THE ROMAN-CHVRCH'S DEVOTIONS VINDICATED From Doctour Stillingfleet's mis-representation By O. N. a Catholick Io. 3.8 Spiritus vbi vult spirat vocem ejus audis Sed nescis vnde veniat aut quò vadat Sic omnis qui natus est de Spiritu 1. Thess. 5.19 Spiritum nolite extinguere Prophetias nolite spernere omnia autem probate M.DC.LXXII THere is nothing Pious Reader wherein a Christian can receiue a greater dammage in order to Saluation then to be any way misinformed or prejudiced concerning Prayer and too much pains cannot be taken in endeavouring to satisfy all doubts and scruples raised on this subject I have therfore thought fit to enlarge myself in this ensuing discourse not only in discussing punctually page by page that part of Doctour Stilling fleets late Book that handles this matter but also in premising for the Readers benefit a more Generall Account of the Church's Doctrine and Practice herein as being the most fundamentall part of a Christians Duty and wherein Man whil'st here on earth entertains a nearer conversation with Heaven as also the instrument by which he derives from thence all other Graces and Blessings Spirituall or Temporall And here I may first say this in my entrance vpon this task that there is no part of Religion wherein the Roman Catholick Church might think herself more secure from blame and censure and wherein her extraordinary care and prudence for the right Guidance of her children in this Holy exercise as appears by the great store of writings vpon this subject doth more deserue praise euen from her Adversaries all Sects borrowing from Her Rules and Patterns for Prayer and Meditation as the Catholick Books on this subject translated and rendred common among them do abundantly witness For from whom can they learn these so well as from those who most practise Prayer and who are they but those who also vse solitude and Retirement and a sequestration of themselues from all unnecessary secular affaires to attend altogether on this Holy exercice who renounce all worldly wealth and prevent the trouble of a conjugal life of children family and the like and so both the cares of this world and the necessary causes thereof that so they may calmely and quietly entertain a closer communication with God and have their conversation in Heaven whilst here on Earth Or to vse the Apostles language 1. Cor. 7. that so they may giue themselves to Fasting and Prayer ver 5. may be without solicitude ver 32. may take care only for the things of the Lord how they may please the Lord. Ib. and that they may attend upon him without distraction ver 35. Which they doing I hope it may seem no wonder if God also vse a greater familiarity towards them delight to be with them he and those of his Court and shew them greater Kindnes who love him more or nothing but him and whom also he loves more who is no mans debter in love and who also loveth first otherwise they could not love him at all magit amat ante To begin then first by the assistance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit without which we can do nothing with a more generall explication of this matter to render the following Animaduersions on the Doctours book more intelligible 1. HEre those supernatural and extraordinary Graces and Favours that are vrgd against this Church as meer Fanaticism Namely Visions Revelations Predictions of things to come Knowledge of things done in Absence Knowledge of other mens thoughts science infused Hearing interiour Words spoken in the Soul interiour apparitions of Saints and Angels and our Lord Such as happened to S. Paul in the Temple At Corinth when he suffered shipwrak to Ananias to Philip to Cornelius and others Extasies Rapts an extraordinary sense of the Divine presence in the most interiour part of the Soul or Spirit suspension of the senses and of the Discursive operations of the interiour Faculties called by the Fathers Contemplatio Transformatio unio Dei sensus gustus tactus Amplexus Osculum ingressus in Divinam Caliginem introductio in Dei cellaria in cubiculum raptus mentis excessus and the like These I say and much more that might be named and much more then can be very intelligibly expressed to the vnexperienced are willingly confessed not unfrequently to have hapned to Men of a more holy and innocent life and Persons especially much addicted to Solitude and Prayer within the Communion of the Catholick Church in all Ages The Ecclesiasticall Histories are full of them not only the Modern but those of the more ancient and Primitive times Whereof he who doubts may read the relation S Dionysius Areopage makes of S. Carpus The life of S. Antony written by S. Athanasius the reading of which was partly a cause of the conversion of S. Austin the life of S. Paul the Hermite Hilarion Malchus and others written by S Hierom to which may be added the strange relation he makes of what hapned to himself in his Epistle to Eustochium The lives of the Syrian and Egyptian Monks and Hermites living in perpetual retired solitude and Prayer related by Theodoret Cassian and Palladius The life of S. Gregory Thaumaturgus and in it the famous vision he had of the Blessed Virgin and S. Iohn the Evangelist The life of S. Theodorus and S. Ephrem written by S. Gregory Nyssen The life of S. Ambrose by Paulinus and what S. Austin saith of him in his Confessions l. 9. c. 7. and De Curâ pro mortuis cap. 17. as also of Iohn the Egyptian Monk Ibid. and de Civit. Dei l. 5. c. 26. The life of S. Martin by Severus Sulpitius who lived with him and of a noble Roman become a Monastick Of several Sts. and Martyrs by S. Gregory Turonensis of S. Benedict by S. Gregory of our English Saints by S. Bede not long after the generall conversion of England nor before his own times Of S. Malachias by S Bernard his intimate acquaintance and again of S. Bernard by some Abbots his familiar Friends of S. Francis by S. Bonaventure who lived immediatly after his time I descend no further to later times because possibly they may have with Protestants lesse credit These are the lives of such as were universally reputed Saints in the Church of God till the late Reformation Written also by Saints or Persons of an vnblemished credit many of them Contemporary or also acquaintance and so who might better know the truth of what they writt Now in these lives may be found frequent mention of Visions Revelations Rapts and the other forenamed extraordinary Divine Graces and Favours and all these stories very consonant one to another Such as the latter times relate and such as are now still pretended Such do the former and all much agreeing with those mentioned in the Holy Scripture and this uniforme Experience of the operations
