BOOK II.

OUR LAST END,

AND THE MEANS OF ITS ATTAINMENT.

In this Book we will adduce from the Holy Scriptures those passages which refer:

I. To God considered as the Final End and Happiness for which we are created.

II. To the means of attaining that End.

III. To the obstacles which hinder its attainment.

S. Thomas, who defines Beatitude as "the exercise of man's noblest faculty upon the noblest object," proves that man's End and Happiness can be found neither in riches, nor honours, nor glory, nor power, nor any created thing, but in God alone. "Thou hast made us, O Lord, for Thyself," says S. Augustine, "and our heart hath no rest until it rest in Thee." God Himself constitutes the objective Beatitude, and the intuitive vision of God constitutes the formal Beatitude of man. The joy of the Blessed is a consequence of their Beatitude.

We attain our End by means of good works, and we are led to the knowledge and practice of good works by the light of God's Law and by the aid of His Grace. The obstacles are our sins by which we violate God's Law, and reject His Grace.

* Sum. Theol. P.S. qq. 2 et seqq.

PART I.

FINAL END AND BEATITUDE OF MAN.

Pv 16, 4

Is 40, 13

Ro 11, 3435

Is 43, 7, 15

Ps 85,9

Ps 149,2

Ge 15, 1

Ps 72, 25

26

1. GOD THE FINAL END OF ALL THINGS.

saith the Lord.

The Lord hath made all I am Alpha and Omega, Ap 1, 8 things for Himself, the the Beginning and the End, wicked also for the evil day. Who hath forwarded the What doth the Lord thy Dt 10, 12 Spirit of the Lord? or who God require of thee, but that hath been His counsellor, thou fear the Lord thy God, and hath taught Him? and walk in His ways, and Who hath known the mind love Him, and serve the Lord of the Lord? Or who hath thy God with all thy heart first given to Him, and re- and with all thy soul?

compense shall be made Him?

-For of Him, and by Him,
and in Him are all things.

is God.

I am the Lord your God.
Know ye that the Lord He
We are His people,
I have created him for My and the sheep of His pas-
glory, I have formed him and ture.

Le 18, 2

Ps 99, 3

made him. I am the Lord Thou hast created all things, Ap4, 11 your Holy One, the Creator and for Thy will they were

of Israel, your King.

and have been created.

All the nations Thou hast Adore not any strange god. Ex 34, 14 made shall come and adore The Lord His Name is Jealbefore Thee, O Lord, and ous. He is a jealous God. they shall glorify Thy Name.

2.-NOT CREATURES, BUT GOD ALONE THE OBJECT
OF ETERNAL BLISS.

Let Israel rejoice in Him Thee my flesh and my heart
that made him, and let the hath fainted away; - Thou
children of Sion be joyful in art the God of my heart, and
their King.
the God that is my Portion
for ever.

Fear not, Abram, I am thy
Protector, and thy Reward It is good for me to adhere Ps 72, 28
exceeding great.
to my God, to put my hope
What have I in Heaven? in the Lord God.
and besides Thee what do I
Vanity of vanities, and all

desire upon earth? For is vanity.

Ecl 1,2

1j 2, 15

Ecl 3, 1011

Ecl 1, 8

Eel 8, 17

Is 33, 17

To 13, 22

Ap 19, 1

Ps 149, 6

Ps 83,5

Ex 33, 13

Ps 35, 10

Mt 25, 21

world.

Love not the world nor the find no reason of all those things which are in the works of God that are done under the sun; and the more I have seen the trouble he shall labour to seek, so which God hath given the much the less shall he find; sons of men, to be exercised yea, though the wise man in it.- He hath made all should say that he knoweth things good in their time, it, he shall not be able to and hath delivered the world find it.

18

to their consideration, so that I have given my heart to Ecl 1, 17-
man cannot find out the know prudence, and learning,
work which God hath made and errors, and folly; and I
from the beginning to the end. have perceived that in these
All things are hard; man also there was labour, and
cannot explain them by word. vexation of spirit,-Because
The eye is not filled with in much wisdom there is
seeing, neither is the ear much indignation; and he
filled with hearing.
that addeth knowledge, add-
I understood that man can eth also labour.

3.

FORMAL BEATITUDE IN THE INTELLECT.

His eyes shall see the King of Life, and in Thy Light
in His Beauty, they shall see
the Land far off.

Alleluia shall be sung in

its streets.

After these things I heard Everlasting.
as it were the voice of much
people in Heaven, saying: God no man knoweth, but the
Alleluia, Salvation, and Spirit of God.
Glory, and Power is to our
God.

The things that are of 1 C2, 11

The high praises of God shall be in their mouth.

Blessed are they that dwell in Thy House, O Lord; they shall praise Thee for ever and ever.

Show me Thy Face, that I may know Thee.

With Thee is the fountain!

4.

The glory of God hath Ap 21, 23 enlightened it.

My sheep hear My Voice; Jn 10, 27 and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them Life Everlasting.

Lord, show us the Father, Ja 14, 8 and it is enough for us.

Passing, He will minister Lu 12, 37 unto them.

-JOY OF THE BLESSED IN THE WILL.

