Answer to Cressys Epistle, Chapter 2

Answer to Cressys Epistle · Chapter 2

p. 19CHAP. II.

Of the Charge of Fanaticism and Mystical Divinity.

§. 1. ANd the first thing is about the Charge of Fanaticism; which gave the Title to that Book of Mr. Cressy's, upon which the Person of Honour bestows his Animadversions.Fanaticism sect. 2. n. 10. This Mr. Cressy said he would begin with, and particularly that part of my Book which concerns the life and prayer of Contemplation commended and practised only in the Catholick Church; it being a State, he saith, which from the Infancy of the Church hath been esteemed the nearest approaching to that of Glorified Saints: and this is that, from whence I took an occasion to vilifie him; but adds, that he is very well content to receive his proportion of scorn with such companions, as Thaulerus, Suso, Rusbrochius, Blosius, &c. But to the end I may not boast, he saith, of the Novelty of my invention and profanely employed wit, he doth assure me, that he p. 20heard the same way much better acted a long time since, but the Actor was obliged to make a Recantation Sermon for it. I thank Mr. Cressy for more of his Charity still, in that he parallels the representing the Fanaticism of their Church with the histrionical representing the life of our Saviour and his Att…ndants: it seems, there is no great difference to be made between the Reverence due to the Founders of their Monastick Orders, and to the Son of God himself. I do assure him if I had no better opinion of our Blessed Saviour as to his Wisdom and all manner of Excellencies, than as yet I see ground to have of the Founders of their Orders, I should be far from that esteem I now have of the Christian Religion: but however, the Person of Honour hath better informed Mr. Cressy's memory, viz.P. 23. That the Recantation Sermon was made upon the account of State-matters; and therefore Mr. Cressy very wisely passeth it over in his Epistle Apologetical.

To this the Person of Honour adds, That Mr. Cressy had no such reason to be enraged at me for this Charge, since the provocation was given me by my Adversary, by whom the beginning of so many Sects & Fanaticisms was laid to the charge p. 21of the Church of England: which unseasonable and untrue reproach,A…madvers. p 26. made it necessary for me to answer and refell that calumny, and as reasonable to let them know that their own Church is much more lyable to that accusation than the other: and why this provocation should be so innocent an assault for the one, and the defence by the other should prove so heinous an offence, will require an impartial Judge to determine. To this Mr.Epist. Apologet. sect. 26 Cressy thus answers; That my Adversary chanced unhappily though innocently to let drop out of his pen one line or two which has undone us all. I know no design of undoing them that any of us have had; unless it be as some men think they are undone, when they are kept from doing mischief: but I hope we may have leave to take care of our own preservation, and of that Religion we ought to value above our lives: but suppose it were so, whom may they thank for it? him that gave the provocation, or him that did but his duty in Defence of his Church and Religion? But come, come Mr. Cressy; let us not flatter our selves, it is not the Fly upon the Wheel that raises the Dust; we Writers of Controversies are no great Doers or Undoers of publick business. But Mr. Cressy denyes, that my Adversary p. 22did lay the imputation on the Church of England; and craves leave with all due respect to tell the Person of Honour,…. 27. that it was a great mistake in him to say so. Of that we may judge by the very words produced by Mr. Cressy, viz. Whether the judgement of King Henry, viz. in forbidding the Bible to be read in English, ought not to have been followed in after-times, let the dire effects of so many new Sects and Fanaticisms as have risen in England from the reading of the Scripture bear witness. In which words the rise of Sects and Fanaticisms is plainly imputed to the reading the Scripture, the reading of the Scripture in English is an effect of the Reformation of the Church of England (for it is the Church of England as reformed, that is only the subject of the dispute) And therefore I appeal to any indifferent person, whether the Reformed Church of England doth not in their Opinion bear the blame of all the Sects and Fanaticisms? But this is too plain a thing to be insisted upon: No, saith Mr. Cressy, the very naming of Fanaticism and England in the same line, was provocation enough for me; who seemed with an impatient longing to have watched for such an advantageous opportunity to empty my voluminous store of Collections. ib.How p. 23strangely may some be deceived by an overweening imagination! I was so far from having a Voluminous store of Collections, that I never thought of the Subject, till it came in my way to answer it; and then I remembred some things I had read to that purpose, which put me upon a farther search into the history of those things. And since Mr. Cressy will have it out, this is the true account of the birth of that terrible Mormo that hath brought so many reproaches and execrations upon me.

§. 2. There are two parts of this Charge of Fanaticism, which Mr. Cressy thinks himself particularly concerned in; and which I shall therefore handle distinctly; the one concerns Mystical Divinity; and the other, the honour of S. Benedict, and his Rule and Order; these two Mr. Cressy sets himself with all his force to defend, and I hope before I have done to make Mr. Cressy repent the heat, he hath shewed about them.

I begin with that concerning Mystical Divinity; of which Mr. Cressy still speaks with the greatest Veneration imaginable; he had before called it,Fanaticism p. 1. The practice of Christian Vertues and Piety in the greatest perfection this life is capable of; P. 11the nearest p. 24approach to the state of glorified Saints; the most divine exercise of contemplative Souls, P. 181.more perfectly practised only in Heaven: and now he makes a prayer for me, that it would please God to give me and all my friends a holy ambition to aspire to the practice of contemplative prayer, Epist. Apologet. n. 37.though by me so much despised. But of the good effects he saith it would have upon me, I do the most wonder at that which he adds, viz. that it would exceedingly better my style. I have hitherto thought the choice of clear and proper expressions, such as most easily and naturally convey my thoughts to the mind of another, to be one of the greatest excellencies of Style; but all before Mr. Cressy, that have been the greatest Friends to Mystical Divinity have endeavoured to excuse the hard words of it. Surely never any Masters of Style, before Mr. Cressy, thought obscure, strained, affected, unintelligible phrases, were any Graces and Ornaments of speaking: Would it not add much beauty to ones style, to bring in the state of Deiformity, the superessential life, the union with God in the pure fund of the Spirit, and abundance of such phrases; which are so very many that Maximilian Sandaeus the Iesuit, Maximil. Sandaei Clavis Mystica c. 3…hath written a large Book only in explication of them: p. 25and this is the account he gives of the Mystical Style; that it is obscure, involved, lofty, abstracted, and flatulent, that it hath frequent hyperbole's, excesses, and improprieties. And he tells us, there were some, who (not unhappily) compared them to Paracelsian Chymists, who think to make amends for the meanness of their notions, by the obscurity of their terms. Carol H…r… …nt. Comment in Dio…ys…de Mysti… Theolog. Pr…fat.Carolus Hersentius hath nothing to answer to this, but only, that the matter cannot be plainer expressed in Mystical Divinity; which is so far from being an argument to me that it can improve ones style, that it gives me very much ground to suspect the very thing it self. For God would never require from men the practice of that (as certainly he doth the duty of Prayer and the greatest Love of himself) which it is impossible for men to understand, when it is proposed to them. What obligation can there be to practise no man knows what? The Christian Religion is a very plain and intelligible thing; and if it had not been so, I do not know, how men could be obliged to believe it? I do not say, that men could form a distinct conception in their minds of the manner of some of those things which are revealed in it; as how an infinite being could be united to humane nature; but p. 26this I say, that the terms are very intelligible, and the putting of those terms into a proposition, depends upon Divine Revelation, viz. that the Son of God was incarnate; so that all the difficulty in this case lyes in the conception of the manner, which by reason of the shortness of our conceptions, as to what relates to an infinite being, ought to be no prejudice to the giving our assent to this Revelation; since we acknowledge the union of a spiritual and material being in the frame of mankind, and are as well puzzled in the conception of the manner of it. But in Mystical Divinity, I say, the very terms are unintelligible; for it is impossible for any man to make sense of that immediate Union with God in the pure fund of the Spirit, wherein the Mystical Writers do place the perfection of the Contemplative Life.

§. 3. But because Mr. Cressy referrs the Person of Honour for the understanding those Mystical phrases, which I had quarrelled with, to the Author of the Roman Churches Devotions vindicated, which was purposely writ in answer to me upon this subject; I shall therefore consider what light he gives us in this matter; for I am very willing to be better informed. In the beginning he p. 27saith, that Prayer is the most Fundamental part of a Christians Duty; Rom… Churches Devotions vindicated Sect. 1.if this relates to the matter in hand, viz. of contemplative prayer, it must be implyed, that this is a part at least of that fundamental Duty, and if it be so, I think my self obliged to understand it; and it must be a very culpable ignorance, not to understand so fundamental a part of a Christians Duty. Therefore I shall pass by all his excursions, and hold him close to the matter in debate; I confess he prepares his way with some artifice, which makes me a little jealous, for things plain and easie need none. He insinuates, 1.Sect. 6. That those who have not these things, cannot well know what they mean; Sect. 7.and then adds, 2. That the means for obtaining them, are (in his own words) 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, much meditation on selected subjects, and the endeavouring a quiescence as much as we can from former discourse, (these actions of the brain and intellect now hindring the heart and will) and the bringing our selves rather to a simple contemplation (without any action of the brain or intellect, or at least as little as p. 28may be) to exercise acts of love, adhere to, sigh after and entertain the object thereof: and after this, come passive unions, which are rather Gods acts in us than our own, and are particular Favours to some, and those not constant. By this explication, I am fallen into utter despair of understanding these things; for if the acts of the brain and intellect prove such hindrances to the desired union, and the quiescence in order to it be that of Discourse, viz. of all ratiocination; I am utterly at a loss, how this should ever be understood by the persons themselves, and much more how it should be explained to others: And I extreamly wonder at those, who go about to explain things which themselves confess are so far from being understood, that the acts of the understanding are hindrances to the enjoyment of them. But F. Baker speaks more plainly in this matter,…. when he describes this Mystick contemplation; by which, saith he, a soul without discoursings and curious speculations, without any perceptible use of the internal senses, or sensible Images, by a pure, simple, and reposeful operation of the mind, in the obscurity of faith simply regards God as Infinite and Inco…prehensible Verity: and with the whole bent of the Will rests in him, as her Infinite, p. 29Universal and Incomprehensible Good. This is true Contemplation indeed. And afterwards he adds, that as for the proper exercise of active contemplation, … 16.it consists not at all in speculation, but in blind elevations of the will, and ingul…ing it more and more profoundly in God, with no other sight or knowledge of him, but of an obscure Faith only. And towards the conclusion of his Book he hath these words, We mortifie our passions to the end we may loose them: c 6. …. 11.we exercise Discoursive prayer by sensible Images, to the end we may loose all use of Images and Discourse: and we actuate immediately by operations of the Will, to the end we may arrive to a state of stability in prayer above all direct exercises of any of the souls faculties: A state wherein the soul being oft brought to the utmost of her workings, is forced to cease all workings to the end that God may operate in her. So that till the soul be reduced to a perfect denudation of Spirit, a deprivation of all things, God doth not enjoy a secure and perfect possession of it. Nay, he saith elsewhere, Sect. 1. c. 4. n. 14.that all use of meditation must be for a long space passed and relinquished, before the soul will be brought to this good state of having a continual flux of holy desires. I might produce much more to p. 30the same purpose out of him; but this is enough to shew, that they leave no use of ratiocination or memory, in that which they call the perfect state of the Contemplative life; and how is it then possible, that it should be either understood or explained? Nay, F. Baker saith, that there is a cessation of all Workings of the soul, which is a little harder yet: But this is that otium mysticum, or divine state of quiescency which the Mystical Divines magnifie so much; and which it is impossible to give any account of; either how the soul being of so active a nature can subsist with a cessation of all her workings; or supposing that possible, how it can ever give an account of that state wherein there was a cessation of all her workings. It is altogether as possible to give an account of the state of Not-being, as of such a state, wherein there were no operations of the soul; or at least no use of ratiocination and memory. And of all things, methinks it is most improper to call that the State of Contemplation; the State of Nothingness, is much more agreeable to it. But O. N. defends this to be a State of Contemplation; for although, saith he, it be applyed to the will, Sect. 61.yet its act is not single, but accompanied with a simple intelligence or p. 31sight of the object performed by the Intellect without any, or at least much Discourse thereof; but this is not fair dealing, for F. Baker expresly excludes all Discourse, he saith not any, or at least not much; but if there be any, Baker makes it not the state of pure contemplation; however doth O. N. think that which he calls simple intelligence, or the understanding things without ratiocination, is a thing we are capable of,Sect. …. during the conjunction of Soul and Body? But O. N. acknowledges, That these supernatural communications of the Divine Majesty to some of his choicest servants in prayer are so sublime and high, as that they are described by them not without great difficulty, and unusual expressions, which are not so well understood but by such as have experienced such favours which also happen to very few. Why then do they undertake to explain them? Why do they write of them, and publish them to the World?

But commend me to Mr. Cressy himself,Epist. Apolog. n. 37… who gives me a very plain reason why I do not understand these things; viz. in the words of S. Paul,1 Cor. 2. 141 Cor 2:14 that, The sensual man neither does nor can possibly understand them, because they are spiritually discerned, and therefore no wonder if they be esteemed p. 32foolishness by him who has never experienced them. What, yet more of your Charity Mr. Cressy? I pretend to no Mystical Unions; and should think it no perfection, much less a state of pure contemplation, to have all operations of my mind suspended; but what then? must I be a sensual man for this, and uncapable of understanding the things of the Spirit of God? This answer, I should have expected from a Quaker; and it is the common place they run to, when any tell them, that they talk Non-sense, or unintelligible Canting; and I dare say, they speak nothing more unintelligible than this Mystical Divinity; I might have expected this Answer from a follower of Iacob Behmen, who talks very sublime things too in his way; and very much like Mystical Divinity. I might have expected it from a Rosycrucian; for I find, that he who writ the Epistle Apologetical for the Brethren of that Order, Tract. Apolog…t int…g. Societ. de Ro…e… Cruce d…fendens. A. 1617. P. 17.produces the very same places of Scriptur… to justifie them, that O. N. and Mr. Cressy do for Mystical Divinity; and saith, that theirs was a gift of perfection, which God did not communicate to all, but only to his elect; and therefore no wonder if others did not understand it. But what it Mr. Cressy doth not after all this understand S. Paul? and p. 33it is most evident he doth not. For S. Paul doth not there speak of any that had embraced the Christian Doctrine, and rejected any sublime pretence of devotion, as a thing not intelligible or consonant to the Christian Religion (which are the reasons of my rejecting Mystical Divinity) but he speaks of such, who rejected the Doctrine of Christianity it self, because it depended upon Divine Revelation. And so the foreign is not the sensual man, as Mr. Cressy out of meer charity to me renders it; but the man that supposes such a natural sufficiency in the humane soul in order to its own perfection and happiness, (as the Philosophers did) that there was no necessity either of divine revelation to discover any new doctrine, or of divine Grace to conduct us to our happiness. This I could easily make appear to be S. Pauls meaning, from the consideration of the design of his discourse, as well as the importance of the words, and the consent of the best Interpreters of S. Paul; I mean S. Chrysostome, and his Disciples, viz. Isidore Pelusiot, and the Greek Scholiasts; but I forbear, for fear Mr. Cressy should think, I take another opportunity to empty my voluminous store of Collections. But notwithstanding all the endeavours of Mr. Cressy and his Friend N. O. p. 34to make the State of Contemplation as described by F. Baker, more intelligible, it hath yet so much of darkness and shadow in it, that the more they pursue it, the farther it flyes from them.

