as the old should grow by degrees and not be made compleat in vs all at once Mention I say of some Babes and litle ones and to be fed as yet only with Milk Of strong Meat and Wisdome and higher Misteries only to be delivered to and Spoken amongst the Perfect See Heb. 5.12.13 1. Pet. 2.2 1. Cor. 3.1.2 2.6 Of Growing in grace and receiving increase from God Of the new Man being renewed day by day Of arriving to a perfect Man vnto the measure of the stature or age of the fulness of Christ Of the Apostles labouring to present every one perfect in Christ Iesus and that they might stand perfect and full in all the wil of God and of this Perfection still containing in it higher and higher degrees Not as if I had already attained saith the Apostle Phil. 3.12 Though therfore by this Principle of a New life and the infusion of the habitual Grace of Charity We are already translated from the former being of corrupt Nature to a Divine being of Supernaturall Grace freed at the first from the former state of Mortall Sin and from the Slavery and Captivity we suffered vnder it's dominion yet hath not this Spirit as yet attained such a soveraigne Empire and Mastery over the importunate solicitations of Concupiscence and the naturall inclinations of our Will and Affections as that we do not still fall frequently into many lesser and those called Venial Sins Or at least as to actions that are not sinful but in their nature indifferent or lawful that we do not for the most part still prosecute those that are more grateful or advantageous to our present carnal desires and our sensual or secular designes Though such actions are no way expedient for vs nor acceptable to the Holy Spirit in which now we live nor do conduce to our growth in Grace but are great hindrances thereof and though these acts contained indeed within the compass of lawful yet often expose vs to occasions of Sin Now so long as we stay here advance no further we appear but as infants and Babes in Grace It having not as yet obtained it's perfect Reigne in vs either over our Concupiscence which carries vs still into frequent venial Sins or over our nature and will which carryes vs in other matters lawful to those satisfying our natural condition But when we are come to have potestatem voluntatis nostrae as S. Paul expresseth it 1. Cor. 7.37 come once to act seldom according to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concupiscence to fall seldome into Venial sin especially with advertency and vnsurprised and the Holy Spirit to have a more absolute power over Sense Reason our own wil Propriety and Self-love as to these things lawful but not expedient when come to S. Paul's omnia mihi licent sed ego sub nullius redigar potestate and to his corpus in servitem redigo and to act more constantly according to the Spirit moving now more perceptibly in vs and giving the laW to vs when Grace is as to these non expedients also predominant and sole Mistress ordering all things without our reluctance or also with our zeale to the greater love praise honour of God and the doing of all things in order to his wil so far as it is made known to vs by this his Spirit then are We arrived to a full growth to a compleat Man in Christ to a state of Perfection such as this life attains but few Regenerate there are that do not by their own disorders dye in their Spiritual youth before they come to such a mature age As therfore in our Regeneration a Man is removed from the state of Sin into the state of Grace so the Church desires in that Which is called from some high misteries it speaks of as to the supreme effects of this Grace Mysticall Theology to advance those already in the state of Grace to that of Perfection and from the Spirit dwelling to it more absolutely Reigning in vs. which finds so many great rewards not only in the next but this present life 2. We must know therfore That to such end this Holy Spirit received in our Regeneration assisteth and worketh in vs not only as to affording generally to all good Christians that seriously endeavour to save their Souls such internall illuminations and motions as are sufficient to direct them for the resisting of any sinful temptation or to perform any necessary act of vertue in circumstances wherin they are obliged to it but also in affording vs light and ability in all indifferent actions and occurrences With which may be also joined all the Acts of Christian vertues When no necessity obligeth vs to do any of them and so When it is lawful for vs Without Sin to do or omitt them whereby we are guided to make such a choice as is more conformable to Gods Will and particular circumstances considered may much more advance vs in the love of God and Christian Perfection and whereby we may avoid such other of them as may be suggested either by corrupt Nature or the evil Spirit vnder pretence also of some good end but to defeat a better For the Holy Spirit excites vs and assists vs not