ir 58 Chap,t 2. Ofthe Love of Gód ùná thecóntraries thereto,. Corn. t, infufo, he it is that hath fhed this love into our hearts, and it is fir, that he which Ro7.5.9. ham fcattered, fhouldgather that whichhe hath fcattered. The wicked fervent can Mat''9 ° 4' tell us fo much. Now this love and the meafure thereof, as it proceedeth freely, is branched inte, a. Defiderium. 2. Gaudium. 3. Zebu, delire, and joy, andZeal. t . A defire ofGod, while we feel not the affurance of his fpirit in us ; and then we complain with the Pfal.4s.r. Prophet , like asthe Hart defireththe Waterbrooks , fo loisgerh my Soul, Vic. 2. The other of Joy remaineth , when this delire is fulfilled ; cum Medic defrderium, pefuit gaúdium, this delire wrought in our hearts by the Holy Ghofi, produceth thofe fruits mentioned Galet. S. 22. Joy, Peace, &c. Andwhen our delire is hindrd - that it cannot beobtained , then cometh 3. Zeal. Ira eft vindrx lejidefiderit, anger is the revenger of defirenot fatisfied : and this is called flora ebmIiitio , an holy boy, ling ofgrief and anger, incenfed agaiofl all impediments : and it is one of the f gns of love, forqui non Zelat , non amat , he that is notzealous loveth not. He that candi fcern the impediments to Gods glory , and not be defirous and earneft to remove them, bath no love in him. Themeafure ofthis love muff extend to this height, as to be ready to hate Parents* thofe that depend upon us , yea our own Souls , if they could come in competi: Luke 14. xB. lion with it , as Saint Luke hath it ; but Saint Matthew- in more gentle Mat,ta.37. terms, he that loveth Father or Mother , Son or Daughrer,,more than God, is not worthy ofhim , that is , when their commands contradict Gods , they muftrejefl them. The Law faith , that we muff love the Lord with all our heart , with all our mind,. Deur:1i.13. with all our ftrength , and with all our Soul. Asthe heart is Paid improperly to be lieve , fo is the mind faid no lets improperly to love ; yet here loveis afcribed to all parts and faculties, which muff all concur to the love of God, either dire h ly or byconfequence , either per aftum elicirum or imperattem, as the Schools fpeak Saint Bernard hath this meditation. Quiet fecifti me , ideo me ribi deben , nane ausemit cum renovafli, quantum s' Dille me fecifi, fiel reñovafli me marls dais, Paispap.. The remaking colt more than the making ; and with this fecond making Caine thegift ofGod him felf. Nifi dediftfe ( faith the fame Father) non reddidiffet ee. Si me fojum mihi ceddidiffet, potteime illi derma: at cum fe mihi, quid i/i reddam ? Ifhe had given me to my felf, I could havegiven my fclf to him again ; but givinghim- fell to me, if I would give my fell to him a thoufand times, it were not fufficient recompense for fuch a gift. Yet this is to our comfort which he adds. Ztiam fi non poPni amore ultra quod poffum, ftpo/fm velim : & fi minus revile , quia minorfern , quia tamen rota animadiligtr, nihildeef ebitotem eft, Although I could not love beyond my ability, yet if I could I would : and if 2 render lets , becaufe I am tels, yet becaufe I love with all.mv Soul, I want nothing; which is all that God requireth, and we mull labour to attain to. Now for the negative part. r. The firft thing forbidden is, Dile;Iio inordinate ter*' mwti. as Saint 44f1 calleth it , a difordered love. Whereas Gcd fhould fired haghefiin cur love, and ought to 2hil.3sy, have the firft place, and nothing fhould be loved extra Dean , and yet we trove other things more than God , or not with fubordination to God, then our love is outoforder. It bath been laid, that not only the committing of evil, but de. fertiomeliorum, the leaving of that which is'beft, is fin; fo is it in the love of God, if we leave the better, and make choice oftheworfe, it is fin, whether it be tomake our Belly our God, or earthly things , or bellow the honour due to God upon our leises; primatam gerere, to ufurp a primacy above God : in thefe cafes our love is out of order. Forpro deo calitur quicquid pre ceteris diligiteir, quia amor meta Deus meus , whatfoever is loved above other things,is worfhipped as Clod ; for what we lovebelt, that is our God. Every Manbath fomething that he preferrs be- foreall other, and that is indeed his Idoll, rather than his God. Thisexorbitant and irregular love, is oftwo forts. Amor mandi, or Amor jai, love ofthe World, and love ofa Mans fell. a. For the love ofthe World. St. Augufline faith,fi poffimus hotlines exitare, & cum Illit pariter exirari, ut pojPmus efe amatores vita permanentis, pales quoerdoe de' mm vipa fitgientie, hiswith is, that we were asforward re, love the World to come e as
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=