The Mystical Marriage, Chapter 7
CAP. VII. The signes, and markes of the true and right visitations of the heavenly Bridegroome.
IT is necessary to shew what these visitations are, to convince that they are, and so to undeceive those that thinke they are not. It is also necessary to free those from errour, who beleeving that they are, yet doe mistake those that are not, for those that are. Such visitations there are, for they are seene and felt by men seeing and waking; and seeing and waking not onelyonly with the bodily eyes, but with two better eyes, the one of humane reason, and the other farre excelling that, divine and heavenly light. Spirituall light beholds these spirituall sights, and shews them to the understanding, which being convinced by that which it sees, beleeves them it selfe, and would also deliver over the sight, and the beleefe of them to others. But the thoughts of man are narrower than these joyes, and words are narrower thā thoghts. But, which is worst of al, the heart of an earthly man is narrower than the narrow words of a spirituall man; for the carnall man perceiveth not spirituall things, though they be held up before his fleshly eyes; yet in the mouth of two or three eye-witnesses a word should stand; and stand it doth, though blinde men see it not standing before them, and therfore stumble at it. But who knowes whether an Ephatah may come downe from heaven, that while a spirituall object is proposed, a spirituall sight may be infused? Howsoever the words of heavenly wisedome are not spoken in vaine to the children of wisedome; and especially those who are yet but children, and not perfect in tae art of discerning good and evill, must not be left to the dangers of errour and mistaking. The black Angel sometimes changeth himselfe into an Angel of light, and then may he also make some shewes of lightsome visitations. There is also a sanguine and naturall lightsomnesse, and a bright beame of adustion, that sometimes shine in the mind, and these also may be mistaken to be divine. But the spirit is not flesh, much lesse is hee that evill spirit, which is contrary to him. And because the spirit is that which these are not, the visitations are such, as those imaginations are not which come from these. And that this difference may the better be discerned, let let us beholde the true characters of a spirituall visitation, which the soule seeth when the husband of soules doth visit her.
A first marke and signe of his presence is light; a light not fitted for the eye but the soule, even a light spirituall, and shining spirit and truth into the soule and spirit. For the Lord is a spirit, and when hee comes into the soule, hee comes with abundance of that spirit which leadeth into all truth. Hee is the light of the world, even of the great world of mankinde, and therefore when he comes into the little world of one man, how great is his light? And when this light shineth brightly, then the soule by it doth see spirituall things as truly and assuredly, as the corporall eye doth corporall things. For there is an agreement betweene a spirituall eye, and spirituall objects, as there is betweene the bodily eye, and bodily object. By this light, things formerly not knowne are seene and discovered, and spirituall things knowne before onelyonly by a carnall, which is a false knowledge, are spiritually, and so truly discerned; for the light is that which maketh manifest, and this light being spirituall maketh spirituall things so manifest, that it gives a full assurance of understanding, and makes us know that wee know thē. Even those things which before seemed fables and foolishnesse to the carnall eye, to this spirituall sight and light, appeare plainly to be deepe mysteries, and most wise truthes. Especially the great Bridegroom of soules, who to the Iewes is a stumbling blocke, and to the Grecians foolishnesse, to this light appeares clearely to be the wisedome of God,1 Cor. 1.23, 24. and the power of God. For the light begotten acknowledgeth the light begetting, and Christ is seene in the soule by his owne beames. Hee is seene there as a Head and Husbād to the Church, as a roote of life; as an All-sufficient Saviour, fit and able to restore a decayed and lost creation, to disperse and treade downe a combined association of adversary and mighty spirits, and to unite and recapitulate the scattered members of a mysticall body both in heaven and earth, each to other, and all to the Deity. Hee is beheld as the fairest of men, the soules well-beloved, an infuser of that blessed sap of spirituall life, by which the soule is purified here, and made capable of the beatificall vision in an eternall life hereafter. And as this derived light sheweth us the primitive light which begate it, and being spirituall, shewes us that Lord who is the spirit from whom it proceeded, so doth it also discover to us divers other spirituall truthes, and is a kinde of Oracle that gives divine answeres and resolutions.
