Hoc etiam finale bonum comprehensio nominatur, secundum illud Philip. III, 12: sequor autem, si quo modo comprehendam. Quod quidem non dicitur eo modo loquendi quo comprehensio inclusionem importat: quod enim ab alio includitur, totum et totaliter ab eo continetur. Non est autem possibile quod intellectus creatus Dei essentiam totaliter videat, ita scilicet quod attingat ad completum et perfectum modum visionis divinae, ut scilicet Deum videat quantum visibilis est: est enim Deus visibilis secundum suae veritatis claritatem, quae infinita est, unde infinite visibilis est, quod convenire intellectui creato non potest, cuius est finita virtus in intelligendo. Solus igitur Deus per infinitam virtutem sui intellectus se infinite intelligens, totaliter se intelligendo comprehendit seipsum. The ultimate good is also known as comprehension, a word suggested by Philippians 3:12: I follow after, if I may by any means comprehend. The term is not, of course, used in the sense according to which comprehension implies enclosing; for what is enclosed by another is completely contained by it as a whole. The created intellect cannot completely see God’s essence, that is, in such a way as to attain to the ultimate and perfect degree of the divine vision, and so to see God to the extent that he is capable of being seen. For God is knowable in a way that is proportionate to the clarity of his truth, and this is infinite. Hence he is infinitely knowable. But infinite knowledge is impossible for a created intellect, whose power of understanding is finite. God alone, therefore, who knows himself infinitely well with the infinite power of his intellect, comprehends himself by completely understanding himself. Repromittitur autem sanctis comprehensio prout comprehensionis nomen importat quamdam tentionem. Cum enim aliquis insequitur aliquem, dicitur comprehendere eum, quando potuerit eum manu tenere. Sic igitur quandiu sumus in corpore, ut dicitur II Cor. V, 6, peregrinamur a domino; per fidem enim ambulamus et non per speciem, et ita in eum tendimus ut in aliquid distans. Sed quando per speciem videbimus, praesentialiter eum in nobismetipsis tenebimus, unde Cant. III, 4, sponsa quaerens quem diligit anima sua, tandem vero eum inveniens dicit: tenui eum, nec dimittam. Nevertheless, comprehension is promised to the saints, in the sense of the word ‘comprehension’ that implies a certain grasp. Thus when one man pursues another, he is said to comprehend the latter when he can grasp him with his hand. Accordingly, while we are in the body, as the matter is put in 2 Corinthians 5:6–7, we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. And so we press on toward him as toward some distant goal. But when we see him by direct vision we shall hold him present within ourselves. Thus in the Song of Songs 3:4, the spouse seeks him whom her soul loves; and when at last she finds him she says: I held him, and I will not let him go. Habet autem praedictum finale bonum perpetuum et plenum gaudium, unde dominus dicit Ioan. XVI, 24: petite et accipietis, ut gaudium vestrum plenum sit. Non potest autem esse plenum gaudium de aliqua creatura, sed de solo Deo, in quo est tota plenitudo bonitatis, unde et dominus dicit servo fideli: intra in gaudium domini tui, ut scilicet de domino tuo gaudeas, secundum illud Iob XXII, 26: super omnipotentem deliciis afflues. Et quia Deus praecipue de seipso gaudet, dicitur servus fidelis intrare in gaudium domini sui, scilicet inquantum intrat ad gaudium quo dominus eius gaudet, secundum quod alibi dominus discipulis, Luc. XXII, 29, promittit dicens: ego dispono vobis, sicut disposuit mihi pater meus regnum, ut edatis et bibatis super mensam meam in regno meo: non quod in illo finali bono corporalibus cibis sancti utantur, incorruptibiles iam effecti, sed per mensam significatur refectio gaudii quod habet Deus de seipso, et sancti de eo. The ultimate good we have been speaking of contains perpetual and full joy, as our Lord says in John 16:24: Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. Full joy, however, can be gained from no creature, but only from God, in whom the entire plenitude of goodness resides. And so our Lord says to the faithful servant in Matthew 25:21: Enter into the joy of your master, that you may have the joy of your Lord, as is indicated in Job 22:26: You will delight yourself in the Almighty. Since God rejoices most of all in himself, the faithful servant is said to enter into the joy of his Lord