True Christianity Part 12

11. Upon the whole, then, nothing is more agreeable to human nature, nothing better and more profitable, than this divine love, which, therefore, should be stirred up in the heart of man, and when once raised into a flame, should be carefully preserved from being ever quenched.

12. Faith should work all things in a Christian through love; and love should be the agent of faith, as the body is the agent of the soul. The soul sees and hears, speaks and acts, through the body, to which she is united; so, O man! should the love of G.o.d, springing from faith, do all things in and through thee. Whether thou eat or drink, hear or speak, commend or reprove, let all be done _in love_, after the example of Christ, in whom resided nothing but pure love. If thou beholdest thy neighbor, behold him with the eyes of a compa.s.sionate friend; if thou hearest him, hear him with love and tenderness; and if thou speakest with him, let thy speech be seasoned with love and Christian affection.

13. Carefully preserve the root of Christian love by faith, in order that nothing but that which is good may grow up in thy heart, and issue thence, as from its genuine centre. 1 Cor. 16:14. Thou shalt then be enabled to fulfil the commandments of G.o.d; since they are all comprehended in love.

Hence, a holy man has expressed himself after this manner: "O love of G.o.d in the Holy Ghost! thou art the highest joy of souls, and the only divine life of men. Whosoever enjoys not thee, is dead even while he lives; and whosoever possesses thee, never dies in the sight of G.o.d. Where thou art not, there the life of men is a continual death; but where thou art, there life is made a foretaste of eternal happiness." Whence it appears that this divine love is the sum and fulfilling of all the commandments of G.o.d.

14. We consider now, in the _second_ place, that our love to G.o.d ought to proceed "out of a pure heart." The heart of a man who is desirous to love G.o.d, ought first to be cleansed from all worldly love and attachment to the creature. It is then that G.o.d becomes the chief and sovereign Good to the soul. She can then say, "The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot." Ps. 16:5. "The Lord knoweth the days of the upright," that is, those that love him out of a disinterested heart; "and their inheritance shall be forever." Ps. 37:18. "Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart."

Ps. 37:4. In a word, G.o.d is the only fountain whence all our joy ought constantly to spring.

15. G.o.d, therefore, should be the most beloved object of our souls, and our hearts should rest in him alone, because he is the highest good. He is nothing else than mercy and goodness, love and kindness, clemency and patience, truth, comfort, peace, joy, life, and happiness. All this he has laid up in Jesus Christ. Whoever, therefore, has Christ, is thereby put into the possession of all these heavenly virtues. And whoever loves G.o.d, must also of necessity love G.o.d's truth and mercy, his goodness and kindness, and the whole train of divine virtues.

16. For, a true lover of G.o.d has a love to all that G.o.d loves, and an aversion to all that G.o.d hates. If any man loves G.o.d, he must love truth, mercy, and righteousness, because G.o.d is all this himself. He must also delight in humility and meekness, since thereby he is rendered conformable to that meekness and lowly-mindedness which resided in Jesus. On the other hand, a true lover of G.o.d cannot but abhor all unG.o.dliness, with all the works of iniquity; because all manner of impiety is enmity against G.o.d, and is the work of the devil himself. A lover of G.o.d hates a lie, because the devil is the father of lies, and was a liar from the beginning. And this is the reason that every one who loves lies, injustice, and other vicious workings of nature, must needs, in that sense, be the offspring of the devil (see John 8:44); and again, whoever loves Christ, his Lord and Saviour, loves also the example of his pure and holy life, his humility and meekness, his patience, and the other heavenly virtues that appeared in his conduct. And such a one must of necessity be adopted into the number of the children of G.o.d.

17. This love, proceeding out of a "pure heart," must be obtained from G.o.d by prayer and supplication. And truly, G.o.d is willing to enkindle in us this heavenly flame through the love of Christ, if he be but earnestly solicited, and if the heart be every day and every moment laid open to his divine influence. If thy love should grow cold and weak at any time, arouse thy heart, faint not, but stir up the grace of G.o.d within thee, and be not too much discouraged at it. In the name of G.o.d arise again, set to work, and renew the acts of thy first love. As thou art sensible of thy coldness in love, thou mayest be a.s.sured from that circ.u.mstance, that the eternal light of divine love is not _wholly_ extinguished, although it be eclipsed, and at present give but little heat. Doubt not that thy Saviour will enlighten thee again, and fire thy heart with his love; so that thou mayest sit once more under his shadow, and rejoice in the light of his countenance. At the same time be earnest in prayer and supplications, lest hereafter the flame of this heavenly love should be again deadened in thy heart. Such is love "out of a pure heart," unmixed with love of the world.

