The Love of God

                                          THE LOVE OF GOD

Author PERE GROU

Publisher THOMAS BAKER

Although presently unavailable new, second hand copies can be found and also there are several other writings by this 18th century French monk to be found on Amazon.  I located my copy having found a number of quotations in one or two more recent writings by authors presenting and encouraging the more spiritual and devotional Christian walk.  For instance Philip Yancey is familiar with this man’s writings.  This reminds me of an edition of ‘Waiting on God’ by Andrew Murray who had been quickened when reading the writings of William Law on the Holy Spirit.  William Law was regarded as too mystical by some but that description cannot be levelled at Pere Grou.  His little book, translated from the French is entitled “Meditations on the Love of God” and was written as an aid to those desirous of an eight day  spiritual retreat to ponder the things of God.  He mentions that no one need tie themselves to such a rigid regime.  Among his introductory remarks he writes, “All the Christian religion is comprised in these two objects, to know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom Thou hast sent.”  Pere Grou was a man well known in his day, and spent the latter years of his life as the spiritual guide of the Weld family who owned and lived in Lulworth Castle in Dorset, England.  Formerly he had lived in several countries of Europe and was a Jesuit but suffered somewhat as he pursued the knowledge of the Lord and wrote extensively.  Often writings by men of this background breathe a sense of God, of personal sanctity and humility of heart.  Here is a little snippet, “In the practice of Divine Love there are three great rules to follow.  The first is, not to judge of the means which God employs with regard to us.  As soon as we have given ourselves to Him we owe this respect to His infinite Majesty, not to ask Him the reasons of the way in which He treats us.  The second is that we are forbidden to reflect on our own state in order to know whether we are making progress and whether God is satisfied with us.  In such considerations is much self-love and we run an evident risk of deceiving ourselves.  Let us satisfy ourselves with two testimonies which we cannot doubt, that of God when we feel we are at peace with Him and the testimony of our spiritual director.  God never fails to reassure the soul as much as need be, in order to strengthen it and lead it on.  The third rule is never to be alarmed at any danger, any temptation, at any apparent neglect of God for us.  As we have received Jesus Christ into ourselves, fear vanishes and leaves us calm and tranquil with Him.”  This little volume is an aid that the Holy Spirit can use to fix our attention the more upon our Father and His Son.  

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