Moses Choice, Treatise · Part 3 · Chapter 46
CHAP. XLVI. The happineſs of the beatifical viſion diſcovered.
SEcondly, they ſhall have the Beatifical Viſion of God, we ſhall be where he is, and we ſhall ſee his face. Says Chriſt, Father, I will, that thoſe which thou hast given me, be where I am, that is a bleſſing; but in Rev. 22. 4. it is ſaid, They ſhall ſee his face, and that is more, They ſhall know as they are known, 1 Cor. 13. 12. It is the promiſe of the Mat. 5. 8.pure in heart, that they ſhall ſee God: 1 Iohn 3. 2. Behold, now we are the ſons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we ſhall be, but we know, that when he ſhall appear, we ſhall be like him, for we ſhall ſee him as he is. It is the happineſs of the Angels that Mat. 18. 10they behold the face of God; ſo it ſhall be the happineſs of the Saints to behold the face of God in heaven: As for me, I will behold thy face in righteouſneſs, I ſhall be ſatisfied when I awake with thy likeneſs, Pſal. 17. 15. and ſo we may have the help of divers Scriptures to ſhew, that this is the happineſs of the Saints. The glory of this may appear in theſe particulars:
Firſt, to ſee God as the firſt being of all, or the principle of all good, is a moſt bleſſed thing, to ſee 1.Adam the firſt father, or Eve the firſt mother of mankinde, or for a childe to ſee his father, or mother, out of whoſe loyns and bowels he came, whom he hath not ſeen in many years, this is a joy and comfort; but to ſee the Creator, the firſt Principle of all things, that muſt be a great, an infinite contentment; and to ſee him that hath done all the good in the world, hath much ſatisfaction in it. We would rejoyce to ſee a man that hath been an inſtrument to do great things in ſome Countrey, as the King of Sweden, or the like; but to ſee God that hath done all the great things in the world, what a bleſſed joy and contentment will that be? The rational creature does naturally deſire to know the cauſes and principles of things, no other creature looks at the principles and cauſes of things, but the rational creature. If other creatures may have that which is ſuitable to ſenſe, they look no farther; but a rational creature cannot be ſatisfied in whatſoever it hath, unleſs it knows ſomething of the principles and cauſes of the thing it hath, and when it knows the cauſe of one thing, it would know the cauſe of that, and nothing will quiet it till it comes to ſee the cauſe of all; and when it comes to know that, it hath full contentment: Shew us the Father, and it ſufficeth.
Secondly, they ſhall ſee God in his unity; whereas now we underſtand God onelyonly according to his 2.ſeveral Attributes, as the manifeſtation of the Infinite Simple: Firſt, being in one way we call Power, in another way we call Mercy and Bounty, in another way Juſtice, and ſo we apprehend God according unto the ſeveral Attributes that God hath manifeſted himſelf in; whereas there are not many things in God, but all thoſe ſeveral Attributes that we apprehend diverſly, are but one excellency in God: as one beam of the Sun ſhining through a red glaſs, cauſes a red reflection; and the ſame Sun ſhining through a blue glaſs, cauſes a blue reflection; and ſo the ſame excellency of God ſhining one way, and working after one maner, we call by one name; and the ſame excellency of God working another way, we call by another name, and yet it is all one in God; and though we cannot apprehend it now, yet we ſhall ſee God in his unity afterward.
Thirdly, we ſhall ſee God in the Trinity: though 3.there be but one God, yet there are divers perſons: to ſee how the Father begot the Son, and how the Spirit did proceed from the Father and the Son, and the difference between the proceſſion of the Spirit, and the generation of the Son; the ſight of God in the myſtery of the Trinity, is a moſt glorious thing.
Fourthly, we ſhall ſee God in his glory, in Iſa. 33. 4.17. there is a promiſe, They ſhall ſee the King in his beauty, or in his glory; there is a great deal of difference between ſeeing the King at an ordinary time, and ſeeing of him when he is in his Robes, with his Crown upon his head, and his Scepter in his hand, and ſet upon his Throne, with all his Nobles about him in all his glory: ſo God does manifeſt himſelf a little now, but this is not all that he does intend: and for to ſee God now as he does manifeſt himſelf, is ſomewhat, but to ſee God in his greateſt glory that ever he ſhall manifeſt himſelf in, that muſt be a great happineſs.
