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Chapter 31

That the first thing which we are to hear, is divine Truth, by means of Faith, which is the beginning of all spiritual life; and which teacheth us so high things, as that they exceed all humane discourse.

ALL that hitherto is said, hath been to give thee to understand whom thou art not to ●eare; and to help thee to these directions which thou hast read. It remaineth that now I tell thee, whom thou art to hear; that so thou mayst fulfil the first word which the prophet speaketh, Harken O Daughter. And know that he who deserveth to be harkened to, is only Truth. But because there are many Truths, the hearing or knowing whereof doth make little to our purpose, I tell thee, (since here we are to speak of the1 Catholic faith, which by us Christians is embraced) that thou art to hear, and learn, that which God speaketh in his holy Scripture, and in his Catholic Church. This faith, is the beginning of a spiritual life; and therefore (as I said before) it is with much reason, that we are first admonished by the prophet, of that which first it is fit for us to do, since S. Paul2 affirmeth, That faith comes by hearing.

This faith is the first reverence whereby the soul adoreth her creator, believing most highly of him, as is fit to be believed of God. For although some things of God, may be arrived to by reason, which S. Paul3 doth call The manifest of God, yet the Mysteries, which faith belieued●, cannot be reached, outright, by reason. Therefore we say, that faith believeth that which it seethe not; and doth firmly adore, that which lieth hid from reason. And this is given us to be understood, by the two Seraphims which covered the face of that great Lord, in the Temple which Isaias4 saw; and so also, when Moses came near to treat with our Lord upon the mountain, the5 Scripture saith, That he entered into the obscurity, or cloud, where our Lord was. A strange thing it may seem, that God should place his dwelling in darkness, since he is most pure and perfect light, which endureth no darkness, as S. John6 saith. But because he is a light so very bright, and so overshining, that, as S. Paul7 doth witness, he dwelleth in light which is ineccessible, he is said to dwell in8 darknesses because no eye created, either of man, or angel●, can arrive to his mysteries, by the force of reason. And9 for this cause, in regard of such eyes, the light is called darkness. Not because such light is obscure, but for that it is a light which doth infinitely exceed all understanding. As when we see that a wheel doth move with extremity of speed, we use to say that it stirreth not. And we speak in this manner, because our eyes are not able to hold pace, with so swift a motion; not because there is indeed any want of motion, but for that it doth outstrip the ability of our sight.

Not only doth our Faith reverence God, by believing that, which reason cannot reach; but beside, it doth profess him to be so high, that howsoever God be clearly seen by his own light in heaven, there is yet no understanding, either humane or Angelical, which of him, can see all, that is to be seen. No will, no delight although they all should be joined in one, are able to love him, or enjoy him, as much as there is reason in him, both of love and joy. Only10 God is he, that comprehendeth himself; and creatures when they have seen, and loved, and enjoyed, and praised him, withal the powers of their hart, they do reverence him also by knowing further, that in comparison of that which he is, and of that which remaineth to be said of him, and of that service which is his due, all that which they know of him, and which they do for him, is very little. And therefore, falling upon their faces, they adore him with a profound silence; confessing, that he only is his own perfect praise to which they are not able to reach. And this silence, is an honour very fit for God; for it is a confession, that such praise is due to him, as cannot be expressed by all the creatures. Of this honour, David11 saith, To thee, O God, is praise due in Zion. In such sort, that although, in heaven, there be an incessant voice of divine12 praise, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts; with other admirable praises, which day and night they yield to him, yet do they also confess in silence, that our Lord is greater, than they can either express, or understand. For13 he mounted above the Cherubin; and he flew upon the wings of the wind; and there is none, how speedy soever, that must think to overtake him. And all they, who shall know & see him, must be fain to say, that which the children of Israel said, when they saw bread coming from heaven Man-hu, which signifieth, what is this? Admiring, as the Queen of Saba did, that infinite abyssus of light; whereof although they shall see in heaven much more, than they heard thereof on earth, yet can they not comprehend it all. Such is the God whom we have; and such doth our Faith teach him to be; singing that which David14 saith, The heaven of the heaven is for our Lord; because the secret of what he is, after the aforesaid manner, is for himself alone, since he only comprehendeth himself.

Footnotes

  1. Note well, that when the Author, throughout his whole discourse of Faith, doth speak of Christianity, or Christi●s, he meaneth only such as believe, & profess the holy Catholik● Apostolic Roman Faith; as appeareth elsewhere abundantly; & especially Cap. 4●. ↩

  2. Rom. 10. ↩

  3. Ro●●. 1. ↩

  4. Isa. 6. ↩

  5. Ixod. ●4. ↩

    1. Io●●. 1.
    ↩
    1. Tim. ●.
    ↩

  8. The true reason why we cannot arrive to see God. ↩

  9. Note. ↩

  10. God only truly understandeth God. ↩

  11. Psal. ●4. ↩

  12. Isa. 6. ↩

  13. Psal. 17. ↩

  14. Psal. ●0. ↩

Chapter 33 of 115