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When we look upon anything, though it is present to
us, it is not itself united to our eyes but only
sends out to them a certain representation or picture
of itself, which is called its sensible species, by
means of which we see.
So also when we contemplate or understand
anything, that which we understand is not united to
our understanding otherwise than by another
representation and most delicate and spiritual image,
which is called intelligible species. But further,
these species, by how many windings and changes do
they get to the understanding! They arrive at the
exterior senses, thence pass to the interior, then to
the imagination, then to the active understanding,
and come at last to the passive understanding, to the
end that passing through so many strainers and under
so many files they may be purified, subtilised and
perfected, and of sensible become intelligible.
Thus, Theotimus, we see and understand all that we
see and understand in this mortal life, yea even
things of faith; far, as the mirror contains not the
thing we see in it but only the representation and
species of it (which representation, stayed by the
mirror, produces another in the beholding eye), so
the word of faith does not contain the things which
it announces, but only represents them, and this
representation of divine. things which is in the word
of faith produces another representation of them,
which our understanding, helped by God's grace,
accepts and receives as a representation of holy
truth, and our will takes delight in it, and embraces
it, as an honourable, profitable, lovely and
excellent truth. Thus the truths signified in God's
word are by it represented to the understanding as
things expressed in the mirror are by the mirror
represented to the. eye: whence the great Apostle
said that to believe is to see as in a glass.(1)
But in heaven, Theotimus, - Ah! my God, what a
favour! - The Divinity will unite itself to our
understanding without the mediation of any species or
representation at all, but it will itself apply and
join itself to our understanding, making itself in
such sort present unto it, that that inward presence
shall be instead of a representation or species. O
God! what sweetness shall it be for man's
understanding to be united for ever to its sovereign
object, receiving not its representation but its
presence, not the picture or species, but the very
essence of its divine truth and majesty.
We shall be there as most happy children of the
divinity, and shall have the honour to be fed with
the divine substance itself, taken into our soul by
the mouth of our understanding, and what surpasses
all sweetness is, that as mothers are not contented
with feeding their babes with their milk, which is
their own substance, if they do not also put the
breast into their mouth, that these may receive their
substance, not in a spoon or other instrument, but
even in, and by this same substance (so that this
maternal substance serves as well for food, as for a
conduit to convey it to the dear little suckling); -
so God our Father is not contented to make us receive
his proper substance in our understanding, that is,
to make us see his divinity, but by an abyss of his
sweetness, wills himself to apply his substance to
our soul, to the end that we may no longer understand
it by species or representation but in itself and by
itself; so that his fatherly and eternal substance is
both species and object to our understanding.
Then these divine promises shall be fulfilled in
an excellent manner: I will lead her into the
wilderness, and I will speak to her heart,2 and give
her suck. Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad with
her. That you may suck and be filled with the breasts
of her consolations, that you may milk out, and flow
with delights from the abundance of her glory: you
shall be carried at the breasts, and upon the knees
they shall caress you.3
Infinite bliss, Theotimus, and one which has not been
promised only, but of which we have a pledge in the
Blessed Sacrament, that perpetual feast of Divine
Grace. For in it we receive the blood of Our Saviour
in his flesh, and his flesh in his blood; his blood
being applied unto us by means of his flesh, his
substance by his substance to our very corporal
mouth; that we may know that so he will apply unto us
his divine essence in the eternal feast of his glory.
True it is, this favour is done unto us here really
but covertly, under Sacramental species and
appearances, whereas in heavens the Divinity will
give himself openly, and we shall see him face to
face as he is.
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