from Experience and Custom Wherefore if the Devils do so they neither deserve Admiration nor Attention for What Advantage can it be to know such things before-hand if they be true for such Knowledge as this neither contributes to Vertue nor Good Manners No one is judg'd for what he does not know of this kind nor benefitted by having learnt it But every Man is judg'd by God and himself whether he has kept the Faith and observed his Commands To this we should give great Attendance Our Exercise and Contention should be not to fore-know but to walk well-pleasing in God's Sight And we ought to Pray not that we may fore-know nor to request this as the Reward of our Exercise but that our Lord may work with us towards our obtaining a Victory over the Devil But if we find our selves solicitous to fore-know indeed let us be pure in our Minds for I do believe that a Soul in every respect pure and brought to its primitive Frame may become so discerning as to see by the Revelation of our Lord both more and remoter Events too than Devils Just so the Soul of Elisha saw Gehazi 2 Kings 5.25 and the Hosts standing before him 6.17 18. When therefore they come in the Night and are willing to tell things or say We are good Angels believe them not for they lye Or if they praise your Exercise or call you Happy believe them not neither submit so far to them as to hear them But rather cross your selves and your Families and pray together and ye shall see them vanish for they are dastardly and dread the Sign of our Lord's Cross because by that our Saviour made them bare and publickly exposed them Col. 2.15 Moreover if they grow more and more Impudent and leap about wantonly in various Shapes don't be afraid or attend to them as good Spirits for by God's Assistance 't will be possible nay easie to distinguish between the Presence of a Good and a Bad Spirit For the Appearance of Holy Spirits is not with Disturbance and Disorder Matt. 12.19 for He will not strive nor cry neither doth any one hear their Voice But a Good Spirit visits in such a sweet and delectable manner that Joy and Transport and Confidence presently cover the Soul that is visited For the Lord is with them who is our Joy and the Power of God the Father Besides too when they visit the Thoughts of the Soul are free from Consternation and Wavering For the Soul being enlightened by such a Vision views with Ease the Spirits that appear Furthermore it has a certain desire of Divine and future things seizing it and is willing to joyn with the Spirits and to go out with them And if those to whom they appear be afraid of the Vision they presently take away the Fear by Love as Gabriel did from Zachary Luke 1.13 As also the Angel which appeared to the Women at the Divine Tomb Matt. 28.5 A Testimony of this Truth too is that saying of the Shepherds in the Gospel Luke 12.10 Be ye not afraid for the Fear of Good Men is not a Fear of Pusillanimity but it proceeds from the Sense of the Advent of superiour Beings So much concerning the Nature of the Vision of Good Angels But the Incursion and Appearance of Evil Spirits is disturb'd with Noise and Clamour and Brawling like the Hurlyburly of untaught Boys or High-way-men whence proceeds Timidity of Soul Confusion and Ataxy of Thoughts Grief Hatred of Asceticks great Despondence Tediousness Remembrance of Relations and Fear of Death in short Lusting after Evil things Wearisomness of Vertue and Disorderliness of Morals Wherefore after you have been frighted with a Vision if your Fear be presently taken away and there succeed in the room of it a Joy unalterable and you find within your self Chearfulness and Confidence and Refreshment and Composedness of Thought and all the other things which I mentioned before as Manlyness and Love towards God take Courage and pray for Joy and Steddiness of Soul discovers the Holiness of the Spirit that is present Thus Abraham when he saw the Lord exulted John 8.56 And John when he heard a Voice from Mary Mother of God leap'd for Joy But if there be Confusion in those that appear and Noise from without and Wordly Phantasies and Threatnings of Death with the other Disorders above-mentioned then know that 't is the Sally of Wicked Spirits Let this be a Common Rule If the Soul be fearful there are Enemies in sight for they are Devils that don't take away that Fearfulness as the great Arch-Angel Gabriel did from Mary and Zachary and the Angel that appeared at the Tomb from the Women But Wicked Angels when they see Men afraid they encrease their Phantasies that they may dread them the more and so at last they assault them and jeer them and bid them fall down and worship Thus they deceiv'd the Gentiles By this Means they that were not Gods were falsly called Gods But our Lord has not suffered us to be deluded by the Devil whom he rebuked when he was exciting such Fancies in Him Luke 4.8 Get thee behind me Satan for 't is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve Let therefore the crafty one be more and more despised For what our Lord spake he spoke for our sake that the Devil hearing the same Words from us may be overturned by the Power of the Lord who so rebuked them then 19. But when we have cast out Devils we should not vaunt neither when we have cured Diseases should we be lifted up or admire one that casts out Devils or despise one that does not cast them out But let every one mind every one's Discipline and either imitate or emulate it or rectifie it For doing of Signs and Wonders is not our Business This belongs to our Saviour Hence Luke 10.20 He saith to his Disciples Rejoyce not because the Devils are subject unto you but because your Names are written in Heaven For our having our Names written in Heaven is a Testimony of our Vertue and regular Life But to cast out Devils is the pure Gift of our Saviour who gave it Whence we read Matt. 7.22 that to those who glorying not in their Vertue but in Signs said Lord have we not cast out Devils in thy Name and in thy Name done many Wonders Our Saviour said Truly I say unto you I know you not for the Lord knows not the ways of the Ungodly In short as I said before we should always pray for the Gift of discerning of Spirits that as 't is written 1 John 4.1 we may not believe every Spirit 20. I thought indeed now to have concluded and been silent of what concerned my self and to have contented my self with giving these Memento's But that ye may not think I speak these things idlely but do declare them from Experience and a Knowledge of the Truth therefore though I become as a
all Dregs of Passions to its natural Sublimity that so our Prayer may ascend to God dis-burthened of all Weight of Corruption cap. 4. The Intention of a Monk ought always to be fixed in God by whom even a small Separation from that Chief Good is to be accounted a present Death and most pernicious Destruction And when the Mind comes to be settled in such a Tranquility or loosed from the tyes of all Carnal Passions and the Intention of the Heart doth most tenaciously adhere to that One Chief Good then doth it fulfill that of the Apostle Pray without Intermission 1 Thess 5.17 and In every place lifting up pure Hands without Anger or Disputings 1 Tim. 2.8 For the Sense of the Mind if I may so say being drench'd in this Purity and reformed from the Earthly Filth to a Spiritual and Angelick Likeness what-ever it receives into its self what-ever it handles what-ever it doth will be a most pure and sincere Prayer cap. 6. The various Species of Prayer I judge cannot be comprehended without mighty Contrition of Heart Purity of Mind and Illumination of the Holy Spirit For according to the measure of Purity in which every Soul doth proceed and the quality of the State in which either by Occurrences she is lowered or by her own Industry renewed she her self is every moment new formed And therefore it is certain that Prayers are by none always made of the same form c. cap. 8. They who having the penal thorn of Conscience pluck'd out of their Heart are secure ruminating the Favours and Mercies of the Lord which he hath either in time past given or at present doth give or hath prepared for the future with a most pure Mind are transported with a most fervent Heart to that ardent Prayer which cannot be expressed with the Tongue of Men or comprehended Yet sometimes a Mind which hath profitted to that true effect of Purity and hath now begun to be rooted in it is wont conceiving all the parts of Prayer at once together and like an incompressible and devouring Flame spreading over all to pour out to God ineffable Prayers of a most pure vigour which the Spirit it self interceeding with inexplicable Groans we being ignorant doth send forth to God conceiving in that moment so great things and pouring them out ineffably in Supplication as it cannot at another time I will not say repeat with the Mouth but not so much as recollect with the Mind c. cap 15. The higher and more sublime State of Prayer is formed by the Contemplation of God alone and the Fervour of Charity by which the Soul being cast down and melted into Love of him doth very familiarly discourse to God as its own Father with a peculiar Devotion Which State that we ought diligently to desire the Form of the LORD's-PRAYER doth instruct us saying Our Father When therefore we do confess with our own Mouth the God and Lord of the Universe to be our Father we do indeed profess our selves to be adopted to be the Sons of God out of a State of Slavery adding thereunto Who art in Heaven that flying from the abode of the present Life which we live upon Earth with much horror as a Pilgrimage and separating us far from our Father we may hasten rather with our utmost desire to that Region in which we confess our Father liveth and may admit nothing of that kind which may render us unworthy of this our Profession and of the Nobility of such an Adoption or make us incurr his Displeasure To which Order and Degree being promoted we shall continually be inflamed with that Devotion which is in good Children that now we shall imploy all our Affection not for our Commodities but for the Glory of our Father Saying to Him Hollowed be thy Name c. cap. 18. And after a brief but excellent Explication of all the parts of this Prayer he adds You see therefore what Model and Form of Prayer is proposed to us by the Judge himself who is to be intreated by it in which is no Petition of Riches no Remembrance of Dignities no Prayer for Power or Strength no mention of Corperal Needs or of Temporal Life contained The Creator of Eternity will have nothing fading nothing vile nothing temporal to be implored of him And therefore he will do a very great Injury to his Magnificence and Munificence who-ever passing by the Petition of Eternal things will rather ask any thing transitory or fading and by the Vileness or Meanness of his Prayer will rather incurr the Offence than obtain the Favour of his Judge cap. 24. This Prayer therefore though it may seem to contain all plenitude of Perfection because either instituted or established by the Authority of our Lord himself yet doth it promote those of his Family to that higher State which we mentioned before and lead them in a more eminent degree to that fervent ineffable Prayer known or experienced by very few which transcending all humane Sense is not distinctly delivered by any manner of Words or Expressions but which the Mind illustrated by the infusion of that Coelestial Light doth not signifie by humane and narrow Eloquence but pour out abundantly as out of a full Fountain in full compacted Senses and ineffably utter to the Lord producing so great things in that little point of time as the Mind can neither easily utter nor recovering it self particularly remember cap. 25. And that you may perceive the Affection of a true Prayer I will produce to you not my own but St. Antony's Sense of it Whom we have known to have sometimes so persisted in Prayer that he frequently praying in an Excess of Mind when the Sun began to rise we have heard him in fervour of Spirit cry out Why dost thou hinder me O Sun who dost now rise to withdraw me from the Splendor of this true Light Whose also was this Coelestial and more than humane Sentence concerning the End of Prayer It is not saith he Perfect Prayer in which a Monk doth understand * By Prayer these Men understand an Elevation of the Soul to God and they who have observed how much the Soul may be affected and taken up in the Contemplation of much inferior Objects will not so confidently censure this though they never had Experience of any such thing in themselves It is no more than Plato hath said of Oratory in Menon even this it self that he prayeth cap. 31. They only with most pure Eyes do behold the Divinity of Jesus who ascending from low and Earthly Works and Thoughts do retire with him into the high Mount of Solitude who being free from the Tumult of all Earthly Thoughts and Perturbations and separate from all mixture of Vices elevated with a most pure Faith and Eminence of Virtues doth reveal the Glory of his Countenance and the Image of his Clarity to those who are meet to behold Him with pure Aspects of Soul c. Coll.
congratulating their State desired their Prayers But two Virgins to whom these Converts had been contracted when they heard of it did likewise consecrate their Virginity to the Lord. And St. Augustin himself was so affected with the Relation of it by Potitianus who was one of those who returned that it was a chief occasion of his Conversion and after many Conflicts in himself which he expresseth very pathetically in the next chapter he broke out at last into these earnest Expressions to his Friend Alipius What do we suffer What is this What hast thou heard The Vnlearned get up and take Heaven by force and we with all our Learning without heart behold where we wallow in Flesh and Blood Is it because they are gone before that we are ashamed to follow and are we not ashamed at least not to follow And these throws of the New Birth never ceased till his Conversion was perfected The LIFE of St. Antony Originally Written in Greek BY St. ATHANASIUS Bishop of Alexandria TO The Pilgrim Brethren YOUR Design of not only keeping pace with but also of out-stripping the Egyptian Monks in a virtuous Ascetick Course of Life is an Entrance upon a very generous and laudable Enterprize You have at length I find got Monasteries of your own and a Platform of Monastick Discipline by you There is no one but must in Justice commend your Design and no doubt but God will bring it to Perfection in case ye be but instant and constant in Prayer for his Blessing And since you have an earnest desire of being inform'd How St. Antony first entred upon an Ascetick way of Living and what manner of Man he was before and what sort of End he made at last and whether the Reports that have pass'd about him are true in order I presume to bring your selves to an Emulation of him and hereupon have thought fit to request an Account of his Conduct from my hands Be ye hereby satisfy'd that I have received your Command and received it with great Affection too for the Truth of it is the bare Remembrance of St. Antony is a Matter of great Advantage to me Besides too I am very well satisfy'd that when you have had an Account of this Man you will admire him so as to rival and transcribe his Example which indeed is a Pattern so exact that any Monk may form his Solitude by it and therefore I dare advise you not to dis-believe what-ever you may have heard concerning him but rather to look upon common Reports as strange as they may seem to fall far short of what St. Antony did and was for truly his Fame does not come near his Worth And I must needs say that what I send now to you concerning him in this Letter by reason of the Urgency of your Request is only an imperfect Relation of some few Passages of his Life which are still fresh in my Memory And I desire you by no means to leave off Enquiring about him of Passengers from all Quarters for I am perswaded did every one speak what they knew of him his Life would be found a Task too great for any Biographer to undertake to perfect it For which reason as soon as your Letter had reach'd my hands I thought fit to send for some of those Monks who us'd frequently to visit him that by their Information my Narrative might be a little fuller than 't is now But because the scantiness of the Seamens time and the hast of the Pacquet-Boat straiten'd me so that I could not tarry till they came I have us'd my utmost Diligence to acquaint your Reverences with all that I knew my self for I have often seen him and could learn from a Person who was his Servant no small time and us'd to pour the Water on his Hands when he washed I have all along ey'd the Truth so that who-ever hears more than he will find here may safely give Credit to what he hears Who-e'er knows less of him cann't chuse but have great Thoughts of St. Antony but how-ever cann't revere him so much as he ought who Reads this 1. ST Antony was Born in Egypt both of Rich and Noble what is better than both of Christian Parents And indeeed his exact Christian Life was a clear Evidence of his Christian Birth During his Childhood he was always kept at home being an utter Stranger to every Body but his Father's Family And after he was a little grown up he could not endure to go to School purely because of an inbred Aversation to keeping Company with other Children For he had a strong desire to live as we read of Jacob like a plain Man dwelling in Tents When his Parents us'd to carry him to Church though but a Child he did not appear Listless or Lazy Neither as he grew up did the least sign of a refractory Spirit appear in him But he was always very Obedient to his Parents and Attentive to the Prayers and Homilies and strictly careful to reap some Profit to his Soul from what he heard Though he saw his Parents had a great Estate yet he never was concerned for dainty Victuals or variety of Dishes being not in the least solicitous about matters of that kind but was always pleased with what-ever was provided and never desired any thing else 2. At about Eighteen or Twenty Years of Age at the most he was left an Orphan with an only and very young Sister and trusted by his Parents notwithstanding he was so young when they dy'd with the Management of the whole Family and Estate and the Education of his Sister Before Six Months after their Decease was expir'd as he was going according to his Custom to Church and ordering his Faculties into a fit frame for Devotion that Text Matt. 19.27 of the Apostles leaving all to follow their Saviour came particularly into his Mind in the midst of his Walk as also concerning those who in the Acts Act. 4.35 Sold their Estates and brought and laid them at the Apostles feet to be distributed as every one had need and what and how great an Hope remains laid up for them in Heaven With these Thoughts he went into the Church Now it happened on that Day that that part of the Gospel was read where we read our Lord saying to the Rich Man Matt. 19.21 If thou wilt be perfect Go sell all thy Possessions and give unto the Poor and then come and follow me and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven This Lesson St. Antony apply'd as particularly directed to him to himself and hereupon embracing the Remembrance of the generous Example of those Saints as injected into his Mind by God himself accordingly parted with the Estate of an ancient Family in all 300 Measures which the Egyptians call Arours of very rich and fertile Land and distributed the Money for which he sold it among the Inhabitants of the Village where he liv'd that neither his own nor his Sister's Mind might be