Now that wee may certainely know this light to be a truth, and not an imagination, and withall to be truly spirituall and heavenly, and not carnall, earthly, much lesse infused by a counterfeit Angel of light; let us first observe that this light of the spirit doth agree with the light of the word: The same spirit of God which shineth now in our soules in these heavenly visitations, did first shine in the word; so that the light of the word, and the light in our soules are twinnes, and resemble each other, and agree like brethren. If therefore there be this agreement, then there is this brotherhood, and if no agreement, then there is no brotherhood. Therefore to the law, to the testimony,Esay 8.20. if thy thoughts speake not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them: for indeed if our thoughts be truly enlightened, wee shall finde some words in the word of God confirming them; yea many times this light within will call up some place of the word without for a witnesse to it, to confirm a truth which in that place was not formerly perceived. Such is the harmony and power of harmony betweene the spirit and the word, that when you hit a spirituall truth in your soule, there will often come a sound, answer and eccho from some place in the word agreeable to it. And as the word doth approve this light, so doth this light approve the word. It loves to looke on it, it seeth a heavenly wisdome in it, yea it seeth secrets in it; yea many times it will in some short sentence, yea in some single word, find out a Mine of heavenly doctrine, and as at a little crany discover a world of divine truths. And so the light of the spirit doth approve it selfe, not onelyonly by being approved of the word, but by approving, and improving it.
This is a sufficient tryall and touchstone of this heavenly light, though if neede were I might adde, the willing resignation of reason, even of the naturall light of the soule to the soveraignty of this divine and heavenly light. The understanding is not fettered and bound by a violent hand, but it yeelds it selfe up freely to bee subdued and captivated by a light that surpasseth the light which it selfe hath. The reasonable light of man continueth in man, even when this supernaturall light shineth; it knowes what other men know, and knowes what it selfe knew and thought before this light came to it; but this light being come, it yeelds willingly to it, and surrenders both it selfe and the man whom it formerly guided. This homage of reason shewes a soveraignty in that spirituall light to which reason doth this homage. The going out of the light of a candle, (not by quenching, but not-shining) acknowledgeth a greater and more excellent light to be present. And indeede reason even with reason gives way, that a greater light should rather guide than a lesser; yea with reason it gives way, that it selfe being a lesser light, should be increased and enlarged by a higher and greater, that so it may discerne higher and greater things. And this increase it experimentally findes: for by this new and greater light, the soule sees the supreme light which begate it, she sees him to be her soveraign good; shee sees the way to him, and is directed to union with him, and to the full fruition of him. And because shee sees these excellent things now, which shee saw not before, shee justly and wisely resignes her selfe to that light by which shee sees those excellent things which she saw not before, and to that sight by which she seeth in a more excellent manner of seeing.
A second Character and marke of a divine visitation, is ioy, even a ioy of a different kind and character from other ioyes; For this ioy ariseth not originally from naturall principles neither fastneth it selfe on naturall obiectes, but is supernaturall in the roote of it, and fixeth it selfe on supernaturall objects. It is no sanguine joy, neither made of humor and complection, for it ariseth often in the midst of sadnes within, and crosses without. The spiritual man therfore thus truely describeth the manner of thē, In the midst of the sorrowes of my heart, Psal. 94.19thy comforts have refreshed me. Even when the outward man decayeth, & dyeth away, the inward man reneweth and rejoyceth:2 Cor. 4.16 When the disciples are talking doubtfully and are sorrowfull;Luk. 24.15.17. then Iesus appeares to them, and warmes their hearts, with an heavenly fire. When the wine of naturall joy is spent, and there is nothing left but the waters of affliction, thē doth Christ turne this water into wine. Thou hast turned (saith David) my mourning into dancing, thou hast put off my sackcloth, Psal. 30.11and girded me with gladnes. There is a river that maketh glad the City of God, there is the new wine of the kingdome, that makes the heart merry; there is a heavenly oyle that maketh that face pleasant and joyfull, which is the image of God; these flow forth from the throne in heaven, from the true vine, frō the right olive, and that it may appeare that they doe so, they are commonly sent into thirsty,Matth. 5.3, 4, 6. weary, mourning & almost despayring soules; that the excellency of them may appeare to be of God and not of man: when the soule is parched with drynes, the sap of joy cannot naturally come out of drines; even Moses himselfe saith,Numb. 20 10. Shall I fetch you water out of this rock? when there is no wine, and there appeares nothing but water, even teares and sorrowes, it must bee a divine hand that turnes this water into wine. When the soule is oppressed with spirituall wants, and sees nothing but griefe within, and terrours without, it must be the worke of God to make this oyle to runne,2. King 4. untill the vessels bee full. Therefore Saint Paul rightly infers,2 Cor. 8.12 that it is the right hand of the most High, even in an high degree, which maketh this chang. Yea there is in it more then a change, even a harmony and agreement betweene contraries; Much affliction and joy in the Holy Ghost. 1. Thes. 1.6And so Saint Peter, 1. pet. 1.6.Yee greatly rejoyce, though ye are in heavinesse: Wherefore since to the Saints there ariseth a light in the middest of darknesse,Psal. 112.4 could not make this light, but he only who is the light of the world and by whom first the light came to shine out of darknesse.2 Cor. 4.6.