Fifthly, to ſee God in his eminency; that is, they 5.ſhall ſee how all excellencies that are in the creature are eminently contained in the abſolute perfection of the Divine nature; all the good that is in the effect, is in the cauſes, and the good of thoſe cauſes in their cauſes, and ſo at length they come to the firſt principle: ſo all the good that we can ſee in all objects that give content, we may ſee all eminently in God, and ſee God in all. The latitude of the object of mans underſtanding, is ſuch, as it comprehends all beauty, all excellency, all truth in it, and therefore cannot be ſatisfied till it ſees into all; in God it findes all united, and therefore in him onelyonly it findes bleſſedneſs: it is eternal life to know him.
Sixthly, they ſhall ſee God as he is, 1 John 3. 2. now there is a great deal in that to ſee God as he is; 6.and for explication of that, there are theſe five branches.
That is firſt not to ſee him onelyonly negatively, that is, not to ſee him as he is: the moſt that we ſee of 1.God now, is by way of negation, rather then any poſitive ſight; when we ſay of God he is incomprehenſible, that is, he is ſuch a God as cannot be comprehended, that's but negation: when we ſay of God that he is infinite, that is, ſuch a God as hath no bounds of his being, this is ſtil a negation, to ſay what God is not: and when we ſay God is a ſpirit, though the expreſſion ſeem to have an affirmation in it, yet it is but the apprehenſion of God rather by negation, that is, that God hath no bodily ſubſtance in him; for to ſpeak properly, God is not a Spirit; but only that is the moſt excellent thing that we can conceive of, and by way of negation, that he is no body, and is inviſible, one that we cannot ſee, and feel, and the like: when we ſay he is holy, he hath no ſpot of ſin, this is by way of negation, but now in Heaven we ſhall not ſee God onelyonly by negation, but we ſhall ſee that poſitive excellency of God, we ſhall ſee him as he is.
Secondly, we ſee God much by relation unto other 2.things; as when we ſpeak of God, and would open the excellency of God, we ſay, God is the King of Heaven and Earth, and our Father, and the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and Creator and Governor of all things, and theſe are but relative expreſſions, and a great part of our knowledge of God is by way of relation; but hereafter we ſhall ſee him as he is.
Thirdly, you ſhall ſee God as he is, not by framing 3.any repreſentations of him in our mindes; there ſhall be that immediate preſence of God to the minde, that there ſhall not need be any repreſentation, that we now form in our mindes; as in the ſenſe of Seeing, the object of the eye being abſent from it, there muſt be a ſpecies to repreſent it: ſo there are ſome kinde of repreſentations of God to our underſtandings here; but there ſhall be that immediate union with God in the underſtanding, that there ſhall need no kinde of repreſentation of God, but we ſhall ſee him as he is.
Fourthly, we ſhall ſee him, not in his effects in the creature; the greateſt part that we ſee of God now, 4.is in his effects, and not as he is in himſelf, we do not ſee the face of God, but his back parts. We look upon the Sun, and there we ſee ſomewhat of the power of God, but it is but the effect of Gods power, and not Gods power it ſelf; and when we look upon the world, we ſee much of Gods wiſdom, we ſee the effect of Gods wiſdom, and not the wiſdom of God it ſelf.
Fifthly, we ſhall ſee God as he is diſtinguiſhed 5.from all creatures; here now we ſee almoſt nothing of God, diſtinguiſhed from created things. Say what you will of God, that he is a Spirit, that he is a created thing, that he is wiſe, or holy, or juſt, or merciful, there is ſomewhat of all theſe in the creature, onelyonly he is infinitely above all, and that is by way of negation. But we do not ſee him in that poſitive excellency which does difference him from all created things; but now it will be a bleſſed thing to ſee God, as he is differenced from all created things, to ſee him as he is.
Sixthly, the Saints ſhall ſee the counſels of God, 6.and all the ways of God, what have been, and what ſhall be to all eternity about election; what his counſels were about creating of things, before they were created, and what the workings of his counſels were about the ſeveral ways of his providence, before there was any manifeſtation of them in his creature; and ſo all his counſels about rejection of ſo many thouſands of men and Angels. It is an expreſſion of S. Auguſtine, We ſhall ſee the reaſon why one is reprobate, and one elected; why one is rich, and one is poor: we do not ſee the reaſon now, but by ſeeing God we ſhall ſee all things that may make for our happineſs: we ſhall know all the works that ever God did, and that ever he will do to all eternity. It is a great thing for a man to know what is done in his generation: but to know all the ways of God ſince the beginning of the world, muſt be a glorious ſight. It is not yet Six thouſand years ſince God did any thing out of himſelf, and what is ſix thouſand years to eternity? and if God have done ſuch great things in Six thouſand years, what may God do in the next Six thouſand years, and ſo in the next, who now can tell? A Workman doth his meaneſt works at firſt, and this world is but the beginning of Gods works, and for a creature to ſee what God ſhall thus work for ever, is an infinite bleſſed thing.