3. The Prayer here acknowledged to be the most effectual Instrument to procure Divine Light is a Pure Recollected Intime or most inward Prayer of the Spirit 4. Here are no new Speculative Verities or Revelations of Mysteries pretended no private new-found-out Interpretations of Scripture bragg'd of 5. Here the Established Order of God's Church and the Vnity essential thereto is not prejudiced Yea the Inspirations expected and obtained by Pure Internal Prayer do more firmly and unalterably fix Souls under this Obedience and to this Order and Vnity 6. Our Lights teach us to attend only to God and our own Souls and never to interess our selves in any Care or Imployment about others till evidently God's Inspirations force us and External Authority obliges us thereto 7. Our Lights make us to fear and avoid all Super-eminence and Judicature all sensual Pleasures Desires of Wealth Honor c. 8. And lastly Our Lights if they should chance sometimes to be mistaken by us no Harm at all would accrue to others and not any considerable prejudice to our selves because as hath been said the Matters in which they direct us are in their Nature indifferent and are ordered only toward a more perfect Loving of God and withdrawing us from Creatures § 33. The contrary or different Characters of phanatick false Lights I pass by for brevity sake Out of Father Baker himself he produceth these amongst others Such contemplative Souls are not of themselves much inclined to External Works except saith Father Baker which our Author leaves out when God calls them thereto by secret Inspirations or engageth them therein by Command of Superiors but they seek rather to purifie themselves and inflame their Hearts to the Love of God by Internal Quiet and Pure Actuations in Spirit by a total Abstraction from Creatures by Solitude both external and especially internal 〈◊〉 disposing themselves to receive the Influxes and Inspirations of God whose Guidance chiefly the endeavour to follow in all things * Tr. 1. S. 1. c. 2 §. 3. And The propeâ— End of a Contemplative Life is the attaining unto aâ— Habitual and almost uninterrupted perfect Vnion with God in the supream point of the Spirit and such an Vnion as gives the Soul a Fruitive Possession of him and a real Experimental Perception of the Divine Presence in the Depth and Centre 〈◊〉 the Spirit whith is fully possessed and filled with him alone not only all deliberate Affection saith Fa. Baker to Creatures being excluded but in a manner all Images of them also at leasâ— so far as they may be distractive to the Soul And he adds The Effects of this blessed Perceptabâ—â— Presence of God in Perfect Souls are unspeakabâ—â— and Divine For he is in them both as a Principal of all their Actions Internal and External being the Life of their Life and Spirit of their Spirits and also as the End of them directing both the Actions and Persons to himself only He is All iâ— all things unto them A Light to direct securely all their Steps and to order all their Workings even those also which seem the most Indifferent the which by the Guidance of God's Holy Spirit do cause a farther Advancement of them to a yet more immediate Vnion He is a Shield to protect them in all Tentations and Dangers an internal Force and Vigour within them to make them do and suffer all things whatsoever his pleasure is they should do or suffer They not only believe and know but even feel and tast him to be the Vniversal Infinite Good By means of a continual Conversation with him they are reduced to a blessed State of a Perfect Denudation of Spirit to an absolute Internal Solitude a Transcendency and Forgetfulness of all created things and especially of themselves to an Heavenly-mindedness and fixed Attention to God only and this even in the midst of Employments to others never so distractive and finally to a gustful Knowledge of his Infinite Perfections and a strict Application of their Spirits by Love above Knowledge joyned with a Fruition and Repose in Him with the whole extent of their Wills So that they become after an inexpressible manner Partarkers of the Divine Nature yea One Spirit One Will One Love with him being in a sort Deified and enjoying as much of Heaven here as Mortality is capable of The special Means for obtaining such spiritual and extraordinary Favours from God are doubtless very desirable to be known and these our Author sets down in the Words of O. N. who purposely writ in Answer to him upon this Subject viz. besides a watchful Guard saith he for keeping the Conscience clean as much as may be not only from Mortal but also Venial Sin Much frequent and continued Vocal or Mental Prayer much Solitude and Mortifications of our Flesh and Abstraction of our Thoughts and Affections from any Creature much Recollection and withdrawing from abroad into our selves much Meditation on such selected Subjects as may rather inflame our Affections than increase our Science and when once we find these enkindled the Endeavouring a Quiescence as much as we can from former Discourse those actions of the Brain and Intellect now hindering the Heart and Will and the bringing of our selves rather to a simple Contemplation to exercise Acts of Love adhere to sigh after and entertain the Divine Object thereof And here saith he if his Divine Majesty please to advance us any higher to such Unions with Him as are not in our power and wherein we receive rather than act and he operates in us rather than we our selves we embrace them with all Humility and Gratitude if otherwise we acquiesce in our best endeavours and longing after him with Patience though enabled also to these only by his Grace This our Spiritual and Mystical Masters teach us and thus after this way which these Men stile Fanaticism and Enthusiasm we endeavour to procure a more strict Acquaintance and Converse with God and herein to follow the Example of our Fore-Fathers Elsewhere saith our Author he Fa. Baker describes the Progress towards this State of Perfection thus That he who would come to it must practise the drawing of his External Senses inwardly to his internal there losing and as it were annihilating them then he must draw his Internal Senses into the Superior powers of the Soul and there annihilate them likewise And those Powers of the Intellectual Soul he must draw into that which is called the Vnity and to that Vnity which alone is capable of perfect Vnion with God must be applyed and firmly fixed on God wherein the perfect Divine Contemplation lyes It is true these words are in Father Baker but they are but what he saith we read in other Authors and besides he adds Now whether such Expressions as these will abide the strict Examination of Philosophy or no I will not take on me to determine Certain it is that by a frequent and constant Exercise of Internal Prayer of the Will
Dominion yet hath not this Spirit as yet attained such a soveraign Empire and Mastery over the importunate Solicitations of Concupiscence and the natural Inclinations of our Will and Affections as that we do not still fall frequently into many lesser and those call'd Venial Sins or at least as to Actions that are not sinful but in their nature indifferent or lawful that we do not for the most part still prosecute those that are more grateful or advantageous to our present Carnal desires and our Sensual or secular designs Though such Actions are no way expedient for us nor acceptable to the Holy Spirit in which now we live nor do conduce to our growth in Grace but are great hinderances thereof and though these Acts contained indeed within the compass of lawful yet often expose us to Occasions of Sin Now so long as we stay here and advance no further we appear but as Infants and Babes in Grace it having not as yet obtained its perfect Reign in us either over our Concupiscence which carries us still into frequent venial Sins or over our Nature and Will which carries us in other matters lawful to those satisfying our natural Condition But when we are come to have potestatem voluntatis nostrae as St. Paul expresseth it 1 Cor. 7.37 come once to act seldom according to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concupiscence to fall seldom into Venial Sin especially with advertency and unsurprised and the Holy Spirit to have a more absolute power over Sense Reason our own Will Propriety and Self-love as to these things lawful but not expedient when come to St. Paul's omnia mihi licent sed ego sub nullius redigar potestate 1 Cor. 6.12 and to his corpus in servitem redigo 1 Cor. 9.27 and to act more constantly according to the Spirit moving now more perceptibly in us and giving the Law to us when Grace is as to these non-expedients also predominant and sole Mistress ordering all things without our reluctance or also with our zeal to the greater Love Praise Honour of God and the doing of all things in order to his Will so far as it is made known to us by this his Spirit then are we arrived to a full growth to a compleat Man in Christ to a state of Perfection such as this Life attains but few Regenerate there are that do not by their own disorders die in their Spiritual Youth before they come to such a mature Age. As therefore in our Regeneration a Man is removed from the state of Sin into the state of Grace so the Church desires in that which is called from some high Mysteries it speaks of as to the supream Effects of this Grace Mystical Theology to advance those already in the state of Grace to that of Perfection and from the Spirit Dwelling to it more absolutely Reigning in us which finds so many great Rewards not only in the next but this present Life § 19. 2. We must know therefore That to such end this Holy Spirit received in our Regeneration assisteth and worketh in us not only as to affording generally to all good Christians that seriously endeavour to save their Souls such internal Illuminations and Motions as are sufficient to direct them for the resisting of any sinful Temptation or to perform any necessary act of Vertue in Circumstances wherein they are obliged to it but also in affording us Light and Ability in all indifferent Actions and Occurrences with which may be also joyned all the Acts of Christian Vertues when no necessity obligeth us to do any of them and so when it is lawful for us without Sin to do or omit them whereby we are guided to make such a Choice as is more conformable to God's Will and particular Circumstances considered may much more advance us in the Love of God and Christian Perfection and whereby we may avoid such other of them as may be suggested either by corrupt Nature or the evil Spirit under pretence also of some Good End but to defeat a Better For the Holy Spirit excites us and assists us not only in doing Duties of necessary obligation or in the avoiding what is prohibited and performing what is commanded by God under penalty of Sin but in all these Acts also that may any way tend more to God's Glory or to our greater Perfection though these be such as we may without sinning chuse or refuse For in this I may say that the Holy Spirit in us is like to Concupiscence in us the one continually exciting us unto that which is Better as the other to that which is Worse See the Apostles description of these two inmates Rom. 8.1 c. and Gal. 5.16 17 18. where he saith v. 7. that Spiritus concupiscit adversus Carnem Caro adversus Spiritum and that sibi invicem adversantur And ibid. v. 18. as also Rom. 8.14 That those who are God's Children or Regenerate aguntur Spiritu are acted by the Spirit It guides us into Truth Jo. 16.13 brings things forgotten to our Remembrance Jo. 14.26 gives Knowledge and Arguments to one Act. 6.10 Vtterance and Eloquence and the power to perswade to another Act. 2.4 To another Wisdom or a good Judgment 1 Cor. 1.5 12.8 9 28. Prudence in Governing in executing anothers Commands Rom. 12.6 7. To another Courage and Boldness Act. 4.29 31. It opens Mens Vnderstandings and Hearts and renders them docile and apt to believe Luk. 24.8 Act. 16.14 Eph. 1.18 What is there that is not done in us by this Holy Spirit when we are employed about any thing that tends to the Glorifying of God the Father or the Son So is our regenerate Life wholly managed by this Spirit as the Natural is by the Soul and if not obstructed works in us a continual growth in Grace till we come to a perfect Man in Christ 2 Pet. 3.18 Eph. 4.13 Therefore the Apostle exhorts his Converts Gal. 5.25 that as they live their new Life in or by the Spirit so they would walk in it according to its directions And that they would mind or affect the things of the Spirit or the things it minds them of Because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 within them is Death in the end but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 within them is Life and Peace to them Exhorts them also Eph. 4.30 with no corrupt and fruitless Communication to contristate or grieve this Spirit Tim. 4.14 not to neglect it 1 Cor. 15.10 That it should not be void or idle in them 1 Thess 5.19 not to quench it Eph. 5.18 To replenish themselves with it And 2 Tim. 1.6 continually to revive it Rom. 12.11 to be fervent in it without which the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 3.5 we cannot think a good Thought and our Lord Jo. 15 5. that we can do nothing § 20. 3. These Actions of the latter kind we are now speaking of that may be lawfully done or omitted the one or the other performed without any guilt of
Sin are either such as by the Evangelical Counsels and the dictate of rectified Reason are clearly discerned by us the one to be better and more to lead to Christian Perfection than the other or such where we have some doubt of these two Actions good or lawful which is the better or more expedient In the former of these we may safely conclude that that which is manifest to us to be the better as to our Perfection is the motion in us of the Holy Spirit and that the doing it is the doing the Will of God in this matter and that so often as we reject or neglect this so often we contristate the Spirit that would thus conduct us to Perfection and refuse to do God's Will when this is known to us whose Will it ought always to be presumed to be that we should do that which is clear to us all things considered to be best for his Glory and our Good to be done though such omission or neglect amounts not to a Sin but to a Failing so much in Perfection And indeed the not vigilantly observing these Motions of the Spirit within us and the not hearkening to and obeying them when evident to be such or also the not preconsulting by Prayer what it adviseth but rather precipitating our Action to prevent it is the reason of so many their no greater Improvement in the Spirit and that they are such strangers to it and It to them is a check to the further and stronger operations of it in the Soul for Who would offer Counsel seldom or never accepted or asked abates the Fervour and Solace that there would be in prosecuting its Suggestions and leaves us guilty of much Unkindness and Ingratitude For as St. Bernard Cum hae Sancti Spiritus circa nos dispensatoriae quidem vicissitudines vigilantissime non observantur fit ut nec absentem desideres nec presentem glorifices in Cant. Serm. 17. When these condescending vicissitness concerning us are not most watchfully heeded it comes to pass that thou dost neither desire him when absent nor glorifie him when present But in the latter Actions wherein we have some cause of doubt which is best and yet wherein the making a good choice may be exceedingly beneficial to us according to the variety of our Temper and Condition to the better ordering of our Life and Service of God such Illumination and Direction of the Holy Spirit or also a clear discerning thereof is obtained especially by much Purity of Conversation and Abstraction from Worldly things by frequent Recollection and Introversion and attendance on God in the perfectest Practice of Prayer we can attain to For God hath graciously declared to us in the Scriptures That the effectual Prayer of a Righteous man as that of Elias availeth much Jam. 5.17 That he heareth not Sinners but if any one be a Worshipper of him and doth his Will him he heareth Jo. 9.31 That all things whatsoever we shall ask in Prayer that is such Persons not doubting but believing we shall receive them Mat. 21.22 Mar. 11.23 That if we abide in Christ and he in us ask what we will and it shall be done unto us Jo. 15.7 because indeed such ask by the Spirit of Christ who liveth in them and so ask according to God's Will That if we keep his Commandments and do what is pleasing in God's sight what-ever we ask we receive of him 1 Jo. 3.22 That if we ask any thing according to his Will he heareth us and grants our requests 1 Jo. 5.14 that though we know not what we should desire or pray for as we ought Rom. 8.26 27. that is as to temporal Prosperity or Afflictions or such like things of which St. Paul there speaks what therein is best for God's Glory or our own Proficiency yet the Holy Spirit within us with unutterable Groans and great Ardour interceedeth for us according to God's Will and that God knoweth its Mind though not expressed in Words and granteth its requests that the same Spirit searcheth the profound things of God and what is his Will and revealeth them to us that natural Reason is not able to understand them but they many times seem Foolishness to it but the things of the Spirit are discerned only by the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.10 c. Most of which Texts seem to be spoken not only of our petitioning God concerning the necessary means of our or others Salvation but more universally of all sorts of Requests concerning the things of this Life and any things that are in their nature indifferent and lawful and of his Spirit directing us to ask and do in them what is his Will and of his granting those to us which may be best for us wherein God heareth and granteth the Petitions of his Saints much sooner than of others § 21. I say then since God in the Scriptures hath declared these things and made these Promises that he will not deny what we ask according to his Will we may rationally presume and be piously confident that he will grant our Request when this is only to know his Will that we may do that which is according to it and we may safely take that for his Will to which after such Addresses and other due Preparations made we shall find our selves more strongly inclined and also take such Inclination to proceed from the Operation of God's Spirit either illuminating sometimes our Understanding in discovering to it some Reasons not so well discerned or else disesteemed and thought inconsiderable before Or sometimes more confirming to us the Judgment our own Reason made of the thing before Or sometimes effecting a strong and suddenly injected Inclination in the Will so swayed without any preceeding Reasons or discourse of the Intellect presented to it Or sometimes causing an extraordinary Tranquility Consolation and Satisfaction to accompany such our Election According to the Rule of Abbot Isaac in Cassian Collat. 9. c. 32. Cum orantes nos nulla interpellaverit haesitatio si obtinuisse nos in ipsa orationis effusione quod poscimus senserimus non ambigamus preces nostras ad Deum efficaciter penetrasse where note that the Devil or any Creature cannot work so immediately and intimately on our Understanding and Will as God's Spirit doth but by the use of Phantasms or Images of the Spirits Humours c. Or where no such preponderation to any side is perceived in the Soul then we may presume this to be his Will that making use of our best Reason or others Advice without any Solicitude we take either side § 22. Now in the discerning of these Divine Illuminations and Inspirations from Enthusiasms or the Motions of the Good from those of our own or a Bad Spirit in these matters as any one hath attained to a greater Perfection in Prayer and Mortification and Purity of Life they attain hereby a greater measure of God's Spirit and hence its Illuminations and Inspirings in them are also much
greater and stronger and more intimately effective on the Soul than any other Motions from whencesoever they come can be and so also these become more evident to such and many times are so clearly discerned by them from the Supernatural impression they make upon the Soul as that it cannot resist disbelieve or any way doubt of them that they are Supernatural and Divine So St. Austin relates of his Mother Monica that she clearly knew such Supernatural actings in her from her own Imaginations Dicebat enim discernere se nescio quo sapore quem verbis explicare non poterat quid interesset inter revelantem Te animam suam somniantem Confess l. 6. c. 13. For she said she did discern by I know not what Savour which she could not explain in words what difference there is between Thee revealing and her own Soul dreaming And indeed if such interior Divine Operations were not sometimes certainly discernable how could St. Paul be assured when he intended to Preach the Word in Asia and again in Bithynia a most Charitable design that the Spirit forbad it and not rather the Enemy of the publishing of the Gospel Act. 16.6 7. or That it was by Revelation and not a Fancy of his that he ascended to Jerusalem Gal. 2.2 or That it was the Holy Spirit that testified and not Mens Fears that much Affliction should happen to him there Act. 20.23 How the Corinthians knew when they had a Revelation that it was not a work of their own Imagination since all these things were transacted only interiourly in the Soul and it was the Holy Spirit only that in all these gave the Evidence to it self A certain Assurance then it cannot be denyed that some at sometimes may have of Divine Operations in them But yet it is not affirmed here that all Persons less advanced in Prayer and Purity of Life or also the greatest Saints at all times discern the Operations of the Holy Spirit within them so clearly in this sort of Actions as not to be sometimes mistaken and it is sufficient that Persons piously disposed and frequent in Prayer may have a rational presumption of it as hath been said Neither is any more communicated unto them perhaps for the better preserving of their Humility And that no absolute Certitude is herein to be expected is a thing often confessed by Sancta Sophia See 1 Vol. p. 139. and p. 137. § 23. 4. But in case such Divine Inspirations be sometimes mistaken yet can no damage come thereby I mean as to committing any Sin 1. The Subject of them we speak of here being Matters in themselves indifferent and on any side lawful See Sancta Sophia 1 Vol. p. 143. 2. No Command of Superiors in these any way neglected 3. No Neglect besides using Prayer in practising any other means of making a secure Choice either in weighing Reasons on all sides or taking Advice from others Only the devout Soul in using these endeavours yet relies not on them but on the Directions of God's Holy Spirit working continually in the Regenerate both by prevenient and subsequent Grace makes no sudden Resolutions nor rushes hastily upon any Action but diligently hearkens first to this internal Guide what it may tell her is best desiring faithfully all natural Passions and Self-love laid aside to correspond with all its Motions the careful Observers of which with a pure Intention of Mind may be justly presumed seldom to want them though they do not so certainly know them and mean while such Persons if not free always from Mistakes yet are secure in this sort of Actions we speak of from entertaining any sinful Enthusiasm or such as any other Person except by Divine Inspiration can either censure or discover § 24. Here the Author proceeds to another Discourse which being no less necessary for this purpose than pertinent to the Subject of Mystick Divinity it may be both proper for this place and also useful and grateful to many devout People to add part of it It is of Directions given by Spiritual Writers concerning Prayer and Devotion FIRST for Preparation for Prayer they are advised 1. to a serious Endeavour at all times to keep their Conscience clear from all Sin even the least as much as Humane Frailty permits and to a Care of avoiding the Occasions thereof without which Endeavours our Devotions cannot be acceptable to God as to the receiving from him any great plenty of his Grace And 2. at times of Prayer to Abstraction from all Secular Business Recollection of the Mind and Thoughts from all Creatures and all Objects of the Exterior Senses And then to begin at first with Forms for all Occasions of Vocal Prayer where Novices saith he begin and which the most perfect also frequently return to § 25. From these they are led on to Mental Prayer in which the Cessation from External Action renders the Inward more attent and affective more free from Distraction of the Senses and from the Wandring of the Thoughts For this many useful Subjects of Meditation are recommended chiefly touching our own Misery the Mysteries of our Salvation and the Divine Perfections 1. Of their Natural Condition the Heinousness of Sin the Divine Justice the bitter Passion of our Lord in Satisfaction for Sin the Terrors of Death Judgment and Hell to plant in them the Due Fear of God and advance in them all sorts of Mortification and Purification from all Habits of Sin 2. Of the Life of our Lord and the Lives of his Saints for Imitation and Growth in Vertue And 3. of the Divine Perfections and Benefits both received and promised of the Graces and Operations of the Holy Ghost in us and the Abilities for doing Good and pleasing God restored to Man by it if attentively observed and obeyed to advance them in all Spiritual Grace and Christian Perfection and to enkindle in them an ardent Love of God the Acquisition of which Love and not of Knowledge being chiefly designed in them § 26. When by the Practice of these Meditations they are well prepared they are directed by laying more aside their former Reasonings and Discoursings of the Brain with the frequent stroaks of which they have already kindled this Fire in the Heart how to exercise these Affections now in that Lesson of Loving God with all the Heart and all the Soul and all the Mind and all the Strength Luke 10.27 in a more simple and quiet Intuition and Contemplation Advertency and Admiration of the Divine Beauty and Perfections and in more fervent and amorous Colloquies with God in Praising Thanking Solacing her self with him whilst she casts her eye upon his infinite Mercies past and promised in many Resolutions for the future to serve him better and no more so to grieve and offend him in offering all she hath she can do or suffer to his Service and in putting her self in a posture of Silence and Attention to hear what he may be pleased to speak to
