Miscellanea spiritualia: or, Devout essaies: composed by the Honourable Walter Montagu Esq.

§. I.

The rectifying our Affections, chiefely our love in the sense of beauty.

UPon the title of this Chapter, me thinkes I see our humane affections stand with the same perplexed at∣tention, as a condemn'd multitude, at the reading of a Proclamation of Grace, to some particular specified names, each one watching and praying for his owne. Thus doe our humane passions seeme now concerned, believing themselves all condemn'd by piety, each one me thinkes in a frighted and tacit deprecation of their censure, is expecting with anexity to know whether Devotion will allow them life and consistence with her edicts.

The answer to this, must be, that I shall only put to death, the blind and the lame, whch are commonly set to keep the strong hold of our corrupted nature against virtue. (As they were upon the walls of Sion to keep out David.) Such, Devotion must destroy, for they are hated by her Soule, and are not to be admitted into the Temple. Secular justice is allowed a la∣titude * 1.1 in mercy, to which this spirituall judge cannot extend his favour, viz. rather to save diverse guilty, then to cut off one innocent; for Devotion must rather put to death many innocent affections, then save one criminall, by reason, that in this case mercy renders the judge a complice of the crime,

so that our Devotion must not looke upon the face of any of our affections, but judge by the testimony, our conscience brings in against them.

Yet piety is not so inhumane, as many may apprehend that know not the nature thereof, for it delighteth not in the death of our affections, but desires rather they may turne from their perversions and live, and to perswade their conversion, offers that to them in this life, which is promised to us, but in hea∣ven, namely, to have our bodies changed from corruptible and passive, into immortall and inpassible, for Devotion offers to transfigure our affections from their impure and passive shapes, into immuculate and imperishable formes, & raise them up from infirmity to virtue, and make those desires which have beene the image of terestriall figures, to beare only that of * 1.2 the celestiall.

Neverthelesse our minds seeme to be like fond mothers, which are lamenting their children given over by the Physi∣tian, and will scarce hearken to the consolation of Gods Mi∣nister, who promiseth so much a better state, as a change from weak infants into Angels. In this manner our fond and effemi∣nate mindes seeme to bewaile this tranfiguration of their af∣fections, which Devotion proposeth according to the Apostle, * 1.3 viz. the raising their conversation up to Heaven, and changing their vile body, so that it may be fashioned like unto the glori∣ous quality of the love of God.

And certainly, unlesse our affections be cut off from the carnall stock of our nature, and set by way of ingrafting and incision upon the stem of the holy Vine, they doe beare but sowre Grapes, such as will set reason's teeth on edge, which is their mother, since our corrupted nature puts forth many sharp and unripe cupidities, and fancies which are truly rather corra∣sive then cordiall to the minde.

God hath planted affections in our sensitive nature, not with a purpose that they should be fixed in the earth, and bear only terrene cupidities, but hath rather set them there for a while, only as in a seminary or nursery; where he doth not

meane they should take any deepe root, for our reason, as soon as it is able, is ordained to remove and transplant our affecti∣ons into spirituall scituations into, that garden for which they were first planted, so that, although our loves grow at first, while they are little tender slips, only in the terrestriall part of our nature, they are designed to be removed in their due sea∣son into the celestiall portion, and to beare fruites spirituall and intellectuall, which order is intimated by the Apostle, when he saith, as the first man is of earth, earthly; so the latter must be of heaven, heavenly.

But because in this warfare of our lives upon earth between these two parties, the sensitive and the rationall, our sensitive nature is not easily perswaded to render up her affections (wherein she accounts her selfe so strong) unto right rea∣son upon discretion, let us examine what faire conditions grace which alwayes taketh Reason's part offereth her; and indeed, if the offers be well judged of, there will appeare a truer freedome gained by this surrender, then that, which the loosenesse of our nature would maintaine, when our affections * 1.4 being made free from sinne, are become the servants of righteous∣nesse, for if we examine the impositions and constraints our passions lay upon us, it is easie to convince that to he a reall servitude, which we doe familiarly, but in wantonesse tearme so: and thus our loose passions (like the Jewes, to whom our Saviour proposed freedome by the knowledge of truth▪ will hardly confesse their inthralment; but I may fitly say to them, as he did, while you commit sinne, you are the servants of * 1.5 sinne. If grace by Devotion set you free, you shall be free in∣deed.

