn on; for they are no sooner open, but the wine runs. Certes in this mortal life, though our souls abound with heavenly love, yet are they never so full therewith, that by temptation this love may not departed: but in heaven, when the sweetness of God's beauty shall occupy all our understanding, and the delights of his Goodness shall wholly satiate our wills, so that there shall be nothing which the fullness of his love shall not replenish; no object, though it penetrate even to our hearts, can ever draw, or make runne one sole drop of the precious liquor of our heavenly love. And to think to give air above, that is, to deceive, or surprise the understanding, it shall no more be possible; for it shall be immovable, in the apprehension of the sovereign TRUTH.  
4. So wine well purified and separated from the lees, is easily kept harmless when it is tossed and troubled; but that which is upon the lees, is in continual danger; and as for us, so long as we are in this world, our souls are upon the lees or tartar of a thousand humours, and miseries, and consequently easy to be changed, and turned into their love. But being in heaven, where, as in the great feast described by isaiah, there shall be wine purified from the dregges, we shall be no longer subject to change, but shall be inseparably united by love to our sovereign good. Here, in the twilight of day break, we are afraid, that in lieu of the Spouse, we fall upon some other object, which may delay, and deceive us; but when we shall find him above where he takes his repast, and repose, in the clear day of glory, there will be no occasion to be deceived: for his light will be too clear, and his sweetness will tie us so closely to his goodness, that we shall not have the power, to will to untie ourselves.  
5. We are like to Coral, which in the sea, the place of its origine, is pale-greene, weak, bowing, and a pliable shrub: but being pulled out of the sea as from its mother's womb, it becomes almost a stone, firm and impliable, changing its pale-greene into a lively vermilion; for so we (being as yet amidst the sea of this world, the place of our birth) are obnoxius to strange changes pliable upon every occasion, by inspiration, to the right hand of heavenly love; by temptation, to the left of terrene love. But if, being once drawn out of this mortality, we shall have changed the pale-greene of our doubtful hopes, into the lively red of assured fruition, we shall never more be movable, but make a settled demoure for ever in eternal love.  
6. It is impossible to see the Divinity, and not love it: but here below, where we do not see it, but only have a glimpse of it through the clouds of faith, as in a mirror, our knowledge is not yet so perfect, as not to leave entry to the surprises of other objects, and apparent good, which through the obscurity, mixed with the certainty, and verity of faith, do insensibly steal in, as little fox cubs and demolishe our flourishing vine. To conclude THEO: when we have charity, our freewill is decked with her wedding garment, which as she can still keep on, if she please in well doing, so she can put it of, if she please, in offending.   

How the soul waxeth cool in holy Love. CHAPTER. II.  
1. THe soul is often contristated, and afflicted in the body, yea even to the foregoing of many of the members thereof, which remain deprived of motion, and sense, though she never forsake the heart, where she is still entirely, till the period of life. So charity is sometimes so quelled, and made to languish in the heart, that it doth scarcely appear in any action, though yet the remain entire in the supreme region of the soul: And then it is, that under the multitude of venial sins, as under finders, the fire of holy Love remains covert, its light being smothered, though not deadened, or extinguished: for as the presence of the Diamant doth hinder the exercise and action of the Adamants property in drawing iron, and yet doth not deprive her of it, having her operation as soon as the obstackle is removed: so the presence of venial sins, doth in no sort deprive charity of her force and power to work, yet doth it as it were benume, and deprive her of the use of her activity. So that she remains sterile and barren, without action. Certes nor venial, nor yet the affection to venial sin, is contrary to the essential resolution of charity, which is to prefer God before all things; because by this sin, we love things besides reason, not against reason; we defer a little too much, and more than is convenient to creatures, yet do not we prefer them before the Creator; we make more delay than is fitting in terrene things, yet do we not for all that forsake heavenly things; In fine this kind of sin doth impeach us in the way of charity, but doth not put us out of it, and therefore venial sin not being contrary to Charity, it never destroys her either wholly, or partially.  
2. God signified to the Bishope of Ephesus, that he had forsaken his prime charity; when he sayeth not that he was without charity, but only that he was not such, as in the beginning, that is that he was not now prompt, fervent, flourishing, and fruitful; as we are wont to say of him, who was brave, cheerful and frolic, and afterwards becomes harsh, dull, and loutish, that he is now the same man he was; for our meaning is not that he is not the same in substance, but only in his actions, and exercises. And even our Saviour sayeth, that in the later days, the charity of many shall wax cold, that is, she shall not be so active and courageous, by reason of fear, and grief which shall oppress men's hearts. Sure it is that concupiscence having conceived doth engender sin; but this sin, though sin indeed, doth not still beget the death of the soul, but then only when it is complete in malice, and when it is consummate and accomplished, as S. JAMES sayeth, who in this doth establish so clear a difference betwixt mortal and venial sin, that it is strange that some in our age have had the impudence to deny it.  
3. Howbeit venial sin is sin, and consequently displeasant to Charity, not as a thing that is contrary to her, but contrary to her operations and progress, yea her intention, which in so much as we are to direct all our actions to God is violated by venial sin, which carrying the actions, by which they are committed, not indeed against God, yet besides God, and his will: and as we say of a tree rudely dight, and shaker. by a tempest, that nothing is left, because though the tree be entire, yet is it left without fruit; so when our charity is shaken by the affections we have to venial sin, we say she is diminished, and weakened, not for that the habits of love are not entire in our hearts, but because she is without the works, which are the fruits.  
4. The affection to great sins did in such ●ort make VERITY prisoner to Injustice amongst the Pagan Philosophers, that, as the great Apostle sayeth, knowing God, they honoured him not according to that knowledge; so that, though this affection did not banish natural light, yet it made it fruitless; so the affection to venial sin, doth not abolish Charity, but it holds her as a slave, tied hand and foot, hindering her freedom, and action. This affection glewing us too hard to the enjoying of creatures, deprives us of the spiritual privicie betwixt God and us, to which charity, as true friendship doth incite us, and by consequence this affection doth make us lose the interior helps and assistances, which are as the vital SPIRITS of the soul, in default whereof there followeth a certain spiritual Palsy, which in the end, if it be not remedied, leedes us to death; for to conclude, charity being an active quality cannot be long without either acting, or dying. She is, say our Ancients, of the nature of Rachael, who also did represent her; give me, said she to her husband, children or else I die: And charity urgeth the heart which she hath espoused to make her fertile of good works, otherwise she will perish.  
5. We are rarely in this mortal life without many temptations; now vile and slothful hearts, and such as are given to exterior pleasures, not being accustomed to fight, nor traiened up in spiritual warfare, never conserve Charity long, but let themselves ordinarily be surprised by mortal sin, which happens so much more easily, by how much the soul is more disposed by venial sin to mortal: for as that Ancient, by a daily continuance of carrying the same Calf, bore him also when he was grown to be an Ox, custom having by little and little made the increase of so untoward a burden insensible: so he that doth accustom himself to play for pence, will in the end play for crowns, pistols, and horses, and after them for all his substance; he that gives bridle to a small collar, will find himself in the end furious and insupportable; he that gives himself to lie in jest, is in great peril to lie calumniously.  
6 In fine, THEO: we are wont to say, that such as have a weakly complexion, have no life, that they have not an ounce, or not a handful, because that which must quickly have end, seems indeed already not to be. And those drowsy souls which are led with pleasures, a●d set upon transitory things, may well say that they have lost Charity, for though as yet they have her, they are even upon the point of losing her.   

How we forsake heavenly love for that of Creatures. CHAPTER. III.  
1. THe misfortune to leave God for the creature, happens thus; We love not God without intermission, because in this mortal life, Charity is in us, as a simple habit, which as the Philosophers noted, we use when we list and never against our liking. When we do not then make use of the Charity which is in us, that is, when we do not apply our minds to the exercises of holy love, but keep them busied in some other affair, or else being slothful they remain unprofitable, and idle, then THEO: they may be assaulted by some bad object, and surprised by temptation: And though the habit of charity be at that instant, in the bottom of our hearts, and perform its office, inclining us to reject the bad suggestion, yet doth it not urge or carry us to the action of resistance, but according as we second it as the manner of habits is; and therefore leaving us in our freedom it happens often, that the bad objects having thrown their allurements deeply into our hearts, we join ourselves unto them by an excessive complacence, which after increasing, we can hardly be quit of it; and as thorns, according to the saying of our Saviour, do in the end stilfe the seed of grace, and heavenly love. So it fellout with our first Mother Eve, whose overthrow began by a certain amusement, which she made in discoursing with the Serpent, taking complacence to hear of her advancement in knowledge, and to see the beauty of the forbidden fruit: so that the complacence waxing big with the amusement, and the amusement feeding itself in the complacence, she found herself at length so entangled, that giving way to consent, she did commit the accursed sin, to which afterwards she drew her husband.  
2. We see doves sometimes touched with vanity swim hither, and thither, observing the variety of their own plumes; and then the Tercelets, and Falcons that espy them, fall upon and seize them, which they could never be able to do if the dove had flown out right, having a stronger wing than the Haulke. Alas, THEO: if we did not stand musing at the vanity of frail pleasures especially in the complacence of self-love, but having once got charity, would be careful to fly strait whither she would carry us; suggestion, and temptation should never catch us: but because, as doves seduced and beguiled by selfe-esteeme, we look back upon ourselves, and keep our minds too much conversant amongst creatures, we often find ourselves in our enemy's claws, who bear away, and devour us.  
3. God will not hinder that temptation assault us, to th'end that by resistance, our charity may be more exercised, that by fight we may bear away the victory; and by victory obtain the triumph. But that we have any kind of inclination to delight ourselves in the temptation, this riseth from the condition of our nature, which doth so earnestly love Good, that thereby she is subject to be enticed by any thing that hath a show of good; and temptations hook is still baited with this kind of bait: for as holy writ doth teach, there is either some honourable good in the world's sight, to move us to the pride of a worldly life; or a good delightful to sense, to carry us to carnal concupiscence; or a good able to enrich us, to incite us to avarice and covetousness of the eyes. But if we keep faith, which can discern betwixt the true Good we are to pursue, and the false which we are to reject, livelily attetive to its office, without doubt it will be a faithful Sentinel to Charity, and will give her intelligence of the evil that might approach the heart, under colour of Good, and Charity would suddenly repulse it. But because ordinarily, we keep our faith either a sleep, or less attentive than were requisite for the conservation of Charity; we are often surprised by temptation, which seducing our senses, and they inciting the inferior part of our soul to rebellion, it comes to pass eftsoon that the superior part of reason yields to the violence of this revoult, and by committing the sin, looseth Charity.  
4. Such was the progress of the sedition which the disloyal Absalon stirred up against his good Father DAVID; for he laid before the people fair propositions in appearance, which being received by the poor Israelites, whose prudence was put a sleep and smothered, he did solicit them in such sort, that he wrought them to an entire rebellion; so that the moanful David was constrained to departed from Jerusalem with all his faithful friends, leaving there none of quality, save Sadoc and Abiathar Priests of the Almighty with their children: now Sadoc was SEEING that is to say, a Prophet.  
5. For so, most dear THEO: self-love, finding our faith without attention, and drowsy, it presents unto it vain, yet apparent goods, seduceth our sense, our imagination, and the faculties of our souls, and lays so hard at our free-wills that it brings them to an entire revoult, against the holy love of God, which then as a DAVID departs from our heart, with all his train, that is with the gifts of the holy Ghost, and the other heavenly virtues, which are the inseparable companions of Charity, if not her proprieties, and abilities: nor doth there remain in the HERUSALEM of our soul any virtue of importance, saving Sadoc the SEEING, that is the gift of faith, which by her exercise can make us see eternal things; and with him Abiathar, that is, the gift of hope with her action, both which remain much afflicted and sorrowful, yet maintaining in us the Arch of Alliance, that is, the quality and tile of a CHRISTIAN, purchased by Baptism.  
6. Alas, THEO: what a pitiful spectacle is it to the Angels of peace, to see the holy Ghost, and his love departed in this manner out of our sinful souls? verily, I think, if they could weep, they would pour out infinite tears, and with a mournful voice, lamenting our mishap, would sing the Threnes which jeremy throbed out, when set upon the threshold of the desolate Temple, he contemplated the ruin of Jerusalem, in the time of SEDECIAS.  
Ah! with what grief do I behold  
JERUSALEM; famous of old  
For good and honourable men,  
Of horror now become a den.   

That heavenly love is lost in a moment. CHAPTER. iv  
1. THe love of God which brings us, to a neglect of ourselves, makes us Citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem; self-love which pusheth us forwards to the contempt of God, makes us slaves of the infernal Babylon. True it is we come by little and little to despise God, but we have no sooner done it, but presently in a moment, holy charity doth forsake us, or rather she doth wholly perish. I, THEO: for in the contempt of God, doth mortal sin consist, and one only mortal sin doth banish Charity from the soul, for so much as it doth violate her tie and union with God, which is obedience, and submission to his will; and as man's heart cannot live divided; so Charity which is the heart of the soul, and the soul of the heart, can never be wounded, but she is slain: as they say of pearls, which being conceived of heavenly d●we, do perish if any drop of salt water get into their shell. Indeed our soul doth not go out of our body by little and little, but in a moment, when the bodies indispositions are so great, that she can no longer exercise the actions of life therein: even so at the very instant, in which the heart is so disordered by passions, that Charity there can no longer reign, she quits and abandons it: for she is so generous, that she cannot leave to reign, without leaving to live.  
2. Habits gotten by human actions alone, do not perish by one only contrary act: for a man is not said to be intemperate, for one only act of intemperance, nor is a painter held an unskilful master, for having once failed in his art; but as all such habits are gotten by the impression and in sequel of diverse acts, so we lose them by a long cessation from their acts, or by many contrary acts. But Charity THEO: which in a moment the holy Ghost pours into our hearts, as soon as the conditions requisite to this infusion meet in us; is also in an instant expelled thence, as soon as diverting our will from the obedience due unto God, we have accomplished consent to the rebellion and disloyalty to which temptation incites us.  
3. True it is, Charity increaseth by degrees, and goeth from perfection to perfection, according as by our works, or by the frequenting of Sacraments, we make it place: yet doth it not decrease by a lessening of perfection thereof: for we never lose any bit of it, but we lose it all. In which it resembles PHIDIAS his Masterpiece so famous amongst the Ancients: for they say, this great Graver, made in Athens a picture of Minerva of ivory twenty seven cubits high, and in her Buckler, wherein he expressed the battles of the Amazons and Giants, he graved his own picture with so great Art, that one could not take away one jot of it, sayeth Aristotle, without defacing the whole statue, so that this work though it was perfected by adding piece to piece, yet in a moment might be destroyed, by removing any little parcel of the workman's feature. In like manner THE: though the Holy Ghost having infused Charity into a soul, doth increase it by adding one degree to another, and one perfection of love to another, yet so, as that the resolution to prefer God's will before all things, being the essential point of holy love, and that wherein the image of eternal love, that is, of the Holy Ghost, is represented, one cannot withdraw one only piece of it, but presently Charity doth wholly perish.  
4. This preference of God before all things, is the dear child of Charity. And if AGAR being an Egyptian, seeing her son in danger of death, had not the heart to stay by him but would have left him, saying ah! I am not able to see this child dye; is it strange then, that Charity the daughter of sweetness and heavenly delight cannot see her child dye, which is a Resolution never to offend God? so that still as freewill resolves to consent to sin, and therein killeth this holy resolution Charity dies with it, sighing out these last words: alas no, never will I see this child dye. In fine, THE: as the precious stone called PRASSIUS, looseth its lustre in the presence of any poison; so in an instant, the soul looseth her splendour, grace and beauty which consisteth of holy love, upon the entry and presence of any mortal sin; whence it is written, that the soul who sinneth shall dye.   

That the sole cause of the decay and slackening of Charity, is in the creatures will. CHAPTER. V  
1. AS it were a most wicked impudency, to attribute the works of holy love done by the holy ghost, in, and with us to the strength of our will; so were it a shameless impiety, to lay the defect of love in ungrateful men, on the want of heavenly assistance and grace. For the holy Ghost cries in every place to the contrary, that our ruin is from ourselves: that our Saviour brought the fire of love and desires nothing but that it should burn our hearts: That salvation is prepared before the face of all nations, light to lighten the gentiles, and for the glory of Israel. That the divine goodness would have none to perish but that all come to the knowledge of truth, that all be saved, their Saviour being come into the world, that every one might receive the adoption of children: And the wiseman doth clearly advertise us. Say not, it styxes of God: And the sacred council of Trent, doth inculcate divinely to all the children of the holy Church, that the Grace of God is never awanting, to such as do what they can, invoking the divine assistance. That God doth never abandon such as he hath once justified, unless they abandon him first. So that if they be not a wanting to grace, they shall obtain glory.  
2. In fine THEO: our Saviour, is a light which doth illuminate every one that comes into the world. diverse travellers in a summer's day about noontide lay down to repose in the shade of a tree, but while their weariness and the coolness of the shadow keeps them a sleep, the Sun advancing himself towards them, gave just upon their eyes his strongest light, which by the glitter of his brightness, made transparences, as with small rays, about the Apple of those sleeper's eyes, and by the heat which pierced their eyelids, forced them by a gentle violence to awake, but some of them being awaked got up, and advancing, came happily to their lodging, the rest, did not only not rise, but turning their backs to the sun, and pulling their hats over their eyes, there spent the day in sleeping, till surprised by night, being yet willing to make towards their lodging, they strayed hither and thither in the Forest, at the mercy of merciless wolves, and other savage beasts. Now tell me I pray, THEO: those that arrived, ought they not to asscribe all their contentment to the sun, or to speak like a Christian, to the suns' Creator? yes surely: for it was high time, and yet they dreamt not of rising: the sun did them this good office; and by a gentle warning, of his light and heat, came lovingly to call them up. 'tis true they resisted not his call, but he also helped them much even in that; for he spread his light fairly upon them, giving them a glimpse of himself through their eyelids, and by his heat as by his love, opened their eyes, and urged them to see his day.  
3. Contrariwise these poor strayers, were they not, to blame to cry in the wood Alas, what have we done to the sun that he made us not see his light, as he did our Companions, that we might have arrived at our lodgings, and not have wandered in these hideous obscurities? for who would not undertake the suns, or rather Gods cause, my dear THEO: to answer these unfortunate wretches. What is it, o you wretches, in a manner, that the sun could do for you, and did not? his favours were equal to all ye that slept. He essayed you all with the same light, touched you with the same ray, scattered upon you a like heat and accursed that you are, though you saw your companions rise, take their pilgrim's stafe to gain way, you turned your backs to the sun, and would not make use of his light, nor be overcome by his heat.  
4. See, see now THEO: what I would say, we are all pilgrims in this mortal life, almost all of us have willingly slept in sin; God the sun of justice darts upon us most sufficiently, yea abundantly the beams of his inspirations, warms our hearts with his benedictions, touching every one with the allurements of his love; ah how chance it then that these allurements allure so few, and yet draw fewer; ah, certainly, such as first alured, afterwards drawn, do follow the inspiration, have great occasion to joy, but not to glory in it: Let them joy because they enjoy a great good; yet let them not glory in it, because it is by God's pure goodness, who leaving them the profit of their good work reserves to himself the glory thereof.  
5. But touching them that remain in the sleep of sin: o what good reason they have to lament, sorrow, weep, repent: for they are in a most lamentable case; yet have they no reason to sorrow, or complain, save of themselves, who despised, yea rebelled against light: were untractable by invitations, and obstinate against inspirations, so that malediction and confusion, aught to follow their malice for ever; they only being authors of their ruin, only workers of their damnation. So the japonians, complaining to S. ZAV●RIVS their Apostle, that God, who had had so much care of other nations, seemed to have forgotten their predecessors, not having given them the knowledge of himself, by the want whereof, they were lost: The good man answered them, that the divine natural law was engraven in the hearts of all mortals, which if their forerunners had observed, the light of heaven had without doubt illuminated them, as contrariwise, having violated it, they merited damnation. An apostolical answer of an Apostolical man, and resembling the reason given by the great Apostle of the loss of the ancient gentiles, whom he calls inexcusable, for that having known good they followed evil: for it is in a word, that which he doth inculcate in the first of his Epistles to the Romans: misery upon misery be unto such, as do not acknowledge that their own misery proceeds from their malice.   

That we ought to acknowledge the love we bear to God, to be from God. CHAPTER. VI  
1. THe love of men towards God takes his being, progress, and perfection from the eternal love of God towards men. It is the universal Sense of the Church our mother, who with an ardent jealousy, will have us to acknowledge our salvation, and the means to it, to proceed from our Saviour's mere mercy, to th'end that in earth as in heaven, and to him alone, be honour and glory.  
2. What hast thou which thou hast not received, sayeth the divine Apostle, speaking of the gifts of knowledge, eloquence, and other the like qualities of Church men; and if thou hast received them, why dost thou glory in them, as though thou hadst not received them? It is true we have received all from God, but especially the supernatural goods of holy love. And being we have received them, why should we take glory in them?  
5. Certainly if any should extol himself, for having made progress in the love of God: Alas caitiff man, would we say unto him, thou layedst in the trance of iniquity, having neither force or life left in thee to rise. (As it happened to the Princely in our parable) and God by his infinite Goodness ran to thy succour, and crying with a loud voice; open the mouth of thine attention, and I will fill it: he himself put his fingers betwixt thy lips, and unlocked thy teeth, casting into thy heart his holy inspiration, and thou received it; and then being brought to thy senses, he went on by diverse motions, and different means, strengthening thy heart till at length he infused into it charity, as thy lively an perfect health.  
4. Now tell me miserable creature what dist thou in all this, of which thou canst boast? Thou consented, I know it well; the motion of thy will did freely follow, that of heavenly grace. But what is all this, but to receive the divine operation without resistance? and what is there in this, save what thou receivedst? I poor wrech which thou art, thou receivedst the reception in which thou gloriest, and the consent whereof thou vauntest: for tell me, I pray thee, wilt thou not allow me, that if God had not prevented, thou hadst never perceived his Goodness, nor in consequence, consented to his love? No, nor yet hadst thou thought a good thought of him. His motion gave being, and life to thine, and if his liberty had not animated, excited, and provoked thy liberty, by the powerful invitations of his sweetness, thy liberty had been for ever unprofitable to thy salvation. I confess thou didst cooperate with the inspiration by consenting, but if thou be ignorant, I will teach thee, that thy cooperation took being from the operation of grace, and thy freewill together, yet so, that if grace had not prevented and filled thy heart with her operation, never had it had nor power, nor will, to cooperate.  
5. But tell me again I beseech thee, vile and abject man; art thou not ridiculous, when thou thinkest to have part in the glory of thy conversion, because thou repulsed not the inspiration? is not this the trick of a robber or Tyrant, to think to have given life to such as they have not deprived of it? And is it not a frantic impiety to think that thou gavest the holy efficacy and lively activity to the divine inspiration, because by resistance thou didst not hinder it? We can indeed hinder the effects of the inspiration, but we can give it none, it takes force and virtue from the Divine Goodness, whence it proceedeth, and not from man's will where it arriveth. Would not a man be moved to wroth, to hear the Princess of our Parable boast, that it was she that gave virtue and sovereignty to the cordial waters, and other medecins, or that she cured herself, because, if she had not received the remedies, which the king gave her, and poured into her mouth, (at such time, as being half dead, there remained hardly any sense in her) they had had ●o operation? Yea might one say to her, ungrateful wretch, thou mightst have been obstinate and not have received the remedies, thou mightest after thou hadst received them into thy mouth, have cast them out again, yet is it not true for all that, that thou gave them force and virtue, for these were their natural proprieties only thou consented to receive them, and that they might operate; and yet thou hadst never consentend, if the king had not first reenforced thee, and then solicited thee to take them; never hadst thou received them, had not he assisted thee to receive them, opening thy very mouth with his fingers, and poureing the potion into it: Art thou not then a Monster of ingratitude, to offer to attribute to thyself a benefit, which by so many titles thou owest to thy dear Spouse?  
6. The admirable little fish, called ECCHINES, REMORA, or STAY-SHIPPE, hath indeed the power to stay or not to stay a ship sailing in the broad sea under full sail: but it hath not the power to hoist sail, to make the ship sail, or arrive: it can hinder motion but cannot give it; our freewill can stay or impeach the course of the inspiration, and when the favourable gale of God's grace, doth swell the sails of our soul, it is in our power to refuse consent, and thereby to hinder the effect of the winds favour: but when our soul lancheth out, and happily sails, it is not we that make the gale of the inspiration blow upon us, nor we that make our sails swell with it, nor we that give motion to the ship of our heart; but only we receive the gale sent from heaven, consent to its motion, and let our ship sail under it, not hindering it by the Remora of our resistance. It is the inspiration then which doth imprint in our freewill the happy and delightful influence whereby it doth not only make us see the beauty of Good, but also doth heat, help, strengthen and move us so delightfully, that thereupon, we incline, and run freely towards good.  
7. The heavens in spring time do prepare the fresh dew-drops, and showers them down upon the face of the sea, and the mother pearls that open their shells, receive them, and they are converted into pearls: But the Mother-pearles which keep their shells shut, do not hinder the dews falling upon them, yet do they hinder their falling into them: Now the heavens, did they not let fall their dew as well upon the one, as the other pearl? Why did then the one, and not the other in effect produce the pearl? The heavens were as bountiful to her that remained sterile, as was requisite to impearle, and beget in her a fair union, but she hindered the effect of the heaven's favour, by keeping herself close, and covert. And as for her who conceived the pearl and was left big with dew she hath no part in that work which she received not from heaven, not her very opening, whereby she received the dew; for without the touches of the morning's rays, which did gently excitate her, she had not risen up to the tope of the sea, nor yet opened her shell. THEO: if we love God, his be the honour, and glory, who did all in us, and without whom, nothing was done; ours be the profit, and obligation: for it is a shareing of his divine goodness with him, he leaves us the fruits of his benefits, reserves to himself the honour, and praise thereof; and verily sith we are nothing but by his grace, we ought to be nothing, but to his glory.   

That we must avoid all curiosity, and humbly repose in Gods most wise providence. CHAPTER. VII.  
1. Man's mind is so weak, that whem he would look too curiously, into the causes, and reasons of God's will, he doth entangle and wind himself into a thousand quirks of difficulties, out of which he hath afterwards much a do to recovere himself; he resembles smoke; for in mounting it is subtilised, and in being subtilised, it vanisheth. In striving to raise our discourses too high in divine things by curiosity, we vanish in our thoughts, and in lieu of arriving at the knowledge of truth, we fall in the folly of our vanity.  
2. But of all other things we are most humorous, in that which concerns the divine providence, in the diversity of the means which he bestows upon us, to draw us to his holy love and by it to glory. For our temereity urgeth us still to search; why God gives more means to one then to another; why he did not the miracles amongst the Tyrians, and Sidonians, which he did in Corozain, and Bethsaida, seeing they would have made as good use of them. In fine why he draws rather one than another to his love.  
3. O THEO: my friend, never, no never, must we permit our minds to be carried away with a blasting whirlwind, or think to find a better reason of God's will, than the same will, which is soveraignely reasonable, yea the reason of all reasons, the rule of all goodness, the law of all equity. And although the holy ghost, speaking in the holy Scripture, gives reason in diverse parts, of almost all that we can wish to know, touching that which this providence doth, in conducting men to holy love, and eternal salvation; yet in diverse occasions he shows, that he ought in no wise, renounce the respect which is due to his will, whose purpose, decree, pleasure, and resolution we are to adore; in conclusion whereof, as sovereign judge, and soveraignely just, it is not reasonable that he should manifest his motives, but it is sufficient, that he say simply (and for reason) that if we ought charitably to bear so much respect to the Decrees of sovereign Courts, composed of corruptible judges of the earth, and of earth, as to believe that they were not made without motive, though we know them not? Ah Lord God with what a loving reverence, ought we to adore the equity of thy supreme providence, which is infinite in justice, and goodness?  
4. So in a thousand places of the holy word we find the reason, why God reproved the jews, because, sayeth S. PAUL, and S. BARNABY, you do reject the WORD of God, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold we turn towards the gentiles; And he that shall consider in tranquillity of heart the IX. X. and XI. Chap. of the Epistle to the Romans, shall clearly see, that Gods will did not without reason reject the jews, nevertheless, this reason must not be examined by man's wit, which contrariwise is obliged to rest purely and simply in reverencing the Divine Decree: Admiring it with love, as infinitely just and upright; and loving it with admiration, as inpenetrable, and incomprehensible. So that the divine Apostle concludes the long discourse which he had made of it. O the profundity of the riches and wisdom of the knowledge of God, how incomprehensible are his judgements and how unsearchable his ways! who doth know the thougtes of our Lord, or who hath been his Counsellor? By which exclamation he testifieth that God doth all things with great wisdom, knowledge, and reason; yet so, that not having entered into the divine counsels, whose judgements and designs are infinitely placed above our reach, we ought devotly to adore his Decrees as most just, without searching the motives, which he keeps to himself, that so he might keep our understanding at home, in respect and humility.  
5. S. AUGUSTINE in a hundred places doth teach us this practice; None comes to our Saviour sayeth he, if not drawn; whom he draws and whom he drawes-not, why he he draws him and not him, offer not to judge unless thou wilt err; hear once and understand. Art thou not drawn, pray that thou mayst be drawn. Verily it is sufficient for a Christian living as yet by faith, and not seeing that which is perfect, but only knowing in part, to know and believe that God delivers none from damnation, but by his free mercy, through our Lord JESUS-CHRIST; and that he dams none but by his most just Truth, through the same Lord I●SVS-CHRIST. But to know why he delivers this party, rather than that, let him sound who can so great a depth of his judgements, but let him be ware of the precipice, for these judgements are not therefore unjust because they are hidden. But why then doth he deliver rather this man, then that? We say again, o man who art thou that answerest God his iudgemets are incomprehensible, and his ways unknown, and let us add this; Do not look into things that are above thee; and examine not that which is beyond thy strength. Now he granteth not them mercy, to whom by a Truth most secret and furthest removed from man's thoughts, he judgeth it not fit to communicate his favours and mercy.  
6. We see sometimes twins whereof the one is borne alive and receives Baptism, the other in his birth lose his temporal life, before he be regenerated to the eternal, and consequently the one is heir of heaven, the other is deprived of the inheritance. Now why doth the divine providence, follow like births, with so different effects? Verily it might be answered that ordinarily God's pro●idence, doth not violate the laws of nature, so that one of these twins being strong, and the other too feeble to support the travel of his delivery, he died before he could be baptised, th'other lived; while the Divine providence would not stop the course of natural things, which in this occurrence might be the reason, why the one was deprived of Bapptisme. And truly this is a  answer. But following the advice of divine S. PAUL, and S. AUGUSTINE, we ought not to busy our thoughts in this consideration, which though it be good, yet doth it in no respect enter into comparison with many others, which God hath reserved, and will show us in heaven. Then sayeth S. Augustine, the secret shall end why rather the one then th'other was christened, the causes of both being equal, and why miracles were not done amongst those, who, in case they had been done, had been brought to repentance, and were done amongst such as were not about to believe. And in another place, the same Saint, speaking of sinners, whereof God doth leave the on in his iniquity, raising th'other. Now why he retains the one and not t'other, it is not possible to comprehend it, nor lawful to make inquests into it, sith we know it is from him, we stand, and not from him we fall: and again; this is covered, and removed from manes reach, at least from mine.  
7. Lo, THEO: the most saintly way of Philosophyzing in this behalf, and therefore I have always reputed the learned modesty, and most wise humility of the Seraphical Doctor saint Bonaventure admirable, and amiable in the discourse, which he makes of the reason why the Divine providence doth ordain the Elect to eternal life. Peradventure, sayeth he it is by a foresight of the good works which will be done by him that is drawn, in so much as they proceed in some sort from the will: but to be able to declare what good works they are, which by their foresight move God's will, I know not perfectly, nor will I make inquisition thereupon, there are no other reasons, then certain conveniencies: so that we might assign one, while it were another. Wherefore we cannot with assurance point out the true reason nor the true motive of Gods will herein: for as S. Augustine sayeth, notwithstanding that the truth of it is most certain, yet is it so removed from our thoughts that we can speak nothing assuredly of it, unless it be revealed by him who knows all things; and whereas it was not expedient for our salvation, that we should have knowledge of these secreets; but was more profitable we should be ignorant of them, to keep us in humility, God would not reveal them, yea the holy Apostle durst not inquire of them, but testified the insufficiency of our understanding in that matter when he cried out. o depth of the wisdom and knowledge of God! could one speak more saintly, THEO: of so saintly a mystery, and indeed they are the words of a most saintly, and prudent Doctor of the Church.   

An exhortation to the affectionate submission, which we are to make to the Decrees of the divine providence. CHAPTER. VIII.  
1. LEt us love then THEO: and adore in humility of SPIRIT, this depth of God's judgements, which, as S. AUGUSTINE sayeth, the holy Apostle discovers not, but admires, when he cries out, o the depth of God's judgement! Who can count the sands of the sea, the drops of rain and measure the largeness of the Abyss, sayeth that excellent S. GREGORY of Nazianzen, and who can sound the depth of the divine wisdom, by which all things were created and moderated as she pleaseth, and judgeth fit. For indeed it sufficeth, that by the Apostles example we should admire it without sticking in the difficulty and obscurity thereof. o depth of the wisdom and knowledge of God! o how inscrutable are his judgements, and how inaccessible his ways! who hath known the sense of our Lord, and who hath been his counsellor? THEO, the reasons of God's will cannot be penetrated by our wit, till we shall see his face, who toucheth from the one end to the other powerfully, and disposeth all things sweetly, doing all that he doth in number, weight, and measure; and to whom the Psalmist sayeth, Lord thou hast done all things in wisdom.  
2. How often doth it happen that we are ignorant, why and how the works of men are done? And yet sayeth the same holy Bishope of Nazianzen, the Artificer is not ignorant, though we be ignorant, in his Art; nor are the things of this world, rashly and imprudently done, though we know not the reasons of them. Entering into a Clok-makers shop, we shall sometimes find a cloak, no greater than an Orange, which yet hath in it an hundred, or two hundred pieces, whereof some serve for the style, others to strick the hour, or give the morning ALARM; you shall see in it little wheels one turning to the right, another to the left hand, one above, another below; and the plumbs which with a measured pace do balance its motion on every side: and we admire how Art could join together such a number of minute pieces, with so just a correspondance, neither knowing what each little piece serves for, nor to what purpose it was made in that sort, unless the Master tell it us, knowing only in gross, that all is either for show or to strick. It is reported that the good Indians will stand whole days musing upon a cloak, to hear it strike at the time prefixed, and not being able to guess how it is done, they do not for all that say that it is without Art or reason, but are taken with love and respect towards their keepres admiring them as more than mortals. THEO: we see in this manner the universe, but especially humane nature, a clock composed of so great variety of actions and motions, that we cannot but be astonished at it. And we know in general, that these so diversely ordered pieces, serve all either to point out, as a hand, God's most holy justice, or, as a bell of praise, to sound the triumphant mercy of his goodness. But to know the particular use of every piece how it is ordered to the general end or why it is made so, we cannot conceive, unless the sovereign workman instruct us; Now he conceals his Art from us, to th'end that with more reverence we might admire it, till in heaven he shall ravish us with the sweetness of his wisdom, where in the abundance of his love he will discover unto us the reasons, means, and motives of all that passed in the world, to the advantage of our eternal salvation.  
3. We resemble, sayeth yet again the great Nazianzen, those, who are troubled with a giddiness or turning of the head, for they think that all runnes round with them topsy turnie, though it be but their brain and imagination, which turn not the things about them; for so when we meet with any events, whereof the causes are unknown unto us, we deem the world is governed without reason, because we are ignorant of it. Let us believe then that as God is the maker, and father of all things, so takes he care of all things, by his providence, which doth embrace and sustain all the Machine of creatures; But especially let us believe, that he doth rule our affairs, ours, who know him; though our life be tossed with so great contrariety of accidents, whereof we know not the reasons, to th'end, by chance, that not being able to attain to this knowledge, we might admire the sovereign reason of God, surpassing all things: for with us, things easily known, are easily despised; but that which out-tops our wit, by how much it is more hard to be known, by so much it excites a greater admiration in us. Truly the reasons of the divine providence were low placed, if our small wits could reach unto them; they should be less amiable in their sweetness and less admirable in their Majesty, if they were set at a less distance with our capacity.  
4. Let us cry out then THEO: in all occurrences, but let it be with an affectionate heart towards the most wise, most puissant, and most sweet providence of our eternal father. O the depth of the riches, wisdom, and knowledge of God? O Saviour IHESUS THEOT: how excessive are the riches of of the divine goodness! His love towards us, is an incomprehensible Abyss, whence he hath provided for us a rich sufficiency, or rather a rich abundance of means proper for our salvation; and sweetly to apply them, he makes use of a sovereign wisdom, having by his infinite knowledge, foreseen and known all that was requisite to that effect. Ah what can we fear, nay rather what ought not we to hope for being the children of a father so rich in goodness to love and desire to save us, so understanding to provide means convenient: so wise to apply them; so good to will; so clear sighted to ordain; and so prudent to execute.  
5. Let us never permit our minds to flutter by curiosity about God's judgements, for as little Butterflies we shall burn our wings, and perish in this sacred flame. These judgments are incomprehensible, or as S. GREGORY Nazianzen sayeth, inscrutable, that is, one cannot search and sound the motives, the means and ways, by which he doth execute and finish them cannot be discerned and known: And though the power of smelling be never so perfect in us, yet shall we at every turn be at default, not finding the sent: for who can penetrate the sense, the understanding, and intention of God? Who was ever his Counsellor, to know his purposes, and their motives? or who did ever prevent him with service? Is it not he contrariwise who doth prevent us in the benedictions of his grace, to crown us with the felicity of his glory? ah, THEO: all things are from him, as being their Creator; all things are by him, as being their Governor; all things are in him, as being their Protector; To him be honour for ever and ever. Let us walk in peace, THEO: in the way of holy love for he that shall enjoy divine love in dying, after death shall enjoy love eternally.   

Of a certain remainder of love which oftentimes stays in the soul, that hath lost Charity. CHAPTER. IX.  
1. THe life of a man who languishing on his death's bed, by little and little decays, doth hardly deserve to be termed life, sith that, though it be life, yet is it so mingled with death, that it is hard to say, whether it is a death as yet living, or a life dying. Alas! how pitiful a spectacle it is THE: but fare more lamentable is the state of a soul, which ungrateful to her Saviour goes hourly backward, withdrawing herself from God's love, by certain degrees of indevotion, and disloyalty, till at length having quite forsaken it, she is left in the horrible obscurity of perdition: and this love which is in its declining and which fades, and perisheth, is called imperfect love, because though it be entire in the soul, yet seems it not to be entirely; that is, it hardly keeps in the soul any longer, but is upon the point of forsaking it. Now Charity being separated from the soul by sin, there remains oftentimes a certain resemblance of Charity, which doth deceive and put us into a vain muse; and I will tell you what it is. Charity while it is in us, produceth many actions of love towards God, by the frequent exercise whereof, our soul gets a habit, and custom of loving God, which is not Charity, but only an impression and inclination, which the multitude of actions leaves in our hearts.  
2. After a long habit of preaching or saying Mass deliberately, it happens often, that in dreaming we utter and speak the same things, which we would say in preaching or celebrating, so that custom and habit acquired by election, and virtue, is in some sort, afterward practised without election, or virtue, sith the actions of such as sleep, generally speaking, have nothing of virtue, save only an apparent image, and are only the similitudes or representations thereof. So charity by the multitude of acts which she produceth doth imprint in us a certain facility to love, which she leaves in us, even after we are deprived of her presence. I remember when I was a young scholar that in a village near Paris, there was a certain well with an ECHO, which would repeat the words that we pronounced by it, diverse times. And if some Idiot without experience, had heard this repetition of words, he would have believed that there had been some body in the bottom of the well, who had done it. But we had even then known by Philosophy, that none was in the well, to reiterate our words, but that there were only certain concavities, in some one whereof our voices were assembled, and not finding through passage, lest they might altogether perish, and not employ the force that was left them, they produced second voices; and they gathering together in an other concavity, produced a third, the third a fourth, and so consequetly to the eleventh, so that those voices heard in the well, were not now our voices, but resemblances and images of the same. And indeed there was a great difference betwixt our voices, and those: For when we made a long continuance of words, we had but some few of them rendered by the ECHO, shortening the pronunciation of syllables, which she slightly passed over, with tones and accents quite different from ours; nor did she begin to form her words, till we had quite pronounced them. In fine they were not words of a living man, but as one would say the words of any empty, and vain Rock, which notwithstanding did so well counterfeit man's voice, whence she sprung, that a simple body, would have been misled and beguiled by her.  
3. Now this is it that I would say when holy CHARITY meets a pliable soul, wherein she doth long reside she produceth a second love, which is not a love of Charity, though it issue from Charity, but it is a humane love which is yet so like to Charity, that though she leaves behind, this her picture, and likeness which doth so represent her, that one who were ignorant would be deceived therein; not unlike to the birds on Zeuxis his painted raisins, which they deemed to be true raisins, so generally had Art imitated nature! And yet there is a fair difference betwixt Charity, and humane love which she doth beget in us: for the voice of Charity doth pronounce, denounce, and work in our hearts Gods Commandments, humane love which remains after her, doth indeed pronounce the commandments, and denounceth sometimes all of them, yet doth never effect them all, but some few only: Charity doth pronounce, and put together all the syllables, that is, all the circumstances of God's commandments: humane Love always leaves out some of them: especially straightness, and purity of intention: and as for the tone, Charity takes it always at an equal height, sweet and delightful; humane Love takes it still either to high in terrene things or to low in celestial; and never sets upon his work, till Charity have ended hers: for so long as charity is in the soul, she serves herself of this humane love, as of her Creature, and makes use of him to facilitate her operations; so that in that interim, the works of this love, as of a servant, belong to Charity his Mistress. But Charity flitting the actions of this love are entirely his own, not having their estimation, and worth from Charity; for as Eliseus his stafe, in his absence, though in the hand of his servant Geizi, who received it from him, wrought no miracle, so actions done in the absence of Charity, by the only habit of humane love, are of no value or mirite, to eternal life, though he learned them of charity, being but her servant. And this comes thus to pass, because this humane love in the absence of Charity, hath not any supernatural strength, to raise the soul to the excellent action of the love of God above all things.   

How dangerous this imperfect love is. CHAPTER. X.  
1. ALas, my THEO: behold I pray you the poor judas, after he had betrayed his Master, how he goes to render the money to the jews how he acknowledgeth his sin, how he speaks honourably of the blood of this immaculate lamb. These were effects of imperfect love, which precedent Charity, now past, had left in his heart. We descend to impiety by certain degrees, and hardly any arrives in an instant to the extremity of malice.  
2. Perfumers, though out of their shops, bear about with them, for a long time, the sent of the perfumes, which they have handled. So, such as have been in the Closet of heavenly ointments, that is in holy Charity, hold for a time after the sent of it.  
3. Where the Hart hath lodged by night, the morning after there is a fresh sent or vent of him, towards night it is harder to be taken; but as soon as his strain waxeth old, and dead, the hounds do begin to lose it. When charity hath reigned for a space in the soul, one may find there her rack, tracestraine, or sent, for a time after she be departed, but by little and little it doth quite vanish, and a man looseth all knowledge that ever Charity was there.  
4. I have seen certain young people, well bred up in the love of God, who putting themselves out of that path remained for some time amidst their accursed ruin, in whom notwithstanding, one might have seen great marks of their former virtue, and the habit gotten in time of charity, resisting present vice, scarcely could one for some months, discern whether they were out of Charity or not, whether vertious, or vicious, till such time as the progress did clear, that these virtuous exercises proceeded not from Charity present, but past: not from perfect, but imperfect love, which Charity had left behind her, as a sign that she had lodged in those souls.  
5. Now this imperfect love, THEO: is good in itself, for being a creature of holy Charity and one of her retinue, it cannot but be good, and indeed did faithfully serve charity, while she seiourned in the soul, as it is still ready to serve, upon her return, nor is it to be contemned, for that it cannot do actions of perfect love; the condition of its nature being such: so stars, which in comparison of the sun are very imperfect, are yet extremely beautiful beheld alone; and having no rank in the presence of the sun, in his absence they have.  
6. Howbeit as this love is good in us, so it is perilous for us, seeing that oftentimes we are contented with it alone, because having many interior and exeteriour strokes of Charity, thinking that it is the same which we have, we fool ourselves, with opinion of our own sanctity, while in this vain persuasion, the sins which deprived us of Charity do increase, wax big, and multiply so fast, that in the end they make themselves Masters of our heart. If JACOB had not left his perfect Rachel, but had kept still by her the day of his marriage, he had not been deceived as he was; but permitting her to go into the Chamber without him he was holy astonished in the morning following, to find only in lieu of her, the imperfect Lia which yet he believed had been his dear Rachel; But Laban had put that deceit upon him. Now self love deceives us in the same manner, how little so ever we forsake Charity, it thrusts upon us estimation this imperfect habit, and we delight ourselves in it, as though, it were the true Charity, tell some clear light, manifest unto us, that we are abused.  
7. Ah God! is it not a great pity to see a soul flatter herself in the imagination of Sanctity, remaining at rest, as though she were possessed of Charity, finding in the end, her Sanctity a fiction, her rest a lethargy, her joy a madness.   

A means to discern this imperfect love. CHAPTER. XI.  
1. But you will ask me, what means is there to discern, whether it be RACHEL or LIA, Charity or imperfect love, which gave me the feelings of devotion wherewith I am touched? If examining in particular the objects of the desires, affections and designs which you have for the present, you find any one for which you would transgress the good will and pleasure of God, by sinning mortally, it is then out of doubt, that all the feeling facility and promptitude which you have in God's service, issue from no other source then humane and imperfect love: for if perfect love reigned in us, o Lord God! it would break every affection, every desire, every design, whose object were so pernicious, and would not endure that our heart, should behold it.  
2. But note that I said that this examine must be made upon our present affections; for it is not requisite, that you should imagine to yourself such as may arise hereafter, sith it is sufficient that we be faithful in present occurrences, according to the diversity of times; and sith that every time hath enough to do, with it's own pain and travel.  
3. Yet if you were desirous to exercise your heart in spiritual valour, by the representation of diverse encounters, and assaults, you may profitably do it, provided, that after the acts of this imaginary valour, which your heart might have made, you esteem not yourself more valiant: for the children of Ephraim, who did wonders with their bow and arrows, while they were yet trained up in warlike feats at home, when it came indeed to the push, upon the day of battle they turned their backs and had not so much as the courage to bow their arrows, or behold those of their enemies.  
4. When therefore we do practise this valour in future occurrences, or such as are only possible, if we find a good and loyal feeling, we are to thank God for it: For this feeling is always good, howbeit we are to keep ourselves betwixt a confidence and diffidence, hoping that by God's grace, we should do in the occasion, that which we imagined; and yet still fearing, that following our ordinary misery, peradventure we should perform nothing, but lose courage; but if the diffidence should wax so excessive, that it seemed to us, that we should neither have force, nor heart, and thereby we should fale into despair, upon the subject of imaginary temptations, as though we were not in Charity, and in God's grace; then, in despite of our feeling and discouragement, we were to make resolution of a great fidelity in all occurrences, even to the temptation which troubles us, hoping that when it shall happen, God will multiply his grace, redouble his succours, and afford us all necessary assistance; and while he gives us not the force for an imaginary and unnecessary war, he will give it us when it comes to the deed: For as many have lost courage in the assault, so many have also lost fear and have taken heart, and resolution in the presence of danger and difficulty, which in their absence they had never done. And so many of God's servants, representing unto themselves absent temptations, have been affrighted at them, even almost to the losing of courage, which when they saw present, they behaved themselves courageously. Finally in the amazements which rise from the representation of future assaults, when we apprehend that our heart fails us, it is sufficient that we have a desire of courage, and confidence that God will bestow it upon us when time shall exact. Nor had SAMSON always his strength, but it is noted in the Scripture, that the Lion of Tamathas vines, coming towards him furiously and roaring, the Spirit of God seized him, that is, God gave him the motion of a new force, and a new courage, and he tore the Lion in pieces, as a Goat: and in like manner when he defeated the thousand Philistians, which thought to have defeated him in the field of Lechi. So my dear THEO: it is not necessary that we have always the sense and motion of courage requisite to surmount the roaring Lion, which goeth roaring hither and thither to devour us, this might administer us occasion of vanity and pre umption. It is sufficiant that we have a good desire to fight valliently, a perfect confidence that the holy Ghost will assist us with his helping hand, when occasion shall present itself.   
The end of the fourth Book.   

THE FIFT BOOK. OF THE TWO PRINCIPALE EXERCISES OF HOLY LOVE, performed by complacence and benevolence.  

Of the sacred Complacence of Love, and first in what it consisteth. CHAPTER. I.  
I. LOVE, as we have said, is no other thing, than the motion, and gliding of the heart towards good, by means of the complacence which one takes in it; so that complacence is the great motive of love, as love is the great motion of complacence.  
2. Now this motion is practised towards God in this manner. We know by faith, that the Divinity is an incomprehensible Abyss of all perfection, soveraignely infinite in excellency, and infinitely sovereign in bounty. And this truth which faith teacheth us is attentively considered by meditation beholding the immensity of goods which are in God, either in gross by assembling all the perfections; or in particular, by considering his excellences, one after another, for example his All-power, his All-wisdome, his All-goodnesse, his Eternity, his infinity. Now when we have brought our understanding to be very attentive, to the greatness of the Goods that are in this divine object; it is impossible but our will should be touched with complacence in this good, and then we use the libartie and power which we have over ourselves, provoking our own heart, to answer and strengthen this first complacence, by acts of approbation, and rejoicing. O sayeth the devote soul in this case, how fair thou art my well-beloved, how fair thou art, thou art wholly , yea thou art desire itself! Such is my well-beloved, and he is the friend of my heart! o daughters of Jerusalem, o blessed be my God for ever, who is so good: ah! whether I live or die, too happy I am in knowing, that my God is so rich in all Goodness, that his Goodness is so infinite, his infinity so good.  
3. Thus approving the good which we see in God, and joying in it: we make an act of love which is called complacence: for we please ourselves in the divine pleasure, infinitely more than in our own: and it is this love which rendered so much content to the Saints, when they could meet with the perfections of their well-beloved, and which caused them to pronounce with so much delight, that God was God; Go to, know said they, that our Lord is God; o God, my God, my God, thou art my God; the God of my heart; and my God is the part of mine inheritance for ever. He is the God of our heart by this complacence, sith by it, our heart doth embrace him, and makes him it's own: he is our inheritance, because by this act, we enjoy the goods which are in God, and as from an inheritance we have from it all pleasure, and content: by means of this complacence we drink and eat spiritually the perfections of the Divinity: for we make them our own, and draw them into our hearts.  
4. jacob's owes drew into their entrails the variety of colours which they saw in the fountain wherein they were watered, when they were a ramming; for in effect their young lambs were thereupon spotted: so a soul taken with the pleasing complacence which she takes in considering the Divinity, and in it an infinity of excellences, she draws the colours thereof into her heart, that is to say, the multitude of wonders and perfections which she doth contemplate: and makes them her own, by the contentment which she takes therein.  
5. O God what joy shall we have in heaven, THEO: when we shall see the well-beloved of our hearts, as an infinite sea, whose waters are perfection, and goodness! Then as Hearts, much pursued and spent, putting their mouths to a clear and cool fountain, do draw into them the coolness of these fair waters; so our hearts after so many languishments and desires, meeting with the strong and living source of the divinity, shall draw by their complacence, all the perfections of the well-beloved, and shall have the perfect fruition of them by the joy which they shall take in them, replenishing themselves with those immortal delights: and in this wise the dear Spouse will enter into us, as into his marriage bed, to communicate his eternal joy unto our souls, according as he himself sayeth, that if we keep the holy law of his love he will come, and seiourne with us. Such is the sweet and noble robbery of Love, who without uncolouring the well-beloved doth colour itself with his colours; without disrobing him, investe itself with his robes; without taking from him, takes all that he hath, and without impoverishing him, is enriched with all his wealth; as the air takes light, not lessening the original brightness of the sun, and the Mirror the grace of the countenance, not diminishing his, that looks in it.  
7. They were made abominable like to the things they loved, said the Prophet speaking of the wicked; so might one say of the good, that they are become lovely as the things they loved. Behold I beseech you, S. CLARE of Mountfalco her heart, it was so delighted in our Saviour's Passion, and in meditating the most holy Trinity, that it drew into itself all the marks of the passion, and an admirable representation of the Trinity: being made such as the things she loved. The love, which the great Apostle S. PAUL, bore to the life, death and passion of our Saviour, was so great that it drew the very life, death, and passion of this heavenly Saviour into his loving servants heart; whose will was filled with it by dilection, his memory by meditation, and his understanding by contemplation. But by what canal or conduct was the mild JESUS conveied into SAINT PAVL●S heart? by the canal of complacence, as he himself declareth, saying: Fare be it from me ever to glory, save in the cross of our Saviour JESUS-CHRIST: for if you do mark it, betwixt glorying in a person, and compleasing ones self in the same; taking glory, and taking pleasure in a thing, there is no other difference, saving that he who glories in a thing, to pleasure adds honour, honour not being without pleasure, though pleasure can be without honour. This soul then, had such a complacence, and esteemed himself so much honoured in the divine Goodness, which appears in the life, death, and passion of our Saviour, that he took no pleasure but in this honour. And it is this that made him say, be it fare from me to Glory save in the cross of my Saviour, as he also said that he lived not himself, but JESUS-CHRIST lived in him.   

How by holy complacence we are made as little children, at our Saviour's breasts. CHAPTER. II.  
1. O God how happy the soul is who takes pleasure in learning to know that God is God, and that his bounty is an infinite bounty: For this heavenly spouse, by this Gate of Complacence, enters into her, and sups with us, as we with him. We feed ourselves with his sweetness, by the pleasure which we take therein, and recollect our heart, in the divine perfections, by the repose we take therein: and this repast is a supper by reason of the repose which doth follow it, complacence making us sweetly repose, in the deliciousness of the good which delights us, and wherewith we feed our heart: For as you know THEO: the heart feeds of that which delights her, whence in our French tongue we say, that some are fed with honours, others with riches, as the wiseman said, that the mouthers of fools are fed with ignorance, and the sovereign wisdom protesteth, that he is fed, that is, he is pleased, with no other thing then to do the will of his Father: In conclusion, the Physician's Aphorism is true; what is savoury, nourisheth; and the Philosophers what pleaseth, feedeth.  
2. Let my well-beloved come into his garden said the sacred spouse, and let him eat therein the fruit of his Aple-trees. Now the heavenly spouse comes into his garden, when he comes into the devote soul. For seeing his delight is to be with the children of men, where can he better lodge then in the country of the mind, which he made to his likeness and similitude. He himself doth set in this garden, the loving Complacence which we have in his bounty, and whereof we feed as likewise his Goodness doth take his repast and repose in our complacence, so that again our complacence is augmented, to perceive that God is pleased to see us take pleasure in him; in such sort that from these reciprocal pleasures the love of incomparable Complacence doth spring, by which our soul being made a garden of her spouse, and having from his bounty the Aple-trees of his delights, she renders him the fruit thereof, being that he is pleased in the complacence, she takes in in him. Thus do we draw God's heart into ours, and he disperseth in it his precious Balm. And thus is that practised which the holy Bride spoke with such joy. The king of my heart, hath led me into his closet, we will exult, and rejoice in the, mind full of thy breasts, more amiable than wine, the good do love thee: for I pray you, THEO: what are the closerts of this king of love, but his papes, which abound in the variety of sweetness and delights: The breasts and duggs of the mother are the closet of the little infant's treasures, he hath no other riches than those which are more precious unto him then gold, or the Topase, more beloved than the rest of the world.  
3. The soul then which doth contemplate the infinite treasures of divine perfections in her well-beloved holds herself too happy and rich, in that love doth make her Mistress, by complacence, of all the perfections and contentments of her dear spouse. And even as the baby doth give little ierts towards his mother's Pape, and hops with joy to see them discovered, and as the mother again on her part doth present them unto him, with a love always a little forwards: even so the devout soul doth feel t●● dance and motions of an incomparable joy, through the content which she hath, in beholding the treasures of the perfections, of the king of her holy love; but especially when she sees that he himself doth discover them by love, and that amongst them that perfection of his infinite love doth excellently shine. Hath not this fair soul reason to cry? O my king, how amiable thy riches are, and how rich thy loves? ah! which of us have more joy, thou that enjoyest it, or I who reenjoye it? we dance with mirth in memory of thy breasts, and thy duggs, so plentiful in all excellency of deliciousness. I, because my well-beloved doth enjoy it; thou because thy well-beloved doth reremeioy it; for so we do both enjoy it, sith thy goodness makes thee enjoy my reenjoying, and my love makes me reenjoye thy enjoying. Ah! the just and the good do love thee, and how can one be good and not love so great a goodness? Worldly Princes keep their treasures in the closerts of their Palaces; their armour in their Castles; But the heavenly Prince, keeps his treasures in his bosom, his arms within his breast; and because his treasure is his goodness, as his weapons are his loves, his breast and bosom resembles those of a tender mother, who hath two fair duggs, as two closerts, rich with the sweetness of good milk, armed with as many darts, to subdue her little dear baby, as it makes shoots in sucking.  
4. Nature surely lodged the duggs in the bosom, to th'end that, the heat of the heart concocting the milk, as the mother is the child's nurse, so her heart should be his foster-father, and that milk might be a food of love, better a thousand times then wine. Note the while, THEOT: that the comparison of milk and wine, seems so proper to the holy spouse, that she is not content to have said once, that her spouse his breasts surpasseth wine, but she repeats it thrice. Wine, THEOT: is the milk of grapes, and milk is the wine of the duggs: for so the sacred spouse sayeth, that her well-beloved, is to her a grape, but a Cyprine grape, that is, of an excellent odour. The Israelites sayeth Moses, could drink the purest and best blood of the grape: And JACOB describing unto his son judas, the share which they should have in the land of Promise, prophetised under this figure, the ●r●e felicity of Christians, saying that our Saviour would wash his robe, that is, his holy Church, in the blood of the grape, that is, in his own blood: Now blood and milk are no more differrent, than grapes and wine: For as grapes ripening by the sun's heat, change their colour, become a grateful and nourishing wine: so blood tempered by the heat of the heart, turns fair white, and becomes a fit food for children.  
5. Milk which is a cordial food wholly consisting of love, represents the mystical knowledge and divinity, that is, the sweet relish which proceeds from the complacence of love, which the mind receives in meditating the perfections of the divine Goodness; But wine signifies ordinary and acquired knowledge, which is squeezed by force of speculation from the press of diverse arguments and disputes. Now the milk which our souls draw from the breasts of our Saviour's Charity: is incomparably better than the wine which we squeeze from humane discourse: For this milk floweth from heavenly love, which prepares it for his children, yea even before they yet thought of it: it hath a sweet and amiable gust and the odour thereof puts down all perfumes, it makes the breath pure and sweet, as of a sucking child: it gives joy, without insolency; it inebriateth, without dulling: it doth not only rear up, but even revive the senses.  
6. When the holy man Isaac embraced and kissed his dear child JACOB, he smelled the good odour of his garments, and strait perfumed with an extreme pleasure: o quoth he, behold how the odour of my son is like to the odour of a flourishing field, which God hath blessed: the garment and perfumes were upon JACOB, but ISAAC had the complacence and reenjoying of them. Alas, the soul which by love holds her Saviour in the arms of her affection, how deliciously doth she smell the perfumes of the infinite perfections which are found in him? with what complacence doth she say in herself, behold how the sent of my God is like the smell of a flourishing garden? how precious are his breasts, sending out sovereign parfumes? So the Spirit of a great S. Augugustine, stayed in suspense betwixt the sacred contentments which he had to consider; on the one side the mystery of his Master's birth; on th'other that of the passion, he cried out ravished in this complacence.  
Betwixt two sacred fires I burn,  
Nor know to which my heart to turn.  
From hence, a Mother doth present  
A fluent breast, a dear content:  
From thence, as from a TRVEST VINE  
Doth issue blood, in lieu of wine.   

That a holy complacence gives our heart to God, and makes us feel a continual desire in enjoying him. CHAPTER. III.  
1. THe love which we bear to God doth flow from the first complacence that our heart takes, upon the apprehension of the divine Goodness, when it gins to tend towards the same. Now when by the exercise of love we do augment, and strengthen this first complacence, as we have declared in the precedent Chapters, we then draw into our hearts the divine perfections, and enjoy the Divine Goodness, by the delight we take in it, practising the first part of the contentment of love expressed by the sacred spouse, saying: my well-beloved is mine. But because this complacence of love being in us that have it, is also in God, in whom we take it, it gives us reciprocally to his Divine Goodness, so that by this holy love of complacence, we enjoy the goods which are in God, as though they were our own; but because the divine perfections, are stronger than our Spirit, entering into it, they enjoy it reciprocally, in so much, that we do not only say God is ours by this complacence, but that we are his.  
2. The herb Aproxis (as elsewhere we have said) hath so great a correspondance with fire, that, though in distance, as one as it gets into the aspect of it, it draweth the flame, and gins to burn, conceiving fire, not so much from the heat, as from the light of the fire presented. When then by this attraction it is united to the fire, if it could speak, might it not well say, my well-beloved fire is mine, sith I drew it to me and enjoy its flames: but I am also his, for though I drew it to me, it reduced me into it, as more strong, and noble; it is my fire, and I am its herb, I draw it, and it burns me. So our heart being brought into the presence of the Divine Goodness, and having drawn the perfections thereof by the complacence it takes in them, may truly say, God's Goodness is all mine, sith I enjoy his excellencies and I again am wholly his, seeing his delights enjoy me.  
3. By complacence, our soul as a gedeon's fleece, is wholly filled with heavenly dew, and this dew is the fleeces, because it fell upon it; and and again the fleece is the dews, because it was steeped in it, and received virtue from it. Which doth more belong to the other, the pearl or the oyster to the pearl? The pearl is the oysters, because she drew it to her, but the oyster is the pearls, because it gives her worth and value. Complacence makes us Possessors of God, drawing into us his perfections; but it makes us also possessed of God, applying and tying us to his perfections.  
4. Now in this complacence, we do glut our soul with delights, in such a manner, that we do not yet cease to desire to be glutted, and tasteing the divine Bounty, we desire yet to taste it, in satiating ourselves, we would still eat, and in eating we perceive ourselves satiated. The head of the Apostles, having said in his first Epistle, that the old Prophets had manifested the graces which were to abound amongst Christians, and amongst other things our Saviour's passion, and the glory which was to follow it, as well by the Resurrection of his body, as also by the Exaltation of his name: In the end he concludes that the very Angels do desire to behold the mysteries of the Redemption in this divine Saviour, whom, sayeth he, the Angels do desire to behold. But how can this be understood that the Angels who see the Redeemour, and in him all the mysteries of our salvation, do yet desire to see him? THEO: Verily they see him continually, but with a view so agreeable and delicious, that the complacence they take in it doth satiate them, without taking away their desire, and makes them desire without removing their Satiety, the fruition is not lessened by the desire, but perfected thereby, as their desire is not cloyed but sharpened by the fruition.  
5. The fruition of a thing which doth continually content, doth never fade, but is renewed, and flourisheth incessantly, it is still agreeable, still amiable; The continual contentment of heavenly lovers, produceth a desire perseverantly content, as their continual desire, doth beget in them, a contentment perseverantly desired. The good which is finite, in giving the possession doth end the desire, and in giving the desire doth dispossess, while it cannot at once be possessed and desired: But the infinite Good, makes desire reign with possession, and possession with desire, finding a way to satiate desire by a holy presence, and yet make it live by the greatness of its excellency which doth nourish in all those that possess it, a continually contented desire, and a contentment continually desired.  
6. Consider TH●OT: such as hold in their mouth the herb SCITIQVE, for following report, they are neither hungry, nor thirsty, so doth it satiate! and yet do they never lose appetite, so deliciously doth it nourish them! When our will meets God, she reposeth in him, taking therein a sovereign complacence, yet without staying the motions of her desire: for as she desires to love, so she love's to desire: she hath the desire of love, and the love of desire. The repose of the heart consisteth not in immobility, but in having want of nothing: Not, in not moving, but in not having need to move.  
7. The damned are in eternal motion, without all mixture of rest: we mortals who are yet in this pilgrimage, have now motion, now rest, in our affections; The Blessed have continual repose in their motion and continual motion in their repose; only God hath repose without motion, because he is soveraignely on substantial and pure act. And though according to the ordinary condition of this mortal life, we rest not in motion, yet notwithstanding when we make essays of the exercises of the immortal life, that is, when we practise the acts of holy love, we find repose in the motion of our affections, and motion in the repose of the complacence which we take in our well-beloved, receiving hereby fore-tastes of the future Felicity, to which we aspire.  
8. If it be true that the Chameleon life's of air, wheresoever he goes in the air, he finds food; and though he stir from one place to another, it is not to find wherewithal to be satiated, but to exercise himself in his element, as fishes in the sea. Who desires God in possessing him, doth not desire him, to search him, but to exercise affection, even in the good which he enjoys: for the heart doth not make this motion of desire as pretending the fruition of a thing not had, sith it is already had, but as dilating itself in the fruition which it hath; not to obtain the Good, but to recreate and please itself therein; not to enjoy it, but to rejoice in it. No otherwise than we move ourselves, and go to some delicious garden, where being arrived, we cease not to walk and stir ourselves, yet it is not to come thither, but being there to walk and pass our time: we went to enjoy the pleasantness of the garden; being there, we walk, to please ourselves in the fruition of it. 
Let not in length of time be found a space,  
In which we cease to search t'Almighties face.  We always seek, whom we always love, sayeth the Great, S. AUGUSTINE. Love seeks whom it hath found, not to have him, but to have him still.  
9 Finally, THEO: the soul who is in the exercise of the love of complacence, cries continually in her sacred silence: It sufficeth me that God be God, that his Goodness be infinite, that his perfection be immense: whether I live, or not, it little imports me, sith that my dear well-beloved life's eternally a triumphant life: Death itself cannot attristate a heart who knows that its sovereign Love, lives. It is sufficient for a heart that love's, that he whom it love's more than itself, is replenished with eternal happiness, seeing that it life's more in him whom it love's, then him, whom it doth animate, yea that it life's not, but its well-beloved life's in it.   

Of a loving condoling, by which the complacence of love is better declared. CHAPTER. iv  
1. COmpassion, condoling commiseration, or mercy, is no other thing, than an affection which makes us share in the sufferances and griefs of him whom we love, drawing the misery which he endures into our heart, whence it is called MISERICORDIA as one would say MISERIA CORDIS: as complacence doth draw into the lover's heart, the pleasures and contentments of the thing beloved. It is Love that works both the effects, by the virtue it hath, to unite the lover's heart to the beloved, by this means making the good and evil which they have, common betwixt them. And that which happens in compassion, doth much illustrate that which toucheth complacence.  
2. Compassion takes her growth from the love whence she proceeds. So we see mothers do deeply condole the afflictions of their only children, as the Scripture doth often testify. How great was the sorrow of Agars' heart, upon the grief of her Ishmael, whom she saw well nigh perish with thirst in the Desert: How much did DAVID'S soul commiserate the misery of his Absalon: Ah do you not mark the motherly heart of the great Apostle, sick, with the sick: burning with zeal for such as were scandalised, with a continual dolour for the loss of the jews: and daily dying for his dear spiritual children: But especially consider how love draws all the pains, all the torments, travels, sufferances, griefs, wounds, passion, cross, and death itself of our Redeemour, into his most sacred Mother's heart. Alas the same Nails that crucified the body of this divine child, did also crucify the mother's heart; the same thrones which pierced his head, did strike through the heart of this entirely sweet mother: she endured the same miseries with her son by commiseration; the same dolours, by condoling; the same passions by compassion: to be short, the sword of death which transpearced the body of this best beloved son did strick through the heart of this most loving mother; whence she might well have said, that he was to her a POSY OF MYRRH amidst her breasts, that is, in her bosom, and in the midst of her heart. JACOB, hearing the sad, though false, news of the death of his dear JOSEPH, you see how he is afflicted with it: ah! said he, in sorrow I will descend to hell, that is to say, to Limbo, into ABRAHAM'S bosom, after this child.  
3. Commiseration is also great according to the greatness of their sufferances whom we love: for how little soever the friendshipe be, if the evils which we see endured be extreme they cause in us great pity. This made Cesar weep over Pompey; and the daughters of Jerusalem could not stay themselves from weeping over our Saviour; though the greater part of them, did not much affect him: as also the friends of JACOB, though wicked friends, made great lamentation, in beholding the dreadful spectacle of his incomparable misery: and what a stroke of grief was it in the heart of JACOB, to think that his dear child was dead, of a death so cruel, as to be devoured by a savage beast? But besides all this, commiseration is much strengthened, by the presence of the object in misery: this caused the poor Agar, absent herself from her languishing son, to disburden herself in some sort of the compassionate grief which she felt, saying: I will not see the child die; as contrariwise our Saviour weeps, seeing the sepulchre of his well-beloved Lazarus: and beholding his dear Jerusalem; And the good JACOB, was struck with grief, when he saw the bloody Robe of his poor little JOSEPH.  
4. Now, as many causes also do augment complacence. As a friend is more dear unto us, we take more pleasure in his contentment, and his good doth enter more deeply into our heart: which if it be excellent, our joy is also greater; but if we see our friend while he enjoys it, our rejoicing becomes extreme. When the good JACOB knew that his son lived, o God what joy! his heart returned home, he revived, yea as one would say returned to life. But what is this, he revived, returned to life? THEO: SPIRITS die not their proper death but by sin, which separateth them from God, who is their true supernatural life, yet die they sometimes by another's death: and this happened to JAGOB, of whom we speak: for love which draws into the heart of the lover, the good and evil of the thing beloved, the one by complacence, the other by commiseration, drew the death of the lovely JOSEPH, into the loving jacob's heart, and by a miracle impossible to any other power but love, the mind of the good Father was full of the death of him that lived, and reigned, deceived affection forerunning the effect.  
5. But as soon as he had known that his son was a live, Love who had so long detained the presupposed death of the son in the good Father's heart seeing that he was deceived, speedily rejected this imaginary death, and made enter in its place the true life of the said son; Thus than he returned to a new life, because the life of his son entered into his heart by complacence, and animated him with an incomparable contentment with which finding himself satisfied, and not esteeming any other pleasure in comparison of this, it fufficeth me, sayeth he, if my child JOSEPH live. But when with his proper eyes he experienced his dear child's greatness in Gessan, hanging upon him and for a good space weeping about his neck; ah, now, sayeth he, I will die joyful, my dear Son sith I have seen thy face, and thou dost yet live. o God what a joy, THEO: and how excellently expressed by this old man! For what would he say by these words, now I will die contented, sith I have seen thy face, but that his content was so great that it was able to render death itself joyful and agreeable, being the most uncomfortable, and horrible thing in the world? Tell me, I pray you, THEO: who hath more sense of joseph's good, he that enjoys it, or JACOB who reenjoyes it? Certainly if good be not good but in respect of the content which it affordeth us: the father hath as much, yea more than the Son: for the son together with the dignity of VICEROY whereof he is possessed, hath consequently many cares, and affairs: but the Father doth enjoy by Complacence, and purely possess all that good is, in this his son's greatness, and dignity, without charge, care, or trouble. I will dye joyful sayeth he: Alas! who doth not see his contentment: if even death cannot trouble his joy, who can ever change it? if his content can live amidst the distresses of death, who can ever bereave him of it? Love is strong as death, and the joys of love do surmount the annoys of death, for death cannot kill, but doth revive them, so that, as there is a fire which miraculously is feed in a fountain near Greenoble, as I surely know, and S. AUGUSTINE doth attest, so holy Charity is so strong, that she doth nourish her flames and consolations in the saddest anguishes of death, and the waters of tribulations cannot extinguish her fires.   

Of the commiseration and Complacence of love in our Saviour's Passion. CHAPTER. V  
1. When I see my Saviour upon the mount Olivet, with his soul, sad even to death; O Lord I●SVS, say I, who could have borne these sorrows of death, in the soul of life, if not love, who moving commiseration drew thereby our miseries into thy sovereign heart. Now a devote soul, seeing this abyss of sorrow and distress in this Divine lover, how can she be without a holily loving grief? But considering on the other side, that none of these her well-beloued's afflictions proceed from any imperfection, or want of force, but from the greatness of his most dear love she cannot but melt with a holily dolorous love: so that she cries out, I am black with grief by compassion, but I am fair with love, by Complacence; the anguishs of my well-beloved, have changed my hue; for how can a faithful lover see him so tormented, whom she love's more than her life, without becoming appalled, withered and dried up with grief? Nomades tents, perpetually exposed to the outrage of weather and wars are almost still beaten, and covered with dust, and I open to sorrows, which by commiseration I receive, from the excessive sufferances of my divine Saviour, I am quite covered with anguish, and split with grief: but because his griefs whom I love, proceed from his love, as much as they afflict me by compassion, they delight me by Complacence: For how must not a faithful lover needs have an extreme content to see herself so much beloved of her heavenly Spouse! And hence the beauty of love appears in the foulness of grief. And though I wear mourning weeds for the Passion and death of my King, deformed and blacked with grief, yet am I not without an incomparable delight, to behold the excess of his love, amidst the pangs of his sorrows. And the tents of SALOMON broidered, and wrought with an incomparable diversity of work, was never so goodly, as I am content, and consequently, sweet, amiable, and agreeable, in the variety of the essays of love, which I feel amongst these griefs. Love doth equalise the lovers: ah! I see this dear lover, who is a burning fire, in a thorny bush of grief; and even so I, I am wholly inflamed with love amongst the thorny thickets of sorrow; I am a Lily environed with thorns; do not only look upon the horrors of my pinching griefs, but behold the agreeable beauty of my loves. Alas this Divine well-beloved lover doth suffer insupportable griefs, this it is that toucheth my heart, and makes me sound with anguish: but he takes pleasure in suffering, he love's his torments, and dies with joy, to die with grief for me: wherefore as I grieve in his grief, so am I ravished with joy in his love; I do not only sorrow with him, but glory in him.  
2. It was this love THEO: that drew the Stigmats upon the loving Seraphical S. FRANCIS; and upon the loving Angelical S. CATHERINE of Sierra, the urgent wounds of her Saviour; the loving Complacence, having sharpened the point of the dolorous compassion, as honey make the bitterness of Wormewoode more piercing and sensible: as contrariwise, the dainty smell of Roses is refined by the neighberhoode of Garlic, which is planted near the Rosetrees: for so the loving Complacence, which we have taken in the love of our Saviour makes the compassion which we have of his dolours more forcible; as also passing from the compassion of sorrows, to the complacence of loves, we take a more ardent, and high content. Then the grief of love, and the love of grief is practised; then the amorous compassion, and dolorous complacence, as another ESAV and JACOB, striving who should strive more, puts the soul into incredible convultions and agonies, and as it were an ecstasy amorously dolorous, and dolourously amorous. And according to this, the great souls of S. FRANCIS, and S. CATHERINE, felt incomparable loves: in their dolours, and matchless dolours in their loves, when they were stigmatised, perceiving love joyful to endure for a friend, which our Saviour exercised in the highest degree upon the tree of the Cross. Thus is the precious union of our soul with God made, which as a mystical Benjamin is a child of grief and love together.  
3. It cannot be expressed, THEO: how much our Saviour desires to enter into our souls by way of this dolorous Complacence. Alas, sayeth, he, open me the door, my dear sister, my friend, my dove, my all-faire, for my head is all to bedewed, and my heirs with the drops of the night. What is this dew, what are these drops of the night, but the pains, and torments of his Passion? Pearls, (as we have many times said) are no other thing then dewy drops, which the night's freshness showers down upon the face of the sea, received in the shells of Oysters, or mother-pearles. Ah! would the divine lover of the soul say, I am! oden with the pains, and sweat of my passion, which almost all passed either in the darkness of the night, or in the night of darkness, which the eclipsed sun caused at the height of the day. Open then thy heart towards me, as the mother-pearle doth hers towards heaven, and I will pour down upon thee, the dew of my passion, which shall turn into pearls of consolation.   

Of the Love of Benevolence which we exercise towards our Saviour by way of desire. CHAPTER. VI  
1. THe love which God exerciseth towards us, is always begun by benevolence willing and effecting all the good that is in us, in which afterwards he takes complacence. He made DAVID according to his heart by benevolence, because he found him according to his heart by Complacence. He first created the world for man and man in the world, indewing every thing with such a measure of goodness as was proportionable to it out of his pure benevolence; then he approved all that he had done, finding that all was very good, and by complacence reposed in his work.  
2. But contrariwise our love towards God gins from the complacence which we have in the sovereign Goodness, and infinite perfection, which we know is in the Divinity; then, we come to the exercise of benevolence; And as the Complacence which God takes in his creatures, is no other thing then a continuation of his benevolence towards them, so the benevolence which we bear towards God, is nothing else, but an approbation, and persevering in him.  
3. Now this love of benevolence towards God, is practised in this sort: we cannot with a true desire wish any good to God, because his goodness is infinitely more perfect, than we can either wish or think: Desire is only of a future good, and no good is future to God, sith that all good is so present to him, that the presence of good in his Divine Majesty, is no other thing then the Divinity itself. Not having therefore power to make an absolute desire for God, we do make imaginary and conditional ones, in this manner: I have said, o Lord thou art my God, who being full of thy own infinite goodness, can have no want, neither of my riches, nor of any other thing: but if by imagination of a thing impossible, I could think, thou hadst need of any thing, I would never cease to wish it thee, even with the loss of my life, being, and of all that the world hath. And if being what thou art, and which thou cannot but still be, it were possible that thou couldst receive any increase of good, o God, what a desire should I have, that thou hadst it: In that case o eternal Lord, I would desire to see my heart converted into wishes, and my life into sighs, to wish thee such a good: ah! yet would I not for all this, o thou sacred well-beloved of my soul, desire to have power to desire any good to thy Majesty; yea I heartily please myself in this thy supreeme degree of goodness, to which nothing can be added, neither by desire, nor yet by thought. But if such a desire were possible, o infinite, Divinity, o Divine infinity, my soul would be that desire, and no other thing then that, so much would she be desirous, to desire for thee, that which she is infinitely pleased, that she cannot desire, seeing that her impotency therein proceeds from the infinite infinity of thy perfection, which outstrips all desire and cogitation. Ah! o my God how dearly I love the impossibility of being able to desire thee any good, sith, that riseth out of the incomprehensible immensity of thy abundance, which is so soveraignely infinite, that if there be an infinite desire, it should be infinitely saciated by the infinity of thy Goodness, which would convert it into an infinite complacence. These desires then by imagination of impossibilities, may be sometimes profitably practised, amongst great, and extraordinary feelings and fervours. Thus, as it is reported, did the great S. AUGUSTINE often behave himself pouring out in excess of love, in these words. Ah! Lord, I am AUGUSTINE, and thou art God, but howbeit, if that which neither is, nor can be, were, that I were God, and thou AUGUSTINE, I would, in changing my condition with thee, become AUGUSTINE, to the end, thou mightest be God.  
4. It is another kind of Benevolence towards God, when seeing we cannot advance him in himself, we strive to do it in ourselves, that is still more and more to increase the Complacence we take in his Goodness. And then THEOT: we desire not the Complacence for the pleasure it yields us, but purely because this pleasure is in God: For as we desire not the compassion, for the sorrow it brings to our heart, but because this sorrow doth unite, and associate us to our well-beloved who greerueth; Nor do we love the complacence because it brings us pleasure, but because this pleasure is taken in union of the pleasure, and goodness which is in God, to which to be more united, we would please ourselves in a complacence infinitely greater, by the imagination of the most holy Queen, and mother of love, whose soul did continually magnify and exalt God; And to th'end that it might be known that this advancement was made by the complacence which she took in the divine Goodness, she signifies that her heart leapt with contentment in God her Saviour.   

How the desire to exalt and magnify God, doth separate us from inferior pleasures, and makes us attentive to the Divine perfections. CHAPTER. VII.  
1. LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE, then causeth in us a desire more and more to increase the complacence which we take in the Divine Goodness and to effect this increase, the soul doth carefully deprive herself of all other pleasure, that she may give herself more entirely to take pleasure in God. A religious man, asked S. GILES, one of the first, and most holy Companions of S. FRANCIS in what work he could be most agreeable to God: he answered, in singing one to one, which after explicating; give always, quoth he, all your soul, the only one to God, who is one. The soul doth glide through pleasures, and the diversity of them doth distract and hinder her, that she cannot attentively attend to the pleasure which she ought to take in God. The true Lover hath scarcely any pleasure, but in the thing beloved. The glorious S. PAUL reputed all things as dirt or dung, in comparison of his Saviour. And the sacred Spouse is entirely for her well-beloved. And if the soul that stands thus holily affected, meet with creatures never so excellent, yea though they were Angels, she makes no delay with them, save only to be helped and advanced in her desire. Tell me then, sayeth she to them, tell me I conjure you: have you not seen him, whom my heart love's? The glorious Lover MAGDELEN met the Angels at the sepulchre, who doubtless spoke to her angelically, that is, deliciously, desirous to appease her grief, but contrariwise, wholly ruthful, she could take no kind of content, neither in their mild words, nor in the glory of their garments, nor in the heavenly grace of their gesture, nor in the wholly lovely beauty of their featurs, but covered with tears, they have taken away my Master, sayeth she, and I know not where they have put him. And turning about she saw her sweet Saviour, but in form of a Gardener, wherein her heart cannot be at repose: for full with the love of the death of her master; flowers she will have none, nor consequently Gardeners; she hath with in her heart the cross, the nails, the thorns, she seakes her crucified Lord: ah my dear Master Gardener, sayeth she, whether peradventure have you not planted my well-beloved diseased Lord, amongst your flowers as a Lily, crushed and withered? Tell me quickly, and I will carry him away. But no sooner had he called her by her name, but wholly melting with delight. o God, sayeth she, master! Nothing can content her, nor Angel's company delight he, no nor yet her Saviour's, unless he appear, in that form in which he had stolen her heart. The kings could not content themselves, neither in Hierusalems' goodliness, nor in the Court's magnificence, nor in the stars splendour: Their hearts searching the little cave and child of Bethleem. The MOTHER OF FAIR DILECTION, and the Spouse of most holy Love, cannot stay amongst their parents and friends, they still walk on in grief, enquiring after the only object of their delight: The desire to increase holy complacence, cuts of all other pleasure, to th'end it may with more fervour practise that, to which divine benevolence doth excite.  
2. Now, more to magnify the sovereign well-beloved, the soul goes still pursuing his face, that is, with an attention daily more careful and fervent, she notes every particularity of the beauties, and perfections which are in him, making a continual progress in this pleasing inquiry of motives, that might perpetually press her to a greater complacence in the incomprehensible goodness which she loveth. So DAVID, in many of his heavenly Psalms, doth cote by parcels the works and wonders of God. And the sacred Spouse, rangeth in her divine Canticles as a well ranked army, all the perfections of her spouse in their order, to provoke her soul, to a holy complacence, thereby more highly to magnify his excellency, and withal to win every creature, to the love of her so lovely a friend.   

