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

The one and twentieth Treatise. Of the Preheminences of a true contem∣plative life; Divided into five Sections. (Book 21)

§. I.

Contemplation defined, and some excellencies thereof discoursed.

COming now off from this troubled Sea; for the fi∣nishing touches of this perswasion, I will carry your eyes a little upon the pourtraicture of such a Sea as was shewed to Saint John by the Angel for a mar∣velous * 1.1 Sign: For indeed, this state of Minde I purpose in this last place to expose unto you, is, me thinks, fitly emblem'd by that Sea of glass mingled with fire, on which they stand, having harps in their hands that have overcome the image of the Beast: And in this order may follow the application. The spaciousness of their Souls that are extended in perfect con∣templation, is aptly figured by that property of the Sea; their equanimity and clearness, by the smoothness and lucid∣ness of Glass; the fervor of their Spirits is fitly symbo∣lized, by a mixture of Fire in this Sea of Glass: this Spi∣ritual ardor being as requisite to compose this temper, as fire is to make Glass: And farther we may say, That as Glass is formed of many unconsisting parts, that are consolidated and clarified by fire; so is this even and clear habit of minde

composed of divers intellectual Verities, compacted and elucidated by the flame of Contemplation; and the Harps in their hands represent the harmony and concordancy be∣tween the sensitive organs and rational powers in the mindes of devout Contemplators, which keeps in tune a Spiritual joy and acquiescence.

It was an ingenious project of Archimedes, the under∣taking to remove the whole material World, in case there were assigned him a Centre out of it, upon which to place his Instrument: This work we may say to have been effected in a Spiritual sence, by the Man Christ Jesus, and by such a maner as the other was contrived; namely, by having an Engine fixt upon a Centre out of this world, which was his Humanity upon his Divinity, upon which basis rested all his power wherewith he removed the whole Spiritual frame of the world; and upon this Centre he stood, when he said, I am not of this world; and even by a weak Reed fixed upon * 1.2 that Centre, he removed and cast forth the Prince of the World; for his Humane Nature was as it were the Engine or Instrument standing upon his Divine, as on a Centre ex∣trinsecal to this World, and so that wrought instrumentally upon the World, and was sufficient, when it was exalted from * 1.3 the earth, to draw all things to it self; And why may I not say, that some such capacity seemeth communicated to the Mem∣bers of Christ Jesus, that is, of fixing their mindes, though but Humane, upon a Centre extrinsecal to this world, viz. The contemplation of Divine▪ Verities; and by that means to remove all this World out of that place where it useth to stand in our corrupted Nature: And certain it is, That many have and do act this power upon the Earth, by fixing their Spirits upon Contemplation, which is a Centre without this world. It were easie for me to point at many of these elevated Spirits, which like the Constellations in the Fir∣mament, are known by Names, more then the other Star〈…〉〈…〉 But to decline all shew of any particular preference, I shall single none, but do my obeysance in general to all ranks

of such blessed Contemplators; of whom I may say with the Apostle, That in the midst of a perverse generation, they * 1.4 have shined as lights in the world; their mindes seeming to be kindes of Spiritual fixed Stars, which never altered their distances from the Earth, and intended onely the finishing their course at the same time, imparting light unto the world by divers irradiations, respective to their positions therein, either of Prayer or other Edifications: Wherefore of such habits of minde the Holy Spirit saith, The path of the just is as * 1.5 the shining light, that proceedeth even to perfect day, which is Contemplation consummated, when the day-Star (whereby Saint Peter expresseth it) shall be risen in our hearts; where∣of these acts of our intellect seem to be some inchoative or imperfect rays, and to give you as fair a view as I can of this abstruse object, I shall set it in the most luminous definition I can deliver it, out of the mouth of S. Augustine.

