English translation by Steven Dilday:
Latin (1634 edition):
THESIS XXIII: The Love of God is that whereby He delights Himself in that of which He approves, and desires good for it, and unites it to Himself.Marci-Friderici Wendelini, Christianæ Theologiæ libri II […] (Hanoviæ: Typis Wechelianis, sumptibus Clementis Schleichii, & Petri de Zetter, 1634), 78–79; Lib. I, Cap. I, Thes. XXIII. Also in Christianæ theologiæ libri duo […] (Amstelodami: Joannem Janssonivm, 1657), 81; Lib. I, Cap. I, Thes. XXIII. Translation by Steven Dilday.
EXPLANATION: I. Scripture attributes Love to God, John 3:16, God so loved the world; and verse 35, the Father loveth the Son; Romans 5:8, God commendeth His love toward us, etc.; 1 John 4:8, God is love.
II. A distinction in the divine love into natural and voluntary, which is related by some, is to be observed.
That is natural, whereby God necessarily loves Himself, and the Persons of the most holy Trinity one another. Thus the Father is said to love the Son, John 5:20. Nevertheless, this love is also in some manner voluntary, although it is manifestly necessary: because, with respect to order, it follows knowledge and has regard to ethical perfection. But, what things are merely natural, do not presuppose knowledge.
That is called voluntary in a special manner, wherewith God freely pursues His creatures: and it is either universal or special.
That is universal, whereby God in some manner loves all creatures: according to that saying in Wisdom of Solomon 11:24, thou lovest all the things that are, and abhorrest nothing which thou hast made.[5] The same is proven by reason: For, to love is to will good to anyone. But God wills some good to all creatures. Hence Christ in Matthew 5:45, He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. Now, evil men, whom God hates, He nevertheless loves, not with respect to their evil, but with respect to nature, which is not effaced by sin. Whence that saying of Augustine, book 1 ad Simplicianum, question 2, God does not hate Esau as man, but Esau as sinner.
There is a special love, because God unequally loves these and those creatures, with respect to the unequal good that He wills to them. Thus He loves irrational creatures in one degree, rational creatures in another: and among rational creatures, the man Christ in one degree, the remaining mere men in another: and among these, the elect and pious in one degree, and the reprobate and impious in another. Hence Augustine in tractate 110 on John, God loves all the things that He has made, and among those He loves rational creatures more, and among them those that are members of His only begotten even more: and much more the only begotten Himself.
Latin (1634 edition):
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