How holy Benevolence doth produce the Divine well_beloved Praises. CHAPTER. VIII.  
1. HOnour, my dear THEO: is not in him that is honoured, but in him that doth honour; for how ordinary is it, that he whom we honour is ignorant, nor doth so much as think thereof: how often do we praise such as knows us not, or do sleep; and yet according to the ordinary estimation of men, and their manner of conceiving, it seems that to do one honour is to benefit him, and that in giving him titles and honours we give him much; and we stick not to say that a man is rich in honour, glory, reputation, praise; though indeed we know, that all this is out of the party that is honoured, who oftentimes receives no manner of profit thereby, according to a saying, ascribed to great S. AUGUSTINE, O poor Aristotle thou art praised where thou art not, and where thou art, thou art burnt. What fruit, I pray do Cesar and Alexander the Great reap, of so many vain words which a company of vain souls employed in their praises?  
2. God replenished with a goodness which doth surpass all praise, and honour, receives no advantage or surplusage of good, by all the benedictions which we give him, he is neither richer nor greater, more content or more happy by them: for his happiness, his content, greatness, and riches, neither are, or can be any other thing, than the divine infinity of his Goodness. Notwithstanding because, according to our ordinary apprehension honour is held one of the greatest effects of our benevolence towards others, and that thereby we do not only not presuppose those that we honour, in any want, but rather do protest, that they abound in excellency: we therefore make use of this kind of benevolence towards God, who doth not only admit it, but exact it, as a thing conformable to our condition, and so proper to testify the respectful love we bear him, that he hath ordained we should render, and yield all honour and glory unto him.  
3. Thus than the soul who hath taken a great complacence in God's infinite perfection, seeing that she cannot wish him any increase of goodness, because he hath infinitely more than she can either wish or conceive, desires at least, that his name may be blessed, exalted, praised, honoured, and adored daily more and more. And beginning with her own heart she ceaseth not to provoke it to this holy exercise: and as a sacred Bee flies hither and thither, amongst the flowers of the divine works and excellencies, gathering from them, a sweet variety of complacences, whereof she works and composeth the honey of heavenly benedictions, praises, and honourable confessions, by which as fare as she is able, she magnifies and glorifies the name of her well-beloved; following the great Psalmist, who having environed, and as it were in Spirit run over the wonders of the divine goodness, sacrificed upon the Altar of his heart the mystical Host of the outcries thereof in Canticles and Psalms of admiration and Benediction. 
My heart flies here and there  
Borne up on fancy's wing,  
In admirations air  
She heavenlily doth sing  
A Sacrifice of praise:  
And on the Harp she plays  
A BENEDICITE  
To Sions heavenly King.  But, THEO: this desire of praising God, which holy Benevolence doth excite in our hearts, is insatiable: for the soul that is touched with it, would wish to have infinite praises to bestow upon her well-beloved, because she finds his perfections more than infinite: so that finding herself to fall fare short of her aim, she adds force to her affection, to praise, at least in some measure, this most praiseworthy goodness, and these endeavours of Benevolence, are marvelously augmented by complacence: for according as the soul finds God good, tasting more and more his sweetness and taking complacence in his infinite goodness, she would also raise higher his benedictions and praises. And again, as the soul waxeth hot, in praising the incomprehensible sweetness of her God, she enlargeth and dilateth the complacence she takes in him; and by this enlargement she doth animate herself more earnestly to praise him. So that the affection of complacence; and that of praise, by their reciprocal motions, and incitements, do advance one another with great and continual increase.  
4. So Nightingales, according to Pliny, takes such complacence in their songs, that by reason of this complacence, for five days and five nights long, they never leave warbling, forcing themselves to sing better, in despite one of the other; so that when they chirp the best, thy take a greater complacence, and this increase of complacence, carrieth them to force themselves to a better quavering, augmenting in such sort their complacence by their song, and their song by their complacence, that often they are seen to fall down dead splitting their weeseells with the violence of singing. Birds worthy the fair name of Philomele, sith they die in this sort, of, and for the love of melody.  
5. O God, THEOT: how the soul ardently pressed with affection to praise God, is touched with a dolour, greatly delicious, and a delight greatly dolorous, when after a thousand essays of praises, she finds herself to come short: Alas! this poor Nightingale strives still to lance out her accents higher, and perfect her melody, the better to sing the praises of her well-beloved. By how much more she praiseth, by so much she is more delighted in praising; and by how much greater her delight in praising is, by so much her displeasure is greater, that she cannot yet more praise him; and yet to find what content she can in this passion, she useth all endeavours, and amidst them falls in languishment, as it happened to the most glorious S. FRANCIS, who in the pleasures he had to praise God, and sing his Canticles of love, shed a great abundance of tears, and through faintness, let often fall what at such times he had in his hands: remaining in languishment, as a sacred Philomele, and eftsoon lost breath, in breathing after his praises whom he could never praise sufficiently.  
6. But mark a fine similitude upon this subject, drawn from the name which this loving saint gave his religious; for he called them Cygales, by reason of the nightly praises they sunge to God. Cygales, THEO: have their breasts set with pipes, as though they were natural organs; and to sing the better they live only of dew, which they take not by the beak for they have none, but suck it by a certain weasel they have in the midst of their stomach by which also they said out their tunes, with such a noise that they seem to be nothing but voice. Now this is the state of the sacred Lover; for all the faculties of her soul are as so many pipes which she hath in her breast, to resound the well-beloued's Canticles and praises. Her devotion in the midst is the tongue of her heart, according to S. BERNARD, by which she receives the dew of divine perfections, sucking and drawing them to her, as her food, by the most holy complacence which she takes in them; and by the same tongue of devotion, she tunes all her prayers, Praises, Canticles, Psalms, Benedictions, according to the testimony of one of the most famous spiritual Cygales, that ever was heard, who sunge thus. 
Bless Sions King my Soul,  
Inflamed with heavenly flame;  
My powers, my thoughts and all,  
Cease not to speak his name.  For is it not, as though he had said, I am a mystical Cygale, my soul, my spirits, my thoughts, all the faculties that are met together within me, are organs. Let all these for ever bless the name, and resound the praises of my God.  
Summing up thine endless glory,  
I'll spin out an endless story,  
In singing only which; I'll rest:  
And thou Mine Aid shalt pleasure take  
To hear it for thy Mercies sake  
And help a silly heart oppress't.   

How Benevolence makes us invoke all Creatures to God's praise. CHAPTER. IX.  
1. THe heart that is taken and pressed with a desire of praising the Divine Goodness more than it is able, after many endeavours, goes often times out of itself to invite all Creatures to help it in its design. As did the three children in the furnace, in that admirable Canticle of Benedictions, by which they excite all that is in Heaven, in earth and under the earth to render thankes to the Eternal God, in Blessing and praising him soveraignely: as also the glorious Psalmist, wholly moved by a holily irregular passion to praise God, goes without order leaping from heaven to earth, from thence to heaven again, invoking pell-mell, Angels, fishes, mountains, Waters, Dragons, Birds, Serpents, Fire, Hail, Fogs, assembling by his desires all creatures; to th'end that they all might conspire piously to magnify their Creator. Some in their own people, celebrating the divine praise, others affording matter of praise, by the wonders of their differrent proprieties, which manifest their maker's power; so that this divine royal Psalmist, having composed a great number of Psalms, with this inscription Praise God, after he had runne through all the creatures, holily inviting them to bless the divine Majesty, and passed over a great variety of means and instruments fit to celebrate the praises of this eternal Bounty, in the end as falling down through shortness of breath, he closeth his sacred song with this, Ejaculation. Let every spirit praise our Lord, that is, let all that hath life, nor live, nor breath but to bless their Creator, following the encouragement he had elsewhere given. 
With high and animated strain  
Let's strive to celebrate amain  
Even who can best, th'- Eternall's fame.  
Let shirlest voice awaked by Love,  
Bear up the starry vaults above  
The Peeleresse glory of his name.  So the great S. FRANCIS sung the Canticle of the Sun, and a thousand other excellent benedictions, to invoke the creatures to aid his languishing heart, in that he could not, according to his desire praise the dear Saviour of his heart. So the heavenly Spouse perceiving herself almost to sound amidst the violent essays she used in blessing, and magnifying the well-beloved king of her heart; ah! cried she out to her companions; the divine Spouse, hath led me by contemplation into his wine-celler, making me taste the incomparable delights of the perfections of his excellency, and I have so moistened and holily inebriated myself, by the holy complacence which I took in this abyss of beauty, that my soul languisheth, wounded with a lovingly mortal desire, which urgeth me everlastingly to praise a goodness eminent. Come alas I beseech you to the succour of my poor heart, which is upon the point of falling down dead. For pity sustain it, and underprope it with flowers; solace it, and environ it with apples, or else it will fall in a trance. Complacence draws the divine sweets into her heart, which doth so ardently fill itself thereof that it is over charged. But the LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE makes our heart sally out of itself, and spend itself in vapours of delicious perfumes, that is, in all kinds of holy praises. And yet not being able to do it with the advantage which it desires, o sayeth it, let all creatures come and contribute the flowers of their benedictions, their apples of thanksgivings, honours, and adorations, so that on every side we may smell odours poured out to his glory, whose infinite sweetness doth pass all honour, and whom we can never worthily enough magnify.  
2. It is this divine passion, that brings out so many sermons; makes the Zaveriuses the Berzeses the Antony's, with a number of Jesuits, Capucins, and Religious and other Churchmen of all sorts pass the pikes in India, japonia, Maraig to th'end the holy name of JESUS may be known, acknowledged, and adored through out that  nation. It is this holy passion which penns so many spiritual books, build's so many churches, altars, and pious houses: and to conclude, which makes so many of God's servants, watch, labour, and die, in the flames of Zeal which do consume and spend them.   

How the desire we have to praise God makes us aspire to heaven. CHAPTER. X.  
1. THe soul in Love perceiving that she cannot satiate the desire she hath to praise her well-beloved, while she life's in the miseries of this world, and knowing that the praises which are given in heaven to the divine goodness, are sung in an air, incomparably more delightful; o God, sayeth she, how praiseworthy the praises are, which are poured fourth by those blessed spirits, before the throne of my heavenly king; how blessed are their blessings: o what a happiness is it to hear this melody of the most holy eternity, where the delicious concurrence of unlike and wholly different voices, doth make these admirable accords, wherein all the parts redoubling one upon another by a continued succession and an incomprehensible combination and pursuit, perpetual Allelui'as' do resound from every side.  
2. Voices which for their sound are compared to thunder, trumpets, or to the noise of a troubled seas waves: yet voices, which for their incomparable delight and sweetness are compared to the melody of harps, delicately, and deliciously touched by a most skilful hand. And voices which do all accord in one to sing the joyful Pascall Canticle ALLELVIA, praise God, Amen praise God: for know, THEO: that there is a voice heard from the divine Throne, which ceaseth not to cry to the happy inhabitants of the glorious heavenly Jerusalem, Praise God o you that are his servants, and you that fear him great and little, at which all the innumerable multitude of Saints, the quires of Angels, and men with one consent, do answer in singing with all their force. ALLELVIA, praise God. But what is this admirable voice, which issuing out from the divine Throne, doth announce the ALLELVIAS' to the Elect, if not the most holy complacence, which being received into the heart makes them feel the sweetness of the Divine perfections, whereupon a loving benevolence, the source of heavenly praises, is bred in them, so that complacence coming from the Throne, intimateth God's greatness to the Blessed, and benevolence excites them mutually to pover out the odours of praise before the Throne. And so by way of answer they eternally sing ALLELVIA, that is praise God. The complacence come from the Throne into the heart, and Benevolence goes from the Throne.  
3. O how amiable is this TEMPLE wholly resounding with praise! o what content have such as live in this sacred Residence, where so many heavenly Philomel's and Nightingails, do sing with strife of love, the Canticles of eternal delight!  
4. The heart then, that in this world can neither sing nor hear the divine praises to its liking, falls into incredible desires, of being delivered from the bands of this life, to pass to the other, where the heavenly well-beloved is so perfectly praised: and these desires having taken possession of the heart, do often times become so strong and powerful in the heavenly Lover's heart that banishing all other desires, they make all terreane things disgustful, and render the soul languishing, and lovesick; yea sometimes the holy passion goes so fare, as if God permitted, one would die of it.  
5. So the glorious and Seraphical Lover S. FRANCIS, having been long wrought with this strong affection of praising God; in the end, towards his death, after he had had assurance by a special Revelation, of his eternal salvation, he could not contain his joy, but waisted daily, as if his life and soul, had fumed out like incense, upon the flame of ardent desires, which he had to see his Master, incessantly to praise him. So that these flames daily increasing, his soul left his body, by a force which he made towards heaven: for it was thought good to the Divine providence, that he should die pronouncing these sacred words; O Lord draw my soul out of this prison, to the end I may praise thy holy name, the just expects me till thou restorest unto me, my desired repose. Behold, THEO: I beseech you this soul, who as a heavenly Nightingale shut up in the cage of his body, in which it cannot at wish sing the benedictions of his eternal love, knows that he could better record and practise his melodious ditties, if he could gain the air, enjoy the freedom and society of other Philomel's amongst the gay and flowery hillocks of the Land of the Blessed; and thence he cries alas! o Lord of my life, ah! by thy wholly sweet bounty, deliver my poverty out of the cage of my body, free me from this little prison, to th'end that released from this bondage I may fly to my dear companions who expect me above in heaven, to make me one of their Quires, and environ me with their joy, the Almighty according my voice to theirs, I with them will make up a sweet harmony, of delicious airs, and accents, singing, praising, and blessing thy mercy. This admirable Saint as an Orator who would end and conclude all he had said, in some short sentence, made this the happy period of all his wishes and desires, whereof these last words were a Brief. Words to which his soul was so fixed, that in breathing them, he breathed his last. My God, THEO: what a sweet and dear death was this! a happily loving death, a holily mortal love.   

How we practise the LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE in the praises which our Saviour and his mother give to God. CHAPTER. XI.  
1. WE ascend then steep by stepe in this holy exercise, by the creatures which we invite to praise God, passing from the sensible to the reasonable and intellectual, and from the Church militant to the triumphant, in which we raise ourselves up to the Angels and Saints, till above them all we have met with the most sacred virgin, who in a matchless manner doth praise and magnify the Divinity, more highly, holily, and deliciously, than all the other creatures together are able.  
2. Being two years ago at Milan, whither the veneration of the fresh memory of the great Archbishope S. CHARLES had drawn me, with certain of our Churchmen, we heard in diverse Churches, diverse sorts of music: but in a Monastery of Nuns, we heard a Religious woman whose voice was so admirably delicious, that she alone, filled our minds with more delight incomparably then all the rest together, which though otherwise excellent, yet seemed they to serve only to give lustre, and raise the perfection and grace of this singular voice. So, THEO: amongst all the Quires of men and Angels, the most sacred Virgine's lofty voice is heard, which raised above all, renders more praise to God, then do all the other creatures. And indeed the Heavenly king invites her to sing, in a particular manner: show me thy face, sayeth he, my well-beloved, let thy voice sound in my ears, for thy voice is entirely sweet and thy face wholly fair.  
3. But the praises which this Mother of honour and fair dilection together with all the creatures gives to the Divinity, though excellent and admirable, come yet so short of the infinite merit of God's goodness, that they carry no proportion with it: and therefore, albeit they marvelously please the loving heart's holy benevolence to the well-beloved, yet do they not satiate it. Wherefore it goes forward and invites our Saviour to praise and glorify his eternal Father, with all the Benedictions which a Son's love can furnish him withal. And then, THEO: the soul is put to silence, being able only to admire. O what a Canticle is this of the Son to his Father! o how fair this dear well-beloved is amongst all the children of men! o how sweet is his voice, as issuing from the lips upon which the fullness of grace was poured! All the others are perfumed, but he is the perfume itself; the others are embaumed, but he is Balm poured out: the eternal receives others praises, as smells of peculiar flowers, but upon the odour of the praises which our Saviour gives him, doubtless he cries out: o these are the odours of my son's praises, as the odour of a field full of flowers which I have blessed! I, my dear THEO: all the Benedictions which the Church militant and triumphant offers to God, are Angelical and humane benedictions; for be it, they are addressed to the Creator, yet proceed they from a Creature: but the Sons, are divine, for they do not only tend to God, as the others, but they flow from God; the Redeemour being true God, they are not only divine in respect of their end, but of their beginning: divine, because they tend to God; divine, because they issue from God. God provokes the soul, endewing her with sufficient grace for the production of other praises; But the Redeemour, being God, produceth his own, himself, and thence they are infinite.  
4. He that in a morning for a good space having heard in the neighbour woods the sweet chanting of a great company of Canary birds, Linnets, Goldfinches, and such like little birds, should in the end hear a Master Nightingale, who in perfect melody, would fill the air, and ear with her admirable voice, doubtless he would prefer this one grovie chanter, before the whole Quires of the others. So having heard all the praises which so many different sorts of of creatures, in emulation of one another, renders unanimously to their Creator, when at length one marks that of our Saviour, they find in it a certain infinity of merit, valour, sweetness, which pass all hope, and expectation of heart: and the soul, as awaked out of a deep sleep, is then suddenly ravished with extremity of the sweetness of that melody. ah! I hear it; o the voice, the voice of my well-beloved! The Queene-voice of all voices, a voice, in comparison whereof all the other voices are but a dume and sad silence. See how this dear friend doth spring out, see how he comes tripping over the mountains, transcending the hills: his voice is heard above the Seraphins and all other creatures; he hath the sight of a Goat, to penetrate deeper than any other, the beauty of the Sacred object which he desires to praise. He love's the melody of the glory, and praise of his Father, more than all the rest, and therefore he takes his Father's praises, and benedictions in a strain above them all. Behold this divine love of the Beloved, as he is clothed in his humanity, making himself to be seen through the holes of his wounds, and his open side, as by windows, and as by lattises, by which he looks upon us.  
5. Yes The: Divine Love being seated upon our Saviour's heart as upon his royal Throne, beholds through the passage of his pierced side, all the hearts of the sons of men: for this heart being the king of hearts, keeps his eye still fixed upon hearts. But as those that look through a lattice, do plainly discover others and yet are not plainly discovered; So the divine love of this heart, or rather this heart of divine Love, doth continually discover our hearts clearly and looks upon them with the eye of affection, yet do not we discover him clearly, but only by halves. For Good God, if we could see him, as he is, we should die of Love for him, being we are mortals, as he himself died for us, while he was mortal; and as he would yet die, if he were not immortal. O that we could hear this divine heart, how it sings with an infinitely delicious voice, songs of praise to the Divinity! what joy, THEO: what force would our hearts make, to fly up to heaven, to hear these songs eternally: and verily this dear friend of our hearts, invits us unto it. up, rise, sayeth he, go out of thyself, take thy flight towards me, my dove, my most fair, to this heavenly Manor, where there is nothing but joy, and nothing is heard but praise and benedictions. All there is flourishing, all is sweet and odoriferous: The Turtle which is the most doleful of all birds, is heard to sing in that Land. Come my entirely dear beloved, and that thou mayest see me more clearly, come in at the same windows by which I behold thee. Come and consider my heart in the hole of my open side, which was made when my body, as a ruinous building, was so ruthfully dight upon the tree of the Cross; come and show me thy face. I see it now, nor dost thou show it me; then, I shall see it, and thou shalt show it me: for thou shal'st see, that I see thee. Let me hear thy voice; for I will tune it to mine, and so thy face shall be fair, and thy voice well tuned. O what a delight shall it be unto our hearts, when our voices being tuned and accorded to our Saviour's, we shall bear a part in the infinitely delicious praises which the beloved Son sings to his eternal Father.   

Of the sovereign praise which God gives unto himself, and how we exercise BENEVOLENCE in it. CHAPTER. XII.  
1. All our Saviour's humane actions are of an infinite merit and value, by reason of the person which doth produce them, which is the same God with the Father, and the holy Ghost, yet are they not infinite by nature and essence. For as being in a Chamber, we receive not light with proportion to the Sons brightness, which streams it out, but according to the greatness of the window, by which it is communicated; so our Saviour's humane actions, are not infinite, though indeed they be of infinite value; foralbeit they are the actions of a divine Person, yet are they not produced according to the extent of his infinity, but according to the finite greatness of his humanity, by which they are produced. So that, as the humane actions of our sweet Saviour, are infinite compared to ours, so are they only finite in comparison of the essential infinity of the Divinity. They are infinite in value, estimation, and dignity as proceeding from a person which is God; yet are they finite by nature and essence, as being produced of God according to his humane nature and substance, which is finite, and therefore the praises which are given by our Saviour, as he is man, not being in all respects infinite cannot fully correspond to the infinite greatness of the Divinity, to which they are directed.  
2. Wherefore after the first ravishment of admiration which doth take us, when we meet with a praise so glorious, as is that which our Saviour renders to his Father, we leave, not to avow, that the Divinity is yet infinitely more praiseworthy, than it can be praised, either by all the creatures, or by the very humanity of the eternal Son.  
3. If one did praise the Sun for its light, the more he should set a praising it, the more he should find it praiseworthy, because he should still discover more and more brightness. And if as it is very probable, it be the beauty of this light, which provoketh the Lark to sing, it is not strange that as she flies more loftily, she sings more clearly, equally raising her voice and her flight, till such time as heardly being able so sing any more, she gins to fall in voice and body, stooping by little and little, as from her wing, so in her voice. So THEO: as we mount nearer unto the Divinity by Benevolence to intone and hear the praises thereof, we discover more clearly, that his praise is still above our notes. And finally, we learn that it cannot be praised according to the worth save only by itself, which alone can fit its sovereign goodness with a sovereign praise. Hereupon we cry out, GLORY BE UNTO THE FATHER, AND THE SON, AND TO THE HOLY GHOST: and that every one may know that it is not the glory of created praises, which we wish should be given to God, by this ejaculation, but the essential and eternal glory that is in himself, by himself, of himself, and which is himself, we add; as it was in the beginning, so now, and shall be for ever and ever AM●N: As though we should wish; That God should be glorified for ever, with the glory which he had before all creatures, in his infinite eternity, and eternal infinity. To this purpose we conclude every Psalm and Canticle with this verse, according to the ancient custom of the Eastern Church, which the great S. HIEROME, supplicated to the Pope Damasus, that he would establish it here in the west to protest, that all the praises of men and Angels, are too low, to reach home to the Divine Bounty's praise: and that to be worthily praised, he himself is to be his own glory, praise, and benediction.  
4. O God what a Complacence, what a joy shall it be to the soul to have her desire fulfilled, in seeing her Beloved infinitely praise, bless and magnify himself! But from this Complacence there springs a new desire of praise: for the soul would gladly praise this so worthy a praise given to God by himself, rendering him hearty thankes for it, and invoking again all things to her succour to come and glorify the glory of God with her, to bless his infinite blessings, and praise his eterternall praises, so that by this repetition and redoubling praises upon praises, she engageth herself betwixt Complacence and Benevolence, in a most happy Labyrinth of love being wholly drunk up and drowned in this immense sweetness, soveraignely praising the Divinity, in that, that it cannot be sufficiently be praised but by itself. And though in the beginning the soul in love had conceived a certain desire of praising God sufficiently; yet reflecting upon herself again, she protests that she would not wish to have power to praise him sufficiently, but remains in a most humble Complacence, to perceive that the Divine Goodness is so infinitely praiseworthy, that it cannot be sufficiently praised, save by its own infinity only.  
5. And here, the soul ravished with admiration, sings the song of sacred silence. 
Unto thy peerless worth  
Silence doth sing,  
Th'hymn of Admiration  
O Sion's King.  For so isaiah his Seraphins, adoring and praising God, veiled their faces and feet, confessing therein their want of sufficiency, sufficiently to contemplate or serve him: for our feet, whereon we go, signifies service. Howbeit they fly with two wings in the continual motion of Complacence and Benevolence, their Love resting in that delightful unrest.  
6. Man's heart is never so much disquieted as when the motion, by which it doth continually open and shut itself is troubled; never so quiet as when its motions are free, so that the hearts quiet consisteth in motion. The like it is with the Seraphins, and Seraphical men; for their Love reposeth in the motion of its complacence, by which it draws God clearly into itself; and in the motion of Benevolence, by which it doth dilate and throw itself into God. This Love than desires to behold the infinite wonders of God's goodness, yet it spreeds its wings over its face, confessing that it cannot arrive thither. It would also present some worthy service, yet hath its feet covered to profess that it hath not power to perform it, nor doth any thing remain saving the two wings of Complacence and Benevolence, by which it flies up, and casts itself upon God.   
The end of the fift Book.   

THE sixth BOOK OF THE EXERCISES OF HOLY LOVE IN PRAYER.  

A description of mystical Divinity, which is no other thing than prayer. CHAPTER. I.  
I. WE have two principal exercices of our love towards God: the one affective, the other effective; or as S. BERNARD calls it, active: By that we affect God and what he affecteth; by this we serve God, and do what he ordains. That joins us to God's goodness; this makes us execute his will. The one fills us with complacence, benevolence, motions, desires, aspirations, and spiritual ardours, causing us to practise the sacred infusions and mixtures ●f our spirit with Gods. The other doth establish in us the  resolution, constancy of heart and inviolable obedience requisite to effect the ordinances of the divine will, and to suffer, admit, approve, and embrace all that comes from his good pleasure: The one makes us pleased in God, the other makes us please God: by the one we conceive, by the other we bring fourth; by the one we place God upon our heart, as an Ensign of love by which our affections are ordered; by the other we seat him upon our arm, as a sword of love, whereby we effect all virtuous exploits.  
2. The first exercise consists, in Prayer specially in which so many different inward motions pass, that to express them all is impossible, not only by reason of their number but also for their nature and quality, which being spiritual, they cannot but be very secret, and almost hid from our understanding; the most trained and best scented hounds, are often at default, losing the strain and sent by the variety of sleights which the Hart useth, by dubles making them rune riot, and practising a thousand shifts to escape the Cry: and we often times lose the sent and knowledge of our own heart in the infinite diversity of motions by which it doth turn itself into so many forms, and that with such promptitude, that one cannot discern the footings thereof.  
3. God alone is he, who by his infinite wisdom, sees, sounds and penetrats all the turnings and windings of our hearts, he a fare of understands our thoughts, finds out our traces, our doubles and leapings of; His knowledge therein is admirable passing our capacity and reach. Certainly if we would look back upon our own hearts by the reflections and turnings of their actions, we should light into Labyrinths, wherein we should find no out-gate, and it would require an intolerable attention, to think what our thoughts are, to consider our considerations, to see all our spiritual sights, to discern that we discern, to remember that we remember; these would be Mazes out of which we should not be able to deliver ourselves. This treatise than is most hard, especially to one not greatly conversant in praiere.  
4. We take not here the word PRAYER for the only prayer, or demand of any good thing, povered out by the faithful before God, as S. BASILE calls it, but with S. BONAVENTURE saying that Prayer, generally speaking, comprehends all the acts of contemplation; or with S. GREGORY Nissene, teaching that prayer is an entertainment, or conversation of the soul with God; or else with S. CHRYSOSTOME, assuring us that Prayer is a discourse with the divine majesty; or finally with S. AUGUSTINE, and S. DAMASCENE, terming Prayer an ascent or raising of the soul to God. And if Prayer be a speech, discourse or conversation of the soul with God, by it then we speak to God and he again speaks to us; we aspire to him, and repose in him, and he mutually inspires us, and reposeth in us.  
5. But of what do we discourse in Prayer, what is the subject of our entertainment? THEO: we speak of God only: for of what can Love discourse and talk, but of the well-beloved? and therefore Prayer, and mystical Divinity are one same thing. It is called Divinity, because as speculative Divinity, hath God for its object, so this speaks only of God, yet with three differences: for 1. that, treats of God, as God; but this speaks of God, as soveraignely amiable; that is, that aims at the Divinity of the supreme Goodness, and this at the supreme Goodness of the Divinity 2. the speculative treats of God with men and amongst men; the mystical speaks of God, with God, and in God himself. 3. the Speculative tends to the knowledge of God; and the mystical to the love of God; so that, that makes her scholars knowing, learned, and Divins; but this makes hers become fervent and affectionate lovers of God, and PHILOTHEES, OR THEOPHILES.  
6. Now it is called mystical, for that its conversation is altogether secret, and there is nothing said in it betwixt God and the soul, save only from heart to heart by a communication in communicable to all, but themselves. Lover's language is so particular to themselves, that none but themselues understand it. I sleep, said the holy Spouse and my heart watcheth. Ah, hark how my well-beloved speaks unto me. Who would have guessed, that this Spouse being a sleep, could yet talk with her Spouse? but where love reigns, the noise of exterior words is not necessary, nor the help of sense to entertain and mutually to hear one another. In fine Prayer, and mystical Divinity is no other thing, than a conversation, in which the soul doth lovingly discourse with God, touching his most amiable goodness to be united and joined to it.  
7. Prayer is a Manna in regard of the infinity of amiable tastes, and precious delights, which it gives to such as use it: but it is secret, because it falls before the light of any science in the MENTAL SOLITUDE where one only soul, treats with one only God. What is she this, might one say of her, who ascends though the Desert as a cloud of perfumes, of Myrrh, of incense, and of all the powders of Perfumers: and indeed it was the desire of secrecy that moved her to make this petition to her Spouse: come my well-beloved, let's go into the fields, let us sojourn in the village: for this reason the heavenly spouse, is styled Tourtle, a bird which is delighted in shady and solitary places, where she makes no other use of her voice, but for her dear mate, either in life wooeing him, or after his death plaining him. For this respect in the Canticles, the divine Spouse, and the heavenly Spouse represent their loves in a continual discourse, and if their friends, men and women, do sometimes speak in it, 'tis only by the by, without interrupting their speech. Hence the Blessed mother S. TERESA of JESUS, found in the beginning more profit, in the mysteries where our Saviour was most alone, as in the Garden of Olivet, and where he expected the Samaritaine; for she thought, he being alone, would with more ease admit her into his company.  
8. Love love's to be secret, yea though Lovers have no secret to impart, yet are they delighted in speaking secretly; and it is partly, if I be not deceived, because they will speak only to themselves; nor do they think to speak to themselves only while they speak high; partly for that they do not deliver common things in a common manner, but by particular ways, and such as relish the affection, with which they are spoken. Love's language for the words is common; yet in manner, and pronounciation is so particular, that none but Lovers understand it. The name of a Friend uttered in common, is no great thing; but being spoken a part, secretly in the ear, it imports wonders. And by how much more secretly it is spoken, the signification is so much more delightful. O God what a difference is there betwixt the language of the ancient Lovers of the Divinity, Ignatius, Cyprian, Chrysostome, Augustine, Hilary, Ephrem, Gregory, Bernard, and that, of less loving Divines: We use their very words, but with them they were words full of fire, and the sweets of Love's perfumes, but with us they are cold, giving no sent at all.  
9 Love speaks not only by the tongue, but by the eyes, by sighs, countenances, yea it makes use of mute silence in lieu of words. My heart hath said unto thee o Lord, my face hath sought thee; o Lord I will search after thy face. My eyes have failed saying, when wilt thou comfort me. Hear my prayer, o Lord, and my demand, hear with thy ears my tears. Let not the apple of thy eye cease to speak, said the desolate hearts of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to their own City. Do you mark, THEO: how the silence of afflicted Lovers speaks by the apple of their eyes, and their tears? Certainly the chief exercise in mystical Divinity, is to speak to God, and hear God speak in the bottom of the heart: and because this discourse passeth in secret aspirations, and inspirations, we term it a silent conference. The eyes speak to the eyes, and the heart to the heart, and none understands what passeth, saving the sacred lovers who speaks.   

Of Meditation the first degree of Prayer, or mystical Divinity. CHAPTER. II.  
1. THis word is frequent in the holy Scrip. and imports no other thing, than an attentive, and reiterated thought, apt to bring forth good or evil affections. In the 1. Psalm, the man is said to be blessed whose will is in the way of our Lord, and in his law will meditate day and night: but in the 2. Psal: why did the Gentiles rage, and people meditate vain things: MEDITATION therefore is made as well for evil as good ends. Yet whereas in the holy Scripture, the word MEDITATION is put ordinarily for the attention which we have to holy things, to th'end to stir us up to love them, it hath, as one would say, been canonised by the common consent of Divines, with the word ANGEL, and ZEAL, as contrariwise the word DEMON or DEVIL, hath been defamed so that now when one names meditation, we understand a holy thing, and that by which we begin mystical Divinity.  
2. Every meditation is a thought, but every thought is not meditation; for we have thoughts, to which our mind is carried without aim or pretention at all, by way of a simple musing, as we see flies fly from one flower to an other, without drawing any thing from them: And be this kind of thought as attentive as it may be, it can never bear the name of meditation; but must be called a simple thought. Sometimes we consider a thing attentively to learn its causes, effects, qualities; and this thought is named study, in which the mind, is like locusts, which promiscuously fly upon flowers, and leaves, to eat them and nourish themselves thereupon: but when we think of heavenly things, not to learn but to love them, that is called, to meditate: and the exercise thereof Meditation: in which our mind, not as a fly, by a simple musing, nor yet as a locust, to eat and be filled, but as a sacred Bee flies amongst the flowers of holy mysteries, to extract from them the honey of Divine Love..  
3. So diverse men are always dreaming and busying themselves in unprofitable thoughts, without knowing in a manner what they think upon; and which is admirable, they are only attentive for want of attention, and would be rid of such thoughts. Witness he that said: my thoughts waste themselves, tormenting my heart. Others there are that study, and by a most laborious trade, fill themselves with vanity, not being able to withstand curiosity. But few there are, that meditate, to kindle their heart with heavenly love. In fine, thoughts, and studies may be upon any subject, but meditation in our present sense, hath reference only to those objects, whose consideration tends to make us good and devote. So that meditation is an attentive thought iterated, or voluntarily entertained in the mind,, to excitate the will to holy affections and resolutions.  
4. Verily the holy word, doth admirably well explicate by an excellent similitude wherein holy meditation consisteth. Ezechias when he would explicate in his Canticle, the attentive consideration which he had of his annoys: I will cry, sayeth he, like a young swallow, and meditate as a dove: for, my dear THEO: if ever you took notice of it, the young swallows do gape wide in their chirping; and contrariwise, the dove, of all the birds, doth murmur with her neb shut and closed, rolling her voice in her weasel and and crope, nothing passing outwardly but a certain resounding or echo-like sound, and this close murmuring, doth equally serve her in the expression of her grief and loves. Ezechias then to show, that in his calamity, he made many vocal Prayers; I will cry, sayeth he, as a young swallow, opening my mouth, to lay before God in many lamentable voices; and to testify also that he made use of holy mental prayer, he adds, I will meditate, as a dove winding and doubling my thoughts within my heart, by an attentive consideration, to excite myself to bliss and praise the sovereign mercy of my God, who hath brought me back from death's gate, taking compassion of my misery. So, sayeth isaiah, we will roar or rustle like Bears, and meditating we will mourn as Doves, the rustling of Bears doth resemble the exclamations which are made in vocal prayer, and the mourning of Doves, is compared to holy meditation. But to the end it may appear that Doves do not only mourn in occasions of grief, but even of love also and joy, the sacred Spouse describing the natural spring-time, to express the graces of the spiritual spring-time: the Turtles voice, sayeth he, hath been heard in our land, because in the spring the Turtle gins to wax hot with love; which by her more frequent song she testifieth: and presently after, my Dove show me thy face, let thy voice resound in my ears; for thy voice is sweet, and thy face comely and gracious. He would say THEO: that the devote soul is most agreeable unto him, when she presents herself before him, and meditats to heat herself in holy spiritual love, as do Doves to stir up their mates to a natural love. So he that had said, I will meditate as a Dove, putting his conceit into other words: I will recall to mind, sayeth he, all my years in the bitterness of my soul: for to meditate, and to recall to mind to th'end to move affection, are the same thing. Hence Moses exhorting the people to recall to mind the benefits received of God, he adds this reason, to th'end you may observe his commandments, walk in his ways, and fear him. And our Saviour himself gave this command to joshua: thou shalt meditate in the book of the law, day and night, that thereby thou mayest observe and do that which is written in it; which in one of the passages, is expressed by the word MEDITATE, is declared in the other, by RECALL TO MIND. And to show that an iterated thought, and meditation, tend to move us to affections, resolutions, and action's; it is said as well in the one as the other passage, that we must recall to mind, and meditate in the law, to observe and practise it. In this sense the Apostle exhorts us saying think diligently upon him who sustained of sinners such contradiction against himself, that you be not wearied, fainting in your minds. When he sayeth think diligently, it is as though he had said, meditate: but why would he have us to meditate: the holy passion? not that we should wax learned, but that we should become patiented, and constant in the way of heaven.  
5. Meditation is a mystical ruminating (requisite that we might not be found unclean,) to which one of the pious shepherdesses that followeth the sacred Sunamite invits us; for she assures us that holy write, is as a precious wine, worthy to be drunk, not only by the Pastors and Doctors, but also to be diligently tasted, chewed and ruminated, as one would say: Thy throat, sayeth she, wherein the holy words are form, is a best wine worthy of my well-beloved, to be drunk with his lips, and ruminated with his teeth. So the Blessed Isaac, as a neat and pure Lamb, towards night went out into the fields, to recollect, confer, and exercise his Spirit with God, that is, to pray and meditate.  
6. The Bee flies from flower to flower in the spring time, not at all adventures, but of purpose; not to be recreated only in the verdant diapring of the fields, but to gather honey, which having found, she sucks, and loads herself with it, thence carrying it to her hive, she accommodates it artificially, separating the wax from it, thereof making the comb to reserve honey for the ensuing winter. Such is the devote soul in meditation: she passeth from mystery to mystery, not at random, or to solace herself only in viewing the admirable beauty of those divine objects, but deliberately and of set purpose, to find out motifes of love, or some heavenly affection; and having found them, she draws them to her, she relisheth them and loads herself with them, and having brought them home, and placed them in her heart, she selectes that which she finds most proper for her advancement, storing herself with fit resolutions against the time of temptation. Thus the celestial Spouse, as a mystical be, flies to the Canticle of Canticles, now upon the eyes, now upon the lips, cheeks and head hair of the well-beloved, to draw from thence the sweetness of a thousand passions of love; to this effect, noting in particular whatsoever she finds rare. So that inflamed with holy love, she speaks with him, putteth interrogatories to him; she harkes sighs, aspires, admires; as he of his part fills her with delight, inspiring her, touching and opening her heart, and streaming into it brightness, light and sweetenesses without end, but in so secret a manner, that one may rightly say of this holy conversation of the soul with God, as the Holy Text sayeth of God's with Moses: that Moses being sole upon the tope of the mountain, he spoke to God, and God answered him.   

A description of contemplation, and touching the first difference that there is betwixt it and meditation. CHAPTER. III.  
1. THEO: Contemplation is no other thing; then a loving, simple, and permanent attention of the mind to holy things, which you may easily perceive by comparing it with meditation.  
2. The little young Bees, are called nymphs until they make honey, and then they become Bees: so prayer is named meditation, till such time as it have produced the honey of devotion, and then it is converted into contemplation: for as the Bee flies through the country meads, to pray here and there, and gather honey, which having heaped together, she takes in its sweetness: so we meditate, to gather the love of God; but having gathered it, we contemplate God, and are attentive to his Goodness, by reason of the sweetness which love makes us find in it: The desire we have to obtain divine love, makes us meditate, but love obtained, makes us contemplate: for by love we find out a sweetness so agreeable in the thing beloved, that we cannot satisfy our minds in seeing and considering it.  
3. Behold the Queen of Saba THEO: considering by parcels the wisdom of Solomon in his answers, in the beauty of his house, in the magnificency of his table, in his servant's lodgings, in the order that his Courtiers held in executing their charges, in their apparel, and behaviour, in the multitude of Holocausts which were offered in the Temple, she was taken with an ardent love, which changed her meditation into a contemplation, by which being rapt out of herself, she uttered diverse words of extreme contentment. The sight of so many wonders begot in her heart an exceeding love, and that love enkindled a new desire to see still more, and enjoy his presence with whom she saw them, whence she cried. O how happy are the servants, who are still about thee, and hear thy wisdom! In like manner, we sometimes begin to eat to get an appetite; but our appetite being egged, we continue eating to content it. And in the beginning we consider the Goodness of God to excite our wills to love him; but love being form in our hearts, we consider the same Goodness to content our love, which cannot be satiated in seeing continually what it love's. In conclusion, meditation is the mother of love, but contemplation is her daughter, and for this reason I called contemplation a loving attention; for children are named after their Father, and not the Father after the child.  
3. It is true, THEO: that as the ancient JOSEPH, who was the crown and Glory of his Father, did greatly increase his honours and contentment and made him wax young in his old age, so contemplation doth crown its Father, which is love, perfectes him, and gives him the tope of excellency: for love having moved in us a contemplative attention, that attention breeds reciprocally a more great and fervent love, which in the end is crowned with perfections, when it enjoys the thing beloved. Love makes us take pleasure in in the sight of our well-beloved, and the sight of our well-beloved makes us take pleasure in his divine love: so that by this mutual motion of love to the sight, and sight to love, as love renders the beauty of the thing beloved more beautiful, so the sight of it makes love more lovely and delightful. Love by an imperceptible power, makes the beauty which we love appear more fair, and sight likewise doth refine love to make it find beauty more amiable. Love moves the eyes continually to behold the beloved beauty more attentively, and the sight doth force the heart continually to love it more forcibly.   

That love in this life takes his origine, but not his excellency, from the knowledge of God. CHAPTER. iv  
1. But whether hath more force, I pray you, love to make us look upon the well-beloved, or the sight to cause the love thereof? knowledge, THEO: is required to the production of love; for we never saw; and according as the attentive knowledge, is augmented, love is also augmented, so there be nothing to hinder its activity. Yet it happens often, that knowledge having produced holy love, Love doth not stay within the compass of the knowledge which is in the understanding, but goes forward, and passeth fare beyond it; so that in this life we may have more love, than knowledge of God, whence great S. THOMAS, assures us that often times the most simple and women abound in devotion being more ordinarily capable of heavenly love then able and understanding people.  
2. The famous Abbot S. ANDRIEW of verceill S. ANTHONY'S of Milan his Master, in his commentaries upon S. DENIS, doth often repeat that love penetrates, where exterior knowledge cannot reach; and sayeth that many Bishops though not very learned, had penetrated the mystery of the Trinity, admiring upon this passage his scholar S. ANTONY of Milan, who without worldly knowledge was endowed with a profound mystical Divinity, who as another S. JOHN baptist, one might have called, a light and burning lamp. The Blessed Brother giles, one of the first companions of S. FRANCIS, said one day to S. BONAVENTURE, o how happy you learned men are, for you understand many things, whereby you praise God: but what can we Idiotes do? S. BONAVENTURE replied, the grace to love God is sufficient. No, but Father replied Brother giles, can an ignorant man love God, as well as a learned? yes, sayeth S. Bonaventure, yea more, a poor filly woman may love God as well as a Doctor of Divinity: with this Brother giles cried out, falling into a fervour, o poor simple woman, love thy Saviour, and thou shall be as great, as Brother Bonaventure; and upon it, he remained for the space of three hours in a RAPTURE.  
3. The will perceives not Good, but by means of the understanding, but having once perceived it, She hath no more need of the understanding, to practise love; for the force of pleasure which she feeleth or pretends to feel by being united to her object, draws her powerfully to love, and to a desire to enjoy it: so that the knowledge of good, breeds love, but bounds it not: as we see the knowledge of an injury, moves collar, which if it be not suppressed doth in a manner always exceed the wrong. Passions not following the knowledge which moved them, but eftsonns leaving it behind them, they make towards the object without measure, or limit.  
4. Now this happens more effectually in holy Love, for so much as our will is not applied to it by a natural knowledge, but by the light of faith, which assuring us of the infinite goodness that is in God, gives us sufficient to love him with all our force. We dig the earth to find gold, and silver, employing a present labour, for a good, as yet in hope only, so that an uncertain knowledge, sets us upon a present and certain labour: ●nd as we do more discover the vain in the Mine, we do more earnestly search more. Even a cold scent serves to move the Hound to the game, so dear THEO: an obscure knowledge, shut up in clouds, as is that of faith, doth infinitely stir our affection to love the Goodness which it makes us apprehend: o how true it is, according to S. AVGVSTIN'S complaint. That the unlearned tear ven out of our hands, while the learned fall into hell!  
5. In your opinion, THEO: whether of the two would love the light more, the borne blind, who should know all the discourses that the Philosophers make of it, and the praises they give it, or the ploughman who by a clear sight should feel, and resent, the delightful splendour of the fair rising sun? the first hath more knowledge of it, but the second more fruition; and that fruition produceth a love, more quick and lively, than the simple knowledge by discourse: for the experience of Good makes it infinitely more lovely, than all the knowledge which can be had of it. We begin our love by the knowledge which faith gives us of God's Goodness, which afterwards we relish and taste by love, and love eggeth our gust, and our gust refines our love, so that as we see the water role and swell by the winds blasts, as by emulation upon the encounter, so the taste of good doth warm love, and love again the taste, according to that Oracle of the divine wisdom. Those that shall taste me shall yet have appetite, and those that shall drink me, shall yet have thirst. Which of the two I pray you loved God more, OCHAM, held of some to be the most subtle man that lived, or S. CATHERINE of Genua an unlearned woman? He knew him better by science, she by experience, and her experience did much advance her in Seraphical love, while he with his knowledge remained fare remote, from this so excellent a perfection.  
6. We do extremely love Sciences before we yet know them, sayeth S. Thomas, by the only confused and superficial knowledge we have of them: Even so we must confess, that the knowledge of God's goodness applies our will to love, but as soon as she is set on going, her love increaseth of itself, by the pleasure which she takes to be united to this sovereign good. While children have not yet tasted honey and suggar, it is heard to make them receive them into their mouths: but after they have once felt their sweetness, they do more affect them then one would wish: still crying for them without measure.  
7. We must confess notwithstanding that the will drawn by the delight which she takes in her object, is more forcibly carried to be united to it, when the understanding of his side, doth in an excellent manner propose unto her the goodness thereof; for she is then at once both drawn and thrust forward; thrust by knowledge, drawn by delight, so that knowledge is not of itself contrary, but profitable to devotion, and meeting together, they do marvelously assist one another, though it often happens through our misery, that knowledge doth impeach the birth of devotion, for so much as knowledge doth make us swell and wax proud, and pride which is contrary to all virtue is the total ruin of devotion. Certes the eminent knowledge of those Cyprians, Augustins, Hilaries, Chrisostomes', Basiles, Gregory's, Bonaventures', Thomases, did not only much commend, but even greatly improve devotion; as again their devotion did not only raise, but also extremely perfect their knowledge.   

The second difference betwixt meditation and contemplation. CHAPTER. V  
1. MEditation considereth by piecemeal the objects proper to move us; but contemplation beholds the object it love's, in one simple and recollected look, and the consideration so united, causeth a more lively and strong motion. One may behold, the beauty of a rich crown two ways, either in looking upon all the flowers and precious stones wherewith it is wrought and besett, or else after the consideration of all the pieces in particular, in beholding the whole piece together, in one sole and simple view. The first kind resembles meditation, in which, for example, we consider the effects of God's mercy, to excite us to his love; but the second is like to contemplation, in which we consider, with one only touch of our mind, all the variety of the same effects, as an only beauty composed of all these pieces, making up one sole shine of brightness. We do count, as it were, in meditating the divine perfections which we find in a mystery, but in contemplating, we some up the total somme: The spouse her companions had asked her who was her well-beloved, and she makes answer, in an admirable description of all the parts of his perfect beauty: his hue is white and red; his head of gold, his head heir as the bude of a Palm tree, as yet not quite spread out, his eyes the eyes of a dove, his cheeks as little tables, placed at the corner of a garden, his lips as Lilies perfumed with odours, his hands decked with rings of Hyacinth, his legs as Marble pillars: thus she goes meditating this sovereign beauty, piece by piece, till at length, she concludes by way of contemplation, putting all the beauties into one, his throat, sayeth she, is most sweet, and he wholly desirable, such is my well-beloved, and he is my dear friend.  
2. Meditation is like to him that smells a Pink, a Rose, Rosemary, Time, jasmin, or the orange flower, distinctly one after another; but contemplation, is like to one smelling the sweet water distilled from all those flowers: for the latter in one smell receives all the sentes together, which the other had smelled a part, and there is no doubt, but this one smell alone, rising from the mixture of all these smells, is more sweet and precious, than the smells of which it is composed being smelled a part one after another. Hence it is that the heavenly spouse esteems so highly to be seen of his well-beloved with one eye only, and that her hair is so well tressed, that it seems to be but one hair: for what is it to behold the Spouse with one eye only, then to behold him with a single attentive view, without multiplying looks? and what is it to have her hair thus folded together, but not to scatter her thoughts in the multiplicity of considerations. O how happy are they who having runne over the multitude of motives which they have to love God, reducing all their looks to one only view and all their thoughts to one conclusion, do stay their mind in the unity of contemplation, following the example of S. AUGUSTINE, or S. BRUNO, pronouncing secretly in their soul, in a continuing admiration, these words of love. O BOUNTY! BOUNTY! BOUNTY! ever old, and ever, new: and at the example of great S. FRANCIS, who set upon his knees in Prayer, passed the whole night in these words. O God thou art my God, and my All, inculcating the same continually, as reporteth the B. Brother Bernard of Quintenall, who himself heard it.  
3. See S. BERNARD, THEO: he had by piecemeal meditated all the passion, and he makes a Nosegay of all the prime points put together of loving grief; and putting it upon his breast, to change his meditation into contemplation, he cried out, my well-beloved is to me a Posy of myrrh.  
4. But let us see yet more devotely the Creator of the would, how in the Creation, he first meditated the goodness of his works one by one severally, as soon as he saw them produced. He saw, sayeth the Scripture, that the light was good, that heaven and earth was a good thing, and so the herbs, and plants, the sun, moon, and stars, the living beasts, and in some, all the rest of the creatures, as he created them one after another, till at length all the univers being accomplished, the divine meditation doth as it were, turn into Contemplation: for viewing all the goodness that was in his works with one only glance of his eye, He saw, sayeth Moses, all that he had made, and all of it was very good. The sundry parts considered severally by manner of meditation, were good, but beheld in one only look together in form of contemplation, they were found very good: as many little brooks running together makes a river, which doth carry greater fraightes, than the multitude of the same brooks severally could do.  
5. After we have moved a great many different pious affections by the multitude of considerations of which meditation is composed, we do in the end gather together the virtue of all these affections, from which by the confusion and mixture of their forces, doth spring a certain quintessence of affection, and of affection more active and puissant, than all the affections whence it proceedeth, because though it be but one, yet contains it the virtue and property of all the others, and is called a contemplative affection.  
6. So it is an opinion amongst Divines, that Angels higher in glory have a knowledge of God and the creatures, much more simple, than such as are inferior, and that the SPECIES or IDEAS by which they see, are more universal: so that, what the less perfect Angels see by diverse SPECIES and looks, the more perfect see by fewer SPECIES and casts of the eye. And the Great S. AUGUSTINE, followed by S. THOMAS, sayeth that in heaven we shall not have these great vicissitudes, varieties, changes and rechanges of thougtes and cogitations, which pass and repass from object to object, and from one thing to another, but with one sole thought we may be attentive to the diversity 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 divide itself and wear out its banks if it be not kept in by a continual care: and perfections do separate and divided themselves, according as they are more remote from God their source; but approaching nigh him, they are united, till such time as we shall be swallowed up in this soveraignely singular perfection, which is the necessary unity, and THE BETTER PART, that which MAGDALEN made choice of, and which shall not be taken away from her.   

That we do contemplate without pain, 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 fashions, we do sometimes only eye some one of God's perfections, as for example, his infinite Bounty, not thinking of the other ATTRIBUTS, or virtues thereof: As a Bridegroom, simply staying his eye upon the fair complexion of his Bride, yet by this means should truly see all her countenance, for as much as the complexion is spread in a sort, through all the parts thereof, and should not be attentive, to the feature, grace, or other respects of beauty: for in like manner, the mind often times considering the sovereign goodness of the DIVINITY; although withal, it sees the JUSTICE, WISDOM, and POWER, yet is it only attentive to the GOODNESS, to which the simple view of its contemplation is addressed. Sometimes also we do attentively behold in God diverse 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 decked, should attentively in general have seen all, and nothing in particular; not well discerning what carcanet, or gown she wore, nor what countenance she had, or how she looked, but only, that all was fair and comely: For so in contemplation, we often pass over sundry Divine Greatnesses and perfections in general, with one only touch of consideration, with out being able to render a reason of any thing in particular, save only, that all is perfectly good and fair: and finally, we do at other times consider, neither many nor only one of the divine perfections, but only some Divine action or work, to which we are attentive; as for example, to the act of MERCY, by which God pardons sins; or the act of Creation, or the Resurrection of Lazarus, or Conversion of S. PAUL; as a Bridegroom who should not eye his Spouses eyes, but only the sweetness of the looks she casts upon him; nor take notice of her mouth, but only of the delight of the words uttered by it. And in this point, THEO: the soul makes a certain sally of love, not only upon the actions she considereth, but upon him whence they proceed. Thou art Good o Lord; and in thy goodness, teach me thy iustifications: Thy throat, that is the word which cometh from it, is most delicious, and thou art wholly desirable. Ah! how sweet are thy words to my bowels, sweeter than honey to my mouth: or else with S. THOMAS, My Lord my God; and with S. MAGDELEN RABBONI, ah Master!  
2. But take which of these three ways you will, Contemplation hath still this excellency, that it is done with delight, for that it supposeth, that God and his holy love is found, that he is enjoyed, delighted in, saying, I have found him, whom my heart loveth, I have found him, nor will I let him go. In which it differs from Meditation, which almost always is performed in pain, labour, and discourse: our mind passing in it from consideration to consideration, searching in many places, either the well-beloved of her Love, or the love of her well-beloved. JACOB labours in meditation to obtain Rachel: but in contemplation he rejoiceth with her, forgetting his labours. The divine Spouse, as a shepherd, which he also is, prepared a sumptious banquet, according to the country fashion, for his sacred Spouse; which he so described, that mystically it represented all the mysteries of man's Redemption; I came into my garden, quoth he, I have gathered my myrrh, with all my perfumes, I have eaten my honiecombe with my honey, I have mingled my wine with my milk: eat my friends, and drink, and inebriate yourselves my dearest. THE: ha'! when was it I pray you, that our Saviour came into his garden, if not when he came into his mother's purest, humblest and sweetest womb, replenished with all the flourishing plants of holy virtues? And what is meant by our Saviour's gathering of his myrrh, with his perfumes, but to join sufferance to sufference until death, and death of the cross: heaping by that means merit upon merit and treasurs upon treasurs, to enrich his spiritual children? And how did he eat his honiecombe with his honey, but when he lived a new life, reuniting his soul more sweet than honey, to his pierced and wounded body, with more holes than a honiecombe? And when ascending into heaven he took possession of all the circumstances, and dependence of his divine glory, what other thing did he, if not mix the rejoicing wine of the essential glory of his soul, with the delightful milk of the perfect felicity of his body, in a more excellent manner then hitherto he had done.  
3. Now in all these divine mysteries which contain all the others, there is sufficient to eat and drink for all the dear friends, and to inebriate the dearest; some of them do eat and drink, but they eat more than they drink, and so are not drunk: others eat and drink but drink more than they eat, and those are they that are inebriated. Now to eat is to meditate; for in meditating a man doth chew, turning his spiritual meat hither and thither betwixt the teeth of consideration to bruise, break, and digest it, which is not done without some trouble: To drink is to contemplate, which we do without pain or difficulty, yea with pleasure, and facility but to be inebriated, is to contemplate so frequently and ardently, that one is quite out of himself to be wholly in God. O holy and sacred drunkenness, which contrary to corporal drunkenness, doth not alienate us from spiritual, but from corporal sense, not dulling or besotting us, but Angelizing, and in a sort, Deifying us; putting us out of ourselves, not to abase us, and rank us with beasts, as doth terreane drunkennesse, but to raise us above ourselves, and range us with Angels; so that we might live more in God then in ourselves, being attentive and busied by love to see his beauty and be united to his Bounty.  
4. Now whereas to attain unto contemplation, we stand ordinarily in need to hear the word of God, to have spiritual discourse and conference with others, as had the ancient Ancorets, to read devote books, to pray, meditate, sing canticles, conceive good thoughts: for this reason holy contemplation being the end and aim of all these exercises, they are all reduced unto it, and such as practise them are called CONTEMPLATIVES, as also the practice itself a CONTEMPLATIVE life, by reason of the action of our understanding, by which we behold the verity of the divine Beauty, and Bounty with an attention of love, that is with a love that makes us attentive, or with an attention which proceeds from love, and augments the love which we have to love infinite sweetness.   

Of the loving recollection of the SOUL IN CONTEMPLATION. CHAPTER. VII.  
1. I Speak not here, THEO: of the recollection by which such as are about to pray, use to place themselves in God's presence, entering into themselves, and, as one would say, retiring their soul with in their heart, there to speak with God: For this recollection is made by Lous command, which provoking us to pray, moves us to serve ourselves of this means to pray well, so that we ourselves are cause of this retiring of our soul. But the recollection of which I mean to speak, is not made by lous command, but by love itself: that is, we do not make it by free choice, it nor being in our power to have it when we please, not depending of our care: but God, at his pleasure works it in us, by his holy grace. He, said the B. Mother Saint Teresa of JESUS, who wrote, that the Prayer of Recollection, is made as when an URCHIN or TORTIS do draw themselves together, said well, saving that these beasts draw themselves up when they please, whereas recollection is not in our will, but only when it pleaseth God of his grace to bestow it upon us.  
2. Now thus it is done. Nothing is so natural to good, as to draw and unite unto itself such things as are sensible of it, as do our souls which draw continually and tend towards their treasure, that is towards that which they love. Hereupon it falls out sometimes, that our Saviour doth imperceptibly pour into the bottom of our hearts, a certain agreeable sweetness in argument of his presence, and then the powers, yea the very exterior senses of the soul, by a certain secret contentment do turn it upon that inward part, where the most amiable and dearest spouse is lodged: For as a young swarm of Bees, while they are ready to take flight, and change their country, is recalled by the soft sound of a basin, the smell of Metheglin, or else by the sent of some odoriferous herbs, so that they stay by the enticements of these sweets, and enter into the hive prepared for them: So our Saviour pronouncing some secret word of his love, or pouring out the odour of the wine of his dilection more delicious than honey, or else streaming the perfumes of his garments, that is some sense of divine consolations in our hearts, and thereby making them perceive his most grateful presence, he draws unto him all the faculties of our soul, which gather about him, and stay in him, as in their most desired object. And as he that should cast a piece of an Adamant amongst many needles, should instantly see them turn all their points towards their well-beloved Adamant, and hang upon it: so when our Saviour makes his delightful presence to be felt in the midst of our hearts, all our faculties turn their points that way, to be united to that incomparable sweetness.  
3. O God sayeth then the soul, imitating S. AUGUSTINE whither do I wander searching thee? o infinite Beauty; I sought thee with out, and thou wast in the midst of my heart. All magdalen's affections, and all her thoughts were scattered about the Sepulchre of her Saviour, whom she went questing here and there: and though indeed she had found him, and he spoke to her: yet leaves she them dispersed, because she doth not perceive his presence; but as soon as he had called her by name, behold her gathered together, and laid fast at his feet: one only word, puts her into Recollection.  
4. Propose to yourself, THEOT: the most holy Virgin our Lady, when she had conceived the Son of God, her only Love; the soul of this well-beloved mother doth wholly recollect itself about this well-beloved child; and because this heavenly friend, was harboured in her sacred entrails, all the faculties of the soul do gather themselues within themselues, as holy bees into their hive wherein their honey was. And by how much the divine greatness was by manner of speech more restrained and lessened in the virginal womb, by so much her soul did more dilate itself and magnify the praises of that infinite clemency, and her Spirit within her body leapt with joy (as S. JOHN in his mother's womb in presence of his God) which she felt. She launched not her affections out of herself, sith that her loves, her delights were in the midst of her sacred womb. Now this same contentment may be practised, by imitation, amongst such as having communicated, do perceive by the certainty of faith, that which neither flesh nor blood, but the heavenly Father hath revealed unto them, that their Saviour, is in body and soul present, by a most real presence to their body and soul in the most adorable Sacrament: for as the Mother-pearle having received the fresh morning drops of dew, doth shut herself, not only to conserve them pure from all mixture of sea-water, but also for the delight she takes to feel the gracious freshness of this gift from heaven; so it falls out with diverse holy and devote souls, that having received the Blessed Sacrament, which contains all the dew of heavenly benedictions, their soul shutteth itself, and all her faculties are retired, not only to adore this sovereign king, newly present by an admirable presence in their breasts, but also for the incredible consolation, and spiritual refreshing which they receive, to perceive by faith the divine shoot of immortality within them; where you are diligently to note, THEO: that indeed all this recollection is made by love, which perceiving the presence of the well-beloved by the baits it casts in the midst of the heart, doth gather and draw all the soul towards it by a most amiable inclination, most sweet turning, and most delicious winding of all faculties towards the well-beloved, who draws them unto him by the force of his sweetness, with which he draws, and ties the heart, as bodies are drawn by material ropes, or bands.  
5. This sweet recollection of our soul in herself, is not only made by the apprehension of God's presence in the midst of our heart, but even by placing ourselves in any manner in his sacred presence. It happens often times, that all our interior powers do gather and shut themselves up in themselves, upon an extreme reverence and sweet fear, which doth seize upon us, in consideration of his sovereign Majesty, who is present with us, and beholds us; So that, notwithstanding we are distracted, if the Pope, or some great Prince should appear, we recall our thoughts and reflect upon ourselves, that we may be present to ourselves and respective. The blue Lily, or flowerdeluce is said to shut itself at the sight of the Sun's approach; because by his brightness it doth shut and lock itself up within itself, in whose absence it remains desplaied, and open all the night. The like happens in this recollection of which we speak: for upon the only presence of God or feeling we have that he beholds us, either from heaven, or from any other place out of us, though as then we think not of the other presence, by which he is in us, our powers and faculties do assemble, and gather together within us, out of respect to his divine Majesty, which love makes us fear, with a fear of honour and respect.  
6. Verily I was acquainted with a soul, to whom as soon as one mentioned any mystery or sentence, which put her a little more expressly then ordinary, in mind of the presence of God, either in confession or private conference, she would so deeply enter into herself, that she could hardly recover herself to speak and make answer; so that outwardly she remained as one destitute of life, and all her senses were absorbed, till her Spouse permitted her to return, which was sometime sooner, sometime later.   

Of the repose of a soul recollected in her well-beleved. CHAPTER. VIII.  
1. THe soul then being thus recollected within herself, in God, or before God, doth now and then become so sweetly attentive to the goodness of her well-beloved, that her attention seems not to her to be attention, so purely and delicately is she employed; as it happens to certain floods, which glide so fair and smoothly, that it seems to the beholders, and such as sail, that they neither see, or feel any motion, because they cannot be discovered to swell with billows, or waves. And it is this admirable repose of the soul, that the B. Virgin TERESA of JESUS names prayer of quiet, not fare differrent from that which she also calls the sleep of the powers, if at least I understand her right.  
2 Certes humane Lovers are sometimes content with being hear or within sight of the party they love, without speaking to him, or discursing alone, either of him, or his perfections, satiated, as it were, and satisfied to relish this dear presence, not by reason of any reflection they make upon it, but by a certain quiet, and rest which the mind takes in it. My well-beloved is to me a Posy of Myrrh, he shall remain betwixt my breasts: my well-beloved is mine, and I his, who feeds amongst the Lilies, till the day approach, and shadows vanish. Show me then o thou friend of my friend, where thou reposest, where thou liest at Noonetide. Do you see, THEO: how the holy Sunamite is contented in knowing that her well-beloved is with her, or in her bosom, Park, or elsewhere, so she know where he is, and thence also she is Sunamite, wholly peaceable, calm, and at repose.  
3. Now this repose becomes sometimes so still that all the soul, and all her powers are put into a sleep, remaining without motion or action, saving the will, even which also doth no other thing out receive the content, and satisfaction which the presence of the well-beloved doth afford. And that which is yet more admirable, is, that the will doth not even perceive the delight and contentment which she receives, enjoying him insensibly, being not mindful of herself but of him, whose presence yields her this pleasure, as it happens frequently, that taken by a light slumber, we do only hear indistinctly what our friends say about us, or perceive imperceptibly how officious they are towards us, without perceiving we perceive it.  
4. notwithstanding, the soul who in this sweet repose, doth enjoy this delicate touch of the divine presence, though she do not perceive it as an enjoying, yet doth she clearly show how dear and precious this happiness is unto her, if one offer to deprive her of it, or divert her from it: for then the poor soul plains, cries out, yea sometime weeps, as a little child awaked, before he had yet taken his full sleep, who by the grief he resenteth in being awaked, doth sufficiently show, the content he had in sleeping. Hereupon the heavenly shepherd adjureth the daughters of Jerusalem by their Roes, and the Hearts of the fields, that they should not raise up the Beloved, till herself would. That is, that she should rise of herself. No THEO: a foul thus recollected in her God, would not change her repose for all the riches in the world.  
5. Such, in a manner was the rest of the most holy Magdalen, when set at her Master's feet, she heard his holy word. Behold her I beseech you THEO: she is set in a profound tranquillity, she speaks not, she weeps not, she sighs not, she groans not, she stirs not, she prays not. Martha full of business passeth and repasseth through the Hall, Marie regards her not. And what doth she do then? she doth nothing, but only harken; and what would this say, she hearkeneth? It is to say, she is there as a vessel of honour, to receive drop by drop, the myrrh of sweetness, which the lips of her well-beloved distilled into her heart; And this heavenly Lover jealous of this love-sleepe and rest of his well-beloved, chid Martha for offering to awake her. Martha, Martha, thou art solicitous, and troubled about many things, and yet one thing only is necessary, Marie hath chosen the better part, which shall not be taken from her. But what was Mary's portion or part? To remain in peace, repose, and quiet near unto her sweet JESUS.  
6. The well-beloved S. JOHN is ordinarily painted in the last supper, not only lying, but even sleeping in his Master's bosom, because being set after the fashion of the East, his head was towards his dear lover's breast; upon which as he slept, not a corporal sleep, there being no likelihood of that; so I make no question, but finding himself so near the breasts of the eternal sweetness, he took a profound mystical sweet sleep, as a child of love, who locked to his mother's dugs, sucks in sleeping, and sleeps in sucking. O what a delight it was to this Benjamin, child of his Saviour's joy, to sleep in this sort in his Father's arms, who the day after, as a Ben-oni child of grief, recommended him to his mother's sweet dugs. Nothing is more delightful to the youngling, whether he wake or sleep, than his Father's bosom and mother's breasts.  
7. Wherefore, when you shall find yourself in this simple and pure filial confidence near our Saviour, stay there, my dear THEO: without moving yourself to produce sensible acts, either of the understanding or will: for this love of simple confidence, and this love-sleepe which your soul takes in her Saviour's bosom, contains by excellency, all that which you search for hither and thither to please your gust: It is better even to sleep upon this sacred breast, then to watch in what other place soever.   

How this sacred repose is practised. CHAPTER. X.  
1. Have you never noted, THEO: with what fervour little children do sometimes cleeve to their mother's duggs being hungry, you shall see them with a low muttering, hold fast and press the Pap in there mouth, sucking so greedily, that they even put their mother to pain: but after the freshness of the milk, hath in some sort appeased the coveting heat of their tender stomach, and the delightful vapours which it sends to the brain begin to lull them a sleep, THEO: you shall see them foftly shut their little eyes, and by little and little give way to sleep, yet without letting go the Pap, upon which they make no action, saving, a slow and almost insensible motion of the lips, whereby continually they draw the milk which they let down imperceptibly; and this they do without thinking of it, yet not without pleasure: for if one draw the Pap from them before they fall sound a sleep, they awake and weep bitterly, testifying by the sorrow which they show in the privation, that their content was great in the possession. Now it fairs in like manner with the soul who is in rest and quiet before God; for she sucks, in a manner, insensibly the delights of this presence, without discourse, operation, or motion at all of any her faculties, save the only point of the will, which she moves softly snd almost undiscoverably, as the mouth by which the delight and insensible satiety she takes in enjoying the divine presence. But if one trouble this poor little babe, or offer to take from it the Pap for that it seems to sleep, it will plainly show them that though it sleep to all other things, yet not to that; for it perceives the discomodity of this separation, and grieves at it, showing thereby, the pleasure which it took, (though not thinking of it;) in the good which it did possess. The B. S. TERESA, having written that she found this a fit similitude, I thought good to declare it so to be.  
2. But tell me THEOT: the soul recollected in her God, at what I pray you should she be disquieted? hath she not reason to be quiet and remain in rest? For indeed whom should she search? She hath found him whom she sought. What resteth now for her but to say I have sound my dear well-beloved, I hold him, nor will I let him go. She hath no need to trouble herself with the discourse of the understanding; for she sees her Spouse present, at so clear a view, that discourse were to her unprofitable, and superfluous. And again though she should not see by the understanding, she cares not, being content in feeling his presence by the delight and satisfaction which the will receives in it. Ah! the mother of God, our B. Lady and Mistress, being with child and not seeing that divine babe, but feeling it in her sacred womb, ah God! what content had she therein? and did not S. ELIZABETH, admirably enjoy the fruits of our Saviour's Divine presence without seeing him, upon the day of the most holy Visitation? Nor doth the soul in this repose, stand in need of memory, her Lover being present; nor yet of imagination. For to what end were it to represent him in an exterior, or interior picture, whose presence we are possessed of? So that to conclude, it is the will alone that doth softly, and as it were in gentle shuts, draw the milk of this sweet presence, all the rest of the soul reposing in the sweetness of the pleasure which she takes.  
3. Metheglin is used not only to retire, and recall Bees to their hives, but also to appease them: for when they stir up Sedition and mutiny amongst themselves, with mutual slaughter, and overthrow, their keeper hath no better way then to throw Metheglin amidst this little mutinous people, because the ingredients thereof smelling sweetly and odoriferously, they are pacified, and giving themselves to the fruition of of this sweetness, they continue appeased and calm. O Eternal God, when by thy sweet presence, thou dost cast odoriferous perfumes into our hearts, perfumes which are more delightful than delicious wine, and more than honey, all the powers of our soul enters into so delightful a repose, and so absolute a rest, that there is no motion, save that of the will, which as the spiritual sense of smelling, remains delightfully engaged, (without reflecting on it) in perceiving the incomparable benefit of having God present.   

Of diverse degrees of this repose, and how it is to be conserved. CHAPTER. XI.  
1. THere are some Spirits which are active, fertile, and stirring, in consideration: others, that are supple and flexible, and such as desire to taste, what they do, to see and examine each thing that passeth in them, turning their eyes perpetually upon themselves to discover their advancement. There are yet others, who are not content to be content, unless they feel, see and savour their contentment, and are like to such, as being well covered against the cold, would not believe it, if they knew not how many garments they wore; or such as seeing their Closets full of money, would not esteem themselves rich, unless they knew the number of their crowns.  
2. Now all these Spirits are subject to be troubled in Prayer: for if God deign them the sacred repose of his presence, they do willingly forsake it, to note their own comportment in it and to examine whether they have true content, disquieting themselves to discern whether their quietness, quiet: so that in lieu of employing themselues sweetly to perceive the sweets of the divine presence, they distract their understanding in discoursing upon the feeling they have; as a Bride that should busy herself in beholding, her wedding Ring, without looking upon the Bridegroom who gave it her. There is a fair difference, THEO: betwixt being occupied in God who gives us the contentment, and being busied in the contentment which God gave us.  
3. The soul to whom God gives the holy repose of love in Prayer, must abstain, as much as she is able, from looking upon herself, or her repose, which to be conserved, must not be curiously observed; for he that doth love it too much doth lose it, and the best manner of loving it, is to love it without affectation and as a child, who to see where his feet were, had taken his head from his mother's breast, doth with a sudden iert return to it again in a harmless wantonness. So if we perceive ourselves distracted through a curiosity which we have to know what we do in Prayer, we must restore our hearts, to the sweet and peaceable attention of God's presence, from whence we strayed. Yet are we not to apprehend any danger of losing this sacred repose by actions of body or mind, which are not done upon lightness, or indiscretion: for as S. TERESA sayeth, it were a superstition to be so jealous of this repose, as not to cough, spit, or breath, for fear of losing it; sith that God who gives this peace, doth not with draw it, for such necessary motions, nor yet for the distractions and wanderings of the mind which are not voluntary: and the will having once well tasted the divine presence, doth not cease to relish the sweetness thereof, though the understanding, or memory should make an escape, and slip after strange and fruitless thoughts.  
4. It is true, the repose of the soul is not then so great as when the understanding and memory do conspire with the will, yet is it a true spiritual tranquillity, sith it reigns in the will which is the mistress of all the other faculties. Verily I knew a soul extremely fised and united to her God, who yet had her understanding, and memory so free from all exterior employments, that she understood very distinctly all that was said about her, and did entirely remember it, though she could not answer, or lose herself from God, to whom she was tied, by the application of her will; but I say she was so tied, that she could not be withdrawn from this sweet entertainment, without great grief, provoking her to sigh, which she used in her greatest consalation and repose: as we see young children murmur, and make little plaints, when after an ardent desire they begin to suck: or as JACOB did, who in kissing the fair, and chaste Rachel lancing out a sigh, wept through the vehemency of the consolation, and tenderness which he felt: so that the soul, I speak of, having her only will engaged, but her understanding, memory, hearing, and imagination free, resembled in my opinion, a little child sucking, who could hear, see, and stir his arms, without quitting his dear Pap.  
5. Howbeit the peace of the soul should be much greater, and sweeter, if there were no noise made about her, nor occasion given of stirring herself, either in body or mind: for she would be wholly occupied, in the sweetness of the divine presence: but not being able wholly to hinder distractions in her other faculties, in her will at least, she conserves peace, which is the power whereby she hath the fruition of good. And note, that then the will being kept quiet, by the pleasure which she takes in the divine presence, doth not endeavour to retire the other straying powers, because by undertaking that, sh● would lose her repose, separating herself from her dear well-beloved; and her pains in running hither and thither to catch flitting powers which also can never be better brought to their duty, then by the will her perseverance in holy repose: for by little and little, all the faculties are drawn by the pleasure which the will receives, and of which she gives them certain feelings as perfumes exciting them to draw near, to participate in the good which she enjoyeth.   

A continuation of the discourse touching the diverse degrees of holy repose, and of any excellent abnegation of a man's self pactised therein. CHAPTER. XII.  
1. FOllowing that which is said, holy repose hath diverse degrees: for sometimes it is in all the powers of the soul joined and united to the will; sometimes it is in the will only, and there, sometimes sensibly, at other times imperceptibly, because it happens now and then, that the soul takes an incomparable delight, to feel by certain inward touches, that God is present with her: as it happened to S. ELIZAB●TH, when our B. Lady visited her: and at other times, the soul hath a certain burning delight to be in God's presence, which as then she discerns not; as it happened to the pilgrime-Apostles, who walking with our Saviour scarcely perceived the dear delight, with which they were touched, till such time as they were arrived, and discovered him in the divine breaking of the bread. Sometimes again, the soul doth not only perceive God's presence, but hears him speak, by certain inward illuminations, and persuasions, which are in lieu of words: Sometimes she perceives him and speaks to him at once, but so secretly, sweetly and delicately, that it doth not impeach her holy peace and quiet; so that without being awaked, she wakes with him, that is, she wakes and speaks to her well-beloved heart with so sweet tranquillity, and gracious repose, as though she swetely flept. At other times she hears the Spouse speak, but she cannot speak to him, the delight she hath to hear him, or the reverence she bears him, keeping her in silence: or else through dryness, and feebleness of mind, having strength to hear only, not to speak; as it sometimes happens corporally to such as begin to sleep, or have been wakened by sickness.  
2. But finally, sometimes she neither hears, nor speaks to her well-beloved, nor yet discovers any sign of his presence, but simply knows, that she is in the presence of God, who is pleased with her being there. Imagine, THEOT: that the glorious Apostle S. JOHN had taken a corporal sleep in the bosom of his dear Master at the last supper, and that he had done it by his commandment: verily in that case, he had been in his Master's presence without perceiving it in any sort. And mark, I pray you, that there is more care required to place one's self in God's presence th●m to remain there, being once placed: for to p●●ce one's self there, it is requisite to apply the mind, and render it actually attentive to the presence (as I have shown in the INTRODUCTION) but being set in this presence, one keeps himself there by many other means, so long as we do any thing in God, or for God, either by our understanding or will; as for example in beholding him, or any thing for love of him; in hearing him, or such as as speak in his place; in speaking to him, or to any other, for love of him; and doing any work what soever to honour and serve him: yea one may continue in God's presence, not only by hearing him, seeing him, or speaking to him, but also by expecting whether it might please him to look upon us, to speak to us, or to make us speak to him, yea or yet in doing none of all this, but in staying simply where it pleaseth him, and because it pleaseth him. But if it please him to accompany this our simple stay, with some little feeling that wear his, and he ours, o God how precious, and useful a grace this is for us!  
3. My dear, THEO: let us yet take the liberty to frame another imagination: If a STATVA placed in the gallery of some Prince by the STATVARIE were endued with understanding and reason, and could discourse, and talk; and one should ask it saying, tell me o fair STATVA, why art thou seated in this hole? it would answer, because my Master placed me there: and if one should reply, but why stayest thou there, without doing any thing? because, would it say, my Master placed me not there to do any thing, but to th'end I should remain immovable: but if one should urge it further, saying, but poor STATVA what art thou the better to remain here in this sort? ah God, would it say; I am not here for mine own interest, and service, but to obey and accomplish the will of my MASTER and MAKER, and this sufficeth me. And if one should yet put another demand in this sort; go to, tell me then STATVA, I pray, not seeing thy Master, how dost thou then take contentment to content him? no verily, would it confess, I see him not indeed: for I have eyes not to see, as also feet not to walk, but I am over joyed to know that my dear Master sees me here, and in seeing me here takes pleasure. But if one should continue discourse with the STATVA and should say unto it; why, but would thou not at least wish to have motion, that thou mightest approach ne'er they maker to afford him some better service? doubtless it would deny it, and protest, that it desired to do no other thing, unless it were its Master's desire. Is it possible then, would one conclude, that thou desin'st nothing but to be an immovable STATVA in that hollow place? no truly, would that wise STATVA finally answer, no I desire to be nothing but a STATVA and a STATVA continually in this hole, so long as my Master pleaseth, being content to be hear, and in this nature, seeing it is his conten, t whose I am, and by whom I am, what I am.  
4. O good God, how good a way it is of remaining in God's presence, to be and to will to be for ever and ever at his good pleasure; for so, unless I be deceived, in all occurrences, yea in our deepest sleep, we are more deeply in the holy presence of God: yea verily, THEO: for if we love him, we fall asleep, not only at the sight of him, but at his pleasure, and not at his pleasure only, but even according to his pleasure; And even he himself, our heavenly Creator and Maker, seems to lay us upon our bed, as STATVA'S in their places, that we might nestle in our beds, as birds in their nests. And at our awaking; if we reflect upon it, we find that God was still present with us, and that we were in no wise absent, or separated from him. We were there then in the presence of his good pleasure, though without seeing or perceiving him; so that we might say with jacob: Certes I have steeped by my God, and in the bosom of his divine presence, and providence, and yet knew it not.  
5. Now this quiet in which the will works not, save only by a simple submission to the divine will, praying without any other pretention, then to be in the sight of God, according as it shall please him, is a quiet soveraignely excellent, because it hath no mixture of proper interest, the faculties of the soul taking no content in it, nor yet the will, save only in her supreme point, in which her content is, to admite no other contentment; except that of being without contentment, for the love of God's content and pleasure, wherein she reposeth. For in fine it is the top of the ECSTASY OF LOVE, to have ones will not in his own contentment but in God's, and one's content, not in his own will, but in God's.   

