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
Church'es Faith or Peace and most of all of those Enthusiasmes and Fanatick frenzies which have bin so common among Protestants the chief vse that these persons make of pretending new divine inspirations being to take away the yoke of those former delivered in Scripture which being so point blank opposite to that party no less then new divine inspirations can serve their turne to confront and fight against them on an equall ground Lastly in all these pretensions where there is any greater difficulty of discerning the Good and Divine from the bad and Satanicall Spirit We have a Iudge to repair to the Governours of the Church The Spirits of the Prophets saith S. Paul are subiect to the Prophets And Quench not the Spirit Despise not prophecying But Prove all things and try the Spirits saith S. John whether they be of God Now the last Tryer of them in any controversy arising must be the Church according to our Lords stating of this matter Math. 18.17 Dic Ecclesiae And so the Catholick Church hath tried them in all ages for we do not deny but that as Fanaticks and Enthusiasts have more abounded among Sects perhaps because they find more liberty so such do appeare sometimes within the body of the Catholick Church the Devill being Gods Ape and every where ambitiously and perversly imitating his Works and the Church doth still try them from time to time as occasions offer themselves and by her Sentence some are justified as Saints and singular Favourits of God others censured condemned and suppressed as Impostors and Deceivers Now if any sober Protestant vpon this late writers bringing this subject on the stage hath the curiosity to inform himself both what Supernaturall favours and extraordinary celestiall communications are received by some persons of great devotion in the Catholick Church and what strictnes and caution the Church vseth in examining them I much recommend to him for both these the perusall of the life of S Teresa where he may 1. observe the great diligence that Was vsed for severall years in the Triall of the Spirit of that most Holy Virgin and as to this is desired to view in particular the 33. Observations made by a Confessor of her in Approbation thereof and 2. where he may see if Ecclesiasticall Authority have any Weight with him those sublime favours she received in prayer confirmed to be from God as it were by a generall attestation of them throughout the Christian World even those who suspected and questioned them at first afterwards magnifying them her works being approved by the most eminent persons for learning Sanctity that were in her Age and translated into all moderne languages for a more vniuersall Benefit And if in this contest about the truth of Visions and Revelations c. still continued in the Catholick Church This Author will be concluded by the Common Reason of Christians which he often appeals to how can he condemn all those as Fanaticks whom the Common Reason of the Church trying their Spirits by the generall grounds and Principles of Christiany hath for so many Ages approued and received for Saints or again how condemn those Divines who long before the birth of Protestancy have Written on Mysticall Theology as maintaining Enthusiasme Whose works the Common Reason of the Church hath approved and esteemed most vsefull for the advancing of Christian Perfection The Church then is the Iudge for discerning of Spirits to which we do and these persons in Common Reason ought to submitt but yet on such new Illuminations or Revelations can be grounded no Article of Faith because that by which she judgeth these is her former Rule of Faith and thus far she can only allow them as they appeare to contain nothing contrary to it which certainly they would if they should pretend any new Addition of Faith to it Neither is the Church secured that any though reputed Saints are infallible in all that which they say nor that all is Divine that they pretend to Nor is there now not only any contradictory but any additionall new Revelation of any part of the Catholick Faith to be expected or admitted after God the Fathers speaking and declaring all his will to the Church by his only son our Lord and by his Apostles Nor can we believe since Miracles are the only thing that can confirme such Revelations I mean of some Common Article to be added to the Christian's former Creed for Divine that these shall ever be wrought to such a purpose 5. THis of the Church's discerning Enthusiasmes and Satanicall Illusions from the Internall operations of the Holy Spirit guided herein by the light of the Scriptures But there are other influences and inspirations of the same Spirit directing vs also in actions in their owne nature indifferent or of counsel on either side lawfull and free from sin some of which inspirations cannot be tried or distinguished from Enthusiasme by any such way as the former Which because they are much spoken of by the Mysticks and are very necessary for advancing Christians in the way of Perfection it seems requisite for the freeing these also from mistakes to give the Reader here some account of them 1. We must know then as Sancta Sophia and others have discoursed more at large that there are two Spirits within vs that is all the Regenerate the Holy Spirit and that of Corrupt nature assisted with the Suggestions of the Devill who took a kind of possession of vs vpon Adams Fall That this last Spirit is never totally expell'd or silenc'd in vs during this life but tempts vs still and That it's suggestions may appear many times like the motions of Gods Spirit pretending good ends the performing some duty to ourselves or our neighbour our advancement in vertue and the like That the effect of the first of these Spirits Sanctifying Grace received in our Regeneration or justification is in it's infusion ordinarily but as a small seed or spark capable of a dayly growth and increase and which with the cooperation of our free wil and further aids that are from time to time received from God works in vs at length a totall Reformation and Christian Perfection which so many among the regenerate as do attain are said in a more speciall manner to be Spirituall Persons and to have the Spirit of God And in this sense the Apostle writes to the Corinthians I Brethren could not speak vnto you as to Spiritual but as to Carnal and as to Babes in Christ. 1. Cor. 3.1 and so ver 3. For ye are yet Carnal and Walk according to Man that is ye are Babes only in Christ and so in some degree carnal and walking according to the naturall Man still and not as yet entirely Spirituall And frequent mention we find in the Scriptures of these severall degrees and growths in a regenerate condition It being Gods pleasure that the new Man
