Love Divine, Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Of true and falſe LoueLove.
LOueLove is that point of our ſpirites, whereby ſhe ioyneth her ſelfe vntounto obiects. That which is weight in heauie things, LoueLove is the verie ſame in our ſoules. For as weight moueth earthly bodyes towardes the place of their reſt, ſo louelove moueth our ſoules towardes that obiect which promiſeth reſt & contentment. Whereupon it followeth, that as heauie things doe moue in a direct line towards the place of their reſt; ſo if we will attaine vntounto any perfect repoſe, our louelove muſt go right, and hauehave an equall motion.
1 True louelove then is that ſame,Seuen reaſons to proue that the louelove of God, is the onelyonly true louelove. which giueth reſt and contentment vntounto the ſoule; whereas falſe louelove is an irregular agitation, and endleſſe motion. Such is worldly louelove, which we ſee to be filled with vnquietneſſe, and not to ſtay his agitation, but through weariſomneſſe or deſpaire, which is no reſt, but an vnableneſſe to moue, becauſe that force failing, deſire doth ſtill continue; like vntounto a tied horſe, which gnaweth his bit. Such are almoſt all men: they hauehave many deſires, and little power; they moſt deſire that they can leaſt do: neither being able to obey or command their couetouſnes. They cannot obey it, becauſe of their weaknes; nor commaund it, becauſe of their incontinencie. So that if a man enioy, without any let, that which he loueth, that verie eaſineſſe it ſelfe bringeth him a diſtaſt withal. For worldly louelove is enflamed by reſiſtāce, and nouriſhed with difficulties: like vntounto thoſe fiſhes which louelove to be in violent ſtreames and floud-gates, but do die in a ſtill water.
The cauſe of this vnquietneſſe, is becauſe that our louelove chuſeth falſe obiects, and which cannot ſatisfy couetouſneſſe. For if you paſſe your eie vponupon all which is beſt and moſt pleaſing in the world, you ſhall not finde therein any firme and ſtable quiet, but a chaine of cares linked together, a web of perpetuall vnreſt. The moſt graue ſweetes are ſow…ed in bitternes. The atcheiuement of riches, pleaſure and honour, is painfull, and many periſh in the purſuite therof: the poſſeſſion is vncertaine, but the loſſe certaine. For if theſe things leaue not vsus by ſome accident, we ſhall leaue thē by death. Theſe are things which are beſtowed not onelyonly vponupon the wicked, but euen becauſe they are bad, as being rewards of wickedneſſe. To expoſe a mans louelove towards theſe things, is but a purſuing of the winde, and a perpetuall trauell. For euen when theſe things might be termed alwaies good, yet are they vncertaine. A man cannot take good aime at a flying fowle, nor hauehave any aſſured deſignement, aiming after tranſitorie goods and pleaſures. We muſt ſeek our reſt then ſome other where thē on earth, and turne the edge of our louelove, towards heauen. For euen as the lower part of the elementary region, is the ſeate of windes, tempeſts and earthquakes, but that part towards heauen is alwaies peaceable & ſtil: ſo our louelove ſhall be euer full of vnquietnes, whileſt it ſetteth it ſelf vponupon baſe things; but it ſhall find reſt if it raiſe it ſelfe towards heauē, & Gods promiſes. And for this cauſe is it, that in the middeſt of tempeſtuous wether at ſea, the needle of the Compaſſe remaineth alwayes vnmoueable, and ſtayed vponupon one point, namely, be cauſe it gouerneth it ſelf by the Pole. In like ſort the ſoule of a faithfull Chriſtian, in the midſt of the confuſiōs of this world, & moſt grieuous afflictions, ſhall enioy a moſt aſſured peace, becauſe his louelove aimeth at heauen, and ſtayeth it ſelfe vponupon Gods promiſes, which is the true obiect of our louelove, which alone is to be chiefly loued; which can make vsus louely in louing vsus, and which alone can, yea will make them happie who louelove them. As the Apoſtle S. Paul ſaith:1. Cor. 2. 9. The eie of man hath not ſeene, his eares heard, nor hath euer entred into his hart, what things God hath prepared for thoſe which louelove him. Alſo he promiſeth in S. Iohn: To come vntounto him which loueth him, Ioh. 14. 23.and to dwell with him. Admirable louelove, which maketh our ſoules to be the pallace of the King of heauen, and the ſanctuarie of his Spirit.
2 Philoſophie leadeth vsus hereunto at vnawares: for it hath for a generall Maxime, that God and nature make nothing in vaine. Now this infinit deſire, this vn ſatiable appetite which is in man, ſhould be in vaine, if there were not ſomething to content it; which being not found vponupon earth, muſt be ſought for in heauen, and towards God, who is infinite goodneſſe.
3 Adde hereunto, that God hauing created the world for mans vſe, hath without all doubt created man for ſome better thing then the world, to wit, for God himſelfe.
4 And that amongſt all creatures, God hath created man alone vntounto his Image, alone with vpright ſtature, & viſage erected vpwards, to the end he might louelove him whoſe reſemblance hee beareth, and that his deſire and his louelove might aime at heauenly things.
5 Adde we hereunto, that the perfection of our ſpirits cannot be but in the vnion with the Chiefe of ſpirits, which communicateth his vertue vntounto the creature, in like faſhiō as the Sunne darteth out his beames, that is, giueth it in ſuch ſort, that it yet dependeth vponupon him after hauing giuen it.
6 Moreouer, true louelove is that which transformeth the louer into the thing beloued. Now if a deformed man louelove a corporall beautie, neuer ſhall hee by that louelove correct his owne imperfection: contrariwiſe, by louing God, we become like to him, and as the Apoſtle ſaith in the 2. Corinth. chap. 3. Beholding as in a mirrour the glorie of the Lord with open face, we are changed into the ſame image.
