Early English Books Online 2
 All Digital Collections  spacer  Login  
 
Add to bookbag
Author: Francis, de Sales, Saint, 1567-1622.
Title: A treatise of the loue of God. Written in french by B. Francis de Sales Bishope and Prince of Geneua, translated into English by Miles Car priest of the English Colledge of Doway
Rights/Permissions: The University of Michigan Library provides access to these keyboarded and encoded editions of the works for educational and research purposes. These transcriptions are believed to be in the public domain in the United States; however, if you decide to use any of these transcriptions, you are responsible for making your own legal assessment and securing any necessary permission. If you have questions about the collection, please contact eebotcp-info@umich.edu. If you have concerns about the inclusion of an item in this collection, please contact LibraryIT-info@umich.edu. This statement does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
Print source: A treatise of the loue of God. Written in french by B. Francis de Sales Bishope and Prince of Geneua, translated into English by Miles Car priest of the English Colledge of Doway
Francis, de Sales, Saint, 1567-1622., Carre, Thomas, 1599-1674., Baes, Martin, engraver.
Printed at Doway: By Gerard Pinchon, at the signe of Coleyn, 1630.
Alternate titles: Traité de l'amour de Dieu. English
Subject terms:
God -- Worship and love -- Early works to 1800.
Spiritual life -- Modern period, 1500-.
URL: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A01209.0001.001
How to cite: For suggestions on citing this text, please see Citing the TCP on the Text Creation Partnership website.

Table of Contents
View entire text
title page
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND VERTVOVS LADIE, THE LADIE ELISABETH DORMER.
THE AVTHOVRS DEDICATORIE PRAYER.
VIVE IESVS. THE PREFACE OF THE AVTHOVR.
THE TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS CONTAINED IN this Treatise. The first number shewes the Chapter, The second the Page.
APPROBATIO.
APPROBATIO.
APPROBATIO.
THE TRANSLATOVR TO THE READER.
illustration
THE FIRST BOOKE CONTAINING A PREPARATION TO THE WHOLE TREATISE.
THAT FOR THE BEAVTIE of humane nature, God gaue the Go∣uernement of all the faculties of the soule to the will. THE FIRST CHAPTER.
How the will diuersly gouernes the powers of the soule. CHAPTER. II.
How the will gouerns the sen∣suall appetite. CHAPTER. III.
That loue rules ouer all the affections, and passions, yea gouerns the will, albeit the will hath also a dominion ouer it. CHAPTER IIII.
Of the affections of the will. CHAPTER. V.
How the Loue of God doth rule ouer other Loues. CHAPTER VI.
A description of Loue in generall. CHAPTER VII.
VVhat that conueniencie is, which doth excite loue. CHAPTER. VIII.
That loue tends to vnion. CHAPTER IX.
That the vnion which loue pretends is spirituall. CHATPER. X.
That there are two portions in the soule, and how. CHAPTER XII.
That in these 2. portions of the soule there are found 4. different degrees of reason. CHAPTER XII.
The difference of loues. CHAPTER. XIII.
That charitie ought to be na∣med loue. CHAPTER XIIII.
Of the conueniencie betwixt God and man. CHAPTER. XV.
That we haue a naturall inclination to loue God aboue all things. CHAPTER XVI.
That we haue not naturally the power to loue God aboue all things. CHATPER. XVII.
That the naturall inclination which we haue to loue God is not without profit. CHAPTER XVIII.
THE SECOND BOOKE. THE HISTORIE OF THE GENERATION, OR heauenly birth of di∣uine Loue.
That the diuine perfections are but one onely, yet an infinite perfection. FIRST CHAPTER.
That in God there is but one onely Act, which is his proper Diuinitie. CHAPTER. II.
Touching the diuine prouidence in generall. CHAPTER. III.
Of the supernaturall prouidence which God vseth towards reasonable creaturs. CHAPTER IIII.
That the heauenly prouidence hath pro∣uided man of a most abun∣dant redemption. CHAPTER. V.
Of certaine speciall fauours exercised by the diuine prouidence in the Re∣demption of man. CHAPTER. VI.
How admirable the diuine prouidence is in the diuersitie of graces giuen to men. CHAPTER. VII.
How much God desires, we should loue him. CHAPTER. VIII.
