The Eternal Happiness of the SaintsBook IV. The Paradise of God

Paradise is a name of pleasure and delight, for it signifies a garden, or most beautiful orchard, suitable both for recreation and amusement. In the book of Genesis this paradise of pleasure is not once named, when the terrestrial paradise is the subject of the discourse. But in the prophet Ezechiel speaking of the heavenly paradise, it is said of the chief angel who afterward fell and became the devil: “Thou wast in the pleasures of the paradise of God.”? But since the Holy Scriptures mention nothing of Paradise, but that there were in it many trees and the fountain of living water, therefore it is my intention under the word “Paradise,” to explain the joys and pleasures which the blessed possess in heaven. And this will be, unless I am deceived, a useful contemplation to excite our minds to seek and reflect upon the things above: and thus so to regulate our life, that when we depart hence, it may not be to sorrow and darkness, but by the divine assistance, to Eternal light and happiness. All men, with few exceptions, are influenced more by pleasure, than by any thing else. And the Church in one of her prayers says, “There may our hearts be fixed, where our true joy is.” And first we shall consider what the Holy Scripture says of the heavenly Paradise, whence we shall prove that in it are true joys; then we shall endeavour to explain what these joys are: and lastly, by various reasons, or rather comparisons, we shall prove that these joys are far more excellent than we can either comprehend, or think, or even imagine.

First, then, the name of paradise signifies pleasure and delight, as we have already seen from the Book of Genesis. And that there is a Paradise in heaven, Ezechiel testifies. Our Lord also testifies in the gospel, when he said to the thief hanging by him: “This day thou shalt be with me in paradise.” He used the word paradise for the kingdom of God, and its essential beatitude: for the good thief had said, “Lord, remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdom.” St. Paul testifies in his second Epistle to the Corinthians, where he says, “I know a man in Christ...... Such an one rapt even to the third heaven, and was caught up into paradise.’ St. John testifies in his Apocalypse, where he introduces the Lord thus speaking: “To him that overcometh I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of my God.” From these passages it is evident, that the region of the ‘blessed’ is a place of happiness and delight. And when our Lord says to the good and faithful servant, “Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord,” does He not most clearly declare, that the house or city of God is a place of joy, to which good and faithful servants are admitted when they leave this world? Our Lord in many places compares the kingdom of heaven to a supper, as we read in St. Luke, where it is said: “A man made a great supper,” &c. And again, “I dispose to you, as my Father hath disposed to me, a kingdom: that you may eat and drink at my table, in my kingdom.” And when likewise we are told in the Apocalypse, “Blessed are they that are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” The Scripture, by the figure of the supper, certainly points out the pleasure and delight of the heavenly paradise; unless some one assert, that there is no pleasure in the sense of taste. In addition to these passages, the kingdom of God—both in the Gospels and the Apocalypse—is compared to royal nuptials: as we learn from the parable of the king, who made a marriage for his son; and from the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, of whom the wise went with the bridegroom to the marriage; but the foolish virgins remained without. The same also is found in the Apocalypse, where many things are said of the “marriage supper of the Lamb”—celebrated with great magnificence in the kingdom of heaven. Now the beatitude of the saints may be compared to a royal marriage, because on such occasions every variety of pleasure is experienced and enjoyed. But of this we shall treat in the following Book.

In fine, in the Apocalypse St. John sees a choir of virgins who followed the Lamb wheresoever He goeth, and sang a new canticle which no one else could sing. Which passage St. Augustine explains in his Book on “Holy Virginity,” as having relation to certain joys and holy pleasures, which virgins alone will enjoy. Thus it is manifest, that in our heavenly kingdom and city, there are many true joys and most abundant pleasures.

Since it has been proved from Holy Scripture, that in the kingdom of heaven there is true joy, we will now explain what those joys are. And first, we will briefly explain the joys of the Understanding, of the Will, and of the Memory, which relate to the mind: afterwards the joys of the other senses which relate to the body. We do not here mean to assert, that the understanding, memory, and the senses of the body are the proper seat of joy; since we are not ignorant that joy as well as desire, properly belong to the will in the superior part, and to the appetite in the inferior.

But we speak as men generally do—who hesitate not to say, “‘The eye is delighted with the beauty of colour, and the ear with the harmony of sound.” By the joy of the understanding, therefore, or of the memory, or external senses, we mean the pleasure which men experience from those objects, which they either understand, or remember, or derive from their external senses.