puncto permittitur videré inardescat animus ad plenam possessionem luminis aeterni hereditatem plenae visionis Dei cui vt innotescat aliqua tenus id quod ei deest nonnunquam quasi pertrāsiens gratia perstringit sensum amantis eripit ipsum sibi rapit in diem qui est a tumultu rerum ad gaudia silentia pro modulo suo ad momentum ad punctum id ipsum ostendens ei videndum sicuti est interim etiam ipsum efficit in idipsum vt sit suo modo sicut illud est Here we find the Mysticall language Vbi cum didicerit quid intersit inter mundum immundum redditur sibi remittitur ad mundandum cor ad visionem c. And before Intellectus verò cogitantis efficitur contemplatio amantis formans illud in quasdam spiritualis vel divinae Suavitatis experientias afficit ex eis aciem cogitantis illud verò efficitur gaudium fruentis tunc de Deo bene cogitatur secundum humanum modum si tamen cogitatio dicenda est vbi nil cogat nec cogitur sed tantum modo in memoriam abundantiae suavitatis Dei exultatur jubilatur c. Sed modus hic cogitandi de Deo non est in arbitrio cogitantis sed in gratia donantis scilicet cum Spiritus Sanctus qui ubi violt spirat quando vult quomodo vult quibus vult in hoc aspirat Sed hominis est jugiter praeparare cor voluntatem expediendo ab affectionibus alienis Thus that Holy Man highly experienced in Spirituall matters Mean while as to our selves and our highest endeavours and ambitions in Prayer I may say with Sancta Sophia All our perfection consists in a state of love and an entire conformity to the Divine Will There are therfore in a Spirituall life no strange novelties or Wonders pretended to on our side Divine love is all As for the manner of exercising this in those nearer approaches that are made to this fountain of Beauty and light in Passive vnions that is where God in vs seems the chief or only Agent We must as it goes on there content ourselves to heare those speak of it that have had some experience in it and if what they say be incomprehensible to vs we ought not to wonder at it For as it follows § 6. the internall actuations in the Souls of the Perfect that is in these supernaturall divine communications are so inexplicably subtile and pure that experience it self doth not sufficiently enable them to give an intelligible account of them These things therfore Sancta Sophia confesseth hard to be vnderstood by the experienced as well as its Adversary Neither could he justly pitch vpon these as the chief or only Devotion taught in the Church of Rome whenas it is there taught that these are not at all in the power of our Devotions but bestowed when and to what persons and for what duration God pleaseth And in them as there is much that proclaims the honour of Gods Church and of such Saints So what is there that opposeth the Reasonablenes of Christian Religion For this I hope is not Reasonable that nothing in Religion may be above Reason and somthings therin that are less easy to be vnderstood are therfore to be received with admiration rather then scorne If the Church speaks wisdome among the Perfect may the imperfect blame her for this And may they presently charge her with madness as Festus did S. Paul for speaking things they vnderstood not If the immense Goodnes of God is pleased to communicate such supernaturall favours and caresses and consolations to those who have weaned themselves from all other Creatures for his love the over joyed Soul cannot but speak of the things she sees of him and hears from him and declare his wondrous works and endeavour also as much as she can to render her neighbours partakers of the same And if the Wise men and Philosophers of this world shall call this Fanaticisme and Canting Frenzy and fits of Melancholy c. yet the Church will still proclaim these Honours done her by his Divine Majesty and Wisdome will be justified of her Children THis said in Generall I address now my self more particularly to this Authors Discourse on this Subject in his 4. chater § 15. and 16 from Page 325. to p. 343. To which I have confined my self because so much only treats of this Argument And on this part I shall only make some short Remarks where it seems necessary leaving the Reader for avoiding tediousness to apply them to the Doctours words Reply to page 3.5 This page contains an vnjust charge as appeares before § 26. c. without proofs So mysticall vnintelligible a way c. The Churches directions for Prayer are so plain and intelligible as the practice of them hath advanced infinite Souls even of the weaker and less learned Sexe to very great Perfection and Sanctity The obscure expressions which are culled here out of Catholick Books are in the context joyned with others that according to the quality of the matter sufficiently explain them And the Reader is here dealt withall as if in a Dictionary one should cancell or hide the language vnderstood and then perswade vs we can make no vse of such an vn-intelligible Book To know the truth of which I wish any piously disposed Protestant vpon occasion of this contest would but read some of the Churches books of Devotion I doubt not such would be so far from complaining of their obscurity as to be rather much excited to practise their excellent lessons Leaving the Scriptures c. The Holy Scriptures do warrant and secure the Churches common Doctrines and Rules of Devotion Neither can any of these be shewed dissonant from or contrary to them provided both be rightly vnderstood Only I hope the Church may be excused for not shewing all the words perhaps she vseth in her writings of Devotion to be in Scripture as well as the Nicene Fathers for not shewing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there Reply to page 326. That bitter enemy of theirs called Reason c. This Author is a great Common Reason Man and often appeals and summons vs to the Barr of Reason and would perswade that the Religion of Catholicks is no Reasonable Religion But it is noted which is some prejudice to him and his party that all Hereticks have always done the like Nay it is also Clear that they cannot do otherwise For since a cause must be defended either by Authority or Reason for who will at once affront both these whilst these men do oppose the one they are driven to pretend the other To clear this matter I suppose by Reason is not meant here meerly arguing or reasoning for this is and must be vsed equally on all sides on all Subjects either when wee dispute for or against Reason Here then must be mean't the
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