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
walk in it according to its directions And that they would mind or affect the things of the Spirit or the things it minds them of Because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 within them is death in the end but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 within them is life and peace to them Exhorts them also Eph. 4.30 with no corrupt and fruitles communication to contristate or grieve this Spirit Tim. 4.14 not to neglect it 1. Cor. 15.10 That it should not be void or idle in them 1. Thess. 5.19 not to quench it Eph. 5.18 To replenish themselves with it And 2. Tim. 1.6 continually to revive it Rom. 12.11 to be fervent in it Without which the Apostle saith we cannot think a good thought and our Lord that We can do nothing 3. These actions of the latter kind we are now speaking of that may be lawfully done or omitted the one or the other performed without any guilt of sin are either such as by the Evangelical Councels and the dictate of rectified Reason are clearly discerned by vs the one to be better and more to lead to Christian Perfection then the other or such Where we have some doubt of these two actions good or lawful which is the better or more expedient In the former of these we may safely conclude that that which is manifest to vs to be the better as to our perfection is the motion in vs of the Holy Spirit and that the doing it is the doing the wil of God in this matter and that so often as we reject or neglect this so often we contristate the Spirit that would thus conduct vs to perfection and refuse to do Gods will when this is known to vs Whose wil it ought always to be presumed to be that we should do that which is cleare to vs all things considered to be best for his glory and our good to be done though such omission or neglect amounts not to a sin but to a failing so much in Perfection And indeed the not vigilantly observing these Motions of the Spirit within vs and the not hearkning to and obeying them when evident to be such or also the not preconsulting by prayer what it adviseth but rather precipitating our action to prevent it is the Reason of so many their no greater improvement in the Spirit and that they are such strangers to it and It to them is a check to the further and stronger operations of it in the Soul for who would offer Counsel seldome or never accepted or asked abates the fervour and solace that there would be in prosecuting it's suggestions and leave vs guilty of much vnkindnes and ingratitude For as S. Bernard Cum hae Sancti Spiritus circa nos dispensatoriae quidem vicissitudines vigilantissime non observantur fiâ— vt nec absentem desideres nec presentem glorifices But in the latter Actions wherein we have some cause of doubt which is best and yet wherein the making a good choice may be exceedingly beneficial to vs according to the variety of our temper and condition to the better ordering of our life and service of God such illumination and Direction of the Holy Spirit or also a cleare discerning thereof is obtained especially by much Purity of conversation and Abstraction from worldly things by frequent Recollection and introversion and attendance on God in the perfectest practice of Prayer we can attain to For God hath graciously declared to vs in the Scriptures That the effectual prayer of a righteous man as that of Elias auaileth much that he heareth not sinners but if any one be a worshiper of him and doth his wil him he heareth That all things whatsoever we shall ask in prayer that is Such persons not doubting but believing we shall receive them that if we abide in Christ and he in vs ask what we will and it shall be done vnto vs because indeed such ask by the Spirit of Christ who liveth in them and so ask according to Gods will That if we keep his comandements and do what is pleasing in Gods sight whatever we ask we receive of him That if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth vs and grants our requests that though we know not what we should desire or pray for as we ought that is as to temporal prosperity or afflictions or such like things of which S. Paul there speaks what therin is best for Gods glory or our own proficiency yet the Holy Spirit within vs with vnutterable groans and great ardour intercedeth for vs according to Gods will and that God knoweth its mind though not expressed in Words and granteth it's requests that the same Spirit searcheth the profound things of God and what is his will and revealeth them to vs that natural Reason is not able to vnderstand them but they many times seem foolishness to it But that the things of the Spirit are discerned only by the Spirit most of Which Texts seem to be spoken not only of our petitioning God concerning the necessary means of our or others Saluation but more vniversally of all sorts of requests concerning the things of this life and any things that are in their nature indifferent and lawfull and of his Spirit directing vs to ask and do in them what is his wil and of his granting those to vs Which may be best for vs wherein God heareth and granteth the petitions of his Saints much sooner then of others I say then since God in the Scriptures hath declared these things and made these promises that he will not deny what we ask according to his will we may rationally presume and be piously confident that he will grant our request when this is only to know his will that we may do that which is according