Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Chapter 33 · Questions · Question 47
QUEST. XLVII. Whether the Angels n…w, or the soules of men, shall fully see the Divine Substance in the next life.
THat the Saints in the next world shall see God, the Apostle is an evident witnesse: that when hee appeareth we shall be like him, for wee shall see him as he …s: wee shall see him after a more cleare manner, than either Moses saw him in the mount, or our parents before their fall. But even then we shall not bee able fully to comprehend the divine substance of God: we shall see him, qualis est, sed non quantum est, as he is, but not all that he is, Bucanus.
1. Deus vere incomprehensibilis dicitur; God is said truly to be incomprehensible; therefore hee cannot of the creature be comprehended: Nec etiam Angelicae naturae comprehensibilis est;Lib. …. d… Tri…i…. cap. 16. No hee cannot be comprehended of the Angelicall nature, for then he were not simply incomprehensible, Alcuinus.
2. Chrysostome concludeth as much: Ne supernas virtutes Deum posse videre; Chrysost. …bi supr… .That the high powers (of the Angels) cannot see God, out of that place, Isai. 6.2. where it is said, that the Seraphim with two of their wings covered their face: Cum de Seraphim audis oculos avertisse, pinnas visui obduxisse, &c. when thou hearest that the Seraphim turned away their eyes, and drew their wings over their sight, &c. Nihil aliud docet, nisi ejus cognitionem integram non potuisse recipere, &c. It teacheth nothing else, but that they were not capable of the full knowledge of God, neither durst behold his most perfect substance, &c. If then the Angels cannot comprehend the Divine Essence, much lesse the spirits of men. As Aleni…us inferreth:Alcuin. ibid. Quamvis usque ad aqualitatem Angelicam humana post resurrectionem natura perficiat, videra tamen essentiam ejus plene non valet; Although our humane nature should attaine after the resurrection, to the equalitie of Angels, yet it should not be able fully to see Gods essence. So also Calvin; Licet Angeli excellentiore modo, &c. Although the Angels are said to see Gods face after a more excellent manner than men, yet they are not capable of his infinite greatnesse which would swallow them up, quast. ex novo Testamento.
Quast. 71.3. Augustine also urgeth that place, Ioh. 1.8. No man hath seene God at any time, the onelyonly begotten Sonne, which is in the bosome of his Father, hath declared him: Sinus Patris, quid est, nisi affectus in ch…i…ati veri Patris per naturae unionem in filium: What is the bosome of the Father, but the affection of true charitie of the Father, by the union of nature toward the Sonne, &c. Whereupon it followeth, that the Sonne only, who is of the same substance and nature with the Father, hath seene him. But the soules and spirits of the Saints are not in the bosome of God, nor of the same substance, therefore they cannot see God in his divine nature.
…. ibid.4. Further Bernard thus inferreth upon that place, 1 Ioh. 3.2. We shall see him as he is, for wee shall bee like him: Non aliud est videre sicuti est, quam esse sicuti est: It is no other thing to see him as he is, than to be as he is, &c. But we shall not bee altogether like unto God, only in some sort, therefore wee shall not see God in his nature perfectly or altogether.
5. Therefore, whereas the same Bernard saith, Talis visio non est vita praesentis, &c. Such a vision (to see God in his nature) is not in this life present, but is reserved for the time to come, &c. And Augustine; Promittitur sanctis in alia vita: Ad Paulin… de videndo Deo.That fight is promised to the Saints in the next life, &c. they must bee understood to speake by way of comparison, that in the next life wee shall see God in his owne nature, that is, more fully and clearely than we can see him here: not that indeed the divine nature shall then be comprehended of us. There is great difference betweene the fight of God here now, and that which we shall have of God then: now our light is in us, per modum passionis transiuntis, as an impression or passion passing,2.2. qu. 171. ar. 2. in Cor. as the light is in the aire: then it shall be in us, per modum forma permanentis, as a forme remaining, as the light is in the body of the Sunne, Thomas. who seemeth sometime to thinke, that the Saints shall see the divine essence in the next world. But he and the rest that so write, must bee interpreted and understood with a distinction: for as there is a two-fold sight or knowledge, una simplex, qua res aliqu… tota videtur, prout est; a simple and absolute knowledge, whereby a thing is seene wholly as it is, that nothing thereof be hid. And thus God is not seene in his divine essence, no not of the Angels: there is another vision or sight called of the Schoole-men, comprehensiva, a comprehensive, or rather apprehensive vision, whereby God is attained unto and apprehended: Non qualis quantusque est, sed quatenus à natura creat… cognosci vult, & potest; Not such as he is in his greatnesse, but as hee is willing and can be knowne of the creature, Simler. Pelarg.
If then the divine essence cannot be seene as it is, fully and wholly, neither of Saints nor Angels in the next life; then let it be considered how rash and inconsiderate these positions are: to call it a paradox, to say God is invisible, incomprehensible: that we shall participate with the Godhead, bee capable of the divine substance: that there is not any thing of God, which his Saints shall not see: which bold assertions have beene vented of late by a new Dogmatist;R. P. his Apologie, pag. 204, 205. against the which I will oppose the judgement of a reve…end writer and father of our Church: In the life to come we shall in farre more excellent manner see God, yet not simply, neither as he is, because he is infinite, nor still finite, though changed from our corruption: So no way can God bee seene (as hee is) of any creature, either with his bodily sense, or with his minde in this life, or that to come: yea, such a measure shall bee afforded to us, as no heart can comprehend now the comfort of it, B. Babington.