and tender Affection and Aspirations after a perfect Union of all his with Him and his Father in his Prayer after his last Supper delivered Joh. 17. from ver 20. to the end And lastly of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Garden with few Words but much Passion being in an Agony and sweating Blood and making frequent acts of Resignation and Conformity to the Will of his Father What think we again of St. Peter's Extatical Prayer and his Vision on Simon the Tanner's House-top Act. 10.9 and again St. Paul's in the Temple Act. 22.17 Whilst I prayed I was in an Extasie c Did our Lord and his Apostles in the Devotions here mentioned not ascend at all to that which the Mysticks make the second Step to Perfection the Aspirations and Elevations of the Will and Affections but only stay on the first Step and Did they understand nothing of that the Mysticks call passive Vnions with God Their Extasies and Raptures and their being in the Spirit their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 12.4 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.26 argue otherwise But then are Passive Vnions the obscure and unintelligible way of Serving God that the Church teacheth in her Rules of Devotion or the end rather which her plain and intelligible way sometimes attains to Lastly Is there not in some sort a State of Perfection also in this World 1 Cor. 2.6 we speak Wisdom among the Perfect And Phil. 3.15 let us as many as be perfect be thus minded And Luk. 6.40 Every one that is perfect shall be as his Master that is in Sufferings like him The Author may do well to review this passage of his § 66. The repairing to Prayer in the best manner we can make it is a proper natural and most efficacious way to obtain a supernatural Light from God's Spirit to discern his Will in all our Actions speaking of such as are indifferent and such wherein neither we nor any others have any external certain Rule all Circumstances considered whereby we may be guided as we have in all such other Actions the Lawfulness of which is doubted of which yet is not said as if Prayer were the only means of our direction in these so as to exclude the making use of either our own Reason or other Mens Advice as is said before § 76. This is not making Enthusiasm but Prayer a means to obtain the Illuminations of God's Spirit to shew us in two things suggested to us which of them comes from It or which is more conformable to God's Will that so we may follow and obey it and What a Christian is he that being doubtful especially in two assairs of much concernment which to make choice of doth not retire to his Prayers desiring God to direct him in such a particular and promising to do that which he shall be pleased by any way to signifie to him to be more conformable to his Will and more conducing to Christian Perfection as certainly the one may be much more than the other although both contained within the general bounds of Good or indifferent And then what Illumination he Prays for why may not he also expect Again Who is there much frequenting Prayer that doth not perceive in them some Illustrations and Influences entring and injected as it were into his Mind without his own procurement touching a more perfect knowledge of himself or the immense Love of God to Mankind or some acceptable Service he may do to God or his Neighbour or secret Reprehensions for some Faults or Admonitions for the better ordering of his Life Spiritu as our Lord saith Jo. 3.8 Spirante ubi vult and he not knowing whence such things come or how they pass away yet these things we are assured must be from God's Spirit because no good Thought is from our selves And why may not we imagin the same a due Preparation being supposed of the Thoughts injected in our Doubtings and Requests concerning Actions left free and undetermined by the Divine declared Will what way in these we may rather take the better to serve and please him God forbid that the Name of Enthusiasm should deterr Christians from such a Practice or hearkening to this internal Language or as Mr. Cressy expresses it in his Preface should render Prayer and by Prayer the obtaining of Divine Grace a suspicious Exercise And I wish the Author would a little better weigh his Words and the malign Influence they may have on others We say then Divine Inspirations are necessary for Grace as well furthers as prevents us to distinguish the Motions of the Good and Bad Spirit in our Minds in matters purely indifferent which may be proposed to us by either of these Spirits for a different end where we have no other external Rule to judge these Motions by as we have in all internal Suggestions concerning such other matters as are either directly commanded or prohibited by God's Law I shall conclude my Collections out of this Author with the Explications of some of the Terms of Art which are quarrelled with as followeth Divine Inaction is in plain English the acting of God or his Spirit in us which in the Perfect is more extraordinary sensible and manifest § 48. Passive Vnions are called Passive not that when â—erein a Soul contemplates God she may not be said 〈◊〉 some sort Active but Because when God is pleased 〈◊〉 graciously to communicate himself to the Soul the Soul is taken out of her own Disposal and doth and must see and think only what God will have her and this no longer then his good pleasure is such Neither can any Dispositions or Preparations that the Soul can use assuredly procure it Thus Sancta Sophia explains this Word And the Expression is secured by such like Scripture Language Qui Spiritu Dei aguntur Rom. 8.14 Not I live but Christ in me Gal. 2.20 Not 〈◊〉 work but the Grace of God which is with me 1 Coâ—â— 15.10 Not ye that speak but the Spirit of youâ— Father that speaketh in you Matt. 10.20 So thâ—â— Spirit that is in us is said to interceed for us wiâ—â— Groans unutterable Rom. 8.26 c. § 48. Deiformity and Deification are words not of latâ— only but anciently used signifying an Vnion witâ— God not in Essence but by Grace and this Union still more intimate as the Grace more extraordinary secured by like Scripture Language Fâ—â— Deiform Renewed to the Image of our Creator Col. â— 10 Changed into the Image of our Lord 2 Coâ— 3.18 Transformed by the renewing of our Minâ—â— Rom. 12.2 For Deification Partakers of the Divâ—â— Nature and of the Powers of the future World Heb. â—â— 4 5. The Lord and we made one Spirit 2. Pet. 1. â—â— Filled with all the Fulness of God 1 Cor. 6.17 I have no more but to acquaint the Reader who tâ—â— O. N. was out of whose Book I have collected thâ— things his Name was ABRAHAM WOODHEAâ— a good Man who with
Nazianzen Ambrose Hierom Austin and many others but it would be too long for this place and occasion And therefore to make short Work instead of that I will here represent their Sentiments in some short Notes of an Eminent and most Learned Annotator who was well acquainted with them and doth sometimes intersperse some of their Testimonies in his Writings It is the Famous Hugo Grotius These saith he upon Mat. 18.10 who dedicate themselves to God with a true Faith and thereupon are accounted his peculiar People God as he doth favour them with a peculiar Providence so he seems to give to each an Angel Guardian to guide and assist them either perpetually or certainly until they come to the full Possession of the Divine Spirit For so I see the Ancient Christians did believe And in his Pref. to his Annot. upon the Epistle to the Romans Into the Heart purified by Faith as into a clean Vessel God doth infuse his Spirit I mean the Spirit of Christ full of Love of God and of our Neighbour and of all Goodness Those who have this Spirit of God and carefully keep it God doth account as born of Him and like unto Him to them he gives a certain Right to Heavenly and Eternal Good Things Neither is the Heart purified but by Faith in Christ nor is the Spirit infused but into a Heart so purified nor doth he plainly own for his any but who are endowed with that Spirit Upon Luke 22.3 As they who religiously obey the Divine Admonitions at length receive the Indwelling Spirit so they who readily consent to the Suggestions of the Devil at length God deserting them become the Slaves of Satan Upon Jo. 5.45 Those to whom the Gospel is Preached become taught of God that is if they would if they be greedy of it if they do not reject the Benefits offered and even forc'd upon them They will have no need to have recourse to Learned Men that from them they may learn the Mysteries of the Old Testament Upon Eph. 1.17 The Spirit of God which is given to Believers doth among other things imprint also Wisdom in their Souls not that of the things of this World of which Philosophers did boast but of those things which conduce to a better Life The same Spirit doth reveal also to those who are his things future and secret which cannot be known by humane Means Upon 1 Jo. 2.20 The Spirit doth suggest to us in all Circumstances both the Precepts of Christ and such Hints or Notices as are meet for the Occasion v. 27. What we are to do in every Circumstance For there are certain Differences which Times Places and Persons require Therefore is there often need of Admonition to hit the way of our Duty See Jer. 31.34 Jo. 6.45 and if you please Seneca Epist 94. And upon 1 Thess 4.9 The Holy Ghost teacheth you concerning all things to be done By how much the more there is of the Spirit so much the less need is there of Prescripts This Place is not to be understood of the General Precept but of special Determinations as all Things Persons and Times do require And Gal. 5.18 Those who are led by the Spirit as now of Age have no need of the Law the Guardian of their Youth And Rom. 8.4 Those who walk after the Spirit he interprets those who having obtained the Holy Spirit do constantly obey its Motions and afterwards v. 5. They that are after the Spirit he interprets those who are possessed by the Spirit of God which doth not now come to pass but by Christ And v. 12. he notes God hath given his Spirit that we should use it and again So great a Guest will be treated with Care otherwise he will bid farewell to his Lodging And to conclude 1 Thess 5.23 Spirit here saith he is that Holy Spirit inhabiting in the Souls of Christians and if it be carefully kept adhering to Souls unto Death and after Death even to the Resurrection and then referrs to what he had said 1 Cor. 15.44 to Hierom upon Gal. 5. and recites to the same purpose the Words of Philo Irenaeus Tatianus Clem. Alexandrinus and Tertullian More might be added but this is enough to shew the Mind of this great Man concerning the Necessity of our having the Spirit of God dwelling in us the Effects of his Residence in Light and Conduct and our Duty how to treat it And that this is also the Belief of the Church of England however some of late have commonly presum'd to speak if not despitefully and reproachfully yet too slightly of so great and holy a Principle of our Religion may appear by the most Authentick Evidence that can be her most solemn Addresses to Almighty God in divers Collects for this very purpose As for all Persons to be Baptized before they be Baptized to give his Holy Spirit to them that they may be born again c. and after they be Baptized to give his Holy Spirit to them that they may continue his Servants and attain his Promises So likewise for all Persons Confirmed to strengthen them with the Holy Ghost and daily increase in them his manifold Gifts of Grace before Imposition of Hands and then again together with the Imposition of Hands that they may daily increase in his Holy Spirit and again afterward that his Holy Spirit may ever be with them and so lead them c. and lastly for all the Congregation upon several Occasions as upon the Nativity of our Lord that they may daily be renewed by his Holy Spirit Upon the 19th Sunday after Trinity that his Holy Spirit may in all things Direct and Rule our Hearts Upon the first Sunday in Lent that we may ever obey his Godly Motions Upon Easter-Day that as by thy special Grace preventing us thou dost put into our Minds good Desires so by thy continual Help we may bring the same to good Effect Upon the fifth Sunday after Easter that by his Holy Inspiration we may think those things that be good and by his merciful Guiding may perform the same and others to the like Effect as upon the Sunday after Ascension Whitsunday the 13th Sunday after Trinity the Collect at the beginning of the Communion Service And at every Morning and Evening Service all are admonished to beseech him to give us his Holy Spirit And in the Coll. for Grace we pray to God that all our doings may be ordered by his Governance and in the Litany to indue us with the Grace of his Holy Spirit to amend our Lives according to his Holy Word In the Ordering of Deacons this Question is first to be asked by the Bishop Do you trust that you are inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon you this Office and Ministration c In the Ordering of Priests the Bishop says Receive the Holy Ghost for the Office and Work of a Priest in the Church of God c. And in the Consecration of a Bishop the
to bring us unto Christ so is Observance of the Prescripts of the Gospel designed for our Tutourage to bring us to the Spirit To that we must come or we are none of his but that way we must come and in that way we must keep or else we shall be led by the Spirit of Error and mistake that for the Spirit of Truth If we do well consider the Holy Scriptures the Nature of the Holy Spirit and the Fruits of the Spirit we may learn what Qualifications are requisite to obtain that inestimable Treasure and by what Signs and Characters it may be known and distinguished And thereby we may discern that many who pretend highly to the Spirit are much out of the way of the true Spirit of God and many led by the subtile Spirit of Antichrist under the appearance of an Angel of Light to undermine the Gospel and Institutions of Christ to do despite to the Spirit of Grace and to raise Scandals and Prejudices against the Holy Doctrine which they pretend and it may be think to assert and to indispose Men for the Reception of those Graces which those envious and malicious Spirits may know to be ready to be communicated to them And this should make others the more cautious that they be not subservient to and be made the very Tools of these wicked Agents in their Opposition least at last they be involved with them in their Condemnation The True way to reduce the misled People is not to deny or dissemble the Holy Doctrine much less to villifie or reproach it but plainly to assert the Truth and shew them wherein and by what Means they are misled from it 1. That the Spirit of God is the most precious and desirable thing in the World and absolutely necessary but it is to be desired principally to transform us into its own Nature to lead us into all necessary Truth to endue us with Power to overcome all our Corruptions and all Temptations and to adorn us with all those Graces which ennoble Humane Nature and raise it above its self and so make us Christians indeed and to conduct us in all the important Occurrences of our Lives but to desire it for Matters of Ostentation to glory in Divine Communications or over-earnestly seek after the Consolations through impatience of bearing the Spiritual Cross are great Signs that such Souls are either quite out of the way or have made but little Progress 2. That Satan is often transformed into an Angel of Light and therefore we must be careful to try the Spirits 3. That whatever is contrary to Sound Doctrine 1 Tim. 1.10 2.1 to the Doctrine which is according to Godliness ibid. 6.3 the Doctrine taught by the Apostles Rom. 16.17 Gal. 1.8 to the Faith once delivered to the Saints Jud. 3. cannot be from the true Spirit the Spirit of Christ 4. That such Spirits as lead into Divisions Separations and Sects lead out of the way of the True Spirit of God and whatever lead into contempt or disrespect of the Sacred Scriptures or any of the Ordinances or Institutions of Christ are certainly Spirits of Antichrist how specious soever their Pretences may be for the Conscientious and Reverend Use of these are the very Means whereby Souls are prepared for the Communication of the Spirit of God and whereby it is ordinarily communicated to them Cui Veritas comperta sine Deo Cui Deus cognitus sine Christo Cui Christus exploratus sine Spiritu Sancto Cui Spiritus Sanctus accommodatus sine Fidei Sacramento saith an ancient and eminent Christian Tertul. de Anima c. 1. To whom is Truth discovered without God To whom is God known without Christ To whom is Christ manifest without the Holy Spirit To whom is the Holy Spirit granted without the Sacrament of Faith that is Baptism 5. And more particularly in respect to some amongst us That they who assert this Doctrine without Distinction or Caution are not much to be regarded and if they be Men of Learning and may be presumed not to be ignorant what Cautions and Rules are given by Learned and Experienced Christians to distinguish the Impostures of Evil Spirits from the Conduct or Motions of the Good are much to be suspected to serve another Interest then what they pretend to those they mislead and that they all expose People to the Delusions of Evil Spirits which readily embrace such Advantages 6. That there were special Reasons why God ordered Moses to smite the Waters and the Dust with the Rod and to take handfuls of Ashes from the Furnace and sprinkle it towards the Heaven and to erect the Brazen Serpent in the Wilderness c. to produce the intended effects and why our Saviour made Clay with Spittle and anointed the Eyes of the Blind Man and then bad him wash and many other such things for which perhaps no Man did nor doth know the reason and yet undoubtedly if these Orders had not been observed the Effect had not follow'd 7. That it is but reasonable that God should give Orders without declaring the Reason for Tryal and Exercise of the Subjection of the Intellectual Faculties of his Creatures and that in such Case if the Orders be not observed it is not likely the Effect should follow and that if there were no more than this Exercise of humble Submission to the Wisdom of God in the Christian Sacraments it could not be imagined to be the Spirit of Christ that should lead People to despise or neglect these Orders and Institutions of Christ But in them there is more for Instance in that of Baptism it is the Solemnity and external Act of Declaration of our Engagement in Covenant with Christ and the Refusal of it is as much as to refuse to Seal and Deliver a Bond which whoever should refuse to do and yet pretend to give Bond might be looked upon as a Knave or a Cheat and in that of the Holy Communion there is a great and Solemn Duty of Recognition of the absolute Dominion of the Father by Right of Creation and of the Son by Right of Redemption over us and all we are and have a Symbolical Oblation of our selves and of all we have to God in a Commemorative Sacrifice and Representation of the Passion of Christ before the Father as the Great Propitiation for the Sins of the World of as full import to all intents and purposes to Christians as were all the Sacrifices of the Jews to them which were but Types of the same a Holy Rite of Address to God the Father by Christ the Mediator through the Merit and Satisfaction of his Passion by which alone our Prayers and Thanksgivings have acceptance with him and of Spiritual Communion with God in Christ whereby a Divine Power and Vertue is as really communicated to Souls duly disposed as Vertue went out of him and healed the People and the Woman who touched the Hem of his Garment And these have been the