§. 4. But that is not all the quarrel I have to this Mystical Divinity, that it is unintelligible; but that it leads persons into strange illusions of fancy, and when they think themselves freest from Images, they do then labour most under the power of a strong imagination, embracing only the Clouds of their own Fancies instead of such an immediate Union with the Divine Essence in the pure fund of the Spirit. And this I take 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, as though the way of perfection taught by it were a low, mean, contemptible thing in comparison of the Mystical flights of this Contemplative way. There are these two things therefore I shall endeavour to shew, 1. That this Mystical way hath no foundation at all in the Christian Doctrine, 2. The way and manner, how it came into the Christian Church, and hath obtained so much favour in it.

p. 351. That it hath no Foundation at all in the Christian Doctrine. It is the great excellency of the Christian Religion, that it gives us such incomparable directions in order to the compleat Felicity of our immortal souls. That it hath not only discovered more plainly, and fully, the blessed state of another life; but teaches men the most effectual way to prepare their minds for it; viz. by sincere repentance, by inward purity, by subduing our passions, and due government of our actions according to the Rules of temperance and justice, by dependence on Divine Providence as to the affairs of this world, by patience under afflictions, by doing good to others, although our enemies and per…ecutors; by deep humility and mean thoughts of our selves; by a large charity, thinking as well of, as doing well to others; by valuing the concernments of another life, above the advantages of this, (which is called self-denyal;) and to that degree, that when our Religion calls for it, we should willingly part with our lives for the sake of it. This, as far as I can understand it, is the summary comprehension of a Christians Duty, in order to his happiness; and by patient continuance in Well-doing he may with reason hope for the enjoyment of that p. 36Blessed State which is reserved to another life. The which being made known to the world by the Doctrine of Christ, therefore Faith in our Lord Iesus Christ is made so necessary a part of a Christians Duty; and because we want divine supplyes, and assistance, to enable us to do our duty, therefore we are so much commanded to be frequent and …ervent in prayer; and many promises and encouragements are given to the due performance of it, from Gods readiness to hear the prayers of the Righteous, and to grant the requests they make to him. All this, is not only excellent in it self, and most reasonable to be done, but very easie to understand; but not a word in all this tending to any immediate Union with God in the pure fund of the Spirit, or such a State of Contemplation wherein the operations of the soul are suspended; nothing of passive unions and visions and raptures, as such things which every Christian who looks for perfection, may hope for. It is true, we are often commanded to love God with all our hearts; but withal we are told, we must not fancy this love to be a meer languishing passion towards an infinite object (which we therefore love, because we do not understand; but see him only in profound darkness, and p. 37clasp about him with the closest embraces,V. Ioh. à Iesu Maria Th…olog. Mysti…. c. 6. p. 64. being united to him in the most immediate manner: and being melted in the fruition of him. Which are luscious Metaphors brought into the Christian Doctrine from that antient Family of Love, I mean the School of Plato; as I shall shew afterwards.) But the love of Christians towards God is no fond amorous passion; but a due apprehension and esteem of the divine excellencies; a hearty sense of all his Kindness to us; and a constant readiness of mind to do his Will; for this is the Love of God to keep his Commandments. 1 John 5. 3.1 John 5:3And if any man say I love God and hateth his Brother, 4. 20.he is a lyar; for he that loveth not his Brother, whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? No man hath seen God at any time. 12.If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Thus the beloved Disciple who understood the greatest mysteries of Divine Love hath expressed them to us: and thus the beloved Son of God hath declared what he means by the Love he expects from his Disciples,Joh. 14. 15.John 14:15 If ye love me keep my commandments. And ye are my Friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15. 14.Here is nothing of an abstracted life, or internal and external solitude, or self-annihilation p. 38in order to an immediate active union with God in the supream point of the Spirit; nothing of blind elevations of the Will, without the use of Reason and Discourse, ingulfing it more and more profoundly in God; all these Mystical Notions and expressions had another spring and more impure Fountain than the Christian Doctrine.

§. 5. Not so; say O. N. and Mr. Cressy, for if they may be believed there is ground in Scripture for all the most lofty mystical expressions. If so, I must retract what I have said; but I never knew any men that needed more an infallible Interpreter of Scripture than they do; they make such lamentable expositions of it; if they can but hit upon a word or a phrase to their purpose, away they run with that, and never consider the design or importance of it. What work doth O. N. make with his Cor altum,O. N. Roman De… votions vindicated, sect. 7—sect. 51. and Regnum Dei intra vos? whereas the first signifies nothing, but due consideration, nor the other any thing, but that the Kingdom of the Messias was then come among them. And what are these to Mystical Divinity?Fanat…sm, p. 49. And Mr. Cressy's accedite ad Deum & illuminamini, is altogether to as much purpose; for is there no instruction p. 39to be had from God, or his Law, short of passive unions? no enlightning our minds, but by immediate inspirations? But Mr. Cressy thinks he hath done the business and quite stopped my mouth with S. Paul's foreign;P. 41. who being in a wonderful Extasie, saw and heard God only knows what: which although he was willing to communicate, yet he had not the power to do it.A…imadv. p. 58. But as the Person of Honour hath already very well told Mr. Cressy, What is this to those who go about to express what neither themselves nor any else can understand? If they pretend to the same extasies, why do they not imitate his Modesty? Why do they go about to help S. Paul to words to do it by, if himself declared it could not be done by words? To which Mr. Cressy answers as much as was to be answered, which is, just nothing. Roman Devotions vindicated sect. 9, 10, 11.But his Author O. N. brings the same place; and not only that, but all those which mention the Revelations of the Prophets or Apostles. To what purpose? Do I deny any Divine Revelations? Do I give the least intimation that I questioned, whether there were any true inspirations in the Writers of Holy Scriptures? God forbid! But how doth it follow, if God did inspire men to declare his Will to mankind; p. 40therefore all the pretences to Revelations and Inspirations in the Roman Church are true? If S. Paul had once a true Rapture; therefore all S. Teresa's were such, and not the effects of a vehement Imagination. Let us observe the difference, not only in the value and excellency and judgement of the Persons; but in the very manner of relating them. Her life written by her self (to which O. N. appeals in this matter, Roman Devotions vindicated sect. 16.as the great instance of the strictness and caution of the Roman Church in examining and approving Visions and Revelations) consists almost wholly of a very plentiful narration of her Raptures and Visions. She began, she saith, to be awakened about six or seven years old,S. Teresa's Life, p 2. c. 1. E…i…. 16▪ 1. at A…p. her Mother having made her to say her prayers and be devout to our blessed Lady and some other Saints; wherein she very much outwent S. Paul, who never so much as once mentions her in all his writings. After this, c. 4. p. 16.she relates her very great sickness, so great that she saith, it alwayes deprived her almost of her senses, and sometimes altogether: and after she had read the third A, B, C (a Book of Mystical Divinity) she saith, she came to quiet prayer, and arrived to passive unions before she was twenty years old;P. 17. and herein again she far outwent p. 41S. Paul. She confesses, that she was in so great torment, that they were afraid who were about her, that she would have gone mad;C. 5. p. 25. that she was put into such a heat that her sinews began to shrink with such intolerable pains that she could take no rest neither day nor night, but was continually oppressed with a most profound Melancholy. These are the very words written by her self as they are translated out of Spanish by an English Iesuit; after this she saith, she fell into a trance; so that she remained without sense almost four dayes,P. 26. after which she remained under violent Torments,C. 6. p. 28. and her head exceedingly distempered; and was not perfectly recovered in three years.P 32. Then she took S. Joseph for her Patron; whom she called her Father and Protector; and whereas other Saints help us in some one necessity, she had experience that this Saint helpeth us in all; and that our Lord will give us to understand, that as he was subject to him on earth, so likewise in Heaven he obtaineth whatsoever he asketh. (I am very much mistaken if this savour not of other kind of Divinity than ever S. Paul preached) And she adds, that she had a great zeal to perswade others to be devout to this glorious Saint:P 33. because he helpeth those souls exceedingly which commend p. 42themselves to him; especially those that desire a Master to teach them how to pray; (I suppo…e she means this contemplative way). After such an account given of her self, I do not at all wonder at the frequency of her Visions and Raptures; in one,P. 38. she saith, she saw Christ more plainly with the eyes of her soul, than she could have seen him with the eyes of her body; and she looked upon it as a temptation of the Devil, that she was ready to think, this was nothing but Imagination. After this, C. 10, 11, 12, &c.she relates at large how she came to be swallowed up in the depths of Mystical Theologie; and talks of Gods suspending the operations of the understanding; in which,P …0. she saith, it understandeth more in the space of a Creed without discoursing, than we can understand with all our earthly diligences in many years: This she calls, being wholly ingulfed in God; and distinguisheth this State,P. 62. wherein the soul seems to be altogether out of her self, from Visions; and she describes the third degree of Prayer to be a glorious frenzy, an heavenly folly;P. 111. in which, she saith, she had been as it were frantick and drunken in this love, and could never understand how it was; and in this State, she saith, they speak many words in Gods praise without order, p. 43at least the understanding is nothing worth here;P. 113. for she adds, that then she speaketh a thousand follies, and she knew one who, being no Poet, chanced to compose very significant Verses extempore, declaring his pain very well, not made by his own wit. But there is a degree beyond this, which she calls, P. 122.the State of not feeling, but enjoying without understanding what we enjoy; but how this Union is, and what it is, she cannot give it to be understood, but leaves it to the Mystical Theology. Afterwards she distinguisheth between Union and Raptures:P. 140. and saith, that these exceed Union, which he that writes the Glosses in the Margin saith, that she means that the soul enjoyeth God more in raptures; but she tells us, that Union seemeth beginning, midst and end; but our Lord must declare this, i. e. she knew not what she meant herself. In some of her raptures she speaks of Gods carrying away her soul,P. 141. and almost ordinarily her head also after her, so that she could not detain it, and sometimes her whole body lifting it up:P. 142. in these she saith, she undergoes great violence, and she was quite tyred with them: at other times she saith, P. 148.her body was so light in raptures, that all the heaviness of it was taken away; or rather, that the body remaineth p. 44as it were dead, without doing any thing, in which sometimes the senses are wholly lost; but ordinarily they are troubled: and in the height of raptures, she saith, they neither hear,P. 149. nor see, nor feel in her opinion; no power hath the use of it self, nor knoweth what passeth in this occasion; nor are we capable of understanding it. In this state, she saith, the soul is ingulfed; or to say better, our Lord is ingulfed in her, and keeping her in himself for a little space, she remaineth with her will alone: and sets forth the body as bound for many hours in it,P. 150. and yet sometime the understanding and memory distracted; and after they return to themselves. When the rapture is over, it happeneth sometimes that our powers are so absorpt and as it were drowned for a day or two or three, that it seemeth they are not in themselves. There are these circumstances more to be observed concerning her: P. 42.1. That she was under great bodily weakness all this while. 2.P. 18…. That at this time when she had so many of these raptures, she confesses her self, that she was very backward and in the beginnings of vertues and mortifications. 3.P. 66. & 176. p. 236. P. 181. That her great friends who had examined and considered her case, declared to her, that they looked upon all these things as p. 45delusions of the Devil;P. 194. p. 180. upon which she applyed her self to the Jesuits, P. 18….who encouraged her very much,P. 181. and told her, it was the Spirit of God;P. 184. and henceforward they were the great men who gave her directions, not to resist those impulsions and elevations, as she had been advised before; and put her upon greater perfection; then she fell into her raptures, and understood in one of them, P. 185.that hence forward she was not to converse with men, but Angels: and after this, she had such kind of voices very frequent within her,P. 187. which she saith, are very formal words, but not heard with corporal ears, but understood much more plainly, than if they were heard; and these speeches,P. 204. she saith afterwards, were very continual with her; and she had visions very frequently; in one of which she saw only the hands of Christ,P. 215. and in another his divine Countenance, which seemed wholly to abstract her,P. 216. and afterwards she saw him altogether, but not with her corporal eyes, she confesses: and she satisfied her self, it could not be her imagination only, although her Confessor told her so,P. 221. because the beauty was so great, as to exceed her imagination; yet he still encouraged her, when as appears by her own confession,P. 224. others about her whom she had a great opinion p. 46of, endeavoured to convince her it was only her imagination, to her great trouble; P. 225.insomuch, that she saith, the contradiction of the good were sufficient to have put her out of her wits. This Vision of the Beauty of Christ continued ordinarily with her for two years and an half,P. 226. in which she had a great desire to see the colour of his eyes, and what bigness they were of, but never could obtain that favour. When the Iesuit-Confessor was out of the way, others told her plainly, P. 228.it was the Devil that deluded her; and they bid her cross her self when she saw a Vision;P. 234. she held a Cross in her hand to save her self the trouble,P. 229. and Christ took it in his and gave it her again with four Precious Stones which had the five wounds artificially engraven upon them, which no body could see but her self. After this, she had a vision of Angels, and clearly discerned the coelestial Hierarchy;P. 232. but she supposed one of those she saw to be one of the Seraphins, who pierced her heart with a fiery dart, and when he pulled it out again, it left her wholly inflamed with great love to God; but under excessive pain, which yet caused so great pleasure, that she could not desire to … removed: in the dayes that this … she saith, she was like a Fool,P. 233. she desired neither to see p. 47nor speak, but to embrace her pain. Not long after she relates, how sometimes for three weeks together her imagination would be so tormented with trifles and toyes,P. 238. that she could think of nothing else: then she fell into such a fit of dulness and heaviness without any kind of sense or remembrance of her former Visions and Raptures;P. 240. or else no otherwise than as of a dream to afflict, and then she was full of doubts and suspicions, that all was but imagination;P. 237. and if she conversed with any, the Devil put her in such a distasteful spirit of anger,P. 240. that it seemed as if she would eat all, not being able to do otherwise. Then again, she had comfort in an instant,P. 241. sometimes with a word, sometimes with Visions; which continued for a time more frequent than before; then she thought,P. 242. that her bodily sickness was the cause of her former disturbance, and that her understanding was so unruly, that it seemed like a furious fool, whom no body could bind, neither was she able to keep it quiet for the space of a Creed: At other times again she compares her self to an Ass,P. 244. being in a manner without any feeling; and so it falleth out oft-times, she saith, P. 245.that one while she laughed at her self, and other times she was much afflicted; and the inward motion provoked her to put p. 48posies and flowers upon Images, and such kind of imployments. After this, the scene of her imagination was quite changed, for it represented nothing but Devils to her:P. 246. in which state, she tryed one pleasant experiment, viz. how much more the Devils are afraid of Holy Water, than of the Sign of the Cross;P. 247. from the Cross they fly, but so as to return presently, but from the Holy Water, so as to return no more, (Methinks then she should have used it but once) and it was not more terrible to Devils, than she found it comfortable to her soul; for she saith, that she found a particular and very evident comfort when she took it, and such a delight which strengthned her whole soul: which she found very often, and considered it with great reflection: then she relates, her being in Spirit in Hell,P. 261. and what she endured there; and towards the conclusion, her being placed in Heaven in a rapture,P. 323. and seeing what was done there, where she saw her Father and Mother, &c. after which she adds, that our Lordshewed her greater secrets (What! than what is done in Heaven?) for it is not possible,P. 324. she saith, to see more than was represented unto her; the least part of it was sufficient to make her soul remain astonished; and found it impossible to declare p. 49some little part of it. And now we find her at S. Pauls height, and need go no farther in the account of her Visions, which continues to the end of her Book; but let me ask O. N. who hath particularly recommended this life to the consideration of any sober Protestant,Roman Churches Devotions vindicated p. 23. whether he doth in good earnest think that M. Teresa had the same kind of Raptures that S. Paul had? I know he must not say otherwise, since the Roman Church hath Canonized her for a Saint; but I think, they had done her a greater kindness, to have appointed her good Physicians in time, instead of her Iesuitical Confessors. I could hardly have thought, that among Christians I should have found S. Pauls Rapture parallel'd by such as these; but we have lived to see strange things. If S. Paul had discovered in his Writings so many Symptoms of a disturbed fancy, such an oppression of Melancholy, such rovings of Imagination, such an uncertainty of temper; could we ever think the world would have believed that Ecstasie, which he expresseth with so much Modesty, and makes so many Apologies for himself, that he was forced to mention it; by the false Apostles boasting of their Revelations? It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory;2 Cor. 12. 1, 2, 5, 6.2 Cor 12:12 Cor 12:22 Cor 12:52 Cor 12:6 I will come to Visions and Revelations of the p. 50Lord. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, &c. Of such a one will I glory, yet of my self I will not glory, but in mine infirmities;—but now I forbear lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. Although he had many Revelations, he mentions but one; and that with the greatest modesty that may be under a third person, and that above fourteen years ago. He tells no long stories of a succession of Visions and Raptures, and sights of Angels and Devils; mixed with many impertinencies and indications of a disordered Imagination. But saith O. N. that could not be in S. Teresa, considering the diligence that was used for several years in the tryal of her Spirit, and her Visions were confirmed to be from God, by a general attestation of them throughout the Christian World; even those who suspected and questioned them at first afterwards magnifying them. But I desire no other evidence in this case, than what she gives her self; supposing the matters of fact to be true according to her own relation; not that I would condemn her, according to Mr. Cressy's soft language, as a hypocritical Visionaire; nor as many of her Friends did, as one deluded by the Devil; p. 51but I see nothing in her case but what might be a natural effect of an overheated Imagination, in a Person of a very melancholy devout temper, especially being before-hand possessed with the Notions of Mystical Divinity. And for the approbations given to her Visions I do not wonder at them, since there was a Design to Canonize her for a Saint, and she was the Foundress of a new Order; and that there was something relating to this, in the penning of her Visions, seems to be not obscurely intimated in the last Page of her Book, where she desires him to whom she writ it, to make haste to serve his Majesty,P. 364. that he might do her a Favour; for it seems by her own relation, her Order met with great contradiction at Court.P. 312.