Of the melting and liquifaction of the soul in God. CHAPTER. XIII.  
1. HVmide and liquid things do easily receive the impressions, and limits which one would put upon them, because they have no firmness or solidity, which may stay or limit them. Put liquor into a glass, and you shall see it remain bounded and limited therein, which being round, or square the liquor shall be the like, having no other limit nor shape then that of the glass which contains it. With the soul it fairs not so in nature, for she hath her proper shapes and limits; she takes her shape from her habits and inclinations, her limits from her will; and when she is set upon her own inclinations and will, we say she is hard, that is wilful and obstinate. I will take from you, sayeth God, your heart of stone, that is, your obstinacy. To change the form of stones, Iron, or wood: the axe, hammer, and fire is required. We call such, hearts of Iron, wood, or stone, as do not easily receive the divine impressions, but linger in their own will amidst the inclinations which do accompany our depraved nature: contrariwise a supple, pliable, and tractive heart, is termed a melting, and liquifying heart. My heart, sayeth DAVID speaking in the person of our Saviour upon the cross, is made as melted wax in the midst of my belly. CLEOPATRA that infamous Queen of Egypt, striving to outvie Mark ANTONY in all the excesses and dissolutions of his banquets, in the end of one of them she made in her turn called for a vial of fine vinegar, and dropped into it, one of the pearls which she wore in her ears, valued at two hundred fifty crowns, which being dissolved, melted and liquified, she took it down, and had yet buried the pearl she bore in her other ear, in the sink of her villainous stomach, if Lucius Plautus had not hindered her. Our Saviour's heart, the true oriental pearl, singularly singular, and priselesse, thrown into the midst of an incomparably bitter sea, in the day of his passion, melted in itself, dissolved, liquified, and flowed in grief under the press of so many mortal anguishes, but love, stronger than death, did mollify, soften, and melt the heart, sooner than the other passions.  
2. My heart said the holy Spoufe was wholly dissolved at my well-beloved his voice, and what is it to say, it is dissolved, but that it is not contained with in itself, but is run out toward its heavenly Lover? God gave order to Moses to speak to the ROCK, and it should produce water; it is no marvel then if he himself, with his honey words can melt the heart of his Spouse. Balm is so thick by nature, that it is not flowing or liquid, but the more it is kept, the more stife it grows, and in the end becomes hard red and transparent, yet heat doth resolve, and make it flow: Love had liquified and melted the Spouse his soul, whence the Spouse calls him oil poured-out. And behold how now herself assures us, she is melted with love; my soul sayeth she melted as soon as my well-beloved spoke. The love of her Spouse was in her heart, and breast, as a strong new wine, which cannot be contained within the piece; For it overflowed one every side, and the soul being led by her love, after the Spouse had said thy breasts are better than wine, streaming out precious ointments, she adds; Thy name is, oil poured-out: and as the Spouse had poured out his love and soul, into the heart of the Spouse; so she again turns her soul, into the Spouse his heart: and as we see a honiecombe touched with a hot sunbeam, go out of itself, forsaking its form, do also flow on that side where the sun toucheth it; so the soul of this lover runs that ward where her well-beloved is heard, going out of herself, and passing the limits of her natural being, to follow him that spoke unto her.  
3. But how is this sacred liquifaction of the soul into the well-beloved practised? An extreme complacence of the Lover in the thing beloved begets a certain spiritual impotency, which makes the soul not find any more power to remain in herself; And therefore as dissolved Balm that hath no more firmness or solidity, she permits herself to slide and run into the thing beloved: for she neither casteth herself by way of iaculation, nor locks herself by way of union, but lets herself gently glide, as a liquid and fluent thing, into the Divinity which she love's. And as we see clouds which thickened by the wind at Noonetide, resolving and turning into rain, cannot contain themselves, but do fall and shower down, and mix themselves so inly with the earth which they moisten, that they become one thing with it: so the soul which, though otherwise in love, remained before in herself, goes out by this sacred liquifaction, and saintly flowing, and forsakes herself, not only to be united to the well-beloved, but to be entirely mingled and moistened with him.  
4. You see then dear, THEOT: that the liquifaction of a soul into her God, is a true ecstasy, by which the soul trenscendes the limits of her natural behaviour, being wholly mixed, absorbed, and engulfed in God. Hence it happens, that such as attain to these holy excesses of heavenly love, afterward being come to themselves, can find nothing in the earth, that can content them, and living in an extreme annihilation of themselves remain much weakened in that which toucheth sense; and have perpetually in their hearts the B. Mother Teresa her Maxim. ALL THAT IS NOT GOD, IS NOTHING. And it seems that such was the loving passion of the great friend of the well-beloved, who said. I live, now not I, but JESUS-CHRIST in me, and our life is hid with JESUS-CHRIST in God. For tell me I pray you, THEOT: if a drop of Elementary water, thrown into an Ocean of live water were living, could speak, and declare its condition, would it not cry out with joy. O mortals I live indeed, but I live not I, but this Ocean life's in me, and my life is hidden in this Abyss.  
5. The soul, that runs into God dies not: For how can she die by being shut up in life? but she life's, without living in herself; because, as the stars without losing their light, shine not in the presence of the Sun, but the Sun shines in them, and they are hid in the light of the Sun, so the soul without losing her life, life's not being mixed with God, but God life's in her. Such, as I think, were the feelings of the great S. PHILIPPUS NERIUS and S. FRANCIS ZAVERIUS, when overcloied with heavenly consolations, they petitioned to God that he would withdraw himself for a space from them, sith his will was that their life should a little longer appear unto the world, which could not be, while it was wholly hidden and absort in God.   

Of the wound of love. CHAPTER. XIII.  
1. All these terms of love are drawn from a certain resemblance, which is betwixt the affections of the mind and the passions of the body. GRIEF, FEAR, HOPE, HATRED, and the rest of the affections of the soul, enters not into the heart, but when love doth draw them after it. We do not hate evil, but because it is contrary to the Good which we love. We fear future evil, because it will deprive us, of the good we love. Though an evil be extreme, yet do we never hate it, but according to the opposition it hath to the good which is dear unto us. He that doth not much affect the Commonwealth, is not much troubled to see it ruined. He that doth not much love God, doth also not much hate sin. LOVE is the first, yea the Source and origine of all the Passions. And therefore it is LOVE that first enters the heart; and because it doth penetrate, and that well nigh to the very bottom of the will, where his seat is, we say, he wounds the heart. It is sharp-pointed, sayeth the Apostle of France, and enters the heart most deeply; the other affections do also enter, but by the means of love; for it is he that piercing the heart makes passage. The only point of the dart woundeth, the rest of it doth but enlarge the wound and increase pain.  
2. Now if it wound, it doth consequently put us to pain. Pomegranates by their vermilion colour, by the multitude of their corns so close set and ranked, and by their fair crowns, lively representing, as S. GREGORY sayeth, most holy Charity all red, by reason of her ardour towards God, crowned with the variety of all virtues, and who alone doth bear away the crown of eternal reward's, but the juice of Pomegranates, which as we know is so delightful as well to the sound, as sick, is so compounded of sweet and sour, that one can hardly discern, whether it delights the taste more by its sweetish tartness or tart sweetness. Verily, THEOT: Love is in like sort bitter-sweete, and while we live in this world, it hath never a sweetness perfectly sweet, because it is not perfect, or ever purely saciated, and satisfied: and yet it leaves not to be marvellous agreeable, to the tartness thereof, correcting the Lusshiousnesse of its sweetness, as the sweetness thereof, sharpens the delight of its tartness. But how can this be? there have been young men seen enter into conversation free, sound, and frolic, who not taking care of themselves, plainly perceived long before they could get clear, that love, making use of glances, gestures, words, yea of the hair of a weak and frail creature, as of so many darts, had smote and wounded their poor hearts, so that you shall see them sorrowful, sad, and dismayed. Why I pray you are they sorrowful? With out doubt, because they are wounded; and who hath wounded them? LOVE: but love being the child of Complacence, how can it wound, and aggreeve? Sometimes the beloved object is absent, and then, my dear THEO: Love wounds the heart by the desire which it excits, which while it cannot be saciated, it doth much torment the mind.  
3. If a Bee had stung a child, it were to sweet purpose to say to him, o my child, the very Bee that stung thee, is the same that makes the honey which likes thee so well; for it is true, might it reply, her honey is very pleasant to my taste, but her sting is painful: and while her sting styxes in my cheake, I shall never be at rest: and do you not mark, that my face is all swollen with it? THEO: Love is indeed a Complacence, and by consequence very delightful, so that it leaves not in our heart the sting of desire, for when it leaves it, there is left with it a great pain: True it is this pain proceeds from love, and therefore is an amiable, and beloved pain. Hear the painful, yet lovely ejaculations of a royal Lover. My soul thrisleth after her strong and living God. Ah! when shall I come, and appear before the face of my God? my tears have been bread to me night and day while it is said unto me, where is thy God? And the sacred Sunamite wholly possessed with dolorous loves, speaking to the daughters, Alas, sayeth she, I conjure you: if you meet my beloved, tell him my grief, because I languish with the wound of love. Delayed hope afflicts the soul.  
4. Now the painful wounds of love are of diverse sorts, 1. The first touches that love gives our heart, are called wounds, because the heart that was sound, entire, and it's own before it loved, being struck with love, gins to separate and divide itself from itself, to give itself to the beloved object: nor can this separation be made without pain, seeing pain is no other thing then a separation of living things that were united. 2. Desire doth incessantly sting and wound the heart in which it is lodged. 3. TAEO: speaking of heavenly love, in the practice of it, there is a kind of wound given by God himself to the soul which he will perfect: for he gives her admirable feelings and incomparable touches of his sovereign goodness, as pressing and soliciting her to love him, and then she forcibly bears herself up, as to soar higher, towards her divine object: but lighting short, not being able to love with proportion to her desire: o God she feels a pain without paragon. At the same instant that she is powerfully drawn, to fly towards her dear and well beloved, she is powerfully retained, and cannot fly, as being chained to the servile miseries of this mortal life, and out of her own impotency she wisheth the wing of the dove, to fly to her repose, but finds it not. So that she is roughly tormented betwixt the violency of her desires, and her own impotency: o miserable wretch that I am, said one of those that had tried this torment, who will deliver me from the body of this death? And then, if you mark it, THEO: it is not the desire of a thing absent that doth wound the heart; for the soul perceives that her God is present, he had already led her into his wine cellar, planted upon her heart the banner of love; but howbeit though already he see her wholly his, he urgeth her, and from time to time toucheth her with a thousand thousand darts of his love, showing her by new means, how much more lovely he is, than he is beloved. And she who hath not so much force to love, as love to force herself, seeing her forces so weak in respect of the desire she hath to love him worthily, to whose worth no force of love can reach: alas she finds herself stroock with an incomparable torment: for in the same measure that she sobs out more deeply the long of her coveting love, the pangs of her pain are augmented.  
5. This heart in love with God, desiring infinitely to love, sees notwithstanding that it can neither love, nor desire sufficiently. Now this unaccomplished desire, is as a dart in the breast of a generous spirit: yet the pain which proceeds from it is amiable, because, whosoever desires earnestly to love, love's also earnestly to desire. And would esteem himself the most miserable man alive, if he did not continually desire to love, that which is so soveraignely good. Desiring to love he receives delight, but loving to desire, he is paid with pain.  
6. Good God, THEOT: what am I going to say? The Blessed in heaven, seeing that God is more to be beloved then they love him, would sound, and eternally perish with a desire to love him more, if God's holiest will did not impose upon theirs, the admirable repose which they enjoy: for they so soveraignely love this sovereign will, that the desire thereof doth quiet theirs and God's contentment doth content them, being willing to be limited in their love, even by that will, whose Goodness is the object of their love. If this were not, their love would be equally delicious and dolorous: delicious, by the possession of so great a good; dolorous through an extreme desire of a greater love. God therefore continually drawing arrows, if we may say so, out of the quiver of his infinite beauty, wounds the hearts of his Lovers, making them clearly see, that they do not love him nigh so much, as he is worthy to be beloved. what mortal soever desires not to love the Divine goodness more, love's him not enough; sufficiency in this divine exercise, doth not suffice him that will make a stand in it, as though it sufficed him.   

Of some other means by which love wounds the heart. CHAPTER. XIV.  
1. NOthihg doth so much wound a loving heart, as to perceive another heart wounded with the love of it. The Pelican builds her nest upon the ground, whence serpents do often sting her younglings. Now when this happens, the Pelican, as an excellent natural Physician, with the point of her beak doth wound her poor younglings on every side, to cause the poison, which the Serpent's sting had spread over all the body, to departed with the blood; and to get out all the poison, she lets out all the blood and consequently, permits the little troop of Pelican's, to perish in this sort; but seeing them dead she wounds herself, and spreading her blood over them, she doth revive them with a more new and pure life; her love wounded them, and forthwith by the same love, she wounds herself. Never do we wound a heart with the wound of love, but we ourselves are strait wounded with the same. When the soul, sees her God wounded by love, for her sake; she receives from it a mortal wound. Thou hast wounded my heart, said the heavenly Spouse to the Sunamite; and the Sunamite cries-out tell my well-beloved that I am wounded with love. Bees never wound, but themselves are wounded to death. And we, seeing the Saviour of our souls wounded by love for us to death, and death of the cross, how can we but be wounded with him, yea I say wounded with a wound so much more dolorously amiable, as his was amiably dolorous, nor can we never love him, as his love, and death requireth. There is yet another wound of love, when the soul knows well she love's God, and he treats her in such sort, as though he knew not she loved him; or were diffident of her love: for then my dear, THEO: the soul is put into an extreme anguish it being insupportable unto her, to see, or perceive, any appearance that God distrusts in her. The poor S. PETER found his heart full of love towards his Master, and his Master making show not to know it; Peter quoth he dost thou love me more than these? Ah Lord said the Apostle, thou knowest I love thee. But Peter dost thou love me, replied our Saviour? My dear Master, said the Apostle truly I love thee, thou knowest it. But this so cote Master, to prove him, and as showing a diffidence of his love: Peter, said he, dost thou love me? Ah Saviour thou woundest this poor heart, who much afflicted cries out lovingly, yet dolorously, Master thou knowest all things, indeed thou knowest well I love thee. Upon a certain day while a possessed person was exorcised, the wicked spirit being urged to tell his name. I am, quoth he, that accursed creature DEPRIVED OF LOVE; and S. CATHARIN, who was there present, suddenly perceived all her bowels moved and disordered, in only having heard these words, PRIVATION OF LOVE, pronounced for as the Devils do so hate the divine love that they quake in seeing the sign of it, hearing it named, that is, in seeing the cross or be a rang the name of JESUS pronounced. So such as do entirely love our Saviour do tremble with grief and horror, when they see any signs, or seen by word that doth bring to mind the privation of this holy love.  
2. S. PETER was certain that God who knew all, could not be ignorant how much he was loved by him: yet because the repetition of this demand; Peter dost thou love me? hath some appearance of diffidence, S. PETER is much afflicted in it: Alas the poor soul that is resolved rather to die then offend her God, and yet feels not a spark of fervour, but contrariwise an extreme coldness, which doth so benume and weaken all her parts, that she frequently falls into very sensible imperfections: this soul, I say, THEO: is all wounded; for her love is exceeding dolorous, to see that God doth not seem to see that she love's him, leaving her as one that appertains not to him; and she apprehends that amidst her defaults, distractions, and coldness, our Saviour doth strike her with this reproach: how canst thou say that thou loue'st me, seeing thy mind is not with me? which is as a dart of sorrow through her heart; but a dart of sorrow which proceeds from love: for if she loved not, she would not be afflicted, with the apprehension she hath, that she love's not.  
3. Sometimes love doth wound us in the very memory we have that there was a time in which we loved not our God. O how late I have loved the ancient and new beauty, said that Saint who for thirty years was Heretic. Life past is a horror to his life present, who passed his life passed without loving the Sovereign Goodness.  
4. Sometimes love doth wound us, with the mere consideration of the multitude of those that do contemn the love of God; so that hereby we sound with grief, as he who said, my Zeal, o Lord, hath withered me with grief, for that my enemies have not kept thy law. And the Great S. FRANCIS, thinking he had not been heard, wept upon a day, sobed, and lamented so pitifully, that an honest man over hearing him, ran to his succour, as thinking some had offered to kill him, and finding him all alone, asked of him, why dost thou cry so heard poor man? Alas, quoth he, I weep, to think that our Saviour endured so much for the love of us, and none thinks of it; and having said thus, he begun again to weep, and this good man fell also a sobbing and weeping with him.  
5. But howsoever this is admirable in the wounds received from the divine love, that their pain is delightful; and all that feel it, consent to it, and would not change this pain for all the pleasures of the world. There is no pain in Love, or if any, it is a beloved one. A Seraphin on a day holding a golden arrow, from the head whereof issued a little flame, he darted it into the heart of the B. Mother Teresa, and offering to draw it out, this virgin seemed to have her bowels drawn from her, the pain being so excessive, that she had only force to cast out weak and small sighs; but yet it was a pain so amiable, that she desired never to be delivered of it. Such was the arrow that God sent into the heart of the great S. CATHARIN of Genua, in the beginning of her conversion, whence she became another woman, dead to the world and things created, to live only to her Creator. The well-beloved is a posy of bitter Myrrh, and this posy is also the well_beloved, who remains dear seated betwixt the breasts of his well-beloved, that is, the bestbeloved of all the well_beloved.   

Of the amorous languishment of the heart wounded with love. CHAPTER. XV.  
1. IT is a thing sufficiently known that humane love, doth not only wound the heart, but even weaken the body mortally; because as passions, and the temperature of the body, hath a great power to incline the soul and draw her after its so the affections of the soul have great force in stirring the humours, and changing the qualities of the body: but further, love, when it is violent, doth bear away the soul to the thing beloved, with such impetuosity, and doth so wholly possess her, that she is deficient in all her other operations, be they sensative, or intellectual; so that to feed, and second this love, the soul seems to abandon all other care, all other exercises, yea and herself too; whence Plato said, that Love was poor, trent, naked, barefoot, miserable, without house, that it lay without doors, upon the hard ground always in want. It is poor, because it makes one quit all for the thing beloved: It is without a house, because it urgeth the soul to leave her own habitation, to follow him continually whom she love's: It is miserable pale, lean and ruinous, for that it makes one lose sleep, meet and drink. It is naked, and barefoot, sith it makes one forsake all other affections, to embrace that of the thing beloved. It lies without, upon the hard ground, because it lays open the heart that is in love, making it manifest its passions, by sighs, plaints, praises, suspicions, jealousies: It lies all along at the gate like a beggar, because it makes the lover perpetually attentive to the eyes and mouth of the beloved, hanging continually at his ears, to speak to him, and beg of him some favours, wherewith it is never saciated. Now the eyes, ears, and mouth are the gates of the soul. In fine the condition of its life is to be still indigent; for if ever it be saciated, it leaves to be ardent, and consequently to be love.  
2. True it is, THEO: that Plato spoke thus of the abject, vile, and foul love of worldlings, yet are the same properties found in divine and celestial love; For turn your eyes a little upon those first Masters of christian doctrine, I mean those first Doctors of holy Evangelicall love, and mark what one of them, who had laboured the most, said, until this hour sayeth he, we do both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are beaten with buffets, and are wanderers; we are made the refuse of this world, and as the dross, or skume; as though he had said, we are so abject, that if the world be a Pallas, we are held the sweepers thereof: if the world be an apple, we are the parings. What, I pray you, had brought them to this state, but Love? It was Love that threw S. FRANCIS naked before his Bishop, and made him die naked upon the ground: It was Love made him a beggar all his life; It was Love that sent the great S. FRANCIS ZAVERIUS poor, needy, torn, up and down amongst the Indians and japonians; It was Love that brought the great Cardinal S. CHARLES, Archbishop of Milan, to that extremity of poverty, amidst the riches which he had by the right of blood and his dignity, that, as Master Panigaroll the eloquent Orator of Italy said, he was as a dog in his Master's house, eating a piece of bread, drinking only a little water, and lying upon a little straw.  
3. Let us hear I beseech you the holy Sunamite, who cries almost in this manner; although by reason of a thousand consolations which love gives me, I be more fair than the rich Tents of my Solomon, I would say, more fair than heaven which is the lifeless Pavilion of his royal Majesty, seeing I am his living Pavilion; yet am I black, torn, squalled, and spoiled with so many wounds, and blows, given me by the same Love: ah respect not my heu, for I am truly brown, because my beloved, who is my Sun, hath streamed the rays of his love upon me, rays which by their light do illuminate, yet by their heat, I am sunn-burnt, and made brownish, and touching me with their splendour they have bereft me of my colour. The passion of love hath done me too much honour in giving me a Spouse, such as is my King; but the same passion which is a mother to me, seeing she alone gave me in marriage, not my merits, hath other children which do wonderfully assault, and vex me, bringing me to such a langour, that as, of one side I am like to a Queen who is beside her king, so of the other side, I am as a Vineyard-keeper who in a miserable cabinet looks to a vine, and a vine that is not his own.  
4. Truly THEOT: when the wounds and strokes of love are frequent and strong, they put us into langour, and into Loves well-beloved sickness. Who could ever describe the amorous langours of a S. Catharin of Sienna, and Genua, or a S. Angelo Folini, a S. Bernard, a S. Francis. And as for the last, his latter days were nothing but tears, sighs, plaints, langours, pine, Love-traunces. But in all this, nothing so strange, as the admirable communication which the sweet JESUS had with him, of his loving, and precious pains, by the impression of his wounds, and Stigmats. THEO: I have often pondered this wonder, and have made this conceit of it. This great Servant of God, a man wholly Seraphical, beholding the lively picture of his crucified Saviour, represented in a glittering Seraphin, which appeared unto him upon the Mount-Aluernus, grew softer than is imaginable, taken, with a sovereign consolation and compassion: For beholding this bright Mirror of love which the Angel could not satiate himself in beholding; alas he sownded with delight, and contentment! but seeing also the lively representation of the marks and wounds of his Saviour crucified, he felt in his soul the impetuous sword which struck through the sacred breast of the Virgin-Mother the day of the Passion, with as much inward grief, as though she had been crucified with her dear Saviour. O God, THEO: if the picture of Abraham fetching deaths blow over his dear onely-begotten to sacrifice him, a picture drawn by a mortal hand, had the power to soften, and make weep the Great S. GREGORY Bishop of Nisse as often as he beheld it, ah! how extremely was the Great S. FRANCIS softened, when he beheld the picture of our Saviour offering himself upon the Cross: A picture which not a mortal hand, but the Mistress hand of a heavenly Seraphin, had drawn, and copied out of the original itself, representing so to the life and nature, the heavenly king of Angels, bruised, wounded, murdered, crucified.  
5. His soul then being thus mollified, softened, and almost melted away in this dear pain, was thereby greatly disposed to receive the impressions, and marks of the love and pain of his sovereign lover: for his Memory was wholly engaged in the remembrance of this Divine Love: his imagination forcibly applied to represent unto himself, the wounds and wane blows, which his eyes than saw so perfectly well expressed in the present picture; The Understanding received from the Imagination infinitely lively Species: And finally love employed all the forces of the will; to take pleasure in, and conform herself to the Passion of her well-beloved, whence, without doubt, the soul found herself transformed into a second Crucified. Now the soul, as the form, and Mistress of the body, exercising her authority upon, it printed the pains of the wounds, with which she was struck, in the parts correspondant to those, wherein her Lover endured them. Love is admirable in edging the Imagination, to penetrate to the exterior: Laban's yewes, while they were a ramming, had so strong an imagination, that it hit home upon their Lambkins, with which they were, to make them become white, or motley according to the rods they beheld in the troughs where they were watered. And women with child having their Imagination refined by love, imprint what they list, upon the child's body. A strong Imagination, makes a man wax white on a night, disturbing his health and humours. Love then driven out the inward torments of this great Lover S. Francis, and wounded the body with the dart of sorrow, with which he had wounded the heart. But love being within, could not well make the holes in the flesh without, and therefore the burning Seraphin coming to help, darted the rays of so penetrating a light, that it really printed in the flesh the exterior wounds of the Crucified, which love had imprinted interiorly in the soul. So the Seraphin seeing isaiah not daring to speak, because he perceived his lips defiled, came in the name of God to touch, and purify his lips with a burning coal taken from upon the Altar, seconding in this sort his desire. The Myrrhe-tree bringeth fourth her gum, and first liquor by way of sweat, and transpiration, but that she may be well delivered of all her juice, she must be helped by incision. So the divine love of S. FRANCIS appeared in his whole life in manner of sweat, for all his actions savoured nothing else but heavenly love. But to make the incomparable abundance of it plainly appear the divine Seraphin came to give the incision and wounds. And to th'end it might be known, that these wounds were wounds of heavenly love, they were made, not with iron, but with rays of light! o dear God, THEO: how loving a pain, and how painful a love was this! for not only at that instant, but even his whole life after, this poor Saint went pining and languishing, as being very sick of love.  
6. B. PHILIPE NERIUS at fourscore years of age, had such an inflammation of heart through divine love, that heat making way by the ribs, did greatly dilate them, and broke the fourth and fift, to receive air, and be refreshed. B. STANISLAUS BOSCA, a young youth of fourteen years, was so assaulted by the love of his Saviour, that diverse times he fell down in a sound, and was constrained to apply linen dept in cold water to his breast, to moderate the violency of the burning which he felt. To conclude, THEOT: how do you think, that a soul, who hath once a little wishedly tasted divine consolations, can live in this world so full of miseries, without almost a continual pain and languishing? That great man of God S. ZAVERIUS hath often been heard launching out his voice to heaven, thinking himself all alone, in these terms. Ah my God, do not for pity, do not bear me down with so great abundance of consolations; or if through thy infinit● goodness it will please thee, to make me so abound in delights, take me to Heaven; for he that hath once tasted thy sweetness, must necessarily live in bitterness, while he doth not enjoy thee. And therefore when God hath somewhat largely bestowed his heavenly sweets upon a soul, and after withdraws them, he wounds her by the privation, and she upon it, is left pining, and sobbing which David. 
Alas the day when shall I see,  
Thy sweet return my heart shall free  
Out of her painful pangs.  And with the Apostle: Unhappy man that I am, who will deliver me out of the body of this mortality?   
The end of the sixth Book.   

THE SEAVENTH BOOK. OF THE UNION OF THE SOUL WITH HER GOD WHICH IS PERfected in Prayer.  

How love units the soul to God in Prayer. CHAPTER. I.  
I. WE speak not here of the general union betwixt God and the soul, but of certain particular acts, and motions, which the soul recollected in God, makes by way of Prayer, to be more and more united and joined to his divine Goodness: for in good-south there is difference betwixt joining and uniting one thing to another, and thrusting or pressing one thing against, or upon another; because to join or unite, it is only required that the one be applied to th'other, so that they touch, and be together, as we join vines to Elms, and jasmins to the crosse-barrs of Arbours which are made in gardens. But to thrust and press together, a strong application must be made, which doth increase and augment the union, so that to thrust together, is to join strongly and closely, as we see ivy joined to trees, which is not united only, but pressed so hard unto them, that it even penetrats, and enters into their bark.  
2. The comparison of little children's love towards their mother, must not be left out, by reason of its innocence and purity. Behold then this fine little child, to whom the mother, being set down, presents her Pape, it casts itself suddenly into her arms, gathering and folding all its little body into her bosom, and lovely breast; and see the mother as mutually receiving it, close, and as it were, glue it to her bosom, and joining her mouth to it's, kiss it. But see again this little baby alured with its mother's hug, how for its part, it doth concur to this union betwixt his mother and it: For it doth also as much as possibly it can, shut and press itself to its mother's breast and cheek, as though it would wholly dive into, and hide itself in this delightful womb whence it was extracted. Now, THEO: in this case, the union is perfect, which being but one, proceeds notwithstanding from the mother and the child, yet so, that it hath its whole dependence of the mother: for she drew the child to her, she did first lock him in her tresses, pressed him to her breast, nor had the babe such force, as to betake and lock himself so hard to his mother: yet the poor little on doth for his part what he can, and joins himself with all his force to his mother's bosom, not consenting only to the delightful union which his mother makes, but contributing with all his heart his feeble endeavours, which are so weak that they seem rather to be essays of an union, than an union itself.  
3. Thus then, THEO: our Saviour showing the most delightful bosom of divine love to the devote soul, he draws her wholly to himself, gathers her up, and doth, as it were, fouled all her powers, in the bosom of his more than motherly sweetness, and then burning with love, he thrusteth, joineth, presseth, and glueth her to the lips of his delights, and to his delicious breasts, kissing her in the holy kiss of his mouth, and making her taste his dugs more sweet than wine. The soul alured with the delights of these favours doth not only consent, and prepare herself to the union which God maketh, but in the strife of her heart doth cooperate, endeavouring more and more to join and lock herself to the Divine Goodness; yet in such sort that she doth ingeniously acknowledge, that her union, and tie to this sovereign sweetness, is wholly dependant of God's operation, without which she could not so much as make the least essay imaginable to be united unto him.  
4. When we see an exquisite beauty beholden with great ardour, or an excellent melody heard with great attention; we are wont to say, such a beauty holds the Spectators eyes glued unto it; such a melody holds their ears fastened, and that such discourse doth ravish the Auditors hearts; what is it to hold the eyes glued? the ears fastened, to ravish the heart, but to unite, and closely to join the senses and powers, whereof one speaks to their objects? And the soul is pressed and joined to her object, when she doth intensely affect it, that pressing being no other thing, than the progress and advancement of the union and conjunction. We make use of this word in our tongue, in moral matters: He presseth me to do this, or he presseth me to stay, that is, he doth not merely use persuasion, and entreaty, but doth it even with earnestness, and strife, as did the Pilgrims 1. Emaus, who did not only petition to our Saviour, but even pressed and urged him by force, and compelled him by a gentle violence to remain in their lodging with them.  
5. Now in Prayer, this union is often made, by manner of little, yet frequent ierts and advancing of the soul towards God: and if you take notice of little children united and joined to their mother's breasts, you shall see them ever and anon pressing and joining themselves, by little iertes which the pleasures they take in sucking makes them give: so the heart united to God in Prayer, makes often times certain surcharges of union by motions which do more closely press and join it to the divine sweetness. As for example, The soul having made a long demoure in the feeling of the union, whereby she sweetly tastes, how happy she is to be Gods; in fine augmenting this union by a cordial pressing and ierting forwards; I Lord, will she say, I am thine, all, all, all, without reserve; or else; ah Lord, I am so verily, and will be daily more and more; or else by way of Prayer. O sweet JESUS, ah! draw me still more deeply into thy heart, to the end thy love may devour me, and that I may be swallowed up in thy sweetness.  
6. But at other times the union is made, not by iterated ierts, but by way of a continued insensible pressing and advancing of the heart towards the divine Bounty: for as we see a great and heavy mass of lead, brass, or stone, though not thrust, doth so press, cleeve to, and sink into the earth where it lies, that at length it is found buried, by reason of the inclination of its weighty poise, which makes it incessantly tend to the centre; so our heart being once joined to God, if without being distracted it remain in this union, it sinks still deeper by an insensible progress of union, till it be wholly in God, by reason of the holy inclination given it by love, to be continually more and more united to the sovereign Goodness. For as the great Apostle of France sayeth, Love is a unitive virtue, that is, it brings us to a perfect union with the sovereign Good. And sith it is a doubtless truth, that Divine love while we are in this life, is a motion or at least, an active habit tending to motion, even after it hath attained simple union, it ceaseth not to act, though imperceptibly still more and more to increase, ad perfect it.  
7. So trees that require to be transplanted as soon as that is done, they spread their roots, and lodge them deeper in the bosom of the earth which is their element, and nourishment, nor doth any perceive this, while it is a doing, but only after it is done. And man's heart, transplanted out of the world into God, by celestial love, if it do earnestly practise Prayer, certes it will continually extend and join itself to the Divinity, uniting itself more and more to God's Goodness, but by imperceptible grouths, whose progress one can hardly discover while it is doing, but only when it is done. If you drink any exquisite water, to wit, imperial water, the simple union thereof with you is instantly made upon your receiving of it; for the receiving and union is all one in this behalf; but afterwards by little and little this union is increased by an insensibly sensible progress: for the virtue of this water penetrating the parts, will comfort the brain, sttengthen the heart, and will disperse its force through the spirits;  
8. In like manner, a taste of love, for example that God is good, having got entry into the heart it doth presently make an union, with this Goodness, but being held a while, as a precious perfume, it penetrats every part of the soul, pours out and dilats itself in our will, and doth, as it were, incorporate itself with our spirit joining and locking itself more nearly to each part of us, and uniting us to it. And to it this which the great David doth teach us, when he compares his sacred words to honey: for who knows not that the sweetness of honey is united more and more to our senses, by a continual increase of savorinesse, while holding it a pretty space in our mouth, or softly swallowing it, the relish thereof doth more deeply penetrate our Taste? And in this wise, the taste of the divine Goodness, expressed in this word of S. BRUNOS: O BOUNTY! or by these of S. THOMAS: MY LORD MY GOD! or these of MAGDALEN: AH MASTER! or these of S. FRANCIS: MY GOD AND MY ALL! this taste, I say, having been kept a while in a loving heart, it is dilated, dispersed, and sinks into the Spirit by an inward penetration, and doth more and more perfume it with it's sent, which is no other thing, then to increase the union, in the nature of a precious ointment, or Balm, which falling upon cotton, doth so sink into, and unite itself to it, by little and little, that in the end one will not easily say, whether the cotton is perfumed, or it is perfume, or else whether the perfume is cotton, or the cotton perfume. O how happy is the soul who in the peace of her heart, doth lovingly conserve the sacred feeling of God's presence: for her union with the divine Goodness shall have continual, though insensible, increase: and shall throughly water the spirit with infinite sweetness. Now when I speak of the sacred taste of God's presence, I do not mean it, of a sensible taste but of that which doth inhabit the top, and Supreme point of the Spirit, where heavenly Love doth reign, and keep his principal exercises.   

Of the diverse degrees of the holy union which is made in Prayer. CHAPTER. II.  
1. SOmetimes the union is made without our cooperation, save only by a simple consent, permitting ourselves to be united to the Divine Goodness, without resistance, as a little child in love with his mother's breasts, and yet is so weak, that he cannot move himself towards them, nor to cleeve to her being there; only he is glad to be drawn into his mother's arms, and to be pressed, by her to her breasts.  
2. Sometimes we cooperate, when being drawn, we willingly run to second the force of God's Goodness, which draws us, and locks us to him by love.  
3. Sometimes, we apprehend that we begin to unite and join ourselves to God, before he join himself to us, for that we feel the action of the union of our part, without perceiving that which God doth on his side, which yet doubtless doth always prevent us, though we do not always perceive his prevention: for unless he united himself to us, we should never unite ourselves to him: he always chooseth, and layeth hold on us, before we chose or lay hold one him. But when following his imperceptible touches we begin to unite ourselves unto him, he doth often make the progress of our union, assisting our weackenesse, and joining himself sensibly unto us, in so much that we feel him enter: and penetrate our hearts with an incomprable delight. And sometimes also, as he drew us insensibly to the union, he continews insensibly to aid and assist us. And we know not indeed how so great an union was made, yet know we well that our forces were not able to effect it, so that hence we make a clear judgement, that some secret power works insensibly in us. As Mariners laden with iron, perceiving their ship sale apace with a weak gale, do discover that they approach to the Adamant rocks, which draws them imperceptibly; and see in this sort, a a sensible and perceptible advancement, caused by an insensible and imperceptible means: for so when we see our soul still more and more united unto God, as it were by the weak endeavours of our will, we do easily discern that we have to soft a gale to sail fast, and that it must needs be that the Adamant of our soul draws us by the secret influence of his grace: which he keeps from our knowledge, to th'end it might be more admirable, and that without being occupied to discover his draughts, we might with more purity, and simplicity strive to be united to his goodness.  
4. Sometimes this union is made so insensibly, that our soul neither perceives the divine operation in her, nor yet her own cooperation; but finds the only union insensibly made, to the imitation of jacob, who found himself married to Lia without thinking of it; or rather as another Samson, but more happy, we find ourselves netted and tied in the bands of holy union, without having ever perceived it.  
5. At other times we discern the pressing, the union being made by sensible actions, as well of God's side, as of ours.  
6. Sometimes the union is made by the will only, and sometimes the understanding hath a part in it, because the will doth force it after her, and applies it to its object, making it take a special pleasure to be fixed to the consideration thereof; as we see, love doth endue our corporal eyes with a profound and peculiar attention, to stay them in the view of what we love.  
7. Sometimes this union is made by all the faculties of the soul, who gather about the will, not to be united to God themselves, not being all capable of it, but to assist the will to make her union; for if every of the other faculties, were applied in particular to their own object, the soul working in them, could not so wholly give herself, to the action, by which the union with God is made. Such is the variety of unions!  
8. See S. MARCIALL (for he was, as they say the blessed child mentioned in S. MARK) our Saviour took him, lifted him up, and held him for a good space in his arms. O pretty little Martial, how happy thou art to be laid hold on, taken up, carried, united, joined, and locked to the heavenly bosom of a Saviour, and kissed with his sacred mouth, without thy cooperation, save only that thou resisted not the receiving of those divine hug! Contrariwise S. SIMEON doth embrace, and clasp our Saviour hard in his bosom, our Saviour giving no sign of cooperating to this union, though, as the holy Church singeth, the oldman bore the child, but the child governed the oldman. S. BONAVENT: touched with a holy humility, did not only not unite himself to our Saviour, but withdrew himself from his real presence, that is, from the holy Sacrament of the Altar, when upon a day hearing Mass, our Saviour came to unite himself unto him, bringing the holy Sacrament unto him. But this union being made, ah God, THEO: think with what fervour this holy soul closed up his Saviour in his heart! Contrariwise S. CATHARIN of Sienna ardently desiring our Saviour in the holy communion, pressing and advancing her soul and affection towards him, he came and joined himself unto her, entering into her mouth with a thousand benedictions, So that our Saviour began the union with S. Bonaventure; but S. CATHARIN seemed to begin that, which she had with our Saviour. The sacred Spouse in the Canticles, speaks, as though she had practised both the sorts of unions; I am wholly my Beloued's, quoth she, and his returns towards me, for it is as much, as though she had said, I am united to my dear friend, and he likewise is near me, to th'end that by uniting himself more and more unto me, he may become wholly mine, my dear friend is to me a posy of Myrrh, he shall remain betwixt my breasts, and I will hold him close to my bosom, as a posy of delight. My soul, sayeth David, hath stuck to thee o God and thy right hand hath caught and seized me. But in another place she confesseth that she is prevented, saying, my beloved is wholly mine, and I am wholly his, we make a holy union by which he is joined to me, and I to him. And yet to show that all the union is made by God's grace, which draws us unto it, and by its allurements moves ourselves, and gives life to the motion of our union towards him, she cries out as being wholly impotent, Draw me: yet to testify, that she will not permit herself to be drawn as a stone or a slave, but that on her side she will concur, and will mix her feeble motions to her Lover's powerful drought. we runne sayeth she in the odours of thy perfumes. And to th'end one may know, that she is strongly drawn by the will, all the powers of the soul will make towards the union, Draw me sayeth she and we will runne; The Spouse draws but one, and many runs towards the union. It is the will only that God aims at; but all the other powers run after, to be united to God with her.  
9 The divine shepherd of souls provoked his dear Sunamite to this union: place me, sayeth he, as a seal upon thy heart, or as a signet upon thy arm. To imprint a signet well upon wax, one doth not only join it, but even press it hard down: so he desireth that we should be united unto him in so strict and close an union, that we should keep his marks imprinted upon us.  
10. The holy love of our Saviour doth press us; o God what an excellent exemple of union! He was united to our humane nature by grace, as a vine to the Elm, to make it in some sort participate of his fruit; but seeing this union overthrown by Adam's sin, he made another more close and pressing union in the Incarnation, whereby humane nature remains for ever joined in personal unity to the Divinity: and to th'end that not humane nature only, but even every man might be closely united to his Goodness, he instituted the most holy Sacrament of the Altar, in which every one might participate, and unite his Saviour to himself really, and by manner of food. THEO: this Sacramental union doth urge, and aid us towards the spiritual union, of which we speak.   

Of the sovereign degree of union, by suspension or ravishment. CHAPTER. III.  
1. Whether therefore, the union of our soul with God be made perceptibly, or imperceptibly, God is always the Author thereof; for none can be united to him, but by going unto him, nor can any go unto him, unless he be drawn by him, as the Heavenly Spouse doth testify, saying, none can come unto me, unless my Father draws him: which his holy Spouse doth also protest, saying, Draw me, and we will run in the odour of thy perfumes.  
2. Now the perfection of this union consisteth of two points; that it be pure and that it be strong. May not I go towards a man with intention, to behold him better, to speak to him to obtain some thing of him, to smell the perfumes which are about him, to be supported by him? and in that case certainly I go towards him, and join myself unto him: yet my approach and union, is not my principal pretention, but I only make that a means and way to the obtaining of another thing. But if I approach and join myself unto him, for no other end, then to be near unto him, and to enjoy this neighbourhood and union, it is then an approach of pure and simple union.  
3. So, many do approach unto our Saviour, some to hear him, as Magdalen; some to be cured by him, as the sick of the flux; others to adore him, as the three kings; others to serve him, as Martha; others to vanquish their incredulity, as S. THOMAS; others to anoint him, as MAGDALEN, JOSEPH, NICODEMUS; but his divine Sunamite seeks to find him, and having found him, desires no other thing then to hold him fast, and holding him, never to quit him; I hold him, sayeth she, and I will never let him go. JACOB, sayeth S. B RNARD, having fast hold of God, will let him go, so he may receive his benediction; but the Sunamite will not let him departed, for all the benedictions he can give her; for her aim is not the benedictions of God, but the God of benedictions, saying with David, what is there for me in heaven, or in earth what can I pretend but thyself? thou art the God of my heart, and my part for ever.  
4. Thus was the glorious Mother at the foot of her son's Cross. Ah! what dost thou search o mother of life, in this Mount of Caluarie, in this place of death? I am looking, would she have said, my child, who is the life of my life. And why dost thou look him? to be close by him. But now he is amidst the dolours of death. Ah! it is not mirth I seek, it is himself: and my heart in love, makes me look all about; to be united unto that amiable child, my tenderly beloved. In fine the pretention of the soul in this union, is only to be with her Lover.  
5. But when the union of the soul with God is most strict and most close it is called by Divines, an INHESION, or ADHESION, for that, the soul thereby is taken, fastened, glued, and nailed to the Divine Majesty, so that she cannot easily lose, or draw herself back again. Look, I pray you, upon a man taken, and locked by attention to the delight of a harmonious music, or else (which is idle) to the foppery of a game at cards, you would draw him from it, but cannot, what business soever attend him at home; there is no forcing him thence, in it, even meat and drink is forgotten. O God, THEOT: how much more ought the soul that is in love with God to be fastened, and locked, being united to the Divinity of the infinite Sweetness, and who is taken, and wholly possessed by this object of incomparable perfection? Such was the soul of that great vessel of Election, who cried-out: To th'end I might live with God, I am nailed to the Cross with JESUS-CHRIST; and with all, he protests, that nothing, no not death itself, can separate him from his Master. This effect of love was also practised between David and jonathas: for it is said, that the soul of jonathas was glued to David's; to conclude it is a famous AXIOM amongst the Aunciant Fathers, that Friendship that can know end, was never true Friendship, as elsewhere I have said.  
5. See, I beseech you THEO: the little child cleeving to, and coling his mother; if one offer to take him thence to lay him in his cradle, it being high time, he delays and essays by all the means he is able, not to forsake that amiable bosom; and if one make him lose one hand, he clasps hold with the other, but if one carry him quite away, he falls a crying, and keeping his heart and his eyes, where he cannot keep his body, with shrieks he pursues his dear mother, till by rocking he is brought a sleep. So the soul who by the exercise of union is come to be taken, and fastened to the Divine Goodness, can hardly be pulled from it by force, and a great deal of pain. It is not possible to make her lose hold; if one divert her Imagination, she ceaseth not to apprehend herself taken by the understanding; and if one lose her understanding, she cleeves by the will, or if yet by some violent distraction they urge her will to quit her hold from moment to moment, she returns towards her dear object, from which she cannot be entirely untied, but she strives all she can to link together again the sweet bands of her union with him, by the frequent returns which she makes by stealth, experiencing in it S. PAUL'S pain: for she is pressed with two desires; to be freed of all exterior employment, to remain with JESUS-CHRIST in her interior and yet to put hand to the work of Obedience, which the very union with JESUS CHRIST, doth teach her to be requisite.  
6. And the B. S. TERESA sayeth excellently, that the union being arrived at this perfection, as to hold us taken and tied to our Saviour, is not distinguished from a ravishment, suspension, or hanging of the Spirit, But that it is called only union, suspension, or hanging, when it is short; and when it is long, Ecstasy or ravishment, because indeed, the soul which is so firmly and closely united to her God, that she cannot easily be drawn thence, is not in herself but in God, as a crucified body is not in itself but upon the cross, or as ivy grasping the wall, is not in its self, but upon the wall.  
7. But to avoid all equivocation, know THEO: that Charity is a place, and a place of perfection: and he that is endued with more Charity, is more straight united, and fastened unto God. And we speak not of that union which is permanent in us by manner of habit, be we sleeping, or waking; we speak of the union made by action, which is one of the Exercises of love and Charity. Imagine then that S. PAUL, S. DENIS, S. AUGUSTINE, S. BERNARD, S. FRANCIS, S. CATHERINE of Genua, or of Sienna were yet in this world, and were fallen a sleep, being wearied with their many labours taken for the love of God: Propose to yourself on the other side some good soul, yet not so holy as they, that were in the Prayer of Union at the same time: I would ask you, THEO: who is more united, joined, and fastened to God, whether these great Saints that sleep, or that soul that prays? Certes those are the admirable lovers; for they have more Charity; and their affections, though in some sort a sleep, are so engaged, and tied to their Master, that they cannot be separated from him. But you will say unto me, how can it be, that a soul in Prayer of Union, even unto Ecstasy, should be less united unto God, than such as sleep be they never so Saintly? Why mark what I tell you THEO: that soul is more advanced in the Exercise of union; those in the union itself: these are united, not uniting themselues, being a sleep: but she is united and is in the actual practice, and exercise of union.  
8. Moreover this exercise of union with God may even be practised by short and passing, yet frequent, ejaculations of our heart to God, by way of jaculatory Prayer made to this purpose. Ah JESUS who will give me the grace to be one soul with thee! In fine Lord rejecting the multiplicity of creatures I desire thine only unity! O God thou art the only unity, and only one, necessary for my soul! Alas, dear friend of my heart, unite my poor lone soul, to thy most singular Bounty! Ah thou art wholly mine, when shall I be wholly thine? The Adamant draws and unites iron unto it; o Lord my Adamant, be my draw-heart, lock, press and unite my heart for ever unto thy Fatherly breast? Ah sigh I am made for thee, why am I not in thee? Dip this drop of Spirit which thou hast bestowed upon me, into the Sea of thy Goodness, from whence it flowed. Ah Saviour I seeing that thy heart love's me why doth it not force me to it, I desiring it should be so? Draw me and I will run seconding thy draughts, to cast myself into thy Fatherly bosom, from whence everlastingly I will not depart.   

Of Rapture, and of the first species of the same. CHAPTER. iv  
1. AN Ecstasy is called a Rapture, for as much as God doth thereby draw and rear us up to himself, and a Rapture is termed an ecstasy, in that we do by it, go and remain, out of and above ourselves, to be united to God. And although the touches by which God draws us be admirably sweet, gustful and delicious; yet by reason of the force which the divine Beauty and Bounty have, to draw unto them the attention and application of the mind, it seems, that it doth not only raise us, but that it doth ravish and bear us a way. As contrariwise, by reason of the most free consent, and ardent motion, by which the soul ravished, runnes after the divine touches, she seems not only to mount, and elevate herself, but that she doth break out of herself and cast herself into the very Divinity. It falls out after the same manner, in the most infamous ecstasy, or abominable Rapture of the soul, who by the baits of brutal pleasures, is degraded of her spiritual dignity, and placed below her natural condition; for in so much as she doth willingly follow this accursed pleasure, and doth precipitate herself, out of herself, that is, out of her spiritual estate, she is said to be in a sensual Ecstasy: but for as much as the sensual baits, and enticements do forceably draw her, and as it were, trail her into this vile and base condition, she is said to be ravished, and transported, because these beastly delights do depose her from the use of reason and understanding with so furious a violence, that as one of the greatest Philosophers sayeth, a man in this case, seems to be fallen into the falling sickness, so is the mind swallowed up and as it were lost. O men how long will you be so made, as to debase your natural dignity, voluntarily precipitating yourselves, and descending to the condition of brute beasts?  
2. But my Dear THEO: as touching sacred Ecstasies, they are of three kinds; the one belongs to the Understanding, th'other to the Affection, and the third to the Action: The one is in Splendour, th'other in fervour, the third in the work: the one is made by admiration, th'other by devotion, and the third by operation. Admiration is caused in us by the approach of an uncoth Truth, which we neither know, nor yet hope to know: and if the uncoth Truth we meet with, be accompanied with Beauty and Goodness, the admiratition which proceedeth from it, is vety delicious; So the Queen of Saba finding more true wisdom in Solomon, than she had imagined, was filled with admiration. And the jews experiencing in our Saviour more knowledge than ever they had believed, they were taken with a great admiration. When therefore it pleaseth the Divine Goodness to illuminate our heart with some special light, whereby it is raised to an extraordinary, and sublime contemplation of heavenly Mysteries, then discovering more beauty in them, than it could have imagined, it falls into Admiration.  
3. Now admiration of pleasant things doth closely fix and glue the mind to the thing admired, as well by reason of the excellent beauty which admiration discovers unto it, as also by the novelty of this excellency, the understanding never thinking to have gazed enough, upon that which it never saw before, and yet is so agreeable to the view: Sometimes also besides this, God doth impart to the soul, a light not only clear, but even increasing in clearness, as the break of the day, and then, as such as have found a golden Mine, do still break more earth, still to find more of that wished mettle, so the understanding doth still dive deeper and deeper into the consideration and admiration of his divine object: for even as admiration was the cause of Philosophy and the attentive study of natural things, so it was the cause of Contemplation, and mystical Divinity; and whereas this admiration being strong, keeps us without ourselves and above ourselves by a lively attention, and application of our understanding to heavenly things, it carries us consequently into Ecstasy.   

Of the second Species of Rapture. CHAPTER. V  
1. GOd draws men's minds unto him, by his sovereign Beauty, and incomprehensible GOODNESS, which two excellences are but one Supreme Divinity, most singularly fair and good together. Every thing aims at GOOD and FAIR, every thing looks that way, and are stirred and stayed by it; GOOD and FAIR, is desirable, amiable, and dear unto all; for it, all things do and will, whatsoever they will or do. And FAIR because it doth attract, and recall all things to itself, the Grecians gives it a name which signifies to recall. In like manner, light is the true picture of GOOD especially in that, light doth recollect, reduce and turn all things towards itself, whence the Sun amongst the Grecians is named from a word, which shows that his effect is to gather together, unite, and assemble things dispersed; as GOODNESS doth turn all things unto itself, being not only the sovereign union, but soveraignely uniting, since all things desire it, as their Principal conservation, and last end; so that in conclusion GOOD and FAIR are but one and the same thing, because all things do covet GOOD and FAIR.  
2. This discourse THEO: is almost entirely composed of the words of the Divine S. D●NIS of Areopagite: and verily it is certain that the Sunne, Source of corporal light, is the true picture of GOOD and FAIR: for amongst purely corporal creatures, there is neither Goodness, nor Beauty equal to that of the Sun. Now the BEAUTY and GOODNESS of the Sun consisteth in his light, without which nothing would be FAIR, nothing GOOD in this corporal world: as FAIR, he lighteneth all, as GOOD he heateth and quickeneth all: in so much as he is FAIR and clear, he draws unto him all the eyes of the world that have sight; In so much as he is good, and doth heat, he gains unto himself all the appetits and inclinations of this corporal world: for he doth extract and draw up the exhalations and vapours, he toucheth and makes rise from their originals, plants and living creatures; nor is there any generation to which the vital heat of this great light doth not contribute. So God, Father of light, soveraignely GOOD and FAIR, by his beauty draws our Understanding to contemplate him, and by his GOODNESS our wills to love him; as Fair, replenishing our understanding with delight, he pours his love into our wills; as Good, filling our wills with his love he excits our understanding to contemplate him; Love provoking us to Contemplation, and Contemplation to love: whence it follows that Ecstasies and Raptures depend wholly of love, for it is love that carries the understanding to Contemplation, and the will to union so that finally we must conclude with the great S. DENIS, that Divine Love is extaticall, not leaving Lovers to live to themselves, but to the thing beloved: for which cause the admirable Apostle S. PAUL, being possessed of this divine Love, and participating the extaticall force thereof, with a divinely inspired mouth, I live, said he, not I, but JESUS-CHRIST life's in me, as a true Lover gone out of himself into God; he lived now not his own life, but the life of his beloved, as being soveraignely amiable  
3. Now these Raptures of love, are exercised upon the will in this sort, God toucheth it with the touches of his sweetness, and then, as a needle touched with an Adamant, doth turn and tend towards the Pole forgetful of its insensible condition; so the will touched with heavenly love, doth launch out, and advance itself towards God, leaving all earthly pretensions, and by that means falls into a Rapture, not of knowledge, but of fruition; not of admiration, but of affection; not of science, but of experience; not of sight, but of taste and feeling. It is true as I have already signified, the understanding enters some times into admiration, seeing the sacred delight which the will takes in her Ecstasy, as the will often takes pleasure to perceive the understanding in admiration, so that these two faculties do enterchang their ravishments: the view of Beauty making us love it, and the love thereof making us view it. Rarely is a man made hot by the sun beams, that he is not also lightened; or lightened and not made hot. Love doth easily make us admire; and admiration, love.  
3. Howbeit the two Ecstasies of the understanding and will, are not so mutual but that the one is often found without the other; for as the Philosophers did better know, then love their Creator; so ordinarily good Christians do more love than know him, and consequently the abundance of knowledge, is not always followed with the abundance of love, like as the abundance of love is not still accompanied with the abundance of knowledge, as elsewhere I have noted. Now if the Ecstasy of admiration be alone, we are not made better by it, following that which he said, who was drawn up in Ecstasy into the third heaven: If I knew, quoth he, all the Mysteries and Sciences, and should want Charity, I am nothing; and therefore the evil Spirit can put into an Ecstasy, if we may so say, and ravish the understanding, by proposing unto it wonders which holds it in suspense elevated above its natural forces, and by such lights he can afford the will a kind of vain, dainty, nice, and imperfect love, by way of complacence, satisfaction, and sensible consolation. But to put the will into a true Ecstasy, whereby it is entirely and powerfully joined unto the divine Goodness, appertains only to that sovereign Spirit, by whom the Charity of God is diffused into our hearts   

Of the signs of a good Rapture, and of the third species of the same. CHAPTER. VI  
1. ANd indeed THEO: there have been many in our age, that both themselves and others with them believed, that they were frequently by the divine power drawn into Ecstasy, and yet in the end it was discovered, that all was but illusions, and diabolical amassements. A certain Priest in S. AUGUSTINE'S time put himself into Ecstasies when he pleased, by singing, or hearing sunge certain mournful, and pitiful ditties, and that only to please their curiosity, who desired to view this Spectacle. But that which is most admirable is, that his Ecstasy went so fare, that he did not feel fire which was applied unto him, save after he was come to himself; and yet if some spoke with a shrill voice, he would hear them as from a fare off, yet did he not breath. The Philosophers themselves did acknowledge certain Species of natural Ecstasies, caused by a vehement application of the mind to the considetion of high things: Wherefore we must not think it strange if the devil to play the Ape, to beguile souls, to scandalise the weak, and to transform himself into an Angel of light, cause Rapturs in certain souls, who are not solidly instructed in true piety.  
2. To the end then, that one might discern Divine Ecstasy from humane an●●iobolicall; Gods servants have left many documents: But for my part, it shall suffice for my purpose, to propose unto you two marks of the good and holy Ecstasy. The one is that the holy Ecstasy doth never so much charge, and affect the understanding as the will, which it doth stir up, enkindle, and fill with a  affection towards God; so that, if the Ecstasy be more fair than Good; more bright than hot; more speculative than affective, it is very doubtful, and worthy of suspicion. I do not say, that one may not have Rapturs, yea Prophetical visions without Charity: for as I know well, one may have Charity without being ravished, or prophesying, as one may also be ravished and prophecy, without having Charity: but I affirm that he that in his Rapture hath more light of understanding to admire God, than heat of will to love him, is to stand upon his guard: for it is to be feared that this ecstasy may be false, and rather puff up the mind then edify, putting him indeed as another Saul, Balaam, and Caiphas amongst the Prophets, yet leaving him amongst the reprobate.  
3. The second mark of true Ecstasies consisteth in the third species of Ecstasies which we touched above; an Ecstasy wholly sacred, wholly amiable, and which crownes the two others; and it is the Ecstasy of the work and life. The entire observance of God's commandment is not within the bounds of man's strength, yet is it within the the confins of the instinct of man's mind, as being most conformable to natural light and reason: so that living according to God's Commandments, doth not put us by our natural inclination, yet besides God's Commandmets, there are certain heavenly inspirations, to the effecting of which, it is not only requisite that God do raise us above our own strength, but also he must elevate us above our natural instincts and inclinations, because albeit these inspirations are not opposite to humane capacity, yet do they exceed it, surmount it, and are placed above it, in such sort as we do not then live a civil, honest, and Christian life only, but a supernatural, spiritual devout, and extaticall life, that is, a life which in all respects is without the compass, and above the condition of our nature.  
4. Not to steal, not to lie, not to commit luxury, to pray to God, not to swear, in vain to love and honour one's Father, not to kill; is to live according to man's natural reason: but to forsake all our fortunes, to fall in love with Poverty, to entitle and observe her in the quality of a most delightful Mistress, to repute reproaches, contempts, abiections, persecutions, martyrdoms, Felicities, and beatitudes, to contain one's self within the terms of an absolute chastity, and in fine to live amidst the world and in this mortal life, contrary to the world's opinions and MAXIMS, and against the currant of the world's flood, daily by resignations, renunciations, and abnegations of ourselves, is not to live naturally but supernaturally: it is not to live in ourselves, but with out and above ourselves; and because none is able to raise himself in this manner above himself, unless the Almighty draw him; thence it is that this kind of life is a perpetual ravishment, and a continual Ecstasy in action and operation.  
5. You are dead, said the great Apostles to the Rodians, and your life is hidden with JESUS CHRIST in God: Death seperats the soul from the body, and the confines thereof. What will then these words of the Apostle say, THEO: you are dead; it is as much as though he had said, you live not in yourselves, nor with in the compass of your natural condition; your soul doth not now live according to herself but above herself. The Phoenix is Phoenix in this, that by the help of the Sun beams she doth annihilate her own life, to exchange it, for one more sweet and vigorous, hiding as it were her life under the dead cinders. Silke-wornes do change their being, of worms, becoming butterflies; Bees are bred worms, than they turn Nymphs, and creep, and finally they become flying bees. We do the like, THEO: if we be spiritual: for we forsake our natural life to live a more eminent life and above ourselves, hiding all this new life in God with JESUS CHRIST who alone sees, knows, and bestows it. Our new life, is heavenly love, which doth quicken and animate our soul, and this Love is wholly hidden in God, and Godly things with JESUS CHRIST: for as the sacred Evangelicall Text sayeth, after our Saviour had a while shown himself to his Disciples in mounting to heavenwards, at length he was environed with a cloud, which took him and hid him from their view. JESUS CHRIST them above is hidden in God. And JESUS CHRIST is our love, which is the life of our soul: Therefore our life is hidden in God with JESUS CHRIST, and when JESUS CHRIST who is our Love, and consequently our spiritual life, shall appear in the day of judgement, we shall then appear together with him in glory, that is, JESUS CHRIST our Love will glorify us, communicating unto us his felicity, and brightness.   

How Love is the life of the soul, with a continuation of the extaticall life. CHAPTER. VII.  
1. THe soul is the first act and principle of all the vital motions of man, and as Aristotle expresseth it, the PRINCIPLE whereby we live, feel, and understand; whence it follows, that from the diversity of motions, we gather the diversity of lives; so that beasts that have no natural motion, are entirely lifeless. Even so, THEO: Love is the first ACT or PRINCIPLE of our devote or spiritual life, by which we live, feel, and move: and our spiritual life is such, as are the motions of our love; and a heart that wants motion and affection, wants love; as contrariwise a heart possessed of love, is not without Love-motions. As soon therefore as we have set our affection upon JESUS CHRIST, we have consequently placed in him, our spiritual life. Now our Love is hidden in God above, as God was hidden in it, while he was hear below: Our life therefore is hidden in him, and when he shall appear in glory, our life, and our Love shall likewise appear with him in God. Hence S. IGNATIUS, as S. D●NIS reporteth, affirmed that his Love was crucified, as though he would have said, my natural and humane love with all the passions that depend of it, is nailed to the cross: I have put it to death as a mortal Love, which made my heart live a mortal life: and as my Saviour was crucified and died according to his mortal life, to rise again to an immortal life, so did I die with him upon the Cross according to his natural love, which was the mortal life of my soul, to th'end I might rise again to the supernatural life of a love which in that it can be exercised in Heaven, is also immortal.  
2. When therefore we see a soul that hath Raptures in Prayer, by which she goes out of herself and mounts unto God, and yet hath no Ecstasies in her life, I mean, leads not an exemplar life, united to God, by abnegation of worldly desires, mortification of the will and natural inclinations; by an interior calmness, simplicity, humility, and above all, by a continual Charity: believe it, THEO: all these Raptures are exceedingly doubtful, and dangerous; These are Raptures fit to stir up men to admiration, but not to sanctify them. For what can it profit the soul to be reared up in ravishment to God by Prayer, while in her life and conversation she is ravished by earthly, foul, and natural affections? to be above herself in Prayer, and below herself in life and operation? To be Angelical in Meditation, and brutal in conversation? It is to haut on both sides; to swear by God, and yet by Melchon: In fine it is a true mark that such Raptures and Ecstasies, are but frauds and delusions of the devil. Happy are they who live a supernatural and extaticall life, advanced above themselves, alltough in Prayer they be not ravished. There are many Saints in heaven who were never in Ecstasy, or Rapture of contemplation: for how many Martyrs, holy men and women, are mentioned in histories, who never had other privilege in Prayer, then that of devotion and fervour? But there was never Saint, who had not the Ecstasy and Rapture of life and operation, overcoming themselves with their natural inclinations.  
3. And who sees not I pray you THE: that it is the Ecstasy of life and operation that the great Apostle speaks off, especially when he sayeth, I live not I, but JESUS CHRIST liveth in me: for he himself doth expose it in other terms to the Romans, saying, that our old man is crucified together with JESUS CHRIST; that we are dead to sin with him, and that we are also risen with him, to walk in newness of life, and not be any longer slaves to sin. Behold, THEO: how two men are represented in each of us, and consequently two lives: the one of the old man, which is the old life; as we say of an Eagle, who being grown into old age, is glad to drag her plumes, not being after able to take flight: the other is the life of the new man, which, also is a new life, as that of the Eagle, who being disburdened of her old feethers which she had shaken off into the sea, recovers new ones, and being grown young again, flies in the newness of her forces.  
4. In the first life we live according to the old man, that is, according to the defaults, weakness and infirmity, contracted by our first Father Adam's sin; and therefore we live to Adam's sin, and our life is a mortal life, yea death it self: In the second life, we live according to the new man, that is according to the graces, favours, ordinances, and will of our Saviour, and consequently, we live to salvation and Redemption, and this new life, is a living, vital, and quickening life, but whosoever would attain the new life, he must make his way by the death of the old, crucifying his flesh with all the vices and concupicences thereof, interring it in the holy water of Baptism, or in penance; as Naman did drown and bury in the waters of jordain, his leprous and infected old life, to live a new, sound, and spotless life: for one might well have said of him, that he was not now the old leprous, stinking, infected Naman: but a new, neat, sound, and comely Naman, because he was dead to leprosy, but survived to health, and integrity.  
5. Now, whosoever is raised up again to this new life of our Saviour, he neither life's to himself, in himself, or for himself, but to his Saviour, in his Saviour, and for his Saviour. Think sayeth S. Paul, that you are truly dead to sin, but live to God in our Saviour JESUS CHRIST.   

An admirable exhortation of S. Paul to the extaticall and supernatural life. CHAPTER. VIII.  
1. But finally, me thinks S. Paul, makes the most forceable pressing, and admirable argument, that ever was made, to urge us all to the Ecstasy, and Rapture of life and operation. Mark THEO: I beseech you, be attentive, and ponder the force and efficacy, of the ardent and heavenly words of this Apostle, ravished and transported with the love of his Master. Speaking then of himself (and the like is to be said of every one) the Charity, sayeth he of JESUS CHRIT, doth press us, yes THEO: nothing doth so much press man's heart, as love; if a man know that he is beloved, be it of whom it will, he is pressed to love mutually. But if an ordinary fellow be beloved by a great Lord, he is yet more pressed; if of a powerful Monarch, how much more is he pressed? And now I pray you, knowing well that JESUS CHRIST the true Eternal God Omnipotent, hath loved us, even to suffering death for us, and the death of the cross, is not this o my dear THEO: to have our hearts in the press, to feel them forceably pressed, and perceive love squised out of them by violence and constraint, which is so much more violent, by how much it is more amiable and lovely? But in what sort doth Charity press us? the Charity of JESUS CHRIST, doth press us, sayeth his holy Apostle, weighing this matter. But what doth these words (weighing this matter) import? It imports, that our Saviour's Charity doth press us then especially, when we do weigh, consider, ponder, meditate, and remain attentive to this resolution of faith. But what resolution? mark, my Good THEOT: how he goes engraving, emplanting, and forcing his conceit into our hearts. Weighing this, sayeth he; and what? That if one be dead, and JESUS CHRIST died for all. Certes it is true, if a JESUS CHRIST died for all, all the are dead, in the person of this only Saviour, who died for them: and his death is to be imputed unto them, since it was endured for them, and in consideration of them.  
2. But what follows out of all this? me thinks I hear that Apostolical mouth, as a thunder, making an outcry to the ears of our hearts; It follows then o Christians, what JESUS CHRIST dying for us, desired of us. And what did he desire of us, but that we should be conformed unto him, to th'end, sayeth the Apostle, that such as live, should henceforth no more live to themselves, but to him that died, and rose for them. Dear God, THEO: how powerful a consequence is this in the matter of Love! JESUS CHRIST died for us, by his death he hath given us life; we do not live but in so much as he died, he died for us, to us, and in us. Our life then, is no more ours, but his who did purchase it us, by his death: we are not therefore any more to live to ourselves, but to him, nor in ourselves, but in him, nor for ourselves but for him. A young Girl of the I'll of Sestos, had brought up an Eagle, with such diligence as little children are wont to bestow upon such employments: the Eagle being come to her growth, began by little and little to find her wing, and fly at bird's, following her natural instinct, afterwards getting more strength, she seized upon wild beasts, never failing faithfully to bring home the prey to her dear Mistress, as in acknowledgement of the breeding, which she had from her. Now it happened upon a day that this young damsel died, while the poor Eagle was roving abroad, and her body according to the custom of those times, and places, was publicly placed upon the funeral Pile to be brunt; but even as the flame began to seize hpon her, the Eagle came in; with a quick flight, and beholding this unlooked for, and sad spectackle, strooke through with grief, she loosed her talons, let fall her prey, and spread herself upon her poor beloved Mistress; and covering her with her wings, as it were to defend her from the fire, or for pity's sake to embrace her, she remained there constant and immoveable, courageously dying and burning with her, the ardour of her affection not giving place to the ardour of flames and fire, that by that means she might become the VICTIM and HOLOCAUSTE of her brave and prodigious love, as her Mistress was already of death and fire.  
3. O THEO: to what a high flight this Eagle moves us! our Saviour hath bred us up from our tender youth, yea he form us, and received us as a loving Nurse into the arms of his Divine Providence, even from the time of our Conception. 
Not being yet, thy holy hand did make me;  
Scarce borne, into thy arms thy love did take me.  He made us his own by Baptism, and by an incomprehensible love doth tenderly nourish both our body and soul: to purchase us life, he suffered death, and with his own flesh and blood hath fed us: Ah what rests then, my dear THEO: what Conclusion are we to draw from hence; but only, that such as live, should live no more to themselves, but to him that died for them; that is to say, that we should consecrate all the moments of our life, to the Divine Love of our Saviour's death, bringing home to his glory all our preys, all our conquests, all our actions, all our thoughts and affections? Let us behold, THEO: this heavenly Redeemour extended upon the Cross, as upon a funeral Pile of honour, where he died of Love for us, yea of love more painful than death itself, or a death more pleasant than love itself: Ah do we not spiritually cast ourselves upon him, to die upon the Cross with him, who for the love of us freely died? I will hold him, should we say, if we had the eagle's generosity, and will never departed from him; I will die with him, and burn in the flames of his love; one and the same fire shall consume the Divine Creator, and the miserable creature. My JESUS is wholly mine, and I am wholly his, I will live and die upon his breast, nor life nor death shall ever separate me from him. Thus is the holy Ecstasy of true love practised while we live not according to humane reason and bent, but above them, following the inspiration and instinct of the heavenly Saviour of our souls.   

Of the supreme effect of affective love, which, is the death of Lovers, and first of such as died in love. CHAPTER. IX.  
1. Love is strong, as death; death doth separate the soul of him that dies from the body, and from all earthly things: Sacred love doth separate the Lover's soul from the body, and all earthly things; nor is there any other difference, saving that death doth that in effect, which love ordinarily do only in affection. I say ordinarily, THEO: because holy love is sometimes so violent that even in effect, it causeth a separation betwixt the body and the soul; making the Lovers die a most happy death, much better than a thousand lives.  
2. As it is proper to the Reprobate to die in sin; so is it proper to the Elect to die in the Love and Grace of God, yet in a different manner. The just man never dies unprovided; for to have persevered in Christian justice even to the end, was a good provision for death. He dies indeed sometimes suddenly, or a sudden death. For this cause the most wise Church in her Litanies doth teach us not only to demand, to be delivered from sudden death, but sudden and unprovided death: It is no worse for being sudden, if it be not withal unprovided. If some weak and common souls, had seen fire from Heaven fall upon the great S. SIMEON Stilits head, and kill him, what would they have thought, but thoughts of scandal? yet are we to make no other conceit of the matter then that this great Saint, having perfectly sacrificed himself to God in his heart already wholly consumed with love, the fire came from Heaven to perfect the Holocauste and entirely burn it; for the Abbot julian, being a day's journey off, saw his soul ascend to Heaven, and thereupon caused incense to be offered in thanksgiving to God. The Blessed man, Good Cremonius, on a certain day, set upon his knees most devotly to hear Mass, rose not at the Gospel according to custom, whence those that were about him, looked upon him, and perceived he was dead. There have been in our time most famous men for virtue and learning, found dead, some in the confession seat, others while they heard the Sermon: yea some have been seen falling down dead at their going out of the Pulpit where they had preached with great fervour; and all these deaths were sudden, yet not unprovided. And how many Good people do we see die of Apoplexies, Lethargies, and a thousand other ways, very suddenly; others of madness and frenzy without the use of reason? and all these, together with children who are baptised died in Grace and consequently in the Love of God. But how could they die in the Love of God, since they thought not of God, at the time of their departure?  
3. Learned men, THEO: lose not their knowledge while they are a sleep, for so they would be unlearned at their awaking, and be forced to return to school. The like it is of all the habits of Prudence, Temperance, Faith, Hope, and Charity: They are continually in the just man's heart, though they be not always in action. While a man sleeps, it seems that all his habits sleep with him, and when he awakes, awake with him. So a just man dying suddenly, or oppressed by a house falling upon him, killed by Thunder, or stifled with a catarrh, or else dying out of his senses by the violence of a hot Ague, dies not indeed in the exercise of holy Love, yet dies he in the habit thereof, whereupon the wiseman sayeth, if the iustman be prevented by death, he shall be in a place of refreshing: for it sufficeth to obtain eternal life to die in the state and habit of love and Charity.  
4. Yet many Saints have departed this life, not only in Charity, and with the habit of heavenly love, but even in the act and practise thereof. S. AUGUSTINE deceased in the exercise of holy contrition, which cannot be without Love.. S. HIEROM in exhorting his dear children to the love of God, their neighbours, and virtue. S. AMBROSE in a Rapture, sweetly discoursing with his Saviour, immediately after he had received the holy Sacrament of the Altar. S. ANTONY of Milan after he had recited a hymn of the glorious virgin-mother and while he spoke with great joy to our Saviour. S. THOMAS of Aquine, joining his hands, elevating his eyes towards Heaven, raising his voice very high, and pronouncing by way of iaculation, with great devotion these words of the Canticles, (the last which he had expounded,) Come unto me, my dearly beloved, and let us go toge-into the fields. All the Apostles, and in a manner all the Martyrs died in Prayer. The Blessed and Venerable Bede, having foreknown by revelation the time of his departure, went to Evensong (and it was upon the Ascension day) and standing upon his feet, leaning only upon the rests of his seat, without any disease at all, ended his life with the end of the Evensong, as it were directly to follow his Master ascending unto Heaven, there to enjoy the bright morning of eternity, which knows no evening. john Gerson Chancellor of the university of Paris, a man so learned and pious that as Sixtus Sen●nsis sayeth, one can hardly discern whether his learning outstripped his pieti● or his piety his learning, having explicated the fift propriety of divine love, recorded in the Canticle of Canticles, three days after making show of a very lively countenance and courage, expired pronouncing and iterating by way of iaculatory Prayer, these holy words drawn out of the same Canticles? o God thy love is strong as death. S. MARTIN● as is known, died so attentive to the exercise of his devotions, that he could not speak another word. S. Lewis that great king amongst Saints, and great Saint amongst kings. being infected with the plague, prayed still, and then having received his heavenly VIATICUM, casting abroad his arms in manner of a Cross, his eyes fixed upon Heaven, yielded up the ghost ardently sighing out these words with a perfect confidence of love, ah Lord I will enter into thy house, I will adore thee in thy holy Temple, and bless thy ●ame. S. PETER Celestine, wholly possessed with afflictions, which one can scarcely speak off, being come to the period of his days, began to sing, as a sacred Nightingale, the last Psalm making these loving words the close of his life and song. LET ●VERY SPIRIT PRAISE OUR LORD. The Admirable S. EUSEBIUS, surnamed the stranger, deceased upon his knees in fervent Prayer: S. PETER Martyr writing with his own finger and blood the Confession of Faith for which he died, and uttering these words, Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit: And the great japonian Apostle S. FRANCIS Zaverius, holding and kissing the image of the Crucifix, and repeating at every turn of a hand, this Ejaculation of heart. O JESUS, the God of my heart,   

Of some that died by and for divine Love. CHAPTER. X.  
1. All the Martyrs THEO: died for the Love of God; for when we say many died for the faith, we mean not, that they died for a dead faith, but for a lively faith, that is, quickened by Charity: And the confession of Faith, is not so much an act of the understanding, and of Faith, as of the will, and of the Love of God. And thus the great S. PET R conserving Faith in his heart the day of his Masters, did yet quit Charity, refusing in words to profess him to be his Master, whom in heart he acknowledged to be such. But there were yet other Martyrs who died expressly for Charity alone, as our Saviour's great Forerunner, who was martyred for brotherly correction; and the glorious Princes of the Apostles S. PETER and S. PAUL, but especially S. PAUL was put to death for having reclaimed those women to a pious and pure life, whom that infamous Nero had wrought to lewdness: The holy Bishops Stanislaus, and S. THOMAS of Canterbury, were slain for a matter that touched not Faith, but Charity. In fine a great part of sacred Virgin-Martyrs were put to slaughter for the Zeal they had to conserve their Chastity, which Charity had caused them to dedicate to their heavenly Spouse.  
2. But there are some of the Sacred Lovers that do so absolutely give themselves over to the exercises of Divine Love, that holy fire doth waste and consume their life. Grief doth sometimes so long hinder such as are afflicted, from eating, drinking, or sleeping, that in the end weakened and wasted they dye; whereupon it is a common saying, that such died of Grief: but it is not so indeed; for they died through evacuation, and defect of strength. True it is, sith this faintness took them by reason of grief, we must aver, that though they died not of grief, yet they died by reason of grief, and by grief: so my dear THEO: when the fervour of holy love is great, it gives so many assaults to the heart, so often wounds it, causeth in it so many langours, so ordinarily melts it, and puts it so frequently into Ecstasies ad Raptures, that by this means, (the soul being almost entitely occupied in God, not being able to afford sufficient assistance to nature, conveniently to disg●st and nourish) the sensible and vital spirits beg●n by little and little to fail, li●e is shortened, and death approacheth.  
3. O God, THEO: how happy this death is! How delightful is this love-dart, which wounding us with the incurable wound of heavenly love, makes us for ever pining and sick with so strong a beating of the heart, that at length we must yield to death. How much, do you think, did these sacred langours, and labours undergone for Charity, shorten the days of the Divine Lovers S. Catherine of Sienna, S. Francis, Little Stanislaus Bosca, S. Charles, and many hundreds more who died in their youth? Verily as for S. FRANCIS, from the time he received his Master's holy Stigmats, he had so violent and stinging pains, gripes, convulsions and diseases, that he had nothing left on him but skin and bones; and he seemed rather to be an Anatomy, or a picture of death, than one living and breathing.   

How some of the heavenly Lovers died even of Love. CHAPTER. XI.  
1. All the Elect then, THEO: deceased in the habit of holy love; but further, some died even in the exercise of it, some again for it, others by it. But that which belongs to the sovereign degree of love, is, that some die of love; and then it is, that love doth not only wound the soul, and thereby make her languish, but doth even pierce her through, hitting directly on the midst of the heart, and so deeply, that it forceth the soul's depa●ture out of the body, which falls out in this manner. The soul powerfully drawn by the divine sweetness of her Beloved, to comply of her part with his dear allurements, forcibly springs out, and to her power tends towards her desired attracting friend, and not being able to draw her body after her, rather than to stay with it in this miserable life, she quits it and gets clear, lonely flying as a fair dove into the delicious bosom of her heavenly Spouse. She throws herself upon her Beloved, and her Beloved doth draw and force her to himself. And as the Bridegroom leaves Father and mother to adhere to his dear Bride. So this chaste Bride forsaketh flesh and blood to be united to her Beloved. Now it is the most violent effect that a love worketh in a soul, and which requires a great precedent purity from all such affections as may detain the soul prisoner either to the world or to the body, so that like as fire having by little and little separated the Essence from its mass, and wholly purified it, at length it also drives out the QVINT-ESSENCE; even so holy Love having retired man's heart from all fantasies, inclinations, and assions as fare fourth as may be, doth at length urge the soul out, to the end that by that passage, precious in the sight of God, she might pass to eternal glory.  
2. The great S. FRANCIS, who in the matter of heavenly love comes still before mine eyes, could not possibly escape dying by love, by reason of the manifold and great langours, Ecstasies and trances which his love to God, who had exposed him to the whole world's view, as a MIRACLE OF LOVE, would not only have him die for love, but even of Love.. For consider, I beseech you his death. Perceiving himself upon the point of his departure, he caused himself to be laid naked upon the ground, where having received a habit for God's sake, which they put on him, he made a speech to his brethren, encouraging them to love and fear God, and his Church▪ made our Saviour's passion be red, and then with an extreme fervour began the 141. Psalm. With my voice I have cried to our Lord: with my voice I have Prayed to our Lord: and having pronounced these last words, o Lord bring forth my soul out prison, that I may praise thy holy name, the just expect me, till thou reward me; he died the 45. year of his age. Who sees not, I besseech you THEO: that the Seraphical man, who had so instantly desired to be martyred, and to die for love, died in the end of love, as in another place I have explicated.  
3. S. MAGDALEN having for the space of 30. years lived in a cave which is yet to be seen in PROVINCE ravished seven times a day, and borne up in the air by Angels, as though it had been to sing the seven Canonical hours in their Choir, in the end, upon a Soneday she came to Church, where her dear Bishop S. Maximinus finding her in contemplation, her eyes full of tears, and her arms stretched out, he communicated her, and soon after, she delivered up her blessed soul, who once a gain for good and all, went to her Saviour's feet, to enjoy the BETTER ●A●● which she had already made choice off near below.  
4. S. BASILE had contracted a strict friendship with a Physician, a jew by nation and religion, with intention to bring him to the faith of JESUS CHRIST, which nevertheless he could not effect, till such time, as, decayed by youth, old age and labours, being upon the point of dying, he enquired of the Physician, what opinion he had of him, conjuring him to speak freely; which the Physician refused not, but feeling his pulse, told him, there was no remedy (quoth he) before the Sun let you will departed this life. But what will you say, replied the patiented, if to morrow I shall be alive? I will become Christian I promise you, laid the Physician. With this the Saint prayed to God, and obtained a prolongation of his own temporal life, for the good of his Physicians spiritual life, who, having seen this Miracle, was converted, and S. Basile rising courageously out of his bed went to the Church, and baptised him with all his Family: then being returned to his chamber, and gotten to bed, after he had passed a good space with our Saviour in Prayer, he holily exhorted the assistants to serve God with their whole heart, and finally seeing the Angel's approach, pronouncing with an extreme delight these words, o God I recommend unto thee my soul, and restore it into thy hands, he died. But the poor converted Physician, seeing him thus deceased, coling him, and melting into tears upon him: o great Servant of God Basile, quoth he, indeed if thou hadst list, thou hadst no more died to day, than yesterday. Who doth not see that this death was wholly from love? And the Blessed S. Teresa, revealed after her death, that she died with an impetuous assault of love, Which had been so violent, that nature not able to support it, the soul departed towards the beloved object of her love.   

