Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

With that which we call the love ¹of God we love God entirely well, we cleave to God as the only, chief and eternal goodness, in him we do delight our selves and are well pleased, and frame our selves to his will and pleasure, having evermore a regard and desire of him that we love. With love we love God most heartily. But we do heartily love the things that are dear unto us, and the things that to us seem worthy to be desired, and we love them entirely in deed, not so much for our commodity, as for because we do desire to join, and as it were for ever to give and dedicate our selves wholly to the thing that we so dearly love. So verily we desire for ever to be joined with God, & are in charity fast linked unto him: as the Apostle saith: God is charity, and he that dwelleth in charity dwelleth in God, and God in him. And that is the way whereby we cleave to God as to the only chief and eternal goodness, in whom also we are delighted, and that not a little. On him we rest thinking assuredly, that without him there is no good at all: and again, that in him there is to be found all manner of goodness. Wherefore our hearty love is set on no good thing but God: And in comparison of him whom we love, we do lightly loath and tread under foot all things else that seem to be good in the whole world: yea verily the ⟨p. 93⟩love of God in us doth overcome all ²the evils which otherwise seem invincible. Let us hear Paul with a a vehement motion proclaiming this and saying: Who shall separate us from the love of God? shall tribulation? or anguish? or persecution? or hunger? or nakedness? or peril? or sword? (As it is written, For thy sake are we killed all day long, and are counted as sheep for the slaughter.) Nevertheless, in all these things we overcome through him that loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor rule, nor power, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Hitherto have I recited the words of Paul.

With that which wee call the loue ¹of God we loue God entirely wel, we cleaue to God as the onely, chiefe and eternal goodnesse, in him we do delight our selues and are well pleased, and frame our selues to his wil and pleasure, hauing euermore a regarde and desire of him that we loue. With loue wée loue God most hartelie. But wee doe hartelie loue the thinges that are deare vnto vs, and the things that to vs séeme worthie to be desired, and we loue them entirely in deede, not so much for our cōmodity, as for because wée do desire to ioyne, and as it were for euer to giue and dedicate our selues whoalie to the thing that wée so dearelie loue. So verilie wee desyre for euer to be ioyned with God, & are in charitie fast lincked vnto him: as ye Apostle sayth: God is charitie, and he that dwelleth in charitie dwelleth in God, and God in him. And that is the way whereby we cleaue to God as to the onely chiefe and eternal goodnesse, in whom also wee are delighted, and that not a litle. On him wee rest thinking assuredlie, yt withoute him there is no good at all: and againe, that in him there is to be found all manner of goodnesse. Wherefore our hartie loue is set on no good thinge but God: And in comparison of him whom we loue, wée do lightly loath and treade vnder foote all things else that seeme to be good in the whole world: yea verilie ye