And for the approbation of her Books, I do no more wonder at that, than I do at others that proceed upon the same principles, viz. of Mystical Theologie. But I do exceedingly admire at those persons, who dare to bring the single instance of S. Pauls Rapture, to justifie all the pretences to Visions and Raptures, of the Melancholy and distempered Women of their Church. If we had not so great reason to put such a mighty difference between them, as to the Wisdom of the Persons, the reasonableness p. 52of their Doctrine, the Miracles wrought to confirm the testimony of the Apostles; it would be, as Cardinal Bessarion said of the Canonizations of new Saints, that it made men Question the old; so these new Raptures and Visions would expose the credit and Authority of undoubtedly Divine Revelations. Therefore let Mr. Cressy and O. N. have a care, while they are so ready to charge me with blaspheming Gods Saints, that by making the case so parallel between the Prophets and Apostles and their new Saints, they do not lay in the way of all considering men of their Church, one of the greatest temptations to Infidelity.

§. 6. But O. N. hath not yet done: O. N. sect. 13.for he brings all those phrases of Scripture, that relate to the sanctification of mens souls by divine Grace, and the comfort of Gods Spirit, and the extraordinary Revelations which came by the pouring out of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles and their Disciples, to justifie the expressions of Mystical Divinity; which are all extreamly impertinent, unless he can prove from any of them such an Union with the Divine Essence, as excludes the use of ratiocination in the soul; wherein the perfection of p. 53Contemplative prayer is placed, and all the other phrases are to be understood with a respect to this. O. N. …ct. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23.And what though there be two Spirits working within us, and there be degrees of spiritual persons, and the Spirit assists the souls of men with good motions which ought not to be resisted; and what if some have a greater measure of this Assistance than others; what if excellent minds may attain to an assurance that they are under the conduct of the Divine Spirit, and may have great comfort and satisfaction therein; nay, what if I should grant, that a State of Perfection were attainable in this life; yet all this were nothing to his purpose; unless he can prove, that the supposing the perfection of a Christian to be consistent with laying aside the Use of all ratiocination, as it is in the Mystical Union, doth not expose men to the greatest Enthusiasm, and most Fanatick Delusions imaginable. I mean that state, which himself expresses, O. N. sect. 29.by those supernatural elevations wherein are communicated to the soul many times Celestial Secrets, and Divine Mysteries, and future events by internal words and Revelation; all which things are received by it with a great tranquillity and attention, and cessation of the natural use of its Faculties Sensitive or Intellectual: p. 54nor seems it in its own disposal while it hath these touches. And this is that, he tells us, which the Mystick Divines express by the terms of a supernatural, or rather superessential life, a Deisormity, or Deification; of a sense or fruition of Gods presence in the fund, depth, or center, or innermost part of the soul, or also in the Apex or supream point of it; of Passive Unions, wherein is to be understood not an exclusion of all acts whatsoever, but an exclusion of any discursive and laborious acts, and any primary moving of it self to action. This explication I accept of; and undertake to make it appear, that in it is contained the greatest height of Fanaticism. For what can be imagined greater, than to exempt all pretenders to Enthusiasm and Divine Inspiration from any tryal by humane reason? For if no persons are competent Iudges of these supernatural elevations, but those which have experience of them; as they assert; if by virtue of these elevations men come to the knowledge of Divine Mysteries and Future Events by internal words and Revelation; what is to be done with any Person who pretends to these elevations? Must their Confessors judge of them? But why? for either they have not experienced these things, and then p. 55they are no competent Iudges; or they have, and then they are pretenders to the same things, and ought as much to be judged by others: but how? by the acts of reason, and the rules of it? how is that possible, when they are supposed to be above all acts of Reason and Discourse? and to do it without reason, will be as little honour to the Iudges, as it will be Vindication to the pretenders. But the Church is to be Iudge: Why so? since the Spirit can no more deceive one than a thousand; and they have satisfaction in themselves, that it is the Spirit of God in them, as much as it is possible for any to have that the Spirit of God directs the Church; nay, much greater, for the other is only the certainty of reason and discourse; but this is an inward Certainty of Experience, above all ratiocination. But how again shall the Church judge of this? If the Church pretend to the same thing, she is lyable to the same accusation; if she does not, she can have no pretence to judge of things that are to be known only by experience. So that if men speak consequently and agreeably to themselves, there is no way of tryal left for pretenders to these things. And what should hinder every Enthusiast from this pretence, or something very like it; p. 56viz. Divine Inspiration? Why should the pretence to the Spirit be more lyable to the tryal of other mens reason or Authority, than the pretence to Mystical Unions? Cannot they make use of the very same places of Scripture to justifie all the Fanatick pretences to immediate impulses and motions of the Divine Spirit? Cannot they tell men as easily, that they that are unexperienced are no Iudges in this case; and that the sensual man cannot understand the things of the Spirit of God? Nay, these have been the very pleas of all our Enthusiasts, and there is scarce one place of Scripture mentioned by O. N. which they have not been before-hand with him, in producing to the very same purpose. I cannot then find out the difference, between the highest of our Enthusiasts and theirs; and the very same pleas which serve for the one, will justifie the other also. What have they ever pretended to, but to understand celestial secrets, divine mysteries, or future events by immediate Revelation? Now all these things are owned, defended and justified by the Roman Church, and yet they not lyable to the charge of Fanaticism?

p. 57§. 7. No, saith O. N. Enthusiasm or Fanaticism doth not lye in speaking things hard to be understood,O N. sect. 13. p. 20. nor yet the pretending high and mysterious effects, Visions, Revelations, &c. for all these we believe may be and are often wrought in Gods Saints by the Holy Spirit, and his special presence in their souls, and that we say in a much higher and more admirable way, than any of Satans infatuations can imitate or ascend to; but Fanaticism is a false pretence of these, or the like, when having no just ground to be credited, they pretend to them. So that the main point is yielded up to the Fanaticks, viz. Visions and immediate Revelations, and unaccountable Impulses from the Spirit of God; all the dispute is, whether the Popish Enthusiasts or those among us are only pretenders? If O. N. were to convince a Quaker who pretends to such an immediate impulse of the Spirit, this must be his method of proceeding with him.

Friend, I perceive thou talkest much of the Spirit of God moving thee and revealing the hidden mysteries of his Kingdom to thee, but thy pretence is vain, and thou art deceived by thy own fancy, if not by an evil Spirit.

p. 58No, saith the Quaker, I know, I am not, for I have the testimony of the Spirit within me that I am not deceived; but thou art deceived and lyest against the Holy Ghost, and blasphemest the Spirit of God working in his Saints.

Not I, saith O. N. I grant that the Holy Ghost doth work in his Saints such supernatural elevations, whereby they understand divine Mysteries, and have Visions and Raptures and Revelations more than any of you; but all ours are true, and yours are false.

Thou lying Prophet, replyes the Quaker, Gods speaks truth by thee, as he did once by Balaams Ass and Caiaphas; but thou through the Wickedness of thy heart dost condemn the Generation of his Saints among us as hypocrites; and wouldst have the Spirit of God dwell only among you, that are the Sons of Mystical Babylon and partake of all her defilements, that are the seed of the Beast and the false Prophet, that commit adultery with Images, and set up the Man of Sin in his Throne, that have covered the face of the earth with your abominations, and still go about to deceive the Nations. You have the Spirit of God among you! You pretend to the seeing hidden Mysteries, and immediate p. 59Revelations and Mystical Unions with God! No, yours are the Mysteries of Iniquity, the Revelations of Antichrist, and unions only with Mystical Babylon. You have the Spirit of God among you! No, yours is the Spirit of Enchantment and Divination, the Spirit of lying and deceit, the Spirit of Antichrist and not of God.

I say again, saith O. N. that we have the Spirit, and you have not.

And I say by the Spirit, that you have not, saith the Quaker.

And is not this a fair conclusion of this Dispute? O. N. sect. 14.Hath not O. N. extreamly got the better of the Quaker? But O. N. pleads yet farther, that they make use of Notes and Rules of discerning of the pretences to Inspiration; which I shall consider afterwards: but that which O. N. and Mr. Cressy do most insist upon, is this, that if such pretenders to Inspirations do speak or do any thing against the Catholick Church (as they call it) then their pretences are to be rejected as Satanical illusions. Very good! This is a way to preserve themselves, but what is this to the preventing the delusions of such fanatick pretenders to Inspirations, who may be grosly deceived, and yet never speak or do any thing against their Church; but it seems the least touch that p. 60way presently marrs all. If Mother Teresa had but chanced to let fall a word against the Power of Holy Water in driving away Devils, or chanced in one of her Visions to have seen Bread upon the Altar, after consecration; away with her, a meer hypocrite and Impostor, one deluded by the Devil: and it had been well, if after all her Visions and Raptures, she had escaped the Inquisition. For can it possibly be so certain, that she had Divine Visions, as that Holy Water drives away Devils; or that she had Mystical Unions, as that no bread remained upon the Altar after consecration? No, no. If melancholy Women once offer to meddle in those matters, they must then be told of their weakness of Iudgement and strength of Imagination and delusions of the Devil; but if they admire every superstitious foolery, and see strange effects of Holy Water, and in some Visions can discern the very flesh and blood of Christ in the E… charist, then O heavenly Visions! O Divine Saint! Then her Confessor must sooth and flatter her, and suffer her to be deceived by her own imagination at least, if not by something worse. So that this whole business of Visions and Revelations among them is managed by Politick Rules; if they can serve to strengthen their interest, they p. 61are encouraged, if not, the persons are presently discountenanced, and if they persist in their pretences, in great hazard of the Inquisition. But may not weak and Melancholy Persons be deceived in judging the effects of a strong Imagination to be the Inspirations of the Spirit of God? What then, say they? these do no h…rt to the World. But is it no injury to their souls, to suffer them to be so deluded? Is it no dishonour to Christian Religion to make the Perfection of the Devotion of it to consist in such strange unaccountable Unions and Raptures, which take away the use of all Reason and Discourse? Is it nothing to have Persons Canonized for Saints, and admired and worshipped, chiefly for the sake of these things? In which case, not only the particular persons, while they lived, were suffered to be abused; but the whole Christian World as much as lyes in them, is imposed upon; and the effects of a strong Imagination, and Mystical Unions, are recommended as the perfection of the Christian State.

