Book V, Chapter IX

God will have us perfectly subject unto Him, that being inflamed with his love, we may transcend the narrow limits of human reason

(On these words) — “ God will have us perfectly subject I unto Him, that being inflamed with His love, we may tran- scend the narrow limits of human reason.” B. i. c. 14. I

Question. — How is it that ardent love may be said to rise above natural reason, and far to transcend the powers of the human mind? j

Answer. — First, because one who enjoys God i by love, knows God more clearly by experience than by all the penetration and intelligence of the mind. The reason of this is, that man, under the veil of faith, is able to attain to God, and to be united to Him by love immediately, and with no void between, as the mystic theologians say. Thus love s 3

198 LOVE THE HIGHEST KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.

is far superior to natural reason, because it goes straight to God, not indeed seeing Him as He is,

yet believing Him as He is. Therefore we say that Faith, dim as it is, surpasses all notions that we can have of the Essence and perfections of God, except the intuitive vision. Even the faithful, who believe though they see not, have God present with them, as well as the blessed, but with this difference however, that the blessed see Him as He is; and that, although the faithful believe Him as He is, they are very far from having as clear a knowledge of Him as those who see Him.

After all, when by virtue of pure love, which enables us to feel and enjoy Him, we have the happiness of embracing Him, we are united to Him immediately, as the blessed are; and in this close union we conceive an idea of Him incomparably more perfect than all that the most skilful doctors can form. Figure to yourself a learned and eloquent man, coming from a northern country, who, without having ever drunk wine, undertakes to discourse of it in public, and collects for that purpose all that has ever been written on the subject. What would be l thought of him? Those who heard him would certainly think that he understood nothing in comparison with the simplest peasant who had drunk it, although this last might be unable to speak on the subject in well-chosen language.

Question. — How can it be said, secondly, that love surpasses knowledge?

Answer. — Because we approach closely to God rather by the way of affection than by that of reasoning;

for it is certain that by this means we reach God more easily and more surely, than by any speculation, however subtle. Picus of Mirandola, more illustrious for his learning than for his high birth, after having read

LOVE THE HIGHEST KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 199 and written much, protests, finally, that it is great folly to study so much in order to attain to the Supreme Good, because It may be attained more easily and with less trouble by affection than by meditation, nothing being easier than to love.

This way is it which St. Ignatius recommends to his children, to whom he requires that a year should be given after their studies, to learn to unite themselves more closely than ever to God; and this he calls a school for the feelings and affections of the heart. His design is, that after having long laboured to attain to the knowledge of God by learning, they should try to approach Him by the exercises of pure love. Before all things, then, we must study to grow in humility and charity, to seek God with a childlike simplicity, and to lose ourselves in Him, without being too anxious to search into Divine things, but contenting ourselves with what we know by faith, yielding our own reason, blinding ourselves, so to speak, and following in all things not our own guidance, but that of Heaven; keeping ourselves ever in dependence on a Director, in order to go to God in the same manner with the simplest persons. True devotion consists not in reasoning, nor in forming fine ideas of the truths of the Faith it consists in humble submission of the mind and heart, in a holy affection, which, while it attaches the will to God, enlightens the understanding. In truth, Divine love is a fire which gives light no less than heat so that those in whom it is kindled, though otherwise ignorant and untaught, have sublime thoughts and lofty feelings respecting its mysteries, sufficient even to impart to the best instructed. It is useless then to wear ourselves out with watchings and labours in order to acquire much knowledge by dint of study, since love is like an ever placid river, which noiselessly brings into the soul the inestimable treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

200 LOVE THE HIGHEST KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.

Question. — How may love be said, thirdly, to rise above knowledge?

Answer. — Because it subjects the intellect, however unwilling, to the light of faith, and ever prefers ardent love to sublime knowledge. This way does not differ much from that of which we last spoke; it only adds to it a certain constraint, and a species of violence done to the understanding, to suppress its natural vivacity. Some people say Our devotion is not like that of the ignorant, it is wise and reasonable. If they mean by this that it is founded on good principles and sound doctrine, this is very good, but if they mean only that in the things of God, they reason and argue like philosophers, they are in error. The devotion of St. Bonaventure was not of another kind than that of Brother Giles a; but there was this difference, that that of Brother Giles proceeded wholly from God, and that of the holy Doctor was i supported by his acquired learning. Yet when St. Bonaventure discoursed with God, he did so with as much simplicity as Brother Giles. The devotion of Father Suarez was of the same nature with that of Brother Ximenes; what distinguished them was, that i Father Suarez could rest his on the principles of theo- logy, and that this advantage was wanting to Brother Ximenes; but in the exercise of prayer he did not yield in humility to this simple brother. He even valued his theology far less than the remarkable gift of prayer which God had communicated to him; and he said that he would rather have renounced all his a The third who joined St. Francis, and remarkable for the ecstasies into which the mention of God or His love cast him.

A. Butler relates (Life of St. Bonaventure) that Brother Giles asked St. Bonaventure, “ Can a dull idiot love God as perfectly \ as a great scholar?” St. Bonaventure, u A poor old woman 1 may love Him more than the most learned master and doctor in theology.” On which Brother Giles, meditating, fell into an ecstasy.

LOVE THE HIGHEST KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 201 learning, than have lost a single hour of his ordinary conversations with God.

There is a very great difference between the light proceeding from charity and grace, and that which comes by study. Therefore are they grossly deceived, who think they can reason about piety as they do about learning, and that the same means must be used to become a spiritual man as to become a good theologian or a good philosopher. This is a dangerous delusion, which prevents very many learned men from advancing far in the way of perfection. Our progress in that way depends less on the thoughts of the mind, than on the affections of the will, and on a blind submission both to God and to those who are in the place of God. This saying of Scripture should be always remembered If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established in those truths that are taught you, Is. vii. 9. Many people read the writers on the mystic theology in the same way as those on the scholastic, not considering that the principal end of the former is not to enlighten the understanding, but to inflame the will. In consequence, far from finding pleasure in their works, they are disgusted with them; whereas, if they read them in the same spirit in which they were composed, they would not only find no obscurity, but they would comprehend their mystery, and would be inwardly touched with a real desire for perfection. Thus, much more is gained by ardent love than by profound erudition.