Contemplation is a clear int〈…〉〈…〉on, and a delightful admiration * 1.6 of perspicuous Verities; so that the minde in that state may be said to walk in the meridional light of Faith, towards the incomprehensible clarity of perfect vision; and this light of Grace, wherein a pure Contemplative Soul inhabiteth, may (me thinks) be said to hold some such proportion to the purer light of glory she expecteth, as the sight which the three Apostles had of Christs Body transfigured on Ta∣bor, holds to that they are to have of it glorified in Heaven; for as the brightness of Lightning, and the cand or of Snow, did in some measure represent to them the far transcending lustre and beauty that was to be looked for in his Body beatified, so these admirable intellectual Verities, which are the objects of a true Contemplative Soul in this life, do in some degree figure to it the unexpressible notions, rising out of a fruitive Contemplation of the increated Verity; insomuch as these elevated Spirits may be conceived to have such a kinde of advantage over others, who may also be faithful in lower stations of Christianity, as the three Disci∣ples called up to Tabor had of them that were left below the

Mountain: For certainly this sight must have imprinted in their mindes a more lively and affecting image of the ami∣ableness of glorified Bodies, then the others could appre∣hend: But as Christ admitted few even of his Apostles to this sight of him, so doth God vouchsafe to select and ele∣vate but very few to this superlative pitch of Contemplation, of whom we may say with the Psalmist, This is the genera∣tion * 1.7 of them that seek the face of the God of Jacob, who we know was one of the most eminent in this high vocation, feeding on this bread of Angels, and having this Spiritual Manna show••red down upon him, while he was feeding the flocks of others in a servile obligation: And holy Da∣vid, in all his exterior bitternesses tasting of this Spiritual reflection, saith, as it were, this Grace to it, How great is the * 1.8 multitude of thy sweetness, O Lord, which thou hast hid for them that fear thee; thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy face from the disturbance of men: This expresseth well their state of minde, which is covered from the sight of the world in the secret of Gods face, that is, in his most private and re∣served kindenesses; and as God hideth himself in his own inaccessible light, so such Souls, adhering unto God, and becoming (as the Apostle ••aith) one Spirit, are hid to the world * 1.9 in the excessive light of their Graces, which common ap∣prehensions cannot penetrate; of such mindes we may most peculiarly say, Who knoweth the things of such men, save * 1.10 the Spirit that is in them, which searcheth the deep things of God? while their apprehensive faculty perfecteth it self by extracting the pure species of Truth, and their affecting power is perfected, by transmitting it self exteriorly upon the object that attracteth it: Thus the understanding is ne∣ver satiated by a continual receiving, nor the affection ever diminished by an incessant issuing it self out upon the ob∣ject, but doth rather acquire by this perpetual Self-alie∣nation.

In this admirable commerce doth the true Contempla∣tive Soul negotiate with her own Maker, while what is im∣ported

from him into the Understanding, obligeth the Will to export unto him her faculty of loving; and thus know∣ledge infused, draweth forth love, and love efused, remitteth back fresh illuminations: This Angelical correspondence with God, the Contemplative Man entertaineth, and hath in proportion to his Nature, the same priviledge that Angels have, when they assume apparent Bodies for their ministery on Earth; namely, to finde no intermission of their seeing God: So in all the exterior offices which the Soul acteth by the ministery of the Body in such persons, the Minde doth not remove out of that apprehended presence of God, whereof her transitory state is capable; insomuch as a pro∣found Contemplator may be said to be never so much alive to this life, as when he seemeth to be the most dead to it: For in the image of Death, when the other powers of his Minde cannot controul his Fancy, that may introduce imaginations into him superfluously relative to this life, and removed from the scope of all his reasonable cogitations, which never move, but in a presential reverence of God: So that the Natural Man may be said to live in him no longer by the strength or power of his Nature, but meerly by the in∣firmity of it, that requireth such a suspension of the Spi∣ritual Man, which lives so powerfully in such a person, as he seems fully in possession of Christs promise, of his Fathers and * 1.11 his coming, and making his ab••de with him: which according to the division made by the Holy Ghost of the whole Man, may be conceived to be done in this maner; The Father re∣siding in that portion called the Soul, as it importeth the Origine of all vital operations, the Son resting in the Minde, as that is the seat of our actual intelligence or understanding, and both of them may be said to expirate and breathe forth the Holy Ghost into the Heart, as that is taken for the conti∣nent of our affections; and by this means the whole Man cometh as near the loving God with all his Soul, with all his Minde, and with all his Heart, as this traverse and inter∣posed vail of Flesh and Blood can admit him, forgetting

(with Saint Paul) the things that are behinde, and stretching * 1.12 forth himself to those that are before, by this constant Applica∣tion, preserving the whole Spirit, Soul and Body, without blame to the coming of our Lord Christ Jesus.

