| Title: | Copy Extract In Hand ?, John Dury To Cheney Culpeper |
|---|---|
| Dating: | undated |
| Ref: | 1/4/9A-18B: 18B BLANK |
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[another hand:] Extract: Culpeper & Mr Durie aboute the spiritual Analysis
[scribal hand:]
Sir [Cheney?]
I am very desirous to gratify yow in the virtuous[altered] desire which yow have expressed vnto me concerning the Method of Meditation: for I thinke myselfe a debter more to yow therein, then vnto others because your zeale doth leade yow to more vniversall conceptions then others are capable of; if therefore it were Gods will to open a Dore of vtterance vnto me towards yow at this tyme, at least so farre as to initiate yow fully in the way of future conference with me about this matter, I would be exceeding glad not only for your sake, but even for mine owne sake, that I might have a fitt object to worke vpon, & to bring forth the particulars which lye in my mind & which without some good & fitt opportunity I cannot be drawne to elaborate & putt to paper.
I am willing then at this tyme to show yow my conceptions concerning the first Principles of the Method which I thinke euery one should follow that will walke by a Rule in ordering his thoughts for Meditation & consultation. Here yow have the aime of my present discourse with yow, wherein yow may observe distinctly that I presuppose. 1. that a Man is able to order his owne thoughts 2. That the meanes to bring <order> them is a certayne Rule by which he should walke. 3. that this Rule hath certayne Principles of which now I am cheifely to speake. 4 & that the ends or rather the objects towards which the thoughts are to be ordered are the Acts of Meditating & consulting. If any body make these presupposalls disputable or if yow should make a doubt of them I cannot proceede cleerly with yow except I know where his or your scruples doth lye that some principle wherein we can agree may be taken vp to resolve it. But supposing that these things are not so much scrupuled[altered from scrupled] & made [catchword: disputable]
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disputable as not well & fully vnderstood then before I proceede I must open the same vnto yow. I say then concerning the first that my meaning is not that a Man hath any sure command over himselfe that all the risings of thoughts in his mind should be vnder his power either to prevent thoughtes which he would not have to come in his minde or to laye downe thoughtes rison or to reduce at all tymes into good order the thoughts that cannot be laid downe; this is not my meaning for I know that the preparations of the heart in man & the Answer of the tongue is from the Lord. prov. 16. 1. & that mans goings are of the Lord & that therefore he cannot vnderstand his owne way in respect of the first motions thereof ibid. [c?] 20. 24. to which that place of Ierem: 10. 23. is parallel. O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe & it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. viz the first motions are not from a Man nor can a man by any humane instruction or habituall pracise & premeditation attayne to any sure perfection that he shall be able to direct & overrule all his thoughts & the actions which proceede from thence vnto his owne preconceived aimes & ends: for although a mans heart doth device his way, & layeth plots vnto it selfe & maketh many resolucions; yet the Lord is he who directeth a mans steps towards the event thereof. <left margin: prov. 16. 9.> so that neither the first motions of the mind nor the constant & absolute progresse thereof is in our power: but this I meane when I say that we are able to order our thoughts vizt. that the vnderstanding of a man hath received from God a reflexive faculty to consider of it selfe & its owne actions & of all things belonging vnto the motions thereof; to the end that they may be brought [catchword: into]
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into some regular frame & freed from confusion & vnsetlednes for the prosecution of matters wherevpon the spirit is fully bent & ought to be fixed. This reflexive[altered] faculty is given to the nature of all mens vnderstanding but it is not in the power of euery one to make vse of it or to make right use of it. for neither can euery one reflect vpon himselfe & his owne making when it is most expedient; nor when he doth reflect vpon himselfe & vpon the acts of his vnderstanding can he do it all tymes as he ought to do it: but this ability to make vse & to make right vse of the reflexive faculty is a peculiar gift of God & he doth bestow it vpon whomsoever he pleaseth. for as Elihu saith to Iob. there is a spirit in man & the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them vnderstanding: <left margin: Iob. 32. 8.> so it is certayne that although the faculty of ordering our wayes be in the soule yet except God breath vpon it & make it alive it cannot either act or act any thing aright but it lyeth there as a dead thing without motion whilest a man doth walke at randome in a vaine shew not knowing himselfe what he is doing: or if perhaps he doth take notice of himselfe (as naturally men vse to do) it is rather to flatter himselfe in idle conceipts & imaginations or to follow eagerly some particular plots then to order & regulate his wayes vnto true felicity & subordinate his motion vnto the lawfull ends for which they should be vndertaken. Thus[altered]
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wholy to a mans selfe; or as if by any act, method instruction & direction which we can give, any man should be made able to rule all his thoughts so that they should be composed at all tymes to attayne to any object which he should propose vnto himselfe. This must not be thought but my meaning is to be conceived of the ordinary faculty of reflecting vpon our selves how to make vse of it in the feare of God when we find our selves moved to intend good & lawfull matters for our owne & others edification: how then we should frame & compose our meditations & consultations to attayne by Rule vnto the ends for which they are vndertaken & not to proceede as fooles & children do at randome; in the acts where Reason & wisedome should take place is the true object of this discourse & the source of the first supposall.