Sentiments and this the most solemn and peculiar Worship of the Christian Church all over the World from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same performed every day in most of the great Churches and every Lord's-Day in all from the times of the Apostles till the last Age. It is an Ordinance of so great Honour to our Saviour and Benefit to Souls duly dispos'd that there can hardly be a greater Evidence of the Prevalence of the Spirit of Antichrist and of Satan transformed than Disrespect and Neglect of it under pretence of a more spiritual Worship For nothing can be more grievous to that envious and malicious Spirit than to see that Passion which he had most maliciously procured to be so honoured all over the World and applyed to his Confusion and therefore hath he oppos'd it with all the Subtilty and Malice he could possible Besides for People to slight it under pretence of Christ being come to them in the Spirit is a manifest and dangerous piece of Spiritual Pride so to set up themselves above the Primitive Christians and St. Paul himself who had so great a Manifestation of the Spirit with them and therefore another pregnant Evidence of the Spirit of Delusion And if we do well consider what decays of Charity and Unanimity among Men and of Piety and Devotion to God hath in all parts attended the Neglect of this Holy Ordinance that may be another Evidence of what Spirit they are of who do neglect it whatever their Pretences be But for all Separatists and Sectaries in general it is matter of great Caution that the Scriptures are so full of Admonitions and Prohibitions against Schisms and Divisions and of Predictions both by our Saviour himself and by his Apostles both of the Variety of them and of the Danger in that some of them have that specious Appearance as to deceive if it were possible the very Elect. And if we look into the History of the Church in former times we shall find little or nothing of the true Spirit among any of any Party of Separatists but much of the Spirit of Error or Delusion And therefore when we find a Manifestation of the Presence or Energy of some Spirit and a Concurrence of divers of these Indications or Signs we may be assured and confident that it is an Antichristian Spirit be its appearance never so specious in other respects And in these two things especially have such as have been partakers of the true Spirit found themselves to be sometimes strangely assaulted and tempted by the subtile Adversary viz. to Spiritual Pride and undervaluation of other Persons and to neglect of the Ordinances of Christ as needless to them The Way whereby the ancient Religious Christians were generally preserved from these and such like Snares was that they were trained up as the Sons of the Prophets of old under ancient experienced Christians in all kind of Exercises of Humility Subjection both of Mind and Will and constant discovery of the Dispositions and Motions of their Hearts to their Superiors and of all Grace and Vertue But where both Doctrine and Practice hath been neglected it is not strange that amongst many Appearances and Pretences there should be found little of Solidity especially where those noble Heroick Virtues of Abstraction and Contempt of the World Heavenly-mindedness and continual Attendance to God c. are rejected as Monkery and Superstition but all their goodly Appearances and Pretences end at last in Emptiness and Scandal And therefore it concerns all who have any Care of their Souls to beware of all such as are out of the Way and Method of the Ancients But on the other side to take such Offence at the Miscarriages of such as have been led into Error by any seducing Spirit as therefore to oppose the Conduct of the Spirit of Truth or any of its Operations and elude the Holy Scriptures and undermine the Doctrine thereof is as certainly the Effect of the Operation of the Spirit of Antichrist and in truth as much Fanaticism as the other in the contrary Extream For the Good Spirit is as absolutely necessary to be had as all others to be avoided for without it we canot be genuine living Christians but meer empty formal Professors of which sort it is much to be feared are the greatest part both of Conformists and Non-Conformists amongst us if Judgment be made according to our Saviour's Rule of their Fruits and Fruitfulness But lest any well-minded Soul should be troubled with any doubts in this respect we must distinguish between Having the Spirit and the Manifestation of the Spirit and between the Operations of the Spirit the Gifts of the Spirit and the Graces of the Spirit and know that as there may be the Operations of the Spirit where there are not the Gifts of the Spirit and the Gifts of the Spirit where there are not the Graces of the Spirit so on the other side there may be the Residence of the Spirit where there is no sensible distinguishable Manifestation of the Spirit For the Operations and Communications of the Spirit are often so subtile and secret in the manner both in Illumination and Power and Inclination of the Will as are not manifest by Sense but by Faith only and we know not how they are wrought in us But as the most desirable Graces of the Spirit are Regeneration and Effectual Sanctification so the Fruits and Effects thereof are the most infallible Notes of the Presence of the Good Spirit which always leads to Mortification of all Carnal and Earthly Affections and to the Perfection of all Coelestial Angelick and Divine Dispositions in the Soul But to Souls duly prepared purged and disposed for it that Blessed Guide doth often manifest his Presence by Sensible Attractions and Restraints upon the Heart and plain Suggestions to the Mind and to such as once find that I can give no better Advice then what we have Ecclesiasticus 4. and 6. which I believe was part of the Mystick Theology of the Ancients FINIS AN APOLOGY For and an INVITATION To the PEOPLE call'd QUAKERS TO Rectifie some ERRORS which through the Scandals given they have fallen into WHEREIN The true Original Causes both Humane and Divine of all the Divisions in the Church and Mischiefs in the State and among the People are plainly and briefly opened and detected LONDON Printed for the Author 1697. ADVERTISEMENT THAT whole Bodies or Societies of Men are subject to the same Infirmities which the Individuals of which they consist are and often Sick of the same Diseases and the very worst of all those of the Mind Blindness Conceitedness Perversness Obstinacy Incorrigibleness and Impatience of Reproof or even Friendly Admonition the Experience of all Ages doth abundantly manifest but in none is it more manifest than in the People of the Jews whom God raised up to be an Example Admonition and Warning to the rest of Mankind Their whole History and all
Auditors c. He calls it Speculation because the Soul doth not measure Divine Visions by the Will but by the Intellective Faculty and Measure of its Purgation Psell 9. What the Sun is in Sensibles that God is in Intellectuals For as It doth illuminate the visible World He doth in like manner the Invisible Moreover as It makes those who look upon it bright so He makes them Divine and Deiform Nicetas The Presence of Spiritual Light and Divine Splendor converts the Mind of those who are judg'd worthy of such a Glory and Contemplation from many and various Opinions and Imaginations to that which truly is that is to God c. Nicetas For what the Eye is in the Body this the Mind is in the Soul As therefore to behold the Lightning when it breaks out there is need of good Eyes so also for this that we may be illustrated by the Contemplation of God is required a Pure and Sound Mind For as in a Looking-Glass sordid and impure the Form of a Face cannot be represented so neither in a foul and unclean Mind the Splendor of God Ni. Whoever knowing that they are only Mind have pasled the bulk and grossness of the Body and have purged their Mind from the Stain of Vices and rendered it fit and meet for the Reception of the First or chief Mind and Creator of all things God is united to them For when the Mind is Pure and Incorrupt he doth converse with the Mind without any thing intervening and by it hath Communion with the Soul as again by this he is joyned to the Body But he is united not as He is but as We are capable of that Union And hence at last he becomes known Nor can any one otherwise know God unless he open his Soul to Him and receive him in it Psellus God doth so much become known to Men as he is familiarly joyned to them who by Vertue are joyned to Him For according as is their Ascent he doth descend And how much Man doth approach to God so much also doth God become known to Man imparting the Knowledge of himself according to the proportion of Purity that is in every one See whether the Spiritual and Divine Gradation will raise us For from the Incomprehensibility of the Divine Nature as from the first step of a Ladder we are raised to Admiration of him as to the second step again from Admiration we ascend to more earnest Desire then from Desire are we raised up to Purgation and from hence further to Likeness with God and lastly we arrive to converse familiarly with God and know Him more perfectly by Vnion Then when we are made Deiform doth the true and natural God converse familiarly with those who by Grace are call'd Gods infusing the Divine Fulgers of his Knowledge in us as every one is purified Nicetas To be made God is to be partaker of Divine Illumination but not to pass into the Divine Essence Since we are set in the Confines between God and Matter if we decline to Matter we are Gross and Material if we tend toward God we are call'd Divine and thereupon Gods Nicetas St. Austin concerning the same THE Life of the Body is the Soul the Life of the Soul is God The Spirit of God dwells in the Soul and by the Soul in the Body that our Bodies also may be the Temple of the Holy Spirit whom we have from God Ser. 18. de verb. Apost c. 6. It is not unreasonable to say That the Incorporeal Soul is so illuminated with the Incorporeal Light of the Simple or pure Wisdom of God as the Body of the Air is illuminated with the Corporeal Light and as the Air grows dark upon the departure of that Light 11 de Civ Dei c. 10. Minds are to Souls as their Senses but of Sciences whatever things are most certain they are such as are those things which are illustrated or shined upon by the Sun that they may be seen as the Earth and all Earthly things But God is he who doth illustrate but I Reason am so in Mind as the Aspect is in the Eyes The Eye of the Soul is the Mind pure from all stain of the Body that is remote and purged from all desires of Mortal things c. 1 Soliloq c. 6. It is a great and very rare thing with the Intenseness of the Mind to transcend all Creature corporeal or incorporeal being considered and found mutable and to approach to that unchangeable Substance of God and there learn from Him that none but he made all Nature which is not Himself For so God speaks with Man not by any corporal Creature sounding in corporal Ears c. but he speaks by the very Truth it self if one be fit to hear with the Mind not with the Body 11 de C. D. 2. v. ibid. Coq When the Soul sees that singular and true Beauty it will the more love it But unless it fix on it its Eye with a mighty Love and decline not any whether from beholding it it cannot remain in that most Blessed Vision 1 Solil c. 7. One thing there is that I can prescribe thee I know no more That these sensible things are wholly to be forsaken and that we must greatly beware while we act this Body that our Wings which we need have intire and perfect be not hindered by any of their Birdlime that we may fly away from this Darkness to that Light c. Therefore when thou shalt be such that nothing of Earthly things doth at all delight thee believe me in that moment in the same point of time thou shalt see what thou desirest c. 1 Soliloq c. 14. Thou dost desire to see and imbrace Wisdom as it were naked without any thing of covering so as she doth not suffer herself except to very few and her most choice Lovers c. It is a certain ineffable and incomprehensible Light of Minds that vulgar Light c. ibid. c. 13. Confide constantly in God and as much as thou canst commit thy self intirely to Him Do not be willing to be as it were thine own but profess thy self to be a Servant of the most Gracious and Bountiful Lord. For so will he not cease to raise thee to Himself and will permit nothing to befall thee but what shall profit thee though thou knowest it not 1 Soliloq 14. Hear me my God hear me after that manner of thine known to very few Command I beseech thee whatever thou wilt but heal and open my Ears that I may hear thy Voice Heal and open my Eyes that I may see thy Becks Say to me which way I shall look that I may behold Thee c. 1 Soliloq c. 1. Being admonished to return to my self I entred into my most inward parts thou being my Leader and I could do it because thou wast become my Helper I entred and I discerned with the Eye of my Soul such as it was above the
been of theirs And so much for Synesius a very competent Witness of what he knew in this Case but a most incompetent Judge of what he understood not If we come nearer to our own times and inquire into the State of the Monasteries at the time of the Dissolution Stow the Historian writing of the Year 1536. 28. Hen. 8. says The Poor did much lament the Downfall of Monasteries for the great Hospitality which was kept there And it is certain that till after the Dissolution of Monasteries there was no Law in England to enforce any Man to pay to the Relief of the Poor by way of Temporal Coercion The Stat. of Ed. 1. call'd the Stat. de Asportatis Religiosorum recites it to be one chief End of building Monasteries that Hospitality and Almsgiving might be exercised and the Sick and Feeble maintained The Clergy then scarce pretending themselves to be Proprietors but rather Vsu-Fructuarii and as Mr. Selden saith that Parsonages and Vicarages were Elemosynae Laicorum so it seems they were used as a kind of Reserve for the Laity when they fell into Poverty again that is the Surplus was so for there was always to be deducted the Maintenance of him who waited at the Altar according to the Dignity and Quality of his Person Order and Function This was the Observation of a very good Friend to the Church of England the late Lord Chancellor Finch But as to the Monasteries certainly that was an excellent Provision for the Poor where they might be supplied with Spiritual as well as Corporal Alms and such as it seems did not fail till the last so that we needed no Law for Provision for the Poor till the Monasteries were dissolved Which is that Sin whereof the Learned and Judicious Mr. Joseph Meed saith the whole Body of the Reformation is notoriously guilty which nevertheless saith he is accounted no Sin and yet such a one as I know not whether God ever passed by without some visible and remarkable Judgment Ep. 14. p. 760. v. Ep. 58. p. 829. Disc 2. p. 15 17. Disc 27. p. 119 ... and the Judgment he thought begun upon some v. p. 17. 829. and expected more to follow And since the Righteous God is a severe Revenger of the Indignities and Injuries done to his Saints nor can he be thought to have less regard to Sacred Persons than to Sacred things I know no reason why the great Defects of pious and a compleat Christian Education which are now notorious in our Universities and that Blindness and Spirit of Sloath and Slumber which from thence seems to have seized and possessed all Ranks and Qualities of Persons and Parties amongst us may not be a special Judgment of God for that Universal Prejudice and Contempt which upon the Scandals of some the prophane Sacrilegious Impiety of others and the inconsiderate Rashness and Indiscretion of many more have raised against it FINIS THE LIFE OF St. ANTONY Originally Written in Greek by St. ATHANASIUS Bishop of Alexandria Faithfully Translated out of the Greek by D. S. TO WHICH The LIVES of some others of those Holy Men are intended to be added out of the best Approved Authors LONDON Printed for the Author for the Use and Benefit of a Religious Society 1697. THE PREFACE THE great Prejudice which in this last Age was raised against Monastick Life and Monks so greatly esteemed in the most flourishing Ages of the Church did proceed not so much from any Evil in the thing or in the persons at that time though much degenerated from the Virtue of the Ancients as from the Wickedness and Sacriledge of such as were greedy of their Revenues and Riches and Vnwillingness of others to bear the Yoak they had taken upon them This is so manifest that whoever should proceed to that degree of Disingenuity and Impudence as to deny it would justly forfeit all Credit with Men of Judgment and Impartiality afterward It is true there was too much occasion given for such as had a mind to rake up all the dirt they could against them yet even in that scarce any who have set themselves to that work have contained themselves within the bounds of Truth and Modesty much less of Charity but their Malice and Prejudice may be perceived upon a very small inspection into their Writings In this wicked Work besides all those who were directly concerned in it many others ingaged partly as Advocates in hope of some Preferment or Advantage from such as were possessed of the Prey partly to ingratiate themselves with the Party and partly through an indiscreet ignorant Zeal easily carried with an overflowing Stream The mischievous Consequences of this were many and great of which to pass by others one is no less than want of sound Education in true Christian Piety and Virtue even in our Vniversities ever since but too manifest in the Effects and another no less than that even the making the Word of God of none effect by discommending and disparaging and eluding even what our Saviour recommended to all though injoyned to none undermining the very Principles of the most Heroick Virtue and Piety of the most Holy Christians by an abominable Antichristian Presumption requiring no less than a Publick Humiliation of all the Protestant Churches For these and others of this nature it is that the Blessing of God hath not been upon the Reformation but only a Protection nor is it probable ever will till the Reformation it self be reformed but that they will either dwindle away as they have hitherto till they come to nothing or fill up the measure of their Iniquities till they bring some great Judgment of God upon them Such inconsiderate factious Zealotes as call this Popery know not what they say but do Honour to Popery Injury to Christianity and Prejudice to their own Cause But so mad and heady have they been that sober Men who understood better things have been forced to apologize for barely mentioning the Monasteries as Mr. Tanner hath truly observed in his Preface to his Notitia Monastica who notwithstanding hath very worthily dared to say That Monasteries were in those dark Ages the only Preservers of Learning and Maintainers of Hospitality That Orders and Statutes for the Relief of the Poor were never known till after their Dissolution and That their Founders were Men of the greatest Honour and Virtue in their respective Ages In his Epistle Dedicatory The Antiquity of Monasteries among Christians is not certainly known It is very probable which Mr. Tanner saith after Sir George Mackensy that the Original of Monks in Britain may be dated from the first Plantation of Christianity therein and that some of the Druids having been converted from the Pagan Religion whereof they were the Priests became our first Monks being thereunto much inclined by the Severity of their former Discipline And the same is certainly more than probable concerning Egypt that the Therapeuts whatever they were before were converted some of