Considering then the properties of these golden vessels of Charity placed within the outward vale of the Temple, and looking continually towards the Propitiatory, seated within the inward vale (which figured the beatifical vision) even their Bodies may be well compared to the grate upon the Altar of Incense, from which all the ashes of carnal appetites fall away down under the Altar it self, represented by their mindes, from whence the fume of those fragrant Odours of Vocal and Mental Prayer, is directed towards the wings of the Cherubims; and so what is sweet in the Spirit ascend∣eth to Heaven, and what is unclean in the Flesh falleth to the Earth, and doth not remain as a foulness upon the Altar, which is kept always bright and odoriferous; And in these Temples of the Holy Ghost, there is not onely a continual emission of fire from Heaven falling upon the Altar, but even a fresh provision of materials to incense upon it, that is to say, new supplies of Meditations, descending from the Father of light, from whom the same beam imparteth at once the ardor of love and the light of Science; so that this matter can never want that flame, nor that flame ever want this fomentation.

O how incomprehensible is the clarity of the Divine El∣sence, whereof if the little light shed on us do shine so strangely even in us, being as yet but dark lanthorns to carry it, how much must those splendors of purity and sanctity radiate, which never issue out of it self, whereof we have but few or no glances in this imperfect state of Contempla∣tion, to wit, little or no intelligible perception of the My∣sterious light of the glorious Trinity, consistent with that most simple Ʋnity in which the Trinity of persons is com∣prised; and yet the simplicity of the Unity is not at all di∣minished: In which speculative Verity, the best plumed

S••raphins of our mortal Nature, when they soar never so high on these two wings of Grace and Contemplation, must cover their faces with these two other, of Faith and Wonder, singing with the Psalmist, I shall be satisfied when thy glory ap∣peareth, and in thy light we shall see light.

§. II.

The gradations whereby we ascend ordinarily up to this station.

I May well suppose that there will be many, who being dazled by the radiancy of the faces of these Moses's * 1.13 we have exposed, will, with the people, turn their heads away from this object: And I may imagine, that some (as being taken with the beauty of this light) will conclude with the Apostles, That it is good to live upon this Mount, and may perchance think of making Tabernacles for their abode in this place; that is, design all the powers of their mindes to the forming in themselves such a state of Contemplation: wherefore it may be pertinent to look a little downward up∣on such subjacent stations as are the direct way up to the top of the Mountain, whereunto the nearest conterminate part is that of Speculation; and the next to that, Lecture; and after that Mortification, which lieth indeed as the basis of all the ele∣vation: and as it hath this property of the ground-work, to consist of the most gross matter, so hath it this likewise, of being the support of the whole erection; and in that or∣der I will re-ascend to the summity from whence I have dismounted.

While the Soul of Man receives no intelligible species, but such as are raised from sensible matter, and acteth onely by corporeal organs, by Natural Reason it is evident, why Mortification is requisite for the best extent of her intel∣lectual

powers, as rendring these passages the clearer through which all images enter into our discursive faculty, and also keeping that power the more free and active in all her ex∣ercises: The purer the glass is, the better we see all things in the room, and the farther we may see out of the room, when we look outward through the glass; so both the spe∣cies that enter into our mindes through clean and unob∣structed organs, are the clearer, and the acts also of our dis∣course and speculation, looking outward towards immateri∣alities, are the more sharp and penetrating.

