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

§. VII.

Some scruples resolved about the esteeme of beau∣ty, and the friendship of Women.

UPon what we have discoursed I believe we may con∣clude, that none should flatter themselves with the hope of an agreement or co-habitation of these two, divine love, and humane passion; whereupon we may say, that they who treate this accommodation, are of Micahs disciples * 1.1 who hope to lodge concordantly together an Idol, and an E∣phod, ••aking only as it were a Cell apart for God, and expect as he did, to prosper in this concordancy: But we know our Law-giver Christ Jesus would not suffer so much as Doves to be traffiqued in the Temple; which figureth to us, that we must endeavour to dislodge even all our levities and most harmlesse amusements out of our thoughts, which are apt to trade and bargain for a part of our hearts, that must be kept single and entire to his love: Therefore we may much more forceably conclude with the Apostle against the co-habitation of any vain passion; What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols? you are the Temples of the Living God. * 1.2

But now as I was laying downe my Pen, there come some objections from my memory of the worlds humour which hold my hand till I have answered them, though it may be I have already strained the patience even of a recovering Reader, by the quantity of this prescript.

Methinks there are many now, who (like the Pharisees that were in the possession of the pleasure of changing wives) reply * 1.3 as they did to Christ upon the decision of that question, saying, if this strictnes be required in our life, with women, we are de∣barred

of all friendship and civill conversation with them; and it were better there were no beauty if this be the case, that we are interdicted a particular preference and estimation of it, unto whom I may properly return Christs question for an an∣swer, have you not read, that the souleof man is the spouse of God? And that which God hath joyned so, nothing must se∣parate; no creature must share any parcell of the heart, in such a manner as may question her fidelity, which is all the restraint I put upon the spouse, but as wives are allowed friendships and familiarities with others, which do not impeach the sincerity of their vertue, so the soule of man is permitted acquaintances, amities, and valuations of the creature, and proportionate to the excellencies wherewith they are advantaged from the Crea∣tor, giving the graces of nature a prizall commensurate to their distinct dignities, so it be bounded in such termes, as do not come within that inclosure of the heart, which is Gods proper∣ty; for the Beloved challengeth the heart as a Garden inclosed, a Spring shut up, a Fountain sealed: And yet this integrity of the * 1.4 Spouses love to her Beloved doth not forbid her affections comming abroad, and conversing with amiable objects, as with her Lord his dependents and retainers, which shee may e∣steem and delight in more or lesse, as the stamp of his goodnes is the fairelyer impressed on them.

Wherefore I do not meane to attaint friendship with beauti∣full persons, meerely upon the suspition of our frailty, for such intelligences are requisite to some vocations in the world, which may say, in the Apostles name, we must go out of the world, if we do not contract friendship with Women, and I hope such may find in this discourse some direction how they may be able to quench all the f••ery darts of the enemy, who can easily * 1.5 make up his Wild-fire in friendship.

And in answer of what concerneth the honouring of beauty, I professe to esteem the blessing of beauty so much, as I designe only by these advises to secure it from the treachery of such a confident as beauty likely trusteth most, yet is truly such a one as doth oftenest betray the goodnesse of it; this is passion that

I detect, which is so naturally false to beauty, as it subsisteth but by betraying beauty, by perverting it into temptation and impurity; whereupon I would preferre reason to beauty, to have that trusted only, which may furnish true joyes enough, where∣with to entertain & delight the owners of it; shewing what a re∣all blessing beauty hath, by being made by God one of the best opticke glasses for the helpe of mans spirituall eye, by report from his corporeall in the speculation of divinity; for by this inference of the Wise-man, he may argue, If we are delighted with these materiall beauties, we may judge how much more beau∣tifull and lovely is the Lord and Creator of them: adding, that by the greatnesse of the beauty of the creatures, the heathens were inexcusable, that they did not find the truth of one * 1.6 Creator.

We may remarke a speciall providence of God in the or∣der of nature, providing against the pervertiblenesse of this great blessing of beauty, for the most vehement cupidity of our nature ariseth not before the use of reason: the abuse of beauty, and the use of reason, are both of an age, whereby we have a defence coupled with the time of temptation, and our reason when it is seriously consulted for our safety, hath the voyce of the holy cryer in the desart, and directeth us to a stronger then her selfe, which was before her, though it ap∣peared after her; this is Grace, which we may call in to our succour in all the violencies of our nature, so as with these pre-cautions, I propose beauty to be truly honoured in that high∣est degree of nobility, which God hath been pleased to rank it among his materiall creatures, preserving religiously the Prerogative Rights of the Soveraign of our hearts, who de∣mandeth not the putting out of the right eye as the Ammo∣nites * 1.7 did for a mark of slavery, but proposed it onely as a me∣dicine in case of scandall, when the liberty of the whole body is indangered by it, whereby we see devotion doth not infringe any of the rights of humanity in the valuation of materiall blessings, for in not admitting vain passion, it doth rather defend then diminish the liberties of humane nature, which

are truly inslaved by the tyrannies of passion.

