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1. THe triumphant loue which the Blessed in heauen doe exercise, consisteth in the fi∣nall, vnuariable and eternall vnion of the soule with God. But what is this vnion?
2. By how much, more agreeable and excel∣lent obiects our senses meete withall, by so much more ardently ād greedily they giue themselues to the fruition of them. By how much more faire, delightfull to the veiw, and duely lightened they are, by so much the eye doth more eagarly ād liue∣ly behould them: and by how much more sweete and pleasant voices, or musicke are, the attention of the eare is more drawen vnto them: So that euery obiect doth exercise a puissant, yet amia∣ble violence vpon its proper senses; a violence lesse or more strong, according as the excellencie is lesse or greater; prouided alwayes, that it be proportionable to the capacitie of the Sēse which desires to enioy it: for the eye which doth please it selfe so much in light, cannot yet support the extreamitie of it, nor fixe it selfe vpon the sunne: And be musicke neuer so sweete, if loude and too nigh, it doth importune and offend our eares. TRVTH is the obiect of our vnderstanding, and consequently takes no other content then to dis∣couer and know the truth of things; as TRVTH is more excellent, so the vnderstanding doth applie it selfe more deliciously and attentiuely, to the consideration of it. What pleasure thinke you had these auncient Philosophers, who had so excel∣lent a knowledge of so many faire TRVTHES in nature? Verily they reputed all pleasurs as nothing in comparison of their well beloued Philosophie, for which some of them quitted honours, others great riches, others their countrie: yea some there were, who deliberatly pulled out their eyes, de∣priuing themselues for euer of the fruition of the
faire ēd agreeable corporall light, that with more libertie they might applie themselues to the con∣sideration of the veritie of things, by a spirituall light: for so we reade of Democrites. So delicious is the knowledge of truth! Hence it was frequent with Aristotle, that humane Felicitie and Beati∣tude cōsisteth in wisdome, which is the knowledge of eminent truth.
3. But when our mind, raised aboue naturall lights, begins to see the sacred truthes of faith, ô God THEO: what ioy! the soule melts with plea∣sure hearing the voice of her heauenly Spouse, whom she finds more sweete and delicious thē the honie of all humane knowledges.
4. God hath imprinted vpon all things crea∣ted his trace, gate, or foote-steppes; so that the knowledge we haue of his diuine Maiestie by crea∣turs, seemes no other thing then God's trace; and that in cōparison of it, Faith is a veiw of the very face of the diuine Maiestie, which we doe not yet see in the cleare day of Glorie, but as it were in the breake of day, as it happened to IACOB neere vnto the Torrent IABOC: for though he saw not the Angell with whom he wrastled, saue in the weake light of the day breake, yet rauished with contentment he ceased not to crie; I haue seene the Almightie face to face, and my soule hath bene saued. ô how delightfull is the holy light of faith, by which we know by an infallible certitude not onely the historie of the beginning of crea∣turs, and their true vse; but euen that of the eternall birth of the great, and soueraigne DIVINE WORD, to and for whom, all was
made, and who with the Father and the holy Ghost, is one onely God, most singular, most a∣dorable and blessed for euer Amen. Ah! saieth S. HIEROME to his Paulina, the learned Plato neuer knew this; Eloquent Demosthenes was ignorant of it. How sweete thy words are to my palace, ô God quoth that great king, sweeter then honie to my mouth! was not our heart burning while he spoake to vs in the way, saied those happie pilgrims of Emaus, speaking of the flames of loue with which they were touched, by the word of faith. But if diuine TRVT••ES be so sweete, being propo∣sed in the obscure light of faith, ô God what shall they be, when we shall contemplat them in the light of the noone-day of glorie?
5. The Queene of Saba, who at the greatnesse of Salomons renowne; left all to goe see him, being arriued in his presence, and hauing heard the wonders of the wisdome which he poured out in his speaches; as astonished and lost in admiration, she cried out, that what she had by hearesay of this heauenly wisdome was not halfe of the know∣ledge which sight and experience had giuen her.
6. Ah! how faire and gratefull are the truthes which faith doth discouer vnto vs by hearing, but when arriued in the heauenly Hierusalem, we shall shee the great Salomon, king of glorie, seated v∣pon the Throne of his wisdome manifesting by an incomprehensible brightnesse the wonders and eternall secrets of his Soueraigne TRVTH, with such light, that our vnderstanding shall see in presence, that which it had beleeued here below; ah! then most deare THEO: what rauishments!
what extases! what admirations! what loues! what sweetes! no, neuer (shall we saie in this ex∣cesse of sweetnesse) neuer could we haue imagined to haue seene truthes so delightsome. Indeede we beleeued all that we were told of thy glorie, ô great Citie of God, but we could not conceiue the infinite greatnesse of the Abisses of thy de∣lightes.