or Images of the Spirits humors c. Or where no such preponderation to any side is perceived in the Soul then We may presume this to be his will that making vse of our best Reason or others Advice without any solicitude we take either side Now in the discerning of these Divine Illuminations and inspirations from Enthusiasmes or the motions of the Good from those of our own or a Bad Spirit in these matters As any one hath attained ro a greater perfection in Prayer and Mortification and Purity of life they attain hereby a greater measure of Gods Spirit and hence it's Illuminations and inspirings in them are also much greater and stronger and more intimately effective on the Soul then any other motions from whence soever they come can be and so also these become more evident to such and many times are so clearly discerned by them from the Supernatural impression they make vpon the Soul as that it cannot resist disbelieve or any way doubt of them that they are Supernatural and Divine So S. Austin relates of his Mother Monica that she clearly knew such Supernatural actings in her from her own imaginations Dicebat enim discernere se nescio quo sapore quem verbis explicare non poterat quid interesset inter revelantem Te animam suam somniantem And indeed if such interiour Divine operations Were not somtimes certainly discernable how could S. Paul be assured when he intended to preach the Word in Asia and again in Bithynia a most charitable designe that the Spirit forbad it and not rather the Enemy of the publishing of the Gospel Act. 16.6.7 or That it was by Revelation and not a fancy of his that he ascended to Jerusalem Gal. 2.2 Or That it Was the Holy Spirit that testified and not men's fears that much affliction should happen to him there Act. 20.23 How the Corinthians knew when they had a Revelation that it was not a work of their own imagination since all these things were transacted only interiourly in the Soul and it was the Holy Spirit only that in all these gave the evidence to itself A certain Assurance then it cannot be denyed that some at somtimes may have of Divine operations in them But yet it is not affirmed here that all persons less advanced in Prayer and Purity of life or also the greatest Saints at all times discern the operations of the Holy Spirit within them so clearly in this sort of actions as not to be somtimes mistaken and it is sufficient that persons piously disposed and frequent in Prayer may have a rational presumption of it as hath been said Neither is any more communicated vnto them perhaps for the better preserving of their Humility And that no absolute certitude is herein to be expected is a thing often confessed by Sancta Sophia See 1. vol. p. 139. and p. 137. 4. But 4. in case such Divine inspirations be somtimes mistaken yet can no dammage come thereby I mean as to committing any Sin 1. the subject of them we speak of here being matters in themselves indifferent and on any side lawfull See Sancta Sophia 1. vol. p. 143 -2 No command of Superiours in these any way neglected 3. no neglect besides vsing Prayer in practising any other means of making a secure choice either in weighing reasons on all sides or taking advice from others Only the deuout Soul in vsing these endeavours yet relies not on them but on the directions of Gods Holy Spirit working continually in the Regenerate both by prevenient and subsequent Grace makes no sudden resolutions nor rushes hastily vpon any action but diligently hearkens first to this internal Guide what it may tell her is best desiring faithfully all naturall Passions and self-love layd aside to correspond with all it's motions the carefull observers of which with a pure intention of mind may be justly presumed seldome to Want them though they do not so certainly know them and mean while such persons if not free always from mistakes yet are secure in this sort of actions we speak of from entertaining any sinful Enthusiasme or such as any other person except by Divine Inspiration can either censure or discouer 5. Having spoken thus much from § 3. of the extraordinary and Supernaturall Graces and Favours the Illuminations and Influences of the Holy Spirit that are communicated by God to persons of greater Sanctity and practice of Prayer which do also more clearly and evidently guide them in all their actions and of the discerning of these from other Enthusiasms and Illusions In the last place I shall consider the Churches Directions concerning Prayer and Devotion the chief means of procuring all these Divine Graces which Directions this our Author censures to be such as if they were designed only to amuse and confound the minds of devout persons and to prepare them for the most gross Enthusiasme and extravagant illusions of fancy whereas indeed there is no part of a Christian's duty in which the Church by those many Doctors of hers Mysticks and others who have chiefly employed their talent and communicated their experience on this Subject hath taken more profitable pains and descended lower even to the meanest capacities nor where this displeased Author can find less ground for a quarrel Infinite