22. But the pleasure of the
Creator, of which is written, “And from the river of Thy pleasure
wilt Thou give them to drink,”
2687
is of far other kind, for it is
not, like us, a creature. Unless then its love be given to us from
thence there is no source whence it may be in us. And consequently,
a good will, by which we love God, cannot be in man, save in whom
God also worketh to will. This good will therefore, that is, a will
faithfully subjected to God,
2688
a will set on fire by sanctity of
that ardor which is above, a will which loves God and his neighbor
for God’s sake; whether through love, of which the Apostle Peter
makes answer, “Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee;”
2689
whether
through fear, of which says the Apostle Paul, “In fear and
trembling work out your own salvation;”
2690
whether through joy, of which he
says, “In hope rejoicing, in tribulation patient;”
2691
whether
through sorrow, with which he says he had great grief for his
brethren;
2692
in
whatever way it endure what bitterness and hardships soever, it is
the love of God which “endureth all things,”
2693
and which is not shed abroad in
our hearts but by the Holy Spirit given unto us.
2694
Whereof piety makes no manner of
doubt, but, as the charity of them which holily love, so the
patience of them which piously endure, is the gift of God. For it
cannot be that the divine Scripture deceiveth or is deceived, which
not only in the Old Books hath testimonies of this thing, when it
is said unto God, “My Patience art Thou,” and, “From Him is
my
patience;”
2695
and where another prophet saith,
that we receive the spirit of fortitude;
2696
but also in the Apostolic writings
we read, “Because unto you is given on behalf of Christ, not only
to believe on Him, but to suffer for Him.”
2697
Therefore let not that make the
mind to be as of its own merit uplifted, wherewith he is told that
he is of Another’s mercy gifted.
2687
Ps. xxxvi. 9
2688
Phil. ii. 13
2689
John xxi. 15
2690
Phil. ii. 12
2691
Rom. xii. 12
2692
Rom. ix. 2
2693
1 Cor. xiii. 7
2694
Rom. v. 5
2695
Ps. lxxi. 5
; and lxii.
5
2696
Is. xi. 2
2697
Phil. i. 29