CHAPTER VIII
How the Soul of Man, while it is yet in the Body, may obtain a
Foretaste of eternal Blessedness.
It hath been asked whether it be possible for the soul, while it is yet in the
body, to reach so high as to cast a glance into eternity, and receive a
foretaste of eternal life and eternal blessedness. This is commonly denied; and
truly so in a sense. For it indeed cannot be so long as the soul is taking heed
to the body, and the things which minister and appertain thereto, and to time
and the creature, and is disturbed and troubled and distracted thereby. For if
the soul shall rise to such a state, she must be quite pure, wholly stripped
and bare of all images, and be entirely separate from all creatures, and above
all from herself. Now many think this is not to be done and is impossible in
this present time. But St. Dionysius maintains that it is possible, as we find
from his words in his Epistle to Timothy, where he saith: "For the beholding of
the hidden things of God, shalt thou forsake sense and the things of the flesh,
and all that the senses can apprehend, and all that reason of her own powers
can bring forth, and all things created and uncreated that reason is able to
comprehend and know, and shalt take thy stand upon an utter abandonment of
thyself, and as knowing none of the aforesaid things, and enter into union with
Him who is, and who is above all existence and all knowledge." Now if he did
not hold this to be possible in this present time, why should he teach it and
enjoin it on us in this present time? But it behoveth you to know that a master
hath said on this passage of St. Dionysius, that it is possible, and may happen
to a man often, till he become so accustomed to it, as to be able to look into
eternity whenever he will. For when a thing is at first very hard to a man and
strange, and seemingly quite impossible, if he put all his strength and energy
into it, and persevere therein, that will afterward grow quite light and easy,
which he at first thought quite out of reach, seeing that it is of no use to
begin any work, unless it may be brought to a good end.
And a single one of these excellent glances
is better, worthier, higher and more pleasing to God, than all that the
creature can perform as a creature. And as soon as a man turneth himself in
spirit, and with his whole heart and mind entereth into the mind of God which
is above time, all that ever he hath lost is restored in a moment. And if a man
were to do thus a thousand times in a day, each time a fresh and real union
would take place; and in this sweet and divine work standeth the truest and
fullest union that may be in this present time. For he who hath attained
thereto, asketh nothing further, for he hath found the Kingdom of Heaven and
Eternal Life on earth.