First, there is not such distance between God and the soul, but that it is capable of union with God. One would think how is it possible that God should be so united to the soul, being there is such an infinite distance between God and it: but there is not such an infinite distance between God and the soul of man, as that there should not be a glorious union between them: there is a great deal of likeness between God and the soul; First, in the spirituality, 1God is a Spirit, the soul is a Spirit. Secondly, in 2immortality, God is immortal, the soul is immortal. 3Thirdly, in the high excellency of God, the understanding and will, the soul is endued with understanding and will; the perfection of God as we can conceive, is his understanding and will; and so it is in the soul. Fourthly, in the several operations 4that the soul hath; and herein there is more likeness between God and mans soul, then is between God and Angels, in that one rational soul should perform so many works, as the same God, the same Excellency, working upon the creature, works in one thing one way, and in another thing another way; so the soul represents God in this, in that one rational soul hath such variety of workings in the body, for understanding, for sense, for vegetation, which Angels ⟨p. 551⟩have not. Again, the soul resembles God in the infiniteness; the soul is not only infinite in duration, but in regard of the infiniteness of the working of it: and here is a mighty difference between the soul of man, between rational creatures, and all other creatures: for the sensitive creature that only works about some particular thing that concerns its own preservation, and its own good within its narrow compass, but the object of mans soul is universal, infinite: it is not any particular truth, that will satisfy the understanding, let there be never so many truths revealed, yet the understanding desires infinitely more; if there be any truth that is not revealed, it would have that. Let *the sense have some particular object before it, suitable to sense, it looks no further; as if the eye have colour, it goes no further, nor the ear goes no further then sound, but the understanding hath desire to all truth: And so for good, the sensitive creature hath no desire of good, but only that which does preserve sense, but the will of man is for good in general:
First, there is not such distance between God and the soul, but that it is capable of union with God. One would think how is it possible that God should be so united to the soul, being there is such an infinite distance between God and it: but there is not such an infinite distance between God and the soul of man, as that there should not be a glorious union between them: there is a great deal of likeness between God and the soul; First, in the spirituality, 1God is a Spirit, the soul is a Spirit. Secondly, in 2immortality, God is immortal, the soul is immortal. 3Thirdly, in the high excellency of God, the understanding and will, the soul is endued with understanding and will; the perfection of God as we can conceive, is his understanding and will; and so it is in the soul. Fourthly, in the several operations 4that the soul hath; and herein there is more likeness between God and mans soul, then is between God and Angels, in that one rational soul should perform so many works, as the same God, the same Excellency, working upon the creature, works in one thing one way, and in another thing another way; so the soul represents God in this, in that one rational soul hath such variety of workings in the body, for understanding, for sense, for vegetation, which Angels ⟨p. 551⟩have not. Again, the soul resembles God in the infiniteness; the soul is not onely infinite in duration, but in regard of the infiniteness of the working of it: and here is a mighty difference between the soul of man, between rational creatures, and all other creatures: for the sensitive creature that onely works about some particular thing that concerns its own preservation, and its own good within its narrow compass, but the object of mans soul is universal, infinite: it is not any particular truth, that will satisfie the understanding, let there be never so many truths revealed, yet the understanding desires infinitely more; if there be any truth that is not revealed, it would have that. Let *the sense have some particular object before it, suitable to sense, it looks no further; as if the eye have colour, it goes no further, nor the ear goes no further then sound, but the understanding hath desire to all truth: And so for good, the sensitive creature hath no desire of good, but onely that which does preserve sense, but the will of man is for good in general:
- 11.
- 22.
- 33.
- 44.
- *Impossibile est sensum corporeum elevari ad Deum, prout in se est, quia nullo modo comprehenditur Deus sub objecto ejus; hâc enim ratione non potest visus elevari ad percipiendum sonum, nec auditus ad percipiendū colorem & fic de aliis potentiis, in quo multum differt intellectus à sensu; nam intellectus absolutè continet Deum sub objecto suo; & ideò elevare potest ad percipiendum illum perfectius, quàm naturalitèr posset; quia tota illa elevatio est intra latitudinem objecti intellectus, Suarez. de Beat. Disp. 6. Sect. 3.Impossibile est sensum corporeum elevari ad Deum, prout in se est, quia nullo modo comprehenditur Deus sub objecto ejus; hâc enim ratione non potest visus elevari ad percipiendum sonum, nec auditus ad percipiendū colorem & fic de aliis potentiis, in quo multum differt intellectus à sensu; nam intellectus absolutè continet Deum sub objecto suo; & ideò elevare potest ad percipiendum illum perfectius, quàm naturalitèr posset; quia tota illa elevatio est intra latitudinem objecti intellectus, Suarez. de Beat. Disp. 6. Sect. 3.
