EXTACIES.

(Spiritual.)

Philip Rovenius, a titular archbishop of Philippi,

and apostolical vicar of the United Provinces, was born at Deventer. He published several books, and one amongst others, “De Republics Christiana,” printed in the year 1648. I shall quote a passage out of it to show the strange jargon of some devout women, which he severely condemns. Philip. Rovenius. de Republ. Christiana, lib. I. cap. xiii. pag. 278. ¹⁹

“Non raro etiam superbiam aliquam conjunctam habent, ut ambulent in magnis, et mirabilibus super se, ut vilescant illis ordinaria pietatis exercitia approbata ab Ecclesia, vel à Patribus commendata: nihil crepent nisi uniones cum Deo. cum uniantur proprio (si non pejori) spiritui: jactent transubstantiationes mysticas, cordis concentrationes: potentiarum, imo omnis sui esse, annihilationem, connubium essentiæ creatæ et Divinitatis: spirituale Sacramentum inseparabilitatis, somnium omnium affectionum, absorptionem et liquefactionem in amplexu sponsi, triplicem animæ hierarchiam, orationem in quiete passiva, ebrietatem spiritualem, cordis silentium, meditationes negativas, uniones superessentiales, puteum et gurgitem annihilationis, amorem Deificum, transformantem, unientem, stringentem, amplexantem, suavitatem cor auferentem, sugentem sponsi ubera, ruminantem collum, absorbentem enthusiasmum, insensibilitatem et oblivionem omnium inducentem abyssalem cum Deo identificationem, confricationem Deificam, incendentem et consumentem cor: elevationem ad suavitatem cœlestem, ex infernali languore, introversionem super cœlestem, caliginem et umbram Dei, allocutiones internas, elevationes incognitas, extentiones et applicationes amorosas, animæ suspensiones, deliquium, suspiria, mortem sensuum et omnium affectuum, ecstasim continuam, justitium ratiocinii, cordis contactum et patefactionem, liquefactionem, influxum, inflammationem, assultus qui ferri nequeant, penetrationes ad intima, vulnerationes, constrictiones,

alligationes inseparabiles, aspectus penetrantes et obtenantes, voces tremulas, murmura columbina, gustus suavissimos,odores gratissimos, auditus melodiæ cœlestis, hypermysticas Dei et animœ perichoreses, impudentiam, spiritualem, aspirationes Mysanthropicas, ignem sine carbone, flammam aine corpore, holocaustum meridianum in viscerali et medullari penetrabilitate, conlactum mirabilem et suavissimum, obscuræ noctis gaudia et caliginem. Hæc et similia sesquipedalia verba in nova pietatis schola inter sponte electos magistral et discipulas curiosas, adeo frequenter tenero proferuntur palato, ut intimis in visceribus sentiantur. - - - - They often also take a sort of pride in pretending to the performance of things great and wonderful, beyond their ability, so as to despise the Usual exercises of piety approved by the church, dr recommended by the fathers: they talk of nothing less than their union with God, which is only with their own spirit, if not with a worse. They boast of mystical transubstantiations; concentrations of heart; annihilation of powers, yea, of all their being; marriage of the created essence with the Deity; the spiritual sacrament of inseparability; the dream of all the affections; absorption, and dissolution in the embrace of the spouse; a triple hierarchy of the soul; prayer in passive quietude; spiritual intoxications; silence of heart; negative meditations; superessential unions; the pit and gulf of annihilation; deifying love; transforming; uniting; pressing; embracing; a sweetness ravishing the soul; sucking the breasts of the spouse; a ruminating neck; an absorbent enthusiasm; insensibility and oblivion of all things, inducing an abyssal identification with God; deific confrication; inflaming and consuming the heart; an elevation to a celestial sweetness from an infernal languishing; supercelestial introversion; darkness and shade of God; inward allocutions; unknown elevations; amorous extensions and applications; suspensions of the soul; swooning; groans; death of all the senses and affections; perpetual extasy; cessation of reasoning; contact and opening of heart; liquefaction; influx; inflammation; insupportable assaults; thorough penetrations; woundings; up-bindings; inseparable allegations; penetrating and delighting looks; warbling sounds; dove-like murmurs; sweetest tastes; most pleasant odours; heavenly melodious sounds; supermystical walks of God and the soul; spiritual impudence; mysanthropical aspirations; fire without coal; flame without a body; meridian holocaust in a visceral, and medullar penetrability; admirable and most delightful contact; joys and darkness of obscure night. These and the like enormous words, and this unintelligible jargon, is frequently repeated in the new school of piety by their own chosen masters and inquisitive she-disciples with faint and trembling voices.”—Art. Rovenius.