A wonderful history of the death of a gentleman who died of love upon the Mount-olivet. CHAPTER. XII.  
1. BEsides that which hath been said, I have light upon a history, which being extremely admirable, is yet more credible to sacred Lovers; since, as the holy Apostle sayeth Charity doth easily believe all things that is, she doth not easily suspect one of lying; and unless there be signs of apparent deceit in that which is proposed, she makes no difficulty to believe it: but especially when they are things which do exalt and magnify God's love towards man, or man's love towards God; because Charity being the Sovereign Queen of virtues, following the manner of a Princess, who takes content in things that are for the renown of her Empire, and dominion. And be it, the relation I am to make, be neither so much diwlged nor confirmed, as the greatness of the miracle which it contains would require, yet is it not therefore void of truth: for as S. Augustine sayeth excellently well: scarcely can we know miracles, though most famous, even in the places where they are wrought; and even though such as have seen them relates them, we have difficulty to giu● credit unto them; yet are they no less true for all this: and in matter of Religion, well borne souls take more delight to believe those things which contain difficulty and admiration.  
2. A valiant illustrious and virtuous knight, went upon a time beyond ●ee into Palestin, to visit the holy Land where our Saviour performed the work of our Redemption; and to begin this holy exercise worthily, he first of all confessed, and communicated devotely, immediately, after went strait to Nazareth, where the Angel announced unto the most Sacred virgin, the Blessed Incarnation, and where the most adorable conception of the Eternal word was finished, and there this worthy Pilgrim set himself to the contemplation of the heavenly Boun● is depth, who daigned to put on man's nature, to recover him from perdition; from thence he passed to Bethleem, the place of the Nativity, where, it is not to be spoken, what an abundance of tears he poured forth, in contemplation of those wherewith the Son of God, the virgins little babe, had watered that holy stable, kissing and rekissing a thousand times that sacred earth, and licking the dust, upon which the prime infancy of the Divine child was received in Bethleem: He went into Berthabara, and from thence to that little place in Bethania, where calling to mind, that our Saviour was there unuested to be baptised, he also unuested himself, and going into jordaine, washing himself and drinking the waters thereof, he thought, he saw his Saviour receiving Baptism at his Precursors hand, and the holy Ghost descending visibly upon him, in the form of a dove, the Heaven's remaining open, from whence, as it appeared to him, the voice of the Eternal Father issued, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am pleased: From Bethania he takes his way towards the Desert where he beheld with the eyes of his mind, the Saviour of the world-fasting, fight, and vanquishing the Enemy, together with the Angels who served him with admirable food. From thence he makes towards the Mount THABOR, where he saw our Saviour transfigured; thence to the mountain of ZION, where he saw our Saviour again, as he apprehended, upon his knees in the last supper washing the Disciples fe●●, and then distributing unto them his sacred body in the holy EUCHARISTE: he passeth the Torrent of CEDRON, and betakes himself to the Garden of GETHSEMIN●, where with a most amiable dolour, his heart dissolved into tears, while he proposed unto himself his dear Saviour sweeting blood in the extreme Agony which he there endured; and soon after taken, corded and led to Hierusal●, whither also he goes, throughly to follow the footsteps of his Beloved, and saw him in Imagination haled hither and thither; to ANNAS; to CAIPHAS, to PILATE, to HERODE, whipped, buffeted, spit upon, crowned with thorns, presented to the people, sentenced to death, laden with his Cross, which he carries, and in carrying it met his dolorous mother, and the daughters of Jerusalem bewailing him. Finally this devote Pilgrim mounts unto the Mount Caluarie, where he sees in Spirit the Cross laid upon the ground, and our Saviour quite naked whom they throw down, and most cruelly nail him to it hand and foot. He goes on, contemplating how they rear up the Cross, and crucify him in the air, blood flowing out from every part of his divine body. He looks upon the poor sacred virgin, transpearced with the sword of sorrow, and then again he eyeth his crucified Saviour, whose 7. last words he marks with an incomparable love, and at the length he saw him dying, soon after, dead. Then receiving the wound of th● Lance, and by that holes passage showing his Divine heart, then taken down from the Cross, and carried to his Sepulchre, whither still he follows him sending out a Sea of tea●es upon the ground, which was watered with his Redeemours blood; he enters into the sepulchre and buries his heart with his Master's body; afterwards rising with him, he goes to Emaus, and sees what passed between the Master and his two Disciples. In fine returning by the Mount Olivet, where th● Mystery of the Ascension was accomplished, and there seeing the last prints and footsteps of his heavenly Saviour's feet, falling grovelling upon them, and kissing them a thousand, thousand times with the sighs, of an infinite love, he begun to draw towards him the force of all his affections, as an Archer the string of his Bow, when he is about to shoot, then raising himself, and stretching his eyes and hands to heavenward. O JESUS, said he, my sweet JESUS, I have now no further to search and follow thee in Earth. Ah then JESUS, JESUS my LOVE, grant unto my poor heart that it may follow thee, and fly after thee to Heaven; and in these fervent words, he presently breathed out his sole to Heaven, as a blessed arrow, which he, as a divine Archer, shot at the white of his most happy Object. But his fellow's, and servants, who saw this Lover so suddenly fall down as dead, amaised at the accident, ram with speed for the Doctor, who when he came, he found him quite dead; and to give a certain judgement of so sudden a death, he made enquiry, of what complexion, nature and disposition the deceased party was, and he found, that he was of a most sweet and amiable nature, marvelous devote, and fervent in the love of God. Whereupon, quoth the Doctor, doubtless his heart split with excess and fervour of love. And to confirm his judgement the more, he opened him, and found this generous heart open, with this sacred Motto engraven in it, JESUS MY LOVE! Love then, played Deaths part in this heart, separating the soul from the body, without the concourse of any other cause. S. Bernardin of Sienna, a learned and pious Author relates this History, in the first of his Sermons of the Ascension.  
3. An other Author also, well near of the same Age, who out of humility concealed his name worthy to be named; in a book entitled, A MIRROR OF THE SPIRITVALL, makes mention of an history yet more admirable: for he sayeth that in PROVINCE there lived a Lord much addicted to the Love of God, and exceeding devote to the Blessed Sacrament. Now upon a time being extremely afflicted with a disease, which caused him continually to tender, the Holy Communion, which was brought unto him, who not daring to receive it, lest he might be forced to cast it up again, he besought the Pastor, to apply it at least to his breast, and with it to make the sign of the Cross over him; This was done, and in a moment, his breast inflamed with Divine Love, opened, and drew into itself the heavenly food, wherein his beloved was contained, and at the same instant departed life. I must in very deed confess that this history is extraordinary, and such as would require a more weighty testimony: yet after the true history of S. CLARE DE MONTE PALCO, which all the world may, even to this day, see; and that of S. Francis his STIGMATS, which is most certain, my soul meets with nothing which is hard to be believed amongst she effects of Divine Love..   

That the Sacred Virgin mother of God died of the love of her S●nne. CHAPTER▪ XIII.  
1. ONe can hardly well doubt, but that the great S. joseph died before the Passion and death of our Saviour, who otherwise had not commended his mother to S. john. And how can one imagine, that the dear child of his heart, his beloved Nurse-child, did not assist him at the hour of his departure? Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Alas! how much sweetness, Charity, and Mercy did this good Foster-father use towards our little Saviour at his intrie into this world: and who can then believe, but at his departure out of it, that divine child rendered him the like with an hundredfold, filling him with heavenly delights? Storks are the true representations of the mutual piety of children towards their parents, and of parents towards their children: for being flitting birds, they bear their decrepit parents with them in their journey; as their parents had borne them while they were yet young in the like occasion. While our Saviour was yet a little babe, the great S. joheph his Foster-Father, and his most glorious Virgin-mother, had many a time borne him, but especially in their journey from judea to Egypt, and from Egypt to judea. Ah who can then doubt, but this holy Father being come to the period of his days, was reciprocally borne by his divine Nurse-child (in his passage from this to another life) into Abraham's bosom, to translate him from thence to Glory in the day of his Ascension? A Saint that had loved so much in his life, could not die but of love; for his heart not being able to love his dear JESUS so much as he desired, while he continued amongst th● distractions of this life, and having already performed the duty which he ought to his nonage, what remained, but that he should say to the Eternal Father, O Father I have accomplished my charge: and then to the Son, ● my child, as thy heavenly Father put thy tender body into my hands the day of thy coming into this world, so do I render up my soul 〈◊〉 thine, this day of my departure out of this world.  
2. Such, as I conceive, was the death of this great Patriarch, a man elected to perform the most dear and loving offices, that ever was, or shall be performed to the Son of God, save those that were done by the Sacred Spouse, the true natural mother of the said son: of whom it is not possible to make a conceit, that she died of any other kind of death, then of love. A death the most noble of all, and consequently due to the most noble life that ever was amongst creatures. A death whereof the very Angels would desire to die, if die they could. If the primative Christians were said to have but one heart and one soul, by reason of their perfect mutual love? If S. Paul lived not himself, but JESUS CHRIST lived in him, by reason of the close union of his heart to his Masters; whereby his soul was as dead in the heart which it quickened, to live in the heart of the Saviour which it loved? O Good God how much more true it is, that the Sacred Virgin and her Son had but one soul, one heart, and one life, so that this heavenly mother in living, lived not, but her son lived in her. She was a mother the most loving and the most beloved that ever could be, yea loving and beloved with a love incomparably more eminent, then that of all the Orders of Angels and men, like as the names of an only Mother, and an only Son, are names passing all other names in matter of love; and I say of an only mother, and an only Son, because all the other sonne● of men, do divide the acknowledgement of their production betwixt their Father and mother; but in this son as all his humane birth depends of his mother alone, who alone, contributed that which was requisite to the virtue of the holy Ghost for the conception of this heavenly child; so to her alone, all the love which sprung from that production was rendered as due, In such sort, that this Son, and this mother, were united in an union by so much more excellent, as her name in love is different, and above all other names: for which of the Seraphins can say to our Saviour, thou art my true Son, and as such, I love thee? And to which of his creatures did our Saviour ever say, Thou art my true mother, and as my true mother I love thee? Thou art my true mother, entirely mine, and I am thy true son wholly thine: And if a loving servant durst, and did indeed say that he had no other life than his Masters: Alas, how confidently and fervently might this mother proclaim. I have no life, but the life of my Son, my life is wholly in his, and his wholly in mine; for there was not a mere union, but an unity of hearts betwixt this mother and this son.  
3. And if this mother lived by her Sons life she also died of her Sons death: for such as is the life, such is the death. The Phoenix, as the report goes, grown very aged, gathers together in the top of a mountain, a quantity of aromatical woods, upon which, as upon he bed of honour she goes to end her days: for when the Sun, being at his highest doth stream out his hottest beams, this most singular bird, to contribute the advantage of action to the Suns ardour, ceaseth not to beat with her wings upon her bed, till she have made it take fire, and burning with it, she consumes, and dies in those odoriferous flames. In like manner, THEO: the virgin Marie having assembled in her heart all the most amiable Mysteries of the life and death of her son, by a most lively and continual memory of them, and withal RECTA LINEA receiving the most ardent inspirations, which her Son, the Son, of justice, darted upon mortals, even in the heat of his charity. And further, of her part, making a perpetual motion of Contemplation: in the end the sacred fire of this heavenly love, did wholly consume her as an Holocaust of sweetness, so that she died of it, her soul being altogether ravished, and transported into the arms of her Sons love. O death lovingly vital, o Love vitally mortal!  
4. Many sacred Lovers were present at our Saviour's death: amongst whom such as did most love, did also most grieve: for Love was then sleeped in grief, and grief in Love: and all such as were fervent in love towards their Saviour, fell in love with his passion and pain. But the sweet mother who passed all in love, received a deeper wound from the sword of grief than all the rest. Her Sons pain was then a sharp sword which ram through his mother's heart, it being glued, joined and united to her sons in so perfect an union, that nothing could hurt the one which did not as deeply hurt the other. Now this motherly heart being in this sort wounded with love, did not only not seek to have her wound cured, but even loved her wound better than all cures: dear conserving the darts of sorrow which she had received in her heart, because it was love that shot them at her; and continually desiring to die of them, as her son died thereof who, as the holy Scriptures▪ and all the Doctors do witenesse, died amidst the flames of Charity, a perfect HOLOCAUST for all the sins of the world.   

That the Glorious virgin died of an extremely sweet and calm love. CHAPTER. XIV.  
1. OF one side it is said that our B. Lady revealed to S. Mathilda, that the sickness whereof she died, was no other thing then an impetuous assault of love. Yet S. Brigit, and S. john Damascen do witness, that she died an exceeding peaceable death; and both are true, THEOTIME.  
2. The stars are wonderful delightful to behold, and cast out pleasing shines, yet if you have noted it, they bring forth their rays, by way of gattering, sparklings, and dartings, as though they were delivered of their light by travel at diverse essays, whether it be that their weak light cannot keep a continual equality of action, or our f●●ble ●ight cannot constantly and steaddily behold them, by reason of the great distance: So ordinarily Saints that die of love, experience in themselves a great variety of accidents▪ and symptoms thereof, before they come to their end, many sobing, many assaults many ecstasies, many languors many agonies; and one would think that their Love brought forth their happy death by travel, and 〈◊〉 endeavours: which happens by the weakness of their love, which is not as yet perfectly perfect; so that it cannot continue affection with an equal steadfastness.  
3. But in the B. Virgin it was a quite other thing, for as we see the fair AURORA increase, not at diverse essays, and ierts, but by a continued dilatation and increase, which is in a sort insensibly sensible, so that she is indeed seen to increase her light, yet so softly, that no interruption, separation, or discontinuation, can be apprehended therein. So God's love did every moment increase, in the Virginal heart of this glorious Lady, but by a gentle, smooth, and continued increase, without agitation, toss, or violence at all: Ah no THEO: we must not admit any forcible agitation in this celestial love of the virgins motherly heart; for love of itself is sweet, gracious, peaceable, and calm. And if it do sometimes assault, and make force against the mind, it is because it meets with opposition. But when the passages of the soul lie open to it without opposition or contradiction, it peaceably makes progress with an incomparable sweetness. Thus then holy love exercised its force upon the virginal heart of the Sacred mother, without force or violent boisterousness, because it found therein neither stop nor stay. For as we see great river's froth, and flash back again with a great noise in craggy corners, where the points or shelves of rocks do oppose themselves, and hinder the waters course: while contrariwise they d●ie smoothly without violence glid and steel over the plains: So divine Love meeting with many impeachments and oppositions in humane hearts, as in truth all hearts have them, though differently, makes force, fight against naughty inclinations, beating the heart, thrusting the will forwards by diverse shuggs and sundry essays, to make way be made to itself, or at least, to overpass the obstacles. But all things in the B. Virgin did help and second the course of heavenly love: making in her a greater progress and increase, then in all other creatures, yet a progress that was infinitely sweet peaceable and calm. No, she sownded not with love or compassion at the foot of her crucified son, though there she had the most hot and stinging fit of love, that ever heart could think: for though it was an extreme fit, yet was it equally strong and sweet, powerful and calm, active and peaceable, composed of a sharp yet sweet heat.  
4. I do not deny, THEO: that there were two portions in the B. Virgin's soul, and consequently two appetits: the one according to the Spirit and superior reason; the other according to sense, and inferior reason: so that she could feel the oppositions and contrarieties of both the appetits; for this trouble did even our Saviour her son endure. But I affirm that all affections were so well, ordered and ●anged in this heavenly mother, that divine Love did most peaceably exercise in her its power and dominion, without being troubled by the diversity of wills and appetits▪ or contrariety of the senses, because the oppositions of the natural appetite, and motion of the senses, did never come to be so much as a venial sin but contrariwise all these were holily and faithfully employed in the service of divine Love, for the exercise of other virtues, which for the most part, cannot be practised but amongst difficulties, oppositions, and contradictions.  
5. Thorne● in the common opinion, are not only different from flowers but contrary to them; and it seems, it were better if there were none in the world; which made S. Ambrose think that but for sin, there had been none at all. But yet, ●ith there are some, the careful husbandman doth fetch profit out of them, making there hedges and inclosurs about his closes and springing trees being their defence and rampire against cattles. So the Glorious virgin having had a part in all humane miseries, saving such as do directly tend to sin, she employed them most profitably to the exercise and increase of holy virtues, of Hope, Temperance, justice, and Prudence, Povertie, Humility, Sufferance and Compassion: So that she was so fare from hindering, that she did even assist and strengthen heavenly love by continual exercises and advancements. And in her, Magdalen did not trouble the attention wherewith she received from her Saviour the impressions of love, for all Martha's heat, and solicitude. She hath made choice of her Son's love, and not any thing doth deprive her of it,  
6. The ADAMANT, as every one knows, THEO: doth naturally draw Iron unto it, by a secret and most wonderful virtue: yet 5. things there are which do hinder this operation 1. a too great distance. 2. a Diamant interposed. 3. if the Iron be greesed. 4. if it be rubbed with an onion 5. if it be too weighty. Our heart is made for God who doth continually allure it, never ceasing to throw his baits into our hearts. But five things do hinder the operation of his draughts. 1. Sin, which puts us at a distance with God. 2. affection to riches. 3. sensual pleasures. 4. Pride and vanity. 5. self-love together with the multitude of inordinate passions, which it brings forth, and are to us an overcharging load bearing us down. But none of these hindrances had place in the Glorious virgin's heart. 1. she was perpetually preserved from all sin. 2. perpetually most poor of heart. 3. perpetually most pure. 4. perpetually most humble, 5. perpetually a peaceable Mistress of all her passions, and exempt from the rebellion which self-love raiseth against the love of God. And therefore as Iron if it were quit of all obstacle, yea even of its own weight, were powerfully, yet softly and with Turrian equal draught drawn by the Adamant, yet so that the draught should still be more active and forcible, as they came nearer the one to the other and the motion nearer to its end: So the most holy Mother, having nothing in her, which hindered her Sons divine Love, she was united unto him in an incomparable union, by gentle ecstasies without trouble or travel; Ecstasies in which the sensible powers ceased not to perform their actions, without disturbing the union of the mind: as again, the perfect application of her mind did not much divert her senses. So that this virgin's decease was more sweet than could be imagined, drawn delightfully by the sent of her Sons perfums, and she most amiably springing after their sacred sweetness, even into the bosom of her Sons Bounty. And albeit this holy soul, did extremely affect her most holy, most pure, and most amiable body, yet did she forsake it, without pain or resistance at all: as the  judith, who though she marvellously loved the habits of Penance, and widowhood, forsook them notwithstanding, and freely put them off, to put on her marriage garments, when she went to be victorious over Holofernes; or as a jonathas when for the love of David he did the like. Love had made her feel at the Crosses foot, the deepest sorrow of death, and therefore it was but reason that at length, death should possess her of the sovereign delights of love.   
The end of the Seaventh Book.   

THE EIGHT BOOK. OF THE LOVE OF CONFORMITY, BY WHICH WE UNITE OUR WILLS TO THE will of God, signified unto us by his Commandments, Counsels and inspirations.  

Of the love of Conformity proceeding from holy Complacence. CHAPTER. I.  
AS good ground having received the seed, doth render it in its season with an hundred fold, so the heart that hath taken complacence in God, cannot hinder itself from presenting another complacence to God. None pleaseth us, whom we desire not to please. Fresh wine doth for a time refresh the drinkers, but as soon as it is heated in the receivers stomach it mutually heats it, and the more the stomach heats it, the more it heats the stomach. True love is never ungrateful but strives to please the, in whom it is pleased; and thence is that loving conformity, which makes us such as those that we love. The most devote and most wise king Solomon, became fool and Idolater, while he loved women that were fools and Idolaters, and served as many Idols, as did his wives. For this cause the Scripture terms those men effeminate that desperately affect women in quality of women, because Love metamorphiseth men into women, in manners and behaviour.  
2. Now this metamorphos●s is made insensibly by the complacence, which having got entry into our heart, begets another, to present it unto him of whom we had it. They say there is a little land beast in the Indies, which takes such a delight to accompainie fish in the sea, that by often swimming with them it becomes a fish, and of a beast of the land, a beast of the sea. So by often delighting in God, we become conformable to God, and our will is transformed into that of the Divine Majesty, by the complace which it takes therein. Love sayeth S. Chrysostome, either finds or makes similitude; The example of such as we love, bears a sweet and imperceptible rule over us, an authority not to be perceived: It is necessary either to imitate or forsake them. He, that being taken with the delight of perfumes, enters into the perfumer's shop, receiving thence the pleasure which he takes to smell those odours, perfumes himself, and going out, communicats to others part of the pleasures which he received spreeding amongst them the sent of the perfumes which he had contracted: our heart together with the pleasures which it taketh in the thing beloved, draws unto itself the quality thereof: for delight opens the heart, as sorrow shuts it; whereupon the holy Scripture often useth the word dilate, instead of rejoice. Now the heart being opened by pleasure, the impressions of the qualities whereof the pleasure depends, finds easy passage into the heart, and together with them, such others as are in the same subject, though distasteful unto us creep in through the throng of pleasures, as he that wanted his marriage garment, got into the banquet amongst those that were adorned▪ So Aristotl's scholars were delighted in stutting with him and Plato's went crooked in the back in imitation of their Master. There was a certain woman, as Plutarch reporteth, whose imagination, and apapprehension through sensuality lay so open to all things, that beholding a Blackamors picture she conceived a child all black by a Father extremely white: and the fact of jacob's yewes, will serve for a proof of this. In fine the pleasure which one takes in a thing, is a certain Harbinger which lodgeth the qualities of the thing which pleaseth in the Lover's heart. And hence it is that holy Cōplacē●● doth transform us into God whom we love and by how much greater the complacence is, by so much the transformation is more perfect: so the Saints that loved ardently, were speedily and perfectly transformed, love transporting and translating the conditions and qualities of the one heart into the other.  
3. It is a strange, yet a true thing; put two Lutes together which are unison, that is, of the same sound, and accord, and let one play upon the one of them: the other, though not touched, will resound to that which is played on; the conveniency which is betwixt them, as by a natural love causing this correspondance. We have difficulty to imitate such as we hate even in good things; not would the Lacedæmonians follow the good counsel of the wicked, unless some honest man pronounced it after them. Of the contrary side, one cannot be kept, from comforming himself to such as he loveth. In this sense, as I think, the great Apostle said that the Law was not made for the Just man: for in truth, the Just man is not Just, but inso much as he hath Love; and if he have Love, there is no need to press him by the rigour of the Law: Love being the most pressing Doctor, and Solicitor, to urge the heart which it possesseth, to obey the will and intention of the Beloved. Love is a Magistrate which executs his authority, without voicing it, without Pursuivamts, or Sergeants, by this mutually complacence, by which as we take pleasure in God, so also, we desire to please him. Love is the Abridgement of all Divinity, which made the ignorance of Paul's, Antony's, Hilarious, Simeons', Francises, so holily learned, without books, Masters, or Art. By virtue of this holy Love, the Spouse may pronounce with assurance; My Beloved is wholly mine by the Complacence wherewith he doth please, and feed me; And I by Benevolence am wholly his, wherewith I please and feed him. My heart is fed in taking pleasure in him, and his is fed, in that I take pleasure in him, for him: He feeds me just as a holy shepherd his dear yew amidst the Lilies of his perfections; in which I take pleasure; And I, as his dear yew, pay him the milk of my affections, by which I strive to please him. Whosoever doth truly feed in God, desires faithfully to please God, and to conform himself unto him, to th'end he might please him.   

Of the conformity of Submission which proceeds from the Love of Benevolence. CHAPTER. II.  
1. COmplacence then draws into our hearts the feelings of divine perfections, according as we are capable to receive them, (like as the Mirror receives the Suns picture, not according to the excellency and amplitude of this great and admirable Lamp, but with proportion to the glass its largeness and capacity) and thereby we become conformable to God.  
2. But besides this, LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE brings us to this holy conformity by another means; LOVE OF COMPLACENCE draws God into our hearts; but the LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE darts our hearts into God, and by consequence all our actions and affections, most lovingly dedicating and consecrating them unto him: for Benevolence desires that all honour, all Glory, and acknowledgement possible should be rendered unto God, as a certain exterior good which is due to his Goodness.  
3. Now this desire is practised according to the complacence which we take in God, as followeth. We have had an extreme Complacence to perceive that God i● soveraignely GOOD, and therefore, by the LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE, we desire that all the Loves which we can possibly imagine, may be employed to love this Goodness entirely. We have taken delight in the sovereign excellency of God's perfection; and thereupon we desire that he should be soveraignely loved, honoured, and adored. We have been joyed to consider, how God is not only the first beginning, but also the last end, Author, Conseruour, and Lord of all things; for which reason we wish that all things should be subject to him by a sovereign obedience. We see Gods will sovereignly perfect, upright, just, equal; and upon this consideration our desire is, that it should be the rule and sovereign law of all things, and that it should be observed, kept and obeyed by all other wills.  
4. But note THEO: that I treat not hear of the obedience due unto God, as he is our Lord and Master, our Father and Benefactor: for this kind of obedience belongs to the virtue of justice, not to Love.. No, it is not this I speak off for the present: for though there were no Hell to punish the wicked, nor Heaven to reward the good, and that we had no kind of obligation, nor duty to God (be this said by imagination of a thing impossible, and scarcE imaginable) yet would the LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE move us to render all obedience and submission to God by election and inclination, yea by a sweet violence of Love, in consideration of the Sovereign Bounty, justice and equity of the Divine will.  
5. Do not we see, THEO: that a maid by a free choice proceeding from the LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE, doth subject herself to her husband, to whom, otherwise she ought no duty? Or that a gentleman, submits himself to a foreign Prince's command or else gives up his will into the hands of the Superior of some religious Order, which he is content to undertake?  
6. Even so is our heart conformed to Gods, when by holy Benevolence we throw all our affections, into the hands of the divine will, to be turned and directed by it, to be moulded and form to the good liking thereof. And in this point the profoundest obedience of love is placed, which hath no need of being spurred by minaces or rewards, nor yet by laws and commandments; for it prevents all this, submitting itself to God, for the only perfect goodness which is in him, where by he deserves that all wills should be obedient unto him, subject, and under his power, conforming and uniting themselves to his divine intentions, in and through all things.   

How we are to conform ourselves to the Divine will, which is called the signified will. CHAPTER. III.  
1. WE do sometimes consider God's will as it is in itself, and finding it entirely holy and good, it is an easy thing for us to praise, bless, and adore it, and to sacrifice our own, and all other creatures wills to its observance in this divine Exclamation: THY WILL BE DONE IN EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. At other times we consider God's will in the particular effects thereof; as in the events that touch us, and accidents that befall us; and finally in the declaration and manifestation of his intentions. And albeit that God in very deed hath but one most singular and most simple will, yet do we design it by different names, according to the variety of the means whereby we know it, by which variety also we are diversely obliged to conform ourselves to it.  
2. Christian doctrine doth clearly propose unto us the Truths, which God willeth that we should believe; the goods that he will have us hope for; the pains which he will have us to dread; that which he will have us to love; the commandments which he will have us to observe; and the Counsels which he desireth we should follow. And all these are called God's SIGNIFIED WILL; because he hath signified and made manifest unto us, that his will and meaning is, that all these should be believed, hoped for, feared, loved and practised.  
3. Now for as much as this signified will of God, proceeds by way of desire, and not by way of absolute will, we have power either to follow it by obedience, or by disobedience to resist it: for to this purpose God makes three acts of his will; He willeth, that we should have power to resist; he desireth that we resist not; and yet leaves it to us to resist if we please. That we have power to resist, depends of our natural condition, and liberty; that we do resist proceeds from our malice; that we do not resist, is according to the divine Bounty's desire. And therefore when we do resist, God contributs nothing to our disobedience, but leaving our will in the hand of her Liberty, permits her to make choice of Evil. But when we obey, God contributs his assistance, inspiration and grace: for permission is an actio of the will, which of itself is barren, sterile, and fruitless, and is as it were a passive action, which acteth not, but only permits action: desire contrariwise is an active action, fruitful, fertile, which doth excite, invite and urge. Wherefore God, desirous that we should follow his signified will, doth solicit, exhort, incite, inspire, aid, and secure. But in permitting us to resist, he doth nothing but simply leave us to our own wills, according to our free election, contrary to his desire and intention. And yet this desire is a true desire: for how can one more truly express the desire he hath to give his friend a hearty welcome, then to provide for his sake a good and excellent banquet, as did the king in the Evangelicall Parable; and then to invite, urge, and in a manner to compel him by prayers, exhortations, pursuits, to come, sit down at the table, and eat. Verily he that should by force of arms open his friend's mouth, crame meat into his throat, and make him swallow it, should not bestow a friendly entertainment upon his friend, but should use him like a beast, and a crammed Capon. This kind of favour, would be offered by way of invitation, remonstrance, and solicitation, not violently and forcibly thrust upon a man; and thence it is practised by way of desire, not of absolute will. Now it goes after the same manner in the signified will of God: for in it, God doth desire with a true desire, that we should do that which he declares; and to this effect he doth provide us of all things necessary, exhorting and urging us to make use of them. In this kind of favour, one could desire no more: and as the sunbeams remain Sunnne-beames notwithstanding that they are rejected, and repulsed by some obstacle; so God's signified will remains the true will of God, though it be resisted; true it is, it hath not the effects which it would have, being seconded.  
4. The conformity then of our heart to the signified will of God, consisteth in this, that we should will that which the divine goodness doth signify unto us to be his intention believing according to his doctrine, hoping according to his promises, fearing according to his threats, loving and living according to his ordinances, and advertissements, to which all the protestations which we make thereof in the holy Ceremonies of the Church do tend. Hence we stand while the Gospel is red, as being ready to obey the holy signification of Gods will contained therein. Hence we kiss the book at the Gospel's side, in adoration of the sacred word which doth declare his heavenly will. Hence many Saints men and women carried in the old time in their bosoms the Gospel written, as an Ephitheme of Love as it is reported of S. CICILE. And indeed S. MATHEWES Gospel was found upon S. BARNABIES' breast written with his own hand. Whereupon in the ancient Counsels in the midst of the assembly of Bishops, they erected a Throne, and put upon it the Book of the holy Gospels, which represented the person of our Saviour, king, Doctor, Director, Spirit of all the Counsels, and of the whole Church, so much did they reverence the signification of God's will, expressed in this holy book. Certes that great Mirror of Pastors S. CHARLES, Archbishop of Milau never studied the holy Scripture, but bare head and upon his knees, to testify with what respect we are to read and hear the signified will of God.   

Of the Conformity of our will to the will which God hath to save us. CHAPTER. iv  
1. GOd hath signified unto us so diversely, and by so divers means, that his will was that we should all be saved, that none can be ignorant of it; to this purpose he made us to his own Image by Creation, and himself to our Image and likeness by his Incarnation; after which he suffered death to ransom and save all mankind, which he performed with so much love, that as the great S. DENIS Apostle of France racounteth, he said upon a day to the holy man Carpus, that he was ready to suffer an other passion to save mankind, and that this would be pleasant unto him, if it could be done without any man's offence.  
2. And although all are not saved, yet is this will the tru● will of God, who doth work in us according to the condition of our and his nature. For his Bounty moves him liberally to communicate ●nto ●● the succours of his grace, to bring us to the felicity of his glory: but our nature req●●● that his liberality should leave us in liberty to make use of it to our salvation, or to neglect it to o●r damnation.  
3. I have demanded one thing said the Prophet, and it is that which I will demand for ever, that I may see the delights of our Lord, and visit his temple. But what are the delights of the sovereign Goodness, but to pour out and communicate its perfections? Verily his delights are to be with the children of men to shower his grace upon them. Nothing is so agreeable and delightful to free Agents, as to do their own will. Our Sanctification is the will of God, and our Salvation 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 advantage man, is called good, because it is amiable, propitious, favourable, agreeable, delicious; and as the Grecians after S. PAUL said, it is a true PHILANTROPIE, that is, a benevolence, or a will entirely affectionate to men.  
4. All the celestial Temple of the Triumphant and Militant Church doth resound on every side the delicious Canticles of God's love towards us. And the Sacred body of our Saviour, as the most holy Temple of his Divinity, is wholly adorned with marks and tokens of this Benevolence; so that in visiting the Divine Temple, we behold the lovely delights which he takes to do us favours.  
5. Let us then a thousand times a day behold this loving will of God, and grounding ours therein, let's devotely crie-out. O Bounty infinitely sweet, how amiable is thy will! How desirable thy favours! Thou created us for an eternal life, and thy motherly breast swollen in the sacred dugs of an incomparable love, abounds in the milk of mercy, whether it be to pardon sinners, or perfect the Iust. Ah why do not we then glue our wills to thine, as a child is locked to the nible of his mother's dug, to luck the milk of thy eternal benedictions.  
6. TH●O: we are to will our Salvation, 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 only, but in effect enables us with all necessary means to attain it: we then, in sequel of the desire we have to be saved, must not only desire, but in effect accept all the graces, which he hath provided for us, and presents unto us. It is sufficient to say I desire to be saved, yet it is not sufficient to say, I desire to embrace the means convenient to the attaining of salvation, but we must with an absolute resolution desire and embrace the grace which God bestows upon us: for our will must necessarily corresponde to God's. And whereas Gods will gives us the means to save ourselves, we ought to receive them; as we ought to desire salvation, in such sort, as God desires it, and us.  
7. But it falls often out that the means to come to Salvation considered in gross, and in general, are according to our hearts liking, but considered by piecemeal, and in particular, they are dreadful to us: for have we not seen the poor S. Peter, prepared to undergo all kind of torments in general, yea death itself to follow his Master, and yet when it came to the deed doing, and performance, wax pale, tremble, and at the word of a simple maid, deny his Master? Every one deems himself able to drink our Saviour's CHALICE with him, but when indeed it is presented unto us, we fly, and forsake all. Things proposed in particular, make a more strong impression, and more sensibly wound in the Imagination. And for this reason we gave advice in the INTRODUCTION, that after general affections, one should descend to particular ones, in holy Meditation. David accepted particular afflictions as an advancement 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 learn thy iustifications. So also did the Apostles rejoice in their tribulations, in that they were held worthy to endure ignominy for their Saviour's name.   

Of the conformity of our will to Gods will, signified in his Commandments. CHAPTER. V  
1. THe desire which God hath to make us observe his Commandments is extreme, as the whole Scripture doth witness: and how could he better express it, then by the great reward which he proposeth to the observers of his law, together with the wonderful punishments which he doth minace to such as shall violate the same? This made David cry out, o Lord, thou hast very much commanded thy Commandments to be kept.  
2. Now LOVE OF COMPLACENCE beholding this Divine desire, desires to please God in observing it: The LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE, which submits all to God, doth also submit our desires and wills to this, which God hath signified unto us; whence doth spring, not only the observance but even the Love of the Commandments which David doth extol in the 118. Psalm. in an extraordinary strain, which he seems only to have done upon this occasion. 
O how thy holy law to me is dear,  
It daily themes my pen, and thoughts doth hold!  
And how o Lord thy Testimonies bear  
Away my heart, as Topase set in gold!  
If honey be compared to thy sweet WORD,  
Honey turns gale, and doth no sweets afford.  But to stir up in us the Love of the Commandments, we must contemplate their admirable beauty: For as there are works which are bad, because they are prohibited; and others prohibited because they are bad: so there are some that are good, because they are commanded; and orthers; are commanded because they are Good, and most profitable: so that all of them are exceeding good and amiable, the commandment enriching with goodness, such as were not otherwise good, and giving an excess of goodness to such as in themselves were good without being commanded. We do not receive even that which is good in good part, being presented by an enemy's hand. The Lacedæmonians would not follow a  and wholesome advice coming from a wicked person, till it were advised them again by a good man. Contrariwise, a friends present is always grateful. The sweetest Commandments become bitter, when they are imposed by a tyrannical and cruel heart which turns again to be most amiable, being ordained by Love.. jacob's service seemed a Royalty unto him, because it proceeded from Love.. O how sweet, and how much to be desired is the yoke of the heavenly Law, established by so amiable a king?  
3. diverse keep the commandments, as sick men take down potions, more through fear to die damned, than pleasure to live according to our Saviour's liking. But as some persons, have an adversion from physic, be it never so agreeable, only because it bears the name of physic, so there are some souls, that abhor things commanded, only because they are commanded. And there was a certain man found, who having lived in the great town of Paris for the space of fourscore years, without ever going out of it, as soon as it was enjoined him by the king that he should remain there the rest of his days, he went abroad to see the fields, which in his whole life time before he never desired.  
4. On the other side, the loving heart Love's the commandments, and by how much more hard they are, by so much they are more agreeable because they do more perfectly please the Beloved, and are more honourable unto him. It sends out and sings hymns of joy, when God doth teach it, his Commandments and iustifications. And as the Pilgrim who merrily sings on his way, adds the pain of singing to that of going, and yet doth indeed by this surplus of pain unwearie himself, and lighten the difficulty of the way; Even so the sacred Lover finds such content in the Commandments, that nothing doth so much ease and refresh him, as the gracious load of God's Commandments. whereupon the holy Psalmist cries out. O Lord thy iustifications or Commandments, are delicious songs to me in this place of my pilgrimage. They say that Mules and horses being loaden with figs, do presently fall under their burden, and lose their strength: More sweet them the fig is the law of our Lord: but brutal man, who is become as a horse or Mule without understanding, looseth courage, and finds not strength to bear this amiable burden. But as a branch of AGNUS CAS●VS doth keep the Traveller that bears it about him from being weary, so the Cross, Mortification, the yoke, the Law of our Saviour who is the true CHASTE LAMB, is a burden, which doth unwearie, refresh and recreate the hearts that Love his divine Majesty. There is no pain in the thing beloved, or if there be any, it is a beloved pain. Pain mixed with love, hath a certain tart-sweetenesse, more pleasant to the palate, than a thing purely sweet  
5. Thus then doth heavenly Love conform us to the will of God, and makes us carefully observe his commandments, as being the absolute desire of his divine Majesty, whom we desire to please. So that this complacence with its sweet and amiable violence, doth forerun the necessity of obeying that which the law doth impose upon us, converting the necessity into dilection, and the whole difficulty into delight.   

Of the conformity of our will to Gods, signified unto us by his Counsels. CHAPTER. VI  
1. A Commandment doth argue a most entire and absolute will in him that gives it. But Counsel doth only signify a WILL OF DESIRE: A Commandment doth oblige us; Counsel only incits us: A Commandment makes the Transgressors thereof culpable; Counsel makes only such as follow it not, less laudable. Those that violate Commandments deserve Damnation; those that neglect Counsels deserve only to be-lesse glorified. There is a difference betwixt commanding, and commending unto one's care; in commanding we use authority to oblige, but in commending unto one's care, we use courtesy to egg and incite. A Commandment doth impose necessity, Counsel and recommendation incits us to that which is more profitable. Obedience corresponds to Commandments, belief to Counsels. We follow Counsel with intention to please, and Commandments lest we might displease. And thence it is, that the LOVE OF COMPLACENCE which doth oblige us to please the beloved, doth by consequence urge us to follow his Counsels: and the LOVE OF BENEVOLENCE, which desires that all wills and affections should be subjected unto him, procurs that we do not only will that which he ordains, but also that which he counsels, and to which he doth exhort: like as the Love and respect which a good child bears unto his Father, makes him resolve to live not only according to the Commandments which he doth impose, but even according to the desires and inclinations which he doth manifest.  
2. Counsel is given in favour of him to whom it is given, to th'end he might become perfect: If thou wilt be perfect, said our Saviour, go, sell all that thou hast, give it to the poor, and follow me.  
3. But a loving heart doth not receive Counsel for his own profit, but to be conformed to his desire, who gives him Counsel and render him homage to his will: and therefore he receives not Counsels, but in such sort as God desires, nor doth God desire that every one should observe all Counsels, but such only as are convenient, according to the diversity of persons, times, occasions, strength, as charity requires: for she it is, that, as Queen of all virtues, of all the Commandments, of all the Counsels, and to be short of all laws, and all Christian works, doth give them all, their rank, order, time, and worth.  
4. If thy assistance be truly necessary to thy Father or mother to be able to live, it is no time then to practise the Counsel of betaking thyself into a Monastery: for Charity doth ordain, that thou go actually to put in execution the Commandment of honouring, serving, aiding and succouring thy Father, and Mother. Thou art a Prince, by whose posterity the Subjects to thy crown, are to be conserved in peace, and assured against tyranny, sedition, civil wars; and therefore the occasion of so great a good, doth oblige thee to beget lawful successors in a holy Marriage. It is either not to lose Chastity, or at least, to lose it chastely, while for love of Charity, it is sacrificed to the public good. Art thou weak and wavering in thy health, and doth it exact great maintenance? do not then voluntarily undertake actual poverty, for thou art prohibited by Charity. Charity doth not only forbidden householders' to sell and give it to the poor, but doth even command them, honestly to gather together that which is requisite for the education, and sustentation of their wife, children and servants: as also kings and Princes to lay up treasures, which being kept together by a laudable frugality, not gotten by tyrannical trikes, do serve for wholesome preservatives against the visible enemy. Doth not S. Paul Counsel such as are married, that the time of Prayer being ended, they should repair to the well ordered course of their household affairs?  
5. All the Counsels are given to perfect christian people, but not to perfect every christian in particular. There are circumstances which makes them so times unprofitable, sometimes perilous, impossible, sometimes hurtful to some men, which is one of the reasons, why our Saviour said of one of the Counsels, which he would have to be understood of them all. He that can take, let him take, as though he had said, according to S. hierom's expositions, he that can win and bear away the honour of chastity as a prize of reputation, let him take it, for it is exposed to such as shall runne valiantly. Every one then, cannot; that is, it is not expedient for every one, to observe all the Counsels which as they are granted in favour of Charity, so is she the rule and measure by which they are executed.  
6. Hence it is that upon Charity's order, Monks and Religious are drawn out of their Cloisters, to be made Cardinals, Prelates, Curates yea sometimes they are even joined in matrimony for a kingdoms repose, as I have already said. And if Charity make those leave their Cloister, that had tied themselves thereto by solemn vow, by better reason and upon less occasion, one may by the authority of the same Charity, counsel many to live at home, to keep their means, to marry, yea to turn soldiers and go to wars, which is so perilous a profession.  
7. Now when Charity incites one to poverty, and recals another; when she stirs up one to marriage and others to continency; when she shuts one up in a Cloister, and makes another quit it, she is not liable to give any man an account of her deed: for she hath fullness of power in Christian laws, as it is written. Charity can do all things; she hath a complete prudence, according to that: Charity doth nothing in vain. Yet if any will contest, and demand a reason of her fact, she will boldly make answer. That it is needful for her lord: All is made for Charity, and Charity for God. All must serve her, and she none: no she serves not her well-beloved, whose servant she is not, but his spouse, whom she doth not serve, but Love, for which cause, we are to take her order, how to exercise Counsels: for to some she will appoint Chastity, without poverty; to others obedience and not chastity; too others fasting but not Alms deeds; too others Alms deeds, and not fasting; to others sollitarinesse, not the charge of a Pastor; to others conversation and not sollitarinesse. In fine she is a sacred water, by which the garden of the Church is fertilized; and though she have but one colour, without colour, yet the flowers which she makes spring have every one their different colour. She makes the Martyr's redder than the Rose; virgins whiter than the Lily; some she dies with the fine violet of mortification; others with the yellow of marriage-care, employing diversely the Counsels, for the perfections of such souls as are so fortunate as to live under her conduct.   

That Gods will signified in the commandments, doth move us forwards to the love of Counsels. CHAPTER. VII.  
1. O THEO: how amiable is this Divine will! o how amiable and desirable it is! o Law wholly of Love, and for Love! The Hebrews by the word peace understand the collection and perfection of all good things, that is, Felicity: and the Psalmist cries out, that a plentiful PEACE doth abound in those that love the law of God, and that they stumble not; as though he would say, o Lord what delights are in the Love of thy Commandments! the heart that is possessed with the Love of thy law is possessed of all delicious sweetness. Certes the great king, whose heart was made according to the heart of God, did so inly taste the perfect excellency of the Divine Decrees, that he seems to be a Lover caught with the beauty of this Law, as with the chaste Spouse and Queen of his heart, as appears by his continual praises thereof.  
6. When the heavenly Spouse would express the infinite sweetness of her divine Spouses perfums: thy name, sayeth she unto him, is an ointment poured forth, as though she said, thou art so excellently well perfumed, that thou seemest to be all perfume, and that thou art more fitly termed oil and perfume, than anointed and perfumed. So the Soul that loveth God, is so transformed into the Divine will, that it merits rather to be called Gods will, then obedient and subject to his will: whence God sayeth by isaiah, that he will call the Christian Church by a new name, which the mouth of our Lord will pronounce, imprint, and engrave in the hearts of his faithful; and then, explicating this name, he sayeth, it shall be, MY WILL SHALL BE IN IT; as though he had said, that such as are not Christians every one hath his own will, in the midst of his heart, but every one of our Saviour's true children, shall forsake his own will, and shall have only one Mistress, regent and universal will, which shall quicken, govern and direct all souls, hearts and wills: and the name of honour amongst christians, shall be no other; but THE WILL OF GOD IN THEM, a will which will rule over all wills, and transform them all into herself: so that the will of Christians, and the will of Christ, are but one only will; which was perfectly verified in the primitive Church, when, as sayeth the glorious S. Luke, in the multitude of the faithful, there was but one heart, and one soul: for he means not there to speak of the heart that animats our body, nor of the soul which doth animate the heart with a humane life: but he speaks of the heart which gives our souls a heavenly life, and of the soul that animats our hearts with a supernatural life; the singular hearts and souls of true Christians, which are no other thing then the will of God. Life, sayeth the Psalmist, is in the will of God, not only for that our temporal life depends of the divine pleasure, but because our spiritual life, is placed in the observance thereof, whereby God life's and reigns in us, making us live and subsist in him. Contrariwise the wicked, from ages, that is, always, have broken the yoke of the Law of God, and have said I will not obey, whereupon God sayeth, that from their mother's womb, he named them Transgressors and Rebels: and speaking to the king of Tyria, he doth reproach him, that he had placed his heart as the heart of God: for a revoulting spirit, will have his heart to be its own Master, and his own will to be Sovereign, as the will of God. He will not have the Divine will to reign over his, but will be absolute and without control. O eternal God do never permit that! But effect that not my will, but thine be done. Alas we are in this world not to work our o●ne, but the will of the Bounty which put us there. It was written of thee o Saviour of my soul, that thou didst the will of thy eternal Father, and by thy soul her first humane act of willing at the instant of thy conception, thou didst lovingly embrace this law of the divine will, and placedst it in the midst of thy heart, there to reign and have dominion for ever. Ah who will bless my soul with the happiness to have no will but the will of God!  
7. Now when our Love is exceeding great towards God's will, we are not content to do the Divine will only which is signified unto us by the Commandments, but also we put ourselves under obedience to follow counsels, which are only given us, to the more perfect observing of the Commandments, to which they have a certain reference, as S. THOMAS sayeth excellently well. O how excellent is his observance of the prohibition of unjust pleasures, who at once, doth renounce the most just and legitimate delights! How fare is he from coveting another man's Goods who doth reject all riches, yea even such, as holily he might have conserved? How fare is he from preferring his will before Gods, who to perform the will of God, doth submit himself to the will of a man.  
8. David upon a day was in his Camp; and the Philistian Garrison in Bethleem: now he made a wish, saying, o that some would present me with a draught of water out of the Cistern which stads at Bethleens Port! And behold he had no sooner said the word, but three brave Cavaliers did set out, prepared themselues for the exploit, passed through the enemy's troops, went to the Cistern of Bethleem, drew water, and brought it to David; who seeing the hazard to which these gentlemen had exposed themselves to content his appetite, he would not drink that water purchased at the peril of their blood and life, but poured it out in sacrifice to the eternal God. Ah mark I beseech you THEO: the fervour of these Cavaliers to their Master's service and liking! They fled, and broke the ranks of their enemies with a thousand dangers of losing themselves, to comply with one only simple desire, which their king intimated unto them. Our Saviour when he was in this world, declared his will in diverse occurrences by way of Commandment; in others, he only signified it, by way of desire: for he did highly commend chastity, Poverty, Obedience and perfect resignation, the abnegation of ones own will, widdowhoode, fasting, ordinary Prayer; and what he sayeth of Chastity, that, he that could win the prize, should bear it away, he said sufficiently of all the other Counsels; At this desire of his, the most generous Christians, put themselves upon the Course▪ and maugre all opposition, restless lust and difficulties, they have arrived at holy perfection, submitting themselves under the strict observance of the king's desires, and by this means beareing away the crown of Glory.  
9 Verily, as witenesseth the Divine Psalmist, God doth not only hear the Prayers of his faithful, but even their very desire and the mere preparation of their hearts to pray; so favourable and forward he is to do the will of those that Love him. And why shall not we then by reciprocation be so jealous in the point of performing Gods holy will, that we should not only effect his Commands, but even that also which we know he liketh, and wisheth? Noble souls need no other spur to the undertaking of a design, then to know it is the desire of their Beloved. My soul, said one of them, dissolved when I heard my beloved speak.   

That the contempt of Evangelicall Counsels, is a great sin. CHAPTER. VIII.  
1. THe words in which our Saviour exhots to pretend and tend to perfection, are so forcible and pressing, that we cannot dissemble the obligation we have to engage ourselves in that design. Be holy, sayeth he, because I am holy. He that is holy let him be yet more sanctified; and he that is just, let him be yet more justified. Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. For this cause, the great S. BERNARD writing to the glorious S. GVARINE Abbot of Aux, whose life, and miracles have left so sweet an odour in this Diocese; the just man, quoth he, doth never say, enough; he doth still hunger and thirst after justice.  
2. Truly THEO: as for temporal goods, nothing doth suffice him who is not sufficed with that which is sufficient: for what can suffice a heart that holds not a sufficiency sufficient? but touching spiritual goods, he that is sufficed with that which doth suffice, hath not that which doth suffice, since a true sufficiency in divine things, consisteth partly in desire of abundance. God in the beginning commanded the earth to bring forth green herbs such as seedeth, and that every tree should bear fruit, having seed each one according to his kind.  
3. And do not we see by experience, that plants and fruits are not come to their full growth and maturity till they begin to seed and have Pipins, whence other trees and plants of the same kind do spring? Never do virtues come to their perfect stature and ability in us, till such time as they beget in us a desire of progress, which, as spiritual seed, serves to the production of new degrees of virtue. And me thinks the earth of our heart is commanded to bring forth the plants of virtue, which bear the fruits of good works every one in his kind, and which have the seeds of a desire and resolution to increase and advance in the way of perfection. And the virtue, that bears not the seed or Pippin of this desire, is not yet come to her growth and maturity. Thou wilt not then, sayeth S. BERNARD to the sluggard, a better thyself in perfection? No nor yet grow worse? nor yet that verily. Why then, dost thou desire neither to amend nor pair. Alas poor man thou wouldst be that, which thou canst not be. Even in the wide world there is nothing stable and constant, yet of man it is said more particularly, that he never remains in one estate. He must either go forward, or else he goes backward.  
4. Nor do I, more than S. BERNARD, affirm, that it is a sin not to practise the Counsels, no verily THEO: for it is the proper difference betwixt Commandments and Counsels, that Commandments do oblige us under pain of sin, Counsel doth only invite us without pain of sin. Yet do I boldly aver that to contemn the pretention of Christian perfection is a great sin, and yet greater to contemn the invitation by which our Saviour calls us to it, but it is an insupportable impiety to contemn the Counsels and means, which our Saviour marks us out to the attaining of it. It were an Heresy to say, that our Saviour had not given us good Counsel; and a blasphemy to say to God, withdraw thyself from us, we will not know thy ways. But it is a horrible irreverence done to him, that with so much love and delight did invite us to perfection, to say, I will not be holy, or perfect; nor will I any larger portion of thy Benevolence, nor will I follow the Counsels which thou givest me to fructify therein.  
5. We may indeed without offence, not follow the Counsels, for the affection we bear another way, as for example, it is lawful for a man, not to sell what he possesseth, nor give it to the poor, because he hath not the courage to make so entire a renunciation: It is also lawful to marry, because one love's a wife, or otherwise hath not strength of mind necessary to undertake the war which must be waged against the flesh. But to make profession that one will not follow the Counsels, nor any one of them, cannot be done without contempt of him that gives them. Not to follow the Counsel for that one hath an intention to marry, is not evil done, but so to marry as to prefer marriage before chastity, with heretics, is a great contempt either of the Counsellor, or of his Counsel. To drink wine, against the Doctor's advice when one is overcome with thirst, or with a desire to drink, is not properly to contemn the Doctor nor his advice: but to say I will not follow the Doctor's advice, must necessarily proceed from some bad opinion one harbours of him. Now as concerning men, one may often contemn their Counsel without contemning them, because to esteem that a man doth err, is not to contemn him. But to reject and contemn God's Counsel, cannot spring but from a conceit we have, that he hath not Counselled us well, which cannot be thought but by a Spirit of Blasphemy, as though God were not wise enough, to know, or good enough to will to give good advice. We may say the same of the Counsels of the Church, which by reason of the continual assistance of the holy ghost, which doth instruct and conduct her in all truth, can never give evil advice.   

A continuation of the precedent discourse: how every one ought to love, though not to practise the Evangelicall Counsels, and yet how every one is to practise what he is able. CHAPTER. IX.  
1. Although all the Evangelicall Counsels cannot, nor ought not to be practised by every Christian in particular; yet is every one obliged to love them all, they being all very good. If you have the Megrim, and the smell of muke do anoie you, will you therefore disavow that this smell is good and delightsome? If a Robe of gold be not fit for you, will you thence say, that it is worth nothing? or will you throw a ring into the ●urt, because it fits not your finger? Praise, therefore THEOT: and dear affect all the Counsels, that God hath given unto men. O blessed be the Angel of the high Counsel for ever, together with the Coun●ell he gives, and exhortations he makes to man! The heart is cheered up with ointments and good smells, sayeth Solomon: and by the good Counsel of a friend, the soul is calmed. But of what friend, and of what Counsels do we speak? o God, it is of the friend of friends: and his Counsels are more delightful than honey. Our friend is our Saviour, his Counsels are to save us.  
2. Let us rejoice, THEO: when we see others undertake the Counsels, which either we cannot, or ought not to observe: Let's pray for them, bless, favour, and assist them. For Charity doth oblige us not only to love our own good, but that also, which is good for our neighbour.  
3. We may sufficiently testify our love to all the Counsels, if we devotely observe such as are suitable to our calling, for even as he that believes an Article of Faith, before God revealed it in his word, published and declared it by the Church, cannot misbeleeve the others: and he that observes one Commandment, for the pure Love of God, is ready to observe the others, when occasion shall be offered. So he that doth love and prise one Evangelicall Counsel, because it came from God, he cannot but love all the others consequently, being they are also from God. Now we may with ease practise many of them, though not all of them together; for God delivered many, to the end every one might observe some of them: nor doth there pass a day, wherein we have not some occasion thereof.  
4. Doth Charity require, that to assist thy Father or mother, thou shouldst live with them? conserve notwithstanding a love and affection to your recollection, let your heart live at your Father's house, so fare forth as is requisite, to acquit yourself of that which Charity doth order. Is it not expedient, your quality considered, that you should conserve perfect chastity? keep it at least in such sort as you may, without violating charity. Who cannot do all, at least let him do a part: you are not obliged to look after him that hath offended you; for it is his part to come to himself and to you to give you satisfaction, since he began the injury and outrage: yet go, THEO: follow our Saviour's Counsel, prevent him in good, render him good for evil, cast upon his head and heart burning coals, proofs of Charity, that may wholly burn him, and force him to a reconciliation. You are not bound by rigour of law, to give alms to all the poor you meet, but only to such as are in extremity. Yet following our Saviour's Counsel, cease not to give to every poor body that you light on, having still a respect to your own condition, and to the true exigent of your affairs. You have no obligation to make any vow at all; yet boldly make some, such as shall be judged fit by your Ghostly Father for your advancement in Divine Love.. You have free liberty to use wine within the terms of decency; yet following S. PAUL'S Counsel to Timothy, take only so much; as is requisite to comfort your stomach  
5. In Counsels there are diverse degrees of perfections; To lend to such poor people as are not in extreme want, is the first degree of the Counsel of Almsdeeds, to give them some what, is a higher; a higher yet to give them all: but the highest of all to dedicate ones own person to their service. Hospitality out of the terms of extreme necessity is a Counsel. To entertain strangers, is the first degree of it; but to stand in common passages with Abraham, to invite them, is a degree higher; and yet higher than that, to seat oneself in a place of danger to harbour, aid and waire upon passengers. Herein the great S. BERNARD of Menthon borne in this diocese did excel, who being extracted from a noble house, did for diverse years inhabit the shelves and topes of our Alpes, established there a company to serve, lodge, assist and preserve pilgrims and passengers from the danger of tempests, who might often perish amidst the storms, snow, and thunder-clapes, were it not for the Hospitals which this great friend of God erected and founded upon two mountains, which taking their names from him, are called, GREAT S. BERNARD, in the Bishopric of Zion, and LITTLE S. BERNARD, in the Bishoptike of Tharentise. To visit the sick, which are not in extreme necessity, is a laudable Charity, to serve them, is yet better: but to consecrate a man's self to their service, is the excellency of that Counsel, which the Clarks of the visitation of the sick do exercise by their proper institute, and many Ladies in diverse places, imitating the great S. SANSON, a gentleman and Physician of Rome, who at Constantinople, where he was made Priest, with a wonderful charity devoted himself to the service of the sick in a hospital which he began, and which the Emperor justinian did raise and accomplish, by the imitation of S. CATHARINE of Sienna, and Genua, of S. ELIZABETH of Hungary, and of the glorious friends of God S. FRANCIS, and the B. IGNATIUS of Loyola, who in the beginning of their Orders, performed this exercise, with an incomparable spiritual fervour and profit.  
6. Virtue's have then a certain extent of perfection, and commonly we are not obliged to practise them in the height of their excellency. It is sufficient to go so fare in the practice of them, that we do indeed practise them▪ But to make a further passage, and gain ground in perfection, is a Counsel, the acts of heroical virtues not being ordinarily commanded, but counselled only. And if upon some occasion we find ourselves obliged to exercise them, it is by reason of some rare and extraordinary exigent, which makes them necessary to the conservation of God's grace. The happy Porter of the Prison of Sebastia, seeing one of the forty which were then martyred, lose courage and the crown of Martyrdom, took his place, without being pursued, and made the 40. of those glorious and Triumphant Soldiers of Christ. S. ADAUCTUS seeing S. FELIX led to Martyrdom, and I, quoth he, (none at all urging him) I am also a Christian as well as he whom you have in your hands, and worship the same Saviour; and with that kissing S. FELIX he marched with him to martyrdom, and was beheaded. Thousands of the ancient Martyrs did the like; and having it equally in their power to avoid or undergo martyrdom without offence they choosed rather generously to undergo it, then lawfully to avoid it. In these, Martyrdom was an heroical act of force and constancy, given them by a holy excess of Love.. But when it is necessary to endure Martyrdom or to renounce Faith, Martyrdom it doth not cease to be Martyrdom, and an excellent act of love and valour: yet do I scarcely think it is to be termed an heroical act, not being elected by any excess of Love, but by force of the law, which in that case commands it. Now in the practice of heroical acts of virtue, is placed the perfect Imitation of our Saviour, who as the great S. THOMAS sayeth, had all the virtues in an heroical manner, from the first instant of his conception, yea I would willingly add more than heroical, since he was not simply more than man, but infinitely more than man, that is, true God.   

How we are to conform ourselves to Gods will signified unto us by inspirations: and first of the truth of the means by which God enspires us. CHAPTER. X.  
1. THe sunbeams in lightning do heat, and in heating do lighten. Inspiration is a heavenly ray, which brings into our hearts a burning light, by which at once we do both see good, and are inflamed with a desire to pursue it. Every thing that life's upon the face of the earth, is benumbed with winter's cold; but upon the return of the spring-time withal heat, they return to their wont motion. Beasts of the earth runne more swiftly; birds fly more quickly, and chant more merrily; and plants do put out their leaves and fruit more pleasantly. Without inspirations our souls would lead an idle, blasted and fruitless life, but at the arrival of the Divine rays of inspirations, we perceive a light mixed with a quickening heat, which doth illuminate our understanding, excitate and animate our will, enabling her with strength to will and effect the good appertaining to eternal health. God having form man's body of the slime of the earth, as Moses sayeth, he breathed into his face the breath of life, and man became a living soul, that is, he became a soul that gave life, motion and operation to the body. And the same eternal God, doth breath and blow into our souls the inspirations of a supernatural life, to the end that, as sayeth the great Apostle, they might become quickening Spirits, that is, Spirits that make us live, move, feel and work the works of grace; so that he who gave us being, gives us also operation. Man's breath doth warm the things it enters into, witness the Sunamits' child, to whose mouth the Prophet Eliseus having laid his, and breathed upon him, his flesh waxed hot; and it is a Maxim of experience. But touching the breath of God, it doth not only heat, but also give a perfect light, his Spirit being an infinite light, whose vital breath is called Inspiration, for so much as by it the Divine Goodness doth breath upon us, and inspire us with the desires and intentions of his own heart.  
2. Now God doth inspire us by infinite means, S. ANTONY, S. FRANCIS, S. ANSELME, and a thousand others, had frequent inspirations by the sight of crearurs: preaching is the ordinary means: but sometimes, such as the word profits not, are taught by tribulation, according to the Prophet: vexation shall give understanding in the Hearing, that is, such as by hearing the heavily menaces against the wicked, do not amend, shall be taught the truth by the events and effects, and by the gripe of affliction become wise. S. MARRY Egip: was inspired by the sight of our Lady's picture; S. ANTONY by hearing the Gospel, which is red at Mass; S. AUGUSTINE, upon the relation of S. ANTONY'S life; The Duke of Gandie by looking upon the dead Empress; S. PACOMIUS by an Example of Charity; The B. Ignatius Loyola in reading the Saints lives; S. CYPRIAN (not the great Bishope of Carthage, but a layman, yet a glorious Martyr) was touched in hearing the devil confess his own impotency over such as are confident in God. When I was a young youth at Paris, two scholars whereof the one was Turrian Heretic, deboistly passing the night in the Suburbs of S. james, heard the Carthusians ring to Matins, and the Heretic ask the other why they rung, he related unto him with what devotion they celebrated the Divine office in that holy Monasterie· o God, quoth he, how different is the practice of those Religious from ours! They perform the office of Angels, and we that of brute beasts: and desiring the day after to see, that which by his companions relation he had learned, he found the good Fathers on their forms as a company of marble statues, ranged a long the wall in their hollow seats, immoveable to all action, but singing of Psalms, which they performed with a truly angelical attention and devotion, according to the custom of this holy Order; So that this poor youth wholly ravished with admiration was taken with the exceeding consolation which he took to see God so well worshipped amongst Catholics, and resolved, which afterward he fulfilled, to put himself into the Church her bosom, his true and only Spouse, who had visited him in his inspiration, while he was laid on the infamous bed of abomination.  
3. O how happy are they that keep their hearts open to holy inspirations, which are never awanting to any, so fare forth as they are necessary to live well and devotely, according to each one's condition of life, and holily to comply with the duties of their profession: for as God by nature doth furnish every beast with the instincts which are necessary to their conservation, and to the exercise of their natural qualities; so if we resist not God's grace, he bestows on every one of us inspirations necessary for our life, operation and spiritual conservation. O Lord, said the faithful Eliezer, here I stand at this fountain, and the daughters of the inhabitants of this City will come forth to draw water: the young girl then to whom I shall say, let down thy pitcher that I may drink, and who shall answer, Drink, yea and I will also give to thy Camels; she it is whom thou hast prepared for thy servant Isaac. THEO: Eliezer gives her only to understand that he himself would drink: but the fair Rebecca obeying the inspiration which God of his clemency bestowed upon her, doth offer withal to water his Camels. Hence she became holy Isaac's wife, daughter-in-law to the great Abraham, and grandmother to our Saviour. Certes the souls which are not contented with effecting that which the heavenly Spouse requires at their hands by his Commandments and Counsels, but do also promptly comply with sacred inspirations, are those, whom the Eternal Father hath provided for Spouses to his well-beloved Son. And concerning the good Eliezer, having no other grounds to discern her amongst the daughters of Haran, a town of Nachor, who was defined for his Master's son, God reveals it unto him by inspiration. When we are at a nonplus, and humane helps do fail us in our perplexities, God doth then inspire us, nor will he permit that we should err, while we humbly obey: I will say no more of these necessary inspirations, having often already spoken of them in this work, as also in the Introduction.   

Of the union of our will to Gods in the inspirations which are given for the extraordinary practice of virtues; and of perseverance in ones vocation, the first mark of the inspiration. CHAPTER. XI.  
1. THere are certain Inspirations which tend only to an extraordinary perfection of the ordinary exercises of Christian life. Charity towards poor infirm people is an ordinary exercise with true Christians, yet an ordinary exercise which was practised by S. FRANCIS with an extraordinary perfection, as also by S. Catharine, of Sienna, when she licked and sucked the ulcers of the Leprous and Cankered; and by the glorious S. LEWES when barehead and upon his knees, he served the sick, whereat an Abbot of Cisteau loosed himself in admiration, seeing him in this posture, handle and dress the running and cankered wounds of a miserable wretch: as it was also a very extraordinary exercise, that the holy Monarch should serve the most abject and vile poor people at table, and eat their leave. S. HIEROME, entertaining in his Hospital at Bethleem the Pilgrims of Europe, who fled the persecution of the Goths, did not only wash their feet, but descended even so low as to wash and rub their Camels legs, imitating Rebecca whom we lately mentioned, who did not only draw water for Eliezer, but for his Camels also. S. FRANCIS did not only practise poverrie in an extremity, as is known to all, but even exercised simplicity in the like measure. He redeemed a lamb fearing it should be put to slaughter, because it represented our Saviour: he bore a respect almost to all Creatures, in respect of their Creator, by an unaccustomed, yet most prudent simplicity. Now and then he would busy himself to withdraw worms out of the way, lest some in passing, should trample them under their feet, remembering that our Saviour had compared himself to the worm. He called the Creatures his brothers and sisters, by a certain admirable consideration, which love suggested unto him. S. ALEXIS, a gentleman of a noble descent, practised in an excellent manner the abjection of himself, living unkowen for the space of 17. years, in his Father's house at Rome, in the nature of a poor pilgrim. All these inspirations were for ordinary exercise, which notwithstanding were practised with extraordinary perfection. In this kind of inspiration, we are to observe the rules which I gave for desires, in the Introduction. We must not strive to practise many exercises at once, and upon a sudden: for it is often a trick of the enemy, to move us to undertake and begin many desines, to th'end that overwhelmed with the multiplicity of business, we might accomplish nothing, but leave all unfinished: yea sometimes he doth suggest unto us a desire, to undertake to begin some excellent work, which he foresees we will not accomplish, to deturne us from prosecuting a work less excellent, which we had easily performed; for he cares not how many purposes and onsets be made, so that nothing be effected. He will not hinder the mystical women, that is the Christian souls, to bring forth man-children, no more than Pharaoh did, provided that their growth be prevented by slaughter. Contrariwise, sayeth the great S. Hierome, amongst Christians we do not so much note the beginning as the end. One must not eat so much, that he cannot digest it. The Spirit of guile stays us in the beginnings, and makes us content with the flourishing spring-time; but the Divine Spirit never moves us to reflect upon our beginnings, save to attain the end; never to make use of the flowers of the spring, but with intention, to enjoy the ripe fruits of the Summer, and Autumn.  
2. The great S. THOMAS is of opinion, that it is not expedient, to make many consultations and long deliberations touching the desire one feels in himself to enter into a good and well ordered Religion and not without reason: For Religion being counselled by our Saviour in the Gospel, what needs much consultation? It is sufficient to make one good one, with a few friends, who are prudent, and conversant in such a business, and such as may assist us to make a short and  resolution. But after we have once deliberated and resolved, as well in this matter, as in any other that appertains to God's service, we must be constant and unvariable, without permitting ourselves to be shaken by any apprehension of a greater good; for oftentimes, sayeth the glorious S. BERNARD the Devil makes us runne the riot, and to draw us from the effecting of one good, he proposeth unto us some other good, that seems better, which after we have set upon, to divert us from that again, he presents a third, being willing that we should often begin, so we never come to an end. Nay one is not even to go from one order to another without very weighty motifes, sayeth S. THOMAS, following the Abbot Nestorious, cited by Cassian.  
3. I will borrow a fine similitude of S. Anselme writing to Lanzon: As a plant often transplanted can never take root, nor consequently come to perfection, and tender the wished fruit; so the soul that doth transplant her heart from one desine to another, cannot profit, nor come to the true growth of her perfection; since perfection is not found in beginnings, but in accomplishments. Ezechiel's holy beasts went whither the over bearing-furie of their spirits carried them, nor did they in going look backward, but each of them went on out right before them: We are to go whither the inspiration moves us, not turning about, or returning back, but tending thither, whither God hath turned our face, without looking over our shoulder. He that is in a good way, let him work his salvation. It happens sometimes that we forsake the good, to seek the better, and that having forsaken th'one, we find not the other: Better is the possession of a small treasure already found, than the pretention of a fare greater, which is yet to be sought for. The inspiration is to be suspected, which moves us to quit a present good which we enjoy, to purchase a better we know not when. A young Portugaise, called Francis Bassus, was admirable, not only for Divine eloquence, but also for the practice of virtue under the discipline of S. PHILIPE NERIUS in the Congregation of the Oratory at Rome: Now, he persuaded himself that he was inspired to leave this holy Society, to put himself in a formal Order, which also he resolved upon; But the B. PHILIPE being present, while he was received into the order of S. DOMINIKE, he wept bitterly. Whereupon being demanded by Francis Marie Tauruse, who was afterwards Archbishop of Sienna and Cardinal, why he shed tears? I deplore, quoth he, the loss of so many virtues: and indeed this young man, who did so excel in wisdom and piety in the Congregation, after he was become a religious man, was so inconstant and fickle, that tossed with many desires of novelty and change, he gave afterwards great and grievous scandal.  
4. If the Fowler go strait to the Partridge nest, she will come before him and counterfeit her back to be broken, or that she is lame, and raising herself up as though she would take a great flight, she will tumble down of a sudden, with show that she is able to do no more, to th'end that the Fowler, being busied in looking after her, whom he thinks with ease to catch, may not light on her little ones in the nest, but as soon as he hath pursued her a while, and thinks he is upon the point of catching her, she escapes by flying away. So the enemy, seeing a man by God's inspiration undertake a profession and manner of life most proper for his advancements in heavenly Love, persuads him, to enter into some other way, more perfect in appearance; but having put him out of his first way, he makes him by little and little apprehend the second way impossible, proposing a third; that so keeping him occupied in the continual enquiry of diverse and new means of perfection, he may hinder him from making use of any, and consequently from attaining the end which he seeks for, which is perfection. Young hounds lose the sent at every double, and runne counter: but the old and well scented hounds never runnes counter, but keeps still the same sent they are upon. Let every one then, having once found out God's holy will touching his vocation, stick to it holily and lovingly, practising therein fitting exercises, according to the order of discretion, and with the Zeal of perfection.   

Of the union of Man's will to Gods in the inspirations, which are contrary to the ordinary Laws: and of the peace and tranquillity of heart, the second mark of Inspiration. CHAPTER. XII.  
1. THus than THEO: we are to behave ourselves in the inspirations, which are no otherwise extraordinary, then in that they do move us to practise ordinary Christian exercises, with an extraordinary fervour and perfection: but there are other inspirations called extraordinary, not only because they make the soul pass the bonds of an ordinary proceeding, but also move a man to actions contrary to the laws, rules and common customs of the most holy Church: and which therefore are more admirable than imitable. The holy Damsel called by the Historians Eusebia the strange, left Rome, her native soil, and putting herself in man's attire, with two girls more, took ship to go by Sea to Alexandria, and thence to the I'll of Co, where finding themselves sure, they put on again their woman's habit, and returning to Sea, they went to the town Mylasla in Car●●, whither the great S. PAUL, who had found her in Co, and had taken her under his spiritual protection, led her, and where afterwards, being made Bishop, he did so piously direct her, that she erected a Monastery, and dedicated it to serve the Church in quality of DIACONESSES, (as in those days they were named) with such fervour of Charity that in the end she died a Saint, and by a number of miracles which God did by her Relics and intercessions, was acknowledged for such. To put on an attire, proper to a diverse Sex, and in a disguised manner to expose one's self to a journey together with men, doth not only pass the extraordinary rules of Christian modesty, but is even contrary to them. A certain young man having given his mother a kick with his foot, touched with a lively repentance confessed it to S. ANTONY of Milan; who to imprint the horror of his sin more deeply in his heart, said unto him, amongst other things, my child, the foot which served for an instrument of wickedness, would deserve to be cut off for so great a trespass: which the youth took in so good earnest, that being returned home to his mother, transported with the feeling of contrition he cut of his foot: the Saints words had not had such force, according to their ordinary quality, unless God had added his inspiration thereunto; yea an inspiration so extraordinary, that it was esteemad rather a temptation, if the miracle of his reunited foot, caused by the Saint's benediction had not authorised it. S. PAUL the first Hermit, S. ANTONY, S. MARIE EGIPTIACA, did not inhabit the vast wilderness, where they were deprived of hearing Mass, communicating▪ and confessing, yea of all direction and assistance being young people, without a strong inspiration. The great simeon STYLITE led a life, that never mortal creature would have dreamt of, or have undertaken without an heavenly instinct and assistance: SAINT JOHN Bishop surnamed SILENTIARIUS forsaking his Bishopric without the knowledge of any of his Clergy, passed the rest of his days in the Monastery of Laura, nor was there after, any news heard of him. Was not this contrary to the rule of keeping a holy Residence? And the great S. PAULINE, who sold himself to ransom a poor widow's son, how could he do it following the ordinary laws, since he was not his own, but by his Episcopale consecration, belonged to the Church, and the Common? The Virgins and wives who being pursued for their beauty, with voluntary wounds disfigured their faces, that under the mask of an holy deformity, they might conserve their chastity, did they not, in appearance, prohibited things?  
2. Now the best mark of good inspirations in general, and particularly of extraordinary ones, is the peace and tranquillity of the heart that receives them: for though the holy Ghost be truly violent, yet is his violence sweet, delicate and peaceable; he comes as a blast of wind, and as an heavenly thunder-clape, but he doth not overthrew the Apostles, he troubles them not; the fear which they had in hearing the noise, was of no continuance, but was suddenly followed with a sweet assurance. So that this fire, seats itself upon each of them, where it gives and takes a sacred repose: and as our Saviour is called a peaceabl● o● gentle Solomon, so is his Spouse termed Sunamite, calm, and Daughter of Peace: and the voice, that is, the inspiration of God, doth not in any sort disquiet or trouble, but draws her so sweetly, that he makes her soul deliciously melt and run into him: My soul, quoth she, melted when my Beloved spoke; and though she be warlike and Martial, yet is she withal so peaceable, that in the discord of weapons and wars, she maintains the concord of an incomparable melody. What can you see, said she, in the Sunamite, but troops of armed men? Her armies consist of troops, that is, of concord's, and singers, and her troops are armed men, because the weapons of the Church, and of the devote soul, are no other thing than Prayers, Hymen's, Canticles, and Psalms. So that servants of God, which had the most high and sublime inspirations, were the most mild and peaceable that the world had. Abraham, Isaac, jacob, Moses are enstyled the most mild amongst men; David is famous for his mildness. Whereas Contrariwise the Evil Spirit is turbulent, rough, stirring: and those that follow hellish suggestions, apprehending them to be heavenly inspirations, are commonly easily known, being disquieted, heady, fierce, enterprisers and sticklers in affairs, who under the cloak of Zeal, do turn all topce-turnie, censure all the world, chide every one, find fault with all things; they are a people that will not be directed, by or condescend to any, they will bear with nothing, but exercise the passions of self-love under the title of Zeal of God's honour.   

The third Mark of the Inspiration, which is holy obedience to the Church and Superiors. CHAPTER. XIII.  
1. HOly humility is inseparably adjoined to the peace and sweetness of heart. But I do not term a complemental ranging of words, gestures, and kiss of the ground, obeissance▪ inclinations, humility, being done as it often falls out, without any inward sense of our own abjection, and of the just conceit we make of our neighbour: for these are but the vain amusements of a weak brain, and are rather to be termed fantomes of humility, than humility.  
2. I speak of a noble, real, pithy, and  humility, which makes us supple to correction, pliable and prompt to obedience. While the incomparable Simeon Stylite was yet a Novice at Toledo, he could not be stirred by his Superiors advice, who sought to reclaim him from the practice of so many strange austerities, by which he was inordinately cruel to himself, so that at length he was turned out of the Monastery upon it, as one that was incapable of the mortification of the mind, and too much addicted to that of the body: but being recalled again to the Monastery, and become more devote and prudent in spiritual life, his behaviour was quite other, as in the ensuing action he declared: for the Hermits which were dispersed in the neighbour Deserts of Antioch, having notice of the extraordinary life which he led upon the Pillar, in which he seemed to be either an earthly Angel or a neavenly man, they dispatched a Deputy, with order to speak unto him from them as followeth. Why dost thou, Simeon, leaving the high way of perfection, which so great and holy Forerunners have trodden, follow another, uncouth, and fare different from all that hath been seen or heard to this day? Simeon forsake the Pillar, and sort thyself with others, as well in their manner of life, a● in their method of serving God, used by our holy Ancestors. In case Simeon, yielding to their advice, and condescending to their pleasures, should show himself ready to descend, they had charged the Deputy, to leave him in his liberty to persever in his present manner of life, because his obedience, said those good Fathers, gave assurance, that he enterprised this kind of life, by the divine inspiration: But in case he should resist, and despising their exhortations he would follow his own will, they resolved to withdraw him thence by violence, and force him to forsake his Pillar. The Deputy being come to the Pillar, he had not so soon performed his Embassy, but the great Simeon without delay, without reserve, without reply at all, began to descend, with an obedience and humility worthy of his rare Sanctity. Which when the Deputy saw, stay said he, o Simeon, remain there, persever constantly, take courage, pursue thy enterprise valiantly; thy stay upon this pillar is from God.  
3. But mark, I pray you THEO: how these aunciant and holy Ancorets, in their general meeting, found no surer marks of an heavenly inspiration, in so extraordinary an occurrence, as was this holy Stylits' life, then to find him simple, sweet, and tractable, under the laws of holy obedience: and indeed God blessing the Submission of this great man, gave him the grace to persever thirty whole years upon the top of a Pillar 36. cubits high, having before passed 7. years upon others, of 6. 12, and 20. foot high, as also upon the sharp point of a rock, in a place called Mander. Thus this bird of Paradise, keeping above without touching the ground, was a a Spectacle of Love to the Angels, and of admiration to mortals: In obedience all is secure, out of it, all is doubtful.  
4. When God inspires a heart, he moves it first to obedience, but was there ever a more notable and sensible inspiration, then that which was given to the glorious S. Paul? and the principal piece of it was, that he should repair to the City, where he should receive from Ananias his mouth, what he was to do: This Ananias, a very famous man, was, as S. Dorothy sayeth, the Bishop of Damas. Whosoever sayeth that he is inspired, and yet refuseth to obey his Superiors, and follow their Counsel, is an Imposture. All the Prophets and Preachers that ever were inspired, did always love the Church, always adhered to her Doctrine, always were Proved by her, nor did they ever announce any thing so constantly as this truth, that the lips of the Priest, should conserve knowledge, and that from his mouth one was to demand the law; so that Extraordinary missions are diabolical illusions, not heavenly inspirations, unless they be acknowledged and approved by the Pastors, which are of the ordinary mission. For so Moses and the Prophets are reconciled, so SAINT FRANCIS, SAINT DOMINIKE, and the other Fathers of Religious Orders, were called to the succour of souls by an extraordinary inspiration: Marry, they did so much more humbly and cordially submit themselves to the Sacred Hierarchy of the Church. In fine the three most assured marks of lawful inspirations, are PERSEVERANCE, against inconstancy and lightness; PEACE and sweetness of heart, against unquietness and solicitude; HUMBLE OBEDIENCE against obstinacy and humourousnesse.  
5. And to conclude all that we have said touching the union of our will with God's will which is called signified; almost all the herbs which bear yellow flowers, yea Cicorie also which bears blue ones, do still turn towards the Sunne and go about with it, while the HELIOTROPIUM doth not only in its flowers, but even in its leaves also follow this great light; So all the Elect do turn the very flower of their heart, which is obedience to the commandments, towards the divine will; but souls taken with holy Love, do not only eye this divine Goodness by obedience to the Commandments, but even by the union of all their affections, following this heavenly sun in his Round, in all that he doth Command, Conunsell, and inspire, without reserve or exception at all: whence they may say with the holy Psalmist, Lord thou hast held my right hand, and in thy will thou hast conducted me, with increase of thy glory thou hast received me; as a beast I am become with thee, and I am always with thee; for as a well broken horse, is easily handled, fairly and duly brought into any posture by him that rides him; so the Loving soul is so pliable to Gods will, that he doth with her what he pleaseth.   