The chief joy of the “Blessed” then will be, to behold with the eyes of the soul God face to face, as St. Paul mentions in his first Epistle to the Corinthians: and to behold Him as He is, according to St. John. And how great this joy will be, we can conjecture from what the prophet Isaias and the apostle Paul testify, that it exceeds all the joys which we have seen, or heard, or desired, or can imagine: “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love Him.” (1 Corinth. ii. 9.) The holy Scripture also speaks of a particular and essential happiness which consists in seeing God— according to the words of our Lord: “Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God:” and also: “Now this is eternal life: that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” (St. John, xvii. 3.) This truly seems a great privilege, that no one can see, or hear, or desire, or imagine any good equal to that which the sight of God will convey to us; and yet this is no exaggeration, but the simple truth, because the eyes, the ears, and the heart of man are accustomed to finite and limited joys: but the sight of God is a vision of light inaccessible, of an infinite Good which contains every good, according to what the Lord said to Moses when he had asked, “Show me thy face.” He answered, “I will show thee every good thing.” But that we may prove this from reason, we learn from St. Thomas that delight which comes from knowledge requires three things—power, a sensible object suitable to that power, and an union of the object with this power; and that in proportion as the power is capable of knowledge, and the object more noble, and the union more intimate, so much the greater pleasure is derived. But no one can doubt but that the mind is much more pure and noble, and more capable of knowledge than the exterior senses. Now, all must admit that God is the highest and most noble object, placed not only above all objects of sense, but also above those of ‘the mind, being infinite Goodness itself. But it is also equally certain, that a union of the mind with God by a clear vision is so intimate that the essence of God will penetrate the whole soul, whilst the soul herself will be transformed into God as if she were plunged into a great sea. Who, therefore, can imagine the greatness of this joy? The sweetness of this embrace from an infinite Good, from a Spouse of infinite beauty? From the beautiful union of colour with the sense of sight, and the sweetest sounds with the sense of hearing, we certainly experience great pleasure; and often it is so great, that many by it almost lose their senses. And yet the sense of feeling is material, and common to us with beasts: the objects also are corporal, and deceive us as often as they delight us. In fine, the union is superficial and external; and in many of the senses it is not an union of the object itself, but of its image with the mind. But the spiritual union of God with the understanding is more firm, durable, and complete; whilst corporal pleasures that are derived from the senses, because they are mutable, cannot be durable nor complete, being given to us as it were by drops. Wherefore, without doubt, the pleasure of the mind is greater than that of the senses. ;

Wherefore, O Man! recollect thyself, and weigh impartially the pleasure which the world offers thee, with that which God offers thee, when He promises Himself to those that love Him: choose what thou wishest for. If thou love pleasure which is certainly pleasing to thee, thou wilt choose the greatest, rather than the least; the ever-enduring, rather than the momentary. But not only the sight of God is promised to the good in heaven, but also the sight of all those things which God hath made. Here on earth we perceive by our eyes the sun, moon, stars; the sea, rivers, animals, trees and minerals. But our mind does not know the substance of these created things, their essential difference, their properties or power: we cannot see even our own soul, but like blind men we feel for effects, and by reasoning, acquire a little knowledge. What then will be the joy, when our mind in the vision of God, will clearly see the substance of all things, their difference, properties and power! And what great exultation will be ours, when we shall behold the innumerable army of angels, not one of whom resembles another, and shall clearly see the difference of all! What unbounded joy will it be, when we shall behold those holy men, who have been from the beginning of the world even unto the end, united together with all the angels! When we shall behold the merits of each, their crowns and palms of victory! We shall also see with feelings of pleasure, the crimes and torments of the damned, in which the sanctity of the good, and the justice of God will wonderfully shine forth; for then the just will wash their hands in the blood of the wicked, as the prophet saith. And what doth “washing their hands in the blood of the wicked” signify, but that the good works of the blessed will shine more brightly, In comparison with the works of the wicked? The virginity of some will be more resplendent, when compared with the adulteries of others: and the fasts and alms-deeds of many, when compared with the gluttony and revellings of others. It will then be said: this young man was beautiful, and yet he observed perpetual chastity: this other youth was beautiful also, but not content with his own wife, he often committed adulteries and sacrileges. This man was rich and of noble extraction, and yet he fasted and prayed often, and gave abundant alms: another was equally rich and of noble extraction, but being addicted to gluttony and drunkenness, he spent his money in pleasures, so that he had nothing to give to the poor. Hence it will be, that the joy of the ‘Just’ will be increased, by knowing the crimes of the wicked. At the same time, their joy will also be great, from the contemplation of the justice which will be so conspicuous, In the rewards of the blessed and the punishment of the wicked. Now, in human affairs, we perceive a great anomaly, because crime is often united with reward, and virtue with punishment, so that the justice of God seems in a manner to be obscured amongst men. But then every crime will have its punishment, and every virtue its reward, so that the beauty of God’s justice will excite incredible joy in the minds of the blessed. '

There are three things which produce the greatest love in the will. One is a most ardent and inextinguishable love of God and of our neighbour; for love is the chief ingredient of every thing loved. He that loves, thinks that every thing which he loves, is most beautiful and excellent; and therefore he rejoices greatly when he sees them; and when absent from them grieves inconsolably. We see parents, who naturally have great love for their children, consider them the most beautiful, talented, and prudent, although they are often deformed and devoid of judgment and knowledge. And if a choice were given to them, they would not exchange their sons for any others, however superior to their own in the judgment of men. We often, too, behold people, either by chance or any other cause, in love with deformed persons, to converse with whom they consider a great pleasure, and to be separated from them a great calamity. This would certainly not be the case, unless, as we have said, love is the ingredient of every thing loved. And since this is the case, how great will be the joy of the saints, to converse with God and all the blessed, whom they will ever love with the most ardent affection, and who not falsely, but very truly, are most beautiful and excellent, and from whom they know they will never be removed. On the other hand, one of the greatest torments of hell will be, to be united with those whom we shall hold in the utmost horror, and who we know circumvented us with a thousand artifices.