The second presupposall I thinke hath no difficulty for if a man doth graunt that there is a reflexible faculty in the vnderstanding & that this faculty can act vpon the thoughts & that these thoughts can be ordered & freed from confusion, I do not see how he can make a doubt of this vizt. that the means to order our thoughts should be some Rule or other according to which the understanding should be proceede in working vpon it selfe. And then concerning the third in like manner if it be graunted that where order is to be observed thence a Rule may be vsed, it cannot be denied but that in ordering things by Rules, Principles must be observed whence the Rules are to betaken: for seeing by ordering is implyed a setting of things in a presedency and consecution one to another; & by a Rule is meant either the forme & frame or the reason why the precedency and consecution ought [catchword: to]
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to be so & not otherwise. And seing all formes & frames which are rationally composed have a ground in the being & nature of the thing, whence they arise; therefore it cannot be denied but that the Rules by which humane thoughts are to be ordered must have Certaine Principles; which Principles we will now speak of (God Willing) in briefe, that yow may have an overture made vnto yow, either to proceede by your selfe vpon the grounds that shall be afforded vnto yow, or to call vpon me hereafter, & give me cause to open my selfe further in due tyme for your better satisfaction.
Yow have now already vnderstood that by Principles I meane the grounds of Rules by which a man is to walke in his thoughts of Meditation & consultation; the end then to which we drive is to Meditate & consult aright; by meditating I conceive the act of the minde reflecting vpon the nature of any thing to dive into the true properties & vses thereof. By consulting I vnderstand the act of the mind reflecting vpon the Actions which are to be vndertaken or left of or not vndertaken about any thing; to gaine some good end wherevnto they should be directed according as it may be conceived to be or not to be posssible or vsefull. from whence yow may gather that the Acts of the mind which are to be regulated (which we call Meditation & consultation) are not now to be considered in respect of the subjects whereupon they are to reflect (which we have called the natures of things & the Actions which may be intended by vs for some good end) but in respect of the Reflection it selfe, that whether we meditate or consult we may have a Rule to order the reflection of our mind, vpon any subject whatsoever. The Rule then which we seeke at this tyme is to be gathered from the nature of the Acts of the minde to set them in their right frame one towards another, & not from the Relation which [catchword: they]
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they may have towards the discovery of any thing in respect of outward objects. yow see then that the Acts of the mind as they have a twofold Relation soe they admitt of a twofold Rule; for as they relate other objects besides themselves they must be made proportionate vnto the ends which the vnderstanding aimeth at in these objects; but as they relate one another they must be ruled & ordered according to their owne inward propertyes & made answerable vnto the end wherefore they ought to reflect one vpon another. where I observe, that to find the Principles whereby these Acts are to be regulated is to discover three things 1. what the Acts of the mind of man are & how they are distinguished? 2. How they stand in relation one to[altered from towards] another in their seuerall inward propertyes? 3. What the end of this relation is? & how it must be gayned? for this Relation is the grounds of the Reflection; & the end of that Relation is the first inward Principle of goodnesse & of that well being wherevpon the nature of the soule of Man hath bin framed & constituted; & from which all the well ordered Acts thereof must naturally flow & what soever is not answerable therevnto in the agitation of thoughts & motion of the mind is to be judged irrationall & void of vnderstanding