7 Finally, beauty being the firſt ſparke of louelove, we ſhall ſee hereby how that which we call louelove, is not ſo, but only a ſuperficial colour which couereth filth; but that light is true beautie. God then being the firſt light, & father of lights, is alſo the chiefe beautie, and by conſequent hee that we ought chiefly to louelove.
Yet humane Philoſophie diſagreeth here in one point from diuine, which is the word of God. For naturall Philoſophie holdeth, that naturall motion is alwayes better then that which is againſt nature. On the cōtrarie, in matter of louelove, the Scripture teacheth vsus, that the louelove contrarie vntounto our nature, is better then the natural. For ſithence Sathan by ſeducing Adam hath disfigured the Image of God in man, mans deſires hauehave turned towards the world, and in a maner our louelove hath bene fallen headlong downe from heauen to earth. The affections of the fleſh are enmity with God.Rom. 8. Rom. 8. If any one louelove God, it is not of his owne nature, but it is a gift of God. Wherefore our Lord Ieſus in the eight of Saint Iohn, ſaith, that none can come to him if his Father draw him not, And the Apoſtle S. Paul pulling vsus out of the mire and thicke mud, commandeth vsus to ſeeke the things which are on high. Coloſſ. 3. ver. 1, 2. For the ſaying of the Apoſtle S. Iohn is moſt true, that we muſt louelove God becauſe he hath loued vsus first. This is alſo one of the effects of the louelove of God towards vsus, to wit,Epheſ. 3. 19. our louelove towards him. And there is nothing that we ought to demaund of God with more feruencie, then to hauehave the grace to louelove him: for this is vntounto the faithfull a witneſſe that God loueth him: it is the firſt effect of faith: it is a moſt expreſſe trace of Gods image: it is the moſt liuely marke of Gods children. This louelove is the ſoule of other vertues, the rule of our actions, the ſummary of the law. This louelove is the vpholder of Martyrs, the ladder of heauen, the peace of conſcience: yea, I dare ſay, it is a taſt and a beginning of the vnion and communication which we ſhal hauehave with God in heauen. Our meditation cannot chuſe a more excellent ſubiect: for what is there which is greater then God, or more ſweete thē his louelove? The profit likewiſe is no leſſe then the ſweetneſſe: for men are good or bad,Auſtins Enchiridion to Laurentius cap. 117. not becauſe they beleeue, but becauſe they louelove. Thoſe be good which louelove good things; and amongſt good things what is there like vntounto God? who not onelyonly is ſoueraignely good, but who alſo maketh them good which louelove him. Let vsus then endeuour ſo to do, and to be diſciples vntounto the holy Spirit, which is louelove it ſelfe, and which will forme our hearts vntounto louelove; leſt we be deceiued vnderunder this name of louelove, and leſt we ſhould take for this true louelove, a corporall louelove, an importunate itching, a furious heate, to wit, the worſt of vices for the chiefe of vertues, a brutall ſickneſſe for an Angelicall perfection.
I know truly that he who ſhall diſpoſe himſelfe to louelove God with al his heart, & to neglect all other conſiderations in regard of his ſeruice, ſhall neceſſarily incurre the hatred of the world, whoſe louelove is enmitie with God, Iam. 4. 4.as the Apoſtle Saint Iames ſaith. But God cauſeth this hatred of the world to profite vsus: for as the Apoſtle ſaith, All things together, Rom. 8.one with another, turne to the good of thoſe which louelove God. Euils become bleſſings vntounto them, corporall afflictions are ſo many ſpiritual exerciſes vntounto them, the ſickneſſes of the bodie are medicines vntounto their ſoules: for in the hands of this ſoueraigne Phyſitiō, verie poiſon it ſelfe becometh a medicine; his ſtrokes are balme,Pſal. 141. 5 as Dauid ſaith: and in ſuffering for Gods cauſe, there is not onelyonly matter of patience, but euen occaſion of glory. They are like ſcarres on the forehead, honorable maimes, conformities vntounto Ieſus Chriſt, liueries of a Chriſtian ſouldier. And all through the vnderpropping of this louelove, whoſe ſweetneſſe tempereth this bitterneſſe, and maketh vsus reioyce for his names ſake.
Some one will ſay, that the louelove of God is an excellent vertue indeed: but that to louelove him, we muſt know him before, and that we cannot know him in this life, but with a ſlender & obſcure knowledge. This is true: but for all this, we muſt not let to ſtudy the ſame, we muſt not ſuffer ignorance to be cauſe of negligence: for wee cannot hauehave ſo litle knowledge of God, but it will profit vsus, and ſtirre vsus vp vntounto the louelove of God. One beame of his light is worth the whole Sun. A man were better to hauehave an obſcure knowledge of God, then a cleare vnderſtanding of naturall things. If a beam of the Sun do enter into an obſcure den or dungeō, the priſoner by this little ſnip knoweth the beautie of light: ſo the little which wee hauehave of the knowledge of God, is ſufficient to giuegive vsus a taſte of his excellencie, and to inflame vsus with his louelove. Moreouer, the knowledge which Gods giues vsus of himſelfe, is not ſo ſmall, but it is ſufficient vntounto ſaluation: and the obligations which we owe vntounto the goodneſſe of God (the cauſes of our louelove) are fully repreſented vntounto vsus in the word of God, where the Apoſtle Saint Paul herald of the ſaid word, ſaith, That vntounto vsus is declared all the counſell of God. Acts 20. 27.