are the Books written on this Divine Art of Prayer Wherein like a careful Mother she trains vp her children by certain degrees from the lowest step thereof which touches the ground to the highest which reaches to heaven knowing it to be the Foundation of all Goodnes and the Attractive of all the Divine Benedictions and Benefits She then first here in preparation for Prayer adviseth her Children to a serious endeavour to keep their conscience clear from Mortal sin or also Venial as much as humane frailty permits and to a care of avoiding the occasions thereof without which endeavour our devotions cannot be acceptable to God I mean as to the receiving from him any great plenty of his Grace And again requires at such times of Prayer a dismission of and abstraction from all secular busines Solitude and a recollection of the mind and thoughts and oblivion so much as we can of all creatures and a removing also of all hindrances that may come from the objects of the exteriour senses c. These presupposed She first begins to feed her little ones with milk and as it were to chew their meat for them giving them infinite prescriptions for all occasions of several Formes of Vocal Prayer where Novices begin and Which the most perfect also return to From these Vocal she next leads them on to Mental Prayer where their devotions may enjoy more liberty whatever way they are bent without their former confinement to set Words or Forms and where the cessation from external action renders the inward more attent and affective as experience shews and more freed from the distraction of the senses and also from the
wandring of the Thoughts to which vocal Prayer gives more relaxation Nor is it so easy to think as to speak one thing and mind another but for how long time the attention ceaseth so long doth Mental Prayer and we are either not distracted or not praying Here likewise she delivers them many vseful Subjects of Meditation chiefly these either touching our own misery or the Misteries of our Saluation or the Divine Perfections The Negative benefit also of which Meditations confined to some certain Subject at the first is very considerable in preventing distraction of thoughts and taking of the mind from it's usual amusements and wings about external worldly vain and superfluous things The Books written in this kind are almost infinite not vnfrequent in Protestants hands and on each subject some brief Heads perscribed whereon the Meditants may enlarge their thoughts Where also she directs the reading of some Pious Book when there is much distraction of Thoughts or sterility of Invention And in these Meditations She trains them first more in those of the knowledge of their natural condition of the Hainousness of Sin of the Divine Iustice of the bitter Passion of our Lord in making Satisfaction for sin of the Terrours of the Tria Novissima 1. Death 2. Iudgment 3. Hell and the like to plant in them a due Fear of God and advance all sorts of Mortification and a cleansing of themselves from the former habits of Sins After this she practiseth them much in the Meditation of the Life of our Lord and the Lives of his Saints as constant Patterns for their Imitation as to growth in vertue lastly of the Divine Perfections and also many Benefits to vs those already received and those promised of the Graces and operations of the Holy Ghost within vs and the abilities for doing good and pleasing God restored to Man by it if attentively observed and obeyed by these to advance them in all Spiritual Grace and Christian Perfection and to enkindle in them an ardent Love of God The acquisition of which Love and not of knowledge is the Churcheschief design in all these Meditations See in Sancta Sophia this Authors great Rock of offence both the recommending this course of Meditation especially for Beginners and directing the practice thereof 3. § 2. c. 2. and § 4. c. 1. § 6. By the practice of these Meditations and amongst them especially that of the Life and Passion of our Lord whilst other Sects dare hardly look vpon a Crucifixe she endeavours by litle and litle to kindle and enflame the affections of the devout Soul toward so dear a Lord whom so many offences and affronts of hers which now cut her to the heart could not alienate from her and The Passions thus learn't by much practice to be more easily excited begins to train vp such Proficients more in the School of Love directing them by laying more aside When thus well prepared their former arguings and discoursings of the Brain with the frequent stroaks of which they have already kindled this fire in the heart how to exercise these affections now in that Lesson of Louing God with all the heart and all the Soul and all the mind and all the strength In a more simple quiet intuition contemplation advertency and admiration of the Divine Beauty and Perfections and in more fervent and amourous Colloquies with God In praising thanking solacing her self with him whilst she casts her eye vpon his infinite mercies past and promised In many resolutions for the future to serve him better and no more so to grieve and offend him in offering all she