Now then to lay open the Acts of a mans mind it is not possible except we know what a Man & what his mind is. By a Man we conceive this Creature which we find our selves to be as we are distinguished from all other living & animall things by the frame of our body & of our soule which the scripture saith was made after the image of God <which image of god> (since we have lost it) is now vnknowne vnto nature: & therefore by the vse of naturall Reason [catchword: no]
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no man can know himselfe truly what he is; because he hath lost the Idea of the image after which he was made. But the scripture having told vs that our body was made of the substance ofthe earth, & that by the breath of the Lord into our Nostrills we are become a living soule; & that God made vs thus after his owne image that we should vnder him as his substitutes bearing his image & likenes in this world, have Dominion over all the rest of the Creatures which are therin. I say the scripture having taught vs thus much: we have by this Doctrine a new Principle of knowledge whereby to discerne ourselves what we are & what our mind is & what the end is wherefore it was put in our earthly body, of which things I will not now speake at large; but in a word I will tell yow what according to this scripturall Truth I conceive man & his mind to be. viz. a spirit a soule & a body joyned together in the powers of an eternall Rational & sensuall life whereof the Acts should be answerable one to another according to the predominant or subordinate propertyes; wherein they are all to be answerable vnto the life of god. The acts then of the life of man
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Rationall soule dwelling in the will & vnderstanding. As concerning the sensuall life wherein we differ not from beasts we make it no part of the mind of man although we hold not that man hath more soules then one or that those Acts of the sensuall life are to be neglected & no way brought vnder a Rule: but we affirme both,
The Relation wherein these Acts stand one to another in respect of the propertyes of these facultyes whence they proceede is this that the faculty of the spirit in the acts & enditements of the Conscience is supreme & predominant above all the rest: to which the Rationall faculty of the soule in the acts of Memory, vnderstanding & willing is imediately subordinate; & to these the acts of the imaginations & sensuall passions are subservient & submitted. And if this Relation & subordination be altered so that the sensuall should be predominant above the Rationall or the Rationall above the spirituall Acts, then all is out of order & a mans life is either Beastly or Divilish.
The end wherefore this Relation & subordination of the faculties of man was thus appointed & ordered by God; is, that in the right use of these facultyes he should expresse the Image & life of [catchword: God]
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God, wherein he should be able to rule over the rest of the Creatures to bring them to the state of Happines: that Gods glory might appeare as in himselfe so also in euery one of them according to the degree of their perfection. so that to gaine this end for which God hath thus framed the mind of man, the Rule is none other but to observe the true Relation where in God hath sett vs which is 1. that our spirits should be in our Conscience wholy subjected vnto his spirit & dependant from him (who is the father of spirits) in all things so <left margin: with out his leave and the knowledge of his will by reflecting vpon his word ingrafted in> our hearts we should not presume to thinke say or do anything 2. that our Reason should in all things be a servant vnto the enditement of the spirituall word made manifest vnto our Conscience to obey it & to make the truth and goodnesse thereof plaine & evident to our selves & others. 3. that our sensuall motions should be a servant vnto the prescripts of Reason to helpe our rationall facultyes to expresse the will of God & apply it vnto those with whome we have to deale outwardly.