even whilst he wore his frail Body of Flesh For our Lord who wore Flesh Himself for our sake and gave the Body a Conquest over the Devil wrought and wrestled together with this Holy Youth So that every one who strives in good earnest with the Devil may with good reason say Not I but the Grace of God with me 1 Cor. 15.57 At last the Devil perceiving that he could not overthrow and discourage Antony by this Device gnashing his Teeth and being like one beside himself to see himself drove out he who is really black in his Nature within appear'd in the form of a Black Boy to Antony and as it were lying at his Feet for the crafty Spirit being turn'd out of his Heart now no longer invaded his Thoughts assum'd an Humane Voice and said I have deceived many yea verily I have worsted and deceived very many But having now exerted my Strength against thee as against many others I have been weaken'd and overcome Who is this said Antony that talks thus to me The Devil answer'd in a wretched whining Tone To this Day I have ply'd soft fleshly Allurements in Young Persons and have been call'd The Spirit of Fornication How many when willing to be Sober have I deceiv'd How many have I by Hypocrisie and sense-affecting Motions drawn aside I am he of whom the Prophet speaks Hos 4.12 Ye have been deceiv'd by the Spirit of Fornication 'T was by me that they were tripp'd up I am he who have so often disturb'd thee and as often been humbled by thee Antony therefore having paid his Thanks to God and being become more valiant in Spirit said Hence 't is plain that thou art very contemptible for thy Soul is black and swarthy and thou art weak as a Child neither will I for the future give way to any Solicitude upon thy Account for the Lord is my Helper and I shall look down upon mine Enemies with scorn which he had no sooner said but the Black Monster fled away being afraid to speak or come near the Heroe 5. This was St. Antony's first Conflict with the Devil or rather to speak properly and as I ought this was our Lord's first defeat of the Devil in Antony who Rom. 8.3 4. Condemn'd Sin in the Flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the Flesh but the Spirit But for all this St. Antony did not neglect himself as if the Devil were intirely under his Feet Nor did the Enemy as though vanquish'd desist from forming Stratagems for he rang'd about like a roaring Lyon seeking out some pretence against him Antony had learnt from the Holy Scriptures that the Wiles of the Devil are many continually and therefore continually gave himself to exercise considering that since the Devil could not deceive his Heart by Pleasure he would try the more subtlely and diligently to do it by other Methods for the Devil is Sin 's sure Friend Wherefore Antony tam'd his Body more and more lest after he had conquer'd in some Combats he should be dragg'd a Captive by him in others Hence he resolves to accustom himself to severer Discipline still At which Resolution many were startled through surprize But however he went thorow with it very patiently for the bent of his Soul having lasted a long time wrought such a good habit in him that he seiz'd on every even the least Occasion of exerting his strenuous pursuit after Vertue 6. He watch'd so very much that oft-times he lay without Sleeping all Night long and this not once or so but very often to admiration He eat once a Day after Sun-set sometimes but once in two Days nay and sometimes but once in four Days His Diet was Bread and Salt His Drink only Water Instead of a Feather-Bed he lay on a Mat and sometimes on the bare Ground He never anointed himself because he said 't was more proper for the Younger to addict themselves to Ascetick Exercises than to seek out those things which effeminate the Body They should rather accustom themselves to labour and to bear the Apostle's saying in their Mind 2 Cor. 12.10 When I am weak then I am strong for then said he the Vigour of the Spirit is renew'd and becomes Athletick when the Pleasures of the Body languish and are impair'd This also was an admirable Thought of his viz. That he did not think it proper to measure our Progress in Vertue by the length of the Time we first set out or by our Retirement so much as by our Divine Desires and Longings and the Encrease of our Holy Purpose And therefore he would not remember the Time past but every Day as though it were the first he would express a more ardent Thirst and Endeavour after a further Advance Speaking by the way of Soliloquie that of the Apostle Phil. 2.14 Forgetting that which is behind and pressing forward And remembring the Voice of the Prophet Elias who saith 2 King 18.15 As the Lord of Hosts lives before whom I stand I will surely shew my self to day for he observes from the Prophet's saying To day he did not take a measure of the Time past but every day as if it were laying the first Foundation of his Vertue he studied to approve himself such an one as he ought to be before God pure in Heart and ready to obey his Will and no ones else Every Christian Ascetick said he ought to see and learn within himself his own Life from Elias as in a Glass 7. Antony having by this time and by these means recollected and simplify'd himself Travelled to the Tombs which were at a considerable distance from that Town having first acquainted one of his Acquaintance with it who supply'd him with Bread enough to subsist upon a good while When he was got thither he went into one of the Tombs and shut the door over his Head and tarried within there by himself Now the Devil not being able to away with this and afraid lest in a little time the whole Desart should be fill'd with Asceticks came one night with a great company of Devils and beat and bruis'd him at that fearful rate that he lay a long time Dumb because of the Extremity of his Torments for he protested his Pains were so great that 't was impossible Men should be the Instruments of the like But by the Providence of God for the Lord does not forget those who hope in Him the Day after an Acquaintance came with some Loaves to him who as soon as he had open'd the door seeing him lying along like a Dead Man upon the Ground took him up and carried him to the Town-Church and laid him upon the Pavement where many of his Relations and Towns-People sat by him as they there us'd to do about the Corps of the Dead Now about Midnight Antony came to himself and awoke and saw all asleep but himself and his Acquaintance that brought him from the Tombs
his Learning by Books nor external Wisdom nor any Art But Antony was renown'd purely for his Devotion to God No one can deny that this was the Gift of God How came he who was hid and sat in a Mountain to be heard of in Spain France Rome and Africa unless God had made his Name known every where who promis'd this to Antony at first for although such Heroes act secretly and are willing to lye conceal'd yet the Lord shews them as Lamps to all that they may know that his Commands which he has given to reform us are practicable and thence may derive a Zeal for the ways of Vertue 62. Read ye this to others that they may know what sort of Life the Life of Monks should be and may be perswaded that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will glorifie those who glorifie Him and serve Him unto the End not only bringing them to the Kingdom of Heaven but making them notwithstanding they hide and retire celebrated here for their Vertue to the Benefit of others And if there be a Necessity read it to the Heathens that they may know not only that our Lord Jesus Christ is God and the Son of God but that those Christians who serve Him truly and believe in Him piously reprove those Spirits whom they account Gods and tread upon them and chase them as those who are the Deceivers and Corrupters of Men and this they do by the Grace and Strength of Christ Jesus our Lord to whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS Theologia Mystica TWO DISCOURSES CONCERNING DIVINE COMMUNICATIONS To Souls duly disposed I. The Antiquity Tradition and Succession of Mystical Divinity among the Gentiles with Notes and Observations to distinguish Illusions and Directions of Spiritual Writers concerning Prayer II. Of the Guidance of the Spirit of GOD The Doctrine of the H. Scriptures of the Catholick Church and of the Church of England in particular upon a Discourse of Sr. Matthew Hale concerning it LONDON Printed for the Author for the Use and Benefit of a Religious Society 1697. ADVERTISEMENT ASCETICKS or The Heroick Piety and Virtue of the Ancient Christian Anchorets and Coenobites wherein the Beginning and Progress of Contemplative Living and Religious Societies is briefly discoursed and a true Account of the Esseans Therapeuts and ancient Egyptian and other Monks collected out of the most Authentick Records Also the LIFE of the Famous Saint ANTONY written in Greek by St. Athanasius faithfully Translated into English All Printed for the Author for the Use and Benefit of the Society afore-said THE PREFACE THE latter of these Discourses was Printed as part of a Preface to that Book of Sr. Matthew Hale's from whence the beginning of the Discourse is now taken but why it was not Published with it I know no reason unless that which is the Vniversal primary Obstacle to all Good that Satan hindered it And that I make no question was the principal moving Cause which set the others on work That wicked envious Spirit who had raised up all the Evil he could both against him and against me in our several Families in his Life-time hath not ceased to do so still since his Death By what he got such Advantage against my self I know very well and intend to declare it But by what he got such Advantage against that good Man is a Secret I know nothing of But this I know that he hath been Vnhappy in his Family both in his Life-time and since his Death and particularly in what I am now saying I long looked upon him as a Man raised up by the Special Providence of God to be an Illustrious Example of Vertue and Piety in this degenerate Age And therefore that People might not be deprived of the Benefit of such an Example by their Ignorance of his Principles as I found by Experience many were I did in his Life-time publish a Volume of his Contemplations even after I had earnestly pressed him to consent to it and he refused Indeed I knew him and he knew me so well that I did not fear any misconstruction from him and after his Death I desired to have done Honour to his Memory for the same purpose by the Publication of such of his Writings as were most necessary and seasonable that the Benefit of his Labours as well as of his Example while yet fresh in Memory might be communicated as much as might be to all and they might mutually recommend each other for the greater Benefit of all But alas that wicked Spirit which had so prevailed in his Family in his Life-time as made him tell some of them That Satan or the Devil did ride them as an Ape would do a Mastiff-Dog hath likewise prevailed hitherto upon such as vainly gloried in their Relation to him to obstruct that good Design for Twenty years together without due regard either to that Service of God those Benefits to Men the true Honour of his Memory in which they vainly gloried or the Performance of his Will according to his Mind For though he had not expressly ordered the Publication of one or other in particular yet had he made this Provision in a Codicil concerning the Publication of any of them that he had nominated the Bookseller who should have the Printing of them paying as much as another would in reason for them and of the Profits appointed one part to one for his Care and Pains in overseeing and ordering the Publication another part to another for Writing and Correcting and the rest among his Servants and told them what he had done for them so that besides the Injury done to their Country they have done a double Injury to his Memory not only by hindering the Honour due to it but by Dishonouring it and giving occasion to a Blemish and Reproach to it provoking some not only to think but to speak hardly of him as if he had abused them in some of the last Acts of his Life and all this out of a sordid Humour to get or keep what he had otherwise disposed of And though thus they exercised their Malice and Spight against the Memory of the Good Man yet was not this the chief part of their Work and Triumph that they had raised this Injury against his Memory and besides had deprived his Country of the Benefit of much of his Labours in his own Profession But there is a greater matter in the bottom and of greater concern to them which these Wicked Subtile Agents had a principal regard to The Good Man had taken great Pains in examining and considering the Grounds and Evidences of Religion both Natural and Revealed And he was excellently well qualified for it both by Natural Sagacity by Exercise of his Parts in his own Profession which affords as much and good Exercise for such a purpose as any and by Freedom from Prejudice either of Education or of Temporal Interest For though he had a Religious Education yet it is certain
that after he came to maturity of Thinking and Judging he became as he found reason in many things of a different Judgment from the Notions and Sentiments he had first received by which it appeared that his Religion was the Religion of his Judgment and not of his Education And being no Ecclesiastick but a Man of a Civil Employment he stood fair to be looked upon as an Indifferent Judge and not as an Advocate or Party as Clergy-men generally are reputed by some and by consequence his Writings upon such Subjects besides the weight of his Reason would have a double Weight of Authority if we take in his Example too above others to make them successful upon such as have received prejudice from the Scandalous Practices of too many Professors and Preachers of the Christian Religion which hath been a principal Cause of Atheism heretofore and of Deism at present and of the Contempt of the Clergy and more effectual and prevalent than any of those which have been assigned in Print though by Scandalous I intend here nothing but Zeal for Preferments and a cold Indifferency in Matters of Religion For as it hath been rightly observed When Vertue fails in the Priests Faith will fail in the People be their Preaching what it will Now by how much greater was the Advantage that the Writings of this Man had above others to have done Service in this Cause so much the greater was the Gratification which these Wicked Spirits received in the Suppression of them I know nothing so sordid that ever appeared in his Life But that this hath been ordered by the Malice and Subtilty of those Wicked Spirits who had gotten Advantage against Him or his Family however some particular Dispositions in Persons might make it more feasible as I verily believe so I am well satisfied he would not at all have doubted had he been living and to have spoken his Judgment in a like Case He and I both before he died had had Experience enough to satisfie us concerning such matters And I wish his and all other Families who are fallen into any such Snare may consider well of it and be well advised how to recover themselves out of it if it may be Many such have I known and though the Burden be sealed upon some and the Decree fixed yet in others there seemed to be a Door open if Opportunity was not neglected Mens Belief or Disbelief will not alter the Truth of things But Disbelief of things that are true is often the Cause of great Vnhappiness and they who disbelieve such things as these are not the less obnoxious to their Malice but more secure in their Power So much as this is not impertinent to be said concerning the Malice and Subtlety of the Evil Spirits before a Discourse of the Gracious Conduct of the Good And I think my self specially obliged to declare my Sentiments of both upon any just Occasion And indeed I confess the Preface was not written so much for the sake of the Book as the Book Published for the sake of the Preface as an Occasion to write on that Subject which I thought my self obliged to do as an Act of Penitence for an Vnhappy Miscarriage whereby my Enemy got that Advantage against me which I mentioned before and shall here repeat in the Words then Printed as followeth I must not here forbear upon this Occasion to add not my Opinion but my own certain Knowledge upon great and long and in some respects in a great measure woful Experience in an Humble Confession of my Fault to give Glory to God Testimony to his Truth and Warning to Men. I have had Experience of this Divine Conduct and of the Blessings and Curses attending Obedience and Disobedience to it so that I have plainly perceived that the Conduct of the Children of Israel out of Egypt through the Wilderness into the Promised Land was a visible Manifestation or Representation of the Secret Spiritual Conduct of Souls out of Slavery under the Powers of Darkness through the Wilderness of this World into the Land of Rest and the very same thing in Action and Representation which is delivered by way of Doctrine and Admonition in the Book of Ecclesiasticus iv 11 20. and vi 18 31. The Crosses Disappointments and Afflictions which I have gone through have been very grievous and many of them known to the World though nothing hath appeared in my Life to which they could be imputed by others as a Cause in any respect I must therefore declare that while I did act in a ready Compliance with that Conduct I not only had great Peace and Serenity of Mind but all things went strangely prosperous and successful with me and I had extraordinary Answers to my Prayers not only for my self but for others also But whenever I have done contrary I always had trouble in my Mind and what I did was either blasted or unsuccessful and often of such evil Consequence as I did not foresee This I have found so by great and long Experience and in some of the great Businesses of my Life wherein I acted not only upon my own Reason and Judgment but also upon the Advice and Persuasions of very considerable Persons And after considerable Experience of this I was once so unhappy in my Disobedience to this Conduct upon a special Occasion having none to advise with and yielding too much to the Sentiments of our Anti-enthusiasts which was a Temptation to me that as I have special reason to believe it was like the Sin of Adam to me an Inlet unto all the Vnhappiness that hath since befallen me and my Family And I have been as it were turned back into the Wilderness ever since The Things wherein I had this Conduct were not matter of Duty in themselves or not in the particular Circumstances but either were such as were in Humane appearance so indifferent that I might have used my Liberty or the Conduct was much different from the Wisdom of the World And though I cannot say whether the Afflictions I have suffer'd were so ordered as a Punishment for my Miscarriage yet I am assur'd they were a Consequence thereof at least such as we often fall into when we neglect the Good Counsel of our Friends And they have been such as I am persuaded it is my Duty upon this Occasion to make this publick Penitential Confession whatever Prejudice I may suffer thereby from Men If I can but thereby obtain the Favour of God and benefit Men I shall accept that as part of my Punishment For the Certainty of this I can truly affirm That I had immediately upon my Miscarriage as sensible Notice of the Evils which have since befallen me as I can have of any thing by any sense I have as plain as if a Sentence had been pronounced against me And what I have suffered hath had Two several Marks as exactly agreeable to my Miscarriage as the print of a Seal upon the Wax
