0A.20. Chapter III.

Chapter III. The Understanding Shall be Clearly Enlightened with the Knowledge of God.

Here on earth the revelation of God in his works and word is according to our capacities. In Heaven it is most glorious, and our faculties raised and refined to receive it. The nature of God, his decrees and counsels, his providential dispensations are revealed to the blessed. To unfold this more particularly. The understanding shall clearly see the most excellent objects. "Now we know but in part." 1Co 13:1-13. The transcendent beauty of divine things is veiled, and of impossible discovery; and by natural or accidental weakness, the mind is not proportionable to sustain that dazzling brightness. "But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." In that enlightened state, the manifestation of the objects shall abundantly exceed the clearest revealing of them here. And the understanding shall be prepared in proportion to take a full view of them. Therefore the apostle compares the several periods of the church in respect of the degrees of knowledge, to the several ages of human life. "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things." Children are indisposed for the vigorous exercise of the mind; some strictures of reason appear, a presaging sign what will be, but mixed with much obscurity. But when the mind comes to its just proportion and temperament, the soul displays its strength and activity. To explain this, it is requisite to consider the expressions in Scripture, that signify the eminent degrees of knowledge in the blessed. Our Savior assures us, that "the pure in heart shall see God." Sight is the most noble, extensive, and affective sense, and therefore fit to portray the clear, sweet and satisfying intuition of God in Heaven. It is true, the Deity is spiritual and invisible to the eye of the body; Deity is infinite, and incomprehensible to the eye of the soul; but the glorified saints so clearly understand the divine perfections, that our present knowledge of God, compared to that vision, is but as the seeing of a dark shadow in a mirror, compared to the immediate view of the living substance and person. The discovery of the Deity to us in the present state, is by his works and word; but both are imperfect, and far inferior to the manifestation in Heaven. The absolute fullness of perfection which is inseparable from the Godhead, is unknown by any creature; for the perfection of any creature is limited in its kind as well as degrees. Therefore God was pleased by variety of effects and resemblances, to express and represent his attributes, that our minds might ascend by those steps to contemplate those perfections which are in him eminently and beyond all comparison. The light of Heaven in all its purity and luster, is but a shadow of his unapproachable brightness; all the excellencies of visible things are but a weak representation of the glory of his attributes, like the drawing with a coal the beautiful colors of the morning; and compared with the immensity of his perfections, are like the describing on a sheet of paper the vast celestial spheres. In his word there is a more clear and full discovery of his nature and will, but according to our limited capacity of receiving. The divine attributes in Scripture are masked and shadowed under sensible comparisons; for no light shines into our minds here, but through the windows of sense. The intellectual powers depend on the lower faculties and senses. God is pleased to condescend to our limited capacity, and to adapt the expressions of his majesty to the narrowness of our imaginations. But in Heaven the revelation of the Deity is much more glorious; and the mind is cleared from those earthly images which flow through the gross channels of the senses. In this present state our purest conceptions of God are mixed with dross, and very imperfect; but in Heaven the gold shall be separated from the dross, and our conceptions will be more proper and befitting the glory and purity of God. Here the objects of glory are humbled to the perception of sense; hereafter, the sensible faculties shall be raised and refined, and made the subjects of glory. Now when divine light shines with direct beams, and the thick curtain of flesh is spiritualized and transparent, the soul enjoys the clearest vision of God. The light of nature was so defective as to the discovery of God’s compassionate counsels to save the lost world, and the minds of men were so darkened from the fumes of their lust, that that light was but the hemisphere of the night in comparison of the revelation of the gospel; as Peter expresses the happy privilege of Christians, and their consequent duty, "that they should show forth the praises of him who has called them out of darkness into his marvelous light." And the glorious gospel, compared to the revelation of God in Heaven, is but as the twilight of the morning, wherein the light of the day is checkered with the shadows of the night, compared to the sun in its full luster. In Heaven we shall "see God face to face;" which signifies the clearest manifestation of his glory, and of his favor to the blessed; for the face is the throne of majesty and beauty, and the crystal wherein the affections are conspicuous.

Accordingly when Moses prayed, "I beseech you to show me your glory;" God answered him that it was impossible, "for no man could see his face and live." And the form of divine blessing to the people of Israel was, "May the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you."

Whether the immediate essence of God can be seen by the intellectual creature, is a question; but we are sure "in the Heaven of his presence," God exhibits himself to the blessed in a most glorious manner; for according to the degrees of excellency an the work, are the impressions and discoveries of the cause. The glories of the place, and of the inhabitants the angels and saints, are the most noble effects and expressions of the divine attributes. But in a transcendent manner God exhibits himself in the glorified Mediator. He is styled "the brightness of his Father’s glory, and the express image of his person;" to signify that God, in the person of the incarnate Mediator, is so fully represented to us, that in him we have a view of God’s unchangeable perfections. This appears by the following words, "that having purged us from our sins, he sat down on the majesty on high:" for they respect the Son of God as united to the human nature, in which he performed the office of the priesthood, and took possession of his kingdom.

