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What of the souls already released from their
bodies?
We believe that they are overwhelmed in that vast
sea of eternal light and of luminous eternity. But
no one denies that they still hope and desire to
receive their bodies again: whence it is plain that
they are not yet wholly transformed, and that
something of self remains yet unsurrendered. Not
until death is swallowed up in victory, and
perennial light overflows the uttermost bounds of
darkness, not until celestial glory clothes our
bodies, can our souls be freed entirely from self
and give themselves up to God. For until then souls
are bound to bodies, if not by a vital connection of
sense, still by natural affection; so that without
their bodies they cannot attain to their perfect
consummation, nor would they if they could. And
although there is no defect in the soul itself
before the restoration of its body, since it has
already attained to the highest state of which it is
by itself capable, yet the spirit would not yearn
for reunion with the flesh if without the flesh it
could be consummated.
And finally, 'Right dear in the sight of the Lord
is the death of His saints' (Ps. 116.15). But if
their death is precious, what must such a life as
theirs be! No wonder that the body shall seem to add
fresh glory to the spirit; for though it is weak and
mortal, it has availed not a little for mutual help.
How truly he spake who said, 'All things work
together for good to them that love God' (Rom.
8.28). The body is a help to the soul that loves
God, even when it is ill, even when it is dead, and
all the more when it is raised again from the dead:
for illness is an aid to penitence; death is the
gate of rest; and the resurrection will bring
consummation. So, rightly, the soul would not be
perfected without the body, since she recognizes
that in every condition it has been needful to her
good.
The flesh then is a good and faithful comrade for
a good soul: since even when it is a burden it
assists; when the help ceases, the burden ceases
too; and when once more the assistance begins, there
is no longer a burden. The first state is toilsome,
but fruitful; the second is idle, but not
monotonous: the third is glorious. Hear how the
Bridegroom in Canticles bids us to this threefold
progress: 'Eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink
abundantly, O beloved' (Cant. 5.1). He offers food
to those who are laboring with bodily toil; then He
calls the resting souls whose bodies are laid aside,
to drink; and finally He urges those who have
resumed their bodies to drink abundantly.
Surely those He styles 'beloved' must overflow
with charity; and that is the difference between
them and the others, whom He calls not 'beloved' but
'friends'. Those who yet groan in the body are dear
to Him, according to the love that they have; those
released from the bonds of flesh are dearer because
they have become readier and abler to love than
hitherto. But beyond either of these classes are
those whom He calls 'beloved': for they have
received the second garment, that is, their
glorified bodies, so that now nothing of self
remains to hinder or disturb them, and they yield
themselves eagerly and entirely to loving God. This
cannot be so with the others; for the first have the
weight of the body to bear, and the second desires
the body again with something of selfish
expectation.
At first then the faithful soul eats her bread,
but alas! in the sweat of her face. Dwelling in the
flesh, she walks as yet by faith, which must work
through love. As faith without words is dead, so
work itself is food for her; even as our Lord saith,
'My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me'
(John 4.34). When the flesh is laid aside, she eats
no more the bread of carefulness, but is allowed to
drink deeply of the wine of love, as if after a
repast. But the wine is not yet unmingled; even as
the Bridegroom saith in another place, 'I have drunk
My wine with My milk' (Cant. 5.1). For the soul
mixes with the wine of God's love the milk of
natural affection, that is, the desire for her body
and its glorification. She glows with the wine of
holy love which she has drunk; but she is not yet
all on fire, for she has tempered the potency of
that wine with milk.
The unmingled wine would enrapture the soul and
make her wholly unconscious of self; but here is no
such transport for she is still desirous of her
body. When that desire is appeased, when the one
lack is supplied, what should hinder her then from
yielding herself utterly to God, losing her own
likeness and being made like unto Him? At last she
attains to that chalice of the heavenly wisdom, of
which it is written, 'My cup shall be full.' Now
indeed she is refreshed with the abundance of the
house of God, where all selfish, carking care is
done away, and where, for ever safe, she drinks the
fruit of the vine, new and pure, with Christ in the
Kingdom of His Father (Matt. 26.29).
It is Wisdom who spreads this threefold supper
where all the repast is love; Wisdom who feeds the
toilers, who gives drink to those who rest, who
floods with rapture those that reign with Christ.
Even as at an earthly banquet custom and nature
serve meat first and then wine, so here. Before
death, while we are still in mortal flesh, we eat
the labors of our hands, we swallow with an effort
the food so gained; but after death, we shall begin
eagerly to drink in the spiritual life and finally,
reunited to our bodies, and rejoicing in fullness of
delight, we shall be refreshed with immortality.
This is what the Bridegroom means when He saith:
'Eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O
beloved.' Eat before death; begin to drink after
death; drink abundantly after the resurrection.
Rightly are they called beloved who have drunk
abundantly of love; rightly do they drink abundantly
who are worthy to be brought to the marriage supper
of the Lamb, eating and drinking at His table in His
Kingdom (Rev. 19.9; Luke 22.30). At that supper, He
shall present to Himself a glorious Church, not
having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing (Eph.
5.27). Then truly shall He refresh His beloved; then
He shall give them drink of His pleasures, as out of
the river (Ps. 36.8). While the Bridegroom clasps
the Bride in tender, pure embrace, then the rivers
of the flood thereof shall make glad the city of God
(Ps. 46.4).
And this refers to the Son of God Himself, who
will come forth and serve them, even as He hath
promised; so that in that day the righteous shall be
glad and rejoice before God: they shall also be
merry and joyful (Ps. 68.3). Here indeed is
appeasement without weariness: here never-quenched
thirst for knowledge, without distress; here eternal
and infinite desire which knows no want; here,
finally, is that sober inebriation which comes not
from drinking new wine but from enjoying God (Acts
2.13).
The fourth degree of love is attained for ever
when we love God only and supremely, when we do not
even love ourselves except for God's sake; so that
He Himself is the reward of them that love Him, the
everlasting reward of an everlasting love. |