§. 8. But whatever Rules they go by; I shall now shew, that such kind of Ecstasies and Revelations, as the Mystical Divinity pretends to, have been condemned by the Christian Church in former Ages; which will p. 62yet farther discover, how far it is from being a part of the Cristian doctrine; …o far is it from being the perfection of a Christian State. And the Instance I shall produce, will be such a one, wherein the judgement of the whole Christian Church was seen, viz. in the ecstatical Visions and Raptures and Revelations which Montanus and his followers pretended to.Ba…on A. D. 173 n. 7. 25 Baronius proves from the testimonies of Philastrius, Epiphanius, Theodoret and others, that Montanus and his companions were good Catholicks, and great practisers of fasting and mortifications, and were in great esteem in the Church for a more than ordinary degree of sanctity; when they wee in this reputation they pretended to have extraordinary Visions and Ecstasies, wherein they suffered such violences as Mother Teresa describes; and were under such a force upon their minds, as they thought divine, which deprived them of the present use of ratiocination, in which state, they said, they had many Revelations from God. Now here we have the very case of Mystical Unions; and we all know that this Spirit of Montanus was rejected in the Christian Church as a Fanatick Enthusiastical Spirit; but, it will be worth our while, to shew that it was upon this very ground, because the Montanists p. 63pretended to such Ecstasies and Revelations from God, which deprived men of the use of their Reason. Claudius Apollinaris Bishop of Hierapolis apprehending the dangerous consequences of these Enthusiastical pretences to Ecstasies and Revelations goes to Ancyra in Galatia to give himself full satisfaction as to the nature of them; and being returned, he writes this account to his friend Marcellus, that Montanus was wont to fall into sudden transports and ecstasies in which he became Enthusiastical, Euseb. Eccl. histor. l. 5. c. 16.and uttered strange things, and prophesie; which, saith he, is a thing contrary to the constant tradition and practice of the Christian Church; the same he saith of the two female Enthusiasts, Prisca and Maximilla; and all the account he gives of their separation from the communion of the Church was because the Christian Church all over the world refused to give any entertainment to their Enthusiastical Spirit, and that the Churches of Asia having met together and examined this Spirit, they condemned it as impious, whereupon they were cast out of the Church; upon which Maximilla cryed out, I am driven away as a Wolf from the Sheep, but I am no Wolf, but the Word, and the Spirit, and the Power. Miltiades, as appears by Eusebius, C. 17.writ a p. 64Book against the Montanists on this subject, that God did not communicate Revelations in Ecstasies; wherein he shewed, that Montanus was wont to fall into his Ecstasies which ended in an involuntary Madness; and then proves that none of the Prophets either of the Old or New Testament ever prophesied in Ecstasies, or when they had no use of their Reason. But no one speaks more punctually to this business, than Epiphanius, Epiphan. har…s. 48. sect. 2.who layes down this as a general Rule, that whatever Prophets spake, they delivered with the clear use of their Reason and Understanding; and afterwards saith, that the Montanists were very much deceived in pretending to such Visions and Revelations, because God had sealed up his Church, and put an end to those extraordinary Gifts. While there was any need of Prophets, holy men of God were sent by him with a true Spirit foreign,Sect. 3. with great steadiness of mind, and a clear understanding; and afterwards makes this the characteristical difference of a true and false Prophet; that a true Prophet speaks foreign, with a great consistency of ratiocination and consequence. Thus Moses, thus Isaiah, saith he, thus all the Prophets; Do not you see, saith he, that these are the p. 65words of men that understood themselves, and not of men that were ecstatical: but these pretenders to Visions and Revelations speak dark and perplexed and obscure things (viz. much like to Mystical Divinity) which neither they understood themselves nor those that hear them. As any one may see in him by the fragments he hath preserved both of Montanus and Maximilla. But they pleaded Scripture too for their Ecstasies and Raptures, viz. Sect. 4.Gen…. 2. 21. Gods sending upon Adam a deep sleep, which was rendered foreign; to which Epiphanius answers, that that was only a binding of his senses by natural rest; and not any force upon the mind; but they had another place too as impertinent as this, (but as impertinent as it is, it is the very same phrase that my Adversaries produce) Ego dixi in …xcessu meo; Psal. 115. 11Ps 115:11which Epiphanius proves cannot be understood of any such Ecstasie as the Montanists pleaded for; and in Truth he needed not take much pains to do it: But they could not follow the Montanists exactly,Di…inarum g…atiarum Cor …atio o…rium Re…la…ion…m mat riam a eriens. Venet. 1626. p. 14. unless they abused Scripture too to justifie their Visions and Ecstasies: So one Ferdinandus de Diano a Venetian Divine, writing a Book purposely in Vindication of these things, on the occasion of the Ecstasies and Visions of a Certain Nun, p. 66which were sent to Paul the fifth, and which were taken by her Confessor for fourteen years together, makes use of the very same phrases of Scripture as the Montanists did; but exceeds them in impertinency: for to prove Raptures he produces all the places where the word raptus is used; raptus est, nè malitia mutaret intellectum ejus, Sap. 4. Mens illius ad diversa rapitur, Job 26. rapiemur cum illis in nubibus, 1 Thess. 4. but above all, commend me to Holofernes his Rapture to prove the Raptures of the Popish Saints; Holophernis oculi à sandalibus Iudith rapti sunt, P. 34.& ejus cor & sensus cum illis rapta sunt, Jud. 16. Can any man be so hard hearted to withstand such manifest proofs as these are? But to return to Epiphanius; we are not to understand, saith he, any Rapture or Ecstasie of the Prophets, S…ct. 7.so as to suppose them to be deprived of the use of their reason and them: So he shews that S. Peter in his Ecstasie had still the free exercise of his Reason; which he absolutely affirms of every Prophet both of the Old and New Testament. Sect. 10.What would Epiphanius have thought then of the glorious frenzies and heavenly follies of M. Teresa, in which she spake she knew not what? What of the Mystical Unions wherein the operations of the understanding p. 67are suspended? What of all the holy Violences she underwent wherein both understanding and memory were distracted? No doubt, he would have declared them all to be downright Montanism; and condemned by the whole Christian Church. Neither were these the only Persons who delivered the sense of the Church in this matter; but S. Hierom saith the same thing; The Prophet, saith he, speaks not in an Ecstasie (as Montanus, Hiero…y…. prafat. in Nahu….and Prisca, and Maximilla fondly imagine) but what he prophesies is the Book of the Vision of one who understands all he sayes. So of the Prophet Habakkuk, Prafat. in Habac.he understands what he sees (contrary to the perverse doctrine of Montanus) and speaks not as a fool, nor gives (as distracted women do) a sound without any signification. Whence it comes that the Apostle commands that if any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, the first should hold his peace, for, 1 Cor. 14. 30. V… 33.1 Cor 14:30saith he presently after, God is not the Author of confusion, but of peace; whence it follows, that he who holds his peace to give way to another to speak, he can either speak or hold his peace at his pleasure; but that he who speaks in an Ecstasie, i. e. against his will, is not at liberty to speak or to be silent. And to the same purpose he speaks in other p. 68places,P…afat. in Isai. l. 1. … 1. in Isai. 33.Isa 50:1Isa 33 in which, he saith, that all the Visions and Revelations which came …rom God were full of Wisdom and Reason; and not like the Extravagancies of Montanus. Nay S. Chrysostom goes higher,S. …. in Psa. 45. 1.Ps 45:1 and imputes all Fanatick Ecstasies to the Devil, who breaks in upon the Soul, and blinds the Understanding, and darkens the Reasoning Faculty; but the Spirit of God doth not so; but suffers the heart to know what it sayes. The Devil as an enemy fights against the humane soul, but the holy Spirit as taking care of it, and ready to do it good, communicates his Counsel to those who receive it, and reveals unto them divine things with Understanding. In 1 Cor. 12. hom. 29.1 Cor 12And elsewhere, he makes this the great difference between Divination and divine Revelation; that the one was done in Ecstasies and Rapture, with violence to the mind; the other …dately and composedly, and understanding whatever they spake: for God did not press them by violence, nor darkned their understandings; but did advise and teach them, leaving them still Masters of themselves, whence Jonas fled, and Ezekiel put off, and Jeremiah excused himself. S. Basil S. Basil in Isai. … 1. …Isa 1utterly denyes that the humane understanding was ever suspended by divine Revelation; or that men were by the Spirit of God deprived of the p. 69use of Ratiocination. For how does it stana with Reason, that through the Wisdom of the Spirit, a man should become as one besides himself? and that the Spirit of knowledge should deliver things incoherent? for neither is light the cause of blindness, nor does the Spirit Cause obscurity in mens minds, but raises the understanding to the contemplation of things intelligible, cleansing it from the stains of sin; nor is it improbable that through the design of the evil Spirit, (who layes his Ambushes to ensnare humane Nature) the mind is confounded; but to say, the same is done by the Spirit of God, is impious. From all which testimonies, nothing can be more evident, than that the Visions and Revelations, the Ecstasies and Raptures, which S. C. and O. N. do plead for, were condemned by the whole Christian Church, and the most eminent Lights of it, as the very height of Fanaticism.

But O. N. would have men believe, O. N. p. 16.that the antient Church did very much favour such Ecstasies and Visions; to that end he produces the Testimony of Tertullian,T…rtull. de A…im… …9. concerning the Sister that fell into an Ecstasie, and had the Vision of the Corporeity of the Soul: as though Tertullian were not known to have taken the part of Montanus in this matter; and in that very place (in the next p. 70words to those cited by O N.) he pleads for the contin…ance of Visions and Ecstasies in the Christian Church, and in several other places of the same B…ok. And I desire O. N.O. N. sect. 6. and his Brethren to consi…er a little better what they say, when they charge me with making all Antiquity Fanatick, upon the same grounds that I charge Fanaticism on their Church; for it is most evident by this Discourse, that I have the best and purest Antiquity, and the full consent of the Christian Church in the case of Montanus, clearly on my side. And I declare freely, that I value this consent above all the Writers of the Lives of Saints, from S. Antonies downwards; and it is the only considerable thing which Diano saith on this subject, Dia…o de Diano. … 24.if we do not allow of Visions and Raptures and Revelations, what will become, saith he, of all the Lives of the Saints and the Legends which are full of them? as may be seen in Lippoman, Surius, Baronius, and the Monastick Histories of the Dominicans and Franciscans. What will become of the Speculum exemplorum, of the Promptuaria, the Liber Apum, the Legends of the blessed Virgin, and a thousand such excellent Books? Truly, it is the least part of my concernment what becomes of them; and I think it had been much more for the honour of p. 71Christianity, if they had never been writ.

And if as O. N. saith it be now too late to cry such things down, O. N. p. 13.I am very heartily sorry for it: and it is a plain discovery that the Spirit of Montanus hath too much possessed that which they call the Catholick Church.

But O. N. besides Tertullian produces several passages of S. Augustin to justifie these supernatural and extraordinary Graces and caresses received from God;O N. from sect. 32. to sect. 40. (for those of S. Gregory and S. Bernard are not of so great weight in this matter, to deserve a particular consideration, where the consent of the Christian Church is so fully proved already) S. Augustin is brought in by him, as acknowledging his Conversion from Manichaism to have been from a divine Revelation concerning Gods incorruptibility and immutability: but what were this to the purpose, if the free use and exercise of his Reason were continued therein? yet no such thing doth appear by any thing said by S. Augustin.Aug. …. Fortunat. Tom. 6. In the dispute with Fortunatus, he doth say, that he would answer that which God would have him to know, that God could suffer no necessity, nor have any violence put upon him, (which Fortunatus saith, God had revealed to him) and in the conclusion, making use of the force of that p. 72argument, he saith, by that he was divinely admonished to leave the Manichean doctrine. And what is all this to Mystical Divinity? What immediate Revelation, or Vision, or Rapture was this, for a man to acknowledge there was something divine in the force of a particular argument to convince him? Do I ever call it Fanaticism, for men to acknowledge the Grace of God in the illumination of their minds, when some particular arguments may perswade them at some times, which at another might not have done it? And to let us see that S. Augustin meant no such thing as any particular Revelation in this case, in the seventh Book of Confessions he gives an account by what steps and degrees he was brought off from Manichaism, and as much by the exercise of Reason and understanding, as we shall easily meet with in any person. And as to this particular argument,Confess. l. 7. c. 2. as though he had a mind to prevent any such imagination, he saith, he had it from Nebridius at Carthage. But I cannot but wonder at the bringing in the Nesciens unde & quomodo— and hoc uno ictu in the foregoing Chapter, C. 1.where he speaks expresly of the manner of his forming a Conception of God as a Spiritual Being; upon which, he saith, that although he could not tell whence, p. 73or how, yet he was certain that a corruptible being was more imperfect than an incorruptible; and therefore his heart did rise against his imaginations, and with this one stroke he endeavours to expell all the flock of phantasms from his conception of God. Was not this O. N. very hard put to it, to bring these passages to prove Mystical Divinity? To as little purpose doth he produce that ejaculation, Age Domine & fac; L. … c. 4.excita & revoca nos: accende ac rape, &c. for may not men pray for the exciting, assisting, and comforting Grace of God, without supposing Ecstasies and Raptures and immediate Revelations? But he was yet farther of, when he brought that place to prove these extraordinary favours from God; Lux es tu permanens quam de omnibus consulebam, &c. L. 10. c 40.which if he had looked on the beginning of the Chapter he would have found to be an Address to Truth; Ubi non mecum ambulasti veritas, docens quid caveam & quid appetam, &c. And doth O. N. think that there is such a Mystical Union between the Soul and Truth, as to deprive men of the use of their Reason and Understanding? but I am tired with these impertinencies; yet we must have more of them.L. 7. c. 10. For because S. Austin in describing the depth of his meditation concerning p. 74God and himself, doth mention, that by the eye of his mind he saw an immutable light very far above it; and by this reflection he became as certain of what he only understood, as if he had heard it in his heart; therefore this place serves to prove no less than the fund of the soul, and Gods internal speech to the soul, and what not? I expect next, that De's Cartes his Method and Metaphysical Meditations should be brought to justifie Mystical Divinity; …or they altogether serve as well for it.L. 9 c. 10. And cannot S. Austin express the profound meditation which he and his Mother Monica had concerning the blessed state of souls in Heaven, and the ardent desire they had of being there, and the Ioy they found in the thoughts of it, without falling into the unintelligible Canting of the Mystical Divines? God forbid, that I should ever call the Discourses, or Desires, or joyful thoughts of the happiness of Heaven, by the name of Canting: that were indeed to be impious and prophane; but what is all this to a perfect and immediate union with God in the pure fund of the Spirit in this present state? a Union which supposes a cessation of Reason and Discourse? No such thing was in the least thought of by S. Austin, who was too great a Philosopher p. 75to suppose Contemplation in this life without any act of Reasoning or Discourse. In his Book de quantitate animae, De quantit. anim. c. 33.he describes the several steps of the soul, and the highest of all he places in the contemplation of God as the Supream Truth, and declares that he could not express the Ioyes which did attend the fruition of the true and chief Good. But great and …nparable minds have expressed these …ings as far as they thought them fit to be expressed, which we believe to have seen, and still to see those things. By which it is plain he speaks of the Ioys …f another World, and not of any Mystical and passive Unions in this: and afterwards he speaks of the imperfection of this contemplation here, and that therefore death will be desirable, because those things will then be taken away, which now hinder the whole Soul from fixing upon whole Truth. De M…rib. Eccles Cathol. c. 31.In his Book de Moribus Ecclesiae Catholicae, he speaks of the Egyptian Hermites spending their life in contemplation, without mentioning any Raptures and Ecstasies they had; and although he doth plead for their life supposing the usefulness of their prayers to others, yet he doth not dissemble that their manner of living was displeasing to some; and afterwards saith himself,C. 32. that the Vertue of those who conversed p. 76with mankind, deserved greater admiration and praise, such as the Bishops, Priests, and Deacons of the Christian Church. But although S. Austin doth not, yet O. N. saith, that Cassian doth mention the frequent raptures and ecstasies of these Egyptian Hermits; but of all sorts of persons, those who lead an Eremitical life, are least fit to be produced; because all those who have written on this subject in the Roman Church do say, that the illusions of the Devil may be so like divine Raptures, that there is a necessity of a great deal of Judgement and Skill, to be able to put a difference between them; and that none ought to be allowed, but such as have been approved by discreet Persons; but in the case of these Hermites we may have just reason upon their own Rules, to suspect them, having been never brought under a sufficient Rule of tryal. If Persons may be deceived themselves in judging natural distempers and Satanical illusions for divine raptures and visions, then we have no reason to rely on the single Testimonies of such Eremitical Persons, who have no witnesses of their actions. What know we what sort of Persons Abbot Iohn and Abbot Isaac were in the Deserts of Aegypt? we have only their single Testimonies in Cassian, and his single word that they said such things to him.

p. 77§. 9. But to take off the force of these and such like Instances, I shall consider the Rules laid down by their own Writers, concerning these things, and from thence shew, what grounds we have not to rely on the Instances produced by them, concerning Visions, and Raptures; and Ecstasies, and Revelations.

