Chapter 37

Of the many, and great good things, which God worketh in the soul that followeth perfect virtue; and that this is a great proof, that our Faith is true; because that, did teach us means, how to obtain those graces.

NOT only do they, who travel diligently in the way of perfect virtue, enjoy the benefit of being delivered by Christ, from the dangers which present themselves; but moreover, do they obtain, and possess such graces in their soul, as that we may say to them, and that with much truth,¹ The Kingdom of God is within you. Which as S. Paul² saith, doth consist, in having with in one's self, justice, and peace, and joy in the holy Ghost. And so these persons, are so affectioned, and such lovers of that which is just, and good, as that, if the laws of virtue which are written in books, were lost; we should find them written in their hearts. Not because they have them without³ book, but for that the resolute love of their hearts, doth say the self same thing, which the Law saith exteriorly. Their hart, being already so transformed into the love of goodness and to work it with so much diligence and delight; as that to follow that, to which their hart inclineth, is to follow virtue; and to fly from vice; they being made a living Law, and a kind of measure of humane actions, which even Aristotle himself was aiming at. And from hence doth spring a certain joy, and contentment, so complete, as none doth know, but he that feeleth it. For as much as Isaias⁴ saith, That the peace of such persons, is as a river, & as the very gulfs of the sea. And S. Paul⁵ saith, That this peace of God, doth exceed all understanding. And S. Peter saith, That this joy cannot be recounted. A hidden manna it is, which is given to him that manfully overcometh himself, and they only know it, who receive it.

And from whom now, doth this so perfect virtue proceed; and this rest of mind which is the earnest-penny, and introduction to eternal felicity. Certainly it is not by means of the Devil. For⁶ although sometimes, the Devil, (as we have said), have counselled some to do some particular good, that by means of those counsels, he might gain credit to himself, whereby the better to deceive them afterward; yet to make a man perfectly good, and a fulfiller of the law of nature (which cannot be denied to be good, since God is the author of nature itself) is a work, which neither the Devil doth, not can effect, who cannot give that goodness, which himself hath not.

Nor yet is it the work of man alone; for as much as to have virtue, and much more to have perfect virtue, whereby God may perfectly be served, is the gift of the Father of lights, from whom every perfect gift descends. And⁷ the same man doth find by experience; more than once, that he is delivered from sin, out of which he was not able to departed; and that he is favoured with certain graces, which it was not in his power to compass. Since therefore this perfect virtue, cometh neither from the Devil; nor from the spirit of man; it remaineth, that we conclude it to be infused by God, when⁸ he is invoked, & served, as the Catholic Church doth teach. And man findeth by experience, that this virtue cometh to him, by the means of Faith, in confirmation of the truth thereof; for out of a lie, such profit of light or knowledge could not come, for the procuring of perfect Virtue; and for the invoking of God, to favour him in the pursuit thereof.

S. Paul useth this proof, when he speaketh thus to the Galathians; I desire only that you will tell me, The holy Ghost which you received, was it by means of the works of the Law, or else by means of faith? As if he should have said, Since I, preaching Faith to you, and not the old law; and you believing it, and disposing of yourselves thereunto, by your will, did receive the holy Ghost; why do you now return to the old Law, since you find by experience, that without it, and by means of Faith, and of penance, upon the receiving of Baptism, you have received the holy Ghost, with the graces & benefits thereof? And so (to prove the thing which we have in hand) That perfect verene, which is obtained by the right use of Faith, and by those other means which it teacheth us, doth give testimony, that it is true; because, towards the obtaining of so good a thing, it was a means, and it taught us also, other means. And so these persons, who are so rich through the graces which come to them by Christ Jesus, are so adherent to him, & so enriched by him, that they have no thought of looking for the Messiah whom the jews expect; nor of enjoying that paradise, which Mahomet doth entice men by. For as they despise those bestial delights of the flesh, which Mahomet in his paradise doth promise; and those other transitory benefits of the earth, which the jews, by their Messiah do expect; so they willingly take their leave both of the one and the other; howsoever they be entreated to the contrary. And they remember how it was prophesied, that in the time of the Messiah, They⁹ should know, that our Lord, was God; by his breaking the chains of the yerkes of men; and that God, would give men new hearts; and that he would write his Law, in the very howells of them, that would receive it. Now because they make very great conjectures, that they have a part in these blessings, it is a testimony to them that Christ is come.

By these and other effects, which cannot be related, and which they have within themselves, they are so full of joy, and peace, and confidence, in Jesus Christ, as that, if men should tell them of another Christ that were¹⁰ in the desert, or in the secret closerts of the house; or that he were fare off or near hand; they would never bestow the seeking of him. For since the true Christ is but one and that they find the conditions of being true, in him, in whom they do believe; with the same faith whereby they accept the one, they reject the rest. But¹¹ yet I say not this, to the end thou shouldest think, that Christians believe by the only experimental motives which they find within themselves; for they only believe through faith, which is infused by God, as here after I will show. But this I have only said, that thou mayst know the many motives, that we have to believe, since we are treating of this subject. And one of them, is, The experiments which perfect men do find in their soul; which since they are things that pass up and down in their hart, thou art not to look for them in books, or in the lives of others; but in thy own private conscience, by striving to attain perfect virtue. That so, as I was saying in the beginning, thou mayst have witnesses both near thee, and well known by theo, as remaining within thee; and that thou mayst fulfil what the Scripture saith, Drink the water of thine own Cistern; and thou shalt see such marvels wrought within thyself; as shall take from thee, all appetite of seeking any, without thyself.

Footnotes

1. Luc. 7. ↩

2. Rom. 14. ↩

3. In their memory. ↩

4. Isa. 4●. ↩

5. Philip. 4. ↩

6. Note. ↩

7. See therefore how unjustly the Catholic doctrine is charged by the Caluinists to be a doctrine of presumption. ↩

8. The perfection is only to be found in the holy Catholic Church. ↩

9. Ezech. 14. & 16. jerem. 31. ↩

10. Matt. 14. ↩

11. Note. ↩