who convey the benefit of their heavenly meditations unto the souls of others Lastly to the highest eminence of Seraphim those who love God with their whole heart and their neighbour for God and their enemies in God and feel no wrongs but those which are done to their Maker I know not whether this soaring conceit be more seemingly pious then really presumptuous since it is evident enough that these graces do incur into each other and are not possible to be severed He that loves God cannot choose but be earnestly desirous to communicate his graces unto others cannot but have his heart taken up with divine contemplation the same man cannot but overlook earthly things and courageously suffer for the honour of his God Shortly he cannot but be vigilant over his own wayes and helpfull unto others Why should I presume to divide those vertues or rewards which God will have inseparably conjoyned And what a strange confusion were this in stead of an heavenly order of remuneration Sure I am that the least degree both of Saints and Angels is blessednesse But for those stairs of Glory it were too ambitious in me to desire either to climb or know them It is enough for me to rest in the hope that I shall once see them in the mean time let me be learnedly ignorant and incuriously devout silently blessing the power and wisdom of my infinite Creator who knows how to honour himself by all these glorious and unrevealed subordinations SECT. VIII The apparitions of Angels WEre these celestiall spirits though never so many never so powerfull never so knowing never so excellently glorious meer strangers to us what were their number power knowledge glory unto us I hear of the great riches state and magnificence of some remote Eastern Monarchs what am I the better whiles in this distance their port and affairs are not capable of any relation to me To me it is all one not to be and not to be concerned Let us therefore diligently inquire what mutual communion there is or may be betwixt these blessed spirits and us And first nothing is more plain then that the Angels of God have not alwayes been kept from mortall eyes under an invisible concealment but sometimes have condescended so low as to manifest their presence to men in visible forms not naturall but assumed I confesse I have not faith enough to beleeve many of those apparitions that are pretended I could never yet know what other to think of * Socrates his Genius which as himself reports was wont to check him when he went about any unmeeâ— enterprise and to forward him in good For the modern times it is too hard to credit the report of Doway letters concerning our busie neighbour Pâ—re Cotton that he had ordinary conference and conversation with Angels both his own tutelar and those generall of Provinces If so what need was there for him to have propounded fifty questions partly of Divinity partly of Policy to the resolution of a Demoniack Who can be so fondly credulous as to believe that Jo. Carrera a young father of the Society had a daily companion of his Angell in so familiar a fashion as to propound his doubts to that secret friend to receive his answers to take his advise upon all occasions to be raised by him every morning from his bed to his early devotions till once delaying caused for a time an intermission Or that the aged Cappuchin Franciscus de Bergamo noted for the eleven pretious stones which were found in his gall had for eight years together before his death the assistance of an Angel in humane shape for the performing of his Canonicall hours Or that the Angels helped their S. Gudwal and S. Oswald Bishop of Worcester to say his masse Or that Isidore the late Spanish Peasant newly Sainted amongst good company by Greg. the 15. serving an hard master had an Angell to make up his daily task at his plough whiles the good soul was at his publique devotions like as another Angel supplyed Felix the Lay Cappuchin in tending his Cattle Or that Francisca Romana lately Canonized had two Celestial spirits visibly attending her the one of the order of Archangels which never left her the other of the fourth order of Angels who frequently presented himself to her view their attire sometimes white sometimes blew purple more rarely their tresses of hair long and golden as the over-credulous Bishop of Wirtzburge reports from Gulielmus Baldesanus not without many improbable circumstances these and a thousand more of the sâ—me branne finde no more belief with me then that story which Franciscus Albertinus relates out of Baronius as done here at home that in the year 1601. in England there was an Angel seen upon one of our Altars and therefore more likely to be known in our own Island then beyond the Alps in a visible form with a naked sword in his hand which he glitteringly brandished up and down foyning sometimes and sometimes striking thereby threatning so long ago an instant destruction to this Kingdome And indeed why should we yeeld more credit to these pretenders of apparitions then to Adelbertus the German Heresâ—arch condemned in a Councel of Rome by Pope Zacharie who gave no lesse confidently out that his Angel-guardian appeared daily to him and imparted to him many divine Revelations and directions or if there be a difference pleaded in the relations where or how shal we finde it This we know that so sure as we see men so sure we are that holy men have seen Angels Abraham saw Angels in his Tent dore Lot saw Angels in the Gate of Sodome Hagar in the Wildernesse of Beersheba Jacob in the way Moses in the bush of Horeb Manoah and his wife in the field Gideon in his threshing flore David by the threshing flore of Araunah What should I mention the Prophets Elijah Elisha Esay Daniel Zachary Ezekiel and the rest In the new Testament Joseph Mary Zachariah the father of John Baptist the Shepheards Mary Magdalen the gazing Disciples at the Mount of Olives Peter Philip Cornelius Paul John the Evangelist were all blessed with the sight of Angels In the succeeding times of the Church Primitive I dare beleeve that good Angels were no whit more sparing of their presence for the comfort of holy Martyrs and Confessors under the pressure of tyranny for the dear name of their Saviour I doubt not but constant Theodorus saw and felt the refreshing hand of the Angel no lesse then he reported to Julian his persecutor I doubt not but the holy Virgins Theophila Agnes Lucia Cecilia and others saw the good Angels protectors of their chastity As one that hath learned in these cases to take the mid-way betwixt distrust and credulity I can easily yield that those retired Saints of the prime ages of the Church had sometimes such heavenly companions for the consolation of their forced solitude But withall I must have leave to hold
to which our faith obliges us not In these cases we go not by eye-sight but we are well assured the soul of Lazarus was by these glorious spirits carried up into the bosome of Abraham neither was this any priviledge of his above all other the Saints of God all which as they land in one common harbour of blessednesse so they all participate of one happy means of portage SECT. IX The respects which we owe to the Angels SUch are the respects of good Angels to us now what is ours to them It was not amisse said of one that the life of Angels is politicall full of intercourse with themselves and with us What they return to each other in the course of their Theophanies is not for us to determine but since their good offices are thus assiduous unto us it is meet we do inquire what duties are requirable from us to them Devout Bernard is but too liberall in his decision that we owe to these beneficient spirits reverence for their presence devotion for their love and trust for their custody Doubtlesse we ought to be willing to give unto them so much as they will be willing to take from us if we go beyond these bounds we offend and alienate them to derogate from them is not so hainous in their account as to overhoâ—our them S. John proffers an humble geniculation to the Angell and is put off with a See thou do it not I am thy fellow servant The excesses of respects to them have turned to abominable impiety which howsoever Hierome sems to impute to the Jews eveâ— since the Prophets time yet Simon Magus was the first that we finde guilty of this impious flattery of the Angels who fondly holding that the world was made by them could not â—hink fit to present them with lesse then divine honour Hâ— cursed cholar Menander whose errour Prateolus wrongfully fathers upon Aristotle succeeding him in that wicked heresie as Eusebius tels us left behind him Saturnius not inferiour to him in this frenzie who as Tertullian and Philastrius report him fancied together with his mad fellows that seven Angels made the world not acquainting God with their work What should I name blasphemous Cerinthus who durst disparage Christ in comparison with Angels Not altogether so bad were those hereticks though bad enough which took their ancient denomination from the Angels who professing true Christianity and detestation of Idolatry as having learned that God only is to be worshipped properly yet reserved a certain kind of adoration to the blessed Angels Against this opinion and practice the great Doctour of the Gentiles seems to bend his style in his Epistle to the Colossians forbidding a voluntary humility in worshipping of Angels whether grounded upon the superstition of ancient Jews as Hierom and Anselm or upon the Ethnick Philosophie of some Platonick as Estius and Cornelâ—us à Lapide imagine or upon the damnable conceits of the Simonians and Cerinthians as Tertullian we need not much to inquire nothing is more clear then the Apostles inhibition afterward seconded by the Synod of Laodicea whereto yet Theodorets noted Commentary would seem to give more light who tels us that upon the ill use made of the giving of the â—aw by the hands of Angels there was an errour of old maintained of Angel-worship which still continued in Phrygia and Pisidia so that a Sinod was hereupon assembled at Laodicea the chief City of Phrygia which by a direct Canon forbad praying to Angels a practice saith he so setled amongst them that even to this day there are to be seen amongst them and their neighbours the Oratories of S. Miâ—hael Here then was this mishumility that they thought it too much boldnesse to come â—mmediately to God but that we must first make way to his favour by the mediation of Angels a testimony so pregnant that I wonder not if Caranza flee into corners and all the fautors of Angel-worship be driven to hard shifts to avoid it But what do I with controversies This devotion we do gladly professe to owe to good Angels that though we do not pray unto them yet we do pray to God for the favour of their assistance and protection and praise God for the protection that we have from them That faithfull Patriarch of whom the whole Church of God receives denomination knew well what he said when he gave this blessing to his Grand-children The Angell that redeemed me from all evill blesse the children whether this were an interpretative kind of imploration as Becanus and Lorichius contend or whether as is no lesse probable this Angel were not any created power but the great Angell of the Covenant the same which Jacob wrestled with before for a blessing upon himself as Athanasius and Cyril well conceive it I will not here dispute sure I am that if it were an implicit prayer and the Angell mentioned a creature yet the intention was no other then to terminate that prayer in God who blesseth us by his Angel Yet further we come short of our dutie to these blessed Spirits if we entertain not in our hearts an high and venerable conceit of their wonderfull majesty glory and greatnesse and an awfull acknowledgment and reverentiall awe of their presence an holy joy and confident assurance of their care and protection and lastly a fear to doe ought that might cause them to turn away their faces in dislike from us All these dispositions are copulative for certainly if we have conceived so high an opinion of their excellency and goodnesse as we ought we cannot but be bold upon their mutuall interest and be afraid to displease them Nothing in the world but our sins can distaste them They look upon our natural infirmities deformities loathsomnesses without any offence or nauseation but our spirituall indispositions are odious to them as those which are opposite to their pure natures The story is famous of the Angell and the Hermite walking together in the way there lay an il-sented and poisonous carrion the Hermite stopt his nose and turned away his head hasting out of that offensive air the Angell held on his pace without any shew of dislik straightway they met with a proud man gaily dressed strongly perfumed looking high walking stately the Angell turned away his head and stopt his nosthrils whiles the Hermite passed on not without reverence to so great a person and gave this reason that the stench of pride was more loathsome to God and his Angels then that of the carcass could be to him I blush to think O ye glorious spirits how often I have done that whereof ye have been ashamed for me I abhor my self to recount your just dislikes and do willingly professe how unworthy I shall be of such friends if I be not hereafter jealous of your just offence Neither can I without much regret thinke of those many and horrible nuisances which you find every moment
thine essence separable thy continuance eviternall But what do we call in reason and nature to this parle where faith by which Christianity teacheth us to be regulated finds so full and pregnant demonstrations No lesse then halfe our Creed sounds this way either by expression or inference where in whiles we professe to believe that Christ our Saviour rose from the dead and ascended we implie that his body was â—ot more dead then his soul living and active That was whereof he said Father into thy hands I commend my spirit now we cannot imagine one life of the head and another of the body his state therefore is ours every way are we conform to him as our bodies then shall be once like to his glorious so our souls cannot be but as his severed by death crowned with immortality and if he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead those dead whom he shall judge must be living for as our Saviour said in the like case God is not the Judge of the dead as dead but the Judge of the living that were dead and therefore living in death and after death And whereof doth the Church Catholick consist but of some members warfaring on earth others triumphant in heaven and what doth that triumph suppose but both a beeing and a beeing glorious What communion were there of Saints if the departed souls were not and the soul when it begins to be perfect should cease to be to what purpose were the resurrection of the body but to meet with his old partner the soul and that meeting only implies both a separation and existence Lastly what life can there be properly but of the soul and how can that life be everlasting which is not continued or that continued that is not If then he may be a man certainly a Christian he cannot be who is more assured that he hath a soul in his body then that his soul shall once have a being without his body Death may tyrannize over our earthly parts the worst he can do to the spirituall is to free it from a friendly bondage Chear up thy self therefore O my soul against all the fears of thy dissolution thy departure is not more certain then thy advantage thy being shall not be lesse sure but more free and absolute Is it such a trouble to thee to be rid of a clog or art thou so loath to take leave of a miserable companion for a while on condition that he shall ere long meet thee happy SECT. II. Of the instant vision of God upon the egression of the soul and