A short method to know Gods will. CHAPTER. XIV.  
1. SAINT BASILE sayeth, that Gods will is made clear unto us, by his ordinances or commandments, and that then there is no deliberation to be made: for we are simply to do that which is ordained. So that for all other things, we have freedom to choose, as we list, what likes us; though we are not to do all that is lawful, but that only which is expedient: and that finally to discern securely what is expedient, we are to follow our prudent Ghostly Father's advice.  
2. But THEOT: I am to premonish you of a troublesome temptation, which crosseth the way of such souls as are carried on with a great desire of doing that which is most according to Gods will. For the enemy at every turn of a hand, will put them to their wit's end, to discover whether they are rather to do this or that; for example, whether they should eat with their friend, or no; whether they should wear grey or black clothes whether they should fast Friday, or Saturday; whether they should recreate, or abstain from it, consuming therein much time; and while they are busy, and break their heads to discern the better, they idly spend the time, in which they might do many good offices, fare more to God's glory, than their descerning betwixt good and better, wherein they are musing.  
3. We use not to weigh every small piece of money, but such only as are of importance: Trading would be too troublesome, and would burn too much day, if we were to weigh pence, farthings, half farthings etc. Nor likewise are we to weigh, every petty action, to know whether it be of more value than others. Yea there is often times a kind of superstition in this precise inquisition: For to what end should a man make difficulty, whether it were better to hear mass in one Church then another, to spin then to sow, to give Alms to a man then to a woman? It is not good service done to a Master, to spend as much time to consider what is to be done as to do the things which is to be done. We are to proportion our attention to the consequence of the thing we are to undertake. It were a superfluous care, to use as long a deliberation about a journey of one day, as for one of 6. or 8. hundred miles.  
4. The choice of ones vocation, the proposition of a business of great consequence, a labour full of difficulty, or subject to great expenses: the change of ones place of abode, election of conversations, and the like, deserve a serious ponder ation which accords best with the will of God. But in little and daily exercises wherein the fault is nether of moment, or irreparable, what need is there to chant a QVANTA PATIMUR by engaging one's attention in importune consultations? To what end should I put myself upon the rack, to learn whether God would rather that I should say the rosary or our Lady's Office, since there can be no such difference betwixt them, that a GRAND-IURIE should be impanelled upon it? That I should rather go to visit the sick in the hospital, then to VESPERAS. That I should rather go to a Sermon, then to a Church where there are Indulgences; commonly there is no such remarkable thing in the one more than the other, that the matter requires any great deliberation: we must walk simply, not subtly in those occurrences, and as S. BASILE, freely do that which licks us best, without wearying out our wits, losing our time, and running hazard of disquiet, scruples, and superstition. Now my meaning is always, where there is no great disproportion betwixt the two works, and where there occurrs no circumstance more considerable in the one then th'other.  
5. And even in matters of moment we are to use a great humility, and not to think we can fish out Gods will by force of examination, and subtility of discourse; But having implored the light of the holy-Ghost, applied our consideration to the search of his good pleasure, taken our Directours counsel, and of two or three spiritual people more if they chanced to be there we must absolutely resolve and determine in the name of God, never after to call our choice in question, but devotely, peaceably and constantly to undergo and improve it. And albeit that the difficulties, temptations, and the diversity of events which cross the execution of our design, might make us doubt whether we had made a good choice; yet must we remain constant, not weighing all this. Yea we are to consider, that if we had made an other choice, we had peradventure been an hundred times worse; besides, that we wots not whether it be God's will that we should be exercised in consolation or desolation, in peace or in war. The resolution being once holily undertaken, we are never to doubt of the holiness of the execution; for unless it be our fault there can be none: to do otherwise is a notable mark of self-love, of childishness, or bransicknesse.   
The end of the eight book.   

THE NINGTH BOOK. OF LOVE OF SUBMISSION, WHEREBY OUR WILL IS UNITED to Gods.  

Of the union of our will, to the will of God, which is the WILL OF GOOD PLEASURE. CHAPTER. I.  
I NOthing excepting sin, is done but by the will of God, called an absolute will and of GOOD PLEASURE, which cannot be hindered by man, and which is not known, unto us but by the effects, yet being arrived, they make manifest that God willed and determined them.  
2. Let us consider in gross THEO: all that hath been, is, and shall be; and ravished with amazement, we shall be forced to cry out with the Psalmist: O Lord I will praise thee, because thou are abundantly magnified; thy works are wonderful, and my soul doth acknowledge them very much; thy knowledge is become admirable of me, it is made great, nor can I reach to it. And from thence we pass on to a most holy Complacence, rejoicing that God is so infinite in WISDOM, POWER, and GOODNESS, which are the three Divine Proprieties, whereof the world is but a small taste, or scantling.  
3. Let us behold men and Angels, and all the variety of nature, qualities, conditions, faculties, affections, passions, graces and privileges which the divine Providence hath established in the innumerable number, of those heavenly INTELLIGENCES, and humane creatures, upon which Gods JUSTICE and MERCY is so admirably practised; and we cannot contain ourselves from singing with joy full of respect and loving dread. 
True justice and true judgement, are  
The object of my ditty:  
Which unto thee I offer dare,  
Most just and full of pity.  THEO: we are to take an exceeding complacence to see how God exerciseth his MERCY by the sundry benefits which he doth distribute amongst men and Angels in heaven and earth; And how he practiseth his JUSTICE by an infinite variety of pains and chastisements: for his JUSTICE and MERCY are equally amiable and admirable in themselves, since both of them, are no other thing then the same most singular Goodness and Deity. But the effects of his justice being always sharp and and full of bitterness to us, he sweetens them with the mixture of the effects of his MERCY, conserving the green Olive amidst the waters of the Deluge of his just indignation, and giving power to the devote soul, as to a chaste dove, to find it in the end, provided always, that like to the dove, she doth lovingly meditate. So death, afflictions, anguishes, labours, whereof our life is full, which by God's just ordinances are the punishments of sin, are also by his mild MERCY, made ladders to ascend to Heaven, means to increase grace, and merits to obtain Glory. Blessed is poverty, hunger, thirst, sorrow, sickness, persecution, death: for in truth they are the just punishments of our faults, yet punishments so seasoned, or to use the Physician's term, so aromatized with Divine sweetness, benignity and clemency, that their bitterness, is best beloved. A strange, yet a true thing, THEO: if the damned were not blinded with the obstinacy, and hatred which they conceive against God, they would find consolation in their torments, and see the Divine 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 dreadful, they praise God's JUSTICE in it, and cry out, thou art just o Lord thou art just, and justice for ever reigns in thy judgements. But seeing on the other side, that these pains, though eternal and incomprehensible, come yet fare short of the crime and trespass, for which they were inflicted, ravished with God's infinite MERCY; o Lord, will they say, how good thou art, since in the very heat of thy wrath, thou canst not keep in the torrent of thy MERCIES, that it stream not its waters into the devouring flames of Hell. 
Goodness o Lord hath not thy soul forsook,  
Even while thy justest justice, vengeance took  
Midst hellish flames, nor could stern ire repress  
The torrent of thy wonted graciousness.  
Thou still pourest out, and still dost interlace,  
Thy wrathful strokes, with strikes of grace.  And then turning our eyes upon ourselves in parcular, and finding in us diverse interior and exterior goods, as also a greatest number of interior and exterior pains, which the Divine Providence hath prepared for us, according to his most holy JUSTICE and MERCY: and as opening the arms of our consent, we do most lovingly embrace all, resting in Gods most holy will and singing unto him, by way of a Hymn of an eternal repose, Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven: I Lord, thy will be done in earth, where we have no pleasure, which is not interlaced with some pain; no Roses without thorns; no day so clear that is not followed with a night; no summer that was not usshered in by a precedent winter: In the earth, ò Lord, where consolations are thin sown, desolations thick: let yet ò God thy will be done, not only in keeping thy Commandments, Counsels, and Inspirations which are to be practised by us; but also in the sufferance of afflictions and pains which are to fall upon us, so that thy will may do by us, for us, in us, and with us, what is thought good to thee.   

That the union of our will to the will of God, is principally caused by tribulations. CHAPTER. II.  
1. Pains considered in themselves, cannot indeed be beloved; yet beheld in their source that is, in God's will and providence which ordains them, they are infinitely amiable. Behold Moses his rod upon the ground, it is a hideous serpent; look upon it in Moses his hand, it is a rod of wonders. Look tribulations in the face, they are dreadful; behold them in the will of God, they are loves and delights. How often doth it fall out, that the potion or plaster presented by the Physician or apothecary is loathsome unto us, which being offered by some friend's hand, (Love surmounting our loathing) we receive with delight? Certes Love doth either free labour from all difficulty, or makes its difficulty delightful. It is reported that there is a river in Boetia, wherein, the fishes shine like gold, but taken out of those waters, the place of their origine, they have the naturalll colour of other fishes. Even so afflictions if they be looked upon out of God's will, they bear with them their natural bitterness; but being contemplated in this eternal will, they are all gold, lovely and precious beyond conceit.  
2. If Abraham had beheld a necessity to slaughter his Son out of God's will, think THEO: what pangs and convulsions his poor heart had felt: but seeing it in Gods GOOD PLEASURE, it appears all gold, and he doth tenderly embrace it. If the Martyrs had looked upon their torments out of this GOOD PLEASURE, how could they have sunge in chains and flames? The truly loving heart, love's Gods GOOD PLEASURE, not in consolations only, but in afflictions also; yea it love's it better upon the cross, in pains and difficulties, because it i● the prime effect of Love, to make the Lover suffer for the thing beloved.  
3. The Stoics, especially the good Epictetes, placed all Philosophy in abstaining and sustaining bearing and forbearing: in forbearing and abstaining from terreane delights, pleasures and honours; in sustaining and bearing wrongs, toils and discommodities. But Christian doctrine which is the only true Philosophy, hath three principles upon which it doth ground all its exercises. Abnegation of ones self, which is fare more than to abstain from pleasures: Bearing of the cross, which is fare more than to tolerate it: following of our Saviour not only in the point of renunciation of a man's self, and bearing of his cross, but even in the practice of all sorts of good works. Yet is there not so much love testified, neither in the abnegation, nor in the very deed doing, as in suffering. Certes the holy-Ghost in the holy Scripture puts down the death and passion which our Saviour suffered for us, as the highest strain of our Saviour's Love towards us.  
4. First to love Gods will in consolations, is a good love, when the love of God is indeed loved, not the consolation in which it is found: howbeit it is a love void of contradiction, repugnance and difficulty; for who would not love a will so worthy in a subject so welcome? Secondly, to Love the will of God in his Commandments, Counsels, and inspirations, is a second degree of love and much more perfect: for it leads us to the renouncing and quitting of our own will, and makes us abstain and forbear many pleasures, yet not all. Thirdly to love sufferances and afflictions for the love of God, is the highest point of holy Charity: for there is nothing therein to gain our affection, save the only will of God; Our nature feels a great contradiction in it, and we do not thereby forsake pleasures only, but we even embrace pains and torments.  
5. Our mortal enemy knew well, what was love's furthest trial, when he had heard from the mouth of God, that JOB was just, righteous, fearing God, hatting sin, and stable in innocence: he made no account of all this, in comparison of bearing afflictions, by which he made the last and surest essay of the love of this great servant of God, and to have them in an extremity, he composed them of the loss of all his goods, and all his children, of the entire revolt of all his friends, and of an arrogant opposition of his greatest Confederates, and his own wife: and of an opposition, full of despite, mockery, and reproach; to which he added the whole collection of almost all humane diseases namely a cruel, stinking, horrible ulcer over all his body.  
6. And yet behold the great JOB, as king of all the miserable creatures upon the face of the earth seated upon a dungehill, as upon the Throne of misery; adorned with sores, ulcers, and matter, as with royal robes, suteing them in the quality of his royalty, with so great an abjection and annihilation, that if he had not spooken, one should not have discerned, whether JOB was a man reduced into a dounghill, or the dounghill a corruption in form of a man. Behold there, I say, the great job, crying out, If we have received good things from the hand of God, why shall we not also receive that which is bad? o God how this word is great with Love! He ponders, THEO: that it was from the hand of God, that he had received the good, testifying that he had not so much loved good because it was good, as that it came from our Saviour's hand: which being so, he concludes, that he is lovingly to support adversities, since they proceed from our Saviour's hand, equally to be loved when he distributs afflictions, and when he bestows consolations. Each one doth easily receive good things, but to receive evil, is a work of perfect Love, which love's them so much the more, for that they are not amiable, but in respect of his hand that gives them.  
7. The Travailler that is in fear whether he hath hit upon the right way, walks in doubt, looking about him in the country where he is, and stands in a muse at the end of almost every field, to think whether he goes not a stray. But he that is sure of his way, walks on iocundly, boldly and swiftly. Even so the Love that de●ires to walk to Gods will through consolations, walks still in fear to take the wrong path, and in steed of loving Gods good liking, to fall in love with the pleasure which is in the consolation; but the Love that strikes strait through afflictions towards the will of God, walks in assurance: For affliction being in no wise amiable in itself; it is an easy thing to Love it only for his sake that send's it. The hounds in spring time, are every foot at default finding hardly any sent at all; because the herbs and flowers do then smell so freshly, that the freshness put down the rout or sent of the Hart or hare; In the spring time of consolations, Love is scarcely acquainted with God's pleasure, because the sensible pleasure of the consolation doth so allure the heart, that it troubles the attention which it ought to have to the will of God. S. CATHARINE having from our Saviour her choice of a Crown of gold, or a crown of thorns, choosed this, as better suteting with Love.. A desire of sufferance, sayeth the B. ANGELA FOLIGNY, is an infallible mark of Love: and the great Apostle cries out, that he glories only in the Cross, in infirmity, in persecution.   

Of the union of our will to the Divine will, in spiritual afflictions by resignation. CHAPTER. III.  
1. THe Love of the Cross makes us undertake voluntary afflictions, as for example, fasting, watching, haire-shirts, and other taming of the body, renounce pleasures, honours and riches: and love in these exercises is very delightful to the beloved; yet more, when we receive with patience sweetness, and mildness the pains, torments, and tribulations, by reason of the Divine will which sends us them. But Love then is at its height, when we receive afflictions not with patience and sweetness only, but we do even cherish, love and embrace them, in regard of the Divine will, whence they proceed.  
2. Now of all the essays of perfect Love, that which is practised by the repose of the mind in spiritual tribulations, is doubtless the most pure, and highest. The B. ANGELA OF FOLIGNY makes an admirable description of the interior pangs which sometimes she felt, saying that her soul was tortured like to one who being tied hand and foot, should be hung by the neck, without being strangled, but should hang in this estate betwixt death and life, without hope of help, and neither being able to keep herself upon her feet, nor assist herself with her hands, nor cry out, nor yet sigh or moan. So it fairs, THEO: the soul is sometimes so overcharged with interior afflictions, that all her faculties and powers, are oppressed by privation of all that might relieve her; and by apprehension and impression, of all that might attristate her. So that at the imitation of her Saviour she gins to be troubled, to fear, to be disamayed, and at length to wax sad with a sorrow like unto that of one dying. Whence she may rightly say, My soul is heavy even to death: and with her whole hearts consent, she desires, petitions, supplicats, that if it be possible, this Calais may pass, having nothing left her, save the very supreme point of her Spirit, which cleeving hard to the Divine heart and will, sayeth in a most sincere submission, O eternal Father, ah! not mine, but thy will be done. And, which is diligently to be noted, the soul makes this resignation amidst such a world of troubles, contradictions repugnances, that she doth even hardly perceive that she makes it; at least it seems to her to be done so coldly, that it is not done from her heart, nor as it were fitting, since that which passeth there in favour of the Divine will, is not only done without delight and contentment, but even against the pleasure and liking of all the rest of the heart; whom love permits to bemoan herself, at least to moan that she cannot bemoan herself, and to sigh out all the LAMENTATIONS of JOB and Hieremie: yet with charge, that a sacred peace be still conserved in the very bottom of the heart in the highest and most delicate point of the Spirit; and this submissive peace is not tender or sweet, nor yet in a manner sensible, though otherwise, sincere, strong, invincible, and full of Love; and it seems to have betaken itself to the very end of the Spirit, as into the dungeon of the Fort, where it remains courageous; though all the rest be taken and pressed with sorrow: And by how much the more Love in this case is deprived of all helps, forsaken of all the aid of the virtues and faculties of the soul, by so much it is more to be prised for conserving constantly its fidelity.  
3. This union or conformity to the divine pleasure, is made either by a holy resignation, or a most holy indifferency. Now Resignation is practised, with a certain force and submission: one would willingly live in lieu of dying, yet since it is God's pleasure that die we must, we yield to it. We would willingly live, if it pleased God, yea further, we would willingly that it were his pleasure to prolong life: we die willingly, yet more willingly would we live; we depart with a reasonable good will, yet would we stay with a better. JOB in his afflictions made an act of resignation: since we have received the good, said he, from the hand of God, why shall we not sustain the the toils and vexations which he doth send us? mark, THEO: how he speaks of sustaining, supporting, enduring; as it hath pleased our Lord, so was it done, our Lords name be praised. These are the words of resignation and acceptance, by way of sufferance and patience.   

Of the union of our will to Gods will by Indifferency. CHAPTER. iv  
1. REsignation prefers God's will before all things, yet doth it Love many other things besides the will of God: but Indifferency passeth Resignation: for it Love's nothing, but merely for the Love of God's will: in so much that nothing at all can stir the indifferent heart, in the presence of the will of God. True it is, the most indifferent heart in the world may be touched with some affection, while yet it discovers not where the will of God is. Eliezer being come to the fountain of Haran, had a full view of the virgin Rebecca, and without doubt, saw her too too fair and pleasing: howbeit he stayed himself in an indifferency, till he knew by a sign from God, that the Divine will had ordained her a wife for his Master's son: for than he presented her with the eare-iewels, and bracelets of gold. Contrariwise if JACOB had only loved in Rachel the alliance with Laban, to which his Father Isaac had obliged him, Lya had been as dear unto him as Rachel, they being doth Laban's daughters; and consequently his Father's will had been as well fulfilled in the one as in the other. But because beyond his Fathers will he coveted to satisfy his own liking, taken with the beauty and loveliness of Rachel, he was troubled to Espouse LYA, yet by resignation, took her against his own liking.  
2. But the indifferent heart stands not thus affected, for knowing that tribulation though she be hard-favered as another LYA, leaves not for all that to be daughter and a beloved one to the Divine Pleasure, it love's her as much as consolation, which yet in itself is more gracious, yea it Love's tribulation more, for that it sees nothing amiable in it, saving the sign of Gods will. If pure water only be my desire, what care I whether it be served up in a golden bowl, or in a glass, since, I am to have the water only; yea I would rather have it in a glass, because it hath no other colour then that of the water, which also I have at a fairer view. What doth import whether Gods will be presented unto us in tribulation or in consolation, since I pretend nothing in either of them, but Gods will, which appears so much the better, in that there appears, no other beauty, then that of the eternal pleasure?  
3. Heroical, yea more than heroical was the indifferency of the incomparable S. PAUL, I am pressed said he, of two sides, having on the one side a desire to be freed from this body, and to be with JESUS-CHRIST, which is incomparably better: yet on the other side a desire to live for your sake. Wherein he was followed by the great Bishop S. MARTIN, who being got to the period of his life, pressed with an extreme desire to go to God, did yet testify that he would most willingly remain amongst the travaills of his charge, for the good of his flock, so that having ended this Canticle. 
How wishful are thy Tents,  
How much beloved,  
O dreadful God of Hosts!  
My soul is moved  
With an extreme desire,  
And sense do sound  
To be where joys abound.  
My heart leaps, and flesh makes strife  
After thee, o God of life.  He fell upon this exclamation. O Lord, if I may yet be serviceable to thy people's salvation, I refuse not Labour, thy will be done. Admirable was the indifferency of the Apostle, admirable that of this Apostolical man. They see heaven stand open for them, in earth a thousand toils, they are indifferent in the choice of either, nothing but the will of God can conterpoise their hearts. Heaven appears no more pleasant than worldly miseries, so God's GOOD PLEASURE be equally in them both. Labours are a heaven to them, if Gods will be found in them, and heaven is a Hell if it be not found therein: for as David sayeth, they desire not any thing in heaven or earth, but that God's GOOD PLEASURE might be accomplished. O Lord what is there in heaven for me, or what can I desire in earth save thine own self.  
4. The indifferent heart is as a ball of wax in the hands of its God, ready to receive all the impressions of the Divine pleasure. It is a heart equally disposed to all, having no other object of its will, than the will of its God, which doth not place its affection upon the things that God willeth, but upon the will of God that willeth them. Whereupon when it meets with Gods will in diverse things, it chooseth that, cost what it will, wherein it appears most. God's will is found in marriage, and in virginity, but because it is more in virginity, the indifferent heart makes choice of virginity though it should cost her her life, as it did S. PAUL'S dear spiritual daughter S. T●CLA, S. CECILIE, S. AGATHA, with a thousand others. God's will is found in serving as well the poor as the rich, but yet somewhat more in serving the poor; the indifferent heart will choose that part. God's will is in modesty exercised in consolations, and in patience practised in tribulations; the indifferent heart prefers this, as having more of God's will in it. To conclude God's will is the sovereign object of the indifferent soul. Wheresoever she espies it, she runnes to the odour of its perfumes, directing her course still thither, where it most appears, without any other respect. She is conducted by the Divine will, as in a beloved string, which way soever it takes, she makes after it: She would prize hell more with Gods will to boot, than heaven without it. Nay she would even prefer hell before heaven, if she perceived only a little more of God's will in that, then in this. So that if by supposition of an impossible thing, she should apprehend her own damnation more agreeable to God, than her salvation, she would quit Heaven and run into Hell fire.   

That holy indifferency is extended to all things. CHAPTER. V  
1. Indifferency is to be practised in things belonging to the natural life, as in health, sickness, beauty, deformity, weacknesse and strength: in the affairs of the spiritual life as in honours, place, riches; In the variety of the spiritual life, as in drinesses, consolations, gusts, aridities: In actions, in sufferances, and finally in all sorts of events. job, in his natural life, was wounded with a most horrible soar that ever eye beheld. In his civil life, he was scorned, baffled, contemned, and that by his nearest ally: In his spiritual life, he was oppressed with languors, gripings, convulsions, andguishes, darkness, and with all kinds of intolerable interior aggreevamces, as his complaints and Lamentations do witenesse. The great Apostle doth denounce unto us a general indifferency to show ourselves the true servants of God, in wants, anguishes, wounds, in prisons, seditions, travailles, in watchings, fastings, in chastity, in knowledge, in longanimity, and sweetness, in virtue of the holy Ghost, in unfeigned Charity, in the word of truth, in the virtue of God, by the arms of justice, to the right and left hand, by glory and abjection, by infamy and good name; as seductours and yet just, as men unknown, and yet acknowledged, as men dying and yet alive, as chastised and yet not slain, as sorrowful, and yet still continually joyful, as needy and yet enriching many, as having nothing and yet possessing all things.  
2. Note I pray you, THEO: how the life of the Apostles, in their bodies, was afflicted with wounds: in their hearts with anguishes: in their civil life, by infamy and prisons; and in all these o God what indifferency they had! Their sorrows are joyful, their poverty rich, their death lively, their dishonours honourable: that is, they are joyful to be sad, content to be poor, reenforced to live amongst the dangers of death, and glorious to be disesteemed; for such was the will of God.  
3. And whereas the will of God was better known in sufferances, then in the acts of other virtues, he ranks the exercise of patience in the front, saying, let us appear in all things the servants of God, by great patience in tribulations, in wants in anguishes: and then towards th'end, in chastity, in Prudence, in longanimity.  
4. In like manner our heavenly Saviour was incomparably afflicted in his civil life, being condemned as guilty of Treason against God and man, bet, buffeted, scourged; and in his natural life tormented with an extraordinary ignominy, dying in the most cruel and sensible torments that heart could think. In his spiritual life, enduring sorrows, fears, amazements, anguishes, succourlesnesse, interior oppressions, such as never was or shall be. For though the supreme portion of his soul did soveraignely enjoy eternal glory, yet would not Love let glory spread its delights, neither in his sense, imagination or inferior reason, but left the whole heart exposed in this sort, to the mercy of sorrow and distress.  
5. Ezechiel had a vision of a picture of a hand, which took him by an only lock of his head-haire, and hoist him up into the air. In like manner our Saviour reared up into the air upon the Cross, seemed to be held in his Father's hand, by the very extremity of the Spirit, and as it were, by one hair of his head, which being touched by the sweet hand of his eternal Father, received a sovereign abundance of Felicity, all the rest being drunk up in sorrow and grief. Whereupon he cries out, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?  
6. They say, that the fish termed the Lantern of the Sea, in the midst of the tempest, thrusts her tongue out of the water, which is so bright, shining and clear that she serve the mariners for light-houses, or Beacons; so in the midst of passions wherewith our Saviour was beset, all the faculties of the soul were swallowed up, and buried in the torment of such a number of pains, excepting only the point of his Spirit, which being free from all pain, remained bright and light with glory and felicity. O how blessed is the Love which reigns in the top of a faithful soul, while it is tossed upon the billows and waves of interior tribulations.   

Of the practice of the loving indifferency, in things belonging to the service of God. CHAPTER VI.  
1. Scarcely can we discover the Divine pleasure but by the events, and as long as it is unknown unto us, we must adhere close to the will of God which is already declared and signified unto us: but as soon as the Divine Majesty's pleasure appears, we must presently and lovingly submit ourselves unto it.  
2. My mother, or myself (all is one) are sick in bed, what do I know, whether it be his will, that death should ensue? verily I am ignorant of it; yet know I well, that in the interim, till the event arrive, he hath ordained by his signified will, that I use means convenient for the cure. I will therefore faithfully do mine endeavour, not omitting any thing that I can well contribute to that effect. But if it be the Divine pleasure, that the remedies should not prevail against the disease which brings death with it; as soon as I shall have intelligence thereof by the event, I will lovingly yield to it, in the point of my heart maugre all the opposition of the inferior powers of my soul. I, Lord, will I say, it is my will, because thy GOOD PLEASURE is such: so it hath pleased thee, and so it shall please me, who am the most humble servant of thy will.  
3. But if the Divine pleasure were declared unto me, before the event thereof, as was the manner of his death to the great S. Peter: to the great S. PAUL his shakles and prisons: to Hieremie the ruin of his dear Jerusalem: to David the death of his son: then I were at the same instant to unite my will to Gods, in imitation of the great Abraham, and with him, if we had such a command, we were to undertake the execution of the eternal Decree, even in the slaughter of our own children. O admirable union of this Patriarch● to the will of God, who believing that it was the Divine pleasure that he should sacrifice his child, willed and enterprised it so courageously! Admirable that of the child, who so meekly submitted himself to his Father's sword, to have Gods will performed, at the price of his own blood.  
4. But note here, THEO: a mark of the perfect union of an indifferent heart with the Divine pleasure: behold Abraham with the sword in his hand, his arm extended, ready to lend death's-blow to his only dear Son: this he did to please the Divine pleasure: and see at the same instant an Angel, who of the part of the said Pleasure, suddenly stops him, and presently, he weighs his blow, equally ready to sacrifice or not to sacrifice his son, his life and death being all one to him, in the presence of Gods will. When God gives him order to sacrifice his Son, he is not sorrowful; when he dispenseth with the order given, he is not joyful. All is one to this resolute heart, so Gods will be done.  
5. Yes, THEO: for God oftentimes to exercise us in this holy indifferency, inspires us with high designs, which yet he will not have accomplished and as than we are boldly, courageously and constantly to set upon and pursue the work to our power; so are we sweetly and quietly to submit ourselves to the event of our enterprise, such as it pleaseth God to send us. S. LEWES by inspiration, passed the Sea, to conquer the holy Land, the success answered not his expectation, he sweetly submitted himself to it. I do more esteem the tranquillity of this submission, than the magnanimity of his enterprise. S. FRANCIS went into Egypt to convert the infidels, or amongst the infidels to die a Martyr, such was the will of God, yet he returned without performing of either, and that was also God's will. It was also the will of God, that S. ANTONY of Milan both desired Martyrdom, and obtained it not. The B. Ignatius of Loyola, having with such pains put on foot the Company of the name of JESUS, whereof he saw so fair fruit, and foresaw much more in the time to come, durst yet promise himself, that, though he should see it dissolved, which was the sharpest displeasure that could befall him, with in half an hour after he would be resigned and appease himself in the will of God. john Auila, that holy and learned Preacher of Andalusia, having a design to erect a company of reformed Priests for the advancement of God's glory, wherein he had already made a good step, as soon as he saw that of the Jesuits on foot, which he thought did suffice for that time, he presently stopped his design, with an incomparable meecknesse and humility. O how happy are such souls, as are courageous, and forceable in the enterprises to which God inspires them; and withal tractable and facile in giving them over, when God doth so dispose. These are marks of a most perfect indifferency, to leave of doing a good, when God pleaseth, and to return in the half way, when Gods will, which is our Guide, doth ordain it. jonas was much to blame, to suspect that God did not accomplish his Prophecy upon the NINIVITS; jonas performed God's will, in denouncing unto the Ninivits their overthrow, but he let his own will and interest enter into the work, whereupon seeing that God did not fulfil his prediction according to the rigour of the letter, he was offended, and murmured unworthily. Whereas, if Gods will had been the only motive of his actions, he would have been as well content to have seen it accomplished, in remission of the pain which the Ninivits had merited, as in punishments of the fault, which the Ninivits had commited. Our desire is that the things which we undertake, or have a finger in, should succeed well, but there is no reason, that God should do all that we desire. If Gods will be that Niniveh should be threatened, and not thrown down, since the threat is sufficient to correct, why should jonas find himself ageeeved in it?  
6. But if this be so, we are then to affect nothing at all, but abandon our business to the mercy of the events. Pardon me, THEO: we are to omit nothing, which is requisite to bring the work, which God hath put into our hands to a happy issue; yet upon condition, that if the event be contrary, we should lovingly and peaceably embrace it: for we are commanded to be jealous in that which appertains to God's glory, and to our office: but we are neither obliged, nor charged with the event which is not placed within our reach. Take care of him, was it said to the Groom of the stable, in the Parable of the poor man, who lay half dead betwixt Jerusalem and Hierico: It is not said, as S. Bernard remarkes, cure him, but take care of him. So the Apostles, with an unspeakable affection, preached first to the jews, though they foresaw that in the end they they should be forced to leave them, and betake themselves to the Gentiles. It is our part to plant and water carefully, but it belongs to God only, to give increase.  
7. The great Psalmist makes this prayer to our Saviour, as in an exclamation of joy, and with presage of victory. O Lord, for thy beauty and comeliness sake, bend thy bow, march prosperously and get on horse back; as though he too would say, that by the arrows of his heavenly Love, shot into humane hearts, he made himself Master of man, to handle him at his pleasure, not unlike to a horse well trained up. O Lord thou art the Royal MASTER OF THE HORSE, who can turn the heart of thy faithful Lovers into all postures, sometimes giving them full bridle, they run at full speed in the enterprises to which they were inspired; and again, at thy pleasure, thou stopest them in the midst of their career, and at the height of their speed.  
8. But further, if the enterprise begun by inspiration, do perish by his fault, into whose hands it was put in trust, how can one say then, that a man is to submit himself to Gods will? for some will say unto me, it is not God's will that hinders the event, but my fault, which is not caused by Gods will. It is true, my child, thy fault was not caused by God's will; for God is not Author of sin: yet it is also true, that it is God's will that thy fault, is followed with the defect and overthow of thy design, in punishment of thy fault: for though his goodness cannot permit him to will thy fault, yet can his justice permit the pain due to it. So God was not the cause that David offended, yet he inflicted upon him the pain due to his sin. Nor was he the cause of saul's sin; Marry he was cause that in punishment of it, the victory perished in his hands.  
9 When therefore it happens, that in punishment of our fault, our holy designs have not good events; we must equally by a  repentance detest the fault, and accept the punishments thereof.   

Of the indifferency which we are to have in our Spiritual advancement. CHAPTER. VII.  
1. GOd hath ordained that we should employ our whole endeavours to obtain the holy virtues. Let us then forget nothing which might help our good success in this pious enterprise: but after we have once planted, and watered, let's then know for certain, that it is God, which must give growth to the trees of our good inclinations and habits. And therefore, from his Divine Providence we are to expect the fruits of our desires and labours. And if we perceive not the progress and advancement of our hearts in devotion, such as we would desire it, let's not be troubled at it, let's live in peace, let a smooth calm always reign in our hearts. It belongs to us, diligently to labour our heart, and therefore we must faithfully attend to it: But touching the plenty of the crop or haruist, let's leave the care thereof to our Lord and Master. The Husbandman is never reprehended that the harvest is not plentiful; but only that he did not carefully till and sow his ground. Let's not be troubled to perceive ourselves continually NOVICES in the exercise of virtue: for in the MONASTERY OF A DEVOTE LIFE, every one holds himself a continual NOVICE; and there, the whole life, is the year of PROBATION, there being no more evident argument, not only that we are NOVICES, but that we are even worthy of expulsion and reprobation, then to esteem and hold ourselves PROFESSED. For according to the Rule of this Order, not the solemnity, but the performance of the vows, makes the Novices Professed; nor are the vows ever performed, while there remains yet something to be done for their performance; nor is the obligation of serving God, and going on in his love ended, but with the end of life. I but, will some say unto me, if I know that it is by my own fault, that I profited not in virtue, how could I but be grieved and disquieted? I have said the same in the Introduction to a devote life, but I do willingly iterate it, because it can never be said sufficiently, one must be sorry for faults committed, with a settled, constant, and calm repentance, but not with such an one as is distempered, turbulent, or disencouraging. Are you sure that your backwardness in virtue was caused by your fault? go to then, humble yourself before God, implore his Mercy, fall prostrate before the face of his goodness, and demand pardon, confess your fault, cry him mercy, even in your Ghostly Father's ear, to obtain absolation: But this being done remain in peace, and having detested the offence, embrace lovingly the abjection, which you feel in yourself, by reason of delaying your advancement in virtue.  
2. Alas, THEO: the souls in Purgatory, are there doubtless for their sins, and for sins which they have detested, and do highly detest: but as for the abjection and pain which remains, to be tied to that place, and to be deprived for a space of the beloved Love of heaven, they endure it with Love, and devotely pronounce the Canticle of the Divine justice; Thou art just o Lord, and thy judgements are righteous. Let's therefore expect our advancement with patience, and in steed of disquieting ourselves that we have so little profited in the time past, let us diligently endeavour to do better in the time to come.  
3. Behold, I beseech you this good soul, she hath much desired and endeavoured to infranchish herself of choler, wherein God hath assisted her: for he hath quite delivered her from all the sins which proceed from choler, she would die rather than utter one only injurious word, or to let slip any show of hatred. And yet she is subject to the assaults, and first motions of this passion, which are certain ierting, stir, and sallies of an angry mind, termed in the Caldaicall Paraphrase, SHRUGGINGS, saying shrug, but sinne not: whereas our sacred version sayeth; Be angry, but sinne not; which in effect is the same thing: for the Prophet would only say, that if anger surprise us, stirring up in our hearts the first shrugging of sin, we should be careful not to let ourselves be carried further into the passion, for so we should offend: and though these first stir and shrugging be no sin, yet the poor soul that is oft set hard at by them, doth trouble, afflict and disquisquiet herself, reputing her sorrow a sacrifice to God, as though it were the Love of God that provoked her to this sorrow. And yet, THEO: it is not heavenly Love that causeth this trouble; it never being offended but at sin; it is self-love that desires to be freed from the pains and toils, which the assaults of anger draws upon us. Nor is it the offence that offends us in these stir of anger, there being none at all committed: it is the pain we are put to in resisting, that disquiets us.  
4. These rebellions of the sensual appetite, as well irascible, as concupiscible, are left in us for our exercise, to th'end we might practise spiritual valour in resisting them. They are they Philistians, against whom the true Israelits are still to fight, but shall never put them to flight; they may weaken them but never quite overthrew them. They live with us, and never die but with us. They are truly execrable and detestable, as being bred by sin, and fed of sin, whence, as we are termed earth, because we take our descent from earth, and to earth run back again, so this rebellion is named sin by the great Apostle, as being issue of sin and drawing still that wayward, though it never makes us guilty, unless we second, and obey it; whereupon the same Apostle doth exhort us, that we permit it not to reign in our mortal body, to be subject unto it. He prohibits us not to feel: but only not to consent to it. He doth not ordain, that we should hinder sin to enter into us, but he commands, that it should not reign in us: It is in us when we feel the rebellion of the sensual appetite, but it doth not reign in us, unless we give consent unto it. The Physician will never give order that the sick of an ague should not be dry, for that were too great a folly, marry he will tell him, that though he be dry, he must abstain from drinking. No man will be so mad, as to bid a woman with child, long for no extravagant things, for it is not in her power; well may one desire her to discover her long, to th'end that if she lunges for hurtful things, one might divert her imagination, lest the fantasy might get dominion over her heart.  
5. The sting of the flesh, forerunner of Satan▪ did rudely treat the good S. PAUL; to have in●●ted him into the precipice of sin: The poor Apostle endured this as a shameful and infamous wrong: and thereupon termed it a boxing or buffetting, and petitioned to God to be delivered of it: but he heard from God, Paul my grace is sufficient for thee: for virtue is perfected in infirmity; whereat this holy man submitting himself, willingly, than quoth he, will I glory in mine infirmities, that the virtue of Christ may dwell in me. But take notice, I beseech you, that there is sensual rebellion even in this admirable vessel of Election, who in running to the remedy of Prayer, doth teach us, that we are to use the same arms against the temptations we feel. Note further, that God doth not always permit those cruel revoults in man, for the punishment of sin, but to manifest the force and virtue of the Divine assistance and grace. Finally mark, how we are not only not to be disquieted in our temptations and infirmities, but are even to glory to be infirm, that thereby God's virtue may appear in us, sustaining our weakness, against the force of the suggestion and temptation: for the glorious Apostle calls the stingings and shooting of the impurities which he endured, his infirmities, and yet he sayeth he glories in them; for be't that he felt them by his misery, yet through God's mercy he consented not to them.  
6. Certes, as I have already said, the church condemned the error of certain Solitarists, who held, that we might be perfectly delivered, even in this world, of the passion of Anger, Concupiscence, Fear, and the like. It is Gods will we should have enemies; and it is also his will that we ●hould repulse them. Let us then behave ourselves courageously betwixt the one and th'other will of God, enduring with patience to be assaulted, and endeavouring with courage by resistance to make head against the assaults.   

How we are to unite our will with Gods, in the permission of sin. CHAPTER. VIII.  
1. GOd doth soveraignely hate sin, and yet he doth most wisely permit it to leave reasonable creatures free in their actions, according to the condition of their nature, and to make the good more commendable, while having power to transgress the law, they do not for all that transgress it. Let us therefore adore and bless this holy permission. But since the Providence which doth permit the sin, doth infinitely hate it, let us also detest and hate it, desiring with all our heart, that sin permitted, may not be committed: And in sequel of this desire, let us make use of all the means possible to hinder the birth, growth and reign of sin, imitating our Saviour therein, who never ceaseath to exhort, to promise, to menace, to prohibit, to command, and inspire us, to turn our will from sin, so farforth as is possible, without depriving us of liberty. But when the sin is once committed, let us endeavore what we are able, to have it blotted out; as our Saviour, who assured Carpus, above mentioned, that if it were requisite he was ready to suffer death again to deliver one only soul from sin. But if the Sinner wax obstinate, let us weep, THEO: moan, pray for him together with our Saviour, who having all his life time shed an abundance of tears upon sinners, and such as did represent them, died in the end, his eyes full of tears, his body gory with blood, lamenting the loss of sinners. This affection touched David so to the quick, that he fell into a trance upon it, I have sownded, sayeth he, for sinners abandoning thy law. And the great Apostle protest's that a continual sorrow possesseth his heart for the obstinacy of the jews.  
2. Yet be sinners never so obstinate, let us never desist to aid and assist them: for what do we know, but they may do penance and be saved? happy is he that can say to his neighbour, as did S. Paul, I have neither ceased night nor day to admonish every of you with tears; and therefore I am clear of your blood; for I have not been sparing, in denouncing unto you, God's good pleasure in every behalf. So long as there remains any hope, that the sinner will amend, which always remains as long as life; we must never reject him, but pray for him, and assist him as fare forth as his misery will permit.  
3. But lastly, after we have wept over the obstinate, and performed towards them the good offices of Charity, in essaying to reclaim them from perdition, we must imitate our Saviour, and the Apostles, that is, we must remove our mind from thence, and place it upon other objects, and employments, more to the advancement of God's glory. We were first, said the Apostles to the jews, to announce the word of God unto you, but whereas you reject it and make yourselves unworthy of the reign of JESUS-CHRIST, we will betake ourselves to the Gentiles. The kingdom of God, sayeth our Saviour shall be taken from you, and shall be given to a nation that will make some profit of it. Nor can one indeed spend much time in bewailing some few, without losing time fit and necessary, to procure the salvation of others. It is true indeed, the Apostle sayeth, that the loss of the jews is a continual corrasive unto him, yet he spoke it in no other sense, than we say, that we praise God continually, for we mean no other thing thereby, then that we praise him very frequently, and in every occasion: and in the same manner, the glorious S. Paul, felt a continual grief in his heart, caused by the jews reprobation, for that in every occasion he bemoaned their mishap.  
4. For the rest we must for ever adore, Love and praise God's revenging and punishing JUSTICE, as we love his MERCY being both daughters of his goodness. For as he is good, yea sovereignly good, he makes us good by his grace: by his JUSTICE he punisheth sin, because he hates it, and he hates it, for that being sovereignly good, he hates the sovereign evil which is iniquity. And in conclusion note, that God doth never otherwise withdraw his MERCY from us, then by the just vengeance of his punishing JUSTICE, nor do we ever escape the rigour of his JUSTICE, but by his justifying MERCY: and howsoever whether he punish or gratify us, his good pleasure is worthy of adoration, love, and everlasting praise. So the Just, who sing the praises of God's MERCY, for such as have wrought their own salvation, shall rejoice, even in seeing God's vengeance: The Blessed shall with joy approve the Sentence of the Reprobats damnation, as well as that of the Elects salvation. And the Angels having exercised their Charity towards those that they had in keeping, shall remain in peace, while they see them obstinate, yea even damned. We are therefore to submit ourselves to the Divine will, and kiss the right hand of his MERCY, and the left hand of his JUSTICE, with an equal Reverence.   

How the purity of Indifferency is practised in the actions of holy Love. CHAPTER. IX.  
1. THe most excellent Musician of the University, and one that had a skeelfull hand upon the Lute, became in time so deadly deaf, that his hearing served him for nothing, yet ceased he not for all that to sing, and to handle his Lute marvelous delicately, by reason of the perfect habit which he had therein whereof his deafness did not deprive him; But taking no pleasure in his song, nor yet in the sound of his Lute, as being deprived of his hearing, he could not perceive the sweetness and delight of it; so that he neither sung nor played, save only to content a Prince, whose native subject he was, and whom he infinitely desired to please, as having an infinite obligation unto him, for his breeding from his childhood. Hence he took an incomparable delight to delight him: and when his Prince made show to be delighted in his music, he was ravished with delight. But it happened sometimes that the Prince, to make trial of this loving Musician's love, gave him order to sing, and presently upon it, leaving him there, went a hunting: yet the desire which this chanter had to accomplish his Master's desires, made him continue his music as attentively as though his Prince had been present; though in very deed he had no content in his own song: for he neither had the pleasure of the Melody, whereof his deafness deprived him, nor the content of pleasing his Prince, who being absent could not enjoy the sweetness and pleasure of the air which he sung. 
My heart to sing, is ready and disposed,  
A hymn in honour of thy name composed:  
My soul and spirit ardently essays  
To sing thy praise.  
up then my glory up, and quit thy rest,  
In Harp and Psaltere let our lord be blessed.  Man's heart is the true chanter of the Canticle of sacred Love; himself the HARP or PSALTER: Now ordinarily this chanter is his own auditory, taking a great pleasure in the Melody of his song; I mean, our heart loving God, doth taste the delights of this Love, and takes an incomparable contentment, to love so lovely an object. Mark▪ I pray you THEO: what I would say. The Little young Nightingales, do first essay a beginning of song, by imitating the old one, but having got skill, and passing Masters, they sing for the pleasure which they take in their own song, and do so passhionatly addict themselves to this delight, as I have said in an other place, that by striving to send out their voice, their weseele bursting, they send out their life. So our hearts in the beginning of devotion, love God that they may be united, and become grateful unto him, and imitate him in that he hath loved us for all eternity: but by little and little being form, and exercised in holy Love, they are imperceptibly changed, and in lieu of loving God, to please God, they begin to Love him for the pleasure they take in the exercises of holy Love, and instead of falling in Love with God, they fall in Love with the Love they bear him, and stand affected to their own affections, not taking any more pleasure in God, but in the pleasure they take in his Love; contenting themselves with this Love, because it is theirs, that it is in their heart, whence it proceeds: for though this sacred Love be called the Love of God, because God is loved by it, yet it is also ours, we being the Lovers that Love by it. And hereupon we come to change; for instead of loving this holy Love for that it tends to God, who is the beloved; we Love it because it proceeds from us, who are the Lovers. Now who doth not see, that in so doing we do not seek God, but turn home to ourselves, loving the Love, in lieu of loving the beloved; loving, I say, the Love, not by reason of God's good pleasure and liking, but for the pleasure and content we draw from it. This chanter who in the beginning sung to God, and for God, doth now rather sing to himself and for himself, then for God. And the pleasure he takes in singing, is not so much to please God's ear, as his own. And for as much, as the Canticle of Divine Love is of all, the most excellent, he also Love's it better, not by reason of the Divine excellency which is exalted therein, but because its air is more delicious and agreeable.   

A means to discover when we change in the matter of this holy Love. CHAPTER. X.  
1. YOu may easily discover this THEO: for if this mystical Nightingale sing to please God she will sing the song, which she knows to be most grateful to the Divine Providence: but if she sing for the delight which she herself takes in her melodious song, she will not sing the Canticle, which is most agreeable to the heavenly Bounty; but that which likes herself best, and from which she thinks to draw the most contentment. Of two Canticles which are both Divine, the one may be sung, because it is Divine: and the other, because it is pleasing; Rachel and Lya, were equally jacob's wives, but he Love's the one only in the quality of a wife: the other, in that she was beautiful. The Canticle is Divine, but the motive which moves us to sing it, is the spiritual delight which we pretend therein.  
2. Do you not see, will some say to this or that Bishop, that it is God's will that you should sing the Pastoral song of his Love, amongst your flock, which he commands you thrice to feed in virtue of holy Love, in the person of the great S. Peter, the first head of Pastors? What will you answer me? That at Rome, or Paris there is more spiritual delight, and that there, one may practise Divine Love with more comfort. O God it is not then to please thee that this party desires to sing, it is for the pleasure he takes in it; He seeks not thee in his Love, but the contentment which he receives in the exercise of the same love. Religious men would sing the Pastors' song, and married men that which belongs to the Religious, and all this say they, to Gods greater glory. Ah, you deceive yourselves my friends, do not say that you do it to God's greater glory. O God no! it is done for your own greater content; which you prefer before Gods. God's will is equally, and almost still more in sickness, than in health. Wherefore if we Love health better, let us never say, that we do it to serve God the better: for who sees not, that it is health that we look for in God's will, not God's will in health.  
3. It is hard, I confess, to behold long together and with delight, the beauty of a Mirror, without casting an eye upon a man's self, yea without taking a complacence in himself; yet is there a difference betwixt the pleasure which one takes in beholding the Mirror, by reason of its beauty, and the complacence one takes to see himself in it: It is also without doubt very hard, to love God, and not withal Love the pleasure which we take in his Love: yet is there a fair difference betwixt the pleasure which one takes in loving God for his beauty, and that which he takes in loving him because his Love is delightful unto him. Now, our strife must be purely to find out in God the Love of his beauty, not the pleasure we take in the beauty of his Love.. He that in praying dece●nes that he prays, is not perfectly attentive to his Prayer: for he diverts his attention from God, to whom he prays, and turns it upon the Prayer, which he makes unto him. The very solicitude we have, not to be distracted, is often times a main distraction: Simplicity in spiritual actions is most commendable. Desire you to behold God, do so then, and be attentive to that: for if you go to reflect and bring your eyes backwards upon yourself, to see how you look when you look upon him, it is not now him that you behold, but your own gesture, yourself. He that prays fervently, knows not whether he prays or not; for he thinks not of the Prayer which he makes, but of God, to whom he makes it. He that is in the heat of sacred Love, doth not turn his heart upon himself, to look what he is doing, but keeps it hard set, and bend upon God, to whom he applies his Love.. The heavenly chanter takes such pleasure in pleasing God, that he hath no pleasure in the melody of his voice, but only in respect that God is pleased in it.  
4. Why, in your opinion Theo: did Amon the son of David Love Thamar so desperately, that he even thought to die for Love? Do you think that it was her that he loved? You shall see that he did not: for as soon as he had glutted his execrable lust, he cruelly kick'ed her out of doors, and ignominiously rejected her. If it had been thamar that he loved, he had never done this; for Thamar remained still Thamar: but whereas it was not Thamar that he loved, but the brutal delight which he took in her, as soon as he had got what he sought for, Thamar was outrageously bet, and brutally treated by him. His pleasure was placed upon Thamar, but his Love was set upon the pleasure, not upon Thamar. So that the pleasure being ended he could also willingly have procured an end of her. THEO: you shall see some praying, as you would think, with great devotion and fervour in the practice of heavenly Love: but stay a little, and you shall discover whether it be God indeed that he loveth. Alas, as soon as the delight and satisfaction which he took in Love shall departed, and a dryness shall arrive, he will quite leave of all, and pray only cursarily by fits. Now if it had been God indeed that he loved, why would he have left loving him, since God is still God: it was therefore God's consolation that he loved, not the God of consolation. Truly there are diverse that take no delight in Divine Love, unless it be candied in the suggur of some sensible sweetness, and they do willingly play the children, who, if they have a little honey spread upon their bread do lick and suck off the honey, casting the bread away: for if the delight could be separated from the Love, they would reject Love, and lick up the delight only. Wherefore following Love for Love of the delight, when they meet not with delight, they forsake Love.. And, o God, to what eminent danger are those people exposed, either to return back again as soon as they miss those gusts and consolations, or else to be occupied in vain delight fare remote from true Love, and to mistake the honey of Heraclea for that of Narbone?   

Of the perplexity of the heart in Love, which doubts whether it please the Beloved. CHAPTER. XI.  
1. THe Musician which I mentioned being fallen sick, took no delight in his own music, save only that now and then he perceived his Prince attentive to it, and please himself in it, O how happy is the heart that Love's God without pretence of any other pleasure then a strife to please God: for what more dear and perfect pleasure can a soul ever take, then that which is taken in the Divine pleasure? Yet this pleasure to please God, is not properly Divine Love, but the fruit thereof, which may be separated from it, as the Lemon from the Lemon tree. For, as I have said, our Musician did continually sing, without reaping any contentment of his song, whereof his deefenesse made him incapable: and often also did he sing, without having the pleasure to please his Prince, who after he had given him Order to begin, would withdraw himself, or go a hunting, neither taking leisure nor pleasure to hear bim.  
2. O God, while thy benign look doth testify unto me that thou art pleased in the song of my Love, ah how I am comforted! for is there any pleasure comparable to the pleasure of pleasing thee? But when thou turns thine eyes from me, not deigning me a feeling of the delightful favour, of the complacence which thou takest in my song, good God what pangs my soul endures: without leaving off for all that ●●●ally to Love thee, and continually to sing the Hymn of thy Love, not for any delight she finds in it; for she finds none at all, but for the pure Love of thy will.  
3. I have seen a sick child of that disposition that he would courageously have eaten wha● his mother presented him (though with an incredible loathing) for a pure desire he had to give her content: In this case, he eat his meat without taking any pleasure in it, yet not without a pleasure of a higher rate and rank, which was the pleasure of pleasing his mother and in perceiving her content. But another who without seeing his mother, by the mere knowledge he had of her desire, took all that was brought to him by her order, he eat without any pleasure at all: for he neither had the pleasure of eating, nor yet the contentment to see his mother pleased, but did it only purely and simply to do her will. The contentment of our Prince who is present with us, or of any party that we Love earnestly, makes watchings, pains, and travailles delicious, and begets in us a Love of peril. But nothing is so uncomfortable, as to serve a Master that knows it not, or at least if he know it, yet gives no sign that he takes it in good part; Love must be strong in this occurrence, because it runs alone without being sustained by any pleasure or pretention.  
4. Thus it comes to pass often times that we have no consolation in the exercise of holy Love, for that, being like deaf singers, we hear not our own voices nor enjoy the melody of our song; yea further, we are pressed with a thousand fears, frighted with a thousand false Alarms, which the Enemy gives round about our heart; suggesting, that peraduenturs, we are not in grace with our Master, and that our Love is fruitless, yea that it is false and vain, since it brings forth no comfort. And then, THEO: we labour not without pleasure only, but with an exceeding distress, being neither able to discover the profit of our labours, nor his contentment, for whom we labour.  
5. But that which in this case doth augment our difficulty, is, that even the Spirit and highest part of Reason cannot all assuage our grief for this poor superior portion of Reason being beset round about with the suggestions of the enemy, she is even all in tears, and hath her hands full in keeping the GUARD, lest sin by surprise might get consent: so that she can make no SALL●● to disengage the inferior part of her Spirit. And albeit she have not lost heart, yet is she so desperately set at, that though she be not guilty of fault, yet is she not free from pain: for that her grief might be full, she is deprived of the general consolation, which doth ordinarily accompany us through all the other calamities of this life, to wit, hope that they will not be of long continuance, but will have an end; so that the heart in these spiritual troubles, falls into a certain impotency of thinking to see an end of them, and consequently of hoping to be eased of its burden. Faith indeed which resides in the top of the Spirit, assures us that these troubles will have end, and that one day we shall enjoy expected repose: But the loudness of the shouts and outcries which the Enemy makes in the rest of the soul about the inferior Reason's Quarter, will scarely permit the advice and Remonstrance of Faith to be heard. And we have our Imagination filled with this heavy presage. Alas I shall never be joyful.  
6. O God, my dear THEO: now it is, that we are to show an invincible courage towards our Saviour, serving him purely for the Love of his will▪ not only without pleasure, but even floating in the midst of sorrows, horrors, astonishments and assaults; as did his glorious mother, and S. JOHN upon the day of his passion, who amongst so many blasphemies, sorrows and deadly disasters, remained constant in Love; yea even in tha● instant in which our Saviour, having drawn all his holy joys to the very top of his Spirit, left no joy or consolation at all in his heavenly countenance; and when his eyes languishing and covered with the dark veil of death, did only cast upon them a look of sorrow, as did the Sun send out beams of horror, and daunting darkness.   

How the soul amidst the●● interior anguishs, knows not the Love she bears to God, and of the Lovely death of the will. CHAPTER. XII.  
1. THe night before the great S. PETER was to suffer, Martyrdom, an Angel came to the Prison and filled it with splendour, awaked S. PETER, made him arise, gird himself, put on his shoes and clothes, freed him of, his bonds and shackles, drew him out of Prison, and led him through the first and second guard, till he came to the iron gate in the high way towards the town, which opened at their coming: and having passed a street, the Angel left the glorious S. PETER in full liberty. Behold a great variety of very sensible actions, and yet S. PETER who was at the first awaked, did not apprehend that which was done by the Angel, was done indeed, but esteemed in ●n imaginary vision. He was awake, and yet did not think so; he put on his clothes and shoes, not knowing that he had done it; he walked, and yet thought he walked not; he was delivered, and believed it not: And all this, because the wonder of his deliverance was so great▪ and it did engage his heart in such sort, that though he had sense and knowledge enough to do what he did, ye● had he not enough to discover that he did it really, and in good earnest; He saw indeed the Angel, but could not discern whether it was a true and natural vision. Whereupon he took no consolation in his delivery, till such time a● coming to himself: Now, quoth he, I know for certain, that God hath sent his Angel, and hath delivered me out of Herod's hands, and from all the jews expectation.  
2. Now, THEO even after the same manner it goes with a soul which is overcharged with interior anguishes, for be it that she hath the power to believe, to hope and Love her God, yet her distress doth possess her and make head against her so desperately, that she can get no time to make a retreat into her own quarter, and see what is done at home. Whereupon she is conceited that she hath neither faith, Hope, nor Charity▪ but only the shadows, and fruitless impressions of the said virtues; which she apprehends in a manner without apprehending them, and as strangers, not as the Familiars of the soul. And if you will but take notice of it, you shall find our souls always in this estate, when they are fiercely set upon by some violent passion: for they perform many actions, as though they were in a dream, with so little feeling, that they can scarcely believe that the passage is real. Which moved the Psalmist to express the greatness of the Israelits consolation in their return from Babilon's Captivity in these words. 
Vvhened pleased great Sions king to grant  
Us freedom from our thrall,  
We seemed to dream; so were we took  
With thoughts extaticall!  And as the holy latin version following the Seaventie hath, we were made as men comforted, that is, the admiration of the good which befell us was so excessively great, that it hindered us from feeling the consolation which we received, and it seemed to us, that we were not truly comforted nor had any true consolation, but only in a figure, and a dream.  
3, Such are the feelings of the soul which is tossed in the midst of Spiritual anguishes, which do exceedingly purify and refine Love for being stripped of all pleasure by mediation, whereof she might be joined to God, she is joined and united to God immediately, will to will, heart to heart without the least mediation of content, or any other pretention. Alas, THEO: how the poor heart is afflicted, when being as it were abandoned by Love, it looks round about, and yet seems not to find it. It is not found in the exterior senses, thy not being capable of it; nor in the Imagination, which is cruelly tortured by sundry onsets; nor in the understanding, distracted with a thousand obscurities of strange discourses and apprehensions; and though at length it be found in the top and supreme region of the Spirit, where it doth still reside: yet doth the soul mistake it, and conceives that it is not it; because the thickness of darkness and distress doth not permit her to taste the sweetness thereof. She sees it without seeing it; meets it, but doth not know it; as though it passed in a dream only ●●r in a Type. In this sort Magdalaine having met with her deare-Maister, received no comfort from him, for that, she did not apprehend that it was he indeed, but a Gardener only.  
4. But what is the soul to do that finds herself in this case? THEO: she wots not how to behave herself amidst so many vexations; nor hath she any strength left, but even permits her will to die in the hands of God's will, imitating her sweet JESUS, who being come to the top of the pains of the Cross, which his Father had ordained, and not being able any further to resist the extremity of his torments, did like the Hart, who, when he is runne out of breath, and oppressed by the hounds, yielding himself up into the huntsman's hands, with tears trickling down, sends out his last brayings: for so this Divine Saviour, near unto his death, and giving up his last breath, with a loud voice and abundance of tears; Alas quoth he, o Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit: This was the last word, THEO: and that by which the beloved son, gave a sovereign testimony of his Love towards his Father. When therefore all fails us, when our extremities are grown to their height; this word, this disposition, this rendering up of our soul into our Saviour's hands, can never fail us. The son commended his soul to his Father in this his last, and incomparable anguish. And we, when the convulsions of spiritual pains shall bereave us of all other sort of solace, and means of resistance, let us commend our soul into the hands of the eternal son our true Father, and making our hearts in a quiet submission stoop to his good pleasure, let us make over our whole will unto him.   

How the will being dead to itself, life's entirely to Gods will. CHAPTER. XIII.  
1. WE speak with a singular propriety of the death of men, in our French tongue: For we call it an OVERPASSING, and the dead themselues OVERPASSED, intimating, that DEATH amongst men, is but a PASSAGE from one life to another, and TO DIE, is no other thing but to OVERDO PASS the confines of this mortal life, to arrive at the immortal. True it is our will can no more die then our soul, yet doth she sometimes out go the limits of her ordinary life, to live wholly in the Divine will. Then it is that she neither cann, or will desire any thing at all, but gives herself over totally and without reserve to the good pleasure of the Divine providence, moistening, and incorporating herself with this good pleasure, that she is not seen, but is hid with JESUS CHRIST in God, where she life's: not she, but the will of JESUS CHRIST in her.  
2. What becomes of the brightness of the stars, when the Sun appears in our Horizon? certainly it doth in no wise perish, but is drunk up, and spent in the Sun's singular light, with which it is happily mixed and allied. And what becomes of man's will when it is entirely delivered up to God's pleasure? It doth not altogether perish, yet is it so drunk up, and dispersed in the will of God, that it appears not, nor hath it any other will, than the will of God. Propose unto yourself, THEOT: the glorious and never sufficiently praised S. Lewes, who embarkes himself to sail beyond Sea: and behold the Queen his dear wife ebarking herself together with his Majesty; now if one should have demanded of this brave Princess, Madame whither do you tend? she would without doubt have replied, I go whither the king goeth; but if one should have demanded again saying: but do you know, Madame, whither the King Goes? She would also have made answer, he told me in general, howbeit I care not for knowing that, desiring only to accompany him. And if one had replied, why then Madame, you have no design in this journey; No, would she have said, I have no other but to be with my dear Sovereign and husband. Why, but might one have said unto her, he goes into Egipte, to pass into PALESTINE, he will lodge at DAMIETA in ACREA, and in many places besides; do not you intent Madame, to go thither to? To this she would have made answer: no in truth I have no intention, save only to keep myself near my King, as for the places whither he goes, they are all indifferent to me, nor do they enter into my thoughts, but in so much as he shall be there; I go without desire of going, for I affect nothing but the King's presence. It is therefore the King that goes, he that designs the journey; but as for me, I go not, I follow only: I desire not the journey, but the only presence of the King: to go or to stay, and all sorts of contrariety, being indifferent to me.  
3. Certes if one demand of a servant that is of his Master's train, whither he goes: he is not to answer that he is to go to such or such a place, but only that he is to follow his Master; for he goes no where upon his own accord, but at his Master's pleasure only. In like manner, THEO: a will perfectly resigned to God's, is not to have any will of her own, but is simply to follow God's. And as one in a Shipe, doth not move by his own motion, but leaves himself to be moved by the Motion of the Vessel in which he is, so the heart, that is embarked in the divine pleasure, aught to have no other will then that of permitting itself to be conducted by the Divine will. And then the heart doth not, as before, say, thy will be done not mine, for there is now no will to be renounced; but it pronounceth these words, Lord, I put my will into thy hands, even as though it had not its will in its own disposing: but at the disposition of the Divine providence; So that it is not properly in this manner that Servants follow their Masters▪ for albeit the journey be undertaken at their Master's pleasure, yet is their following performed by their own particular will, by a will notwithstanding that is follower, servant, subject, and thrall to the will of their Master. So that as the Master and servant are two, so the will of the Master and the will of the servant are also two. But the will which is dead to herself, that she may live to Gods, is without any particular will, remaining not only conformable and subject, but even annihilated in herself to be converted into Gods: as one might say of a little child, who hath not yet got the use of his will, to Love or desire any thing, save the use of his dear mother's breasts: for he decernes not of which side he would rather be, or any other thing else, except only to be betwixt his mother's tresses, with whom he esteems himself one same thing; never troubling himself how he should conform his will to his mothers: for he perceives not his own, nor doth he think, he hath any, leaving all the care to his mother, to go, to do, and to will what she judgeth profitable for him.  
4 It is truly the highest perfection of our will, to be thus united to our sovereign good, as was his, who said: o Lord thou hast conducted and led me in the way of thy will: for what would he have said, but that he had made no use of his own will to conduct himself, but simply left the conduct and command thereof to the will of God.   

An explanation of that which hath been said touching the decease of our will. CHAPTER. XIV.  
1. IT is credible that the most sacred virgin our Lady, received so much content in carrying her little JESUS betwixt her arms, that delight beguiled weariness, or at least made it delightful: for if a branch of AGNUS CHASTUS can solace and unwearie Travaillers, what solace did not the GLORIOUS MOTHER receive in carrying the immaculate LAMB of God? And though she permitted him now and then to runne a foot by her, weelding him by the hand, yet was it not, that she would not rather have had him hanging about her neck and breasts; but it was to teach him to form his steps, and walk alone. And we, THEO: as the little children of the heavenly Father, may walk with him in two sorts: for we may either take the steps of our own will, which we conform to his, holding always in the hand of our obedience his Divine intention, and following it wheresoever it shall lead us, which God requires at our hands by the signification of his will: for since his will is that I should do his ordnance, his will is also that I have a will to do it. God hath signified unto me that his will is, I should keep holy the Saboth day, since therefore he will have me to do it, he will also that I have a will to do it, and for this end that I have a will of mine own, by which I follow his, by correspondance and conformity. But we may also walk with our Saviour, without any will of our own, by casting ourselves simply upon the Divine pleasure, as a little child in his mother's arms, by a certain admirable kind of consent, which may be termed UNION, or rather unity of our heart with Gods. And this is the way that we are to endeavour to comport ourselves in GOD'S WILL OF GOOD PLEASURE, for so much as the effects of this WILL OF GOOD PLEASURE, do proceed purely from his Providence and do come unto us without our labour. True it is we may desire their coming, according to Gods will, and this is a good desire; yet we may also receive the events of Heavens good pleasure, by a most simple tranquillity of our will, while willing nothing, we do in simplicity of heart give way to all that God would have done in us, on us, or by us.  
2. If one had asked the sweet JESUS when he was carried in his mother's arms, whither he went too! might he not with good reason have answered, I go not, 'tis my mother that goes for me. And if one had said to him, but at least do not you go with your mother? might he not reasonably have replied: no, I do not go, or if I go whither my Mother carries me, I neither go with her, nor by mine own steps, but by my mothers, by her, and in her: But if one had yet gone further with him, saying; surely o most dear Divine child, thy will is that thy sweet mother should carry thee: no verily might he have said, I will none of all this; but as my entirely good mother walks for me, so she wills for me. I leave her the care as well to go, as to will to go for me, where she likes best. and as I go not hut by her gate; so I will not but by her will: And from the instant I was first in her arms, I never gave my attention either to will or nill, turning all other cares over to my mother, save only the care to live in her bosom, to suck her sacred Pap, and to keep myself close joined to her amiable neck, loving to kiss her with kisses of my mouth. And be it known unto you, that while I am amongst the delights, of these holy hug which surpass all delights; I apprehend my mother as a tree of life, and myself in her, as the fruit; that I am her own heart in the midst of her heart, or her soul in the heart of her heart, so that as her gate serves both her and me without my touching the ground; so her will serves us both without producing any act of my will, about the business of going and coming. Nor do I ever take notice whither she go fast or fairly, hither or thither, nor do I make any enquiry whither she tends, contenting myself with this, that go she whither she please, I go still locked up in her bosom, close laid at her sugared dugs, where I feed as amongst Lilies. O Divine child of Marry, permit my poor soul to take this strain of Love! But go then o most amiable dear little babe, or rather go not, but stay still so holily glued to thy sweet mother's breast, go always in her, and by her, or with her, but never without her while thou remainest a child; o how blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the dugs that gave thee suck! The Saviour of our souls was endued with the use of Reason, from the instant of his Conception in his mother's womb, and could make all these discourses: yea even the glorious S. JOHN his Forerunner from the day of his holy Visitation. And though both of them, as well in that time, as in their infancy, were possessed of proper liberty to will or not to will; yet did they defer the care of that which concerned their exterior government to their mothers, to do and will for them what was requisite.  
3. Such should we be, THEO: pliable and tractable to God's good Pleasure, as though we were very wax, not giving our thoughts leave to wander in wishing and willing any thing, but leaving it to God to will and do all for us according to his goodness throwing upon him all our solicitude, because he hath care of us, as the holy Apostle sayeth; and note that he sayeth: All our sollicitudes that is, as well those which concern the events, as those, which pertain to willing or not willing: for he will have a care of the issue of our affairs, and of willing that which is best for us.  
4. Mean while let us affectionately employ our cares to bless God in all his works, by jobs example, saying; our Lord gave, and our Lord hath taken away: the name of our Lord be blessed. Lord I will will no events, but will let them be willed for me, even as thou shalt please: yea in lieu of willing the events, I will bless thee, in that thou hast willed them. O THEO: what an excellent employment of our will is this, when she leaves willing and choosing the effects of Gods good pleasure, to praise and thank him for such effects.   

Of the most excellent exercise a man can make in the interior and exterior troubles of this life, In sequel of the indifferency and death of the will. CHAPTER XV.  
1. TO bless and thank God in all the events that his providence ordains, is in very deed a most holy exercise: yet if while we leave the care to God to will and do in us, on us, and with us, what pleaseth him, without attending to that which passeth, though indeed we feel it, we could divert our heart, and apply our attention to the Divine goodness and sweetness, blessing God not in the effects or events which he ordains, but in himself, and in his own excellency, we should certainly perform a fare more eminent exercise. In the time that Demetrius laid Siege to Rhodes; Protogenes, who was in a little house in the Suburbs, ceased not to work, and that with such assurance and repose of mind, that though the enemy's sword hung still in a manner over his head, yet performed he that excellent MASTERPIECE, and admirable Satire, making himself merry with playing upon a pipe. O God how worthy souls are those, that in all kinds of accidents, keep still their affections and attentions upon the eternal goodness to honour and Love it eternally?  
2. The daughter of an excellent Physician and Surgeon, being in a continual Ague and knowing that she was tenderly beloved of her Father, said to one of her friends, I endure a great pain, yet think I of no remedies: for I know not what would be apt to work the Cure. I might wish for one thing, while an other were more convenient. Were it not therefore my fairest way to leave all this care to my Father, who knows what to do, can, and will do all that is required for my health? I were to blame if I should trouble myself to think of it, since he will be careful enough to think of it for me: I should err to desire any thing, sith he is diligent enough to desire all that can be profitable for me: I will therefore expect only till he will that which he deames fit, and will not otherwise busy myself then in fixing mine eyes upon him when he comes nigh me, to testify unto him my filial affection, and to discover unto him my perfect confidence; and with this she fell a sleep; till her Father judging it fit to let her blood, provided things requisite for it, and coming towards her, even as she awaked, after he had asked her, how she found herself after her sleep, he demanded whether she would not like well to be let blood for her health; Father, said she, I am yours, I know not what I should desire for my cure; it belongs to you to will and do for me whatsoever you shall judge convenient: for my part, it sufficeth me to Love and honour you with my whole heart, as indeed I do: with this they take and bind her arm, and her Father himself lanceth the vein; But while he is doing the deed, and the blood springs out, the loving girl never once looked upon her lanced arm, nor yet on the blood that issued out of the vein, but keeping her eyes fixed upon her Father's face, she said only now and then with a low voice; my Father Love's me tenderly, and I am entirely his: And when all was done, she thanked him not, but only repeated again, the former words of her filial affection and confidence.  
3. But tell me now THEO: my friend, did not this girl testify a more , and attentive love towards her father, then though she had shepen herself much solicitous in begging his help to her cure, in looking how they opened her vein, or how the blood span out, and in using a great deal of ceremony in rendering him thankes? certainly none can make any doubt of it; For in taking upon her the care of herself, what had she gotten, but an unprofitable anxiety, especially her father having care enough of her: what had looking upon her arm profited her, but have been an occasion of horror? And what virtue had she practised in thanking her father, save that of gratitude? Did she not better then, to occupy herself wholly in the Demonstrations of her filial affection, which is infinitely more delightful to her father then all other virtues.  
4. Mine eyes are always to our Lord, because he will deliver our feet from the snare. Art thou fallen into the snares of adversity? ah look not upon this mishap, nor upon the Gyves wherein thou art caught? look upon God, and leave all to him, he will have care of thee, throw thy thoughts upon him, and he will nourrish thee. Why dost thou trouble thyself with willing or nilling the events and accidents of this world, since thou art ignorant what were best for thee to will, and that God will will for thee, without thy trouble, all that thou art to will for thyself. Expect therefore in peace of mind the effect of the Divine pleasure; and let his willing suffice thee, since he can never cease to be good: For so he gave order to his well beloved S. Catharine of Sienna, Think of me quoth he to her, and I will think for thee. It is a hard thing to express to the full, this extreme indifferency of man's heart, which is so reduced to, and dead in the will of God: for it is not to be said, me thinks, that she doth submit herself to God's submission, being an act of the soul declaring her consent, nor is it to be said that she doth accept or receive it; for as much as accepting, or receiving are certain actions, which in some sort may be termed passive actions, by which we embrace, and take what soections, befalls us: nor yet are we to say, that she permits; permission being an action of the will, and consequently a certain idle empty wish, that will indeed do nothing, but only let it be done. And therefore, me think, the soul in this indifferecie, that willeth nothing, but leaves God to will what he pleaseth, is to be said to have her will in a simple expectation; since that to expect, is not to do, or act; but only to remain exposed to some ever. And if you mark it, the expectation of the soul is altogether voluntary, and yet an action it is not, but a mere disposition to receive whatsoever shall happen: and as soon as the events are once arrived and received, the expectation becomes a contentment or repose; Marry till they happen, in truth the soul is A PURE EXPECTATION, indifferent to all that it shall please the Divine will to ordain.  
5. In this sort did our Saviour express the extreme submission of his humane will to the will of his eternal Father. The Almighty, sayeth he, hath opened mine ear, that is, he hath declared unto me his pleasure, touching the multitude of torments which I am to endure, and I, sayeth he afterwards, do not gainsay or withdraw myself▪ what would this say, I do not gainsay, or withdraw myself, but this, my will is in a simple expectation, and is ready for all that God shall send; In sequel whereof I deliver up and abandon my body, to the mercy of such as will beat it, and my cheeks to such as will make them smart, being prepared to let them exercise their pleasure upon me. But mark, I pray you THEO: that even as our Saviour, after he had made his Prayer of Resignation in the Garden of Olivet, and after he was taken, left himself to be handled and haled by those that crucified him, by an admirable surrender made of his body and life into their hands. So did he resign up his soul and will, by a most perfect indifferency, into his eternal Father's hands. For though he cried out. My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? Yet was that, to let us understand, the real anguish and distress of his soul, but in no wise to impeach the most holy indifferency, of which it as possessed; as shortly after he shown, concluding all his life and passion in these incomparable words. Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit.   

Of the perfect stripping of the soul united to Gods will. CHAPTER. XVI.  
1. LEt us represent unto ourselves, THEO: the sweet jesus in Pilat's house, where for the Love of us, he was turned out of his clothes by the soldiers, the Ministers of death; and not content with that, they take the skin with them, tearing it with the blows of rods and whips, as afterwards his soul was bereft of his body, and his body of life, by the death which he endured upon the Cross. But three days being once runne over; the soul by the most holy Resurrection, did reinvest her glorious body, and his body its mortal skin, wearing sundry garments, now resembling a Gardener, now a Pilgrim, or in some other guise, according as the salvation of man, and the glory of God required. LOVE did all this THEO: and it is LOVE also that entering into a soul to make it happily die to itself, and live to God, which doth bereave it of all humane desires, and self-esteeme, which is as closely fixed to the Spirit, as the skin to the flesh, and strips her at length of her best beloved affections, as were those which she had to spiritual affections, exercises of piety, and the perfection of virtues, which seemed to be the very life of the soul.  
2. Then, THEO: the soul may by good right cry I have put of my garment, and how can I find in my heart, to resume them again? I have washed my feet from all sorts of affections, and can I ever be so mad as to soil them again? I came naked out of the hand of God, and naked will I return thither, God gave me many desires and God hath taken them away, his holy name be blessed. Yea THEO: the same God that made us desire virtues in our beginning, and which makes us practise them in all occurrences, he it is, that takes from us the affection to virtues, and all spiritual exercises, that with more tranquillity, purity and simplicity, we should affect nothing but the Divine Majesty's good pleasure. For as the fair judith reserved indeed, her costly festival robes in her Cabinet, and yet placed not her affection upon them, nor yet ever wore them in the time of her widowhood, save only when by God's inspiration, she went to overthrow Holofernes: so though we have learned the practice of virtue, and the exercise of devotion, yet are we not to affect them, nor reinvest our heart therewith, save only so fare forth, as we discern it to agree with God's good pleasure: And as judith wore still mourning weeds, except only in this occasion, wherein Gods will was that she should be in pomp, so are we peaceably to remain vested in our misery and abjection, amidst our imperfections and infirmities, till God shall exalt us to the practice of excellent actions.  
3. One cannot long remain in this nakedness void of all affection: Wherefore following the advice of the holy Apostle, as soon as we have turned off the garments of the old Adam, we are to put on the habits of the new man, that is to say, of JESUS CHRIST: for having renounced all, yea even the affection to virtues, neither desiring of these nor of other things a larger portion, then may bear proportion with God's will; we must put on again diverse affections, and peradventure the very same which we have renounced, and resigned up: yet are we not therefore to resume them, for that they are agreeable, profitable, honourable and proper to content lemma yourself; but because they are agreeable to God, profitable to his honour, and ordained to his glory.  
4. Eliezer carried eare-jewels, bracelets, and new attire, for the maid whom God had provided for his Master's son, and in effect he presented them to the virgin Rebecca, as soon as he knew it was she. New garments are required to our saviour's Spouse. If for the Love of God she hath bereft herself of the ancient affections which she had to Parents, Country, Father's house, and ally, she must take a span new affection, loving every of these in their rank, not now accorcording to humane considerations, but because the heavenly Spouse doth will, command and intent it so, and hath established such an order in Charity. If one have once put off his old affection to spiritual consolations, to exercises of devotion to the practice of virtues, yea to his own advancement in perfection; he must put on another new affection, by loving all these graces and heavenly favours, not because they perfect and adorn our mind, but for that our Saviour's name is sanctified in them, his kingdom enriched, his good pleasure glorified.  
5. So did S. PETER vest himself in the Prison, not at his own election, but at the Angel's command. He puts on his girdle, than his Sandales and afterwards the rest of his garments. And the glorious S. PAVL● bereft in a moment of all affections, Lord, quoth he, what wilt thou have me do? that is, what is thy pleasure I should affect, since throwing me to the ground, thou hast deadened me to mine own will? Ah Lord plant thy good pleasure in the place of it, and teach me to perform thy will, for thou art my God. THEO: he that hath forsaken all for God, aught to resume nothing, but according, to God's pleasure: he feeds not his body, but according to God's ordinance, that it may be serviceable to the Spirit; all his study is to assist his neighbour and his own soul, according to the Divine intention; he practiseth not virtues, as being according to his own heart, but according to God's.  
5. God commanded the Prophet isaiah to stripe himself naked; which he did, going and preaching in this sort for three days together, as some hold, or for three years together, as others think, and then, the time prefixed him by God being expired, he resumed his clothes. Even so are we to turn ourselves out of affections little and great, as also to make a frequent examine of our hearts, to discover whether it be willing to unuest itself, as isaiah did his garments, as also to resume in their time, the affections necessary to the service of charity; to the end we might die with our Saviour naked upon the cross, and rise again with him, in newness of life. Love is as strong as death to make us quit all; it is magnificent, as the Resurrection, to adorn us with honour and glory.   
The end of the ninth book.   

THE TENTH BOOK. OF THE COMMANDMENT OF LOVING GOD ABOVE ALL things.  

Of the sweetness of the Commandment, which God gave us, to love him above all things. CHAPTER. I.  
1. MAN is the perfection of the Universe, the Spirit the perfection of man, Love the Spirits, and Charity the perfection of Love.. Whence the Love of God, is the end of perfection, and the Excellency of the universe. In this THEO: doth consist the height and primacy of the Commandment of Divine Love, called by our Saviour, the first and greatest Commandemet. This Commandment is as a Sun, giving lustre and dignity, to all the holy laws, to all the Divine ●ordonances, and to all the holy Scriptures. All is made for this heavenly Love, and all tends to it: Of the sacred Tree of this Commandment, all consolations, exhortations, inspirations, and even all the other Commandments, have dependence as its flowers; and eternal life, as it's fruit: and all that tends not to eternal Love, tends to eternal death. O great Commandment, whose perfect practice remains even in the everlasting life, yea it is no other thing than life everlasting.  
2. But mark, THEO: how amiable this law of Love is! ah Lord God, was it not sufficient that thou shouldst permit us this heavenly Love, as KABAN permitted JACOB to Love RACHEL, without deigning farther to invite us to it by exhortations, and urge us to it by thy Commandments? Nay more, o Divine Goodness! to the end that neither thy Majesty, nor our misery, nor any other pretext at all, might delay our love to thee, thou dost command it us. The poor APELLES could neither abstain from loving, nor yet adventure to love the fair COMPASPE, because she appertained to ALEXANDER the Great; but when he had once leave to love her, how much did he hold himself obliged to him that did him the grace! He knew not whether he should more love the fair COMPASPE granted him by so great an Emperor, or so great an Emperor, who had granted him the fair COMPASPE. O sweet God, THEO: If we could understand it, what an obligation should we have to this Sovereign good, who doth not only permit, but doth even command us to love him! Alas my God, I know not whether I ought more to love thine infinite Beauty, which so great a Bounty hath ordained that I should love; or thy Divine Bounty, which ordains that I should love so infinite a Beauty! O Beauty how amiable thou art, being granted unto me by a Bounty so immense! O Bounty how amiable thou art, in communicating unto me so eminent a Beauty!  
3. God at the day of judgement will imprint, after an admirable manner in the hearts of the damned, the apprehension of their loss: for the Divine Majesty will make them clearly see the Sovereign Beauty of his face, and the Treasures of his Bounty: and upon the sight of this Abyss of infinite delights, the will, desires with an extreme violence to cast herself upon him, to be united unto him, and enjoys his Love: But all in vain; she shall be as a woman, who in the pangs of childbirth, after she have endured violent pains, cruel convulsions, and intolerable pangs, dies in the end without being delivered. For as soon as the clear and fair knowledge of the heavenly Beauty, shall have penetrated the understandings of those infortunate wretches; the Divine justice, shall in such sort deprive the will of her force, that she can in no wise love this object, which the understanding shall propose unto her, and make clear to be so amiable; and this sight which should beget in the will so great a Love, in lieu thereof, shall engender an infinite desolation, which shall be made eternal, by a memory of the Sovereign Beauty they saw, which shall for ever live in these lost souls; a memory void of all good, yea full of vexations, pains, torments and endless desperations; For so much as in the soul shall be found both an imposiblitie, yea and a dreadful and everlasting aversion and repugnance to love this so wishful an Excellency. So that the miserable damned shall live for ever in a desperate rage to know so soveraignely amiable a perfection, without all hope, of ever being able to enjoy or love it: because while they might have loved it they would not: they shall burn, with a thirst, so much more violent, by how much the remembrance of this source of waters of eternal life, shall more egg their ardour: they shall die immortally, as dogs, of a famine by so much more vehement, by how much their memory shall more sharpen the insatiable cruelty thereof, by calling to mind the heavenly banquet, of which they were deprived. 
The damned souls in foaming rage,  
Shall whither up and dry away:  
And nothing shall their grief assuage,  
What ere their daring hearts essay.  I dare not affirm for certain, that the view of God's Beauty, which the damned shall have, in the manner of a flash of lightning, shall be as bright as that of the Blessed; yet shall it be so clear, that they shall see the son of man in his Majesty; they shall see him whom they pierced; and by the view of this glory, shall learn the greatness of their loss. Ah, if God had prohibited man to Love, what a torment would that have been to generous hearts: what pains would they not undertake to obtain permission to Love him? DAVID entered into a very dangerous Combat, to gain the king's daughter, and what did not JACOB do to espouse RACHEL? and the Prince SICHEM to have DINA in marriage? The damned would repute themselves Blessed, if they could entertain a hope ever to Love God: And the Blessed would esteem themselves Damned, if they harboured a thought, that they should ever be deprived of this sacred Love..  
4. O Good God, THEO: how gustful is the sweetness of this Commandment, seeing that if it pleased the Divine will to give it to the damned, they would in a moment be delivered of their greatest misfortune, and since the Blessed are not Blessed but by the practice of it! o heavenly Love how lovely thou art in the fight of our souls? And blessed be the Bounty of God for ever, who so earnestly commands us to Love him, though his Love be otherwise most to be desired, and necessary to our Happiness, and that without it, we must necessarily be unhappy.   

