c. we then must acknowledge not unfrequent in the Catholick Church They occurr every where in the Ecclesiasticall Records of latter and former times and t is too late now generally to cry them down And these we find also ordinarily not conferred save on such persons as are also registred there to have bin very eminent for the Sanctity of their lives and among other vertues much addicted to Prayer Solitude and Contemplation and lastly a many of them Such as we see before Protestancy was borne set down in the Churches Kalendar for Saints So that if these things must be stiled Fanaticisme we find that the holier the Persons the greater Fanaticks 3. WE earnestly contend therefore that all pretence whatsoever of such high and Supernaturall elevations cannot be justly charged as Enthusiasme or Fanaticisme that is as proceeding either from the suggestions of the evill or of our own Spirit or also as feigned only when indeed we have none such Such a generall charge I say cannot be made without much temerity and I am afraid without blaspheming the Holy Ghost a crime we know of what weight especially when such a Censure proceeds point blank against the judgment of the Church to whom the publick discerning of Spirits is committed For thus for example S Paul if his Apostle-ship did not priviledge him must have bin declared clearly a Fanatick when he saith that the Gospel which others learnt from the instruction of the Apostles he received from our Lord meerly by Revelation and again Gal. 2.2 that he went vp to Ierusalem at such a time by Revelation and when in his speech to the Iews Act. 22. he pretended a vision he had as he was praying in the Temple and elsewhere frequent and long Colloquies with our Lord see Act. 22.17 c. 26.15.16.17 2. Cor. 12.19 and when we are told so often of the Holy Spirit speaking to him and others doubtless by some interiour voice or other signification clearly discerned by them to be from God vvhen again he relates his Rapt his alienation from his Senses and vncertain whether from his Body and his hearing ineffable words And the strange joy and transport of mind he received from these things was so great and extraordinary as that it seems it vvas necessary to be allayed and qualified with some counter griefs I say how could he escape the imputation of a Fanatick on these terms but that he was an Apostle In the old Testament also the sons of the Prophets and other Saints must have incurred the same censure in whom may be observed many Supernaturall and wonderfull operations of the same Holy Spirit whereby they were put at certain times into suddain Extasies and Raptures into strange and unusvall actions and agitations of their Bodyes for which to avoid tediousness I desire the curious Reader to view 2. Sam. 6.14 Ps. 26.6 2. King 4.35 2.16 compared with Act. 8.39 and 1. Kings 18.12 Ezech. 3.12.14 2. King 9.11 1. Kings 20.35 so violent that Saul when in their society possessed with the same is said to have stript of his clothes that is his vpper garments and to have lien down all night vnclothed being wearied with those strange motions They in these Raptures not only fore-telling things to come 2. King 2.3.5 but conceiving and on a sudden after an unusvall manner dictating Psalms Songs Praises of God or explication of some Mystery or former Prophesy like those vnder the Gospel 1. Cor. 14.6 See 1. Sam. 18.10 1. King 18.29 1. Chron. 25.3 compared with 1. Cor. 11.5 And this Spirit then as now did more ordinarily thus inspire persons prepared by Studies and exercises of Devotion in Schools and Solitudes for this purpose Amongst which means one was calming or charming and abstracting the Mind by Musick 1. Sam. 10.5 16.16 Psal. 43.4 2. King 3.15 and we know what vse herein the Holy Prophet David made of his Harp And in these strange accidents there wanted not those then who esteemed and called them no better then Madmen 2. King 9.11 But these Scoffers then were no Divines And it is well that these Saints are now secured from Such derision by being Scripture Saints But then S. Austin for example having no such priviledge I see not but that he must be one of the Society of these new Fanaticks if it were but for his Tolle lege that he heard in the Garden as if some boys were singing it vpon vvhich Fancy he left of the thoughts of a wife and betook himself to a Retired and Monastick life Neither can his holy Mother Monica escape the censure of one of this Authors Hystoricall Gossips of whom this her son testifies That she had frequent Visions and Revelations one of them concerning his own becomming at length a Catholick so that he obserued that vvhen