to it and we may safely take that for his will to Which after such addresses and other due preparations made we shall find our selves more strongly inclined and also take such inclination to proceed from the operation of Gods Spirit either illuminating somtimes our vnderstanding in discouering to it some Reasons not so well discerned or else disesteemed and thought considerable before Or somtimes more confirming to vs the judgment our own Reason made of the thing before Or some times effecting a strong and suddenly iniected inclination in the will so swayed without any preceding Reasons or discourse of the Intellect presented it Or somtimes causing an extraordinary tranquility consolation and satisfaction to accompany such our Election According to the Rule of Abbot Isaac in Cassian Cum orantes nos nulla interpellaverit hesitatio si obtinuisse nos in ipsa orationis effusione quod poscimus senserimus non ambigamus preces nostras ad Deum efficaciâ—er penetrasse where note that the Devill or any Creature cannot work so immediatly and intimatly on our vnderstanding and will as Gods Spirit doth but by the vse of phantasms
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
or Images of the Spirits humors c. Or where no such preponderation to any side is perceived in the Soul then We may presume this to be his will that making vse of our best Reason or others Advice without any solicitude we take either side Now in the discerning of these Divine Illuminations and inspirations from Enthusiasmes or the motions of the Good from those of our own or a Bad Spirit in these matters As any one hath attained ro a greater perfection in Prayer and Mortification and Purity of life they attain hereby a greater measure of Gods Spirit and hence it's Illuminations and inspirings in them are also much greater and stronger and more intimately effective on the Soul then any other motions from whence soever they come can be and so also these become more evident to such and many times are so clearly discerned by them from the Supernatural impression they make vpon the Soul as that it cannot resist disbelieve or any way doubt of them that they are Supernatural and Divine So S. Austin relates of his Mother Monica that she clearly knew such Supernatural actings in her from her own imaginations Dicebat enim discernere se nescio quo sapore quem verbis explicare non poterat quid interesset inter revelantem Te animam suam somniantem And indeed if such interiour Divine operations Were not somtimes certainly discernable how could S. Paul be assured when he intended to preach the Word in Asia and again in Bithynia a most charitable designe that the Spirit forbad it and not rather the Enemy of the publishing of the Gospel Act. 16.6.7 or That it was by Revelation and not a fancy of his that he ascended to Jerusalem Gal. 2.2 Or That it Was the Holy Spirit that testified and not men's fears that much affliction should happen to him there Act. 20.23 How the Corinthians knew when they had a Revelation that it was not a work of their own imagination since all these things were transacted only interiourly in the Soul and it was the Holy Spirit only that in all these gave the evidence to itself A certain Assurance then it cannot be denyed that some at somtimes may have of Divine operations in them But yet it is not affirmed here that all persons less advanced in Prayer and Purity of life or also the greatest Saints at all times discern the operations of the Holy Spirit within them so clearly in this sort of actions as not to be somtimes mistaken and it is sufficient that persons piously disposed and frequent in Prayer may have a rational presumption of it as hath been said Neither is any more communicated vnto them perhaps for the better preserving of their Humility And that no absolute certitude is herein to be expected is a thing often confessed by Sancta Sophia See 1. vol. p. 139. and p. 137. 4. But 4. in case such Divine inspirations be somtimes mistaken yet can no dammage come thereby I mean as to committing any Sin 1. the subject of them we speak of here being matters in themselves indifferent and on any side lawfull See Sancta Sophia 1. vol. p. 143 -2 No command of Superiours in these any way neglected 3. no neglect besides vsing Prayer in practising any other means of making a secure choice either in weighing reasons on all sides or taking advice from others Only the deuout Soul in vsing these endeavours yet relies not on them but on the directions of Gods Holy Spirit working continually in the Regenerate both by prevenient and subsequent Grace makes no sudden resolutions nor rushes hastily vpon any action but diligently hearkens first to this internal Guide what it may tell her is best desiring faithfully all naturall Passions and self-love layd aside to correspond with all it's motions the carefull observers of which with a pure intention of mind may be justly presumed seldome to Want them though they do not so certainly know them and mean while such persons if not free always from mistakes yet are secure in this sort of actions we speak of from entertaining any sinful Enthusiasme or such as any other person except by Divine Inspiration can either censure or discouer 5. Having spoken thus much from § 3. of the extraordinary and Supernaturall Graces and Favours the Illuminations and Influences of the Holy Spirit that are communicated by God to persons of greater Sanctity and practice of Prayer which do also more clearly and evidently guide them in all their actions and of the discerning of these from other Enthusiasms and Illusions In the last place I shall consider the Churches Directions concerning Prayer and Devotion the chief means of procuring all these Divine Graces which Directions this our Author censures to be such as if they were designed only to amuse and confound the minds of devout persons and to prepare them for the most gross Enthusiasme and extravagant illusions of fancy whereas indeed there is no part of a Christian's duty in which the Church by those many Doctors of hers Mysticks and others who