I shall not need to argue how much corporeal pleasures and sensualities do obscure the light received by the appre∣hensive faculty, and clog the operations of the reasoning power of the Minde; Wherefore even in this Natural respect, a convenient suppression of the appetites of the Flesh seemeth the platform of all Spiritual exaltation; but we have a firmer supernatural ground, whereupon to raise this Conclusion, of the requisiteness of Mortification to∣wards speculative gifts, the word of the Holy Ghost saying, They that are in the flesh cannot please God; and if they be re∣moved * 1.14 even from Gods favor, they must needs be very distantial from that grace and familiarity, which is impart∣ed to Contemplation: Saint Paul was allowed so little to think of his body, when he was raised to his highest point of illumination, as he knew not whether he had any body about him, or no, at that time: And we finde that he took the best course he could all his life, to feel the least he might possibly of his body; in order whereunto he saith, He did not onely chastise his body, and keep it in subjection, but * 1.15 affirmeth likewise, That he did dye daily: It seemeth he found no means of clearing the operations of the Soul, but by making, as it were, a quotidian separation between her and the Flesh; And, me thinks, we may say of all Saint Pauls converted life (notwithstanding his humility in owning infirmities) that which he himself said of some part of it, namely, Whether this man in Christ lived in his body, or out * 1.16

of his body, we know not, God knoweth, so little sense we finde him to have had of his body, in point of Mortification, and so little impediment by it in Contemplative operations: And doth he not say himself, That it is not he that liveth, but * 1.17 Christ in him, and referring to us, he declares the requisiteness of Mortification, telling us, That they that be Christs have crucified their flesh, with the vices and concupiscences; and if this kinde of crucisixion be requisite even for the practical part of Christianity, whereunto all are called, much more must it be pertinent to the perfect speculative state thereof, to which so few are chosen. * 1.18

I am therefore well warranted to lay Mortification as the ground or foot of this Mount of Moria, which signi∣fieth the Land of Visions, whereunto all such as shall de∣spise ascensions in their heart, must take their rise from this foot, and remember what was figured by Abrahams leaving his Servants and his Ass afar off, when he saw the Moun∣tain, and the prohibition of any Beast to come near to Mount Sinai, to wit, that no carnal or sensual dispositions might * 1.19 presume to approach towards the mysterious lights of God: So that whosoever aspired to go up to this mount Moria of Contemplation, must be advised to follow Abrahams order, to leave afar off all voluptuous and sensual appetites, figured by the Servants and the Ass, and carry in his hand the Fire and the Sword, that is, Zeal and Activity for the sacrificing of his Flesh and Blood to the honor of God: This is the Fire that he who was typified by Isaac brought into the earth; and this the Sword, which he saith he came to send, and not Peace. Wherefore this hostility declared against our Flesh, must be remembred to be the first Article of that peace of the Spirit, which is concluded in Contemplation.

§. III.

The requisiteness of Lecture, in order to this Spiritual elevation.

THe next Stage whereby we are to rise, is pious Lecture; which subject calls back my thoughts up∣on the first state of mans knowledge; wherein we may consider, That the first Humane Soul came into this world, perfect in the intellectual part, by Science infused, and needed not stay for the help of her corporeal organs to acquire any, for those instruments whereby she was to act, were ready in their perfection, before she was seated in them, since Gods forming perfectly the body of man, preceded his breathing into it the breath of Life: And so we finde that he was able to reade presently in the book of Gods works, wherein he read the character of Gods hand in every creature that was set before him; and, as I may say, superscribed their names upon them, by the secret impression he read of their Nature: But not being satisfied with this ex∣cellent degree of intelligence, he began to affect the reading even in Gods own increated book, The knowing like God himself. Upon this presumption the rational soul of Man was cast down from this high form, and set so much back∣ward, as ever since both the Vegetative and Sensitive souls precede her long in the perfection of their acts, and she is ob∣liged to stay their leisure before she can act her best accord∣ing to her faculty, which must cost her also pains and care to reduce it unto the best extent thereof.