18. Let us now consider, in the _third_ place, Love, as arising from a "good conscience," and as it respects our neighbor. The love of G.o.d and the love of our neighbor are so closely united, that they can never be separated. The true touchstone of our love to G.o.d, is the love which we bear to our neighbor. "If a man say, I love G.o.d, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love G.o.d whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth G.o.d, love his brother also." 1 John 4:20, 21. For the love of G.o.d cannot dwell in a man who is filled with hatred or malice, or divested of all bowels of love and compa.s.sion. If thou hast no pity on thy brother, who stands in need of thy help, how canst thou love G.o.d, who needs not anything that is thine, and has commanded thee to express thy love towards him, by bestowing marks of it upon thy brother?

19. As faith unites to G.o.d, so love unites to our neighbor; and as a man is made up of body and soul, so faith and love (that is, the love both of G.o.d and of our neighbor) make up a true Christian. Thus he that "dwelleth in love, dwelleth in G.o.d." 1 John 4:16. And since G.o.d effectually desires the good of all men, it follows, that he who loves in like manner is of one heart with G.o.d; and that he who is otherwise affected is against G.o.d, and has not the mind of the Lord, but is the enemy of G.o.d as well as of his neighbor. He is, unquestionably, an adversary to G.o.d who is an enemy to men.

20. It is the property of this love to bewail and compa.s.sionate the infirmities of others. Gal. 6:1. Indeed, the failings and weaknesses of our fellow-creatures represent to us, as in a mirror, our own imperfections, and remind us of the various defects that enc.u.mber our nature. Therefore, when thou seest another overtaken in a fault, consider that thou also thyself art but a man; and learn from thy own infirmities, to bear those of others with patience, meekness, and humility. Rom. 15:7.

21. Such especially as sin, not from, malice or determined wickedness, but who are surprised into a fault by weakness and inadvertency; and who, coming soon to themselves again, repent of that which they have done, and firmly resolve to watch the more against the snares of Satan for the future; such souls as these are surely to be pitied and a.s.sisted. He that does otherwise, shows that he has nothing in him of the merciful and forbearing spirit of Christ. When a man hastily condemns the faults of his neighbor, without feeling any love or compa.s.sion, it is an evident sign that he is altogether void of G.o.d, and of his merciful spirit. On the contrary, a true Christian, being anointed with the spirit of Christ, treats all men as one that has a fellow-feeling with them, and bears with them in a sympathizing Christian love and tenderness, according to the example of Christ, which he has left us to follow. Therefore, if any man, upon serious search into his inward condition, finds that he has not the love of his neighbor abiding in him, let him know, a.s.suredly, that the love of G.o.d remains not in his soul, and that he himself is without G.o.d.

This should strike him with horror and indignation against himself; it should influence him the more speedily (after repenting of his sin from the bottom of his heart) to reconcile himself to his neighbor, that, in this order, the love of G.o.d may also return to him again. Then all his actions, while he continues in this love and faith, are good, holy, and divine; and this love, dwelling in his heart, will actuate him freely and willingly to embrace all men, and with great affection and joy to do them all manner of kindnesses; so that he will "rejoice over them to do them good," even as G.o.d himself. Jer. 32:41.

22. Without this love, whatever is in man, is diabolical and altogether evil. Nor is there, indeed, any other cause why the devil can do no good, but because he is utterly dest.i.tute of love both towards G.o.d and man.

Hence, all which he does is radically evil, and deprived of all intrinsic goodness. In all that he sets about, he designs nothing but G.o.d's dishonor, and man's destruction. He cunningly contrives ways to vent his enmity both upon G.o.d and man; and, therefore, he seeks for such hearts as he can fill with spite and envy, and then discharges through them his malice and wrath. "And hereby it is manifest who are the children of G.o.d, and the children of the devil." 1 John 3:10.

23. _Lastly_, Love must be "out of faith unfeigned," that is, we must love G.o.d equally in prosperity and adversity. Whoever loves G.o.d sincerely, accepts with joy all the dispensations of his Providence, after the example of Christ; who, with a cheerful and ready mind, took up the cross, which he knew that the will of his Father imposed on him. "I have," says he, "a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened (and in pain) till it be accomplished!" Luke 12:50. In the same manner have all the holy martyrs carried with joy their cross after him.