God was pleased to effect it she was not much moved vvith the news thereof because before assured of it Insomuch as that vvhen S. Austin had a purpose of marrying he requested her Prayers to God concerning it Vt ei per visum ostenderet aliquid de futuro matrimonio And she having only some imaginary ones he tells how she slighted them Dicebat enim saith he discernere se nescio quo sapore quem verbis explicare non poterat quid interesset inter revelantem Te animam suam somniantem To bear this Saint company I vvil begg leave to add both for the Antiquity and particularity of it vvhat Tertullian relates of another pious vvoman Well known to him in his book De Animâ Est hodie saith he Soror apud nos Revelationum Charismata sortita quas in Ecclesia inter Dominica Solennia per Extasim in spiritu patitur conversatur cum Angelis aliquando etiam cum Domino videt audit Sacramenta quorundam corda dignoscit medicinas desiderantibus submittit Iam vero prout Scripturae leguntur aut Psalmi canuntur aut adlocutiones proferuntur aut petitiones deleguntur ita inde Materiae Visionibus administrantur Forte nescio quid de Anima diserueramus cum ea soror in Spiritu esset Post transacta Solennia dimissa plebe quo usu solet nobis renunciare quae viderit nam diligentissime disseruntur ut etiam probentur inter caetera inquit ostensa est mihi anima corporaliter Spiritus videbatur sed non inanis vacuae qualitatis imò quae etiam teneri repromitteret tenera lucida aetherei coloris forma per omnia humana Where note that the Revelation of the Holy vvoman might be most true and yet Tertullians collection from it very erroneous that is that souls vvere aeriall Bodies because that of some person deceased appeared to this sister like one This is a subject hath no end And methinks Catholicks are not so ingenuously treated in being forced after the experience of so many ages to produce such instances as these to free in generall the extraordinary
the night before his passion Where caepit pavere caedere saith the Evangelist and that sad expression came from him Tristis est anima mea vsquâ— ad mortem Tarry here and watch with me Yet these Desolations also in a Soul thus far advanced in Grace are not void of a mixture of ioy and satisfaction that it hath alwais in Gods will being performed in them which will of God now in whatever happens is a constant consolation to it and the Apostles precept of Semper gaudete is thus accomplished in such a Soul as well as his orate sine intermissione and goe together For there cannot want content where the Mind hath its desire nor doth such a Mind want this that is vnanimous with the Divine Will the want of which conformity is only from the loving of Something that is against his Will Wordly sorrows saith S. Gregory affligentes cruciant but these Spiritual reficiunt dum affligunt In the one is In afflictione maeror but in the other In merore letitia Nay more true Sweetnes in these sorrows then in the other's joys And the abstaining in such a sharp triall from all sin against God or seeking comfort from any thing besides him or giving over her accustomed exercises of piety argues also then a close vnion of the Soul with God though not so sensible and that when it thinks it self farthest from him it is in some sort the nearest to him Lastly by and vpon these Spiritual Desolations ordinarily it is that the Soul afterward receives higher sensible visits and caresses from God then any former were for which the Soul seems best prepared by this her extreme poverty and lowness and then it is if ever the Soul receives them with more gratitude and both highlier values them and vilifies it self And it is Gods ordinary way to exalt vs in proportion to our humility and to be Adjutor in tribulationibus as in opportunitatibus when also the Soul is more endeared vnto him by her sufferings All this I have said to shew that these Spiritual Desolations of which this Author Ironically saith Then when one would least expect them follow c. are a necessary part of the way to Perfection and that the resistance of such pressures when they come or a non-compliance with them in shewing much irresignation impatience in seeking to relieve such spiritual desertions with some secular contents in relaxing former holy practices and the like disappoints the Soul of those following consolations which are the proper reward of these sufferings and disturbs Gods work in her and good intentions toward her and hinders her growth in vertue by her retaining still those imperfections and that self-love which these rightly received would have purged and mortified This of the fowrth step to Perfection