Thus is now the rational Soul, sentenced to feed her self by her kinde of sweat and labor; so that she is not onely to acquire most of her natural knowledges, by a laborious in∣dustry, but she is also set to work by study and attention, even upon those supernatural Principles that are infused into her, as those of Faith, Hope and Charity; even these infused habits will not so much as remain in her, without her own

study and solicitude to preserve them, much less can they be improved to their best degree, without much intend∣ment and application: And to facilitate the perfection of the Soul in this life, God hath been pleased to make his own Character, and to leave it legible under his own Hand, his holy Scriptures, wherein all his attributes are penn'd in the fairest maner, to affect our understandings, and to take our affections; insomuch as of the holy Writ it may be well said to God, The light of thy countenance is impressed upon it: This living spring of Verities the Holy Ghost hath left upon * 1.20 the earth, from whence all the rivelets of pious Books de∣rive their waters, which are so proper to refresh and see un∣date the minde of Man, as the Holy Ghost doth but rarely use his own power of impregnating and replenishing Souls with immediate inspirations, but vouchsafeth, for the most part, to be conveyed into our mindes by the mediate spi∣rations into them of vertuous notions, from his subalternate instruments, the pens of his holy Ministers, which he doth certainly inspire with qualities ••o well proportioned to our capacities, as they deliver Divine Truths unto our mindes, under such familiar and agreeable forms as are most apt to work upon our affections.

This is the design of the Holy Ghost in all pious Books, wherein his Spirit remaineth covered in the elements of mans conceptions (for words may be said to be a kinde of body to thoughts) as the Divinity of Christ did under the vails of Flesh and Blood. In like maner it is the Divine vertue of the Holy Spirit, that worketh all those devout effects which are produced by the instrumental conceptions of pious Writers: Wherefore as the Scriptures are to be read with perswasion, that God is presentially speaking to us, so all Books of Devotion are to be used with this opi∣nion, of their speaking to us, as delegated and deputed from God.

The minde of Man abhorreth vacuity, and though her Nature tend upward to be replenished with Spiritual no∣tions,

yet if she be void of them, she sinketh presently to earth, to take in any grosser furniture; so that if she be not provided with such pure species as may keep her point∣ing at her own Centre, in stead of being elevated, as it were, above her self in Contemplation, she will fall below her self into some terrene amuzement: Wherefore a ha∣bit of pious Lecture is most necessary, in order to the re∣plenishing her with Spiritual Images, that may keep her eye always erected up upon them; and may we not well infer the requisiteness of reading, for the support of the Spiritual Man, since Saint Paul doth not onely advise his * 1.21 so elevated Disciple Timothy to attend unto reading, but chargeth him with great solicitude to bring him some Books, even after he had told him he had consummated his * 1.22 course, and the time of his revolution was near; If he who had been in Paradice already in a transcient state, and was so near his going thither to a permanent, did still make use of Books, how necessary must they be for all such as aspire to any Spiritual exaltation?

§. IV.

Speculation placed as the last step in this ascent of the Soul.

THis last station carrieth us up to the top of this Mount Moria, from whence we have descended, and so is the steepest part, and the uneasiest mounting of all the rest, as it is nearest the vertical point of our fixure: This last step then is Speculation or Meditating, which act of our discursive faculty, is commonly taken as univocal, with this other of our minde fixed in Contempla∣tion; but when they are rightly distinguished, there ap∣peareth such a diversity, as is between the last strains of motion, and the term of acquiescence: For Speculation is * 1.23 properly the busie attention of the minde in the inquest of truth, ranging and casting out all ways, to bring in conclu∣sions for the Spirit to fix and rest upon in Contemplation; which (as I have said) is a fruitive possession of Verities, which flowers the minde doth no longer gather or collect, but rather hold in her hand ready made up in nosegays that she is smelling to.

Me thinks these two different states of the Minde may be rendred very intelligible, by a conception my Fancy hath sprung, while it is ranging for some fit expression of this very act which my Minde is now exercising▪ and I may say, That Speculation and Contemplation differ ••ust so, as my present writing of their differences doth from my reading them anon when I have finished them: For now my imagination is beating and casting all ways, for some well suited similitude, whereby to illustrate the diversity of these two acts, and my memory is sifting and sorting ap∣posite words, to express my conceptions▪ and thus by de∣grees

