T HE CONCLVSION. 143 



into this abide? who can fhoote light into this infinite pitte of 

 darkenefle? 1 1 is the abundance and excefle of light that here ftri- 

 keth us blinde. Who can ftrcngthen our eyes to endure eaglewi (c 

 this glorious and refplendent funne ? Nothing (ure in this world , 

 unltfie it be filcnce and folitude. To the/e therefore 1ft usconfe- 

 crate the reverend contemplation of this awefull myftery , which is 

 but profaned, if it be expofed to vulgar eyes : and to fuch night-! 

 owles and battes as we are whiles the troubled fantiies of reeking 

 fenfe and worldly oecupations>do overcloud of my ary thoughts. 



Now then if nature by fhort and thicke ftepps at the beginning, 

 and by larger paces in the progrefTe, hath delivered us over into a 

 night of pure light, where we can fee nothing, becaule every thing 

 is too viiible ; fo that we are faine to vaile our eyes , and are con- 

 ftraintd to retyre our (elves to medicate and arme them, before wee 

 expofe them to fo ftrong and glorious beames : how (hould wee 

 dare CO looke upon thofe admirable height8(infinitely furpafling all 

 thefej with which the overconquering Grace hath crowned and 

 fwelled up the extent of nature ? What fight is fturpe enough to 

 penetrate into the myfterious eflence , fprouting into different per- 

 ibns ? Who can looke upon the fclfe multiplyed unity, upon the 

 incomprehenfible circuminceffion, upon thofe wondrous proceffi- 

 ons and idiomes relerved for Angels eyes ? 



Of thcfe , C my foule ) whofe (hootings reach infinitely higher 

 beyond all that we have (aid, then what we have faid is beyond the 

 dull and muddy motions of this life j thou art not capeable now of 

 receiving any inftru&ions : let fkft the myftagogicalHlluminations 

 of the great Areopagite ; and the Afcetike difcipline of the Ana- 

 choredcall inhabitants of the wildernefle , purifie the eye, before 

 thouattcmpteft to fpeake s or to aime at the difcovery of thefe abif- 

 ming depths. By them thou muft be firft irrigated with the fweet 

 ftioures of mornings and evenings 5 with the gentle deawes,and man* 

 nadropps , which fall abundantly from thofe bounteous favours 

 thatreCde in a higher fphere then nature-, and that poure out* 

 unknowne and unconceiveable blcfliogs upon prepared hearts: 

 which f ru&ifie into that true bliffs, in comparifon wheteof, all that 

 we have hitherto declared, isbutftiaddow, vanity, and nothing. 



f 1 N I S 