That this Divine Commandment of Love tends to Heaven, yet is given to the faithfu●l in this world. CHAPTER. II.  
1. If the law be not imposed on the just man because he preventing the laws, and without the la●es solicitation, doth perform God's will by the instinct of Charity, which reigns in his soul; how free are we to esteem the Blessed in Heaven from all commandments, since that from the possession of the Bounty and Beauty of the Beloved, in which they are, a sweet yet inevitable necessity to Love for ever the most holy Divinity, doth stream out and run upon their hearts? We shall Love God above, THEO: not as being tied and obliged by the law, but as being alured, and ravished with delight, which this so perfectly an amiable object shall yield unto our hearts. Then the force of the Commandment will cease, to the end it may give place to the force of contentments, which shall be the fruit and crown of the observance of the Commandment We are therefore ordained to the contentment which is promised us in the immortal life, by means of the Commandment given unto us in this our mortal life, in which truly we are strictly bound to observe it, because it is the fundamental law, which the KING JESUS delivered to the Citizens of this militant JERUSALEM, whereby they may merit the BURGVERSHIP, and joy of the triumphant HI●RVSALEM.  
2. Certes above in heaven, we shall have a heart free from all passions, a soul purified from all distractions, a Spirit enfranchised from contradictions, and forces exempt from opposition, and therefore we shall Love God, with a perpetual and never interrupted affection, as it is said of the four sacred beasts, which representing the Evangelists, do incessantly praise the Divinity. O God what a joy, when we being established in those eternal Tabernacles our Spirits shall be in this perpetual motion, in which they shall enjoy the so much desired repose of their eternal dilection. 
Happy, who in thy Mansion live,  
And in all Seasons praises give!  But we are not to aim at this Love so exceedingly perfect in this life of death, for as yet we have neither the heart, nor the soul, nor the Spirit, nor the forces of the Blessed. It is sufficient for us to Love with all the heart and force which we have. While we are little children, we are wise like little children, we speak like children, we Love like children, but when we shall come to our perfect growth above, we shall be quit of our infancy, and Love God perfectly. Yet are we not for all this, THEO: during the infancy of our mortal life, to leave to do our best, according as it is commanded, since it is not only in our power, but is also most facile, the whole Commandment being of Love, and of the Love of God, who as he is soveraignely good, so is he soveraignely amiable.   

How, notwithstanding, that the whole heart is employed in sacred Love, yet one may Love God diversely, and also many other things together with him. CHAPTER. III.  
1. HE that sayeth all, excluds nothing, and yet a man may be wholly Gods, wholly his Fathers, wholly his mothers, wholly his Princes wholly his commonwealth's, his child's, his friend's: so that being wholly every on's, yet he is wholly to all: which happens, for that the duty by which a man is wholly on's, is not contrary to the duty, by which a man is wholly an others.  
2. Man gives himself wholly by love, and with proportion to his love he bestows himself. He is therefore in a sovereign manner given to God, when he love's the Divine Bounty Soveraignely. And having once made this kind of donation of himself, he is to love nothing that can remove his heart from God. Now never doth any love take our hearts from God, save that which is contrary unto him.  
3. SARA is not offended to spy ISHMAEL about her dear ISAAC, while his dalliance with ISHMAEL is not to slight or disparage her: nor is God offended to see other loves live in us besides his, while we do conserve for him, the reverence, and respect due unto him.  
4. Verily, THEOT: in heaven, God will give himself wholly to all and not by halfs, since he is a WHOLE, that hath no parts, yet will he give himself diversely, and with varieties, equal to the variety of the Blessed, for though he give himself wholly to all, and wholly to each one, yet will he never give himself totally, neither to any one in particular, nor to all in general. And we shall give ourselves to him, according to the measure in which he gives himself to us: For we shall see him indeed face to face, as he is in his Beauty; and shall love him heart to heart, as he is in his Bounty: yet all shall not see him with an equal brightness, nor love him with an equal sweetness: but every one shall see and love him, according to their particular portion of glory, which the Divine Providence hath prepared for them. We shall equally all have the fullness of Divine Love; marry that fullness shall be unequal in perfection. The honey of Narbone is sweet, and so is also that of Paris: both of them are full of sweetness, but the one of a sweetness, better, finer, and more vigorous; and though both of them be entirely sweet, yet is neither of them totally sweet. I do homage to my Sovereign Prince, as also to him that is next unto him. I present  my loyalty as well to the one as to the other of them, yet do I present it to neither of them totally. For in that which I exhibit to my Sovereign, I do not exclude that which is due to his vassal next to him, nor do I in this includ that. Wherefore it is no wonder, if in Heaven, where these words thou SHALT LOVE THE LORD T●Y GOD WITH ALL THY HEART, shall be so excellently practised, there be great differences in love, sith we see such diversity even in this mortal life.  
5. THEO: not only of such as love God with all their heart, some love him more, and some less, but even one and the same doth oft pass himself, in this sovereign exercise of loving God above all things. Appelles' did at sometimes handle his pencil better than at others, sometimes even out striping himself: For though commonly he put all his art and all his attention to draw out ALEXANDER THE GREAT, yet did he never employ it so totally and entirely that he had not yet other tricks of art, by which though he neither put to't more skill, nor more affection, yet he did it more lively and perfectly: He always employed all his wit to the good performance of this Table of ALEXANDER, because he used it without reserve, yet sometimes he did it with more grace and felicity. Who knows not that we make progress in this holy Love, and that the end of Saints is crowned with a more perfect love, than their beginning.  
6. Now according to the phrase of holy Scripture; to do a thing with all one's heart, imports only, to do it willingly and without reserve. O Lord sayeth David I have sought thee with all my heart, Lord hear me, and the holy WORD testifieth, that he had truly followed God with his whole heart: and yet not withstanding all that, it affirms also that Ezechias had not his equal amongst all the kings of juda, neither before nor after him; that he was united to God, and strayed not from him: Afterwards treating of JOSIAS, it sayeth, that he had not his fellow amongst all the kings either before or after him, that he returned to God with all his heart, with all his soul, with all his force, according to the whole law of MOSES: nor did there any that followed him, rise like unto him Mark then I pray you THEO: mark how DAVID, EZECHIAS, and JOSIAS loved GOD with all their hearts; and yet not all three with an equal dilection, because some of them had not their like in this Love, as the Sacred Text witnessed. All the three loved him; each of them with all their heart, yet did ne'er a one of them separately, nor all three jointly, Love him totally, but every one in his particular way: so that as all the three were a like, in this, that they gave their whole heart, so were they unlike, in their manner of delivering it: yea there is no doubt at all but that DAVID taken a part, was fare different from himself in this Love; and that with his second heart, which God created pure and clean in him and his right Spirit, which he renewed in his bowels by holy Penance, he sung the Canticle of Love fare more melodiously, then ever he had done, with his first heart and Spirit.  
7. All true Lovers are equal in this, that all give all their heart to God, and with all their force, but unequal, in the diversity of giving it, whence one gives all his heart with all his force yet less perfectly than the others. Some gives it it all by Martyrdom, all by virginity, all by purity, all by action, all by contemplation, all by a pastoral function; and though all give it all, by the observance of the Commandments; yet doth some one give it with less perfection than the others.  
8. Even so JACOB himself, who was called the HOLY-of-GOD in DANIEL, and whom God protesteth that he loved, confesseth ingeniously that he had serve LABAN with all his strength: and why did he serve LABAN, but to obtain RACHEL, whom he loved with all his forces? He serves LABAN with all his forces; he serves GOD with all his forces: he Love's RACHEL with all his forces, he Love's GOD with all his forces: yet Love's he not RACHEL as GOD, nor GOD as RACHEL: He Love's GOD as his God above all things and more than himself; he Love's RACHEL in quality of a wife, and as himself: he Love's God with an absolute and soveraignely supreme Love; and RACHEL with the chiefest nuptial Love.. Nor is the one of the Love's contrary to the other, since that of RACHEL doth not violate the privileges and sovereign advantages of the Love of GOD.  
9 So that our Love to God, THEO: takes its worth from the eminency and excellency of the motive, for which, and according to which we Love him, in that we Love him for his sovereign infinite goodness, as God, and according as he is God. Now one drop of this Love, is better, of more force and value, than all the other Loves that can ever enter into the hearts, or amongst the Quires of Angels. For while this Love life's, it reigns and bears the Sceptre over all the affections, making his will prefer God, before all things indifferently, universally, and absolutely.   

Of two degrees of perfection, in which this Commandment may be kept in this mortal life. CHAPTER. iv  
1. While the great king Solomon, enjoying as yet the Spirit of God, composed the sacred Canticle of Canticles, he had according to the permission of those ages, great variety of dames and damsels dedicated to his Love in diverse conditions, and qualities. For 1. there was one that was his singularly dear and wholly perfect one, most rare, as a singular dove, with which the others entered not into comparison, and for this reason she was called by his own name SUNAMITE. 2. There were sixty, which next to her, had the first rank of honour and estimation, and were called Queens. Besides which, there were thirdly Fourscore Dames, which were not indeed Queens, yet were companions of his Royal bed, in quality of honourable and lawful friends. 4. and lastly, there were young damsels without number, reserved in expectation, as a seedeplat, to succeed in the places of the former, when they should fall into decay. Now, by the IDEA of that which passed in his Palace, he described the diverse perfections of souls, who in time to come, were to adore, Love, and serve the great pacifical KING JESUS CHRIST, our Saviour; amongst which there are some, who being newly freed from sin and resolved to Love God, are yet Novices, Apprentices, tender and feeble: So, that they Love indeed the Divine sweetness, yet with such mixture of other different affections, that their sacred Love, being as yet in its Nonage, they Love together with our Saviour, many superfluous, vain, and dangerous things. And as a PHOENIX newly hatched out of her cinders, having as yet her plumes tender and nice, and having on her first downs, can only essay a short flight, in which she is rather said to hop then to fly; so these tender and dainty young souls, newly borne of the ashes of their Penance, cannot as yet take a high flight, and sore a above in the air of holy love, being held captives by the multitude of wicked inclinations, and depraved customs in which the sins of their life past had left them. They are yet living, quickened, and feathered with Love, yea and with true Love too, else had they never forsaken sin; yet with a Love as yet feeble, young, and environed with a number of other Loves, and which cannot produce fruit in such abundance, as otherwise it would do, if it had the full possession of the heart in its hands.  
2. Such was the Prodigal Son, when quitting the infamous campanie, and custody of swine, amongst which he had lived, he returned into his father's arms half naked, all to be dabed, dirted, and stinking of the filth, which he had contracted in the company of those unclean beasts. For what is it to forsake the swine, but to reclaim one's self from sin? and what is it to return all ragged, tattered, and stinking, but to have our affections engaged in the habits and inclinations which tend to sin? yet was he possessed of the life of the soul which is Love.. And as a Phoenix rising out of her ashes he finds himself newly risen to life. He was dead, quoth his Father, and is returned to life, he is revived. Now salomon's Friends, were called young daughters in the Canticles for as much as (having tasted the odour of the Spouse his name, which breathes nothing but Salvation and Mercy) they Love him with a true Love, but a Love, which is as themselves, in its tender age: for even as young girls do Love their husbands well if they have them, yet leave not off much to affect their toys, trifles, and companions with whom they were wont desperately to lose themselves in playing, dancing and fooling; in busying themselves with little birds, little dogs, squirrels, and the like babbles: So the young and Novice-soules have truly an affection to the sacred Spouse, yet admit they with it a number of voluntary distractions and encumbrances: so that loving him above all things, they do yet busy themselves in many things which they Love not like him, but besides him, out of him, and without him: for as small irregularities in words, in gestures, in clothes, in pastimes, and fond tricks, 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 certain souls who having already made some progress in the Love of God, have also cut off the affections they had to dangerous things, and yet do entertain dangerous and supersluous Loves: because they Love with excess, and Love that which God ordains they should Love, with a Love too nice and passionate. It stood with God's pleasure that ADAM should love EVE tenderly, yet not in that degree of tenderness, that to content her, he should have violated the order given him by his Divine Majesty. He loved not then a superfluous thing, nor a thing in itself dangerous, but he loved it superfluously and dangerously. The love of our Parents, friends and Benefactors, is in itself according to GOD, yet we may affect it with excess; as we may also our vocations, be they never so spiritual; and our exercises of devotion (which yet we ought so greatly to affect) may beloved inordinately, to wit, if we prefer them before obedience, or a more general good; or in case we love them in quality of LAST END, being the only means and furtherances to our final pretention, which is DIVINE LOVE. And those souls which Love nothing, but that which God would have them to Love, and yet do exceed in the manner of loving, do truly Love the Divine Goodness above all things, yet not in all things: for the things, which not only by permission but even by command they are to Love according to God, they do not only Love according to God, but for other causes and motives, which though indeed they be not contrary to God, yet are they out of him; so that they resemble the Phoenix, who hauning gotten her first feathers, and beginning to wax strong, doth forthwith hoist herself up into the open air, yet is not long able to continue flight, but is forced to light often upon the ground, to take breath. Such was the poor young man, who having from his tender age observed God's Commandments, desired not his neighbour's goods, yet affected his own too tenderly. So that when our Saviour gave him Counsel to give them to the poor, he became sad and melancholy. He loved nothing but that which he might lawfully love, but he loved it with a superfluous and too obliging an affection. It is plain therefore, THEO: that these souls love too ardently and with superfluity, yet love they not the superfluities, but only the thing which is to be loved. And hereupon they do enjoy the marriage bed of the heavenly Solomon, that is unions, recollections, and the reposes of love, whereof we spoke in the 5. and 6. book: Marry they do not enjoy them in quality of Spouses, because the superfluity with which they affect good things, hinders them from a frequent entry into these Divine Unions with the Spouse, being busied and distracted in loving that out of him and without him, which they ought not to Love but in him and for him.   

Of two other degrees of greater perfection, by which we may Love God above all things. CHAPTER. V  
1. NOw there are other souls that neither Love superfluities, nor yet with superfluity, but love only that which God will, and as he will; Blessed souls, who love God, their friends in God, and their enemies for God, they Love many things together with God, but none at all, save in God and for God: It is God that they Love, not only above all things, but even in all things and all things in God, resembling the Phoenix grown young again, and come to her perfect strength, which is never seen but in the air, or upon the tops of mountains that touch upon the air; for so these souls Love nothing but in God; though indeed they Love many things with God, and God with many things. S. LUKE recounts that our Saviour invited a young man to follow him, who indeed loved him dear but he had also a great affection to his Father, and therevpon had a mind to return home to him. But our Saviour out of this superfluity of Love, and excited him to a Love more pure, that he might not only Love our Saviour more than his Father, but that he should not even Love him at all, but in our Saviour. Leave the care of burying the dead to the dead, as for thee, (who hast met with life) go and preach the Kingdom of Heaven. And these souls, as you see THEOT: having so great a connection with the Spouse, they merit to participate of his rank, and to be Queens, as he is King; being they are entirely dedicated to him without division or separation at all, having no affections out of him, or without him, but only in him, and for him.  
2. But above all these souls, there is yet one Onely-one, who is the Queen of Queens, the most loving, the most Lovely, and the most beloved of all the Friends of the Divine Spouse, who doth not only Love God above all things, and in all things, but even Love's nothing but God in all things; so that she Love's not many things, but one only thing, which is God himself: And whereas it is God alone that she loveth in all that she loveth, she Love's him indifferently in all things, according as his good pleasure may require, out of all, and without all. If it be only HESTER that Assuerus loveth, why should he more Love her being perfumed and decked, then in her ordinary attire? If it be my Saviour only that I Love, why should I not as much affect the Mount Caluarie, as the Mount Thabor, since he is as well in the one as in the other? and why should I not as cordially pronounce in the one as in the other, IT IS GOOD FOR US TO BE HERE. If I Love my Saviour in Egypt, without loving Egypt: why shall I not Love him in Simon the Leprous his banquet without loving the Banquet, and if I Love him amidst the blasphemies which are poured upon him not loving the blasphemies, why shall I not Love him perfumed with magdalen's precious ointment without either affecting the ointment or the sent thereof? It is a true sign that we Love only God in all things, when we Love him equally in all things, since that he being in himself immutable, the mutability of our Love towards him, must needs proceed from some thing that is not himself. Now, the sacred Lover, Love's her God no more with the whole world to boot, then though he were all alone without the world: because all that is out of God, and is not God, is as nothing to her. An entirely pure soul Love's not even Heaven, but by reason that her Spouse is loved therein: but a Spouse so sovereignly beloved in his Heaven, that if yet he had no Heaven to bestow, he would neither appear less amiable, nor be less beloved of this generous loving heart, who cannot Love the Heaven of her Spouse, but only her Spouse of Heaven, and who puts no less price upon Caluarie while her Spouse is there crucified, then upon Heaven where he is glorified. He that weighs one of the little bullets of S. Clare of Monte-falco, finds it as heavy, as all the three together. So doth perfect Love find God as amiable all alone, as together with all the creatures for as much as the creatures are only loved in God, and for God.  
3. Souls in this degree of perfection are so thin sown, that each of them are called their Mothers only one, which is the Divine Providence, and each of them is called the only dove, because she only love's her mate; she is termed perfect, for that by love she is made the same thing with the Sovereign Perfection whence she may say in a most humble truth; I am not, but for my beloved, and he is wholly turned towards me. Now there is none save the most Blessed Virgin our Lady, that is perfectly arrived at this height of excellency, in the love of her dear beloved: For she is a DOVE so singularly singular in Love, that all the rest being compared to her, are rather to be termed Daws then Doves. But let us leave this Peerless Queen in her matchless eminency. There have yet been other souls, that have found themselves so happy in the state of this pure love, that in comparison of their companions, they might take the rank of QVEENES of only DOVES, of perfect FRIENDS of the SPOUSE. For I pray you THEO: in what degree must he needs have been, who from his very heart sung to God, 
To what in Heaven but thee can I aspire?  
Or what in earth but thee, can I desire?   
And he that cried out. I do esteem all things as dung that I may gain JESUS CHRIST: did he not testify that he loved nothing out of his Master, and that out of all things he drew arguments of his Master's Love? And what could be the feeling of that great Lover, who sighed all the night, my God is my all. Such was S. AUGUSTINE, S. BERNARD, the two S. Catherine's of Sienna and Genua, and diverse others, by whose imitation every one may aspire to this divine degree of Love.. O rare and singular souls, which resemble not at all the birds of this world, no, not the Phoenix herself, though so singularly rare; but are only represented by the bird, who for her excellent beauty, and nobleness, is said not to be of this world, but of Paradise, whereof she bears the name: for this dainty bird disdaining the earth, doth never touch it, but life's above in the air; yea even when she is forced to unwearie herself, she will only cleeve by the small twigs of trees upon which she hangs in the air, out of which, or without which, she can neither fly nor repose. And even so these great souls, do not in very deed Love the Creatures in themselves, but in their Creator, and their Creator in them. But if they cleeve to any creature by the law of Charity, it is only to repose in God, the only and final aim of their Love.. So that finding God in the Creatures, and the Creatures in God, they Love God indeed not the Creatures; as they that fishing for Pearls find them in their shells, do esteem their fishing made for pearls only.  
4. For the rest, I do not think, that there was ever any mortal Creature, that loved the heavenly Spouse with this matchless Love so perfectly pure, except the Virgin who was his Spouse and Mother both together; but contrariwise, as touching the practice of these four differences of Love, on can hardly be any long time without passing from one of them to another. The Souls which as young wenches, are as yet entangled in diverse vain and dangerous affections, are not sometimes without having the most pure and excellent touches of Love: but being but glimpse and passing lightnings, one cannot thereupon rightly say, that such souls are got out of the state of young girls which are Novices and Printises. It happens also sometimes, that the souls that are in the degree of only and perfect Lovers, do much relent and wax cold, yea even to the committing, and falling into troublesome venial sins: as may be gathered by many bitter contentions stirred up amongst God's great servants; yea even amongst some of the Divine Apostles, who as we cannot deny fell into some imperfections, by which notwithstanding Charity was not violated, yet the fervour thereof was troubled. Howbeit whereas ordinarily those great souls loved God with a Love perfectly pure, we are not to deny that they were in the state of perfect Love.. For how oft do we see, that good trees though they never bring forth any venomous fruit, yet do they produce raw and unripe ones, corrupted with misseltoe or moss: So the great Saints never fell into mortal sin, yet fell they easily into fruitless actions and such as are green, bitter, harsh, and ill tasted. And as even in these circumstances we must confess that those trees are fruitful, otherwise they could not be called good, so are we in no sort to deny, that some of their fruit was fruitless. For who can deny that the misseltoe and moss of trees, is an unprofitable fruit? and who can also deny that small angers, and minute excesses of joy, of laughter, of vanity, and of other the like passions, are unprofitable and unlawful motions? and yet the Just man brings them forth seven times a day, that is, very often.   

That the Love of God above all things is common to all Lovers. CHAPTER VI.  
1. Though there be so sundry degrees of Love amongst true Lovers, yet is there but one Commandment of Love only, which doth generally and equally oblige every one with a wholly like and entirely equal obligation, though it be differently observed, and with an infinite variety of perfections, there being peradventure, was few souls found in earth as Angels in Heaven, perfectly equal in Love: seeing that as one star differs from another in brightness, so shall the Blessed in their Resurrection, where every one sings a Canticle of Glory, and receives a name, known to none but to him that receives it. But what degree of Love is it, to which the Divine Commandment doth equally, universally and continually oblige all?  
2. It was a piece of the holy Ghosts providence, that in our ordinary version which his Divine Majesty hath canonised and sanctified by the Council of Trent, the heavenly Commandment of Love, is expressed in the word DILECTION rather than by the word LOVE; for albeit that DILECTION be a kind of Love, yet is it not a simple Love, but a Love of choice and election, which sense the word itself carries, as the glorious S. THOMAS doth note: for this commandment doth enjoin us a Love chosen out of thousands, like to him to whom it is due, who as the beloved Sunamite marks him out in the Canticles, is one elected out of thousands. It is Love that is to have power over all our affections, and is to reign over all our passions: and that which God exacteth of us is, that of all our Loves, his may be the most cordial, bearing rule over our heart; the most affectionate, possessing our whole soul; the most general, applying all our powers; the highest, replenishing our whole heart; and the most , exercising all our strength and prowise. And whereas by this we do choose and elect God, for the Sovereign object of our soul, it is a Love of Sovereign Election, or an election of Sovereign Love..  
3. You are not ignorant, THEO: that there are diverse species of Love: as for example, there is a fatherly Love, a brotherly Love, a filial Love and a nuptial Love; a Love of society, of obligation, of dependence, and an hundred more, which are all different in excellency, and so proportioned to their objects, that scarcely can they be applied, or appropriated to any other. He that should affect his Father, with the Love of a brother only, should come short of his duty. He that should Love his wife in quality of a Father only, he should not love her sufficiently. He that should love his Lackey as his own child, would be esteemed impertinent. Love is as honour: for as honour is diversified according to the diversity of excellencies to which it is attributed; so Loves are diverse, according to the diversity of the GOOD which is loved. Sovereign honour is due to Sovereign Excellency; and Sovereign love to the Sovereign Good. The love of God is a love without comparison, because the goodness of God is incomparable. Hark Israel, Thy God is the sole Lord, and therefore thou shalt love him with thy whole soul, thy whole understanding, thy whole strength: For God is the only Lord, and his goodness is infinitely above all goodness: and he is to be loved with a love which is eminent, excellent and puissant beyond all comparison. It is this supreme love, that placeth God in such esteem amidst our souls, and makes us repute it so great a happiness to be gracious in his sight; that we prefer him before, and love him above all things. Now THEOT: do you not plainly see, that he that love's God in this sort, hath dedicated his whole soul and strength to God, sith for ever and in all occurrences, he will prefer God's honour before all things; keeping himself in a readiness to forsake the whole world, to preserve the love which is due to the Divine Goodness. And in some, it is the love of Excellency, or the Excellency of love, which is commanded to all mortals in general, and each one of them in particular from their first use of reason. A love sufficient for every one, and necessary for all that will be saved.   

An illustration of the former chapter. CHAPTER. VII.  
1. WE do not always clearly know, nay not at all certainly, at least by a certainty of Faith, whether we have the true love of God, requisite to our salvation, yet have we diverse marks thereof, amongst which the most assured, and in a manner infallible is seen in the opposition, which the love of creatures makes against our designs of God's love: For in that occurrence, if Divine Love reign in the soul it makes appear the force of the credit and authority which it hath over the will, showing by effects not only that he hath no Master, but that he hath even no equal, repressing and prostrating all opposition, and making his intentions be obeyed. When the accursed company of hellish spirits, revolting from their Creator, essayed to draw to their faction the troops of the Blessed Spirits; the glorious S. MICHAEL encouraging his fellow-soldiers to the loyalty which they ought to their God, cried (Marry after an Angelical manner) with a loud voice through out the streets of the Heavenly Jerusalem. WHO IS LIKE TO GOD? And in this word he overthrew that Traitor Lucifer with his rout, who equalised themselves to the Divine majesty, and thence, as it is said, S. MICHAEL'S name was imposed, since that MICHAEL imports no other thing then WHO IS LIKE TO GOD? And when the love of created things, would draw our hearts to their PARTY, to make us disobedient to the Divine Majesty, if the great divine love be found in the soul, it makes head against it, as a other MICHAEL, and makes good the powers and forces of the soul to God's service; by this word of assurance, WHO IS LIKE TO GOD? What beauty doth there appear in creatures, which ought to draw man's heart to a rebellion against the sovereign bounty of God?  
2. As soon as that holy and brave gentleman joseph, perceived that the love of his Mistress tended to the ruin of that which was due to his Master: ah quoth he, be it fare from me, that I should violate the respect which I own to my Master, who reposeth so much trust in me? how can I then admit this crime, and sin against my God? mark THEO: mark how there are three loves in the lovely joseph's heart: for he love's his Mistress, his Master, and God; but as soon as his Mistress' love riseth up against his Masters, he suddenly forsakes it, and away he runs; as he would also have forsaken his Masters, if he had found it contrary to God's. Amongst all the love's God's is so to be preferred that is, one must always stand prepared in mind to forsake them all for that alone.  
3. SARA gave her maid AGAR to her husband ABRAHAM, to th'end that he might have children by her, following the lawful custom of those times: But Agar having conceived, did greatly contemn her Mistress SARA: till then, scarcely could one discern whether ABRAHAM bore more affection to SARA or AGAR; for AGAR was as well his bedfellow as SARA, yea with fertility to boot; but when the God Abraham came to make comparison between his loves, he made manifest which was the stronger: for no sooner had Sara made her complaint that she was contemned by Agar, but he told her, thy chamber maid Agar is in thy power, do upon her what thou thinkest good. So that from thence forth Sara did so afflict the poor Agar that she was constrained to retire herself. Divine Love doth willingly permit that we should have other loves; nor can we sometimes easily discover which love is the chief in our heart: for this man's heart of ours, doth oftentimes most eagerly draw the love of creatures into the bed of his Complacene, yea it happens withal, that he makes more frequent acts of his love towards creatures, then towards his Creator: while yet Divine love in him leaves not to excel all the other love's, as the events make clear, upon the Creatures oppositions to their Creator; for than he takes sacred love's part, submitting unto it all his affections.  
4. There is great difference betwixt the bulk and value of things created. One of Cleopatra's pearls was more worth than one of our highest rocks, marry this is greater, the one hath bulk, the other worth. It is made a question, whether the honour which a Prince achieves in wars by feats of arms, or that which he merits by justice in time of peace be greater; and me thinks, that military glory is bigger, the other better: even as of instruments, drums and Trumpets make more noise; Lutes and virginals more melody: the sound of the one is stronger, the other sweeter, and more spiritual. An ounce of Balm gives not so strong an odour, as a pound of Spickenard oil, howbeit the smell of balm, is always better and more pleasing.  
4. True it is, THEO: you shall see a mother so busy about her child, that it might seem, she had no other love but that, having eyes only to see it, mouth to kiss it, breast to give it suck, care to bring it up and one would think that her husband were nothing to her, in respect of her child: but if she were to make choice, whether she would lose; one would then plainly see, that she more esteems her husband, yea and that though the Love of her child was more tender, more pressing and passionate, yet that the other was more excellent, forceable and better. So when a heart Love's God in respect of his infinite Goodness, though with never so little a portion of this excellent love, it will prefer Gods will before all things, and in all the occasions that shall be offered, it will forsake all, to conserve himself in grace with the Sovereign Goodness, without being hindered by any thing at all. So that, though this divine Love, doth not always so sensibly urge and soften the heart, as do the other Love's: yet in the occurrences, it performs so high and excellent actions, that one of them only, is better than ten millions of the others. Coneys are incomparably sertile, Elephants never have more than one calf: yet this one only young Elephant is of greater price the all the Rabbits in the earth. Our Love towards creatures, doth often abound in the multitude of productions: but when sacred Love doth its work, it is so eminently purfect, that it surpasseth all: for it causeth God to be preferred before all things without reserve.   

A memorable history wherein is more clearly seen in what the force and Excellency of holy love consisteth. CHAPTER. VIII.  
1. HOw great an extent then, o my dear THEO: ought the force of this sacred love of God above all things to have? It is to surpass all affections, to vanquish all difficulties, and to prefer the honour of God's Benevolence before all things, yea I say before all things absolutely, without exception or reservation at all; and, I say, with a greatest care, because there are men, who would courageously forsake their goods, honours, yea life itself for our Saviour, who yet will not leave for his sake things of fare less consequence.  
2. In the reign of the Emperor's VALERIANUS and GALLUS there lived in Antioch a Priest called SAPHRICIUS, and a secular man named NICEPHORUS, who by reason of their long and exceeding great familiarity were esteemed brothers: and yet it fell out in the end, I know not upon what occasion, that this friendship failed, and according to custom, was followed with a deeper hatred, which reigned for a time betwixt them, till at length NICEPHORUS acknowledging his fault, made three diverse essays to be reconciled unto SAPHRICIUS, to whom, now by one of their common friends, now by another, he signified in words all the satisfaction and submission, that heart could have wished. But Saphricius in no wise answering to his invitations, did still repulse the reconcilement, with as great inhumanity, as Nicephorus besought it with humility; In so much that the poor Nicephorus, apprehending that in case Saphricius should see him prostrate at his feet begging pardon, he would be more touched to the heart with it; he goes and finds him out, and courageously casting himself grovelling at his feet: Reverend Father, quoth he, ah pardon me I beseech thee for the bowels of our Saviour JESUS: but even this humility was disdaigned and rejected together with his former endeavours.  
3. Mean while, behold a hot persecution arose against the Christians, in which, Saphricius with others being apprehended, did wounders in suffering a thousand thousand torments for the Confession of his Faith, but especially when he was rudely turned and tossed in an instrument made of set purpose, after the manner of a Press, without ever being quailed in his constancy; whereat the Governor of Antioch being extremely irritatated, he adjudged him to death, whereupon he was publicly led out of prison, towards the place where he was to receive the glorious crown of Martyrdom which Nicephorus had no sooner understood, but suddenly he ran and having met his Saphricius, throwing himself upon the ground, Alas cried he with a loud voice, o Martyr of JESUS-CHRIST pardon me; for I have offended thee: whereof Saphricius taking no notice, the poor Nicephorus getting again before him by a shorter passage, set upon him a new with the like humility, conjuring him to pardon him, in these terms, o Martyr of JESUS CHRIST, pardon the offence which I have committed against thee being a poor man subject to offend: for lo a crown is already bestowed upon thee by our Saviour whom thou deneyedst not, yea thou hast confessed his holy name in the face of many witnesses. But Saphricius continuing in his insolency, gave him not one word in answer; but only the Executioner admiring the perseverance of Nicephorus; never, quoth he to him, did we see so great an Ass; this fellow is going even at this instant to die; what hast thou to do with his pardon? To whom Nicephorus answering, thou knowest not quoth he, what it is I demand of this Confessor of JESUS CHRIST, but God kowes. Now in the interim Saphricius arrived at the place of execution, where yet again Nicephorus hurling himself upon the ground before him; I beseech thee, quoth he, o Martyr of JESUS CHRIST, that it would please thee to pardon me: for it is written ask and it shall be granted you. Words which could not at all bow the flinty and rebellious heart of the accursed Saphricius, who obstinately denying mercy to his neighbour, was himself deprived, by the just judgement of God, of the most glorious Palm of Martyrdom: for the Headsman commanding him to put himself upon his knees, that he might behead him, he begun to be daunted, and to condition with him, making, in the end, this deplorable and shameful submission. Ah, for pity do not behead me, I will submit myself to the Emperor's ordnance, and sacrifice to the Idols. Which the poor good man Nicephorus hearing, with tears in his eyes he begun to cry: Ah my dear brother, do not, do not I beseech thee, transgress the law, and deny JESUS CHRIST: Forsake him not, for love, lose not the crown of glory which with so great pains and torments thou hast achieved. But alas this miserable Priest, coming to the Altar of Martyrdom there to consacrate his life to the eternal God, had not called to mind what the Prince of martyrs had said: If thou carry thy offering unto the Altar, and remember that thy brother hath somewhat against thee, leave thy offering there, go and be reconciled unto thy brother, and then come, and present thine offering. Wherefore God rejected his present, and withdrawing his mercy from him, permitted that he lost not only the sovereign felicity of Martyrdom, but even fell headlong into the misery of Idolatry; while the humble and meek Nicephorus, perceiving this crown of Martyrdom vacant, by the Apostasy of the obdurate Saphricius, touched with an excellent and extraordinary inspiration, put fair for, ●●ying to the officers, and the headsman, I am a christian my friends, I am in truth a Christian, and do believe in JESUS CHRIST, whom Saphricius hath denied; put me therefore I beseech you in his place, smite of this head of mine. At which the officers being wonderfully astonished, they carried the tidings to the Emperor; who gave order for Saphricius his liberty, and that Nicephorus should be put to death: which happened the 9 of Feb: about the year 260. of our Saviour as Metaphrastes and Surius recounteth. A dreadful history, and worthy diligently to be pondered in the behalf we speak off: for did you not note, my dear THEO: the Courageous Saphricius, how bold and fervent he was in the defence of his faith, how he suffered a thousand torments, how constant and immoveable he was in the confession of our Saviour's name, while he was roled and crushed in that press like machine; how ready he was to receive death's blow, to fulfil the highest point of the Divine law, preferring God's honour before his own life. And yet because on the other side he preferred the satisfaction which his cruel heart took in hating Nicephorus before the Divine will, he came short of the goal, and while he was upon the point of attaining and gaining the prize of glory by Martyrdom, unprofitably strumbling and falling into Idolatry broke his neck.  
4. It is therefore true, my THEO: that it is not enough for us, to love God more than our own life, unless we also love him generally, absolutely, and without reserve, more than all we do or can love. But you will say unto me, did not our Saviour design the furthest point of our Love towards him, in saying that a man could not have a greater charity, then to expose a man's life for his friends? It is true indeed, THEO: that amongst the particular acts, and testimonies of Divine Love, there is none so great, as to undergo death for God's glory: yet it is also true, that it is but only one act, one only testimony; which indeed is the Master piece of Charity; but besides it, Charity exacts many things at our hands, and so much more ardently and instantly, as they are acts more easy, common and ordinary amongst all the Lovers, and more generally necessary to the conservation of Divine Love.. O miserable Saphricius, durst thou be bold to affirm that thou loued'st God as thou ought'st, whilst thou dost not prefer the will of God before the passion of hatred and ranckour entertained in thy heart against the poor Nicephorus? To be willing to die for God is one and the greatest, but not the only act of Love which we own to God. To will this act only, with excluding the others, is not charity, but vanity. Charity is not fantastical, which yet she would be in the highst degree, if being resolved to please the Beloved in things of greatest difficulty, she would permit one to displease him in matters of of less moment. How should he die for God, who will not live according to God?  
5. A well ordered mind that is resolved to die for a friend, would also without doubt undergo all other things: for he that hath once despised death, ought not to set by other things. But the mind of man is weak, inconstant and humorous: whereupon he doth oft rather choose to die then to undergo fare slighter pains; willingly changing life, for a frivolous, childish, and extremely vain contentment. Agrippina having learned that the child which she bore, should indeed be Emperor, but yet that he would put her to death. Let him kill me, quoth she, provided that he reign: mark, I pray you the disorder of this foolishly loving mother's heart: she prefers her son's dignity, before her own life. Cato and Cleopatra choosed death rather, then to see their enemies exult and glory in having them: And Lucretia found it easier to precipitate herself impetuously upon death, then unjustly to be branded with the shame of a fact, whereof she seemed not guilty. How many are there that would willingly embrace death for their friend, who yet would not live in their service, or yet accomplish their other desires? Such there are as will lay open their life to danger, who yet will not open their purse. And though there be many found, who engage their life for their friend's defence, yet scarcely is there one found in an age, that will engage his liberty, or lose an ounce of the most vain and unprofitable reputation, or renown in the world, be it for never so dear a friend.   

A Confirmation of that which hath been said by a notable comparison. CHAPTER. IX.  
1. YOu know THEO: of what nature jacob's loves towards Rachel were, and what did not he do to testify their greatness, force and fidelity, even from the hour he had saluted her at the head of the fountain? For from thenceforth never did he cease to die of love for her; and to game her in Marriage he served seven whole years, with an incredible desire; conceiving yet in himself that all this was nothing, so did Love sweeten the pains which he supported for his beloved Rachel, whereof being after frustrated, he served yet other seven year's space to obtain her, so constant, loyal and courageous was he in his affection! And having at length obtained her, he neglected all other affections, yea and had in a manner in no esteem even Lia her service, though his first Spouse, a woman of great merit, worthy to be cherished; and of the neglect whereof even God himself took compassion, so remarkable it was.  
2. But all this being done, which was even sufficient, to have brought down the most disdainful wench in the world, to the love of so loyal a Lover, it is a shame verily to see the weakness which Rachel made appear in her affection to jacob. The poor neglected Lia, had no tie of Love with jacob save her only fertility, whereby she had made him, a father to four Sonn's; the eldest whereof named REUBEN, being gone forth into the fields, in the time of wheat-haruest, he found Mandragores, which he gathered, and after, his return home presented to his mother. Which Rachel espying, said, give me part of thy Sons Mandragores: she answered dost thou think it a small matter, that thou hast taken my husband from me, unless thou take also my son's Mandragores? Go too, said Rachel for thy son's Mandragores, let him sleep with thee this night. She accepted the condition, and when jacob returned at even from the field, Lia went out to meet him and said, with joyful cheer, this night thou art mine my dear Lord and friend, because with wages I have hired thee, for my son's Mandragores: and with this, up and told him, the compact which had passed betwixt her and Rachel. But from jacob, believe it, there was no words heard, being struck with a maisement, and having his heart seized with the weakness and inconstancy of Rachel who for a thing of nothing had forsaken, for a whole night the honour and content of his presence. For speak the truth, THEO: was it not a strange and vain lightness in Rachel, to prefer a company of little Apples before the chaste loves of so loving a husband. If it had yet been done for Kingdoms, for Monarkies: but to do it for a poor handful of Mandragores! THEOTIME, what conceit frame you of it?  
3. And yet returning home to our own bosoms, ah good God, how oft do we make elections infinitely more shameful and wretched? The great S. AUGUSTINE upon a time took pleasure leisurely to view and contemplate Mandragores, the better to discern the cause why Rachel had so passionately coveted them. And he found that they were indeed pleasing to the view, and of a delightful smell, yet altogether insipid and without gust. Now; Pliny recounts, that when the Surgeon's orders that such as they are to cut should drink the juice of them, to th'end they might not feel the smart of the lance, it happens often that the very smell doth work the operation, and doth sufficiently put the patiented into a sleep. whereupon the Mandragora is held a bewitching Plant, which doth enchant the eyes, sorrows, and all kind of passions by sleep. For the rest he that smells the sent of them too long turns deaf; and he that drinks too much of them, dies without redemption.  
4. THEOT: could pomps, riches and terreane delights, be better represented? they have a gaining outside; but ah he that bites this apple, that is, he that sounds their natures, finds neither taste nor contentment in them. Nevertheless they do so enchant and bewitch us with the vanities of their smell; and the renown which the son's of the world give them, doth benumb and put those into a deep sleep which do attentively linger in them; or such as receive them in too great abundance. And alas these are the Mandragores, the Chimeras and fantomes of pleasures for which we cast off the love of the heavenly Spouse. And how can we then truly say that we love him since we prefer so frivolous vanities, before his grace?  
5. Is it not a deplorable wonder to see a DAVID, so noble in surmounting hatred, so generous in pardoning injuries, and yet so impotently injurious in matter of Love, that not being satiated with the unjust detaining of a number of wives, he must needs yet wrongfully usurp and take away by rape, the poor Urias his wife. Yea and by an insupportable treachery, put to slaughter her poor husband, that he might the better enjoy the Love of his wife? Who would not admire the heart of a SAINT PETER, which was so bravely bold amidst the armed soldiers, that he of all his Master's troop was the first and only man that drew and laid about him; and yet a little after so cowardly amongst unarmed women, that at the word of a wench, he denied and detested his Master; And how can it seem so strange to us that Rachel could sell the chaste embracements of her jacob for Apples of the Mandragore, since that Adame and Eve forsook even grace for an Apple, and that too, presented by a Serpent.  
6. In fine, I will tell you a word worthy of note. Heretics are Heretics and bear the name of such, because of the Articles of Faith they choose at their gust and pleasure what likes them best, and those they believe, rejecting and disavowing the others. And Catholics are catholics, because without choice or election at all, they embrace with an equal assurance, and without reserve, all the faith of the Church. Now it happens after the same manner in the Articles of Charity; It is an herasie in sacred love, to make choice of God's Commandments, which to observe, and which to violate. He that said thou shalt not kill, said also; thou shalt not commit adultery. It is not then for the love of God, that thou killest not, but it is some other motive, that makes thee rather choose this commandment than the other. A choice that hatcheth heresy in matter of Charity. If one should tell me, that he would not cut my arm, out of a love to me, and yet would pull out mine eyes, break my head, or runne me quite through; ah, should I say, with what face can you tell me that it is in respect of my Love, that you wound not mine arm, since you make no difficulty to pull out mine eyes; which are no less dear unto me? yet since you runne me quite through the body with your sword, which is more perilous for me? It is an Axiom that good comes from an entire cause, but evil from each defect; That the act of Charity be perfect, it must proceed from an entire, general and universal Love, which is extended to all the Divine Commandments. And if we fail in any one Commandment, love ceaseth to be entire and universal; and the heart wherein it harbers, cannot be truly called a loving heart, nor consequently a truly good one.   

That we are to Love the Divine Goodness, soveraignely more than ourselves. CHAPTER. X.  
1. Aristotle had reason to say that GOOD is indeed amiable, but principally every ones proper good to himself; so that the Love which we have to others, proceeds from the love of ourselves: for how could a Philosopher say otherwise, who did not only not Love God, but hardly even ever spoke of the Love of God? howbeit the Love of God, doth precede all the Love of ourselves, yea even according to the natural inclination of the will, as I declared in the first book.  
2. Certes the will is so dedicated, and if we may so say, consecrated to goodness that if an infinite goodness were clearly proposed unto it, unless by miracle, it is impossible that it should not soveraignely love it; yea the Blessed are ravished and necessitated, though yet not forced to love God, whose sovereign beauty they clearly see, which the Scripture doth sufficiently show, in comparing the contentment which doth fill the hearts of the happy inhabitants of the heavenly Jerusalem, to a torrent or impetuous flood, whose waters cannot be kept from spreeding over the neighbour plains.  
3. But in this mortal life, THEO: we are not necessitated to love sovereignly, because we see him not so clearly: In Heaven where we shall see him face to face, we shall love him heart to heart that is, when we shall all see the infinity of his beauty, every one in his measure, with a soveraignely clear sight: so shall we be ravished with the love of his infir it goodness, in a soveraignely strong ravishment, to which we neither would if we could, nor can if we would make any resistance: But here below, when we behold not this Sovereign Bounty and Beauty, but only enter view it in our obscurities; we are indeed inclined, and alured, yet not necessitated to Love more than ourselves, but rather the contrary, and albeit we have a holy natural inclination to love the Divinity above all things, yet have we not the strength to put it in execution, unless the same Divinity infuse holy charity supernaturally into our heart's.  
4. Yet true it is, that as the clear view of the Divinity, doth infallibly beget in us a necessity of loving it more than ourselves; so the interview, that is, the natural knowledge of the Divinity, doth produce infallibly, an inclination and proneness to love it more than ourselves: for I pray you THEOT: since the will is wholly addicted to the love of GOOD, how can it in any degree know a sovereign GOOD, without being more or less inclined to love it soveraignely? Now of all the Good's which are not infinite, our WILL willeth always in her affection, that which is nighest to her, but above all, her own: But there is so little proportion betwixt an infinite, and finite GOOD, that our will having knowledge o● an infinite GOOD is without doubt put in motion, inclined and incited to prefer the friendship of the Abyss of this infinite goodness, before all other love, yea even the love of ourselves.  
5. But principally this inclination is strong, because we are more in God, then in ourselves; we live more in him then in ourselves, and are in such sort, from him, by him, for him, and to him, that we cannot in very deed hit of what we are to him, and he is to us, but we are forced to cry out. I am thine Lord, and am to belong to none but to thee; my soul is thine, and ought not to live but by thee; my will is thine, and ought not to love but for thee; my Love is thine, and is only to tend to thee. I am to love thee as my first PRINCIPLE, sith I have my being from thee; I am to love thee as mine end and Centre, since I am for thee; I am to love thee more than mine own being, seeing even my B●EING, doth sublist by thee; I am to love thee more than myself, since I am wholly thine, and in thee.  
6. And in case there were, or could be some Sovereign GOOD whereof we were independent, yet so as that we could unite ourselves unto it by love, we should even be incited to love it more than ourselves, seeing that the infinity of its sweetness, would be still Soveraignely more powerful to allure our will to its love, than all the other, yea even our own proper GOODS▪  
7. But if by imagination of a thing impossible, there were an infinite goodness, whereof we had no dependence at all, and wherewith we could have no kind of union, or communication: we should yet verily esteem it more than ourselves: For we should plainly know, that being infinite, it were more estimable and amiable than we: and consequently that we should make simple wishes to be able to love it. Yet properly speaking we should not love it, sith that love aims at union; and much less can we have Charity towards it, since that Charity is a Friendship, and Friendship cannot be unless it be reciprocal, having for its grownd-worke COMMUNICATION, and UNION for its end. This I say, for certain chimerical and vain wits, who upon impertinent imaginations, do role melancholy discourses up and down their mind, to their own main vexation. But as for us THEOT: my dear friend, we see plainly that we cannot be true men, without having an inclination to love God more than ourselves: nor true Christians, without practising this inclination. Let us love him more than ourselves which is to us more than all, and more than ourselves, Amen, for true it is▪   

How holy Charity brings forth the love of our neighbour. CHAPTER. XI.  
1. AS God created man to his own Image and likeness, so did he ordain a love for man, to the image and resemblance of the love which is due to his own Divinity. Thou shalt love, sayeth he, thy Lord, thy God with all thy heart, it is the first and greatest commandment: And the second is like unto this, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thyself. Why do we love God, THEO: The cause why we love God, sayeth S. BERNARD, is God himself: as though he had said, we love God because he is the most sovereign and infinite Goodness. And why do we love ourselves in Charity? surely because we are the Image and likeness of God. And whereas all men are endued with the same dignity, we love him also as ourselves, that is, in quality of the most holy and lively Image of the Divinity: for it is in that quality, THEO: that we belong to God in so strict an alliance, and so amiable a dependence, that he makes no difficulty to be called Father, and to call us children. It is in this quality that we are capable to be united to his Divine essence, by the fruition of his sovereign bounty and felicity. It is in this quality that we receive his grace, that our spirits are associated to his most holy spirit, and made in a manner participant of his Divine nature as S. LEO sayeth. And therefore the same Charity which produceth the acts of the love of God, produceth withal the acts of the love of our neighbour. And even as jacob saw but one ladder which reached from Heaven to earth, by which the Angels did as well descend as ascend, so we see that one same charity extends itself both to the love of God and our neighbour, raising us to the union of our spirit with God, and yet brining us back again to a peaceable and quiet society with our neighbours. Yet with this difference, that we love our neighbour, in that he is created to the Image and likeness of God, to have communication with the Divine bounty, participation of grace, and fruition of glory.  
2. THEO: to love our Neighbour in Charity is to love God in man, or man in God; It is to love God for his own sake, and the creature for the love of him. The young Toby accompanied with the Angel Raphael, having met with Raguel his Father to whom yet he was unknown. Raguel had no sooner set his eyes upon him, sayeth the Scripture, but turning himself towards his wife Anne; look look quoth he how much this young man doth resemble my cousin: and having said thus, he said unto them, whence come you youths, my dear brethren? at which they replied: We are of the Tribe of Nephtali, of the Captivity of Niniveh, and he said unto them; do you know my brother Toby? yes Sir, we know him, replied they: and Raguel beginning highly to commend him, the Angel said unto him; Toby of whom you speak, is this youths own Father; with that Raguel stepped towards him and kissing him with many tears, and hanging upon his neck, blessing have thou my son, quoth he, because thou art the son of a good and most virtuous man: and the good woman Anne his wife and Sara his daughter, began to weep through tenderness of affection. Do not you note, how Raguel, embraced the little Toby, cherished, kissed and wept with joy upon him, whom he knew not. Whence proceeded this Love but from old Toby his Father, whom this child did so much resemble? Blessing hasie thou, quoth he, but why? not truly because thou art a good youth, for that as yet I know not, but because thou art son and like to thy Father, who is a very good man.  
3. Ah good God THEOT: when we see our neighbour created to the Image and likeness of God, ought we not to say one to another. Observe and see this creature, how it resembles the Creator, ought we not to cast ourselves upon it, cherish it, and weep over it with love? aught we not to bless it a thousand and a thousand times? And why this? For the love of it? no verily: for we know not whether it be worthy of love, or hatred in itself; but wherefore then? O THEO: for the love of God, who hath framed it to his own similitude and likeness and consequently hath endowed it with a capacity to be partaker of his goodness, in GRACE., and GLORY. For the love of God, I say, from whom it is, whose it is, by whom it is, in whom it is, for whom it is, and whom it resembles in a most particular manner. Whereupon the divine love doth not only often times command the love of our neighbours, but itself produceth it, and pours it into man's heart, as his resemblance and Image: for even as man is the Image of God, so the sacred love of man towards man, is the true picture of the heavenly love of man towards God. But this discourse of the love of our neighbour requires a whole Treatise a part, which I beseech the Sovereign Lover of men, to inspire into some of his most excellent servants, since the top of the love of the Divine Goodness of the heavenly Father, consisteth in the perfection of the love of our brothers and companions in earth.   

How love produceth Zeal. CHAPTER. XII.  
1. AS Love rends towards the Good of the thing beloved, either by taking delight in it being obtained, or in desiring and pursuing it not being obtained. So it brings forth hatred by which it flies the evil which is contrary to the thing beloved, either in desiring and striving to be quit of it, being already present, or in absence, by essaying to divert and hinder its approach. But if evil can neither be hindered to approach, nor be removed, love at least leaves not to make it be hated and detested. When love therefore is servant, and is come to that height, that it would take away, remove, and divert that which is opposite to the thing beloved, it is termed Zeal. So that in proper speech, Zeal is no other thing than love in its ardour, or rather the ardour that is in love. And therefore, such as the love is, such is the Zeal which is in ardour. If the love be good the Zeal is Good, if bad, the Zeal is also bad. Now when I speak of Zeal, I mean to speak of jealousy too: for jealousy is a SPECIES of Zeal, and unless I be deceived, there is but this only difference between them; That Zeal hath a respect to all the Good of the thing beloved, with intention to remove the contrary evil from it: but jealousy eyes the particular good of friendship, to th'end it might repulse all that doth oppose it.  
2. When therefore we ardently set our affections upon earthly and temporal things, beauty, honours, riches, Place: That Zeal, that is, the ardour of that Love, ends ordinarily with envy: because these base and vile things, are so little, limited, particular, finite, and imperfect, that being possessed by one, another cannot entirely possess them. So that being communicated to diverse, each one in particular hath a less perfect communication of them. But when we love in particular to be ardently beloved, the Zeal, or ardour of this Love turns into jealousy; because humane friendshipe, though otherwise a virtue, hath this imperfection, by reason of our weakness, that being divided amongst many, every ones part it less. Whereupon the ardour or Zeal we have to be beloved, will not permit corrivals and companions: which if we apprehend we have, we presently fall into the passion of jealousy, which indeed doth in some sort resemble envy, yet is fare an other thing. 1. Envy is always unjust, but jealousy is sometimes just, so that it be moderate: for have not such as are married good reason to look that an others shareing with them do not cause their friendship's decrease? Envy makes us sorrowful that our neighbour enjoys a like, or a greater good than we, though he diminish not that which we have one jot. But jealousy is in no wise troubled at our neighbours good so it touch not upon our coppie-hold: for the jealous man would not be sorry that his companion should be beloved of others, so it were not of his own Mistress. Yea properly speaking, a man is not jealous of Competitors, till he apprehend that he himself hath already achieved the friendship of the party beloved. And if there be any passion that precedes this, it is not jealousy but envy. 3. We do not presuppose any imperfection in the party we envy, but quite contrary we apprehend that he hath the good which we do envy in him. Marry we presuppose that the party whereof we are jealous, is imperfect, fickle subject to corruption and change. 4. jealousy proceeds from love, envy comes from the defect of Love.. 5. jealousy never happens but in matter of Love, but envy is extended to all the subjects of good; to honours, to favours to beauty. And if at any time one be envious of the affection which is borne to another, it is not for love, but for the profit that is in it. The Envious man is not a whit troubled to see his fellow in grace with his Prince, so that he be not in occurrences gratified and preferred by him.   

That God is jealous of us. CHAPTER. XIII.  
1. GOd sayeth thus: I am thy Lord thy God, a jealous God. Our Lord is called jealous. God is jealous then, THEO: but what is his jealousy; verily upon the first sight, it seems to be a jealousy of Concupiscence such as is a husbands over his wife: for he will have us so to be his, that he will in no sort have us to be any others but his. No man sayeth he can serve two Masters. He demands all our heart, all our soul, all our spirit, all our strength; for this very reason he is called our spouse, our souls his Spouses; And all sorts of separations from him, are called fornication, Adultery. And indeed it is high reason that this great God, singularly good, should most entirely exact our whole heart: for our heart is but little, and cannot store us with love enough, worthily to love the Divine Goodness; is it not therefore convenient, that since we cannot afford him such a measure of Love as were requisite, that at least we should afford him all we are able? The GOOD that is soveraignely lovely, ought it not to be soveraignely loved? and to love soveraignely is to love totally.  
2. Howbeit God's jealousy of us, is not truly a jealousy of concupiscence but of SOVEREIGN FRIENDSHIP: for it is not his profit, that we should love him, but ours. Our love is unprofitable to him, but to us gainful; and if it be agreeable to him, it is because it is profitable to us: For being the Sovereign GOOD, he takes pleasure to communicate himself by love, without any kind of profit that can return to him thereby, whence he cries out, making his complaint of sinners by way of jealousy. They have forsaken me, me that am the fountain of living water; and have digged unto themselves Cisterns, broken Cisterns that are not able to hold water: mark a little THEO: I pray you, how this Divine Lover doth delicately well express the nobility and generosity of his jealousy: they have left me, sayeth he, me that am the Source of living water: I complain not that they have forsaken me, in respect of any damage that their revoult can draw upon me: for what worse is a living spring, that men will not draw water at it? will it therefore leave to glide and slide over the earth? but I am sorry for their misfortune, that having left me, they have busied themselves about wells without water. And if by supposition of an impossible thing, they could have light upon some other fountain of living water, I should easily endure their departure from me, since I pretend nothing in their love, but their own good: but to forsake me to perish; to fly from me to fall headlong, is that which doth astonish and offend me in their folly: It is then for the love of us, that he desires that we should love him, because we cannot cease to love him, but we begin to be lost, nor withdraw any part of our affection from him, but we lose it.  
3. Put me, said the Divine shepherd to the Sunamite, put me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm; The Sunamits heart was full of the heavenly Love of her dear Spouse, who though he possess all, yet is he not content in that, but by a holy distrust of jealousy he will be set upon the heart which he possesseth, and will have her sealed up with himself, lest any of the love due to him might escape out, or any thing get entry, which might cause a mixture: for he is not satisfied with the love, in which the Sunamite is complete unless she be also unchangeable, purely and only his. And that he may not only enjoy the affections of our heart, but also the effects and operations of our hands, he will also be as a seal upon our right arm, that it may not be stretched out, or employed, save in the works of his service. And the reason of the Divine Spouse his demand is that as death is so strong, that it separats the soul from all things, yea even from her own body; so sacred love which is come to the degree of Zeal, doth divide and put the soul at a distance withal affections, and doth purify her from all mixture: for as much as it is not only as strong as death, but it is withal sharp, resolute, stife, and pitiless in punishing the wrong done unto it, in the admittance of Competitors together with it, as Hell is violent in punishing the damned: And even as Hell full of horror, rage, and cruelty, admits no mixture of love, so doth jealous love tolerate no mixture of another affection, striving that the whole should be reserved for the Beloved. Nothing is so sweet as the Dove, yet nothing so merciless as he in his jealousy towards his hen. If ever you took notice, THEO: you have seen that this mild bird, returning from his flight, and finding his mate amongst her companions, he is not able to suppress in himself a certain sense of distrust, which makes him churlish and humourous, so that at their first accosting, he circle's about her, with a sour and out faceing countenance▪ trampling upon her, and beating her with his wings though he have otherwise assurance that she is loyal and sees her snowy white in innocence. Upon a certain day S. CaTHARINE of Sienna was in a Rapture, which did not bereave her of her senses, and while God was showing her wonders, a brother of hers passed by, and with the noise he made diverted her, so that she turned towards him, and eyed him one only moment. This little distraction, which did on the sudden surprise her, was neither sin, nor disloyalty, but an only shadow of sin, and an only resemblance of disloyalty: and yet the most holy mother of the heavenly Spouse, did so earnestly chide her for it, and the glorious S. PAUL did so confound her in it, that she thought she should have melted away in tears. And David reestablished in grace by a perfect love, how was he treated for the only venial sin which he had committed in taking a List of his People?  
4. But THEO: he that desires to see this jealousy put down in a delicate and excellent expression, let him read the Instructions which the Seraphical S. CATHARINE of Genua made in declaration of the proprieties of pure Love, amongst which she doth instantly inculcate and press this which ensueth: That perfect Love, that is, Love which is come to the perfection of Zeal, cannot endure any mediation, interposition, or the mixture of any other thing not even of God's gifts, yea it is in this height of rigour, that it permit's not even the love of Heaven, but with intention to love more perfectly therein the Goodness of him that gives it: So that the Lamps of this pure Love have neither oil, week, nor smoke, but are all fire and flame, which no worldly thing can extinguish. And such as carry these burning Lamps in their hands, have the saintly fear of holy Spouses, not the fear of adulterous women. Both fear indeed, but differently, sayeth S. AUGUSTINE, The chaste Spouse fears the absence of her Spouse; The adulrous the presence of hers. That fears his departure, this his stay: That is so deeply in Love, that it makes her jealous, this is not annoyed with jealousy, because she enjoys not Love; This fears to be punished, but the punishment which that fears, is, that she shall not beloved enough; yea rather in very deed, she fears not, not to beloved, as is the custom of the jealous, who love themselues, and will needs be beloved; but her fear is that she love's not him enough whom she sees so loveworthy, that none can love him to the worth and according to the large measure of love which he merit's, as before I have faied. Wherefore her jealousy, is not a JEALOUSY OF PROPER INTEREST, but a pure jealousy, which proceeds not from any concupiscence, but from a noble and simple friendshipe: A jealousy which extends itself to our neighbour, together with the love whence it issueth: for since we love our neighbour as ourselves, for God's sake; we are also jealous of him, as of ourselves, for God's sake, so that we would even die lest he might perish.  
5. Now as Zeal is an inflamed ardour, or an ardent inflammation of Love, it hath also need to be wisely and prudently practised; otherwise under the cloak of it, one may violate the terms of modesty and discretion, and easily slip out of Zeal into anger, and from a just affection, to an unjust passion; wherefore this not being the proper place to put down the marks of Zeal, my THEO: I advice you that for the execution thereof you have always recourre to him whom God hath given you, for the direction of your devote life.   

Of the Zeal or jealousy which we have towards our Saviour. CHAPTER. XIV.  
1. A certain Cavaleere gave order to a famous Painter to draw him out a horse running, and the Painter having represented him as in a curvet, with him upon his back, the Cavaleere began to storm, whereupon the Painter turning the picture upside down be not angry Sir, quoth he, to change the postures of a horse in his Career, into a horse in his curvet, a man is only to turn the Table upside down He that desires to discover, what jealousy or Zeal we are to exercise towards God, he is only to express to life the jealousy we have in humane things, and then turn it upside down; for such will it be, as that which God for his part requires at our hands.  
2. Imagine THEO: what comparison there is betwixt those who enjoy the light of the Sun, and those who have only the glimpse of a Lamp: they are not envious or jealous of one an other: for they plainly see, that that great light is abundantly sufficient for all; that the one's fruition doth not impeach the others; and that nonce possession in particular is less for that all in general possesseth it, then though each one possessed it a part. But whereas the light of a Lamp is little, short, and insufficient for many, each one desires to have it in his chamber, and he that hath it, is envied at by the rest: The good of humane things is so bare and beggarly that as it is more communicated to one, it is less communicable to others; and thervpon it is that we are stirred, and do storm when we have any Corrivalls or fellows. But God's heart is so abundant in love, his goodness so infinitely infinite, that all men may possess him without lessening any one's possession: this infinity of goodness, can never be drained, though all the hearts of the universe be furnished with it: for when all shall be brim full, his infinity remains always entire without any diminution. The Sun doth no less shine upon a rose together with a thousand millions of other flowers, then though it shined but upon that alone. And God doth no less pour his love into one soul, albeit with it he love an infinity of others, then though he loved her only: the force of his Love, not decreasing by the multitude of rays which it streams out, but remaining full of his immensity.  
3. But wherein then consisteth the jealousy and Zeal which we ought to have towards the Divine Goodness? THEO: their office is: first to hate, fly, hinder, detest, reject, to set upon, and overthrow, so fare forth as one is able, all that is opposite to God to wit to his will, to his Glory, and the sanctifying of his name. I have hated iniquity, said David, and have had those that thou hatest in abomination. O Lord, did not I hate them? and did not I pine away because of thine enemies? My Zeal hath made me sound, because my enemies have forgotten thy words. In the morning I killed all the sinners that were upon the face of the earth, that I might ruinated, and banish all the workers of iniquity. See I pray you THEO: with what a Zeal this great king is animated, and how he employs the passions of his soul in the service of holy jealousy! He doth not simply hate iniquity, but hath it in abomination, upon the sight of it he withers ●ith distress; he falls into sounds and trances, he pursues it, defeats and banisheth it. So P INE●S pushed forwards with a holy Zeal, did holily run through that impudent Israelite, and brazen faced Madianite which he found in the infamous commerce of their beastliness: So the Zeal which consumed our Saviour's heart, made him cast out all that bought and sold and presently revenge the irreverence and profanation which they committed in the Temple.  
4. Secondly Zeal makes us ardently jealous of the purity of souls, which are the Spouses of JESUS CHRIST, according to the holy Apostle to the Corinthians, I emulate you with the emulation of God, for I have despoused you to one man to present you a chaste Virgin to JESUS Christ. Eliezer had been extremely stung with jealousy, if he had perceived the chaste and fair Rebecca, whom he conveyed to be espoused to his Master's son, in any danger of being dishonoured; and doubtless he might have said to this holy Damsel I am jealous of you, with a jealousy which I own to my master's respect: for I have despoused you to one man, to present you a chaste virgin to my Master Abraham's Son. So would the great S. PAUL say to his Corinthians: I was sent from God to you: souls, to treat the marriage of an eternal union, between his son our Saviour, and you, and I have despoused you unto him, to present you as a chaste virgin to this heavenly Spouse. Behold why I am emulous, not with mine own emulation but with the emulation of God, in whose behalf I have treated with you. It was this jealousy THEO: that caused this holy Apostle daily to fall down in trances and die: I die daily, quoth he, for thy glory. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is scandalised and I am not burnt? Mark, say the Ancients, mark what love, what care and what jealousy a brood Hen doth show to her chickens, (for our Saviour esteemed not this comparison unworthy o● his Gospel) the Hen is a very Hen, that is, a creature without courage or generosity at all, while she is not yet a mother, but in her mothershipe she puts on a Lion's heart. Always her head is up, always her eyes watchful, still throwing them on every side, at the least appearance of danger towards her young ones: No enemy appears, upon whom she dares not throw herself in the defence of her dear brood, for whom she hath a continual solicitude, which makes her still runne up and down clocking and repining. And if any of her chickings come to die, what grief? what anger? Such is the jealousy of Parents for their children, of Pastors for their flocks, of brothers for their Brothers. What was the Zeal of the Children of jacob, after they had know that DINA was violated? what was the Zeal of job, upon the apprehension and fear he had that his children should offend God? what was the Zeal of a S. Paul for his brethren according to flesh and blood, and his children according to God, for whose sake he desired to be branded with ANATHEMA and excommunication? what the Zeal of a Moses towards his people, for whom he is willing, in a certain manner to be razed out of the book of life.  
4. In humane jealousy we are afraid lest the thing beloved, should be possessed by some other: but our Zeal to God, makes us especially fear, that we are not wholly possessed by him. Humane jealousy makes us apprehend that we are not beloved enough; Christian jealousy, that we love not enough, whereupon the sacred Sunamite cried out, o the beloved of my soul, show me where thou liest in the midday, lest I begin to wander after the flocks of my companions. Her fear is that she is not entirely her sacred sheppheards, or that she might be hindered, though never so little, by such as strive to be his Competitors. For she will by no means permit that worldly pleasures, honours, or exterior riches should prepossess the least bit of her love, which she hath wholly dedicated to her dear Saviour.   

An advice for the direction of holy Zeal. CHAPTER. XV.  
1. Whereas Zeal is an ardour and vehemency of love, it stands in need of prudent conduct, otherwise it will violate the terms of modesty and discretion: not that divine Love, though never so vehement, can be excessive in itself, nor in the motions and inclinations, which it gives to our hearts, but because it makes use of the understanding in the execution of its designs, ordering that it should find out the means whereby they might have good success, and that it should have boldness or anger in a readiness, to encounter and surmount difficulties, it happens very frequently, that the understanding proposeth, and makes us undertake too sharp and violent courses; and withal, that anger or boldness being once set on foot, and not being able to contain themselves within the bounds of reason, bear a way the heart to disorder; so that Zeal by this means being exercised indiscreetly and inordinately, becomes hurtful and blame worthy. DAVID sent JACOB to lead his army, against his disloyal and rebellious Son Absalon, with special charge that they should not touch him, but in all occurrences they should have a special care to save his life: But JACOB being set to't and being hot in the pursuit of the victory, with his own hand slew the poor Absalon, never thinking of the charge which the king gave him: even so Zeal doth employ choler against the evil, yet with express order, that in destroying wickedness and sin, if it be possible, it save the sinner and the wicked; but being once in hot blood, as a strong headed and stirring horse, runs away with his rider out of the Lists, without stop or stay while breath lasteth.  
2. The good man of the house, which our Saviour describs in the Gospel, knew well that hot and violent servants are wont to out run their Master's intention: For his servants presenting themselves unto him, to weed up darnel, no quoth he, I will not lest together with weeds you pull up corn. Verily, THEO: Anger is a servant, who being strong, courageous, and a great undertaker, doth indeed at the first onset perform a great deal of work, but with all is so hot headdie, inconsiderate, and impetuous, that it doth never any good at all, but ordinarily it draws with it many discomodities. Now it is not good husbandry, say our husbandmen to keep Peacocks about the house; for though they free it of spiders, yet do they so spoil their covers and tiles that their profit is not comparable to the great waste they make. Anger was given as a help to reason by Nature, and is employed by Grace in the service of Zeal, to put in execution its designs; yet is it a dangerous help, and not greatly to be desired: for if it get strength it becomes Mistress, defeating Reason's authority, and the loving laws of Zeal: and if it turn weak, it doth no more than Zeal would perform all alone; how soever, it gives still a just occasion of fear, that waxing strong; it might impair the heart and Zeal, making them slaves to its tyranny, even as an artificial fire which in an instant is kindled in a building, and ●hich one knows not how to extinguish. It were an act of despair to put a stranger company into a Fort in garrison, who by that means might become stronger.  
3. Self Love doth oft deceive us, and makes us runne-counter, practising our proper passions under the name of Zeal, Zeal hath sometimes of old made use of Anger: and Anger often times makes use of the name of Zeal in counterchange to keep its shameful disorder covered under it. And mark, that I say, it makes use of the name of Zeal; for it can make no use of Zeal itself, since it is the property of all virtues, but especially of Charity whereof Zeal is a dependence, to be so good, that none can abuse it.  
4. Upon a day there came a notorious sinner, and threw himself at the feet of a good and worthy priest, protesting with a great deal of humiliation that he came to find a cure for his disease, that is, to receive the holy absolution of his faults: a certain MONK called DEMOPHILUS, apprehending in his conceit, that this poor penitent came too nigh the high Altar, fell into so violent a fit of choler, that falling upon him, he kicked and pushed him thence with his feet, wronging the good priest in an outrageous sort, who according to his duty, had mildly admitted the poor penitent: And then running unto the Altar, he took away the most holy things there, and carried them thence, lest, as he would make men think, the place should have been profaned by the sinner's approach: Now having finished this specious masterpiece of Zeal, he stayed not yet there, but made a great matter of it to the great S. DENIS AREOPAGITE, in a letter which he wrote touching it, whereof he received an excellent answer, worthy of the Apostolical spirit, wherewith this great Disciple of S. PAUL was animated: for he made him clearly see that his Zeal had been indiscreet, imprudent and impudent withal: because though the Zeal of the honour due unto holy things be good and laudable, yet was it practised against reason, without consideration, or judgement at all, since he had used pushing with his feet, outrage, injury, and reproach, in a place, in a circumstance, and against a person that he was to honour, love, and respect, so that the Zeal could not be good, being so disorderly practised. But in this very answer, the same Saint recounts another admirable example of a great Zeal proceeding from a very good soul, whom yet the excess of Anger, which Zeal did excite in her, had blemished and spoilt.  
5. A Pagan had seduced and made a Christian of CANDIE newly converred to the Faith return to Idolatry: CARPUS an eminent man for purity and sanctity of life, and who as it is very probable, was the Bishope of Candie, conceived so deep a wroth against it, that he had never in his time endured the like, and let himself be so fare carried away with this passion, that being risen at midnight to pray according to his custom, he concluded in himself that it was not reasonable, that wicked men should any longer live, with great indignation beseeching the Divine justice, to strike down at once these two sinners, the Pagan seductour, and Christian seduced. But note, THEO: how God corrected the bitterness of the passion, which carried the poor CARPUS beyond himself. First he made him as another S. STEPHEN behold the heaven's open, and our Saviour JESUS CHRIST seated upon a great throne environed with a multitude of Angels, who assisted him, in humane shape; then he saw below, the earth gaping open, as a horrid and vast gulf, and the two sinners to whom he had wished so much evil upon the very edge of this Precipice, quaking, and well ne'er falling down in a trance for dread being upon the point of tumbling in, drawn on the one side by a multitude of Serpents, which rising out of the gulf, wrapped themselues about their ledges, tickling them with their tails, and provoking their fall: and the other side a company of men did push and jog, to rush them in; so that they seemed to be even already swallowed up by this precipice: Now consider, my THEO: I pray you, the violency of CARPUS his passion: for as he himself afterwards recounted to S. D●NIS, he made nothing of beholding our Saviour and the Angels, ascending to Heaven, so was he taken with gazing upon the daunting distress, of those two miserable wretches; being only troubled, that they were so long a perishing, and thereupon endeavoured himself to precipitate them: which seeing he could not so quickly perform, he fumed in himself, and cursed them, till at length lifting up his head towards Heaven, he espied the sweet and most compassionate Saviour of our souls, moved with an extreme pity and compassion of that which passed, rising from his Throne, and descending to the place where the two poor miserable wretches were, stretch towards them his helping hand, as also the Angels round about them did, catching hold of them to hinder them from falling into this dreadful Gulf, and in Conclusion the amiable and mild JESUS, turning himself to the stormy CARPUS: hold CARPUS, said he, henceforth beat upon me; for I am ready to suffer once more for man's salvation, and it should be pleasant unto me, if it could be performed, without the offence of other men; as for the rest, advice with thyself, which thou likest better; to be in this gulf together with these serpents, or to live with Angels, who are so great friends to men. THEO: the holy man CARPUS had just reason to be zealously moved at these two men, and his Zeal had but rightly raised his stomach against them, but being once moved, he left reason and Zeal behind him, over running the bounds and limits of holy love, and consequently Zeal which is love in its heat; Anger changed the hatred of sin into the hatred of the sinner, and the most mild Charity into an outrageous cruelty.  
6. Some there are of that disposition, that they think one cannot be very Zealous unless they be very angry, thinking that nothing is done well, unless all be spoilt, whereas contrariwise true Zeal rarely makes use of choler; for as we never apply the lance, and the fire to sick, but in mere extremities; so holy Zeal doth not employ choler but in extreme necessities.   

That the examples of diverse saints which seemed to exercise their Zeal with Anger, make nothing against the advice of the precedent Chapter. CHAPTER. XVI.  
1. IT is true indeed, my dear THEO: that MOSES, PHINEES, HELIE, MATHATIAS, and diverse great servants of God, made use of choler, to exercise their Zeal in sundry remarkable occurrences; yet note also I pray you, that those were great personages, who could well manage their choler, not unlike to that brave Captain of the Gospel, who said to his soldiers, go, and they went; come, and they came: but we, who are in a manner all but a kind of poor people, we have no such power over our motions: our horse is not so well broken, that we can both spur, and make him stoup at our pleasure: Old and well trained hounds do come in, or fall off according to the huntsman's call, but untrayned young hounds, do disordely fly out. The great Saints, that have trained up their passions in a continual mortification by the exercise of virtue, can at every turn of a hand turn and wind their passions, giving the scope or gathering them up at their pleasure: But we who have unbridled passions, young, or at least mistaught, we cannot give bridle to our anger, but at great peril of disorder, for having once gotten head, one cannot restrain, and order them as were fitting.  
2. S. DENIS talking with that DEMOPHILUS, who would have given the name of Zeal to his rage, and fury; he that would correct others, quoth he, must first beware, that anger do not turn reason out of the power and Dominion wherein God hath established it over the soul, and that it do not stir up a revoult, sedition, and confusion within ourselves; so that we do in no sort approve your impetuosities, to which you were pricked forward with an undiscreet Zeal, though you should a thousand times repeat PHINEES and HELIE: for the like words did not please JESUS CHRIST, being spoken to him by his Disciples, who were not yet made partakers of this sweet and benign spirit. PHINEES, THEOT: seeing, a certain accursed Israelite offend God with a Moabite, slew them both: HELIE foretold the death of OCHOSIAS', who wrathful at this presage, sent two Captains one after another with fifty men a piece, to take him: and the man of God made fire descend from heaven which devoured them. Our Saviour on a day passing through Samaria, sent into a town to take up his lodging, but the inhabitants knowing that our Saviour was a jew by nation, and that he went to Jerusalem, they would not lodge him; which S. JOHN and S. JAMES seeing they said unto our Saviour, shall we command the fire to descend, and burn them? And our Saviour turning towards them, chid them, saying, you know not what spirit moves you to this, the Son of man, came not to destroy souls, but to save them: This it is then, THEOT: that S. DENIS would say to DEMOPHILUS, who alleged the example of PHINEES and HELIE: for S. JOHN and S. JAMES, who would have imitated PHINEES and HELIE in making sire descend from Heaven upon men, were reprehended by our Saviour, who gave them to know, that his Spirit and Zeal was sweet, mild, and gracious, which rarely made use of wroth or indignation, but only in some circumstances, where there was no other hope left to prevail. S. THOMAS of Aquine that great Star of Divinity, being sick of the disease whereof he died at the Monastery of Fossanova, of S. BERNARD'S order, the Religious besought him to make them some short exposition upon the CANTICLE OF CANTICLES to the imitation of S. BERNARD, and he answered them: Dear Fathers, give me a S. BERNARD'S Spirit and I will interpret this divine Canticle as did S. BERNARD; so verily, if one should say to one of us small, miserable, imperfect and wretched Christians, serve yourselves of Anger and indignation in your Zeal, as did PHINEES, HELIE, MATHATHIAS, S. PETER and S. PAUL: we ought to reply, give us the Spirit of perfection, and pure Zeal, with the interior light which those great Saints had, and we will arm ourselves with choler as they did; It is not a common performance to discern when and in what measure we are to be angry.  
3. Those great Saints were immediately inspired by God, and therefore might boldly employ their anger without peril; for the same Spirit, which did embolden them to this exploit, did also govern the raynes of their just wrath, lest they might out ray their prefixed bounds. An Anger that is inspired or excited by the holy Ghost, is not now the anger of a man, and it is man's wroth that we are to be ●ware of, because, as S. JAMES sayeth, it worketh not God's justice. And indeed when those worthy servants of God made use of anger, it was in so solemn occurrences, and upon so inordinate crimes, that there was no danger that the punishment should pass the fault.  
4. Are we, think you, to take liberty to injury sinners, to blame nations, to control and censure our Conductors and Prelates; because S. PAUL once calls the Galatians senseless; represents to the Candiots their lewd inclinations, and resisted the glorious S. PETER his Superior in his face? Certes every one is not a S. PAUL, to know how to do those things in the nick: But hot, harsh, presumptuous and reproachful spirits, following their own inclinations, humours, aversions, and the high conceits they have of their own sufficiency, draw the veil of Zeal over their iniquity; and under the name of this sacred fire, permit themselves to be burnt up with their proper passions. It is the Zeal of the health of souls, that makes the Prelatshipe be sought after, if you will believe the ambitious man; that makes the Monk ordained for the Choir, course about; if you will give credit to his disquieted spirit; that causeth all those censures and murmurations against the Prelates of the Church, and temporal Princes, if you will give ear to the arrogant. You shall hear nothing from him but Zeal; nor yet see any Zeal in him, but only opprobrious and railing speeches hatred and rancore, disquiet of the heart and tongue.  
5. Zeal may be practised three ways: first in exercising high actions of justice to repel evil; and this belongs only to public officers, to correct, censure, and reprehend in the nature of a Superior, as Princes, Prelates, Magistrates, Preachers: but whereas this office is worshipful, every one will undertake it, every one will have a fingar in it. Secondly, one may use Zeal in actions of great virtue, for the good example of others, by suggesting the remedies of evil, and exhorting men to apply them, by working the good that is opposite to the evil which we desire to banish, which is a thing that belongs to every one, and yet it hath but few undertakers. Finally the most excellent use of Zeal is placed in suffering and enduring much to hinder or divert evil, and scarce will any admit this Zeal. A specious Zeal is all our ambition: upon that, each one willingly spends his talant, never taking notice, that it is not Zeal indeed which is there sought for, but glory, ambition's satisfaction, choler, churlishness and other passions.  
6. Certainly our Saviour's Zeal did principally appear in his death upon the Cross, to destroy death and sin in men: wherein he was sovereignly imitated by that admirable vessel of election and dilection, as the great S. GREGORY Nazianzen in golden words represents him: for speaking of this holy Apostle, he fights for all, sayeth he, he pours out prayers for all, he is Zealously passionate towards all, he is inflamed for all, yea he dared yet more for his brethren according to flesh, so that if I may dare also to say it, he desires through charity, that they might have even his own place, near our Saviour. O excellency of an incredible courage and fervour of Spirit? He imitats JESUS CHRIST, who became a curse for our Love, who put on our infirmities, and bore our diseases. Or that I may speak a little more soberly, he was the first after our Saviour that refused not to suffer and to be reputed wicked in their behalf. Even so then, THEO: as our Saviour was whipped, condemned, crucified as man, devoted, bequeathed, and dedicated to bear and support all the reproaches, ignominies and punishments due to all the offenders in the world, and to be a general sacrifice for sin being made as an ANATHEMA, forsaken and left of his eternal Father; so according to the true doctrine of this great Nazianzen, the glorious Apostle S. PAUL desired to be laden with ignominy, to be crucified, left abandoned and sacrificed for the sins of the jews, that the curse and pain which they merited might fall upon him. And as our Saviour did so take upon him the sins of the world and became a curse, was sacrificed for sin, and forsaken of his Father, that he ceased not continually to be the well-beloved Son in which his Father pleased himself: So the holy Apostle desired indeed to be a curse, and to be separated from his Master, to be left alone to the mercy of the reproaches and punishments due unto the jews; yet did he never desire to be deprived of Charity and the grace of God, from which nothing could separate him, that is, he desired to be used as one separated, from God, but he desired not in effect to be separated▪ or deprived of his Grace; for this cannot be piously desired. So the heavenly Spouse confesseth that though love be strong as death, which makes a separation betwixt the body and the soul. Yet Zeal which is an ardent love, is yet stronger; for it resembles Hell, which separats the soul from our Saviour's sight; but it was never said, nor can ever be said, that Love or Zeal was Like to sin, which alone separats from the grace of God. And indeed how could the ardour of Love possibly make one desire to be separated from grace, since Love is grace itself, or at lest cannot consist without grace? Now the Zeal of the great S. PAUL was in some sort practised by the little S. PAUL, I mean S. PAULINE, who to deliver a slave out of bondage became himself a slave, sacrificing his own liberty, to bestow it upon his neighbour.  
6. Happy is he, sayeth S. AMBROSE, who knows the government of Zeal! The Devil will easily scoff at thy Zeal, if it be not according to science, let therefore thy Zeal be inflamed with Charity, adorned with science, established in constancy. True Zeal is the child of Charity, as being the ardour of it: Wherefore, like to Charity, it is patiented, benign, not troublesome nor contentious, not envious or spiteful, but rejoicing in Truth. The ardour of true Zeal resembles that of the huntsman, being diligent, careful, active, industrious and eager in the pursuit, but without choler, anger, or trouble: for if the huntsman's labour were choleric, harsh and wayward, it would not be so earnestly loved and affected. Zeal in like manner hath extreme fervours, but such as are constant, , sweet, laborious, equally amiable and infatigable; whereas contrariwise, false Zeal is turbulent, confused, insolent, arrogant, choleric, wavering, no less impetuous than inconstant.   