From all which yow may gather (for these are the Principles which I did intend to speake of) much more then I am able at this tyme to vtter: for here yow have a fountayne of Rules, from whence many directions may be taken how to order the Acts of the minde in respect of their mutuall relations one to another. for consider that in all things whereof we do thinke except they be merely spirituall & Divine so that they are no wayes subject vnto sence there ought to concurre the Act of Conscience of Reasson & of the imaginative faculty which in the inward sence & the head of all the other sensuall facultyes; & seing [catchword: these]
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these Acts should continually concurre in all the minding of outward matters, the Rule is that they must not be confounded nor preposterously brought forth: but that we should first order the Acts [another hand:] of our minde within our <it> selfe[altered] before wee proceede to meditate upon any particular Object: For except the conscience bee cleare & at rest in respect of God, the understanding will not perfourme the duetye aright: & if the understanding facultie bee out of order, the senses will not bee well imployed to minister & seeke out evidences <or> & to represent them orderly unto the Rational abilities. So that to laye the first ground worke of meditation & consultation aright, a man of Iudgement should looke to himselfe, that these three great wheeles of the minde, bee well composed & sette in order one towards another: the Conscience, the Rationatiue abilitie; & the Sensitiue facultie: Lest the Conscience being under guilt, & defilements; bee separat from God, whoe is the Author [left margin: Iam 1. 17] of all good gifts, & from whose mouth alone Wisdome doeth proceede. Prov. 2. 6. For God doeth not giue true Wisedome & Understanding, but unto such as come to him to seeke it: Now to come to him, or to seeke wisedome from him without Faith, it is neither possible, nor can any thinge bee receiued at his hand. For without Faith it is impossible to please God. Hebr.11. 6. And hee that is of a doubting & wauering minde, mut not thinke, that hee can receiue any thing of the Lord. Iam. 1. 6, 7. But when the conscience is not cleansed & purified from dead workes, there must needes bee a doubting, & wauering in it, when it commeth before God; & so it will bee found unfitt to receiue Wisedome or direction from him. For God giueth to a man that is good in his sight, wisedome & Knowledge, & Ioye, but to the sinner hee giueth travell. Eccles. 2. 26. nor can Wisedome enter or finde place into an uncleane soule: because [catchword: it is]
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it is prepossessed with sinne [left margin: Esai.59. 2.] which maketh a separation betwixt God & it. Besides all which; it is to bee considered, that as the feare of the Lord, is the beginning of wisedome; so the Spirit that hath not a dependence upon the word of the Lord, can haue no wisedome; because Ieremie sayth: [left margin: Ierem. 8. 9.] That seeing they haue rejected the word of the Lord, what wisedome is in them? There can bee no wisedome where the word of the Lord is not regarded; & this word cannot bee regarded, except the heart bee possessed with his feare: & this cannot bee excepted the Conscience bee sanctified, & cleansed from dead workes. So that wee see the first Principle & preparatiue unto Meditation, must bee the composing of the heart towards God; to sette our selues to thinke of that which is to be thought upon, as in his presence through his feare depending upon his word, & desiring his direction; that not onely with his leaue & permission, but by his order & according to his will wee maye doe all thinges, & thinke all our thoughts. This predisposing of the mind towards God, to reflect first upon him in all our meditations, is like unto the Tuning of an Instrument before a man doeth beginne to playe <a piece> of good Musick: so by drawing neare to God, with a good conscience, in cleansing it from all superfluitie of naughtinesse & calling upon him by Faith for grace & direction; the strings of the soule are tuned & sette in a good Harmonie, that the spirit of wisedome which proceedeth from him maye playe some harmonious melodicall piece upon the same: which without this tuning of the soule cannot bee done: And this Tuning cannot bee perfourmed, except the conscience bee brought neare unto God, & bee able to looke upon him, that it maye bee inlightned. For by looking to him & comparing it selfe to his will [catchword: &]
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& Livinge word, it receiueth light, first to see & judge itselfe in what estate it is; & then to judge other thinges alsoe: for then it reflecteth upon all thinges (& chiefly upon the inferiour faculties, which are subordinate unto the motions of the Spirit:) with a commanding power: so that they all stoope & yeeld to it, to become answereable unto the Intentions of the spirit, which are conceiued by a good Conscience, to bee aimed at in the worke of meditation & consultation: And lett euery man who desireth to go safe in any businesse of consequence, bee sure that hee neuer fall to worke without this preparatiue: For without it hee may runne himselfe into errours & those very daungerous, & hee cannot possiblely walke by true light & Rules, as longe as the great Maister Rules & principle of light is not made use of, which is the subordination of the Intents & purposes of the heart unto God to sette it in a frame, which maye bee answereable unto his Will. This then is the first maine Principle of true order, to bee settled in the Thoughts to bring the conscience to reflect upon God, & settle itselfe, towards him in the businesse which is to bee minded.
The second maine Principle is, to haue a care to cleare the naturall understanding, from prejudices & forestaled opinions, which are like filmes ouer the eyes of the mind through which it cannot looke soe as to discerne the right shape of thinges, otherwise in themselues sufficiently apparent.