inasmuch as he enters into the joy wherein his Lord rejoices, as our Lord said on another occasion when he made a promise to his disciples: As my Father appointed a kingdom for me, so do I appoint for you that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom (Luke 22:29–30). Not that the saints, once they have been made incorruptible, have any use for bodily foods in that final state of good; no, by table is meant rather the replenishment of joy that God has in himself and that the saints have from him. Oportet ergo plenitudinem gaudii attendi non solum secundum rem de qua gaudetur, sed secundum dispositionem gaudentis, ut scilicet rem de qua gaudet, praesentem habeat, et totus affectus gaudentis per amorem feratur in gaudii causam. Iam autem ostensum est, quod per visionem divinae essentiae mens creata praesentialiter tenet Deum: ipsa etiam visio totaliter affectum accendit ad divinum amorem. Si enim unumquodque est amabile inquantum est pulchrum et bonum, secundum Dionysium de Divinis nominibus cap. IV, impossibile est quod Deus, qui est ipsa essentia pulchritudinis et bonitatis, absque amore videatur. Et ideo ex perfecta eius visione sequitur perfectus amor: unde et Gregorius dicit super Ezech.: amoris ignis qui hic ardere inchoat, cum ipsum quem amat viderit, in amore ipsius amplius ignescit. Tanto autem maius est gaudium de aliquo praesentialiter habito, quanto magis amatur, unde sequitur quod illud gaudium sit plenum non tantum ex parte rei de qua gaudetur, sed etiam ex parte gaudentis. Et hoc gaudium est humanae beatitudinis consummativum, unde et Augustinus dicit X Confessionum, quod beatitudo est gaudium de veritate. This fullness of joy must be understood not only of the object of the rejoicing, but also with reference to the disposition of him who rejoices. In other words, the object of the rejoicing must be present, and the entire affection of the joyful person must be centered on the cause of the joy. As we have shown, in the vision of the divine essence the created spirit possesses God as present; and the vision itself sets the affections completely on fire with divine love. If any object is lovable so far as it is beautiful and good, as Dionysius remarks in de Divinis nominibus IV, 10, surely God, who is the very essence of beauty and goodness, cannot be gazed at without love. Therefore, perfect vision is followed by perfect love. Gregory observes in one of his homilies on Ezekiel: The fire of love which begins to burn here on earth flares up more fiercely with love of God when he who is loved is seen. Moreover, joy over an object embraced as present is keener the more that object is loved; consequently that joy is full not only because of the object that gives joy, but also on the part of him who rejoices. This joy is what crowns human beatitude. Hence Augustine writes in his Confessions X, 23 that happiness is joy in truth. Est autem ulterius considerandum, quod quia Deus est ipsa essentia bonitatis, per consequens ipse bonum est omnis boni, unde eo viso omne bonum videtur, secundum quod dominus dicit Moysi, Exod. XXXIII, 19: ego ostendam tibi omne bonum. Per consequens igitur eo habito omne bonum habetur, secundum illud Sapient. VII, 11: venerunt mihi omnia bona pariter cum illa. Sic igitur in illo finali bono, videndo Deum, habebimus omnium bonorum plenam sufficientiam, unde et fideli servo repromittit dominus Matth. XXIV, 47: quod super omnia bona sua constituet eum. Another point to consider is this: as God is the very essence of goodness, he is the good of every good. Therefore, all good is beheld when he is beheld, as the Lord intimated when he said to Moses: I will show you all good (Exod 33:19). Consequently, if God is possessed all good is possessed, as is suggested in Wisdom 7:11: All good things came to me along with her. In that final state of good, when we see God, we shall have a full abundance of all goods; and so our Lord promises the faithful servant in Matthew 24:47 that he shall place him over all his goods. Quia vero malum bono opponitur, necesse est ut ad praesentiam omnis boni malum universaliter excludatur. Non est enim participatio iustitiae cum iniquitate, nec societas lucis ad tenebras, ut dicitur II Corinth. VI, 14. Sic igitur in illo finali bono non solum aderit perfecta sufficientia habentibus omne bonum, sed etiam aderit plena quies et securitas per immunitatem omnis mali, secundum illud Prov. I, 33: qui me audiet absque terrore requiescet, et abundantia perfruetur, terrore