Chapter 10.—There
are Three Things in Love, as It Were a Trace of the
Trinity.
14. But what is love or charity,
which divine Scripture so greatly praises and proclaims, except the
love of good? But love is
of
some one that loves, and
with
love something
is
loved. Behold, then, there are
three things: he that loves, and that which is loved, and love.
What, then, is love, except a certain life which couples or seeks
to couple together some two things, namely, him that loves, and
that which is loved? And this is so even in outward and carnal
loves. But that we may drink in something more pure and clear, let
us tread down the flesh and ascend to the mind. What does the mind
love in a friend except the mind? There, then, also are three
things: he that loves, and that which is loved, and love. It
remains to ascend also from hence, and to seek those things which
are above, as far as is given to man. But here for a little while
let our purpose rest, not that it may think itself to have found
already what it seeks; but just as usually the place has first to
be found where anything is to be sought, while the thing itself is
not yet found, but we have only found already where to look for it;
so let it suffice to have said thus much, that we may have, as it
were, the hinge of some starting-point, whence to weave the rest of
our discourse.