hath she can do or suffer to his service and in putting herself in a posture of silence and attention to hear what he may be pleased to speak to and in her speak to her not only in guiding and admonishing in all necessary duty but also in things indifferent or also good but not necessary when severall of them fall vnder deliberation In which she also desires to be instructed by him that she may still chuse and doe that which may better please him and wherein his holy will may be more perfectly accomplished Which Acts of Love when once to a competent degree facilitated in vs as they fill the Soul with great consolations so they exceedingly help to advance it in all Christian duties and vertues For Love will not be idle and works in now with much more fidelity and alacrity as doing all things not out of fear but affection and not to obey but please her Beloved and gain from him also a reciprocall love And when a soul is arrived so farr through the constant exercise and custome of Prayer and other Mortifications necessary to it that these acts of Love and of the will of which there are many severall degrees surpassing one another are rendred easy and frequent and vpon every occasion speedily resumed without any or much precedent meditation Which acts before were difficult and rare And when the Soul by reason of the greater sweetnes she finds in this latter affective meditation as I may call it returnes not to the former intentive meditation Without some reluctance this is the first entrance into that which is stiled a state of Perfection such as humane industry attains namely wherin the will assisted with Grace excites itself to these Acts of Love and simple contemplation Of which practice thus S. Bernard I am fortasse ascendisti jam ad cortuum rediisti ibi stare didicisti nec hoc sufficiat tibi Disce habitare mansionem facere qualicunque mentis vagatione abstractus fueris illuc semper redire festina Absque dubio per multum usum quandoque tibi vertetur in oblectamentum in tantum vt absque vllâ laboris difficultate possis ihi assiduus esse quin imo pena potius tibi sit alibi quam ibi moram aliquam facere Thus He yet is the Soul not directed here to remain idle stupid or vnactive but to returne to its wonted Meditations and if neither fitly disposed for these to Vocall and set Formes of Prayer or also to Reading when the sweetnes of such contemplation ceaseth Devout Souls advanced hitherto the Church forbeareth not to shew and to exhort and provoke them to yet much higher flights and by their continued devotions to prosecute a further fruition of that object which hath no bounds To this purpose she proceeds to declare to her children for their encouragement from persons experienced therein the many rich rewards of Prayer the Supernaturall Elevations that God is pleased to advance some Souls to who have bin much practised in this holy Exercise and the more free and familiar manifestations of himself that he makes to them in severall manners mentioned before Wherin the Soul doth not now act so much as in a great quietnes silence and rest of its former naturall operations is more immediatly moved and acted by a more
esse valeo nec volo illic volo nec valeo vtrobique miser And this sweetnes it is that he seems so much to thirst and sigh after having had some former tasts of it when he breaks out into this Ejaculation Confess l. 8. c. 4. Age Domine Fac excita revoca nos Accende rape flagra dulce ce jam amemus curramus See also his extraordinary Illumination or Revelation concerning Gods Incorruptibility and immutability wherevpon he saith he forsook the Manichean Sect and became a Catholick which he mentions in his Disputation with Fortunatus a Manichean There S. Austin saith thus Illud ergo respondere possum quod me Dominus nosse voluit Deum necessitatem nullam pati posse neque ex aliqua parte violari atque corrumpi Where his Adversary catching at it and replying Tu dixisti quiae huc vsque tibi Deus revelavit quod Incorruptibilis sit the Father only in the close of the Disputation thus reflects on it Ego novi non te habere quid dicas me cum vos audissem in hac questione nunquam invenisse quid dicerem inde fuisse admonitum divinitus vt illum errorem derelinquerem ad fidem Catholicam me converterem And to this seems to relate what he saith Confession Lib. 7. cap. â— nesciens vnde quomodo and hoc uno ictu c. See also the frequent Recollections he mentions entring as he saith though not into the Fund or Depth of his Soul yet in intima sua and his there seeing qualicumque oculo animae suae supra eundem oculum animae suae supra mentem suam lucem Dei incommutabilem and herein God speaking to him Sicut saith he auditur in corde After which Interiour speech to him he saith his former doubting was removed Et non erat prorsus vnde dubitarem And see that devout Conference with his Dying Mother Confess l. 9. c. 10. where he saith Dum loquimur inhiamus illi vitae aeternae attingimus eam modice cum toto ictu cordis suspiravimus reliquimus ibi religatas primitias Spiritus And so saith he this sudden transport of mind passed over remeavimus ad strepitum oris nostri And afterwards