1. They consess that the natural force and power of Imagination will in some tempers produce all the same symptoms and appearances both to themselves and others, which there are in supernatural elevations.Ioh. Bo…a de discret. Spirituum c. 14. n. 4. Lut. Paris. 1673. So Cardinal Bona (who very lately, and with the best Judgement hath collected the Rules of their Writers upon this subject) freely acknowledgeth not only that Ecstasies may be caused by natural diseases; (of which Galen gives an instance in a Schoolfellow of his, and Fernelius and Sennertus many others) but by the meer force of Imagination: by which the animal spirits flowing in greater quantities to the brain, do thereby hinder the external operations of the senses, so that the person under it continues without sense or motion, and in that condition fancies an extraordinary presence of that object which the imagination was fixed upon. And the more intense p. 78this imagination is, the greater flux of Spirits is made to the brain, and so the Ecstasie continues so much the longer, especially where the Spirits are more thick and melancholy, and consequently not so easily dissipated.Paul. Zacch Quaest. M… dico-legal. l. 4. tit. 1. q. 6. n. 4. So Paulus Zacchias saith, that we are not to conclude an ecstasie to be supernatural, because it ariseth from the contemplation of supernatural things; for the Imagination being fixed upon divine things, will have the same effects, that it would have upon other things. Thence, saith he, such persons do really think (as much as men do in dreams) that they are present at that time with Angels, or Saints, and have conferences with them; or that they see and enjoy God, or imagine themselves to be in Hell, or in Purgatory. And Persons seized upon with this ecstasie will continue for a long time in the very same posture it took them without any motion; so Plato reports of Socrates,Plato in Co…viv. in orat. Al…ibiadis, p. 220. ed. Ser…. that he stood a whole day without any alteration in the same Posture, his mind being abstracted with pure contemplation, and at night some Ionian Souldiers having observed him, lay down by him, and they found that he continued without any motion till the next morning.A. G…ll. Noct. Att…. 1. c. 1. Favorinus in A. Gellius saith, that Socrates did this often: which p. 79Cajetan imputes to the vehement intention of his mind;caj… t. i… …. 2. 7. 175. a…t. 1. but he saith Aristotle layes it upon the disposition of his body; for he thought him besides himself, saith Cajetan; possessed, saith Fortunatus Scacchus; but neither the one nor the other appears by Aristotle, who only saith, Pro…l…. c. 30.that all extraordinary men in any way, had a deep tincture of Melancholy; for which among the Philosophers he doth instance in Empedocles, Socrates, and Plato; which temper, he saith, hath much in it of the nature of Wine, which is more apt to heighten and inflame mens spirits, than Hony, or Milk, or water, it first makes men talkative, then eloquent and bold; then it stirs them to action, then it puts them into a rage, and at last by custom makes them meer Sots: all these several qualities some men have by their natural tempers: some, saith he, are much given to deep silence, as those whom Melancholy makes ecstatical; which temper although naturally cold, is capable of a greater degree of heat; as water being once heated, is hotter than the flame it self; and Stones and Iron heated become hotter than the Coals: so, saith he, it is with Melancholy, if it be over-heated, it fills them with joy and singing, and makes them ecstatical; and because thus p. 80heat comes very near the seat of the mind; it is apt to make men distracted or enthusiastical; thence the Sibylls and the Bacchae and such Enthusiasts became such not by a disease, but by a natural temper. And to that which is said in the Life of S. Teresa of one that made verses in an Ecstasie, Aristotle hath a very fit parallel of Maracus a Syracusian Poet, that never made so good Verses, as when he was really Ecstatical: and for the great inequality of the tempers of such Ecstatical persons, Aristotle saith, that Melancholy as it produces very odd and irregular distempers, so it is very unequal of it self, sometimes very hot, and at other times very cold; which the Mystical Divines call the State of Desolation: but this temper being apt again to be inflamed of a sudden, it fills them with strange pleasures, especially the Imagination being fixed upon an Object of Love, which this temper, Aristotle observes, is more particularly disposed to: but because whatever makes persons Ecstatical, deprives them of the use of their Reason; therefore these Mystical Unions which have so much Ioy and Pleasure, are said to be with a suspension of all the Discoursive Acts of the mind. Which things are not to be thought extraordinary, especially in Persons p. 81not only of a Melancholy temper; but whose temper hath been heightned by the power of diseases, great severities, solemn silence and retirement: and whose Imagination hath been possessed with such Notions as do highly gratifie an Enthusiastical Disposition, viz. such as relate to a more immediate Union with an Infinite Object of Love. So that there seems to be nothing in this State of Pure Contemplation, of which a reasonable account cannot be given from a natural Temper heightned and improved by the force of Imagination. And that this may seem the less strange, I shall produce an instance of this kind, which I believe will not be denyed, to have been either effected meerly by Imagination, or at least, by something under a Divine Power: which is lately reported by a very credible and intelligent Person, and one who lives in the communion of the Roman Church. Monsieur Bernier, in his Letter to Monsieur Chapelain dated Octob. 4. 1667.B…rniers Memoires, par. 2 p. 136 concerning the Gentiles of Indostan, gives an account of certain Orders of Religious among them, who make vows of Chastity, Poverty and Obedience, living in Convents under Superiours, who are commonly called Iauguis, i. e. united to God, who used themselves to many hardships, p. 82and were looked on as so many Eremites by the People; being accounted true Saints, illuminated and perfect Iauguis; 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, 'tis believed that they can live without it, and subsist 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 entire 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 in earnest, that there is no imposture in it. Which therefore Bernier imputes to an illusion of Imagination caused by Solitude and Fasting; and this he calls the great Mysterie of the Cabala of the Jauguis; and adds, that their extremity p. 83of Poverty, and Fastings, and Austerities contribute much to it; wherein he saith, the European Fryers or Eremites are but Novices in comparison with them. I leave Mr. Cressy now to consider, whether the…e Mystical Unions and Raptures, be such priviledges of Saints? Whether Solitude, Abstraction from Worldly cares, rigorous Abstinences, and such like things, which he admires the contemplative life for, be so peculiar to their Church? When we find the very same things among the Gentiles of Indostan.… c. 4. And the Author of the Book De Sapientiâ divinâ secundum Aegyptios, who seems to have been an Arabian Philosopher, sets down these as the words of Plato (and not as his own experience, as Cardinal Bona relates them) Being often in the depth of contemplation, my body being left behind, I seemed to enjoy the chief Good with incredible Pleasure. Wherefore I stood as it were astonished, finding my self to be a part of the upper world, and to have obtained immortality, with the clearest light; which cannot be expressed with words, nor heard by ears, nor understood by the thoughts of men: and then he describes the sadness he felt at the decay of that glorious light; and the pleasure which returned with his former Ecstasies. This p. 84Cardinal Bona thinks might either come by the natural force of contemplation, or the illusion of evil Spirits; but herein are all the same appearances that are pretended to in Mystical Unions. And to shew the Power of Imagination in causing Ecstasies; besides that of Socrates, Bona mentions the like of Carneades related by Valerius Maximus, of Plotinus by Porphyrius, of Iamblichus by Eunapius, and the common instance of Restitutus in S. Austin, who fell into an ecstasie when he pleased. 2. 2. q. 175. art. 1. corp. art.Thomas Aquinas reckons up three causes of Raptures, Bodily distempers, Diabolical, and Divine Power: but Cajetan saith, there is a fourth cause acknowledged elsewhere by him, viz. a vehement intention of the mind, which he therefore omitted, because he spake of causes extrinsecal to the mind it self.

§. 10. 2. There can be no certainty by the Rules laid down by themselves, that the Ecstasies and Raptures or Visions and Revelations of Persons, do come only from divine and supernatural Causes. For they grant that in all these cases there is reason to suspect Ecstasies and Raptures.

1. If the Persons natural temper be very melancholy. This is the first Rule in Cardinal Bona;Card. Bona de d…ser. Spirit. c. 14. n. 5. for, saith he, those who are p. 85troubled with this, may easily fix their minds so upon one object, as to suffer an alienation of their senses from any other.Ioh. à Iesu Maria Theolog. Myst. c. 8. Ioh. à Iesu Maria, a great Mystical Divine, makes this his fourth Rule, to consider, whether the Person have a good understanding, or be troubled with any distemper in the head, or with Melancholy, or be subject to any vehement passions; which Cardinal Bona likewise adds; and therefore Cardinal Cajetan well notes, Cajet. in 1. 2. q. 17. art. 7.that the various motion of the heart, arising from some apprehension or desire, moves the body, and alters it according to different qualities; which alteration of the body doth again affect the imagination and appetite; from whence we may observe, that those accidents which often happen to persons under Ecstasies are Originally caused from their own apprehension, although afterwards, custome being turned into nature, makes them fall under them whether they will or no. which is seen by this, that if they turn their imaginations with all their force quite another way, those accidents forsake them, as, saith he, I have found by certain experience: which is a plain discovery that these things are produced by natural causes. Sanct. Sophia tr. 3. sect. 4. c. 3. n. 11.F. Baker himself puts that down among his Rules, whether the persons be not addicted to Melancholy? p. 86from which Rule, there is great reason to suspect those who have complained of being oppressed with a most profound Melancholy, as M. Teresa did: and we have reason to believe it of all those lovers of Solitude, that forsake all conversation of mankind, as the Aegyptian Eremites did.

2. If their proficiency in vertue be not very great. This is the first Rule laid down by Fortunatus Scacchus,Fortunat. S…acch. de not & sign. Sanct. sect. 8. c. 3. Prefect of the Popes Chappell, in his Book of the Qualifications necessary to Canonization; viz. that we examine the life and actions of the Persons who pretend to Ecstasies and Raptures; if they have been such as have come up to an Heroical degree of Perfection, it may be believed that they come from God; but if not, they come either from a natural or Diabolical cause; especially, saith he, if they happen in women, who may seem to aim either at the fame of Sanctity, or some advantage by it. Great Caution, saith Cardinal Bona,… is to be used in judging the Raptures of Young Beginners; for the very Novelty and Sweetness of Divine Contemplation is apt to put such into Ecstasies: it is like strong Wine, which they cannot bear without intoxication. Besides, saith he, it ought to be inquired into, whether their p. 87Souls be capable of such favours, what purity and humility they have attained to, whether their lives be as much above the world, as they pretend their souls are: if not, they are no true raptures, but illusions of the Devil: to the same purpose the rest speak. Sanct Soph. …. 19.What must we then think of those Raptures which M. Teresa had, when she said, she was very backwards, and but in the beginnings of vertues and mortifications?

3. If they are not able to give any good account of what they speak in their ecstasies: this Cardinal Bona layes down, Bo…a ib. p. 250.That if when they come to themselves, they know not what they said in their Ecstasies, but refer the hearers to what they spake then; or if they speak whether they will or no, there is great reason to suspect them. For this, saith Cardinal Cajetan,Caset. … 12 2. q. 173. art. 3. is a condition of true Inspiration, that the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets in this, that they do not speak with any disturbance of mind, as though they were acted by another, but from their own sense with a quiet mind, understanding what they speak; therefore, saith he, they that speak in alienation of mind, or after it, do not remember what they spake in it, have no true inspirations. From whence it appears, saith he, that those p. 88who in their Ecstasies speak in the Person of Christ, or of some Saint, as though they were acted by them, are either seduced, or do seduce. And yet the foolish world is astonished, and admires, and adores these words and actions. But this rule, although as much grounded on Scripture and Reason, as any; is, as far as I can find, very carefully omitted by the Mystical writers, for a very good Reason, which they well know.

4. If they have weakned themselves by very long fastings: …for so Cardinal Bona saith, that very great weakness may bring them to fainting sits and Ecstasies; and he tells us from S. Teresa, that she cured a Nun of her Ecstasies by making her leave her Fasting, and bringing her to a good habit of Body. It is great pity, the same experiment had not been tryed upon her self. Some, saith Bona, have made that an argument that their Ecstasies were supernatural, because they continued many dayes in them without eating or drinking; whereas many have undergone long fasts without a Miracle;Carol Cl… not. in Ga… ab … c. 3. and some of the Indian Priests have …asted twenty dayes together; but because in those parts the heat may take away their appetite, therefore Paulus ZacchiasPaul. Zac…h. qu…st Medico l…g. l. 4. … 1, qu. 7. produces many instances of very long p. 89Fasts in these European parts without any miracle; besides what Licetus, Horstius, Kornmannus and Sennertus and others have related to the same purpose; and such Instances have been lately known among us in England.

5. If they be very frequent and ordinary and happen upon any slight occasion. For saith Paulus Zacchias,Pa…l. Zacch. l. 4. t…t. 1. q. 6. n. 33. since Divine Raptures have the nature of something miraculous in them, we are not to suppose them to be very common, and as often as any one pleases; therefore, saith he, when we see a person fall frequently into Ecstasies, we may justly presume that it is something natural, since God doth not commonly work miracles. Cardinal Bona saith, that Sales thought, Bona de dis…ret. Spirit. c. 20. p. 411.the meer frequency of having Divine Revelations was enough to make them suspected. And for persons to fall as often as they please into Ecstasies, is, saith Scacchus,Scacch. p. 612. an evident sign of a Diabolical illusion: so the Maid of Saragoza and Magdalena Crucia were discovered. And what shall we then think of the almost continual raptures of S. Teresa? What of the Abbot Sisoi mentioned by Bona, that fell into a rapture, unless he let fall his hands at prayers? What of Br. Gyles, mentioned both by Bona and Scacchus, that thought it so p. 90easie to fall into raptures, that if any one spake the word Paradise, he fell into an Ecstasie; insomuch that the Boyes of Perusium, as Scacchus relates it, would come behind him and cry Paradise, on purpose to make him immediately fall down in a Trance: must we acknowledge this to be from God? But what shall we say to Br. Roger, mentioned by F. Baker out of Harphius,Sa…cta. Sophia Tr. 3. sect 3. c. 6. n. 22. that had a hundred Raptures in a Mattins?

