THE SECOND DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEDITATION AND CONTEMPLATION.
MEDITATION considers in detail, and as it were piece by piece,
the objects calculated to move us, but contemplation takes a
very simple and collected view of the object which it loves, and
the consideration thus brought to a point causes a more lively
and strong movement. One may behold the beauty of a rich
crown two ways; either by looking upon all its ornaments,
and all the precious stones of which it is composed, one after
Meditation reminds of one who smells a pink, a rose, rosemary, thyme, jessamine, orange-flower, separately one after the
other; but contemplation is like to one smelling the perfumed
water distilled from all those flowers: for the latter in one,
smell receives all the scents together, which the other had smelt
divided and separated; and there is no doubt that this one
scent alone, arising from the mingling together of all these
scents, is more sweet and precious by itself than the scents of
which it is composed, smelt separately one after another. Hence
it is that the heavenly lover so prizes the being seen by his
well-beloved with one of her eyes, and that her hair is so well
plaited that it seems to be but one hair; for what is this beholding the spouse with one eye only, except the beholding him with a single attentive view without multiplying looks?
Look at S. Bernard, Theotimus: he had meditated all the passion point by point; then of all the principal points put together he made a nosegay of loving grief, and putting it upon his breast to change his meditation into contemplation, he cried out: A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me.2
But again look with still greater devotion at the Creator of the world, how in the creation he first meditated the goodness of his works severally, one by one, as he saw them produced. He saw, says the Scripture, that the light was good, that the heavens and the earth were good, and so the herbs and plants, the sun, moon and stars, the living beasts, and in fine all the rest of creatures as he created them one after another: till at length, all the universe being accomplished, the divine meditation is changed as it were into contemplation: for viewing all the goodness that was in his works with one only look -- He saw, says Moses, all the things that he had made, and they were very good.3 The different parts considered severally by manner of meditation were good, but beheld in one only regard all together in form of contemplation, they were found very good: as many little brooks running together make a river, which carries greater freights than the multitude of the same brooks separately could do.
After we have excited a great many different pious affections
So it is an opinion amongst divines that the angels who are higher in glory have a knowledge of God and creatures much more simple than the inferior have, and that the species or ideas by which they see are more universal, so that what the less perfect angels see by various species and various regards, the more perfect see by fewer species and fewer acts of regard. And the great S. Augustine, followed by S. Thomas, says that in heaven we shall not have these vicissitudes, varieties, changes and returns of thoughts and cogitations, which come and go, from object to object and from one thing to another, but with one sole thought we shall be able to attend to the diversity of many things, and receive the knowledge of them. The further water runs from its source, the more does it divide itself, and waste its waters, unless it is kept in with a great care; and perfections separate and divide themselves according as they are more remote from God their source; but approaching near him they are united, until they are lost in the abyss of that sole sovereign perfection, which is the necessary unity and the better part, which Magdalen chose and which shall not be taken away from her.