malorum sublato. Since evil is opposed to good, the presence of all good requires the utter banishment of evil. Justice has no participation with injustice, and light has no fellowship with darkness, as we are told in 2 Corinthians 6:14. In that final state of good, therefore, those who possess all good will not only have a perfect sufficiency, but they will enjoy complete serenity and security as a result of their freedom from all evil, according to Proverbs 1:33: He who listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of evil. Ex hoc autem ulterius sequitur quod sit ibi futura omnimoda pax. Non enim impeditur pax hominis nisi vel per interiorem desideriorum inquietudinem, dum desiderat habere quae nondum habet, vel per aliquorum malorum molestiam, quae vel patitur vel pati timet. Ibi autem nihil timetur: cessabit enim inquietudo desiderii propter plenitudinem omnis boni; cessabit etiam omnis molestia exterior per absentiam omnis mali; unde relinquitur quod ibi sit perfecta pacis tranquillitas. Hinc est quod dicitur Isai. XXXII, 18: sedebit populus meus in pulchritudine pacis, per quod pacis perfectio designatur: et ad ostendendum causam pacis subditur, et in tabernaculis fiduciae, quae scilicet erit subtracto timore malorum, in requie opulenta, quae pertinet ad affluentiam omnis boni. A further consequence is that absolute peace will reign in heaven. Man’s peace is blocked either by the inner restlessness of desire, when he covets what he does not yet possess, or by the irksomeness of certain evils which he suffers or fears he may suffer. But in heaven there is nothing to fear. All restlessness of craving will come to an end, because of the full possession of all good. And every external cause of disturbance will cease, because all evil will be absent. Hence the perfect tranquillity of peace will be enjoyed there. This is alluded to in Isaiah 32:18: My people shall sit in the beauty of peace, by which the perfection of peace is meant. To show forth the cause of peace the Prophet adds: And in the tabernacles of confidence, for confidence will reign when the fear of evils is abolished; and in wealthy rest, which refers to the overflowing abundance of all good. Huius autem finalis boni perfectio in perpetuum durabit. Non enim poterit deficere per defectum bonorum quibus homo fruetur, quia sunt aeterna et incorruptibilia, unde dicitur Isai. XXXIII, v. 20: oculi tui videbunt Ierusalem, civitatem opulentam, tabernaculum quod nequaquam transferri poterit. Et postmodum subditur causa: quia solummodo ibi erit magnificus dominus Deus noster. Tota enim illius status perfectio erit in fruitione divinae aeternitatis. The perfection of this final good will endure forever. It cannot fail through any lack of the goods which man enjoys, for these are eternal and incorruptible. We are assured of this in Isaiah 33:20: Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet habitation, an immovable tent. The cause of this stability is given in the next verse: Because only there our Lord is magnificent. The entire perfection of that state will consist in the enjoyment of divine eternity. Consimiliter etiam non poterit ille status deficere per corruptionem ibidem existentium, quia vel sunt naturaliter incorruptibiles, sicut angeli, vel in incorruptionem transferentur, sicut homines: oportet enim corruptibile hoc induere incorruptionem, ut dicitur I Corinth. XV, 53. Unde et Apoc. III, 12, dicitur: qui vicerit, faciam illum columnam in templo Dei mei, et foras non egredietur amplius. Similarly, that state cannot fail through the corruption of the beings existing there. These are either naturally incorruptible, as is the case with the angels, or they will be transferred to a condition of incorruption, as is the case with men. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, as we are informed in 1 Corinthians 15:53. The same is indicated in Revelation 3:12: He who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Nec etiam poterit ille status deficere per hoc quod voluntas hominis fastidiendo se avertat, quia quanto Deus, qui est bonitatis essentia, magis videtur, tanto necesse est ut magis ametur, unde et magis eius fruitio desiderabitur, secundum illud Eccli. XXIV, 29: qui edunt me, adhuc esurient; et qui bibunt me, adhuc sitient. Propter quod et de angelis Deum videntibus dicitur I, 12: in quem desiderant angeli prospicere. Nor can that state fail by reason of the turning away of man’s will in disgust. The more