24. To those that unfeignedly love G.o.d, the cross, which Christ enjoins us to bear, does not prove grievous or burdensome; and this for no other reason, than because it is the _yoke of Christ_. Matt. 11:29. If the magnet attracts the heavy iron, why should not that heavenly loadstone, the love of G.o.d, attract the burden of our cross, and render it light and agreeable; especially after the heart is affected with a touch of the divine love? If the sugar sweeten such herbs as are bitter by nature, why should not the sweetness of the love of G.o.d make that pleasant and easy, which to the flesh is nothing but a cross and affliction? And truly it was from the fulness of this love, that the blessed martyrs bore the most exquisite pain with patience and joy; being transported with it to such a degree, as to be almost insensible of their very torments.

Chapter XXV.

The Love Of Our Neighbor, More Particularly Considered.

_Of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage._-2 PETER 2:19.

There is no bondage more hard and grievous, than to be under the yoke of the pa.s.sions: but of all these, none is so cruel as _hatred_, which so weakens and depresses all the powers both of body and mind, as not to leave to the man one free thought. On the contrary, he who lives in _love_ is _free_. He is no slave to anger, envy, covetousness, pride, lying, or calumny; and being delivered from these by love, he suffers not himself to be subdued by evil desires, but continues Christ's freeman (1 Cor. 7:22) in the liberty of the Spirit: for "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." 2 Cor. 3:17. Whosoever, therefore, walks in the love of Christ, is no longer a slave to sin, or a servant to carnal affections; for the Spirit of G.o.d's love has freed and purified him from carnal concupiscence. And we see that the love of G.o.d extends over all men; of which we not only find sufficient proofs in Scripture, but the footsteps of his universal benignity are also everywhere displayed in nature. We are all equally covered with the heavens, and have all the use of the sun, the air, the earth, and the water; as well they who are of high degree, as they who are of the meanest condition. And the very same mind that is in G.o.d towards us, ought also to be in us towards men; G.o.d himself having set us a pattern of universal kindness for our imitation. He regards not one more than another, but loves all with an equal affection. With him there is no respect of persons, of dignity, or merit; but he beholds all alike in Christ. This is for our instruction. Now, as G.o.d acts towards us, so ought we to act towards our neighbor. And truly, after the same manner as we deal with man, so G.o.d will deal with us again. We need not go far to inquire what favor we have with G.o.d Almighty. If we but enter into our own conscience, it will impartially tell us, what mind and affection we bear to our neighbor; and as we have done to him, so will G.o.d certainly do to us again, and return our works into our own bosom. And in this sense it is said of G.o.d, that "with the pure he shews himself pure; and with the froward, shews himself froward" (Ps. 18:26); that is, if thou bearest an evil mind to thy neighbor, G.o.d will be thine adversary also.

2. Since, therefore, G.o.d has no need of our service, he has subst.i.tuted our neighbor in his place, to receive our charity, and has commanded us to pay it as to himself. He has made this love of our neighbor the very _touch-stone_ by which we are to examine the sincerity of our love to G.o.d.

3. And it is for this reason that he has enjoined the love of our neighbor with so great earnestness, requiring us to show constantly the same love to him which G.o.d shows to us. For unless a man be fully reconciled to, and be in perfect charity with his neighbor, he cannot have the favor or grace of G.o.d. And although all the sins of the world are atoned for by the death of Christ, and a full pardon obtained, yet all mankind may in some sense be said to be in the same circ.u.mstances with the servant in the parable, who had not wherewithal to pay; the king freely remitted him all his debts: but when he afterwards behaved himself cruelly towards his fellow-servant, the king revoked his pardon, and condemned the servant, on account of the hard usage with which he treated his neighbor. Matt. 18:23, etc. This parable Christ concludes with the remarkable expression: "So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother, their trespa.s.ses." Verse 35. And, "With the same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again."

Luke 6:38.

4. Hence, it plainly appears, that man was not created for himself alone, but for his neighbor's sake also. So strict is the commandment of loving our neighbor, that when it is broken, the very end of our creation is destroyed, and the love of G.o.d is immediately withdrawn from the soul.

Nothing is left but the severest justice, judging and condemning all that are void of this charity.

5. If we duly considered these things, we should never be angry with one another; neither would "the sun ever go down upon our wrath." Eph. 4:26.