These prejudices arise from a narrownesse & stinting of the thoughts unto thinges too particular. Therefore before wee beginne to meditate & <or> consult, wee should abstract [catchword: from]
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from particulars & state the Question whereof wee are to thinke in generall tearmes; which should comprehend the true nature of particulars. Which being done, the Termes of the Question are to bee considered & examined; that the properties thereof maye bee discouered. To which effect the Acts of Ratiocination should bee obserued & rightly ordered; which are:
1: To discerne distinctly the differences of matters belonging to the tearmes of the Question.
2. To compare those distinct matters together with the thinge enquired after; that from their agreement or disagreement, the judgement maye gather the Resolution of the Question.
3. To applye the Question Generally resolued, unto the particular matter in hand: where the circumstances of the particular are to bee lookt into[altered]; to finde how farre they answere or answere not, unto the Generall determination of the Question.
Thus then the Acts of Ratiocination should proceede by degrees: for the maine Principle, whereby they are to bee regulated is this, that the understanding must proceede alwayes from thinges foreknowen, to that which is unknowen; by single notions to proceede unto compounds: which may bee done, either from Generalls, foreknowen, to determine particulars unknowen: or from particulars forknowen, to gather the generall notion wherein they all agree; for both wayes the reasoning facultie should proceede.
First to state the Question which is to bee made the subject of meditation, by summing up the particulars [catchword: fore-]
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foreknowen; into one Generall head & propertie of their Agreement. Secondly to resolue that Question into its distinct matters, to discerne the properties thereof. Thirdly to compare those properties with the thing sought after, to see what they will discouer of it in Generall. And lastly to applye that which shall bee discouered in generall to the particular, as it standeth under its circumstances. And to this last Act of Reasoning, which concerneth the circumstances of particular matters, the use of sense doeth concurre to enquire, obserue, discerne & helpe to compare thinges together by their outwardly perceptible Realities[altered], which leade the understanding, to the apprehension of more inward properties.
Now the Principle by which the Acts of sense are to bee regulated is[altered] this, that they should bee kept from confused wanderings; & bee made to reflect upon the observation of circumstances, according to the suggestion of Reason in the order by which matters, are to bee compared one with another; for except circumstances bee taken in their right places, the application will not bee cleare, not rightly made. The Imagination then, & the Memorie (which haue receiued the Ideas of circumstances obserued by outward sense) must bee commanded; to make report of the same in that order & for such intents, which reason subordinat unto Conscience shall require to bee done; for the decision of that which is enquired after by waye of meditation & consultation: And if these Principles of order in the Acts of the [catchword: minde]
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minde within itselfe bee carefully obserued: I suppose no man can doubt but that the progresse will bee effectuall towards the discouerie of Trueth, in the objects of Meditation, & of goodnesse in the objects of consultation. For all the worke the mind of man is sette upon, is nothing else but Trueth & Goodnesse, to finde the same in Matters & Actions. And because Truth & Goodnesse are complicated together, so that the one is neuer without the other; Therefore they are sought joyntly & neuer found but together. But the instinct of nature leadeth men more to desire Goodnesse then Trueth; for Trueth is sought because it is knowen to be good: but the notion of Goodnesse is different in the capacities of men; & thererfore is sought differently according to the apprehensions which men haue of it. for some apprehend nothing to bee good, but what is answereable unto the delight which they take in sensuall objects: others apprehend the goodnesse of Rationall objects: & some are exalted unto Spirituall objects. Whence wee finde three sorts of men in the world: Some (but fewe are such:) seeke before all thinges & in all things, the Goodnesse which proceedeth immediately from God in the Life of the Spirit. Others, who liue in a Rationall & Morall waye, content themselues with the fruits of naturall Knowledge in the workes of their understandinge. And lastly some liue in their sensuall Appetites, as beasts doe. The first sort of men are Citizens of heauen. The second are Rulers of this world; the third are Slaues of the world. These different properties af men; are to be found more or lesse [catchword: in]
