PROGRESS IN THE LOVE OF GOD DOES NOT DEPEND ON NATURAL DISPOSITIONS
A great religious author of our times wrote that natural temperament is very suitable to contemplative love. Persons with natural affective and loving dispositions are more suitable to contemplative life. Now, I do not think that he wants to say that divine love is given to humans and angels as a consequence of natural temperament or at least by virtue of natural conditions. Nor does he want to say that divine love is granted to humans according to their natural qualities and talents. For it would contradict Scripture and would go against the decree of the Church by which Pelagians were declared heretics.
As for me, in this Treatise, I speak of the supernatural love which God pours out into our hearts because of his loving-kindness. The dwelling place of this love is the supreme point of our spirit.[1] This highest point is above all that is in our soul and is totally free from all our natural dispositions. Persons who have a tendency to love are temperamentally disposed to desire to love God. This is one side of it. On the other, they are very liable to attach themselves to lovable creatures due to their affection. Thus their natural tendency to love puts them in great danger of turning away from the purity of sacred love by mixing it with other loves. It is because they have the facility to desire to love God. For the danger to love badly arises from the natural disposition to love.
It is true, however, that persons with a natural tendency to love, once they are purified from their love for creatures, do marvels in divine love. Love finds a great facility to spread itself into all the faculties of the heart. Thus a very pleasant sweetness is felt. Such an experience is not felt by persons who are bitter, harsh, gloomy and illnatured.
Nevertheless, suppose that there are two persons: One is loving and gentle and the other is harsh and bitter by nature. They have equal charity. No doubt, they will love God equally but not in the same manner. The heart that is naturally gentle will love with greater ease, more lovingly and gently though neither more solidly nor more perfectly. Thus the love which is born among thorns and aversions of a naturally bitter and dry temperament will be more noble and more glorious just as the other will be more delightful and gracious.
As regards supernatural love, it matters little whether we have a natural inclination to love. By this love we act only supernaturally. Only this, Theotimus, I would willingly cry out to all humans: “O mortals, if you have a heart naturally disposed to love, then why do you not aspire to heavenly and divine love? If you are rough and bitter of heart, alas! Poor People, you are deprived of natural love. If so, why do you not strive for supernatural love? This love will be affectionately given to you by God. He calls you to such a holy love."
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[1] See TLG, Bk I, Ch. 12.