I shall by means of this studious Application of those powers of my Minde, form some digested Character of what I design; which finished Draught of my own thoughts, when I shall reade over, I shall no longer work upon it, but behold the Image I have framed out of the past divisions and compoundings of my thoughts, and then my Minde will rest and enjoy my determined notions: So that as I do now speculate, and shall upon the finishing of these two Characters, contemplate them, without any far∣ther agitation of my Minde: In like maner the state of Speculation is a disquisition of sundry Divine Verities, whereby to form some determined notions, which are the objects that Contemplation is to be fixed upon in an acqui∣escent state, when the discursive motion is arrived at the term of rest it pointed at; and then contemplating the re∣sult of our former discoursings, we do, as it were, reade over and enjoy this digest of our Imaginations: where∣fore as the act of our Comprehending doth excel that of our Reasoning, in respect the intellect sees at one look or intuition what the Reason collecteth but by divers circuits of Discourse, and so seemeth but a purveyor of what the intelligence possesseth in one instant: In like maner the Contemplative state, by the same reason, transcends the Speculative; and, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thinks, in such a proportion as the intellect of Angels excelleth that of rational Souls: for the first comprehendeth in one act, without the tardity of discourse, all intelligible species connatural to it, and the last is fain to stay upon the abstracting of intelligible spe∣cies from materialities, and the conferring and co〈…〉〈…〉 of them with one another by ratiocination, before it can settle conclusions, wherefore Speculation seemeth to be a Humane act, and Contemplation, as it were, an An∣gelical.

These lines have, I hope; drawn a fair par••ition be∣tween these two acts of a devout Soul, whereby they ap∣pear not to be coincident, as they are commonly misunder∣stood,

although they are co ordinate to one another, not that I do presume that God hath obliged himself to this order, of transfusing this grace of Contemplation always through the medium of studious Speculation: For I am not ignorant of his immediate communicating this hand of intuitive fruition of his Verities to some choyce Souls, unqualified for this preparatory course of Reading and Meditation; God is admirable in his Saints, in manifesting his Grace and Omnipotence by divers maners: but as Saint Paul saith, Though none 〈…〉〈…〉eth the minde of the Lord, yet * 1.24 we have the minde of Christ, wherefore I have given this direction, as I said, when I first entred upon it, to conduct Travellers in this path, which is Christs high way mark∣ed for us, of Asking, Seeking and Knocking; and this is the beaten track of his Church, which doth not circumscribe God within this method: Sometimes the Spirit of the Lord catcheth up some humble illiterate Souls, and setteth them immediately upon the top of this Mountain, as he did Phi∣lip the Deacon at Az••••us; but for the most part he con∣veyeth * 1.25 those he calleth to this land of Visions, as he did Abraham, by these three days journeys I have gested to you, * 1.26 before they come to this high station: For God doth com∣monly carry these Spiritual discoverers which he calleth to take a little sey of the fruits of the Land of Promise, all over this course of Spiritual exercises, before they come to gather this fruit of Contemplation, which seemeth to be a bunch of Grapes of that immense Vintage of Wine, whereof the Psalmist speaking, saith, They shall be inebriated by the fulness of thy house: For an inchoative state of Con∣templation in this life, is as it were a cluster of Grapes of the same Vine, to wit, the Grace of Christ, which after∣ward is reduced into what was the last intent of the planter, that is, into the Wine of the Saints, perfected Contempla∣tion of the Divine Essence.

So that having given you clear and practicable instru∣ctions, in order to the taking a right way towards this state

of acquiescence (the singular excellencies whereof I have with my best skill pourtraicted unto your judgements and affections) I shall adde onely this laudative of the Holy Spirit, as very appliable to this happy state of Contempla∣tion, Many daughters have gathered together riches, but thou * 1.27 hast passed them all.

Upon these premised Considerations, I may conclude the same order observable in the offering up this Spiritual In∣cense, which was held in the preparing and burning the material Incense of the Tabernacle (which act was a figure of this our Religious Duty) we must then first by Mor∣tification keep clean and fair the grate of the Altar; by Le∣cture and studiousness we are to gather and mix the Gums and Spices of pious Conceptions; by Speculation and me∣ditating we must bear and pounce the Odours into a fine powder, to wit, collect pure and refined images of Verities, and then by Contemplation we come to fire and exhale the perfume of the whole Composition; By this method we erect our hearts, according to those gradations designed by the Psalmist, and the Law-giver shall give a blessing, when * 1.28 they go thus from vertue to vertue, the God of gods shall be seen in Sion.

§. V.