but by the Flower of the Mind the very Phrase used by Proclus and the same which the Mysticks call the Fund of the Spirit of the Soul 's being inebriated from God which Plotinus calls being drunk with the Divine Nectar and Psellus explains of Divine Illuminations and Extasies of Abstraction from the Body and extending the Mind upwards and hastening to the Divine Light and the Beams of the Father with several other passages to the same purpose And for the EGYPTIANS the same Author tells us That Jamblicus in his Book of the Egyptian Mysteries which he writ in answer to an Epistle of Porphyry to an Egyptian Priest and wherein Proclus saith that he writ like a Man inspir'd discourses at large concerning Divine Extasies and Visions and Inspirations in which he describes the Persons just after the Mystical way as no longer leading a humane Life or having any Operations of their Senses or Vnderstanding but their Mind and Soul is only in the Divine Power and not in their own being acted and possessed wholly by it Afterward he sets down the several Degrees and Kinds of those in some they have only Participation in others near Communion and in the highest of all Vnion In some of these he saith the Body wholly rests and sometimes breaks out into Singing and all expressions of Joy sometimes the Body is raised up from the Ground as M. Teresa thought hers sometimes it swells into a greater bulk and sometimes the contrary Then he lays down Rules to know Divine Inspirations by viz. by Enquiring In what manner God appears Whether an appearance of Fire come before Him Whether he fills up and acts the whole Soul so that there is a Cessation of all its own Acts For this he makes the main Character of a Divine Inspiration that the Persons are wholly taken up and possessed by the Deity from whence follows an Extasie and alienation of the Senses But if either the Soul acts or the Body moves then he saith it may be a false Inspiration No Man can express himself more emphatically concerning the Excellency of Contemplative Prayer than Jamblicus doth This quickens the Mind inlargeth its Capacity opens the Secrets of the Divinity and fits it for Conjunction and Vnion with God and never leaves Men till it hath carried them to a State of Perfection and by degrees doth alter and change Men that it makes them put off Humane Nature and bring them into such a State of Dei-formity that they become Gods The first degree of Prayer saith he brings to a State of Recollection and hath some Divine Contact which helps our Knowledge The second carries the Soul to a nearer Communion with God and excites the Divine Bounty to freer Communications to it But the third is the Seal of the ineffable Vnion which makes our Mind Soul to rest in God as a Divine Port or Haven And he concludes his Book with saying That this Vnion with God is Man's greatest Perfection and the End of all Religion among the Egyptians whose Mysteries his Design was to explain and vindicate Many other Passages might be produced out of him concerning the Knowing of God by Divine Contact and the Insufficiency of any Act of the Mind for this ineffable Vnion but these are enough to shew how well acquainted Jamblicus and if we believe him the Egyptians were with the profoundest Secrets of Mystical Divinity There is a Book translated out of Arabick intituled Of Divine Wisdom according to the Egyptians wherein are many things to this purpose but our Author takes notice but of one passage in it which he sets down as the Words of Plato But before we come to Plato it is fit to be noted that PYTHAGORAS and the PYTHAGORIANS could not but be well acquainted with this Mystical Theology though they did not ordinarily deliver it in such express terms but in a more occult manner For it is known confessed That Pythagoras himself was from his Youth greatly inclin'd to an Inquisition into Religious Rites and Mysteries That he travelled into Egypt to hear their Priests was there 22 Years had recommendations from the King to the Priests and was permitted to acquaint himself with all their Learning entred into the Egyptian Adyta and was instituted in things unexpressible touching the Gods gave himself exact Information concerning Persons and Things not omitting any Person eminent at any time for Learning or any kind of Religious Rites or any Place where he conceived he might find somewhat extraordinary That he went thence to Babylon and continued there 12 Years conversed with the most Eminent of the Chaldeans as also with the Persian Magi who entertained him very courteously gave him insight into their more hidden Mysteries and Religious Rites and without doubt with the most Eminent for Knowledge of the Jews in both places and likely enough as Selden and others think with Ezekiel in particular That he made Theology or the Knowledge of God the First most Universal Being the Centre of all his Philosophy That he was by way of Eminency call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his Philosophy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he treated chiefly of God his Nature and Worship That he was a great Devoto or Advocate for God his Worship and Sacred Institutes That the Confederation of his Coenobium for so they called it or College had reference to some Divine Temperament and to Union with God and to Unity with the Divine Soul That the Institutions of his Society and Sect for the Admission and Probation of Disciples distinction of Persons Reverence to their Elders Celibacie Communion of Goods Retirement from the World c. were very much the same with those of the Esseans and the Christian Coenobites afterward That of the differing Sects afterward none did Pythagorize more than Plato especially in Divine matters as Aristotle and Laertius have observed yea that the choicest of his Metaphysick Contemplations seem to be traduced from Pythagoras and his Followers and that Plotinus did more clearly explicate the Principles of the Pythagorick Philosophy as well as of the Platonick And from all this put together we may very reasonably conclude especially if we take in what is related by Jamblicus That he continued 3 days and 2 nights at one time in the same Posture without taking either Meat or Drink or Sleep lib. 1. cap. 3. That he must have been well acquainted with this Mystick Theology which was in such Esteem with both those from whom he recieved Instructions and those who received from him and that in Plotinus and others we read the Pythagorick as well as Platonick Principles and that in both was a mixture of the Judaick and what was derived by all from the Common Parent Noah To this I will add only a Passage or two of his out of Demophilus Being born of God and rooted in Him let us cleave to our Root For the Streams of the Waters and the Sprouts of the Earth if they
of Him is not by Knowledge or any Intellectual Operation but by a Divine Presence which far exceeds any Knowledge for Knowledge he saith hinders Vnion therefore we must go beyond Knowledge and be abstracted from all other Objects and be united to Him only by the Power of Divine Love from whence follows a clearer Light in the Soul And in this State saith he there is not only a Cessation of Passion but of Reason and Vnderstanding too neither is the Person himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like one in a Rapture or an Extasie he enjoys God in that State of Quiescency as in a silent Wilderness which he calls being in God and in other places seeing God in themselves being the same with God being one with God and which is the highest of all being God which is the perfect State of Dei-formity Of Porphyry who was a Disciple and Confident of Plotinus the same Author gives us this account That he looked upon the Theurgick Way as lyable to deceit and not capable of advancing the Soul to highest Perfection Which Theurgick Way lay in the initiating of Men in some Sacred Mysteries by partaking of certain Rites and Symbols by which they were admitted to the Presence of some of their Deities the End whereof as they pretended was reducing the Souls of Men to that State they were in before they came into the Body So St. Austin tells us from Porphyry That they who were purified after this manner did converse with glorious appearances of Angels which they were fitted to see but Porphyry himself as he did not utterly reject this Lower and Symbolical way so he said That the Highest Perfection of the Soul was not attainable by it but it was useful for purifying the Lower part of the Soul but not the Intellectual By the Lower part he understood the Irrational which by the Theurgical Rites might be fitted for Conversation with Angels but the Intellectual part could not be elevated by it to the Contemplation of God and the Vision of the things that are true And herein he placed the utmost Perfection of the Soul in its return to and Union with God in this upper part or Fund of the Soul for the utmost the other attained to was only to live among the Aetherial Spirits but the Contemplative Souls returned to the Father as he speaks which as many other of his Notions he borrowed from the Chaldaick Theology To shew what this Intellectual or Contemplative Life was that should bring Mens Souls to this State of Perfection Porphyry writ a Book on purpose Of the Return of the Soul as St. Austin tells us who quotes many passages out of it and this particular Precept above all the rest That the Soul must fly from all Body if it would live Happy with God which is all one with Abstraction of Mind and pure Contemplative Life In that Book he complains that there was no Perfect Way yet known to the World for this End not the Indian Chaldaick or any other But what that was which he meant appears by what he saith near the end of the Life of Plotinus where he hath these Words The Scope and End of his Life was Vnion and Conjunction with God over all and four times saith he when I was with him he attained to this Vnion by an unexpressible Act of the Mind which he before sets forth by a Divine Illumination without any Image or Idea being above the Vnderstanding and all intelligible things And he saith of himself that he was once in this State of Vnion when he was 68 Years of Age. Which Holstenius understands of an Extasie he then fell into and imputes it to the depth of his Melancholy joyned with his abstracted and severe Life his frequent Watchings and almost continual Exercise of Contemplation For all these things were remarkable in him and Eunapius saith of him That he was so little a lover of the Body that he hated his being a Man and being in Sicily he was almost famished by Abstinence and shunned all Conversation with Mankind as he begins the Life of Plotinus That he was like one ashamed that his Soul was in a Body So that we find the Foundation here laid saith our Author not only for the Mystical Vnion but the Abstraction of Mind necessary in order to it and that it doth not lye in any Intellectual Operations but rather in a Cessation of these Acts is likewise expressly affirmed by Porphyry Many things saith he are said of Vnderstanding things that are above the Mind but the Contemplation of those things is better performed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 otio vacatione Intellectûs as Holstenius renders it rather by the Rest and Cessation of Operation in the Vnderstanding than by the Exercise of it as many things while a Man wakes are said of him that he does when he sleeps but the Knowledge and Perception of them is by Sleep for things are best understood by Assimilation And elsewhere he saith That our manner of Vnderstanding all things is different according to their Essence those things above the Mind are to be known 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the way of unknowing and after a super-essential manner where we see the very Phrases of Dionysius used by him and in many places he speaks of the Minds abstracting and loosing it self from the Body and drawing it self nearer to the First Being of the Souls being in God of the pure and clear Light which follows the Abstraction of the Mind of the State and Life of Contemplation and the Virtues necessary thereto such as Abstinence from the Actions of the Body and from Affections to it which saith he raise the Mind to the super-essential Being And he very much disparages the Active and Political Life in comparison with this the End of one being only Mens living according to Nature but of the other Assimilation to God He that lives according to Practical Virtues is only a Good Man but he that lives the Life of Contemplation is a God From whence we understand the Deiformity of the Mystical Divines being attainable by the Life of Contemplation The Way laid down by him for Purifying the Soul is this 1. The Foundation of it is for the Soul to know it self i. e. to consider that it is in a strange place and bound to a thing of another Substance 2. Recollection or gathering it self up from the Body to be free from the Affections of it In order to which he adviseth to deny the Body in its Appetites and Pleasures and to shew as little Care of it and Concernment for it as may be by degrees to lessen all sense both of Pleasure and Pain and so to come at last to a Freedom from the Passions of the Body Then he describes the Superlative Being and saith that it is neither Great nor Little but above both and is neither Greatest nor Least but above all and that his Presence is not Topical but Assimilative and
Bernier to Monsieur Chaplain dated 4 Octob. 1667. concerning the Gentiles of Indostan wherein he gives an account of certain Orders of Religious among them who make Vows of Chastity Poverty and Obedience living in Convents under Superiors who are commonly called Jauguis i. e. united to God who used themselves to many Hardships and were looked on as so many Eremites by the People being accounted true Saints illuminated and perfect Jauguis These are People that have entirely abandoned the World and sequestered themselves into some very remote Corner or Garden like Eremites without ever coming to the Town If you carry them any Meat they receive it if they do not 't is believed that they can live without it and subfist by the sole Favour of God in perpetual Fasting Prayer and profound Meditations for they sink themselves so deep into these Raptures that they spend many hours together in being insensible and beholding in that time as they give out God himself like a very bright and ineffable Light with an unexpressible Joy and Satisfaction attended with an intire Contempt and forsaking of the World For thus much one of them that pretended he could enter into this Rapture when he pleased and had been often in it told me and others that are about them affirm the thing with so much seriousness that they seem to believe it in earnest that there is no Imposture in it To these others might be added who have had the like Notions and used the like Exercises as well anciently as at this time Such as the Indian Brachmans or Gymnosophists the Persian Magi and the Druides who are said by some to have been as ancient as Abraham's time The Character given by Bardisanes Syrus of the BRACHMANES that they neither worship Images nor eat what is animate neither drink Wine or Beer are far from all Malignity attending wholly to God is comprehensive enough to take in both the Austerities and Contemplations of those before-mentioned But the religious Care of the Ancients to conceal their most Sacred Mysteries from the Vulgar and their communication of them principally by successive verbal Tradition is a great reason that we have so little of this in any Writings not only of the rest whom we call Heathens but even of the Jews and Christians However it is plain by what is collected by our Author that these Notions and Exercises were not first introduced by Plotinus and his Disciples but derived to them from the Egyptians and the Chaldeans And if it be inquired from what Original they derived them it will be hard to discover any other than either Abraham and his Posterity as many assert or at least the common Parent Noah so that what our Author has collected to disparage Mystical Theology being well considered will prove a notable Recommendation of it For as it is most reasonable to believe that Noah did instruct his Posterity in all things of greatest Importance to them and that the Knowledge of them was transmitted to after-Generations and in particular to the Chaldeans and Egyptians in some sort or other but to the Jews intirely and without Mixture of Corruptions so it is not to be doubted but such inquisite Persons and especially into Divine Mysteries as Pythagoras Socrates and Plato Men of such extraordinary qualifications and so favoured as they were must have obtained a compleat Knowledge of them from all these Nations and especially at that time in and after the Captivity when they seem by Divine Providence to have been carried away out of their own Countrey for that very end and purpose that God's dealings with them might be more fully known to other Nations For the Posterity of Abraham was undoubtedly designed by Almighty God to be a Light and Admonition to the Gentiles even from the beginning in all their various States in Egypt in the Wilderness in the Land of Canaan in their Captivity and in their Dispersion to this very day Nor do I at all doubt but there was so much Knowledge of Truth derived from them to other Nations as together with what is observable in the Works of God and what was received from the Common Ancestors was sufficient for the Salvation of all who used and improved the same as they ought and for the just Condemnation of the rest who neglected it And therefore if we find that these Men were acquainted with the Mystick Divinity that is with the thing whether under that Name or any other it matters not if we find undeniable Evidence of it among the Chaldeans and Egyptians and others before if we find the most ancient Christian Asceticks well acquainted with it and much or rather altogether in the Practice of it before Dionysius his Theologia Mystica was known in the World this put together is such a Constellation of concurrent and corroborating Evidences that whencesoever that Name and some Terms and Expressions which seem somewhat uncouth came in after Ages yet that the thing it self must have been derived from some very ancient common Original to those Nations and to those Christian Asceticks not from the Collections of the Adversaries of Christianity which is a meer groundless Oratorical Fiction to expose it no more than from Dionysius whom our Author doth not believe to have been so ancient but either from some of the first Converts of the Jews or which seems more likely from a Divine Conduct and Inspiration for they were many of them unacquainted with Humane Learning Nor do I see any reason to think that the Institutions of the Sons of the Prophets among the Jews were much different from the Mystical Theology which is thus opposed by our Author but rather that the same Institutions were conveyed as Secrets by Tradition to some principal Men of all Nations from the Common Parent Noah And indeed if we do but fairly that is candidly and without Prejudice consider that Account of this Divinity which our Author hath chosen for his purpose to collect from a late Author Father Austin Baker and Mr. Cressy's Preface I suppose it will sufficiently recommend it self as no improper or unlikely Method to have been used by the ancient Prophets Let the Reader judge of it saith he and so say I by these Passages in his viz. Mr. Cressy's Preface 1. The only proper Disposition towards receiving Supernatural Irradiations from God's Holy Spirit is an Abstraction of Life a Sequestration from all Business that concerns others and an Attendance to God alone in the Depth of the Spirit And a little after 2. The Lights here desired and prayed for are such as do expell all Images of Creatures and do calm all manner of Passions to the end the Soul being in a Vacuity may be more capable of receiving and entertaining God in the pure Fund of the Spirit Thus far our Author out of Mr. Cressy But I think fit to add to these two the rest of his Characters of Divine Inspirations whereby they may be distinguished from Fanaticism
up in Judgment against such as will be found to have given occasion to Tepidity Carelessness and Neglect of the most Spiritual Exercises of Religion NOTES and OBSERVATIONS to discern Illusions from Divine Inspirations THERE is another part of the Quarrel which our Author hath to this Mystical Divinity besides that that it is unintelligible as he says viz. That it leads Persons into strange Illusions of Fancy which he takes to be a great Injury not only to those Melancholy Souls that are led through this Valley of Shades and Darkness but to the Christian Religion it self Which if true is a just Cause of Quarrel indeed But if well consider'd no greater Cause than others have against the Holy Scriptures because some wrest them to their own Destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 It is true many Persons have been impos'd upon by their own Fancies and many more by Satan transformed into an Angel of Light but must we therefore deny that there are any true Divine Illuminations Inspirations Motions or Communications It is therefore very necessary to be well considered How they may be distinguished And because O. N. in the Book which our Author answers hath a Discourse on that Subject which hath passed his Examination without any hard censure which is an implicit Approbation that may not improperly here be added FOR the discerning of such Illusions proceeding from Satan from the true Inspirations of God's Holy Spirit we affirm That many Notes and Observations there be whereby they may be known if not certainly whether Divine as to their Original where no Spirit of Prophecy or Miracles yet whether containing Truth and advancing Vertue as to the Matter and whether any way noxious and hurtful either to the Person that receives them or others And this is abundantly sufficient Now for these Notes of discerning them I need referr the Reader to no other Book then to the Doctor 's Martyr Sancta Sophia though he was pleased to take no notice of them there in the Preface from § 29. to § 35. Again in the third Treatise p. 268. from § 9. to § 22. where after directing a strict Observation to be made concerning the Person whether 1. viciously inclin'd 2. arrogant and proud or 3. curious 4. or much addicted to melancholy there are particularly cast off and marked out for Satanical Illusions among others these All such pretended Inspirations or Revelations as do invite the Person to say or do any thing contrary to the Catholick Faith Obedience Humility Peace and Unity Honesty Purity and any other Divine Vertue but especially contrary to the Catholick Faith or Obedience for instance as the attempting to make any new and seditious Reformations as likewise when the Persons obstinately believe these Revelations to be of God after they have been condemned by experienced Superiors and Directors All such I say are condemned for Satanical Illusions which cuts all the nerves of all such pretended Revelations as can any way disturb the Church's Faith or Peace and most of all of those Enthusiasms and Fanatick Frenzies which have been so common among Protestants § 14. Lastly in all these Pretensions where there is any greater difficulty of discerning the Good and Divine from the Bad and Satanical Spirit we have a judge to repair to the Governours of the Church The Spirits of the Prophets saith St. Paul are subject to the Prophets § 15. But there are other Influences and Inspirations of the same Spirit directing us also in Actions in their own nature Indifferent or of Counsel and on either side lawful and free from Sin some of which Inspirations cannot be tried or distinguished from Enthusiasm by any such way as the former which because they are much spoken of by the Mysticks and are very necessary for advancing Christians in the way of Perfection it seems requisite for the freeing these also from Mistakes to give the Reader here some account of them § 18. 1. We must know then as Sancta Sophia Tr. 1. p. 57. and others have discoursed more at large that there are two Spirits within us that is all the Regenerate the Holy Spirit and that of Corrupt Nature assisted with the Suggestions of the Devil who took a kind of Possession of us upon Adam's Fall Eph. 2.2 That this last Spirit is never totally expell'd or silenc'd in us during this Life but tempts us still Gal. 5.17 And that its Suggestions may appear many times like the Motions of God's Spirit pretending Good Ends the performing some Duty to our selves or our Neighbour our advancement in Vertue and the like That the Effect of the first of these Spirits Sanctifying Grace received in our Regeneration or justification is in its infusion ordinarily but as a small Sâ—ed 1 John 3.9 1 Pet. 1.23 Mat. 13.31 33. or spark capable of a daily growth and increase and which with the co-operation of our Free will and further Aids that are from time to time received from God works in us at length a total Reformation and Christian Perfection which so many among the Regenerate as do attain are said in a more special mannner to be Spiritual Persons and to have the Spirit of God And iâ— this sense the Apostle writes to the Corinthians 〈◊〉 Brethren could not speak unto you as to Spiritual but as 〈◊〉 Carnal and as to Babes in Christ 1 Cor. 3.1 anâ— so ver 3. For ye are yet Carnal and Walk according to Man that is ye are Babes only in Christ and iâ— in some degree Carnal and walking according to the natural Man still and not as yet entirely Spiritual And frequent mention we find in the Scriptures 〈◊〉 these several Degrees and Growths in a Regeneral Condition It being God's Pleasure that the Neâ— Man as the Old should grow by degrees and not bâ— made compleat in us all at once Mention I say of some Babes and little ones and to be fed as yet only with Milk Of strong Meat and Wisdom and higher Mysteries only to be delivered to and spoken amongst the Perfect See Heb. 5.12 13. 1 Pet. 2. 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 3.1 1.2 6. Of growing in Grace and receiving Increase from God 2 Pet. 3.18 Col. 2.19 Of the new Man being renewed day by day 2 Cor. 〈◊〉 .16 Of arriving to a perfect Man unto the measure 〈◊〉 the Stature or Age of the Fulness of Christ Eph. 4.13 Of the Apostles labouring to present every 〈◊〉 perfect in Christ Jesus and that they might stand perfect and full in all the Will of God Col. 1.28 4.12 and of this Perfection still containing in it higher and higher degrees Not as if I had already attained saith the Apostle Phil. 3.12 Though therefore by this Principle of a New Life and the infusion of the habitual Grace of Charity we are already translated from the former being of corrupt Nature to a Divine being of Supernatural Grace freed at the first from the former state of Mortal Sin and from the Slavery and Captivity we suffered under its
