90. Still descriptions fall short of glory
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Oh! what must that happiness be, which is laid up on high! that glory that is reserved to be revealed!
When God sets forth the heavenly bliss, it is by the metaphors, figures, and shadows, adapted to our shallow conceptions. Thus as God himself is said to have hands—which point out his power' eyes—which show his omniscience, and such like condescensions.
So the glory above is set out to us by the most excellent things that come within our cognizance—as kingdoms, crowns, scepters, gold, precious stones, pearls, anthems, life, health, liberty, light, endless day, perpetual summer, and eternal autumn. But how dull are golden harps—to the rapture of celestial song! How dim are streets of gold—to the paved walks of glory! What are the reflections of clearest crystal—to glories! What the languid sparklings of all the precious gems—to the noon-day blaze of uncreated perfections!
What are the apples of paradise—to that spiritual feast on divinity itself, which the saints enjoy above! What is a tree planted on either side a stream—to him who overshadows all his chosen ones! or twelve kinds of fruits yielded every month—to the innumerable blessings of divine love! What is a river—to him who overflows eternity, fills immensity, and is the plenitude of every ransomed soul! In one word, what are all things—to God! Can the creature set forth the enjoyment of the Fountain of being?
O happy eternity! when I shall plunge into the infinity of your excellencies, and, to my eternal gain, be lost in the immensity of your glory! and enjoy God in a manner that the noblest metaphors never can set forth, that the most exalted description never can exhibit, nor the most enlarged conception conceive! In view of this glory, unfathomably great—let me prepare, and in hopes of it rest until its full unveiling!
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