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

Miscellania, or Spiritual Essays: A TABLE Containing the several Treatises, as they stand divided into Sections.

TREATISE 1.

• A Map of humane nature, divided into two Sections. page 1
• Sect. 1. Treating the Original rectitude of mans nature, and the present obliquity thereof. ibid
• 2. Of mans abusing, what he might learn by the mortality of the crea∣ture, and the frailty of his nature evidenced in all sorts of persons and trials. 6.

TREAT. 2.

• Handling the reparation of humane nature in two Sections. 11
• Sect. 1. Of the admirable means God chose for this work, and the rehabi∣litation resulting to man from this Order of God. ib.
• 2. How even mans infirmities may afford him glories; with motives to joy, and correspondence to the grace of Christ incarnate. 16

TREAT. 3.

• Of Religion in two Sections. 21
• Sect. 1. Considering it under the general notion of some reference to a Divine power. ib.
• 2. Treating the best habit of minde in order to the finding a recti••ied Religion. 24

TREAT. 4.

• Of Devotion in two Sections. 27
• ...

• ... 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 1. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 regularly defin••d▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 some 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 〈…〉〈…〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Devotion described a more famil〈…〉〈…〉 way, and the best natural 〈…〉〈…〉 in order thereunto. 31

TREAT. 5.

• Discoursing whether sensible pleasures may con∣sort with devotion, in two Sections. 36
• Sect. 1. Rectifying our affections, chiefly our love in the sense of beauty. ib.
• 2. Ambition rightly examined, and discreet condesc••ndencies proposed respectively to diverse vocations. 42.

TREAT. 6.

• ...Of disabuse to the Rationalists and Sensualists, concerning temporal happiness, and devotion proposed for security of a happy life, in three Sections. ••0
• Sect. 1. The vertue of Devotion exalted, and the vanity of some Philo∣sophers detected. ib.
• 2. A conviction of Sensualists, declaring how grace emancipateth us from the bands of the creatures. 55
• 3. Resultancies from the meditation of humane frailty, and a resolving the right of happiness, as belonging to devotion. 60

TREAT. 7.

• How true Devotion induceth those notions, wherein consisteth the happiness of this life, in three Sections. 64
• Sect. 1. The fallacy of opinion, and the vertue of truth discoursed. ib.
• 2. Sacred examples, shewing what may be said to be a rejoycing in the truth of temporal goods, and how eve•• secular evils afford joy by the same method of a right understanding them. 69
• 3. The fallacies of some Objections solved, and the rejoycing in truth concluded for our real happiness. 73

TREAT. 8.

• Touching the means of possessing that truth wherein the happiness of this life is stated, in two Sections. 78
• ...

• ... Sect. 1. Diffidence in point of obtaining spiritual lights reprehended, and prayer 〈…〉〈…〉 in order to this designe. 78
• 2. What sincerety in prayer is requisite for this effect, and what kinde of peace is to be expected. 74

TREAT. 9.

• Of the condition of Courts, Princes, and Cour∣tiers, in three Sections. 86
• Sect. 1. The best notion of Cour••ts proposed. ib.
• 2. The vitiousness of the heathen Courts censured, and the consequence of the Examples of Princes urged, as a charge upon the vertue of their lives. 90
• 3. The importance of their company for the education of Princes, and a rule proposed for Counsellors, and Companions, to both ruling, and yong Princes. 94

TREAT. 10.

• How a good conscience, and a good Courtier are consortable with one another, in seven Sections. 98
• Sect. 1. The temptations of Courts acknowledged great, but not in∣superable. ib.
• 2. Real humility recommended, discerned from Courtship, and proved con∣sonant to the state of Courtiers. 102
• 3. The vitiousness of flattery displayed, with an allowance of decent civi∣lities in exchanges of Courtship. 107
• 4. The use of sober praises treated, and reciprocal civilities regulated. 110
• 5. The advantages of the vocation of a Courtier ballanced, with some pre∣judices in point of piety. 113
• 6. Some notorious errors remarked, and what facility the breeding of Courtiers may bring towards an excellence in Religious duties, proved by examples. 117
• 7. Comparisons between vocations disavowed, and advices offered, in order to a due correspondence, with the grace of a Courtiers profession. 121

TREAT. 11.

• Of Medisance, or detraction, in 2. Sections. 125
• Sect. 1. The true nature of the crime of detraction, and the subtilty of it in disguising it self. ib.
• 2. Some rules whereby to square our discourse, and an expedient offered, towards the correction of Medisance. 131

TREAT. 12.

• ...Concerning scurrility, or foulness of speech, 〈…〉〈…〉 three Sections. 〈…〉〈…〉
• Sect. 1. Of the dangerousness of these liberties, and the familiar ex〈…〉〈…〉 made for them. 〈…〉〈…〉
• 2. Some special causes of the growth of this licentiousness, and some 〈◊〉〈◊〉∣pedient proposed towards the suppression thereof. 1••0
• 3. What circumstances augment these faults, and women incharged 〈…〉〈…〉 severity in opposition to them. ••4••.