and in her speak to her not only in Guiding and Admonishing in all necessary Duty but also in things indifferent or also good but not necessary when several of them happen to fall under deliberation in which she also desires to be instructed by him that she may still chuse and do that which may better please him and wherein his Holy Will may be more perfectly accomplished § 27. Which Acts of Love when once to a competent degree facilitated in us as they fill the Soul with great Consolations so they exceedingly help to advance it in all Christian Duties and Vertues For Love will not be idle and works in us now with much more Fidelity and Alacrity as doing all things not out of Fear but Affection and not to obey but please her Beloved and gain from him also a reciprocal Love And when a Soul is arrived so far through the constant Exercise and Custom of Prayer and other Mortifications necessary to it that these Acts of Love and of the Will of which there are many several Degrees surpassing one another are rendered easie and frequent and upon every Occasion speedily resumed without any or much preceedent meditation which Acts before were difficult and rare And when the Soul by reason of the greater Sweetness she finds in this latter affective Meditation as I may call it returns not to the former inventive Meditation without some reluctance this is the first Entrance into that which is stiled a State of Perfection such as Humane Industry attains namely wherein the Will assisted with Grace excites it self to these Acts of Love and simple Contemplation Of which Practice thus St. Bernard De interiori Domo c. 14. Jam fortasse ascendisti jam ad cor tuum rediisti ibi stare didicisti nec hoc sufficiat tibi Disce habitare mansionem facere qualicunque mentis vagatione abstractus fueris illuc semper redire festina Absque dubio per multum usum quandoque tibi vertetur in oblectamentum in tantum ut absque ulla laboris difficultate possis ibi assiduus esse quin imo poena potius tibi sit alibi quam ibi moram aliquam facere Thou hast now perhaps ascended thou hast now returned to thy Heart and hast learned to stand there Nor let this suffice thee Learn to dwell learn to make thy abode there And with whatever Wandering of Mind thou shalt be withdrawn make haste always to return thither Without doubt by much use it will at one time or other be turned to Delight to thee insomuch that without any laborious Difficulty thou may'st be there continually yea rather it will be a Pain to thee to make any stay any where else than there Thus He yet is the Soul not directed here to remain idle stupid or unactive but to return to its wonted Meditations and if neither fitly disposed for these to Vocal and set Forms of Prayer or also to Reading when the Sweetness of such Contemplation ceaseth § 28. Devout Souls advanced hitherto are directed and provoked to yet much higher flights and by their continued Devotions to prosecute a further Fruition of that Object which hath no bounds To this purpose for their Encouragement is declared to them from Persons experienced therein the many rich Rewards of Prayer the Supernatural Elevations that God is pleased to advance some Souls to who have been much practised in this Holy Exercise and the more free and familiar Manifestations of himself that he makes to them in several manners mentioned before wherein the Soul doth not now act so much as in a great Quietness Silence and rest of its former natural Operations is more immediately moved and acted by a more special Presence of God in it who sometimes with the Touches and Influences of an extraordinary Grace doth illuminate inflame and ravish the Soul and causeth in it an ineffable and transporting Delight in Contemplating what is shewed to it of the Divine Beauty and Perfections perceiving in it self a most ardent Love and this Supernaturally infused when also are communicated to it many times Coelestial Secrets and Divine Mysteries and future Events by internal Words and Revelation All which things are received by it with a great Tranquility and Attention and Cessation of the Natural use of its Faculties Sensitive or Intellectual Nor seems it in its own disposal whilst it hath these Touches but both doth and must see and think only what his Divine Majesty will have it and this only so long as he pleaseth Nor can any of these things by any Art or Industry of the Soul be attained or procured when she will but all is Supernatural and as well above the Operations of common Grace in us as of Reason In which Supernatural and Extraordinary Divine Impressions upon the Soul the Experienced also observe two sorts of Motions in it Either a very intimate Retreat and Recollection of the Soul from Exterior Objects as it were into some interior part of it self removed from the Thoughts or Remembrace of Creatures or Worldly things which is often joyned with a Retiring also of the Vital Spirits more or less from the outward parts of the Body left sometimes in such Recollection without Sense Motion or Heat Alienatio Mentis à Sensibus Corporis S. Augustin in Psal 67. calls it ut Spiritui quod demonstrandum est demonstretur Such perhaps was that Extasie of St. John when he is said to have been in the Spirit Rev. 1.10 Or 2. an Elevation Rapt or Flight of the Soul as it were above it self and as if it were to depart presently out of the Body and the Person to suffer a present Dissolution Avolatio Mentis as S. Bernard expresseth it Such seems that of St. Paul 2 Cor. 12. § 29. These things are not handled as Rules of Devotion but as a Reward of it and as things only in God's not our Power Yet are these Rich Gifts of God and Pregustations of the State in the World to come recommended to signifie the many noble Effects and powerful Influences which such Favours have upon those who receive them as to the compleating them in all Christian Perfection that is in the perfect Love of God all these Divine Inactions tending still to a clearer Manifestation of God to the Soul and so to the wounding it more deeply with the Love and Longing after him and after the Suffering and Doing any thing with all Alacrity for him and the Graces that are received disposing us still to others higher if the Soul correspond to them as she ought If I persevere saith S. Bernard in Cant. Serm. 69. speaking of these Favours to correspond to this Condescention as much as I can with meet Affections and Actions and the Grace of God be not in vain in me the Father and the Son will ever make their Abode with me We are also told That though upon no Preparations and Predispositions in us whatever such Favours do necessarily follow yet
without these God doth not usually grant them That Active Contemplation is the ready way to Passive and That though in the higher degrees of them they are but rare and given to few yet in some inferior degree they are communicated to many and however That an Active Contemplation and Fruition of God by Love spoken of before and the Great Advancement in all Christian Vertue gain'd thereby if we be admitted to no higher things of which true Humility always esteems its self unworthy is a sufficient Recompence in this World for any Pains of ours in Purging of our Life and close Attendance on God in Solitude and Prayer which is undertaken for it Lastly since such Christian Perfection chiefly contains in and depends upon the Exercise of the Affective part of the Soul and not on high Knowledge or Speculation therefore it is recommended as attainable by all Sexes and Conditions and all are equally encouraged in the Prosecution of it For the Grace of Contemplation as S. Gregory observes in Ezek. hom 17. is not given to the high and not given to the low but this do often the highest and often the lowest more often those who are remote that is from Worldly Cares but sometimes those who are in a Married State receive § 30 31. More of this he hath afterward which I shall here add as followeth Of the Steps in order to the highest State of Perfection which this Life arrives to mentioned in Sancta Sophia p. 32. 1. The first is the way of External and Imaginary Exercises of Prayer that is using the Discourse of the Understanding and Meditations as also Vocal Prayer then which Step Sancta Sophia observes many go no further but end their days in it that is in such Meditations is taken up the most part of their Devotions 2. The second Step is the Exercise of the Will and Affections which after long practice breaks forth into continual Aspirations and Elevations thereof 3. The Third is Divine Inaction or the extraordinary and supernatural and more sensible Operations of God's Spirit in the Soul wherein God acteth more than she and which are not in her power at all to procure sooner or retain longer then God pleaseth of which much hath been said before 4. After which usually in the Intervals of these Coelestial Visits do follow great Desolations of Spirit as the Experienced have described them partly arising from the sense of her Loss and an impatient longing after these Favours once tasted and partly out of a great nauseating and disrelish that she hath now of those entertainments of the Creature from which she formerly received some Content Such we may imagin was that of the Prophet David wheâ—â— he said Heu mihi quia incolatus meus prolongatus est And Concupiscit deficit anima mea in atria Dominiâ— And after a Non movebor in aeternum Psal 29. an Avertisti faciem tuam factus sum conturbatu◠§ 63. But not only this but God also sometimes with draws even from his greatest Saints and that for somâ— long duration of time any sensible assistance at all oâ— his Grace leaving the Soul as it were in its purâ— Naturals and as if he were quite departed from it in great Aridity Obscurity Solitude Pressure and Heaviness disgusted with all things she knows not why performing still her Devotions and accustomed Duties of Piety and the Service of God as formerly but without any sensible comfort in such Performance Meditation Aspiration Reading very difficult sterile insipid and seeming without Fruit only forbearing her Consent to any Sin Vanity or Sensuality and not seeking any secular Consolations Much discouraged also at such times many are in imagining that God hath so deserted them for Failings in their Duty or for something wherein they have offended his Divine Majesty which doubles this Anguish Or if not this at least they imagin it to be caused by some great Indisposition of Body as it is granted sometimes partly it may so as some begin therefore to dispense for a time with the former Exercises of their Devotion and other pious Employments But notwithstanding many times in these the poor Soul is mistaken and this strange dejection of Spirit comes without any such respects meerly from the sole Will of God and is the ordinary course of his proceeding with those also who are by his former Graces well grounded and arrived to some degree of Perfection and is sent only for their much greater Advancement therein and the rendring them more capable of higher Favours and therefore ought as such to be entertained with all Equanimity Patience Resignation and Conformity to his Will These Consolations and Desolations take as it were their certain turns in them as they do in a lesser degree in all the Regenerate they have by course a Day and a Night an Ascent towards God and a Descent and decadence into themselves a Vivification by and in him and a Mortification in themselves a Summer wherein the Branches shoot forth and Fruit comes to Maturity and a Winter when the Root spreads more and the Tree becomes more surely fixed To all God's Children do these Vicissitudes happen but these in a higher degree to the further advanced in Perfection and the greatest Favours are preceeded with greater Desolations and these ordinarily proportioned one to the other And always necessary less or more are such Purgations and Refinings of the Soul by these interior Crosses because always something in them is amiss and as yet imperfect Our natural Corruption is still producing something in us to be amended and some Self-will and Self-love to be parted away by this sharp Remedy whilst we are in this Life And the Benefit of these Desolations if rightly complied with as well as of Divine Consolations is very great in many respects § 64. For herein it is that the Soul comes most perfectly to know it self and all other Creatures to see it own Nothingness and to be most perfectly purged and cleansed from all Self-love and Propriety and herein it is most especially taught non quiescere iâ— donis Dei sed in Deo and Adorare Deum in Spiritâ— Veritate not in Devotione and Exercere se aâ— Deum in adversis sicut in prosperis the seeking Gust and Suavity and Consolations even in Spirituaâ— things being one of its Imperfections since these are not God himself Herein it is that the Soul 〈◊〉 preserved amidst such Divine Favours which aâ—â— apt to inflate it in a due and necessary Humility Angelus Satanae colaphisans ne magnitudo Revelatioâ— num extollat me saith the Apostle after his Rapt Herein its true Love and Adherence to God Quveniendo adjuvat and then derelinquendo probat Donis firmat and then Tribulationibus tentat saith St. Gregory Moral l. 20. c. 19. its Perseverance and Loyalty are especially discerned in keeping constant in the Service of him when deprived of all Consolation in it avoiding any application to the Comforts of
great Modesty and Solidity hâ—â— vindicated Mystical Divinity against the Quarrel â—â— one who charged it to be Fanaticism His Charactâ— may be seen more at large in Mr. Wood's Oxford Actiquities FINIS POSTSCRIPT WHEREAS it is feared by some that what is in the fore-going Discourse related concerning Plotinus and Porphyrius who lived in Gospel-times and yet were not Christians but the latter a grand Adversary of the Christians and of Christianity may too much gratifie some call'd Quakers to their hurt who are great Magnifyers of the Gentile Dispensation I do declare that I should be glad to gratifie any People for their Good but not any to their Hurt And therefore to prevent any such misuse of what I have written for a good purpose which I have mentioned in the end of the Preface they must know 1. That as the Actions of Witches and their Familiars if the matter of fact be evident and undeniable are good Evidence against Atheists and Sadduceans and the Real Inspiration of any Spirit if proved is good Evidence against all such Anti-enthusiasts as deny the Reality of Inspiration and that there is any thing more in it than meerly the actings of Peoples Imaginations so the plain apert Declarations by these Men of the Mystick Divinity which was more occultly delivered by the Ancients is good Evidence of the Tradition and Succession of these Mysteries though they should be found to have erred in the Use and Application of it And for this purpose was that Collection made 2. That though Porphyry and Plotinus and some others of them might receive some Lights Powerful Attractions and Sensible Consolations c. from some considerable Spirit yet was not that the Spirit of Christ or any Good Ministering Spirit not such as that of Socrates under the Gentile Dispensation for Porphyâ— ridiculed it v. Soc. Hist l. 3. c. 23. but a Spirit of Antichrist and of Satan transformed as appears most manifestly in Porphyry who was a Renagado and Apostate from Christianity and that not upon any Grounds of Reason but upon Passion for some Reproof as Valesius understands it or some more severe Discipline he received from some Christians possibly for some abuse by Scoffing to which he was much addicted and thereupon became not only an Apostate but a spiteful Adversary and the more impudent through the Countenance of the Emperor Julian who was also an Apostate and such another Scoffer This might be abundantly shewed if it was needful here and may be upon some other occasion but this is sufficient for this And this may serve for another purpose in respect of the Quakers viz. to undeceive them and let them see plainly by what Spirit they have been deceived even this very Antichristian Porphyrian Spirit and no better The Spirit I doubt not is the very same or of the same kind only the Appearance is somewhat different more bare-faced then upon the Encouragement of an Apostate Emperor but more covert now in this being a Christian State But as that soon ceased so will this I am well satisfied to the Shame and Confusion of those who obstinately persist in their Errors but especially those who not only are deceived but presume to take upon them to be Ministers of Christ and deceive others when it shall appear that they are only Ministers of this Porphyrian Antichristian Spirit that is of Satan transformed as I nothing doubt but it will in due time and that ere long by undeniable Moral Evidence if not also by manifest Divine Vengeance upon some of the Obstinate which I have sincerely endeavoured to prevent and should still be glad to help them out if they would humble themselves and give Glory to God as their Case doth require otherwise they will certainly be called to account for neglected Divine Favours As for the Gentile Dispensation there is plainly a Fallacy concerning it put upon them by the Subtilty and Fraud of that Spirit which acts so sensibly amongst them For as the Israelites were chosen to be as it were of God's own Regiment and are therefore call'd his Peculiar people yet were they for their Sin delivered over to the Conduct of an Angel Exod. 33. so were other Nations committed to the Conduct of certain Angels probably of inferior Orders And as the Israelites after they were settled in the Promised Land under the immediate Government of God v. Sam. 8.7 were often notwithstanding for their Backslidings and Transgressions delivered into the hands of their Enemies which was plainly a Representation of Spiritual matters so the other Nations though they were committed at first to the Regiment of Good Angels though of an inferior order yet when they came to yield to the Inspirations of Apostate Spirits which was a real though Spiritual Fornication and Defilement were left in theirPower to be abused and ridden and led Captive by them at their pleasure And those who continued under their Conduct to the last without Repentance are like to have their part with them hereafter And this is the Mystery of Iniquity whereby these People are imposed upon by the Subtilty of this Porphyrian Spirit For There is a twofold Gentile Dispensation or two parts of the Gentile Dispensation the one of Grace under the Good Angel which is God's Deputy the other of Judgment under the Apostate Spirit which is God's Executioner of Vengeance And this is it which St. Paul tells us concerning the Seduced by the Spirit of Antichrist that God should send them strong Delusions to believe a Lye because they received not the Love of the Truth that they all might be damned who believe not the Truth Now whatever become of the rest who have not the Favour of the Gospel communicated to them but yet desert not the Conduct of the Spirit by God set over them yet those who have the Gospel in all Simplicity offered to them and either through Pride and Conceitedness or through the Inspiration of any Spirit are drawn from it their Case is very dangerous for no Good Spirit would dare or would offer any such thing and then it must needs be some wicked Spirit in disguise how specious soever his appearance be which for some Spiritual Sin at least if not Carnal or Worldly in them or their Parents hath gotten Advantage of them And such are very officious to offer themselves and very subtile to deceive And their Neglect of the Offers of Grace is like to prove fatal to them But none are in greater danger than they who are so unhappy as to become the Agents and Ministers of such a Spirit whatever they may think of themselves at present This I hope may serve for this Occasion but having for divers Months past been endeavouring by private Conferences with and Letters to the Chief of their Ministers to set this People right in what they are out of the way I intend ere long if no less will serve by the Grace of God to discourse these matters more fully at some
