Nevertheless the Major, or first proposition, is to be declared more at large. First it is said, whosoever abideth not in perfect love, that is, as Christ expoundeth it, he that loveth not God with all his hart, with all his soul, with all his cogitation, and with all his strength. With all his hart] by which are understood all the affections, inclinations & appetites, or desires. For God will have himself alone to be acknowledged the chiefest, and himself to be loved above all things: and, that men may rely on him, he will have the whole hart to be yielded up to himself, not part to him, and part to another: and to this is opposed, not to walk before God with a perfect hart. Objection. If we ought to love God with all our hart, then ought we not to love our Parents. Answer. It is lawful for to love other things also besides God, but nothing above God. We ought to love our Parents, but not chiefly. For we ought to ⟨p. 61⟩love all other things for God. It followeth, with all thy soul] by which he comprehendeth that part which is willing to any thing, or the motions of the will: then therefore he meaneth, with thy whole will and purpose. Thirdly, with all thy cogitations] by which he understandeth the understanding and mind: so much as we know of God,1 so much also do we love him; therefore when we shall know him perfectly, that which is in part shall be abolished. And therefore our love of God which now is but in part, shall then be perfect. Lastly, with all thy strength] in which all inward actions agreeable to the Law of God are contained. Secondly, it is said, In the Love of God: 2as unto whom, being once manifested and doing good unto him, man is bound: whereupon the Lord calleth himself our God. Now to love God, is to acknowledge him to be the chiefest good, and to be the chiefest good to us: and so to love him, that thou wilt rather forgo all things then thou wilt depart from him, or not be joined with him: for that which is best, that thou dost most desire, and dost covet most of all to be joined with it.
Neuertheles the Maior, or first proposition, is to be declared more at large. First it is said, whosoeuer abideth not in perfect loue, that is, as Christ expoundeth it, hee that loueth not God with al his hart, with al his soule, with al his cogitation, and with al his strength. With al his hart] by which are vnderstood al the affections, inclinations & appetits, or desires. For God wil haue himselfe alone to bee acknowledged the chiefest, and himselfe to be loued aboue al things: and, that men may relie on him, hee wil haue the whole hart to be yeelded vp to himselfe, not part to him, and part to another: and to this is opposed, not to walke before God with a perfect hart. Obiection. If we ought to loue God with al our hart, then ought we not to loue our Parentes. Aunswere. It is lawful for to loue other things also besides God, but nothing aboue God. We ought to loue our Parents, but not chieflie. For we ought to ⟨p. 61⟩loue al other things for God. It followeth, with al thy soule] by which he comprehendeth that part which is willing to anie thing, or the motions of the will: then therefore hee meaneth, with thy whole will and purpose. Thirdly, with al thy cogitations] by which he vnderstādeth the vnderstanding and mind: so much as we know of God,1 so much also doe we loue him; therefore when we shal know him perfectlie, that which is in part shal be abolished. And therefore our loue of God which now is but in part, shall then bee perfect. Lastlie, with al thy strength] in which al inward actions agreeable to the Lawe of God are contained. Secondlie, it is said, In the Loue of God: 2as vnto whom, being once manifested and doing good vnto him, man is bound: whereupon the Lord calleth himselfe our God. Now to loue God, is to acknowledge him to bee the chiefest good, and to bee the chiefest good to vs: and so to loue him, that thou wilt rather forgoe all things then thou wilt depart from him, or not bee ioined with him: for that which is best, that thou dost most desire, and dost couet most of al to be ioined with it.
- 11 Cor. 13.10.
- 22 Why In the love of God, and what that is.2 Why In the loue of God, and what that is.