The ſeventh thing, wherein this bleſſed viſion of the Saints appears, is, that they ſhall look upon all 7.the ways and works of God, as to ſee their happineſs conſiſting in them: there is a great deal of difference in ſeeing an object that is excellent in its ſelf, and to ſee an object that is excellent, wherein conſiſts my happineſs. As in riding over a Land, one that is a Stranger rides over it, another that is an Heir; the Stranger rides over it, and takes delight to ſee the Trees, and Fruit to grow; but the Heir looks upon it after another maner, as the Land for which my Father laid out much, and all to enrich me, as the Land that is mine Inheritance: ſo, were it that we were but admitted to this glorious ſight of God, meerly to have the view of God, it were a great priviledge to the Creature, but to ſee all the ſhine, and all that excellency that is in God, is to make me happy; and all the counſels and ways of God are working for my happineſs and glory, this is bleſſedneſs indeed. There is difference between a Stranger looking upon the King, and the Queens looking upon a King. A Stranger may ſee Beauty and Majeſty in the King; but the Queen looks upon the King, and his Beauty and majeſty, as her own; and ſo the ſouls of the Saints ſhall ſee all in God as their own, to make them happy.
Eighthly, the bleſſedneſs of the ſight of God conſiſts in this, that it ſhall be a transforming ſight, 8.ſuch a ſight of God, as ſhall be a transforming, perfecting ſight, not onelyonly a perfect ſight, but a perfecting, transforming ſight: The light that ſhall come from God upon the minde, ſhall perfect the minde, and transform the minde into the ſame likeneſs with God: It ſhall not be a meer notional ſight; as men may ſpeak much of God, and have a notional viſion of God; but there is a great deal of difference between the notional viſion of God, and the Deifical viſion of God; for it is not only beatifical, but Deifical, for it does transform a man into the likeneſs of God. A deformed man may ſee a beautiful object, and that ſight ſhall not make him like that beautiful object; but the ſight of God ſhall make the ſoul glorious, as God is glorious, as you ſhall have it in 1 Iohn 3. 2. We ſhall be like him: what is the ground? We ſhall ſee him as he is.
Ninthly, the ſight of God will be a full ſight, a ſight whereby the minde ſhal be raiſed to that heighth 9.of excellency, as it ſhall be able to ſee God in his excellency: we cannot look upon the Sun now in its excellency, if we will ſee the Sun, we muſt ſee in its reflection; but the underſtanding of the Saints ſhal be raiſed to that heighth, that they ſhall be able to look full upon the face of God, and this will be the reward eſpecially of Faith; for thoſe that are godly do believe above reaſon. Now becauſe the Saints are willing to fear God ſo far, as to captivate their reaſon, and to believe upon bare teſtimony above reaſon; therefore hereafter God will give them this rereward, to ſee things fully, and the reaſon of things.
Again, it ſhall be ſuch a ſight of God, as ſhall be 10.without any diſcourſe, or labor, but there ſhall be the preſent viſion of God, at the opening of the eye. We are glad if we can come to underſtand the creature with labor; but to come to underſtand God the Creator without labor, is a great happineſs.
Again, to have the ſight of God ſo, as never to loſe it, that addes much to the happineſs of the 11.Saints: To have but one glimpſe of the face of God, though it were gone preſently, it were a great happineſs, beyond all that the world affords, but God ſhall not onelyonly paſs by, but ſtand ſtill: ſo as the ſoul ſhall never loſe the ſight of God, but it ſhall have it to all eternity, and the eyes of the ſoul ſhall be eternally opened to ſee God. If a man looks upon a delightful object, he is loth to have the eye drawn from it; you ſhall never have your eye drawn from God.
Further, in the ſight of God you ſhall ſee all things that do any way concern your ſelves in ordering of 12.you to all eternity: and this is made by ſome the ground, why it is impoſſible for the Saints in Heaven in the leaſt degree to fall there; becauſe they ſhall have a continual view of God, and in him ſee fully all circumſtances of all actions, and all things that any way do or ſhall concern them to all eternity. For there is no falling, or declining from God, but it comes at firſt from ſome *Beatus ſēper videt in Deo omnes res & …ctiones ad ſe pertinentes; & omnes circumſtantias quae poſſunt voluntatem rectam officere, & ad malum inclinare, eſt enim principium Phyloſophiae, non poſſe voluntatem peccare niſi praecedente aliquo defectu in intellectu practico, vel ſpeculativo errore, vel inconſideratione. Quia ergo illa viſo excludit omnem defectum, tum erroris, tum conſiderationis circa res agend as ideo facit voluntatem impeccabilem. Suarez. de Bear. Diſp. 10. Sect. 1. N. 6.error in the theoretical or practical work of the underſtanding, or in ſome inconſiderateneſs; but there cannot be the leaſt error in the minde, or the leaſt inconſiderateneſs; becauſe the ſoul ſhall be ſo fully taken up with the ſight of God: what an infinite delight muſt this needs be? It was the deſire of a Philoſopher to ſee the nature of the Sun, though it were to be burnt by it, he could be content; ſo if God ſhould grant us this happineſs, You ſhall come to ſee me, but the ſight of me ſhall deſtroy you, this were a deſireable thing; but to have a ſight of God that is a perfecting ſight, and ſuch an excellent and glorious ſight, in which our happineſs ſhall conſiſt for ever, how glorious muſt this needs be?