clearly God, the essence of goodness, is seen, the more he must be loved; and so enjoyment of him will be desired ever more keenly, according to Sirach 24:29: Those who eat me will hunger for more, and those who drink me will thirst for more. For this reason the words of 1 Peter 1:12, on whom the angels desire to look, were spoken of the angels who see God. Similiter etiam non deficiet ille status per hostis alicuius impugnationem, quia cessabit ibi omnis mali molestia, secundum illud Isai. XXXV, 9: non erit ibi leo, idest diabolus impugnans, et mala bestia, idest malus homo, non ascendet per eam, nec invenietur ibi; unde et dominus dicit Ioan. X, de ovibus suis, quod non peribunt in aeternum, et quod non rapiet eas quisquam de manu sua. That state will not be overthrown by the attack of an enemy, for no disturbing interference of any evil will be found there, as we read in Isaiah 35:9: No lion shall be there, that is, no assaulting devil, nor shall any ravenous beast, that is, any evil man, come up on it, nor be found there. Hence our Lord says of his sheep in John 10:28: I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. Sed nec finiri poterit ille status per hoc quod a Deo aliqui inde excludantur. Non enim aliquis ab illo statu repelletur propter culpam, quae omnino non erit, ubi deerit omne malum, unde dicitur Isai. LX, 21: populus tuus omnes iusti, neque etiam propter promotionem ad melius bonum, sicut in hoc mundo Deus interdum etiam iustis spirituales consolationes subtrahit, et alia sua beneficia, ut avidius quaerant, et suum defectum recognoscant, quia status ille non est emendationis aut profectus, sed perfectionis finalis: et ideo dominus dicit Ioan. VI, 37: eum qui venit ad me, non eiiciam foras. Habebit igitur status ille omnium praedictorum bonorum perpetuitatem, secundum illud Psal. V, 12: in aeternum exultabunt, et habitabis in eis. Est igitur praedictum regnum beatitudo perfecta, utpote immutabilem omnis boni sufficientiam habens. Et quia beatitudo naturaliter desideratur ab hominibus, consequens est quod regnum Dei ab omnibus desideretur. Furthermore, that state cannot come to an end as a result of the banishment of some of its inhabitants by God. No one will be expelled from that state on account of sin, which will be simply non-existent in a place where every evil will be absent; hence we are told in Isaiah 60:21: Your people shall all be righteous. Again, none will be exiled for the purpose of urging them on to greater good, as happens at times in this world, when God withdraws spiritual consolations even from the just and takes away some of his other benefits so that men may seek them with greater eagerness and may acknowledge their own powerlessness. For that state is not one of correction or progress, but is a life of final perfection. This is why our Lord says in John 6:37: Him who comes to me I will not cast out. Therefore, that state will consist in the everlasting enjoyment of all the goods mentioned, as is said in Psalm 5:12: They shall rejoice forever, and you shall dwell in them. Consequently, the kingdom we have been discussing is perfect happiness, for it contains all good in changeless abundance. And, since happiness is naturally desired by men, the kingdom of God, too, is desired by all. Caput 10 Chapter 10 Quod regnum obtinere est possibile That is it possible to reach the kingdom Oportet autem ulterius ostendere, quod homo ad illud regnum pervenire possit: alioquin frustra speraret et pateretur. Primo autem apparet hoc esse possibile ex promissione divina, dicit enim dominus, Luc. XII, 32: nolite timere pusillus grex, quia complacuit patri vestro dare vobis regnum. Est autem divinum beneplacitum efficax ad implendum omne quod disponit, secundum illud Isai. XLVI, 10: consilium meum stabit, et omnis voluntas mea fiet. Voluntati enim eius quis resistit? Ut dicitur ad Roman. IX, 19. Secundo ostenditur hoc esse possibile ex evidenti exemplo. We must go on to show that man can reach that kingdom. Otherwise, it would be hoped for and prayed for in vain. In the first place, the divine promise makes this possibility clear. Our Lord says, in Luke 12:32: Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. God’s good pleasure is efficacious in carrying out all that he plans, according to Isaiah 46:10: My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose. For, as we read in Romans 9:19: Who can resist his will? Second, an evident example shows that attainment of the kingdom is possible.