29. Of a Certain Loftier Rank of the Gift of Counsel, and Its More Dis Tinguished Results

BUT now let us see what of greater dignity and of more excellent virtues this gift of Counsel brings*. The soul, whilst by divine contact, which is the origin of this gift, it is aroused and impelled to all the virtues by the Father's power, and by the clearness of the Son the reason having been illumined to know God in the way of a creature and in sublime clearness — , is enlightened by this contact and illumined reason, and an impatience of love is sup plied to it by the Holy Ghost, which desire brings about, of tasting God in incomprehensible and measureless joys. And for this reason it obtains or engenders the likeness of the Most Excellent Trinity and fertile Unity. And were it possible to create any- 145 *, thing, God Himself might offer it, Himself only excluded ; nevertheless it would remain impatient and uncalmed, and this because it has the likeness of God and aspires to fruitful union ; and by means of that very likeness, as far as it is able to manifest it, it draws itself up into unity, which is the height of this likeness. Now here begins a certain loftier step of this likeness. For when all reasonable creatures, both angels and men, whom God has made like Himself either in grace or in glory by means of this likeness, have flowed forth into the unity of their own mind, and naturally in accordance with their own foundation are urged forward into the superessential being of God, as though into their own proper foundation, they then cleave to Him faithfully to gether with their collected and united powers. For the mind of one such as these turned inwards towards its own being, pos sesses itself not actively but essentially ; and all essences come in contact with the simple essence of God, and in it perhaps depend on their own proper cause, nor here does any medium present itself but that they are created ; for thus far, above action, they exist in essence, and every essence apart from the medium cleaves to the divine essence ; and even the Divine Persons'themselves flow forth in unity, and both naturally, as fruit-full}', cleave to the same essence ; so also the abyss of divinity keeps itself as a certain simple light — which is the essence itself — in the Unity of Persons, and also in that of any introverted mind, that is of any rational creature lightening towards its fruition. But the light which it illumines is the supreme unity of its own aspiring mind.

And this light incomprehensible, illumines the intelligence of the introverted mind, for it is that very Eternal Wisdom which is en gendered in the mind. And in this light it may contemplate this simplicity whence itself is sprung, which is the divine nature. For not otherwise than in this light can the essence of the incomprehensible God be seen fruitfully. For that light is Christ, and He Himself is the door, by which not only a way is made by His humanity, but also by His divinity.

For not everyone is admitted within the court of eternal fruition, except he live in accord with Christ's humanity, or following after the humanity of Christ and except through its boundless clearness he contemplate and reflow within. The simple light itself of this essence is henceforth illimitable, immeasurable and devoid of restriction, and it compasses and embraces the unity of the Divine Persons, and even of the soul itself and all the powers of the soul, and to such an extent that the natural propension and fruitful cleaving to God and all things which it holds to itself united in this light, it sur rounds and illuminates ; thus is brought about a single unity between God and loving souls. For all loving souls here consurge into unity beyond themselves, together with a certain boundless divine light. And because in this light knowing no limit, through which is brought about that immersion and inflow, all action, both of God and of all creatures, disappears-. For in this essence of God no operation either of God or of any creature is apparent, since the Persons, in accordance with the personal qualities are drawn down as if absorbed into fruition ; nevertheless they can never perish, since the Persons are eternal. For all this is brought about through the fruitful sinking or inclination into the boundless unity of the divine essence, which shuns all measure. Therefore God herein, together with all united to Himself, maintains a transformation of simple light, and here the soul sufficiently perceives that its Beloved has come, whilst it receives more in fruitful unity than even it was able to desire. And each one united to God perceives in this transformation joys incomprehensible and unspeak able fruition, although not all enjoy the same equal delight or felicity. For in proportion to each one's hunger, eagerness of love, and height of virtues, so each soever is surpassing, enlightened and superior. And notwithstanding, a certain common good is rendered to all ; yet when each one is anhungered and impatient for love, so then he is more and more penetrated and over whelmed ; but nevertheless he is always superior to all things because those inexhaustible joys which they feel are hence forth boundless and illimitable. Even the

