Chapter 166 — That all who see God have a will firmly fixed in good

This enables us to understand that the soul which sees God—and the same is true of any other spiritual creature—has its will firmly fixed in him, so that it can never turn to what is opposed to him. For, since the object of the will is the good, the will cannot incline to anything whatever unless it exhibits some aspect of good. Any particular good may be wanting in some perfection which the knower is then free to seek in another. Therefore, the will of him who beholds some particular good need not rest content with its possession, but may search farther afield beyond its orbit. But God, who is the universal good and very goodness itself, is not lacking in any good that may be sought elsewhere, as was shown above. And so whoever sees God’s essence cannot turn his will from him, but must rather desire all things under the aspect of him.

Something similar is observed in the process of understanding. Our mind, when in doubt, can turn this way and that until it reaches a first principle; then the intellect must come to a halt. Since the end has the same function in things desired that a principle has in things understood, the will can veer in opposite directions until it comes to the enjoyment of the last end, in which it must rest. It would also be contrary to the notion of perfect happiness if man could turn to what is opposed to it. For then fear of losing happiness would not be wholly excluded, and so desire would not be completely satisfied. Hence Revelation 3:12 says of the blessed one that he shall go out no more.