6. If they appear desirous of them, and are apt to report them to others, and to have them made publick. So Ioh. à Iesu Maria would have it observed, whether they are apt to speak of them, without being asked, or upon an easie request; whether they pray for them, or come to prayers in hopes of them. Cardinal Bona would have it observed likewise, where they happen, if in publick places where they may be taken notice of? Bona ib. & p. 415.This Rule may hold as to Satanical illusions; but where they arise from meerly natural causes, persons may not at all be desirous of them, nay, may strive against them, and endeavour to keep them secret, and yet they may not be divine.

These are some of the most generally approved Rules among the Persons of judgement p. 91and understanding in the Roman Church; and if we could proceed according to these, in the examination of the Instances produced of Raptures and Ecstasies, not one of a thousand would pass by their own Rules. But when all is done, these Rules are very little observed, but they are approved or condemned, according to the Rules of Policy, and not of Divinity.

But besides these, the Mystical Divines have some particular notes of their own, which neither themselves nor any else can understand; as Father Bakers first Rule; Sa…cta Sophia Tr. 3. sect. 4. c. 3. n. 10. 14.viz. the Wills being moved without the ordinary precedent action of the understanding or Imagination: the fifth rule, about the efficacy of internal words, and the Souls conceiving more by them, than in themselves they signifie; and others as unintelligible as thee, viz. those delivered by M. Teresa, and set down in order by Ioh. à Iesu Maria to distinguish divine Visions from the effects of Imagination; as,Ioh. à Iesu Maria Theol. Myst. c. 8. p. 89, 90. the not missing a syllable of internal words, the great secrecy of them, being spoken in so close a place in the soul, that the Devil cannot come at them, (to eves-drop them) and several other such senseless things. And I do suppose no man will believe any p. 92thing to be from God, meerly because it cannot be understood by men; for then the greatest non-sense and contradictions might pass for Divine Revelations.

§. 11. And as there can be no certainty by their own Rules as to Raptures and Ecstasies, so neither can there be as to Visions and Revelations. For,

1. They grant, that those that are of no use, are not to be allowed; as, If the matter of Revelations be vain and curious, saith Iesu Maria, or that which may …e known without Revelation; now, say I, if there be no Revelation at all to be expected as to matter of doctrine, all the other things are vain and curious, there being no other end suitable to divine Revelation besides this. And Cardinal Bona makes a very ingenuous confession, that there is a great deal of danger and no profit at all in Visions;De discret. Spirit. c. 19. n. 1. and that by them a way is opened for many deceits and illusions of the Devil. Can any man of common sense then believe that God should cause such extraordinary Visions, which bring no profit but abundance of danger along with them? We walk much more safely, saith he, by faith, whose light far exceeds all Visions and Revelations of Mysteries. And no argument p. 93of sanctity,De Not. & sig…. Sanct. sect. 8. c. 4. saith Scacchus, can be drawn from them; because Christian perfecion doth not consist in them: and Revelations do not make us either more pleasing to God, or more useful to our Neighbour, and he quotes Gerson with approbation, for saying, that the antient Fathers did fly from the curiosity of Visions and Miracles, as the most deceitful and dangerous; and that S. Austin gave God thanks that he was delivered from it, and that Bonaventure saith, it is to be abhorred and striven against with all our power. And Scacchus himself concludes, that there is usually a secret pride and hypocrisie to be thought Saints, which makes Persons desire Visions and Revelations, which are inconsistent with true Sanctity; and if it be not pride, it is a vain curiosity, wherefore God often suffers them to be deceived.

2. That it is a very hard matter in this case to distinguish the illusions of the Devil, from Divine Visions and Revelations. For they do not pretend to the only certain way which the Prophets and Apostles made use of, viz. the working miracles to confirm the Truth of their Testimony: for among all the numbers of Miracles they boast of, they pretend to none for the proper end of Miracles, viz. to confirm Divine p. 94Revelation. And therefore, it is no wonder Scacchus yields up this, as a very doubtful thing, considering how easie and common a thing it is for the Devil to deceive men in this matter.De discret. Spirit. c. 19. n. 7. And Cardinal Bona confesses, that the Devil doth often assume the Person of Christ and of the Blessed Virgin, with so much art and cunning as to deceive very good men, as is evident from most certain experience, as well as the Testimony of the Fathers. Nay, he denyes, that ever the Person of Christ did appear to any since S. Pauls Vision;N. 4. and he saith, that to assert otherwise, is against the unanimous consent of the Fathers, and not agreeable to that article of our Faith, wherein we believe that he sits at the right hand of the Father, and shall come again to judge the Quick and the D…ad. Yet what abundance of Visions of Christs Person do we meet with in the Legends of Saints, and of his appearance with flesh and blood in the Eucharist? but if the Person of Christ do never appear, it cannot be proved from any of those Visions, that the very body of Christ is there.

3. That it were far better if a stop were put to all private Revelations among them that are not confirmed by Miracles or Testimony of Scripture. This Cardinal Bona p. 95wishes,c. 20. n. 2. that the Confessors among them would at last take care of; which no man certainly would do, if he believed them to be from God. Cardinal Cajetan saith, that we can have no certainty of private Revelations, although the Persons who pretend to them, Cajet. in 2. 2. q. 174. art. 6.should not only protest but swear to it, that they have them from God: and in general concludes, that we are not bound to believe them. From which it necessarily follows, that there are no certain Rules to know when they are from God; for if there were, an obligation to believe them would lye upon those who had tryed them by those Rules.

4. If Revelations made to two several Persons do contradict each other, that there is great Reason to suspect both. For although, saith Cardinal Bona, De discret. Spirit. c. 20. n. 4. p. 409.it be possible that one may be true and the other false, and the Devil may endeavour to take away the Authority of the True by the false, yet for the most part they are both suspected and doubtful. And before he saith, that it is reasonable to believe those Women Saints were deceived, Ib. c. 17. p. 299.in supposing their own Fancies to be divine Revelations, who have published Revelations contradicting each other. Which it is plain he intended for the famous case of the Revelations of p. 96S. Brigitt and S. Katharin, which contradicted each other expresly about the immaculate conception; and which I had produced as a plain instance of a false pretence to Inspiration in the Roman Church, it being impossible God should contradict himself.Fanati…m. p. 67, 68. Mr. Cressy in answer to this, first confesses that the publick Office of their Church testifies that each of them were favoured with Divine Revelations, and then produces the Testimony of S. Antonin, that those things may be supposed by the Persons themselves to be divine Revelations, which are but humane dreams. Thirdly, He cites Cardinal Baronius, who seems to reject the Revelations on both sides. And yet he by no means will allow the honour of their Church to be concerned herein, which hath approved them both as Persons truly Inspired; when Mr. Cressy confesses, they did not testifie their Revelations by Miracles, and that without it Divine Revelation cannot be known. I would not desire a greater advantage from an Adversary, than Mr. Cressy here gives me against himself. For by his own confession then, their Church approves those to have had divine Revelations which never gave the proper evidence of it, viz. Miracles, and such whose Revelations are questioned by the Wisest men p. 97among them. And what is all this but to give Countenance, (for all that the Church can know) to a meer pretence to Inspiration? which is the highest Fanaticism in the World. And if as he saith, notwithstanding the Councils approbation, P. 70.there is scarce a Catholick alive that thinks he hath an obligation to believe either of them; this makes as much to my purpose as I desire; for if they have no obligation to believe them, they may without sin believe them not to be divine Revelations; and since they are given out to be such and approved by their Church, all such Persons may without sin charge them with the highest Fanaticism in a false pretence to Divine Revelation. And why then should I be so much blamed for doing that, which Persons in their own Church may do without sin? But I see Mr. Cressy is not acquainted with the common Doctrine of their own Divines about the obligation that lyes upon Persons to believe Private Revelations; For they agree,

1. That those Persons to whom those Revelations are made are bound to believe them before any approbation of the Church? For say they, the primary Reason of assenting to a Divine Revelation is from the Divine Veracity; to which it is wholly accidental p. 98whether it be publick or private, and the Churches proposition is only the common external condition of applying the object of Faith to us; but there may be as great an obligation to believe a private Revelation, supposing only sufficient motives to the mind of the Person that this Revelation comes from God. This is the opinion of Vega, V…a in Co…i. Trid. l. 9.Catharinus, Catharin. de certit. grat. c ult.Suarez,Suarez de Fide disp. 3. sect. 10. Lugo,Lugo de Fide disp. 1. sect. 11. Ysambertus, Ysambert. de Fide disp. 12. art. 3.and as they tell us, of most of their modern Divines. Indeed they mention Cajetan, Sotus, Canus and some others as of another opinion; but Suarez saith, they seem to differ only in words, because they will not have that assent called Catholick Faith; which the other are willing to yield to them, and call it Theological Faith, but do make it as certain and infallible as the other. Which they prove, not only from the obligation to faith in the private Revelations mentioned in Scripture, but from invincible Reason, because the ground of the assent of faith is not the publickness of the Revelation, but the Divine Authority and Veracity; which being supposed, must equally oblige, whether the Revelation be private or publick. And if there be sufficient motives to believe a private Revelation; to deny an obligation to believe it, is a contempt of Divine Authority; p. 99and to suppose there cannot be sufficient motives, is to say, that God cannot do as much by himself, as he can by the Church. The force of which Reason I do not see how it is possible for those to avoid who assert, that God doth still communicate private Revelations to mens Minds.

2. That supposing these Revelations to be proposed by the Church, all others are bound to believe them to be divine Revelations. For then they have the same reason, which they have to believe any Revelation. All the difficulty now is, to understand what a sufficient proposal by the Church in this case is; Suarez saith,Suarez ib. n. 7. that although private Revelations be chiefly intended for the persons to whom they are made, yet a sufficient proposal of them being made to others, there doth arise from thence an obligation to believe them. Concil. L… t…ran. sub Leon. 10. sess 11.For which saith he, The general Rule is the approbation of the Church; as appears by the Lateran Council under Leo 10. which forbad the Preaching private Revelations without the examination and approbation of the Church; and then saith Suarez, the believing them becomes a part of Catholick Faith. Now I desire to know, how it is possible for their Church to shew greater care in the examination and approbation of any private Revevelations, p. 100than it did in those of S. Brigitt? they being frequently examined by the publick Authority of their Church, and after such examination declared by the Pope to have come from the spirit of God; and at last approved, say their own writers, at the General Council of Basil. How could they possibly express greater approbation of any controverted Book in the Bible? But if after all this, these Revelations may pass among them for Dreams and Fancies, and no men are obliged to believe them, let them clear their Church from Fanaticism, if they can. For either those Revelations were from God or not? if not, then they were Fanatical illusions approved by their Church; if they were, then since they were approved by those whom they are bound to believe, with what face can Mr. Cressy say, that there is scarce a Catholick alive that thinks he has an obligation to believe them? which I do the more wonder at, since they believe things as absurd already, and with as little reason as any thing in S. Brigitts Revelations. And therefore the Person of Honour had great Reason to say,A…madvers. p. 68. that Mr. Cressy hath in truth not answered the Weight of my Instance from the Revelations of S. Brigitt and S. Catharine.

p. 1015. They confess that some persons are very lyable to be deceived in believing themselves to have divine Revelations. Such,C…20. n. 3, 4 saith Card. Bona, are those that have a bad habit of body, that have a restless and vehement imagination, that have a great deal of Melancholy, which is apt to corrupt the Imagination, so as they are apt to fancy that they see and hear things which they neither see, nor hear. And likewise, saith he, from long fasting and immoderate watchings, vain phantasms may arise in the brain, by which the mind being deceived, adheres to them as to divine Revelations. And what are these else but the Fanatick heats of Enthusiasm? Besides, he saith, that regard ought to be had to the humour, disposition, condition, conversation, and Age of the Persons; for old men are apt to doat, and young men to be hot and credulous; but especially great caution must be used towards Women, whose sex is the more to be suspected because of its weakness; for by reason of the vehemency of their thoughts and affections they think they see that which they desire, and that which arises from their own violent passions, they believe to be true; and it is an easie matter for the Devil, (and no great conquest he thinks) through their want of Reason and Iudgement to deceive p. 102them. Therefore he saith peremptorily, that the Bishops and Guides of Souls should oppose and despise their Revelations and severely rebuke th…m, for pretending to things too high for them: and he at large discovers, the great mischiefs which have come to the Church by W…nens pretending to Revelations. I confess after all these severe things, he doth at last approve the Revelations of S. Teresa, which I very much question whether he would have done or no, if he had been her Confessour; but now she was Canonized for a Saint, and it would not have been so agreeable for a Roman Cardinal to have exposed to the world the self-delusions of a Roman Saint. But I desire no more in her Instance, or any other among them than to compare the circumstances of them with these Rules laid down by their own most approved Authors. From which it appears that although Mr. Cressy declares that, E…istle Apolog…t. p. 30.they are very well content with their Fanaticks and Fanaticism, yet there are some wise men among them, which are not.

§. 12. Having thus far shewn, that this way of Mystical Divinity with all its raptures and Ecstasies and passive Unions, had no Foundation in the Christian Doctrine, nor p. 103in the consent of the Christian Church of the purest Ages, I now come to shew whence it came into any Vogue and Reputation among Christians. It is an easie matter to discover that the Foundation of it was laid by the counterfeit Dionysius Areopagita, to whom Mr. Cressy and O. N. do referr me. Who, saith Mr. Cressy, Fa…a…icis… p. …9.whatever his true name was, was questionless an Author of the second or at least the third Age of the Church, and who describes the most sublime and most purely divine prayer exercised by Hierotheus a Disciple of the Apostles. But if he lived in the second or third Age, he must be a Counterfeit, (for Dionysius dyed within the compass of the first Century, as Sirmondus hath fully proved) and if he were a Counterfeit, how came he to know the divine prayer of Hierotheus? However I do acknowledge that this Author, whoever he was, was justly pitched upon by Mr. Cr. For it is from him, they not only borrow the Mystical Notions, but most of the Phrases too: And assoon as those Books, written by him, came to be known and admired in the Eastern and Western Churches, there were some so fond of this Mystical Divinity, as to cry it up as the most perfect way of devotion, being especially accommodated to Persons of an Enthusiastical temper; p. 104who were withall confined to Solitude and Retirement from the World. It will not be amiss therefore to give a taste of his Mystical Divinity, as far as it is possible to bring his affected Bombast within the compass of our language. Thus he begins,

O thou superessential Trinity,Dionys. de Mysticâ Theol. cap. 1. above all notion of Deity and Goodness; O thou Governour of the Divine Wisdom of Christians, direct us to the most unknown, most clear, and most supream height of Mystical Oracles; in which the simple, absolute, and unchangeable Mysteries of Divinity are hidden, by the over-shining darkness of a Teaching Silence, discovering the most glorious light in the most profound obscurity, and over-filling the blindest minds with the most beautiful beams, in that which can neither be felt nor seen.