Desolation 5. The fifth is a state more setled constant and tranquill where neither these Desolations are so frequent or necessary nor those Celestial Visits so violent or so short A sad case c. Now wheras vpon the first of these steps this Author descants thus A sad case to end our days as Christ and his Apostles did who vsed this low dispensation of praying to the last But alas they never vnderstood these vnions with God in the Fund of the Spirit they taught men a plain and intelligible way of serving God and bid them looke for Perfection in an other world Thus he I ask did our Lord and his Apostles end their days only or chiefly in the first Step here that of Meditation and Discursive or Vocal Prayer and never ascend to the second Step exercising more therein the Will and Affections in Aspirations and Elevations of the Soul to Gods What think we of the most exalted Disciple S. Iohn every where discoursing so much of Love and of our dwelling by Love in God and God in vs What of those Precepts Pray without ceasing watch and pray alwais And with all perseverance therein Are these to be vnderstood only of vocall and discursive prayer the first step or not rather of affective prayer the second according to that Qui semper desiderat semper orat which latter is also much easier to be continued Again What think we of our Lords spending so long time in Prayer often mentioned in the Gospells Rising vp a great while before day for this purpose Mar. 1. â—5 Again retiring into the wildernes for a greater vacancy to it Luk. 5. â—6 Before the day of the Election of his twelve Apostles the twelve Foundations of his Church ascending into a solitary mountain and there spending the whole night in prayer His ascending again into another mountain before he tooke his last iourney to Ierusalem for the accomplishing of his Passion taking three of his Disciples with him where all the night again was spent in Prayer for it is said he descended not from the hill till the next day and that there the three Disciples were surprised with sleep In which Prayer they saw his countenance changed and an anticipated appearance of his glory such as he shall have when he comes to judgment and an apparition also of Moses and Elias they by a supernaturall illumination knowing also who the persons were and his disciple Peter in such an Extatick ioy as that he cried out Bonum est esse hic c. not knowing saith the Evangelist what he said So In our Lords being in Prayer presently after Iohns baptizing him hapned the Vision of the Heavens opened the Holy Ghost descending vpon him in a bodily shape like a Dove seene by the Baptist and a voice from heaven speaking to him as here Thou art my beloued son And then a Rapt of the same Spirit that carried him into the desart Where also we may rationally imagin his time to have bin wholy spent in Prayer and Devotion and this in such a degree as to suspend and supersede the ordinary functions of nature as to eating and drinking and in these his Prayers the Tempter to have assaulted him What think we again of our Lords Infremuit Spiritu once and again in his Prayer to his Father for the resurrection of Lazarus of the ravishing expressions of his love and tender affection aspirations after a perfect vnion of all his with Him and his Father in his prayer after his last supper delivered Io. 17. c. from the 20. ver to the end And lastly of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the garden with few words but much passion being in an Agony and sweating blood and making frequent acts of Resignation and conformity to the will of his Father What think we again of S. Peters Extaticall prayer and his vision on Simon the Tanners house top Act. 10.9 and again S. Pauls in the Temple Act. 22.17 Whilst I prayed I was in an extasie c. Did our Lord and his Apostles in the Devotions here mentioned not ascend at all to that which
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
