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mind as a link in this chain of intelligence, they conceived, that by passing through its various stages of purification, it might, at length, ascend to the first fountain of intelligence, and enjoy a mysterious union with the divine nature. They even imagined, that the soul of man, properly prepared by previous discipline, might rise to a capacity of holding immediate intercourse with good demons, and even enjoy, in ecstasy, an intuitive vision of God."

The mysticism of the modern, or rather the second school of Platonic mystics, appears to have begun with Ammonius Sacca, a learned man, who flourished in the second century. He was born of Christian parents, and, probably, always lived in the outward practice of the Christian religion. He attempted to bring about a coalition of all philosophical and all religious sects; all, he said, were grounded on the true philosophy and true religion of the east, taught to the Egyptians by Hermes, preserved in its original purity by Plato, his best interpreter; that it was afterwards adulterated, but was restored by the precepts of Jesus. Ammonius enjoined to his disciples a rule of life of extraordinary sanctity and austerity; he allowed the generality of them to conform, outwardly, to the duties and customs of the country; but enjoined a sublimer rule to the wise. They were to extenuate, by hunger, thirst, and mortification, the animal passions of man, and raise their souls, by holy contemplation, to the presence of the divine being, and to commune with him. This was to be effected by continued abstraction, aided by certain mysterious practices, called the Theurgic art. By these, the mind was sublimated; and obtained a view of the demons or spirits with whom the universe was peopled, and capacitated to perform wonderful things by their assistance. But communion with the supreme being was the ultimate object of the Ammonian theology. In this life, it might be attained in a high degree, where the disciple had sufficiently purged and refined his soul from the terrene particles which incumbered it. Death would complete her separation from the body, and she would then ascend, active and unincumbered, to the universal parent, the divine truth, and live in his essence for ever.

III-MYSTICISM OF THE JEWS.

The introduction of the Chaldaic philosophy, among the Jews, led many of them to the same fanciful speculations. These were particularly found among the Essenes and Therapeuts, two classes of solitary contemplatives, loosely spread over Syria, Egypt, and the adjoining countries. Sublime contemplation was the aim of each. Of the former, we know little : of the latter we have an interesting account, written by Philo the Jew. We learn, from him, that they were divided into the

practical and theoretical: that both were addicted to sublime contemplations: that the former allowed some of their time to the active duties of life; but that the latter were wholly absorbed in divine philosophy: they endeavoured so to habituate themselves, that God should never be absent from their minds; and that his beauty and excellence should always dwell in their thoughts. Thus, they described themselves as habitually living in the recollection of his presence, and uttering, even in sleep, divine things..

IV. MYSTICISM OF THE EARLY CHRISTIANS.

In the New Testament, the advocates of mysticism find it in the words of Christ, (John, c. xiv. v. 23) in which he says, "if any one love me, he will keep my commandments; and my father will love him, and we will come to him and will make our abode with him:" and, in a passage in the epistle of St. Paul, (2 Cor. c. 3. v. 18) where the apostle mentions, that, "beholding God, without a veil, we are transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the spirit of our Lord." And, also, in a passage of St. John, (epistle 1. c. 4. v. 18) in which he says, that God is charity; and that he who abideth in charity, abideth in God, and God in him."

From the writings of the apostolic fathers, particularly St. Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, several expressions are cited by mystical writers, which appear to shew that mystical theology, in the same sense in which it is spoken of by more modern writers, was known to them.

In the second century, it appears more clearly and systematically expressed in the writings of St. Clement, Bishop of Alexandria. A work with the title, On Mystical Theology, which is ascribed, by some very respectable writers, to St. Dionysius, the Areopagite, and was certainly written before the fifth century, treats, fully and distinctly, of mystical theology, and unequivocally professes to shew, that by disengaging the affections from all sensible things, the soul can be raised, as it is termed by the writer," to the contemplation of the divine obscurity, the incomprehensible Godhead." Some passages, translated from other authors, and cited as authorities, are said to be found in this writer.

That mystical devotion was common among the Fathers of the Desert is, say the advocates of mysticism, clear from the writings of Cassian.

From this time, few traces of it, they generally admit, are discoverable among the writers of the Latin church, till the year 767, when Pope Paul sent a copy of the treatise of St. Dionysius, the Areopagite, to Lewis the Debonnaire; and that mo

narch circulated it among the clergy of France, by whom it was generally read and approved. Photius mentions St. Dionysius as "a disciple of St. Paul, powerful and sublime in oratory, but greater in contemplation." In 860, the works of St. Dionysius were translated from the Greek into the Latin language, by the order of Charles the Bald.

The writings of St. John Climachus, the last of the Greek, and of St. Bernard, the last of the Latin fathers, abound with mystical elevation, and it never appears to more advantage than in the writings of the latter.

V.-CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM DURING THE MIDDLE AGES.

In the middle age, mystical theology soon fell into the hands of the scholastic divines, particularly the two St. Victors, Hugo and Richard, St. Thomas of Aquin, and Albert the Great. But, while it was discussed by these writers with the accuracy and refinement of scholars, it was expressed, in a more free and devotional manner, by some of their contemporaries. Among these, St. Bonaventure, Taulerus, Rusbrock, Dionysius the Carthusian, are particularly distinguished. To Taulerus, the mystical writers are particularly partial, and it is observable, that he is always mentioned by Luther, in terms of the highest commendation. "If you wish," says Luther, in a letter to Saplatinus, (tom 1, p. 23)" to read antient and pure theology in your native German, purchase the works of Taulerus, the Dominican monk; no where, either in the Latin or in the German language, is more pure or more spiritual theology to be found."