It is true, on the one hand, that Christ by his death on the cross has offered a full and complete atonement for all our trespa.s.ses, and in this respect, has remitted all our sins at once; yet is it, on the other hand, an awful consideration, that the whole extent of the merits of Christ will be of no avail at all to us, if we continue to hate our brother, and will neither pardon nor love him. We shall be entirely cut off from all the benefits that flow from the atonement.

6. Hence it appears how important the love of our neighbor must be in the sight of G.o.d, binding us even to such a degree, that G.o.d refuses to be loved by us, unless we love our neighbor also; so that if we fail in our benevolence toward the latter, we fall at the same time from grace and divine charity. And for this reason, we were created all equal and of the same nature, that we might not despise one other; but, like children of one common parent, live in peace and love, and endeavor to maintain a good and serene conscience.

7. Now, whoever hates and despises his brother, hates and despises G.o.d also, who has forbidden all such animosities in the severest terms. If thou contemnest thy brother, G.o.d also contemns thee; which hastens thy judgment and condemnation, and deprives thee of all interest in the merit and redemption of Christ, by which sin is forgiven.

8. For it cannot be possible that a heart filled with wrath and bitterness, should in any degree reap a saving fruit from the blood of Christ, which was shed from a motive of pure love. Yea, the above parable (Matt. 18:35) plainly convinces us, that G.o.d was less offended at the debt of ten thousand talents, than at the barbarous cruelty of which the servant was guilty; he can overlook the debt, but he cannot overlook the want of love. Let us, therefore, ponder the words with which the Lord concludes the parable: "So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you."

Chapter XXVI.

Wherefore Our Neighbor Is To Be Loved.

_Owe no man any thing, but to love one another; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law._-ROM. 13:8.

"Wherewith shall I come before the Lord? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?-He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy G.o.d." Micah 6:6-8.

2. By this question, and the answer to it, the prophet teaches us, wherein the true wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d properly consists; not in ceremonies and sacrifices, since we are not able to give anything to G.o.d, because all is his own already; not in offering up human sacrifices, which he does not require at our hands, but detests and abhors, because they are injurious to Jesus Christ, the great propitiatory oblation which G.o.d appointed to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29): but the true wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d consists in pure faith, which, from the visible effect of it, the prophet here describes, by "doing justly," that is by the exercise of faith in righteousness, in charity and mercy, (which is more pleasing than all sacrifices); and in true humility and contrition, as it is said: "The sacrifices of G.o.d are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O G.o.d, thou wilt not despise." Ps. 51:17.

3. To this divine wors.h.i.+p, founded within the heart, and proceeding from faith, love, and humility, St. Paul powerfully exhorts us in Rom. 13:8-10.

His admonition contains in it both the praise of Christian love, and the perpetual duty in which we stand engaged to our neighbor, and without which it is impossible to serve G.o.d aright. For truly there is no other way of serving G.o.d, except by that which he himself works in our hearts: so that to serve G.o.d, is nothing else but to serve our neighbor, and to do him all the offices of Christian love and humanity which we are able to perform.

4. The apostle calls love a summary of all virtues, and the "fulfilling of the law." Rom. 13:10. Not that we are able by any acts of charity, to fulfil perfectly the divine law, or that consequently we can merit eternal life thereby; (which cannot possibly be, except our love were complete in every respect, and arrived to a consummate perfection): but the apostle desires to suggest thereby the wonderful excellency of this virtue, and to incline us, at the same time, to an unfeigned love. As to our righteousness, it is not grounded on any work of ours, but only on the merits of Christ applied to us by faith.

5. From this righteousness of Christ, apprehended by faith, springs love to our neighbor, together with the whole train of Christian virtues, called by the apostle "fruits of righteousness, which are to the glory and praise of G.o.d." Phil. 1:11. But since the dignity of this virtue is so very eminent, it will be proper to set forth further motives by which the practice of it may be endeared to us.