Another circumstance that will cause great joy in the mind of the blessed, will be a certain inexpressible repose, and satiety without fulness, which will make them happy and contented in every way. Here on earth no one is contented with his lot, no one but wishes for more than he has, which he cannot obtain. Hence all are hungry, all thirsty, all live in discontent. Nor ought this to appear wonderful to us, since our soul is capable of an infinite and eternal good, and created things are frail and insignificant, which cannot last long. What then will be the joy of that man, who shall see himself in a place where he will live quite contented! where he will desire nothing, fear nothing. require nothing, nor seek for any thing more! O Peace! that exceedeth every pleasure which the world can give, and which alone is found in the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of our great and peaceful King! For thee my soul sigheth, full of troubles and temptations: in the ‘recollection and expectation of thee alone, it resteth for a little time.

‘The third circumstance that will give joy to the blessed, is perfect justice, and that more perfect than original justice was in Adam. ‘The one subjected the inferior part to the superior, till the latter was subject to God: but the other will subject the inferior to the superior, and the superior to God, by a most firm and indissoluble union. The one was like a woollen or linen vest: but the other will be all of gold or silk, which will make the will most beautiful and lovely to God, to itself, to the angels, and to all the blessed. This is that perfect justice which hath no stain, not even a venial one; so that of such a soul clothed with such a garment it may be said: “Thou art all beautiful, my beloved, and there is no spot in thee.” This includes all those virtues which admit of no imperfection, and how great joy and pleasure this justice brings with it, the wise man beareth witness in the Proverbs, “A secure mind is like a continual feast.’ (chap. xv.) That mind alone is secure, whose conscience never stings, in which by perfect justice is so established in good, that it cannot fall, even for a moment. Of this St. Paul beareth witness when he says, “The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but justice, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Epistle to the Romans, chap. xiv. 17.) Here the holy Apostle plainly teaches us, that the kingdom of heaven possesses in itself great joy; but that it does not consist in the pleasure of meat and drink, as carnal men might perhaps wish, but in justice, which produces in the mind a solid peace and true joy. For he that is perfectly just, hath not in his heart any thing to reprehend him, nor in his actions what others might reprehend. Hence arises a solid and sweet peace with God, with himself, and with all others: hence, an unspeakable joy in the Holy Ghost, with which no earthly or temporal pleasure can bear any comparison.

The memory will supply no small matter for joy, from the recollection of the past. First, the recollection of the benefits of God in the spiritual and corporal, the natural and supernatural life, as well as the temporal, and eternal, will bring incredible joy, when the just recollect in how many ways the blessings of heavenly sweetness were given to them. Then the recollection of the dangers from which God delivered them so wonderfully, in every age and every state, will be a source of unbounded joy. And amongst other dangers I consider this the chief, that often they were near committing mortal sin, and therefore near hell, and yet that God, moved by His goodness alone, prevented the sin. This singular mercy of God being often considered by the elect in their most peaceful kingdom, will give them the greatest delight. And if the saints had not the recollection of these things in heaven, how could they, as the Psalmist saith, sing the mercies of the Lord for ever? “Nothing will be sweeter in the city,” says St. Augustine, “than this canticle for the glory of the grace of Christ, by which we were redeemed.”¹

What shall I say of the course of ages from the beginning, even to the end of time? What pleasure will the remembrance of so many vicissitudes bring, of such a variety of things, which the wonderful providence of God so wisely governed, ruled, and conducted to their proper ends! This perhaps is “the stream of the river which maketh the city of God joyful.” What is the course of ages flowing with so great velocity and never interrupting its course, except ‘the stream of the river’ that rolls its waters continually, till they disappear and are lost in the ocean? And then, whilst the stream floweth and time flieth, many doubt of the providence of God: and some even of His servants are disturbed by this ‘stream of the river,’ which often brings evil to the good, and blessings to the wicked; which takes away the good land from the just, and carries it to the camp of the wicked, and brings them so many temptations, that they seem to complain of the providence of God. Hear the royal Prophet: “But my feet were almost moved: my steps had well nigh slept. Because I had a zeal on occasion of the wicked, seeing the prosperity of sinners :” and a little lower: “Behold these are sinners; and yet abounding in the world they have obtained riches. And I said: then have I in vain justified my heart, and washed my hands among the innocent. And I have been scourged all the day,” dc. (Psalm Ixxii.) Hear Jeremias: “Thou indeed, O Lord, art just, if I will plead with thee, but yet I will speak what is just to thee. Why doth the way of the wicked prosper: why is it well with all them that transgress, and do wickedly? Thou hast planted them, and they have taken root: they prosper and bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.” (chap. xii.) Hear the prophet Habacuc: “"Why lookest thou upon them that do unjust things, and holdest thy peace, when the wicked devoureth the man that is more just than himself? And thou wilt make men as the fishes of the sea, and as the creeping things that have no ruler.” (chap. i.) But when the course of time shall be accomplished, and the river shall be lost in the sea, then the saints in heaven, calling to mind all its revolutions, shall clearly read the reason of its vicissitudes in the book of divine providence, and thereby it is incredible, how ‘the stream of this river,’ represented to them by memory, will make joyful the city of God! There they will see, why God permitted the first angel and the first man to fall: why the mercy of God liberated man, and did not liberate the angel. There they will see, why God chose for His peculiar people the children of Abraham, who, nevertheless, he foresaw, would be a stiff-necked people: and how great blessings he was preparing, on account of their obstinacy, for the Gentiles. In fine, to omit speaking of His universal providence, there they will see why He permitted many, and nearly all the just, to suffer afflictions; it was, that He might crown them more gloriously. And thus, from the remembrance of them, they will bless with great joy all those crosses which they suffered, since they see them changed into eternal crowns, and they will exclaim with the Prophet: “According to the multitude of my sorrows in my heart, thy comforts have given joy to my soul.”