have chiefly employed their talent and communicated their experience on this Subject hath taken more profitable pains and descended lower even to the meanest capacities nor where this displeased Author can find less ground for a quarrel Infinite are the Books written on this Divine Art of Prayer Wherein like a careful Mother she trains vp her children by certain degrees from the lowest step thereof which touches the ground to the highest which reaches to heaven knowing it to be the Foundation of all Goodnes and the Attractive of all the Divine Benedictions and Benefits She then first here in preparation for Prayer adviseth her Children to a serious endeavour to keep their conscience clear from Mortal sin or also Venial as much as humane frailty permits and to a care of avoiding the occasions thereof without which endeavour our devotions cannot be acceptable to God I mean as to the receiving from him any great plenty of his Grace And again requires at such times of Prayer a dismission of and abstraction from all secular busines Solitude and a recollection of the mind and thoughts and oblivion so much as we can of all creatures and a removing also of all hindrances that may come from the objects of the exteriour senses c. These presupposed She first begins to feed her little ones with milk and as it were to chew their meat for them giving them infinite prescriptions for all occasions of several Formes of Vocal Prayer where Novices begin and Which the most perfect also return to From these Vocal she next leads them on to Mental Prayer where their devotions may enjoy more liberty whatever way they are bent without their former confinement to set Words or Forms and where the cessation from external action renders the inward more attent and affective as experience shews and more freed from the distraction of the senses and also from the
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
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
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
of the Holy Spirit grounding an uniform Doctrine of the Mystical Divines And the same matter of Sport or derision this Authour finds in S. Gregory's story of S. Benedict or in S Bonaventure's of S. Francis the same he may in all the rest if he wil take the pains to bring them also vpon the stage and dares continue his play with such Holy things exposed to the Atheistical and Profane He that will say all these Relations are feigned by the Historians I say All for if some of them only be true it serves our purpose by these to justify the like against the Faith of Church History and Tradition and the eminent Sanctity also of the Relaters may proceed for any thing I know a litle further and say that Christianity depending also on Tradition is so and he who granting them not forged yet calls them Enthusiasmes or frauds and delusions of the evil Spirit must make the Holiest lives that have appeared in Gods Church to have bin the greatest impostures and these deceits also to have bin seconded with the Gift of Prophecy and Miracles which in like manner occurr in the same stories and these latter serve to justify the former Meanwhile because Deus non facit taliter omni nationi and mirabilia sua non manifestat illis these are become a wonder to other Sects who from altogether wanting them first disbelieve them and from this proceed to despising them and now at last it seems to reproaching them according to those Iude 10. Quaecunque quidem ignorant blasphemant and reducing them to Fanaticisme as if after themselues have bin so much molested with it it were some consolation to them that their Neighbours had a share or that being deeply over-run with this yellow jaundise they can now see abroad no other colour But the application they have made of this name here to the Catholicks is somwhat like an ill sort of Argument that by proving too much that is all Antiquity Fanatick too proves nothing Nay renders the imputer of it a Fanatick if a Private Spirit opposing the Publick one of the Church of all Ages since the Apostles may be called so But with whatever terms of reproach these Divine Favours are blasphemed by Strangers to them it hath pleased his Divine Majesty in all times to honour his Church with them and to convert many to the Christian Faith by them and she must with all gratitude profess them and particularly that not without these Divine Inspirations though also more principally upon the Evangelicall Counsels delivered by our Lord and his Apostles as also the precedent Examples of Scripture-Saints all the Orders of Religion in any Age that are erected in and allowed by the Church have bin founded A speciall Means also for obtaining such spirituall and extraordinary Favours from God the effects of which are admirable as to advancing a soul in all Christian Perfection and vertues whether respecting Gods service our own or our neighbours good is affiâ—med to be besides a watchfull guard for keeping the Conscience clean as much as may be not only from Mortall but also venial sin much frequent and continued Vocal or Mental Prayer much Solitude and Mortifications of our flesh and Abstraction of our thoughts and affections from any creature much Recollection and withdrawing from abroad into our selves accedentes ad cor altum and quaerentes regnum Dei intra nos much Meditation on such selected subjects as may rather enflame our affections then increase our Science and when once we find these enkindled the endeavouring a Quiescence as much as we can from former Discourse these actions of the Brain and Intellect now hindring the Heart and Wil and the bringing ourselves rather to a simple Contemplation to exercise acts of Love adhere to sigh after and entertain the Divine Object thereof And here if his Divine Majesty please to advance us any higher to such Vnions with him as are not in our power and wherein we receive rather then act and he operates in vs rather then we our-selves we embrace them with all humility and gratitude if otherwise we acquiesce in our best endeavours and longing after him with patience