he descants vpon the same Rapture or transport thus Dicebamus ergo Sicut sileat tumultus carnis sileant phantasiae terrae c. ipsa sibi anima sileat transeat se non se cogitando c Si loquatur ipse solus Deus non per ea sed per seipsum vt audiamus verbum ejus non per linquam carnis c Ipsum sine his audiamus sicut nunc extendimus nos rapida cogitatione speaking of the former ictus cordis attingimus aeternam saptentiam super omnia manentem si continuetur hoc subtrahantur aliae visiones longe imparis generis haec una rapiat absorbeat recondat in interiora gaudia spectatorem suum vt talis sit sempiterna vita quale fuit hoc momentum Intelligentiae cui suspirauimus nonne hoc est Intra in gaudium Domini tui istud Quando Doth not this much resemble the derided Conting language of the Mysticall Divines Of the same contemplation the same Father speaks in this manner in his book de Quantitate animae written at Rome not long after his conversion where he makes of the 7. degrees of the Souls ascent towards the discouery of Truth or God contemplation the highest Spiritus rectus saith he quo fit ut anima in veritate quaerenda deviare atque errare non possit in ea non restauratur nisi prius cor mundum fuerit Hoc est nisi priùs ipsa cogitatio ab omni cupiditate ac fece rerum mortalium sese cohibuerit eliquaverit Iam verè in ipsa visione atque Contemplatione veritatis id est Dei qui septimus atque vltimus animae gradus est neque Iam gradus sed quaedam mansio quò illis gradibus pervenitur quae sunt gaudia quae perfruitio veri summi Boni cujus serenitatis atque aeternitatis afflatus Quid ergo dicam Dixerunt haec quantum dicenda judicaverunt magnae quaedam incomparabiles animae quas etiam vidisse ac videre ista credimus Thus also he writes about the same time of the Egiptian Hermites spending their life in contemplation Secretissimi penitus ab omni hominum conspectu pane solo qui eis per certa intervalla temporum affertur aqua contenti desertissimas terras in colunt perfruentes colloquio Dei cui puris mentibus inhaeserunt ejus pulchritudinis contemplatione beatissimi quae nisi Sanctorum intellectu percipi non potest not easily aprehended by others Then thus apologizeth for such a life Nihil inquam de his loquar Videntur enim nonnullis res humanas plusquam oportet deseruisse non intelligentibus quantum nobis eorum animus in orationibus prosit vita ad exemplum quorum corpora videre non sinimur Thus he And in this exercise of Contemplacion by those Hermites we find also their Experience of Extasies and Rapts Abbot John in Cassian describing this contemplation modestly relates of himself Pio Domini nostri munere saith he memini me in hujusmodi raptum esse frequenter excessum ut obliviscerer me sarcina corporeae fragilitatis indutum mentemque meam ita omnes exteriores sensus subitò respuisse a câ—nctis materialibus rebus omni modis exulasse ut neque oculi neque aures meae proprio fungerentur officio ita divinis meditationibus ac spiritalibus theoriis animus replebatur vt saepe ad vesperam cibum me percepisse nescirem c. And ibid. c. 5 Majoribus remoti secretis frequentissime ad â—elestes illos rapiebamur excessus And elswhere Abbot Isaac reports of S. Antony the Hermit Illum in excessu mentis frequenter orasse And there recites this sentence of his Non esse perfâ—ctam orationem in qua se monachus vel hoc ipsum quod orat intelligiâ— Of the same Grace of Contemplation thus S. Gregory Moral l. 23. c. 13 on that text Ego dixi in excessu mentis meae sublevatus quippe David saith the vidit quod se hic videre non posse ad se relapsus ingemuit Perfectam scilicet animam ista compunctio afficere familiariùs solet qua omnes imaginationes corporeas insolenter sibi obviantes discutit cordis oculum figere in ipso radio incircumscriptae lucis intendit vnde aliquando ad quandam inusitatam dulcedinem interni saporis admittitur ac raptim aliquo modo ardenti spiritu afflata renovatur tantòque magis inhiat quantò magis quod amet aegustat atque hoc intra se appetit quod sibi dulce sapere intrinsecus sentit Cui inherere conatur Sed ab ejus fortitudine sua adhuc infirmitate repellitur quia
Naturall Principles of Reason that Catholicks are enemies to And contrarily Catholicks affirm that neither they nor their Religion maintains though indeed many things above yet any thing contrary to true Reason or any true Principle thereof For omne verum omni vero consonat But notwithstanding first they contend that many things in Religion may seem contrary to the best Arguments which we have from seeming Reason or from the seeming Principles thereof and so that seeming Reason for true all things considered never can do so dictates one thing to vs and Religion or Divine Revelation another and that here all seeming contrary Reason I add or also sense whatever is to yield to an vndoubted Revelation and the certainty of Such Revelation only is abundantly sufficient to proue the contrary to be no true Principle of Reason nor true information of Sense And nothing is more Reasonable then this because Gods Revelation carries also the Divine Reason if I may so say or knowledge along with it which is above man's 2. Catholicks