Let us now consider the joys of a glorified body. And first, there will be the joy of the sense of “seeing,” which amongst corporal senses is the most noble, and its office the most extensive. This sense then will rejoice at the splendour and beauty of its own body in heaven; for it will see the body ‘reformed’ by Christ, ‘and made like to the body of His glory,’ as St. Paul mentions in his Epistle to the Philippians. Nor will its brightness be less than that of the sun, for the Apostle testifies in the Acts of the Apostles, that he saw Christ (to whose splendour we shall be made conformable,) shining above the brightness of the sun: and our Lord himself in St. Matthew says: “Then the just shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” What a glorious spectacle therefore will be presented to the eyes of the blessed, when they shall behold their hands, their feet, and all their members, sending forth rays of light; so that they will no more stand in need of the sun, or of the moon, or of any other inferior light, to dissipate the darkness! But not only will their own bodies shine as the sun, but the bodies of all the saints also, and especially the body of Christ himself and of His most blessed Mother. How doth one sun rejoice at his rising the whole earth! What then will it be, to behold innumerable suns, most beautiful not only by their brightness, but also by the variety and glory of the members! Nor will the blessed be here obliged to close their eyes, lest they should be injured by the dazzling splendour: for the eyes themselves will be blessed, and therefore made impassible and immortal. For He who will make the eyes of the soul like to His glory, lest seeing God face to face they should be overpowered, will also endow the eyes of the body with impassibility, that they may behold not one sun only but many without injury.

It will also be an addition to the joy of the eyes, as St. Augustine teaches us in his “City of God,” that the blessed martyrs will display the most illustrious marks of their virtues, in those particular parts of the body in which they endured torments. What joy, therefore, will it be to see St. Stephen adorned with as many illustrious jewels as he endured blows of the stones in his body! What to see St. John the Baptist, St. James the Great, and St. Paul the Apostle—besides others almost infinite in number, who suffered for Christ—all shining in unspeakable beauty, more resplendent than any gold! What to behold St. Bartholomew, who was flayed alive, then so glorious beyond the beauty of the richest purple! And, not to mention others, what will it be to behold St. Peter and St. Andrew, and many others who endured the punishment of the cross, now with their hands and feet shining like stars in the greatest splendour! And with regard to Christ, the King of the martyrs, who for His own glory, and for our comfort, hath deigned to bear the marks of the cross, no tongue can express with what glory these most sacred marks will shine! And all the glory of the saints, when compared with that of Christ, is less than the beauty of the stars when compared with the beauty of the sun.’

But what shall I say of the pleasure which the eyes will derive from viewing this most extensive city, which Tobias and St. John, not being able to find sufficient words to express, have described it as adorned with gems and precious stones! What of this new heaven and new earth, which is promised us in the Holy Scripture after the last day? What of the renovation of this whole universe into a better state? For, as these things are unknown to us, so will they delight the eyes of the blessed, when their beauty shall be seen.