though enabled also to these only by his Grace This our Spirituall and Mystical Masters teach vs and this after this way which these men stile Fanaticisme and Enthusiasme We endeavour to procure a more strict acquaintance and converse with God and herein to follow the example of our Fore-fathers IT is also freely confessed that many of those Supernatural Communications of his Divine Majesty to some of his choicest servants in Prayer are so sublime and high as that they are described by them not without great difficulty and un usuall expressions some of which this Author hath glean'd up and put some-what vntowardly togeather but so as they best made for his purpose expressions not so wel vnderstood but only by Such as have experienced such favours which also happen to be very few Qui spiritualis est saith S. Bernard in relating his own experience herein of which more anon non me despiciet qui minus non me intelliget And to Pope Eugenius Queris Quomodo si Sanctus es nosti si non es esto tuo experimento Scies And in scalâ Claustrali Inexpertitalia non intellgunt nisi ea expressius legant in libro Experientiae quos ipsa docet unctio Quod nec absâ—ndi potest nec sermonibus aperiri saith S. Gregory of the same Grace And S. Austin Pulchritudinis ejus contemplatione beatissimi quae nisi Sanctorum intellectu percipi non potest Yet notwithstanding this the persons who have received such heavenly Caresses have bin induced as Wel as they could to declare them to others though with much reluctance of their humility upon a triple account 1. Either induced to discover them in Confession out of feare of some delusion in such extraordinary elevations as is well known in the long triall of that great Saint of God Teresa whose praises are spred through the whole Church Catholick so to be assisted with the Direction of their Superiors Or. 2. after they were confirmed that these were from God by many most vnquestionable notes thereof declaring these and the noble effects of them for the great advancement in us of all Christian vertues out of their great ardour of Charity to excite many others to the like assiduity of Prayer Solitude Recollection c. by which means themselves attained them yet so as not for this to omitt any duty to others to which either Obedience or Charity obligeth them Or. 3. publishing them also for the instruction of their Scholars how they are to behave themselves with most profit and advantage when they should happen to arrive to the receiving of the like wherein at the first Novices are wont to be troubled with many fears scruples and jealousies Such extraordinary and Supernaturall Illuminations Inspirations
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
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
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
For new Revelations see what hath bin said before § 4. and let the Scriptures be considered that are cited § 24. If any thing be revealed to another let the first hold his peace And Every one of you hath a Revelation And the Apostle's praying for the Ephesians That God would give vnto them the Spirit of wisdome and Revelation for opening the eyes of their vnderstanding and to comprehend the breadth and length and depth and height of the love of Christ c. To which Scriptures may be added the place of Saint Austin when going to write of the Trinity Si quid autem aliter sapio id quoque mihi ipsa revelabit sive per occultas inspirationes atque admonitiones sive per manifesta eloquia sua c. And so Confess lib. 11. c. 22. About the measuring of time Exarsit saith he animus meus nosse istud implicatissimum enigma Noli claudere Domine Deus noli claudere desiderio meo ista If it be asked what are or may be the Subjects of such new Revelations I answer All matters concerning either an Orthodox Faith or an holy life All the Precepts and Counsells of Perfection already delivered in the Gospell but these extended and applied to severall particulars wherin we cannot otherwise without such new light be so certainly guided such new illustrations and influences of the Holy Spirit often producing in vs a firmer assent and a greater affection to them Shewing Divine Mysteries more clearly and profoundly Pressing Christian Duties more efficaciously Instructing vs in particular cases and circumstances and with considering our present disposition or condition Directing vs of things indifferent or also good proposed which is to be performed as the more perfect more acceptable to God beneficial to vs Often acquainting and admonishing vs of our infirmities and temptations Discovering also Secrets Events and matters of Fact past present future as they may happen to concern the benefit of ourselves or others lastly new Revelations of former Revelations as some circumstantial application of them is necessary Mentall Prayer is praying with or in the mind with a liberty from set formes Abstraction of life is only sequestring ourselves as much as we can from wordly cares and busines especially at the time of our Devotions Introversion is nothing more then a Recollection of the mind from all external objects and acts which distract it into it self there to spend all it's thoughts and affections on God pious Meditations Convertimini ad cor Accedet homo ad cor altum is Scripture-language and Regnum Dei intra vos saith our Lord. And Ipse nomen contemplationis suscipit qui cor intùs habet Saith S. Gregory In Ezech. Hom. 17. A state of introversion is a strong and well-confirmed habit of it when we have gotten a power ouer ourselves to do it without difficulty Self annihilation is self deniall self mortification such was the Apostle's when he said I am nothing 2. Cor. 12.11 I wish there were not more deficient in the practice than ignorant in the meaning of these Vnknowing ourselves vnknowing God Removing the Images of the Creatures and of God 1. as much as we can forgetting our selves and other Creatures and defacing the hurtfull phantasme or Images we have of them in our minds though I would not be here vnderstood to include amongst them the Humanity