Lastly, to see God in our selves: It is an happiness to see God in the Creature, but much more to see God in our selves: the chiefest of the glory of God, next to that which appears in Jesus Christ, shall appear in the Saints, and the chief excellency of God that the Saints shall see, shall be within themselves: they shall see more of the glory of God within themselves, then in all the Heavens besides. The Heavens are glorious now, the Sun, Moon, and Stars are glorious; but to see the highest Heaven, that were more glorious. But the meanest Saint of God in Heaven, shall see more of God, and of his glory in himself, then does appear in all the Heavens beside, and then much more then does appear in all the World. We might make it out, there is more of the glory of God in one Saint, then in all the Heavens and Earth besides; for the Heavens and the ⟨p. 545⟩Earth are but Gods foot-stool, not his image, but the Saints of God are are his image, and this shall be their happiness, to see the glory of God in themselves. A man may delight to see beautiful colours, but you take more delight, if you can by looking in a glass see your selves beautiful, and see those beautiful colours in your own clothes; but if we could have the glory of the Sun, and the Moon, and all the creatures in heaven shining within our bodies, that would be counted glorious indeed; but to see the divine excellency, and the top of the divine excellency of the infinite God shining within us, this will be a mighty happiness. Base sensual carnal hearts think there is no content but in satisfying the flesh. What sweet and content have many, but in their eating and drinking? and their palate is pleased, and in that their other senses are satisfied, and they think this is the excellency of man: But take a scholar, that hath but the exercise of his understanding to find out truths, and those things that are suitable to the rational part, and he sees more excellency there, then in any sensual thing, and he can scorn sensual delights. If there be so much content to the mind in viewing the things here, what content will there be to the mind in beholding God, and his glory? There are two reasons of content in seeing things; In regard of the *object, or in regard of the act of seeing it self. Let the object be what it will, there is delight in the act of seeing and understanding:
Lastly, to see God in our selves: It is an happiness to see God in the Creature, but much more to see God in our selves: the chiefest of the glory of God, next to that which appears in Jesus Christ, shall appear in the Saints, and the chief excellency of God that the Saints shall see, shall be within themselves: they shall see more of the glory of God within themselves, then in all the Heavens besides. The Heavens are glorious now, the Sun, Moon, and Stars are glorious; but to see the highest Heaven, that were more glorious. But the meanest Saint of God in Heaven, shall see more of God, and of his glory in himself, then does appear in all the Heavens beside, and then much more then does appear in all the World. We might make it out, there is more of the glory of God in one Saint, then in all the Heavens and Earth besides; for the Heavens and the ⟨p. 545⟩Earth are but Gods foot-stool, not his image, but the Saints of God are are his image, and this shall be their happiness, to see the glory of God in themselves. A man may delight to see beautiful colours, but you take more delight, if you can by looking in a glass see your selves beautiful, and see those beautiful colours in your own clothes; but if we could have the glory of the Sun, and the Moon, and all the creatures in heaven shining within our bodies, that would be counted glorious indeed; but to see the divine excellency, and the top of the divine excellency of the infinite God shining within us, this will be a mighty happiness. Base sensual carnal hearts think there is no content but in satisfying the flesh. What sweet and content have many, but in their eating and drinking? and their pallate is pleased, and in that their other senses are satisfied, and they think this is the excellency of man: But take a schollar, that hath but the exercise of his understanding to finde out truths, and those things that are suitable to the rational part, and he sees more excellency there, then in any sensual thing, and he can scorn sensual delights. If there be so much content to the minde in viewing the things here, what content will there be to the minde in beholding God, and his glory? There are two reasons of content in seeing things; In regard of the *object, or in regard of the act of seeing it self. Let the object be what it will, there is delight in the act of seeing and understanding:
- *Visio est delectabilis dupliciter; uno modo ex parte objecti in quantum id quod videtur delectabile est, alio modo ex parte visionis in quantum ipsum videre delectabile est: delectamur enim cognosendo, mala, quam vis ipsamala nos non delect ent: quia ergo visio beati fica est perfectissima, ideò utroque modo delectabilis. est. Tom. Aquin.