That the sense of hearing will be an instrument of speech in heaven, we cannot doubt, for the bodies of the blessed will be truly animated and perfect in every part; such was the body of Christ after His resurrection, which all the apostles, many of the disciples, and many women clearly saw. They heard Him speaking, and He answered their questions. St. Paul also tells us, that he heard Christ speaking from heaven, and that he answered Him. ‘That there will likewise be “Canticles” sung in heaven, and especially that of “Alleluia,” Tobias and St. John testify. From them it is evident, that there will be in that city many most sweet canticles, by which God will be praised, and the ears of the blessed wonderfully delighted. And if everything be in proportion, there can be no doubt but that this canticle will be as sweet and excellent as the cantors themselves are learned, as He who will be praised is so holy, and as the place wherein the canticle will be sung is so glorious, and the choir of hearers so intelligent and numerous! What then will it be amidst a most profound peace, in such concord of mind, and ardour of charity towards their great Benefactor, to hear the most melodious voices singing Alleluia! If St. Francis, as it is related by St. Bonaventure,¹ was so moved by the sound of a harp touched by an angel for a moment, that he supposed himself to have been in another world, how will our ears be delighted when thousands of harps and cantors shall praise God with most melodious voices! when other thousands, with the like harmony, shall repeat the same canticles again and again! But the praises of God only will not be sung in this city; for the triumphs of the martyrs also, the merits of the confessors, the glory of the virgins, and the victories of all over the snares of the devil, will be celebrated in song: all these praises will redound to the glory of God. Ecclesiasticus says: “Who hath been tried thereby, and made perfect, he shall have glory everlasting. He that could have transgressed, and hath not transgressed; and could do evil things, and hath not done them: therefore are his goods established in the Lord, and all the Church of the saints shall declare his alms.” (chap. xxxi.) Now, although these words are to be understood as relating to the praises of those who dwell in the Church on earth; yet nothing prevents us from applying them to the blessed in heaven, and the Church triumphant. For there the saints will have true and eternal glory: there is truly the Church of the saints. And since in the Gospel our Lord saith, that faithful and prudent servants will be praised by God in heaven in these words: “Well done, good and faithful servant, because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord;” what prevents us from supposing that these words of our Lord will be taken up by the whole choir of the celestial city, and most sweetly repeated again and again? The Catholic Church has not hesitated to say of St. Martin: “Martin, here poor and mean, now rich, enters heaven, and is honoured with heavenly hymns.” In fine, St. Augustine, in the last book of the “City of God,” affirms the same in these eloquent words: “There will be true glory, where no one will be praised, either by the error or flattery of the praiser. ‘True honour will be there, that will be denied to no one who is worthy of it, nor given to any unworthy of it. Nor will any unworthy person aspire to it there, where none but the worthy are admitted.” Oh, thrice blessed then will those be, who in this place whence flattery is banished, and where no deceit is found, shall hear their praises sung without danger of pride, but not without an increase of their joy!

On the other senses only a few remarks must be made; not because they will not have great and peculiar pleasures, but because the Holy Scripture does not inform us what these pleasures will be. But this is sufficiently evident, that many bodies of the saints, immediately after their death, began to send forth a most sweet odour, such as no one had perceived before. This St. Jerome relates of the body of St. Hilarion, for he affirms that ten months after his burial his body was found perfect, as if he were still living; and so fragrant was it, that it seemed to have been embalmed. St. Gregory, in his “Dialogues,” relates the same thing of the body of St. Servulus, a paralytic. These are his words: “At the departure of his soul such sweet fragrance was scattered, that all who were present were filled with an inconceivable sweetness; and until the body was buried, every one felt the fragrance.” Other examples of a like nature are to be found, both in ancient and modern times. From these cases we may argue, that if the bodies of the deceased saints, after the soul was assumed to glory, breathed such a sweet odour, much more will these bodies breathe the same when they shall be glorified and alive. St. Gregory in his “Dialogues” also speaks of the body of our Saviour, in the following manner: “Then Tarsilla, the virgin, looking up, beheld Jesus coming; and suddenly with such a wonderful fragrance was she covered, that it was a proof to all the Author of sweetness was present.” And thus, if the glorified body of our Saviour breathed such an odour of sweetness, it is certain that all the bodies of the saints will send forth the sweetest odours: for it is meet that the members should be conformable to their head, not only in their glory, but also in the sweetness of their fragrance. Let those, therefore, who are delighted with odours, think with what sweetness they will be filled, when in that divine garden, adorned with thousands of heavenly flowers, they will inhale such various and sweet odours.

On the sense of taste theologians write, that the blessed will not use earthly food; but yet that this sense will have a certain pleasure, lest it should appear to be superfluous; but this pleasure will be suitable to the state and condition of the just. On the sense of touch, all agree that it will be possessed in heaven, since the bodies of the blessed can certainly be touched, being true and animated bodies, according to the words of our Lord: “Handle and see: for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as you see me to have.”

But we do not wish to enter on those Pass which are disputed in the schools.

We believe, however, that the sense of touch will derive no small pleasure from the perpetual beauty of the body endowed with glorified properties, of which St. Paul speaks in his First Epistle to the Corinthians: “It is sown in dishonour, it shall rise in glory. It is sown in weakness, it shall rise in power. It is sown a natural body, it shall rise a spiritual body,” &c. (chap. xv.) . Of these four endowments or privileges of a glorified body, that concerning its splendour relates to the sense of sight, as we have already mentioned; the other three seem properly to relate to the sense of touch. For as, when the body is attacked with any disorder, or receives a wound which is mortal, it is the sense of touch that suffers; so also, when the body is in health, the same sense rejoices. Greatly, therefore, will the sense of touch rejoice in heaven, when, after the resurrection, the bodies of the blessed will be immortal and impassible, and, consequently, endowed with perpetual health. What would not men give, and especially princes, if, during their whole life, they could be free from the out, the head-ache, or any other pains?

