Of Spiritual Knowledge as it relates to the Memory.

The third kind of Apprehensions of the Memory is Spiritual Knowledge: not because it belongs to the bodily sense of the fancy, like the rest, but because it is also cognisable by the spiritual reminiscence and Memory. When the soul has once had one of this kind, it may, when it wills, call it to mind, not by reason of the figure and image which the apprehension thereof may have left behind in the bodily sense—-for that is incapable of receiving spiritual forms—

but because it intellectually and spiritually remembers it by that form of it which remains impressed on the soul— which is also a form, or image, or knowledge spiritual or formal, by which the soul remembers it—or by the effect it has wrought. This is the reason why I place these apprehensions among those of the Memory, though not belonging directly to the fancy.

The nature of this knowledge, and the conduct to be observed by the soul with reference to it, in order to be united with God, has been sufficiently explained in the twenty-fourth chapter of the second book, where I treated of it as an apprehension of the Intellect. You will there find that there are two kinds of them, one of Uncreated Perfections, another of creatures. Iam now speaking only so far as it touches this part of my subject; namely, the conduct of the Memory in the matter. I say again, as I did of the formal impressions in the preceding chapter — for these are of the same kind, being of created things —that they may be remembered when the effect of them is good, not, indeed, for the purpose of dwelling upon them but for quickening our love and knowledge of God. But if the recollection of them produces not this effect, the memory should never busy itself with them. But as to the knowledge of the Uncreated Perfections, that may be remembered as often as we can, for it will produce great results; for that is, as I said before, touches and impressions of the Divine union towards which I am directing the soul. The memory does not remember these by the help of any form, image, or figure that may have been impressed on the soul—for none such belong to the touches and impressions of Union with the Creator—but only by their effects of light, love, joy, and spiritual renewing, some of which, as often as they are remembered, are wrought anew in the soul.