Arch-Bishop says Receive the Holy Ghost for the Office and Work of a Bishop c. and at each is sung the Hymn Come Holy Ghost c. And in the Exhortation in the Commination this is mentioned as one of the Conditions of our Pardon viz. If we will be ordered by the Governance of his Holy Spirit And in the Articles of Religion Art 17. are mentioned together Godly Persons and such as feel in themselves the Working of the Spirit of Christ mortifying c. To this Authority of the Church I will subjoyn the Judgment of one of her Sons who though at first it seems he was carried away with the common Prejudice of the Age yet afterward upon better consideration extricated himself and recover'd a better Judgment and has in few words said what is much to the purpose That God himself affords his Intimacies and Converses to the better Souls which are prepar'd for it I confess the proud and phantastick Pretences of many of the conceited Melancholists in this Age to Divine Communion have prejudiced divers intelligent Persons against the Belief of any such happy Vouchsafement so that they conclude the Doctrine of Immediate Communion with the Deity in this Life to be but an high-flown Notion of warm Imagination and over-luscious Self-Flattery and I acknowledge I have my self had Thoughts of this nature supposing Communion with God to be nothing else but the Exercise of Vertue and that Peace and those Comforts which naturally result from it But I have considered since That God's more near and immediate imparting himself to the Soul that is prepar'd for that Happiness by Divine Love Humility and Resignation in the way of a Vital Touch and Sense is a thing possible in it self and will be a great part of our Heaven That Glory is begun in Grace and God is pleased to give some excellent Souls the happy Antepast That holy Men in ancient times have sought and gloried in this Enjoyment and never complain so sorely as when it was with-held and interrupted That the Expressions of Scripture run infinitely this way and the best of modern good Men do from their own Experience attest it That this spiritualizeth Religion and renders its Enjoyments more comfortable and delicious That it keeps the Soul under a vivid sense of God and is a grand Security against Temptation That it holds it steddy amidst the Flatteries of a prosperous State and gives it the most grounded Anchorage and Support amidst the Waves of an adverse Condition That 't is the noblest Encouragement to Vertue and the highest Assurance of an happy Immortality I say I considered these weighty Things and wonder'd at the Carelessness and Prejudice of Thoughts that occasion'd my suspecting the Reality of so glorious a Priviledge I saw how little Reason there is in denying Matters of inward Sense because our selves do not feel them or cannot form an Apprehension of them in our Minds I am convinc'd that things of gust and relish must be judged by the sentient and vital Faculties and not by the noetical Exercises of speculative Vnderstandings And upon the whole I believe infinitely that the Divine Spirit affords its sensible Presence and immediate Beatifick Touch to some Rare Souls who are divested of carnal Self and mundane Pleasures abstracted from the Body by Prayer and Holy Meditation spiritual in their Desires and calm in their Affections devout Lovers of God and Vertue and tenderly affectionate to all the World sincere in their Aims and circumspect in their Actions inlarged in their Souls and clear in their Minds These I think are the Dispositions that are requisite to fit us for Divine Communion And God transacts not in this near way but with prepared Spirits who are thus disposed for the Manifestation of his Presence and his Influence and such I believe he never fails to bless with these happy fore tasts of Glory But for those that are Passionate and Conceited Turbulent and Notional Confident and Immodest Imperious and Malicious that doat upon Trifles and run fiercely into the ways of a Sect that are lifted up in the Apprehension of the glorious Prerogatives of themselves and their Party and scorn all the World besides for such I say be their Pretensions what they will to Divine Communion Illapses and Discoveries I believe them not their Fancies abuse them or they would us For what Communion hath Light with Darkness or the Spirit of the Holy One with those whose Genius and Ways are so unlike Him But the other Excellent Souls I described will as certainly be visited by the Divine Presence and Converse as the Chrystalline Streams are with the Beams of Light or the fitly prepared Earth whose Seed is in it self will be actuated by the Spirit of Nature There is a late Writer of no mean Learning and Parts and Authority too among those of his own Party who reckons the Despising of the Holy Spirit and his Operations now to be a Sin of the same Nature with the Apostacy of the Jews by Idolatry of old and afterwards by rejecting of our Saviour at his coming and yet in detestation of Enthusiasm utterly abandons all Impulses and Motions to Things and Actions which are not acknowledged Duties in themselves evidenced by the Word of Truth c. under the Name of Irrational Impressions and violent Inclinations and what some Men intend by Impulses he says he knows not Indeed they who reject all such things reject they know not what And did they thereby only hurt themselves it might be thought a just Punishment but such confident Assertions in Print may not only be hurtful to Men but also injurious to the Wisdom and Goodness of God which is not to be limited by Mens Conceits The Jews heretofore had the Favour to inquire of God and receive Answers and Direction in their special Exigences and if the Christians are not allowed that Favour now it may be thought that the State of Christians is inferior to that of the Jews then in a Matter of great Importance or that the Christians now are as the latter Jews were fallen from the Integrity of the true Christian State Nor can I conceive any reason why Christians should not have some such Means for this purpose as the ancient Jews had but that every Christian ought to have a Divine Oracle in his own Breast by the Residence of the Spirit of God there if we were indeed such as our Profession doth require and oblige us to be that is truly Spiritual and Heavenly-minded It doth therefore concern us to inquire whether the Fault be not in our selves if God doth not answer us as it was with Saul when God was departed from him rather than to dishonour our Profession by arguing against the Truth to cover our Shame and since the Lord's Ear is not heavy that it cannot hear whether our Sins have not interposed between our God and us that he will not hear Certainly we often need a Wisdom more than
their being cast out of the Synagogues as part of the Persecution they were to suffer It is also certain that our Saviour did foretell that many false Prophets that is false Teachers should come in his Name and deceive many and gave great Caution not to go out or believe them and that his Apostles did the like and did with great earnestness exhort all to beware of Divisions Schisms and Separations in the Church And accordingly in all Ages for Men to take upon them the Office of Elders or Ministers of the Gospel without a Regular Ordination derived by Succession from the Apostles or to draw away people after them and engage them in Separate Parties hath been looked upon as a heinous Sin and whoever have done so have been Infamous in the Church ever since And therefore if our Dissenters did continue daily with one accord at our Temples as the primitive Christians did and did continue their Assemblies at their own Meeting-places for Instruction and Edification without any Separation from the Church provided there was nothing but true Christian Doctrine taught amongst them I do not see but they might be of very good Use and deserve not only an Indulgence but Encouragement from the Publick Authority But they who make a Trade of it to engage Separate Parties I do verily believe have much to answer for before God and those who desire to be Christians indeed had need to beware of them And this I must in justice say after all I have said concerning what is amiss amongst us that thanks be to God we have those amongst us who for good Learning for profitable Preaching and for sincere Piety Devotion and all Virtue are no way inferior to any of the Dissenters if to be equalled by any of them and yet I cannot say they are so many but there may be reason enough to receive those Labourers also into our Lord's Harvest And I heartily wish it was well considered How they may be made more serviceable in so important and needful a Work without any thing of a Separation and that they would consider Who They are who sit in Moses or rather the Apostles Seat and What our Lord doth require in that respect And now to come more particularly to the PEOPLE of that Party call'd Quakers I must first acquaint them that I have not only had several Conferences with the Principal Persons of their Party whom they call Ministers but have also sent them several Letters and Papers to their Second Days Meetings And as our Conferences have hitherto been managed in a very friendly manner so I do desire to proceed in the same manner with them also and therefore what is directed at first only to the second days Meeting I shall desire them now to receive as intended from the first for them all though I thought it most fair and decent to proceed in that order And it is as followeth To William Penn and the rest of the Friends with him at their second days Meeting in Grace-Church-Street William and the rest of the Friends with thee MY Hearts desire and Prayer to God for you all is that ye may be saved for I am perswaded that you have a Zeal of God at least many of you though not according to Knowledge in some things Nevertheless whereto ye have attained in that I desire ye may be established and that God will be graciously pleased to reveal the rest to you that ye may be perfect and intire wanting nothing For which purpose I come I trust by the Grace of God with a Message of Grace and Peace to you I am well satisfied that it is no meer Humane Project or Artifice that at first raised you up and hath conducted you hitherto but a Supernatural Power and that it is of the Lord some way or other as was the Separation of the Ten Tribes from Rehoboam 1 King 12. for Correction and Reformation of something amiss in this Church And therefore I dare not presume either upon my own head or by my own Ability to intermeddle in it But my Heart is inlarged towards you upon these Considerations 1. That ye do assert one of the Great and Chief Principles of the Christian Religion which I have observed to be very unworthily and even despitefully treated by too many who have gotten into or seek Preferments and Imployment in the Church without Check or Reproof and so unworthily deserted by most for fear of reproach or disgrace or hindrance in their Preferment that I have not known it generously asserted by above two or three in the Pulpit but those great Men indeed though it be plainly a Doctrine most authentickly and solemnly professed and declared in the Church of England 2. That ye do bear a good Testimony against other Abuses connived at or tolerated amongst us 3. I am moved with Pity towards you that you should have so great Causes of Offence or Scandal given you against the Holy and Established Institutions and Ordinances of Christ for the Ministerial Office for the Admission of Proselytes and for the great Solemnity of the Christian Worship which hath been so long abused with Controversies that I know very few Persons now amongst us who do rightly and compleatly understand it and even against the Person Satisfaction and Merits of Christ himself But when I consider your Notions and Sentiments concerning these things though I am well satisfied that you are under the Conduct and Energy of some Spiritual Power yet What that Spirit is and Whether One or Divers in my Judgment doth deserve very good Consideration Ye know what Spirit it was which God sent between Abimelech and the Shechemites Jud. 9.23 and what that was that was sent from the Lord to Saul 1 Sam. 6.14 and what that was that was commissioned by God in the case of Ahab 1 King 22.22 23. and what that was in the midst of the Princes of Noph Isa 19.14 which was from the Lord too And that such a Spirit hath been among some call'd Quakers is manifest both by their Actions Speeches and Writings nay the very Spirit of the Devil and of Antichrist is apparent and undeniable from the Indignities offered both in word and deed to Holy things But that is not the thing now to be considered what Spirits may have appeared among them For even among the Apostles Satan had power to enter into Judas and it is not improbable but those whom our Saviour told Ye know not what Spirit ye are of and even Peter himself when our Saviour said to him Get thee behind me Satan might not at the time be free from some Impressions of Evil Spirits That 't is likely was a Peculiarity of our Saviour's for the Prince of this World to have nothing in him But the thing to be considered is What Spirit that is which at first excited and hath now the Conduct of the whole Body of this People And not whether it be sent or commissioned from God but
of Christ in all Ages and of the Church of England in particular as I have shew'd in a Discourse of Mystical Divinity and some others under the Title of Asceticks or the Heroick Piety and Vertue of the Ancients and notwithstanding the Extravagancies of some inconsiderate Opposers of Fanaticism asserted by most eminent Men of this Church as the profound Dr. Cradock lately deceased who himself told me he had Preached twenty or thirty Sermons upon that Subject and others now living and that there are and have been before George Fox appeared in the World Persons in the Communion of the Church of England as well acquainted with Spiritual things as themselves and by consequence how little necessity there is of venturing upon the Sin of Schism for that cause And moreover consider that Christ appointed an Order of Men for his Ministerial Office to succeed in his Church by an external Call and Commission and notwithstanding the Corruptions of those who sate then in Moses's Seat would not suffer his Disciples to break Communion with them or disregard their Authority and by consequence how dangerous it may prove in the end for Men to presume to set up Parties and draw People after them contrary to his Orders and to continue so to do after fair Warnings and unanswerable Admonitions to the contrary To conclude When they shall farther consider how horrid a Sin it must needs be to presume to attribute to the Holy Spirit of God the Workings of their own Imaginations or perhaps the Subtile Suggestions of some wicked Spirit of Delusion and to expose and scandalize the Holy Doctrine of the Guidance of the Holy Spirit by denying of certain and manifest Truths and using such little Shifts and Evasions to oppose plain Evidence as an honest and ingenious Lawyer would scorn and be ashamed to use for his Client When all these things and more that might be observed are well understood and considered why may I not with reason hope that all who are really such as they have appeared in the several Conferences I have had with them to be should answer the End of my Letters and Questions with more than civil and kind Words in real and solemn Actions Why should I not hope that no private Interest nor any Temporal Concern should hinder them Why should I not hope that since God hath apparently again concluded all under Sin which all Parties confess of all others but their own and is true of all without exception that all should humble themselves before Him return to mutual Charity one with another and subject themselves and all their Imaginations to his Wisdom as well as their Actions to his Will to the intent that he may have Mercy upon all Why should I not hope I say since God hath done this and for this End that they if they be indeed partakers of his Holy Spirit should be the first in giving Glory to God by such a just and reasonable Humiliation before his Divine Majesty and Acknowledgment of our Humane Infirmity if never so little left to our selves or but steping aside out of the Order of his Holy Conduct and subject themselves intirely and readily to all the Orders he hath appointed in his Church No sober wise Man will expose himself and lead others into Danger or Hazard when he may without any Difficulty or Incumbrance put himself and them into Safety and Security Nor will any ingenious Man if he have committed a Mistake stand it out and maintain it against a Grave and Judicious Man Much less will any considerate Man who hath any sense of God and regard to his tremendous Majesty dare to persist in Opposing or Disputing his Institutions or Orders and therefore I shall here conclude this But because I have received certain Questions concerning these Matters but without any Name of any who sent them or to whom I should return Answer though I shall forbear to expose them by making them publick yet because I am debtor both to the wise and to the unwise for their Satisfaction who are either moved with such Scruples or rely upon such infirm Grounds I shall return a brief comprehensive Answer to the Eight Questions in these following Assertions The Holy Scripture of the Old and New Testament is the only Rule of Faith and Practice rightly understood and used But it is in many Cases only a General Rule leaving the special Application in some to all Persons in others to certain determinate Persons And therefore to require Express and Plain Scripture for Faith and Practice in all things doth proceed from Ignorance and Weakness in some but too often from a disingenuous Spirit of Contention a dishonest Design or Satanical Delusion The Practices of the Primitive Christians were some Permanent to continue in the Church others Temporary and Alterable according as there might be occasion for Order Decency and Edification and did vary from the beginning in several Churches and parts of the World whereas the others were truly Catholick according to Vincentius Lirinensis his Rule that is universally observed without any known beginning since the Apostles The Spirit of God was poured forth upon all Flesh when the Gospel was Preached to all Flesh or to every Creature that is not only to the Jews but to the Gentiles also But as to individual Persons it was never so poured out upon all Flesh but there were some things pre-acquired as Faith in Christ Jesus and ordinarily Baptism with Water Obedience and Prayer c. Nor was the Manifestation thereof ever given to every one but to every one to whom it was given it was given to profit withall As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God and If any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.14 9. But it is to be known and remembred that a great and principal and the most certain Leading of the Spirit of God is not sensible or easily perceivable how it comes but it is generally a Secret Illumination of the Mind to perceive the Excellence of the things of God and the Emptiness and Deceitfulness of the things of the World from which proceeds an Appetite to those and an Indifference to these and in particular actions a like secret Illumination of the Mind to apply the general Rules of the Scriptures to the particular Sense and an Inclination of the Will to what is so perceived to be the Will of God And in more sensible Motions Impressions and Openings as some call them the Tryal is by their Agreement with what is agreed to proceed from the Spirit of God that is the Holy Scriptures what is contrary to that is to be rejected as coming from the Enemy what is not inconsistent with that ought to be followed or if doubtful be referred to the Judgment and Determination of the Elders according to the Observations of the Ancients or of the most Experienced Christians especially of such as by