TREAT. 13.

• ...Whether to be in love, and to be devout, are con∣sistent, in eight Sections.
• Sect. 1. The nature of love and devotion compared. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• 2. Some subtle temptations detected, and liberties reproved. 1〈…〉〈…〉
• 3. The errors of prophane jealousie argued, and a pious jealou〈…〉〈…〉 proposed. 1••••
• 4. The deceit of passion in promise of mercy, and power of resisti••g temptations. 1••••
• 5. The faultiness of flattery to women discovered, and disswaded. 1〈…〉〈…〉
• 6. Presumption upon our vertue discussed, and the danger thereof remo••∣strated. 1••6
• 7. Some scruples resolved about the esteem of beauty, and the friendshi•• of women. 17••
• 8 The conclusion framed upon the premised discourse, and our love safe〈…〉〈…〉 addressed. 179

TREAT. 14.

• Concerning the test, and ballance of filial and mercinary love, in five Sections. 181
• Sect. 1. Of the value of love, and Gods tolerating some mixture of self respects in it. ib.
• 2. Mercinary love defined, and the relying much on it disswaded. 184
• 3. Filial love described, and some strong incentives presented to kindle it in us. 187
• 4 Motives to filial love drawn from our several relations to God, as also from the dignity, and advantage of this sort of love. 191
• 5. Advices in order to the preserving this sort of love, and fraternal di∣lection represented, as a gracious rule, whereby to judge of our recti∣tude in filial love. 194

TREAT. 15.

• Of the duties of a Christian towards enemies, in five Sections. 265
• Sect. 1. The precept of loving enemies sweetned by many reasons draw•• from Christs injoyning, and his acting it. ib.
• 2. The av••rsness to this duty riseth from our corrupted nature, promoted by divers subtle temptations of our great enemy. 270
• 3. The relation wherein all enemies are to be loved, and what Offices are indispensably due to them, the omission whereof can be redeemed by no other sort of piety. 274
• 4. The inordinateness of our love difficilitateth this duty, dissimulation in this conformity reproached, and many benefits derivable from a sincere compliance represented, as also presumption upon the Theory of this du∣ty disswaded. 282
• 5 The best preparatory disposition for the acting this duty, the which ma∣keth no obstruction in the course of justice, as also powerful persons ad∣monished of their temptation in this point of revenge, and animated by their exceeding merit in this ••idelity. 287

TREAT. 16.

• Of considerations upon the unsuccesfulness of a good cause, in six Sections. 291
• Sect. 1. That much Religion is requisite to assist us in this probation. ib.
• 2. Motives to constancy after a prudent election of our cause. 294
• 3. The variableness of the vulgar upon event••, and a prudent conduct proposed. 297
• 4. An information of what kinde of conformity we owe Gods declared will in adverse events. 299
• 5. The infirmity of our nature comforted by examples, holy and prophane, and the acquies••ence to Gods order with constancy perswaded. 302
• 6. The conclusion regulating all humors in this probation. 310

TREAT. 17.

• Of Solitude in two Sections. 315
• Sect. 1. The most useful order in describing the nature of solitude. ib.
• 2. Solitude divided into three sorts, and the first discoursed of. 318

TREAT. 18.

• Of a mixed sort, or of Neutral solitude in three Sections. 324
• ...

• ... Sect. 1. Explaining this term by exhibiting the state of mans will in his elections. 324
• 2. Treating divers motives that solicite this vocation. 327
• 3. How God worketh, and how the devil countermineth in this vocation, wherein a safe course is directed. 330

TREAT. 19.

• Of violent solitude, or close imprisonment in eight Sections. 338
• Sect. 1. How unwillingly our nature submitteth to the loss of liberty and society. ib.
• 2. The deficiency of single natural reason argued, for consolation in this case, and the validity of grace asserted. 340
• 3. Great benefit acknowledged to moral Philosophy, and the right use thereof directed in order to our solacing. 345
• 4. The disposure of our time treated, and advised, for improvement as well as easing of our minde. 350
• 5. A method proposed in point of study, and the use may be derived from story, towards a right understanding of Divine providence. 355
• 6. Some special meditations proposed for the divertisement of our minde. 361
• 7. Some speculations suggested to recreate our spirits in sufferance, and to invigorate our Faith. 365
• 8. The final and most solid assignment of comfort for this condition. 370

TREAT. 20.

• Of the contempt of the world in 2. Sections. 375
• Sect. 1. Arguments to discredit all the attractives of this earth, and Gods contribution thereunto produced. ib.
• 2. Motives by the property of a Christian to contemn the world. 384.

TREAT. 21.

• Of the preheminence of a true contemplative life, in five Sections. 385
• Sect. 1. Contemplation defined, and some excellencies thereof discoursed. ib.
• 2. The gradations whereby we do ordinarily ascend up to this station. 385
• 3. The requisitenes of lecture, in order to this spiritual elevation. 39••
• 4. Speculation placed a•• the last-step in this ascent of the soul. 39••
• 5. Of the sensible delight springing from this head of contemplation. 401.