affirm that as many things in Religion are contrary to seeming Reason so many go above or beyond the latitude or capacity of Reason In which though our Reason apprehends that these things are so they are proposed to it and apprehended also some Motives why in prudence it may believe them to be so yet from its own Principles it cannot comprehend why or how they are so Nor can discover any such things by its own light Animalis homo non percipit quae sunt Spiritus Dei stultitia enim illi non potest intelligere quia Spiritualiter examinantur Non multi sapientes c. Per fidem ambulamus non per speciem In Captivitatem redigentes intellectum in obsequium Christi And S. Austin's Christianus sum Credo quod nescio are passages here worthy this Authors better consideration More liable to fall into the dotages c. Persons of a temper naturally more disposed to Religion are also in a speciall manner disposed to Fear Humility and Obedience and such as they are most inclined to so if remaining in the Catholick Church they are sufficiently secured in following the conduct of their Spiritual Guides from all miscarriages in Religion from Superstion Enthusiasme c. Mean while to tell men that the devoutly inclined are apt to fall into Superstition or Enthusiasme what is it but to deterre them from Devotion and to quench the Spirit Is in the vse of the greatest Reason c. The conduct of Gods Spirit is another thing then the vse of naturall Reason and Prudence It consists well with it indeed but not in it And many times also our seemingly greatest Reason and Prudence guide vs in a way quite contrary to the Spirit Therfore said the Apostle Fides nostra non est in sapientiâ hominum sed in virtute or if you will Spiritu Dei And Quod stultum est Dei sapientius est hominibus The design of that Church c. Sectas non metuunt introducere blasphemantes I feare a severe account without a Retraction of this will one day be required for making here the Church Catholick for so many ages before Luther not only to have practised erroneously but to have designed so wickedly as to conspire against the true practise of Christianity as a thing found contrary to her interest Of which Church those who lived then said in their creed Credo vnam Sanctam Catholicam Ecclesiam Reply to page 327. Keeping the Bible out of the hands c. The Holy Scriptures are not kept out of the hands of any such persons of what condition soever as their Spiritual Superiours and Confessors who are acquainted with their Consciences do conceive may receive more benefit then hurt by reading them But these mean while as sad experience shews are better withheld from all such who seem self-wise disobedient not well-contented and resigned in all matters difficult and controverted there to submit to the Churche's judgment Tedious and ceremonious way of externall Devotion c. Here wee hear on the one side that the Churches long and ceremonious external Devotions are as dull and cold as the earth it self on the other that her Mentall Prayer Abstraction Introversion c. ends either in Enthusiasme or Madness Cantavit allis non saltant lamentavit non plorant Because they are like froward children out of love with Devotion and never to be pleased By this tedious and ceremonious way of external Devotion as dull and cold as the earth it self I conceive is either meant the Churches Liturgy for which we know since the great complaints of it in Cromwels time that there are many among Protestants that are no hearty Friends and which the Reformation indeed to her great loss hath much abridged or he means the Formes of vocal Prayer that are often iterated so to continue the Devotions of such persons as cannot read Both of these most Prudently and piously ordered And what humble person would not extoll and reverence the Iudgment and Authority of the Church of so many Ages They commend Abstractednes of life mentall Prayer Passive vnion c. Terms of Art invented for expressing somthing compendiously and in one word which before was expressed by Circumlocutions and in many freely indulged in all other Arts and Sciences I see no Reason why they may not also be current in Mysticall Theology or in this Divine Art of Prayer To collect here together that I may not in every page be troubled with them all the hard or vnintelligible Termes here Complained of in the Roman Devotion and which are said must either end in Enthusiasme or Madness and again p. 335. that they must be left to be vnderstood by mad men and practised by fools they are either Termes describing the Divine Favours received in Prayer or describing the exercise it self of Prayer and Devotion Of the first kind are these Passive Vnions Divine inactions a Super essentiall Life of the Soul Deiformity Deification the Fund or Depth the Apex or Supreme point of the Soul or Spirit Aspirations and Elevations of the Superior Will the Nothingness of the Creature God himself nothing that or no such thing as any Creature is Divine inspirations new Revelations Of the latter these Mental Prayer Abstraction of life a state of introversion Self Annihilation vnknowing our selves vnknowing God Removing Images of God Images of the Creatures an Active and a contemplative state of Prayer These are the vnintelligible words that I could find in these pages perhaps if I have missed some I may meet with them in passing along Now it is strange that this Author who in the Book where he found these words must find also the explications of them would not give the Reader the one with the other I shall run over them in the order they lye and supply this defect of his but very briefly to