Now in answer to that question concerning friendship with * 1.8 women, I professe to intend so little the discrediting of reall friendship with them, as I approve it for an excellent preser∣vative against the contagiousnesse of passion, for as passion hath been well said to be friendship runne mad, so friend∣ship may be properly styled sober passion; since it hath all the spirit and cordiality of the wine of love, without the offensive fumes and vapors of it, and so doth the office of exhilara∣ting the heart, without intoxicating the braine; Insomuch as we finde, that our friendship with the proprietor of what we are tempted to covet, doth often, even by the single virtue of morality, suppresse those unruly appetites: Therefore when the power of Christianity is joyned to re-inforce it, we may ex∣pect it should much the easilier correct frailty of nature.

It hath been well said of friendship, that it is the soule of humane society, and if our friendship hold this Analo∣gy with the soul, to be equally intire in every part of the bo∣dy, it is very safe with women, if the love be no more in the face then in the feet, as long as it is like a soule thus spiritual∣ly distributed, equally in the whole compound of body and mind, it is not in danger of the partiality of passion, which never maketh this equall communication of it selfe, but lodg∣eth solely in the externall figure of the body; and friendship thus regularly spirituall, may find a sensible as well as a lawfull delight in the beauty and lovelynesse of the person; for beauty hath somewhat that affecteth and taketh our nature, which methinks is somewhat like to that we call the fire, or the wa∣ter in diamonds, which are certain rayes of luster and bright∣nesse, that seem the Spirit of the whole matter, being equal∣ly issued from all parts of it; and so there may be a kind of spirit, and quicknesse of joy and delight that may shine upon us, from the object of a beautifull person, whom we may love so spiritually, as to consider nothing in the person, se∣vered from the whole consistence and virtuous integrity of soul and body, no more then we do the fire of a diamond apart from the whole substance.

Thus beauty may innocently raise the joy of friendship, whiles sincere▪ friendship doth suppresse the danger of beauty, which is onely the kindling of passion▪ wherefore if it be right∣ly examined, passion which pretendeth to honour beauty, more then friendship, will be found but to vilifie and de∣base it; for passion useth this diamond but as a flint, to strike, materiall sparkles of lust out of it, whereas friendship lookes upon the fire of this diamond as delighted only with the luster of nature in the substance of it, which reflects alwaies the splendor of the Creator unto a Pious' and religious love.

But this high Spirituall point of friendship with women, (where we have no defence by consanguinity against the frail∣ty of flesh and blood) is not so accessable as we should pre∣sume easily to reach it, many loves have stray'd that pretend∣ed to set out towards it; therefore we cannot be too cautious in this promise to our selves of security in such difficulties, for our spirit can make no such friendship with our flesh, as to rely upon the fidelity thereof, without his own continuall vi∣gilancy; wherefore S. Peters advise is very pertinent in these * 1.9 intelligences, Converse in feare in this time of your sojourning, for otherwise I may presage to you in the termes of the Pro∣phet, Evil shall come upon you, and you shal not know from whence * 1.10 it riseth; for friendship doth often when it is too much presu∣med upon, rob upon the place it did first pretend to guard, being easily tempted by the conveniency our senses finde in that trust: And as those theeves are the hardliest discovered, that can so handsomely change their apparencies, upon the place, as they need not flie upon it; so friendship when it is de∣baushed into passion, is very hardly detected: For when it is questioned by Gods authorized examinants, it resumeth the lookes and similitude of innocent friendship, and so remain∣eth undiscovered, not onely by the exterior inquest, but very often it eludeth a slight interior search of our own conscience, thereby proving the most dangerous theef in the familiarities with women: For this reason I must charge this admission of friendship towards women, with this clause of Saint Paul,

While you stand by saith, presume not, but feare, for in this case we may warrantably invert the rule of Saint John, and say, * 1.11 that perfect love bringeth in feare: wherefore I will conclude this case with Solomons sentence, Blessed is the man who feareth alwayes, he that hardneth his heart shall fall into mischiefe.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Jud. 17.
• * 1.2

  2 Cor. 6. 16.
• * 1.3

  Matth. 19. 10.
• * 1.4

  Cant. 4. 12.
• * 1.5

  Ephes. 6. 16.
• * 1.6

  Sap. 13. 3.
• * 1.7

  1 Reg 11.
• * 1.8

  Friendship defined.
• * 1.9

  1 Pet. 1. 17.
• * 1.10

  Esay 47. 11.
• * 1.11

  1 Ep. Joh. 4. 18.