Lord Jesus Himself, as far as His created soul is concerned, is completely inundated by them. And more was rendered to His soul, when it was created, than it was indeed able to desire ; truly that good is boundless and infinite. Indeed divine charity, since it is a certain boundless quality, is able to love and to desire in a boundless manner. For those joys are free from limit, and have their being in the very essence of God. But the Persons, so far as {hey are Persons, work with a divine limit, but in accordance with Their essence *fhey enjoy without limit. And here assuredly also are They inundated by that which is free from limit, that is, They have an infinite clearness, and perceive more than They are able to desire, that is, according to Their essence. And hence it happens that whosoever in this fruition are inundated, flow away from themselves in this light into an essence without limit. For that boundless light is free from limit in this fruition. For whilst thus they have flowed away from themselves into the illimitable essence, they possess now this in finite light nowhere, that i&> they possess it incomprehensibly, and this is their chief joy. And because through fruition by flowing away from themselves, they have lost themselves and God, or whatever knows no limit, and that they may possess incomprehensible delights, they in turn are possessed by God in the same essence free from limit. But in this limitless essence, all action, both of God and of creatures fails, since it is the fruition both of God and of all the saints, which is the fruitful inherence of God and of all loving spirits in the same simple essence. There fore, as the Unity of the Persons in accordance with the beholding or introspection and fruitful inclination of the Persons themselves, is in enjoyment continually in the essences, as was said, even so that same Unity is fertile, and in it the Father begets the Eternal Wisdom without intermission. And also the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Begetter and the Begotten. And this is the operation of God. For He works without cessation, because pure action is in accordance with the fertility of His nature, and unless He acted, neither He Him self, nor any creature would exist either in Heaven or in earth. Ever therefore He works and continually enjoys. And in this lofty unity of the divine nature, according to His own inclination to the essence of Him self, God fruitfully possesses Himself, and is fertile in the same unity, and in it the Father without intermission begets His own Son, who is the Eternal Wisdom. This unity is the throne of the Most Holy Trinity, and the victory of the Paternal Power ; since between fruition and action the lofty nature of divinity possesses itself, continually and without .interruption, both enjoying and

, acting. Further, by the Father's begetting, howsoever many either in grace or in glory are alike, are brought into contact in accordance with each one's worth or nobility^ and all perform and work vital or living actions of virtue in accordance with the likeness of the Most Holy Trinity, and also without cessation cleave fruitfully to endless happiness. And these are they of whom the Lord says : " Blessed are the merciful, for they

; shall obtain mercy." For they have had mercy on themselves lest they might fail God in following after the virtues and a perfect life, or give too little satisfaction, and also lest God should fail them with regard to the fruition of their own joys. These two, together with the divine goodness, are the cause whereby they have followed up the mercy of God even unto that inexhaustible fruition, and therein have flowed apart from themselves into the abyss of divinity, and are made the thrones and the repose of the Most High Trinity.

Whence also these angelical spirits who in this rank possess the kingdom of God, are called Thrones, because they also possess God, and in turn are possessed by God ; /and these same are placed between action and fruition, are perfectly free on all sides, and amidst the heavenly spirits hold the seventh choir or order, which is the lowest of the third hierarchy ; but they excel all the remaining spirits of* the six lower orders in clearness and sublimity. And whosoever have followed up these things we have men tioned, through the gift of God and the performance of the virtues, whether in grace or glory, they are all Thrones, inasmuch as they possess God by fruitful cleaving in the superessence of God, and by

Him are possessed in turn as though His proper Thrones and repose, although they are one in the simple fruition of this essence apart from perceptible difference. And moreover, in this simple unity of the divine essence, there is no knowledge nor desire, nor action, seeing that there is a certain abyss without limit, which the active comprehension is unable to follow up or to apprehend. And therefore Christ besought the Father that we also might be made one, as He is one with the Father, that is, by fruitful love and immersion or absorption into a darkness without limit, where the action both of God and of all creatures is lost and absorbed. Indeed whoever has obtained this gift of counsel so ! perfectly, is able rightly to be likened to the firmament adorned with stars. And also' by the movement of the firmament and wandering planets and the stars, all created things in the earth, the waters, and the air, live and grow, and the highest portion of the firmament holds itself passively under the influence of the Prime Moveable and the impulse of angelic and divine virtue, and thus continually acts in accordance with its own lowest position, and is acted upon in accordance with the highest.