How our Saviour practised all the most Excellent acts of Love. CHAPTER. XVII.  
1. Having spoken at large of the acts of Divine Love, that you may more easily and holily conserve the memory thereof, I present you with a collection or abridgement of it. The Charity of JESUS CHRIST doth press us, sayeth the great Apostle: Yea truly, THEO: it doth force, or use a violence against us by its infinite sweetness, which shines in the whole work of our Redemption, wherein appeared the benignity and love of our Saviour towards men. For what did not this Divine Lover do in matter of Love? 1. he loved us with a LOVE OF COMPLACENCE, for his delights were to be with the children of men, and to draw man to himself becoming man. 2. he loved us with a LOVE of BENEVOLENCE enriching man with his divinity, so that man was God. 3. he united himself unto us in an incomprehensible conjunction, whereby he adhered, and joined himself so nearly indissolubly, and infinitely to our nature, that never was any thing so straightly joined and pressed to the humanity, as is now the most sacred Divinity, in the person of the Sonno of God. 4. he ran wholly into us, and as it were, dissolved his greatness to bring it down to the form and figure of our littleness, whence he is instyled a Source of living water, dew and rain of Heaven.  
5. He was in ecstasy, not only in that, as S. DENIS sayeth, by the excess of his loving goodness, he became in a certain manner out of himself, extending his providence to all things, and being in all things; but also, in that, as S. Paul sayeth, he did in a sort forsake, and empty himself; drained his greatness and glory; deposed himself of the Throne of his incomprehensible Majesty, and, if it be lawful so to say, annihilated himself, to stoop down to our humanity, to fill us with his Divinity, to replenish us with his goodness, to raise us to his dignity, and bestow upon us the Divine being of the children of God. And he, of whom it is so frequent written, I LIVE SAID OUR LORD, pleased afterwards according to his Apostles language to say, I live, now not I, but man life's in me, man is my life, and to die for man, is my gains, my life is hidden with man in God. He that did inhabit in himself, lodgeth now in us: and he that was living from all eternity in the bosom of his eternal Father, becomes mortal in the bosom of his temporal mother. He that lived eternally by his own Divine life, lived temporally a humane life: And he that from eternity had been only God, shall be for all eternity man too: so did the love of man ravish God, and draw him into an Ecstasy!  
6. Sixtly how often by love did he admire, as he did the Centurion, and the Cananee? 7. he beheld the young man who had till that hour kept the Commandments and desired to be taught perfection. 8. he took a loving repose in us, yea even with some suspension of his senses, in his mother's womb and in his infancy. 9 he was wonderful tender towards little children, which he would take in his arms, and lovingly dandle a sleep; towards MARTHA and MAGDALEN, towards Lazarus over whom he wept, as also over the City of Jerusalem. 10. he was animated with an incomparable Zeal, which, as S. DENIS sayeth, turned into jealousy, turning away so fare as he could all evil from his beloved humane nature, with hazard, yea with the price of his blood, driving away the Devil the Prince of this world, who seemed to be his Corrival and Competitor.  
7. He had a thousand thousand languors of Love: for from whence could those Divine words proceed; I have to be baptised with a baptism, and how am I straitened until it be dispatched? The hour in which he was baptised in his blood was not yet come, and he languished after it, the love which he bore unto us urging him thereunto that he might by his death, see us delivered from an eternal death. He was also sad, and sweat blood of distress in the garden of Olivet; not only by reason of the exceeding grief which his soul felt in the inferior part of reason; but also through the singular love which he bore unto us in the superior portion thereof, sorrow begetting in him a horror of death, yet love, an extreme desire of the same; so that there was a hot combat, and a cruel agony, betwixt desire and horror of death, unto the shedding of much blood, which streamed down upon the earth as from a living source.  
8. Finally THEO: this Divine Lover died amongst the flames and ardours of Love; by reason of the infinite charity which he had towards us; and by the force and virtue of Love, that is, he died in Love, by Love, for Love, and of Love: for though his cruel torments were sufficient to have killed any body; yet could death never make a breach in his life, who keeps the keys of life and death, unless Divine Love, which hath the handling of those keys, had opened the Port to death to let it sack that Divine body, and despoil it of life. Love not being content to have made him mortal only, unless it had made him die withal. It was by choice, not by force of torment that he died. No man doth take my life from me, sayeth he, but I yield it of myself and I have power to yield it, and I have power to take it again. He was offered, sayeth isaiah, because he himself would and therefore it is not said that his Spirit went away, forsook him, or separated itself from him; but contrariwise that he gave up his Spirit, expired, rendered up the Ghost, yielded his Spirit up into the hands of the eternal Father; so that S. ATHANASIUS remarketh, that he stooped down with head to die, to the end he might consent, and bend towards death's approach, which otherwise durst not have come near him: and crying out with a loud voice, he gave up his Spirit into his Father's hands, to show, that as he had strength and breath enough not to die, so had he so much Love, that he could no longer live, but would by his death revive those, which without it could never eschew death, nor pretend for true life. Wherefore our Saviour's death was a true sacrifice, and a sacrifice of Holocaust, which himself offered to our Saviour to be our Redemption: for though the pains and dolours of his Passion were so great and violent, that any but he had died of them, yet had he never died of them, unless he himself had pleased, and unless the fire of his infinite Charity had consumed his life. He was then the Priest himself, who offered up himself unto his Father, and sacrificed himself in Love, to Love▪ by Love, for Love, from Love..  
9 Yet beware of saying, THEOTIME, that this death of Love in our Saviour, passed by way of ravishment: for the object which his Charity had to move him to die, was not so amiable, that it could force this heavenly soul thereto, which therefore departed the body by way of ecstasy, driven on and forced forwards by the abundance and force of Love, even as the Myrrhetree is seen to send forth her first juice by her only abundance, without being strained or pressed, according to that which he himself said, as we have noted. No man taketh my life away from me, but I yielded it of myself. O God THEO: what burning coals are cast upon our hearts to inflame us to the exercise of holy love towards our best Saviour, seeing he hath so lovingly practised them towards us who are his worst servants! The Charity then of JESUS-CHRIST doth press us.   
The end of the Tenth Book.   

THE ELEAVENTH BOOK. OF THE SOVEREIGN authority which sacred love holds over all the virtues, actions and perfections of the soul.  

How much all the virtues are aggreeable unto God. CHAPTER. I.  
1. Virtue is of its own nature so amiable, that God doth favour it, wheresoever he finds it: The Pagans', though they were enemies to the Divine Majesty, did now and then, 〈◊〉 certain civil and moral virtues, which were not by their nature, placed above the forces of a reasonable spirit. Now you may think, THEOT: how small a matter this was: for though these virtues made a great show, yet in effect they were of little worth, by reason of the lowness of their intention that practised them; who laboured in a manner for no other thing than honour, as S. AUGUSTINE sayeth, or for some other pretention of light consideration, as for the entertainment of civil society, or by reason of some weak inclination they had to good, which meeting with no great contradiction, carried them o● to minute actions of virtue, as for example, to mutual salutations, to aid their friends, to live moderately, not to steal, to fidelity towards ones Master, to pay hirelings wages. And nevertheless though this was so slender, and full of diverse imperfections God took it in good part at those poor people's hands, and recompensed it largely.  
2. The midwives whom Pharaoh commanded to kill all the male children of the Israelits, ●ere without all dispute Egyptians and Pagans; for making their excuse, that they had not executed the King's pleasure; The hebrow women, said they, are not like Egyptians; for they know how to receive the child; and before we come unto them, they are delivered: an excuse which had not been to the purpose, if these midwives had been Jews; besides that it is not credible, that Pharaoh would have granted so sharp a Commission to jewish-women, against jewish-women, being of the same nation and religion, and with all josephus doth witness they were indeed Egyptians. And be it they were Egyptians and Pagans, yet did they fear to offend God by so barbarous and unnatural a cruelty, as had been the Masacre of so many little children which the divine sweetness took so well at their hands, that he built them houses, that is to say, he made them become fruitful in children, and in temporal riches.  
3. NABUCODONOZOR king of Babylon, had waged a just war against the town of Tyrie, which the Divine justice would chastise, and God signified to Ezechiel, that in recompense thereof he would deliver up Egypt into the hands of NABVCODONOZO● and his army. Because sayeth God, they have laboured for me; hence adds S. HIEROME in his commentaries, we learn that in case the Pagan's themselves do any Good, they are not unrewarded by God's judgement. So did DANIEL exhort NABUCODONOZOR an Infidel, to redeem his sins by alms, that is, to ransom himself out of the temporal pains due unto his sin, which hung over his head. Do you see then THEO: how true it is, that God doth esteem virtues though practised by persons otherwise wicked? If he had not approved the mercy of those Midwives, and the justice of the Babylonian wars, would he have taken the pains, I pray you, to have rewarded them? And if Daniel had not known, that notwithstanding Nabucodonozors' infidelity, his almsdeeds were agreeable unto God, why would he have counselled him them? Certes the Apostle assures us that Pagans who have no faith, do naturally perform that which belongs unto the law, and in doing so, who can doubt but they do well, or that God doth make account of it. Pagans understood that marriage was good and necessary, they saw that it was convenient to have their children brought up in sciences, in love of their countries, in civility, and they did so. Now I leave it to your consideration, whether this was not grateful unto God, since to this end, he endued them with the light of reason, and a natural propension.  
4. Natural reason is a good tree, which Gods own finger planted in our soul, the fruits that spring from it, cannot otherwise be then good; yet in truth in comparison of that which springs from grace they are of a very low rate, though not of no value, sith God put a rate upon them, bestowing in respect of them temporal rewards, as he rewarded the moral virtues of the Romans, according to S. AUGUSTINE, with the great extension and glorious reputation of their Empire.  
5. Sin without question, makes the soul sick, whence she is not able to perform great and powerful operations, though little ones she can: for all the sick man's actions are not sick; he speaks, he sees, he hears, he drinks. The soul in sin, can do good works, which being natural, are rewarded with natural rewards; being civil, they are paid with civil and humane money, that is, with temporal commodities. The sinner is not in the state of the devils, whose wills are so drunk up, and incorporated in evil that they can will no good at all. No THEO: the sinner in this world is not in this estate. He is thereby indeed wounded to death in the way betwixt Jerusalem and jerico, but as yet is not dead: for, sayeth the Gospel, he is left half alive, and as such he can produce actions half a live: 'tis true he can neither walk, nor rise, nor cry for aid, no not so much as speak, save only languidly, by reason of his faint heart; yet can he open his eyes, stir his fingers, sigh, make some little complaints, which are weak actions, notwithstanding all which he might have been found miserably lying dead in his own blood, had not the merciful Samaritaine poured his own honey and wine into his wounds and carried him to a lodging, where he gave charge that he should be dressed and looked too, at his cost.  
5. Natural reason is deeply wounded, and half slain by sin, so that being so at under, it cannot observe all the Commandments, which notwithstanding it apprehends to be convenient. It knows its duty; but cannot acquit itself thereof. It's eyes hath more light to discover the way, than its legs hath strength to undertake it.  
6. The sinner may indeed here and there observe some of the Commandments, yea all of them for some small time, while there is not presented unto him high subjects, in which commanded virtues are to be practised, or some violent temptation of committing a prohibited sin. But that a sinner should siue long in his sin, without adding to it new ones, is not a thing that can be done, but by God's special protection. For man's enemy is hot, stirring, and in perpetual action to precipitate him; and when he sees that occasion of practising ordinary virtues do not occur, he stirs up a thousand temptations to make him fall into forbidden things; at which time NATURE without GRACE. cannot warrant itself from falling: for if we overcome, it's God gives us the victory through JESUS CHRIST, as S. PAUL sayeth, watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation. If God had said only WATCH, we should apprehend our own power sufficient, but adding PRAY, he shows, that if he keep not our souls in time of temptation, in vain shall they watch who keep them.   

That Divine Love, makes the virtues more agreeable to God by excellency than they are in their own nature. CHAPTER. II.  
1. Such as study Husbandry, do admire the fresh innocence and purity of the little strawburie, which though it lie upon the ground and is continually crept upon by serpents, Leazards, and other venomous beasts, yet receives it no impression of poison, nor is infected with any venomous quality, which is a sign, that it hath no affinity with poison. Such are the moral virtues, THEO: which though they be in a heart that is low, earthly, and greatly laboured with sin, yet are they not infected with the malice thereof, being of so free and innocent a nature, that they cannot be corrupted by the Society of iniquity, as even ARISTOTLE himself said, that virtue was a habit which none could abuse. And though the virtues, which are so good in themselves, be not rewarded with an eternal Laurel when they are practised by infidels, or by such as are not in the state of grace, it is nothing strange, since that the sinful heart from whence they proceed, is not capable of an eternal good, and was otherwise averted from God; and since that none is to have part in that celestial inheritance which belongs to the sons of God, but such as are in him, and his adoptive brothers; besides that the Covenant by which God promisseth heaven, hath reference to such only as are in his grace, and that the virtues of sinners have no worth nor value, save that of their own nature, which by consequence cannot raise them to the merit of supernatural rewards, so called, for that Nature withal her appurtinances, can neither give, nor merit them.  
2. Howbeit, the virtues which are found in the friends of God, though they be only moral and natural in themselves, are yet dignified and raised to the worth of holy works, by reason of the heart's excellency which produceth them. It is one of the properties of friendship, to make the friend, and all that is good and honest in him, grateful. Friendship doth pour out its grace and favour upon all the actions of the beloved, that are any ways capable of them. A friends tartness is sweet, and the sweets of an enemy are bitter. All the virtuous actions of a heart that love's God, are dedicated to God: for the heart that hath given himself, how hath not he given all that depends of himself? He that gives the tree without reserve, gives he not also the leaves, flowers, and fruit? The just man shall flourish like the palm tree, and shall be multiplied as the Cedar of Lybanus, they are planted in the house of our Lord, and shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God, sithence the just man is planted in the house of God, his leaves, his flowers and his fruit do there increase, and are dedicated to the service of his Majesty. He is as a tree planted nigh to the streams of waters, which shall give his fruit in his time: his very leaves shall not fall, and all things whatsoever he doth shall prosper: not only the fruits of Charity, and the flowers of the works which she ordains, but even the very leaves of moral virtues do draw a marvelous felicity from the love of the heart which produceth them. If you graft in a Rose tree, and put a grain of musk in the cleft of the stoke, all the roses that spring from it, will smell of musk. Cleeve your heart then by holy penance, and put the love of God in the cleft, afterwards engraff in it what virtue you please, and the works which spring from it, shall be all perfumed with Sanctity, without taking any further care thereof.  
3. Though the Spartans had heard an excellent sentence from the mouth of some wicked man they never judged it fit to receive it, till it were first pronounced again by some good man, And therefore to make it worthy of acceptance, they only made it be uttered again by a virtuous man. If you desire to make the humane and moral virtues of an EPECTETES, a SOCRATES, a DEMADES become holy, cause them only to be graced by a truly Christian mouth; that is by one that is in charity. So God did first respect ABEL, and then his offerings; so that his offerings had their worth and dignity in the sight of God, from the goodness and piety of him, that offered them. O the sovereign Goodness of this great God? who doth so love his Lovers, who doth cherish their weakest endeavours, and doth excellently enrich them, be they never so weak; Honouring them with the Title and quality of HOLY! Ah, it is in consideration of his beloved Son, whose adoptive children, he will honour, sanctifiing all that is good in them, their bones, their hairs, their garments, their graves, yea the shadow of their bodies: Faith, Hope, Charity, Love, Religion, yea even sobriety, courtesy, affability of heart.  
4. Wherefore my dear brethren, said the Apost: be constant and stable, abounding in every good work, knowing that your Labour is not without reward in our Lord. And mark THEO: that every virtuous work, is to be esteemed the work of our Lord, yea though it were even practised by an infidel: for his Divine Majesty said unto EZECHIEL, that NABUCODONOZOR and his army had laboured for him, because he had waged a lawful and just war against the Tyrians, suffiently showing therein, that the justice of the unjust is his, tends and belongs unto him, though the unjust who work that justice, are neither his nor do tend and belong unto him: for as the great prince and Prophet JOB, though of Pagan extraction and an inhabitant of the land of Hus, did for all that belong to God; so moral virtues, though they proceed from a sinful heart, do notwithstanding belong to God. But when the same virtues are found in a truly christian heart, that is, in a heart endowed with holy love, than they do not only belong to God, and are not unfruitful in him, but become fruitful and precious before the eyes of his goodness. Give a man Charity, sayeth S. AUGUSTINE, and all things are profitable unto him; deprive him of Charity and all the rest profits him not. And to them that love God all things cooperate unto Good, sayeth the Apostle.   

That there are some virtues which divine Love doth raise to a higher degree of excellency, than others. CHAPTER. III.  
1. But there are some virtues, which by reason of their natural alliance and correspondance with Charity, are also much more capable to receive the precious influence of sacred Love, and consequently, the communication of the dignity and worth of the same. Such are Faith and Hope, which together with Charity, have an immediate reference to God; and Religion together with penance and Devotion, which are employed to the honour of his Divine Majesty. For these virtues have naturally so great a reference to God, and are so capable of the impressions of heavenly love, that to make them participate in its Sanctity, they need only to be by it; that is, near a heart which love's God. So to make grapes taste like Olives, it is but planting the vine amongst the Olive-trees, for by their only neighbourhood, without ever touching one another, these plants do mutually interchange favours and properties; so great an inclination, and so strict a conveniency is there betwixt them.  
2. Certes, all flowers, except those of the tree called the Pensive Tree and others that are monsters in nature, all I say, are gladded, displayed, and embellished at the Sun's approach, by the vital heat which they receive from his rays. But all yellow flowers, and especial that, which the Grecians term HELIOTROPIUM, and we, TURNESOLE are not only gladded and pleased with his presence but even follow his beams allurement, by an amiable winding about, to look and turn themselves towards it, even from the rising to the setting. So all virtues do receive a new lustre, and an excellent dignity, by the presence of holy Love: but Faith, Hope, the Fear of God, Piety, Penance, and all the other virtues, which of their own natures do particularly tend unto God, and to his honour do not only receive the impression of Divine love, whereby they are elevated to a great value, but they hang wholly towards him, associate themselves with him, following and serving him in all occasions: for in fine, my dear THEO: the holy word doth attribute a certain saving, sanctifying force and propriety, to Faith Hope, Piety, Fear of God, to Penance, which is an evidence, that those virtues are of great price, and being practised by a heart in Charity, they become more fruitful, and holy by excellency, than the others, which of their own nature have not so great an agreement with heavenly Love.. And he that cries, if I had all Faith even in such a measure that I could transport mountains, and should want charity, I am nothing, doth sufficiently show, that with Charity, this faith would be very fruitful. Charity then is a virtue without compare, which doth not only adorn the heart, wherein she is, but with her mere presence doth also bless and sanctify all the virtues which she meets therein, embalming and perfuming them with her celestial odour, by means whereof they are raised to a high rate in the sight of God; which yet she performs fare more excellently in Faith, Hope, and other virtues which of themselves do naturally tend to piety.  
3. Wherefore, THRO': of all virtuous actions we ought most carefully to practise those of Religion, and Reverence towards divine things, those of Faith, of Hope, and the most holy Fear of God; taking occasion often to speak of heavenly things, thinking, and sighing after eternity, frequenting the Church and Divine service, making pious lectures, observing the ceremonies of christian Religion: for sacred Love is fed according to its hearts desire in these exercises, and doth in greater abundance stream out its graces and proprieties upon them, than it doth upon those virtues which are purely natural; like as the heavenly rainbow makes all the plants upon which it lights odoriferous, but the Asphalatus incomparably more than all the rest.   

That Divine Love doth yet more excellently sanctify the virtues, which are practised by his ordinance and Commandment. CHAPTER IU.  
1. THe fair RACHEL after an earnest desire of issue, with her dear JACOB, was by two means made fertile, whence also she had children of two sundry kinds: for in the beginning of her marriage, seeing she could have no children of her own body, she made use of her servant BALA, as it were by love, which she drew into her society by the exercise of the functions of marriage, saying unto her husband, I have here my handmaid BALA, take her in wedlock, and company with her, that she may bear upon my knees, and I may have children of her, and it fell out according to her desire: For she conceived and brought forth many children upon RACHEL'S knees, who received them as though they had been truly her own, since they were begotten by two bodies whereof jacob's belonged to her by the right of marriage, BALA'S by the duty of service, and again because the generation was effected by her order and will. But she had afterwards two other children without her command or order, which were conceived, begot, and sprung from her own body, at her own bent to wit, joseph, and the beloved Benjamin.  
2. I must tell you now, THEOT: that Charity and holy love, a thousand times more fair than Rachel, married to man's heart, doth incessantly wish to produce holy operations. And if in the beginning she herself cannot bring forth of her own extraction, by the sacred union which is singularly proper unto her, she calls the other virtues, as her faithful handmaids, makes them companions with her in marriage, commanding the heart to make use of them, and beget holy operations of them, yet operations which she doth adopt and repute her own, as being produced by her order and commandment, and of a heart which belongs unto her, sith, as we have formerly declared, Love is the Master of the heart, and consequently, of all the acts of other virtues, made by his consent. But further heavenly Charity, hath two acts which are her own issue properly, and are of her own extraction, the one is EFFECTIVE LOVE, who as another JOSEPH using the fullness of regal authority, doth subject, and range the troops of our faculties, powers, passions and affections, to Gods will, that it might be loved, obeyed and served above all things, by this means putting the great celestial commandment in execution. Thou shalt love thy LORD thy GOD with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy Spirit, with all thy strength: The other is AFFECTIVE OR AFFECTIONATE LOVE, who as a little Benjamin, is exceedingly delicate, tender, pleasing, and amiable; but in this, more happy than Benjamin, that Charity his mother dies not in his birth, but, as it were gains a new life, by the delight she takes in it.  
3. Thus then THEOT: the virtuous actions of the children of God, do all belong to Charity; some of them because they sprung from her own womb; others, because she sanctifies them by her quickening presence; and finally others, by the authority and command which she exerciseth over the other virtues, whence she made them spring. And these, as indeed they are not so eminent in dignity, as the actions which do properly and immediately issue from Charity, so do they incomparably pass those, which take their whole sanctity from the presence, and Society of Charity.  
4. A great General of an Army having gained some renowned battle, will without doubt have all the glory of the victory, and not without reason; for he himself will have fought in the forefront of the army essaying many brave feats of arms, he will have ranked his troops, ordained and commanded all that was done, so that he is esteemed to have done all; either for that he himself fought in his own person; or by his conduct and command of others. And albeit some friendly Succours cume at unawares, and fall in with them, yet is not the General deprived of the whole honour, for though thy received not his commands, yet did they observe them, and follow his intentions. But yet, after one have attributed all the honour in gross unto him, a distribution thereof is made to every part of the army in particular, in relating what the VANT GUARD, the BODY, and the REARE-GARD had done, as the French, the Italians, the Germans, the Spaniards behaved themselues, yea, we praise this and that particular man, that honoured himself in the battle. So my dear THEOT. amongst all the virtues, the glory of our Salvation, and victory over Hell, is ascribed to Divine Love, who, as Prince and Commander of the whole army of virtues, contrives all the plotes, by which we gain the triumph: For Sacred Love hath his proper actions, which issue and proceed from himself, by which he works wonders of arms upon our enemy; and with all, he rangeth, commands, and orders the actions of other virtues, which thence are termed, ACTS COMMANDED OR ORDAINED BY LOVE. And in case, some virtues produce their operations without his order, so they observe his intention, which is God's honour, he will still avow them to be his own▪ yet notwithstanding, though we say in gross with the holy Apostle, that Charity suffers all, believes all, hopes for all, supports all, and finally that she doth all, yet do we distribute in particular the praises of the salvation of the Blessed to other virtues, according as they did excel in each one: for we say, some were saved by Faith, others by Almsdeeds, by Temperance, by Prayer, Humility, Hope, Chastity: others for that the acts of these virtues, did more notably shine in them. Yet still after we have extolled these particular virtues, we must ascribe all their honour to sacred Love, whece they derive all their sanctity. For what other thing would the glorious Apostle say, inculcating that Charity is benign, patiented, that she believes all, hopes for all, supports all, but that Charity ordains and Commands Patience to be patiented, Hope to hope, Faith to believe. True it is, THEOT: that together with this, he intimats also, that Love is the soul and life of all the virtues; as though he would have said Patience is not patiented enough, nor Faith faithful; that Hope was not hopeful enough, nor mildness sufficiently mild, unless Love do animate and quicken them. The same thing, this same Vessel of Election gives us to understand when he sayeth, that without Charity nothing doth profit him; and that he is nothing: for it is as though he had said, that without Love a man is neither patiented, mild, constant, faithful nor confident, in such sort as is required to be God's servant, which is the true and wishful being of man.   

How sacred love doth spread its worth through all the other virtues, which by that means are perfected. CHAPTER. V  
1. I Have seen, sayeth PLINY, a tree at TYVOLY graffed in all the fashions, that one can graft, which bore all sorts of fruit, for upon one branch there were nuts, cherries upon another, upon a third raisins, figues, pome-granades, apples and generally all kinds of fruit. This was admirable, THEO: yet more admirable to see in a Christian man heavenly Charity, whereupon all virtues are graffed in such sort, that as one might have said of this tree, that it was a Cherri-tree, an Aple-tree, a Nut-tree, a pom-granad-tree; so may one say of Charity, that she is patiented, mild, generous, just: or rather, that she is Patience, mildness, and justice itself.  
2. But the poor Tree of Tyvoly was not of long continuance, as the same PLINY doth witness: for these diverse productions did presently dry up its HUMIDUM RADICAL, that it withered away, and died; whereas contrariwise Charity is fortified and made strong, to produce abundance of fruit in the exercise of all the virtues, yea as our holy Fathers have observed, she is insatiable in her desires of bringing forth fruit, and never ceaseth to press the heart wherein she inhabits, as Rachel did her husband, saying give me children or else I die.  
3. Now the fruits of graffed-trees, do always follow the graft: For if the graft be of an aple-tree, it will have apples, if of a cherri-tree, it brings forth cherries, yet so as the fruit doth always taste of the stock. In like manner, THEOT: our acts take their name and SPECIES from the particular virtues whence they sprung, but they draw the taste of their Sanctity from holy Charity, which is the root and source of all Sanctity in man, and as the stock doth communicate its taste to all the fruit which spring from the graft, yet so as that every fruit reserves the natural property of the graft whence it sprung: even so Charity, povers out in such sort her excellency and dignity upon the acts of other virtues that she doth not deprive them of the particular worth and goodness which they have by their own natural condition.  
4. All fllowres lose their lustre and grace amidst the night's obscurity; but the Sun in the morning making them again visible and agreeaable, doth not yet make their beauty and grace equal; and though its light be equally spread over them all, yet doth it make them bright and glittering with inequality, as it finds them more or less capable of its brightness. And let the Sun shine never so equally upon the Violet and the Rose, yet shall it never make that so fair as this, or make a Marigold as gracious as a Lily. Howbeit if the Sun should shine clearly upon the Violet, and throw a mist only upon the Rose, then without doubt the Violet would be more agreeable to the view than the Rose. So, my THEO: if one with an equal Charity should suffer the death of martyrdom, and another the hunger of a fast, who doth not see that this fast shall not be so much prized as this Martyrdom? No, THEO: for who dare be bold to affirm, that Martyrdom is not more excellent in itself then fasting? Which being more excellent in itself, and Charity not depriving it of its natural excellency, but perfecting it, doth consequently leave it in the advantages which it naturally hath over fasting. Surely none in his right senses will equalise nuptial chastity to virginity, nor the good use of riches, to the entire abnegation of the same. Or who will also dare to say; that Charity accompanying these virtues doth deprive them of their properties and privileges; since it is not a virtue which doth destroy and impoverish, but doth a better, quicken, and enrich all the good that she finds in the souls, which she rules; yea so fare is she from bereaving the other virtues of their natural preeminences and dignities, that contrariwise, having this quality to perfect the perfections which she meets withal, as it finds greater perfections, it doth great liar perfect them; like as suggar doth so season conserved fruits with its sweetness, that sweetening them all, it leaves every of them different in relish and sweetness, as they have a diverse taste in their own nature. Nor doth it ever render the Peech, and the Nut, so sweet and pleasing, as the Appricot and the Myrabolan plum.  
5. True it is notwithstanding, that if the Love be ardent, powerful, and excellent in a heart, it will also more enrich and perfect all the virtuous works which shall proceed from it. One may suffer death and fire for God without Charity, as S. PAUL presupposeth and I declare elsewhere; by better reason may one suffer them having a little charity. Now I say, THEO: that it may come to pass, ●hat a very little virtue may be of greater value in a soul, where sacred Love doth fervently reign, than Martyrdom itself, in a soul where Love is languishing, feeble and slow. As the least virtues in our B. Lady, in S. JOHN, in other great Saints, were of greater price before God, than the greatest of diverse inferior Saints: as many little ejaculations of Love in Seraphins, are more inflamed, than the greatest in the Angels of the last orders; as the singing of a young Nightingale, is incomparably more harmonious, then that of the finest Goldfinch.  
6. PIRCIUS towards the end of his days painted only in little forms, and trifling things, as Barbar's and Cobler's shops, little Asses loaden with grass, and the like trivial toys; which he did, as PLINY conjectures, to lay his great renown, whence in the end he was called the Painter of small wares; and yet the greatness of his art did so appear in his small works, that they were sold at a higher rate, than others greatest peaces. Even so THEO: the little simplicities, abiections and humiliations, in which the great Saints took so great content to hide themselves, and put their hearts into Harbour against vain glory, having been practised with a great excellency of the Art and ardour of heavenly Love, were found more grateful in the sight of God, than the great and illustrious works of diverse others which were performed with little Charity and devotion.  
7. The sacred Spouse doth wound her Spouse with one of her head hairs, of which he makes so great account, that he compares them to the flocks of the Goats of GALAAD; and hath no sooner commended the eyes of his devote Lover, which are the most noble parts of the face, but presently he falls a praising her head hair, which is the most frail, vile an abject. That we might learn thereby, that in a soul taken with holy Love, actions that seem very poor are highly agreeable to the Divine Majesty.   

Of the excellent worth which holy Love bestows upon the actions which issue from itself, and to those which proceed from other virtues. CHAPTER. VI  
1. But you will ask me what this worth is which holy Love bestows upon our actions? o God THEO: I Verily I should not dare to speak it, if the Holy Ghost himself had not declared it in express terms, by his Apostle S. Paul, who sayeth thus: That our tribulation which is presently momentary and light, worketh above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory in us. For the love of JESUS let us ponder these words. Our tribulations which are so light that they pass in a moment work in us the  and stable weight of glory: I beseech you behold these wonders! Tribulation produceth glory; lightness gives weight, moment's work eternity. But what is it that can enrich these fleeting moments, and light tribulations with so great worth? Scarlet and purple, or fine crimson violet, is a precious, and royal cloth, yet not, by reason of the wool, but the die. Christian works are of that worth, that Heaven is given us for them: but THEO: it is not, in that they proceed from us, and are the wool of our hearts, but because they are died in the blood of the son of God, I mean, for so much, as our Saviour doth sanctify our works by the merits of his blood. The twig of a vine united and joined to the stock, being not forth ●ruit in its own virtue, but in virtue of the stock. Now we are united by Charity unto our Redeemour, as members to their head, and thence it is that our fruit and good works drawing their worth from him, do merit life everlasting. AARON'S rod was withered, and incapable of itself to bring forth fruit; but as soon as the name of the high priest was written upon it, in one night it brought out leaves, flowers, and fruit. We, in ourselves are withered bows, unprofitable, fruitless, not being sufficient to think any thing of ourselves as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God, who hath made us meet and fit ministers of his will; and therefore as soon as by holy Love, the name of our Saviour the high Bishop of our souls, is engraven li●● our souls, we begin to bear delicious fruits for life everlasting. And as seeds which of themselves do only bring forth unsavoury Melons, would bring forth sugared and musked ones, if they were steeped in sugared or musked water; so our souls which of themselves are not able to project one, only good thought towards God's service, being watered with holy love, by the holy Ghost, which doth inhabit us, they produce sacred actions, which do tend, and do carry us to immortal glory. Our works as proceeding from ourselves are but miserable reeds, yet these reeds become gold by Charity, and with the same we survey the Heavenly Jerusalem, which is given us by that measure: for as well to man as Angels, glory is distributed according to Charity and her actions. So that men and Angels measure is one, and the same; and God both hath, and will reward every one according to his works, as all the holy Scripture doth teach us, which assigns us the felicity and eternal joys of Heaven, in reward of the labours and good works which we have practised in earth.  
2. A magnificent reward, and such an one as doth savour of the Master's greatness whom we serve, who in truth THEO: if so he had pleased, might most justly exact our obedience and service without proposing unto us any prize or reward at all, since we are his by a thousand most legitimate titles, and that we can do nothing that is worth any thing but in him, by him, for him, and dependently of him. Yet did not his Goodness so dispose, but in consideration of his son our Saviour, he would deal with us at a set price, receiving us at wages, and engaging himself by his promise unto us, that our hire, yea an eternal one, shall answer to our works. Nor is it, that our service can either be necessary, or profitable unto him; for when we shall have accomplished all his commands, we are yet to profess in a most humble truth, or a most true humility, that indeed we are most unprofitable and unfruitful servants to our Master, who by reason of his essential superabundancy of riches, can have no profit by us, but converting all our works to our own advantage and commodity, he makes us serve him with as little profit to him, as much profit to ourselves, who by so small labours, gain so great rewards.  
3. He was not then bound to pay us for our service, if he had not passed his promise for it: yet do not think, THEO: that he would so manifest his goodness in this promise as to forget to glorify his wisdom, yea contrariwise, he did most exactly observe the rules of equity, mixing comeliness with liberality in an admirable manner: for though our works are indeed very small, and in no wise, for their quantity, comparable to Glory, yet in regard of their quality they are very proportionable thereunto, by reason of the Holy Ghost, who by Charity dwelling in our hearts, works them in us, by us, and for us, in so exquisite a manner, that the same works that are wholly ours, are more wholly his, sith, as he doth produce them in us, so we again produce them in him; as he doth them for us, so we do them for him; as he operats them with us, so we cooperate them with him.  
4. Now the holy Ghost doth dwell in us, if we be lively members of JESUS CHRIST, who hereupon said unto his Disciples. He that abids in me, and I in him, he brings forth much fruit, and it is, THEO: because he that abids in him, is made partaker of his divine Spirit, who is in the midst of man's heart, as a living fountain of water springing up unto life everlasting: so the holy oil which was poured upon our Saviour, as upon the head of the Church militant and triumphant, doth spread itself over the society of the Blessed, (who as the sacred beard of this heavenly Master, is continually fastened to his glorious face) and doth drop upon the company of the faithful, who, as clothes are joined and united by love to the Divine Majesty; the one and the other troop being composed of natural brethren; having hereby occasion to cry out; Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is, for brethren to dwell in one: as ointment on the head, which ran down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron, which ran down upon the hem of his garment.  
5. Our works therefore as a little corn of mustard, are in no sort comparable in greatness, to the tree of glory which they produce, yet have they the vigour and virtue to work it, for that they proceed from the holy ghost, who by an admirable infusion of his grace into our hearts, makes our works his, and yet withal leaves them our own, since we are members of one head, whereof he is the Spirit; and ingraffed in a tree, whereof he is the sape: and whereas he doth in this sort act in our actions, and we after a certain manner do operate or cooperate to his operation, he leaves us to our part, all the merit ad profit of our services and good works, and we again leave him all the honour and praise thereof; acknowledging that the beginning, the progress, and the end of all the good we do, depends of his mercy, by which he hath come unto us; and hath prevented us; he came into us, and assisted us, he came with us, and conducted us; finishing what he had begun. But o God, THEO: how merciful is this Bounty unto us in this division, we render him the glory of our praises, alas, and he gives us the glory of his possession. In some, by these light and passing labours, we obtain goods permanent for all eternity. Amen.   

That perfect virtues are never one without the other. CHAPTER. VII.  
1. The heart is said to be the first part of a man, which receives life by the union of the soul, and the eye the last; as contrariwise, in a natural death, the eye gins first to die, the heart the last. Now when the heart gins to live before the other parts be animated, life is feeble, tender, and imperfect: but still as it gets further possession in the other parts of the body, life is more vigorous in each part, but particularly in the heart; and we see that life being interressed in any one of the members, it is weakened in all the rest. If a man's foot or arm be aggrieved, all the body is deceased, stirred, troubled, and changed. If our stomach pain us, the eyes, voice, and countenance are sensible of it. Such is the agreement amongst all the parts of man, for the enjoying of this natural life.  
2. All the virtues are not gotten in an instant, but one after another; as reason, which is as the soul of our heart, rids itself now of one passion, now of another to moderate and govern them: and ordinarily this life of our soul, takes its beginning in the heart of our passion, which is Love, and branching itself over all the rest, it doth even quicken the very understanding by contemplation: as contrariwise, moral or spiritual death makes its entry into the soul by the consideration (Death enters by the windows, sayeth the sacred Text) and its last effect is to destroy the good Love, which once perishing, all our moral life is dead in us; so that though me may indeed have some virtues separated from others, yet are they but at most languishing, imperfect and weak virtues, since that reason which is the life of our soul, is never satisfied or at ease in a soul, unless it occupy and possess all the faculties and passions of the same; and being once aggrieved or hurt in any one of our passions, or affections all the rest lose their force and vigour and strangely do pine away.  
3. Mark, THEO: all the virtues are virtues, by the proportion or conformity they have to reason: and an action cannot be named virtuous, if it proceed not from the affection, which the heart bears to the decency and beauty of reason. Now if the love of reason do possess and animate the mind, it will be obedient to reason in all occurrences, and consequently will practise all the virtues. If JACOB loved RACHEL, in respect that she was Laban's daughter, why did he despise LIA, who was not only the daughter, but even the eldest daughter of the said LABAN? But because he affected RACHEL, by reason of her beauty, he could never equally love the poor LIA, though a fruitful and wise maid, not being so fair in his eye. He that love's a virtue for the love of the reason and decorum that shines in it, he will love them all, since he will find the same motive in them all: and he will love each of them more or less, as reason shall appear in them more or less resplendent. He that love's Liberality, and not Chastity, shows sufficiently that he love's not liberality for the beauty of reason, for that is more radiant clear in Chastity, and where the cause is more strong, the effects ought also to be the like. It is therefore an evident sign, that that heart is not carried to liberality by the motive, and in consideration of reason: whence it follows that that Liberality which seemed to be a virtue, is but an appearance, since it proceeds not from reason, which is the true motive of virtues, but from some other stranger-motive. It is sufficient for a child to be borne in marriage, to bear the name, (in the eye of the world) Arms, and titles of his mother's husband: but to have his blood and nature, he must not only be borne in marriage, but of the marriage: Actions have the name, Arms, and recognoiscence of virtue, because being borne of a heart endowed with reason, we apprehend them to be reasonable; yet have they neither the substance nor vigour of virtue, when they proceed from a strange and adulterate motive, not from reason. It may happen then, that a man may have some virtues, and not all: but they shall either be virtues newly springing and as yet tender, as flowers in blossom, or else perishing and dying virtues, as faiding flowers: for in Conclusion virtues cannot have their true growth and integrity, unless they be all together, as all Philosophy, and Divinity assures us: What Prudence I pray you THEO: can an intemperate, unjust, and cozening knave have, since he makes choice of vice and forsakes virtue? And how can one be just, without being Prudent, constant and temperate: justice being no other thing, but a perpetual, strong and constant will, to render to every one his own, and the science by which right is done, is called JURISPRUDENTIA; and that to give each one his own, we must lead a wise and modest life, and remove the disorders of intemperance in us, thereby to render to ourselves what belongs unto us? and the word VIRTUE, doth it not signify a force and vigour properly belonging unto the soul, even as we attribute such or such a virtue or propriety to herbs, or precious stones?  
4. But is not Prudence itself imprudent in an intemperate man? Force without Prudence, justice, and Temperance, is not force, but a madness: and justice is unjust in a guileful man, who will not use it; in the intemperate man who permits himself to be carried away with passion, and in the imprudent man who is not able to discern between right and wrong. justice is not justice, unless it be strong, Prudent, and temperate: nor is Prudence Prudence, unless it be temperate, just, and strong: Nor Force, Force, unless it be just, prudent, and temperate: neither is Temperance, Temperance, unless it be prudent, strong and just. In fine virtue, is not perfect virtue, unless it be accompanied with all the rest.  
5. It is true, THEOT: that one cannot exercise all the virtues at once; because the occasions are not all presented at once, yea there are vertu, which some of God's greatest Saints had never occasion to practise. For S. PAUL the first Heremit, for example, what occasion could he have to exercise the pardoning of injuries, Affability, Magnificence, and mildness? Howbeit such souls, stand so affected to the rightness of reason, that though they have not all the virtues in effect, yet have they them all, in affection, being ready, and prepared, to follow and obey reason in all occurrences, without exception or reserve.  
6. There are certain inclinations which are esteemed virtues, and are not so, but favours and advantages of nature. How many are there, who naturally are sober, simple, mild, still, yea even chaste, and honest? Now all these seem to be virtues, and yet have no more the merit thereof, than bad inclinations are worthy of blame, till we have given free and voluntary consent to such natural humours. It is no virtue to be a man of little meat by nature, yet to abstain by choice, is a virtue. It is no virtue to be silent by nature, though it be a virtue to bridle one's tongue by reason. Many there are, who apprehend that they have the virtue, while they cxercise not the contrary vice: One that was never assaulted, may truly vaunt that he never was a runaway, yet hath he no ground to boast his valour. He that was never afflicted may well praise himself for not being impatient, yet can he not brag of his Patience: So many think they have virtues who have only good inclinations: and whereas those inclinations are one without another, they think that virtues may be so too.  
7. Certes S. AUGUSTINE shows in an Epistle which he wrote to S. HI●ROME, that we may have some sorts of virtues, without having all the rest, and that yet we can have no perfect ones but we must have them all. But as for vice, we may have some, without having other some, yea it is even impossible to have them all together; so that it follows not that he that hath lost all the virtues hath by consequence all the vices, especially since almost every virtue hath two opposite vices, which are not only contrary to the virtue, but even to one another. He that by rashness lost his valour, cannot at the same time be taxed of cowardice: nor can he, who lost liberality by his prodigality, be at the same time condemned of nigardliness. CATILINE, sayeth S. AUGUSTINE, is sober, vigilant, patiented in suffering cold, heat, and famine: so that both he and his Complices deemed that he was marvelous constant: but this constancy wanted prudence, since it made choice of bad, in lieu of good; it was not temperate: for it gave bridle to villainous beastlinesses; it was not just sith he made a Conspiracy against his own Country, it was not therefore a constancy but an obstinacy, which to deceive fools, bore the name of constancy.   

How Charity contains all virtues. CHAPTER. VIII.  
1. THere flowed a River out of the place of delights to water the terrestrial Paridice, and thence divided itself into four heads. Now, man is in a place of delights, where God makes the flood of reason and natural light stream out, to water all the Paradise of our heart; and this flood brancheth itself out into four heads, that is, it makes four streams, according to the four regions of the soul; for 1. natural reason doth stream out prudence upon our practical UNDERSTANDING, (as it is called, whose office it is to discern what actions we are to do, or to fly) which doth incline our mind wisely to judge of the evil, that we are to avoid and eschew; and the good we are to pursue and do. 2. it makes justice runne over our will, which is a continual and firm will to render to every one his own. 3. over the Concupiscible Appetite, it makes Temperance flow, which moderats the passion it lights on therein. 4. it spreads Force over the Irascible Appetite, which doth bridle, and maniage all the motions of Anger. Now these four rivers thus divided, do afterwards divide themselves into diverse others, that all humane actions might be duly fashioned to natural honesty and felicity. But besides all this, God, to enrich Christians with a special favour, he makes a supernatural fountain rise up upon the very top of the superior part of the spirit, which is called Grace, and doth indeed comprehend faith and Hope; yet it consists of Charity, which doth purify the soul from sin, and then doth adorn and embellish her with a most delightful beauty; and finally doth spreed her waters over all the faculties and operations thereof, to endow the understanding with a celestial Prudence, the will with a holy justice, the concupiscible Appetite with a sacred Temperance, and the Irascible Appetite with a denote Force, to the end that man's whole heart might tend to the supernatural honesty and felicity, which is a union with God. And if these four streams or floods of Charity, do meet with any one of the four natural virtues in the soul, they bring it to their obedience, mixing themselves therewith to perfect it; as perfumed water doth perfect natural water being mingled together. But if holy Charity poured out in this manner, meet with none of the natural virtues in the soul, she alone doth all their operations, as occasion requires.  
2. Thus heavenly Love finding sundry virtues in S. PAUL, S. AMBROSE, S. DENIS, S. PACOMIUS, poured upon them a delightful light, reducing them all to his service. But the Divine Love, finding no virtue at all, in S. MARIE MAGDALENE, S. MARIE EGIPTIACA, the good Thief, and a thousand the like penitents who had been great offenders, did the office and work of all the virtues, becoming patiented, sweet, humble, and liberal in them. We sow great variety of seeds in Gardens and cover them with earth, as burying them; till the Sun prevailing makes them rise again, and as one would say, doth resuscitate them, in the production of their leaves, and fruit, which have new seed, every one in his kind; so that one only heavenly heat, doth cause all the diversity of productions, by means of the seed which it finds hid in the bosom of the erath. Verily, my THEO: God hath sown in our hearts the seeds of all virtues, which are yet so covered with our imperfections and weakness, that they did not at all, or at least scarce appear, till the vital heat of holy Love, came to quicken and resuscitate them, by them producing the actions of all virtues. So that as Manna contained in itself the sundry tastes of all meats, and left a relish thereof in the Israelits mouths; even in like manner heavenly Love comprehends in itself the diverse perfections of all the virtues in so excellent, and high a sort, that it produceth all the actions, in time and place, according to their occurrences. JOSVE did valiantly defeat God's enemies, by his good command over the armies which were put in his hands. But Samson defeated them yet more gloriously, who by his own hand slew thousands with the jaw bone of an ass. JOSVE by his command and good order, making use of the valour of his troops, wrought wonders: But SAMSON by his own force alone, wrought wonders. JOSVE had the strength of many soldiers under him but SAMSON had it in him, and could alone perform as much, as JOSVE together with many soldiers. Holy love is excellent in both these ways: for finding some virtues in a soul (and ordinarily it finds at least Faith, Hope, and Penance) it quickens, commands, and happily employs them in God's service: and for the rest of the virtues which it finds not, it performs their work all alone, having more strength alone, than they have all together.  
3. The great Apostle doth not only say, that Charity gives us Patience, Benignity, Constancy, Simplicity: but he sayeth, that Charity itself is patiented, benign, constant: And it is the property of the supreme virtues amongst men and Angels, not only to direct the inferior virtues in their operations, but also to be able themselves to do what they command others. The Bishope gives the charge of all the Ecclesiastical functions; to open the Church, to read, exercise, preach, baptise, sacrifice, communicate and absolve therein; and he himself also can do, and doth all this, having in himself an eminent virtue which comprehends all the inferior virtues. So S. THOMAS, upon that which S. PAUL assures us, to wit, that Charity is patiented, benign, strong; Charity sayeth he, doth do and accomplish the works of all the virtues. And S. AMBROSE writing to DEMETRIAS, calls Patience and the rest of the virtues, members of Charity. And the glorious S. AUGUSTINE sayeth, that the Love of GOD comprehends all the virtues, and doth all their operations in us: hear his words, That we say that virtue is divided into four, (he means the four Cardinal virtues) we say it, in my opinion, by reason of the diverse affections which proceed from Love.. So that I would make no doubt to define those four virtues thus: Temperance is a Love which gives itself entirely unto God: Fortitude is a Love which doth willingly support all things for God's sake: justice is a Force which serves God only, and therefore disposeth justly of all that belong unto man: Prudence is a Love that makes choice of things proper to unite itself unto God, and reject such things as are contrary to it. He therefore that hath Charity, hath his soul invested with a fair wedding garment, which like unto that of JOSEPH, is wrought with the variety of virtues: or rather it hath a perfection which contains the virtue of all the perfections, and the perfection of all the virtues: whence Charity is patiented and benign: She is not envious, but bashful; she commits no levities', but is prudent; she is not puffed up with pride, but is humble; she is not ambitious or disdainful, but amiable and affable; she is not eager in exacting that which belongs unto her, but free and condescending. She is not irritated but is peaceable. She thinks of no evil, but is gentle; She doth not rejoice in evil, but in the truth, and with the truth; she suffers all, she easily believes all the good which one can tell her, without all headiness, contention, or diffidence: She hath a firm hope of her neighbours good without ever distrusting to procure his salvation, she sustains every thing, expecting in peace that which is promised her: And in conclusion, Charity is that pure inflamed gold, which our Saviour counselled the Bishope of Laodicea to buy, containing the price of all things, and which can do, and doth all things.   

That virtues have their worth from sacred Love. CHAPTER IX.  
1. Charity is then the band of perfection, since in it all the perfections of the soul are assembled and contained, and without it, one cannot only not have the full assembly of virtues, but even not so much as the perfection of any one of them. If the cement and mortar which should tie together the stones in the wall be wanting, the whole edifice goes to wreck. Were it not for the nerves, muskles, and sinews, the whole body would be entirely defeated: and without Charity the virtues can never stand together. Our Saviour doth still tie the performance of the commandments to Charity. He that hath my Commandments, sayeth he, and doth observe them, he it is that love's me: He that love's me not, keeps not my Commandments. He that love's me, will observe my words: which, the disciple whom our Saviour loved repeating; he that observes the Commandments of God, sayeth he, the Charity of God is perfect in him; and this is the Charity of God, that we keep his Commandments. And he that had all virtues, would keep all the Commandments: for he that loved the virtue of Religion, would keep the three first Commandments: He that had Piety, would observe the fourth: He that had the virtue of mildness and gentleness, would observe the fift: by the virtue of Charity, one would observe the sixth: by Liberality, one would avoid the breach of the seaventh: by Truth, one would effect the eight: by frugality and purity, one would observe the ninth, and tenth. And if without Charity we cannot keep the Commandments, much less can we without her, have all the other virtues.  
2. True it is, one may have some one virtue, and live some small time without offending God, though he want Charity: But even as we sometimes see trees rooted out of the ground, grow as it were, yet fadingly, and for a short time; so a heart separated from Charity, may indeed bring forth some acts of virtue, but that cannot continue for any long time.  
3. All virtues separated from Charity are imperfect, since they are not able without it, to arrive at their end, which is Beatitude. Bees in their birth, are little groubs and worms, without feet wings, form or fashion: in tract of time they change and become little flies; but afterwards waxing strong, and being come to their growth, than they are said to be perfect and accomplished Bees, as being furnished of all necessaries to fly abroad and make honey. Virtue's have their beginnings, their progress, and their perfection; and I do not deny but without Charity, they may both be borne, and grow, but that they should come to their perfection and bear the name of formed, fashioned, and accomplished virtues, is a work of Charity, which gives them the force to fly home to God, to gather up his mercy, the honey of true merit, and the sanctification of the heart wherein they are found.  
4. Charity is amongst the virtues, as the Sunne amongst the Stars, she distributs to them all their lustre and Beauty. Faith, Hope, Fear and Penance do ordinarily come before as Harbingers to take up her Lodging in the soul; and upon her arrival they with all the train of virtues, do obey and wait upon her; and she with her presence doth animate, adorn and quicken them all.  
5. The other virtues, can mutually aid and excite one another in their labours and exercises: for who sees not, that Chastity doth call upon and stir up sobriety; and that obedience doth move us to liberality, Prayer, and humility? Now by this communication which they have amongst themselves, they participate one of another's perfections: for Chastity kept by obedience, hath a double dignity, it's own, and that of obedience; yea it hath even more of the dignity of obedience then of its own: for, as ARISTOTLE sayeth, he that robbeth, to th'end he may commit fornication, is more a fornicator then a Thief, because fornication was his affection's only aim, he made use of stealth only as of a passage thither: even so he that keeps his chastity through obedience is more obedient than , since he makes Chastity serve obedience: howbeit from the mixture of Chastity and obedience a perfect and accomplished virtue cannot issue, being they both want their last perfection which is Charity; so that if it were possible, that all the virtues were put in one man, and that he wanted only Charity, this assembly of virtues, should indeed be a most perfect, and complete body in all its members, as adam's was, when God with his omnipotent hand had form him of the slime of the earth: yet should it be a body, wanting motion, life and grace, till God breathed into it the breath of life, that is, holy Charity, without which nothing doth profit us.  
6. For the rest, the perfection of divine Love is so sovereign that it doth perfect all the virtues, and can receive no perfection from them; no not by obedience itself which yet is that, which is most able to give perfection to the rest: For although love be commanded, and that in loving we exercise obedience, yet so, that love draws not its perfection from obedience, but from the goodness of that which it loveth, love not being therefore excellent because it is obedient, but because it love's an excellent Goop. Truly in loving we obey, as also in obeying we love; but that this obedience is so extremely lovely, is because it tends to the excellency of Love, nor doth its excellency consist in this, that in loving we obey, but in this, that in obeying we love. So that even as God is as well the last end of all that is good, as the first beginning: even so Love that is the source of every good affection, is likewise the last end and perfection thereof.   

A digression upon the imperfection of the Pagan's virtues. CHAPTER. X.  
1. THe ancient SAGES of the world, made of old, glorious discourses in the honour of moral virtues, yea even in the behalf of Religion; but that which Plutarch observed in the Stoics, is yet more proper for the rest of the Pagans. We see ships, quoth he, which bear famous inscriptions. Some are called VICTORY, others THE VALOROUS, others THE SUN, yet are they not for all that, exempt from their subjection to the winds and waves: So the Stoics bragged that they were exempt from passions; that they were without Fear, Grief or Anger; being people immoveable, and unvariable, yet are they in effect subject to troubles, disquiets, boisterousness and other impertinences.  
2. I beseech you for God's love THEO: what virtues could those people have, who voluntarily, and of set purpose overthrew all the laws of Religion. SENECA wrote a book against Superstition, wherein he reprehends the Pagan impiety with a great deal of liberty: But this liberty sayeth S. AUGUSTINE was found in his writings, not in his life, since he advised that in affection one should reject superstition, yet practise it in action, for mark his words: Which superstitions the Sage shall observe, as commanded by the law, not as grateful to the Gods. How could they be virtuous, who, as S. AUGUSTINE relates, were of opinion that the wiseman was to kill himself, when he could not, or ought not longer to endure the calamities of this life, and yet would not profess that calamities were miserable, nor miseries full of calamities, but maintained that the wiseman was continually happy, and his life blessed? o what a blessed life, saith S. AUGUSTINE, which to fly, we fly to death? If it be blessed, why do you not remain in it? So that Captain of the Stoics (who was so greartly extolled amongst those cruel and profane people, for having slain himself in Utica, to avoid a calamity which he reputed unworthy of his life) performed it with so little true virtue, that, as S. AUGUSTINE sayeth, he did not testify that he had a courage that would eschew dishonour, but a weak soul, which had not the heart, to expect adversity. For if he reputed it a dishonourable thing to live under Caesar's command, why had he commanded to hope in Caesar's mercy? why did he not advice his son to die with him, if death were better and more honourable than life? He killed himself then, because he either envied Caesar the glory to have power to pardon him, or for that he apprehended it a disgrace to live under a Conqueror that he hated: wherein he may be commended for a stout and big heart, yet not for a wise, virtuous and stayed Spirit. The cruelty which is exercised out of choler in cold blood, is the most cruel of all: it is the like in despair; for the most slow, deliberate, and resolute, is the lest excusable, and the most desperate. And as for LUCRETIA (that we may not forget the valour of the less vallourous Sex) Either she was chaste, when TARQVINIUS did force and violate her, or she was not: If LUCRETIA was not chaste, why is the chastity of Lucretia commended? If Lucretia were chaste and unspotted in that occurrence, was it not an unworthy fact in Lucretia, to murder the innocent Lucretia? If she were adulterious, why so much extolled? If honest, why was she slain I But she dreaded dishonour and reproach from such as might have thought that the dishonour which she suffered by force, while yet she lived had been willingly suffered, if she had after daigned to live. She was afraid the world would judge that she complied with the sin, if that which was villainously committed against her, had been patiently supported by her. And must we then to avoid shame and reproach, which depends upon the opinion of men, oppress the innocent, and kill the just? must we maintain honour at virtues ●ost and reputation, with hazard of injustice? Such were the virtues of the most virtuous Pagans towards God, and towards themselves.  
3. Touching the virtues that belong to our neighbours, even by their laws they trod them shamefully under foot, yea the principal of them, Piety: For Aristotle the greatest wit amongst them, doth pronounce this most horrible and violent sentence. Touching the exposing, that is, the abandoning of children, or their education, let this be the law: that nothing is to be kept, that is deprived of any member; touching other children, if they be prohibited by the laws and customs of the City to forsake their children, and that the numbers of any one's children do so increase on him, that he hath more by half than his means will keep, he is to prevent, and to procure an aborsement. Seneca, that so renowned a wise man, we kill monsters, sayeth he, and such of our children, as are manke, weaklings, imperfect, or monstrous we reject and abandon. So that it is not without cause, that Tertullian doth reproach the Romans with the exposing of their children to the mercy of the waters, to the cold, to famine, to dogs, and this also not by the extremity of want: for as he sayeth, the Precedents and Magistrates themselves practised this unnatural cruelty. o good God, THEO: what kind of virtuous men were these? And what was their wisdom, who taught a wisdom so cruel and brutal? Alas, said the great Apostle, thinking themselves wise, they became senseless, and their foolish heart hath been darkened, and delivered up into a reprobate sense. Ah what a horror it is, that so great a Philosopher should advice aborsement! It is a forerunning of manslaughter, sayeth Tertullian, to hinder a child conceived to be borne, and S. Ambrose reprehending the Pagans for this barbarousness, they deprive by this means, sayeth he, their children of life, before they are yet possessed of it.  
4. And if the Pagans' have at any time practised any virtues, it was most ordinarily, in regard of worldly glory, and consequently they had only virtue in action, but neither the motives nor intention thereof; nor is virtue true virtue, unless it have a right intention. The Pagans force was built upon humane avarice, sayeth the Council of Aur: but the strength of Christians is established by heavenly charity: The Pagan's virtues, sayeth S. AUGUSTINE, were not true, but only resembled Truth; as not having been practised to their true end, but for pretensions that vanish away. FABRITIUS shall be less punished than CATAZINE, not that he was good, but because this was worse; Not that FABRITIUS had any true virtues, but because he was not so fare distant from them. So that the Pagan's virtues at the day of judgement will be a kind of defence to them, not that they can be saved thereby, but that they may be less damned: one vice was blotted out by another amongst the Pagans, one vice making place to another, without leaving any place at all to virtue. And out of vain glory only, they repressed avarice, and many other vices, yea sometimes through vanity, they despised vanity; whereupon one of them who seemed to be least vain, trampled with his feet Plato's finely made bed▪ what dost thou DIOGENES, said PLATO unto him? I tread under foot Plato's pride, quoth he; It is true, replied PLATO, thou treadest upon it, but with another pride. Whether SENECA was vain, may be gathered out of his last words: for the end crownes the work, and the last hour judgeth all: o what vanity! being at the point of death, he said unto his friends, that be could not till now sufficiently thank them, a●● that therefore he would leave them a Legacy, part of that which was most gracious and excellent in him, and which, if they carefully kept, they should receive great honour by it; adding, that this magnificent Legacy, was no other thing, than the picture of his life. Do not you mark, THEO: how his last breathing stink of vanity? It was not the love of honesty, but the love of honour which pricked forward those wise worldlings to the exercise of virtue, and indeed their virtues were as different from true virtues, as the honour of honesty, and the love of merit is different from the Love of reward. Those that serve their Prince for their own interest, do ordinarily perform their duty with more solicitude, ardour, and feeling; but such as serve out of Love, do it more nobly, generously, and therefore more worthily.  
4. Carbunckles and Rubies are called by the grecians by two contrary names, to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, of fire and without fire, or else, inflamed, and without flame. They call them fiery, of fire, burning coals, or Carbunkles, because in light and splendour they resemble fire; but they are called without flame, or if we may so say, unflamie, because their light is not only no ways hot, but they are not even capable of heat, there being ●o fire that can heat them. So did our old F●rthers term the Pagan virtues, VERTVES, and ●OT-VERTVES both together; Virtues, because they carried the lustre and appearance of virtues, NOT-VERTVES, because they wanted not only the vital ●eate of the Love of God, which alone could perfect them, but they were not even capable of it, because they were in subjects wanting faith; there being in those times, sayeth S. AUGUSTINE, two Romans famous for their virtue, CAESAR and CATO; Cato's virtue came much nearer to the true virtue, than Caesar's did: and having said in some passage, that the Philosophers who were destitute of true piety, had yet shined in the light of virtue, he doth unsay it in the first book of his Retractations, esteeming that, too great a praise to be given to imperfect virtues, as those of the Pagans were: which in truth, are like unto shining night worms, that shine only by night, and the day being come, lose their light. For even so those Pagan virtues are only virtues in comparison of vice, but in respect of true Christian virtues, do not at all deserve the name of virtue.  
6. Yet whereas they contain some good, they may be compared to green Apples; for both their colour, and that substance which is left them, is as good as that of entire virtues, but the worm of of vanity which is in the midst of them, spoils all; and therefore he that would make profit of them, must culle out the good from the bad. I will easily grant, THEO: that CATO had a resolute courage, and that this resolutnesse was laudable in itself, but he that would make profit of his example, it must be in a just and laudable subject, not by slaughtering himself but by suffering death, when true virtue shall exact it: not by the vanity of glory, but by the glory of verity: as it happened to our Martyrs, who with invincible courages, did so many miracles of constancy and resolution, that those CATO'S, HORACE'S, SENECA'S, and LVCRECE'S, are in comparison, worthy of no consideration, witness those LAURENCES, VINCENTS', VITALISES, ERASMUSSES, EVGENIASE'S, SEBASTIAN'S, AGATHAS, AGNESES, CATHERINE'S, PERPETVAS, FELICITES, SYMPHOROSAS, NATALESES, and a thousand thousand others, who make me daily admire the Admirours of Pagan virtues: not so much in that they do inordinately admire the imperfect virtues of the Pagans, as for that they do not admire the most perfect virtues of the Christians: virtues a thousand times worthy of admiration, and they alone are worthy of imitation.   

How humane actions are without worth, being without Gods Love. CHAPTER. XI.  
1. THe great friend of God ABRAHAM, had only by SARA his principal wife, his most only dear Isaac, who also, was his only universal Heir: and though he had Ishmael by AGAR, and diverse other children by CETURA his servants and less principal wives, yet bestowed he upon them certain presents only and Legacies, whereby to put them off and disinherit them, because not being allowed off by his chief wife, they could not be his successors: Now they were not allowed, because, as for the children of CETURA, they were all borne after SARA'S decease; and concerning Ishmael, though his mother Agar, conceived him by the permission of SARA her Mistress, howbeit, perceiving herself with child, she despised her, and brought not forth this child upon her knees, as Bala brought forth hers upon Rachel's. THEO: the only children, that is, the only acts of holy Charity are God's Heirs, Coheires with JESUS CHRIST; and the children, or the acts of which the other virtues conceive and bring forth upon her knees, by her command, or at least, under the wings and favour of her presence: But when moral virtues, yea even supernatural virtues, do produce their actions in the absence of Charity, as they do amongst Schismatics, according to S. AUGUSTINS' relation, and sometimes amongst evil Catholics, they are of no value towards the purchase of Paradise, no not even Alms deeds, though we should distribute therein all out Substance to the poor: Nor yet Martyrdom, though we should deliver our body to the fire to be burnt. No THE: without Charity, saith the Apostle, all this were worth nothing, as we will more amply show hereafter. Now again, the will doth sometimes prove disobedient to her mistress which is Charity in the production of moral virtues, to wit, when as by pride, vanity, temporal respects, or by some other bad motive, the virtues are turned out of their own nature: and then those actions are rejected, and banished, out of ABRAHAM'S house, and from Sara's company, that is, they are deprived of the fruit and privileges of Charity, and consequently are left without worth or merit. For those actions, strained in that sort, with bad intentions, are indeed more vicious than virtuous, having only virtue on their outside, their interior belonging to vice, which serves them for a motive, witness the fastings, offer, and other actions of the Pharisie.  
2. But furthermore, as the Israelits lived peaceably in Egypt, during joseph's life time and the life time of LEVI, and presently after the death of LEVI, were tyrannically reduced into servitude, whence the jews took their Proverb. ONE OF THE BROTHERS BEING DECEASED, THE OTHERS ARE OPPRESSed, as it is registered in the Hebrews great Chronologie, which was published by the learned Archbishop of Aix Gilbert Genebrard whom to his honour I name with consolation, whose scholar I was, though an unprofitable one while he was the king's reader at Paris, and explicated the Canticle of Canticles; so the merits and and fruits as well of moral as Christian virtues, do in a most sweet tranquillity subsist in the soul, while sacred Charity life's and reigns therein; but as soon as heavenly love dies, all the merits and fruits of other virtues do also die upon it, and these are they which the Divines call DEAD WORKS, for that having been borne alive under charity's protection, and as another Ishmael, in Abraham's house, they do afterwards lose life and the right of inheritance, by the disobedience and rebellion which proceeded from their mother, the will  
3. O God THEO: what a misfortune it is, if the just man forsake his justice, and turn to iniquity, his works of justice shall be no longer held in memory; he shall die in this sin, sayeth our Lord in Ezechiel; so that mortal sin, doth overthowe all the merit of virtues: for touching those which are practised while sin reigns in the soul, they are borne so dead that they are unprofitable for ever to the pretention of life everlasting; and as for those that were practised before the sin was committed, that is while sacred love lived in the soul, their value and merit doth perish and die just upon its arrival, not being able to conserve life after Charity's death who gave them life. The Lake which profane authors do commonly call Asphalitus, and sacred authors MARE-MORTWM, hath so heavy a curse put upon it, that nothing that is put into it can live; when the fish of jordaine do come near it, they die, unless they speedily return back against the stream: The trees upon the brims of it, produce nothing alive and though their fruit be in appearance, and autward show like to the fruits of other countries; howbeit when on pulls them, they are found to be skin and core, being full of ashes which fly away in the wind. These be the marks of infamous sins, for the punishment whereof, this Country which was peopled with three populous Cities was of old converted into a pit of filth and corruption; and nothing was deamed better to represent the mischief of sin then this abominable Lack which had its origine from the most execrable disorder that could be committed by man's body. Sin therefore, as a dead and mortal sea, kills all that comes near it; nothing is found living in the soul which it possesseth, nor all about it. O God, THEO: nothing: for sin is not only a dead work, but is withal so infections and venomous, that the most excellent virtues of the sinful soul do produce no living action; And though the actions of sinners have oftentimes a great resemblance with those of the just man, yet are they indeed barks only stuffed with wind and dust, when they are truly looked into, and are rewarded of God only by some present benefits, which are bestowed upon them as upon the chambermaids children, yet are they such barks, as neither are, nor can be so tasted and relished by the Divine justice, as to be rewarded with an eternal crown: they die upon the trees, and cannot be conserved in the hand of God, being void of true worth, as it is said in the Apocalypse to the Bishop of Sardis, who was reputed a living tree, by reason of diverse virtues which he practised, and yet dead he was, for that being in sin, his virtues were not true living fruits, but dead barks; glorious to the eyes, but no ways savoury to the palate, so that we may all cast out this true voice following the holy Apostle; without Charity, I am nothing, nothing doth profit me: and with S. AUGUSTINE say; Give Charity to a heart, and all doth profit, deprive it of Charity, and nothing doth profit it, I mean towards life everlasting: for as we have said, the virtuous works of sinners are profitable to our temporal life. But my dear THEO: what doth it profit a man to gain all the world temporally, if he lose his soul eternally.   

How holy Love returning into the soul, doth revive all the works which sin had slain. CHAPTER. XII.  
1. THe works then of a sinner, while he is deprived of Charity, are not profitable to eternal life; and thereupon they are called dead works: whereas contrariwise the good works of the just man, are said to be living: for that the Divine Love doth animate and quicken them with its dignity. And if afterwards they lose their life and worth by sin, they are held to be works that are deadened, extinguished or mortified only, but not quite dead, especially in the Elect: for as our Saviour, speaking of the little Tabytha jarus his daughter, said she was not dead, but slept only, because she continued dead so small a time till she was resuscitated, that it seemed rather to be a sleep then a true death. So the works of the just man, but especially of the elect, who by the commission of sin dyeth, are not called dead works, but only deadened, mortified, stounded or put into a trance, because, upon the next return of holy Love, they either aught, or at least may revive and return to life again. sin's return, deprives the soul and all her works of life; the return of Grace doth restore life to the soul and all her actions. A sharp winter doth dead all the plants of the fields, so that if it continued still, they would still continue in the state of death. Sin, the sad and daunting winter of the soul, doth quail all the holy works that it finds there in, and if it did always continue, never would any thing recover either life or vigour. But as in the return of the pleasant spring, not only the seeds which are sown, by the help of this delightful and fruitful season, do gratefully bud and blossom, every one in his kind, but even the old plants, which the rigour of the winter past had bitten, withered and deadened, wax green, and do resume new force, virtue and life. So sin being blotted out, and the grace of Divine Love returning into the soul, the new affections, which this spring of grace doth bring, do blossom, and bring forth ample merits and blessings; but the works that are dried up, and withered by the rigour of the winter of sins over passed, as being delivered from their mortal enemy, resume their force, wax strong, and as risen from the dead, they flourish a new, and store up merits for the eternal life. Such is the omnipotency of Divine Love, or the Love of the Divine omnipotency. If the impious turn away himself from his impiety and shall do judgement and justice, he shall vivificate his soul; convert and do penance for all your iniquities, and iniquity shall not be a ruin unto you, sayeth our Lord. And what is that, iniquity shall not be a ruin unto you, but that the ruin which it made shall be repaired? So besides a thousand courtesies that the prodigal son received at his Father's hands, he was reestablished, even with advantage in all his ornaments, graces, favours, and dignities which he had lost. And JOB that innocent picture of a penitent sinner did in the end receive the double of that which he had. Verily it is the Council of Trents desire, that we should encourage the penitents that are returned into favour with God almighty, in these words of the Apostle. Abound in every good work, knowing that your labour is not unprofitable in our Lord; for God is not unjust to forget your work, and the Love which you have shown in his name. God then doth not forget the works of those, who by sin having lost love, recovers it again by penance. Now God is said to forget our works, when they lose their merit and sanctity by sin committed, and he remembers them, when they return to life and vigour by the presence of holy Love.. So that amongst the faithful, it is not necessary to the reward of their good works, (as well by the increase of grace and future glory, as by the enjoying of life everlasting in effect) that one fall not into sin; but it is sufficient according to the Council of Trent, that one depart this life in God's grace and charity.  
2. God hath promised an eternal reward to the works of a just man, but if the just man turn from his justice by sin, God will no longer remember the justice and good works which he hath done. But yet if this poor fallen man, do afterwards rise and return into God's grace by penance, God will think no more of his sin, and not remembering his sin, he will turn mindful of his former good works, and of the reward which he promised them, since sin, which alone had blotted them out of the divine memory is wholly raised out, abolished, annihilated: so that in that case God's justice doth oblige his Mercy, or rather his Mercy, doth enforce his justice, to look a new upon their precedent good works, even as though he had never forgotten them, otherwise the sacred penitent had not dared to say to his Master; render unto me the joy of thy salvation, and confirm me with thy principal spirit; for as you see he doth not only require a newness of heart and spirit, but he pretends, to have the joy rendered unto him, which sin had bereft him off. Now this joy is no other thing then the wine of heavenly Love which doth rejoice man's heart.  
3. It fares not alike with sin in this behalf, as with the works of charity: for the just man's works are not blotted out, abolished, or annihilated by the commission of sin, but are only forgotten: marry the sins of the wicked are not only forgotten but are even raised out, clenged abolished, and annihilated by holy penance: whereupon the sin that is committed by the just man, doth not cause the sin that was once pardoned, to live again, because it was entirely annihilated: But when love returns into the penitent soul, it makes her former good works return to life again, because they were not abolished but only forgotten. And this oblivion of the works of the just man who hath forsaken his justice and charity, consisteth in this, that it made them unprofitable, while sin made him uncapable of eternal life, which is their fruit; and therefore as soon as by the return of Charity, he is ranked again with the childen of God, and thereby made capable of immortal glory, God recals to mind his ancient good works, and they become again fruitful. It were not reasonable that sin should have as much power over Charity, as Charity hath against sin: For sin is an issue of our infirmity, Charity proceeds from God's power. If sin abound in malice to ruinated us, Grace doth superabound to work the reparation: and God's Mercy, by which he blots out sin, doth raise itself continually, and becomes gloriously triumphant over the rigour of judgement whereby God had forgotten the good works which went before sin. In this sort, in the corporal cures which our Saviour did by miracle, he did not only restore health, but withal added new benedictions, making the cure fare pass the disease, so bountiful is he to man.  
4. I never saw, red, nor heard that wasps, oxebees, flies, and such other little hurtful creatures, being once dead, did revive and return to life, again; but that the virtuous and harmless honey Bee can rise again, it is a common report, and I have often red it. It is said, (these are Pliny's words) that if one keep the dead bodies of the drowned bees all the winter with in the house, and expose them to the sun beams the spring following, covered over with ashes of the figue tree they will rise again, and be as good as ever. That iniquities and sinful works can return to life, after they have once been drowned and abolished by penance, truly my THEO: never, for as much as I know, did the Scripture, or any Divine say it; yea the contrary is authorised by holy writ, and by the common consent of Doctors. But that good works, which, like unto the sweet Bee, do compound the honey of merit, being drowned in sin, can afterwards regain life, when covered with the ashes of penance, they are exposed to the sun of grace and Charity, is held and cleartly taught by all the Divines: nor are we to doubt but that they become profitable and fruitful, as before. When Nabuzardan destroyed Jerusalem, and Israel was led in captivity, the holy fire of the Altar was hid in a well, where it was turned into mud, but this mud, being drawn out of the well and exposed to the sun, after their return from Captivity, the dead fire kindled again, and the mud was turned into flames. When the just man is made slave to sin, all the works of his life, are miserably forgotten, and turned into dirt, but being delivered out of Captivity, to wit, when by penance, he returns into grace with heavenly Charity, his former good works are drawn out of the well of oblivion, and touched with the raves of heavenly mercy, they return to life, and are converted into as clear flames as ever, to be sacrificed on the sacred Altar of the divine approbation, and to be restored again to their wont dignity, price, and value.   

How we are to reduce all the exercise of all the virtues, and all our actions to holy Love. CHAPTER. III.  
1. BRute beasts though they know not the end of their actions, do indeed 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 Master in such sort over 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 natural end of an action, as when he swears to deceive another, whereas contrariwise the end of an oath, is to hinder deceit. He can also add another end, to the natural end of an action, as when, besides the intention of succouring of the needy, which is the end of Almsdeeds, he adds the intention of obliging the needy to render him like for like.  
2. Now we add sometimes a less perfect end, than is the end of our action; sometimes we add an end of equal or like perfection, sometimes also an end that is more high and eminent: for besides the assistance of the poor, which is the principal end of Almsdeeds, may not one pretend 1. to gain his affection, 2. to edify his neighbour, 3. to please God, which are three diverse ends, whereof the first is the least, the second is not much better, the third fare exceeding the common end of alms deeds? So that as you see, we have power diversely to perfect our actions, according to the variety of motives, ends, and intentions which we have in doing them.  
3. Be good Exchangers sayeth our Saviour. Let us be careful therefore, THEO: not to change the motives, and ends of our actions but for our profit and advantage, and to do nothing in this traffic, but by good order and reason. Behold for example, this or that man, who takes upon him public service, and withal pretends honour, if his pretention be more to honour himself then to serve the common wealth, or whether his pretention be equal in them both, he doth amiss, and is indeed ambitious. For he overthrows the order of reason, in either preferring or equalizing his own interest with a public good: But if his principal end be the public good, and yet withal he have a desire thereby to advance the honour of his family, verily one knows not how to blame him; not only because both his pretensions are honest, but are also well ordered. Some will communicate at Easter, that they may not be blamed by their neighbours, and withal to obey God, who can doubt but they do well? But if they communicate equally, or more to avoid blame, then to obey God, who can also doubt but they do impertinently in equalizing or preferring, humane respects, before the obedience which they own to God. One may fast in Lent, either by Charity to please God, or by obedience, because it is a precept of the Church; or else for sobrieties' sake, or out of diligence to study better, or through prudence, to spare somewhat for some other necessity; by chastity to th'end I might tame my body; or out of religion, the better to pray. Now if I please, I may make a collection of all these intentions, and fast for them all together: But in this case, there must be good government used, to order these motives. For if I fast rather out of a sparing humour, then for obedience to the Church: rather that I may study well, then to please God: who doth not see that I confound right, and order, preferring mine own interest before the obedience due to the Church, or God's pleasure? To fast to spare, is good: To fast to obey the Church, is better, to fast to please God is best: and though it seem that of three goods, one cannot compose a bad thing; yet he that should displace them, preferring the worse before the better, should without doubt commite a blame worthy disorder.  
4. He that invites but one of his friends, doth in no wise offend the rest: but if he invite them all, and yet give the greatest respect to the least, drawing the most honourable to the lowest end, doth he not offend both those and these? these because he doth depress them against reason: those, because he makes fools of them. So to do an action for one only reasonable motive, be it never so little, reason is not offended at it; but he that will have many motives, he is to rank them according to their qualities, otherwise he sinneth: for disorder is a sin, as sin is a disorder. He that desires to please both God and our B. Lady doth excellent well; but he that would please our Blessed Lady, as much, or more than God ●hould commit an insupportable disorder; and one might say to him, as was said to Cain, Though you offered well, yet you divided ill, leave off, you have sinned. Every end must have its right place. And consequently the end of loving God, the sovereign place.  
5. Now the sovereign motive of our actions, which is that of heavenly love, hath this sovereign property, that being more pure, it makes the action which proceeds from it more pure; so that the Angels and Saints of Heaven love nothing for any other pretention, then for the love of the Divine goodness, and with intention to please. True it is, they exercise a most ardent mutual love amongst themselves, as they also love us, and the virtues, but all this, purely to please God. They follow and practise virtues not for that they are fair and delightful, but because they are agreeable to God: They love their own felicity, not because it is in them, but for that it pleaseth God. Yea verily they love the Love, with which they love God; not because it is in them, but for that it tends to God; not because it is gustful to themselves, but because it is pleasant to God; not because they enjoy and possess it, but because God gives it them, and delights himself in it.   