6. The first and strongest of all motives, is that which St. John uses: "G.o.d is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in G.o.d, and G.o.d in him" (1 John 4:16). For who would not wish to be in G.o.d, and to remain in Him; and that G.o.d should be and remain in him? And who, on the contrary, would not abhor to be in Satan, and to have Satan dwelling in him? And yet this is the ordinary consequence, as often as charity is repulsed, and unnatural animosities are admitted into the heart. For as G.o.d is a lover of men, ready to save them from eternal destruction, so the devil is a hater of men. This is further explained by St. John: "He that loveth, is born of G.o.d, and knoweth G.o.d." 1 John 4:7. And again: "In this the children of G.o.d are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of G.o.d, neither he that loveth not his brother." 1 John 3:10. Now, can there be anything more desirable than to be ranked among the children of G.o.d, to be begotten of G.o.d, and to know G.o.d truly and experimentally? But whoever has his heart void of this love, and has never felt its force and energy, nor tasted its goodness and gentleness, long suffering and patience, this man knows not G.o.d, who is pure love. For the knowledge of G.o.d must proceed from enjoyment and experience. And how is it possible that a man should know Christ, whilst he is a stranger to love, and to that loving intercourse which subsists betwixt Christ and the soul? Hence it follows, that he that is without love, is without Christ also. But he who is earnest in the exercise of love, shall not be left barren in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ: "For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Pet. 1:8.

7. The second motive is found in what our Lord himself says: "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." John 13:35. Now, in order to be a disciple of Christ, it is not enough to be a Christian in name, or by a mere verbal profession; but to be a disciple of Christ implies much more. Such a one must believe in his name; must love him, imitate him, live in him. He must, in a peculiar manner, adhere to him; must feel the love of Christ infused into his soul, and freely partake of all the gifts and benefits purchased by him. Whoever has not this love of Christ abiding in him, is not Christ's disciple, nor can he pretend to have any share in his merits. For how is it possible that Christ should know a man who has neither faith in, nor any love to him? As a flower is known by its fragrance, and fruit by its flavor, so a true disciple of Christ is known by his love.

8. Hence, St. Paul does not hesitate to affirm, that "all gifts without charity are nothing" (1 Cor. 13:2); which is a third motive why we should desire this excellent gift. In truth, neither the knowledge of divers tongues, nor the gift of miracles, nor the understanding of high and sublime mysteries, nor any extraordinary endowments, are sufficient marks by which to know a Christian; this prerogative being entirely reserved to "faith, which worketh by love." Gal. 5:6. Nor does G.o.d require any hard things at our hand (such as the working of miracles), but to exercise love and humility; virtues that may be apprehended by the meanest capacity. Nor will it be demanded of thee in the day of judgment, whether thou hast been versed in arts, tongues, and sciences, or what great parts thou hast possessed in this world; but whether thou hast exercised thyself in faith and love. "I was a hungered," saith our Saviour, "and ye gave me meat, etc." Matt. 25:35, etc. And St. Paul says to the Galatians: "In Christ Jesus neither circ.u.mcision availeth anything, nor uncirc.u.mcision (no gifts, no parts, no endowments, no respect of persons); but faith which worketh by love." Gal. 5:6.

9. Add to these, as a fourth motive, that pa.s.sage of St. John: "If a man say, I love G.o.d, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love G.o.d whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth G.o.d, love his brother also." 1 John 4:20, 21. This all the inspired writers teach, that love towards G.o.d cannot possibly exist in the soul without love to our neighbor. For he that hates his neighbor must be an enemy to G.o.d; because G.o.d is a lover of men, and requires us to be of the same mind.

10. A fifth motive is, that love is the great law of nature, and attended with many things beneficial to mankind, without which we would not be able to live. When any good thing happens to man, it certainly proceeds from divine love. Hence, St. Paul calls love, the "bond of perfectness" (Col.

3:14); and describes, in Rom. 12:9, 10, the excellent fruits that grow upon this stock. And our Saviour himself teaches to the same effect: "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." Matt. 7:12. And this is so universal a truth, that the heathens themselves were, by the very law of nature written in their hearts, convinced of it. Hence they said: "That which you would not should be done to yourself, do not the same to another." This excellent sentence, the Emperor Severus, a prince adorned with many virtues, had daily in his mouth, and enacted it into a law for the good of the country.

11. A sixth motive is, that love is a beautiful image and a foretaste of eternal life; when the saints shall love each other sincerely; when they shall delight in one another, and converse together with wonderful and ineffable concord, in an inexpressible sweetness, in unfeigned affection, cheerfulness, and joy. Whoever, therefore, would conceive to himself an image of that marvellous love and harmony, and obtain some foretaste of the exquisite pleasures of the eternal beat.i.tude, let him study this love, in which he will find a singular pleasure, with much peace and tranquillity of mind.

12. The more pure and fervent our charity is, the nearer it approaches to the divine nature. This is a seventh motive. In G.o.d, in Christ, and in the Holy Ghost, there resides the most pure, fervent, and transcendent love.