39. Concerning the Natural Kingdom

THE kingdom of God is shown also in the second place to the lovers of God in the light of nature. For neither does grace repel the natural light, nor does glory, but en lightens it the more. For if the nature has not been overclouded by the shadows of vices, anyone may know naturally that both heaven and earth and whatsoever God has established for the honour of Himself and the uses of men have been created for this reason, that he may praise and serve God with and for all. For it is the praise and the service that is the hidden kingdom of God, which He shows in the light of nature, which they who are strangers to God know not, although they flourish in the light of nature. For such a one is able by a certain natural method, or naturally, to perceive and recog nise the disposition or ordering of the soul's 202 powers, and of their own senses both outward and inward, and even of all creatures. And this is the natural kingdom of God ; since God possesses all creatures as His own proper kingdom. And according to this method God's natural kingdom is shown to a man, which he is able to recognise even apart from the grace and praise of God. But those who are endowed with Divine love cannot behold and consider things established by God — or these things which we have mentioned, without the praise of God, and therefore they obtain their reward from all these things.