How the eternall loue of God doth preuent our hearts with his inspirations to th'end we might loue him. CHAPTER. IX.
How we often times repulse the inspiration, and refuse to loue. CHAPTER. X.
That the diuine bountie's will is that we should haue a most ex∣cellent loue. CHAPTER. XI.
That diuine inspirations leaue vs in our libertie to follow, or repulse them. CHAPTER. XII.
Of the first feelings of loue which diuine inspirations cause in the soule before she yet receiue faith. CHAPTER XIII.
Of the feeling of the diuine loue which is had by faith. CHAPTER. XIV.
Of the great feeling of loue which we re∣ceiue by holy hope. CHAPTER. XV.
How loue is practised in hope. CHAPTER. XVI.
That the Loue which is practised in hope, is very good, though imperfect. CHAPTER. XVII.
That loue is exercised in penance, and first, that there are diuerse sorts of penance. CHAPTER. XVIII.
That Penance without loue is imperfect. CHAPTER. XIX.
How there is mixture of Loue and sorrow in Contrition. CHAPTER. XX.
How our Sauiour louing inspirations doe assist and accompanie vs to faith and charitie. CHAPTER XXI.
A short description of Charitie. CHAPTER. XXII.
THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE PROGRESSE AND PERFECTION OF LOVE.
That holy loue may be augmented still more and more in euery of vs. CHAPTER. I.
How easie our Sauiour hath made the encrease of loue. CHAPTER. II.
How a soule in Charitie makes progresse in it. CHAPTER. III.
Touching holy perseuerance in sa∣cred Loue. CHAPTER IIII.
That the happinesse to die in heauenly Cha∣ritie, is a speciall gift of God. CHAPTER. V.
That we cannot attaine to a perfect vnion with God in this mortall life. CHAPTER. VI.
That the Charitie of Saints in this mortall life doth equallise, yea sometimes passe that of the Blessed. CHAPTER. VII.
Of the incomparable loue of the mo∣ther of God our B. Lady. CHAPTER. VIII.
A Preparation to the discourse of the vnion of the Blessed with God. CHAPTER. IX.
That the precedent desire shall much encrease the vnion of the Bles∣sed with God. CHAPTER. X.
Of the Vnion of the Blessed soules with God, in seeing the Diuinitie. CHAPTER. XI.
Of the eternall vnion of the blessed spirits with God, in the vision of the eternall birth of the Sonne of God. CHAPTER. XII.
Of the vnion of the Blessed with God in the vision of the Holy Ghost's production. CHAPTER XIII.
That the Light of Glorie, shall con∣curre to the vnion of the Bles∣sed with God. CHAPTER. XIV.
That there shall be different degrees of the vnion of the Blessed with God. CHAPTER. XV.
THE FOVRTH BOOKE. OF THE DECAY OR RVINE OF CHARITIE.
That while we are in this mortall life we may loose the loue of God. CHAPTER. I.
How the soule waxeth coole in ho∣ly Loue. CHAPTER. II.
How we forsake heauenly loue for that of Creaturs. CHAPTER. III.
That heauenly loue is lost in a moment. CHAPTER. IV.
That the sole cause of the decay and slackening of Charitie, is in the creaturs will. CHAPTER. V.
That we ought to ackowledge the loue we beare to God, to be from God. CHAPTER. VI.
That we must auoide all curiositie, and hum∣bly repose in Gods most wise prouidence. CHAPTER. VII.
An exhortation to the affectionat submis∣sion, which we are to make to the De∣crees of the diuine prouidence. CHAPTER. VIII.
Of a certaine remainder of loue which oftentimes stayes in the soule, that hath lost Charitie. CHAPTER. IX.
How dangerous this imperfect loue is. CHAPTER. X.
A meanes to discerne this imper∣fect loue. CHAPTER. XI.
THE FIFT BOOKE. OF THE TVVO PRINCIPALE EXER∣CISES OF HOLY LOVE, performed by complacence and beneuolence.
Of the sacred Complacence of Loue, and first in what it con∣sisteth. CHAPTER. I.
How by holy complacence we are made as little children, at our Sa∣uiours breasts. CHAPTER. II.
That a holy complacence giues our heart to God, and makes vs feele a continuall desire in enioying him. CHAPTER. III.