30

Well done, good and faith- to the joy of thy Lord. ful servant: because thou dispose to you, as My Lu 22, 29hast been faithful over a few Father hath disposed to Me, things, I will place thee over a Kingdom;-That you may many things; enter thou in-leat and drink at My table in

Jn 16, 22

Ro 14, 17

Ps 35,9

Ds 15, 11

Ps 86, 7

Is 25,6

Is 66, 13

14

WV 3, 7

Mt 13, 43

My Kingdom; and may sit forted in Jerusalem. - You
upon thrones, judging the shall see and your heart shall
twelve tribes of Israel. rejoice, and your bones shall
I will see you again, and flourish like a herb and the
your heart shall rejoice; and Hand of the Lord shall be
your joy no man shall take known to His servants, and
from you.
He shall be angry with His

The Kingdom of God is enemies.
not meat and drink; but Jus-
tice, and Peace, and Joy in
the Holy Ghost.

The saints shall rejoice in Ps 149, 5 Glory; they shall be joyful in their beds.

They shall be inebriated Everlasting joy shall be Ps 35, 10 with the plenty of Thy upon their heads: they shall House, and Thou shalt make obtain joy and gladness, and them drink of the torrent of sorrow and mourning shall Thy Pleasure. flee away.

Is 65, 18

Thou hast made known to You shall be glad and reme the ways of life, Thou joice for ever in those things shalt fill me with joy with which I create; for behold, Thy Countenance; at Thy I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, right Hand are delights even and the people there of joy. to the end. You shall have a song Is 30, 29 The dwelling in Thee is as as in the night of the sanctiit were of all rejoicing. fied solemnity and joy of

The Lord of Hosts shall heart, as when one goeth make unto all people in this with a pipe to come into the Mountain a Feast of fat Mountain of the Lord to the things, a feast of Wine, of Mighty One of Israel. fat things full of marrow, of The passage of the rod Is 30, 32 Wine purified from the lees. shall be strongly grounded, As one whom the mother which the Lord shall make caresseth, so will I comfort to rest upon Him with timyou, and you shall be com-brels and harps.

5.-QUALITIEs of a glorified body.

The just shall shine, and a natural body, there is also
shall run to and fro like a spiritual body.
sparks among the reeds.

They that are learned Da 12, 3
Then shall the just shine shall shine as the brightness
as the sun in the Kingdom of the firmament; and they
that instruct many to jus-

of their Father.

1 C 15, 42- It is sown in corruption, tice, as stars for all Eterit shall rise in incorruption. nity.

44

-It is sown in dishonour, We look for the Saviour, Ph 3,20-21
it shall rise in glory. It is our Lord Jesus Christ,- Who
sown in weakness, it shall will reform the body of our
rise in power. It is sown a lowness, made like to the
natural body, it shall rise a Body of His Glory, accord-
spiritual body. If there be ing to the operation whereby

also He is able to subdue all walk and not faint. things unto Himself. Unto you that fear My Ma 4, 2 1 C15, 53 This corruptible must put Name the Sun of Justice on Incorruption, and this shall arise, and health in mortal must put on Immor- His wings; and you shall go tality. forth, and shall leap like They that hope in the calves of the herd.

Is 40, 31

Ap 22, 5

Mt 5, 3

Mt 5, 10

Mt 25, 34

Ap 3, 21

Lord shall renew their They shall receive double Is 61, 7 strength: they shall run and in their land.

not be weary, they shall

6. KINGLY DIGNITY OF THE BLESSED.

His servants shall reign My Throne; as I also have
for ever and ever.
overcome and am sat down
Blessed are the poor in with My Father in His
spirit, for theirs is the King- Throne.
dom of Heaven.

Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

If we suffer, we shall also 2 Ti 2, 12 reign with Him.

Ja 2, 5

I John am your brother, Ap 1, 9 and your partner in tribulation and in the Kingdom. Come, ye blessed of My God hath chosen the poor Father, possess you the King- in this world rich in Faith, dom prepared for you from and heirs of the Kingdom the foundation of the world. which God hath promised to To him that shall overcome them that love Him. I will give to sit with Me in

7.—POWER, HONOUR, AND GLORY OF THE BLESSED.

Mt 24, 46- Blessed is that servant and not only to me, but to 47 whom when his Lord shall them also that love His comcome He shall find so doing. ing.

Lu 12, 37

Amen I say to you, He shall When the Prince of Pastors 2 Pt 5, 4
place him over all His goods. shall appear, you shall re-
Blessed are those servants ceive a never-fading Crown

whom the Lord when He of Glory.

cometh shall find watching. Blessed is the man that Ja 1, 12 Amen I say to you, that He endureth temptation; for will gird Himself, and make when he hath been proved, them sit down to meat, and he shall receive the Crown passing will minister to them. of Life, which God hath 2 Ti 4,7-8 I have fought a good fight, promised to them that love I have finished my course, I Him. have kept the Faith.-As to the rest, there is laid up for Angels, and are the children me a Crown of Justice, which of God, being the children of the Lord the Just Judge will the Resurrection. render to me in that day;

They are equal to the Lu 20, 36

Thither did the Tribes go Ps 121,4-5