of our ever Blessed Lord which is the Chief nourishment and support of all true Devotion Defacing them I say first and chiefly as they relate to our Affections in retaining no inordinate inclinations or adherence to them or any of them in neither solicitously seeking nor willingly admitting when offered consolations from them a sure way but after some patience to find consolations much greater in and from God Happiest he who ever thus most vnknows both them and himself and thus he becomes the better prepared for a more immediate and intimate vnion by Love to his Creator This our being wholy Mortified to the world and weaned from the Creature and so from ourselves as if it were not is one of the chief Lessons that is taught in the Catholick Schoole of Devotion And as God manifests to any Souls his Greatnes so there more appears to them the litleness or nothingness of the Creature 2. Removing them As they relate to our Meditations in laying aside as much as we can these workings of the Braine after the Soul perceiues herself sufficiently excited by them to Acts of Love for now Such Meditations become hindrances and distractions to Contemplation and then when our Will is fixed on that supremely amiable object the enioyment of which we seek by them Which the Affective part of the Soul more quietly possesseth as our imagination worketh and disturbeth it less and when the Soul in respect of these Images is at it were in the darke and sees least of them I mean such Images as the act of love and contemplation or affective meditation rather infused then acquired do not necessarily include Indeed the greatest disturbance we find in our prayers and therfore it needs to be no wonder if the Mysticks speak so much of them is from these Images of wordly things so lively drawn and imprinted in our Fancy by our much trafficking with them that the Soul at her devotions is frequently casting her eye aside vpon them And the greatest art of a christian is to deface these Images there as much as he can that he may keep his mind fixed on somthing much nobler and better and the way to obliterate them again is to sequester ourselves as much as necessity and duty permits from negotiating with these wordly affaires and cares that necessarily stay them there Of removing these Images S. Dionysius speaks much See the much noted place De Mystic Theolog. c. 1. Tu vero Timothee Charissime intentissima contuendis Spectaculis Mysticis exercitatione sensus linguae intellectuales operationes sensibilia intelligibilia omnia c. v◠illi jungaris qui super omnem substantiam omnem quae scientiam est Libero enim solutoque a Te ab omnibus discessu ad divinarum tenebrarum radium super-essentialem contendes And thus S. Gregory Qui adhuc exteriora immoderatiùs cogitant quae sint de aeterno lumine rimae contemplationis ignorant Neque enim cum corporearum rerum imaginibus illa se infusio incorporea lucis capit quia dum sola visibilia cogitantur lumen invisibile ad mentem non admittitur And elswhere Quia per illas imaginationes corporeas infra se lapsa est anima sine illis supra se ire conatur id est in contemplatione postquam per multa indecenter sparsa est in vnum se colligere nititur si magna vi amoris prevalet esse vnum atque incorporeum contempletur To the same purpose S. Austin of contemplation Si cui sileat tumultus carnis sileant phantasiae
terrae Et ipsa sibi anima sileat transeat se non se cogitando c. See before § 33. And S. Bernard on Revertere dilecte mi sponsa revocat oblita totum quod non ille est se quoque ipsam The same that is said here of the Images of Creatures may be also of such grosse and vnrefined Images or Imaginations borrowed from the creature as are had of God which the experienced find very different from and diminutiue of those discoveries and participations of him to which he is pleased somtimes to admit them An Active and a Contemplative state of Prayer is nothing else but the way of Meditation the state of Beginners and of Contemplation the state of greater Proficients the one more vsing the vnderstanding other more the will and Affections The one the way to the other And lastly what comes all this Arabick and canting as some Discouragers of Devotion would make vs believe it I say what comes it to but that which is given account of before § 26. c. That by much purity of Conscience and Solitude so much as business permits and frequent Mentall Prayer and Abstracting of ourselves from earthly things and by retiring into ourselves where not abroad is that Regnum Dei from things without vs by self mortification vnknowing and forgetting our selves and all other creatures and their delights we may attain to a perfecter love of God and a greater fruition of him in this world to be united to made like him and to have his Image defaced by the Fall to a very eminent degree renewed in vs and to become one Spirit with him and hence also enabled to performe all Christian vertues that our state of life calls vs to in a much more amorous and Heroicall way Thus as this Author leaves such terms and way of Devotion to be vnderstood by madmen and practised by Fooles so I hope I have shewed them easy to be vnderstood by the Sober and necessary to be practised by the Devout And so I proceed to attend the remainder of his discourse with my Remarks Came first into request in the Monastick Orders c. Poverty or freedome from wordly wealth and cares Celibacy Solitude obedience silence which are the vows and Practises of a Monastick life much frequented in the Church ever since Constantines times and the first secular liberty of Christianity are excellent dispositions and preparations for Prayer and Contemplation and our ascending to the highest degree of a Spirituall life The men who solemnly divulged it were Rusbrochius c. Both the Fathers and Schoolmen were frequent on this Subiect of perfect Contemplation before Rusbrochius And among others these S. Dionysius Areopage Cassian S. Gregory S. Bernard Hugo and Richardus de Sancto Victore S. Thomas S. Bonaventure c. Some of them also writing Tracts vnder the name of Mysticall