Of a louing condoling, by which the com∣placence of loue is better declared. CHAPTER. IV.
Of the commiseration and Complacence of loue in our Sauiours Passion. CHAPTER. V.
Of the Loue of Beneuolence which we exercise towards our Sauiour by way of desire. CHAPTER. VI.
How the desire to exalte and magnifie God, doth separate vs from inferiour plea∣sures, and makes vs attentiue to the Diuine perfections. CHAPTER. VII.
How holy Beneuolence doth produce the Diuine well-beloueds Praises. CHAPTER. VIII.
How Beneuolence makes vs inuoke all Creaturs to God's praise. CHAPTER. IX.
How the desire we haue to praise God makes vs aspire to heauen. CHAPTER. X.
How we practise the LOVE OF BE∣NEVOLENCE in the praises which our Sauiour and his mother giue to God. CHAPTER. XI.
Of the soueraigne praise which God giues vnto himselfe, and how we exer∣cise BENEVOLENCE in it. CHAPTER. XII.
THE SIXT BOOKE OF THE EXER∣CISES OF HOLY LOVE IN PRAIER.
A description of mysticall Diuinitie, which is no other thing then praier. CHAPTER. I.
Of Meditation the first degree of Praier, or mysticall Diuinitie. CHAPTER. II.
A description of contemplation, and tou∣ching the first difference that there is betwixt it and meditation. CHAPTER. III.
That loue in this life takes his origine, but not his excellencie, from the knowledge of God. CHAPTER. IV.
The second difference betwixt medita∣tion and contemplation. CHAPTER. V.
That we doe contemplate without paine, which is a third difference betwixt it and meditation. CHAPTER. VI.
Of the louing recollection of the SOVLE IN CONTEMPLATION. CHAPTER. VII.
Of the repose of a soule recollected in her well-beleued. CHAPTER. VIII.
How this sacred repose is practised. CHAPTER. X.
Of diuers degrees of this repose, and how it is to be conserued. CHAPTER. XI.
A continuation of the discourse touching the diuers degrees of holy repose, and of any excellent abnegation of a mans selfe pactised therein. CHAPTER. XII.
Of the melting and liquifaction of the soule in God. CHAPTER. XIII.
Of the wound of loue. CHAPTER. XIII.
Of some other meanes by which loue wounds the heart. CHAPTER. XIV.
Of the amourous languishment of the heart wounded with loue. CHAPTER. XV.
THE SEAVENTH BOOKE. OF THE VNION OF THE SOVLE WITH HER GOD WHICH IS PER∣fected in Praier.
How loue vnits the soule to God in Praier. CHAPTER. I.
Of the diuers degrees of the holy vnion which is made in Praier. CHAPTER. II.
Of the soueraigne degree of vnion, by sus∣pension or rauishment. CHAPTER. III.
Of Rapture, and of the first spe∣cies of the same. CHAPTER. IV.
Of the second Species of Rapture. CHAPTER. V.
Of the signes of a good Rapture, and of the third species of the same. CHAPTER. VI.
How Loue is the life of the soule, with a continuation of the extaticall life. CHAPTER. VII.
An admirable exhortation of S. Paule to the extaticall and supernaturall life. CHAPTER. VIII.
Of the supreame effect of affectiue loue, which, is the death of Louers, and first of such as died in loue. CHAPTER. IX.
Of some that died by and for diuine Loue. CHAPTER. X.
How some of the heauenly Louers died euen of Loue. CHAPTER. XI.
A wonderfull historie of the death of a gent∣leman who died of loue vpon the Mount-Oliuet. CHAPTER. XII.
That the Sacred Virgin mother of God died of the loue of her Snne. CHAPTER▪ XIII.
That the Glorious virgin died of an ex∣treamely sweete and calme loue. CHAPTER. XIV.
THE EIGHT BOOKE. OF THE LOVE OF CONFORMITIE, BY WHICH WE VNITE OVR WILLS TO THE will of God, signified vnto vs by his Commandements, Coun∣sells and inspirations.
Of the loue of Conformitie proceeding from holy Complacence. CHAPTER. I.
Of the conformitie of Submission which proceeds from the Loue of Beneuolence. CHAPTER. II.