Of the sensible delight springing from this Head of Contemplation; as also the close of the whole Work.

HAving treated the blessedness of the intellectual part of this Contemplative state, which may be said to stand for the Soul thereof, there remaineth the adjoyning that portion which answereth to the Body in this compound of happiness, which is, the sensible joy where∣with the affections are replenished; which delectable good affecting the sensitive powers, is a redundancy or waste falling from the vertue of that Truth which overfloweth in the supremest portion of our Minde, in some such maner as the beatitude of the Body is derived from the super∣fluent riches of the Soul, in the state of glory, and as the Soul shall then over-pay all the ministerial offices of her Body in this life (by the mediat••on whereof, her powers are now exercised) imparting to the Body far more noble ca∣pacities; So doth the intellect in this life, when the minde is in the state of Contemplation, superabundantly recompence the ministery of the Senses, for the conveyance of those species whereupon the understanding acreth in Lecture and Speculation, by far exceeding joys and ••uavities diffused up∣on the affections, such indeed as are not to be conceived, unless it be by those that have tasted them, whereof the Psalmist saith, Blessed is the people that knoweth jubilation; upon * 1.29 which words St. Gregory noteth, that the Holy Spirit saith, Not speaks, but knoweth this jubilation, because it may be con∣ceived, but not fully expressed by the enjoyer of it: The Soveraign Contemplator King David, by the assistance of the Holy Spirit, giveth us the fairest light we have of it,

when he saith, My heart and my flesh have rejoyced in the living God; the first whereof imports the satisfaction of the in∣tellectual, and the last the solaces of the appetitive part of the Soul, that is, the seat of the Affections; which though they are not always equally feasted with delectation, yet are they for the most part entertained with a competent mea∣sure of gladness and exhileration, and sometimes are re∣created with an extraordinary jucundity, in such a maner, as the Prophet Elisha's trenches were filled with water, without * 1.30 any appearance of wind or rain to produce this effect; that is to say, the inferior part of the Soul feeleth a sensible delight and refreshment, without any inordinate emotion or altera∣tion of those sensitive powers, wherein this delight is ex∣cited, insomuch as they finde the sweet effects of these two Affections, both Love and Joy, the first rising not from the wind of passion, and the other not being instilled by the rain of any material fruition; and thus the delights of these two Affections, from to be in such mindes, as they are in Angels, and Souls separate from Bodies, to wit, as they are acts of the Will, not alterations of the sensitive appetite.

How blessed is the state of such Souls, when even the sensitive power of their Minde seemeth to operate, as if their Spirits were totally abstracted, or their Natures were Angelical; and therefore may not improperly be said to measure this world with such a golden Reed, as the Angel in * 1.31 the Revelation did the heavenly City, that Saint John saith, was the measure of a Man, which is of an Angel; for this squaring of their affections by the rule of pure Charity, ren∣dreth them in a great measure proportionate to the same Angelical operations: And in this admirable maner doth the hand of their Maker square and model such choyce Souls to fit and adjust them for the filling up the vacant rooms of Angels, according to the design of him who hath said, They shall be like the Angels of God i•• * 1.32 Heaven.

Having conjoyned this sensitive portion unto the the ra∣tional, we have exhibited this Contemplative stare, in that accomplished beatitude this life admitteth; And surely the Soul of Man in this mortal state, doth as naturally cover the adjunction of this delectable part in her affections, un∣to the other illuminated portion of her intellect, as a Soul though glorified, doth the addition of her Body: And as by this last accession the Soul doth not augment her bea∣titude by way of intersion or exaltation, but onely in point of extension and amplitude, so doth the addition of this de∣light of the affections, rather inlarge and dilate the blessed∣ness of this state of Contemplation, then elevate or heighten the vertue of the Soul in that condition, the felicity where∣of I may will leave sealed with this Signet of the Holy Spi∣rit, This is the gift of God, and the possessor thereof shall not * 1.33 much remember the days of his life, because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