any Ingenuous Reader for most of them it seems labour lost Passive Vnions are sufficiently explained before § 30.31 called Passive not that when herein a Soul contemplates God she may not be said in some sort Active but Because when God is pleased so graciously to communicate himself to the Soul the Soul is taken out of her own disposall and doth and must see and think only what God will have her and this no longer then his good pleasure is such Neither can any dispositions or preparations that the Soul can vse assuredly procure it Thus Sancta Sophia explains this word And the Expression is secured by such like Scripture language Qui Spiritu Dei aguntur Not I live but Christ in me Not I work but the Grace of God which is with me Not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you So the Spirit that is in vs said to intercede for vs with groanes vnutterable So the Naturall actions of S. Pauls Soul seem wholy suspended when it knew not so much as whether it was in or out of the Body Hierotheus saith S. Dionysius Areopag was not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the Diuine influences admit degrees and the Soul is said to be more Passive as the Holy Spirit is more operative and so in it's strongest and most extraordinary workings the Soul is hindred at least from reflecting on it's own action seems to it self not to act at all as in a great intention of the Mind the actions of our senses what we then see or hear are not at all observed Divine Inaction is in plain English the acting of God or his Spirit in vs which in the perfect is more extraordinary sensible and manifest A Superessentiall life of the Soul Superessentiall is a composit as also many other words with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added to them vsed much by Dionysius Areopag or the Ancient Author of those works signifying no more then Superlative a life of the Soul much advanced by Gods Spirit above it's naturall operations and apprehensions Deiformity and Deification are words not of late only but Anciently vsed signifying an vnion with God not in Essence but by Grace and this vnion still more intimate as the Grace more extraordinary secured by like Scripture language For Deiforme Renewed to the Image of our Creator Changed into the Image of our Lord Transformed by the renewing of our Mind For Deification Partakers of the Divine Nature and of the Powers of the future World The Lord and we made one Spirit Filled with all the fulness of God c. And if any of these may be communicated to the lowest ranke of Gods Saints the less may the Mysticks be blamed for applying them to the highest and most perfect The reason of the Mysticks vsing sometimes the expression of the Depth Fund that is in plain English the Bottom or Apex the Supreme Point or top of the Soul or Spirit that is the innermost or the highest part of the Soul is mentioned before viz. a double motion observed by the experienced in the Soul in Gods communicating his more special Presence and more extraordinary Graces to it as it is in Extasies and Rapts or inferiour Transports somwhat partaking thereof either one Inward or one Vpward We find in Scripture Cor altum and Excessus mentis and Heights and Depths of Love answering those and this Author may find in the Common Prayer Book A sinner repenting from the bottom of his heart and that is of his Soul and what more vsuall then to say a Man in passion and this Holy Love is such is transported above beyond beside himself yet some Mystick's there are who vse Fund to express the lower and affective part of the Soul and Apex Spiritus to express the Superior and Intellective However the impropriety of a term may be excused where the explication of it prevents mistakes Superior Intellect and Will are School-terms called so from the Supernaturalness and sublimity of the object to which some actions of these Faculties are directed Nothingness of the Creature is an expression of it's extreme litlenes compared with God And if he be all in all and I am be a name that none but himself can claim this will carry it that in some sense they are nothing that they are not It is no hard matter to shew the Apostle saying that Man is nothing If a man think himself somthing when he is nothing Gal. 6.3 The planter and the waterer both nothing 1. Cor. 3.7 And Things that are not 1. Cor. 1.18 But the Mystick's nothing chiefly is when we think them as nothing so think nothing of them as the greater Saints still do less Again there is a nothingness that may be affirmed of God also in respect of his being nothing that the Creature or any thing that we know is and whose Being as yet is better apprehended