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

§. I.

Devotion regularly defined, and some accidents that raise it, explicated.

THere is nothing seems more requisite, towards the sincere practice of it, then the sound definition of De∣votion, for it is much easier to copie well, then to de∣signe perfectly this worke: Neverthelesse it is the familiar pre∣sumption of the world, to passe themselves Masters, by draw∣ing the expressions of their piety, by their own imagination, rather them to work then by the Churches draughts and pat∣terns: and thus many are mistaken in the manner, more then

in the meaning of their religious duties, for devotion consists more of conformity to order, in pious applications, then in contrivement of them: wherefore this prescription of some spirituall director is given by God, Obey them that rule * 1.1 over you, and submit your selves, for they watch for your soules. And herein is provided a rest, as I may say, for our zeale to discharge it selfe upon; for when it is shot without that stay, it often falls very wide of the right mark, which the holy Spi∣rit hath set up to us, by the Psalmist, in, Not unto us, O Lord, but unto thy Name give glory. So that this is the safest prin∣ciple * 1.2 for all good inclinations to build upon, viz. the right notion, and understanding of devotion, taken from some prudent director; for even the steadiest hands draw straighter lines, stayed and guided by a rule, then left to their own loose motion. And I may without presumption, undertake to shape a generall good rule, (by the Model of the Churches do∣ctrine) whereby to take the right dimensions of rectified De∣votion; for this may be done by an unskilfull hand in the practicall part, as good instruments may be made by Mecha∣nicks, who want the science of using them.

Devotion is a fervour infused into our soule by Grace, which * 1.3 breatheth out continually an alacrity & promptitude in regu∣lar and ordinate performances, of all such religious duties, as are ordained by God, for the exteriour testimony of the in∣teriour love and reverence we owe him.

This good habit of the mind, is the fierie spiration of the holy Ghost, taking in such sort upon our wills, as it raiseth a fla∣ming * 1.4 evidence of our love to God, in all our actions, and this is properly to be baptized with the Spirit, and with fire, to have * 1.5 all our affections turned Christian, by the accension of that holy fire in our hearts, which Christ said he came to cast into the earth, and required the kindling and ardencie of it in us, so that the activity of this spirituall fire in our soules is that we tearme our devotion, which implyes a conformity of our affections in morality, and our opinions in religion, to the re∣vealed will of God; our appetites we conforme in acquiring

such habits of virtue as are expresly enjoyned us by God, in his commandments; and our own conceptions we submit in our conformity to such acts of religious worship, as are dire∣cted to us by the Church, which God hath invested with po∣wer of direction, by these words of his commission, They that * 1.6 heare you, heare me, and they that despise you, despise me: pro∣mising also the spirit of truth, to rectifie all the executions of * 1.7 this power, and the residence of that spirit to the end of the World. In order to the preservation of that capacity impar∣ted; hence is it that there is no zeale or fervour of spirit, which may properly passe for Devotion, that is not touched at the test of the sanctuary, which is obedience to the Churches regulations, for many may thinke themselves in Saint Pauls discipline, in the ferrour of the spirit, when they are neerer Saint Judes commination of perishing in the contradiction of * 1.8 Core, for as Saint John sayes, The Spirit of Truth and of Er∣rour is discerned by hearing the voyce of the Church, not by singing loud in it, therefore it is not the straining our notes, but the singing in tune, that makes the musick of Devotion wherewith God is delighted.

But supposing the flame of our Devotion to be lighted by a coal from the Altar; the higher it riseth, the neerer it com∣eth to Heaven; for there must not be only interiour heat, but exteriour light in it, Saint John Baptist is a perfect image of * 1.9 Devotion, in that Character Christ gives of him; he was a burning & a shining light, which signifieth internall sincerity, and active exemplarity; and our Saviour intimates these two requisitions in our Devotion, when he gives us this order, Let * 1.10 your light so shine before men, that they may see your good workes, and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven; wherefore this pre∣cept requires not only a fervour, which we feel our selves, but a splendour that may illuminate others by the edification of our lives.

When our Saviour stateth us as pilgrims in this transitory world, he advises us to have our Loynes girl, and our Lights * 1.11 burning, which intimateth promptitude to the exercise of

Charity, and fervency in the act of our love. And Devotion comprizes fully this equipage for our journey, since it collects us, and strengthens us for motion, and is likewise that fire which is the best security we can carry with us in our passage through the wildernesse we travail, to arme us against all the wild sensualities that lie in our way, since it hath this speciall virtue to fright and disperse all that is irratio∣nall.

And this spirituall fire hath many analogies with materiall, insomuch as the holy spirit sayes of it, The coales thereof are coales of fire, and have a vehement flame; and me thinkes this * 1.12 one remarkable similitude betweene them may be fitly apply∣ed, viz. as fire doth convert many substances which were un∣fruitfull & unclean, into a matter both generative and clensing by the consumption and reduction of them into ashes, which have both these qualities: so Devotion by consuming our passi∣ons which were both barren & impure, converts our affections into the love of penance and mortification, which are the ashes of our consumed offences, and so are made both fruit∣full and purging by this conversion into matter of humiliati∣on, by which kind of soyling many converts improve much the good seed fal'n into their hearts: for that penitent reflexion Devotion makes upon our vaine and foul passions and affecti∣ons, (which is the consumption and incineration of them) becomes purgative by sincere contrition, and generative of all fruites of Charity, since the zeale of mortification is not only a marke of our repentance, but a meanes of our perfection: when holy David sayes, he eate ashes like bread, they were made of his loose passion consumed by the flame of his Devotion, and so converted into seeds of penance, and we know how fruitfull these ashes proved to his former sterility.

The water of expiation in the Law, was made with the in∣fusion of ashes, and certainly there is nothing more clensing then the matter of our offences consumed by Devotion, and aspersed upon our memories, for nothing makes us more

zealous to take out all their staines upon our lives, according to the Apostles observation of the effects of godly sorrow; What carefulnesse, what clearing of our selves, what indignati∣on, * 1.13 what vehement desire, what zeal, yea, what revenge it workes? so as you see what fertility Devotion raiseth out of the con∣sumption and ashes of our sinnes, which is the Apostles godly sorrow.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Heb. 13. 17.
• * 1.2

  Psal. 114. Non nobis Domine sed nomini tuo da glori∣am.
• * 1.3

  Devotion de∣fined.
• * 1.4

  Mat. 3〈…〉〈…〉. 11
• * 1.5

  Luk. 12. 49.
• * 1.6

  S. Luk. 10. 16
• * 1.7

  John 17. Mat. 28.
• * 1.8

  Jude 11. 1 John. 4. 6
• * 1.9

  John 5. 35.
• * 1.10

  Matthew.
• * 1.11

  Luk. 12. 35.
• * 1.12

  Cant. 8. 6.
• * 1.13

  2 Cor. 7. 11.