donatum est coram eloqui non verebor Nam etsi vile forsitan cum fuerit auditum despicabile videatur non mea refert quia qui spiritualis est non me despicter qui minùs non me intelliget Attamen si in alium istud Sermonem servavero forte non deerunt qui edificentur in ijs quae exoraetus interim Dominus inspirabit Sponsus Ecclesiae Iesus Christus In Sâ—rm 74. then he proceeds thus Audite me tamen hominem qui loqui trepidat tacere non potest which it seems by the words following he spoke not without Tears Nunc sustinete modicum quid insipientiae meae Volo dice e nam hoc pactus sum quomodo mecuin agitur in ejusmodi Non expedit quidem sed prodat sane vt prosim Fateor mihi adventasse verbum in insipientiâ dico pluries Cumque saepius intraverit ad me non sensi aliquoties cum intravit Adesse sensi affuisse recorder interdum praesentire potui introitum ejus sentire nunquam sed ne exitum quidem Nam vnde in animam meam venerit quove abierit denuo eam dimittens sed quà vel introterit vel exterit etiam nunc ignorare me fateor secundum illud nescis vnde veniat aut quo vadat Quaeris igitur cum ita sinâ— omnino investigabiles viae ejus vnde adesse norim then going on he declares the admirable effects of these visits Viuum efficax est moxque vt intùs venit expergefecit dormitantem animam meam movit mollivit vulneravit cor meum Cepit quoque evellere destruere edificare plantare rigare arida tenebrosa illuminare c. ita vt benediceret anima mea Domino omnia quae intra me sunt nomini sancto ejus Ita igitur intrans ad me aliquoties verbum Sponsus nullis vnquam introitum suum indicijs innotescere fecit non voce non specie non incessu Nullis denique suis motibus compertum est mihi nullis meis sensibus illapsum penetralibus meis tantum ex motu cordis sicut prefatus sum intellixi presentiam ejus c. Haec omnia ubi abscesserit verbum perinde ac si illae bullienti substraxerit ignem quodam illico languore torpentia frigida jacere incipiunt atque hoc mihi signum abscessionis ejus tristis siâ— necesse est anima mea donec iterum revertatur solito recallescat cor meum intra me idque sit reversionis indicium Tale sane experimentum de Verbo habens quid mirum si ego vsurpo vocem Sponsae in revocando illud cum se absentaverit Et hoc oro vt non vacuum veniat sed plenum gratiae veritatis more utique suo sicut heri nudius tertius See the effects of this visit of the Spouse described much what in the same manner Serm. 69. Si sensero aperiri mihi sensum vt intelligam Scripturas aut sermonem sapientiae quasi ebullire ex intimis aut infuso lumine desuper revelari mysteria aut certe expandi mihi quasi quoddam largissimum caeli gremium vberiores de sursum influere animâ— meditationum imbres non ambigo Sponsum adesse Again see such signe of his coming Serm. 31. Ignis ante ipsum praecedet Psal. 96.3 Oportet namque ut Sancti Desiderii ardor praeveniat faciem ejus ad omnem animam ad quam est ipse venturus Et tunc scit anima quoniam juxta est Dominus cum se senserit illo igne succensam dixerit cum Propheta De excelso misit ignem in ossibus meis erudivit me Et illud Concaluit cor meum intra me in meditatione mea exardescit ignis And see the attendance that ought to be given to it Serm. 17. Quando veniat vel quando vadat id plane periculosissime ignoratur Cum enim hae Sancti Spiritus circa nos dispensatoriae quidem vicissitudines vigilantissime non observantur fit vt nec absentem desideres nec presentem glorifices Vigilandum proinde vigilandum omni hora quia nescimus qua hora Spiritus venturus sit seu iterum abiturus It redit Spiritus Et has alternare vices non cessat in his qui Spirituales sunt vel quos potius spirituales proinde ipse creare intendit visitans diliculo subito probans And indeed it may be observed of the Apostles themselves that they had extraordinary accesses and excitations of the Holy Ghost at certain times more then at others As likewise the Prophets before them were also extraordinarily moved by the Spirit only at certain times As appears Act. 4.8 and 31. much what like that Act. 2.2 the place shaken with the same Spirit 7.55 13.9 17.16 18.5.25 Lu. 1.41.67 2.27 See this Grace also copiously described in Scala Claustrali And de vita solitaria ad Fraâ—res de Monte Dei by S. Bernard or who ever was the Author of them In Scala c. 4.5 His incantationibus saith he anima advocat sponsum Dominus autem medium orationis cursum interrumpens festinus ingerit se animae desideranti festinus occurrit celestis rore dulcedinis circumfusus c. Et sicut in quibusdam carnalibus officiis anima adeo vincitur carnaeli concupiscentia quod omnem vsum rationis amittit fit homo quasi totus carnalis ita meritò in hat superna contemplatione ita consumuntur absorbentur carnales motus ab anima vt in nullo caro Spiritui contradicat fiat homo quasi totus spiritualis Then speaking of the Sighs and Tears dulciores super mel favum which in the great alterations dilatings and impulses of the Heart plentifully flow in such supernaturall visits and the difficulty to express how in these the Soul is affected Sed quid saith he hujusmodi secreta colloquia proferimus in publicum Cur ineffabiles inerrabiles affectus verbis communibus conamur exprimere inexperti talia non intelligunt nisi ea expressius legant in libro experientiae quos ipsa docet vnctio And then again laments the shortnes of their stay Quomodo remanet anima Spiritus sancti fervore discedente Bonum erat nobis hic esse Sed jam dicit sponsus dimitte me c. Venit O sponsa ad consolationem recedit ad cautelam ne magnitudo consolationis extollat te Hanc autem gratiam cui vult quando vult sponsus tribuit As he saith elswhere O quam jucundum sentitur si non esset tam modicum Raptum Again of the same things in his Tract De Vita Solitaria ad Fratres de Monte Dei he speaks in this manner Dilecto Dei aliquando vicissim lumen quoddam vultus Dei ostenditur sicut lumen clausum in manibus paâ—et latet ad arbitrium tenentis vt per hoc quod quasi in transcursu vel in
