§. XVI.
And though this Worship be indeed very different from the divers established invented Worships among Christians, and therefore may seem strange to many, yet hath it been testified of, commended and practised, by the most pious of all Sorts, in all Ages, as by many evident Testimonies might be proved. So that from the professing and practising thereof, the Name of Mysticks hath arisen, as of a certain Sect, generally commended by all, whose Writings are full both of the Explanation and of the Commendation of this Sort of Worship; A certain Sect of Mysticks among the Papists, their inward Exercise. See Sancta Sophia, printed An. Dom. 1657.where they plentifully assert this inward Introversion and Abstraction of the Mind, as they call it, from all Images and Thoughts, and the Prayer of the Will: The English Benedictines Testimony for the spiritual Worship, against their Masses and set Devotions.Yea, they look upon this as the Height of Christian Perfection; so that some of them, though professed Papists, do not doubt to affirm, That such as have attained this Method of Worship, or are aiming at it, (as in a Book, called Sancta Sophia, put out by the English Benedictines, printed at Doway, Anno 1657. Tract. I. Sect. 2. Cap. 5.) need not, nor ought to trouble or busy themselves with frequent and unnecessary Confessions, with exercising corporal Labours and Austerities, the using of vocal voluntary Prayers, the hearing of a Number of Masses, or set Devotions, or Exercises to Saints, or Prayers for the Dead, or having solicitous and distracting Cares to gain Indulgences, by going to such and such Churches, or adjoining one’s Self to Confraternities, or intangling one’s Self with Vows and Promises; because such Kind of Things hinder the Soul from observing the Operations of the divine Spirit in it, and from having Liberty to follow the Spirit whither it would draw her. And yet who knows not that in such Kind of Observations the very Substance of the Popish Religion consisteth? Yet nevertheless, it appears by this, and many other Passages, which out of their Mystick Writers might be mentioned, how they look upon this Worship as excelling all other; and that such as arrived hereunto, had no absolute Need of the others: Yea, (see the Life of Balthazar Alvares, in the same Sancta Sophia, Tract. III. Sect. 1. Cap. 7.) such as tasted of this, quickly confessed, that the other Forms and Ceremonies of Worship were useless as to them; neither did they perform them as Things necessary, but merely for Order or Example’s Sake. And therefore, though some of them were so overclouded with the common Darkness of their Profession, yet could they affirm that this spiritual Worship was still to be retained and sought for, even though it should become necessary to omit their outward Ceremonies. Bernard preferring the Spirit above Popish Orders.Hence Bernard, as in many other Places, so in his Epistle to William, Abbot of the same Order, saith, Take Heed to the Rule of God; the Kingdom of God is within you: And afterwards, saying, That their outward Orders and Rules should be observed, he adds; But otherwise, when it shall happen that one of these two must be omitted, in such a Case these are much rather to be omitted than those former: For by how much the Spirit is more excellent and noble than the Body, by so much are spiritual Exercises more profitable than corporal. Is not that then the best of Worships, which the best of Men in all Ages, and of all Sects, have commended, and which is most suitable to the Doctrine of Christ? I say, Is not that Worship to be followed and performed? And so much the rather, as God hath raised a People to testify for it, and preach it, to their great Refreshment and Strengthening, in the very Face of the World, and notwithstanding much Opposition; who do not, as these Mysticks, make of it a Mystery, only to be attained by a few Men or Women in a Cloister; Those Mysticks did confine that Mystery to a Cloister.or, as their Mistake was, after wearying themselves with many outward Ceremonies and Observations, as if it were the Consequence of such a Labour; but who in the free Love of God (who respects not Persons, and was near to hear and reveal himself, as well to Cornelius, a Centurion and a Roman, as to Simeon and Anna; and who discovered his Glory to Mary, a poor Handmaid, and to the poor Shepherds, rather than to the High Priests and devout Proselytes among the Jews) in and according to his free Love, finding that God is revealing and establishing this Worship, and making many poor Tradesmen, yea, young Boys and Girls, Witnesses of it, do intreat and beseech all to lay aside their own Will-worships, and voluntary Acts, performed in their own Wills, and by their own mere natural Strength and Power, without retiring out of their vain Imaginations and Thoughts, or feeling the pure Spirit of God to move and stir in them; that they may come to practise this acceptable Worship, which is in Spirit and in Truth. But against this Worship they object.