And as this joy is divine and heavenly, flowing from a divine and heavenly fountain, so is it also divine and heavenly, because it fasteneth on divine and heavenly objects. Things that love are like: the naturall joy delights in naturall objects, and a spirituall joy in spiritual objects. Accordingly while the naturall joy lookes out for corne and wine,Psal. 4. the spirituall joy lookes out for the countenance of God. God is a spirit, and he delights in spirit, because it is like him: and the joy of the spirit delights in God, yea delights in him most, because he is the supremest spirit, and consequently highest in this likenes. And because the union of our spirits with this spirit is onelyonly in Christ, with whom the soule becomming one spirit hath union with the highest spirit, therefore the soule having found Christ, rejoyceth in him above all things, with a joy unspeakable and glorious. She rejoyceth so in him, that she will sell all naturall things,Phil. 3.8. to buy the spirituall happinesse that is to be found in him. And thus both by the absence, and by the contempt of naturall things, this joy may be knowne to be supernaturall. For as it doth not faint nor faile when naturall things are absent, if Iesus be present, so doth it not fixe or feede on them being present, if Iesus also be present with them. Yea if the soule may feele Iesus to be more present, because they are more absent, she enjoyeth that absence,2 Cor. 12.9, 10. by which the presence of her beloved is more enjoyed. She delights in the tribulations,Rom. 5.3. whose abundance hath caused an abundance of consolations: shee so much loves Christ, that for his sake shee loves things that are to nature most hatefull, and rejoyceth in them. And thus while the soule rejoyceth in things contrary to nature, for the love of things supernaturall, this joy cannot be naturall, and of the same kinde that those things are which it despiseth, but must needes be supernaturall,Rom. 8.5. and of the same kinde that those things are in which it especially delighteth.
Another property of these joyes, by which they prove themselves to be spirituall, is this, that they are nutrimentall to the very soule & spirit of man. They feede, they satisfie, and in their measure fill the soule, and give her an inward thriving, and increase. Bodily joyes are thicke and grosse, and by their grossenesse sticke behind in the body, and pierce not to the soule; and if any thing come to the soule from them, it is commonly but filth, dregs, guilt, vexation or shame. Shee may bee more clouded by them, made more dull, earthy, and foule, by materiality, or filth, cast upon her; but they enter not into the inward parts of the soule, to water the roote of her, and to give her true, kindly, and reall increase. As mudde is to the thirsty bodies, so are these to thirsty soules, they cannot drinke them in, nor quench their thirst with them: But the spirituall joyes enter in, and enlarge the very soule of man; they make her who is a spirit more spirituall, for shee opens her mouth wide to them, and then shee is filled with that spirituall and divine sappe, which accompanieth them, and wherein they are founded. And then as shee hath heard, so she hath seene and tasted,Prov. 17.22. that an heavenly joy is to the soule a restaurative medicine: and that when she enjoyeth her Saviour in the contemplations and tastes of his love, then is she filled with marrow and fatnesse.Psal. 63.5.
