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

§. II.

How even Mans infirmities may afford him gloryes, and consequently, Motives to joy and correspondence with the grace of Christ incarnate.

REflecting duly on what hath been premised, we may justly sing an Hosanna to our humane nature, as she is now participant of the virtue of God himselfe, in the person of Christ, since she is so fortified for triumph and victo∣ry over all the devills forces, and her own frailties, as I may say, it is a greater shame for man, not to overcome now, thus joyned with Christ, then it was at first, to yeeld to the devil and the woman joyned.

He, who is clothed with light as with a garment, when he bowed the heavens and descended, taking our nature as a cloud for his vestment, might have purged it of all frailty and infirmity by his merits in it, and have re-estated it in the originall integrity; but he seemes to have chose the leaving of this infirmity, to exalt the fidelity, this thought may be sup∣ported by his deniall of Saint Paul, the removing from him his reluctancies, because virtue is perfected in weaknesse, so having left our nature with this life-guard about her of my grace is sufficient for thee, he hath inabled her to rise to a higher degree of honour, by victory, then she could have done by security, for then our nature would have wanted the similitude and confi∣guration with the image of Christ, tempted, suffering, and tri∣umphing, which is a diviner figure then the safe unexercised condition of Adam.

And why may not we conceive that the miseries left in our nature by so mercifull a God, were intended as seeds of a more fruitfull glory, since not only our own sufferings are

now allowed as good evidences for the claime of our felici∣••y▪ but even the distresses of others, are assigned for our qua∣lifications, for Christ in his last account with man, produceth nothing but miseries of nature, for mans merit to him, sickness, ••unger, poverty, and captivity are brought in, as the only contributions to mans glorification, and by Christs words, we finde that even he inhabiteth still in the infirmities of our nature, insomuch, as to reconcile us to the most aversing part of our nature, we may look upon Christs personation in it, for he seemes (at that day, when he shall in our nature, judge both natures of men and angels) to own his residence most especially, in all the distresses and indignities of humane na∣ture, and to admit the communication and familiarity we have had with such miseries, as the only claime to our eternall association with him, and thus having a capacity imparted by all our infirmities to merit at Christs hands by his owne sentence, our lyablenesse to them may be thought a no∣bler state then would have been our exemption from danger.

And to support this supposition, we may conclude, that our arrogant enemy (who affected to be like Christ in his glo∣ry, but never emulated his humility) is more tormented now by mans triumphs over his angelicall powers, and his owne humane weaknesse, then he would be by mans state of impe••∣cancy; for even that spoil this enemy now makes upon us, doth not at all ease or relieve him, whereas the defeats & shames he received by our victories over him, strain the rack of his pride upon him, torturing him by this vilifying his power, by which means, even our infirmities may be said to serve Christ against the great maligner of both his Natures, which admitted, they who complain of the infelicity & perversion of our nature, may be advertized, that they have a means to rectifie this crooked∣ness, even by the impulse of one of the most vebement corrup∣tions thereof; namely, the passion of revenge, since this redress may be wrought by their attempting continuall vindications against the procurer of all our misery, by a victorious fidelity to our maker; whereby even our infirmities being overcome, are

converted into the torments of our pretending tormentor; and may the thussting of the serpent be retorted into his own bo∣some, when his assaults return him more the sight of his own impotency▪ then of our frailty.

And how feisable this way of revenge is made, S. Paul assureth us, both by his life and Doctrine, when he defieth An∣gels, Principalities, and Powers to joyn with his infirmities; and yet glorieth that in all these oppositions, man may be more then conquerer by him, who hath loved him.

How many virtuous Trophees are there now erected in Christianity, of the victories of humane nature, over our most powerfull infirmity? What numbers wear the vestures of their humanity, shining in the candour of innocence and chastity, in so pure a manner, as they seeme rather, living, transfigured with Elias and Moses upon Tabor, then comming disfigured with Adam out of Eden? So much doth even the frailest por∣tion of our humanity triumph now over the greatest frailty of our nature, and from the infirmity of the flesh, derive rather consequent merit then actuall infection; so that the proud spi∣rit findes oftentimes by this repulse, rather the misery of his destitution of grace, then the infirmity of our nature, being suc∣cour'd and supported by an accession of the fortifying grace of our Head Christ Jesus.