Theology So that the writers on this subject are both more numerous and more ancient then he would make the world believe Rusbrochius and Suso were persons eminent in Sanctity and Spiritual life and writ their own Experiences Ludovicus Blosius's works are deservedly much commended and were highly esteemed and much read by the pious Emperour Charles the Fifth though their Author modestly refused his preferments On whom also they seem in part to have wrought this good effect that laying down his Empire and Honours he ended his dayes in Retirement and Devotion Reply to p. 328. Who after his many turnings c. There being so many Sects and but one Church Catholick makes a change of Religion in many persons a thing not to be reproached but highly commended And what Illaudable Constancy in Religion were this that one born must therefore dye among Sectaryes M. Cressy educated in a Religion and a Church that challenges no infallible Guidance of Souls and as this writer saith permits also to all liberty of opinion made use of his priviledge to change the one and the other as he thought fit as many others daily do some running one way some another till after that Gods mercy had discovered to him the Canonical Church-Authority which God hath established for ever for the Guidance of his Church He by an humble resignation of his judgment wholly into it's sacred conduct became fixt and at rest Nor doth he take it for any dishonour to him to be listed together with S. Benedict S. Francis c. in the Roll of this Authors Fanaticks Reply to p. 329. That concerns others though it be their Saluation c. This writer seemes no very charitable Glosser After the words a sequestration from all business that concerns others in stead of though it be their Saluation he should have interposed that is such busines as is in things indifferent and to which by obedience or charity they are no way obliged for so M. Cressy and Sancta Sophia often declare their meaning in this very Section and frequently elswhere What this pure Fund of the Spirit means c. For the hard terms which this Author picks vp here and there in Sancta Sophia and M. Cressy and others stript of from the context that would make them more intelligible and current I referr to the former explications Blosius by his Deiforme Fund which so few know by experience means nothing else but the Image or Presence of God more perfectly imprinted in the intimat essence of the Soul what if I had said in the very center or Bottome of it by the extraordinary Graces of his Holy Spirit which he calls there Regnum Dei intra nos and he goes on thus in a sublime Description of it Ibi anima quicquid est humanum exuens quod est divinum induens transformatur mutaturque in â—eum sicut ferrum in igne positum formam ignis accipit transmutatur in ignem Manet tamen essentia animae sic Deificatae quemadmodum ferrum ignitum non desinit esse ferrum Igitur ipsa anima que prius erat frigida jam ardet quae prius erat tenebrosa jam lucet quae prius erat dura jam mollis est But these mirabilia super nos are not to be found in the Rules of the Churches Devotions but in the gracious Effects thereof A way of knowing without thoughts c. These seeming contradictions which may be parellell'd with the like in Holy Scripture and severall of them are borrowed from S. Dionysius seem not vncapable of a good sense though I do not find them thus put together in Blosius and this Author is very good at making Anagrams of such discourses by displacing the parts of them as best fits his purpose For in such supernaturall communications The Soul knows or contemplates without any thoughts discursive Sees in darkness or in the obscurity of Faith not clearly The Apostle expresseth it 1. Cor. 12.12 Videmus per speculum in aenigmate and saith Heb. 11.1 that Faith is
to keep himself indifferent to do what God shall reveal to him and not to determine himself indifferent to do what he hath already revealed and taught in the Gospell Their sence must either be this that S. Ignatius directs his Sons not to determine themselves to do what God hath already revealed and taught in the Gospell but to keep themselves indifferent to do the contrary if revealed to them Or els That they are not to determine themselves to do only what God hath already revealed and taught in the Gospel that is as to the things commanded and prohibited there but also to keep themselves indifferent as to the things on either side lawful to be done to do that which God shall reveal to them that is shall reveal to them recommending it to him in Prayer by the internal illuminations and inspirations of his Holy Spirit to be ad majorem Dei Gloriam and more conformable to his will Of which much hath bin said before § 21. c. Of these two senses the former is too gross and impious in conscience for S. Ignatius to prescribe to his whole Order in a book pretending Devotion and so publick in the face of the whole Church let this Glorious Saint be supposed as great an Hypocrire or Fanatick as this Author would make him For what Fanatick will say so much In the latter sense I see no harm vnless the word reveale displease but then change it into God shall inspire them and the Protestants common Prayer Book will iustify the language That is for new and strange Revelations too c. If Mother Iuliana's Revelations have many things new and strange yet if therein be nothing contrary to Faith or Good manners nor words taken in a modern-improper sence will amount to Heresy I hope this Author will not put her in the List of his Fanaticks vnless he can make good the same of them or that he can prove her old English to be Fanaticism but then let Chaucer also look to himself Reply to page 342. As though the persons were ever the less madd c. I suppose this Author would have spoken with more reverence of Confessors that is Ecclesiasticall Superiours than to make their Office the keeping of Mad-men had he remembred that the Church of England in her Liturgy recommends Confession but this so litle practised he might the easier forget it Men chained can do no harm as Fanaticks