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The Wisdom of John Pordage [editor Arthur Versluis]

Their speaking to one another is thought; whatever they but think is answered immediately; their thoughts are all known to one another and forthwith answered.  They all see through one eye, hear through one ear, all live in one heart and from one centre of life, breathe from one breath, will from one spirit and stand in one ‘body’........

The simplified spirits have no souls or any personal organic corporeity, but they do have a ‘body’ which is common to them all – the ‘temple body’ – which fills the whole circumference of that most holy place in which they do dwell.  These inhabitants are intellectual spirits, endowed with understanding and will, and with the spiritual senses of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and feeling, whereby they are enabled to discern the object of the still eternity.  They behold the Trinity face to face … are refreshed by perceiving the odours that continually perfume the place, taste and feed upon the outflowing sweetness of the Deity and feel nothing but the eternal goodness of him who with his fullness fills the still eternity..............

They are all alike and co-equal; they are all of the same essence, and all equally eternal, and appear like bright sparks or eyes.  They all resemble the central eye of the Deity.  They are lights from light and nothing other than the eye of eternity multiplying itself through immeasurable extent of the still eternity...........

They are continually taken up and delighted with the beatific vision of the Deity, their wills are satisfied in the enjoyment of the chiefest good; their senses are pleased with the most ravishing objects; and they continually bathe themselves in the rivers of unknown delights that proceed from the heart of the Deity without intermission....