Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Chapter 33 · Questions · Question 45
QUEST. XLV. Whether we shall see the divine nature with the eyes of our bodies in the next life.
BUt it is a greater question, whether the Saints shall not in the next life see the Divine Essence with their bodily eyes, which some doe affirme upon these reasons. 1. Iob saith he shall see God in his flesh, Iob 19. that is, in the resurrection. 2. S. Paul also saith, that then we shall see face to face, 1 Cor. 13.13. 3. We shall then be like unto the Angels, which doe behold the face of God. 4. Our bodies shall then be spirituall, and therefore wee shall even with our bodily eyes, see and discerne Spirits. 5. Otherwise, if our eyes should not behold God, what use should there be of our sight?
Contr. 1. The Hebrew Interpreters expound that place of Iob, of his sight of God in this life: but taking it rather to be spoken of his state and condition in the resurrection, as most of our writers doe interpret: we deny not but then the Redeemer, who is cloathed with our flesh, shall be seene of us even with these our eyes, as Iob there saith. But it is one thing to see the person of the Mediatour, another to see the divine essence and nature.
2. Saint Paul speaketh not of the …ight of the bodily eyes, but of the sight of the minde, as hee expoundeth himselfe: Now I know in part, but then shall I know, even as I am knowne.
3. The likenesse & similitude which we shall have with the Angels, holdeth not in everie thing, as that we shall have the like nature or knowledge, but in that wherein the resemblance is made, as that we shall neither marrie, nor be married, nor need meat and drinke, but in that respect shall be as the Angels: and yet neither doe the Angels fully comprehend the divine nature, as afterward shall be shewed.
4. Our bodies are said to be spirituall, not as opposite to the nature of our bodies now, which shall remaine, but as set against the corruptible and earthly qualities thereof: our bodies shall be bodies still, but not earthly naturall corruptible bodies, as they are now, therefore the argument followeth not.
5. And this shall be the use of our heavenly sight: wee shall see God in his workes, but after a more cleere manner than now: we shall see the elect, we shall behold Christ himselfe.
Upon these reasons Simlerus concludeth: In futura vita nos oculis corporis corpora tantum visur…s; In the next life we with our bodily eyes shall see onelyonly bodies, and not the essence of God.
Thom. super Iob cap. 19. lect. 2.Thomas Aquine also thus interpreteth Iobs words: I shall see God in my flesh: I, consisting of body and soule; shewing, Quod su… modo visionis illius erit particeps corpus; That the body also after a sort shall be partaker of that vision; not that the eyes of the body shall see the Divine Essence: Sed quia oculi corporis videbunt Deum hominem factum; But because the eyes of the body shall see God which was made man: Videbunt etiam gloriam D…i in creatura refulg…tem; They shall also see the glorie of God shining in the creatures.
But this further must bee added, that though the divine essence of God shall not bee seene of our bodily eyes then, because God is of an infinite and incomprehensible nature: yet the blessed Spirits, the Angels and Ministers of God shall bee seene of the elect: Angelorum & beatorum omnium consortio, conspectu, & colloquio fruemur: We shall enjoy the fellowship, fight, and conference of the Angels, and of all the blessed, Bu…an. For if the eyes of the young man were so opened at the prayer of the Prophet,How we shall see the Angel… in the next life▪ Luk. …9.9. 2 King. 6.17. that he saw the Lords heavenly host, which appeared in the likenesse of fierie horse and charriots: much more shall our eyes then be so cleared, as that we shall see the Angels themselves, though not in their very spirituall nature, yet in such sensible manner, as that we shall both converse, & have conference with them.