Church'es Faith or Peace and most of all of those Enthusiasmes and Fanatick frenzies which have bin so common among Protestants the chief vse that these persons make of pretending new divine inspirations being to take away the yoke of those former delivered in Scripture which being so point blank opposite to that party no less then new divine inspirations can serve their turne to confront and fight against them on an equall ground Lastly in all these pretensions where there is any greater difficulty of discerning the Good and Divine from the bad and Satanicall Spirit We have a Iudge to repair to the Governours of the Church The Spirits of the Prophets saith S. Paul are subiect to the Prophets And Quench not the Spirit Despise not prophecying But Prove all things and try the Spirits saith S. John whether they be of God Now the last Tryer of them in any controversy arising must be the Church according to our Lords stating of this matter Math. 18.17 Dic Ecclesiae And so the Catholick Church hath tried them in all ages for we do not deny but that as Fanaticks and Enthusiasts have more abounded among Sects perhaps because they find more liberty so such do appeare sometimes within the body of the Catholick Church the Devill being Gods Ape and every where ambitiously and perversly imitating his Works and the Church doth still try them from time to time as occasions offer themselves and by her Sentence some are justified as Saints and singular Favourits of God others censured condemned and suppressed as Impostors and Deceivers Now if any sober Protestant vpon this late writers bringing this subject on the stage hath the curiosity to inform himself both what Supernaturall favours and extraordinary celestiall communications are received by some persons of great devotion in the Catholick Church and what strictnes and caution the Church vseth in examining them I much recommend to him for both these the perusall of the life of S Teresa where he may 1. observe the great diligence that Was vsed for severall years in the Triall of the Spirit of that most Holy Virgin and as to this is desired to view in particular the 33. Observations made by a Confessor of her in Approbation thereof and 2. where he may see if Ecclesiasticall Authority have any Weight with him those sublime favours she received in prayer confirmed to be from God as it were by a generall attestation of them throughout the Christian World even those who suspected and questioned them at first afterwards magnifying them her works being approved by the most eminent persons for learning Sanctity that were in her Age and translated into all moderne languages for a more vniuersall Benefit And if in this contest about the truth of Visions and Revelations c. still continued in the Catholick Church This Author will be concluded by the Common Reason of Christians which he often appeals to how can he condemn all those as Fanaticks whom the Common Reason of the Church trying their Spirits by the generall grounds and Principles of Christiany hath for so many Ages approued and received for Saints or again how condemn those Divines who long before the birth of Protestancy have Written on Mysticall Theology as maintaining Enthusiasme Whose works the Common Reason of the Church hath approved and esteemed most vsefull for the advancing of Christian Perfection The Church then is the Iudge for discerning of Spirits to which we do and these persons in Common Reason ought to submitt but yet on such new Illuminations or Revelations can be grounded no Article of Faith because that by which she judgeth these is her former Rule of Faith and thus far she can only allow them as they appeare to contain nothing contrary to it which certainly they would if they should pretend any new Addition of Faith to it Neither is the Church secured that any though reputed Saints are infallible in all that which they say nor that all is Divine that they pretend to Nor is there now not only any contradictory but any additionall new Revelation