A little before the time of which we are now speaking, some errors, from which the worst consequences clearly followed, were introduced into mysticism by a sect, called Bogards.

Two of their errors may be thought to deserve a particular mention; the first, that a person may, in this life, acquire so high a state of perfection, as to become absolutely impeccable, and incapable of advancing farther in virtue; the second, that, in this state of perfection, prayer is unnecessary. Their errors were condemned in 1311, at the general council of Vienne, at which Pope Clement the Fifth presided in person.

Taulerus wrote against the Bogards: he was highly celebrated for his extensive and profound learning. Rusbrock, on the contrary, was perfectly ignorant of the science of the schools; and many of the most objectionable passages, in the writings of the mystics, are taken from his works. Some passages of this description were objected, both to Taulerus and Rusbrock, by Gersen, the celebrated chancellor of Paris. In Harphius, a Franciscan friar of Mechlen, they met with an able advocate.

Among the writers of these times, the mystics are proud to

mention, in their list, St. Catherine of Sienna, St. Catherine of Genoa, and the blessed Angela of Foligna.

VI.-MODERN ROMAN CATHOLIC MYSTICAL WRITERS.

The modern Roman Catholic school of mysticism opens with St. John of the Cross and St. Theresa. All spiritualists agree, that no mystic writer appears to have been more highly gifted, or to have used more accurate language, than St. Theresa: her works are written with great fire and in an excellent taste; they abound with judicious remarks, and the best Spanish writers inform us, that the style of them is most elegant and correct.

The work of St. Francis of Sales, on The Love of God, has, of all mystical writings, been the most read. "He paints in it," says the author of The Lives of the Saints, "his own soul. He describes the feeling sentiments of divine love, its state of fervor, of dryness, of trials, suffering, and darkness: in explaining which, he calls in philosophy to his assistance. He writes on this sublime subject, what he had learned by his own experience. Some parts of the book are only to be understood by those who have gone through these states; yet, the author has ever been admired for the performance. The General of the Carthusians had written to him, upon his Introduction to a devout life, advising him to write no more, because nothing could equal that book: but, seeing this, he bade him never cease writing; and James I. was so delighted with the book, that he expressed a great desire to see the author." Those who wish to read the celebrated work of St. Francis of Sales, should procure the edition of it by Father Bignon. The edition, published at Lyons, in 1628, by Drobet, was adulterated; and, on the complaint of the brother of the author, was suppressed by the order of Lewis XIII. A correct and true edition of the work was printed, at Lyons, by Courcellys, in 1629; but the faulty edition, with its additions and interpolations, has been often reprinted, which makes it the more desirable to procure the edition of Father Bignon.

The errors of the Bogards have been mentioned: the present is the place for mentioning the errors of the Quietists. They were a modification of the errors of the Bogards. The patriarch of them was Michael de Molinos: his errors were condemned by Innocent XI. in 1680. Quietism was a modification of the errors of Molinos; it was justly charged on the writings of Madame de Guyon; and certainly some expressions, used by Fenelon, are tinged with it.*

* The controversy to which this gave rise is mentioned, at some length, in the Life of Fenelon, by Mr. Butler.

Mystical writers, subsequent to St. Francis of Sales, may be divided into those who preceded, and those who were subsequent to, the disputes in which Fenelon was engaged. The most eminent of the former are Father Surin and Cardinal Bona. In the disputes of Quietism, both Bossuet and Fenelon appealed to the writings of Father Surin, and each pronounced them to be free from reproach. They were first printed with the formal approbation of Bossuet. They consist principally of his Fondemens de la Vie Spirituelle, 1 vol. 8vo. both of them edited by Father Bignon; and of his Letters in 2 vols. 12mo. In the first of them, he mentions, that one of the most sublime contemplatives, whom he ever knew, was a journeyman in a working trade, with whom he happened to travel in a French diligence; and who afterwards, as we find from Boudon's Letters, became a laybrother amongst the Capuchins. The mystical writings of Cardinal Bona deserve the highest praise for the accuracy of their doctrine, their affecting piety, extreme erudition, and exquisite Latinity. It may be doubted, whether, since the days of the younger Pliny, any Latin author has written in verse or prose with greater elegance. Yet it may be questioned, whether the subject is treated in any work so perspicuously, (though with great brevity) as in the Catechisme de Therèse, contenant toute la Doctrine necessaire pour la vie Spirituelle; Bruxelles, 1675.

The disputes between Bossuet and Fenelon brought mysticism into disrepute. Contemplative writers, subsequent to that time, have cautiously abstained from entering into any detailed account of the gifts of contemplative prayer, and seem to confine themselves to exhortations and habitual recollection of the presence of God; humility, self-denial, retirement, and detachment from worldly objects; and to moving descriptions of the blessings which the peace of God confers on those who enjoy it.

Of this description of writers, but long anterior in time to the period of which we are now speaking, is the author of The Imitation of Christ. "That," says Fontenelle, "is the most excellent book which ever came from the hand of man, the gospel being of divine original." This is the highest eulogium that any work has received, and its justice is universally admitted. Valart founds an argument against the claim of Thomas-àKempis to be its author, on the supposed inequality of the acknowledged works of that writer, which, he says, are extremely flat but the justice of this censure was denied by the late Mr. Alban Butler, the author of The Lives of the Saints: he always spoke in terms of the highest commendation of the treatise of Thomas-à-Kempis, de verâ Compunctione and de Tribus Taber

naculis.

The doctrine of this celebrated book, in a more modern

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