After this edition of the high Prerogatives of the true Contemplative life, lest any one should conceive the inferior Vocations any way discredited, I will present all the several stations of this world, with this Consolation and Instru∣ction of Saint Paul, As God hath distributed to every one, as * 1.34 the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk: For although the ear have not an absolute dignity equal with the eye, yet in the dignity of proportions there is an equality between them; Wherefore I will offer this excellent Conclusion of Saint Austine, to all the engaged conditions of this world, The love of Truth desireth a holy vacancy, the pres∣sure of Charity imposeth just occupations; which charge, if it be not laid on by some charitable obligation, the best is, to at∣tend unto the perception and contemplation of Truth; but in case of our being entred into a lawful Engagement, that is to be born for the necessity of Charity, but yet not so as the delectation of Verity be totally deserted, lest that Religious S••avity being substracted, we ••e the easilier oppressed by th••

other secular necessity. This Advice may serve for a conve∣nient direction, to all such as are drawing in the yoke of any secular Engagement, or are loose in the state of a tree Election of entring into this sweet yoke of Christ, drawing in the Chariot of Contemplation.

Being now arrived at the farthest point of the Hori∣zon of this state of Grace, we cannot pass forward with∣out entring upon the other Haemisphere of the state of Glory; which, I hope, God will enable me to exhibite un∣to you in the other part of this Map I first designed, which I will leave now divided by this Aequator, severing the two halfs of that Spiritual Globe, whereof I had first in∣tended to give you an intire Edition; But finding in the other part many Spiritual Positions, according to the old Doctrine of the Suns moving, and the Earths being fixed; which Maximes would not well agree with the new Ma∣thematical Discovery, of the Earths moving and cota∣tion: I have thought better to publish at first this un∣controverted part of my Work, and reserve the other till a farther decision of this question. And since the whole Work was designed as a Sacrifice of a Leper, in order * 1.35 to his cleansing; the purgation being yet very imperfect, I may not unfitly say, That this is one of the Sparrows, which I humbly offer up upon the running waters of a pe∣nitent Soul; and promise, That the other shall be let flye into the world hereafter, when God shall be pleased farther to advance the emundation; for the accelerating whereof I humbly request all their Prayers, who shall be so benign

as to conceive they owe me any thing for this Part, or shall make any account of my owing them the other: And I may fitly end this Semicircle of my Pen, with the best half of Saint Pauls valediction to the Romans, Now * 1.36 I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christs sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, that the oblation of my service may become ac∣ceptable in Jerusalem to the Saints. Now the God of peace be with you all.

Amen.

Sicut portavimus imaginem terreni: portimus & imaginem coelestis,

1 Cor. 15. 49.

Nam prudentia carnis mors est: prudentia spiritus, vita & pax,

Rom. 8. 6.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rev. 15.
• * 1.2

  Joh. 8. 23.
• * 1.3

  Joh. 12. 32
• * 1.4

  Phil. 2.
• * 1.5

  Prov. 4.
• * 1.6

  Contem∣plation defined.
• * 1.7

  Psa. 23. 6.
• * 1.8

  Psal. 30. 20.
• * 1.9

  1 Cor. 6.
• * 1.10

  1 Cor. 2.
• * 1.11

  John 14. 23.
• * 1.12

  Phil. 3.
• * 1.13

  Exod. 35.
• * 1.14

  Rom. 8.
• * 1.15

  1 Cor. 9.
• * 1.16

  2 Cor. 12.
• * 1.17

  Gal. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.18

  Psal. 83.
• * 1.19

  Gen. 22.
• * 1.20

  Psal. 4.
• * 1.21

  2 Tim. 4. 13.
• * 1.22

  2 Tim. 4.
• * 1.23

  Specula∣tion de∣fined.
• * 1.24

  1 Cor. 16.
• * 1.25

  Acts 8.
• * 1.26

  Gen. 22.
• * 1.27

  Prov. 31. 21.
• * 1.28

  Psa. 83. 8.
• * 1.29

  Psal. 88.
• * 1.30

  2 King. 3.
• * 1.31

  Apoc. 21. 17.
• * 1.32

  Mat. 22. 30.
• * 1.33

  Eccles. 5. 19.
• * 1.34

  1 Cor. 7. 17.
• * 1.35

  Lev. 14.
• * 1.36

  Rom. 15. 30.