of any part of the Catholick Faith to be expected or admitted after God the Fathers speaking and declaring all his will to the Church by his only son our Lord and by his Apostles Nor can we believe since Miracles are the only thing that can confirme such Revelations I mean of some Common Article to be added to the Christian's former Creed for Divine that these shall ever be wrought to such a purpose 5. THis of the Church's discerning Enthusiasmes and Satanicall Illusions from the Internall operations of the Holy Spirit guided herein by the light of the Scriptures But there are other influences and inspirations of the same Spirit directing vs also in actions in their owne nature indifferent or of counsel on either side lawfull and free from sin some of which inspirations cannot be tried or distinguished from Enthusiasme by any such way as the former Which because they are much spoken of by the Mysticks and are very necessary for advancing Christians in the way of Perfection it seems requisite for the freeing these also from mistakes to give the Reader here some account of them 1. We must know then as Sancta Sophia and others have discoursed more at large that there are two Spirits within vs that is all the Regenerate the Holy Spirit and that of Corrupt nature assisted with the Suggestions of the Devill who took a kind of possession of vs vpon Adams Fall That this last Spirit is never totally expell'd or silenc'd in vs during this life but tempts vs still and That it's suggestions may appear many times like the motions of Gods Spirit pretending good ends the performing some duty to ourselves or our neighbour our advancement in vertue and the like That the effect of the first of these Spirits Sanctifying Grace received in our Regeneration or justification is in it's infusion ordinarily but as a small seed or spark capable of a dayly growth and increase and which with the cooperation of our free wil and further aids that are from time to time received from God works in vs at length a totall Reformation and Christian Perfection which so many among the regenerate as do attain are said in a more speciall manner to be Spirituall Persons and to have the Spirit of God And in this sense the Apostle writes to the Corinthians I Brethren could not speak vnto you as to Spiritual but as to Carnal and as to Babes in Christ. 1. Cor. 3.1 and so ver 3. For ye are yet Carnal and Walk according to Man that is ye are Babes only in Christ and so in some degree carnal and walking according to the naturall Man still and not as yet entirely Spirituall And frequent mention we find in the Scriptures of these severall degrees and growths in a regenerate condition It being Gods pleasure that the new Man
acceptable service he may do to God or his neighbour or secret reprehensions for some Faults or admonitions for the better ordering of his life Spiritu as our Lord Saith Io. 3.8 Spirante ubi vult and he not knowing whence such things come or how they passe away yet these things we are assured must be from Gods Spirit because no good thought is from ourselves And why may not we imagine the same a due preparation being supposed of the thoughts iniected in our doubtings and requests concerning actions left free and vndetermined by the Divine declared will what way in these we may rather take the better to serve and please him God forbid that the name of Enthusiasme should deterr Christians from such a practice or hearkning to this internall Language Or as M. Cressy expresses it in his Preface should render Prayer and by Prayer the obtaining of Divine Grace a suspicious exercise And I wish the Author would a little better weigh his words and the maligne influence they may have on others We say then Divine Inspirations are necessary for Grace as well furthers as prevents vs to distinguish the motions of the Good and Bad Spirit in our minds in matters purely indifferent which may be proposed to vs by either of these Spirits for a different end where we have no other extenal Rule to iudge these motions by as we have in all internal suggestions concerning such other matters as are either directly commanded or prohibited by Gods Law And it is by this latter way of discovery and not the former that M. Cressy shews the suggestions of Fanaticks to be Satanicall To try Illuminations by Inspirations and so Inspirations by Illuminations c. This Author since Lauds Labyrinth dreams much of Circles To me there appears no more of a Circle or Identicall proof here than in the proving of the Scripture by the Church and the Church by the Motives of credibility Or than in the Protestants proving their