In which respect Saint Augustin sayeth elegantly, the nati∣vity of Christ was the renascency of man; as flesh had wounded thee, so it now healeth thee; the Physitian ministred a receipt, composed of our own infirme nature, and by the infirmity of his flesh, cured the infection of ours.

And for an intire re-inforcement of our humane nature, which consisteth of spirit and flesh, our spirit seemes to have yet a more intimate union with God, for our flesh was but a supervesture or upper Garment to the Son of God. The two natures of God and Man remaining distinct, and not inter∣mixed, but our spirit is sealed and impressed by the holy Ghost, and so seemes identified with the Spirit of God, in some such sort, as the impression left is the same image with the stampe

which impresseth it, and in this respect, the Apostle tells us, that he that is joyned unto God, is one spirit with him; we need not speculate so curiously, the radiant beames of the Word of God, as to dazle or dissipate the sight of our minde, in this mysterious expression of the holy Spirit; as much as is com∣petent with our eyes, is the perception (by this dazling light) of what great dignity and excellence our humane nature may now own; in which the intire Trinity doth reside, the Son of God in Person, the holy Ghost or Spirit of God, by Cha∣racter and impression, and consequently God the Father by the indivisibleness of his essence from their presences; therefore we see Christ promiseth us in expresse termes, the company of the Father, and his residence in us.

Wherefore, Now O happy man that thou art, look not down upon the stage of the Serpent, where he lyeth still hissing at thee, to call thy thoughts to the earth, since thou didst first hearken to him; But raise thy lookes upward, to the throne of Heaven, where the splendor of thy humanity, at the right Hand of God, reflecteth to thee thy owne dignity, for even in the mirrour of the word, wherein God the Father seeth himselfe, man may now see his own image; there man may see not only his nature made after Gods image, but God himselfe in the image of his nature.

Correspond with thy own worthynesse then, O exalted creature! and live as if thou had'st never seene thy selfe in any other glasse, for here is that eminence truly conferred on thee, which thou did'st at first so vainly affect, of being like God, and the holy Spirit is thy councellour in this claime of thy divinity, and thy comforter against the disswasions of thy first projector, who would now divert thee from the aspiring to the consort and participation of the divine nature which is offered to thy aspiring.

This premised and ponder'd, man may say, I rejoyce even in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me, and triumph in me; for my strength is made perfect in weak∣nesse, and may consort the harp of David to the same tune of

praysing mans condition, professing, thy friends, O Lord are become exceeding honourable, their principality is exceeding strengthened, for when mans infirmities appear in temptations and suggestions, to deface the image and Character of the holy Ghost in him, then hath he the holy Spirit to second him in the defence of his own image. So that by the adjunction of these helpes, even all mans infirmities may be converted into his glories, and man hath nothing left to undeifie him now, but his owne preferrence of degeneration and flavery to the enemy of his nature, before his adherence to her Author.

Finally, upon all these representations, I may justly re-ex∣toll and magnifie the dignity of humane nature, which we may consider sent down at first from Heaven as Gods image: and next, as a state to which God himselfe did vouchsafe to come down in person, and taking it upon him, will inhabit therein eternally, and then, that the holy Spirit of the Father and the Son abideth in it, as in his Temple, which he sanctifies incessantly, nay more that it is designed to partake the same glory, which the whole Trinity injoyeth, by being promised to be made like him who hath it all, the God and man Christ Jesus.

O then, he that may hope this, let him never plead his frailty or infirmity, in discredit of his nature, let him not in a dejection of spirit seek to cover his pusilanimity, with, O wret∣ched man, I finde a Law reluctant in me, against all these mo∣tives and incentives of my aspiring to divinity, but rather let him boldly pronounce in such a holy confidence as is prescri∣bed him, I can doe all things in him that strengthens me, for since God is in so many sorts with us, who shall prevaile against us? Therefore in all these reluctances, let us aspire to be more then conquerors, by him who so much loveth us.

Notes

• 2 Cor. 12.
• Rom. 8. 37.
• Nunns.
• 1 Cor. 6. 17.
• John 14. 23.
• 2 Peter 1. 4.
• 2 Cor. 12. 9.
• Psal. 138.
• 1 E. John 3. 2.
• Rom. 8. 37.