by vs negatively and by what he is not removing all the natures and imperfections of Creatures from him then positively and by affirming what he is of whom nothing that man doth or can apprehend hath the least Similitude S. Dionysius is much in this and so since him the Mysticks And the summ is 1. to instruct vs That for obtaining such an vnion with God in a more special presence thereof to devout Souls in Prayer we need not frame to our selves any curious Ideas of him who is incomprehensible and that the less we labour with the Intellect to do this the better and the less hindrance to Devotion but rather we are to contemplate him by Faith as the most beatifying object of our Love and containing in him all Perfection and to be contented with such a generall confused obscure notion of him as this life affoords 2. and also to signify that the nearer any one in such high contemplation is admitted to a fuller sight of his Perfections and Beauty the more still they are dazled and darkned with his light and are less able to express what they see The more also a Creature becoms vile vnto them and as his greatness more appears to any one the more their Smalness or Nothingness As at the farther distance we are removed from any thing the less still it shews to vs at last quite vanisheth Divine Inspirations or Illuminations and Infusions of the Holy Spirit enlightening the vnderstanding with a right apprehension and judgment of things and inspiring into the will holy desires and such as are acceptable to God and conformable vnto his will surely this Author will not deny These are frequently petitioned for in the publick Prayers of the Church Catholick and Protestant I dare not spend long time in proving them least I should incurr the censure below p. 338. Only I wonder how they came to be put here amongst non-intelligibles Must nothing be ackowledged and allowed that Fanaticks pretend to
to keep himself indifferent to do what God shall reveal to him and not to determine himself indifferent to do what he hath already revealed and taught in the Gospell Their sence must either be this that S. Ignatius directs his Sons not to determine themselves to do what God hath already revealed and taught in the Gospell but to keep themselves indifferent to do the contrary if revealed to them Or els That they are not to determine themselves to do only what God hath already revealed and taught in the Gospel that is as to the things commanded and prohibited there but also to keep themselves indifferent as to the things on either side lawful to be done to do that which God shall reveal to them that is shall reveal to them recommending it to him in Prayer by the internal illuminations and inspirations of his Holy Spirit to be ad majorem Dei Gloriam and more conformable to his will Of which much hath bin said before § 21. c. Of these two senses the former is too gross and impious in conscience for S. Ignatius to prescribe to his whole Order in a book pretending Devotion and so publick in the face of the whole Church let this Glorious Saint be supposed as great an Hypocrire or Fanatick as this Author would make him For what Fanatick will say so much In the latter sense I see no harm vnless the word reveale displease but then change it into God shall inspire them and the Protestants common Prayer Book will iustify the language That is for new and strange Revelations too c. If Mother Iuliana's Revelations have many things new and strange yet if therein be nothing contrary to Faith or Good manners nor words taken in a modern-improper sence will amount to Heresy I hope this Author will not put her in the List of his Fanaticks vnless he can make good the same of them or that he can prove her old English to be Fanaticism but then let Chaucer also look to himself Reply to page 342. As though the persons were ever the less madd c. I suppose this Author would have spoken with more reverence of Confessors that is Ecclesiasticall Superiours than to make their Office the keeping of Mad-men had he remembred that the Church of England in her Liturgy recommends Confession but this so litle practised he might the easier forget it Men chained can do no harm as Fanaticks are in the Roman Church thanks to their Holy keepers and for the persons vnder such custody their being sober or mad for either they may be it is fit the Church should rather iudge of it then this Author who here pronounceth that Madness which these Confessors and the Church take for Perfection And so it is that All persons being diligently watched by these keepers those judged Fanaticks by the Church all sooner or later even all those with much pains collected in this Book by this Author that were truly Such have bin crushed by her hitherto and have no present being I wish it were so with the English Fanaticks But whilst they do impose no such keepers over them nor can iustly deny that liberty of iudgment to others which they have taken to themselves what hope is there of their suppression or what iust Laws I mean Ecclesiasticall can there be made for it We are not to think that the Principles c. For the seditious or rebellious