Church Authority from the Scriptures and Scriptures from Vniversall Tradition The discerning of the motions of the Spirit by other second motions of the same Spirit more manifest to vs is no circular proof or evidence no more then this when a friend vnknown doth me a favour and afterwards tells me he did it The things of the Spirit saith the Apostle are discerned Spiritually that is Surely by the Spirit and vers 12. we have received the Spirit of God that we might know the things that are given to vs of God that is by his Spirit And the Gift of Discerning of Spirits 1. Cor. 12.10 is a gift or operation of the Spirit and the Spirit in bearing witness to our Spirits that we are the children of God or born again of the Spirit bears witness of it self New Revelations and as great c. New Divine Revelations are pretended by Fanaticks As great or greater or frequenter are pretended by the Church By the one truly by the other falsly the Divine laws being Iudge But no new or strange Revelations are pretended by or in the Church that is such as deliver any new thing contrary to or dissonant from the Old of which M Cressy there speaks and the latter following words sufficiently explain the precedent which this Author after 2. pages discourse vpon new is pleased to take notice of p. 242. where he goes on Yet M. Cressy saith they are not seditious c. Reply to p. 340. To hearken to the Immediate impulses the Spirit of God c. Catholicks as well as Fanaticks affirm that men ought to hearken to the immediat Impulses I suppose he means inspirations of the Spirit of God within them And will not this Author say so too But no Catholick pretends that God acquaints him with his mind and will in a way peculiar to himself and not such as is or may be common to all others that are in the state of Grace Who did not boast of so many Raptures c. Rapts and Visions in the Catholick Church are not to be distinguished from Fanaticism by the degree or the number of them but the quality As though the case were the very same c. The Prophets and Apostles received truth by Revelation saith Blosius therefore others may But he saith there also Denique Sacrae Scripturae Diuinis Revelationibus sunt plenae Revelationibus made to others I hope besides Apostles and Prophets witness 1. Cor. 14.26.30 and so he concludes Dominus semper poâ—uie semperque poterie operari quod vult in mundis animabus that he may bestow such Revelations on others still New and strange Revelations made to four Women Saints c. New Revelations and Visions taken in any sense save as these oppose the Old ones I mean the Scriptures Blosius had no reason to disbelieue since it is a promise vnder the Gospel your sons your daughters shall prophesy your yongmen shall see visions and your old men shal dream dreams and that this Spirit should be powred out not only on our Lords men servants but also on his hand maidens ver 18. as on the four daughters of Phillip the Deacon Act. 21.9 And we find Anna having Revelations as well as Simeon And what means this Author in these words Melancholick women Hystericall vapours c Are women more remote from the Graces of the Holy Spirit then Men or are not these to be equally honoured when they appear in that Sexe As for the four women Saints the particular Persons here named the Sanctity of their Lives is recorded in Church History their Festivals were celebrated in the Publick Liturgy through all the Western world before the appearance of Luther their Revelations are pious and consonant to Scripture We have before shewed how much they were approved c. The more ample this Author hath shewn such testimonies to be the more methinks he condemns his own censure in his going against the Common Reason of the Church and so if this may argue any faulty presumption in him he hath no cause to be angry with Blosius for praying for this Pardon Reply to p. 341. What means that saying in the Spirituall exercises c. I have an Edition of the Spirituall Exercises printed at vienna 1563 that is after S. Ignatius his death and therfore nothing added to them since and before 1574. wherein I can find no such passage Nor is it as this Author confesseth to be found in the later Impressions Is he not then hard put to it to find fuell enough for enflaming the popular hate against Catholicks that runs to such old Editions for it and this only out of a report not knowledge that it is there when the newer do not supply it Nor yet will forgive nor forget their fault Suppose one when he finds they have amended it But now to consider the words so happily discovered The words are these It is the great perfection of a Christian