the present condition till then BUt if in the mean while we shall let fall our eyes upon the present condition of the soul it will appear how apt we are to misknow our selves and that which gives us the being of men The most men how ever they conceive they have a soul within them by which they receive their animation yet they entertain but dull and gloomy thoughts concerning it as if it were no lesse void of light and activity then it is of materiality and shape not apprehending the spirituall agility and clearly-lightsome nature of that whereby they are enlived wherein it will not a little availe us to have our judgements thoroughly rectified and to know that as God is light so the soul of man which comes immediately from him and bears his image is justly even here dignified with that glorious title I speâ—k not only of the regenerate soul illuminated by divine inspirations and supernaturall knowledge but also even of that rationall soul which every man bears in his bosome The spirit of man saith wise Solomon is the candle of the Lord Prov. 20.27 searching all the inward parts of the belly And the dear Apostle In him was life and the life was the light of men Joh. 1.4 and more fully soon after That light was the true light that lightneth every man that cometh into the world v. 9. No man can be so fondly charitable as to think every man that comes into the world illightned by the spirit of regeneration It is then that intellectuall light of common nature which the great illuminator of the world beams forth into every soul in such proportion as he finds agreeable to the capacity of every subject Know thy self therefore O man and know thy maker God hath not put into thee a dark soul or shut up thy inward powers in a dungeon of comfortlesse obscuritie but he hath set up a bright shining Lamp in thy breast whereby thou maiest sufficiently discern naturall and morall truths the principles and conclusions whether of nature or art herein advancing thee above all other visible Creatures whom he hath confined at the best to a mere opacity of outward and common sense But if our naturall light shall through the blessing of God be so happily improved as freely to give place to the spirituall reason to faith so that the soul can now attain to see him that is invisible and in his light to see light now even whiles it is over-shaded with the interposition of this earth it is already entered within the verge of glorie But so soon as this vaâ—â— oâ— wretched mortality is done away now it enjoyes a clear heaven for ever and sees as it is seen Amongst many heavenly thoughts wherewith my everdear and most honoured and now blessed friend the late Edward Earl of Norwich had wont to animate himself against the encounter with our last enemy Death this was one not of the meanest that in the very instant of his souls departing out of his body it should immediately enjoy the vâ—sion of God And certainly so it is The spirits of just men need not stand upon dâ—stances of place or space of time for this beatificall sight but so soon as ever they are out of their clay lodging they are in their spirituâ—ll heaven even whiles they are happily conveying to the locall for since nothing hindred them from that happy sight but the interposition of this earth which we carry about us the spirit being once free from that impediment sees as it is seen being instantly passed into a condition like unto the Angels wel therefore are these coupled together by the blessed Apostle who in his divine rapture had seen them both Ye are come saith he unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels and to the spirits of just men made perfect As then the Angels of God wheresoever they are though imployed about the affairs of this lower world yet do still see and enjoy the vision of God so do the souls of the righteous when they are once eased of this earthly load Doubtlesse as they passed through degrees of Grace whiles they took up with these homely lodgings of clay so they may passe through degrees of blisse when they are once severed And if as some great
Divines have supposed the Angels themselves shall receive an augmentation of happinesse at the day of the last judgement when they shall be freed from all their charge and imployments since the perfection of blessedness consists in rest which is the end of all motion how much more shal the Saints of God then receive an enlargment of their felicity but in the mean time they are entered into the lists of their essential beatitude over the threshold of their heaven How full and comfortable is that profession of the great Apostle who when he had sweetly diverted the thoughts of himself and his Corinthians from their light afflictions to an eternall weight of excelling glory from things temporall which are seen to those everlasting which are not seen addes For we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle be dissolved we have a building not made with hands eternall in the heavens more then implying that our eye is no sooner off from the temporall things then it is taken up with eternall objects and that the instant of the disâ—olution of these clay cottages is the livery and seisin of a glorious and everlasting mansion â—n heaven Canst thou believe this O my soul and yet recoil â—t the thought of thy departure wert thou appointed afâ—er a dolorous dissolution to spend some hundreds of years at the fore-gates of glory though in a painless expectation of a late happinesse even this hope were a pain alone but if sense of pain were also added to the delay this were more then enough to make the condition justly dreadfull But now that one minute shuts our eyes and opens them to a clear sight of God determines our misery and begins our blessednesse Oh the cowardise of our unbeleefe if we shrinke at so momentany a purchase of eternity How many have we known that for a false reputation of honour have rushed into the jawes of Death when we are sure they could not come back to enjoy it and do I tremble at a minutes pain that shall feoffe me in that glory which I cannot but for ever enjoy How am I ashamed to hear an heathen Socrates encouraging himselfe against the feares of Death from his resolution of meeting with some fmous persons in that other world and to feel my self shrugging at a short brunt of pain that shall put me into the blisse-making presence of the all-All-glorious God into the sight of the glorified humanity of my dear Redeemer into the Society of all the Angels and Saints of heaven SECT. III. Of the Souls perpetual vigilancy and fruition of God IT is no other then a frantick dream of those erroneous spirits that have fancied the sleep of the soul and that so long and deep a sleep as from the evening of the dissolution till the morning of the resurrection So as all that while the soul hath no vision of God no touch of joy or pain An errour wickedly rak't up out of the ashes of those Arabick Hereticks whom Origen is said to have reclaimed and since that time taken up if they be not slandered by the Armenians and Fratricelli and once countenanced and abetted by Pope John the 22. as Pope Adrian witnesseth yea so inforced by him upon the University of Paris as that all accesse to degrees was barred to any whosoever refused to subscribe and swear to that damnable position The Minorites began to finde relish in that poison which no doubt had proceeded to further mischief had not the interposition of Philip the-then-French king happily quelled that uncomfortable and pernicious doctrine so as we might have hoped it should never have dared more to look into the light But wo is me these prodigious times amongst a world of other uncouth heresies have not stuck to fetch even this also wel-worsed back from that region of darknesse whither it was sent Indeed who can but wonder that any Christian can possibly give entertainment to so absurd a thought whiles he hears his Saviour say Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am and that not in a safe sleep they may behold my glory which thou hast given me Behold it yea but when at last perhaps when the body shall be resumed Nay to choak this cavill the blisse is present even already possessed The glory which thou gavest me I have given to them It was accordingly his gracious word to the penitent theef This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise How clear is that of the chosen vessell opposing our present condition to the succeeding For now we see through a glasse darkly but then that is upon our dissolution face to face the face of the soul to the face of God The infinit amiableness whereof was that which inflamed the longing desire of the blessed Apostle to depart and to be with Christ as knowing these two inseparable the instant of his departure and his presence with Christ else the departure were no lesse worthy of fear as the utmost of evils then now it is of wishing for as our entrance into blessednesse Away then with that impious frenzie of the souls whether mortality or sleep in death No my soul thou doest then begin to live thou doest not awake till then now whiles thou art in the bed of this living clay thine eyes are shut thy spirituall senses are tyed up thou art apt to sâ—ort in a sinfull security thou dreamest of earthly vanities then only then are thine eyes opened thy spirituall faculties freed all thy powers quickned and thou art perpetually presented with objects of eternall glory And if at any time during this pilgrimage thine eye-lids have been some little raised by divine Meditations yet how narrowly how dimly art thou wont to see now thine eies shall be so broadly and fully opened that thou shalt see whole heaven at once yea which is more the face of that God whose presence makes it heaven Oh glorious sight O most blessed condition Wise Solomon could truly observe that the eye is not satisfied with seeing neither indeed can it be here below nothing is so great a glutton as the eye for when we have seen all that we can we shall still wish to see more and that more is nothing if it be lesse their all but this infinite object which is more then all shall so fill and satisfie our eyes that we cannot desire the sight of any other nor ever be glutted with the sight of this Old Simeon when once he had lived to see the Lord of life cloathed in flesh could say â—ord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation if he were so full of the sight of his Saviour in the weaknesse of humane flesh and in the form of a servant how is he more then fated with the perfection of joy and heavenly detestation to see that Saviour clothed with majesty to see his all glorious Godhead and so to
see as to enjoy them and so enjoy them as that he shall never intermit their sight and fruition to all eternity SECT. IV. Of the knowledge of the glorified AS concerning all other matters what the knowledge is of our souls separated and glorified we shall then know when ours come to be such in the mean time we can much less know their thougths then they can know ours sure we are they do not know in such manner as they did when they were in our bosomes by the help of senses and phantasms by the discursive inferences of ratiocination but as they are elevated to a condition suitable to the blessed Angels so they know like them though not by the meanes of a naturall knowledge as they yet by that supernaturall light of intimation which they receive by their glorified estate Whether by vertue of this divine illumination they know the particular occurrences which we meet with here below he were bold that would determine Only this we may confidently affirme that they do clearly know al those things which do any way appertain to their estate of blessednesse Amongst which whether the knowledge of each other in that region of happinesse may justly be ranked is not unworthy of our disquisition Doubtlesse as in God there is all perfection eminently and transcendently so in the sight and fruition of God there cannot be but full and absolute felicity yet this is so farre from excluding the knowledge of those things which derive their goodnesse and excellency from him as that it compriseth and supposeth it Like as it is also in our affections we love God only as the chief good yet so as that we love other things in order to God Charity is no more subject to losse then knowledge both these shall accompany our souls to and in that other world As then we shall perfectly love God and his Saints in him so shall we know both and though it be a sufficient motive of our love in heaven thâ—t we know them to be Saints yet it seems to be no small addition to our happinesse to know that those Saints were once ours And if it be a just joy to a parent here on earth to see his child gracious how much more acession shall it be to his joy above to see the fruits of his loines glorious when both his love is more pure and their improvement absolute Can we make any doubt that the blessed Angels know each other how senselesse were it to grant that no knowledge is hid from them but of themselves Or can we imagine that those Angelicall spirits do not take speciall notice of those souls which they have guarded here and conducted to their glory If they do so and if the knowledge of our beatified souls shall be like to theirs why should we abridg our selves more then them of the comfort of our interknowing Surely our dissolution shall abate nothing of our naturall faculties our glory shal advance them so as what we once knew we shall know better and if our souls can then perfectly know themselves why should they be denied the knowledge of others Doubt not then O my soul but thou shalt once see besides the face of thy God whose glory fils heaven and earth the blessed spirits of the ancient Patriarchs and Prophets the holy Apostles and Evangelists the glorious Martyrs and Confessors those eminent Saints whose holiness thou wert wont to magnifie and amongst them those in whom nature and grace have especially interessed thee thou shalt see them and enjoy their joy and they thine How oft have I measured a long and foul journey to see some good friend and digested the tediousnesse of the way with the expectation of a kind entertainment and the thought of that complacency which I should take in so dear presence and yet perhaps when I have arrived I have found the house disordered one sick another disquieted my selfe indisposed with what cheerfull resolution should I undertake this my last voyage where I shal meet with my best friends and find them perfectly happy and my selfe with them SECT. V. Of the glory of heaven injoyed by blessed Souls HOw often have I begged of my God that it would please him to shew me some little glimpse of the glory of his Saints It is not for me to wish the sight as yet of the face of that divine Majesty This was two much for a Moses to sue for my ambition only is that I might if but as it were through some cranie or key-hole of the gate of heaven see the happy condition of his glorious servants I know what hinders me my miserable unworthinesse my spiritual blindnesse O God if thou please to wash off my clay with the waters of thy Siloam I shall have eyes and if thou anoint them with thy precious eye-salve those eyes shall be clear and enabled to behold those glories which shall ravish my soul And now Lord what pure and resplendent light is this wherein thy blessed ones dwel How justly did thine Ecstatical Apostle call it the inheritance of the Saints in light light unexpressible light unconceivable light inaccessible Lo thou that hast prepared such a light to this inferiour world for the use and comfort of us mortall creatures as the glorious Sun which can both inlighten and dazle the eyes of all beholders hast proportionally ordained a light to that higher world so much more excellent then the Sun as heaven is above earth immortality above corruption And if wise Solomon could say truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to see the Sun how infinitely delectable is it in thy light to see such light as may make the Sun in comparison thereof darknesse In thy presence is the fulness of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore What can be wished more where there is fulness of joy and behold thy presence O Lord yeelds it Could I neither see Saint nor Angell in that whole Empyreall heaven none but thine infinite self thy self alone were happiness for me more then enough But as thou in whom here below we live and move and have our beeing detractest nothing from thine all-sufficiency but addest rather to the praise of thy bounty in that thou furnishest us with variety of means of our life and subsistence so here it is the praise of thy wonderfull mercies which thou allowest us besides thine immediate presence the Society of thy blessed Angels and Saints wherein we may also enjoy thee And if the view of any of those single glories be enough to fil my soul with wonder and contentment how must it needs run over at the sight of those worlds of beauty and excellency which are here met and united Lo here the blessed Hâ—erarchy of innumerable Angels there the glorious company of the Apostles here the goodly fellowship of the Patriarchs and Prophets there the noble Army of Mâ—rtyrs here the troops of laborious Pastors
