SEEING, to See. This is said, not only of the Sense of Vision, by which we perceive external Objects, but also of inward Perception, of the Knowledge of spiritual Things, and even of that supernatural Sight of hidden Things, of Prophecy, of Visions, of Ecstasies. Whence it is that formerly they were call’d Seers, who afterwards were call’d Nabi, or Prophets: And that Prophecies were call’d Visions; Visio Amos, Visio Abdiæ, &c.
Moreover, the Verb to See, is used to express Exod. xx. 18.all kind of Sensations. It is said in Exodus, that the Israelites saw Voices, Thunder, Lightning, the Sound of the Trumpet, and the whole Mountain of Sinai cover’d Aug. ep. 167. nov. edit. c. 1. p. 476.with Clouds, or Smoke. And Saint Austin observes, that the Verb to See, is imputed to all the five natural Senses; to see, to hear, to smell, to taste, to touch: He says, Non enim tantum dicimus, vide quid luceat, sed etiam, vide quid sonet, vide quid oleat, vide quid sapiat, vide quid caleat.
Psal.xxvi. 13.To see Good, or Goods, is, to enjoy them: Credo videre bona Domini in terra viventium; I hope that God will bring me back into my own Country, into the Land of Job vii. 7.Judea, and that I shall live there in Peace and Prosperity. Job says, Non revertetur oculus meus, ut videat bona; I shall die, and see no more; I shall no longer enjoy the Psal. iv. 6.good Things of this World. And the Psalmist says, There be many that say, Who will shew us any Good? Can we hope still Esth. i. 10, 14.to enjoy any Happiness in this Life?
To see the Face of the King, to be of his Houshold, to approach near him. The Kings of Persia, under the Pretence of maintaining that Respect and Majesty that was due to them, seldom permitted their Subjects to see them, and hardly ever shew’d themselves in Publick: None but their most intimate Friends, or their familiar Domesticks, had the Advantage of beholding their Faces. Erant primi & proximi qui videbant faciem Regis, says Esther. Frequent Allusion is made to this Custom in Scripture, when mention is made of the seven principal Angels that have the Honour of seeing the Face of the Lord, and of appearing in his Presence. See Tobit xii. 15. Ego sum Raphael Angelus, unus de septem qui astamus ante Dominum. See Rev. i. 4.