are in the Roman Church thanks to their Holy keepers and for the persons vnder such custody their being sober or mad for either they may be it is fit the Church should rather iudge of it then this Author who here pronounceth that Madness which these Confessors and the Church take for Perfection And so it is that All persons being diligently watched by these keepers those judged Fanaticks by the Church all sooner or later even all those with much pains collected in this Book by this Author that were truly Such have bin crushed by her hitherto and have no present being I wish it were so with the English Fanaticks But whilst they do impose no such keepers over them nor can iustly deny that liberty of iudgment to others which they have taken to themselves what hope is there of their suppression or what iust Laws I mean Ecclesiasticall can there be made for it We are not to think that the Principles c. For the seditious or rebellious facts of any Fanaticks in the Catholick Church disobeying or breaking loose from their keepers if any such can be proued by this Author they are not iustified by the Church or its Principles and so he looseth his labour in thinking to preiudice the Church by them any more than by proving some Adulterers Homicides Blasphemers to have bin in it And within the memory of man the Church of England was not free from having such facts committed by some of her Body and Communion yet I suppose this Author will maintain without her guilt And here I take of my Pen wearied with following a person whose sense much fails his rage against the Catholick Church and who hath much more of Raillery then Reason Hoping these short Animadversions may conduce some what if not to the vndeceiving of himself for I fear his defect lyes not there yet of others in a matter of the greatest consequence Devotion FINIS §. I §. II. §. III. * See S. Austin De Civit. Dei l. 16. c. 6. S. Gregor in Ezech. Hom. 2. * Act. 22.16.8.9.7.23.9.10.3.26.10.3 §. IV. * Epist. ad DemophiluÌ„ * Confess l. 8. c. 6. * Epist. 22. * Historia Religiosa * â—ollationes * Historia Lausiaca §. V. §. VI. §. VII Psal. 63.8 Luk. 17.21 §. VIII a In Cantica Serm. 73. b De Consid l. 5. c. 2. c C. 4. d De Moral 24. l. 5. c. e De Moribus Eccles c. 31. §. IX Gal. 1.12 * Act. 10.19.20 Act. 16.6.7 9.20.22.23 Act. 8.19.21 Tim. 1.18 4.14 §. X. * Confess 8. l. 12. c. * See S. Austin Confess l. 3. c. 11. l. 6. c. 1. l. 6. c. 13. §. XI §. XII §. XIII Gal. 2.20.4.19 1. Cor. 15.10 2. Cor. 4.16 Col. 3.3 Rom. 13.2 Col. 3.10 2. Cor. 3.18 Gal. 5.16.18 2. Pet. 1.4 Phil 4.7 Eph. 3.17.18.19.20 2. Cor. 4.18 1. Cor. 6.16.17 Jo. 14.23 Jo. 17.23 1. Jo. 4.16 Act. 2.17 * c. 1.17.18 1. Cor. 14.14 Rom. 8.26 Rom. 8.26 * 2. Cor. 9.15 Col. 2.5 Heb. 4.12 2. Cor. 5.13 Psal. 67. §. XIV * See Rom Idol pa. 337.338 * Preface §. 29.2 d. vol. p. 269. §. 11. * Ibid. p. 272. §. XV. * 1. Thess. 5.19.20.21 1. Jo. 4 1. §. XVI * Last Engl Edit p. 323. §. XVII Eph. 2.20 S. Thom. q. 1. 1. Act. 8. ad 2. §. XVIII §. XIX * 1. vol. p. 57. c. * Eph. 2.2 * Gal. 5.17 1. Jo. 3.9 1. Pet. 1.23 Matt. 13.31.33 2. Pet 3.18 Col. 2.19 2. Cor. 4.16 Eph. 4.13 Col. 1.28 4.12 1. Cor. 9.27 1. Cor. 6.12 §. XX. Jo. 16.13 14.26 Act. 6.9.10 1. Cor. 12.8.9.28 Rom. 12.6.7 Act. 4.29.31 Lu. 24.45 Act. 16.14 Eph. 1.18 †2. Pet. 3.18 Eph. 4.13 * Gal. 5.25 Rom. 8.5.6 * 2. Cor. 3.5 †Jo. 15.5 §. XXI * In Cant. Serm. 17. Jac. 5.17 Jo. 9.31 Matt. 21.22 Mar. 11.23 Jo. 15.7 1. Jo. 3 22. 1. Jo. 5.14 Rom. 8.26.27 1. Cor. 2.10 c. §. XXII * Collat. 9. c. 32. § XXIII * Confess l. 6. c. 13. Cor. 14. §. XXV * Roman Idol c. 4. p. 325. §. XXVI §. XXVII Luc. 10.27 §. XXVIII * De interiori Domo c. 14. §. XXIX * See §. 3. * In Psal. 67. §. XXX * 1. l. 3. c. §. XXXI * In Cant. Serm. 69. * In Ezech Hom. 17. §. XXXII * Confess l. 7. c. 10. §. XXXIII * c. 33. Psal. 50.10 * De moribuâ—s Eccl. c. 31. * Collat. 19. c. 4. * Collat. 9. c. 31. §. XXXIV * Psal. 29. â—â— c. 33.26 §. XXXV 2. Cor. 5.13 Eph. 3.18 Cant. 2.3 §. XXXVI * In Cant. Serm. 23. Cant. 1.4 * Serm. 67. §. XXXVII * Serm. 74. * Serm. 73. Joan. 3.8 * c. 18. §. XXXVIII * p. 1045. * Col. 1043 §. XXXIX * Tract 3. §. 4. c. 6. §. 3. §. XL. §. XLI §. XLII §. XLIII * 1. Cor. 2 1â— 1.26 â—or 5 7.10 6. * De Trinitate Serm. 1. â—sec LXIV 1. Thess â— 19 1. Cor. 2 9. 1. Cor. â— â—5 §. XLV 2. Pet. 2 â—â— To. p. 327. §. XLVI Luk. 7.31 §. XLVII * p. 372. §. XLVIII * See Sancta Sophia 3. Treat p. 243.266 Rom. 8.14 Gal. 2.20 Cor. 15.10 Matt. 10.20 Rom. 8.26 * De Divin nomm c. 2. Col. 3.10 2. Cor 3.18 Rom. 12.2 Heb. 6.4.5 2. Pet. 1.4 1. Cor. 6.17 Eph. 3.19 * §. 30. * Ps. 64.7 67.28 Eph. 3.18 §. XLIX §. L. 1. Cor. 1â— 30 and â—â— Eph. 1.17 c. c. 3.16 c. * De Trinit c. ◠§. LI. Psal. 85.9 64.7 Luk. 17.21 §. LII * In Ezech. Hom. 1â— * Moral l. 24. c. 13. * In Cant. Serm. 73. §. LIII §. LIV. §. LV. * See §. 33. c. To. p. 328. §. LVI To. p. 329. §. LVII * Instit. Spiritualis c. 12. §. LVIII 2. Cor. 12.11 2. Cor. 4.16 To. p. 330. §. LIX * De interiori Domo c. 70. * BarbasoÌ„ Amor Divin occult Semitae part 1. c. 16. * Anatom de l'Ame part 1. c. 16. To. p. 331. §. LX. * p. 332. To. p. 332. §. LXI To. p. 333 §. LXII N. 1. §. LXIIâ— N. 2 §. LXIV N. 3. §. LXV N. 4. * Moral l. 20. c. 19. Heb. 4 15-2.17 Matt. 26.37.38 Mark 14.33 1. Thess. 5.16.17 * Moral l. 23. c. 13. Psal. 9.10 * p. 333. §. LXVI 1. Jo. 4.16 1. Thess. 5.17 Luk. 21.36 Eph. 6.18 Luk. 9.37.32 * 2. Pet. 1.16 Matt. 16.28 Luk. 9.33 Luk. 3.21.22 Luk. 9.35 Jo. 11.33.38 Luk. 22.44 * p. 14. §. LXVII * p. 575.509 * 2. vol. p. 244. To. p. 334. §. LXVIII * §. 51. and 53. §. LXIX * 2. vol. p. 304. To p. 335. §. LXX 2. Sam. 6.14 1 Sam. 19.24 Jer. 1.6 vulg * in Cant. Serm. 67. * 1. vol. p. 63. To. p. 336. * Sancta Soph. 1. vol. p. 246. §. LXXI Act. 10.9 Luk. 2.37 To. p. 337. §. LXXII * §. LXXIII * 1. vol. p. 65. §. LXXIV a. vol. p. 280. §. 37. Heb. 5.16 * S. Sophia 1. vol. p. 135.138 * 1. vol. p. 147. §. LXXV §. LXXVI To. p. 338. §. LXXVII * p. 19. §. XXVIII See before §. 15. To. p. 339. 1. Co. 2.14 Rom. 8.16 To. p. 340. §. LXXIX §. LXXX §. LXXXI * Act. 2.17 Luk. 2. §. LXXXII To. p. 341. §. LXXXIII §. LXXXIV To. p. 342. §. LXXXV §. LXXXVI