sight and by which the sight or contemplation it self seems to be perfected therfore we say that in regard of operation or the exercise of Beatitude that it is compleated in the will which with an infinite delight doth embrace that good sight and consent to be absorpt and drowned in the glorious Abyss thereof to all Eternity As in like manner we say of man that he consists essentially in the union of a rationall Soul with the body but yet that he is perfected in regard of operations by such accidents as do either necessarily or contingently follow that union to which sense the Philosopher also saith Delight hath the same relation to Felicity which Beauty hath to youth The XI Conclusion That perfect Blessednesse cannot be attained in this life First because in this life we have no immediate knowledge of God we see him not but by and through the creatures and as it were in such a glasse as the Phantasie or some inferiour faculty of our soul is able to present unto us which manner of knowledge being so imperfect the soul of man sinds no satisfaction therein that is to say no Beatitude no full content Secondly because as Boetius saith Blessednesse is a state consummate or perfected with a concurrence of all good but in this mortall life there never was seen nor ever shall be such a generall confluence of All Good Things upon any one man as that nothing should be wanting either to his body or to his soul especially seing that Immortality the Crown of the Bodies perfections cannot possibly be attained here no more then the certain hour of a mans death can be foreseen and that knowledge which is the prerogative royall of the soul is found but by very few and that never absolutely clear in this life never but darkened and eclipsed with a multitude of errours Not to speak of those inferiour and lesse valuable goods of fortune and the body health wealth c. the least of which yet being wanting doth infinitely disturb our union with God and dayly yea hourly deject us from that state wherein True Felicity consists The XII Conclusion Yet notwithstanding a certain Inchoate Felicity or as 't were the First Fruits of happinesse may be had in this life In the heart of man we may conceive a double rest viz. either of the appetite it self or of the motions and stirrings of the appetite The former which is indeed a beginning of happinesse a man may perhaps perfectly obtain in this life for it is nothing else but the determining or settling of our desire upon that object which is in Truth our last end 'T is true in a generall notion all men do naturally desire to be happy because 't is naturall for every thing to desire at least that perfection which is proper to his kind yet in particular or in regard to their indeavours or motions to attain happinesse they do as generally mistake few of them knowing where to find it or in what Thing it consists and therefore we see their desires thereof are commonly unequall irregular and restlesse But when once a man hath found that his happinesse consisteth in the Contemplation or knowledge of God and is resolved to make it his chief business study and care to advance himself therein his appetite becomes in that respect satisfied and quiet But yet again because this knowledge of God is not perfect in this life but rather in continuall advancement towards perfection therefore we say in that second sense that the appetite is not satisfied that is to say not the motions and stirrings thereof which indeed never cease but are continually labouring and endeavouring after greater perfection in that Contemplation and this so much the more incessantly and strongly by how much a man comes nearer to perfect Beatitude and receives as it were beforehand some glimpses and Irradiations thereof And this is that we call Felicity Inchoate or in its First-fruits The XIII Conclusion That Christians have this Felicity Inchoate in a greater measure then the best of Philosophers The reason is because the Contemplation and Fruition of God which good Christians have are in themselves greater and more perfect then those which the most excellent Philosophers could ever arrive unto By what I have elsewhere said it is manifest that a Christians life is not founded upon any naturall principle either within or without man but in something supernaturall that is to say in the Grace of God by which also he is elevated unto a participation of the Divine nature Seeing therefore that the operation of every thing followeth its Essence for every thing worketh so far as it can agreeably to its own nature by how much the nature or essence of any thing is more perfect by so much perfecter also is it in its operation or working But Grace is a thing of a much nobler and more perfect essence then nature and therefore the operations or effects which proceed from thence must needs excell those of nature And seeing again that by how much the operation or Action of any Thing is more perfect by so much a greater and more perfect delight is conceived thereupon it must needs follow that those spirituall Contentments and Gusts which good Christians have with God and in God do infinitely excel those of philosophers which a best are but naturall and such as the principle is from whence they proceed Besides seeing that happinesse consisteth in the Contemplation of God the greater knowledge a man hath of God the greater that is the more perfect is his Contemplation and Fruition of him But this is certain that Christians have greater knowledge of God then philosophers as well in regard of the light of Grace which perfects that of nature and reveals unto Christians many excellent mysteries altogether unknown to philosophers as also in regard of that Purity of heart which as we have shewed elswhere true Christians do injoy in a more excellent measure then others The delights therefore which Christians injoy in their Contemplation of God are much greater in themselves and more perfect then those which the best of philosophers could have And seeing that this happinesse Inchoate which we speak of doth consist in that Contemplation and Fruition of God which is attainable in this life it follows that it is more perfectly attained by Christians then philosophers Lastly this happinesse Inchoate is so much greater and more perfect by how much it cometh nearer to Felicity consummate or that of the next life But the Felicity of Christians which is here begun cometh much nearer to Felicity Consummate then that of philosophers for as much as no man shall ever actually attain heaven but by Grace which the philosophers neither had nor knew it is manifest therefore that true Christians are more justly esteemed happy in this world then philosophers and if then they much more then any other sort of men The XIIII Conclusion THat the delights which good Christians find