Therefore I will procure to manifest how grace may give nature great conditions of freedome, and how the best pro∣prieties of our affections, are rather improved and secured, then alienated and spoiled by this surrender to Reason and Devotion.

And to treate first of the interests of love, (which seemes to be the commander of all the strength of our passions) when

love renders it selfe to Devotion, then is it so farre from being restrain'd, as it is continued in the command of all the power of our pieties, and is trusted so much, as it is allowed to hold faire correspondence with beauty, though that were the party, love had served under against grace, for then our love com∣merceth with the creatures, only to improve his owne estate and faculty of loving, which is all assigned to the honour of the creatour. And surely when love by a rectified perswasion of the blessings of the creature, brings beauty into the service of Devotion, by a right admiration of the workes of the creatour, such objects may forcibly concurre to excite us to the love of the maker, in honouring of whom consists all Devotion.

Beauty may be truly honoured by the rights of her nature without being flattered, by that meanes to be solicited against her maker, for she may be confessed one of the best of all mix∣ed creations, since pure spirituall substances, when they will put on a materiall vaile, take beauty for their vestment. The An∣gels expose themselves to us, alwayes in the forme of beauty, because that is the readiest note our sense acknowledges of Divinity; and when the Son of God vouchsafed to be clothed with materiality, the holy Spirit that made him this Garment, exposes it and recommends it to us, in this forme of being beautifull above the sonnes of men, and he drawes the image of * 1.6 the spouse he came to take, in the figure of perfect beauty, as the best sensible Character can be made of her; and makes this quality the object of Christs love, As she is all faire, and no * 1.7 spot to be found in her: and thus, as beauty is chosen for a sim∣bol of spirituall purity, the allegory of it, as I may say, not the letter is to be studyed by us, since that attention will reflect to us the fairenesse and integrity we ought to preserve in our soules, and so possesse us against that perverted sense which is often drawne out of the out-side or letter of materiall beauty.

In the Book of Gods Workes, Saint Paul tells us, the Divi∣nity * 1.8 of the Author is legible by some little study of the Cha∣racter;

and certainly, there is no so faire part of this edition, as that of beauty; but we doe most commonly, like children, to whom books are given in fine prints, and graced with gay flourished letters, and figures, they turne them over, and play with them, and never learne the wordes; thus likely, doe our childish mindes, that are kept at play by our senses, looke wantonly over the specious figures of beauty, and seldome study them to learne Gods meaning in them, which if they did seriously inquire, they might learne that the excellence and perfection of their true meaning, renders the perversion the more reproachable, for as crimes are the greater, the neerer they come to the violation of the person of the Prince; so if beauty be the neerest sensible image of the soveraigne of nature, the betraying it to his professed enemy, must needs be the most capitall offence: how this infidelity is committed, is but too much notified.

May I not fitly then reproach those with S. Paul, who with vaine flatteries, change the truth of God into a lie, for is not this * 1.9 done by such who corrupt the reall good of beauty, by fond and false ascriptions? And surely while they serve thus the creature more then the Creator, they provoke God to give them up to their vile affections, in which with Daniels Elders, * 1.10 Having overthrown their sense, they turn down their eyes, that they may not see heaven. But the perversion of this blessing, doth not not interdict unto the eyes of the world a due com∣merce with beauty, nor to our sight the being delighted with it; for as the Apostle wisheth us, we may be children in malice, * 1.11 and yet men in understanding.