During his humble state, though darkened with many afflicting circumstances, the divine virtues, wisdom, goodness, holiness, power, were so visible in his life, revelations, and miraculous works, that when Philip with that ardency of affection desired the sight of the Father, the only consummate blessedness, "show us the Father, and it suffices;" he told him, he "who has seen me, has seen the Father." But how brightly does he appear in his exaltation? We shall "see him as he is," in the majesty and glory of the Son of God. The apostle says, "we shall know as we are known;" this we are not to understand according to the exactness of the expression; for the sun may be as well included in a spark of fire, as God may be comprehended by our finite faculties.

Beyond the fullest discoveries we can receive of the Deity, there remains an entire infinity of perfections, not to be known by the most intelligent spirits; but "as we are known," is a note of similitude, not of equality. The light of a candle as truly shines as the light of the sun, but not with that extent and splendor. We shall have such a perfect knowledge of God, as our minds can receive, and our hearts desire.

We shall then see and understand what we now believe concerning the glorious nature of God, his decrees and counsels, his providence and dispensations. The sublimest doctrine of the Christian religion, above the disquisition and reach of reason, is that of the sacred Trinity, upon which the whole economy of the gospel depends. In assenting to this, faith simply bows the head and adores. But such is the pride of the carnal mind, that it disdains to stoop to divine revelation; and the seeming wise philosophers despised the primitive Christians as captives of an unreasonable belief. But this foul reproach was as unjust as many others with which they designed to disgrace Christianity; for the humility of faith does not extinguish or darken the light of reason, but revives and increases it.

What is more suitable to incorrupt reason, than to believe the revelation God affords of his own nature, who cannot deceive us? In the state above, where reason is rectified and enlarged, we shall understand that from eternity God was sole existing, but not solitary; that the Godhead is not confused in unity, nor divided in number; that there is a priority of order—yet no superiority among the sacred Persons, but they are all equally possessed of the same divine excellencies, and the same divine empire, and are the object of the same adoration. Our Savior tells his disciples, "in that day you shall know that I am in the Father," that is by unity of essence, and as naturally and necessarily God as the Father. This promise immediately refers to the time of pouring forth the Holy Spirit upon them after the resurrection of our Savior—but shall be fully accomplished in Heaven.

All things of a supernatural order shall be revealed. The "great mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh," the union of the high perfections of the divine nature with the innocent imperfections of the human nature, the contrivance of our redemption, wherein there is an harmonious concurrence and concord of the principal attributes of the Deity that seemed irreconcilable; that product of the divine wisdom that is so adored by the angels, that astonishes and saves us—all shall be unfolded. The divine counsels in governing the world, the designs, the ways, the orders and operations of God’s providence—shall then be conspicuous. In some dispensations of God, the wisdom, the rectitude, the equity of his providence, is so visible in the defense of the innocent, and his justice and power in the punishment of the guilty, that it may convince the atheists who deny a providence, and causes all sincere believers to admire and reverence it. But there are other dispensations, the immediate reasons of which are so concealed in the bosom of God, that only the Lamb, with whose blood the elect are written in the book of life, can reveal; why the light of the gospel was never visible to so many kingdoms, "why many are called, and few chosen;" the unsearchable ways, and incomprehensible judgments of God, which Paul in an ecstacy admires, which it is not lawful to inquire into here—we shall then understand in such a manner, that light itself is not more clear.

How often are the people of God here in miserable perplexities? and say with the prophets, "truly you are a God who hides yourself!" It is true, a steadfast faith in the providence of God, that all that he does, and all that he permits and disposes is best, will quiet their passions, and change the tempestuous ocean into the pacific sea. But when they are admitted into the Heaven above, and see the immediate reasons of his decrees, what a heavenly wonder, what an exquisite pleasure will fill their minds! When the original fountains of wisdom, as clear as deep, shall be opened—what sweet satisfaction will be shed abroad in their spirits! They will see the beauty of providence in disposing temporal evils in order to their eternal felicity. That as in a curious picture the darkest tinctures are so painted as to give life and grace to the orient colors—so all the afflictions of this state were but shadows or foils, to make their faith, and love, and patience more resplendent, and their reward more excellent.

What our Savior said to Peter, is applicable to the impenetrable dispensations of providence to us in our mortal state, "What I am now doing, you know not now, but shall know hereafter." Then the secrets of his counsels shall be unsealed, and we shall be able to expound the perplexing riddle, how "out of the eater came meat, and out of the strong came sweetness:" we shall understand that his overruling providence is most eminently glorified in extracting good out of evil, "for we shall know as we are known."