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

dress, but with much of the beautiful simplicity of the original, is elegantly expanded by Father Neuveville, in his Morale de l'Evangile, 4 vols. 8vo.; by Father Gonnelieu, in his Pratique de la vie Intérieure, 1 vol. 8vo.; L'Exercise de la vie Intérieure, 1 vol. 8vo. and the translation, into French, of the Imitation of Christ, I vol. 8vo.; by Father Lombez, in his Traité sur la Paix Intéri eure, 1 vol. 12mo.; and in La vraie et solide Piété de St. Francis de Sales, 1 vol. 8vo.

Mystical devotion never prevailed much in England.

The Scale of Perfection of Hylton, a Carthusian monk, merits attentive perusal. The Sancta Sophia of Father Baker, a Benedictine monk, in the abridgment given of it by Father Cressey, of the same order, and Philotheus's Pilgrimage to Perfection, in a practice of ten days solitude, Bruges 1668, were once popular among English Roman Catholics. The Sancta Sophia was severely animadverted upon by Dr. Stillingfleet, in his Idolatry, practised by the church of Rome; Cressey replied to it, by his Answer to Part of Dr. Stilling fleet's Book, entitled: Idolatry practised by the church of Rome; and his Fanaticism, fanatically imputed to the Catholic church by Dr. Stilling fleet. In answer to this work, Lord Chancellor Clarendon published a vindication of Dr. Stillingfleet, entitled Animadversions on Mr. Cressey's book, entitled Fanaticism fanatically imputed, &c. Mr. Cressey answered by An epistle apologetical of S. C. a person of honour, touching his vindication of Dr. Stilling fleet. To this, Dr. Stillingfleet replied, by his Answer to Mr. Cressey's epistle apologetical, &c. All these controversial works are ably written, and deserve an attentive perusal: not so much, however, for their mystic lore, as for the important facts and observations which they communicate, respecting the grounds on which the penal laws, in the English code, against the Roman Catholics, can be best attacked or defended.

VII. MYSTICISM, AS IT IS FOUND IN THE WRITINGS OF THE MOST APPROVED ROMAN CATHOLIC AUTHORS.

At an early period of Christianity, three states of the Just were noticed by her writers: at a. later period, they were distinguished into the Purgative, the Illuminative, and the Contemplative or Unitive. The first, which took its appellation from Aristotle's purgation of the passions, is supposed to comprehend those who have made their first advances in a spiritual life; who assiduously bewail their sins, are careful to avoid relapsing into them, endeavour to destroy their bad habits, and to extinguish their passions; who fast, watch, and pray, and are blessed with. a contrite and humble heart.: The second is supposed to include those who divest themselves of earthly affections, study to ac-,

VOL. I. PART II.

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quire purity of heart, and a constant habit of virtue, the true light of the soul;-who assiduously meditate on the life and doctrines of Christ, and inflame themselves by it to the imita tion of his virtues. Those are supposed to be arrived at the third state whose souls, thus illuminated, are dead to the world, are united to God, and enjoy his holy peace. Even in the first stage of a spiritual life, the comfort which the soul experiences exceeds the joys of this world. With Bourdalouë, (Sur la choix mutuel de Dieu et de l'ame religieuse,) the soul exclaims, "I have chosen God, and God has chosen me; this reflection is my support and strength; it will enable me to surmount every difficulty, to resist every temptation, to rise above every chagrin and disgust." From the moment in which this choice is made, the soul, according to the same eloquent preacher, (in his sermon for the feast of St. Mary Magdalen) "begins to enjoy a sweet tranquillity: conscience begins to experience the interior joy of pious hope and confidence in the mercies of God, and to feel the holy onction' of grace. In the midst of her penitential austerities, she comforts and strengthens herself by the thought, that she is making some satisfaction and atonement to God for her sins, that she is purifying her heart, and disposing it to receive the communications of heaven." This comfort and sensation of happiness must necessarily increase in proportion as the soul is illuminated, as the charms of virtue are unveiled to her, and her interior is filled with God. 66 Who can express," says Bourdaloue, "the secret delight which God bestows on a heart thus purified! how he delights her! what holy sentiments and transports he excites in her!" But when she lives for God alone, then, in the language of the spiritualists, God communicates himself to her, and her happiness, as far as happiness is attainable in this life, is complete. Here begins the contemplative or unitive state.

What in this state of union passes between God and the soul, the most eminent spiritualists acknowledge their inability to describe. All of them admit that the language and images by which they attempt to represent it, though they should be the best that industry and eloquence can supply, must fall short of what they wish to express. Still, for the edification and instruction of the faithful, of those particularly who may think themselves called to it, they attempt to describe it as far as language allows.

They inform us, that, though it sometimes pleases Almighty God to elevate a soul at once to the sublimest contemplation, he generally leads her to it by the degrees we have mentioned. For each of them the soul disposes herself, by prayer, penance, and submission to the divine will: the fear and love of God enter into each of them; and each has its vicissitudes of spi

ritual joy and spiritual trial. The passage into each requires exertion and perseverance, and none of them can be attained without "holy violence." To obtain a contrite and humble heart, the foundation of all virtue, requires many an arduous effort, many a painful sacrifice. As the soul advances in virtue, her combats continue, temptations to vanity, to gratifications of sense, and dissipation of thought, press on her, and appear to multiply ;she flies from them to the “ foot of the cross ;' the more she takes of it upon her, the more she has to support of its weight: but she perseveres, and begins to taste how sweet the Almighty is to those who truly seek him. Still much imperfection hangs upon her, and self-love enters too much into her best actions. Self-love itself she finally subdues, and this leads her to the happy state of union with the Almighty, which, according to the writers of whom we are speaking, forms the just man's last and happiest state in this life. But, for the passage into it, the most heroic exertions and sacrifices are necessary; the soul must completely die to the world and herself, and obtain a complete victory over all that draws, or has even a remote tendency to draw her from God. Persecution, from the world at large, from those who are most dear to her, repeated mortifications, and bitter external and internal trials of every kind, are the means which God generally uses to effect her final perfection; but by far the severest trial, with which he visits her, is the "spiritual night," as it is termed by those writers, through which he generally makes her pass. In that state, she is assailed by the strongest temptations; she often seems to herself to be on the brink of yielding to them; and, sometimes, fears she has yielded: the most blasphemous thoughts, the most irregular ideas, crowd her mind; she feels, or rather apprehends she feels, a complacency in them; God seems to her to abandon her, she no longer beholds in him her Father, her Redeemer, the shepherd who leads her to the green pasture, or the living water;-she views him armed with terrors, conceives herself an object of his wrath, and, in indescribable anguish, fears it will be her everlasting lot. Still she perseveres, and in the midst of this agonizing suffering, she is invariably patient, invariably humble, invariably resigned, and, even when she seems to herself to sink under the harrowing impression of her being an eternal object of divine wrath, and fears all is lost, (her last and heaviest trial,) she habitually trusts herself to his mercy, and abandons herself to his holy will. Then, she is nailed to the sacred cross: she dies to the world, to herself, to all that is not God, and her sacrifice is complete.

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But, as these writers assure us, in the midst of this severe visitation, God is ever near her, and enriches her with the most pure and exalted virtues. She acquires an habitual conformity