The practice of that which hath been said in the precedent chapter. CHAPTER. XIV  
1. LEt us strive therefore, THEO: to purify all our intentions, and since we may, if we list, grace all the actions of virtue with the sacred motives of Divine Love, why shall we not do it rejecting, as occasion requires, all kind of vicious motives, as vain glory, and proper interest? and Let us consider all the good motives, which we may have to undertake the present action, that we may choose the motive of holy Love, which is the most excellent of all, to water, moisten all the other with it: for example, if I desire vallourously to expose myself to the danger of war, I may put it in execution, in consideration of diverse motives; for the natural motive of this action, is that of strength and valour, which moves us reasonably to undertake dangerous exploits: yet besides this I may have diverse other motives, as that of obeying the Prince, whom I serve; the love of the common wealth; that of magnanimity, which makes me delight myself in the greatness of this action. Now coming to the deed doing, I put myself upon the foreseen peril, for all these motives together. But to raise them all to the degree of Divine Love, and perfectly to purify them, I will pronounce in my soul from my very heart, o eternal God, who art the most dear Love of my affections, if valour, obedience to my Prince, Love of my Country and magnanimity were not agreeable unto thee, I would never follow their motions which now I feel: but whereas these virtues are delightful unto thee, I embrace this occasion of putting them in practice: and will no otherwise second their instinct and inclination, then because thou lovest, and willest them.  
2. You see plainly, THEO: how by this reflection of our mind, we perfume all those other motives with the odour and sweetness of holy Love, since we do not merely follow them as they are virtuous motives, but in quality of motives that are desired, embraced, beloved, and cherished of God. He that steaks wherewithal to be drunk, is more a drunkard then a thief, according to Aristotle. And he than that doth practise valour, obedience, love towards his country, and magnanimity to please God, he is more a Divine Lover, than either valiant, obedient, good Patriote, or magnanimous, because his whole will in that exercise doth aim at, and fall upon the Love of God making only use of all these motives, to arrive at this end. We are not wont to say, we go to Lions, but to Paris, while we pass only by Lions to Paris: nor do we say we go to sing, but to serve God, while we go not to sing but to th'end to serve God.  
3. And if it chance that at sometimes we are touched with particular motives, as for example, if we should love Chastity, by reason of its singular and delightful purity, presently upon this motive, we must pour out that of holy Love, in this sort. o most seemly and delicious candour of chastity, o how lovely thou art, sith thou art so beloved of the Divine Goodness; and then turning towards the Almighty. Ah! Lord I demand only one thing of thee, it is that which I aim at in Chastity to see and practise thy good pleasure in it, and the delights thou takest therein. And as often as we set upon the practice of any virtue, we must eftsoon say from our heart, yes eternal Father I will do it, because so it was pleasing unto thee from all eternity. In this sort we are to animate our actions with God's good pleasure, loving the decorum and beauty of virtues principally, because they are agreeable to God: For my, dear THEO: there are some men who impotently affect the beauty of certain virtues, not only without loving Charity, but even with contempt of Charity. Origin and Tertullian did so affect the purity of Chastity, that in it, they violated the greatest laws of Charity, the one choosing to commit adolatrie, rather than to endure an horrible villainy, whereby the Tyrant's sought to defile his body, the other separating himself from the most chaste Catholic church his mother, to establish the Chastity of his wife more according to his own fantasy. Who knows not that there were certain beggars at Lions who, to extol beggary excessively, turned heretics, and of beggars became vagabund-rogues? who is ignorant of the vanity of the ENTHOUSIASTES, MESSALIENS, EUCHITISTES, who forsook Charity, to brage of their Prayer? And were there not Heretics, who to exalt charity towards the poor, depressed Charity towards God, ascribing man's whole salvation to Almsdeeds, as S. Augustine doth witenesse? Notwithstanding that the holy Apostle cries out, that though a man give all his goods to the poor, and have not Charity, it profits him nothing.  
4. God hath planted the Standart of charity upon me, sayeth the sacred Sunamite. Love, THEO: is the Standart in the army of virtues, all of it is ordered to love, it is the only colours under which our Saviour, who is the true General of the army, makes them all sight. Let us therefore draw all the virtues to the obedience of Charity: Let us love the virtues in particular, but principally because they are agreeable to God: Let us love the more excellent virtues in a more excellent manner, not in that they are excellent, but because God love's them more excellently: So will holy Love vivificate all the virtues, making them all loving, lovely, and more than lovely.   

How Charity contains in it the gift of the holy Ghost. CHAPTER. XV.  
1. THat man's heart might easily follow the motions and instincts of reason to attain the natural felicity which it could pretend by living according to the laws of honesty, it is requisite to have. 1. Temperance, to repress the insolent motions of sensuality. 2. justice, to render to God, our neighbour, and ourselves what is due. 3. Fortitude, to vanquish the difficulties which occur in doing good, and avoiding evil. 4. Prudence, to decern what means are most proper to come unto good, and to virtue. 5. Science, to know the true good, to which we are to aspire, and the true evil, which we are to fly. 6. Understanding, throughly to penetrate the first and main grounds, or principles of beauty, and the excellency of honesty. 7. and finally, Wisdom, to contemplate the Divinity, the prime fountain of all good. These are the qualities whereby the mind is made mild, obedient, and pliable to the laws of natural reason, which is in us.  
2. In like manner the holy Ghost which dwelleth in us, to make our soul supple, pliable, and obedient to his heavenly motions, and divine inspirations, which are the laws of his Love, in the observance whereof consisteth the supernatural felicity of this present life, he bestows upon us seven proprieties and perfections, almost like to those seven which we now spoke off, called in in the holy Scripture, and amongst the Divines, GIFTS OF THE HOLY GHOST.  
3. Now, they are not only inseparable from charity, but all things considered, and properly speaking, they are the prime virtues, proprieties, and qualities of Charity. For first, Wisdom, is in effect no other thing, than the love which tasteth, relisheth and experienceth, how sweet and delicious God is. The 2. Understanding, is nothing else, then Love attentive to consider and penetraet he beauty of the truths of Faith, to know thereby God in himself, and then, falling from that height, to consider him in his creatures. 3. Science, on the other side, is no other thing, than the same Love, which keeps us hard to the knowledge of ourselves and the creatures, to make us reascend to a more perfect knowledge of the service which we own to God. 4. Counsel is also Love, in so much, as it makes us careful, attentive, and dexterous in choosing the means, proper to serve God piously. 5. Fortitude is Love encouraging and animating the heart, to put in execution that which Counsel determined should be done. 6. Piety is the Love which doth sweeten labour, and make us cordially, agreeably, and with a filial affection, employ ourselves in things, which please God, our Father. And 7. to conclude Fear is no other thing than Love, in so much as it doth make us fly and avoid that which is distasteful to the Divine Majesty.  
4. So, THEO: Charity shall be another jacob's ladder unto us, consisting of the seven gifts of the holy Ghost, as of so many sacred steps by which, Angelical men shall ascend from earth to Heaven, to be united to the bosom of the Almighty; and whereby they shall descend from Heaven to earth, to lend a helping hand to their neighbours, to lead them to Heaven. For in ascending, upon the first step, Fear makes us forsake evil; upon the 2. Piety incites us to do good; upon the 3. Science makes us decern the good which we are to do, and the evil which we are to fly; upon the 4. Fortitude doth encourage us, against all the difficulties which occur in our enterprise; upon the 5. we make choice of convenient means by Counsel; upon the 6. we unite our understanding to God to behold and penetrate the draughts of his infinite beauty; and upon the 7. we join our wills to God to taste and experienee the sweetness of his incomprehensible goodness: for upon the top of this ladder, God bending towards us, gives us the kiss of Love, and makes us suck the sacred dugs of his delight, better than wine.  
5. But if after we have delightfully enjoyed these favours of love, we desire to return into the earth, to gain our neighbour to the same happiness; from the chief and highest step, where we have filled our will with an ardent Zeal, and have perfumed our souls with the perfumes of Gods Sovereign Charity, we must descend to the second step, where our understanding is englightened with an incomparable light, and makes provision of the most excellent grounds and Maxims, to glorify the Divine Beauty and Bounty. From thence we pass to the third, where, by the gift of Counsel, we advice by what means we may instill the gust, and true estimation of the Divine sweetness into our neighbour's heart. Upon the 4. we take heart, by the means of holy Fortitude, to surmount the difficulties, which might cross this design. Upon the 5. by the gift of Science we begin to preach, exhorting all men to follow virtue, and fly vice; Upon the 6. we strive to plant piety in them, that acknowledging God for their loving father, they may observe him with a filial fear. Upon the last step, we terrify them with God's judgements, so that mixing the fear of damnation with a filial respect, they do with more fervour forsake the earth, to ascend to Heaven with us.  
6. Mean while Charity comprehends these Seven gifts, and is like to a fair Lily, whose flowers are whiter than snow, beset in the midst with fine little Hamma●s of the gold of wisdom, which beat into our heart the gusts, and loving tastes of the goodness of the Father, our Creator: of the Mercy of the Son, our Redeemour: and of the sweetness of the Holy Ghost, our Sanctifier. And I place, as you see, this double Fear upon the two lowest steps, to reconcile all the traditions, with the holy and sacred vulgar Edition: for it is not without mystery that the word FEAR is repeated twice; but to show, that there is a filial gift of Fear, which is no other thing than the gift of piety; and a gift of servile Fear, which is the beginning of our journey, towards the sovereign wisdom.   

Of the loving fear of spouse's, a continuation of the discourse already begun. CHAPTER. XVI.  
1. AH! Brother JONATHAS said DAVID, thou wast dear to me, above the love of women: as though he had said, thou didst deserve a greater Love, then that of wives towards their husbands. All excellent things are rare. Propose to yourself, THEO: a spouse with a Columbine heart, which hath the perfection of marriage-love, the Love thereof is incomparable; not only in excellency but also by reason of a number of singular affections and qualities which do accompany it: it is not merely chaste, but shamefast too: it is strong, but gracious with all: It is violent, and yet tender: it is ardent, but respectful: generous yet fearful: bold, but obedient, and all its fear is mixed with a delicious confidence. Such truly is the fear of a soul, endowed with the excellency of Love: For she hath such assurance in the goodness of her spouse, that she fears not the losing of him; indeed she is afraid, that she shall not sufficiently enjoy his divine presence, and that some occasion may make him absent himself though for an only moment. She is confident enough never to displease him, but she fears she shall not love him so much as love requires: Her Love is too courageous, to entertain the  suspicion, of ever falling into disgrace with him; but she is withal apprehensive and fearful, that she shall not be united unto him, so much as she desires: yea the soul doth sometimes arrive at such a desire of perfection, that she doth not fear but she shall be sufficiently united unto him, Love assuring her the continuance thereof: but she fears that this union is not so pure, simple, and attentive as her Love makes her wish. It is this admiring Lover, who desires not to love, the gust, delights, virtues, and spiritual consolations lest she might be though never so little diverted from the singular love which she bears to her beloved; protesting that it is himself, not his benefits which she looks for, and crying out to this purpose, ah! show me my Beloved, where thou feedest, where thou liest at midday; lest I might rove after the pleasures, which are out of thee.  
2. With this holy fear of heavenly Spouses, were touched those great souls of S. PAUL, S. FRANCIS, S. CATHARINE of Genua, and others who would not admit any mixture in their Loves, but endeavoured to make them so pure, simple and perfect, that neither consolations, nor virtues themselves, might be enterposed betwixt their heart and God, so that they might say, I live, not I, but JESUS-CHRIST life's in me: my God is my all, that which is not God is nothing to me, JESUS-CHRIST is my life: my Love is crucified, and others the like extaticall words. Now the love of new beginners or apprentices, proceeds from true love, but from a love which is as yet tender, feeble, and beginning only: Filial fear proceeds from a constant and  love, and which already tends to perfection: but the fear of a Spouse, springs from the excellency and perfection of Love already acquired, but as touching servile and mercenary fears, they proceed not from love at all, but ordinarily they precede Love, and serve it as Harbingers, as we have already said, and are oftentimes very profitable servants. Howbeit, THEO: you shall oft see a good Lady, who, not willing to eat her bread in idleness, resembling her, whom Solomon doth so much extol, will work in silk upon fine white Satin with a goodly variety of colours, to make a piece of embroidery, consisting of many rare flowers, which afterward she will richly raise with gold and silver fitly suited▪ the work is wrought with the needle, which she useth all through to lay her silk, silver, or gold: yet is not the needle put into the Satin to be left there, but only to draw in after it, and make way to the silk, silver and gold: so that these being once laid upon their grounds, the needle is drawn out and taken thence. Even so the Divine Goodness about to place a great variety of virtues in man's soul, and afterwards to raise them with his sacred Love, he makes use of the needle of servile and mercenary Fear, which commonly do first prick our hearts. Yet is it not left in it, but still as the virtues are placed and lodged in the soul, mercenary and servile Fear departs, according to the saying of the beloved Disciple, That perfect Charity casteh out Fear. I verily THEO: for the fear of being damned, and of losing Heaven is dreadull and full of anguish: and how can it then stand with holy Love which is wholly sweet and delightful.   

How servile Fear remains together with holy Love. CHAPTER. XVII.  
1. And albeit that the Lady we spoke off will not leave her needle in her work after it be once perfected, yet as long as there remains any thing to be done about it, if any other occurrence hinder her, she will leave the needle sticking in the Pink, the Rose, or Paunsie which she embroders, to find it in a readiness when she returns to her work. In like manner THEO: while the Divine Providence is about the embroidery of virtues, and the work of Divine Love in our souls, there is always a mercenary or servile love left in them, till Charity being come to perfection, doth take out this pricking needle, and put it up as it were in her Clue. In this life therefore wherein our Charity shall never come to that perfection, that it shall be exempt from peril, Fear is always necessary, and even while we dance for joy with Love, we must tremble with apprehension by Fear. 
In Fear advice of what thou tak'st in hand,  
Serve, and rejoice in him that reigns above,  
Rejoice in him, yet joyful firmly stand  
In lowliness of heart, in trembling love.  Our great Father ABRAHAM sent his servant ELIEZER to choose a wife for his only son ISAAC: Eliezer went and by divine inspiration made choice of the fair and chaste REBECCA whom he carried away with him. But this witty Damsel forsook ELIEZER, as soon as she met with ISAAC, and being conducted into SARAS chamber, she remained his spouse for ever. God doth often send servile Fear, as another ELIEZER, (and Eliezer, is interpreted God's assistance) to treat the marriage betwixt itself and sacred Love.. And though the soul be brought under the conduct of Fear, it is not that Fear means to espouse her; for in effect, as soon as the soul meets with Love, she units herself unto him, and quits Fear.  
2. Yet as ELIEZER after his return remained in Isaac his house, at his and Rebeccas' service, so Fear having led us to holy Love, it remains still with us, to serve both Love and the loving soul as occasion serves. For though the soul be just, yet she is oft set upon by extreme temptations, and Love as courageous as it is hath enough to do, to sustain the assault by reason of the disadvantage of the place wherein it is, which is the variable heart of man, subject to the mutiny of the passions. In that case therefore THEO: Love employs Fear in the fight, making use of him to repulse the enemy. The brave Prince JONATHAS, going to give a charge upon the philistians, amidst the obscurity of the night, would have his Esquire with him and those that he killed not, his Espire killed. And love enterprising some difficult thing, makes not use of his proper motives only, but also of the motives of servile and mercenary fear; and the temptations which Love overthrows not, Fear defeats: If a temptation of Pride, avarice or some voluptuous pleasure make head against me; Ah! shall I say, it is possible, that for things so vain, my soul would quit the grace of her well-beloved? but if this will not serve, Love will call Fear to his aid: ah dost thou not see miserable heart, that by seconding this temptation, the horrible flames of Hell do wait upon thee? and that thou losest the eternal inheritance of heaven? a man makes use of all things in extremities: as the said JONATHAS did, when passing the sharp Rocks, which were betwixt him and the philistians he did not only make use of his feet, but as well as he could, scrambled, and ramped with his hands. Even therefore as the Mariners, who launch out under a favourable gale, and in a fit season, do yet never leave behind them their cables, anchors, and other necessaries against storms and tempests: so though the servant of God enjoy the sweet repose of holy Love, he must never be unprovided of the Fear of God's judgements, to help himself therewith amongst the outrages and assaults of temptations: besides that as the skin of an apple, which in itself is of small estimation, is yet very useful for the conservation of the apple which it covereth; so servile fear, which in itself is but of a mean condition in respect of Love, is yet very profitable to its conservation, during the dangers of this mortal life. And as he that presents a Pomegranade, doth only present it in respect of the grains and juice contained with in it, and yet gives it in the pille, as a certain dependence of it; Even so, though the holy Ghost, amongst his sacred gifts bestows a loving Fear upon the hearts of his friends, that they may fear God in piety, as their Father and Spouse, yet doth he also add to that, a mercenary and servile Fear, as an accessary to the other, which is more excellent: so joseph presenting his Father with many loads of the riches of Egypt, gave him not only the treasures, but withal, the asses that brought them.  
3. Now albeit that mercenary and servile Fear be very necessary for this mortal life, yet is it unworthy of any part in the immortal, where there shall be an assurance void of Fear, a Peace without opposition, a repose free from care; yet shall the services which this servile and mercenary Fear made Love, be there rewarded; so that these Fears, though as another Moses and Aaron they enter not into the LAND OF PROMISE, yet shall their posterity and works enter: and as for a Filial, and the Fear of Spouses, they there shall have their rank and place, not to cause any diffidence or perplexity in the foul, but to make her admire and reverence with submission the incomprehensible majesty, of this omnipotent Father, and this Spouse of glory.  
The Love to God we bear  
Is full of purest Fear:  
His Fear and Majesty  
Dures for eternity.   

How Love makes use of natural servile, and mercenary Fear. CHAPTER. XVIII.  
1. Lightnings, Thundering, Thunderbolts, tempests, Inundations, Earthquakes, and other sudden accidents, do excite even the most indevote person to fear God, and nature preventing discourse in those occurences, doth drive the heart, the eyes, yea the very hands to heavenwards, to invoke the assistance of the most holy Divinity, according to the common sense of mankind, which is, sayeth Titus Livius, that such as serve the Almighty, do prosper and such as contemn him, are afflicted. In the storm which endangered IONAS, the Mariners were strooke with a great fear, and each of them fell suddenly a crying to God. They were ignorant sayeth SAINT HIEROME, of the Truth, yet they knew there was a Providence, and believed that it was by the judgement of Heaven, that they were in this danger, as the Maltese, when they saw S. PAUL invaded by a viper, after he had escaped shipwreck, believed that it happened by the Divine vengeance. And indeed Thunders, Storms Thunderbolts are called the Almighty's voice by the Psalmist, saying further, that they make his words because they Proclaim his Fear, and are as Ministers of his justice. And again, wishing that the Majesty of God would become dreadful to his enemies; lighten lightning, sayeth he, and thou shalt disperse them: shoot out thine arrows and thou shalt destroy them: where he terms Thunderbolts the arrows and darts of God. And before the Psalmist, samuel's good mother had already sung, that even, God's enemies would fear him if he would thunder over them from Heaven. Certes PLATO in his GORGIAS, and else where, doth witness that there was some sense of Fear amongst the Pagans, not only in regard of the chastiments, which the sovereign justice of God doth practise in this world, but also in respect of the punishments which he exerciseth in the other life, upon their souls that have incurable sins so deeply is the instinct of fearing a Deity engraven in man's nature.  
2. But this fear being practised by way of a sudden motion or natural feeling, is neither to be commended nor condemned in us, since it proceeds not from our election: yet is it an effect of a best cause, and cause of a best effect; for it comes from the natural knowledge which God hath given us of his Providence, and gives us to understand what dependence we have of the sovereign omnipotency, moving us to implore his aid, and being in a faithful soul, it doth much advance her in goodness. Christians (amidst the astonishments which Thunder, Tempests, and other natural dangers cause in us) invoke the sacred name of JESUS and MARIE, make the sign of the Cross, prostrate themselves before God, and exercise many good acts of Faith, Hope, and Religion. The Glorious SAINT THOMAS of Aquine, being naturally subject to start when it thundered was accustomed to say, by way of jaculatory Prayer the Divine words, which the Church hath in such esteem! THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH. Upon this fear then Divine Love doth make diverse acts of Complacence, and Benevolence. I will bless thee o Lord, for thou art wonderfully magnified: Let every one fear thee o Lord; o you great ones of the earth, understand, serve our Lord in fear, and rejoice in him with trembling.  
3. But there is another fear, that takes its beginning from Faith, which teacheth us, that after this mortal life, there are punishments dreadfully eternal, or eternally dreadful, prepared for such, as in this world have offended the Divine Majesty, without a perfect reconciliation before their decease: That at the house of death, the soul shall be judged by a particular judgement, and that at the end of the world, all shall rise and appear together to be judged again in the Universal judgement: For these Christian truths, THEOT: do strike the hearts of those that do deeply ponder them with an extreme horror, and indeed, how could one represent unto himself those eternal honours without foaming, and quaking with apprehension? Now when these feelings do take such root in our soul, that they drive and banish thence the affection and will to sin, according as the holy Council of Trent speaketh, they are very wholesome. We have conceived thy fear o Lord, and have brought forth the Spirit of Salvation: I say hath it. That is thy wrathful face tertified us, and made us conceive and bring forth the Spirit of Penance, which is the Spirit of Salvation, so did the Psalmist say, my bones enjoyed no peace, but trembled before the face of thy anger.  
4. Our Saviour who even came to establish the law of Love amongst us, ceaseth not to inculcate unto us this fear; fear him, sayeth he, who hath power to throw the body and soul into hell fire: The NINIVITS did penance upon the threat of their own subversion and damnation, and their penance was agreeable to God: to be short, this fear is comprised amongst the gifts of the holy Ghost, as many aunciant Fathers have noted.  
5. But if Fear do not deter our will and affection from Sin truly it is bad, and like to that of the devils, who cease to do mischief only through a fear they have to be tormented by the Exorcism, without ceasing to desire, and will mischief, which is their meditation for ever; Like to that of the miserable gallie-slave who would even eat the Captain's heart, though he dares not stir from the Oar lest he might be beaten; Like to the Fear of that great old Maister-heretike, who confessed that he hated God, because he did punish the wicked. Certes he that love's sin, and would willingly commit it, maugre God's will, though in effect he will not commit it only lest he might be damned, hath a horrible and detestable fear: for though he have not the will to come to the execution of sin, yet doth he entertain the execution of it in his will, since he would do it, if fear withheld him not, and it is as it were by force, that he effects it not.  
6. To this Fear one may add another, less malicious indeed, yet no less unprofitable, as was that of the judge FELIX who hearing God's judgments spoken off was strooken into amazement, yet did he not for all that give over his avarice: and that of BALTASAR, who in seeing the prodigious hand, that wrote his condemnation upon the wall, was so astonished, that he looked aghast▪ the joints of his back bone were disjointed, his knees with shaking dashed one against another, nor would he yet do penance: and to what purpose is it to fear evil, unless by fear, we resolve to eschew it?  
7. Their Fear then, that do as slaves observe the Law of God, to avoid Hell, is good indeed; but much more noble and desirable is the mercenary fear of Christians, who as hirelings do faithfully labour, yet not principally for any love they bear their Master, but to be rewarded with the reward promised. O that the eye could see, that the ear could hear, or that it could enter into the heart of man, what God hath prepared for those that serve him! Ah what an apprehension would one have to violate God's commandments, lest he might lose those immortal rewards! What tears, what sobs would one cast out, when by sin one had lost it! Yet should this Fear be blame worthy, if it contained in it, the exclusion of holy Love; for he that should say, I will not serve God, for any love I will have towards him, but only to attain the reward he promiseth, should commit blasphemy, in preferring the reward, before his Master, the benefit before the Benefactor, the inheritance before the Father, and his own profit before God almighty, as we have more amply shown in the second book.  
8. But finally, when we fear to offend God, not to avoid the pains of Hell, or the lose of Heaven, but only, for that, God being our good Father we own him honour, respect, obedience, them our Fear is filial, because a well borne child doth not obey his Father in respect of the power he hath to punish his disobedience, or because he might disinherit him, but purely because he is his Father; In such sort, that though his Father were old, impotent and poor, he would not serve him with less diligence, but rather, as a pious Stork, would assist him with more care and affection: Even as JOSEPH, seeing the good man IACO● his Father, old, in want, and brought under his sceptre, ceased not to honour, serve, and reverence him, with a more than filial tenderness, and such as his brothers having taken notice, apprehended that it would even work after his death, and thereupon they made use of it to obtain pardon at his hands, saying, your Father commanded us that we should tell you thus from him; I beseech thee to forget thy brother's crime, and the sin and malice which they practised against thee: which having heard, he began to weep, so did his filial heart melt at the representation of his deceased Fathers wish and will. Such than do fear God with a filial affection, as do fear to displease him, purely and simply, because he is their most sweet, most benign and most loving Father.  
9 Howbeit though this filial fear be joined, mixed, and tempered with the servile fear of eternal damnation, or with the mercenary Fear of losing Heaven, it is yet grateful to God and is called a BEGINNING FEAR, that is a fear of such as are beginners, and Apprentices in the exercise of divine Love.. For as young youths, at their first beginning to ride a horse when they perceive him rise a little high before, do not only cleeve close to him with their knees, but do also catch hard hold of the saddle bowl with their hands, yet after they have been a while trained up with it, do only keep themselues close together; even so Novices and Prentices in God's service, finding themselues lost amidst the assaults which the enemy makes against them in their beginnings, do not only make use of filial, but also of mercenary and servile Fear, and hold themselves as well as they can, that they might not fall from their pretensions.   

How sacred Love contains the 12. fruits of the holy Ghost, together with the 8. beatitudes of the Gospel. CHAPTER. XIX.  
1. THe glorious S. PAUL sayeth thus; Now the Fruit of the holy Ghost is Charity joy, Peace, Patience, Benignity, Goodness, longanimity, Mildness, Modesty, Faith, Continency, Chastity. But mark, THEO: how this holy Apostle showing these 12. fruits of the holy Ghost, puts them for one only fruit: for he sayeth not, the fruits of the holy Ghost, are Charity, joy etc. but only the fruit of the Holy Ghost, is Charity, joy. And behold the secret of this manner of speech. The Charity of God is poured forth into our hearts, by the holy Ghost which is given us. Certes Charity is the only fruit of the holy Ghost, but because this one fruit hath an infinity of excellent proprieties, the Apostle about to represent some of them, by way of a scantling, he speaks of this only fruit, as of many, by reason of the multitude of proprieties which it contains in its unity, and speaks again of all these fruits as of one only, by reason of the unity, in which it is comprised in this variety. So he that should say that the fruit of the vine, is ripe grapes, green grapes, wine, aqua vitae, the liquor that doth rejoice the heart of man, the drink that doth comfort the stomach, would not say that they were fruits of diverse SPECIES: but only, that though they be but one only fruit, yet hath it many different proprieties, according as it is diversely used.  
2. The Apostle therefore would say no other thing, but only, that Charity is the fruit of the holy Ghost, which is joyful, peaceable, patiented, benign, good, longanimous, sweet, faithful, modest, continent, chaste, that is to say, that the Divine Love doth give us an inward joy and consolation, together with a great peace of mind, which in adversity is conserved by Patience, and which makes us benign and gracious in succouring our neighbour, by a cordial goodness towards him, a goodness which is not variable, but Constant and perseverant, giving us a courage of great extent, by means whereof, we become mild, affable and condescendant to all, supporting their humours and imperfections, and standing perfectly loyal unto them, testifying a simplicity accompanied with confidence, as well in our words as actions, living modestly and humbly, cutting off all superfluities, and disorders in meat drink, apparel, bed, play, pastimes and such other voluptuous desires by a holy continency, repressing especially the inclinations and seditions of the flesh, by a diligent chastity, so that our whole man may be occupied in holy Love as well interiorly by joy, Peace, Patience, longanimity, Goodness, and Fidelity, as also exteriously, by benignity, mildness, modesty, continency, and Chastity.  
3. Now Charity is called a fruit in so much as it doth delight us, and in so much as we do enjoy its delicious sweetness, as being a true apple of Paradise, gathered from the tree of life, which is the holy Ghost, graffed in our humane hearts, and dwelling in us by his infinite mercy. But when we do not only rejoice in this heavenly Love, and enjoy its delicious sweetness, but even place all our glory therein, as in the crown of our honour, than it is not a fruit only delightful to our palate but it is a beatitude and a most wishful felicity, not only because it assures us the felicity of the next life, but even in that it doth enrich us in this life, with a contentment of an inestimable price, a contentment which is so strong, that all the waters of tribulation, and the floods of persecution cannot extinguish it, yea it is not only not extinguished, but it waxeth rich amidst poverty, is advanced by abiections, and humiliations, rejoiceth in tears, gains strength by being forsaken by justice; and by being deprived of the help thereof, while begging for it, it is deneyed of all: compassion and commiseration do recreate it, while it is environed with the injurious and need: It is delighted in the renunciation of all sorts of sensual and earthly delights, to obtain the purity and cleanness of heart, the use of its valour is to lay a sleep wars, jars and dissensions, and to spurn temporal advancements and reputation, by all kinds of sufferance it waxeth strong, and holds, that its true life consisteth in dying for the well-beloved. So that in a word, THEO: holy Charity is a virtue, a Gift, a Fruit, and a Beatitude; as it is a virtue, it makes us obedient to exterior inspirations, which God hath given us by his Commandments and Counsels, in the execution whereof, all virtues are practised, whence Charity is the VIRTUE OF VERTVES.  
4. In quality of a gift, Charity makes us manigable and tractable by interior inspirations, which are as God's secret Commandments and Counsels, in the execution whereof the 7. gifts of the holy Ghost are employed, so that Charity is the GIFT OF GIFTS. As it is a Fruit it gives us an extreme gust and pleasure in the practice of a devote life, which is felt in the 12. fruits of the holy Ghost, and thence it is the FRVIT OF FRVITS. In quality of Beatitude, it makes us repute the affronts, calumnies, rebukes, revile which the world heaps upon us for greatest favours, and singular honours; and withal makes us forsake, renounce and reject all other kinds of glory, save that which comes from the beloved Crucifix, for which we glory in the abjection, abnegation and annihilation of ourselves, admitting of no other mark of Majesty, than our crucified master's crown of thorns, his sceptre of a Reed, his robe of scorn which they put upon him, and the Throne of his Cross, upon which the sacred Lovers had more content, joy, glory and felicity, than ever Solomon had in his juerie Throne.  
5. So is Love often times represented by the Pomegranate, which taking proprieties from the Pome-granate-tree, may be said to be its virtue, as also the gift thereof which out of Love it offers to man; and its fruit, sith that it is eaten, to refresh m●ns taste, and finally it is as it were its glory and Beatitude, bearing the crown and diadem.   

How divine Love makes use of all the passions and affections of the soul and reduceth them to her obedience. CHAPTER. XX.  
1. Love is the life of our heart; and as the counterpoise gives motion to all the movable parts of a cloak, so doth Love give all the motion the soul hath: All our affections follow our Love, and according to it we desire, we rejoice, we hope, we despair, we fear, we take heart, we hate, we fly, we sorrow, we fall into choler, we triumph. Do not we see men who have given up their heart as a prey, to the base and abject Love of women, that they have no desires but according to this Love, they take no pleasure but in it, they neither hope nor despair but for this subject, they neither dread nor enterprise any thing but for it, they are neither disgusted with, nor fly from, any thing save that which doth divert them from, this, they are only troubled at that which doth deprive them of it, they are never angry but out of jealousy, never glory but in this infamy.  
2. The like may be said, of covetous misers and glorie-hunters; for they become slaves to that which they love, and have neither heart in their breast, nor soul in their hearts, nor affections in their souls save only for this.  
3. When therefore Divine Love doth reign in our hearts, it doth in a kinglike manner bring under, all the other Loves, and consequently all the affections thereof, for as much as naturally they follow love; this done it doth tame sensual Love, and bringing it to subjection, all the sensual passions do follow it. For in a word, this sacred Love, is the sovereign water, of which our Saviour said, he that shall drink of this water shall never thirst. No surely, THEO: he that hath Love in a certain abundance he shall neither have desire, dread, hope, courage, nor joy, but for God, and all his motions shall be quieted in this only celestial Love..  
4. Divine Love and self love are in our hearts, as JACOB and ESAV in the womb of REBECCA; there is a great antipathy and opposition betwixt them, and do continually press on upon another in the heart. Whereat the poor soul gives an outcry, alas wretch that I am, who will deliver me out of the body of this death, that the only Love of God may peaceably reign in me Howbeit we must take courage putting our trust in our Saviour's word, who promiseth in commanding, and commandeth in promising victory to his Love: and he seems to say to the soul, that which he caused to be said to REBECCA; two nations are in thy womb, and there shall be a division betwixt two people in thy intrailles, the one shall surmount the other, and the elder shall serve the younger: for as Rebecca, who had only two children in her womb, whereof two people were to descend, was said to have two nations in her womb; so the soul having two loves in her heart, hath consequently two great troops of motions, affections and passions: and as Rebecca her two children, by the contrariety of their motions, made her suffer great convulsions and pains of the womb; so the two loves of our soul●, puts our heart as it were into travail. And as it was said of Rebeccas' two children, that the elder should serve the younger; so was it ordained that of these two loves of our heart, the sensual should serve the spiritual, that is self-love should serve the Love of God.  
5. But when was it, that the eldest of tha● people which was in Rebecca's womb served th● youngest? Surely it was only when David overcame the Idumeans in war, and that Solomon overruled them in time of Peace. When shall it then be, that sensual love shall serve Divine Love? It shall then be, THEO: when armed Love, being arrived at Zeal, shall by mortification subject our passions, but principally when above in heaven, Blessed Love shall possess our whole soul in peace.  
6. Now the means whereby Divine Love is to subject the sensual appetite, is like to that which JACOB used, when for a good presage and beginning of that which was afterwards to come to pass, ESAV coming out of his mother's womb, JACOB held him by the foot as it were to trample upon, to suppliant, and keep him under, or as they say, to keep him tied by the foot, after the manner of a Hawk, such as ESAV was in qualilitie of a hunter, and as he was a fierce man: For so holy Love, perceiving some passion or natural affection to rise in us, must presently catch it by th● foot, and order it to his service. But what is it to say, take it by the foot? it is to bind it, and bring it down to a resolution of serving God. Do not you see how Moses transformed the serpent into a rod, by taking her only by the tail! even so by bestowing a good end upon our passions, they turn virtues.  
7. But what method are we then to observe, to order our affections and passions to the service of Divine Love? Methodical Physicians, have always this APHORISIME in their mouths, T●at contraries are cured by their contraries; t●● Alchemists have another famous sentence contrary to this, Saying, that like are cured by their like. Howsoever we are certain that two contrary things make the light of the stars disappear, to wit the obscurity of nightly foggues, and the greater light of the sun; and in like manner, we do fight against passions; either by opposing contrary passions, or greater affections of the same sort. If any vain hope present itself unto me, my way of resistance may be, by opposing unto it this just discouragement, O senseless man upon what foundation dost thou build this hope? dost thou not see that the great one to whom thou dost aspire, is as near to his grave as thyself? Dost thou not know the instability, weakness, and imbecility of the spirit of man? To day his heart, in whom thy pretensions are, is thine, to morrow, another carries it away from thee, upon what then is this hope grounded? Another way of resisting this hope is, to oppose to it another more strong; hope in God, o my Soul, for it is he that delivers thy feet out of the snares; never did any hope in him, and was confounded, throw thy thoughts upon eternal and permanent things. In like manner, may one fight with riches and temporal delights, either by the contempt they merit, or by the desire of such as are immortal, and by this means sensual and earthly Love, shall be ruinated by heavenly Love; either as fire is extinguished by water, by reason of its contrary qualities, or as it is extinguished by heavenly fire, by means of its qualities more strong and predominant.  
8. Our Saviour makes use of both the ways in his spiritual cures. He cured his Disciples of their worldly Fear, by imprinting in their hearts a Fear of a superior rank. Fear not those, said he, who kill the body, but fear him, who can throw the body and the soul into Hell fire: When he would another time cure than of an abject joy, he assigned them one more high; do not rejoice, quoth he, that the evil spirits are under you, but that your names are written in Heaven; and himself also rejecteth joy, by sorrow; woe be to you that laugh, for you shall weep. Thus then doth the Divine Love supplant and bring-under the affections and passions, turning them from the end to which self love would sway them, and applying them to its spiritual pretention. And as the rainbow touching the herb ASPAIATHUS doth deprive it of its own smell, and gives it another fare more excellent; so sacred Love touching our passions takes from them their earthly end, and bestows a heavenly one in its place, the appetite of eating is much spiritualised, if before the practice thereof we put upon it the ●otiue of love. Ah Saviour! It is not to content my palate, nor yet to satiate this appetite, that I go to table, but according to thy Providence, to sustain this body which thou hast given me, subject to this misery; I Lord, because so it was thy pleasure. If I hope for a friends assistance, may not I say, the manner of thy establishment of our life, o Lord, was such, as that we should stand in need of one another's help, comfort and consolation: and because so it pleaseth thee, I will use this or that man, whom thou hast joined unto me in friendship to this purpose. Is there some just occasion of Fear? It is thy will o Lord, that I should fear, that I may use convenient means to avoid this inconveniency, I will do so, o Lord, since such is thy good pleasure. If fear be excessive, ah God our eternal Father, what is it that thy children and the chickes, which live under thy wings can dread? Well, I will use the means convenient to eschew evil, but that being done, Lord, I am thine, save me, if it be thy pleasure, and that which shall befall me, I will accept, because such is thy good pleasure. O holy and sacred ALCHEMY, o heavenly PROTECTION POWDER by which all the metals of our passions, affections, and actions are converted into the most pure gold of heavenly Love..   

That sadness is almost always unprofitable, yea opposite to the service of holy Love. CHAPTER. XXI.  
1. ONe cannot graft an Oak upon a Peartree, of so contrary an humour are those two trees; nor can anger, choler and despair be graffed in Charity, at least it would be a hard piece of work. We have seen Anger already in the discourse of Zeal; as for despair, unless it be reduced to a man's just defence, or at least to the feeling which we ought to have of the vanity, feablenesse, and inconstancy of worldly favours, assistances, and promises; I see not, what service Divine Love can draw from it.  
2. And as concerning sadness, how can it be profitable to holy Charity, seeing that joy is ranked amongst the fruits of the holy Ghost, adjoining unto Charity. Howbeit the great Apostle sayeth thus; The sorrow that is according to God, worketh penance unto salvation that is stable, but the sorrow of the world worketh death: there is then a sorrow according to God, which is profitably practised either by sinners in Penance, or by the good, by way of compassion for the temporal miseries of our neighbours; or by the perfect, in deploring, bemoaning and condoling the spiritual calamities of souls. For DAVID, S. PETER, MAGDALENE, wept for their sins: AGAR wept when she saw her son almost dead of thirst. Hieremie upon the ruins of Jerusalem: Our Saviour over the jews; and his great Apostle groans out these words, many walk of whom I have often told you, and I tell you again with tears, who are enemies to the Cross of JESUS-CHRIST.  
3. There is a sorrow of this world, which doth also proceed from 3. causes: For. 1. it comes sometimes from the infernal enemy, who by a thousand sad, melancholy, and troublesome suggestions, doth obscure the understanding; weaken the will, trouble the whole soul, and like to a thick mist doth stuff the head and breast with a rheum, and by this means makes a man draw his breath with difficulty, and doth perplex the poor travailler; so the evil spirit filling man's mind with daunting thoughts, deprives it of the facility of aspiring to God, and doth possess it with an extreme vexation and discouragement, to bring it to despair and perdition. They say there is a fish named a sea-toade, or a sea-divell by surname, who by moving and stirring the mud, doth trouble the water round about her, to hid herself in it, as in an amboush, wherein as soon as she perceives the poor little fishes, she falls upon them, spoils and devours them: whence peradventure came the common proverb, of fishing in a troubled water. Now, the devil of Hell, useth the same slight with the Devil of the Sea: For he makes his Ambush in the midst of sorrow, who after he hath troubled the soul with a multitude of loathsome thoughts, cast hither and thither in the understanding, he makes a charge upon the affections, bearing them down with distrust, jealousies, aversions, disgustes, grieves, superfluous apprehensions of sins past; adding withal a number of vain, bitter, and sullen subtleties, that all reasons, and consolations might be rejected.  
4. Sorrow 2. doth sometimes proceed from a man's natural condition, when a melancholy humour doth abound in us; and this is not vicious in itself, yet doth our enemy make great use of it to contrive and plot a thousand temptations in our souls for as the Spider doth hardly wove her w●be save in cloudy and close weather; so this wicked Spirit, finds never so fit a time to lay the snares of his suggestions in sweet, benign, ad cheerful spirits, as he doth in sullen, sad, and pesi●e hearts: for he doth easily trouble them with way●ardnesse, suspicion; hatred, sloth, and with a spiritual nunnesse.  
5. Thirdly and lastly, there is a sorrow which the variety of humane chances doth bring upon us. What joy ca I have said Toby, not being able to see the light of heaven. So was JACOB sorrowful upon the news of the death of his Son IOS●P●, and DAVID for the death of his Absalon: and this is common as well to the good as the bad, but in the good it is moderated by submission and resignation to the will of God, as is seen in Toby, who redred thankes to the Divine Majesty, for all the adversities wherewith he was afflicted: and in ●OB, who blessed the name of God in them: and in Daniel who turned his sorrows into songs: Now contrariwise in worldlings, the same sorrow is an ordinary dish with them, and is changed into loathsomeness, despair, madness: for they resemble Apes and Monkeys, which are still peevish, sad and sottish in the waning of the Moon, as again in the new of the Moon they hop, dance, and do their apish tricks. The worldling, is froward, harsh bitter, and melancholy in the ebb of his terreane prosperities, but while they flow, he is almost continually in his brauadoes jocund, and insolent.  
6. Certes the sorrow of true Repentance is not so much to be termed sorrow, as a dislike, sense or detestation of sin: a sorrow which is never either harsh or peevish: a sorrow which doth not benume the mind, but makes it become active, prompt and diligent: a sorrow which doth not abate the heart, but doth relive it by prayer, and hope, and makes it make the stir of the fervour of devotion: a sorrow which in the height of its bitterness, doth produce the sweetness of an incomparable consolation, following the Precept of the great S. Augustine. Let the penitent sorrow continually, but let him also continually rejoice therein. Sorrow, sayeth Cassian, which doth work  Penance, and the wishful repentance, whereof a man doth never repent him, is obedient, affable, humble, mild, sweet, patiented, as issuing and descending from Charity; so that extending itself to all the pain of the body, and contrition of the heart, it is in a certain sort, joyful, quickened and strengthened with the hope of profit, it retains all the sweetness of affability and longnanimitie, as enjoying the fruits of the holy Ghost recited by the holy Apostle: now the fruits of the holy Ghost are, Charity, joy, Peace, longanimity, Goodness, Benignity, Faith, Mildness, Continency. Such is true Repentance, and such the good sorrow, which is not properly, sad or melancholy, but only attentive and addicted to detest, reject, and hinder the malice of sin for the time past, and time to come. And indeed we meet often with Penetents solicitous, troubled, impatient, mournful, sour, groaning, disquiet, harsh, and melancholy, which are in the end found to be fruitless, and are not followed with any true amendment, because they proceeded not from the true motives of the virtue of Penance, but from natural and self-love.  
7. The sorrow of the world worketh death, sayeth the Apostle; THEO: we must be therefore careful to avoid and reject it according to our power: if it be natural, we are to keep it back, by withstanding its motions, and by diverting them by exercises proper for that end, and by using the remedies and manner of living which the Physicians shall advice. If it proceed from temptation, we must fully disclose our heart to our Ghostly Father, who will prescribe us the means to overcome it, according to that which we have delivered touching this point, in the forth Part of the Introduction to a devote life. If it be accidental, we must have recourse to that which is said in the eight book, to th'end we may see how delightful temptations are to the sons of God, and that the greatness of our hopes in the eternal life to come, all almost do make all the passing events of this mortal life, of no consideration.  
8. For the rest, amongst all the melancholies which can happen unto us, we are to make use of the authority of the superior will, to do all th●t it is able in the behalf of divine Love.. Certes there are actions which have so great a dependence of the corporal disposition and complexion that it is not in our power to do them at our pleasure: for the melancholy man cannot for his heart, keep neither his eyes, speech nor countenance in the same grace and sweetness, which they would have, if he were quit of this bad humour: yet may he well, though not with a grace, speak gracious, good and courteous words, and may do on despite of his inclination, by force of reason, what is convenient in words, and in the works of Charity, sweetness, condescendance. It is pardonable in a man not to be continually jocund, for a man is not Master of mirth, to have it when he list; but he that is not continually gentle, tractable and condescendant is not excusable; for it is always in the ability of our will, nor is there any other thing required thereunto, but a resolution to surmount the contrary humour and inclination.   
The end of the eleventh book.   

THE TWELFTH BOOK. CONTAINING Certain advices for the progress of the soul in holy Love..  

That our progress in holy Love doth not depend of our natural complexion▪ CHAPTER. I.  
I. A Famous religious of our age hath written that our natural disposition doth much conduce to contemplative Love, and that such as are of an affective and loving nature, are most proper for it. Now I suppose his meaning is not, that sacred Love should be distributed to men or Angels, in sequel, and yet much less in virtue, of their natural conditions; nor that he would say, that the distribution of divine Love is made to men, according to their natural qualities and abilities: for this were to belie the Scripture, and to violate the ecclesiastical rule, by which the Pelagians were declared Heretics.  
2. For my part, I speak in this Treatise of supernatural Love, which God out of his goodness doth pour into our hearts, and whose residence is in the supreme point of the Spirit; a point which is above all the rest of our soul, and is independent of all natural complexion; and withal, though the souls that are inclined to Love, have on the one side a certain disposition, which make them more proper to love God, yet one the other side, they are so subject to set their affection upon lovely creatures, that their inclination puts th●m i● as much danger of being diverted from sacred Love, by a mixture of other Loves, as they have a facility in desiring to Love God: for the danger of loving amiss, is annected to the facility of loving. It is true that souls of this composition being once well purified from the love of creature's, they work wonders in sacred Charity, Love finding a great case to dilate itself in all the faculties of the heart: and from thence proceeds a delightful sweetness, which appears not in those whose souls are p●euish, harsh, melancholy, and churlish.  
3. Nevertheless if two parties, the one whereof is loving and sweet, the other harsh and ●oure by nature, had an equal Charity, they would love God equally, yet not both alike. The heart naturally sweet, would love more easily, more amiably, more sweetly, though neither more solidly, nor yet more perfectly; but the love that should spring up amongst the brambles and repugnances of a harsh and dry nature, would be more brave and glorious, and withal more delightful and gracious, like to the other.  
4. It imports not much then, whether one have a natural inclination to love, when supernatural love is handled, by which one works only supernaturally. Only this, THEO: I would willingly cry out to all men, o mortals if you have hearts addicted to love, alas why do you not pretend celestial and Divine Love! But if you be harsh and hard hearted, alas poor people, sith you are deprived of natural Love, why do you not aspire to supernatural Love, which shall be lovingly bestowed on you by him, who so holily calls you to love him?   

That we are to have a continual desire to love. CHAPTER. II.  
1. LAy up treasures in heaven, one treasure is not sufficient to the liking of this Divine Lover, but he desires we should have it in such abundance, that our treasure should be composed of many treasures, that is to say, THEO: that we are to have an insatiable desire of Loving God, adding continually love upon love. What is it that doth so much press the Bees to increase their honey, but the love they bear to it! o heart of my soul, who art created to love the infinite good! what love canst thou desire, but this love, which is the most to be desired of all loves? Alas, o soul of my heart, what desire canst thou love, but the most lovely of all desires? o Love of sacred desires! o desires of holy Love! o how much have I desisired to desire your perfections!  
2. The disgusted sick-man hath no appetite to eat, yet hath he an appetite to have an appetite: he desires no meat, yet he desires to have a desire. THEO: to know whether we love God above all things is not in our power, unless God himself reveal it unto us; yet we may easily know whether we desire to love him; and perceiving the desire of holy love in us, we know that we begin to love. It is our sensual and animal part which covets to eat, but it is our reasonable part that desires this appetite, and because the sensual part doth not always obey the reasonable part, it happens that we desire an appetite, and yet have it not.  
3. But the desire of loving and love depend both of the same will: Wherefore as soon as we have framed a desire of loving, we begin to have some Love; and ever as this desire increaseth, love also increaseth. He that desires Love ardently, shall shortly love with ardour. o God THEO: who will make us so happy, as that we may burn with this desire, which is the desire of the poor and the preparation of their heart whom God doth willingly hear! He that hath no assurance to love God, is a poor man, and if he desire to love him, he is a beggar, but a beggar, in that bleessed beggary, of which our Saviour hath said, Blessed are the poor of spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.  
4. Such an one was S. AUGUSTINE, when he cried out, o to love! o to walk! o to die to a man's self! o to come to God! Such S. FRANCIS, his saying, let me die of thy Love o thou friend of my heart, who hast daigned to die for my Love, Such S. CATHARINE of GENVA, and S. TERESA when as spiritual Does panting and dying with the thirst of Divine Love, they sighed out this voice, ah Lord! give me this water.  
5. Temporal covituousnesse by which we do greedily desire earthly riches, is the root of all evil; but spiritual avarice, whereby one doth incessantly sigh after the pure gold of Divine Love is the root of all good. He that doth desire to Love well, doth search it well; and he that doth search it well, doth find it well; and he that hath found it out, he hath found the source of life, whence he shall draw the salvation of our Lord. Let us cry night and day, THEO: come o holy Ghost, fill the hearts of thy faithful, and kindle in them the fire of thy Love.. o heavenly Love! when wilt thou fill my soul?   

That to have the desire of sa●red Love, we are to cut of all other desires. CHAPTER. III.  
1. Why do hounds, think you THEO: more ordinarily lose the sent or strain of the game they run, in the spring time then in other times? it is, as the Hunters and Philosophers say, because the grass and flowers are then in their vigour, so that the variety of smells which they send out, doth so fill the hounds sense of smelling, that they can neither take nor follow the sent of their game, amongst so sundry ●ents which the earth doth evaporate. Certes those souls that do abound still in desires, designs, and projects, do never desire the holy celestial love as they ought, nor can perceive the delightful strain, and sent of the Divine beloved, who is compared to the Roe, or to the little Faun of the Do.  
2. Lilies have no season, but grow soon or late, as they are deeper or less deep set in the ground: for if they be thrust three fingers only into the ground, they will presently flourish, but if they be put 6. or 9 fingers into the earth, they come up later proportionably. If the heart that pretends Divine Love, be deeply engaged in terreane and temporal affairs, it will bud late, and with difficulty: But if it have only so much to do with the world, as its condition requires, you shall see it blossom timely in Love, and send out a delicious odour.  
3. For this cause the Saints betook themselves to deserts, that being freed from worldly solicitudes, they might more ardently bestow themselves in the exercise of holy Love: Hence the sacred Spouse shut the one of her eyes, to th'ed that she might fix the sight of the other alone more setledly, and withal aim more directly at the very midst of her Beloued's heart, which she desires to wound wit● love. And for this same reason, she keeps her hair so plaited and folded together in tresses that she seems to have one only hair which she makes use off, as of a chain, to bind and bear away her Spouse his heart, whom she makes a slave to her Love..  
5. They that desire for good and all to love God, shut up their understanding from worldly discourses, to employ it more fervently in Divine meditations, and do gather up all their pretensions into that only one pretention of only loving God. Whosoever he be that desires any thing, which he desires not for God, doth in that, less desire God.  
5. A Religious man demanded of B. Giles, what he could do most grateful to God, and he answered him, by singing one to one, that is, one only soul, to one only God. So many desires and Loves in our heart, are as many children upon one d●gge, who while they can not all suck at once, they thrust to it, now one, now another, by emulation, making it in the end wax withered and dry. He that aims at heavenly Love, must carefully reserve his times, his spirit, and affections for it.   

That our lawful occasions do not hinder us to practise Divine Love. CHAPTER. iv  
1. CVriositie, ambition, disquiet together with inaduertance and inconsideration of the end for which we are in this world, are cause that we have a thousand times more impediments than affairs; more hurrying up and down, than work; more lets then business: And these are the MAZES, THEOT: that is, she witless, vain, and superfluous undertake into which we run ourselves, which do hinder the love of God, not the true and lawful exercises of our vocations. DAVID and after him S. L●WIS, in the press of his perils, toils, and travaills which he endured, as well in peace, as in wars, did not cease to sing from his heart.  
What do the Heavens admire  
Sau● God, that I desire?  
To what, save God, beneath  
Can heart aspire▪ or breath?  
2. S. BERNARD loosed not a foot of the progress which he desired to make in holy Love, though he were in the Courts and Armies of great Princes, where he laboured to bring matter of sta●e to the service of God's glory; he changed his habitation, but he changed not his heart.  
3. And to use his own words, these changes passed in him, but were not caused by him, sith that though his employments were much different, yet were all imployements indifferent to him and he different from them all, not receiving the colours of his affairs, and coversations, as the CHAMELEON, those of the place where she is; but remaining still wholly united to God, still white in purity still read with Charity, still full of humility.  
4. I am not ignorant THEOT: what the wise man's counsel is. 
He flies the Camp, the Court, and Courtly strife  
Who seakes to sow the seeds of holy life:  
Virtue we see, doth cause the soul's increase,  
Faith and Piety daughters are to peace.  And the Israelites had good reason to excuse themselues to the Babylonians, who urged them to sing the sacred Canticle of Zion. 
Ay me! but in what music shall we sing  
In this sad s●yle, and ruthful banishment,  
A Sions song to Sions heau●nly King,  
A Sions song, of heavenly wonderment?  But do not you also mark, that those poor people were not only amongst the Babylonias, but were even their Captives. Whosoever is a slave to Courtly favours, issues in law, and honour in wars, o God, all is passed with him, he hath no leisure to sing the Hymn of heavenly Love.. But he that is only in the Court, in wars, or in the Sessions-houses because his duty calls him th' there, God is his aid, and the heavenly sweetness is as an EPITHEME upon his heart, to preserve him from the plague which reigns in those places.  
5. While the plague pestered the Milaneises, SAINT CHARLES never made difficulty to frequent the infected houses, and to touch the infected persons. Yet THEO: he only frequented and touched them, so fare forth as the necessity of Gods work required, nor would he for a world have thrust himself into danger without necessity, lest he should have committed the sin of tempting God. So that he was never touched with any infection, God's Providence conserving him, who reposed so pure a confidence in ●t, that it had no mixture either of fear or forwardness. In like manner, God takes a special care of those who go not to the Court, Sessions, or war, but only to comply with the necessity of their duty; and in that case, a man is neither to be so scrupulous, as to abandon good and lawful affairs, by not going; nor yet to be presumptuously pushed forwards with a desire of going thither, or staying there, without the express necessity of his duty and affairs.   

A delightful example upon this subject. CHAPTER. V  
1. GOd is innocent to the innocent, Good to the good, cordial to the cordial, tender towards such as are tender, and his love makes him often times use certain sacred and dainty devices towards the holy souls, which out of a loving purity, and simplicity behave themselves as little children about him.  
2. Upon a day S. FRANCISCA was reciting our Lady's office, and as it commonly happens, that if there be any business to be done all the day long, it presseth most in the time of Prayer; This good Lady was called in her husband's name about a household affaire, and four sundry times thinking to go on with her office she was called from it again, and constrained to leave off in the same verse, till at length this blessed affair, for which they had so importunely interrupted her prayer, being finished returning to her office, she found the verse which she had so often left off by obedience, and begun again by devotion, all written in fair golden letters. Which her devote Companion Madame Vannocie swore she saw written by the Saints dear Angel guardian, to whom also S. PAUL did afterwards reveal it.  
3. O what a sweetness is this, THEOT: of the heavenly Spouse, towards this sweet and filial lover! We see notwithstanding that every ones necessary employments according to their vocation, doth ot diminish Divine Love, but doth even increase it, and as it were do gild● the devote work. The Nightingale love's her own melody no less when she makes her rest's, than when she sings. Devote hearts love not Love, less when they are distracted in exterior necessities; then when they pray. Their silence, their speech, their action, and their contemplation, their employments and their rests, do in them equally sing the Hymn of their Love..   

That we are to employ all the occasions that are presented, in the practice of Di●ine Love. CHAPTER. VI  
1. THere are some souls that make projects unto themselves to do excellent services to our Saviour, by eminent actions, and extraordinary sufferances: but actions and sufferances, whole occasion is not present, nay nor peradventure never will be present; and upon this they apprehend that they have done a great matter in love, in which yet they are often deceived. As it appears by those, who, as they themselves think, embracing in desire great future crosses, do vehemently fly the burden of such as are present, though lesser. Is it not a fearful temptation to be so valiant in imagination, and so cowardly in execution?  
2. Ah God preserve us from those imaginary fervours, which do often bread a vain and secret self esteem in the bottom of our hearts. Great works light not always in our way, but every moment we may practise little ones with excellency, that is with a great Love.. Behold this Saint, I beseech you, who bestows a cup of cold water upon the overheated passenger, he doth but a small matter in outward show, but the intention, the sweetness, the Love, with which he doth give life to his work, is so excellent, that it turns this simple water into water of life, and life everlasting.  
3. The Bee doth pickle upon the Lily, the Flowerdeluce, the Rose; yet they get as ample a prey upon the little minute Rosemary flowers, and Thyme, yea they draw not only more honey from thence, but even better honey for in these little vessels the honey is locked up more closely, yea and is better kept therein, Certes in the low and little works of devotion, Charity is not only practised more frequently, but ordinarily more humbly too, and consequently more fruitfully, and holily.  
4. These condescendances to others humours these supportations of the clownish and troublesome actions and behaviours of our neighbour, these victories over our own humours and passions; these renounciations of our lesser inclinations, these endeavours against our own aversions and repugnances, this hearty and sweet acknowledgement of our own imperfections, the continual pains we take to keep our soul in an equality, this love of our own abjection; the gentle and gracious acceptance which we make of the contempt and censures of our condition, our life, conversation and actions, THEO: all these things are more profitable to our souls, than we can conceive, so that holy Love have the husbanding of them, but we have told Philothie this already.   

That we must have a care to do our actions very perfectly. CHAPTER. VII.  
1. Our Saviour, as the ancients report, was wont to say to his, be skilful exchangers. If the pistol be nor good gold, if it want weight, if it be not bet to lawful coin, it is cast back as not currant: if a work be not of a good SPECIES, if it be not adorned with Charity, if the intention be not pious, it shall not be admitted amongst the good works. If I Fast, but yet out of sparingness, my fast is not of a good SPECIES; if it be out of temperance, and yet I have some mortal sin in my soul the work wants weight; for it is Charity that gives poise to all that we do: if it were only through conversation, and to accommodate myself to my companions, the work is not stamped with an approved intention; but if I fast out of Temperance, and be in God's grace, and that I have an intention to please his Divine Majesty, by this Temperance, than shall be currant money, fit to augment in me the treasure of Charity.  
2. To do little actions with a great purity of intention, and with a will addicted to please God, is to do them excellently, and then also they do greatly sanctify us. There are some that eat much and yet are still lean, thin, and languishing, because their power of digestion is not good; others there are who eat little, and yet are always in good plight, and vigorous, because their stomach is good. Even so there are some souls, that do many work●s, and yet increase but little in Charity, because they do them either coldly and negligently; or by an natural instinct and inclination, more than by Divine inspiration, or heavenly heat; and contrariwise others there are who do but few good works, marry they do them with so holy a will and intention, that they make a wonderful advancement in charity, they have but a few Talents, yet they husband them so faithfully, that their Master doth largely rearward them for it.   

A general means whereby to apply our works to God's service. CHAPTER. VIII.  
1. All that we do, and whatsoever we do in word or deed, let it all be done in the name of JESUS CHRIST, whether you eat, or you drink, or you do some other thing, do all to the glory of God, these are the words of the Divine Apostle which as th● great S. THOMAS sayeth, in explicating them, are sufficiently practised, when we have the habit of holy Charity, whereby though we have not an express and set purpose to do every work for the love of God; yet is that intention covertly contained in the union, and communion which we have with God, by which all the good we can do, is dedicated together with ourselves to his Divine Goodness. It is not necessary that a child which life's in his Father's house and under his directions, should declare that all that he gets is gotten to his Father; for sith his person belongs to his Father, all that depends of it will also belong unto him. It is sufficient also that we be God's children by Love, to make all that we do, be entirely directed to his glory.  
2. It is true than THEO: as I have said elsewhere, that even as the Olive-tree set near unto the vine, doth impart unto it its savour, so Charity being near the other vertu●s, it doth communicate unto them her perfection: Yet true it is also, that if one engraft a vine upon an Olive-tree, it doth not only more perfectly leave in it its taste, but makes it also participate of its sape. Nor be you content to have Charity, and together with it the practice of virtues, but endeavour that it may be by it and for it that you practise them, that they may be rightly ascribed unto it.  
3. When a Painter doth hold and lead an apprentice his hand, the strokes that he makes, are principally attributed to the Painter, because though the Prentice indeed contributed the motion of his hand, and the application of his Pencil, yet the Master also for his part, did so mingle his motion with that of the Apprentices, that giving the impression therein, the honour of whatsoever is good in the stroke, is especially ascribed to him, though yet the Prentice is also praised, by reason of the pliableness with which he accommodated his motion, to his Master's direction: o how excellent virtuous actions are, when Divine Love doth imprint his sacred motion upon them, that is, when they are done by Love's motive, but this happens differently.  
4. The motive of Divine Love doth pour fourth a particular influence of perfection, upon the virtuous actions of those that have in a special manner dedicated themselves unto God, to serve him for ever. Such are Bishops and Priests, who by a Sacramental consecration, and by a spiritual Character, which cannot be blotted our vow themselves as stigmatised and marked servants to the perpetual service of God. Such are Religious who by their vows either solemn or simple, are sacrificed unto God, in quality of living and reasonable Hosts. Such all those that do betake themselves to pious Congregations, dedicated for ever to God's glory. Further such are all those that of let purpose, do procure in themselves, deep and strong resolutions to follow the will of God, making for this end a recollection for some days that they may stir up their soul by diverse spiritual exercises to the entire reformation of their life, a holy method, and ordinary amongst the ancient Christians; but since, almost quite left of till the great servant of God Ignatius de Loyola, brought it into use again, in the time of our Fathers.  
5. I know well, that some are of opinion that this general oblation of ourselves doth not extend its virtue, and bear its influence upon the actions which we practise afterwards, but so fare forth, as in the exercise of them, we apply the motive of Love in particular, by dedicating them in a special manner to the glory of God. Yet do all confess with SAINT BONAVENTURE, who hath the general approbation of all in this behalf, that if I have determined in my heart to give an hundred crowns for God's sake, though afterwards I make the distribution of this some at leisure, having my mind distracted and without attention, yet is all the distribution made through Love, because it proceeds from the first project which Divine Love made me make of giving the whole.  
6. But I pray you T●EO: what difference is there betwixt him that offers an hundred crowne● to God, and him, th●t offers to him all his actions truly there is none at all, but that the one offers a some of money, the other a some of actions. And why I pray shall they not then be doth esteemed to make the distribution of the parcels of the some, in virtue of their first purpose, and fundamental resolutions? And if one that distributs his crowns without attention, be not deprived of the influence of his first purpose, why shall not the other in the distribution of his action● enjoy the fruit of his first intention? He that purposely hath made himself a loving servant of the Divine goodness, hath by consequence dedicated all his actions to the same goodness.  
7. Grounding upon this truth, every one should once in his life make a good recollection, thereby to clean his soul from all sin, and upon it, to make an inward and  resolution to live wholly to God, as we have given instructions in the first part of the Introduction to a devote life. And afterwards at least once every year, to make a survey upon ones conscience, and a renovation of the first resolution, which we have put down in the fift part of the same book, to which in this behalf I remit you.  
8. Certes SAINT BONAVENTURE doth avoutch, that a man that hath gotten so great an inclination and custom of well doing, that he doth it frequently without any special intention, looseth not the merits of such actions, which are enriched by Love, from whence they spring, as from their root and original source of thire blessed habit, facility, and promptitude.   

Of certain other means, whereby we may apply our works more particularly to the Love of God. CHAPTER. IX.  
1. When the Pea-hen hatcheth her eggs in a white place, her young ones are also white. And when our intentions are in the love of God, when we project some good work, or undertake some certain vocation, all the actions which do issue thence take their worth, and derive their nobility from the Love whence they descended: for who doth not see, that the actions which are proper to my vocation, and requisite to my design, do depend of this first election and resolution which I made.  
2. Yet THEO: one must not stay there; but to make an excellent progress in devotion, we must not only in the beginning of our conversion, and afterwards once every year, address all our life and actions to God, but we must even offer them unto him every day, following the morning exercise which we have taught Philothie; for in this daily renewing of our oblation, we spread the virtue and vigour of our love upon our actions, by a new application of our heart to the Divine glory, by means whereof it is still more and more sanctified.  
3. Besides this, let us an hundred and an hundred times a day, apply our life, to Divine Love, by the practice of iaculatory prayers, elevations of the mind, and spiritual retreats: for th●s● holy exercises casting and bearing up our minds to G●d do also in the end draw all our actions thither: and how should it come to pass I pray you, that a soul which doth every moment dart up herself at the Divine Goodness, and which doth incessantly breath words of Love, to th'end she may keep her heart continually lodged in the bosom of her heavenly Father, should not be thought to do all her good works in God, and for God?  
4. She that sayeth ah Lord, I am thine, my beloved is wholly mine, and I am wholly his; My God thou art my all. O JESUS thou art my life: ah who will do me the favour, that I may die to myself, to th'end I may live only to thee. O to love! to go! to die to a man's self! o to live to God! o to be in God! o Lord whatsoever is not thy very self is nothing to me. She, I say, doth she not continually dedicate her actions to her heavenly Spouse? o how blessed is the soul, who hath once stripped, and perfectly resigned herself into the hands of God Almighty, whereof we spoke before, for afterwards, she will only need one little sight and view of God, to renew and confirm her stripping, resignation, and oblation, together with her Protestation that she will have nothing but God, and for God; and that she neither love's herself nor any other thing in the world, but in God, and for the Love of God.  
5, The exercise then of continual aspirations is very proper for the application of all our works to Love.. But principally it is abundantly sufficient for the small and ordinary actions of our life; for as for heroical works and matters of consequence, it is expedient, if we intent to make any great profit, to use the ensuing method, as I have already given a touch elsewhere.  
6. Let us in these occurrences elevate our heart and spirit to God, let us bury our consideration, and extend our thoughts into the most holy and glorious eternity; let us behold, how in it, the Divine goodness did tenderly cherish us, preparing all convenient means for our salvation and progress in his Love, and in particular, the commodity to do the good which doth at that present, present itself unto us; or to suffer the evil which befalls us. This done, displaying, if we may so say, and elevating the arms of our consent, let us embrace, dear, fervently, and most lovingly, as well the good which presents itself to be done, as the evil which we are to suffer, in consideration that God willed it so from all eternity, to please him, and to obey his providence.  
7. Behold the great S. CHARLES, when his Diocese was infested with the plague; he lifted up his heart to God, and beheld attentively, that in the eternity of God's Providence, this scourge was determined, and prepared for his flock, and that the same Providence had ordained, that in this their scourge he should take a most tender care to serve, solace, and cordially to assist the afflicted, sith that in this occurrence, he chanced to be the Ghostly Father, Pastor, and Bishope of that Province. Whereupon representing unto himself the greatness of the pains, toils and hazards which he was necessarily to undergo in that behalf, he sacrificed himself in spirit, to Gods good pleasure, and dear kissing this his Cross, he cried from the bottom of his heart, to the imitation of SAINT ANDREW, I salute thee o precious Cross, I salute, thou o blessed tribulation; o holy affliction how delightful thou art, since thou didst issue from the loving breast, of the eternal Father of mercy, who willed thee from all eternity, and did ordain thee for my dear people and me! O Cross, my heart willeth thee, sith the heart of my God hath willed thee; o Cross my soul doth cherish and embrace thee, with her whole affection?  
8. In this sort are we to undertake affairs of greatest consequence, and the sharpest tribulations, which can befall us. But if they prove to be of long continuance, we must from time to time, and very frequently, iterate this exercise, that we may more profitably continue our union to God's good will and pleasure, pronouning this short, yet wholly Divine Protestation of his Son, yes o eternal Father! I will it with all my heart, because so it was pleasing in thy sight, o God, T●EOTIME, how rich this practice is?   

An exhortation to the sacrifice which we are to make to God of our freewill. CHAPTER. X.  
1. I add to the sacrifice of S. CHARLES, that of the great Patriarch Abraham, as a lively image of the most strong and loyal love, that could be imagined in any creature.  
2. Certainly he sacrificed the strongest natural affections that possibly he could have, when hearing the voice of God which said unto him, Leave thy country and thy friends and thy Father's house, and go into the land which I will show unto thee, he presently departed, and with speed put himself upon the way, without knowing whither he was to go; the love of his dear country, the delightful conversation of his near ally, the pleasures of his Father's house did not stagger him, he departs with an ardent boldness, and goes whither it shall please God to codduct him. What an abnegation, THEO: what renunciation was this? one cannot perfectly Love God, unless he forsake the affection to momentary things.  
3. But this was nothing in respect of that which he did afterwards, when being twice called by God, who, seeing his promptitude in answering, said unto him. Take ISAAC thine only son: whom thou lovest, and go into the Land of vision, where thou shalt offer him in Holocaust, upon one of the mountains which I will show unto thee; for behold this great man, how he suddenly departs with his so much beloved, and so worthy to be beloved Son, goes three days journey, comes to the foot of the mountain, leaves there his servant and ass, loads his son Isaac with wood necessary to the holocaust, reserving himself to carry the sword and fire; and as he ascends the mountain, his tender child said unto him, Father, and he answered him, what wouldst thou child? Look, said the child, behold the wood and fire, but where is the victim of the holocaust? To which his Father replied, God will provide the victim of the Holocaust, my child; and in the mean while, they arrived at the top of the designed mountain, where Abraham presently erected an Altar, lays the wood in order upon it, binds his Isaac, and puts him upon the funeral Pile; extends his right hand, lays hold of, and draws out his sword, lifts up his arm, and as he was ready to dispatch the blow, to sacrifice the child, the Angel cried from above, Abraham, Abraham, who answers, I am here Lord, and the Angel said unto him; do not kill thy son, it is sufficient, now I know thou fearest God, and hast not spared thy son for my sake. Upon this Isaac is untied, Abraham takes a Rame which he sound hanging by the horns in the brambles, and sacrificed him.  
4. THEO: he that sees his neighbour's wife to covet her, hath already committed adult●rie in his heart; and he that binds his son to sacrifice him, hath already sacrificed him in his heart. Behold then, for God's love, what a Holocaust this holy man offered in his heart! an incomparable sacrifice, a sacrifice that one cannot fully estimate, nor yet praise to the full. O God who is able to discern, which of the two loves was greater, abraham's, who to please God, sacrificed his son so amiable, or the child's, who to please God is willing to be sacrificed, and to that end permits himself to be bound, and extended upon the wood, and as a tender lamb, peaceably attends death's blow, from the dear hand of his good Father.  
5. For my part I prefer the Father for his longanimity: yet dare I with all boldly give the prize of magnanimity to the son: For on the one side, it is indeed a miracle, yet not so great a one, that Abraham already old and accomplished in the science of loving God, and frotified by the late vision and word of God, should give this last essay of loyalty, and love, towards a Master whose sweetness and providence he had so often perceived and tasted. But to see Isaac in the Spring of his age, as yet a mere Novice and Apprentice in the art of loving God, offer himself upon the only word of his father, to the sword and the flame, to become a Holocaust of obedience to the Divine will, is a thing that passeth all admiration.  
6. Yet of the other side, do you not see THEOT: that for the space of three days, Abraham doth toss and turn in his soul the bitter thought, and resolution of this sharp sacrifice. Do you not take compassion of his fatherly heart, when ascending alone with his son, the child, more simple than a Dove said unto him, Father where is the victim? and he answered him, God will provide for that my son. Do you not think that the sweetness of the child carrying the wood upon his shoulders, and piling it afterwards upon the Altar, made his father's bowels melt away with tenderness? o heart which the Angels admire, and God magnifieth! O Saviour I●SVS, when shall it then be that having sacrificed unto thee all that we have, we shall also offer up unto thee all that we are? When shall we offer unto thee, our freewill the only child of our soul? when will it be, that we shall extend and tie it upon the Altar of thy Cross, of thy thorns, of thy lance, that as a little Ewe, it may be a grateful victim to thy good pleasure, to burn and die in the flame, and with the sword of thy Divine Love..  
7. O Freewill of my heart, how good a thing were it for thee to be bound and extended upon the Cross of thy Heavenly Saviour? How desirable a thing it is to die to thyself, to burn for ever a Holocaust to the Almighty? THEOT: our Freewill is never so free, as when it is slave, subject to the will of God, nor ever so a slave, as when it serves our own will. It never hath so much life, as when it dies to itself, nor ever so much death, as when it life's to itself.  
8. We have freedom to do good or evil; yet to make choice of evil, is not to use, but to abuse our freedom. Let us renounce the accursed liberty, and let us for ever subject our freewill to the rule of heavenly Love, let us become slaves to Love, whose servants are more happy than kings. And if ever our soul should offer to employ her liberty against our resolutions of serving God for ever and without reserve; o in that case for God's sake, let us sacrifice our freewill, and make it die to itself, that it may live to God. He that in respect of self love will keep it in this world, shall lose it in respect of eternal Love in the other world; and he that for the love of God shall lose it in this world, shall conserve it for the same love in the next. He that gives it liberty in this world, shall find it a slave in the other, and he that shall make it a servant to the Cross in this world, shall find it free in the next, where being drunk up in the fruition of the Divine goodness, liberty will be converted into love, and love into liberty, but liberty of an infinite sweetness, without violence pain, or repugnance at all: we shall unchangeably love the Creator and Saviour of our souls.   

Of the motives we have to holy Love. CHAPTER. XI.  
1. SAINT BONAVENTURE, Father Granado, Father Lowis of Po●t, Stella have sufficiently discoursed upon this subject. I will only some up, the points which I have touched in this Treatise.  
2. The Divine Goodness considered in itself, is not only the first motive of all, but withal the greatest, the most noble and most puissant: For it is that which doth ravish the Blessed and crown their Felicity. How can one have a heart, and yet not love so infinite a goodness? This subject is in some sort proposed in the 1. and 2. chap. of the 2. book, and from the 8. chap. of the 3. book to the end, and in the 9 chap. of the 10. book.  
3. The 2. motive is that of God's supernatural Providence, creation, and conservation, towards us, according as we have said in the 3. cha. of the 2. book.  
4. The 3. motive is that of God's supernatural Providence over us, and of the Redemption which he prepared for us, as it is explicated in the 4. 5. 6. and 7. chap. of the 2. book.  
5. The 4. motive is to consider how God doth practise this Providence and Redemption, giving every one the grace and assistance which is requisite to their Salvation, which we handle in the 2. book from the 8. chap. and in the 3. book from the beginning till the 6. chap.  
6. The 5. motive is the eternal glory, provided for us by the divine goodness, which is the accomplishment of God's benefits towards us, and is in some sort touched from the 9 chap. to the end of the 3. book.   

A profitable method whereby we may employ these methods. CHAPTER. XII.  
1. NOw to receive from these motives a profound and powerful heat of love, we are, after we have once considered one of them in common, to apply it in particular to ourselves: For example: O how amiable this great God is, who out of his infinite goodness gave his son for the whole world's redemption? alas I, for all in general, but also for me who am the first of offenders! Ah, he hath loved me! yea I say, he hath loved even me, yea even me myself, such as I am; and delivered himself to death for me.  
2. Secondly we must consider the Divine benefits in their first and eternal source. O God, T●●O: what love can we have sufficiently worthy of the infinite goodness of our Creator, who from all eternity determined to create, conserve, govern, redeem save, and glorify all in general and in particular? Ah what was I then, when I was not? myself I say, who now being some thing, am yet but a simple and poor worm of the earth; while yet God from the Abyss of his eternity, thought thoughts of benediction in my behalf? He considered and designed, yea determined the hour of my birth, of my baptism, of all the inspirations that he would bestow upon me; in a word, for all the benefits which he would do and offer me; alas is there a sweetness like to this?  
3. Thirdly we must consider the Divine benefits in their second meritorious source; for do you not know, THEO: that the high Priest of the law, wore upon his back and bosom the names of the children of Israel, that is, the precious stones, upon which the chief of the Israelites were engraven? Ah behold JESUS our High Priest, and consider him from the very instant of his conception, how he bore us upon his shoulders, undertaking the charge, to redeem us by his death, and death of the Cross. o THEO: THEO: this soul of our Saviour knew us all by name and surname: but especially upon the day of his passion, when he offered his tears, his prayers, his blood and life for all, he breathed in particular for thee these thoughts of love. Ah my eternal Father, I take upon me and to my charge, all poor THEO: sins, to undergo torments and death, that he may be freed from them, and that he may not perish but live. Let me die, so he may live; let me be crucified, so that he may be glorified, o the sovereign Love of JESUS his heart, what heart can ever bless thee, so devotely as it ought.  
4. So within his fatherly breast his Divine heart foresaw, disposed, merited, and obtained, all the benefits which we have, not only in general for all, but also in particular for every one; and his sweet dugs provided for us the milk of his motions draughts, inspirations, and sweetness, by which he doth draw, conduct and nourish our hearts to eternal life. Benefits do not in ●●ame us, unless we behold the eternal will, which ordains them for us, and the heart of our Saviour that merited them for us, by so many pains, especially in his death and passion.   

That the Mount of Caluarie is the true Academy of Love. CHAPTER. XIII.  
1. NOw in final conclusion, the death and Passion of our Saviour, is the sweetest and yet most violent motive, that can animate our hearts in this mortal life. And it is the very truth, that mystical Bees, make their most excellent honey, within this Lion's wound; of the Tribe of juda, but cheered rent and torn upon the Mount of Caluarie: and the children of the Cross glory in their admirable Problem, which the word understands not. O●t of all devouring death, r●se the life of our consolation, and out of death which is the strongest of all things, the honey sweetness of our love did issue. O JESUS my Saviour, how amiable is thy death, since it is the sovereign effect of thy Love..  
2. And indeed above in heavenly glory, next to the motive of the divine goodness known and considered in itself, that of the death of our Saviour, shall be the most powerful to ravish the hearts of the Blessed with the love of God: in sign whereof MOSES and HELIE in the Transfiguration, which was a scantling of glory, spoke with our Saviour of the Excess, which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem: but of what excess, if not of that excess of Love, by which life was forced from the Lover to be bestowed upon the beloved? So that in the eternal Canticle, I imagine that joyful acclamation will be iterated each moment.  
L●ue JESUS, live, whose death doth prove,  
What is the force of heavenly love.  
3. THEO, the mount Caluarie is the mount of Lovers. All love that begi s not from our Saviour's Passion, is frivolous, and dangerous. Accursed is death without the Love of our Saviour. Accursed is Love, without the death of our Saviour. Love and death are so mingled in the passion of our Saviour, that one cannot have the one in his heart without the other. Upon Caluarie one cannot have life without Love, nor love without the death of our Redeemour. But out of that, all is either eternal death, or eternal Love; Christian wisdom, consisteth in making a good choice, and to assist you in that, I undertook this Treatise, my TH●O: 
While this short day doth last,  
Make choice, o man thou mayst,  
To live eternally;  
Or else for ere to dye.  
It is the Heaven's Decree  
There should no middle be.   
O eternal Love, my soul doth desire and make choice of thee eternally, ah come o holy Ghost, and inflame our hearts with thy Love, Either love or die, die or love: To die to all other Love, to live to that of JESUS, that we may not eternally die; but that living in thy eternal love, o Saviour of our souls, we may eternally sing VIVE JESUS. I love JESUS, live JESUS whom I love, I love JESUS, who liveth and reigneth for ever and even. Amen.  
4. These things THEO: which by the grace and help of Charity, have been written to your Charity I beseech GOD they may take root in your heart, that this Charity may find in you, the fruits of holy works, not the leaves of praises. Amen. God be blessed. Thus I shut up this whole Treatise, in the words with which S. AUGUSTINE ended his admirable sermon of Charity, made before an illustrious assembly.   
The end of this present Treatise.   

ERRATA.  
Pag: Lin: Faults Co●rect●● 9 28 it being desired if being desired 28 7 H●rodiadas Herodias 45 16 this in this 51 22 Alliance Covenant 58 23 expired breathed out 63 33 Principale principle 64 9 souls soul 88 33 peace piece 128 8 her herself 169 14 or where 188 21 begives gives 109 4 light, a True God Light, true God 209 18 their his 237 28 Seeing a Seer 266 17 owes ewes 293 11 diseased deceased 332 3 for for we never love that which 334 8 ven heaven 359 14 exterior interior 381 27 Pallas Palace 393 32 And to it this And this is it 430 1 Masters Master's Passion 461 12 Epthitheme E●itheme 479 19 Pipins Kernels 546 18 at and 568 30 to God's submission, to God, submission 592 24 Saviour out Saviour brought him out 603 6 God good 660 13 honey oil 694 7 Charity Chastity 788 17 word world