Laſtly, to ſee God in our ſelves: It is an happineſs to ſee God in the Creature, but much more to ſee God in our ſelves: the chiefeſt of the glory of God, next to that which appears in Jeſus Chriſt, ſhall appear in the Saints, and the chief excellency of God that the Saints ſhall ſee, ſhall be within themſelves: they ſhall ſee more of the glory of God within themſelves, then in all the Heavens beſides. The Heavens are glorious now, the Sun, Moon, and Stars are glorious; but to ſee the higheſt Heaven, that were more glorious. But the meaneſt Saint of God in Heaven, ſhall ſee more of God, and of his glory in himſelf, then does appear in all the Heavens beſide, and then much more then does appear in all the World. We might make it out, there is more of the glory of God in one Saint, then in all the Heavens and Earth beſides; for the Heavens and the Earth are but Gods foot-ſtool, not his image, but the Saints of God are are his image, and this ſhall be their happineſs, to ſee the glory of God in themſelves. A man may delight to ſee beautiful colours, but you take more delight, if you can by looking in a glaſs ſee your ſelves beautiful, and ſee thoſe beautiful colours in your own clothes; but if we could have the glory of the Sun, and the Moon, and all the creatures in heaven ſhining within our bodies, that would be counted glorious indeed; but to ſee the divine excellency, and the top of the divine excellency of the infinite God ſhining within us, this will be a mighty happineſs. Baſe ſenſual carnal hearts think there is no content but in ſatisfying the fleſh. What ſweet and content have many, but in their eating and drinking? and their pallate is pleaſed, and in that their other ſenſes are ſatisfied, and they think this is the excellency of man: But take a ſchollar, that hath but the exerciſe of his underſtanding to finde out truths, and thoſe things that are ſuitable to the rational part, and he ſees more excellency there, then in any ſenſual thing, and he can ſcorn ſenſual delights. If there be ſo much content to the minde in viewing the things here, what content will there be to the minde in beholding God, and his glory? There are two reaſons of content in ſeeing things; In regard of the *Viſio eſt delectabilis dupliciter; uno modo ex parte objecti in quantum id quod videtur delectabile eſt, alio modo ex parte viſionis in quantum ipſum videre delectabile eſt: delectamur enim cognoſendo, mala, quam vis ipſamala nos non delect ent: quia ergo viſio beati fica eſt perfectiſsima, ideò utro que modo delectabilis. eſt. Tom. Aquin.object, or in regard of the act of ſeeing it ſelf. Let the object be what it will, there is delight in the act of ſeeing and underſtanding: For a man to underſtand that which is evil, it gives delight to the minde, and it is one of the perfections of God that he underſtands evil as well as good, ſo that there is content and delight in the act of ſeeing, though there be no delight in the object: but when the object is pleaſing too, that addes much to comfort and delight, therefore content in the ſight of God muſt be the higheſt content, becauſe there is the higheſt act of underſtanding, and the higheſt object to ſee that can be.
And thus I have endeavored to open unto you the ſecond bleſſed thing that the Saints ſhall have in Gods being their portion, they ſhall ſee God. Bleſſed are your eyes, ſays Chriſt, That you ſee thoſe things that you ſee; and bleſſed are your ears, that heard thoſe things you hear: So, bleſſed are the eyes of Gods people that do ſee any thing of God here, and hear any thing of God here; but bleſſed are the eyes that ſhall ſee God hereafter. That which I labor for in preſſing theſe things, is to take off your hearts from theſe things below, and that you may ſee what you are capable of; and if your hearts be mad upon your ſins, and you will periſh, you ſhall know what you loſe: me-thinks if men did know what they loſe by their ſin, they would caſt it off with indignation, and therefore when your ſin comes and tempts you, ſay, What, ſhall I loſe all this for ſuch a way of ſin?