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Though there are so many degrees of love amongst true
lovers, yet is there but one commandment of love,
which universally and equally obliges every one, with
an exactly like and entirely equal obligation, though
it be observed differently and with an infinite
variety of perfections; there being perhaps no souls
on earth, as there are no angels in heaven, who are
perfectly equal to one another in their love. As one
star differs from another in brightness, so shall it
be with the Blessed in their resurrection, when each
one sings a canticle of glory, and receives a name
which no man knoweth but he that receiveth it.(1)
But what degree of love is it then, to which the
divine commandment equally, universally and
continually obliges all?
It is an action of the providence of the Holy
Ghost, that in our ordinary version, which his divine
majesty has canonized and sanctified by the Council
of Trent, the heavenly commandment of love is
expressed by the word dilection rather than by the
word love; for although dilection is a kind of love,
yet is it not a simple love, but a love of choice and
election, which sense the word itself conveys, as the
glorious S. Thomas notes: for this commandment
enjoins us a love chosen out of thousands, the
well-beloved object of this love being chosen out of
thousands, according to that of the beloved
Sulamitess in the Canticles.(2)
It is a love which must prevail over all our
loves, and reign over all our passions. And this is
what God requires of us - that among all our loves
his be the dearest, holding the first place in our
hearts; the warmest, occupying our whole soul; the
most general, employing all our powers; the highest,
filling our whole spirit; and the strongest,
exercising all our strength and vigour. And inasmuch
as by this we choose and elect God for the sovereign
object of our soul, it is a love of sovereign
election, or an election of sovereign love.
You are not ignorant, Theotimus, that there are
various species of love, as for example, there is a
fatherly love, a brotherly love, a filial love and a
nuptial love; a love of society, of obligation, of
dependence,and a hundred more, which are all
different in excellence, and are so proportioned to
their objects that scarcely can they be applied or
appropriated to any other.
He who should love his father with the love of a
brother only, would certainly not love him enough. He
who should love his wife only like his father, would
not love her properly; he who should love his servant
with a filial love, would commit an impropriety.
Love is like honour; for as honour is diversified
according to the diversity of the excellences to
which the honour is given, so loves are different
according to the difference of the goodnesses for
which we love. Sovereign honour is due to sovereign
excellence, and sovereign love to sovereign goodness.
The love of God is a love without peer, because
the goodness of God is a peerless goodness. Hear, 0
Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, and therefore,
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole
heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole
strength.(3) For as God is the only Lord, his
goodness is infinitely above all goodness, and he is
to be loved with a love which is eminent, excellent,
and mighty beyond all comparison.
It is this supreme love which places God in such
esteem in our souls, and makes us repute it so great
a happiness to be agreeable in his sight, that we
prefer him and love him above all things.
Now, Theotimus, do you not plainly see, that he
who loves God in this sort has dedicated his whole
soul and strength to God, since ever, and for ever,
and in all occurrences, he will prefer the good grace
of God to all things, and will be ever ready to
forsake the whole world, in order to preserve the
love which is due to the divine goodness.
And, in a word, it is the love of excellence, or
the excellence of love, which is commanded to all
mortals in general, and to each one of them in
particular as soon as they have the free use of
reason: a love sufficient for each one, and necessary
for salvation to all.
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