other; I shall propose you a familiar instance. Suppose a Man born
Blind, but of quick Parts, and a good Capacity, a tenacious Memory, and
solid Judgment, who had liv'd in the place of his Nativity, till he had
by the help of the rest of his Senses, contracted an acquaintance with a
great many in the Neighbourhood, and learn'd the several kinds of
Animals, and Things inanimate, and the Streets and Houses of the Town,
so as to go any where about it without a Guide, and to know such people
as he met, and call them, by their names; and knew the names of
Colours[10], and the difference of them by their descriptions and
definitions; and after he had learn'd all this, should have his Eyes
open'd: Why, this Man, when he walk'd about the Town, would find every
thing to be exactly agreeable to those notions which he had before; and
that Colours were such as he had before conceiv'd them to be, by those
descriptions he had receiv'd: so that the difference between his
apprehensions when blind, and those which he would have now his Eyes
were opened, would consist only in these two great Things, one of which
is a consequent of the other, _viz._, a greater Clearness, and extream
Delight. From whence 'tis plain, that the condition of those
Contemplators, who have not yet attain'd to the _UNION_ [with GOD] is
exactly like that of the Blind Man; and the Notion which a Blind Man has
of Colours, by their description, answers to those things which
_Avenpace_ said were _of too noble a nature to be any ways attributed,
to the Natural Life,_ and, _which God bestows upon such his Servants as
he pleases_. But the condition of those who have attain'd to the
_UNION_, to whom God has given that which I told you could not be
properly express'd by the word _POWER_, is that second State of the
Blind-man cur'd. Take notice by the way, that our Similitude is not
exactly applicable in every case; for there is very seldom any one found
that is born _with his Eyes open_, that can attain to these things
without any help of Contemplation.