What then will be the joy in heaven, from which not only death, but every disease and sorrow will be far removed! Wherefore, those endowments by which a corruptible body will rise incorruptible, and that which is infirm will become impassible, relate to the sense of touch. The endowments of agility and subtility, by which what is corporal will be spiritual, seem also to relate to the same sense. It will be a spiritual and glorified body; not because it will not have truly flesh and bones, but because it will be so subject to the spirit, that, by the mere nod of the soul, it will be able without difficulty to move with the greatest velocity, to ascend and descend, to go and to return, to penetrate any place, as if it were not a body but a spirit. As, therefore, the sense of touch suffers when a heavy body is forced to ascend upwards, or to be moved from place to place quickly; so, on the contrary, it rejoices when the body without labour either ascends or passes quickly from place to place. Behold, then, from what a servitude of corruption the “blessed” will be free, when they will no more stand in need of horses, or chariots, or arms, or servants, or any other thing; but their bodies will of themselves go wherever they wish, and everywhere be free from danger, even in the midst of armed forces. 12

Would that those who cannot enjoy spiritual delights because they have a vitiated taste, would at least consider these corporal endowments, which are so excellent and desirable, and seek after them! And thus they might be induced gradually to ascend higher; and by these steps, they would at length, by the divine assistance, reach unto eternal joys.

We have already explained, according to our ability, what joys are prepared in heaven for those that love God; we will now, by certain external arguments, endeavour to show how great they are. And, first, we shall consider the pleasures which God often gives, even to his enemies, in this life. And truly, so great joys are found in riches, honours, power, and various other pleasures, which God gives to those that even blaspheme Him, or believe not in Him, that nearly all men consider them happy beings. David exclaims: “They have called the people happy that hath these things.” (Psalm cxliii.) Who amongst the lovers of this world does not envy Solomon, who reigned forty years, and abounded in riches and every delight, besides having seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines? And yet, according to the opinion of St. Augustine, it seems that he was lost, for thus he speaks: “‘Solomon himself was a lover of women, and was cast off by God.”¹ And in his book on the “City of God,” he says of Solomon what Sallust said of Cataline, “He began well, but ended badly.” St. Gregory also follows St. Augustine in the 2nd Book of his “Morals.” Not unlike Solomon are, in our own times, the kings of Turkey, Persia, China, and Tartary, who possess the most extensive kingdoms, and are addicted to carnal pleasures; they indulge their heart, their eyes, their ears, and palate in every thing they desire.

But not to dwell on these pleasures, which belong only to a few, how great are the joys which God gives to mortals in general, the greater part of whom neither know, nor love, nor fear God! Hath He not given to all the earth with its riches and pleasures, animals, fruit, flowers, and metals? Hath He not given to all men in general the sea, fountains, rivers, and lakes, filled with so many kinds of fishes? Hath He not outspread the heavens, to be as it were the roof of His great house, adorned with innumerable stars? Doth not this same great and most bountiful Lord command His sun to rise and His rain to fall, both upon the just and the unjust? Now, if He hath given so many pleasures to reprobate sinners and ungrateful slaves, who are deserving of the severest punishments, is it not just that He should reserve for His friends and children joys infinitely greater? Hear St. Augustine: “To sinners that blaspheme His name daily, He gives the heavens and the earth: fountains, fruits, health, children, riches, abundance. He who giveth such to sinners, what thinkest thou will He not give to His faithful servants?” It is mentioned in the Life of St. Fulgentius,* that when he once saw the glory of the Roman senate he exclaimed: “O! how beautiful must the heavenly Jerusalem be, if earthly Rome be so glorious! And if in this world so much honour be given to those that love vanity, what honour and glory will be given unto the saints, who behold truth itself!” St. Augustine, who was such a wise judge of things, does not hesitate to assert there is such a difference between heavenly and earthly joys, that the enjoyment of celestial pleasures for one day only, would be more desirable than the enjoyment of earthly pleasures for thousands of ages. “These are his words: “So great is the glory of eternal life, that, supposing we could only enjoy it for one day—for this alone countless

years of this life, full of earthly goods and happiness, should justly be despised; for not without reason has it been said, “Better is one day in thy courts above thousands.” What then shall we say? If these words are true, as they most certainly are, is it not reasonable that we should now at length begin to be wise? Hitherto we have been accustomed to exhort you to despise earthly goods because they are momentary, and to love heavenly things because they are eternal. But now we hear St. Augustine, a most learned doctor, affirming that although earthly goods were eternal, and heavenly ones only momentary, yet that the latter should be preferred to the former! Are we not therefore deaf, blind, stupid, and foolish, if, on account of earthly goods, which are not only vile, but frail and transitory, we despise heavenly treasures, which are most precious and eternal? Cure, O merciful Lord! our deafness: enlighten our blindness: rouse our stupidity: heal our madness. Why is the light of thy countenance signed upon us, O Lord, if we discern not things so great and so necessary? And why hast thou given unto us the judgment of reason, if we see not objects so evident?²

We have compared the joys of this world with the joys of the kingdom of heaven: we will now compare in a few words the joys of the earthly paradise, with those of the heavenly one. We may know how great were the pleasures of the terrestrial paradise from this circumstance, that it was a garden of pleasure given to men, who were created according to the image and likeness of God, whilst the other -parts of the earth were given to the animals. But when Adam by his sin had lost the honour in which he had been placed by God, and had become like senseless beasts, he was then cast out of paradise into this place. St. Alchimus, in his poems on Genesis, and others describe paradise as a most beautiful region, and very temperate; where neither the heat of summer could burn, nor the cold of winter injure, but a perpetual spring of flowers flourished, and autumn gave its fruits of every kind. St. Basil thus speaks of it in his book on Paradise: “God planted paradise where there is no violence of wind, no inclemency of seasons, no hail, nor thunder, nor storms; no cold of winter, nor damp of spring, nor summer’s heat, nor autumn’s dryness: but the seasons are temperate, and in peace among themselves, for they dance around that place; yea, the pleasures of spring, the nourishment of summer, the joy of autumn, and the rest of winter meet there together with their blessings. Clear are its waters, affording great joy to the eye, but possessing more utility than joy. God, therefore, created this yee at first as worthy to receive His plants. Afterwards he planted therein a variety of beautiful trees, most pleasing to the sight, and by them He bestowed a most sweet enjoyment.”

