the sixth day. But this is not said of the seventh day, because it is a symbol of eternity, a day without evening, a day without end, to signify that on the day of glory the just shall repose with God without end. “As the Sabbath, on which God rested, is not said to have had an evening, so the repose of the just shall not have an end.”[1] Such are the words of St. Anselm.
Hence its happiness shall be most perfect. And this it is that will perfect the happiness of the elect; they shall enjoy with their God in heaven all imaginable pleasures of soul and body, as we have seen already; that is a great deal indeed to say; but we have not yet said enough. The chief and most necessary constituent of perfect happiness is that all these pleasures shall never cease; they shall last forever, and never come to an end: “The just shall live for evermore; and their reward is with the Lord, and the care of them with the Most High,”[2] whose kingdom and glory as a reward shall never end. The soul shall rejoice in the clear knowledge of all things, natural as well as supernatural; and this blissful knowledge shall last for all eternity, without end and without fatigue. It shall rejoice in the clear knowledge and vision of the God of infinite beauty, and this vision shall last without intermission for eternity. It shall rejoice in the most perfect love of God, and know that its love is returned in the most tender manner, and this happy love shall last without change for all eternity. The bodily eyes shall see in heaven, the ears hear, the smell, taste, and touch perceive all that can delight and ravish those senses, and these delights shall be without intermission, without end for all eternity. The blessed in heaven shall enjoy each other’s society, and this joyous company shall last without interruption or change of mind for all eternity. The blessed in heaven shall be with their God as with a most intimate friend, and this joyous intimacy shall persevere without end or cessation for all eternity. “The just shall be in everlasting remembrance,”[3] and in the perpetual friendship of God.
And this eternal happiness we earn in this short life of ours. O eternity of heavenly joys! what art thou? O my God! is this true? It is now fifty-four years since I began to serve Thee. But what am I saying? That is the length of time that Thou hast given me life on earth! In all these years.—ah, how late it
