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

§. II.

Treating divers Motives that solicite this vocation.

THe Soul of man being the seat of the Divine Image in Humane Nature, the instinct of sociableness may be said to be the eye, or the sight of the Divine Image in it; for as the eye is the organ of light, which conveyeth to us the chiefest society of all material things (and thence is the noblest maner of Commerce the Body hath with the World, as consequently the worthiest por∣tion of our sensitive Nature) So the instinct and Natural ap∣petency of Society, is the noblest faculty of our intellectual: For by Society we receive all our rational light, as by the Eye we take all visible species; and the love of company is not imprinted in us so much for our own private solace, as for the support of the common frame of Humane Society: So that the sociableness of Humane Nature, is in order to the conservation and comfort of the whole, by a conveni∣ent union of the parts: And the same reasons that require a due disposition of the several parts of our Natural body, for the decency and health of it, hold in the constitution of the Spiritual frame of our Nature, so as the love of Society * 1.1 is referred to the constituting of order, which consisteth al∣ways of parts, and is nothing but a due marshalling and ranking of divers and distinct portions, either in material things, or rational designs.

Whereupon, since order is in Nature the final end of this impression of the love of Society, an inordinate love of Company may be out of the order of the sociableness of Humane Nature, as it may aim onely at some propriety that respecteth some such single desire, as is much severed from the common good of Society: and so many self-assign∣ments

may be in this respect said rather to tend properly to Singularity then Society. According to this rule all the busie negotiation of our passions, in the world, do rather break the chain of Society, then make part in the connexion, though they seem the onely rings and links whereof it is framed. Hence is it we so often see unruly and disorderly activity, and pursuit of some appropriation, occasion a sepa∣ration from the world, as falling out with it upon the reje∣ction of some unduly affected propriety: And upon these terms many do often break with the world, and retire in de∣fiance of all other company, after this defeature of their particular pretence; and so in effect they rather flie from the world upon a repulse in their assault, then leave it in neg∣lect of what it possesseth: Wherefore in this quarrel with the worlds party, many do often change their side at first in despight, rather then their minde in a sincere distance of their affections from it; yet on our first estrangement from the world, upon difference with it, God is so Divinely compas∣sionate, as he doth not upbraid us with our first infidelity, in adhering so firmly to the advers party in all our success∣fulnesses, which we take as the pay of his enemies.

All which truly understood, are but the excesses of Gods plenitude, who can afford even to his enemies, as his waste and redundancy, these his temporal Bounties, since The earth is his, and the fulness thereof: Insomuch as the infiniteness of the Divine goodness, is very often manifested most in the reception of such as come in to him, upon the worlds cashiering of them: For God accepts even his enemies Reformado's, and preferreth them often to great Trusts in his house.

We cannot therefore discountenance this breach with the world, though at first it be not in direct order to the follow∣ing of Christ; for he to whom St. John forbade the casting * 1.2 out of Devils, because he was not of Christs train, was not∣withstanding authorized by Christ himself: God resolveth often (in this case of an indirect address to him) as Christ

answered St. John, in the forecited occasion, He taketh those to be for him, who are not against him: for many of such who are but so near Christs side as a declaration against the world, he doth often retain and setle in his service.

S. Pauls Charity was a copy of this his Masters, who rejoy∣ced at an accession to Christ, whether it were either by pretence, * 1.3 or in truth: So God is glorified in some degree in many such relinquishments of the world, which have at first more ani∣mosity then sincerity of Devotion; because this defiance hath always some apparence of victory over the world, which still gives a kinde of alarm to the worlds party, and shews them the contempt of the world, standing before them in such a posture, as stirs up some reflexion upon the de∣spicableness of it, or at least upon the distresses and dangers in it, and so moves, in some measure, towards a consultation on their estates.

Yet do I not upon this foundation advise any hasty incon∣siderate Sequestration of our selves from the world, though there are many (who like some criminal and Banditi retiring into the the Sanctuary onely for safety) have by the frequent∣ing Gods domesticks, been sincerely converted into the fa∣mily, and have taken up the arms of the Spirit, with which they have combated onely the rest of their life against them∣selves by continual mortification. In this maner many (up∣on civil enmities with the world) have (in their retreat out of it, and taking the Sanctuary of Solitude) found by de∣grees that Sanctification, which at first they did not chiefly seek, as God said to the Prophet, I am sought of those that asked * 1.4 not for me before; and I am found of them that sought me not: This was the case of many who sought Christ at first, meerly for recoveries from incurable diseases, by the worlds Art, which had given them over, and found Spiritual reparations of their Souls, above what they projected. Many such bedrid Pal∣••ies, benumb'd and stupified in their passions, which are fain to be carried out of the world, by the violent hands of di∣vers afflictions, being brought to Christ into such solitudes

wherein he doth most manifestly reside, receive not onely the cure of their passions, which they sought chiefly at first, but are often staid and scaled with a Divine impression of the contempt of the whole world, and a sincere consecration of themselves to Spiritual affections.

This happeneth when God in some rare cases useth in∣strumentally the worlds sharp tools, as fit and proportionate to work on some stony hearts, wherein his Image is much defaced, which he hath notwithstanding from all eternity designed for figures to stand in his house: But such are pre∣cedents of Gods Mercy, to reverence onely, not to relie upon; for God (as the Prophet saith) doth often take out a stony heart, and put one of flesh in the room of it; whence the Apo∣stle telleth us, He hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will * 1.5 he hardeneth; yet he will harden none, but such, as like fire∣stones, resist and grow harder by the heat of his love, or the flames of his judgements, which he hath first applyed to soften them. They who study Gods hand in all the va∣rious designs and colourings of his Works, shall discern it even in all those pieces of Providence, which are of such different maners, as have made many mistakes in the world upon this Conclusion.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Definition of order.
• * 1.2

  Luke 9. 50.
• * 1.3

  Phil. 1.
• * 1.4

  Isaiah.
• * 1.5

  Rom. 9. 18