Let this Prayer be for my self: But Thou O friend Timothy by thy diligent exercise in these Mystical Speculations, leave thy senses and the operations of thy mind, and all things sensible and intelligible, and all things which are not and which are; and after an unknown manner elevate thy self to that Union which is above all essence and knowledge: and when by a pure and perfect Abstraction of thy self, thou shalt be free and loose from all things, thou shalt p. 105be raised to the superessential Ray of Divine Darkness.

Then after he hath given caution to Timothy, that these divine Mysteries be not communicated to those that would make use of their knowledge in these things, any more, than to those, who followed their Imaginations; because the superessential being dwelleth in darkness; and as to him, affirmations and negations are not opposite, being above all; he shews, that the Cause of all things is above all Reason and understanding, and is only truly and plainly made known to those who ascend above all sensible and intellectual things, and above all divine Lights, and heavenly Sounds and Words, and are swallowed up of Darkness: which he expresseth, by the Allegory of Moses going into the Cloud upon the top of the Mount: then, saith he, this Mystical Moses is carryed up above all visible and intellectual heights, being taken into the truly Mystical Cloud of unknowing, in which he puts a stop to all knowing perceptions, and is in that which can neither be seen nor felt, being altogether his who is above all, and not of any one else, neither of himself nor any other; and being under a cessation of all knowledge is in a firmer union to that which cannot be known; and because he understands p. 106nothing, he understands more than his mind can reach to.

This is certainly the very height of Mystical Union and the Perfection of the Contemplative State: in the description of which, I have kept as near as I could to his words, and as to the sense have followed Carolus Hersentius, a late Mystical Divine, who hath taken the greatest care and pains to explain the meaning of this obscure Author upon this argument. To the same purpose he speaks elsewhere, where he saith, that the most Divine way of knowing God is by not knowing him,D… Di…ir. Nomi…. c. 7. …. 3. by an Union above understanding; when the Mind being abstracted from all things and going out of it self is united to those overbright beams, by which he is enlightned in the unsearchable depth of Wisdom.

Any one that …asts an eye upon this kind of Discourse, will easily find it to proceed upon very different g…ounds, in order to the per…ection of mens minds, from what are delivered in the Christian Religion. For there it is said to be eternal life, S. Joh. 17. 3.John 17:3to know God and his Son Iesus Christ; here we are told that we cannot come at perfection in the way of knowledge, but of Ignorance and not knowing: 1 Joh. 1. 5.1 John 1:5There it is said, that God is Light and in him is no darkness at p. 107all; here that he is the most profound darkness and obscurity. Here we meet with no difference at all as to the clearness of our apprehensions concerning the Divine Nature, from what men had before the Christian Doctrine; whereas it is one of the excellencies of Christianity that by it we come to know the true God much better than mankind had done before, and are able to form a very true and distinct conception of him in our minds, as of a Being of infinite Wisdom and Goodness and Power. Although we cannot attain to a full comprehension of the utmost extent of the Perfections of the Divine Nature; yet that doth not hinder our conceptions from being clear and True, though not adequate and perfect. And if we could have no clearer knowledge and more steady conceptions of the Divine Nature by the doctrine of Christ, to what end are we told by it,Joh. 1. 18.John 1:18 that no man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath revealed him; that now the vail of darkness is taken away,2 Cor. 3. 18.2 Cor 3:18 and we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image; not that our transformation is to come by darkness and the cessation of intellectual operations, as this Mystical Union p. 108implyes. But besides, this Mystical way pretends to carry men above all external Rev…ation as well as intellectual knowledge, for so much is implyed in the raising the mind above all Divine Lights, Comment. in Myst. Theol. p. 135.and heavenly Sounds and Words, i. e. saith Hersentius, above all the manifestations of God what soever which are made to the Mind. Which Mystical way of Perfection, being supposed possible, I see no necessity at all of Christs coming into the World, nor of any influence his Death or Sufferings or Doctrine could have upon the bringing men to a State of Happiness. For the whole Hypothesis proceeds only upon these principles. 1. The obscurity of the Divine Nature, and the impossibility of our attaining so clear a perception of God in our minds, as for us ever to hope for a state of Perfection with the exercise of our Reason and Understanding. 2. That the only possible way of attaining it, is by the abstraction of our selves from all sensible and intellectual operations, and thereby bringing our souls to an immediate Union with the Divine Essence.

§. 13. Having thus endeavoured to bring these things out of the Clouds of the sublime Nonsense and seeming contradictions p. 109which they were wrapt up in, we may more easily discern from whence all these notions were taken and slyly conveyed into the Christian doctrine as the highest way of Perfection. For which we are to consider, that the Christian Religion growing very considerable, notwithstanding all the endeavours used by the Roman Emperours and Governours of Provinces to suppress it, and very Learned men having taken upon them the profession of it in several parts of the Empire, but especially at Alexandria; the Heathen Philosophers saw there was an absolute necessity of making the best they could of the Pagan Theology. To this end they bestirred themselves to gather together the most considerable parts of the Chaldaick, Aegyptian, and Platonick Theology, and putting them together to form such a method for the Perfection of mens souls, as would appear more sublime, than the Christian Institution. For this end Plotinus, Porphyrie, Iamblichus, Proclus and the rest of them, did imploy the utmost of their study and care: for they saw now it was to no purpose for them to spend their time in idle curiosities, and the vain disputes of the several Sects of Philosophers; therefore they endeavour to lay aside these, (Ammonius of Alexandria having shewed p. 110them the way) and to bend their studies chiefly about shewing men such a way of Purifying their Souls as might bring them to a State of Perfection, without embracing Christianity. For they saw, that the common people were become Philosophers by the help of the Christian Religion, and outwent them in the bearing Torments and all sorts of Miseries, only in expectation of that Blessed State which the Christian Religion did give men so great assurance of, and gave such excellent directions, by the practice of all divine vertues, for mens attaining to it. We know there was no greater enemy in the world to the Christian Religion than Porphyrius was, against whom Eus…bius, Methodius and many others writ in defence of Christianity. Yet it appears by what we have remaining of his writings, that he had a very mean esteem of the common customes of sacrificing, Iamblich. de Myster. Segm. 5. c. 11.and of those Daemons which were pleased with the smoke of flesh; and he looked upon the Theurgick way, as lyable to deceit and not capable of advancing the soul to highest perfection. Which Th…urgick 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, p. 111as they pretended, was, reducing the souls of men to that state they were in before they came into the Body:S. A…g…st. de Ci. it. Dei. l. 10. ….c. 10. So S. Augustin tel…s us from Porphyrie, that they who were purified after this manner did converse with glorious appearances of Angels which they were fitted to see; but Porphyrie 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;C. 27, 28. 29. 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, Porphyrie writ a Book on purpose, p. 112Of the Return of the Soul, as S. 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, foreign. The scope and end of his Life was union and conjunction with God over all: and four times, saith he, when I was with him he attained to thus union, by an unexpressible act of the Mind: which he before sets forth, by a Divine illumination without any Image or Idea, being above the understanding and all intelligible things. And he saith of himself, that he was once in this state of Union, when he was 68. years of Age: which Holstenius understands of an Ecstasie he then fell into;De vitâ & Script. Porphyr. c. 6. 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. p. 113For all these things were remarkable in him; and Eunapius saith of him,…. vit. Porp…yr. 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 not only for the Mystical Union, 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 expresly affirmed by Porphyrie. Many things, saith he,Porphyrii … are said of understanding things that are above the mind; but the contemplation of those things is better performed foreign otio & vacatione intellect…s▪ as Holstenius renders it, rather by the Rest and cessation of operation in the understanding 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 understanding all things is different according to their essence; those things that are above the mind are to be known foreign p. 114N. 10.in the way of unknowing, and after a superessential manner, where we see the very Phrases of Dionysius used by him; and in many places he speaks ofN. 7, 8, 29, 30 the minds abstracting and loosing it self from the Body, N. 31, 32.and drawing it self nearer to the First Being; N. 34.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 vertues necessary thereto, such as abstinence from the actions of the body and from affections to it, which, saith he, raise the mind to the superessential 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 vertues, 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; p. 115in 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 superessential being, and saith,N. 36. 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, N. 37.but Assimilative; and that the only way for our souls to recover themselves is to bring them into themselves, N. 41.by which means the True Being …s present with them, and we become united to God. Which union of the Soul with God, Holstenius De s…ript. Po…phyr. c. 9.thinks it very probable, that Porphyrie understood by the Book which he mentions in the life of Plotinus, called foreign the Sacred Nuptials, because both Plotinus and he supposed this union to be wrought by the power of Divine; Love, as well as the Mystical Divines; and Porphyrie saith, upon the reading of it, some thought him mad, because there were several things spoken in it after a Mystical and Enthusiastical manner; for which he was highly applauded by Plotinus. And Porphyrie was so much in his Favour, that he committed the ordering and publishing of p. 116his Books entirely to his care; which no doubt he was the more willing to do, because by delivering these Mystical notions in such a Philosophical manner, he might hope to put a stop to the spreading of Christianity, especially among men of Contemplative minds. For it appears by S. Augustin that Porphyrie despised Christianity chiefly on the account of the Incarnation of the Son of God: Aug. de Civit. De…. l. 10. …. 29.which they thought to be bringing God down to the body, whereas their design was to elevate the Soul from the body to God.

§. 14. The short account of Plotinus his hypothesis is this, Pl… ▪ E… nea…. 1. l. 2. c. 3, 4, 5, 6.That the soul of man being immersed in the body suffers very much by reason of its union with it, by which means it is drawn down to the affections of the body, and to a conversation with sensible things, and so becomes evil and miserable: that its good and happy condition lyes in being like to God, not in regard of understanding, but a state of quiescency; that the practice of the vertues of the active life is insufficient for assimilation to God; but in order to it, those which are properly intellectual are most necessary, whereby the soul draws it self off from the body. Thus for the soul to act by it self, is wisdom; introversion is temperance; p. 117abstraction from matter, is fortitude; to follow reason, is justice: that, by the practice of these, the soul purifies it self, i. e. casts off the things without it self, and so recovers its purity, by bringing those things into light again, which lay …id under the rubbish of sensible things before, so that the soul did not know them to be there; but for the discovery of them, it was necessary for the soul to come near a greater Light than it self: and to bring the Images which are in it to the true Originals. The way of purifying the Soul he calls by the names of Abstraction and Recollection: which he elsewhere expresses, E…ad 3. l. 6. …. 5.by awakening the soul out of sleep, wherein it was disturbed by sensible Images; not as though the Soul had need of any other way of purifying but only restoring it to it self by taking away that load of matter which oppressed it, and then it naturally endeavours after the nearest union with the First Being: which he calls the True Being, and the Superessential Being. And, he saith, when the soul endeavours after this Union,Enn…ad. 6. l. 9. c. 3. it must lay aside all sensible and intellectual Images of things, and make use only of the purest and supream part of the mind (or the fund of the Spirit) that God then is not to be considered under the Notion of Being, p. 118but as something above Being; and that we are not either to affirm or deny any thing of him; that, our contemplation of him is not by knowledge or any intellectual operation, but by a divine presence, which far exceeds any knowledge: for knowledge he saith, C. 4.hinders union: 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,C. 9. from whence follows a clearer light in the Soul; and in this state,C. 11. saith he, there is not only a cessation of passion, but of reason and understanding too; neither is the person, himself, foreign, like one in a rapture or an Ecstasie he enjoys God in that state of Quiescency as in a silent Wilderness: which he calls, being in God; and in other places, Enncad 5. l. 8. c 10, 11.seeing God in themselves, being the same with God, being one with God, and which is the highest of all, Enncad. 1. l. 2. c. 5, 6.being God: which is the perfect State of Deiformity. By this we see there is not one of the sublimest notions of Mystical Divinity, which hath not been borrowed from these Philosophers, who were the most dangerous enemies to Christianity. For although Plotinus doth not speak so openly against it, as Porphyrie did, who was his beloved Disciple and Confident; yet he lets fall many insinuations p. 119against it, and particularly against the doctrine of the resurrection of the Body upon the account of this Mystical Doctrine; for, saith he, the true awakening of the Soul,Enncad. 3. l. 6. c. 6. is an awakening from the body, and not a Resurrection with the body; for that change which is together with the body, is but passing from sleep to sleep, as it were from one bed to another; but the true awakening is from all bodies, which are contrary to the soul; because the nature of one is opposite to the other.

§. 15. After these succeeded Iamblichus, who was Porphyries Disciple, and a great Friend of Iulian the Apostate, and pursued the same Mystical Notions; For in his Book of the Aegyptian Mysteries (which he writ in answer to an Epistle of Porphyries to an Aegyptian Priest, and wherein Proclus saith, I…bli …. d… Myst r. S…gm. 3. c. 4, 5, &c.that he writ like a man inspired) he discourses at large concerning Divine Ecstasies, 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 understanding, but their mind and soul is only in the Divine power and not their own; being acted and possessed wholly by it: afterwards, he sets p. 120down several degrees and kinds of these, in some they have only participation, in others near communion, and in the highest of all, Union; in some of these, he saith, the body wholly rests, and sometimes breaks out into singing and all expressions of Ioy: 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 layes down Rules to know divine Inspirations by, viz. by enquiring in what manner God appears, whether an appearance of fire come before him, whether …e 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 ecstasie 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 C…ntemplative Prayer than Iamblichus doth: De Myster. …egm. 5. …27.this quickens the mind, enlargeth its capacity, opens the secrets of the Divinity, and fits it for conjunction and Union with God; and never leaves men till it hath carryed them to a state of Perfection; p. 121and by degrees doth so alter and change men, that it makes them put off humane nature, and bring them into such a state of Deiformity that they become Gods. The first degree of prayer, he saith, 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 Union which makes our mind and soul to rest in God as a Divine Port or Haven. And he concludes his book with saying, S…. 10. c. 6.that this Union with God, is mans greatest perfection and the end of all Religion among the Aegyptians, whose Mysteries his Design was to explain and vindicate. Many other pasiages might be produced out of him, Segm 1. c. 3. 2. c. 11.concerning the knowing God by divine conta …, and the insufficiency of any act of the mind for this ineffable union; but the…e are enough to shew how well acquainted Iamblichus, and (if we believe him) the Egyptian Idolaters, were, with the profoundest secrets of Mystical Divinity.