in the Contemplation of God do surpasse all the delights of this world whither sensitive or intellectuall Three things commonly concurre to the causing of delight First the object or presence of some good Secondly the subject or Thing whereto that good is present Thirdly the union or Conjunction of these Two together which is alwayes accompanied with some knowledge or reflexion of the faculty upon its proper Act as for example in delights of the tast there is required some pleasant meat perhaps or such like thing Secondly the organ or subject of tast rightly disposed Thirdly union of these that is application of meat to the palate together with attention of the mind to what is done for indeed without this nothing is done For should the meat be never so delicious in it self yet if it were put into the mouth of a man asleep certainly he would be little affected with it for no sensation would be We are therefore in the first place to observe that the Good which delighteth us the perfecter it is in it self the greater delight it causeth now 't is certain that Intellectuall natures are much more perfect then things sensitive and that the first verity is infinitely more perfect then all the rest it is therefore most able and sit to cause the greatest delectations We are to observe in the second place that the faculty likewise by how much it is more exquisite and perfect so much the greater delectation is cōceived in the work thereof for the quality of delight follows immediately that of operation therefore the more perfect operation is the perfecter is the delight but as we said the perfecter the faculty be the perfecter is also the operation now of the same faculty that is to be accounted the more perfect operation which doth more perfectly comprehend and reach its object Seeing therefore the understanding is a more exquisite faculty then sense the operation therof must needs be more perfect then that of sense and consequently a greater delight must be had in the Acts thereof then in the Acts of sense But now among all the Acts which the understanding exerciseth incomparably the most perfect is the Contemplation of the first verity in that Contemplation therefore the most perfect delight is found Thirdly we are to consider that the nearer or more intimate the union of the object and faculty is the greater also in that respect is the delight But the object of the understanding is far more intimately united unto the faculty Intellective then the object of sense is to the sense for alwayes spirituall things do more strongly and vehemently unite then corporall and especially God or the first verity whose union with all things is inexplicably intimate therefore of necessity by the union of God unto the understanding that is by Contemplation of God the greatest delight is obtained We see therefore both in regard of the nature and perfection of the object it self as also of the faculty and union of both that the delights which follow the Act of the understanding do infinitely excell those which follow the operations of sense and that those which follow upon the Contemplation of God Almighty are incomparably greatest of all Now seeing that God is more perfectly understood by Christians then by any other sort of men yea then by the most excellent philosophers themselves as before we have shewen and that the naturall light of their understanding is by the light of grace infinitely perfected and that the union of God with the soul and of the soul with God through the means of Grace is the most admirable of all unions it follows as we said as well from the nature of the object it self as of the faculty union both that the delights which Christians have in the Contemplation of God do infinitely surpasse the delights of this world not onely sensitive but Intellectuall also Moreover seeing that in every particular sort of Things there may be observed some one that is chief principall and most excellent in that kind and as it were the measure and rule of the rest by approximation whereunto the rest are judged to be more or less perfect in that kind as for example in the Classis or praedicament of hot Things Fire is reconed to be supream and as it were the standard of all other heats every thing being judged to be so much the hotter by how much it cometh nearer to the degree of fire seeing therefore that God Almighty in the order of blessed and Glorious objects is incomparably supreme and more excellent then all others Those Things which approach nearest to the perfections of God or are most like him must needs be not onely more perfect in themselves but also more capable of the most ravishing contentments but 't is certain that the ūderstanding of man or his Intellective part cometh nearer unto a likenesse with the divine nature then the sensitive and therefore the delights of that must be greater then those of sense and seeing that the soul of a Christian by means of Grace other supernaturall priviledges bestowed on her comes nearer unto God then any other which is not in Grace as is manifest by what we have elswhere said it follows that the True Christian doth more participate of divine pleasures then any man whatsoever But this is to be understood principally of perfect Christians for we confesse such as be imperfect do meet with many impediments by which their Contemplation of Divine Things is obstructed and troubled and consequently the delights wch otherwise they might receive and which perfect men certainly do receive in such Contemplations sometimes is utterly lost alwayes much abated yet not withstanding even that very little which they do receive through the fervour of Charity or divine Love becomes so sweet and pleasant to them that for it alone they do absolutely despise all the contentments of this world saying with the Prophet Better is one day in thy Courts then a Thousand elswhere Whence also it follows that seeing all true Christians more or lesse do a void the pleasures of this world and with studious affection at least pretend unto divine Contemplation yea even when their tast and feelings of God are but yet imperfect it follows I say that the least delight proceeding in this manner from God doth infinitely surpasse the greatest of the world according as one servant of God hath told us in the name of all the rest my soul saith he upon a time refused to be comforted I did but think upon God and I was drowned in delight And although this may seem incredible to carnall men yet we ought not to wonder for such have not the tast of the spirit But be washed O ye sinners and make you clean Away with your evil devses cease to do perversly learn to do well Come disprove me if you can or if you cannot Confesse that the things which we preach unto you are True The XV. Conclusion