St. Augustine, in his “City of God,” thus speaks of paradise: “What could these fear or grieve for, being in possession of such an abundance. of good things; where neither death was feared, nor any distemper of the body, and every thing was present which the will could desire; nor could anything enter to injure the body or soul of those that lived so happily? Their love of God was undisturbed, and they lived together in a faithful and sincere friendship: from this love came great Joy. There was a tranquil avoiding of sin, which, while it remained, no evil could happen to give them sorrow. How happy, therefore, were these first men, whose minds were agitated by no fears, nor their bodies injured by any evils! The whole human race would have been as happy, had not these committed sin, which they passed to posterity, and had not every one of their descendants sinned, and thus brought damnation.” So far St. Augustine. I omit others who have written on the wonderful beauty and fruitfulness of the earthly paradise, such as Claudius Marius Victor, St. John Damascene, St. Isidore, &c.

But whatever we may think of these particular accounts, we learn from the Holy Scripture itself that paradise was doubtless a more happy place than this our habitation, since, as a punishment for sin, it was said to Adam: “Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat, cursed is the earth in thy work: with labour and toil shalt thou eat thereof all the days of thy life. ‘Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee,” &c. And to the woman He said: “I will multiply thy sorrows and thy conceptions; in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children, and thou shalt be under thy husband’s power, and he shall have dominion over thee.” (chap. i.) In paradise, therefore, there would not have been sterility of the earth, neither would its cultivation have required labour, nor would it have brought forth briars and thorns; women would always have conceived with fruit, and although they might be subject to their husbands, the subjection would not have been despotic, but mild and moderate. These, therefore, would have led a happy life, without fear or sorrow, without labour and trouble.

Now, if the earthly paradise, had not sin been committed, would have been free from every evil, and have abounded in all good, what ought we to think of our heavenly Paradise, which must be so much more beautiful as it is more excellent, being created for more excellent beings? The heaven of the blessed is, without any comparison, much more sublime than the paradise of Adam; and the blessed inhabitants therein, as they cannot sin or die, are therefore far, far better off than the inhabitants of this earthly paradise, who are exposed to sin and to death. This, then, being the truth, let us give thanks to God that by the

Passion of His Son, instead of the terrestrial paradise snatched from us by the envy of the devil, we have now gained a celestial one, far more excellent than the other; and lest we should be ungrateful to so great a Redeemer, let us strive with our whole strength to enter the heavenly paradise, and to open its gates for ourselves by a lively faith, by a sincere hope, perfect charity, and good works.

We will now advance further, and compare all the goods of this world, as well as those of the earthly paradise, with the joys of the heavenly paradise alone; and these being united together, we shall see which preponderate. ‘To accomplish this, let us imagine that the riches, power, pleasures, and glory of Solomon, and of other like fortunate men, could be acquired without labour, and retained without fear: let us also suppose, that these men could never sin, nor ever die. These points then being granted, I affirm that the joys of the heavenly paradise alone far excel all the goods of this world and those of the terrestrial paradise united together. And hence I conclude, that all these joined together can never fill the soul, can never satisfy her desires, because the heart of man is capable of an infinite good: but these are finite. Wherefore, the words of St. Augustine, which are to be found in the beginning of his “Confessions,’ will always be true: “Thou hast made us, O Lord, for Thyself; and our heart cannot rest until it rest in Thee.”¹ True also are the words of David, “I shall be satisfied when thy glory shall appear.” (Psalm xvi.) But as long as the heart is not at rest, it will be miserable, and if miserable, it will not be happy. Now, our heavenly paradise will both satiate the soul, and take away all fear and uneasiness. For what can he desire who will be like unto God, because he will see Him as He is? What can he desire, whom God “shall place over all his goods?”? What can he desire who will reign with God, and be a co-heir with Christ, “whom the Father hath appointed heir of all things?” Moreover, because the goods of this world, and those of the earthly paradise also, may be lost, however great they are, they are not therefore perfect goods; nor can they satiate and satisfy the soul; and, on this account, they cannot make it blessed and happy. But the goods of the heavenly paradise are, in every way, perfect and secure: they cannot be lost, nor diminished in the least. For the saints, placed on their most blessed thrones, can neither die nor sin, and are most certain of their eternal happiness!