How we are to conforme our selues to the Diuine will, which is called the signified will. CHAPTER. III.
Of the Conformitie of our will to the will which God hath to saue vs. CHAPTER. IV.
Of the conformitie of our will to Gods will, signified in his Com∣mandements. CHAPTER. V.
Of the conformitie of our will to Gods, signified vnto vs by his Counsells. CHAPTER. VI.
That Gods will signified in the cōmandemēts, doth moue vs forwards to the loue of Counsells. CHAPTER. VII.
That the contempt of Euangelicall Coun∣sells, is a great sinne. CHAPTER. VIII.
A continuation of the precedent discourse: how euery one ought to loue, though not to practise the Euangelicall Counsells, and yet how euery one is to practise what he is able. CHAPTER. IX.
How we are to conforme our selues to Gods will signified vnto vs by inspirations: and first of the truth of the meanes by which God enspires vs. CHAPTER. X.
Of the vnion of our will to Gods in the in∣spirations which are giuen for the extra∣ordinarie practise of vertues; and of per∣seuerance in ones vocation, the first marke of the inspiration. CHAPTER. XI.
Of the vnion of Mans will to Gods in the in∣spirations, which are contrarie to the or∣dinarie Lawes: and of the peace and tranquillitie of heart, the second marke of Inspiration. CHAPTER. XII.
The third Marke of the Inspiration, which is holy obedience to the Church and Superiours. CHAPTER. XIII.
A short methode to know Gods will. CHAPTER. XIV.
THE NINGTH BOOKE. OF LOVE OF SVBMIS∣SION, WHEREBY OVR WILL IS VNITED to Gods.
Of the vnion of our will, to the will of God, which is the WILL OF GOOD PLEASVRE. CHAPTER. I.
That the vnion of our will to the will of God, is pricpally caused by tribulations. CHAPTER. II.
Of the vnion of our will to the Diuine will, in spirituall afflictions by resignation. CHAPTER. III.
Of the vnion of our will to Gods will by Indfferencie. CHAPTER. IV.
That holy indifferencie is extended to all things. CHAPTER. V.
Of the practise of the louing indiffe∣rencie, in things belonging to the seruice of God. CHAPTER VI.
Of the indifferencie which we are to haue in our Spirituall aduancement. CHAPTER. VII.
How we are to vnite our will with Gods, in the permission of sinne. CHAPTER. VIII.
How the puritie of Indifferencie is practised in the actions of holy Loue. CHAPTER. IX.
A meanes to discouer when we chang in the matter of this holy Loue. CHAPTER. X.
Of the perplexitie of the heart in Loue, which doubts whe∣ther it please the Beloued. CHAPTER. XI.
How the soule amidst the interiour an∣guishes, knowes not the Loue she beares to God, and of the Louely death of the will. CHAPTER. XII.
How the will being dead to it selfe, liues entirely to Gods will. CHAPTER. XIII.
An explanation of that which hath bene saied touching the decease of our will. CHAPTER. XIV.
Of the most excellent exercise a man can make in the interiour and exteriour trou∣bles of this life, In sequele of the indif∣ferencie and death of the will. CHAPTER XV.
Of the perfect stripping of the soule vni∣ted to Gods will. CHAPTER. XVI.
THE TENTH BOOKE. OF THE COMMAN∣DEMENT OF LOVING GOD ABOVE ALL things.
Of the sweetenesse of the Commandement, which God gaue vs, to loue him aboue all things. CHAPTER. I.
That this Diuine Commandement of Loue tends to Heauen, yet is giuen to the faithful in this world. CHAPTER. II.
How, notwithstanding, that the whole heart is imployed in sacred Loue, yet one may Loue God diuersly, and also many other things together with him. CHAPTER. III.
Of two degrees of perfection, in which this Commandement may be kept in this mortall life. CHAPTER. IV.
Of two other degrees of greater perfection, by which we may Loue God aboue all things. CHAPTER. V.
That the Loue of God aboue all things is common to all Louers. CHAPTER VI.
An illustration of the former chapter. CHAPTER. VII.
A memorable historie wherin is more clea∣rely seene in what the force and Excel∣lencie of holy loue consisteth. CHAPTER. VIII.
A Confirmation of that which hath bene saied by a notable comparison. CHAPTER. IX.