incredulity as to charge so many grave Judges and credible historians with lyes Amongst such fastidious choice of whole dry-fats of voluminous relations I cannot forbear to single out that one famous story of Magdalene de la Groix in the year of our Lord Christ 1545. * who being borne at Cordova in Spain whether for the indigence or devotion of her parents was at five yeares age put into a Covent of Nuns at that age an evill spirit presented himselfe to her in the form of a Blackmore soul and hideous she startled at the sight not without much horror but with faire speeches and promises of all those gay â—oyes wherewith children are wont to be delighted she was won to hold society with him not without strong charges of silence and secrecy In the mean time giving proof of a notable quick wit and more then the ordinary ability incident into her age so as she was highly esteemed both of the young novices and of the aged Nuns No sooner was she come to the age of 12 or 13 years then the Devill solicits her to marry with him and for her dowry promises her that for the space of 30 years she shall live in such fame and honour for the opinion of her sanctity as that she shall be for that time the wonder of all Spain Whiles this wicked spirit held his unclean conversation with her in her chamber he delegates another of his hellish complices to supply the place and form of his Magdalene in the Church in the Cloister in all their meetings not without marvailous appearance of gravity and devotion disclosing unto her also the affairs of the world abroad and furnishing her with such advertisements as made her wondred at and won her the reputation not of an holy virgin only but of a Prophetesse Out of which height of estimation although she was not for years capable of that dignity she was by the general votes of the sister-hood chosen unanimously to be the Abbesse of that Covent Wonderfull were the feats which she then did The Priest cries out in his celebration that he missed one of the holy Hosts which he had consecrated and lo thaâ— was by her wonted Angell invisibly conveighed to holy Magdalene The wall that was betwixt her lodging and the Quire at the elevation of the host clave asunder that holy Magdalene might see that sacred act And which was yet more notorious on solemn festivals when the Nuns made their procession Magdalene was in the sight of all the beholders lift up from the earth the height of three cubits as if she should have been rapt up to heaven and sometimes while she bore in her armâ— little image of the child Jesus new born and naked weeping like a true Magdalene abundantly over the babe her hair seemed by miracle suddainly lengthened so low as to reach unto her ankles for the covering of the naked child which so soon as she had laid aside that dear burden returned suddenly to the wonted length These and many other the like miracles made her so famous that Popes Emperour the Grandees of Spain wrote to her beseeching her in their letters to recommend their affairs to God in her powerful devotions and in requiring her advise advertisements in matters of high importance as appeared afterwards by the letters found in her Cabinet And the great Ladies of Spain and other parts would not wrap their new-born infants in any clouts or swathing-bands but such as the sacred hands of Abbess Magdalene had first touched blessed All the Nuns of Spain were proud of so great an honour of their order and such miraculous proofs of their sanctity At last it pleased God to lay open this notable fraud of the Divell for Magdalene after thirty years acquaintance with this her paramour having been Abbess now twelve years began to conceive some remorse for her former practises and growing to a detestation of her horrible society with that evill spirit found means freely to discover to the Visitors of her Order all the whole carriage of this abominable and prodigious wickedness Although some credible wise and learned persons have reported that she perceiving the Nuns to have taken secret notice of her foul pranks lest she should run into a deserved condemnation did under the favour of those laws which give pardon to self-accusing offenders voluntarily confesse her monstrous villany and impiety This confession blankt many of her favourers and admirers and seemed so strange that it was held fit not to beleeve it without strict and legall examinations and proceedings Magdalene was close imprisoned in her Covent and being called to question confessed all this mysterie of iniquity Yet still her Moore continued his illusions for while she was fast lockt up in her Cell with a strong guard upon her dores the Nuns were no sooner come into the Quire towards morning to say their Mattins then this deputy-apparition of Magdalene took up her wonted stall and was seen devoutly tossing her beads amongst her sisters so as they thought the Visitors had surely freed her of the crimes objected upon her vehement penitence But hearing that Magdalene was still fast caged in her prison they acquainted the Visitors with what they had seen the morning before who upon full examination found that she had never lookt out of the dores of her Gaole The processe was at last sent up to Rome whence since the confession was voluntary she had her absolution A Story of great note and use for many occasions and too well known to the world to admit of either deniall or doubt and ratified as by the known consent of the time so by the faithfull records of Zuingerus Bodin Reney Goulartius Lord God! what cunning conveyances are here of the foul spirit what subtile hypocrisie what powerfull illusions enough to make sanctity it self suspected enough to shame the pretence of miracles He can for an advantage be an holy Nun as well as an ugly Moore he can be as devout at Mattins Sacraments Processions as the best What wonder when he can at pleasure counterfeit an Angell of light In that glorious form did he appear to Simeon Stylites of old to Girtrude of Westphalia not without the entertainment of her joy and devotion till Hermanus of Arnsburgh descryed the fraud and taught her to avoid it by a means no lesse advantagious to that ill spirit then her former devotion Yea yet higher to Pachomius and to Valens the Monk as Palladius reports he durst appear and call for adoration and had it under the form of the Lord of life blessed for ever How vain is the observation of those Authors who make this the difference betwixt the apparitions of good Angels and evill that the good make choice of the shapes either of beautifull persons or of those creatures which are clean and hurtlesse as of the shape of a Lamb to Clement or an Hart to Eustace or a Dove to Gummarus whereas the evill put themselves into
which they cannot but finde betwixt this lesser and that greater world for as this little world Man consists of an outward visible body and an inward spiritual soul which gives life and motion to that organicall frame so possessing all parts that it is wholly in all and in each part wholly So must it also be in this great Universe the sensible and materiall part whereof hath being and moving from those spiritual powers both supreme and subordinate which dwell in it and fill and actuate it Every illuminated soul therefore looks about him with no other then S. Pauls eyes whose profession it is We look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporall but the things which are not seen are eternall SECT. II. The distribution of the Invisible world I Cannot quite mislike the conceit of Reuchlin and his â—abala seconded by Galatinus that as in an egge the yelk lies in the middest encompassed round with the white and that again by a film and shell so the sensible world is enclosed within the intelligible but withall I must adde that here is not a meer involution only but a spirituall permeation and inexistence yet without all mixture without all confusion for those pure and simple natures are not capable of mingling with grosse materiall substances and the God of Order hath given them their own separate essences offices operations as for the managing of their own spiritual Common-wealth within themselves so for the disposing governing and moving of this sensible world As therefore we shall foully misconceive of a man if we shall think him to be nothing but a body because our eyes see no more so we shall no lesse grossely erre if beholding this outward fabrick we shall conceive of nothing to be in this vast Universe but the meer lifelesse substance of the heavens and elements which runs into our sight those lively and active powers that dwell in them could not be such if they were not purely spirituall Here then above and beyond all worlds and in this materiall and intelligible world our illuminated eyes meet first with the God of Spirits the DEITIE incomprehensible the fountain of all life and being the infinite and self-existing Essence one most pure simple eternal Act the absolute omnipotent omnipresent Spirit who in himself is more then a world of worlds filling comprehending both the spiritual sensible world in comparison of whom this All is nothing and but from him had been and were nothing Upon this blessed object O my soul may thy thoughts ever dwell where the more they are fixed the more shall they finde themselves ravished from the regard of all sensible things and swallowed up with an admiration of that which they are still further off from comprehending Next to this All-glorious and infinite spirit they meet with those immateriall and invisible powers who receive their originall and continuance their natures and offices from that King of glory Each one whereof is so mighty as to make up a world of power alone each one so knowing as to contain a world of wisdom and all of them so innumerably many that their number is next to infinite and all this numberlesse number so perfectly united in one celestial politie that their entire communion under the laws and government of their soverain Creator makes them a compleat world of Spirits invisibly living and moving both within and above this visible globe of the materiall world After these meet we with the glorified souls of the Just who now let loose from this prison of clay enjoy the full liberty of heaven and being at last reunited to their then immortall bodies and to their most glorious head both are and possesse a world of everlasting blisse Last of all may thy thoughts fall upon those infernall powers of darknesse the spirituall wickednesses in heavenly places whose number might combination makes up a dreadfull world of evil Angels conflicting where they prevail not and tormenting where they overcome These together with the reprobate souls whom they have captived are the most horrible and wofull prospects of mischief and misery which either world is subject unto Now all and every of these however in respect of largenesse they may well passe for so many severall worlds yet as we are wont to account the whole globe of heaven and earth and the other inclosed elements though vast in their severall extents to make up but one sensible world so shall we in a desire to reduce all to unity consider all the intire specifications of spirits but as ranked in so many regions of one immateriall and intelligible world Wherefore let us first silently adore that mundum archetypum that one transcendent self-being and infinite essence in three most glorious persons the blessed Deity which filleth heaven and earth with the majesty of his glory as vailed with the beams of infinitenesse and hid in an inaccessible light and let us turn our eyes to the spiritual guard the invisible attendants of that divine Majesty without the knowledge and right apprehension whereof we shall never attain to conceive of their God and ours as we ought But O ye blessed immortal glorious spirits who can know you but he that is of you alas this soul of mine knows not it self how shall it know you Surely no more can our minds conceive of you then our eyes can see you Only since he that made you hath given us some little glimpse of your subdivine natures properties operations let us weakly as we may recount them to his glory in yours SECT. III. The Angels of heaven Their numbers THe good Lord forgive me for that amongst my other offences I have suffered my self so much to forget as his divine presence so the presence of his holy Angels It is I confesse my great sin that I have filled mine eyes with other objects and have been slack in returning praises to my God for the continual assistance of those blessed and beneficent spirits which have ever graciously attended me without intermission from the first hour of my conception to this present moment neither shall ever I hope absent themselves from my tutelage and protection till they shall have presented my poor soul to her final glory Oh that the dust and clay were so washed out of my eyes that I might behold together with the presence the numbers the beauties and excellencies of those my ever-present guardians When we are convinced of the wonderfull magnitude of those goodly stars which we see moving in the firmament we cannot but acknowledge that if God had made but one of them he could never have been enough magnified in his power but when our sense joyns with our reason to force upon us withall an acknowledgement of the infinite numbers of those great luminaries now we are so far to seek of due admiration that we are utterly lost in the amazement at this
