ABSTRACTION(Spiritual).

All who have heard of Labadie, know that he recommended to his devotees, both men and women, some spiritual exercises, and that he prepared them for inward recollection and mental prayer. It is said, that having given to one of his devout women

a subject of meditation, and recommended to her earnestly an entire and close application to this great object for some hours, he came near her when he thought that she was most absorbed and put his hand into her bosom. She repulsed him briskly, and haring declared her great surprise at this kind of proceeding, was preparing to censure him, when he prevented her. “ I perceive, my child,” said he to her, without being disturbed, and with a devout air, “ that you are still very far from perfection: confess humbly your weakness; beg pardon of God for having been so little attentive to the mysteries you are meditating upon. If you had had all the attention that was necessary, you would not have perceived that which was done to your bosom. But you were so little abstracted from sense, so little concentred with the Deity, that in a moment you knew when I touched you. My design was to try your fervour in prayer, whether you were raised above matter, and united to the Sovereign Being, the living source of immortality and spirituality; and I perceive with much grief, that you have made but a very small progress. Let this, my child, fill you with confusion, and excite you to perform better for the future the holy duty of mental prayer.” It is added, that the maiden, having good sense as well as virtue, was no less angry at these words than at the action of Labadie, and that she would hear no more of such a guide. I do not warrant the certainty of all these facts; but I do affirm, that it is very probable, that some of these spiritual devotees, who make people believe, that a strong meditation will ravish the soul, and hinder it from perceiving the actions of the body, may be disposed to toy with their devout sisters with impunity, and to do still worse: of which the Molinosists are accused. In general, there is nothing more^dangerous to the mini than mystical and abstracted devotion, and doubtless the body in that case runs some hazard, and many are glad to be deceived.—Art.Mamillarians.