38 THE JOYS OF HEAVEN. WHY art thou so timorous, O my soul? Why thus fearful to approach the darling glories that are above? I know thou canst never, with the utmost elevation of thy thoughts, reach the least of those joys which "it never entered into the heart of man to conceive;" An inspired apostle has confessed his incapacity to describe them; much less can it ever be expected that I, with this earthly tabernacle about me, should raise my meditation so high, as to shadow out the smallest enjoyment of that kingdom of eternal glory. I will entertain myself, however, (though at this mighty distance,) with a prospect of the heavenly Canaan; and as far as my shallow capacity gives me leave, will enjoy the promised land before my entrance thither. Mount then, my soul, and, winged with thy most aspiring thoughts, take thy flight to the borders of glory, and thence look down with pity on the rich and honourable worms below! Where am I, O my soul? Into what paradise hast thou brought me ! Surely this is none other than the house, even the palace of God! the brightness, the glorious lustre of this place! this is doubtless the heavenly city, into which the divine and beloved apostle was taken, and which he saw, and has described in his great vision of revealed glories. What he mystically spoke of the flourishing church on earth, belongs to this glorious place without a figure; here needs no candle, nor the light of the sun; for the least of all these numerous spirits here is bright enough to enlighten a whole world of Egyptian darkness. If the spacious sky were covered, from one end to the other, with the brighter stars, and every star were a thousand times bigger, more clear and sparkling, than ever yet was seen, this would indeed be a glorious sight; but yet it all comes, beyond expression, short of the beauties of the lowest mansion in this heavenly kingdom. Behold the splendour of the Throne of God! But retreat, my soul, to the contemplation of the other glories here, more suitable to thy weak and dazzled faculties. Presume not too far, nor dwell too long upon this tremendous object. Thou wilt be quickly lost here; retire, therefore, and approach not too near this awful seat of glory, about which thou seest there the distant angels lie prostrate in the humblest postures of respect and fear. O my soul! what blessed company is this? Here are millions of angellike spirits, no less bright and glorious than the sun. Seraphim, archangels, patriarchs! O glorious host of heaven! how ravishing is this great society how splendid each angellike look appears! What acute and piercing rays of glory dart from each flaming countenance in this sacred crowd! Ye illustrious kings, crowned emperors of glory, how dazzling is your lustre ! how high and inexpressible is this celestial grandeur ! O ye noble army of martyrs! I congratulate your sufferings here, and your immortal crowns, the great rewards of blood and tortures. There see, O my soul! behold the illustrious crown of martyrdom on the sacred head of heavenly Stephen, their blessed martyr! How happy wert thou to submit that encircled head of glory, to be here bruised and mangled by the sharp and bloody stones! Behold, there stands, there sings, the glorified Isaiah, shining among the first and highest order of blessed spirits. Great prophet! thou wert here cruelly sawn asunder, yet, |