stupendious proof of omnipotence Neither is it otherwise with the invisible hoast of heaven If the power of one Angel be such that he were able at his makers appointment to redact the world to nothing and the nature of any one so eminent that it far surmounts any part of the visible Creation what shal we say to those next-to-infinite numbers of mighty and majestical spirits wherewith the great God of heaven hath furnished his throne and footstool I know not upon what grounds that by some magnified Prophetesse could so precisely compute that if all men should be reckoned up from the first Adam to the last man that shal stand upon the earth there might be to each man assigned more then ten Angels Ambroses account is yet fuller who makes all mankind to be that one lost sheep in the parable and the Angels whose chore the great shepheard left for a time to come down to this earthly wildernesse to be the ninety and nine Lo here wel-near an hundred for one Yet even that number is poor in comparison of the reckoning of him who pretends to fetch it from the chosen vessel rapt into Paradise who presumes to tell us there are greater numbers of Angels in every several rank then there is of the particulars of whatsoever material things in this world The Bishop of Herbipolis instanceth boldly in stars in leaves in spires of grasse But sure I am had that Dennis of Areopagus been in S. Pauls room and supplyed his rapture he could no more have computed the number of Angels then the best Arithmetician standing upon an hill seeing a huge Xerxes-like Army swarming in the valley can give a just reckoning of the number of those heads Surely when our Saviour speaks of more then twelve legions of Angels he doth not say how many â—ore If those twelve according to Hieroms though too short computation amount to seventy-two thousand the more then twelve were doubtlesse more then many millions He that made them can tell us The beloved Disciple in Pathmos as by inspiration from that God sayes I beheld and I heard the voice of many Angels round about the throne and the Beasts and the Elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands now the Elders were but 24. and the Beasts were but four all those other thousands were Angels and if so many were about his throne how many do we think were about his missions Before him the Prophet Daniel betwixt whom and the Evangelist there is so perfect correspondence that we may well say Daniel was the John of the old Testament and John the Daniel of the new hath made the like reckoning Thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him But Bildad the Shuhite in one word sayes more then all Is there any number of his Armies Lo his Armies are past all number how much more his several souldiers so as it may not perhaps seem hard to beleeve Dionysius that the Angels of but one rank are more then can be comprehended by any Arithmetical number or Gregory who determines them numerable only to God that made them to men innumerable O great God of heaven how doth this set forth the infinite majesty of thine omnipotent Deity to be thus attended we judge of the magnificence of Princes according to the number and quality of their retinue and guard and other their military powers and yet each one of these hath an equally absolute life and being of his own receiving only a pay from his Soveraign What shall we then think of thee the great King of eternal glory that hast before thy throne innumerable hosts of powerfull and glorious spirits of thine own making and upholding And how safe are we under so many and so mighty Protectors It might be perhaps well meant and is confessed to be seconded with much reverend antiquity the conceit that each man hath a special Angel designed for his custody and if but so we are secure enough from all the danger of whatsoever hostile machinations however this may seem some scanting of the bountiful provision of the Almighty who hath pleased to expresse his gracious respects to one man in the allotment of many guardians For if Jacob speak of one Angel David speaks of more He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes And even those which have thought good to abet this piece of Platonick Divinity concerning the single Guardianship of Angels have yet yielded that according to several relations each one hath many spiritual keepers Insomuch as the forecited * Fornerus late Bâ—shop of Wirtzburg durst assure his auditors that each of them had ten Angels at least assigned to his custody according to the respects of their subordinate interests besides their own person of their Family Parish Fraternity City Diocese Countrey Office Church World Yet even this computation is niggardly and * pinching since the abundant store and bounty of the Almighty can as well afford Centuries as Decades of Guardians Howsoever why should it not be all one to us since there is no lesse safety in the hands of one then many no lesse care of us from many then from one should but one Angel guard millions of men his power could secure them no lesse then a single charge but now that we are guarded with millions of Angels what can the gates of hell do But what number soever be imployed about us sure I am that together with them those that attend the throne of their maker make up no lesse as Nazianzen justly accounts them then a world of spirits A world so much more excellent then this visible by how much it is more abstracted from our weak senses O ye blessed spirits ye are ever by me ever with me ever about me I do as good as see you for I know you to be here I reverence your glorious persons I blesse God for you I walk awfully because I am ever in your eyes I walk confidently because I am ever in your hands How should I be ashamed that in this piece of Theology I should be out-bid by very Turks whose Priests shut up their Devotions with an precatory mention of your presence as if this were the upshot of all blessings I am sure it is that wherein next to my God and Saviour I shall ever place my greatest comfort and confidence neither hath earth or heaven any other besides that looks like it SECT. IV. The power of Angels MUltitudes even of the smallest and weakest creatures have been able to produce great effects The swarms of but Flies and Lice could amate the great and mighty King of Egypt all his forces could not free him and his Peers from so impotent adversaries but when multitude is seconded with strength how must it needs be irresistible so it is in these blessed spirits
even their omnipotent maker who best knows what is derived from him styles them by his Apostle Powers and by his Psalmist mighty ones in strength A small force seems great to the weak but that power which is commended by the Almighty must needs be transcendently great we best judge of powerfulnesse by the effects How suddainly had one Angel dispatched every first-born in Egypt and after them the hundred fourscore and five thousand of the proud Assyrian Army and if each man had been a Legion with what ease had it been done by that potent spirit Neither are they lesse able to preserve then to destroy That of Aquinas is a great word One Angel is of such power that be were able to govern all the corporeall creatures of the world Justly was it exploded as the wild heresie of Simon Magus and his clients the Meandâ—ians that the Angels made the world No this was the sole work of him that made them but if we say that it pleases God by their ministration to sway and order the marvailous affairs of this great Universe we shall not I suppose vary from truth If we look to the highest part thereof Philosophers have gone so far as to teach us that which is seconded by the allowance of some great Divines that these blessed Intelligences are they by whose agency under their Almighty Creator the heavens and the glorious luminaries thereof continue their ever-constant and regular motions And if there fall out any preternaturall immutations in the elements any strange concussations of the earth any direfull prodigies in the skie whither should they be imputed but to these mighty Angels whom it pleaseth the most high God to imploy in these extraordinary services That dreadfull magnificence which was in the delivering of the Law on Mount Sinai in fire smoak thundrings lightnings voices earthquakes whence was it but by the operation of Angels And indeed as they are the nearest both in nature and place to the majesty of the highest so it is most proper for them to participate most of his power and to exercise it in obedience to his Soveraignty As therefore he is that infinite Spirit who doth all things and can do no more then all so they as his immediate subordinates are the means whereby he executeth his illimited power in and upon this whole created world Whence it is that in their glorious appearances they have been taken for Jehovah himself by Hagar by Manoah and his wife yea by the better eyes of the Father of the faithfull Now Lord what a protection hast thou provided for thy poor worms and not men creeping here on thine earth and what can we fear in so mighty and sure hands He that passeth with a strong convoy through a wild and perilous desert scorns the danger of wild beasts or robbers no lesse then if he were in a strong tower at home so do we the onsets of the powers of darknesse whiles we are thus invincibly guarded When God promised Moses that an Angel should goe before Israel and yet withall threatned the subduction of his own presence I marvel not if the holy man were no lesse troubled then if they had been left destitute and guardless and that he ceased not his importunity till he had won the gracious ingagement of the Almighty for his presence in that whole expedition For what is the greatest Angel in heaven without his maker But let thy favour O God order and accompany the deputation of the lowest of thine Angels what can all the troops of hell hurt us Assoon may the walls of heaven be scaled and thy throne deturbed as he can be foiled that is defenced with thy power Were it possible to conceive that the Almighty should be but a looker on in the conflict of spirits we know that the good Angels have so so much advantage of their strength as they have of their station neither could those subdued spirits stand in the incounter but now he that is strong in our weaknesse is strong in their strength for us blessed be God for them as the Author of them and their protection Blessed be they under God as the means used by him for our protection and blessings SECT. V. The knowledge of Angels IF Sampson could have had his full strength in his mill when he wanted his eyes it would have little availed him such is power without knowledge but where both of these concur in one how can they fail of effect Whether of these is more eminent in the blessed spirits it is not easie to determine so perfectly knowing are they as that the very heathen Philosophers have styled them by the name of Intelligences as if their very being were made up of understanding Indeed what is there in this whole compass of the large Universe that is hid from their eyes only the closet of mans heart is lockt up from them as reserved solely to their maker yet so as that â—hey can by some insensible chinks of those secret notifications which fall from us look into them also all other things whether secrets of nature or closest counsels or events are as open to their sight as the most visible objects are to ours They do not as we mortals are wont look through the dim and horny spectacle oâ— senses or understand by the mediation of Phantasms but rather as clear mirrours they receive at once the full representations of all intelligible things having besides that connaturall light which is universally in them all certain speciall illuminations from the Father of lights Even we men think we know something neither may our good God lose the thank of his bounty this way but alas he that is reputed to have known most of all the heathen whom * some have styled the Genius of nature could confesse that the clearest understanding is to those things which are most manifest but as a bats eyes to the Sun Do we see but a worm crawling under our feet we know not what that is which in it self gives it a being Do we hear but a Bee humming about our ears the greatest Naturalist cannot know whether that noise come from within the body or from the mouth or from the wings of that Flie How can we then hope or pretend to know those things which are abstruse and remote But these heavenly spirits do not only know things as they are in themselves and in their inward and immediate causes but do clearly see the first and universal cause of all things and that in his glorious essence how much more do they know our shallow dispositions affections inclinations which peer out of the windows of our hearts together with all perils and events that are incident unto us We walk therefore amids not more able then watchfull overseers and so are we lookt thorough in all our wayes as if heaven were all eyes Under this blessed vigilancy if the powers of hell can either surprize us with
suddainnesse or circumvent us with subtlety let them not spare to use their advantage But oh ye tutelar spirits ye well know our weaknesse and their strength our sillinesse and their craft their deadly machinations and our miserable obnoxiousnesse neither is your love to markinde and fidelity to your maker any whit lesse then your knowledge so as your charge can no more miscarry under your hands and eyes then your selves As you do alwayes enjoy the beatifical vision of your maker so your eye is never off from his little ones your blessednesse is no more separable from our safety then you from your blessednesse SECT. VI The imployments and operations of Angels EVen while we see you not O ye blessed spirits we know what ye do He that made you hath told us your task As there are many millions of you attending the all-glorious throne of your Creator and singing perpetual Hallelujahs to him in the highest heavens so there are innumerable numbers of you imployed in governing and ordering the creature in guarding the elect in executing the commands which ye receive from the Almighty what variety is here of your assistance One while ye lead us in our way as ye did Israel another while ye instruct us as ye did Daniel one while ye fight for us as ye did for Joshua and Judas Maccabaeus another while ye purvey for us as for Elias one while ye fit us to our holy vocation as ye did to Esay another while ye dispose of the opportunities of our calling for good as ye did of Philips to the Eunuch one while ye foretell our danger as to Lot to Joseph and Mary another while ye comfort our affliction as to Hagar one while ye oppose evil projects against us as to Balaam another while ye will be striven with for a blessing as with Jacob one while ye resist our offensive courses as to Moses another while ye incourage us in our devotions as ye did Paul and Silas and Cornelius one while ye deliver from durance as Peter another while ye preserve us from danger and death as the three children one while ye are ready to restrain our presumption as the Cherub before the gate of Paradise another while to excite our courage as to Elias and Theodosius one while to refresh and chear us in our sufferings as to the Apostles another while to prevent our sufferings as to Jacob in the pursuit of Laban and Esau to the Sages in the pursuit of Herod one while ye cure our bodies as at the pool of Bethesda another while ye carry up our souls to glory as ye did to Lazarus It were endlesse to instance in all the gracious offices which ye perform Certainly there are many thousand events wherein common eyes see nothing but nature which yet are effected by the ministration of Angels when Abraham sent his servant to procure a wife for his son from amongst his own cognation the messenger saw nothing but men like himself but Abraham saw an Angel fore-contriving the work God saith he shal send his Angel before thee that thou mayest take a wife thence when the Israelites forcibly by dint of sword expelled the Canaanites and Amorites and the other branded nations nothing appeared but their own arms but the Lord of hosts could say I will send mine Angel before thee by whom I shall drive them thence Balaam saw his Asse disorderly starting in the path he that formerly had seen Visions now sees nothing but a wall and a way but in the mean time his Asse who for the present had more of the Prophet then his Master could see an Angel and a sword The Sodomites went groping in the street for Lots door and misse it they thought of nothing but some suddain dizzinesse of brain that disappointed them we know it was an Angel that stroke them with blindenesse Nothing appeared when the Egyptian first-born were