only in doing dutyes of necessary obligation or in the avoiding what is prohibited and performing What is comanded by God vnder penalty of sin but in all these acts also that may any way tend more to Gods glory or to our greater perfection Though these be such as we may without sinning chuse or refuse For in this I may say that the Holy Spirit in vs is like to Concupiscence in vs the one continually exciting vs vnto that which is better as the other to that which is worse See the Apostles description of these two inmates Rom. 8.1 c. and Gal. 5.16.17.18 where he saith v. 17. that Spiritus concupiscit adversus carnem caro adversus Spiritum and that Sibi invicem adversantur And Ibid. v. 18. as also Rom. 8.14 That those who are Gods children or Regenerate aguntur Spiritu are acted by the Spirit It guides vs into truth Brings things forgotten to our remembrance Gives knowledge and arguments to one vtterance and Eloquence and the power to perswade to another To another Wisdome or a good Iudgement Prudence in Gouerning in executing anothers comands To another courage and boldnes It opens mens vnderstandings and hearts and renders them docile and apt to believe What is there that is not done in vs by this Holy Spirit when we are employed about any thing that tends to the glorifying of God the Father or the Son So is our regenerate life wholy managed by this Spirit as the natural is by the Soul and if not obstructed works in vs a continual growth in Grace till we come to a perfect man in Christ Therfore the Apostle exhorts his converts that as they live their new life in or by the Spirit so they would
favours done to reputed Saints from plain Fanaticisme Again we contend also that all obscure language in Divine matters and such things as are mysterious and difficult to be vnderstood ought not therfore to be exposed to sport and Scorn as savouring of Enthusiasm or madnes or as affronting and taking away the vse of Reason a thing these men much talk of but never reasonably do this against Church-authority For such things they may be as are above the ordinary comprehension of Reason or most men's Experience and the vnintelligibleness of them may lye in the sublimity of the matter not in the expression And it hath bin a long observation that the plea of Reason hath bin the common practice of Sects and is now of the Socinians as Faith is the thing especially called for by the Church If then the language of our Mysticall Divines savours of Fanaticism I see not how severall passages in the Scripture do not run the same risk and may not be also questioned for it if arraigned at the Barr of some men's Reason had they not had speciall protection from the sacred Persons that penned them Such are to name some of them S. Paul's not living but Christ living in him Not his acting but grace With him His being in travell with the Galatians till Christ was formed in them our inward and outward our old and our new Man We dead and our life hid in Christ Our being transformed in the renewing of our mind The new Man renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him Our being borne of God Being borne of the Spirit walking in being led by the Spirit Our being changed into the same image with Christ. Our being made partakers of the Divine Nature A peace of God in the mind that passeth all vnderstanding Attaining a knowledge of the love of Christ that passeth knowledge by our being rooted in charity so as to be able to comprehend the breadth length depth and height thereof Filled with all the fulness of God according to the power that worketh in vs above all that we can desire or vnderstand He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit The Kingdome of God not comming with observation from abroad but within vs. If any man love me my Father and I wil come vnto him and make our habitation with him The Father in Christ and Christ in vs that we may be consummate in one That God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him and this more as the love is greater In the last dayes God's powring out his Spirit vpon all flesh so that their sons and daughters too shall Prophesy their young men see visions and their old men dream dreams The Apostles ordering 1. Cor. 14.30 That when a Prophet is speaking in the publick congregation if any thing happen to be revealed to another who standeth by that the first should hold his peace and â—biding them ver 26. for not ordering their Revelations discreetly His praying for the Ephesians That God Would giue them the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation for enlightening the eyes of their vnderstanding 5. Phil. 13.15 presuming that God in good time would reveale also things to the imperfect surely by an illumination of their vnderstandings as before which the perfect already believed Davids Audiam quid in me loquatur Deus Praying with the Spirit whil'st the vnderstanding is vnfruitfull or vnedified so We not knowing what