But I hasten to a third Marke of spirituall visitations, and that is holinesse. For when Christ visiteth the soul, as he doth clarifie her with light, and ravish her with joy, so he doth beautifie her with holinesse. Externall joyes, and joyes of the body, have not this vertue, neither can they give it to the soule: but when Christ commeth into the soule by his spirit, the same spirit that doth enlighten and glad her, doth also hallow her; yea as by the light she is directed to holinesse, so by the gladnesse shee is lifted up, encouraged, and actuated unto holines. In these accesses of Christ there are heights of union, and the increases of union bring with them increases of uniformity. The spirit of union is fire, and fire turnes that into it selfe to which it is united: and the fuller and closer this union is, the more is this turning. So Christ Iesus, the more hee comes into a soule by his spirit, the more spirituall doth he make her; yea the more doth hee melt a soule into himselfe; the more doth hee turne her will into his will, and the more doth hee increase his owne image in her; and wee know that his image is righteousnesse and true holinesse.Eph. 4.24. He brings with him those oyntments for which the Virgins love him, and those oyntments also make them more lovely. Hence are they inwardly more glorious, and hence outwardly they smel more sweetly in their conversations. The Kings daughter is all glorious within,Psal. 45. and her garments smell of myrrhe, aloes, and cassia. In these touches of Christ if in any other,Mark 5.30 there comes forth vertue frō him: The spirit of the lover passeth into his beloved, and makes her of one heart and will with him, and this conformity of the will with Christ is true holinesse.
The spirit by which Christ visiteth his spouse is an holy spirit and a spirit of power;Luke 1.35 and accordingly when this spirit is shed into the soule,2 Tim. 1.7 there is power & holynes infused with him, and by him. And hēce it is that they who receaue the true oyntments of the spirit in true visitacions, they passe beyond a speculatiue & discoursing holynes even beyond a forme of godlines, and advance to the power of it, & to a fruitful expression of this power.
Yea I may say, that hereunto the very louelove of Christ constrayneth vsus. For in these visitacions, and by them, the louelove of Christ is shed into our harts.Rom. 13.10. The spirit of power & holines, is the spirit of louelove; and this louelove giuen by the spirit may be called holinesse, for it is the fulfilling of the law. They that love Christ are certainely willing to please him,Ioh 14.21 and to keep his commandements; and they that have the spirit of love cannot but love him.
Yea they cannot but love him for the union they have with him, and the joyes of this union: And loving him they wil desire to bring forth fruite unto him,Rom. 7.4. and by him, even fruite that may be like him. The pleasure of love and union in outward marriage, is a kinde of hire of fruitfulnes: and in the spirituall marriage, the joy of love and union is the hire of a fruitfull holinesse. Wherefore those that truly enjoy Christ in these spiritual accesses, both desire and obtaine this spirituall fruitfulnesse; for the spouse of Christ is most truly that vine,Psal. 128. which is fruitfull by the sides of the house, and whose children stand like olive plants: yea in olde age is shee full of fruite.Psal 92.14
Wherefore if with light and joy, the soule doe feele, that the spirit of Christ, by spirituall heate, power, and love, have wrought a powerfull, and fruitfull holinesse in her, let her know that Christ Iesus himselfe hath beene with her. Carnall and corporall things cannot doe this, evill Angels neither can nor will doe it; good Angels though they rejoyce to see it done, yet they doe it not, but that spirit alone both can doe it, & doth it, which is the power and right hand of God; & which onelyonly writeth the lawes of God in the hearts and soules of men.Ezek. 11.19, 20. 2 Cor. 3.3. He it is alone that giveth the soule the new wine of the kingdome, wherewith the soule being once refreshed, shee rejoyceth as a gyant to runne the race of holinesse: It is the spirit of Christ alone that so anoynteth the soule, that shee runneth after Christ in the wayes of righteousnesse. And as it was said to this Head and Husband of the Church, Thou hast loved righteousnesse, and hated iniquity, therefore God even thy God hath anoynted thee with the oyle of gladnesse above thy fellowes: Psal. 45.So it may bee also said to the Spouse, Thou hast loved righteousnesse, and hated iniquity, therefore God even thy God hath anoynted thee with the oyle of gladnes above all those that were thy fellowes by carnall generation. For there is no oyle of gladnesse, that hath with it the love of righteousnesse, but that wherewith Christ Iesus the Head was principally anoynted, and which dropping from Christ the Head to the Members and Spouse of Christ, makes her to excell the rest in vertue and holinesse. And as there was not any such spice, as the Queen of Sheba brought unto Salomon, so there are no such oyntments of grace and gladnesse, as a greater than Salomon doth give to his Queen, when hee and shee are met in the heates of a spirituall conjunction, and the excesses of a fruitive union.