struck dead in one night the Astrologers would perhaps say they were Planet-struck we know it was done by the hand of an Angel Nothing was seen at the pool of Bethesda but a moved water when the suddain cures were wrought which perhaps might be attributed to some beneficiall constellation we know that an Angel descended and made the water thus sanative Gâ—hezi saw his master strangely preserved from the Aramite troops but had not his eyes been opened by the Prophets prayers he had not seen whence that aid came Neither is it otherwise in the frequent experiments of our life Have we been raised up from deadly sicknesses when all naturall helps have given us up Gods Angels have been our secret Physitians Have we had instinctive intimations of the death of some absent friends which no humane intelligence hath bidden us to suspect who but our Angels hath wrought it have we been preserved from mortall dangers which we could not tell how by our providence to have evaded our invisible Guardians have done it I see no reason to dislike that observation of Gerson Whence is it saith he that little children are conserved from so many perils of their infancy fire water falls suffocations but by the agency of Angels Surely where we find a probability of second causes in nature we are apt to confine our thoughts from looking higher yet even there many times are unseen hands had we seen the house fall upon the heads of Jobs children we should perhaps have attributed it to the natural force of a vehement blast when now we know it was the work of a spirit Had we seen those thousands of Israel falling dead of the plague we should have complain'd of some strange infection in the air when David saw the Angel of God acting in that mortality Humane reason is apt to be injuriously saucie in ascribing those things to an ordinary course of natural causes which the God of nature doth by supernatural agents A master of Philosophy travelling with others on the way when a fearfull thunder-storm arose checked the fear of his fellows and discoursed to them of the naturall reasons of that uprore in the clouds and those suddain flashes wherewith they seemed out of the ignorances of causes to be too much affrighted in the midst of his philosophicall discourse he was strucken dead with that dreadfull eruption which he sleighted what could this be but the finger of that God who will have his works rather entertained with wonder and trembling then with curious scanning Neither is it otherwise in those violent Huracans devouring earthquakes and more then ordinary tempests and fiery apparitions which we have seen and heard of for however there be natural causes given of the usual events of this kinde yet nothing hinders but that the Almighty for the manifestation of his power and justice may set spirits whether good or evil on work to do the same things sometimes with more state and magnificence of horrour like as we see Frogs bred ordinarily both out of putrefaction and generation and yet
when it was for a plague to Egypt they were supernaturally produced Hail an ordinary meteore murrain of Cattel an ordinary disease yet for a plague to obdured Pharaoh miraculously wrought Neither need there be any great difficulty in discerning when such like events run in a natural course and when spirits are actors in them the manner of their operation the occasions and effects of them shall soon discry them to a judicious eye for when we shall finde that they do manifestly deviate from the road of nature and work above the power of secondary causes it is easie to determine them to be of an higher efficiency I could instance irrefragrably in severall tempests and thunderstorms which to the unspeakable terrour of the inhabitants were in my time seen heard felt in the Western parts wherein the translocation and transportation of huge massy stones and irons of the Churches above the possibility of naturall distance together with the strange preservation of the persons assembled with other accidents sensibly accompanying those astonishing works of God still fresh in the minds of many shewed them plainly to be wrought by a stronger hand then natures * And whither else should we ascribe many events which ignorance teacheth us to wonder at in silence If murders be descryed by the fresh bleeding of cold and almost putrefied carcasses If a man by some strong instinct be warned to change that lodging which he constantly held for some years and findes his wonted sleeping place that night crushed with the unexpected fall of an unsuspected contignation If a man distressed with care for the missing of an important evidence †such a one I have known shal be informed in his dream in what hole of his Dove-cote he shall find it hid If a man without all observation of Physical criticisms shall receive and give intelligence many dayes before what hour shal be his last to what cause can we attribute these but to our attending Angels If a man shall in his dream as Marcus Aurelius Antoninus professes receive the prescript of the remedy of his disease which the Physitians it seems could not cure whence can this be but by the suggestion of spirits And surely since I am convinced that their unfelt hands are in many occurrences of my life I have learned so much wit and grace as rather to yeeld them too much then too little stroke in ordering all my concernments O ye blessed spirits many things I know ye do for me which I discern not whiles ye do them but after they are done and many things ye may do more which I know not I blesse my God and yours as the author of all ye doe I blesse you as the means of all that is done by you for me SECT. VII The Degrees and Orders of Angels HEaven hath nothing in it but perfection but even perfection it self hath degrees as the glorified souls so the blessed Angels have their heights of excellency and glory He will be known for the God of Order observeth no doubt a most exact order in his Court of heaven nearest to the residence of his Majesty Equality hath no place either in earth or in hell we have no reason to seek it in heaven He that was rapt into the third heaven can tell us of Thrones Dominions Principalities Angels and Arch-angels in that region of blessednesse We cannot be so simple as to think these to be but one classe of spirits doubtlesse they are distinctions of divers orders But what their severall ranks offices employments are he were not more wise that could tell then he is bold that dare speak What modest indignation can forbear stamping at the presumption of those men who as if upon Domingo Gonsales his engine they had been mounted by his Gansaes from the Moon to the Empyreall heaven and admitted to be the heralds or masters of ceremonies in that higher world have taken upon them to marshall these Angelicall spirits into their severall rooms proportioning their stations dignities services according to the model of earthly Courts disposing them into Ternions of three generall Hierarchies the first relating to the immediate attendance of the Almighty the other two to the government of the Creature both generall and particular In the first of Assistents placing the Seraphim as Lords of the chamber Cherubim as Lords of the cabinet-counsel Thrones as entire Favourites in whom the Almighty placeth his rest In the second of universall Regency finding Dominions to be the great Officers of State who as Chancellours Marshals Treasurers govern the affairs of the world Mights to be the Generals of the heavenly Militia Powers as the Judges Itinerant that serve for generall retributions of good and evil In the third of speciall government placing Principalities as rulers of severall Kingdoms and Provinces Archangels as guardians to severall Cities and Countreys and lastly Angels as guardians of several persons And withall presuming to define the differences of degrees in each order above other in respect of the goodlinesse and excellency of their nature making the Arch-angels no lesse then ten times to surpasse the beauty of Angels Principalities twenty times above the Arch-angels Powers forty times more then Principalities Mights fifty more then Powers Domininions sixty above Mights Thrones seventy above Dominions Cherubim eighty above thrones Seraphim ninety times exceeding the Cherubim For me I must crave leave to wonder at this boldnesse and professe my self as far to seek whence this learning should come as how to beleeve it I do verily beleeve there are divers orders of celestial spirits I beleeve they are not to be beleeved that dare to determine them especially when I see him that was rapt into the third heaven varying the order of their places in his severall mentions of them Neither can I trust to the Revelation of that Sainted Prophetesse who hath ranged the degrees of the beatitude of glorified souls into the several chores of these heavenly Hierarchies according to their dispositions and demeanures here on earth admitting those who have been charitably helpfull to the poor sick strangers into the orb of Angels Those who have given themselves to meditation and prayer to the rank of Archangels those who have vanquished all offensive lusts in themselves to the order of Principalities to the height of Powers those whose care and vigilance hath restrained from evil and induced to good such as have been committed to their oversight and governance To the place of Mights those who for the honour of God have undauntedly and valiantly suffered and whose patience hath triumphed over evils To the company of Dominions those who prefer poverty to riches and devoutly conform their wills in all things to their Makers To the society of Thrones those who do so inure themselves to the continuall contemplation of heavenly things as that they have disposed their hearts to be a fit resting place for the Almighty To the honour of Cherubim those
that the elâ—er the â—ch grew the more rare was the use of these apparitions as of other miraculous actions and events Not that the arm of our God is shortned or his care and love to his beloved ones any whit abated but for that his Church is now in this long processe of time setled through his gracious providence in an ordinary way Like as it was with his Israelites who whiles they were in their longsome passage were miraculously preserved and protected but when they came once to be fixed in the land of promise their Angelical sustenance ceased they then must purvey for their own food and either till or famish Now then in these later ages of the Church to have the visible apparition of a good Angell it is a thing so geason and uncouth that it is enough for all the world to wonder at Some few instances our times have been known to yield Amongst others that is memorable which Philip Melanchton as an eye-witnesse reports Simon Grynaeus a learned and holy man coming from Heidelburg to Spire was desirous to hear a certain Preacher in that City who in his Sermon it seems did then let fall-some erroneous propositions of Popish doctrine much derogatory from the majesty and truth of the Son of God wherewith Grynaeus being not a little offended craved speedy conference with the Preacher and laying before him the falshood and danger of his doctrines exhorted him to an abandoning and retractation of those mis-opinions the Preacher gave good words and fair semblance to Grynaeus desiring further and more particular conference with him each imparted to other their names and lodgings yet inwardly as being stung with that just reproof he resolved a revenge by procuring the imprisonment and if he â—ight the death of so sharp a censurer Grynaeus misdoubting nothing upon his return to his lodging reports the passages of the late conference to those who sate at the Table with him amongst whom Melancthon being one was called out of the Room to speak with a stranger newly come into the house going forth accordingly he finds a grave old man of a goodly countenance seemly and richly attired who in a friendly and grave manner tells him that within one hour there would come to their Inne certain Officers as from the King of the Romans to attach Grynaeus and to carry him to prison willing him to charge Grynaeus with all possible speed to flee out of Spires and requiring Melancthon to see that this advantage were not neglected which said the old man vanished out of his sight Instantly Melancthon returning to his companions recounted unto them the words of this strange Monitor and hastned the departure of Grynaeus accordingly who had no sooner boated himself on the Rhine then he was eagerly searcht for at his said lodging That worthy Divine in his Commentary upon Daniel both relates the story and acknowledges Gods fatherly providence in sending this Angell of his for the rescue of his faithfull servant Others though not many of this kinde are reported by Simon Goulartius in his collection of admirable and memorable histories of our time whither for brevity sake I refer my Reader But more often hath it faln out that evill spirits have visibly presented themselves in the glorious forms of good Angels as to Simeon Stylites to Pachomius to Valens the Monk to Rathodus Duke of Freezland to Macarius to Gertrude in Westphalia with many others as we finde in the reports of Ruffinus Vincentius Caesarius Palladius and the like delusions may still be set on foot whiles Satan who loves to transform himself into an Angell of Light laboureth by these means to noursle silly souls in superstition too many whereof have swallowed the bait though others have descried the book Amongst the rest I like well the humility of that Hermite into whose Cell when the Divel presented himself in a goodly and glittering form and told him that he was an Angell sent to him from God the Hermite turned him off with this plain answer See thou whence thou comest for me I am not worthy to be visited with such a guest as an Angel But the trade that we have with good spirits is not now driven by the eye but is like to themselves spiritual Yet not so but that even in bodily occasions we have many times insensible helps from them in such manner as that by the effects we can boldly say Here hath been an Angel though we saw him not Of this kind was that no less then miraculous cure which at S. Madernes in Cornwall was wrought upon a poor Cripple * whereof besides the attestation of many hundreds of the neighbours I took a strict and personall examination in that * last visitation which I either did or ever shall hold This man that for sixteen years together was fain to walk upon his hands by reason of the close contraction of the sinews of his legs was upon three monitions in his dream to wash in that well suddainly so restored to his limbs that I saw him able both to walk and to get his own maintenance I found here was neither art nor collusion the thing done the Author invisible The like may we say of John Spangenberge Pastour of Northeuse no sooner was that man stept out of his house with his family to go to the Bayns then the house fell right down in the place Our own experience at home is able to furnish us with divers such instances How many have we known that have faln from very high towers and into deep pits past the naturall possibility of hope who yet have been preserved not from death only but from hurt whence could these things be but by the secret aid of those invisible helpers It were easie to fill Volumes with particulars of these kinds but the main care and most officious endeavours of these blessed spirits are employed about the better part the soul in the instilling of good motions enlightning the understanding repelling of temptations furthering our opportunities of good preventing occasions of sin comforting our sorrows quickning our dulnesse incouraging our weaknesse and lastly after all carefull attendance here below conveying the souls of their charge to their glory and presenting them to the hands of their faithfull Creator It is somewhat too hard to beleeve that there have been ocular witnesses of these happy Convoys Who lists may credit that which Hierom tells us that Antony the Hermit saw the soul of his partner in that solitude Paul carried up by them to heaven that Severinus Bishop of Colein saw the soul of S. Martin thus transported as Gregory reports in his Dialogues That Benedict saw the soul of Germanus in the form of a fiery globe thus conveyed What should I speak of the souls of the holy martyrs Tiburtius Valerian Maximus Marcellinus Justus Quintinus Severus and others we may if we please we need not unlesse we list give way to these reports