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in all the meditations & consultations of men about particular objects. For when the mindes of men runne chiefly upon temporall matters to seeke bodily ease & contentement, unto themselues in all thinges whereof they meditate & consult: they debase the the use of their Reason, & pervert it to become a slaue unto lust. And if they rest in a temporall content of thinges not meerly bodily, but somewhat alsoe rationall; To haue power & honnour, & preeminence, to rule ouer others by their understanding, they are in some degree better then others, but yet not truely sette upon that which is good. And therefore none but such as in the Acts of meditation & consultation, raise their thoughts, first to a Spirituall good, which is permanent unto life eternall. And then comprehend under it as subordinat matters thereunto, the objects of Reason & sense: None (I saye) but such order their thoughts aright; And whosoeuer walketh by this Rule hee maye expect, that in seeking the Kingdome of God, other thinges shall bee added unto him, according to the promise of Christ Matth. 6. 33. Now because I labour in the wayes of my calling, & in all the meditations which I use to propose unto others, to drawe mens thoughts unto this Rule, <H?: therefore> although none doeth contradict the proposalls which I make; yet I finde that they are not much relished: Because most men, euen of this Calling wherein I liue, seeke not truelye that which is Spirituall, but <H?: rather> that which is temporall, either in a Rationall or sensuall waye: for except they can perceiue a particular present advantage of honour & credit, or of profit to themselues, they neuer care for that which is Spirituall: And this is the cause why I cannot finde a Patron for my worke, because I doe [catchword: not]
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not sette my minde to serue endes & particular interrests, unto which all parties nowadayes are wedded; & can relish nothing but what is subordinat thereunto.
This then is the combate which I haue to fight with the Spirits of men; namely to bring them from their privat aimes to a true generall good, wherein the glorye of God, & the salvation of soules, without any other respects may bee advanced. I haue added this Digression to lette you see, that I neither can, nor will expect promotion for my endeavours, but from such as can & will followe with mee these Principles of Meditation, & Consultation to joyne with mee therein to further the Publick Good, whereat I aime: For except mens aimes concurre, there can bee no reall conjunction [word deleted?] <of> endeavours: And it is not lawfull for mee to leaue my Aime & way of meditation to serue inferiour endes; & seeing they cannot raise their thoughts, to walke with mee by these Rules, I am like to bee, as I am, continuallye deserted: Yet I am not discouraged; for I knowe that my reward is with him, whom I serue: & hee in due tyme is able to open mens [left margin: X] eyes, to see that they wearie themselues for vanitie, & wander in the foolishnesse of troublesome counsells; so long as they followe [left margin: X] not these grounds of meditation. For all the plotts & perposes of men meerely Rationall, though neuer so plausibley & strongly laid, will vanish when the Kingdome of God draweth neare; which is now at hand, & then nothing, but what is truely Universall & Spirituall shall remaine. If then wee doe not intend to loose our labour, & bee frustrate of our Reward; wee should sowe to the Spirit, by a sound waye of Spirituall Meditation & Consultation in all matters which wee take in hand; That euery purpose wherin wee desire to walke Rationally amongst men, & to applye our senses in a Right course, may bee first [catchword: considered]
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considered as in the presence of God conscionablely:
These are the generall Principles of Meditation, & Consultaion which a man by the Grace of God is able to make use of, for the ordering of his thoughts in all particular objects: & according to these grounde Rules maye bee giuen, concerning these following matters: whereof I hope I shall gette by me to spreade more at large hereafter.
1. Of Scriptutall Interpretation; to shewe the waye both of finding out Analytically the true Litterall, Materiall & Mysticall sense thereof, & of demonstrating & delivering, the same unto others according unto the seuerall Degrees, of their capacitie compositively.
2. Of Humane Speculation to shewe the waye; How men should order their thoughts, to finde out hidden Trueths in naturall thinges; and <to> propose orderly unto others, that which they haue found.
3. Of Spirituall & Humane consultation: To shewe how in Spirituall matters doubts of conscience, may bee resolued: or thinges belonging to the Edification of others prosecuted & proposed. And how in Humane affaires the wayes of Prudencie, to finde out & followe the best courses of doinge businesses should bee intended:
And you shall neuer bee more willing to putte mee upon these taskes, then I shall bee to elaborate the same, according to the Abilitie which it [catchword: shall]
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shall please God, to graunt unto mee with tyme & leisure; which I am desirous to spend upon Your edification, as being the Trueth
Your most affectionat
& faithfull servant in
Christ
Iohn Durye.