May mortals therefore open the eyes of their soul, and seriously ponder how important it is, not to lose their heavenly paradise. The subject is truly of the deepest interest, and not concerning transitory things; for the wisdom of God hath said, “What doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

The last comparison will be on the * price’ by which Christ purchased paradise for us, and by which we also ought to purchase it with all its goods. Christ, at the price of His blood, purchased paradise for us, which the envy of the devil had snatched from us; not that he might possess it himself, but that he might deprive us of it. For this purpose he seduced Eve, and by her Adam, that he might make them both partakers of his punishment. Christ therefore is that wise merchant, who sold all that he had to purchase the precious pearl, by which is clearly signified the kingdom of heaven, as He himself teaches, of whom St. Paul speaks: “You are bought with a great price;” and St. Peter says, “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as gold or silver.... but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb unspotted and undefiled:” and again, “They deny the Lord who bought them.” Christ at the same time that He bought paradise, bought us also; for we were captives, and had lost paradise by sin: but Christ redeeming us from our sins, and from the captivity of the devil, made us sons and heirs of God at the same time, and by this means restored paradise to us. Hence, the greatness of paradise is shown to us, by appearing to the wisdom of God worthy of an infinite price. If amongst men, some wise and very rich merchant were to purchase a precious pearl by selling willingly all his goods, certainly no one would doubt but that this pearl was so wonderful and valuable, that scarcely a sufficient price could be given for it. How greatly therefore ought we to value, if we possess any judgment, the possession of heaven, which the wisdom of God, the Word incarnate, by all his labours, sufferings, and sorrows for the space of thirty years purchased for us, at the price of His most precious death! We must truly be quite senseless, if we sell for the vile value of any earthly goods whatever, that which Christ our Lord deemed worthy of an infinite price.

But not only Christ purchased paradise for us by His blood; all the saints likewise taught by Him, most joyfully gave up whatever they possessed—whatever they were worth—whatever they were, in order to purchase this same paradise. St. Paul exclaims, “I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall be revealed in us.” (Epistle to the Romans, viii. 18.) But although the blood of Christ was not only a worthy price for paradise, but also (if I may so speak) more than worthy, being supereminent and exceeding the dignity of the thing purchased; yet He wished to purchase us also, that He might honour and exalt us. Great is the glory of man, because he can obtain paradise, not only through the merits of Christ, but also by his own merits, which however derive their efficacy from Christ. He therefore that is unwilling to purchase paradise by doing good and avoiding evil, is expelled from the inheritance of Christ, as a wicked and slothful servant in the parable of the Talents. And the apostle seriously admonishes us where he says: “And if sons, heirs also; heirs indeed of God, and joint-heirs with Christ: yet so, if we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.” (Epistle to the Romans, viii. 17.)

But lest we should perhaps complain that we have not a worthy price, we must know that nothing is required of us but what we already have. St. Augustine thus speaks: “The kingdom of God is worth as much as you possess:” he proves this by examples from. the Holy Scriptures: “What so vile, what so earthly, as to break our bread for the hungry? The kingdom of heaven is worth as much; for it is written, ‘Possess ye the kingdom of heaven, because I was hungry, and you gave me to eat.’ The widow purchased it by her mite: Peter purchased it by leaving his nets: Zaccheus by giving away the half of his patrimony.” With these words of St. Augustine, Venerable Bede also agrees when he says: “The kingdom of heaven requires nothing else but thyself: it is worth as much as thou art: give thyself, and thou shalt possess it.”¹ Poor Lazarus had nothing to give but his patience in affliction, and he was carried by angels to Abraham’s bosom: the good thief had nothing in this world of his own, besides that voice by which he exclaimed, “Remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdom”—and immediately he heard, “This day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” O! truly great is the goodness of God! O! ineffable happiness of man, who can so easily pass over every thing most precious, with the price of his Lord! Dost thou wish, O man! to obtain from God a paradise of every pleasure? Give thyself to Him, and thou wilt possess it. What meaneth “Give thyself???’ Love God with thy whole heart: humble thyself under His powerful hand: praise Him at all times: be willing to do ‘His will, whether He wish thee to be rich or poor—illustrious or not illustrious—in health or in sickness. His will is adorable, and just are all His judgments. Say then unto God, I am thine: do with me according to thy pleasure: I do not resist, do not murmur, I obey thy commands. “My heart is ready, O Lord! my heart is ready. Not my will, but thine be done.” This holocaust is beyond all value in the sight of God, who standeth in no need of our goods. “Doth the Lord desire holocausts and victims,” saith Samuel, “and not rather that the voice of the Lord should be obeyed?’? This holocaust of obedience Christ daily offered to His Father, according to His own testimony: “I do always the things that please Him.” And St. Paul, the true imitator of our Saviour, saith: “And therefore we labour, whether absent or present, to please Him.” This perfect renunciation of all things we possess, or desire to possess: this denying of one’s self in order to please God alone, is the “true price of paradise.” And he who gives himself in this way to gain paradise, does not lose himself; but most truly finds himself, according to our Lord: ‘He that findeth his life, shall lose it; and he that shall lose his life for me, shall find it.” But since this truth is hidden from the wise and prudent of this world (who are fools before God ;) and since the number of fools is infinite, therefore “many are called, but few are chosen,”