to pray for as we ought that is according to Gods will the Spirit that is Within vs helping our infirmities and requesting for vs with vnspeakable or vnexplicable groanes The gift of the Holy Ghost inexplicable Saint Paul reckoning Three parts of a Man Body Soule and Spirit His being present in Spirit when absent in Body The Word of Gods Word dividing Soul and spirit Sive mente excedimus Deo sive sobrij sumus vobis Benjamin adolescentulus in mentis excessu what language is found here as well as in the Mystick Divines for one of those men's humor to have made sport with had it not bin Scripture Mean while I do not deny but many of the expressions may be in some lower degree verified of every person that is regenerate and in the state of Grace all such having an Vnion with God less or more by his Spirit and his extraordinary Grace importing only an higher degree thereof yet much more properly and in their full sense they seem only applicable to those who have attained to some Measure of Christian Perfection and therfore Divines are not to be censured that vnderstand these chiefly described in them in whom they are most eminently fulfilled To conclude Enthusiasme or Fanaticisme is not the speaking things hard to be vnderstood S. Peter saith S. Paul did so nor yet the pretending high and mysterious effects visions Revelations c. for all these we believe may be and are often wrought in Gods Saints by the Holy Spirit and his speciall presence in their Souls and that we say in a much higher and more admirable way then any of Satans infatuations can imitate or ascend to But Fanaticisme is a false pretence of these or the like when having no just ground to be credited 4. FOr the discerning of such Illusions proceeding from Satan from the true inspirations of Gods Holy Spirit we affirme that many notes and observations there be whereby they may be known if not certainly whether Divine as to their original where no spirit of Prophecy or miracles yet whether containing truth and advancing vertue as to the matter and whether any way noxious and hurtfull either to the person that receives them or others And this is abundantly sufficient Now for these notes of discerning them I need referr the Reader to no other Book then to the Doctours Martyr Sancta Sophia though he was pleased to take no notice of them there in the Preface from § 29. to § 35. again in the third Treatise p. 268. from § 9. to § 22. Where after directing a strict observation to be made concerning the Person Whether 1. viciously inclined 2. arrogant and proud or 3. curious 4. or much addicted to melancholy there are particularly cast off and marked out for Satanicall Illusions among others these All such pretended inspirations or revelations as doe inuite the person to say or do any thing contrary to the Catholick Faith Obedience Humility peace and Vnity Honesty Purity and any other Divine vertue but especially contrary to the Catholick Faith or Obedience for instaÌ„ce as the attempting to make any new and seditious reformations as likewise When the persons obstinately belieue these revelations to be of God after they have bin condemned by experienced Superiors and Directors All such I say are condemned for Satanicall Illusions which cuts all the nerves of all such pretended Revelations as can any Way disturbe the
any Ingenuous Reader for most of them it seems labour lost Passive Vnions are sufficiently explained before § 30.31 called Passive not that when herein a Soul contemplates God she may not be said in some sort Active but Because when God is pleased so graciously to communicate himself to the Soul the Soul is taken out of her own disposall and doth and must see and think only what God will have her and this no longer then his good pleasure is such Neither can any dispositions or preparations that the Soul can vse assuredly procure it Thus Sancta Sophia explains this word And the Expression is secured by such like Scripture language Qui Spiritu Dei aguntur Not I live but Christ in me Not I work but the Grace of God which is with me Not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you So the Spirit that is in vs said to intercede for vs with groanes vnutterable So the Naturall actions of S. Pauls Soul seem wholy suspended when it knew not so much as whether it was in or out of the Body Hierotheus saith S. Dionysius Areopag was not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the Diuine influences admit degrees and the Soul is said to be more Passive as the Holy Spirit is more operative and so in it's strongest and most extraordinary workings the Soul is hindred at least from reflecting on it's own action seems to it self not to act at all as in a great intention of the Mind the actions of our senses what we then see or hear are not at all observed Divine Inaction is in plain English the acting of God or his Spirit in vs which in the perfect is more extraordinary sensible and manifest A