from sinfull mankind Wo is me what odious sents arise to you perpetually from those bloody murders beastly uncleannesses cruell oppressions noisome disgorgings of surfeits and drunkennesses abominable Idolatries and all manner of detestable wickednesses presumptuously committed every where enough to make you abhorre the presence and protection of debauched and deplored mortality But for us that are better principled and know what it is to be over-lookt by holy and glorious spirits we desire and care to be more tender of your offence then of a world of visible spectatours And if the Apostle found it requisite to give such charge for but the observation of an outward decencie not much beyond the lists of indifferencie because of the Angels what should our care be in relation to those blessed spirits of our deportment in matter of morality and religion Surely O ye invisible Guardians it is not my sense that shall make the difference it shall be my desire to be no lesse carefull of displeasing you then if I saw you present by me cloathed in flesh Neither shall I rest lesse assured of your gracious presence and tuition and the expectation of all spirituall offices from you which may tend towards my blessednesse then I am now sensible of the â—nimation of my own soul THE INVISIBLE WORLD The Second BOOK SECT. I. Of the Souls of Men Of their separation and Immortality NExt to these Angelicall Essences the souls of men whether in the body or severed â—rom it are those spirits which people the invisible world â—exâ— to them I say not the sâ—me with them not bettâ—r Those of the ancient which have thought that the ruine of Angels is to be supplyed by â—lessed souls spake doubtless without the book for he that is the truth it self hath said they be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} like not the same And justly are those â—xploded whether Pythagoâ—eans or Stoicks or Gnostâ—cks or Manichees or Almaâ—icus or if Lactantius himself were in that errour as Ludovicus Vives construes him who falsly dreamed that the souls of â—en were of the substance of that God which inspired them These errours are more â—it for Ellebore then for Theologicall conviction spirituall substances doubtlesse they â—re and such as have no lesse distant originall from the body then heaven is from earth Galen was not a better Physiâ—â—an then an ill Divine whiles â—e determines the soul to be the complexion and temperament of the prime qualities no other then that harmony which the elder Naturalists dreamed of an opinion no lesse brutish then such a soul For how can temperamet be the cause of any progressive motion much lesse of a rationall discourse Here is no materiality no physicall composition in this inmate of ours nothing but a substantiall act an active spirit a spirituall form of the king of all visible creatures But as for the Essence originall derivation powers faculties operations of this humane soul as it is lodged in this clay I leave them to the disquisition of the great Secretaries of Nature my way lyes higher leading me from the common consideration of this spirit as it is clogged with flesh unto the meditation of it as it is devested of this earthly case and clothed with an eternity whether of joy or torment We will begin with happinesse our fruition whereof I hope shall never end if first we shall have spent some thoughts upon the generall condition of this separation That the soul after separation from the body hath an independent life of its owne is so clear a truth that the very heathen Philosophers by the dimme light of nature have determined it for irrefragable In so much as Aristotle himself who is wont to hear ill for his opinion of the soules mortality is confidently reported to have written a book of the Soul Separate which Thomas Aquinas in his so late age professes to have seen Sure I am that his Master Plato and that heathen Martyr Socrates related by him are full of divine discourses of this kind In so much as this latter when Crito was asking him how he would be buried I perceive said he I have lost much labour for I have not yet perswaded my Crito that I shall flye clear away and leave nothing behind me meaning that the soul is the man and would be ever it self when his body should have no being And in Xenophon as Cicero cites him Cyprus is brought in saying thus Nolite arbitrari c. Think not my dear sons that when I shall depart from you I shall then cease to have any being for even whiles I was with you ye saw not that soul which I had but yet ye well saw by those things which I did that there was a soul within this body Beleeve ye therefore that though ye shall see no soul of mine yet that it still shall have a being Shortly all but an hatefull Epicurus have astipulated to this truth And if some have faâ—cied a transmigration of souls into other bodies others a passage to the stars which formerly governed them others to I know not what Elysian fields all have pitched upon a separate condition And indeed not Divinity only but true natural reason will necessarily evince it For the intellective soul being a more spirituall substance and therefore having in it no composition at all and by consequence nothing that may tend towards a not-being can be no other supposing the will and concurrence of the infinite Creator then immortall Besides as our best way of judgging ought is wont to be by the effects certainly all operations are from the forms of things and all things do so work as they are Now the body can do nothing at all without the help of the soul but the soul hath actions of its own as the acts of understanding thinking judging remembring ratiocination wherof if whiles it is within us it receives the first occasions by our senses and phantasms yet it doth perfect and accomplish the said operations by the inward powers of its own faculties much more and also more exactly can it do all these things when it is meerly it self since the clog that the body brings with it cannot but pregravate and trouble the soul in all her performances in the mean time they do justly passe for mentall actions neither do so much as receive a denomination from the body we walk move speak see feel and do other humane acts the power that doth them is from the soul the means or instrument whereby they are done is the body no man will say the soul walks or sees but the body by it but we can no more say that the soul understands or thinks by the aid of the body then we can say the body thinks or understands by means of the soule These therefore being distinct and proper actions do necessarily evince an independing and self-subsisting agent O my soul thou couldst not be thy self unless thou knew'st thine originall heavenly
partner in the dissolution then it is now desirous to meet him again as well knowing in how much happier condition they shall meet then they formerly parted Before this drossie piece was cumbersome and hindred the free operations of this active spirit now that by a blessed glorification it is spiritualized it is every way become pliable to his renued partner the Soul and both of them to their infinitely glorious Creatour SECT. VIII The reunion of the body to the soul both glorified LO then so happy a reunion as this materiall world is not capable of till the last fire have refined it of a blessed soul met with a glorified body for the peopling of the new heaven who can but rejoyce in spirit to foresee such a glorious communion of perfected Saints to see their bodies with a clear brightness without all earthly opacity with agility without all dulnesse with subtility without grosness with impassibility without the reach of annoyance or corruption There and then shalt thou O my soul looking through clarified eyes see and rejoyce to see that glorious body of thy dear God and Savior which he assumed here below and wherein he wrought out the great work of thy redemption there shalt thou see the radiant bodies of all those eminent Saints whose graces thou hadst wont to wonder at and weakly wish to imitate There shall I meet with the visible partners of the same unspeakeable glory my once dear parents children friends and if there can be roome for any more joy in the soul that is taken up with God shall both communicate and appropriate our mutuall joyes There shall we indissolubly with all the chore of heaven passe our eviternity of blisse in lauding and praising the incomprehensibly-glorious Majesty of our Creatour Redeemer Sanctifier in perpetuall Hallelujahs to him that sits upon the Throne And canst thou O my soul in the expectation of this happinesse be unwilling to take leave of this flesh for a minute of separation How well art thou contented to give way to this body to shut up the windows of thy senses and to retire it self after the toil of the day to a nightly rest whence yet thou knowest it is not sure to rise or if it do yet it shall rise but such as it lay down some little fresher no whit better and art thou so loath to bid a cheerfull good-night to this piece of my selfe which shall more surely rise then lye down and not more surely rise then rise glorious Away with this weak and wretched infidelity without which the hope of my change would be my present happinesse and the issue of it mine eternull glory Even so Lord Jesus come quickly THE INVISIBLE WORLD The Third BOOK SECT. I. Of the Evill Angels Of their first sin and fall HITHERTO our thoughts have walked through the lightsome and glorious regions of the spirituall world now it is no lesse requisite to cast some glances towards those dreadful and darksome parts of it where nothing dwels but horror and torment Of the former it concerns us to take notice for our comfort of these latter for terrour caution resistance I read it reported by an ancient Travailer Haytonus of the Order of the Premonstratensis and cousin as he saith to the then-King of Armenia that he saw a country in the Kingdome of Georgia which he would not have believed except his eyes had seen it caldel Hamsen of three dayes journey about covered over with palpable darknesse wherein some desolate people dwell for those which inhabit upon the borders of it might hear the neighing of horses and crowing of cocks and howling of dogs and other noises but no man could go in to them without losse of himselfe Surely this may seem some sleight representation of the condition of Apostate Angels and reprobate souls Their region is the kingdom of darkness they have onely light enough to see themselves eternally miserable neither are capable of the least glimpse of comfort or mitigation But as it fals out with those which in a dark night bear their own light that they are easily discerned by an enemy that waits for them and good aim may be taken at them even whiles that enemy lurks unseen of them so it is with us in these spirituall ambushes of the infernall powers their darknesse and our light gives them no smal advantage against us The same power that clears and strengthens the eyes of our soul to see those over-excelling glories of the good Angels can also enable us to pierce thorough that hellish obscurity and to descrie so much of the natures and condition of those evill spirits as may render us both wary and thankful In their first creation there were no Angels but of light that any of them should bring evill with him from the moment of his first beeing is the exploded heresie of a Manes a man fit for his name and if Prateolus may be beleeved of the Trinitâ—â—ians yea blasphemy rather casting mire in the face of the most pure and holy Deity For from an absolute goodnesse what can proceed but good And if any then of those spirits could have been originally evil whence could he pretend to fetch it Either three must be a predominant principle of evill or a derivation of it from the fountain of infinite goodness either of which were very monsters of impiety All were once glorious spirits sin changed their hue and made many of them ugly Devils Now straight I am apt to think Lord how should sin come into the world how into Angels God made all things good sin could be no work of his How should the good that he made produce the evill which he hates Even this curiosity must receive an answer The great God when he would make his noblest creature found it fit to produce him in the nearest likenesse to himself and therefore to indue him with perfection of understanding and freedome of will either of which being wanting there could have been no excellency in that which was intended for the best such therefore did he make his Angels Their will being made free had power of their own inclinations those free inclinations of some of them swayed them awry from that highest end which they should have solely aimed at to a faulty respect unto oblique ends of their own Hence was the beginning of sin for as it fals out in causes efficient that when the secondary agent swarves from the order and direction of the principal straight waies a fault thereupon ensues as when the leg by reason of crookednesse fails of the performance of that motion which the appetitive power injoined an halting immediately follows so it is in finall causes also as Aquinas acutely when the secondary end is not kept in under the order of the principall and highest end there grows a sin of the will whose object is ever good but if a supposed self respective good be suffer'd to take the wall of the best