end the perfecter it growes for its end is its perfection if therefore Blessedness consisted in those sensitive delights A man should become so much the more perfect by how much he lived more sensually and gave himself up to all kind of Luxury and voluptuousness that is he should be so much the more a man by how much he lived more like a beast which is very absurd And so againe as was touched in the precedent Conclusion Beasts also would be found capable of happiness as well as men yea rather of a more perfect happiness then man for as much as they have no fear of death no apprehension of future miseries no knowledge of God no feare of Judgement no Lawes no Shame no repugnance of flesh and spirit in brief they have nothing which can either abate the sense or restraine the use of their present pleasures if therefore the Felicity of man did consist in the pleasures of sense we should all desire to be metamorphiz'd and become Beasts why because Beasts upon this supposition are more happy then men But this was confessed to be absurd before The VII Conclusion THat the happiness of man consists in such goods as pertain unto the Intellectuall or superiour part of the soule For as the body is ordained for the soule so of the soule the vegetative or lowest part is ordained for the Sensitive and the Sensitive for the Intellectuall Seeing therefore that the Intellect or Rationall part of the Soul is as it were the end of the Body and the thing whereunto both it and also the inferiour parts of the soul be subordinate and directed it is manifest that in the Act or exercise of this Intellect and in the goods that is to say in the perfections thereto properly belonging the finall happinesse of man doth consist Besides seeing that happinesse belongs onely to a perfect man and that the perfection of man as man consisteth in such goods as belong either to his understanding or will it is hence also manifest that in such manner of goods as are Intellectuall and rationall his proper happinesse consisteth The VIII Conclusion But yet this happinesse of man doth not consist in any created good although intellectuall For as we said before Blessednesse is such a perfect good as doth totally satisfie or fulfill the appetite for otherwise it could not be the ultimate or last end supposing there remained any thing else further to be desired Now the object of the will that is of the appetite of man as man is good in its latitude or the universall good For we find that as the understanding of man comprehends an infinitie of particular verities that is to say it never comprehendeth actually so many but it is still apt and capable to comprehend more successively even in infinitum so also we find that the will of man is as able to desire and effect an infinity of particular goods that is to say that it also never actually desireth so many but it is still ready to accept and embrace more whensoever offered and this successively in infinitum and that therefore it can never be fully satisfied untill it attains to some universall or infinite good which is not to be found in any created Thing for the goodnesse of every Thing created is at best but derivative particular and finite therefore in no created good can the Felicity of man consist The IX Conclusion That the happinesse of man consisteth solely in the contemplation and fruition of God We said before that the understanding of man resteth not that is is not satisfied in the knowledge of particular verities nor his will in the fruition of particular goods The last end therefore of them both must be Truth and Goodnesse universall or in its full latitude which God onely is therefore in the Contemplation and Fruition of God alone the Beatitude of man consisteth Besides man being what he is viz. a creature naturally desirous to know and that our knowledge of every particular thing seems then to be compleat when we comprehend its proper and true cause hence it follows that whensoever we observe any thing to be that is to say any effect we instantly yea naturally desire to know its cause why what or whence it is Now all things beside God appear unto us and in truth are but effects of some other cause and therefore whatsoever a man knows beside God he knows it either perfectly or imperfectly if imperfectly his desire is never satisfied untill he attains perfect knowledge thereof for that is naturall viz. for every thing that is imperfect to desire perfection and seeing that Felicity as we have said is the perfection of man and the full satisfaction of his Intellectuall appetite it is manifest that by such imperfect knowledge of any thing he cannot become happy But if he knows the thing perfectly suppose it be some one singular or many yea perhaps all particular things that be yet he cannot but apprehend them still as effects that is as depending in their very beings upon some other cause Seeing therefore as we said that man observing the effect doth naturally desire to know the cause it is manifest that this appetite of his cannot be compleatly satisfied with the knowledge even of all particular things that be but still it will be endeavouring and desiring to see also the cause of them all and that so much the more earnestly by how much it finds the effects themselves to be more excellent or that it self apprehends them more perfectly for so it is alwayes seen that every naturall motion the nearor it draws to its period or proper term the stronger and stronger it grows In the sole knowledge therefore and fruition of God who is the universall and first cause of all Things doth mans Blessednesse consist according as S. Augustine hath excellently well observed Thou hast made us O Lord saith he for thy self and our heart is restlesse and unquiet untill it findeth its repose in Thee The X. Conclusion That this Beatitude formally and as it were in actu primo consisteth in the understanding or seeing of God as he is but exercitatively operatively and as in actu secundo in the will or in that ineffable pleasure and delight which is enjoyed by the knowledge and contemplaton of him The Act of the will alwayes presupposeth the Act of the understanding because the object thereof is alwayes some known or imaginary good Seeing therefore that Beatitude formally and in its own nature is nothing else but the attaining of our last end as soon as ever a man attains that he is happy But man attaineth his last end which is God so soon as ever he sees that is perfectly knows him Therefore in the knowledge and by the knowledge of his last end man becomes essentially happy But yet because this knowledge or contemplation of the Divine Majesty is inseparably accompanied with a certain infinite and ineffable joy or pleasure conceived upon that