Superessentiall life of the Soul Superessentiall is a composit as also many other words with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added to them vsed much by Dionysius Areopag or the Ancient Author of those works signifying no more then Superlative a life of the Soul much advanced by Gods Spirit above it's naturall operations and apprehensions Deiformity and Deification are words not of late only but Anciently vsed signifying an vnion with God not in Essence but by Grace and this vnion still more intimate as the Grace more extraordinary secured by like Scripture language For Deiforme Renewed to the Image of our Creator Changed into the Image of our Lord Transformed by the renewing of our Mind For Deification Partakers of the Divine Nature and of the Powers of the future World The Lord and we made one Spirit Filled with all the fulness of God c. And if any of these may be communicated to the lowest ranke of Gods Saints the less may the Mysticks be blamed for applying them to the highest and most perfect The reason of the Mysticks vsing sometimes the expression of the Depth Fund that is in plain English the Bottom or Apex the Supreme Point or top of the Soul or Spirit that is the innermost or the highest part of the Soul is mentioned before viz. a double motion observed by the experienced in the Soul in Gods communicating his more special Presence and more extraordinary Graces to it as it is in Extasies and Rapts or inferiour Transports somwhat partaking thereof either one Inward or one Vpward We find in Scripture Cor altum and Excessus mentis and Heights and Depths of Love answering those and this Author may find in the Common Prayer Book A sinner repenting from the bottom of his heart and that is of his Soul and what more vsuall then to say a Man in passion and this Holy Love is such is transported above beyond beside himself yet some Mystick's there are who vse Fund to express the lower and affective part of the Soul and Apex Spiritus to express the Superior and Intellective However the impropriety of a term may be excused where the explication of it prevents mistakes Superior Intellect and Will are School-terms called so from the Supernaturalness and sublimity of the object to which some actions of these Faculties are directed Nothingness of the Creature is an expression of it's extreme litlenes compared with God And if he be all in all and I am be a name that none but himself can claim this will carry it that in some sense they are nothing that they are not It is no hard matter to shew the Apostle saying that Man is nothing If a man think himself somthing when he is nothing Gal. 6.3 The planter and the waterer both nothing 1. Cor. 3.7 And Things that are not 1. Cor. 1.18 But the Mystick's nothing chiefly is when we think them as nothing so think nothing of them as the greater Saints still do less Again there is a nothingness that may be affirmed of God also in respect of his being nothing that the Creature or any thing that we know is and whose Being as yet is better apprehended by vs negatively and by what he is not removing all the natures and imperfections of Creatures from him then positively and by affirming what he is of whom nothing that man doth or can apprehend hath the least Similitude S. Dionysius is much in this and so since him the Mysticks And the summ is 1. to instruct vs That for obtaining such an vnion with God in a more special presence thereof to devout Souls in Prayer we need not frame to our selves any curious Ideas of him who is incomprehensible and that the less we labour with the Intellect to do this the better and the less hindrance to Devotion but rather we are to contemplate him by Faith as the most beatifying object of our Love and containing in him all Perfection and to be contented with such a generall confused obscure notion of him as this life affoords 2. and also to signify that the nearer any one in such high contemplation is admitted to a fuller sight of his Perfections and Beauty the more still they are dazled and darkned with his light and are less able to express what they see The more also a Creature becoms vile vnto them and as his greatness more appears to any one the more their Smalness or Nothingness As at the farther distance we are removed from any thing the less still it shews to vs at last quite vanisheth Divine Inspirations or Illuminations and Infusions of the Holy Spirit enlightening the vnderstanding with a right apprehension and judgment of things and inspiring into the will holy desires and such as are acceptable to God and conformable vnto his will surely this Author will not deny These are frequently petitioned for in the publick Prayers of the Church Catholick and Protestant I dare not spend long time in proving them least I should incurr the censure below p. 338. Only I wonder how they came to be put here amongst non-intelligibles Must nothing be ackowledged and allowed that Fanaticks pretend to