absolute good the will instantly proves vicious As therefore there can be no possible fault incident into the will of him who propounds to himself as his only good the utmost end of all things which is God himself so in whatsoever willer whose own particular good is contained under the order of another higher good there may without Gods speciall confirmation happen a sin in the will Thus it was with these revolting Angels they did not order their own particular supposed good to the supream and utmost end but suffered their will to dwell in an end of their own and by this means did put themselves into the place of God not regulating their wils by another superior but making their will the rule of their own desires which was in effect to affect an equality with the highest Not that their ambition went so high as to aspire to an height of goodness or greatnesse equall to their infiniâ—e Creatour This as the greater Leader of the School hath determined it could not fall into any intelligent nature since it were no other then to affect his own not being for as much as there can be no beeing at all without a distinction of degrees and subordinations of beeings This was I suppose the threshold of leaving their first estate Now it was with Angelicall spirits as it is with heavy bodies when they begin to fail they went down at once speedily passing through many degrees of wickednesse Let learned Gerson see upon what grounds he conceives that in the beginning their sin might be veniall afterwards arising to the height of maliciousness whom Salmeron seconds by seven reasons alledged to that purpose labouring to prove that before their precipitation they had large time and place of repentance the point is too high for any humane determination this we know too well by our selves that even the will of man when it is once let loose to sin finds no stay how much more of those active spirits which by reason of their simple and spirituall nature convert themselves wholly to what they do incline What were the particular grounds of their defection and ruine what was their first sin it is neither needfull nor possible to know I see the wracks of this curiosity in some of the Ancient who misguiding themselves by a false Compasse of mis-applyed Texts have split upon those shelves which their miscarriage shall teach me to avoid If they have made Lucifer that is the morning Star a Devill and mistake the King of Babylon for the Prince of darknesse as they have palpably done I dare not follow them Rather let me spend my thoughts in wondring at the dreadfull justice and the incomprehensible mercy of our great and holy God who having cast these Apostate Angels into hell and reserved them in everlasting chains under darknesse unto the judgement of the great day hath yet graciously found out a way to redeem miserable mankinde from that horible pit of destruction It is not for me to busie my self in finding out reasons of difference for the aggravation of the sin of Angelâ— and abatement of mans as that sin began in them they were their own tempters that they sinned irreparably since their fall was to them as death is to us How ever it were Cursed be the man who shall say that the sin of any creature exceeds the power of thy mercy O God which is no other then thy selfe infinite whiles therefore I lay one hand upon my mouth I lift up the other in a silent wonder with the blessed Apostle and say How unsearchable are thy judgements and thy wayes past finding out SECT. IV. Of the number of Apostate Spirits WHo can but tremble to thinke of the dreadfull precipice of these dâ—â—ned Angels which from the highest pitch of heaven were suddainly thrown down into the dungeon of the nethermost hell who can but tremble to think of their number power malice cunning and deadly machinations Had this defection been single yet it had been fearfull should but one star fall down from heaven with what horrour do we think of the wrack that would ensue to the whole world how much more when the great Dragon draws down the third part of the stars with his tail And lo these Angels were as so many spirituall stars in the firmament of glory It was here as in the rebellion of great Peers the common sort are apt to take part in any insurrection There are orders and degrees even in the region of confusion we have learned of our Saviour to know there is a Devill and his Angels And Jewish tradition hath told us of a Prince of Devils It was in all likelyhood some prime Angell of heaven that first started aside from his station and led the ring of this highest and first revolt millions sided with him and had their part both in his sin and punishment Now how formidable is the number of these evill and hostile spirits Had we the eyes of that holy Hermit for such the first were we might see the air full of these malignant spâ—rits laying snares for miserable mankinde And if the possessors of one poor Demoniack could style themselves Legion a name that in the truest account contains no lesse then ten Cohorts every Cohort fifty Companies and every Company 25 Souldiers to the number of 1225 what an army of these hellish fiends do we suppose is that wherewith whole mankinde is beleaguered al the world over Certainly no man living as Tertullian and Nissen have too truly observed can from the very hour of his nativity to the last minute of his dissolution be free from one of these spirituall assailants if not many at once The ejected spirit returns to his former assault with seven worse then himself Even where there is equality of power inequality of number must needs be a great advantage An Hercules himself is no match for two Antagonists yea were their strength much lesse then ours if we be but as a flock of Goats feeding upon the hils when the evil spirits as the Midianites Amalekites were against Israel are like grashoppers in the valley what hope what possibility were there if we were left in our own hands for saefty or prevalence But now alas their number is great but their power is more Even these Evil Angels are styled by him that knew them no less then principalities and powers and rulers of the darknesse of this world and spirituall wickednesses in heavenly places They lost not their strength when they left their station It is the rule of Dionysius too true I fear that in the reprobate Angels their naturall abilities stil hold No other then desperate therefore were the condition of whole mankinde if we were turned loose into the lists to grapple with these mighty spirits Courage O my soul and together with it victory Let thine eys be but open as Gehezies thou shalt see more with us then against us One good
Angell is able to chase whole troops of these malignant For though their naturall powers in regard of the substance of them be still retained yet in regard of the exercise and execution of them they are abated and restrained by the over-ruling order of divine Justice and mercy from which far be that infinite incongruity that evill should prevail above God The same God therefore who so disposeth the issue of these humane contentions that the race is not to the swift nor the battell to the strong cowardizeth and daunteth these mighty and insolent spirits so as they cannot stand before one of these glorious Angels nor prevail any further then his most wise providence hath contrived to permit for his own most holy purposes How ever yet we be upon these grounds safe in the good hands of the Almighty and of those his blessed Guardians to whom he hath committed our charge yet it well befits us to take notice of those powerfull executions of the evill Angels which it pleaseth the great Arbiter of the world to give way unto that we may know what cause we have both of vigilance and gratitude SECT. III. Of the power of Devils NO Dwarfe will offer to wrestle with a Giant it is an argument of no smal power as well as boldnesse of that proud spirit that he durst strive with Michael the Archangell and though he were as then foiled in the conflict yet he ceaseth not still to oppose his Hierarchy to the Celestiall and not there prevailing he poures out his tyranny where he is suffered on this inferior world One while fetching down fire from heaven which the messenger called the fire of God upon the flocks and shepherds of Job another while blustring in the air with hurrying winds and furious tempests breaking downe the strongest towers and turning up the stoutest oaks tearing asunder the hardest rocks and rending of the tops of the firmest mountains one while swelling up the raging Sea to suddain inundations another while causing the earth to totter and tremble under our feet would we descend to the particular demonstrations of the powerfull operations of evill spirits this discourse would have no end If we do but cast our eyes upon Jannes and Jambres the Egyptian Sorcerers in whom we have formerly instanced in another Treatise to this purpose we shall see enough to wonder at How close did they for a time follow Moses at the heels imitating those miraculous works which God had appointed and inabled him to do for Pharaohs conviction Had not the faith of that worthy servant of God been invincible how blank must he needs have looked to see his great works patterned by those presumptuous rivals Doth Moses turn his rod into a serpent every of their rods crawleth and hisseth as well as his Doth he smite the waters into bloud their waters are instantly as bloudy as his Doth he fetch frogs out of Nilus into Pharaohs bed-chamber and bosome and into the ovens and kneading troughs of his people they can store Egypt with loathsome cattle as well as he All this while Pharaoh knows no difference of a God and hardly yeelds whether Jannes or Moses be the better man although he might easily have decided it out of the very acts done he saw Moses his serpent devoured theirs so as now there was neither serpent nor rod and whiles they would be turning their rod into aserpent both rod and serpent were lost in that serpent which returned into a rod He saw that those Sorcerers who had brought the frogs could not remove them and soon after sees that those juglers who pretended to make serpents bloud frogs cannot when God pleaseth to restrain them make so much as a louse But supposing the sufferance of the Almighty who knows what limits to prescribe to these infernall powers They can beguile the senses mock the fantasie work strongly by philtres upon the affections assume the shapes of man or beast inflict grievous torment on the body conveigh strange things insensibly into it transport it from place to place in quick motions cause no lesse suddain disparitions of it heal diseases by charmes and spels frame hideous apparitions and in short by applying active powers to passive subjects they can produce wonderful effects each of all which were easie to be instanced in whole volumes if it were needfull out of history and experience Who then O God who is able to stand before these sons of Anak what are we in such hands Oh match desperately unequal of weaknesse with power flesh with spirit man with Devils Away with this cowardly diffidence Chear up thy self O my soul against these heartlesse fears and know the advantage is on thy side Could Samson have been firmly bound hand and foot by the Philistine cords so as he could not have stirred those mighty limbs of his what boy or girl of Gath or Ascalon would have fear'd to draw near and spurn that awed champion No other is the condition of our dreadfull enemies they are fast bound up with the adamantine chains of Gods most mercifull and inviolable decree and forcibly restrained from their desired mischief Who can be afraid of a muzzled and tyed up mastive What woman or childe cannot make faces at a fierce Lion or a bloudy Bajazet lockt up fast in an iron grate were it not for this strong and straight curb of divine providence what good man could breath one minute upon earth The Demoâ—iack in the Gospel could break his iron fetters iâ— pieces through the help of his â—egion those Devils that possessed him could not break theirs they are fain to sue for leave to enter into swine neither had obtained it in all likelyhood but for a just punishment to those Gadarene owners How sure may we then be that this just hand of omnipotence will not suffer these evill ones to tyrannize over his chosen vessels for their hurt How safe are we since their power is limited our protection infinite SECT. IV. Of the knowledge and malice of wicked Spirits WHo can know how much he is bound to God for safe-guard if he doe not apprehend the quality of those enemies wherewith he is incompassed whose knowledge and skil is no whit inferiour to their power They have not the name of Daemones for nothing their natural knowledge was not forfeited by their fall the wisdom of the infinite giver of it knows how rather to turn it to the use of his own glory However therefore they are kept ofâ— from those divine illuminations which the good Angels receive from God yet they must needs be granted to have such a measure of knowledge as cannot but yeeld them a formidable advantage For as spirits being not stripped of their original knowledge together with their glory they cannot but know the natures and constitutions of the creatures and thereby their tempers dispositions inclinations conditions faculties and therewith their wants their weaknesse and obnoxiousnesse and thereupon strongly conjecture at their
the forms of deformed men or of harmfull and filthy beasts as of a Goat to the assembly of Witches of Hogs in the Churches of Agatha prophaned by the Arrians of Serpents Dragons Toads and other loathsome and terrible Creatures to St. Hilary and Anthony as Athanasius and Hierom in their supposititious relations have reported And that if at any time he take upon him the shape of a man yet it is with some notable defect and incongruity of limbs as with a right foot cloven or with a whole hoof never intirely humane when we see that the very glory of Angels escapes not their counterfaisance We know how easie it is for the Almighty to ordain some such mark to be set upon the false shapes of evill spirits for their better discovery but why should we rather suppose this to be done in the case of humane bodies then of heavenly Angels why more in the resemblance of men then of all other creatures since their deceit may be no lesse dangerous in either But as for these visible Devils they are in these dayes very rare and where they have appeared have wont to work more affright then spirituall prejudice Evil spirits are commonly most pernicious to the soul when they are least seen as not caring so much for our terrour as our seduction O God they are crafty but thou art wisdome it selfe they are malicious but thou art goodnesse let thy goodnesse and wisdome ever protect and safe-guard us so shall we be not more wretched and unsafe in our selves then we shall be in thee secure and happy SECT. VII The vehemence of Satans last conflicts THese spirits because such are neither capable of sleep nor wearinesse as they are therefore ever busie and restlesse in their assaults so their last conflicts use to be most vehement whether it be for that now the soul is passing out of their reach as we finde they did most tear and torture the Demoniack when they saw themselves upon the point of their ejection or whether it be for that the painfull agonies of death yield them more hopes of advantage since the soul whiles it is strugling with those last pangs must needs have her powers distracted in her resistances Cruelty where it would prevail will be sure to lay most load upon the weakest Hereupon it is that holy men have been most carefull to arm themselves stronglyest against those last onsets and to bend all the forces of their souls upon their safe dissolution The holy sister of S. Basil and Melania whom S. Jerome magnifies for their sanctity beseech God with great fervency that those envious spirits may not hinder them in their last passage and devout Bernard to the same purpose when he drew near his end sues to his friend for his earnest prayers that the heel of his life might be kept safe from the Serpent so as he might not find where to fix his sting Hence it is that in former times good souls have been so provident to hearten themselves against the faint pulls of their death beds with that viaticum sacrum the strongest spiritual Cordiall of the blessed Eucharist which hath yielded them such vigour of heavenly consolation that they have boldly defied all the powers of darknesse and in spight of all those assaults have laid themselves down in peace O God I know Satan can want no malice nor will to hurt I should be his if I lookt for favour from him he must and will do so much of his worst to me as thou wilt permit whether thou wilt be pleased to restrain him or strengthen me thy will be done O lead me not into temptation and when thou doest so shew thy self strong in my weaknesse arm me for my last brunt stand by me in my last combat make me faithfull to the death that thou mayest give me a Crown of life SECT. VIII Of our carriage towards wicked Spirits and the wayes of our prevalence against them WE have seen what the carriage of the evil spirits is to us it were fit we should ask in what terms we must stand towards them That we must maintain a perpetuall hostility against them cannot be doubted and what ever acts may tend towards the securing of our selves and the abating of the Kingdome and power of darknesse those must be exercised by us to the utmost Justly do we scorn to be beholden to that deadly enemy