If Devotion comming to Court, should declare such a war to the world, as to prohibit oursenses commerce with pleasures; which are the natives of this world, she would find but a small party, upon such a breach to follow her. And indeed, God doth as the Prophet sayes, lead us into solitude, when he speaks * 1.12 that language to our hearts, there he sets on the wings of Sera∣phims, to those that upon such plumes fly over their passage through the world; but those whose vocations lead them

through the tracts of the earth, doe alwayes feele the earth they tread upon, and it is not to be required of them, to leave all the pleasures of the world in their following of Christ; but S. John Baptist instructs them sufficiently in the lesson he * 1.13 gave the souldiers, that they should exact no more then is ap∣pointed them, and be content with those wages of innocent pleasures, God allowes their senses in the duties of na∣ture.

We may then justifie Devotion to be so farre from inter∣dicting to nature the regular love of the creatures, as we may assert it the only meanes, whereby we can assure the continu∣ance of our loves to them; for our sensitive affections are like the hay and stubble the Apostle speaks of, they are easily ligh∣ted * 1.14 by every spark of pleasure, but they make onely a short blaze, and goe out againe; whereas Devotion is the Psalmists oyle of gladnesse, and though it raise not so glaring and so sharp a flame of joy, yet it entertains it in a more equall and durable temper, for notwithstanding it doth not blaze so much in the sensitive, yet it warms and recreates more the rationall part of our minds, and so doth rather foment then waste the matter of our joy, which the sharper flashes of our passions do quick∣ly consume: for truly our affections and passions in their owne nature are so light and volatile, as beauty it selfe, that works best upon them, cannot fixe them, nay nor stay them, so long as even beauty, which is so variable, continues the same; since the same vaine love, which to day robs even Di∣vinity for offerings to make to beauty, tomorrow commits as great a fault in humanity, stripping again his owne Idol, meer∣ly upon the motion of inconstancy, not at all upon the com∣plaint of conscience; so that I may fitly apply this of the Prophet to such loves, They weave spiders webs, their webs shall * 1.15 not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works.

Thus are our humane passions so deceived in their commerce, with the vanities of this world, as they break often upon the re∣turn of their adventure; it seems our fancies insure more upon

fruition, then the commodities are worth we traffique for, and so we become losers even by the return of our adventure, whereas Devotion teacheth us the true value of our desires and successes, and how to adventure our hopes, and how to ma∣nage the happinesse of our wishes in temporalities, in such sort as to make a stock out of them for eternity, according to the prudent advice given us, to make friends of the felicities of this * 1.16 world, that may provide for us in the eternall habitation.

By these lights we see how the love of God is not onely compatible, but requisite with our love of creatures, to assure and improve our true delights in them; for nothing but piety can make good to humane appetite, in all temporalities; that abatement of their esteeme which is made by propriety, and Devotion teacheth us to love them, as gifts of God. By which meanes, fruition makes rather an endearment of them, then a deduction.

But because I conceive this passion of love, hath more friends then any other that will be interested in the cause, I shall give it a fairer triall another time, single by it selfe, wherein the right our love hath in the creature, shall be deter∣mined.

Notes

• * 1.1

  2 Kings c. 5.
• * 1.2

  1 Cor. 15. 43. 49.
• * 1.3

  Phil. 3. 20.
• * 1.4

  Rom. 6. 18.
• * 1.5

  John 8. 34. 36
• * 1.6

  Psal. 44. 3.
• * 1.7

  Canticle. 4.
• * 1.8

  Rom. 1. 20.
• * 1.9

  Rom. 1. 25.
• * 1.10

  Dan. 13.
• * 1.11

  1 Cor. 14. 20.
• * 1.12

  Hosea 2.
• * 1.13

  Luk. 3. 13.
• * 1.14

  1 Cor. 3.
• * 1.15

  Isai〈…〉〈…〉. 5. 6
• * 1.16

  S. Luke 16. 9