That we are to Loue the Diuine Good∣nesse, soueraignely more then our selues. CHAPTER. X.
How holy Charitie brings forth the loue of our neighbour. CHAPTER. XI.
How loue produceth Zeale. CHAPTER. XII.
That God is Iealous of vs. CHAPTER. XIII.
Of the Zeale or Iealousie which we haue towards our Sauiour. CHAPTER. XIV.
An aduise for the direction of holy Zeale. CHAPTER. XV.
That the examples of diuers saints which seemed to exercise their Zeale with An∣ger, make nothing against the aduise of the precedent Chapter. CHAPTER. XVI.
How our Sauiour practised all the most Excellent acts of Loue. CHAPTER. XVII.
THE ELEAVENTH BOOKE. OF THE SOVERAIGNE authoritie which sacred loue holds ouer all the vertues, actions and perfections of the soule.
How much all the vertues are ag∣greeable vnto God. CHAPTER. I.
That Diuine Loue, makes the vertues more agreeable to God by excellencie then they are in their owne nature. CHAPTER. II.
That there are some vertues which diuine Loue doth raise to a higher degree of excellencie, then others. CHAPTER. III.
That Diuine Loue doth yet more excellently sanctifie the vertues, which are pra∣ctised by his ordinance and Commandment. CHAPTER IV.
How sacred loue doth spread it's worth through all the other vertues, which by that meanes are perfected. CHAPTER. V.
Of the excellent worth which holy Loue be∣stowes vpon the actions which issue from it selfe, and to those which proceede from other vertues. CHAPTER. VI.
That perfect vertues are neuer one with∣out the other. CHAPTER. VII.
How Charitie containes all vertues. CHAPTER. VIII.
That vertues haue their worth from sacred Loue. CHAPTER IX.
A digression vpon the imperfection of the Pagans vertues. CHAPTER. X.
How humaine actions are without worth, being without Gods Loue. CHAPTER. XI.
How holy Loue returning into the soule, doth reuiue all the works which sinne had slayne. CHAPTER. XII.
How we are to reduce all the exercise of all the vertues, and all our actions to holy Loue. CHAPTER. III.
The practise of that which hath bene saied in the precedent chapter. CHAPTER. XIV
How Charitie containes in it the gift of the holy Ghost. CHAPTER. XV.
Of the louing feare of spuses, a continuation of the discourse alreadie begune. CHAPTER. XVI.
How seruile Feare remaines toge∣ther with holy Loue. CHAPTER. XVII.
How Loue makes vse of naturall seruile, and mercinarie Feare. CHAPTER. XVIII.
How sacred Loue containes the 12. fruits of the holy Ghost, together with the 8. beatitudes of the Ghospell. CHAPTER. XIX.
How diuine Loue makes vse of all the pas∣sions and affections of the soule and reduceth them to her obedience. CHAPTER. XX.
That sadnesse is almost alwayes vnprofi∣table, yea opposite to the seruice of holy Loue. CHAPTER. XXI.
THE TVVELFTH BOOKE. CONTAINING CER∣taine aduises for the progresse of the soule in holy Loue.
That our progresse in holy Loue doth not depend of our naturall complexion▪ CHAPTER. I.
That we are to haue a continuall desire to loue. CHAPTER. II.
That to haue the desire of sared Loue, we are to cut of all other desires. CHAPTER. III.
That our lawfull occasions doe not hin∣der vs to practise Diuine Loue. CHAPTER. IV.
A delightfull example vpon this subiect. CHAPTER. V.
That we are to imploye all the occa∣sions that are presented, in the pra∣ctise of Diine Loue. CHAPTER. VI.
That we must haue a care to doe our actions very perfectly. CHAPTER. VII.
A generall meanes whereby to applie our workes to Gods serice. CHAPTER. VIII.
Of certaine other meanes, whereby we may applie our workes more particu∣larly to the Loue of God. CHAPTER. IX.
An exhortation to the sacrifice which we are to make to God of our free-will. CHAPTER. X.
Of the motiues we haue to holy Loue. CHAPTER. XI.
A profitable methode whereby we may imploy these methods. CHAPTER. XII.
That the Mount of Caluarie is the true Academie of Loue. CHAPTER. XIII.
ERRATA.