The Soul of Man, Part 8 · Doctrine · Proposition 10
PROP. X. That Gracious Souls separate from the Body, do attain to the perfection of knowledge with more ease than they attained any small degree of knowledge, whilst they dwelt in the Body.
GReat are the Inconveniences and Prejudices, under which Souls labour in their Pursuits, after knowledge in this life. Veritas in puteo, Truth lies deep. And it is hard, even with much labour, pains, and study, to pump up one clear Notion; for the Soul cannot now act as it would, but is fain to act as it can, according to the Limitations and Permissions of the Body, to which it is confined; by heedful Observations, and painful Searches; it is forced to deduce one thing from another, and is too often deceived and imposed upon by such tedious, and manifold Connections.
Beside, Truth now is forced in compliance with our weakness, and distance from the Fountain, to descend from Heaven under Vails, Shadows, and Umbrages, thereby to contract some kind of Affinity with our Fancies and exterior Senses first, that so it may with more advantage transmit it self to our Understandings.Lumen supremum nunquam descendit sine indumento impossibile est aliter nobis lucere radium divinum, nisi varietate Sacro…um velaminum circumvelatum Dionys. Areop. de celoest hier. cap. It must come under some vail or other to us, whilst we are vailed with Mortality, because the Soul cannot behold it in its native lustre, nor converse otherwise with it.
And hence it was that Augustin made his rational Conjecture, Why Men use to be so much delighted with Metaphors, because they are so much proportioned to our Senses, with which our reason in this embodied state hath contracted such an Intimacy and Familiarity: But when the Soul lays aside its veil of Flesh, Truth also puts off her veil, and shews the Soul her naked, beautiful, and ravishing face: It thenceforth beholds all truth in God the fountain of Truth. There are five ways by which men attain the knowledge of God, say the Schools, four of which the Soul makes use of in this World; but the fifth which is the most perfect, is reserved for the separate state. Men discern God here,
(1) In vestigio, by his foot-steps in the Works of Creation. God hath imprest the marks of his Wisdom and Power upon the Creatures, by which impressions we do discern that God hath been there. Thus the very Heathen arrive to some knowledge of a God, Rom. 1.20. Acts 17.24, 27.
(2) In Vmbra, by his shadow, if you see the shadow of a man, you guess at his Stature and Dimensions thereby. Thus Christ made some discovery of himself to the World, in the Mosaical Ceremonies, and ancient Types and Umbrages, Heb. 10.1.
(3) In Speculo, in a Glass: This gives us a much clearer representation of a person than either his foot-steps or shadow could: This is an imperfect or darker Vision of his face by way of reflection And thus God is seen in his Word and Ordinances, wherein as in a glass we behold the glory of the Lord, 2 Cor. 3.18.
(4) In Filio, In his own Son, who is the living Image and express Character of his Father. Thus sometimes we see a Child so lively representing his Father, in Speech, Gate, Gesture, and every Lineament of his face, that we may say, Sic Oculos, sic ille Manus, sic Ora ferebat: Just so his Father spake, so he went, and just such an one he was. Thus we know God in the face of Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. 4.6. who is the express image of his Father, Heb. 1.3. and Iohn 14 9. This is the highest way of attaining the knowledge of God in this Life; but then, in the unbodied state we see him.
(5.) Face to face, with a direct vision. This is to see him as he is: The Believer is a Candidate for this degree now, but cannot be invested with it, till divested of this Body of flesh. Yet the Soul when unbodied and made perfect, attaineth not to a comprehensive knowledg of God, for it will still remain a finite being, and so cannot comprehend that which is infinite. That question, Iob 11.7. Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection? may be put to the highest Graduate in Heaven. And yet,
1. To see God face to face, and know him as he is, will be a knowledge of the Divine Essence it self. To see the Divine Essence, is to see God as he is (i. e.) to see him so perfectly and fully that the understanding can proceed no farther in point of knowledg concerning that great Question, What is God? Thus no man hath seen, or can see God in this World. Even Moses himself could not so see God, Exod. 33.18, 19, 20. But the Spirits of the just made perfect have satisfying apprehensions, though no perfect comprehensions of the Divine Essence.
2. In this light they clearly discern those deep mysteries which they here rackt their thoughts upon, but could not penetrate in this life. There they will know what is to be known of the Union of the two Natures in the wonderful person of our Emmanuel; and the manner of the subsistence of each person in the most glorious and undivided God-head, Iohn 14.20. The several Attributes of God will then be unfolded to our understandings; for his Essence and Attributes are not two things, Rev. 4.8, 9, 10, 11. O what ravishing sight will this be! The mysteries of the Scriptures and providences of God will be no mysteries then. Curiosity it self will be there satisfied.
3. This immediate knowledge and sight of God face to face, will be infinitely more sweet and ravishingly plasant than any or all the views we had of him here by Faith, ever were, or possibly could be. There is a joy unspeakable in the visions of Faith, 1 Pet. 1.8. But it comes far short of the facial vision. Who can tell the full importance of that one Text, Rev. 22.4. The Throne of the Lamb shall be in it, and they shall see his face. O for such a Heaven (said one) as but to look through the key-hole, and get one glimpse of that lovely face! Earth cannot bear such sights. This light overwhelms and confounds the inadequate faculties of imperfect and embodied Souls. But there it is lumen confortans, a chearing, strengthening pleasant light, as the light of the Morning star, Rev. 2.28.
4. This sight of God will be appropriative, and applicative. We there see him as our own God and portion. Without a clear interest in him, the sight of him could never be beatifical and satisfying. Sight without interest is like the light of a gloworm, light without heat. All doubts and objections are solv'd, and answer'd, in the first sight of this blessed face.
5. To conclude: This perfect and most comfortable knowledge is attained without labour by the separate Soul. Here every degree of knowledge was with the price of much pains. How many weary hours and aking heads did the acquisition of a little knowledg stand us in? But then it flows in upon the Soul easily. It was the Saying of a great Vsurer, I once took much pains to get a little (meaning the first stock) but now I get much without any pains at all. O lovely state of separation! That Body which interposed, clog'd and clouded the willing and capable Spirit, being drawn aside (as a Curtain) by death, the light of glory now shines upon it, and round about it without any in…erception or lett.