Suidas tells us, that after Porphyrie there was no one appear'd a more bitter enemy to Christianity than Proclus,S…id. v. Proclus. yet no one a greater Friend to Mystical Divinity than he. p. 122Of whom Marinus gives this character, towards the conclusion of his life, Marin. de…vit. Procli, ante Procl. Theolog.that his Soul was so recollected and drawn into it self, that it seemed to be separated from the body while it remained in it. In the beginning of his Th…logy, he distinguishes between that intellectual faculty in us whereby we are capable of understanding the nature and difference of intelligible Ideas,Procl. Theo…log. Plat. l. 1. c. 3. and that which he calls foreign the summity, as the Mysticks speak, and pure fund of the spirit, which he saith, is alone capable of the Divine and Mystical Union, so he calls it, foreign. For, saith he, though there be many intellectual powers in us, yet it is by this only that we can be united to the Divinity, and be made pa…t…kers of it. For we cannot reach the … Being either by our senses, or by opinion, or by apprehension; no nor yet by ratiocination, foreign it remains therefore that if the Divine Nature can any ways be known by us, it must be by the essence of the Soul. For the soul being drawn into its own unity, and removing from it self the multiplicity of its powers, it ascends to the greatest height of true Contemplation. While the soul looks about on things below it, it sees nothing but shadows and images of things, when it comes to a state p. 123of Introversion, then it sees its own essence and operations of the understanding; but when it searches deeper, then it finds the Mind within it self and the several Orders of real Beings; when it goes yet farther into the most secret closet of the Soul, there it contemplates, as it were blindfold, the Divine Beings, and the first Ideas or Unities of Beings. And this, saith he, is the most excellent operation of the soul, in the rest or quie scency of its powers, to stretch it self towards the Divine nature, and dance as it were round it, and to raise up the whole Soul towards this Union with it; and abstracting it self from all inferiour beings, to rest upon and be conjoyned with that ineffable and superessential Being. And by this means the soul comes to have the truest understanding of all things.

§. 16. Many other passages might be produced out of him to the same purpose; but this comprehends in it so much of the very Marrow of Mystical Divinity, that Carolus Hersentius confesseth,Carol. Her…sent. A…a…. ad Th…o…og▪ Mysti…. p. 4…. either that Proclus borrowed from Dionysius, or Dionysius from Proclus; but he is willing to believe that Proclus and the rest of the Modern Platonists did borrow those notions out of Dionysius. Marsilius Ficinus p. 124indeed is of the same opinion;Mars. Ficin: de…hristian. R…ig. c 22. for being a skilful Platonist, he saw such an agreement of notions and expressions in Dionysius and the writings of Plotinus, Iamblichus and Proclus, that either they must have taken from him, or he from them; but for the honour of the Platonick notions, he believed the former. And S…ides, an Author of no great judgement saith, that some of the Philosophers and especially S…id. in Dio…ys.Proclus made use of his very expressions without any alteration, from whence it might be suspected that the elder Philosophers at Athens, had hidden his works that they might seem to be the Authors of those sublime notions contained in them. A very likely story! why should Proclus take those things out of Dionysius, which he might have found as well in the Books of Plotinus, Porphyrie, or Iamblichus, whom he had a far greater esteem of, than of Dionysius; and quotes every one of them very frequently and with great Veneration, and mentions them together as a sort of inspired Persons, in the very beginning of his Theology? And Proclus hath nothing peculiar in him upon this subject; the very same notions were delivered by Plotinus an Egyptian Philosopher; and Proclus quotes him for the chief of them: viz. the two fold operations of the mind, the p. 125one of it as the mind, viz. ratiocination; the other of it as drunk with the Divine Nectar (thence comes the Mysticks Ebrietas Spiritualis, Pr… l. Theo…. Plat▪ c. 12. P. 36.of which Rusbrochius hath several Chapters, and which saith Harphius makes some sing and others cry, and others utter strange noises, R…sbro…. de Nupt. s…irit. l 2. c. 20, 21, 22.as Fr. Masseus that cryed V. V. V. and others tremble and quake, and others run over Mountains and Valleys like Fr. Bernard, and others dance, and lastly others ready to burst, H. … Theolo…. M…t. l. 2. Part. 3. c. 41.like a Vessel filled with new Wine) and that the Mind becomes Deified by its Union with God, which being the Fundamental principles of Mystical Divinity, Proclus doth acknowledge that he had them from Plotinus; and if we believe Iamblichus, they came from the ancient Mystical Theology of the Egyptians and Chaldeans.

I expect that those who have not considered these things should be still ready to believe, that all these notions among these Philosophers were taken from some of the Christians at least, if not from this Dionysius. Which Plotinus his education under Ammonius at Alexandria, seems to make probable, where he continued 11. years; but whatever doctrine he heard from Ammonius, it is certain Plotinus his opinion as to these matters, together with his followers, p. 126was derived from other Oracles than those of the Sacred Scriptures: For Psellus in his Commentary on the Chaldaick Oracles, Psell. in Orac. Chald. p. 120.doth say, that Plotinus, Iamblichus, Porphyrius and Proclus did wholly approve of the Chaldaick Theology; and by what remainders there are still extant of it, we may discover the Footsteps of these Mystical notions in it. If the Chaldaick Oracles were still extant, which were frequently quoted by these Philosophers, (and from them in a great measure the Fragments were preserved) we might more fully manifest these things; yet as they are, they give us sufficient ground to draw the Fundamentals of this Mystical Divinity from thence. For they speak of Gods being united to the Soul, by the Souls clasping God to her self; Ora…ul. Chaldaic. ed. Obsopaei P. 19, 20.and that not by any act of the understanding, but by the slower of the mind, (the very phrase used by Proclus, and the same which the Mysticks call the fund of the Spirit,) of the Souls being inebriated from God, (which Plotinus calls, being drunk with the divine Nectar,) and Psellus explains of divine illuminations and Ecstasies: Psell. in orac. Chald. p. 85, 90.of abstraction from the body, and extending the mind upwards, and hastening to the Divine Light and the Beams of the Father; Nicep…. Gregor in Synes. de inso…. p. 383.with several other passages to the p. 127same purpose. But lest any should say, that these Chaldaick Oracles were framed by some Christians at first in Greek, (as it is supposed the Sibylline were) Ioh. Picus Mirandula saith,Ioh. Pic. Mirand cp. Marsil. Fici…. p. 249. he had an entire copy of them in the Chaldee Language, with a Chaldee Paraphrase upon them, which he valued as a great Treasure. But in truth all these notions both among the Chaldeans and the Platonick Philosophers are built upon a very ancient hypothesis, but very different from that of Christianity; which hypothesis being granted, this Mystical Divinity appears with some face of Reason, and colour of probability; which I suppose will not be consented to by Mr. Cr. or any of the Friends to Mystical Divinity: Which was this, that the Souls of men did exist in another world long before they came into the body; that in their descent to the body they had an Aethereal vehicle joyned to them; which upon the conjunction of the soul and body became the means of communication between them, and takes up its chief seat in the brain, which is the same which we call the Imagination; that the soul being in this state is apt to be much inveigled with kindness to the body, and so forget its return home; that the body is capable of doing p. 128the soul mischief no other way, being it self under the power of Fate, than as it draws it downwards; that the mind being the upper part of the soul is alwayes acting, but we know not its operations but only by the impressions they make upon the Phansie; that the mind hath the true Ideas of things within it self; but we are deceived by the representations conveyed by our imagination; and therefore our ratiocination is very short and uncertain; that our only way of recovering our souls, is by drawing them off from the body, and retiring into themselves; and that upon this, the mind hath the divine Being so nearly conjoyned to it, that it passeth into a divine nature, and recovers its former state, when it parts from the body. But because it is not to return alone without the Aethereal vehicle i… brought with it, therefore the Chaldeans & Egyptians had several sacred and symbolical Rites for the purifying of the vchicle, as they called it; which they made necessary for this end: and with them Iamblichus joyns, but Porphyrie thought them not necessary, but that Philosophy and meer contemplation would purifie enough without it.H…. in …a C…. P…thag. Sy…s. … insomn. p. 136, &c. This is the true account of their Hypothesis, as may be fully seen in Hierocles and Synesius, without going farther; and was p. 129the first Foundation of Mystical Divinity; which I will not deny to be well enough accommodated to it; but it is as remote from Christianity, as the hypothesis it self is.

But the counterfeit Dionysius finding the notions sublime, and having found out expressions, as he thought lofty enough to express them; and either being not wholly brought off from the Philosophy then in request, or hoping by this means to ensnare the Philosophers, when they found their sentiments entertained among the Christians, makes it his business to patch together the sublimest notions of the modern Platonists, and to make them pass for good Christian Doctrine. And I think it may be made appear that there is not one notion thought peculiar to this counterfeit Dionysius which we cannot trace the footsteps of in these Writers; which few of the Christians ever looked into, because of their known opposition to Christianity, and therefore he had no more to do than only to fit them to the Christian doctrine, and they might easily pass for new and sublime discoveries of his own. Not only the Principles of Mystical Theology, but the very nine Orders of his Celestial Hierarchy are to be seen in p. 130Iamblichus, Iamblich. de Myster. Segm. 2. c. 3.and are reckoned up by Scutellius in the margin of his Translation:P…cl. in Timaeum Platon p. 47. and Archangels are not only mentioned frequently by him, but Porclus upon the Timaeus saith that Prophyrie reckons them among the Celestial Orders; which being denyed by Iamblichus to have been ever mentioned by Plato, and yet reckoned up by himself, may be supposed to be drawn either from the Chaldean or Egyptian Theology; but that is not my business to search into. His book of the Divine names, seems to have had its foundation as well as Title in a Book written by Porphyrie with the same Title, as Suidas himself confesses, who reckons that as the first of his books: but that being lost, we have only that reason for our conjecture, because we find him so apparently guilty in his Mystical Theology; To which he hath added nothing but a more affected style, and profound Non-sense: For it is not enough for him, to joyn Light and darkness together; but that darkness must be overshining, and the Rays of it must be superessential; he is not content, to express nothing almost without Metaphors, but stretches them to Hyperbole's, and when he hath by this means set two things as far from each other as may be, then he claps them together, as p. 131if one should say, the most glorious Sunshine of Egyptian darkness.

§. 17. But if this Dionysius were the Person he pretends to be, viz. the Areopagite, then we might have some reason to think that the Platonick Philosophers had taken their notions out of him; and yet it would be very improbable that such a Writer should have been so well known among the Platonists, that was utterly unknown among the Christians. Did Dionysius leave his Works to the Philosophers at Athens, or to the Christians? If they were only among the Philosophers, how came they out of their hands at last? if they had borrowed so much out of them, they would have done as they report Aristotle did with his Creditors (I mean the ancient Philosophers) viz. suppressed them, when they had gotten as much from them as they could? And it were an easie matter to have done it, since they were writings never mentioned in those first Ages by Christians. So Bellarmin himself grants, (after the consisideration of all the Testimonies produced by Baronius and many others)Bellarm. de Script. Ecchs. in Dio…. that these books were not known in the five first Centuries. Which argument together with other circumstances have made some of the p. 132most learned Persons of the Roman Church that have been of late, to reject this Author as supposititious; for notwithstanding all the pleas that have been made for him by Baronius, Del-Rio, Halloix, Lessius, De Chaumont, Lansselius and others; his Authority is very much suspected by Petavius, Petav. … I…d. ad Tom. d… dogm. Theol. Sirmond. de 2. Dionys. c. 8.Sirmondus,Labb… de Script. Eccles. and Labbe, La…v Di… cuss. discuss. c. 16.all Iesuits; Godea… hist. Eglis l. 1. A. D. 99. p. 125.but rejected by Launoy, Godeau, Habertus, Habert. observ. 1. i… Rit. Ord…. Graec.and Morinus, Morinus de Ordin. Sacr. p. 2. c. 2. … 8.who proves at large that these Books. Petav. de I…carn. l. 4. c. 6. n. 6. l. 14. c. 13. …. 9.were never produced till the conference with Hypatius A. D. 532. and then they were brought forth by the Severian hereticks, and rejected by Hypatius, because no Testimony was brought out of them, by former Eccle… siastical Writers, when there was sufficient occasion if they had been then extant. And in truth, it seems most probable, that they came out of the School of Apollinaris, and so might well be produced first by the Severians; for it is not only observed by Petavius, that the heresie of Apollinaris came out of the Platonick School; but (if I be not much mistaken) from that very notion of Plotinus of the difference of the mind and Soul (for as appears by Epiphanius, Apollinaris granted, that Christ had the Soul but not the mind of man, and Nemesius expresly charges Apollinaris with following the doctrine of Plotinus) by which p. 133it is plain that Apollinaris was sufficiently conversant in these writings to borrow his notions from thence, and he was more than ordinarily remarkable for his conversation with Philosophers; but besides this we find his School particularly charged with this way of Forging Ecclesiastical Writers, as some pieces of Athanasius and Greg. Thaumaturgus, Leo…t. de Sectis act. 8.and an Epistle of Pope Iulius and others.Phat. Cod. 230. To which, another circumstance may be added, which shews the greater probability of it,Fa …nd. l. 1. p 40. viz. that among the Disciples of Apollinaris, Lib …at. i… Brev. c. 10.there were both a Dionysius and Timotheus; a Dionysius to whom the counterfeit epistle of Iulius was directed; and a Timotheus mentioned together with Apollinaris as his Disciple by Damasus, Theodor. hist. Eccl. l. 5. c. 10.Sir 50:5by Gennadius, and by S. Augustin, and others, so that if Apollinaris himself were not the Author of them,G…a ad Catalog. c. 2. Au…st. de … c. 90. yet his disciple Dionysius might write them to his fellow-disciple Timotheus; Auct. frag. c. Severi. ap…d Canis-Anti. Lect. To 4 p. 236.and the names hitting so luckily, they might the easier pass under the more venerable names of the Ancient Dionysius and Timothy. But this I only propose as a conjecture, it being sufficient to my purpose to have given such plain evidence, that the Fundamentals of mystical Theology, were first taken out of those Philosophers who were the greatest enemies to Christianity, p. 134and who seemed to set up this, in opposition to it, as a more sublime way to perfection.

It were an easie matter after this, to shew how this Mystical Divinity by the Authority of these c…unterfeit writings came into reputation, in the Western Church, after the translation of them by Iohannes Erigena and Anastasius; what Authority it gained among some of the Schoolmen by its agreeableness with the doctrine of some Arabian Philosophers about the Intellectus Agens; and other principles of Enthusiasm among them; how it came into Germany among the Monks there, and what pretences to Visions and Revelations came in upon it; what favour it hath received from the Ies…itical Order,Max. Sand. I…bilum. (Maximilian Sandaeus having published a Discourse on purpose to prove that from the very Foundation of their Order, the Iesuits have been the greatest admirers of and pretenders to Mystical Divinity,) Societ. Iesu ob Theolog.but I must stop;Mystic. Colo…. A. D. 1640. lest Mr. Cressy should tell me, that I take another opportunity to empty my voluminous store of Collections; whereas all the pains I have taken in this matter hath been to give him full satisfaction that I have read and considered what the Author of the Roman Churches Devotions vindicated, hath said upon this argument, which he so humbly beseeches the Person of Honour p. 135to peruse, hoping by that means he would come to a better opinion of Sancta Sophia, and Mystical Divinity, and Mr. Cressy: and I dare leave any Person of Honour and Understanding, to judge, whether notwithstanding what he hath said for it Mr. Cr. had reason to account, this Mystical Divinity, the perfection of Christian Prayer and Devotion.