11. He showed himself, so it is in this verse twice repeated, after these things Jesus showed himself, and in this wise he showed himself. Christ now was not seen, or known to the bodily eye (for his body was immortal) unless by dispensation he condescended thereto. I deny not, but that glorified bodies are ever actually seen of bodies that are glorified; but of mortal men who are yet in this veil of tears those glorious creatures cannot be seen actually, except there be some peculiar and divine dispensation. As the air is too subtle to be seen, or as the Sun is too glorious for a weak eye to behold; so are glorified bodies too subtle, too splendid for a mortal eye to pierce:2 our Saviour tells us, that the bodies of the Saints do shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father; and that they are as the Angels. And the Apostle tells us, that their bodies are spiritual bodies; there is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body? now without dispensation we cannot see spiritual things. And hence it is, that when Christ showed himself to the two disciples at Emmaus, it is said that their eyes were opened, 3& they knew him, & he vanished out of their sight. Mark, first their eyes were opened, why, no question but their eyes were open before; they did not walk with him, ⟨p. 443⟩and talk with him, and sit with him, and eat with him, but their eyes were then opened; ay but now their eyes were opened in another manner, as it is said of Elisha's servant, that at the prayers of Elisha, The Lord opened the eyes of the young man, 4and he saw, and behold the mountain was full of horses, and chariots of fire, round about Elisha; in like manner their eyes were so opened, that they knew Jesus. And then, 2. He vanished out of their sight; in a strange unusual manner they lost his sight, and they could not tell what was become of him; in a moment he was invisible to them whose eyes he had opened: it plainly shows that glorified bodies, as corpulent, and commensurable, may be seen of mortals; but as they are subtle, and spiritual, they cannot be seen actually without dispensation. Christ appeared (saith Damascene) not by necessity, 5but by his own free will; not by the law of nature, but by way of dispensation. It was his mere condescension, permission, that he would show himself at any time unto his Disciples.
11. He shewed himself, so it is in this verse twice repeated, after these things Jesus shewed himself, and in this wise he shewed himself. Christ now was not seen, or known to the bodily eye (for his body was immortal) unless by dispensation he condescended thereto. I deny not, but that glorified bodies are ever actually seen of bodies that are glorified; but of mortal men who are yet in this vail of tears those glorious creatures cannot be seen actually, except there be some peculiar and divine dispensation. As the ayre is too subtile to be seen, or as the Sun is too glorious for a weak eye to behold; so are glorified bodyes too subtile, too solendid for a mortal eye to pierce:2 our Saviour tells us, that the bodyes of the Saints do shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father; and that they are as the Angels. And the Apostle tells us, that their bodyes are spiritual bodies; there is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body? now without dispensation we cannot see spiritual things. And hence it is, that when Christ shewed himself to the two disciples at Emmaus, it is said that their eyes were opened, 3& they knew him, & he vanished out of their sight. Mark, first their eyes were opened, why, no question but their eyes were open before; they did not walk with him, ⟨p. 443⟩and talk with him, and sit with him, and eat with him, but their eyes were then opened; ay but now their eyes were opened in another manner, as it is said of Elisha's servant, that at the prayers of Elisha, The Lord opened the eyes of the young man, 4and he saw, and behold the mountain was full of horses, and chariots of fire, round about Elisha; in like manner their eyes were so opened, that they knew Jesus. And then, 2. He vanished out of their sight; in a strange unusual manner they lost his sight, and they could not tell what was become of him; in a moment he was invisible to them whose eyes he had opened: it plainly shews that glorified bodies, as corpulent, and commensurable, may be seen of mortals; but as they are subtle, and spiritual, they cannot be seen actually without dispensation. Christ appeared (saith Damascene) not by necessity, 5but by his own free will; not by the law of nature, but by way of dispensation. It was his meer condescension, permission, that he would shew himself at any time unto his Disciples.
- 1Chrys. hom. 86. in Job.
- 2Mat. 1.43. Mat. 22.30. 1 Cor. 15.44.
- 3Luke 24.31.
- 42 King. 6.17.
- 5[Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