facts of any Fanaticks in the Catholick Church disobeying or breaking loose from their keepers if any such can be proued by this Author they are not iustified by the Church or its Principles and so he looseth his labour in thinking to preiudice the Church by them any more than by proving some Adulterers Homicides Blasphemers to have bin in it And within the memory of man the Church of England was not free from having such facts committed by some of her Body and Communion yet I suppose this Author will maintain without her guilt And here I take of my Pen wearied with following a person whose sense much fails his rage against the Catholick Church and who hath much more of Raillery then Reason Hoping these short Animadversions may conduce some what if not to the vndeceiving of himself for I fear his defect lyes not there yet of others in a matter of the greatest consequence Devotion FINIS §. I §. II. §. III. * See S. Austin De Civit. Dei l. 16. c. 6. S. Gregor in Ezech. Hom. 2. * Act. 22.16.8.9.7.23.9.10.3.26.10.3 §. IV. * Epist. ad DemophiluÌ„ * Confess l. 8. c. 6. * Epist. 22. * Historia Religiosa * â—ollationes * Historia Lausiaca §. V. §. VI. §. VII Psal. 63.8 Luk. 17.21 §. VIII a In Cantica Serm. 73. b De Consid l. 5. c. 2. c C. 4. d De Moral 24. l. 5. c. e De Moribus Eccles c. 31. §. IX Gal. 1.12 * Act. 10.19.20 Act. 16.6.7 9.20.22.23 Act. 8.19.21 Tim. 1.18 4.14 §. X. * Confess 8. l. 12. c. * See S. Austin Confess l. 3. c. 11. l. 6. c. 1. l. 6. c. 13. §. XI §. XII §. XIII Gal. 2.20.4.19 1. Cor. 15.10 2. Cor. 4.16 Col. 3.3 Rom. 13.2 Col. 3.10 2. Cor. 3.18 Gal. 5.16.18 2. Pet. 1.4 Phil 4.7 Eph. 3.17.18.19.20 2. Cor. 4.18 1. Cor. 6.16.17 Jo. 14.23 Jo. 17.23 1. Jo. 4.16 Act. 2.17 * c. 1.17.18 1. Cor. 14.14 Rom. 8.26 Rom. 8.26 * 2. Cor. 9.15 Col. 2.5 Heb. 4.12 2. Cor. 5.13 Psal. 67. §. XIV * See Rom Idol pa. 337.338 * Preface §. 29.2 d. vol. p. 269. §. 11. * Ibid. p. 272. §. XV. * 1. Thess. 5.19.20.21 1. Jo. 4 1. §. XVI * Last Engl Edit p. 323. §. XVII Eph. 2.20 S. Thom. q. 1. 1. Act. 8. ad 2. §. XVIII §. XIX * 1. vol. p. 57. c. * Eph. 2.2 * Gal. 5.17 1. Jo. 3.9 1. Pet. 1.23 Matt. 13.31.33 2. Pet 3.18 Col. 2.19 2. Cor. 4.16 Eph. 4.13 Col. 1.28 4.12 1. Cor. 9.27 1. Cor. 6.12 §. XX. Jo. 16.13 14.26 Act. 6.9.10 1. Cor. 12.8.9.28 Rom. 12.6.7 Act. 4.29.31 Lu. 24.45 Act. 16.14 Eph. 1.18 †2. Pet. 3.18 Eph. 4.13 * Gal. 5.25 Rom. 8.5.6 * 2. Cor. 3.5 †Jo. 15.5 §. XXI * In Cant. Serm. 17. Jac. 5.17 Jo. 9.31 Matt. 21.22 Mar. 11.23 Jo. 15.7 1. Jo. 3 22. 1. Jo. 5.14 Rom. 8.26.27 1. Cor. 2.10 c. §. XXII * Collat. 9. c. 32. § XXIII * Confess l. 6. c. 13. Cor. 14. §. XXV * Roman Idol c. 4. p. 325. §. XXVI §. XXVII Luc. 10.27 §. XXVIII * De interiori Domo c. 14. §. XXIX * See §. 3. * In Psal. 67. §. XXX * 1. l. 3. c. §. XXXI * In Cant. Serm. 69. * In Ezech Hom. 17. §. XXXII * Confess l. 7. c. 10. §. XXXIII * c. 33. Psal. 50.10 * De moribuâ—s Eccl. c. 31. * Collat. 19. c. 4. * Collat. 9. c. 31. §. XXXIV * Psal. 29. â—â— c. 33.26 §. XXXV 2. Cor. 5.13 Eph. 3.18 Cant. 2.3 §. XXXVI * In Cant. Serm. 23. Cant. 1.4 * Serm. 67. §. XXXVII * Serm. 74. * Serm. 73. Joan. 3.8 * c. 18. §. XXXVIII * p. 1045. * Col. 1043 §. XXXIX * Tract 3. §. 4. c. 6. §. 3. §. XL. §. XLI §. XLII §. XLIII * 1. Cor. 2 1â— 1.26 â—or 5 7.10 6. * De Trinitate Serm. 1. â—sec LXIV 1. Thess â— 19 1. Cor. 2 9. 1. Cor. â— â—5 §. XLV 2. Pet. 2 â—â— To. p. 327. §. XLVI Luk. 7.31 §. XLVII * p. 372. §. XLVIII * See Sancta Sophia 3. Treat p. 243.266 Rom. 8.14 Gal. 2.20 Cor. 15.10 Matt. 10.20 Rom. 8.26 * De Divin nomm c. 2. Col. 3.10 2. Cor 3.18 Rom. 12.2 Heb. 6.4.5 2. Pet. 1.4 1. Cor. 6.17 Eph. 3.19 * §. 30. * Ps. 64.7 67.28 Eph. 3.18 §. XLIX §. L. 1. Cor. 1â— 30 and â—â— Eph. 1.17 c. c. 3.16 c. * De Trinit c. ◠§. LI. Psal. 85.9 64.7 Luk. 17.21 §. LII * In Ezech. Hom. 1â— * Moral l. 24. c. 13. * In Cant. Serm. 73. §. LIII §. LIV. §. LV. * See §. 33. c. To. p. 328. §. LVI To. p. 329. §. LVII * Instit. Spiritualis c. 12. §. LVIII 2. Cor. 12.11 2. Cor. 4.16 To. p. 330. §. LIX * De interiori Domo c. 70. * BarbasoÌ„ Amor Divin occult Semitae part 1. c. 16. * Anatom de l'Ame part 1. c. 16. To. p. 331. §. LX. * p. 332. To. p. 332. §. LXI To. p. 333 §. LXII N. 1. §. LXIIâ— N. 2 §. LXIV N. 3. §. LXV N. 4. * Moral l. 20. c. 19. Heb. 4 15-2.17 Matt. 26.37.38 Mark 14.33 1. Thess. 5.16.17 * Moral l. 23. c. 13. Psal. 9.10 * p. 333. §. LXVI 1. Jo. 4.16 1. Thess. 5.17 Luk. 21.36 Eph. 6.18 Luk. 9.37.32 * 2. Pet. 1.16 Matt. 16.28 Luk. 9.33 Luk. 3.21.22 Luk. 9.35 Jo. 11.33.38 Luk. 22.44 * p. 14. §. LXVII * p. 575.509 * 2. vol. p. 244. To. p. 334. §. LXVIII * §. 51. and 53. §. LXIX * 2. vol. p. 304. To p. 335. §. LXX 2. Sam. 6.14 1 Sam. 19.24 Jer. 1.6 vulg * in Cant. Serm. 67. * 1. vol. p. 63. To. p. 336. * Sancta Soph. 1. vol. p. 246. §. LXXI Act. 10.9 Luk. 2.37 To. p. 337. §. LXXII * §. LXXIII * 1. vol. p. 65. §. LXXIV a. vol. p. 280. §. 37. Heb. 5.16 * S. Sophia 1. vol. p. 135.138 * 1. vol. p. 147. §. LXXV §. LXXVI To. p. 338. §. LXXVII * p. 19. §. XXVIII See before §. 15. To. p. 339. 1. Co. 2.14 Rom. 8.16 To. p. 340. §. LXXIX §. LXXX §. LXXXI * Act. 2.17 Luk. 2. §. LXXXII To. p. 341. §. LXXXIII §. LXXXIV To. p. 342. §. LXXXV §. LXXXVI