Book IV, Chapter V

He that loveth with all his heart, is neither afraid of death, nor punishment, nor of judgment, nor of hell

(On these words) — “ He that loveth God with all his heart, is neither afraid of death, nor punishment, nor of judgment, nor of hell.” B. i. c. 24.

Question. — What is it to love God with all our hearts?

Answer. — It is to do that of which we have spoken in the preceding chapter; to give entrance into our hearts to God Alone, to rejoice in no other, to feel attachment to none but Him, to desire nothing but to serve Him, to seek only to accomplish His most Holy Will, to be interested only in what concerns His glory. This is to love God with the whole heart. When a man has arrived at such a state as to be

154 TO LOVE NOTHING BUT GOD moved only by what concerns God, then is he free from all those fears that torment most men.

How many do we see who have the fear of God, I who hate sin, but who, not contented with the neces- saries of life, require many more things which they might do without, and which serve only to nourish the delicacy of the flesh, or the curiosity of the mind They desire to be well treated; they like applause, places of public resort, cards, the conversation of merry persons; and, if they pique themselves on talent, they like to read curious and diverting books, poetry, history, and other such works, without seeking any thing but their own satisfaction, though they try to persuade themselves falsely that they do all with reference to God.

These people are, in general, very apprehensive of the sorrows which may befall them. They grieve for the loss of their relations and friends; they have themselves a strange fear of dying; death is to them a terrible object, and they think of it as little as they can; or if they do at times think of it, it is a new subject of feara. These persons are often strongly drawn towards perfection, and are not wanting in good desires; but they are subject to very great weaknesses, and so much attached to their little comforts, that they cannot be said to love God with all their heart; for the perfect love of God would free them from all their disquietudes, as well as from all their attachments.

Question. — How then can we place ourselves; above all these things?

Answer. — By practising that which we have taught hitherto, which ought to be repeated a hundred times. I mean, by voluntarily renouncing our

EXPELS FEAR OF DEATH AND HELL.

own interest for the love of God; by resigning our- i selves absolutely to God’s Will; by mortifying our I appetites; by despising all that is pleasant and de- I lightful in creatures; by so thoroughly overcoming our passions as to love nothing, to rejoice and grieve J for nothing but with reference to God only, and, under all circumstances, to think of nothing but loving and serving Him.

i This is too much for the weak and imperfect, who say complainingly, Why require such hard things of us? Is there any harm in innocent amusements, in, a promenade, in passing a few hours at cards, in hearing or telling news, &c.? Can God impute this I to us as a sin? I reply, without much dwelling on I the injustice of their complaints, that the least which can be said, and which they must acknowledge, is,

1 that while they take too much pleasure in these vain amusements, they do not love God so much as they might, for their heart and their love are divided; i they are reserving a part for themselves, and for inj numerable other things which they seek passionately.

So thought St. Augustine, who said, Lord, it is not loving Thee enough to love any thing with Thee, i and not to love it for Thee. We must not be surprised, then, if our Lord does not exercise His whole bounty towards them for it is not just that when they give Him not all, He should refuse them nothing. Therefore, as long as they use caution and I reserve towards Him, He will not deliver them from; their fears, and they will still tremble at the thought of death, judgment, and hell. But if they are fully resolved to desire none but Him, and to rest in Him { Alone; if they wish to die to all the things of the I world, in order to possess Him, and to be united to Him by love, then will they find themselves raised, by virtue of this very love, above all fear, and will be tranquil as a child in its mother’s arms.

156 TO LOVE NOTHING BUT GOD

• One, therefore, who desires to follow the way of mortification and of the cross, will undoubtedly find a little trouble at the beginning; but he will at length arrive at this state of tranquillity and peace, unless God, by a special providence, for his greater good, permits his mind to be always agitated by some fears — a thing of rare occurrence. For one who despises the good things of the earth, who renounces all that he may have God for his inheritance \ and who, in all that he does, only proposes to himself the glory of the Divine Majesty, this man truly loves God with his whole heart, and is in general so full of joy, so convinced of His goodness, that, throwing himself into His arms, he casts his whole burden upon Him b, and abandons to Him even the care pf his salvation, not through negligence, but through confidence and love. Then he experiences in his own person what the Prophet said “ His abode is in peace c, and his dwelling in Sion.”

It is vain to preach this in the world; those who feel it in themselves may repeat it for ever, they will persuade only a few, who, after their example, will reject all that serves only to flatter the senses, and to divert the mind; who will seek God simply, and who, to go straight to Him, will tread in the steps of His Son. This Man-God constantly followed the hardest and narrowest way, which is that of mortification and privation of all things; and He taught it to the world no less by His words than by His example. This is the only way that leads to the most exalted holiness. The misfortune is, that the greater part of the righteous do not enjoy those advantages of which we speak, and are never exempt from fears, c Ps. lxxv. Yulg. lxxvi. 2 (Heb.) E. Y. “Salem.” The Vulg. gives the interpretation and drops the word.

EXPELS FEAR OF DEATH AND HELL. 157 though they try perhaps to assure their consciences, and to fortify their minds, by reasons of little weight, drawn rather from philosophy than from the Gospel. Wherefore is this? It is because they do not go far enough. I mean so far as to free themselves from all attachment to honour, to pleasure, even ’to study. It is that often they desire to inhabit this place and not that; to live with such and such persons rather than with others, purely to satisfy their self-love, which always desires the things that are most pleasing and most convenient.

What they say and repeat constantly is, that there is no harm in this, that they see no sin in it? that God is not a hard Master, Who forbids innocent pleasures to those who serve Him. It is true that God is full of goodness, that He is very indulgent to His servants, but yet He is a jealous God, Who requires them to be His Alone He can suffer no division in hearts which belong absolutely to Him, and which were only made for Him. He says, by the mouth of our Author, “ Forsake thyself, and thou shalt find Me,” B. iii. c. 37. Forsake all, and thou shalt find all. It would be far better to resolve to follow the way in which the Saints walked, than to seek so much for vain pretences for dispensing with doing as they did. By imitating them we should become worthy of a share in the promises of Christ we should obtain perfect peace; we should be filled with confidence in God; we should rise so far above created things, as to be inaccessible to fears and disquietude.

IN ALL SEEK GLORY OF GOD ONLY,