in receiving courtesies from him Favours from such hands are both sins and curses He that can so easily transform himself will seem to doe good What cures doth he often work what discoveries of thefts what remedies of Diabolicall operations and possessions by the agency of Witches Wisards Magicians what an ordinary traffique doth he hold of Charms Spels Amulets Ignorance and superstition are willing enough to be befriended by such pernicious helps whereby that subtile spirit both wins and kills the soul whiles he cures the body It is not easie for a man where he receives a benefit to suspect an enmity but withall it is no lesse then stupidity when we finde a good turn done us not to enquire whence it came and if we finde it to proceed from a mischievous intent of further hurt not to refuse it That there have been diseases remedied wounds healed bloud stanched thorns pluckt out Serpents stupefied winds procured by Charms is so notorious that whoso would doubt of it should make himself a wonder of incredulity now then by what power doe we think these things done Naturall it cannot be for there is no such efficacy in words or characters being but of meer devise and arbitrary imposition as may produce reall effects Preter-naturall then it must be and if so then either divine or diabolicall of God it cannot be where hath he given warrant to any such practise where any promise to concurre with it Nay how oft hath he testified his prohibitions and detestation of these courses Needs must it therefore be by devilish operation whose agents Witches and Sorcerers are and whose means of working are these superstitious inventions which by a secret compact receive their force and successe from those infernall powers Let those then that have given to Satan their souls take favours from him for their bodies Let us that defie the author abhor the courtesie Mine enemy offers me a rich garment I know it is poysoned else he would not give it me shall I take it because it is rich or refuse it because it is infectious Let me be sick rather then receive help from such hands Let my goods be lost rather then my soul hazarded Let me die rather then owe my life to my Makers enemy SECT. IX How we are to proceed against Evil Spirits WE may not yeeld to that evill one our next thought must be how to oppose him Our skilfull Leadeâ— hath prescribed a spirituall panoply both for defence and victory The helmet of salvation the brest-plate of righteousnesse the girdle of verity the sword
is the fulnesse of joy what can it be lesse then fulnesse of torment But alas this is farre from a meer absence The very sin of the damned is no small part of their hell for as all their powers parts faculties are as so many subjects of their insupportable pain and torture so out of that insufferable extremity they conceive a desperate indignation and hatred against God not as he is in himself infinitely good for goodness can be no object of hate but as he is to them a severe though most just avenger of sin to which is ever added a will obstinately fixed in evill whiles they were in their way they were in a possibility of reclamation now that they are in termino they can be no other then they are As therefore the glorified souls are in a condition like to the Angels of heaven so the damned are in the state of Devils not more capable of avoiding torment then sin equally reserved in everlasting chains of darkness to the judgement of the great day When wo is me that which seemed little lesse then infinite shall yet receive a further aggravation of pain and misery when the addition of the body shall give a further extent to this wofull cruâ—lation without all possibility of release for ever Alas what anguish do I feel in my self to see the body of a malefactour flaming at a stake and yet this is but the act of a few minutes for the air so vehemently incended instantly stops the passage of that free breath which should maintain life and the flesh by apposition of that combustible matter which encompasses it is soon turned into dead cinders but I could conceive of a body frying a whole day in a continued flame Lord how should I be affected with the sad compassion of that intolerable torment burn inwardly with the sense of anothers pain but to think of a whole years broyling in such a fire how can it but turn our bowels within us What then Oh what is it to conceive of lying in a fire more intense then nature can kindle for hundreds thousands millions yea millions of millions of years yea further beyond these then these are beyond a minute of time to all eternity where besides the indurance every thing that makes towards the mitigation of other pains addes to these Here is society of tortures but such as tortureth more Those perpetuall howlings and shriekings and wailings of so many millions of the damned were enough to make the place an hell even to him that should be exempted from those sufferings Here is some glimpse of knowledge of the blessed estate of glorified souls enough to heighten their envie enough to perfect their torment even as meat is set before that man which is doomed to famish Shortly here is exquisite disconsolateness gloomy darknesse extreme horror pain insufferable hideous ejulations utter hopelesness vexing indignation furious blasphemies infinite dolour and anguish without relaxation without pity without possibility of remedy or ease or end How can it be otherwise O God if thy mercy have prepared such an heaven for thy poor servants whose very best works for their great imperfection deserve nothing but punishment what an hell hath thy justice provided for those enemies of thine that wilfully despight thee and offend of malicious wickedness How infinitely art thou more just then sinners can be miserable But it is enough O my soul to have lookt into the pit enough to make thee lament the wofull condition of those that are there shut up enough to warne thee to avoid those sinfull wayes that lead downe to these chambers of death enough to make thee think no tears can be sufficient to bewail the desperate carelesnesse of wretched sinners that run on in a known course of wickednesse without any regard of an insuing damnation Alas so as they are bewitched they have not the grace to pity themselves and to foresee the danger of their own utter perdition which if they could but look into they would be ready to run mad with horrour Poor souls could they but recover their reason they would then think if a thousand daies pleasure cannot weigh with one hours torment what do I buy one hours pleasure with the torment of more then ten thousand ages how do I dare to dance for a few minutes upon the mouth of hell with the peril of an everlasting burning Surely if Infidelity had not rob'd men of their wits they could not resolve to purchase the momentany pleasures of sin with so dreadfull and eternall damnation SECT. XI A Recapitulation of the whole discourse ANd now what is to be done Surely as some Traveller that hath with many weary steps passed through divers Kingdoms and Countries being now returned to his quiet home is wont to solace his leasure by recalling to his thoughts a short mentall landskip of those regions through which he hath journyed here conceiving a large Plain there a Lake here a track of Mountains there a Wood here a Fen there a City here a Sea there a Desert so do thou O my soul upon this voyage of thine through the great invisible World bethink thy self of what thou hast seen and so abridge this large Prospect to thy self as that it may never be out of thine eye Think first that whatsoever thou seest thou canst not look besides the invisible majesty of thy God all this materiall world is his he is in all rather all is in him who so comprehends this Universe that he is infinitely without it think of him as with thee as in thee as every where Do thou therefore ever acknowledge him ever adore him ever enjoy him ever be approved of him see him from whom thou canst not be hid relye on him without whom thon canst not subsist glorifie him without whom thou canst not be happy Next as those that have their celestial life and being by from and in him wonder at the glorious Hierarchy of the heavenly Angels blesse him in their pure and spirituall nature in their innumerable numbers in their mighty power in their excellent knowledge blesse him in their comely orders in their divine offices in their beneficiall imployments in their gracious care and love of mankind And so far as weak flesh and bloud may with pure and majestical spirits converse with them daily entertaine them so thou knowest they are present with awfull observances with spirituall allocutions ask of thy self how pleasing thine actions are to them receive from them their holy injections return to them under thy God thy thankful acknowledgments expect from them a gracious tuition here and an happy transportation to thy glory After these represent to thy self the blessed society of the late charge and now partners of those heavenly Angels the glorified Spirits of the just see the certainty of their immortall being in the state of their separation see them in the very instant of their parting blessed with the vision with the fruition of
lesse open then they are hid to us As for the glorified Saints of God who are gone before us to our home with what spirituall joy should we be ravished at the consideration of their blessed condition who now have attained to the end of their hopes glory and bliss without end ever seeing ever enjoying him at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore how should we blesse God for their blessedness and long for our own Lastly how should our joy be seasoned with a cautious fear when we cast our eyes upon those objects of dread and horrour the principalities and powers of darkness not so confined to their hell as to leave us untempted and increasing their sin and torment by our temptation How should our hearts bleed with sorrow and commiseration of those wretched souls which we see daily intangled in the snares of the Devill and captived by him at his will here on earth and frying under his everlasting torments in the pit of hell How should our hearts be pre-possessed with a most earnest and vigilant care to resist all the dangerous assaults of those wicked spirits and to prevent the perill of our own like-wofull destruction If we i shall make this use of our beeing in this visible world happy are we that ever we came into it more happy in our going out of it for having thus used it as if we used it not we shall so enjoy the other as those that shall ever enjoy it and in it all glory honour immortality Lo then O my soul the glorious world which thou art now aspiring unto yea whereinto thou art now entring There there fix thy self never to be removed Look down upon these inferiour things with an overly contempt forget what is past as if it had never been Bid a willing farewel to this visible world wherein as thy Creatour hath a just interest of glory for that the substance of it is the wondrous workmanship of his hands so Satan styled he Prince of it claimeth no small share in regard of its sinfull depravation Farewell then ye frivolous and windy honours whose management is ever wont to be in others hands not in our own which have ever been no lesse fickle then the breath ye have depended upon whose chief use hath been for temptation to puffe up the heart with a proud conceit of eminence above others not requiting in the mean while the danger with any solid contentment Farewell ye deceitfull Riches which when we have we cannot hold and even while we hold we cannot enjoy and if we offer and affect to enjoy is it not with our spirituall losse for what love we yeeld to cast away upon you we abate to him that is the true and all-sufficient good More then for necessary use we are never the better for you often times the worse your load is more uneasie then your worth is precious Farewell pleasures if I ever knew what ye were which have alwayes wont to afford more sting then honey whose onely scope hath professedly been under a pretence of delectation to debauch and emasculate the mind and to dis-relish all spirituall comforts where your expectation hath been somewhat delightfull your fruition hath been unsatisfiingâ— your loose displeasing your remembrance irksome Farewell friends some of whose unsteadinesse and unfaithfulnesse hath helpt to adde to my load which the fidelity of others had not power to ease whose love might be apt to condole my shipwrack but could not spare me a plank to swim to the shore Shortly whose common misery may be more ready to receive then give comfort The honour that I now reach at is no lesse then a crown and that no fading and corruptible as all these earthly Diadems are but immarcescibly eternall a crown of righteousnesse a crown of glory The riches that I am now for are not such as are digged out of the base entrails of the earth obnoxious to spoil and plunder but treasures laid up in heaven The pleasures that I now affect are the fulnesse of joy at the right hand of the Almighty for eve more The friends that I ambitiously sue for are those that shall receive me into everlasting habitation Lastly farewell vanishing life and welcome blessed eaernity Even so Lord Jesu come quickly FINIS THE CONTENTS THE FIRST BOOK Of God and his Angels THe Preface 1. That there is an Invisible world 2. The distribution of the Invisible world 3. Of the Angels of heaven Their Numbers 4. The power of Angels 5. The knowledg of Angels 6. The Imployment and operations of Angels 7. The Degrees and Orders of Angels 8. The Apparitions of Angels 9. The respects which we owe to the Angels The Second Book Of the souls of blessed men 1 Of their Separation and Immortality 2. Of the present vision of God upon the egression of the soul 3. Of the perpetuall vigilance of the soul and its fruition of God 4. Of the knowledge of the glorified 5. Of the glory of heaven enjoyed by blessed souls 6. Wherein the glory of the Saints above consisteth and how they are imployed 7. In what terms the departed Saints stand to us and what respects they bear us 8. The re-union of the body to the soul and both glorified The third Book Of the Devils and damned Souls 1. Of the evill Angels Of their first sin and fall 2. Of the number of Apostate Spirits 3. Of the power of Devils 4. Of the knowledge and malice of wicked Spirits 5. Of the variety of the spirituall assaults of evill Spirits 6. Of the apparitions and shapes assumed of the evill Spirits 7. The vehemence of Satans last conflicts 8. Of our carriage towards wicked Spirits 9. How we are to proceed against evill Spirits 10. Of the wofull estate of the damned souls 11 A recapitulation of the whole discourse 12. The comparison of both worlds And how our thoughts and affections should be taken up with the Invisible world FINIS COURTEOUS READER These Books following are Printed for John Place and are to be sold at his Shop at Furnivalls-Inn Gate in Holborn Books in Folio 1. THe History of the World by Sir VValter Raleigh Knight 2. Things new and old or a Store-house of Similies Sentence Allegories Addages Apologies Divine Morall and Politicall by John Spencer of Sion Colledge 3. Observations on Caesars Commentaries by Sir Clement Edmunds Kt. 4. Shepparts Epitomy of the Law 5. The Reports of the learned Judge Popham sometime Lord chief Justice of England 6. The Reports of the learned Judge Owen chief Justice of the Common Pleas 7. Londinopolis or a History of the Cities of London and Westminster by James Howell 8. The History of Swedes Gothes and Vandals by Olaus Magnus Bishop of Vpsall 9. The Reports of the learned Serjeant Bridgman 10. Cowells Interpreter of hard words in the Law c. 11. Maximes of Reason or the Reason of the Common Law by Edward VVingat Esq late one of the Benchers of Grays-Inn 12. The